Prologue

The Underscape. A purgatory where the fallen souls of the once mortal drift about before arriving at their final destination. In it is the Narrow Maze, a network of merciless passages that drift on for what appears to be an eternity, and it is here that the individual known as Razor performed his duty as faithfully as one could.

*crack*

"It's about time you got moving, you down there."

Little more than a dominating and electrifying presence bound to the flesh known as his armor, he would hover above the Narrow Maze with whip in hand. When the lost souls below were struck with confusion or fear, he struck them with his whip so as to send them on their way. It is difficult to imagine that somebody could do this job for all of eternity, but Razor actually was quite fond of his job.

Well, Razor had been expecting to do this for all eternity, but this was not to be.

One could say that it was another day above the Narrow Maze, except neither the sun nor moon shine above the Underscape. As one would expect, Razor was cracking his whip at the unfortunate souls beneath him. That instance was especially not a good one, as he had gotten a fat soul that did not seem to be in the mood to go anywhere.

*crack**crack**crack**CRACK*

"UOUUURRGH."

"If you have time to bellow like that, then you should be able to at least crawl into a dark pit and get this over with."

No progress. Great. All of a sudden, an idea sparked in Razor's head, and he wasted no time putting it into action.

"UOoourgh- ACK!"

Choking from the whip around its neck, the fat soul was too lazy to even struggle or clasp at the whip, dragging behind Razor, who then immediately dropped him into a hole. Razor was quite pleased with the solution that he had come up with, but his thoughts were suddenly interrupted.

"As usual, you seem to be up to something interesting, Razor."

"Hello, Lord of Heaven. Fancy meeting you here in the Narrow Maze."

Indeed, the haughty Zeus had appeared at some point, lying down on a cloud slurping down grapes. With white hair on the sides of his head and above his lip, Zeus emanated a presence that spoke of majesty. He would, that is, were it not for the bulging fat known as his belly.

Zeus had once been immortal, but was spending his time among the living. In spite of his predicament, Zeus was still very easily able to enter into places a normal person could never enter in a lifetime, this including the Underscape, and when he did, Razor would have nothing for him except for the same spiteful sarcasm.

"Hm. No matter how many times I see this, it doesn't seem to me that you have gotten any less fond of bullying the weak. Nay, I would say that you gain some sadistic pleasure from doing this."

"I bring my lightning whip not to punish souls, but only to hasten them toward the inevitable exit. When you die, I will be no less courteous to you."

"Now, now, my boy. We lightning users ought to stick together."

"The difference between you and me is that you buy your cheap lightning by the bolt. Now if you will excuse me-"

"But I CANNOT."

That sudden outburst took Razor by a slight amount of surprise, and Razor wasn't one to get surprised. Had he taken offense at that jab? Zeus, after comically inhaling the last of his grapes, straightened out his back and stood on his cloud before continuing.

"You see, my boy-"

"I am not a boy. Nowhere near in fact. I am a Lightning Revenant."

"Whatever. You see, my boy, there has been a conflict taking place upon the plane of the mortals between two forces. They are known as-"

"The Radiant and the Dire. Yes I know this. In fact, they are the reason that I have been overworked with souls as stupid as these."

Casually striking at a Dire soul who thought he would be able to slip by unnoticed, Razor continued.

"The souls that have come as a result of this war have been mindless, as if they have no wills of their own. Anyways, while the Mad Moon was something that my master had not anticipated, this changes nothing. I have my job, and that is all I need to do. I have souls to attend to, so-"

"But WAIT."

"Now what?!"

Troublesome. Troublesome. Troublesome. Annoying. Troublesome. Razor disliked looking at Zeus any day of the week for any reason. Having him interrupt his work was even worse, and Razor had quickly grown tired of the conversation. Heaving a last breath into a sigh, Razor decided that this bit of prattle would be the last; after that, he would be done with Zeus and his antics, even if he had to whip him away. Zeus realized this as well, and continued.

"There are some individuals that I know who will be participating in the war. Naturally, I want you to participate as well."

Silence.

"Are you serious?"

"When am I not?"

"All the time."

"Then I am being serious now. I want you to join me in joining the Radiant."

Foolishness. Completely absurd. Razor was getting more visitors to the Narrow Maze because of the war above, but to actually participate?

"Don't be silly Zeus. I have a job, and it is to ferry these souls across the Narrow Maze."

"As I said before, we lightning users ought to stick together. Naturally, that includes Raijin."

Great. Another person that Razor disliked. Even more fat and unable to take a hint, Raijin too was an electric master. If Zeus were a cart salesman, he would no doubt be the worst one ever.

"I consider you to be a friend, Razor."

Too bad, Razor thought. The Lightning Revenant does not have friends, and does not need them. He simply does as he is commanded. But saying that won't be enough to get rid of him.

"Even if I were interested in participating, I have a job, as I have said already. Furthermore, I am bound to the Underscape. My master would not be so willing as to simply let me dance about the surface with the mortals."

"I see."

Zeus's face was filled with dejection, but quickly lit up again.

"Well, if you happen to be free, you can watch as I rock the surface with my godly might. I will be sending fresh arrivals to the Underscape."

"Looking forward to it."

Razor said that last bit sarcastically, but it seemed that Zeus didn't really get the message. With a violent clap, Zeus was gone as quickly as he had appeared. Razor pondered the conversation that had taken place for a few seconds, but then immediately got back to whipping at the souls below.

*crack*

The same "day"

Tension. While not what Razor was feeling, it was the best descriptor for what a human would be subject to in this situation. The Underscape is a purgatory that is very orderly, having various roles for various individuals that must take place. When Razor was first introduced to the Underscape, he was given his location and his duty, and that was it. Never after that had he been given a summons.

