Reaper

by Wesley Brown

  “You want me to kill him and get the weapon from him?” Reaper asked.

  “Yes,” Blink stated.

  “Of course, you want him dead.”

  “I’m picking up on an uncomfortable level of sass there,” Blink said. “The only reason he needs to die is because the sword is bound to him, and as long as he can possibly get to it, the future is in jeopardy. Here’s the thing: no one else needs to die.”

  “What does that mean?” Reaper asked.

  “That means he might have around twelve or more guys with him that will all be more than willing to die for him. Those guys do not need to die, so you do not need to kill them,” Blink said.

  “How badly can I injure them?” Reaper asked.

  “You can’t leave them catatonic,” Blink said, and Reaper frowned at him questioningly. “They need to be able to walk again.”

  “I see.” Reaper thought for a moment. “This will not be simple.”

  “No, it won’t.” Blink shook his head. “I gotta toss this, give me a sec.” He disappeared for about one second, then returned in the same place.

  “Do you have a plan?” Reaper asked.

  “Sorta. Not really,” Blink said. “I’ve actually given this a lot of thought, and I’m still not very far.”

  “What have you thought of?” Reaper asked.

  “Well, for one thing, you will want to fit in with everyone else,” Blink said. “So, getting you clothes that work with area and era would be a big first step in the right direction.”

  “You have no plan,” Reaper said.

  “Uh, no. No, I do not.”

  “I need the clothes; you said to start there,” Reaper said.

  “Yeah don’t worry about the clothes. I’ve got that covered.

  “All I need is something black to wear then, yes?” Reaper asked.

  “Eh, well. We need to talk about the sword thing,” Blink said. “You see, a scythe is kinda bulky, and not that effective in some cases.”

  “Are you saying I should find a different weapon?” Reaper asked.

  “In a way, yes I am,” Blink said. “I want you to make yourself a sword.”

  “I thought we were in a hurry.”

  “Yeah, see… the thing is, it won’t take too long. At least, I wouldn’t think so.”

  “Has someone who can build a sword quickly died?” Reaper asked.

  “No,” Blink said. “Well, I don’t know. Maybe?”

  Reaper stared in confusion.

  “The scythe didn’t just give you power. It gave you its power; it became an extension of your body, of your will.”

  “What are you saying?” Reaper asked.

  “If you can change form and it is a part of you, wouldn’t it make sense that the scythe can also change form at your will?” Blink said.

  “You mean to tell me that I could have been carrying a smaller weapon for the last few hundred years?” Reaper asked with a frown.

  “To be honest, I didn’t think it would be that big of a deal.”

  “Stop doing that. If it can aid in our mission, I should know about it,” Reaper said.

  “Our mission?” Blink asked.

  “Your mission.” Reaper turned away. “If you want my help, I need to be able to trust you, and I do not.”

  “What can I do to regain your trust?” Blink asked.

  “Tell me what I am walking into,” Reaper said.

  “I did.”

  “You told me everything?” Reaper asked. The corners of Blink’s mouth tensed briefly.

  “I don’t actually know where to find Camelot, the place where the Knights of the Round Table meet. Arthur is their leader, so it’s likely he would be there,” Blink said.

  “And we do not know where that is,” Reaper said.

  “No.” Blink looked down. “We could ask around. Leg work is often the best way to find something out. I know of one person that we could ask—she might have something we could go off of.”

  “Take me to her,” Reaper said.

  “I will, I promise. First, we need to address your wardrobe situation,” Blink said. “I will be right back. K?”

  “What? K?” Reaper asked, but Blink was already gone.

  Blink traveled to his house in the future. There, he saw that things had changed. Not much was different, but there was something. Perhaps the sun shone a little brighter. Down in his basement, he had a machine that would allow him to customize items. This process was much like 3D printing. It was where Blink got most of his tools, weapons, and clothes. He simply selected the appropriate time period, size, and color for the clothes. He began with Reaper’s dark steel chain-mail, and black cloth to go over it began to appear inside the chamber. A thrilled smile crossed Blink’s face, as he thought he knew what he was doing.

