The pages about putting people to the chop have be a daily occurrence. At the frustration of being nothing more then a bodiless soul, there wasn't anyway to show face in public. Although being dead has advantages over living problems. Like not having to use doors or bother using the layout of the palace properly. No need to give nobility of damned here a reason to realise Phillip's existence. It was only when he needed the convent shumck to take the documents downstairs.
As for making his uncle life a migraine, he found it entertaining to play pranks, leave reminders and give the murderer a heart attack.
These pranks were innocent at first; flour bombs, ruin clothes, making sure anything useful was put in weird places (ink vile for writing especially), ice water buckets on balanced open door edges.
There was only so much that could satisfy and Philip believed that it needed to be more obvious of why he was doing this.
So its became a little more disturbing as pranks progress. Death traps that didn't harm. Water replaced with rotten blood from kitchen. Blunt arrow trigger traps. Entangled fishing wire. Sewing curses in his uncles clothes. Stealing mage magic herb supplies for larger spell casting. Disruption of any summoning stuff he was up to.
It was enough for his uncle to hire demons which just made things interesting. The demons would see Phillip as nothing but a dead kid. Actually convinced some of the demons to play along the pranks, as these demons pitied the 'small dead kid'. To no end was it ever a dull time within the royal palace.
Today was of Erebus's request to Mark for a small little favour of fetching a item from a realm across by travelingthrough Sigil. It was at trade of allowing the follower to borrow the gods powers in order to fetch such item. This is why Philip was not going to play tricks, not with gods being able to catch the spirit red handed.
"I want to find a gift for this newbie. For someone with the title 'Final Reaper', it has death quacking in the bones." The abyss creature were only a meek puppet for the god to communicate to his follower, not the normal whispers of clouded darkness that hung like a snake or scarf. This was due to the energy contraction of what this island nation is founded for.
"I have heard of such being. His got himself tangled with the Society of the Damned. I have always thought gods could not see or hear damned in avareage circumstances. " Mark opens the office and waited to a trap to spring. He hums at the long delay, staring at the order of this place. He noticed that the inkwell was well used and left as it should on the desk.
The creature jumps around to inspect the piles of paper documents. The a feather pen floated over the blank document. Its simple mind took over while the god of darkness was distracted by something momentarily. It shook as the god returned and study how the paper floated in its face.
Mark closed the door behind and looks to the drinks cabinet in the corner. He considered having one and then became unsure with what he sees. Thr cabinet was full of the normal wines, whiskey or lesser alcoholic beverages. Instead it being full many tiny bottles that would only be drop amounts. Towards the centre main glass front, there three malt wine decanters with inhuman body bits floating in them. He opens a lower covered section, rows of unlabelled bottles. The smell from there had made him throw it close again. Stood back to gag for a moment.
"How rude." The creature exclaims with reading the paper, "Do you know whom you talking to?" The feather wrote in the god language. The paper burnt into a crisp instantly, "What are you?"
Mark steps right up to the desk, facing the mask being whom has been renowned to the family as a cursed adviser of the many Kings and Queens. Its reputation of being a secret among the few whom see or speak to it. Although, its very selective about what is often said or whom to it would talk to. S
"So its you whom has been filling my brothers place in his dead absence."
it wrote some choose words of acknowledging the murderer, "You dislike me? Very interesting, you have not before." He sits across with how it chooses to not give anything else, "Have you found the host you been looking for?" It nods as knowing Mark able to see, "Very interesting. Are you the prankster?" There a waved gesture which is to vague to called a reply, "You will know of the powers a king inherence when becoming a leader of this isle. You would know whom is the current holder of that authority."
'I wouldn't have to tell you if you were such. My existence didn't used to have anything to do with it. But... it was your family whom imposed it to be my business. I can't complain, I got what I wanted in trade.' The paper floats without it needing to hold it. It picks the next document, reading it through and posed in deep thoughts over it. Mark scratches his chin, thinking.
"Is the laws of tradition broken?" The mask looks into Mark, ponders a while.
