A Tale in Autumn

CHAPTER 3: THE HARVESTER OF SOULS

Psydon's Perspective

In the mysterious realm between dreams and reality, a haunting voice resonated through the void, calling out my name – "Psydon." The melodious tones belonged to an enchanting woman, beckoning me closer.

"Psydon Khene Santos," she repeated, gesturing for me to approach. In this peculiar realm, she and I were the sole inhabitants. To confirm that I was her intended audience, I cautiously asked, "Is it me?" She nodded, urging me to draw nearer.

However, as I closed the distance, an unexpected twist unfolded. A dark shroud enveloped her figure, swirling menacingly towards her lovely face, as if attempting to wrench her away.

"Psydon!!!!!!" she screamed. "No!!!" I shouted in desperation, but my pleas fell on deaf ears. The surroundings began to blur, and everything gradually succumbed to an engulfing obscurity.

"BRO!!!" I startled awake, jolting upright. Gasping for breath, Chris stood before me, brandishing a bell-like object. "What the hell, bro? I've been trying to wake you up for almost a minute, and you didn't even flinch," he complained.

"What was that?" I asked, pointing to the bell-like item in his hands.

"Oh, this? I just snagged it from the virgil's room – the one that welcomes Psydon in the hall. Since you wouldn't wake up, I decided to give it a ring. It startled you awake from whatever nightmare you were having," he explained, swinging the bell again to produce a sharp, resonating sound. "What the heck?" I chuckled, still trying to recover from the abrupt awakening. "See? Haha, you'd wake up even from a deep slumber. Let's go, bro; our work awaits," Chris declared, dismissing the peculiar wake-up call.

As I pieced together the fragments of the previous night's events, the dream lingered – the mysterious woman calling my name, "Psydon." It clung to my thoughts, leaving an unsettling sense of uncertainty. "Psydon," I uttered aloud, prompting Chris to stop in his tracks and face me once more.

"Huh? Are you experiencing amnesia, bro? I'm Chris the Handsome. What's up with 'Psydon'? Wait—" he paused, "Do you remember your name?"

Taken aback by his inquiry, I nodded, rising from my position. "Meet me, Chris. I'm Psydon Khene Santos," I said with a grin, and we exchanged handshakes as though meeting for the first time. "Congrats, Psydon," he chuckled, and we departed together.

After a few minutes, we found ourselves in a hall where someone distributed a black paper to each of us. "What are we supposed to do? What's on that paper?" I inquired of Chris, pointing to the sheet.

"That? It's a Death Note. It contains information about the souls we're going to collect. Currently blank, details will emerge when we're close to the designated souls," he elucidated. "Collect souls?" I questioned.

"Yeah, that's our job. You and me. Don't worry; it's a breeze. And if you get female souls, consider yourself lucky, haha," he reassured, amused. "Does this mean we're leaving Hades?" I asked, a glimmer of hope surfacing. He nodded. "Indeed. See that portal over there? That's our passage out," he gestured, pointing to the portal also being utilized by others who had obtained Death Notes. "But, Psydon, I know you're eager to get out of here, but let me caution you. Don't act recklessly. No matter what you do, you can't escape this place until you've been judged," he warned with gravity. I nodded silently, absorbing his words.

After a prolonged queue, Chris distributed Death Notes, and we entered the portal. Stepping through, we found ourselves on a path surrounded by ethereal structures. I was taken aback to realize I was dressed differently, as was Chris. I adorned a black coat, polo, hat, and shoes, while Chris sported a dark brown formal attire with a matching hat.

"I like stepping out of Hades in style," Chris chuckled. "What's this?" I questioned, gesturing to my outfit. "You don't like it? I requested it from the higher-ups. When we venture out, we need to look presentable. I suggested this to avoid frightening the souls, and they readily agreed. But truth be told, it's mostly because we often encounter attractive women, and this attire is less intimidating than the usual red cloak I wear," he revealed. "Wait you look dashing there ,But of course, I'm even more handsome," he added, laughing. I chose to ignore him, redirecting my attention to the assembling crowd.

"Do you know what they call us?" he asked. "Grim Reapers," he declared. "Cool, right? Do you know where I got that? Last time, as I waited for a soul to stop crying, I glanced at the TV in the coffee shop behind me. I saw a show where the protagonist was also collecting souls, and they called him the Grim Reaper." he laughed heartily. "You're truly insane. Just go already!" I teased, playfully shooing him away. "Come on, after all we've been through, you're kicking me out already?" he bantered. "Just kidding! Now, leave!" I exclaimed, and he departed, still laughing. Sometimes, I wondered why such eccentric beings existed in Hades.

Returning my focus to the surrounding people, I hoped to discern the nature of their quest. It became evident that an accident had occurred. In the distance, a woman sat beside a lifeless body, and the Death Note suddenly illuminated.

Name: Eun Autumn Kim

Gender: Female

Cause of Death: Car Accident

Reading the details, I approached the grieving woman, who remained with her back turned to the lifeless form before her. A profound sense of unease enveloped me, unaccustomed to such scenes, and a wave of compassion washed over me.

"Come with me. Your journey to Hades awaits "I stated coldly. My emotions were uncertain, but witnessing someone weep in front of their lifeless body was an emotionally taxing experience.

Slowly, she turned towards me, appearing surprised at my presence. Despite this, she managed to compose herself and offered a smile. "Psydon," she softly uttered, just audible enough for me to hear. As I observed her, recognition struck – the woman from my dream, the one who had called my name. Approaching me, as if to embrace, I suddenly felt lightheaded, a sharp headache seizing me. Helpless, I could do nothing but endure it.