Slave of Death

After getting out of the Dountry—Grazi Nport Main Dountry #2768—, Morie had plans to go home and was on her way home, but was encountered with some unexpected people.

They suddenly got behind her and tapped her shoulder, to scare her—it was late at night.

She looked behind to see who it was, but to her surprise, no one was to be found there.

Then she banged into a person, 'Hey, watch where you are going,' the person in front of her announced angrily.

It was a bulky kind of guy, the one you wouldn't want to take chances with, he had black hair.

'I am awkwardly sorry, I wasn–' she apologized as if confused about what was happening to her, but stopped in between and took a look at the person she was talking to then she continued, 'I knew it was you, you little bast–'

Before she could say anything, she was stopped. 'See, guys, I knew she would get scared from such a little prank. Now, where's the money I won from the betting,' the person said to his group.

'I didn't get scared, I was just confused.' Morie remarked in an embarrassed state.

'No need to lie, we have known you for years.' the person replied.

['It was her Friends...']*1

['I wonder if this is what true friends act like.']

['I don't remember ever having friends that care about me. I mean, I did have friends, just not like this.']

There were three people—two guys, and one girl. The first boy's name was Rodi Cmyn (the one who had pranked her), the other guy's name was Palqy Jamer (he was standing aside, not talking to her or Rodi), and last, the girl's name was Clayi Mona (she was getting the money out of her purse, as she was the one entrusted the money of the bettings).

They started walking together; to Morie's home.

'Yeah, yeah, but can you imagine you're going home after a long day and suddenly a group of your friends, whom you have not met for a week, comes and pranks you in a lonely and silent street? Now wouldn't that be scary?' questioned Morie.

'I would, but unlike you, we are not police, just regular people. You should be ashamed of how you managed to get scared.' Rodi answered, not looking at her but at the cash he was about to receive from Clayi.

'Ahh, come on, not that again, I have told you all many times; I am not a high-rank Policewoman, my current rank hardly allows me to carry weapons, and that, too, only when I am supposed to go onto an important mission with everyone, my current job is to just roam the city and stop small robberies, it's not even that cool.' she replied in annoyance.

'Fine, now don't start another lecture on your profession. Leave it, Rodi.' Palqy finally spoke.

'Yeah, I should, I don't want to listen to her rant, too. Anyways, thanks for the forty-five malop (currency of this Earth), and you, too, Clayi.'

Rodi said. 'No need to thank, you won it.' Palqy and Clayi replied together to Rodi's thanks, she faced Morie and added, 'How you been, Morie? You didn't meet us for a week or even contact any of us on Constator (the most famous communication service on the phone).'

'Well, something special, you know, been roaming the town and caught two robberies, and that's just me; excluding every other police station in our city. Anyways, you tell me how you have been, and about them too.' Morie inquired.

'We've been fine, too. Rodi leveled up to rank two, uh, what was it called?–' Clayi was about to answer but Rodi rejoined the conversation and answered, 'Architecture Manager, I leveled up, now I can manage the architecture myself, no need to go to another manager for help.' He then added and asked, 'Anyways, when are you leveling up?'

'Uh...it's close....that I can say..' Morie said unconfidently.

'How close? Can you give an approx? Since Clayi, and Palqy, both are hardly ten thousand EXP far from their goal, I expect you to be close to us, too. After all we all started almost started together.'

'Uh....it's uh...very...close.....'

'Very close? Or very far?'

'It's very close.... I wanna give you...a..... surprise.' Morie brightened as she had gotten another lie to make. 'Yeah, a surprise. You'll be shocked by how close I was to my goal.'

'Don't try to fool me, you've been slacking off for a long time and didn't earn much EXP these few months.'

'No, it's not that, I had been working till I couldn't walk, roaming all the city twice or even thrice; to catch criminals. But, as you know, there aren't many criminals in here, I didn't even meet you guys for a week—that's proof I had been working—; that's the reason I am still far away from my goal.'

'Yeah, that is, too.'

'What are you guys talking about?' Palqy broke in.

'Nothing. Just about our EXP.' Morie replied.

'Oh. I wanted to tell you about the new restaurant that opened last week. Clayi said she had been there once already, they make really tasty food and she wants to go there again. She asked if we all can go there together today. They of course are open even at midnight. So, you two agree on going?'

