[You have become a member of the First Requiem]

  [You have been invited to Death's Field]

  [Your mana-core has been damaged]

  As I blink the sleep from my eyes, these are the messages that greets me.

  These eyes could even tell me when Gods wanted to make contact with me?

  While I slept, my body completed its transformation into a member of the First Requiem. My mana-core pulsed with power, pumping mana through my body, like a secondary heart. Regrettably, my mana-core doesn’t feel as strong as it did compared to my previous lives. This was likely from over-exertion, I had used it too much, too soon after awakening it. My overall mana would be lower than normal, but this was a necessary sacrifice.

  To my left, Elias lay in a makeshift bed of hay, his once strong frame marred by grievous wounds. The crude bandages wrapped around his body do little to hide the severity of his injuries. Each breath he takes is shallow, and strained.

  "Elias" I whisper, stroking his matted hair, "everything is going to be alright this time, don’t worry."

  A gentle hand finds itself on my shoulder, pulling my attention from Elias. Terra stands before me, his single eye full of concern. I grasp his hand, allowing him to help me rise from my own bed of hay.

  "I'm alright, you don't need to worry about me." My body aches, and I pull loose strands of hay from my hair as I follow him.

  Our refuge, I discovered, was nothing more than a dilapidated barn. It is surrounded by a vast field of wheat that would only hide us for so long. We had to move, and fast.

  As we round a corner, I spot Clarence, slumped over a small desk and fast asleep. A horrid wound stretches across the length of his face. Beside him is a collection of books. Each one open to a different page. A small snicker escapes my lips as I take the sight in.

  "What a scholar you’ve become, maybe you do take after your brother?" I tease, my voice just quiet enough as to not wake him.

  [Death calls for you]

  I sigh as I read the message. It was never a good thing to keep Lord Death waiting.

  Clarence stirs momentarily, but does not wake.

  "Stay here, and don’t let anything happen to them."

  Terra does as I say, and stays rooted to his spot in the barn.

  Silently I make my way to the barn’s doors. The heavy wooden doors creak softly as I push my way through, revealing a world bathed in twilight.

  As I cross the threshold, a sensation akin to stepping into an icy river courses through me. I close my eyes, and when they open once more, the vibrant hues of the world have vanished, replaced by a bleak, monochromatic landscape.

  The wind carries with it an oppressive chill, laden with the scent of decay and sorrow. This was Death's Field, the place where souls linger momentarily before moving on to their final resting place. It made sense that Death would be here now.

  He was likely busy with the sudden influx of new souls from last night. Many of them would be struggling with the adjustment, and didn’t want to move on just yet.

  I take a few tentative steps forward before a crow appears in the sky overhead. Its dark form cuts through the gray world. A mournful caw can be heard, and is joined soon after by an entire murder of crows that fill the horizon.

  The chorus of their cries echo like an anguished lamentation, a requiem for the dead.

  "Clara?... Is that you?" It’s a familiar voice, gravelly, and a bit deep for a woman. Before I’m able to turn, her arm is around my neck. I’m pulled into an aggressive hug by a pair of muscular arms, and I struggle to breath.

  "Miriam, I-I can’t…" I manage to choke out before balling my hand into a fist, and swinging as hard as I can. It connects with Miriam’s ribcage, but she simply laughs.

  "Hey, that hurts! Damn, you’re worse than Sarah," Miriam grunts, and places a hand on my head a moment later. "Oh Clara, I’m glad you’re here…I mean I’m not, I’d have preferred if such a fate didn’t befall you too. I’m sorry…"

  "Why are you still here? I don’t think that someone like you would have a problem passing on. Or are you waiting for my brother?"

  The crying picks up once more, and from behind Miriam, a small boy comes into view. It’s Marcus, and he’s holding onto her hand.

  "It’s not that. I’m raring to go anytime now, but… I found this one. I can’t believe that everyone else just left him here! I can’t do that to him. His brothers would never forgive me… Your brothers wouldn’t forgive me either if I just left you here. Come with us, things will be better if we stick together!"

