"Lake"? Stonecrest promenade, Panthersville, Hades. It's November though it seems not.
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They went back to the penthouse and took some items to carry with them back to Earth.
Chloe's saddlebags had some changes of clothes, Sara's items, some food, dog paraphernalia, feminine products, blankets, and so on. The Pale Horse didn't mind it.
The two girls went around, followed by Chloe and the Foxhounds (also a good band name). They went asking around if anyone had seen the Hernandez family. Sara saw some ghosts she ushered. Like Michelle, the dog-snuffing personal trainer, Timmy the fat geek and fake boyfriend (who quickly made himself scarce out of shame), and Mrs. Robinson, her next-door neighbor.
Then she heard a kid shout. "I told you! There she is! Auntie Sara!"
And another kid with a sharper voice, "Auntie Sara!"
A shiver ran up the girl's spine. She recognized those voices.
Two bolides of pure joy crashed on her legs. Sara almost lost balance. She was top-heavy now.
Sara gawked. "Joseph! Catherine!" Her eyes started to moisten as she dropped the scythe and picked the two up. They hugged her neck as she closed her eyes to focus on the feeling. "I missed you so much!" The girl gushed.
"Are they giving you trouble, miss?" A man asked with lots of mirth in his voice. She also recognized that voice.
Sara opened her eyes, a bright grin showing her perfect pearly teeth. "Mr. Brown. Good to see you! No, not at all. I love these two."
She flexed her wings. A squeal rang in the promenade.
"Sara, are you an angel?" Catherine asked, as cute as they come.
She spread her wings and grinned as the kids squealed. "My dad was. Isn't that cool?"
Joseph nodded. "So cool!"
"Can you fly?" Catherine asked with sparkling eyes.
Sara giggled, embarrassed. "I didn't try? I got these wings today, I... I don't know how to fly! Do you?"
"You need to fall off a tree, like a bird!" Joseph suggested.
"No, silly!" Catherine rebutted. "She needs to run and skip three times, then jump while thinking happy thoughts!"
"I'll try both. Maybe skipping off a tree with happy thoughts is the key!" Sara squeezed the two and planted lots of kisses on their cheeks. "Who's looking after you, Joseph?"
"Mr. Brown is!" Joseph said. "He said he can become my new daddy if you don't find my parents in the highway!"
Ugh.
A pang of pain struck Death's heart. A lot of people was still trapped there. Could she rescue them all? Reap their souls? Could she add more people to Hades if she went and harvested the souls of the ghouls? A thought for later.
"Ah... I..." Sara stuttered for the umpteenth time that day, unsure if she should make a promise that wouldn't come true.
Mr. Brown approached and peeled the two little tykes off of Sara. "Okay, okay, come here you brats. Sara is very busy." He then placed them on the ground.
"Sara, come later and play with us!" Catherine begged.
"Yeah. When you come to play with us, we'll let you ride Sparky!" Joseph added.
Sparky...
Sparky...
Sparky?!?
Sara froze. "Wait, what?"
"Sparky the tiger!" Joseph explained as if Sara was dumb. "He was the star of the zoo, now he plays with us."
Sara looked around as if expecting to see the tiger prowling among the dead people going about their day. What she saw instead was Bella and Brutus socializing with a pack of dogs of several breeds. Wait, aren't those...
"OMG! Rudy! Who's the best boy?" Sara called and ran to meet the best boy ever. Brutus beware!
Mary approached the kids. "Hello, Catherine. I'm Mary, Sara's best friend. Want to play with me?"
"Sure! But you don't belong here!" Catherine said with a worried tone.
"Yeah," Joseph agreed. "You are alive! Hurry up and go back to the land of the living"
"You should go away. If the living stays here for too long, they can no longer go away!" The little miss sunshine explained, concerned about Mary's health.
"Yeah, that's bad. This is no place for the living, no offense, lady," Joseph declared, "you never get to see those you love again."
"But my family is here," Mary protested.
"Yeah, but what about the people on the other side? Won't they miss you?" Catherine challenged.
