Harvest
Continued…
A/N: The quote "LORD… REAPER MAN" comes from the book Reaper Man. I didn't come up with it.
I HAVE THOUGHT AND THOUGHT ABOUT THIS ISSUE, said Death. AS MY SERVANT ALBERT EXPLAINED TO ME, I AM INCAPABLE OF BECOMING A HUMAN OR OF FORGETTING THE SOULS I TOOK BELONGING TO THOSE DEAR TO ME. I AM INCAPABLE OF TAKING ON THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF ANOTHER ANTHROPOMORPHIC PERSONIFICATION. NOW I AM RESIGNING.
We cannot give this to you so easily, said one Auditor.
Another said, We found before that you are needed. You cannot resign from this service.
One said, You have a certain quality that we are unable to duplicate in a facsimile or replacement.
One said, We have adapted. You, apparently, have not. We have acknowledged that you are necessary. You must accept your responsibility.
I DEMAND THAT YOU ACCEPT MY RESIGNATION.
We cannot. We will have to consult Azrael.
TAKE ME TO HIM.
I will… oh blast!
The Auditor burst into flames upon the utterance of the singular pronoun. Another one immediately took its place.[1]
It said, We will.
Azrael's face was the sky. It was not simply a constellation or an outline. It engulfed all, taking the heavens and bending them to its will. And Azrael, the Death of the Universe, awaited the humble Death of the Discworld.
LORD, WHAT CAN THE HARVEST HOPE FOR, IF NOT FOR THE CARE OF THE REAPER MAN? that personification had asked Azrael once. Azrael had given the Death of the Discworld something. Now he wanted it taken away…
Death approached.
LORD AZRAEL, he said, GRANT ME THE ABILITY TO LEAVE. TRUE, I AM NEEDED. BUT SURELY A NEW DEATH CAN BE CREATED - ONE THAT IS NOT SO TERRIBLE AS HE WHO WAS CREATED BEFORE?
Then Azrael said:
NO.
And Death walked away. There was no negotiating with Azrael. Compared to Azrael, Death was but a paper doll, a child's drawing, a random belittling metaphor in some other metaphor of Eternity.
The echo left the voice to its own world, to do its own Duty.
More coming soon!
[1] The Auditors had a lack of individuality surpassed only by American middle-school students and corporate workers.