Once Mortal | Prologue
Once Mortal is the story of a dragon who accepts the offer of becoming a reaper for eternity, will he come to regret this decision as the years pass, or will he learn to enjoy his eternal duty of reaping souls?
'Cold... it's so cold, is this the end?' I thought, as my life was fading from me.
My name is Zane Lazarus, a twenty-one year old introverted dragon.
I took the job cleaning the windows of some mansion, the pay was good, however an accident occured. Even though I performed safety checks, even as I setup safety measures, it all failed me as I plummeted to the cold hard earth.
It was agonizing, I may have saved my head to some extent, but as for the rest of my body... it was hard to tell what wasn't broken. I was likely internally bleeding as I coughed out blood, my body ached in agony as I fell on my back, but I knew I still wanted to live.
With the small blades of grass piercing my sense of touch, I looked around for anything that could help me, only my head moved properly. It hurt just to breathe, but the adrenaline rush seemed to dampen the pain.
"Help... somebody... help me..." My voice came out strained, it was the dead of night, I took this job knowing no one would be here. I guess my social anxiety is what will get me killed, I couldn't move my body or reach for my phone, I was completely alone.
Tears welled my eyes, I continued my plea, my cries for help. But no one was around, there wouldn't be anyone around. All I could see around me was the four story mansion I fell from with the loomimg trees surrounding me.
This mansion is surrounded by walls and hedges, who would see me anyways? I can't even scream loud enough to alert anyone. But I didn't want this to be it, I didn't want to succumb to death. I wished I could say goodbye to everyone, my parents and friends especially, but I was choking on my blood.
I didn't dare glance at the state of my body, my legs were numb, and the rest of my body was blazing with pain. Darkness surrounded my vision, I gasped for air as my breathing became labored, the tears continued.
"No... no..." There was no hope left, only regret and sadness filled me, my final moment approaching so soon...
But then I felt a strange presence, some mysterious feeling embracing me as I noticed a figure approach.
"Y-You p-please... h-help me... help..." I was using every ounce of energy to speak, hope filled me as this person approached, but as my vision adjusted I realized the appearance of this being.
She had no clothes on, her body was nude and furry, but as I looked at her face it was just a skull with hair, it lacked eyes and teeth. The fur on her was gray, including her tail, and her hair was white. She appeared to be shorter than me, but then again, most species were shorter than dragons.
However, the fact that she was some wolf was irrelevant now, what matters is that something or someone is here. I did everything in my power to continue speaking, I wasn't going to die here now that I had a chance to live, even if they didn't appear alive.
"S- ave... me..." I continued breathing heavily as she approached me, my throat felt dry as I coughed a little more blood. She crouched and descended down to grab my head, laying it on her thigh, she appeared to be staring at me with her eyeless skull.
"I'm sorry child, I am not a healer or a deity, but a reaper of death." She spoke in a soft soothing voice, it sounded airy and cold, yet spoken in a way that was warm and comforting. But I didn't want to accept death, to let it claim me like this, there had to be something she could do...
"It's alright child, you've done nothing wrong." She caressed my hair, wiped the tears from my face with her soft hand, greatly contrasting her face which resembled death. But I refused to believe death was my only option, I desperately wanted to live, to see everyone again. To progress in life, gain confidence as I was finally able to spread my wings, I wanted to start a family as I seeked the one for me. I grabbed her right hand and squeezed it with the vigor I had left, I looked into her hollow skull.
"P-Please... I'll do- anything... anything t-to live..." My voice grew weaker as the clock ticked by, every second brought me closer to my demise, and now even the grim reaper was here watching.
"I wish I could help you child, but you..." She paused mid-sentence, parting her jaw a little as she appeared to flinch a bit, what was she thinking?
"There is one way to live child, however, it comes at a cost." She looked away from me, but hope filled me again. I don't care what the price is, it's better than just dying, I'll do anything to live!
"You'll become a reaper like me child, cursed to-"
"P-Please, I'll- do... it..." I spoke with my remaining strength and will as blood clogged my throat, my grip on her hand was fading, everything was becoming a blur.
"Are you sure child? You ----..." My hearing left me too as my consciousness faded from me, my body could no longer keep up with my will as I finally went unconscious, the cold embrace of death was overtaking me.