Mr. Brown put a hand on each of the kids' heads. "What they are trying to say is that those that are here, we can wait forever. The living, however, have no such luxury."
"But... but..." Mary stated to whimper and cry like she was being expelled.
Sara came back and picked up her scythe, then gasped the other girl's shoulder, "Mary, we still have some time. Let's search for them."
"Why don't you tell people to help?" Mr. Brown suggested. "You rule this place, Sara." His eyes went to the scythe on the ground.
Sara followed them, picked her weapon, then went back to Mr. Brown. "Wait, I can order people around?"
Joseph and Catherine nodded. "You are our Queen! Hades belongs to the Queen of Death!" Catherine proclaimed with unbridled pride.
"Yeah. Sara is the Queen of Hades!" Joseph said with wide arm movement.
"Can I be the Princess?" Mary asked.
"No!" Catherine rebuked. "I am the Princess."
Sara snapped a finger several times, getting their attention. "Girls, girls. There can be more than one princess. You all get to be princesses. I so decree."
"You have to use the royal 'we'!" Joseph protested.
"Nah, that is for stuck up queens," Sara rebutted with a snicker and a grin. "Okay, let me try this," Leaning the scythe against her shoulder, she cupped her hands and shouted. "Ahem. Listen up, everyone. Go and find me the Hernandez family!"
Rudy barked imperiously at the pack of dogs, the same dogs she was forced to kill that fateful night, they ran and spread in all directions. Smart doggos.
"I wasn't expecting that!" Sara grumbled.
*
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*
Lake Stonecrest promenade, Panthersville, Hades.
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The eclectic group of two girls, two dogs, and one still riderless pale horse were on their way to the Hernandez family address in the afterlife when a familiar voice made Sara stop with a shiver running up her spine.
"Sara?"
She wished they would stop calling her by name right out of the bat. The girl sucked in her inner grumblings, put on a smile, and turned around.
"Mom, dad," she called and rushed to hug them, making sure the scythe was out of the way.
Not really her mom and dad, not the biological ones at least, goodness no. That would be awkward. Those were her foster parents, the Atkinsons. They returned the hug and remained like that for a while. Also, despite the, ahem, state of undress they died in, they were both properly clothed. Everyone was properly clothed and presentable, hurray!
Also, no gruesome wounds or exposed gore. You know, for those who were crushed in the freeways. Or had their bodies savaged and their hearts eat... crushed. By a berserker girl. Yeah, none of that.
"We are glad you made it," Mr. Atkinson broke the silence first.
"Also, that you made a friend!" Mrs. Atkinson cheered.
"A living one!" Sara added. "How are you doing? How's afterlife treating you?"
"We can't complain," Mr. Atkinson joked, then became a bit serious. "What I meant to say is that this is not Hell. Thank God it's not Hell."
Mrs. Atkinson nodded. "Don't worry about us. Our only regret was leaving you alone, and now we fell light as a plume."
Sara tried not to peek but she could see their sins. Light as a plume might be right though not as pure as the children. She flexed her wings on reflex. They didn't feel light. She was still adapting to the shift in her center of mass. It was several inches higher now.
"Go to the hotel and talk to Heitor, the manager. Tell them I want you to have a high floor apartment with a nice lake view."
"We don't need it but thanks, my sweetheart," Mrs. Atkinson kissed Sara's forehead. "We already claimed a place."
"I see your friend is eager for her own reunion, so we won't hold you any longer. Go, and know our thoughts are with you," Mr. Atkinson kissed Sara's forehead.
Sara felt her chest muscles clench and a knot formed in her throat. Today it would be an emotional rollercoaster for her.
"Don't cry," Mrs. Atkinson crooned.
"Too late," Sara cried and hugged them one more time.
*
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*
5th Avenue Street, Panthersville, Hades. It seems its forever morning. Perhaps Sara forgot to make the artificial sun move?
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The Hernandez family had taken residence in one of the many abandoned homes of the city. Would Hades have a housing shortage if Sara became hyperactive in her soul harvest? But the family was forewarned and had already gathered outside to meet them.
