- Heaven's Last Breath -

An Old Man's Story

- Aaron -

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"Seventy eight million gold coming right up."

Just as the dwarven clerk disappeared through a side room, I felt two hands on my shoulders. Before I could react, my entire body had been moved to the side as a certain rose blonde stepped forward.

"You think they have all of it?"

I shrugged my shoulders, "Who knows, but even half is more than enough."

Ariel shook her head as if I had missed her point, turning as the side door creaked open. Slowly, a desk table was wheeled through, a ludicrous amount of gold coins and valuable treasures all glinting under the over head oil lanterns.

I saw the dollar signs in Ariel's eyes as she opened up a soul mirror, funnelling the heap of treasure into her back pocket. The dwarven clerk didn't say a word, unsurprised at the display of magic before him.

With the money secured, I nodded to the clerk, following Ariel as she made her way to the main door of the guild hall.

The moment we stepped outside, I quickly realised Ariel might not be of too much help. I looked to my side, the rose blonde thinking deeply about what to spend the money on. I couldn't exactly blame her, shrugging my shoulders as I led us down the wide streets of Ironforge.

"Behold! Men and women, children of all ages, behold the story of Heaven's Curse!"

My ears picked up a commotion from just ahead. Ariel was still absorbed in her thoughts so I pulled her by the arm, making my way over to the crowd of people who had gathered around a small platform.

At the centre, there was an elderly dwarf, his body small and aged. In one hand, he held onto a walking cane and in the other a small tobacco pipe. Another, younger dwarf cleared the way for the older man, helping him onto the platform in the middle of the crowd.

"Hey Aaron!" A joyful voice called out from my side and as I looked over, a certain midnight haired samurai was making her way toward Ariel and I. "Guess we're meeting here then?"

I shrugged my shoulders, looking a little beyond her seeing a tall, dark skinned man wearing a decorative cape. The cloaked reaper nodded to me, joining the three of us as we looked to see what the old dwarf had to say.

"I am but an dwarf in his old age" As he spoke, the elderly dwarf lifted his gaze slightly, looking up to the surrounding crowd. The other dwarf passed the elder a moderately-sized bullhorn, the crowd bracing for what the old man had to say.

"Now that I am in my old age, there is much I have seen." He paused for a moment, collecting his breath, "But my mind will not rid itself of the stories I was told as a child."

The crowd let out a collective gasp as the chirping of crows rang out from above. After clearing his throat, the elderly dwarf looked toward the crowd, his eyes empty with lack of emotion.

"Beware, young children, for in the darkness they hide. The Shinigami lurk in the shadows of the night, waiting for their moment to strike. You wouldn't even hear the screams of their victims as they are taken away to a world unknown."

I raised an eyebrow, unsure where the story was going. I was interested in the Shinigami and anything relating to them, especially now that I was stood beside Jade and Death.

"But there are those that the Shinigami dare not to approach. For years and years, deep within the Beyondlands, a terrible presence hid away, masked by the terror of the Shinigami. Even the death gods are brought to their knees at the very sight of this cursed existence."