Chapter 4.

  Glenn appeared back in the reaper’s office.

  “Don’t worry Glenn! I am coming!” Canis came running in holding his scythe high. He ran right past Glenn.

  “Uhh, Canis?” Glenn said.

  Canis did a double take. “Glenn! Holy Shit you survived. Did you…ya know?” Canis mimed slashing his neck.

  “I did.”

  “Brutal, man. I thought you liked her. That must have been hard.”

  “Yeah,it was. Hey, listen. My scythe got damaged in battle, I was going to head to IT to have Steve look at it real quick.”

  “Sure, but first we should check in with Anubis. He’ll want an after-action report of your battle.”

  “Anubis is busy.” An assistant said from behind the front desk. “We had an incident here right before you arrived that demanded his attention. You might as well go take care of your scythe at IT first.”

  “What happened?” asked Glenn.

  “An unknown soul stole a bunch of stuff and ran off back to Earth.”

  “Oh, he is probably in a terrible mood. Let’s try and avoid him for now,” said Canis.

  Canis and Glenn headed to the IT department. They walked down the hallway, passed the gremlins and Techlops until they ran into Steve at his desk.

  “Oh, hey guys.” Steve looked pleased to see them. “You know, I was thinking a lot about what I said to you. It wasn’t fair. You are not bad luck. Shit has just been crazy around here. Charon is just so scary, but that’s not the point. I want to start over.”

  “I want you to rig the scales so Tomoe Gozen’s soul is perfectly neutral so she will become a reaper.” Glenn said to Steve knowing the gravity of his request.

  “Fuck you. Fuck YOU. FUCK YOUUUUU!” Steve got out of his chair and paced. Canis did not know this plan. He looked over at Glenn.

  “Why are you roping me into this? Why couldn’t you two troublemakers break the rules and leave me out of this?” Canis said.

  “I am not a troublemaker!” Steve yelled. “I am not breaking rules. No way. Do you know what they would do to us if I did that?”

  “So it is possible?” Glenn questioned.

  “What? Stop manipulating me! I knew it. I knew it. I tried to be a nice guy but you are trouble!”

  “Who are you afraid of, Charon? I’ll talk to him. I’ll do whatever you want. Please. I care about this soul. ” Glenn begged.

  “You would speak with Charon? Hmm,” Steve considered.

  “I would speak with Charon and do whatever you want. Think about it. A reaper in your control. I will help you promote. You’d be king of the IT department. No, a whole department for you where you can fix things and decide how things operate.”

  This enticed Steve. “And talk to Charon to get him to like me?”

  “And talk to Charon.” Glenn repeated.

  “Fine. Let me see that scythe with the soul.” Steve took the scythe and put it on his desk. The root-like wires integrated with it again.

  “Ok. I can’t promise anything but I think it’s possible. The scale is all for show but we can judge a soul with our own gadgets as long as it is connected to the power source. I already know which way the scales will tip here. So, I will just make sure to upload information with the exact opposite to balance out the scales. In theory, it should work.”

  “Wait. It is that easy to fuck with the scales?” Asked Glenn

  “No. Onlymanagement has clearance to work on the power core.”

  “But is it possible to mess with it? Someone from management could tip them in their favor?”

  “That is impossible. No one in management would do that.”

  The more Glenn learned of the afterlife,the more he did not like what he was learning. These are not all-powerful omniscient beings. They are flawed, just like humans but act as judge, jury, and executioner. Glenn needed to make it to management.

  “It is going to take some time. But I will make it happen with these conditions. First, give the soul to Yami. I do not want you to even be around the scale. Knowing your luck, you will fuck things up. No one will suspect Yami, but if you are there it would be too much of a coincidence.”

  “But-”

  “No buts! These conditions are final. Second, you will go to Charon right after this and do whatever crazy task he gives you to win his approval. If he says reap this, YOU REAP IT. If he says kill Canis, you kill Canis. If he says give me your scythe, you do it. Ok?”

  “Ok,” agreed Glenn.

  “Hey, what?” Canis didn’t like that part.

  “And lastly, if by some miniscule chance you are what people think you are and you get promoted to management,don’t forget about me. Deal?”

  “Deal.” They both shook hands.

  “I am starting to worry about the fairness of our friendship.” Canis said with a wavering voice.

  “Canis, do you know where Charon is right now?”

  “Actually, I think I’d rather get murdered by Anubis.” Canis turned to walk away.

  “Canis. Please,” Glenn begged.

  Canis stopped and sighed. “Fine. Let’s go drop off this soul to Yami then I’ll take you to Charon. But I am warning you. Some say he is as old as the sisters of death. He is the most powerful of all the elders. Rumor has it he has reaped reapers. There is no proof, but people go missing around him.”

  “Understood.” Glenn looked back at Steve and they both gave a nod in agreement.

  Both Glenn and Canis headed out of the IT department and back to the lounge, but were stopped by an Oni.

  “Sorry. Lounge is off limits until investigation is finished,” said the Oni.

  Glenn noticed a new creature. Its size was towering- nine or ten feet tall- with a muscular, sculpted frame, emphasizing its strength. The head was crowned with curved horns made of blackened stone, glowing faintly at the tips. Its eyes burned with an intense crimson light, conveying both intelligence and an untamable fire. The uniform was an ornate, flame-resistant security outfit, tailored with glowing runic patterns. The uniform was a combination of high-tech materials and enchanted fabrics, designed to endure its fiery nature.

  “What is that?” asked Glenn.

  “I have never seen that thing before. But for some reason it seems familiar to me. I think it might be an Ifrit. They are security for the lower management. I don’t know what it would be doing down here,” Canis seemed worried.

  “Well, let’s maybe head to Yami’s office then if he is not at the lounge.” said Glenn.

  “Sure, it is this way. Come on.” They took one last look at the Ifrit and headed to the offices.

  “Here it is,” said Canis upon reaching Yami’s door

  They opened the door, but no one was inside. There was a desk and a chair, but it looked as if Yami never moved his stuff in. They looked in the drawers for clues.

  “Looking for me?”

  Both Canis and Glenn jumped. Yami appeared out of the darkness.

  “How did you do that?” asked Canis.

  “Did you need something?” Yami ignored Canis.

  “Yes. I need you to bring Tomoe Gozen’s soul to the scale.” said Glenn.

  “Need?” Yami questioned.

  “I mean…she seemed to care for you, and I could tell you did too. It is what she would have wanted. Besides, I need to see Charon about something.” Glenn held out his scythe. “Please.”

  Yami looked over at Canis. If he wasn’t a bag of bones, he would have been sweating and foiled their plan.

  He turned back to Glenn. “Fine. Give her to me.”

  Yami stuck out his scythe. Glenn focused. He held his scythe and knew what he wanted it to do. The light from his scythe grew and Tomoe Gozen’s essence transferred to the Kitana.

  “Will that be it?” Asked Yami.

  “Yes.” said Glenn.

  Yami left.

  “Oh no. Does this mean we have to meet Charon now?” Canis looked over at Glenn who nodded and headed toward Charon’s office next to Anubis’ Canis threw a fit like he usually did, but ultimately agreed to join. He was never going to leave Glenn.

  Water was seeping through Charon’s door. They opened it and immediately felt like they were transported to a space suspended between worlds. The air carried the faint scent of water and earth, as if on the edge of a vast, eternal river. A low, constant sound of rushing water filled the room, occasionally punctuated by the soft creak of an unseen oar or distant murmurs of lost souls.

  A central feature of the office was a shimmering, mystical pool of water that represented the River Styx. It occupied one side of the room, bordered by smooth black stones and faintly glowing runes. The pool was both decorative and functional, acting as a gateway for communication with the Styx or as a portal to ferry souls directly.

  Charon’s desk was a long, blackened wooden slab, polished to a mirror-like finish etched with intricate patterns of waves and ancient Greek symbols. A faint mist rose from the surface ethereally. Stacked were drachmas, obols, and other currencies from across ages, symbolic payments for ferrying souls. The sound of dripping water echoed faintly on the desk.

