Shadowed Heart

[TheCommander]

Today was the day the Grim Reaper came from his duties back to the Divide, a small area that held the space between Life and Death. It was the Grim Reapers home and the safest place in the universe as nothing could enter or exit without his permission. Most of the time his time was filled with the duty of carrying the souls of the dead to the afterlife and then to carry those who were to be reborn back to the Divide where the Life Keeper would breathe new life into them. Today however he had put his tasks aside and entered the Divide with no purpose of his duties invading his mind. Today he would become a father.


His duties would one day be passed on to another, thousands of years of carting souls back and forth had taken it toll and soon it would be time to pass on his duties to another. His 'child' would come to him in the shadows on this day and it would be his task to raise the child correctly so that there would be a fit predecessor when his time to retire arrived.


It was calm in the Divide, nothing stirred and nothing was out of order here, he made his way over to the Shadows and waited, here the child would arrive.


The darkness seethed at his appearance and it grew and grew until it towered over him, a voice spoke out into the Divide that shook the Grim Reapers bones, “Watch over her for she will be his path back toward the light through the darkness.”


With that the shadows dispersed, leaving in their wake a tiny baby. The Grim Reaper took the baby into his skeletal hands and she smiled and giggled blooming joy in his empty ribcage. She was extremely pale, as if blood did not flow under her skin and she had small horns that protruded from her head that was lightly dusted with red and white hair. He large eyes were a pale red, reflecting his skeletal appearance back at him and she had outward pointed ears giving her the appearance of the elves that had lived hundreds of years ago.


He knew he had to protect her, he waved a hand and a Shade appeared. This was the strongest Shade he had, nearly matched him in power and he would have to trust this Shade with his daughters life while he carried on his duties as the Grim Reaper. She would be his Soul.

 

[Tigress]

Shiro had been given the duty of protecting the tiny baby girl since the day she had been born, and as the strongest Shade living in the Divide, he was more than happy to do that for his 'master'. He had raised her, taught her everything she knew, and eventually grown to love her. But the poor creature didn't realize his love for her. All he knew was that he wanted to protect her, whether it was on order from the Grim Reaper or not. They had become the best of friends over time, and each time she snuck into Life he would worry for her, because he couldn't follow her. So he couldn't protect her.


Right now, he drifted through the Divide, the warped landscape seeming to swirl around him as he moved. Blood red eyes keen, he looked around, forcing open doors and peering into the rooms before giving a sigh when he couldn't find the girl. "I will find you, Soul~ You know I will!" he called out to her, long white hair seeming to melt into the shadow-like body he was forced to possess. He didn't know this though, to him this was normal.


Stepping out into the twisting 'gardens', he continued with his search for his friend and the girl he was supposed to care for with his life.

 

[TheCommander]

Soul giggled from her hiding place in the high tree tops of one of the half dead trees in the garden, everything in the Divide looked like this, half dead and half alive. She had been living here for twenty years and she loved the place but she always felt a pull to go adventuring in Life while her dad wasn't around and her dearest Shiro wasn't there to watch her every step. She had a closer bond with Shiro than she had with her father and loved to spend time with him and he never turned down the opportunity to play hide and seek.


Her horns had grown since her birth and not were antlers that glided along her head, she also sported claw like nails that made her an expert climber. Her tail was a useful object at tripping Shiro when he wasn't looking where he was going and it entertained the small souls when they were feeling down.


She waited until Shiro was right below her and she pounced, falling soundlessly from the tree and landing on him with the grace of a killer. She squealed with delight, "Boo!" before jumping up and scurrying back up the trees, her claws vaulting her up into the shadowed treetops till she disappeared once more.

 

[Tigress]

A loud yelp sounded when Shiro was forced to the ground by a weight landing on his back, and he turned his grin to look at his friend. "Dammit you got me" he said with a laugh before rolling over when he was released and climbing up quickly, drifting quickly after her and catching the tree she climbed up easily. A bright grin formed on his lips and he climbed up easily, sitting down on the branch next to her while brushing his long, shaggy white fringe away from garnet eyes.


"Okay so that's how many points for each of us? I lost track. Either that or you knocked the memory away when you almost flattened me" he said with a laugh, taking her hand and squeezing it gently before reaching up to ruffle her hair. Ever since she had been a child they had a relationship like this. Mocking and teasing each other while he remained super protective and caring for her.


