Revenant's Slaughter: The Reaper System

Asmodeus

Streams of light flowed along a bright pool, which was ring-shaped, and in each millisecond, a light would divert to the middle of the pool ring. If one looked closely, it would be seen that each light was like an ember that lacked a definite form as they flowed along this cosmic stream. The stream was known as the pool of reincarnation, or by some, the circle of Samara.

In the peaceful stream where life was constantly created and renewed, where the embers which represented souls went on their way to a new world with a clean slate and no past memories.

A particular soul within the stream showed erratic movement as it seemed to be fighting the flow of the reincarnation stream and constantly colliding with other souls.

"Riiiip!!"

A large smoky hand with claws ripped space and made a large tear. This hand dipped into the stream and grabbed this erratic soul, which turned out to be Atticus's.

In a swift motion, the hand pulled out Atticus's soul into the crack, and the space tear mended. The stream flowed in its circle in its fluid motion, uncaring about what had just transpired.

Atticus's eyes jerked open. It was first darkness, and now it was bright. 'Where am I?' He thought.

"Welcome to Diyu, or purgatory as it's popularly known," said a deep voice that carried a powerful aura.

Atticus, suddenly alert to the fact that he wasn't alone, stopped his train of thought and looked toward the voice.

There he saw the scariest and most demonic being he could have come across. A nightmarish entity of unspeakable dread, appearing as a shadowy figure shrouded in malevolent darkness. His eyes burned like crimson embers in a hooded visage that drew souls into an abyss of malice. His voice, a sinister whisper, seemed to lure victims into a web of despair. His long, gnarled fingers ended in wicked claws, dripping with the blood of countless souls. Tattered wings, like those of a fallen angel, exuded corruption.

He moved toward Atticus with eerie grace, blighting all in his path. His chilling grin revealed rows of jagged teeth, promising unending agony.

"My name is Asmodeus, King and ruler of the seven hells, and you, my dear Atticus, have caught my eyes," he said in a voice that seemed to be followed by its own echoes.

"Am I dead?" Atticus questioned as he tried to control the terror he felt in his heart and looked around this unfamiliar territory.

"Uhh, yeah...you're obviously dead," Asmodeus replied in what may have been his deadpan expression.

"Oh, and I came to hell?" Atticus suddenly found this entire scenario ridiculous. He was betrayed and died an unjust death. He knew he wasn't the most righteous of men, but hell? Wasn't the heavens ridiculous! Was there so much unfairness in the afterlife! Atticus felt a rage that seemed to have bored itself deep within his soul, an anger that made him want to curse the heavens themselves.

"There it is! The anger! The rageeeee! Exactly what I brought you here for, I was afraid you would have lost it all, and I'm glad you did not." Asmodeus cackled loudly.

Atticus looked up at this mighty being who, by its own right, was a deity. "So where next?" Atticus asked as he was starting to resign to the hands of fate.

"Hold your horses, boy, I brought you here not for eternal torment but to offer you a chance."

"A chance?" Atticus questioned with a confused expression.

"Yes, a chance. I mean how bad exactly do you crave for revenge? You did say you will burn your murderer's palace to the ground, and here I am offering you a chance and great power to achieve that vengeance and more!" Asmodeus's red eyes shone brighter as he made his offer.

Why would the king of hell want to help him? This question rose up in Atticus's mind. Everyone knew about what is said about making deals with the devil, but it doesn't really matter right now.

Hell, he would sell his own soul even if there was a slim chance to get back at those bastards that took everything away from him!

"What do I have to give?" Atticus looked up at the powerful devil, his nonexistent heart growing cold with the hatred that rose in his very soul.

"Hehe. Not much actually, I just need you to do something for me, or at least the future you," Asmodeus replied.

"The future me?"

"Exactly, the current you will be too pitifully weak to actually make an impact on the plans I have set in motion. A plan that involves the entire 33 heavens."

Atticus didn't really understand what Asmodeus was talking about, but why should he care? Future problems for future self. Then his thought went to his wife. If he gets a chance to go back, doesn't this mean his Xiao Mei could also be revived?

"My wife-"

"Impossible for me to do right now," Asmodeus interrupted him, already knowing what he was going to ask for.

"Your wife has already been reincarnated and has a new life presently. To bring her back, I would have to kill her all over again and send her back to the circle of samsara. But even for a being such as myself, I do not interfere in the life of mortals, for the observers are not ones to be messed with," he explained.

Atticus felt dispirited by this information, knowing there was so much wrong with the process of getting his wife back.

"But when you get strong enough, you can travel worlds and eventually find her. Even after reincarnation, mortals tend to still have some of their past memories locked in some part of their soul, just waiting to be released by the right catalyst."

Asmodeus reassured Atticus.

"Not much time is left; if I let you stay here for too long, you may eventually become one of the tormented," Asmodeus warned.

"So what do you say, Atticus Steele? I shall grant you a body so divine that even Gods in higher worlds will be jealous, a potential so vast that even geniuses of Holy sects in the 33 heavens will wail in envy! A skill so deadly that you shall be the bane of the mighty! Atticus Steele, will you be my Blade?? Will you take your chance for revenge and dye this world crimson till they tremble in your might!!! Will you!!" Asmodeus asked in a voice that shook the entire purgatory; the wails of the tormented souls got louder with every word.

Atticus felt a darkness engulf his soul; he was ready to risk it all to get his revenge. Strength offered on a platter of blood, well, he was about to get bloody either way!

"I, Atticus Steele, accept the offer of the king of seven hells, the first devil of wrath and desire, ruler of the damned, Lord Asmodeus!" Atticus knelt as he chanted words that came from the darkest part of his soul; he felt a resonance with the very hell itself.

"And so it is then done; so rise, Atticus, for now you are no longer just Atticus Steele the man, but now Atticus Steele, the one who bears the mark of Asmodeus, the Reaper of Hell!"

Red lightning crackled, and the entire 33 heavens shook with a lightning tribulation. Several deities looked up from their heavens toward purgatory, but a veil had blocked every perception.

But they knew in their hearts that, once again, a mighty force was about to rise. A force that would change the tides of the entire heavens itself.

"Go bring hell on Earth, my Reaper," with those words from Asmodeus, Atticus felt everything go dark once more, but this time he knew it was one that came with a chance. A chance of vengeance!