C19 / 10 - part 1- Life seems to never change, yet...

"Welcome to the Hunter's lodge, what services or items are you looking to trade today? All documents, rules and laws are printed on the hallway in. you coming in means you have understood those terms."

The small number of four people, one of them is here at my till to pay for something. The other three were about to pocket something, my mask grab their hand from doing that – gesture to pay money. They go putting it back. The one at till has a name on a note… I peered this youth from head to toe – study their nerve. I looked to the note request… pin it through my note stacker by the till. He looked at my hand as I do that. Nods and walked out… they all left.

"Children these days, you know." I spoke common toward the nightmare, "The kid's asked if you would just leave them alone… you know?" the nightmare of seems a walker zombie type looked to me and I back to them, "I ask nicely now but the next time I get a note or a complaint… well. Your meat be hanging out back next." They peered around the back and back to me… they nod and left for good.

I sighed, moved around to shuffle stocks around and shelving. There is someone in the hallways reading the documents of service and the permits. Taking their time with it all.

A inspector with a clip borad; writing all sort of things down… my shadow comes along to help them with any lingo and whispered some explanations. It got them through it all much faster and finally got them to the main shop… knocking on the crystal clear counters that mimics glass. Looked to the cctv on all corners. Screens and recored monitors at the other side of the till; ticks a few more times on the papers.

"Excuse me." I put the shelf down to where it was and walked over to the other side of the counter, "I see you have already cleared past the normal laws and some of the more stricter. I just need to know how extentive are your checks for if someone were to buy or sale illegal like items."

"The items may vary with the reasons folks come in or leave. I do my own personal checks of age, location of residence and ask for physical authentic orders / copies of permits. I do check on official sites or go through checking records. As a damned, poking my nose on paper isn't look down on or have any laws to not doing. As a shop keeper, I care for if the customer is educated well enough of the dangers of any purchase of items. When it comes to rings or weapons; I have them be demonstrated that they are qualified for use and sale."

"Not on the premises."

"Not tester here. A quite little trip where the laws allow such tests and back here for finalizing sales… of course need a permit or title to get to that stage of purchases. All is recorded, recipets of sales and sign lodges of moved off items."

"You have paper recored?"

"Yes… you wish to see?" Nod and placed the book there, "I am not worried about my crystal counters. They are as nearly as tough as human realm diamonds. They aren't just going to break under pressure or shatter." She seems so stiff with reading through the names I have traded with in the past, "I am dispective in what I look like and my age. It's were warning by the door."

"Uh, yes… you did have it there." She shook off and closed the books, "That should be everything officially."

"Anything you need a hand on, madam?" There is a linger meant of doubt or worry, "I don't charge much for protective cases and you are aware that the shops a temporarily permit stay." She looked at me, "I plan on living in this realm and protecting the heart of folks around here. Shop here to lend a hand down to anyone that wants to ask me for anything." She looks oddly at me, "I don't know what has you so worried but I can tell it's a motherly instincts. Damned can't help to read emotions of those around them."

"Would you believe my youngest son has one the more hardest and deathy jobs request to anyone in this realm."

"I want to guess his a top official type." I tilt, "If he is up there, then he must be strong and doing well."

"As title of a prince… leaving the protection of this realm." That's sounds about right for a mother to worry about, "It's worse then sending him to the army or a court leader." So hurt, "I warned him that following like his father."

"He wouldn't happen to be the do things himself prince? That fella I met around the nicer end of living hells." She looked right through me, hit the nail on the head, "His back here from when I had last seen of him. By your laws and regulations; item check will be finished about week after staying. Had a lot of papers collected from that place we met at."

She reflected her thoughts and knew I was right about it. There a long winded relief through her, to long that family trait of passing out continues. I perevent her from getting hurt, picked up to rest in the back room. Do a emergency contact call from her phone… the normal thing to do.

"Hello?"

"This inspector that was here to do shop checks has collapsed. She not injured or anything. I thought it wise to let her rest and contact whomever suitable from her phone." I heard nothing, "Are you alright on your end?"

"Ugh, yes. Which shop?"

"I could bring her home for you. I haven't any problems with helping." That relief from the phone. They told me the address and was insist on giving something to me, "No. No. No. I not going to accept any awards from being a good Samaritan. It just decency to look after those around me. I will be there in not time what so ever." I hang up on that note… shadow waved all my items to storages. Picked up after her and have my mask help support her. Walked her through the shadow door, right to the front door of the residents.

"We aren't taking…" the servant froze with looking at me and her, "Let me help." Comes around to the damned side and took over carry, "How long she been out for?"

"Only about 7 minutes at the moment. I was telling her about the prince that is back here around the realm. She seems so over the moon to had heard that." We rest her to the sofa, "She come around soon."

"You know medical stuff?" I share smelling salts with the servant that coughed from it, "ugh… that will wake her." I careful gesture pass her a few times and that stirred her. The servants runs off to tell someone of the house. That rushed in whom I have to assume is the elder son, the uncle sort type and the old man in a wheel chair. She sits up, straightens her mind and stopped to point at me. I gesture about her surrounding.

"Mother, you alright? This person called like two moments ago."

"You not joking." She voiced at me, "You really are what you stated and even…"

"I look after anyone if I could." I pat her shoulder, "Your bag and board. I should leave now that your well."

"What you playing at?" The uncle stepped around my face, "What and who…"

"Brother, stop. You don't want to be upsetting our guest." She intervened, "They are a good soul and mean very well in what they do. Their shop in spite of the strange trades is all under supervised regulations." Backed off, "I say of the highest rates I would ever give."

"You're not joking around are you?" I plucked my mask from the air to prevent it wondering off and tucked it away.

"That was cool. How did you do that?"

"Do what?" I asked, "My mask is as curious as I would often be. I can go getting lost around here. You all wouldn't appreciate that."

"Oh, so you're a noble damned."

"Among the tier top of them… it doesn't mean anything to someone like you. All damned are commoners or mutes among the other societies; unchanged fact for god centuries."

"That's a time scale?"

"Every realm as a version of time; it keeps order in chaos." I checked watches, now that he made me think about them, "It's a comfort for many to have grasped."

"Ugh, you're a ex-reaper dweller." I nod with his worry, "Oh, that makes a lot of sense. You have a repear's scythe, right?"

"No need for one… I am just a humble services for lost things. I trade back lost items or help those that seek out people. Reasons are a client need to know bases." The eldest son laughed, "By the way… You would happen to be John Walker of the Clubs society." He nods, "A letter or I want to guess the last letter written by your late girlfriend."

"Late?" He looked to the letter and go off somewhere.

"Lost folks are off all sort of shapes or societies. I even see things beyond average sight and speak many languages. Dreamlands, the afterlife's and on the rarest of times a living persons request. I a one man business that protects souls."

"You would happen to have met my son in a circumstance that required protecting?" Her heart not going to like that coming from me.

"He was safe when we met. Gotten a little lost from the group but not that far. I helped him back to what I had assumed his allies and friends. No issues with that." She sighed but you can hide anything from a mother, "Even when things got interesting, I stuck around long enough to make sure he was safely here in this realm." That had made her understand enough, "I believe in protecting those around me. Like when you had collapsed; I made sure you had not fallen in any way of hurting yourself." She nods.

"Please stay for dinner. I am sure I could have someone sort you out."

"No. It be very uneasy for most, no matter how table mannered I am. You shouldn't need to." She see that I am stubborn, "I would rather surprise him and be amused with the reaction."

"I see." She laughed a little and explained things to all the rest of them. I took a seat and waited around. Polished a few things, sharpen them and moved to some other thing.

My ear twitched to a clock that isn't timed currently; a small mantel clock that had dancing clockwork figures having a ball dance. I stared into it, sort of caught in a moment of dreaming of the days with master Carven.

The clock were towards the end of the jingle, I looked over my shoulder to my mask on kneeling prayer. I fixed the clock and joined to prayer. Finishing with placing the mask away and dusting off. Took a seat alone again.

"Any moment now." servant running along to wait at the door, "And…" the open the front door for the prince, "Welcome home, sir."

"Thanks Sai." Coat over to them, "Any mail or visitors?"

"Not a lot of mail but a visitor. You should go see everyone else first." Hangs stuff up and rush over to the room to announce arrival. Everyone greeting and the honesty of how tough this time around has been. He was muttering on about how he came to crossed paths with me. He was fully honest and waiting for his mother to freak or faint. She just hugs him in thankfulness.

"You should go thank Mr. Crafter yourself."

"Crafter? As the follower of crafting and mends." He guided over and I bowed in greeting, "What are you doing here?"

"It's a long story. I am glad they treated you well. Takes a of time to get through all that mess and paperwork." He waved about standing right and stare oddly, "This was my daily face around the reaper tower of the tome before the laws changed." He pointed at me as if to say something and looked at everyone else.

"I was inspecting his store and heard you were well from him." Does that pointing thing again was gesturing about it all, "We all know that his not human." Since this is spoke in the cloths language, what they call themselves is human and they call living folks 'breathers'. It is very confusing and would make any outside jumbled.

