Waiting Game

Chapter 31

My eyes opened to a world of fire, to ash raining from the sky, to the smell of death all around. It was dark, it was night, and I felt as cold as I felt when I died.

"Insolent..." whispers kicked up all around me, each giving its own insult.

"Reckless."

"Foolish..."

"Child!" Roared the great, pale death god. The sword that he usually held in his mouth was in his hand, raised up to the sky threateningly. "I could cut you down where you stand; I could prevent your soul from ever meeting that of your sister's ever again!" His voice was loud, booming in my ears.

A cry tore itself from my throat, and I fell over when a great wave of chakra and killing intent was released from the Shinigami.

It was suffocating, a heavy and thick air. My neck felt like hands were crawling up them before steadily wrapping around my throat. Fear filled me. Terror filled me.

I was scared.

The rational part of me said that there was nothing to be afraid of; it was simply killing intent, not any danger... it's not like KI could kill me...

But I knew that the powers of a god were vastly different than any precedents a human could set.

"Insolent..."

"Pathetic..."

"Childish..."

"You dare hold a blade to your own life." The creature's voice suddenly went quiet, seething, angry. "You dare think to violate our contract."

I didn't mean to.

I'm sorry.

I wanted to say these things, but the sheer amount of killing intent I felt drowned out any possibility for me to speak.

Haku.

Where's Haku.

I killed him...

I won't even get to bury him.

"Haruno Tsubaki." The Shinigami reigned in his killing intent, and anger, revealing only a calm persona that scared me as much as his anger did. "I will not harm you."

I hadn't even realized that I was backing away from him until he said that.

"But know this;" he leaned forwards, bones(does he have bones? I wonder) cracking and popping despite the natural pose. "I am very disappointed." Suddenly, all fear dissipated and I felt guilty. Ashamed. "I will return you to the mortal world," he began, straightening up and putting his sword back into his mouth. "I ask that you never do this again. Haku is safe for now; someone has brought him into a different realm. I must investigate this matter... However, in the meantime, you must learn to control your strength. This will only happen again if not."

Gulping, I felt determination swirl up in my chest.

And I will ignore the fact that I am in the Shinigami's realm of existence. I do not need to think about that when I have to figure out how to explain myself to whoever I would have to.