11 SOUL HUNTING

Lachlan and Albert waits on the pub waiting for costumers to get in. They just stand there cleaning the mugs and making sure everything is optimal. They just stood there with no expression at all.

"I think you need to flip, the card on the door" Albert pointed out to Lachlan who quickly run to the door and flipped it to 'open'. He quickly walked back and stood beside Albert.

"Its been an 1 month has it?"

"Yep, a year has passed there now"

They drink several alcoholic drinks but it has no effects on them, they pour more and more but no effects; they can still taste it. The 2 Reapers seems to be waiting for customers and just stayed there. So far nothing major has happened and they just sit around playing with their glasses. 11 AM hits and costumers starts to get in and they start to order drinks, Lachlan easily makes drinks for them with ease as Albert also helps by making drinks under the table and brings it up. No one notices it they just see Lachlan as a man with quick moves, the customers are always applauding him but he does not reply. They cheered with every cup he swiftly and effortlessly served them.

He continued to make more drinks and serve his customers until 6 PM hits and the sun is slowly setting, more people came in the pub and he starts to serve more. Being there for 28 years he memorizes every single drinks that his customers orders and they are impressed. He has served several generation of men and women has drank there, some of them has passed away and they referred to him as "old friend". Though he does not age people did not question it.

10 PM hits and many of the people has already left back to their homes or other engagements, some of them are dragged by their pals. They waved goodbye to Lachlan and Albert comes up with no signs of fatigue. He took off his old wristwatch that was manufactured over decades ago. He sat in the stool and concocted himself a drink, He savored the flavor and the alcohol has no effect on him despite how many powerful alcoholic drinks they drink. They enjoyed the flavors of the drinks, as if they know the feeling of "enjoying". They just sat there not talking to each other, they just looked directly at one another.

As they sit down there, not able to feel fatigue, and no need for sleep, they just wait until souls starts coming up. Some of the souls are being dealt by the other Reapers swiftly, and they just wait for those that have been "died" recently. The recently deceased comes as a whisper for them, and they follow until they make contact. They just wait there for long not feeling bored either, just examining the whole bar. A shadow then appears from behind them, they looked behind. It is clearly a person, a girl.

"Should we help her" Albert asked.

"Is she a soul?" Lachlan replied, they have no obligation to help a human. "Well?" Albert than asked again with the same monotoned sound. Lachlan turns around to look at the girl.

"If she starts knocking like crazy"

"...."

"Oh, she is walking away?"

"No she's running"

The woman did not see the 2 as they put on their concealing item, the old wristwatch for Albert and the engagement ring for Lachlan. She just runs away as fast as she can from something, they can see a small red thing in the road heading her direction, the 2 immediately knew what it was.

"Redcap"

"Let's go"

The redcap is a type of malevolent, murderous goblin found in Border folklore. He is said to inhabit ruined castles. It is a creature with a short, thickset old man with long prominent teeth, skinny fingers armed with talons like eagles, large eyes of a crimson blood color, grisly hair streaming down his shoulders, iron boots, a pikestaff in his left hand, and a red cap on his head.

He chases down the woman that they saw earlier, they got out and sees the 2 running. The Reapers followed it and they managed to save the woman. Albert jumped on the redcap but it easily maneuvered through him, Lachlan fired shots but missed or the bullets were deflected back at him. The goblin taunted them by showing its rear and ran away.

"Where's the little shit going?" Albert asked Lachlan.

"Its from the Stanley Castle" The women replied quickly upon hearing them, she held on her knees and took several deep breaths. She drools on herself and wiped it off.

"....."

"I was exploring there in my both then it threw rocks at me" She showed the bruises that she got from the goblins assault, even small scratches on her face. Her face is seen directly by the 2 Reapers.

"....."

"Its probably going back home" She finished speaking to them.

