Reapers Domain

Chapter 2: Elvira Stone

"I'm going home now, Andrei. Thank you for treating me ice cream!" Elvira exclaimed, raising her ice cream.

Andrei chuckled as he nods at his bestfriend. They were friends since they were in elementary level. Elvira saw Andrei alone in their room back then and she decided to talk with him. Since Andrei was a transferee student, he talked to Elvira and accepted her as a friend.

"Don't you want me to accompany you home?" Andrei asked, walking alongside his bestfriend.

"You don't need to, I can take care of myself," Elvira assured, winking.

Andrei sighed and smiled at her. He couldn't argue with his friend anymore. That's how he respect her.

"Fine, but I'll watch you cross this street," he uttered, pointing at the road.

"Okay!" She nodded and after few minutes the traffic lights turned red. She looked at her best friend and said, "Bye Andrei! See you tomorrow!"

"Bye! Take care!" he reminded as the woman nod.

Elvira crossed the street together with other citizens. When she reached the other side of the street, she looked at Andrei and waved her hand. The latter waved back too before they turned their backs to each other.

"What a tiring day," Elvira murmured, taking the narrowed alley leading to their home or to her home.

Her parents died along ago because of car accident. She grew up with her grandparents but they died 3 years ago because of their old ages. It must be hard for the young lady but she still managed to make a living and continue her life. She got scholarship from the government and working part time in a coffee shop near their school.

Elvira looked at her wrist watch as she throw the plastic cup into the trash can.

"Today is my day off, so I can relax freely in my house." She yawned and continue walking.

After taking the long narrowed alley, she finally reached the wide long open field with plenty of trees around. She knows that place is really creepy since she always hear different noises.

Swallowing a lump, Elvira started to run towards her house, ignoring the creepy place at her right side. However, she stopped when she heard the loud shrieking and clanging sounds of scythe from the forest.

"What was that?" she asked in panic, walking towards a tree.

Taking her deepest breath, she peeked inside the creepy forest to see what's going on inside. Her eyes widened in suprise, seeing the reapers fighting the wraiths.

"What the hell?" she whisperes as her eyes accidentally landed on the portals around the open field.

"What are those? Souls?" she whisper-ask, tightenng her grip on her bag.

The spirit continue to run towards the portal, ignoring all the wraiths that chasing them.

"I can't believe that they're true. I thougt they were just a fiction," she murmured, shifting her gaze at the reapers. "And I'm sure those are reapers. The ones who are accompanying the souls to the under world."

Elvira likes to read novel especially fantasy novels. She had read a lot of novels about reapers and spirits that's why she identified them easily. However, her shockness is still drew on her face.

She saw plenty of wraiths approaching the reapers. They are all making shrieking sounds that send fear through Elvira's body.

"I need to get out of this place." Elvira was about to run away but her feet stambled on the protruding root. The wraits shift their gaze to the woman as they hover around her.

"Damn! This is terrible." She stood up from the grass, closing her eyes and covering herself.

When a wraith was about to attack her, Drevox suddenly appeared between them, parrying the wraith's hand. Elvira opened her eyes as she slowly drop her arms beside her. 

"T-thank you Mr. Reaper," she uttered, bowing.

"Get in the safe place. Quick!" Drevox commanded, stabbing the wraith's head.

"Y-yes!" Elvira nodded, running behind an acacia tree.

"What's going on boss?" Michelle asked, helping Drevox to deal with the wraiths.

Jay went to Danielle and his companies to help them. They didn't see Elvira because of too much wraiths approaching them.

"There's a woman behind the acacia tree. I don't know how she got here, but we need to talk to her once all the spirits entered the portals," Drevox replied, glancing at Elvira who's watching them silently.

Michelle glanced at the acacia as she nods at her boss. Since their existence should remain secret, they need to make an agreement to Elvira to keep it a secret or they'll erase her memories.

"Put that aside boss, is not she familiar?" Michelle inqured, cutting the wraith's head who tried to attack her boss behind.

"She's the daughter of those couple we retrieved from a car accident," he answered, pulling his scythe from the wraith's hand before he stabbed it into his head. "She was with them too but she survived."

"Oh I remember now, boss. She was still a kid back then," Michelle mumbled, nodding.

"I'm glad she survived that accident but I think her life is coming to an end too," Drevox uttered blankly.

"Did you see her expiring date?" Michelle inquired, making Drevox nod.

"Yes."

"Bro all the spirits managed to travel inside the portal!" Danielle announced, gripping the scythe tighter as he stabbed it into the wraith.

"Good then let's fall back. These wraiths won't harm any human in this place!" Drevox shouted. Well except if some people went in this forest, he thought.

"Guys let's retreat!" Danielle notified his companies and Jay before they ran towards where Drevox and Michelle are.

Drevox shift his gaze to the acacia tree but he didn't see Elvira there. 

"She got away. What are we going to do boss?" Michelle asked.

"Let her. I'll talk to her," he replied as his scythe faltered. "Tell my brother to go to the mansion now and I'll follow y'all later." He was about to follow the woman but Michelle spoke again.

