Ranryu

Wynn put a hand over her face. "I'm not here for your entertainment. If you won't give me his soul, then I'll have to try time travel. Come on Lerac, lets go." Wynn turned and walked back towards the entrance.

Wynn quelled her frustration. "Is there anything I could do or say to convince you?"

"Aw, come on, don't be like that! I'm offering a fair trade, not just a random harp song or something."

"I do. How'd you know?"

Wynn lolled her head from side to side in annoyance. "Death, he's a mortal. In a few decades, you'll have all eternity to study him, and I won't bug you about it. Plus, look how young he is. If his soul is interesting now, imagine how much interesting it will be after he's lived a full life."

Wynn thought for a second. "Well, I would probably go die trying to destroy Malum. And then, because immortal spirits don't fade, I'd cause all sorts of trouble with your filing system, just like my people did when the Mound was destroyed. "Please will you trade? Spekkio can vouch for me."

"The fully charged soul of an Aos Si and three greater duel spirits, in trade for TAAron's unscathed soul."

"Nope. I'm fully willing to pay, just with my own soul instead of his. After all, we kind of need him to defeat new-god-on-the-block Malum." She looked at Death with a smile. "And if Malum gets his way, you're job will become a lot harder."

"Well, you see, I accidentally killed him. I'm here to trade for his soul."

"Hello Death!" Wynn said, trying to be as cheery as possible. "We're here looking for a new arrival, TAAron?"

Wynn stepped in front on him and knocked three times. "Death doesn't have a doorbell. Glad to see someone still has class in this universe."

"Yeah, come on. I mean, he's Death himself. He's entitled to be a little melodramatic."

"Same thing that happens when I use Shadow Magic, just a hundred times more draining. It would be like I haven't just taken an energy bath. Nothing I won't recover from eventually." Probably. Death's castle grew closer. A rough rock wall protected the building, with a single gate made from ebony providing an entrance. Behind the wall, a huge set of double doors towered, even that overshadowed by enormous spires that seemed to go up forever.

"Even a mid-sized portion of my soul is much more... expansive than a mortal soul. Plus, I can offer Death duel spirits to work for him. It should be enough."

"I'm betting TAAron is in the castle, because of how recently he died." Wynn started walking. "And this time, there will be no argument. I'm the only one capable of paying Death for TAAron's soul."

The four fell down a long, twisting tunnel. After a few minutes, they shot out the end into the Underworld. Dead trees and mist surrounded them. In the distance, a huge castle loomed. Wynn pointed at it. "That's where we'll find Death. Remember, stay on the path. And don't breathe the mist, it's made of lost souls."

Wynn finished the circle and it lit up with scarlet energy, becoming a hole in the ground. Before jumping in, she turned to the group. "Hold your breath until you land, bend your knees, and stay on the path. There's no saving you if you die in the Underworld."

"Sure. I'm not waiting for you, though. We leave as soon as I get the portal open." Wynn began tracing a magician's circle into the ground.

Wynn watched Haly. You see this pain that you bring to everyone around you? You never were strong enough to keep the Shadows inside of you, where they belong. You should've listened to Hiita when she said Shadow Magic was no good. But now you've gone too far once again. Wynn forced herself to stand up straight. "I'm going to the Underworld to have a chat with Death. See ya."

In the end, intentions don't really matter. Wynn approached Haly. "... This is completely my fault. Don't hurt the others for what I did."

Good people don't kill their friends... but I guess you have a point. Haly should be the one to end me. Wynn returned sulkily.