Kuroshitsuji © Yana Toboso
OCs © reaper-of-lost-souls
Annalise © Grimm The Undertaker
A/N: Well it's about time I show another chapter right? ^^ Anyways I hope you enjoy this one. It seems Sophie doesn't have a lot of time to rest, huh? XD (I'm so mean to my characters, I know) Well… yeah ENJOY!
!#$%^&*()
Sophie let out a gasp as she felt a sudden pain in her chest, her eyes darting open as she lifted her head and looked around. "Oh little maiden you're awake?" Undertaker yawned, Sophie quickly getting off of his lap and dashing for the window. "My dear what are you doing –"
"Oba?" she frowned, opening the window and sticking her head out. "… W-wait I have to –"
"Don't go flying out the window now," the Undertaker chuckled as he pulled her back into her office and held her close to his chest. Sophie began to struggle as she cried out at his tight grasp around her, her movements tight and constricted as tears began to fall down her face. "Oh little maiden what's –"
"Oba! He's in trouble!" she gasped as she tried to move away from him. "Let me go! Dad let go! –"
"No," he pouted, keeping a tight grip on her body as she fought back sobs.
"B-but it hurts…" she frowned, keeping a hand on her chest as she tried to calm down. Thinking Sophie wasn't going to fight back anymore Undertaker slowly loosened his grip, but she suddenly pushed him away and ran out the door. She didn't look back as she heard her name being called, jumping off the railing and falling down the stairs to the A level. She had been awoken from a jolt in her chest; the only meaning to it was that one of her black feathers was calling to her. Since Oba wasn't carrying one of her feathers it couldn't be the case, but for the moment she was in charge of his soul and it was her responsibility to take care of him. She landed on her feet and flew past the shinigamis passing by, running out the door and dashing as fast as she could with her hand clutched to her chest. She flinched, feeling the call growing intense. Sophie jumped down until she made her way across London to the outskirts, a growl escaping her lips as her eyes narrowed on the disgusting creatures known as demons. "Get away from him!" she yelled, her scythe appearing into her hand as she raised it up and slashed it in front of herself. The demon screamed in pain as it was split in two, Sophie staggering to her feet shocked as she almost dropped her death scythe. She hadn't even touched the demon with her blade, but yet he was split in two?
Sophie shook her head and yelled, running into the mob of demons and throwing them off. She reached out her hand and grabbed hold of Oba's soul, pulling him away and throwing them backward. "S-ophie?" Oba gasped, gripping her sleeve tightly as she held him to her chest.
"I-it's alright," she whispered into his ear quietly as she jumped back and landed on the cobblestone street, "your master is here…" Sophie looked up and growled, keeping a deadly glare on the demons as they looked at her and snarled back.
"Who's this? A shinigami?" A demon laughed as he began to advance towards them.
"Oba stay here," she set him down, gripping her scythe tightly as she snarled.
"W-wait Sophie –" he gulped, watching as she glide towards the demons with a black fog growing behind her back.
"You picked with the wrong soul to mess with swine," she sneered, "because he's my soul, got that?" She yelled and held up her scythe, slashing into the air as a powerful gust of air flew towards the demons. They yelled in surprise, their limbs separating from their bodies as several demons were split in two. Sophie stepped back startled, looking down at her hand before looking back at the demons with a devious grin. "… Heh," she snickered, watching as the outline of thorns began to appear on her left hand. "You are all~ in a world of trouble." Then she ran at them at lightning speed, a flash of dark shadows streaming by them and ripping them in pieces.
Oba gasped in horror, taking a few steps back in fear as demons were being ripped apart left and right by a mist of black. "M-master?" he gulped, holding his hands tightly to his coat as he felt a chill in the air. "S-top it."
"Now you're all going to die," Sophie laughed in a dark voice, her foot landing on top of a demon as she smashed his head into the ground. Her eyes were glowing an intense yellow as she held a wide grin on her face, a crazy look in her eyes causing most of the demons to flee. She persuaded them and caught them only a few inches away, ripping at their backs as skin and blood flew around her. The demons screamed in pain as she slammed her fists into their backs, sending a few of them through the wall and slamming into the ground.
