CHAPTER 6

A/N - Hello everyone! I just wanted to say a big THANK YOU for all your favorites and follows and, last but not least, all the amazing reviews!

Days passed, bleak and grim, in a hopeless succession as winter slowly gave way to a harsh spring. Tiny, fragile leaves had sprung in the slender trees randomly grown onto the mountain slope, but the sky was still laden with ominous clouds and it would still rain almost daily in icy downpours, hailstone often sweeping mercilessly across the Temple terrace. The black curtains at the entrance hung damp and heavy over the wooden doors, ragged and putrid in places, in dire need of patching.

Maka had been woken before dawn by two Sisters for this bothersome task and there they were, all three of them, slumped on their knees onto the hard floor over the dark cloths and toiling with thick needles. The meister's fingers were hurting, bleeding and half frozen as she struggled to drive the needle through the fabric (she had always thought it to be soft silk) which was surprisingly stubborn in some places and coming off in damp, paper-like shreds in others. It was awful. The blonde would have gladly sought refuge into random thoughts, but alas her thoughts weren't helping at all. Brother Elgar had been already forgotten after a few weeks, as if he'd never existed, but Maka knew that now the Older One was ever watchful. Kid had disappeared again without a sign, but she was thankful for it this time. It would have been too dangerous for them to meet again anyway and the blonde didn't know if she would be able to face him at all. No, that bit of terror she'd gotten a glimpse of on that accursed night was forever imprinted in her memory.

All this time, pilgrims continued to arrive at the Temple, passing through the large doors on their way of no return, old and young alike, seeking to be soothed of the pains life had brought upon them. But were they indeed? Was death truly the end of all torments? It must have been, because their souls had left their painful imprint here, where she had seen it, but they had left it behind. They were free now. Maka lifted her gaze and glanced in the distance - at the barren fields stretching beneath the mountain, endless under the bluish-grey horizon – and wished she was free too.

Less than a month now… The meister silently observed the two Sisters working by her side, their bowed heads covered by black veils. Maka had not taken to studying her fellow servants of Death before so up close, in fact she had never given them much thought past the threat they obviously represented. They never talked but they were not without speech and she was sure that to the ears of the Older One those ugly lips often murmured. Their fingers may have moved implacably, without human weariness or hesitation, but their ears were open and their eyes watchful, even if they appeared to spare no glance in her direction. Their dull features were expressionless and without beauty and they both looked worn and crinkled long before their age. There was no telling their age anyway. Their cheeks were dry and bore the color of old parchment and their lips set in a thin, rough line, as if they'd never known smile. The old beggar's countenance was almost pleasant in comparison. I will not become like them! Maka inwardly gritted her teeth as she frowned over her work. I will die before they make me into one of these creatures! A surge of hatred coursed through her at the thought and the blonde almost had a mind to throw away her needle and shove aside the black cloth resting onto her knees.

She was mostly finished and much to her luck the Sisters suddenly decided to spare her of their company for the time being. One of them motioned for her to attend to her usual job in the Temple, while the other produced an empty copper jug from under her cloak and gave it to her to fill it for them. Maka stood up, her knees sore from having spent hours onto hard the stone tiles and hurried to the habitations area. Soon, she returned with the jug now filled to the brim with fresh, cold water and a few pieces of bread left from the breakfast she'd been forced to skip. The blonde knew she should have kept them for herself, but found that she could put nothing in her mouth now.

After placing the water jug at the Sisters' side, the meister walked up and dumped the bread into the beggar's lap. She then stopped and glanced down past the carved stone railing, at the jagged rocks dotting the abrupt mountain side all the way down. It would have been so easy… the Sisters were too far to be able to stop her. It would have been a quick, almost painless death. 'Anyone who attempts taking that which is not theirs to take shall feel the wrath of our masters!' The blonde's mouth twisted in a bitter grin – wrath? What foolishness, it wasn't like she could be brought back and punished for taking the ultimate 'gift'. I, Maka Albarn, will sooner die free than have you make me into a damned ghoul!

Slowly but surely, her hands found purchase onto the cold railing and the blonde took a deep breath, steeling her will. Her eyelids fluttered closed as the wind ruffled her pale strands but suddenly Maka gasped loudly, feeling a warm hand gently, affectionately even, taking hold of her left wrist. She opened her eyes to see the old woman looking up at her with a light smile.

"Child, I have been where you stand now and I can say this one thing – death is not upon you yet"

The meister's eyes widened in surprise and doubt. The beggar had guessed her intentions and probably could not bear to see her take the fatal leap, but she was insane, what the hell was she saying? Maka sighed, now the moment was lost.

"Hurry and get back to your work, those crows are looking this way," the woman warned, letting go of her wrist. The blonde pulled away from the railing and, without a word, headed to the Temple doors.

