House of Death

Chapter 2

A never ending darkness, cold and unforgiving. It tore into his very being, an infinite loop of endless suffering he could never break free from.

Even though everything else that led to that particular point and he didn't know how to escape. All he knew was endless non existence as it enveloped him and tore at his very existence.

Waking with a start, Raul found himself in the passenger seat of some car with Kali behind the wheel driving them to a destination known only to her.

"Good morning. Did you sleep well?" She asked as she offered him a smile.

"Are we on the interstate? Where are we going?" Raul asked as he looked around, trying to spot any familiar landmarks.

His heart was still beating rapidly but try as he might get could not remember what he had dreamed of.

"I can't tell you the exact location - for now. But we're about three hours out. I'm taking you to our base."

"Reapers have a base? Like soul society or something?" He asked with skeptical look.

"Haha no. You have been watching way too much Bleach. And spoilers the Shinigami don't have bankai or whatever the fuck you humans call it." Kali replied with a laugh as she kept her eyes on the road.

"I don't know to be surprised by the fact that you recognized my Bleach reference or that Shinigami are actually a thing." Raul replied with a blank expression.

"They are. They're Reapers after all. Of course humans have created some fascinating and ridiculous lore around us. For example they make me out to be some kind of destroyer. I suppose I can be scary when I'm in battle mood but who has time to be all sweet and stuff when it comes to fighting, right?"

"Huh? Lady you make no sense at all." He said, looking her up and down like she had lost her mind.

"I understand it all seems confusing right now but you'll understand in due time." Kali replied with a gentle smile.

"In due time, huh? You said there was a war coming?" He asked curiously.

"Yes. The angels and the demons are always fighting but this time it's the apocalyptic type of fight. Someone wants to fulfill some prophecy about the end of the world. The problem is that whole prophecy has way too many loopholes and it's not quite clear who will benefit in the end.

One thing is certain though. The beginning of that prophecy speaks of how a rider shall appear and hell shall follow him, as in the armies of hell. I think somebody wants that to be you."

"Excuse me?" He asked with a raised brow.

"The first Horseman who appears is the Horseman of Death. You just became the harbinger of Death. The forces of hell see you as a potential weapon and the forces of Heaven see you as a threat or an ally, depending on what they're feeling that particular day. Either way, you're in danger and you cannot remain unprotected.

Us - The Reapers - we're your best shot. We don't care for all this politics and we take no sides in any war. Death is neutral. He knows not good nor evil. We're your best shot at making it out of this unscathed."

"... All the things you just said sound like a whole fairy tale to me. And even if you truly believed them, I'm an atheist, I don't believe in all that spiritual mumbojumbo you just spouted." Raul breathed out as he sank back deeper into his chair.

"Well you better start believing in it, Raul, because it all believes in you." Kali replied, her gazing shifting for a moment towards him.

Her eyes had a crimson undertone and the look she gave him was one of determination.