"M-master stop –" He gulped, falling backward on the ground as he felt a sharp pain in his chest.
"Die wrenches die," she growled, her scythe raised over her head as she slashed into their chests. The demons yelled as a wave of darkness overcame them, disappearing into the ground as Sophie began to laugh. She held her side as her scythe dropped to the ground next to her, the blade clanking on the ground as she clutched her chest. "It hurts," she paused, continuing into laugh hysterically as her body flopped over onto the ground and she rolled around in the fresh blood. "Take me!" she laughed, "Why won't you take me away? Damn it! Death take me!" She hissed in pain, feeling a sting surging through her chest as she rolled on her hands and knees and began to get back up. "Death why…" she growled as she stood back up, "Why won't you kill me why?" She looked up to the sky and clutched her chest, her left hand twitching as the thorns glowed on her hand, "Do I have to kill everything? I will! You jerk! I need to die damn –" She yelped as a hand covered her eyes and her chest, pulling her backward into a sea of black fabric.
Undertaker clutched her close to his chest, refusing to let go till she settled down. "Sophie…" he whispered into her ear, "my little maiden… this isn't you. Come back little maiden. Don't let this soul take you over."
"You… you –" Sophie squeaked in pain, her hand gripping her cloths tightly as she felt another sting. "D-dad help," she cried to him, her body falling into his arms as she began to cry in pain. "Daddyyyyy it won't stop."
"Hush now," he responded gently, "close your eyes and concentrate." Sophie followed as he commanded and closed her eyes, feeling his hand leaving her face and rolling down to her left hand. He held it tightly, Sophie groaning as the skull began to show itself on the palm of her hand. Undertaker lifted up her hand and kissed it, the thorns disappearing as she let out a sigh. "There," he giggled, spinning her body around and holding onto her waist, "feel better~?"
Sophie slowly opened her eyes, the moonlight blinding her as she groaned and looked up at him. "D-dad?" she gulped, her crystal blue eyes staring up at him as he held her hand and waist tightly. "Daddy…" she said as she put her head on his chest, "I'm sorry."
"It's alright," he smiled as he rubbed her back, "as long as you're alive everything will be fine."
She blinked before she groaned and shook her head, holding a hand to her head as she felt a ringing in the back of her head. "W-what's going on –"
"Your other soul was trying to take over again," he sighed, "but don't worry. It won't be bothering you if you stay here with me –"
"Wait no I'm sorry," Sophie pouted as she pushed away from his chest slightly. "I-I… I still need to help those souls," she groaned as she felt a ringing in her ears. "Oba? Oba you still here?"
"M-aster?" Oba gulped as he slowly walked over to them and looked up at her.
Sophie gave him a smile and ran a hand under his chin, a sympathetic look on her face as she gripped the Undertaker's clothes tightly. "I-I'm sorry for this –"
"Sophie you have nothing to apologize for," Oba smiled, grabbing hold of her clothes and burying his face into her dress pants. "As long as you're back…"
"I am a-and I'm sorry," she sighed as she tried to pull away from the Undertaker. "… Undertaker let g –"
"No," he huffed sternly. "I won't let you hurt yourself –"
"Father I can take care of myself," she frowned as she gripped his clothes and buried her face into his chest. "… I can, I swear. I can't move on till I do this. Let me go. Come on."
Undertaker gave her a tender kiss on the lips before pulling away, letting Sophie stumbles to her feet as she collected herself. "… I will," he began, "as long as you come back to me."
"I will," she smiled, wrapping an arm around Oba and grabbing hold of his hand, "I will be back when I can…" She looked down to the ground in thought, her head swimming with questions that seem to never get answered as the two souls disappeared into a sea of black fog. Undertaker let out a frustrated sigh as the fog began to lift, shaking his head as he scratched the back of his head and began to walk away from the scene.
!#$%^&*()
)(*&^%$#!
"See Hathor I told you we'd be back," Oba chuckled happily as he kept a firm hand on Sophie's arm.
