Darksiders: Deathly Aura (Book 1)

Chapter Fourteen "Why Earth?"

Doubled footsteps bounced off the stone floors and ancient walls. They were lined with torches and clusters of candles with wax dripping down their flickering sides.

With their shadows cast close behind, Death and Carina were navigating their way through the corridors and chambers.
In some, wandering souls wailed softly, passing from one room to the next. Other undead roamed in a more solid, skeletal state; some clad in pieces of armour.
Though many hissed and roared at their visitors, the smarter and less arrogant kept their distance.
Those with more of a nerve charged in to attack, but were quickly reduced to pieces by either the blade of a scythe or a blast of blue aura.

When they'd came to the city, the first problem to arise was how would they find who they were looking for?
But as soon as they'd stepped inside the complex, Dust had ended his first time on Carina's shoulder and took off in a set direction, like he knew exactly where to go.

Now the jet black crow was leading the way, occasionally perching on the mantle of a doorway or a broken pillar to wait for his followers to catch up.

With both hands, Death pushed open the doors that led out to a railed walkway.
As he stepped outside, the wind tugged at stray strands of his hair.
Carina held some of hers back to keep them out of her face.
As they paced across the bridge, both glanced around at their surroundings. They were on a higher level than where they'd started, but many parts of the eerie city still stretched higher; wind whistling through the gaps.
It was darker than before also. Death looked up to see that thick clouds had hidden the watery sun away. His orange eyes also caught a glimpse of the glowing tops of the Tree. It seemed that no matter where one was in the realm, the Tree could be seen one way or another.

As the rider drew his gaze away from it, something entered his mind. A single question. One that was pushed aside when the Eternal Throne had sailed into view on Serpent's Peak.

Now ahead of the Horseman, Carina gingerly pushed open one of the doors at the far end of the platform, trying her best to ignore the skulls engraved in it.
Dust flew through the doorway to take the lead again.
Compared to other rooms, there were significantly less ghosts, most ignoring those that stepped inside.
Death waited until he caught up before speaking.

"Why Earth?" he asked, completely out of the blue.

Carina actually stopped.
"What?"

"Of all the realms you could have went to, why choose Earth?" the rider questioned, slowing his pace a bit.
"Oh, and don't even try saying 'it's a long story' because judging by the size of this place, you've got plenty of time" he added.

The Auralin laughed a bit.
"No kidding, we'd nearly have enough time to hear your life story. I mean you've got what? Five eons under your belt?"

"You're stalling" he told her, his tone flat as the stone floor.

"...Yeah. I'll admit I'm surprised you didn't ask sooner...Alright. Guess I'll start at the beginning since things won't make much sense otherwise" Carina paused as they passed into a long corridor.

Receiving a nod from the Horseman, she started.

"Well, the first of the Auralin weren't exactly advanced as far as their abilities went. They could probably make a small flame or something. Anyway, as time went on, they began exploring and even settling in realms outside our own. So, the best way I can put this is that more genes got added to our race's mix, which led to a larger variety of aura based abilities" Carina paused, allowing Death to reply if he wished.

"So, in other words your race began evolving?" he asked, subconsciously folding his arms.

Carina nodded.
"Pretty much. But anyway, as we started going to other realms, word that we even existed began spreading. Some races were amazed at what we could do, others could've cared less. But then, a few centuries down the line, word of us arrived in the cities of Hell...reached the ears of the Demon Lords, the Blood Prince himself included..."

"Samael"
Death uttered the single word, the name that struck fear into the hearts of many. Or at least those the demon hadn't ripped out.

Both Carina and Soren shuddered at the mention of him.

It took a moment for her to continue.
"The Demons saw us as a raw source of power. And since our race was a fairly passive aggressive one, we were easy pickings. They started hunting us down. Even though many of us had developed abilities both defensive and offensive, like mine, the Demons overpowered us. We abandoned our home and dispersed to other worlds. Some of us went to Earth which had turned out to be perfect. One, we blended in with humans well. Two, because of the law the Charred Council made"

Death nodded in understanding. He knew exactly what it was his masters had decreed.
"Neither the factions of Heaven or legions of Hell could set foot or wing in the Kingdom of Man. Not until the End War"

"Right...too bad that decided to happen within the three decades we arrived. Once the war started, that was both humanity and Auralin up shit creek without a paddle" Carina paused, now a few paces ahead of the Horseman. "...But, I guess that's just the way of things"

Death knew by her tone that she was finished, that she would say no more on the matter. But, there was more to it. There had to be.
Earth had fallen over a century ago. Carina arriving in the third kingdom with the rest of her race was something the rider highly doubted.

They continued on without a word. Only an occasional caw from Dust broke the silence.
The eerie glow of torches with a soul green flame lit the way. An unease choked the air accompanied by a sense of nothingness for there wasn't signs of anything dead or alive, not anymore.
But there was something.
An angered pressure that seemed to weigh them down.

As they approached another entrance, Dust's caws became more persistent.
Taking a door each, Carina and Death pushed them open, revealing a massive chamber.
Green flamed torches lined the walls that surrounded a rounded platform. In its centre was a hole and at the far end of the room was another doorway which Dust had quickly flown to.

"We must be close" Death stated as they entered the chamber.

However, as soon as they set foot on the platform, an ear splitting roar rumbled from beneath, followed by thunderous waves that took over as the ground trembled.
Cracks spread like lightning from the hole in the centre, seconds before a massive figure burst from it.
The jade green creature had clawed hands and piercing eyes that glared at the trespassers.
Squid-like tentacles hung down from its face.

Death knew what it was just by looking at it. He could feel what it was, for its nature was no different to what was caged in his chest.

"This...this is why mankind hasn't proceeded to the Well. This thing is what humanity's anger, fear, sorrow and even their own souls have formed" he paused to draw his scythes. "A mutation known as the Wailing Host"