"¡Abuela!" Mary cried and ran.
"My little cuddlebug!" Granny Amelia tried to smother (in a good way) the other girl. Genetics, Sara remarked bitterly to herself. "Oh, Sara, thank you. Come here you get a hug too."
"You're welcome, granny Amelia!" Sara said as she approached and also got smothered.
"¡Maria!" Mrs. Hernandez rushed ahead and took her daughter in her arms, also crying.
"¡Mamá!" Mary bawled. Her hug just changed postal codes.
Sara moved away a little and stood next to her animals as she idly scratched Chloe's muzzle. The men joined the women and the whole family was together again. She let the Hernandez have their time together, feeling proud that Mary could have that moment. She then knelt and gave Bella and Brutus some love too. Closing her eyes, she wondered. If even the animals she killed were here, it meant that... "they" were too. She would have to deal with them sometime.
After several minutes, Mary became rebellious. Sara focused back on the Hernandez family.
"No, I won't go! I want to stay here," Mary howled.
"Maria," Mr. Hernandez said, "You can't stay. You won't die but soon you won't be able to leave! You would remain here in a state between life and death!"
Mary didn't hear a thing. She was of one mind, "Then I'll die! I can live here with you!"
"This is not living," granny Amelia cupped Mary's cheeks in her wrinkled hands. "We'll wait for you. We are okay, and we are happy you made such a wonderful friend!"
"I'm not letting you stay, and that's final, Maria!" Mrs. Hernandez set her foot down. "You are not allowed to give up on living until you gave me a dozen nietos, you hear me?"
"Maria," Mr. Hernandez plead. "Go, and live. Find a good man, marry him. You cannot end your life now. Please."
"¡Quiero sobrinos para jugar al fútbol conmigo!" Her little brother begged.
"Mary, come on," Sara joined them. "You need to have saggy tits to come stay here," Granny Amelia laughed heartily at the girl's joke. "Your jugs still defy gravity. You'll need to feed a dozen kids like your mom said to get them down a cup or three. 'Sides, you can't die a virgin. It's such a waste."
"Hear your friend," granny Amelia chuckled. She took Mary's hand and kissed the palm. "Go. Go and live. Kiss lots of boys! We are not going anywhere. Be happy, my little cuddlebug. So long you remember us, we will live."
"We are not going anywhere," Mr. Hernandez echoed. "Everyone you see here will remain the same for hundreds of years while we wait. Go, Maria. We love you. Live your life without worrying about us. We love you, mi hija."
Still crying her brains out, Mary nodded. Another long round of hugs and kisses later, Mary was ready to go back to Earth. "How do we do this?"
Sara braced the scythe on her shoulder, "Hold hands, I guess. Or paws. Bella, Brutus, hand. Take the other side, Mary."
"What about Chloe?" Mary wondered.
"She is special. Chloe kind of goes where I go."
Chloe whinnied, nodded, and clopped once in agreement.
With hand in paw and paw in hand forming a circle, Sara rescued her important people. And dogs.
*
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*
System Administrative Dimension, Lake Stonecrest, DeKalb County, Georgia. Earth too, I guess now we need to worry about that. Time and Date: Stop bothering me. It's still daytime.
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Everything was spotless clean. If not for the molten kayak sitting in a corner and the scattered ashes of a certain swimsuit, everything would be exactly as when she first arrived. Chloe was there as she should be.
The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.
That was when things went to shit, because of course they would.
The Mana density next to the System Core was extremely high. Bella, Brutus, and Mary fell to the floor, screaming or whimpering as their Mana Channels were forcefully burnt by the invading Mana. The impurities they had sublimated into a black smoke that wafted up from their bodies, together with steam hissing out of their pores. Sara could feel the heat coming from them and knew they would die.
"System, do something to save their lives!" Sara screamed in desperation.
Damn, did she rescue them from Hades just to watch them die? Fuck this world.
> > "Recommended solution: Body reformation," the System chimed in her inner ear. "Select a species."