  The young time-traveler placed the newly fashioned items into a trunk in his bedroom. As he closed the trunk, red light passing through his blinds bothered him. What was this odd light? He walked to his window to find an unusually bright sky. He opened his window, and the rank smile of death flooded his bedroom. Blink fell back, slamming the window shut as he fell. He coughed and pulled his turtleneck over his mouth and nose. He scrambled for his eyepiece.

  “Scan for temporal anomalies,” Blink said as he synced his watch to the eyepiece. Seconds later, little blips on his eyepiece began to appear. “I don’t understand—I thought Reaper and I were fixing everything.” He thought for a moment. “Most significant source temporal distortion,” he commanded, and the word Vanguard appeared on his screen. “No, Reaper. What have I done?”

  Blink grabbed the trunk and returned to Reaper as if he had only been gone for a second or two.

  “‘Sup, Reaper?” Blink asked.

  Reaper frowned. “Why do you have a chest?”

  “I was born with it.” Blink puffed gesturing to his chest. “It would be abnormal if I didn’t have it.” He laughed as he went to open the trunk.

  Reaper stared in confusion.

  Blink shook his head with a smile. “I picked up a few things I thought might help. Start stripping and put these on.”

  The two of them changed into the black leather clothes that Blink had fashioned.

  “Where’s my sword?” Reaper asked.

  “Uh, you need to turn your scythe into one,” Blink said. “I’m not going back for one.”

  “I don’t know how to do what you want me to,” Reaper said.

  “Just concentrate on the thought of it being a sword. I’m gonna take my trunk back to my bedroom,” Blink said, and was gone. Reaper started to walk away from the shore. He held the scythe tightly in both hands.

  Sword. A sword, Reaper thought to himself over and over. As nothing happened, he began to get upset.

  “Hey, Reaper,” Blink said, coming up from behind. “I see you still have the scythe.”

  “I cannot do this.” Reaper shook the scythe.

  “Dude, keep that thing out of my face,” Blink said.

  “Do you hear me?” Reaper asked.

  “Of course I do.” Blink paused. “Have you tried to think of what the sword would look like?”

  “What do you mean?” Reaper asked.

  “Well are you thinking ‘sword,’ or are you trying to will the scythe to look a specific way that is the shape of a sword?” Blink asked.

  Reaper made the face a child makes when they are cornered.

  “I sorta figured. Try thinking what it would look like if it were like this.” Blink unsheathed the sword he had grabbed for himself this last time he had gone to his house.

  Reaper stared at the sword while holding the scythe. Though Reaper had not noticed, the scythe was beginning to take the shape of a broadsword. The three-inch blade stretched out to forty-five inches long, slowly coming to an impressive point. The skull that rested at the top of the scythe was now on the pommel of Reaper’s sword. The grip and rain-guard were the shiny black that the pole from the scythe had been. The cross-guard was flat, then came down to a point o
n each side. It was black around the edges, but the flat sides were silver-colored, like the blade and the skull.

  “This is not working,” Reaper said, frustrated.

  “Reaper, look at your hands,” Blink said. Reaper looked down, and his jaw dropped. After a moment, Reaper’s mouth closed, and he smiled. Blink suddenly realized that he’d never seen Reaper grin before, not a real, happy grin, in any case—not like this.

  “You did it, man!” Blink exclaimed. In his excitement, he punched Reaper’s shoulder. Reaper glared at Blink. “Sorry.”

  Reaper looked back down. “I did it,” he murmured to himself.

  “Alright, sheath that baby and let’s get a move on,” Blink said, and started moving.

  “Blink…” Reaper sheathed his sword. Blink stopped and looked back. “Thank you.” Blink gave him a small smile.

  “Not a problem,” Blink said sharply, as his mind was busy with the temporal anomalies he had seen. As they walked, Blink remembered the language barrier. Blink took Reaper to a nearby village and had Reaper walk around, listening to the words of the peasants and focusing on the voices of the dead. After he had it, he returned to Blink, who was searching through history on his eyepiece.

