Ciaran Kierce

Give no reason to be feared, for we are brethrens of the eternal slumbers. Never act with emotion, and remember that time is our Father. A dull mind is a dull blade, but acceptance shall receive the sharpest edge. United in strife, together for peace.

Meaning of the Code:

It’s never been an easy job to be a grim reaper. The code was created to guide the lives of new and growing Akuji's. The job can corrupt and break many, but the strong words can always pull them through. Therefore, other reapers are taught to remember them permanently.

Give no reason to be feared, for we are brethrens of the eternal slumbers.

The main objective is to rid fear of reapers. They are not evil, and never intended to be. But thanks to the fear of death and the unknown, the path which was paved that has tarnished the Akuji's good name. They have spent many years trying to erase it and start anew. Reapers are there to guide those who sleep the sleep of the dead. They help them choose a new path in the afterlife. They act as brothers and sisters.

Never act with emotion, and remember that time is our Father.

It is not uncommon for a reaper to become emotionally connected with another human or creature. This is especially true for the ones that still have lingering ties to humanity. However, bonding can compromise a reaper’s actions of taking their target’s last breath, or seeing them die in general. It is not restricted for reapers to bond or hold an emotional connection, but they must know that when the time comes to work, they must act with their minds and not their hearts.

Time is our Father. All reapers must understand this. No matter the situation, time is always in control. They are never to kill too soon or too late and they shall not collect a soul too soon or too late. Laziness and eagerness are prohibited and continuing to act in such a manner will be handled with consequences.

A dull mind is a dull blade, but acceptance shall receive the sharpest edge.

Intelligence is a valued thing among grim reapers. If you are not smart, you are not a reaper. If you are foolish with your choices, why wield a weapon in the name of a Grim Reaper? Reapers are taught to be as perfect as possible. Though neither living, nor undead soul can achieve perfection, grim reapers are known to be the closest candidates. This motive is strict because death and “the dying” is a serious matter and responsibility. It’s like a domino that will affect everything and everyone. Reapers are NEVER to make a mistake. Mistakes with any death, no matter how small, can create the biggest of catastrophes, situations, and consequences. Certain questions must be answered before taking a life:

Is it their time to die?” “Will the world remain a natural place without them?” “Was it worth it?

The dying” are not always willing to go. In fact, some are bold enough to fight a grim reaper before losing their life at the hands of the blade. All reapers carry some form of a blade. Even if it’s a gun, it has to shoot something sharp. Dull weapons result in a painful, merciless, and inhumane death. If a reaper wishes to have a better name then all weapons must be kept sharp. Those who reach the final stage of grief, which is acceptance, will pass on with a less painful experience. Any exceptions will receive a battle where that reaper will demonstrate their skills in violent confrontation.

United in strife, together for peace.

This last rule is a reminder to not forget where they came from. Part of this is so that the reapers will be merciful towards a vengeful spirit, as they too were well on their way to becoming just like the things that they hunt. They are united by one common goal, peace. Whether it be peace for themselves or others, it matters not. Peace, is the end goal.

The Elites

Elites are considered to be honoured veterans amongst Reaper's of every class that are capable of handling any and all enemies or situations, though are resigned for the most difficult and dangerous tasks. Only the greats can become that of an Elite and are truly feared and considered to be the most lethal. Their rank implies they are seasoned, ready for anything. Being an Elite typically means a reaper had deliberately sought out danger, working with and into difficult circumstances and facing down fierce opponents; perhaps even taking on covert missions. These beings are not just guides, but fighters as well; going on the offensive, taking big risks. Deadly was the term associated with advanced skills, a word that indicated you were cut out for bigger things, that you might be ‘Elite’ material. It indicated a single minded fixation on killing for killing’s sake, a hunter, someone apart from normal reaper society. Elite, of course, is something else altogether.

Elites have died serving their Realm, their Gods, and their universe, but they will not stop being who they are and fighting what they stand for. It is what they were taught, and they will carry it out with persistence, and integrity.

The Purgers
This is the one of the highest ranks that most reapers don’t want to have. These Akuji are specially trained to handle demonic entities that manipulate souls, corrupting them. Demons are cunning, devious, and sneaky. The unprepared reaper can lose their own life to a demon if they are not trained well enough to deal with one. Demons also have the power of magic, and numbers on their side. If a reaper cannot adapt to countering these advantages, then he or she will surely die. Pursuing a demon is no playing matter, and only the best of Grim Academy’s students are assigned with this rank.

