Knocking is what woke me early then normal. It being the front door and questionable hour for visiting people. I shifted to a human, started warm up a cup of blood to only then answer the door. Not welcoming them in instantly and not letting anyone push through.
"Hey Shurlly…" slurred speech and reeks of drink, "You're living here?" I study this drunk with having met them before, "You. Who are you? Where my shurlly?"
"Sleeping in her room likely. It's 12am. Drinking again?"
"You let me…" does nothing in pushing the door open. I see there is a study of folks coming over to check whats going on, "My girl in there."
"She lives here and is totally asleep. You are drunk and I don't think neither her or myself want a drunk in the flat at these hours." Give this were heard better then the drunks slurr. The folks moved him off gentle to some place as a rest spot. I closed the door and have it locked normal like��� go fetch my now warmed up drink. I come finish the drink and went back to bed for another 4 hours. Waking up normal time and getting better sorted morning routen. Being out of the way of my current room mate's routen. Warming up a second round of blood for myself; reading mail.
"A drunk this morning were asking for a Shurlly. But I would have thought with being so drunk the name of whomever he looked for was slurred in some fashion. They were moved off for now but will return soon."
"How early was this?" she seemed pale.
"12am. I weren't fussed as I have met him before. I expected how to deal with them." She tilted with wonder of how I knew about this duelist fool, "Did he ever tell you the story that he got disarmed by a shapeshifter?"
"Well, yes but I am guess the truth story isn't the same." She sits across from me on the sofa while I setted with the chair in the corner, "Was the wolf that wanted to play fetch with a glove you?"
"I was. I didn't read up the duelling laws at time and further I were still trying to get the hang of where the line between good intent and bad was. Clearly the drunk were the narrow bad side of that scale. Sir Death really did interfere as he was worried things could have escalated but it wouldn't have, I were to playful to tell the difference of if they were serious or not in such duel. Disarmed the foolish drunk in the end and it were called off. I spent the next few days reading laws about duels and were still confused of it all. I understand now with being taught other realms duel systems."
She listened with a sort of laugh with how I shared my side of the story so differently then the drunks. There were parts she could believe with knowing I am a animal shapeshifter and there being a total difference in what the drunk thought I understood of the whole event. She did naturally ask normal questions about how the business was going and what I do with any of the profit. I tell her honest that if goes into rent, unitity of here, the shop floor up keep, the money pot into the community and ever so often into restocking the shop itself. Since trading isn't cheap when leaving the realm for trades. Then the details of what realms I go through and maybe the occasional minor things I pick up from there if not a trade secret about it.
She went on about herself, how she is the avarege reaper the pry souls from corpses and her return back. Found her home in ruins by home land event that couldn't be predictied. Pick up the things she could out the ruins, as kind to turn down my help in fnding anything extra special in the ruins. She claims she has all what matters from out of there. I accepted felling partial to a little cash for here to pick up essential living needs she been going without. Human living need stuff on the odd occasion – I wonder if reapers of the dead needs it too.
This were of course not the case but I felt more human for at least giving her a chance. I didn't any sense of wanting anything back for it from her.
Conversation from this moment interrupeted with a much calmer knocking at the door. I offered to do so getting it. checed the time for anything that be consider arounds from anyone interested in me (not really but I wouuldn't open shop yet either).
"Good morning." I were a little more open with the door this tim but steady with not letting anyone in, "What of any manner?"
"Is she in?" I tilt and waved my room mate over letting her peak.
"Clare!" these two knew each other well and were worried. I invites the group of folks through and have my room locked again. I got to the vault room… it seems my room mate as a her syths on lock to the one free wall. This is fine. It protected as much as my things here. I don't touch her stuff unless it meant moving it to the side a moment to got through things I needed out the storages. Put back when done. All the ring cases undisturbed here. Good. Crystals for my shop alone, check. Nothing out of the ordinary. Mask sense's trace she been the only one around here. Vault door untouched and the salt line was only ruined at the door where she entered. Fine. I have to be careful with is allowed here. Would want her hurt by my collection of oddity.
My mind flickered about the recent payment of the shadow's box. I picked through it all and find not shadow conncetions anymore existing to these items or the box. The storage of the magic to the box were weakening and meant the items were put to my storage. The strange puppet works of the fleshless body costume were perfect for a pure shadow to act like a living in a living realm. I see if such item could be sold off or of my personal uses only. I have to see.
No title connections or rings of signifactes among the money. Trade barter items that only shadows deem trade (curse or bless items hat can't be accepted in law realms outside of hell order or heaven's order). I think I will save them as gifts to the ex-family.
"Hunter? As in the wolf in human shape and has a creepy wolf borther." Something to walked into when going back to clear up any of my mess. The empty drink glass I only use moved away from them ( I don't need them freaking about the blood I drink).
"You have a issue with my room mate?"
"Yes, he took my title."
"This again." Punched in the arm by a friend, "maybe being less drunk and better at hunting could out best the wolf brothers."
They don't even pass awareness of me being here.
"I used a soul cutter on the freak and he blocked it with a bare hand. Nearly chipped the blade."
"Like he wears armour or something." The few laugh as they aren't surprised a hunter of the court wouldn't be armourless on any occasion, "What is it made of anyways?" I see someone notice me around enough, "demon scales or wryren leather?"
"Slayer skins." I voiced gently, "I think I still have the skull of the last one around… somewhere." Mind drifted with hearing someone at the door, "pardon me."
I step to the door and had my mask sneak around to check them out, they were about to knock. Beat them to the punch. They don't really react at the slightest about it. Just looked over my shoulder to the group and back to me. The mute has a way of being more body talk then mouth. I scanned him in wonder and he waved there being no issues. I hum and nod. Let them through.
"You a mute reader?" someone jokes.
"Not everything speaks human languages and not everyone shares the same ways. Creature like myself would be the same if not in a human environment."
"You sure helped with turning down that demon hawk." Messager bird lands to my shoulder with three others on my extras hand. Door closing but paused with stare at a damned under oath. I scan them all the same and does a bow to me. Mask flashed showed about myself and it were about to kneel. I waved about coming in. it does with standing back from everyone.
"Hawks often are misplaced demon types." I spoke regularly open and confused folks, "besides, he had a client message for me. So it was all that was – dispsite the language barrier between your types and theirs." The raven cooes and looked about this group and has hopped about with its friends the the reapers that mattered. The damned was whispering it's needed reasons of being here and what the oath meant. There being a traitor shadow loss among the lower ranks not helping with the floods of these lots homes. Damned being accommodating for those whom lost homes but not lives. Another note of teaching the new ones from this event. I had guess this were all connected with the names Death asked of me to watch over.
"I understand, Mask. Settle now." they nod and do settle. I even offered something of a food to them and they thanked me for it, "Most of this isn't much my business to get into yet it sounds very fortunate your all well. I am terrible sorry you all lost homes in the events but I understand that I haven't much power or way of being of any help then what have already could provide."
"Wow, you mind reader?"
"No. I have sharper senses and speak other outside languages. This includes bird and damned." I clarified, "Please do not enter my room. I have thing in there that aren't to be tampered with. It's hard to sale fragile crystal types would touched by non-educatde in the craft." Backed off, "I mean well that it wouldn't hurt you but cilents are pushy for quality."
"You would happen to sale demon heart crystal?"
"as in the real crystalize heart or the common naming of the blood crystal."
"Ugh, common?" I step to the other room and picked up the box of this, "You're the curostiy shop owner." This dawned on them.
"Yes, it be open in a hour."
"And your not in a rush to the elevators?"
"No. I am a shapeshifter whom flies well. It will take me 2 minutes to get there, not a rushing." I muttered on with the average pricing would be from the crystal stall that buys this from me for their stock and that I were of the exact price as thiers. Not being a competion were the point of it. The price was settle and the amount was passed over at the same time as cash. Items dropped instantly into my shadow, my mask putting it away. The shadow makes it comment as the others laughed about the magic trick.
