Part 1

It was the winter of 867 when Sirene finally wrapped up all her business. She was sitting in the graveyard as usual, in front of her parents' graves when Eigengrau approached her.

"You are certain you are ready?" Eigengrau asked. "You have had 70 years to prepare for this."

"Yes." Sirene said after a small silence. "But not out here. It'll be inside."

Sirene stood up and walked through the snow toward the inn. Eigengrau didn't reply, but followed close behind, and with her through the front door of the inn. Sirene climbed on top of a table and called for silence.

"Everyone, I have an announcement to make. Today is the last day of my life. Today, Sirene Ignitis the Reaper Mage will pass into history." Sirene said, looking around the room. "Therefore, drinks are on me today. Come get one last chance to talk to history!"

Sirene leapt down off the table and caught a bottle of beer thrown by Vaust. She downed it in a single gulp, and slammed the bottle onto the floor.

"You're really dying?" Someone shouted.

"I've been dead for centuries, old man!" Sirene yelled. "Today's the day I move on. Another one!"

Someone tossed another bottle at Sirene and she caught that one as well. Feeling emboldened by Sirene's attitude, people started to order drinks, and Vaust left to get another keg of beer. Soon, it was a veritable party, with Sirene singing songs in long dead languages.

"Nunc est bibendum, nunc pede libero pulsanda tellus, nunc Saliaribus ornare pulvinar deorum tempus erat dapibus, sodales." Sirene sang, in a language not spoken by anyone except her in over 1500 years.

"Hey Sirene what language is that?" An elven patron asked her, leaning on her. "I've never heard anything like it."

"My native tongue." Sirene answered with a laugh. "Nobody's spoken it in over a thousand years."

The crowd slowly grew quiet as Sirene sang more songs in her ancient dead language. Of course, nobody knew the words but her, but she sang beautiful, haunting songs. Some of them were fun songs, some sad, some romantic. The last song she sang was that of a lover, waiting at the shores of the sea for her love who would not return, for he could not. When she finished, the inn was dead quiet, and everyone was looking at her.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I have something I want to share with you, because it is the last day of my life. A very long time ago, in the summer of Ironhand 7519, not far from where this inn now stands, I buried my parents. I was twenty years old. Where this inn now stands, due to sheer happenstance, was the village I came from, then known as Isca."

Sirene paused. She didn't know where she was going with this and she was quite drunk at this point. She held up a finger, and finished another beer, then continued.

"When I die, so too does that village. I want it to be remembered, therefore I am giving permission for a settlement to be built here."

Vaust blinked. The dragons would hate it, he thought. But he liked the idea of a settlement around his inn, so he spoke up.

"How about we call it Isca?" Vaust said with a wink.

A cheer went up at Vaust’s suggestion, his approval all but setting it in stone.

Throughout this all, Eigengrau silently observed the festivities from the against the wall. Her desire not to be seen meant she was completely invisible to anyone besides another divine being, so she remained unbothered, until a certain dragon in human form approached her.

"Eigengrau, a moment of your time?" He asked.

"What do you want, Zarfangal?" She asked, getting straight to the point. "If it is about my Apprentice, bring it up with her."

"Is she telling the truth?" Zarfangal asked.

"What did I just tell you?" Eigengrau angrily monotoned, scowling.

"Eigengrau!" Sirene shouted, startling some of the patrons. "Get over here!"

"It appears I am needed." Eigengrau said to Zarfangal, smirking.

Eigengrau slowly walked through the parting crowd, her foot steps leaving patches of frost. When she reached the table Sirene was standing on top of, Sirene easily pulled her up on top of the table, and then unexpectedly hugged her.

"Master. I'm ready to go." Sirene said, not letting go of the hug. "Here and now."

"So publicly?" Eigengrau whispered. Sirene nodded in response.

"Very well. Sirene of Isca, throughout your long life you have witnessed far more than any one mortal could be expected to bear. Find your peace in the lands beyond, and be reunited with all those who you loved, and loved you. Gathered friends, weep not for her passing, find only joy in a life well lived." Eigengrau proclaimed, speaking loud enough for everyone in the inn, even those in the rooms upstairs to hear. Eigengrau gently touched the back of Sirene's head, and with a small tug, her ancient soul loosed itself at long last from her body. Eigengrau caught her now limp body with one arm, and with the help of a patron, carefully lowered her onto the table.

"Is she?" The man asked.

Eigengrau nodded. "She is. Bury her next to her parents. The Innkeeper will show you. I have an old friend to escort."

Eigengrau held Sirene's soul in her left hand, the gentle pulsating unlike any other soul she had ever claimed. Her soul seemed to be... happy. Eigengrau walked slowly out of the inn, and into the graveyard, andbefore placedplacing it on the ground. Instantly, it morphed and Sirene's ghost was standing in front of Eigengrau.

"Free at last." Sirene said, inhaling. "Take care of yourself, Sirene. I have to go see my parents, I've waited long enough."

Sirene waved and slowly faded away. Eigengrau stood in the graveyard for six months without moving, to the point where some visitors mistook her for a statue until they saw her blink. Vordea visited her once, but after determining she was okay, left her alone.

Internally, a debate was raging between Eigengrau and Sirene. Sirene was devastated that she made such a huge mistake and that it happened to her own Apprentice who was also herself, and was demanding a full audit of the Book of Fates for all abnormal souls. Eigengrau was insistent it would take far too many years for little benefit but Sirene's.