He was about to faint again and caught his shoulder before he did… but this was more like sleep exhaustion then shock. I pass him over to the servant that takes care of him.

"He has been non-stop. I wish he would stick to having one servant around to look after him."

"It's a consideration as long as he is a prince." I commented, "My morals and duty as what I am means I am always finding lost people or picking up obscure materials. I have access to many places and so on. I am not interested in being enslaved, I can't really by your laws since having a permit to live here."

"You really mean to say that it be a benefit of you both to stick around more?"

"Yes, exactly. I prevent any harm over him and look after him. The benefit to me is I have someone around. I can continue as I am without any harm. I bet there is more about it in a long term sense and not all things can be a benefit."

"But it be peace in my mind to know you can protect him. For me at least." The worry of a mother is astounding to the lengths someone will go to for the protection of their child, "You can live here, since the temporary lease for your shop would… I mean."

"I not fussed that you knew. I post a lot of warning along the hall ways for a reason. I gladly pay rent and whatever else needed in legal binding." She hugged around me and I wasn't ready for that. Frozen stiff of what was going on. She taps my back a few times. It quite a gators grip that doesn't release. I gently pat back and that how she knew to get off me.

"You never been hug or something?" The eldest brother laughed at me.

"It had been a long time… You wouldn't understand."

"To have a permit back from the dawn of time… I think your ageless." She poked my nose.

"Mmm… I do live and die and live and die. I just remember it all in chuckles. Skills passed on from ever moment I am awake again." I seem to have spook the eldest with that, "I do have to say, the worse I have ever been was a dog. I loved my humans and followed them all the way to the entrance of heaven. Laws were so cruel back then."

"Back when heaven had discrimination laws, that pretty long ago. Before my grand great grandfathers existence."

"Something like that." I agree, "I had a terrible death too. I don't like talking about that."

"Is that how long you been damned for?"

"Ah, I have been damned before the dawn of time. A complicated circumstance to explain. Another tough subject that I don't have many memories of what and why."

To say we all stayed around for a little chat until time to eat was that much true. But I was on a rant about history and just coud help but sum up my understand of this timeline. It sure stirred their minds a bit with the thoughts of generations of living was like back in those times.

Dinner was well served and I was allow a break moment to go preaper food for myself… being a shy eater. I cooked in the kichten with my own pots and pans. Clean up after myself and ate alone here; I did'twant to be watched or seen in my other from. Comfort with hiding under a table eating up the honey stew.

"Hey?" I coiled more hidden with look at the servant eyeing at me, "What are you doing under the table?" my tongue flickered and picked up a stew bit… they backed from guessing I wasn't the mock shape I had been.

Left the room. The a little nattering going on from the room over yet it settled. When I finished, I formed back a normal looking person… sitting in a seat. Out with a law books to best suit the rental laws for this club's city manor. Writing a short list of the laws that matter and fitting them to a well worded. The writing was at paused with a tea put in my way. I stopped and looked to the prince joining me.

"Keep it easy, and we will have the laws attached after." I backed off with the current work and picked the tea up. Smell taste and proper drink. Savour the taste of it, "Rents a small payment when needed; we not of any need of it often. Have it saved up in the family bank or vault. That be enough." He has a tea too… sipping it, "I take first rent now as a deposit." I took out average bills placed a sercuity and rent, "Wow, what the extra for?"

"If something were to be broken or accidentally something. It's to cover that cost ahead of time." I slide it over and the rest away, "Breather types do that and it makes sense."

"Agreed." He had his own paper with this written into it, "Right, to hire service. Now that rent and stay is sorted." I nod with that, "I will have you under as personal gurad to me. It's not being a servant but just there to look after me when need to."

"Not a problem. It is and isn't being a servant. Not the same treatment." He agrees and wrote out the basic role. Some little rles that just fixed this to being me with him only but I don't have to listen to only him in orders. Mostly him usually. There sign over this being agreed. I poked about some holes in it that be an issue. Those are corrected and sorted with amendment to service on word request and later added. I signed to that. All sorted. A binding to law without soul magic crap. Hired first aid, advicer, body guard – that's all that I am for now. I am glad I am entitled to share my opions with him when it is suitable to the actions of what is going on.

For there, the servant keeper of the house directed to where my room is going to be, I felt that the prince's eyes lingered a while… it prompt my mask to take the seat and lodge my own books about the hire requirements and made him sign a disclosure pact about two facts and of course he understood that it were because I am a noble shadow and that I am a race known as 'slayer'.

Yet with the the race of slayer did not mean that all slayers were god eaters or such other things. I didn't specify god slayer as I didn't feel as though I had that as some title without reasoning. This sense of that he accepted what I was and whom I am at a normal level. I haven't any stress for if he understood that he should fear me or not.

"This is your room… if you had any luggage, your free to fill the draws and closet of your belongings. This is the servant's quarter so I would worry about if anything were to get stolen or not. The elder brothers are always bring in some mixed results of servants."

"The eldest is?"

"A judge and central city lawyer."

"the middle?"

"There is three before the prince. The second eldest is a slave trader on the outside realms and here a contract maker and deeds specialist. Works with the eldest all the time. The thrid is army and is always bring home some servants from the fields. The second youngest is in school – boarding school. Only comes for the holidays at the moment. No so sure what will become of the little miss."

"I see… thanks. It good to know in case I ran into one of them or something. It be awkward really. I should pry anymore, it is very rude of me to."

"You don't worry about that. You go have the read of the family records, there at the end of the corridor from the family library. We have records of what we know of whom is around and whom not in there. There could be a few family secrets but I haven't found any."

"You're a drinker, aren't you?"

"Ugh… maybe?" I pat the servants shoulder.

"James Crafter is my legal current name. I came from the between and before that fled the repear lands. I had my time in many places and I once had very interesting lives and jobs. I am quite a secret keeper and that's all I could say really. Anything else is confusing without context or understanding… some words aren't even in the Clothus language."

"Oh, and you found our lord while you were out there fleeing?"

"Being lost is perfectly normal. Why flee when there is so many hidden places?" I laughed, "I should unpack… I am very deceptive when it comes to my luggage." I step on through and got started. It's late evening so everyone lounging around calmly, running preparation for the morning or finishing the last bit of paper work. I got to the last normal stuff that I didn't feel the need to carry. I carry only my shop and documents now. I have no mind in wanting to do things this way.

"Wow, someone lives in here." I paused with closing a draw with I guess this being one of the brothers, "Was there a book around here?" The one left on the bed I shadow took it and walked over in passing, "You someone's servant?"

"I am a body guard for your youngest brother. My name is Crafter, James Crafter. Although I protect and ensure the health of him. I am not a servant. I am still my own and I will still run my own private business. If you lost anything, here or any realm on your travel… any person. I gladly find them, in whatever conditions they were in. You can ask that if I find them alive that I keep them alive. I see that you get the picture. I tend to gather materials and sale them too. So if you out of any types of crystals, sands, woods or what have you. I see if I can find stock of it on next meeting."

"Wow, you're a business man?"

"Thing." I corrected, "I am no man or woman or middle between that. I am a shape shifter. Gender doesn't matter."

"I keep that in mind… you know where my youngest brother is."

"The study, I think finishing something. He is getting exhausted but is very fussy about not leaving the desk. I just waiting for him to fall asleep, take him to his room. Unless that what you wish, I am not stopping you."

"And how can you know for sure?" I smiled and get back to folding clothes and skins. Hanging necklaces I liked off the mirror. He peers in for a bit and leaves; muttering to a servant about me and that servant rushing off to go ask questions.

With my mask watching over the prince, it noticed that the brother came in to check on his brother. Poking in the prince's business. They were talking about normal stuff and moved to talking about me. the distrust painted about the brother with warning his prince brother.

"Crafter, I know your likely listening. Would you kindly leave us be?" My mask swaps places with me… I stepped around from shadow, "His my brother."

"I know… it's the servant in his pocket I wonder of." He looked to his brother and shrugged about it, "You could have just added your own line to the disclosure part." The prince thought about that, "But I will leave as ask. Shout if you need me. I have good hearing." Stepped around to the door.

"Then I add to the disclosure agreement instead of making you leave." I nod and took it out and passed it over. He added about his business dealings with anyone and that I needed his permission to talk of any subjects I have over heard. I signed to that and have it hidden away, "You're not uneased with hurt folks around you?"

"I had seen worse and traded with a few… well… unpleasant looking faces." I step back to shadows and swap mask places. The two of them were talking about a breach of Clothus law with a servant contact. That the rank of the servant is higher then the master. It's all accepted and the contract owner is now signed to the prince being the owner of this high ranked demon. Whom is ordered to go clean up. The brothers moved subjects with the rumor's about the outside worlds (the places off run the path /between).

I finished with my room and went onto just having a soak in the bath… I had taken clothing off and kept in a human form. I lounged in the bath for the whole duration of the bothers talking about worries. When they finished, I got out of the servant's bathroom… in a dog form. I rolled in my own towel to dry better. Got out, getting strange looks.

"Crafter, right?" I trot along and sit down peering at the one that asked, "You the new body guard of the prince… a dog, right?"

