The Garden

Quests

Owen whispered, "I forgot to mention Gus can be creepy. Don't panic. He's not here to harm you."

Eden's brow furrowed, staring at Owen. She was unable to speak as she turned her attention back to Gus.

He emerged from the shade of the willow tree and smoothed the strap of his satchel. To Eden, he still appeared to be a silhouette. The way he moved was graceful, almost ghostly, as if he was floating towards them. She was mesmerized by the haunting feeling that engulfed her.

Flashes began blocking her vision. She kept seeing images of herself and began to panic. She kept seeing herself punching and kicking at someone wearing a mask. She tried to keep them away from them.

The next image flashed, and her attacker had vanished while she lied on the ground, crawling towards a group of trees. The area appeared flat and open, surrounded by a ring of trees and flowers.

A hand grazed her forearm. She then heard Owen, "Shhh, it's a part of it."

The images kept flashing around her as she grew cold and croaked, "I'm scared, Owen... Where are you?"

The images stopped, and Owen was gone. "Owen!" she shrieked, no longer being able to hear nor see him. "Please, help me... I didn't... I didn't mean to be so rude..."

Eden saw nothing but dark, silent woods. Panic overwhelmed her as she violently looked around, trying to find Owen or any sign of life. A chill hit her body, causing her to shutter as she watched the tree line. It looked like the garden, but much darker and frightening. "Someone! Anyone, help me!"

"It's okay," a voice cooed from behind her.

Eden looked over her shoulder seeing a man with a beard and dark, skeletal eyes. His light colored beard reached his abdomen and gently danced in the breeze rolling in. His check bones were sharp, casting a shadow upon the visible skin on his cheeks above his beard. The man stood there, scanning her face. She turned to face him completely, feeling a peacefulness about him. What frightened her most was her lack of fear towards the man in front of her.

"Who.." Eden began but couldn't finish her question.

"I am Gus, or that's the name Owen has given me," he began in a haunting but soothing voice. "I am known to modern people as the Reaper, or a psychopomp to others."

Her heart fell into her stomach, and tears formed in her eyes, "The Grim Reaper? Like death, you're the Death?"

"Calm down, I'll explain," he murmured, glancing around as the sun began warming Eden's skin again. "Please, have a seat."

Eden glanced around, seeing that the Garden had reappeared, and Owen sat in the grass gazing up at her as if he had witnessed the entire thing. Feeling relieved, tears filled her eyes again as she seated herself where she sat before, adjacent to Owen and facing Gus. Gus wasn't as scary in this version of the garden. He appeared to be more of a fatherly figure. His beard, now barely grazing his chest, was the only common trait he shared with the skeletal man who once stood in front of her.

"My child, this Garden is an illusion. It is what you want to see. It is limbo," he began slowly pacing back and forth. "Pre-Heaven or Pre-Hell, wherever a soul belongs. It appears differently to everyone." He stopped momentarily and looked at the two of them, "I am Death, but I do not kill, I guide your soul into the afterlife once it appears in limbo, like miss Hecate. I have factions of reapers that aid in the collecting process."

"How exactly did I die?" Eden questioned, giving Gus her full attention.

Gus paused, "You weren't supposed to die this early, my child." He sat down in front of the pair, "I'm sure Owen mentioned your souls are connected." Eden nodded before Gus continued, "You two were reaped earlier than expected by the same creature or person. I'm not quite sure what or whom. I'm terribly sorry, it happened so quickly I wasn't there to guide you."

"So I died earlier because I was killed by anyone or anything?" Eden blurted.

"If it was a creature, I can find out," Gus explained, digging into his satchel. "However, there will be tasks for you two to crossover."

"Tasks?" Eden blurted.

"Here," Gus muttered, handing Owen an old, worn paper. "As the spirit guide, you yield the map. This will take you to the Fae in Oakshire Falls. Be warned, they're not as charming as I."

Owen rolled his eyes, unfolding the map. The edges were yellowed and frayed. He examined it, "So this is what lies outside of the Garden?"

Gus nodded, "Yes."

"I've been here for over one hundred years," he spat. "Couldn't I have begun this quest without her?" He inserted air quotations when he said quest.

"You two are members of the same bloodline," Gus stated matter of factually. "A paradox type of event needed to occur first."

Owen and Eden looked at each other in confusion. Eden tried searching for similarities between the two of them, then gasped, "So I'm your great or great great grandchild?"

Gus nodded, "Yes. You're both Saxe's by blood. Which was your great great grandmothers married name, and that," he pointed at Owen, "makes him your great great grandfather."

"Owen Saxe?" Eden muttered, "It's so weird placing the face with the name..." She fixed her eyes on him, still searching for similar features between the two of them. "I remember seeing your name on a family tree my uncle was working on several months ago. It said you disappeared, now you're here, in front of me."

Owen laced his fingers together and smiled weakly, "If we're going on a quest together, we need to save the stories."