'That is a tough one to answer. Given the line up of royals this past three generations.' It places the documents aside, 'I would advise you, do not play games with the Final reaper. That being is not a god of this universe, inspite of being a dweller of this universe. They are misunderstood and dislike playing politics of in universe problems.' It needed a new paper, 'It cares for those outside this universe and the broken ones that no gods dares care for.' It looks to the meek creature, 'They told me to fix problems where possible. Erebus, you have been dabbling outside your reach. Do not tempt them... they know no boundaries or the definition of personal space. That is if you manage to annoy any of the four.'
"Four? Final reaper is a being." The creature is also posed in thinking. Mark crosses his arms, sitting back on the seat. The information from this ghost has been very helpful. Mark wasn't paying mind about how cold it was becoming in the room. Nor was the shapes of inhuman ghost. The mask has a face and it expressions were very of the moment, not typical of a damned. Damned have frozen stuck expressions that change slowly. This one has a quality that would be uncomfortable. It was even drooling a little at the corner of the long frown, a real frown and not a damn smile.
"It disagreed with you. Clearly the adviser has dealt with them." The phantom raised a hand, a bottle from the drinks cabinet flung past. The entire bottle was engulfed, as then now it was very visible appearance. Even the meek creature trembles in the stare. The phantom makes joints click in a stretch and had a decanter be next. Ate it with unhinged jaw, fading its image back to being invisible.
"Glass and body bits and all?" Mark notes, "What exactly was that to achieve?"
"To not eat you both, I have adapted to this world and so to has changed my needs. But once I have done what I needed and that my host is free to not be hindered by distraction. We can do what we're intended by duty to do." It hoarse weak voice cracks as a uncomfortable joints continue to be flexed, "You are a foolish man and God are whom could be at peace with what they have. You and Erebus choose to be difficult children. Yet there is appreciation for you unaware consequences. So there is no judgement from me or from the others... well except. He will tell you if he bothers."
"Pardon?" the creature hissed.
"The matter that bothers you, Mark, is that you may have kill them. You haven't properly dealt with them.
By law, the body or physical form of the king or queen is still present on this Isle. Even with dealing with bodies, you would have to find their souls too. Even then, that wouldn't matter either. The missing prince, your nephew is also in your way.
You speak of worry about laws. Well, laws were broken in the prince's regard however it doesn't mean a thing for human laws."
Mark was stiffed to the spot and Erebus has become unable to hear it at the last part. It didn't help Erebus that he was caught off guard with being called a child.
It was insulating for someone whom reigns over the voids of abyss and protects the light from creatures of the dark, although he would see it as protecting fragile beautiful creatures from the unforgiving light. Its his power that is sometimes gifted to those whom dwell out of light, one the rare few gods whom pity damned without realizing or knowing it to do.
The writting quill was refilled of ink and documents are shuffled. The conversation papers burnt into ashes. This sudden news was to speed up action within the MAC by Marks command. The trigger for events to set, putting the fragements soul back whole. It spoke it true motive at honesty to a god whom would know if he lied. Indeed to become whole is how he was allowed do what he was intended to be.
"Never satisfied enough... and make more with what matters in moving on." It taunted Mark as he was in mid spelling cast back to the company. This disrupt led Mark enough to drop between places, which so happened to please Erebus request for a peace offering. Any failed spell of distant enough locations will result in being in Sigil or other go between lost realms.
"Honestly, you would assume any other god like pranks, chaos and injustices would be whom I need to worry about."
It was a shared set of words that was found to in use by three connected soul bodies. From the ghost in the office to the disturbing annoyance in Death's realm. A odd throw away comment James said toward the bird of Omens. At this moment, no sides had realized this shared mimic of words.
"Not that it happens as often. But I do not remember who or what you are. Nor do I understand why your in my office complaining." This was a Death's sort of left wing man, a sort of site management for the place that contains the Dead tome record. Like his boss, shares the god power of recalling when a being is to be place in the record. It rare for any death god of value to not know the name of a being unless they aren't written already in the tome section they keep record of."
This small office was covered in building semantics, as this tower is on constant construction. The more lives born have led to the equal amount of pages to fill for the dead. This is exactly what this person is in charge of. A leading expert on this realms science and architecture. He has a team whom are dedicated to the clean up, restoration and maintenance. This tower is a gigantic library of only one section of the universe tome of souls.
