A/N: Hello, Darksiders fans! I come with my first DS fan-fic eva! What started as a little idea from watching Tobuscus' literal trailer, became a full story that I knew I wanted to write.

This is a romance (if you follow me, then you would have guessed it lol) that features my OC, Leila Nereza. Now, we all have no idea of Death's loving side, so bear with me!

You can go to my profile, under "Other Websites" and find a link to my deviantART page for the teasers and (failed) drawings about this story that helped me fuel my creativity for this story!

Enjoy the prologue for now! :)

Darksiders – Death and Nereza – "Strength and Shadows"

"How do you live with yourself, Death? After slaying your own kind? After murdering your own beloved? I loved you, Death. I promised to ride with you for all of eternity. But you didn't let that happen…"

Location: Mausoleum of Leila Nereza, Death's Realm (True Location Unknown)
(Shortly after the events of Darksiders )

"You should come home, brother,"

"Not that I don't want to, War. I just do not want to leave this place. Particularly, this Mausoleum."

"You haven't spoken about her ever since that day. Do you… still miss her?"

"I always have, War. It's just that recent events made it impossible to think about her. Now that it is all over, I can. And the feeling is dreadful…"

War sat a comforting hand on his brother's shoulder. "There is nothing you can do for her, Death. It's been more than five centuries. She's gone."

Death shook his head slightly, his tone filled with nothing but dejection. "Not all of her. Her soul is still here, isn't it?" He glanced up at the statue in front of him. The statue's hand was reaching out towards them, with a large blue amulet in its palm. "I hear her, War. Sometimes." He then confessed.

"What does she say, brother?" War asked.

"Rather cruel things, actually. She speaks of how I deserve to feel guilty. How I chose power over her. How I broke all of the promises…"

"Brother, you know that is not Nereza. She loved you very much. Didn't you say that she forgave you?" War made his older brother turn to face him. "Those are simply mind games, brother. Brought on by the guilt you are carrying. Nereza could never say anything hurtful about you."

The Pale Rider faked a chuckle. "Even if she forgave me before she let go of her last breath, I am sure there must be some hatred in her. I killed her, War. Who can forgive that?"

War only wished he could somehow comfort his older brother. He knew Death was hurting right now. But what could he do? His lover was no more; killed during the annihilation of the Nephilim, one that Death had led. "Death…"

"It's quite alright, War," Death patted his shoulder and glanced back at the statue. "I'm still trying to find a way to bring her back. The souls of our kin were all sacrificed, except for hers. She must return somehow."

Leila Nereza was her full name. She was Nephilim, just like Death. Death had once gifted her with a blue amulet and when she died, instead of her soul being trapped in Death's own green amulet like the rest of their kind, hers trapped itself in her blue amulet. Nobody knows why or how this phenomenon happened, but it did. And when the dust settled, Death found her amulet and could sense her soul stuck in there.

Death kept her amulet hidden, hoping to revive her one day. During his 500-year leave of absence after the destruction of his kin, he tried his best, but he could never figure out a way to revive her. It was as if there was a little piece missing.

He ultimately decided that keeping her soul was more than enough for him, but it was only proving to drive him mad with guilt.

Death reached for her blue amulet and gripped it, only to pull his hand back with a pained grunt. "Ugh!" He staggered backwards a little and was caught by War.

"Brother?"

"Her amulet…" Death shifted his weight back to his feet. "I touched it and… and I saw something."

"What is it?" War asked. "Was it Nereza? Did she say something to you?"

"No…" The Reaper shook his head, still shaken. "I saw a mortal. A human female. And… and she resembled Reza,"

"What?" Now this was truly madness. "Death, this is highly-"

"I know what I saw, War!" Death quickly argued back, not giving his younger brother any time to retaliate. "And I saw Nereza! But as a mortal woman!"

"Death…" War began in a soothing voice. "I know you miss her, but-"

"I know what I saw…" He then growled at his younger brother. "And I saw Nereza."

"Fine," War held up in hands in truce. "Let's say you did see Nereza. And let's say you did see her as a mortal woman… that would mean that she would be on Earth! You honestly think she might be a reincarnation of Nereza?"

Death sighed, his mind in a conflict. "I don't know, War. But if she is, then having that vision made all the more sense. If she's the rebirth of Nereza, then I have to speak to her."

"Brother," War gripped Death shoulders and made him turn to him. "You do not know whether there is an actual mortal down there on Earth. It could be another mind game." He then took a more comforting tone. "I know your heart yearns for Nereza. You never meant for any of this to happen. That kind of guilt can mess with your mind. You mustn't take notice of it."

"Then what would you have me do, War?" Death remained stubborn, shrugging of his brother's touch. "Stay here and remain remorseful? Go mad with the pain? No. I need to know. I must know."

War sighed in defeat. Death was always a stubborn one, but their brother Strife, was worse. "Fine. Do what you will, brother. If this is what you want. I have no idea how you are going to go down to Earth without angering the Council. But if you do go through with this, please don't be disappointed."

Death let go of a chuckle. "Don't worry about me, War."

War gave chuckle of his own, but his was a faked one. As he made his way out of the mausoleum, he said, "I'm afraid that's all I do now, brother: worry about you."