《Glenn The Reaper》 Chapter 1 Glenn The Reaper Introduction: How do I describe Glenn? Well, you¡¯ve met him. He went to your school. You pass him in the streets. He stood behind you in line waiting for coffee. You¡¯ve sat next to him on the bus. Still don¡¯t remember him? That¡¯s because no one does. Glenn is the least important person in the world. He never amounted to anything. Never accomplished anything. Even criminals make an impact on society, just not in a good way. Glenn was a nobody. He had the kind of face that seemed familiar to everyone¡ªmedium brown skin, unremarkable features, dark hair, and brown eyes that blended so seamlessly into the crowd, you forgot him the moment he walked away. And if it wasn¡¯t for this book, you would never truly understand what Glenn¡¯s death meant for the universe. Chapter 1 The rain poured relentlessly over a small cemetery on the outskirts of town. Glenn stood silently, watching his own coffin being lowered into the ground. It was his funeral. Not many people had come. His only family member present was his grandmother¡ªhis parents had died when he was a child. A few acquaintances from school attended, though Glenn hadn¡¯t been close to them. They were likely there out of respect. As depressing as it sounds, Glenn wasn¡¯t sad. This crowd was larger than he ever imagined for his funeral. Glenn glanced at his reflection in a rain puddle. His dark brown eyes, heavy with exhaustion, carried the look of someone who always ran on just enough energy to function but never truly felt awake. His face was soft and neutral, with no particularly sharp angles¡ªapproachable yet entirely unremarkable. His brown hair, slightly tousled, had no deliberate style, as if he had simply run his fingers through it and moved on. Of average height and lean build, he was neither muscular nor frail¡ªthe kind of person who had never committed to working out but had also never completely let himself go. Nothing was special about him. Even Glenn¡¯s last day on Earth hadn¡¯t been special. Like any other day, he got up, chose one of the same three outfits he always wore, said goodbye to his grandmother, hopped on a bus to school, came home, and repeated the cycle. His life had been on autopilot¡ªmundane and unremarkable, which, in a way, explained his death. He was hit by a car. A death as ordinary as his life. No one spoke during the funeral. One by one, the attendees left until only Glenn remained. He¡¯d never given much thought to the afterlife, but this was not what he¡¯d expected. He tried to capture the attention of the others, but no one could see him. Alone, he wandered over to his gravestone. It read: ¡°Glenn Garcia. A nice man.¡± His entire life summed up in three words: A nice man. Disheartened, Glenn wandered through the graveyard, reading the headstones of others who had passed. All these lives were now reduced to a few lines etched in stone. ¡°A good father and loving husband.¡± ¡°A life well lived.¡± ¡°A creative artist known for beautiful paintings.¡± One gravestone caught his eye: ¡°Rage against the dying of the light.¡± ¡°It¡¯s from a poem,¡± a soft voice said behind him. Glenn turned to see a woman with pale, serene features. Her hair was as dark as the night sky, and her storm-gray eyes seemed to hold unspoken emotions. She stepped closer, standing beside him. ¡°I know it,¡± Glenn replied. ¡°From Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night. A plea to fight death¡ªto live with defiance.¡± ¡°They rage because they love,¡± the woman said. ¡°And yet, when the night comes, it isn¡¯t cruel or gentle. It simply is. Their defiance is beautiful, but their peace would be too, if they¡¯d accept it. Death doesn¡¯t rage back¡ªit simply waits.¡± ¡°Who are you?¡± Glenn asked. ¡°My name is Mora. I¡¯ve been waiting to meet you for a long time.¡± ¡°Meet me? Why? There¡¯s nothing special about me.¡± ¡°You are every man and no man, Glenn. You are what the world truly is¡ªsimple and fleeting, yet worthy. You see yourself as forgettable, but you are the thread that holds the fabric together. The stars are not the universe; it is the sky that holds them. Your mother believed every living thing was special.¡± ¡°My mother? You knew my mother? Where is she?¡± Glenn¡¯s voice wavered. ¡°Your mother¡­was murdered. She is gone from existence.¡± ¡°What? How?!¡± ¡°That¡¯s for you to find out. But I must go now. They¡¯re here.¡± The air turned colder, heavier, as if time itself slowed. The cemetery, already quiet, grew still and eternal. Glenn felt an overwhelming presence. A figure emerged from the mist. His head was that of a sleek, black jackal, with sharp, dignified features accented by gold. His glowing amber eyes were intense and calculating. His body was human and wore a flawless black suit, adorned with faint Egyptian hieroglyphs. A gold ankh pin rested on his lapel, and a briefcase hung at his side. ¡°It¡¯s time, Glenn,¡± the figure said. ¡°Your judgment awaits. We can make this swift or a process. Your choice.¡± Glenn glanced back, but Mora had vanished. He turned to the figure. ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°Come on¡ªjackal head? No respect for the elders anymore. I¡¯m Anubis. God of Death. Overseer of souls, shepherd of the scales, and¡ªdepending on the context¡ªyour case manager. I¡¯m here to escort you to the afterlife. You should be afraid unless you plan to run. Then...¡± He gestured to his briefcase, which glowed with a dark purple aura. ¡°You should really be afraid.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t wish to fight,¡± Glenn said. ¡°I¡¯ll go willingly.¡± Anubis sighed, as though disappointed. ¡°Fine. A wise choice.¡± As Anubis led Glenn through the misty cemetery, they came across a door to a crypt. The world dissolved¡ªnot violently, but seamlessly, as though they¡¯d stepped through an invisible doorway. Glenn stepped through the doorway, but he did not enter the crypt. He emerged into a vast, otherworldly chamber suspended between realms, neither light nor dark. The air was still and sacred, and every sound seemed to echo softly, as though the room itself listened. At the heart of the chamber stood a massive glowing set of scales. One side held a delicate golden feather¡ªthe Feather of Truth. The other side was empty, waiting for Glenn¡¯s soul. The scales hovered in the air, shimmering with an ancient light. The chamber stretched into an endless void where faint stars flickered like forgotten souls. ¡°This is where souls are judged, Mr. Garcia,¡± Anubis said. ¡°The scales don¡¯t err. Your heart¡ªor, in this case, your soul¡ªwill determine whether you are worthy of peace or punishment. If the feather moves up, punishment. Down, peace. Step up to the podium. Let¡¯s see the highlights of your life.¡± Behind the scales, faint monitors flickered, displaying moments from Glenn¡¯s life. Glenn stepped up to the podium, feeling exposed, as though every secret and forgotten moment of his life was on display. ¡°Behold!¡± Anubis exclaimed. Glenn stared at the monitors. Nothing happened. ¡°Hmm. This has never happened before. Step off the podium and back on.¡± Glenn complied, but still nothing. Anubis sighed. ¡°Hermes!¡± A small woman suddenly appeared beside Glenn, her glowing Golden shoes caught his eye. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Fetch Techlops,¡± Anubis instructed. She vanished and reappeared moments later with a cyclops in a rumpled shirt and tie. ¡°What seems to be the issue?¡± the cyclops, holding a laptop, asked. ¡°The scales aren¡¯t working,¡± Anubis said, exasperated. After troubleshooting with no results, Anubis sighed. ¡°Pull up the best moment of his life.¡± The monitor flickered, showing Glenn eating cereal while watching a bootleg copy of Avengers: Endgame. ¡°This?¡± Anubis groaned. ¡°You didn¡¯t even watch it in theaters!¡± ¡°Pull up the worst moment,¡± Anubis demanded. The screen changed. Glenn was again eating cereal, this time watching the Game of Thrones finale. ¡°The Season 8 finale? Really?¡± Anubis exclaimed. ¡°Where¡¯s the rest of your life?¡± ¡°It was a really bad season,¡± Techlops muttered. ¡°You can leave Techlops.¡± Anubis had enough. ¡°My name is Steve.¡± The Techlops said softly as he left with his head down. Frustrated, Anubis dismissed him. ¡°The scales don¡¯t know what to do with you. Has anything exciting ever happened to you?¡± Glenn hesitated. ¡°Well, besides Endgame¡­¡± Anubis¡¯s glare silenced Glenn but he continued. ¡°I guess the first extraordinary thing was meeting you¡­and Mora.¡± Anubis froze. ¡°Mora? Are you sure? Describe her.¡± ¡°Pale, black hair, gray eyes. Kind.¡± Anubis leaned in, his glowing eyes narrowing. ¡°Mora. This changes everything.¡± ¡°Change of plans. I offer you a choice,¡± Anubis began. ¡°I can call Management to pass judgment on you; however, I must warn you, they are rather... strict. Or, I can offer you a job. Perfect balance is a rarity, Mr. Garcia, and it suggests you are not yet finished. There is... potential. So, I offer you this: become one who guides others through the threshold. A Reaper.¡± ¡°A Reaper? Like the Grim Reaper?¡± Glenn asked. ¡°Precisely. Follow me.¡± Anubis turned and began walking away. Glenn hesitated for a moment, then quickly stepped down from the podium to follow. A swirling door shaped portal opened before them, and Anubis stepped through. Without much thought, Glenn followed. Again Glenn stepped through a doorway and was transported. They arrived at the office. Glenn stopped in his tracks, confused. The space stretched endlessly, filled with impossible angles and corridors that looped and spiraled unpredictably. At the front desk stood a polished and professional assistant, resembling the Hermes-like creature he¡¯d seen earlier, but this one was a male. The assistant juggled glowing scrolls, ethereal tablets, and a constant stream of visitors. The entire assistant pool buzzed with activity, Hermes-like figures darting from desk to desk, carrying glowing messages. Behind the assistants loomed a massive directory board, updating itself in real-time to show the locations of every Reaper and Department Head. Glenn¡¯s eyes lingered on a name he recognized: Charon. As they walked, Glenn passed cubicles filled with an odd assortment of figures. It was like seeing every Reaper from every mythology and religion gathered in one place. Most were skeletons, but others appeared more human-like. All of them stared as he passed. He peeked down hallways marked with signs pointing to HR, IT, Management, Loading Dock, Lounge, Marketing, and Earth. ¡°Welcome, Mr. Garcia, to the Bureau of Reaper Operations,¡± Anubis announced. ¡°Unofficially referred to as The Office. This is where the living and the dead intersect with... Management. Our primary objective is simple: to ensure that souls transition smoothly from life to death. Reapers are the frontline operatives, and this office supports their mission. Think of it as the glue that holds the afterlife together¡ªor perhaps the duct tape, in some departments.¡± ¡°And where do souls go after that?¡± Glenn asked. ¡°To Management. Heaven or Hell. Elysium or Tartarus. Valhalla or Niflheim. The Great Beyond. Choose whichever name suits you. We¡¯ll never know.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°If you accept the role of Reaper, you¡¯ll never be allowed past this point. Management keeps us here. Interaction with those on Earth is rare, and when it happens, it¡¯s usually the last time anyone sees you. Let¡¯s keep moving.¡± Anubis gestured toward a hallway. ¡°Ah, Human Relations. Managed by demons¡ªbecause who better to handle complaints, disputes, and, shall we say, difficult personalities? You don¡¯t want to get sent there. They specialize in cruel torture. Even the name is misleading¡ª¡®Human Relations.¡¯ They are anything but. They work for Management. Remember that.¡± Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. He pointed to another department. ¡°Over there, you¡¯ll find IT, staffed by Cyclopes and Gremlins. The Cyclopes handle server maintenance, metaphysical system upgrades, and anything requiring brute force precision. The Gremlins thrive on chaos¡ªtroubleshooting problems and, occasionally, creating them just so they can fix them. We¡¯ve learned to live with it.¡± He sighed, continuing. ¡°The assistants you¡¯ve seen¡ªmodeled after Hermes himself¡ªare the lifeblood of this place. Swift, efficient, and occasionally infuriating, they handle scheduling, soul logistics, and last-minute adjustments. They¡¯re never late.¡± They stopped in front of a door marked Director. Anubis led Glenn into the office and gestured for him to sit. He placed his briefcase on an ornate altar-like desk, then opened a drawer to retrieve a photograph of three women. ¡°Was the woman you spoke to in this photograph?¡± Anubis asked. Glenn pointed to one. ¡°Yes, that one. Mora.¡± Anubis looked perplexed. ¡°There¡¯s an old story. I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s true. In the beginning, there was only Life and Death¡ªthe original Management, if you will. Life thrived, and Death was overwhelmed. To restore balance, Death created three daughters. Mora, the Sister who takes your final breath; Nyra, the Sister who guides souls; and Lytha, the Sister of Silence¡ªthe end itself. What we do here is essentially their work. But no one has ever seen them. Even here, in a realm of deities, they¡¯re a myth.¡± He paused, gripping his briefcase. ¡°If Mora appeared to you, there¡¯s a reason. Call me curious, but I want you to work for me as a Reaper. It¡¯s this, or you can interview with HR for a spot in Heaven. Be warned, though¡ªinterviews are part of their torture. They¡¯ll keep you interviewing endlessly for a position you¡¯ll never get.¡± ¡°Wow, that¡¯s evil,¡± Glenn said. ¡°They stole the idea from you humans,¡± Anubis replied. ¡°Now, before you protest, consider this: you were given no great purpose in life, no grand legacy. This is an opportunity to create meaning beyond what you believed yourself capable of. To rise above... mediocrity. And, truthfully, it will help me uncover why Mora spoke to you.¡± Glenn hesitated but eventually said, ¡°I accept.¡± Truth be told, this was the first exciting thing that had ever happened to him. He¡¯d been sold the moment he saw The Office. And, for the first time, someone wanted him to be part of a team¡ªeven if that team was run by the God of Death. ¡°Really? No questions? Well, great,¡± Anubis said, walking over to his briefcase. He opened it and shouted, ¡°Canis! Get in here!¡± The door creaked open, and in walked a figure that looked like Death itself¡ªa skeleton draped in black robes, seemingly floating. Its empty eye sockets stared at Glenn... and then, it smiled. ¡°Oh, sorry, boss!¡± the skeleton said with a chuckle. ¡°I was just so excited! This is the most exciting thing to happen in ages! We haven¡¯t had a human Reaper in... when was the last time? Oh well! Hi! I¡¯m Canis. Glenn, right? Pleased to meet you! They say I have so much personality it''s like I have three heads all with their own.¡± The skeleton extended its bony hand and shook Glenn¡¯s enthusiastically. Canis looked over at Anubis. ¡°Don¡¯t you worry, I¡¯ll get him all caught up. Come on, Glenn. You¡¯ve already stayed in Anubis¡¯s presence longer than most.¡± Glenn glanced back at Anubis as he was whisked away. Canis and Glenn walked and walked and walked some more. Glenn felt like they had been at it forever when, finally, far in the back of the office, they stopped. ¡°Here we are,¡± said Canis. ¡°Alright, rookie, listen up. Being a Reaper? It¡¯s not just a job¡ªit¡¯s a calling. And by calling, I mean no one else wanted to do it, so congratulations! You¡¯ve been voluntold.¡± Canis chuckled, his jaw rattling slightly, then leaned in with exaggerated seriousness. ¡°First rule: Reaping isn¡¯t about killing people. They¡¯re already dead. Why did they die? Not our problem¡ªthat¡¯s Management¡¯s territory. No, our job is simpler: we guide souls. Escort them to wherever they¡¯re supposed to go. Think of us as celestial taxi drivers¡ªexcept no tips, no snacks, and no five-star reviews.¡± He continued, ¡°Next, you¡¯ll need a scythe. Yeah, it¡¯s cool and all¡ªbig, sharp, dramatic¡ªbut it¡¯s more than that. It¡¯s like... an extension of your will. Think of it as your Swiss Army Knife of death. It cuts ties, opens doors, and even makes a great backscratcher in a pinch. You¡¯ll learn to love it. As you get better, you can shape it to fit your style. All scythes start the same but evolve with their wielder.¡± This was a lot of info. Glenn tried to find a pen and paper to write some notes, but Canis just grabbed the pen from Glenn to use in his explanation. ¡°Souls are... complicated. Some are like, ¡®Thank you, kind Reaper, for guiding me!¡¯ And others? Full-blown existential meltdown. Pro tip: don¡¯t take it personally. Most of them are just freaked out about dying¡ªcan¡¯t blame them, right? I mean, you were freaking out, what, a day ago?¡± ¡°If they go peacefully, just guide them to the chamber. But if they don¡¯t want to go¡ªthat¡¯s what the scythe is for. See, they¡¯re dead, so they don¡¯t have a body. But scythes? They¡¯re made of the same stuff souls are. Don¡¯t ask me how it works; that¡¯s a Management thing. Go watch How It¡¯s Made: Scythes or something.¡± Canis smirked before continuing. ¡°When you sever the soul¡¯s tether to the mortal plane, the scythe acts like a magnet, collecting the soul. Then, you bring the scythe to the chamber, and voil¨¤¡ªyou¡¯re done. Honestly, the worst part? The paperwork.¡± At that moment, an assistant came running in, dropped off a folder, and darted away. ¡°Do those things have names?¡± Glenn asked. ¡°They never stick around long enough for us to find out,¡± Canis replied. ¡°Anyway, let¡¯s see who you got!¡± He opened the file and skimmed through it while Glenn stood anxiously. His mind raced¡ªwho would it be? Could he do this? What if it was a child or someone he knew? How could he convince them to move on? Canis slid a photo across the desk. ¡°Here you go. Mr. Nibbles. He lives in Central Park, in a tree near the east side.¡± Glenn stared at the photo, confused. ¡°A squirrel?¡± ¡°Of course. Did you think we¡¯d start you off with a human?¡± Canis burst into laughter. ¡°You¡¯re not ready for that. This should be super easy. Squirrels aren¡¯t afraid of death like humans.¡± He glanced at Glenn, realizing he looked very human. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. It¡¯ll be fine. Let¡¯s go.¡± Canis grabbed an ID badge from his desk, slipped it around his neck, and led Glenn toward the IT department. The IT department¡ªinformally known as the Reaper¡¯s Forge¡ªwas an enormous hall, dimly lit by glowing embers and swirling wisps of electricity. The smooth black stone floor was etched with faintly glowing runes that hummed as Glenn walked across them. The air was alive with energy, carrying whispers and the distant clang of metal on metal. Mist swirled along the ground, illuminated by the glow of ancient, supernatural forges scattered throughout the chamber. At the heart of the room, master smiths¡ªTechlops artisans and tinkering Gremlins¡ªcrafted the scythes. Glenn and Canis approached a familiar face: the same Techlops Glenn had seen earlier. ¡°Hey, how¡¯s it going, Techlops? Any new information? Get it? Because you''re in the IT department?¡± Canis leaned closer to Glenn and whispered, ¡°I just figured out what IT stands for.¡± The Techlops barely glanced up. ¡°Did you put in a ticket?¡± ¡°Ticket? This literally just happened. Special case from the boss,¡± Canis said. Glenn smiled. ¡°Your name¡¯s Steve, right?¡± The Techlops grinned, surprised Glenn remembered. ¡°It is. But it¡¯ll take time to craft a scythe for this ¡®special case.¡¯ For now, just borrow one of the loaners on the rack.¡± Canis led Glenn to a wall of scythes in various shapes and sizes. Some were small and designed for dual wielding, while others were so massive they seemed fit for giants. ¡°These are temporary scythes,¡± Canis explained. ¡°You can use them if yours ever needs repairs or upgrades. They come from Reapers who are... no longer with us.¡± ¡°No longer with you? Like dead? How can a Reaper die?¡± Glenn asked. Canis hesitated, clearly uncomfortable. ¡°It¡¯s not death. It¡¯s... an end. Oblivion. Eternal silence. There are two ways it happens. First is Management¡ªyou never want to be called there. The second? Some souls really, really don¡¯t want to move on. If left on the mortal plane, they grow stronger, destroying other souls and becoming too powerful for an average Reaper. That¡¯s when an Elder Reaper steps in.¡± He listed them off: ¡°Charon, the Ferryman. Yami, the Shinigami. Hildr, the Valkyrie. Maeve, the Banshee Queen. Baron Samedi, the Voodoo Lwa. La Parca, the Spanish Reaper. There are others. You know what? Just stay away from everyone. Yeah, that¡¯s safest.¡± Glenn scanned the rack, unsure what to choose. He finally grabbed one that fit his image of a Grim Reaper¡¯s scythe and seemed the right size. The scythe was plain and utilitarian, with a slightly weathered shaft of old polished wood. Faint cracks glowed softly, pulsing with hidden energy. The blade was smooth, sleek, and understated, with faint etchings that hinted at some deeper power. ¡°That one, huh? Alright. Let¡¯s do this!¡± Canis said, leading Glenn back toward the front desk. Behind the desk were three doors. One was labeled Upper Management, tall and radiant, made of glowing white-gold material that shimmered like sunlight on water. Another was labeled Lower Management, dark and foreboding, crafted from blackened iron with glowing red veins, like molten cracks in stone. The final door, labeled Earth, looked entirely ordinary¡ªlike the door to a closet. ¡°Upper Management handles the good souls. Lower Management, the bad. And Earth? Well, you know Earth¡ªyou¡¯re from there! To access it, you¡¯ll need a key from the front desk. Never, and I mean never, go through the other two doors. Even if they say they have an ¡®open-door policy.¡¯ Do. Not. Go. Got it? Good. Let¡¯s move. I¡¯ve already got the key.¡± Canis pulled out a badge from around his neck and held it up to the door labeled Earth. ¡°That¡¯s an Oni by the Management door and a Troll by the Earth door. They¡¯re used for security¡ªmainly for souls. Management has a different force to handle Reapers. You¡¯ll see the Oni and Trolls patrolling the grounds from time to time. Now, get ready.¡± Glenn waited with anticipation. What kind of magic was about to happen? ¡°It¡¯s a door, Glenn. You have to open it. And here, put this on¡ªyour new black cloak.¡± Glenn hurriedly grabbed the cloak from Canis and walked to the door. ¡°Sorry, I thought something was going to happen.¡± ¡°Like what? A snake slithers across the wall, and the door turns into a glowing portal? We run a smooth operation here, Glenn,¡± Canis said. Glenn couldn¡¯t tell if that was a joke or not. Either way, they both stepped through the door. Glenn emerged from a small brick building in Central Park, on 65th Street, and almost got hit by a car. ¡°Oh, wait. We can¡¯t get hit because we¡¯re dead, right?¡± Glenn asked. ¡°They can¡¯t see us, but we can definitely mess up this planet. Humans will think it¡¯s a natural disaster, but it¡¯s usually the elders fighting,¡± Canis explained. They walked deeper into the park. It was a calm, crisp day, with children playing, joggers running, and leaves rustling in the trees. The serene atmosphere contrasted with Glenn¡¯s nervous energy as he fiddled with his new scythe, trying to figure out how it worked. He glanced at the file again. The target was listed simply as: ¡°Nibbles, Squirrel, Central Park.¡± ¡°How are we supposed to find a squirrel here? It¡¯s like a needle in a haystack.¡± ¡°Your badge will always unlock the door to Earth, and the file will always take you to the closest door to the soul. So all you have to do is look for something ghost-like or out of the ordinary.¡± Glenn scanned the park and finally spotted Nibbles perched on a bench. The squirrel looked hilariously innocent, struggling to chomp on a peanut but unable to grip it properly. Glenn glanced back at Canis for confirmation. Canis nodded. ¡°Well? Go get it! Chase it! Run! I love chasing squirrels. GO, GO!¡± Glenn sprinted after Nibbles, scythe in hand, weaving through startled parkgoers. He tripped over a baby stroller, narrowly avoided colliding with a cyclist, and got tangled in a dog leash. Nibbles spotted Glenn and glared angrily, staying just out of reach. He darted up trees, leaped across branches, and paused occasionally to taunt Glenn with chirps and tail flicks. The squirrel climbed down by a fountain to sip water but still struggled to drink. ¡°Alright, buddy, no more games. Let¡¯s do this the easy way. Don¡¯t you want to go to the afterlife?¡± Glenn raised his scythe, trying to figure out how to ¡°sever the soul¡± of a squirrel without hurting it¡ªor looking ridiculous. But Nibbles had other plans. The squirrel lunged at Glenn¡¯s face; claws outstretched. Glenn yelped, dropping the scythe as Nibbles scurried up his arm, tugging at his hood. Glenn spun in circles, trying to shake him off, and tripped over a park bench, landing flat on his back. Nibbles perched triumphantly on Glenn¡¯s chest, chirping angrily and making rude gestures. Just as Glenn managed to snatch up the scythe again, he caught a glimpse of Mora walking gracefully through the park. She looked radiant and mysterious, entirely out of place in such a mundane setting. While Glenn was distracted, Nibbles seized the moment. The squirrel grabbed the scythe with his tiny claws and darted up a tree. Glenn snapped out of his trance just in time to see the glowing blade disappearing into the foliage. ¡°Wait¡ªNO! You can¡¯t just¡ªHOW DID YOU EVEN LIFT THAT?!¡± The squirrel paused on a high branch, holding the scythe aloft like a trophy. It shrank to fit Nibbles¡¯ size before disappearing into the canopy. Glenn looked over and saw Mora still there, waving him closer. ¡°What are you doing, Glenn? He¡¯s getting away!¡± Canis shouted. ¡°Over there! Don¡¯t you see her?¡± Glenn responded, getting up and running toward Mora. She stood behind a tree in a meadow. As Glenn approached, the air grew still and cold. He slowed to a walk. ¡°Hey again,¡± Mora said with a smile. ¡°Hi¡ªuh, hi. Mora, right? Anubis says you¡¯re some ancient, powerful being. What do you want with me?¡± ¡°Even now, you¡¯re so innocent. You don¡¯t see it, do you? The enormous power you have inside you. The scales were not accurate, Glenn. They couldn¡¯t measure who you are.¡± ¡°I¡¯m just a guy¡ªan average guy who stumbled into this mess!¡± ¡°You¡¯ve felt it, haven¡¯t you? The weight of this role? The pull of something greater, even when you didn¡¯t ask for it?¡± Mora stepped closer, touching his cheek. ¡°What if I told you your death wasn¡¯t an accident? That all this was set in motion by powers you will soon face?¡± ¡°Everyone¡¯s got the wrong guy! Did you not just see me get beat by a squirrel? Oh, crap¡ªmy scythe! It has my scythe!¡± Glenn blurted out. ¡°Do not worry about that scythe. The Office will be very pleased with you today. What I¡¯m about to give you is more than a weapon¡ªit¡¯s a piece of me. It belongs to you.¡± ¡°I am the Sister of Silence. With my scythe, every soul I meet takes their final breath. I¡¯ve guided countless lives, witnessed fear, relief, anger, and peace. Now... it¡¯s my turn.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no fear in this¡ªonly purpose. Death isn¡¯t the end; it¡¯s a release, a quiet promise to those left behind. I¡¯ve always known my last breath would not be for another but for myself. And I find peace in that.¡± ¡°You can be that kind of Reaper, Glenn. Be there when they¡¯re scared. Be a punching bag when they¡¯re angry. A shoulder to cry on when they¡¯re sad.¡± ¡°But what will happen to you?¡± Glenn asked, genuinely concerned. ¡°I¡¯ll be with you in every swing of this blade, in every soul you guide.¡± Mora grasped the scythe with Glenn, her form beginning to fade as its energy flowed into him. She glanced at him with a faint smile, her final thought clear: I see it in him¡ªthe strength he doesn¡¯t even know he has. He¡¯s awkward, unsure, so very human¡­ but within him burns the spark of death¡¯s purpose, the weight of the cycle we all serve. A faint smile crossed her lips. ¡°Life is a series of breaths... but the last one is always the most important. It¡¯s yours now.¡± ¡°Mora! No! Come back! You didn¡¯t have to¡ª¡± Glenn shouted, but she was gone. In an instant, with Glenn¡¯s hands wrapped around the scythe, he felt a surge of energy rush through his entire body. It was like touching raw, unfiltered power¡ªlightning coursing through his veins, igniting every nerve. The scythe pulsed faintly, as if alive, and Glenn felt an indescribable connection to the cycle of life and death. He could sense the fragile threads binding souls to the living world, the delicate balance Mora once protected. Canis came running into the scene, snapping Glenn out of his trance. ¡°Glenn. Glenn, what the fuck just happened? Oh no. Look at this place! How did you do this? Wha¡ªwhat is it? Whose scythe is that?