"I came to complain on behalf of the tome itself. As it can't fathom how angry it is with how poorly treated a few of its sector keepers. It has been past the point of even wanting to work with those folks. So you can say, me being here means big business." The inky mass strings from out a torn window of reality, a finger annoyingly drunmming on the desk. It words being imprinted in a paper the wing man was about to use, "I came to tell you ahead of time... because this building is about to be in total war with itself. The books are going to riot and you are the poor smuck that cleans up after. You have to prayer to your boss that the tome does not decide matters by eating your apprentices."
"Excuse you?" From wing man of Death to being the reply by the bird of omens.
This little through away of complain about Raven and his god being a distraction had be incidentally heard by them. James was quick for a excuse.
"I was thinking out loud. I sometimes forget at what context did I have meaning of that." James looking up from teacher grading homework. He still was gingerly pointing at the grading standards matrix when looking directly up to the bird, "Did what I said make you think of something?"
"My lord had said that phrase was something to be wary of. I can't help but wonder why you said it." James raise a brow and looks back on the paper... he makes a sure it was correct. He wrote a score at the top.
He stay back with a sense of discomfort in his chest. It was sort of autopilot action of standing up and away from the documents. The other side of his soul whom was burning execution orders, mirrors this. Hands on the chest as the burning grow very intensive. A scar reaction to sensitivity of something.
"William!" Lizzie looked up from her homework catch up as she see just how pale he was so suddenly. He was just at that moment of nearly passing out.
"Do not touch." They all scrambled backwards, as that want not his voice or seeing his lips moving.
"Josh, there something wrong with William!" The pan is moved off the stove as Josh looks up. Josh actually can't see William, that of the damned warpped around William was crispy ashy in areas and melty gloop in other spots.
"I can't see what you see, Josh." Raven flew avoiding around and perched to Josh shoulder, "What is wrong?"
"I wouldn't know how to explain. We only have to panic if the damned became visible to the rest of you." Josh softly spoke. Rose came down stairs in a bath rob, she froze in how everyone else is moved away from William. She can't see but she can guess it has something to do with Grey.
"Grey, what's wrong?" The mask snaps in looking right at her, she can't see it but knew from how she was suddenly cold.
"I have a feeling that this would have to be asked to another one." It replied and with shrinking down, "The last time this was felt was when clean up didn't go smoothly. Some idiot did something to the books."
"We haven't any clue with what your talking about." Josh shouts, it makes a disturbing gurgling.
"Another? Are you by chance only a fragement?" She asks in having peicing together clues from her undead boss, the cryptic conversation of the request made to Josh and its grasp on Williams wellbeing.
"We are." James softly muttered, "Maybe we should go ask."
"Which one should we ask? We dont exactly know where the freak is or how to go to that place without dying."
"Didn't one them say about the guy at the mage Palace?" James was tranced in being focused with not letting himself be swallowed in the emotions. The mask was fading into physical form. Snarling in a broken mask face.
It was of no help at all that the many gods pulled tome back, they hope to change the outcome of this moment by asking time to reel back a few moments.
James had been sat back on the chair, the pen had finished scoring this top paper, just at the second of feeling that pain over again. At the damned annoyance, it clawed deep impressions into the ceiling above James. It was visible sooner and drops around James in a protective curled wrap.
"What the?" Lizzie fell out of the chair and ran around to Josh's side. Josh turned the stove off, look down to Lizzie.
"I hate it when they do that." James commented, "but more so do I hate those whom tamper in the wrong sections." their voices spoke in the exactly the same way of tone and without any sort of spoken delay. Raven wasn't affected so badly by this distorted time flex, inspite of his awareness of them. Rose comes downstairs. To see about making sense of Lizzie trembling and jumbled words. With now a pointed finger, everyone looked up to the shroud of material hung on James like a unravelled wade of cloth and freaky broken art piece for face.
"When you said about another at the mage island, whom were you referring to?" Raven making questions in the continued discussion.
"Nosy birds." the mask spoke alone in that regard, "You would have to be the god follower, with such immunity and normality to minor repetitive moments."
