A Name Given, A Title Accepted

The league can be quite intimidating to many. We all know that it was the king who founded it, but many forget its true purpose. Of course many can't see behind the true reasoning of the league but those in power have noticed the truth.

Afterall it is a strange coincidence that those who have reached the legendary Titled rank have had their appearances strangely change to an appearance which is not too dissimilar from that of our king. Clearly the league's main purpose is to recruit powerful Wayfarers to the kingdom.

- An explanation on the League of Wayfarers

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A crushing will was felt across the storage room as Hades struggled to stand in the overwhelming power of Charon's soul. He could barely keep his eyes focused on Charon's currently disturbing form as screams resonated out.

The form of hands hidden under Charon's taut skin reached out to Hades as if begging for help, to free them from their fleshy prison that is Charon. Charon was lost in his own world as he could feel his astral energy and soul roar out in grief.

His face a mask which would've hidden his bottled grief if not for the phenomena occurring around him. His back facing towards Hades as he watched the paper slip from his hands and fall to the ground.

Once the paper hit the ground, his gaze slowly rose until he looked up at the roof above him. Charon's skin began to tighten causing the figures under his skin which looked like hands to retreat.

A deep breath was heard from Charon as the crushing astral energy began to retreat back inside him through his mouth. Charon's breathing slowly became steady as mouths began to appear across his body, all of which began to slowly breathe in.

Charon's eyes began to glare at the roof above him as the white orbs that are his eyes began to glow in increasing intensity. The astral energy inside of him began to bubble and gather underneath each of his mouths.

The only warning Hades received was a glance from Charon and Charon pointing at him and then the ground. Hades decided it would be best to drop down immediately.

Charon began to slowly raise his arms as his Astral energy reached a crescendo. As soon as the energy had built up enough, there were only two things noticeable inside that room.

A pervading white glow, and the sound of a malicious scream. Charon's voice echoed out across the room and across the beach from each of the new mouths formed on his body.

As quickly as the screams began, it also disappeared just as quickly, leaving an eerie silence in its wake and taking the bright light with it. With a steadying breath from Charon's mouth, his skin quickly took its original shape around his body.

As Hades began to get up, a hand grew out from Charon's back to assist Hades up. Hades watched on in shock after getting up as the hand rapidly shrank back into Charon's shoulder, as Charon's eyes kept glowing off and on rapidly.

"I have faced death from the day I was born. Hell, half of my family is various forms of undead. So why? Why does this bother me so fucking much?" Charon's voice on the precipice of the edge even as his face remains a stony exterior, his eyes still strobing with raw power.

"When I was young, before I met my father, I lost my mother. I felt… Like it was all pointless. I was doomed to die in that alleyway, and yet… he came. He accepted me as his son, even if he didn't need or have to." Hades released a sigh, as he could, if only somewhat, understand the tidal wave of emotions boiling under his surface.

"Listen, Charon, I may not fully understand. But I have sworn to follow you, to be your brother in arms no matter what. I may not fully relate to you but I am here if you need me to lend an ear."

"I think for now, I just need a distraction… but before that…" Charon paused as he glared at that hateful letter.

A pained sigh escaped his lips as a much calmer wave of astral energy escaped his body with that sigh. That astral energy floated slowly to the wood on the floor.

With a massive creak, the wood slowly began to crack as panels of wood unnaturally rose to form a makeshift chair that Charon collapsed into.

Charon's glare focused on the letter once more before slowly bringing itself towards Hades' eyes.

"We are no longer human, Hades." Charon stated simply as his gaze seemed to see beneath Hades' eyes and toward the soul which lay within his body.

Hades' gaze carried concern and confusion as he couldn't find any words for such a statement.

"There is a word for what we are, a word commonly used in many myths. Psychopomp." Charon kept speaking, his voice as calm and even as usual with the exception of a slight undertone of madness and rage.

"I name our species psychopomp, those who guide the worthy to the afterlife." Charon began to rise, having finally named his species.

"For those who are unworthy however, those who have hurt us and betrayed us. They shall be fit for consumption. We shall reap their souls, granting them a permanent death at our hands."

Charon's pure white eyes began to dim as they reflected Hades' shaky gaze at his statement.

"I name our species psychopomp, and I name those who gather, who reap, the reapers. We ought to prepare, Hades" Charon's face twisted into a maddened grin as with a wave of his hands, the letter which fell, flew into his outstretched hand.

"But first, we need information." With that, Charon tore the letter without hesitation.

A symbol began to carve itself on the wood in front of Charon as Hades and him watched on in interest.

With a woosh of air, a vortex of mana began to rotate at blinding speeds above the symbol, while the symbol began to glow at an ever increasing intensity.

The torn letter began to burn away during this as if its purpose was done. Before the letter disappeared, Charon gave one last sorrowful glance towards it before nodding to himself to affirm his decision.

After a couple minutes went by, the vortex began to slow down almost as if to show that its purpose had been completed.

"So, revenge is what you desire, brother?" Hades asked as the shock from before wore off.

"Of course. Besides, this hunger we seem to have is endless. But I imagine they would make the hunger a bit more bearable." Charon thought about the endless desire to consume more as he replied.

"It is quite the interesting aspect of our new species, or rather the psychopomps. But it is fine, since I've always been hungry for something for most of my life." Hades' mouth began to tick up into an ambitious smile.

Once the vortex disappeared, all the shadows in the cabin began to congregate above the carved symbol. A hand made up of shadows began to reach out from the congregated shadows.

That hand made way for another hand as they both planted themselves firmly on the ground. As they seemed to push on the ground, the rest of the shadows began to take the form of a man or rather the outline.

After the hands came the head, then the body and finally the legs. As the humanoid mass of writhing shadows settled on a knee, facing towards Charon.

The chest of the living shadow rose and fell as if taking a deep breath. Silence descended upon the cabin much like how the shadows descended but moments ago.

Hades thumbed at his ring in caution as his eyes flitted back and forth from Charon to the figure of shadows.

The shadow released a grunt as slowly parts of the shadows changed to form seemingly human skin. Slowly, the shadow became a strange abomination seemingly made of flesh and shadow.

His face split, with part shadows and the other part the face of the mysterious Butler.

"I thought the shadow tribe had died out long ago. It would seem that I was incorrect however." Charon muttered in curiosity, seemingly towards himself but the Butler knew better.

"Thanks to my first kings, we did not. That was a long time ago." The Butlers face, that made up of flesh instead of shadow, took on a wistful gaze before it sharpened as he bowed deeply.

"I have failed my king. Nekromis has fallen." The Butler kept his head bowed deeply in shame, even as he coughed up black phlegm.

"Rise. I am no longer a prince, nor a king." Charon tried grabbing the shadows which now made up the Butlers shoulder but his hand slipped right through.

" I am afraid I cannot, my lord. It would seem that this old butler is not long for this world. Before I die however, let me perform my duty one last time." The butler's head rose with a pleading gaze in his eyes.

Charon let loose a pained sigh, "Of course, Tell me what you know."