Title: The Price Of Death

Series: not a series

Author/pseudonym: Dennis

Email address: vze2ng6s@verizon.net or dennsedai@yahoo.com

Feedback: Yes please, if critiquing the story please send to me off list any other feed back can be off or on list. Just don't flame me please.

Website: http://dennsedai.0catch.com , all I have up at the moment is the main page and a memorial page

Rating: PG-13, no explicit sex or anything like that. It does deal with the events of 9-11 though.

Fandom: Incarnations of Immortality (by Piers Anthony)

Pairing: Death/Other, Chronos/? implied.

Date: 9/16/2001

Archive: To all lists recieving it, permission is granted, to all others, please ask first.

Disclaimers: The Incarnations are owned by Piers Anthony, though the original concept is open to all.

Warnings: A small memorial story for the recent tragedy of 9-11-01.Angst, death and sorrow are present.
May those who have died, find healing and peace.

Summary: Death's job is never easy, and in this story the price of duty is high beyond belief.

Notes: This is almost all done from the first person perspective of Thantos, Thanatos is one of the oldest names for Death. Fate, in both the legends and myths as well as the series is a three in one person. The three aspects of fate are Clotho, the spinner of the threads of life, Laechis, the measurer of the threads of life, and Atropos, the cutter of the threads of life. Mortis is the "pale horse" that death rides. "like these" are normal speech. 'this single qoute' conveys what a person is thinking. While **this indicates** telepathy, which is how Mortis speaks. Also the ******* indicate a break in time. The work isn't beta'd so any and all boo-boo's are mine, please don't beat me severely.

On one last thing, a thousand, nay ten thousand apologies for cross posting the fic. If you get it more than once I beg pardon most humbly.

By Dennis

Sitting at the coffee shop, I took one final sip of my drink, as I waited for my next appointment. These days seemed to be so long anymore. How could one become accustomed to this job, to taking the souls of those who died in balance? Whose souls were not sure if they were saved or damned? Rising, I slowly walked towards the door. In that instant, time froze around me. Everyone including myself froze in place, as an immense boom shattered the morning. Screams and shouts of horror began not moments later. As shock, wore off and reality asserted itself.

Staring upwards, I watched on in horror as the flames and smoke billowed. This city which I loved so much was struck a blow which made all I had seen in my long life look as nothing at all. Looking at my own watch, I let out a gasp of shock and horror the tiny numbers that had been on it were now more than I had ever seen. The time being right now. Pushing in the single centermost stud, I spoke a single word. Even before I was done speaking, he was there beside me, as was another.

"I know Thanatos," the figure to my right, cloaked in white spoke. "I grieve with you, at what has happened. I know also what must be done, so that you can do your job."

"But how?" I asked in shock. "Chronos, for god's sake, how could this happen? Why didn't Mars warn us, or you? Surely you saw this coming?"

"This is not the time or place to speak of this Thanatos. Stretch forth your hand and touch the hourglass. I must make it so you can for the present time, move through time and reach all you must. Before their suffering grows too great." Chronos spoke softly. "As for why you were not warned, we will speak of that later. For now too many souls, are in need of your touch. Go swiftly, as we others shall do what we can to help. This tragedy must be reduced as much as it can. Take care my friend for the worst is not over yet."

Stretching forth my hand, I touched the hourglass of Time. Suddenly it was as if I was one with time and able to be everywhere at once. A soothing touch here, a gentle voice there. Reassuring those who died, even as I gave what comfort I could to those who would live... or live for the moment. Silently I raged in my mind, against these cruel events.

Even as I collected the last soul... or so I thought, I heard that second fateful, whine and explosion. Moving even as I heard it, I hurried on to bring what comfort and peace I alone could give.

**********

"Very well Chronos, you promised me answers. I want them now!" I said in a voice, colder than the depths of space. "Why were none of us warned of this tragedy? Why was nothing done to prevent it?"

"There was no choice in this matter Thanatos. I knew first what was to come. I concealed it, I admit from the others as long as I could." Chronos said, pacing back and forth. "I had no choice. For you and the rest the future is a single line of being. For me I can see all the possible outcomes. I acted, as my office demands and strived to bring about the best outcome."

"How can you say that?" Gaea asked. "What possible good can come of this horror? This senseless, horrific tragedy?"

"Much if things are allowed to go as they must, we can guide but a little. To act directly and influence events ourselves without care will destroy all that now can be." Chronos answered. "Mars and Fate both are in agreement with me. I had to tell them, when they came to me seeking answers. I did not tell the two of you, as the fewer who knew, was all to the better. If the Nameless One, had learned of what I was striving to do, he would have acted as well. With his touch upon it not even I know where it could have ended up."

"He's right, you know. Even though this disaster has done damage to the Web its self, the patterns that come forth in the future at the moment are all to the good." Fate said softly. "We would have wished it could have been otherwise, but it was unavoidable. As it was, we came through at a high cost, but it could have been much, much worse."

"How can you say that Atropos?" I demanded angrily. "Did you have to go forth and collect all those souls? Did you have to sort them, and offer what comfort you could to them?"

