Some call it Limbo; others the in-between. It is the journey one's soul takes from the here to the there. From one life to the next. The path one takes through the ether realm of Limbo will determine one's next destination. Souls themselves do not have minds and therefore cannot move to one's wants or desires usually.
Here lies the job of the soul shepherds. Many fear them for their image to the living, only seen by those close to death, is that of a skeletal man or woman robed in moving shadows with a scythe. This, however, is a false image. Soul shepherds, also known as Reapers, look much more like angelic beings robed in light with a shepherd's hook in one hand and a scale in the other. The haze of death clouds their image to the living.
With the hook, they direct the souls to new realms, and with the scales, they weigh their karma. Chris' soul was found by the Reaper Shi.
"Fate has not been kind to this one for the soul seems damaged. The desire for life is weak and yet its karma is good." Shi placed his soul in a pocket of her glowing robes with five other souls.
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Flowing through the ether, Shi collected, weighed, and pocketed souls as she traveled. Upon reaching a swirling red rift she reached into a specific pocket glowing with a similar red light and deposited thousands of souls into the rift. Moving along she repeated her actions until she came to another rift with a more golden light. Shi began to deposit many souls and yet one soul seemed to cling upon her finger.
"Fear not little one, this realm is not so bad. For in this one you can attempt to reach the heavens." Yet the soul still clung to her fearing life.
Shi paused as she contemplated this soul's past and opened her center eye. Upon peering into the soul she gained a glimpse of its many lives and understood.
"To have never found true love and only heartache." She shook her head in sorrow and continued to move on.
The soul still clung to her finger almost like a slightly golden ring upon her hand as she continued upon her role. Shi didn't find the company cumbersome and even told the soul many stories of the many interesting lives she has witnessed.
Shi came upon the golden rift again and deposited the souls she had gathered. Her gaze alighted upon the soul clinging to her hand and with her lips gave it a kiss.
"A gift I give to thee for your company. I hope it will help you mend your heart. Yet a soul can not grow within the ether." And with a flick of her finger sent the lonely soul through the rift.