As the door shut, Lucifer turned to Markus. “You’ve done well, my boy. A woman like her? They aren’t born every century, you know. I think your attitude with her is commendable, too. Far too few men nowadays, Markus. Far too few. Anyway! Shall we?” he asked, grasping the doorknob.
Markus nodded, and Lucifer opened Hanako’s door to reveal a large office with a heavy, ornately carved desk. The pair walked in and shut the door.
Markus looked around, taking in the tasteful decorations. The lamp on the desk seemed to have come from the 30’s, while the carvings on the desk suggested late 1700’s. It was ornate, but not gaudy. The entire room gave the feel of an overcast sky in fall, just as the trees were losing their leaves, and the weather began its slow descent to cooler temperatures.
He nodded, smiling as he took it all in. “This is rather nice, Lucifer. It feels good in here. Not just temperature-wise. Just, the whole atmosphere feels comfortable,” Markus said.
“I’m glad you like it, Markus. I keep adding to it, and changing it as time goes by,” he said, straightening a painting that looked uncannily similar to van Gogh’s “Starry Night”. “And no, none of this is original. I’ll not steal priceless works of art just for vanity’s sake.”
Lucifer walked behind his desk, and fiddled with a control panel that was just out of Markus’ sight. A moment later, a doorway opened up behind the desk that opened into a darkened space. Lucifer motioned for Markus to follow, and the pair traveled down a hallway that sloped gently upwards.
After walking for almost ten minutes in silence, Markus asked, “So, how come there are no offices in this hallway, Lucifer?”
“Hmm? Oh, that’s because this is a connecting hallway. No, offices cannot exist here, because technically, this place doesn’t exist. This is a liminal space, Markus. A boundary that separates the natural world from the realm of possibility. Literally nothing exists here,” he replied casually.
“Nothing? Like, not even time?” Markus asked, trying to wrap his head around the concept.
“Correct! How long do you think we’ve been walking?” Lucifer said.
“Maybe ten minutes?”
“Not so. We have only just stepped out of my office. We have also arrived at our destination. And we are still traveling. No time has elapsed. And yet, you’ve been walking for an eternity. You just cannot tell, as time isn’t here. Just like we aren’t here, you see?” Lucifer replied enigmatically.
“I…but… But I’m talking to you. Aren’t I?”
“Are you?” Lucifer asked, looking sidelong at Markus.
Markus blinked rapidly, and screwed his eyes shut for a moment. When he reopened them, he was standing in another office space beside Lucifer, who had a steadying arm around his shoulders.
“Still with us, Champ? Excellent. The CEO will be with us shortly, so try to get your head together,” Lucifer said, squeezing Markus’ shoulder.
“What just happened, man? That was freaky,” Markus said, his voice a little unsteady.
“I must say, I am impressed, Markus,” came a familiar female voice to Markus’ right.
“Hello, Chaos. I wish I could say that I am happy to see you, but then I would be lying, and as you well know, that is utterly impossible for me,” Lucifer said, his voice carefully neutral.
“Yes, Death. Everyone is well aware of your little malfunction,” Chaos said, her voice dripping with scorn.
“Why are you impressed with me, Lady Chaos?” Markus asked.
“Most living humans who traverse that hallway go mad. I think it has something to do with the way Time has its hooks in you. I don’t know. I never cared to find out,” she said, waving a disinterested hand.
“Chaos has a point, Markus. Most humans can’t handle the way that hallway works. Why, I’ve even gotten lost in it a time or two. That was usually after a week of heavy drinking, though,” Lucifer said, rubbing his chin as he reminisced.
Markus was about to reply when an older gentleman clad in a sharp, black three-piece suit with a braided beard walked over to the trio.
“Follow me, please. The CEO is expecting you,” he said.
“Thank you, Sanders. Come along, Markus,” Lucifer said, striding confidently behind Sanders.
Markus walked behind Lucifer, with Chaos trailing after him. After a moment, he heard a soft murmuring in his ear.
“If you work with me, Markus, I’ll let you have your little rabbit, and myself. Especially if you can pin me again. Mmf.” Chaos lightly trailed her nails across the back of his neck.
Markus took a steadying breath and cleared his throat. He certainly wasn’t about to entertain that notion. While she was undoubtedly beautiful, Markus had no desire to be a thrall to Chaos.
