A few more days passed by as Haley prepared for the wedding, in about six days, she would be married to Melin. Haley is helping someone carry some lumber through the village, she had just checked out the venue and to check if everything was going according to plan. Melin was satisfied, Haley too. Haley put the lumber down where the villager wanted it, she smiled, “No worries at all.”

The old man bowed, “Thank you, Haley, I am looking forward to the wedding.”

“Yeah, me too.”

She walked away and saw Melin ran towards her. “Haley!? We have a time-sensitive situation that needs to be handled immediately!”

“Alright, what is going on, Melin?”

She made a portal, “Come with me.” Haley nodded and went through the portal.

Haley found herself at the shores that led to the entrance of the underworld. A line of people were being boarded onto the boat. Most of the people had coins on their eyes. Silver coins, to be precise. Melin walked over to Charon, “Can we join the ride?”

Charon bowed, “Everything for the princess, and her betrothed.” Melin and Haley jumped onto the boat. The ferryman raised his hand, “My boat is full, I will be back soon.”

Haley looked around, “What is up with the increase in dead people?”

Melin looked at Haley, “What do you think? That is because of the empress, of course.”

Haley sighed, “of course. Now, why did we want to join this ride?”

The ferryman started to collect the coins. Haley gasped, “Paul!?”

He got up. “Haley? It has been such a long time, you look different.”

“Yeah, you look different too Paul, it has been over two years.”

Paul nodded, “Talia, York, and Cream are still locked up, as to what happened to your mom and dad.”

Haley nodded, “I know.”

Haley looked at the ferryman inspecting coins, “These are fake.” He grabbed the person and threw him into the rough waters. He walked over to the next person and put the coins in his coin purse.

Haley looked at Paul, “Where are your coins?”

“I got beheaded.” “What, why?”

“I staged a revolution from jail! Needless to say, the empress caught me and beheaded me, I don’t think I got a proper burial.”

Paul looked at the ferryman throwing another person overboard that had no coins. “Is that going to happen to me?”

Haley looked at Charon, taking more coins, “I hope not.”

Haley looked at Melin, “Is there anything we can do?”

“No, you need to pay, or else you get thrown overboard. That is just the way it works.”

Paul looked at the ferryman who came closer, “Look Haley, before he gets here, how have you been?”

“I have been good, we are living in Reaperhelm, Melin and I are getting married, Bella and Abby are fine.”

Paul nodded, “I have been trying to stop the Empress, without much luck, Talia is still there, is there anything you can do?”

Haley shook her head, “I fear not. Have you ever met Molly?”

Paul shook his head, “I have seen pictures of her.”

Molly stepped out of Haley, “Hey, Abby told me about you.”

Paul smiled, “You saved her?” Haley nodded and looked at the ferryman taking a coin from the woman next to them.

Paul grunted, “I guess, this might be it, it was good to see all of you before the end, even you Melin.”

Charon walked over, “Please step aside, princess.” Melin, Molly and Haley stepped aside. They could not interfere with the ferryman.

Paul looked at him, “I hear your name is Charon?”

The ferryman ignored him, “Coins please.”

The ferryman inspected Paul, “You have no coins!”

He grabbed him by his shirt and lifted him up. Paul looked worried, “Wait, I have no silver coin for you, but I am a hardworking man. I prefer to take a job, give me any job and I will pay you twice. You see, I am not ready for whatever is waiting in that water, I worked as a train conductor once.”

Haley looked at Melin, who just looked confused. The ferryman sighed deeply, “A job? What are you, human? No one dares to even speak up against me. You might be just whom I am looking for, a strong soul.”

Paul smiled, “Does that mean you have a job for me?”

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Charon nodded, “Indeed, I have a job for you.” A bright dark flash occurred on the boat. Haley, Melin and Molly covered their eyes. When they looked at what had happened, Charon was gone. Paul now stood there with something he felt comfortable in, a train conductor outfit with a huge coin purse and a book.

Melin gasped, “What the fuck just happened?”

Paul looked around and walked over to the next person, “Coins please.”

Paul got handed the coins, and he put them in his coin purse. Haley looked at Melin, “Has this happened ever before?”

Melin just looked shocked, “No, not that I can recall.”

Molly scratched her nose, “Did Paul just, become the ferryman?”

Paul smiled at them, “yes, I am, the ferryman.”

They waited until Paul had arrived at the other side of the river, the people got off and their souls thrown into a portal. Hades appeared and walked over, “Where is Charon? I am hearing rumors he left the underworld.”

Paul tipped his hat towards Hades, “No worries, my good lord. Charon told me he used to work for you under a contract.” Paul made it appear, “Look at the tiny letters.”

Hades put on glasses and looked at the paper. “Holy fuck, it took him a very long time, but he fucked me over big time.”

Haley walked over, “What does it say?”

“It says here, if someone asks to take over, with sincere intent, Charon can go back to the land of the living.”

Molly chuckled, “You indeed got fucked Hades.”

Paul looked around, “I need to go back, there are more souls to ferry to this shore.”

Haley smiled, “Will you be fine?”

Paul nodded, “I guess, I have a job now.”

They looked at Paul peddling back to the other side. Haley looked at Hades, “I did not see that coming.”

He shook his head, “No one did.”

Melin laughed, “You told me some stories about Paul, but, he is an intelligent fellow.”

Molly nodded, “Abby talks a lot about him, how he always busted her chops for getting high.”

Everyone looked at Molly, “What, you guys never get wasted?”

Haley shook her head. Melin looked at her, “You get wasted on booze.”

Haley laughed, “That is not the same thing.”

Molly looked at her, “I am pretty sure that is the same thing.”

Hades nodded, “Yeah, do you remember the party we had before the trial? Haley totally went wild, her singing skills are good.”

Melin had a smile on her face, “Our duet was wonderful.”

Haley nodded, “I just hope, we are never going to hear Abby sing again, she has a horrible singing voice.”

Molly laughed, “Tell me about it!”

Hades held up his hands, “Look, in all seriousness, there is something I need to share. The Empress has heard about the big wedding. She is coming tomorrow, to stay for a few days until the wedding takes place.”

Haley sighed, “Please, for the love of god, can we murder her?”

Hades seemed to be thinking, “Not yet. Besides, killing her in the underworld will not do us much good. You need to finish your task, then prepare for killing her. Since if we fail, she most likely has the power to go to Purgatory and find your friends and hurt them. Play nice with her, until the time is right. You have a second objective, find out her true goals and why she started ruling over Brickton.”

Melin grunted, “Fine, we are going to play nice.”

Hades pulled out a note, “This was handed to me.” He gave it to Haley.

Molly looked at her, “And what does it say?”

“We have a secret meeting with Brown Mamba, same spot, she asks if I want to take all of my guys with me.”

Stevie spoke up in her mind, “Yeah, I am just chilling.”

Lisa spoke up, “I am keeping watch in the command center.”

Melin came over and kissed Haley, “Good luck darling, I am going home with daddy.”

“Alright my love.” Molly stepped into Haley. Melin made a portal for her and she stepped through. Haley sat down, and soon Brown Mamba sat down and leaned against her back.

“Thank you for coming, Haley, we have an urgent problem.”

“Alright, what is it?”

“We have an assignment, a huge problem, it might lead to two things, an unstable timeline, or an information leak. Normally, we would send our agents, but due to the sensitivity of this assignment, it is best if you handle it, with the utmost discretion.”

Haley nodded, “We are game, where is this assignment?”

Brown mamba chuckled, “You are going to the past.”