La 2ème partie.
A few days passed since that moment, Gradis was looking at the
vegetation outside the castle. Many flowers were stained with black marks and
they were slowly dying. He had a worried look, thinking:
Gra – Their influence are gaining over our part of the world …
Troublesome.
Screams for the other side of the garden interrupted him in his thought.
Gods were reunited at the entrance of the forest. He walked to it and saw
something unbearable, even for the toughest god. His sister was carrying an
injured God, Kratos, The God of Warriors. He rushed to her side and asked,
while helping her to stood up:
Gra – What happened?
De – They ambushed us in a pit … They took four of us … They almost
caught us but thanks to my power we could run away …
Gra – Damn … How did they …
De – I don't know … They were waiting for us ..
Gra – I must warn Tranos about this.
Dea – Convince him. We must send Clara … Or we'll lose …
The mob of gods around them started to whisper. Gradis took a quick
glance around him and claimed :
Gra – Don't worry … ! We won't lose against them ! I've the situation
under control ! I'm going to talk with the Almighty God. The reapers are still
confined in their area.
Death was glaring meanly at her brother who ignored her and went with a
determined walk at the castle. He locked himself in his office and nobody could
disturb him for the rest f the day. Death was in the infirmary, she was looking
at an old photograph of her family and she whispered :
Dea – Daddy … Help us …. What do we have to do …
A family was trying to run away in the dark alley of the city. It was
composed by a woman and a child, with also the soul of a man. They arrived in
the park. They were running out of breath. The man was carrying the child on
his back while the woman was desperately calling for help. All of the sudden, a
beast appeared behind them. It had the form of a panther but it was covered by
eyes and it had 3 tails. It said while coming closer to the family:
? – Too bad I can't eat the whole family for now … But don't worry, I'll
enjoy the taste of the man and once it'll be ready … I'll come for you.
The Panther jumped from her position and was about to hit the man, who
was protecting the child and the woman despite he was a soul. But someone
stopped the beast in mid-air and sent it flying in the lake close to them. The
Family searched around them but they didn't find anyone. There was someone. But
they couldn't see her. It was Clara. Quentin was observing the scene from afar,
hidden in a tree. The monster got out of the water and let out a big scream.
But its rage, it created a little wind all around him who was blowing the grass
and the trees. It shouted:
? – Well, well ! It's a pleasure to meet you Guardian of Souls !! You
are very famous among us. None of us was able to defeat you ! But unfortunately
for, I'm one of the strongest Reaper among our army. My name is Pahntera, and
I'll be the one who will kill you.
The man asked the woman :
Man – Is he talking with someone we don't see … or ?
Woman – I don't know …
Clara didn't pay attention to it and replied:
Cl – Army ? I thought you were just a bunch of lonesome monsters.
Pan – It changed a while ago.
Cl – What do you mean?
Pan – Why should I explain this to someone who will be dead in a few seconds
!!!
Pahntera unleashed an aura which destroyed all the lights in the park.
They were totally in the dark. The family was so scared that they couldn’t
control themselves, they were shaking like crazy. Clara snapped her fingers and
a shield appeared around the 3 civilians, protecting them from the beast. She
couldn't on her sight. But she was able to hear it. The sound of the water. The
noise of the leaves. The breathing of the living beings. Then it was behind
her, she heard his footsteps. She turned at 360 degrees and was about to draw
her scythe but Pahntera surprised her with his and hit her in the belly,
throwing her against a statue. She didn't has the time to recover, The panther
attacked her. It hit her in the face, in the stomach and in the chest. The
action was going so fast that Quentin had trouble following, the hits of
Pahntera going at the speed of light. But when the Reaper thought he was about
to win, The Guardian countered with a single jab, chucking it really high in
the sky. She teleported and in a flash, she was above the monster. It tried to
escape but he was defenseless once he was not in the ground and able to run
away with his speed. Clara did a flip and hit the Panther with her leg with all
of the strength, pushing it back to the earth in a very violent manner. The
choc created a big hole in the ground and a giant shockwave. The beast was
lying at the center of the hole, with all her bones being crushed. Clara slowly
went back to Earth and took her scythe, ready to finish the Reaper. Next to
him, she whispered:
Cl – You were strong.
Pan – You lie … I couldn't even scratch you … What?!
Among the reapers, they were a special kind who could see individuals in
different colors. For them, Reapers were blue, Gods black, Humans whites and
Souls red. But the soul he noticed was green. Without thinking, it used all his
strength and dashed to the soul. It was Quentin, who was too surprised to
react. The Guardian knew what it was about to do. She rushed to catch it. It
was fast, way too fast. It was really close to her assistant. She screamed and
used her full strength. She caught up to him and stopped it by driving it with
her scythe. Its jaw was wide open and its saliva was drooling on Quentin's
pants. Pahntera smiled, and then exploded in a thousand particles. The light
went back and illuminated the park like it used to. The family, who kept their
eyes closed during the battle, finally opened them and realized that the beast
was gone. They tried to search for the savior but they couldn't see him. They
were about to leave when the baby child:
? – It's a purple girl.
Woman – what ?
Man – He's still shocked … Like us … Let's go home.
They walked away. Quentin said while showing above Claring's head with
his finger :
Q – Look ! the number !!
It changed from 1 to 2. Clara was so happy that she proposed to Quentin
to celebrate it right away. Quentin was still dizzy from the shock of the
attack but he agreed. She took his hand and said :
Cl – Before that .. I'll show you something nice.
Her and the soul were flying in the starry sky. She was carrying him in
his back. He was enthralled by the view. It was as if he could touch the sky.
Clara, smiling, declared in a smooth voice :
Cl – Humans don't know their luck to have such a beautiful view. My dad
often took me here to watch the moon. He was in his own little world.
Q – What kind of person was your dad ?
Cl – Oh … He was someone that would do his best to help the others. He
was respected, loved and admired by the other Gods. Even Tranos respected him.
Q – I see … and what was your relationship with him ?
Cl – He was … The most important person to me. I wanted to be like him, someone who could protect
and guide humans, souls and gods. Even though he knew I could harshly control my
power, he was always nice to me. Comforting me when I was sad, like a human dad
would do. Yeah that's it. He was the most human among the Gods.
Q – …
Cl - Before dying he said ….