I was a moment in focus with how the box was being put away, not dodging a punch thrown at me. The contact of the punch were made, like fist hitting a brick wall then skin. Way to statue stiff to even move, not even any recoil about it. The reaction following was the punch thrower whimpering like a drunk often would. Yet in being hit, it took way longer to work out what just happened then it should have.
"Not bothered even by a punch to the face."
"Yeah, not even a soul cutter bothers my room mate. He told me his view of what he believe happened." My flat mate standing up for me, a very human taking side thing. Sort of stacking each other.
"I really don't care about that or what had just happened. You humans with pack order is werid – as I weren't offended to begin with." The stare following to me. I slowly take in everyone comments and stood a prolong silence of listening. I even showed no interest to this conversation muttering on between them.
"You on edge or something?" I disagree to the question and clicked something back in the collar bone joints around both shoulders. Clicked the left wrist joint. Back to normal with movement again.
"The traitor affects use all." The damned hissed, "Must be found." I nod with such comment and peered with focusing into the normal level sounding ones. I looked to the time and make the mask do the final packing rounds of things. The group were watching me leave, nosy with how I would shift. But a did a transitional illusion to not keep them out with my form taking, coiled out a snake and shirnk to a little bird. I fluttered a few times testing if flight is wise with joint issue. No. Slide into a reptile shape, crawled out the mail box. Climbed through the railing and were paused by the nightmare.
"With joint issues, flight is became painful temporally. You understand, right?" he picked me up with his feet and flew down through to the bird section. Birds having a debrief of the morning rights. I got off and gave him free meat on the house for once. He nods in thanks and eats away.
I fixed up my shelving of stocks make a rings count and check. The names scribed into the memorial books and the missing types noted. Human side opened on time and I delayed in orders bird meat today. Shoulders not having anything of it. I ended up used my other rows of arms that are weaker then my main pair… and doesn't help the stares I get about this notice in extra arms from no where trick.
The time flies through into the after noon, the birds don't have anything for me bt are very well aware that I am not myself today. They have some sticking around to watch over me, for safety on their part? I can't really tell, a sort of both ways thing.
"Hunter, are you doing alright?" one of the stall trader regular.
"I came back from my restocking hunt yesterday and since my main shoulders haven't been the same. I could only guess it were after the few fights I had to put up with and the hollowed worm I rangled." I sigh, "How about you friend? Business well since I left?"
"Same old, nothing much exciting. Only the flood of homes causing repears to live temporary here has cause a inflex of extra food an drink sales. Not many want spell things or rare items." I made him pause with pulling out a box of new gems and showing as a bulk sale, "nice… what realms?"
"One realm, neutral territory, dead realm souls only. No tainting of blessing or curses." I picked one to show, "they are alignment reacting." I go through the spectrem of colouring that I can see of it, "Unless my eyes are one backwards as often they seem to be."
"Wow, how do you change agliments like that?"
"I sit at that edge of questions, that's how." Away it goes and tap the box, "I have three of these boxes. I say they be worth a lot for their properties of magic flow, clariy mix, rarity for this market and being a quartez type." Eyes sparkled at the box and at me, "1937… thousand. Heaven."
"90653 hell."
"8895 current."
"1864"
"8890"
"Hey!" I were interrupeted with this deal. It has eyes turned to the shouter, "I am trying to rob the store here." a soul cutter on my throat, "open the displays and put the rings in…" I let the syth seem to cut and got closer closed the box. I had all the light in the store turned off for one moment. I pin locked all the thieves put all the stolen goods to the side, weapons next to that. The light goes back on and there I am staring right through them as they are tighted to the floor ankles on each other and hands to the front. Back flat on the floor.
"Robbing a store like this must seem a joke right?" I repeated what they were saying from before they walked in, "look how its full of birds that do nothing but focus on food and one disable guy man dealing the desk. Wow, look at them very rare crystals. Scrap that john, look at the rings. We make a fortune."
"Hunter, off." Local law keepers. I backed off as I were told. They take statements of what happened from everyone but me. They understood I follow laws to the book better then anyone often. They check through what were stolen from other stalls and have that taken away. The bits that were mine, I reshelved and all the birds stared at the folks being taken away, "Have a good day."
I nod and clicked my shoulder back in joint again. Go back around to the counter again.
"Impressive for having your… ugh." One arm picked up off them floor and handed over to me, "You alright to be working?"
"I will be, this issue has it's fix." I clicked it back into joint, "I am hopping it gets better when things settle down. It's not illness or lack of anything. Just difficult times and growing issues." I have the three boxes out and checked, "88890."
This amounted was counted out in front of me and all sorted away to the till. He has someone whom works for him take it over to their stall.
"Was there anything else you were interested in? I don't know if there were any rare stones you be looking for. Hands in a lot gems since my return."
"Hell embers?"
"No, to hot bring back and containment issues. I can still fetch gravel amount or a shoe pebble… it still burn a hole through me." We laugh with this, "I not up for a outside trip since having issues with my arms. I will only do so if I needed to." He sighs, "You don't need to stress about it. It was my jaw last month." He thinks about it really hard and realized that being true, "It should sort out soon, or else." I have my second set of arms swap around, "see I have been hiding my extras anyways. They need the stretch." Nods impressed.
"I hope you get well soon Hunter. We as traders missed having your place to visit. You really do have a curoisty of wonders out of no where here." Does a nod of leave and I were onto looking at the displays and checking counts again. I have my under counter rings count added too and the dark boxed ones. The hidden god gift sets. Nothing out of normal.
"Hunter." I stood back up and study the next person, "You doing alright?"
"I will be fine, no worry. Just overworking or something." This was easy trade, "45." Small amount.
"I wanted a closer look one a ring you might have. From a hell realm but not a demon ring or a status one." I lingered with thinking about the normal rings I have too. Showing over to that set, "None of these… the gem in it is powerful."
"colour of stone?"
"green emerable." I pointed over to the wall of assassin rings in just checking, "None of them."
"Right, then if this ring is a spell or deity type; I want to know that such ring is going to the ring type of person." This customer shows her arms and healed temporarily my shoulder to my left, "I see, avatar? Puppet for the god or god?" asked for my hand, "No soul saling." I say with feeling what they do and I am should the area they come from and whom the ring was going to, "Ah, very well. Yes." I moved my hand off before my mind was read of my thoughts of how I found it, "Sorry for your loss and sort of not. Gods find death more a flu then well death. Lost meaning, you know?" she pouted oddly with that comment, "right... ring." I lowered with rummaging about mask stepped around watching the shop. My head back up with the ring and I am squared with new faces, "Your not whom I was just talking to." I blinked a while wih seeing they are just guards protecting her from me or my mask, "Anyways, ring." I showed the three alike and they let her see them, "Again, I am sorry to be the barrier of bad news. I don't know what happened to those whom worn these rings and if all parished or not. All I do know is that the rings were… fished out of… somewhere."
"You found them yourself?"
"I often do. This realm nicknamed me hunter and I have very well ranged clients. Humans, gods and even the few nightmares. Not forgetting the exotic feasting carriers here. I hunt normal meats sensebily or respect the wishes where needed. I cross rings from lost folks, the odd body part left laying around or stomach contains of meat delicacy." She frowned, "Nature is special to every realm and breaths life and death as oxegyen to carbon. I just happen to find the bodies on my way around the place."
"I heard your were the court hunter for here."
"yes, I am. Any rings gathered for a trial or related offences are collected for testing. Say murder, it's properly filed, reported and justice is met accordingly. Your rings aren't from corpses; I said I weren't sure of the survival of those folks. It's questionable to say the least of if they were or were not or happen to fall into tradgic weather conditions (according by the realms nights being full of death eaters)." She turned pale in such shock, "I am not sure I am fit to be tracking anything at the moment but want to help in a moral sense." She see the arms and the extra holding the main set on, "I can at least share where I found them… but even a goddess or her avatar mustn't. A terrible place there."
