[Department of Defense against the Supernatural]The Palace Of Death

[Sleipnir]

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Death never did have a high tolerance for dark, dingy or particularly grim settings, so naturally his realm was equal parts deathly and lovely: What better setting, he thought, than a place that could simultaneously be heaven and hell for you?

So he had chosen a beautiful palace in the mountains. He knew every person dwelling in the afterlife by name and many he allowed to live in his palace or the surrounding village. Some chose to live out in the wilds.

Others were banished there.

He stood on a balcony admiring the sunrise one fine day when he turned to look over his shoulder. Like clockwork, he thought as he saw a young lady there. "Nothing," he assured her. She looked crestfallen, but nodded.

Later in the morning, Death took to wandering the lands and villages around his palace. He liked the medieval sort of look: Very whimsical, he thought.​

 

[Elias]

On the outskirts of the forest surrounding the castle, a whoozing sound, growing louder and louder could be heard by anyone standing nearby. One would think it was a random sound, but in truth, if you looked close enough, anyone would notice, the barely visible portal the colour of sand that opened near the trees. From it, a carriage sprouted, carried by two huge beetlees wrapped in what seemed to be mummy bandages. On it, stood an imposing figure. Tall, dark and adorned in egyptian garbs, Anubis, the god of judgment stood outside the castle of Death itself. Urging his ''horses'' to move faster, he reached the castle shortly, and entered in a silent, almost respectful way. Making his way towards the hall of the building, he saw the entity he came to visit. Death looked as casual as ever, and it seemed like he only got back from some recent walk in the places around.


''Your palace is majestic, Old One'' he stopped to look at his old aqcuinatance, then he pulled out a glowing yellow statuette of a winged pyramid. ''A gift, from the pantheon of egyptians. Isis, sends her salutations, and invites you to visit us sometime'' Anubis said as he chose a seat, and sat down, licking his jackal lips. ''How are you, o'Death? How are things going?'' he said as he laid back.


@Sleipnir

 

[Sleipnir]

"Well, I'm flattered," Death said pleasantly, examining the statuette. "I'll have to take you all up on that offer sometime." Once they had taken a seat, he leaned back and rested an arm on the rest and then his jaw on his hand. "Things are pretty relaxed. They always are. What's the point of sweating it at this point, after all? Once you're dead, you're dead." He tilted his skull, thinking for a moment. "That young lady is still waiting on her brother. Now, to what can I pay the pleasure, old friend?"

 

[Elias]

Anubis chucled, his thick voice booming from his jackal snout. ''Must there always be a reason for seeing a friend?'' he questioned out loud, but then his face turned stern yet again. ''It seems it must. As you know, Set, our resident evil god, has always had a pleasure for ruining things..much like other similar gods in similar pantheons. Yet, this time, what he does, threatens to off-throw the balance'' he said as he rested his arm under his chin. ''Lately, he has been interferring with something out of his usual works. Soul influx'' he said as he regarded the souls around Death's castle. ''As both of us know, you are the most qualified to answer me this. If Set has been stealing lost souls from me...Would you help me find them?'' he said looking Death in the eyes.

 

[Sleipnir]

Death leaned forward them, posture visibly more serious now. "To stea lost souls from their place of resting is an unthinkable crime. Yes, I would assist you in this matter. Retrieving the lost denizens of my realm is a priority I must be well aware of — after all, I have little else to worry about, isn't that right?"

 

[Elias]

Anubis visibly sighed as he heard Death's answer. This matter was indeed of life and death, well mostly death, but it could threaten the entire balance of their world. Nodding his head, Anubis confirmed what Death asked. ''You're right, pale one. It's why I sought you afterall'' he said as he raised from his chair, and rested his chin on his cane. ''Rumour has it that he exited the egyptian part of the plane, when he stole them, and made his way towards more secluded parts of the Ethereal world. I've already talked to Odin and he confirmed things are under control at his place, so that draws Asgard, and possibly the entirety of Yggdrasil for that matter. My guess is he is probably around the greek parts, or...'' Anubis said making a pause. ''He's hiding in your realm of existence. I know you can sense everything old friend, but Set is a foul sorcerer. He could have made his pressence unknown to you, through ancient dark magic. Have you noticed any disturbances in our realm as of late?''