'I think it'll be a great time to spend together, I have no problem going. Ask Rodi if he has.'

'I do not, too.'

'Speed up, then, the restaurant is hardly 7 blocks ahead. Catch up with Clayi, you two.'

They all sped up their phase to catch up with Clayi, to ask them about it, Palqy had also slowed his phase. But not more.

Even though Morie was tired, her tiredness had been gone because she hadn't seen them for a week.

The group united in a few seconds and Clayi didn't feel alone anymore.

...

The group arrived at the restaurant, Loeq's Spoons, which was a fine dining restaurant. They all enjoyed the meals.

Morie caught up with everyone on what was happening when she was not very active with friends (though, not very much but not very little, too).

They left all together and started talking while walking.

Until...

A fine gentleman was coming down the alleyway, from the way they all were going.

At first, they didn't care about the person, as it was not rare to see a person walking in the streets at night, doesn't matter what he wears.

The Gentleman was passing by them until he led his eyes on the Policewoman, Morie Semmer.

He suddenly stopped and started staring at her.

He wasn't to be mistaken as a pervert, he neither was a pervert.

Yet he kept staring and even started following her as they went far.

Palqy noticed him in a mere second and went near him, putting his hands on his chest, to stop him from walking.

'Sir, you do not seem like one of those, your clothes are too fine to even mistake you as one of those.' Others had noticed Palqy. 'But, what kind of behavior is this? To follow a group of teen adults at night? That does not seem very kind of you.' Palqy questioned him.

'Oh, no, my friend, as to my knowledge, I am not one of those weird people. But, Can I ask why you are roaming with that policewoman in these alleyways at night? I am not questioning her profession but the person.' The Gentleman backed up and asked.

Rodi instantly came closer to him.

'Huh? What kind of question is that supposed to be? She's our friend. Does there seem to be a problem with her, or do you mean to ask "Why is a Policewoman roaming with us at night?".' Palqy replied the Gentleman in a tone confused tone.

'No, sir, I am just asking; why are you traveling with a Slave of Death?'

...

Everyone stopped with confusion. No one could make an expression that could explain this situation. Everyone just stood there.

Rodi grabbed the collar of his Black coat he was wearing. 'Hey, hey, hey, where are you going with this? She ain't no slave to no one, nor death itself.' He asked in a not-very polite tone.

'Pardon me, my friend, if I hurt your emotions, but no need to be angry.' The Gentleman breathed in and continued. 'My name is Asel Victy, My profession is Mage—Rank 3 of Wizardry. I can perform elemental spells and some more basic spells. And, I have been a Fortune Teller—Rank 1— in the past. I do not wish harm to anyone, or any misfortune. But, please let me ask, why is she with you?' Asel answered very politely, accepting his mistake.

'I do not care about what you do, explain what you mean by the "Slave of Death"?' Rodi grabbed harder.

'Rodi, stop it, we hardly know this gentleman.' Palqy spoke and forced Rodi to leave him. 'We are sorry for this behavior.' He told to Asel.

'No, no, I came out of a sudden, it's my fault.' Asel set his collar to the right place and continued.

'Have none of you heard of Qpo 47:13 verse in "Naoks Mladi (God's words in the old tongue)"?' He asked curiously.

No one replied.

'Let me speak it out, "The fiend doth transmigrate into the mortal, the mortal itself hath no ken of him, yet the fiend doth, he doth possess the corporeal vessel, sans any portent that he doth reside hither.". Now, let's continue it with another verse, Qpo 47:21, "He who is possessed by way of transmigration by the devil itself, is called the 'Slave of Death', for where the slave doth traverse, the master doth follow in search thereof. The devil, in his wake, doth solely usher forth the embrace of death.".'

'The devil transmigrates into the person; the person itself is unaware of him, but the devil knows. He possesses the body without any indication that he is present.' Clayi spoke. 'The one who undergoes possession through the devil's transmigration is termed the 'Slave of Death,' as wherever the slave journeys, the master diligently pursues. The devil, in his wake, exclusively brings forth the embrace of death.'

[Wait. Is he talking about me?]

[How could that be possible for someone to know that I am inside someone?]

[And what did he mean by the Devil? Also, the 'Slave of Death,'?]

[Why is there a verse explaining my exact situation.]

[I am totally confused. What is exactly happening.]

