Visiting your homeland had its pros and cons. You missed your home, yet it brought alive memories you wish would forever stay dead. Those memories, wrapped tightly around you with their thorns digging into you, crept their way into your dreams, reminding you that your work was not done yet.

Limping by the river as you applied pressure to your bleeding arm, you felt tears threatening to escape your tired eyes. The war had been raging on for months now. Everyone had suffered by the hands on the ruined king. The nation split in two; one side accepting magic into their lives and one side shunning it. And they fought and fought and fought. You felt guilty. You were the cause of this, the spark that started the fire. That is how you felt at least. Taking a deep, wheezing breath, you hummed to your self.

Take me to the water

Where the river meets the sea

Let the memory of rising tide

Come washing over me

I saw fire consume the trusting

With the victims still naive

And so they bleed

And so they bleed

Nowhere to go, nowhere to hide. Just aimlessly walking by the river, hoping for a miracle, wishing you could forget everything.

Take me to the tower

Where false gods reside in peace

Let them wither from the inside

Watch their adoration cease

Now with no more heroes left

To cull the chaff among the streets

The gates release

The gates release

You were angry at the gods. They watched as innocent people died. No, they didn't watch, they aided the Ruined King instead. The land was struck by plague after plague. And the people blamed it on the witches. Blinded by rage they couldn't see that the witches also suffered and tried to stop the drought and plague. the only remaining land that still had any life left in it was the one in front of the great dam. So naturally everyone, including you went there. Witches and humans alike. They realized it was all a trap a bit too late.

Sing in grief, a requiem

The curse of our millennium

These souls keep whispering from the river beds

The end to all these violent means

Alive in these red water dreams

Their haunted burdens stirring in my head

On streets still running red

The king had ordered his men to destroy the dam. The said dam was never opened all the way because there were towns on its way and too much water meant a flood. Getting the dam destroyed would ensure that there would be absolutely no survivors. His men tried to convince him otherwise. They begged him to let them tell the innocent to escape. Some even had their families there. But he did not listen and decided to do it himself by releasing the water gates all the way. the dam could not handle the pressure of the water and broke in. You witnessed this in horror from up on the mountain, glad that you weren't in the valley yet but weeping for the people that were there. You covered your ears so maybe you wouldn't hear their screams, but it was no use. You heard it all. You saw it all.

The guards patrolling the area saw you and the marksmen started shooting at you. You were quick to escape but not before getting a poisonous arrow stuck in your arm.

And that brought you here, to the river red with the blood of the guilty and innocent alike. You could hear their souls cry, trapped in the river for all eternity.

Vicious thoughts are stirring

And I hunger for their power

Just to taste the opportunity

To watch the elders cower

When the waters fall below the ruins

They'll see their final hour

But rain still showers

The rain still showers

Take me as the vessel

To infect the whole charade

I've come much too far to accept

This society they've made

In the corner of the wasteland

Under storms of acid rain

The last remain

The last remain

Nothing to lose, you vowed revenge. first you would rid of the ruined king, clean up this mess, and help the remaining survivors. But that wasn't enough for you. You were angry at the higher ups, the gods. Then you would hunt the gods down. ONE! BY! ONE! You promised that to yourself. They had taken everything from you so you would do the same. Make them watch as everything they love, everything they reign over, and their godhood shatter into pieces while they can do nothing about it. But you weren't strong enough. You needed more power. Way more power. It was you against the universe. So you needed to be stronger than it.

Sing in grief, a requiem

The curse of our millennium

These souls keep whispering from the river beds

The end to all these violent means

Alive in these red water dreams

Their haunted burdens stirring in my head

On streets still running red

Thinking about what to do next as you treated your injured arm with an antidote you made from wild herbs, you heard branches breaking and leaves crunching. Your heart sank; your wand was broken and you were injured. You had no way of fighting or defending yourself so you stayed as quiet as possible, hoping for whatever was there to go away. But no. It was coming for you. Taking a shaky breath you braced yourself, and you saw a hooded figure step out of a nearby bush. He was wearing a black cloak stained with blood. Using his scythe as a cane as he dragged himself towards you.

"You wanna fight?" You spat, tense and ready to attack.

"Chill your ass, y.n" The man spoke.

"How do you know my name?"

"I'm a reaper, I can see everyone's names" He chuckled.

"Are you here to reap me then?" You gulped.

"Can you not see I'm injured?" He pointed at his chest. Your eyes widened as you saw the big piece of wood that had ran through his chest.

"Surely a piece of wood is not enough to kill death?"

"I am not death. Just his son. I'm one of the many reapers. We CAN die. This wood... it's not any wood. It's from the elder tree. It can kill almost anything." He coughed up some blood.

You tried to help out but there wasn't much you could do.

"y.n listen to me... listen... I need you to do something for me... I've been looking for you for so long..." He wheezed.

"What?" You asked as you laid him down gently, watching over him and trying to heal him with your magic.

"No, No, I can't be saved. Save your magic. I need you to get revenge. The gods are interfering with something greater than they should. Gods are guardians of realms. But they are trying to be more. They are trying to stop us reapers from doing our job. They kill us and enslave some, forcing them to do as they say." His consciousness was drifting away slowly. He was dying, you could tell.

"My father... he is weakened... He is one of the few who can kill gods. Nothing can escape death, nothing."

He weakly grabbed his scythe and gave it to you.

"They weakened him using dark forces so he couldn't stop them. You're the only one left with the power to save this world. You're the child of the Moon after all. Take my powers and get your revenge. Save my father for me... I beg you"

And with that a black glow blinded you for a second, and once you could see again, all that was there was ashes. You held the scythe, processing what had just happened. You could feel an unfamiliar power dormant within; and sure as hell you were going to use it. you were grateful to the reaper, wishing you could do more for him.

"I promise to save as many as I can"

You made a beautiful tree grow from the ashes and grabbed the scythe, standing up and looking at the road ahead. This was the miracle you needed.

Most went in the flood

A few were martyred by the flames

Yet those who unleashed the waters

Are still guilty all the same

When the ignorance of puppets

Serves the master's larger game

They let it rain

They let it rain

When I gain the chance to rise

I'll find the light in their cold eyes

Or lose myself and carry out revenge

The righteous hunt has just begun

The dimming of the bleeding sun

Will let these waters run clear once again

Spotted by some guards, they drew their swords and attacked you. Instinctively you swung the scythe and slashed at them. Dark energy erupted from the swing and cut them all in half. Shocked by the power you just unleashed you held the scythe tightly. Panting, You let out a laugh of victory. This is it. You were going to make them wish they never did this to you.

Sing in grief, a requiem

The curse of our millennium

These souls keep whispering from the river beds

The end to all these violent means

Alive in these red water dreams

Their haunted burdens stirring in my head

On streets still running red

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