"We believe you." Another stepped up, "Looking for something of like that but blue gems."
"Lapiz?" he nods and out those are locked to the counter, "Here is the same place and same case."
"We expected that. That was the Wrath valley, right?"
"It's whatever you lot believe to call it. I don't often hear the names of places I visit through hunting. Just there laws really."
"If death eaters were the cause of their missing, where or how the rings?"
"Wraths are a good supply for things you wouldn't think or dream of trying." I take out a reel of skins, "very good spell parchment for reversal death curses, mimic casting and whatever else the craft of spell community does with it." I sink it back, "You can take these rings on the condition of trade. I want something you considered a junk item or of no worth to you at all." They all looked to each other, have someone snatched over here. They bowed with taking out items fit for that. Rare as I expected. Collected and bow with this in agreement.
"How did you umm… skin the eaters?"
"Like most things. You to ask how I got them to stop moving?" this nod, "Ah, I have trade secrets. My methods of hunting exotic material, meat or stock isn't to share. Not even to you lot. It to dangerous in telling you to used the method or even going there. I would prefer to hunt on your behalf, when I am fit to."
"Yes, you have a very scary case of losing arms and growing more."
"That's a shapeshifter, they could be anything."
"That maybe true, but my arms will have to argue. Without my main stronger ones, I am flightless and aching."
"Flightless?"
"bird, mut, wolf, man… mimic. Damned. Anything sort of human. Nightmare. This list goes on a while. But I am usually either hawk, man or wolf." I get poked towards and I step back from touch, "I mean no harm. Just a trader in business like this."
They give up from here, left a little extra and go leve the shop. I cycled through more normal folk, tired out from being on the feet all day. On closing hour, I had another attempted robbery be tied down. picked up by the law keepers. Thanked me for the catch. I collected everything, didn't carve anything or make up charm stock today. Not low of it yet.
"Hunter!" grabbed at the clothing collar, "What is wrong with you?" shakes me for a while and stopped, "You punched my lover."
"Me punch? I got punched this morning by a drunk. Threatened to be robbed twice. Dealt with touchy god clients. Me? Why would I punch someone? I would have kicked instead or do nothing but floor pin them." This woman in disgust dropped me to the floor of my shop and I had to pick up five of my arms off the floor and into storage. She sneered at me for the arms prank she thinks in her head.
"I have you sued and have the court hunter on you."
"I am the court hunter, crazy madam." I stand back up, "Just having a terrible day today. Now I am getting used over a punch that didn't happen."
"What a fibber?" she goes to strike at me. I may have backed off from it but the locals around interfered with her. Held her from me. I don't run or anything, "Get off me, this fibber claims…"
"Sam!" wow, someone among the reaper's I haven't met, "What is wrong with you? Why would a animal punch someone on impulse? In fact, maybe before making claims. You should hear out the carrier ravens that been there all day." The lady was let go and the bird all had there chances of giving information about the entire day I had. Word to word of what I said already and even further proved me to be a bird and humanoid hunter. Boss bird even cooes in over all the rest with facts of past events of where violence around me never turns out at all of any retaliation or murder from me.
"Hunter, are you alright?" hey, little apperantice of boss is here. He ran out of something… ugh. My guess would be black sands.
"Not really but you worry about study." He looked at how I lacked arms, "Side affect from off realm travels. They be all well soon." He seems worried for me too. I don't get it. I try to be normal. They just don't see it, "Did you need something? Ran out of sands or ink?"
"I was hoping to caught you for more black sand… but see lady mist got a temper on you."
"She thinks he punched the towns drunk." The new face decant ranking voiced, "so far, given you interactions. The claims must be real of this being the court hunter and shop staller here."
A long silence seemed odd but it the expressions painting word here. The slight warning of not upsetting me and there being maybe truth in what the birds said about me.
"How did you tell I weren't a humanoid?" I had to ask, "I get the extra arm thing is a give away but most think of me a nightmare or whatever else."
"It's the fact that the bird act natural around you where they are duty bound around humanoids." Makes sense, "further points would be the extra appearing limb and pale look."
"Pale?" I pondered, yes. I happen to have my mask mimic my face at the moment, "Right, pale. Side affect you know. I should have considered another rest day before throwing myself into shop work…"
"You keep saying that but your aware that illness is real." I didn't want to reply as I would consider thinking if my practices to keep clean during hunts weren't enough. The only time I were covered and possible infected would be my food chain. My food is often fine enough. But as that damned warned me, the traitor is affecting us all.
"Always careful but I guess sometimes not enough. Whatever this isn't contagious to anything else around me anyways."
"Not to the bird?"
"I hope not. I will be told off by boss bird." I get that nodding glare from boss bird. This followed with it understanding I would and have cleaning meat practices and cook meat where always necessary… it even get all confused in how wrapped up well I am at keeping the shop spotless.
"Hygiene is one of your law keeping things." The apprentice voiced, "anyone passing through many terror out of realm must be always cleansed to interact with that area. The very law of existence would have prevented spread or even contact to those realms. Difference between a visitor, a walker and a phantom."
"Good job but I thought you missed out some of that."
"I wasn't going to faf about item tainting and laws of laws." Cleared of all charges and this suing me thing wiped off. The very idea that I had anything against the drunk was very through out the window. Some other group of rowdy talkers told the truth of whom really punched whom. That the truth was the punch was dealt by a friend after I left from being punched in the face this morning.
"See, blinded by false rage. If this creature was going to react like an animal; they would have bitten, strangled and just maybe kill. Since their temperament isn't up to hurting us; I would think them walking out of there was the most human and lawful correct thing to do." Arm budged and the fighter pouts at the guess that I weren't the issue, "By the way, can I make a contract promise of anyone hired to kill you have it sorted out non-lethal like."
"Not an issue, you seem reasonable and I would be surprised that your getting into any trouble yourself."
"Well no, it seem any associate this little snow flake is death threatened often." I make no comment and nod. Out with a ledger and checking names, turned pages and added her on the no touch list while I am at it. I have a few personal one's I would want to kill; they too added here. book away pick up a arm and away too. I clicked joints back and rest the look of arms to a normal standard.
"Wow, that is interesting. You carry everything on you or something?"
"I was just closing shop… leave nothing precious to be stolen. Even the barrel of brid offerings and notes. Not that I would imagine anyone of you reading bird." I clicked back a back joint and sighed with the joint issues. I have a paper out and have blood dripped on it. This were the locate the damned that is the traitor for murder deal. For many around, the paper is blank and the blood sort of just disappeared on it. What I see if a negative photo of the area and realm this traitor is.
"Right, so what with the paper?" I finished watching it and plastered it to my back like a press bandage, "Ok. Never mind." They have whimper whiny dragged off else where out of my shop. I fixed things up here. finished cleaning it all up. At pausing to click joints.
"You know a cure for your joint issues?" the nightmare asked.
"Often isn't more a external force issue then my body doing any issue with itself." I spoken in nightmare tongue, "Damned across the realms are all having issues and they are hunting for a traitor among them. Normal one aren't able to use their storage or doors. The cost of use has risen to high. For use of title, we physically suffer something. The scary types are those that loss sanity or mental thought. Plaguing naturally has terrible feeling ghosts."
"Sheesh, all because of what?"
"one broken a very important law, a key law. Key laws aren't to be broken. Doing so breaks many among the race." I clicked all around again, "It's been hard to pretending not being monster. Especially today. I am mentally well but my body can't stay physically formed." I took the mask off, "even my face has to been hide today." The nightmare moved away and I put the mask back on, "I should step in now. This is getting worse."
"You're leaving like that?"
