Death had been so busy with her own mistakes and Spirit’s mess that she hadn’t even noticed it. She smiled softly, running her fingers along the golden thread. It made both Kelara and Soul shudder slightly. They’d felt her touch. Keeping Thieron against Kelara’s chest, she whispered a spell that instantly made the ghoulish hunger disappear. “I release you from this curse,” Death said, and Kelara sucked in a deep breath, stars exploding in her eyes once more. Within seconds, her energy returned. The soft sheen of her skin. Her movements became fluid again. And the first thing she did was jump into Soul’s arms.
It took him by surprise, but he didn’t mind it. She kissed him, and he moaned loud enough for all of us to hear. Time stifled a chuckle, and Widow nudged him in the ribs. “Show some respect,” the masked Reaper muttered. “He’s never experienced this before.”
“Frankly, I’m still astonished that out of you three,” Time said, pointing at Widow, Phantom, and Soul, “the Soul Crusher is the one who fell in love.”
“I know, I know. The psycho of the gang, yadda, yadda,” Soul retorted, scrunching his nose. Kelara giggled and gently stepped back, though I could tell she was already looking forward to getting him alone.
“Kelara, my darling, there’s more,” Death said, motioning for her to approach. She brought Thieron back up. “Hold it by the handle.”
“Why?” Kelara asked, frowning slightly.
“For all your work, your endurance, and your sacrifice, you deserve more,” Death replied. “Please, just hold it with me.”
Kelara wrapped a hand around Eirexis, Thieron’s handle, while Death held it as well. Its carved symbols glowed green as Death’s lips moved. The glow transferred onto Kelara’s skin, reaching all the way up to her eyes. For a moment, the galaxies were gone, replaced by flashing emerald fires. Once it subsided, Kelara let go, and Death nodded once.
“You’re among the First Ten now,” she said. “Spirit’s place was empty, and I don’t trust any of the senior Reapers more than I trust you.”
“Wait, what?” Kelara blurted, both surprised and confused.
“You’re one of us now,” Soul replied with a sly grin.
“How is that even possible?” Nethissis asked, her eyes wide with wonder. Seeley stood beside her, equally fascinated by what he was witnessing. I figured they could all do with some good news after what they’d been through.
“When I destroyed the Spirit Bender, I took away the death energy I had bestowed upon him during his creation,” Death explained. “Now that death energy is yours.”
“Does that mean I can bend spirits like he could? Because I don’t want that. That’s an awful power to have,” Kelara grumbled, crossing her arms.
“Here, you need this,” Soul said, returning her scythe to her. As soon as she held it again, its blade shone green, reacting to the power she’d just received. It was a splendid sight to behold, and she’d earned it.
“Whoa…” Kelara murmured, unable to look away from her weapon.
“You will find your own ability,” Death said. “After Spirit, I’ve decided it’s best if I offer the strength, and you can choose to do what you want with it. But you are now one of the First Ten, Kelara. My closest and dearest. My most trusted among Reapers. I hope you will cherish your new position.”
Taeral cleared his throat, demanding her attention. “I thought you’d set the First Tenners free. Does this mean she still works for you, or is Kelara looking at an unlimited holiday?”
“They have freedom, yes. And they can choose to leave and exist on their own, or they can continue to serve me. As it turns out, the universe still needs the First Ten, if only to ensure that the balance is preserved,” Death said, looking at me and my siblings. “You’ve all proven yourselves indispensable in what took place here. For that, you have my eternal gratitude.”
Kelara stayed close to Soul, and they stole frequent loving glances at each other. I wondered how they would be together, with an endless future stretching out before them. I doubted Death would ever really set any of us free—she’d destroyed Spirit because he’d become too much of a nuisance, but she was too proud and stubborn to do it at another First Tenner’s request. In the end, only Death decided when it was our time to move on. And it irked me.
“Sidyan, Seeley,” Death added, turning her attention to the two Reapers. Both instantly straightened their backs and raised their chins in a respectful salute. “You two have gone above and beyond for your Reaper colleagues and your living friends. You’ve worked hard and put yourselves at great risk of damnation to stop Spirit’s underlings from destroying more souls.” She paused to focus on Sidyan. “Normally, I wouldn’t condone this, but Herbert and his friends have proven me wrong before. Maya. Where is she?”
