"Welcome to the Hollow for curiosity. What services or sales are you interested today?"
This is the line I have hoped to be repeating all day, but when facing someone that glares into your soul highly intently and studies my stuck expression. All most can do is shiver and wait for them to speak first.
"I want to take a closer look at that fake cutter you have sealed to the ceiling."
"It's not for sale or for touching. You can't read the sticker?" I tilt with being patient, "What exact details would you be looking for on a repear eater?"
"Good to know your not a victim or a fool."
"I often ask folks to report such dangers without touching them. Shouting for help or summoning the local authory."
"Very smart…" They glare over to the wall of certificated, "Authentic and a real dealer… supported within law. How do you do that?"
"I ask questions, check backgrounds and ask for real permits to be shown. In cases such as that scythe, I look for someone that would know how to well… not be poessesed by it and properly dismantle the god curse on such quality metal." I was shut up with the hand toched to my lips and they listened very intently, "Those jerks out there are a headache, I know. scaring off my customers or not willing to play to proper." Hand off with realizing I can talk without lips, "Do I scare you court hunter of hell?"
"I have met you before. That god realm. You were the corpse seer where others weren't able to." They take a skip around the place of the front another round and froze at the ring sections, "How did you get these rings?"
"You have to point to the individual ones. Most of them were from my pervious life as a court hunter like you. I died and had forced retirement for being dead." They shurg off that being odd and focused on a lot of the authentic normal titled folk rings. He can see the fake well off. I step around and picked out a few, shifted them to other shape and back.
We go through the few he needed to know and those being sold to him at fair demon costing. I gave names of the previous owners of each ring. Go through the odd terms the souls connected to these items would ask to be worthy. Trade in writing and away as receipt of sale. Small business aside, the deal with people that came in to steal were shadow dropped and tossed out the private flat door.
"Have a safe trip and good luck. No regerts." I stuttered to same more but trip up, "Bye."
Out he goes and here I stood in the stand off between youths trying to steal here out; they leave empty handed. The slow progess of returning trade; folks I met before look at me so differently when they don't know anything. I give one warning for them, up front about being a danger. They took it so seriously that they lost some manners with it. When they aren't aware, they have a pal approach. They smile and have small talk with me, it lovely to have. A little less isolating in a sense… come closing time and I feel so...
So much more alone.
I maybe should consider a pet friend, pick someone up out of generosity and just maybe just have someone to have at home. A friend pet… what would I find?
"Mail and note… for someone you will know." Boss bird at my counter. Rare. Rare is not this request of sand and seeking of names. This time the price was on the table, exactly how much the current hunter of the court would get for finding this sort of fool. What seems the odd bit has to be, that it were my nightmare title as the 'poacher'. A clue into whom is being looked for and for why, "How long will it take you?"
"The request or close shop?"
"close shop." I waved my shadow over the entire room, dark to the point of light being a thin wire. It clears away vacuumed into my shadow. With everything in the flat behind; locked, sealed and trip wire alarms that answer to my mask only. To be stood on the other side, out to offer my arm as perch.
The boss bird looked around in pondering and flutter on grasp of my arm. Altered were my looks, back to being the old poucher. I step around into shadow, float through the damned door corridor to take three steps into the camoflgued doorway through to the correct floor needed.
This meant by passing folks with to many questions and sitting at the private waiting area. The bird waking up and fluttered to his perch at his master's desk. Offered a rat pup… this isn't the Sir death boss I knew and isn't the apprentice either. Yet I play along for now… see where this all was taking me.
"Time flows backwards here." This Death commented… it's likely this were a temporary until sir returned to his post. Or maybe that the statement meant what it sounded as, this were the master of the Death I knew as boss, "Left notes from our future, when it should be the past in other time zones. Every death god title take is uniquely cursed to know the order of deaths to be written or wrote. And on the rare moment, a rare soul presents itself as some sort of help towards that."
"You aren't wrong there." Sits across is whom is meant to be the apperantice. Could it be that the roles is reversed during the stay of such time zone. Ticking backwards, "They can hear you. The slayer is a good friend, loyal dog once and now grown up. Time as no affect on them unlike on them other souls around here. They grow older no matter what when we grow younger. It's written in a study I was planning on lending to the slayer… a very clever soul and I am sure they mean no harm. They would mean any harms as much as say a normal other god. Break temper could be possible but nothing has broken their patience as of yet."
They really do know what they mean, as boss bird although very young now is all the wiser. Living here comes with issues; having customers aging backwards is something I have no problems with unless I leave the realm. That gets confusing. Things aside, this was the switch over of death's or of our current death having a few years out of the realm to age a bit. I don't know how it all works.
This could be a change of systems; a welcomed change that makes the efficancey of saving souls easier. A radical change is moving people of desks from around here and new skills being taught. There being a alteration of how the whole tower works.
The ground floor is being changed from market to help desks (which is where all the desks are moving down to). The floors going up from ground to sixth floor are being converted to services and shops market area. That 7 on ward is housing and 10 higher is books. Books only higher and higher. This makes the new tomes appear on the highest floors only and the few odd rooms through out for those staying up there. Those being the soul name writters and organizers – those exempt from natural laws. The title of gods is just a title… not a exempt of law. Not yet.
"We are having you back to being hunter of the courts… but it has changed. The rules around souls has changed." I stood and walked on over, bowing in greeting and altered to a hawk. Sitting the guest perch and bowing to the bird. Being a part of the conversation, "You should have a chance to study before you have to go into the job."
"We are having the whole place moving around. If your not moved already, be sure to be among the shop floors." So new boss is very different personality… a much harsher then what seems, "the new rules books in easy buy. Your new title more a hunter gather for the realm. Maybe when rules get in the way, they will have to bend. Denail clause with that." So if I break laws, I am not protected by them. Clean hands deals, "Need it all quiet and discret."
"So what's this one deal?" I asked the old boss, "In the know of what I am or not?"