Sophie let out a tired sigh, the pain and dizziness in her head going away as she walked around in the darkness. "Great!" A little girl giggled as she ran up to Oba and hugged him tightly. He let out a yelp of surprise as she buried her head into his chest, giggling happily and jumping up and down. "So… so Master correct –"
"Sophie," she sighed. "I wish you guys would stop calling me master."
"Right sorry," Hathor chuckled nervously. "You are the one who is leading us out of here?"
"I –"
"We were at it for days! My goodness Hathor, the world is brighter then I remember," Oba smiled happily and swinging Hathor's arms back and forth. "There are great buildings as far as the eye can see – well not like our pyramids, but still at a grand scale. They don't do mummification though. I was disappointed in that," he pouted.
"Mummification is best done in hot, dry places like Egypt," Sophie explained, "and it's easier to just bury our dead in less than 3 days… before the smell you know?"
"Yes," Oba chuckled happily. "Anyways it was great. I hope you can see it with me."
"I-I'll see I guess," Hathor smiled meekly, Sophie raising an eyebrow at the blush that was forming on her cheeks.
"… Anyways let's get back to the mission," Sophie interrupted them, walking past them and towards the other souls looking up and noticed her. "Listen up!" she yelled as she crossed her arms over her chest. "It took me several earth days, but I have filled out all your cinematic records. Now here's what will go down: I will escort all of you to your individual destinations. If for some reason you want to come back here just say the word and you will be sent back. Understood?"
"Yes!" she heard from them, Sophie giving a nod as she scratched the back of her head and sighed.
"We will start from the bottom and work our way up," she continued to explain in a calm voice. "You are all at the lowest of the low, but most of you souls don't belong here. Now if everyone understands me we can begin. Oba?" Sophie looked over at the boy, the young prince running over to her and taking out a long list. "Now let's begin," she said as she began walking down the line and causing the souls to turn their attention to her. "Come, follow," she instructed, the souls turning to her and following obediently. Sophie pulled her black hood closer to her face, feeling the chill coming from the first room they entered and left the darkness below.
)(*&^%$#!
"… Kemnebi Nsu, Norbert Waclaw, and Tryphosa Gallus Fulvia," Sophie let out a huff finishing the list she was reading in her hand. "Well Oba," she looked down at the boy next to her, "how many souls?"
"We started with 7,700,000," Oba answered, "and we have 3,839,946 left –"
"More than half can't even leave Tartarus," Sophie chuckled lightly shaking her head. She looked down at the boy, letting out a sigh before she tightened the black cloak over her head. "Let's keep going I suppose. We'll have to get to every place in Hades before we see the light again –"
"M-master?" Hathor pulled on the bottom of her white dress, "W-where are we going now?"
"Well," Sophie shrugged, "let's get out of Tartarus first and then I'll explain everything else." She walked ahead of the other souls, making her way down to the river and stopping them before they went in. "Now let's see… we'll need a boat –"
"Oh there's one!" Hathor pointed, Sophie looking up to find a boatman coming by dressed in a long dark cloak covering his face.
Sophie bowed, watching as the man gave her a nod and crashed the boat up on shore. "You must be the earth dweller that stole my boat," he raised an eyebrow.
"I'm sorry sir –"
"No need for apologies," he interrupted her. He looked behind at the other souls and then back to her. "What do you plan on doing with these souls maiden?"
"I'm just returning them back to their individual destinations," Sophie looked behind her with a smile and then back at him. "It's my fault really. The other soul inside of me –"
"I already know about all that," he answered her, holding out a hand for her to shake. "I have been called Charon, young Serbus. Your father passed by here once with the same aura as you… not exactly, but close enough." He gave her a quick smile before frowning again, hiding under his cloak as he stepped off of the boat. "You have my permission to use my boat temporary. Kick it back into the ocean once you're done –"
"W-wait," she interrupted him. "How will you gather the souls that pass by without this boat –"
"Don't worry about that." Charon smirked, "I have others. Just use this one."
