Judge, Jury, and Death

Power, absolute and undeterred. That was the description that came to Alexander, when he felt A'rathèl's presence. His only thought was to do anything this entity told him to do, for fear of his life. Her aura exuded dominance, and pulsed with pure might. She was the first created under the heavens of the universe, and she would be the last, Goddess of Darkness, A'rathèl.

"You have some nerve, boy!" She boomed from what seemed like every side of the room with pure might. "The sheer gall of mortals has continued to be historically, appalling. Well, speak. What do you have to say for yourself?" A'rathèl demanded, her all encompassing aura lessening around him, allowing him breath.

"I..I don't know what what you mean.. Y..you're. Oh, gods! I dont want to die." Alexander stumbled over his words at the meaning of seeing A'rathèl, terrified of the outcome. Only those who were diying or dead ever saw her glory, and he could understand why someone wouldn't want to see her early, she was godly.

"Are you a bumbling idiot, or can you take mind of your senses to have a simple conversation? You mortals see my visage once and loose control of your sanity. I understand completely, I am a goddess, but please control thy self. I have made ample reservations to have this meeting you unceremoniously denied."

Alexander sat back down on the rooms sofa, his items still next to the assistants frozen body. His mind was racing about the things he had yet to do, and his family that would be left alone.

"Do not worry yourself, childe. This mortal will not die here. Her final hours will be spent drinking wine with her fourth paltry mate, somewhere on another Island. Nevertheless, I am here for thee." The room faded to the darkest black Alexander had ever experienced. He felt nothing change, nore heard anything but the beat of his heart untill an emerald flame brightened the room from a lit fireplace. The darkness faded, revealing a different room from the one he was in.

The room had a single light source of green fire lit in a grand fireplace, a black throne where A'rathèl sat, and a desk of white bone between them, where Alexander say on the sofa.

'Just, breathe. Breathe d***, it.' Alexander calmed himself. He was panicking at the moment, but knew he had to face her. Had to face death herself.

"Why are you here to see me? I'm not dying and I've never felt healthier. There must be a mistake somewhere. There's a reason why a God, chose to visit me after all I've been through in the last few days. I would like to know before... whatever happens. "

A'rathèl sat in her chair with the elegance of a monarch and about as much patience as she heaed his drivel that numerous others had repeated. Her hand waved over the table and three cards appeared. She flipped over the first one on her right and spoke, "This is the Ring of the firstborn, it represents a godly pact made, and bargain struck. You were on my doorstep when you pleaded for mercy, and I gave it at a price."

The scene of him drowning deep under the water played on the screen that poppedup in front of him. His words rang throughout the room in an eerie echo,'I'll do anything!'

The second card that she flipped over was an elegant L

lantern, lit with two flames of white and black. "This is the Primordial Lantern. It represents enlightenment, goals, and when lit; life. You are given a task, you will be my Guardian. There is a rising tide of shadow, even I can not see through. I cannot tear myself away from the souls that pass on, but you shall act in my stead."

Alexander was confused why, if she was giving him a mission, if she was mad at him.

"Dark Mother, Why were you so angry at me if you needed my help?" He asked, immediately regretting it.

A scene of Alexander checking his devices messages and then subsequently ignoring the summon for him by A'rathèl played. The area became stuffy with A'rathèl's anger. Even the green fire flickered in fear of her wrath.

"Eons of my messages being headed by those significantly above you in station, and you ignore my summons. Civilizations prayed for my words, for generations, with sacrifices and gifts at my alters. You are on the thinnest of edges before you fall into the abyss of no return."

"Please forgive me,why would the Goddess of Darkness send me an obscure message. I get those all the time, it's called spam. But I am sorry, I swear to always answer your calls and messages for a loan."

A'rathèl leaned back and clicked her tongue with her hand on her temples. The soft fabric jingling with her effort.

"Sorry. I ramble when I'm nervous. What's the third card?"

The third card flipped over, revealing a firefly. Lunaris exited safety mode at that time, completing her upgrade. A message once again apeared before him with numbers and words he understood, but was to distracted by A'rathèl's words to think about.

"The firebug represents a guide for all mortals, as which you shlall be for the souls on earth. A light to lead them through their darkest time, a Guardian." A'rathèl waved her hand and the Ring of the Firstborn appeared on Alexanders' right hand. The Lantern, the size of a key chain, appeared around his neck and thrumed rhythmically with his heart beat.

"I don't mean to be rude, to an all powerful being, such as yourself, but I'm weak by any standard. To weak to be a Guardian, at most. I have a family and the Hunters trial, and I'm just 16. I can't become a Guardian." Alexander felt the weight of responsibility set on his shoulders, but something nudged his mind. A familiar warmth he had become used to feeling in the coldness of his mind.

'Im worried for nothing. She hasn't told me what this job entails or what I'm responsible for. If there's a threat to my family then I should atleast know about it. Also it doesnt seem like I have a choice in the matter. If shes a god, then she could obliterate me.'

"Forgive me for my outburst. What are these things that I must face?"

"Hmm, very good, Guardian. I see your senses have returned to you. I can't say the things you would hunt are anything but abominations. When they show their themselves, your Lantern will light your path, both in darkness and light. Continue your life as normal, but beware I do not suffer failure, as my first Guardian, the bar is set high. If I call upon you again, do not disappoint me."

A'rathèl dismissed Alexander with a warning and advice. He tried to ask many more questions but she responded with a finger for silence and one sentence, "The dead await, and I have pulsed death for long enough."a flick of the same finger brought him back infront of the assistant.

His mind had blanked while transferring but he felt a sense of longing to go back, strangely at peace.

"Sir? Did you need anything else?" She asked, unknowing of what transpired. She was just thinking if she had a Dimension crystal, the amount of walking would be cut in half.

"No.. I'm good. Thanks," he spoke while astonished about what floated above her head, a timer ticking away. He could see when she was going to die all of a sudden.

A screen had popped up above her head displaying the time until she would die. It was quite awhile away, numbering in the years. Giwerver the second screen that poped up after she left held Alexander even more concerned.

//First Mission: Absorb a soul!//

'Mother, take me!'