Ashes of Eden// Minos' Death

Minos Vallanso

Will the faithful be rewarded When we come to the end Will I miss the final warning From the lie that I have lived Is there anybody calling
I can see the soul within And I am not worthy
I am not worthy of this

The storm’s winds howl in anger, in pain, in sadness. The storm rages on.

Blonde locks of hair from Natalie’s hair are what he can see first. Worry in her eyes, that added something in his chest, a sense of peace through the pain. Anger that welled up inside of him that used to feel like a weight upon his body vanishes. Natalie Brandt was courageous, brave, smart, lovely, gorgeous, beautiful, and the one woman in his life that changed him for the better. Natalie Brandt was a miracle, he was glad to have known her, even if he only knew the Natalie that their hell had created. That’d still be enough for him though. A single tear for the girl who made Minos Vallanso, the man he was on his death bed. Natalie Brandt would be close to his heart with everyone else who belonged there too. Even in the darkness, he’d still carry her light.

”You’re alright, kid.” The words flow pleasantly from the man who held his heart’s lips. Daniel Tate was something else. Something that tied him down to the reality that was in the world they lived in. When Minos had lost sight of the world around him, Daniel held him down. Arms wrapped around him, keeping him steady. Daniel Tate was the reason he even lived as long as he did. Daniel showed him how the world truly was, not some hell that they endured, but a world of chaos and storms, that had spots of safety within the eye of the storm. Daniel Tate was the man who kept Minos sane in all of the pain and suffering. A single tear for the man who stole his heart. Daniel Tate would hold the only thing that Minos never truly had. A heart. Daniel would hold it, until he either lived or died. A smile frown pulls at his lips. He’d carry him close to his heart too as he would be pulled into the darkness.

As he watched the two and felt himself let out a few tears, he knew it was his end. This would be his final stand, his final showdown, and it’d end exactly how people would expect. An ending that would be told for the rest of the Vallanso’s lives. His family would be tortured with their own name, but they had to deal with that. He tried to prove to his mother that he was worthy in the way she wanted, but he wasn’t. He never would be worthy to her. Worthy enough to live and prove that he is someone who truly isn’t a mess inside and out, but that wasn’t him. Minos would never be the perfect boy that his mother wished he would have been, this was him in all of his glory. A boy from five with more issues than anyone could handle. Protecting himself from the world, when really, he should have embraced it with as much confidence as he had when he embraced his death.

Talos, his blade’s name, the trusty thing that kept him together through the past few days, fell. A clutter upon the ground as Minos held himself steady for the attack. Words upon his lips only a whisper, ”I’m sorry.” Justice Fray’s blade swipes hard into his chest, a gash so deep that his insides felt like putty. Blood flows out of his body. A gasp escapes his lips as he feels death’s hands ready to catch him on his fall. He’s falling. Falling slowly to the ground, everything around him feels like its crashing just like he was. The world swirls around him, leaving nothing, but swivels that he can barely make out. Death’s cackle echoes in the area, he’s falling to his doom and he knows it’s so.

His back lands upon the ground with a thud. Eyes closed as he exhales a breath of life. Death’s got ahold of him. People used to tell him that your life flashes before your eyes when death takes your soul, but they were wrong. All he could see was their faces in front of him. The lost souls. His friends.

Renee’s hollow eyes were replaced with the smile that light up the room, a cigarette in her hands. She would have believed in him if he had saved her. A corpse that once floated on a pool of gold, hollow eyes that used to haunt him. Renee was special in a way that he couldn’t fully comprehend. A motherly like woman in a way. Even though she was rather out there to consider her a mother, but in his head, she kept him sane. Sane enough to make friends, sane enough to hold everything down. Renee was a goddess in every light that he had known her for. Renee would have fought just as hard as he did. Renee was the determination that kept him going.

