• Chapter 5

    Before Will, stood a big mighty cat like beast. Serenity jumped up and clicked her gun again. She aimed at the beast and pressed the trigger. The soul bullet was shot but no harm came down to the beast. It just fell backwards and growled.
    "Serenity, how exactly did you defeated the beast you told me about?" Serenity recalled that horrible moment in her life. She felt like a burden to Matt back then. She got injured and Matt almost got killed in the attempt of protecting her. Serenity's hand began to tremble and the beast was getting back up. "SERENITY!!" Serenity was hesistant. She dropped the gun and fell on her knees on a paralyzed state.
    "I-I-I was a b-b-burden... to him. I almost got h-him k-killed." William ran to her and tried to make her go back to her senses.
    "Serenity! Serenity! Snap out of it! Who is he?"
    "Matt... Matt..." She said staring into the nothingness.
    "Okay, I don't know who Matt is but please... I need you." Serenity shooked her head and stood up. She grabbed her gun and clicked it again. She shot twice at the beast but it only brought it down. The beast stood up again and opened it's mouth wide. Serenity gasped. The beast was sucking up the soul in her body. She would last about a minute or two since she has enough soul but William will only last a few seconds. Serenity shot the beast but missed. Her aim became weaker as the soul in her body was being drained. The more it sucked in, the stronger the beast got.

    William, who was still safe from the beast soul suck, saw Serenity as she fell limp and strengthless on the floor. He grabbed her gun and aimed at the beast.

    As William battled the beast, Serenity watched from the sidelines. Her sight was fuzzy and her soul level was up to a 5%. Instead of William, she pictured Matt fighting against the monster and began to cry. "No, Matt, don't do it... you'll die. Forget me. Go. I am a burden to you." She whispered. "Go... save yourself." Just then, her picture of Matt turned into William again. "William, don't... I... I want you to stay alive... I love you..." Her strength was no more. Serenity collapsed from exhaustion into the darkness.

    William was lucky he made it up to now, but the little amount of soul within his body gave up. He was now hopeless against the demon. The beast came down to give it's final blow to William but just then, a shadow appeared and slayed the beast. It slowly turned to dust and vanished. William looked up and saw a fairly tall man with straight black hair and dazzling gray eyes. His skin was light tanned and seemed to be between the age of 20-25. He was wearing a robe and a long sword. He was standing next to Serenity, who laid on the cold forest floor.
    "W-Who are you?" William asked, his voice weak.
    "I am Ranzaroth, prime minister and head master of HQ." He placed his sword back on it's holder and picked up Serenity. William slowly stood up and walked over to him. "Lead the way, William."
    "Sure but... how do you know my name?"
    "How do you know about HQ and souls?" Ranzaroth asked wisely
    "Um. I... uh... I don't know."
    "Exactly. Now go." William led Ranzaroth back to the mansion.

    As for him who hid in the shadows, Matt saw everything as he hid behind a fallen tree. He sighed in relief glad that everything's fine now since Ranzaroth arrived. Serenity belongs to HQ and Matt has nothing to do with it. The reason why he's keeping an eye on her is personal. Nothing more. Now that he has abandoned HQ, even if Serenity died, he can not touch her.


    Serenity was safely resting back in Williams closet. William, Ranzaroth, and a freaked out Lawrence stood outside the closet.
    "Um... master, is there anything else you need?" Lawrence asked. He wanted to leave the room because he feared a demon would come for him. rolleyes
    "No, Lawrence. Thank you. You may go. But please come back later." Lawrence left the room like if there were no tomorrow. "So... Ranzaroth, is it?" William asked. "How do you know my name?"
    "I've known you since you were a baby, William." William looked at him with a strange look.
    "You have? How? Why?"
    "Your mother... before she left, she told me to keep an eye on you."
    "My mother knew you?"
    "Yes, Patty was in charge of keeping all human souls bound to this realm. She was a soul keeper."
    "She was?"
    "Yes. She was very powerful. She said she wanted to stay in the human realm so I promoted her to soul keeper instead. Then she lived a love story with your father and... well... then... uh... aw you know what happened. You came along. Your father threw her out-"
    "WERE DID SHE GO?!" William bursted.
    "I don't know. She's gone missing. I've searched for her on every realm but no one could find her. She is presumed dead. " William calmed down and sighed.
    "I would love to meet my mother..."