 

[Sleipnir]

Death paused for a moment to consider this, his skull unreadable. "I have sensed... strangeness about the edges, out in the forests around my village: The place of exile for those who deserve hardship and the haven of those who crave it. Perhaps it would be worth our time to go out and try to find the root." He had little tolerance for the antics of Set - in this case, anyway. After all, unless souls were blocked from Death, it was not his concern. To spirit them away was, indeed, a grievous crime to him and not one he would punish lightly.

 

[Elias]

Anubis nodded. ''We should get going then'' he said as he took his head off the cane. ''I know it's a fair share of going until we reach there, but i have a carriage pulled by Khepri's scarabs, I should be able to reach there in no time. Do you need a lift or do you have your own ride?'' he said curiosity flowing through his eyes. ''Some skeletal horses, a bone dragon? No wait, your pale horse from the book of Revelations, he said referencing his link to being a Horseman in the end times. Or can you just teleport there?''


@Sleipnir

 

[Sleipnir]

Death chuckled and then simply snapped his fingers and said, "Deer."


There was a moment of silence.


Then the thundering of hooves.


BEfore long, a great skeleton stag stood before them, pawing the ground a moment and looking between the two. He was a great deal taller than Death, who wasn't short to begin with, and had to lean down so he could climb aboard the great creature's back. "This is my Megaloceros, a gift from the lady Life herself," he introduced it. "Maybe not glamorous, but there's no stalls to muck out, so it's all good."

 

[Kylesar1]

In the forest surrounding the castle, Tenjin sat in a large clearing reading a book. From above, one wouldn't see the clearing, as from above, there would still be trees. The clearing was only discernible if one was actually in the forest The book in question was the Holy Bible. He could easily suppress his presence, as long as he was using the right text for the job


He sensed Death summon his Deer, and decided to show himself, lest he be attacked over suspicions. "As I walk through the Forest of the Palace of Death," he said aloud, before addressing them directly. "Hello Death, Anubis. Set is out to play, I see? Do you know what that arrogant trouble maker is up to?"


@Sleipnir


@Elias

 

[Sleipnir]

Death nodded to the Japanese god respectfully. "Indeed," he replied. "He is putting my souls in danger. We must find him, and I shall take back that which is mine." He then added grimly, "I will punish him if necessary."

 

[Elias]

Anubis nodded and saluted the japanese god. He knew him well enough, as all the inhabitants of the Ethereal Plane knew each other left or right, some less some more. He had heard of this god, yet they weren't properly aqcuinatenced. He saw him here and there, at important events, godly weddings, or other ethereal events. ''Indeed'' he said, ''Set is doing his job as Chaos god again. Doing chaos'' he said with a sigh. ''Sometimes he can be a bigger menace than the greeks, and those are pretty uptight'' he added with a little chuckle. ''You can join us if you would want, god of knowledge. A little adventure would be good for you''


@Sleipnir @Kylesar1

 

[Kylesar1]

Tenjin closed the Bible and stood up. Up to this point, he had been floating in a sitting position, sitting cross-legged. "I suppose I could tag along, Anubis. At least the Greeks aren't as crazy as our Gods. We have so many rain and sun gods, I wonder who manages the shifts." The Bible turned back into the Book of Eternity


"Are we making this trip by land, air, or sea?"

 

[Elias]

Anubis laughed at rain and sun gods allude, then turned his gaze upon Tenjin as he asked what way the trip would unfold. ''As you may notice, we have chose a land trip for this one''' he said directing Tenjin's gaze upon his carriage, and Death's deer. ''I can give you a lift, if you want. The carriage has infiinite space if I will it to, and Khepri's scarabs can handle it, no matter how long the road. ''Or perhaps, you have a mode of transportation of your own, Tenjin?''


@Kylesar1

 

[Kylesar1]

"What's a God without a way to get around?" Tenjin snapped his fingers. "Kirin." In the forest shone a bright green flash, and out walked Kirin.


"This is the craziness of Japan." he said, pointing to Kirin. "And my glorious ride. A nature beast."

Tenjin smiled. "Shall we get going? To travel is to live."

 

[Elias]

''Wise words'' Anubis noted as he regarded the Japanese god's Kirin. ''And yes we should get going'' he said as he glanced back at Death. ''Old one. Shall we?'' he said as he climbed his own carriage. The scarabs huffed and screeched almost like horses, as Anubis traced a hand above their heads, down to their eyes. Touching their monstrous pupils, Anubis whispered a few words and their eyes turned pure gold, glowing like sunlight. ''Find any disturbance not belonging to this realm. Take us to Set'' he commanded to them, and they obeyed, screeching, and dragging the carriage as fast as they could. As they dragged him towards the entry of the forest, Anubis turned to the other two and motioned for them to follow him.


