Death as actually quite comfortable.
Then again, shouldn't it have been?
It was the end after all but, somehow, it felt somewhat off.
This place couldn't have been hell.
There wasn't brimstone. The stench of sulfur didn't permeate the air, making it difficult to breathe. There were no demons, none tactual anyway. There was no fire. It was just dark, yet green eyes could still see. It was just dark and with that in mind, he doubted that he was in Hell or even Heaven for that matter.
There were no pearly or golden gates standing. There weren't any stairs or an escalator; no elevator. There wasn't any soft, enchanting notes were drifting through fresh air. There weren't any fluffy ass clouds floating by either. Angels weren't lazily flying by as the sung hymns or prayers.
It was just dark.
There was nothing in sight.
Purgatory came to mind soon enough. Only thing was that if Hell was supposed to be desolate, dreary, and torturing while Heaven was to be light, cheerful and at peace, the raven was at a loss.
If light and dark made a grey, then this couldn't truly have been Purgatory.
It was dark, yes but not grey. On the other hand, the raven concluded that he could've had the afterlife realms mixed up.
He wasn't really one to dabble in religion, since it never proved or done anything useful for him.
Limbo was shot down soon enough so he sat there, alone and in the dark.
**Tick-tock**
Seconds ticked by before dragging into minutes. Minutes turned to moments turned to hours before it time to mesh altogether. Time seemed irrelevant. It seemed to meld together, leaving even the sense of it to become indeterminable.
Darkness enveloped the area. Glossy emerald-colored eyes had adjusted to it though there was nothing to see. They couldn't see their owner's hands at one point. The clothes that had once seemed visible at one point soon became harder and harder to distinguish before it was distinguishable at all. However, despite the growing loss of visibility, the raven managed to see a light shining just up ahead. Reaching out towards it still proved to be another story.
Every time he reached for it, the beacon would disappear, leaving him to drop his hand back to his side in defeat, Dark once again, the man slowly closed his eyes as the isolation crept in on him.
"My, my."
Opening one eye a bit, it looked about to find the same empty expanse, its objects hidden from his view.
Nothing's here…
"Hey, wake up."
Opening both eyes the second time around, the man stared at the light before stepping back as something else began to inch forward. Making it out to be a hand, he stared at the thing, raising an eyebrow as it beckoned him closer. Confused as to how he could see this thing but nothing else, he took several steps more as the floating hand appeared to grow substantially when he didn't do as told.
"Hey, come back."
Dodging the hand bigger than he, the dark-haired male turned to run off though he wasn't expecting a second hand to appear, yet alone get a hold of him.
"Let go!"
"Hey, it's time to wake op."
What…? I'm not sleeping…am I?
"C'mon, wakey wakey."
Watching more so than feeling the fingers unfurl, the glossy eyes noted the light up ahead before hearing the voice telling him to wake up once more. A nudge had him looking about before he started towards the only thing lighting the otherwise miserable place.
Looking over his shoulder to see nothing at all, he continued forward, simply slowing when a hand extended towards him. Seeing how it was normal size now, the raven stopped. Observing how the fingers curled to tell him to proceed, he finally did so, reaching out with his own hand.
The light.
It was much too bright, much too blinding.
It was almost disorienting before the raven's eyes managed to adjust slowly to it.
"Well, hello there."
Blinking once to refocus his sight, the man blinked again before bringing his attention to the glass being presented to him. Taking it in one hand as he sat up, he set the goblet down on a lacquered, mahogany tabletop prior to looking back up at the individual that had busied themselves at the other side of a well furnished room.
Pictures of lavish ballrooms and fancy cladded people adorned warmly wallpapered walls. A large crystal chandelier cast a soothing and golden glow along the white tiled flooring. A double-door cabinet seemed to showcase lavishly polished swords of perhaps the highest quality while another, stationed several feet away, housed an extensive collection of books. Other doors led to other rooms though the man wasn't too keen on finding out what was beyond them lest it led to a way out.
Something then struck him as off.
Looking around, he rose to his feet stumbling like a newborn lamb before dropping to his knees.
"N…Nora…?"
"Hmm?"
Glancing back at the other who was now wiping their hands, the one with green eyes backed off once the other glanced at him. "W…who…?"
"My, your voice sounds terrible. You must be thirsty, Please, help yourself." The guest eyed his presented drink critically. "It's not poisoned. I promise."
"Can't…trust y-"
"Trust me; if I wanted you dead, I would've killed you myself, yet alone take the time to bring you back," came the reply.
Bring me back…?
"Do drink up, please?"
Taking a sip of the offered item, the raven looked down at the deep red liquid swirling about in his glass. A slight metallic flavor seemed to settle along his tongue, filling his nostrils with a scent similar to copper before being chased off by a warm yet sweet aftertaste that seemed to go down his parched throat rather easily.
"Where's Nora?"
"Hmm?"
"I know you heard me." Cringing slightly at the chuckle, he sneered. "Where?-"
"Luka, relax."
Eyes widening for a brief moment, they then narrowed. "How do you know my name?"
"Your wallet."
"I don't carry one." Glaring at his host, the one named Luka looked around once more prior to glaring at the other once more. "Where's-"
"Nora is fine."
"Where-?"
"Your friend is back in bed."
"I don't believe you."
"You're a very skeptic person, aren't cha?" Glancing back at his guest, the other individual tossed a phone his way before tending his own business once more. "Feel free to call him if you truly do not believe me."
Eyeing the device given, the raven picked it up, watching his host for a moment or so before dialing in a number.
The line rang and rang some more.
C'mon….c'mon…
Stealing a quick glance at the other that seemed to be rummaging through a small closet, the man focused on the call at hand.
The line still rang.
"H-hello?"
"Nora?"
"Mmmm…yeah? Luka, do you know what time it is?"
"No."
"It's almost four in the morn-Luka?"
"Nora, he sighed.
"Luka." Quieting at the whisper, said person tensed. "Are you….are you in trouble? Are you hurt? Do you need me to come get you? Should I-"
"Nora."
"Yes?"
"I'm fine."
"But-"
"I'm fine. Go back to bed."
"But"-
"See?" Green-colored eyes shot towards the other as the door closed. "Your friend is fine."
"Yeah," the newly dubbed Luka confirmed as he set the phone down. "Thanks, whoever you are, but I'm going to get going now."
"You don't wanna stay?"
"I have things to do."
"Surely you don't."
"I need to get home."
"I don't think you can call alleyways and benches home; that or that ratty little crack house on the other side of town either." Luka just gritted his teeth. "Then again, I'm sure Nora would give you a place, yes? Meals included."
"I don't have time for this," the dark-haired man groused, walking towards the door. He sneered when the knob wouldn't turn prior to listening to the lock tumblers falling into place.
"Well, looks like you'll have to make time, Luka dear."
