Prologue
Rain pours down on the battle scared field. Bodies are strewn about in gruesome displays of recent violence and gore. All is still until one of the collapsed persons starts to move. Weak and bloodied the warrior makes it to his feet and starts to limp forward. The droplets from the sky wet his face as he looks upward barley cognizant of his wounds.
"A-am I the only one left? Is the battle over?" he thought to himself. Looking around him he saw nothing but the motionless piles of the heaping dead. The blood of the fallen was mixing with the muddy water in pools of what seemed like manifest despair. Limping forward ever so slowly he grimaced at the slain corpses of both his friends and foes realizing the obvious truth…this was war.
"Well you seem to have made a right mess of this place now haven't you?" The warrior looked up toward the anonymous voice. He saw a young male with long black hair and a large crimson object in hand sitting back in a tree smirking at him. "I'll be honest with you when I say I truly didn't think you would survive this long." said the young man. "I should've known I'd run into you here. The one who wields the bloody red scythe and the collector of souls. I can't say I'm too happy to see you right now, Ricortix the Reaper." the warrior sarcastically remarked.
"Oh come now Vercingetorix is that any way to greet a business partner?" said Ricortix. "I'm merely here to make good on our agreement and collect what is rightfully mine." he continued. "I-I'm not…. finished… yet. I survived the battle but….. I still have to…. make it back to my f-family to say my farewell. That was….. the deal remember." Vercingetorix said cringing in pain. "Well technically yes it was but you see my hour glass and the rate of your blood loss beg to differ. I'm terribly sorry about this but you understand that this strictly business, nothing personal." the youth remarked grinningly. As he finished he raised his scythe ready to swipe at Vercingetorix, the warrior thought as quickly as he could for how to survive this encounter.
As Ricortix swung the blade Vercingetorix dropped and rolled off to the side. "Please don't make this difficult V. As much as I do enjoy your company I do have a schedule to keep to." he said with a sigh. He swung again only to have the attack deflected by the warriors' sword. "I'm impressed V old sport; I'd figure you'd be completely drained by now. No matter, you mortals still have limits that always run out." Ricortix stated. "Happy to be of some interest Death God, but mine is one soul you can't have." Vercingetorix spat back.
The two exchanged blows for about a good while, but Vercingetorix showed sign of fatigue. "I must say V for a mortal your one tenacious bastard. You're a credit to your race but I'm afraid your time is up." As he raised his scythe poised to deliver the finishing blow Vercingetorix pulled out a clear crystal-like object from his pocket and slammed it against Ricortix's chest stopping him dead in his tracks. "What….is…this?" Ricortix stuttered. "The Gem of the Tuatha, and your doom." The warrior said.
"E sched teval ana tu you gal!" Vercingetorix chanted. The gems started to glow a brilliant white light. "Curse you mortal, you shall pay for this!" Ricortix yelled. The light enveloped the reaper and then went still. "There you will remain god of death, where you shall collect only time for eternity." he triumphed. With Ricortix sealed within the crystal Vercingetorix made his way to his home knowing his time was running out. A wound in his side was bleeding heavily.
A pounding came at the door of the small hovel. A blonde haired woman of average height came rushing to the door. She opened it only to have her battle scared husband collapse in front of her. "My husband! By Bridghid in Heaven are you all rig…." she was cut off by the man's fading voice. "Aine listen to me, I haven't much time. I have come back to bid farewell to you and the children." he gasped. "No don't leave us Vercingetorix please stay with me!" said begged tearfully as she cradled him in her arms.
"I love you with all that I am and ever was. I shall be watching over you and the children. Tell Finn to be strong and to never lose his sense of honor. Tell Morgan to be a good girl for daddy and to remember me on her wedding day." he said as blood ran from his lips. "Aine one last matter, take this crystal to the family tomb and see that it is well sealed away. Never let anyone near it." he professed. "Aye, my love." Aine cried as she took the crystal from his weakening grasp. "Until we meet once more in the Otherworld my love, fare…well." he said as the light faded from his eyes.
Aine released a cry that would chill a banshee's blood as she embraced the lifeless body of her husband just as her children came into the room. They looked at her and then the corpse of their father. The storm outside thundered only to compound the sorrow of the now widowed Aine. The daughter came to her side and cried along with her mother. Finn however, was speechless. Tears were welling up in his eyes as he looked at his now deceased father and then the mysterious gem which caught the flash of a passing lightning bolt.