Death's Successor Completed.

Chapter one The duel

Luna appeared amongst the trees of an unknown forest. The misty rains covered the forest in a layer of moisture, fallen leaves crunched beneath her feet, the strange orange beams broke through the towering trees, the faint smell of rain coated the air. Wolves howled in the distance. The black wolf who led her vanished towards the sounds.
The ravens greeted her, perching on the branches of the magnificent oak forest, she glanced at the forest floor unsure which pathway to take; she walked straight ahead, hoping this route led her out of the woods. The low levels of sunlight dimmed, becoming difficult to guide herself out. After an hour of wandering north, the forest floor slowly vanished, replaced by onyx sand.

Luna gasped at the vast desert stretching out over the horizon. She couched down, examining the smooth onyx sands. Silver and golden sand shimmered amongst the black. She glanced upwards, bewildered by the sight of an eternal night sky, turning various hues of gold and orange.

'Bloody hell, it will take days to reach my destination. Where am I headed?' She questioned.
'Look up. The goddess's stern voice echoed within her mind.
A golden hourglass floating above her head. The contraption slowly turned, releasing the sand tapped inside into the base. The base opened, showering Luna in sand. She spat the sand out of her mouth. Hearing the goddess's playful laugher.
'A cosmic hourglass with a sense of humour. Can this place get any weirder?' Luna thought. Frantically brushing the sand out of her hair, a silver beam of light shone from the hourglass stretching into the distance.
'Is it guiding me?' Luna asked out loud.
'Yes, my champion, he is waiting for you.'
'He who?' Luna asked. Curiosity motivating her to press on.
'Death the ruler of this realm, you'll know him immediately, upon seeing him.'

With the hourglass guiding her, a massive gothic cathedral came into view over the horizon. She approached the intimidating building, the iron gate bared, her entry rusted shut. She rattled the chain, searching for someone in the courtyard. The breeze whizzed past, silence remained. Her scythe sparked, opening the iron gate with a screeching groan. She covered her ears, blocking out the horrible sound.
Luna's stomach knotted with tension. She entered the spacious courtyard. Her senses on alert, hearing nothing but the wind.
'Surely someone heard the gate. No one could sneak in here, not without being detected.' Luna mattered.
The execrated arches and increased vaulting were common for gothic buildings. The vast ceilings and thin walls created strong, delicate buildings. She stopped. The enlarged windows depicted the goddess wearing a dress of raven feathers, with her grew hair tied in twin braids staring down into the courtyard with the full moon shinning behind her.
'That's unsettling.'
The wide cathedral doors opened, footsteps approached. The young man smirked. He wore a full set of light weighted leather. 'Are you the newcomer? We were expecting your arrival ages ago. I'm Cole, death's second in command.' He extended his hand.
'Luna Cater, pleased to meet you.' She took his hand.

His honey eyes took on an otherworldly glow. His grip tightened on her hand. In seconds, he threw her against the courtyard's stone fountain. She inhaled; the air knocked out of her. 'What the hell? Is that how you welcome someone?'
He chuckled, amused. 'I challenge all new reapers to a duel, to test their abilities, prepare yourself.'
Cole rose from his hand. The fountain water bubbled behind her, Luna spun around, her eyes widened at the sight of scythe rising from a watery dimension, she avoided the burst of water, as it slithered up his leg and circled around his body his hand clutching the handle, rising the weapon above his head.
Raindrops fell from the sky out of nowhere. The rod turned crystal clear. A snakehead held the double-edged curved blade, sapphire and emerald waves intertwined with Celtic knotwork, along the groove of the blade.
Cole absorbed the water through the bottom of his scythe, grinning. 'Where's yours?'