  “This language is strange,” Reaper said.

  “I know, but wait ‘til you hear the American accent and lingo. That is a fun variation of English,” Blink said, and Reaper stared blankly. “Forget it; it’s still a few hundred years out there. For now, we need to get lost.”

  The two of them went on walking until they found themselves in a secluded area. They stopped under the shade of a few trees. Blink turned and saw a small cave that hadn’t been there moments prior. They went into the cave, and night closed in around them. Suddenly, they found themselves in a bog. Blink began to get excited, while Reaper wondered how there could be such a big swamp inside such a small cave.

  There was moss hanging down from the trees and a musty smell in the close air. Reaper followed Blink closely. The light from a full moon shone down through the leaves on the trees. Blink smiled ear to ear when he spotted the tranquil blue water. Light emanated up from the water itself, as if the clear night sky full of stars was shining up out of the blue tide. There was a fountain on an island across the lake from them that trickled down the rocks into the lake. Blink slowly started to walk into the water.

  “Blink, wait,” Reaper said. “I do not like the way this feels.”

  “It’s the only way—we need her to come up,” Blink said. “Edeline! I know you’re here.” He waded into the water, hoping that the lady of the lake would rise from the depths to meet with him. “Edeline.” His voice echoed.

  “Maybe she’s not here,” Reaper suggested.

  “Oh, I am,” a melodious voice giggled. Reaper turned, and there she was, sitting on a tree stump.

  Edeline was wearing a loose, flowing white silk dress covered in sparkling silver stars that brushed her bare feet. A thin gold belt followed the curves of her hips, while matching bracelets hung from her wrists. Long strands of emerald pearls hung from her ears, nearly blending into the dark tips of her dark auburn hair. Her skin was a vibrant cyan, and her irises were riddled with yellow and orange, like two perfect topaz. When she smiled, her teeth shone out blindingly, like sunlight on freshly fallen snow. Reaper and Blink stood motionless at the sight of her.

  Reaper turned quickly to Blink. “I saw her first.”

  “Whatever,” Blink said. “For your age, you’re still pretty juvenile. And that’s coming from me.” He sloshed his way back to shore and looked up at Edeline. “How long were you sitting there watching me look for you?”

  Edeline giggled again. “Oh, I suppose since you went in.”

  “Really? C’mon.”

  “You were in for a short amount of time,” Reaper said.

  “It’s still embarrassing,” Blink mumbled to himself. “Edeline, we need your help.”

  “I am uncertain who you are. I only help my friends,” Edeline said.

  “That is a fair policy,” Blink said. “What would make us your friends?”

  “Hmm.” Edeline thought for a moment. “Can you tell me about yourselves?”

  “That’s all?” Blink asked. “No fight, no side quest to bring you an empty bottle or a butterfly net? You don’t want, like, a magic staff or instrument?”

  “I have no need for any of those items,” Edeline said.

  Reaper gave Blink a strange look.

  “I want the silly one to go first,” Edeline said.

  Reaper turned to Blink. “I believe she means you.”

  “I’ve already done most of the talking,” Blink said.

  “That’s because you like the way you sound,” Reaper hissed. They were both quiet for a moment.

  “You’re totally right,” Blink finally said. He looked over at Edeline. “I am called Blink, and I am a good student. I like to learn new languages and I teach myself things like fighting styles. I usually like to solve puzzles.”

  “No, no, no,” Edeline said with a small smile. “I do not wish to hear these things.”

  “I’m telling you about myself—that’s what you said,” Blink said.

  Edeline leaned forward on her knees. Her eyes widened with delight and sparkled with curiosity. “Tell me about the future.”

  “How do you know?” Blink started to ask, but was interrupted.

  “Tell me why the Fates do not like you,” Edeline said to Reaper with her head cocked.

  “What?” Reaper asked. He unsheathed his sword. “Blink, what do we do?”

  “Stop,” Blink said. “She’s a magical being; she might just be reading our minds.”

