Beginning Of Ruin (1)

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A cold wisp of wind blew over the usually tranquil river that our small wooden boat was now drifting along, despite its old age I’m proud to say that I’d never heard this thing let out even so much as a screech over the passing centuries; not even once.

Dancing in the midst of nature’s cold embrace was a field of red spider lilies that stretched across the land on either side of my view, as usual the crimson field stood out even when under the full embrace of the moon’s splendor, but I’d gotten used to the peculiar sight of their vibrant beauty long ago, though there was in fact a time when I held an unfound hatred for them, one that smoldered within my heart by the day.

Looking back, it all feels somewhat comical now seeing as I can’t even remember why I hated them so much in the first place, heh - I doubt I can even feel much of anything that strongly anymore.

“.......nigami......shinigami are you listening? You’ve been really quiet for a while now.”

The woman sitting directly across from me called out in a voice coated with a tinge of concern. Given the current situation though, the fact that she could maintain such an aloof demeanor was nothing short of amazing. The gentle smile now curling up from her lips seemed to outshine even the orbs of pale green light surrounding her.

“Yeah, I’m always listening. It’s just been a while since anybody’s called me that.”

“Fufufu...you’re always listening huh? Is that your way of showing compassion?”

“Who knows? Humans just seem to like having someone around to listen to their woes one final time. Since I’m already sending them off, I figured that much was the least I could do.”

“.....You can try being a bit more honest with me you know? After all it's obvious that you love listening to their last words, everything from the good and the bad. Isn’t that why you’re usually so quiet?”

“You’re reading too much into it, Luelle...”

After giving that reply I saw her looking over at me with a conspicuous smirk lining her lips. Her mischievous blue eyes peered out at me from between the gap in the two bangs of blonde hair that had managed to carefully frame her small face.

“Heh-Heh...there’s nothing wrong with that. You should try being a bit more friendly, if you did that then the mortals probably wouldn't have all those nasty rumors going around about you.”

“How exactly am I supposed to be more friendly? And besides you’re the one who told me to start smiling whenever I appear before them.”

Her cheeks began reflecting a vibrant shade of red, directing her vision towards the blossoming lilies, I heard the subtle chuckles of laughter coming from her.

“.....Wait was that on purpose?”

“...Hehheh...No but come on, anybody would be scared if you showed up dressed in that mantle and smiling with a scythe across your shoulder. If you want to seem more approachable, try taking that hood off first.”

Even though her chuckling laughter was somewhat irritating, I decided to take her advice one last time. Lifting the mantle that previously focused my vision, I exposed myself to the night sky’s splendor on nothing more than a whim.

*CLAP*

After watching me expose my skeletal face, Luelle made that gesture as if to congratulate me on something.

“That’s a good start, although those gleaming red eye sockets of yours could use a little work. Why don’t you try taking another form?”

After making a strange gesture with her hands, she leaned in towards me, now trying to capture my figure with the strange box like construct she’d made with her fingers.

“Don’t see the point. More importantly, Luelle.......”

Though it was completely unintentional, for some reason my voice had trailed off just now.

“....don’t you have any worthwhile stories left to tell me?”

The moonlight flickered across her now glossy eyes, fixing the wriggly smile that was slowly starting to contort, I watched as she took a few deep breaths.

“Mhmm......Come to think of it, I’ve probably told you all the interesting stories I have to offer. It’s strange, even though we’ve known each other for a really long time, it feels like there’s not much to say between us right now.”

“That’s true, looking back now I feel like I’ve heard it all.”

“Ah! What’s that supposed to mean!? You’ve gotten really smug over the years you know; I remember when you were just a-”

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“That was a long time ago. I’m surprised you can still remain so calm through all of this.”

Her voice lost a bit of its eccentric vigor after hearing my reply. While it was rare to see Luelle go so quiet all of a sudden, it wasn't that strange of a phenomenon. This river radiated an aura of calmness so profound it could even quell the worries of drifting souls, and yet it was so subtle in the way it operated that you wouldn’t even notice it unless you actually took a moment to pause and listen.

“I won’t say that I’m not the least bit worried but even Celestials like me aren’t eternal. We do need to reincarnate every now and then so there’s just no helping it.”

“Those wandering spirits are still clinging to you even now huh?”

