"What do you mean, from the time I've known the most interesting thing he's done was join the army, other than that time he got caught sneaking out of that girls house."
Furias' eyes widened and a smile formed on his face, the version of Luke he claimed to know must not have done anything like that, or maybe it brought back memories of their old life.
"But, I guess reincarnation isn't out of the question, I mean you're a shifter so that's not too far fetched."
"You're taking this pretty well, most people probably would've freaked out by now. Especially since I can literally turn in to a giant wolf and eat you."
"Well I've seen a lot of weird things in my line of work, I mean nothing as weird as tonight but you get used to crazy things like this. But I've gotta say you and your friend take the cake."
He wrapped his arm around my shoulder and led me into the room, think I might've just made friends with a literal demon. The circumstances are a bit odd and his origin a bit crazy but I like em.
"I like him, it's no wonder boss man took a liking to the guy."
Well seems it's a two way street, but what about this other guy. He seems calm and collected, seems he's the mastermind of this show, and yet he's not the boss.
As we walked in he was already looking over some documents that I wasn't able to make out. But he waved me over and offered me a seat, without looking up.
"Look you've known Luke for a while, lived with him. So as it stands you know more about him than we do. And seeing as Furia has taken a liking to you, I have a request to ask of you."
Furia walked over and sat on the table in front of me, he smiled as the other man spoke. If I were to guess they both agreed to this "request" and thought it would be good for them.
"I'm all ears, but don't you think it would be right if I knew your name first."
"Ah right, but were you not there when I spoke with Luke over the phone. I spoke my name did I not."
I thought back to the phone call we had gotten, and realized that voice was his. But it seemed so different and I couldn't even understand his name.
"Oh so that was you, well sorry to say I couldn't understand it, plus it gave half my squad some kind of mental damage. Some were even on the verge of cracking and needing to be instated into a mental facility."
He looked at me with wide eyes then he and Furia looked to one another, questioning what I had just said. I guess they didn't know.., his name alone holds power that humans can't understand.
He put his hand on his chin trying to find a solution to the problem, after a few taps he looked up at me as he found an idea.
"Hmmm... alright, you mind if I try something?"
He looked up at me gesturing towards my neck, not sure what he's got planned but I guess it's worth a try since the alternative is a really painful headache or possible insanity.
(Smart move James trust the man who pimp slapped a damn wolf.) I just gave him the go ahead anyway, please don't be a vampire, I don't want to live forever.
He walked around the table and stood in front of me, bending down he place his finger to the side of my neck under my ear.
"Sorry this might sting a bit."
"What. Oww."
There was a sharp pain coming from the side of my neck, I rubbed my neck as he walked back to the otherside of the table. Looking at my hand there was a small bit of blood, not a lot but noticeable.
"What, did you do?"
"I temporarily inserted some of my energy to your brain, that way you can understand us better even if we speak in our native tongue, which I am demonstrating right now."
(I can't tell if it's the truth or not, it just seems like he's speaking normally to me. But I guess that was the point right.)
"Now I can formally introduce myself, my name is Alastair. I am the the right hand of Death, I was given the title "Death's Mercy" as I am the sword that strikes those he sees unfit to raise his hand against."
"And I Furia, given the title "Guardian of Hell", given the title through the never ending souls I've sent there."
So these two have quite the reputation and somehow they need something from me. Not sure I could really be useful to these two honestly, but at least i can understand him better.
"I saw what happened outside, he traided places with you and gave his life so that you may live."
"Could've just pulled you in, but that works too."
I looked at Furia with a stunned expression, but Alastair just ignored him.
"So we want to know if you'll join us, like I said you've known him... this version of him, it would be good to have someone he could talk to when he just need something normal in his life."
"Alright, before I answer I've got two questions. Why here why the small town, all the place in the world you chose here?.? And why is Luke so important to you, you even have his parents helping you in the other room for what. Did you brainwash them, they're good people, there's no way they would help know the horrors going on outside these walls. All these people you have locked up here, all those men and women we lost today just so you could play God, and feed the ungodly monsters! Why... answer me that.., why."
I let anger get to me on that last part, I tried to overlook it and play nice and understanding but that's just it I don't understand. Why here, why them, why.... him. He gave his life for me and here I am playing nice with his killers, or at least the reason behind his death. And yet they act as if they care so much for him, like all of this was for him.
Looking at him holding Luke like he cared earlier I thought he was a good person someone I could rely on, but now, finding out he was the person on the phone, the reason all of this happened. People died, good people, they had families, and for what so these people could play God.
But of course my little outburst helps nothing and no one, but even after that he stood unfazed before me, all it did was put a smile on his face.
"It's good to let go all of your anger, your stress. There were many deaths today and for that I am sorry."
"Is that all you have to sa..."
"Thirty-nine."
"What?"
"Thirty-nine, that's how many people you lost today. Each squad consists of twelve members not including the captains, you and Luke were the last two and in the end he didn't make it, leaving you to be the last."
I stood in silence, not because he knew how many died on this mission but because of how many died. I couldn't even look him in the eyes, I could only stare at the floor as the number replayed in my mind.
"I remember... because each and every person had a purpose a reason to fight. They all died doing what they believed to be right, they died protecting others even if it meant they lost their own lives. These people didn't die for nothing, even now they have a purpose, their deaths weren't meaningless. They died for a reason, for a good cause, they needed to die today to save millions."
"WHO ARE YOU TO DECIDE, WHO ARE YOU TO TELL ME THEY NEEDED TO DIE!! THEIR FAMILIES ALL OF THEM WILL BE BROKEN BECAUSE YOU THINK YOU KNOW BETTER!!!"
I stood up slamming my hands on the table, the anger I felt, the pain, it was overwhelming. I tried to hold it in, but his words only fueled it.
"I'M THE VERY PERSON WHO GETS TO DECIDE, AS A REAPER I HAVE EVERY RIGHT. YOU THINK I WANTED THIS, I WANTED ALL OF THESE PEOPLE TO LOSE THEIR LIVES. I HAD NO CHOICE... I have no choice.... there's a storm coming James and many will lose their lives and there's nothing I can do about it... not alone. These people died because I needed them, I needed their help."
He lashed out, after everything he's been through and seen, he finally lost his composure. All because my words cut deep at his heart. He slammed his hand through the table breaking it in half and all I could do was take a step back as Furia stepped up to calm him.
I'm not sure what they've been through up to this point but it was really waying on him. Furia could tell, that's why he was hear with us, so he could be there for his friend when he finally broke.
"I'm not sure what he said to him but he calmed down, grabbing a seat he sat down with his hand on his forehead. Furia asked me to sit back down as well, then took his place sitting on the table.
It took a while for him to get a hold of himself but when he did, removing his hand he finally spoke.
"Death.... Luke is Death, and believe it or not if we want to save these people, we need him back."