Sophie chuckled and nodded, ushering the souls into the boat as she summoned her death scythe to her hand. "Ummm… should I pay you –"
"There is a way you can pay me," he told her as he rustled under his cloak and handed her a bag of scrolls. "These are letters to several beings on earth. Their names are written on the ribbons. It's only a few. Death, yourself, and the shinigami council. Oh! And also there's one for the angels. You can give it to your brother or your guardian angel, Zerachiel Hariel, if you wish." Sophie nodded and climbed into the boat, stopped by the man's hand before she could push away. "One more thing," he remembered. "Do not show the scrolls to anyone else except for the names on the ribbons. Especially not Henry Lorelei. He cannot get this letter."
"O-oh alright Charon," Sophie answered as the bottom of her scythe turned into an oar and she pushed away from the shore. "I will keep that in mind."
"Do return one of these days," he chuckled as she disappeared into the fog, "We get lonely around here." Sophie smiled and nodded back, using her scythe to steer as the boat disappeared into the darkened fog.
)(*&^%$#!
Sophie smiled, letting the souls venture off of the boat and go towards the river Lithe. As they drank and wandered away, she sat down on the edge of the boat letting the few other souls she had with her walk off and stretch their legs for a few moments. "This is the last place till we go back?" Oba asked.
"Yes Oba," she nodded, "and how many souls do we have left?"
"240,618," he told her, "since we dropped 170,308 souls right here at the river Lithe and went to the other places here in Hades."
"Good," Sophie nodded, taking out an apple to eat.
"… Is that from here?" Oba asked before Sophie could take a bite.
"No," she shook her head, "I brought it from above. I know what happens if you eat food from here. You have to stay here forever."
"Great! Go right ahead," he sat next to her, listening to her munch on her food as the deafening silence haunted his mind. "… Why did you choose me?" Oba decided to ask, looking up and noticing that Sophie didn't turn her head to look him in the eye. "I mean… Why did you choose me to go up to earth with you? Do you want me to serve you master? Because… because of my father –"
"I don't choose~ beings because of their parents," she huffed, "but who they are individually. If I were to choose the path that was provided for me, I would have been killed by a demon and my soul ripped away from my body… but I fought back. I chose you because of whom you have become, the Guardian. You are strong Oba. Honestly I never considered that you would come with me to earth and help me. I just wanted to give you a reason to keep going, a justification, if you will, for the souls you have saved in Abaddōn for all these years. It must have felt like eternity for you or even longer for all I know."
"Ah I see," he smiled, a giggle escaping his throat as he looked to the ground. "… You gave us choices correct?" Oba began to ask her, "Where we can go right? Well… what if a soul would like to stay on earth to help you?"
Sophie looked down at him, wiping the juice from her mouth before sighing. "If you are talking about yourself then explain what you reason."
"Okay," he nodded. "I want to stay on earth with you, Sophie. I want to continue to help and I know what will happen if I do, but… I still want to do it. Please master, let me stay. I will become a shinigami like yourself if you'd like. I'll become a demon that serves you if you wish. I just… I want to help. If I go to my final destination now then I won't be able to be comfortable with my choice. If I am destined to go to the Field of Reeds then I want to go to earth instead… if you will let me master –"
"You request is daunting," Sophie huffed as she threw the apple behind her onto the ground. "A soul that wants to stay on earth? You have no reason to Oba."
"But –"
"Nevertheless I will think about your request," she interrupted him, "because your request isn't farfetched from others souls that have asked me before. If you want me to answer your request then you will have to prove yourself. A reason why I should let you become a being of death. Understood?"
"… Yes Sophie," Oba bowed with a smile, "I understand."
"Good," she chuckled, "now gather up the rest of the souls so we can take off. Styx is getting restless again. I can feel~ it." Oba nodded and took off, ushering the souls back onto the boat as Sophie held it on shore. She looked behind and raised an eyebrow, noticing a deity making their way over to the boat. Before it could get too close she held her blade out at the being, preventing the being from getting close to the souls. "What are you doing here? State your business."
