Prelude 2:The Forbidden Item

Somewhere far above the clouds, in a plane of reality that transcends the multiverse, inaccessible to and unperceivable by human eyes, was a calm space. A vast, empty space that's colorless surroundings accentuated its feeling of isolation. With no direction and seemingly no end within that ever-expanding space, a single round table was stationed at its center. There, five divine beings had been gathered for an unknown reason by - .... . / --. --- -.. ...

"So, uh, do any of you guys know why we were called here?" Someone asked in a monotonous voice, seemingly uninterested in the answer to their own question.

"Hmm. Oh! Mmm, yeah, I dunno," said another, flashing a bright smile in spite of them contributing nothing to the conversation.

"Uuu… I really hope we aren't in trouble," a different voice cried out as they clung onto the previous speaker, who, in turn, patted her on the head.

"Ughh, why'd we hafta get summoned on chewsday of all days," an additional member complained, throwing their feet onto the table as they leaned back in their chair.

"Spaykin of wheech, did yah guys see the new direct this morning?" One more person inquired, completely ignoring the original topic.

"Uhh, no one was talking about that though…"

"Silence."

As the five members present sat around the table pondering the reason they had suddenly been summoned, a stentorian voice accompanied by a powerful presence reverberated throughout the room, sending chills down the backs of those present and instantly silencing them.

Coming to the same realization, an inescapable feeling of unease washed over them as five beads of sweat simultaneously hit the floor, and each member looked around at one another, their consternation palpable.

*Gulp*

Taking their feet off the table and letting them dangle in the air, a single person spoke up, steeling their resolve as they voiced the words clearly stuck in the back of the other's throats. 

"...Whaddya want from us, AO…?"

A deafening silence ensued, and the five could only patiently sit there awaiting a response. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, a 3D hologram began to take form from the center of the round table. From the projection, the silhouettes of a house and a girl slowly became distinguishable. 

"The location of the missing forbidden item has been uncovered."

"Oh! Oh! Oh! Do you mean the book? You mean the book right?! You really found it?!?! Yay!!!"

"No. That book has eluded us for thousands of years. It is unlikely that it will ever appear before us again."

"Arrrghhh! What the heck! Oh. Then, you mean you found that?"

"Indeed."

"Um… So does that mean you want us to…"

 "Yes, you five are to retrieve it—"

"That's it? No wukkas. We'll lend you a score. Then we can all eat some bread afterwards!" 

"Oooh~ That's a great idea."

"—you are to retrieve the item and eliminate the individual in possession of it—the current Archiver."

""Eh?""

"Failure is not an option."

"W-wait a second, AO! Whaddya mean 'eliminate'?!"

"That is all."

"Oi!"

Without so much as another word, the voice and presence both subtly vanished, leaving only those final ominous parting words and a grim atmosphere to linger behind.

Overcome by a freshly instilled feeling of dread, no one spoke for a long while as they all wore similarly downcast expressions; cursing themselves for not realizing how powerless they were in the grand scheme of things. 

*CRACK*

The silence was suddenly shattered by the sound of a fist slamming against the round table.

"Tch… Fucking cunt…"

The others remained quiet. 

It wasn't that they didn't want to say anything, but rather that they couldn't.

In truth, it's the very person who just had a show of weakness that they were looking to for salvation. 

And though she was initially against it, the role of captain was something she had come to secretly embrace purely out of a desire to protect those who had accepted the chaos that she embodied—the very thing she was ostracized for.

There is no opposing AO. No matter what, I can't save that girl. 

But… 

Slowly and carefully, she looked each of the members in their hope-filled eyes as if she were trying to reaffirm something to herself.

But I can prevent these four from staining their hands with yet another sin that can never be washed away. 

At last, with a newly found resolve, she opened her mouth and said, "Call 'em."

Confused by the sudden demand, the four looked at one another, question marks over their heads, before turning back to their leader with those same quizzical expressions plastered on their faces.

The person in question let out a deep, deep sigh before flashing her razor-sharp teeth and making a neck-slitting gesture. "I'm talkin' about 'The Reaper', of course."