The sword came down penetrating the skull of a warrior whose time has come. Skarthos watched as his soul came out; he reached out and harvested it drawing it into his right arm. He then ran and jumped off a cliff and summoned a pair of Shadowflight wings from his back and soared to the location in which his master waited. The snow caped mountains were shining as the sun shone on the horizon. Skarthos descended and landed on the snow in a ravine of a mountain. He used his clawed hand to tore open a portal to the Undead Plains.
"Do not worry, you are almost there."
Skarthos opened his hand with the green ethereal head of the reaped soul silently sighing, at liberty from his misery. The portal closed once the soul entered in. Skarthos turned to find his feared master waiting for him against the rock wall.
His master has many names – Kinslayer, Executioner…. Death.
Skarthos kneeled before Death and said:
"I have completed my mission, master."
Death rose and stood over him. Death appearance was a very muscular with pale skin, a skull-like mask without the teeth, a long beautiful mane of raven black hair, eyes that burned superior to the burning core of Hell, and a pair of dual scythes holstered at his waist.
"That you did Skarthos. When I found you, you were a cold shivering wolf pup at my door. You had lost your wolf pack to a rivaling one. You were all alone in the world with no brothers, sisters. Not even your Mother and Father were with you."
Skarthos remembered that dark day with anger.
"You were going to die, if I had not intervened. Weak and wretched you were I took you under my wing to be one of my Reapers. After so many centuries, you have exceeded my expectations. Henceforth your title shall be The Shadow of Death. Rise Skarthos and receive your badge of office."
Skarthos stood and Death touched his forehead. The dreaded power flowed into him. Skarthos was now Death's right-hand man.
Death and Skarthos stood on the edge of the high mountain. The cold air whipped at their surroundings but they did not feel it. Some people would say that Death and his Reapers like the environments they go to because like many things it reflects them. It reflects them in a way that reminds them and others that any and everything can be one's end. No matter how violent or peaceful a world is death lingers and waits, until your time is come.
But there is one who's reaping is long over due.
"Skarthos, your first task in your new title is to reap a powerful being." Death said breaking the silence.
"How is this any different from the other powerful beings I fought and reaped?" Skarthos asked.
"You are going after one of the renegade reapers."
"Which one?"
"The renegade reaper known as Cetanu is one who I will reap PERSONALLY for his treachery. This one is the one who followed him in his betrayal. Like Cetanu, this one was one of my Apex Reapers. And at one time you called him "Little Brother"."
"I see…. and where shall I find him?"
"The last I heard, he dwelt on a planet he ravaged to serve his purpose. I do not know where the world is, but this may help."
Death handed the object to Skarthos. He looked at the smooth blue cabochon in the middle surrounded by three stainless steel wolves with a blade of a sword at the bottom. It all hung from a black woven cord.
"This necklace can absorb the power of any attack and grant it to its wearer to use. It will come in handy when facing your prey."
Skarthos put the necklace on.
"This necklace is also a gift. A gift from your Mother."
Skarthos nodded and bowed before rocketed from Earth and went through space like a powerful comet in pursuit of his prey.
Finally the first chapter is out.
So who is this renegade Reaper Skarthos is hunting? The answer may surprise you.
Until next time. ;3