The Worst In Me [ClefDraki AU]

13. [Into The Abyss]

[Song Above: Creature by Half Alive]

•Draven•

The mourning boy followed his father home, "So kid, you met Alison aka the Black Queen?"

He numbly nodded. As he followed his father, he began to tune him out. He walked blankly behind the towering man but he suddenly hesitated on the street. He felt strange. The rain had stopped and the clouds were broken by a blinding shaft of sun.

He felt really weird. Like that light through darkness was meant for him. That the world was giving him hope. That he was meant to do something.

He felt a tug but it felt distant, like from a depth in the abyss. He blinked in the sunlight. A voice called vaguely at the edge of his senses, "Draven. There's something you need to do. It's a way for you to return to James."

He mumbled, "Something I need to do? How will it get me to James?"

"Trust me."

"Okay..." He whispered and let his feet carry him away.

"Draven? Kiddo, where are you going?" He was vaguely aware of his dad calling after him but he didn't stop. He wandered between houses, through yards, over fences, across roads, until he reached the edge of a forest.

He felt extraordinary. He felt this strange amount of appreciation for life, for creation. He wandered through the woods, hands brushing, tracing against plants, against life. He felt the pull again, it was soft and delicate but urgent and insistent.

As his fingers danced along lifelines, he felt everything in intense detail. Creation breathed to life in his lungs and he let go of all his pain and grief. He had to have trust, he needed to have faith in whoever was calling to him.

"Nice to see you again, kid." A familiar voice spoke from behind him.

He slowly turned with dazzled eyes, he felt too emotional at this new look at the world he was given. He blinked.

Before him was a familiar woman. She wore a long, pitch black cloak, laced with darkness and shadow. The black clothing under the cloak displayed a skull pattern on her chest. It had short sleeves, revealing a crackling tattoo of the bones in her arms and fingers, colored in sable.

A wicked scythe stood at her side, leaning casually over her form. The obsidian blade curved an arch over her head. Her black hair cascaded down her shoulders, her dusk gray eyes stared at him with interest.

"Alison?" He mumbled through his daze of life.

She snorted, "Please, that's my mortal name. Call me Death, would you?"

"Death?" He whispered, glancing down at the colorful flora around him.

"Hm, seems that something's changed within you. What changed?"

He blinked, shaking his head, "I dunno. I heard a voice and... ended up here..."

"A voice?"

"Yeah, I can't describe it. It felt gentle but intense, like life and death, everything and nothing."

She stared at him. "Kid, that was our god."

He snapped out of his daze, "Excuse me, what?"

"Our go—"

"No, I get that. But why me? Why did our god speak to me?"

"Why are you asking me? The fuck if I know!"

"I have plans for you."

"They spoke again. Said they have plans for me."

She bit the inside of her cheek, "That honestly doesn't sound good."

"Way to make me feel better."

"I'm the Grim Reaper, I only comfort people who are dying."

•James•

The hybrid stood at the edge of the universe, staring in awe at the expanse before him. Indigo, violet, and magenta flowed along the abyss, stars scattered intricately into designs.

A figure of indescribable intricacy stood beside him. They spoke, "Beautiful, isn't it?"

He nodded because he couldn't even begin to form words.

"This is your half."

"My half of what?"

"This is my gift to you. Space. The abyss. It's yours."

"And the other half?"

"Dimensions of the living. They belong to someone else. But you'll come together soon."

"Who?"

They only looked at him with a million eyes and shook their head.

"Why?"

"Why am I giving this to you?"

"Yes."

"Because I don't feel worthy."