Falling Leaves 25 ??

  Back in the Throne room of Refuge-des-Esprits.

  L'abeille drags Peter and Danya inside as she throws them down in front of Sachi and Ikigai.

  Peter hisses in pain.

  "Ma Grandeur, I've brought the targets."

  Sachi blinks. "Where's the Reaper?"

  "You forgot the most important target we assigned you."

  L'abeille tilts her head. "What do you mean she's right in front of you?"

  Soleli and Ikigai stare at L'abeille.

  "What Reaper do you see L'abeille?"

  "Are you all playing games with me? She's right there next to this thing!" She points to an empty space next to Peter.

  Ikigai crosses her arms. "I never took you as a trickster, but this isn't the time for games."

  "I'm not playing games I swear she's right here!" She grabs Danya's body as she hangs her from her ripped cloak.

  The rest see nothing.

  "Guys come on!" L'abeille desperately turns to the Big Spirit in the black cloak covering herself.

  "Mothpera, you see her right?!"

  Mothpera walks up to the four as her footsteps cause the floor to shake.

  She bends down closer to L'abeille. "No. There's no one you're holding."

  L'abeille's eyes widen. "W-what—-"

  Peter coughs as he chuckles on the ground. "Heh—- look at you now, what happened to being so composed."

  L'abeille's eyes twitch. "You—-"

  She throws her illusion of Danya to the ground as she grips Peter by the neck picking him up.

  "You think this is funny?! To make a fool out of me in front of everyone! Tell me now where's the demon!"

  Peter smirks as he has one eye open. "How about fuck you—- shove it up your ass!"

  "Asking me such a ridiculous question you just had her in your arms didn't you."

  L'abeille squeezes Peter's neck as her fingers turn black transforming into stingers.

  She grits her teeth. "Then it's death you choose! Fine by me!"

  "L'ABEILLE STOP AT ONCE!" Soleli screams.

  L'abeille turns to her scowling with rage, her pupils shake.

  She drops Peter on the ground as he coughs.

  Soleli sighs "You know it's prohibited for us to feel any negative emotion don't let this boy get to you."

  L'abeille takes a deep breath. "You're right—- you're right. I don't know what got into me there."

  Sachi walks up to Peter, standing above him. "A mortal, as I assumed from the beginning."

  Peter stares up at her locking eyes with her. Her golden stare making him feel an odd sense of ecstasy bubbling inside of him.

  "W-ho are you?"

  "Me?" She giggles. "Well I'm Sachi one of the Spirits of Life."

  She gestures as she bows like a performance. "Responsible for any of the joy you've ever felt in your existence."

  "What? Responsible for my joy?"

  "Yes, I don't believe I stuttered. I'm a Spirit responsible for bringing joy to others and I also help govern life."

  "Without me your existence would be nothing."

  Peter laughs hissing in pain. "Joy huh? It seems like you skipped out on me while giving that out. My life has been the opposite of that."

  "So you're not someone I'd bow my head to."

  Sachi grins closing her eyes, crinkled. "Well aren't you the snarky one?"

  "But enough about me more importantly."

  Her voice grows cold, her eyes lock onto him. "How are you here? What Reaper failed to reap you properly?"

  Peter's eyes open fully as his thoughts take over. She—- she knows about the Reapers?

  She knows I'm not from here too!? Wait?!

  He then speaks. "Wait please! Do you know anything about a Reaper named Azazel!?"

  Sachi hums "Azazel? So he's the one who messed up this time? Unlike him."

  "It wasn't a mess up!" Peter shouts out.

  Sachi tilts her head. "What do you mean? Elaborate."

  "Azazel didn't make the mistake bringing me here I don't know where you got that idea from! He made me come here!"

  "He enslaved me after my death and countless other souls."

  Sachi's eyes glisten. "Enslaved? And countless others?"

  She turns to Ikigai. "Sister do you hear this? Apparently there are even more mortals running among the Spirit World."

  This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

  Ikigai with her arms crossed. "Boy, can you tell us where he's located? If he enslaved you, you should know."

  "I'm guessing you escaped."

  Peter picks his head up sitting up. "A dark realm, one of black castles and buildings, a giant moon that lights everything up."

  "That's the best I can describe it from memory—-"

  "I never heard of such a place in the Spirit World?" Sachi mutters

  She turns to the Belles "Have any of you?"

  "Never, I only heard of the 5 biomes." Soleli answers

  "Same." L’abielle adds on

  Mothpera shakes her head no.

  "Your story isn't adding up mortal, we never heard of a black realm with black castles in the Spirit World."

  "And that definitely doesn't sound like anything from Heaven. Maybe it was Hell?"

  Peter grits his teeth "No it wasn't hell! I was supposed to go to Hell! He gave me a deal to choose that or come with him."

  "He promised a better afterlife, knowing he dealt me a hand worse than what I was supposed to get."

  Ikigai chuckles. "So let me get this straight you're complaining about something you had a choice in?"

  "Mortal, you chose that and you want sympathy?"

  Peter grits his teeth. "Shut up! I'm not asking for sympathy! The only thing I want to know is information on how to defeat him!"

  Sachi laughs. "Hey, I like him, he's a big dreamer!"

  "You defeat Azazel? You understand he's a Death Spirit right? He's been in the job of Reaper before even Akuji and."

  She pauses as her voice laces with disgust. "Danya—-"

  "I don't care if this is impossible this is for my freedom! For my soul to be freed!"

  "So let's say you do defeat Azazel, once your soul is freed what do you plan to do next? Think you can live in the Spirit World willy nilly?" Ikigai asks with a smirk.

  "These Spirits will eat and devour you, any chance they'll get. It's honestly shocking how you still exist right now."