He swung his shadow-like legs lazily, looking down at the swirling ground a distance below them both. She hadn't been to Life in ages, and he was currently very worried that she was going to decide to go there again soon. He hated it when she wen to Life, because he had no way to protect her and keep her safe, all he could do was watch her through a shadow window. He could see everything that happened to her, but could do nothing about it.

 

[TheCommander]

Soul giggled and rested her head on Shiro's shoulder, he was always warm and safe no matter what. They stayed like that for an age and she felt like she was dozing off so she snapped herself awake, "My dad isn't coming home for a while" she began, knowing her sneaking off to Life made Shiro unhappy but she couldn't squish her urge for adventure, "so I'm going to take the opportunity to go scout a bit in Life. I heard there have been some souls trapped in a village that my father hasn't been able to access because he is too busy, I want to go get them." She jumped down from the tree and landed in a crouch, easing up and looking up at Shiro, "don't worry, I'll be back!" she then melted into the shadows.


The colour hit her like a blast, this was what she loved about Life, the endless array of colours that were splattered across her vision. She grinned and set off at a light jog, she had transported herself to a field not far from the village and she could see the houses peaking out over the hill. She slowed her approach when she neared the village and slipped into the shadows, she had learned that she was not a normal being among the humans that inhabited this part of the forest, her horns just made her stand out not to mention her clothing that was made up of shadows that shifted and moved around her. She walked among the villagers who were scurrying about trying to do last minute errands before the sun sunk below the mountain.

 

[Tigress]

Shiro pouted when she mentioned her father being away and he gave a small, nervous whine and his bright eyes widened. "Soul, you really shouldn't go, what if something-" he was cut off by her running off through the Divide and into Life and he sighed, "- happens to you..." he finished, speaking to himself now as he dropped down from the tree after her, brushing hair from his eyes as he moved through the large mansion-like building towards his quarters where he settled down at his desk, summoning a shadow window and gazing mournfully into it.


Soul always seemed so much happier in Life than she did in the Divide, and that upset him greatly. He had no way of causing her as much happiness as that colour filled place caused for her, and he had no way of keeping her safe when she was there. A heavy sigh escaped his lips and his blood eyes became slightly teary, but the shade quickly shook his head in an attempt to get them away. "She'll be fine... Sh-she always is..." he whimpered out softly, tugging his hair over his shoulder and nervously tearing his fingers through it to get rid of nonexistent knots.

 

[TheCommander]

Soul smiled as she wandered through the shadows, for some reason she had always felt that Shiro should be out here, in the colour. Colour always reminded her of him and she could imagine him now, walking beside telling her fantastic stories while the sun set. She wondered what he was doing now while she was away, hopefully he was getting some rest and not worrying about her. Her mind was focused when she sensed the souls nearby and she hurried forward till she came to the gates of a grave yard. This was an odd human tradition, to bury the body of the dead but it did make souls easier to find as they often hung close to their bodies until they were called to the afterlife.


Something brushed her side and she looked down to see a small blue orb floating by her side, she crouched down so she was on eye level with it, "hey little guy, is it time to get some rest?" she asked and it glowed a little brighter. She gently reached out and pulled it into her hand, holding it as she went in search for more, it was odd that the souls could not escape this grave yard on their own. It was an odd ability she had to communicate with the souls, even her father lacked it but it may be because he just didn't have the time to converse with the souls anymore as war seemed to be one of the living's favourite pass-times.


Soul was humming gently to the little blue orb in her hand and she didn't notice the trap laid out in front of her, she walked straight into it. Purple bolts shot up from the ground and created a sphere around her, locking her in place. She pulled the orb close to her chest and tried to disolve in the shadows but the purple bolts seemed to be stopping her. She hissed and spun around, "who's there?" she called, "let me the hell out of this thing!"

 

[Tigress]

Shiro sighed deeply as he watched her talking to the souls as she collected them, seeing her smiling face. He couldn't help but feel what should have been his heart flutter. She was always so eager to please the souls and make them feel better about their passing, she was always so gentle and loving towards them. She was perfect to take the Grim Reaper's place. In his eyes, she would be better than him. But who was he to judge? He was nothing more than a mere shade after all, he had no right to say who the better Reaper of Souls was.


