39: Recruiting
A lot of students stayed behind and headed to Felinia. Most would be interested in just learning what was actually happening!
Felinia called out “We will show you how things are, including explaining why we are doing the things we do, and tell you what is planned.”
There were over 500 students in this group.
They came before the building and were stunned by the size, as well we the actual nature of the blocks.
Gallen told them “We have to be neutral, which means we can’t release some to act freely and not others. We also want to give them therapy. We are trying to sort things out.”
Shade called out from a darkened area, “Well, I know the basic system you have based yours on. If the students get followers in other worlds that can help with therapy, then their followers can do it here when they die.
“I see one hell of a major problem you have.”
Felinia was interested. “What is it?”
Shade told her “You haven’t set up anyone to run this place at all. If you got someone who purely had Domain over this, it would be much better. Now, then it comes to picking souls to resurrect, being spiritually prepared is part of it, and making sure the bodies they go into are suitable for the souls.”
She stepped back and thought of things. “You need someone who can run it full time. However, this is going to be tricky as they would not be worshipped. They are dealing with souls outside of the system, so no worship there. They are not likely to be worshipped here either. No, you need someone who can do the job and stay out of that. Someone who won’t mind dealing with this. Do don’t know who would do it.”
They were thoughtful at that.
Felinia asked the people “Please devide into one of thre groups. Those interested in being psychopomps to the left, those interested in giving the dead therapy to the right, and the overlapping group who wants both in the front.
Sade called out. “I just got an idea.”
Everyone turned to her “A Deity of Life would have the responsibility of picking appropriate souls for bodies. If you get one of those, they could help sort out where to put souls. Hmm, I was just reminded of the Fates from a world I visited. One made the threads of fate, one wove them, and one ended them. Maybe someone who has the job of preparing souls to be born? That would cover giving the souls therapy.”
Felinia’s and Gallen’s eyes widened and Gallen took out his note pad, quickly jotting that down.
Shade looked over things and said “When I recruit souls, I want them to be suitable for the race I will create. I guess others will feel the same. We can’t just accept random ones. That may be fine for reincarnation into your world, and others, but not for me! I don’t have to be neutral!”
There was a lot of agreement from the others.
Shade told them “I will agree to act as a psychopomp, but there is a catch.”
Everyone was focused on her right now. “I get to recruit living to follow me, including the dying.”
Felinia frowned. “How will you be able to start working in a world, if you already have a worshipper base elsewhere.”
Shade chuckled. “I already thought of it. See, I have been thinking about how to abuse the system since you announced making the school.”
Other laughed.
Felinia just nodded. “If you believe you can do it, then you can try.”
Those who wanted to be psychopomps were shown and told what to do. The potential therapists were having trouble even getting started.
Shade got busy and went on her first trip with Gallen watching over her.
If was a dark alley, and there was a badly beaten guy there. The soul she was officially there for had died in a knife fight long ago.
The beaten man looked at her in wonder as she appeared.
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She soothed him and said “You do not deserve to die alone like this. This is unfair.”
The guy laughed painfully. “What can you do?”
Shade told him “I am training to be a Goddess, and have Shadow dwellers as my Domain. Outcasts like you fit among it. You don’t follow any Gods, and your soul might become lost when you die, or be reincarnated into a life you hate.”
He coughed up some blood. “What do you offer?”
Shade told him, “I offer you a chance to live peacefully in the Shadows, free of those who would harm people for no just reason.”
“What do you know of being oppressed?”
“My family were murdered and I was hunted by those my world worshipped as Heroes just because I can shadow walk.”
“How do I accept?”
“Say you accept or call on me by name, which is Shade.”
He laughed as blood came up and just managed to gasp out “I accept, Shade.”
Then he fell down dead.
Shade reached down to his hand and used it to pull his spirit up so his soul was standing.
Shade told him “You are actually my first convert.”
His sarcastic reply was “Lucky me.”
Then he say the dead soul, and asked “What about him?”
“Oh, his the soul I was sent to retrieve. Using it as an excuse to go help others.”
The fighter was willing to pass over .
Before going back, Shade took the chance to look around, and managed to spot the gang that did the beating.
