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The year is 1889, the place is the city of Whiteraven in the Republic of Barthonia.

A large crowd of people, from the poor and destitute to the rich and haughty all gathered in the town square around the public gallows. The crowd consisted of everything from humans, therians of all kinds, kobolds and even dragons. It was here where they would witness the final moments of a murderer, or so they were lead to believe.

The gallows was a tall and frightening device, standing high above the square with a long platform where many condemned criminals could be hanged at once. Seven trap doors were spaced out along the platform with one in the middle and three more on either side. Above these was a long crossbeam, and dangling above each of the trap doors was a thick, heavy noose with 13 turns, opened and waiting for the necks of the condemned.

Only a single person was going to be hanged today. Normally, executions would be delayed until all seven spots were filled to make for a more exciting show for the bloodthirsty rabble, but the Purveyor of Justice, Nicholas Hector, and the father of the victim rushed to see the condemned man hang as fast as possible. Nicholas stood on the platform of the gallows, he was a weasely looking man, a therian mongoose with his grey hair tied back in a pony tail. Nicholas wore white pants, black boots and an elaborate blue and gold trimmed uniform with epauettes, signifying his status.

As Purveyor of Justice of the town of Whiteraven, Nicholas had a number of tasks he needed to perform. He was primarily the chief of police, but he also oversaw executions in the public square. Standing beside the trap door in the center of the gallows was the executioner, Nadia Garibaldi, a female therian raccoon dressed in a black law officer's uniform and wearing a kepi cap, she had an expression of sadness, and would rather be anywhere else. At the bottom of the gallows was Rufus, a therian rat wearing a brown cap, brown pants with suspenders, a white shirt and red bowtie. Rufus was Hector's camera man, he would film the hangings he performed and give them to him for archival reasons. And finally, at the front of the crowd was Lawrence Pottle, the wealthy man who owned the Pottle Shipping Company and the father of the victim, 19 year old Peter Pottle. Lawrence was a tall therian goat with sharp horns pointed backwards, spade-like ears that protruded from either side of his head, light grey fur and a long gotee. He wore black pants, a black jacket, cape, a bowler hat and dark tinted glasses which obscured his eyes. He held a cane made of ebony in his hand, with a top made of silver shaped like the head of an eastern dragon.

The condemned criminal was a young man of the age of 21, his name was Dmitri Molotov. Dmitri was a therian snake, he was a sickly young man with dull, green scales which were once a vibrant leaf green, messy black hair and a scrawny build, standing less than 6 feet tall and weighing less than a hundred pounds with thin arms and legs, a boney chest and tired eyes that looked as if he had not slept in days. He was a shabby sight, sitting on the edge of his prison bed and clad in a black and white striped uniform and prison hat with brown, torn up shoes covering his feet. The cell was approached by two guards and a fox priest, dressed in black robes and wearing a necklace of beads and a golden ankh on his chest.

"It's time, scaley!" One of the guards said derisively. Dmitri got to his feet and swallowed nervously, fearing the final moment.

Dmitri's hands were tied behind his back, and his tail was tucked behind them, forcing it to point upwards so he couldn't use it to try and save himself. Dmitri's heart raced, his yellow cat-like eyes were wide with fear of what was to happen. Dmitri felt like he wanted to cry, he was innocent of murdering Peter. Peter was his best friend, he saw with his own eyes who the killer was and tried to fight him, only for him to escape and leave Dmitri to be framed for the act. Dmitri held back his tears, it was unfair that his life was going to end just as he reached adulthood, but the last thing he wanted was to give the waiting crowd of heckling animals something to mock him for in his last moments.

The guard shoved Dmitri with his rifle to move him along as they reached the gate of the city jail. The priest turned to Dmitri and spoke quietly.

"Be brave, the gods are waiting." He said in a quiet voice, and one of the guards smirked and gave a mocking huff. The words didn't offer any comfort to Dmitri, he didn't believe in the gods and if they did exist he felt they would only judge him on his petty flaws. As soon as the gate opened, Dmitri was once again pushed forward, through the crowd of onlookers and hecklers who considered his impending death their weekly entertainment, and towards the death machine that awaited him at the end of his final destination. Dmitri looked up at the machine, seeing an open noose waiting for him.