"I must state my business?" the deity huffed as she made her way to the boat, but stopped in front of Sophie and the shore. "You are the one trespassing servant~ or perhaps you have forgotten."
"… The name is Sophia Maurus Ioreta Serbus, daughter of the Roman Centurion Maurus and the Baroness Ellen Ioreta Serbus," she said with a bow. Then Sophie looked up, keeping an eye on the woman as she set her scythe back to her side. "You are?"
"Oh," she chuckled to herself. "I see~… I heard you would be coming here. Didn't believe my servants when they told me –"
"Please miss," Sophie frowned, "may I have a name?"
"I am a goddess of death and the daughter of the harvest," she explained, "and as for my name… well. Perhaps if you were to come back I'll tell you." She smirked, tilting Sophie's chin so she was looking deeply into her eyes. "… You are different from your father. I can tell even with your extra soul," she explained, "but yet there are similarities. Very beautiful eyes. Vibrant crystal blue. I can see your father in there too with your shinigami green eyes, but I can see why Death loves you so." She let go of Sophie and took several steps back, pointing up the road, "My home is up on the top of the hill," she smiled, "and if you have time you can come and visit me. I can get awfully lonely at times."
"I'll keep that in mind," Sophie smiled as she climbed into the boat. "Thank you… miss…"
"Its misses," she smirked. "I'm married."
"I'm dreadfully sorry," Sophie chuckled. "If I'm ever here once again I'll make my way to the Palace of Hades to see you. For now I must take my leave. There are souls I must deliver."
"Of course," she nodded looking to the ground before giving Sophie a smile. "I will see you later." Sophie smiled and pushed off of the shore, watching the woman while they drifted away as her body disappeared into the fog.
)(*&^%$#!
"Okay we're almost there," Sophie told the souls beside her, "steady…"The boat rocked against the waters, Sophie pushing against the rocks and against the rapids.
Oba looked up, his eyes lighting up as they neared the end. "Hey close your eyes!" he yelled to those in back, "or you'll be blinded by the sun." Everyone followed his instruction and closed their eyes, Sophie having to keep her eyes open as she defended the boat. She knew they weren't coming out of the Mediterranean, but she chose it this way and so it would be easier for her. She yelped in surprise, the bright light casting upon her crystal blue eyes and causing them to shine brightly in the darkness. Sophie groaned, blinking in confusion as she pulled her hood closer to her face to shield her eyes. Oba squinted and looked up, gasping at the sun starting to set over the horizon. "We're here!" he jumped up excitedly, yelping as he was thrown back to the ground by the force of the waters.
"Yes, but we're not done yet," Sophie huffed as she pushed back against the sea, wiping the fog away with her hand.
"Oh god this is beautiful," someone from behind her gasped.
"Yes the sun is so bright," Hathor giggled at the sight.
Sophie smiled and pushed against the calming waters, looking around for a place to dock the boat. "Hey master where are we?" Oba decided to ask.
"The Thames I suppose," Sophie shrugged, "but all I see are… hmmm… Sorry this isn't the cleanest place to see the world but –"
"Hey don't worry about it," Oba chuckled. "You live here. It's comfortable to you. Us… we all live in different parts of the world. It'd just be easier to rendezvous where you're used to."
"Heh," Sophie smirked, "thanks kid."
"Yeah no problem," he nodded, pointing over to the edge of the boat. "Hey, what's that?"
"What?" Sophie asked him, looking over at noticing a dark shadow against the wall. "Oh… shit," she growled, narrowing her eyes and pushing against the current even harder. "We have to get to the shinigami realm –"
"You need help?" asked a voice from under the boat, Sophie looking down to notice that the river was speaking to her.
"Yes it would be appreciated," she chuckled lightly. "We need to get to the shinigami realm before the demons come after us –"
"Then I'll speed up," the river told her, the waters starting to turn as a large wave emerged behind them and pushed them along.
Oba yelped, grabbing hold of Sophie's leg as they were carried along. She looked behind to see the shadows appearing and disappearing, trying to catch up to the boat. "Please keep going," she told the river, taking her scythe out of the water as the end became shorter, "and I'll take care of this… Oba keep an eye on the souls."
