A/N: Ok I'm not sure if I did take long, I tried not to so I'm sorry. Well here is chapter 12! Yay! And I know some of you are upset for making me kill Avery but do not worry, her story shall go on! Ok one more thing, people said the last chap seemed rush and because I reread this chapter, it may be a bit rushed too, if it's ok, tell me! Well here's The Deal with Death!
Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN Adventure Time!
Chapter 12: The Deal with Death
Avery's POV:
I woke up under a gray ground. I looked around and almost everything was gray, some black from more dirt and the sky but just a bit and lastly white from the skulls and bones. "Hey check it out, a new guy!" I saw one of the skeletons say.
"It's a girl, dude you're blind." I saw his friend say, they were both skeletons. "No duh I am I have no eye balls." The first guy said. I just looked at them come closer.
I felt different and I looked down at myself. I didn't have my normal clothe but a black dress on with combat boots I don't like dresses but this is an exception. I tried to fly but I couldn't, I tried to feel for my fangs but they were replaced with human canine teeth. "Where am I?" I asked both of the skeletons.
"What do you mean where are you? You're dead! You're just in the dirt like the rest of us see?" He said pointing at a sign saying "Welcome to Death!" I started walking to who knows where but the other two guys followed me. "Can I help you?" I asked not turning around.
"No but we think we can help you?" They both said. "On what?" I asked finally turning towards them. "You can't go that way, you have to register that you're dead first with the vulture guy, and then he will decide where you'll go, rest in peace or be traumatized for eternity. I'm Bill and that's Phil." The only way I was able to distinguish them was that Bill has a blue shirt and Phil wore a dark purple shirt.
"Ok what about you guys, are you chosen yet?" I asked them. "We are but we decided to help new dead guys but we rest in peace." Said Phil. "I'm not resting, not yet I have to get back." I murmured but apparently they heard me.
"You can try to deal with Death; he controls this place and has a hold of every soul." They both suggested. "Where can I find him?" I asked them, they looked at each other, huddled and then faced me once more. "You have to get chosen and then you can ask the bird guy. Just keep going to the right and you'll make it." Bill said. I turned the other way and found a line, the sign all the way upfront read "Death registration."
I stood there and looked at everything while I was waiting. "Next in line." I heard I shot open my eyes to see a boy that was maybe Archer's age. He wore black only. He had silver eyes, gray wasn't even close. He also had pitch black hair; if he had to hide during the night it will be impossible to find him. He had slightly tan skin also, kind of like mine.
I stepped forward but he was still looking at some clipboard he was holding. "Name and cause of death?" He asked still looking and writing. "Um, Hunter Avery, killed?" I said. I wasn't sure if I was killed or not, well I was but I also took part of my death. He looked up at me with a questioning look.
"How old are you?" He asked, well I was too young to die after all. "Um, can we get this over with, I need to see Death and isn't a big vulture guy supposed to be seeing me instead of you?" I asked not wanting to answer his question, I may be dead but I still worry about myself.
"Oh, I'm an internish kinda guy, well anyway I needed to serve community service. And I'm sorry I asked you that question it's just that I don't really a lot of dead young girls or boys. The animal you are looking for is on a lunch break but if you'll like to talk you can sit over there since you're kind of holding up the line, my shift will end in a few minutes." He told me. At first I thought he was one of those quiet guys but I guess he isn't.
I went to sit on the bench he pointed to. It was just a bunch of bones being held together to become a bench but it was comfortable. The scene of my death, Ash and Ashley, they are the cause of my death. I couldn't let Avery and Archer get hit as much as I wanted to live. "Did I take too long?" I heard someone say. I looked up and saw the boy from earlier, times go by fast while you're thinking or he didn't take too long.
"No, not really." I told him since I had no idea what his name is. "Oh, I'm Eden." He said holding out his hands to shake. I looked at his palm then at him. "Well I already told you my name, Avery." I told him with a smile and so did he.
"So I hear you're looking for Death?" He asked me sitting next to me. "Yes, Bill and Phil, these two skeletons told me I had to check in and then I could try to find Death." I explained to him."
