35: Dead Duty

Gallen told the three students. “You will be tested in different ways. I will have you try it one after the other. First will be one you pick. This will test your ability to do the task while when things are as you want them to be. Next I will be picking groups for you. This will test your ability to do the job for groups, and to detect which of them are Claimed. Failure here is not allowed!

“Next will be getting individuals I select for you. They will be people I know you hate. If you can’t bring yourself to be professional with them, then you can’t be neutral. Being biased is not allowed.

“Last test will be bringing the souls here while facing opposition. You can learn to protect, or get protectors working for you. Not passing that would be a hindrance, but not one that will prevent you being able to do the job.

“Do you all understand?”

The woman asked “What if we can’t stand someone, can we have one of the others bring the soul?”

“No! You will be working alone for the most part. A potential guard is the only exception that may be allowed.”

“But surely there is leeway we can use?” she pleaded.

Gallen nodded slowly. “Yes, there is. However, we need to find out what it is! When we discover what the leeway is, we can use it. We can’t afford to screw up.”

Drenak was silent, but slowly said “We mainly work via the Astral Plan. Even when in those other worlds we are in an overlap, and not in the material plane. Correct?”

Gallen was interested. “That is correct? What are you thinking?”

“I am thinking of a possible loophole. Where I am from a Psychopomp of a type of person, type of death, or even event could collect souls of that type. Now, imagine there is a large group of people killed in an event, like an earthquake. A single one of us would be overwhelmed getting all that we can. What if we could call on others who can get a specific type of soul, relieving the burden on those who can get the others?”

Gallen paused and thought about it. “That is actually a good idea. I will have to think about it, run it by Felinia and see what we can do. However, I can tell you right now that the effect on that world has to be neutral.”

Now he was thinking as he spoke slowly “By that I meant all the souls have to be given an equal chance to leave. We can’t have a limited time, and 30 of you guys come to recruit one specific type of person while only one comes for the rest. Either that or ones who come offer it to all. It would have to be suitable. The Flying Dutchman is a ship that picks up the souls of the drowned. I doubt they would be of much use in a desert. Such specific groups would have to be organized. One generalist and some specifics can be allowable. What to do with them when not gathering souls? If they worked for a Deity, they would not be neutral. Getting followers while biased would make them biased and entering politics in those worlds, which is also forbidden.

“If they are not Deities, but Quasi-Deity underlings, that could by-pass some restrictions. I really need time to think and plot things out!”

The students were stunned. Drenak had possibly changed things a lot!

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Gallen summoned some paper and a pen, making notes at a furious rate.

When he finished, Drenak asked “Can we help split the duties into different areas? I mean, one being to help the souls with unfinished business and getting closure, while another actually protects them.”

Gallen nodded. “Great ideas! Keep them coming when you have them!”

When he finished writing he put the paper away and said “Right, but to the tests. Ladies first?”

She hesitated and thought about refugees seeking a safe place.

This led her to sunken cargo ship where refugees had been smuggled in the cargo containers, without most of the crew’s knowledge. The crew had abandoned ship when the hull got damaged, and thus the refugees drowned.

The souls were panicking.

Many of them were Catholic, but not only were unburied, but had never received last rites.

Claire, the woman’s whose test this was came and spoke with the souls there. She offered to help them send final messages, but mentioned she could not help the Christians directly. If they learned how to send messages and used it, it was their choice.

The Faithful souls relaxed at that. Claire helped some of those souls, and soon the Christian souls vanished for a while. They came back and spoke with each other. Some had spoken into the dreams of people they knew. Others had spoken into the dreams of the crew. One had spoken to the mind of a deckhand, and told him to mention to authorities that he thought the captain was involved in people smuggling, but couldn’t prove anything. He was not to let the other crew know about this dream, or he might be killed to keep him quite.

Gallen was paying attention and nodded. Claire led the souls back to the building and they went to sleep until it was time for them to awaken.

Gallen nodded when that was over. “Good. That actually covered the first 2 tests!”

Then Gallen focused and another path appeared.

They followed it and came to a prison where an executed man was recently buried.

Gallen told Claire. “Dean Candon. Rapist, murderer, slaver, sadistic torture, pedophile, kidnapper and drug dealer.”

Claire gulped and called out “Dean Candon! I am here to guide you to your afterlife.”

He woke up and emerged from his grave. He leered at her and smiled. “If I get to have fun with the likes of you, it has to be heaven!”

Claire frowned at him “Try it and you’ll learn there is more than Heaven.”

Dean grinned. “Maybe, but if I’m going anywhere else, why not have some final fun?”

Claire really glared at him. “I was sent here to offer you an alternative.”

Dean paused. “Really? What is it?”

“Since you don’t have anyone who actually wants your soul, I’ve been ordered to give you a chance to reincarnate. Don’t ask what as, or when, because I don’t know.”

Dean thought about it. “What are the people in charge like?”

“Really into mind games. I was sent to get your soul because I detest people like you.”

Dean hesitated. “Hang on! Mind fuckers? SHIT! Knowing that kind, they would probably reincarnate me as a little girl into a slave cast in a male dominated society!”

Claire looked surprised “Really? Suddenly I don’t hate this job as much!”

She thought for a bit and frowned. “Nah, they are being forced to be neutral, and want souls sorted. You will probably get a body at random, or based on your personality. You might even be allowed to be turned into a Fiend.”

Dean asked her “What are my options?”

“Considering you are totally unwanted and apparent even by Hell, you options are basically to wait here until you become a Lost Soul as you go insane and lose all of your sense of self identity, accept my offer, or try to find a way to come back on your own.

“Of course, accepting my offer gives you some protection against those that feed on the souls of the dead, but if you want to refuse . . . . “

Dean pales even for a spirit and said “I accept.”

Gallen spoke up and Dean became aware of him “Nicely done.”

Dean asked “Who are you?”

Gallen replied “Her teacher.”

Claire asked “Why did you interfere with this test for me?”

Gallen seemed a bit nervous “Well, while you were busy here, Drenak and Faryat both decided to try making offers to other souls. They picked the nearest ones they could. It seems they were pretty eager to get away from here and have a chance to be reborn elsewhere. That was all they needed to hear, really. There are 6 more souls waiting to go, so far.

Claire’s jaw dropped open in shock and they headed back towards the building full of souls.

Gallen smiled “One last test.”