"Alright," he nodded, letting go of her leg and standing up in the boat. Hathor kept a tight grip of Oba as he grabbed hold of the front of the boat, looking behind him as Sophie stood at the back.
She held her scythe at the ready, holding it behind her as a demon jumped out of nowhere with its claws stretched out. She yelled and slashed it in half, its body splitting cleanly into two as it fell into the water; her face and cloak splattered with its blood as the souls yelped in fright behind her. "Don't worry," Sophie narrowed her eyes at the demons showing up on the shoreline, "I'll protect you." She slashed her scythe into the air, the wind slashing several demons apart as the others jumped away in fright. They kept appearing and disappearing into the fog, Sophie's eyes swirling with blue, green, and yellow colors as she saw their auras in the fog.
With one last slash she ripped into the ground, the dirt tumbling into the waters as the demons screamed out in fright. "We're almost there!" Oba yelled, the souls clinging together in the middle of the boat. Sophie looked up to see a demon flying down upon them, a black haze surrounding them in an instant. The demon let out a screech as it ran into the haze, ripping up into pieces and disappearing into the haze. Sophie only stood there, her hands crossed over her chest with the scythe in her hand as they passed from the human realm into the shinigami realm.
She let out a tired sigh and waved her hand over the haze, letting it disappear over the souls. "Sorry that I had to let you fall into darkness again," she frowned, "but it had to be done –"
"Don't worry about master," a soul smiled to her. "You saved us." Sophie smiled back and gave it a nod, the bottom of her scythe turning back into an oar as she pushed them along in the river.
)(*&^%$#!
!#$%^&*()
A young shinigami hummed to herself, looking at a map in her hand as she tried to figure out where she was. Her silver-neon green eyes darted around till she heard an ominous sound coming from the river next to her, the woman looking into the fog as she gasped suddenly. Her head began to ring loudly at all the sounds that she was hearing, a growl escaping her lips as she pressed a hand against her forehead. She barely heard a boat dock onto the shore, souls passing her as they were led along a road. "Hello~" the shinigami looked down to see another shinigami dressed in a long black cloak pushing the boat back into the river. The shinigami came towards her, a chill going down her spine as she held a long black scythe against her shoulder. "Who are you?"
"T-the name is Annalise," she gulped, quickly shaking her head as she let out a huff and continued to talk more confidently and held up her map, "and I'm here looking for the London Division –"
"Oh you're a new recruit then?" The woman nodded in understanding. "Well alright. Oba!" she yelled up the hill at the soul of a young boy, "Keep everyone together. Marius is waiting for you on the other side of the realm. If you have any problems don't be hesitant to call. I'll be there in a few moments."
"Understood master," he saluted her and pushed the other souls hastily along.
"Hey it's not master it's –" she paused as Oba only giggled and they disappeared, "Sophie…" She shook her head before a chuckle escaped her throat. "Sorry I'm not in the best of sorts," Sophie explained, "but if you can kindly follow me I'll take you to our facilities and get you started." The woman behind her nodded as she followed behind, eyeing the souls that had disappeared over the hills as they walked in a different angle from them. Annalise noticed a strange smell on her, a dark but mesmerizing smell of a powerful soul.
Sophie hummed as she walked, making her way up the hills towards the white buildings. As they walked Sophie noticed something about this other shinigami. Perhaps it was the long blood red neon of her hair or the silver neon of her sword, but more was her aura and scent. It smelt demon, but Sophie knew her demon scent was only as strong as her shinigami scent. "If you don't mind me asking," Annalise began again, "but what is your name?"
"Sophia," she answered her without looking behind her, "but you can call me Sophie." She looked behind with a smile, noticing the tan the woman had on her body, must like her own. "If you need any help don't be afraid to ask. You can find me on either the level E or N of the Dispatch Management section of the building. Just ask around and you'll find me." Then they stopped at the white building, Sophie leading the woman inside first to let her look around the grand building. "And if you don't mind me asking," Sophie leaned over her shoulder, "but what division did you come from?"