? – Promise me one thing Clara. Never change. Always remain that bright
clumsy little girl.
Her Dad stabbed by a dozens of tentacules. Kataris was sucked up by the
rift behind them and he was screaming that he will kill the two of them. Clara's
dad had trouble keeping his balance and blood was flowing from all over his
body. Clara, crying, cried :
Cl – I'm sorry Daddy ! Please don't hate me ! Don't die.
? – It's not your fault. I love you from the bottom of my heart. And I
won't die my little princess, I'll always remain here.
He touched her chest at the place where her heart was. He coughed blood,
looked at his daughter one last time and he painfully mumbled :
? – Guide them ! Help your brother and your sister. Now Daddy is going
to take a very long nap. Bye.
Clara's Dad jumped and so He was hovered up by the rift. Clara tried to catch
his hand but it was too late and once her dad passed through the rift, it
closed. She remained motionless for a few minutes and then her sadness overcame
her. She cried like she never did before, the Earth was shaking, Flowers were
dying, Clouds were crying above her. That day was the end of everything she
wished for.
Q – I'm sorry.
Cl – You don't need to. That's life. As I said that's my punishment.
Clara went down and they started to fly above the lake. Quentin touched
the water with his hand and he could see his reflection in the water. He
noticed that he was surrounded by a green aura. He rubbed his eyes and when he
opened them again, the aura was gone. Suddenly, a strange bird startled him. It
was translucent and it had a little trail of white powder behind it. They were
now surrounded by them. Quentin tried to touch them but as soon as he reached
them, it disappeared. Clara amused,
explained :
Cl – They're creatures which are spending the summer on Earth and Winter
in the Afterworld.
Q – They're like me.
Cl – what do you mean ?
Q – They're empty shells … No … We are empty shells. It's as if I'm a
newborn creating a new life.
Cl –Don't you remember anything?
Q – I've flash from time to time. Faces, but I don't know who they are.
Colors, but I don't know to what they belong. Memories, but I don't know if
they're mine. But hey … It's not like they miss me or something like that.
Cl – You don't know.
Q – Yeah I don't …
Cl – Maybe that's because you're a special kind of soul.
Q – What ?
Cl – Well you can touch my scythe without being harmed. And the fact
that you don't have memories from your previous life, that's unusual.
Q – Why me ? I didn't get anything in return.
Cl – You've just didn't find it yet that's all !
Q – Okay … I was wondering … You're the Guardian of Souls so maybe you
know what …
Cl – Oh we're arrived.
They were getting closer to the door. Clara's eyes became bright and
full of purple energy. The Door opened, and cleared the path to the Afterworld.
She speed up and they went through the door as fast as they could.
Gradis was waiting for them in the other side. He had a very tired look.
Clara, who was worried, questioned:
Cl – Are you okay ?
Gra – Yeah … I was just waiting for you to come back …
Cl – You want to tell me something ?
Gradis glanced at his sister. He couldn't spilled out the words. Two or
three times, he was on the verge of saying it and then changed his mind at the
last moment. Clara started to be impatient and he finally said :
Gra – Sorry … I just had a talk with the Supreme Gods … It was very
rough … We talked about the Reapers progression.
Cl – Are they going to help us ?
Gra – I hope so … I hope so.
Cl – That's all ? Are you hiding something from me ?
Gra – No … By the way your sister finally got out of the infirmary.
Cl – That's cool.
Gra - … Yeah …
Cl - …
Gra - …
Cl – I've to go so …
Gra – Oh Yeah right … You've to celebrate your new worshipper with your
assistant.
Cl – How do you …
Gra – I'm your brother so of course I know about it. Congratulations.
Cl – Thank for you … For you it means a lot to me. Sorry I've to go.
Clara waved at Quentin and they started to leave the castle when Gradis
finally pronounced:
Gra – You know … even if I'm rude with you … with Death you're the most
important thing to me … What I did … I didn't mean to hurt you … I just wanted
to protect you … Looks like I was wrong from the start. Dad will be
disappointed from me, as always.
Clara stopped. Quentin took a peek to see Gradis' face. He had a
depressed look and the dark rings under his eyes were showing his tiredness.
Clara answered:
Cl – You did that for the best … Right ?
She didn't wait for his reply. She got out of the castle as fast as she
could. Quentin had trouble following her. Once outside, she halted. She looked
at the sky and murmured :
Cl – why now ? What are you hiding from me ?
Gradis, still inside the castle, looked at his hands and whispered :
Gra – When will I be able to do things right ?
Clara was drinking in her rocking-chair. Quentin came out of his room,
went downstairs and once arrived in the living room, he sat near her. He
demanded :
Q – Are you drinking alcohol?
Cl – You're the FBI ? Of course I am.
Q – It's a Lime Diabolo right ?
Cl - … Yeahhh …
They remained silent for a while. Quentin, who was curious I already
said that, questioned:
Q – Why don't you take a break ?
Cl – A break ? I can't they need me.
Q – I mean, once everything is over. Don't tell me that they don't have
someone to take over your role just for a few days. You've to think about you
from time to time.
Cl – I don't know … It's always been like this you know. I'm used to it.
Q – Liar.
Cl – What ?
Q – I know what you think. You want to discover your world. It's a
shame. You're the strongest individual in the world and you don't even what is
outside your house. You're living in the afterworld, where everything is
extraordinary.
Cl – … I can't go alone … I'm afraid.
Quentin glared at the girl in front of her. For the first time, he saw
her weak. He decided to reassure her right away :
Q – I'll come with you.
Cl – What ? But … You don't want to make research about your precious
life ?
Q – Maybe I'll get the answers to my questions during our trip … or
maybe not. I don't know … Well I'm pleased with my new life so it's okay if I
don't get them now. I can wait.
Cl – Okay … So … Once everything is settled with the reapers, we'll go
on our …
A huge pressure interrupted them. Clara didn't felt a pressure like that
for maybe a decade, or even more. Quentin had trouble staying conscious, and he
finally passed out. Clara jumped from her chair, took her scythe and got out of
her house. Outside, there was a group of Gods clothed in leather suits waiting
for her. Among them, he was here. The Almighty God, Tranos. He was looking
straightly at her, with a strict impassible glance. His presence was strong
enough to pressure the whole area. The leaves were forced to fall on the ground
and the trees were broken by it. Even his subordinates had a hard time standing
still. You could read it on their face, which were wet because of their sweat.