Desperate, Sara remembered what Abby had told her, about fantasy species. She pointed at Mary, "High Elf!" Then at the dogs, "Bloodhound, barghest, dire wolf, whatever does the job!"
She did that without thinking twice. She couldn't let her friend die right after being rescued.
> > "Acknowledged. Please wait. Selecting Species with the highest Compatibility among the offered choices. High Elf, Hellhound, Bloodhound. Initiating Body reformation. Deduct costs from your System Account?"
"Sure, whatever," Sara agreed right away. "Get whatever you need. It's made-up money anyway."
> > "Initiating process. Please remove all objects you don't want destroyed from the subjects."
Sara begrudgingly stripped Mary naked and removed the hounds' collars.
Golden energy wrapped around them like a protective film, blocking Sara's sight like they were coated in pure gold. The smoke from the impurities still seeped out of them.
"Status? Are they going to live?" Sara desperately demanded.
> > "Affirmative. Odds of death: one in six hundred thousand."
Her scythe clattered on the dimension floor with a metallic sound, and Sara fell on her butt. She sobbed as she hugged her knees. Chloe nuzzled the side of her head.
"Thanks, Chloe."
Sara felt as if the horse was with her since birth. Their bond was unshakable, their companionship a Divine mandate.
She rubbed her eyes and waited. Eventually, she grew hungry and went back into Hades. A quick hop to get some snacks for both people and dogs. And a change of clothes for Mary, just in case. On second thought, a sleeping bag and a mirror too.
*
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*
System Administrative Dimension, Lake Stonecrest, DeKalb County, Georgia. Earth. Time and Date: Sara's phone says it's November 4th midnight but there's daylight out there. We can assume the dimensional transfer and stuff messed up with it.
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Several hours later, the golden light vanished. The white in Bella's fur had become a dark red, while Brutus had grown to one and a half times his former size. Sara took Mary in a princess carry and put her on the sleeping bag.
She found a hook in Chloe's saddlebags and attached the scythe there. No more a burden.
Mary's clothes had vanished but Sara was astonished. Her facial features had become more delicate, her body six or seven inches taller, her arms and legs slender and well-proportionate. She checked, and Mary's chest was rising and falling in a steady cadence.
Her ears, however, were changed. They lobes were pulled back, close to the skull, running up the sides of her head almost vertically, ending right above the crown her head. Delicate and not at all like those anime knife ears.
The hair went from dark brown to bright light green, the color of a new tree leaf sprouting in Spring. It was smooth, silky, and so long it probably reached down to her thighs. Speaking of hair, Mary's arms and legs were completely smooth. No hairs whatsoever anywhere but her head. Her eyebrows became thin, delicate, and fit her face perfectly. The kind of eyebrows one had to spend north of 200 dollars in a salon to get.
Also, Mary gained an upgrade in a place she really needed one. She lost about two or three cups and the two hills seemed to defy gravity even lying on her back like she was. She had lost all baby fat elsewhere in her body, giving her adult, delicate, and feminine features.
All in all, Sara estimated that Mary went from an eight all the way to eleven.
Bella stirred awake first. She stood on wobbly legs as Sara helped her back on her feet.
"How are you doing, girl?"
Bella licked Sara. Her tongue was warm.
Brutus woke up next. He looked feral, imposing, and the size of a mini pony.
Sara played with her dogs, made sure they were okay, made the System confirm it, then gave them some food.
While her hounds ate, Mary stirred awake.
"Hey, gorgeous. How are you feeling?" Sara said softly.
Mary shook the cobwebs out of her head, then noticed she was naked. With a yelp, she covered herself with her arms.
"Sorry about that," Sara whispered, a bit contrite. She was just realizing what she did to Mary.
"What happened?" Mary asked.
Sara noticed her voice had a musical lilt to it, and it sounded almost polyphonic. It was sweet and pleasant.
"First, I'm terribly sorry. I had no choice," Sara hedged.