As if summoned, the little ghoul girl slipped to the front of the GASP crowd. Right behind her, Rudolph watched in wary silence, along with the surviving ghouls that they’d managed to rescue along the way. Despite the typical ghoulish deformities, Maya had a certain sweetness about her—I guessed it had to do with the age at which she’d died and become a Reaper. Death should never have allowed this to happen. Maya belonged in the afterlife. The real tragedy was that the girl had consumed a soul, thus dooming herself to never set foot beyond our realm. Her only options were destruction—which meant ending up in the nothingness with the likes of Spirit—or continuing to exist as a ghoul.
“Hello, there,” Death said, giving Maya a broad and warm smile. “Don’t worry, I am not going to harm you, little one. I will allow you to stay in Sidyan’s care, under the simple condition that you never eat another soul again.” She paused and gave Sidyan a scolding look. “Even the criminals you fed to her deserved judgment. You are lucky I’m not punishing you for that particular offense, even though it didn’t make you all that different from the Darklings. It is not your place to be judge and executioner. You only take the souls and send them beyond. That is all, Sidyan.”
“I understand. For what it’s worth, I am sorry. I should have known better,” the Reaper replied. “I figured those people had done such horrendous things that they deserved to be eaten by a ghoul, and Maya was better off with that kind of sustenance.”
“That stops now,” Death said. “Maya is your responsibility going forward. She may feed on animal flesh or corpses, but she may never hurt another person or consume another soul ever again. This is my condition. Do you accept?”
Maya inched closer to Sidyan, her lanky arms coiling around his calf as she hugged him and offered Death a nod. “I accept,” Sidyan replied. “We both do.”
“Good. Rudolph,” Death said, setting her sights on the ghoul and the others behind him. “I am sorry you went through this. Unlike the ghouls we’ve known forever, you didn’t even have a choice in the matter. Unfortunately, I cannot undo what has been done to you. All I can do is promise that I will end your suffering when you decide the time has come. Until then, I will give you and your equally unfortunate colleagues two options.”
Rudolph whispered in his ghoulish language, bowing before her. I could feel his suffering. It echoed deeply inside me. He didn’t deserve any of this, yet he had to forge a path ahead in his condition. Death was not all-powerful. We, the souls, had to do some of the work, too. In Rudolph and every other Knight Ghoul’s case, they’d been forced into this wretched and damned existence. The more I listened to Death and her judgments, the more I wondered if she was truly trying to make amends. I’d decided to forge ahead with my intentions, but I remained open to change if she warranted it.
“You may go live with Herbert and the others in their ghoul sanctuary,” Death said, “or you may offer your assistance to willing Reapers. As with Sidyan and Maya, I think we can make such partnerships work. It’s up to you and any Reapers who’d wish to engage in a similar relationship.”
Seeley raised a hand, his gaze fixed on Rudolph. “I’d like to work with Rudolph, if he’ll take me. And I don’t think Kelara—or any of the First Tenners, for that matter�
��would mind such capable colleagues. Rudolph has proven invaluable to our efforts here on Visio, and the same can be said for all the others who fought beside us.”
Esme nodded in agreement, as did Trev. “Stan and Ollie were exquisite,” she replied. “Even the ones still wearing rune collars now—if you set them free, they will prove themselves loyal. Fundamentally speaking, they’re still Reapers, even though they were forced to become ghouls.”
“I agree.” Death sighed. “So, what do you say, my unfortunate children?” she asked the ghouls. The collared ones moved away from the outer circle of surviving Darklings and Trakkians and joined Rudolph, lowering their heads. Rudolph offered a low grunt as a yes.
“Good!” Seeley said, grinning as Rudolph scampered to his side. “We’ll make a great team, I’m sure of it.”
“Whenever you decide that working with a Reaper is no longer for you, be aware that Herbert will wait for you in his sanctuary with arms wide open,” Death reminded the ghouls. “And if you ever feel like you’ve had enough of it all, I will end it.”
