The Arrival of Death

        Long ago, in the world created by the Void, life popped out of the earth. The mighty gradulus roared as it soared the skies on its four gigantic red wings. The tiny juck hopped among the soft sand. Many creatures crawled, soared, swam, ate, and slept as they explored the new world.

       However, there was one problem. The creatures began to overpopulate the world. Soon, there was barely enough space for any creature to live in.

       Tamacus was the first one to notice this particular problem. He studied it long enough to realize the full extent of the situation. He knew if noting solved the problem soon, then there would be no space left for any creature to live in.

       He flew off to find Rashim, for only she would have the knowledge of how to solve this particular predicament. He searched high in the mountains and deep in the valleys until he finally found her in a large cave mad of crystals.

       She was quietly reading a book as Tamacus flew in. She glared at him with her golden eyes before he even gave out a response. Her eyes studied him for a moment before she spoke.

       “So, Brother of Wind,” Rashim purred. “This is your first visit and the only subject you can think of asking me is to find a way to fix this rapidly expanding population of living beings. How sad, yet predictable. You could have visited me for a meal, a decent conversation, or even a token. But you decide to visit me for a solution towards this pathetic excuse of a problem.” She puffed slightly as she paced around the cave floor, the crystals illuminating the fur on her eight legs.

       “I will tell you the only solution for this situation. You must travel through dimensions and find one of the beings called Death. When you do, you must bring it back to our world. Well, what are you waiting for? Go!”

       On that note, Rashim used her powers to push Tamacus out of her cave and sealed the entrance with a wall of limestone. She, after all, was creating her lexicon of all forms of magic.

       After that, Tamacus began his journey for the being called Death. He searched throughout all the realms of existence. He conversed with every being he met about Death.

       One day, after what seemed to be millennia of searching, he found a world covered with what seemed to be the liquid Hirukos swam in. Of course, he didn’t know what water was because he had never gone near it before. After all, it would make his wings heavy.

       However, unlike the blue clear liquid Hirukos swam in, the liquid had an unhealthy black sheen that burped bubbles filled with poison and decay. Deadly gas popped out of the black liquid’s surface, emitting a smell Tamacus found instantly horrendous.

       With a shudder, Tamacus knew the answer lay inside the muck, so he held his breath and plunged straight into the liquid. After all, the smell made him gag.

       Tamacus had expected heaviness the moment his entire body touched it. To his surprise, it wasn’t the kind of liquid Hirukos swam in. It was the sky of the world itself! It burned him as he spiraled downward from the shock towards the blackened earth that greeted him.

       A few minutes later, after the crash, Tamacus crawled out of the earth. His wings were bent in every corner in an unusual way. When he tried to move them, a gigantic burst of pain was sent throughout his being. His cry was that of misery as he lay on the darkened earth, shedding tears of bitterness at the foolishness of this seemingly impossible task.

       Out of nowhere, a strange figure cloaked in darkness appeared with two smaller beings clinging onto its cloak. It held a long black metal rod with a blood-red curved blade attached on one end and a grinning white skull on the other. It slowly floated towards Tamacus. When it got towards him, it took off its hood. What was underneath it shocked Tamacus.

       The face of the being was a young human girl with what seemed to be an endless cloak of black hair. One emerald green eye studied Tamacus as maggot crawled in the ruins of the other. Long dark shadows surrounded both of those eyes creating a mystifying appearance. Her lips curved upward into a gentle smile.

       “Welcome, young one,” whispered the stranger. “I am the one you have sought for the solution towards the problem in your world. I am the being many called Death.”

       “Well then,” Tamacus responded as his initial shock faded away, replaced by a burning ache in his heart.  “Forgive me for my shock. I had no idea there was such a beauty as you. Who are you and why are you here in this desolate land, oh fairest maiden of the shadows?”

       “I will tell you on one condition,” she said. “Take these children with you into your world, where they may divert their nature away from their race’s cruel nature.”

       “Agreed. If that is all you want, I will take these little beings of yours into my home world.” He suddenly dashed forward and snatched the mysterious being onto his arms and grabbed each of the children by the waist. “I’ll also take you with me, for I have a burning desire to make love with your fair self. Never in my life have I seen such a dazzling beauty with a selfless heart. Would you be my beloved mate, now and forever?”

       At this sudden request, the no longer strange being blushed crimson, for this was the first ever compliment she had ever received all her life. After all, no one had ever stared at her without screaming for his or her lives. Even the angels in Celestria would cringe at her presence every time she came over for her once-in-a-century visit for  chocolate cake with gummy worms.

       She slowly levitated towards Tamacus with her blanket of black hair streaming behind her. When she was right next to him, she gently hugged him and smiled as she nodded her confirmation towards his proposal. Her energies slowly mended Tamacus’ wings as she detached herself from Tamacus for a moment before holding onto his wings.

       Tamacus was so pleased with her acceptance; he soared with Death and the children towards Dragonok. Once they arrived, he put the children in the care of Rashim, who was somewhat interested at the interesting specimen Tamacus had brought from his travels.

       Soon after that was taken care of, Tamacus and Death were married in a forest full of black plants that bloomed red as the wind touched them. They spent their honeymoon on the largest of Dragonok’s seven moons where the moon cheese was formed by a pack of stony creatures called the swissers.

       Once their honeymoon was over, Death began her job on Dragonok and made sure each creature died a peaceful death in their sleep. Of course, she did also create disasters, such as landslides and so on, with permission from each of the Guardians of course. The most populous of the disasters were tornados, storms, and any other disasters related to wind since her new husband, Tamacus, always said yes when she asked for his permission.

        The problem of overcrowding Dragonok was solved except there was a new problem. The deceased had nowhere to go. Tamacus was about to fly away to find a way to solve this new problem, but Death stopped him before he flew away.

       “What is it, my heart?” Tamacus smiled sadly. “I do not wish to be far away from your presence, but I must fly away a place for the dead to go to.”

       “Do not worry, dear,” Death said. “Back on Earth, there was a process called reincarnation. It recycles souls from the dead to be given to those who will be born into this world. Of course, I could create a paradise for those who are good enough to rest forever as well.”

       Tamacus smiled at his mate for possessing such wonderful ideas. “I love you, my heart. You are so wonderful in both mind and soul.” He kissed her on her forehead with his beak. “I didn’t know you could create worlds like the Void. That is quite surprising indeed.”

       “Of course I could,” Death smiled. “Every god back on Earth could do this sort of thing. It’s just that the majority of their kind was too big for their britches and made a big mess of things as you saw back on Earth. It was sadder still when they did nothing to fix their own problems. They just patch it and play around as the problems become so large that they didn’t notice it until it was too late. Earth was destroyed because of their carelessness.” A tear leaked out of her eye as she recalled the vast devastation of Earth.

       Tamacus nodded grimly as he thought of the irresponsible beings that allowed their own world to be ruined in such a matter. He made a vow at that moment to make sure Dragonok did not go through such tragedy. He held his wife close to him as she trembled at the memories.

       “Do not worry, my heart. I will make sure nothing like that will happen here. I promise you this.” At that moment, the children and their children arrived on Rashim’s humongous backside for a visit. Tamacus and Death smiled at their arrival and the future it would bring. Everything would be all right.