In another life

[magnus]

you and I both know that the house is haunted
and you and I both know that the ghost is me

The answer satisfies him, and his lacerated lips twitch upward into a shadow of a smile. “I can respect that,” he answers in his honey-whiskey tones, nodding to himself. Hadn’t he come here for the same reason once? He had still been spitting the saltwater from his lungs, trying to acquaint himself to life after being dead for decades, and he had found himself here. Magnus had known all about the kingdoms—having lived and fought in four of them—but still he had come here, trying to find a place to settle down, trying to find purpose again. In the end though, he had returned to the Gates. Where she had lived.

“This is indeed a fine place for a fresh start.”

Shifting slightly, he folds his wings tighter and gives the other a crooked smile. “I live at a place called the Gates,” he pauses, gathering his thoughts. “It’s one of the kingdoms here—and it can be a lot of things for a lot of different people. For some, it’s a place to move up the ranks and prove their worth. For others, it is a haven.” His smile is crooked, “For me, it was a place to protect others. Those people who just want to rest; those people who want to work hard for a good kingdom. It’s my responsibility to keep it safe.”

He falls silent for a second, before offering. “Perhaps, for you, it could be a fresh start.”

MAGNUS

once general. once lord. once king.