Percy’s gloomy face in the sky, replaced by the smile and flowing brown locks of hair, a pen in hand, a childish demeanor poking at her cheeks. The little girl who really hit him like a brick when he saw her face in the sky. A little girl who was just as old as some of his brothers that he never truly met. A girl who reminded him of the joy in life, a reason to stay childish in certain situations and serious in others. Percy wouldn’t be forgotten by anyone, a badass little girl who had downed a whole beer by herself in front of them all with no harm to her. The girl from Nine taught him how to hold on to the joy and life that the world had.

Iona’s blood pooling on the ground, arrows sticking out of her neck, was replaced by the girl’s smile, a glimmer of hope in her eye as she chats up Weaver. Iona was a girl he truly never knew anything about, except that she was from District Eleven and that she died to an arrow in the neck, but the little he did know about her made him feel guilt. Iona Holbrook’s death wasn’t his fault, but it was a motivator to push farther than he could ever push. A lesson to learn about how short life in the arena truly was. Iona was a savior to him, even if he was her worst enemy. Iona Holbrook was a victim, but she had brought so much light into his soul that he wouldn’t forget what she looked like, even in his death.

The memory of being told of the horrors Hypatia and Natalie faced, when Hypatia died, soon replaced by the smile that she held in her lips, an empty glass that once held water and a notebook in hand. The world seemed to crash down when she died, that’s what he can remember of finding Natalie the next day. Hypatia, the girl who had sewn herself in his soul and broke barriers that he never knew about himself. Hypatia was a friend and would be a member of his misfit family that he wanted, but never had. She had the warmest of smiles that he could remember about her. A valued friend, even after she died. Hypatia was the string that held him together, the gravity that kept him orbiting the sun, preventing from him to crash down. His allies would have said he was the glue that kept them all together, but in his mind, Hypatia was the one who kept them all together.

Petra’s face replaced with her steady hands, the smile upon her gorgeous face, as she is stitching up the dummy. A girl from the District that hadn’t won in years. Her face came up easily, like a flowing stream of water that gently made it to the ocean of faces. A girl he could have easily fallen in love with if they hadn’t been forced to fight to the death. She had been very important to him, she always would be. The first real person he opened up to in the Training Center. The lies of his life being thrown away like nothing, only honesty flowing from his lips that’d soon be red with the blood that’d come out of them. Petra showed him honesty. And he had been honest ever since.

Weaver’s echoing scream being taken and thrown out, to seeing Weaver walk around with a gentle giant kind of vibe to him, a little hum in his voice as he walked. A man whose confidence echoed through halls and empty lands. The way he would swing at Heathcliff made Minos feel stronger himself, even if Weaver had been taken down that day. Weaver hadn’t given up and flaunted what strength he had left, almost ending Heath’s life. That was what a true hero looked like, not Minos, not Justice, not Heathcliff. None of them were heroes, but Weaver Rhodes was for fighting what he believed was right and so did Minos in the end. He soon would join the man in the void, apologizing for being a failure to Weaver, even though Weaver would be the type to give something wise to him.

Atticus Manor’s dull face being replaced with the night that held soft kisses and a fiery passion. Atticus wasn’t just a one night stand at all. Minos could remember how distraught Atticus had looked, even in everything they did. Awkwardness of that night made him feel stronger and more confident in himself. Atticus Manor sent him the pink bag that he carried throughout his hell, the dreaded thing was most likely red now that his wounds were pouring blood. Everything was getting colder, but with that memory in his head, he’d be as warm as he had felt with Atticus Manor. Safe. Atticus was a safety net for how he truly was feeling. Atticus Manor kept all of his emotions out and allowed him to focus on the horrors to come, but those horrors got to the best of him. He was drowning in them, the dark void ready to swallow him whole.

Emmery, his home, her sorrow filled words being replaced with the girl on the train, who looked so small, yet was so much more stronger than he ever would be. Emmery had been through so much more than he had been. A girl who’s eyes could tell everything she was thinking, and yet nothing at all. Emmery was his home since he had met her. A person that reminded him that he could have made it back, but he couldn’t. He failed her and everyone else that he knew. Emmery was another person that he had wanted to tell something to her, but it was too late. The Justice was done, and Minos was going to die on the lake of acid. Another memory of the polluted home that he had. Acid was something he’s seen before, but this would be his coffin. Emmery would never get to see a reminder of her home again.