However, when he saw her step onto what looked like a trap, he paled quickly, leaping to his feet. And his suspicions were confirmed by the bolts of purple trapping her where she stood. This was bad, this was very, very bad. She needed his help, but he had no way to get to her! Unless... He paused briefly, biting his lip before giving a nod and rushing out of his room as fast as possible, hunting for the Witch of the Divide. He knew that for her help, he would have to give something up, but for Soul... Anything was worth it to make sure she was safe. He burst into the woman's room, causing her to start and look up from the work on her desk, black hair swirling around her. "Shiro? What on earth has gotten into your head?" she demanded, and he was quick to grab her shoulders, garnet eyes wide as he looked at her. "I need a spell. I don't car what the price is, but I have to get to Life! Soul is in danger, please just give me a spell!" he begged her, his form flickering because of his terror. The witch stepped back slightly, looking at him. "I can give you what you want, Shiro, but the price you will need to pay is your life. Are you willing?". The shade stiffened immediately. His life... Soul would never see him again, but she would be safe. Squeezing his eyes shut, he bowed his head.


"I am willing." he murmured out, voice cracking slightly. He didn't want to abandon Soul, but whatever he chose, she would lose him. Having her safe was better than watching her suffer. The witch nodded and forced the poison spell into his mouth. He swallowed it down, brushing away a tear as he thanked her before spinning and darting through the shadows into Life.


Colour blinded him slightly and he stepped back, having appeared in the shadows near the trap that had caught his best friend, the woman he loved, and he looked at her after adjusting to the colour. "Soul" he whimpered out, looking at her as he moved forward slightly.

 

[TheCommander]

Soul had been trapped for a while now, each moment that passed she counted and yet nothing had appeared and still she had a sinking feeling of dread. She had heard of this before, holy elves mostly that believed that her father was killing people instead of just caring for the souls, they would set traps for him in hope of capturing and killing him. A cold shiver ran down her spine. If only she had listened to Shiro, she would be safe with him back in the Divide, he would watch over her and keep her safe and warm until the time when she would ascend to the throne. Maybe then she would be able to confess her love, being a princess meant her father still had a say but if she was queen then nothing could stop her.


Something moved in the shadows and she spun around, baring her teeth only to see a horror unlike anything she had expected before her. "Shiro..." she murmured, her voice barely audible. There was her beloved Shiro just were she had always imagined him, standing in amongst the colours of the flowers that encased the ground. Her legs collapsed, "Shiro....no" she knew the only way for a Shade to cross over was to strike a deal with the Divide's witch and the price was your life. "No! Go back! It's not to late, just tell her you made a mistake!" she cried out, tears streaming from her face as she knew you couldn't undo a deal with the witch once it was struck. She saw his body already beginning to dissolve, like it could no longer hold its beautiful form.

 

[Tigress]

Shiro offered a slightly pained smiled at her words, drifting forward and shaking his head slightly. "Go back and leave the woman in my care to be hurt? I don't think so... You're destined to take your father's place, and it is my job to protect you...." he whispered softly, dragging his hand through the chalk markings on the ground and destroying the trap that had held her in place. Once it fell, he moved closer, hugging her tightly and gently wiping away her tears while hoping she wouldn't see his. His grip tightened slightly as he gave a shaky breath, pain coursing through his body like a knife. Squeezing his eyes shut, he smiled.


"Besides... I didn't only do this because it's my job.... Or because I've known you your whole life...." he whispered out, pulling back ever so slightly to plant a weak little kiss on her forehead, his form fading much faster now that he had spent some time in Life, but that didn't stop him from offering her a sweet, gentle and encouraging smile. "I couldn't just leave the person I... The person I love to be hurt... I have to see you safe... Go back to the Divide, Soul, where you can remain safe until you take your father's place...." he whispered out, giving her another hug before his body became too weak to hold itself up. Seconds felt like hours as that last little bit of light faded from gorgeous blood coloured eyes, and a hollow husk lay curled up on the ground, lifeless and gone.


The deal with the witch was done, and his life was gone. Soul was alone.

