Book 2: Chapter 37 (1/2)

“Perhaps,” Mr. Skelly said and sighed. “I don’t feel like a monster. There’s no urge for me to attack anyone. I just want to see my wife and kids before I depart for the next world.”

“I understand,” the receptionist said. He turned around and shouted into the back room. “Polly, call in three available guild sweepers for a quick mission.”

“Sure thing,” a woman’s voice said from the room. Moments later, a group of three women stepped into the lobby from upstairs. They had dark circles underneath their eyes as well, and their skin was pale as if they hadn’t seen the light of day for several weeks.

“We’re very busy since the guild master’s left,” one of the woman said and frowned at the receptionist. “What do you want?”

The receptionist pointed at Mr. Skelly. The undead leader waved at them and smiled before ducking a spear thrust.

The guild sweeper frowned as she withdrew her spear. It disappeared into thin air a moment later. “A skeleton? An undead is in Anfang?”

“There were special circumstances,” the receptionist said with a dry laugh. He stepped in front of the sweeper, blocking Mr. Skelly from her view. She frowned and pushed his head aside before leaning over the counter.

“Undead aren’t allowed. Not here, not there, not anywhere. All undead are to be exterminated as per town, city, guild, nation, and holy dragon rules.” Her spear materialized in her hand again, but a group of adventurers stepped forward and shielded Mr. Skelly. “Step aside. As a guild sweeper, I have duties to perform. My responsibilities are even greater now that the guild master is on vacation. If she finds out a skeleton managed to enter Anfang, she’d burn the guild to the ground. And if that happens, I’ll be out of a job, so move!”

“Wait!”

The sweeper ignored the man who shouted and thrust her spear at Mr. Skelly. An adventurer stepped forward and blocked her strike with his shield. “You can’t do this! He’s Richard, leader of the Happy Frogs!”

“He’s an undead.” The sweeper twirled her spear as she stepped on top of the receptionist’s counter. Her spear stopped twirling, its tip pointing at Mr. Skelly who was crouched on the ground, skeletal hands covering his skull. “Undead are irrational, unable to make conscious decisions, mindless monsters bent on fulfilling their basic needs despite the fact they’re dead. They can’t speak or—”

“Richard can speak!”

The sweeper’s brow furrowed, and she stabbed her spear into the counter. “Really? Then why don’t you say something, Richard? If you can’t—”

Mr. Skelly raised his head, meeting the sweeper’s gaze. “Please, I just want to see my wife and kids before I resign myself to the cemetery.”

The sweeper froze. The other two guild sweeper’s behind her murmured to each other. “…What the heck?” the sweeper asked. “What’s going on?”

“After I died, I saw a messenger of god who granted me a final wish. I asked to see my loved ones one more time before I passed on,” Mr. Skelly said. “When I woke up from what I thought was a dream, I was like this. I didn’t know what else to do other than head home. I was given a chance to tell my wife goodbye. I have to take it.”

The guild sweeper sighed and lowered her hand, the spear disappearing from her grasp. “If only the guild master were here, she’d know what to do.” She turned towards the receptionist. “Have you sent word to the mayor?”

“I was about to,” the receptionist said. “But I wanted you three to escort them to their families first, then make sure they go to the cemetery to be purified and buried.”

“I understand.” The sweeper frowned at Mr. Skelly and his two companions. “It really wouldn’t feel right to kill them again. If he couldn’t speak or showed any signs of being a monster, I wouldn’t hesitate…, but as he is now, I can’t do it. It’s a shame, really. The Happy Frogs were a role model for aspiring adventurer groups.”

***

“I’ll wait outside.” A woman stood beside a skeleton, facing a gray building marked with black flags on the corners.

Mr. Skelly nodded at the guild sweeper who had guided him to Richard’s home. Richard’s wife had cried her eyes out, and their two children were devastated. If Mr. Skelly had a heart, he might’ve broke down and told the woman her husband was still alive albeit a prisoner on a beach. He did tell her to pray to the Corrupted One for a miracle, but he didn’t know if she’d listen.

Mr. Skelly entered the building and walked up to the counter inside. A man wearing a black suit and a veil that covered his face was reading a book. He looked up when he heard Mr. Skelly’s clacking footsteps approach. The man’s book slid out of his hands as he froze. A second passed as Mr. Skelly scratched his skull. “Well, this is a first,” the man said and picked up his book before sitting up straight. “None of my clients have ever spoken to me before. Because they’re dead.”

Mr. Skelly laughed. “So you’re the mortician.”

“That’s right,” the man said with a nod. “And you’re a skeleton. Is this a fairy’s prank?”

“No,” Mr. Skelly said and shook his head. “It seems like you haven’t heard the news.”

“The news?” the mortician asked. “What—”

A skeletal hand wrapped around his mouth and waist as a skeleton appeared behind him, cutting off the mortician’s words. Strangled cries escaped from the mortician’s mouth as he bit down on the skeleton’s fingers, hurting his own teeth in the process. Mr. Skelly grinned as Rella flitted to his side. She held up her fingers in a ‘V’ for victory. “Easy as pie.”

Mr. Skelly nodded. “Excellent work. Now turn me into him.”