@Kylesar1 @Sleipnir

 

[Sleipnir]

Still atop Deer, Death nodded and the skeletal cervid reared and took off after the others. He skimmed a hand across its vertebrae as he did so, eager to recollect the souls he lost.

 

[Kylesar1]

"Kirin?" Kirin whinneyed like a horse, and took off after Death and Anubis


Once they got under way, Tenjin spoke up from behind them both. "Alright, Judge of Death, and Death itself. Do either of you know what's going on, or are we just riding blind?"





Set wasn't one to be tampered with. Tenjin didn't feel like fighting him, especially since fights between gods could destroy a planet or 5. Tenjin was more than capable of putting Set in his place, but violence was never high on his to do list. He was a scholar, not a warlord

 

[Elias]

''You could say that'' Anubis turned as they passed millions of tree per second on their violent march. ''But we have reasons to believe Set is indeed at Death's forest outskirts'' he said with a sigh. ''Altough, I'm not sure what to do with him once we find him'' Anubis said brooding. ''As I'm aware all of you know, altough he is Chaos and evil itself, he is still my father'' the jackal said with a tinge of regret in his voice. ''I will not resort to murdering him. And you shouldn't too, if we're going to find him'' he said turning to Death.

 

[Sleipnir]

"I do not choose the deaths among cosmic forces," Death pointed out. "Should Set die today, it will not be by my will, as is the case in our realms. There are other ways to punish one other than death. The Greeks should have taught you that much." He turned his attention back to the forest in front of them, eager to retrieve the lost souls.

 

[Kylesar1]

Tenjin pulled out the Book and turned to a page, reading it and summarizing it. "Speaking of the Greeks, I hear tensions between the Egyptians and Greeks have increased lately. We should deal with Set before the Greeks get involved, especially if Set's plan involve attacking the Greeks and starting a God War. A battle like that could destroy the Ethereal Plane, and maybe a galaxy or 3. All great changes are preceded by Chaos"

It seemed set in stone to Tenjin. Why else would Set choose to steal souls from Death? He could definitely be wrong though. As likely as it seemed to Tenjin, he never trusted any speculation to be 100% right. "If that's his plan, a fight may be inevitable. Obviously killing him isn't an option, but we may have to fight him."

 

[Elias]

''A fight is necessary. I will have no quallms about it, if it draws to that'' Anubis said with a snarl. ''And I suppose you're right. Set is too dangerous to be left alone with the power of so many souls, especially if we assets the Greeks in his plan. We must avoid a godly war at all cost'' he said as he looked ahead of his carriage. They have passed more than a couple thousand trees, and now they have reached a more secluded area of the forest. They were nearing the outskirts of it, where Death has sensed disturbances. They were getting close. Already, the air was growing denser, and a mist-like substance was shrouding the forest. ''Have you ever been here, Death?'' he asked the skeleton. ''What is this place? It feels heavily soul-populated'' he said with a grimace.

 

[Sleipnir]

Leaning forward, Death frowned. "I know the place," he confirmed. "But I don't believe that I've sent souls here. In fact, few have ever been here..." He thought for a moment, grimacing. The thought of a godly war was a bad one and brought to mind the vanir-Æsir war. That had been awful and an inter-pantheon war would be worse. "...Onward."

 

[Elias]

Anubis nodded and they set forward once again, the scarabs moving fast on their armored feet, searching, their golden eyes looking for a trail left by anoyne not of this realm, as Set was. After a while of going straight forward, they have reached another clearing, only this time the mist was gone. A small river of ran from the base of a weird looking skeletal tree, and a little bit forward stood a well. This looked like a resting place. ''Set might have stopped here'' Anubis noted. ''See you if you can sense any foreign matter, that is not of this realm, it must be Set'' Anubis snorted as he got out of his carriage. ''The scarabs seem to stop here, and they seem confuse. Maybe Set masked his appearence from this place on, and he is now hidden for us, for the next step of the journey'' he said with interest.

 

[Kylesar1]

Tenjin yawned. "Well this will be a pain." he said, hopping off of Kirin. "He's actually being smart for a change. Usually he would sit in plain sight and do his dirty work."


Tenjin searched around, using magic to reveal everything hidden, and finding nothing. Since when did Set get smart. It was a long shot, but Set could possibly be in cooperation with another being. Set didn't seem THAT smart though.


"I find nothing." Tenjin said