"What are you talking about? What's..." Tracking Sara's gaze, Mary touched herself, "my chest?"
Sara boosted Flattery. It wouldn't manipulate Mary's mind but improve Sara's delivery. Her magic had zero effects an inch away from her. She, of all people, wouldn't gaslight others.
"Mary, I need you to stay calm and listen. When I brought you back, you suffered the effects of leaving Hades and coming back here. You... you were in pain, dying. Do you remember anything after we held hands and paws to leave Hades?"
"No. Not a thing," Mary shook her head in confusion.
"I think the Mana density here was too high for you. You were burning like the people in the highway burned. I had to do something, anything to save you. Sorry, I was selfish. I couldn't let you die right after saving you. Please, forgive me," Sara begged.
"What are you talking about? it makes no sense."
Sara sighed, "Let me put this in another way. We came out of Hades, but the magic here was poisonous to you. With me so far?"
"I guess?"
"Good. You would die if I did nothing. So, I did. Without your permission. It was an emergency. Sorry. You can hate me if you want."
Mary looked at herself. "I feel good. Great even. My chest looks smaller and... my voice is strange, but what did you do?"
Sara rubbed her hands, her wings ruffled to and fro reflecting her mood, "I turned you into an elf. A High Elf. I have a mirror if you want to take a look. And clothes."
She pushed the items toward Mary. The other girl took the mirror and looked at her face.
"Is this me?"
Sara, biting her lower lip, nodded. "What about the ears?"
"They aren't like in the movie. But... How do I look?" Mary asked, apprehensive.
"Ridiculously fucking gorgeous," Sara answered candidly and with a hint of envy. Mary blushed.
"My hair is green!"
"Yeah. Looks great on you. Your eyes are green too."
"They are!"
"Please don't hate me."
Mary stared at Sara in silence, blinking. Then, without answering, she used the mirror to check herself.
The girl noticed Mary had also fucking gorgeous long eyelashes and enigmatic eyes. Damn. Also, Sara found she wasn't gay, most likely. Because she could damn well fall for that fairy. Fuck, even her lips seemed hand-drawn, a perfect V in the top of her upper lips. Mary's nose too, was fit for her face.
Mary touched her ears, bent them, pulled them up and to the sides. Pinched the tips and cringed, "Ouch."
Sara couldn't say a word. She just waited for her verdict like a regretful murderer who pleaded guilty.
"I think I like this," Mary wondered. "My chest feels so light and my shoulders," she rotated her shoulders, "they never felt so good since my boobs grew."
Mary pulled both shoulders back, staring down at her cleavage.
"Damn, girl. They are defying gravity now," a relieved Sara joked.
"They are!" Mary giggled. "And... This is the boob job I wished a plastic surgeon would give me. Sara..."
The girl flinched, "what?"
Mary lowered her head, then stared fiercely into Sara's eyes, "You swear you had no other choice?"
"Swear to God and those wings behind me. I can't lose my best friend, Mary. Told you, it would be a waste if you died."
The Latina elf, first in the world, pretended to swoon, "You flatterer."
Sara did a double-take, Mary giggled, Sara slouched as her tension vacated. Then she pulled the very naked elf into a bear hug.
*
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System Administrative Dimension, Lake Stonecrest, DeKalb County, Georgia. Earth. Time and Date: Look, I need you to get all the way out of my back.
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The world's first elf got dressed in loose clothes and filled her fairy stomach. Which was exposed.
Mary had really lost more than just three cups. Her bra now looked gigantic and her clothes were too loose. Also, she was seven inches taller now. At least her shoes still fit her feet. The elf stared at the gigantic golden crystal, then at the foreboding ring of human-like bones with a swirling gate inside.
"Where are we?"
Sara opened her arms, "Welcome to the System Administrative Dimension. You know, the thing that now gives humanity magical powers. The System Core," she pointed at the crystal with her scythe.
"And this?" Mary waved her hand at the ring of bones and portal.
"Gateway to Hades. One way only, for most people but me."
"Can I?" Mary sighed with a hint of hope. "Can you take me back inside?