    Ranzaroth walked up to the roof quietly, shortly after talking with William. He looked up at the black sky and saw a hawk fly by. He wrinkled his nose and pulled out a small knife. He launched at the bird and it fell from the sky to the roof. It began to convulse and twitch. "Oh quit the acting." The bird narrowed it's eyes and sigh.

    The bird slowly burned. From the ashes, Russell came out. Russell was the soul keeper assigned to the world of the living after Patty's disappearance. Russell stood up and wiped away all of the ashes from his pants. He stood straight up with a serious face.
    "I'm SOULHQ number 16345807: Russel Yink. Level 4 soul. At your service, master."
    "Yeah Yeah. Hey! Where's your partner?" Just then, a japanese woman appeared next to Russell. Her hair was tied up and pinched with some chopsticks and she carried two fans on her hand. She didn't have an HQ headband. Instead, she had an HQ choker. "This is Ri-"
    "Of course I know who she is, Russell." Ranzaroth said with a smirk. "She's the legendary beauty, Natashi Rin."
    "Correct." Russell agreed. "She's known for her beauty in battle. With those fans, who wouldn't?" He joked. Ranzaroth chuckled.
    "Please now, open the portal so I can go back to my HQ." Russell and Rin began to laugh. Ranzaroth felt mocked. Where they laughing at him?
    "W-What's so funny?"
    "Hah You, Ranzaroth-sensei!" Rin said in between chuckles. "You can't return to HQ."
    "What? Why?" Ranzaroth eyes turned from a tired-look to OMG-waddaya mean?
    "Because... well. We can open this end of the portal but the other end will be closed."
    "But why?"
    "The gate keeper of the human realm, Elric Molips, is out on a mission and will not be back any time soon."
    "So?"
    "So you're stuck here with us, master." Russell said. Rin offered him some Sake and Russell agreed. After that, they both left, leaving Ranzaroth stranded on the world of the living.


    Ranzaroth went back inside and asked William for some food. Lawrence gives it to him and he begins to gobble it down like a ten year old untop of William's bed. As he ate, William looked at him with a strange look as he leaned over the door to his closer were Serenity was resting.
    "(Where does he put all that food? Huh?)" William heard Serenity moan from behind the door. "I'll be right back, Ranzaroth."
    "That would be Master to you." He corrected.
    "OH SHUT UP, YOU JERK! HE GIVES YOU FOOD AND LENDS YOU HIS ROOM AND YOU DEMAND MORE?!?!" Serenity yelled from inside the closet. Ranzaroth narrowed his eyes and grinded his teeth.
    "I'll deal with you back home." He said in a lower tone. William rolled his eyes and entered the closet. He leaned on the door edge and smiled.
    "Well you got well quickly, Serenity."
    "HEY! I'm not a slacker if that's what you're thinking!!"
    "No. No. Not at all." William stood up straight and helped her up. "Your soul percentage is not at a hundred percent yet. Are you sure you're ready to walk?"
    "I'm ready for anything!" She bragged.
    "Quiet down!"
    "What's wrong? Your father sleeps on the other side of the mansion which is about two miles away."
    "... good point but hush!" Serenity walked out of the closet and sat next to Ranzaroth who was still eating. Just then, Lawrence bursted into the room.
    "Lawrence, what is it? You look accelerated."
    "Lady Ann and miss Elizabeth are walking down the third hall. They are both coming here." William gasped.
    "Lady Ann? Miss Elizabeth? Who are they?" Serenity asked as she leaned forward to take a peek at Ranzaroth food.
    "My stepmother and stepsister which I hate with all my guts!!" William explained.
    "You need to hide." Lawrence said peeking out into the hall.
    "B-But Serenity's at a weak state. She can barely walk!"
    "Don't worry." Ranzaroth said with a full mouth. He swallowed and sighed. "I can put a spell on this room that will hide me and Serenity. It will also cover our voices for five minutes."
    "Good. Go ahead."
    "Very well but... the spell will last only five minutes... keep it short." Ranzaroth placed the spell on the room. Now, those with mortal eyes couldn't see them except William since he has soul within his body.
    "William! William!" Lady Ann walked inside his room.
    "What is it, m-m-mom?" He asked with difficulty. "It's very late. What are you doing here?" Just then, a six year old came running from behind Lady Ann.
    "WILLIAM!!! I want a horse back ride... guess what... YOU'RE THE HORSE!!!!" Elizabeth demanded. William got pissed and sat on the chair next to him. Serenity's eyes grew big.