"You are that easily fooled by an illusion?" I asked back. They sneered oddly, "I just forgot to bring clothes with me after a bath, that's all." That wasn't what had them sneering oddly, "Do I scared you, Mister? Or is it that I am not what I look to be? Or is that you can't find anything on me other then a clean looking paper trial? I worked so hard to keep a clean record, you know? I haven't needed to execute any since I retired as a the reaper's court hunter." That backed them off and stops that expression off their face, "retired or died… whichever sounds more correct."

"No wonder you have record going back to the start of the revolution."

"I was around when humanity learn fire existed which by they way; they had always been aware of it but used it to craft things later."

"I don't like a immortals like you."

"I am not immortal. I can get sick or die and other normal stuff. I am… very unforgetting of some facts. Whichever lifetime it were."

"Great… how long until your execution?"

"I am not a servant, just a hired merc." I trot my way back to my room. Hop to bed and waited for the prince to sleep. Which he does eventually.

I returned as a whole body, scooped up the prince with great care. I shadow stepped to the front of his room, looked around for anyone that would have noticed, left my mask there to his door. I eased in and tuck him in. He hardly ever uses the bed… fresh sheets and soft mattress. I have the fireplace warm up the cold damp room, gentle with leaving my mask to watch over him.

The main part of me walked the normal way around to the study… stacked the papers exactly in a set way. Dusted the surface. I read through the many books in here; diaries of history. I leave out the room to face the brother eyeing the door.

I bowed in greeting, and yet moved on without a second glance. Listening to him open the door… he looked around and closed it. He left to check his brother. My mask is aware that this same brother open his room door, stepped around to his side. I made a chair appear there at his side, he tiredly accepted that without thinking about it to much. That be the one whom fall asleep with holding hands.

The majority of myself was reading the family books and family tree records. There been some affairs resulting with the youngest being the only direct blood of the head of the family along side his mother. She stays to work paper here and my prince is the feet work – for this way as it sound the the eldest to say at the house at all times. The brothers are a mix bag. The eldest is whom protective of the youngest, currently sleeping in the same room. The second wants the title for his shady stuff.

The other two aren't exactly interested or a part of the drama yet. The prince should have been in school like his sister and not running around the place. He does school work on the weekends, laws work on weekdays other then Wednesday. Wednesday is the official time off. Which it is tomorrow, I make sure his not over working himself. I call it a night with finishing the 17th book.

Go to my room and shifted to my natural ways. Under the blanket and curled up. It was a good night rest and I wasn't fully awake when the prince got up. He got on with the route; yells at his elder brother for being in his room at night. Brush, wash, calendar and sighed about today. He has a visitor today… some sort of official to run his ears off. Not giving time to ease off. By mid-morning. I was changed and gone through several different looks for what suits. I just ended up with being a middle aged man in smart tux. Short cut hair and sharp angles… a 'handsome gentlemen' or one of them 'models for kelvin boxers shorts'. I think? I don't get how this looks appealing for anyone – but it what I will go for today.

"Hey, Mr. Craft. You have a death bird waiting." Sai Knocking to my room door, "Sounds weird too."

"Thanks for letting me know. Keep it away from the family, it will only pester them." The steps off to sort that out. I guess that there is a possibility of folks that would message me. I picked up a few bits and came along to the guest lobby sofa… there is that bird waiting on me, "Hello. Are you the letter or just a passing message?" it glares, "here to curse me on orders by sir?" that it backed off, "I am not going to kill you if you are." I offered my hand up, "I accept that."

"Mmm… but I don't want to curse you even if I were ordered to. He did ask me to put a tracker on you for execution."

"Did he state why?"

"For being a public and all realm danger."

"If that were true, I wouldn't be here in the Clothus realms."

"You very right." It plucked a feather from itself, "Take this feather instead. You know if he is mad of me not doing this job." I pet the bird, "Your so kind to worry about me, Mr. Boss bird was right to trust you back then."

"I know. I miss them, they were good folks and kind. Meant well and were pleasant. We must honor their memory in think of all the good times with them." The bird nods and sighed, "Have a meat or two before you go. A treat on me." He hops along and sits to my shoulder… we sing a little with going to the kitchen and sharing raw meat chucks.

The bird told me some stories and the secrets it knew… thanked me for having time with them. Disappears. I looked to the feather with how the moments change it were… life to death. I shed a tear and hung the feather to the display friends and family glass in my room. My mask stays in prayer… I got up and go seek out the prince this morning.

"I can't say that it were any surprise that the fella off himself. Must be a honor perseveration." This voice was of a stranger guest that their heart isn't exactly in the right place. I walked around to the prince's side and took the glass that been poured for him. It of course smells off like poison. I sparkled something else as the counter into the glass… took a seat somewhere around the table.

"Good morning, are you well?"

"Yes, Sir." I bowed a nod with him and sip the drink, "That exact apple seed in here isn't healthy."

"Glad to hear." He frowned, "And if you know that. Why are you drinking it?"

"Better then it being you." He sighed at me, "Barron, how's the dreamer you enslave last month been doing? Fall to their deaths I hazard a guess."

"Excuse you, who told you that?"

"They did. They most definitely asking about doing something to you… stumbled on how exactly to go about it." He peered at me so darkly, "I bet if they had the chance to talk beyond the grave, they say something very damaging to your reputation. What with the terrible fate of your nephew and the lover… No?" I paused to be corrected, "His own blood, really?"

"What?" The prince was confused.

"What a terrible fate?" I commented, "Worse now with the te new faces of gods around being less… should we say… manageable?"

"Who are you talking to?" a brother asked.

"The nightmares that Barron had kill 2 weeks ago. They been haunting around him since, sort of hateful revenge deal. At least they are keeping laws. Good to keep laws… especially when it's a no touch order." The brother peers over to the Barron then snarled like a wild animal at me. I have choose to ignore, trade coins for some out of realm newspapers and got on with reading them.

"That's a hell paper." The third eldest plucked the front page off, "Where you get it?"

"I just traded with the dead nightmares." I stated and the part was put back, "Want to try and read the heaven one?" Offered with a spare arm from no where. He declined and away it went.

"Who is that?"

"A hired member of staff that sits between being part of the family and being part time servant service. The bind is law only." I turned pages through with skipping parts, folded it and out with a nightmare creeps paper. Reading the front of it, "They are mysterious in several categories yet I trust them. They follow all the laws that matter."

I was directed attention about the bottle of wine the Barron brought, shadow sunk it away from being touch by anyone. No one has noticed it gone and further is that the one that reached for it stopped trying after a while.

"You were telling me that you're a trader in materials when we last spoke." I fold the paper to give this brother full attention, "You would happen to sale weapons?"

"I have very strict requirements about the sale of weaponry. From age, background, educational practice… I don't supply anyone anything without a good reason."

"You buy weapons?" He reversed his question.

"I do… if it means taking it out of the hands of fools that don't know how to use them. Better that I lock them from reach from children." He stares oddly, "You are asking out of what to know if I have any right now, correct?"

"Yes."

"Then my answer would be, I am never without something that could kill a hollow."

"Hollow?" A different language so this were the ask of what I meant.

"A thing that has only fragments or no soul; creatures whom will eat those with souls and convert them into hollow too. A very… hurtful way to die."

"You a hollow specialist?"

"Hunter of hollows… I often go hunt them when I run out of meat."

"What?"

"That isn't a human over there, Barron. It's a thing disguised as a person."

"I am a person in my own rights. My shape in a natural way just looks like a horror show. I don't like my normal looks, it upset people. I don't like upsetting people."

"You're a softie." The brother punched my arm in a playful manner but hurt his hand on me, "Ugh, at heart and not physically."

"I am glad you didn't shatter a bone trying." I have a look over the hand and made him bend a few fingers, "Just a little brusing… you will be fine." I go back to the paper, "I don't like upsetting people."

The Barron slowly come to ignore me and those around to talk to the prince, got testy with some argument with him. Knife throw over the direct… my shadow caught it before any damage. The room all quite from the floating knife, lift a hand and it is tossed over this side of the table… paper lowered to have a better look at it.

"Cheap metal… this be good a sewage pipe then a knife." I snapped it, "Nah, brittle metal." I tossed it to my shadow storage and the paper goes back up. A knife is offered by the brother next to me… I lowered to look at it, tilt and paper goes back up.

"What's the best metal you have ever touched before?"

"I once had some dueling fool trying to scythe me with a soul cutter. He keep chipping the blade on my arm."

"Soul cutters aren't meant to chip on physical bodies."

"My body is a complicated, I am both physical and eathrail. My real shape of scales are often used to make god armor. My skin shed makes a lot of interesting things. I think a crow was telling me that my claws and teeth are made for god-like killer weapons… might have been a raven now dwelling about the past." I finished reading the paper and folded it. I picked up the heaven paper, but I didn't open it to read it. I tossed all the papers to storage and in turn my mask goes putting it some place in the room, "What I am scares people but that isn't who I am. I am more a kind being that worried for the many sorts of things in a backwards caring way. There isn't anything wrong about how I wish to be normal with normal people like you."