"I will taking short leave, looking as I should have been… no false looks. But I wouldn't dare that here. These folks are too normal or kind. They don't need a freak showing out of thin air. It's one of the laws and why your not visible to everyone here."
"Wow, that a law? I didn't realize it were and that I been following it." Very impressed with this thought of keeping laws not realizing it. Yet it's often the second nature for those of outcast realms to stay hidden and unaware of their horror. It's why there this two way misunderstand between those of victims and those that think themselves as the victim. The monster don't realize they scare folks and the folks scared of not understanding them. Quite a circle.
"Fundamental or key laws are to universally protect those innocent and unaware."
Turned of only a blank white mask and a thin ghost body of starved human suffering shape. Lowered through into shadow, crossing over by the shadowed paths and sneaking around many sanity lost ones lingering here. Collecting the broken few to heal and stopped to hell for them to be placed to good health.
Back through the path dimming into distorted tear of light with crossing the place that the trail of the traitor has been. Sneaking as if part of the walls, fading through the walls and doors. Slow steady steps, sprinkled seconds at a time. As f a breeze, I twirled shapeless over the edges and mimic things.
Eyeing them passing from a door to the next; they are wary glare twitched in them.
"What's wrong shadow?" that be why they broken laws… they were tricked into a terrible contract of handing over their name and life to some noble Clothus. The shackles of this contract has this damned soul pleading to be found while the mind has to pretend to be scared of hunters like me. This pair walked into a insane damned, a fight that left the insane dismembered across the path's floor and dripping of ink black voided blood. Another soul I saved off this floor and another tossed safe out of this way. A more experienced hunter of traitors had manages to cut the Clothus but is almost left dismembered. I helped them and lead them away… back to the path and played it as my turn.
I blinded them and lead them into a trap of many hungered damned… they know nothing until their eyes sighted over the drooling semi-formed bodies. A long glare for waiting for a reaction. The door was shattered by me and I broken out into my origrinal form, eyes set on the traitor only. The damned all turned at me; backed away from me.
"No you will not." The Clothus stepped between me that this traitor, "I will behaed you!"
"Oh, really?" I spoken flatly, "What a shame on you Clothus? However will you protect that whom begs?" I broken out of shapes and snapped form to become larger and all the more I glared into this fool, "Tell me, Clothus. In what law allows you a ticket to ruin another's soul? Even servants in a Clothus contract are untouched at soul. How dare you break that line." The damned looked between each other and then turned on the Clothus and his poor servant, "How dare you!"
"I demand a duel, slayer."
"Why would I trust a traitor and a criminal? Cheats the both. Hard to see whom is which the traitor and the criminal." The damned stepped around closer in fighting at them, "Why would these around me even believe in that? They aren't of my command but their own will." The Clothus were torn to sunder, in meaty clothed blooded strains. This ashes the damned in service. I collected the souls to be thrown to the path of chooses. Crawled back were the damned, off to recorded back their minds and remove these pain. I collected the bits here and noted them in my personal records. I go back to the reaper realm. I turned back a mock human, holding a cut of my left arm.
There were praise by the damned I may have passed on my way but the few did when they witnessed how. I pass through the gates and pass the extra checks as the flood were still having the extra folks around. I make stop to my shop, it being late hours and not open hours. I just sensed there were something I felt I missed there in passing. Walking in and finding everything empty as it should be and not really anyone around.
I just sort of picked a spot, seat down on the floor… and were next minute making up the lack of charm stock. Bone carving, cleaning and polishing. Making instruments or whistles based of other realms design. Haunting to say the least, being alone in a quite place of no one. Left to one's thoughts and asking the life questions.
The one question I find myself asking is; have I been a good dog? I cry a little to the denial the twisting in me, that sense of guessing this were what others thought of me and all was made wise with reflecting what sort of creature I am. This dilemma should mean I am to be that natural evil god eater that I became or was in fact what I am meant to become something better then what I seemed.
It sort of clicked in with wondering how those children were now that they weren't ate by demons. Wondering if my humans I had loved were safe. A prayer on those friends that meant well and felt sorry to see me leave heaven like that. My public faces on the surface didn't seem to care for how I looked yet deep in my mind. I worried about how they all judgement in my humble shop. Bird with judgemental thoughts while being simpletons. Yet then I here judging them… shameful right?
I stopped with looking at my hands I been using to work down these bones and stones. My real skin, darker then night yet yielding more stars then that of the living worlds sky. Scales like this would make so many rich… they would skin me for riches if anyone know my real colouring.
Makes me fear the day when I really would need help, if someone used a weakness I hadn't learned of myself. How they avoided talking about my race in the detail they know, was it fear I one day hate them for protecting themselves?
Time passes real past like; morning shops were opening and I just acted indifferent to it all. Shelving it all back up and open door. Waiting for orders or just hoping the local birds hop by. They do as normal; boss bird tweeting on about issues and fixing up the packing order of birds. Those on break from night shift eating away at the raw worms today. I may have stood back watching the birds in daydream; even when being watched by my door way by someone.
"Hunter, right?" They stepped through looking around the shop. A pause from a few things on the shelf. I stood and looked to this angel… rare, "Ugh, I have terrible news." Was passing a box. I pet the surface sensing the contain… being confuse I look to the names carved to it, "the family your previous life… I were told by the general to inform you of there…" I waved them to shut up.
Twisted of raw confusion.
I just couldn't speak. It's not that I misunderstood, I knew. Here they are feathers and ashes. This message giver has a second box of personal items put to the side of me. I bowed in thanks and just could help but cradle the box.
So torn up, I needed to sit down. My chest hurting and just sunk down all that moment lower. Just sitting and petting a box. The only calm I find were to stay mute and prayer.
My mask dealt with listening to folks or other normal things. It keep my other mind distracted from it. The denial persisting that everything is the same as it had always been.
Things are normal.
It be ok.
"Hey…" I must have freaked someone out with the commotion there suddenly was for a moment. Looked at the clock, time escaped me. It's like noon now. In any case, I swapped figures. Box to the shadow that sits back down. The box of personal items moved under the till.
"Uh…" folks moving back around to the till with death's letter of request. They were shaking with handing it over. I took it just well with a nod and have a proper read through. Pulled out items from shadow with another hand as I were reading them. Packing into a bag with other arms. Weighting out sand by shadow… it stood at the scale looking at the amounts it poured. Still cradled the box.
"We wish to look for a Clothus ring." I paused completely all still like. I processed the thoughts of many possibility and continued 'normal'.
"You alright hunter? I glad your arm issue is all fixed." The apperantice among them, the youth had me think of better times and happier memories. Freezing up a moment and then nod. Back to a sort of normal. There is a tell that I was going to say something and choose not to. The bag order fixed and passed to him. I got the log of rings out… I counted in and do realize there is a ring I have of someone I really just murdered not so long ago. I don't add it with being watched here.
"He has been out of it since he got news of some close family members all passing off from second life. Let the Mut have time to settle before speaking." I am glad boss bird understood it, "If anything, I don't see why you continue running shop today." Directed to me and I just nod all the same. I looked up the Clothus with trying to pick out what they were likely asking for.
"ring." I managed out of me. I pointed to all the Clothus rings on display from those under counters to the wall of common ones. They looked through and were picking some of them out to take. Rings packed into a bag too. I totalled the amount that the Clothus alone need to trade back to me.
"How's this for covering cost?" a large chuck of fear stone… make that four of them. I tap each in teaching them for real… yes.
"These are fear stones… nice right?" I looked in study of those doing this bargain and glare with wondering what's the trap here, "Wow, you got some terrifying glare there." They backed off and I looked at the stones again.
"Taken from…" I waved about not wanting to know, "Oh? Not interested in their origin. They are good trade right."
