Chapter 31

I emerged from the portal in the waiting room of suite 305. I heard Thanatos call my name again as he walked through the portal as well.

"Where are we?"

I ignored the question and barged into Azrael's office. His receptionist tried to stop me, but I pushed her aside.

"Andy. Did you finally come to join us?" Azrael rose from his seat with a smug grin on his face.

"I came to reap your soul," I said coldly.

"YOu don't have it in you."

"Kifo, you don't have to do this."

"Shut up, Thanatos. I do have to do this. He's hurt far too many people." I raised my scythe and sliced through Azrael with one fell swoop. His body hit the floor with a thud. He was dead. I stared at the dead body in shock. He was dead. I killed him.

I felt hands grip my shoulders and flinched and pulled away, turning to see Thanatos with a concerned look on his face. I felt tears sting my eyes, and I looked from Thanatos to the course then back again.

"I-"

"It's okay, Kifo. It's gonna be okay." He slowly walked towards me and pulled me close to him, embracing me. I allowed the tears to fall.

I had killed a man. I didn't reap a soul. No. I killed someone. I was no better than the Memitim.

I was such an emotional wreck that it didn't even register when Thanatos led me back through the portal and to his office. Or that he closed the portal.

When I was out of my fog, I was lying in a bed in a room I didn't recognize. "Where am I?"

"My bedroom. I hope you don't mind. I had some work to do, and I didn't want to leave you alone in your room." Thanatos said from the other side of the room. I sat up and looked over at him. He was sitting at a desk with his back towards me, working on a computer.

"I killed him," I said, the events of that day flooding back.

"You did. Can't say he didn't deserve it." Thanatos got up from his desk and walked over to me, sitting on the edge of the bed and gently caressing my cheek. "You expressed an emotion that we don't normally have, Kifo. It's a bit concerning. Not bad, just... we don't know what to make of it. Hades doesn't remember the original Thanatos ever being able to express any emotions. That's not to say he didn't have them and just suppressed them."

"I felt rage. I was tired of him hurting people."

"I understand. I felt it too."

"Now, I just feel... I feel like a monster. Like I'm no better than the Memitim."

"No, Kifo." Thanatos pulled me into a tight embrace and just held me. "You are so much better than they are. You are nothing like those monsters. You did what you felt you had to, to protect those around you. They kill just because they find it fun and think they are a superior race."

I nodded my head weakly and relaxed against him. I felt far from relaxed, but I didn't want him to let me go.