The Barron was at a new hiss about a law being passed and that the prince was a main passer of this law. He toss out another knife and tries again… my mask has already taken off the gun a and other bits of weaponry… but the knife. It be my shadow pointing the Barron's gun on him.

The Barron had ignored the warning of the gun clicking at him. He reaches forwards for the prince… I appear right behind the Barron. Claws pressing and chair dragged backwards.

"Are you done threatening him? Because I am not done with threatening you life after this, Barron. You get to choose to be stripped of you title or your life? Either one is a right eye opener for what you did to the four victims you left in the dust. Each of them four will pay you a little visit; a little talk for what you did to them." All at a whispering at his ear… he drops the knife into my shadow storage.

"I rather you try to take my title." He hissed.

"The I will be seeing you in the god court on the 8th. If you don't show, the hunter of court by the realm of nightmares will." I let him go, "I give you back all your items when you leave this manor. You carrying them around is a threat to the household."

I go have a sit back down and out with that heaven newspaper. Flickered through the drama of it all… understood the bare basics.

"God court?"

"Yes. God court is where god take gods or those whom broken outside realm laws. Often these laws are widely known to be strict. the servant enforcing and murder of nightmares is one those things that even the dead beyond the grave can take you to court with."

"That's cool and impossible."

"The many worlds outside and here have very common themes. There is a concept of life and death. A meaning for when a person dies that they should go somewhere else. When something goes beyond what is inhumanly impossible, the universe seeks ways of counter balancing those issues. Justice or injustice; the universe doesn't care for that. It's the breaking of laws that can't be broken."

"What is a nightmare?"

"A dweller from the dream concept realms; they are considered eathrail being. Just like the mute puppets are."

"Oh, the ghostly things are like them."

"I guess if your sight see it that way." I chuckled to the thought, "What a bliss to be innocent and lacking in knowledge?"

"Um, were not children."

"I know but compared to me… you are. All of you."

"You a god?"

"No but as a joke I could try ate one."

"Ever killed anything before that consider a danger?"

"Many times. The dream edge breasts, the few god nightmares that think they know it all (in a duel had been killed in my hands), hollows are pretty tasty cooked in honey and I did try to kill this one fella… I died instead."

"You're one of them reincernations types."

"Close enough."

The Barron leaves, dizzy. I did pause to think about if I did that to him, listening to his soul attacking himself and that his heart failing him… I got up to go help him out the door and return all his things. He was struggling right up to the point of sitting in what they call a modern car… I guess it the luxury muscle car of the 1990's. I had a doctor on call to meet him and have the man check before really disappearing from my concern. I don't actually want him dead; just understanding of what he did wrong.

Temporary killing him had been punishment enough to make anyone see it that way; which isn't killing them.

"Poacher, long time no see." I looked on the one's whom were driving with the Barron, "You do any business contract about killing folks anymore?"

"Has to be follow the law and make some sort of sense, Creeper." The name any visible nightmare uses which confuses outsiders in thinking their all one being or force, "I not really going off to kill folks for no reason unlike Jack or Jeff."

"I hear you, poacher." The creeper is one them proxy bosses, "Whose side you stand with in the wide war?"

"I either have no one or that nameless that can't be spoken without hearing it." that gives a interesting freeze from them as they became confused, "Forget the gods, Zalgo, or any hell heaven mash up mix. I stand with whom make the point of no return mean something. They aren't trying to be kind or cruel. Not one for politics at the end of it all. Human, creeper or even gods – they seem all the same for both myself and this person." I pointed to them, "Because we understand and know. We don't care for the minor scribbles within time."

"You are incredibly fearless or very stupid… maybe your not seeing the point at all."

"I don't need a point to live. I just have to live to learn about it all. The greatest fear well have to face isn't made up or even anything to do with the facts." I moved off the car and closed the door, "Because in hell about 12 months time. A new religion going to turn the place over like a roast on a spit."

"Yeah right." He laughed.

"Mmm… even fallen angels can be lords of hell." I muttered and tap the car off, the signal for the driver to take off. I watched the car leave through the gates and I returned back to the kitchen to clean up my messes. Back to the dinner area where there is still the few guest lingering around talking about everything.

"Say, Crafter. Go any insight about what going to happen."

"Which what?"

"The living."

"You tell me what they are like now and then I might have a answer for you. What would you call the current time period in another word that isn't modern."

"Renociense."

"ugh, the revival period of art." I muttered, "Not a lot and a how lot of strange progress and digression."

"What?"

"Never mind me." I sigh, "I look forwards to the time when they realize the microverse again." Yes, that was more strange looks and I cleaned up well for where I sat.

"Catch." A knife through a wood branch I have in my inventory; the random thing I picked to block this knife from hitting anywhere else.

I peeled the branch in half to recover the knife and place it to the dinner table. It was part of the tableware collection. I inspected the branch I have halved for any ideas of what to do with such a abnormal item in my inventory. A little confused to why it were placed in here. Sliding it back had been what everyone was staring at me to work out. I peered oddly with trying to understand what was the deal with a branch like that. I have my mask go through the back log of what and why.

"Crafter, you would happen to have any powerful friends around you?"

"I don't really wish to bother them sorts of folks, they are good costumers that mean well. Or there they type of folks you don't ask things from as hey can indirectly make it worse. Knife or not." I sigh and focused about the table and listen to it… it's a normal table. I sit back down, "Now I am just being paranoid."

"The last time you were focus about a table, it like the offer of meat. I would have a table like that here."

"Nor would I dare that." I can't help be feel that something is off about this room, since returning… like the sound of something has me bothered.

"Have you met our sniffer dementor ?" One of our guest has a what? "Come and say hello." It steps around, defalcated… skin pull so tight it peels and the sound of the unease of having to carry on. That groan between a soul asking why it has to put up like this and the whistling that bothers anyone normal or not. It steps forwards more like a drag, lifeless to the point of being a whimpering mummy.

"Stay away from me." I hissed in a different language and it respected that I had spoken in something beyond it's understanding… the last time I must have spoken those exact words was maybe beyond this timeline.

"Wow, what language has someone like you speaking lower than a demon?" the second eldest it taunting me and stepping around to pick the dementor. Brings in close. I backed off and a low pitch whistling, "What? Nothing…" well given the reaction of the dementor fighting to not be near me… he lets go and both backed all the way away.

"One of these days, I will see how you feel about being like that." I commented at the second eldest, "What a tortured forgetting soul it has… I would say it be pity to acknowledge that. But I am not fond of dementors for no explanation needed."

"What are you?" I narrowed on him with changed eyes and he backs off very quickly, "Forget I asked."

"Oh good." I moved out of the room and yet I hung my mask to keep a tab on it all.

I went off to the study for the family records to pick there the medical history and documented problems that folks have. Mostly when it comes to death's it has to do with outside or accidental environment or unknown (since the body wasn't found cases). Family got lung and heart issues… all about the poor circulation of their veins.

"Pardon me," I paused with looking to Sai coming in to this room, "I just here to right in a few things." He take a seat and the servant records. Adds in about the newcomers and contracted trades happened as of today. I ignored it all with being what I am, doing what I needed. "The books belong to the top shelving."

They got the newbies being trained by the house servants around here. Weak folks doing smaller up keeping and is following Sai around. Strong types are pulling weights around the kitchens, garden or laundry – paired with them background folks that do such duties.

"What's with you?" One newbie asked me, "You're not a family member."

"No. I more like a talking cat among them." I closed the books that I needed and put them away. Ignoring them completely, "Please excuse me, I have other things to worry about."

I nod in respect then anything else. Walked out with picking to the study… Hovered at the wide open door of my pet's paperwork.

"Lords save us." I scared someone at least.

"It can't hear or understand us. Get on with…"

"I will skin you all down to bone and cube you into a pot. Get out of this study, now." they all looked up from that, "All of you… even you the damned in the corner crying about how they treated you. Out!" my snapped had them all with weapons out.

I sigh and looked around the corridor for anyone… I step in and altered to what I am. My back last limb to gently close the door, I pinned the first few on the floor and the other three to the wall. A creak of the tail poked the damned out his own door. A last little hiss, a pick off the charms from their armor.

One by one feed into a black hole of my door made of my shadow's power. This was dropping them knocked cold to the outside gate, someone else is already around with chains. I finished up and alter back a person. Straighten up the suit. Shadow waved all of it to order as my mask had last noted of it… back out.

"Is there someone in here?" My hired friend about to come in here for paperwork.

"I dealt with some unsavory guest picking through you papers, sir. They are outside chain the fence now." I bowed with greeting, "If you must, do check that everything is in order. But I wish to remind you, it's Wednesday."

"I know what day it is." He glared at me, "Are you trying to keep me from working?"

"I worry about your health; mental and physical. You been at the papers since you started this title. A day break every once in the blue for a restful mind isn't going to hurt anyone physically."

"Thank for the concern… I did hire you to be."

"Hire or not. I came and stay because I am worried for you. You may not understand at all… just how fragile of an edge you have build yourself with. A wrong moment, you will become something I can't save from." I lowered to eye level, "I mean well when I want to protect you, even from yourself and your unhealthy lifestyle."

"Unhealthy?"

