The girls were ushered into a big hall with bed bunks. They had filed up on a straight line. A bowl with different tags was placed in front of them and they were made to choose a tag that will become their identity and help them to their bed space as well.
Audrey picked the tag with number eight boldly written on it. She would share her bunk with the person with tag number seven.
After the girls had finished picking their bed tags, they returned to their initial formation.
"Number eight, you will be in charge of the other girls. Henceforth the girls are your responsibility, you'll be held accountable for their wellbeing and mistakes." Azrail said without looking at her direction.
Audrey was beginning to find Azrail infuriating but she knew better than to talk so she just nodded her head.
"Is that a yes or no number eight?" Azrail asked
"Yes Azrail" Audrey responded
"Don't you dare call me by my name here. I'm the second in command to Lord Adonis. Is that understood?" Roared Azrail
"Yes second master" replied Audrey.
"At the sound of the bell, you all must gather at the down hall immediately, lateness is punishable by death and don't forget that in this palace of soul and ice, forgiveness is forbidden."Azrail chipped in.
"Is that understood?" Azrail said in a voice that sent cold down the girls spines.
"Yes, second master" the girls responded
"Also, there is something I must inform you, whenever you hear the bell ring nine times instead of six times, know that it is the red code and there is trouble. Do all you can to ensure that the red code has nothing to do with you. Is that understood? Azrail added.
"Yes, second master." The girls chorused shakily.
All Audrey wanted was to lie down and get some sleep, because at this point nothing seems to interest her anymore.
Azrail informed the girls that they will be meeting Lord Adonis soon and should get some rest while they can and with this, he dismissed the girls. The girls went to their various bed spaces.
Audrey looked around her and saw that majority of the girls, just like her were still very much frightened.
"Hello everyone, my name is Audrey and I'm number eight. I know this isn't a good time to introduce ourselves judging from our current situation but I hope we all would brace ourselves for what is to come. To make our introduction brief, we will only address ourselves by our numbers. Let not our spirit be broken but rather we should watch each other backs."
The girls sobered up a bit and this encouraged Audrey
"It's late already let's get some sleep." Audrey rounded up her speech and headed to her bunk.
Audrey had barely settled down when she heard the sniffing sound of another girl, she was definitely crying.
Audrey got up and found out that it was tag number seven, her bed mate.
Audrey patted her back. She didn't ask her anything neither did the girl with the tag number seven said a word. After a while, she found out that she had slept off. Audrey gave out a short smile.
"Everything will be fine" Audrey said to the sleeping girl and went back to her sleeping space.
Azrail went to Adonis to give him report of his completed assignment. Adonis was pleased. Azrail had completed his task right on time.
"Well done Azrail. You may take your leave." Adonis waved his left hand as a sign of dismissal. Azrail bowed his head and took his leave.
Every agent of death has a torrent of energy which is sustained by the numbers of assignment carried out and through this, they climb up the ladder and wield more powers but just like two sides of a coin, there is a disadvantage to every advantage. A sacrifice to be paid. An agent of death torrent of energy has to be fed constantly with the souls of broken humans to remain powered. Courtesy of this, Lord Adonis has been carrying out assignment by himself to sustain his torrent of energy but with the girls here, he need not do much work to sustain his torrent of energy for a while while maintaining his position.
To start with, Adonis never needed human maids. His subordinates were more than capable to do all of his bidding. However, they had one shortcoming. They were soulless and couldn't energize his torrent of energy.
Fortunately, he had discovered an alternate way to deal with his weakness. He could feed on desperate and weak souls whose resolve were broken. This way, he could buy himself some more time.
With sixteen desperate and weak souls confined in his palace, Adonis mind was set at rest. He felt powerful again.
Very early in the morning, the bell jingled and the girls quickly stood up from their various beds.
They all quickly assembled at the down hall with them wearing their tags. They met Azrail already waiting for them.
"It's time to introduce you all to our master. He is the king of death. You all must bow when you see him and don't you dare raise your gaze without his permission if you want to keep your life even for a second more. Remember any mistake made will be paid with your life. You've been sternly warned." Azrail reminded them again
Just then, Lord Adonis walked in and Azrail bowed
"I hail the end of all beings" Azrail greeted
The girls were confused but for the fear of their lives, they followed suite.