"You really shouldn't listen to those two, always pulling pranks on new people but for once they actually told the truth. Well I still haven't finished your registration but I think you'll fit in eternal peace." He said but I just couldn't give up easily.
"That's the point, I don't want to be in peace or be traumatized for eternity. I'm not done with life yet Eden. I have to keep on living. I need to find my brother and the others, that's why I'm trying to make a deal with Death to try to convince him to revive me." I told him, he looked at me as if taking it all in. "You can do that but he will ask something for return and you have to be registered to get in." Eden sighed out but I had to get in one way or the other.
"Can you sneak me in?" I asked him with pleading eyes. He looked at me then at the entrance then back at me. "Fine just follow my lead." He said getting up and so did I. When we reached it he casually went through the employee door and I headed there too but some other guy stopped me.
"Can I help you miss?" The guy asked I was about to cry out for Eden but this might have been part of his plan because the next thing I knew he was right next to me. "Oh hi there Jeff this is Avery our new helper didn't they tell you?" He asked the man whose name is Jeff. "No but forget it just go in." He said turning around to go some other place. "Ok now we have to get to Death's castle." Eden said. He turned towards the door and so did eye.
We were walking for a while until we saw a bridge it kind of a purple color. "Just don't drink the water, it'll make you lose your memory." Eden told me crossing the bridge. "You tried it?" I yelled after him. "No but some other people do and they don't remember who they were one of them even forget his friend." He told me. We saw sand and a bunch of lines on it and then we saw a skeleton with a sun hat even if there was no sun.
"Hey Death I have someone who wants to see you!" Eden called out I tried to shush him but it was too late, Death was already right in front of us. "Who did you bring now Eden?" Death asked in a type of raspy voice. "This is Avery and she wanted to see you. I'll leave you two alone." Eden said walking away. I'm going to kill him later on.
"So what do you need Avery?" He asked. "I-I'm here to try to make a deal with you." I said confidently. "Ok, what are you trying to convince me to do?" He asked me. "I want you to revive me, I'm not done living and I have to be there for my brother." I told him straightly. "Hm, look at me in the eye." He ordered me. "Um, you don't have any eyes Mr. Death sir." I told him.
"Then look at me in the eye sockets." He ordered me and I did. "So you were killed by Ash and Ashley now weren't you?" He asked me. "Yes, how do you know?"
"When you look into my eye sockets I'll read your past and future but I will not tell you your future since it is an adventure on its own. But you weren't the only one killed by those three monsters, many died because of those three." Death told me walking to a nearby table. "But there are four of them." I told him following him. "Yes but the Demon Queen is a prisoner herself. Even she tried to escape but was promised death if she tried." He said sitting down. I took the seat across from him. "But aren't they immortal or something?" I asked him. "Yes but there are many ways to kill the non-living; some that many do not know of." He told me.
"So all of us do die?" I asked looking at my reflection from the glass table. "Exactly; I also agree that you have not lived. I will make the deal with you but you have to do something for me to give you your life back." Death had a grin on his face. I knew he would ask for something but I was hoping for him to just give me my life back. "What is it?" I asked looking at him.
"Two souls is all I ask for, nothing more. Sadly those two people have died." He has to be joking he's Death for crying out loud! "Don't you have control of every soul? Why do you want me to get those two?" I asked him.
"These tow souls, two people you know well, Isabelle and Nicholas Hunter. They are no longer living but they are not in peace either. They are trapped; their souls have not been set free. As my job to be here, judging the dead, I need to make sure every single one of them is at peace or put in their place. What I am asking from you is to just look for your parents now aren't I?" He asked. I was holding on to my breath, even though I was clearly dead. My parents were missing but they couldn't have been dead all these years. But if they were, I had to set them free.
"W-what caused their d-death?" I stuttered looking at the skeleton in front of me. "Sadly, the same way you were. The Royals killed them, all but the Demon Queen. If you want to live, set your parents free. They would like that wouldn't they? And that is all I ask from you. I'll give you 24 hours to find them. But don't worry, it may be little time but all depends on what happens above." He told me. I figured out the last sentence of his riddle like speech. My 24 hours depend on what happens to the living if they rush on something or not. Hopefully their grieving, I heard when people do that a minute feels like eternity.
