Griffin knew where he should go and meditate. There was only one place in all of Heaven that was secluded, where no one would ever bother him, Haron’s cabin. Haron had retired after training the first team of Grim Reapers, and since then he has been living in isolation, coming back into Heaven’s main city on the rare occasion when the Council asked for his assistance to train new members. No one knows how Haron spends his days, but it is said that he reads and writes all day long about anything and everything.

Griffin knew Haron wouldn’t be too happy to see him. He never really liked him, but even worse Haron hated it when anyone other than the Council disturbed him. But Griffin wasn’t going to let an old stubborn Grim Reaper stop him, even if it was the oldest Grim Reaper of them all. Rumours say Haron is as old as Archangels Gabriel and Michael, who are suspected to be the oldest entities in Heaven. The only other entity known to be as old as them is Lucifer. Haron’s cabin was located deep within the woods, below Heaven’s light source. He lived somewhere within the mountain, where no one could easily find and bother him. Griffin flew to the base of the mountain at the centre of heaven, pulled out his scroll and started writing a message.

‘Master Haron,

It’s me, Griffin, your last student.

I know you don’t like to be disturbed but I really need your help. Could you please meet me at the edge of the training camp, and show me the way to your cabin?

I assure you this is a matter of grave importance and I would never bother you for anything less. I am in need of your guidance and wisdom, and your cabin is the perfect place for our conversation.

Regards,

Griffin.”

In less than a minute his scythe vibrated as he received Haron’s reply.

‘Griffin,

I have retired. If the matter is as grave as you claim, then it is no longer my responsibility. I have trained you well, use your skills and escort the matter to its next resting place.

Don’t ever bother me again,

Haron.’

“I see you never lost your sense of humour,” Griffin thought as he started writing his reply.

‘Master Haron,

You may not have learned this yet, but I have been suspended. This has never happened before in Heaven’s history, and I thought you would be interested in the matter. It should give you something new to study and write about and perhaps in the process I can stay at your cabin for a while.

This could be beneficial for the both of us. You get to learn first-hand about what happened, and I can try and find answers to some questions I have.

Regards,

Griffin.’

Before Griffin could fold his scroll away a reply appeared on it.

‘Griffin,

You had questions since the day I met you, before you even obtained a body, and I have grown weary of them.

I have received news of your suspension and I’m not surprised at all. I am however very interested in what you did, I can’t deny that.

I will allow you to come to my cabin, but only if you agree to my conditions. You will tell me your story and I will answer a limited number of your questions. You can stay at my cabin for seventy-two hours but no more. After that you will leave and never bother me again.

Tired and already regretting this decision,

Haron.’

Griffin folded his scroll with excitement, but then quickly realized something. Haron had invited him to the cabin, but he never told him how to get there. He was about to write a message back when Haron appeared in front of him out of nowhere.

“Haron,” Griffin took a bow.

“Cut the bullshit formalities, will you? Just take my hand and I’ll fade us to my cabin.”

“Isn’t fading within Heaven blocked by the Council?” Griffin was bewildered to hear that Haron could somehow bypass such rules.

“Ok, that’s it. I’ve changed my mind. If this is how you are going to be then you can forget it. No matter how unique this situation is, it’s not worth the torture of having to answer your endless questions.”

Griffin jumped forward and grabbed Haron by the hand before he faded out. “I’m sorry. I promise it won’t happen again,” Griffin said.

“I see you still use my appearance, copycat. Haven’t you found anything better to use after traveling to the Earth realm so many times?”

“Why mess with perfection?”

Haron growled back and Griffin quickly realized why.

“I mean, no, I believe this is the best look a Grim Reaper can have. I wasn’t asking a question, sorry.”

“Well, you are right, my appearance is perfection, and that perfection lies in the details. Something you never understood, which is why I’m offended every time souls mistake you for me. How can they miss the difference between us; the obvious distinctions between the original and the cheap copy?”