Clara, who wasn't disrupted by it, questioned :
Cl – What do you want, Oh Tranos the Almighty god ?
He was touching his long beard with his right hand. He replied :
T – You're quite formal Clara today. The last time we saw each other,
you called me an old hag … If I remember well.
Cl – It was a long time ago. Now you're just an old moron.
T – You haven't changed one bit. Hum … It comfort me in my decision to
keep you as an unknown God … Well it was.
Cl – Hum … The fact that I've two worshippers is the real problem? Don't
you have bigger priorities ? Like the Reapers getting closer to our home.
Tranos moved closer to her. He was a few millimeters from her face. He
was staring right into her eyes, making her feels uncomfortable. He went
backwards and declared :
T – You're the main problem. I can let such an irresponsible God having
worshippers. You're an abnormality. Something that shouldn't have existed and
because of you, The Reapers almost gained the World stone. I can't erase you, I
can't locked you up but …
He looked at her house. Quentin was at the door. The Almighty put his
hand in the Soul's direction and expressed with a perverted smile :
T – I can erase the things that you hold dear !!
He shot an energy ball at Quentin but Clara deflected it with her
scythe. Her hairs turned into purple flames. The last time she felt so angry
was when she saw her brother being badly injured by a Soul Reaper. Cracks were
appearing the ground and a strong blast of air was blowing the area. The gods
who were accompanying Tranos couldn't resist it and they were projected outside
the Garden. Tranos was smirking. He cracked his fingers and asked :
T – Do you know what kind of punishment is given to the likes of you who
are attacking a Supreme God ?
Clara, full of rage, replied in an abrupt manner :
Cl – I hope it's the same as the one for the Gods who are attacking a
defenseless soul.
T – Tsss.
Gradis was on top of the castle. He was glaring at the ground. His eyes
were empty and he was hanging from left to right. Death, totally in panic, came
to him and shouted :
Dea – What happened?
The God of souls didn't move an inch. He returned :
Gra – I … I'm just worthless. I let them hurt my sister … I don't
deserve to live.
Gradis moved and was about to jump from the roof but Death caught him
before he could do so. She slapped him twice and cried, in a hysterical state :
Dea – Don't you think she need that ? The loss of her brother ?
Gra – But I …
Dea – You nothing ! For once, we're going to do what we should have done
from the start ! Support her ! We won't run away this time.
Gradis' eyes suddenly became alive again. He punched himself, took a
deep breath of fresh air and said :
Gra – You're right … Let's …
A loud thunder clap covered his voice. It was bright black thunder. It
was a bad omen in the world of Gods, it was the sign of a conflict between two
powerful gods. Gradis knew right away. He took his sister by her arm and they
hurried to the stairs. Death asked :
D – Where are we going ? We're powerless !
Gra – I don't care ! We're a family ! She needs us !
Tra – He was the one who deceive you.
Tranos and Clara were face to face in the sky. A giant storm was
surrounding them. Clara rispoted :
Cl – If he did …. He didn't do it on purpose. He might be a narcissic
idiot but he's my brother, he wouldn't deceive.
Tra – I'm surprised that you've a bit of confidence in the man who, on
my order, forbid you from becoming a real God.
Cl – He thought it was for the best. Of course I'm angry at him but did
he have any other choice ? No thanks to
you. You're mad.
Tra – Only a half of myself is mad.
Cl – What ?
Tra – I'm sick of talking ! Let's fight !
Black flames spread from the Almighty God's hands. He formed a giant
black dragon who was roaring at our heroine. He threw it at Clara who dodged
them easily. She dashed to him and tried to slash him with her scythe. He
stopped it with his right hand and punched her back with his left one. Clara
took the hit, but it was as if it did nothing. She hit back with her fist,
right into the jab of the Almighty god. A tooth flew from his mouth. He
snapped. His Black flames intensified and quickly surrounded his whole body,
becoming his aura. Clara wasn't impressed one bit. But she was intrigued by his
black aura. She questioned him about it :
Cl – It's quite unusual for a God to have this kind of power.
Tra – Well I'm the Almighty God. I've to be unusual.
He punched in the air, and a giant burst of black flames came from his
hand and charged at Clara. She wanted to protect herself with her scythe but
Gradis appeared on her right. She thought he was about to attack her and she
was ready to receive any attack but he did nothing, it was a stratagem and so
Clara forget about the upcoming flames. She took it the whole move. It created
a big black explosion which scattered the clouds. Gradis and Death, who just
arrived, could only witness the terrible moment. Tranos was observing now the
giant puff of smoke. He murmured :
Tra – Now I've complete freedom to … Hum ?
He noticed a purple light. His eyes were wide open because of the shock.
Clara was still here. It was as if nothing happened, except for the fact that
she had a little bruise on her cheek. Now the blade of her scythe was two or
three time bigger, being full of energy. Clara, in a solemn tone, claimed :
Cl – It's time for you to be judged, Dear Supreme God, by the Guardian
of souls.
She made a quarter circle with her scythe. It created a giant purple
slash, which cut the sky in half. Tranos remained motionless for a few seconds,
and then he fall from the sky. Clara rushed to save him and stopped him. She
went back to Earth and put him on the ground. He opened his eyes and asked :
Tr – What … Happened?
Cl – My attack sliced through your soul … Don't worry It won't left any
sequel on your body. But I'm surprised by your quick recovery.
The Almighty, now powerless, looked around him. It was as if he was
discovering everything. He then turned his head to Clara and weakly whispered :
Tr – Sorry … I couldn't control my own body .. Thank you.
Cl – What do you …
He passed out, and the black flames from earlier escaped from his body
to form a big black ball above them. Everybody didn't know what to do, it was
the first time they saw something like that. Clara was staring at it, she was
shaking. She saw it somewhere, but she couldn't remember where. It was engraved
in her body. It was something linked with her past. The ball moved in the area
and it stopped above Gradis. Clara tried to warn him but it was too late. The
orb exploded and surrounded Clara's brother. It was enveloping and penetrating
his body. He was in pain. Black vein were appearing on his body. Death tired to
help him but the flames were preventing her from doing anything. Gradis finally
let out a final scream, full of pain, distress, rage and hatred. The flames
were gone but now he had black marks surrounding his eyes and black tattoos all
over his body. Death asked :
D – A … Are you okay ?