Chaos continued to tease him as they walked, which Markus studiously ignored to the best of his abilities. Shortly, they were led into a spacious office, with walls the color of a summer sky, plush carpeting, and gentle light that came from nowhere and everywhere.
Lucifer positioned him behind the middle of three comfortable-looking chairs that were in the room, and he and Chaos took up station behind the other two. The desk in front of him was plain, unadorned, highly polished stone. Atop it were some scattered papers, a red stapler and a partially eaten cheeseburger. Markus began to feel uneasy.
A moment later, a door opened behind and to the left of the desk, and a tall, dark-skinned man in a green t-shirt, blue jeans and house slippers emerged. He walked to the desk wordlessly, arranged the papers and stapled the corner. When he let the papers go, they simply vanished, and he put his stapler down, picking up the cheeseburger and taking a bite.
He looked up and wiped his mouth with a napkin that appeared in his hands. Swallowing, he said, “So. You’re the one that Chaos is all pissed off about, huh? Tell me about yourself.”
Markus blinked a couple of times. “Um. Well, I’m Markus Barton. Luci- uh, Death here hired me as a Soul Liaison. Miss Chaos wanted me as her own, but I refused,” he said.
“Son, I know why we are here today. I asked about you. Why do you think Chaos tried to take you? What is it that makes you special?” the man said gently.
“Oh. I’m sorry. I’m kind of nervous, sir. It’s not everyday a human meets the one in charge of the whole of creation,” Markus said with a nervous laugh.
This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
The man smiled indulgently. “I assume not, Markus. Let’s try this again. Time is non-existent here. This meeting can take a subjective five minutes, or a subjective eon. Don’t fret about that. You are in a safe space, and I’ll not allow anything to happen to you here. You may call me Amun. None of that “sir” business, now. Not from you.
“So. Are you able to answer my question?” Amun asked once more.
Markus thought for a moment. “Well…” he began, “I have some theories, but I don’t know for sure.” Amun nodded, and Markus continued, counting on his fingers, “One, Chaos could be simply antagonizing Death. Poaching his talent and making them unable to do their jobs properly. Like a rival company would do to their competition. I’ve seen that before. Hell, I’ve been in the middle of that before.
“Two, Chaos might see my propensity to learn language and culture and simply want to use that set of skills for their own benefit. I’ll admit, it isn’t exactly easy for me to do, but it is kinda fun.
“Three, there is nothing particularly special about me, I don’t think. Death says that the simple fact that I agreed to take the job he offered makes me special. I don’t know, Amun.”
Amun nodded and took another bite of his cheeseburger. Markus furrowed his brow, which made Amun gesture to him with the cheeseburger, as his mouth was full.
“Did…did we interrupt your lunch?” Markus asked.
Amun chuckled as he chewed, pressing his knuckles to his lips. He swallowed and said, “No, Markus. I just like cheeseburgers. Nothing more to it than that. Anyway, as to your theories. Chaos? Are you simply antagonizing Death?”
Chaos stood there, blinking. “Um, well. No?” she said, unsure of herself.
Amun smirked. “Chaos? Do you want to simply use Markus to sow chaos amongst the Earth?” he asked.
“Kind of? I guess. I mean, there’s no doubt that his skills would be incredibly useful to me. I don’t see why he wouldn’t want to help,” she said.
“Hmm. Death? Does him accepting the job offer make him special?” Amun asked my manager.
“In a way, yes. Few humans are willing or capable of doing the work needed for this position. Markus here is possessed of certain traits that make him rather well suited for the position,” he said.
“Such as?” prompted Amun.
“He cares, Sir. As you know, compassion is required to help send souls to their eventual rest or recycling. Markus is a truly kind person, and as such, being a Soul Liaison will likely come quite naturally to him,” Death replied.
“I see. Tell me something, Chaos. Would it not be best for your agents to be almost completely devoid of kindness?” Amun asked.
Chaos began to fidget, her form beginning to waver. “Um. Well, yes, Sir. It would be best if he were to be without that particular trait,” she whispered.
“Then I would like for you to tell me why you decided to send a crow to inform him of your arrival, and why you decided that a kind and gentle human like Markus was your choice of Chaos Agent,” Amun asked forcefully.
Chaos seemed to shrink in on herself as a ripple went through her. She stared at the ground and fidgeted with her blue dress.
“I’m waiting, Chaos.” Amun said, leaning toward her.
Chaos recoiled as if struck. Markus found it difficult to tear his eyes away from her.
