Dear MC Undying, thanks for delivering me to hell.

This settled it. Minion for life! Or should i say minion, because i want to live? In the end, same thing.

Any doubts about my career choices, not that i had any in the first place, faded into a distant dream.

When i walked in here, i kind of expected to see Ruth, or whomever, in person. Yet, it was just another minion, albeit of higher rank. Harbinger sounded foreboding as fuck. Someone like the undead swarming this place being nothing but servants, i could process in my mind somehow. If i massively stressed my world view. But someone like her, also being an employee, rather than the employer?

Frankly, that was beyond my capacity to handle. Just thinking about the scale of power, these entities existed on, gave me a never ending migraine.

Turns out that the skeletal warrior number one was not lying, when he said he was "weak" and "didn't deserve a name". If you needed to be in that angel's pay grade, to be worthy of a name, then i humbly submit: I am just a random crow. No name here. Galdir? Nah, that's not a name, that practically translates to "worthless trash".

"You will answer, when our master voices a question." That almost sounded angry.

Huh? Oh shit. I stared up, something, glowing violet and way too sharp for my liking, directly above my head.

That made my mind clear up instantly.

No-no. No need for violence here, boney dude. I got this.

"Forgive my insolence, for i am just an unworthy thing. One of your great followers extended the hand of friendship to me, asking me to serve you with all my might. How could i refuse such a generous offer? Oh great master.. eh.. Alira Of The East."

Hopefully, that nailed it, because i stumbled a little bit at the last part. Please, man, i need this job! And my life, which comes along with it.

I expectantly eyed the unholy maiden.

She chuckled.

Can you say something, please? The suspense isn't good for my heart.

"..How could you, indeed." She was laughing now.

"I can imagine. That rusty skeleton said something like 'Be a minion, or die', right? Sorry about that, it is default policy for one like him to talk like that. Don't heed his words too much."

Aha. Okay. What?

"Unfortunately, he is right though. So, feel like becoming my slave?" She winked at me. She FUCKING winked.

I would be flustered, but i was preoccupied with accepting my fate.

"T-This lowly one gladly accepts. Order me as you will, oh supreme Alira Of The East." Damn, i hadn't stuttered since, i don't know, never, i think.

"Haha, i thought so. Very few people have an active death wish." She seemed satisfied. Good for me, pal.

Then her expression displayed contemplation for the shortest blip of time. "Your eyes, they are special, aren't they?"

Okay, that's a neat trick. How the fuck does she know that? I panicked, again. Great. I could already feel my alive status being revoked.

"Y-Yes, i used to be proud of them. But now i realize how foolish that was, compared to your grace, they are worthless. Oh exalted Alira Of The East."

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"You want to know, how i know?" If she was human, that surely would have sounded smug. With her presence, it sounded natural, a bit flat even.

Is it really okay to ask? Well, my life was already forfeit as is, so might as well get an answer to that one.

"If you would bless me with your enlightenment, i would be thrilled. Oh benign Alira Of The East." Yeah i know. Benign and her were opposites. But it sounded polite, so what can i do.

"Oh stop calling me that, it annoys me. It is just 'Master'. And that is how i know. You have not even passed the first treshold, yet you can see my name." She actually sounded interested in me, a little bit.

That was good. One girl's interest is another crow's lifeline. It's an old saying, don't you know it?

"Another thing. Show your true form, you are not a bird, are you? It's an order."

Oh man! My original appearance is so.. boring. Still, i immediately started to transform, it took a few seconds.

"Yeah, i like shadows better in their true form. Why do you hide it?"

Before i could answer, she gestured into the thin air before her. "Come, sit. Might as well have tea while chattering." Without transition, the thin air was no more. In its place, a tea set had appeared, alongside a matching table and two comfy looking chairs. Of course, all of it was of ridiculously high quality. Perfectly ashen porcelain with intricate carvings made of gold. The chairs covered in leather that i could SEE was soft. And perfect and black. Ebony table as a finishing touch.

Naturally, the tea was already hot, the cups filled, the otherworldly beauty stretching in her chair. I am not gonna lie, the tea smelled better than anything i had ever stuck my nose in.

While i approached, i felt an intense mixture of suspense and, oddly, excitement.

If someone had told me a day or two ago, that i would have a tea session, with an evil goddess made flesh (I don’t know, is she really made of flesh?), in a broken world, surrounded by an army of supreme undead soldiers, i would have declared them borderline crazy.

But here i was, good old me, about to sit at the table with one of the big boys (or girls, in this case). And i mean the dominate-the-universe kind of big boys (or girls, in this case).

How could i not feel like the most important fucker ever?

The closer i got though, the less i felt like a supreme badass and more like a sacrificial lamb, again.

As my true form looked pretty much like the shadow of a human, i had legs now. And arms, which i used them to pull back my designated chair and sit down. My image flickered, the boundaries between what was my body, and what was the surroundings, not clearly defined. May sound creepy, but it is default appearance for my race. We are but shadows, after all. Darkness given shape.

She gestured me to drink, as did she herself.

For a little while, we sat and drank in silence. Then, she pulled fruit, or something akin, out of nowhere and tossed it over.

"Eat this, and the contract is settled. You will belong to me. After that, i will tell you something about your eyes. You will find it very interesting." Her voice commanding.

Under my breath, i whispered "Identify". She must have heard me still, because a knowing smile crept unto her fair face.

Item: Fruit Of Revelation (Corrupted) Grade: Legendary of the 2nd Divide Description: By consuming this, you join the side of Ruth. Requirements: None Effect List: Removes level cap between 1st (Lower) and 2nd (Higher) Divide. Grants the Title: Minion Of Ruth Warning: Allegiance to a side can not be revoked. Use item now? (Yes / No)

Ahahaha. I didn't know wether to laugh or to cry.

Legendary was the rarest grade for an item. I didn't know what a 'Divide' was, but with the living proof of supremacy in front of me, plus the description of this fruit, i could patch together the power levels. 2nd Divide meant strong like her. In other words: Hell yes!

The problem: The fuck means 'Allegiance .. can not be revoked'? That sounded very final to me. Final in a matter i knew nothing about.

The solution: Find out the alleged finality later, or find out the ashen angel's finality (my death) now.

"Yes." I spoke to the screen.

For two heartbeats, nothing. Then my heartbeat was nothing. The world started spinning, as i passed out.