“...Yeah....It’s about high time I send them off.” Rising from her seat, the cascading white dress she wore promptly flopped down to the wooden floor. She gazed up at the drifting moon with one last look of resignation before gently flicking her finger, the green orbs surrounding her began scattering into the wind like luminous lanterns.

“As flamboyant as ever. Spirits obey you without a second thought.... You’re almost making it look too easy.”

“Well, it’s not that hard once you’re able to understand them, maybe you should try a different approach.” Reclaiming her previous poised posture, Luelle sat across from me but this time she was staring off into the field of spider lilies on her right.

“Do you have any regrets?”

Just then, her slender grip on the boat’s wooden edge tightened for a brief instant.

“.....You really do see through everything....” After muttering those words in a somber voice so faint the drifting winds could barely carry it, she turned to face me once more, a single teardrop glided down her right cheek before falling onto the boats weathered wooden floor.

“....I wanted to try living a normal life. Not as a Celestial, but simply as Luelle, a normal girl that could go about doing normal things.”

“You....wanted to be mortal?”

Her eyes drooped after hearing my question.

“....Pathetic isn’t it?”

Although those words sounded bitter and cold, I got the feeling she couldn’t help but want to express them.

“One of Eden’s best Celestials wanted a normal life, eh? Even I couldn’t have predicted that one, but it’s not pathetic. Almost everyone has regrets at the end, expressing them for the final time is just a part of the process.”

Her eyes slowly widened in shock after hearing those words, soon after she began chuckling to herself, briskly wiping away the steady stream of fluid that had been pooling at the corner of her eyes.

“Heh-Heh...I suppose you’re right. Leave it to Grimm to give the perfect pep-talk right at the end.”

“You’re still using that name huh....... The pep-talk is just standard practice at this point.”

“Hmmm.....” She stared at me with a hint of suspicion in her eyes.

“So what about you Grimm....do you have any regrets?”

“I wonder......”

I’d heard many a confession over the long centuries I’ve spent seeing souls off. From tales of grandeur and conquest to absolute travesties....I’d pretty much heard it all. But If I were to have any regrets myself, they must've parted from this realm a long time ago.

“Regret huh? I’ve already forgotten what that feels like.”

Just then, a faint azure glow began illuminating Luelle’s body like a thin sheen of wax. The wispy coating soon began emitting faint particles of blue light, illuminating the stagnant water’s below in a veil of delicate light that moved with us as we drifted downstream.

“So it’s begun huh....”

“Mhm.” She gave a faint nod, the motion obviously being pressured by the reluctance now weighing over her.

“Then I’ll see you off, just like I promised.”

“Thank You...” Her voice now sounded remarkably somber, like that of a small child offering their earnest gratitude.

For a while, it was silent. There was still much for us to say to each other but even though this was the perfect time for it, there was no urge to prolong our conversation. This serene silence was ironically the perfect fit for the current mood.

“Haaah....what am I doing? This isn’t how things usually are.”

Luelle’s voice sounded like it was drifting farther and farther away, but her tone had perked up considerably like she’d just remembered some grand idea.

“Hey Grimm listen, I’ll be going away for a little while but that doesn’t mean you should go back to your usual drab routine.”

“Are you really trying to give me advice at a time like this?”

“Agghhh!!......there you go again with that flat tone of yours. If I ever see you again, I hope you won’t still sound like that.”

Even though more than half of her lower body had now dissipated into fading particles of light, this girl still insisted on pestering me to the very end.

“Who knows if that will even happen.”

“Just promise me you won’t be so gloomy if I ever see you again.”

“......................”

“Oh come on! You should be answering immediately at a time like this....or what are you afraid you won’t be able to change?”

“That’s not it.”

“Then promise me. A reaper always keeps their promises, right?”

This ridiculous request was nothing more than an attempt to satisfy one of her own personal whims that may never even come true, but seeing as this was a one-time thing there was no real harm in accepting. I’ll just write it off as a century old favor to a friend.

“I promise.”

After hearing my admission of reluctant compliance, her glistening figure, now just a head bore a bright grin despite the pooling fluid leaking from the corner of her eyes.

“Thanks a lot Grimm, for everything!”

Bursting in a flash of violent light, the final fragments of Luelle’s essence scattered across the night sky by way of nature’s nightly whims.