 

[TheCommander]

Tears streamed from her eyes as Shiro dusted away the chalk that caged her, when the cage was gone she lunged forward to help support him, her mind screaming for help and ways to save him. "No, don't leave me!" she cried but when he said the words she had been waiting, dying to hear ever since she knew what love was she felt her heart break. She watched the life drain from her beloved, his beautiful eyes fading right before her and she could do nothing to stop it. She was one of the most powerful being in the universe yet she had no power to stop the one she loved from dying.


Soul gently lowered his body to the ground, the world around them seemed to be sapped of all its colour and not a sound could be heard. She was hunched over his body, tears streaming down her face and dripping onto the pathetic shell left of his body. She threw her head back and screamed into the night, not caring what or who heard her but the pain that hammered inside her was too much. The soul that had been tucked away in her clothes floated out and gently rested against her beloved's side, as if mourning the loss along with her. Then another soul came to her side followed by another and another until the whole graveyard was teeming with souls, all focused on the body of her beloved.


Her breath caught as they began to lift his body from the ground, slowly and steadily while the emitted a bright blue that swallowed every colour around them. She felt her heart stop when his body began to glow.

 

[Tigress]

Shiro could feel something. He felt like he was floating. Is this how it felt to be dead? It felt nice, so relaxing and calm, like sitting in a peaceful Zen garden. But there was something wrong too, he could hear and feel the coldness of despair... Was it Soul? He hoped not, she didn't deserve to feel so much despair because of his death, he was just an unimportant Shade after all. But those thoughts soon vanished as memories flooded his aching, trapped mind.


He wasn't just a Shade. He wasn't a Shade at all.. How could he have forgotten that? It must have been part of the trick. The hollow shell that was once his shade body seemed to crack and two large, white feathered wings caused it to shatter, the pieces vanishing into thin air as he carefully climbed to his feet, his splayed wings quickly folding back against him, and his floor length white hair braided carefully, only his long fringe hanging in front of his eyes. He seemed to struggle slightly with standing again, evidently he was used to the way Shades just drifted around without needing to worry about being tripped. But once he finally got his balance again, he spun around, surrounded by the souls, and looked back at the woman he had fallen for all those years ago.


"Soul..." he whispered before a grin formed on his lip and he laughed. "Ah it feels good to remember again! It feels good to be myself again!" he said happily, darting forward and hugging her close, large wings wrapping around them both. "I'm back, Soul... It's me, Shiro..."

 

[TheCommander]

Soul watched in wonder as wings extended from the light, so pure and bright that she had to avert her eyes for a moment. When she saw Shiro's form dissolve she wanted to scream out again, couldn't she even have his body to mourn? but it was then that she saw the body that took it's place. She was sure it was what the humans liked to call 'angel' a being that emitted light so strong that her shadows finally had to work to keep their place beside her. It looked like Shiro but his hair no longer melted around him but was neatly braided down his back and brushed the ground where his feet now stood. She had never thought about it but she had never seen his feet, Shade's glided and had no need for feet.


"No...you can't be real" she began only to be cut off when his arms wrapped around her followed by the delicate touch of his wings. It was like being surrounded by all the colours she had ever seen and more and only then she knew it was him. No one could copy the feeling that fluttered up through her chest when he touched her or that small of fresh lemons that always lingered in the air when he was near her. She embraced him then, hugging him tighter than she had ever before and burying her head in his shoulder, feeling that if she let go she might loose him again. "Shiro!"

 

[Tigress]

He grinned happily when she hugged him back, and he quickly lifted her up to hug her, kissing her cheek gently before letting go of her, but keeping his grip on her hands. "I wasn't lying about what I said... I've loved you for a few years now.... I couldn't tell you though, because I was a mere Shade..." he whispered softly hugging her again before coughing awkwardly and stepping back. "Ah, you don't know who I really am, you only know me as the Shade... I'm Shiro, the Prince of Life."


He processed his own words before laughing slightly. "You're father is going to murder me if he finds out I love you..." he murmured softly as he looked around and tugged his long hair over his shoulder thoughtfully, taking in the colours while also scouring the area to see if there were any other traps that would catch his beloved Soul. He couldn't have that happening. No, he couldn't have that happening at all.

