Stepping closer

A horizon that never stops or starts. The glimpse of distant waves mixing sea foam are as the fluff clouds the smooth brush around the sun. The mist of the morning is coldly collected on all the grass, moss and liken that live on these features of chiseled cliffs. Beaten and worn by centuries passing has soft and smoothed surfaces.

A few too many mortal generations have past since this pebbled shore line was bless with the a ritual of ancestral blessing. The practice would be considered barbarian and cruel for modern sensibilities. Yet it was still a few in secret whom had the burden on continuing lost practice. Some cultures that war and clashed, now they stood to face a common threat together.

Being erased or forgotten. To them, their gods whom whisper in the ears need their will of practice and prayer more then ever. As a threat of things have started making significant changes.

A ceremony of animal offerings, flowers, skulls, charmed amulets and most importantly the boat itself. No taking short cuts, all such offerings were are organic as is gets. Not plastic or faked. The light humidity has attracted pesky flys, another telling that the offerings while likely be in vain.

Dished fire pits, platform by rusted metal poles are scituated in intervals facing the boat. Lighlty curving as a semicircle watching the event or at least seeing the hands of the speakers. At each light stand stood a different pantheon of followers, each represented cultures at the finest. From the lost faiths whom don't speak living language to the last surviving ones that somehow still worship today.

Monks of mythical mountains, the mute ones of the darkness, the ladies of fortune and many strange groups whom were keeping their secret of being a god follower. Even the modernized Egyptian gods whom had strange followers that weren't even from Egypt. Some of the Gods whom are represented didn't have religious texts. There are the 'few' whom believed in one God. Well there is several groups whom believe in one God, but are divided by how to practice faith.

The ones in lead of speaking are neutral ground which were split into two sides. Those all whom were respected by all to keep word of neutral grounds. The second were those whom had the powers to make sure it stays peaceful, whom also provided translator's.

A little bird was late, he lands face first in on the fewest spots sand before altered into a man. He stood a bit dazed yet brushes off well. He is one the most responsible for making sure that the waters take these offerings calmly and that any prophecy in return would be received clearly. Since being one the most powerful by magic, being the previous mage kings court stand in. The bird mans merits alone was more then enough for the majority to vote him as ceremonial spell speaker.

A brave man with good eyes, was aware that these groups weren't the only folks here. Overseeing that the whole ritual is as planned, stood ghostly flex images of everything God represented here. Mostly to give their approval and acceptance of such offerings. There is a few very powerful ones, whom stood in mock human forms and are very visible to any human. They weren't represented. No, they came at the invite of the other gods here. The unease of knowing that things are about to be bad.

Hidden among shadows of gods is a lone hoodie wearing kid listening to something of the radio frequency, static crushing noise that melted into the water lapping the shore. He was prepared to drown out the sounds of what was to come.

"Once in everything few centuries, we are reminded of things that should have stayed hidden and forgotten. It's of this ritual to ask the gods or god, by the trade of offerings that such things if were to be discovered once again would bring us no harm or change to ours ways of teaching. We all have had our gut senses or tell ways guide us to this sense of worry." The lead speaker at the moment was a neutral, they just finished addressing the known groups by name in thanks for coming, "Before we start this ceremony, we all agree to speak a prayer of warding. This will remove any false appearances, and in turn be at honest to the core." Most now took of thier false form before the prayer, other stayed stayed still as the prayer washes over and spreads at the gods here.

A clay face sits leaning on the hidden boys shoulder, tendrils of torn cloth hugging his arm and torso. The boy was now very visible but no one turned around to notice. Those looking into the crowds was to busy with the ceremony or had assumed nothing strange of the mask being. It weren't the only thing here that was odd. This completed lead to passing of a mic goes to the translators. They speak of everything through. The mic is soon pass to the bird man.

"Any minute now." The mask creaks fragments of itself as it held a frowned grin, a tendril of cloth pointing to the embankment of stones shuffled by the magic casting. The water front pulls away more and more. The unveiling of other rotten shells of previous boat offerings before. The successful offering boats were the ones that were rib show and empty.

"I walked into the wrong place again." The water that is here was lifted in a thin ice sheet, mist from it wafted the air. A seaweed covered being came out, posed in out loud thinking.

"Drown one, what right do you have to interpret..." Several came forwards for conflict, are pulled back by the powers that seep the floor around this clump of aquatic life. Such being came close to the shore edge but do not leave wet pebbled safety.

" Stranger from other lands, where are you from and what date is it there?" Among the inhuman followers spoke this questions plainly for all to understand and hear. It that hope the weeds would speak a language in answering questions the same way. A common practice for boundary realm walkers.