"No. You go inside, you don't come back. Even as an elf. And I'm pretty sure I can only take the dead with me."
"Damn," Mary whined. Even her whining sounded musical.
"Your family is in a nice place. You saw it yourself. Mary, you were the only person in this whole world who got to say goodbye postmortem! Hey. Why don't we do this; you write letters or record video testimonials to your family, I go in and do the same with them. It'll be like being psychic but with extra technological steps."
Mary let out a wry laugh, then sighed. "You are insufferable, Sara."
"But you still love me. And you are alive," Sara grabbed Mary's hand. "You wouldn't believe how worried I was when you and everything else was dragged away. Maria."
"Mary."
"Which one is your baptism name?"
"Doesn't matter. You shall call me Mary. Of I'll call you a chicken again or... I know! Use your fake last name. Sara Atk—"
Sara shook the other girl's hand. "That's a deal. Mary."
"Sara, no surname, sure!" Mary grinned. "Can I ask you one thing?"
"Shoot."
"How do we get out of here? Is that a giant crater we are floating above?"
Some water had pooled at the bottom, and the margins of the once-spherical crater had caved in.
"No idea on getting out. Yes, that's a crater. Former lake Stonecrest. It's already filling, though slowly."
"We are rather high in the air."
"I see it. Used to be a dozen yards above water level, but the whole lake was sucked into Hades along with everything around. I guess waiting here until we can dive and then swim out is not a choice. There's food in Hades, I can go and get things for us."
"Have you already learned how to fly?"
"Still didn't have the time to try. I was too busy stopping my best friend to commit suicide by staying for too long in the land of the dead, then saving your fairy ass because of Mana poisoning. Then, you know. The elf stuff."
"The elf stuff," Mary deadpanned then glared.
"The elf stuff," Sara waved her hands next to Mary.
"Your..." Mary grinned. "Best friend?"
"Yeah, dumbass," Sara deadpanned. "We are BFFFF."
"Too many F's."
"Nope," Sara chuckled. "Best Friends for Fucking Forever."
"What?" Mary misunderstood.
"I'm a half-Celestial and will live forever. You are a high elf and will probably be still an eleven even a century from now."
Mary blushed, then gleamed, "I'm an eleven now?"
"Sure," Sara playfully pushed the other girl away. "My best friend. Only way you lose the position is if I find a lass with better boobs than you."
"Good luck searching for one," Mary proudly said with a lilt. She was surprised by how her sounded and raised a hand to her lips.
"See? We were made for one another."
"Yeah, sure. I bet you wanted half of what I lost for yourself," Mary teased.
"Pfft, bitch, please," Sara scoffed. "I love lying down on my stomach. And not having stiff shoulders."
"How much do those wings weight again?"
Sara tried to win by misdirection. "System, initiate my well-endowed friend here? Give her a nice Class with high compatibility to her."
> > "Acknowledged. Initializing user Mary Hernandez".
Mary's eyes lost focus. She waved her arms in front of her as if trying to grasp or touch something only her saw, "Sara, I'm seeing some window here, but my hands go right through it."
"Yeah, welcome to the System," Sara greeted. "Now, read everything carefully, and don't pick a Class yet. I want to see if I can whip you something really special. Meanwhile, I'm going back to Hades. Chloe, stay here and keep Mary away from the portal. Brutus, Bella, stay!"
Chloe whinnied in agreement. The two hounds sat down, watching Sara grab her scythe and enter the portal.
*
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*
Lake Stonecrest Promenade, Panthersville, Hades. I think it's November, but don't quote me on that. It definitely doesn't look like November, because it's warmer than it should. Sara definitely forgot to set the seasons.
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Death's feet touched the cobblestones. Sara saw a lively lakeside city, full of people. All dead, the souls she gathered. Princess Cupcake was right. She was the Grim Reaper, the Fourth Horsemen (though half of these were female, figures). The white wings even without golden barbs and the scythe were a dead giveaway. She was the Angel of Death, and she had a job to do.