"Not a clue because he believes in his own ways." I tilt with that, "Also seems better if he stays clueless. Just suggesting." I shrug with that and look back on this glaring new boss, "The name you received is the lead to find someone else. Someone we can't find a official or real name. When those sort use names like that for things were interested in… then we are looking at the those secretive society sorts or among the dreamlands."
"Man, I can go worm hunting there again." I fluffed up in feathers with the thought, "But these names are a lead to another name. What's the other name that you know?" I hand handed a note from old boss, "Ah, you must have got yourselves a damned to read you the name or just have misforture luck to have them hanging around." I sigh, "That name." I hummed, "No one goes looking for them, they find you. A little unstabled and they don't have one place to belong to – not even the paths between living and dead. A sad case when you can listen to there stable side." I hand the note back, "What's with them you need? I am sure they be interested in knowing when they hear you."
"Missing royal, an ingetrale to the afterlife side." I peer about them and shirnk, "What?"
"Of course it would be… Yeah, they come find you when they are ready. Not even I find someone like that. They are their own and I prefer them as ally then… when. Best keep your reality to yourselves. You know. They heard you when you had spoken their name out loud, and like me are soul hearing. As long as you mean well, I am sure you have the stable side with you." I sigh, "I hope they are well, for all and for one. I have no need to be the hunted or prey. I pity and sorrow towards them and fear them. Pray for them if needed. As they be the last you listen to… maybe lurking to closer… well. I should leave." I fluttered into a new shape and dive back down, took a twist to the stairs.
Back to my shop as a humanoid. Yes, I quiet expected them to had heard me. here sitting alone in the dark of my living room, drinking tea. Just the shadow of them and not the other side. A noble I respect and mean well. Not much a talker and it's better that way.
"They are worried for this royal family, I know you heard." I bow and just play natural. They seem to follow well with it, "I am not going to be looking when I know your rules. I will not tell when its your choose."
This royal member of the damned is also the royal among a race of humans; he from the meeting of two family that have hated each other and had always killed each other. They call the Gladers, the royal good saints of the afterlife. The other is the cursed living damned… haunted by a title hell bend on burning the world in different ways.
But he is a uncommon first for both sides… a fragile middle standing stranger to them both. He has the full title as the end of all things but he also the most golden king to rein in there centuries to come. He will be the first king to set up a people pairment for the people to have more power and chooses. The Ravens talked about them all the time; it's how I am kept up to date with the land of the living.
Here sits both his true heart and the damned mask that curses his sanity, morphed by the side affects of being the one to tamper all tomes. Damned are often only untouchable dark mist, cloth the give off that touch like quality and mask of changing face. His mist is physically present in the air, a mass of morphic inks, the mask is more a skin like texture face (therefore its hard to say if that his human face or not) and the main cor of himself holds bones or patches of human like skin; covered with black royal spider silk lace. Always youthful tones around his body looks and dispetivly older in manners.
"If only souls like you are more around." I nod to the kindness which mean this was the side that has all the sanity too them, "What's with the clock?"
"A hybrid clock, it was a restoration that turned into my personal project. Got carried away then just restoring it. In memory of the nameless, forgotten and those that taught me things. Those names scribed into the clock as sort of a thanks… keeps them safe in a metaphorical sense. I hope they are never regretful."
He had fallen in love with the work, the shadow touching the metal on it and the mask lifting off with looking into the main clock wood. He strokes the difficult parts I have made work so well. As of then he focuses on with scanning what I seem properly – I took a seat facing him and my display of feathers behind him.
"They aren't, you made sure."
"I meant for their new lives as new people and new names. Make me wonder why I ended up different."
He took a glance over behind him. This were the optune moment that both side that were damned went for a walk about in the main shop sections… sounds like they are having a good time. That is a terrifying thought for that both of our insanity side to be friendly like that. The human side goes back to looking towards me and sipping the tea. I offered more as I had a whole pot of it made between us on the coffee table. Sugar and crème on offer to how any guest would like it; personally I add nothing to it. Only if I feel ill, then I have tea added to my honey and blood.
"How far back do you know?" maybe asked in trying to understand this unseen friendship from us both.
"My soul would say otherwise… my mind can't keep up." I am sure I have talked his ears off as a soul. The long borading silence made that further suggestion, "But I like they way I work now. Helping. Sure as some god slayer, I could have been a natural eater and went with nature. But I can't stand that when taking a life. You don't just hurt the body and mind, lightly. Maybe it's the same for you too and you're only barily coping. Edged on that fine line. It is scary feeling to be put through and they are scared of us just as much."
"We share that misrey and you would cope with hurting another like that."
He has this glare about his masks direction, I pout with being mixed with the two sides yammering at me at the same time. Taking some time to process the run of the shop in the background of having a relaxed conversation. Well… abnormal conversation of understanding what is wrong with us both compare to all the realms around us.
"No. I would rather be erased and forgotten. Maybe even put through pendince. I would never live with myself if I did ate or torture a soul. I would loss something most important to me; that's being myself. I would instead become not a person. I would be what they all think I am, some wolf playing sheep to kill them… that's what they think we are. Yet I know you know too; you and I are people. We have to make sure that at the end of it all, we see it that way despite what they think of us."
"You have wonderful advice as well as some outstanding resolve that I wish I had sooner." If that's how they see it or what my soul told them, "You should have made heaven, saint."
"Well, I should have." I stare on to the frame, "Racist there though. Paradice comes with rules and life too (as it seemed for me). Naïve loyal dog… but I really did love them as family and would be there to protect them. My regert of that life is not being there when they were gone."
"That was more about keeping mind laws and mind folks happy then our own heart. I am sure if you follow only heart, you would have been there instantly."
"I am sure that maybe I find a way. But I am not a god or special. Doing something so irrational like breaking laws of universal keeping; worse would have happened. Them laws can't be broken no matter what. If any laws were in my way, it had to be them laws I couldn't shatter."