"Before I do, I have something for... them." the clump throw shells to the feet of gods. This was to hit any whom were solid physical one among them. It narrows on the kid and a grinning broken puppet, "You. Are you the current one?" The kid steps up, picked up the few shells in inspecting them.

"We are... in a sense. Yet we are not on duty. It more like... well not in a literal sense but... killing time." The clay plate swaps shoulder sides. The creaks of the expression was deeper a smile then frown, "I was expecting you, a sort of annoyance every time these folks have casted this ritual of rights. It makes the 8th time I have spat at you for making me come here. You..." the kid covered the mask mouth as it were muted by this action.

"They arent in the books." The kid softly noted. This makes the mask grins sharply once again. A tendril moved the kids hand. Another tendril steals from the pocket of a goddess ghost behind. It flicking through a tainted book. It purrs a while in seeking answers, "If your asking if I am the current. You must be assuming you know what we are. So, if... and if, you are looking for us and aren't of my protection. You maybe the other of anothers divide. So... neither of can answer where and when. Am I correct?"

"You are. I am the guardian of my territory. My own tomes. I don't not recall this being the 8th. But I have had a few..." it hand rolls in seeking words, "rough starts." The shells are now properly picked up by the kid, the mask stays hovered on spot looking through the tomes. It comes to a page, rips it out and throws it to the drowned one.

"The eldest will make his rounds eventually. You better clean up, pup." The book thrown to the goddess and shells now thrown into a the hole of an abyss from nowhere. Such hole was gone instantly as it appeared.

"I have dread of them nosing in business. It makes the souls displeased." the thing returns to the waters and the kid makes sure his hood is properly up. This kid stands up straight, peering at the drowned ones back. The mask was back to a sickened formed frown, artistic broken fragments floating as individual parts. It obscures the kids face entirely.

"The elder ones are nice creeps, yet I do understand the drowned dislike of disruptions by picky souls." the mask voice was whistles among fragments, breezy and soulless. The tendrails made the kids arms raise as now the water wave was now to crash over the boat of offerings.

"Whomever said you were on holiday was a fibber." The Egyptian gods have now summoned forwards servants. At weapons pointed towards the kid.

"Seriously, have you not gone to fetch those folks from the..." Uniform hugs tightly on a thinned form, silver eyes at dance between the gods around a kid, "ugh... which fragments are you?" He takes out a death record, "Weren't you the set that was sealed in the coffin, the set making a headache with your uncle or are you in fact the werido I am looking for."

"I hate you too, judge. You in perfect timing to learn that the elder enders of collaping timelines are making visit soon." The hollow mask pulls as one mass again and tendrils wrap between both the kid and the lone grim reaper, "You better make sure that Death does not do something messy again. He freaks out every time the elders have tea with him. The elders have some very broken minds that speak unnecessary turth."

"And why are you telling me something like that?"

"The last other judgement blade beheaded Death for breaking something. We all know death isn't a forgetting type. When it concern life spans."

The ceremony of right is fully intuerpted enough that all eyes have watched these three beings talking werid no sense. The most part of the matter is more powers of gods, gaurdains and now even God followers stand defense. All at wait to fight these three or each other.

"I miss the days when everyone tried to murder me on the spot." The rusted broken blade of thousands slowly turns to poke the gentleman. Ageless stretched skin, scars and torn part. The face a solid white material mask with piercing dark holes, a set of red slit pupils, "My twin has returned the 184 missing ate souls to your books and is currently fasnated by the stone tombs progress." The blade in there hand marks the floor in a clean cut, "All I ask is to sleep... sleep at the leave for you to take my boarders. The souls are free to explore and expand in many lands... As the souls of my books... are currently.... healing." Hands futtered between each pause as speaking a open language is very hard. It uses so many common words of many languages to speak this message.

"Thats all I will want to know. Your timeline is your business. That is the rules we enders agreed to." The tendrils jolt in snatching this person, thier blade and the whole soul. The mask broken did not just have its shape to be fragments and dust but as if to be a snake adjusting it jaw. The blacken mass pours from around, erasing whomever that was from standing. The clothy skins, goop and flesh flexs as in chewing its meal.

This raving mass shatters, blacken glass dancing the air. A distorted echo of uncomfortable sounds hollows among these dancing ordrements of shards. It were a painful, all but the child were at thier knees cringing. Some beg for the sounds to stop. Even fearless soilders from the many underworlds had that felt that negative energy.

