As the world faded I was brought deep underground. It was the basement of my hotel. Heat radiated from the ceiling of the room but the cement ground was cold. I was laying on my stomach dripping wet and blood seeping from my body. My bangs sticking to my face and my wings stood in a broken shape.
“Crowe?” I asked, wheezing in pain. My power was drained and my entire body was aching. I was covered in blood and I felt tears pour from my eyes as I tried to move. Something was wrong. I could smell smoke and the sound of screams came into earshot. The horrific sound was muffled as I laid on the cold floor. Monsters? Screaming?
“Crowe, where are you?” I called again, this time letting my voice break into sobs. I was starting to feel an emotion inside of me. It was unpleasant. And I was… afraid. “Crowe!” I screamed feeling my chest tighten in anguish. My body threatening to destroy itself.
Crowe appeared before me but everything was off about him.
It wasn’t Crowe. The soul inside his chest was white. His back was facing me and something illuminated his image from the front.
“Hello, dear sister,” A smile stretching across his lips. His voice dipped low and the way his eyes grew from inside Crowe's skull was abnormal. He turned and within his hands was a silver soul.
“This… Has definitely been an adventure.” He licked his lips admiring the thing inside his claws.
“It’s a shame, having to kill you like this.” He continued, “Forgive me for laughing, but you were just,” His tone bubbled with excitement. “You were just so perfect!”
His throat let out a chilling cackle, the sound echoing in the basement and bouncing off the walls creating a hollow sound.
“What did you do?” I made out, my voice becoming chopped as I could feel blood filling inside my throat. Breathing was becoming hard, almost impossible.
“Ah, where should I begin? I guess, going off recent events.” He spun on his heels spinning in a circle. His eagerness spilled from his presence. “ I redesigned Dawn’s bomb-making it mine. After all, it gave me the exact location of Death. Who would’ve guessed that he was patiently dying in your little hotel.” Temno, inside the body of Crowe, looked to the ceiling. Taking in the crumbling surroundings
“The bomb goes off while we are in another world, once we return, I retrieve his soul. Oh, but no no, that is not my greatest feat. In fact, that was probably the easiest part.” He sang, lifting his voice higher and higher. This entire situation was making him high on invisible fumes.
My body quivered as I listened to his story. How could I not have seen it? I moved my hand giving my chest more room to expand. I let out a faint groan feeling my bones crack.
“My greatest feat was either putting this entire Game into Father's head or getting you kicked out of heaven to be my pawn.” He became quiet and I was forced to ponder upon his words.
My body screamed for attention to be healed and I couldn’t bear the thought of him being the master of this war. How could he have created this? Was it not Death who gathered together us siblings?
“What are you saying?” I asked, clearing my throat dragging myself into a different position along the basement wall. “How are you even alive?” I bit my lips trying to stop the tears that were streaming from my eyes.
“Millennias ago, Death created me as a “helper”, but I was bored and talked him into creating this deadly game. This masterpiece of the strongest monsters in the universe at each other's throat. Fighting, tearing themselves apart for nothing!” He cackled again. “And I joined myself. I mean, Crowe was just begging to be taken. And you! Oh my dear sister, you were wonderful from the moment I saw you in heaven. You HAD to be mine.” Temno danced a little in place wrinkling the suit he was wearing. His eyes dancing around the room.
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“Why?” I felt my throat tighten as I spoke this word. It was becoming hard to see.
“Oh catch up.” He spat. He stopped dancing and watched me with his cold, dead eyes. “I was the one who told the angels you broke the rules. That you had felt hatred against a human. Against God’s beloved creatures. You hated the father of the child you were sent to watch over. You committed evil.”
“No, I,” I started, “I couldn’t help it! He was beating her!” I screamed letting my body go into a wave of anxiety. “I-” Temno cut me off continuing his story.
“Humans are just as evil as Demons. After I told the other angels they tortured you. The sight was beautiful.” He said smiling.
