Many things all at once: a cacophony of sounds and images streaming past him in the smaller half of a moment. Then not even the sound of his breath. All black; all quiet.
Litam.
The mouse squeezed his eyes more tightly shut. He remembered feeling a terrible ache all over, and he raised his paw to his forehead. It brushed past the tail of another beast, dangling in midair. Litam's eyes immediately snapped open.
He was lying in a bed, or rather, a bunk bed, and the tail belonged to the beast sleeping above him. Soft golden light and the scent of ripe pretario beans streamed through a window.
His window.
This was home.
This was his bed, back in Subito, back on the farm. The bunk above his was Tansig's. Tansig was a burly calico who acted like a cougar but slept like a kitten. His tail always dangled down from the bed.
Litam.
He looked around for whoever was saying his name. The doorway. There stood an old rat, leaning on a cane. It was Jajma.
Jajma! I mean, m'sir… Have I been asleep for very long? That was the strangest dream I've ever had,
Litam said, stumbling over his feet as he stood. I guess I'm not completely woken up yet.
Follow me, Litam,
said the rat, walking out the door and down the dirt path toward the village. Litam kept up with him easily.
I'll say this now: I'm not Jajma; there is no Jajma. There never was. Do you remember when you were in Selassei's study, and she told you that you had already met Shalyon?
Litam's ears perked, and he stared at the rat. That was in my dream—how could you know about it?
Jajma was Shalyon.
Then who are you?
Shalyon posed as the old rat so that he could watch over you and keep you from harm. He always regretted having to be so stern to you, but he knew it was necessary to make you the beast he needed you to be,
the beast said, ignoring Litam's question.
When the city was destroyed, he did not stop it because he couldn't—his foresight is weak and he did not know that the reeve had obtained two Unholy Stones. He only found out that morning, and so he sent you out of harm's way in Koshos' shop.
Litam didn't care about that now, he simply wanted an answer to his question. But who are you?
he asked again, firmly and impatiently.
The rat looked down at the mouse, speaking softly. I am a guide, Litam. I watch you from afar through your life, and when it is time for you to move on, I am here to guide you to where you belong.
Time for me to move on…?
Litam blinked, not sure if he knew what that meant, and not wanting to admit that he did.
Litam, you were not dreaming, and this is not your home. It looks like it, to put you at ease when you first come here. I'll be blunt: you're dead. Letimpra killed you. You fell to your death,
said the rat.
Litam stared at him. Dead? Me?
Yes.
You?
I was never alive to begin with. I exist here and only here.
Litam thought for a moment. If… if Letimpra killed me, does that mean that we… well, that we lost the war?
No, Litam. Though you feel you did little, the World reveres you as a hero.
Litam raised a brow. Can I see?
The guide shook his head. I cannot show you here. We are in Kelprire, the World Beyond the World. It is a resting place and not connected to the Prior World.
He pointed down the path to the gate at its end. Through there is your fate. You must find your way to Aarta or Gvirra—which one holds your future, I cannot tell you. You will know soon enough, however.
Can't I go back home?
Litam asked quietly. Though he knew he had died helping to save the World, the fact that he was not guaranteed a place in Aarta meant that he could not be sure of himself.
Nearly everyone asks that, Litam. I always want to point out some door, some road that leads back to a beast's past life. There is no such way, though, and I am sorry.
He pointed to the gate again. That is where you must go.
Litam walked down the path and placed his paw on the gate. He was alone. He turned around and looked at his guide. Aren't you coming with?
No, Litam. I must stay here and wait for the next soul to pass through.
What if I need your help?
Litam asked.
I cannot aide you; you must do this without me. By no means does this entail your being completely alone, however. You will find others here: some familiar, some strange.
Thank you,
the mouse said, and opened the gate, walking through it.
No, my little mouse, thank you.
Litam spun around immediately, but there was nobody there anymore.
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