[ WP ] You are the last human alive but you are immortal . You meet Death who wants his retirement .

I focused on the story through the perspective of Death -- after about halfway through realized I had a lapse in my command of the English language while reading the prompt. Finished anyway. Also, made Death female because why not? 
 
 Criticism welcome! 
 
 -- - 
 `` Well, that's the last of them. Can I move on now?'' 
 
 The archangels at the pearly gates stood steadfast though. Unmoving, unflinching. They mocked her in their certainty of purpose. 
 
 `` What's the point of a reaper after the End Times?'' Death, the final Death, was exasperated. Her predecessors had paved the way, to be sure, but none had known the weight -- no -- the *burden* that total annihilation would be. Ferrying souls at this magnitude had taken its toll. Death had become old and bitter. She had long ago stopped taking pride or even the slightest bit of joy in her work. She had taken to unenthusiastically ripping souls away and consuming them in the blackness of her being. Most souls reported seeing a light after being consumed. Death did n't even take enjoyment in the gastronomical irony anymore. She was done. Ready to be moved on to her next purpose. 
 
 `` Alright, give me a meeting then. Michael, Peter, anyone?'' 
 
 Death sighed back at the pointed silence. Heaven was clearly punishing her, but Heaven could n't punish. So Heaven ignored. What had she done *this* time? 
 
 She looked down, through the veil of ignorance that ripped knowledge from souls as they passed down to earth, past the traffic of angels and demons squabbling over patches of existence and moments in time as children at play, and realized that a solitary soul still existed on the burning ember that was once paradise for existence. But... How? She was certain that she had successfully gone through every moment, every inch of earth and ferried all souls to their proper place. No life ought to be, and yet... 
 
 `` Ah, you see it then, sister? We have a holdout.'' The voice was Lucifer's, newly redeemed and appointed Heaven's spokesman on Earth. 
 
 `` Do you know why he still lives, sister? I'll tell you, but only if you'll agree to take me with you on this final reaping.'' 
 
 Death considered his request. Though redeemed, Lucifer still held strong to his old ways. All in Heaven knew he was planning something -- why else all the demon activity? -- but so it had been proclaimed that his place was again in Heaven. 
 
 `` Fine, brother-of-the-light. Tell me why this soul stays on in an existence which has long since rejected it?'' 
 
 `` Quite simple, my dreary-sister: I gave him life eternal.'' 
 
 What was Lucifer thinking? Was this a holdout from his fallen days, or was this the ploy somehow? Death did n't want to know too much. She stared at Lucifer, her sunken, black eyes measuring him for any sign of wavering, any sign of remorse. 
 
 `` Well, then, let us go UN-immortalize this soul, shall we?'' 
 
 Death leaped forth and enshrouded Lucifer and herself in a blackness which simulated the veil's transport, but none of its ignorance. They appeared in the middle of a steppe, with the last man sitting at the edge, peering out at the fiery world around him as it crumbled. 
 
 `` Ah, so you finally come. Death, I take it?'' Turning to Lucifer, he remarked `` I should never have made that bargain with you. Life is much harder without end. Especially now.'' 
 
 `` You must come with me, old one. Whatever bargain you struck with Lucifer has been rendered void. Time is ending. The eternal life beyond awaits you.'' Death put on her best mystical voice. Old souls like this one appreciated the pomp and circumstance of an appointed one of Heaven. 
 
 He was not the first soul she encountered who had here-to-fore escaped Death -- previous Deaths. Other Deaths had been ordered to maintain the balance, and so had sometimes struck deals or arrangements with mortals who feared the end. She had no such sympathy. Time was up, for all. 
 
 `` Sorry sister-of-graves, but you shall not take me. Your angel friend and I had a deal, and I kept my end. My gift, for better or worse, is eternally living on this plane.'' 
 
 Death was fed up. She lept forth to consume this soul but was repelled -- who could repel Death? 
 
 `` It is as he says, master of graves. You have no power over this one.'' Lucifer stood in the background, grinning. This had to be a ploy of some kind. 
 
 `` What is this really, you demon-breeding abomination? Why ca n't I move this soul?'' 
 
 `` Very well, you took me with you to witness this moment, so I shall elucidate further. The last man here is empowered, you see, as the whole of all life on this plane. Should I make it clearer?'' 
 
 Death felt unease for the first time since she herself had died so many eons ago, and been lifted into a higher existence where she *was* death and need not fear it. 
 
 `` Our existence was precipitated on the faith of the mortals. Him who resides in Heaven is ferrying all souls to His plane in the hopes that their eternal worship will at least maintain Heaven for time eternal. But he's wrong, you know. The last man holds our existence by a thread -- as you can not reap your own soul, so you can not reap his. He is now burdened with the faith which holds us, sister, and he alone controls us.'' 
 
 Death glared at the last man, who now looked up. He looked through the veil. He saw Heaven. He smiled longingly. 
 
 `` But, enough then of our poor Death's dilemma. You now realize your curse, do you not? God himself will not free you from this existence.'' Lucifer's light seemed to fade -- he slowly changed into an appearance more like Death, or one of the Fates. 
 
 `` I know a way out though. A way for you to be unburdened. You must believe, as you have never believed before, that existence will start over again. Set the stakes anew, reset it all.'' His hands rested on the last man's shoulders. This was the ploy all along -- the redemption, convincing life to end itself as it had, en masse -- Satan had wanted faith to become a single cursed soul's burden. 
 
 `` What will happen to me?'' 
 
 Satan smiled, his grin extending just a little too far for comfort. 
 
 `` Why, we are all given a new chance. Each choice you made was made freely -- maybe you can choose anew? Maybe we can all find ourselves a different fate. If you imagine the world without destiny that is.'' 
 
 The last man paused, and seemed to enter into a waking dream, imagining the worst of his choices being made anew, with better consequences. He was starting to wish it. He was starting to believe it. 
 
 Death lept forth to intervene, to stop, to end the madness. She did not want to... 
 
 She wanted... 
 
... 
 
 A white light flashed. The soul which had burdened with the title of Death passed through the veil anew, and was placed in a newborn baby girl to two young parents, unsure of how to raise their daughter, but determined to make her life a good one. 
 