Dmitri was forced to walk up the staircase and onto the platform which overlooked the center of the city. He was disgusted by the burlesque of the whole thing, people were hooting and hollaring, mothers brought their children, and curses and slurs were thrown his way. Dmitri wished that if the gods were real they'd drop a ball of fire directly onto each and every one of them. Dmitri faced Nadia, it was an unfortunate reunion neither of them wanted.

"Hello Nadia." Dmitri said quietly. Nadia lowered her head silently, not wanting to speak. Part of her didn't believe that Dmitri killed Peter, they were once very good friends. Although Dmitri was reluctant to forgive Nadia for what was about to happen, he knew it was her job, and was grateful that at least she would make it quick. Nicholas Hector smiled at Dmitri and approached him.

"She can hardly even look at you." Nicholas said mockingly. "I hope you put on a good show for the good people of Whiteraven today."

Dmitri did not dignify the sadistic purveyor's comment with a response.

"Any last words scum?" Nicholas said. Once again, Dmitri said nothing, Nicholas frowned and faced the crowd.

"Hang that scaley!" A random man from the crowd shouted. Nicholas then walked to the edge of the gallows, placing his hands on the railing and looking towards the crowd before him.

"Fair people of Whiteraven, today we bring justice to a vile murderer who has brought chaos to our city. The man who killed Peter Pottle, Dmitri Molotov, stands before you today to take his flight to the underworld!" Nicholas spoke to the crowd, who cheered and clapped in response. Nadia approached Dmitri from the left.

"I'm sorry Dem." Nadia said apologetically. "Please, don't make this worse for the two of us. I promise it'll be quick."

Dmitri nodded understandingly, and Nadia proceeded to put a leather belt around Dmitri's chest, drawing it tight to squeeze his arms and tail to his body and forcing him to stand straight.

"I have one last request." Dmitri said. Nadia paused for a moment to listen to what he had to say.

"I was not the one who killed Peter. The man who killed him was a praying mantis missing half an antennae." Dmitri said.

"I can't stop this, Dmitri." Nadia said, assuming he was trying to delay the execution.

"I know. Do what you must, but when this is over I want you to stop the killer and prove my innocence." Dmitri said. "I want you to at least try. Please..."

Nadia hesitated for a moment but nodded her head.

"I believe you." Nadia said. "I'll honor your last request."

Nadia then applied a second belt around Dmitri's ankles, tightly forcing his feet together in the center of the trap door. As Nadia was getting to her feet while Nicholas continued his speech, Dmitri took one final look at the crowd.

Far in the back of the crowd was someone who didn't look like the others. He was a tall, handsome raven man with coal black feathers and an even darker beak. His eyes were a shade of blue that made them seem almost grey, like the clouds that roll off the mountain, and his body was physically fit, tall and strong but not muscular and bulky. He was well dressed in black pants, a black vest and white dress shirt, a black jacket, fine shoes, an inverness cape and a silk tophat. Upon making eye contact with the raven man who seemed to be unoticed by the crowd that surrounded him, he gave Dmitri a subtle nod and polite tip of his hat.

"It's time, Dem." Nadia said sadly, holding a black hood in her hands. Dmitri took a deep breath as Nadia pulled the hood over his head, which obscured his vision as it was pulled down.

The cloth hood was thin enough he could still breathe, and small pinpricks of light from the dim sun breaking through the October overcast shined through. The hood offered Dmitri some slight comfort, he didn't have to look at the crowd and their heckling became like white noise. Nadia took the noose and put it over Dmitri's head, and then drew it tightly around his neck, just beneath his jaw with the turns resting beneath his left ear area. The noose rested on Dmitri's shoulder, coiled around his neck like a python, and had a surprising weight to it. After Dmitri was fully bound and prepared for execution, Nadia regrettably went to the mechanism to release the trap door.

"Be brave Dem, and if you meet Peter on the other side, tell him I'll be okay." Nadia said before she left. As Dmitri heard Nadia's footsteps approach the mechanism it sent chills of fear throughout his body from the tip of his tail to the back of his neck. As fear began to overcome him, Dmitri began to breathe heavily into his hood with panicked breaths, the hood billowing in and out against his face as he did. Dmitri's legs were weak, and he felt as though he could hardly stand.

