A Closed Past

                                                           Chapter 1

In a time far back there is a story to tell, a story of a battle fought between Heaven and Hell. Heaven wished to protect the living plain while Hell wished to make it suffer. Shadows of the unseen world feed off the desires of the mind making it grow, in ones who would not ignore it. Each desire formed a being soon to be called Sins, they were strong with each passing desire. The world on the living plain was passed into a time of tormerl. Souls of the departed were being dragged to hell good or bad. Due to this Heaven and Hell fought for many days and night with no side seeming to yield. Soon one faithful day through all the battling, something was born. Something with the blood of the Angel and a demon of hell no records truly say what had happened, was this being good or evil. What was known is the hell was sealed below and a deal was made. A deal that created the Underworld which was a limbo into Heaven and Hell where the souls would go to judgment. Times of balance can never be for long even in limbo things still have a chance to slip free. This is what brings us to our time now after so much time has pasted since then. A small age of peaceful balance had begun again new families not knowing of the past, for the books written on it were sealed away.  We open our tale with a family that lives in the underworld limbo.

"Dear Sister where are you, mother shall be crossed if we are late for supper again," said a young Under Worlder. He was a wolf boy with fur of grey and dressed in a dark green cloak. His eyes were black as abyss as his hair that grew from the top of his head and one horn grew from his head to the left.

A giggle was heard in the emptiness of the wasteland fields where they played. He recognized it as his sister's laugh following it to a tree with black flowers in bloom. He tilted his head upward to see she was sitting on a branch in that tree. His sister was a cat girl with fur of light brown and long hair of blue tied in ribbons. She was in a long dress with plain patterns nothing fancy.  

"Alesha come now or we shall be late." He stated as he watched her picking flowers.

"Oh you are right dear brother, but i couldn't resist wanting to get these blossoms." she said as she hoped down from the branch landing firmly to the ground while holding the front of her dress down so it wouldn't fly up. She turned to her brother smiling putting a flower in his hand. "Now Siegfried you have a excuse for being late." she laughed saying as she ran off ahead of him in the direction to home.

"Alesha!" he shouted hurrying after her.

They ran across the waste like type land with Siegfried finally catching up to his sister. Their home was seen in the distance as they were waved at by neighboring Under Worlder on the way. The underworld is full of creepy and colorful characters some dead,undead or even alive creatures. All different shapes fashions and task all living in limbo not many have seen or asked about the world outside their plain. Well not many have the ability to leave, and the one that wishes to see it more then anything are these two children. These two children are twins of the age of 10 even though they don't look it. They were the children of two of the most respected members of the Under World. Their mother was a Cat girl name Zamie who was a Geomancer, she just like Alesha look a lot more normal then the other people in Limbo. Then their father was the most powerful figure, he was the Grim Reaper himself.

" Alesha and Seigfried you two are in trouble this is the second time in a row you have been late coming home." sad their mother stepping out the door seeing them running up. She has fur of light brown and was dressed in a dark green outfit with a symbol on it she always told them was a symbol of a Geomancer with brown colored boots.

The two of them came to a halt stepping a few feet forward from stopping so swiftly. They had been out exploring far from home again after school, but they couldn't tell her that. They knew many times she didn't want them wondering off she feared what could happen to them meeting the wrong character out there so far off.

Seigfried being the eldest of them seen himself to take responsibility so he was about to speak the truth. " Well mother we were..."

"Picking you black blossoms," blurted out Alesha cutting his sentence short as she held a arrangement of them. " We are sorry we were late we didn't go to far as you told us many of times not to." she said confidently. Unlike her brother she didn't mind telling a little white lie now and then especially if it keeps her out of trouble. She grabbed her brothers hand that still held the blossom she gave him before running off making him show it.

"Oh is that soo..." Their mother said as she took the blossoms from them. "So is this the truth.. hmm.." she said watching Alesha nod yes as her brother didn't move staying silent. " Then your grounded for a day you know there is no Black blossoms this close in the area. Thank you for telling on yourself and your father shall have a word with both of you when he gets in." She said disappearing back in the house.