  His chair was a throne-like structure made of smooth, dark stone, with intricate carvings of waves, boats, and souls in transit. Sitting at the center was the oldest elder reaper Charon, facing the door.

  “Is- Is he staring at us?” Asked Canis. “I can’t tell ‘cause of his freaky skeleton head.”

  Glenn shook his head in disbelief at what he just heard Canis say as he is also a skeleton.

  “Mr. Charon sir?”

  Charon continued to stare, analyzing Glenn.

  “I knew we should just go. He hates everyone.

  HIs jaw cracked open like it hadn't been opened in a long time. Bugs and dust flew out of his mouth. Charon wheezed, “I was wondering when you would show up. I am sure the fates don’t need to tell me why you two are here.”

  “You were expecting us?”

  “Both?”

  “Yes. Both.” said Charon. “Come in.”

  They were shoved in by an unknown force and the door slammed behind them. There are dark, smooth stone benches that floated slightly above the ground, as though ripped straight from a ship.

  Charon grabbed a coin with his boney fingers and rolled it across his knuckles.

  “Do you doubt your place in this universe? Your fate?”

  “I don’t know anything about the fates and I doubt they had me in mind. But that doesn’t matter. I am here now. And I will do what I can to be the best reaper.” Glenn looked over at Canis who gave a nod of approval for a good answer.

  "Do you know how many souls I have ferried across the Styx? More than there are grains of sand on a thousand shores. Each one thought themselves unique in their fear, their regrets, their self-doubt. But in the end, they all came to the same place, just as you have."

  He leaned forward slightly, his ancient face carved with quiet intensity. "Doubt is not your enemy, young Reaper. It is your compass. Use it to find your path, not to turn away from it."

  Charon got up and walked over to the pool and dropped the coin in it, watching the butterfly effect happen. "You believe you are small, insignificant. Perhaps you are, compared to the vastness of this realm. But even the smallest pebble can ripple across the surface of a river, shaping its course in ways unseen. Your task is not to prove yourself to others. It is to discover what you carry within that can shape the current of eternity."

  “What about me?” Asked Canis, butting in.

  “Hmph. You go by Canis now, do you? Tell me. Where are you from?” asked Charon.

  “I-I am from here. I don’t remember anything about my past or what soul I was. Only that I was a Canine.”

  “There must be a reason management didn’t want to tell you. Best I do not get involved.”

  “Hey if there is something you are not telling me, please tell me! I feel like I am missing a part of myself. Maybe two parts!” Canis exclaimed.

  “I do not go against the river. It is best to go with it. I am merely a guide for the lost souls. I have no desire to challenge management.”

  “I want to help the lost souls. Like you. But I need help. This scythe. It chose me. And if you know why, or can tell me about Mora and her sisters of death, it will help me. I know it will,” pleaded Glenn.

  Charon moved eerily close to Glenn. He put his boney hands on the scythe.

  “It is true. Mora. What have you done?” Charon whispered. The scythe reacted to Charon.

  “Sir? Have you met Mora?”

  Charon went back to his seat and sat down. “Yes. I’ve met them. They created this.”

  Glenn and Canis both looked at each other in shock.

  “I am very old, you see. Older than most think. But even I am not as old as those three. Before the reapers. Before management. Before, heaven and hell or whatever your version of it was. There was just Life and Death.”

  Caron looked up to the ceiling, a reflection of outer space.

  “There was a balance. They had each other in the void. Life was vibrant and full of energy. He was radiant, his touch creating color and motion where there had been none. But Life, for all his beauty, was restless. Death wasn’t enough for life. He longed to create, to expand beyond the empty expanse they inhabited.

  Death, on the other hand, was calm and still, a quiet shadow to Life’s light. She was the one who ended things, ensuring the void remained unbroken, the balance unshaken. While Life burned with endless energy, Death understood the necessity of stillness and endings. Together, they existed in harmony, their bond both a partnership and a love that transcended time.

  Life, driven by his desire to fill the emptiness, reached out and created his first masterpiece: a single, delicate flower. It grew in the void, bright and alive, its petals shimmering with the essence of the universe. Life was overjoyed at his creation, but Death noticed something strange. The flower grew endlessly, twisting and contorting, consuming itself in its unbridled existence.

  Death, seeing the flower struggle, stepped forward. With a gentle touch, she let the flower wilt and fall into the void, its petals scattering into stars we see today.

  Heartbroken, Life decided to create more and more. Nothing was the same as that first flower and everything in time left him. He blamed Death and thought Death was jealous because she was unable to create more Life. But on the contrary, Death loved Life and was saddened to see him in so much pain. Death showed him that they are not gone forever. Life was too blind to see, but whenever he created something new he would put his essence into it. And when Death’s touch put an end to it, she would save Life’s essence, discovering the first souls.

  Death thought this would put an end to Life’s loneliness. But, Life grew more obsessed. He created more and more, pouring his essence into the universe. The balance was off. Unlike Life’s limitless energy. Death was unable to create, but it found a way. It would sacrifice itself to divide its essence into three beings, the Sisters of Death. The Sisters were efficient. Fast. Powerful. Balance was restored for a time.

  Life was heartbroken yet again, but much worse than before. He did not realize how much he needed Death. He looked for its old love. He even created life for the sole purpose to call upon Death to show. But it was always the Sisters who showed up. The Sisters were not happy with his warped sense of creating Life without reason.

  Life denied their logic. He told them they could never understand what it is like to create. Grieving, Life decided on an alternative. It was to create something that did Life and Death’s job better. A Life that would never end. That would never cause heartache and the Sister’s could not touch. That is what we call now those who work in management. But of course there always must be balance so the cycle continues. And that is where I come in. I was a creation from one of the sisters. I do not have any essence of life in me. Death cannot create but it split. It makes them weaker, but it was a necessity to keep the balance.

  Creating a life that could not end did not fill the void within Life. It was not the same. Then it dawned on Life. The feeling that was missing was because of Death. He realized to be truly special, Dife needed Death And in one final act, Life created a place so full of life, Death would surely return. This place was Earth.

  On Earth, Life thrived. The Sisters were overwhelmed. They reluctantly agreed to let Management help them as long as they followed the Sister’s rules. I studied them and sometimes we crossed paths. Mora was a kind sister. Most will say I am crazy, but she actually loved Life’s creatures as much as Life did. I would come across her sitting with a soul, just talking until it was ready to move on.Nyra was the strictest on their roles. She never strayed from her mother's rules even if it meant dragging the souls to the afterlife. And Lytha… I hope you never have to meet her. Usually souls are never heard from again if Lytha is called upon. She is neither cruel nor kind. She just is inevitable.

  So in other words. If she gave you that, it doesn’t matter the reason. Death will follow you.”

  “Is there any way that you can tell the Sisters that I did not ask for this to stop them from coming after me?” asked Glenn.

  “I do not think it matters to them, Glenn Garcia. There is a price to pay for power. Did you think being special did not mean work? That it did not mean hardship?”

  “Well. If you are not going to help Glenn, then why are you telling him all this?” asked Canis.

  “Because. Those who speak up to management disappear. This isn’t advice, it is a warning. You are a walking lighting rod of death. You just have not been struck yet. I’ve said my piece. Now leave me be.”

  Charon walked over and stared at the water.

  “Wait a second.” Glenn demanded as his scythe pulsed. “You are not afraid of The Sisters. What are you afraid of?”

  “Get out.”

  Glenn and Canis were pushed out the door and it slammed shut.

  “Well, that was pointless. He didn’t even tell us who to reap. Old people always tell stories, have you noticed that?” said Canis.

  “I think we are going to have to do some digging on our own for once. We are going to find someone worthy of reaping. And then he will tell us everything.”

  Canis and Glenn looked down the hallway of all the Elder reapers.

  “So who do we ask first?” asked Canis.

  “Who is the oldest?” Glenn asked in return.