"Yet in a lifetime before that, in a recored of time that didn't happen anymore. Folks did that to you. Now your cursed by their mistakes of tainting you."
"Sure… but I have learned to cope with it. love or hate on something to beyond fixing; that becomes the point that we all would have to let go."
"Your right, it should be. But I find them folks up the food command chain, breaking laws like that… it's whom I am hunting. It the real purpose of this title before it too got tainted before this dawn of time."
There was a timeline in stringed somewhere along this one of which the title didn't exist and wasn't destructive evil as the other souls knew. At some point when the laws that should not have been crossed were broken by those whom had no right to do that; and this side effect of having his curse exist is what keeps the timeline back in order from such shattering times.
From how he quivers in his thoughts; there would have to be more to it. Even the shattered dust of what once was one soul; all them little grains of dust tell me things. I hear them giving me advice. I hear them fear me for what I am and what I could do to him. Most of all, I hear his personality and courage. I hear that even the insanity side has something unshattering about it.
This little fragemented of many grains of people that he became to be – done by the time that broken here. I trust him now. Inspite of being a creature worse fated then Death himself. No one like to shatter souls for a living but it is now done in the process of keeping a recycling existence of living for all univereses and times around us.
I understand and stand with you, End… no. I stand with you; collective or not. You whom is and has many names.
"Makers of the universe sealed in their little room. I regert many things because of them – but it will not give me any right to mean them any harm. Lodgical speaking. I maybe soul hurting for it and my souls wish is to make pay back happen. But I think I can let go of that anger. Because I don't need it. I hope the other soul affected like me is the same. I haven't… I wonder how they are."
The cup of tea was put down, and that all my haunting words had cracked something of a creepy smile on him. A broken smile that fixed back up all neatly… eyes are hurt but glad over me. The mask of his stopped being so… werid I guess.
The mask changed conversation to something more as a friends would talk about and move on topic more of his worries and concern for things.
Ironically, my mask did sense the same issues and had open discussions about realms we should have to be talking about helping. His human side had taken out a book… very rare book. That book is the core of tomes. Names can be written or brialled into living and dead tomes and there is names in other major books keep track of what does exist. That book in his hand is that the recored of soul names; all soul names.
Everything created with this creations flame bares something of a soul… anything created in the darkness casted around creation flame has it's souls name written in damned (so it were said by damned) in that book too. everything soul and soulless.
"You guardian angel soul friend of that timeline had been erased with leaving my mask a mission of finding you. You whom were a slayer in the timeline before too." In such a hard striking thought hit over me… it had callopsed my shadow to the floor first. Mask shatter over the floor with no will of moving it any time soon. I struggled with breathing, shivering as I put the tea down to the table, "I am glad that the reaction you go with is so much better then the other normally classed fool does."
My mask returned to my hand, I was breaking down form out of the human I mocked. Coiled around the seat shivering, praying and ever so thankful. And yet, I still haven't shifted off this sorrow I have been carrying all my lives… this aching pain that scared my mask face front. I just couldn't stay concise, drifted into this fear rest.
All I could hear was this continuation my soul was making with the Ender. Comforted with nattering in mutters of maundane facts about live over all the realms. This sort of conversation found when insane folks are reeled back into normality and finding place. Softer the conversation passes and soon gone like a wind.
Things will be the sort of same when I wake up. My mind through damned mask of mine already on full study of the new laws and the proper reading through of what the new bosses demands seem to be. Getting thoughts together, it really does right to me that I need a pet friend to stay around.
My conclusion was I needed a pet friend to enjoy. I wake up on my normal side in my bed room, step around with normal route of waking. Changed of clothes, a little make over on the human side I look at through the mirror. I eased back around through to my living room, stopped with looking at the letter and table of items. This wasn't stealing as he paid for everything that was taken. He took the clock that I loved.
I am glad it's going to a owner that loves it as much as I do. That will look after it all the same. It may even have escaped being broken by the start and finish of this timeline we are all tuck to in a physical sense. My worry does go with the concern thathe surpassed my tailsmens and locks. He has browsered every vault and every display glass case.
I believe in him, at the least. That is a being that wants to protect and save souls (even in the most twisted of methods). Souls are scary demanding children. Another stranger that remembers lives beyond current times. A title of his soul ways means that the memories are their curse.
Their duty worse. Pity, sorrow, fear and someone to believe in when no others want to trust you. A good friend that can't stick around – among the shadows like me. A secret, several secrets… all of which have moral support with. I had moved on from staring at my new stuff, clean up the place for usaual services and opened up.
By now in the mid-day services another day after our little talk; I know the laws say the shop as closed on days like this. But I still provide a service and those types of services are 24/7 open hours.
"Hey, what you providing?" a clueless sort this… well I should never say that about them. I know whom this should be but yet that soul there isn't fitting to that title. What a twisted nasty soul? Mouthing down societies like humanity, damned and even his own people.
"Good morning. Humm, sure my shop isn't open today but my service is always open deal." I hum, "You're new to my ways, so I don't expect you to understand."
His soul hissed about how wrong I seemed to him, mouthed about my looks and shady shop. I felt hurt that he hates my painting.
"That name provided… you don't need to look into it. The one we been looking for had as you said, found us." Good to see the original boss is around the leash this fool while still being around; despite being only a 17 year old body? Full skin tones and no bones. Crystal clear sliver eyes.
Fantastic.
The new title look like a beyond even that of a iron bone remains. Finger glovered for brittle protection. Hollow through and through. Yet that nasty soul is all wrapped up around that heart area. The realms magic holding him all together.
"I pray for the well being of them and I know that seems very strange to you. I do understand and know. I know a lot but I am not them. I just another whom believes among the shadows; metaphorical and physically."
"I didn't realize you would share a respect to something." Stop old boss had caught the hand of his new title take from doing something irrational to me.