Natalie’s tears on her face as she explains Hypatia’s end, being replaced with the calm and sleeping form of Natalie as Minos laid in bed with her. Everything about Nat was flashing in front of him. His body was falling, but it felt more like he was floating. As long as Nat was there, he’d float with the strength he had left. The impact with the ground would be inevitable. Nat was the only one that truly knew what Minos was dealing with inside, alcoholic problems and drugs, but she helped him become free. Natalie showed him what life could have been like if only he’d given up the disgraced habit. Natalie was so much more than just that though. She was the strength that allowed him to stand. She was the girl who had saved him mentally from breaking down inside and out. Natalie Brandt was the girl who changed everything he knew about himself and made him a better person. Hopefully enough to find some sort of peace in his death, even if it was something simpler.

Daniel’s angry look from Day three stuck in his head, but being replaced with the Daniel that held him close to his chest, keeping him steady from the chaotic world around them. Daniel’s gorgeous face, the only thing he never truly got a taste of. Daniel created something different within Minos. Everything Daniel did or said always put something that Minos only figured out around Day Three or Day Four. He lost track somewhere along the lines, but Daniel held his heart, something he never truly knew he had. Minos was always known as a negative man in his district, but Daniel flipped that. A happiness for being around Daniel filled his body. When Minos and Daniel cuddled up on one of the nights, all Minos could do was feel safe. Comfortable. Even in their hell, Daniel always calmed down Minos. The only thing Minos could wish for before he died would have been to feel Daniel’s lips upon his own. That would have been the only thing he wanted in his death, but now that was never going to happen with the blood thirsty monsters that are killing him.

The area surrounding him was fading from his line of vision. First it was Atlas’ body to vanish before him like he never truly existed in his reality. Machaon and Justice soon follow, his body is collapsing in on itself. Air. It’s the only thing he wants then, but he can’t seem to pull it into his lungs. Death drew closer and closer. Hands out ready to grab his soul and pull it from his body. Natalie was gone now, her luscious golden locks disappearing from the reality, tears that were already flowing, pushed harder. Daniel’s face was the last to fade away, a gift to himself as he was beginning to vanish from reality itself. Darkness was consuming his soul, so every quickly, everything was falling, no, crashing down. Nothing was left, but himself and Death herself. Before death could even reach him, a glow of light flashed before his eyes.

Hands catch him as he finally lands with a thud into them. An amber glow to their body as a whole, reminding him of the gold that he once suffered through, but that no longer existed. Nothing did, but him and the person who caught him. Only a white void of nothing and the two bodies that were contained within the space existed. Death was there, but in reality the person wasn’t death. The person was his savior through the games and his life. Talos face glowed in the white space, his voice ever so calming, ”It’s okay Minos, I’ve got you.”

The world wasn’t crashing and burning like he expected it to. The world wasn’t dying right before his eyes. The world was vanishing and showing the light that was behind it all along. The good taking over the bad as he was moving into a new life. Minos Vallanso wanted to cry, but sorrow didn’t exist anymore, only happiness and peace in the world he was now in. Talos looked different than he remembered, something about him was the same as himself, but different. They were twins, but Talos was older, more facial hair upon his face than Minos. This was the Talos that never truly got to grow up, but in this world Talos was the man he would have been. Strong, happy, and healthy.

Finally, he was standing on his own. Minos watched his twin who was glowing an amber color. Talos was almost angelic in his eyes, an amber glow, with the white skin upon his face, the facial hair adding to his looks. Minos felt himself move before he could even speak, arms wrapping around his brother’s body, a cold feeling being lifted and replaced with a warmth that glowed inside of him. Words fall from his lips quickly, ”I-I’m so sorry Talos. I-I didn’t mean to do the horrors that I did to you. I’m so sorry.” Arms wrap around Minos’ body, tears of joy soaking his cheeks and Talos’ as Talos smiled. The faintest of words falling from his voice which was much deeper than he could remember, ”No need to fret, you have been forgiven, as long as you are here.”

