Soul Census - War of Shadows - Book 1

Chapter 3.6: The Reaper

Earth Date: 26th of February 1348 CE
Location: The Window Room, Soul Sphere

Having had his fill of life-watching, Zarad moved down the spiral hallway. He was about to glide off the edge, when something caught his attention.

One of the crystal keys was illuminating a purple light. He went over to its window to investigate.

The portal showed an alien world. It was a rocky environment with small fissures erupting a plasma-like gas into the air. Swirls of energy traversed the sky, splashing against each other and spraying down on the landscape.

The main subject of this life stood in the center of the chaos. It had a humanoid form with four limbs and a head, but no discernable facial features. The creature was at least twice as tall as a human. Its skin was rough and a deep black, with silver barnacle-like growths all over its body.

To Zarad, it reminded him of a mythical creature... a golem perhaps.

It dug its hands into the earth and flung pieces into the air, which unleashed more of the gaseous energy.

The golem then flailed its arms around, as if orchestrating the movement of the erupting gas. The energy arched up and disappeared down from the horizon... like a rainbow from hell.

The rainbow clashed against another opposing stream, creating a brilliant explosion that painted the sky with a deluge of colors. Before the spectacle subsided, the creature dug its hands back into the earth and repeated the process.

Zarad’s halo spoke to him, telling him that he was not advanced enough to understand the meaning of what lay beyond this portal and warned that he should not look at this life any longer.

Zarad asked the halo what it meant. It gave a terse response, saying that this alien life would just confuse him.

At that moment, he felt a presence enter the chamber. Startled, he scanned around to locate it. The chamber was enormous-- it took him a moment to narrow down the possible location. Unfortunately, just as he began to hone in on it, it vanished.

Whatever it was, he sensed something familiar about it. Zarad tried asking the halo about it, but as usual his inanimate companion stubbornly kept silent on direct questions.

Defying the halo’s earlier advice, Zarad decided to stare on at this alien world before him. His curiosity focused on the source of the other energy that this creature seemed to be battling.

“This is not a fight,” the halo said suddenly. “It is creating. This is beyond your current level of understanding, Caretaker. You should move on and tend to your duties.”

The halo was certainly persistent.

“Why should I move on?” Zarad said. “What’s the harm in watching?”

The halo stayed silent. Zarad figured it was not going to answer him, but after a moment it spoke.

“The life on display is that of the Reapers,” the halo said. “Powerful, but blurry beings, spawned from Chaos itself. Only recently has their essence been detected by the Sacred Tree. They are blessed with the power of creation-- but also cursed with the absence of morality...”

The halo fell suddenly silent and a white noise filled his mind-- like static. And from the noise another voice pierced through.

“Zarad... ignore the halo. Keep observing,” a familiar voice telepathized from the halo.

“Vero!” Zarad said. “What do you mean? Why?”

“Continue watching,” Vero said, his voice was broken. “Lure it... through... part of the plan...”

Zarad tried to get Vero to explain, but his voice seemed to fade, overpowered by another voice.

“Caretaker,” the halo’s voice commanded. “Interrupted... you must leave... attracting danger to the Soul Sphere. Rotate the... to divert...”

The halo’s voice faded again and this time there was nothing but silence in its wake.

Vero mentioned the plan... but what did this have to do with the plan? How could this ‘Reaper’ thing help their cause?

Unsure what to do next, Zarad continued to stare at the alien’s life window.

As he watched, the Reaper stopped what it was doing and turned around to face him. It just stood there, seemingly staring back at him through the window.

Zarad shuddered. It could not see him... could it?

Zarad whirled around. There was another presence in the room again. This time he was able to detect its location-- a hallway, several levels below him.

He stretched his mind out to that area, trying to identify the intruder, but again it vanished just as he focused.

“Vero, what is going on?” Zarad said. “Tell me what I’m supposed to do!”

No response.

A movement on the life window caught his attention.

It was the Reaper-- it was close up to the barrier. It reached its arm out, pushing into the window. The transparent membrane stretched inward like rubber.

Zarad looked up at the face of the creature. Although it had no eyes, he could sense its intelligence-- peering into his essence. There was no doubt now... it really can see me!

The halo came alive, but this time it was Vero’s voice.

“Zarad... remove the crystal...” he said.

Zarad looked at the portal’s socket. The crystal in it shuddered and glowed purple.

On the other side, the Reaper crouched over, its form pressing against the window’s membrane. It stretched inward, but still kept the creature imprisoned.

the Reaper shifted its gaze to the crystal. It roared and the barnacles on its body began to glow purple. The alien world itself went dark, and the only light was that which emanated from the Reaper’s rage.

Zarad looked around startled-- the entire Window Room itself began to shudder. There was something very human about what he felt... fear.

He looked at the crystal, pondering what to do. If he removed the key, it would release the creature... why would Vero want that?

“Must release...” Vero’s voice came through again. “Or plan... lost...”

Zarad cautiously approached the portal. The Reaper continued pushing against the membrane, seemingly trying to tear it open.

Zarad put his hand on the crystal. The key seemed to respond to his touch, lighting up with a pink illumination.

“Caretaker,” it was the halo’s voice this time. “Must stop... you will destroy... Cycle...”

The words broke and then stopped altogether.

Around him, Zarad could feel the entire chamber quake and the spiraling halls began to teeter. All the images on the windows began to flutter, like wind on a candle.

Only the Reaper’s window remained lit, and the creature itself appeared to become larger. Its featureless face seemed to look down at his hand-- at the crystal key... expectantly waiting for him to release it.

Startled, Zarad withdrew his hand. There was no way he was going to let this thing free. What was he thinking?

