The whispers had collected, echoing off the darkened stone walls illuminated by a handful of candles trailing simply on the ground of a dark, forgotten tunnel.
Indeed, Death lingered behind the thirteen now drifting down into a chamber where one sat, waiting.
"We will die. It's only a matter of minutes."
Heavy eyes lifted in response to the gentle voice, speaking so kindly of Death. She watched the twelve young faces gathered around her, born into a world where their kind rarely emerged.
"Please, would you explain why we cannot run? Perhaps there are other realms that may be opened in which more of our kind dwell." Tears flooded her sister's eyes, spilling over quickly as the tether on her emotions snapped.
She shook her head, "We will be welcomed into another realm soon." The firelight catching the earnestness in eyes. "The realm of Death awaits us, where we may guide those of power as Gods."
It was true that Death had indeed been as mundane as the thirteen, born into the realm where magic flowed in the veins of every child but she. She was weak, and did not survive long without a drop of power to defend herself. Though when her time came, she was given the gift to safeguard and guide those that did once they finally crossed over into a realm for which they could not prepare. A frown etched itself onto her lips as she watched as these thirteen drank in the words of the girl. She could hear the approaching footsteps booming above ground. They had at last discovered where the thirteen had escaped. Escaped, as though they wanted to live here rather than in the afterlife as their people had decided they should.
Death pondered their desires, for as invitations for death readily graced their lips, their hearts desired to live. To forge a life here in the realm to which they were born, in the lands they loved.
They would have to bless the other twelve before they were all killed. For the girl that sat in the centre had already been prepared for death, could see Death waiting at the back of the chamber. The footsteps neared, seconds were left before they'd arrive.
"Escape," the words left Death's lips after her hands had shoved the girl down the tunnel, the twelve running after her in alarm. A brief look behind her was all she needed, and the girl ran, her siblings in tow. Behind them, the bodies of those that had found them lay, their souls blinking in confusion as death walked away from the thirteen that now desperately ran for their survival.
Today Death escaped her daughters. The girl cried as she ran down the tunnel. Her siblings would live, she would shield them so they were never be found, raise them so they could look out onto the land they loved, and if a threat ever lingered near their walls, they'd be protected forever, in a kingdom of their own.