Creaks inside every glassy black shard, then pour as blacken sands. The screams of time lost gone, a last little pull together as a hard cover of a book thud harshly into the kids chest. Feet slide marks of move pebbles by the impact. The book is outwardly checked and softly passed over to the silver eyed grim reaper.

The gentleman stood over the kid, staring between the book, the fragments of hovering the face of the child and then to the kids face behind. Pouting with trying to get the point explaining from them.

"Nice to met you, again." The kid offer his hand, "I am as confused as you are. Maybe we can be confused together and try no to be murdered." The cold static of the grim finds this child to be without a pause or well warm like a living should, "You should be careful with that tome... There is to many idiots around. Although the mask said you pride yourself in looking after both this book and us. It said a lot of random nonsense all the time. I try to not think on it."

The grim blinks with deep thoughts, and looks around. He studies how everyone is standing dazed, some return to the worlds they came from and the most whom should be here stand facing the waters edge. Tranced with how the sky flicks shades of other skies. The gods whom recovered quickest took weapons and defense stance, at moment to wait to fight.

The kid let's go of the kind silvery grim, waking inward to land. The air gained momentum of strength, all braced the winds warmth and cold. The strange creepy hard bound book of torn ragged page edges tainted tattoos over the metal man surface, his mock appearance as a grim reaper was like flaked paint on a miniature model. He lifted his arms to brace a bright rainbow of colours, the book gone from physical form.

The turn of gods and goddess looking around for the beast that held back weather. Followers stood in defense of magic or of bless shields, watching the many worlds that had collapse in order to bring together memories that hadn't belonged to them. The layers of reality thicken, and less of the storm impacts them.

It were when the strong water spray blow out torches across the shore lines sight. Embers and ash left soggy across the floors around their feet and metal posts slightly bending. The water wave slams at the peddled coast but harmless with any physical person.

Their minds, hearts and souls took to making sense of these new reality perceptions. The end of the ancestral ritual has left to much to be unpacked for them all to even talk about. Strange beings among them that they didn't assume any but human have now been compromised. Gods and god faintly have stood among them at their defence of a stranger worse then demons.

There is argument to be had about what the whole thing meant to those cultures whom had not words in thier languages for such 'outsiders'. Alien to known and unknown space and time. It had seemed... there is a lie the gods must take if they wish to stay with the peace they do have.

Because, if there are more then one ender and more then one length of time space. It will complicate understand as all assumptions would soon have grounded reasoning for it all.

The more understanding a universe can comprehend of itself, the further it will expand.

In some ways it would thin out soul density ratio across time and space. This make worlds where it could contain a single soul. Or make graveyard realms more common (a soulless plain of things that shouldn't be, according to most).

Space is vast but for a god it was once in grasp. The possibilities of infinity makes most souls negative, some do react badly... yet you always get the one whole flips out and burns the place down to prove a useless point. It forgetting why it broke the place in the first place. Another mess for the last soul of this tome compendium to clean up.

The idiots can often be the same folks whom leave the key in the view shader, work under the guy whom cursed them and continues annoy their master in unseen ways by trying to find some kid.

Oh, the college days before they were aware if what magic was actually. The intoxication of student life with strange pair of students their age. A story to be told in better detail later. For now, the irony of leaving ones wallet on the seat proves that the two agents could actually been allies once for the original royal king and queen. A double date photo treasured as a memento to simple times.

A hard cough distracted his driving for a well, a mix of phlegm which is greenie as it should be, blacken clots and red tinted hue. The shot of pain on the lungs, a sharp compression in the stomach and the tension of muscles that doesn't ease off quickly.

"You really can't keep running away from facts. Its no wonder the damned look so clear to you and the god of omens finds you instantly. Seriously, read the writing on the walls." The silver eyes glare from the Reflection of the mirror, a lazed guy without a seat belt across all the back seats.

"9 more countries." The mask begs, it make driving adjustments to prevent any suspicious from speed cameras or police. A tissue from a door well does the job for clean up, "at least, 2 more collected clumps of soul shards. One in a fire realm of hells and the other is sort of left in a jungle of extinct wilderness. And if you want to go the full mile of make sure I am trained as a grim reaper, I have to be taught by the 14 hidden Lords. Three of which I have already learnt." properly back to being the one in control, making the turn around 'around about' stopping up to a fast food place. A nice place to ditch the car for now.

As any ghost connected to someone does, the grim continues to be in reflections around him, being there without physical influence. Walking at James's back or warp to a booth seat.