A very important and somber job.
She closed her eyes and did some soul-searching and found her mind her own. She was still Sara, no last name. No matter the changes she went through last month, she was still herself. The girl found comfort in that thought.
Opening her eyes, Sara decided. She approached some people. "Good morning. Would you be so kind as to gather everyone? I wish to make a statement."
They nodded and went on their way, informing the people they met and spreading the news through word of mouth. In just ten minutes, she had a thousand pairs of spectral eyeballs on her. Sara climbed on a concrete table with an etched chess board.
All of them were there. The ghosts she helped, those who died near her, the ghouls she reaped along the highways, the people she made funerals for. A few random souls she'd unwittingly picked up along the way just for being Death. Though it was a city of the dead, Panthersville looked like the liveliest place she would ever find.
"Greetings, everyone. I'm Sara but you already know that. You are in Hades, but you already know that also. Geez, what the hell am I doing? Oh, this is not Hell. Definitely not. I might be in charge, but I won't rule this place. Which doesn't have a name. I'm calling this place Megiddo Island. Damn, it sounds too edgelord-ish. Damn it. Megiddo Island that is. Armageddon wrecked Earth out there, but now this place will be whatever you make of it."
People cheered. Sara waved her hands. They quieted down quickly.
"There's living animals, plants, and livestock in the farms. Someone please takes care of them. Feed them, harvest their bounty. Breed them. There's no decay in this place and I think we can reach the other islands on boat. Keep our fleet in good state. Tend and harvest and replant the crops. I'm going to grant access to the System to everyone. I need volunteers to become [Farmers], [Ranchers]. Especially [Beekeepers]. I want my honey!"
People laughed and several hands reached for the sky. Most of them didn't have Mana Channels strong enough to fully use the System, even if the System could connect to people in Hades.
"System, can we grant them Classes?" Sara asked, unsure if she would get an answer.
> > "Affirmative. Though most people here can only have a sub-Class. You need to pay for the energy to initialize the dead."
"Is this the same for the users from the time bubble?"
> > "Affirmative. Though these are already initialized."
Most people... Right. Sara could see several survivors who died to either violence or happenstance. Like the passengers of the plane crash and the crazy pilot.
"System, initialize the souls here. Take the costs from my account."
> > "Affirmative. Though your debt is too big already. I'm garnishing your commissions on the other users to pay for it. A notification was set for when the appropriate amount of energy is obtained."
"If you see any devices that still work, phones, cameras, and you think you have someone alive out there who you want to send a message to, record a testimonial and give Heitor at the Sky Pencil a copy. I'll take them to Earth and make sure the person receives them if they are available."
The people nodded and Sara's heart warmed at the happy smiles.
"Also, the world lost a lot of knowledge. If you have any knowledge that might help those struggling outside, please step forward. We can, dunno, record video lessons. I might gather more souls and bring more people here. I definitely will. We need to keep the houses ready to receive them."
She heard a few requests from the people next to her.
"I can't take anyone out, though. I can tell this place was designed to safekeep the souls here until the Day of Judgment. Which is at least a thousand years away. That reminds me, be sure to be nice to your neighbors. You're going to remain neighbors for a very long time! Finally, this is Hades and we're not in Kansas anymore. Nevertheless, the flag we fly is still the same. We all shall strive for life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Well, not life in the biological sense, anyway. You got the idea! I won't rule over you, that's what I mean. Elect a government or not, that's on you."
The crowd cheered. Sara waved her hands to get them to calm down again.
"But before I relinquish my power over you, there's a few individuals who deserve a little divine punishment."
*
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Lake Stonecrest Promenade, Panthersville, Hades. Time is relative in the dimension of the dead but we can assume it's the same day.
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With the help of the residents, Sara rounded them all up. She expected they would give her trouble, resist, or fight back. Turned out she was really in charge of the place. They all lined up in front of her, silently begging for mercy for they dared not speak. A few were kneeling and weeping. All of them showed a deep regret and repentance in their faces.
Too late; Death gave no fucks.
