The Raven of Death

Return

"Your arrival is a mixture of death, defecation, and zest. What exactly ruined you is absolutely repugnant but as fate decided, you are by my side. So, you have a meager chance left"

The silence prowling from everywhere to everywhere drove my mind insane.

"What exactly are you proposing?"

Silences broke by hushes and gasps alerted my disrespect, and I reprimanded myself before the god of fire decided to pull me out of his residence.

"I apologize for being insulting. Lord Charon, is that fine?"

His grin enlightened souls around who was chuckling now, much to my relief. It was another lesson: this huge guy spoke through the emotions of his people. They showed what he wanted.

"I am impressed, and strangely my heart is racing"

It was a compliment that brought oblivion.

"Luna, the future holds ashes and dirt for everybody in here. Those who have embraced are begone to heaven, where a corner holds their mourning and ugly souls. They gain the least freedom and food, unlike others who are enjoying rivers of milk and honey among a canopy of blossoms and luxurious kingdoms. It's never easy again"

Constrained by his thoughts, I knew he was reading me as a voice kept playing its echoes in my delicate mind, making it harder to concentrate on his speeches or think over my situation. It was more of his decisions he was arguing for my mouth to utter.

"...I...I..."

The stammer left him beaming,

"Look, do you remember how you reached here?"

I shook my head in pain. My legs were wobbly already.

"Your legs are funny."

My eyes rolled to the sides where white floating figures were serving burned birds to the floor lit up in the fire, while they hoarded the bones with half grins. The shabby mess made my disgust rise.

"You don't enjoy here, Luna and yet you are regretting to go back"

My face shot up in shock. His lively red eyes turned into a purple shade, the fire burning gorgeously while his fingers made out few words in the humid air. They lit up in the heat and stayed for a minute as long as the wind fluttered it away. I stopped, short of breath, and staggered back.

"Lilith"

The words held power, luxury, and attitude. The hot air was now back to its usual, its reality mocking what took place a few seconds before while I kept staring at his red face. He was smirking.

"Your name is Lilith."

My voice died.

"You are Lilith when you return there."

His fingers pointed the pea-sized blue ball a few kilometers afar.

"The world doesn't know who you are, and they wouldn't because....."

My rapid breathing quickened.

"Two reasons"

My hanging face was pulled up by his dynamism, and it remained so when he pulled an index finger to kick the air.

"You are going as a soul swapper. You can exchange bodies and minds whenever you want, but remind yourself that it takes half of the energy of your day"

My head nodded pathetically.

"Good. And number two"

Two fingers, the index, and middle pointed at my struggling countenance, as my facial muscles strained by his power of holding my chin without actually reaching out. He smirked at his funny behavior which was messing with my anger and spitted his frustration,

"Go and destroy!"

Saying so, his threats unloaded in the close of an index. The curse hit my ego hard though I knew it was quite similar to what Charon was making me do.

I had stuttered a rather hesitating, 'Yes" after his power unleashed over my entire frame. It was painful though and had begun with a sneer of admiration which threw my memories from a castle ballroom to a park bench in the middle of the dark. I rose and fell from places I couldn't recognize even though a shiver passed across my body, giving meaning to every view. A rumble silenced my ears from other noises, and I listened intently. It was a sweet voice.

"Run for your life. Don't do it, Luna. They hate you for having done this. Please leave.."

The pleads echoed in my thoughts after having forged a deep imprint, to which I knew this return would give me answers. For once, I thanked Charon.

"Forget gratitude, Luna"

I was back again. Having looked around, I found myself in the exact same place of howls, pain, and unbearable heat though it didn't seem as humid as before.

"It's never easy for the dead to be brought back to life. It brings an energy drain for a week, and I will be bedridden"

That indeed was shocking!

"Then why would you force you me?"

His laugh thundered the atmosphere, and those around him began to chuckle. I felt pity for those strangers with whom my hair had become trash.

"It isn't a forced action. It's a second chance"

"Some sins have to be punished by the victims. Even the Almighty in Heaven would be helpless"

My long exhale of curiosity and worry was ignored. He pushed his cape back with pride, hugged my waist much to my astonishment, staring into my face.

"But a coin always has two sides."

"I hope you come back victorious, my love"

Even before I could hasten myself straight, a force engulfed my body, throwing my vision a black image.

And I had fallen into a deep slumber.

-----------------

"Charon, what you did is wrong! Nobody from the eternity of our history of good and bad has taken the oath from The Heavenly Devilish book to give a reincarnation, may it be any valid reasons for deserving vengeance, unpaid gratitude, or miserable loss."

His voice boomed the corners of the room, his throne creaking by his anger and fury spluttered in a breath. A cough of terrible cold followed, and the gorgeous girl in a hanbok was lending her master a golden cup, to spill out the remains. Charon stood motionless, his fingers playing with the cape while he kicked the football on the sofa, most probably left by the kids, biting his nails now and then. He was neither miserable nor guilty,

"Charon!"

The thundering roar shook the luxurious walls, and the living for maids who were busy massaging. An exhale escaped the frustrated Devil's lips.

"I guess, I broke rules. It doesn't mean you have to scare these young ladies here, dad"

But a joke it was, and even if it wasn't, it was received so leading to an outburst of agony.

"You have no right to talk after having done the worst! I have no idea what the Kings of Eternity would say in the next meeting. I can already sense my Julian's and Logan's hysteria and confusion"

Absolutely perplexed by the absurd conversation, Charon began to walk back to the door where two guards who were on the verge of a frightened breakdown stood with long iron rods and snakes hanging over their necks, to exit.

"Charon, give me a reason for this behavior of yours. Not even Abigail brought this change in you"

The words caught him off guard. He pretended to have left the latter sentence unnoticed and exclaimed softly in a whisper, loud enough for his dad to hear.

"I guess, I am not stupid to just fall in love again"