In front of you stood Wil, a lich. And at her sides were your parents. How you hated them- but now you found someone to hate more. Wil.
Rage wasn't the first thing to overcome you, though. Fear had its grips in you before fury could even begin to burn. Your mind was reeling as you took a step back, stumbling and nearly tripping. Only panicked and rasped breaths escaped you- you didn't know what to say. You had no "how"s or "why"s or "what"s. Just panic.
Two hands set themselves on your shoulders. Bane leaned into you, nearing your ear. "It isn't them." He whispered into your mind. He stood taller, a hand still on your shoulder as he used the other to shield Kayde. "Wiloche, your majesty, I apologize. But I don't believe you know the full extent of what you're doing." Her grin spread wider, the two parents taking a step closer, looking closer and closer to being undead with every second. "Oh, I know exactly what I'm doing." Bane sighed, keeping his eyes on her, whilst your own locked on the corpses of your parents, which were slowly ambling your way with maddend expressions. "Wil, for your own sake, I recommend you stand down." She crossed her arms, chin to the sky in a mocking and prideful manner. "And why is that? Hm? Is the Dead King going to come out to protect his little baby from a few undead?" Bane sighed, gripping your shoulder a hint tighter. "I'm sorry, Wil." He released your shoulder.
"You know what to do."
And suddenly, you did.
With blackened eyes, you shot towards the lich, her eyes widening and terrified of your unexpected speed. You clutched her throat, dark claws digging into her undead skin, the warmer tones turning monotone and necrotic. She clawed and choked, trying to get you off of her to no avail. Her eyes bulged as you squeezed tighter, and slammed her into the ground, veins popping from her neck. With a loud string of coughs, blood broke from her throat and even splattered your cheek. It felt warm as it dripped from your skin. You looked down on her now, blankly with apathy. The demons that were your parents she had summoned were now gone, dispersed into dust. She now looked like her true self- unalive and a zombie, a creature of death and death in itself. The scent of her was acrid and rotten- your nose scrunched impulsively. You snapped her neck, swiping with both hands. Doing so wouldn't kill her, as she was already dead, but it would incapacitate her.
You turned back to see Bane standing there, hands folded behind his back and appearing proud. Kayde, on the other hand, looked absolutely horrified, and paler than you had ever seen him. In that instant, your eyes returned to their ordinary color as you stepped toward him, albeit carefully. "Shit- Kayde, I'm sorry you had to see that-" He shook his head madly. "No- I've seen worse- but what the fuck! How were you able to do that!?" You glanced between him and Bane, as though looking to Bane for help. You shrugged, giving Kayde a smile. "Death-magic stuff..?" Kayde frowned, letting out a huff. He shook his head, unable to keep the smile from gracing his lips. "Oh- why do I care. That was fucking awesome, kid. Good on ya." He patted your shoulder, making his way around. "Now, how about we get out of here?"
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You and Kayde rode from the building on Bane's back in the form of a griffin, although begrudgingly. Kayde made sure to argue as hard as he could to keep off of Bane, but it was to no avail, since the only way to get where you needed to go would be through Bane.
As you flew overhead, you saw the city span out in a ring, and as you passed over the ring, there was a gilded gate that separated the two sections. The other side held a space of grandeur, a place of royalty and palaces. But in the very center was a string of deathly green and blue and white mist, flowing from the great beyond that was the sky and into a single palace in the center. The palace at the center was even grander and more gold than the rest, built up with bone whites and areas accents of inky blacks that made it look as though it were something taken directly from an illustration.
Bane flew directly towards the towers at the center, stopping before the tall front doors that, surprisingly enough, lay open. Bane returned to his more humanoid form. "He awaits you." He said, standing beside you and gesturing for you to enter. Before you did that, though, you looked to Kayde to see that he looked as though he might vomit. He was paler than a ghost. The arm you had touched at the very beginning of your journey had mostly healed over, although the black bone you had revealed still could be seen through the thin layer of skin that shone with an odd phantasmal sheen. "Hey." With upturned and concerned brows, you put a hand on his shoulder, prompting the man to jump. "It'll be okay. I'll make sure of it." He stared into your eyes, terror swirling within his own, before sighing and returning his gaze to the entrance. "I sure hope you're right, kid."
You started forward, Bane following by your side, and Kayde taking another deep breath to fill his chest, as though preparing to hold it as he entered. As the three of you crossed the threshold, the air shifted. The atmosphere went silent, all wind ceasing and cold overtaking the hall. A few more steps forward, and the doors behind you closed, and the very little light provided from candles and the outside light was extinguished with one last gust. "Kayde?" You called out, praying for a response. There was none, just the tightening feeling around your finger. You felt along your finger, realizing that Bane had returned to his ring form, coiling around your finger as a metallic snake. Swallowing the lump in your throat and clenching your fists to try and ward off the dread you were feeling, you pressed forward into the dark, hoping you hadn't lost Kayde again. Or, even worse, that you hadn't lost him a final time.