"Sitting around all day isn't health." He can't argue my point back at me. I backed off with knowing the order around here, I study the expression of those that over hear. I glared into them for any look of sinister intent. I did pause with over hearing the dementor among them, sneered about its direction and continue with leaving.

"Hey… do you know what this is?" Someone hands me a crystal. This is fear crystal… I have crossed it before and talked of how it replaces damned food supply. Only forms in oppressed or gloomy climates (as long as there is a population to constantly be affected by it).

"Yes, I know what this is." I took it from there hands and felt for the contraction contented within. It's weaker then the one's I have gained. No as bad as a cross realm disaster trigger.

"Care to share?" takes it from my hands, with worry I would use it or something.

"This is often referred as crystalized Fear or in other words oppressing stone. For it to form in a area must mean there the environment is very sad and has constant flow of beings feeling that sadness. It has some uses… favored or not." I huffed, "You should give it to the dementor, it be pleased at least."

"Why is that?"

"An food source that doesn't scream or react back." I commented and they backed off, "I don't like upsetting folks." I muttered with moving on.

"He always says that when he knows you were freaked by him. It doesn't surprise me that he knew anything like that. He a trader in very interesting items and with very abnormal folks from what I can tell." Prince waves them through to the office and continues private business. Does a few paper checks and dusted off his desk, "Would happen to dust my desk as some preventive measure?"

He interrupted himself in the train of thought. My mask cleans up the dust, he give it a thought and bounced back to business talks.

I do a bedrooms check, scanning about the manor for anything that I should be made aware of. Things they would be aware of that would cause issues. Some point I was in the basement fixing the piping – the sort of skipped about doing that instead. Mind wondering off all over the place… ears on focus over the prince's conditions.

"What is wrong with you?" some random servant peeled my hand off a hot pipe… I didn't feel the heat of it when I was fixing the leak. It didn't even occur in my made as anything, "Let me see." They look at my hand and see nothing wrong, "Ugh… what are you?"

"A handy man that looks normal that isn't. Don't mind me, I am almost finished." I have my hand back and that last little bit done. The last little section beaten through with fixed pipe that is structurally sound. I board back up the place… caked the wall back of plaster… harden it with a little magic manipulation.

My focus with the work had ignored the leave of the servant that checked my hand. There was a step in of someone else – whom froze right behind me. They soon sighed deeply with a sense of relief.

"Right, remind me never to get on your wrong side, Mr. Crafter." Sai had been watching up to the point of the plastering work, "You put the pressure back into the central heating and fixed out basement leaks… with a little hocus-pocus." He come to knock the wall for anything loose, "wow, solid."

"Yup… a sound wall." I packed the tools back from where I found them. the one screw drive I put back to his pocket, "I had to borrow that for the tip."

"Ah." He puts it correctly where it goes on his tools belt.

Tools, pens, wipes, tissues and all sorts. Sewing kit with spare buttons. He has the perfect butlers tool kit around him – keys and all sorts. Random bits that could replace or fix things. Polishing set for any item. Shoe polish even. It's a strange affair when really paying any attention to the fact how well he hides it underneath that shirt… belt with pouches or hook hangs. It well enough to be a bullet proof vest in areas. His one them sorts that never leaves the house and cares only for the house and the owners of it.

I have the handy man skills compared to Sai with his minimal Jack of all trades. I have not skills in most things he would be handling on a daily mass chores. Laundry, patching clothing, decorations place or theming. Not a into hosting or people pleasing at a servant level… not the same. Can't be treated the same. I am good with the body guard from the shadows deal; fitting for whom I am.

"Is it around dinner preparations time?" In wonderment of what he hung about my back for.

"It's only the afternoon." I checked several watches and to the realm of clothes, Sai is correct. But to my internal clocking… time is off and the set way of hours isn't as fitting to the Clothus way, "I were just checking on you."

There is a prolong study over me; questioning if I didn't understand that being here wasn't helping anyone. I knew that, bt my mask is already doing a good job of watching over the prince. Yet, I guess maybe a swap over will comfort the servants.

"Not a problem."

I leave the basement with swapping places with it. My mask fluttered off to ghost somewhere more populating of interesting souls. My other half had choose to blend in with the art around the walls. I have turned as golden as a statue hung to the walls, added myself as if a part of it. I listen to the boys being typical in their childish talks; fitting to his age. His youngest child and with a more awkward job. A child being told to be a adult; that what he is. It's the whole teen vibe with wanting to do things himself.

These friends of his age are the noble kids of related family's or cross duty family's. So far in heart listing; these friends are true. These are killers yet; maybe when they grow up then things will change. None of these leave the realm, never really leave their country or city. Spoiled in their ways.

"Have you nearly died yet?"

"I have plenty of times, and I have even hired something that could theoretically kill me."

"That's cool. Where are they?"

"Likely in here, listening. Just like I told them too. Their not a servant, so they have all the old wise crack jokes snapped if you make them mad. I would rather they say they were mad then them doing something; which it's a good thing they don't anyways. Weird for a non-human. A lot of them have nothing on this one."

"So we could totally be joking around and they understand that?"

"Their not stupid. They are a business man, law keeper sort. Scary just how much laws it reads into."

"Hey fetch a drink." Someone with a servant go leaves out the room to fetch drinks. My mask goes noses at them around with playing peeking games. I eyed on those looking around the room of items.

"Anything else new?"

"The body guard hire is my highlight really. Nothing around the realms worth bring back or the effort of getting here. I did bring back the few small chips you asked for." Has a bag pouch out, "Nothing illegal or worth anything."

"Nah, man. Your clueless. Check this out." Takes one out and placed it on a metal item, it started to react and glow. But the longer there the hotter it melted the metal… breaking the cuirt that causes the strange occurance, "I make a business out of it one day." I keep it in mind and not steal it from this friend. It will be rude to after hearing it, "Imagine the light and heating this could become."

The table caught a little flame… I shadow swept that out instantly – chip included.

"Ah, the dark took my…" the chip clicked back in the bag, "Ok that was cool. Is that the body guard you were talking about?"

"Must have be a minor threat."

"A little science experiment, nah." I muttered around him with the mist, "scaling such experiment can be life threatening… cause quite a stir too."

"Gee. Thanks." Waved the mist away. He looked to his guest as they are agreeing with each other over it, "What is that material?" I sneak my way around to the study door. Step around as the figure that mocked a gentlemen in a suit; bowed in a greeting for the guests and picked up the chip from what remains. Give it a scratch, softer then my claws. I have seen it used for false gems in assassin demon rings… component for starting fires on hell stone or hell weaponry (so some ores that have hell content grit to it).

"I have seen it used in things before, hell fire lighter or an equal to striking matches." I put the chip back, "It's not really used for simple things nor do they need the fire in hell when hell is already lit of all sorts of flames."

He nods and waved about moving away and I nod with it. Stayed around, stood to the corner – looking to the floor. My ears on listening to the things around, that servant enters and jittered with handing the drinks around. Freaked a moment of not having thing for me, I waved him away with not wanting whatever offered. He gave that impression of being glad I didn't want it all. Slinks back to nowhere – aka the shadow pocket of the owner of their collar.

The nattering of teenagers on topic to small matters was a normal that the prince missed. This title weights a burden that takes its tells in unseen ways from the outside view of others. The sporting events of entertainment is the topic that really sparks these boys in the typical rant of the century. Most adults would have two conversations at the same time; when this young, that skill isn't picked up or used as much.

"Message for you, Crafter." A death bird on my shadow's shoulder… my shadow current wondering around the town center closet to here; this is the preferred method the birds like to find me for the more gritty jobs. Stood in a shaded ally while filling out information about a search for this demon lord. This is unrelated to the prince and falls soully to my mask playing peek-a-boo… ending with a trapped demon handed to the bird. Payment in full. Good. Good.

"Crafter, would you escort my friends to their homes?" I am asked from the other side, "I will be joining them anyways."

"No issues. How would you like to travel? Car or instant?"

"We take the car." He sounds off about that second suggest. I nod and picked the key from the shadows… have my watch over them while the rest of me is dealing with the car. Have a car driver up and ready to show me and teach me. Learning another skill… but once watching, my back of mind thoughts turned into this criticizing their manners of driving.

As if I had the skill already… I kicked them out after they pulled up to the front; which what I asked of them anyways. Our little boy prince has hopped to the driver side and the mask side of me as host to open the doors for them. The prince took the passage seat next to me, it seems like he doesn't always. Maybe worried about my driving, I can't tell with him.

"Are you even qualified?" I looked to him with a blank expression, "Just asking." I dig of the pocket for the official licenses reel. He goes through them, "You're a professional driver? Uh, what? You got be joking with most of these… weapons permits are only. Oh, central. Wait, permits to carry there too."

"I lived in the lands of reapers; sharpen scythe, fix machines and trade all sorts of abnormal items of the occult. You could bet that I never forgotten my skills for my duration of staying there. After all, I was consider a law enforcement there; among the court hunting titles for that lifetime. I were the one that made a small case get taken to god courts… it were a very boring experience."

He hands back the wallet of cards and away it went. No one was closing the doors. My shadow does it for them. a little attitude from it.