Students of this rank are at the top of their class with intelligence and fighting skills. Purgers are the quickest thinkers for the stickiest of situations and are known to turn the tides of battle in their own favor. Because of their rank, they are also the most respected of the Death Realm but don’t let it go to their heads and remain focus. Of all the ranks, there aren’t that many reapers that can handle this title.

Huntsmen
Huntsmen are the second highest rank, well technically third. They are responsible for hunting down vengeful spirits that seek to hurt or kill whomever is the target of their revenge. Average students of the academy are targeted for white souls, while the Huntsmen deal with the holders of red. Red souls are possessed by those with evil and dark intentions, and are usually lethal and powerful. Reapers can’t have evildoers running around compromising the existence of their work. Therefore, they are to be stopped and condemned. More than likely, red soul possessors are breaking the laws of the universe with their evil intentions, and are no easy fight as well. Huntsmen are capable of stopping them with their natural ability of negotiation and brute force.

Paladins
Paladins are the calm-natured of all the reapers. They are the caretakers of the white souls, the good and the innocent. Though they can be vulnerable to emotions, they are very swift and versatile. Getting a job done is never difficult for a Paladin because they are known to adapt to many situations. The reapers of this rank are rarely seen by the public which means they are quick with their tasks and move on with the next one without being exposed for so long.

Sentinels
This rank is given to reapers who can’t handle the jobs out in the field. They are the more defensive type rather than offensive. A Sentinel’s job is to watch over the Vault where all the souls are being kept before their time of judgment. This task may seem tedious and boring, but it’s actually a very dangerous one. Witches and demons alike tend to sneak into the vault on numerous occasions. Both are known to be the scavengers of the universe and are not afraid to perform a daring task such as invading a reaper’s territory…at least the bold one’s aren’t.

Sentinels have a special uniform and are the only ones to wield scythes to distinguish their rank. If anything is in need of protection, most of the time, you can count on a Sentinel. However, demons are incredibly sneaky and since they work in numbers, and are usually found working alongside witches. They are very good at tricking and distracting Sentinels from their duty. They have much more training to receive.


Honorary
Akuji of this class are not yet dead but not quite alive. Their souls are in a state of Limbo, some unable to choose whether or not they are ready to be greeted by deaths kiss. These reapers are commonly recruited from comatose patients, standing on the throes of death, yet show the traits one hopes to find in a reaper They can be mentored by any rank with aspirations of having this class become official reapers. But should they choose to return to the life they had left behind the Order will grant them this. It should be noted however, their their souls are marked to become Reapers as soon as their extended time has ended.

Custodians
This title is so low, that it’s not even considered a rank among the elites. Custodians are students who refused or struggled to pull their grades up in class, and are not the best at handling standard reaper jobs. The task for Custodians include clean up control, mostly dealing with the five stages of grief: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. Souls that are not intact, traumatized by their death, guilt while under the possession of another or by their own actions. When a job is finished by an Elite, they call in for a Custodian to their location to find the pieces of the soul and bring them back to the Vault. It’s a very messy and undermining job, but it has to be done. Custodians are usually lazy truant type of reapers.

Normally, they’d be expelled, but fortunately, even the lowest of ranked reapers have a job to do.

Ghosts

Ghosts are similar to psychotic human beings, incapable of reasoning for themselves. They mostly are tied to the location of their death, usually a sudden or tragic one. Ghosts don't realize that they are dead. They have “unfinished business” as the deceased person does not accept the way in which they died. The simplest form of unfinished business can be as innocent as a person being attached so strongly to their home that they cannot leave it behind and pass over. They are known as “caretakers” and want to stay to make sure the building is being taken care of properly by future owners, as well as to their approval. At the other end of the scale, unfinished business can take the form of dark energy when a person’s death is extremely violent and unexpected. While both are quite problematic, it is the latter however, which is the much more dangerous of the two. Minutes can stretch into days and days into years, time is different for them. One thing is certain though, these unstable, almost rabid things all want one thing... revenge. Whether it be against the man who shot them, the doctor who failed to save their life on the operating table, or the receiver of their heart after a transplant.