Nadia approached the mechanism, a series of seven metal rings attached to the crossbeam of the gallows opposite to the stairs. She took hold of the fourth ring in her hand and waited for Nicholas' signal. As the anticipation of the final moment came close, Dmitri's breathing grew quicker and heavier, and his knees began to involuntarily shake with fear. After a minute or so of waiting, Nicholas gave Nadia his signal.

"I'm sorry, Dmitri!" Nadia said and shut her eyes tightly as she pulled the ring out and a heavy sandbag fell down, activating the trap door Dmitri was standing on.

Dmitri felt the trap door collapse beneath his feet, and then he felt weightlessness. The frightening sensation was similar to tripping up in your own shoelaces, or being unexpectedly shoved over a ledge. Panic and terror filled Dmitri, he tensed his body, clenching his bound hands into tight fists and lifting his legs as he helplessly fell downward, he clenched his misty eyes shut with the only thought in his head being the panicked realization that he was about to die. Dmitri didn't scream, but he let out low sound that was a mix of a gasp and a muffled whimper as he fell. Suddenly, the rope snapped tight as he reached the end.

Dmitri woke up, not with a start like waking from a nightmare though. In fact, Dmitri felt well rested and energized. He was laying in a big, cozy bed with a wooden frame with a circular headboard, on a large fluffy pillow where his head rested. His body was covered by a warm, red and orange checkered comforter with a beige blanket underneath that was pulled up to his shoulders. He stretched his scaly arms and yawned as he sat up, his serpentine tongue sticking out as he did. His long tail was resting over his legs and coiled up at the end beneath the blankets. Dmitri's tail was quite long, typical of therian snakes, it was about half as wide as his hips and from base to tip was about 4 and a half feet in length with dark, rough scales on top and smooth, greenish-yellow segmented scales underneath.

Sitting up in bed, Dmitri felt relief that his execution was just an intense nightmare, and fell back onto the pillow with a sigh. Dmitri was confused though, he wondered where exactly he was. It was definitely not his leaky old shack in the Slavastrian part of town where he lived, and it didn't look like Peter's estate. Dmitri sat up again and finally decided to throw his sheets to the side and get out of bed. His bare feet, covered in scales and ending in short, black hooked claws touched down on a soft carpet warmed by the morning sunlight. He looked around the well furnished room, there was a desk with a typewriter on it under the window, a bookshelf nearby with a number of books ranging from history and science to fantasy and fiction. A cozy chair made of fine wood and padded with red velvet was next to his bed, and beside that was a small table and a gramophone which played a quiet, jazzy tune from a record on it. In another corner of the room was a wardrobe with a mirror beside it and a wooden folding screen for privacy, decorated with eastern depictions of cherry blossom trees. Despite everything that was in it, the room Dmitri was more spacious than any he had ever been in, leading to conclude that it was the estate of a very wealthy person.

Dmitri approached the mirror next to the wardrobe and looked at it. The person in the mirror who looked back at him was almost unrecognizeable. Dmitri's scrawny body was fuller, his twig-like arms were thicker, his hips were a bit rounder and he could no longer see his ribs, his normally dull and pale scales were vibrant, and his tired and baggy eyes looked well rested and sharp.

Dmitri went to get some clothes from the wardrobe. He picked out some maroon colored pants and a matching vest, a pair of white socks, a shirt, a green ascot, and finally a hat. He had several options of hats to choose, but the one Dmitri chose was a brown cap with a black leather brim and band on the front that was connected to it with a pair of brass buttons on the side. He preferred the comfort and style of a cap, and felt it suited him. After putting it on and tilting it slightly back to allow a few bangs of silky black hair to escape and rest on his forehead, he adjusted his ascot as he looked at himself in the mirror. Dmitri thought he looked good, certainly better than he did in a ratty prison uniform.

Now fully dressed, Dmitri took another look at the bedroom he was in, which had its own fireplace. On the mantle was a fiddle and bow resting on a small stand, excitedly he snatched it up. Dmitri placed the fiddle under his chin and started to play a tune as he danced along. To Dmitri there was no happier sound in the world than the bright and cheerful sound of a fiddle. He would have words for anyone who told him that the fiddle and the violin were the same instrument, Peter played classical violin and always felt that the sound was much too sorrowful for his liking. But the fiddle to Dmitri was a sound that made you feel happy and want to dance.