"If only you knew." I commented, "I don't need the gossip. These are fine and authentic. I am sure where they formed wasn't far from tragic events." I pat one and sunk it to shadow, "Was there anything else that isn't my soul for sale?"
"Sheesh, you're a tough one to read."
"If you really wanted to mind read me, you be in a coma for weeks. A not needed event, Clothus prince. You should wear less gold or shiny bits and be less a fool. Makes harder to be targeted by sicko assassins out there." I tilted, "So have a safe journey and I hope your true home isn't out for murder too."
"Creepy." They comment, "And how are you aware of our system?"
"120 chapters. There are six books. Most a lot of loop hole business crap. Yet I read." I stood a little less stiffly, "Not really something to put one to sleep reading with jargon that requires three dictionaries to get it."
"You a court hunter too then?"
"Yes, and your realm has this nice spot with for fools that break outside laws. Isn't that interesting? Maybe a prince might learn to fix some wrongs before ending up like living are."
"Your going to have a execution for insulting me."
"Sure… it be nice to feel alive again." I spoke so hollowed and just acting normal again. Forced normal that didn't look it but were. Putting away things, ignoring folks to serve the few birds or clean up. Back around to the desk and long pause of waiting.
"I hope you feel better soon, Mut." The apprentice to see light where I don't see any. A good child and still innocent.
Learning mind. I bow a goodbye with him and see this was all they waited for. Muttering about the events of a recent venture… it had me snap my tongue in place. Shriving to tell them honestly what I thought of such poor treatment.
"Karma laws, mut." That damned under oath around here, "Leave them at it."
"Very true." I sighed with letting go, "I maybe should take myself to court for the event of that… the… well."
"You're the one that dealt with the traitor?" it asked.
"I hissed at the Clothus that owned them… let them be taken under revenge laws of past servants of that Clothus. I haven't had the moment to reflect such a crime I committed; blinding them and tricked them into a trap."
"You're a god eater?"
"Is that what the damned call that face?" they nod, "I should be a god eater. Yet I refuse to eat souls, those I murder are each a special case. My food is my year trip outside the nightmare realm to go worm fishing." They pulled a disgusted expression but there is reflection of thought towards such ethics I were facing, "I can't just eat anything. I just about speak every language I met; although not a fluent speaker or speech maker at all. When bad or wrong happens; I suffer hearing those souls asking." I froze up, "normal realms would be haunting to live around. Worse has to be I given myself such a duty that requires every fibre to not retaliate at the wrong beings. Guarded laws." I sigh.
"You're a very good being despite our race."
"It's my race that refuse…" I could speak again as just going back to those facts hurt more then pain would ever. Even my shadow side took the mask off and thrown it to shatter across the floor in front. Forced into a knee in pains I just weren't expecting to have at all.
"I am sorry for your second loss." The damned was leaned over to continue speaking, "A lot of us damned have been there. You're not alone in pain like that."
It had me back up again and I stare in study with them for a while. They were being human… despite knowing my race. A bit of humanity I needed and I thanked in bow.
"Was there something you needed?" I asked in changing to a normal language and made birds flutter with the sudden noise from me, "Want one?" I offered a fear stone and they nod. Pay fair for it. picked up a few extras. Fair there. Left to shadows. I guess it put me into wonder of what their story or deal was. If they been in my shoes before or something.
"Say…" another customer and a normal one at that. A outsider or out realm; clothes and smell say it. They been looking at the rings and slide around towards me, "Know a Sir Kingfisher?"
"No."
"Really?"
"I have no clue to what or whom you mean. You have to describe them."
"Don't know about looks, not much different to say about a commoner looking Clothus. Yet his a right up there in all in mighty when it comes to owning servants. He were last known location before collaring a damned… well details."
"Right, I sort of see where you getting at there. You looking for him?"
"Yes."
"Any particular reasoning?"
"Client only business."
"Such a person was crossed on the last venture out of here or should I say a terrible… scene to had walked on." I study them for if they could be a damned and I added in a mutter in damned. Sort of the 'traitors are to be hunted by damned laws, you know?' Poker face but I be sure made the oath damned shiver as it stepped out with sighing.
I clearly went to it with shrugging about if this really being a Clothus need to know deal. It too found this grey blurred to question it. Now that it were clear I could have a telepathic talk at the damned, this investigating nosy being backed off a little.
"What are you?"
"Just another among many, a very rare in a lot of departments. When there been talk of a Clothus that tricked a damned. It makes me scared of my safety too. You must not have understood, damned are isolated types. Beyond basic thoughts of which they are rumoured to have." I tilted at them, "Look, there is a lot of things I could or couldn't tell. I don't trust a Clothus, their race has a horrid reputation. I don't need to be stuck in someone else's mess that haven't anything to do with me."
"Oh, right. So you a secret damned or something?"
"No a lot of folks or birds know. Those that do don't speak about it anyways nor understand. You don't either." He snared with some defeat, "This Clothus your looking for is dead. That much is truth that can't be a secret. There was quite a grey area of where to ask what laws matter anymore when one breaks a fundamental one." This is written down and the oath damned nods. A further adding to making these words authentic, "If you're a court hunter, you have one very misfortune Clothus that picked very wrong." He paused to look at us both, "maybe one day, the damned will make a legal court case for that law of enslavement to not include the damned. There is nothing worse then making a damned suffer more then what is already a rock bottom low."
"I see. Um… your right, this were a court case with him being the suing part of the case. My client which is a lord demon wanted to find where this no show were."
"Dead. Very dead. You can say that the circumstances fell into a desperation to follow the revenge laws. I was a witness but I wish never to be claimed or put forwards for anything. To be a forgotten face. This would ruin my cover here. Living here." The investigator looked at his notes and understood. He puts it as something picked from a anomaly damned under a different oath. He put a bill down for payment for the information. Leaves. The damned creeping back to no where. I stared about the human side being all empty of anyone. The slow in crows around here. Boss bird not being around here at all – must have moved off some time ago.
"Hunter, hunter, hunter!" flew in and landing with a letter in there beak… bird with instant note message. Boss needs me. I collected everything up here, place empty. Both ashes and personal items in a place of my shadow.
My mask hugging them for comfort. I touched the paper and it turned with my current alignment. I hide whatever it truly was from watching eyes. Altered shape into my iconic black feathered hawk. Give a few fluttered checks, making my most expensive or important stock come with me. Hovered out the door in truly paraniod checks and flutter up a few times to a better climbing up pattern.
I am worried my joint are to given in like they do. Flew following up the stairs today. Took three breaks to get there. Land to the banister and converted to a small black furred kitten. Anyone would say I sassy walked my way around but that was how a cat shows it's sorrow. Jumped to the desk edge and huffed about all this work today.
"I don't think you really should accept this one, hunter. Todays been a tough one for you." Boss bird looking out for me.
"Yet it's a chance to visit heaven for me."
"Hmm… I already know. The death toll there been… devastating to say the least. Enough to form unnatural things to angels." The visitors looked at me and even the message giver from this afternoon stepped to look to me.
"My condolences as this seems to have hit your personally court hunter." This be the general… met them before.
"Did you ever find them to tell them my message, angel?" the general blinked a while, "I don't blame you not remembering, heaven's time is quite a tricky to compare. Yet knowing if they did or not, no matter the answer. I just want to know."
"You're shadow, aren't you?" he asked, "I remember only slightly. I told those I could at the time."
"Then that's all I needed to know. I know their gone again. Thank you for bring them to me." Even death moved away from me with this comment, likely my low mood has put the god at edge of worrying about being ate or something.
"This is to ask you to work out what happened to them."
"Done it before. It's not a issue. It may in fact help with coping." I sit up, "Make me feel closer to them when there are so gone." Ear backed and fluffed about it, "I hope it's not a repeat of how they died the first time." I get a strange looks, "Ah, that's not reported or had been forgotten too. Is it a little odd that a entire family of a name all died together… time taken from them to early, not meant to have been put into the books yet. Just how well knitted they were despite it being angels, demon and three Clothus. A very odd affair… throw me in the mix and there as to be something bad about it." they all looked at me like I were the one hiding everything, "Well whatever. I do what I can."