"Someone. I believe in the person that they want to be and how they try to be." Only makes them more confused, "In any case, my pervious life service of finding lost souls, protecting forgotten names and just generally anything that come up on reason given requests. This is what can been requested here. There a little more of a caught about my service these days; stricter even.
I have became very stubborn for a better explanation for why I have to do some requests. As always I am keeping in regulations across realms; since it's a… well the closet word of definition is international cross trading."
"Sound tough, I bet you don't have many folks willing to go that far." The new face has nothing about my history or trust. His acting and body language is all pretending to be arrigonte. It all a front for the old boss to be fooled or me to be fooled. Them eyes tell me the truth and it's his eyes I scan only or the occasional hand movement.
"Across realms." I snickered when looking at them eyes. I go back to the old boss, "Think what you want, I thrive well on anything request given to me."
"How is business in the negative side?" Asked new question the new face cuts in and waved his hand for my attention. I stare straight to the eyes giving him a chance but settled in a tilt while thinking of a proper answer.
"Werid as normal." My best answer in words.
"Werid how so?" Old boss coughed in.
"Werid is normal there. Their language is all about reversing feelings in what they mean to say. They call you the positive dwellers and themselves the negative. Ironically, they aren't the only folks or societies that label realm this way." The new face backed off a little with how knowledge I am while old boss was expecting it, "See I one of those folks that can be both poler ends of that scale system. My best word in how the society of the negavite are going; is that they are thriving fine as always. Nothing big or changed about them. They are coping with other factors of change."
While I have been nattering to them of this information, they also were talking. The new face doesn't want to listen to all this as they know this already.
"Oh, I get the point on why you would bring that up. I don't trust they know anything." The new face hissed to the old boss out loud. It made them turn to each other properly. I peered between them as they are fighting about either letting me in to helping them or that they are worried I would know anything.
I settled for the long ride out of being stuck in this… meanwhile it be my mask just creeping around the place trying to move stock around the display cases again, choosing to more rings around another order again. Catologing what been missing or not.
My eyes froze for a moment with staring at something that hasn't been taken away from me. That mimic blade still here – I would have thought the friend would have taken such item. Or maybe there more to it then seemed.
Just the same as the letter that my new end friend has left me; the note had more message to it then just the basics of what read in plain reaper language. The debate between the titled death has carried over long enough for my mask to be poking interest in the paper note now. Keep the mind occupied in figuring out the little secrets he left for me to through the note. Overall the simple things that made sense to us secret keeping weridos.
"Say trader of service, you call it a service to find lost souls. How does a soul get lost?" New face turned at me very fast and sudden. There isn't any warning about it; it would have scared a normal person.
"When they walk to long, divine intervention that goes the wrong way or just any other personal matter that makes sense on hinsight." I tilt with getting that look from anyone that finds me creepy, "Do I disturb you?" I find that it were my other eyes that I was seeing that expression, "Pay no mind to my other side; I have been working out the arrangment the rings in while you two choose if I am worthy of request to a task about the disappearing numbers of negative folks. To which I say without cost; they are happy either way of state they are in."
"How about turning into dust?" the poke more and more. I sigh with really questioning them on why they wanted to heard something only damned knew.
"In light?" Maybe this was testing my loose lips or not. I had to know if it was the common dusting that newbies would do or if this were one of them abnormal cases. Regardless of doing this or not.
"Yes, in light." So they are both aware of the fall of damned. How a damned turns dust… but not the reason or is this another test?
"I say that a case of amiture damned or newbies; they were at play with something beyond their powers in fixing or protecting. Light on them, mostly any of their skin is like being cooked to long in the oven." They looked between each other with changed expressions and back to me a little pouty, "Simply put with when a damned is dusted. Either the risk of light is to great for their ability, a increase of light in a area not normally lite or they are warning people in that place, failing to warn people. The circumstance for a elder, differs by ranking."
"What are you? A damned nobled?"
"I have a title with them too, nosy new boss. I say, I can see why damned don't hang around you. Chaty and to nosy for your on good." I have a scythes threatened at me, "This again? What is the point? I don't even care any more."
"Right, that is a bad thing." Scythe moved away, "Why do you no care for yourself?"
"I do but differently. Ripping out my soul isn't exactly going to well, kill me. I do just in fact become a more scarier looking thing that you just regert looking at, alright?"
"You're not pretending to be a hidden royal or anything?"
"Look, you know I am a slayer. I can camoflgued as much as they can. I share common complexity with the stranger. Yet I am not him. I don't enjoy freaking people out like them anyways. I very against making people upset or scared around me." That did answer some of their doubts and among other things, "The same can't be said about those that are the normal run of the mill damned. They try anything to make you feel negative about something – it's their thing they do. Pain, fear and fright being the top three common. You get the few freak types that speacility negativity. The you have a friend in common that could make you feel any which way freaked out then just sort of goes to be some run of mill humanoid. His the scary type… because there are more levels of fear with facing that one then the little ones."
"You like an insider or something?"
"I have my title for not just being one among them but for being one of the scary ones. But I don't have those needs like them nor do I have intensity issues they often have with things. Light being one of them."
"No wonder you have a dark looking shop…" looking around and peering deep to the mask, "Right?"
"seriously, do I bother?" my normal same voice now through the mask. It backed off new boss, "I ask this everytime and I still make people freaked out. I don't like it." fades around to a new place and back to my normal side, "I never like the discomfort that others have. Makes them normal folks terrifying."
"You find normal people terrifying?"
"Wouldn't you? Have you had a chance to read their claim of 'holy' text? Scary stuff." Old boss laughs at me for it and I just passed him a copy.
Which being let go of having a difficult duty, he was allowed to be himself then the god portrayal. Enquistive naturally as humans are. He as naturally as reapers are; a quick reading. Finishing a chapter and freezng up in thoughts. I stopped being so intense with staring (folks hate that and I sometimes forget it). I focused off them and just were back to ogrinizing. I do try hard to fit in but when forced with this awkward talk. Clearly the issue they need me for isn't an easy on to just trust me with or that the new face donesn't believe in me being able to do.