"Easy on the car." I muttered at myself.

"What?" It was in my tongue to the gibberish had confused the prince.

"I was commenting on the color of the car in a different language, it's a rather a dusty to how it should be." He peers oddly and I do a back check. Key turned and purr of the engine smoothing into ease driving. Stopping to the lights as I should, "Whose place would you stop at first or is there anyway you lot wanted to go to instead?"

"I doubt that you take us over city barriers."

"Oh, I really could if I wanted. Even on one the 12 hell roads too… not in the mood for that."

"That's cool but we have someone easily car sick." My shadow proved a few sick bags and a non-drug trick treatment. A sort of bracelet that holds a pressure point; thus preventing the nausea feeling of motion… doesn't always work but helps.

"Motion sickness, I used to hate it. Back in the days of being a dog, I hated car trips. Always the vets of long hull holidays out the middle of no-where. My folks were good to me then." I snickered to some idealism and get the odd looks from the back passengers, "I am a shape shifter with many memories… recall many of my past lives. I am immortal by mind but I still have the aging issues as any other person. I haven't any issues of any questions you want to ask or if you even ignored me. I have gotten used to blending in among the many souls."

"Souls?"

"I have met many strange things, my sight as a shape shifter allows sight over the things that aren't visible to you. Like anyone from the reaper lands, I see the dead among the living too. I see them beyond those statuses… a very confusing understanding that doesn't need a lecture. Lectures are boring."

"How old are you?"

"By what calendar systems?" I asked.

"Ours." Shouted from the back.

"Mmmm… if the oldest thing to this realm is the tomes of Clothus… 139 years before that…" I thought about, "something like a few hundred thousand centuries in your terms. In demon terms that about 12 of the longest living demon's life there is. "

"One life time."

"Yes, that is one lifetime that still going this moment. I have lived much shorter lives or longer before that. For example, the dog life was only 10 breather years." They looked between each other with shock, "I died about 5 year to early by a tragic incident; which had lead me to eventually becoming a citizen among the reapers. Could have been a angelic saint… laws were different then. Diversity didn't exist."

"We didn't even know that laws had changed during the lifetime."

"It hasn't for you. I much older then all of you put together, servants ages included too."

"Oldest servant has to be Pricks owned by Tommy here." the laughter of some comment about how much a oldie would have to be to outdate that one was impressing them. I hadn't any care for it being a sly comment on me; it's their age stereotype. Pulled up to the first home; the few leave the car.

Waved goodbye for it all. Jokes around a little moment and away the go into the homes. Make a trip to the city next to that, drop off more folks and picked up one normal Clothus. It have dragged in a nightmare that pester a bit too much… such pest was shadow clawed back to the nightmare lands.

"Something the matter back there?" I commented with the sudden silence made by the disappearance of that nightmare.

"uh, no." the new face muttered and I focused onwards, "Whose the driver?"

"My body guard I hired during my out realm travels." Sound proud of it, "very abnormal but very handy. Not a enslaved by the spell yet loosely through law."

"So if I took…" tries a knife and there is it show to be in my hand, "You thief."

"I don't steal… I will hand it back when your not going to threaten him. I do hope you do not try anything when I can hear you. I know when someone lies or has a terrible intention to mind."

"Wow, sheesh no."

"You're lack of sleep should be proven better after today." I commented, "It's not like the dreams aren't after you."

"Excuse you?"

"He says strange things all the time. What you got today?"

"Oh…" full nattering mode of a daily life for a typical city worker in the office. I pondered how they were friends and what got them together… still haven't a clue long after I dropped off the last folks. Pulling back up to the manor, right on time for meal preparations for late evening dinner.

The prince is exhausted with the social catch up. Meal prepared with being a small feast for those that want it. It's not a big time event – causal enough to join the table with them and blend into the background. The file of people heading to there rooms has a little stand around of people around my room for some odd moment. I find the note stabbed through the door to be why. Death threat towards me to scare me.

"Mr Crafter…" death cursed paper as people parted to see my reaction. I took the knife out the door, note stuck through it, "Whose it from?"

"I don't really care from the many folks it could be from. Might just be some test of my ability… whatever it is… it a rather harmless joke." I snapped the metal from the pulling the hilt side together, "Nothing like that has no meaning to me." the horrified on looking crowds peered between each other about how I snapped a blade like twinge, "What a bunch of nonsense… not even worth the effort of paper." I fold the paper into a thin star and chew at it for a while… still picking bits at the dagger remains, "petty metal for a useless note." I open the door and walked through, "small people that don't know what their doing with there short lives." I waved the crowds away, "Go on, to your rooms. I need to sleep, shew off." The folks outside the room slowly did… I when collar grab the idiots in my room, "I mean all of you folks. Go do stupid somewhere away from me or the prince. Continue this non-sense and I will have you on your near death beds."

That skittered everyone very fast out of the way. My shadow goes hissing off the one's around the prince's room; does the better dealing of tossing them through shadows before they can even think straight. The void of idiots is noted by the prince in a moment of looking around confused, goes to sleep with shrugging about it. The night drags so long for the Clothus, their used these awkward prolong timing.

I was well awake and back bed again for what feels like a short day to me. I came to be well awake before everyone of the family was up. I did minor errand's for do preparation security work �� releasing folks off sections of the fence (those were allowed to go home), checked the mail for any death threat curses. I played poke the what look dead ones of the fence – yep not dead. Although, this realm has not death system… being zombie is as dead as anything gets with this realm. No matter how butchered they had been.

They have to be tossed out the realm to be killed – so death curses are like flu here.

"Help me…" I have a peer down on a very weakened looking Clothus on the fence… stare darkly with the clothes and the rings they bared on them. This were once some Barron or this fella is a ring thief. I lowered to eye level, they froze stiff curled freaked.

"Good morning mister Crafter." The second eldest brother, "What's got you eyes?"

"This fella… with way to many rings."

"Him…" Looks over my shoulder and does that glare into the chained person, "Why isn't that the judge that locked up my great grandfather?" Pokes at the chained man, "I didn't even know he was on our fence."

"Oh I knew." The mother of the children and second lead of this house, "I had him put here." She stomped on a them and hissed threats over him, "His keeping my father in jail and will not tell me whom or why." I stand back with listening to the argument circle around in round about both ways. Getting no where.

"If I must be allow to add in, was the madam's father a preacher type or something?"

"Get out of my business." The fenced judge hissed, "You're a no one."

"Yeah, and that scares a lot of folks. Preacher type it is. Them sort are often rounded up to the clover prisons… bigger the voice or terrible the secret; isolation it will be." I hummed and this running thought terrified the judge, "You lot need to look up what the gangs around the prison are most interest in and see you can't just poke them to talk."

"Just how shady would you have to be to know that?"

"Hardly. I am a salesmen and appeaser of all sort of crystal gemstones. I tell you for nothing that them rings on this man's fingers are real rare types. Nothing fake about the Amber necklace and that no cheap watch on that wrist there."

"That's is cool." The second brother takes out a blood stone, "What's this worth?"

"In real time marketing?" I asked and he nods very quickly, "Enough for a sport car." He lit up in greed over the gem, "To me that be worth mud with what I come across in trades." He frowned and stares oddly, "If you going for the rarest richest stone in the universe, got to be that dull looking stuff over at the dragons realm… looks like the night sky is staring into you." He frowns, "The dragons call it slayer's skin or galaxy soul." They backed off from how I spoke the words naturally, "Not worth the effort trying to steal it out of old Chaos spine thrasher. The old man eats it like nothing."

"Man?"

"Sorry. I mean dragon."

"Can I buy a piece of it?"

"You can't afford it." they sneered back to the fenced fella and do that circle game again, "I wonder if old Fred's still plaguing the prisons… maybe he know." I muttered with walking away from there stuff, "Not worth my effort unless the prince wanted it. Maybe he like to met his old grandfather or not."

"Hey." I froze up instantly with this dark bird on the fence eyeing me down… that be my good friends mask, "Hey you… I have a request. You be good at scaring some folks. You do nicely." I sighed and step on over to him, "You do me the favor of bat scaring the new death."

"But then ever god with the title after it will remember to fear me."

"Oh, you would like that?"

"No."

"Mmmm… How about when his human for a short moment?"

"I don't think is worth the scaring of a soul."

"That soul need body kicking out."

"You are joking right?"

"No. Wrong soul. He just going to end the timeline if he continues."

"That be a misery." I huffed, "I see what I could do… soul wise, if that what your achieving."

"Really?"

He pauses with looking at some nosy folks paying mind to us. does this little nod and left. I huffed, sigh with a scratching itch arm skin. I am in that middle mood of being alright and feeling little down. Prince is awake at his desk study… reading mail. Drinks a sip of tea.

"Good morning. Have anything interesting?"

"Another out realm errand but at your ex-home lands. Repear folks being handed off for lock up here."

"How nice that our intentions are similar." I took a seat across from him, "I just got a very scare note of a request about scaring the daylights out the god there." He pouted at me, "God mean the god above the rest that are named Death."

"What like top of the order of the realm?"

