A Deal with Death
((Note: I do not own, or claim to own, either Reapertale or GZtale. Those belong to the amazing and talented renrink and Bladedee, respectively))
*One month before the Xibalba event began*
Cronus bowed to the Reaper gratefully, and waved as he left through his portal. As long as everything goes to plan, with both Darkwing and the Occulous, this plan should work, Cronus thought. He had been able to strike a bargain with a Reaper!Sans, and had secured a vital piece of his plan. Cronus huffed, and started to reflect on what had happened today, what he had done….
Cronus had specifically been searching for a Reapertale timeline. For one, in particular, where the Goddess of Life was still alive, before Chara got to her. Cronus had appeared in front of the Reaper, who took a hostile stance almost instantly.
Cronus raised his right hand, and said “Look, friend, I’m not here to fight with you. I have no intention to fight a Reaper. Though, I didn’t come here for nothing.” Cronus’ expression became serious, almost grim in appearance “Right now, your mistake is closing in on the Goddess of Life. We both know which mistake I’m talking about. If you want to save her, come with me, now.” Cronus then opened a portal, and looked back at the Reaper.
He had looked conflicted, several emotions playing on his ghastly visage “How do I know you're telling the truth? For all I know, you’re leading me to an ambush.” Yet, he still seemed uncertain, and was shifting on the heels of his feet.
Cronus sighed, annoyed. “If I was going to ambush you, I wouldn’t have revealed myself like this. There isn’t much time left to save her. We have to go, now!”
Cronus then turned to the portal, giving a look behind his back, and saw the Reaper was following him. He then stepped into the portal, summoning two bone swords as he stepped through it. Both Cronus and the Reaper entered an eight foot free fall into the Goddess of Life’s sanctuary, Cronus landing in between the Goddess and Chara. Cronus then intercepted the attack by Chara with one of his swords, and, giving Chara a smile filled with malice, chuckled,
“Heh heh, you were close. So very close to plunging this world to chaos, disorder, death. But not close enough.”
With that, Cronus disarmed the dead child of his weapon, and stabbed both of his swords into his chest, raising him high above his head. He heard the cry the child gave, saw the blood coming out of his wounds, the blackness of it. He even heard the child cry out to its creator, the very thing it was about to kill. All of this, Cronus heard and saw, but did not care, his only response he gave was to the Reaper.
“Quickly, I can’t hold him for much longer! The corruption from its blood is corroding my blades. Hurry, Reaper, and end it!”
The goddess gave a cry at that, but not the Reaper, who jumped into the air, yelling in rage “You DARE to try and kill a god?! Not only that, but the one who made you, who created you?!? Who suffered so much when you died?? That is unforgivable enough, even for what has happened to you. I’m sorry, for how I treated you, for not finishing the job the first time. I’ll make this quick!” With that, the Reaper gave a mighty slice, bisecting the dead child. It let out an unholy scream, but quickly began to fade, a feeling of peace and serenity surrounding it in the form of a light, as its corporal body disappeared
The Reaper then turned to the Goddess of Life, and fell to his knees “I’m sorry. I lied to you, by telling you Chara went peacefully. Chara escaped me, running into the River Styx. I wasn’t able to find the child, and left it for dead. I am so very, very sorry….” A tear fell down from his visage, something that surprised both the Goddess and Cronus. “I- I love you, Torial. I didn’t want you to think less of me, for failing to ensure Chara went to death peacefully…”
The Goddess then knelt next to the Reaper, and, lifting his sad, tear-filled face, kissed him, sending sparks from the contact. “Sans, I-I love you, too. I would never have stopped, even if you told me the truth. At least, Chara is now resting in peace.” The two immortal beings embraced, both crying and laughing.
Cronus then opened a portal, and said, “Reaper, when you have a moment, I’ll be waiting for you in the place we first met.” With that, Cronus stepped into the portal, and appeared where he first met the Reaper. He then, for the first time, noticed where that was, an open field in full bloom. Cronus chuckled, thinking at the irony of it, and sat down, crossing his legs. He began to meditate, as a way of passing the time as he waited for the Reaper.
Several hours later, the Reaper appeared, a look of gratitude on his face. “Thank you, friend. If it wasn’t for you, this world would have been thrown into chaos, and the love of my life would be dead. How can I ever repay you?”
Cronus rose, and replied “I am happy that I was able to assist, even in this small way. As for the reward you mentioned, I have a boon to ask of you.” Cronus paused, an expressionless look on his face. “Starting tomorrow, I need you to collect all the souls of the sentient dead, both human and monster, and place them in a realm besides death, where they won’t shatter. I do plan on returning them to the afterlife, but need them to bargain with the lords of the Underworld. Can you do this for me?”
The Reaper, in a moment of shock, said nothing. Then, slowly, he replied. “Friend, for what you have done, I am willing to do this for you. However, I don’t even know your name. How am I supposed to know when you come for them?”
Cronus, upon hearing this, replied “Have the realm only be accessed by you and me only. And as for my name, I am Cronus, the Wanderer of the Multiverse, a Lord of Time and Determination.”
The rest, Cronus thought, was already said. He hoped that, by doing this, he was able to bargain with any immortal being he came across, as he knew he was playing a dangerous game. Cronus then sighed, shaking his head. Hopefully, his brothers didn’t press him too much as to how he freed them, as what had asked of the Reaper was damnation for his charges, whether they are young or old, innocent or malevolent, meek or strong. This didn’t matter to Cronus. The only thing that did was freeing his family, helping them. How he did it, Cronus thought, did not matter. The means, in this case, justified the ends...