Albert and Lachlan are in shock as the woman responded to them; they could not believe their own reaction. They look at her as she cleaned and inspected herself for more wounds. She looks at to them and asked "What?", she stopped doing her inspection. Their faces seems to be in shock and confusion as she can see them, more she is interacting with them. The Reapers leaned to both sides and her eyes tracked them, Lachlan raises his right hand she looks at it and gave a high five.

"Okay, you feel cold"

He raises each finger and asked her how many he is holding up, to which the girl replied correctly. The Woman fell into the same level of confusion as they are, looking and counting her fingers as well.

"Are you guys okay? I'm fine if, you're curious"

"Can you see us?" Lachlan asked with a lower tone.

"Yeah, and clearly hear you... what is it?" She replied with clear annoyance.

"You are not supposed to hear us" Lachlan continued, and the woman's confusion just ended up shrouding her mind.

Unlike other children 'blessed' with Imperium there are other people that can come in contact with such creatures even without the essence of Imperium. They are reincarnated, but not fully. Reincarnation is the continuation of their life in another body after another, they can take different genders, race, religion and they have the hint of Imperium with them. As for those who chose to be "Rebirth" they are born in the same body with their personalities intact but there is no Imperium, though death allowed them to keep their connection with someone who was important to them, the Reapers in order for them to finish their jobs.

Reapers are souls bounded by a strong emotion, but they have a duty unfulfilled. That sheer emotion of failure was enough to convince Death to turn them into Reapers. For Lachlan his duty was his dream to grow old with his wife but he did not achieve, with the feelings of regret and guilt Death visits him and gave him a choice. Unlike ghosts who cannot do anything, they have been swallowed up by their anger and they are not allowed to be given a choice instead they curse them to walk the earth until it dies.

Grim Reapers take the new soul that they have find and bring it to the "Library" where Death talks and makes a deal and shows them their body. The library has the names of all the people that has once walked the earth, as if their lives was written as they lived, it includes those who lived in the Underworld.

Lachlan just looks at this woman with the feeling of familiarity and Albert just remembers her fully.

"Have I met you before?" Lachlan asked as he stumbled on his own words.

"....." The woman just looks even more confused as she never had.

"No he hasn't, has not, he works in the pub there" Albert pointed at the pub in front of them. He can only feel like they have met before, but all memories about her just does not exist. The innate feeling of wanting to protect someone.

"If you do not mind what is your name?"

"Lesley"

"Lesley, I'm Albert, this is Lachlan"

"You look wounded, we'll take care of you in the pub"

"Sure, thank you"

As they went back to the pub Lachlan and Albert can feel a menacing sight locked onto them, the same feeling they got with Logan when he woke up. An unnerving feeling that even made them feel "fear". They turned around to see if anyone is there but there is no one, and the lingering feeling is still there.

"Something the matter?" Lesley asked them as she feels the air cool down. Their sights is stuck on that direction and they both feel weird, Lesley looked towards the same direction but she sees nothing nor no one.

"No, sorry just- nothing it is just cold"

They got back at the pub and they start to treat the slashes and bruises that the goblin inflicted on her. She writhes in pain even though the damaged she sustained are not that big. She can feel Lachlan's cold finger hold on to her wounded arm as he cleans it up, she brought it up to Lachlan and his reply is because of the cold weather. She never brought it up again.

"If you don't mind can you come with us?" Albert asked her.

"Where?"

"To find your attacker, the redcap"

"Why?"

"Well, because its folklore right?" Lachlan's replied did not make any sense to her.

"uh huh, it is, so what about it?"

"We might find something about him, we don't believe in stuff like that, we're curious about it"

"Well, the way you 2 sounded earlier it sounds like you believe it"

"Or maybe we want to"

"It could also have been a kid, mischievous little people, right?"

"You sound weird, but sure I'll bring you guys to it, sure, I'll bring you guys there for a price"

"Go on"

"I get to have the most delicious drink here"

"Delicious depends on the consumer"

"Well, the best cocktail you can make"

"Deal"

They shook hand but there is still no reaction from the Reapers. Despite meeting them earlier Lesley immediately trusted the 2 and did not fear going back to face the goblin. They just shook hands and she felt awkward because of their reactions.