Wallet with contact less credit card of the servant of my evil uncle. Totally worth the Triple grill burger, large fries, milk shake and mozzarella sticks. Three apple pies to be hidden in storage. Four bottled drinks of mixed types. A blueberry muffin, stored away. Double chocolate muffin for soon after digesting this meal. Under the 30 limit, by a penny.

Sitting alone to eat, watching folks come here. Most of the flock, even mr feather cloak. The bird illusion of the god staring between the silver eyed reaper and the kid that hide his face from everyone.

The follower was perplexed to soon slyly ask to join this booth by the window, all the other seats taken and it wouldn't be of harm for the kid. A bird man whom eats other birds, its fitting nature. Crows or Ravens are meat eaters; will part take in eggs or small birds.

"You can give this to the orginal owner. Tell the idiot to not leave the car unlocked with the keys in the shader." Sly return of the kid to slide the black leather wallet, hammered with the the letter 'J'. Raven in human form is a middle aged man, slightly older looking then James. Ten years ahead of James in actual age. Covered with cult rune tattoos, rat skull necklace, feathers and a belt pouch like some adventure in a RPG.

A strange man for having a bird say of expressing himself, complete with look at the kid with head turned to the side. Poking the wallet before picking it up. Twisting his neck about like a hawk plucking fur off prey. Scratching fingers at the debit and credit cards. Drivers licence for three different countries.

"Why did you steal... no, borrow Agent K's car? Or steal... borrow his wallet. Barge into a ceremony that had nothing to do with yourself." He was holding back some temper.

"Why do you continue to bother asking where I am? It's not hard to find me with the help of your faith in omens." James ducks down more and tries to pretend to not be talking.

"Why do you continue to be difficult?" He pecks at the food he ordered before eating a nugget of chicken whole. Tilting as eyes watched hand movements. The kid eating his own burger meal.

"You would to if you were running away from public execution and death himself." Continue this hide duck look while removing the milkshake lid and processing fries shape for the perfect dipper. A long awkward silence of watching him eat a fry cover in vanilla milkshake, "Are you for the people, the laws or the folks whom run it? Both company and country."

"And why would I answer you?"

"Just a private survey of how bad things are... you opinions will be lost among the 183 other poeple asked this far. I wanted a clear cross section of rich, poor, outsider and native." A paper is pushed the bride way, "The other dead me will collect it or ask for it when you go there." James tilted in looking at a laptop... a laptop visible in the reflection of the window but not on the actual table.

"Excuse you... but that doesn't make sense."

"Clearly some secrets among royals was never explicitly given to those closest. Very informative." Adds notes on a keyboard that clicks and taps... yet still not in sight, "Very boring." he has a mild frown with a left side light back lip smile. A few annoying mouth sounds of him focus on fixing the computer spread sheet. The food gone and a snatch in picking a metal sword from the air next to Raven and over head of ghost god bird. He pointed this blade, stares into Raven. Walks away, Raven stares in expecting a farewell.

"The so called power to bring down gods is just a fancy anti-god title. Its other deities whom give such things thought of and even fear. This was what the power of the shadow curse side of the royal family has sought for or feared becoming. It would seem this power has gaven the youngest of the royals, the one yet to make a public appearance. I have been seeking the royal children for such issue, seeking the one whom breaks things. I do so in knowing in my ability as a god, if there was trouble. That guy has to know of it." The ghost bird speaks gently, "If what this child is indeed the one whom oversees the edges of our universe... why is he existing within at a known centre of it?"

The brid.follower stares to his ghostly lord, pouting with more confusion.

"That isnt the prince. I know the..." the chicken nugget he was about to eat is spat out, he frowned with how that one didn't taste right, "If this being is powerful, how could they be in multiple places at once?"

"Do you not remember of what lead to children getting out of the castle? The sacrifice the queen made for the price of power. She had listened to the elder tree ent about a dark futures. Now, those future never came to pass as she found how to break them... by playing in the blood of the two brothers."

Raven is aware of why there is a royal bloodline split. A big reason is why the royal practice of marry and children which trust approvaled members. Four branch differences having children. All so that they may track the one with the dormant evil and the one with purity. The late king and queen are such arrangements, distant cousins. She had inheritance most of the pure gene and she choose the brother to be with. Although her choose was likely not the one of dark. She made it her hardest to avoid marriage with the elder brother. A miracle that she wasn't carrying the wrong fathers child. Maybe. That detail she took to the grave.

It was of Raven's wish to take the corpses to the undead city and ask the spirits the truth. But this was never to be. He already dug the known graves in secret and did not find them there. Lord Mark ordered the damned to hide the dead, so it may not be this world.

