Deus

Black fog permeated the air, Greg tried to persevere the scene, he hated scenes like this. Not because it made him sick to the stomach but the amount of work that was attached to counting: the bodies, cleaning the area and keeping the media or known public away was vexing. Bending down his knees made a creaking sound. “Damn it” he uttered rubbing his lower back. The clipboard fell into a puddle, picking it back up a string of raven red slime stuck to the wooden board. “You’re contaminating the scene” came the shrewd voice behind him. Turning a man in an ivory-colored hazmat suit stared at him head cocked to the side. His purple eyes mirrored his “I don’t think he’d care much” he replied. Using the other end of his protected hands wiped the substance off. The visor on his suit began to mist and fog up, making it difficult for him to see the name on the paper. “Goliar Voltir died by a broken neck, time of death second half of the nights moon”, “Use modern terms damnit” Craig rolled his eyes “six o’clock” he scribbled on his clipboards. “There, God you must be a stickler don’t you” Greg stood at least 2 feet taller than him “I’m following the rules here guy, you know how he gets” At the side of his eyes he made out what look to be a child as she ran back and forth through the corridor of bodies. She sang a whispery song he could barely figure out what it was. He thought to himself as he watched her run back from the edge of one body to the other. "little Adva’s” Greg said dropping the folder on the floor. Believing her to be a nuisance he walked over to her, she stopped conflicting eyes of grey and purple looked back at him “huh Mar" Adva said back to him dropping her smile. “Three clams in his hand" she continued. “He was busy today much more than usual; he knew he could owe it all to the festival of the ancients which was commencing right around the corner.” Adva pointed to a dirt mound nestled in the corner of a shack. Affixed a top the mound stood a stone statue depicting a clothe woman holding a baby calf in her arms. Greg took notice of the sky the clouds moved slowly in a fluorescent wave blue as the ocean circled around them and the entire island for that matter, he looked at Adva her eyes looked tired he thought to himself. She must have reaped a hundred souls before they arrived. "come and eat" Greg said to her as he gestured her over to the shack "it's especially hot today, the sun seems to be angry today" she replied in a half dehydrated and tired tone, Greg conjured up a cup of fresh water and gave her a roll of bread and a small scale of arbor fish. Adva face lit up like shining stars in the moonlight night.

Adva sat under the counter table, her pointed ears stuck upward even more as perspiration drip onto her face, a small shaggy pup ran up to her he made a whimpering sound and sat quietly staring " no do not feed him he is dead “came Greg’s voice over the wooden counter. Adva finished her meal and looked out into the destroyed town, she noticed a long line of people staring out of one the shacks. “Amulets and jewels” looking at Greg “she loved being with her father at this shack, she loved it better than being around her mother all day complaining about the money he brought home and how she could have married a real estate investor going on and on about his many houses on the mainland.” Adva sipped the water as Greg eyes turned to her “Adva's who are you talking about” he asked perplexed. Adva was always like this offering information with little to no context. Unlike his other boss she never critiques his work, Temen on the other hand critiqued everything that he did even the clothes that he wore, but not to Craig it seems Craig was his favorite.

Usually, she and Temen would reap on different continents but this, this was like the Valley Basin in its final days of conflict, circa 14th century. When the captains and generals locked the ports off to allow Lucian knights to slaughter every soldier they could. Not a soul could leave that port, destroyed ships and screaming blood-soaked peasants forced Basined to surrender. Ten days later a hastily put together peace treaty was signed. Craig was on a fishing expedition at the time only Roll and him were sadly occupied reaping souls. Adva never let it get her down, she stood up moving in the sight of Greg and waited for the last soul in the shack to step forward. They stood in a line Adva opened her mouth to speak, but Temen beat her to the punch with a smile he stood their leather jacket sleeves rolled up to his wrist. Stacks of Buddha beads dangled from both wrists. Adva looked at his once long wavy locks cut into a short slick of hair, green shades pulled down to the brim of his narrow nose revealing the tiny scar over his left eye. "I'm closing up early today” Temen said exposing his gold tooth. “We can go see the festival by the giant mountain on the main island before going home” Temen reaches into a drugstore bag pulling out a green video game case tossing it to Craig “I’ve made it in to get this” Craig catches the game with a wide smile “A job done good”, “Well” Adva corrected him. Temen ignored the slight jab ‘what do you say?”, as if he read her mind all Adva could do was smile. “Sure”

The nights shooting star flashed over the cobbled streets Greg at the edge of a bench watching the fluorescent fixtures protruding out of the ground illuminate every part of the street, purple and greens mixed with blues hues. Morphean’s crowded the bottom of the mountain, in droves, all wearing beautiful dresses of silk and woven shirts for the men, Adva watched as one boy with great excitement kept tugging on the bottom of his mother's dress snot nose and red-cheeked she could not hear him yet she sensed his desire, she wanted to do the same "Father can we go to the top and watch the red liquid bubble over” She asked Temen impatiently, Temen glared at her his glasses tucked in his shirt. “Your brother will be furious seeing “as he is going to miss this”

Adva's eyes looked perplexed she raised her head cocking it to the side revealing a gum filled smile" He is too busy playing that new game you brought him. Greg burst out in instant laughter "By Voda's grace he’d be happier getting a kill strike than watch a volcano up close,” Temen paused rubbing the end of his bare chin "alright but we cannot stay too long".

The top of the mountain was long with a steep landing, violet touched torches blazed a path all the way up the spiraling path, Greg struggled to get up the path, his knees ached with each step he took, he took a quick pause, sitting on a giant rock nestled at the edge of the path sat in a cascading line of other larger rocks and boulders. Adva, who was about a foot ahead stopped turning back she could see sitting, Greg started to rub his knees as Adva ran back. “I'm sorry, old injury I guess” Adva smiled and sat next to him, the smell of roses always made Greg happy it broke the gloom of the morning watching the beauty of the mainland, as all the Morphean’s in excitement danced and laughed in the garden surrounded by lilies and roses of violet. He plucked one of the roses that intermingled and spiraled around the rock and tucked it in between her ear and hair. The bright purple brought out the red of her eyes, Adva smiled as she grabbed his hand motivating him to go on. Temen screamed from above “Hurry up you two”

Once at the top Greg had to catch his breath clenching his hands on his knees Adva ran towards the massive gaping hole, the red liquid was feverish tonight bubbling and sloshing crimson matched her eyes. Adva closed them, clasping her hands to together simultaneously bowing her head. Finally catching his breath, walked over to his companions, viewing the violent calm of the volcano, he looked to Temen who also held his hands clasped eyes closed “What do you really wish for” he asked as Adva opened her eyes looking out into the opening Adva took a deep breath as if to calm herself, “That the souls of that entire island find peace. Greg looked at her widened eyes” like a flash he could see her human face with sought stained blood splotch all over. The rules forbade performing the ritual for a soul so young, but he could not send her to the other side. “By Voda's grace and judgement they will fine their peace.” Clasping his together he too wished for peace but not of the souls he reaped Temen coughed as the two turned their attention to him a shock ran over hid stern-face “I sense him, and I know you too as well, the heart of this island the core of the people is off it feels unstable, never forget this feeling you two more blood will follow believe you me it will follow”. Adva nodded her head in acknowledgment Greg did the same.