"Yeah, something like that."

"That sounds dangerous and unnecessary." I laughed to that comment, "But at least your telling me ahead of time. Might change things going on." I nod with settling, "How would you scare a god like that?"

"Well, I knew them personally. I have a pretty good idea of how to give his a stroke."

"No way." He must be trying to imagine it in a childish mind set. Grinning like there is no reality of it. He continues reading into his mail at peace with finding no threat through it at all or any note of death curses not among the parts it side it would have, "You death curse removes my mail?"

"I did, I haven't read them or needed to for removing curse on them." he nods gently, "Were you expecting one in particular?"

"No, I haven't ordered for any." I had thought so, Clothus can order have one made so they could pass it off to their target. He has no mind that I have protected him this way, and that it doesn't invade privacy like he thought I would. My actions of overhearing and no tell to anyone has been proven well. I have even avoided making anything of his business known to anyone.

"Brother!" the eldest to storm in here with a letter, "Grand father's in spade's prison camps." Shares this news letter which is address to the second running of the place, his mother. Sent from the gangs that shadow the place. There talk of payment to chip the man out for them but guessing this going here. The news is directed to me for maybe the fact I was the one that suggested the question posing anyways.

"Great to know his still here but he isn't going to be functional to leave the realm anyone – even if he gets out of there." Oh, the prince youngest is feisty about his title of power over the family, "I never met him before in my life, so I don't even know what his like."

Ah, hasn't got the history like the elder to trust responsibility with the rest of the family again. But I bet that the prince's mother going to push for things to go back to normal – kick the child out of the spot. Second brother too – nasty intent in that one. The two in this long story telling of events before the prince was around but of things that doesn't matter to me. the elder brother here seems to ring out a few things as if facts; in prying the prince to use influence to get this man out of prison. A circular debate the came full circle and the elder leaving wordless.

"We have to do something before this family fallen back to the mud… we not even clean slated as I have hoped to be in this place among this family. My mother always getting in the way of things that should have been done and delaying my tasks give to me from the central. Something even wanting me to ignore the central orders… I am not going to do that while I am here."

"In spite of being so young, your quite clever. I would bet you have thought of doing a lot of things and getting it done anyways behind their backs." He creaked a creepy grin of that being true, "It's not my place to be in your stuff. If you are that way, then I just be watching your back as I have always; eyeing them more closer." He frowned a little, "Whom knows what would happen in the future. Don't let my words be your paranoid delusions."

He gave this blank stare in prolonged thinking. Slow to get back to reading things and looking at the many stacks of papers. At some point goes through the older records around here; looking up facts of what the previous prince's did before him (as this family has been in the place for quite a while).

It shadows on why he even the one chosen for this title… so it seems that he uncovers the long line of being someone else's puppet. He frowns with wondering if it was worth fussing over the powers anymore. Putting the papers back away, pouting with how to change things now seeming beyond himself. Maybe in some sort of inspiration, looking at me in another session of long thinking.

"Can I borrow your law books?"

"Sure… Maybe I can help through any confusing wording or particular chapters."

Today became a full honest working day of reading through all the law books that he needed to care about. This meant the club city books in full, main citizen rights sections of the central city and the few obscure referring needed to understand about the language. He got through with no issues as he was being taught history and other culture lessons needed for full understanding; telling me corrections about terms I assumed wrong with. It was nice to be a parent for this one time; teaching him some handy tricks into creaking encryptions.

"Why did you read these from cover to referencing ?" He noted with how many of the pages have little written notes on them or that I left book marks on strange pages, "Did you uses these during your days of being a court hunter?"

"I ordered newer copies when I first came here and had to learn the book to be granted permits for licensing. Sort of a test to see if I understood the laws before I was permitted to be here."

"Oh, I get you. They do that for all outside realm foreigner with skills and no homes."

"The recent unsettle climate outside this realm has cause mass movement of reapers, demons and even saintly angels. There seems to be this wait for war to happen, prevented several time now, on the moment of waiting for the first to attack the other." He frowned deeply, "It's why I am here at all."

"I didn't know."

"Not many know its there until it slaps them where it will hurt them most. If war happens among gods, it will effect the breather realm… and that has a direct knock to the laws you have about them." I see that he was tempted to warn folks, "The people already know out there, they just have this denial of it happening." He pauses with writing, "Folks with ignorance for as long as it don't effect them personally… avoiding as much as they can until it's too late."

"What if I can do something to protect my place?"

"Do you really want to be errand runner when the landscape is being turned upside down?"

"Yes. Maybe…"

"The message you might end up carry across realms will make you the bigger target for cross enemy gods. Not everyone cares for alignments or laws around the alignments… not during war of gods."

"The at least have enough to keep a home."

"What's home?"

"What?"

"What place do you feel the safest and considered you safe place?" He really had a moment of where he was about to ask me what I meant. Does the stiff odd thought glare and pouted about this office. Glaring at it as it was the enemy, "The place isn't the fault, most of the people that belong here aren't either. You're not at fault for how you feel; it's just the question that hard to find a answer for." I sighed, "Even I can't answer such a simple question."

With whatever paper's he had been shuffling through were soon slide to the side, sitting back with his world of thoughts and a sense that he being crushed by his internal thoughts. His soul was being as conflicted as the day I picked him off the floor of that stone grey realm. No changes about it, just him and his thoughts.

"What do you trade in anyways? I have heard the folks that talk around here and poeple we have crossed in our journey... how superstitious are to quietly raised around you."

I settled to be fully here, here at full focus of things. He ranted on with these little endnotes of what other people were saying about me and digressed into this morphed lies of what other talk about him behind his back. Wrapped up in himself and just slowly to pissed to continue, a hard to swallow fact, something I have throw to the side before as I had also heard about it. The ligaments of which son should be here. He would have all the siblings and himself tested - but there is scare of the facts crossing out from the family. Then there this further question of if his family really were the light anyone's.

"You have been working hard and been thrown into this career of being the top talker for a lot of different people. Truly or not meant to be; you are here doing this paperwork. I don't think that blood matters for a role like yours. Prince that gets the jobs done where needed is all that really matters at the point of those on top of you. At least you have the background and the experience to pick back up from anything... your a known name and have friend's (good or not). You personally aren't going to be truly ruined. Everyone stumbles a little when climbing so high up."

"You a parent or something?"

"I wish I could be... but I will never be. Like belonging to a realm; I doubt... It's been a surprise around the corner really for me. I walked around a lot, go through here or there. I don't stay long. If I do, I linger just that point of to long and someone or something chases me out of there. My first life was lucky, breather's pet dog. good boy, as they say. saved them I did try." I took out a skull of that lifetime and just stared into it, "I knew what it was like to have good folks that cared around me, shower me in the kindness. I wish there were times I could be like that again or find someone that needs it." I placed it back to the shelving through shadow means.

He had been quite taken back with hearing me speak honestly. It had him huff for a long moment, calmed right through to the core. He just looked to the paper work, slides it back to looking and just sort of inhumanly continues. I stood up and walked around him a few times in checking on him... find nothing wrong. I stood to the side wall as I have always in watching over him.

Rolled over into finishing study hours, rolled from getting cleaned up and finally dine with the family time to eat. The table is full of strangers from his mother's poking around for her father. folks that knew things and wanted to ask the prince for bidding allowing lawless things through. There being a few assassin sorts too. I made myself sit with the prince; not taking away his elder's brothers place but some strangers guest spot instead. His mother to my left, those eyes would suggest I seemed the wrong one.

"How long have you been here?" Asked a guest towards me - Clothus in there circular conversations.

"Long enough to be here." I answered a fitting rounded way, "What type of question are you trying to go for, sir?"

"I mean you to be at this table. You don't seem a regular and your not interested in food or talk." I picked up a bottle to inspect, have a sip poured to a glass in front of me. Rest it down with a echoing that rattled folks further down, "Not one of us."

I rolled the drink about for the scent, inspected the color, taste and the glass is put down. My ignoring of things wasn't settling folks, so I paused with going to a second bottle of something else.

"I have a duty to protect and this being a table of strangers... far flung strangers ranging from not just this realm." I picked up the bottle now, "I thought it wise to stick around a little closer." My hand is tapped to my right and I do so move away from being to rude, "Not all of you folks should be here. Your lust for murder should have been placed outside the gates before you walked in to this home and talked to folks among this family."

"What are you suggesting? Our good friend from a city over, another prince. Here for murder. Don't be so daft." The playful tapping of my arm was more a plead for me not to lung at anyone, "if that was true, we wouldn't be here."

I moved her hands away and just sit quietly as if a no one. My eyes don't wonder around, only my mask and it's sight on those lower around. Avoided being noticed other then my normal self... a minor moment of maybe glass tap, refill or tasting session. I seek out for why I could smell slayer posion... that isn't mine.

"I need a dagger that could peel a soul out. Got any?" the second brother trying to do open trade during dinner.

"You're not qualified and have no suitable permits." I commented back and his squared on me, "I don't own many things like that either. Scythe, no matter type or size. They are all marked, counted and hunted down since they had been lost."

"Someone like you could pry one out from sight I bet."