"Fine I'll do, what are the consequences?" I asked him. "Nothing really, you set them free, I'll give you life back, you can't find them, you stay here like any other dead guy are we clear?" He asked with his hand stretched just waiting to be shaken. I looked at it for a while before giving him my response. "Deal." With that we shook hands.
"So how was the talk? You made a deal with him?" Eden asked once I stepped out of Death's Mansion. "Yes and you're helping me." I said walking away from him. "Help you with what?" He asked catching up to me. "Helping me free my parents." I told him without looking back.
"I only have 24 hours we need to hurry. Ugh I hate being human this sucks, I'll get tired quickly!" I screamed slowing down a bit from my fast walk. "By the way what are you?" I asked looking at him dully. "Um, I'm kind of like a werewolf. It's hard to explain actually. Well forget the explanation I am a werewolf let's leave it at that." Eden told.
"Wow that's so cool; I've always wanted to meet a werewolf. Let's see you're wolf form!" I said excitedly. "Fine just take a few steps back." He told me so I did and so did he. He exhaled and inhaled until I saw him growing, hair, height, muscle and his features until he was a wolf before my very eyes. Like his hair, his coat was a deep pitch black with his eyes just as stunning silver as it was before. "Wow." Was all I said.
How do I look? I heard something in my head say. "Are you using telekinesis, telepathy or whatever it's called to talk to me?" I asked Eden who was just staring at me. Yes I am. He answered looking at me in the eyes. Silver and gray meeting.
"Oh my glob that is so cool! Lucky werewolf." I told him and in his eyes, I could tell that he was smiling. "Well let's go and since you're like that, can I ride you?" I asked sheepishly rocking back and forth. "Sure hop on." He said looking at some direction. "Sweet." I hoped on his black furred back that oddly felt really soft. "Onward Eden!" I yelled, he was about to take a leap until,
"Wait! You two need a clue now don't you?" Asked Death. "Yes please." I said looking down at him. "Eden, take her to the fiery Mountains, I'm pretty sure you'll find something there." Death said.
"Wait, if you know where they are, why don't you get them?" I asked him. "Because our deal will never be and your parents will never be in piece now would they?" He said grinning again.
"I guess not. Let's go Eden." I said patting his back, Death tipped his back and Eden gave a huge leap running towards some mountains that looked literally on fire.
We're here your majesty. Eden said. "Hey, I'm not royalty I know someone who is but that someone is not me. Call me whatever you want except for that and a few other exceptions." I told him getting off him. Ave? I heard my head say. "Yeah that's good I said out loud."
"Ok so where are we supposed to go, in?" I asked Eden looking back at him. I guess so. He replied looking around. I never bothered to but so did I. We went in and saw more skeletons, what a surprise. "Now what are we supposed to do?" I asked Eden I kept looking at the cave that was in the mountain. I guess it was because I was dead I didn't feel anything like that heat.
"Who dares to come in the Mountain of Eternal Flames?" Asked some guy with a very deep voice. I stood very still turning to see Eden, he changed back to normal and walked past me. "Chill out Silas it's only me and I brought a friend." Eden said going deeper in the cave and I followed him.
"Well Eden long time no see. Who's your friend?" The guy, Silas asked, his voice wasn't as deep anymore but normal, maybe he used a voice modifier. "Her name's Avery, Avery this is Silas, the guardian of this place or so he says since I don't believe him." He said with a grin on his face. "Awe come on Eden, you know I am the guardian. I know this entire place just as much as Death. What do want to know so I can prove you wrong?" He asked. We finally reached him and he had ginger like hair mostly orange. His eyes were very light hazel that had a main mixture of brown and green making them also seem orange, he looked maybe about in his 19s.
"Ok, were looking for some souls, 2 in particular." Eden started. "Man you know Death keeps track of that, but if you give me a specific name and I'll be able to help you." He told us with a huge grin on his face. "Nicholas and Isabelle Hunter." I said not waiting for him to answer.
