After the dust has settled after the battle, Glossaryck announced that he had to leave the castle for a while. The Commission was in an uproar, while Scott nodded understandingly. He was the only one who had meddled with the same concepts his ambivalent homologue had, therefore it was a piece of cake for him. Star wasn't even trying, but this didn't stop her from asking for explanations.
"Okay, this should be nice to bring up in a future conversation, we're probably, inevitably, going to have. You do know that Glossaryck's purpose is keeping the balance, and nothing else, right?"
"Right!" she exclaimed, glad that she finally got him to ask her something she had a positive to.
"Great. I suppose, I don't have to explain the fact that Toffee was an enormous evil-doer, therefore he has tilted the scales pretty much towards that side. Thankfully, you had managed to completely obliterate him and set the balance once more. Kudos for that, by the way. Now, however, none of us has any clue what Toffee has done all this time, while he was raising that horrid army we fought, so, one of us has to embark on a trip to find out whether or not, he had damaged something else, besides this wrecked castle. He has an impressive array of dimensions to pass through, and the later he inspects them, the worse it's going to be should he find any flaws…"
"But why aren't you going with him? Aren't you slacking off?" she asked teasing him.
"No, I am not. We have…we had equal duties. I fulfilled my part and his part as well, while he was off vacationing, to no one knows where. He owes me one, but he didn't wait for me to tell him that, he pretty much did it in self-consciousness…"
The answer was pretty farfetched. Scott never brought this up, he had only now thought of mentioning that he and Glossaryck had equal duties, when he was confronted with a jokingly put question. Star took note of that, but only subconsciously. She also noticed the overall defensive attitude that he had. But that was all in the past.
The world…the universe they lived in had an interesting layering scheme. There could be five planes that could be differentiated, each reuniting a plethora of dimensions. He worked his way from bottom to top…First stop, the Underworld. Not to be mistaken for Mewni's underworld, with all the demons and such. The Underworld was a land of the damned. It wasn't the shiniest place you'd book a vacation to, but its looks were painting an underestimating picture of what it actually had to offer. It was unique in its way, because it comprised of only one singular dimension, albeit it was bigger than any other…
As its creative name says, it's an universal graveyard, a place where all those who had passed gather round and spend their collective eternity in there…Many cultures had pictured three instances of afterlife…Heroes, good-doers, sinless people go to Heaven, Valhalla, Jannah, Elysian Fields and so on, while the others are bound to rot in Hell, Hel, Jahannam, Tartar…Those who had not received their part of judgement, from any "high-authority" are left in a purgatory, a strangely common notion. Yeah, this is all completely fabricated. Death isn't the sweet release of afterlife, it has no other connotation. It's not freeing you from you human bonds, it doesn't lead to any transcendent-ascendant state, it isn't followed by rebirth, but perhaps the most important of all…It knows no difference. The death of a king is the same as the death of a no-good peasant, because it treats everyone equally. All those who are born are duty-bound to die, and this is the one law that the universe never denies. Immortality cannot be granted, once it had been removed, by any means. However, this ability can ironically and paradoxically be lost, through various practices…
Do not believe death is this irreversible process, because it is not. Many have cheated it, avoided it, and came back from it. Just because you die, doesn't mean your existence ends. Revival is possible, for everyone, regardless of origin, beliefs. Frankly, what you were before matters less…The more unknown you are, the better to die, and return. Death wipes the names off the plaques you had engraved them on, but the revival doesn't write them back. You return with the nothing you had come down with. Scott and Lekmet have revived fallen comrades many times, but the costs…the costs are immense. But it's best to know what happens when you die first.
Religions do not usually get things right. They are philosophical concepts, axioms we need to accept, being called heretic should we try to apply reason to its findings. However, it's got one thing right, which will knock atheists off their feet and will turn agnostics into hardcore believers…All living things do, in fact share a soul. It's not just the heart pumping out blood that keeps you on your knees…It's also your soul. And this animus, as Latins preferred to put it, is as mathematicians put it, a sufficient, yet unnecessary condition…for life. A person can live with and without a soul, and a soul can live without a person. It's a gray area…Your brain has your memories and your knowledge, and so does your soul…The difference is that one cannot function without your body, while the other just dislodges itself from it, should you cease to breathe…
This is death. Your soul leaves your body…There is no strange shadow that comes to guide it to its place, no gatekeeper that counts your sins, and decides where to place you, as if he were the dean of a college. It just goes away, fades from the upper realms and rests here in the Underworld, for as long as it wants…or can.
