The Reaper 

Halloween Collection

Story:3

Bee

Gather round as the fire lowers, and the night chill takes the kingdom of Itudon. Summers come and gone, and the veil between worlds has lowered, the season of the Raven is in full force, and her couriers fly into the corners of the world. There is no reason to be afraid friend, you have only lost your way. Easy to do in the snows. I watched you enter this place, you know. Watched what you would do. A lesser me would have struck you down on the spot, but I am not that person anymore… I guess if you have nowhere to go, and since the night is not safe for continuing your journey. Sit by my fire. And let me tell you about myself…

⧫⧫⧫

Captain Finley was not one to enjoy taggers on, and in her eyes the bard starlet Shira was without question the most taggy on tagger on she had ever had to deal with. Except for the one time with the snowbolds, and helping Leona with a twinbellows she had no combat training, she was only traveling with her, as far as she knew, for PR. After the Shadow Dragon was killed one of the major advances Timshul wanted to make was allowing proper houses in the once ruin-filled Old Town. Llothor and the undead seemed almost joyous at the thought, and even though Llothor chose to stay in the castle as the Old Town Ruins' dignitary to Timshul, Glasno his pupil seemed to echo Llothor's sentiments. So when Calem received word from the Aetheril carriage driver Peter that his students were attacked in the Ancient Arcanum that was the first of the renovations. Finley was put on the job to see what was going on with the blessing of both Calem, and Llothor. Shira's inclusion was only posed by Llothor after the fact, as a musician who made her home in the Old Town far before it was something even allowed, she was somewhat of a symbol for living in harmony with the ghosts and ghouls. Plus, she had to get home from a concert in Sylum anyway.

"So", Shira posed to the air seemingly trying to break Fin out of a semi aggravated inner rant as the two neared the gates of the Old Town, "Any clue what made the ghosts flip shit?"

Finley sighed, "No, all we know is that Calem's offensive magic class was interrupted by a skeleton horde. Luckily for the kids they all seemed to understand the material."

Shira nodded, "Could have just been a noise complaint. You know how kids get, all loud and annoying."

"I am well aware" Finley hissed under her breath.

"Was that a jab at me or the rockstar?" a voice asked from seemingly nowhere.

"Ambrose, no-" Finley started

But with a small blue and white blast of wind the ghastly nuisance Ambrose appeared on the scene, his signature laugh startling Shira for a moment, she patted her black cloak down trying to regain composure seconds after.

"Ambrose yes", the ghost giggled.

Finley could only groan, "Shira, meet my compatriot, Ambrose"

Ambrose held out his hand after doing an overdramatic bow, "I am at your service your pompousness"

Shira rolled her eyes and swatted the ghosts hand, "Uhuh, and you have to put up with this…?"

"Constantly" Finley finished.

Shira nodded, "I am so sorry"

Ambrose crossed his arms and huffed, "Fine I see when I'm not wanted." and in a moment faded out.

Shira looked to Finley who shrugged, "Don't mind him, he is always like that"

Shira seemed a tad relieved and then she seemed to slink a bit as they made it to the large steel bars that gated the entrance of the Old Town Ruins.

Finley eyed the sides of the gates for the usual guard presence when she noticed it was not there, she seemed to tense and swing open the doors. "Let's move quickly," she hissed. Her tone became far more intense.

Shira, somewhat shocked at the sudden change, followed suit.

The silence of the Ruins was deafening, while usually some of the more chipper spirits would greet the captain with open arms. It was eerily silent, Shira also seemed affected by the lack of voices or other activity.

"So.. What are we supposed to do? Fight the undead? Most of them are fans of mine and that probably won't look so great for my-" Shira started.

"I am sure there's a reasonable explanation for all of this," Finley said in a sudden response.

The two Aetheril slunk deeper down the mainstreet of the ruins when they both looked up to hear a bird shrieking in the distance.

"A raven?" Shira looked to Finley

"That is either very good, or very bad" was all Finley could mutter.

The raven seemed to fly around the two of them for a moment before perching on the top of the building, and in a puff of smoke the bird changed. Revealing a full humanoid in silvery armor and a blue cloak/cape hanging off them. The armored humanoid looked down to the Aetheril for a moment and silently produced a scythe, spinning it in a moment as a few skeletons slowly rose from the floor of the ruins however they seemed to have a silvery color to their bones.

"Those who enter this sacred place will either join the hallowed ones or flee" the scythe wielding person said as the skeletons moved in closer.

Finley and Shira looked to one another with a bit of a chuckle.

"You think a few of those will actually touch us?" Shira asked as she lifted her steam powered guitar and striking a chord blasted the summoned skeletons back with a thunderwave knocking them all apart into their pieces. Finley geared up her sword.

"So you're the one who turned the undead violent?", Finley hissed.

