So I think I have a story idea. The Grim Reaper is a title, a throne. The current Reaper must choose an heir every 500 years, or one is chosen for them. (This means it could very well be somebody who kills for fun, or somebody who lets people live forever. Basically, it could be screwed up if chosen wrong.) Normally this isn't a problem, since past Reapers only have one child. The current Reaper, however, decided to make his work easier, making four children. They are Death's Right Hand, the team that reaps certain areas so the Reaper isn't so stressed out. One night, the Reaper must reap the soul of a young woman, who is ill due to a failed childbirth. When he arrives, the woman begs for mercy and her life. The Reaper strikes a deal with her. If she will bear and raise a child for him, and fulfill a request for him, he will spare her life. She agrees. This child becomes the half-human "fifth finger" of the Right Hand. The boy is raised by his mother until he is 18. They receive a strange box in the mail that contains a skull talisman necklace and bracelet. A note, addressed to the mother reads that the boy is to join the Right Hand, and be one of his reapers. The boy, after taking all this in (poorly), agrees to travel to the Netherrealm to be trained by his father. One year later, the Reaper tells his children that an heir must be chosen by the end of the year. He creates a game. The five must reap as many souls as they can, from a set (large) list, defeat demons from the depths of Hades, and battle each other to declair a true heir. They only have one year to do it, or the Higher Powers choose the new heir. (Which may not be one of them!) The Reaper will throw a few tricks and surprises into the game as he sees fit. Marcus, the half-human, and the youngest, becomes our main character. (Pictured above.) He must overcome the dark powers of the Reaper and somehow stay alive in this game.
Heh? What do you think? I think it has a sort of Kazahana family feel to it. I'm not trying to rip them off. I just realized that correllation after typing all that.
I also thought of something to add to his right arm. It looks like a tattoo of a chain running down his arm, with a throwing knife (think Naruto) and tattooed in his palm. At will, the tattoo can become a real chain, and the knife end can open like a mouth, revealing demonic teeth. (Think Scorpion's spear from the MK movie.) The chain is what absorbs the souls the reapers reap, and can also let out an inhuman scream. I call is a Wailing Chain.
So, my idea developed more quickly than I thought. Here are the siblings, oldest to youngest.
Darius - Male - Largest Scythe, Medium Length Chain, Average Volume Wail, Fast Speed
Altrea - Female - Average Scythe, Long Chain, Average Volume Wail, Average Speed
Nicolai - Male - Average Scythe, Longest Chain, Quiet Wail, Slow Speed (Largest muscles)
Morgana - Female - Small Scythe (Fast attacks), Shortest Chain, Average Volume Wail, Fastest Speed
Marcus - Male (Human) - Large Scythe, Long Chain, LOUDEST Wail, Average Speed
So, how is it coming? Do you like the story? Does it work well? What do you think could use improvement? What do you think needs no improvement? I'd love feedback! I might turn this into a new series!