"You play beautifully! Bravo!" The voice of a young and feminine sounding man said from the entrance of the bedroom. Dmitri stopped playing and turned around in embarrassment, realizing that whoever saw him witnessed him dancing like a fool. Dmitri quietly placed the fiddle back on the mantle and looked to his visitor bashfully.

"Thank you." Dmitri said, but with a hint of shame and awkwardness in his voice. When Dmitri saw his visitor, he realized it was the maid. To Dmitri's surprise, the maid was a young man, a therian moth with soft, white fuzz covering his body, a feminine build with a flat chest, four delicate arms ending with four chubby black claws, silky wings that laid flat against his back, and an oblong head with soft, round features, a sweet smile, large blue eyes and a pair of large, feather-like antennae that rose from his head like the ears of a rabbit. He was dressed in a woman's maid uniform, a black dress with white frills around the bottom of his skirt, a frilly white apron that covered his waist and chest, white stockings that went up to his knees, shiny black shoes and a white frilly mob cap with custom holes for his antennae. From beneath his skirt was a chubby, segmented moth tail that protruded from behind and hung downward slightly. The moth maid rose one of his antennae curiously and laughed.

"When you're ready, please follow me to the dining room. I've prepared breakfast for you." He said politely, putting his arms behind his back.

"Breakfast? Fantastic! I'm starving!" Dmitri said as he approached the maid, offering his hand to shake. Dmitri spoke with a Slavastrian accent, akin to a slavic accent in our world. But diluted by years living among the british accents of Barthonia.

"My name is Dmitri Molotov." Dmitri said in a friendly manner.

"It's pleasure to meet you mon ami, I'm Maurice Lunaire, the castle maid." Maurice said, politely shaking Dmitri's hand and leading him to the dining room. On the way, Dmitri started to talk, having many questions he wanted to ask Maurice.

"Where am I? How did I get here?" Dmitri asked curiously.

"This is Castle Inkrose, the estate of Count William Inkrose." Maurice said. "As for how you got here? I think it would be best that the master answer that question."

Dmitri's attention was caught by a marble bust of a raven wearing a toga and laurels.

"He looks familiar." Dmitri said.

"That's Claudius Inkrose, one of William's great ancestors. He lives somewhere in Elysium." Maurice said. Dmitri turned to him with a puzzled expression on his face, but dismissed what he heard as him hearing things. Dmitri soon walked with Maurice again, noticing that the castle, despite its opulence, was mostly empty.

"Where is everyone? I figured a castle like this would be filled with servants." Dmitri said.

"Not really, there was a time when this castle bustled with activity, but in recent years it's mostly empty. At the moment it's just me, the master and you. People come here sometimes, but they never stay for long." Maurice said looking around the quiet halls of the castle.

"This old castle isn't what it used to be..." Maurice said, reminiscing about an earlier time.

"You're the only maid in this castle? You must be worked to death." Dmitri said.

"I'm very good at my job, monsieur Dmitri." Maurice said with a hint if pride in his voice. Dmitri awkwardly cleared his throat after a moment or two of silence, afraid to ask the next question.

"Maurice is it? Why do you...?" Dmitri began. "Your clothes?"

Maurice laughed haughtily.

"I was wondering when that would come up." Maurice said. "The truth is women's clothing has always fascinated me, even in my original life. I only wear this uniform when I work though. I find it comfortable, and it makes me feel elegant and pretty."

Maurice gently placed his hand on Dmitri's shoulder and lead him along.

"Come Dmitri, before your food gets cold. Master Inkrose will be back soon to answer all of the questions you undoubtedly have." Maurice said in a polite manner. Dmitri wondered just who William Inkrose was and why he brought Dmitri to his mansion, he never heard of the man before and thought he knew all the aristocrats in Whiteraven.

Dmitri was lead to the dining room. It was a large room with a fireplace in the center of the wall where a pleasant fire burned. Above it was a large portrait of another raven man, dressed in gentleman's clothes and sitting on a chair. There was a long table in the middle of the room made of fine wood, and 4 pairs of elaborately carved wooden chairs, one on either end of the table and 3 more pairs along the sides. Above it was a crystal chandelier powered by an electric light, which sparkled. Two suits of armor from the days of knights stood on either side of the fireplace, and the walls were decorated with other paintings from various artists across the world. A door on the far side of the dining room lead to the kitchen, while the other lead to the main hall with its grand staircase leading to the upper floors, where Dmitri had entered from.