  “Well, Charon is Greek, right? Remembering my history class, Celtic, Voodoo, Norse, Spanish, Japanese all came after Greek. If Charon is older than Greek, then there is one deity I've met so far older than Greek. Egypt.” Glenn said, pointing to Anubis’s office.

  “No. No. No. Not the boss. First you piss off Charon, now you are going to get us in trouble with Anubis?!” Canis started pacing.

  “You know how I said Charon is the most powerful reaper? Anubis can kill reapers. He is Management!”

  “All the better. Then he definitely will have answers! Why else would he be down here?”

  “You ask too many damn questions, my friend. Didn’t you listen to Charon? We better just stay on the straight and narrow. I do not want to be on Anubis’s bad side.”

  Glenn thought as he stared down the hallway. He watched as an assistant would fly in, knock on a door, and then enter. They were there for only a second before leaving. Then another would show up for a different door. And another. Glenn took a step back. He turned and looked around the corner. More and more Herme’s assistants were zipping all around the office. They moved so fast, you could miss their actions so he never noticed.

  “Canis. The Hermes’ assistants. Are they assistants for everyone? Or do some work directly for some people?”

  “They do it all. I think. I’ve never actually talked to them.”

  “Follow me. I have an idea.” Glenn hurried Canis off.

  They made their way to the front desk, where the only assistant wasn’t moving. Instead of wearing golden shoes, he wore golden gloves and was typing faster than Glenn could blink.

  “Excuse me?” Glenn interrupted.

  “Glenn? How may I help you?” He said with a smile. At a closer glance, he looked almost human, except much smaller. And his eyes were glowing like all assistants.

  “Are you human?” Asked Glenn.

  “I was. Or at least my soul was. However, this body is not human. Is there anything else I can help you with?”

  Canis looked over at Glenn with impatience. “This is not what we came for.“ He turned towards the Hermes’ assistant. “We have an urgent task that needs to be done.”

  “Sure, is it something I can assist you with?”

  “Well, what do you do?”

  “I am the officer manager.”

  “We need Anubis’s assistant. Right?”

  “Sure! Let me put in a request for them to assemble.”

  “Them?” Canis and Glenn looked at each other.

  In a flash, ten Hermes’ assistants showed up, all slightly different. Some were different gender, but all were about the same size wearing the same golden shoes.

  “How may we assist you, Glenn?” They all asked at once.

  “We just need to talk to Anubis’s assistant.”

  “Ok. How may we assist you, Glenn?” They all said at once again.

  Canis frowned. He pointed to the first Hermes’ assistant. “Wait, what do you do?”

  “I am the Executive Coordinator.”

  “The what? Ugh. Everyone tell me what your rolls are.”

  “Executive Coordinator”

  “Chief of Staff”

  “Administrative Manager”

  “Administrative Coordinator”

  “Executive Secretary”

  “Anubis’s Office Manager”

  “Operations Assistant”

  “Senior Administrative Specialist”

  “Business Support Specialist”

  Glenn looked confused at Canis. “I have no idea what any of that means.”

  “Can we just talk to, like, a Personal Assistant?”

  All the Hermes’ assistants zipped away, except for one.

  “Hello! I am Anubis’s Personal Assistant. How may I assist you, Glenn?”

  “Thank god,” Canis let out a breath.

  “We were wondering if Anubis has any files on Charon.”

  “I can certainly help with that. Let me get my assistant on that.” The PA left and another assistant came scurrying into the room.

  “Who are you?” asked Glenn.

  “I am the PA’s EA. I hear you want to receive files on Charon?”

  “Yes, please,” said Canis.

  “I am sorry. I cannot give you those files without Anubis’s approval. You are going to need to ask his EA.”

  “I thought you were the EA.”

  “I am the PA’s EA.”

  “So we need to ask the PA again?”

  “No, that’s his Personal Assistant. You need to ask his EA. I can summon them.”

  “Them? This is my hell,” said Canis.

  “They are confidential? That is strange. Is there something Anubis doesn’t want us to see.”

  Glenn was thinking gods and deities were not omniscient. He didn’t tell Canis, but he had his own agenda for wanting the files. The more he learned of the truth, the closer he was to unraveling who his parents were and why they were not around. Glenn looked over at the security guards and then grinned at Canis. An idea was hatched.

  “You have been so very helpful. By the way do you have a name?”

  “We do not possess names. We go by our titles.”

  “Well since you are one of Hermes’ assistants. I am going to call you guys HAs.”

  “So two of them together would be-” Canis said, but was interrupted.

  “Anyways. I do not wish for any security clearance level stuff. Can you just get me a file of Charon that is known to the public? BUT only give me the files when I summon you next. OK?”

  “As you wish.” The HA said. And it vanished.

  “Will that be all, Glenn?” The HA at the front desk asked.

  “Yes. Come on Canis.”

  Glenn and Canis headed back toward Anubis’s office.

  “What was with that back and forth? What is your plan?”

  “Anubis is away, right? And we don’t want to break into his office, right? So how would we get a file without us physically grabbing it? We tried the EAs, but they said you need permission. Who else would have permission besides Anubis?” Glenn looked over at a sleeping troll besides the reaper VIP area.

  “Ohhh, you sneaky dog.”

  Glenn, not having the necessary clearance, knew he had to get creative. He decided to trick one of the guards into thinking the request was official and urgent. Canis, always happy to stir up chaos, encouraged the plan, offering a few tips on how to handle security trolls:

  "Trolls? Oh, easy. Just feed them a little flattery, throw in some fake authority, and they’ll be eating out of your hand. Oni, on the other hand... a bit harder. But trust me, if you mention something about ‘Upper Management,’ they’ll follow blindly just to avoid trouble."

  "Ok. Follow my lead.” Glenn headed straight for a sleeping troll in a chair. Glenn leaned down, putting on a confident smile, "Ah, so that’s why you have not done it yet. Were you sleeping?Anubis sent me down to get that restricted file from his office. Urgent business. Time-sensitive.You know how it is.”

  “Wh-What? No, I was. Wait what file?” The troll asked.

  “Are you fucking kidding me? He needed it yesterday!”

  “They usually send the HAs for this kind of thing," the troll stammered.

  “What did you just call them? Never mind. You know how swamped they are. They needed someone reliable. Look, do you really want to risk the wrath of Anubis over a delayed file? I mean, he is breathing down my neck already.”

  "Fine, fine. What’s the file name?"

  “Name? It’s just the files Anubis has on Charon. I need to update it for him.”

  The troll grunted and got up, heading towards the office.

  “Halt.” A big Oni strode towards them. He wiped his hands and had toilet paper on his shoe.

  “What is the meaning of this? Where are you going?” The Oni asked the troll.

  “They need access to a file on Charon. Anubis’s orders. They are going to update it.” replied the troll.

  “Yeah? Show us some proof.” The Oni said, turning to Glenn.

  “Proof? Of course. Canis call the HA over with the files.” said Glenn.

  Canis was confused but then it clicked. He called the HA Glenn spoke to at the front desk.

  “Here are the files Glenn. Will that be all?”

  “Yes, these are great.” The HA zoomed off.

  Glenn turned back towards the Oni. "See? I have the files to update. Look, if you don’t want to get involved, that’s totally fine. But when Upper Management starts investigating why they didn’t get their file updated on time, don’t say I didn’t warn you. I’m sure it won’t reflect badly on you… much. I mean you just left your post and your partner was sleeping.”

  "Upper Management? You’re serious? Fine. I’ll get it. But if this backfires, kid, I’ll personally make sure you regret it." The Oni said. It looked over at the troll and nodded. The troll headed off towards the office.

  “Nicely done.” Canis whispered to Glenn.

  “What was that?” The Oni asked,questioning the whispers.

  “He said we better hurry or we are done for,” warned Glenn. The Oni’s eyes narrowed with suspicion. The troll walked back with a folder. Canis snatched it quickly and then grabbed Glenn’s hand.

  “Thank you! We got to run and finish our task but you all are a huge help. An irreplaceable brick to the foundation of this company. Truly. Thank you.” Canis ran off with Glenn back to their desks.

