Black Snow - Prologue

[iridesenescence]

Writer: Kino Seitaro
Season: Winter
Location: European Village Church
Proofread by allegiantheart and Sophie

In this town blanketed in eternal winter, the snow never stops falling.
This snow brought about by grim reapers is known as "black snow", and is feared by all.
There is but one way to bring spring to this town—
To take the life of the child, born from a human and a grim reaper who incurred the wrath of God and caused time to stop for the town, once he is 17 years of age.
This is a tale of four grim reapers and a half-blood reaper, all seeking eternity—


Rei: "What is eternity?"


Nagisa: "Eternity is affection for the deceased."
"It is to inherit the emotions of the deceased, and to shoulder the weight of the history spun by each life."


Mayoi: "Eternity is to freeze ♪ "
"It is to halt time, all while preserving life! That is the only possible answer... ♪ "


Ritsu: "Eternity is an unchanging everyday life."
"It is to love those unchanging days, and solemnly fulfill your duties."
"And so, Reaper of Judgement? What is eternity to you?"

Rei: "To me, eternity is— "

[ Scene cut ]

Kohaku: "Hello, is anyone here?"
"... I guess not. Well, I'm only here to do a quick prayer, so it should be fine."
"Heavenly Father, please bring forth spring to this town."
"The town can grow no crops, so its people are only barely managing to survive via other occupations... Slowly but surely, the townspeople are leaving for other places."
"If this keeps up, the town will disappear."
"So please — please bring an end to the snow that falls in this town."

Rei: "... Oh, how unusual. You've come all the way to this remote church to pray?"

Kohaku: "You're... not the priest, I assume. Then who are you...?"

Rei: "The Father has left this church in my care."
"Think of me as an officer dispatched by the nation. Clad in these black garments, we are known as "grim reapers" and abhorred by the people. There are several of us who take turns to watch over this place."

Kohaku: "I see... The townspeople don't really talk about this church, so I didn't know all that."
"But why are you called grim reapers and hated?"
"Even in town, they told me to avoid mentioning this church. Why is it such a taboo topic...?"

Rei: "In the past, this area was a warzone; a land where nations grappled with each other."
"Soon after, this church was built to soothe the spirits of the soldiers lost in battle."
"Though it is also said that that is simply for appearances' sake, and that the governing powers of the time were merely using God as a shield to prevent the ravaging of their war-won land."
"Either way, this is not a church looked upon favourably by the townsfolk. Not only did the nation initiate the war, they even went and built this church. In the end, even the Father dispatched here by the church's main office chose to run away."

Kohaku: "Is that so..."
"But that doesn't bother me. I'll come here every day from now on."
"After all, I've really run out of options at this point..."

Rei: "Sure, do as you will."
"Churches have always welcomed any and all to step through their doors."

[ Scene cut ]

Ritsu: "... That little guy is the shunned, half-reaper child, right?"
"While he's here in the church, take his life— "
"That was the mission given to you this time."

Rei: "I am well aware of that, and I intend to finish my work soon."
"But he cannot simply die. It is his fate to have his life taken in a moment of despair for incurring God's wrath."
"There is no such thing as snow that lasts for eternity."
"It therefore goes without saying that there should be no such thing as a life that continues for eternity."

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