Okay Sooyoung, focus! Just focus! What do I know about pissed rogue reapers? They are strong, annoying and lethal. What do I know about fugitive rogue reapers? They’d rather kill me than talk. Right, that doesn’t sound too good.

What surprised me was the way the rogue reaper’s movements appeared to weaken him. As much as he wanted to slay my , I dodged every single time. He was the slowest reaper I ever saw. Ha! So Keepers are really lame reapers or what?  I think he heard me because he successfully punched me in the face. It hurt so much that he probably broke my nose.

I collapsed to the ground with a headache. It was even worse than the one which randomly appeared before and during the demon’s ritual. You know, that’s why I need more hair. It kind of protects everything around it.

Shouldn’t I be dead?

He grabbed my head and I felt the pain go away in an instant. He let go after and it was enough for me to turn to the side and watch him lean against the wall. He dropped his blades and his image became blurry. I figured that was because he couldn’t hold his human appearance any longer. Since my abilities weren’t sober, he could become invisible for me if he wanted to.

I couldn’t let that happen. I grabbed his leg.

“You!” he turned his eyes towards me “Don’t you dare switch!” and looked confused.

“Can’t you...” he winced “see me?”

“You can heal me, but not yourself?” I asked and he coughed. I figured those blades were too much even for a higher-ranking reaper, unless he was a lower one and that could explain the foolishness of his acts. The reaper tried to get up. I wouldn’t let him. “Stop it! Why did you go against the reapers?”

He stopped and judged me with a case of madness. Okay Einstein, I got that one from Daesung already, it wouldn’t work a second time. He shook his head.

“Stop being a smart-,” what? “I can hear your thoughts loud and clear,” well, . Is he serious about that? “Yes, I am.”

I still wouldn’t let go.

“If you could read my thoughts, why didn’t you know by now that I mean you no harm?”

He pointed to my hand and his leg. Oh, I get it now. Our spirits connected somehow and involuntarily forced its way inside of him. With that, he could read my mind. Sort of – Jung Min never fully explained it since he admitted that he didn’t have enough strength to keep the mind link between us. That’s why, usually, I could hear his voice inside my head, but he wasn’t sure of what I was thinking.

“Jung Min?” his eyes flashed blue again. Dude, that’s weird, cut it off.

No, the color was still there.

“Haven’t you heard me?”

“Shut up, I’m reading your past.”

“What?”

“I said, shut up.”

Alright, listen here you son of a . Nobody tells me to shut up and you obviously are the rudest reaper I ever met.

“Done yet?” he closed his eyes and frowned.

“Don’t insult my mother.”

“You insulted me.” I snapped. He opened his eyes and they finally had a warmer color.

“Fine, I trust you...” he sighed “Sooyoung was it?”

“I never introduced myself.”

“I know. Now, would you let me go?”

“No!”

“Please?”

Well, at least he tried to show he had manners, but he couldn’t deceive me.

“Grandma!!!”

Oh, speaking about manners...

“Grandma?” the reaper was so amused about the whole situation that he almost cracked in laughter. His smirk exasperated me and it wasn’t enough that I could feel exactly how hilarious that nickname was for him, but his eyes were blue again.

“Daesung, save me!” I cried with my best maiden in need voice. Somehow, the reaper knew what I had just done and his expression turned into a mix of fear and ‘oh you didn’t’.

Oh yes, I did.

He tried to grab one of the demon blades, but it was too late. The blonde appeared in the alley and dashed to our side in the next second. His body burst in flames as he kicked the reaper straight back into the wall. I finally let go of his leg and ran to Daesung’s side. I grabbed his hand and the red flames were now a brilliant white shrouding both of us.

“Woah, this still works?” Daesung asked, but he didn’t have time to fully admire the energy. The reaper was back on his feet and ready to attack us with both blades.

“Now, now, now!” I urged the blonde. Daesung raised his arm, spread his fingers apart and sent a beam that blinded me. The whole alley shone white.

My instinct told me to let go of Daesung and move slightly to the left. The rogue reaper flew between us.

Are you telling me that beam had no effect? Because last time I remember, it could repel demons and those were nasty creatures. He was mid-transformation in an eagle.

No way! We couldn’t let him escape! Whatever secret he possessed, it angered the other reapers and I was dying to know.

Okay, not really dying, but I was close.

Just before the transformation was complete, he suddenly morphed back into human form and dropped to the ground.

Yuri came near us with her extended arm and strings coming from out of her palm. She closed her hand and pulled the strings. The reaper’s body acted like a puppet, maneuvered by Yuri’s skills.

That’s so freaking awesome.

I swear that I need to learn that!

“Can somebody explain to me what happened?” Yuri asked without losing her sight on the reaper.

“I’ll do it later,” I mumbled and asked Daesung to try the white beam again.

“No!” Yuri stopped us before we’d hold hands. “He feeds on energy. You would only increase his powers.” I watched as Daesung pouted. He probably wanted to impress her. “Leave it to me!”

I’ve seen Yuri perform many times. She was graceful whenever it came to ghosts and a firework with other creatures. That was the first time I had seen her earthbound a reaper. The same black strings wrapped themselves around the reaper’s body.

His wings... I could see his wings... they were strangled until they were no longer useful. The reaper let out a small scream.

I could hear his internal struggle. I could feel those strings cutting deep in my flesh. I couldn’t help but scream as well.

“Grandma...?”

I shared whatever the reaper was going through.

And it was damn horrible.

So... tired... /drops dead