As soon as she was out of sight, Carolyn said loudly, "I don't buy it, she is up to something."
Adler who was sitting closest to her and carrying Justin in his laps frowned at Carolyn. Then he covered Justin's ears and said, "Can you not say such things in front of Justin. Look at how happy he is right now because his mother is caring for him are you so eager to see him become miserable again?"
Carolyn appeared to be wronged, "Brother, I am looking out for Justin in my own way." She explained. "Scarlet may be all apologies and smiles right now but what about tomorrow? What happens when we wake up and she has suddenly returned to her old ways? It's too soon for us to be jubilating about her miraculous turn around."
Her words were like a wakeup call to all of them who had let down their guard so quickly.
"I trust sister Scarlet." Halley's small voice announced.
"Your sister said that she was sick before and I believe her." Mega told all of her children. "There used to be this rage in her eyes but it's gone. She is calm and her aura is warm. I am ashamed that none of us did a single thing to help her when she was suffering alone. All we did was judge and condemn her for her hateful behavior but we never once stopped to assume that she was sick.
Let's be honest, there are illnesses in the empire which to date the scientists are still struggling to cure to, like the darkness which can be suffered by all those with mental strength. If there is no explanation or cure for the darkness, why is Scarlet's condition any different?"
There was a look of shame on the faces of some of the people around the table. They all had mental strength so they knew about the darkness.
It was a kind of mental illness that affected one in every one thousand mental strength users. The higher one's mental strength was the more potential to be powerful in their society but it was also the higher the chance of one being affected by the darkness.
The darkness would drive one to the brink of depression and insanity until when they eventually had to be euthanized or commit suicide because of the agony.
"Do you think Scarlet was suffering from the darkness? She was manic and always angry." Elroy asked.
"She has no mental strength; the darkness affects those with mental strength." Carolyn replied.
"Wrong," Adler said, "She said her mental strength existed but her chi points were blocked. The doctor unblocked them and her mental strength is going to return slowly."
"Then, does it mean there is a cure for the darkness?" Fey another sister who was born after Elroy asked curiously. "We can make a lot of money if we know how to cure the darkness."
Her innocent eyes made the adults in the house look around wildly as if they were anticipating a spy within their midst.
"Do not repeat these words to anyone, do you hear me?" Baron Dorian Su sternly warned all of his children.
"But why father, this is a good thing if it's true, it could be our ticket back to the capital." Beord asked in a small voice.
Dorian Su scoffed and said, "A ticket? I think you mean a death sentence. What if it doesn't work, then instead of being thrown back to this planet we will be sent to the Red planet or put to death! Our lives have been troublesome enough; we don't need to add any more trouble to them.
Concentrate on what your sister said about changing yourselves and this planet because we are never returning to the capital. She is not the only one who thinks that garbage dump is a temporary solution to our problems; I think the same and so does your mother and Adler. Scarlet was not always foolish, she used to be quite smart and creative in her childhood. Do not underestimate her."
Scarlet that was being discussed spontaneously fell asleep the moment her head touched the pillow. The gift of instant sleep anytime anywhere was common among reapers because the high ranked reapers could deliver souls at any time of the day, not just in the night.
While she slept, her soul appeared in the underworld. The realm was quite different to how it appeared when she was a soul. It was mostly dull, like that time of the morning when the darkness was almost fading but not yet completely gone. It was also cold, not cold enough to make her break out in shivers but enough to make her wish her clothes were thicker.
She looked down at herself and observed that she was dressed similarly to the other reapers in a long black robe. Her long black hair was flying back as if someone was holding a fan which was blowing air directly in front of her face.
"First time?" a female voice asked from behind and she spun around to see another female reaper who had five souls tied around her black rope.
"Yes," Scarlet answered, "I am new to this."
"You should release your souls now, to save time release your rope as well and make sure that they can't run."
She opened her soul gourd and the one soul she had was released and a rope magically wrapped itself around it.
"Just the one." The other said.
"It was the only one I saw." She replied and rubbed one of her hands.
"The more soul power you accumulate, the warmer you will become. They do this to make us work harder and capture more souls. Don't just sit around and wait for souls to come to you, you must go looking for them. Souls like to hang around hospitals, temples, churches, mortuaries, grave yards and prisons. You will find it easier if you pass by such places."
She was happy to receive this advice, "Thank you senior." She said and bowed.
"Follow me and do what I do, the soul registrars don't like being delayed. They also don't like small talk so do not engage then unnecessarily, be brief and precise."
She looked at the soul registrars who were sitting at their posts with books to keep records. They were dressed similarly to reapers but they wore black hats.
She followed the female reaper, observed what she said and did then when it was her turn, she copied it all.
Soul registrar: Name?
Her: "Scarlet."
Soul registrar: "Number of souls."
Her:"One" Soul registrar: "Sign here and take two soul crystals."
The procedure was easy and she finished quickly. She found the female reaper waiting for her at the arrival point which also served as the exit point.
"See you around newbie." She said and disappeared.
Scarlet smiled and disappeared.