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Chapter 127
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2021-04-29 09:30:43Cutter waited anxiously for Ru to return to her body. As much as he wanted to accompany her when she met with Cinder, he knew he had to start letting her do things on her own, particularly now that she’d proven she was every bit as capable as he’d thought she would be.
She was gone for about twenty minutes before she started to stir in his arms. She’d insisted on using the dark room to make the leap even though he was sure she would’ve been able to do it from anywhere, including her bedroom, which would’ve been more comfortable for her. But when she asked him to hold her while she was gone, he hadn’t complained.
Cutter illuminated the room with his hand and saw Ru’s eyes fly open. They were wide, as if she was running from something or was shocked to discover she was back. “Are you okay?” he asked, studying her closely.
Ru’s face broke into a smile. “I’m okay,” she replied. “But I don’t think your sister likes me anymore.”
Tilting his head a bit, he a
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Reaper's Hollow Chapter 128
“That is not what the dark room is for!” Rider shouted as Ru and Cutter slipped out into the hallway, their clothes askew and their hair more than a bit mussed. “Sorry, not sorry,” Ru replied with a shrug, though she really was a little embarrassed. What had just happened in there would’ve never been a choice her old self, the one before she found out her true identity, would’ve made, but she wasn’t ashamed of what they’d done. “It isn’t what you think,” Cutter replied, though the smile on his face assured her that he wasn’t complaining. Rider stood across the hallway, his arms crossed. But there was more than a hint of merriment in his blue eyes. “Kids these days,” he mumbled, as if he were decades older than them. “Well, I’m sorry I had to interrupt, but Lyric has some important information. She would like for us to meet her downstairs in the parlor. Once we are all decent.” Without dropping his eyes, he gestured at Ru’s top, and she looked down to see that
Last Updated : 2021-04-29Reaper's Hollow Chapter 129
“Good—because having a map that just says map isn’t very useful.” Ivy’s observation was agreed upon quickly by the rest of the group. “Right. I was stumped. So, I looked at the picture more carefully, and I realized the letters were not straight cuts. Some of them were curved where they shouldn’t be. They didn’t look quite the same as they would if they were simply renditions of the letters.” She paused, and no one took the bait this time, so she continued. “They were made of numbers! Each letter is made up of a different set of numbers.” “I don’t see how we are getting closer to solving this,” Cutter said, shaking his head. “You guys! Don’t you see?” Lyric held up a piece of paper showing three pairs of numbers. “The numbers aren’t just numbers! Can’t you see what else they are?” “The phone number we call to get the men with the white jackets to come and take you away?” Rider asked. “Or take us away….” Cutter concurred. “No! They’re c
Last Updated : 2021-04-29Reaper's Hollow Chapter 130
Ru's breath caught in her throat at her mother’s words. “So… Dad could be a regular person, if he wanted to?” “Honestly, it wouldn’t even matter what he wanted, Ru, if you cast the spell on him, or any other Reaper for that matter, they would become human.” “And what would happen to their power?” “Well, that was part of the problem before. Your father didn’t want me to cast the spell because, according to what I’ve read, there has to be a willing vessel to absorb the Reaper’s powers. I thought I could do it, that I could take it in, and then destroy it with my Keeper blood. Or possibly banish it while it was free of a body. But your father didn’t want to take the chance.” “You think I can do it because I already have Reaper powers?” Ru asked. “Yes.” The idea made sense. “But… what if it makes me a full Reaper? What if it throws me out of balance?” “I really don’t think that will happen, Ru. I think you are powerful enough to ta
Last Updated : 2021-04-29Reaper's Hollow Chapter 131
