Micah made his way through the maze that was the sewers. Sometimes it felt like the paths actually changed down here. He swore it was one way, when it'd be another. It was rather strange, he realized. Perhaps it was just his stressed mind playing tricks on him. Thankfully, the creatures that lived down here were very helpful. He may not have been able to understand them, but they understood him and guided him to the right spot.
He sighed when he saw the heartbreaking sight in front of him. Even when Croc was in agonizing pain, he still was more worried about his mate. He'd laid Kuza between his legs, with his head on his stomach. The two were both just as bad as the others. Their skin was the color of ash and their hair matted by sweat. Croc was cold blooded, yet even he couldn't adjust his body temperature to his surroundings.
At the end of the bed was a chest. On top rested a few rocks and plants that Mojo typically played on. He climbed up to the tallest point of the highest rock and make a noise at Micah. It sounded almost like a bird squeaking. Micah recognized that it was a child calling out for someone to help his parents.
"It's okay, Sweetheart. This is only temporary, I promise." He spoke just above a whisper.
Micah set down the supplies in his hands on the edge of the bed. Their mattress was on the ground, meaning he did have to kneel down pretty far. He reached his hand towards Croc's forehead to feel his temperature, only to be met with a vicious growl.
"Worry about him first." He sneered.
"I will, but only because I know if you're strong enough to talk, you haven't gotten as bad as the others yet." Micah replied.
That, or he was just stronger than the others in general. Croc was a force to be reckoned with. Micah knew that, but he never knew he was this strong. He gently laid a cold towel over Kuza's forehead. The sick vampire whimpered and cried in pain. He held onto Croc with a firm grip. It somehow took the edge off to have someone to squeeze.
He released a scream when his skin began to crack. To him, it felt like a thousand needles tearing through his flesh at once. The grey skin started to flake off, revealing pale white underneath. The sins of the Valley were literally tearing themselves away. How far would they go?
| | |
The night sky still as a sleeping child, it was almost too hard to believe. Of course, it wasn't silent. The screams of the tortured echoed throughout the evening. Outside, they were somewhat harder to hear. Perhaps that's why Beau found himself out on the balcony of Jasper's office. The fresh air helped to ease the weight of the world resting on his shoulders.
As the moon light illuminated his duel colored eyes, he sat still along the rail. In the garden below, Kitty was playing with Annabelle. Her gentle soul was attempting to distract the child from the horrors inside the manor. Beau found it heartwarming, but there was a nagging thought in the back of his mind. It was useless to protect her from her own life.
There was a knock at the door, to which he called, "Come in!"
Ricky walked in and continued out to the balcony. "Felix said you wanted to speak with me."
"Yes." His eyes dimmed as he saw the joy in that young girl. It'll fade. It all fades. Beau continued quietly, "It's time we stop speaking so modestly of Jasper. The truth is, he is the most powerful being among us that isn't a God. He's definitely smart enough to properly hide something if he didn't want me to see it. Which leads me to believe, everything I did find in his desk, he wanted me to know about without outright telling me. What I'm to do with that information is my choice, and I've chosen not to be selfish with it."
"Whatever you found out, it obviously has to do with me."
"Of course." He responded, "It regards the fate of your children. Such a delicate matter, I'll let it be your choice on whether or not you want me to tell you. Know that I did confirm this information with Apollo."
Ricky narrowed his eyes, "What does he have to do with any of this?"
"They don't call him the Lord of Fates for no reason. That's why he's the spider, as well. He weaves destinies, and he can see the future of a soul. He confirmed that Jasper's plans for your sons will be fulfilled. Like I said, though, it's your choice as to if you'd like to know."
He scoffed, "Why wouldn't I? Whether I die tomorrow or in a thousand years, they will still remain on this planet while I move on. I have to know."
"Fine, then. I'm sure it goes without saying, this information remains strictly between us. I'm only doing this as a favor to Chris in the first place." Beau said, "The reason their souls didn't pass on had nothing to do with your wife being of the gifted vampires. Though, through sheer luck, your combined genetics is responsible for assigning them this fate.
It's actually funny, in a cruel way." He snit, flashing a bittersweet grin, "There are people who dedicate their lives to trying to create creatures like your sons. They've actually killed their own offspring, murdered their spouses, done whatever it took and still couldn't accomplish something you did on accident. The reason why your sons did not move on to the afterlife is because they are destined to become grim reapers."
Well, Ricky wasn't exactly expecting to hear good news, but he definitely wasn't expecting that either. It'd been a long time since he was this flabbergasted by anything. He felt like a fool for just staring for a moment, but there was nothing else he could manage to do. How the Hell? Granted, Ghost had a long lineage of vampire blood in him, but Ricky? He was once human, and at this point he's not even completely vampire.
"How is that even possible?" He questioned.
"All reapers were once living creatures. They are required to exist for five hundred years in order to learn an appreciation for life that is unrivaled. Once they pass that mark, Lord Death inducts them into the Reaper Society. If they are to die before that time, they just continue on living, as you've seen with your sons.
According to what I read in Jasper's notes, he believes that Felix will eventually become the next Lord Death. Apollo couldn't see that far into his future, but he too thought it was very plausible. He already has an impressive grasp on his abilities as a spirit. Given his age, he'll be inducted within the next few decades. By then, his strength will be unimaginable."
"If this is all true, why can't the twins and Ripper and Knox leave Vanaheim? Why are their spirits stuck here?"
Beau raised an eyebrow, seeming intrigued by his wording. "That is simply because they haven't gotten strong enough to leave. Felix is able to leave if he wants to, but that's because his age has allowed him experience."
Ricky scoffed, "He's also not dead."
"Lieutenant- I hope you don't mind me addressing you as Lieutenant, but I believe you should retain your status. I also believe you did not become a Lieutenant out of sheer luck. You are incredibly intelligent, definitely smart enough to know the sacrifices of your oldest son. If you don't stop playing this game of stubbornness, he will lose what little respect he has left for you. It's not my place to tell anyone how to parent. I just don't want to see a legend crumble under his own blindness."
With his fists tightened at his sides, Ricky seethed, "Now I see why you're so close to Jasper. You're just like him. You never know when to shut up... Even if I need someone to tell me the truth. Yes, I do know, but for my wife's sake, I pretended like it wasn't the truth. I don't want to believe... Believe that he raised himself so well. I know that I'm not responsible for the way he turned out. I'm not that good of a man, and I wasn't there for him."
"So, now that you have the option to be there, and you know his destiny, what are you going to do?" Beau responded.
"I'm going to teach him everything I know, as long as he's willing to learn. He's just as stubborn as me, unfortunately. That's the one thing he did learn from me." He grumbled.
The crow snickered softly, "That makes me happy to hear. I'm going to go check in on all those affected by the current circumstances. Please, do use this time to speak with your spouse, tell him the truth. It'll only get worse the longer you wait."
"Yeah," He sighed, "I know."
It's just not that easy... Obviously Beau has never dated someone like Ghost. Emotionally unstable, a little bit of a psychopath... Maybe a lot a bit of a psychopath. The point is, Ricky doesn't want to get his throat slit. Ghost will kill the messenger, but he'll find out sooner or later.