He took his time to answer. He checked his body, from head to toe. He
condescended to reply :
Gra – I've never felt so alive.
He looked at Clara, who was still near Tranos. His face became disfigured
by the rage. He yelled at her :
Gra – What have you done ?
Cl – I …
Gra – Shut up ! You've attacked a supreme God ?! Don't you think you've
brought enough shame on our family ? All our misery was because of you.
For Clara, it was as strong as a deadly blow. It was the worst thing
that could happen to her. She quarreled countless time with him but still, he
was her brother. But she kept her composure and she riposted:
Cl –You're not yourself ... You need medical exa …
Gra – I'm perfectly fine ! And you know what ? I'm going to act for once
! I won't be a fucking coward !! You're
banished from this land !! You're not the Guardian of Souls anymore … You're
nothing … you're TRASH ! I said it !!
D – Gradis !! What are you saying ?! She's our sister !!
Cl – Shut up !! She's not my sister. She's a monster, a mistake for our
family.
Clara didn't give any response. She put her scythe in her back. She
faced Quentin and murmured :
Cl – Looks it's time for our trip.
Q – what ?! But …
He couldn't continue when he saw the Guardian's face. She had trouble
containing her tears. He decided to remain silent. Gradis ordered Death to
watch over Clara's departure since she could only bring a few necessities with
her, and then, without saying a word to his sister, he left. Clara picked only
a few things, she asked Philister to watch over the house while she was away.
Death held her sister in her arms and then said :
D – If you need anything. Send a message to Philister and he will
deliver it to me.
Cl – Thank …
D – I'm so sorry … I don't know what to do anymore …
Cl – Watch over him … and tell me if anything happens.
Clara patted the head of her sister and she left, in company of Quentin
who took a last look at the house where he thought he would be at home.
Gradis was looking at a mirror. He couldn't see his reflection but there
were two red eyes in the mirror. He screamed :
GRA – WHAT DO YOU MEAN IT WAS HIM ?!
Part II end.
Cough Syrup- Young the giant.
Hey ya - Obadiah Parker
Guardian of Souls Part II
Désolé pou l'attente. J'ai passé pas mal de temps sur ce texte, j'ai écrit l'équivalent de 3 beubarz. J'espère qu'il vous plaira ! J'y ai mit tout mon coeur !
It was the night in the town of Crossheaven, located somewhere in Europe.
A gigantic crowd was waiting in front of the dimension door, which was located
just behind the cathedral of the city. The door was enormous, between 3 and 4
times the height of the church. People were talking, laughing, screaming, in
order to appease their eagerness. Suddenly, two priests came and bang a golden
gong. The door was opened, releasing a light so intense that people had to hide
their eyes behind their arms. Those who brought their sunglasses could see a
shadow appearing and walking out from the light. At this point, the mob became
crazy. They shouted the name of the shadow, Gradis, and some people bowed as
soon as they saw him. The stranger, once he was completely out of the door,
stopped and looked at the mass waiting for him. A dozen of priest led him to a
stage where he could be seen and hear by everybody. He had a sophisticated
look, with his yellow eyes and his face worthy of a magazine cover. His clothes,
white colored, seemed to be from another time. They were covered with gold
gilding and a phoenix was drawn in his back.
Once he was on the stage he stopped. He took a look at the door and saw
a person looking at him from the top of it; he smiled at her and turned back to
his people. He cleared his throat, and finally declared:
G – My people, my believer. I'm honored to declare the beginning of the
Soul Festival.
He clapped his hands and suddenly, glowing butterflies spread all around
the area. The mass was amazed by it, the children tried to touch them while the
adults were simply gazing at it, impressed by the power of this god. Gradis
went back to his speech:
G – And this year is a particular case, since it's the 300th
anniversary of this festival. So please, respect the traditions that your
ancestors tried to protect and pass down to you. Honor your dead, and they'll
join the afterworld in peace. Since it's
my duty to protect and guide them, it's better when the souls are in good
shape, right?
The crowd laughed at the god's joke. The female priests giggled behind
him like middle schoolers. The god
seemed happy by this scenery, and claimed:
G – As usual, the Great door between this Earth and the afterworld will
stay open for the whole duration of the festival, so if you want to travel, go
ahead but I have to warn, don't be fooled by the afterworld and listen to the
wisest people from your family, It will guaranty your safety. That's all !!
Enjoy the …
? – HOLD ON A SECOND !!
A big smoke screen started to spread above the mass, and soon a hooded
figure appeared in it. Gradis, not even surprised, said :
G – You're late … Death.
D – Indeed I am!
The smoke was gone. The stranger removed her hood. It revealed a woman
with bones tattooed all over her body and her face. Her hairs were black and
white, and the tips of her hairs were made of real bones. She was wearing a
gothic dress with a hood on its back. She explained :
D – For those who are still newcomer to this town … You might also need
to know that during these two months, blue wandering souls are allowed to spend
the entire duration of the festival on Earth.
G – Oh now that you mention that … It's your job to send them there
right ? Since you're their keeper.
D – I was about to do it ! SOULS ! I SUMMON YOU !
She looked at the top of the door and warned the mysterious watcher with
a wink. Death opened her arms wide, and a purple circle appeared inside it. She
took a deep breath and extended her arms wider. The circle expanded at a
tremendous speed to the whole town. People were astonished by it. Kids were
trying to play with it but suddenly, a blue form escaped from the circle and
startled the kids. It was followed by a hundred; a thousand of others blue
forms. After a while, they started to take the shape of a human body. An icy
silence spread all over the town. A scream interrupted it :
? – Daddy !!!
A woman jumped into the arms of her father, which soul was granted a
right to spend the whole summer on Earth. It was followed by the joy of others
civilians who found themselves in front of the soul of a beloved person who
passed away. The gods were watching the scene from afar, smiling from what they
accomplished. An old woman walked slowly to their feet and put some foods to
honor their benefactors. But the party was quickly interrupted by a scream. Not
like the previous one, it was a scream made out of fear.
Many civilians among the crowd pointed out the cloudy mountain. On the
top of it, there was a monster with three head, eight legs and a tongue long
enough to touch the floor. It was a Soul Eater. A being living in a forbidden
part of the Afterworld, a place that even the gods were afraid to explore. It
unleashed a wild cry, and all of its eyes looked at the town at the same time.
