Prologue
Legend has it that the world ended long ago and we were given a second chance. It has faded from memory long ago and finally become legend. I know the truth because I was there. I traveled with our savior I was one of the only survivors of the apocalypse. The only problem was that I was not human. I was caught somewhere in between animal and human, cat and woman. I was a cat demon in a human world full of judgment and hate. Let me tell you our story.
Chapter one
399 years ago
I sit among the ruins of Home Tree. My older brother sat next to me. His arms wrapped around me in loving embrace. Home Tree was our old coffee house. I stood and pulled him up with me. We pulled our eyes away from the sight in time to see a portal open. Angels flew out and we ran at the portal. We jumped in and fell into a world of giants. we scurried and hid behind a giant statue and peeked around it watching the two giants ahead.
"Tell me, old one, where am I?" a man said in a rasping growl. he wore a mask of bone and hand large bony hands. Huge scythes lay at his sides.
"You are in the Forge Lands, for a Rider you should have known as much." the giant said. He looked in our direction and I covered my mouth and hid again.
"Many things are kept from us I suppose." the other said. "old one, what is it that sparks your interest so much?"
"I saw a wee little face ehind the statue." he said. the ground shook as he walked towards us. we backed up and I heard my brother bump into something. I turned and saw the man in the mask clearer. he had long black hair, strong muscular arms, chest and legs, scars on his shoulders, and glowing red eyes that shown underneath the mask, and embedded in his chest were huge shards of glowing green rock. I could see smoke rolling off the stone.
"What have we here? The last of the human race come little ones." he said kneeling down. He held out his hand and I walked slowly to him. I took his hand in tentatively. His fingers were cold yet comforting. My brother grabbed me and pulled me back my hand sliding easily from his.
"Sis you have no idea what he will do to you. He could be like those angels and think us freaks. He could try to kill us." he said. "I wont lose you. Not after we lost the kids."
"freaks? your human aren't you?" he asked. we looked at each other.
"In a way we are human, but also we are animal, yet we are neither. we are a mix between the two." I said. his eyes seemed to soften its gaze at us.
"death, I must be going but you and these two should come to the village. It isn't safe here at night." the giant said. He walked off and left us with death. Death turned away from us and left us there.
...
I awoke with a jolt of pain. I saw my brother on top of me. I screamed loudly for his eyes were not his own. they were feral, yellow and lack, tendrils covered his muscled body. he muffled my screams with his mouth. tendrils roped their way from his mouth into mine, and down my throat. I tried to scream, I tried to breathe, I tried to do something, anything to get away. I didn't think anyone would help me. I was starting to lose consciousness, but out of the corner of my eyes, I saw him. Death.
Chapter Two
He pulled my brother off me leaving the tendrils inside. My brothers long black hair now covering those evil yellow eyes. I didn't care to see what happened next. I jumped up allowing my dress to fall back down and ran away. I ran through a long tunnel, and through a giant wooden log, and finally I entered a large courtyard.
"Kayle." I heard Death say. I turned to see a huge horse. Its rider was Death himself. He held out his hand and I shied away from it. "Do not fear me. I am merely here to protect you" At this I took his hand in and he swung me up onto his horse. The flames of the horses mane and tail were lime green.
"How did you know my name?" I asked him. His horse began to walk up the stairs and to a giant door.
"Your brothers last wish was for me to protect you. He used your name so I assumed it was you." he lamented. I sat in between him and the horses head. Death was a little taller than I was. "Thane open the door." he said.
"What of the girl?" asks the giant at the door.
"She is coming with me. I promised to protect her." Death said.
"Why don't you leave her here?" he asks staring at me with hungry eyes.
"No, now open the door." Death growled putting his arm around me protectively. His other hand grasped mine lightly. I blushed a bit and looked down at the ground. I heard the stone door open and felt the horse move. As we passed through the door his arms moved from around me but his hand held mine still. I smiled as he urged the horse faster. I felt something stir inside me and I grasped my chest. I fell from the horse and roll to a stop. I clasp my chest and scream in pain. Soon, I hear a thump as Death gets off the horse and walks to me. "Kayle." he says kneeling beside, while I writhed in pain. I screamed in agony my body filled with pain as the world spun and finally went black.
...
I woke and saw carnage and destruction. Deaths arms were around me and mine were around him. My head was laying on his chest.
"I won't kill you, even if your corrupt." he whispered. my mind flashed back to that moment when my brother kissed me, allowing those tendrils into my body. that must be corruption. I began to cry hard. finally I pulled myself together and pulled away from him.
"Death, why would you not kill me?" I asked softly.
"I made a promise to your brother. I don't make promises often, but I understand the bond between siblings." he said turning away from me. my body shifted into my cat demon form and I stalked over to a pond and looked into it. my fur was sleek and soft, the color of it was tiger striped. I bat at my reflection in the water distorting it.
"I'm a monster." I sigh. "There is nothing you can do to protect me. I am a disgusting monster, an ugly freak, a destructive force. Nothing but a monster." I choke. I hear him walk towards me but I got all fours and scampered in the direction of the volcano. I ran passed one of the giants and over a bridge.