“Sorry, Vero,” he said. “I can’t do it...”

At that moment, he felt something down the hall. It was the intruder again, but this time it fully materialized and he could now see it.

A physical being-- short, hairy humanoid with pointy ears and green skin.

“Ninian!” Zarad said.

The Pooka silently walked toward him. He wore a thick, black robe with heavy stitching, embroidered with brown leaves and twigs. From his neck hung the familiar medallion. In its claw-like hand, it held a small, pearl-like white globe.

Its sapphire stone eyes reflected something mischievous.

“What are you doing here?” Zarad said.

Ninian pointed a clawed finger toward the alien window.

“Vero be worried about Zarad,” he said. “Vero be worrying that Vero’s message not be getting to Zarad.”

“Message?” Zarad said. “Through the halo?”

Ninian shook his head-- meaning yes.

“Vero be using the halo to talk to Zarad. But the damned halo be overpowering. So Ninian here to make sure Zarad knows that freeing the Reaper be the plan. Zarad understand?”

Ninian pointed toward the window again.

Zarad looked over at it-- the Reaper stood beyond the barrier. It waited silently. Waiting for what? Does it know? Does it speak to Vero?

“Oh, I heard Vero’s message,” Zarad said. “But there is no way I am releasing that thing. I’m sorry. I am not going to go against the entire Council and everything I know for some... crusade!”

Ninian nodded. “That be a bad thing then.”

The Pooka rose its pearl globe in the air with one hand and touched his medallion with the other.

“Crrr-eeo-stayle,” it said. “Du-dubha-meh shash!”

As if reciting a magical incantation, a beam of energy shot out from the globe.

Zarad felt himself knocked back and the halo come off his head.

Things got foggy. The chamber spun.

Dizzily, he looked up to see Ninian holding the halo, trying to put it on. The moment it touched his head, it burst with a flash of light and he yelped. The halo floated away, returning to Zarad on its own.

Zarad used all of his energy and snapped up to grab it.

Immediately, he heard the halo speaking to him again.

“Caretaker, you must defend the tree from this creature. It cannot be allowed to introduce the Reaper to other worlds. Use your sword...”

At that moment, Zarad felt a sudden force hit him, sending him flying off the spiral hall and landing several levels down.

His spirit energy fluttered and became incoherent. Everything was blurry, it was a familiar feeling... like being rocked from a hard punch.

Trying to keep calm, he pulled his scattered energy inward, gathering himself. Recovering, he looked up to see Ninian standing above him.

The Pooka pointed the globe down at Zarad. A bolt of energy flung out of it.

Zarad put his hands up to try to block it.

The attack rattled through him, but this time it was not as bad. He realized that by concentrating on his form, he was able to keep his energy from being scattered.

“Stop this!” Zarad yelled at him.

The Pooka jumped off the edge of the hallway and landed down at the same level. Ninian raised the globe up.

“Zarad opening the portal up there,” he said. “Or shattering Zarad’s life force Ninian be doing next.”

Zarad growled... he felt something he had not felt in a long time. Anger!

He put his hand on the hilt of his sword and drew the weapon high into the air.

The blade was a burning branch, emitting a crackling white fire swirling up its length like a tornado. His arm shimmered as he felt the almighty energy travel down his body. The sword must have been a branch from the Sacred Tree itself.

Zarad leveled it down at the Pooka, sending a deluge of fire and wind at it.

Ninian raised his orb up. The sword’s flames bounced off an invisible shield that seemed to be absorb most of the fire, but it was still enough to lose his balance and fall to the ground.

Zarad rushed forward, sword ready to strike.

Ninian recovered and quickly got to his feet. The Pooka pointed a blackened, claw-like finger at him.

Zarad saw burned fur on the small creature’s face. The shield did not absorb all of it.

“If Zarad not be releasing the portal,” he rasped. “Then Ninian be doing it instead...”

The Pooka launched himself up into the air, grabbing onto the edge of the next spiral hallway. Kicking his legs and clawing his way up, he continued further up.

Zarad could see he was heading to the Reaper’s portal. He could not let him reach it.

Zarad uncurled his wings and flapped them out. He launched himself into the air. A boom sounded as energy from his wings impacted against the floor. He almost got to the portal at the same time as the Pooka, but the small creature was deceptively quick.

Ninian stood before the portal. Its scorched hand held his orb up towards Zarad defensively.

Behind him, the Reaper stood still behind the window, as if waiting to be released.

“Step away from there, Ninian,” Zarad said, leveling his sword at him. “Please don’t force me to use this on you again.”

The Pooka lowered the orb slightly before speaking.

“Ninian must do what Ninian do,” he said. “For it is the duty of the Pookas to maintain balance in all things.”

Zarad heard a distracting hum penetrate his mind as the Pooka spoke.

“Zarad not understand the greater plan,” Ninian continued. “And for that, the love of two soulmates will suffer...”

The hum became louder and seemed to come from the halo. It grew from an irritation into something that began to enrage him.

“Be silent!” Zarad growled.

Ninian ignored him and kept talking.

“Zarad’s love for Aloli,” Ninian said. “A false love. A lie. How can there be love when both are not equals...”

Zarad whipped the sword down at the Pooka, sending its full fury at him.

The energy painted everything with a blanket of white fire. It covered everything, the Pooka and the portal.

Zarad pulled the sword away, but it was too late. The entire portal was ablaze.

The rage had boiled inside him-- he was unable control it. Zarad jumped back, watching the white fire travel up the walls, spreading to the other life windows.

The entire chamber began to shudder and the floors began to crumble away, collapsing into tiny brown leaves... what have I done?

***

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