  “Ready?” Glenn asked. Canis nodded yes. Glenn opened the folder and a chip came out.

  “Oh, it’s a computer chip.”

  They loaded up the computer and logged in. They then inserted the chip and the file appeared. Some of it was the same files that the HA gave them, but more information was there. In the HA’s file they were just removed.

  “Let’s see. Charon's story is true. He is older than Greek mythology. Hold on. This is confusing. What’s this about some being named Thanatos? Wait, let me see the file from the HA. This is where it changes.. In what is known to the public, Charon and Thanatos are two different beings that worked for Hades in the underworld. Charon, the ferryman and Thanatos, the Greek personification of death. Both helped Hades guide the souls to the afterworld. But on Anubis files, this makes it seem like Thanatos was Charon. And…his mother was Nyra.”

  “Why would he change his identity and rewrite history?” asked Canis.

  “I don’t know, but it seems like he is the only one born from Death. All the other reapers are Life’s creations. Even Hades was a creation of life to help take over for Thanatos. Life used souls to create the immortal deities. I think. This file is confusing. It discusses past, present and future all in the same. I think Thanatos mentored Hades as a reaper.”

  “The HA file says the immortal deities have no souls. Only creatures from Earth do. And Hades is in Lower Management now. He was once the Office Director before Anubis.”

  This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.

  “So Hades was one of the first to be promoted to Management. It can be done.” Glenn got excited. “Do you think Hades would see me? Answer questions? Maybe I can get Charon?”

  “Impossible. No one has seen Hades since he left for Management. I don’t even know what he looks like.”

  “Well that if we reap someone that Charon has failed to reap, then maybe he will be so happy he will grant an audience. Or at least Management will get wind of it. They are monitoring, right?”

  “Well, the file the HA sent you says Charon’s record is spotless. He doesn’t have any outstanding reaps.”

  “Whoa, hold on. This file says he does. It’s a soul named Aidoneus.”

  Canis went quiet. “Say that name one more time.”

  “It says Aidoneus. It says where he is located and everything. But why would his soul be hidden?”

  “Aidoneus is my master’s name. I have been looking for him and waiting for him since I got here. Are you telling me that boney fuck has known and kept him hidden all this time?”

  “I am not sure Charon knows. This is Anubis’s file, remember?”

  “Glenn. We need to go to Aidoneus. I don’t care about what rules we break anymore. I need to bring him home.”

  “Who is he to you? This says he is a tier 4.”

  “He is the one who holds my memories. I don’t know much of my past. But one thing I know is my best friend was named Aidoneus. One of the reasons I refuse to promote or move on is because I am waiting for him. I just know my memories will come back once I see him.Maybe it is not him, but if it is and he is stuck in the mortal realm, I need to help him.”

  “So it is settled. We get your master or best friend and then Charon will be so happy, I get an audience with Hades. Looks like we are heading to a place called Epirus in Greece.”

  Canis was excited. They turned off their computer,hid the files in the cabinets,s and snuck off to the front desk.

  Glenn and Canis approached the three doors. They were reapers and didn’t need permission to go anywhere. Plus no one even knew there was a soul there. Only management would know what they were up to.

  Canis and Glenn grinned and they held up their badges. Glenn walked up to the door and opened it. Nothing.

  “Umm going somewhere?” The front desk HA asked.

  “Uhh. Yes. Epirus, Greece? Where Aidoneus used to live.”

  “Aidoneus? Why would you- Whatever. Not much out there.” He typed on his computer. ”There. Should be good to go.”

  “Thanks.” Canis and Glenn said together.

  Glenn turned towards Canis. “Does he always set it for us? Why do we always hold up our badge?”

  “No. The badge definitely does something. I’ve seen Baron Samedi do it. Now hold it up.” They opened the door and the portal was set. They went through.

  They arrived at an old masonry brick building that was partially in ruins.

  “Where are we?” asked Canis.

  Canis pulled out an underworld phone. “Google says we’re near a village called Mesopotamos.”

  “Google? Wait, is that an iPhone?”

  “Of course. Where do you think all the old versions go to die? You think they recycle them? Ha. Human’s will believe anything.”

  Glenn took the sights in. Vast open fields next to a river one side and a town on the other with mountains in the distance.

  “This place is gorgeous.” Glenn said.

  “Yeah. This place. Seems very familiar. Like I've been here before, but I don’t think I’ve ever reaped anyone here. At least not in the last thousand years.”

  “I am not feeling anything.”

  “What do you mean?” asked Canis.

  “Well. Both with Chu Chulainn and Tomoe Gozen, my scythe pulsed. The first time with Chu Chulainn it happened almost immediately. But with Tomoe Gozen, it happened when we got in the hot spring. We thought it was reacting to the water, but I think it was reacting to Tomoe approaching.”

  “Can’t you send out some spiritual wave thingy you did with Chu Chulainn?”

  “Possibly. But it won’t work. When it pulsed, it was like I knew that something was near.I don’t sense anything here. Nothing is here.”

  “Shit. This can’t be. I know this is the spot. I know something is special about this place.”

  Glenn felt the sadness in Canis. “Well, let’s not give up and have a look around.”

  “Yeah. Let’s keep the perfect streak going! We are the dream team.”

  “We definitely are.”

  “Over here.” Glenn called over Canis. They saw a stairway that led to a tunnel that ended in a stone-walled dead end.

  “I thought for sure I found him. I knew it was too good to be true.” Canis walked away, defeated. Glenn stayed for a bit longer examining the wall to see if he missed anything. There were strange indents in the stone likely caused by the stone deteriorating over the years and clay pots broken on the ground, but nothing to indicate Aidoneus was there.

  Glenn left the tunnel to meet back up with Canis, but he couldn’t find him. He shouted out for him but received no answer. He was not at the sanctuary. Did he go back through the portal door? No, it is best to look around a little more. He found a high vantage point to search and saw Canis sitting by the river staring into the distance.

  “Something about this place gave me hope. I thought maybe I would finally figure out who I am, and my purpose. It sounds dumb but I’ve felt stuck at this job for the last couple thousand years.”

  “Actually, I feel like I do. Well not the job part. But life. I was on autopilot and felt stuck. I never knew my parents. My grandma couldn’t speak. She was kind and showed me pictures of her past, but never of my parents. I guess we come from somewhere in Mexico. But it doesn’t matter. I could be from anywhere. The point is I don’t know who I am either, but this job will help me find out. Then I am going to climb the ranks and figure out who I really am. And you know what? You are my partner. The help goes both ways. So I am going to help you, too.”

  “Really?” Canis picked up a rock and skipped it across the river.

  “Of course. I-”

  As the rock skipped across the river, Glenn sensed something odd. He stood up.

  “What’s wrong?”

  Glenn walked closer to the edge of the river.

  “Skip another rock.” Glenn said.

  Canis picked up another rock and skipped it across the river. As the ripples of the water formed the reflection of the sky changed.

  “Look! The reflection of the sky. It’s daytime, but doesn’t that look like night?”

  Mora’s scythe pulsed. Glenn knew something was here. The synched pulsed faster and faster until it let out another wave of energy. Glenn’s breath was sucked from him. He gasped but had no luck. He felt weak. He collapsed into the river and went under.

  Glenn shot up from the water and gasped for air. The scythe was no longer pulsing but his eyes were pure black. He looked up and he saw the night sky. He looked back at land, but did not see Canis.

  He looked to his right and saw a man and a woman gathering water from the river with a bowl. The man had ashy grey hair and a well-trimmed beard. He wore dark blue robes and a gold circlet on his head. He had cold, calculating eyes and did not smile, but when he looked at the woman he smiled so bright it completely changed the look in his eyes.

  The woman had delicate, sharp features. Her long, flowing golden hair had tiny flowers and vines woven into it. Her lips held a quiet, knowing smile, as if she saw beyond the present moment. Her robes were forest green.

  While the woman gathered water the man picked up a flower next to the river and walked it back over to her.

  “What do you think about this flower for the garden?” The man said as he wrapped his arm around her body.

