Fourth Wing AU's, Headcannons, Oneshots, Etc.

"Afterrealm" Part 2 Liam is Dead... But Not?

"May your soul be commended to Malek."

How many days had it been? Intuitively, it must've been thirty or so, but the light never ceased and night never fell. He had to sleep in the broad daylight, on cold flooring. The first few days, he hadn't felt neither tired nor cold, but now the chill ran deep into his bones. Never ceasing, but never killing him either.

Besides sleep, Liam felt no desire to eat or drink. Which was good, because there was none available. For the sake of keeping himself motivated, Mairi continued walking. There appeared to be no end to this vastless world. No other people or creatures, no change in landscape.

Liam's thoughts drifted between memories of his life and the strange reality he was now trapped in. He found himself clinging to the smallest fragments—Sloane's laugh, Deigh's warm presence, the way the wind felt against his face as they soared through the skies together. Each memory was a lifeline, tethering him to what little hope remained.

Yet, with every step, the weight of despair grew heavier. The endless expanse of the Afterrealm offered no answers, no signs of life, and no indication that he was any closer to the final place—or to Malek. His thoughts began to fray, and with them, his sense of self. Liam feared that he was losing himself to this void.

His internal clock was messed up. He had no idea how much time had passed, but it must've been at least two months.

And then, the darkness came.

To Liam's horror, the sky began to dim. It was no longer a bright blue, and began to fade into darkness. It was turning into nighttime.

The weeks hadn't even been a single day.

Liam froze as the realization hit him. The sky, which had been an unchanging expanse of cold light for what felt like an eternity, was now shifting into something entirely different. Darkness crept in from the edges, slowly swallowing the horizon, and with it came an overwhelming sense of dread.

As the light continued to fade, the temperature plummeted. The chill that had settled into his bones grew sharper, more biting, as if the darkness itself was leeching the warmth from his body. Liam wrapped his arms around himself, trying to fend off the cold, but it was no use. The cold was not just physical; it was seeping into his very soul, sapping his strength and willpower.

If night was as long as day, would he live?

Or was he really already dead?

On the seventh day, when it had become barely freezing and frighteningly dark, Liam Mairi swallowed the lump in his throat. It'd been ages since he'd last spoken, for there was no need to.

"I give up," he whispered. Typically, there was no echo, no reply.

"I give up!" he repeated, louder this time. "Do you hear me, Malek? Or whoever is out there? I... I don't want to be revived anymore! Let me die in peace." His voice cracked. He'd failed.

The only comfort he had now was that Violet would look after Sloane. And, maybe in the final place there would be some way he could watch over his sister and friends. Xaden would make sure she would be taken care of. He was sure of it. The other marked ones would take care of her, save her from the Venin.

The ground began to rumble, almost like a cat purring. The sky brightened, and his eyes instantly adjusted. In this strange realm there was only phantom pain, like it was there but really not.

"Liam Mairi. When you are gone, there will be no thoughts. No thinking. No returning. Do you accept?"

No thinking?

Liam trembled, "But I will see my family?"

"You will see nothing."

"Am I talking to Malek or his servant?!?" Liam shouted. "Who are you?"

"Not Malek. Nobody talks to Malek."

Frustration bubbled inside him. "Then I don't accept it!"

"Very well."

And darkness fell again.

Except this time all hints of light were all gone. 

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Word Count: 663

Should we let Liam return, or should he accept the offer? Vote here by commenting ---------------->