"William and Grey, are you both OK?" Rose steps around to see she can indeed look at the mask just fine. In her past experiences from this line of work, it was already a answer to her question.
"Ugh, my lord?" A high nobility of the society of Damned entered the royal office having heard the voice and sensed abnormal energies. It was in a instant bow down with the now stood and vomiting figure. This unknown being has hands holding its chest. The featureless face of this stranger was growing broken creaks across, forming a snarled smile and glee filled eyes.
"Forgive me, I just need to take some." The nobility was snatched forwards, the skin cloth pulled form it. It absorbed the being whole and stole its appearance. Some segments bleed through, as the runic patterns and scarring become visible, "I will make it up to you what I am done. If I know myself, I will seek answers from my other selves." The figure drags itself from the office, "Best disable some pranks before they arrive." It gurgling and frothed at the mouth, "I am going to be executed, I need to look my best."
Tots drunkenly through the normal routes, using doors and walking stairs. Servants living or Damned screamed at his sight and fled opposite ways. The demons around here just stood back watching the weirdo, finding it a rare occurrence.
"Boss, we have word from lord Mark that his going to that place you told us to watch." The panting messager busted through the world wide meeting and skid over to the American Branch, exclaiming such news. The person stopped typing on their phone for the frist time this meeting.
"Excuse you but this is a no branch message meeting." The European slams at the table and that of nod agreement with other leading branches such as Australia's lead branch rep and Russian rep. The south American and African reps were showing surprised expressions, its rare the North American rep took anything this series. To stop playing with the phone and look towards the messager.
It was interesting that the places represented had nothing to do with normal technology trades with the Mage Island. This had led to the only set being a imperfect representatives of world. That not every country normally included was a part of this MAC corporation agreement. This was partly why your not going to find individual countries within European union, China, India and any other not mentioned. Maybe they did have contact with people whom are part of the already established branches yet not thier own face here. This countries all had something valuable for mage trade considerations. Places where pure rare gem stones, plant life or any other underrated addundant resource came from. The biggest voices came from those with high market trading.
"Settle down everyone. We all have never bothered with what the Americans had going on before. Please just continue." This was the nobility as legal rep for the island itself. This person should normally been the royals closes servants. But a new internal island restructuring has allowed a greedy set of three high society nobility to take over.
No one really knows what happened to the king and queen's personal servants when the murder investigation into royal deaths. A case that gone cold and been left to the Americans to sort out, with restrictions.
"Tell agent 001, I retract my final order. He is given my place here... Tell him to keep looking for my son." the messager had his callor grappled, "Make sure that I am not disappointed." Thrown through a portal back to state side, the few here gasped at such show of power by a individual. This boss stood, smashing the phone device with one hand, "Felix, Dazal and Xen; you three have been pety from the start. Now you are power hunger and lost grip of why this corporation was founded in the frist place. I do believe whomever has been rejecting your execution request isn't going to turn down my request."
This person just disappeared from that spot, without a trace... even the smashed phone was gone. This meeting was put on holt until their was someone with a explanation.
The place was ground zero... reapers pulling each other out of the what remains. The god stood over the sea of wood shelving, bricks and what could have been furniture. Oddly, there isnt a page or book in sight. More importantly was how the tomb of core tome was undisturbed, resting on top of trap door what was the labyrinth of the syth vaults. No rubble entered the metre radius around the door or tomb. A ornament silver cat was melted on the surface, indifferent to everything.
"The site manager is no where to be accounted for, and is the only person we are unable to locate." Death tilts in listening and pose a hand. He walks forwards to the tomb. Stepping into the sound range of the cat.
It wakes stretching and sits having a a front paw at the joint posed, rubbing to unblock a ear canal. It stared as was confused of where the shelves of tome disappeared to, he looks at how perfectly sealed the tomb was and at bow to the approach of the realm domain keeper.
"Judgement." Death voiced in slight annoyance, "What exactly has happened?"
"I am unsure, lord. I will have to summon the fool that is my partner to know. He the one to understand the book." Sitting pretty on, "I am surprised he didn't directly warn you."
