Flash Fiction: The Harvester (Harvest)
I've been working on my book a lot lately, but I'm still really wanting to finish my little flash fiction pieces inspired by the new Nightwish album Human. :||: Nature. I've had this piece mostly finished for like a month and a half, ah well.
Also, I've been using a few new sites for helping with different story-related things. One site, Artbreeder, is responsible for the photo at the top of this article (blog post about the site coming soon).
Each piece is titled with the song title in brackets. Here is the Nightwish song that inspired this piece: Harvest
The Harvester
Year 6435 AC
Zalfari, Wirrowwir’s Capital
Just outside the city walls
The boy was easy enough for Shael to find. His body mangled, bones broken, lifeless eyes staring out at the crowd of people who had gathered to mourn.
But she wasn't here for his body. No, she was here for his soul.
The little boy's spirit was sitting on the ground, about 10 steps away from his body. Shoulders shook in silent sobs but the moment he noticed Shael’s approach he snapped his head up to look at her.
He couldn't have been more than six and the caeles felt her heart give a sympathetic tug, he was so young.
"No!" He cried, "I don't want to go! Not without my daddy!"
That was why she had been called upon to help his spirit cross over. Mortal souls that didn't want to leave their realm, she was responsible for guiding. Sometimes all it took was the sight of her, golden wings the shape of crescent moons outstretched, the mark of The Creator on her forehead, for the spirit to pass on. Other times they took a little more coaxing.
Shael approached the boy, her hands stretched out in a placating gesture. She’d chosen to not release her wings this time, no use overwhelming the boy. "Gabe, you have to pass on. I promise you will see your father again."
"No!" The boy shrieked, "I want my daddy now!"
Her heart breaking for the little boy she sat down in front of him, legs crossed, forearms resting on her thighs.
"Gabe, if you come with me you can meet your mother and I promise you will see your father again. But right now you need to let go." It was instinctual for her. Part of the powers that came with being The Harvester. She knew the names of the souls, what loved ones they had waiting for them, what they'd wanted in life. He was too young to really have known what he wanted out of life, but she could feel a fierce desire for comfort, love, and security. The love for his family.
The little boy stared at her, lower lip trembling. He seemed to be searching her face for something and evidently, he found whatever it was he was looking for because he nodded slowly.
One little hand reached out to her and Shael stood up and clasped his hand in hers.
"Is it going to hurt?" His voice was quiet.
She squeezed his hand gently. "No, dear boy. There will be no more pain."
With a reassuring glance at her, Gabe started to fade away. His spirit heading towards the afterlife.
She took one last look around her, the mortals were still grieving over the little boy and her heart went out to them. It was no use trying to remain impassive, she could not be blind to their agony. This alone was the reason that the council position of 'Harvester' was one with the highest replacement rate. Too many caeles had been broken by having to watch these mortals experience the agonizing pain of loss every day. She'd only been doing this job for 29 years and already she felt exhausted by it. 300 years of training hadn't prepared her for the strain of the position.
She closed her eyes, it was time to make sure Gabe had really passed on. It took only a moment for her to imagine the air opening and she stepped through, right to the afterlife.
The entrance to the afterlife was a sight to behold, in Shael’s opinion. A massive arch of black stone, smooth and cool to the touch, loomed overhead, blocking out the sun, casting an intimidating shadow. Pools of clear water glittered on the floor underneath the arch, bubbling by some unknown force. Beyond the black stone and pools of water was a serene landscape, green grass, and pillars of stone, artfully sculpted, reaching for the sky. A sky that was always gleaming with a golden sun or silver moon.
She’d never been beyond the arch, no caeles had, it was forbidden. But sometimes she wondered what it would be like just to walk through the water and go somewhere where everyone was happy, at peace, and with their lost loved ones.
Gabe’s small frame was standing in front of the on-duty caeles. The boy turned to look at Shael and gave a watery smile.
The caeles said something and Gabe nodded and started to walk through the arch. Only a few steps put him past where Shael could still see him, his body disappearing with a glimmer.
The caeles who had been guarding the arch gave a sharp nod to her and she nodded back. Her job was done.
Shael shook her head to clear it and then closed her eyes. She imagined the air in front of her parting and in a split second she stepped through the hole and onto the grass outside her home.
The small cottage was situated in a grove of trees just outside of Vagas, the God of Fate's village. When she and her wife, Leta, had been deciding which home to move into 25 years ago the decision between Leta’s cottage and Shael’s small house in the middle of Death’s village had been an easy choice to make.
Just beyond the trees was a clifftop upon which they would often watch the sunset. As Leta held the council position of ‘The Prophet’, she often went there for peace to let herself slip into her visions.
With the sun currently going down, Shael passed the house and headed toward the cliff, unsurprised to see Leta there. Her legs were dangling off the jagged piece of rock.
She didn’t turn around but seemed to sense Shael’s presence because she spoke, her voice quiet, “Unrest is coming.”
Shael faltered for a moment, Leta didn't mean for the mortals. The mortals were always fighting, it wasn't news and given her wife's disdain for them, she didn't think she would care. Most caeles didn’t care for the mortals, they were an inconvenience thrust upon the caeles when the gods got bored.
She moved to sit next to Leta and dangled her legs over the side of the cliff, left thigh pressing into her wife’s right.
Shael glanced at Leta from the corner of her eye. Her eyes were closed and the golden light of the setting sun reflected off her white skin, deep blue veins all but glowing under the light.
"What kind of unrest?" Shael asked after a beat.
Leta let out a light sigh, "The kind that spills blood."
"Are you going to tell Fate?"
A humorless chuckle escaped her lips, "I'm sure he already knows."
"Can he stop it?"
"None of us can."
"Do we survive?" It was a question Shael wasn't sure she wanted an answer to.
Leta opened her eyes, the dark silver swirling in pain, and wrapped an arm around Shael. "Sometimes."