Reaper of Souls: A fantasy short story Read Online Free

charmingly.  “Splendid.  Just sign the contract, and we’ll be on our way
to Neverland.”
    She approached
him with the pen.  He gave her a strange look.  “If you’ll just initial the
changes--”
    He stared at
her and appeared completely baffled.  He snatched the pen and initialed the
changes.  It again appeared in her hand.  She took a deep breath and signed the
contract.  She barely finished her signature when he was about to make it
disappear. 
    Reggie held out
her hand.  “Ah, I need to make a copy of that for my records,” she announced
firmly.
    His look
conveyed his surprise.  “This is the hardest I’ve worked in centuries,” he
muttered.  You have got to be the most controlling, manipulative female I’ve
ever come across.”
    Reggie offered
a pleased smile.  “Thank you.”
    “That wasn’t a
compliment.”

Chapter Two
     
    K ahn’s world was that of a
tropical island but with bizarre, seemingly haphazard terrain.  It was unlike
anything Reggie had ever seen.  Parts of the island appeared rocky, parts
appeared deserted, and still other parts resembled a jungle.  There was no
transition between areas, just a sudden, drastic change.  The island was
something from another world.  Along the beach like setting, there was an
amazing fairytale castle straight from a gothic horror book.  As Kahn and
Reggie stood on the sandy beach, she was left wondering how they even got to
wherever it was they were.
    “Where are we?”
    “We’re in my
world,” he informed her and grinned proudly.  “Beautiful, isn’t it?”
    “I rather doubt
I’ll have the opportunity to appreciate it.”
    He chuckled
lowly.  “I love your sense of humor.  You’re going to need it,” he remarked. 
“In accordance with the details of the contract, your task is to find the
dagger or Zagaball and return it to me.”  Kahn pointed to Reggie’s wrist.  An
elegant digital watch appeared.  “You have three hours to find the dagger and
return it to its rightful place in the library.  Just to be fair, I’ve provided
a map.”  A detailed leather map appeared in her hands.  He smiled pleasantly. 
“Happy hunting.”  Kahn suddenly vanished.
    Reggie looked
at the map then headed along the beach.  “Map my ass.  Detailed description of
where not to go.”
    †
    R eggie hurried along the
worn path within the jungle and looked around cautiously.  “Too easy so far,”
she muttered.  She paused and looked at the map.  “According to the map, the
dagger is just down this path within the ruins of the old temple.”  She
assessed her surroundings then eyed the path behind her to the left.  “The map
says to go straight, so that tells me I should go left.”
    She headed for
the path to the left and hurried along it.  The ruins of the old temple were
covered with thick vines and vegetation.  Reggie appeared just behind the
temple and climbed the crumbling building.  She approached a pile of stones,
crouched down, and looked down to the temple’s main entrance.  Everything
appeared quiet, which bothered her, so she watched a moment longer.  Big, burly
ape-like creatures patrolled the entrance, remaining hidden within the thick
plant life.  They watched the path she was supposed to take according to the map.
    “An ambush,”
she muttered.  “Who didn’t see that coming?”
    Reggie
carefully walked along the side of the temple above the opening.  Stones were
heard falling into a cavern beneath her feet.  She hesitated then looked at a
small opening in the stone.  She removed a pen flashlight from her pocket and
shined it down the hole.  She smiled deviously.
    “Hmm, the back
door appears to be left open and unattended.”
    Within the
temple ruins, the small, empty room of stone was lit only by the remaining
sunlight from an opening in the broken stone.  A golden dagger rested on the
old, stone altar.  Reggie let out a tiny, shrill scream.  She plummeted through
a narrow opening in the