CHAPTER 154

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[David Lance POV]

Did… she say she was… fucking Death?! As in: I'm gonna harvest your soul, Death?! 

"Why are you here?" I asked, keeping my tone as respectful as possible, looking around. "Is this some sort of cosmic intervention because I made some bad life choices?"

"Oh no, nothing like that," Death chuckled as she shook her head. "If anything, you're the one that dropped unannounced, which I have to admit, is a first for me. This is my realm, my room if you wish."

"But, I was... in my mind a few moments ago," I asked, looking around. "I mean, this place looks exactly like the one I was before, but... prettier."

"Hmm, a nightmare at the hands of Trigon, I suppose," Death replied, her lips forming a thin line. "And as for the similarities between this place and your nightmare, well, sometimes woods tend to look similar, I suppose."

I nodded. "I guess that makes sense. As for Trigon…. Well… Based on what I know, I'm stuck in a nightmare loop with him."

"That would explain why you lack a physical form right now," Death mused as she looked at me. "Half of your soul is here, and the other is keeping Trigon at bay, it's rather remarkable."

My soul was doing what?!

"What do you mean by that?" I asked with an awkward smile.

"Well, your other half is keeping Trigon trapped in the stage he created, stalling him for as long as possible, giving you time to... remember who you are," Death replied, her expression turning serious. "That, however, doesn't explain how you got here. Not even my siblings can come here without an invitation."

Oh shit. I invaded Death's privacy. That's it, I'm fucking dead, I will die not even remembering why I don't remember most shit about myself.

What a terrible ending.

"I'm sorry," I replied, hoping not to anger the literal embodiment of Death if I hadn't already. Perhaps I could appeal to her softer side?

"Don't be," Death replied with a smile. "I know you didn't come here on purpose. Besides, I'm rather intrigued, to be honest. Like I said before, this is a first for me."

Good, the embodiment of Death doesn't want to harvest my soul just… Yet. Good... that's good.

"I know this is a long shot; I mean, your title pretty much tells me you must remain impartial, but... is there any chance you could help me remember?" I asked, I mean, what did I lose by asking her for some help.

"Hmm, that's a difficult question," Death replied, looking thoughtful. "As you said, my station requires me to be as impartial as possible, especially with the living. If you were dead, I would have more liberties, but you aren't. You see, when it comes to the living, I can't or shouldn't pick sides, as it would unavoidably disturb the natural order of things, so for the most part, all I do is guide souls to their final rest. However, in your case... I may be able to do something."

"Really?" I asked, barely able to contain my excitement.

"Yes," Death replied with a nod as she leaned forward with a smile. "You see, between you and I, you're technically out of the natural order of things."

I was out of the natural order of things? Was... was that good? Can it please be good?

I really need a win today.

I have enough shit with Trigon using my head as a low-rated Airbnb, or a budget horror film studio.

"How so?" I asked, confusion evident in my voice.

"You're a ghost," Death replied matter-of-factly.

I blinked. "A ghost? Wait, am I dead then?"

I fucking knew it! I pissed her off by entering her room, and I died. 

"No, it was just an expression; my apologies, though. I can see why you would take it the wrong way," Death replied with a shake of her head. "What I meant to say was that your existence is out... well, the natural order of things."

That... answers nothing. But at least now I know I'm not dead yet.

"I'm sorry, but could you elaborate on that?" I asked. Perhaps it was the fact she was on an entirely different level of existence compared to me, but I didn't understand her point very well, at least with her last comment.

"Well, it's hard to explain, but I'll try," Death replied with a smile. "You see, everything in this vast multiverse, from the darkest corner of the creation to the brightest one, from the strongest being to the weakest, was born from the light and darkness of a single being; one that humans call God."

And if I was out of the natural order of things, that meant. "Everything but me, right?"

Death nodded. "Correct."

"Will that anger... God?" I asked, seeing my problems escalate out of control. First, it was Trigon I was dealing with, then it was Death, and now it's God. I have no idea what I was doing before having to deal with Trigon, but whatever it was, it led me down a dangerous path.

Death chuckled, her eyes closing as she shook her head. "No, it won't. You see, for a being that has seen it all, all that has been or could've been, all that is being and could've been, and all that will ever be or could've been, you are a breath of fresh air."

"I won't lie. That's not exactly reassuring," I replied with a sigh.

"It isn't," Death replied with a smirk. "I mean, that's not the real reason he won't wipe you out of existence."

....

I'm getting a lot of mixed signals from her about my standing with God.

"The real reason why he won't hurt you is because the two of you share something, something that no other being has ever shared with him, and that's the mystery behind your creation and his," Death continued, a calm expression on her face.

Wait, if God created everything, but something created God... Does that mean there's an even higher rank of power out there? Oh god, this is escalating out of control even more...

"But that's neither here nor there," Death said, waving her hand dismissively as she walked toward me. "What really matters is that I can help you, as long as I want to, seeing you don't enter the natural order of things."

I had a lot of questions about what she had said, but I could tell from a simple glance she was done talking about the mysteries of my existence. "Thanks, you don't have to. But thanks."

"You're welcome," Death replied with a bright smile. "Now, come." With that said, she extended her hand toward me, warmth expanding out of her body to mine, even without contact. Without hesitation, I took her hand, and as soon as our skin made contact, a bright light engulfed us, and I felt myself being pulled into the void.