  “A narcissus flower? Shouldn’t you be afraid you will fall in love with your own reflection?”

  “How can I? Even Narcissus would not have drowned had you been standing in his presence.”

  The woman laughed. Their time alone was cut short. She noticed something coming down the river. It was a ferry. The man’s smile faded as he stood up to wait for the ferry.

  The ferry went right through Glenn, making him realize he was in spectral form. Or maybe this is just some vision. Either way, the pair could not touch or see him.

  The ferry was carrying three figures. Sitting up front were two towering muscular men. The first man’s presence crackled with the electric energy of barely-contained storms, He had a thick, wavy, golden beard and piercing blue eyes. His skin was weathered and bronzed. He wore a flowing white toga, embroidered with gold lightning bolts held by a divine brooch.

  The other man stood even taller, about nine to ten feet tall. He was beautiful yet fearsome, with chiseled angelic features—high cheekbones, a strong jaw, and an expression that was both compassionate and unyielding. His eyes glowed with divine fire but unlike the others, he had platinum hair and no facial hair.Hidden behind his body were massive, majestic wings, spanning twice his height. He wore a polished gold breastplate, inscribed with ancient runes of divine protection and holstered a sword.

  And the final person in the back was Thanatos. His cloths looked familiar. Similar to Charon but he didn’t look like a skeleton. His cloak was much cleaner as it covered his entire darker-skinned body.His eyes were jet black and glowed with black light.

  “Thanatos. What did they offer you for you to betray me?” The man by the river said.

  The first man stepped off the ferry. “Hades, do not get mad at Thanatos for your own faults. You knew the rules, brother.”

  The second man with wings stepped off. Thanatos stayed on the ferry with his head down.

  “And who is this you brought with you, Zues?” Hades questioned.

  “This is Michael. He is new, but don’t let that fool you. Even the lesser angels are as powerful as our sisters and brethren.” Zeus replied. Michael stared at the woman.

  “Is this her? Persephone?” asked Michael.

  Hades hissed. “Do not speak her name =unless you want it to be your last word.” Those words did not faze Michael.

  Zeus continued. “Why did you run? You could have had everything. We promoted you to Lower Management. We let you run things. You could have had your way with any soul you liked. But you decided to go after Persephoneand run off with her? You both knew too much. Did you think they would honestly just let you both live among the mortals?”

  “It’s wrong, Zues. I know you know. We couldn’t go back and forth. We just wanted to be together.” said Persephone.

  “Unlike you or Poseidon, I’ve only loved women. Only had eyes for one woman. Only ever cared for one woman. I am thankful you thought highly of me to give me a realm, but I didn’t ask for it.”

  “Ask you about it? Where is your sense of duty?” Michael interjected.

  “What do you know about a sense of duty? I did what was asked for thousands of years. No matter how terrible, if one of my brothers asked, I got it done.”

  “It’s too late. If the Sisters found you they could discover the truth. They would declare war. We can’t let that happen. ” Michael said, drawing his sword that ignited with flames.

  Hades’ scythe came flying toward him from the woods.

  “Halt. I do not need to see a brother of mine die before my eyes. Michael,do not underestimate my brother. He would defeat you, ” said Zues.

  “You underestimate the power that was gifted upon me. What are you scheming, God of Thunder?” asked Michael.

  Zues looked at his brother. “If we do it to them, it would give us assurance that they wouldn’t try anything. We can turn them mortal.”

  Michael looked around, thinking. “Fine. But I would need more assurance. We would do it to him, too.” He pointed to Thanatos.

  “Fine,” said Zues.

  “AND. He stays here while we take Persephone back to her rightful place in Upper Management.”

  “You can’t!” Persephone yelled.

  “It’s that or we can do it my way.”

  “No. I’ll stay. But I won’t allow you to do it to Persephone. I must know she will not be harmed,” said Hades.

  Zues looked at Michael in agreement. “You have my word.”

  Hades nodded to Persephone.

  Zues pulled a bag off his belt. He pulled out two flowers, each petal changing colors constantly.

  Hades walked up to him. “You had these the whole time?

  “You wanted to live as a mortal? Well now you will know what it is like. You might remember this one, Aidoneus. Your first reap.”

  Hades grabbed the flower. “Yes I remember you, Aidoneus. A wise ruler who gave up his throne to become a farmer. Yes. This will be fine.”

  Hades put the flower in his mouth and swallowed it. Zues walked over to the ferry.

  For you Thanatos, meet Charon, a ferryman who helped carry the dead of this very river Acheron. Take him.

  Thanatos didn’t question it and ate the flower, still not able to look at Hades.

  “Ahhhhhhh!” Thanatos screamed as he held his burning face. He continued to scream in pain as his face began to melt. Next, the skin on his hands started to melt, too. Eventually,all that was left was a skeleton.

  “What is happening to him?” asked Michael in fear.

  “You fools! Thanatos does not come from Life. He is a child of Death,” cried Persephone.

  “Persephone, quiet!” Hades tried to calm her, but it was too late.

  Zues and Michael looked at each other with wide eyes.

  “That means-”

  “We must report thisimmediately. Hurry, let's be done with this.”

  Michael and Zues guided Hades up the hill with Persephone. Hades took one last look at Thanatos.

  “You could have stopped this.” Hades said as Thanatos fell to his knees in pain.

  Glenn followed them up the hill. Michael took out his sword and struck the earth, creating a crack so large it formed a tunnel.

  The sound of three dogs barking came from the distance.

  Zues looked at Hades and realized they were not alone. Zues turned to Michael. “Take care of those dogs, will you?”

  Michael opened up his wings. “I’ll meet you back in the office.” In a flash, he was off.

  Glenn saw as Hades and Zues walked into the tunnel. Glenn stayed out looking at Persephone crying. Zues walked out of the tunnel alone. He raised his hand and beckoned lightning to cave the tunnel in.

  “Come let us go,” Zues said to Persephone, brushing dirt and dust from his cloak.

  Michael came flying back down and spoke to Zues. “It is done.”

  As the two talked, Persephone looked down and the narcissus flower by the rubble. She subtly picked it up and cupped it in her hand.

  “Time to go back, Persephone.”

  “No. I am not going back to Upper Management. I no longer belong there. Drop me off in Lower. I will take care of the void Hades left.”

  Michael and Zues looked at each other, then agreed.

  “Fine, but know this. History will be rewritten from this day forth. Aidoneus will remain here. No one will ever know of Hades whereabouts. You are no longer Thanatos. From now on, you are Charon, and you will ferry the souls to the new Queen of the underworld.”

  As the three set off in the ferry, Persephone had one more trick up her sleeve. She transferred her power into the narcissus flower and laid it into the river. It sank to the bottom. She hoped one day someone would come to save her beloved. She turned and saw Charon staring wordlessly.

  Glenn watched as they sailed away.

  “Glenn…Glenn…””

  He heard his name being called. He looked around but saw nothing.

  “Glenn!”

  He looked down at the river and saw Canis in the reflection, yelling. He walked into the river and-

  Glenn gasped as he came up for air.

  “What the heck man! I thought you were drowning.”

  “Flower.”

  “What?”

  “We need to find a flower. In the river. It will lead us to Aidoneus.”

  “What? Are you serious? Ok…ok! Flower.”

  Canis jumped in the water, frantically searching alongside Glenn.

  “What kind of flower?”

  “Uhh. It is white with a yellowy orange center.”

  They searched and searched but no luck.

  “Over here…”

  Glenn could have sworn he heard a woman's voice. It sounded kind of like Persephone. He followed it towards the deepest part of the river.

  Glenn held his breath and swam to the bottom. There he found a white flower floating just above the ground level.

  Glenn came back up. “Canis, I found it!”

  Canis was jumping for joy returning back to land. “Yes. yes! Now what?”

  “I am not sure, but I think we have to go back to the tunnel.”

  Glenn and Canis headed back to the ruins and down the tunnel to the stone at the end.

  “There is a passageway behind here,” said Glenn.