"Where are you going boss? So I can tell your brother," Michelle asked as her scythe faltered.

"I'm going to follow that woman," he answered as he ran away.

Michelle watched her boss dissapeared into the distance before shifting her gaze at Danielle and the others. 

"We need to draw some distance from them!" Danielle shouted as they ran away the place and went to the road where Elvira was.

"Where is boss?" Jay asked Michelle when the wraiths stopped chasing them, making Danielle look around to check his brother.

"Someone saw us doing our jobs and boss went to talk to her," Michelle answered, catching her breath.

"Someone saw us? Are you really sure about that?" Paula inquired as their scythe faltered.

"Yes, a woman wearing a school uniform," Michelle confirmed, nodding.

"That means she's not ordinary," Danielle butt in, making the reapers looked at him. "She might have a third eye if she saw us and the spirits."

"I thought it's late enough to do this mission, but to think that someone is still outside and wearing a school uniform?" Hanz raised an eyebrow.

"She might went into somewhere after her class." Michelle shrugged.

"We should stop dawdling here and go back to the mansion. My brother can take care of that matter and also our mission is done for today," Danielle uttered, making them nod.

--------

Drevox used the footsteps to follow Elvira. He arrived in front of a wooden house with plenty of pink tulips around. Drevox looked around the place, noticing that this neighborhood has 10 meters distance from each other.

He went closer to the house and knocked on the door three times. Elvira heard the sound and she immediately stood from her bed. She tugs her hair behind her ear and stride to the door.

"Is it Mr. Reaper?" she asked to herself nervously, holding on the door knob.

Drevox kncoked again and Elvira opened the door slowly. Once the door is completely open, their eyes met, making Elvira swallowed a lump.

"M-mr. Reaper.....w-what do you want?" she enquired, flashing an awkward smile.

"Let's get to the point miss. I want you to keep it a secret everything you saw earlier. About our existence, about the wraiths, about the spirits and lastly about the portals. Are we clear?" Drevox demanded, raising an eyebrow.

Elvira swallowed a lump again after hearing Drevox's cold and intimidating voice.

"S-s-sure I will! I will keep it a secret!" Elvira promised, lowering her head.

"That's good. And let me remind you, once you tell others about what you saw." He leaned closer to the woman's ear. "I will erase your memory."

Elvira's eyes widen in shock as she back away a little. Drevox back away too, running his fingers though his hair.

"D-don't worry....I will keep it a secret," she assured.

"That's good, I'm going now Elvira." Drevox shut the door before he walked away.

Elvira froze on her position. "How did he know my name?" Her sweats trickled down her face as she swallowed a lump.

Before she can overthink deeper, her phone vibrated. She got it and saw Andrei's name on her screen. Her best friend messaged her.

Drevox finally arrived in front of their mansion, seeing his older brother sitting on the white metallic chair at the porch.

"You're done brother?" Danielle asked, taking a sip of his coffee.

"Yes, I told her to keep it a secret," he replied, sitting across from his brother.

"What did she say?" Danielle questioned.

"She said she'll keep it a secret," Drevox uttered, leaning his back against the backrest. '"Why are you drinking coffee at this hour?"

"I need to finish these papers as you can see," he muttered pointing at the folder on the table.

"Being a journalist is indeed troublesome," Drevox commented, shaking his head.

"At least I'm enjoying it. Why don't you get a job too to hide your real identity?" Danielle suggested, taking out the papers from the folder.

"Well, at least you're enjoying it. And I don't want to find any job. It'd only tire me," he answered blankly. "Where did you get that coffee?" 

"Inside." Drevox was about to stand up but his brother stopped him. He called Hanz and told him to bring a cup of coffee for Drevox.

"Back to the main topic, are you really sure that that woman will keep it a secret?" Danielle clarified as he started to sign the document.

"Yes, she promised. So there's no need to worry about." Drevox nodded.

Hanz arrived, holding a cup of coffee. He placed it onto the table in front of Drevox before he bowed at the two and left them alone.

"I see." Danielle nodded. "Why don't you go to bed brother? I know you're tired now."

"No, I want to relax a bit more." He took a sip of coffee.

There was a long silence before the rain started pouring down. The sounds of water hitting the ground and the roof sends relaxiation to the brothers' minds.

"Just like what the news said, there will be a rainstorm," Drevox mumbled enough to Danielle to hear his brother.

"I'm glad it didn't happen while we're guiding the spirits to travel to the portal." Danielle smiled in relief, putting aside all the signed papers.

"It'd be very difficult if that happens," Drevox muttered, feeling aroma of the coffee.

Danielle didn't respond anymore and opened his phone. He saw the news about the dissapearance of many people in the Philippines from the groogle site.

"Hey brother look at this news," Danielle uttered, showing his phone to Drevox.

The latter leaned closer to read the news. "A lot of people from Metro Manila are starting to dissapear from different places. We checked every cameras around but we didn't see where the exact place they dissapeared." Drevox then leaned backwards as Danielle shut down his phone.

"What do you think about that, brother? Is it connected to our job?" Danielle enquired.

"We won't know unless we investigate it," he replied, taking a sip of his coffee.