  Peter clenches his jaw, as he remains quiet. He has no answer for her question.

  Sachi crouches next to him. "Don't beat yourself up, we all have big dreams. I actually find your goal quite admirable, and I'm sure Ikigai over there loves it."

  Ikigai smiles continuing to cross her arms. "I find your purpose and reason to be quite commendable. You do have a bit of my respect for that."

  "But to more important matters here, let's propose a deal."

  Sachi stands as she sticks out her palm as her eyes glow golden, golden light radiates from it surrounding Peter.

  The three Belles all cover their eyes as the room shines.

  "Hey what are you doing!" Peter panics as he feels his body grow lighter.

  He feels a pump in his chest, as his breathing feels normal, he feels a liquid run through his body.

  The light dissipates as the Belles uncover themselves. "What—-" L'abeille mutters.

  Peter opens his eyes and looks at his arms and sees veins.

  "What did you do to me!?"

  Sachi chuckles. "Let's hope you don't disappoint me like the last one I did this for."

  "I just brought you back to life. You should be able to feel organs once more."

  "REALLY?!" Peter stands up instantly. "You have to be shitting me?! You actually did that for me?"

  "étonnant" (Amazing) Soleli whispers.

  He looks up at Sachi. "T-thank you! Really!"

  Sachi grins. "No problem! Now how about you help us with something too."

  "Yes, yes anything!"

  Her grin then turns into a smirk as her eyes darken. "Tell us where Danya is, it's the least you can do."

  Peter freezes. "I-"

  Ikigai scoffs. "She just gave you the gift of life, and you would waste it helping a Death Spirit? The very same one who works with the man who enslaved you?"

  "It seems like your priorities are off, why help someone who supports your suffering."

  Peter thinks to himself as he looks at the ground. "It's not about the Reaper girl—- it's about Ari—- she worked so hard to keep her safe from them—- this feels like a betrayal to her."

  "Fine—- I agree to your terms."

  "Glorious!" Sachi claps her hands jumping.

  "Tch—-" L'abeille sucks her teeth, as her pupils dilate.

  "He's still an enemy in my eyes—- if I see any wrong move from him, I'm turning him to dust." She thinks to herself.

  "But I do need some things before I show you."

  Sachi smiles. "Yes, what do you need? We'll be able to provide you with anything."

  "I need new clothes and a sword since that's the weapon I use in battles."

  "Fighting Ari is no easy task and what if I encounter the other Death Spirit?"

  "Oh?" Ikigai hums. "Now you're willingly offering yourself to get her yourself, wow."

  "It seems like we made the right choice bringing you back."

  "What outfit would fit you best? I don't know what you mortals like wearing?"

  "No never mind I have the perfect idea for you!"

  She sticks her palm out as golden light shines on Peter once again. He covers himself.

  As the light disappears, Sachi creates a flat sheet of ice reflecting Peter as a mirror.

  "Damn—-" he looks down at his new outfit as he's wearing a battle-ready white robe that flows down into a wide skirt-like bottom, patterned with intricate gray and silver motifs resembling flames.

  His hair is now messy as it covers his forehead, his face is also cleaner and more sharp.

  "I dig the new look—- thank you."

  Sachi claps once more. "Of course! I've always been into fashion myself. And for a sword."

  She sticks her arm out as wood from the floor forms into a skinny sword, the blade of it sharpening on its own.

  "Ikigai do you mind helping me here."

  Ikigai sighs. "Fine, fine—-" she floats next to Sachi as her icy blue eyes begin to shine.

  Sachi's golden eyes shine, as both their hair flows as if wind is blowing it back.

  Sachi's sun tattoo on her right hand shines golden and Ikigai's moon tattoo on her left hand shines icy blue.

  The Belles watch in awe never witnessing the twins use their magic like this before.

  They stick their arms out as molten magma forms around the blade of the wooden sword. Instantly cooling down turning into obsidian, gold then appears around the handles of the blade turning gold, as the grip shines white.

  The blade is completed as the light from the twins dims.

  It gently floats into Peter's grasp. "T-this is unreal—- what did I just witness?!"

  Sachi turns to L'abeille. "Bee how about you accompany Peter to Danya? Since you failed to retrieve her last time."

  L'abeille clenches her fist. "I failed because of him and that damned fo-"

  "L'ABEILLE!" Soleli shouts out. "What did I tell you about keeping your emotions in check. I won't warn you again."

  L'abeille growls under her breath. "Yes, Ma Grandeur I'll help him retrieve the demon—-"

  "Good! Chop-chop now no more time wasting."

  L'abeille walks towards the door, as she glares at Peter. "Come—-" she says coldly as she forcefully pulls the door open.

  Peter looks back at her as she walks out. He thinks to himself "I can't let my guard down around her. She has a vendetta against me. I'll have to be prepared to strike at any moment."

  He quickly follows her outside, once he's out there light from the giant blue mushrooms glowing above them radiates on him.

  "Tell me where we're going."

  "Back to the forest where we battled the first time."

  L'abeille holds out her arm. "Hurry and grab on." Her wings sprout, as they begin to buzz and flap.

  Peter reluctantly grabs onto her, as he does she instantly starts to fly away in the direction of Forêt sans ame (Forest Without Soul).

  As he's in the air he notices behind the Giant Tree they were all in, a giant pink glowing flower dangles in the air.

  Its light shines across the entire settlement below.

  "This place doesn't fail to surprise me, it's a complete wonderland. It doesn't seem like it's bloomed yet either."

  L'abeille starts to speed up as she bolts to the forest.

  Peter's gut sinks as his thoughts race with Ari, the guilt of betrayal he's feeling, but he has to accept that this is what he had to do.

  END