  “Here? Why didn’t you say so? I can easily blast through this.” Canis raised his scythe and swung it at the stone, receiving a shocking jolt in return

  “I think Zues left protection to make sure no one could remove it.”

  “Then how do we move it? What about the flower?”

  “Oh yes. Hmmm...I don’t know, there’s no place to put it.

  “Put it on the ground.”

  A faint voice could be heard.

  “You hear that?” asked Glenn.

  “Hear what?” replied Canis.

  “Never mind.” Glenn dug a little hole in the ground and placed the flower on the ground near the stone. Nothing happened.

  “Use water.”

  Glenn squeezed his cloak and water from the Acheron dripped onto the flower.

  The flower glowed with white light. Vines grew from the flower and pierced the earth. The tunnel started to shake lightly. More and more vines wrapped around every crevice, slowly breaking the tunnel’s stones.

  As vines smashed through the ancient stone wall, dust and centuries-old debris scattered into the air, revealing a dark, gaping tunnel behind it. The entrance inhaled a wave of outside air like a vacuum, as if there was no oxygen beyond that point. It gave off an unnatural and heavy smell, laced with the scent of damp and burnt stone, and something deeper—death. The passageway beyond was not natural; it was a man-made cavern, its walls jagged and uneven, like it had been created by the explosion from a bomb.

  Glenn and Canis exchanged a glance.

  Canis, ever the nervous chatterbox, muttered, “Yeah, maybe this was a bad idea because entering ominous, ancient tunnels under cursed ruins always goes well.”

  Glenn’s scythe finally responded to a soul and pulsed. He tightened his grip on his scythe and stepped forward, his feet crunching against loose gravel and bone-dry dust that has been undisturbed for ages.

  The tunnel sloped downward, its ceiling arching high, encrusted with fulgurite, which formed when lightning hit the sand. As they moved deeper, the air grew thicker, charged with an ancient pressure. It Wasn't just the weight of the earth above them—it was something older than gods themselves, watching, waiting.

  Water dripped from unseen crevices, echoing down the passageway, likely coming from the river of Acheron. The silence was unnatural—no insects, no shifting rock, just the muffled pulse of something restrained.

  Canis stopped abruptly, his skeletal hand gripping Glenn’s arm. His jaw chattered, not from fear but from something deeper—an instinctive reaction to the presence ahead.

  "You feel that?" he whispered.

  Glenn did. It was like standing before an oncoming storm that was alive and aware of their presence.

  The tunnel widened into a colossal underground chamber, its ceiling lost in darkness. At the center of the chamber was a vast pit, its edges scorched black. Chains thicker than tree trunks coiled around the pit’s perimeter, vanishing into the depths below. They were old but unbroken, thrumming with divine energy, pulsating like veins filled with molten gold and black fire.

  And then, they saw the prisoner. Hades, the Lord of the Underworld, hung suspended in the center of the pit, his arms shackled above him, chains binding his wrists, torso, and legs. His once-magnificent robes were torn, draped in shadowy remnants of his former regalia. His ashy grey hair shifted around his face like it was caught in an unseen current, and his eyes—once commanding—were dimmed but not broken.

  Hades did not look up.

  Standing before him, guarding his prison, were the Ifrits. The two Ifrits, towering at seven feet tall, stood like statues, their crimson skin cracked with rivers of molten fire beneath. Their burning eyes locked onto Glenn and Canis as soon as they stepped forward.

  Each Ifrit wielded a massive obsidian halberd, the blades wreathed in black hellfire, exuding an intense heat that distorted the air around them. Their horns curled backward, their armored forms forged from the very essence of the underworld itself.

  The moment Glenn took another step forward, one of the Ifrits slammed its halberd into the ground, causing a wave of heat to ripple across the chamber, turning the dust on the ground to glass.

  “I don’t understand. Ifrits? What are guards from Management doing here? And who is this? Wait…I know him. Aidoneus?”

  Saying the name made Hades look up. But this wasn’t the god Glenn saw in his visions. This was a broken soul.

  The second Ifrit tightened its grip on its weapon, stepping forward. The air shimmered around them, their presence enough to make the walls of the chamber tremble.

  “Stop. We are a part of the Bureaucracy of Reapers. What is your reasoning for having this man chained? Can we speak to someone from Management?” asked Glenn.

  Canis, still gripping his scythe, leaned toward Glenn. “Okay, so…talking our way out of this seems unlikely.”

  The Ifrits did not hesitate—they are not guards who negotiate. They are enforcers of punishment.

  One of them lunged, first swinging its obsidian halberd in a brutal arc toward Glenn, aiming to cut him down in one strike. Glenn barely side stepped, feeling the intense heat from the blade as it sliced through the air, leaving a trail of molten sparks. The impact shattered the ground, sending shockwaves of fire rippling through the stone.

  Canis leapt from the side, his skeletal frame twisting unnaturally mid-air as he swung his smaller, curved scythe toward the Ifrit’s exposed side.

  The blade screeched against the creature’s obsidian armor, sending sparks of spectral energy flying, but it didn't penetrate—Ifrits are built like living fortresses.

  The Ifrit backhanded Canis, sending him flying across the chamber into a cracked pillar.

  Canis groaned, rubbing his skull. “Okay. That one hurt.”

  Glenn gripped Mora’s scythe, feeling its weight shift in his hands. it was eager for battle, humming in anticipation.

  He dashed forward, twisting his grip and bringing the scythe down hard toward the Ifrit’s knee, aiming to take out its mobility.

  The Ifrit blocked with its halberd, sparks flying, the force of the clash sent a shockwave through Glenn’s arms. It was strong. Too strong.

  The second Ifrit appeared behind Glenn in an instant, swinging its weapon in a deadly downward strike.

  Just as the second Ifrit’s halberd was about to cleave Glenn in two, Canis intercepted, using his scythe to hook the halberd’s shaft and pull its aim off-course.

  The Ifrit snarled, turning its attention to Canis.

  Canis grinned, hopping onto the Ifrit’s arm like a monkey and scrambling up its massive frame, wrapping his legs around its head.

  “Ever fought a skeleton before? We don’t have soft bits! It’s hard to burn something with no flesh, huh?”

  Glenn finally felt the experience and knowledge from his previous two fights.

  He twisted his grip on the scythe, shifting from blocking to attacking, his movements becoming more instinctual.

  With a quick step, he vaulted off a rock, using the momentum to sweep his scythe in a horizontal arc, striking the first Ifrit’s exposed ribs.

  This time, the blade cut through, leaving a deep, glowing wound. Flame-like blood to spill out onto the ground

  Enraged, the first Ifrit unleashed a burst of hellfire, engulfing the battlefield in searing heat.

  Glenn twisted his scythe mid-air, the blade absorbing some of the spectral energy, creating a barrier against the flames.

  Canis, still on the second Ifrit’s shoulders, yanked its horns, causing it to stumble into the first Ifrit’s attack, searing its own armor.

  The two Ifrits snarled at each other, momentarily thrown off balance.

  Canis took advantage of the second Ifrit’s distraction, pulling his skeletal hand back and plunging it into the exposed wound on its neck.

  His fingers glowed with spectral energy, and suddenly, the Ifrit stiffend, its body locking up as Canis siphoned its life force.

  The Ifrit collapsed to its knees, weakened but not dead.

  Canis dropped down in front of it, tipping his skull like a cocky gunslinger.

  “And that’s why you don’t mess with the undead, hotshot.”

  Glenn focused on the first Ifrit, still recovering from its injuries.

  He swung the scythe in a rising arc, cutting through the creature’s chest. —This time, the blade sunk deep, and the Ifrit staggered back, stunned.

  Glenn didn’t hesitate.

  He twirled the scythe once, shifting his grip, and then plunged it directly into the Ifrit’s core, the blade sinking in as soul energy surged outward.

  The Ifrit let out a roar, then collapsed into a heap of smoldering embers, its body disintegrating into dark flames.

  Seeing its companion fall, the weakened Ifrit glared at Canis but knelt in submission, knowing it could not win alone.

