- Death -
(Past)
Death was in his hunter form, traversing through a desolate rocky plain covered in small craters. He was dragging a large, severed head behind him. He stopped when he arrived at a massive stone wall that stretched out for miles in either direction. He carved a message onto the giant head, backed up, and threw the head over the wall.
The message read, ["You lost. Stop now, or face extermination."]
An uproar spread from behind the walls. The walls sank into the ground, revealing hundreds of giant creatures.
["Can you read?"] Death asked.
The battle that followed left Death drenched in blood. Though not a speck of the crimson that now filled most of the craters Death walked past appeared visible on his shadowy body, every step he took made a wet sound as it left behind a red footprint.
A large group of frightened beings followed behind Death. They wanted to thank him, to ask him why he helped, to ask if he was okay, but none could manage the courage. Death was hunched as he walked, doing his best to not collapse.
Death hobbled towards the destroyed gates of a village. The prior group of beings quickly ran past him to reunite with the surprised villagers that had been waiting. The guards stared with a mix of awe and horror as Death shuffled up to them.
["Heal...er"]
Death was taken to a private area. Every healer the village had to offer was ordered to help him. He sat down in a dimly lit room with cracked walls and slowly released his hunter form.
Death's body was raw with damage. Patches of nerves and bone could be seen clearly. Even one of his eyes was collapsed, looking as if it had been bashed with a stone. He stayed still, keeping an emotionless expression on his face.
The healers started restoring Death's body slowly. Death closed his eye and spoke.
["Most are dead. Some fled. I have to move on to the next hunt."]
The healers exchanged worried glances. None of the beings could bring themselves to ask him to stay. The severe damage to his body, which had required a rotation of the healers, combined with their own hesitant fear of Death, stopped them.
There were only two healers left and Death's body was still in rough shape. Death stood up and waved the healers away. He started walking out of the room when one of the healers went to speak. He turned his head slightly and the healer stopped before a full word could leave their mouth.
- Otherworld -
(Past)
Word of a shadowy god roaming the unclaimed lands had spread.
["What's their name?"]
["They haven't given one."]
Death was not his agreed-upon name during this time. No matter what name he was called, he would answer. Even when he was being insulted, he would answer, showing no care for attempts to anger him. If the being wasn't his target, or physically hostile, he left them alone.
["The tension was suffocating when we heard the insult. We were certain we would die for their comment. He didn't care. It was as if he thought nothing of us."]
Followers of Death started to form. Fear and gratitude turned into worship. With every new hunt, Death's infamy grew. Gods wanted to challenge him because of a growing worry he might turn to conquer. A few gods stepped up to challenge Death.
- Death -
(Past)
Death was walking through an open forest with a mountain in view. The beams of light that shone down were in sharp contrast to the dark haze of his body. It made his movement through the area seem unnatural as if he was a shadow passing from tree to tree.
Death stopped moving, tilted his head up, and blinked far to the side. A projectile blasted through where Death had been standing, causing a large impact that shook the ground. The small projectile was just the start.
Death leaned forward and started to sprint as a hailstorm of stone ripped through the forest around him. His blinks were rapid; he would appear and be gone in the same instant. With every bit of distance gained, more of the forest was destroyed. From an outside perspective, it would look as though Death was trampling the land behind him.
The gods that had set up their position laughed, confident they would be killing the shadowy legend any moment now. As they watched Death get closer, the laughter stopped. What was once a focused assault started getting sloppy, making Death's approach easier.
Death closed in on the attacking gods after a long chase. His body was leaking a black fluid as he rushed the now-pleading gods. He tore at their flesh, ripping a handful of whatever he grabbed. It was clear to the last god, the one who was able to witness Death's carnage before experiencing it, that there was no negotiation.
Death looked up at the sky while kneeling down in a mushy puddle of what used to be his enemies. The dark clouds that billowed in brought a heavy downpour. Death left his hunter form. The black liquid that had flowed from his body drew streaks down his face.
Death switched from kneeling to sitting. He wrapped his arms around his knees and stared blankly. The black liquid on his face was washed away as his eyes seemed to drift around. He lazily watched the remains of his former enemies flow down the mountain.
["I need to be stronger..."]
The attacks on Death didn't cease. Unfortunately for the attackers, every attempt on Death's life made him stronger. Death would learn the weaknesses of each magic while also finding patterns in beings that he could exploit. What was once just raw strength was now being refined.
["Ozlick, Gyren, Hlum, and so many more. His following grows with every kill. Still, I wonder what would happen if a powerful god was to go after the hunter?"]