"I hail the end of all beings" the girls chorused fearfully with their heads bowed
Adonis cleared his throat and walked around examining the girls one after the other. As he walked by them, the girls felt so cold and their fears multiplied. As Adonis got to number eight, he felt a sense of familiarity but he didn't stop. After examining all the girls, he went to his throne like chair and settled on it.
"You're most welcome to the palace of cold and soul" Adonis spoke for the first time while acknowledging their greetings.
His voice was stern yet was enchanting. The girl with the tag number seven was mesmerized by the sound of Adonis voice. She couldn't help but raise her head to see who she would be serving. As she raised her head, she was met with the cold gaze of Lord Adonis.
Azrail saw it coming but it was too late.
"How dare you raise your head?" Azrail shouted at the girl.
Adonis quickly snapped the head of the girl and in the process energized his torrent of energy.
The other girls screamed but they dare not raise their head up.
"Keep your mouths shut" Azrail shouted back at the girls and everywhere went silent.
"You all have just witnessed the penalty of disobedience. It's in your interest to adhere to instructions given to you." Azrail said facing the girls.
"Don't bother yourself over them Azrail. Let them face me if they can." Adonis said in a nonchalant tone.
To say Audrey was angry was an understatement knowing fully well life meant nothing to this monster they call master but since she survived death once, there is no chance she was just going to throw her life away. She must become stronger to protect herself and pay Desmond back in his own coins.
"Do not forget for a second that you're working for the king of death, I do not know how to forgive shortcomings but I do know how to end it. It will be in your interest to do exactly as you've been instructed by Azrail." Lord Adonis said.
"Yes master" the girls replied.
"Good, Azrail seems to be a good instructor, you girls seems to be learning faster than I thought." Adonis said while giving a satisfactory smile.
"Take care of this mess immediately, throw her body out in the cold." Lord Adonis said referring to the dead girl.
Audrey was disgusted by both Lord Adonis an Azrail. How could she have thought of Azrail as someone warm? Audrey concluded in hee heart that moment that the world would be a better place without men in it.
The girls could literally hear their hearts beating in an unusual sync. They wished for nothing than to be out of this cold monster who they now have to serve.
After what seems like eternity for the girls, Adonis dismissed himself and Azrail took over.
" From this moment onward, your roles here has been specified. Azrail said pointing to a paper pasted on the wall.
"Line up according to your numbers and check for your number and specifics, then do well by carrying out your assignments. Remember no second chances will be given and no sin will be forgiven. Is that understood? Azrail asked in a thunderous voice
"Yes second master" the girls chorused again
The girls quickly checked for their numbers on the roaster and their job specifications.
Audrey checked for her number and found out that she had been posted to the hall of death.
Azrail called the fifteen girls together and gave them a small compass to find their way round the mansion for the meantime until they could fully navigate their way on their own.
"Number eight" Azrail called out to Audrey
"Yes second master" Audrey responded immediately bowing her head.
"You've been assigned to the hall of death, that is Lord Adonis wings, for the sake of old time, I hope you'll learn to keep your mouth shut and do as you've told." Azrail cautioned Audrey
Audrey eyes drifted to the dead girl whose head had been snapped from her body, she felt so bad, she recalled their short encounter the night before and a tear dropped from her face.
"I sincerely hope you don't end up like her" Azrail said jolting her back to present
"Not like you care" Audrey said almost audibly
"Come again" Azrail asked in a calm but dangerous manner
"I said thank you second master, I'll keep your instructions in mind" Audrey replied between her teeth while bowing her head
Azrail look at her for a while before walking away from her
"Finally mortals, when you hear the bell jingles five times, you'll assemble here to fill your stomach, you'll be needing that to keep your strength. You can all start working. Azrail instructed the girls before he proceeded in cleaning up the mess Lord Adonis created earlier.
Audrey open her compass and it's started flickering but what she didn't know was that she had just open her own coffin.