"Division?" Annalise coughed before chuckling lightly. "I came from the French Division close to Paris. I'm part of dispatch too."
"Ah you are?" Sophie smiled, "Well that's great. I'll be seeing you around." Then she turned her head out the door, thinking to herself before turning her attention back to the shinigami. "Now all you have to do is talk to the secretary and they'll help direct you around the building. I'm sorry I can't help you any further, but I must get back to work." Sophie gave her a nod as she turned around, opening the door and closing it behind her. Annalise let out a sigh and turned her attention back to the secretary, rustling into her bag and getting her forms ready. Whoever that woman was she would have to avoid her if she found out her origins of her past and her life as a demon, or perhaps from her strong smelling aura she'll have to get closer – Annalise shook her head roughly and let out a huff, dashing over to the window and slamming her papers onto the counter.
!#$%^&*()
)(*&^%$#!
"… Juho Yrjänä, Kleitos Philo, Kyriakos Alolos, and Sergius Decimus Fabricia." Sophie let out a sigh as the last soul walked into a beam of light, rolling up the scroll in her hand and handing it to Marius along with a letter from her pocket. "You now have 240,618 souls in your charge," she told him, "and they're all listed here… OH! Almost forgot." She chuckled lightly as she went into her bag and took out another scroll, handing it over to Marius. "Only have Death read this scroll. Charon put me in charge of giving it to him, but I figured you could do that Marius."
"Okay," he nodded as he slipped the papers into his pocket. "Thank you Sophie –"
"H-hey master," Oba tugged on her dress, "so what's your decision with me?"
"You?" she raised an eyebrow. "Wait one moment Oba." Sophie took out another scroll and handed it to Marius, his eyebrow rising at the name on the scroll. "Almost forgot, but Charon told me I could give this scroll to you to give to the angels," she smiled, "and I don't know what's in them, but I'm guessing it's something to do with the souls in Hell."
"Understood," he smiled. "Now I'll let you discuss what you want to do. In the meantime I'm going back. I will see you soror," and with a nod Marius walked into the light, leaving three souls behind outside the edge of the shinigami realm.
Sophie let out a sigh looking over at Oba and Hathor, who were looking at her intently expecting an answer. "... Oba you must forget me," she sighed, "but I don't think I can. Plus look, if I was in your shoes I would go to the fields... and you know I can't. Why must you be difficult –"
"I have spent three thousand years in the darkness," Oba huffed, "and I will not go. I refuse okay? I have dreamt of coming back to this world and I'm not leaving it now! You can't do this!"
"But you have no powers," Sophie frowned, "and even if I let you stay what can you do? Haunt people? I'm sorry, but even if you were a guardian for the other souls you haven't truly proven yourself to me –"
"But miss master," Hathor raised her hand, "I-it's not like we – or I suppose Crowned Prince wants to stay then you should let him."
"And why should I?" Sophie huffed.
"... B-because," Hathor gulped, "because if he stays I want to stay. If master wants to become a ghost and so will I and if we have to become demons then I will –"
"My dear you are mistaken," Sophie interrupted her. "You are not his servant anymore. You are free to go on –"
"B-but," Hathor stomped her foot, "I have my reasons okay? I have made vows as you must have master. Plus I... oh never mind!"
"Now wait a second," Sophie frowned. "Continue. What vows?"
"W-well I was a priestess-in-training," Hathor gulped, "a-and Prince he... he..." She looked over at him and gave him a smile, Oba's face starting to blush as he quickly turned his head. "He is my friend," she decided to say, "and I won't leave my friend here –" She suddenly let out a yelp, holding her hands to her mouth as Sophie and Oba turned around only to be swatted away by a large hand. She yelled as she was thrown the other way, flying into the shinigami realm as Sophie and Oba were still stuck on the other side.
"Another demon?" Sophie growled, grabbing hold of Oba as they were swatted yet again and thrown into the trees. "Oba hang on, I've got this," she growled, her death scythe summoning into her hand as she let out a yell and slashed at the demon. It roared and fell backwards into the trees, several branches plummeting to the ground as it let out a surprised shriek.