"Ok then follow me." He said in a low dull voice. We followed him through some other halls and tunnels until we reached a sort of pit with some greenish light on it. "What is this place?" I asked Silas while looking at the pit that seemed to be moving. "It's the soul's pit. All the souls are kept there see that's yours." He said pointing down. I looked down and saw it was me, the one before I died. "Well the souls give me the power to track down any other one observe. Hunter, Nicholas, Hunter, Isabelle." He somewhat ordered the pit.
A ball of the green mist rose from the pit, swirling and then made a clear picture. It showed a wooden box, it then zoomed out to show yet another mountain, dark clouds surrounding it, thunder clouds. "Wow, they're at the Demon's Peak. You would have made a death wish to just get in there." I heard Silas say.
"How come they are there in the first place?" I asked to whoever could respond to me first. "Well the Demon King would curse whoever he killed if he didn't want them to find peace or just simply go. Sometimes he would curse them and they were locked away eternally. If they escaped but died, the souls would belong to him and would be kept wherever he wanted them to be kept." Silas said also looking at the greenish mist that still showed the picture of the mountain.
"Well there's you answer Eden, that's where they are. See I am the guardian of this place believe me now?" He asked with a grin in his face. "Nope." Eden said simply walking out the door. And I couldn't help but laugh. "Thanks Silas, see you around." I told him before following Eden. "How come you don't believe him?" I asked him once we were out of the cave.
"Just let me give you this advice, never trust people down here." He told me still walking. "So that means that I shouldn't believe you?" I asked once I caught up to him. "I never said that, plus I'm alive unlike all of you." He said with a grin. "Look shut up I'm going to be alive again in a while, return to my brother and be my regular half vampire self again." I explained it him.
"Why doesn't it surprise me that you are half vampire?" He asked to himself. "What do you mean?" I asked him looking into his silver eyes. "Well, since I saw you, I knew you were different and you weren't any like any other monster. I knew you were, how do I say it, unique. Plus I smelled red stuff in your breathe like, apples, pomegranates, mangos." He said still walking.
"Well I do love mangos. Come on, turn back into a werewolf and let's go to the Demon's Peak." I said exited. "You heard Silas; I would want a death wish to go there." He told me. "Come on please Eden, I only have like 15 and a half hours left." I told him. He looked at me, sighed and gave in. He told me to get on his back, I did and he wrapped his arms around my legs while my arms were around his neck. He ran at a fast speed and second by second turned into a wolf until he was one completely.
I kept a hold of his neck while all of his feet were touching the ground. I felt like flying at this fast speed but I couldn't; I died human and for now I'll stay human. I saw the sky with some clouds on it, I guess it was always night here since the full moon was shining. I saw Eden and he started howling. I would've told him to shut up but it sounded, beautiful. Natural, so I let him have his fun.
In a while we finally reached our destination, sort of. We were a few meters away from it but enough to see it from far. "This is the Demon's Peak isn't it huh?" I asked looking at it. Before I knew it he was back to normal. "Yup."
"So do you have any other buddies here?"I asked still looking at the mountain. "No, I think that's it. Ladies first?" He said gesturing towards the mountain. "Coward." I breathed out and that made him freeze right then and there. I laughed at his expression. "I am not." He said.
"Then you go first." I teased him I looked back at him to see if he was more of a coward but he rushed in front of me. "See I am not a coward!" Eden yelled. We got nearer to the mountain and saw that it was surrounded with barbed wire, if only I were a half vampire again. I could fly both of us through it easily.
"How much time do we have left?" I asked Eden looking at all the barbed wire that was tangled up together at least 5 feet high. "10 hours exactly." He told me from looking from his watch. I was running out of time. "I'm running out of time, how can we go through here? I asked still looking at the ground. It seemed like only 5 minutes ago we were getting here.
"Hold my hand." Said Eden looking at the barbed wires too. "How many times can you change into a werewolf in a day?" I asked him holding his hand. "Who I said I would change?" He asked me with a grin. I looked at him in a confused face. He took my other hand and started swinging me in circles. My feet started to get off the ground as he started twirling me around.
"Make sure to land correctly." He whispered to me. "Huh?" I asked but then he let go of both of my hands and I was flying in the sky. I looked below me, all the yards of tangled barbed wire. I reached the end and I stuck my feet and arms out to break my fall. I landed on my knees and hands. In just a few seconds, Eden caught up.
