Reapers: Gods of Death

Chapter 2: Lightning

*Third Person POV*

    A hooded figure similar to that of Lord Death walked into the throne room with dominance in every step he took. “Grim? What brings you by?” Lord Death asked him “Lord Death, we have discovered that the town that exploded was inhabited by supernatural creatures living together with humans” Grim said to Lord Death “is that so? Do we know the names of the reapers living there?” Death asked, “I’m sorry my Lord, their bodies were completely incinerated, we don’t know who it was that died in the fire.” Death sighed, more reapers had been killed randomly, it almost seemed like their race was being targeted, but why? He did not know. “Thank you Grim, our race will become endangered if these killings continue, we must train the young reapers to become warriors and defend our race.”

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-Four Years Later-

*Aaron POV*

    Ever since I could walk my father started training me to become a warrior, and to learn how to control my powers once they decided to show up. My father said that reaper powers didn’t show up until one turned fifteen, which is the coming of age for a reaper. Reapers needed to start training young, so that when our powers showed up, we would already know how to control them. In a week I would finally be starting school, my dad was a great trainer, but I couldn’t wait to see what different kinds of training the school offered.

    From what my dad had been teaching me, not only would I be learning to become a warrior, but a soul reaper as well. Reapers that were not cut out to be warriors would be assigned to take the souls of all creatures that passed on to their next life. I walked outside of the house to train on my own until my dad got back home. I was practicing my sword skills, I was determined to become one of the greatest warriors the underworld would have, just like my dad.

    As I was swinging my sword, I felt a surge of power running through my arms, suddenly my veins started glowing blue, traveling down to my hands, when it reached my fingertips, lightning shot out of my hand. The lightning hit a tree that was close to my practicing area, making it explode into tiny little pieces. I fell backwards and stared at the tree that was now on fire, my mom came running out and saw me sitting on the ground staring at the tree “Aaron are you ok?” she asked worriedly. I couldn’t make words in my mouth, so I pointed to the tree that was still on fire. Her eyes widened in horror and quickly put out the fire with her water powers.

     From what my dad had been teaching me, my mom was a special type of reaper and so was he. Reapers besides shape shifting into anything they could, teleporting, and making mist appear wherever, some could also control the wind and grow wings, or shape their bodies to fly; others had the power of fire. My mom was different as she could control the water, and my dad had lightning himself. Other reapers that were different were the Grim reaper and Lord Death himself, having multiple powers to use, instead of just one.

    When my mom put out the fire, she walked up to me and helped me up. “Aaron, what happened?” she asked. Before I could answer her a dark, tall, and cloaked figure appeared before us, facing his back to us. The cloak was covering him completely and smoke lingered around his cloak, making it hard to see if there was any one inside of the cloak. He turned around slowly, and I think he was staring at me, but I couldn’t tell because I couldn’t see his face at all.

    My mom crouched down to one knee and bowed her head after putting me down on the ground again, “Lord Death” she greeted him. My eyes widened at her words and I stared at the man for a few seconds before bowing myself to him “there is no need for that Gina, please stand” he said with a deep and powerful voice. We both stood up, I couldn’t help but stare at him, he was emanating a powerful aura, I couldn’t help but stare in awe. When I grow up, I’m going to be working for him, I thought to myself and smiled, I couldn’t wait for that day to come.

    “What brings you to our home, Lord Death?” my mom asked, “It’s about Aaron, I felt the surge of power coming from him, is Daniel home?” just as Lord Death had asked for my dad, he appeared in front of all of us. When his eyes landed on Lord Death he bowed also “Lord Death” “Daniel, there is no need for that, lets head inside.” We walked inside of the house into our living room where everyone took a seat. I was expecting Lord Death to remove his hood, but he always kept it on, covering his face for anyone to see.

    “Aaron’s powers have come early; I’m guessing that you sensed the power coming from him?” Death asked. My dad nodded his head up and down “Daniel, you will start training him to use his powers, I will put a barrier around your property so no one can see. Aaron” he addressed me this time “when you start school, you will keep your powers hidden, you will show no one until you come of age” “yes sir” I answered “Good” and with that Lord Death disappeared in a ball of black smoke.

    The next day my dad woke me up like usual to have a practice session. “Aaron, from now on I will train you to use and control your lightning, remember outside of this house you cannot use your powers.” I nodded understanding everything he was telling me. “Alright, your physical strength will have to increase as well, using lightning takes more energy than using fire or wind, it’s harder to control, but I have no doubt that you will catch on fast” he smiled at me. I smiled back at him and got in a defensive stance. For the next week until school started my dad trained me to use and control my lightning powers, with the determination I had in learning, I was picking up on it quickly.

    Finally, the first day of school came, I was with both my parents in a grand room in a school that looked more like a mansion. The school needed to be big as they had students of all ages, ranging from five to fifteen, that was the age that reapers came of age and graduated to either become warriors, or soul reapers. “Welcome back students and welcome new students” a tall Lady dressed in a black dress; black hair wrapped in a bun greeted everyone. “As you all know, school has changed a lot in the last five years, our children not only will be learning to be soul reapers, but also to train to be warriors and protect the underworld for any unknown attacks.”

    It was a tradition to name all of the new students that we’re going to be joining the reaper school. I waited patiently as the lady read the names and students slowly made their way to her side and looked out to everyone. “Joel Razor, Julia Thorn, Damien Reed, Jackie Grimm, Aaron Black” when she said my name, I walked up to stand next to everyone that was already up there, the names of the other students I zoned out on, but one name stood out to me the most, Jackie Grimm.

    Her skin was a lighter gray than most of the reapers in here, her hair was silver, she has striking black eyes, she was very beautiful. I felt my face grow hot and then something happened in my chest, I felt a thump that I couldn’t explain. Is this my heart? I asked myself, but reapers aren’t supposed to have hearts, I thought again. I looked at her and smiled her way ignoring the feeling in my chest; she looked back and glared at me then turned away without smiling back, I felt something break in my chest, brining my attention back to the weird feeling. I’m going to do whatever it takes to become her friend, something inside me is telling me to do so.