  "Miriam, I don’t think you unde-"

  Marcus grabs my hand now, and I almost pull away. Seeing the look in his eye though, I can’t bring myself to do it.

  "Alright, yeah, sure. I’ll stick around for a bit."

  "Oh I saw your brother before I passed! He wasn’t looking great, but who could in such a situation? He gave me his word to bring death to every Stygian he encountered. It was a really intense send off, but that brother of yours has already been pretty intense, hasn’t he?"

  "You haven’t seen him here then?"

  "What? I just said he gave me his word to kill every Stygian he saw! Of course he’s not here, he’s probably chasing the last of those fucks off as we speak."

  "That’s a relief, I’m glad he’s alright."

  The three of us walk hand in hand, with Marcus at our center. Where are we walking? Nowhere in particular, mostly just circles.

  "I know! I’m gonna go look for others! You stay here with Marcus, alright?"

  "Sure thing," I answer.

  Miriam runs off into the distance, and I’m left alone with Marcus who instantly lets go of my hand. He wipes his sweat palms into his pant legs, and then he looks up at me.

  "Earlier, before Miriam got here, I-I saw Lord Death... He was looking at something in his cloak, and when I looked, I saw you fighting the bad guys."

  I squat, bringing myself eyelevel with Marcus as I rest my arms on my knees.

  "Is that so?"

  "Yeah, you were fighting like your big brother, and protecting Clarence the whole time."

  "I was, and I will continue to do so until I’m certain he’s safe. Now tell me, Marcus. Why is it that you haven’t moved on yet? Are you waiting for Clarence?"

  "No, you’re gonna keep him safe. I know you are. It’s just… Miriam says she’s staying here for me, but she’s the one that's stuck here. I’m ready! I want to see my mom, and my dad, but Miriam is…"

  "I understand. You think Miriam is looking for reasons to stay, is that it?"

  Marcus shakes his head up and down. I drop to a knee, and wrap my arms around Marcus before planting a kiss right on his forehead.

  "You go on and see your parents. I’ll send Miriam your way soon, alright?"

  Marcus grins from ear to ear, and his form begins to fade, but he has one last thing to say.

  "Okay… but be nicer to Clarence. I saw you hit him, and that’s not nice!"

  "Alright, alright, I won’t hit Clarence anymore, don’t worry."

  I say this, but Marcus is already gone. A few moments later, Miriam can be seen returning, and her expression is sour.

  "Hey! I told you to stick with Marcus! Just imagine how scared he is all by himself… You’re gonna help me look for him if it’s the last thing you do!" Miriam grabs my hand forcefully, and whips her head from side to side wildly, searching for a soul that’s no longer here.

  Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

  "You’re not going to find him, he already passed on."

  "Wait really? He did?..."

  "Really, he told me that he wanted to see his parents, so I told him to go on ahead."

  "Oh right… Well that’s great, wonderful even."

  "I take it you couldn’t find anyone else?"

  "Nope, so you’re stuck with me until you decide to pass on. It’s alright Clara, I won’t leave you hanging dry like Marcus did. I’ll be here with you until the end. I…I wouldn’t be able to face your brothers otherwise, you know?"

  "Miriam, I’m…not dead."

  "I get it, I said the same thing at first too. It takes some getting used to, but-"

  "No, Miriam, I did not die. I’m here because I reached my First Requiem."

  "Now I know you’re pulling my leg! Seriously, Coma Clara reaching her First Requiem? When would you have had time to exorcise a spirit?! You slept the whole day away, you probably didn’t even know we were under attack!"

  "The attack was last night. A new day has dawned, Miriam. Just how long do you think you’ve been here?"

  "What? That’s not right, I’ve only been here for half an hour, if that!"

  "Clarence, Elias and I are hours from home already. Clarence sustained minor injuries, and Elias's are life threatening. Don’t you find it strange that your rankless, ‘Coma Clara’ knows about the First Requiem?"

  "Well it is a little weird, but I don’t believe you! You-"

  "Lord Death, you can come on out now."

