REAPER: The Young God

Chapter Eight

Returning to the Citadel, Robyn and Trent stepped through the portal to find the entire Council body lined up. 
"What...is... What is this?" Trent asked in confusion as Tylinn made her way to him with haste.
"She is coming back! After three thousand years!" the first division's acolyte exclaimed with delight. She had ordered the entire Citadel to line up from the portal centre to the first division barracks. Some of the reapers were sitting on walls and roofs as there were too many of them to form a proper line. The other captains were tasked to meet in the office of the First Division captain. 
Robyn joined her division as the acolytes were in charge of keeping their division in line, as Trent made his way to the other captains.
The portal in the centre began to chime a loud bell noise and the Citadel filled with immense pressure. Walls and rocks nearby began to crack as Captain Amoli of the First Division stepped through the portal. She was brown-skinned, with silky black hair braided down to her waist. With such a soft smile and short figure, she gave off powerful killing intent. Some of the reapers fell to their knees from her presence - not to exaggerate.
She had a sword sheathed on her back that gave her a halo above her head. 
Tylinn appeared before her knelt, and began to speak out loud to the whole Citadel.
"Captain Amoli of the First Division has returned. Reapers, let us welcome our sovereign back home!"
Just then every reaper kneeled to the ground whilst those that feinted had been moved out of the line. 
Amoli smiled, "I've missed you, Tylinn." 
Her first words after so long brought a wide grin on Tylinn who stood up with tears pouring down her face, "I-... We've missed you too, captain."
The captain pulled her acolyte in for a hug.

For most reapers, Amoli was just a legend. Seeing her in person was like a red carpet moment for most who began murmuring about her from the beauty to her power level. 
"I heard she ascended to the heavens and still wished to return as a reaper!"
"Someone said she's able to take on an army of a thousand without lifting a finger."
"She's the first reaper after the primordials to reach god-level!"

More and more rumours arose from the crowd as Amoli walked to her barracks. Giving smiles and shaking the hands of her reapers, the captain was happy to be home. Outside the barracks were the other captains. Immediately, Captain Mela of the third division ran to hug her old friend. They held hands and jumped together in glee. 
Captain Mattheus of the second division grinned, and leaned against the wall, "Good to have you back, Amoli."
Trent and Zaul smiled and each went in for a hug.
Amoli turned back towards the reapers of the Citadel.
"I thank you all for the warm welcome and I'd love to hear from each of you as to how the Citadel has been during my absences. To the new faces, I look forward to meeting each of you and hope we can create strong bonds."
She turned to the captains, "To my comrades, let us begin our captains meeting. We have a lot of catching up to do."
The captains and their respective acolytes entered the first division barracks and headed to the meeting hall.

Back in Tykonia, Ogmios was having a rage fit. Cooped up in his library, he was screaming and tossing things about.
"Why is it that every time I try to help people, it's always a call to suspicion? I DESPISE THOSE IDIOTIC ANIMALS!" as he was referring to Andreyus.
Choko stood outside the door, always her father's shadow and nearby.
Simz met her in the hallway carrying a pouch.
"I'll be on my way, sister. Take care of father for me," he said to his sister, opening his arms for a hug.
Choko didn't move at all, "Why does it seem as though this is your final farewell?"
Simz paused for a moment then replied, "Until that man no longer sits on that throne, this isn't a home I want to be a part of."
Memories of Simz being beaten by his father for failing the most complicated tasks that a child could not do, to even beating his sister as well - Simz clenched his fists and jaw.
He dismissed the attempt for a hug and walked off.
"Promise me you'll be there if I'm ever in trouble," Choko said in a soft voice, unsure if her brother would hear her.
"Always," Simz said and waved, leaving the palace. A palanquin was prepared to take him to the Citadel and he shrugged, thinking to himself that he may as well use the last of his priviledges. 

"THERE'S A ROYAL IN OUR RANKS?" Amoli screamed out after slapping her hands on the meeting table. 
Trent nodded, "Yes, Simz Tykonion."
Amoli slumped back in her chair, still shocked. With each captain seated at the table with their respective acolytes standing behind them.
With it being a Tykonion, Amoli was all the more concerned. As she sat up, she looked around the table and then hung her head.
"The reason for my return-" Amoli started.
"Which you still haven't told us how Heaven is," Mattheus said but Amoli held her hand up to him to stop his interruption.
"-there's been an assassination of a royal." She completed.
Silence filled the room as people began looking around at each other.
"The royal family from the eighth realm. Every single member of that core line."
Trent and Robyn shared the same look and Amoli caught onto it.
Trent stood up and mentioned his suspicions. Using his essence, he replayed his experience from the summit on the table. The essence took the form of everything Trent saw through his eyes. This ability was common practice in the Citadel, perfect for auditing a reaper's actions.
Each captain began to suspect Ogmios just as much as Trent and his acolyte had.
"And yet, the son of the suspect is joining the Citadel..." Amoli said as she stood to pace around the room.
She planned to have Trent and Robyn monitor him very closely. Without fear of people thinking that Simz would have special attention and care, the plan was to try to use Simz to see what Ogmios had done and plans to do.
"Having a weaver amongst our ranks, better yet a Tykonion, could be of great help to us." Amoli shared.
"And what if it's revealed that his father truly did it?" Trent asked.
"Kill Ogmios with immediate effect. As is our modus operandi." The head captain said coldly, "Family for family."
"We can't kill royals though," insinuating that Trent may have to kill Simz as well as Choko, he had doubts that he'd be able to do that. This would be a loophole in their number 1 rule given by Grim. If anything, he wants proof first but to also rather have them face trial if it truly meant the Tykonions had something to do with the deaths of the Loman family of the eighth realm.
"Trent, head to Kristov's palace with the Tykonion once he arrives. Utilise his weaver's eyes and find traces of essence threads that can lead us to a clue of the killer."
Trent acknowledged. Amoli sat back in her chair and began telling the captains about Heaven.

A rich presence could be felt all around the Citadel which led to the captains grinning, as Simz stepped foot into the Citadel. What awaits him and the rest of the Underworld would lead to a life-changing adventure and peril.