Azian Prince of Dragons
Chapter 16 — Death

Michael's POV

"Run! Run Anna!" I shouted to my wife,

She held on to me, I was still engulfed in her hug.

We were having dinner with our neighbors when there door was kicked down and some Lycans, vampires, and werewolves, soldiers came in.

There were looking for Abigail, claiming she was some sort of traitor, I told them the mother witch would never be a traitor.

My wife, Anna was in the kitchen helping our neighbor's wife, Hannah, serve the food, they had just left for the kitchen to get desert when the guards came.

I saw the guards jeer as they killed one neighbor we had been. His wife screeched yelling spells but were blocked by the witch guards and she too was killed.

Hannah's husband told me to save the women in the kitchen, especially my wife who was with child.

As the rest of the men charged at the guards I slipped into the kitchen, my wife and Hannah stood there petrified.

Before I could stop her, Hannah dashed back into the living room to save her husband.

I told Anna to Run, run and save our child.

She was so stubborn, I had to push her away out through the back door, she wanted to stay, I told her I couldn't let anything happened to our baby.

She asked me to come with her, I told her I have to help our neighbor's.

To cut the long story short, she managed to get away, and for that I am thankful, but I wasn't so lucky, I was killed by a dark haired Lycan man two minutes into battle, he dug his long claws deep into my stomach. The last thing I saw on earth, was his smile, an evil one that screamed satisfaction.

I fell to the floor and immediately I was engulfed in darkness.

I woke up sailing on a boat, with a man dressed in a black robe and a black hood draped over his head. But that didn't hide the fact that he was hideous.

"Michael Slander, your time is up," he said grinning coldly before his voice lowered, "Man, I always wanted to say that, can't let death have all the fun." I shivered as he said my name.

"Where am I? Is my wife here too? Please tell me she escaped!"

"You are in the underworld, proceeding to judgment. I am the ferry man, your wife is not in the Land of the dead, "he informed me, his tone old and ancient.

I breathed out, "okay, that's good, she survived," I murmured to myself, relieved at that fact, "I-I'm okay with death, " I said sitting down in the boat, "as long as Anna isn't here." The ferry man did not say a word.

I looked around taking in my surroundings, it was pitch black, even the waters we were crossing were pitch black, only the sky above was a dull red.

"So, this is the underworld, " I expressed, eyeing al that is before me, I looked up at the ferry man, "I expected to be more alarmed, but I don't feel anxious or scared at all." "I can see that it is not strange," the ferry man replied," good souls are never really afraid,"

I looked at him, "you think I have a good soul?"

"I have seen all the souls that have passed through the underworld, and I know a good soul when I see it," he replied "So how does judgment work?" I asked.

"You're deeds will be scaled, if the good outweighs the bad, you will be sent to Argon the afterlife by the sun, if not, the realm of Set realm, were Vigra is near " he finished.

I nodded, I couldn't help but feel sad that I wouldn't be able to see my child when she comes into the world, or Anna again. I wondered where she was, was she alone? I knew she must have gone to Abigail's cottage in the mountains.

She went there every other day since Abigail's disappearance to clean the cottage, she had hope that Abigail was coming back. I helped her clean because she was pregnant. I just hoped she was okay. Suddenly I felt the boat become heavy.

I looked up at the ferry man. He had stopped paddling, his ancient hands still stuck on the paddle. He was looking at something behind me.

I turned around and almost jumped, a little boy, who had appeared from nowhere was sitting at the side of the boat. His eyes focused on me intently.

"Edwin, what are you doing here?" a man asked.

I turned back around, jumping back startled when I saw another man standing just a few inches away from me.

I was shocked, we were only two on the boat.... And now we were four.

I wondered how they managed to get on the boat when we were in the middle of the lake of bones and souls. I don't know if it was lake, a river, or an ocean but it did seem vast.

I looked up at the man who had spoken, he too was wearing a black hoody but had a pair of trousers with a material I as unfamiliar with, pairing it these comfortable looking shoes I had never seen before.

He pulled down his hoody and stared at the little boy behind me.

The man was quite handsome and had a friendly smile on him much to my surprise.

"I came for him," the little boy said pointing at me.

The man looked down at me, momentarily "a good soul," he said.

I looked at them both, feeling out of place, "What the hell going on here? Ferry man? Who are these people?" I asked

The ferry man laughed for the first time, his tone deliciously dark," Yeah you got that right, hell is going on here," he said pointing to a horizon that was crimson red.

I looked towards it and shuddered immediately I spotted it...

The man before me chuckled amused I suppose.

"Seems like you don't remember me, well of course you don't, I brought you here, you were Unconscious though," he began.

"You? You brought me here? How?" I asked... Then I paused, "are you-"

"Death, it's nice to meet you again, Michael." he said

I nodded, at a loss of words, this was death? Why did he look so...

"I know I don't look like what you expected but honestly, the dark robes and things are so outdated, I'm a twenty first century man, I keep telling old ferry here to do something about his wardrobe, but you know what they say about old habits," he said.

The ferry man grunted, displeased I'm sure.

Death turned back to face the little boy, "you want his soul?" he asked kindly.

The little boy nodded.

"Why?"

"His wife requests him, her and her best friend Abigail saved us. I can only return the favor, "the boy replied.

"Abigail? She's alive?" Anna? Is she okay? I asked shocked.

The boy nodded smiling at me, "she just misses you,"

"Mm..." Death started hand under his chin, "I suppose I can give him back to you, he is a good soul so he won't be going to Set's realm and I don't have to deal with that stuck up fool, and since you say his wife and friend saved your life, if you died, Amora's last descendant will go too and I know what she will do to me when I get home," he said.

