Where once more everything seems to be lost for the 2 skeletons, until help comes from unexpected ways.

No one's POV:
-

Why had he even ran?

He was too far away to prevent the creature from hitting Reaper.

Why did he think he could save him in any way?

Why did he... want to save him?

The moment Geno stopped screaming, he also stopped running, bended forward and pressed hands on his knees, frustrated and annoyed.

"SH*T!" He exclaimed behind his clenched teeth, angry and confused. He looked again forward expecting to see...

Wait a minute, how had the creature ended up so many steps away from Reaper?

Why was it rolling on the floor as if it seemed to be in pain?

Geno stared at it shocked and bewildered for a few seconds. There seemed nothing able to stop it, except from Reaper. But the necromancer had willingly given himself up and didn't fight back, how-...

Had Geno done something?

What had he done?

He didn't realise...

He had ran up to try and prevent somehow the creature from finishing its job, midway his mind got blurry, he wasn't thinking clearly, he screamed in desperation...

Did... the scream cause this?

No, Reaper had said it, magic didn't work in the afterlife for anyone, except for the necromancers.

Or had he mentioned there being any kind of exceptions?

Regardless, Geno was given a chance. A window which could allow not just him but Reaper too to escape. He didn't waste any more time and he ran up to the other skeleton, falling on his knees near him. He started shaking him lightly to see if he had his senses.

"Umph..." Reaper did. Not much, but that was a reassuring sign.

"... Reaper?" Geno asked quietly. His name felt very strange in his mouth and he had said it about 2 times before.

But again, it wasn't what mattered the most at the moment. The necromancer barely managed to open eyesockets, hollow and heavy. A few seconds later the pupil inside the left one started flickering, but once it was nailed at Geno it started glowing normally.

"You shouldn't have done that..." He said weakly. "You should have lef-."

"SHUT UP!"

Reaper looked at Geno, slightly opening eyesockets a little more.

"Ge-?"

"We're leavin'! Both of us! There ain't no way you let me return by myself back to the living! You ain't just gonna lay down and die like that!" The siren hissed at him. After seconds of surprise, Reaper grinned at Geno weakly.

"It almost flatters me you're so willing to save me too." He commented. Geno flinched and felt his cheeks getting slightly warmer. Then he hissed.

"Save you?! As if!" He pointed a finger at Reaper. "There ain't no way I'm explaining to your crew your absence! And there's absolutely NO WAY I go ahead and tell your doctor the thing you told me to tell him!" Reaper chuckled quietly and shook head left and right. "I told you to shut up!" He scoffed frustrated, snapped his head to look at the huge creature, still spasming on the floor many steps away, then looked again at Reaper.

What he said was partially true, about why he was saving him. Once he returned to the living by himself, EVERYONE on the ship would guess he had something to do with their Captain's dissapearance. First and better Ramirez.

But aside that, in all complete honesty, Geno still had no idea himself why was he really saving Reaper...

"Don't you undersrtand? I'm still supposed to keep my promise for your freedom... I can't leave unless that thing completes its job..."

"Well then, I can only hope you stay alive for long enough to explain yourself so your crew doesn't tear me to pieces! Now shut up and don't waste energy by yappin'!" Geno turned around sharply and ran to pick up the hourglass, then returned back to Reaper. Seeing him coming back, the deadly skeleton opened his mouth, silently gasping from pain and shut eyesockets.

"Haha, ow." He did weakly holding one of his ribs. But as Geno kneeled near him, he smiled gently and sighed. "Σου έχω πει νομίζω στο παρελθόν πόσο όμορφος είσαι όταν φαίνεσαι θυμωμένος, σωστά;" He whispered, now grinning softly.

"Eh?" Geno did confused.

"Τόσο... μαχητικός... Τόσο... δυνατός."

"Ez dakit greziera!" The smaller scoffed annoyed.