"Oh my glob I think I hurt my knees." I started getting into a feto position (Don't know if that's how it's spelled) "Come on Avery, we have to do this for your parents remember?" Eden asked me. I opened my eyes and got up, I did have to do this for them, well and me too. I got up, my legs feeling like jelly, being human sucks, even if I was dead, how was I still able to feel pain?
"Ok, let's get in." I told Eden running into the mountain. We ran until we reached the top. He was out of breath but I didn't breathe anymore or I didn't have to, air still went through my nose and mouth though so I could like breathe without having to need the oxygen.
We looked for any monsters or anything but it was empty, abandoned. "How come this place is abandoned?" I asked. Looking around in every single corner there was. "I'm not sure, let's go look for that box we saw." Since there wasn't anyone there we left out in plain sight. We went through every inch of the cave; it was like a never ending maze. "Ave I think I found it!" I heard Eden yell. I ran into him and sure enough the box was right there.
"I can't open it though; we may need to take it to Death." Eden suggested. I took the box and tried to open it myself but it was impossible. "How much time left?" I asked. Time was running out quicker than I though. "5 hours." Eden said putting his phone away. "We have to run now!" I yelled and we headed for the exit. We ran once more into the barbed wire.
"Get on my back, one more ride, a longer one. " I did what he told me. He backed away from the wire a few feet and ran as fast as he could. Once he took that huge leap, he changed again, into the black fury I've seen him as before. He ran and ran, the wind going through my short hair.
I'll try to go faster. I heard something in my mind say. "Don't worry, I think you're going at a good pace right now, we could get there with time to spare." I told him wishing it could be true. I felt, literally felt Eden's silver eyes that matched the same color of the moon look at it. He howled his beautiful, natural, peaceful howl. I held tighter to his fur as he ran faster; taking more of leaps to get there.
I saw the gates in just a while and then Death's castle. We may not make it in time. I heard Eden say. "What do you mean?" I asked frantically. Look at the time Avery, we have 5 minutes left. He explained. What were the living doing that made the time go quick? I asked to myself. Death's castle was now more visible to us. We got through the gates of the castle and found him where we found him before, in his garden of sand like thing.
I see you two returned, with only one mere minute to spare. Did you bring what I asked for?" Death asked his hands behind his back. "Yes but, we can't open the box." I told him handing him the box. "Well, these types of boxes, the child of the soul has to open it. Can't you read the writing?" I didn't see the writing before but what was carved in one of the sides was "Ope nostri puerum erimus. Liberi erimus iussit." (Latin: With the help of our child, we will be free. Order us free and we shall be.)
"No, I can't read it, what does it say?" I asked Death. "Look at it closely, you can read it." He told me handing the box back to me. I never knew that language but I was able to read it.
"Hunter, Nicholas, Hunter, Isabelle, I helped you free. I want you free, come out of your prison and let your souls rest in peace." I said towards the box. A light started to show from the creaks of the box and it was finally destroyed. I saw them, they were there, they may have looked transparent but they were there.
"We're so proud of you Avery, and your brother. Please tell him we said that Avery." I heard my mother say. I felt tears well up inside me. "Tell him we're ok, you two aren't the cause of this." I heard my dad say. "Will I ever get to see you guys?" I asked them.
"We will be able to, we promise." They both said in unison and then they faded like that. "Wh-where are they going?" I asked Death. "They were chosen to live free, peacefully. They are finally able to rest all thanks to you." He told me. I saw Eden twitch for some reason. "What's wrong?"
It's nothing really. He told me. "So, can I go back Death?" I asked him. His lifeless and eyeless eye sockets faced me. "You did come back with a minute to spare. A deal is a deal. Eden, accompany her." He started. Yes sir. We probably both heard him say. He slowly turned normal.
"Hey, what's the relationship between you two anyway?" I asked them, they faced me. "Death is my uncle." Eden told me. "I am still Death though." Death said. "Well you two better be off then." He turned his palms towards us, a dim light shining towards us.
Darkness covering us.
A/N: Well I hope you guys love this chapter, I was planning to write more but I was like no it will ruin the next chap some way since I haven't started that one either. Well, REVIEW! I need them to survive!
