The Shards of War: The Experiments

Chapter 2

"Matsu! Matsu! Are you okay!?" were the last words he heard before closing his eyes, and suddenly, all the pain and torment vanished. Matsudo was finally free, and when he opened his eyes again, he was greeted by a blinding bright light. He felt weightless, floating in the air, unable to sense anything solid beneath him. As he adjusted to the light, he could discern the silhouettes of two figures calling out to him. "Hello, little firefly," Matsu heard as his vision slowly cleared, revealing the identities of the figures before him. They were none other than the god and goddess of death themselves! Thanaris, the god of death, stood tall, cloaked in darkness, holding two sickles, with his short, dark hair concealing his eyes. Beside him was Morana, the goddess of death, of equal stature, wearing a flowing black dress and a black sunhat, wielding a scythe. Her long, black hair cascaded over her shoulders, reaching halfway down her back.

"Hello, Matsu, my cute little firefly," Morana greeted him warmly, knelt down, and gently stroked his hair with a bright smile. Stuttering, Matsu asked, "Lady Morana, what are you doing here?" He was taken aback by the goddess of death's presence and captivated by her beauty. Tharanis joined Morana, kneeling down and placing his hand on the young boy's shoulder. "You died, little buddy," he stated matter-of-factly. Matsu's eyes widened in shock and disbelief. "WHAT!" he exclaimed, struggling to comprehend the god's words. "B-but I can't be. I-I have to p-protect m-my sisters!" The gods exchanged glances and nodded in understanding. "Well, you see, you did die, but you're also not actually dead," Thanaris clarified, trying to console the boy.

"You are in limbo, a realm where you can communicate with us, but your body and soul are still in the mortal world," Morana added, standing up to reveal a mirror that showcased the mortal world, where time seemed to have come to a standstill. As Matsu gazed through the mirror, he witnessed the heart-wrenching scene of his sisters crying over his lifeless body, and Marina, still in shock, holding her hands over her mouth, tears streaming down her face. "Wait, so I-I'm still alive?" Matsu asked, his own tears flowing at the sight of his distraught loved ones. "Yes, but your mind has entered limbo, where you can communicate with us, free from the constraints of time," both gods replied in unison, as Matsu's presence in limbo became increasingly fleeting. Fading in and out of the realm, he felt a sense of unease. "What's happening?" Matsu inquired, his voice filled with concern.

"Stay calm, kid. Your emotions are re-tethering your mind to your body," Thanaris explained, placing his hands back on Matsu's shoulders in a comforting gesture. Matsu took a deep breath, calming himself and preventing his presence from fading in limbo. Feeling more composed, he asked, "Okay, okay, so what am I here for?" Now acting relaxed with the gods. Morana hesitated, her hand nervously resting on the back of her neck, before answering, "Well, we're kinda here to fix the other gods' mistakes." She looked slightly embarrassed by the admission. Confused, Matsu's mind filled with questions. "What do you mean, fix their mistakes?" he inquired, seeking further clarification. With a hint of anger in his expression, Thanaris explained, "Well, Ephemor was supposed to instruct the new guardian spirits to protect your family. However, he forgot to do so because the other head families of Eclipse City were also receiving new guardian spirits."

A surge of anger ignited within Matsu as he realized it was the gods' fault that he found himself in this predicament. "WHAT! I KNEW THERE WAS A REASON I DIDN'T LIKE EPHEMOR!" he yelled furiously, his presence in Limbo flickering. "Whoa, calm down, Matsu. We're here to make things right," the gods reassured, attempting to soothe him. Gradually, Matsu's anger subsided as the gods explained that he would now have the ability to enter Limbo whenever he wished, and one of them would be there for him once they completed their duties in the mortal realm. Feeling reassured that the gods would rectify the situation, Matsu hugged them in gratitude before returning to the mortal realm. He waved goodbye to the gods, confident that they would keep their promise to make things right.