¡± Glenn looked around. There was a five-foot radius around him where everything¡ªplants, animals, and even insects¡ªwas dead. Mostly squirrels, but any other animals that happened to be nearby had also perished. No humans were harmed, but Glenn was in shock. ¡°What¡ªwhat have I done?¡± he stammered. Chapter 1.1 Nibbles watched as Glenn and Canis hurried back to the door on 65th street they had come through. Canis seemed desperate to get Glenn out of there. Nibbles observed everything: Glenn with his new scythe, Canis pulling out a badge, and the two of them walking through a seemingly normal door. Curious, Nibbles scurried down from his perch to investigate. He waited for the next reaper to approach the door and watched as they vanished after using the badge. Nibbles quickly realized it was the badge that led them somewhere different. Souls have no brains, so they aren¡¯t limited by the same capacity for learning as living creatures. Determined, Nibbles climbed back up the tree and grabbed the scythe. He was excited to show his wife and friends his shiny new toy. He hurried back to his home, which was close to where he had fought the "evil Glenn." As he neared, Nibbles caught an unfamiliar scent in the air. It was the smell of death. His nose twitched, and he ran toward it. When he arrived, his eyes widened in horror. His family and friends lay dead in a field. He fell to the ground, overcome with sorrow, and cried out in a series of anguished squeaks. The scythe began to pulse. Nibbles stopped crying and stared at it, mesmerized. Slowly, he stood up and grabbed it with a disturbingly human-like grip. He walked toward the lifeless bodies of the squirrels. The closer he got, the more intensely the scythe pulsed. Nibbles touched the tip of the scythe to one of the squirrels¡ªit was his friend Nutty. Nutty¡¯s soul rose from the body, smiled at Nibbles, and was drawn into the scythe. Nibbles understood instinctively and quickly went from one body to the next, collecting the souls of his family and friends. Finally, he reached the last one: his wife. Nibbles hesitated, unable to bear the thought of letting her go. But he wanted to see her one last time. He gently laid the scythe on her body. Her soul rose, smiling warmly at him. They embraced briefly before she faded into the scythe. When the last soul entered the blade, a surge of power radiated from Nibbles. A black robe materialized over his small frame, and his eyes glowed red for a moment before returning to normal. He was no longer Nibbles. His name was Deathnibbles, and he would have his revenge. Chapter 2 Chapter 2 There was a quiet calm when Glenn arrived back at The Office. Do the other Reapers already know what happened? Glenn wondered as he glanced around nervously. He looked over at Canis, who was scanning the room. ¡°I¡¯m sure it¡¯s fine,¡± Canis shrugged. ¡°Glenn. Come with me.¡± Anubis appeared standing silently beside him. ¡°Sir, if I can say something¡ªI don¡¯t know what you¡¯ve heard, but¡ª¡± Canis stepped forward, trying to plead with Anubis. ¡°It¡¯s fine, Canis. Go back to your desk and wait for Glenn¡¯s return. Glenn, we¡¯re going to take a little trip to HR.¡± A collective gasp resounded. All the assistents froze mid-task, their glowing scrolls and tablets hovering in the air. They stared wide-eyed until Anubis growled. The assistants scattered instantly, buzzing back to their tasks. The walk to HR was silent. Neither Anubis nor the demon spoke as they made their way down the dimly lit corridor marked with a sign for Human Resources. The hallway stretched endlessly, oppressive yet strangely orderly. A faint tune, reminiscent of elevator music, played in the background. Its cheerfulness was so out of place that it felt like a cruel joke, mocking the terrified new arrivals. They passed an empty reception desk with a small sign: ¡°Ring for help. Or call 666.¡± A lost soul stood nearby, trying futilely to use the phone. When it didn¡¯t work, the soul hit the bell again, and the number on the sign changed. The soul was dressed in ancient tribal clothing, a sign it had been waiting for an unthinkable amount of time. The group continued past rows of cubicles where demons worked tirelessly. The HR demons wore sharp, tailored suits¡ªprofessional yet unnervingly ominous. Their skin tones varied: deep red, shadowy black, ashen gray, or even glowing ember-like patterns. Their coal-burning eyes and flicking tails completed their unsettling appearance. They smiled constantly, but the smiles were far from friendly. At one desk, a demon waved a clawed hand impatiently over a towering stack of glowing complaint forms, which promptly burst into flames, disappearing as though they had never existed. Motivational posters adorned the walls: ¡°Your soul matters.¡± ¡°Embrace the burnout.¡± ¡°It takes a team to reap.¡± ¡°Every soul counts.¡± Lower Management souls sat at desks, pleading with demons in a futile lottery system to be transferred to Upper Management. ¡°Please, this is the six thousand two hundred fifty-second time I¡¯ve applied,¡± one soul begged. ¡°I know,¡± a demon replied smoothly. ¡°We had some very strong candidates in this pool. You were one of the top applicants, but unfortunately, we¡¯ve chosen a more qualified candidate. We urge you to apply again.¡± As Glenn passed, the souls and demons alike turned to stare¡ªnot at him, but at the scythe he carried. Finally, they reached the end of the hallway and stopped at a door marked: Director of Human Resources The demon escort opened the door. ¡°Lilith will see you now.¡± Glenn entered the HR office, the scythe gleaming faintly in his hand. The air grew heavier as Lilith looked up, her sharp eyes locking onto the weapon. She sat behind a grand obsidian desk, her posture relaxed, though her presence was anything but. Glowing sigils on the walls pulsed faintly, as if reacting to her. ¡°Anubis. It¡¯s been a long time,¡± Lilith said coolly. ¡°Well, it¡¯s a good thing if you never see someone from HR, right?¡± Anubis replied with a faint smirk. ¡°Well, well,¡± Lilith said, her gaze shifting to Glenn. ¡°If it isn¡¯t our newest Reaper, parading around with a shiny new toy.¡± She gestured toward the scythe with a flick of her onyx-glinting nails. ¡°Tell me, Glenn, do you even know what you¡¯re holding?¡± ¡°It¡¯s¡­ Mora¡¯s scythe. She¡ªshe gave it to me,¡± Glenn said, looking down at the blade, unsure if he should feel proud or intimidated. ¡°She trusted me with it.¡± Lilith let out a sharp laugh. ¡°Trusted you? Oh, sweet boy, trust has little to do with it. That scythe¡­ it¡¯s more than a weapon. It¡¯s a symbol, a legacy, and, quite frankly, a burden. Management is trying to figure out what to do with you, and that means you¡¯ve become my problem. Everything must have a place, Glenn, and I run a no-nonsense department. I can¡¯t shake the feeling that I¡¯m going to see a lot of you. So why shouldn¡¯t I just send you to Lower Management now and save myself a future headache?¡± Glenn hesitated, then squared his shoulders. ¡°Because for the first time in my life, I want something. When I touched this scythe, I caught a glimpse of what I could become. How death can be peaceful. You accepted me into the ranks, and no one has ever trusted me before. I want to make you proud and become the best Reaper ever.¡± Glenn¡¯s words hung in the air, a confident lie. The truth was far more complicated. Glenn didn¡¯t just want to be the best Reaper¡ªhe wanted answers. Answers about his mother¡¯s death. Answers about whether his father was still out there. In his short time in the underworld, Glenn had already sensed something was off. He knew the only way to uncover the truth was to rise through the ranks, and that meant making it to Upper Management. The only way there was through promotion. Anubis stood silently in the corner of the room, his jackal-headed figure immaculately composed, arms crossed as he watched the conversation unfold. His sharp golden eyes shifted between Lilith¡¯s predatory smirk and Glenn¡¯s nervous grip on the scythe. The faint hum of the blade resonated through the room, like a whisper of Mora¡¯s presence. Though silent, Anubis¡¯s thoughts were anything but calm. Lilith continued, ¡°Are you ready to carry it? To wield it? Because Management will be watching. And so will I.¡± ¡°I¡­ I¡¯ll do my best. Mora believed in me,¡± Glenn replied. ¡°Belief is a dangerous thing, Glenn. It inspires greatness¡­ or leads to downfall.¡± She folded her hands, her tone sharpening. ¡°Let me make one thing clear: that scythe doesn¡¯t make you special. It makes you a target. Reapers with shiny new toys tend to attract attention¡ªfrom Management, from souls, and from things far worse. I am old enough to remember the Sisters of Death. Nyra and Lytha will not take the news of their sister¡¯s demise lightly. And they will blame you.¡± ¡°Blame me? I didn¡¯t ask for this! I didn¡¯t want any of it. But I¡¯m here now, and I¡¯m going to figure it out,¡± Glenn said firmly. ¡°Ah, the reluctant warrior. So clich¨¦, yet so¡­ amusing. Think of it from their perspective. Their sister is dead, and you have her scythe. The other two? Let¡¯s just say they¡¯re not nice. The last time I saw them, they nearly killed me. Keep that in mind before you start swinging Mora¡¯s scythe around like a hero.¡± ¡°Lilith, enough.¡± Anubis finally spoke, his deep voice steady. ¡°The boy understands the gravity of his burden. There¡¯s no need to twist the knife.¡± He turned to Glenn, his tone softening slightly, though it remained firm. ¡°Glenn, Mora chose you not because you are ready, but because she believed you could become ready. Hold fast to that belief¡ªit may be the only thing that sees you through.¡± Lilith let out a quiet huff. ¡°Fine.¡± She pulled out a stack of folders. ¡°Management wants to put that scythe to the test. In the reaping world, there are five tiers at which souls are ranked.¡± ¡°Tier one are everyday souls with no supernatural powers or significant resistance. They are often ready to move on or resigned to their fate. ¡°Tier two are stubborn souls¡ªthose with a strong emotional attachment to the living world. They refuse to leave their families, loved ones, or unfinished business behind, driven by emotions like regret, guilt, or anger.¡± ¡°Tier three are supernatural souls¡ªthose with abilities or ties to magic, mythology, or powerful entities. These might include mythical beings, spirits, or individuals tied to the underworld. Some surviving Reapers are ranked tier three.¡± ¡°Tier four are mythical souls¡ªgods, demigods, or legendary beings with immense power and deep connections to the mortal or spiritual realms. Anubis and I are ranked tier four.¡± ¡°Tier five are cosmic souls¡ªbeings tied to existence itself. Reaping them could disrupt the balance of life and death. Mora was a tier five.¡± Lilith fixed her gaze on Glenn. ¡°In these folders are tier three souls that have evaded being reaped. Management wants to test your worth and that tier five scythe of yours. Go through this folder with Anubis. Pick one and reap that soul. Do this, and you might just get the promotion you desire.¡± ¡°Tier three?!¡± Anubis interrupted, his voice rising. ¡°Did you even read the report? He couldn¡¯t reap the soul of a squirrel and got his scythe stolen! I¡¯m still dealing with that! Why not start him on tier two?¡± ¡°Management was very clear. Tier three.¡± She turned to Glenn, her smile sharp. ¡°And, Glenn, understand this: failure will result in your termination from the Reapers. Now go. I have some souls to¡­ deal with.¡± As Glenn walked out, gripping the scythe tighter than before, Lilith watched him with a mixture of curiosity and cold calculation. She knew the significance of Mora¡¯s choice and what it meant for Management. ¡°A mortal with that kind of power¡­ how quaint. Let¡¯s see if he rises¡­ or burns.¡± Anubis and Glenn walked back toward Glenn¡¯s desk, the folder in Anubis¡¯s hands. Anubis studied Glenn carefully, his posture relaxed, but his mind sharp. The boy is scared, as he should be. Fear keeps him grounded¡­ for now. But beneath that nervous exterior, there¡¯s something more. Mora saw it. I can see it too¡ªa spark, faint but persistent. Anubis tilted his head slightly, watching Glenn¡¯s grip tighten on the scythe. He doesn¡¯t understand the power he holds¡ªor the burden. Not yet. But perhaps that¡¯s for the best. Too much knowledge too soon would crush him. Mora¡¯s sacrifice wasn¡¯t just about Glenn. It¡¯s about something bigger, something Management is undoubtedly watching closely. They reached Glenn¡¯s desk, and Canis was waiting. ¡°Hey, guys! How was the meeting with HR? I hope things didn¡¯t get heated. Get it?¡± Canis quipped. Neither Anubis nor Glenn laughed. ¡°Tough crowd. No one has a sense of humor down here. What have you got there, boss?¡± Canis gestured toward the folder. ¡°You and Glenn are to reap a tier three soul,¡± Anubis said sharply. Canis¡¯s jaw literally fell off his skull. ¡°T-tier three, sir? But I''m rank two at best. And Glenn¡ªGlenn couldn¡¯t even handle a squirrel!¡± ¡°I know. But this comes from Management. I want you to take Glenn to Maeve. Have him seek her advice for his first assignment. She may be able to help.¡± Anubis dropped a folder on Canis¡¯s desk. ¡°Who is the assignment?¡± Canis asked, reattaching his jaw. He opened the folder. ¡°C-C¨² Chulainn?! Sir, he¡¯s only tier three because he¡¯s not a god, but some say his power rivals tier four. No Reaper has ever returned from reaping him!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do it,¡± Glenn said firmly, gripping his scythe. ¡°If this is what it takes.¡± ¡°Glenn, sorry, but you have no idea. And Maeve? You don¡¯t want to meet her. She¡¯s spooky! She gives me chills just thinking about her.¡± ¡°Maeve was present at C¨² Chulainn¡¯s death. She can provide insight into the reap¡ªand maybe explain why she hasn¡¯t done it herself. Glenn, you may not see it yet, but you stand on the precipice of something extraordinary. Whether you fall¡­ or rise¡­ will depend on the choices you make now. I¡¯m choosing to put my faith in you. Don¡¯t let me down.¡± Meeting Maeve Glenn and Canis walked toward the elder Reapers¡¯ offices. They stopped in front of a door with ¡°Maeve¡± etched in frosted lettering. The door appeared frozen, encased in a layer of shimmering ice. ¡°This is as far as I go,¡± Canis said. ¡°You¡¯re not coming with me?¡± Glenn asked nervously. ¡°Oh, no, no. Elders don¡¯t like¡­ me. I¡¯ve got a bit of a reputation for talking too much. But good luck!¡± Canis knocked on the door and bolted. The door creaked open slowly on its own. As Glenn stepped inside, the temperature dropped sharply. The floor, made of polished black stone, was smooth as glass and cold to the touch. Glowing runes flickered faintly, their light reflecting off the surface, giving the illusion of an endless expanse beneath his feet. Candles, seemingly made of solidified mist, flickered with pale, cold flames, casting light but no warmth. One wall was dominated by a massive spectral harp, its strings vibrating faintly with an eerie melody. Shelves filled with ancient tomes, glowing crystals, and delicate artifacts from Irish mythology lined another wall. Across from Maeve¡¯s desk sat two elegant but uncomfortable chairs, ensuring visitors didn¡¯t linger longer than necessary. Maeve, seated at her imposing desk, glanced up, her silvery hair shimmering in the faint light. Her piercing, icy blue eyes locked onto Glenn, and for a moment, the room seemed to shrink, as if the walls themselves were leaning in. Her gaze was unrelenting, as though she could see directly into his soul. Her hair flowed like a ghostly veil, silvery-white and alive, moving slightly even without a breeze. Maeve¡¯s pale, almost translucent skin glowed faintly, as though lit by moonlight. Her presence was haunting and cold, yet captivating. She wore a tailored Reaper uniform¡ªdark, elegant, and embroidered with subtle Celtic patterns in silver and faint glowing runes. Over her uniform, a cloak reminiscent of traditional Irish mourning attire completed her banshee-like aura. ¡°Don¡¯t just stand there, Glenn. Take a seat¡­ unless you think the Reaper life doesn¡¯t suit you.¡± She gazed at him from head to toe. ¡°Glenn Garcia, wandering into my corner of the afterlife. What a surprise.¡± ¡°I¡­ uh¡­ I need your advice. It¡¯s about C¨² Chulainn. They¡ªthey want me to reap him,¡± Glenn stammered as he nervously took a seat. Maeve¡¯s expression barely changed as she repeated the name, her tone contemplative. ¡°C¨² Chulainn.¡± ¡°Who is he?¡± Glenn asked. ¡°A name that echoes through the history of my land. A hero. A warrior. A man who defied gods and mortals alike. And now they send you¡ªa fledgling Reaper¡ªto claim his soul? Fascinating.¡± ¡°Yeah, well, I don¡¯t exactly get to pick my assignments. But, uh¡­ he¡¯s been avoiding being reaped for a long time, right? Why is that?¡± ¡°Because C¨² Chulainn is no ordinary soul, Glenn. He was destined for greatness in life, and that greatness lingers in death. Heroes like him do not simply ¡®let go.¡¯ They cling to their purpose with a ferocity that defies time itself. He died standing, tied to his own sword, refusing to fall even in death. That stubbornness, that defiance¡ªit¡¯s what made him a legend. And it¡¯s what makes him your greatest challenge.¡± ¡°Why my greatest challenge?¡± Glenn asked. ¡°Your resolve¡ªwhat is it?¡± Maeve asked sharply. ¡°To be the best Reaper,¡± Glenn replied, trying to sound confident. Maeve¡¯s cold laugh echoed softly. ¡°No. That won¡¯t do. You will surely die.¡± ¡°So¡­ how do I reap someone like that? He¡¯s not just going to let me walk in and take his soul,¡± Glenn pressed. ¡°No, he won¡¯t. C¨² Chulainn is a warrior, Glenn. To reap him, you must face him on his terms: combat. But it won¡¯t be enough to simply swing your scythe and hope for the best.¡± She gestured to the scythe in his hands. ¡°That weapon¡¯s past no longer matters. It is your legacy, but it won¡¯t protect you from his G¨¢e Bolg¡ªthe spear that never misses. You¡¯ll need more than strength to defeat him. You¡¯ll need wit, patience, and respect.¡± ¡°Respect? Patience? You mean¡­ I can¡¯t just take him by force? This scythe is supposed to be top-tier,¡± Glenn said, glancing at the blade. ¡°To take him by force would dishonor him. And dishonor, Glenn, would only make him fight harder. Approach him with respect. Show him you understand the weight of his legacy, the pain of his sacrifices. Only then will he see you as worthy. Then you¡¯ll learn why C¨² Chulainn has avoided being reaped for so long. Or perhaps¡­ Management will send someone else to clean up your mess. That is all the advice I have to offer.¡± Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. As Glenn stood and headed for the door, Maeve¡¯s voice stopped him in his tracks. ¡°I have one more bit of advice.¡± Glenn jumped, startled. Maeve had moved silently, her presence now directly behind him. She seemed to glide through the mist as she approached. ¡°Not all souls should be reaped just because Management tells you so. C¨² Chulainn is not your enemy, Glenn. He is a soul longing for peace, though he will never admit it. Give him that peace, if you can. But tread carefully. Legends don¡¯t die quietly.¡± Glenn left the office with a chill, unsure if from the coldness of the room or Maeve¡¯s words. ¡°You look like you¡¯ve just seen a ghost,¡± Canis teased, meeting Glenn in the hallway. Back at their desks, Canis grabbed his scythe and two badges. ¡°Oh, here you go, Glenn. You¡¯re official now. This badge will get you through the portals,¡± Canis said, handing it over. ¡°You ready?¡± Glenn asked. For the first time, Canis wasn¡¯t joking. ¡°No. Knowing you is going to get me killed.¡± As they walked toward the portal, Canis skimmed the file. ¡°Grr. This guy supposedly ate a dog! Okay, I¡¯m all in to reap this guy.¡± ¡°Let me see that file,¡± Glenn said, snatching it. ¡°It says he was tricked.¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter. He still did it,¡± Canis replied. When they reached the portal, Canis held up his badge, and Glenn followed suit. At first, nothing seemed to happen. Glenn noticed the sleeping Oni and Troll, different from the ones he¡¯d seen before. ¡°Is this doing anything?¡± Glenn asked, holding up his badge. ¡°Just open the door,¡± Canis muttered. Glenn took a deep breath and opened the door, following Canis inside. Glenn stepped out of a small house in County Louth, Ireland. Clouds blanketed the sky, and a calm breeze rustled the fields. Green stretched as far as the eye could see. ¡°What if there were no doors?¡± Glenn asked suddenly. ¡°Hm?¡± Canis looked back. ¡°Do we always come through doors? What if we need to go somewhere that doesn¡¯t have one?¡± Canis groaned. ¡°Are you the type who asks a bunch of questions during movies?¡± ¡°What?¡± Glenn asked, confused. ¡°I hate when people try to make sense of things right before the action starts. You just discovered gods and monsters are real. You got assigned to reap a demigod. And you want to know about portal transportation? Do you also pause Harry Potter to ask why wizards can¡¯t fix their eyesight but can heal bones instantly?¡± Glenn frowned as though he wanted to ask about Harry Potter, but he read the room. ¡°Fair enough. I¡¯ll stop.¡± ¡°Great. Now let¡¯s get destroyed by an angry ancient spirit.¡± Canis said sarcastically. ¡°The file says he died in that field over there by that stone.¡± They arrived in a vast, windswept field marked by overgrown grass and jagged stones. At its center stood a crumbling monolith¡ªthe place where C¨² Chulainn had tied himself to die standing. Glenn¡¯s scythe began to pulse. ¡°This was a battlefield,¡± Glenn stated. ¡°How do you know?¡± Canis asked. ¡°The scythe. I can feel it. That¡¯s the stone where he tied himself to die standing, fighting until his last breath.¡± As they approached the stone, Canis knocked on it. Nothing happened. ¡°How does this work? Where is he?¡± Glenn asked. ¡°Usually, they¡¯re just lurking around. I¡¯ve never reaped a tier three. Maybe he¡¯s not such a big shot after all.¡± Glenn¡¯s scythe pulsed harder. He and Canis exchanged a wary glance. ¡°C¨² Chulainn! I¡¯m here for your soul! Your time in this realm is over!¡± Glenn shouted, raising his scythe. The weapon expelled a wave of spiritual energy, which reversed and crashed back into the scythe, leaving an eerie calm in its wake. Canis tried to speak, but his breath was sucked from him. The air grew still. ¡°Who dares disturb the Hound of Ulster?¡± The ground trembled slightly, and the monolith began to glow. From its base, spectral chains¡ªthin, glowing, and faintly metallic¡ªrose into the air, pulsating with energy. The mist stilled for a moment before exploding outward in a gust of wind. A figure began to take shape, materializing out of the mist. His form seemed forged from the very essence of the battlefield, shimmering with ghostly light. He was tall and imposing, glowing faintly with an ethereal blue-green hue. His body radiated power, his muscles chiseled, and his stance unwavering. His eyes burned with an intense, fiery light¡ªembers of a warrior¡¯s spirit that refused to die. Spectral and semi-transparent, ancient Irish battle armor rose from the field, flying toward him. The pieces clung to his body, adorned with intricate Celtic designs that glowed faintly like veins of energy. The ground shook, and the earth cracked open. From the fissure emerged the G¨¢e Bolg, his iconic weapon flew into his hand. The spear gleamed with an otherworldly red glow, humming with a deadly aura, as if alive. Fully materialized, C¨² Chulainn planted the G¨¢e Bolg into the ground with a thunderous sound. ¡°We are so fucked,¡± Canis blurted out, then paused. ¡°Hey, I can talk again!¡± ¡°I have stood for centuries, guarding this land and my honor. Countless men have fallen before me, and none have dared to claim my soul. Tell me, strangers¡ªwhat makes you think you are worthy?¡± Glenn stepped forward, gripping his scythe. ¡°I never said I was worthy. I¡¯ve been assigned to take your soul, and I¡¯m prepared to do what it takes to bring you back.¡± These words angered C¨² Chulainn. ¡°Pathetic. I see no conviction in you. If you wish to take my soul, you must prove your worth¡ªnot just as a Reaper, but as a man with honor and resolve. Tell me, what is your name?¡± ¡°Glenn Garcia.¡± ¡°And I¡¯m Canis!¡± C¨² Chulainn glanced at Canis with mild disdain. ¡°This battle is between men. Begone.¡± He waved his hand, and the ground rumbled, opening once more. From the fissure emerged his horse, Liath Macha, followed by a chariot driven by his best friend, Laeg. The chariot charged toward Canis and whisked him away. As Canis was dragged off, he yelled, ¡°Glenn, don¡¯t let the spear pierce you! It¡¯s instant death!¡± C¨² Chulainn turned back to Glenn, his fiery gaze unrelenting. ¡°Very well, Glenn the Reaper. Let us see what kind of warrior you are.¡± C¨² Chulainn struck first, the G¨¢e Bolg glowing red-hot as it arced through the air with terrifying precision. Glenn barely raised his scythe in time, the blades colliding with a deafening clang that sent sparks flying. The force of the impact sent Glenn stumbling backward, his boots skidding on the misty ground. He coughed, blood spattering from his lips. Blood? But I¡¯m already dead, Glenn thought, panic rising. C¨² Chulainn lunged again, spinning the G¨¢e Bolg in a deadly arc toward Glenn¡¯s legs. Glenn leaped back at the last second, the spearhead grazing his robe and leaving a faint scorch mark. Without giving Glenn time to recover, C¨² Chulainn reversed his grip and thrust upward. Glenn twisted his body, raising the scythe in a desperate block. The spear slid along the curved blade with a shrill metallic screech. The force of the blow sent vibrations through Glenn¡¯s arms, nearly making him lose his grip. His hands shook, bruising from the sheer impact. ¡°See? You have some fight in you after all!¡± C¨² Chulainn bellowed, seemingly pleased. ¡°But a true warrior strikes with purpose. Your hesitation will be your undoing!¡± C¨² Chulainn fought with grace and precision, every movement deliberate and honed. Glenn, by contrast, fought clumsily but began to feel the scythe respond to his will, as if urging him to push forward. Gripping the scythe tightly, Glenn stood his ground. ¡°Why do you fight? Is it duty to the Reapers? Fear? Do you even know what you want? Without purpose, you are nothing more than a shadow¡ªand shadows cannot claim the Hound of Ulster.¡± Glenn gritted his teeth. ¡°I didn¡¯t come here to claim you or to be lectured. I came to fight.¡± C¨² Chulainn¡¯s eyes narrowed, but there was a flicker of approval. ¡°True honor is not in the battles you fight, but in the purpose behind them. Fight for something greater than yourself, and you will never falter.¡± ¡°I¡ªI am!¡± Glenn shouted, swinging his scythe for the first time. But C¨² Chulainn easily parried the attack, knocking the blade aside. C¨² Chulainn took the offensive, striking blow after blow, still lecturing. ¡°You hesitate because you do not know yourself! You wield a weapon of great power, yet you do not believe in your own strength. Tell me, Glenn Garcia¡ªwhat do you fight for?¡± As C¨² Chulainn¡¯s spear rushed toward him, Glenn finally confronted his fears. In that moment, he realized he didn¡¯t just want to be a Reaper out of duty¡ªhe wanted to honor the lives he took, to bring peace to the souls he guided, and to uncover the truth about his family. And, most importantly, he wanted to live. Becoming a Reaper had made him feel alive for the first time. Glenn parried the spear with newfound confidence, his voice steady. ¡°I fight for the people who can¡¯t fight for themselves. I fight to bring peace to people like you. I fight because it¡¯s my choice, and I won¡¯t give up!¡± As C¨² Chulainn prepared another strike, Glenn found his footing. With a surge of determination, he swung the scythe in a wide arc, the blade glowing faintly as it cut through the air. C¨² Chulainn blocked with the G¨¢e Bolg, the weapons locking together in a clash of raw energy. The spectral chains binding C¨² Chulainn to the monolith rattled violently, responding to the force of the clash. Glenn pushed harder, forcing C¨² Chulainn to take a step back. For the first time, a flicker of approval crossed the hero¡¯s face. C¨² Chulainn feints with a high strike, then sweeps the G¨¢e Bolg low, catching Glenn off guard. The spear¡¯s shaft slams into Glenn¡¯s ribs with a dull thud, sending him sprawling to the ground. Glenn gasps for breath, the impact knocking the wind out of him. C¨² Chulainn towers over him, his glowing eyes fierce but not cruel. As Glenn scrambles to his feet, C¨² Chulainn allows him to recover, standing with the poised stillness of a warrior who respects the fight. Glenn touches his ribs and stares at the blood on his hands. ¡°You know, I read your file. You speak of resolve, but your resolve isn¡¯t without flaws! You talk of honor, but your honor led to the death of your own son!