"Jeez do you guys smile?"

"Uhm"

The 2 forced a creepy smile instead of a genuine one, it was enough to have Lesley laughing at them. The 2 understands why she is laughing and at the same has no idea why she is laughing. The word 'confusion' clearly describes their faces which made her laugh even more.

After laughing at the 2 men they finally headed to the castle on foot as the reapers have no cars, they travel by doors and portals and they do not want the poor girl to suffer from what she sees when they do it. They arrived at the scene, the Stanley castle is located in the waters of Stanley Reservoir, to the south of Paisley, Scotland, at the foot of the Gleniffer Braes.

"So how do we get there?" Lesley asked, and she can only ask questions with everything that confused her.

"Do we swim towards it?"

"Uhm" The Reapers did not reply.

"Aren't they supposes to inhabit castles in the Anglo-Scottish borders?"

"Uh huh?" They answered.

"Why are they all the way here?" Lachlan asked.

"No idea, I was just here on my boat and them some rocks were thrown at me, we're talking about the goblin right?"

"Uh huh"

"I highly doubt there is something here" Lachlan stood on the edge and looked through the windows.

Albert uses the pocket watch in order to enter the Aether with Lachlan, they waited to see if something comes out and moves around.

"Ahh I'm kidding it was at the Culzean Castle"

"uhm.... sure"

"Cool pocket watch, let's gooo"

"What was this all for?" Albert asked and Lesley pats and smiles at them. "At least I know you guys care" She said with a giggle and dragged the 2 Reapers.

The Reapers looked even more confused as to how she is handling it naturally. For someone who was assaulted she acts "normal". Albert decided to create a portal in the grove to teleport them from the reservoir to the Culzean Castle. They appeared directly in front of the castle, Lesley pointed her car out which she left in a panic; with clear damages. "Seven ghosts" Albert pointed out and Lachlan agreed. They felt the ghosts immediately as they stand in front of the castle. They got over the fences around the castle and they get to the front lawn, the 3 of them sees one of the servant girl walking the top floor, staring at them.

"Extremely creepy" Lesley stutters.

"Not really"

"Let's go?" Albert asked them and the 2 Reapers took a step and Lesley held them down.

"let's go! Are you crazy, what if there are ghosts??" She panicked.

"You just saw one"

"Yeah, no like more ghosts"

"We can make them go away"

"You can?" The same confused face earlier creeped in.

"Well no, but just the goblin, the ghosts won't harm us"

"Really? Why did I feel weird when I was in there?"

"You might have been disrespectful to them"

"okay, but they are dead, what can they do?'

"Make you feel weird apparently"

They got into the castle but before that they entered the Aether as to not make any damage. Lesley stayed in her car as she is afraid of what might happen to hear.

"You were loud earlier" She 'told' her car. The 2 Reapers entered the castle and explored it, in the first floor they see the servant girl just walking around doing as she is "told". They tried to talk to her but she only ignores them, they can hear a bagpipe being played within the halls, its the second ghost.

"The piper and the servant"

They looked at the servant as she disappears into nothingness when she entered one of the rooms. They continued on to explore the whole castle trying to find the goblin, and find it they did. The Mischievous little creature is running around them and controlling the ghosts itself. They see other ghosts walking around, some of them are servants and others just is not supposed to be there.

"Damn"

They can hear small tiny steps running around them and jumps as Albert turned around it was the goblin, it gave him a good smack and Lachlan retaliated by hitting it with the whole blade not the cutting edge, it flew right out the window and down to the front lawn. The goblin sees Lesley in her car and attacks her, it starts to destroy the windshield with its pike. Lesley starts to panic and Lachlan came to her aid, he grabs the goblin and throws it into the air.

