- Heaven's Last Breath -

Family Ties

- Jade -

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"So that's how you and Aaron met? Sounds sorta like how Ariel and I met."

The moment I looked over to Death, a deafening roar filled the valley as a brilliant blue firebolt crashed through the air. I felt a drop of sweat fall down my cheek, nervous for Aaron and Ariel who were up against someone who made Cabrakan look weak.

"You don't need to worry about them." Death's reassuring voice put me at ease, "Aaron's a lot stronger than you realise and Ariel won't let him have all the fun. Besides, we should focus on what's ahead."

I nodded in agreement, turning to the cloaked reaper as he approached the valley wall. I lowered my gaze, seeing that a dried stream ran directly into the sheer rock face, eluding to there being something beyond the valley's edge.

Death took his scythe into his hands, letting out a half sigh before raising it over his head. I braced for impact as he thrust the butt of the handle into the valley wall.

Almost immediately, the rock face crumbled away into a fine sand, ageing much faster than naturally possible. Through the rock wall, a bright white glow peered through, Death cutting away the excess rubble with his scythe.

Now in full view, a bright white light circle glowed brilliantly before my eyes. I looked closer, seeing that whatever this was appeared similar to Ariel's soul windows that she used so often.

"This is how we'll get to the Shinigami Realm. And yeah, this portal is just like the ones Ariel uses all the time. But you see here," Death lifted his scythe, pointing it to the thin golden ring encircling the portal, "This ring allows the portal to connect to nearby realms wherever the space-time between them is thin enough. It also keeps the portal in place, permanently."

"Huh, it looks exactly like the one beneath Ironforge Volcano. I guess there would have been another like those at the top of Mount Ida to connect to Elysium."

Death nodded in response, looking to the portal as he let out a deep breath. He looked toward me with a more serious expression, stepping through the portal. I followed after him quickly, not wanting to be lost on the other side.

The moment I felt my foot step onto solid ground, I pushed myself through the portal. I looked around but no matter where I turned, everything was black.

There was a flicker of light close by, a small golden yellow flame appearing in the palm of Death's hand as he looked over to me. The ball of fire illuminated the nearby area, growing in size to light the way.

Beneath our feet was a paved stone road, leading into the darkness beyond. I looked up to the sky, seeing nothing but a pitch black canvas. I wasn't sure what I expected but without the light of the sky I struggled to see how anyone could live here.

"Halt! Who goes there?"

Before I could draw for my blade, a blur flashed across my view, standing up to its six foot frame.

Death snapped his fingers, summoning a yellow ball of fire, illuminating whoever had crossed our path.

I looked closer, seeing a chocolate brown toned young woman, her piercing cerulean blue eyes glowing through the darkness. The woman's hair fell past her shoulders, coloured black at the roots with highlights of red. She stood tall, only a few inches shorter than Death.