- Death and Gabriel -
(Past)
Death held up one of the leaders by the neck. His fingers tightened and loosened as he restrained himself from breaking their neck. He dropped the leader to the crowd below.
["He has gone mad!"] the leader yelled as he landed. ["He clearly means us all har-"]
Death interrupted with a shout, ["I ONLY WANT THE HEADS OF THESE LEADERS AND FOR ALL OF YOU, ANY OF YOU, THINKING THAT YOU CAN TAKE ADVANTAGE OF MY IMAGE TO LEARN FROM TODAY!"]
Death looked out into the crowd. He was looking at Gabriel, waiting for a signal that he could start his hunt.
["We worshipped you!"] one lone voice in the crowd yelled.
That one statement started an uproar in the crowd. What was a mix of awe and admiration, was now turning to bitter frustration. The beings shouted at Death in a betrayed tone.
["ENOUGH!"] Death stomped his foot, cracking the stone platform. ["I NEVER ASKED FOR YOUR WORSHIP. I NEVER KILLED FOR YOUR WORSHIP. WHAT I DO, WHAT I'VE DONE, HAS AND SHALL ALWAYS BE FOR THE WORLD!"]
["WE'RE A PART OF THE WORLD!"] Some voices shouted back.
Gabriel started moving through the crowd towards Death. ['He'll kill them all at this rate. I need to be ready for the worst.']
Gabriel was almost shoving the shouting crowd members as he hurried. What Death said next, stopped him.
["NOT WHEN YOU DESTROY IT!"]
Death's words seemed to echo. It wasn't just the sheer volume of his voice but something more. There was a vibration that pierced through the noise of the crowd. Though Death's tone softened as his words lost emotion, the rumbling of his voice made his words easy to hear.
["I do not march armies. I do not conquer. All I have ever done is hunt what I believe to be monsters. I serve no greater purpose than to keep this world safe. Worship me if you want but understand..."]
Death slowly walked up to the other leaders that were still on the platform with him. ["I. Don't. Make. Exceptions."]
The leaders were so paralyzed with fear that none of them were able to speak, much less move. Every single leader had the same thought about begging for their lives. About negotiating, offering to be better if they were spared. Even if any of them could manage to speak, it didn't matter.
Death's hand ripped clean through the chest of one leader. He pulled his hand out of their chest and tore through the remaining leaders that had been standing on the platform. The surrounding area was silent, barring one timid voice that seemed as if it was being ignored.
["S-stop him!"] The leader who had been dropped down to the crowd tried to shout.
Despite the leader's pleas, no one moved. Some were horrified, some were awestruck, some were rehearsing how they would beg for their lives. No one in the crowd dared to help. They all stood still and waited for Death's next move.
Death's massacre of the leaders was over quickly, yet to the crowd, it felt as if time had frozen still. The crowd's eyes followed Death as he jumped down to finish off the leader he had dropped. Death's movements were swift, separating the leader's head from their body took only a second. Death paused after his final kill, waiting to see if any of the followers had something to say. The silent stares told him it was time to leave.
The followers made way for Death as he walked. The sound of blood dripping from Death's hands could be heard with every step. A fully-cloaked Gabriel ran up to Death and got down on one knee. Gabriel disguised his voice as best he could.
["PRAISE THE HUNTER!"]
Gabriel's shout seemed to shatter the silence. The once petrified crowd of followers started to move once more. A cascade of kneeling began to spread. Every being got on their knees and started to shout along with Gabriel.
["PRAISE THE HUNTER! PRAISE THE HUNTER! PRAISE THE HUNTER!"]
Death looked down at Gabriel. Gabriel made a subtle gesture with his hand, telling Death to just go. Death understood and continued to walk. The once silent area was now shaking with the booming cheers of the followers.
['Why?'] Death thought.
Death felt no pride in the cheers. He was confused about Gabriel's actions. Surely this situation had proven that he shouldn't have followers. What was there to gain? He felt mental fatigue that kept pushing him forward. He wouldn't stop moving until he was long out of sight of the followers.