"Its been a while"

He pulled out his gun and he imbues imperium into it, the goblin falls and his aim is stuck onto it. He fires 2 shots directly to the goblin's heart and brain. Lachlan keeps shooting at it but it does not affect it whatsoever, it gets up and it has no heart nor brain it just heals. Its ruined face and distorted voice made it creepier.

"Fucking Reapers" It screamed as it tries to hold its face together.

"That's heavy accent"

"So are you piece of shite"

"A dirty mouth"

"Woman, give me your bl-"

Lachlan struck his claymore into its abdomen pinning it on the ground. It struggles to get off but his efforts are deemed useless. It starts to cackle as Albert is attacked by the souls, more like begging it to end them once more. Their faces froze in agony as the goblin tortures them. Lachlan teared his limbs off and throws it away, the ghosts stopped moving and flew into the air through the window.

"Have you been torturing these souls?"

"The audacity... Grim Reapers get to choose their fate.. What are they supposes to do, they are only to wait until the very earth dies, why don't death apologize for being a bad father!. AH AH AH"

Lachlan sets his claymore on fire and splits the creatures head into 2. Even with that it was not enough to destroy it, it just won't regenerate back. The creature keeps mocking them.

"Its... a ... demon...."

"De-" Its face tries to morph back into 1 but its effort was futile.

"Gowk"

Albert goes down back to the lawn. The castle bursts in flames and exploded, a massive skeleton appears before them. The goblin also burns to death and its soul goes back to the flame. The Skeleton rises up and below it a man, a demon. His horn protrudes outside and then the tip bends up, like the flaming skeleton the body below it also has it. He flips a coin high into the air, suddenly the massive 4 of the skeleton's ribs broke and turned into skeletal wings. A vulture flew from the flame and grabs the coin. There appeared the Deadly sin of Greed, Mammon.

He pointed at the 2 Reapers and the vulture dashed towards them.

As he quickly as the demon appeared, quickly it disappeared, the vulture turned into smoke. They get out of the Aether and everything goes back to normal and an Angel waits for them, the Archangel of Selflessness, Fadil. The Reapers turned around as she walks towards them.

"My lady" The 2 Reapers kneeled down on one leg.

"I sensed Mammon was here?"

"Indeed, and he seems to be stronger"

"The Sin of Greed appears, where is Death"

"I'm right here" He appeared from the corpse of the goblin as the smoke materialized.

"Ask all of your Angels to hunt the Demon Mammon" Fadil demanded to Death.

"Of course, I have already sent 5 as I felt his appearance"

"Neither of you seem to be bothered by it?" Albert asked.

"The demon Mephistopheles, is dead, that explains Mammon's appearance"

"Is he now?" Albert asked with a smirk.

"Yes, that is why Mammon was able to creep through the Aether" Fadil clarified.

"Shouldn't we have felt it?"

"Felt how?" Death ask once more with a smug smirk.

"Like the revival of a Demon, their death and rebirth are always felt by beings like us, we are born of the same light, and you should feel it, you have existed longer than I have"

"We are not born of the same light young one, I am born of something else not life nor Imperium that was gifted by your Mother" Death replied with a offended tone.

"Really?"

"I am created with the same power as your Mother. A power that can destroy the world as we know it"

"Who is this woman?" Fadil sees Lesley walking out of the car and trying to walk away. Death looked at her and spoke on her stead.

"No one.. I have sent my angels, and that is no way to speak someone who has existed longer than you"

"It does not matter, what matters is that the demon is hunted and killed. I shall warn the other 13 about this event, and the weakness of your Reapers to defeat"

"As if your own power can go up against a demon" Albert defended his kind and spoke back to someone higher than him.

"You dare speak to me on that tone?"

"....."

"Does yours?" She asked.

"It does, but by the agreement I have with your father, I cannot do as I please. Do not go after Mammon yourself, he ranks second among the deadly sin and 6th among the 11 archdemons, and you rank last in yours"

Fadil ignored him and flew away into the sky and flew back to her siblings, down in the Underworld Logan has a problem of his own.