The dice of the gods always fall as they should

"MAN, it is time to MAKE A DEAL with me," boomed the Reaper. "Are YOU READY to give up your SOUL to ENTER the WORLD OF THE DEAD?" His bass voice broke the grave silence of the cemetery. "Yes, I am ready to serve you," the man replied proudly.The Reaper's decaying figure leaned over a parchment bearing the seal of a bird skull—the symbol of legal presence in Hell. With a flick of his bones, he authenticated the document, leaving a bloody blot instead of a signature."Perfect, now let's sign the contract," a female voice sounded tired, almost indifferent, against the whisper of the wind among the tombstones. "I hope you are aware of all the consequences. Your soul will be used as expendable material, and you will forever lose the ability to be reborn. And, of course, you waive all rights to complaints and claims, as you have chosen this path yourself."Next to the graves, human remains, and the embodiment of Death, she looked too ordinary. Somehow wrong.She appeared to be about twenty. Long blonde hair, neatly styled and adorned with skull and feather-shaped clips. Her pale skin and grey eyes, almost colorless against the grey tombstones, blended in with her surroundings. The only element disrupting this strict harmony was a bow-tied ribbon around her neck. It added the disorder that was its owner herself.After scanning the pages of the contract once more, the girl almost smiled: "The last clause is just paradise for all lawyers, don't you think?""I want the power and might hidden in the afterlife... Authority inaccessible to the living!" the man declared firmly, but his hand involuntarily clenched the chest cross. "I am ready to serve the Dark Lord."A silence hung for a fraction of a second."Just perfect," a weary sigh escaped her lips. Being polite was something the Reaper had taught her. After all, no one wants to die surrounded by tormented faces. So she obediently smiled, passing the sheets for review."Wait, that's it?" the man persisted. "No pools of blood or rituals required? I brought offerings for Kalidas..." "Ah, I see... You're missing the drama and sacrificial rituals," and again, forced courtesy in her voice. "Sorry, not our profile. We're just humble office workers."The contract was sealed with blood, then vanished, leaving only a slight trace of chaos behind. She cast a fleeting glance at the man, evaluating potential risks, and calmly added:- I advise you to hold on tight now. It turns everyone inside out the first time."Don't forget to bring your SWIMSUIT, the WATER there is really BOILING!" the Reaper chuckled.A raging whirlwind swirled in the air, morphing into something resembling a black hole. The portal instantly swallowed the man, then dissolved along with him into the darkness."Another idiot. That's the forty-second today," the girl whispered, studying the list of the dead who had signed the contract."ALICE, I am so OLD and have seen many NIGHTINGALES," the Reaper groaned painfully. His voice sounded like rusty hinges on the door of an abandoned crypt. "But such SCUM as YOU, I've never met before.""It's always nice to be the first.""DON'T BE SARCASTIC. What about the PART about RESTORATION?""A demon can take a portion of a nightingale's soul to increase their own strength and regeneration. But don't worry, a human soul can partially regenerate if the demon passes the chaos back to you. For that, you need physical contact."The well-rehearsed text sounded particularly dreadful."Be warned! The less soul you have in your body, the higher the risk of dying again and turning into a decaying shadow without a mind of its own," the Reaper lost patience with each phrase he threw out. "Is that clear enough now?"The skeleton stared at her through darkened eye sockets, in which flames raged."Just so you know," she paused briefly, walking around the graves to avoid the scent of iron still lingering in the air, "demons are almost never on the island of nightingales. They have plenty of food in the capital."The Reaper caught the change in her tone and slightly raised his bony shoulders, preparing for further conversation. His step was silent, but each one left a faint imprint of ash on the ground."By the time he earns anything significant, crabs will be nesting in the mountain," the girl's voice trembled as she searched for the right words. "No need to clutter a brain that's already not too plentiful."The skeleton paused for a moment. The fire in his eye sockets dimly burned in the darkness, reflecting his inner struggle. The wind gently lifted the ash under his feet, creating the illusion of fog."We have DUTIES and OBLIGATIONS.""The problem isn't me, it's the job itself," she hesitated, trying not to upset the embodiment of death following