¡± C¨² Chulainn¡¯s fiery eyes dim slightly. ¡°Aye. My son, Conlaoch. I killed him with my own hand, not knowing who he was. My rage blinded me, and it cost me everything.¡± ¡°Not just your son, but the sons and fathers of others. The same ones who ultimately brought about your death¡ªmen who were only a province away. Do you know what¡¯s become of this land? How opposing sides both use your name as a banner for war?¡± ¡°I fought for my people, for my home,¡± C¨² Chulainn replied, his voice firm. ¡°Was your son not your home?¡± Glenn finds his rhythm. His movements become less frantic and more deliberate. He sidesteps C¨² Chulainn¡¯s thrust and counters with a sweeping slash of the scythe. The blade glows brighter than before, connecting with C¨² Chulainn¡¯s spectral armor and leaving a faint, shimmering gash across his chest. C¨² Chulainn grunts but doesn¡¯t falter, his grip on the G¨¢e Bolg tightening. C¨² Chulainn spins the spear, its glowing tip creating arcs of light as it cuts through the air. He thrusts forward, and Glenn counters, the scythe catching the spear mid-strike. Their weapons lock again, and this time, Glenn doesn¡¯t back down. The scythe feels like an extension of Glenn¡¯s will, its glow intensifying as his confidence grows. C¨² Chulainn¡¯s strikes remain powerful, but there¡¯s a subtle shift¡ªGlenn is no longer just surviving; he¡¯s fighting. C¨² Chulainn leaps into the air, bringing the G¨¢e Bolg down in a devastating overhead strike. Glenn braces himself, raising the scythe in both hands to block. The weapons collide with a blinding flash of light, the shockwave shaking the ground beneath them. ¡°I am not from your land,¡± Glenn says, his voice steady. ¡°I won¡¯t pretend to understand your feelings about protecting it. But long after you died, more outsiders came and occupied this land. The fighting never stopped. When peace was found in one place, war began in another. It happens all over the world. But I can be there. In their anger and sorrow, I can say, ¡®You¡¯ve done enough.¡¯ With this scythe, I can silence their pain.¡± C¨² Chulainn studies Glenn¡¯s face, his expression unreadable. Then, without a word, he leaps backward, shifting his grip on the G¨¢e Bolg. He readies the spear to throw. ¡°No one has ever survived my spear,¡± he says. ¡°Glenn, this is it. Show me your resolve.¡± C¨² Chulainn gathers all his strength, his energy radiating so fiercely that the chains shackling him begin to break. His eyes glow with a warrior¡¯s rage. With a deafening scream, he thrusts the G¨¢e Bolg at Glenn. Glenn doesn¡¯t dodge or cower. He stands his ground. The scythe reacts to his will, its blade meeting the spearhead mid-air. The impact drives Glenn back, his boots skidding against the ground. Gritting his teeth, Glenn reaches deep within himself. Something inside him refuses to give up¡ªsomething that burns with the desire to live. As he screams in defiance, Glenn¡¯s eyes ignite with fire. The flames spread across his face, but there is no pain. The fire becomes part of him, glowing so brightly that his face is obscured. When the flames dim, Glenn wears a black skull mask, radiating an immense, unearthly presence. With newfound strength, Glenn thrusts the scythe upward, flinging the G¨¢e Bolg high into the air. The spear spins before crashing to the ground. Glenn pivots and swings his scythe like a baseball bat, sending the spear flying back toward C¨² Chulainn. The weapon pierces C¨² Chulainn¡¯s spectral form, throwing him back and pinning him to the monolith. Coughing blood, C¨² Chulainn grins. ¡°You¡¯ve found your fire. And in doing so, you¡¯ve reminded me of my own humanity. Perhaps¡­ it is time for me to rest.¡± Glenn approaches and nods in appreciation for the lessons he¡¯s learned. He touches the scythe to C¨² Chulainn¡¯s chest, reaping his soul. The glowing scythe hums with purpose as the battlefield grows quiet. The chains binding C¨² Chulainn vanish, and the G¨¢e Bolg dissolves into light. C¨² Chulainn¡¯s form fades, merging with the scythe. Glenn stands tall, more resolved than ever. He now understands his role as a Reaper¡ªnot as a curse, but as a choice. A chance to make a difference. The sky begins to clear, blue peeking through the clouds. Glenn collapses against the monolith, his mask dissipating into thin air. He lets out a heavy sigh, staring up at the slow-moving clouds. ¡°Finally. Peace.¡± ¡°Heyyyyyyyyyyyyy!¡± A voice echoes across the field. ¡°Heyyyyyyy!¡± Canis comes running toward Glenn. ¡°Holy shit. I just got my ass kicked. How was I supposed to fight a ghost chariot? It just kept running me over, again and again. And that damn horse kept kicking me too! Then, poof¡ªthey vanished. Wait. Wait, wait, wait. Did you win?¡± Glenn nods with a tired smile. ¡°I¡¯m exhausted. How is that possible? I¡¯m dead, and I¡¯m bruised and bleeding.¡± ¡°Oh, you still have a body,¡± Canis explains. ¡°People can¡¯t see you, but when you¡¯re in the mortal plane, you have a physical form. It operates on a different wavelength, one that lets you surpass normal human limits. But you can still die. You don¡¯t lose your body until your soul is reaped. If you¡¯re killed by a tier 1 or 2, or even in a natural accident, you just get sent back. But tier 3 to 5 souls¡ªor Management¡ªthey can reap you. Then you¡¯re gone. Forever.¡± Glenn laughs weakly. ¡°I¡¯m glad you didn¡¯t tell me that beforehand.¡± Canis helps Glenn to his feet, draping Glenn¡¯s arm over his shoulder. ¡°Let¡¯s get you back.¡± As they head toward the portal, Canis asks, ¡°So, how was the fight? Did you call him a dog eater?¡± Glenn chuckles but doesn¡¯t reply. Together, they step through the portal and vanish. The field was eerily calm. A light wind blew, but the tall grass swayed unnaturally, as if something unseen was walking through it. The movement drew closer to the cracked monolith. From the shadow of the stone, darkness began to shift and form a figure. The figure wore a black cloak as dark as the night sky, its edges merging seamlessly with the shadows around it. Slowly, the hood lowered, revealing a woman. It was Nyra of the Shadows, the sister of Mora. Her long, dark hair cascaded like ink, and her pale, almost glowing skin stood in stark contrast. Her black, mirror-like eyes reflected the truths of a soul. ¡°You were here, weren¡¯t you, Sister?¡± Nyra said softly, touching the monolith. The shadows of the grass and stones stretched and crawled toward her like loyal subjects. The sky darkened as clouds swallowed the sun and any trace of blue. From the shadows, Liath Macha, C¨² Chulainn¡¯s spectral horse, rose. Nyra placed her hand gently on its head, stroking it. ¡°Tell me what happened here.¡± The shadows whispered their answer. Nyra¡¯s expression shifted from curiosity to fury. ¡°What? A mortal¡­ wielding Mora¡¯s scythe? Impossible. What did he do to her? What lies did he tell?¡± Her anger rippled outward, darkening the sky further until it seemed like night. Rain began to fall, as if the heavens themselves mourned Mora. ¡°Mora deserved better than this. Better than being reduced to a weapon in the hands of a mortal.¡± Nyra looked back at Liath Macha. ¡°You miss your master. Do not worry. Come¡ªI will take you to him. And after that, I will find this boy and rip the scythe from his hands myself!¡± A smirk played on her lips. ¡°He won¡¯t even see it coming.¡± She spun, flinging her cloak wide. The shadows enveloped both her and the horse, and they vanished into the darkness. Chapter 2.1: Deathnibbles saw New York in a whole new light. Souls were everywhere, abundant and in all shapes and sizes. He only had to wait to see a Reaper emerge from a door to claim one. But every time a Reaper stepped through, hoping it would be Glenn, it was someone¡ªor something¡ªelse. And every time Deathnibbles tried opening a door himself, there was nothing on the other side. Frustrated, he searched high and low across the city. He attempted to communicate with wandering souls but had to flee whenever a Reaper approached. Deathnibbles decided to bide his time and study. He would master his newfound power. To do that, he needed to think like a Reaper¡ªfigure out how they moved and operated. It didn¡¯t matter how long it took. He would never give up. He observed Reapers guiding some souls with care, while others were swiftly slashed and absorbed into their scythes without a word. Each time a Reaper absorbed a soul, Deathnibbles felt his own scythe pulse, as if it liked it. That gave him an idea. He was going to hunt a Reaper. Deathnibbles noticed a pattern: Reapers who dealt with human souls were more compassionate and deliberate, while those who handled animals were fast, efficient, and dismissive. They never guided animal souls, only absorbed them, as if their lives were less valuable. This infuriated Deathnibbles. He decided his first target would be one of these animal soul-hunting Reapers. Returning to Central Park, he stared at the spot where his family had died. His fury grew, but his resolve hardened. Nearby, he spotted an elderly black cat begging for food. ¡°Ew, get away,¡± a human said. ¡°Oh no, a black cat¡ªit¡¯s unlucky,¡± said another. ¡°Honey, don¡¯t touch that; it¡¯s probably diseased,¡± a third warned. The cat, ignored and rejected, wandered back to its makeshift home: a broken-down cardboard box. The temperature was dropping rapidly, and Deathnibbles knew the poor cat wouldn¡¯t survive the night. He also knew this was his opportunity. Rain began to pour as the cat quietly closed its eyes for the last time. Its soul rose from its body, stretching like it was waking from a long nap. It looked around, confused but no longer in pain. When it turned and saw its lifeless body, it jumped in surprise, fear flashing across its spectral face. Just as Deathnibbles had hoped, a Reaper appeared. This one looked like an average Reaper¡ªsimilar to Canis, but with no personality. Silent and efficient, it approached the cat¡¯s soul, raising its scythe. Clank! At the last second, Deathnibbles blocked the strike. The cat¡¯s eyes widened in shock. ¡°What the¡ª?¡± the Reaper said, startled. Before the Reaper could process what was happening, Deathnibbles darted up its cloak, climbing to its shoulder. ¡°Hey, wait a sec¡ª!¡± the Reaper began, but it was too late. With a swift slash, Deathnibbles severed the Reaper¡¯s head. Its body glowed brightly before fading into light, which was absorbed into Deathnibbles¡¯ scythe. All that remained was a cloak and the Reaper¡¯s weapon. Deathnibbles picked up the scythe and offered it to the cat¡¯s soul, but the cat hesitated. It shook its head, refusing the gesture. Confused, Deathnibbles extended his own scythe, wondering if the cat wanted to be reaped. The cat nodded and walked up, placing its paw on the blade. The soul glowed, and the cat smiled at Deathnibbles before being absorbed into the scythe. Through the connection, Deathnibbles could feel the cat¡¯s peace. He picked up the cloak and tried it on, but it was far too large. Tearing off a portion, he fashioned a makeshift cloak that fit him well enough. As he searched the cloak, he found an badge¡ªjust like the ones he had seen Reapers use to open doors. Satisfied, Deathnibbles tore the rest of the cloak apart and broke the extra scythe in two with his own. He hid the pieces in a tree and examined the ID card in his tiny hands. He looked at the scythe, then back at the card. He was gathering souls and knew he needed to find a way to guide them somewhere safe. With this ID, he could finally open doors. But the question gnawed at him: should he use it to find a peaceful place for these souls? Or should he use it to find Glenn, the murderer of his family? Deathnibbles stared into the stormy sky, torn between vengeance and purpose. Chapter 3 Chapter 3 Glenn was greeted with applause as he stepped through the door. The audience of Reapers erupted into cheers, celebrating his victory over a tier-three soul. Creatures of all shapes and sizes filled the room. Hermes¡¯ assistants darted up to shake his hand before rushing off. Gremlins from the IT department scurried around, trying to touch and inspect his scythe. Demons from HR were already creating propaganda posters featuring Glenn. There were even creatures he hadn¡¯t met before¡ªlike dwarves and golems from Engineering or the Oni and Trolls from Security, who, for once, were awake. ¡°Oh, shit. Glenn, some of the elders are here,¡± Canis whispered, pointing toward the crowd. Glenn scanned the room, overwhelmed by the sheer number of beings. Most Reapers looked like skeletons, making it hard to distinguish anyone. In the far-left corner, Glenn¡¯s gaze locked onto a particular figure. The moment he did, an immense pressure weighed down on him¡ªunlike anything he¡¯d felt before. The figure wore a long, tattered cloak reminiscent of a boatman¡¯s robes, shifting between solid fabric and mist. The edges dissolved into wisps of smoke or water droplets. His hollow eyes faintly glowed with a golden light, resembling coins. This could only be Charon, the Ferryman and one of the Elder Reapers Canis mentioned. He wielded a long staff that doubled as an oar and a scythe, its weathered blade scarred from centuries of use. Coins were embedded into the shaft, symbolizing the fares of countless souls. In his other hand, he carried a ghostly lantern, its light guiding lost souls through the darkness of the underworld. Charon looked directly at Glenn, shook his head disapprovingly, and walked away. Even after Charon disappeared, Glenn still felt the oppressive weight in the room. He kept scanning until his eyes landed on another elder¡ªa Reaper with a cigar, smiling at him. This Reaper wore a sharp, tailored black suit with a white vest and shirt. The slightly unbuttoned shirt revealed a necklace made of small bones and charms. He wore a long, flowing black cape lined with purple satin, its edges shimmering faintly like trailing smoke. His top hat was adorned with feathers, bone fragments, and glowing beads, exuding both authority and mysticism. This was undoubtedly Baron Samedi, another Elder Reaper. The Baron tipped his hat to Glenn and vanished, leaving behind a cloud of cigar smoke. Finally, Glenn noticed a third elder, perched cross-legged on the reception desk. This Reaper wore a flowing black kimono embroidered with intricate silver patterns depicting cranes, cherry blossoms, and swirling clouds. The designs shifted subtly as he moved, symbolizing life¡¯s impermanence. His pale, angular face was ethereal, and his black eyes, with faint glowing pupils, flickered like blue flames. His long, jet-black hair streaked with white flowed like ink down his back. This was Yami, the Shinigami. His weapon was a hybrid between a scythe and a ceremonial staff, adorned with jingling rings and topped with a crescent blade. Yami stared intently at Glenn before vanishing as another Reaper passed by. Despite these notable presences, Glenn still felt an immense pressure he couldn¡¯t explain. ¡°Not bad, lad,¡± a whisper sent chills down Glenn¡¯s spine. Maeve appeared silently beside him. Her hand grazed his shoulder as she floated to face him, smiling. ¡°I remember the day he fell,¡± Maeve said softly, looking at his scythe. ¡°I haven¡¯t sung a song like that since.¡± She studied him with a mix of curiosity and nostalgia. ¡°What did the great Hound teach you? Because if you left that battlefield with only his soul, then you¡¯ve missed the real prize.¡± Glenn looked down at his scythe. ¡°All my life, I thought I was living. But the truth is, I died long before I was hit by that car. C¨² Chulainn taught me that even in death, I can live for something. Fight for something.¡± Maeve¡¯s expression brightened, her icy demeanor melting for a moment. She held his cheek, staring into his eyes. ¡°You keep surprising me, Glenn. Careful, or I might start thinking you¡¯re worth keeping around. I wonder, do you have a voice to match your scythe? Or will I have to sing your praises myself?¡± Glenn blushed, unsure how to respond. After a moment, he held out his scythe. ¡°I want you to have his soul. I know he¡¯d be okay with it.¡± Maeve froze, her eyes wide with surprise. A ball of light emerged from Glenn¡¯s scythe, swirling around before settling in Maeve¡¯s hands. She cupped it gently, holding it close to her heart. Looking back at Glenn, she mouthed a silent thank you before floating away. ¡°That was crazy,¡± Canis blurted, startling Glenn, who had forgotten he was there. As the crowd dispersed, a Hermes assistant ran up to them. ¡°Anubis would like to see you both in his office. Now,¡± the assistant said before darting off. Canis and Glenn exchanged a look before heading to Anubis¡¯s office. Canis knocked on the door. ¡°Come in,¡± Anubis¡¯s voice commanded. Inside, Anubis sat at his desk, signing papers as a Hermes assistant shuffled them in and out at lightning speed. Once Canis and Glenn entered, Anubis dismissed the assistant and leaned back in his chair. ¡°The task was not simply to claim a soul, Glenn,¡± Anubis began, his tone measured. ¡°To reap him is to confront more than just a man¡ªit is to contend with a legacy. That you succeeded shows promise to Management, but do not mistake this for approval. It is merely a step toward proving your worth.¡± Glenn had expected praise, perhaps even acknowledgment of something special within him. But Anubis¡¯s neutral tone left him deflated. ¡°By completing this task,¡± Anubis continued, ¡°you have ensured the scales remain even. For that, the balance is grateful, even if you do not yet understand the weight of what you¡¯ve done.¡± ¡°I hope I made Management proud. I do what I can for the Reapers,¡± Glenn said. ¡°Me too,¡± Canis echoed. Anubis¡¯s golden eyes bore into Glenn. ¡°Victory breeds confidence, but do not let it cloud your judgment. You are not yet a master of your scythe, but this task was no small feat. If nothing else, it shows you have the capacity to rise. The question remains¡ªwill you?¡± ¡°I will,¡± Glenn said, his voice firm. Anubis nodded. ¡°Good. Your next assignment will come from Yami, who has taken an interest in you. He has a soul for you to reap. But before you go, report to the IT department. Management wants your scythe examined and registered. They want to know if it is you or the scythe that is special.¡± ¡°Yes, sir,¡± Glenn replied, suppressing his doubts. For once, he allowed himself to wonder: What if it really is me? Anubis, however, saw through him. ¡°Glenn, there was nothing wrong with your old life. You had a chance at normalcy, but that ended when you reaped C¨² Chulainn. Management is watching now. Those who walk so closely with death rarely find happiness. I myself¡ª¡± Before he could finish, a Hermes assistant rushed in and whispered urgently into Anubis¡¯s ear. ¡°What? Where? In New York? How can this happen?¡± Anubis shot up from his chair, grabbing his briefcase. ¡°Sorry, Glenn. Urgent matters require my expertise. Head to IT¡ªthey¡¯ll know what to do.¡± With that, Anubis vanished. ¡°What was that about?¡± Canis asked, looking over at Glenn. Glenn shrugged. ¡°No idea. Should we go to the IT department, then?¡± Canis groaned. ¡°Ugh. They¡¯re not as bad as HR, but they¡¯re awful in other ways. For creatures that are supposed to be smart, they can drag out a problem forever. Fine, let¡¯s go.¡± He got up reluctantly, clearly dreading the trip. They walked down the hall to the entrance of the IT department. It was a sprawling, dimly lit area filled with glowing runes, mystical monitors, and an endless tangle of wires and conduits that seemed alive. Floating screens displayed streams of data on souls, scythe status reports, and portal calibrations. The shimmering ghostly light illuminated text and images in both human and divine languages. The walls were lined with ancient scrolls, modern blueprints, and diagrams of mystical artifacts¡ªa chaotic mix of magical and technological inspiration. Energy conduits ran along the ceiling and floor, glowing faintly blue or green, pulsing like veins carrying lifeblood through the underworld. As Glenn looked around, he noticed something odd. ¡°Where is everyone?¡± he asked. The place seemed deserted. No gremlins, no Techlops¡ªnothing. They ventured deeper into the department until a floating monitor appeared in front of them. A wiry gremlin with glowing eyes and long white hair popped up on the screen. ¡°Yes?¡± the gremlin asked impatiently. ¡°Oh, uh, I¡¯m supposed to see the IT Department about my scythe?¡± Glenn replied. ¡°Did you submit a ticket for that?¡± the gremlin asked, squinting at Glenn. ¡°Of course we didn¡¯t! This is an order from the higher-ups,¡± Canis interjected. ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter. You need to submit a work ticket first.¡± ¡°What? Listen here, you little¡ª¡± Canis started, but Glenn interrupted. ¡°Canis, it¡¯s fine. No big deal.¡± Glenn turned to the gremlin. ¡°How do we submit a ticket?¡± ¡°Go back to your workstation and submit it through the link we sent to all Reapers. Just read your emails.¡± ¡°We¡¯re already here! Can¡¯t I just submit one through you?¡± Canis asked, clearly frustrated. ¡°Go back to your workstation. You¡¯re only making this take longer.¡± The monitor blinked off before Canis could argue further. Both Glenn and Canis let out an annoyed groan as they trudged back to their desks. ¡°Okay, log into your computer,¡± Canis instructed Glenn. ¡°Um¡­ what¡¯s the login? And what email was he talking about? You guys have emails?¡± Glenn asked. ¡°Oh, right. You weren¡¯t properly onboarded. Shoot. Okay, let me log in and get that info for you.¡± Canis attempted to log into his computer, but a message popped up: ¡°New password required. Cannot use the old password.¡± ¡°Ughhhhhhh! I just did this a month ago!¡± Canis grumbled, resetting his password. After several attempts, he finally logged in. ¡°Okay, now I just need to email IT for your info, and¡ª¡± ¡°Weekly station restart required. Computer will now restart.¡± ¡°NOOOOOOOOO!¡± Canis screamed, pulling out his scythe. He was seconds away from slashing the computer in half when it rebooted. He grumbled, logged back in, and went to his email, only to be greeted with another message: ¡°Email password requires update.¡± Slash! Canis split the computer in two with a single swing of his scythe. ¡°Glenn, can I use your computer?¡± he asked, turning to Glenn, who stared wide-eyed at the destroyed machine. Glenn nodded slowly. Finally, after much effort, Canis managed to request Glenn¡¯s computer setup and submit the work ticket. ¡°Let¡¯s go. We can deal with your computer later,¡± Canis said, still fuming. When they returned to the IT department, it was bustling with activity. Gremlins scurried around, and Techlops were hard at work. ¡°Where was everyone earlier?¡± Canis asked a gremlin with spiky purple hair. ¡°Oh, we were all on lunch break,¡± the gremlin said nonchalantly. ¡°We¡¯re here about a ticket we submitted. Management wants to register this scythe,¡± Glenn explained. ¡°Oh, a scythe registration? You didn¡¯t need to submit a ticket for that,¡± the gremlin replied. Glenn glanced at Canis, whose skeletal face somehow managed to look like it had died again. ¡°Steve usually handles scythe registration,¡± the gremlin added. ¡°He¡¯s tinkering with the Scales. Head all the way back to the server room.¡± As they made their way through the department, Glenn saw more of IT¡¯s chaotic work environment. A Techlops was arguing with an older gremlin. ¡°To properly fix things, you need to take your time and use the correct parts! Not just slap it together with magic and duct tape!¡± the Techlops yelled. ¡°Calm down. It works, doesn¡¯t it? If it breaks, I¡¯ll just fix it again¡­ maybe,¡± the gremlin replied. Further along, a group of gremlins was crafting ID badges like the one Glenn used, while two Techlops tinkered with a portal door connected to a strange machine. A pile of broken wooden doors lay nearby. In the back, damaged scythes were being repaired. Gremlins used enchanted screwdrivers to work on energy circuits, while Techlops hammered out dents in blades at a glowing forge. At the end of the department, they reached a door labeled ¡°Scales Server Room.¡± Inside was a cavernous space filled with towering server racks made of dark, obsidian-like material engraved with glowing runes. The servers hummed faintly, their colors shifting based on the data being processed: blue for souls, green for Reapers, and red for an unknown purpose. Root-like cables light up the room with energy, snaking across the floor toward energy nodes and ports labeled with different locations like HR, Management, and more. In the center was a glowing orb harnessing and distributing power. Wires extended from it toward the Scales, which loomed in the distance. Steve was working near one of the floating monitors close to the Scales when Glenn called out. ¡°Steve!¡± Glenn said, happy to see a familiar face. Steve turned, his expression sour. ¡°Oh no. No, no, no. It¡¯s you. You¡¯re trouble. I want nothing to do with you.¡± ¡°What? What did I do?¡± Glenn asked, confused. ¡°You lost the scythe I gave you! Do you know how much trouble I got in?¡± ¡°Relax. It was just a temporary scythe. Those get misplaced all the time,¡± Canis interjected. ¡°Actually, it wasn¡¯t. That was Hades¡¯ scythe! Now Charon is furious, and you do not want to be on his bad side. Just thinking about him gives me chills!¡± ¡°Hades? The Hades? Oh, yeah, you¡¯re screwed,¡± Canis said. ¡°But how is that Glenn¡¯s fault?¡± ¡°Because I never make mistakes! I¡¯ve been doing this for over a thousand years, and the first time something goes wrong, it¡¯s with him!¡± Steve ranted. ¡°I¡¯m truly sorry,¡± Glenn said sincerely. ¡°I¡¯m still new at this. I never meant to get you in trouble.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t apologize, Glenn! IT makes mistakes all the time,¡± Canis said. ¡°And besides, this order comes from Anubis. Management wants Glenn¡¯s new scythe chipped and examined.¡± Steve¡¯s frustration turned to curiosity as he eyed Glenn¡¯s scythe. ¡°Wow¡­ what a scythe. Maybe I could sneak in a quick task or two¡­ for Management, of course.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Canis said with a sly grin, knowing the tactic had worked. All three left the room and headed toward where the gremlins were repairing scythes. Curious Techlops pretended to work while sneaking glances at them. ¡°Glenn, may I?¡± Steve held out his hand. Glenn hesitated before handing him the scythe. It was the first time it wasn¡¯t in his possession since he received it, and he didn¡¯t like the feeling. The attachment was deep, almost like the scythe was a part of him. He could sense the scythe didn¡¯t want to be separated from him either. Steve held up the scythe, and a chorus of gasps and murmurs rippled through the crowd of gremlins and Techlops. ¡°That¡¯s right. Now make way. Shoo!¡± Steve barked, and the others scattered as he placed the scythe on a table. He pulled up a monitor with streams of data, pressed a button on the side of his head, and a red beam scanned the scythe. Steve¡¯s expression shifted to shock as he examined the results. He pulled root-like wires from the monitor, stretching them toward the scythe. The wires seemed to grow and fuse with the weapon. Steve¡¯s astonishment deepened. He activated the red light again, this time scanning Glenn. ¡°What is it?¡± Glenn asked nervously. ¡°Is the scythe too special for me? It¡¯s okay if Management wants it back.¡± Glenn¡¯s insecurities were bubbling to the surface, and he braced for a disappointing answer. ¡°No, it¡¯s not that,¡± Steve said, his voice tinged with disbelief. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen this before. Your soul and the power radiating from the scythe are intertwined. I can¡¯t distinguish one from the other. It¡¯s as if it¡¯s fused with you.¡± Steve stepped back, considering. ¡°Try something for me. Call the scythe back to you. Don¡¯t think about how¡ªjust focus on summoning it.