It was the perfect prey. An area full of souls, its favorite meal. Without any
warning, it charged towards the town at full speed. Panic scattered among the souls
and the humans, since the dead ones were defenseless against those creatures.
Gradis, full of confidence, put himself in the way of the beast and shouted, to
calm down the population:
G – Don't worry fellow worshipers ! I'm going to protect the way a God
of Souls has to do it !!! BEHOOOLD MY POWER !!
The beast kept its charge towards its upcoming feast. Gradis, who wasn't
even worried by it coming closer, said :
G – Since I'm a merciful God, You've 5 seconds to go back into your
cursed world. If you don't … I'll have to annihilate you !
The beast didn't listen to his speech. The god stated his countdown.5.
The beast destroyed a forest. 4. It created a giant hole in the ground. 3. The
fauna ran away. 2. The earth shook at each strides of the monster.1. Gradis
pointed his finger like a gun in direction of the soul eater. At the same
moment, The shadow sat on the door jumped from her spot. Once it was
illuminated by the lights of the city. It revealed a girl with purple hairs,
purple eyes with a cross inside it. She was wearing a jacket which ended with
purple flames and her feet were surrounded by purple flames. On her back there
was a giant blue scythe made of silver. She caught the handle and simply by
drawing it, she created an enormous hole in the ground, also splitting in two
the beast in the process. The mysterious girl put back in place her scythe, and
then she glanced at the crowd. They were motionless for a few seconds, and then
they shouted:
? – GRADIS SAVED US !!! He's a hero.
The population of humans and souls didn't seem to see the purple haired
girl and acclaimed Gradis, who was the real hero according to them. The
mysterious woman hung her head and went back to her previous spot, while Gradis
and Death celebrated their "victory" with the population.
After one hour, the square in front of the door was empty. The priests
were cleaning while Gradis and Death were talking with the archbishop:
Arch – Thanks again for saving those souls. I'm glad your generation is
so strong.
Gradis – Don't thank me. It's our job after all.
Death – Indeed … We've to watch over the souls.
Gradis – You can go back now Archbishop … We've still something to
settle about that monster.
Arch – Very well.
The Archbishop went back into the cathedral. The two gods flew to the
top of the giant door. The purple girl was still here, staring at the corpse of
the monster. Death asked :
D – Clara … Are you still sulking?
Cl – No I'm not … Why do you ask ?
Gra – Come on …
Cl – They were happy right ? It must be great to be loved by them.
D – Clara … I …
A counter was above the head of each god. Gradis counter was showing a
giant two billions, Death's 1,5 billions and above Clara … There was a tiny 0.
Clara sniffed and replied :
Cl – Don't way a thing ! I'm used to it by now ! You're using me to make
them believe you've tremendous power … that's life.
Gradis, who lost his temper, archly responded:
Gr – Listen ! We're made to be the one they need to believe in! You're
strong it's a fact, but you're not made to be on the spotlight with … your
personality … and other things.
Cl – WHAT ?!
Gr – See ! A god must stay calm in every situation! And you've already
the most important role in the God's hierarchy. You're the guardian of souls,
the one that guides them to death by protecting them from the Soul Eater.
Cl - … If you say so … You're calm right now ? I just need to be sure.
Gra – Don't mock me Clara …
Clara made a wave with her left arm. It made the Soul Eater corpse's
exploded in a thousand particles, which then disappeared as if it has never
existed. Death looked at the clock in front of the cathedral and exclaimed:
Death – By the way … It's time for your patrol right ?
Clara sighed and answered:
Cl – It is ... I've to go then … See you later.
Clara flew from her position without looking at the other gods. Death
looked worried, she calmly said to Gradis :
Dea – don't you think we're a bit harsh with her ? It's our sister.
Gra – We can't help … She's … It's the only role that suit her. We need
her here … The opinion would be shocked if they discovered that the God of
souls is a powerless god … With as a sole power his beautiful face …
Dea - … Yeah …
Gra – But I'm worried about something else …
Dea – What ?
Gra – She has to take care of the Soul Eater only 2 or 3 days after the
beginning of the festival … But for one to appears right after we opened it …
Something fishy is going to happen.
Dea – We should warn the council.
Gra – Indeed.
Clara was slowly flying under the moon. She was watching at the people
walking in the street, buying stuff for their reunited families. She was sad.
No once was able to see her and no one ever would. It was the worst thing for a
God. She just wanted to be recognized. When she was young, she imagined herself
being at powerful God, protecting the humans and the souls, loved by everyone.
Someone who would be remembered. But because of that tiny incident, that tiny
mistake, she became an outcast among the Gods. She was now doing all the work
in the shadow, while the others were having a fun life. Even the God of Boredom
was having more fun. From time to time, she stopped herself in front of some
bystander, to see if they'll notice her. But at each time, they walked through
her. She was depressed for a while, but now, she got used to it. All she had to
do what to watch over the citizens and then she could go back to her little
paradise.
Suddenly, she felt a little pressure, heavier than the one of a human.
She sought its origin, and found a little soul trying to defend itself against
a lower-class Soul Eater in little dark alley of the town, where nobody could
see them. Just by its presence, the monster was absorbing the strength of the
soul. It took the staff the soul was using as a weapon and broke it into
pieces. The monster was about to eat the soul, who was hiding its face against
the wall.
At high speed, Clara rushed to the save the soul. When she landed on the
ground, she created many rims on it. The Soul Eater turned back, and controlled
by his wildest instinct, he tried to attack the Guardian with its bare fist.
Clara dodged and caught it by its face, and she threw it against a wall behind
them, using only a bit of her strength. When it hit the wall, Clara heard its
bones breaking because of the shock. But it was still alive. It screamed with
everything it had inside, shaking the whole area. It then unleashed a giant
black blaster against our heroin, who easily stopped it with her right hand.
She could have used her scythe to kill it, but she was lazy so she pointed out
her finger towards it and pronounced:
Cl – REPEL !
The Soul Eater literally exploded with a cry of agony into a hundred of
particles. Clara made them vanished by clapping in her hands. She sighed and
went to see if the soul was okay. It was a little boy, around twelve years old.