in her footsteps. "Now I understand the saying: 'Work is like hell: every day in a suit with a smile on your face.'""This order was in place even BEFORE I EMERGED from the ashes. CAN YOU IMAGINE: HOW MANY CENTURIES I'VE BEEN AROUND? EVEN I HAVE REACHED MY LIMIT ON HUMAN SOULS. All we have to do is MAINTAIN the system," Death declared.Irritation welled up in her throat. It was all a one-way ticket.Play this lottery. No losers. No winners—not that it mattered. Not now."You know, these days even souls can be sold online. Something like 'Devil's Amazon.' You can choose delivery options or get a discount if you refer another client. We wouldn't have to personally wander the Earth to make deals. This craziness makes my blood run cold. And not even because I'm dead."The Reaper clenched his weathered finger bones together and leaned in a bit lower. His favorite posture when he wanted to say something he thought would hurt. One of the nightingales had convinced him that this was how to break bad news in the world of the living. Probably someone who descended into the Underworld before the invention of SMS."ALICE, does it actually hurt? Does it HURT to part with your SOUL?""No... If all you feel is pain," her response came surprisingly calm, as if it were about trivial matters. "Like something tearing inside into pieces and thrashing about like a cornered beast. When you feel that nothing else can hurt you, then... parting doesn't hurt at all."It felt like a very short night had passed, and the diversity of stars began to cool, silvering with the sign of an approaching dawn. Alice's gaze returned to the records with names of potential nightingales. The list turned out to be empty."I think we're done for today," she said uncertainly, closing her eyes from the overwhelming fatigue.Another reprimand—and it would be over. One more delay, and the keeper would surely lock her restless soul in Erebus for centuries."You fuss too much for a dead person. Do you really not have an eternity to get everything done?" The Reaper quickly averted his gaze, staring at his crossed finger bones. "Ahem... Unfortunately, I have other BUSINESS related to tomorrow's EVENT. Are you SURE you can open the portal by yourself?""Porticus Aperio!" Instead of answering, a spell burst from her lips.Black sparks appeared in the air, forming a shimmering vortex. Without hesitation, the girl leapt into it with the ease of a rabbit disappearing into a hat."I hope you dove in there because you're CONFIDENT, not because of my JOKES. I've always said my humor could be DEADLY!" the Reaper called out. "And be CAREFUL, Alice!"---The Forgotten Forest is a place lost somewhere in the depths between the world of the living and the Underworld, often referred to as Purgatory. It was a path that led humans into the afterlife. Here, there was nothing but bare branches and wandering dead."Why are humans so fiercely drawn to Hell?" she asked, but the forest chose to remain silent.With each sealed deal, a sense of disgust rooted deeper in her heart, a feeling of filth as if she had dipped her hands into blood up to the elbows.As she moved deeper into the thicket, more and more unrested souls wound their way around her. Ghosts of people who refused to accept their death or couldn't follow the guide to the next circle because of unfinished business.Their presence filled the air with cold and dampness. Each tormented groan and whisper made it hard to concentrate."Has our little fledgling decided to stroll alone through Purgatory?" a voice from one of the spirits sounded."I heard that last time you crossed the worlds, you fell into the Styx," another teased."Our little nightingale apparently decided to drown and become a shadow sooner than the Moirai would have it!""And I heard that Alice got lost in the weeping pines and couldn't find her way even to the world of the living.""Complete lack of respect for privacy even in the afterlife," she snorted in response, not trying to hide her irritation."Such clumsy dead are almost not to be found in Hell. Alice, I wonder, how did you end up among the dead? You don't seem like the fanatics who just want to tame chaos," continued one of the spirits."Have you not heard the touching tale of her first love? Alice, like a dog on a chain: approach her and she'll bite, but she remains loyal to her master even after death," another spirit said."Shouldn't she have found him by now? So much time has passed, yet the fledgling still only wanders around the cursed nightingale island!""That boy is definitely smarter than our little bird. He probably lives in the demonic capital by now," the first concluded. "Maybe your sacrifice didn't even matter to him, Alice?"At the mere mention of him, her chest tightened. Her fists clenched