"He did... in a unconventional manner of stealing my site keeper." The two stood still with waiting for something to happen, as often it been the case for someone to show up and say it by now. Sean inspecting the surrounding notes the lack of Tome anywhere. It is highly unregular to not find the time section of the dead not in the place it storaged to.
"Are you able to still access the tome?" Sean asked. Death pulls his from his long hung arm sleeve, the books indifferent any other time. At curiosity he looked for the site management person, but is aware of not being that persons time yet.
"My my... When I thought things couldn't be more strange." Erebus gently pushes Mark along with. At awe of how massive the space is and how no one is actually injured, "You playing mircales, Death? Its unlike you to not collect souls."
It's of then a landing of a mass feathered bodies forms into another being. Several bird message carriers bow at this one presence. They ignored Death and Erebus. Running about on in a space of a circle... jumping about looking for things. Its of pause in looking at the tomb, they rushed right to it. Sean eyed them closely, hackles slowly raising.
'"Honestly, you would assume any other god like pranks, chaos and injustices would be whom I need to worry about."' This feather cloak with many old magic ways of telling the future was repeating at different tones and with lots of shivering.
"Lord of omen, back off or I will thrown you back to where you should be." Sean had made the god jump up with a large smile.
"Talking metal cat. You a key." Sean hissed as a normal cat, finally the god took the hint, "You have to open it."
"I was advised not to. The book dislikes being disturbed by you in universe problems." Sean sits very sure and at turning away from them, "Besides, you wouldn't want to. Not when your surrounded by the aftermath."
Erebus looks around confused. Mark stood staring at the cat, having seen it before and knows of it. The memories were complacent. Death puts his book away, unsure of the results.
"Silver... I know you." Mark steps up to the cat, "What are you doing here?"
"My, you have grown Marcus Darkcraft. I would imagine that your still pouty about not making her yours. Such a drama between you three." The tail swats his hand, "Do not touch me, mortal. You're lucky to be protected by darkness. Don't push your place. You are wise to not ignore the cursed adviser, his warning was very clear. Erebus couldn't hear all of it."
"Your one the four..."
"well... that wasn't exactly true but ots close enough. They arent the type to judge you." Sean stuck claws into Marks hand, "Itsy solem duty to judge. I personally have fallen favour with you. You whom broken the child the most. I blame you."
Claws removed and left holes and blood to drip. Mark backed away, now also given a curse of sight to see the dead. For a world that was nothing around but the three gods, cat and himself. Now painted in of crowds of half living corpses or reverse aging people. He backed to his gods side as the more detail this reality was becoming.
"You may beg to my partner when his stable enough to listen to you. But I suspect that you have much worse to face." Sean cleans his paw with a neckerchief, "Idiot soul with plans of total massacre."
"What right do you have to that to my follower?" Erebus being defensive.
"This is the syth of Judgement, its their designed duty to protect the core tome and judge of where souls belonged within." Death prevents Erebus making this mistake, "He doesn't answer to me. He is not a blade that deals in passing souls of the dead. His place is more universal." Erebus sharply looks to Death with trying to gauge Deaths expressions.
They all turn as Sean was stuck to the lid. The lid had moved itself open, allowing a very upset yet unharmed site manager walk out. They had arms full of papers and blueprints. Disheartened with how this place was totally flattened. He had registered the gods stood there yet only turned around to mutter thanks to the tomb. He shivers intensely upon leaving the area.
"Do you mind?" Sean climbs in peering into the box, "What are you doing here, freak?"
"You ask that to the Tome. It summoned me." The inky broken figure elongated out from the inside and with a large hand gave Sean a place to jump. From the flex of goop, the book in question floats and spat a origami figure. It was clearly talking but it seems only the inky mess was following along, nodding at the odd moment or so, "Well I did tell several Death gods that problem. I can understand the frustration."
"What are you both talking about and does it relate with the folks watching you?" Sean howls, "Just look at this mess."
"Thats his fault." the inky being pointed to the origami figure, "It claims that its because of being mistreated. I say its forgettingfulness and lazy handwriting." The inky mass peers into the three, "I did warn you to make sure your many apprentices didn't upset it." It spoke with pointing at Death, "Orange blossom green tea with honey. A stack of lost sections and eight reccomended books."