"Can you handle a visit to the dreamlands for them?" Boss bird to speak on old boss's behalf when those two are distracted from it all, "They need your oldie name, Poacher. Need them hunting skills to peg off a pretending nightmare. A eascapest from a soul code violation. New boss hope for a head while original would like it done through court. The original before that left a note to me to give to you about this freak."
Passes this note to me as discratly as possible. A sort of order from the one I thought was the apperantice before I pegged myself. A very long winded list of most wanted dangers to be excuted on sight and without court judging. The courts will just do nothing becease of titles or connection ot bribing. Not even the god courts are going to make them stop. This being a plead to me. Payment will be given instantly with this note regardless of duty done or not. In hope I don't tell them both here arguing about it.
"Well, I am not turning down the job. I promise." The boss bird nods thanks and asked to go up the payment out back. I nod and have my shadow sort it with the bird. Momentary freeze of these two had me wonder what that was about – how both they shivered and glared out of my door, "Is there something the matter?"
"Another person has been killed in a breach of our laws." I sigh with getting that, "Inside he tower." That had me edged.
"Then allow me, I not actually leaving the room yet then again. I am really." I jumped over my own counter and picked up a katana.
I altered into camofluging pattern. I step out and sneak my way around the back ways around here. Going up hidden stairs, my fullest focus with listening to pained souls or smell of blood.
Nothing yet was fresh, up until reaching some of the highest flooring.
Altered to a reptile and claw climb around. Hovering just the victim's flat, crawling my way through the bird messaging passage. Down to getting the bird out before they were next victims – scuessful saving them.
"What do you want with me?" This thing attacking these folks are soul eaters.
They pretend to be dream dewllers whom broken dream laws. This make their victims excuse their horrorfying looks while lollying them into a trapped corner. They then do what damned do, scaring them more and more and more… right to the point of break damned laws. Damned will not physically harm and are even punished for causing deaths or heart attacks.
These hollows will claw every muscle and organ to ring out more pain on them. Torturing down to fragmenting the soul. The eating the fragments.
This one hasn't even began, just playing around with the skin of the first corpse… playng mind games with the intended softer to break soul. This hollow as a partner whom isn't stupid, looking around for crow that should have been here. I place myself as decoy around some papers. Acting as if unaware of the events and being a busy bird.
"Hey carry bird." That spoken in common enough, "I got a message to the boss." I fluttered on one of the appendagisis it offered for landing on, "You will be good bird and tell him that he is my next target." I stayed there on the thing, "You a selective earing bird."
"give coin." The partner hands me a coin and I do a bird check for if it were real or not. Real metal that is tucked away and I fluttered to the waiting perch, "Give second coin to make it go now." I am offered second coin. I check it and fluttered into shadow.
I walk back out and hacked the not so smart partner into little box dice meat bits. The katana wipped, pointed to the next. The next one is a calculating one… backing away into shadow.
I reached out and grab their neck, dragged them back out. It froze up… enough time for me to alter only my head, to eat their off. I fully turned cleaned up in here of all the hollow bits and blood and fragemented souls. I stop to study the only living victim here. I bowed to them, they bowed back just in reactions and without thoughts.
"I am sorry for your loss and the killers wouldn't been able to make it to court. I will compensate you loss in wages and rent here for the next three months." My claw picked out the correct amount of compisation, "Here. with the extra for the cost of funeral arrangement." They take it and broke down finally, "Everything will be ok, madam. You are lucky and blessed by those that loved you as you loved them. Blessed with family and friends." I looked at the front door, "I wish I had some of them. Yet, I am too scary for anyone of them."
"Thank you for helping." She mustarded some courage and breath to say. Passed out from it all. I have the front door opened and I crawled back through shadow… back home to see three beings I had left here. Boss, original boss and boss bird. Hard to say friends but friends were the closet I will get with them.
"Pardon to intrude in this argument, but there had been a murder on floor 97, flat 183. Hollow soul eaters. They have been dealt with by the only course of action that could have happened. There was on victim killed by them and another currently passed out from the emotional shock. Her story will support this, if her shock doesn't make her forget it all." They frozen at me, "The threat has been…"
"Dealt with?" the new boss trying to finish.
"Cooked with?" the original asked.
"I have been thinking of cooking rustic styled street food… going with the popular exotic culture of skred honey marinade meat chucks which been steamed slowly with herbs." I get the glare of them both, "You asked cooked with and so I am sharing that."
"What eats hollows?"
"Other hollows often."
"I am anti-soul eating, thanks." I waved about that, "I hate it when they scream."
There is a very sceptic glare that traded between them, the question the souls brought in worry for the if moment. I hated how that is the assumed reaction to take about me. I already shuffled around for where I put the jar safely away to. I don't have to wait long for that predictable question that their minds are going to hiss toward me. The coiled tension has slowly started to loss any sense of feeling in limbs.
"So what did you do with the fragements?" I pass them over the soul jar I used to capture and contain them, "And what were you originally going to do with them?"
"Either one of you two or some few other soul crafters that I know. Someone with deafness to soul pleads, saintly patience, and the skill of steady puzzle building back souls. Worse case would have been god cremation."
Air leaving lungs and pained from labouring hope that they would just stop judging in such convicted glare.
"Where did you hear about that?" The new boss is the one with the most strength and the louder hiss. The original a sneaky vemon attacker when the new is the distraction.
"I read the many law books across all sort of realms mostly in 12 main realms rule books plus the new reaper lands law. Chapter 395, verse d04… impiled with how to respectful deal with the broken or twisted that a reaper may cross paths of."
"So you are a faster reader then I expected, for what seems a commoner." That comment hadn't bothered me in the slightest.