They faded and Griffin felt the powerful push and then pull as he travelled through time and space, arriving at Haron’s cabin. The cabin was like a scene right out of a fairy-tale, which took Griffin by surprise.

The cabin was made entirely out of wood, except for a small chimney that was built with red bricks, and wild plant life grew all around it. The walls and roof were covered with some sort of green fungus, but it looked beautiful, camouflaging the whole cabin, making it look like any other part of the forest. A very thick tree grew on one side and leaned over the roof, where some branches were so long, they reached the ground on the other side. All around the cabin’s yard were spread countless yellow, brown, and red leaves, and Griffin could hear a small creek running somewhere nearby, but he couldn’t see it. A very scenic and peaceful location, where he never imagined Haron would have retired after a few millennia of serving Heaven.

Haron noticed that Griffin stayed back when they appeared outside the cabin. “Yes, I know the cabin is majestic and beautiful, now get over it and let’s move inside,” he said as he opened the door.

When Griffin walked in, his astonishment only grew, for the cabin could not have been more perfect. The floor was made of wood, and a metal framed window opposite the fireplace was always open. He could hear birds singing and the smell of the earth and trees filled the air. The cabin only had two rooms and a flight of round stairs in the corner leading up to the second room. Besides the fireplace, there was a wooden table, one chair, and a bed at the end of the room, right next to the staircase.

“Let’s go to my office upstairs,” Haron walked towards the stairs but then paused and turned back to Griffin, “Take that wooden chair with you, there’s only one chair upstairs.”

Griffin chuckled. “Very subtle of you Haron, but I guess I shouldn’t expect anything less from you,” Griffin’s chuckle turned into a soft laughter. “Not even when it comes to your furniture arrangement.”

“And what is that subtle message?” Haron asked. 

“You’re not welcomed in this cabin. Go away.” Griffin replied.

“Yet here you are,” Haron added, “I guess it’s too subtle,” he proceeded to climb the stairs to the second floor.

“Perhaps you should think about installing some more frightening features at the entrance if you really want everyone to just stay away,” Griffin said as he grabbed the chair. “I’m sure you saw plenty of horrifying things, when you first started escorting souls to Hell, that can help you come up with some scary ideas.”

“Yes, I have, but you gave me a far better idea, something more horrific than anything I have ever seen,” Haron said as Griffin joined him on the second floor. “I can give you a job now that you are suspended. You can sit at the door outside the cabin, and I’ll put a sign next to you. You can enter this cabin if you can answer all of this Grim Reaper’s questions. That should drive even the most persistent away,” Haron laughed loudly as he sat down in front of his desk.

“But that means you would have to live with me,” Griffin placed the chair across from Haron and sat down.

The top room was nothing more than a small desk and one chair. The rest of it was filled from top to bottom with bookshelves over-stacked and overflowing with books, scrolls, notes, and even loose pieces of paper.

“You’re right, that won’t do. Perhaps I can build a doll that looks like you and have my weapon pretend to be you.”

“That would be impossible,” Haron’s scythe replied, “There’s no way I can come up with as many questions as Griffin can.”

“Just repeat all the questions he asked us when we trained him. That should be enough to keep any visitors away for about a millennium,” Haron replied.

“Grim Reaper, how are you?” Griffin turned to the scythe that was on the desk next to Haron.

“Good, was better before you sent a message to Haron.”

“I see you haven’t changed either, kind and gentle as always.”

“You don’t earn the name Grim Reaper by being kind and gentle. Emma still stuck with you?”

“Yes, still here Grim Reaper,” Emma replied.

“Oh good, if you’re still here it means his questions haven’t driven others to reset their own existence, yet,” Haron’s scythe replied and they all laughed.

The story continues in:
Kingdom of the Red Rose
(Episode 17 of 62)
Chapter Six: Recalling the Beginning
(Part 3 of 3)

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