Nat looked around the room at the shambles of his team. He used that word loosely since, like most Reapers, they really had no loyalty to him or anyone else. They were here out of a last-ditch effort at self-preservation, and that hadn’t quite gone as hoped. Raven was sprawled on a sofa near the window, which he would’ve thought odd if she were conscious since she normally hated the light. The bright sunshine streamed in, making her dark hair seem almost purple. She hadn’t been fully awake for more than a few minutes since they’d brought her here, earlier this morning. She had at least a few broken bones as well as a concussion. Nat would’ve felt badly for her if he were capable of caring about anyone else at all, which he’d accepted a long time ago would never be the case. While most people would die to have an apartment in the Dakota, Nat would’ve killed to stay out of here. Unfortunately, he hadn’t killed enough Keepers—or any, for that matter, in their last engag
Last Updated : 2021-04-29Reaper's Hollow Chapter 132
Ru pulled her bedspread up around her shoulders, careful not to disturb Cutter, who was sound asleep next to her, his arm still flung across her waist. If she didn’t know any better, she’d think he’d actually left his body, but he was still there with her, just worn out completely. A smile spread across her face as she relished the feel of him. When she’d initially invited him upstairs, she thought they might just play around a bit, as they had earlier in the dark room. But things took a serious turn quite quickly, and by the time she’d completely surrendered herself to him, Ru realized what they shared was something far more powerful than she had ever imagined possible. Snuggling into his arms, inhaling his masculine scent, she felt the pull of their bond and knew this is where she belonged. With her head next to his chest, Ru could hear the rhythmic beat of Cutter’s heart. Steady, unwavering, strong. Just like him. Her eyelids grew heavy, and Ru found solace in his embrace
Last Updated : 2021-04-29Reaper's Hollow Chapter 133
Requesting her mother send screenshots of the spells had actually led to a FaceTime discussion of correct pronunciations, which was difficult since Ru wasn’t intending to cloak herself and certainly didn’t want to do anything to diminish her own Reaper powers since she knew they might be important to her overall strength. Eventually, she was fairly sure she had the wording right, and they’d moved on to a conversation about life in general. Ru had gotten to see Piper, who pawed at the phone frantically trying to get to Ru, which made Ru miss her even more. Ru had just finished telling her mom about her new relationship with Cutter when Lyric knocked on the door and shouted, “We’re ready!” “I’ve got to go, Mom,” Ru said, wishing she didn’t have to. But they needed to press on while they still had the element of surprise. “Be careful, Rune. I know you won’t take any unnecessary risks, but don’t underestimate anyone or anything that comes to block you.” “I won’t,
Last Updated : 2021-04-29Reaper's Hollow Chapter 134
Cutter was shocked when Sky told him she would actually be on the field herself. He couldn’t remember the last time she’d taken part in something like this, but once they reached Turkey, he was glad she was there. While he didn’t mind coordinating his small group, having twenty of her Keepers alongside his own team would make things more difficult if she wasn’t there to give instructions. It was eerily quiet when he first arrived. However, the serenity didn’t last. A wave of Creepers crawled out of the nearby buildings, and he knew that would just be the advanced troops, the scouts, the expendable pawns. As soon as they’d handled them, which didn’t take much, there was a pregnant pause and then all Hell broke loose. Kayakoy may have been abandoned for almost a hundred years, but thousands of structures still stood, and it seemed a Reaper or demon emerged from almost all of them. “Holy hell,” Cutter muttered, raising his eyebrows at Sky. In the darkness, it was diffic
Last Updated : 2021-04-29Reaper's Hollow Chapter 135
Noises from the battle raged on as Ru made her way along in inky blackness, feeling with one hand along a wall, Lyric’s hand on her shoulder. It was pitch black down here, darker than anything Ru had ever experienced before, and her eyes ached they were searching so hard for the light and finding none. She wished she could ignite her hand, but she couldn’t risk letting the demons or Reapers know they’d found the cellar. When she’d reached the wall near the front of the sanctuary upstairs, she’d felt compelled to go through it, and at Lyric’s urging, she had done so, finding a stairwell that twisted and turned, and Ru realized they were going back into the mountainside Kayakoy sat atop. The staircase had been walled off long ago, but Ru knew there had to be another opening somewhere since otherwise no Reapers would be able to physically use the portal, and her gut was telling her she was headed in the right direction and the portal was ahead of her somewhere. The further unde