  From the shadowy expanse, Death appears, and stands beside Miriam and I.

  "Lord Death, would you be so kind as to show Miriam the first spirit that I exorcised?"

  Death doesn’t speak. Instead he answers with his actions. Peeling his robe back, a series of images flashes on by. Ethel performing Soul Sanctuary. Me facing off against Valerius in the Veilwood Periphery, the 101 souls I exorcised there, and Miriam’s jaw hangs open.

  "You… You exorcised Ethel?..."

  "A lot happened last night. More than that though, why are you scared of passing on? What are you waiting for, Miriam?"

  "I’m not scared! Why would I be scared? I was just doing you a favor by sticking around!"

  "You’re looking for any excuse you can to stay. Even Marcus realized it. The only reason he stayed for as long as he did was because he didn’t want to leave you alone."

  "Wait, that kid knew? Seriously?..."

  "He’s a smart boy. Perceptive for his age, and incredibly caring. So why don’t you want to pass on? Are you waiting for someone?"

  "...That idiot brother of mine. When he gets here, he’ll probably need to have it explained to him how to pass on. If he gets here and I’m not here for him, then what do you think will happen to him?"

  "If he isn’t already here, then it’s likely that he survived the night. David may be dumb, but what he lacks in wits, he makes up for with tremendous amounts of luck. You could be waiting a lifetime for him if that’s your actual reason, which I doubt. So I’ll ask you again, what are you scared of?"

  Miriam doesn’t answer right away, instead she purses her lips. Her hands curl into balls at her side, and her eyes grow watery.

  "My dad… I didn’t do enough in life, and I don’t want him to be disappointed in me. He always had such high hopes for me, and I died before I even got to do anything with my life…"

  I step closer to Miriam, meeting her gaze as I grab her hand in both of mine.

  "Life isn’t something you finish, Miriam. It isn’t a ladder you climb, or a checklist you fill out. Everything isn’t black and white, it isn’t a good life, or a bad life. Everything is just…a shade of gray. It’s thousands of tiny actions that make up who you are. You didn’t do everything perfectly, you didn’t live for as long as you had liked, but you were always true to yourself. You died fighting for your clan, your loved ones, and that’s more than most can say. You know your father had high expectations for you and your brother. You also know why that is though, because he loved you and David more than anything in the world."

  Miriam’s figure is already beginning to fade as she collapses to her knees. She hugs me tight, and I feel my dress begin to grow wet from her spectral tears.

  I run a hand through her hair, and continue to hold onto her hand as she fades away into nothing.

  "It’s okay, you did good, Miriam. Rest, and go see the others now."

  With this, Miriam is gone.

  "Your tongue is quite silver for one so young."

  The voice comes from behind me, and I turn to greet him as I curtsy.

  "Lord Death, I apologize for not greeting you earlier. I was too worried about my cousin at the time."

  "It’s quite alright, Clara Crowsong. You have done well in joining the First Requiem. Thus, you have earned the right to choose a boon. A gift, from me, to you."

  Death’s boons. They were something that could define the course of one's life. I already knew exactly what I was going to choose though.

  "Behold," Death announces, as a crow swoops down, dropping a slender silver chain into my outstretched palm. A faceted crystal dangles from it, capturing the scarce light and casting an ethereal glow on my hand. Swirling mists seem to dance within its depths.

  This was the Ephemeral Prison, a necklace that granted glimpses of the future. As useful as it had been, my knowledge far surpassed such an object now. I shake my head from side to side.

  "Then consider this," Death suggests, presenting a small glass vial filled with a vibrant concoction that shimmers with life itself. The liquid shifts colors, from deep emerald green to radiant golden hues, while intricate engravings of a woman embracing the vial adorn its surface.

  Blessed by a long lost goddess, this elixir would enhance one's vitality, granting increased endurance, resilience, and immunity to curses and ailments. It wasn’t capable of saving a life in danger, although when a healthy person drank it early on in their life, it led to them becoming much stronger later down the line.

  With my damaged mana-core, and youth, it was the perfect choice for me now.