With arms spread wide in the hopes of feeling some sort of surface, you moved further into the dark, blinking rapidly as though it would wipe away the ever consuming void.
"Hello, my child."
You froze upon hearing the voice. It sounded deep and cracked, as though coming from the undead. And being where you were now, that wouldn't be a complete surprise.
"Do you not recognize my voice? Hm. I suppose I should have expected that
"Nonetheless, I must congratulate you. You got here much quicker than I expected. Not only that, you haven't gotten hurt. I am glad of that.
"You still have much you need to learn, but for now, let us meet, as kin."
When you blinked you found yourself before a throne, gilded and gold. But the room itself was thick with the scent of death, and there was an eerie ambient glow to it. In the throne room there were few guards, but the ones there held thick black and thorned armour, and beneath them were bestial and skeletal creatures. Two people stood beside the throne- a man and a woman, both of which you felt to be powerful, and had the same auras as liches. Or Gods. Or both. You weren't entirely sure. And in the throne itself was a crowned and hooded figure, skeletal and covered in chains and jewelry and runes. Just standing before him made you feel as though you were dead- this entire time you hadn't really felt death, but now...
Now, you stood before death itself. The Dead King.
He was your kin- you both were Death Kin. And due to that, you were automatically granted the abilities of a Death Sworn. Or as most people would know it, forms of necromancy and power over death- but not over the King. If you are to be Death Sworn, that only means the King allows you a portion of his power.
"Welcome. Have a seat." He flicked his wrist and behind you formed a chair of obsidian bone. You sat in it, hoping it would grant you something of a greater opinion. As you set your hands on the armrests, his glowing orbs took notice of something. "I see you got my gift to you. Your familiar, Bane- I knew you two would get along." He looked deeper. "And your soul! You split it in two, did you? All kin are alike it seems- I did the very same when I was in my youth. Though, if you wish to be immortal, you should consider doing that a few more times. And perhaps make the splitting uneven and locations more... hidden." Breath no longer knew you- it wasn't something you felt you needed to do anymore. And you were partially glad of it, since if you could, you were pretty sure you'd be hyperventilating due to panic. Although your veins did pump and pulse and throb rapidly, and the Dead King seemed to take notice. "Calm yourself, kin. No need to have yourself on guard." The King paused. "I understand my presence can cause horrific feelings and fears to come to fruition. But I sense something else within you. What is it you are missing?"
You squared your shoulders, trying to keep yourself from crumbling into a pile of dust under his stare. "My-My friend. He was with me just a moment ago- his name is K-Kayde." The Dead King gave a long and slow nod, understanding. "Ah, yes, Kayde. One of my collectors." The King gave a gentle wave, and immediately Kayde appeared, hovering in a ghostly form before the King's clawed hand. "Kayde. I have a proposition for you and your friend." Kayde's eyes were wide and his form was tense. "You said you would give me your loyalty. You have shown that by helping my kin. For that I am grateful. But to reach your final destination, you must choose." His eyes darted between you and the King, fearful and dreading the King's next words. "Either reconnect with those you have sought all this time, and forget all that has happened within the last few months with you and my kin. Or, return to your duties, and remember it all... and perhaps become one of my personal slaves." You felt horrible for putting him in this position- you should have known stuff like this could happen. "Both options have their upsides and downsides. If you reunite with your beloveds, you don't have to remember the horrors you were thrust upon. If you choose to remember and stay, well, as a personal slave of mine, you get treatment as one of my best. And in this case, you could still contact your friend."
Kayde stared into your eyes, as though begging you to make the decision for him. You sat, helpless, not knowing what to do. You hoped he would choose the option that allowed the two of you to remain friends, but that was ultimately up to him. And you hadn't even a clue who his beloveds were. For all you knew, they were people that did grand things beyond the loved ones you had. But, when you gazed into him, and truly took in his expression, you realized he didn't know either.
He had no idea who or what he was after. There was only the feeling- and the feeling was all the King needed to get the entire train of dominos to begin tumbling.
But Kayde seemed to realize this too. Or maybe he realized he was the Dead King's puppet all along, and that no matter what choice he made, he'd remain under the King's control. And, to the King, it was all a game, or a lesson, for you to learn. To obtain experience. To become the character you were now. How much did it truly change? You wouldn't know until it all ended.
Kayde blinked, expression distraught. "I... I'll stay." The Dead King let out a surprised oddly disappointed hum. "As you wish. The deal is complete." And with another flicker of his skeletal arm, Kayde disappeared within a burst of pale flame. The King returned his complete focus to you again. "Now that your journey is over, I suppose it would be time for you to return. But I leave you with this one message." He held up a single phalange, pausing a moment as though for dramatic effect.
"Do not trust the red man."