The light begins to give way to the room that they are in. A desk lays upon the white floor. Filing cabinets stand tall along white walls. An office of sorts was the room they were in and Minos felt himself choke up in confusion of it all. Talos looks as professional and unprofessional at the same time. His words flow out like a soothing stream of water, ”Minos, do you know what I am?” Talos was dead and that meant he was too. Both dead twins rotting in some grave, yet here they were in an office, Talos looking like a boss he was meeting for the first time. Talos smiled at him, sending a jolt of joy through him as a genuine smile pulls up at his lips for once. That’s when everything changed for the moment.

A serious look replaced the smile on Talos’ face before he spoke, ”There is no god Minos. There isn’t any real directions to anything here. This is my duty that I had to do. Minos, I am an angel, even though I don’t look it. I protect everyone I can, just like you tried to in life. I don’t normally do this, but you’re my brother. Follow me.” He follows Talos closely as the office begins to fade behind him, disappearing with every step he takes. The new world he was in was full of so many surprises that he couldn’t even imagine. As they walked, a forest begin to appear in front of him.

Trees that climbed higher than he could see began to appear. Greens of all sorts that litter the place with a sense of a forgotten jungle. The forest went on and on forever as they marched through, until they reached a room with glass wall. Minos turns to Talos with confusion in his eyes. Talos frowns, his voice is lower and saddened, ”Minos. I brought you here for a reason, look closely at the other side.” Curiosity got the better of him as he stares at the woods across the glass. Swearing on his life that it was a mirror, but it wasn’t. A flash of something and he could see through to the other side.

Brown locks of hair catches his eye. Eyes that he could recognize anywhere stare before him, aimlessly walking in the woods. The wall moves with her as he watches. Sorrow didn’t exist, but guilt still did. His hand touches the wall gently, his voice sounds broken, ”Petra.” Another failure to protect the people he cares about. Talos nods at him to approve of his answer. Minos hand touches the glass ever so slowly, he feels himself shutter in guilt. His voice is raspy with the guilt and brokenness inside of him, ”Petra! Can you hear me? Petra!” A sigh falls from Talos lips and Minos is banging on the glass trying to break through, but nothing was working. Minos was helpless again, even in the life after death. Talos’ voice reached Minos easily, ”She can’t hear you Minos. This is her afterlife. She’ll either stay there forever or find her peace one day, but for now, she wanders the woods as they go on forever. Find your peace Minos.”

Minos fells tears prick at his eyes, nothing felt real. Petra was supposed to find peace somewhere, to be lost in a purgatory where she’ll roam forever. Minos was useless, unable to protect the people he cared about so much. Pathetic is what his mother would have said, but Talos was there. Talos could see his train of thought easily, ”Minos, you know mother never meant any of those words. Anger and sorrow clouded her judgement, like they’re clouding your peace. Accept it Minos. You can’t save everyone.” The words shake him internally through his body, resonating a sadness that Minos never truly believed in. Hopelessness. And yet, there was some hope deep down within him. Minos wasn’t one to give up, but this was something he had to do, for everyone else’s sake, not his own. Minos wants to sob and try to break the glass again, but instead he stands tall like he did when Justice slashed him apart. His voice is rough, but gaining strength, ”Talos, I’m ready to move on, for Petra’s sake, not my own.”

Talos looks to Minos, a smirk pulling at his lips as Minos had passed a test that he created for him. Facing the fact that Minos couldn’t save everyone he knew. Sometimes things were just hopeless, not because of him, but because it was the world’s wish. Minos knew that he needed to change his ways, to become the man that he could have been. Sins piled his shoulders, but he was unchaining them one by one. Petra was only the first test of many to come. He would push himself to the limits in order to figure out his place in the world. Talos grabbed his hand and began pulling him into another area. The forest’s trees fading ever so quickly as they ran to the next place.

