The Memories

“This world is beautiful,” Life murmured, letting his eyes drift towards the skyline, taking in the crisp blue that was dotted with small, wispy pieces of cloud. He was stretched across a grassy hill, the wind tugging at his hair playfully.

“I suppose.”

Death’s eyes lacked the same wonder that was present in Life’s. He sat with his head on his knees, his face mostly obscured by a veil of dark silk.

“It is beautiful because it is ours. We made this by our own hands, and we will rule it together, for the rest of eternity.”

----

“Look, this is what I wanted to show you.”

Life swept his hand across the horizon, where a small civilization had begun to build. Smoke from a campfire drifted up from the valley, adding splotches of color that Life had only just grown accustomed to seeing.

Death crept closer to the edge of the bluff, a small smile tugging at his lips. “That is amazing.”

“I have been watching them,” Life said with excitement, a flash of passion in his eyes, “They worship us, Death. Some have even inherited our elements.”

Life felt a cold hand slip through his. He let out a breath of pent up air, falling silent.

----

It was dark, the unearthly light of fire casting a dangerous glow on Life’s face. Blue flames licked the ground, emitting a sterile cold that Life had once found comforting.

He slipped through the air like a serpent, the stark white feathers on his draconic body now tarnished by combat.

The air shimmered behind him. Uttering curses, Life grabbed Death with his claws, the two tangling in a clash of teeth and magic.

Life bit into his throat, feeling hot, pulsing magic flood into his mouth. Death howled in agony, his eyes rolling back in their sockets.

Life could feel something trembling within Death’s body, a frantic force that was begging not to be touched.

The essence of a god, his divine power.

Exactly what he wanted.

----

Life gasped, raising up in a rush as he held his forehead. He was in the room that had been assigned to he and Time.

Time sat at the end of the bed, grinning. “Bad dream, huh, homie?” He leaned against the wall, multicolored eyes twinkling in mischief. “It's weird, y’know? We don't need sleep. You're the only one who sleeps. Is it because you use your dreams to relieve the past?”

Life had collected himself, and stared at Time coolly. “It was a simpler time back then.”

Between his fingers, Time held a tiny dragon made of gears. He rubbed its head, almost teasingly. “Do you regret what you did?”

Life gritted his teeth. “Death was a casualty of the war.”

“So ‘ya sticking to that story ‘till the end of the world, huh? Which, by the way,” he added flippantly, “Shouldn't be that long at all.”

“I loved him,” Life growled.

“Mmhm,” Time nodded, “Because sending religious zealots to slaughter each other in a senseless war is my idea of a cute date.”

“Silence!” Life snatched Time by the neck, throwing him against the wall. The air flickered as he flew backward, slipping through dimensional barriers until he pinned Time against the floor of a grassy plain.

“Oh, cool,” Time murmured, unfazed, “We're in your world now.”

Life hadn't realized he had shifted into his dragon form. He bared his teeth, breathing heavily.  

“I know you're not gonna actually kill me, man. Like, you could ice Death with no consequences, but if I die, the time stream continuum is royally screwed. But not like that stopped you a couple months ago.”

Life turned his back, reverting back into a humanoid body. He took a few steps back, massaging his temples. Time sat up, crossing his legs.

“When the Time before me went awry,” Time noted, “I stepped up to the cause and destroyed him, taking his place. I know how it felt to be mortal. That's the difference between us.”

“That is not a virtue,” Life spat, “It is a burden. That is why we were the most powerful. Death and I were the originals, we never fell and required a replacement.”

Time watched the sky above him. “Don't hold your head too high, buddy. You doubt just how powerful those mortals can be.”

Author's Note- here we can celebrate deaths official first appearance lol