¡± Glenn was unsure what any of this meant, but he was willing to try. Holding out his hand, he first thought about pulling it back like a Jedi, but then he realized it was deeper than that. He had to picture the scythe as an extension of himself, belonging in his grip. Swish. The scythe flew into Glenn¡¯s hand. He smiled, triumphant. ¡°Don¡¯t celebrate just yet,¡± Steve warned, holding out his hand for the scythe again. He rummaged in a drawer, pulling out a device that implanted chips. After typing on the monitor, a chip popped out, and Steve inserted it into the device before pressing it into the scythe. ¡°Ouch!¡± Glenn exclaimed, rubbing his arm. ¡°Just as I thought,¡± Steve said grimly. ¡°Your spiritual pressure is fused with the scythe. If something damages or depletes the scythe¡¯s energy, it¡¯ll do the same to you. Glenn, if the scythe is destroyed, you¡¯ll be destroyed.¡± ¡°Whoa,¡± Canis muttered. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I won¡¯t let anything happen to it,¡± Glenn said, resolute. The scythe pulsed in response, as if echoing his determination. ¡°What does the chip do?¡± Canis asked. ¡°Every scythe is chipped so Management can monitor its location and power output. That¡¯s how we track reapers on the monitor at the front desk,¡± Steve explained. ¡°Oh, I never knew that,¡± Canis replied. ¡°Well, I¡¯ve done what Management asked. The report is already being sent to Anubis. Now, if you don¡¯t mind, I want nothing more to do with this,¡± Steve said, handing the scythe back to Glenn. Glenn felt uneasy about Steve¡¯s fear but decided it wasn¡¯t the right time to address it. He and Canis left the IT department, their next destination clear: Yami. ¡°Where¡¯s Yami¡¯s office?¡± Glenn asked. ¡°Not far from Maeve¡¯s, but he¡¯s never there. He¡¯s usually hanging out in the lounge,¡± Canis explained. Glenn considered asking about the lounge but figured it would be more bizarre than anything he could imagine. When they arrived at the lounge, Glenn was struck by the unusual setup. Near the entrance were racks filled with scythes, Hermes¡¯ shoes, cloaks, and other otherworldly tools. ¡°You can drop your gear here if you want. The trolls will watch over it,¡± Canis offered. Glenn glanced at a massive troll standing guard. ¡°I think I¡¯ll hold onto my stuff.¡± The troll grunted. ¡°Suit yourself.¡± They entered the lounge, which initially looked like a typical office break room. Creatures mingled at tables, snacking on mythical foods. Two figures stood near a water jug, chatting, though Glenn doubted it contained actual water. Around the corner, signs pointed to ¡°Gym,¡± ¡°Spa,¡± and ¡°VIPs.¡± ¡°The gym¡¯s for practicing with scythes. The spa¡¯s for relaxing, though I¡¯ve never been, so who knows what that means. Each Elder has their own VIP lounge. Yami¡¯s is probably where he¡¯s at,¡± Canis explained. They walked to Yami¡¯s door, marked with his name, and stepped inside. The space was serene, a Japanese Zen garden brought to life. Sakura trees and bamboo plants surrounded a path leading to a sand garden shaped like Japan. Rocks represented mountains, while the sand patterns shifted in response to Japan¡¯s current state. Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. In the center sat Yami, radiating calm darkness. He meditated cross-legged on a boulder, his scythe balanced on his shoulder. ¡°It smells good in here,¡± Canis said, breaking the silence. ¡°How can you smell?¡± Glenn asked, puzzled. ¡°Really? I¡¯m a talking skeleton, and that¡¯s your question?¡± Canis shook his head. ¡°I like what you¡¯ve done with the place. Very¡­ zen.¡± Yami opened his eyes, focusing on Glenn. ¡°Glenn Garcia, the fledgling reaper. I¡¯ve heard of you¡ªthe mortal whose soul could not be judged. Tell me, how does it feel to tread a path so uncertain, with a scythe you do not yet understand?¡± ¡°I¡ªI¡¯m trying to do my best. I reaped Chu Chulainn,¡± Glenn stammered. ¡°A reaper must be more than a wielder of tools, Glenn. You must understand the weight of the souls you guide and the lessons they leave behind. Duty is not a burden; it is an honor,¡± Yami said. ¡°Chu Chulainn was guiding you. But not all souls will. What will you do when faced with a soul just as powerful, but consumed by destruction and cruelty? Can you command your power at will?¡± Yami¡¯s gaze bore into Glenn. Glenn bowed deeply. ¡°Sir, I¡¯ll do my best to learn. I won¡¯t give up. I¡¯ll take any advice or training you can offer.¡± Yami nodded. ¡°I have a task for you: Tomoe Gozen, a legendary samurai. She refuses to move on. Help her find peace.¡± Yami conjured an origami bird, which flew to the sand garden and transformed into a samurai figure. ¡°Tomoe Gozen fought valiantly, even when her master fell. She defied death itself. But she lingers, bound by something I cannot understand. Discover her truth, Glenn Garcia. Perhaps you¡¯ll find your own along the way.¡± ¡°I will!¡± Glenn said with determination. As they left the lounge, Canis whispered, ¡°See? He likes me. Called me a jester, but in a good way.¡± ¡°Canis, I¡¯m not sure that was a compliment.¡± ¡°Shut up and let me have this.¡± With that, they headed to the portals to begin their next mission. The Trolls and the Oni were arm wrestling on the reception desk. Canis held up his ID badge and Glenn followed suit. ¡°Hey Canis, why do we hold up our badge?¡± ¡°Oh, back when I was a rookie myself, Baron Samedi showed me around and how to enter portals.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Glenn ran over and opened the door. They walked through and arrived inside a building with a hot spring in Japan. ¡°No, way a hot spring!I love a good bath.¡± Canis said. ¡°What¡¯s there to bathe?¡± Asked Glenn looking at Canis¡¯s bones. ¡°Have you ever been to a hot spring before?¡± Asked Canis rolling his eyes. ¡°No. I don¡¯t think there are any in my city. And I¡¯ve never gone far outside of the city before.¡± ¡°Never gone¨C WHAT?!. Ok. I¡¯m calling an audible. We are taking a quick break. A nice hot spring will recharge our souls.¡± ¡°What? No. We have a mission.¡± argued Glenn. ¡°Look. No one can see us so we can¡¯t get in trouble. And the soul isn¡¯t going anywhere. She has already been there for hundreds of years. Pretty sure she will still be wherever she is. Come on. We can come up with a game plan. Go over the files and recharge at the same time.¡± said Canis. ¡°Hm. When you put it that way, I can¡¯t think of an argument.¡± ¡°It¡¯s settled!¡± Canis said excitingly, ripping off his cloak . He ran over and laid his cloak and scythe next to some bamboo plants and jumped in full skeleton. ¡°Ahhhh.¡± He let off a huge moan as he sunk into the steaming water. ¡°Come on. Just because we¡¯re dead doesn¡¯t mean we can¡¯t live a little.¡± Glenn was reluctant. He took off his cloak and placed it next to Canis¡¯s. Next, his clothes ,keeping his undergarments. ¡°Nope. You have to go full skeleton too. It is part of the experience. And the scythe.¡± ¡°Fine, but the scythe stays.¡± Glenn agreed and took off the rest of his clothes. He held on to the scythe tightly as he dipped a foot in. It was hot but nice. He went all in. ¡°Wowwwwwwww.¡± Glenn said as he slid down until the water was up to his nose. ¡°See? Look, I think even your scythe likes it.¡± Canis pointed to Glenn¡¯s scythe which was pulsing. ¡°So should we discuss a plan?¡± Glenn asked lethargically. ¡°What plan? Oh, right. Do we even know what Tomoe Gozen looks like?¡± asked Canis. ¡°No. Or her real name. How do we find someone if we don¡¯t know where they died, or what they look like, or their real name?¡± Asked Glenn. ¡°Hmm. What?¡± Canis was too relaxed. They suddenly heard a door creek open slowly.. A door opened and a woman in a pure white kimono covered in delicate floral patterns of cherry blossoms and chrysanthemums appeared., The kimono was embroidered in silvery pale blue and her obi was a soft shade of lavender. It seemed as if time stood still for Glenn as she gazed upon her. Her long, jet-black hair flowed freely, shimmering as though caught in an invisible breeze. A single, delicate hairpin with a cherry blossom motif was tucked into her hair. Her skin was pale but almost seemed luminescent. She kept her eyes down¡°Canis. Psst Canis. I think we are in the wrong hot spring!¡± Glenn whispered aggressively over to Canis. ¡°I don¡¯t see any signs that say ¡®female only¡¯, do you? Come to think of it, I have not seen any workers either. But don¡¯t worry about it, they can¡¯t see us.¡± ¡°But-but isn¡¯t this wrong?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not a human so I¡¯m going to stay right here. You are going to learn human¡¯s do weird shit when they think they are alone. We see it all the time.¡± said Canis. Glenn got up to leave. But as he stood up he remembered he was naked and quickly sat back down in the water. It was too late, the woman dropped her kimono and walked to the spring. He had never seen a naked person in real life before. Girls were always nice to him,, but he never pursued a relationship. He had kissed girls, but without passion, so they usually gave up. She got in and placed a towel over her eyes. Glenn¡¯s face turned redder than the hot springs themselves. His dead heart beat louder than he ever heard before.. ¡°God I hope there is no asshole horse this time. I got my ass kicked last time. You know, I never asked you. How did you beat Chu Chulainn?¡± asked Canis. ¡°Should we be talking about that? With you know¡­¡± Glenn points over to the woman with his head. ¡°Who cares. She can¡¯t hear us.¡± ¡°Right. Well. I don¡¯t think I defeated him exactly. He wasn¡¯t going 100%. It was like he was testing me, I think if he wanted to, he could have killed me at first. I don¡¯t know why he let me reap him to be honest. But I owe him, because now I know my purpose. Heawakened something in me.¡± He looked at his scythe. ¡°I feel different somehow.¡± ¡°Different how?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. But I feel¡­power.¡± Glenn¡¯s eyes flashed pure blackness as he looked at his scythe. ¡°That¡¯s good. Maybe Management can promote you to Elder Reaper after this? I mean usually you have to reap thousands, but two 3 tier reaps could be an exception. We could get our own VIP room! Oh, yes then we can put a hot spring in it.¡± They both laughed. ¡°That would be nice. Tell me Canis, why haven''t you been promoted to Elder? You seem to have been around a while.¡± Canis¡¯ demeanor changed. ¡°Yes. I joined the reapers around 381 AD. I don¡¯t remember my past really, but they say my soul is from a Canine. I know I had a master, but he was more of a friend. A best friend.He was a leader, a good man. I don¡¯t think we lived on Earth but it was similar. But something happened to him. And to me. The reapers found my soul on the brink of destruction. They offered me peace, but I knew my friend was out there. So I asked if I could join the reapers. I am pretty loyal and do what I am told, so they didn¡¯t see a problem.¡± ¡°Yeah, but that doesn¡¯t explain why you are the butt of everyone¡¯s jokes and haven¡¯t moved up in rank. ¡°Not everyone can jump to a Tier 3. For most, you have to go through many reaps. It¡¯s not always about a soul not wanting to reap, but the reaper not wanting to. Life can be unclear. Souls are always asking questions we don¡¯t have the answers to, but then the reapers start asking questions. And Management doesn¡¯t like reapers who ask questions.¡± ¡° What type of questions?¡± ¡°You will soon know. But we got business to get down to! Taking down Tomoe Gozen.¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± Glenn wanted to change the subject and cheer Canis up so he stood up with newfound energy, then sat right back down again from embarrassment. ¡°How about you call her out and as you talk to her I leap from behind a rock and give a reap from behind. Or can you teach me that awakening thing? We both go Super Saiyan on her. Yeah, how did you do it?¡± ¡°Oh, I don¡¯t know. I just grabbed my scythe like this.¡± Glenn stood up so only his waist was underwater. He held out his hands gripping the scythe. ¡°He threw the spear at me and I just knew I had to give it my all. I just started to scream.¡± ¡°Oh, ok hold on!¡± Canis ran and grabbed his spear and ran back to Glenn waist deep. ¡°Like this?¡± ¡°Yeah, and this. Hold it real tight. And then scream.¡± ¡°Like this? Ahhhhh!¡± Canis started to scream. ¡°Yeah. But try to scream from deep within. Really belly it. Ahhhh!.¡± Glenn screamed. ¡°Ahhhhhh!¡± They both screamed together. ¡°Ha. Haha. Hahahahahaha.¡± Glenn and Canis abruptly stopped screaming and stared over at the woman laughing. ¡°This is who they sent to reap me?¡± Canis and Glenn looked at each other, frozen in their tracks. ¡°Did she just talk?¡± Cnais whispered. ¡°I thought you said the living can¡¯t hear us?¡± replied Glenn nervously. ¡°They can¡¯t.¡± Both slowly looked from each other''s eyes to the woman laughing. She removed the towel and lowered her head to gaze upon them. Her eyes were the same spiritual blue as Chu Chulainn. ¡°Who are you?¡± asked Glenn. The woman turned her back towards them and stood up. Her body was slim and fit. At a closer glance, Glenn saw a scar covering her body. She looked over her shoulder back at them. ¡°Don¡¯t you know it is rude to stare?¡± Both Canis and Glenn turned around. Glenn looked over at Canis and gave him a ¡®why are we doing this¡¯ look, but Canis just shrugged.¡¯ She smiled as she saw Glenn blushing and walked over to her clothing. ¡°Didn¡¯t peak at all? Shame, you¡¯ll never get that chance again.¡± The woman said as Glenn and Canis turned back around. She had her kimono back on but this time a katana sheathed in her obi. She walked over to their scythes. ¡°That is because this is where you will die. My name died along with my mortal body. But you may call me Tomoe Gozen. I believe you were hoping to, what was it, reap me?¡± Both Canis and Glenn were frozen, still naked in the water and unsure what to do. She picked up Cani¡¯s scythe, inspected it and then threw it over to him. Next, she picked up Glenn¡¯s and paused for a moment. As she held the scythe up her eyes brightened. She touched her neck as if she couldn¡¯t breathe for a split second. She tossed it over to Glenn, and he caught it with one hand while the other was covering his crotch. ¡°Whoa, wait I¡¯m still naked!¡± Glenn shouted. ¡°You think your enemy will wait for you to get dressed? There used to be honor among warriors, but I learned the hard way. There is only one thing humans have in common. We all die alone!¡± Tomoe Gozen raised her Katana and leapt at Canis and Glenn. Canis darted in front and blocked her attack. Glenn looked around and saw a towel. He hopped out of the water and rushed toward it, wrapping it around his waist. Tomoe Gozen''s eyes locked onto Glenn. ¡°Wait. Are we really doing this here?¡± ¡°A battlefield is wherever it needs to be. Now fight.¡± Tomoe Gozen Knocked Canis on his boney butt with a swift sweep of her leg. With blinding speed, Tomoe closed the gap between herself and Glenn, her katana cutting through the mist like lightning. Glenn barely blocked with his scythe, the clash sending a ripple through the water. ¡°Hesitation will cost you, young one!¡± She knocked Glenn¡¯s towel down, causing him to stumble backward, falling into the shallow water, splashing into the pools as he struggled to steady himself. Canis leapt in, spinning his smaller, jagged scythe with fluid precision. He striked Tomoe from the side, his attacks fast and unpredictable. ¡°Let¡¯s see how you handle a little chaos, lady samurai!¡± Tomoe sidestepped gracefully, parrying his strikes with ease, her movements like a dance. Watching Canis¡¯s boldness, Glenn found his footing and charged back into the fray. He swung Mora¡¯s scythe in a wide arc, forcing Tomoe to leap backward. Tomoe smiled faintly ¡°Better. But power without purpose is nothing.¡± She focused an attack on Canis, sweeping his own scythe into the ground, then punched his head into a 360. Seeing Canis knocked off balance, Glenn charged forward, focusing into a precise downward strike. Tomoe blocked, their weapons locking, sparks flying as she leaned in to study Glenn¡¯s face. ¡°You fight as though you¡¯re unsure of your place. Find your resolve, or you will fall.¡± ¡°I know my resolve! I want to be the greatest reaper!¡± Glenn says,their scythes tangled. ¡°Your lust for power will be your undoing.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not for power! I want to save everyone!¡± Glenn¡¯s comment made Tomoe leap back into a defense position Glenn continued, panting, ¡°I want to be there for the frightened. For those who die alone. A light in the darkness of this world. That even though there is no reason for death, I will keep their memories alive.¡± He looked at his pulsing scythe. ¡°With me.¡± This resonated with Tomoe Gozen as she died fighting for her master and her ideals: to protect those she cared about. She had no desire for fame or legacy. She saw life after her battle with Minamoto no Yoshinaka. She hoped once the battle was over, he would leave his wife and they could live happily together. But during her final days, Minamoto no Yoshinaka was betrayed by his family and their warriors were ambushed. Minamoto no Yoshinaka wanted Tomoe to retreat. To survive. But her love for him was too great and she perished fighting until the very end. Tomoe Gozen walked away from their clothes to the other side of the room, and took a seat cross-legged on the ground. ¡°Go ahead. Grab your stuff,¡± she sighed. Glenn was suspicious. Tomoe pointed to Glenn¡¯s nakedness as he forgot about the towel. Glenn, embarrassed and blushing, ran to his cloak. As Tomoe Gozen was laughing, Canis tried to sneak up behind Tomoe for a blow. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t if I were you. Just grab your stuff and let¡¯s have a chat.¡± Canis thought about it then dropped his guard. ¡°Why are you messing with us?¡± Canis said. ¡°I know you have not shown your true form yet.¡± Glenn, now dressed, walked over to Canis and handed him his cloak. Canis snatched it with impatience. ¡°First, I must know. Who exactly sent you to reap me?¡± ¡°Yami.¡± Glenn said. ¡°Yami did?¡± Tomoe Gozen looked puzzled. She muttered to herself. ¡°What does he see in you?¡± ¡°That scythe, boy. Where did you get it? Who are you?¡± Tomoe Gozen asked. ¡°My name is Glenn Garcia. I am a newly-fledged reaper. I am not anything special. I lived my life like anyone else. Went to school. Played video games. Then one day¡­it¡¯s hard to remember. I was hit by a car. Then when I woke up, I was dead. I followed my body to where they laid it to rest, which is where I met Mora, one of the sisters of death. She gave me this scythe by sacrificing her life force. Next, I met Anubis who took me to the scales. They were perfectly even. Anubis didn¡¯t know what to do with me so they made me a reaper.¡± ¡°And then he met me. The most important,¡± Canis butted in. ¡°And Canis of course.¡± ¡°Yami? Anubis? Mora? It would be rare for a soul to even meet one of those deities, but all three? Earlier you said there was no reason for death. You¡¯ll find that is not the case. There are forces at play here. You remind me of the young version of my master. Minamoto no Yoshinaka wasn¡¯t always a great general. He was young once. Kind. He wanted to make the world a better place. But the world will test you. What will you do when someone like Canis betrays you?¡± ¡°I would never.¡± Canis exclaimed. ¡°And Minamoto no Yoshinaka was struck down by his own flesh and blood! Tell me, have you ever been in love? What if someone you love died in battle or worse, they turned on you too.¡± ¡°I-I¡¯ve never been in love. I wouldn¡¯t know what it feels like.¡± Glenn responded bashfully. Tomoe Gozen put down her sword and crawled over to a seated Glenn. ¡°It¡¯s the most powerful of all the feelings.¡± She puts her hand on his leg. ¡°Sometimes all it takes is a look.¡± She batted her eyes deeply at him. ¡°Sometimes it¡¯s an action. ¡°She chased her hand up his leg to his chest to his heart. ¡°Sometimes it¡¯s a spark.¡± She used her other hand to hold his cheek and pull him in close so their lips were nearly touching. With her other hand she felt his heart racing. She kissed him. She pulled away and stood up. ¡°But you truly don¡¯t know, until it¡¯s gone. You can¡¯t breathe or think the same way. When they touch you, they chemically alter your existence to be dependent on them.¡± She walked back to her sword and picked it up. ¡°That is why these attachments are so dangerous. Yami must have sent you to learn a lesson. Glenn. I will teach you that lesson or you will die here.¡± Tomoe Gozen''s aura blazed around her. Ghostly armor formed all over her. Her breastplate was intricately engraved with motifs of cranes and cherry blossoms, symbols of elegance and fleeting beauty, contrasting with her fearsome aura. The designs seemed to shift subtly as she moved, like reflections on water. Her shoulder guards were wide and flared, adorned with faintly glowing runes and delicate etchings of battle scenes, representing the countless conflicts she endured. The plates of her armored skirt were layered like the petals of a flower, each plate shimmering with a faint mist. The edges seemed to dissolve into vapor, emphasizing her spectral nature. Her kabuto was sleek and elegantly minimal, adorned with a single, crescent-shaped crest that glowed softly. Flowing ribbons of energy trailed behind it, resembling ghostly banners that rippled in an invisible breeze. Her hands and legs were protected by spectral gauntlets and greaves, engraved with interlocking wave patterns that rippled with movement. Her fingers appeared claw-like,, adding to her intimidating presence. ¡°Whoa, I thought we were done fighting. I mean look at Glenn, I think he¡¯d rather do something else than fight.¡± Canis looked over at Glenn, but Glenn stood up holding his scythe with the look of determination. Tomoe Gozen was very pleased with Glenn. She unsheathed her blade once more, walked over to the water, and dropped her blade into it. The water evaporated into mist. Tomoe used the steam to her advantage, disappearing into the mist and attacking from unexpected angles. Glenn and Canis struggled to keep track of her movements, relying on instinct and teamwork to deflect her strikes. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Not very samurai-like to be using tricks.¡± said Canis. ¡°Taunts do not make you stronger, skeleton dog.¡± Tomoe Gozen appeared behind him. She lashed off his arm holding his scythe. ¡°Oh, fuck.¡± Those were the only words out of Canis Before Tomoe Gozen bombarded him with slashes, each one severing a body part. But she didn¡¯t use her sword for the final blow to kill Canis. Instead she chopped his boney head off and placed her foot atop it. ¡°Back to where you came from, mutt.¡± She stomped her foot down and crushed his skull. Canis evaporated into black smoke. ¡°What did you do to Canis?¡± pleaded Glenn.. ¡°I did not erase him from existence. I merely sent him back to where you parasites plan and scheme. I would need to pierce him with my Katana and absorb him if I wished to really destroy him.¡± ¡°So you are not so bad.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t get ahead of yourself. There are thousands of reapers in my sword. And you will not be so lucky to share the fate of Canis.¡± ¡°Why me?¡± asked Glenn, frustrated with these games. ¡°You truly feel you are not special?¡± ¡°I am not.¡± Tomoe Gozen frowned. In a blur, Tomoe charged forward, her katana slicing through the air like lightning. Her movements were fluid and precise, every strike calculated to test Glenn¡¯s defenses. Glenn blocked her attacks with Mora¡¯s scythe, sparks of spectral energy flying as their weapons clashed. The force of her strikes pushed him back. The blows were so powerful on Mora¡¯s scythe that it inflicted pain on Glenn. ¡°Come on! Is that all you got? Muster up more strength.¡± ¡°I¡¯m trying!.¡± ¡°That is not real strength. Fine. I will show you.¡± Tomoe Gozen leapt back. She sheathed her sword and assumed an attack position. She absorbed the mist in the air like a black hole.. Glenn felt the pull but dug his heels in deeper to ground himself.Tomoe Gozen¡¯s eyes were focused, then she suddenly stared off into the distance, absorbed in thought.. Glenn studied every moment of this. She screamed as gravity seemed to get ten times heavier. She descended on Glenn faster than the speed of light. At the last second,Glenn was sent smashing through wall after wall until he was outside the hot spring building. Glenn rolled on the ground, shell shocked. Mora¡¯s scythe pulse slowly and faded in intensity. a crack in the scythe mimicked a wound onGlenn¡¯s head. Tomoe Gozen approached with her sword drawn. ¡°Last chance. Show me what Yami saw in you.¡± Glenn tried to get up, but his head was ringing. ¡°Disappointing,¡± She said, raising her sword to swing. Glenn laid on his back and stared at her. Even as she was about to erase him from existence, Glenn still was in awe of her beauty. If anyone was to do it, he is happy it was her. That kiss. He wished he could feel that warmth one more time. He closed his eyes and recalled what she said about love. His heart raced.. Then he had a thought. What if that was what love feels like? Or would it feel the same with others, like Maeve. No. He didn¡¯t feel this way around Maeve. Are there other loves? Did his mother have love for him before she was murdered? Tomoe Gozen struck down her sword with a jarring clank. Glenn blocked it, still on the ground. ¡°No. I will not perish here!¡± Glenn opened his eyes which were black as nothingness. Black smoke oozed from his face, forming a black skull mask. His aura was heavier. Windows on surrounding buildings shattered. Tomoe Gozen leapt back, surprised at what she saw. Glenn rose from the ground without using a muscle. With a burst of energy, Tomoe unleashed a powerful attack, her katana glowing like a star. She leapt into the air, striking down with a force that sent shockwaves rippling through the battlefield. Glenn easily dodged, the force of the attack carving a massive gash that sliced right through buildings and into the ground. As the mist cleared, Glenn stood tall, his eyes filled with determination. He gripped Mora¡¯s scythe tightly, the weapon glowing brighter than ever. Tomoe charged again, her movements faster and more precise than ever. Her katana glowed with spectral energy, leaving trails of light in its wake. Glenn spun Mora¡¯s scythe in a wide arc, creating a vortex of energy that collided with Tomoe¡¯s strikes. The two energies clashed, filling the battlefield with a massive blinding light.Blow by blow they parried with such speed that the human eye would not be able to keep up. Their strengths were evenly matched. At this point it was a battle of stamina. The first to make a mistake loses. In the end, it was Tomoe Gozen. Glenn caught her sword pinned and jabbed, knocking her off, then using her own move to sweep her off her feet, tripping her to the ground. He then batted her sword, sending it flying away. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I will make sure you will go to Yami and to a good place.¡± ¡°No wait, please!¡± Tomoe Gozen raised her hands in the air. ¡±The reason I never let someone reap me and why I didn¡¯t go with Yami is Minamoto no Yoshinaka is still out there, I know it. Until I find him, I can¡¯t move on. He said he would wait for me.¡± Glenn hesitated. He didn¡¯t like seeing her sad about another man. He looked around. Then Glenn thought of something. He is a reaper. It is his job to guide souls. ¡°Do you trust me?¡± Glenn asked. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Do you trust me?¡± Glenn repeated. Trust was the hardest thing for Tomoe Gozen. She has been betrayed so many times. But the look in Glenn¡¯s eyes indicated he still had his innocence. He was truly kindhearted. ¡°Yes.¡± Glenn knelt down next to her. He removed her breastplate. He placed his right hand over her heart. Tomoe Gozen didn¡¯t expect this, but she felt warmth. Her heart raced. He removed his right hand and touched the edge of the scythe from his left hand to her heart. Tomoe Gozen gasped as her breath was taken from her. She gazed up at Glenn as her body became light. The last thing she saw was Glenn smiling. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I have you.¡± She heard him say. And that was it. Glenn absorbed her into his scythe. His black skull mask dissipated into the air. Glenn looked around at the damage he caused. There were no people around. In fact, all the buildings looked like they hadn¡¯t been occupied in a long time, abandoned. He walked back to the hot spring where he came. The door was still intact. He walked up to it and held out his badge. He looked at his scythe. He could feel Tomoe. ¡°I hope this works.