He had brown eyes. That's the only that was not blue for a soul. He was still
hiding behind his hands, fearing for his life. Clara patted his head and murmured:
Cl – You must be a lost soul … being alone here … I'll make you feel
better.
As she was patting him, a bright light appeared in her hand. She
whispered some words in a strange language. The light transformed into a giant
flash that could have blinded anybody looking at it. She didn't wait and left
before the area was back to normal. She was sick of being the one sending the
souls into the Other World. Her life was full of sad destinies. She sat on a
bench and looked at her scythe. She talked to herself:
Cl – Daddy … I don't know what to do anymore … I'm lost. I just want to
be free … Just for once … Be able to choose the way I want to live my life.
? – Then why don't you run away ?
Cl – It's not that simple. I WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING HERE ?
The boy's soul from before was sat next to her, and was looking straight
at her. He had a mischievous smile. She asked :
Cl – Why are you still here ? You should have been repelled by my spell
…
? – you mean the light ? It was really cool. And warm too. Thanks you.
Cl – You're wel … OF COURSE NOT !
? – Your weapon is really cool. Can I touch it ?
Cl – Are you listening to me ? Ho ! … And even though I wanted to I
would be impo …
Clara was shocked when she saw the kid playing with her scythe, as if it
was a toy. She understood that this boy was no ordinary soul. It was more way
more complicated. She observed him for a while, as if he was a strange animal.
She finally dared to ask him:
Cl – What's your name ?
? – Mine ?
Cl – No, The Pope.
? – Oh. It's francois.
Cl – It was a joke, I was meaning you.
? – It's me or the Pope ?
Cl – You !!!!
? – You're really a girl !
Cl – Kids nowadays …
Q – My name is … Quentin … I think.
Cl – You think ?
Q – Well … It's the first name that came to my mind … I don't remember
anything about my previous life.
Cl – That's quite unusual. So you don't have any family here?
Q – I don't … I'm alone.
Clara looked at him, and she was deeply touched by the young soul. She
sighed and murmured:
Cl – You're like me then …
Q – What ?
Cl – Since … You're kinda special … I've to take you to the afterworld …
Do you mind it ?
Q – Of course not! It's an honor to travel to that world.
Cl – Then let's go.
The goddess touched the forehead of the boy and both of them started to
fly. Clara was used to it but the soul was amazed by it, he had the face of a
five years old boy discovering his toy for Christmas. He was making spins, in
front of Clara who seemed amused by it. Suddenly he stopped and asked :
Q – How are you going to travel to your world ?
Clara was surprised. He didn't know the existence of the Great Door even
though he was a soul. She replied :
Cl – Like every soul did … Through the great door. The one over there.
Q – Wow it's big … It's the first time I see something like this. It
must have been expensive to build that thing.
Cl – I don't know it was already there when I was born.
Q – I see … It's like the egg and the chicken right ?
Cl - … What ? You're an odd one you know.
Q – Every soul that I crossed the road said that to me … Don't know why.
Cl – I do wonder …
The two of them finally reach the door. The Guardian opened it and
finally they were embraced by its bright light. Clara smiled at Quentin but he
looked bothered by something above her head. But she didn't have the time to
found out since they were transported into the afterworld.
? – Indeed … It might be a trouble for the future.
Gradis and Death were in the middle of a big room made in circle, with
above them Gods sit on little planets. They were the council of the God's
planet. Each planet having one Supreme God to rule over the others. However,
nobody was sat on the Earth. The God of souls asked:
Gra – Do you think we should send a party to explore their part of the
world?
A god sat on a purple white planet meanly replied:
? – No ! The last time we did that, we lost around 5 of us Gods.
Gradis glanced at another god. He was the one sat on a black and white
planet. He was Tranos. The Almighty God. He remained silent since the beginning
of the meeting. He had grey hairs and black eyes. A little dragon was sleeping
around his neck and his face was covered with scars. Suddenly he raised his
hand to shut his fellow gods. He questioned Gradis about his true intentions:
Tr – What do you want from us ? I'm sure you wanted something way more
important than a simple party to explore their land.
Death took a peak at his brother. He had a determined face and his fists
were clinched with all of his strength. He finally loudly demanded :
Gra – Give us a new supreme God !
Voices of indignation raised into the council. They were blaming Gradis
for his boldness in front of them. One of them was about to punish him but
Tranos, with his voice, interrupted him :
T – You know it's impossible.
G – Why ?
T – Your Supreme God died because of your lack of strictness, and we
can't replace since the one supposed to do it can't even control its own power.
D – It's not her fault ! We can help her ! We can't stay like this !
T – But … He died because of her … right ?
Quentin and Clara finally arrived in the afterworld. They stepped into a
room big enough to contain the Great door. The soul, looking at a window, was
struck by the beauty of the scenery and its unusual conception. Creatures from
the sea were flying in the sky and also the clouds were made of water, with drops
falling from time to time. The sun was a big red ball with two giants phoenix
flying all around it. The forests were full of colors and there was a mountain
with its waterfall going backwards. They were in a Big White castle with
countless towers, windows and doors. Quentin asked :
Q – It's marvelous ! If you're a living in world like this, why do you
look so sad ?
Clara's face seemed overwhelmed by sadness all of a sudden. She replied
:
Cl – Well … I …
T – Because she couldn't contain her power, she freed the Soul Reaper's
leader, Katarsis, who then tried to abduct her and to steal the World Stone.
D – She was just a child … It wasn't possible for her to control a power
so huge.
T – If it was just that … But your father, the Supreme God, had to
sacrifice himself to save her but he couldn't retrieve the Stone, which is now
lost forever. Without that stone, we can't nominate a new supreme God.
G – Then give us a new one.
T – It's not that simple you know … We must wait maybe a thousand years
before a new one is created by the core of your planet, and you need someone
powerful enough to control it.
D – We have one !
T – Her … She's a calamity!!! She destroyed the castle maybe 3 or 4
times in her entire life ! Of course she can control them now. Nobody can outmatch
her so that's normal! But what will happen if she crosses the road of someone
who forces her to reach her limits? She'll go berserk and she will destroy your
world. That's all !
G – Damn … I swear you're …
T – Calm down … you may be a very popular God but I'm not afraid by a
God who have for his sole power his beauty and who rely on his sister to do all
the dirty work. You make me sick !
