William Spears moved swiftly through the darkened streets, his emerald-green eyes fixed ahead as he approached the burning house. The night sky was thick with smoke, and the acrid scent of charred wood filled his nostrils. As a Grim Reaper, he had seen countless souls depart, and tonight was no different. His list had brought him here to collect the soul of a woman who had been caught in the blaze. As he reached the property, the inferno roared with unrelenting fury, flames consuming everything in their path.
The heat was intense, and the crackling sounds of burning wood echoed in the air. But amidst the destruction, he noticed movement, a figure crawling away from the house. It was a woman, her body covered in burns, her clothes tattered and singed from the fire. Every movement was labored, her breath ragged. William knew she had mere moments left. He stepped toward her, reaching out his hand to collect her soul when, unexpectedly, her trembling fingers gripped his leg.
Caught off guard, William hesitated. The woman, despite her evident agony, struggled to lift her head. Her lips parted as she attempted to speak, but the words came out in strained whispers. He knelt beside her, allowing her the chance to say what would likely be her final words.
With the last of her strength, she pleaded, "Please... save her. My baby... inside."
William's eyes widened slightly. He had not expected such a request. He glanced at the burning house, then back at the woman. The rules of his duty were clear, he was there to collect souls, not to intervene in the affairs of the living. And yet... Without further hesitation, he rose to his feet and rushed into the blazing inferno. The moment he stepped inside, the intense heat wrapped around him like a suffocating embrace. Smoke clouded his vision, and the structure groaned as if it would collapse at any moment. He sharpened his senses, listening carefully. Then, through the roar of the flames, he heard it, a baby's cry. Following the sound, William maneuvered through the wreckage, dodging falling debris. He reached a door that was partially collapsed. Without hesitation, he used his strength to break it down. Inside the room, bathed in the flickering glow of fire, was a small crib. Within it, a tiny infant wailed in terror.
William moved quickly, scooping the child into his arms. She was light, fragile, barely more than a few months old. He shielded her with his coat and turned to escape the burning structure. The moment he stepped outside, the roof caved in behind him, sending embers and ash into the night sky. He hurried back to the dying woman, cradling the child in his arms. Her fading eyes locked onto the bundle he carried, and a weak, yet relieved, smile crossed her lips. Tears mixed with the soot on her cheeks as she struggled to speak once more.
"Her name... is Aurelia..." she murmured, her voice barely audible.
William nodded, acknowledging her words. But then she added something strange, something that made his chest tighten.
"Take her away... as far as you can... or they will find her... they kill her..."
Then, with a final, shuddering breath, her body went limp. The life left her eyes, and William knew it was time. He closed his eyes for a brief moment before allowing her soul to depart, granting her the peace she deserved. As her spirit faded into the afterlife, he remained kneeling beside the small, helpless child in his arms. His mind replayed the woman's final words. Who were 'they'? And why would anyone want to harm an innocent baby? He looked down at Aurelia. She had calmed in his embrace, her tiny fingers gripping the fabric of his coat. An unfamiliar emotion stirred within him.
He had a choice to make.
Returning her to the human world was an option. He could leave her at an orphanage, let fate decide her path. But as he looked into her tiny face, he remembered the desperate plea of her mother. "Take her away."
If there were truly forces seeking to harm this child, he could not simply leave her unprotected. Decision made, William took the child with him to the Shinigami realm. He carried her to his own home, a solitary place that had never held warmth or comfort before. As he entered, the silence felt heavier than usual. He placed Aurelia gently onto his bed, watching as she curled up, her tiny breaths steadying. She was utterly vulnerable. Over the next few days, he devoted himself to her care, something he had never imagined himself doing. He fed her, cleaned her, and ensured she remained warm and safe. At first, it was merely fulfilling a duty, an obligation to a dying woman's final request. But as time passed, he found himself becoming attached.
He had never considered the idea of being a guardian, much less a father. And yet, as he watched over Aurelia, that was exactly what he had become. One question still lingered in his mind... Who were 'they' that the mother had feared? Whoever they were, he knew one thing for certain, he would protect this child from them at all costs.
He would teach her how to survive, how to defend herself. He did not yet know how, but he would find a way. As he lay beside her that night, he found himself staring at the ceiling, lost in thought. He had collected many souls in his existence, but for the first time, he had chosen to save a life instead. Aurelia stirred in her sleep, and instinctively, he placed a gentle hand over her tiny body, ensuring she was still there.
He closed his eyes.
From this moment forward, she was his daughter. And nothing in this world or beyond would ever take her from him.
No matter what it took...
He would keep her safe.