Arthur Redder is my name and thanatology (the study of death) is my game. I just never thought that the game would mean more to me than I thought. Everything started on one night. The night I will never forget no matter what. It was the night my grandfather died.

I was sitting beside his bed along with the rest of my family. He had a severe case of influenza. It was one the kinds that were terrible bad and in rare cases kill someone who has it. We all looked at him and surrounded him. He was talking about a few things he would leave everyone. Money, furniture, things like that. I really wasn't trying to pay attention to those until he spoke my name. "Come closer Arthur," he said in a weak voice.

"I want you to find a necklace that should in my room. Look in the third compartment of the dresser. There will be a box. Take it don't give it to anyone."

When he whispered that in my ear I instantly wondered what was a necklace good for? Unfortunately it was only a few moment later that he passed. In the days that passed I never forgot his instructions. Everyone had planned to get what they were left after the funeral. Weird things happened too. I couldn't sleep much and I started to get deeper into my studies more than usual. That was only the start of everything.

After the funeral we all went to my grandfather’s house. Not many people went in grandfather’s room unless they were told. The room looked older than the house itself. Still I did as I was told. I walked in the room and the floor creaked intensely. I spotted his dresser instantly. I walked swiftly toward it in an effort to get out of the room. Looking through the third like I was told I found a medium sized box. It has a skeleton hand on it. Looking around the room I found that I was alone. I opened the box not knowing what I might find. Ya it was a necklace, a silver, long, necklace. It even looked new. I felt a connection of some sort with it. A strange and yet utterly amusing connection. I put the necklace in my neck. It felt cold on my skin. At first nothing had happened then...there was a light. It was bright and blinding light.

"My grandson, I have given you the powers of death in itself. You are destined for greatness. I have chosen you to become the next in line of Bone People. Make me proud."

Everyone of those words came from the light. I knew it had to be my grandfather. When the light was gone I was still in his room with my mouth open. There was a scroll in my hand that looked almost a thousand years old. I put it in my black jacket and headed home ASAP. On the way I was tempted to open the scroll. So wiping told me not to and thank goodness I didn't.

When I got home I laid the scroll on the bed. It was about two feet long and was sealed with black ink. The seal looked to be a skull and around it said "Way of the After-People." I swallowed as I prepared to open it. Not knowing what would happen gave me goosebumps. I picked the scroll up off my bed and began to lightly pull. The seal broke with ease. I then opened it up and found a message.

Hannsena or greeting began of the living,

You are one of the chosen living begins of the After-People. An ancient race of people who have made peace with those of the afterlife. We have been given permission by the God of your world to hold a small piece of power over the dead. You are either a direct decedent or a branch from us. Being a branch mean you have our blood and your blood has been given our gift. You must use it wisely and responsibly. We have used it to save many but you can also hurt many if you don't take heed to these words. There is one exception to this gift. You cannot kiss anyone or anything or they perish. We hope you enjoy your new abilities because as this letter ends you will have great power.

~ The After-People

As I ended the letter I felt a surge of energy over me. Vision started flashing through my head. Skeletons rising from the ground,tomb stones,the smell of death,my grandfather. Everything I saw had something to do with the AfterPeople. Then everything was blurry. I feel unconscious.

I woke up at about one in the morning. I groaned as I got up off the floor. My vision was still blurred and I felt, different. I shakily made my way to the bathroom. I might have hit a few things along the way but nothing that bad. I washed my face with cold water just to make sure I was awake. I couldn't believe what I saw in the mirror. I was a bit taller, more muscle bound, and I felt like I had a power source following through me. It was the heart of the dead that was flowing through me. I could feel it.

At first I though made I was crazy or something. But the one true way to find out led in my lips. The letter said and I quote "There is one exception to this gift. You cannot kiss anyone or anything or they perish." I was hesitant at first. Scared to see what I would find this time. I leaned over the sink and kissed the mirror. It instantly shattered into pieces. Now I was positive that this was real.

I paced back and forth in my room with worry. Never had anything so fictional be so realistic. I constantly looked back at the letter to see if there was a way to reverse this or something. Unfortunately it said nothing about reversal. I laid on the end of my bed now realizing that I wasn't getting out of this. No matter how hard I tried.

~ Four Months Later ~

It had been about four months since I gained my powers. I've been learning how to control my powers more and more everyday. No one knew about me. Or at least I thought no one did.

Every bit of that changed one night. I walking home in the middle of the night after my car broke down. It was that kind of highway that most people drove on. A few people live in that area. Well as I was walking down the road when I heard a scream. I ran in the direction I heard it in.

A few feet from the road was a small campsite with a fire burning. Someone had trashed the place. The tempts were torn down,marshmallows were everywhere, and certain patches of grass and leaves on the ground were dead. It made a trail into the forest. Just then I noticed some teenagers running up to me.

"Sir please help someone took our friend Mike," the boy said.

"They ran into the woods. We tried looking for him but we couldn't anything," said the girl in tears.

"Stay here and call the police," I told them.

I ran into the woods following the patches of dead leaves. Then I realized that the trail was splitting into two. They knew I was following them. Then I heard another scream and kept going. I must have ran about half a mile from the campsite. When I found the guy I was shocked.

He was tied onto a huge stone and around him was a circle of fire. The flames were low but still dangerous. Then I heard something scurry in the trees. Then on the ground.

"Whoever you are come out."

"Well since you asked so nicely," said a voice sarcastically.

A man with black hair that was tipped white came out from behind the rock. His skin was white and he had on you could see his black bones from his chest to his torso. He also wore black jeans and a grey necklace with white shoes. He walked through the fire ring as of it were nothing.