"Τα πάντα πονάνε. Αλλά για σένα το ξεχνάω."

"Stop talking!"

"Ω, μικρέ πεισματάρη άγγελε. Ναι, είσαι ένας άγγελος~" Reaper kept talking lowly as in his eyesockets started appearing cheerful tenderness while staring up to Geno, drowsy also from the pain.

"Stop yapping! I told you already, you're wasting energy and I need you conscious for your crew to see and hear you!" Geno complained. Reaper didn't speak for a few seconds, but just as the smaller was gripping him gently by the shoulder, he got serious, nearly melancholic and exhaled from his nose.

"Μακάρι να μπορούσα να σε φιλήσω..."

translations at the end of the chapter😂

"For the last time!" Geno growled. "Come on! We're gettin' outta he-."

"¥ŒU ARƏ BØTH GØIŊG TŒ F*CKIŊG ÐIƏ!"

Sh*t, the creature had snapped out of its shock! And it was running at crazy speed towards the 2 small skeletons! From the panic, the hourglass escaped Geno's hand. Just the moment he was picking it back up, the creature had already reached them and raised both front legs ready to stomp down to him and Reaper.

"EEEK!" Geno did as he shut his eyesocket. Realising though that he hadn't being flattened yet, he dared to look up. Him and Reaper were surrounded by a dome of black swirling smoke.

The necromancer, still laying down, had raised both arms in the air holding up that dome and preventing the creature from stomping. Roaring and snarling maniacally, the mass of essences was trying to crack and tear apart the dome so it could at last get to the 2 small skeletons.

"Just go Geno. Please..." Reaper said behind his clenched teeth. He wasn't doing well at all. His arms were shaking from the pressure. His magical blood had started coming out of his mouth again and cracks had started appearing on his face, starting from the cheekbones.

With every stomp of the creature in its attempt to breach through the dome, those cracks were climbing up his skull. Panicked and unable to decide if he wanted to leave already, Geno would stare alternatively at the necromancer and at the creature.

"SH*T!" He yelled.

"Um, excuse meee!"

Somehow, by some miracle, that little, familiar to Geno voice, caused the creature to stop stomping on the dome and turn to look at...

"Alejandro?!" The half-siren thought surprised. What was he doing here? Why?!

The mass of essences started laughing mockingly at the puppy.

"Got lost mutt?"

"Lost your daddy and mommy?"

"Maybe you want to get out of here if you don't want to feel traumatised by what you'll see."

"Or even better, you can join us! Our Lady has a soft spot for children like you."

"You'll be taken good care of."

"Wow! Does that Lady have games?!" Alejandro seemed to like what he was hearing.

"Get outta here, kiddo..." Reaper whispered with closed eyesockets, nonetheless having enough strength to speak.

"Shut up you filth! We're talking here!" The creature cut off Reaper. "Why yes little boy, many fun games!"

"Oooh, awesome!"

"Puppy, what do you think you're doing?!" Geno thought confused and concerned as he looked around to find the hourglass.

"Oh oh! Does the Lady like jokes?!" Alejandro then asked, mesmerised by what he was hearing.

"If they are good." The creature kept talking, the eyes turning to look at each other and the mouths struggling not to laugh mockingly by the child's naivety. "First we'll be done with these 2 troublemakers..."

"We are the troublemakers now?!" Geno thought indignated.

"... then you can come with us. Call your parents too, if they are here!"

"Sweet, I'll make sure of that!" Alejandro agreed wagging his tail fast. The creature turned to face the 2 skeletons. Suddenly, for just a fleeing moment, Geno saw Alejandro turning to look at him and moving his mouth. And surprisingly, he had understood the message.

"Before I say the punchline, cover your ear holes."

Wait a minute...

Before Geno could get even more surprised, Alehandro winked. The siren didn't know what was to come, but... he mentally nodded.

