I was walking towards the cemetery and I felt a little bit anxious still.
Despite reassuring myself that everything would be okay, I couldn't help but be nervous about meeting two grim reapers, or Wardens as Bans said they're called. She'd explained alot of things last night and I was grateful and partly upset by everything.
Witches, grim reapers, Hell, who in their right mind would accept that off the bat?
Speaking of Bans, I was curious how someone so nice,(to me) had been with that mean yellow eyed guy?
I tried asking her, but her replies were one worded or short sentences and I got the feeling she was tired.
So instead of bothering her, I enjoyed my time going to the cemetery, taking it as a walk.
The streets of the town were filled with sights and sounds of people and nature; kids playing ball in their front yards, people driving late to work, dog barks echoing from somewhere I wasn't sure off.
A flock of birds were flying in the air high above, and the sun shined through thin clouds that hung up like heavenly tapestry. I didn't need to take the bus to get to the cemetery since it wasn't that much further than school, so walking seemed natural.
Being by myself sucked a little, Lucas would have been making dry jokes about everything or something.
I sighed a bit, I missed him a ton and a pound more everyday.
However, those thoughts didn't discourage me, instead I felt more motivated and picked up my steps. If I could get help from those Wardens, then I could get Lucas back home.
I wondered how I would greet them, if there was a specific way of greeting them so I could sell myself as a Vessel.
"Peace be unpon you." Bans voice replied softly in my head.
"Oh, okay. Peace be upon you, sir and madam." I tried it out, then blushed as a woman walking by gave me a curious look.
Think it Sarah, I told myself, don't say it!
I recovered from the embarrassment and carried on my way, but had to take a break five blocks later, almost there but out of breath. Someone might think this was bad but honestly, I was much more improved than when I had woken up and I was feeling proud of how far I'd come.
"Eat." Bans suggested and I happily took her words to heart.
I had a clutch bag with me where I had packed snacks to eat along the way, because I had to keep up my strength. There were sweets, a cake slice, two sandwiches, a banana and diet coke.
It would barely last me two hours but it would be enough hopefully.
I took out the banana and started to eat it, my steps sure and confident, unaware that things were happening that would be great heaps of trouble.
...
He couldn't remember anything.
Nothing.
Infact, when he woke up, it was because he forgot how to breathe and almost suffocated on his ignorance and lack of oxygen. Luckily like a new born baby his body reacted on its own and he started to breathe.
It was relieving, but then his other senses came and everything became painful.
The lights were too bright and he couldn't open his eyes without feeling like they were being roasted alive.
He'd raised his hand to block it out but yanked a bit of his bandages and a sensation like a thousand needles erupted across his flesh.
Pain.
Everything. Everywhere was pain.
His arms, his legs, chest, head and spine. From flesh to bone, every part of his body was in pain.
"H...elp." he'd almost said it.
Almost.
However just as soon as the thought to ask for help came, a wave of relief settled on the aches and pains, leaving him more numb than a paralysed turtle. His arms instinctively lifted to check his chest, head and limbs, touching them to check and when no pain echoed back, he sat up and looked around.
The room was wide and empty.
Smells were everywhere but he didn't know what they were.
That however was not his biggest conundrum, because now that he was up he didn't know what to do.
He could call for someone to explain things to him but what if someone came who was not good but wanted to cause pain?
Huh? How did he know people did that?
A compulsion went through him and he got to his feet, yanking off everything attached to him, but some where stuck on tight.
"Stop." He said crossly and the machines fizzled out and died, finally letting him go.
Next up was leaving this place, he took a deep breath and opened the door, then he took a step and was immediately blinded by a burst of light.
He squinted his eyes and covered up with his hand, looking around in confusion. People were walking around, past him and noisy machines were around too. But something was wrong, the place he was going to go was not this place.
The place he felt he needed to go to.
He looked up at the ceiling, no the sky, and saw behind him was a tall building.
How was he outside?
What should he do now?
Without thinking much about it, he started to walk, unnoticed by those around him as if he was just a passing shadow.
He made a turn around he corner, wanting to go somewhere where he could get help.
The thought barely finished forming but when he took his next step, he found himself somewhere else again.
How was he moving like this? He wondered as he looked around.
Rumble!
A rumbling sound came from his stomach and he felt a flash of dizziness and disorientation.
Looking around, he found himself by a metal fence, shiny and new looking with trees and rocks on the other side.
Why was he here? How would this place help him?
He grabbed the fence bars and felt something he had not felt since he awoke;
Comfort.
The anxious fear and anger at his blank mind faded away, he did not get his memories or understanding back. Yet his heart and spirit became more settled and calm, like an infant feeling it's mother's bosom.
He wanted to keep this feeling.
He wanted to be in this place.
