Postponing Death (Skeith & NeoWicked)

[Skeith Takahata II]

There were rules. Everyone has a time, and when that time comes they have to die. Once upon a time, the many realms beyond that of the living bickered and battled over the souls of the recently departed. Which is when they came. Some called them Nephilim; the bastard offspring of angels and demons, others called them Angels of Death, Ferrymen, Grim Reapers, Valkyries... Whatever the name, their purpose remained unchanged. When someone's time was up, it was their job to visit the mortal world, collect their soul and guide it to where it belonged. None ever questioned the nature of their work, or the extent of their powers. None, save for one.

Nycto was young by Nephilim standards. Barely over a millennium, making her barely an adult. She had undergone the appropriate training. The process was simple. She would arrive, wait for the individuals time, and with her blade of choice, she would sever the ties that bound the soul to the physical body. It was her first assignment on her own. No supervision and no training. She stood in the shadows of a hospital room, invisible to the eyes of mortals. Her cold eyes staring blankly at a young woman approaching death. Had the woman's time been immediate she would have had no hesitation, no reason to resist her mission. But it wasn't. She waited their for days for her time to come. As the hours wore on, her heart began to ache for the mortal. Their lives were already so damn short, that one should die so young seemed like an injustice.

As she waited she acquainted herself with the woman's soul. Examining her memories, her dreams, her desires. The woman was so pure, so selfless. She sent a vision of herself into the woman's dreams as she slept. A nameless friend to ease the cold nights. She was smitten by her warm and caring heart. She waited there for an entire week before her time would end. She emerged from the shadows, still invisible. From the darkness a silver sickle formed in her hand. She raised it above her head, ready to sever her bond before hesitation took her. This wasn't right. She banished the scythe, staring at her for several moments before another spirit descended from the light. An angel.

"Nycto. You know your task. Free her so that I may take her." The angel spoke, looking at the young reaper.

Tears formed in the corners of her eyes as she stared at the girl. "It isn't right. It can't be her time."

"It is. You know that there are no mistakes. She is ready to die." The angel spoke again.

"I refuse. I won't allow it." Nycto looked at the angel, defiance showing in her previously stoic face. "Her time will come when she is ready, not when the angels are."

The angel's face grew stern. "You invite enemies into your life, Nycto. The Nephilim are to remain neutral."

"Not anymore. I choose to protect a mortal. Should that make me an enemy of my own kind or the other realms, than I will bear that responsibility." The young reaper plunged her ghostly hand into the woman's chest and withdrew it, banishing a cloud of black mist. "The disease is no more. She will live." She looked up to find that the angel had left. With a sigh, Nycto's form slowly altered to that of a mortal. A simple uniform, matching the young woman's formed over her body. She casually exited the hospital room, taking a seat in the lobby. When the morning came, the woman they thought was to die that night would be found alive and well. Nycto would be waiting to formally meet her, and to protect her.

 

[NeoWicked]

As the sun rose, bringing it's warmth and light to the world. A beam would filter into a dark hospital room. Landing on the sole occupant of the room, it refused to be ignored as it shone across the woman's pale skin, as the woman lying in bed kept tossing her head from side to side. It wasn't until the sound of the door opening that the young woman's eyes snapped open in both shock and surprise. She was sure that the doctors had told her that she would not possibly survive the night. Turning her attention to the nurse who had entered the room, she could only raise a slender hand to the woman, whose expression went from solemn to surprise as she dropped the clipboard in her hands.

The nurse scrambled out of the room as if she had seen a ghost as she tried to find a doctor, completely ignoring the woman in the lobby in her rush. It would be several minutes before the nurse returned with the doctor, who could only stare at the woman in complete shock. Walking over to her, he would check her heart rate and blood pressure, before scheduling a CT scan. Much to the young woman's dismay, she would have to stay in the hospital for another day or two. Sighing softly, Karin would just lay back and accept the cards that fate had dealt her.

Karin watched as the doctor and nurse left, but not before pinching themselves to make sure they weren't dreaming. It would be around a half an hour later that some food would be delivered to Karin's room. Looking at the food, the poor woman could only smile as she started to eat the other wise bland food, but to her it was probably the best food she's had in a long while. The meal consisted of some salmon, a salad and chocolate pudding. While Karin was eating her doctor would walk to the lobby to collect any guest that were their to see her.

"I wish I could get out of here sometime soon" Karin would mutter to herself, it was clear from her body language that she didn't really like being in hospitals.

Karin couldn't help but wonder if her family was here, but then when she thought about it, she could only shake her head in dismay. It was unlikely that the hospital would have even called them yet. The raven haired woman would watch the open door to her room with a pair of mismatched eyes.

 

[Skeith Takahata II]

As her name might have implied, Nycto hated daylight. Although, it was strange when the sun shone threw the window and she felt the heat of the sun for the first time. She'd never assumed a physical form before, so she had never felt anything before. She ran her fingers over her hand where she felt the heat. She didn't look up when the nurse ran past her, she expected as much. The woman would have been checking for a corpse, not a perfectly healthy young woman. She mimicked the behavior of the others in the lobby so as to blend in. Ignoring her snow white hair and her extremely pale skin. She held a magazine open in front of her. Her eyes followed the nurse and doctor as they ran back past her.

She scanned the room, not watching the people, but the shadows. No one had come for her soul yet. Perhaps the other realms weren't aware of her treason yet. She pushed herself up from the seat, dropping the magazine back in the chair. She flattened out the uniform she was wearing before walking back towards Karin's room. She wasn't aware of any kind of protocol for these things, so she didn't bother to ask at the front desk for permission. She stopped near the doorway, staring in at Karin for a few moments before glancing back towards the lobby. She was certain that the woman's family would be contacted in time. She could remember their faces and names from exploring Karin's mind on the previous nights.

"Don't worry, you'll be released soon enough. Just be patient." She said softly as she entered the room. "Hello, Karin." She entered the room quietly, moving to sit beside the bed. "Everyone was so worried, but I was confident you would pull through." She spoke to her as though she knew her, in spite of it being the first time they'd seen each other face to face. As she sat down her pale eyes looked her over briefly. "You look so much better." She clasped her hands together in her lap. She was not yet accustomed to existing in the physical world, so her positioning was not terribly natural or relaxed. She sat with her back perfectly straight, exhibiting perfect posture.

Her eyes still seemed dead and void of emotion. Her expression was deadpan. It would take time for her to figure out how humans displayed their feelings visually. She had no concept of expression or body language.