A record player was coming into view. It’s silver shining the room that it was held in. White walls and empty shelfs lined with record players of different shapes, sizes, and colors. The one on the table was a sunset red and orange color. A sunset of it’s own depicted on the side of it, a name that was ever so familiar plated in gold. Weaver Rhodes upon the side. Another sin of Minos’ life before being represented in the record player. Tears take form on his face already. Talos speaks ever so softly, ”Minos, talk to him. He can hear you and you will be able to hear him.” Minos clutches his right side. Tears streaking his face from the memory of Weaver’s screams stuck in his head that haunted him even in death.

”W-Weaver, I’m sorry. I couldn’t save you. I’m so sorry. Please forgive me.” Minos’ voice was forcing itself through the tears and struggles before him. The record player was silent for that second. A sadness hits Minos as he thinks Weaver can’t truly hear him, until the hand comes down ever so slowly, scratching the record on it. Weaver’s kind voice flows through easily, a wise man with wise words that he’s heard before. "Forgive yourself, and you'll find that you are forgiven." The memory of Minos’ life before flowing into his head all of a sudden.

A young Minos lays upon the cold hard ground of District Five. A bundle of weed in his pocket as he smokes a blunt and eases on the ground. An older man with a cane coming across his laying form. ”What are you doing young man?” Minos looked at the man above him reminding him of his father who was gone. Tears form on his eyes as the older man looks down at Minos. Minos screeches out in horror, ”I’m lying on the ground because I was kicked out by my mother. I’m a monster. You don’t want to talk to me.” The old man doesn’t give up though, stubborn to the point of caring, Minos felt himself wanting to cry even more than before. The man talked with wise words, ”Monsters don’t deserve to live out in the cold, even if they’re monsters.”

The old man took Minos in for the week that he was still living for. The man made dinners and lunches and breakfasts for Minos, even if Minos was being the ass that he could be. Sanity lost to the wind like everything else had been before, and yet the old man always surprised him with the kindness he held. The last day of his stay, the old man had been dying of sickness. Minos tried to take care of him, but it would be too late, unable to save the man that took care of him for the first week out of his home. The man asked Minos why he was on his own days before, Minos had told him why, and yet he still cared for him. The man’s dying words echoed through his head once again, even in the afterlife, ”If you forgive yourself, I’m sure your mother will forgive you.”

This was the reason why Weaver had been so important to Minos in a way that no one could understand, but Minos. Weaver reminded him of the old wise man with a cane. Wise words and knowing exactly what to say when Minos needed it. Weaver’s screams would never be heard again. Minos speaks up quietly, ”I-I know… I’m sorry. For everything.” Minos could feel the tension in the air, the way he could imagine Weaver thinking about his words before saying. The dark haired man was always cautious with his words from what Minos remembers of him before. That’s when the record continues spinning, Weaver’s voice flows through, "Don't let the past control the new adventure of the new world."

Tear stricken eyes threaten to push more tears out, but not then. Minos had to follow Weaver’s advice. A smile on his face as Talos speaks gently, “It’s time to move on Minos.” Minos wants to scream and tell Talos that he can’t, but it was time to go. Time to move on with his life and create the new one in the world they were in. Minos spoke softly to Weaver one last time, ”I hope you’ve found your peace Weaver. Thank you for helping me find mine.” Talos smiles at him before reaching his hand to take him to another place. Minos knows that Talos is helping him in some way. Minos was done following his brother, it was time for him to do things on his own, without a guide to keep him on track.

Minos’ voice was calm and kind as he spoke, ”Talos, I want to do this next one on my own. I need to figure things out on my own.” Talos smiles and lets go of his hand, his voice a calming sound, ”Minos, I’m so proud of you. Go on to the next one.” As their hands let go, Minos moves towards the white, leaving the record players back in the room before. Everything begins to fade away, his brother included. A smile on his brother’s face as Minos remembers everything he can about it. The world’s spinning into image before him.