D – You told us to …
Gradis put his hands on his sister's right shoulder, to tell her to
stop. She looked at him, saying with her eyes that they must oppose for once,
but when she saw that her brother face remained emotionless, she agreed and
didn't tried to argue any longer with The Almighty God.
T – So you've got your answer now. We're leaving … And deal with the Soul
Reapers problem as well.
The Gods disappeared. Death punched her fist against a wall while Gradis
kept looking at the place where was sit Tranos. He looked angered and gloomy at the same time.
He glared at his sister and said :
G – I don't know what to do anymore … If it goes on like that … Clara
will …
Cl – So that's the story.
Q – Wow … He did that for you.
Cl – Yeah … He was my hero. And my punishment is to live with that 0
above my head. A God with 0 worshippers.
Quentin frowned his forehead, and retorted:
Q – That's not true. There is a 1 above your head since the moment I met
you.
Cl – Yeah I know but it's because … Say that again.
Q – There is a one above your head.
Cl – Are you sure ?
Q – Yes.
Cl – REALLYYYYYY ?!
Her face was really close to Quentin's, who replied :
Q – YEAH ! STOP SCARING ME LIKE THIS !
CL – OHHHH MYYY GOOODD YOU'RE LYING !!
She ran to a mirror which was in a corridor. She looked at her
reflection and saw it. There was a tiny one, written in a spiritual number,
above her head. She became surprised, depressed, happy, angered at the same
time and she finally let out a loud :
Cl – FINALLLLLLYYYYYYYYYYYY !!
She jumped in the corridor, spun and clapped her hands while singing
that she was the best. Quentin was looking at it with a dubitative eye,
wondering if The Guardian became crazy or totally insane, he wasn't sure. She
stopped in a trice, as she realized that she didn't know the identity of her
worshipper. She turned towards Quentin and said :
C – We have to discover his identity right now !
Q – So in theory, it's the only person or soul who can see you, I am
right ?
Cl – Indeed I can't wait to … Hold on a second.
Clara glanced at the soul for a while, and slowly murmured :
Cl – Since you're able to see me …
Q – Wow … You did take your time to figure it out !
Cl – Damn …
Q – Seems like you're happy ! If you want I can forget about you and …
Cl – No ! No !! Let's celebrate it !! Let's go.
Clara caught Quentin by his hand and led him to the exit. She was almost
running with all she had and the soul had trouble following the God. He
shouted:
Q – Hold on !!! Where are we going ?
Cl – It's obvious … Home !
Q – You're not living here ?
Cl – With that bunch of punks ? Of course not !
A group of Gods were walking on a path near a river. They noticed Clara
and started to make fun of her :
? – Oh looks like the God of nothing is with someone.
? – She might beg him to worship her … Poor child!!
Clara stopped. She released the hand of Quentin and stared at the group
of idiots. The Sky became grey and the wind blew around our heroine,
transforming into a massive tornado. She pointed out her finger at the thugs
and cried :
CL – Oh YEAH YOU CAN LAUGH ! BUT NOW I'M DIFFERENT !!! I'VE A WORSHIPPER
!!! FEAR ME !!! MOUHHAHAHHAHAHAH !!!
She put Quentin on her shoulder and went back to her walk. The thugs
were frozen. Abruptly, one questioned the others :
? – She said … She had one worshipper … Right ?
? – Indeed …
? – WE MUST WARN GRADIS !!!
Many Soul reapers were walking into a devastated land. They were caring
souls in their back. Usually, they would have already eaten them. They are
working alone, but this time, they were acting as a group. The ground was
covered by a grey dust and the moon's mouth was drooling green liquid. They
arrived in front of a giant reversed pyramid, with a stair leading to its
entrance. The pyramid was made of bones, and no one could explain from where
they coming from. Once inside, they put the souls on an altar, which was
enlighten by a weird light coming from the top of the pyramid. There was
someone sat in a throne made of human's skulls. He had a very thin body; he had
tentacles escaping from his back. He lifted his arm and all the souls exploded
in an enormous amount of particles, releasing loud screams of pain and agony.
The monster absorbed the particles and let escaped a moan of pleasure. He
cracked his neck and then declared :
? – I can feel it … It's near us … Once it's yours … We will open the
Forbbiden Path to Earth and finally, we will hunt our favorite meal ... Souls
directly taken from a human body !
The Soul Reapers In front of him raised their arms, proclaiming the wise
words of this strange being. Next to him, there was a corpse shown as a trophy.
It was in a very poor state; its face couldn't be recognized. The only thing
noticeable was its purple hairs.
Cl – Welcome in your new home.
Q – Wow …
It was a little estate where everything was purple. It had a huge amount
of purple flowers which were still closed, and the house was a giant manor with
approximately ten floors. Quentin, without any warming, started to run towards
and once he attained the flowers, they opened, revealing that there was a
little smiling skull inside each one. They started singing the name of the
Guardian of souls. The little soul was filled with wonders. The trees were
hanging from left to right, and their purple leaves fall from it. Once hitting the floor, each one of them
transformed into a little cat, and they ran to greet the newcomer in Clara's
domain. The Guardian whistled to make them go back to their tree. She showed
him the way to the inside. A Butler greeted them with a formal:
? –Welcome home … Master.
Cl – Hello Philister. I'm glad to be back.
Q – You've a butler ?!
Cl – He's like a father to me.
Q – Are you Bruce Wayne ?!
Cl – What are you talking about? I'm way cooler and stronger than Bruce Wayne.
Right Philister ?
P – Indeed.
The Butler took the jacket of his mistress and went to the kitchen. The
soul observed him leaving the room. Once they were alone with Clara, he interrogated
her about the nature of the butler:
Q – He's …
Cl – He's a God. He was very young when my father was nominated as a
Supreme God. He had only a few
worshippers so he couldn't be an important God. My father offered him a job as
my guardian.
Q – It's a nice a story but it doesn't answer my ….
Cl – He's the God of ironing.
Q – Oh … I see … Might be not efficient to fight a soul reaper.
Cl – Indeed … But at least he can iron their clothes.
Q – You're mean with him.
Cl – I know. That's why I like myself so much.
She proposed him to show him his room, which was surprising since he didn't
asked for one to begin with and even if he did, it couldn't be ready in this
short amount of time. Quentin was a curious being, it was his main defect, and
so he visited each room of the house, even the ones he shouldn't.