Before Dmitri was laid a feast. Bacon, eggs, sausage, toast with butter, fruit such as apples, oranges, and grapes, a plate of biscuits with jam and cream, a wheel of swiss cheese, and a china teapot filled with sweet smelling earl grey tea with a bowl of sugar cubes beside it. A china teacup filled with the amber colored liquid, a slice of lemon and resting on a saucer with a small spoon on it was placed on the right side of his dinner plate, and steam rose from it. Dmitri normally had very little appetite, he was not a healthy person in life, but today he felt like he could eat everything on the table and more. Dmitri did just that, he sat and chowed down on the meal in front of him, enjoying the taste and satiating his great hunger.

"Bon apetit!" Maurice said with a bow as he left the room. It took some time, but Dmitri ate the entire breakfast and was working on finishing the last apple. Dmitri bit the shiny red fruit and began to chew it, savoring the sweet taste. Dmitri heard someone speak to him from the opposite side of the table.

"You certainly have an appetite. How is your meal?" The person said. Dmitri was caught by surprise, he didn't notice there was someone in the room with him. Looking across the table, Dmitri noticed that it was the same raven man he saw from before. He was more casually dressed, wearing his black vest but not his jacket or cape, and he was not wearing his tophat. He wore a small pair of glasses which rested on his beak in front of his eyes. The raven man had a crest of feathers that protruded from the back of his head, similar to that of a blue jay. Looking at the raven man up close, he looked young. He was older than Dmitri, but looked no older than 27 years old. His voice was soft and comforting and had a very slight rasp, and he was much more handsome than Dmitri previously noticed.

"Da. It's very good!" Dmitri said with an approving nod.

"Maurice is an excellent cook, is he not?" William said, and Dmitri nodded in agreement. After swallowing his piece of apple, Dmitri spoke.

"So, you must be..." Dmitri started, gesturing towards his visitor.

"I am Count William Edgar Inkrose, the lord of this castle." William said with a polite nod of his head.

"I'm Dmitri Molotov." Dmitri introduced himself.

"Yes, I've read over your file." William said.

"File?" Dmitri asked with a laugh, confused. "Are you some kind of lawyer?"

"Not quite." William said. "I'm terribly sorry. This must all be very confusing to you." William said apologetically before taking a bottle of fine wine seemingly out of nowhere and pouring himself a glass.

"Do you like wine, Dmitri?" William asked. Dmitri loved wine, though he rarely had it. One time he stole a bottle of Lawrence's wine when Peter invited Dmitri to his estate. Dmitri felt bad because Peter willingly took the fall for it later. He nodded his head in approval to William.

"Of course!" Dmitri said. Suddenly, a full glass of wine appeared beside Dmitri while he wasn't looking. Dmitri reluctantly took the glass, sniffed it and took a sip. After Dmitri concluded it was real, he took another, large sip.

"It's delicious!" Dmitri said approvingly.

"Elysium wineries, they make the finest wine there is." William said.

"I've never heard of them." Dmitri said as he took another sip and looked around his surroundings.

"I don't understand, where am I?" Dmitri asked. "I've seen you before. You were in the crowd during..."

Dmitri paused, not wanting to finish the sentence.

"Nevermind." Dmitri said.

"When did you see me?" William asked.

"I had this horrible nightmare. I dreamed that I was being executed, hanged for Peter Pottle's murder." Dmitri said. "Obviously it was all just a wild dream, surely they've proven my innocence and caught the real killer."

"Why do you think that?" William asked.

"Well, I'm alive and here now. I wouldn't be here if I were dead." Dmitri said as he continued to eat and drink wine.

"So are you some kind of sorcerer? Is that why I'm not sick anymore?" Dmitri asked.

"Something like that. I'm well versed in the magical arts, but there's more to it than that." William responded, trying to find the best way to break the news to Dmitri as gently as possible.

"Dmitri. What do you think happens to someone after they die?" William asked.

"Hopefully nothing." Dmitri said.

"Hopefully?" William asked curiously.