"I have no need of one nor would I ever need of prying out souls from bodies." my current glass drink was poisoned with something... that bottle I took off the table and throw behind me into shadow, "Why would anyone seek such service? Are you trying to weaken a powerful friend or just trying to terrify them with this petty talk?"

"Clever. Just being openly nose in what sort of things a body guard carries for protecting duty."

"Ah, I pick the most suitable weapons, skill and even style for that." I hummed, "If I have any plans on preying over any sort that meant harm. I go through stages. In thought why don't I tell everyone here what those stages can be. My first to 10th is warning them; to the point of losing reason, faith and the occasional title / job / life. Not many dare anything after that."

"If they pushed with quite a strength and skill."

"I take what I learn of them and turn this upside down. It's the small little things around them first - doesn't bother them unless they knew. Then it's a abnormally something that happens; court or what have you. It just seem to fall apart after that..." I sigh, "I did have to do such things before... such plan had a very famous assassin taken into court. The last I heard was that they were handed over to a devil. I maybe should say, the devil among the faith of one god."

The coughing of the few that knew, the leave of the vast majority that took that as my final warning meanwhile it intrigued of the darker topic crawls the other sorts closer. The second brother is such example of one of them that shuffle closer while he is taking a deeper peer into me.

I picked up a new item to be taste tasting, poking about the foods that I noted that the prince had - each thing was clear of anything. Expanding to similar things; the food was good health and none poison. Better that way. Sauces and even the holy water... yup. All good. The muttering between people was the way they had moved on from any comment I could have made after that. That smell of slayer's poison must have left with the folks that left after my little talk.

"You best find the one call the nightmare poacher. The last talk of taking any assassin without murder would be that fella. It had screwed over the faceless red hand; a mile over by peeling his back across the slums through the street scum ally's of club. Although, according to the ex-assassin, the man lives a happier life that way. Became one them hippy types."

I laughed softly to myself, a slight shoulder lift to make this laugh, soon smoothed into this annoyed thought that echoed my huff and cases a light glint of pondering by the bother's whom watched me mostly. The second one had even sneered into a light snarl for my behavior. I must have spooked him in my ways, too spooked to even make any whippy comment or smart talk back. The folks left around here weren't interested in me or in anything shady business.

"This poacher, do you know if he were law book freak?"

"Follows all laws like the rules were the bible that they think our life is based on." The guest hummed.

Sai of the servant side walked around to folks with little notes, even giving me a few of them... as they were addressed to me in several names. I muttered the the names of the few folks that had left already (of which he held notes for) and I picked out the one's that were mine. Speaking in a demon language as I whispered in helping him understand the notes and warning him to never open them. He pats my shoulder in thanks and finishes to hand out these strange notes around.

I looked at mine openly for a minor moment, the first one on the top is a note from a godless friend that I prefer as a person and not the title. That nameless one or the Voldemort among the selective knowing gods. What gave it away was that fancy carefully calm lettering, the inks that I would say in a smell was blood and the over all tone of how I am addressed is as if a equal. I find it odd in many ways that he sees me this way – I never liked murdering the souled folks.

The next four are just contacts across the nightmare realms requesting that I come see them. When folks like them are inviting you through letter, it means they need me there. Even nightmares don't like my real shapes; and they know what I am; I am the nightmare's terrible dream or the dream poacher as one addressed me as.

"Looks like another realms walk." The prince has read through the instant message, "Fetch the full letter." The servant had it already but it was handed over to me. I give in a glance over, "Not addressed to me?" the prince asked.

"It is... but not in your language." Sai is nervous of it killing him.

"well..." I passed it over to the prince, "it would be if the writer knows better. If they had any funny business, they would have also asked for me too."

"You going to trust that." Sai hissed while the prince looked oddly between us both having this demon argument beside him – he can make out most of the words but just can't quite get it.

"I am." the prince it very snappy to snatched it from me, "The poacher you looking for is already hired hand to you, sir." I snicker to the thought, "It has been not that long ago that I walk the edge boundaries for good hunting."

"It is a terrifying thought that you guessed that." He muttered in the full reading. My shadow made the others around him not lean over his shoulder, the slow cold grasp pulling anyone away from such non-sense.

"I knew the writer as one my trade allies and often walked their grounds for small worms. It was good feed for death birds, the worms were." I sit back with causal comfort, "Very odd to have both of us requested... unless."

"I go over the details later." He shuffled the chair back and stood... everyone else does with bowing for his leave. I stick around for a moment longer, so I could creep out someone that should have left. Someone so distracted with my visible side that it took my shadow to drag them back to hell, multiple arms clawed through.

There momentary scream pulled everyone attention to their missing act and settled back to the table. I fully formed to a complete person stood in bow of opening the office door for the prince. He stepped in, looked at me and backed out the room a moment. He huffed in cooling down the shock, walked through to his desk.

"There had been a murder of visiting officials there; or whatever it seemed that made a group of demons and Clothus to go over to the nightmare realms for. According to the locals, the all recommend this poacher outsider among them; some is a lone wolf master. Master without terror within their dreamlands and titled so in referring by dreamland creepers proxy laws."

He sits down at his place around to the writer side, gets out a dairy from a draw. Has a write into it about this request and properly files it to the date order needed. Even with standing back up and placing it all to the correct areas. I had to intervene with something too high to reach, reached up with plucking it out. He took it and slides a few papers and directed that it be put back up there. I do so with a nod. He pointed that I sit down across from him like a guest and continue our talks like this.

"Yes, I know. I know who I can seem like to those I trade with. Around my time trading were easier to fit into their culture then to be slaughtering them for misunderstanding." He darkly peered at me for that comment, "I would rather be accepted a some humanoid face that is a man trading business then some lizard that wants the same thing. I rather lie about what I am so I may move on to what matters more then to be what I am and make them suffer." He registered the debate and sighs, "Tomorrow is Friday and that means the day after is classes." he throws something at me and I knew he didn't mean it in any way of hurting me, "Just looking after you." I put it down to the correct placement.

"We are to investigate the slaughter."

"Have you seen a slaughter first hand before?"

"No." I bowed with guessing this wasn't going to be easy on him, "they choose me as I wasn't related to anyone there." Ah, any other prince would be to personal to the case but given that glance of subtle body hints (maybe it wasn't exactly truth - that or he know them personally anyways but aren't of blood).

"I am here to help you as platonically as a body guard can get." He laughed a little to that, "I mean well in protecting you and I understand this is going to be a tough investigation." he nods well with accepting that I will be of some the greatest help, "My nightmare common names is of 'the poacher' and the 'dark trader'. I am a proxy master but my other shapes and my other faces are considered my proxies (a sort of misunderstanding that I am not multiple people). I follow their laws while being within their realm; paints of no surprise that I am seen as a sort of outsider to them."

"Slayer and poacher... you become more strange as the longer I learn about you. I still think of you as some hitch hiker I picked up over time." I snicker with that, "We leave as soon as possible."

"That be when you are ready and have your things." He sighs and looked to the stand of gear for out realm traveling, "I could have a new set ordered and brought to you."

"It be nice to have something different and the same." I nod and took out a paper, we go through how the cloth and new mask was going to be like. the mask being the first think I wanted him to focus his attention into making. The new set was a mature fitting for him... and the sizing was better for him. My mask has taken the old set, bought new material's and recreated the entire thing. in finishing the conversation about how he wanted it to fit, I had him try it on and be measure sizing. He peered at me oddly with how instant I was working at this for him. I bow with passing him the finished mask when he is wearing the finished cloth. They wear these sort of suit pouches that loosely contains their forms while being in a realm that converts their skin to mist. I added a few heath measures. It was also adjusted to be easy to put on by himself. It sorts the do it himself attitude he held.

"We leave." He voiced with no longer admiring the mask from a mirror view, "No point standing around." I nod with understanding and offered my damned powered door, "No, I would rather the normal way... thanks."

"Alright then." I fade it away and followed him all the way around the place; as he was picking up and dropping off bits around the place, "You have everything?"

"Of course I do." I have my room of my stuff in my inventory shadow, "I wouldn't leave anything important behind."

Even if it meant the entire glass wall cases of my ex-shop filling out my invisible shadow's dimensioned walls. The cured corpses of meat hung at the center over barrels collecting the blood. My shelves and shelves of books (books I seemed to have always had and I forgotten when i

I had started using or writing them) and the 12 vaults of locked air thin items.

"Come on, Crafter." my minor distraction of checking and me pass a glare on some few spies hovering around, "Craft!" I walked towards the prince and ignored that we were spied on for a while. Hitched a ride with folks waiting to pick us up for anything. There are elder sorts in out realm gear. I seemed the least ready looking, overall.

"You planning on picking up you gear, servant?"

"I have my gear, don't threat yourself over a body guard… I don't take lives like yours." The grouch of a Clothus hissed towards me, "Hush, little one. You upset the listening Nightmare dwellers among us." That quieten a lot of folks from talking at all… this mini bus full of folks.

Only the important took seats, I stood to the door which is next to the servant guard rails. Unlike anyone here, I was the only one not holding anything or bothering on moving anywhere else for the matter.