Vivian

Prologue

The Reapers from the ancient gruesome depictions of death and mayhem are not entirely accurate. Reapers are not bones with scythes, though the black robes are a fashion trend among them. They are human in appearance. In fact, to a degree, they are human. The only things keeping them from being such come in a short list: powers, immortality, and rules.
There are many rumors that are spread about the Reapers, such as they're evil and have no negative emotions concerning what they do, or that they care for none. These are false. Reapers can feel bad about killing, and often do.
In certain tragic cases, Reapers have been reported to cry, or apologize to the soul they're about to reap. Reapers are not evil. Reapers are necessary. Nothing that is necessary can be evil.
But perhaps, the biggest two lies being spread about Reapers are that they never die, and that they kill on contact. People say that the mere brush of a Reaper's cold skin is enough to bring your end about before its time. While this is not entirely untrue, it's a misconception. A Reaper's absentminded touch brings instant death, but a thoughtful one gives only age. Only, of course, if the Reaper focuses will the mortal age.
To address the subject of Reaper death, they do not die of age. They also do not die of illness. Disease does not strike the Grim Reaper race. The only way Reapers die is in combat. Instruments of death, both mortal and otherworldly can kill a Reaper. There are rumored to be other ways of killing a Reaper, but the truth of these statements are unknown.
Reapers are also bound by strict rules, a code of law that finds relevance in almost every aspect of living. The laws are kept in a book, and it is up to a high Council to make sure the rules are not broken. The rules pertain to everything, but some rules are stricter than others.
Perhaps the strictest rule of the Reapers has to do with love. Love is strictly forbidden to the Reaper race, and the penalty for breaking this law is severe. Love brings about life. Life is opposite to death. Therefore, the Reapers are forbidden love.
The Council is even more strict on contact with humans, intimate and otherwise. Though all Reapers were once human, they can stir up trouble within the world of the living. They can grow attached to the humans they visit. They can speak with them, and grow fond of them. Such contact can lead to love, and it isn't like the Reaper's touch wouldn't harm the human, anyway. It is better for all if the contact between humans and Reapers is limited to death situations only. Anything more would simply become a complication.
And the Reapers are bound to their Codes and Laws, obeying and honoring them without question. It is, after all, because of the Codes they became Reapers. Therefore, the Codes and Laws are to be followed without question. Any individual who questions is brought to the Council. They are usually not seen again. The Reapers follow their Codes without question.
There are several types of Reapers within the race. The dividing of the Reapers based on skill is necessary to determine the jobs. The more powerful Reapers have bigger tasks, and the less powerful ones have small missions. The Reaper hierarchy is easily determined.
The Powers are the highest ranking Reapers. They are powerful, as the name implies, and are sent to gather multiple souls. During times of human war, Powers are often sent out to collect. They are few, but work hard. They do not work in pairs. Many Powers serve on the Council.
The Leagues are under the Powers in terms of strength. They cannot reap as many souls as those above them, but can carry quite a few. They are more numerous than the Powers, but they do not total a stunning amount. Leagues rarely work in pairs, and are used as enforcers of the Law under the Council. Very few actually serve on the Council.
Beneath the Leagues rank the Shadows. They number many, and are a relatively powerful rank when in pairs. They work together often to carry souls. The Shadows are known for melting into dark places, and can go unnoticed even by other Reapers. Only one is allowed to serve on the Council.
At the bottom of the Reaper's pyramid dwell the Blanks. These are new recruits or weak Reapers who couldn't make their way to a higher place. They are not sent on many difficult missions, as they are not trusted to handle anything complex. They do not number as many as the Shadows, but do have quite a population. The majority of the Blanks are new recruits who will soon be assigned to a group to stay. The new recruits must prove themselves in multiple missions to be able to transcend their lowly title.
Not every recruit makes it passed their initiation, though. There are stories told in hushed whispers of a Reaper who didn't make it past his first mission. They tell of a Reaper who was still just a boy, who broke rules left and right. They tell of the Reaper whose name was Grey.
This is his story.