"I don't believe in the afterlife, or the gods for that matter. Life isn't meant to be eternal. Besides, I imagine it gets pretty boring if you're stuck lingering around until the end of time.

"So you don't believe in the afterlife?" William asked.

"Of course not. It's all just fantasies and wishful thinking." Dmitri said. William laughed at Dmitri's statement quietly.

"What's so funny!?" Dmitri said, somewhat offended by William laughing.

"I'm sorry. I just find what you said to be very ironic." William said.

"How so? Are you trying to tell me I'm dead and in the afterlife right now or something?" Dmitri said sarcastically, but William cleared his voice and looked at Dmitri seriously. Dmitri in turn frowned, realizing that William wasn't joking with him. Dmitri distinctly remembered the feeling of the rope snapping tight, the feeling of weightlessness and hopelessness as he fell through the trap door. There was a moment of silence from William, before he finally spoke.

"Yes. Your original body, as it was in the land of the living, has died. You are resurrected in Arcadia, one of the seven heavens. I am the one who retrieved your soul and brought you here, I am one of the reapers under the service of Lord Yura." William said. Dmitri grew pale, he was dead. All Dmitri could think about was how his life was over, his dreams of owning a homestead, getting married, and becoming a respected musician were now forever out of his reach. The priests and theologians in the land of the living envisioned an afterlife where one was eternally happy at the cost of their individual minds and free will, a world where they were eternally pure, innocent and ignorant. Without a word, Dmitri stormed out of the castle in a panic.

"Dmitri, wait!" William said as Dmitri stormed off. Dmitri wanted to live, there was no way he wanted to spend eternity as a giggling cherub floating around in a neverending stupor. He ran across the path leading to William's castle, across a tall bridge that crossed a deep canyon shrouded in mist. Dmitri ran through the mountainous, rugged terrain covered in dense forest. He leaned against the tree and panted in panicked breaths.

"It can't be!" Dmitri said to himself. "I can't be dead...""

Dmitri continued to try and flee, but his leg caught a tree branch and he tripped and began sliding down a slope. Dmitri screamed as he realized the slope was leading off a cliff into what looked to be an endless sea of clouds below. Dmitri screamed in terror as he fell towards the bottomless pit below, his hat flying off his head as it was taken by the wind that raced past him. Closing his eyes tightly, he wished he wasn't falling, he hoped that something would stop his fall other than the ground. What happens to someone who dies in the afterlife? Dmitri was too afraid to think about it. He felt his descent slow until eventually he reached a full stop. Dmitri slowly opened his eyes, afraid to see what aas in front of him. When he did, his vision was dominated by clouds beneath him, and the sounds of distant thunder and lightning deep within them. Dmitri shut his eyes again, but then slowly opened them again in curiosity, realizing his descent had stopped and he was levitating in the sky.

"Flight is one of the most basic abilities we learn here in the afterlife." William said as he levitated in front of Dmitri, sitting in the sky as if he were on an invisible chair. Dmitri awkwardly oriented himself in a sitting position, facing William. He lowered his head sadly onto his knees, which he pulled close to his chest.

"So I am dead after all..." Dmitri said sadly. "You must think I'm some horrible ingrate."

"No." William said. "Believe it or not this is how most people react when they first enter the afterlife. Nobody wants to be dead."

Dmitri began to laugh, though his laughter had no joy in it.

"This is so stupid..." Dmitri said to himself.

"Is it true? The things they teach in the temples about the land of the gods?" Dmitri asked. "About having your emotions taken away, about becoming a mindless cherub for eternity?"

"If that were true you wouldn't be so melancholy." William said. "In reality the heavens are not too dissimilar to the world below. Just... better"

"I'll be the judge of that." Dmitri said.

"Your file mentioned you were a skeptic." William said. "Would you believe those priests think that people like us aren't even allowed in the seven heavens?."

"People like us?" Dmitri asked in confusion.

"Homosexuals." William said. Dmitri laughed when William said this.

"You're a gay grim reaper? And you just up and admit this to a man you just met?" Dmitri said with a laugh, finding comedy in what he felt was absurd.

"Of course! That's why they sent me to retrieve you. Do you think they'd send a conservative fundamentalist to you? It's all very personalized." William said. "And I'm quite open about my sexuality indeed. There's no reason to hide who you are here, I promise you won't be judged or looked down on."