“It’s still unfair what’s happened to them,” Nethissis grumbled, her expression pained as she looked at Rudolph, who replied with a crooked fanged smile. It was enough to soften her up a little. “I’m glad you’re still around, though.”
Death was remarkably fair in her decisions and rewards. It didn’t exactly come as a surprise. For the most part, she’d come through at the end of the storm, more than once. Her good deeds didn’t always outweigh the bad, however, which was what had led to dissent among us in the first place. The existence of ghouls was her fault. The Reapers who chose to consume souls did so in order to break away from her and the strict conditions of their existence. Her refusal to let them move on when they demanded it was at the center of our ghoulish problem, but Death would never admit it.
Hell, she’d just given us a devastating lecture on how we couldn’t always get what we wanted. Some things never changed, but I was determined to make sure that at least one of them did.
Esme
Somehow, I wasn’t entirely satisfied by Tristan’s explanation regarding our inability to remember what had happened after we’d died. Looking at Nethissis, I wished I’d been conscious like her. But at the same time, I was just thankful to be alive. The moment of my death had stuck with me—my last breath, the pain in my chest as my heart had stopped beating, the sea of white that covered my field of vision before everything had gone dark—and it was something I never wanted to experience again. Unfortunately, I was human now. Eventually, I would accept it. For the time being, I took deep breaths and welcomed the air into my lungs.
I also welcomed Kalon’s embrace and the affection of his brothers. Tristan was okay, and that made me even happier to be alive. At least we could both go back and tell our parents we were fine. That at least we’d survived this. Ugh, I could only imagine the gasps and grief once Mom and Dad had realized that they, much like all the other vampires in The Shade, were mortal again. We’d be okay. I knew it, deep in my soul: no matter what fate threw at us going forward, we’d be okay.
“I need to figure out what I’m going to do with you,” Death said to Nethissis. “You may be capable of wielding a scythe, but that is purely because of the Word’s power inside you. His essence traveled with your soul into death.”
That prompted a gasp from Seeley. “Huh? But I thought—”
“You couldn’t have known,” Death replied. “It’s a little obscure fact about swamp witches. The Word’s gift is forever. It doesn’t wither upon a soul’s departure from the body.”
“Wait, what about other magical creatures?” Corinne interjected. “It is my understanding that all our powers were derived from the Word in one way or another.”
“The same goes for the jinn, the Druids, the Lamias…” Ibrahim chimed in, and I was glad to see them and a few other of our GASP seniors here. It made sense that they’d chosen to come to Visio, since they were two of the most powerful among their kind. In times of war, we’d made a habit of relying on our strongest to lead us into battle.
Death sighed deeply. “Yes. But none of you are bound to the Word like the swamp witches. None of you serve him directly the way they do. Their connection is pure and eternal. That is why their initiation rituals are so complicated and potentially deadly.”
Indeed, I remembered at least one instance of a swamp witch initiation gone wrong. Even Kailani’s ascension had been rife with troubles during the Stravian incidents. The same could not be said for witches or warlocks, jinn, Druids, or Lamias. Their powers were natural. They were born with them.
“You see, a swamp witch doesn’t need to be born with magical powers,” Death continued. “She willfully surrenders unto the Word. She gives everything of herself to him, and that kind of devotion is unparalleled. If she survives the trials, she is bestowed with a most precious gift. I suppose my brother played around with his power in the early days, too. It’s how this host of magical creatures evolved. But the swamp witch is the purest, hence why her power continues well beyond death.”
“Okay. So what are my options?” Nethissis asked, struggling for composure. I had a feeling this entire situation had become overwhelming. Up to this point, she’d been focused on surviving ghouls and Darklings. That threat was gone, so she had all the time in the world to consider herself.
“Normally, I’d say you get to simply move on and transcend into the afterlife,” Death said, then smiled. “But given your work here and your support of the Reapers—I have to admit, I think you’d make a fine Reaper yourself. It’s up to you.”