 

[TheCommander]

Soul was speechless for a few moments, "the Prince of Light?" she asked quizzically, "I thought the Prince died centuries ago?" she however did not doubt his honesty, the souls swarmed around them both happily as the conversed. When he told her he loved her once more she couldn't help herself, she reached up and kissed him, it was quick and gentle but it spoke more words than she ever could convey. "I'll worry about my father" she said, a blush creeping up her face, "what's more important is that you are more alive than I have ever seen you!"


At that moment she felt the shadows around her shudder and surge, he was here. She spun around to face her father, the most feared being in the universe, the Grim Reaper, Death itself. One look at him made her realise it may not be as easy to convince him as she thought, she only knew the kind and loving side of her father but the anger that seeped off him and fed into the shadows proved this was not that father she knew.


"Step away from my daughter" he seethed, as he spoke black mist poured from his teeth. She may be in love with a Prince but he was a King, his power easily outdid Shiro's and was only accented by the fact that all the light that had surrounded them had nearly been effortlessly blocked out, the shadows lapping at her skin lovingly, calling her home.

 

[Tigress]

"Yes, the Prince of Life. I didn't die, let's just say I was... Tricked into losing all of my memories and becoming a Shade, and I have absolutely no idea if your father knows anything about it" he murmured quietly, smiling as he held her hands in his own, large wings fluttering with happiness. The fluttering became even more insistent at the kiss, forcing him to flare his wings open slightly before folding them loosely against his back again. He gave a chuckle at her last words. "Aaah that's because I was merely a husk in that last form... I wasn't me, not completely." his voice was soft and loving, and he smiled softly.


His smile faded at the sudden darkness surrounding him and Soul, letting go of her hands and stepping back ever so slightly, giving an awkward cough. "Obviously didn't know about it... My apologies, Sire." he said with a slight bow of his head, not wanting to say anything about how he had been the Sade that raised the princess for fear of really being killed. He was slightly startled when the heavy shadows surrounding them all were suddenly forced back by a bright light, and he glanced up, a warm smile appeared on his lips and long, slender fingers rested gently on his shoulder. "It's rare to see you out in the open, mother" he murmured softly, and the woman offered her son a gentle smile. "It's good to see you back, my dear."


With the familial greetings done, she turned towards the darker persons, fiery golden eyes narrowed slightly. "I am the Keeper of Life. I am probably not what you expected to see, but that is of no concern right now. You had better watch what you say to my son, Grim Reaper. My son saved your daughter's life just as much as she saved his." she snapped out, her voice eerily calm and gentle despite the anger it held. But all that seemed to fade when she turned towards Soul, offering her a beautiful, grateful smile. "Thank you, dear, for bringing him back..."

 

[TheCommander]

Soul opened her mouth, trying to find the right words when a sudden brightness made her flinch, she may love Life but she still belonged to Death, harsh light wasn't exactly a cake walk to withstand. The souls that floated about surrounded her to protect her and she looked gratefully at them, nuzzling them happily. With the sudden light had come a figure like no other, the very description of beauty itself. She stared with her jaw open and turned to her father.


She was the only one who could read his emotions, lacking the physical ability to display them he often seemed emotionless and uncaring but she knew all to well how much he did feel and oh could she feel the awe that was radiating from him. When the woman spoke to her she stammered, "I....uuuh...I-it was a pleasure" she finally got out, blushing.


She could feel her father tense, "after all these years of working with you, I have never seen you before, I am....surprised" he said, cool and devoid of emotion even though she could feel the chaos in the shadows. "Come now daughter of mine, it is time we went home" he never once turned away from the Keeper and Soul felt a small smirk play at her lips. She gave Shiro a light kiss on the cheek and then hoped over to her father. She laughed, "I'm sure we will be seeing you around" she called before the shadows enveloped them.

 

[Tigress]

Keeper nodded her head politely. "Most are, when I allow myself to be seen. No matter." she stated with a slight shrug, her long white silken dress swirling at her feet as she stepped back slightly. Her gaze was steely as she watched the Grim Reaper turn to leave, before smiling fondly at the interaction between her son and the Princess of Death. It was sweet, really, and good to know that they would work together well when the time came for them to take their rightful places.