- Otherworld -
(Past)
Death's following had stagnated in growth. Most beings misinterpreted what they had heard as Death wantonly killing anyone who worshipped him. The followers that continued to worship Death weren't bothered by the lack of growth. The new leaders named themselves the ["House of Death"]. They worked tirelessly to spread what they believed to be Death's true message.
["We do not conquer. We do not march armies. We worship the hunter, the void, the shadow, whatever name he may go by, as he protects our world from monsters. We stay out of his way unless the day should come when he asks for our help, however unlikely that may be. He will welcome anyone, so long as they do not break his commandments."]
["Do not harm the innocent. Do not kill in his name. These two simple commandments are non-negotiable in the eyes of the hunter. Those of us who witnessed that fateful day will forever carry on and pass down the story. None are immune to his wrath. Do not find fear in that statement, find peace, for it means that no monster shall go unpunished."]
- Death -
(Past)
Redacted information, only Grim commanders are granted access. Punishment for sharing this information is execution, regardless of rank.
Death was limping as the sounds of explosions rang out around him. A black liquid dripped from his hunter form like sweat, pooling beneath his feet as he shambled but not mixing with the flowing blood of the corpses that littered the ground.
['Gabriel...'] Death repeated in his mind.
A wall of flames rapidly approached Death. He blinked, stepping into Limbo. Though there was no light source in Limbo, the space had a faint glow that painted everything gray. The endless gray around him seemed different this time. There was something calling to him. Death traversed the space. He stopped when he saw the scythe. Its long silver handle with a curved black blade pulsed.
["What is this?"] Death's voice and mind echoed together.
Death's gripped the scythe's handle with his right hand. He reappeared back on the battlefield surprised and holding the scythe. The ground rumbled beneath him. As he went to blink he felt a tightness around his right hand that tugged at him. Death jumped over the stone spikes that began shooting out of the ground. He threw the scythe and started blinking again.
With every blink, Death would look around Limbo before stepping back into the Otherworld. The longer the battle went on, the more severe Death's injuries became.
["And so falls the hunter!"] one jeering voice yelled.
Death stepped back into Limbo, clutching his right shoulder as the stump of his arm dripped black liquid. Death's thoughts became hazy as he stayed in Limbo. He had never stayed in Limbo this long before. He didn't know what would happen if he did but he needed the time to think, despite how difficult that was becoming for him.
["Three far...two healers...five suppressing...fire...stone...light...light...light..."]
Death's words became a repetitive stutter. He could feel his mind slipping away. He had to leave and he couldn't risk coming back too soon. He pictured the scythe and it appeared next to him. He grabbed the handle once more and was sent back into the Otherworld. A lightning bolt ripped across the battlefield.
Death moved the scythe to block the bolt, readying himself to be knocked back. The bolt hit the scythe's handle and disappeared. Death's hand clenched as he leaned forward. The handle of the scythe cracked, spreading black veins of energy. The ground beneath Death's feet began to wither as he sprinted toward his enemies.
["Kill. Survive. Kill. Survive."] Death repeated under his breath.
With Death's newfound power he was able to last long enough in the battle for Gabriel to arrive and help him. Once the last enemy was slain, Death lost consciousness. His body fell to the ground with a thud that worried Gabriel. Death's hand stayed firmly grasped around the scythe's handle.
- Death and Gabriel -
(Past)
Gabriel reached for the scythe. ["What is this thing?"]
Gabriel's fingers barely grazed the scythe before he reeled back in shock. Gabriel looked at his hand and then back to the scythe. He gritted his teeth, closed his eyes, put his foot on Death's arm, and grabbed the handle of the scythe with both hands. He held back his cries of pain as he yanked the scythe out of Death's grasp.
Gabriel threw the scythe. His whole body shook as he propped Death onto his arms and conjured his wings. The unshakeable fear filling his mind was only worsened by the black liquid he felt leaking onto his body.
['Why did father insist I help you?']
As Gabriel flew upward, he couldn't help staring out at the former carnage that painted the land below. Deep cuts in the ground had filled with blood making it look as though the land itself was covered in fresh scars. Despite the number of them, not a single corpse was whole. The gruesome scene made Gabriel feel something he never thought he would when looking at a battlefield: disgust.