Maka folded each piece of the man's garments neatly, carefully smoothing the creases before placing them into the basket. Her tears had dried a while ago, but the unseen stains still tugged at the skin of her cheeks. She had been silently crying all day. Once the body gone, the meister glanced down at the empty bed in the pale gleam of the candle and ran her hands over the soft black silk of the sheet and pillows. They were still warm from the life which had only just ended and the feeling it stirred was sickening. But see, it's not hard and there's no pain…

Taking a deep breath, the blonde laid the basket down on the floor and lowered herself to sit on the bed. I've nothing to be afraid of… nothing to be afraid of. Her muscles tensed as she slowly lifted her feet off the ground. She stared at her worn boots as she stretched her legs, gripping each side of the mattress with shaky hands. This is the last thing I will ever get to do… Maka blew off the candle and she dropped down onto the soft pillows, closing her eyes.

It seemed like an eternity had passed before the blonde could eventually hear the curtain being pulled aside and feel the slightest rush of air as someone slipped in. Her breath hitched in her throat and her heart began pounding, absolutely wild, as if it was trying to escape her ribcage. It briefly crossed her mind that she could simply get up and run and nobody would ask anything, after all she worked here, but her body was frozen, pinning her to the accursed bed, unwilling to give up. What's the point? I will die anyway eventually. Everybody dies. But if I run now, I will only submit myself to a life of misery and I would deserve it too, for being such a coward! Her pale, trembling hands fisted into the front of her dress. Soul, Papa…forgive me…

The Death God had stopped by the bed, hovering over her unseen. Maka could distinguish the pale gleam of the cup he was holding as he stood, unmoved, and the white of his bone mask. What was he waiting for? "I am a God of Death and I will now give you my embrace. May the peaceful darkness of death soothe the agony of your life on this earth! May the deathly winter conquer the scorching summer which was your time among the living and bring the ease of your pain…" Such beautiful, eerie words, but he was not saying them, he was silent. The blonde panicked. Maybe there was something she was supposed to say first? But she had never heard the pilgrims say anything. Or maybe there was some sort of payment required? A soft groan of frustration escaped her lips as she tried to guess what was wrong.

"Please…" she whispered, choking, as her hand reached for the cup.

"Maka, what is this? What… what do you think you're doing?"

The meister sat up abruptly and buried her face in her hands, desperate. "…death is not upon you yet…" First the beggar and now Kid, from all the damned Death Gods! This was just incredible. And meeting Kid was really the last thing she needed.

"I have just as much right to make this choice as the next person," she said harshly. "I have the right to seek solace and you have the duty to give it to me," the blonde added, straightening her back.

"No." His voice was as calm and soft as ever, without a single trace of emotion. And unyielding.

Suddenly furious, Maka jumped off the bed and lunged at the young shinigami, ripping the white mask off his face. "Why the hell not, huh?" she hissed. "You came in here with a cup in your hand!" she motioned towards the cup of Black Water Kid was now keeping safely out of her reach, behind his back. "And you were going to give it to whoever was lying in this bed, right? What's it matter to you if it happened to be me? After all, I am just a human! Since when do you have a problem ending a human's life?" the blonde spat, almost shouting.

Kid blinked, for the briefest moment his golden eyes widening in horror and something else Maka could not read. He pulled his hood back, running a nervous hand through his dark strands. "That Brother wasn't human at all and he would have killed you at best! At worst… Maka, when I demanded to be released I was thrown into some dark, filthy dungeon. The next day I was blind and my legs wouldn't carry me, but they made me work anyway, made me crawl while someone kicked me around with their boot. I couldn't let that happen to you! Yes, I think I would have killed him even he were human, but he wasn't, not anymore!"

Maka's stomach cringed painfully and a trembling hand rose to cover her mouth as tears welled up in her eyes anew. "It's no use, Kid… it's no use," she sobbed, dropping back to sit on the bed, because her shaky legs could no longer support her weight. "It's already been a few weeks since we last talked and I suppose you have no news from your father… We won't get out of here in a month…"

"In a month?" Kid sat down next to her, placing his hand gently onto her shoulder. "But… what happens in a month?"

The blonde wanted to speak, no, she wanted to scream, but her throat felt dry, constricted. "I'll turn sixteen in a month," the meister managed to let out, her voice a faint murmur. "And when I do, they'll make me into a Sister and force me to marry one of the Brothers… which means all of them… I would rather die than-"

Maka squeezed her eyes shut and held her breath, in absolute horror. She could not believe she'd actually told Kid about… about that. What could he possibly do? If shame alone could kill, she'd be dead now – as if it wasn't enough that she'd shoved all those things into his face! It was awful, awful! The only thing he could do was to give her the cup and get it over with, except the reaper had already brought it to his own lips and downed the contents in one gulp.

"Fuck!" Kid swore under his breath, the now empty cup dropping from his limp hand. "Oh, I-I'm sorry!" he then quickly went on to apologize, "I didn't mean to say that…"

But Maka wasn't listening anymore. All the anguish and fatigue had eventually caught up with her and she simply slumped to the side, resting her head against his shoulder numbly. "Help me, Kid…" she murmured, half-asleep, "Don't leave me here like this… just don't… either… kill me, or… marry me"

To be continued

A/N - Damn, short chapter, I know, but it had to end here for now ;)