Chapter 20

Death froze to the news.

He shook his head in disbelief as Fubuki sighed. "Your request as been rejected." She said

He couldn't fathom it. Death refused to believe a word of it. He tried to keep himself calm and collected, but… he was too far gone.

"GGGGGAAAAAAAHHHHHH!" he roared.

The walls trembled from his own, he was sick of it all. He has played by the rules, he has done everything asked of him, and yet… one soul… a single soul to be brought back was denied. His glare turned to Fubuki. "I want to speak with them… NOW!" he ordered.

She was startled by his tone, however, she gave but a nod. She began to glow again, but this time, she was glowing a pure white light. A look of bliss came over her face as her eyes opened, she had but white eyes as they stared upon Death. "You have never gone against me before…"

Death tried to keep himself composed before the supreme one. When they speak through another like Fubuki, their voice is neither male nor female. It sounds like many speaking at once.

"I mean no disrespect, you are aware of that. I merely ask this ONE favor of you, and it is denied?!" he demanded. "This isn't for my own gain! You have seen the Shadow King fall deeper into darkness. If he is not helped soon, he will become like all the others before him. Why are you denying me!" he demanded.

The supreme one peered over at Garou and said. "All life is sacred, and he has taken what isn't his from this world…"

"I know that!" Death snapped back. "But he never took an innocent life our of vanity! You fail to see how hard he struggled to keep his urges at bay!"

"I see all,"

Death paused as he sighed. "Why do you wish for him to suffer so?"

"It is not desireable for the living to suffer. You of all know that,"

Death nodded, yet he still pleaded his case. "Metal Bat.. Bad… has been through hell in the past few years. He has over come a vampire war twice. In which you know many innocent lives could have been lost. He became the Shadow King, the other was about to launch his own crusade against the world when the vampires finished theirs… he has stopped many things from happening… and yet, you are to deny him a simple… meaningful request?" Death asked. "You of all know I don't ask for anything. In the past 10,000 years, the last request I had was to look over Garou when he couldn't control his thirst and was drinking monster blood. But now…" he paused and stared over at the body. "He gave his life willingly to stop a mad man from taking any more for the sake of power…"

"Death, I know why you are pleading for him, but the issue is one thing… we have yet to see if Bad has truly turned to the darkside of his power…"

He froze to the news. "You are denying Garou's return because of Bad's mood?" he questioned.

"Metal Bat… Bad… Has been stewing in pity and darkness. He has become cold to those around him, even if Garou is to return, no one can say for certain if this mood of his will be lifted. What is desired to see if Bad has remained to keep his heart pure."

"How can you question that?!"

"He devoured two souls of sorcerers who were stalking his sister. He gave them no warning like the others, he went for the kill."

Death paused to the news. That wasn't like him at all. "If Garou is to return, and Bad is trapped in his own dark thoughts. Garou maybe pulled into it, for the sake of Bad. We must be certain that Bad's heart is still pure. A test of that maybe approaching."

"Test?"

"Nothing more will be spoken. However, the moment Bad displays his true intentions… Garou's fate will be decided and sealed…" Suddenly Fubuki's hand rose, Garou's body healed, and then covered in the black tape that Death was about to use to repair it.

There wasn't a scratch or wound to be seen or taken notice of. The body was ready. "We have already connected the soul to it, should Bad pass his trial. If he does, Garou will return. If not, Garou will be taken from this world."

"But wait…"

The glow vanished. Fubuki's eyes rolled back as she collapsed. Death caught her before she hit the ground, yet wondered.

What test were they foreshadowing for Bad?