“The ways your limbs were torn apart. Your wings peeled away from your spine. Your skull caving in on itself by the pressure of their hands. You're very being, shredded by your own kind. How your own pure soul was torn from your body. Everything about you getting pounded into Dust.” He scraped his foot along the cracks of the ground. His tongue licking the soul in his hand. He giggled slightly.
“But you? No no, you never died. And I loved that about you. No, you fell between the heavenly dimension taking with you the desire to be evil. You took that girl to become your vessel. I was positive you would have killed her but instead, you choose to suffer, letting her soul thrive inside of you. Locked away. I bet she broke through the cracks once in a while. Talking inside your head. Fighting to take back her body. And she’s still alive to this day. Isn’t she?” He stepped forward now standing at the base of my feet. Lowering the glowing soul of Death.
“After I found you again,” he spoke slowly, “I told Death and he promised you your wings again. You took that deal in a heartbeat. My plan for a show was coming to life. But then you murdered me.” his tone became flat. “You ripped out my heart Shadow. So I thought I would return the favor.” He crouched low next to me and we both eyed the soul within his hand. His claws squeezed around the soul. Its frame cracking and a liquid of sorts gushed from the inflicted punctures.
He looked at me with steel blue eyes and as I caught his gaze the soul was crushed into an empty and flat object. “I took everything from you.” he knelt down onto his knees and went into a comfortable position in front of me.
“I am now the all-powerful Death. Anyone who dies or lives is at my will. No one can escape me. But you, oh shadow you are still my favorite pawn. Join me, become my queen. Refuse and I will have you relive those years of torture. You’ll die and I’ll bring you back. Then you’ll continue this twisted fate. Forever.” His tone was now hushed, “Join me.”
“Go to hell.” I spat. Lurching my fingers toward his throat but he caught my attack easily bringing my fingers to his lips. I could feel his breath tickling my skin.
He snickered at my words. “Been there darling, didn’t really work for me. In fact, I hated it so much that I chose to rule over it.” He took in a slow breath releasing my hand.
“How about this. A life for a life.” He said eyeing my body in a vile way. “Trade bodies with me. I’ll give you Crowe in exchange for the little girl with wings. You’ll lose everything again, your power, your wings, your life. But you’ll be saving Crowe.” Temnos eyes flickered for a moment. “We both know that if you try to switch bodies again without a soul, you’d just fade from existence. After all, something without a soul can’t live outside of a body.” He sneered, cupping my face within his hands. The movement of my head sent shock waves down my body.
I couldn’t feel my limbs. I couldn’t see past Crowe's face.
“Give me Crowe,” I whispered, feeling myself slowly drain into nothing. He clicked his tongue as if embarrassed for me.
“I pity you, after your fall you pretended to be something you are not, you wanted to be evil. But in the end. You were first an angel.”
I coughed up more blood feeling the last bit of my power slip. Temno tilted closer whispering over the screams of monsters from above.
“What’s your last words? I’ll be sure to give them to your friend.” His lips now by my ear I took in a quick breath,
“Checkmate,”
instantaneously my conscious jumped into Crowe as Temnos soul tried to slip out. But with the last inch of my power, I turned Crowe's eyes golden, pushing back his own conscience.
I grabbed the soul forcing the Crowe’s muscles to close around the soul. In a last effort, I pushed my ability letting my conscience slip and Crowe awoke crushing the soul within his hands.
The basement was silent and all that could be heard at that moment was the mufflings yells of the world above. Crowe’s eyes focused in and out on the body lying in front of him.
“Shadow?” Crowe spoke.
The little girl's eyelids fluttered open and her body was healed in seconds.
“Who are you?” She asked, her small voice quivering at the unfamiliar man sitting before her.
Silence filled the room and a calm washed over Crowe as he settled into a new power dragging itself within him. A single tear escaped the corner of Crowe’s eye as he took the girls hand.
“My name is Death. Come, I’ll take you home.”