so tightly that her knuckles whitened. Nails dug into her palms, leaving marks.Back then, it seemed that anger was better than tears. Anger was omnipotent. It couldn't be given away or destroyed, unlike the soul. Those who descended into the afterlife without weapons such as claws and fangs were doomed from the start."How tiresome it is to listen to the empty talk of foolish souls!" she screamed. "You are just ghosts, doomed to wander here forever. What do you even know!""What a rude one! You need to be taught a lesson!" one of the spirits exclaimed."Completely agree!" growled another.Their icy skin cracked, exposing deep wounds. Bones contorted, and the ghosts twisted in agonizing spasms. A loud crunch came from within. The mouths of the tormented opened to their limits, from which a desperate roar erupted, mixed with a stream of dark, thick liquid.Instead of fear, only a sticky rage remained. So much had been done to be at risk of losing it all now. It surged within her, boiling, eating away at the remnants of her soul.Chaos pierced her palms, allowing her to conjure a spell. "Exterminus Nocturnum!"Enshrouded in a dark veil of magic, the girl concentrated a clump of pure darkness in her hands. The sphere of black energy grew larger and more unstable."Just don't miss..." her quiet whisper resembled a prayer.With a sweep of her hand, the sphere flew towards the ghosts. Upon contact with the souls, it exploded, releasing a deafening scream and waves of destructive magic. The spell enveloped and consumed some of the spirits, tearing them apart. Despite her efforts, the magic began to weaken gradually, like grains of sand slipping through her fingers. Soon, it completely dissolved.Her magical potential was still too small to sustain such a powerful spell for long."It's not working; I must retreat," Alice ran as fast as she could. Her heart pounded wildly in her chest.The breath of the dead penetrated every vertebra, reminiscent of the cold wind from grave fields. Ghostly hands reached out to her, almost touching her skin, while the true essences of the ghosts—gigantic and gloomy—thickened the darkness around. Her body tensed to the limit, like a string about to snap, until her gaze fell on an ancient stone arch carved with gorgons.With her heart pounding in unison with her steps, the girl dashed into the temple. Fear and adrenaline mixed in her blood, making every nerve acutely react to the slightest movement around."Good thing I'm already in Hell. What could be worse than my job, right?" she whispered, leaning against a cold marble column.The hurricane in her chest subsided, but only for a moment. The next instant, the ground disappeared beneath her feet. A whirlwind pulled her down into the very abyss, summoned by foreign magic and remnants of chaos. She had no strength left to resist.As the darkness seemed endless, something soft suddenly appeared beneath her."Just another day at the office," Alice growled, cursing everything around her.Beneath her, there were movements, as if powerful muscles were rising and falling, striving to rise. Someone's hot breath scorched her neck. Instinctively, Alice jumped aside, feeling clumps of magical energy.In the dense darkness, suddenly blue eyes flashed, intently watching me."What the hell?! Who are you and what are you doing here?" a man roughly said.The man's skin was pale, and a light blush on his cheeks gave his face a youthful freshness. His dark, slightly wavy hair was neatly styled back. He wore an elegant suit adorned with golden floral patterns, which highlighted his statuesque figure.This was their first encounter. The memory of his delicate refined features and piercing expressive eyes framed by black lashes was etched in her mind. Later, each time death came too close—and it happened all too often—Alice's thoughts returned to that day.Sometimes her mind wondered: would fate have changed if she had chosen not the temple, but a narrow path or a crack in the ground from which thick fog rose? Might they have never met? Might they have been happier than they were now?But the truth was that it was beyond anyone's power to change it. The dice of the gods always roll as they should.Ignoring his indignation, she surveyed the room. Her thoughts swirled around Erebus, which now seemed like an unreachable fortress. Instead, a dark room filled with paintings, statues, and antiques unfolded before her."Yes, what the devil! I'd sell my soul a second time if needed! Apparently, this will become my new hobby! The guard must let me in! This delay. Definitely. Not. My. Fault!" The last words she forced through clenched teeth, trying not to scream. There was no chaos left to summon a teleportation spell.Stepping toward the door, Alice intended to leave the place as