“My gift?” I questioned, half surprised when my voice came out like normal speech. I’d half expected it to be out of my own head as well.

  

  All who walk the path receive gifts for your journey. The blessing of Yama are plenty, and more will come to you as you prove yourself.

  “Yama? Is that you?”

  

  It certainly is not you.

  Oh, jokes? That wasn’t expected. A tiny laugh was startled out of me before the giant deity extended both of its hands towards me. For a moment I thought I was supposed to take the rope or the mace, but then two glowing orbs suddenly manifested beneath each clenched fist.

  

  Choose your gift.

  I wondered if I was supposed to guess, but then when I focused on one, words appeared directly in my vision just like it did when I saw the two phantoms and other Reapers.

  

  Blessing of Yama

  Name: Strike of Justice

  Yama guides your hand against those who have avoided justice and sinners who have shirked punishment.

  Effect: Physical attacks with bonded weapon are more effective against corrupted foes

  Cost: More energy is expended during battle

  Whoa. That sounded pretty intense. And that was a gift for me? Almost like a powerup in Pac Man, or maybe even final fantasy.

  But what about the other one?

  

  Blessing of Yama

  Name: Peace for the Dead

  Yama guides your heart and mind to sooth the scared, the hurting, and the lost in order to bring them to their home.

  Effect: Volatile entities are more susceptible to solace tactics

  Cost: A fraction of the entity’s pain will become yours and require you to rest and process it to recover and return to full strength.

  “I can only choose one?” I asked, not because I thought it was unfair, but because I wanted to be sure I fully understood the rules. The last thing I wanted to do was misconstrue something that had me lose out on a direct blessing from the god Yama, whoever they were.

  

  Only one blessing is award at the beginning of your journey. Other gifts will come in time, but always, you must choose and guide your path.

  “Okay, so it’s like ensuring free will or something?”

  I knew why I was asking questions that should have been obvious because it was a relatively simple concept, but I was nervous and didn’t want to make a mistake. Clearly, I was about to do something that was going to have a permanent affect on my entire career/life as a Reaper. It was kind of a big deal and I was pretty sure I wouldn’t get an option to reroll my stats.

  

  Choose your gift.

  “Right, you mentioned that?” I took a centering breath before looking back to the second one, the one that was supposed to give peace. Once more, the scene I’d just experienced with the phantasm played through my head. She hadn’t wanted to hurt anyone, she’d just been so scared, confused, and lost. And while I knew not every lost soul would be like that, if enough of them were…

  To my untrained eye, it seemed like a very valuable skill.

  The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

  “That one,” I said, pointing.

  

  You have made your choice.

  So many things happened all at once. The orb burst into thousands of speckles of light, almost like a swarm of fireflies, before dissipating into the endless white around us. But even though I couldn't see it, I felt a surge of warmth go through me, a bubbling sort of effervescence I had never experienced before. For a moment, there was no more worry, there was no more stress, there was only a feeling of total comfort.

  Then, just like before, everything winked out. When I settled back into my body again, I realized that my feet were planted on a very real floor, and I was back in the ceremony room.

  “Well?” Gildebrak asked, grinning from ear to ear.

  I blinked several times as I looked at her, still trying to fully comprehend everything that had just happened. Then the runic circle below my feet suddenly illuminated, and I was suddenly engulfed in bright, gold light, and whipping winds.

  I was beginning to think that a pair of shades would be a good investment if I was going to continue my life with the Reapers, because jeez, they didn't seem to have a worry about any sort of ocular burnout at all.

  Perhaps I was a wee bit exasperated at so much stuff happening in rapid succession. It was magnificent, it really was, but it also was a little... much. I was definitely getting the feeling that whoever had fully set up the whole Reaper thing was an ancient theater kid.

  I didn't have a chance to verbalize my thoughts however, because suddenly more words were popping up in my vision, although they were far closer than any other I'd seen before.

  

  Name: Bridgette Nelson

  Race: Human

  Class: Reaper

  Level: 1

  Wait, level one?

  Did… did I just level up?

  The answer came when the wind and light began to slowly concentrate, growing smaller, and flatter, until it coalesced in a thick line in front of me. I raised my hands on instinct, almost cupping the light, and the moment my flesh touched it, everything solidified and I was holding none other than a giant scythe in my hands!

  It was heavy, I could tell that much, and yet it didn’t feel like I was holding some massive weapon. I couldn't really explain it, but it was almost as if the psyche was just a natural extension of my arm. Like I could feel through it. Not quite as well as I could get sensation through my fingertips, but in a way that was entirely paranormal.