Shiro hugged his beloved close after the gentle kiss on his cheek and he smiled softly, watching as she moved towards the skeletal male. "I shall see you soon, Soul!" he called out with a smile, hoping very much that his words were true. He wanted to see her again, he needed to see her again. But whether the Grim Reaper, her father, would allow it or not was a different story. He looked up towards the gorgeous woman he was happy to call his mother, and she smiled down at him. "The Princess of Death really is a beautiful girl. You two will care for this world well, my dear, I am proud to leave what I created in your hands. Come now, let's go home" she murmured in that sweet, angelic voice.


The boy smiled softly and nodded. "Thank you, mother" he said happily, before vanishing with her in a flash of light, reappearing in the Void between Life and the Afterlife. This is where the Souls were reborn before being sent back to Life. This was his home.

 

[TheCommander]

The Divide swirled into view and Soul glanced up at her father, he looked lost in thought and she smiled, hoping his future would hold many good things. The souls nudged her side and she hummed to them, " I think it is time these went to rest." She said and her father nodded. She watched as he ushered them gently along towards Death, wishing people could see this gentle side of him and not always fear him.


Grim helped the souls into Death and made sure they were settled before he assumed his place on his throne. Death was peace itself, as beautiful as all Life's colours were nothing could match the fufilment and happiness that enveloped the souls in Death. Normally he felt peaceful here but today he could not sit still. The Keeper of Life who had worked with for as long as he had existed finally had a face, and it upset him. He was a She, and this particular she made his non existent stomach do back flips. He laughed and looked down at his hands, he was a skeleton and no matter what no one but his daughter ever saw him as anything more. He slumped down in his throne and placed his skull in his hands, wishing for the first time in existence that he was not who he was.


The shadows then pulled toward him, covering him completely and he smiled at their attempt to make him feel better, then suddenly his body started to tingle and he looked down at his hands, they were gaining layers of muscle and skin! When the sensation passed he transported himself to his room in the Dive and looked in the mirror. He had somehow taken the form of a human like being.

 

[Tigress]

The Keeper gave a gentle groan as she settled down on her throne and Shiro was immediately at her side, making sure she was alright and frowning deeply at her. "You've used up so much strength because I haven't been here... I'm sorry, mother, I know how difficult it is for you to escort the souls to their new bodies in Life..." he murmured softly, biting his lip. he woman gentle grabbed his shoulder and shook her head. "Relax, my son, it wasn't your fault. I know what happened to you" she murmured softly, smiling at him.


But Shiro couldn't help feeling worried. He knew Death was a peaceful thing, but when his mother took souls from the afterlife to give them a new life, she took whatever pain that remained with them into herself. Being it the abuse they endured during life, or the way they died. She kept their pain inside her, and it sapped her of her energy very quickly, especially if she used strength to travel between Life and the Void. Which is what Shiro had always done to help her. Now that he was back, he could do it once again. "I know mother, but... You know how travelling to Life uses so much of your strength... It's not good. You must rest for a while, alright? I can handle transporting the souls now that I'm home again."


He was itching to see Soul again. He loved her, he couldn't just... Leave her and never see her again right after they had confessed to each other. But he was tired from reawakening, and his mother could see it. Placing a gentle hand onto his shoulder, she looked at him. "Shiro... We can both rest for a bit. You're exhausted. I don't want you tiring yourself out before you have a chance to see her again. "

 

[TheCommander]

Grim had been standing in front of the mirror for a few minutes trying to understand what happened when Soul came wandering in. She stopped dead in her tracks and stared, "dad?" She asked and he blushed, the warmth that flooded his checks was completely new to him. Soul began laughing, "how did you manage that?" She asked and he tried his voice out, "I....uuuuh.....don't really know" he said scratching his head. His voice had even changed, no longer the rasping but now a rich deep voice with a slight english accent tinge. He winced, "the Shadows did it."


Soul just stared the a grin flared up across her face, her dad was damn gorgeous and along with this change came his blatant inability to hide his emotions. She supposed he had never really had to before but it made him absolutely adorable. She opened her mouth to call Shiro then stopped herself, it felt odd, wrong even not having him at her side. She pushed the thought away and went to her father's side, "well the dead aren't going to get to Death by themselves, let's get to work." She tugged his hand and he nodded, his shaggy hair falling in his eyes and he pushed it away. This was going to take a while to get used to for him.