"I guess Maurice is your lover?" Dmitri asked.

"Goodness, no! Maurice and I are merely friends, we've known each other for almost a hundred years." William said.

"And I suppose you learned about me from my "file", right? Dmitri said, furrowing his scaly brow in annoyannce.

William just laughed, and Dmitri laid back, floating in the sky belly up and looking at the endless blue above him.

"So now what?" Dmitri asked.

"You can start a new life here. Do you have any goals? Or dreams?" William asked.

"My dreams are stupid." Dmitri said with a huff, reluctant to elaborate on them.

"Certainly not. Tell them to me." William said. Dmitri was reluctant to answer, but he did.

"Well..." Dmitri began, sighing. "I always wanted to have a little homestead in the country. On a hill overlooking a big pond, with a forest in the back yard. I don't want a big farm, just a little patch of crops and maybe a few chickens, a cozy place, not some mansion. And I wanted to get married... to a man." Dmitri said.

"Same-sex marriage?" William asked.

I told you it was stupid!" Dmitri said in embarrassment. "No priest would ever allow two men to get married, it's just a ridiculous fantasy."

"That dream is certainly possible here." William said. "There's nothing ridiculous about it."

"I also wanted to be a musician. Play in a band." Dmitri said.

"Oh?" William asked, sitting up with interest. "What instrument do you play?"

"Fiddle. That's my favorite." Dmitri said. "I just want to play at a pub, have fun and make people dance and have a good time."

"That's a very noble goal. Bringing joy and merriment to others is something highly respected here." William said.

Dmitri stared up blankly at the clouds above as they slowly twisted and changed shape, the sunlight passing between them.

"You know, this place is very peaceful." Dmitri said. "Am I going to have to meet with my ancestors? And my mom? Or... or Peter?

"Undoubtedly." William said, Dmitri frowned. "Does that not excited you?"

"I don't know." Dmitri said. "I'm afraid to face them. I know they'll think I'm a disappointment."

Dmitri felt a great sadness come over him. Having to face his mother and tell her what a lousy son he turned out to be. Having to face Peter after he utterly failed to keep him safe, feeling his death was his fault entirely. Had he been faster or stronger he might've been able to stop the killer, had he taken Peter's dilemma more seriously he would not have let his guard down and allowed the murderer to enter his home. He remembered it all too well. Nadia is alone now because of him.

Dmitri sniffled, then he buried his face in his knees and started to cry. He felt like a weakling, crying like a girl, but it was his only reprieve from the guilt that was eating away at his soul, and the realization that, dead or not, nothing would ever be the same. Perhaps his new life would be better, or perhaps it would be just as miserable. Either way, everything he knew and loved was left behind in the land of the living, and nothing would ever be the same.

William threw his wing-arms around Dmitri's shoulders and held him close, patting him on the back to comfort him.

"There there Dmitri." William whispered gently. "There's no shame, this is all natural."

And it was, especially for someone who dies young like Dmitri. His whole life was ahead of him, and with the snap of a rope it was snatched away. William comforted Dmitri, letting him cry into his shoulder and find comfort in his companionship. Any decent reaper knew that there was more to their job than simply retrieving souls and dumping them wherever they could in the heavens, they also needed to help them come to terms with their death, accept their afterlife and help them start a new life there.

"I'll let you live in my castle for as long as you need, Dmitri." William said. "Also..."

William gave Dmitri his new hat which he thought he had lost moments before.

"My hat! Thank you William!" Dmitri said gratefully as he put it back on his head.

"I'm starting to like you Dmitri, I think you and I can be friends." William said with a smile. Dmitri smiled back in agreement with William, his life in the world may be over, but with William's help he felt he may be able to start a new life.

Later that night, Dmitri laid back on his bed, staring at the ceiling in thought. He had finally come to accept his death, but wondered what was next for him. Was there a next for him? He didn't know yet. His thoughts focused on Peter.

Dmitri saw Peter as more than just a friend, he was in love with him since he was a teenager but always kept his feelings secret, never having the courage to admit them to Peter. Peter came from a noble house, his father ran the shipping company in Whiteraven and was the wealthiest man in town. Dmitri on the other hand was a foreign boy who lived in "Little Slavastria", and had lived his entire life in poverty. Despite this, the two became great friends, and as they came of age Dmitri began to see Peter in a new light. Dmitri was ashamed of it.