  “This is mine?” I asked breathlessly, completely flabbergasted as I slowly lifted it up, then down, then tried holding it in one hand in the classic grim Reaper pose. It was taller than me by a good amount, and the curved blade are completely over my head, almost coming down to touch the other shoulder.

  “It is,” Gildebrak said, still grinning like a loon. “What are you gonna name it?”

  I was surprised enough by the question that it actually drew my gaze in her direction. “Wait, I'm the one who gets to name it? It's not just magically christened by Yama or whoever?”

  “Ooooh, Yama is who greeted you? That’s interesting!”

  “Yama?” The Lord of the Dead Chimed in, finally closing the massive book that he was holding. “We haven't had one of those in quite a while.”

  Once more, too much information was being given without allowing me time to clarify enough. I had wanted to concentrate on the whole weapon naming thing, but now dozens of more questions were generating in my mind.

  “Wait, there are multiple gods who initiate new Reapers?” I asked.

  Gildebrak nodded casually like that wasn’t the most incredible thing. “There are several gods of death who kind of hold the Reaper stuff down. Most of them are only involved with initiation, exile, blessings, and the like. Ayelala is one of the few that oversees so many departments while maintaining her hell dimension.”

  “What does it mean?” I asked, feeling my mind trying to rapidly tuck away so many little details. “Getting Yama, that is.”

  “Getting different gods doesn't mean specific things,” Orson said calmly, striding over to examine my scythe. Thankfully, he didn't try to take it from my grip, because I was pretty sure I would instinctively throw hands if he attempted anything of the sort. “They appear to who they're called to, and that's about the long and short of it. I suppose it can speak a bit to your personality, or even your fate, which God is drawn to you, but that's about it.”

  “Oh, well that makes sense I suppose.” It was a little disappointing that it wasn’t prophetic or an indication of character or anything, but not the worst news.

  “Now, back to naming your scythe…”

  “Hold your horses, Mortie Man,” I said, looking up at the glinting blade. “I’ve got to get to know her a bit first.”

  “Your weapon can’t bond with you if you don’t name it,” Gildebrak said.

  “Wait what? I have to do it now? Under duress? What if I end up hating the name?”

  “Don’t worry, you get an upgrade at level five, and you to change weapon types and rename it. I’ve actually gone through two different types.”

  “I see…” While I was glad that the shorter woman was so quick with the explanation, it still seemed so mind-boggling. “Well, I suppose I’d name her… Haute Cutter.”

  “Hot cutter?” Gildebrak repeated dubiously.

  “Don’t be obtuse,” I shot back. “It’s Haute Cutter like Haute Couture. You know, fashion, except it’s all slicey!”

  Gildebrak looked like she was trying very hard not to laugh while the Lord of the Dead was much more dubious.

  “You want to name your weapon after a pun about clothing?”

  “No, I want to name my weapon after a pun about fashion.”

  “You really—”

  Suddenly my scythe began to vibrate in my hands, letting out a ringing sound as it began to glow once again.

  “I never noticed it until you pointed it out, but we Reapers really love our light shows, don’t we?”

  The voice wasn’t quite enough to distract me, but it did make me smile slightly as I watched my scythe get brighter and brighter. Then, just before I would have to close my eyes to protect them, more words appeared in my vision.

  

  Name: Haute Cutter

  Type: Bladed Polearm

  Sub-Type: Scythe

  Bonded: Bridgette Nelson

  “Actually, I prefer to be called Bridges,” I said. I hadn’t thought to correct it before given everything that was going on, but I didn’t want my every victory to be logged under the wrong name. I hadn’t been Bridgette since I was five, pretty much.

  I didn’t actually expect that to work, and yet, the message completely vanished for a couple of seconds before returning again.

  

  Name: Haute Cutter

  Type: Bladed Polearm

  Sub-Type: Scythe

  Bonded: Bridges Nelson

  “Thank you, that’s much better.”

  I swore that my scythe vibrated in response before it burst into a spray of lights much like the blessing I’d gotten from Yama, but instead of dissipating, it all coalesced down towards my wrist.

  “Whoa…” I murmured, watching as those golden flecks settled into my skin. And when everything finally cleared, I saw a new, shining rune on the tattoo there. “It really is my scythe.”

  “That it is,” Gildebrak said, offering her hand as if she were going to guide me out of the circle. “You are officially a Reaper, Bridges! It’s nice to have you on board.”