Chapter 217 - Catch- Part 1

The reaper stood looking at the graveyard which had creatures swarming around like flies over a dead body. He had seen a person near the grave, possibly a girl, fresh soul that had appeared in the land of the dead which wasn't new. But there was something strange in the wind, something unique that he could tell why the creatures were trying to feed on her. It was something very sweet yet powerful. 

When he started to walk, his robes dragged on the ground. 

The robes that were worn were old and torn at the ends. When he stepped into the cemetery which was nothing but useless, the other creatures who had swarmed in started to scatter and make way for him, going back to the shadows where they belonged to. He looked at the hellhound that had fallen back.

"Here boy," said the reaper, raising his skeleton hand for it to come and the hellhound stepped forward. In time, the skeleton hand started to create and bind tissues and flesh to have a human-like appearance but this human was tall and his eyes pitch black. 

He rubbed the head of the hellhound, taking a deep breath with his hollow nose, "This doesn't smell like the dead. So fresh, it's making my nose crinkle in irritation," the person's entire body had started to turn with the tissue of skin wrapping one after another until a face came to form. Blond hair and a dull expression hanging on his face. 

Letting go of the hellhound's head, he then said, "Go find who it was and bring the person to me. It appears that there has been a breach in the land of the dead."

In a blink of an eye, he disappeared from the lower ground of the land of the dead and he finally made his way towards the city of the dead that looked far away from dead. Though the surrounding places had turned broken and into ruins, the centre of the land was made of a long tower which wasn't wide. 

He headed inside the tower, the walls black and it was a scarcely lit place. Empty corridors and the rooms came to be passed as he walked before reaching the highest place in the tower. 

"Did you get any news about the land of the living?" asked one of the Hawverts who went by the name Goron, "The reapers have started to scatter and search but they are barely able to get one. Not to forget I sent a reaper a few days ago who is yet to report." 

"What about the reaper? Was it for the fallen Grims?" asked the reaper who had come from outside, taking his own seat at the centre. 

"We have three of them who fell down from their position. If it wasn't for the twelfth Grim, everyone would still be following the rules that we set," complained Goron who was in his skeleton form.

"I think it is for our own well being that we have some of the Grim reapers falling back. It will be much easier to get rid of them. Weren't you the one who was worried about their abilities?" stated the Hawvert who had entered the room. 

"Who is going to fill the role and work for us, Crane?" asked Goron.

"I am sure we'll find ways to fill their position and it isn't the first time we have had a Grim go off track. This time we send them to oblivion where there is no return," Crane answered. His eyes looked down at the number of reapers who were working below them at the ground floor.

"You must have forgotten, but the Grim who has the ability to kill the other Grim reapers is not but one of the fallen Grims," said Gorron, his voice slightly agitated, "I told you this was going to backfire."

"Cross will listen to us. Just find out what he is doing right now, send the hellhounds and the sixth, ninth and the eleventh Grim to bring the fallen Grims," said Crane, and in the same moment, a reaper appeared in front of the two Hawverts, "What news do you bring, Cricket?"

"There has been inactivity of one of the Grims," the lowly reaper who worked for the Hawverts directly reported. 

Goron who was sitting, leaned forward to ask, "Who is it this time?" 

"The Sixth Grim of cards Greed."

Crane stayed quiet for some time, his face barely showing any expression to let one know that he was part of the dead, his expression dull, "Have the hellhounds and nine and eleventh Grim sent to bring the fallen Grims back. And see what Edith is up to, I would like to get some reports from that cunt."

"Yes, Sir!" and the reaper disappeared in front of them in thin air. 

"Why do you think the Grims are falling behind? Is it because it is time now?" asked Goron.

"The witches?" Crane asked, his eyes unmoving from where it was looking at, "The witches have nothing to do with it."

"Guilt went rogue during the same time of the year, years ago. You think it is purely coincidence?" asked Goron. 

"The sooner we bring back the Grim reapers the faster our jobs are done," said Crane, getting up from the seat as he was bored, he started to walk to only stop and look over his shoulder to say, "There is a breach in the paths of the living and the dead."

"We don't have time to check the paths. The dead have often sunk down to the realm of the living-"

"It was a living that came here," corrected Crane. 

"Ridiculous! That is not possible!" 

"There's the scent of a living person all over the cemetery. Have someone take a look there. If someone found out about this world, kill them. Get rid of them so that not a word will be spoken to anyone about it," ordered Crane before leaving the room.