Coming Of The Reaper

 I find myself racing in thoughts. I never knew of witch hunters, let alone what their weakness is. Apparently me and Sylvie are supposed to be able to take this guy down. I don't know how. I hold my sword shakily as I get to my feet.

Sylvie seems to be so much better at this fighting stuff than me. The Hunter lunges at me and I get away from impact by a hair. The wind from the force of the lunge is enough to feel all over my face. Sylvie brings a knee into the side of his head from out of my sight.

"C'mon Steve there's got to be something we can try!" I hear Sylvie call out to me.

The hunters body hits the ground with a sliding scuff. the dust kicks from the floor and I close my eyes. It's right here I see inside of my mind a deep red pentagram burning inside. It gives me an idea.

"I have an idea." I say as the hunter stands again.

My eyes open to the sight of him charging at me. I grab Sylvie's forearm. It seems she understands because she returns the grip. I use all the strength I can muster to throw her at the witch hunter. The moment happens with a flash of silver light.

I stand a bit dazed from the sudden increase of brightness. I find myself rubbing at my eyes with great vigor. I hear a set of feet touch the ground gently. The sound of the witch hunter hitting the ground meets my ears only a few moments later.

The vision I slowly regain is but a colorful blurry mess. I can see Sylvie stumbling a bit from the intense light. Death lowers the field around us.

"Good. You passed." I can hear the hiss escape his lipless mouth.

"I don't even know what we just did." I admit as I continue rubbing at my eyes in hopes to clear up more of my field of vision.

"So we hit the same vibration?" Sylvie asks.

"Yes." Death let's it's voice hiss as it looks us over. "Here on you'll both be known as the Silver Squad." He adds.

"Right." Sylvie says.

"So that's how I find out it is us I take it." I say.

"Formalities other than squad names aren't recommended. It makes things sticky should you get killed in action." Death explains.

"Wow, that's a bit cold." I say.

"It is simply how it has to be." Death's voice hisses back to me.

"We all live and die. Around here we go through people." Sylvie says.

"That seems a bit cold in my opinion." I say.

"It keeps the balance." Death replies.

"I get that. Even still it seems harsh." I say.

"Wait 'til we get in the field. you'll understand then." She nudges me.

"Exactly." Death sighs.

Death leaves the room and Sylvie tugs on my arm to get us to put our equipment away. We immediately head for the mess hall without much more being said.

As we enter the mess hall door it booms then echoes throughout. We proceed to finding our seat. I know what our duty is but even so it doesn't sit right with me. There has to be other reasons for the cold shoulder.

"Don't think about it, Steven. It'll make you turn kinshen." She says.

"What?" I ask.

"Turning kinshen is what happens when a reaper loses his mind or heart." She sighs.

"I see." I sigh.

"We made a squad. Now you need to stay strong as badly as I do." She huffs.

I sigh. I'm relieved we are both alive but, I don't know what this will lead to for me. Sylvie seems to be glossed over. She seems like she wasn't ready to have a partner as a reaper yet. I just came here, I understand this whole heartedly.

"We will get through anything that comes our way." I say.

"You can't just assume that Steve." She huffs.

"I'm not. You're smarter than I am, but I can learn pretty quick. I know we can do anything we put our minds to." I smile.

"You're a fool." She shakes her head and she grabs a tray to bring to the serving section.

I follow her quietly. She is upset though all I want her to know is we will do whatever we have to. I wonder if maybe she just doesn't want this life anyways. I can't blame her, I never asked for this either.

"So, which way is best for me to catch up to you?" I ask.

"Training. Lots of it." She says as we work our way down the line.

I end up with meat and potatoes, as does she, though in addition taking salad. I suppose she feels balanced nutrition is a key to survival out there. I figure it's best not to ask. I follow her to a table against the outer wall. We sit across from one another.

"I'll have to take you on personally." She says in a monotone.

"Okay, so you'll teach me. trial by fire huh?" I ask.

"Exactly." She says. "We can't afford mistakes." She adds.

"And I may just help you learn new stuff too, optimistically." I laugh.

"Let's not get ahead of ourselves."

"Ouch." I rub the back of my neck.

We sit in silence as we begin our meal. It feels so tense even someone pushing on the air could make it snap. I feel such an intense pressure. Is this us matching soul vibration naturally, is the only question that comes to my mind.

"So, we are the silver squad. Who was the last ones with our squad name?" I ask.

"Your Grandfather and my mother." Sylvie replies. for a moment I just take in the information.

"My... Grandfather..?" I ask.

"Yeah, he was an amplifier. He had the strongest offensive booster known to the reapers." Sylvie explains.

I eat quietly. She stares due to my lack of reply. I find myself half present as I finish my meal. I find myself in thought of what the rest of our day will hold. it is only lunchtime and we still have more training to do. we still have to figure out which of us is the magic user of us.

"Steve, I am sorry I couldn't tell you more. All I know for sure is that he was one of our best. Over all, he harvested over one hundred kinshen." She sighs. "He was a legend." she adds.

"Then my father must be still around somewhere." I pipe up.

"Do you have his name?" She asks.

"No." I sigh. "My father has been out of my life since early childhood."

"Sadly, I cant say I've ever seen your grandfather claim a son." She sighs.

"I see. So, I guess my next curiosity is, why was your mom paired with my grandfather?" I ask.

"Well, your grandfather was the first reaper to match with more than one other partner." She smirks. " Though, my mother was his fifth partner. They both died last week due to an insurgency of kinshen, reapers who didn't even get the chance to find out their destiny. ones who lost before they even got the chance to fight along our side." She adds.

I sigh. I wish I had the chance to meet him. maybe then I wouldn't be as nervous of the rest of my time as a reaper. some family business. Most people inherit a store or restaurant, nah, me I just have to work for death himself for the remainder of my living days. What kind of cruel joke is this?

"You know, I miss her." She admits to me.

Her fork is dangling around her plate. She seems to have lost her appetite. I cant blame her, this is a rather sensitive topic. Especially given she hasn't had the opportunity to grieve really.

"I'm sorry for your loss. Is your father around?" I ask.

"He went Kinshen when I was three. Mom had to put him down. That's when she realized she herself was a reaper." She sighs.

I never would have guessed that would be her reason to living with Death and the reapers for so long. She had no where else to go, but to train. She must have been waiting since childhood to take after what her mother did. I can't fathom that kind of longing.

"That's hard. I guess that's why you grew up here too huh?" I ask.

"Yeah, actually it is." She sighs. "I am tired of talking. Lets get back to the training room." She adds, I only assume to stop the topic at hand.

"Sylvie, we are gonna be partners, I think us knowing each other is a bit more important than just sheerly training beyond what we are now." I sigh.

"Your grandfather always said the fundamentals are what keeps us alive." She huffs.

"Yes, but my grandfather was a warrior first wasn't he? I see us as human first. Is that hard to believe?" I ask, this starting to get on my nerves.

We both stand suddenly. She swings quickly for my jaw and I slip to the side and watch it fly by. I smirk, realizing my reflexes are keen. She shoots me a glare and huffs. She is itching for a fight and I just may have picked the wrong day and time for this conversation.