They laughed a bit, "I returned this place to its proper place. All of those who defy this place will either die or join us"

Their armor glowed for a moment and then they jumped down locking blades with Finley in a split second. Finley grunted back and shoved the other fighter back. They seemed to mid air push themselves back toward Finley and Shira spinning the scythe in a way to keep them back. The Aetheril looked at each other, and then Shira raised a finger, "You do remember that last time this happened there was".

A skeletal hand grabbed at Finley's leg which made her jump for a moment,

"Yeah that", Shira added.

As three more of the silvery skeletons grew up from the dirt the defeated ones also slowly seemed to rattle and reform.

Shira looked to Finley, "What now?"

Fin grumbled to herself, "So is this what you did? Turned the people of this place to your thralls?! What kind of necromancer are you?"

They tilted their head, "necromancer? I am no necromancer half blood. I am a reaper, and this place is under my protection."

Finley growled and raised her hand to the air, a loud bell sound rang out and the skeletons around the reaper's form split apart.

"You know that won't last right?" The reaper mused, even though her head was covered by a helmet, she was clearly smirking. Which sent Finley into a much more apparent rage.

She raised her double bladed sword and swung at The reaper full force. Shira saw this and decided to play a small tune, seemingly invigorating Finley to push on further. The reaper raising their scythe to block the sword. Finley's blade glowed a fiery red, and giving another slash pushed "The reaper" back. Their helmet fell off the top of their head, and fell to the side. Showing that underneath was a pale, almost marble looking Tiefling woman. Her hair and skin all seemed a marble grey with cool blue eyes, and obsidian colored horns. On the left side of her face there were cracks and breaks as if she was plaster. She let out a bit of an amused chuckle, and then clapped her hands a bit, "Good spirit. You seem like a formidable combatant. I am almost impressed." She smirked again prepared to charge against Finley, when suddenly the earth at their feet shook as Shira continued to play. The reaper fell to the floor and there was a cracking sound like glass. Shira ran up to Finley with a bit of a satisfied smirk as white smog seemed to rise from the floor. Forming up to be a white/grey wraith who coughed a bit, "What happened?"

Shira sighed in relief, "Glasno. Glad to have you back"

The timid spirit chuckled a bit, "I apologize I was gone. I believe she got the jump on me"

The silvery skeletons reformed in a moment, as The reaper slowly lifted up to their feet, and spun the scythe around rapidly trying to grow as many of them as possible, the 2 aetheril and the wraith preparing to fight only to be shocked as she in one swipe brought down all the skeletons with her scythe. In a moment there was a glowing blue energy appearing in her hands.

"Any ideas on what the hell that is?" Shira asked in a panic.

Glasno shrugged, "I am really unsure."

The reaper then held out her hand and blasted necrotic energy point blank at Finley. As she braced for the blast a small blue and white blast of wind appeared in front of Finley and Ambrose took the powerful blast and was sent flying back. There was a moment of silence and The reaper had a look of horror on her face, "Why.. Why would he defend you?"

Finley disengaged immediately and ran to Ambrose, "Are you okay?" she asked sudden fear in her voice.

Ambrose coughed a bit, "FInley… I … I'm dying.. As my last wish.. Tell Andrei…she has poor taste in women. "

Finley rolled her eyes and groaned, "Why did I even think it would be anything else. Are you happy with your little performance dipshit?"

"Very actually" Ambrose mused and dusted off their ethereal "clothing".

Finley stood up prepared to continue to fight, only to see the confusion on the face of her foe.

"I don't understand"... she croaked out, "I don't understand. Why does he follow you? Why would any spirit choose to be with you?"

Finley shrugged, "Honestly ask him. I have no idea why he tagged along"

Ambrose giggled, "I can't just not bother her. What else would I do with myself without an audience"

Shira seemed to look away for a moment.

The reaper seemed more and more perturbed by the conversation, "The undead are always defiled by the living, and you just, stay among them?"

Ambrose smiled, "I think you haven't been here very long lady"

Shira nodded, "I may have not had the chance to have… what Finley and Ambrose have, but I know that the spirits here are happy, and I do my best to perform and bring them some sense of joy"

A hint of rage built in her eyes, but then sighed, "Perhaps I should observe more…". She steadied her scythe, and then stared Finley and Shira down with a glare, "If what you say is true, you will only see me when you need me. However if I see this place desecrated I will bring justice."

She raised her scythe to the air again and in the same plume of dark purple and black she became a raven once again and with another shriek flew away. The silver skeletons became their usual colors, and peace was restored.

⧫⧫⧫

And with that friend, I became the watch of this ruin. I have seen the people of the nearby town grow and flourish in this hallowed space, living in harmony with those that have transcended life, and for now I am content. Perhaps in time I will need to stay true to my charge of defending this place for mortals, but I truly believe should that need arise, the people of these towns and this hallowed ground will be at my side, not against it, but until then. I get to do something I have never gotten to do. Either in life or unlife. I can rest, breathe, and live. In the morning you could continue your journey, or perhaps if you don't mind the ghoulish townmates. You can join us here. So long as you respect this place of course. You wouldn't want a reaper knocking on your door.