"Speak not to me of necessity, I will not hear it. This day doing has cost more than any of you can know." I said, turning I stalked away from the rest. "Do not follow me, I need a time away from all of you, I will not be responsible for what happens should you press me further."

**********

Whistling softly, and speaking a single word under my breath I paused where I was and waited. For a few moments nothing seemed to happen, then I heard the pounding of hooves. Bare seconds later, Mortis pounded into view.

**You called master?** His soft voice echoed in my mind.

"I did Mortis. I need a ride to a place on the edge of purgatory. Once you drop me there, I want you to return to your grazing and rest yourself" I replied in a gentle voice. "I need time to find the healing for my heart, that only one can offer. I hope you can understand."

**I do master, your sorrow is very understandable** Mortis voiced echoed yet again in my mind, filled with tones of sorrow and sympathy. **Take care not to loose yourself though, for as always your actions shall decide the good and ill on your own soul.**

"I know my friend. Let us ride then to the edges of chaos." So saying, I swiftly mounted and we rode, swift as the wind till at last we reached the outermost edges of purgatory. A place where order and chaos met.

**Are you sure master? I can still take you back, again...**Mortis's voice trailed off hesitantly.

"I'm sure, go now and take care of you. I'll be fine and if I need you, I"ll call." I said with weariness in my voice. "I promise you, I'll not do anything stupid."

**********

Wandering I didn't truly care where I ended, I knew it was wise to take care here, as there were very few who could negotiate this area safely. Sighing, I kept walking deeper into the ever shifting chaos.

Stopping a moment, I wished that I hadn't lost my temper. 'But damn it, couldn't they understand it?' I thought to myself. 'I'm Death, but I'm also human. How can they comprehend the horrors of what I saw, of the lives I had to bring an end to.'

Pausing for a moment I let my tears flow at last. 'How could they understand what it was like for me? By one of the last souls, I had collected lay my mortal lover. True it wasn't forbidden to take a mortal as a lover, but it wasn't generally done. They would live and grow old even as we stayed young and fair. Now, before, we could even have to face that he was gone. His life snuffed out in a single instant.'

**********

"Hello there, my friend." A gentle voice called out. "I see that you seem to be lost here? Do you need some guidance, back to your own place?"

"No I’m fine YHWH, I just needed a time away from the rest of them." I replied, trying to keep my voice level. "I...I just needed a bit of time alone."

"I can just imagine Thanatos. Not everyone can face, what happened this day, easily." YHWH spoke softly. Pausing, he stopped to stand beside me. "My people are also praying. Many of them say the Kaddish, for the dead and dying. They also offer it up for all those who were lost today. I know the sorrow you feel most keenly."

"Do you?" I asked, in a shaking voice. "What can you know of the pain I feel?"

"I know of the one you lost, my child. I know of Daniel, who you loved and who loved you." YHWH said, in a voice of infinite tenderness. "I also know of his sorrow that he could not tell you of the gift he had for you."

Drawing me close, YHWH held me in his arms as I wept. "He knew you were different, my friend. He accepted this and asked of me a single gift. He prayed to me that so long as you loved him, and he loved you that you would be together. He asked that he be able to always be beautiful for you."

"How did he know? Did he know I was immortal then?" I sobbed into YHWH's shoulder.

"He did, Thanatos, he was a special person, more than you can know." YHWH spoke gently. "He asked that I grant him a chance to always be with you. He also asked, that if it was a choice between that and his job as a chosen one, that he serve as he was called. That's why he was there, my child. He was there so that he could help others live, and give them a chance."

"But why? Why did this have to happen YHWH? Why did he have to die?" I cried, as my heart screamed in pain. Begging me for the gift, I could give others, but not myself. "Why did any of this have to be?"

"Your friend Chronos tried to tell you. He came to be a while back, and asked me for my help." YHWH said. "He asked me if I could aid him, even though I no longer have near the powers I did once. I did all I could and this is what we gained. A time of great sadness and pain. We have for a time averted the disaster that this could have been. Though the price has been high."

"I...I just don't get it YHWH. How can this be a good thing?" I asked, drawing back as I felt almost betrayed. "How can any good come of this?"

"The answer is this Thanatos." Chronos said softly, from behind me. "The nations of this world will see that we are all human, we are all one people no matter our differences. For a time, we may gain some peace and understanding. Perhaps for a time we can even find the healing that all the world needs so desperately. That's why we paid so high a price. It could have been worse, if we hadn't acted as we did, an even greater disaster could have occurred."

"I suppose I have to accept your word on that. But don't expect me to accept it for a long time." I said "I lost the one person who meant all the world to me. Now I have to live without him or the love I had found." I turned and walked off, my misery too great yet to find any comfort in the words I had heard.

**********

"YHWH, will he ever come to see what I feel for him?" Chronos asked softly, as his friend walked away in pain.

"I don't know my child. For now, he must find his own peace, as must we all. I pray that he can find it and not loose sight of what lays ahead." YHWH said gently. "For now, just be there for him, he will find in time, that he needs you as much as you need him."

The End