Now, there is a catch…Once your soul had disappeared, it can come back, but there is a principle involved. Your tiny animus has called ahead and booked up a seat in this endless realm, and you can't do that and then just change your mind…It's permanent. And no one can just take up that seat, when you leave. It must be completely occupied…Therefore, you either find someone else to occupy it…a sacrifice, or you donate a part of your soul, should it be big enough to support such splitting.
And since, things keep getting shoved, another explanation is inbound. Most people think, "Oh, he has a big soul, he is so kind and generous." Yeah, that is false. You can't grow it, you can't nourish it, or any other made-up marketing scheme or religious idelology. It's a given. Not genetic, not passed down, it's pure luck…a pretty immutable force. Out of all living beings…If there were a ranking, Star Butterfly would be on top of the leaderboard, followed by Scott, Lekmet, the Queen…Forces of good, usually got the upper hand in this situation. Oh, and immortal beings can renounce their condition by performing a revival. Lekmet is a special case, though…He just uses his powers differently.
Now, that this realm is explained, you can actually understand what will happen. Glossaryck arrived and was, as always, baffled by the unsettling view. It wasn't about the omens, the heavy atmosphere, nor the constant moaning of these sovereignless souls, but…he was continuously surprised to see the unending decay of this world. As people laid waste across the many dimensions, this realm grew and grew, but only in population…never in size. It became crowded with the lives of so many innocent beings. Hearing their endless moans was a symphony of desolation, not meant to be listened by the weak of heart. Needless to say Glossaryck was not that shirk. The second he arrived, he sighed:
"It never gets easier, visiting this place…Let's get it over with."
And with that, he started bolting through the dimension…He spent many an hour jolting through the fabric of space, seemingly aimless. He didn't stop, didn't look below to see the awed souls, gasping as they saw a glimmer of light, a lightning arrow crossing the sky, at tremendous speed. These sparks of life were gathered up, as for an event, witnessing someone from above, venturing into the world below…They hoped for a salutary gesture.
A mountain marked the end of Glossaryck's travel. He slowed down and landed, if you could call levitating over the ground 'landing'. At the peak, there lay a hut, a bit broken down and sluggishly constructed. Its roof was made out of rags and its walls, were made from broken down sticks, glued together using mold. Its size was petite, perhaps only one person could live there, but only barely. However, Glossaryck didn't stay much at the door. He just smirked a bit, seeing how an old friend of his had become, living in a broken down cabin on a lonely mountain in a lonely realm, at the bottom of the known universe. He tried to open the door, but it crashed down, revealing the silhouette of the unhappy inhabitant.
He was a tall figure, two curled horns coming out of his forehead, making him look like a rhinoceros-unicorn hybrid. He had large ears, their tips pointing downwards, and two enormous earring were hanging from each one. His neck was resembling that of a giraffe, long and thin, him being hunched over in order to fit inside his home. Mostly lean, he had short stubby feet, resembling hooves, but not quite. Regarding his dress-code, the best way to describe it would be 'raggy'. He wore a long gray cloth, covering his loins and feet, while his top half was exposed, revealing his dark gray skin. He was pretty muscular, for the place he was in, but his strength was useless. He turned to face the loud noise that startled him, revealing his face to Glossaryck. He had long dark hair, messy and unwashed, not as if water could flow through this realm. He was missing his lower jaw, leaving him with all his lower denture exposed…He missed a few teeth, and those who were still present were sharp, yet chipped. His skin was falling in sheds, leaving the skull visible. His eyes were hollow, two yellow dots floating lonely in his sockets. He had no nose, but two vertical and parallel slits, perhaps his nostrils.
"What do YOU want?" he said. His voice sounded like the wind blowing through a half-open door, yet is had that mournful tone, a ghost wails in.
"Just a favor to ask you, Grimm."
