All three sat together as the sun set. The world now covered by darkness a quiet symphony of crickets and the night breeze.
" I think it's time we head back, I don't want Raphael to worry and nag me. " Death said with a chuckle as he faced life.
" Your so weird. "
" What? " His voice dropping down into a sad tone.
" It's not a bad thing. " She said trying to comfort him.
The air going silent once more as they embraced the night cold.
" I have something to tell you. "
" Sure? I'm all ears. "
" When you asked me why I was here a few days ago, I got a memory flash to a while back. I have to clear a few things up with you so we can move on. I know you don't remember this but as for where I came from, I was actually created by someone, and the person that created me, was you, the very first life to exist, the one I call second. "
" I... made you? " She asked in shock.
Even Anne looked surprised. From their creation every creature believes that death is an equal opposing force to life, the thought that he was created and by life no less was a shock to anyone.
" Does anyone else know about this? " Anne asked with a panicked look.
" Yeah. Raphael. "
" Why tell me? "
" I believe you're beginning to grasp mine and your role in all of this, so a secret like this will help you understand it further. "
" Lord death of it isn't too much of a hassle could you please elaborate, how she made you... When she made you? " Anne said hoping he'd continue the story.
" I'm afraid my past is quite boring. You'd be asleep before I'm even halfway through with it. " Death said with a slight grin.
" I'd actually also like to know what happened too. " Life said
" ... alright then. "
There was an unusual reluctance to his answer, one he hadn't shown for anything else.
In the beginning, there was nothing, the world was completely covered by darkness. It was cold and empty. A universe without life. I remember when I first opened my eyes, there was nothing, all I could see was darkness. My eyes darted around searching for something, but there was nothing in the vast expanse. Panic was the first emotion I attained. I franticly searched looking for something, this new plane of existence couldn't possibly just be darkness and loneliness for eternity.
Eventually though, I found something. Far, far in the distance, a faint light pulsated. This was the only thing that bore colour. Joy was the second emotion and hope the third. I frantically rushed there as fast as I could, in time I realised that I was no closer than when I began moving towards the light. In this expanse neither time nor distance existed hence I never got closer to the light. Slowly I began to panic once more believing I'll never escape the gripping loneliness. I gazed at the light as it slowly dimmer out. Now there was no hope, no joy, I just felt empty. Fear and sorrow flooded into my heart as I curved up. Then, a hand everso gently touched me. The dim light I once saw now a blazing inferno, a light so bright and pure I was mesmerizing by its beauty. She was beautiful, her long green hair cascaded down her shoulders emitting a blue hue, her eyes were every conceivable colour, her face a radiant smile, she was clothed in the darkness itself. She was beauty incarnate. I can never forget the first words she spoke to me.
" You are a being most pure. A necessity for life and the destruction of hope, they will call you death."
Her voice was soft and smooth, it flowed like a river.
" Death? "
" Yes. "
She was the very first life to exist, my creator. This was before time was created so I do not know how long ago it was, not do I know the amount of time I spent with, but the moments with her felt like an eternity. We spoke and got to know each other better. Not that there was much to know. At last the day had come when she told me everything, including what her fate and that of every life foretold.
Her only objective and reason for existing was to create life, or at least the framework for life, she had tried since her beginning. She had tried an infinite number of times and failed, every trail resulted in the same failure, something was missing, me. In order for life to exist and push forward there must be a force that counteract it. Death. An excess of life leads to death, though the ways may vary, and since I hadn't been created, life could not be completed. Through me she could fulfill her only desire and finally create, and on the day I watched her, my eyes filled sorrow.
