Meeting The Lost (A Ranger's Apprentice Fanfiction)

The Rangers' Past Commandant

Alyss and Will walked around the cabin. So many people were walking around, people Will had thought were dead. A young blacksmith here, a young knight there. No one seemed to look over the age of 25, even though many of these people died of old age.
Maybe being a ghost makes you look young again, Will thought. He stole a glance at Alyss, who wasn't letting go of his hand.
Yes, he thought, Alyss looks decidedly younger.
Alyss led him through the woods to Wensley Village, even though Will knew the way perfectly. Alyss didn't seem to want to let go of his hand at all. Not that he minded, but he asked her why.

"I died five years ago. I was in the inn, and it collapsed around me. The fire... It hurt so much." Alyss paused for a moment, and Will tightened his hold on her hand as if to say, It's over now. Alyss took a shuddering breath and continued.
"I knew I was going to die, but the fire wasn't killing me. I was just burning. Burning away-" Here, she paused and took in another shuddering breath as the memories resurfaced, "Then everything went away. I found myself standing next to the inn as the fire died down. I- I thought I was still alive, but everyone had already left. I walked all the way back to Redmont, back into the castle and straight to the Baron's office. And- and I saw you standing there. The Baron had already told you. You were upset and angry, but mostly upset at this time. I called to you. I tried to talk to you, but-"

Will knew what she was going to say before she said it. Alyss continued, her eyes looking far off into the distance, "I called you, but you couldn't hear me. I was standing right in front of you, and you couldn't see me. I spent five years, wandering around, watching you. I saw you train Maddie. I saw you kill Jory Ruhl. I saw you- everywhere. But you couldn't see me. I know I shouldn't be happy right now. Horace, Cassandra, Halt... They'll all miss you. But I just feel so happy. You can see me."

Will was shocked. He felt so upset all over again. Alyss had had a time far worse than him. He had lost her, and that was that. She had endured five years with him, but without him. He hugged her tightly, "I'm so sorry, Alyss."

"Am I interrupting something here?" a familiar voice floated through, and Will jerked back in surprise. Was that...?

"Crowley?" he said, amazed. He looked so much younger he was hard to recognise.

"Sneaked up on you again, did I?" the red-headed Ranger said, his mouth set in a grin. Will shook his hand, his own face lit up like a child who had just opened his best birthday present.

"That will never change!" Will said, trying to keep his voice from rising. Alyss had lost her far-away look and was smiling again.

"Hello, Mr. Crowley! As dashing as always." she laughed, "I suppose you came here to see Will?"

"Yes I did! How is our little Ranger?"

"Little?" Will gasped, pretending to be offended. He couldn't keep it up for long, though. A huge smile broke through.

"Your face is going to break if you smile any bigger, Ranger Treaty." Crowley scolded.

Will just laughed.

***

Crowley took him to a small cabin in the woods, identical to Will's cabin. Will's cabin wasn't far from this clearing, although Will didn't remember seeing this empty part of the wood before. It seemed translucent.

"What's this?" Will asked.

"It's where I live. I have to live somewhere, you know." Crowley replied.

"But this wasn't here before..."

"Yes, well that's because it's a... ghost... thing... A ghost house. The living can't see it. If someone living comes in this area, all they'll see is more woods. If they walk here," he pointed at the house, "they'll just be transported to the other side of the house. They cannot pass through it."

"So you've been living here since... since you died, and I didn't even know?" Will said.

"Yep."

"Wow."

Crowley showed them inside. It was identical to Will's cabin, and Will instantly felt at home.

He wandered through the cabin, his mind buzzing with memories. This was where he'd sat when he'd graduated. This was where- No. No need to dwindle on the past, Will. He needed to focus on now. He looked at Alyss, and remembered how he'd thought he'd never see her again. Them again, he corrected, glancing at Crowley.

He smiled.

Dedication: Dragonslover
THANK YOU!
(Hopefully I wrote that right...)