Prologue: Whispers of Darkness
Xyndre walked through the damp corridors of the sewers. The air smelled of decay and he loved it. The scent of human suffering brought pleasure to him in a way few things did. He walked on without a set destination, basking in it's glory. He was a tall, thin man with greasy black hair and yellow eyes. Not a warm, glowing yellow, but a sickly, dull color that reminded those who saw them of human waste, not that they survived long enough to spread tales of their hideous color.
Xyndre sensed something behind him and turned, seeing only his shadow. He shrugged it off and continued his walk, undisturbed. He was used to odd feelings in the sewers, as his profession required him to flee to them often. He was a freelance assassin, his allegiances belonged to the highest bidder and he had no care for those who employed him. On multiple occasions, he had received contracts to kill previous employers. He didn't hesitate to kill them. Anything that paid well was good enough for him.
He turned around. He could have sworn he had heard something again. He unsheathed the twin knives he kept for when his contracts required him to get up close. "Show yourself," he hissed into the darkness. After a moment, he began to relax. I must be getting tired, he thought. I'm imagining things. Just as the thought ran through his mind, a pair of beady red eyes appeared. Xyndre grinned at them. "Hello there," he said, adrenaline coursing through him. "What kind of noise will you make when you die, I wonder? That's the best part of my job, you see. Learning all the different reactions humans have when meet their sudden, painful end." He grinned.
A voice, sounding ageless and emotionless, echoed off the walls. "Oh, is that so? You will be a great pawn for me." Xyndre growled. "I'm nobody's pawn," he hissed. "If you're here with a contract, let's make one thing clear. I call all my own shots. You tell me who to kill, I deal with the rest, I get paid, and you hope that no one ever pays me to kill you." The voice chuckled, a dark noise that sounded so sinister, even the merciless assassin shivered. "You won't have a choice in the matter," it said. "Your body is mine."
With that, a shape darted out of the darkness. Xyndre jumped back in shock. It was a serpent, made entirely out of liquid, shifting shadows, except for the red eyes, which shone with a malevolent light. Before Xyndre could react, it slithered down his throat, causing him to gag. His vision flashed and a searing pain burned deep within him. He screamed, and that was the last thing he did of his own free will. He could no longer control any part of his body. He couldn't move his lips to speak, couldn't raise his arms to claw at his face, couldn't even move his eyes to look around.
His arms rose and his eyes looked down at them. This is a disgusting form, the serpent's voice said in his head, But it will have to do for now. Xyndre's horror at what was happening was met by another chuckle from the serpent. Now you understand. You are mine, Xyndre, and you will help me gather my pawns in preparation for the next stage of my plan. The collision is almost upon us. We must hurry. Xyndre would have gulped if he could. "W-What plan is this?" he thought. The serpent sneered. You needn't know all, assassin. I need your body to kill someone, the one person who may be able to stop me.
Xyndre was confused. "You didn't need to take over my body for that, serpent. I would be more than happy to help you… for the right price, that is." The serpent laughed, a sound that was unspeakably evil. The use of Xyndre's limbs returned to him. Very well, the serpent said. You will find and kill a target for me, and in exchange, you may be by my side when I rule this world. Xyndre smiled, a wicked grin that would cause even the most hardened warrior to cringe. "It would be my pleasure," he said. "What is your name, stranger?" The serpent chuckled again. I have many names. I am death, I am evil, I am the true god of this world. You may call me Demise.