quickly as possible when she suddenly felt a firm touch on her wrist that made her stop."And who might you be?" His voice sounded weary.The man pulled her hand back forcefully, and she couldn't resist. She leaned against his shoulder and hesitantly raised her eyes, meeting his direct gaze in which she could now easily recognize the demon. His pupils reflected a seal.Her lungs suddenly ran out of air."Ah, you're just a nightingale. Amazing what this woman will come up with for me to agree to her terms. And what boundary must be crossed to get rid of persistent attention?"The demon pressed her closer, applying slightly more force, compelling her to turn towards him. His movements were meticulous and restrained, as if he himself was not thrilled by the foolish game.Before her were only his sharp, protruding collarbones, and his hot breath moved lower, leaving a burning imprint near her earlobe. His fingers gently, yet assertively, slid along her spine, causing involuntary shivers on her skin.Her subconscious helpfully suggested suffocation. Madness began to take root in the room, seemingly boundless. It threatened to consume them entirely.A sharp pain caught Alice off guard, as if someone had punctured a boat and blood sprayed under pressure, tearing apart her lungs. She bit her lip to keep from crying out. A wave of nausea washed over her due to her own helplessness and what she was about to do.Nevertheless, she allowed him to touch her neck, leaving a cool trail next to the hollow of her chest. Then, seizing the initiative, she slid her palms along his arms, touching his shoulders and slender wrists, marking the exposed parts of his body.Shame, irritation. Mostly shame.He leaned in closer, reducing the already tiny distance between their bodies. The trembling in her veins did not subside. Something akin to anger began to buzz somewhere near her ribs.It seemed the mounting pain would soon become tangible, and she could drown in it. Her nails dug into his unprotected skin at the wrist, leaving a jagged wound."If you dare touch me again, I'll prove to you that even in this world the concept of 'immortal' can be extremely relative," Alice hissed sharply in response."I did nothing forbidden. Or perhaps, you came to this place with another intention?" he retorted.How his own haughty tone hadn't strangled him was a wonder.She confidently lifted her chin, distancing herself."Well, of course. All nightingales dream of losing their souls on this parquet, under a layer of dust. Or perhaps there are exceptions?"At that moment, voices were heard outside the door. "Who's here so late? I definitely saw the shape of a nightingale through the window." "Are nightingales allowed to leave the island after—" "No, violators will be seriously punished!"The demon casually grabbed her elbow and said, "Let's go."Alice's lips formed a straight, thin line, trying to hide her agitation. Although every cell in her body resisted, she decisively followed him, aware of the risks. If this was a trap with a fatal outcome, facing it would be preferable to an eternity in confinement.They moved silently across the room until they stopped in front of an old wardrobe. The demon nodded significantly, and for some reason, she thought that crashing from a bird's flight height might not have been the worst idea.Standing next to him, not directing a forbidden spell straight at his heart, was as reckless as baring her throat to a wolf. "I definitely heard noise; need to check," someone's voice sounded very close.The next second, they were squeezing into the wardrobe in hopes of remaining unnoticed. It was cramped inside, forcing their bodies to press shamelessly against each other.Alice swallowed, drawing a breath into her lungs. "Don't act as if you're caught off guard! Just calm your foolish heart," she thought to herself.As Alice's eyes returned to the demon each time she tired of staring into the darkness, she noticed the movement of his jaw muscles. It happened too often. Unacceptably often. She wanted to turn away, break this vicious cycle, but her body froze in a very significant position. Her muscles wouldn't respond, and she remained standing, flushed, until his voice once again broke the silence:"Is your hand pressing against my thigh?""It's accidental," Alice replied carelessly, hoping her facial expression was hidden in the darkness."But your hand is still there.""And it's still an accident!"Her last words burst out with unexpected force, disturbing the fragile equilibrium."So you just fell on me?" the demon whispered."I thought it would be more dramatic than just falling to the floor.""Ah, another poor soul, lost in its own insignificance," he rolled his eyes and frowned. "Unable to even control your magic. People like you