"You've got some nerve to come here unannounced, asking for a favor, when you hadn't been here from the time you were created…From the time, I was asked to gather enough magic to create you, from nothing…"
"I am not here to hear your complaints…"
"Too bad, because you're the first alive thing I see coming here in ages. I've been driven mad long enough, now you're gonna be my outlet, or you have no business here more than a goat at the banquet table."
"You are the weirdest Crator I know…"
"Now where was I? Oh, yeah, how you were created…I gathered all that magic from nowhere, and channeled it into your being, while the Universe had just ordered you. And in the millennia you had existed, never had you come to pay your gratitude, you condescending bastard! So why would I help you now?"
"Oh, I don't know…because it's your job as the…What was it again?"
"What do you mean?"
"You had a fancy name, I can't remember who, chose for you. This way, mortals remember you with a clever metaphor, rather than your grim connotative surname, pun intended."
"Oh, yeah…the Shepherd of Lost Souls…And why would it be my job to help you? I am nothing but a guide, I just save those who wander off, and bring them back to this damned world. If they get lost, I find them, if they get caught, I free them, if they get hurt, I heal them. I work with souls, with the dead and you, my 'friend', are neither. Therefore, you are not worth my time…"
"Look, I'm not going to stay here and take your cliché behavior. You know full well that if you don't chime in every once in a while you will have to endure a trial, a formal hearing, all that Council ruckus, and you don't seem to be in the state to go through all that. So, just answer a question, because that's my spooooky request, that you should take in consideration. Is that so hard?"
"Argh…fine! What do you want?!" he yelled, getting tired of this back and forth one-upping.
"I gotta make sure that a certain soul is here, because if he's not I'm going to have to assign some new duties. Otherwise, I'm just gonna have to check a few numbers with you."
Grimm paused for a while, letting his jaw drop. He seemed amazed and baffled.
"You are…so stupid…Do you think I keep tabs on everyone? There are INFINITE SOULS HERE! HOW THE HECK AM I SUPPOSED TO TRACK THEM ALL?"
"I don't know, but you managed didn't you? I mean what's that little gizmo behind you? A globe…How peculiar. And since we both know what it does, will you please spare me the angst and just humor me? The quicker you listen to me, the faster I'll be gone and your hatred can grow bigger completely unfazed and unaffected."
Grimm didn't bother to answer. He just turned around and started waving his hands, lighting up the orb. He sighed heavily, then, annoyed, asked him, laconically:
"Name."
"Toffee."
"Dimension."
"Mewni."
"Species."
"Sartorian."
"Great. He's here alright. Been here for some time. Made some friends, and all that. Anything else?" he said mechanically, strangely cadenced.
"Yeah. You have a moral compass or something like that down here, right?"
"What do you want with it?"
"Where does it point to at the moment?"
"And what does it mean to you? It shows me the proportion of evil over good in this realm, the land of the dead. What bearing does it have on the overworld? It's completely useless to you. Many bad people died, many good people died, but their number doesn't influence your puny dimensions at all. It might be a million, it might be a thousand, but it has absolutely no real value…"
"Humor me," Glossaryck said simply.
"It's been centered for a while, but lately it has really taken a turn for the evil side. What the heck did you do a mass slaughter?"
His question wasn't answered…Before he was done, Glossaryck had disappeared, leaving behind no trace that he was ever here.
"Typical," Grimm sighed. "Might as well do my routine, now that I woke up…"
And with that he dropped the cloth covering his body, leaving his skinless legs show, underneath. They were encased in a layer of rotten flesh, but strangely enough, they didn't leave that corpse stench. He lay on the grass, bowing down, letting his forehead touch the gray grass. He started quietly mumbling some words, almost no one alive at the time could understand, and after he was done, he started levitating over the ground and in an instant he vanished.
Glossaryck was at the edge of the Underworld by now. He saw the border between life and death and didn't hesitate to cross it, almost shattering it. For a while now it was so fragile, that even the slightest perturbation could make it crack. It only needed the right thing to make that glass resonate and break. Passed back in the land of the living, he opened a portal and set course for his next destination…The borders of the portal were engulfed in fiery flames and it gave away a warm, scolding glow…