 

[Tigress]

Shiro helped his mother gather the souls from the afterlife that were going to be Reborn, and he watched her with pure curiosity as she breathed Life back into them, before whining softly when he saw her wince in pain. "Bad death, huh?" he asked softly and she nodded, golden eyes pined slightly before relaxing again. She worked easily through the hundred souls that had been chosen, and Shiro couldn't help feeling sorrow whenever he saw her in pain. Giving a gentle sigh he stood up, the souls swarming around him. "I'm going to talk to the Sorceress, see if there's a way I can visit the Divide to see Soul again... I know they won't be able to come here, so..." he trailed off, and the woman smiled. "Go for it dear, but bring them to their new bodies first..."


Nodding at the request, Shiro said his goodbyes before entering back into Life with the souls, guiding them to their new homes. He smiled when he felt their glee and happiness as they entered their new bodies, and he couldn't help but chuckle at this. He couldn't hide in the shadows, unlike Soul, so he had to cast a spell that made him invisible to the eyes of humans. He stepped back out onto the streets, wings slightly flared to keep the remaining souls safe, and to protect them from harm.

 

[TheCommander]

When they entered life Soul lead her father along, he gave her directions and they visited village after villages, collecting hundreds of souls as they went until they had a miniature river of blue following after them. It had been forever since she had worked alongside her father and their methods of doing the same thing astounded her still. The souls flocked to either of them, Soul made them feel better by entertaining and humming to them while her father merely touched them and they had a calmness about them afterward.


They entered the final village for the day and Soul could feel Shiro in the air around her. She grinned and looked at her father and he gave an exasperated nod and she bounced forward to where she could feel the light emitting from. There he was, even more beautiful than she remembered, his back to her with his wings outstretched. She raced to him and launched herself at his back, her arms wrapping around him tightly and she nuzzled her face into the dip where his wings joined his back.

 

[Tigress]

Shiro worked alone in complete silence, except for the soft humming that calmed down the soul's excitement. He had gone back to the Void a few times now to collect more souls, and no he was on his final run, sending the last few souls to their new lives. A beautiful thing, but also very upsetting if they ended up with bad lives. He barely even heard Soul racing up behind him, but he had felt her presence, and a happy laugh escaped his lips when she leaped at him, the final purple soul in his possession hiding against his side as he hugged he close. "Hey Soul" he purred out happily, nuzzling her gently before directing to the soul at his side with a grin. "Watch this. I know how you reap souls, but you've never seen me give them their lives, have you?" he murmured, giving the soul a gentle push towards the sleeping newborn in mother's arms. The little purple thing seemed so eager to have new life, it pressed against Shiro one last time before slipping into the child's body through its eyes. The infant yawned, purpose seeming to fill its body as it nuzzled closer to the woman holding it.


"You'll be the next one to take care of that soul... When its time comes" he murmured, squeezing her hand with a smile before finally noticing the man that had been with Soul staring at them. He shuddered, worried about who that person could be. Her new caretaker? He hoped not, he was the only one allowed to protect and care for Soul. "So uh... Who exactly is that guy you were with....?" he asked timidly, looking back at him before hugging her close.

 

[TheCommander]

Soul watched in wonder as the soul was given new life, so this was how it was done. She had always wondered how the souls were reborn and now she finally knew thanks to Shiro. "You've come a long way, Mr Shade" she joked "No more shadows for you" she suddenly felt the lose again hit her chest. Even though he was in the perfect place she still felt the selfish loss of not having him at her side. She covered the sudden sadness up with a smile, they were polar opposites but she knew they would somehow make it work.


When he asked about her father she gave a little laugh, "don't tell me your brains so scrambled you don't remember the mighty King Of Death?" she joked and lightly punched his arm, "he just had a bit of a make-over, said the shadows did it and he doesn't know how or how to reverse it." she smiled knowingly when her father turned his head to the side, his shaggy hair covering his face, he was blushing.


Grim watched his daughter with the Prince of Life and scowled, he didn't dislike the kid but he was going to distract Soul from her duties as the carrier of Souls. He couldn't leave this life knowing that his successor was not going to be able to do the job correctly, she was more than capable but she had a tendency to get distracted. When they started talking about him he felt the blood rushing to his face involuntarily and he turned away, it was the only way he could hide it. This sudden vulnerability to his emotions made him feel too easy to read and he knew Soul could already read him like a book, he didn't want others doing the same.