Chapter one

Chapter 1​[Are you sure you'd like to become a Sinner?]​I tapped the 'yes' button.​A second later, my eyes shot open.​"You're awfully quick to decide, young one. Tell me, does the love in your heart burn that strongly?" The figure that stood before me was easily eight feet tall, with long, sinewy limbs that looked barely held together. Thousands of eyes blinked at me, while within the center of its mass lay a single mouth of razor-sharp teeth.​"It's more than that. I'd do anything for her."​"Even now that you've seen your benefactor?"​"Yes."​I had no reason to question it.​"Then, let's discuss the stakes of this arrangement and your new life as a Sinner. First, let me ask you this: What if your lover found someone else? After all, I never told you when you'd be returning to the living. What if this Silica is utterly smitten with another? There's that... and the matter of your new identity."​"My new identity?"​"I can't very well go raising a gutted mess of a corpse back, can I?"​"I guess not. But how will Silica recognize me then?"​"Well, that's simple, dear. She won't."​I paused, my mouth opening. "Am I allowed to, like, go and see her?"​"Of course, and feel free to tell her everything. I do hope it works out. If she doesn't kill you for daring to impersonate her closest while she's grieving, that is."​I shook my head. "That's impossible. How could she not recognize me?"​"See for yourself." A mirror popped up directly before me.​I looked at my reflection. The only thing that hadn't changed was my skin tone. Still brown, I had long raven-colored hair and two wolf ears that sat atop my head. The body was feminine and toned, at. I had a shit-eating grin I couldn't seem to get rid of.​I was the exact kind of pretty, pompous person Silica hated, looking as if I hailed from some dukedom.​"P-Please."​"Cold feet, Artie? Or, sorry, Noel Faust?" It laughed, almost ferally. "I can already tell you'll be the most interesting Sinner yet. Now, let me explain how this will work."​I sighed but nodded as the mirror whisked itself away, leaving me in the dark room with this creature once more.​"Sinners are those risen from deaths predetermined by fate. You'll need to stay in the good favor of the gods not to be immediately smited back here, you know?"​"And... where am I, really?"​"Isn't it obvious? The afterlife."​I waited a moment to see if this monstrous creature was joking. When it said nothing, I just nodded.​"Anyway, you'll be able to see spirits not yet laid to rest. If you find any, help them resolve their pain. That's about it. Any questions?"​"Yeah, actually, is it possible t-"​My vision swirled as I suddenly woke up in a massive bed.​You've got to be kidding me.​"Master Noel! Rise and shine! Good mornings and tidings and blessings to a fine Lord such as yourself!"​– ​Silica Faeryn.​No amount of training or dulling my emotions could have prepared me for this. I found him. Yet I was too late. My reason for being was taken from me. I sat there... cradling him. I didn't know what else to do.​"Princess Silica!" one of the guards ran over.​I didn't know how long I had been there. The sun had set. I didn't respond. Time meant nothing. Nothing mattered anymore.​A sound went off. The specific ringtone I used for him.​But how? I scrambled to pull out my phone, struggling with the buttons with trembling fingers. I opened the notification, an image. A man's face. Based on the surroundings, it was taken right here. His phone lay broken on the floor a few meters from me, and I could see that... Artie had awakened. Had he restrained his killer long enough to take a photo? There was an unmistakable glow of earth Eldyr.​"Princess Silica, please respond! Get more people over here, there's been a murder!" The voice grew louder, more desperate. But the bustle around me faded, as it always did, when I was with him.​Snow fell around me.​"Thank you, my love. For giving me the clue I need." I stood.​"Send a message to his mother: triple security at all hours." I moved past the guard, blood covering my dress.​Artie, I'll make every single one of them pay. A crucible tattoo under the eye. they'll all freeze over.​Then I'll join you, my love.