'That's the correct translation' Asel praised her for the accurate translation.

'Huh, what is that supposed to mean?' asked Rodi.

'Do you mean to say that she is possessed by some devil? How could you even think of that? Sure, you're a Fortune Teller or were. But, how could you be so confident of something impossible to see?' Palqy asked Asel. Rodi just looked irritated by the fact that someone they never knew was spreading lies about their years-long friend.

'Impossible? You may think; it is impossible, but from my perspective, it is not even close.' Asel answered. Palqy was shocked to hear such an answer. 'Rank 2 of Wizardry, Gospel Truth, only speaks the truth. While there is surely the rank: Fortune Teller, it can not be accurate with information many times. Gospel Truth, on the other hand, is never inaccurate. It only speaks right and never wrong. Even looking at the person tells me about everything about the person; his health, his personality, and if I focus, even his thoughts.'

Asel took a breath in and continued. 'Since I am on Rank 3 right now, I have of course been a Gospel Teller. You may level up but your abilities remain. And, after looking at you, I can tell, that she is a "Slave of Death".'

Morie had been standing there listening all this time, without any interaction with anyone, not even with expressions of confusion or anger. After what Asel had spoken, everyone had found something strange about her.

After all, Asel had questioned the existence of her, how could someone look calm after such questions had been asked about them? Yet, Morie was.

Clayi, standing right next to her, put a hand on her shoulder and said. 'You okay? You are just standing like a statue.'

No response.

Rodi and Palqy got worried and got to her fast. They started questioning her like Clayi.

'Hey, no need to worry about his bullshit, don't take it seriously.' Rodi said to her while grabbing her.

No movement.

Not like she was so shocked she had fallen unconscious, but she was standing still, even after all the grabbing and movement around her.

She had just become still, like a statue.

'Sir, can you tell what had happened to her?' Palqy asked for help from Asel since he was a Mage. He may know what has gone wrong with her and could even fix her.

'Don't you get it, Palqy, this guy has done something to her.' Rodi spoke furiously.

['What happened to her?']

['Should I try doing something?']

['No, that would be useless.']

['Or it might not be? I can try.']

[I moved. Got control of her hand and moved it upwards, opened the fist, and pointed my fingers.]

Morie's hand moved upwards suddenly. Or "picked up".

Everyone was shocked and relieved.

['It worked? It did. This is my first time controlling her.']

[I noticed; I had been pointing to...]

They saw what she was pointing to. It was Asel. Far away from them, even though Palqy called for him. He was standing there seeing all this with no expression.

'That is, indeed, the work of the Devil.' Announced Asel. 'I might say. that's the most proof. Symptoms at it's peakest.'

'Will you please shut up?' replied Rodi, distressed about what had happened to her.

Asel did not seem to care. 'Before the birth of Xenpl, 2 years ago, the devil roamed the earth, one got to the mind of a famous author's friend.' he took a breath and tried to remember something. 'Aoke Ci Pela—or Work of the devil, in modern language. If I remember, that is the name of the book he wrote about how the Devil acted, why was he possessed, and was the Devil real, and many other questions about the "Slave of Death—not named yet."'

['Why am I being called the devil every second? I did not even know I would be possessing her.]

Asel was about to tell more. However, he saw them planning to leave. Almost ignoring him. Only Clayi seemed to listen because her profession was Historian, to have knowledge about history and learn from the mistakes and improve the world. Since there was only one religion, or "The Way of Life," in there. Everyone believed that the history was with Xenpl—the fourth reincarnation of God.

In addition, to Clayi, it was a history lesson or "work" for her profession, and she was interested. And, Asel did not seem to lie, since he seemed a gentleman and was a Mage. If not for the situation, she would have gone closer to Asel and asked more and more.

'Clayi, don't just stand there, help Morie.' Rodi called to Clayi.

Since they had moved backward to help Morie, she had been standing where she had been; listening to Asel.

'Yeah, my bad. Coming.' Clayi moved her head to Asel and said, 'I am heavily sorry, Mr.Asel, but we are going to leave.' She left.

Everyone left the area, helping Morie, not like Morie could not stand, but...

Morie had just started dancing, swinging like a child who just learned how to walk and run.

***

1. AUTHOR'S NOTE: From here on out, I will be using two narrations. One by the Main Protagonist; the other by me (the author), for the person he has transmigrated into.