    "You just met your equal, Serenity." Ranzaroth joked.
    "Since I'm not on HQ..." Serenity pounded Ranzaroth down to the floor. "I guess I can do that." Ranzaroth moaned.

    "What was that?" Lady Ann asked as she saw the coushins on the bed move.
    "Uh. Um... fabrics! It was the fabric. It's a really crappy fabric. It has lumps all over." William said nervously.
    "That's preposterous. But anyway, William, tomorrow I'm going shopping and I want you to give me your butler so that he carries my bags." William turned to Lawrence who was waving signs of no to him and chuckled.
    "Sorry but... I need him for tomorrow. Besides, your husband is filthy rich. Ask him for someone to help you. If he can't, well that's pathetic"
    "HEY! WATCH YOUR WORDS, DOO-DOO HEAD!!!!!!" Elizabeth said as she dugged through his stuff. William closed his eyes and tried to relax and contain his rage.
    "Doo-doo head? My hair's black... your's silver... YOU LOOK LIKE A DRIED PIECE OF s**t!!!" Elizabeth gasped. Lady Ann was about to reply but then she took a good look at her daughter.
    "MOTHER! AREN'T YOU GOING TO DO SOMETHING?!"
    "No... he has a point. Tomorrow we'll die your hair brown or blonde. Either way, no silver. As for you, William..." She said turning to him. "Sorry for bothering you at this time." Lawrence sighed. "Goodnight." Afterwards, they both left. William sight and turned around to Ranzaroth who was undoing the spell.

    "Ranzaroth, come. I think William's clothes will fit you well." Serenity said as she pulled him up. William crossed his arms with a huff.
    "Ahem!! My clothes?" William tapped his foot onto the ground.
    "Yeah! I mean, your seventeen, he's twenty eight, you're equaly tall, and you both have an athletic body. What can go wrong?"
    "I am head master of HQ. The Thirty Brothers are keeping an eye on me. If I were to stay here with you, I would show weakness and may loose my position." Ranzaroth explained.
    "But... were will you stay? Rin and Russell disguise themselves as human. They are legaly married to each other and have a small apartment and they do not share any feelings beyond friendship. You have no place to go."
    "Like I said, I'm a head master. If I can destroy a demonice, I can ASSURE you that I can take care of myself in this place."
    "Then why did you requested William for food?" Serenity crossed her arms.
    "Because... if I don't eat food from this realm, I could vanish."
    "I KNEW IT!!" Serenity said jumping around in circles.
    "Knew what?"
    "Matt told me he was afraid I would 'vanish' but honestly, I didn't know what the heck he meant by that."
    "... then you didn't know it." William said as he greeted Lawrence out the door. "Why do you say knew it?"
    "... Stop asking stupid questions, Will!" Serenity turned around and ignored him. Ranzaroth stood up and walked over to William. He thanked him for the food and left.