The ocean’s echoing crash falls upon his ears, a salty presence to the air lifts itself to his nose. The sand crunching upon his feet as he walks closer and closer to his next destination. The world around him echoes to a halt as sands and oceans kay waste to the whiteness. Nothing but a gorgeous sky, waves crashing, and the crunching of the sand could be seen. A cliff lays in front of him, a glistening building on top shining it’s light across the ocean’s waves. Born in polluted airs and polluted water, nothing more lavish and pretty had his eyes ever seen, until that day.

The cliff’s side was easy to climb, holes that were placed just perfectly to ease his climb up. The air’s freshening taste and feel tells him that he truly is free from the hell they all were in. The stars above glisten to life as he makes it to the building shining a light across the ocean for the lost souls to see. The building looked like it was alive with lights inside. Figures of people he could see in a window, only shadows of figures that seemed all too familiar. As he questions to go inside, his insides feel at ease, opening to the world in front of him. A deep breath of the clean and fresh air, adds to easing up his own nerves. Hand moves gently turning the knob as he enters the building, leaving behind the uneasiness from before.

Inside holds something he would have never expected to see in all of his time existing. Tributes from games before. The tributes that he came after and some unfamiliar faces. A well-lit living room with a fireplace in the side. Tyler Westbrook sits upon a cushion on the couch, a familiar face of a boy who once been in his school and was the same age as himself. Sol Shim was the first to notice him, wide eyes staring back at Minos’ eyes. All eyes in the room quickly stare upon him, a smile hits the girl who had her arms wrapped around the biggest guy. Her voice is ever so kind, when realization hits him. Daria Staite was speaking to him. ”We were expecting you. You’re looking for them, aren’t you?” Minos nods even though he truly didn’t know what Daria was talking about.

Sol Shim speaks up first, questioning Minos about the one thing he remembered. ”Is Atticus with you?” Minos shakes his head in response and speaks calmly, ”No, but he will be one day. Just wait for him Sol.” Sol Shim backs up and Minos stares at Daria. Her voice is kind and she tells him where to go, ”They’re upstairs. Good luck.” The eyes disappear off of him as he watches them all relax and talk to one another. A sense of calm and peace fills the air. Minos doesn’t belong with them. Minos continues up the building’s stairs. The stars whirl past as the windows do the same. The world seems to be on it’s own cycle and Minos just slowly exploring the new world.

As he reaches the top, a door sits waiting for him to open it. Something so gorgeous and calming filled the air of the world as he reached for the knob. As the door opened, he could see them sitting a board of pieces from a game he never truly understood or saw often sits between them. Minos can feel himself cowering mentally, but soaring outside. His voice is like a flame to air, ”Hypatia! Renee!” They stare at him in bliss. Happiness of being reunited together. He can contain himself as he rushes forward to Hypatia’s form and wraps his arms around her. A hug so short and brief, but with so much feeling that he couldn’t describe. A sad word falls from her lips and he can already tell what she was thinking, ”Minos.” A sad smile pulls at his lips.

Renee stands there watching in awe, a smile pulling at her lips. Hypatia continues her words, which is rather exciting for him, her voice was so pleasant. If only the life before she was able to communicate as well as in there, but none of that mattered, only Hypatia and Renee mattered then. ”How did you find me?” Minos smiled softly, his body felt calm in her presence. He spoke softly, ”I found you on my own. I just hoped to see you and I get to.” Minos stands calmly in front of the two women who had changed him over the matter of a week or two. Hypatia’s voice flows into his ears, questioning, ”Have you found anyone else?”

He had found others, but not truly. No one was really found in their afterlives. He shook his head no in response. Hypatia looked down for a second, until he grabbed her and pulled her close. Tears of joy flowing from his cheeks, ”I-I missed you so much, Hypatia…” Hypatia just holds on tight as Minos finally lets go, wiping the tears upon his cheeks. Renee just stares back at him. He reaches for her hugging her too, a smile upon his lips. Words gently flow from his lips towards Renee, ”I miss you too Renee. Thank you for everything.” Renee hugs back gently and yet everything seemed perfect for a moment, but this wasn’t his life.

