Diary of a Red Reaper

(11) Fire versus fire

The witch wasted no time and had started her attack as soon as she landed. Fire flew by me in every direction, dissipating as it neared the trees. I ducked behind a large rock, hoping for time to think.

Fire exploded repeatedly as it smashed against my small barrier.

"Red! What are you doing?!" Asked Scythe.

"What does it look like I'm doing?! I'm trying not to get set on fire!" I yell back.

"You can use fire too! Don't you know anything about your powers?! Hasn't your servant taught you anything?!" Scythe yelled angrily.

"Not really!" I yell back.

"Ugh! Hold out your hand and picture a flame... Do it!" Scythe explains angrily.

I quickly hold out my left hand and picture a fire, almost instantly a small red flame appears in the palm of my hand.

"Whoa, I did it!" I say excitedly.

"Great! Now make it bigger! Put some energy into it! Do it!" Scythe yells as the witch runs around to the other side of our boulder.

She quickly creates a huge fire ball, nearly half the size of the cottage. She hurls it at me with great force and speed!

I held out my small red flame and concentrated as hard as I could, forcing my eyes closed and gritting my teeth!

Just as the witch's fire reached me my own flame erupted into a massive explosion of crimson flames, instantly engulfing the witches own fire, consuming it in an instant. Burning the ground around me.

I sat forward from my boulder, as it steadily melted from the heat of my flames, I turned to look at the witch as blood ran down from my eyes.

Horror spread across her face as I began to transform. My wings violently ripped their way out of my back, two, small, deathly sharp horns sprang from my forehead. My teeth fell out and replaced themselves with fresh new fangs. And a thin, rough tail appeared on my lower back, flipping and snapping all about.

"No... No! I won't let you take me! I'll burn you to ashes!" Screamed the witch as I stood up and started towards her.

"Your soul is tainted, and must be destroyed." I say as I mindlessly Rush at her.

The witch threw her hands in front of herself as she mumbled, sending huge waves of fire tumbling towards me. I easily slash through the flames and kept my pace.

She began to mumble more magic words but just as the flames appeared in her hands I arrived at her, slicing her arm off with a flick of my sword. She screams as she watches her own arm wiggle around on the ground, blood squirting everywhere. I spin and kick her in the stomach with all my might, her body slams and rips in half as she skids across the ground.

I walk towards what was left of her body, bringing out my soul weapon once more, leaving burn marks as I walked.

I stood over her for a while, looking at what was left of her. Blood gushed from nearly every part of her mutilated body.

She snapped her head to look at me, bones cracking as she breathed.

I raise my reaping scythe high into the air once more. And bring it down just as I had before.

"Your time has come. I reap your soul... In the name of Satan..."

I bury the blade deep into her chest, pushing through into the ground.
She coughs as blood pours from her mouth.

Between her coughs she mumbles her final words.

"You say my soul is tainted..." *cough* "but what about yours?"

Unable to answer I stared at her once more. Soon an intense white light shines from my weapon, once it had faded all that remained of the witch was an old dried out corpse.

My weapon receded once more into the bracelet that housed Scythe, my battle finished.

I turned away from the body, surprised to see another woman standing before me. It was the old white witch I had almost attempted to reap, but she seemed far younger.

"I suppose I should thank you... In a way you've saved me, by killing my daughter... I don't know where I went wrong with her, I taught her in the ways of light, yet she still turned to the dark... She really went sour a few weeks ago, she cast a powerful hex on me in my sleep, she'd been draining my life force ever since. That's what caused my aged appearance."

The woman walked towards me quickly, Arms outstretched to give me a hug. I just stood there in silence as she hugged me and spoke.

"I was nearly dead when you arrived. That's why I thought you were there to reap me, I thought God sent you to release my soul... But instead... He sent you to save it." She spoke happily.

"I'm sorry lady, but Satan sent me. Not God." I reply as my body begins to break down to its former shape.

"No, it was God, I'm sure of it!" The woman exclaimed cheerfully, stepping back from her hug.

"They say he works in mysterious ways. Haha!" Said the woman.

No sooner had she finished speaking that another portal tore into the space near me.

"I have to go, I was told to go right back into the portal when I was done. I'm sorry I had to kill your daughter."

"Goodbye young reaper, God has not abandoned you. Be well."

I stepped through the portal, I felt the familiar heat of hell blow across my face as the forest disappeared.

"You did good kid. Good for an idiot at least. Head home, rest up. You've got more to do tomorrow." Dank said as I stepped forward.

"Thanks, jerk." I say as I hold out my key, summoning my door.

Once inside I go straight to bed, feeling completely exhausted from the day's events.

I couldn't help but think of what the black witch had said to me...

"Is my soul really better than hers was?
Do I even have any soul left to be tainted?"