Nyctophilia

1 - born of the night

HE WAS BORN of the night. The personification of death itself. Gliding on wings of darkness. Regarded as merciless and indiscriminate. Hated by Gods and mortals alike. He abodes in the underworld, hiding in the darkness. Guiding souls in the underworld. His sword was tainted with the crimson blood of many monsters and mortals. His touch however, was the most gentle of all the Gods. 

Most thought of his killing as violent and unnecessary. True, many a million had died at his hand but not all as violent as they seemed. His kiss of death was light. He guided you to the underworld in the most innocent way. He was hated by and was hateful towards.

Hades and Charon being the only Immortals close to be a so called "friend" of his. His mother Nyx and father Erebus betrayed him along with his siblings. Hypnos, his own twin, hiding away from him like a coward.

He was tired of the loneliness and the hole in his chest.

For centuries he has done his job of guiding souls. Thriving in the dark and hiding behind a mask of hatred. He grew tired over the last few decades. He did not know the need for a light in his life. Everyday the need grew more and more for someone to show him love. He had never known love. Only death and the sadness that comes with it. He had seen many people's loved ones die and the sadness they had shown in their eyes. All he did was watch.

He hid in a cave on the river Lethe in the Underworld. Doing his job day and night. On some rare occasions Hades would come by himself to talk but usually about a particular soul who had been trouble to get down there. But many years ago now he was chained in his cave. No longer bringing souls for Hades. His power became to much and he wiped out an entire city. Anger and emptiness made that power far worse.

His punishment was being chained. Hephaestus fashioned chains and he was banished to his cave a century more. With all that time to think down there his heart hardened. He became envious of all the Gods. He could not however be angered with Hades. Hades is the one who had kept him in check all those years and it was his own fault he was stuck chained in his cave. Later in the years of confinement he became jealous of Hades and his wife Persephone.

With all that time to think he could never understand why he became so jealous. Maybe, he thought, it is the child she is bearing. One safe from me. Years later he would come to find the source a jealousy from the King and Queen of the underworld. Now he was still stuck all because of his mistake. Because he could not control the darkness.

His name was Thanatos. The God of death.