And this is it. The last instalment of Shadows of the Past. It's been fun writing it, but I think I'm kinda glad it's over. I won't have as many distractions from my schoolwork. Actually, it won't matter; I'll just find something else to distract myself with. Anyway, I'll try to keep this short. I'd like to know what you thought of my tale now that it's finished. Send your comments to Mist_dark@hotmail.com or Mist_dark@yahoo.ca I check both, so it should work out nicely.
The usual disclaimer still applies. The content of it hasn't changed since I started this story. This is all fiction, I don't know them, and I probably never will. There are homosexual themes herein so you should leave if that upsets you. If you're too young or it's illegal in your area to read this, I'd leave as well.
Until next time, Rune
EPILOGUE
The anchorman on the screen shuffled his papers before looking at the camera. "In recent news, the police have stopped investigation of the bizarre string of deaths that plagued our city the past few weeks. The case is still open, but not as many officers will be working on it. No new bodies have been found and no leads have been uncovered. As mentioned before, if you have any information about this case, or the victims, please contact your local authorities. Any help will be appreciated."
Six months had passed since Atlantis had sunk beneath the waves once more. Never to see the light of day again. Six months and Chris still hadn't given up hope that Cody could have been saved. That somehow his love might have survived. The guys had given him space for a few days and then slowly began working their way back into his life. He never discussed his hopes and fears with any of the others; they wouldn't have been able to understand.
Josh took some time to himself to deal with what had happened. He'd never been attracted to a man before. And the first one he had been attracted to, had died. Or more accurately followed his fate. Before their former bodyguards had replaced Deana and Sean they'd explained something about the legends surrounding Jason's sudden increase in power. The Oracle could call upon all the Fey to wield power, but only if Fate had decided that the situation demanded it. There had only been six other Oracles that had done what Jason had. All of them had died. It was the price of wielding that power. According to the legends each of those Oracles had known they were going to die, and knew that they had no other choice. Everyone had reacted strongly when they realized that Jason had not only gone to his death in sinking Atlantis, but he had known how and when he was going to die the day he became the Oracle.
Chris sighed and set the pen down. He'd been trying to get his thoughts down in his journal. But it wasn't working. He was trying to hard he guessed. About half the page was filled, but it didn't even cover his meeting with Cody. It had taken this long just to be able to write this much. It didn't hurt as much as it had before, but he couldn't put it down. He wanted to and he knew he needed to, but he couldn't. The guys had given him the day alone. Joey had gone shopping with Lance and Justin. He had the apartment all to himself. A knock at the door pulled him from his brooding. He pushed himself out of his chair and padded to the door.
His breath was sucked out of his lungs when he opened the door. "Cody?" He whispered. "But you died."
"The Oracle came for me after you guys left," Cody said. "Can I come in?"
Chris shook himself out of his stupor. He lightly touched the man standing at his door to see if he was real. He stepped aside when he was satisfied. "Sure. You have a lot of explaining to do."
"I know," Cody said. He sat down on the couch and patted the seat next to him. Chris took the offered place with the grace of a man that doesn't truly believe what's happening. "Where to begin?"
The pain in Cody's legs was incredible. He'd never felt anything like this before. The block had barely missed his upper body. But he would still die from the haemorrhaging in his legs; it'd just take longer. He knew he'd accomplished what had to be done, the world was safe. More importantly, Chris was safe. It was strange to him that he knew he could die with the knowledge that his lover was safe.
'Besides,' he thought to himself. 'At least I'm spared her fate.'
Mara was still screaming, though it sounded hollow and far away now. Cody didn't think it was his hearing that was being effected. More likely she was trapped between worlds. Sometimes she appeared as a screaming skeleton and others she appeared as she had before Cody stabbed her. The screaming never stopped, and he doubted it ever would.
He felt a calming presence wash over him. He lay his head down on his arms, ready to welcome Death's embrace. A rustling caused him to open his eyes. He looked up and saw the Oracle's white robes.
"Child," the young man said. "You have done well."
"I know," he said softly. "I'm ready to die. Tell Chris I love him."
A sad look crossed the Oracle's face. "Do you love him, Cody?"
"Of course, you know that."
"I know the answer, but do you?" The Oracle knelt next to him to look him in the eye. "Do you truly know what it means to love a human, Cody?"
"I know the stories, Oracle," Cody said as softly. "And I don't care. All I know is that I want to spend as much time with him as possible. Even if we can't live our lives out together. I'm going to die, but I love him. More then anything else in life."
"Your fate was to fight Mara, Cody," the young man said softly. "Not to die here. You have succeeded. There is no need for any more to die here then is necessary. You can live, Cody. Live to love Chris. But there is a price." He locked eyes with Cody. "Are you willing to pay that price?"
Without a moment's hesitation. "Yes."
"Very well." The Oracle stood and effortlessly lifted the several tons of stone off Cody's legs. He gave the block a slight shove and it toppled over the edge into the blackness beyond. One look was all he spared at the man's mangled legs. He brought his hands together and then spread them as a priest would give a blessing. The pain left Cody's legs and the damage done by the stone was healed.
"Thank you," Cody said. He slowly got to his feet.
"You may curse my name some day, Cody," the Oracle said softly. "But remember this is what you wanted."
The younger man lay his open palm on the bodyguard's forehead. A faint blue aura surrounded the older man. It intensified and then moved out so there was a tiny crack of colourless air around Cody's body. The Oracle pulled his hand away. As he did so the blue light followed his movement. It was absorbed into his hand.
"You will take time to adjust, Cody," the Oracle said. "But you will adjust. They Fey are a dying race. Soon we will be nothing but shadows. Long forgotten in the past." He reached out and grabbed the air as if holding a lever. He pulled down sharply and a portal opened. "Now go. Atlantis is to return to its shadowy place in the past."
"Where are we going?"
"We are going nowhere, Cody." The Oracle said softly. "Your fate may not be to die here. But it is mine. Tell Chris that I am sorry for the pain I caused him. But he had to know how much he loves you. Now go, child." The younger man gave him a soft push through the portal.
"He really did know," Chris said. A tear rolled down his cheek. "All the things I said about him. How much I hated him for taking you away from me." He rested his head on Cody's chest and cried. "I'm so sorry. I didn't know."
"You couldn't have," Cody said. "He was doing what he felt best."
"I don't know how he did it," Chris said softly. "To know you're going to die and to still think of another's happiness. I don't know if I could do that."
"People surprise themselves. I don't think he knew he could until he did it."
"What did he do to you?" Chris asked. "What did do when he touched your forehead?"
Cody lifted the edge of his shirt and pulled down the waist of his pants. There was nothing above his left hip. Just a slightly ligher patch of skin then the tanned area around it. "He took that."
"I thought that was your mark as a Fey," Chris said.
"It was. Only Fey can have that mark."
"You mean you're..."
"Human?" Cody filled in. "Yes, I am. I'm no longer one of the Fey."
"Why?"
"Humans and Fey can't truly love each other," was all Cody said. He leaned down and gave Chris a kiss. It lasted for a few minutes.
A silence fell over the room. Neither one of them wanted to break the beauty of the moment. They held one another as if they never intended to let go. Both of them had experienced pain, and they would go far with each other. Maybe not into forever, but long enough to make both of them happy.
The End
There, it's all over now. I'm not sure when I'll write another story, but when I do I'll let you guys know.
Rune