"You're right. I'll use my profession to look further into it," he muttered as he continue signing the documents.

"Being a journalist is really helpful huh." Drevox smiled, shifting his gaze at the rain.

"Indeed. This job will help us to investigate further to any events." Danielle nodded.

Drevox nod at him and continue watching the pouring rain. After drinking his coffee he bid goodbye to his brother and went inside. He saw Hanz and Paula sitting on the sofa while playing uno cards.

"You're done sir? I can take that to the sink," Hanz offered and was about to stand but Drevox motioned him to remain sitting.

"No need, I can do it by myself." He shook his head, making Hanz nod. "Anyway, why are you still awake? You should sleep now and regain your energy."

"We're completely fine, sir. And we're drinking coffee too." Paula pointed their coffees on the mini glass table in front of sofa chair.

"I see. By the way, where's Jay and Michelle?" Drevox asked, putting the cup into the sink.

"They're at the basement sir, probably having a training," Hanz answered without looking at him.

"Okay." Drevox went to the storage room, pushing the hidden button behind the bookshelf.

The wall started to move slowly, creating a crushing sound. When it's completely open, Drevox walked inside and pressed the button on the wall. The wall created another crushing sound until it closed. 

Drevox started to walk and his footsteps echoed eerily to the hallway. Fortunately, Jay lighten up the torches earlier by pulling the lever beside the button near the secret door.

Drevox arrived at the basement, proceedingto the railings. He puts his left hand onto the railings, watching his companies beneath him. They're both too busy fighting against eac other.

He closed his eyes as his memory with his younger brother flashed into his mind. Having combat training, eating foods, travelling with each other, etc. But all those dissapeared because of a certain accident.

Drevox opened his eyes and shook his head to forget those memories. That was a bitter past for him.

Clanging of scythes echoed through the whole basement. Jay and Michelle were too focus with their combat training. 

"Having combat training after we fought those wraiths huh?" Drevox uttered, stealing their attentions.

They stopped fighting as their scythe faltered into the thin air.

"Boss! How long were you there?" Michelle asked, proceeding to the corner of the basement.

"I just arrived. Don't you want to rest instead of wasting your energy again?" Drevox asked, crossing his arms.

"Hahahaha! We don't have time for that, boss. We need to become more and more and more stronger," Jay replied cheerfully, raising his arms.

"Oh really?" Drevox asked, jumping from the railings.

He landed in front of Jay, throwing a speed and fast punch. Jay's eyes widened, dodging his boss's attack. He jumped backwards, positioning himself into fighting position.

"That was unfair, boss. You didn't even warn me." He laughed nervously, balling his fists.

Michelle sat on the floor, wiping her sweats while watching the two.

"Warn? There's no warning in a serious fight, Jay." Drevox teleported in front of him, attempting to throw a punch, but Jay managed to teleport away.

He greeted his teeth and sighs in relief for avoiding his boss's attack. He bites his lower lip and attacked him, but Drevox turned around quickly and parried his fist. They both smirked as they felt their impacts they created in their hands. 

"That was intense," Michelle whispered, running her fingers through her hair.

The two jumped away from each other as they summoned their scythes. Jay spinned his scythe with blue sharp blades before he approached his boss. 

Drevox didn't move from his position. He just slashed the wind effortlessly, creating a red air slash. Jay jumped higher to avoid the flying red slash, making it to crush on the wall.

When he landed on the ground, his eyes widened when Drevox appeared in fron of him again.

He's really fast, he thougnt.

Jay bent down to avoid his attack but Drevox didn't attack him. He waits for him to make dodging position and throw a fast kick on his nape.

"Damn!" Jay cursed, spitting blood from his mouth as his face touched the cold floor.

His scythe faltered as he closed his eyes. He felt the excruciating pain on his nape. Drevox's kick is not a joke.

"That was a nice fight, Jay. I congratulate you for that," he complimented as his scythe faltered. He then shifts his gaze at Michelle who's looking at him emotionlessly.

"Indeed nice. But I can't stand up," Jay replied, laughing forcefully.

"Then remain lying on the floor until you regain your energy," Drevox suggested, walking towards Michelle.

The woman laughed and Jay just sighed.

"Were you fighting that long before I arrived?" Drevox asked, sitting beside Michelle.

The latter nod her head as an answer. "Yes, boss. We've been fighting since we came here."

"I see. Don't you feel tired at all, Michelle? You fought plenty of wraiths earlier," he asked blankly though he is worried about his company.

"I was tired.....but I don't want to rest. When I saw the wraiths earlier, it makes me want to become stronger in order to defeat them quickly," she explained, hugging her knees.

"I see. So that was your reason huh. It's the same with Jay." He glanced at his company who's still lying on the ground.

Michelle turn her head to her boss. "Regarding what you said earlier about that woman."

"What about her?" he asked, shifting his gaze at her.

"About her expiring date. When is it?" she asked nonchalantly.

Jay remain silent to listen to them and he tried to stand up using his whole energy, however, his body is still to weak to stand. He greeted his teeth and just turn his head towards the direction where Drevox and Michelle is.

"Tomorrow evening."