“So. This is where he is?” I asked my shadow form. He simply looked to me and nodded.

We stood in front of a large iron door with a large skull embedded into the formation. As we approached the door, it seemed to be giving of a humming noise. And just arriving at the door filled my body with a sense of dread and hopelessness.

“Come on, let’s knock.” I told Shadow, he looked at me and seemed to be lost in thought for a moment.

He spoke up as he returned to reality,“Huh.”

“What?”

“I just realized something.”

“And what would that be?” I asked.

He placed his chin within the grasp of his hand and he thought as he talked,“Well, consider the concept. We are literally knocking on Death’s doorstep, I just find it a bit funny.”

I gave the thought a quick lookover and found it to be interesting as well,“Standing at Death’s door. Huh.” I shook the thought off and returned to the task at hand. “Come on, I’m not gonna wake up on my own.”

“Well actually, you can.”

“Not quick enough it seems.” I turned back to the menacing door and grasped the large door knocker that seemed to resemble a snake slithering through a skull and pulled it back. It weighed a ton and as I rammed it back towards the door, it rang loudly. I pulled it back again and slammed it down two more times, I stood back from the door and waited.

A loud and thunderous voice called out from behind the door,“Young one, begone and out of my sight.”

“I’m not leaving.” I told the voice.

The door slowly creaked open,“Would would dare defy my orders?” asked the thunderous voice. “I would watch that tongue of yours, you could lose it just as fast.”

Shadow looked to me and whispered,“What are you doing?” I looked to him for a brief moment and nodded with a smile. “That still doesn’t answer my question!” I turned back to the door and waited.

“Elder, I wish to leave this realm. My people need me.” As the door opened wide, I was met by a room that was completely pitch black. Slowly a thick dark fog eased out of the door and laced the floor, the fog seemed to be emanating small feats of lightning every so often. I turned my attention back to the door frame and focused as I clenched my fist together. “I ask that you send me back to the world of the living, I grow tired of this realm.”

A large skeletal hand grasped the side of the door and pulled a sizeable man out. He easily stood four feet higher than I, he was covered from head to toe in a tattered grey cloak. The man stood within the fog and towered over me, the very feeling of his presence filled my body with fear but I knew I had to stand strong. “And I ask of you this, young one. Why should I send you back, since you seemed so eager to drive yourself here.”

“I can’t stay here. Now send me back.”

“Your time is nearly up, do you wish to see how much of you precious life is left in the tainted carcass you call a body, mortal?”

He slowly raised his arm and placed his index finger against my forehead. A painful sensation stung my head, as if the headaches returned. “Open your eyes.” voiced Death. I opened my eyes at his request and found myself in front of a statue in the middle of a lone field. Abandoned and empty. The statue held small trinkets and notes, a few roses and bits scattered at the foot of the statue.

“Why are we here? Wherever here is.” I looked to the status before me and it was a man that seemed to be kneeling and holding his hand out to me. He seemed to be familiar, but I couldn’t see his face. It was hidden behind his hood. “Wait a minute.” I said. I gave the statue another lookover and found a plaque beneath my feet. I took a step back and as I knelt down to wipe the excess dirt and debris away, words begun to form. They read:

“Do you see it, young one?” Asked the hooded figure. I turned to Death and a tear ran down my cheek, I couldn’t process the thought. “No one is invincible. Mighty as the Guardians are, they are still flesh and blood.”

I wiped the tears that ran down my face away as I spoke up,“I can’t be dead. Not yet.”

He turned to me and placed his finger on my forehead once again. With a flash of light, Death and I were in another place. We were in the hive, inside the bedroom. I could see two people sleeping in the messy bed sheets. One was clearly Chrysalis, and the other was masked behind her flesh and the cover by the blankets. A loud knock could be heard and as I turned my attention to the door, it swung open. Two children ran in. They couldn’t be more than five or six. The two jumped onto the bed and nuzzled themselves next to the sleeping mystery.

I turned to Death and I felt heartbroken,“So not only do you wish to show me that I’m dead, you have the audacity to shatter my spirits with this, that after I pass, she starts... her own..” I felt disheartened but I trailed off as I saw him raise a finger and point over to the bed, I turned my attention towards the bed and felt shocked.

As the two children played around in the bed, it knocked the covers away and revealed the man. As he pulled himself away from the pillow, a smile crept onto his face as he saw the two dance around on the bed. He gave Chrysalis a kiss on the cheek and wrapped her in his embrace. The two kids turned to the two showing their affections and they said in unison, “Ewww.. Mom and Dad. That’s not cool!”

The man spoke up,“Oh yeah, because this is totally wrong.” He let out a familiar chuckle as the two ran out of the room. As they bolted for freedom, he called out,“Go get big sis!”

They two kids called from down the hall,“Okay dad!” The man raised his hand and used a bit of magic to close the door. He turned to the ebony queen and they laid in the bed, quiet and calm.

Chrysalis turned to her bedmate and smiled,“I’ve missed you. Promise to never leave for that long again.”

“My Queen, I promise.” He smiled as the tired in his eyes begun to show. Chrysalis gave the man a kiss on the lips and nuzzled into his chest.

“I love you, Darkmoon.”

“I love you too, My Queen.”

I turned back to Death and I felt confused,“But I’m supposed to be dead, why am I here?” I asked. He turned to me and placed his hand on my shoulder.

“Mortal, the places I have shown you are two different choices, but are held at the same time. The choices you’ll make with the remainder of your time alive will lead you to one of the two places. Your time on the mortal plains isn’t over just yet, but remember one thing.” He raised his finger and held it an inch away from my forehead. “A family was at the Hive, but No one was at the statue.” He placed his index finger on my forehead but nothing happened. “I’m sending you back, but the choices you make will either make you, or break you. Now choose.” A blinding light overtook me and everything went black.

“agh...” I groaned as the light quit. My eyes felt like they’d been glued shut and it felt like someone had thrown my body down a hill and let the timberwolves munch on me. A grave amount of pain was coming from my right shoulder and as I tried grabbing it with my left hand, a large amount of pain was coming from it. “I hate.. being me... damn it.”

“Dark?” asked a familiar voice.

“Yeah.. the very same.. what is it?” I asked the voice.

The voice seemed to turn as it called over others,“Dark’s up! Guys! Dark’s up!” A large group of footsteps and hoofsteps could be heard approaching.

I tried to open my eyes but they refused to cooperate. “Where am I?” I asked.

“You’re in the Hive, Dark. Your friends are here too.” Called a familiar voice.

“Who was that?”

“It was me.”

“I’m sorry to say, but I can’t see you.”

“Here.” the voiced came closer and placed one of my hands on its face. The pain was unbearable but it was worth it. The feel of the persons face was all too familiar. “It’s me, love.”

“My.. My Queen.” If I could feel my eyes, I swore I’d be crying.

Death, the man, the spirit, the end. You may call him anything you wish, for he has many names in many tongues. Though these names are all different, they all point to the same person. He is the man in tattered black robes, shrouded in darkness and known universally and feared by all. He is the end to all things, but the unsung hero of many. He can show you many things, change your ways, but most importantly... Save you.

Well, this chapter took just a bit longer due to procrastination. Hope you enjoyed.
Music, for your listening pleasure:

Keep it cool, Condemned.