¡± He said as he opened the door. Chapter 3.1 Deathnibbles finally found the door he wanted. He stalked another reaper and watched him enter the world and exit through the same door. He followed suit.He held up his badge using his little squirrel arm. happened. It was just a normal door. What did that reaper do?Deathnibbles wondered. . He tried again with no luck. Deathnibbles then had a thought. He held onto the badge while opening the door. The air felt different and the other side was not what he was expecting. He saw creatures running around and he quickly slipped inside, darted past two giant sleeping creatures, and hid under a table for cover. A creature behind a front desk saw that the door opened. ¡°Huh?¡± the creature said. In a flash, the creature was at the door. It shrugged when it saw nothing,then closed the door. ¡°Hey idiots, this is the last time. If I catch you again, I am telling Anubis,¡± the front desk creature admonished after slapping the sleeping creatures awake. The creatures looked worried and stood up in attention. Deathnibbles used this commotion as a diversion to keep exploring. He looked up at the sign that showed directions. Where could this murderer be? Deathnibbles started with the Lounge. The Lounge was a mistake. There were too many creatures bustling about. Deathnibbles looked to his left though and saw all their equipment laying near the entrance and walked over to inspect. A golden pair of shoes caught his attention. They were too big for him, but his scythe started to pulsate. He touched his scythe to the shoes and they shrank to the perfect size that would fit him. He put them on. They fit! He did the same thing to a cloak. Yes,Deathnibbles looked like a real reaper now. ¡°Hey, who are you?¡± Shouted a gremlin only a little bigger than Deathnibbles. Deathnibbles didn¡¯t waste time. He tried to run but he was so fast he blasted right through the door. Now, all the creatures had eyes on him. ¡°Does that squirrel have a scythe, Hermes¡¯ shoes, and a cloak?!¡± An Oni said to a reaper. ¡°That is not possible.¡± The reaper responded. Deathnibbles needed to get out of there. With his new shoes, he gained super speed. Within seconds he was able to completely run around the office. No sign of this murderer. Then he came across Glenn¡¯s computer. There was a note on the desk from IT that showed Glenn¡¯s ID and password. Who was this Glenn? He needed to find him. Deathnibbles logged in. Nothing seemed of use on the computer until he saw where Glenn came from, his earth address where he lived before his death. Deathnibbles smiled. He had what he needed to locate Glenn. Like a lighting bolt, Deathnibbles was off. Chapter 4 Chapter 4. Glenn appeared back in the reaper¡¯s office. ¡°Don¡¯t worry Glenn! I am coming!¡± Canis came running in holding his scythe high. He ran right past Glenn. ¡°Uhh, Canis?¡± Glenn said. Canis did a double take. ¡°Glenn! Holy Shit you survived. Did you¡­ya know?¡± Canis mimed slashing his neck. ¡°I did.¡± ¡°Brutal, man. I thought you liked her. That must have been hard.¡± ¡°Yeah,it was. Hey, listen. My scythe got damaged in battle, I was going to head to IT to have Steve look at it real quick.¡± ¡°Sure, but first we should check in with Anubis. He¡¯ll want an after-action report of your battle.¡± ¡°Anubis is busy.¡± An assistant said from behind the front desk. ¡°We had an incident here right before you arrived that demanded his attention. You might as well go take care of your scythe at IT first.¡± ¡°What happened?¡± asked Glenn. ¡°An unknown soul stole a bunch of stuff and ran off back to Earth.¡± ¡°Oh, he is probably in a terrible mood. Let¡¯s try and avoid him for now,¡± said Canis. Canis and Glenn headed to the IT department. They walked down the hallway, passed the gremlins and Techlops until they ran into Steve at his desk. ¡°Oh, hey guys.¡± Steve looked pleased to see them. ¡°You know, I was thinking a lot about what I said to you. It wasn¡¯t fair. You are not bad luck. Shit has just been crazy around here. Charon is just so scary, but that¡¯s not the point. I want to start over.¡± ¡°I want you to rig the scales so Tomoe Gozen¡¯s soul is perfectly neutral so she will become a reaper.¡± Glenn said to Steve knowing the gravity of his request. ¡°Fuck you. Fuck YOU. FUCK YOUUUUU!¡± Steve got out of his chair and paced. Canis did not know this plan. He looked over at Glenn. ¡°Why are you roping me into this? Why couldn¡¯t you two troublemakers break the rules and leave me out of this?¡± Canis said. ¡°I am not a troublemaker!¡± Steve yelled. ¡°I am not breaking rules. No way. Do you know what they would do to us if I did that?¡± ¡°So it is possible?¡± Glenn questioned. ¡°What? Stop manipulating me! I knew it. I knew it. I tried to be a nice guy but you are trouble!¡± ¡°Who are you afraid of, Charon? I¡¯ll talk to him. I¡¯ll do whatever you want. Please. I care about this soul. ¡± Glenn begged. ¡°You would speak with Charon? Hmm,¡± Steve considered. ¡°I would speak with Charon and do whatever you want. Think about it. A reaper in your control. I will help you promote. You¡¯d be king of the IT department. No, a whole department for you where you can fix things and decide how things operate.¡± This enticed Steve. ¡°And talk to Charon to get him to like me?¡± ¡°And talk to Charon.¡± Glenn repeated. ¡°Fine. Let me see that scythe with the soul.¡± Steve took the scythe and put it on his desk. The root-like wires integrated with it again. ¡°Ok. I can¡¯t promise anything but I think it¡¯s possible. The scale is all for show but we can judge a soul with our own gadgets as long as it is connected to the power source. I already know which way the scales will tip here. So, I will just make sure to upload information with the exact opposite to balance out the scales. In theory, it should work.¡± ¡°Wait. It is that easy to fuck with the scales?¡± Asked Glenn ¡°No. Onlymanagement has clearance to work on the power core.¡± ¡°But is it possible to mess with it? Someone from management could tip them in their favor?¡± ¡°That is impossible. No one in management would do that.¡± The more Glenn learned of the afterlife,the more he did not like what he was learning. These are not all-powerful omniscient beings. They are flawed, just like humans but act as judge, jury, and executioner. Glenn needed to make it to management. ¡°It is going to take some time. But I will make it happen with these conditions. First, give the soul to Yami. I do not want you to even be around the scale. Knowing your luck, you will fuck things up. No one will suspect Yami, but if you are there it would be too much of a coincidence.¡± ¡°But-¡± ¡°No buts! These conditions are final. Second, you will go to Charon right after this and do whatever crazy task he gives you to win his approval. If he says reap this, YOU REAP IT. If he says kill Canis, you kill Canis. If he says give me your scythe, you do it. Ok?¡± ¡°Ok,¡± agreed Glenn. ¡°Hey, what?¡± Canis didn¡¯t like that part. ¡°And lastly, if by some miniscule chance you are what people think you are and you get promoted to management,don¡¯t forget about me. Deal?¡± ¡°Deal.¡± They both shook hands. ¡°I am starting to worry about the fairness of our friendship.¡± Canis said with a wavering voice. ¡°Canis, do you know where Charon is right now?¡± ¡°Actually, I think I¡¯d rather get murdered by Anubis.¡± Canis turned to walk away. ¡°Canis. Please,¡± Glenn begged. Canis stopped and sighed. ¡°Fine. Let¡¯s go drop off this soul to Yami then I¡¯ll take you to Charon. But I am warning you. Some say he is as old as the sisters of death. He is the most powerful of all the elders. Rumor has it he has reaped reapers. There is no proof, but people go missing around him.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Glenn looked back at Steve and they both gave a nod in agreement. Both Glenn and Canis headed out of the IT department and back to the lounge, but were stopped by an Oni. ¡°Sorry. Lounge is off limits until investigation is finished,¡± said the Oni. Glenn noticed a new creature. Its size was towering- nine or ten feet tall- with a muscular, sculpted frame, emphasizing its strength. The head was crowned with curved horns made of blackened stone, glowing faintly at the tips. Its eyes burned with an intense crimson light, conveying both intelligence and an untamable fire. The uniform was an ornate, flame-resistant security outfit, tailored with glowing runic patterns. The uniform was a combination of high-tech materials and enchanted fabrics, designed to endure its fiery nature. ¡°What is that?¡± asked Glenn. ¡°I have never seen that thing before. But for some reason it seems familiar to me. I think it might be an Ifrit. They are security for the lower management. I don¡¯t know what it would be doing down here,¡± Canis seemed worried. ¡°Well, let¡¯s maybe head to Yami¡¯s office then if he is not at the lounge.¡± said Glenn. ¡°Sure, it is this way. Come on.¡± They took one last look at the Ifrit and headed to the offices. ¡°Here it is,¡± said Canis upon reaching Yami¡¯s door They opened the door, but no one was inside. There was a desk and a chair, but it looked as if Yami never moved his stuff in. They looked in the drawers for clues. ¡°Looking for me?¡± Both Canis and Glenn jumped. Yami appeared out of the darkness. ¡°How did you do that?¡± asked Canis. ¡°Did you need something?¡± Yami ignored Canis. ¡°Yes. I need you to bring Tomoe Gozen¡¯s soul to the scale.¡± said Glenn. ¡°Need?¡± Yami questioned. ¡°I mean¡­she seemed to care for you, and I could tell you did too. It is what she would have wanted. Besides, I need to see Charon about something.¡± Glenn held out his scythe. ¡°Please.¡± Yami looked over at Canis. If he wasn¡¯t a bag of bones, he would have been sweating and foiled their plan. He turned back to Glenn. ¡°Fine. Give her to me.¡± Yami stuck out his scythe. Glenn focused. He held his scythe and knew what he wanted it to do. The light from his scythe grew and Tomoe Gozen¡¯s essence transferred to the Kitana. ¡°Will that be it?¡± Asked Yami. ¡°Yes.¡± said Glenn. Yami left. ¡°Oh no. Does this mean we have to meet Charon now?¡± Canis looked over at Glenn who nodded and headed toward Charon¡¯s office next to Anubis¡¯ Canis threw a fit like he usually did, but ultimately agreed to join. He was never going to leave Glenn. Water was seeping through Charon¡¯s door. They opened it and immediately felt like they were transported to a space suspended between worlds. The air carried the faint scent of water and earth, as if on the edge of a vast, eternal river. A low, constant sound of rushing water filled the room, occasionally punctuated by the soft creak of an unseen oar or distant murmurs of lost souls. A central feature of the office was a shimmering, mystical pool of water that represented the River Styx. It occupied one side of the room, bordered by smooth black stones and faintly glowing runes. The pool was both decorative and functional, acting as a gateway for communication with the Styx or as a portal to ferry souls directly. Charon¡¯s desk was a long, blackened wooden slab, polished to a mirror-like finish etched with intricate patterns of waves and ancient Greek symbols. A faint mist rose from the surface ethereally. Stacked were drachmas, obols, and other currencies from across ages, symbolic payments for ferrying souls. The sound of dripping water echoed faintly on the desk. His chair was a throne-like structure made of smooth, dark stone, with intricate carvings of waves, boats, and souls in transit. Sitting at the center was the oldest elder reaper Charon, facing the door. ¡°Is- Is he staring at us?¡± Asked Canis. ¡°I can¡¯t tell ¡®cause of his freaky skeleton head.¡± Glenn shook his head in disbelief at what he just heard Canis say as he is also a skeleton. ¡°Mr. Charon sir?¡± Charon continued to stare, analyzing Glenn. ¡°I knew we should just go. He hates everyone. HIs jaw cracked open like it hadn''t been opened in a long time. Bugs and dust flew out of his mouth. Charon wheezed, ¡°I was wondering when you would show up. I am sure the fates don¡¯t need to tell me why you two are here.¡± ¡°You were expecting us?¡± ¡°Both?¡± ¡°Yes. Both.¡± said Charon. ¡°Come in.¡± They were shoved in by an unknown force and the door slammed behind them. There are dark, smooth stone benches that floated slightly above the ground, as though ripped straight from a ship. Charon grabbed a coin with his boney fingers and rolled it across his knuckles. ¡°Do you doubt your place in this universe? Your fate?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know anything about the fates and I doubt they had me in mind. But that doesn¡¯t matter. I am here now. And I will do what I can to be the best reaper.¡± Glenn looked over at Canis who gave a nod of approval for a good answer. "Do you know how many souls I have ferried across the Styx? More than there are grains of sand on a thousand shores. Each one thought themselves unique in their fear, their regrets, their self-doubt. But in the end, they all came to the same place, just as you have." He leaned forward slightly, his ancient face carved with quiet intensity. "Doubt is not your enemy, young Reaper. It is your compass. Use it to find your path, not to turn away from it." Charon got up and walked over to the pool and dropped the coin in it, watching the butterfly effect happen. "You believe you are small, insignificant. Perhaps you are, compared to the vastness of this realm. But even the smallest pebble can ripple across the surface of a river, shaping its course in ways unseen. Your task is not to prove yourself to others. It is to discover what you carry within that can shape the current of eternity." ¡°What about me?¡± Asked Canis, butting in. ¡°Hmph. You go by Canis now, do you? Tell me. Where are you from?¡± asked Charon. ¡°I-I am from here. I don¡¯t remember anything about my past or what soul I was. Only that I was a Canine.¡± ¡°There must be a reason management didn¡¯t want to tell you. Best I do not get involved.¡± ¡°Hey if there is something you are not telling me, please tell me! I feel like I am missing a part of myself. Maybe two parts!¡± Canis exclaimed. ¡°I do not go against the river. It is best to go with it. I am merely a guide for the lost souls. I have no desire to challenge management.¡± ¡°I want to help the lost souls. Like you. But I need help. This scythe. It chose me. And if you know why, or can tell me about Mora and her sisters of death, it will help me. I know it will,¡± pleaded Glenn. Charon moved eerily close to Glenn. He put his boney hands on the scythe. ¡°It is true. Mora. What have you done?¡± Charon whispered. The scythe reacted to Charon. ¡°Sir? Have you met Mora?¡± Charon went back to his seat and sat down. ¡°Yes. I¡¯ve met them. They created this.¡± Glenn and Canis both looked at each other in shock. ¡°I am very old, you see. Older than most think. But even I am not as old as those three. Before the reapers. Before management. Before, heaven and hell or whatever your version of it was. There was just Life and Death.¡± Caron looked up to the ceiling, a reflection of outer space. ¡°There was a balance. They had each other in the void. Life was vibrant and full of energy. He was radiant, his touch creating color and motion where there had been none. But Life, for all his beauty, was restless. Death wasn¡¯t enough for life. He longed to create, to expand beyond the empty expanse they inhabited. Death, on the other hand, was calm and still, a quiet shadow to Life¡¯s light. She was the one who ended things, ensuring the void remained unbroken, the balance unshaken. While Life burned with endless energy, Death understood the necessity of stillness and endings. Together, they existed in harmony, their bond both a partnership and a love that transcended time. Life, driven by his desire to fill the emptiness, reached out and created his first masterpiece: a single, delicate flower. It grew in the void, bright and alive, its petals shimmering with the essence of the universe. Life was overjoyed at his creation, but Death noticed something strange. The flower grew endlessly, twisting and contorting, consuming itself in its unbridled existence. Death, seeing the flower struggle, stepped forward. With a gentle touch, she let the flower wilt and fall into the void, its petals scattering into stars we see today. Heartbroken, Life decided to create more and more. Nothing was the same as that first flower and everything in time left him. He blamed Death and thought Death was jealous because she was unable to create more Life. But on the contrary, Death loved Life and was saddened to see him in so much pain. Death showed him that they are not gone forever. Life was too blind to see, but whenever he created something new he would put his essence into it. And when Death¡¯s touch put an end to it, she would save Life¡¯s essence, discovering the first souls. Death thought this would put an end to Life¡¯s loneliness. But, Life grew more obsessed. He created more and more, pouring his essence into the universe. The balance was off. Unlike Life¡¯s limitless energy. Death was unable to create, but it found a way. It would sacrifice itself to divide its essence into three beings, the Sisters of Death. The Sisters were efficient. Fast. Powerful. Balance was restored for a time. Life was heartbroken yet again, but much worse than before. He did not realize how much he needed Death. He looked for its old love. He even created life for the sole purpose to call upon Death to show. But it was always the Sisters who showed up. The Sisters were not happy with his warped sense of creating Life without reason. Life denied their logic. He told them they could never understand what it is like to create. Grieving, Life decided on an alternative. It was to create something that did Life and Death¡¯s job better. A Life that would never end. That would never cause heartache and the Sister¡¯s could not touch. That is what we call now those who work in management. But of course there always must be balance so the cycle continues. And that is where I come in. I was a creation from one of the sisters. I do not have any essence of life in me. Death cannot create but it split. It makes them weaker, but it was a necessity to keep the balance. Creating a life that could not end did not fill the void within Life. It was not the same. Then it dawned on Life. The feeling that was missing was because of Death. He realized to be truly special, Dife needed Death And in one final act, Life created a place so full of life, Death would surely return. This place was Earth. On Earth, Life thrived. The Sisters were overwhelmed. They reluctantly agreed to let Management help them as long as they followed the Sister¡¯s rules. I studied them and sometimes we crossed paths. Mora was a kind sister. Most will say I am crazy, but she actually loved Life¡¯s creatures as much as Life did. I would come across her sitting with a soul, just talking until it was ready to move on.Nyra was the strictest on their roles. She never strayed from her mother''s rules even if it meant dragging the souls to the afterlife. And Lytha¡­ I hope you never have to meet her. Usually souls are never heard from again if Lytha is called upon. She is neither cruel nor kind. She just is inevitable. So in other words. If she gave you that, it doesn¡¯t matter the reason. Death will follow you.¡± ¡°Is there any way that you can tell the Sisters that I did not ask for this to stop them from coming after me?¡± asked Glenn. ¡°I do not think it matters to them, Glenn Garcia. There is a price to pay for power. Did you think being special did not mean work? That it did not mean hardship?¡± ¡°Well. If you are not going to help Glenn, then why are you telling him all this?¡± asked Canis. ¡°Because. Those who speak up to management disappear. This isn¡¯t advice, it is a warning. You are a walking lighting rod of death. You just have not been struck yet. I¡¯ve said my piece. Now leave me be.¡± Charon walked over and stared at the water. ¡°Wait a second.¡± Glenn demanded as his scythe pulsed. ¡°You are not afraid of The Sisters. What are you afraid of?¡± ¡°Get out.¡± Glenn and Canis were pushed out the door and it slammed shut. ¡°Well, that was pointless. He didn¡¯t even tell us who to reap. Old people always tell stories, have you noticed that?¡± said Canis. ¡°I think we are going to have to do some digging on our own for once. We are going to find someone worthy of reaping. And then he will tell us everything.¡± Canis and Glenn looked down the hallway of all the Elder reapers. ¡°So who do we ask first?¡± asked Canis. ¡°Who is the oldest?¡± Glenn asked in return. ¡°Well, Charon is Greek, right? Remembering my history class, Celtic, Voodoo, Norse, Spanish, Japanese all came after Greek. If Charon is older than Greek, then there is one deity I''ve met so far older than Greek. Egypt.¡± Glenn said, pointing to Anubis¡¯s office. ¡°No. No. No. Not the boss. First you piss off Charon, now you are going to get us in trouble with Anubis?!¡± Canis started pacing. ¡°You know how I said Charon is the most powerful reaper? Anubis can kill reapers. He is Management!¡± ¡°All the better. Then he definitely will have answers! Why else would he be down here?¡± ¡°You ask too many damn questions, my friend. Didn¡¯t you listen to Charon? We better just stay on the straight and narrow. I do not want to be on Anubis¡¯s bad side.¡± Glenn thought as he stared down the hallway. He watched as an assistant would fly in, knock on a door, and then enter. They were there for only a second before leaving. Then another would show up for a different door. And another. Glenn took a step back. He turned and looked around the corner. More and more Herme¡¯s assistants were zipping all around the office. They moved so fast, you could miss their actions so he never noticed. ¡°Canis. The Hermes¡¯ assistants. Are they assistants for everyone? Or do some work directly for some people?¡± ¡°They do it all. I think. I¡¯ve never actually talked to them.¡± ¡°Follow me. I have an idea.¡± Glenn hurried Canis off. They made their way to the front desk, where the only assistant wasn¡¯t moving. Instead of wearing golden shoes, he wore golden gloves and was typing faster than Glenn could blink. ¡°Excuse me?¡± Glenn interrupted. ¡°Glenn? How may I help you?¡± He said with a smile. At a closer glance, he looked almost human, except much smaller. And his eyes were glowing like all assistants. ¡°Are you human?¡± Asked Glenn. ¡°I was. Or at least my soul was. However, this body is not human. Is there anything else I can help you with?¡± Canis looked over at Glenn with impatience. ¡°This is not what we came for.¡° He turned towards the Hermes¡¯ assistant. ¡°We have an urgent task that needs to be done.¡± ¡°Sure, is it something I can assist you with?¡± ¡°Well, what do you do?¡± ¡°I am the officer manager.¡± ¡°We need Anubis¡¯s assistant. Right?¡± ¡°Sure! Let me put in a request for them to assemble.¡± ¡°Them?¡± Canis and Glenn looked at each other. In a flash, ten Hermes¡¯ assistants showed up, all slightly different. Some were different gender, but all were about the same size wearing the same golden shoes. ¡°How may we assist you, Glenn?¡± They all asked at once. ¡°We just need to talk to Anubis¡¯s assistant.¡± ¡°Ok. How may we assist you, Glenn?¡± They all said at once again. Canis frowned. He pointed to the first Hermes¡¯ assistant. ¡°Wait, what do you do?¡± ¡°I am the Executive Coordinator.¡± ¡°The what? Ugh. Everyone tell me what your rolls are.¡± ¡°Executive Coordinator¡± ¡°Chief of Staff¡± ¡°Administrative Manager¡± ¡°Administrative Coordinator¡± ¡°Executive Secretary¡± ¡°Anubis¡¯s Office Manager¡± ¡°Operations Assistant¡± ¡°Senior Administrative Specialist¡± ¡°Business Support Specialist¡± Glenn looked confused at Canis. ¡°I have no idea what any of that means.¡± ¡°Can we just talk to, like, a Personal Assistant?¡± All the Hermes¡¯ assistants zipped away, except for one. ¡°Hello! I am Anubis¡¯s Personal Assistant. How may I assist you, Glenn?¡± ¡°Thank god,¡± Canis let out a breath. ¡°We were wondering if Anubis has any files on Charon.¡± ¡°I can certainly help with that. Let me get my assistant on that.¡± The PA left and another assistant came scurrying into the room. ¡°Who are you?¡± asked Glenn. ¡°I am the PA¡¯s EA. I hear you want to receive files on Charon?¡± ¡°Yes, please,¡± said Canis. ¡°I am sorry. I cannot give you those files without Anubis¡¯s approval. You are going to need to ask his EA.¡± ¡°I thought you were the EA.¡± ¡°I am the PA¡¯s EA.¡± ¡°So we need to ask the PA again?¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s his Personal Assistant. You need to ask his EA. I can summon them.¡± ¡°Them? This is my hell,¡± said Canis. ¡°They are confidential? That is strange. Is there something Anubis doesn¡¯t want us to see.¡± Glenn was thinking gods and deities were not omniscient. He didn¡¯t tell Canis, but he had his own agenda for wanting the files. The more he learned of the truth, the closer he was to unraveling who his parents were and why they were not around. Glenn looked over at the security guards and then grinned at Canis. An idea was hatched. ¡°You have been so very helpful. By the way do you have a name?¡± ¡°We do not possess names. We go by our titles.¡± ¡°Well since you are one of Hermes¡¯ assistants. I am going to call you guys HAs.¡± ¡°So two of them together would be-¡± Canis said, but was interrupted. ¡°Anyways. I do not wish for any security clearance level stuff. Can you just get me a file of Charon that is known to the public? BUT only give me the files when I summon you next. OK?¡± ¡°As you wish.¡± The HA said. And it vanished. ¡°Will that be all, Glenn?¡± The HA at the front desk asked. ¡°Yes. Come on Canis.¡± Glenn and Canis headed back toward Anubis¡¯s office. ¡°What was with that back and forth? What is your plan?¡± ¡°Anubis is away, right? And we don¡¯t want to break into his office, right? So how would we get a file without us physically grabbing it? We tried the EAs, but they said you need permission. Who else would have permission besides Anubis?¡± Glenn looked over at a sleeping troll besides the reaper VIP area. ¡°Ohhh, you sneaky dog.¡± Glenn, not having the necessary clearance, knew he had to get creative. He decided to trick one of the guards into thinking the request was official and urgent. Canis, always happy to stir up chaos, encouraged the plan, offering a few tips on how to handle security trolls: "Trolls? Oh, easy. Just feed them a little flattery, throw in some fake authority, and they¡¯ll be eating out of your hand. Oni, on the other hand... a bit harder. But trust me, if you mention something about ¡®Upper Management,¡¯ they¡¯ll follow blindly just to avoid trouble." "Ok. Follow my lead.¡± Glenn headed straight for a sleeping troll in a chair. Glenn leaned down, putting on a confident smile, "Ah, so that¡¯s why you have not done it yet. Were you sleeping?Anubis sent me down to get that restricted file from his office. Urgent business. Time-sensitive.You know how it is.¡± ¡°Wh-What? No, I was. Wait what file?¡± The troll asked. ¡°Are you fucking kidding me? He needed it yesterday!¡± ¡°They usually send the HAs for this kind of thing," the troll stammered. ¡°What did you just call them? Never mind. You know how swamped they are. They needed someone reliable. Look, do you really want to risk the wrath of Anubis over a delayed file? I mean, he is breathing down my neck already.¡± "Fine, fine. What¡¯s the file name?" ¡°Name? It¡¯s just the files Anubis has on Charon. I need to update it for him.¡± The troll grunted and got up, heading towards the office. ¡°Halt.¡± A big Oni strode towards them. He wiped his hands and had toilet paper on his shoe. ¡°What is the meaning of this? Where are you going?¡± The Oni asked the troll. ¡°They need access to a file on Charon. Anubis¡¯s orders. They are going to update it.¡± replied the troll. ¡°Yeah? Show us some proof.¡± The Oni said, turning to Glenn. ¡°Proof? Of course. Canis call the HA over with the files.¡± said Glenn. Canis was confused but then it clicked. He called the HA Glenn spoke to at the front desk. ¡°Here are the files Glenn. Will that be all?¡± ¡°Yes, these are great.¡± The HA zoomed off. Glenn turned back towards the Oni. "See? I have the files to update. Look, if you don¡¯t want to get involved, that¡¯s totally fine. But when Upper Management starts investigating why they didn¡¯t get their file updated on time, don¡¯t say I didn¡¯t warn you. I¡¯m sure it won¡¯t reflect badly on you¡­ much. I mean you just left your post and your partner was sleeping.¡± "Upper Management? You¡¯re serious? Fine. I¡¯ll get it. But if this backfires, kid, I¡¯ll personally make sure you regret it." The Oni said. It looked over at the troll and nodded. The troll headed off towards the office. ¡°Nicely done.¡± Canis whispered to Glenn. ¡°What was that?