Peter was an effeminate young man, and Dmitri always assumed that he was a homosexual as well. Peter's mannerisms were girlish, often holding his hands at his waist politely, or tilting his head to Dmitri when curious or playful, in a coy manner just like a girl. The way Peter spoke as well - soft, polite, and lady-like, with a very slight lilt. Peter was not flamboyant however; if anything he was extremely reserved, dressing smartly and being very polite and soft spoken. Peter's soft little voice and happy laugh made Dmitri's heart melt every time he heard it.

Peter was a year younger than Dmitri, 20 at the time of his death. He was a little shorter than Dmitri but had a heftier build, being a well fed child of a nobleman after all. Peter was hardly "fat" though, slightly chubby at worse, Peter had some slight flab around his sides and chest and round hips and thick thighs, all covered in the softest, snow white fur Dmitri's ever felt. Peter's features were round and friendly, his eyes were big and expressive and his ears hung downward, unlike his father who Dmitri thought resembled a gargoyle. Peter had curly hair which formed two large bangs under the front of his straw boater hat that he liked to wear tilted back slightly. Two custom openings were put in his hat to accommodate his short, dull horns. Peter often wore a white shirt, brown pants, green sweater vest and red bowtie, and a pair of large circular glasses that covered his eyes.

They spent a lot of time together as kids, usually getting into trouble and causing headaches for the adults. Sometimes, Peter would invite Dmitri to tamer get togethers, he would have picnics with him by the pond or invite him over to his house for tea and biscuits. When Dmitri became an adult, he began to fantasize about Peter, but he never got around to telling Peter how he felt, and he never knew whether or not his feelings were reciprocated. The two were also mutual friends with Nadia Garibaldi, a tomboyish girl who wanted to become a law officer, and eventually worked her way up and succeeded in becoming one. She was a couple of years older than Dmitri, and was the daughter of a respected judge in Whiteraven.

In time, Peter and Nadia began to become affectionate with each other, and Dmitri later learned they had become engaged. Dmitri was heartbroken, but he still thought about Peter a lot, though he came to believe that he never had a chance, and just decided to keep his feelings a secret, his love forever unreciprocated. Nadia and Peter were made for each other, the sensitive feminine guy and the tough tomboyish girl. After they became adults, the three of them drifted apart but still remained friends, at least until that fateful day.

Dmitri couldn't think of it any longer...

He thought about something different. He thought about Peter's 18th birthday. Dmitri remembered back to a time when Peter invited Dmitri to have a picnic with him. Peter cooked all the food, made the tea and got everything together. Dmitri initially thought it would be boring, but Peter was an excellent cook, and sitting with him on the grass next to the pond chatting and enjoying the weather was an experience that stuck with Dmitri.

"Dmitri. Is there something on your mind?" Peter asked curiously, holding a cup and saucer in his hands. "You know, if there's anything you want to get off your chest, I'll always listen."

Peter smiled gently at Dmitri. Dmitri wanted to grab Peter's cheeks right there and kiss him on the lips as passionately as he could, but Dmitri couldn't do it. What if he accidentally bit Peter with one of his venomous fangs? What if Peter thought his pitted lips or forked tongue were gross, or if his lower body temperature turned him off? Even worse, what if his move ruined their friendship forever?

Dmitri couldn't bare the thought. He made something up, something that had nothing to do with his feelings towards him. Peter gave a response in his pleasant, happy manner.

"Remember Dmitri, if something's bothering you, I'll always listen to you and be your friend." Peter said.

That sweet smile was what Dmitri liked most about Peter. Leaning back on his pillow, Dmitri began to give his new life some thought. Dmitri's life in the world of the living was not a pleasant one, he lived in poverty and had a number of health issues stemming primarily from his poor living conditions. He was malnourished and prone to sickness. The only thing that kept him going was the fear of death and his unrequitted love for Peter Pottle.

Dmitri cleared his mind of such thoughts. All in all he was extremely lucky, very few are worthy of living with the gods in their homeland, and he struggled to recall what heroic deeds he had done in the past to make him worthy of such a reward. He felt more confident about what the next day would bring. He turned in and fell asleep, the light of the full moon shining in through his bedroom window.