Her eyes were filled with conviction and determination, she had stayed with me long enough and I had grown too attached. She stretched her hands into the abyss, and for a while there was nothing, and somewhere deep down I was happy she failed since it meant she would stay with me longer, but then, a spark, light for the first time touched the darkness, it flooded the abyss giving colours and shapes I had never seen before. The colours burned through the abyss and illuminating the emptiness. Then she stopped and it went dark once more. She slowly turned to me and gently put her hand on my cheek and kissed my head. In that moment she began to vanish. I watched her fade into nothing. Once she was gone the darkness grew louder, nothing had changed, it was still empty, still hollow, still cold and dark, the only difference was her. She was gone and only I stood in the abyss. This is the last memory I have of her.
" Wait, she died? " Life asked bringing them back to the present.
" Its more complex than that. " Death said, implying there was more.
I didn't know it at the time but she did in fact change something. During the time I spent with her, existence wasn't dark, it was empty, devoid of light entire since the concept of light had not yet created. After she passed the entire expanse became like night. It was only far later that I realised what she had done. It was like I said, she laid the groundwork for the rest of creation to spring fort. She had created the concept of creation itself, and in turn this would give rise to life. Eventually.
" Wait, why did she die though? " Anne asked oblivious to the implications of her question.
" Life. " Death said staring at her.
" you and I are intertwined with our nature. As death, I am a ceaseless wheel, a never changing constant and as such I do not change. I neither age nor will I die. But you are different. Life is a changing constant. It evolves it grows, its meaning and state change, an ever-changing variable determined by the era its presented in. And by such, so are you. You age, you grow, mature evolve and eventually die. But not permanently, because while the flames of life can be smothered it can never be extinguished permanently. So you just like every life before or after you will change as the era you were born to changes, and in time you will die. But you already knew that. After all, all the lifes are born without a fear of death. "
The moon hovered over them partially blocked by the clouds and from the gaps formed by the clouds a ray of light shone down, illuminating the three as they say there. The light showing the serious expression on death's face,bathe calm demeanor of life, and the surprise and horror of Anne. Anne as a newly created angel hadn't known about the cycle of life and now stood horrified at the thought of watching her master die again, yet, it didn't seem to bother life, as she turned towards the sky which had now cleared up and gazed with weary eyes at the stars.
" Yes I'm aware, afterall, all life are born with that knowledge already. "
This knowledge is the cycle of life. Life is influenced by the era, eon period or time in which she is born into. She is a representation of that time period, and once that period of time, or the era of that life is over she dies until the beginning of a new era in which she is reborn as the same entity inhabited by a different person.
" You know its getting late, you should probably go back to Raphael and take a nap. " Death said as he gently pat her head.
" You've learned enough for one day. " Anne said urging her to listen to death.
"Are you implying that–me–a being of pure creation– is a child that requires naps. " She said yawning in-between her words.
" Of course not. " Death said with a slight chuckle as he watched her fall asleep on his lap.
His hand grazing her hair everso slightly, as he stared into the distance.
" Death. I want you to listen to me. " A voice echoed through the darkness.
It was the first life, the one death addresses as second. This was a memory, one he did not tell the current life.
" I failed again and again. " The voice continued.
" I really tried, but nothing worked, I was on the brink of giving up, then on a whim I made you, you were nothing more than a tool to achieve my goal, you were nothing more than a way to achieve my desire of creation. But now I truly love you. "
" Pls don't do this, don't go. " Death's sad voice echoed out.
" In truth I do this for you. I have seen it, all of its beauty, death, life is amazing. I want you to see it, the beauty, the colours, and the creatures that will roam the lands. This plane as it is, is lonely and boring, I want you to see the beaty that will prevail, and meet others who you would love and cherish. "
Putting her hand on his cheek, she kissed his head, and said.
" I know you'll be more than I ever imagined you could be, watch over what comes after this for me. And I love you. "
And slowly she began fading away. Her legs and body vanishing, as her hand and smile lingered a little longer, before fading away as well.
" You're right, I do love it. And I have friends now. " He said looking at Anne who was also now asleep on his shoulder and life who was asleep peacefully on his lap.
" I still miss you though. "
Death said in a sombre tune as he stared at the stars.