Last Updated : 2021-04-29
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Reaper's Hollow Chapter 158: Epilogue
One year later… “All right, boys and girls. That is enough for today. We will pick up with Ramona’s story tomorrow afternoon. For now, go ahead and get your backpacks on, and let’s line up at the door.” Groans filled the air as twenty-two fourth graders followed their teacher’s directions despite wanting to hear what happened next in the story. They stood and walked to the cubbies where their backpacks were hung and politely took turns getting their belongings before making an orderly line at the door. Ru took a deep breath and looked lovingly at her students. Even though she’d made the same prediction every year since she started teaching, she had had a feeling about this group of kids from the very beginning. And she was right. They were the best group of fourth graders she’d ever taught. The bell rang and she wished them all a good weekend, gathering up the four students who went to daycare and walking with th
Reaper's Hollow Chapter 157
“I need to face him,” Cutter said. “And you need to get to the portal.” Ru craned her neck around the tree. While there were still some Reapers near the entryway, for the most part, the Keepers were able to set up a perimeter around the portal. If she was going to go, now was the time. “Okay. Be careful,” she said. Realizing that Cutter was about to take on one of her assignments made Ru feel uncomfortable, particularly since she knew what the end result would be, and despite the bargain she’d almost just made with the devil, she still didn’t want to see Nat destroyed. But she had to push those thoughts out of her head. She quickly kissed Cutter’s cheek and scurried off to the next tree closest to the portal. Nat saw her now, and he began to move in her direction, using his scythe to cut down an attacking Keeper as if he were nothing. Ru swallowed hard and steeled herself, looking for the next place to hide. If she used her powers on Nat, there was a chance she would
Reaper's Hollow Chapter 156
A Reaper stepped through the portal opening. Tall, with ebony hair, he wore the long black cloak she expected to see, a scythe in his hand. The man quickly ran to the left of the portal, and then another Reaper appeared on his heels. Dressed identically, with the same weapon, he ran to the right. Then, another sprang forth, and another. Ru watched, her eyes wide as the Reapers continued to pour out of the portal, as if Hell had spilled an inkwell and the thick, black substance was covering the entire earth. “Holy Hell.” It was hard to pull her eyes off of the sight, but she turned to see Cutter standing next to her. “We’ll never be able to take all of them.” It was Ivy, and Ru glimpsed a look of defeat on her face as she came to a stop behind Cutter. “We have to try,” he said. Ru could see the resolve in his face and noticed his hands clenched into fists at his sides. “Ivy and I will hold them off while you concentrate on the portal.” There ha
Reaper's Hollow Chapter 155
The demons were up again, too, and the battles picked up where they had left off. Everyone else was engaged, which left Ru to face this Goliath all by herself. “Kill it! Kill it!” Rider shouted at her as streaks of blue wrapped around the snake’s midsection. He seemed to be closing in on his prey, and Ru tried not to let the sight distract her. He was right. It would be best to take out the giant before he was fully formed. With a deep breath, Ru drew upon all of the strength she had inside of her and aimed her blue light at the giant. It was difficult to figure out where to aim since he was only out of the portal up to his shins. Still, she hoped it would be enough. Perhaps it was because of his size, but she felt the need to shout even louder this time as she recited the incantation almost word for word along with Rider who was also sending the snake into oblivion. “Infernus et perdere faciam te in nomine Domini!” This time, Ru didn’t feel as confi
Reaper's Hollow Chapter 154