¡± The Oni asked,questioning the whispers. ¡°He said we better hurry or we are done for,¡± warned Glenn. The Oni¡¯s eyes narrowed with suspicion. The troll walked back with a folder. Canis snatched it quickly and then grabbed Glenn¡¯s hand. ¡°Thank you! We got to run and finish our task but you all are a huge help. An irreplaceable brick to the foundation of this company. Truly. Thank you.¡± Canis ran off with Glenn back to their desks. ¡°Ready?¡± Glenn asked. Canis nodded yes. Glenn opened the folder and a chip came out. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s a computer chip.¡± They loaded up the computer and logged in. They then inserted the chip and the file appeared. Some of it was the same files that the HA gave them, but more information was there. In the HA¡¯s file they were just removed. ¡°Let¡¯s see. Charon''s story is true. He is older than Greek mythology. Hold on. This is confusing. What¡¯s this about some being named Thanatos? Wait, let me see the file from the HA. This is where it changes.. In what is known to the public, Charon and Thanatos are two different beings that worked for Hades in the underworld. Charon, the ferryman and Thanatos, the Greek personification of death. Both helped Hades guide the souls to the afterworld. But on Anubis files, this makes it seem like Thanatos was Charon. And¡­his mother was Nyra.¡± ¡°Why would he change his identity and rewrite history?¡± asked Canis. ¡°I don¡¯t know, but it seems like he is the only one born from Death. All the other reapers are Life¡¯s creations. Even Hades was a creation of life to help take over for Thanatos. Life used souls to create the immortal deities. I think. This file is confusing. It discusses past, present and future all in the same. I think Thanatos mentored Hades as a reaper.¡± ¡°The HA file says the immortal deities have no souls. Only creatures from Earth do. And Hades is in Lower Management now. He was once the Office Director before Anubis.¡± Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. ¡°So Hades was one of the first to be promoted to Management. It can be done.¡± Glenn got excited. ¡°Do you think Hades would see me? Answer questions? Maybe I can get Charon?¡± ¡°Impossible. No one has seen Hades since he left for Management. I don¡¯t even know what he looks like.¡± ¡°Well that if we reap someone that Charon has failed to reap, then maybe he will be so happy he will grant an audience. Or at least Management will get wind of it. They are monitoring, right?¡± ¡°Well, the file the HA sent you says Charon¡¯s record is spotless. He doesn¡¯t have any outstanding reaps.¡± ¡°Whoa, hold on. This file says he does. It¡¯s a soul named Aidoneus.¡± Canis went quiet. ¡°Say that name one more time.¡± ¡°It says Aidoneus. It says where he is located and everything. But why would his soul be hidden?¡± ¡°Aidoneus is my master¡¯s name. I have been looking for him and waiting for him since I got here. Are you telling me that boney fuck has known and kept him hidden all this time?¡± ¡°I am not sure Charon knows. This is Anubis¡¯s file, remember?¡± ¡°Glenn. We need to go to Aidoneus. I don¡¯t care about what rules we break anymore. I need to bring him home.¡± ¡°Who is he to you? This says he is a tier 4.¡± ¡°He is the one who holds my memories. I don¡¯t know much of my past. But one thing I know is my best friend was named Aidoneus. One of the reasons I refuse to promote or move on is because I am waiting for him. I just know my memories will come back once I see him.Maybe it is not him, but if it is and he is stuck in the mortal realm, I need to help him.¡± ¡°So it is settled. We get your master or best friend and then Charon will be so happy, I get an audience with Hades. Looks like we are heading to a place called Epirus in Greece.¡± Canis was excited. They turned off their computer,hid the files in the cabinets,s and snuck off to the front desk. Glenn and Canis approached the three doors. They were reapers and didn¡¯t need permission to go anywhere. Plus no one even knew there was a soul there. Only management would know what they were up to. Canis and Glenn grinned and they held up their badges. Glenn walked up to the door and opened it. Nothing. ¡°Umm going somewhere?¡± The front desk HA asked. ¡°Uhh. Yes. Epirus, Greece? Where Aidoneus used to live.¡± ¡°Aidoneus? Why would you- Whatever. Not much out there.¡± He typed on his computer. ¡±There. Should be good to go.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± Canis and Glenn said together. Glenn turned towards Canis. ¡°Does he always set it for us? Why do we always hold up our badge?¡± ¡°No. The badge definitely does something. I¡¯ve seen Baron Samedi do it. Now hold it up.¡± They opened the door and the portal was set. They went through. They arrived at an old masonry brick building that was partially in ruins. ¡°Where are we?¡± asked Canis. Canis pulled out an underworld phone. ¡°Google says we¡¯re near a village called Mesopotamos.¡± ¡°Google? Wait, is that an iPhone?¡± ¡°Of course. Where do you think all the old versions go to die? You think they recycle them? Ha. Human¡¯s will believe anything.¡± Glenn took the sights in. Vast open fields next to a river one side and a town on the other with mountains in the distance. ¡°This place is gorgeous.¡± Glenn said. ¡°Yeah. This place. Seems very familiar. Like I''ve been here before, but I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever reaped anyone here. At least not in the last thousand years.¡± ¡°I am not feeling anything.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± asked Canis. ¡°Well. Both with Chu Chulainn and Tomoe Gozen, my scythe pulsed. The first time with Chu Chulainn it happened almost immediately. But with Tomoe Gozen, it happened when we got in the hot spring. We thought it was reacting to the water, but I think it was reacting to Tomoe approaching.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you send out some spiritual wave thingy you did with Chu Chulainn?¡± ¡°Possibly. But it won¡¯t work. When it pulsed, it was like I knew that something was near.I don¡¯t sense anything here. Nothing is here.¡± ¡°Shit. This can¡¯t be. I know this is the spot. I know something is special about this place.¡± Glenn felt the sadness in Canis. ¡°Well, let¡¯s not give up and have a look around.¡± ¡°Yeah. Let¡¯s keep the perfect streak going! We are the dream team.¡± ¡°We definitely are.¡± ¡°Over here.¡± Glenn called over Canis. They saw a stairway that led to a tunnel that ended in a stone-walled dead end. ¡°I thought for sure I found him. I knew it was too good to be true.¡± Canis walked away, defeated. Glenn stayed for a bit longer examining the wall to see if he missed anything. There were strange indents in the stone likely caused by the stone deteriorating over the years and clay pots broken on the ground, but nothing to indicate Aidoneus was there. Glenn left the tunnel to meet back up with Canis, but he couldn¡¯t find him. He shouted out for him but received no answer. He was not at the sanctuary. Did he go back through the portal door? No, it is best to look around a little more. He found a high vantage point to search and saw Canis sitting by the river staring into the distance. ¡°Something about this place gave me hope. I thought maybe I would finally figure out who I am, and my purpose. It sounds dumb but I¡¯ve felt stuck at this job for the last couple thousand years.¡± ¡°Actually, I feel like I do. Well not the job part. But life. I was on autopilot and felt stuck. I never knew my parents. My grandma couldn¡¯t speak. She was kind and showed me pictures of her past, but never of my parents. I guess we come from somewhere in Mexico. But it doesn¡¯t matter. I could be from anywhere. The point is I don¡¯t know who I am either, but this job will help me find out. Then I am going to climb the ranks and figure out who I really am. And you know what? You are my partner. The help goes both ways. So I am going to help you, too.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Canis picked up a rock and skipped it across the river. ¡°Of course. I-¡± As the rock skipped across the river, Glenn sensed something odd. He stood up. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Glenn walked closer to the edge of the river. ¡°Skip another rock.¡± Glenn said. Canis picked up another rock and skipped it across the river. As the ripples of the water formed the reflection of the sky changed. ¡°Look! The reflection of the sky. It¡¯s daytime, but doesn¡¯t that look like night?¡± Mora¡¯s scythe pulsed. Glenn knew something was here. The synched pulsed faster and faster until it let out another wave of energy. Glenn¡¯s breath was sucked from him. He gasped but had no luck. He felt weak. He collapsed into the river and went under. Glenn shot up from the water and gasped for air. The scythe was no longer pulsing but his eyes were pure black. He looked up and he saw the night sky. He looked back at land, but did not see Canis. He looked to his right and saw a man and a woman gathering water from the river with a bowl. The man had ashy grey hair and a well-trimmed beard. He wore dark blue robes and a gold circlet on his head. He had cold, calculating eyes and did not smile, but when he looked at the woman he smiled so bright it completely changed the look in his eyes. The woman had delicate, sharp features. Her long, flowing golden hair had tiny flowers and vines woven into it. Her lips held a quiet, knowing smile, as if she saw beyond the present moment. Her robes were forest green. While the woman gathered water the man picked up a flower next to the river and walked it back over to her. ¡°What do you think about this flower for the garden?¡± The man said as he wrapped his arm around her body. ¡°A narcissus flower? Shouldn¡¯t you be afraid you will fall in love with your own reflection?¡± ¡°How can I? Even Narcissus would not have drowned had you been standing in his presence.¡± The woman laughed. Their time alone was cut short. She noticed something coming down the river. It was a ferry. The man¡¯s smile faded as he stood up to wait for the ferry. The ferry went right through Glenn, making him realize he was in spectral form. Or maybe this is just some vision. Either way, the pair could not touch or see him. The ferry was carrying three figures. Sitting up front were two towering muscular men. The first man¡¯s presence crackled with the electric energy of barely-contained storms, He had a thick, wavy, golden beard and piercing blue eyes. His skin was weathered and bronzed. He wore a flowing white toga, embroidered with gold lightning bolts held by a divine brooch. The other man stood even taller, about nine to ten feet tall. He was beautiful yet fearsome, with chiseled angelic features¡ªhigh cheekbones, a strong jaw, and an expression that was both compassionate and unyielding. His eyes glowed with divine fire but unlike the others, he had platinum hair and no facial hair.Hidden behind his body were massive, majestic wings, spanning twice his height. He wore a polished gold breastplate, inscribed with ancient runes of divine protection and holstered a sword. And the final person in the back was Thanatos. His cloths looked familiar. Similar to Charon but he didn¡¯t look like a skeleton. His cloak was much cleaner as it covered his entire darker-skinned body.His eyes were jet black and glowed with black light. ¡°Thanatos. What did they offer you for you to betray me?¡± The man by the river said. The first man stepped off the ferry. ¡°Hades, do not get mad at Thanatos for your own faults. You knew the rules, brother.¡± The second man with wings stepped off. Thanatos stayed on the ferry with his head down. ¡°And who is this you brought with you, Zues?¡± Hades questioned. ¡°This is Michael. He is new, but don¡¯t let that fool you. Even the lesser angels are as powerful as our sisters and brethren.¡± Zeus replied. Michael stared at the woman. ¡°Is this her? Persephone?¡± asked Michael. Hades hissed. ¡°Do not speak her name =unless you want it to be your last word.¡± Those words did not faze Michael. Zeus continued. ¡°Why did you run? You could have had everything. We promoted you to Lower Management. We let you run things. You could have had your way with any soul you liked. But you decided to go after Persephoneand run off with her? You both knew too much. Did you think they would honestly just let you both live among the mortals?¡± ¡°It¡¯s wrong, Zues. I know you know. We couldn¡¯t go back and forth. We just wanted to be together.¡± said Persephone. ¡°Unlike you or Poseidon, I¡¯ve only loved women. Only had eyes for one woman. Only ever cared for one woman. I am thankful you thought highly of me to give me a realm, but I didn¡¯t ask for it.¡± ¡°Ask you about it? Where is your sense of duty?¡± Michael interjected. ¡°What do you know about a sense of duty? I did what was asked for thousands of years. No matter how terrible, if one of my brothers asked, I got it done.¡± ¡°It¡¯s too late. If the Sisters found you they could discover the truth. They would declare war. We can¡¯t let that happen. ¡± Michael said, drawing his sword that ignited with flames. Hades¡¯ scythe came flying toward him from the woods. ¡°Halt. I do not need to see a brother of mine die before my eyes. Michael,do not underestimate my brother. He would defeat you, ¡± said Zues. ¡°You underestimate the power that was gifted upon me. What are you scheming, God of Thunder?¡± asked Michael. Zues looked at his brother. ¡°If we do it to them, it would give us assurance that they wouldn¡¯t try anything. We can turn them mortal.¡± Michael looked around, thinking. ¡°Fine. But I would need more assurance. We would do it to him, too.¡± He pointed to Thanatos. ¡°Fine,¡± said Zues. ¡°AND. He stays here while we take Persephone back to her rightful place in Upper Management.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t!¡± Persephone yelled. ¡°It¡¯s that or we can do it my way.¡± ¡°No. I¡¯ll stay. But I won¡¯t allow you to do it to Persephone. I must know she will not be harmed,¡± said Hades. Zues looked at Michael in agreement. ¡°You have my word.¡± Hades nodded to Persephone. Zues pulled a bag off his belt. He pulled out two flowers, each petal changing colors constantly. Hades walked up to him. ¡°You had these the whole time? ¡°You wanted to live as a mortal? Well now you will know what it is like. You might remember this one, Aidoneus. Your first reap.¡± Hades grabbed the flower. ¡°Yes I remember you, Aidoneus. A wise ruler who gave up his throne to become a farmer. Yes. This will be fine.¡± Hades put the flower in his mouth and swallowed it. Zues walked over to the ferry. For you Thanatos, meet Charon, a ferryman who helped carry the dead of this very river Acheron. Take him. Thanatos didn¡¯t question it and ate the flower, still not able to look at Hades. ¡°Ahhhhhhh!¡± Thanatos screamed as he held his burning face. He continued to scream in pain as his face began to melt. Next, the skin on his hands started to melt, too. Eventually,all that was left was a skeleton. ¡°What is happening to him?¡± asked Michael in fear. ¡°You fools! Thanatos does not come from Life. He is a child of Death,¡± cried Persephone. ¡°Persephone, quiet!¡± Hades tried to calm her, but it was too late. Zues and Michael looked at each other with wide eyes. ¡°That means-¡± ¡°We must report thisimmediately. Hurry, let''s be done with this.¡± Michael and Zues guided Hades up the hill with Persephone. Hades took one last look at Thanatos. ¡°You could have stopped this.¡± Hades said as Thanatos fell to his knees in pain. Glenn followed them up the hill. Michael took out his sword and struck the earth, creating a crack so large it formed a tunnel. The sound of three dogs barking came from the distance. Zues looked at Hades and realized they were not alone. Zues turned to Michael. ¡°Take care of those dogs, will you?¡± Michael opened up his wings. ¡°I¡¯ll meet you back in the office.¡± In a flash, he was off. Glenn saw as Hades and Zues walked into the tunnel. Glenn stayed out looking at Persephone crying. Zues walked out of the tunnel alone. He raised his hand and beckoned lightning to cave the tunnel in. ¡°Come let us go,¡± Zues said to Persephone, brushing dirt and dust from his cloak. Michael came flying back down and spoke to Zues. ¡°It is done.¡± As the two talked, Persephone looked down and the narcissus flower by the rubble. She subtly picked it up and cupped it in her hand. ¡°Time to go back, Persephone.¡± ¡°No. I am not going back to Upper Management. I no longer belong there. Drop me off in Lower. I will take care of the void Hades left.¡± Michael and Zues looked at each other, then agreed. ¡°Fine, but know this. History will be rewritten from this day forth. Aidoneus will remain here. No one will ever know of Hades whereabouts. You are no longer Thanatos. From now on, you are Charon, and you will ferry the souls to the new Queen of the underworld.¡± As the three set off in the ferry, Persephone had one more trick up her sleeve. She transferred her power into the narcissus flower and laid it into the river. It sank to the bottom. She hoped one day someone would come to save her beloved. She turned and saw Charon staring wordlessly. Glenn watched as they sailed away. ¡°Glenn¡­Glenn¡­¡±¡± He heard his name being called. He looked around but saw nothing. ¡°Glenn!¡± He looked down at the river and saw Canis in the reflection, yelling. He walked into the river and- Glenn gasped as he came up for air. ¡°What the heck man! I thought you were drowning.¡± ¡°Flower.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°We need to find a flower. In the river. It will lead us to Aidoneus.¡± ¡°What? Are you serious? Ok¡­ok! Flower.¡± Canis jumped in the water, frantically searching alongside Glenn. ¡°What kind of flower?¡± ¡°Uhh. It is white with a yellowy orange center.¡± They searched and searched but no luck. ¡°Over here¡­¡± Glenn could have sworn he heard a woman''s voice. It sounded kind of like Persephone. He followed it towards the deepest part of the river. Glenn held his breath and swam to the bottom. There he found a white flower floating just above the ground level. Glenn came back up. ¡°Canis, I found it!¡± Canis was jumping for joy returning back to land. ¡°Yes. yes! Now what?¡± ¡°I am not sure, but I think we have to go back to the tunnel.¡± Glenn and Canis headed back to the ruins and down the tunnel to the stone at the end. ¡°There is a passageway behind here,¡± said Glenn. ¡°Here? Why didn¡¯t you say so? I can easily blast through this.¡± Canis raised his scythe and swung it at the stone, receiving a shocking jolt in return ¡°I think Zues left protection to make sure no one could remove it.¡± ¡°Then how do we move it? What about the flower?¡± ¡°Oh yes. Hmmm...I don¡¯t know, there¡¯s no place to put it. ¡°Put it on the ground.¡± A faint voice could be heard. ¡°You hear that?¡± asked Glenn. ¡°Hear what?¡± replied Canis. ¡°Never mind.¡± Glenn dug a little hole in the ground and placed the flower on the ground near the stone. Nothing happened. ¡°Use water.¡± Glenn squeezed his cloak and water from the Acheron dripped onto the flower. The flower glowed with white light. Vines grew from the flower and pierced the earth. The tunnel started to shake lightly. More and more vines wrapped around every crevice, slowly breaking the tunnel¡¯s stones. As vines smashed through the ancient stone wall, dust and centuries-old debris scattered into the air, revealing a dark, gaping tunnel behind it. The entrance inhaled a wave of outside air like a vacuum, as if there was no oxygen beyond that point. It gave off an unnatural and heavy smell, laced with the scent of damp and burnt stone, and something deeper¡ªdeath. The passageway beyond was not natural; it was a man-made cavern, its walls jagged and uneven, like it had been created by the explosion from a bomb. Glenn and Canis exchanged a glance. Canis, ever the nervous chatterbox, muttered, ¡°Yeah, maybe this was a bad idea because entering ominous, ancient tunnels under cursed ruins always goes well.¡± Glenn¡¯s scythe finally responded to a soul and pulsed. He tightened his grip on his scythe and stepped forward, his feet crunching against loose gravel and bone-dry dust that has been undisturbed for ages. The tunnel sloped downward, its ceiling arching high, encrusted with fulgurite, which formed when lightning hit the sand. As they moved deeper, the air grew thicker, charged with an ancient pressure. It Wasn''t just the weight of the earth above them¡ªit was something older than gods themselves, watching, waiting. Water dripped from unseen crevices, echoing down the passageway, likely coming from the river of Acheron. The silence was unnatural¡ªno insects, no shifting rock, just the muffled pulse of something restrained. Canis stopped abruptly, his skeletal hand gripping Glenn¡¯s arm. His jaw chattered, not from fear but from something deeper¡ªan instinctive reaction to the presence ahead. "You feel that?" he whispered. Glenn did. It was like standing before an oncoming storm that was alive and aware of their presence. The tunnel widened into a colossal underground chamber, its ceiling lost in darkness. At the center of the chamber was a vast pit, its edges scorched black. Chains thicker than tree trunks coiled around the pit¡¯s perimeter, vanishing into the depths below. They were old but unbroken, thrumming with divine energy, pulsating like veins filled with molten gold and black fire. And then, they saw the prisoner. Hades, the Lord of the Underworld, hung suspended in the center of the pit, his arms shackled above him, chains binding his wrists, torso, and legs. His once-magnificent robes were torn, draped in shadowy remnants of his former regalia. His ashy grey hair shifted around his face like it was caught in an unseen current, and his eyes¡ªonce commanding¡ªwere dimmed but not broken. Hades did not look up. Standing before him, guarding his prison, were the Ifrits. The two Ifrits, towering at seven feet tall, stood like statues, their crimson skin cracked with rivers of molten fire beneath. Their burning eyes locked onto Glenn and Canis as soon as they stepped forward. Each Ifrit wielded a massive obsidian halberd, the blades wreathed in black hellfire, exuding an intense heat that distorted the air around them. Their horns curled backward, their armored forms forged from the very essence of the underworld itself. The moment Glenn took another step forward, one of the Ifrits slammed its halberd into the ground, causing a wave of heat to ripple across the chamber, turning the dust on the ground to glass. ¡°I don¡¯t understand. Ifrits? What are guards from Management doing here? And who is this? Wait¡­I know him. Aidoneus?¡± Saying the name made Hades look up. But this wasn¡¯t the god Glenn saw in his visions. This was a broken soul. The second Ifrit tightened its grip on its weapon, stepping forward. The air shimmered around them, their presence enough to make the walls of the chamber tremble. ¡°Stop. We are a part of the Bureaucracy of Reapers. What is your reasoning for having this man chained? Can we speak to someone from Management?¡± asked Glenn. Canis, still gripping his scythe, leaned toward Glenn. ¡°Okay, so¡­talking our way out of this seems unlikely.¡± The Ifrits did not hesitate¡ªthey are not guards who negotiate. They are enforcers of punishment. One of them lunged, first swinging its obsidian halberd in a brutal arc toward Glenn, aiming to cut him down in one strike. Glenn barely side stepped, feeling the intense heat from the blade as it sliced through the air, leaving a trail of molten sparks. The impact shattered the ground, sending shockwaves of fire rippling through the stone. Canis leapt from the side, his skeletal frame twisting unnaturally mid-air as he swung his smaller, curved scythe toward the Ifrit¡¯s exposed side. The blade screeched against the creature¡¯s obsidian armor, sending sparks of spectral energy flying, but it didn''t penetrate¡ªIfrits are built like living fortresses. The Ifrit backhanded Canis, sending him flying across the chamber into a cracked pillar. Canis groaned, rubbing his skull. ¡°Okay. That one hurt.¡± Glenn gripped Mora¡¯s scythe, feeling its weight shift in his hands. it was eager for battle, humming in anticipation. He dashed forward, twisting his grip and bringing the scythe down hard toward the Ifrit¡¯s knee, aiming to take out its mobility. The Ifrit blocked with its halberd, sparks flying, the force of the clash sent a shockwave through Glenn¡¯s arms. It was strong. Too strong. The second Ifrit appeared behind Glenn in an instant, swinging its weapon in a deadly downward strike. Just as the second Ifrit¡¯s halberd was about to cleave Glenn in two, Canis intercepted, using his scythe to hook the halberd¡¯s shaft and pull its aim off-course. The Ifrit snarled, turning its attention to Canis. Canis grinned, hopping onto the Ifrit¡¯s arm like a monkey and scrambling up its massive frame, wrapping his legs around its head. ¡°Ever fought a skeleton before? We don¡¯t have soft bits! It¡¯s hard to burn something with no flesh, huh?¡± Glenn finally felt the experience and knowledge from his previous two fights. He twisted his grip on the scythe, shifting from blocking to attacking, his movements becoming more instinctual. With a quick step, he vaulted off a rock, using the momentum to sweep his scythe in a horizontal arc, striking the first Ifrit¡¯s exposed ribs. This time, the blade cut through, leaving a deep, glowing wound. Flame-like blood to spill out onto the ground Enraged, the first Ifrit unleashed a burst of hellfire, engulfing the battlefield in searing heat. Glenn twisted his scythe mid-air, the blade absorbing some of the spectral energy, creating a barrier against the flames. Canis, still on the second Ifrit¡¯s shoulders, yanked its horns, causing it to stumble into the first Ifrit¡¯s attack, searing its own armor. The two Ifrits snarled at each other, momentarily thrown off balance. Canis took advantage of the second Ifrit¡¯s distraction, pulling his skeletal hand back and plunging it into the exposed wound on its neck. His fingers glowed with spectral energy, and suddenly, the Ifrit stiffend, its body locking up as Canis siphoned its life force. The Ifrit collapsed to its knees, weakened but not dead. Canis dropped down in front of it, tipping his skull like a cocky gunslinger. ¡°And that¡¯s why you don¡¯t mess with the undead, hotshot.¡± Glenn focused on the first Ifrit, still recovering from its injuries. He swung the scythe in a rising arc, cutting through the creature¡¯s chest. ¡ªThis time, the blade sunk deep, and the Ifrit staggered back, stunned. Glenn didn¡¯t hesitate. He twirled the scythe once, shifting his grip, and then plunged it directly into the Ifrit¡¯s core, the blade sinking in as soul energy surged outward. The Ifrit let out a roar, then collapsed into a heap of smoldering embers, its body disintegrating into dark flames. Seeing its companion fall, the weakened Ifrit glared at Canis but knelt in submission, knowing it could not win alone. ¡°It¡¯s over? That was easy. These are the guards of Management?¡± Canis asked, but he spoke too quickly. The Ifrit started to glow so hot, it became engulfed in flames. ¡°Quickly, my chains! Use your scythe.¡± Hades shouted. Glenn gripped his scythe and quickly sliced through the chains around Hades. As Glenn broke the last one, Hades vanished. No, Glenn could see it. He moved so quickly a normal human would have blinked and missed it. ¡°BOOM.¡± The Ifrit exploded causing a quake. Debris flew everywhere and smoke filled the chamber. As the smoke cleared, Canis and Glenn noticed the impact was nothing to Hades, as it looked like he didn¡¯t have a scratch on him. Hades turned to Canis and smiled. ¡°Canis, can it really be you?¡± ¡°Aidoneus?!¡± Canis beamed.. He wiggled with excitement. ¡°Well, come here!¡± Hades said with open arms. Canis dropped his scythe and ran to Hades, embracing him in a big hug. ¡°I don¡¯t get it. You are Hades right?¡± asked Glenn. Canis and Hades stopped hugging. ¡°Yes. And now Aidoneus. You see, it is not easy to kill an immortal. We have no souls. We are neither alive nor dead. We just exist to serve. We were the ultimate creation of Life. Or so we thought. There are two ways to kill an immortal. The first is to give an immortal a soul. Fusing a soul with it makes it capable of death, but you are forever bonded as one. I have all the memories of who Aidoneus was and Hades. It doesn¡¯t affect immortals much, since a soul is only around for a short period of time. The second is Lytha. No one knows how she does it, but any immortal who goes after her is never seen again.¡± Canis looked at him. ¡°I-I can¡¯t remember anything before I was Canis.¡± ¡°My boy. Canis was my dog when I was Aidoneus. Loyal and selfless. Always putting others before himself. But you are so much more. That is just the soul that resides in you. You were also my best friend in the underworld. Do you not remember? Come to think of it. Where are your brothers?