Alesha was left in shock at how her mother seen right through her lie. "Darn it now we are in trouble again." she said turning her head to her brother who was looking a bit in distress. " What is the matter with you brother dear?"

He didn't say a word just took him and his troubled look inside. He felt very low and very ashamed his mother was going to tell their father and he didn't like disappointing him. His father was the Grim Reaper after all so many expected great things from him and as that seen of him he tries his best it live up to his father expectations right down to telling the truth. Seigfried went to his room which he and his sister still shared, and sat on his bed on the left side of the room. Soon as he sat down Alesha came into the room and brushed down her dress to sit next to him.

"Brother you worry to much." she said with a straight face picking up one of her dolls from their untidy floor. "I bet father will not be that crossed, he never really has with us wondering." She played in her dolls black hair what little was left of it on the poor things head.

Seigfried looked down at the floor thinking she wouldn't much understand she was always the one who didn't care to much on things as this. She liked to see and do things a bit her way didn't like to be scrapped down to much as he obedient brother. Despite the way they act they get along very well and never apart right down to the good and the bad times. Alesha soon noticed she was getting the silent treatment cause he was deep in thought so she started to tickle his sides. He couldn't help but giggle as he tried to shield himself with his arms bending a bit forward.

"Sister come on now stop it." He said laughing unable to control himself as she tickled him into submission.

"Not til you say you'll stop worrying dear Seigfried." She said with a smirk on her face as she continued to tickle his sides.

"Alright alright I will stop but I make no promises for later." He laughed out starting to tear a bit.

She soon stopped letting her brother breath from laughing. "It not a good deal but i can live with it." She swung her feet while sitting on bed edge then jumped off to the floor going to the direction of his stuff. She grabbed his prized toy their father gave him, it was a wooden scythe he himself made for him. She took it to the middle of the room and swung it she was taking a soul. "Brother you will be a good reaper one day but if you worry so much over trivial things how will you have fun. If we were all perfect where would the adventure be in that."

He lifted his head watching her play with his wooden scythe not speaking. His sister was a bit of a wild flower but she did love to read and due to that had a big vocabulary and at times spoke logic despite how she acts. Before he could speak they heard the front door open then close, they knew their father had finally made it home. Alesha dropped the scythe to the floor heading to the bedroom door peeking out of it, Seigfried quickly followed his sister to the door peeking out as well. They had a nice view into the kitchen from their room angle.

"Oh Reaper your finally home." said their mother cheerfully as she was just about done with dinner.

He had fur of grey and a muzzle of white which rested his glasses he was dressed in a black and red colored outfit with a cloak of black. He didn't look as frightful as most would see the bringer of death but it could be seen he was much stronger then he appears. But the worst is seen when he is angered to fury but he never shown that side to the young ones. Also as far as the children seen never to their mother as well it always seemed at home their mother seemed to run things since she was house wife but she never seemed bothered by that title. The reaper came into the kitchen and sat down with a bit of a stressed look that went unnoticed by their mother who back was turned working on the food.

"Just to let you know I grounded the children today for being hardheaded again. This is the second day in a row they were late and more then a third time to far off from home." she stirred up the vegetables. "I can't tell at times if it goes in one ear and out the other. I guess they don't want to listen due them knowing there is more out their then this world."

He just sat there at the table turning his head to look at her."How far did they go this time?" he asked.

"Just look on the kitchen table at those black flowers they gave me i placed in a pot." she said finally done starting to fix plates.

" Hmm.. I know where they got this from this is pretty far and a bit to close to where it is dangerous." he said letting out a sigh rubbing his forehead. "Alesha and Seigfried, come here you to I know your both listening through the creak in the door." he said in a serious tone.

They opened the door stepping out with Alesha coming out first with Seigfried close behind. Both walked into the kitchen standing before him side by side as if they at a line up.

" Well now can anyone tell me why it is so hard not to listen to your mother of not going far out into the wastelands?" he said moving his eyes back and forth to both.

The two of them stayed silent cause they had no reason no just reason really it was just something they wanted to do.