She was having nothing of it. Sara brandished her scythe as she pointed it at each one of them. She could see their sins as clear as day, though she cared not about the minor ones.
Death issued her judgment.
"Mr. Taylor. You helped violate hundreds, perhaps thousands of children for money. I condemn you to burn in a river of lava fifteen miles underneath this island until such a time God comes here in person to get you out."
Mr. Taylor, or his soul, screamed as the ground opened a dark and deep hole to swallow him whole. With a yelp, he went down the chute, never to be seen again. The hole then closed, the cobblestones of the promenade coming together; everything was as if nothing had happened. Sara went to her next target.
"Pete, the Necropolis King. You murdered, tortured, and raped an uncountable amount of people. To the river of lava with you, psychopath."
Another hole, another screaming sinner condemned to eternal damnation. Sara made eye contact with Officer Jones (sans hole in his stomach), who gave a thumbs up.
She scowled at the next one, "Fucking Hell, Joe. Get out of my sight. Lava."
And down he went. Andres, spared from Death's wrath, nodded solemnly.
"Gang Boss, Cannibal-Rapist, and Spear-Eye, I don't even care to learn your real names. Fuck all y'all. Lava!"
Yep. To the river of lava with these three, and the gang lieutenants as well. She then addressed the rest of the gathered scum. She recognized the ones from the Costco shootout among them.
"You, assorted bunch of minions. You might say you were forced to do the heinous crimes you did. You may say you had no choice. But you could've killed yourselves, fought back, or even cut off your own dicks. Instead, you took the easy choice. You murdered and raped. Around here you'll find some of your victims. if you get a single one of them to give you a thumbs up, you shall be spared."
The minions of both the Necropolis King and Gang Boss desperately searched around. Each of their victims whose souls Sara gathered scowled and gave them a thumbs down. Mrs. Wilson did too. Not one wished to grant them mercy. The Jury had reached a unanimous decision.
Sara, judge, and fucking scythe-wielding executioner with a Divine mandate, issued the sentence. "To the lava with the lot of you!"
Black holes opened, and more sinners went down screaming into their punishment.
The girl's eyes softened as they met Mrs. Wilson's. The woman had her hands on the shoulders of her would-be daughter-in-law and Sara's first kiss (still didn't count), Christine Appleby. Mrs. Wilson and the other victims nodded in approval.
The crowd dispersed. Sparky the tiger ran down the street with a troop of ecstatic kids on his back, followed by a pack of playful dogs and more kids led by the best boy ever. Justice had been served, and all was well in Hades. Except for...
Sara turned around to glare at the two beings floating several meters above the lake water. Could she even call it a lake? The water seemed to stretch endlessly. She hoisted her scythe.
"Pray tell, what the fuck should I do with the two of you?" Sara asked the souls of Fourth and Abby.
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SARA'S (NOT REALLY) FABULOUS SYSTEM ARMAGEDDON
BOOK I: THE WORLD ENDED AT RUSH HOUR
THE END
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SARA'S (YOU BETTER HOPE, PUNK) HOPEPUNK SYSTEM ARMAGEDDON
BOOK II: DEATH GIVES NO FUCKS
TBA
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Afterword:
> Thank you for reading this to the end. Sara meant a landmark for me. It was my first novel where I drafted, then went through at least three rounds of revisions and editing. Almost half the original draft was tossed, many things changed, plots were interlinked.
>
> I am proud of this story. If you are reading this, I assume you liked it enough to dedicate your time to reading it. It means a lot. I ask you two things. One, keep this fiction in your follow list. You don't want to miss book II. Two, please visit the fiction page, write or update your review, and vote on the reviews you agree or disagree with.
>
> If you want to contact me, please send me a PM through Royal Road. I'm working on a Discord server and Patreon page too.
>
> If you are interested in my future works, go to my profile page and follow me. You'll get notified whenever I post a new fiction.
>
> A content creator is only worth as much as their followers believe them to be. Your attention means a lot to me.
>
> I'll see you in the next world. Or in this one.