"Say what about this family?"
"Most of them died where they shouldn't have. I save three from the event… died doing so. As a ghost I stayed with my favourite." I went all silent, "But before all that. A outsider of the living realm had plotted and tampered with the water boiler and gas stove. They wanted them all died… At the time, even then I had the sight to see the dead. I thought it normal with Nana there that a repear would follower her. But then they realized more names were being added in, they notice I could see them. Told me, I had a few minutes. And I did. Father and youngest son out of all danger. My favourite, her youngest sister and myself impaled by glass or shrapnel… in the house all char bits. I died immediately from the glass through my stomach and ribs. Ghost phantom pain even now to this day. As spirit, I stayed with my favourite. My human made it to hospital… 4 days. She left as spirit and forgot to take me with her."
"How did you cross over then?" the apprantice asked.
"I stayed in the human hospital as spirit… protecting the children really. They were being taunted by demons and I had to ate those to protect the children. Never souls though. I liked watching them leave and made the ghost children happy to watch the light go away too. The grins they made… " I tilted with thought, "Some other normal repear offered to write me in and cross over. I sort of just walked a lot then. Found my humans now spirited sorts in heaven. Talked… I don't like remembering that conversation. It started out all nice and play and happy. I left anyways, which is the point. I walked more and ended up listening to some very wise advice from one them bird carriers. Ended up here due to that."
"You're a very honest and good soul." The general commented, "But I guess you been banned from heaven stay for not the murder of demons or any deed you may have hide. I hear your no longer a spirit dog and policy wouldn't allow your race in."
"You weren't fibbing when you stated about being homeless in or conversation back then." This has been a rare moment of insight to the angels for death to make that comment towards me, "You were honest and very…"
"I were prepared to find ways of moving on if I could settle here. I warned you that turning down could have lead to terrible. Give up really was the after thought. I don't have that anymore… yet I guess those anxiety issues creeps in often. I picked a job that allowed me to study laws, scared of breaking them, scared of being left behind again."
"Last words from them were terrible ones. They shouldn't never have told you down like that. You had capacity of understanding if they had explained it being laws there."
"Yet, I don't consider myself a public threat. In spite of what you all think of me. I haven't ate a soul and never will. I don't like how they scream, plead or cry. I don't like out right murder, I couldn't cope that before."
"Before what?"
"I still can't stand it." Moving off the subject of recent events, "Some demon took their life before and now it's an investigation into see if this is the same one." I do feel drained emotionally to just be left all empty. I can't express anything… like I am broken from to much emotion and just feel eaten by it all, "Your turn to tell what you know."
I guess what was instead offered photos and reports of what witnesses say did happen. Their system as these very skill angel spies to watch the public on the edges of gates or around abnormal folks that been reported in or seen. One among them was killed during this and so were many more. The family weren't the only ones. What felt like a natural drastic change in the flooring below them (earthquake?) had only affect one spot. A circle of the radius… that's the same measurement here form the flood of reaper that came to live in this building. Is there a gate trying to be instated between them or has there been a tare into the paths. Well the shadow path was broken when I killed that traitor. The humans done this? Prayer or belief? Internet?
"I see." Finished reading, "There is a lot of place that might be connected to all this. It's only now hit the heavens. Next hitting���" I froze and shifted to a bird and waved the attention of the nightmare, "I need you to go watch the nightmare realm but be careful. A event is about to happen that shifts the flooring in a circle. Be safe and I promise you I give something in return."
"Deal." Off he went and I watched as he does. When totally through I go back to the desk out with paper and making net of the realm hit. The boss bird gets it and flew to go ask the carriers of realms of this same disaster.
"This event isn't just heaven." The angels muttered.
"No and the connect realm around heaven are about to be next." I then detailed how from what I gathered from other realms and things of how they talked of this occuaring event. This makes a lot of folks uncomfortable, "so, this is all I do know until I get some birds and a nightmare back."
"Nightmare?" yeah the angels haven't any ways of contacting or knowing about them.
"You lot don't need to care, focus with this. This is the same radius as a summoning circle. The last time anything is large was created was Stonehenge by humans. So we have to look for something circler for some ritual purpose of being in any neutral territory. Hopefully connected to all these realms. The second or third scenario would be the collision or creation of a realm pushing into place thus creating this slide… yet very small for that and that required a whole realm shift over."
"Where do you read all this?" the apprentice asked me.
"When reading into laws and trying to understand why they have odd occurring closed circumstances. I end up look at the local newspapers of the time around the law was made or a dictionary for the meaning term of the word." I blinked at them, "Clothus are the total weirdos with the laws around if their sky ceiling was ever to give way to the the entire realm. Separate chapter of laws made for anyone surviving it."
"Clothus have a realm?"
"Keep up, it's 2018 for the humans of the other side of the coin." Bird friends to add to the list of place affected and eight coming back with nightmare… whom reported the it already occurred and the birds being reps of reapers that are currently reporting the toll, "This be great harvest for gems… anyways. Nightmares are pretty much as far on the edge of nothing as I could believe. At worth they hit the alternate reality next door or something we haven't understood or discovered."
Work is spread to those not busy of their normal duty and the rush to have names added all goes on instantly bird off to their places and repears that had returned are checking in with books. A reaper among them fell during the shake of one the realms… their sythe and book were brought here but they are off to be sorted by the correct folks for here. death's of a second life happens naturally here. it's like a second living life and feels all the more natural to the systems here.
"What if it were a collapse of a realm and so it's existence is only recalled by this change of lands?" smart cookie but needs a little more homework but so do I with my theories too. Death himself picked up and prepared for leave. As these events across realms connected together is going to be reported into the gods from all over. His apprentice is told to do the same. Angels take leave. I frozen up with trying to swallow in the reality.
Everything happening and I haven't even grieved properly. I jut locked up myself and now I don't have time to grieve.
"I should ask you to come but they well fight you if they are aware of your race."
"I will not be a bother. Send me a bird for when you need them to shut up." I bowed and sunk about following to go to the banister. Shifted to a hawk, but there sitting with trying to make sense of my draft of feelings.
"Go home." The nightmare advised, "You're not yourself."
"It be a long time before I find myself again, friend." I fluttered off… straight home. Turned human like; stepping into a party group of repears.
They lost one of the friends (I am glad it's not my flat mate) with celebrating them in this small event. I for once joined in. Being alone is too painful right now. Go through through the items left by them. I didn't have strength to read the wills or letters. I just noted that they were there and the items around this. I see the collection of the family's feathers, scale and even cloth is here. They all went? Well, the Clothus letters and the demon's will. Clothus wills that are touched. All originals here. Box closed and sunk away. Comfort found in those grieving but I can't.
I became all locked up from it. Yet this will help me when I do become free to it… just can't. I feel like although I am physically here among this group, I can't feel like I share this moment with them being here. broken glass that hasn't fallen apart yet – shattered into bits that are hanging on to nothing. Being here did help the creaks hurt less… didn't make it go away or heal the creaks.
Everyone deals differently around the subject of the passing loved ones; looking around at the angary ones (often would have been the calm one), the escaping reality ones (the drinker), the bottle it (myself really), the denial sitting around pretending its fine. The one's that been here before; cry, feel and move on within the week. The one's that can act like they need to to be strong front for others; just another bottler.
I leave them to it, going to my room – not to sulk or cry. It was just to find something else to do and focus with other things. Making charms with this foul mood is a terrible idea; they turn unlucky. Bottled and escaping it. I can't seem to feel happy or sad truly. Can't feel or I tell myself that I am not meant to until I can grieve. I believe that when I have seen them face to face; I think I find what I need in it. Morbid or not. Just the certainty.