"To where we left off then..." The creature said then as it was ready to raise the front legs to stomp Geno and Reaper. After the previous attempt to defend himself and Geno, the necromancer seemed unable to do any other move.

"Wait!"

Surprisingly the cretaure stopped and turned to look once more at Alejandro.

"What is it, chιld?" It asked, slightly annoyed. Alejandro's tail wagged faster as he smiled.

"... I have a joke for you. Let me say it, then you can punish these unruly troublemakers." He said. The eyes of the creature turned to look at each other, thinking. Eventually they all turned back at the puppy, sighing.

"Fine. What is the joke?" The mass asked. Alejandro giggled.

"What did the dog say to the mean human when it saw him?" He asked. Many seconds of thinking and staring around later, the mass of essences looked again at Alejandro.

"What did it say?"

At the very last second Geno remembered to cover his ear holes as Alejandro closed eyes, inhaled deeply and opened his little arms.

"*BARK*"

The soundwave created by the barking caused the creature to fly many steps back, then start spasming on the floor. It echoed for long and travelled to the distance. Geno stared around shocked and surprised, then he looked back at Alejandro, who had fallen a little forward, most likely overwhelmed by the bark he let out.

So it really was the scream that threw back the mass the first time when Geno had done it!

But how?

"... Kid?" Geno asked quietly as he took his hands off his ear holes. Alejandro turned to look at Geno and ran up to him.

"Hi Geno!" Alejandro greeted. But then he looked at Reaper and his smile dropped. He kneeled near him and looked closely. "A necromancer?!" He asked as he looked at Geno, who nodded. "Oh boy, Mister Wraith is going to be so pissed seeing another of his kind hurt!" He stood up and faced the siren. "You need to get out of here. He's going to arrive at any second! If he sees you or me, he might not be able to distinguish you from the real enemy!"

Right, the hourglass!

Geno picked it up. He got closer to Reaper, who had started opening eyesockets again and placed hand on his shoulder. His free hand clenched the hourglass and then closed eyesocket as he thought of the Captain's office.

But much to their continuous bad luck, nothing happened.

"Okay, what is it this time?! What am I doing wrong?!" Geno groaned as he threw hands in the air.

"... Is it broken?" Reaper asked weakly. The siren looked at the hourglass. Yup, it had cracked!

"Are you KIDDING ME?!" Geno growled.

In that moment, the temperature dropped abruptly. Alejandro look around sharply, then back at the small skeletons.

"Mister Wraith. He's getting close." He whispered.

"What do we do???" Geno shout-whispered.

"I can hide us. Temporarily..." Reaper managed to say quietly. "Cover us up so we're not detected by magic. And if we don't move, the Wraith will not see us..." He tried to sit up slowly, groaning in pain. Geno and Alejandro moved at the same time and supported him.

"Are you sure you can?" Geno asked concerned as he looked around.

"I'm hurt, but the afterlife has enough mercy upon me to help me little by little ignore the pain. I feel able enough to summon a dome of darkness." Reaper assured.

"Great! Now hurry!" Alejandro said. In a few seconds, the dome had surrounded the 2 skeletons and the puppy.

"This dome can make us invisible and silent. Stay in it and the Wraith... will not find us..." The necromancer said, still with closed eyesockets, exausted and struggling.

"₩HƏRƏ ÐIÐ ¥ŒU GŒ ¥ØU £*€ƘIŊG §Æ€Ƙ§ Œ£ ƁŒŊƏ§?!"

"₩HƏRƏ ÆRƏ ¥ŒU ¥ŒU §TUÞIÐ ƁRÆT?!"

The mass of essences had snapped out of the shock and was stomping around angrily, searching thoroughly to find the 3, who were hiding under the dome of darkness.

And then, the low and deep snarl, more like an ominous buzz from the depths prevailed. Then absolute silence. Then...

