Thana was dusting her room when the door suddenly swung open and banged on the wall loudly. She turned around and found Seraphiel standing at the doorway, panting heavily as if he had run across realms just to come to her.
"What happened?" she asked.
Seraphiel leaned against the doorframe. "Hiding!" he managed between ragged breaths.
Thana crossed her arms, eyeing him with suspicion. "Hide? In the netherworld? You do know where you are, right? This isn't exactly the most popular holiday spot for celestials."
Seraphiel straightened up, trying to catch his breath. His golden hair was slightly messy, and his usual calm demeanor changed. "I got promoted," he said.
Thana blinked, then laughed. "Promoted? That's what all this is about? You've been running from your own kind because they're congratulating you?"
Seraphiel shot her an annoyed glare. "They won't leave me alone. I've had enough of their praise and endless celebrations. I needed to escape before I lost my mind."
Thana smirked, clearly enjoying his misery. "So, the great celestial deity Seraphiel is hiding in the netherworld because he can't handle a few compliments. How noble of you."
"Don't call me that," Seraphiel snapped, his tone irritated.
Thana chuckled, clearly amused by his frustration. "Well, what do you expect when you reach such celestial heights? You've earned the title, Seraphiel. Own it."
Seraphiel groaned in exasperation, clearly not in the mood for her teasing. Without another word, he muttered something under his breath and disappeared in a flash of light, teleporting himself to another part of the realm to escape her mockery.
As soon as he vanished, Thana laughed, her shoulders shaking with amusement. "Celestial deity, huh?" she muttered.
She turned back to finish her cleaning, her eyes fell on something she hadn't noticed before. She found a golden handkerchief on her which was neatly folded.
Thana furrowed her brow, picking up the handkerchief. "What's this?" she said while inspecting the fabric. It was elegant, too elegant for the netherworld. She assumed it must have belonged to Seraphiel—after all, he was the only one who would carry something so fancy.
She gave it a quick dust-off and placed it on the table. "I'll give it back to him the next time he comes," she said, a smile appeared on her lips.
She was about to continue cleaning her room, when a little voice appeared from her room.
"Thana! Thana!" It was one of the tiny creatures that served as messengers in the netherworld. It flies the ceiling, its bat-like wings fluttering frantically.
Thana sighed, already knowing what the creature was about to say. "Let me guess, a new soul just arrived?"
The imp nodded eagerly. "Yes! You need to handle it quickly! It's important!"
Thana grabbed her scythe from the corner of the room. "Alright, lead the way. We can't leave the souls wandering around, can we?"
She followed the Creature out of her room, heading off to deal with the new arrival.
Minutes passed, and all was quiet in Thana's now-empty room. The golden handkerchief began to shift.
With a flash of golden light, it began to change. The material elongated and shifted, taking on a human shape. A man now stood beside the table.
He was tall and elegant. His golden robe was shining with brilliance, and the fabric draped over his broad shoulders. His presence filled the small room.
The Supreme Heavenly Lord—undoubtedly the most powerful and revered being across all the realms—stood there, his silver eyes scanning Thana's modest quarters. Despite the grandeur of his appearance, his expression was calm, composed, and slightly cold.
He had come here for a reason, though it was unclear. He had been observing Thana for some time. There was something about her that intrigued him. He knew that she was different, independent, and entirely not afraid of the higher beings who ruled over the realms.
The Supreme Heavenly Lord's gaze lingered on the door she had just left through. He knew Thana's duties well—she was the guide for the souls who were banished to the netherworld, the one responsible for helping them cross the River of Oblivion and into the mortal realm. But she had always preferred to stay hidden, far from the others.
His gaze wandered. Thana's room was small and cluttered, filled with items she had likely collected over centuries. The room was nothing like the grandeur of the heavenly realm, yet it held a certain charm, a reflection of the one who lived in it.
A flicker of curiosity crossed the Supreme Heavenly Lord's face. What drove someone like Thana to live this way?
After wandering around Thana's room, he let out a sigh and folded his arms.
He would wait for her return. After all, time meant little to someone like him.
Thana, meanwhile, was busy guiding the new soul through the netherworld, her scythe resting on her shoulder as she led the way. The soul was quiet, as most of them were, overwhelmed by the strange, dark atmosphere of the netherworld. They didn't speak much as they neared the River of Oblivion, and Thana quickly explained the process as she always did, though she could tell the soul wasn't fully listening.
"Just step into the boat, and once you cross the river, your memories will fade," she said, her tone almost bored from having repeated the instructions so many times.
The soul nodded quietly, stepping into the boat and drifting away.
Thana watched the boat disappear into the mist, letting out a sigh. Another one successfully guided.
She turned back to her room, the imp fluttering beside her. "All done," she said, brushing off her hands. "It time to head time."
As she entered her quarters, she stopped dead in her tracks. Standing in her room was the Supreme Heavenly Lord.
Thana's eyes widened. "You..." she gripped her scythe.
The Supreme Heavenly Lord's cold, silver gaze met hers. "I was waiting for you."
Thana stared at the Supreme Heavenly Lord, her heartbeat was beating fast. The most powerful being in all the realms was in her room. She didn't expect his sudden appearance in her room.