“Chaos? Are you okay?” Markus asked.
Amun’s head whipped around to face him. “What’s this, then? Don’t tell me you’re actually concerned for Chaos?” he said.
“Well, yeah. As I see it, even though Chaos is what Death calls a Primal Force, it is still personified to me as Badb. And I’m not sure what it is you are perceiving Amun, but I see a terrified woman, shrinking away from an angry man. I’m not saying you’re wrong for being upset. Far from it. I can’t help being concerned, is all. She looks scared,” Markus said.
Amun took a seat on top of his desk. “That you show concern for the one who attempted to kill your girlfriend is commendable, Markus. However, you must realize that Chaos is not a human female. It doesn’t have a gender. It simply is. And right now, yes, it is terrified. It has every right to be. I am angered by its actions, as it has broken a rule that was put in place some time ago.
“Meeting you is one thing. I want you to meet all of the ones under me. It helps build community and trust. Chaos, on the other hand, tried to hire you under its own contract while you were already under contract by Death. We had settled this a long while ago. It is well aware of this fact, and yet, it chose to act as if the rules don’t apply to it. Some may be bent, but this one? No. This one is to prevent more catastrophes like Takeda. That poor soul might not ever be freed. Chaos doesn’t have many agents, as it has tended to trick them into servitude. I need Chaos Agents out there, but I’ll not allow it to come from double-worked souls. Chaos has punishment coming to it, and I have yet to decide on its form,” he said kindly.
Markus nodded thoughtfully. “May I make some suggestions, then?” he asked.
“By all means, Markus. I welcome your input here. While Death is, by all rights, the injured party here, you were the one targeted,” Amun stated, then crossed his arms.
“Okay,” Turning to Chaos, Markus said, “Lady Chaos?” She looked at him mistrustfully. “Must your agents be living creatures?” he asked.
“What? Living? Well, no. Not necessarily. Why?” she answered. A small smile broke out on Amun’s face.
Markus gave her a lopsided grin. “How about I recruit for you? Passively, I mean,” he said.
“What?” Death and Chaos said in unison.
“Well, since I may have the skills you need, I absolutely lack the temperament. I can hang a poster in my office once I get started, advertising for you. I could also conduct interviews when I’m not working for Death, if you’d like. Hel, you could sit in on them, too. I’ll have several thousand souls pass through each month. At least one of them might be interested. What do you think, Amun?” Markus said, raising an eyebrow at the slender man.
“I like this one, Death! I think it’s a good idea. We will have to set some time constraints, however. Otherwise, Chaos is likely to take a light year from the inch you are offering. Death? What are your thoughts on the matter?” Amun asked, swinging his legs like a child.
Death looked at Markus thoughtfully. “Markus? My dear man, do you understand what you’re offering? You will be working for both Chaos and myself. True, this will be more structured, more supervised, but you’ll be working multiple jobs. And you haven’t even begun your initial job! It might wind up being more work than you wish. Are you certain?” he asked.
Markus nodded. “I think so. However, in light of this oversight, how about this, then? After my training is complete, and I’ve gotten settled into my job for, let’s say three months?” he asked, looking at Death and Amun, both of which nodded. “Three months, then. After that, how about I start the interviews? I will work for no more than eight hours a day in total, and only at my regular job on the weekends. We give this a trial run of a month and the four of us revisit the matter at that point. If I can handle the workload, we continue. If I cannot, we do not. However, I will promote for you, Lady Chaos, regardless. No sense in making life difficult where it doesn’t need to be. How does that sound?” he asked.
Amun leaned over to Death and murmured, “You sure you didn’t hire him to be HR?” Death grinned.
Straightening, Amun looked to Chaos. “Well? What do you think of his proposal, Chaos? I think it is more than generous,” he said.
Chaos stared at Markus, confusion evident not only in her face, but in her body. It was flickering in and out of existence in places, and what returned wasn’t always what belonged. “Why? Why would you do that, Markus Barton?” she asked softly.
In reply, Markus walked over to her and lay a hand on her shoulder. “Because you need the help, Lady Chaos. Your methods are currently not working. I can see a way for you to potentially succeed in your role. Will you let me help you?” he asked.
Chaos stared at him. Leaning over, she glared at Death. “Just what is this man?” she asked.
Death grinned at her. “My employee, Chaos. That’s what he is.”
“And now, he is my employee, as well,” Amun said, earning a shocked look from the others.