Half expecting to be inside because of that thought, he was disappointed when the only thing that happened was the rumbling sound from his stomach. He rubbed his abdomen slowly as he looked around for a way inside, because he needed to go inside.
He started to walk, following the fence, feeling that eventually he would find a way in. If he didn't, then maybe he would climb over the fence and get in.
After a few minutes, he found an open gate where he could use to enter.
He walked faster, and entered with a small smile on his face.
"Hey, sonny, are you alright there?" A voice spoke up but he didn't listen to it.
He didn't want to talk to anyone until he knew they were safe but he couldn't know they were safe without talking to them.
So he ignored and left quickly, whilst the man who'd tried talking to him, took out his phone to call the police and report what he'd seen.
There was a naked guy in underwear at the cemetery wearing a hospital gown, how could he not?!
...
It had been a while since I'd been at the cemetery, about a month since I'd last been here.
I had come with mom to visit dad's grave and change his flowers, which was something I decided I would check up on whilst walking here.
However, all thoughts of doing that vanished when I actually arrived at the cemetery.
The cemetery near town was barely three decades old and was relatively new and pristine. Oaktrees and various flora were planted around with the intent of aesthetic appeal and several ground keepers maintained it along with volunteers from some parish churches.
The graves were slightly weathered but still looked new, add that with the care and maintenance, and the Oakwood cemetery was very nice. I had been here a month ago and I could attest to that fact.
Atleast, I could have, before today, for what I saw as I stood by the gate would have sent the old me into a shrieking panic.
Outside the cemetery, the sky was a calm sunny beauty with thin clouds drifting like light cream in the heavens. The birds were chirping and the people were bustling and walking the streets, living and working for themselves and their families.
Inside the cemetery the sky was a dry grey, with dark clouds above, angry and rumbling with no lightning but with thunder. The birds that I would have expected chirping, were chirping but everytime they did I saw pale skeletal hands try to snatch them from the sky.
I entered with a heavy heart, my eyes looking around at what I assumed was what Wardens saw and what Bans saw. It honestly felt horrid, the grass that was supposed to be green was dulled out like it was going to start wilting anytime now.
"To the left." Bans voice said suddenly.
I looked to my left and saw something I couldn't quite understand.
At first I thought it was a pile of dry leaves, but then I saw it was moving which made no sense.
"Go." Bans said and I did as told, moving towards the moving pile of leaves.
I arrived there quick enough, since the pile was moving rather slowly. When I got within three metres, the pile stopped moving and (turned?) towards me.
"Peace be upon you, sir?" I wasn't sure if this pile of leaves was a boy or girl, or was it asexual?
"Peace be upon you, Vessel. Why are you here?" A grumbling voice sounded from the pile and I realised this was a Warden.
Okay Sarah, I told myself, time to put those few to little drama classes to good use.
"I need help, my Companion has been... cursed by a witch." I said, Bans was whispering in my head here.
"Oh? A sad affair I assume, but why not take them back to the Dead world? They can find a way to cure themselves there, I'm sure." The pile replied," Unless they have no soul tokens."
"Soul tokens is Warden money" Bans explained and I remembered that.
"No, this curse has sent him to the Pit and I cannot go there and find him. May you help?" I asked with a smile.
"The Pit? What did he do to anger a witch to that extent that she'd cast such a big curse." The pile shuddered," Very well, I will assist you but I need help from Asval, he is a rank higher and to find one in the Pit will require strength. Follow me."
The pile started to move again and I followed closely behind, feeling good about myself. So what if I'd fallen asleep during drama class? I still had talent and skills, and wished my theatre and drama teacher had seen this.
Well she might have fainted from seeing a talking pile of leaves, so maybe not.
"Tell me, why are you wearing a mortal's attire?" The pile asked me and I realised I was still wearing my trench coat.
"Oh, this? I was blending in with them. Looking for a way to get help , I ran out of energy." I said listening to Bans coaching me on what to say.
"Alright, tell me, how did your Warden Companion get cursed by this witch?" The pile was curious.
"He stole something from her after she gave him something." I lied awkwardly.
"She must have been a witch of greed or gluttony then, they are very possessive. How were you spared from his fate?"
"I was hiding, he told me to wait for him and when he didn't come back I checked and the witch told me what she'd done."
"Hiding? From what?" The pile glanced my way,(it felt like that)
"Well, we were running from a... demon and that's why he went to the witch, to get something to defeat the demon." I said softly.
"Oh really? Well, that makes sense I suppose. Asval, did it make sense to you?" The pile asked.
A pair of skeletal hands appeared infront of us, and after them appeared a white shroud, with two black holes where eyes could have been. When I saw it I almost turned tail and ran away but I stood still and looked confused.
"Hardly. If they were truly running from a demon, they could have gone back to the Dead worlds, consequences aside. Her energy makes me think she's a Second grave Phantasm, but the energy of deceit from her makes me think otherwise." Asval voice was like a cracking stack of glass on the ears.