What does this child, the royal undead prince back on the island and this dark entity have to do with each other?

Raven looks at the survey paper the kid left behind, 17 paged booklet. It has a few runes around the edges. The core three parts were to be removed in order to start the survey. Changing the inks to appear with all countrys related questions. The first section was basic group categories (age, status, work and faith), the next section was ticking satisfaction of the ones in charge of keeping place, a box at the end for name shaming. The next part was likes and dislikes of the land, industries and general. The last page turned into the reward for filling out the form... based on what job was stated. The removed section was a new 17 page document. A new one for someone else to do. Raven flicked through counting the pages for sure. these is less runes but it was overwhelmingly the same survey.

He looked at the one he filled out, thinking of why it be him to deliver to the prince. The two parts put away and some thoughts are deeply thought of... eating the rest of his meal and looking to the wallet. He see cash missing but every else was normal, to him. Something used to be in the clear window of one part. Not that Raven would know.

"Lord Raven... what are you doing in a place like this?" She sits across and waved her husband at the payment counter. Raven slides the wallet to her and she stares. She got up to take it and returns quickly, "My lord, how?"

"I answer you questions if you do this survey. You tell me what you think this survey purpose is." she follows the instructions of removing the centre, less runes again but still the same. She goes through it, filling out more sections. She had a extra section about the company of mages. None invasive questions but sounded like something a recruit would ask. Her reward of the last page was a letter written and signed by the undead prince. It details about the wallet, car and money stealing. She shows this letter to Raven... whom reads it.

"He doesn't explain what I wanted to know." Pouting in a curled twisted manner, "There is things not adding up here. From the princes blood, why he is avoiding what he claims as execution and what his goal is at all."

"Give the survey is clearly from him or by his servant in his orders. Its very clear survey for folks to give opinions of current affairs of the country and how happy anyone is with it. This would start street roots if given to the lower society." She flicks through her answers. She took photograph with her phone. The paper was blank in the photo. She tried a few other methods and give in for now. Food to the table, letting him read the letter and make him fill out a survey. He didnt rip out the centre pages, also... he had a lot of it to write in. Lots of nonsense questions between things. A few little goosebumps as did touch on personal for him a few times. He sits back with it finished, looking at the two other completed surveys. They couldn't read each others answers. But they can go through talking about what they answered for questions.

"So whose the guy whom made these and why does it have to do with the undead prince? He took the photo of my college freinds and my money."

"James G Panner, or at least his last foster family name. He doesn't keep any last name for long. James G, as his file stated is a strange child. Someone stole all his other files and the one we do have access is under watch by his last foster family. A problem child whom is a problem for his werid premonitions, strange staring in blank spaces or increased supernatural stuff in the place he stays at."

"You read his file or heard from someone close?" The bird man nods.

"There a internal investigation for these missing files. It not by royal order yet it is by up top the organisation. Ever since the frist ever confirmation blood tests were approved... in order to seek the dead bodies of royals. This kid as blood match." The lady coughed up coffee and mops up with napkins, "He always escapes mage agents. He has done so ever since his age of 5 which is the same age as both servant decoys and the royal prince himself. One decoy is buried in the undead tombs. The other two are still missing. A phantom stays in the hidden lower population of the mage Isle and this James makes another. Its more weird that the lord Mark has claimed his murder the two unfound decoys... as the one in the city of undead has agree they are also dead. So... why is there still two left? Which is the prince? What of the entity whom has attached itself to them both?"

The two agents wrote out these questions and make use of these surveys to pieces some possible clues. They picked put what they could. Annoyed that they cant just ask the dead as they could have previously times.

The god invisible to the agents sit staring at the paper and what answers could be pulled from it.

"The dark royals are stranged cursed folks whom are able to be two bodies. One mute darkness that I can not interact. The other would have been the living. What if this of the case for prince? If his darkness haunts his homeland and his body is walking the many worlds."

"What makes you claim that? Didn't you say the lad was protected by a dark entity too?" Raven spoke openly and there is pause of strange looks from the two agents, "My lord of omens was just talking of how royals are split in two. A dark side and a light, being more literal then just talking sides of family." The two folks sigh in adding that as more strange things about the kid.

"I wonder what it has to do with Jackson and Rosie." She took out a copy of that photo she carries too. The god hops up and looks to the photo.

"They don't realize they were close freinds to the late king and queen." The god mutter and Raven now is the over reacting. Taking a look at the photo himself and given a pale complexion about this.

"Just who are you two?" He prys into them. They frown and she takes back the photo. The survey that agent K filled out now starts to make some sense... A lad asking what his parents were like.