Passing to a Better Place

Job Info:

There was a tradition in Uranias homeland. When someone died, their body was to be burned utop a specially built pyre. Many people died of old age, but the most common death in her peaceful homeland was... in battle. The belief was that if you died dishonorably, you would go to Hel- a frozen wasteland where the souls of the damned are tormented and wander forever. If you died in combat you would go to Valhalla, the palace of the gods and enjoy the endless feast. Urania hadn't expected to hear about this tradition since she left her homeland. But here she was years later seeing a job posted asking for help dying 'the right way'. An old man, a warrior in his life, was requesting that someone help him to die in combat before he met his fate at the hands of time.

She had always questioned her homelands views on death. All of the morals she was raised with was to never kill unless it was in self-defense, and yet they believed that they were to die in battle? It confused her, but she would honor it none the less. She accepted the man's request to assist him in an honorable death and began to head out to Oshibana. Urania arrived on the farm, its fields empty and dry. The main house for the farm was two stories with white walls and blue accents. The typical farmhouse of course. She knocked on the door, not quite sure if he lived here on his own. With a house as big as his, it was unlikely. If he did, who would get it next? Was a next of kin in line to claim it, would it be put up for sale? These were the thought running through her head as the door opened, revealing an old dark-skinned man standing at the door.

"Would I be correct in the assumption that you are Urania? I haven't seen someone the likes of you since I left my homeland a lifetime ago. My name is Ior Valiir, and I believe you are here at the request I put out to the guilds months ago. I was relieved to hear that someone had taken it, I wasn't sure how much longer my life would last. If you would come with me please, I would greatly appreciate it."  He said with a warm spark in his eyes. He walked over to an area of the field near the house marked by a circle of stones, before humming a small tune, the same string of notes that Uranias magic created forming in the air around him. A shield and sword appeared before him and he equipped them, breathing heavy as he did. "This old body isn't built for casting magic anymore I'm afraid, but these old weapons have never let me down. They're sturdy to a fault, just as I am." Ior said with a soft smile, moving into position on one side of the circle. "I am ready, whenever you are."

Urania took her place at the other side of the circle and pulled her ax off of her hip, the end of the metal rod bursting into flame as its blade emerged. She spun it in her hand, getting herself acclimated before readying herself. She waited for him to attack first, both of them slowly circling the makeshift arena. Urania would never be able to forgive herself if she struck first, that just wasn't the way she did things. That would be an attack, and she would no longer be fighting in self-defense. Ior began his approach, slowly moving towards the center of the arena as they continued to circle, watching each other like hawks. He struck quickly, his sword grazing Urania's cheek. She winced and swung her ax towards the old man's side, but it was quickly brushed away by his shield. She swept her feet, knocking him down as she swung the ax down, colliding with his shield once again. The old kite shield broke in two as she did.

Ior pulled himself to his feet and struck again, this time striking at her side. Urania wasn't fast enough and took the brunt of it, the deep wound quickly burning in pain. She shut her eyes swung her ax from below, striking across Ior's chest. The man stumbled backward, clutching at the deep wound, its edges cauterized by fire. He coughed, blood spilling from his lips. He fell to his knees and looked up at Urania with a smile on his face, his eyes already starting to gloss over. She hadn't hit that hard, but his body wasn't built to take hits anymore.

"Thank you miss. I was afraid nobody would take my request, but it's nice to see I'm not the only one who still believes those old tales. Before I pass please tell me one thing- what is home like now?" Ior asked. Urania didn't know how to answer that question. It was cold there. People were dying from hunger and being exiled for unjust laws. She sighed and nodded, sitting down before him. She pulled an item from her bag, a small ball of intricately carved red metal. A common trinket owned by many there.

"Things are great. Our people are thriving, but I fear something bad is on the horizon for us. Tensions were growing when I left years ago." She told him. It felt bad to lie to an old man, but she could not tell him that his homeland was already beyond recovery. Ior laughed weakly and smiled before his body went limp and he passed on. She played a burial song on her violin, a pyre materializing before her as she did.  When she finished the song she lifted his body and set it on top of the pyre, lighting it with her ax. She stood back and watched as the fire spread, Ior quickly fading into ash that spread on the warm summer wind.

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