The purgatory was not a place for living things. Even souls shattered every second. And yet… a nameless flower bloomed, shining like a bright star in the middle of purgatory, full of life and vigor. It was such a sight to behold, a miracle even! No one knew how this could be possible, even its owner.
Amarae had been staring at that flower for a while. Its petals contrasted the pitch dark body made from black mud of his. Reapers were creatures with little to no emotion whatsoever, and yet, Amarae found it fascinating.
As the Commander of the Heavenly Army, Amarae only obeyed God. No promises should be made for anyone else. Yet, this particular flower, he had it on him since hundreds of years ago.
It was a gift from a friend.
“When my time comes, can you please guide me back to Heaven?” said the Gardener before he was exiled. The sinner was just a young Elf boy at that time, who loved to grow beautiful flowers and herbs.
And Amarae didn't even say that he would agree to that promise.
But still, when it was time…
Amarae stood up.
Waved his hand, the reaper gave a command. A giant stone gate materialized and the purgatory fire splitted to form a path. The Commander stepped out. In an instant, his presence was felt all over Heaven. Countless warriors rushed towards him. They swarmed and welcomed. Thousands of reapers kneeled before their one supreme leader.
And among those, there was his most loyal assistant.
“Captain! You are back!” said a reaper named Aeresh. “Could this be… you’ve found your answer?”
No one knew why Amarae locked himself up in the first place. But no one doubted him. So, they just waited, eagerly for an answer.
But, “Not yet,” said Amarae, shaking his head.
“No… way…” Aeresh gasped. “Even the purgatory flame couldn’t help. Then that means… five hundred years, all in vain?”
“Not really.” Amarae replied. “It just means that my answer does not lie here, in Heaven. So, I guess I will have to go look for it in other places.”
“Other… places?” Aeresh tilted her head, as she couldn’t understand what anything of that meant.
But somehow, she already had some idea about where Amarae wanted to go next. Hence, “Earth?” she asked.
And Amarae nodded.
“Are you going to look for Her? Please take me with you!”
Earesh suddenly grew restless. And by “Her”, she meant Lucifer.
But it was not the case.
“No. After what happened, I doubt that she will agree to meet me anytime soon.”
“Then…”
“Earesh,” Amarae decided that those questions were enough. “Don’t worry, I will be back soon. Please prepare the vessel for me.”
“Yes,” said Eraesh, before she went away to prepare the vessel.
But… A vessel, why would the reapers need a vessel to walk the Earth?
It was because they had no physical body.
Actually, that was only one of the reasons. The most important thing to consider was, their body was made of black mud. A vessel to contain the black mud was something similar to a jar to contain highly corrosive acid. But black mud was much much stronger compared to the strongest toxin. It was the divine manifestation of death itself! So, Heaven’s law forbade any reaper from descending onto Earth without a vessel. Because if they would, they themselves would become a disaster, a being who could instantly kill everything they touched.
Hence, such thing was even written in the script of Heaven:
Once the water of death touches the living air, the apocalypse shall start
Thus, with the outer body made of clay, Amarae descended onto Earth.