After what seemed like a war between Death and every minor god looking to make a name for themselves, one god of note had decided to fight Death. The god in question wasn't looking to kill Death, only to have a duel. Death did not oblige the god's initial request.
["I do not fight for entertainment. If you want a battle with me, understand that your life is at just as much risk as those I hunt."]
The god in question laughed. They accepted Death's terms and the "death rule" was officially formed in the world after Death killed the god in their duel.
["Ripped his hand clean through. That's what I heard, at least."]
One day, after a particularly long battle, Death was approached by a being looking to make a deal with him. Despite how fresh the battlefield was with corpses, the being smiled as they greeted Death.
- Death and Gabriel -
["I mean no harm, void."] Gabriel smiled.
Gabriel wore a purple cloak that concealed most of his body. His hands stayed firmly clasped together as he spoke to Death. He wanted to make sure there was no doubt that he wanted a peaceful negotiation.
Death's words surprised Gabriel, ["Were you watching the battle?"]
Gabriel's tone was shaky, ["I would have stepped in had I believed you would lose. Your fighting style made it difficult to find an opening to help."]
["What do you want?"] Death sat.
["I want to guide you,"] Gabriel proposed. ["These hunts of yours have been highly effective but I think you could do more for this world if you had a greater purpose behind your actions. Forgive my potential rudeness, but are you aware of the reborn? Humans as they're originally known."]
Death's hunter form faded partially, revealing his face and upper body. Gabriel couldn't stop himself from starting to run over. Death's head whipped up; Gabriel froze in place. Death's sigh and fatigued hang of his head released the petrifying tension in Gabriel's body.
["Go on then,"] Death said.
- Otherworld -
Death's following had grown to a point where congregations were being held daily to worship him.
["The shadow that hunts monsters and protects the weak. A force so unwavering in the pursuit of a better world that not even the gods we once feared could stop him."]
Death had no part in the worship of himself. His cold apathy towards the followers that would attempt to speak with him would be seen as abrasive by some but overall further strengthened his legend as a stoic protector.
["Let no god think themselves safe from his grasp. Let no evil be free from the hunt! LET NO MONSTER ROAM THIS WORLD UNPUNISHED!"]
Death's hunts had become less frequent but more impactful. Gabriel's guidance had helped Death accomplish a great deal. Despite this, however, Gabriel's assistance was hidden.
["You're the hunter, the champion. I need no glory. Besides, I do not want to worry my brothers and sisters."]
As the worship of Death reached a critical mass, certain beings started to take advantage of the fervor. An army, marching under Death's name without his knowledge, began to wreak destruction across the unclaimed lands.
["BLOOD FOR THE VOID! LET US NOT JUST LEARN FROM THE HUNTER BUT ACT IN HIS IMAGE!"]
- Death and Gabriel -
(Past)
Gabriel was pleading with Death.
["Please! I understand the frustration but you mustn't!"]
Death leaned over Gabriel. There was a hint of anger in his voice.
["They. Are. Monsters."]
Gabriel was more surprised than afraid. In the time that he and Death had worked together there had never been any trace of emotion in Death's words or actions. The closest thing to emotion that Gabriel had seen was the occasional fatigued sigh Death would let out after a battle.
["Okay..."] Gabriel conceded. ["But let me help you do this properly as penance for not seeing this problem sooner."]
Death went around spreading the message that he wanted to meet the leaders of his following. He wanted as many followers as possible to gather in one place so he could finally address them directly. The beings that were leading the followers didn't want to agree. There was an unease that came from the sudden request but the excitement from Death's followers made it impossible for the leaders to say no.
Death stood at the front of a stone platform, surrounded by tens of thousands of different beings. He wasn't in his hunter form, much to the surprise and minor irritation of the crowd. Behind him stood the leaders he had specifically requested to join him on the platform. He shouted out to the crowd.
["WHAT DO I DO?"]
The crowd shouted back with a mix of answers, ["HUNT!" PROTECT! KILL!"]
Death continued, ["WHAT DO I HUNT?!"]
The crowd replied, ["MONSTERS! GODS!"]
Death's hands clenched as he shouted as loud as he could. ["I HUNT MONSTERS TO BETTER THE WORLD! SO LET THIS BE A LESSON TO ALL OF YOU! A MONSTER IS A MONSTER, WHETHER THEY WORSHIP ME OR NOT!"]
Most of the crowd erupted into cheers while some were confusedly murmuring to one another.
["Why did he mention his worshippers?"]
Death slowly turned his head back to the leaders as he entered his hunter form. A growing look of horror appeared on each leader's face as they realized what was about to happen.