My Soul to Reap (Archived)

Pray The Fates My Soul To Reap

    I took a step back, surveying the carnage. Most of the dead were out here by now, even though this wasn't where they had been killed. I looked back at the open door of the house and realized I'd have to go back in. There was still a war being waged, and I'd just have to get used to fighting it. I stepped around the bodies scattered at my feet, trying to keep away from the blood. The women had been right about the dress, because it hadn't slowed me down at all. I glanced down quickly, grimacing. It had taken some damage though, and there was blood splatter all over it. White didn't seem like it was the smartest choice to have made, but none of us had really known I'd end up fighting a horde of zombies.

The entrance way was silent but the ballroom beyond still echoed with the sounds of battle. It hadn't stopped, not even when they saw the corpses get up and walk away. But, it had apparently attracted some attention. A man was walking down the hallway, dressed in a suit with a golden tie that matched his yellowish eyes. I swung my scythe in an arc, making no secret of the fact that I was armed and ready to rip him to pieces if I needed to. He held up his hands, his eyes wide.

"I'm on your side!" he sputtered out, and I didn't know if I could trust him. Which, of course, revealed another problem. How could I fight if I didn't know who I was fighting against, and who were my allies? The question I hadn't even asked was answered when the house's owner, Ms. Ravenna, quickly pushed him to the side.

"Get in the room, you don't want to be in the hallway for this." It wasn't quite an order but it sounded like one, and after staring her down for a second I nodded. I glanced at her as I walked past, and I could see tension running through her shoulders. Whatever she was about to do, she was going to do it because she was scared. And someone powerful doing something rash wasn't something I wanted to be around for.

Nothing had changed on the battlefield, except there were a few less people able to stand and fight. The bodies of Rina and Vincent were left alone, their mourners too busy with each other. Brie in Lynn were fighting more fiercely than anyone else in the room, because they both had something to fight for. My first instinct was to go to them, to help Brie, but as I strode into the room something was fired at my back. I got out of the way with a second to spare and whipped around to see my attacker. His eyes were the same gold as the other man's, but I could tell straight away he wasn't on my side. I ran at him, my scythe moving automatically and straightening without me having to do anything. As I spun around him I tried to watch Brie's fight, but only caught the occasional glance. I had no way of knowing what was going on.

He caught me in the side with whatever magic he was using and I gave upon trying to see the other fight, instead focusing on my own. I shoved the spikes into his stomach and sliced the blade across his chest, letting him drop. My arm had started bleeding, from a wound I'd forgotten about in the fight. I cursed to myself but couldn't slow down. It could wait, for now I needed to get to Brie. But again my progress was stopped, this time by a woman wielding a battle axe. She had silver-grey eyes that shone too much to be human, but I'd never seen them on anyone before. Eventually I found myself knowing that she was a spirit, the vengeful kind of ghost that was left over from a time of war. Again it was something I just knew, like the knowledge had always been part of me. A reaper thing. She was just a soul so normal weapons couldn't hurt her, but my scythe was no normal weapon. It was meant for cutting through souls.

She realized her mistake a second too late. The gold blade passed easily through her body and she screamed, dissolving into smoke before the smoke turned to ash. I stepped around her remains, kicking some of them up in the process. Brie and Lynn were still fighting, but by now they were on the other side of the room. I cursed and moved to run to them, but a roar from the doorway stopped me dead in my tracks.