There it was, right in front of her, the portal. The final one. And all she had to do was raise her hands and say the incantation. All of this would be over. If Thanatos wasn’t here, she couldn’t kill him. Surely, Raphael would understand that. She’d just close the portal and sneak away, leaving that confrontation for another day. Except she knew it wasn’t that easy. Just because she didn’t see him didn’t mean he wasn’t there. And even before she could raise her hands, the pull from inside of her became overwhelming, causing Ru to double over. The air between the edges of the portal continued to ripple and wave, and Ru recognized the sensation from both of the previous portals. Something was coming. She looked at Cutter and for the first time she could remember, she saw fear in his eyes. “They’re coming,” she whispered. He opened his mouth to say something, but before anything came out, a rush of heat shot out of the portal opening. Both of them instinctively
Reaper's Hollow Chapter 153
“Well, that doesn’t even make sense.” Lyric rolled her eyes. “If you’re in charge, then why do you have to do what someone else told you?” Flint launched into a defense of his decision, but Ru shouted over him. “Flint! Look, the reason their numbers were so low at the beginning of the battle is obvious, isn’t it? It’s not because this portal doesn’t mean anything to them—it’s because it means everything to them. They’re not on the battlefield yet. They will come through the portal!” She had him by the shoulders, which caused him to jump backward, shaking himself free, and once Ru finished her statement she took a step back as well. “What? No,” Flint argued. “They’re not going to send them through the portal. That would be suicide. They’d have to come through a small opening into enemy controlled territory.” “Yeah, into a stream of five whole enemy fighters who cannot possibly hold them all off,” Rider reminded him. “You have to close in behind us.” Ru
Reaper's Hollow Chapter 152
Aokigahara sprawled in front of her like the untamed wild it was, trees encroaching into the neighboring farmlands and open spaces as if the forest insisted on reclaiming what used to be hers. From this direction, it was difficult to tell where the forest began and civilization ended, though Ru thought for certain she’d know when she crossed the line. She stifled a yawn and kept moving forward, one boot at a time, toward what might be her very last mission, if she had her way. Though she had fallen asleep for a few hours, for the most part, she’d gotten her wish and was able to stay up most of the night, with Cutter’s help, and the activity he’d chosen to occupy her certainly didn’t make her feel less worn out. The few hours she had spent in oblivion had been dreamless, as far as she knew. At least, if there had been dreams, they had been unmemorable. Her friends surrounded her as they made their way into the forest. Cutter was in front of her, Rider b
Reaper's Hollow Chapter 151
Navigating airports was hard enough for Ru when she was in countries where most everyone spoke English. Flying to Japan would’ve been completely overwhelming if Ivy wasn’t fluent in Japanese and Mandarin, especially when they had to switch planes in Shanghai. Luckily, the gentle-natured Keeper had managed to keep all of them in line and they’d made their way to Shizuoka Airport with little incident, though Rider complained about the lack of legroom on the commuter jet nearly the whole flight. Thank goodness for headphones, Ru had thought to herself. The entire van ride from the airport to their hotel, a place Ru hadn’t even attempted to try to pronounce for fear she’d embarrass herself, her eyes were glued out the window. From the buildings, to the natural surroundings off in the distance, to the smiling faces of those they passed along the streets, Ru was fascinated. By the looks she was getting, so were the people staring back at her. Five tall blondes with blue e
Reaper's Hollow Chapter 150
Cutter squeezed her leg, and Ru realized it must be apparent she wasn’t paying attention. She tuned back in to hear Sky say, “Now, the team we are meant to protect so that they can get in and close the portal will be given the code name Alfred. This will allow us to be briefer in our communications about the team.” Sky continued to talk, and she knew it was important that she listen, since Ru would be involved in whatever the blue-haired Keeper was discussing presently, but curiosity got the better of her. “Why Alfred?” she whispered to Cutter. Without turning his head, he replied, “Alfred Nobel.” “Huh?” Ru was still confused. “The inventor of dynamite.” “Oh.” Shaking her head, she turned her attention back to Sky, who was giving her the same look Ru might give a student who wasn’t paying attention. Ru swallowed hard and made herself concentrate. “Alfred will be dispatched from here, a break in the forest away from the typical entrance