"I see there isn't much of a good reason is there. The wastelands far out there are dangerous despite if you haven't come in contact with any of them yet." he said making a point. " Your mother has right to restrict them and you Seigfried my oldest should know much better. You should have listened to your mother and set a better example for your sister... despite how rambunctious at times she may be." he turned to look at their mother when he said that.

"Oh don't you pin all that nature she gets on me your bull headed ways is well seen in there." she said placing the plates on the table.

He coughed before he started back talking. " The point I am trying to make is if your going to make a good reaper one day you are going to have to listen to orders, take responsibility for your actions, and be ready for anything. With great power comes great responsibility , I know you are young now and right now have it a bit easy but one day all these lessons will come before you and i do hope all of them you make the right choice on." he said placing his hand on Seigfrieds' shoulder.

Seigfried went a bit stiff with disappointment to himself.

"Son it is ok your not in that much trouble you can relax." his face softened to a smile. " If you didn't try exploring and getting into trouble like a normal child that is when i would worry." he laughed " But we will have to find a leash for your sister." he moved over to Alesha tickling her sides making her giggling squirming.

Seigfried smiled showing his worry had faded away watching his father tickle his sister.

Zamie giggled as she finish setting up the table."I should have known your father would go easy on you to he always do. Now alright then wash your hands and come eat"

Alesha slipped free of her fathers' tickles running off to the bathroom with Seigfried beating her there.

Zamie sat down in a chair in front of Reaper looking over to him over the black flowers in the middle of the table."You do a very good job at spoiling them ya know."

He closes his eyes saying in a playful cocky voice "Same as i spoil their mother."

"Your a complete joker you know that, no one would ever take you to be the Grim Reaper." she smiled.

"That is how i like it, I don't think it wise to scare the guest and neighbors when i step outside do ya." he laughed as the kids came back into the kitchen sitting in their chairs that were in facing in front of each at the table.

"Dad how was your day at work?" asked Alesha putting a fork full of food in her mouth.

"Full of dead people and stiffs." he joked "It was a normal day but this time there wasn't as many deaths as it use to be many years in the past. I use to be busy all the time." He cutted up his meat before putting it in his mouth to eat.

"Father is the upper world of the living very different from here?" asked Seigfried curious.

"Well how about this I let you see for yourself." he said chewing his meal.

Seigfrieds' heart skipped a beat and Alesha started to get curious to and excited.

"What do you mean by that Reaper is there something your not telling me?" asked Zamie placing down her fork curious to hear what this was about to.

The Reaper felt all their eyes on him knowing he got all their attention and smiled "Well i meant just what it sounded like we are going on a little trip to the upper world. I don't know what happened much myself but I got a message saying the beings in charge gave me a few days off and i could spend it where i want."

"Wow that is wonderful." said Alesha cheerful.

"That is wonderful news when does your days start?" asked Zamie smiling big she was just as excited as the children.

"Well the days off start tomorrow really." he said

Everyone looked at Zamie trying to make sweet faces as possible.

"Oh ...... alright fine your not grounded tomorrow." said Zamie smiling a bit out number.

The children cheered being freed from being grounded and happy they will be seeing the upper world for the very first time.

After all the excitement and meal was done Zamie washed the dishes as Alesha helped her dry them. Reaper was in the living room resting on the couch with a small belch as Seigfried entered the room.

"Father I can't wait to see the upper world can you give me any hints on how it looks like?" Seigfried asked sitting on the couch next to him.

"Well you know how our sky here is always black but it is so bright in the day and dark at night when it suppose to? Well the sky there is almost like that but it is a lovely shade of blue on the calm days and a sun that warms the ground when it  is clear. At night there are little dots in the sky called stars and sometimes a moon that lets off a pale glow."He spoke closing his eyes scratching behind his ear. "You will see and understand more when you see it and experience it for yourself."

Seigfried holded on to every word then leaned back on the couch."Father you always told me a there is no rest for the Reaper how you get a day off?"

"Well son everyone needs a break and there is now more then one reaper things have changed since i was the only one we can all get breaks now and then. I find it good everyone needs a break can't put everything on your shoulders."

-end of chapter 1