"I do recall that... you torn the reality veil to disturb me." Death was hard to read. The inky mass gave nod and posed making point to the paper figure. Sean jumps into mock form. Now standing between the gods and the two fools.
"I feel like I am missing something. There is only three of you... where is four?" Mark noticed.
"The forth that your talking about isn't able to be here. But it being us, he could if he worked it out." The inky mess is punched by the paper, "I know, making a mess of your categories." It posed with going for a prepared punch again, "Besides they are already broken thanks to a certain someone." It was about to connect that next punch and lowers guard, "I pity the poor" punched by Sean before the inks could finish saying it.
"I think I understand our fourths point in our last group meeting. We do need a context giver. You have no sense of common sense around others." The pages punched sean, "Ouch, I meant that for inks." it pets a apology, "please stop."
"Are you always this chaotic?" The god of omens asks.
"That doesn't matter." the inks soon was adjusting the tomb about the place and making sure the thing was intact. Any marks and improvements were being clawed in. The pages exploded into a floating book and has the cover directed as which way it was facing. It watched the ink being doing things or turn at stare with Mark. A sort of glare.
"Alright Omens, you predicted this event which means you know what the problem is."
"Well before I do tell, I wish to ask what the phrase 'Honestly, you would assume any other god like pranks, chaos and injustices would be whom I need to worry about.' meant. I would like to know what it has to do with that kid whom my followers heard it from."
"Must have been a soul flex thing... its rare to happen and means that the problem is something with a boundary." The ink being puts the book into the tomb and closed the lid seal, "That kid happens to be a follower of mine. Because rules are rules, not that my title has anything with this universe."
"Thats very interesting answer." Omens twitched with being lost in his thoughts, "But why did you say it?"
"Likely some other ender is looking for us." Sean suggested, "That last guy snatched through by time tunnel."
"Oh, I know. Does this problem have to do with the lack damned?" The ink asked and the god backed off.
"Yes... but there... different too."
"Clothus... always clothus. They would happen to ask for your name, pose a hand to you and have several servants of abnormal gathering. right?"
"That was very accurate of my vision." The omens god frowned a lot.
"They been mighty slow to get here." The mass of ink huffed, "Nosy and all about rules." The mass sits on the tomb lib, "Other having me present when they do arrive, you should learn from them about the many questions you want to ask. They are not Damned... far form one. They are a multi universe race of interesting souls. They investigate universe to universe law breaks. They are lawful, more so then the Hunters of oath. Their way of practice is how hunters work but they do all the interactive things and hunters are more body scavengers."
"Do they actually exist is the question?" Sean asked.
"They have temporary existence on the spare pages. They flutter as they please... to the headache of us enders."
"Did you just say Ender?" Erebus looks around paraniod. The ink mass stares listless for a while and at glare with the gods. Sean steps breaking this eye staring, cross arms and pouty.
"That's a mistranslation of a nickname." Mark backed, "Thats damned speak for Savior. You're the final reaper, collectively speaking. You have connections with the cursed adviser."
The omens god things deeply about that realization. Given Erebus's follower was higher status this Raven and its all relatively got to do with the mage royal family secrets. There was dotting things together. The late kings strange requests and questions. The queen seeking such powers for something. Slow for even gods to realize it seems. But... there was one thing death isn't ever going to forget.
"Why did you break the law of balance?" Death asked. Omens has finally put it together.
"They had to or that it wasn't them. They only made sure to save them." The god bursted into a murder, leaving instantly to warn his follower. Death stands still, thinking.
"Very interesting. It seems I have missed put on something. Come along, Mark. I have to met these strange fake damned for myself. It will be a lot of fun." Mark had to follow as without Erebus, the realms side affect will take his life.
The inky mess torn a spot for it to leap put of this world with. It finds to be snatched by something from the distortion instead. Sean stands horrified at just how easy his partner was stolen from him. Looking to the tomb opening itself and spiting a small miniature of tome out. A coin fell out, a American quarter. Sean kind of knew what the tome was suggesting.