Snow, Fire, Sword

These are excerpts from 'Snow, Fire, Sword', a very intriguing fantasy story. The following paragraphs depicts the mourning of the main character, Adi, over the death of one of his very close friends, Sadik. A demon struck his head with a stream of fire, leaving him in a fatal state.


Adi said, his throat choked with emotion, 'Will you, Lady, heal my friend Sadik who, in his purity of heart, was Snow?'

Rorokidul's voice was regretful. 'My child, I cannot save him. He is dying; his wound is far greater than yours, for he has been struck in his heart and his mind. I cannot undo what the afreet has done, just as I could not undo what it did to my friend Anda Mangil. I wish it were otherwise, but it cannot be. And so it is accomplished..'

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'You must be Adi,' he said, quietly. 'And I am Husam al-Din.'

Sword, thought Adi, dully, and he acknowledged Husam's greeting courteously. The four of them were alone now; all the surviving hantumu had fled, and only the dead remained. And Sadik. Sadik, the purest of heart of all, the true Snow, who was dying.

Adi left Dewi and Husam and returned to his friend's side, to kneel by him and hold his hand. It would be lonely for poor Sadik, setting off into the night without anyone he loved. No parents, no siblings, no family, no members of his beloved community. And his master gone forever, lost to him, lost to the world, lost to God Himself. Oh, how bitter it must be, to set out like this to the House of Dust, knowing everything you had thought and believed in and loved was a terrible, terrible lie. Tears rolled unchecked down Adi's face and onto the young man's skin.

Sadik's eyes were closed but he still breathed, very faintly. Dewi and Husam and the Sultan came to sit by him too, sorrow written on all their faces. No-one spoke for a moment, then Adi said, very softly,'She said it was accomplished, as if that should be enough, when he lies dying. She said...'
He could not continue..

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Adi nodded, without speaking. She placed her hand on Adi's, which held Sadik's; and then Husam quietly placed his hands on hers. Sadik suddenly opened his eyes and said, very distinctly,'I am glad you are with me, my friends.' He looked at Adi.'We are friends of the heart, aren't we Adi? I always knew we would be. And such friends never forget each other, no matter where they are.' Adi could not speak, he was crying too hard. 'Don't weep, Adi. I can see such a light coming, such a beautiful country, just beyond the edge of my vision. And there is so much love there, so much peace. Oh, it would delight you to see it! There is just one thing, before I go. Do any of you know the words for the dying, in the Mujisal way? I would like to go to meet God with the right preparation.'

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As the ancient words washed gently over Sadik, his eyes closed again. There was a smile of mixed joy and melancholy on his face, the smile of someone who saw a new life both wondrous and beautiful opening before him, but who was also taking leave of his old life and friends. The breath left his body as he smiled, and so gentle was his soul's leave-taking of earth that they did not even know the precise moment he died..