"Oh, she will be angry," Ferry man said.

"Very," Edwin, the little boy replied

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"Women," Death said shaking his head.

"Okay great, great, great, great, great, great, great,great, great,-"

"We all know he is your great grandson Death," Ferry man rolled his eyes, leaning against the paddle," are you telling me you're going to pass through all the nine hundred thousand generations of great?" he asked, his features still quite invisible underneath his heavy cloak..

"You just kill the fun old man," Death grumbled.

"What is his name?" death asked.

"Michael Slander," Edwin replied.

I wondered why he had to ask that when he of course just said my name.

Death shrugged as if he read my thoughts, "I had to be sure he got the right Michael."

"Death?" the boy asked shyly

"Yes my fine boy?" he asked looking back at him.

Death showing affection? I looked away from them a second, unsure about this.

"I-is father here?" the boy stuttered out, a look of loss crossing his fingers.

Death smiled, "I would have known if the beast of the fire dragons was here Edwin, your father is hard to kill," he said grunting. "Dragons?" I echoed.

Death looked at me, "Yeah dragons, big lizards that breath fire,"

"We are not lizards," Edwin whined.

Death chuckled, "you know I didn't mean it little one, I fell in love with one remember? Now I can't get rid of her," he muttered.

Ferry man laughed, "I hope Amora heard you,"

"Shut up old man, her golden ears are everywhere," Death scolded "You're a dragon?" I asked Edwin He nodded, "I am,"

"Not just any dragon, a Liche dragon," Death clarified," don't be afraid to say you're related to me boy, you have my looks and power so own it, "death said ruffling the boy's hair.

"But Tar is injured badly, he and the rest of the royal family, that black dust they inhaled slowed down their whole system and it will take weeks for them to fully recover, their too weak now,"

"Weak?" Edwin echoed "Yes little one, very weak, it will take time, but they will be okay, but in the meantime I suggest you and Azian get out of this realm as her majesty queen Rebecca suggested," he turned to look at me, "I suggest your wife goes along too, a war is about to break out and she will be much safer in the human realm, you however, have a destiny to fulfill back in Paria and its lands,"

"The Neut realm?" I asked, "impossible, the only portal to that realm is heavily guarded, they won't be able to escape,"

Death nodded, "it is, but it's not the only portal, the great witch will guide you to a second portal, only she knows," death replied.

Abigail? Abigail knew of a second portal?

Death turned back to Edwin.

"I hope Azian's, doing okay, I saw he was sick for a while there," death continued.

Edwin's eyes widened, "you were there? Was he that close?"

"Calm down little guardian, I was just keeping an eye on him, he is a great conversationalist, he and I played a little board game whilst he was here."

"Instead of doing your job," ferry man grunted.

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"Please it was just a few lucky thieves that escaped me. No one should ever say I don't give second chances." he explained tuning back to Edwin, "Amora and the first Golden dragon Feron, asked that I keep an eye on him, especially after the little incident when he was born. I had to take queen Adrianna, I should have left her, that woman keeps nagging me as well," he groaned.  

"Queen Adrianna? You took her?" Edwin asked.

"Yes, she was hexed by a witch, she almost killed Azian, but I stopped her. She was grateful but she's overprotective of him,"

"A witch? Was it A-Abigail?"

My eyes widened at this.

"Abi-who? No, it was another witch Emma, she died already, I thought she was going straight to Sets kingdom, but I have to admit it came off as a bit of a shock when she went to Argon," Death said rubbing his chin.

"I remember Emma," Ferry man began, his voice a little less tight, "she was a good soul, she did what was best for her people, she was accompanied by the spirit of her mother and sister, you know witches," he put in.

"You can trust Abigail, Edwin, she's okay," ferry man continued.

Edwin nodded, "I have to go then. Michael?" he asked.

Death nodded, taking a step back," Michael slander, you shall be taken, you shall be immortal, you shall live forever, it is your destiny, you shall forever walk on the sands of the earth, you shall take in the breath of life and never lack from it, or you Pay MY PRICE.. You are given." he said staring at me.

I nodded as I felt Edwin take my hand, my feet suddenly were no longer touching the boat.

"You should have told me earlier that he was going to be an immortal death! I made it across this sea for nothing! Now I have to go back again!" The ferry man shouted as Edwin Death and I floated upwards.

"Oh, can it old man! You've made more than a billion trips across the blood sea; you'll live if you take one more!" he shouted back laughing.

I saw the ferry man turn the boat around, "why didn't I have poofing power, so I can just poof them to the other side." he muttered under his breath as we went through the red sky and through what I assumed was a portal.

I saw Riota again and found out I was no longer with Edwin, but death was still guiding me back to my neighbor's house.

I saw the people bundling up bodies some crying, one woman was wrapping my body

"It was a sad day, aye?" Death asked.

I nodded as he put me on the ground beside my body.

"You'll heal from here onwards, immortal, I have to say Michael and you're a lucky one,"

I smiled as he took my hand shaking it, " looks like I've gained another friend, I'll see you soon Michael, with your gift," he finished.

"My gift?" I asked still shaking his hand

"You just survived death my friend, that's petty hardcore, the gods found favor with you, hence a gift shall be bestowed, you'll replace out what it is sooner or later... I'll see you around Michael, oh and don't forget, take them to the human realm!" he said letting go of my hand.

I sat up gasping as the woman who was wrapping me up jumped back in shock.

I was back in my body; death was nowhere to be seen.

The people around me looked at me in shock.

My eyes were large as I looked down at my body, it was fully healed.