  Edeline leaned back on the tree stump and clapped her hands, giggling. “He’s right!” she shouted with joy. “Oh, the future must be nice if you are so smart.”

  “It’s got it’s perks,” Blink said. “To tell you the truth, we’ve met in the future. You never told me you could read minds.

  “Can you help us?” Reaper asked.

  “Perhaps,” Edeline said.

  “Good, now stay out of my head from now on,” Reaper said.

  “He grows on you,” Blink said apologetically.

  Edeline hopped down from the stump and walked over to Reaper.

  “Ask me,” Edeline said. Reaper looked past her to Blink, who nodded encouragement.

  “We need to find Camelot. Can you tell us which way it is?” Reaper asked. Edeline smiled, and her right palm began to glow a light green.

  “Blink?” Reaper’s voice quivered with trepidation as her hand came up to his forehead.

  “Just chill, Reaper, she’s one of the good guys,” Blink reassured him. Edeline touched Reaper’s forehead, and the light seemed to sink into the skin. Reaper’s central nervous system lit up green. The light lasted a few seconds, then subsided.

  “I will take you to where you can start on your way. It will be half a day’s journey from here,” Edeline said.

  “That’s it? Dude, that’s sweet. You’ll be done in no time,” Blink exclaimed.

  “What did you do to me?” Reaper asked.

  Edeline ignored him. “What is your business in Camelot?”

  “It’s personal, and please don’t read our minds,” Blink answered for Reaper.

  “Very well,” Edeline said. “Reaper knows the way now. I will take you to the starting point.”

  Reaper and Blink stared at Edeline, as she was not moving anywhere.

  “I don’t want to sound ungrateful, but when are we going to start on our way?” Reaper asked.

  “We are almost there,” Edeline said.

  Reaper looked around. “I do not think so.”

  “I have full control this Plane. As we speak we are moving across your world,” Edeline said. Reaper was still trying to grasp what was being said, but Blink slapped his hands together loudly.

  “I get it; your Plane is like Olympus, but yours is slippery so it can move to other places, while Olympus is in a fixed location,
” Blink said, each word shooting out like bullets from a gun.

  “You know very much,” Edeline said. “Tell me, have you been to Olympus?”

  “No, I haven’t.”

  “Oh.” Edeline sounded sad. “We have arrived.”

  “Good luck, Reaper,” Blink said.

  Reaper frowned. “You are leaving again?”

  “Yeah, I’m gonna go home and shower. I’ll hit you up in the morning, or sometime later,” Blink said. “You should find a black hood—it really sells the reaper look.”

  “Goodbye, Blink,” Reaper said.

  Blink smiled at Reaper and Edeline. Then he was gone.

  “Will you come back?” Edeline asked.

  “I think,” Reaper said, and Edeline smiled.

  “Then I will be waiting right here when you come back.” She giggled. “You remember the way?”

  “I do.” Reaper started for the exit and stopped. “Do you have anything black that I could borrow to make a hood?”

  Reaper went on his way after Edeline had granted him a black hood to go over his coif. As he approached the exit, light shined in. He heard birds and the crashing of waves on rocks, and put his hand up to shield his eyes as the light became brighter. He stepped out onto a rocky shore, the cave to his back, then closed his eyes and remembered the directions that had been placed in his mind. He looked to the east and walked. There was a shaft that had at one time had a waterfall going through it. Reaper used this to climb up to a stretch of rolling green land. At the top, he could see the castle where the court of the round table met. He walked along a stone path that followed the shape of the land all the way to the door of the castle. The time was nearing six in the evening when Reaper came to the entrance.

  There were two guards standing at either side of the large wooden doors. Reaper made short work of them—only knocking them out, of course. He left them on the side of the road, one lying on the other. Reaper tried to open the door, but it was sealed. Unbeknownst to him, there was a wooden beam that reached across the doors, barring any unwanted entrance. Reaper pushed, and the massive, sturdy doors strained against their hinges, slamming into the beam. Again and again, he pushed as the beam pushed back. Slam! Slam! Slam!