The long pause to watch my reaction otherwise had made this new boss's soul speak something far more insulting about me. He got worse and worse in that terrible running commentary. Started out as light slander, only making me lightly raise a brown about it. But then there are that lock in eye glare, that solid grip that was going to squeeze the last little bit out of me.
I held from being any more changed, waiting for their normal voices to say something. The original boss is in a mode of questioning the morals of his soon replace meant and if the chemistry is worth.
It were the change of much more disgracing tone that was popping bones with me. Slander on the lost and that laughter over the forgotten. Such a sinister soul; cry cold and dust. I have been to kind now, despite that I am aware can't speak on behalf of those race's he talking smack about, I have to make a comment to defend them indirectly; as long as it's his soul that recongizes what I am actually pissed about.
"Clueless is what you are. I am the last person in this realm to dare be thinking of hurting souls. This is my home, why would I ruin that?" I hissed and broken the illusion of being human for that minor moment, "You're looking at a very early grave here. I don't mind you being the new title taker of death but you are pushing my tolerance of respect. There becomes a point where I can't stand listening you your inner comments; a very poor downward look not just. How very rotten of you."
"Unless you're a…" He laughs a little with either being blind to the breaking form or just really asking to be murdered.
"I have already considered it, idiot." I growled, "Please leave my shop… I don't want to regert any further actions." He just at the moment of pushing me that little bit more.
"He hasn't denyed say he considered eating you out of how rude your being. Would you just drop the case before he does?" Orginal boss make a good point, a stady hand on his shoulder – in hope of moving him out of my face. That steady cold glare passing, "That really is a god eater, don't make things hard." This fool laughed towards his teacher, passing a muttering joke I seemed to him and turned to study me. I have already converted to my natural style and smile lightly in gritting at him to leave. He backed off slowly, my eyes study harshly on him alone, "Forgive the appertice. The hard head doesn't know better." I less on off so much, I seemed very chill, "Was that woman helped?"
I had coiled to comfortable hieght of resting and no longer had any interest in staring at the now very frozen… very extremely silent student.
"She will need first aid or medical checks by a professional, some help in moving the skinless corpse out her flat and just a therypist to smooth through such tough times." Softly spoken, "I would keep an ear on her soul if I were you. Damaged from being a witness to all that had happened. Hollows have that affect on one's soul. Oppressing depration that can fragment a soul." I backed off more then they did but small smooth movement, "I pray that she never has to face a terrible look of what had really happened. A hope of recovery. I would send a card or letter; but for what I had to do in front of her to protect her. I will respect if she wants nothing to do about me."
"Why so, you ate them in front of her?"
"I diced them into little cube bits and walked over her friends corpse in my natural form… would that terrifying anyone enough for the rest of their life?" they do leave and I had the door close softly behind them. I study harshly with how long they lingered right there, be greeted by a bird about the news, how they look back this way and leave out of window sight.
"That new one isn't the nicest fella that take order around here. His time during take over isn't worth staying… I seen it all before." Makes one fear for how many life cycles does this top end shadow been stuck through, "My deepest regert is a simple one; being to afraid of letting go. When I was young, it be the toys or people around me. Over many lifetimes, I did learn that I needed to… but it's a lesson I just can't follow through. So I had been letting the universe continue in this loop of repeats; trying to grasp what others wold try to do in changing times. I had do the very worse of things, spend 10 fold fixing them. Broken the fundamental laws to make it all better again."
"I didn't stop them from reseting it all. Tell the one I love that things were going to be fine and either both of us got lost or we just never found each other ever again."
"I like you – despite what you are physically. Your more decent then even the humblest of humans." Slides over a letter, "I need some help in being what I choose to do with my mistakes."
"Maybe we can fix mistakes together, I don't mind. The person you try to be, the one trying to be superman… it's hard to be that person but your try hard to be. Selfish reasoning or not."
"Whose been keeping you in touch with me?"
"Your other side has long non-sense conversations with my mask side. Stick around for just that bit longer and I just be there listening to you about your normal life on the living side."
"You have to be one the few folks I don't talk to about how I do things in the bad times."
"No, those conversations still happen. That natural side of me loves listening to it, no matter the gore grit detailing. The freak side of me that I should be… I don't like it."
"Mmm… just confirms my thoughts. Soul condition to be this… aware requires an element of insanity to cope with."
"I bet all the god slayers sound like that. Those I met have always talked above everyone else, jack asses even. You seen the skull collection, since you took one."
"Need it back at that spot to protect things." I nod with guessing there is purpose to have god eating creatures protecting reality bending items, "I need a few of them like that and in places in the after realms that need to stay a secret." I nod with that being a valid second scenario of their existence being around.
"Protecting things above understanding and eating them hollows… sure seems normal that they accur naturally. I wonder what started it (a mind question that I bet my soul wants no answers of). You take the heads from the back box. The head in the display case was my pervious life cycle… best leave that one there." He titled and leaned to the counter as a person. I converted back to mimick a shadow rank lower then him. Reading the note he left me, a check list of items.
"You sure you want to get on the wrong side of death with helping me?"
"I don't like the new boss that going to replace him. The sinister jack ass going end up a hollow if he keeps up such foul mouthed comments… maybe be attracted terrible attention to himself."
"Bring about trying to start the god wars more like. To which I have seen so far makes me think it will just happen." I pulled out a preaped bag of goodies his trading, he swapped with a two boxes of mix sale items. Gathered from far reaches of time and space; most times or that he has better reach in nicking spare bits from places.
He goes doing very odd jobs around all sorts of realms, part of helping all them souls with issues and the bonds of his title comes with wider accesses into the forgotten or hidden realms that even dream dewllers have belief in. I soon was passing the skull over with key crystal components.
"Thanks for the advice but I am not sure where I get a good hearted claim base from a local population. Most here have became reliant of my trading goods… unless of course that is why I would need to move."
"The new face as you call them. Either you stay here a tool for his means or leave before becomes a refugee of war." I looked about the shop I have been working hard to make useful, "You have until the original bosss passes for you to leave the realm for good." I pouted about my shop, "I have an eye out for suitable placement."