  “It’s over? That was easy. These are the guards of Management?” Canis asked, but he spoke too quickly. The Ifrit started to glow so hot, it became engulfed in flames.

  “Quickly, my chains! Use your scythe.” Hades shouted. Glenn gripped his scythe and quickly sliced through the chains around Hades. As Glenn broke the last one, Hades vanished. No, Glenn could see it. He moved so quickly a normal human would have blinked and missed it.

  “BOOM.”

  The Ifrit exploded causing a quake. Debris flew everywhere and smoke filled the chamber. As the smoke cleared, Canis and Glenn noticed the impact was nothing to Hades, as it looked like he didn’t have a scratch on him.

  Hades turned to Canis and smiled. “Canis, can it really be you?”

  “Aidoneus?!” Canis beamed.. He wiggled with excitement.

  “Well, come here!” Hades said with open arms. Canis dropped his scythe and ran to Hades, embracing him in a big hug.

  “I don’t get it. You are Hades right?” asked Glenn.

  Canis and Hades stopped hugging.

  “Yes. And now Aidoneus. You see, it is not easy to kill an immortal. We have no souls. We are neither alive nor dead. We just exist to serve. We were the ultimate creation of Life. Or so we thought. There are two ways to kill an immortal. The first is to give an immortal a soul. Fusing a soul with it makes it capable of death, but you are forever bonded as one. I have all the memories of who Aidoneus was and Hades. It doesn’t affect immortals much, since a soul is only around for a short period of time. The second is Lytha. No one knows how she does it, but any immortal who goes after her is never seen again.”

  Canis looked at him. “I-I can’t remember anything before I was Canis.”

  “My boy. Canis was my dog when I was Aidoneus. Loyal and selfless. Always putting others before himself. But you are so much more. That is just the soul that resides in you. You were also my best friend in the underworld. Do you not remember? Come to think of it. Where are your brothers?”

  “Brothers? I have been alone for thousands of years.” Canis said sadly.

  Hades grew upset. “No. What did they do to you?”

  “Sir Hades. My name is Glenn Garcia. I recently joined the Reaper Core. I was hoping you could answer a lot of questions both for Canis and I.”

  Hades' attention turned to Glenn, his eyes shocked as he laid eyes on Glenn's weapon. “That scythe. Glenn was it? Listen, there are things I will explain in detail but I’ll make this quick, because time is not on our side. There is a secret war that has been going on between Life and Death. Immortals were created to bring balance back to the universe but Life thought of them as an abomination. You cannot appreciate Life without Death. Life realized this too late as it created Earth. By the time I came around, Death and Life had been long gone. No one knows where. Left unchecked with grudges in their heart, immortals took over and created the Management you see today. They discovered the ultimate power Life left behind: souls. In a way, souls are energy from Life itself. But the Sisters were the ones reaping the souls. The immortals decided to control reaping for themselves. The Sisters had no choice but to leave as Lytha couldn’t face off an army of immortals. If the sisters knew there was a way to kill them, war would begin again.”

  “Why not let Management and the Sisters fight it out?” Canis shrugged.

  “Because it will be the Earth that suffers. When immortals fight, natural disasters happen. When immortals and the Sisters fight, catastrophic events happen. Cities are destroyed, plagues spread, and even species go extinct.. Both sides would try to get as many souls as possible. As ruler of one of the underworlds, I would see the aftermath.”

  “But Mora gave me this. She was kind and believed in me. ” Glenn’s scythe grew red and hot to the touch. Glenn never felt this from the scythe before. It seemed angry and something was upsetting it.

  “Mora. Gave. You. That. Scythe?!” Hades started to look around. “She specifically said you are going to change the underworld. Glenn, I don’t think she gave you that to be some hero.”

  “I agree.”

  That voice. It was the same one that Glenn heard helping him get into the chamber. The shadows of the cave began to move.

  A chill crawled up Glenn’s spine before he even registered the shift in the air. The cavern’s dim light flickered, consumed by an encroaching blackness—a void, swallowing even the faintest glimmers of spectral fire. A new presence arrived.

  A voice, laced with venom and grief, echoed through the chamber.

  “You… took her from me.”

  Nyra stepped forward from the abyss, her shroud of darkness swirling like a living entity around her. The Sister of the Shadows was not just furious—she was consumed by loss, her wrath beyond mortal understanding.

  Her piercing silver eyes locked onto Glenn, not as a mere adversary, but as the harbinger of her sister’s demise.

  Hades immediately stepped in front of Glenn, his expression unreadable.

  “Nyra,” he said, his voice calm but firm. “Stand down. We are not your enemies.”

  But Nyra did not stand down. Hades raised his hand, and the cavern floor erupted with spectral chains, seeking to bind Nyra before she could fully attack.

  Nyra barely moved, twisting her fingers—the chains rotted and crumbled into dust before they could even reach her.

  Hades, unfazed, leapt at her with his fists.

  Nyra didn’t dodge. Instead, she caught his fist mid-air with just her fingertips, stopping the divine god without even flinching.

  With a mere flick of her wrist, she threw Hades backward, his form crashing through stone pillars, shattering them like brittle glass.

  Hades staggered, but he did not fall.

  “I am only here for the boy. Although you are not innocent either, God of the Underworld. Stand down. You have no chance without your scythe.”

  His eyes glowed with divine fury—the true power of the Lord of the Dead awakened. The ground split beneath him, a rift swallowing lost souls as hellfire erupted in a violent cascade.

  He summoned the darkness of the Underworld itself, thousands of spirits rose from the chasm to swarm Nyra.

  The spirits wailed, wrapping around her in a vortex of tormented souls meant to consume even the mightiest of beings.

  And yet, Nyra walked through them, untouched.

  She inhaled, and the spirits simply vanished, swallowed into the void of her power.

  Then, she struck

  A single backhanded blow sent Hades flying into the far cavern wall with such force that the entire structure trembled. His body slid to the ground, and for the first time ever, Hades coughed up blood, dripping onto the broken stone beneath him.

  He growled, wiping his mouth, and glared up at Nyra.

  Canis, ever the wisecracking fool, stepped between Nyra and Glenn, twirling his scythe.

  “Okay, okay, wow,” he said, his tone far too casual for the moment. “So, we’re skipping the talking phase, huh? That’s cool. I can work with that.”

  Nyra didn’t even acknowledge him—she moved past him like a shadow, but before she could reach Glenn, she stopped.

  A commanding voice boomed behind her.

  “ENOUGH.”

  Hades, battered but still the King of the Dead, rose to his feet. His golden eyes pierced through Canis.

  “I don’t need my scythe. I have my best friend, my guardian. Canis, you said you wanted to know your past? I’ll tell you. You weren’t just my dog. You were the KING OF DOGS!”

  The cavern trembled and the air changed.

  Canis clutched his skull, staggering back as energy flooded through his bones. His body jerked violently, his skeletal form contorting, expanding, reshaping.

  And then it happened. His bones cracked and reformed, his body surging with ancient strength long forgotten. Black fur erupted from his form, muscles tightening, his neck forming spaces for three heads with two scarred closed. The cavern quaked beneath his paws, hellfire licking at his massive frame as his true nature reclaimed him.

  “Rise! Cerberus!” Hades shouted out.

  Nyra finally stopped.

  She did not flinch, but for the first time, she acknowledged Canis—not as a Reaper, but as the Guardian of the Underworld himself.

  “Ah,” she murmured, tilting her head. “I thought that angel killed you. But I guess he missed a head.”

  Cerberus lunged, snapping, aiming to rip through the fabric of shadow itself.

  Nyra tried to dodge, but Cerberus clamped down on her arm, hellfire erupting upon impact.

  For the first time, Nyra grimaced—not in pain, but in acknowledgment of Cerberus’s power.

  Cerberus dragged her back, using brute force, slamming her into the cavern floor hard enough to form a crater.

  Hades joined in, raising his fist for one final, earth-shattering strike.