"Hey hunter…" knock at my room, "A bird for you."
I cleaned up and changed clothes. Eat food and had a drink… stepped out with my drink only. Sitting down to listen to the bird. It were reporting everything that been found out about this all cross realms issue and they think they found the origin point. I instantly backed my drink down me and placed it to clean it in the sink later. Shifted to to a bird but I was much larger then normal. Child heights really and wing span adult height. I walked on out the main flat room shadow closed the door. Hopped up onto the banister that stops folks from diving to their death. I judged the height for a while and hopped off, turned to hover up and landing onto the main desk. Note left with them still in meeting with gods. The carrier lands next to me, muttering that getting to the site more important and that they have the boss told. They tell me where this was and I dived backwards into shadow.
I dived through to the nearest path split with following a short cut around. Dived a few doors through realms and passing gates. I landed as a normal looking bird at the edge of this site of summons. Watching folks walking around it and whom they summoned for and trying to guess why it was. I nested with eyeing them and waiting for them to do something else. To work out whom they are and if this were cause by living or dead.
"Get out of here, bird." A can tossed at me. I let it bounce off and continue to sit unchanged, "What the hell man?" The commotion has most of the group looking towards me and the few still chanting. I cooed lightly and that stopped the chanting. They all seemed a little freaked, "It's just a very stubborn bird." I study each one a little longer. Played sharp the beak to the branch, danced about across the branch for a bit and sit down.
A gun is shot and the illusion of being killed dropped. Yet I were moved from the force and in fact the real bullet hadn't left the barrel – crossing over to times stop. Living would freeze… none of them are. Cursed folks or mockers of living.
"Hey everyone. what is wrong with the fire?" they peered at their centre summons where time has stopped the flame from living or dying. They know not to cross over. I such dared it, fluttered to to flame and tossing bits to it. Like a bird that doesn't know better. They freaked out about it.. backing away. I cooed at them and tossed more stuff. I flew out the circle and back with a drink can. Pour it in there. Stamp about the edges with ruining the circle dirt tossing over words that should be written and then breaking them up with the cover.
"Hey, someone…" they all pause with looking at the one person that is alive and unaware. I shifted into a person and gave this living frozen person a coat. Temp check and made them sleep. From their soul they told me their home they ran from and instead I sunk them to a place for people that need the help.
"Who are you?" that gun at me chest and trying to shoot again. Not working. I walked through them and back hand up their face. I study their souls, what souls? I take the face off one… masked. Hand through the missing face and pulled of their core.
A mass of dark energy… with a mask. Put them back together. Their friends turned to run but were further frozen up as they just crossed the salt lines I used to prevent them existing outside of here. To each then I collected them and ate them bit by bit by bit. I cleaned up everything and took their things. The gun pointed into soil with the return of time. The fire out. The gun to storage. Their existence erased with my own spells learnt from those that deal in this issue. I cleaned up in a near river in a tiger shape… then left the realm.
I turned back to the path between and coughed out these fools. All of their bits out of my system. I shifted a new shape and blended into the area; watching them.
"Did we just got ate by a demon?"
"And then removed out to this place."
"The sacrifice disappeared."
"Your stuff is gone and whatever it was just disappeared too." they glared around with freezing at those passing through here too. Confused they go asking folks where this is and what is going on. Some tell but spoke the wrong languages and others found them a threat; evading them completely. It soon follow with a death carrier landing nearby, calling at them in human voice. Call them souls.
"Souls?" one whispered, "Are we dead?"
"Well, no. look." Cutting their hand and dripping black blood with seeped into the flooring and dropped them into a realm. I followed through as a bird and land with blending in, "How did we end up in creeps vile?"
"Didn't we escape this place?" a passer came forwards and answered their questions. Goes to try to murder them and ends up in tiny little bits of meat. The mute of them eating the bits off the floor while the minded ones talked of what made the more sense.
"Jackleston…" they all turned to something they knew, "You came back, all parts of you. Even the animal side. Nice." Finally it seems they are in the right place and the right folks. They all spoke about their adventure outside and how they failed to summon themselves out of where they ended up. That's why the circled cross realms were necessary destruction for being forgotten.
From my gathering, these group a soul in several bodies to far few between. To changed to come back as one. This matter was changes with their mute taking over to the right places through creeps vile and nightmare realms. One by one the shells became one in a fashion or another. Ending at facing their master / owner since they were a proxy. I wrote some names in understanding connections and fade as mist does. I don't have to worry about them anymore.
Into flight and as large as I were from when I left the reaper's landing to a banister, feather fluffed with a sigh and shrink in calm. Be glared at by visitors and death alike. I step around with leaving.
"Hunter," I pause with looking over there. A wave of a letter. I judge the call of how to fetch that and flew with picking it with talons. No hurting the hand offer or breaking the letter contain. I landed with one foot holding the ledge of the shelves behind. Staring at the letter addressing to me. drop it to shadow for it to read. Shrink more to sit on this shelf more. Focused with reading.
"Whose is that?"
"They are their own and aren't a pet to anyone." The apprentice to speak up were death wouldn't at all say anything, "Hunter's been around longer then me at least."
"So that isn't a bird." I finished reading and shadow my way into my flat storage room. Teleporting like damned do. Picked up all the order needed and stepped around from out Death's shadow. Offered to the apprentice. Trade with coin. Plenty covered there. I gave a extra crystal on house. Stepped around and walked off a normal looking route.
"It seems he didn't need to know the conditions of the name I asked." The apprentice looked at the note in the order, "Never mind. Wow, how rare from them." Shows it to death, "That's a summons card."
"Getting more clever then most normal around here or just finds the study a distraction." Death explained and moved on with speaking to others there. I walked all the way to my flat and quietly not in disturbing anyone. Bed time rest. Things will be better… I am sure.
The morning eases with the few letters I had to write replies with. A drink to my hand as I focused with it. Still heart broken yet there was normality coming back to me.
Getting better with just moving on – no matter how hollowed I am feeling. I fixed up for the day and left hour before anyone was aware enough to be awake in mind.
I used the near empty elevator and edged my ways through, stopping to stock the meat guy's freezer and sand bulk person bin of sands. I stopped at crystal stall with trading bulk crystal bits again. Walking around has this new feeling about it; like I viewed things different without it being anything different. Picked up a few bits I needed from the other stalls. Crossed over to the curiosity shop of mine. Early morning meat butchering chucks slide to the freezers as I worked. Cleaned up the place properly up again… shelving stocks in new spots. Feels nice to be normal or have normal.
"Excuse me, is it open here?" At the door with new strangers. I pointed to the doors writing. They read and closed with waiting like everyone else. Boss bird flies in with making a meat order enjoys with a side of causal conversation with me. I listened to them and continue fixing up the few bird orders and then washed up for normal orders. Shadow waved the sign around the door on wedge opened. Folks walking in with looking at the stocks; edging around every part with things.
"Cool… a bird café and shop of trickets." They paused at some rings, "and weaponry?" I gesture to look up at the ceiling with many bolted cases on the ceiling of such weapons. Not many do… a sort of need to know sort of thing, "You have a permit or something for all this?" Backwards to the framed certifications for awards and permits, "Wow. This has to be a court hunter's dream."
"That is our court hunter." I tilt with looking to the apprentice stopping by, "I ruined both crystals in practice." He shows them, "You do trade backs?" I gesture my laugh and step back to cut a few pages of spell skin paper. This were to absorbed the spells in the crystal and reset them. I show this practice steps at a time for one of the two. He followed with the second one, cleared it up. I have a instruction note about this that I show warning side first. I had him read it too. Pet their head and tilt to another.
"So, court hunter. We need someone finding at least speaking and well a standard of alive." They pass me their name and I hummed about it and tilt with wonder of why they ask a nightmare creeps sort out from realm, "Everyone so far turns down because of a law or fearing them."