As far as he knew, Razor had been doing his job well, and if to boast, better than anybody else that had done or was doing it. In fact, many who knew about the Narrow Maze considered it to be synonymous to Razor.

After floating through the Underscape for some time, Razor arrived at his destination. A pitch black tower that towered out of the dark abyss, and where his master resided, this was the heart of the Underscape. Razor entered, and his eyes met another pair through his visor.

"Hello Necro'lic. If you are here as well, then this must be of some importance, at least."

"AGREEMENT. NECRO'LIC DID NOT EXPECT TO MEET RAZOR IN THIS PLACE."

Necro'lic the Visage. Guardian of the Narrow Maze, he was also the one that dragged those foolish enough to attempt escape back to the Underscape. His body resembled that of a gargoyle, save for the fact that the parts not actively used to attack people were ethereal.

Razor was not friends with Visage, but the two worked in the same field of expertise, so they naturally knew each other. While not nearly as bubbly as Zeus, it seemed that he would be able to hold a professional conversation at least. Razor was about to speak, when all of a sudden:

"But of course, WE have called you both here for a reason."

A voice suddenly boomed out in the darkness. Without shape or form, it rattled the soul of men and demons alike. It was the voice of their master, the master of the Underscape, to whom Razor and Visage gave their allegiance. It was, without a doubt, the WILL of the Underscape. Feeling the majesty of the presence he could not directly perceive, Razor gave a subtle bow before speaking.

"I am but a humble servant of the Underscape, patrolling the Narrow Maze since the day that you charged me with such. Conduct me where you will."

"LIKEWISE. NECRO'LIC GUARDS THE VEIL, FROM WHICH NONE MAY RETURN."

A low chuckling echoed through the halls of the tower, before the WILL continued.

"What amusing pets WE have. Well then, Necro'lic, do you truly claim to serve US?"

Visage, who had remained indifferent up until now, suddenly seemed to tense slightly, as seen by Razor. Silence settled for a short moment, and then Visage spoke.

"ACCEPT. NECRO'LIC HAS AND ALWAYS WILL PERFORM HIS DUTY TO THE UNDERSCAPE WITHOUT FAIL. TO OPPOSE NECRO'LIC IS TO OPPOSE DEATH."

"WE see."

Silence. Razor thought that he would be questioned similarly, but what he heard next was something that he had not fathomed, much less expected.

"Then WE shall get straight to the point. Razor, Necro'lic. There is one on the surface who has cheated death, and thus denies my goodwill. WE are sending you two to participate in the battle above in order to bring him to US."

"IMPOSSIBLE- ACK"

Razor, who had still been taking in the fact that he was being reassigned from the Narrow Maze, suddenly found himself even more shocked by the fact that Visage had spoken back to the WILL of the Underscape. Reflexively, he had literally whipped out at Visage.

"You fool! How dare you speak out of turn! We are but humble servants to the WILL-"

"KNOW YOUR PLACE, RAZOR. NONE ARE ALLOWED TO PASS BACK FROM THE VEIL TO THE NARROW MAZE, AND NONE SHALL."

The WILL had been chuckling before, but now, a great bellowing laughter rattled the tower, putting both Razor and Necro'lic on edge.

"It seems that WE really have picked amusing pets. Necro'lic is correct. One who has passed the veil cannot return to the land of the living. However, this particular case has stopped many times before the veil and has equally many times returned to the world of mortals. Razor, you should be familiar with the beast known as Roshan."

Chills went down Razor's spine. Even as an immortal being, Razor still remembered the name and the terror associated with said name when he too was in the land of the living. However, this was neither the time nor place for hesitation, so Razor pressed for more information.

"How could Roshan be able to escape the curse of mortality?"

"Roshan has acquired an artifact created by beings as old as US. As long as it is in his possession, WE can hold no power over him."

"So you desire us to steal away this artifact from him?"

"No. You two are to destroy his possession, the Aegis of the Immortal."

"Then what purpose is there to us participating in the battle of the mortals?"

"Because WE desire so."

Razor, having just realized the amount of badgering that he was doing, fell silent.

"To articulate, WE believe that it will be easier to carry out your task this way, as WE will be unable to give you OUR blessing in the world above."

"ELABORATION. DO YOU INTEND US TO BECOME MORTAL IN ORDER TO PARTICIPATE IN THE WORLD ABOVE?"

"Yes, WE do."

Today was not a good day for Razor. Troublesome souls, a visit from Zeus badgering him to war, being reassigned from the Narrow Maze, having to hunt for Roshan the Immortal, and to top it off, he would have to do so while participating in the war between the Radiant and the Dire as a mortal? Razor had at least twelve good objections to this, but he knew that he could not oppose the WILL.

"We humble servants will gladly carry out the orders of the WILL, regardless of the task. We shall find Roshan, slay him, and destroy his Aegis of the Immortal."

"AGREEMENT. NECRO'LIC SHALL COOPERATE WITH RAZOR IN ORDER TO FULFULL THE MISSION WHICH THE WILL HAS ENTRUSTED US WITH."

"Good. Very good. WE would expect nothing less of my pets. WE shall have other powers perform as substitutes in your absences. WE expect that you two shall be ready to depart now."

"One final question."

"WE are listening."

If Razor was going to participate in the war, he might as well join the side that has people he is familiar with.

"Shall Necro'lic and I be participating on the Radiant side of the war, the Dire, or both?"

Razor had been expecting that each would be given jurisdiction over different factions, but the response he received was different.

"As surely as all souls return to the Underscape, so it has already been decided that the Dire shall claim victory in this battle, and it is they that the two of you shall join."

And with that, Razor and Necro'lic departed the Underscape and surfaced in the land of the mortals to join hands with the Dire.