    "Well there goes a guy with an appetite." William joked.
    "What're you talking about?"
    "... well, do you know were he's going?"
    "Of course I do." Serenity stood up from the bed and tied her long hair back. "Ranzaroth is the kind of guy who think's he knows everything... but knows nothing."
    "Predictable?"
    "Exactly!"
    "So... you do know were he's going?"
    "Yes."
    "WELL WHERE?!"
    "The roof, you moron!!" She pointed up at the chandelier as William looked up.
    "Oh... well anyway. I think it's time we went to sleep. You have much rest to do and so do I but since I can recover easily, I will be up 'n goin' by tomorrow morning."
    "Okay." Serenity walked inside the closet and snuggled up on her bed. William turned off the light and left the door semi-open. He turned off the lights to his room and went to his bed. He laid under the covers just staring at the roof. The only thing that lit the room was the moon that shined down to him.
    "Are you still asleep, Serenity?" He asked into the nothingness.
    "... no... I can't sleep..."
    "I'm not tired... shouldn't we be tired?"
    "... yes."
    "Serenity?"
    "Yes?"
    "Who's Matt?"
    "I told you, he's my partner."
    "No, I mean, WHO'S Matt?"
    "Oh... well... he's the guy that gave me my powers as a SOULHQ. It was by accident. Many years ago, when I was just six, I had an encounter with a demon. It was a dark octuber night. Me and my family were all in bed. I was sleeping calmly in my room when I heard my mother scream. I ran to her room and saw a demon sucking both her and my dad's soul. I hesitated and ran down the stairs and out of the house. I ran and ran and ran until I was lost in a deep forest. I was cold, tired, alone, defenseless..."
    "I wish I could've been there with you... that way I could've protected you."
    "Nah You were to far away. Anyway, I stayed there for three days. I was about to collapse from hunger when another demon came ready to devour me... but just then, Matt arrived. He slayed the demon and by accident gave me the powers."
    "How?"
    "... he... well... um... when he arrived, the demon had already sucked out my soul. I was at the edge of death so Matt gave me his soul."
    "... but that's not an accident. He did it on purpose."
    "Yes... but he wasn't really planning on giving me his soul. His main purpose was to put me out of my misery. In other words, kill me. But back then, Matt was a rookie. He made the wrong spell. Instead of sucking my life, he gave me his soul. And so I'm gladly stuck with him."
    "Oh... so... his intentions were to kill you?"
    "Yes... "
    "Serenity... what do you think of me? I think that you are sweet and adventurous."
    "Wow... that was random.
    "Yeah..." William chuckled.
    "I'd say you're weird."
    "What? Why?"
    "Because... you're the only teenager I've seen that avoids getting spoiled."
    "Pfft! Where do you live? Under a rock?" William mumbled turning sideways in his bed.
    "WHAT DID YOU SAY!? HEY! I'LL HAVE YOU KNOW I LIVE BETWEEN REALMS AND I'VE SEEN WORST THINGS THEN YOU!!"
    "Okay Okay... now shut up. You don't have to yell."
    "..... I'm sorry." She said in a low tone.
    "I think that when you're afraid, ashamed, nervous, or just feel weak, you yell."
    "What makes you think that?"
    "Well, people usually yell to show off greater strength."
    "... You know... something else I think of you... it's that you study the human mind."
    "No I don't."
    "Of course you don't. You do it automatically. You already know my reactions. You know things about me... I never really noticed. I bet you can even read my mind."
    "Don't be absurd, Serenity." William yawned. "Okay... now I'm tired. G'night." William fell asleep but Serenity was still awake. She was smiling but at the same time blushing.
    "Goodnight... William." And with that tought she fell asleep.

    As for Ranzaroth, he was still awake on the roof sharping up his blade. A drop of water fell on his knife. He placed it back again on it's holder and moaned. Just then, it started to rain like hell. Back inside, as Serenity slept, she smiled a grin. "Time for your bath, master. Rain stop, eight seconds." She slowly whispered. Just like that, eight seconds later, the rain stopped precipitating.

    "This rain gots Serenity written all over it..." Ranzaroth grinned as he wiped himself dry.