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.
He said nothing in response but simply chose to look outside at the landscape that blurred all around them as they continued their journey.
"Why did you bring me on this trip anyway? I don't remember agreeing to go anywhere with you." He spoke up, raising a questioning brow at her.
"I'm sorry but we had to..." Before she could finish her response something crashed into the side of their car, causing their car to swerve sharply to the right before overturning three times into the bushy are by the side of the road.
For a moment a white noise was all Raul could hear as he blinked his eyes in confusion trying to process what had just happened.
Kali, on the other hand, was able to get out of the wreckage completely unscathed. Brushing the dirt off her sari, she carefully crouched next to the overturned vehicle.
"Raul? Can you hear me?" She asked as she carefully pulled open the door to the passenger side.
Raul slowly rose up, wincing from the pain that shot up his leg as his twisted ankle slowly snapped back into place.
"What the hell's going on?" He asked as he pulled his feet from under the dashboard.
"I don't know," She replied as she helped him sit up. "But it's obviously not good. Stay behind me"
With this, she rose up and with the flick of her wrist two silver blades appeared in each of her palms. She took on a battle ready stance as she slowly walked out of the trees and onto the roadside.
Standing there in the middle of the road inside a ring of fire was what appeared to be a young boy. He had chin length sunny blond hair and a small frame. If it wasn't for the star markings all over his cheeks, forehead and hands, the creepy smile he wore and the golden eyes one would have easily thought that the boy was a normal human child.
When Kali saw him she immediately tensed, her confidence faltered for a moment.
"Why hello, Kali. It's been a while." The boy said with a smirk.
Although he had an innocent and angelic appearance, his very presence was menacing. The sky had darkened into a dark grey with his appearance and thunder rumbled in the background.
"Samael," Kali said as she slowly backed away.
Her eyes held a certain degree of uncertainty, which was a far cry from her previous confident and boisterous attitude.
"It's a little too late to run now, my dear. Perhaps if you cooperate, I'll try not to kill you." Samael said with a mocking grin.
"I am a Reaper, you can't kill me, Serpent Tempter!" Kali replied in defiance, her eyes turning into a crimson red color.
"Oh? Is that why you're damn near pissing your pants? You're strong, Kali but you never really were that strong. " He said with a laugh. "Don't tell me my weak little underling made you believe otherwise."
"Don't you dare insult Azrael!"
"Hm, really? Or what?" Samael asked with a condescending smile as a large pair of dark wings unfolded behind him. "I don't think you understand how insignificant you are next to me, so let me spell it out for you, Reaper. Hand over the human and I'll try not to hurt you... Much."
"Never!"
"How very ...unwise of you. Then again I don't really need you. I just need the human." As he said this words, Samael's gaze shifted towards Raul who tensed up immediately.
The entire he had been hiding by the sidelines trying to make sense of the events that were unfolding in front of him. Whilst he had never really believed in many things, Raul could feel the malevolent power that the dark angel exuded and it made him uneasy.
In the blink of an eye Samael appeared in front of Kali and sent her flying backwards with a single kick. She managed to land somewhat gracefully and faced him with a battle enraged determination.
"That'll be your only warning." Samael said with a blank expression. "These humans have put you on a pedestal and inflated your ego. It seems even now you fail to realize when you're outclassed, little Reaper."
"Heh, that may have been true..." She said with a defiant look as she spit out a mouthful of golden blood. "But that was only back when you were the Angel of Death!"
The air around her began to shift as her form slowly began to shift. Her hair turned into burning flames, her skin turning into an obsidian color. She grew an extra pair of arms that were also armed with silver blades.
At this sight Samael burst into laughter.
"Am I supposed to be flattered that you have finally decided to fight me at full strength? I'm not even using any of mine right now but you're shaking in your boots. I may have left that gauntlet to Azrael but don't think I've grown any weaker, little girl." He asked in a condescending tone."I suppose since you've decided to take this seriously I'll make your death quicker.
It's a shame really, I prefer to do things in a more peaceful diplomatic way but you're still as stubborn as ever,"
She watched as he shot towards her ready to deliver a powerful blow but as he was merely inches away from her, the world shifted and she found herself inside very familiar walls.
"Phew, I thought I wasn't going to get you out of there in time." Came a deep baritone voice from behind them.
Hearing the voice, Kali immediately let out a sigh of relief as she turned with a smile to face the friendly face that had appeared and saved them.
"Samdi, I can't express how happy I am to see you." She said as she shifted into her human form to greet the new arrival.
He was a tall, dark handsome young man who wore a three piece suit that complimented his rich coffee colored skin and a fancy black hat. On his hands he wore rich leather gloves and the walking stick he held onto was made of rich black wood with a polished small silver skull at the top. He smiled at her, flashing his golden tooth at her.
"You're always happy to see me. Do you know how awesome of a party I was enjoying before I had to save your skin - again."
"I suppose I owe you one, Baron." She said as she rolled her eyes at him jokingly.
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