Soul Sealer

Open wounds

There was one thing that crossed Asther's mind ever since the train wreck: he didn't want to die. At least, not like that. He didn't want to die between the stinking jaws of a Demon either, but if he signed the contract, he could at least survive another day. He didn't know a thing about Demons, or Soul Sealers, or guardians, or powers. He also didn't know what awaited him once he swore the oath. Nathaniel could very well be the true Demon attempting to trick him and devour his soul for all he knew. That's when it hit him; it all came to him in a split second. Wasn't that exactly what he had been wishing for? That was it. That was what he had been yearning for so long: an unsolvable puzzle, all for him to discover, and win! ​The Demons, the thing they're searching for, the cryptic guardian, and the supposed powers, there had to be something behind all of that, and Asther wanted to know. That's when he realized what he was called to do.

"Asther, if this scroll doesn't have a drop of your blood on it in the next thirty seconds-"

"Where do I sign?" said Asther, suddenly, bewildering Nathaniel, who had almost given up.

"Just a drop of your blood in any blank space will suffice," he replied. He had come with the hope that Asther would accept, still, Nathaniel was in awe.

Not a second later, Asther approached his unconscious body on the bed and grabbed his index finger. "Come on," he said, motioning for Nathaniel to come closer, "Less than twenty seconds until I die. I will do as you say. Save my life, and I will help you combat those things." Nathaniel nodded, hope was starting to fill him up. Maybe, Asther was starting to act like himself.

As delighted as he was, the guardian still had the duty to inform his Sealer about the repercussions of the pact, even if that were to scare him away. "Once you sign the deal, there's no going back," warned Nathaniel.

To his relief, Asther had no second thoughts anymore. "I'm aware of that. I don't mind, so let's wrap this up before my life withers," he responded, without batting an eyelash.

"Also, if you try to run away from your duties as a Sealer, the contract will be over, and you will be confined to Giudecca, the prison where traitors to their guardian rest. Knowing this, do you still accept the deal?"

Asther remained silent for a few seconds before replying. "That deal, I accept it fully." Asther placed the limp, bleeding index finger on the scroll, staining it with a crimson dot of blood as if it was a stamp, and just like that, the deal was sealed. "Now what?" Asther asked.

Nathaniel only smirked, putting the contract back where it came from. "Now it's time for your soul to go back to your body. When you open your eyes, I'll be right next to you. Just like you did right now, extend your index finger so that I can give you my blood through your wound. Then, the power will awaken inside of you. That's all there is to it. Now, hurry up and lay down on the bed. Let your body become one with your soul." commanded the guardian and the Sealer obeyed. His ghostly self sat down on his physical body, laying on top of it, and phasing through it until the tangible and intangible became one and the same.

"Time of death: 3:43 pm," said the head doctor, wiping the sweat off his forehead, "Notify the-"

"Doctor, wait!" yelled a nurse, looking back at the monitor that soon changed the verdict. "His heart, it's beating again!"

"What?" exclaimed the doctor, rushing to Asther's side, but what he saw left him speechless. The bandaged boy, who not half a minute ago laid dead on the bed, had his eyes opened, the right one, at least, and was leaning forward, attempting to sit up, extending his burnt hand with a strength that he shouldn't possess, his index finger pointing at something. At what, they didn't know.