Minos realized what he was supposed to do right there. He was meant to find them all. Find all of them and be the connection to them all. Afterlife after afterlife, he would find them all and make sure they would remember them and make peace with their lives. Minos looked at the two that stood in front of him. His voice a wave of the ocean crashing against the coast, ”I can’t stay here, Hypatia and Renee. I have other stuff to take care of. I’ll be back. I promise Hypatia. I’ll always come back. It’s hard to get rid of me.” A joking wink towards Hypatia and soon he feels his back sprout something that was originally upon his body.

Feathers form wings that shine in the air. Minos was an angel, just like e was meant to be. The connection of the afterlives that he was meant to watch over. The wings take him soaring through the air as he moves to another place. Feathers lay upon the spot where he stood once before. As he soars, he realized he was never crashing down to earth. Talos only caught him because ehe didn’t realize that he knew how to soar through the skies free from the chains that held him to the ground. His sins were still there, but acceptance of them allowed him to soar into the skies.

The lighthouse upon the shore begins to disappear as does everything else, but the stars. They can’t hear him anymore, but he can hear them all. Renee. Hypatia. Petra. Weaver. Iona. Heathcliff. Ross. Percy. Stevie. Cedric. Kizzy. Bailey. All of their voices intermixing as he can hear them all in their lives after. The sky was full of stars that contained them all. Talos People used to tell Minos that when someone dies, they take form in the stars. He didn’t believe that until recently. As he soared through the skies, he could stare into the stars seeing afterlives of people he didn’t know. A boy and his mother tending a garden outside a home. Three brothers surfing upon the ocean, joy in their feature. All of the people from before could be seen within a star.

As he begins to land on the moving object that held the office he first saw Talos in, he realized that it was nothing more than a comet that roamed space, watching over all of the stars around it. The office was as it had been before. Empty, with filing cabinets that held files of all sorts of things. A letter sits upon the desk that now has the name Minos Vallanso on it. As he grabs the letter and calmly opens it. His fingers begin to shake as he reads it to himself.

Minos.

It’s your turn now. I have watched over them all for years. I am passing on the mantle to you brother. You have shown that you are worthy of this position, so take my wings and soar. Make sure all of them are safe and know that they aren’t alone. You are the protector of them all Minos. You wished to protect them and now you can brother. Protect them with everything you have. I believe in you. Visit me when you can, I’ve made my peace, now learn to make your own. I love you. Stay strong.

Love,
Talos Vallanso

As Minos sets down the letter, he watches all the stars glimmer from the office. A voice for every star above him. A sign of hope from every single glimmer that he could see. This was his job now, the protector of them all. Minos Vallanso was an angel, the angel of protection. He would not fail at protecting them all. The world he once knew was gone, but now there was a world that he could explore, helping the lost souls find their eternal peace with one another. As he sat in the office, a smile pulls at his face.

A little boy hides under his covers, tears streaking along his face. The storm outside scaring him into shock. The room’s darkness scares the boy even more than before. A brother sits at the other end of the bed whispering to his brother that everything was going to be fine. The storm’s howling winds and the strike of lightning adds even more fear to the chaos of it all. The little boy screams as he pulls the covers over his head. A teddy bear thrown to the floor in all the madness that surrounded them. The lights were gone, but the noise was still there. The room sat silently, only the creak of a floorboard had been heard the night before.

A light from outside the door flashes. The scared boy lays shaking in his bed. The door opens with a creaking noise. The mother from before comes inside the room, soothing her son. Whispers of calming words spreads. The boy stares at his beautiful mother in happiness. The savior of his whole world was there to protect him from the storm. Her words leaves her lips as the little boy notices the figure behind her. A man he never has seen before. A shadow among the shadows, fear wanted to take over, but something within the little boy could tell it was nothing more than a good being there to help him. The mother and man speak at the same time, the same words falling from their lips.

”Minos, the storm’s over. Now get some rest."