just bring about destruction and chaos. Ordinary fools. Believing they mean something more here than just food."His words struck like a whip, almost making her choke with sudden rage. Her eyes flashed, and anger gave her an unexpected confidence."Don't even pretend you know anything about me."At that moment, a foreign voice sounded somewhere in the room:"Mistress, the room is empty."The response came immediately, this time from a woman:"Oh, he's not here either? Well, such a knight could not be mistaken..." a strange female voice replied.In that moment, Alice's fingers cautiously reached for the cabinet door, attempting to slightly crack it open."There is no worse punishment than being in the company of a self-satisfied idiot," Alice whispered, resigning herself to the inevitable.The demon, with the swiftness of a predator, thwarted her attempt to surrender, forcing her to press back harder against the cabinet's rear wall."It's definitely her voice," he murmured to himself while still gripping her hand, "I don't know what's worse: having to hear lectures about how I missed a meeting with the elders... or jokes about my very suggestive position in this cabinet."Noticing that the demon was momentarily distracted and had slightly lowered his guard, she decisively kicked the door with her foot. To their mutual surprise, it gave way easily and silently, as if it too was startled by such a turn of events.The next instant, Alice's gaze met the devilish one. Their faces reddened like two teenagers caught in the act. It seemed they both recalled every possible prayer, wishing for the door to quickly revert to its closed position, blocking access to such an intimate and awkward scene.On the table, a demoness lay while a guard was tearing at her blouse, pressing his mouth against her neck. She seemed amused, while the nightingale over her was already coughing up blood from a lack of life energy."M-mn... Please, take it easy, mistress," the man pleaded."And I didn't know guards could be so impatient even on their own watch," she laughed, watching him. "People are so predictable.""Ah... Ahh!"A nervous knot exploded in her throat. Alice physically felt the degree of revulsion, like red-hot iron melting metal and leaving a scorching trail. The emotions made her hands tremble, following the mad rhythm of her heart.She wanted to howl, tear open her ribcage if needed, to cast out all these feelings. Feelings she had tried to bury for the last several months.A mix of shame, humiliation, misunderstanding, pity for the man, and for herself. She hated Hell, her life here, this damned role. And for what?For someone who didn't even bother to visit her. After all, she was truly dead.Suddenly, a cold hand cautiously touched her face, gradually bringing her back to reality. The demon carefully shielded the girl with his body, as if wanting to protect her from the outside world."Hold on a little longer, nightingale," his voice sounded hoarse.He remained close. A living creature that could prove she hadn't gone mad, hadn't completely lost her mind in this place. That she was still breathing, still felt something besides this infuriating emptiness.Moreover, she had almost exhausted all the chaos energy she had for the ghosts. Its restoration required physical contact with its holder. A forced, but hardly noble measure.And before she knew it, her body disobediently moved closer, heading towards his lips. The demon tightened his grip on her shoulders, as if guessing what Alice was about to do."Don't take it personally," slipped from her lips.She promised herself she would vanish after this. Immediately. Somewhere in the recesses of her soul, hoping he would push her away. Pin her against the wall, making her feel the roughness of the wood, and say something about what a foolish bird she was to think that in the world of the dead, everything could be so easily obtained.But that didn't happen.And she, inhaling the scent of irises, slowly parted her lips. She cautiously touched his tightly compressed lips with her tongue. It seemed as if her pulse stopped when the demon exhaled. Because of the pounding of her own heart in her ears, she didn't immediately hear the dull thud.They tumbled out of the wardrobe, sweeping everything in their path."You're a damn pervert!" the demon barked, trying to get to his feet."Do you understand the meaning of the word 'hide'?" a familiar female voice made them turn around. "To lie low, not to smash an antique to pieces."She was almost certain that when priests spoke of the devil, they had her in mind. That very vice one agrees to with a song, knowing only defeat lies ahead. It's remarkable the power confident women possess.The first thing that caught her eye was the striking resemblance to the demon