Darkness swirled around her, engulfing her in a never-ending chasm of which the depths are forgotten and reason is lost. Pain blistered throughout her skin. She writhed in agony as she squirmed, muscles twitching, body ceasing to function, her mind racing about with no direction, just thoughts coming and going in endless loops.

  She tumbled through the air, twisting and turning, lights fshing, strobing her eyes, until she hung in the air, floating in the bck nothing of her mind. She was content now. Nothing stirred, nothing moved. Peace.

  A door opened behind her. She turned to look at the woman coming in to greet her. Calypso, her mother. The woman’s dark skin contrasted with her silver hair. She held her arms out, embracing Azandrae.

  “Oh, sweetheart, my little Soleil. You’ve been through so much. Ya didn’t have to do this on mah part. You owe mah nothing.” Calypso smeared the tears away from Az’s cheek.

  Az buried her head into her mother’s shoulder, taking a deep breath. “Ya all I have left in this terrible world. The vilge is lost. I can’t lose ya too.”

  Calypso smiled, petting her daughter’s hair, “Mah child, we all end up losing something in this life. That is what death is. The loss of life, but it isn’t all terrible. It is the constant change that we all must experience for life to move on. To lose is to be human, to heal is to be divine.”

  Az pulled her head back to look at her mother’s face, even with a scar across her eyes, she was still beautiful. Az relived happy memories of childhood, tasty pies, roasted chicken and vegetables, and her mother’s sweet perfume made of vender. She smiled, “I love you, mom.”

  Her smile quickly faded as something behind her mother was moving in the darkness; Something massive and white slithered throughout the nothing, getting closer with each second, growing into something abominable.

  Before Azandrae could blurt out a warning, the great white serpent was upon them, its maw opened wide and smming down on Calypso. She disappeared into its mouth, its head reeling up and swallowing down a hard lump that slowly inched down into the snake’s gut.

  Az cried out, reaching out for the serpent, but her hands did nothing. She did not move. Her skin ached, her mind throbbed. Bck veins ripped across her body. She could see Copperhead to her left, his sinister grin pstered across his rge head, “Should have taken my deal, darling.” He vanished into smoke as the snake came face to face with her.

  The serpent stared at her, its mouth opening into a small gap as words invaded her mind, “You are nothing but dung scraped from the underside of a pig’s cock, little one. Your mother is gone, your vilge is destroyed, you have but one thing left, your pathetic life, and even that you are about to lose.”

  It slithered closer, its breath smelling of stale cigar smoke and cheap wine, “Once you die here, you will be forgotten to all eternity. Not even a mention of your name will remain upon this earth. You will fade away into bckness for all eternity, tormented by me, forever watching your loved ones die over and over again. This is your cruel fate.” The snake smiled and then opened its mouth, “Now, it is your turn.”

  “No!” Az cried out, “Mother!” She wept, clinching her eyes shut as the snake snapped its jaws, coming for her. She just wished this nightmare would end.

  A shiver shot through her spine. A cool, calming air washed over her, pushing the stank of the snake’s breath away.

  Something touched her shoulder and she felt calm sensation rush over her. Her fears subsided. Her tears dried up and she felt peace. She turned to see a bck gauntlet pced on her, gripping her gently.

  The bck-armored figure stepped forward, brandishing an axe, no fear at all in the face of the massive serpent. He jumped into the air as the serpent struck forward, his axe cleaving down on its head, loping the head clean off of its body. The snake withered and died, releasing hundreds of souls, the specters flying off in different directions to their afterlife, freed at st.

  The bck figure walked beside her, kneeling, and pcing his hand on her chest.

  Her eyes shot open, bright light blinded her. She blinked it away and kneeling beside her on the grassy knoll was the Death Knight. His hand was a comfort to her, releasing the pain in her body. Then he did something that shocked her more than the nightmares did.

  He spoke.

  His voice was scratchy and deep, “You have witnessed death, now you are caught in its jaws. I have been given authority to stave off your death, but first, you must vow your life to Necroth, and make a pact with the Death God.”

  Wide eyed in disbelief that the Death Knight had spoken to her. She couldn’t form a sentence. Her wits gone. She swallowed, her mouth dry. What pact? Who was Necroth?

  The image of her mother in the snake’s jaw was burned into her mind. She still had her mission. She couldn’t die here. What would the pact do to her? Her mother’s words rushed into her mind, “Courage is most needed most when you want it the least.” She must be courageous.

  She nodded at him, accepting the pact.

  Her voice hoarse, “Yes, I swear mah life to Necroth.”

  A rush of air swooped over them, her spine tingling with a cool chill. Rigor Mortis took his hand from her chest. The bck venom racing in her veins receded. Her head cleared. The pains in her body left without notice. She felt as though she just had slept for a week straight. All her strength returned, along with her hope and enthusiasm for life. She was whole again. Better than new.

  She stood, brushing off her clothes, checking out the wounds that Copperhead had inflicted upon her. They were all healed, not even a scar present. She touched her face, the scar across her face had vanished. Her eyes nded on the Death Knight.

  She gave him a nod and a smile, “What happens now?”

  “I kill the Bone Doctor.”

  She nodded. She pointed down river, southwards, “He lives in a pce called Basilica des Bone, down that way. We can make it by nightfall if we hurry.” Her hand fell to her side, resting on her knife, “I will join ya. That’s where mah mother is. I must save her. I will join ya mission, mister.” She held her hand out for him to take.

  He turned and began marching south without a moment’s notice, pausing once, his head turning slightly towards her, “My name is Rigor Mortis.” Her turned back and resumed his determined march south.

  Az smiled, “Rigor, huh? I like it. It fits you well.” She scampered on after the Death Knight south, not sure what her future had in store for her.

  “I’m coming mother, hold on tight. I will save ya, I promise.”

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