"I don't blame most of them." I commented, "The kidney eating knife teen." I get the odd expression from one among them, "Not often anyone asks for a slender proxy."
"What? You spoke gibberish there."
"You're a nightmare too?"
"They call me the poacher and the trader. As such for why I trade and snatch stock there. Bird love the worms often and best place for bulk amounts." I tilt, "What's with this creep you need for?"
"Rude."
"It's how they call themselves. Often walking the nightmare lands, they get used to it. It's not rude. If it insults you then you should have told me your public name before hand."
"The tracer." They offered a hand at me, "What?"
"I would rather lick the floor really." I say and they laughed about it, "In any case, why this one? I just need a reason for him not to got for my guts really." They clear with showing me something. It's a oath between this creep and a outside god, "Oh, fancy to see one of these. Which were the misfortune weirdo to help a skin face teen?" they all pointed across to someone not paying any attention, "hahaha. Ugh, makes sense. Yes, I fetch the creep in a moment. Is there anything else needed and what sort of due is passed?" Apprentice with the coin, "Ah, I see. Alright then."
My mask fade off for that and I stare around the show for anyone else needing service. The apprentice talks about me begin a mysterious sort with doing things. I have the creep shrouded and snatched over shadow of whom asked for them. Paper over at them. I then counted into the till the coin and pass back the change. I gift him a few spare skin papers and he gave me the failed one's. I placed them to the burn pot behind the counter and tipped the remains into the acid vat there.
"Hey, got anything worse my meal here?"
"Its consider bird feed but I can trade you, as I have before."
"Ugh, trader?"
"Yup. This is my main shop here in reaper's territory. On the house I give you my guide about here." slide a nightmare written basics of laws needed to know by them, "kidney from what sort?"
"Got anything holy this next?"
"Mmm… no." he then shrug, "Have you tried soulless meat before? Sort of filling and juicy without the pain." He shrug and paid in nightmare cash. I have a bag lifted to him, "Good luck and I let Slender know if anything an issue while you're here. But remember that time flows backwards here. Don't run into yourself really."
"Thanks." He goes off with the group. I note down a few things and continued on. The apprentice as a look up to the ceiling with eyeing the weapons there. How a glass case clouded and cleared with new weapons in there… I waved his attention to a bird that needed him.
"Hi, I need to take a look at that sythe up there." Mm.. the drunk usually is sober and doesn't remember hating me, "What?"
"Permits?" I asked, "I don't sale unless those know what they are doing. Also, that's not a soul cutter. It's worse. I don't think you really want to be entangled with the curse of it."
"Not a soul cutter?" He peers up at it, "You sure."
"very."
"Got any soul cutters?"
"No. they belong to the sythes department and if you misplaced one. It would have been put there or one of you friends as it. Never a unqualified can take one." He snared a little at me for making some sort of suggestion and shows permits. Id. I checked to be sure and give them back, "It doesn't change that there isn't a soul cutter here. I don't sale them. You are aware it's legal to sale a soul sythe and piss the blade too."
"You a half reaper or something?"
"You must have to drunk to remember me, what a weird moment for us both. What does humans do with this sort of thing?"
"I sleep with you or something?"
"Try duelling and no. I don't sleep in other peoples beds, that's human stuff. I don't do human things like that. Or drink. Why would I?" He thinks about it for a while and scanned about me. Gives up and left, "Later. Don't come knocking around the flat at 12 am next time around, you hear." He twirled back around at me and goes to collars me. Someone grabbed him from trying, "Sheesh, I live in the same flat as Cher. Chill not so drunk, drunk." He pulled out of folks grip and still stormed off, "I don't get his problem with me. I am just the original flat stayer of 13 13."
The few locals around to watch then sigh, not sure of his deal either. Moves on from it all the day turns without much change. Bird message in about me needing to claim identify of some bodies. Heaven's clean up must have finished. Timing perfect with storing everything to close up shop for the night. I felt off about this, about being welcomed. I feel as if I need to find someone to come with as emotional support… not may I would ask.
"Hunter?" My room mate stopping by as I closed, "Did that jerk come by looking for a sythe?"
"Yes. I told him to ask the department or go ask friends. All sober like he doesn't even remember me and stormed off hating me for no cause as normal." She sighed, "Need me to help?"
"I think can I find him." She sigh's longer and I simply was still putting things away. Wrapping up the fragile stuff, "Are you alright? You weren't grieving for someone you didn't know… I could tell." She stepped in looking around and back at me, "Looked through a box full of wills but you didn't read them."
"I am still in this denial that they were… are?" I paused with doing things trying to find my voice, "I can go find them now, their… the heavens letting me to visit for them." I continued folding up things again, "I feel sort of on a edge between things. Better yet, a window. There bullet of their new shot through me. In one ear and out the other. I am all creaks now, any moment to shatter and cry. But I don't let me grieve. I still think their… I know they call me a good dog and play and smile like they used to. They kids always loved making me do tricks. Sit stay wait. Play dead. Typical things. Walks with my humans through any weather. Love it or not – rain or sun light. I loved them and I am sure without doubt know they loved me." I sigh, "we all died together too expect the two I saved. Would have been three if she didn't give up in the hospital. There with her until I were told I weren't a good dog anymore. To this day, I still don't get what I did wrong."
"You were a dog?"
"Yeah, a good pet. I love my humans. They turned into angels, one demon and three Clothus they did. Found each other in a agreement with heaven. I weren't allow though… don't get really. I made myself a good life here since. Being whom I am and around smiling faces. I like hunting for people because when I return a lost family member, they all sound better and smile. Reminds me of them."
"So why are you still here and not finding them?"
"Mmm… maybe I am scared. Heaven's don't like me for the race I became when I died. Scared of looking into father hateful eyes at me, quite a demon he… I guess I am most scared of finding them dead. Scared."
"Do you need help?"
"I don't know what you would do to help me. Hmm, but I did think I be better if I had someone to tag along. Make them archangel types seem less frowny and weapon heavy."
"What are you anyways?" She walked herself all the way over with watching me fold stuff. Looking up to the ceiling as another item vanished to be flooded away, "Why would they be so scared of you?"
"See, my race are known as god eaters. Well, it's all I guess from others. No one will tell me anything else more then that. Had learned most things myself but folks keep saying I am a cluessless one. I guess I would belief no one would tell me anything. I didn't choose this after I died. I died and walked as a spirit and then was protecting other spirits from demon soul eaters and then just wondered around. A lot walking. No one would speak to me and that hurt but… this hurt more now." I was at that last bit, "I have some sort of poison bite and spit cure of said poison. Claws that can cut metal, stone and even souls if I really try hard. High levels of hearing and other senses I don't really know what their for. Sure I have god like sight but I can smell anything from further then that. My real shape to big and lots of teeth… rows of rows and rows."
She gets it but then laughed.
"Sure you could be a monster to eat people. But you don't. You could kill everything yet you will not. You refuse to hurt anyone and even let yourself come to harm before them. You refuse to be your natural shape in front of people. You care so much about people and they don't even see it. You work to be a good being and you very highly regarded as a gentle friend among your trade friends. I would bet Sir asked why you didn't go to heaven to begin with."
"They hate me, made it some law for me to never be there unless business only." I sighed, "I bet there more to it then that. Tried to send letters and talk. They want nothing of it. My last words with my family was them telling me I were bad for being there. I just wanted to talk one last time. Now I have to…" I did cry a little, "I am so scared of… knowing if it really was them. To stare at my beloved humans."
She pets me from across the counter, understanding I guess. Pity probably. But I needed it with how I felt right now.
"We go tomorrow together. Bright and early." She hugged me the best she could. Guides me around back home. I didn't eat tonight… just went to bed. Hoping really.