opposite her. The woman was much older, but her pitch-black hair, sharp high cheekbones, and blue eyes revealed their common blood. Her stern suit and slightly haughty look seemed hostile at that moment.However, she later casually mentioned that if she managed to do something useful in the end, it was only thanks to her."I have no idea what you were doing in there, but it was quite loud," the demoness laughed."Nothing more shameful than your illusions, Cassandra," the demon retorted.Illusions... Spells available only to higher demons."Your keen insight and ability to recognize even such complex spells from a distance are unparalleled. A genius, indeed..." Cassandra paused. "I was beginning to think my favorite nephew would stay in that closet until the elders arrived. Despite that, I fully share and even encourage your rebellion. There is still a certain order of things that must not be broken.""Is my presence really necessary?""Yes."He could swear something in his look changed. As if someone had pulled a trigger.The demon turned over his shoulder, to what? Perhaps to see Alice's expression when he growled through his teeth:"Never come here again, nightingale."And then she was enveloped by a familiar darkness. The girl fell through a portal.---The damp wind pierced her skin, and airborne sand particles mercilessly scratched her cheek. She smirked, realizing how fragile and vulnerable her exposed nerves had become, having long crossed the boundary of frenzied endurance.Erebus – the island of nightingales, an embodiment of eternal Darkness where twilight always reigned, heralding dawn. In ancient times, murderers, suicides, and martyrs unworthy of rebirth were exiled here. Not much had changed.The desolate landscape around her—dunes, sand, scattered bones—contrasted with majestic marble structures and sacrificial altars stretching along the shores of Lethe. This slowly flowing river, like a serpent, coiled around the island, creating an illusion of isolation and eternal oblivion.From the beach, the Elysian Fields were visible—the capital of demons, inaccessible to ordinary dead. It was a city of glass and metal. Its lights shone brighter than the signs on Times Square. An inaccessible fortress, enticing nightingales with vice and possibilities.And this was only the second circle.The sound of a clap dispersed her thoughts, and suddenly, a figure of a guard materialized before her."Achilles, believe it or not, I'm actually glad to see you today," Alice walked along the water's edge. "A bit more and my scattered thoughts would have flown off into a ditch.""A splendid mood for a final reprimand?" he wondered. "It seems I'm understanding human souls less and less.""Speaking of which..."The day's events swirled through her head. She hesitated, unsure where to start... The Forgotten Forest, ghosts, a demon, the elders, a crumpled farewell. Her mind then lit up with a small, flickering spark of hope that it might just work."Madam... Cassandra asked me to stay," Alice announced, stepping forward on the wet sand."Cassandra?" the guard was taken aback, his eyes narrowing in confusion."She had questions about the deal before the meeting with the elders.""I can't imagine what questions the Mistress could have for you," the guard lamented."Have I ever lied?""Constantly."Alice merely shrugged in surprise, watching as the waves broke on the shore, creating foam and bringing in remnants of someone's bones."Remember why we have a curfew? Why nightingales need to report their whereabouts?" he hissed. "Don't you know what's happening?""This is Hell. Something is always happening.""You know, I really can punish you. My patience is not limitless. I'll cage you like a wingless domestic bird."He wasn't lying, and all that was left was to hope for forgiveness."But now there's complete chaos because of the latest news," the guard continued, his voice tinged with concern. "Just go to your room, Alice. And try not to get involved in anything, at least for today."His words brought her back to her senses. She felt her feet firmly on the ground again. She even took a few steps towards her room, until she heard the laughter of nightingales, who were animatedly discussing something."Strange, is that why Achilles is so nervous today?""Tomorrow the competitions begin, he's spending all his energy on preparation," one of them remarked in passing, and the group laughed even louder. "He's trying to become the personal nightingale of the prince."Her heart raced in her chest, but Alice decided not to linger and hurried to her room to wash off this damned day.P.S.You know, that day, in the world of humans, she had clearly seen the constellation Lyra while standing in a cemetery. It turned out that Fate was just laughing in her face.