  As I reach for the vial, a second hand appears just over my shoulder. She’s hard to see, and her outline just becomes visible enough for me to recognize her. Long, slender fingers uncurl, and a small stone tumbles into my waiting palm.

  "Here you go, Princess. A perfect gift for a perfect entrance into the First Requiem."

  "You are late." Death lets a low growl as he swats Ethel's hand away.

  "I had to go do something."

  "You have had something to do for the last 281 years, and that ends now."

  "Aw, but what if I’m not ready to go to the other side yet?" As Ethel says this, she swings her arms around my neck loosely. She rests her head atop mine gently, and clings to me one last time.

  I hold onto her arm with both of my hands, and squint up at Ethel as her hair drapes over my face.

  "At least let me say goodbye to my Princess, would you?"

  "No."

  Death holds a hand out, and Ethel disappears instantly. There is no sign, no incantation, no warning. Just Death's empty palm, and the empty space behind me now.

  This is how Death operates. The older a soul, the less patience he has for them. Ethel having stuck around long past her expiration date, likely pissed Death off simply by existing. It saddens me that I was unable to say goodbye, but I know I’ll see her again when I’m finally allowed to die.

  I look down at Ethel’s last gift. It’s a completely ordinary rock at first glance. Entirely mundane for all intents and purposes, but a deep, ancient magic radiates from it. The likes of which I have never encountered before in any of my past lives.

  My eyes scan the surface, just catching sight of a pair of words.

  [Arcane Aetherite]

  Death's bony hand draws near, and in that instant, I make a decision.

  If I truly wanted this life to be different, I would have to take risks. I close my hand around the stone, pulling it close to my body as I look up at Death with a smile. "Is this acceptable as a boon?"

  His expression is unreadable, but the displeasure in his voice is apparent. "Very well. That pebble shall be your boon."

  "Thank you, Lord Death."

  I turn to leave, but as I stand at the edge of Death's Field, I hear the beating of wings. I turn back just one last time and see dozens and dozens of crows. Each one is a fallen member of my family.

  "I hardly find that pebble to be a worthy enough reward. If you do not seek a material boon, then at the very least, have a sentimental one. One final send off from your family."

  My eyes scanned the Crows watching me from a distance. I recognize many of the souls that have already passed on. I spot Ethel at the front of the pack, my father hiding towards the back, Jameson is right beside Ethel, waving at me. Miriam’s back is turned, and she’s speaking to a much larger crow in the back. Yet what truly catches my attention are the ones that aren’t present. Several are missing actually.

  Gabriel, Nathaniel, Sarah, Iris, and even lucky David.

  "They aren’t here..."

  "Indeed," Death replies, his dark form materializing before me now, obscuring my view of the murder of crows behind him. "They still walk among the living."

  I can’t help but smile at the thought.

  "Take me back."

  "Remember, Clara," Death warns, his form dissipating like smoke on the wind, "you did well in escaping your hunter, but that does not mean you’re out of the woods yet. As long as you’re alive, more will seek you out."

  Color seeps back into the world around me, and I find myself standing amidst a field of wheat.

  Clarence calls out to me the doorway of the barn. "Clara, what are you doing out there?!"

  I spin the Arcane Aetherite between my fingers and I grin. "I had to go do something!"

  The golden field I stand in seems to mirror the warmth in my heart, and I am filled with determination. In the distance, a murder of crows soars towards the sunrise.

  The sunlight bathes the field in its warm embrace, and reflects off of my hair.

  [Dawn of the first day reached]

  "Come back inside," Clarence urges. "We need to talk."

  "Right, I’m coming!"

  As I take a step towards the barn, I find myself eyeing the stone again.

  Just why had Death tried to reach for this? And why was there such animosity in his voice? If I had to guess, I think he really wanted this…

  I can’t understand it, but I brush the thought aside as I make my way back to the barn.

  Only time would tell if I made the right decision.

  [Objective Cleared: Ensure the survival of the Crowsong clan]

  [Rewards: Arcane Aetherite, and a minute amount of Karma]