"If you ask me he was too polite," added in another voice.

Another man jumped from the trees. He was the total opposite of the first guy. He had white hair with black tips. His skin was black and from his chest to his torso you saw his white bones. He wore white jeans and also had a grey necklace. Along with that black shoes and both their hair was in a mohawk.

"Now I must ask who are you," said the black haired man.

"I should be asking you the same thing." I noticed that they had a British accent.

"Well I guess I'll start. I'm Kenskully and this is my brother Kenboney," said the black haired man.

"And we're the Skullastic brothers. Now your turn. Who are you," Kenboney sarcastically still replied.

"Someone your not going to want to know unless you let the kid go."

"Oh I'm so scared whatever will I do? Oh wait I can just do this."

Kenskully lifted all the dead leaves off the ground. A huge ball of black and brown leaves were now hovering above me. With one flip of his hand I was under a blanket of leaves. He must have did something with his hands because leaves seemed to have tightened themselves.

"Funny how mortal believe that they can take on," I over heard Kenboney say.

What they didn't know was I had taken control of their little pile of leaves. I moved my hands to the side and the leaves followed. My eyes glowed a bright white.

"I'm no mere mortal."

I moved my arms toward my chest. Every dead or dying leaf on a tree or on the ground joined the original group. Now hovering around me were leaves. Tons of leaves. I pushed my hands from my chest forward in front of me. Every leaf that I had hold of charged at those two psychos.

When they were done with their "attack" my eyes widened. They hadn't been touched. Kenskully had his hands up and around them a black force field. Both had a wicked smile on there faces.

"So, you're of the chosen After-People nice to know there are others out there. We should get some fish and chip sometime lad," Kenboney mocked.

"Now it's our turn," Kenskully said as he released his force field.

Before I knew Kenboney was lifting trees of the ground. His eyes were glowing a dark black. His hands were lifting upward with his palms up. When he moved his hands forward I knew I was in trouble. Trees went flying through the air. I dodged like the first two and got hit on the next five.

I laid on the ground pretending like I was unconscious. Those two morons walked right up beside me.

"He didn't stand a chance," Kenskully said with giggle.

I pressed my hands on the ground and felt the earth. I jumped up quickly with dirt in my hands. My eyes glowed more than ever. I moved my hands up and gridded the dirt. From the ground came warrior. Skeleton warriors to be exact. I believe there were about fifty of them. Some had swords, some had clubs, and some had battle axes. I gestured my hands forward and they charged at the both of them.

"Well this is going to be fun now isn't it," Kenboney said a little worried.

While they were busy I head toward the boy still on the rock. I had to run through the warriors toward the kid. He was sitting up one and shocked with fear. He had sweat all over him.When I reached the fire it grew as if it were trying to keep me from him.

"And where do you think your going?"

I turned around to find Kenskully with a sword through his head. He pulled it from his forehead with ease. White blood came dripping from the weapon and his head.

"The heck!?"

"Kenboney can handle your "army." Besides we already took out half of them. Now why would you want to ruin our little ritual?"

"Ritual?"

"Yes every year we do this. We spill blood of a young being. One full of life and pleasure. When the blood is spilled around our special fire that good energy gets transferred into dark energy. That dark energy gets transferred to us and keeps our special abilities at its highest. You see with our kind we have our powers strongest when they first come to us. Over the years the strength of that power within us diminishes. That is why young people are picked after the death of one of us."

"So you kill innocent people just for power increase? Well guess what? I'm not letting you take this kid, not tonight."

"Is that so? Let's see you try."

I charged at him ready to punch him. When I thought I hit him he was gone. I hit thin air. I turned around to find him unharmed. He smiled and came at me fast throwing a punch. I barely dodged it in time. We ended up going back and forth from punching each other and just overall street fighting. As we did this I realized something, I wasn't tired, I wasn't breathing either. Ever since I had gone into combats against these two my heart stopped. That's how Kenskully went through the flames. Without a heartbeat to keep you breathing you don't get tired.

I knew how to that kid. I hit him with shoulders constantly. His bopped back and forth. Finally when he was dazed enough I punched him with all my might toward his brother. He stumbled and stumbled until bumped into Kenboney who had almost finished off my warriors. They landed on the ground with a thump. The last of the warriors surrounded them. Two of them grabbed the both of them by their necks.

I head straight for the boy and ran right through the fire. I climbed on top of the huge rock and helped the kid up. He had nothing to say but a few mumbled words that I couldn't understand. I put my fingers on his back pressed against him.

"Hold onto your hats kid."

I twisted my hand on his back and my eyes began to glow again. A portal opened up at our feet and we dropped down. By just thinking of the place I wanted to go and using my transfer powers on him we both were able to travel. We went through like it was nothing. Next thing O know we're both back at the campsite. I set my sites about ten feet away from the main camp.

"Hey before you go promise me you’re not going to tell anyone about me."

"Anything for you man."

"Thanks but if they do ask anything about me just say you didn't get a good look at me."

"Can I at least know your name?"

"Just call me lad,Skeleton Lad."

As far as. I know the kid told them exactly what I told him to. Nothing more nothing less. I thought my it was all over. Boy was I wrong. I went back to the ritual site and found my warrior down. As for the Skullastic Brothers, they were gone and I know they're still out there somewhere.

My heroic abilities didn't go unnoticed. About a month later a man came up to me. He told me about how he knew who I was and what I was capable of. He told me he was forming a guess you could say a team. A team of people with unique abilities such as mine. He wanted me to go with him. I found myself saying "Yes."