Each room was made in a different style: One was gothic, one was
Japanese and another was the modern type. Quentin was curious and asked :
Q – Did you paid for this ?
Cl – What ? of course not. I created it.
They were arrived at his room. It was located in the last floor, but for
some reason Quentin didn't feel tired after walking all those stairs. She
opened the door and what he saw was astonishing.
Gr – WHAT ?
Gradis was in his office, which was in the central tower of the castle.
The thugs from earlier were explaining what Clara told them. He couldn't
believe it. He hit his desk with his fist and yelled :
Gra – Are you serious ? How could something like that happened ?! Nobody
was supposed to see her !
? – She was with a little child.
Gra – A child … Well it looks I've to …
Dea – Why don't you let it go for once.
Gra – What ?
Death was leant against the door, smiling while looking at her brother
who was really upset. She came next to him and pat his head while saying
smoothly :
Dea – Don't act as a strict brother. It's just one little soul … It
won't hurt anyone !
Gra – But …
Dea – Yes ?
Gra – No … Nothing ! Well … Just for a few days then ! We'll see how it
evolves.
? – But a few moments ago you were saying …
Gra – SHUT UP !!! GET OUT OF HERE !!!
The Thug left the office in a hurry while Death was containing her
laugh. Gradis grumbled :
Gr – Being a God is not simple nowadays …
Quentin's room was full of video games and posters portraying his
favorite football players.
The floor was made of bits, which were freely moving in it. The Soul
looked at the guardian, who was observing him with her kind face. Once he was
finished exploring the room, Clara asked him, out of the blue :
Cl – Do you want to be my assistant ?
Q – What ? For real ?
Cl – Of course … Since you're a homeless soul and my first worshipper …
And also since I'm all alone … I was thinking about it.
Q – YEAH ! I ACCEPT !! DO I HAVE TO SIGN SOMEWHERE ?
Cl – Okay … Then come with me.
Clara was about to leave but Quentin seemed worried all of the sudden.
He stopped her by saying :
Q – Wait …
Cl – Hum ?
Q – Why are you so kind with me ? It makes no sense.
She glanced at him with tenderness and she responded :
Cl – Because you and I are the same. We're abnormalities. Black sheep in
a enclosure full of white ones.
Q – Ahah …
Cl – So you've got your answer. Let's go now.
They came out from the house and walked to a little stone with words
written on it. Quentin didn't understand it. He though it was some kind of Gods
Language or something like that. Clara stopped near the rock, touched it with
her hand. Her eyes were full of stars. She turned towards the souls and
demanded, a tear flowing from her eye:
Cl – Can you touch the stone ?
Q – Why ?
Cl – Just do it for me.
His eyebrow furrowed, Quentin touched the rock. The empty area in front
of them started to glow, a blue light escaping from it. A sign appeared on our
man's right hand. He tried to brush it with his other hand but Clara stopped
him, winking at him with her right eye. Suddenly, a voice echoed in the whole
area, exclaiming:
? – Congratulation Clara, Guardian of Souls. You've got your first
worshipper and so you've attained the rank of Titular God. As a present for
your new role, here your own shrine .Bye.
The voice shut. A giant halo of light hit the middle of the area, and
disappeared after a few seconds. They were looking at the little thing which
appeared in the empty field. Clara slowly walked to it. It was a tiny shrine,
made of a strange and glowing purple wood. Quentin, watched it with a disgusted
look and made fun of it :
Q – They've strange taste … Giving a purple a shrine … What a …
The soul shut his mouth. Clara was holding the shrine in her hands. The
god, that was usually the strongest of her pears, was literally crying like a
baby. She was holding as if it was the most precious in the world. The guardian
turned to the Soul and declared, while sobbing:
Cl – Thank you … Really.
Q – you don't need to.
Philister opened the door, knocked a bell and shouted:
P – I've prepared a little meal for the both of you!
Clara wiped out her tears and followed by Quentin, they went to her
house. Philister noticed the little shrine and questioned, his face marked by
his stupefaction:
P – What is …
Cl – I'll explain it to you inside.
After the dinner, Quentin was looking at the window. He was observing
the giant arch made of stone, which was behind the house. Clara joined him and
demanded:
Cl – Do you want to know what is this ?
Q – Yeah … For some reason I'm attracted to this … Please tell me more
about it.
Clara noticed the green glowing eyes of Quentin. It was weird because in
her memories they were brown. She didn't pay much attention to it and she
replied :
Cl –It was a door that allowed the Reaper's to have a physical body on
Earth.
Q – What ? But they do travel on Earth right ?
Cl – Yeah they use a door that can't permit them to attack humans, they
can only assault souls. Humans can see them but they can't be harmed by them.
Q – Wow … But it seems broken now.
Cl – Indeed … My ancestors sealed the energy of the door into a stone,
after a long battle with the Reapers. The stone was named the World Stone. It
was a beautiful green stone; its energy could provide energy for an eternity.
The Supreme god was its guardian.
Q – Hold on … It is the Stone…
Cl – Yeah it's the one I lost. It was training with my dad and after he
hit me … I lost control and I destroyed the half of the castle, including the
house were was hidden the stone and where the leader's of the Soul Reaper,
Katarsis , was jailed.
Q – And so he went in a rampage …
Cl – He abducted me and my dad saved me … But in the fight the stone
broke and the energy disappeared in an unknown place. And my dad … Well you
already know about that.
Q – What happened to Katarsis ?
Cl – I don't know … My dad and him fall into a rift they created during
their fight … I don't know about his whereabout.
Q - … I …
Cl – It's okay. I'm just glad I was able to talk to you about it.
Q – Yeah … I might be young in appearance by in mind I'm older. So when
you feel the need, you can come and talk to me.
Cl – Thanks …
Q – About Katarsis … Was he … really monstrous?
Cl – He was … something that couldn't be named. He killed so many gods,
he tortured them. He killed children in front of their parents. He murmured
humans and he devoured their peaceless souls. He even killed 3 Supreme God. He
was as old as our world. He was the first Soul Reaper.
Q – He won't come back right ?
Cl – I hope not … or we'll be doomed.
Clara and Quentin stayed here, staring at the giant arch, a testimony of
an old time.
Part I Over.
Cough Syrup - Young the Giant
Hey Ya - Obadiah Parker