¡± ¡°Brothers? I have been alone for thousands of years.¡± Canis said sadly. Hades grew upset. ¡°No. What did they do to you?¡± ¡°Sir Hades. My name is Glenn Garcia. I recently joined the Reaper Core. I was hoping you could answer a lot of questions both for Canis and I.¡± Hades'' attention turned to Glenn, his eyes shocked as he laid eyes on Glenn''s weapon. ¡°That scythe. Glenn was it? Listen, there are things I will explain in detail but I¡¯ll make this quick, because time is not on our side. There is a secret war that has been going on between Life and Death. Immortals were created to bring balance back to the universe but Life thought of them as an abomination. You cannot appreciate Life without Death. Life realized this too late as it created Earth. By the time I came around, Death and Life had been long gone. No one knows where. Left unchecked with grudges in their heart, immortals took over and created the Management you see today. They discovered the ultimate power Life left behind: souls. In a way, souls are energy from Life itself. But the Sisters were the ones reaping the souls. The immortals decided to control reaping for themselves. The Sisters had no choice but to leave as Lytha couldn¡¯t face off an army of immortals. If the sisters knew there was a way to kill them, war would begin again.¡± ¡°Why not let Management and the Sisters fight it out?¡± Canis shrugged. ¡°Because it will be the Earth that suffers. When immortals fight, natural disasters happen. When immortals and the Sisters fight, catastrophic events happen. Cities are destroyed, plagues spread, and even species go extinct.. Both sides would try to get as many souls as possible. As ruler of one of the underworlds, I would see the aftermath.¡± ¡°But Mora gave me this. She was kind and believed in me. ¡± Glenn¡¯s scythe grew red and hot to the touch. Glenn never felt this from the scythe before. It seemed angry and something was upsetting it. ¡°Mora. Gave. You. That. Scythe?!¡± Hades started to look around. ¡°She specifically said you are going to change the underworld. Glenn, I don¡¯t think she gave you that to be some hero.¡± ¡°I agree.¡± That voice. It was the same one that Glenn heard helping him get into the chamber. The shadows of the cave began to move. A chill crawled up Glenn¡¯s spine before he even registered the shift in the air. The cavern¡¯s dim light flickered, consumed by an encroaching blackness¡ªa void, swallowing even the faintest glimmers of spectral fire. A new presence arrived. A voice, laced with venom and grief, echoed through the chamber. ¡°You¡­ took her from me.¡± Nyra stepped forward from the abyss, her shroud of darkness swirling like a living entity around her. The Sister of the Shadows was not just furious¡ªshe was consumed by loss, her wrath beyond mortal understanding. Her piercing silver eyes locked onto Glenn, not as a mere adversary, but as the harbinger of her sister¡¯s demise. Hades immediately stepped in front of Glenn, his expression unreadable. ¡°Nyra,¡± he said, his voice calm but firm. ¡°Stand down. We are not your enemies.¡± But Nyra did not stand down. Hades raised his hand, and the cavern floor erupted with spectral chains, seeking to bind Nyra before she could fully attack. Nyra barely moved, twisting her fingers¡ªthe chains rotted and crumbled into dust before they could even reach her. Hades, unfazed, leapt at her with his fists. Nyra didn¡¯t dodge. Instead, she caught his fist mid-air with just her fingertips, stopping the divine god without even flinching. With a mere flick of her wrist, she threw Hades backward, his form crashing through stone pillars, shattering them like brittle glass. Hades staggered, but he did not fall. ¡°I am only here for the boy. Although you are not innocent either, God of the Underworld. Stand down. You have no chance without your scythe.¡± His eyes glowed with divine fury¡ªthe true power of the Lord of the Dead awakened. The ground split beneath him, a rift swallowing lost souls as hellfire erupted in a violent cascade. He summoned the darkness of the Underworld itself, thousands of spirits rose from the chasm to swarm Nyra. The spirits wailed, wrapping around her in a vortex of tormented souls meant to consume even the mightiest of beings. And yet, Nyra walked through them, untouched. She inhaled, and the spirits simply vanished, swallowed into the void of her power. Then, she struck A single backhanded blow sent Hades flying into the far cavern wall with such force that the entire structure trembled. His body slid to the ground, and for the first time ever, Hades coughed up blood, dripping onto the broken stone beneath him. He growled, wiping his mouth, and glared up at Nyra. Canis, ever the wisecracking fool, stepped between Nyra and Glenn, twirling his scythe. ¡°Okay, okay, wow,¡± he said, his tone far too casual for the moment. ¡°So, we¡¯re skipping the talking phase, huh? That¡¯s cool. I can work with that.¡± Nyra didn¡¯t even acknowledge him¡ªshe moved past him like a shadow, but before she could reach Glenn, she stopped. A commanding voice boomed behind her. ¡°ENOUGH.¡± Hades, battered but still the King of the Dead, rose to his feet. His golden eyes pierced through Canis. ¡°I don¡¯t need my scythe. I have my best friend, my guardian. Canis, you said you wanted to know your past? I¡¯ll tell you. You weren¡¯t just my dog. You were the KING OF DOGS!¡± The cavern trembled and the air changed. Canis clutched his skull, staggering back as energy flooded through his bones. His body jerked violently, his skeletal form contorting, expanding, reshaping. And then it happened. His bones cracked and reformed, his body surging with ancient strength long forgotten. Black fur erupted from his form, muscles tightening, his neck forming spaces for three heads with two scarred closed. The cavern quaked beneath his paws, hellfire licking at his massive frame as his true nature reclaimed him. ¡°Rise! Cerberus!¡± Hades shouted out. Nyra finally stopped. She did not flinch, but for the first time, she acknowledged Canis¡ªnot as a Reaper, but as the Guardian of the Underworld himself. ¡°Ah,¡± she murmured, tilting her head. ¡°I thought that angel killed you. But I guess he missed a head.¡± Cerberus lunged, snapping, aiming to rip through the fabric of shadow itself. Nyra tried to dodge, but Cerberus clamped down on her arm, hellfire erupting upon impact. For the first time, Nyra grimaced¡ªnot in pain, but in acknowledgment of Cerberus¡¯s power. Cerberus dragged her back, using brute force, slamming her into the cavern floor hard enough to form a crater. Hades joined in, raising his fist for one final, earth-shattering strike. Glenn couldn¡¯t help but just watch. This is what it looked like when Gods fought. He was an ant compared to them. He wanted to help but he would only get in the way. With a simple wave of Nyra¡¯s hand, the entire battlefield shifted. Dark shadow tendrils exploded from the ground, wrapping around Cerberus¡¯s necks, Hades¡¯s arms, and Glenn¡¯s legs. The shadow binds tightened, draining power, siphoning their strength away. Cerberus howled, his massive form slowly reverting as Nyra¡¯s power overwhelmed him. Hades groaned, the weight of shadow pressing him into submission. Nyra stepped forward, her eyes locked onto Glenn. ¡°You are unworthy of wielding her scythe.¡± Glenn tried to move¡ªtried to fight back¡ªbut the shadows tightened, forcing him to his knees. Her power was overwhelming. Even Hades, the Lord of the Dead, faltered. Even Cerberus, the Titan-Hound of the Underworld, strained under her grasp. And Glenn? He was powerless. The weight of Nyra¡¯s presence pressed against his chest, suffocating, an endless abyss swallowing everything. Her silver eyes pierced through him, unrelenting. ¡°She was everything to me.¡± She raised her hand, and the void itself moved to erase him. Glenn gritted his teeth. Something flared within him¡ªa spark, buried deep beneath the layers of self-doubt, fear, and insignificance. A voice echoed in his mind. A voice that was not his own. "Rage. Rage against the dying light." Something clicked. Just as the darkness was about to consume him, something erupted from within Glenn¡ªa pulse of power, raw and untamed. The shadows around him shuddered, resisting, then splintered apart like shattered glass. Glenn¡¯s grip tightened on Mora¡¯s scythe, the weapon pulsing with a deep, red rage. His body felt lighter, but at the same time, charged with an unfamiliar force¡ªnot the power of a Reaper, but something older. Black smoke rose from his shoulders, forming into something tangible¡ªsomething clawing its way onto his face. Then, in an instant¡ª A black skull mask snapped onto Glenn¡¯s face. The air shifted. Even Nyra halted for half a second, her eyes narrowing. Hades¡¯ gaze sharpened. He recognized this. ¡°That¡­that mask. Who are you?¡± Nyra asked, confused. She recognized it, too. Glenn exhaled, and the world around him distorted¡ªhis senses expanded, and for the first time, he didn''t feel like an afterthought in a battle between titans. He feels like a Reaper. No¡ªsomething more. Nyra¡¯s shadows lashed out again, but this time, Glenn didn''t retreat. He stepped forward, twirling the scythe with newfound precision, the blade cutting through the darkness effortlessly. The momentum carried him into a spinning strike, cleaving through the tendrils that had bound him. The battlefield erupted into chaos. Glenn dashed forward, striking with fierce, rapid scythe swings, his movements unnaturally fluid¡ªas if something else was guiding him. Nyra parried effortlessly, but she was no longer casually toying with him. Their weapons clashed violently, each impact sending shockwaves rippling through the cavern. For just a moment,Glenn was holding his own. Glenn moved on instinct, twisting the scythe, landing a grazing strike against Nyra¡¯s shoulder. She paused and looked down.Her silver eyes rose slowly to meet him. And then, she smiled. In a single movement, Nyra twisted her fingers, and the shadows beneath Glenn consumed him. He barely had time to react before a wave of crushing force hurled him backward, sending him skidding across the cavern floor. He tried to recover¡ªbut Nyra was already in front of him. She slammed a single palm into his chest, and Glenn felt his ribs crack as he was sent flying through a pillar, fracturing his mask. He staggered to his feet, vision blurring, but before he could even lift his scythe¡ª Nyra snapped her fingers. The entire cavern floor collapsed. The world tilted, the floor crumbling away beneath them as the battle erupted upward. The ceiling of the cavern shattered, revealing the starless void above the ruins. Nyra walked forward. Glenn, still reeling from the attack, tried to stand. His body screamed in protest. His scythe felt heavier than before. The black skull mask completely shattered. The confidence he felt just moments ago was gone. Nyra¡¯s power was beyond anything he could counter. He was going to lose. Hades knew this, too. He did not hesitate. He stepped forward, shielding Glenn with his own body. Cerberus¡ªonce Canis¡ªlet out a low, rumbling growl, standing beside his master. Nyra watched them both. Her expression was cold, but not without emotion. ¡°I don¡¯t want you.¡± Her gaze flickered past them to Glenn. ¡°I want him.¡± Hades exhaled sharply. ¡°You know I won¡¯t allow that.¡± Glenn tried to move, but Hades gripped his shoulder. ¡°Go.¡± Glenn¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°No¡ª¡± ¡°GO. Cerberus, make sure Glenn goes through the portal.¡± Hades threw Glenn back toward the ruins. Cerberus grabbed Glenn by the collar and dragged him back toward the door they came from. As Cerberus approached the door, Glenn watched as Hades and Nyra fought it out. Glenn tried to break free. *Swish. Nyra scythe went right through Hades. ¡°No.¡± Glenn gasps. Cerberus let out a sad howl. ¡°Glenn. Get to the door. You must seek Charon. Tell him what happened here,¡± Cerberus said in a deep monstrous voice. ¡°I am not leaving you! Canis. You are everything to me. I need you.¡± Cerberus smiled and placed his head on Glenn¡¯s. ¡°My best friend needs me. Remember in our line of work, dealing with death comes with the job. But death is not an ending. I will be with you. Remember me.¡± Cerberus sprinted off towards Nyra. They clashed. Glenn grabbed his ID while trying to still pay attention to battle. He got the door open, but then he heard something horrific. *Yelp. He turned to see Canis lying bloodied next to Hades. ¡°Did I give you a good life? I-I tried.¡± Hades said to Cerberus. ¡°You gave me the best life. I know we were in the Underworld, but was I a good boy?¡± ¡°You were the best boy.¡± The last thing Glenn saw was Nyra closing in on him before he was yanked through the portal. He laid on the ground in the office. He looked up to see Anubis was the one who pulled him through, not looking happy. Ch 4.1 Deathnibbles found Glenn¡¯s home in a very average suburban town. Like the man himself, the house was unremarkable in every way possible. If someone walked past it, they wouldn¡¯t give it a second glance. It wasn¡¯t ugly or in disrepair, but it also wasn¡¯t particularly charming. It just¡­ existed¡ªa house that looked like it could belong to anyone, anywhere. Glenn¡¯s house was a small, single-story ranch with faded beige siding and a slightly slanted roof. The front yard was neither pristine nor overgrown¡ªjust a patchy lawn with a few weeds sprouting through the cracks in the sidewalk. A single tree sat in the yard, not old enough to be grand, not young enough to be noticeable¡ªjust there. The mailbox leaned slightly to one side, the numbers on it a little faded, but still readable. The driveway had one oil stain from a car that wasn¡¯t fancy but got the job done. Deathnibbles looked through the window. There was a hand-me-down couch, slightly sunken in the middle from years of use. A coffee table with faint ring stains, evidence of someone who never bothered using coasters. On the couch sat an older lady watching T.V. He climbed up to the bedroom windows. He found what he thought was Glenn¡¯s room. There was one cheap bookshelf, containing a mix of old college textbooks, a few novels he never finished, and random clutter like unopened mail. A half-dead plant idled in the corner, a gift from someone that he always forgot to water. The walls were neutral-colored¡ªnot decorated with much, aside from one or two framed photos with his grandmother. Deathnibbles broke inside. He saw a simple twin bed, sheets slightly wrinkled but not messy enough to be considered disorganized. He activated his golden shoes and rifled through all the drawers. There was nothing here to help. This kid had no weakness besides being dull. He went on into the grandmother¡¯s room. He used his golden shoes and started going through every corner of the room again. He found something underneath a pile of underwear in a drawer. He tossed the underwear to the ground and stared at the adoption papers. Glenn was adopted. He was not a Garcia after all. So where did he come from? The papers indicated he was born in some hospital in Sayulita, Mexico. Deathnibbles knew it. Glenn was probably the spawn of a devil. He decided to find out and head to Mexico. Once and for all he was going to find a weakness to bring him down. Chapter 5 Chapter 5 Glenn crawled on the floor, breathing heavily. He couldn¡¯t believe what just happened. Running his fingers through his hair, he pulled as hard as he could. ¡°No!¡± he screamed. ¡°I have to go back.¡± He tried to crawl toward the portal, desperation fueling his movements. Anubis was having none of it. He grabbed Glenn by the hood of his cloak and dragged him toward his office. Glenn continued to scream as he was pulled away. ¡°Stop! Let me go!¡± But Anubis was too powerful. It felt like he was being dragged by solid stone. As he was pulled along, Glenn couldn¡¯t help but notice the stares from his fellow Reapers. Each gaze felt like a dagger piercing through him. He couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that they knew what had happened. Anubis reached his office, opened the door, and unceremoniously threw Glenn inside. He tumbled across the floor, rolling a few times before coming to a stop. Anubis stepped in after him, closing the door behind him. ¡°Get up.¡± Anubis¡¯s voice was firm as he walked around his desk. He was about to sit but stopped. Instead, he took a long sigh and rubbed his eyes. Glenn slowly pulled himself off the ground and slumped into a chair, feeling the weight of everything crashing down on him. Anubis turned his sharp, golden eyes toward him. ¡°What do you think this is, the Reapers? Huh? Some kind of Disney story where you¡¯re the chosen hero? You think you¡¯re special just because Mora gave you a scythe? News flash¡ªevery Reaper out there thinks they¡¯re special. Each one has some tragic or epic tale about why they are unique. ¡®Oh, I fought some big bad guy, which makes me special.¡¯ ¡®Oh, I was a divine god who lived a thousand years, which makes me special.¡¯¡± Anubis scoffed. ¡°But does any of it change anything? People still starve. They still kill each other. Nothing on Earth has changed since I¡¯ve been around, and I¡¯ve been around for a very long time.¡± Glenn¡¯s eyes darkened as he stared at Anubis. ¡°Did you know?¡± ¡°Did I know what? About Hades?¡± Anubis¡¯s anger seemed to settle slightly at the question. ¡°Yes and no. I knew Management had made a decision to silence him. There are rules we follow to maintain balance. To keep peace.¡± ¡°They killed him.¡± ¡°You killed him.¡± Anubis¡¯s voice was cold and unwavering. ¡°You and Canis. And look what happened to him.¡± Glenn¡¯s breath caught. ¡°I-I¡­ No. No, it wasn¡¯t my fault.¡± ¡°No? What would¡¯ve happened if you hadn¡¯t gone looking for him? He¡¯s a god, Glenn. A few thousand years in prison is nothing to him.¡± Glenn had no response. Then Anubis said something that made Glenn¡¯s heart sink. ¡°I didn¡¯t ask you to be a Reaper because I saw something special in you. You seemed like every other human to me. I chose you to get closer to the Sisters of Death. They¡¯re planning something, and your scythe was a clue.¡± Glenn¡¯s mind raced. He had gotten so caught up in this new world, in the idea that maybe he was finally good at something. Maybe he could make something of himself. That finding out about his parents would reveal some prophecy, some grand destiny that would prove he mattered. It had all been a lie. ¡°What happens to Canis and Hades?¡± Glenn asked quietly. BAM! The office door slammed open. Charon stormed in. ¡°Where is he?!¡± His glowing, hollow eyes locked onto Glenn. ¡°Is it true?¡± Charon demanded. ¡°Are Cerberus and Hades gone? Did you really encounter Nyra?¡± Glenn swallowed hard. ¡°Last I saw¡­ she was cutting right through them. Even with Hades, we were like ants to her.¡± Charon¡¯s expression shifted. A deep, profound sorrow settled over him. Glenn looked from Charon to Anubis. ¡°This is wrong. All of this is wrong. This can¡¯t be how the underworld operates. You¡¯re supposed to be the keepers of knowledge. The ones who guide souls to do the right thing. How can we judge right from wrong when you lie and backstab?¡± Charon stiffened. ¡°What did you just say?¡± ¡°I saw you,¡± Glenn continued, his voice steady. ¡°You handed Hades over to Zeus and Michael. Betrayed your friend. All because he loved someone enough to defy their orders? No wonder you both survived this long. You play to whichever side suits you best. Or is it fear? Fear that you can die now that you have souls?¡± Charon took a step back, stunned. ¡°How could you possibly know that?¡± Anubis¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°Charon¡­ what does he mean?¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡± Lilith stormed into the room, her presence suffocating. ¡°I shall remind you that no disciplinary action is to be taken without HR¡¯s knowledge. That includes verbal.¡± ¡°Lilith¡­¡± Anubis growled. ¡°How can you blame poor Glenn when he hasn¡¯t even been properly trained?¡± ¡°You assigned him to reap tier-three souls!¡± Anubis snapped. ¡°Yes. And he succeeded in his first reap, did he not? So tell me¡ªwho is responsible for him going off track? He completed one assignment. One. Then he decided to reap¡­¡± She checked her notes. ¡°Tomoe Gozen? Before proceeding to search for Hades after a conversation with you, Charon¡ªwhich I would very much like to hear about.¡± Lilith smirked. ¡°This is why HR exists. Here¡¯s what¡¯s going to happen. Glenn, you will go to immediate training. There¡¯s a seminar perfect for new Reapers to learn from veterans. As for you two,¡± she glanced at Anubis and Charon, ¡°we¡¯re going to have a little chat when I return.¡± Lilith helped Glenn out of his seat. ¡°This way, Glenn. Please follow me.¡± Glenn hesitated. He glanced at Anubis, who was glaring¡ªbut after a moment, the jackal-headed god gave a slight nod, telling him to go. Charon said nothing. The door shut behind them, leaving silence in its wake. Glenn wished he could hear something¡ªanything¡ªfrom inside. Instead, there was only the oppressive quiet. He followed Lilith with his head down, at an all-time low. He blamed himself for Canis and Hades. He could tell Anubis and Charon blamed him, too. Canis had been his only friend¡ªnot just in the Reaper world, but ever. And he was gone. Glenn had always been alone. But this¡­ this was different. Every time someone looked at him, he felt judged. And the worst part? He agreed with them. Glenn was lost in his thoughts, barely aware of his surroundings, until he suddenly found himself at the HR department. Lilith guided him down a hallway he hadn¡¯t been to before, stopping in front of two massive double doors leading to an auditorium. ¡°Alright, Glenn. Go on in. When you¡¯re done, check back in with Anubis. If you run into any trouble, come find me.¡± Glenn stepped into the auditorium¡ªa massive, soulless room. The walls were a dull beige-gray, the kind of color that reminded him of his old bedroom. The lighting was just bright enough to keep people awake but lacked any warmth. A large stage dominated the front, featuring a long table covered in endless stacks of paperwork, a sad-looking water jug, and a microphone that screeched with feedback every time someone tapped it. Behind the table, a giant screen displayed an outdated PowerPoint slide titled: ¡°Efficient Reaping: Maximizing Your Soul Collection Potential.¡± Glenn immediately searched for a seat in the back, hoping to go unnoticed. The last thing he wanted was social interaction. The chairs? Unforgiving. Hard-backed, stiff, and packed too close together, ensuring that no one had personal space. Each chair had a tiny foldable desk attached¡ªtoo small to be practical, yet just big enough to trick you into thinking it might be useful. It wasn¡¯t. Still, maybe this was good for him. He wanted to be the best, and this was his chance to learn. Yeah¡ªone step at a time. Did he really think he didn¡¯t need training? This would be good for him. Maybe he¡¯d even meet some great Reapers, like the Elders he had already encountered. The seminar began with a long introduction from the President of Reaper Training, a thin Reaper in a painfully beige suit. His body was so bent you would think he was a serpent. His glasses had so many smudges you couldn¡¯t see his eyes. He droned on into the microphone, his voice so monotonous and quiet that it could put even the most restless insomniacs into a coma. ¡°Welcome to the Annual Mandatory Training Seminar on Efficient Soul Retrieval and Professional Reaping Standards. We are honored to have a truly inspirational lineup of speakers today. But before we begin¡­¡± He gestured toward the Vice President of Reaper Training, who walked onto the stage at an agonizingly slow pace, took an unnecessarily long sip of water, and cleared his throat multiple times before speaking. ¡°It¡¯s truly an honor to be here today. Let¡¯s give another round of applause to our esteemed President for his opening words.¡± There was a slow round of clapping¡ªbut Glenn couldn¡¯t see anyone clapping. Where was that sound coming from? He glanced at the other attendees. To his left sat the Enthusiastic New Hire¡ªa young Reaper-in-training, far too excited to be here. He sat perfectly upright, furiously taking notes in a shiny new notebook labeled: ¡°Reaper Training ¨C Important!¡± He nodded aggressively at every speaker, as if they were unraveling the secrets of the universe. Was I ever like that? Glenn wondered. A few rows ahead sat the Ancient Looking Reaper Who Has Seen Too Much. His expression was permanently set to show existential dread. His long, bony fingers tapped rhythmically against his chair, as if counting the seconds until his suffering ended (again). He mumbled under his breath¡ªprobably reciting the same seminar speech he had endured for the last five millennia. To his right was the Too-Cool-To-Care Reaper¡ªleaning back in her chair, legs propped up on the seat in front of her, wearing sunglasses inside (which made no sense because there was no sun in the underworld). She was clearly forced to be here by HR and had zero intention of paying attention. She gave Glenn a casual nod of acknowledgment, a silent ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± The Vice President continued: ¡°Now, before we dive into today¡¯s exciting seminar, we need to hear from¡­¡± Another figure slowly approached the podium¡ªthe Retired Former President of Training, who had absolutely nothing to contribute but refused to leave. ¡°Back in my day, Reapers didn¡¯t need fancy technology or ¡®improved efficiency seminars.¡¯ No, sir! We used to walk right up to souls¡ªSLASH! Through fire! Uphill! Both ways! Now, let me tell you about the time I reaped a soul in¡ª¡± What felt like forty-five agonizing minutes later¡­ Glenn slouched in his chair, dead inside, staring at the ceiling like a prisoner counting the days until his release. The torture wasn¡¯t over. He glanced around to see if anyone else was paying attention. A few seats over sat the Reaper Who Is Definitely Asleep¡ªslumped forward, arms crossed, head slightly tilted. Glenn wasn¡¯t sure if he had moved in over an hour. Actually¡­ he might just be a corpse. To his left, a Bureaucratic Reaper sat upright with a briefcase¡ªwhich was odd because no one else had a briefcase. She also wore glasses, despite not having eyes. Glenn looked for a clock¡ªbut of course, there was no time in the underworld. How long had he been here? Hours? Days? There was no way to tell. Somehow, while he had been lost in thought, another speaker had taken the stage. His badge read: Ambassador of Reaper Training Compliance Standards. ¡°Today, I want to talk about proper paperwork filing. The Form 7B-Alpha is often confused with the 7B-Beta, but this can be avoided by ensuring the proper attachment of Form 12-Follow-Up-Verification-Analysis¡­¡± Glenn felt like he deserved this suffering. What felt like another eternity passed, and finally, the President took the stage again. ¡°Thank you, Ambassador. Now, I know some of you think this is dry stuff, but this is what keeps our organization running. I encourage all new Reapers to get more involved. Come to our monthly meetings and participate in voting¡ªit¡¯s important. Now, we do have some fun planned for you!¡± The slow, disembodied clapping happened again. Glenn still couldn¡¯t figure out where it was coming from. ¡°We have a team-building exercise where Reapers must role-play as Lost Souls and Reapers, trying to guide them to the afterlife. A great ice breaker! And of course¡­ BINGO! Who doesn¡¯t love BINGO?¡± The audience remained lifeless. ¡°But before we get to all that, my time as President has come to an end. I¡¯d like to introduce the new President, who will give a speech. After that, he will introduce his new Vice President and Treasurer. But don¡¯t worry, the fun is coming! We also have some great instructors here to train you to be the best Reapers you can be! They¡¯re not here yet, so no rush!¡± Glenn exhaled sharply. This is where they stick the losers, he realized. The Reapers who will never amount to anything. The ones who won¡¯t interfere with the real job. He looked at the Reapers around him¡ªnone of them seemed special. And what did that say about him? He turned toward the exit. Near the door, a Reaper was eating popcorn, giggling as if finding this entire thing amusing. Glenn smirked. It was kind of funny. Then his smirk faded. That Reaper¡­ reminded him of Canis. His stomach twisted. The full weight of what had happened finally sank in. Canis would never make him laugh again. Every reap from now on¡­ he¡¯d be alone. Or worse, stuck with these Reapers. Glenn¡¯s eyes grew glassy. He stood abruptly and made for the exit. Outside in the hallway, he leaned against the wall, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath. Sniff. Sniff. A familiar scent¡ªsea salt in the air. Glenn¡¯s eyes snapped open. In the distance, leaving the HR hallways, was Charon. Glenn straightened. He was going to make this right. He took a careful step forward, ready to follow¡ª This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. ¡°Hello, Glenn Garcia.