  Glenn couldn’t help but just watch. This is what it looked like when Gods fought. He was an ant compared to them. He wanted to help but he would only get in the way.

  With a simple wave of Nyra’s hand, the entire battlefield shifted.

  Dark shadow tendrils exploded from the ground, wrapping around Cerberus’s necks, Hades’s arms, and Glenn’s legs. The shadow binds tightened, draining power, siphoning their strength away. Cerberus howled, his massive form slowly reverting as Nyra’s power overwhelmed him.

  Hades groaned, the weight of shadow pressing him into submission. Nyra stepped forward, her eyes locked onto Glenn.

  “You are unworthy of wielding her scythe.”

  Glenn tried to move—tried to fight back—but the shadows tightened, forcing him to his knees.

  Her power was overwhelming. Even Hades, the Lord of the Dead, faltered. Even Cerberus, the Titan-Hound of the Underworld, strained under her grasp.

  And Glenn?

  He was powerless.

  The weight of Nyra’s presence pressed against his chest, suffocating, an endless abyss swallowing everything. Her silver eyes pierced through him, unrelenting.

  “She was everything to me.”

  She raised her hand, and the void itself moved to erase him.

  Glenn gritted his teeth. Something flared within him—a spark, buried deep beneath the layers of self-doubt, fear, and insignificance.

  A voice echoed in his mind.

  A voice that was not his own.

  "Rage. Rage against the dying light."

  Something clicked.

  Just as the darkness was about to consume him, something erupted from within Glenn—a pulse of power, raw and untamed.

  The shadows around him shuddered, resisting, then splintered apart like shattered glass.

  Glenn’s grip tightened on Mora’s scythe, the weapon pulsing with a deep, red rage.

  His body felt lighter, but at the same time, charged with an unfamiliar force—not the power of a Reaper, but something older.

  Black smoke rose from his shoulders, forming into something tangible—something clawing its way onto his face.

  Then, in an instant—

  A black skull mask snapped onto Glenn’s face.

  The air shifted.

  Even Nyra halted for half a second, her eyes narrowing.

  Hades’ gaze sharpened. He recognized this.

  “That…that mask. Who are you?” Nyra asked, confused. She recognized it, too.

  Glenn exhaled, and the world around him distorted—his senses expanded, and for the first time, he didn't feel like an afterthought in a battle between titans.

  He feels like a Reaper.

  No—something more.

  Nyra’s shadows lashed out again, but this time, Glenn didn't retreat.

  He stepped forward, twirling the scythe with newfound precision, the blade cutting through the darkness effortlessly.

  The momentum carried him into a spinning strike, cleaving through the tendrils that had bound him.

  The battlefield erupted into chaos.

  Glenn dashed forward, striking with fierce, rapid scythe swings, his movements unnaturally fluid—as if something else was guiding him.

  Nyra parried effortlessly, but she was no longer casually toying with him.

  Their weapons clashed violently, each impact sending shockwaves rippling through the cavern.

  For just a moment,Glenn was holding his own.

  Glenn moved on instinct, twisting the scythe, landing a grazing strike against Nyra’s shoulder.

  She paused and looked down.Her silver eyes rose slowly to meet him.

  And then, she smiled.

  In a single movement, Nyra twisted her fingers, and the shadows beneath Glenn consumed him.

  He barely had time to react before a wave of crushing force hurled him backward, sending him skidding across the cavern floor.

  He tried to recover—but Nyra was already in front of him.

  She slammed a single palm into his chest, and Glenn felt his ribs crack as he was sent flying through a pillar, fracturing his mask.

  He staggered to his feet, vision blurring, but before he could even lift his scythe—

  Nyra snapped her fingers.

  The entire cavern floor collapsed.

  The world tilted, the floor crumbling away beneath them as the battle erupted upward. The ceiling of the cavern shattered, revealing the starless void above the ruins.

  Nyra walked forward.

  Glenn, still reeling from the attack, tried to stand. His body screamed in protest. His scythe felt heavier than before.

  The black skull mask completely shattered.

  The confidence he felt just moments ago was gone.

  Nyra’s power was beyond anything he could counter.

  He was going to lose.

  Hades knew this, too.

  He did not hesitate. He stepped forward, shielding Glenn with his own body.

  Cerberus—once Canis—let out a low, rumbling growl, standing beside his master.

  Nyra watched them both. Her expression was cold, but not without emotion.

  “I don’t want you.” Her gaze flickered past them to Glenn. “I want him.”

  Hades exhaled sharply.

  “You know I won’t allow that.”

  Glenn tried to move, but Hades gripped his shoulder.

  “Go.”

  Glenn’s eyes widened. “No—”

  “GO. Cerberus, make sure Glenn goes through the portal.” Hades threw Glenn back toward the ruins. Cerberus grabbed Glenn by the collar and dragged him back toward the door they came from.

  As Cerberus approached the door, Glenn watched as Hades and Nyra fought it out. Glenn tried to break free.

  *Swish.

  Nyra scythe went right through Hades.

  “No.” Glenn gasps. Cerberus let out a sad howl.

  “Glenn. Get to the door. You must seek Charon. Tell him what happened here,” Cerberus said in a deep monstrous voice.

  “I am not leaving you! Canis. You are everything to me. I need you.”

  Cerberus smiled and placed his head on Glenn’s. “My best friend needs me. Remember in our line of work, dealing with death comes with the job. But death is not an ending. I will be with you. Remember me.”

  Cerberus sprinted off towards Nyra. They clashed. Glenn grabbed his ID while trying to still pay attention to battle. He got the door open, but then he heard something horrific.

  *Yelp.

  He turned to see Canis lying bloodied next to Hades.

  “Did I give you a good life? I-I tried.” Hades said to Cerberus.

  “You gave me the best life. I know we were in the Underworld, but was I a good boy?”

  “You were the best boy.”

  The last thing Glenn saw was Nyra closing in on him before he was yanked through the portal.

  He laid on the ground in the office. He looked up to see Anubis was the one who pulled him through, not looking happy.

  Ch 4.1

  Deathnibbles found Glenn’s home in a very average suburban town. Like the man himself, the house was unremarkable in every way possible. If someone walked past it, they wouldn’t give it a second glance. It wasn’t ugly or in disrepair, but it also wasn’t particularly charming. It just… existed—a house that looked like it could belong to anyone, anywhere.

  Glenn’s house was a small, single-story ranch with faded beige siding and a slightly slanted roof.

  The front yard was neither pristine nor overgrown—just a patchy lawn with a few weeds sprouting through the cracks in the sidewalk.

  A single tree sat in the yard, not old enough to be grand, not young enough to be noticeable—just there.

  The mailbox leaned slightly to one side, the numbers on it a little faded, but still readable.

  The driveway had one oil stain from a car that wasn’t fancy but got the job done.

  Deathnibbles looked through the window. There was a hand-me-down couch, slightly sunken in the middle from years of use. A coffee table with faint ring stains, evidence of someone who never bothered using coasters. On the couch sat an older lady watching T.V.

  He climbed up to the bedroom windows. He found what he thought was Glenn’s room. There was one cheap bookshelf, containing a mix of old college textbooks, a few novels he never finished, and random clutter like unopened mail. A half-dead plant idled in the corner, a gift from someone that he always forgot to water. The walls were neutral-colored—not decorated with much, aside from one or two framed photos with his grandmother.

  Deathnibbles broke inside. He saw a simple twin bed, sheets slightly wrinkled but not messy enough to be considered disorganized. He activated his golden shoes and rifled through all the drawers. There was nothing here to help. This kid had no weakness besides being dull. He went on into the grandmother’s room. He used his golden shoes and started going through every corner of the room again. He found something underneath a pile of underwear in a drawer. He tossed the underwear to the ground and stared at the adoption papers. Glenn was adopted. He was not a Garcia after all. So where did he come from? The papers indicated he was born in some hospital in Sayulita, Mexico. Deathnibbles knew it. Glenn was probably the spawn of a devil. He decided to find out and head to Mexico. Once and for all he was going to find a weakness to bring him down.