Wolves asleep amidst the trees
Bats all swaying in the breeze

Alongside the unknown deep voice singing, the atmosphere of the monster afterlife was filled in what looked like purple, dark blue and grey smoke which was... pulsating in the rhythm of the melody of a music box. Alejandro's ears rotated and turned to look at Geno.

"He's here." He said quietly.

But one soul lies anxious, wide awake
Fearing all manner of ghouls, hags and wraiths

On that last word, suddenly another huge creature jumped at the mass of essences and threw a jab at it. The mass screamed and threw off it the newcomer, then roared as the other stood on its fours.

It looked like the endoskeleton of some animal with fangs. Its hind legs looked small and weak, but the front ones were longer and strange. Attached on their tips there seemed to be really elongated thin fingers, 4 on each and one small sturdy claw on which the skeleton was supporting itself from falling forward.

As a whole, that being was twice the size of the mass of essences. In response to when it roared first, it screeched loudly and wickedly.

The sound echoed around the afterlife. The mass of essences ran at the Wraith to attack, who sharply dodged to the right, turned around and with its long tail stabbed its opponent. Then it turned around again, jumped at the mass and started aggressively and violently biting down on it.

For your dolly polly sleep has flown

It tore apart its slimy body, it clawed and stabbed it wherever its long arms were holding, swallowing down whatever it bit.

Don't dare let her tremble alone

The sludge that was thrown off when biting and tearing apart would hit and splash on the floor.

For the Witcher
Heartless cold
Paid in coin of gold
He comes, he'll go, leave naught behind

Geno stared at the spectacle horrified and sick to his non-existent stomach. He had seen cruelty and violence before, but that was something else.

But heartache and woe
Deep, deep woe

He felt trembling to the core seeing how the smudge would drip off the Wraith's mouth. The safety of the dome didn't help him feel at ease at all. Faintly he turned to look at Reaper. While the pain was still clear on his face, he was staring at the Wraith brutally tearing the enemy apart indifferent. Cold.

Well, he probably had seen this before many times. Then Geno looked at Alejandro. He was staring expressionless, moving his feet to the slow and haunting rhythm of the music heard. For the fact he was a kid it was surprising that he didn't show at least disgust. It showed that he had seen that a lot of times before too.

The sludge that had ended up on the floor of the afterlife reformed to essences that immediately attempted to leave the scene. But screeching loudly and scratching the floor with both little claws, the Wraith caused a sickening pale purple light to illuminate all around. The essences suddenly seemed paralysed.

Birds are silent for the night
Cows turned in as daylight dies

With them all unable to move, the Wraith would go to each of them and pin them to the floor, tear them apart with its claws, then eat them.

But one soul lies anxious wide awake
Fearing all manner of ghouls, hags and wraiths

Oh yes, Geno felt like that soul at the moment. Things were even more brutal and he had started clearly shaking.

My dear dolly polly shut your eyes
Lie still, lie silent utter no cries

Geno whimpered.

As the Witcher
Brave and bold
Paid in coin of gold
He'll chop and slice you
Gut and dice you
Eat you up whole
Eat you whole

As the music died down, Geno felt light-headed. His soul was now pounding hard inside his ribcage, his breathing was faster and unstable. When it seemed that the Wraith was done feasting and no more essences were present, it cleaned its fangs with its claw.

Then it looked around carefully, a predator ready to pounce once more if something else appeared. Almost crawling while snarling lowly, it started approaching towards where the 2 small skeletons and Alejandro were hiding.

"No no no, change direction!" Geno mumbled panicked. He didn't want that creature close to him, he couldn't handle what he had seen it doing. Didn't matter if it had gotten rid of enemies.

The way it had done it had almost send the half-siren in a panic. Forgetting about the safety borders of the dome, Geno had started crawling back seeing the Wraith approaching closer and closer. His mouth opened, indicator of a scream coming up, which started as a whimper of fear.

2930 words *pet pet pet*

and now, as promised, the translations from when reaper was yapping in greek😌🫴🏽

see ya