"I can away return to backpacking it all. It's all packed or storage to fit efficancey to my storage of shadow. I could make my shadow a shop however I am not comfortable with folks walking in there. I just have make them rare cases for the rarity of no touch items." he pat my shoulder, "But I would love to be placed somewhere where I be accepted in a false normal look… one day I will be myself."
"Your not looking at leaving the realm of the dead?"
"I know I could be among the living but I haven't returned since… since." I sighed, "it will be hard for the living to get over a thing like me. Unless they called me a demon or god – I would be just the monster that trades. I also find issue with living souls – them lot are scary to be around."
"Hmm… you hear souls."
"I have since protecting children in a hospital – my early days before I became converted into a slayer."
"Converted?"
"I was a soul listening dog with the sight of dead. Other trying to speak to the dead things that would make visits, I was an average living dog. Naïve and loyal. I got hurt by my beloved family as when I found them in heaven, I had changed too much to being a slayer."
"Were you a new soul from this time before being the family dog?"
"The living had so much, did so much and things I knew are only now being discovered. I slipped up in this realization when overhearing those conversations. Humanity has and will go through hardships and era's of what can seem like impossibility. Inventions that come and go." I sigh, "maybe I wasn't a fresh slate from this timeline yet what remained of the time they erased before this one."
"There is many realities and each has many parts of timelines being erased and restarted. Each of them has the roles changed or have factors that makes the realities different from each other. Each time can seem insignifcate little changes but that's all that is needed to make them all the more different. You would have to be related to this fact – rare soul in a rare body with a abnormal background."
Things like this sort of comment is a very scary thought to be having even for them. I have been good at not being rude; not listening into there inner voices. This little talk right now has more behind it. Looking for a excuse to not need to leave from his inner voices… that's not really going to happen. I listened in, just this once.
Today is just one those times that it's his innerself wishing to add to what he was saying; I shouldn't be afraid of being whom I want to be instead of hiding away in a realm of nowhere. That I should bravely be where I feel is right.
That advice is harsh to be take at face value. I want to go to the grave monument of which the names of those I loved are written. I would like a place that accepting of me; kind souls that mean well around me. In terms of a new home, I don't have any feeling for any particular places. I don't feel so bad about living alone or the middle of no where. Best that I ask what this fellow would recommend me staying at.
"Need a slayer in any close to busy places? Unlike those your reviving that will kill on sight…"
The light study from them drew into a prolonged thinking of possibilities that be best suited. Like any stranger among the hidden folks, all he does was slide a note over the counter. Bows a small nod the honest fairwell, disloving int the misted cloud of shadows. The creeping feeling off my back with that person gone.
Left without a trace or any leads to be following; not that I would want to.
I study what I would have to do around here to make this a all public by; the crystal changing windows is something to be replaced before moving on. The display cases every from the u bend around the front to the ceiling too… need them to keep the sale items safe as per normal. Private flat wise connected to the back is mostly easy to box again. None it isn't a fuss for me; it be the locals that are worried.
"Excuse me, do you have any summon sand for sale?" Hidden inspectors that aren't so quite or hidden. Regulation testing really.
"I would like to see some id, have a idea of what you plan on using and a rough guide to how much sand you think you need."
"I just like it for decoration."
"I have normal black sand over in the corner." Directed to it, "You don't need summon sand for decoration." They looked around again, a pair of them. One that mic and camera and the other the actor to pick around for things they shouldn't have, "I see you sale weapons, your certificate in valid there…"
"I need to know if you soul collecting duty, soilder, a hunter and if you have the permits to be using them. I want to know if you been trained in such things or if you going to there to be reckless…"
"What if a said it's a another cool decoration idea."
"I would be considering on moving on to a place that better suit your needs."
"How about fixing something."
"What is this something?" She steps up to the counter with a watch, "A god watch of which is the very time of a realm out there. There is nothing wrong about this watch. But you owning one is concerning."
"I am the daughter of the clock keeper." I have a better look into the watch and looking into the gearing, oiled here and there… listened for any off timing. Realm time judging.
"God rest central city." I closed it all back up and pass it over, "A very lively spralling city of the lawful nice folks. All them good gods hang out there." She takes it from me, "I grow up around the east edge of that city; that boarderline placement. Ex-appertice of the crafter smith there. His passing was hard yet peaceful. The current title god was kind and reasonable."
"Wow, I didn't know you were from there. How did you end up here?"
"Well, I knew folks from around here and I knew the laws for owning or share holding a part of the tower. I am still well and alive and stuff. I have nice clients around here." I hummed, "But I am not totally sure about being here. Maybe I move on again when I have a new place sorted."
She frowned about that and looked around again. She sees I have been in the middle of moving bits around, the disorginized uncertainty. There a trade of stares following the end of inspection, she slide a business card. This would been the indication for them being inspectors if I had been clueless.
But there wasn't any indication towards there being any concerns to law changes; as they are aware that I am thinking of moving but is in the position of not having a place yet or being ready to. Just the thinking stage. How I imposed question before any purchase had prevented illegal sales.
The landscape is dire changes outside my shop; the new boss and his rules had both entered people under execution for laws that were regulated by the original boss. Laws that made things illegal now were made required to do – such as being the one to choose when the person is dying when the name appears in the waiting list without waiting or hesatations.
There is a public order to seek those of second chanced lives or were not orgins of this land to be excuted. Those middle ground types are to be seen before a court (this court is just another death axe). National mandatory weapon training. Read and writing to expert levels – anything lower is forced into maintain order outside the tower.
Flats are being cleared for shelving and caused a book shuffle disaster. The people that live here, original or not, are unhappy and silenced for their complaints.
The people are in full forced rioting on the officials; were mini roits within the market commutiny left caused my neighbours whom like the new title to have their windows smashed in. Those that retaliated had trying to smash my windows on a number of occasions, death threats and just black mail. It's unstable here.