They covered their ears in pain at the high pitched noise, the two souls being swiped yet again. Sophie let out a scream as a claw came down on her from behind and slashed up the whole right side of her body, gripping Oba close as she fell to the ground. "HATHOR!"
"MASTER!" Sophie heard from the soul, closing her eyes tightly as she held Oba to her chest.
Then she gasped, feeling a bright trembling presence behind her. Sophie slowly turned around at the feeling, her heart feeling as if it will soon pound out of her chest. She looked behind to find a colorful flaming bird behind her, just as large as the demon and letting out a squawk as a reply. "Phoenix," she coughed, the gold, purple, blue, green, and scarlet colors shining upon her cape. "No wonder..." The bird rose up into the air and flew down, leaving a trail of fire in its wake as it flew into the demon. The demon roared in shock as it was brought down, disappearing into the ground as it did. Then other demons began to show up, slashing and clawing at the bird as it flew up into the sky and back down upon them.
"Hathor you can do it!" Oba called to her, pushing his way out from under Sophie's arms to watch her. Sophie could only stare up in awe, the bright light shining upon her face. Tears began to fall down her eyes as she wiped away her tears with her cape, looking down at her hands with disgust and envy at what the young soul really was. "S-sophie?" he turned to her worried. He gave her a cracked smile and walked over to her, grabbing her shoulders and giving her a hug. "Thank you," he told her, "but you should take a rest. Hathor can handle everything –"
"N-no," Sophie began to cough, pulling away from him. Oba frowned as she began to cough up blood, grabbing for her back and scratching at her shoulders. "No, w-hat is this f-feeling – AAAAAAGH!"
"Sophie!" Oba gasped as he tried to run to her side, Hathor unable to pay attention as she defended them against the swarm of demons. "Master! Master!" he cried, only to be pushed away by her hand as Sophie knelt on the ground and screamed in pain. He watched in horror as the events unfolded around him.
Sophie groaned as two lumps on her back began to form, the bird looking behind her in shock. Biting down on her teeth painfully blood began to drip from Sophie's mouth, trying to endure the pain in her back. The invisible symbol on her left hand began to glow intently, illuminating her stomach with its glow. "Run! Run damn it!" Sophie called to Oba one last time, letting out a gasp as she felt something ripping out of her skin. With a loud cry she bent onto her knees and screamed at the top of her lungs, two bloody stubs ripping out of her skin.
Oba was petrified in fear as he watched from behind, seeing large feathers ripping out from Sophie's back and blood splattering his face. "M-master?" he gulped, seeing a combination of white and red as large wings grew out of her back and spread its limbs out from the force. Sophie continued to scream until she could no longer, her hands gripping the ground so tightly that her nails were causing her fingers to bleed. She tried to stay awake, but pass out on the grass as she looked up to see a blur of reds and yellows in front of her shinning upon her trembling bleeding body.
)(*&^%$#!
A/N: And there you go. Actually a lot of stuff happened in this chapter =3 Anyways I hope you enjoyed it. Too bad Sophie is in pain, but wings. What's with that? XD See you next time X3
Hathor – Ancient Egyptian – House of Horus
Tartarus – The infernal regions, described in the Iliad as situated as far below Hades as heaven is above the earth, and by later writers as the place of punishment for the spirits of the wicked. By the later poets, also, the name is often used synonymously with Hades, or the Lower World in general
Charon – ferryman of Hades who carries souls of the newly deceased across the rivers Styx and Acheron that divided the world of the living from the world of the dead. A coin to pay Charon for passage was sometimes placed in or on the mouth of a dead person
Phoenix – mythical sacred firebird; has a 500 to 1000 year life-cycle, some stories say that the phoenix embalms the ashes of its old self in an egg made of myrrh and deposits it in the Egyptian city of Heliopolis, it is said that the bird's cry is that of a beautiful song; ability to be reborn from its own ashes implies that it is immortal, though in some stories the new Phoenix is merely the offspring of the older one; few stories say they are able to change into people