Nethissis gave Seeley a glance, her white-amber eyes filled with countless emotions. She looked at Lumi and Kailani next, and it became harder for her to keep a straight face. Despite being dead, I could tell she wanted to cry. It wasn’t fair for Nethissis to suffer this way, but at least she had options. “You see, normally I’d say it’s natural to move on,” she murmured. “Once you die, that’s what you do, right? You don’t know what’s beyond. You’re not even sure there’s anything out there. You don’t know if you’ll even be conscious and able to experience what the afterlife has in store for you. Years ago, I used to believe our souls were pure energy, and that once we died, this energy got pulled back into the universe. I didn’t expect much to happen after death. Guess how that turned out?” She chuckled bitterly, then took a few steps toward Seeley. The closer they got to one another, the brighter they both seemed to glow.
“What are you doing?” Seeley mumbled, his brow furrowed, his gaze dark and starless as he tried to keep himself together, not knowing what Nethissis would choose.
“Seeley, what do you want?” Nethissis asked him.
“What do you mean?”
“What do you want?” she asked again. “Do you want me to move on, or do you want me to stay and become a Reaper?”
Nightmare laughed lightly. “In case anyone’s wondering, there’s a glowing gold thread connecting their hearts. While it is rare for Reapers to fall in love, it seems to have happened in three instances already, and that is how the connection between two souls manifests.”
This meant that Seeley and Nethissis had an unbreakable and irreversible bond. They were in love, and Nethissis wanted to make her decision based on Seeley’s answer. I couldn’t help but tear up as I watched them. Kalon’s arm slipped around my shoulders, and he held me close, pressing his lips against my temple. This was a beautiful feeling to experience, and I was happy that even in death, Nethissis had found love.
“It shouldn’t be my choice to make,” Seeley said, his voice low and trembling with emotion. “I wouldn’t want to stand in your way if you wish to move on.”
“I’ll make my choice regardless,” Nethissis replied. “I just want to know how you feel.”
“Doesn’t this gold thread between us tell you everything you need to know?”
She laughed softly. “Say it.”
“Damn it, Nethi…” he grumbled, then straightened his ba
ck, his chest swelling with determination. “I love you, and I want you to stay. It’s hard to imagine an existence without you, considering my soul can’t really function in your absence anymore. But if you decide to leave for the afterlife, I wouldn’t dare hold you back. I only want you to be happy.”
Nethissis kissed him, closing her eyes for a moment. I heard Widow groan as he looked away. “I think I’m experiencing nausea for the first time in forever.”
“You have my answer, then,” Nethissis said as she turned to face Death. “I’d like to stay on as a Reaper.”
“Wait, what if I’d said no, move on, leave us?” Seeley asked, slightly confused.
“I would’ve said too bad, sucker, you’re stuck with me,” she shot back, poking him in the chest with her index finger. It made him chuckle.
Death looked relieved upon hearing her answer. She must have wanted Nethissis to become a Reaper, too. It did make me wonder why, though, until Death explained it. “I’ve never had a servant of the Word switch over to my side. I admit, I’m dying to see what powers and abilities you’ll bring into the fold. The rules of death are different from those of life, so your magic will manifest differently.”
She brought Thieron up between them as Nethissis took a step away from Seeley. Death’s scythe lit up, its runes glowing a strange green. I’d seen this before with Kelara.
“Touch the blade,” Death said.
Cautiously, Nethissis raised a hand and touched Zetos with the tips of her fingers. Almost immediately, the green light flowed through her arm and into her entire being, illuminating her from within. Nethissis sucked in a breath, tilting her head back for a moment as she took it all in. This was the pure power of Death herself entering Nethissis’s spirit and mingling with the Word.
“Now, remove your hand,” Death said.
As soon as Nethissis broke contact with Thieron, a scythe formed in her grip. It was a beautiful piece with a sculpted handle in the shape of a snake, its jaws unhinged. From its mouth, the blade emerged in an elegant curve, the metal glistening in the sunlight. “Oh, okay…” she murmured, turning the weapon over several times, weighing it in one hand, then the other to get a feel for it. “This is wicked…”
A Shade of Vampire 86: A Break of Seals Page 21