[Ravendust]: 343.Pandorus

The wind was howling around the corners of the buildings, whistling between trees, bending the flagpole sideways, and generally making going outside a really bad idea, when I got the notice.

Pandorus. The voice was soft, almost like the whisper of the wind. At first that was all I thought it was, and then it called out to me again. Pandorus, it is time.

“Time?” I called, “Time for what?”

This day marks the end of this world; it is your duty to carry out the task of sending the humans of earth to the afterlife. I was shocked, the end of the world? I merely shook my head and decided to ignore the voice; I was probably just tired and hallucinating as a result.

It persisted throughout the day, as I sat near the window of my apartment, despite the weather forecaster’s warnings about tornado possibilities. The storm was so beautiful, I thought, as it grew in strength. At first it had only been powerful wind, but now the sky was darkening and rain began to fall in small droplets, before coming down in torrential sheets. The sound of the rain drumming against the building was music to my ears.

Lightning flashed brilliantly through the sky, and I jumped as I thought I saw faces peering out at me from the bolt. “W-what in the world?” I murmured to myself, chewing my lip thoughtfully.

They are lost without their guide; if you do not hurry they will be unable to cross over. And the others will be unable to die. The voice took an opportunity to return to me. It is your duty to destroy the humans and bring them to the afterlife, Pandorus.

“What if I don’t want to?” I demanded.

It is your duty, you have no choice. Soon you will see things as they should be. The voice laughed eerily and I shuddered with foreboding.

“Aunt Panda-chan.” A small voice called from nearby, and I turned to see the pale, sickly face of my little niece.

She had grown severely ill rather abruptly and her parents had left her with me, unable to cope with the results of the illness. Young Sakanuma had lost most of her hair due to treatments for her illness, and her skin was taut over her small bones. She was missing her right arm and three of her fingers on her left hand due to rotting flesh. “Yes?” I asked, kneeling easily before her, I never let her appearance bother me, and that made her happy I suppose.

“I’m scared…” The little girl murmured.

Kill her, take her pain away and allow her to journey to the afterlife.

“Don’t be scared.” I pulled her into a light hug, ignoring the voice, though angry tears rose in my eyes nonetheless, and I glared at the air.

“The storm is really strong. Lots of people could get hurt…” Sakanuma whispered, “And that voice won’t go away.”

“Voice?” I pulled back in surprise, could she hear it too then?

“Yeah, it keeps saying that Aunt Panda-chan has to fulfill her duty.” Sakanuma sniffled softly, “It says that many people will suffer forever if she doesn’t. What is your duty, what is the voice talking about?”

“Nothing,” I said simply, how could I tell her that that same voice told me to kill everyone in the world? To murder my own niece?

I looked at her and nearly cried at the apparent pain in her eyes. She was always trying to hide it, trying to be strong. I could never know the pain that wracked her body daily, with the unknown illness that plagued her and was slowly rotting her body.

Take her pain away, Pandorus, for it is your-

“Shut up!” I hissed at the air, “I will never do something like that?”

For two days it plagued me with its pleas, and always I would see images of great devastation. And then I lost myself, I don’t know exactly what happened, but my mind was overshadowed. It seems that the voice had grown tired of pleading and was now taking action.

Sakanuma watched me silently that day, as I sat brooding by the window and staring blankly at the black sky outside. “Aunt Panda-chan…” She said at last.

I glanced over at her and stood. She didn’t even cry out as I lashed out, a long scythe forming in my hands. Her end was quick, and the blood that covered my blade only served to excite me for the task at hand. Sakanuma’s spirit, and soon many others, followed silently behind me as I did my work. That day I took every soul from earth’s plane, and lead them to the afterlife. It was only when the deed was done that I came to my senses once more.

Now that wasn’t so bad, was it? The voice laughed.

“W-why?” I ground out.

It was your duty. And then it left me to myself, alone in an uninhabited world.

“But what about me?!” I called out, shivering as the rain soaked through me, I was met with only a laugh.