Shinigami Realm, Desolai’s domain. A place filled with random plants and pieces of architecture, all scavenged by the owner of this domain, she had a habit of hoarding everything that was even remotely connected to humans, thus it was not unusual to see some antiquated statues sticking out from the ground.

A three meter tall pale winged woman sat there with two others, with wings that seemed black at first until at closer inspection seemed greyer. But unlike her appearance suggested, she seemed to be happy.

And the reasons for her happiness were the two beings in front of her, her servant Nur Finnerman, and a child who was created from their flesh and blood, Kunjarik.

To her, an angel of Death, living a life of solitude would have been just fine, but the day he ended up in her domain changed things forever.

Angels of Death or Reapers were created by God of Death, Olim, when he converted a regular angel into an Angel of Death. Angel’s pure white wings were dyed with Olim’s dark colors, resulting in grey wings. Like their master, they are unable to bear life or have offspring, at least, not normally.

But due to actions of her servant, Desolai found herself technically being the ‘mother’ of Kunjarik. Something that seemed to be impossible happened right in her own domain.

It was a miracle to say the least.

While their son was climbing on a tree, Desolai approached Nur and spoke.

“Thank you.”

“Desolai, what is the matter? Did I do something worthy of praise?”

“More than you ever realize, Nur.” Desolai looked over the distance with a sorrowful gaze. “I often envied humanity for their ability to have and nurture their young, something I, no matter how much I would want to, could never have. I serve the embodiment of Death, thus I cannot create life, not directly.”

She turned to look at him with a smile.

“But thanks to you, I… we… have a son. Words cannot express have grateful I am to you for giving me such a gift.”

Desolai’s wings now seemed to be glowing with greyish light as they opened widely.

With her slender fingers upon his brow, she placed her lips upon his forehead.

He felt a sensation of warmth and tenderness through his forehead. Maybe this was where he belonged, his home, with his son, and the angel he loved. Nur felt himself being embraced by Desolai’s hands and then her wings.

“To that end, I thank you for becoming mine, Nur Finnerman. I love you.”

“Kunjarik loves both father and mother!” A child spoke up. Apparently he saw his parents embracing and wanted to join in.

Overcome with emotion, Nur hugged both Desolai and Kunjarik in his embrace.

“I love both of you, and I wish to stay with you two until the end of time, I will never forget you. To me, you are my family. I ….”

The images of his loved ones started to fade as they ended up swallowed in the darkness followed by the laugh of the goddess of time.

* * *

“AAAAGH!” Dark Lord woke up with a shriek, breathing heavily.

He clutched the right side of his face with his left hand, covering the skeletal face with his palm.

What the hell was that? That dream? Don’t tell me, his memories?

Why did I see them? Desolai and Kunjarik…I don’t understand…

Nur Finnerman’s love for them was the one thing that made him who he is. But Nur Finnerman was gone now, in his place, Dark Lord remained.

Why am I seeing them? Why now? After so long…

“He is gone, but some of his memories remain.”

Dark Lord stood up; he realized that he was clutching the right side of his face with his left hand. Approaching the mirror, he stared at the reflection within it.

Half of his face was the vestige of what once was Nur Finnerman.

Even if I wanted to go back, it is too late for that.

Dark Lord lowered his left hand, now the mirror reflected the half skull faced monster he had become. No longer was it the face of Nur Finnerman, this was the face of the Dark Lord.

One foolish mistake was all it took for Nur Finnerman to lose his loved ones, be stranded in another reality, and eventually lose his own self.

Dark Lord clutched his skeletal right hand into a fist.

But Dark Lord was not Nur Finnerman, he was not weak. Instead of succumbing to the world that wants to end him, Dark Lord will end this world instead.

You had your chance, Nur Finnerman, and you blew it…big time.

Now it is my turn. This body is mine now. You will not come back ever again.

While Dark Lord hated Nur Finnerman for his weakness, he could not bring himself to hate Desolai and Kunjarik. If he had the choice to go back to them, he would have chosen it without a second thought.

But I can no longer go back. Foolish, naïve knave…

Even if I remember them now, what is the point?

No matter what I do, we will never see them again, and that’s a fact.

It is time you accept that, Nur Finnerman. Fretting over your lost loved ones was your weakness.

Your inability to adapt was your undoing.

When two personalities within Nur Finnerman’s body struggled against each other inside that torture room, Dark Lord emerged victorious and swallowed Nur Finnerman whole, consuming him in the process.

I must have acquired some of his memories…that was too close…

Dark Lord panted heavily before calming down, cold sweat ran down the left side of his body.

No matter how much I want to, I cannot change the past.

Our family is not going to come back. And that is the truth.

Dark Lord glared at the mirror, his left eye glowing red, while his right glowed white, shining brightly in the darkness of the night.

This changes nothing. Nur Finnerman’s downfall was his own undoing, I am not him. My path is not his path. My goals are mine alone.

And to that end, I, Dark Lord, shall prevail.