¡± Glenn froze. He turned. Standing behind him was Tomoe Gozen. ¡°T-Tomoe? You¡¯re here? They didn¡¯t send you to the afterlife?¡± She smiled. ¡°Call me Yoshiko. I decided on a fresh start. And, strangely enough¡­they offered me a role as a Reaper. Just like you. Funny, maybe fate had something more in mind for me and you.¡± Glenn swallowed hard. Worst timing ever. "Well, Uhh¡­" Glenn stammered, blushing. "Maybe¡­ maybe fate thought you could do a lot of good for lost souls, too." His eyes flicked back to Charon, who was fading into the distance. Worst timing ever. Yoshiko smiled warmly. "Well, I¡¯m grateful for whoever believed in me. I wasn¡¯t ready to go to the afterlife just yet. I¡¯m supposed to attend this Reaper seminar, and¡­ I¡¯d really like it if you accompanied me. Maybe show me around afterward?" Charon was almost out of sight. "I¡¯m sorry. I would love nothing more, but something urgent just came up. I have to take care of something first." Glenn hesitated, then took off running after Charon. "I swear, I¡¯ll show you around soon! I¡¯m really glad you¡¯re here!" Glenn called over his shoulder. "Wait! Glenn!" Yoshiko shouted, but he was already gone. Glenn sprinted to the end of the hallway, then stopped, scanning for any sign of Charon. He could still faintly smell the salty sea air. The scent was stronger toward the front lobby. Don¡¯t draw attention to yourself, Glenn told himself, slowing to a brisk walk. He didn¡¯t want to be caught skipping the seminar¡ªbut as he passed by, no one even seemed to notice him. Then¡ª "AHHHHHH!" "NO! STOP!" "HELP!" Screams echoed down the hallway. Glenn¡¯s pace quickened. Then he heard someone yell¡ª "He¡¯s trying to use a portal!" That sent Glenn into a full sprint. He bursted into the lobby, where chaos had erupted. Security guards laid scattered across the floor¡ªsome injured, others helping their comrades to their feet. None seemed seriously hurt, but they were clearly shaken. The front desk Hermes¡¯ Assistant was hanging from a ceiling beam, kicking his legs helplessly. A few Reapers were on the ground, desperately trying to piece their broken scythes back together. In the center of it all, barking orders, stood Anubis. When Anubis saw Glenn, he rolled his eyes. Glenn approached him. "What happened here?" Anubis, still directing others, responded without looking at him. "Why is it that every time something unusual happens, you¡¯re always around?" Glenn barely processed the comment¡ªhis attention was on the scene around him. The doors to Upper Management and Lower Management were both sealed off with tape marked DO NOT ENTER. But the door to Earth? The tape was ripped. "Charon," Anubis muttered. "He removed the tracking chip from his scythe and went after Nyra." Glenn¡¯s stomach dropped. "Nyra? Why?" "I don¡¯t know. This is very unlike him. I¡¯ve known Charon for a long time¡ªthousands of years. Something must have gotten to him¡­ or maybe it was something you said." Anubis¡¯s golden eyes flared as he turned his full attention to Glenn. "Glenn. What did you see?" There was no lying past that gaze. Glenn hesitated, then admitted, "I saw Charon before he was Charon. I saw him hand Hades over to two deities¡ªZeus and Michael¡ªin exchange for Persephone¡¯s safety. In return, they gave them¡­ something. A flower. When they ate it, it turned them mortal." Anubis narrowed his eyes. "Mortal? And how did they do that?" "Zeus pulled out a flower I¡¯d never seen before. When they ate it, their divinity was stripped away. But when Charon ate it¡­" Glenn paused, remembering the image vividly. "His skin melted. It hurt him." Anubis¡¯s expression was unreadable¡ªhis face calm, but his posture tense. "I see." Glenn expected him to ask more, but instead, Anubis exhaled slowly and folded his arms. "I am almost as old as Charon," Anubis finally said. "For over five thousand years, I¡¯ve worked to keep the balance of life and death. Sometimes as a ruler, sometimes as an advisor. The last thousand years, I¡¯ve been here, with the Reapers. Even though I am not a Reaper myself, our roles are similar. We ensure the machine that is the afterlife keeps turning¡ªwhich, in turn, manages life on Earth. It is a cycle. That is what it has always been about." He looked at Glenn, his gaze weighing heavily. "Good and evil? Those are human beliefs. Deities follow different rules. Look around you. Every creature here has a soul. They were once lost¡ªwandering, without purpose, causing chaos. Here, we give them structure. Guidance. Purpose. All to keep the balance of the scales." Anubis paused. "But¡­" He sighed. "There have been times when the balance has been off. And now¡­" He studied Glenn carefully. "The winds of change are blowing through this department. And something tells me, you are at the center of it, Glenn Garcia." The weight of his words sank in. "I believe Charon knows this too. That¡¯s why he¡¯s acting now. He¡¯s doing his part. And maybe¡­" Anubis¡¯s expression darkened. "Maybe it¡¯s time I have a conversation with my peers in Management." Glenn furrowed his brow. "What do you mean?" Anubis turned to him fully. "I¡¯m sorry for saying you¡¯re not special." Glenn blinked. Anubis studied him in silence for a long moment. His jackal eyes seemed to pierce through him, as if unearthing secrets Glenn himself didn¡¯t even know. Then, in a deep, measured voice, he continued¡ª "You care, Glenn. No one else can be Glenn the Reaper. And that is rare." Anubis took a slow step forward, his presence pressing down like an unseen force. It wasn¡¯t hostile, but it was powerful. "But caring is not enough." He lifted a hand, tracing an invisible line in the air. Suddenly, images flickered into existence¡ªmemories from different cultures, different times. Faint voices echoed as the shadows moved around them, whispering forgotten wisdom. "Throughout history, great humans have believed in a single truth." In the West, the words of a philosopher emerged: ¡°The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.¡± The vision shifted. A Buddhist monk sat in silent meditation; his voice soft but firm: ¡°To delay in doing good is to allow evil to grow.¡± A desert landscape appeared, and the words of a prophet rang out: ¡°When you see injustice, stop it with your hand. If you cannot, then speak against it. If you cannot, then know in your heart that it is wrong¡ªbut that is the weakest of faith.¡± A Hebrew sage stood before a crowd, his voice grave: ¡°Do not stand idly by while your neighbor¡¯s blood is shed.¡± And finally, an ancient battlefield took shape¡ªwarriors falling in battle. The words of Charon¡¯s time echoed: ¡°Heroes do not fall because they lack strength. They fall because others turn away when they are needed most.¡± Anubis closed his fingers, and the visions faded. The weight of his words settled over Glenn like a heavy cloak. This wasn¡¯t just about being a Reaper. It wasn¡¯t just about him. It was about something bigger. His golden eyes locked onto Glenn¡¯s, the weight of countless souls in his gaze. ¡°Apathy is the glove into which evil slips its hand. You must never wear it.¡± ¡°You are not the strongest. You are not the fastest. But you are here. You are aware. And that means you must act.¡± ¡°The dead cannot save the dead, Glenn. Only the living can.¡± He waits, letting his words sink in. ¡°Let me go after Charon.¡± Glenn said. ¡°There will be no going back from this choice. Are you sure?¡± ¡°I need to make things right.¡± Anubis headed over to the front desk and gave a nod. Glenn walked over to the door. He took a deep breath and looked back and saw the scene. ¡°Glenn! Glenn! Do not go through that door.¡± It was Lilith from HR running down the hall. But it was too late. Glenn stepped through and was confused as he reappeared in Greece where Hades and Canis perished. The battlefield did not look the same. It seemed as though time had passed since the battle. How long was he in that seminar for?! The sky was dark but it did not seem to be night. Something was off. Glenncould see a trail of death around the plant life that led to the Acheron River. He followed the gloomy trail down and spotted Charon¡¯s ferry docked on the shore. Glenn stepped cautiously onto the dock, the wooden planks groaning under his weight. Ahead of him, a lone figure stood at the edge of the boat, motionless. Charon. The ancient ferryman, older than any god, gripped the pole of his ferry with a hand that had never once faltered¡ªuntil now. Glenn watched as Charon exhaled, the breath of a man who had seen too much for too long. He did not turn as he spoke. "You''re late." Glenn stepped forward, the water lapping gently at the dock, though the river itself did not move. "Where are you going?" Glenn asked. Charon was silent for a moment. Then, his fingers tightened around the ferry¡¯s pole. "To correct a mistake." Glenn eyed him carefully. "Nyra?" For the first time, Charon turned to look at him. His hollow, sunken eyes, like the depths of an ocean that no light reaches, seemed to hold something Glenn had never seen before in him¡ªgrief. And guilt. ¡°Hades is gone,¡± Charon says at last. His voice was even, but heavy, as if every word dragged against his throat. Glenn didn¡¯t respond. He knew. Hades¡ªthe God of the Dead, the King of the Underworld¡ªhad fallen. And Glenn had been forced to flee, leaving behind Hades and Cerberus to face Nyra alone. "It should have been me." Glenn¡¯s gaze snapped to Charon, startled by the words. "What?" Charon stepped onto the boat fully, gesturing for Glenn to follow. Without thinking, he did. The moment Glenn walked to the center, the ferry began to move¡ªthough Charon never pushed it forward. The river carried them, despite being still just moments ago. Charon spoke again; voice low, steady. "Hades was my friend. One of the few I had. And I¡ª" he hesitates. "I was supposed to be there." Glenn furrowed his brow. "What do you mean?" Charon watched the black water ripple beneath them, his expression unreadable. "I felt it when Nyra arrived. The moment she entered those ruins. It was like¡­" He searched for the words. "Like something old had returned home." Glenn gripped the railing, listening intently. "The Sisters of Death¡ªthey are not just entities. They are part of this world, just as I am. I should have known she was coming for you after I saw that scythe. I should have warned you." His fingers tightened. "I did nothing." Silence stretched between them. The air grew colder as they drifted further down the river. Thick fog rolled in and Glenn could no longer see land, just an endless stretch of water in front of him. This river was looking more like something familiar. He remembered the magical pool in Charon¡¯s office looked exactly the same. This was the River Styx. Time itself seemed to shudder under the weight of something older than the Underworld itself. The Styx did not flow like mortal rivers¡ªit waited. "So, what now?" asked Glenn. Charon¡¯s ancient, sunken eyes rose to meet his. "Now, I found her. I will not let my inaction be the cause of another death." Glenn watched as the fog thickened, curling around the ferry like skeletal fingers reaching from the void. The river, which had been vast and endless, now felt narrow, enclosed. Then, he saw it. A shape formed in the mist, at first just a dark outline against the nothingness. But as the ferry drew closer, it became clear: A city, impossibly old, impossibly ruined. The buildings were massive, carved from blackened stone, their surfaces etched with runes so ancient that even time had forgotten them. Once, this must have been a place of great power¡ªa kingdom, perhaps, or a civilization that rivaled the gods themselves. But now? Now, it was nothing but a tomb. Cracked bridges stretched over endless chasms, their edges crumbling into the abyss. Towering statues of nameless figures loomed over the streets, their faces weathered away, as if the world had erased their existence. And in the center of it all stood a monolith, tall and defiant despite the destruction around it. A monument to the fallen. Glenn swallowed hard, feeling the weight of the place pressing on his chest. "What is this place?" Charon did not answer immediately. He stepped off the ferry, boots touching the worn stone of the dock. When he finally spoke, there was something haunted in his voice. "This was the last city to defy the Three Sisters of Death. It was a city that immortals and humans shared." Glenn''s breath stilled. "They wiped it from existence. Every soul. Every name. Every trace of what it was. It is nothing now, except a reminder that no one escaped them." Glenn stared at the ruins, realization setting in. This place was Nyra''s handiwork. She is here because she is tied to it. Charon gripped his oar like a weapon. "I am tied to her. The ferryman and the Sister of Shadows¡ªwe are connected through death itself. That is how I found her." Glenn exhaled slowly, tension gripping his shoulders. "How do you know she will show?" Charon looked ahead toward the towering monolith at the city''s heart. Then, without hesitation, he stepped forward into the ruins. "Because you are here." Glenn felt a chill that went right down his spine. He was afraid. Glenn and Charon stepped deeper into the forgotten city, the echoes of the past whispering through the cracked stone. The shadows here felt alive, stretching unnaturally, creeping along the broken streets as if the city remembered who ended it. Charon walked with purpose, gripping his oar-turned-scythe, his boots scraping against ancient cobblestone. Glenn followed close behind, gripping Mora¡¯s scythe tightly, every instinct in his body telling him to turn back¡ªbut he didn''t. A cold wind cut through the ruins, though no breeze should exist here. She was watching. Charon halted beneath the great monolith at the center of the ruins, its black stone scarred with age, marked with the deaths of countless souls erased from existence. ¡°She will not be able to resist,¡± Charon mutters. Glenn swallowed hard. ¡°And if she doesn¡¯t take the bait?¡± Charon looked at him. ¡°She will.¡± And so, Glenn stepped forward into the open, standing beneath the towering monolith alone. He did not speak. He did not call for her. He waited. The city grew darker, the silence suffocating. Then¡ª A whisper. ¡°Come to atone?¡± The shadows gathered. The temperature plummeted. From the darkness of the ruins, Nyra stepped forward. Her silver eyes burned with unrelenting fury, her midnight cloak swirling like a living void, shifting as though it contained the weight of all the souls she had claimed. Her voice was quiet, but every word cut like a knife. ¡°You should not have lived.¡± Glenn readied his scythe. ¡°I didn¡¯t ask to.¡± She moved. Nyra lunged at Glenn, faster than thought, her shadowed blade slicing through the air. Glenn barely twisted away, feeling the force of her attack rupture the ground behind him. Charon was there in an instant. His oar-turned-scythe clashed against Nyra¡¯s blade, the impact cracking the stones beneath them, sending shockwaves through the ruins. The battle began with precision, each strike of their weapons ringing through the city like a death knell. Nyra darted between the shadows, reappearing from impossible angles, striking at Glenn and Charon with inhuman speed. Charon blocked with his scythe, countering with sweeping arcs of soul energy, each swing disrupting the shadows for only a moment. Glenn was forced to react faster than ever, dodging narrowly as Nyra¡¯s blade cut through the air, missing his throat by inches. Charon and Nyra moved like echoes of the same entity, their styles eerily similar, their strikes lethal and deliberate. Nyra¡¯s blade locked against Charon¡¯s scythe, their weapons grinding as their faces hovered inches apart. Nyra smirked, her voice soft¡ªmocking. ¡°You, of all gods, dare to challenge me?¡± Charon¡¯s eyes darkened, the weight of eternity behind them. ¡°It was never my choice to exist.¡± Nyra tilted her head. ¡°No. It was mine.¡± The words hung in the air. Glenn, panting, gripped his scythe tighter. ¡°So it is true then?¡± Charon did not look away from Nyra. ¡°I was born from her. From the moment she erased this city.¡± Nyra chuckled, low and bitter. ¡°A consequence of my power. I needed to send a message to all the others. You were to conquer, not comply.¡± She leaned in, voice a whisper. ¡°But look what they did to you! It seems you were my mistake.¡± Charon did not flinch. ¡°And you were my regret.¡± Then, they clashed again. Nyra¡¯s cloak unfurled, and suddenly, the entire battlefield shifted. The ruins trembled. The shadows engulfed the sky, turning the city into a realm of pure darkness. Buildings twisted and collapsed, their rubble rising into the air, suspended by unseen forces. The battlefield was no longer real. It was a place void of memory, a graveyard of forgotten souls. Nyra¡¯s power doubled, tripled¡ªand Glenn and Charon were no longer the hunters. They were hunted. Nyra attacked with impossible speed, appearing from every direction. Charon intercepted where he could, but she was everywhere at once. Glenn tried to counter, but she was too fast, too strong. Then¡ªCharon faltered. A shadow blade ripped off one of his bones. Glenn yelled in horror as Charon staggered, blood dripping from his eye sockets pouring onto the cursed stone beneath them. Nyra stood over him. ¡°You cannot run this time, Ferryman.¡± She raised her blade for the killing strike¡ª ¡°I. Am. Not. Running.¡± Suddenly, the entire battlefield shifted again. A new force erupted from Charon, his form darkening, his presence expanding. His wounds seared with golden fire as his true power unlocked. His eyes burned with divine fury. Parts of his body regrew skin. Half of his face was a skeleton; the other was human-like. You could almost make out what he used to look like. His cloak became a shifting void, not unlike Nyra¡¯s own. His scythe grew, now a weapon of pure judgment. Charon became what he was always meant to be¡ªnot just the Ferryman, but the Executioner of the Damned, Thanatos. Nyra laughed. "Yes. Finally." They clashed again, this time with enough force to tear the city apart. The air shuddered as Charon rose, his once-solemn form now warped by raw divine fury. His cloak no longer fabric but a void, shifting like a cosmic abyss, swallowed the last embers of light from the ruined city. His scythe, once a humble tool, had become a weapon of absolute judgment, its blade dripping with an energy that erased existence itself. Nyra tilted her head, her expression unreadable. Then¡ªshe smiles. "Yes. Finally, you remember what you are." She rushed forward, vanishing into the shadows. The battle erupted. Charon swung his scythe with the weight of eternity, the force splitting the battlefield in half. Nyra twisted through the void, dodging reality itself, her blade slicing through the collapsing space. The ruins of the city exploded outward, gravity breaking and reversing, as the two beings waged war beyond mortal comprehension. They moved too fast for the eye to follow¡ªeach strike unfolding in multiple timelines, the past and present collapsing upon themselves in their wake. Nyra shattered into a hundred forms, attacking from all angles at once¡ªCharon parried each one with an effortless sweep of his scythe. The sky cracked open, revealing not stars, but the River Styx, full of remnants of souls Charon had reaped and sent to Lower Management. Charon reached out, pulling a single soul chain from the River Styx, whipping it across reality, binding Nyra¡¯s shadows in place. She screams in rage, twisting free, her cloak unfurling, stretching into an endless black maw, consuming everything around them. Charon slashed downward¡ª The world inverted, the city shifting between existence and oblivion, as if unsure which state it should remain in. Nyra lunged, her blade meeting Charon¡¯s scythe in an impact that should not exist. The force ripped through the underworld. Charon breathed heavily, his divine form flickering. Nyra stood before him, barely scratched. She scoffed. ¡°You are strong. You knew only you or my sisters could actually cause any harm to me. Only members of death can defeat me. But I cannot allow you to succeed. First I¡¯ll correct my mistakes. Then, the boy is next. You should not have brought him. He cannot even pierce me.¡± Her next strike pierced through Charon¡¯s chest. Glenn screamed as the ancient ferryman staggered, his form collapsing toward the very river he once commanded. Glenn took this opportunity and rushed towards Nyra. Her guard was down because she viewed Glenn as so insignificant that she did not pay attention to him. He gripped his scythe and for a moment, a black mask flashed on his face as he swung at her. At the last second she noticed and tried to dodge. She jumped back and smiled. Charon watched this unfold. But instead of fear¡ªhe smiled. Nyra saw his smile and flashed a confused look on her face. Then, she looked down at her arm. Black blood was dripping from a blow from Glenn. "Glenn." His voice was soft and shaky. "There is one last thing I can teach you." He reached out and signaled Glenn to come closer. ¡°In order to beat her. You have to die.¡± Charon slowly pressed his scythe into Glenn. Glenn collapsed, convulsing, as shadows swallowed his body. Charon fell to his knees. ¡°Well, temporarily. Remember, Death is not the end, Glenn. It is just the beginning. Embrace it. Become DEATH.¡± Nyra watched, her expression unreadable. Then¡ªGlenn stood. Glenn didn¡¯t just move¡ªhe emerged. His body warped and shifted, a swirling mass of black smoke and spectral fire forming a monstrous silhouette. His scythe was no longer a weapon¡ªit was an extension of himself, stretching and reshaping. His face was obscured behind a black skull mask, cracks glowing with an unnatural, deep red light. Nyra raised an eyebrow. ¡°Impossible.¡± Glenn did not hesitate. In a flash, they clashed. Glenn¡¯s first strike toretears through the entire battlefield, the sheer force leveling what remained of the ruined city. For the first time, Nyra was the one retreating, trying to make sense of this. Glenn chased her, feeling nothing but rage, each strike fueled by the loss of Hades, Canis, Charon¡ªall of them sacrificed to stop her. Nyra lashed out with impossible speed, her blade cutting deep into Glenn¡¯s side making him bleed. Glenn did not stop. He didn¡¯t care. Blood poured from his body, but he moved through the pain, tearing through Nyra¡¯s defenses with raw, relentless power. Nyra stumbled. For the first time, she looked¡­ unsure. Glenn twisted, slamming the scythe downward¡ª Nyra dodged, barely, but the impact sent her crashing into the ruins. Glenn staggered forward, his entire body failing, bleeding, breaking. Nyra rose, her cloak tattered, but her silver eyes burned. ¡°Who are you?¡± Glenn spat blood. "I don¡¯t know." And with one final surge, he lunged forward, driving his scythe straight through Nyra¡¯s chest. Nyra fell.. Slowly, she crawled toward a shadow of what was left of the ruins. But she did not reach it. She turned to face Glenn. Nyra¡¯s eyes dilated like she was seeing a ghost. Her body shuddered, her voice a mere whisper. ¡°Wait. I understand now. I know why Mora gave you her life.¡± She faded¡ªabsorbed by her own cloak, which dropped back silently to the broken ground. Glenn stared at it, panting, barely able to stand. He ripped off his cloak the Reapers gave him. Glenn reached down. The cloak reacted and moved. At first, it seemed to pull away and reject him. Suddenly, it shot up his arm, swirling around his body in a black shadow until it settled on his back as his new cloak. Nyra¡¯s final gift. Chapter 5.1 Deathnibbles arrived in Sayulita, a bright Mexican town with a vibrant, bohemian coastal town known for its colorful streets, laid-back atmosphere, and world-class surfing. A once-sleepy fishing village had transformed into a lively, artistic hub without losing its small-town charm. No one there seemed to be afraid of death. Jumping from roof to roof, he explored, dodging golf carts driven by tourists and bikes driven by the locals going about their days. The food looked so good he got distracted and tried to steal some. But alas, he was dead and could not enjoy the world¡¯s pleasures anymore. Deathnibbles pulled out the adoption paper and looked at the address. He rushed off at the speed of lightning to the address. This must be a mistake. There was no orphanage or hospital or anywhere that would sign adoption papers. It was a graveyard. Filled with rage, he tore up the paper. There must be something here. He wandered tombstone to tombstone looking for a clue. Reality set in. Whoever created that fake document wanted whoever found it to go on a wild goose chase. Then, right when he was about to give up, he saw a tiny grave in the back. Something about it was calling to him. Deathnibbles went up to the tombstone. It was so small, only about the size as Deathnibbles himself. It could barely be called a tombstone. It must have come from a poor family. The name was hidden behind dirt so he rubbed it away with his cloak and fur. ¡°Glenn Garcia. Age 3.¡± This doesn¡¯t make sense. Glenn lived his life in America. ¡°Ah, I see you found it too, little one.¡± A voice echoed next to Deathnibbles. He didn¡¯t hear her, yet she was so close. If he was alive, he would have had a heart attack. It was a woman standing with an eerie, quiet presence, her form wreathed in a spectral mist that seemed to drift unnaturally around her. Her eyes were cold and distant, as if staring through time itself, untouched by the weight of mortality. ¡°My name is Lytha. Do not be afraid as you are not the one I am looking for. I¡¯ve been coming to this grave hoping the boy who stole this identity comes seeking truth.¡± Deathnibbles looked perplexed and gave a few squeaks. ¡°You are after the one called Glenn Garcia, too? Why?¡± Deathnibbles squeaked angrily. ¡°I see.¡± Lytha looks closer at his scythe and shoes. ¡°As of now, you stand no chance of battling him. But I can show you how to get stronger enough to take on a god, but whether you succeed is all up to you. Do you accept?¡± Deathnibbles nodded yes. ¡°Your scythe has a unique power to adapt to powers. It''s why you are able to use it at its size and why it allowed you to wear those shoes. It made its wielder an unstoppable force. He rose to ranks and in order to defeat him, his enemies had to separate it from him. You wield it now. There are three creatures absorbed by that scythe that would give you cosmic powers. But there are two conditions. One is you must keep items from each creature in order to use its power, just like those shoes. Two is that it does not make you invincible. Any one of these creatures can kill you, and even if you get all three you can still be destroyed. But it will give you a fighting chance.¡± Deathnibbles didn¡¯t care. He nodded yes over and over. Lytha knelt down and laid out a map. It was blank. He looked at her, confused. ¡°Touch it.¡± Deathnibbles put his paw on the blank paper. A ¡°X¡± appeared and then a path formed leading to a beach, then across an ocean to an island. ¡°Go find a boat. Luckily, there is no shortage of boats here on the coast. Follow the map to the island destination. Along the way you will find the first creature, the Bakunawa, a colossal serpent that devours moons, defies gravity, and bends reality through the cosmos. This will be a battle on the sea, so be ready. If you defeat it, then you can unlock a power to get to the island where ancient beasts live. Do not be distracted by others. You are looking for two distinct creatures that the gods put on that island because they were afraid. The first will likely come greet you with promises of death. he Cipactli, a gigantic, crocodilian chaos monster that devours everything in its path will make itself known. It is said to even devour gods. The last will be hidden up in the mountains on an island locked away. The Grootslang, an ancient primordial beast, part elephant, part giant serpent, is said to be one of the first creations of Upper Management. But it was too powerful for them. Free it from its prison, then take its soul.¡± Deathnibbles didn¡¯t hesitate. He wrapped up the paper and gave a salute with his little paw. He was off to face the biggest battle of his life. But he did not fear. His determination was far too great.