The War

Damien and Martin agreed with Joshua. Florence couldn't believe that everyone thought he was trying to kill them.

Dark came back with Sandwiches on a Plate.

Florence looked at the sandwiches.

They were plant sandwiches.

Florence was momentarily distracted.

Dark took a sandwich. Dark was rather used to being mortal.

Cassandra suddenly grabbed Florence's hand and showed everybody the black circle marking. The Reapers all knew what it meant. "I know you think he's a bad guy, but he really isn't."

Dark didn't know what that was.

"It's a mark that drains the power of a Reaper.If he had wanted, he could have had Gaia remove it, or became an Apostle and it would have gone away. He obviously feels guilty about something and is punishing himself."

"Like what?"

"No idea." Cassandra said. Florence pulled his hand away.

"You didn't have to show them that. It doesn't concern them."

Dark sighed. "Things like this make me glad I'm mortal."

Joshua ignored that comment. "If the mark is supposed to weaken him, how come Florence is the only one of us who's actually getting stronger as time passes? Even if he has a conscience, we don't know for sure if he's innocent."

Damien wished he were mortal again.

Dark continued to eat sandwiches. "So, how do we get rid of it."

No one knew.

Dark sighed. "Why does he have it in the first place?"

"That mark is reserved for Reapers who break promises. Although it may be extreme, most of us have come to understand that this means death. What promise he may have broken I do not know." Joshua explained.

Dark looked at Florence. "What promise?"

"It doesn't matter."

"And there's no way to undo it?"

"As far as we know." Joshua said. "He should be dead by now."

"So, what happens when you turn mortal?" Dark was asking all of them.

"Well, for most of us, we will grow old rather quickly and die as time catches up. Exceptions include Martin and Damien, as they haven't been dead for longer than their mortal lifespan."

Damien nodded. "Theoretically, I come back to life, but my soul would still be bound to the Reapers, so..."

Martin basically just agreed with what everyone else was saying.

Dark nodded. "Again, I'm glad I'm a mortal."

"Yeah, things start to get complicated after you die."