"I figured as much when she came to me wearing that mortal attire, and didn't immediately take it off." The pile said coldly," I should have killed her for lying to me, but I didn't want to be wrong. Thanks to your input, I can kill her now without anxiety."
"Wait, why kill me? I didn't lie, my Companion is in the Pit because of a witch." I said hurriedly.
"She speaks truth." Asval said.
"Alright, then maybe she is not a utter liar, but to prove herself, she must tell us her name." The pile said with a chuckle.
I crossed my arms, seeing through his trick. Sure I was a bit silly but I still remembered important stuff, like what Antoinette had told me about revealing names to strangers.
"Not going to speak? Perhaps once you're a writhing mess on the ground, your tongue will be loosened." The pile of leaves said darkly.
"Don't fear. Remain calm. Speak truths." Bans advice kept me grounded.
"Vessels do not tell their names to those they do not trust or who are not their Companions. I don't have to tell you my name." I said softly," Since you have threatened me, does this mean you refuse to help?"
"We don't trust your words to be true, not that we refuse." Asval said as he turned to the pile of leaves," Basviel, what must be done?"
"I have an idea. Take your hand, and reach into my visage, and if you do not flinch or cower away, you are trustworthy." The pile of leaves, Basviel said darkly.
I waited a moment to see if Bans had advice but no words came.
Another moment.
Maybe one more?
Bans? Hello? I thought hard, should I do it?
"Well, what will it be Vessel?" Basviel asked and I gulped.
"I... accept. If I do this, you'll assist me in finding my Companion." I said with empty confidence.
"Come then, reached inside me." Basviel chuckled as I walked up to him.
Bans please, I thought, this guy looks infested or something.
Just saying.
"Come on." Basviel quivered excitedly and my apprehension grew several times.
What if this was a trick? I thought, should I run? Would I even get far?
I didn't think so.
Slowly I lifted my hand, reaching towards the pile.
Please, please, please, I needed to get out of this.
"Finally." Bans said softly and she sounded so far away I almost missed it.
I didn't register what she said though, someone grabbed my hand and yanked me up and pulling me a few steps back. A hard firm hand gripped my wrist, as a silhouette now stood between me and the Wardens.
"What? Who is this?" Basviel shouted angrily," Where did he come from?"
"I don't know. He was... fast." Asval said tersely.
"The Chancellor said she was alone and weak and the Pariah hadn't found her yet." Basviel's voice grew rough as two red eyes emerged from the pile of leaves," And that she was stupid. She was so close, if only I'd eaten her faster."
"We can kill this one and then her. Together with our Vessels, we can." Asval said slowly as a drab noose appeared around his neck made from black rope," It would be interesting to fight, no?"
"Fight? I'll slaughter them both!" A pitch fork emerged from Basviel, bony white with a spinal cord design," And I get his soul too."
"First kill, first serve." Asval replied coldly.
From Basviel, two grotesque bulging yellowish green arms emerged and grabbed the pitch fork handle. Then like wearing a suit, the leaves all rose and stuck to the tool, forming a humanoid structure, with two bulging red eyes, yellow arms and a four pronged shaped bottom.
I should have been scared.
I should have been running away, saving myself.
I should have.
But I couldn't move. Not because of some power holding me in place, well, I guess maybe it was a certain power.
The power of love.
I stood in shock, joy, fear and relief as I looked at the person holding my arm.
He looked a bit of a mess, his body had tons of bandages, especially the one wrapped around his head. To others he'd be a crazy guy wearing a hospital gown with dirty feet and no idea how to read the situation, but to me, this was him.
The guy I'd had fantasies about for so long, dreamed about and longed for like a perfect pair of kicks that are almost half off before leg day!
That face.
Those eyes.
That bum (I had imagined it right)
This was my dream guy.
Bradley Quincy.
"ERA Codex:{Execution} Pronged impalement" Basviel said and I was snapped back to reality.
"Oh my glob!" I said in horror as Basviel jumped up into the air, his pronged ends became four large spears of death.
I moved first and pushed Bradley out of the way.
How was he here anyway? I thought fleetingly.
"ERA Codex:{Ritual} Bound sacrifice"
A wad of rope appeared and wrapped around me, binding my arms and legs and I tilted and fell to the ground.
This!
"Die!" Basviel shouted as he descended towards me like a fork about to impale a limp shrimp. "ERA Codex:{Ailment} Bubonic investment"
Each spike began to ooze a sickly black sludge and I knew I was finished.
"You."
Huh? I turned my head and found Bradley kneeling next to me.
"No! Move away! Please!" I screamed trying to push him away but I was bound too tight," Bradley please!"
"You, helped me." Bradley said in an odd voice but it was too late to question him.
Basviel struck.