"I came to warn you; your on a hit list by the new death." My mask friend back around as I were taking out my windows, "You ready to get going?"
"Just the ceiling to unbolt and I will be ready to mass sink it all to my pocket." Handy man that he is – he got started on the ceiling as I took out my last panel. In a snap all of my items, every last little bit was sunk to storage, "You really sure that them folks there are alright to have me around."
"Better that your in the normal skins then the humanoid they hate. They do in fact god hunt."
"Good thing I am not a god." He offered his door and waved the light back about this room… showing the shell I was leaving it as, "Thanks for the help. I hope to stay on your friends list during the golden times." A shoulder pat and push through his door at force. This were in the seconds he jumped through too; avoiding people, "Slayer hunter types?"
I shook off into my natural long snaked form, clicking every flow jointed leg to stretch. 26 limbs that end off at a hand all the way along, hooked to cat-like bone shape shoulders every 12 inch of the central spin.
Sleek, smoothed scales, long sharp claws. Eyes that cloud and change to suit the type of sight needed for focus. I stomped about looking at the floor and caved shadow walls. This was a new looking shadow of the damned traveling corridor; cause by this stranger strange side-affect over realms his fixed before.
"We will have to part ways here, slayer. I wish you well in you new place and I stop by for trades."
"I would like that. I see you around, friend. May the hunt be easier or the reasons be more accepting."
"Really?" He muttered to himself more. I bowed with him stepping off a new area.
The corridor of shadow turned clouded and misted; as this is how it should often be without him. I followed through these corridor seeking new home or interesting gathering matrials. Done to not get in the way of fetching matrials for trades. Hollows have found a way to come through these regerted pathways; made meal hunting easy on me.
"Hey Lizard, since you a masked folk like me. You got any close what this place is?" What appears to look like a newbie… in a change of eyes; that's not a damned or a hollow. I say it's a new thing I haven't came across with before. Maybe a souled hollow that became aware or a dweller in the wrong place. Servant? That thing has a collar on.
"I will not hand over my soul for nothing." I first said and this changed their appearance into a demon god, "I am not interested in eating you either. I will answer your question of where this is as long as you mean no harm and no killing."
"Oh, you're a talker."
"I have a rank and title much like how you are a demon god with ranks and titles. The society isn't worth talking much about to you. What matters is that you never become one of them or find you cure." They frowned, "How did you get here Mister mocking demon god? Did someone or something trick you into here?"
"Why would I tell you?"
"It just helps me explain things better if you knew."
"I helped a fella and they turned to soul and dust. Their darkness swept me into a hole in the fabric of existence…"
"How long do you think you been here?"
"You appeared when this place turned misted."
"Welcome to the corridors between realms, this is the negative version of the path. The path being the one where souls go to be reborn, this side is about souls being cleansed of their attachements. Damned go around easing their regerts or fears or attachments. This is how they travel from hell to heaven… living or dead. All damned are ghosts in all realms and have a society of secret keepers. Being a damned means that your very soul hasn't move passed something when you no longer belong to a realm of existence – mostly humans that made mistakes and are making up for it."
"What about you?"
"Damned can be anything that has a soul. Slayers have souls as does you and them other gods, demons, angels, living, dweller of dreams… this list goes on and on and on."
"Could you lead me back to a main part of hell or heaven?"
"Of which religion?"
"Excuse me?"
"All faiths exists, co-existing or not. Many versions of hell, heaven and purtigoty."
"Say, then how about the chirstain faith of hell…" I sunk us both through a few doors over and tail held him out from shadow and into the light of the hell he asked, "Wow, thanks for the help… um.."
"Damned are no ones. Death becomes us and suffer with being nameless puppets. Our titles become our names but we aren't chained to them. You guessed slayer… the dragons of Kar call me god slayer despite having never ate any souls before." I step back to shadows, "good luck mister demon god. Live life without regerts; you thank your fortune for never being us."
I disapated as normal shadows around here, he looked around for me and had been jump scared by a aquantice that knew him. He wanted to say words of what he found out, but lost them in his souls respect over my kindness. Leaving things as it was and going off in a heart warming demon talk.
I study the cries of those whom been fooled into being sinners here. That many of the working systems of hell at play butchered the bodies of such types. I looked at the wondering of the lost dark social types; hovering around the feasts of negative emotions.
The dweller that originated here have a good joke about – beheaded a damned. Damned are ghosts, so it picked up their own head and walk it off like nothing happened. Loaving enough, I turned back to the paths of damned and crawl to the other side. The soul journey light side. Sneaking my way into the the route and marched on the more bare sides of realms.
"Slayer!" bows drawn from boths sides of hell and heaven; aimed at me. I walked on as if ingnoring all of them… there are two fools stood panting on my route. Growling over something.
"Just call it a draw and go home; you two are gods. You have realms to be looking after." I commented with stomping between them and parted them, "You know, war as no worth great anything after it. The very aftermath of war just makes things even more unbarring then when you started." My tail creaked quite a thunder to silent beings here, "Don't go to war because there are things that will come to eat you after it. Forget those things that seem evil, enemy, ally or friend. It's the things you have been ignoring that will come to huant you."
I sunk into shadow and the stand off of war had the warning been heeded. Backed away into a turce. They went to go check things and look for problems I had seems to speak of. I turned through places in small visitations of crossing realms to get on to newer parts of pathing. Picking up out of light, into water… have a swim.. climbing around up a surface… up to a sphere of black stone. I balanced on here – letting the water drip off me.
"What does the…" I have disturbed a cult of folks here in 'prayer' or 'fortune telling'. All of them did wear cloaks, to be pulling them off and pointing weapons, "Slayer!"
"Shut Up!" I snapped and that silenced and backed them away. More importantly made them stop shooting things at me, "I just wanted a little break, I leave in a minute or two."