S1 E15: Death Inc. Pt. 8

Anubis Khepri Khnum (Present Day: Jan 5, 2015)

The doors opened, and I stepped in, facing towards the glass wall. One of the things I loved about my high-rise office was the spectacular views of the Underworld when using the elevator. Being in the center of the realm, I could see the various heavens and hells scattered about. I could see the Yokai Bridge in the distance in front of me; the hole to… That realm above. I could see the entrance to the Ports to the east and the temple-like castle to the west. Sadly, it was only on the other side of the building that I could glimpse the more ancient areas…

The Cremation Grounds… The Titan Prison… The Ruins… The Dreamlands… And a reminder of the sins of my youth...

My picturesque view was cut short as the elevator plummeted below the ground into the more dangerous and restricted sections of the Underworld. These lower levels housed secrets, ancient magic, prisoners, and some special viewing rooms. One of which was my destination, the soul viewing room.

Various floors quickly flickered past the glass; snapshots of sins and secrets, before it slowed. A soft blue glow filled the windows as I gazed upon an endless floor full of equally spaced glowing orbs. Each orb was a soul and the souls closest to the elevator were the recently deceased for ease. Though the room would instantly rearrange itself using predetermined parameters, I could do a manual override by using a simple spell.

The glass windows glowed, becoming doors as the elevator stopped. The doors opened and the icy chill of the room flooded in. Most would have shivered, but this mild chill was steeped in the power of death. To me, it felt so comforting and welcoming. Stepping out onto the floor, I looked around the room. For a split second, I felt a sinister energy, but it quickly faded.

A particular, evil soul must currently be falling… One of the hells will have their hands full. Hopefully, it isn’t the soul I need. I can't have a soul too dark to serve me when I am balanced... Well, balanced in the way that matters.

“Which soul in limbo has the highest energy?” I mused aloud, grinning with anticipation.

Even if it's not the King– if it's high enough on the magical energy scale, I wouldn't mind bringing it back. It would be nice to have someone to train with for Dawn.

Stretching out one of my hands, I summoned my signature black smoke. It slithered up into the air from my palm before drifting towards the orbs. It would find the highest soul energy. The one who would be worthy of the life of a servant, or it would prove the woman a liar. Suddenly, the smoke shot towards a nearby orb and circled it hungrily. In response, the orb glowed and displayed some basic information in the air above it.

Name: Silver Chandraraj Heart

Location: New York City, New York

Area: Police holding cell Address ******

Family Line: 224

Alignment: Redemption

“Not evil. Surprising, but not fully unexpected. This is a soul who tried to repent before death… How satisfying. It seems I'll have a new toy… But is it the King?” I pondered aloud as I walked over to the orb, letting my smoke vanish into the air. Once I was close to it, I saw a young teenager falling through the upper layers of Limbo down into Purgatory. A place many souls end up in before their area assignment. Though this child looked odd as he fell. Those who experience the fall shift between their human side and their creature side, or they shift between how they look and the contents of their soul; be it good or evil. But this one seemed to be glitching for lack of a better term. Half of the child seemed to be albino and the other half had the colors of India… The land of my Master… Something oddly familiar and personal about his unusual appearance, but I couldn’t place it.

If he is the King, why does he not show his form as he falls? Is something wrong with his power or is it too much for Limbo to reveal? Well, a simple test should explain things.

I closed my open hand and stuck out my pointer finger. The nail grew long, sharp and pointed. It dripped with my power of death as I held it over the boy's orb. Tapping the orb with the tip, I awaited the orb's reply, expecting a small pulse of power. The magic within swirled violently before a large burst of energy shoved me back a few feet.

It then glowed an odd purplish black with hints of green. Magic sparked off its surface, causing a chain reaction with the magic in the air. The converging magics morphed into a giant wolf with red snake-like eyes made of shadows. The beast glared at me, and I couldn't help smiling.

A power that challenges God. A beast unafraid of Death? I've not been this excited in a long time… How to tame such a thing… How exciting.

“Well, it seems it wasn’t a lie…” I giggled with excitement as I walked back towards the orb and the shadow beast. The beast growled, and the shadows attacked me, but every attack bounced off my skin harmlessly.

Attacking me with shadows? Oh, how cute. Shadows will never work against me.

I forced the hand that had my deadly nail through the shadow wolf and grabbed the orb it was using as a heart. Plunging my death-soaked nail into the core, the wolf howled in agony before it was sucked back into the orb. Cracks raced down the exterior of the soul, becoming a glowing green outline of a scarab, a symbol of my House. Removing my nail, I let go of the damaged sphere. The scarab faded slowly. I would have about ten or so minutes before it returned to its vessel. More than enough time to get to his location.

“Now to greet you in your realm,” I mused, while walking towards the elevator. “I miss that realm... School is just around the corner…”

I pressed the little button and the glass doors opened, inviting me inside. Confidently stepping inside, I chuckled with giddiness.

“I must keep up appearances if my real identity is to be unknown. Time to become Banusi AlMawt,” I smiled as the elevator closed its doors and shot me back up towards the surface.

I can't wait to play with my new toy...

Unknown (Present Day)

I watched that evil bastard play with the shadow wolf. Oh, how I hoped it would kill him or at least harm him. He had jailed my kind for so long, only letting a few colonies roam about. My colony was declared too destructive; too dangerous. We were jailed simply for existing and following our nature, but I finally escaped. If I played my cards right, I could make it to the realm of mortals. I could become the bridge for my colony, and we could feast on succulent living souls. Oh, how that thought made my mouth water.

The shadow attacks bounced off the deplorable God as he launched his counterattack. The battle was over quickly as the shadow beast was sucked back into the soul orb. It was disgusting how easily a God could defeat someone. They had so much power that even on their weakest day, it made it impossible to attack them head on. I had to bide my time and use other means to make him give in to me.

He tapped it with a rare magic I had only heard about, servant magic! The telltale scarab was all the proof I needed. That orb could be the answer to my problems. If I could get to it before his magic settles into it, I could hitch a ride to the mortal realm. I could use its revived body as a host to feed from while I set up a way for my colony to follow. The only question was how would I get to it before the magic completed itself? I couldn't risk being seen and imprisoned by Anubis.

Then the unbelievable happened. He walked away before it was done. He was so confident in his security that he left the orb exposed.

He must have had no idea I had escaped. I knew I was good at hiding, but to not be sensed by the God of Death was quite an achievement.

I waited until he boarded the elevator and vanished onto the floors above before I came out of my hiding spot. I was pleased that there were no cameras on this floor due to the sensitive nature of the souls. It made my life much easier. Rushing over to the orb, I placed my thin, almost skeletal, red hand on the orb's cracks. Slowly, I released my magical essence into the orb and, to my delight, the scarab turned red. I grinned as my body became red smoke and was sucked in.

Soon we will feast… Soon, my brothers…