They were after homeless woman with a child, talking about how they planned to rape her before killing her.
Shade would have acted anyway, but the woman called out for anyone to help her. Others would have heard, but did nothing. This really pissed Shade off!
Shade moved into action.
She had many knives on here, and she stabbed the gang members in the spines from behind, permanently paralyzing them.
Shade went to the woman and comforted her.
She asked Shade “Who are you?”
Shade looked a bit sheepish. “One training to be a Goddess in another world. I am called Shade, and I have Domain over Shadow Dwellers, outcasts can be considered those who dwell in society’s shadows, including the homeless.”
“Thank you Shade! Thank you! How can I ever repay you?”
Shade smiled gently to her “By being the best person you can be, despite how shit everything goes. Maybe offer up a prayer occasionally. If you become my follower, I can take you in and protect your soul when you die.”
“What is required to be your follower?”
“Just live as I had told you.”
Suddenly she thought of something. “Actually, I need you to do something for official repayment for my help. Mention they let slip about a guy they beat up behind a takeaway shop earlier.”
The mother nodded and frowned. “I will.”
The mother went off to find a public phone, or a shop that was still open and would allow her in.
Shade turned to the gang who were all cursing and threatening her.
Shade smiled evilly at them. “Firstly, you have no chance to hurt me, and secondly, you won’t ever walk again, and I doubt even be able to get an erection, or control your bladder. Of course, prison will take care of your medical needs, once you get locked up for murder.”
One called out “Murder! We haven’t killed anyone!”
Shade shook her head. “That guy you bashed up is dead! You lot murdered him! You probably murdered others and don’t even realize it.
They were stunned. Shade continued “You also were going to harm a homeless woman and her baby. Now, prisoners may not mind you having fun with a woman, although others do. You were going to harm a baby, and that crosses the line!
“You are going to be thankful that you won’t be able to feel your asses by the time they finish railroading you in prison!”
Shade stayed there a bit until the police arrived and got the gang. They soon found the dead guy and the entire gang was arrested for murder as well as attempted rape and attempted assault on a minor.”
Shade went to leave, but on the Astral an angel appeared. This angel happened to be carrying a flaming sword and most certainly planned to use it!
“Interloper! Release those souls at once!”
Shade looked at the Angle and said “One is my willing follower, and thus his soul belongs to me. He was Unclaimed. The other was already dead and Unclaimed as well, left to stagnate for over a hundred years! Why had his soul never been collected?”
“If he chooses not to serve a God, then none must care for him.”
“Then he was Unclaimed! He has placed himself under my protection and accepted the offer for reincarnation I gave him! You have no right to interfere!”
“I will not allow upstarts or creatures of Darkness to claim souls!”
Shade was serious. “If you do not abide by the rules, and seek to harm those who have done no wrong, then I name ye corrupt! Pride by thy sin and blinds you to Justice and Duty. To seek to harm my and mine for no just reason Evil!”
The angel got ready to fight, as did Shade. Shade smiled “I’ll take your wings any maybe your sword if I have to kill you, as spoils of conquest! It’s been too long since I’ve had a chance to fly using Angel wings.”
The Angel was pissed! It came charging at Shade and Shade came running at it . . . only to throw herself on the ground at the last moment and roll, tripping the angel up.
The Angel tried to stand up again, but Shade had its sword in her hands, and it had one of her knives in its chest.
It fell, and its body started to disintegrate so Shade rushed over and used the sword to slash the wings off it, taking a chunk of its back and spine in the process.
Shade grabbed the wings, and merging into the shadows joined them to her body.
After a bit she returned with fully working Angel Wings, and a flaming sword!
Shade concentrated and managed to make the wings fade from existence before bringing them back.
She laughed and escorted the souls back.
Everyone had been watching on a screen Gallen had set up and most were shocked! Felinia and Gallen just shook their heads. Gallen told her “Dammit! You ought to slow down so the others have a chance to try to catch up with you?”
Shade smiled at him “If they seem able to catch up, that means they are lagging behind so I underestimate them!”
Gallen collected the fighter’s soul, and Shade left with her dead follower.
Gallen looked at everyone else “This is one way to do it. Who wants to go next?”