A Replacement for Death

A Story by Matthew Arevalo

Death is retiring and needs a replacement for the job. It has been years since the breaching of the seven seals and mankind's extinction. Death's brother, Famine, started this anarchy when he broke his pact with the Lamb; causing the seals to break, releasing Famine's pet, the Hellhound from it's cage. Entering the mortal realm, Famine knew this would be Heaven and Hell's battleground. After several battles with angels, Heaven's gatekeeper, St. Peter, decimated him. The Holy Trinity took him to trial where he was accused for the extinction of mankind, initiating the chaotic atmosphere in present time. Devastated, Death demanded justice for his brother. He went to the mortal realm to find St. Peter and ask for help. St. Peter told him that the only way to for his brother to be released is to restore humanity.

"What do you mean? I'm not God, how do you expect me to restore humanity?" Asked Death, in exclamation. "They aren't dead. They were hidden in the Tree of Life; but I do not know how to get there". Said St.Peter in response. As Death was about to leave, he felt his wrist grabbed softly "Wait!" Said Peter. "The only way to get there is through the Lamb. He stays in the 2nd sphere. You should see him sitting on his silver throne. It's hard to miss". Death nods in response, his own way of giving gratitude. Sphere after sphere, he teleported. He stops after a small shine of silver meets the end of his pale grey eyes. "Hello traitor" he hears from his right. The soft and calming voice sends chills down his back as if it was a voice of a mother who left his own son after giving birth to him. It was the Lamb. "My brother is innocent. You falsely accused of something you know he wouldn't do. It was the horsemen's duty to keep the humans from being spoiled. We were not sent to harm.but to teach discipline" Death defended himself with his voice louder and rougher than usual. "Well either way, the only way I'll give you entrance to the garden of Eden is by sending the hound back in his cage." The Lamb responded with his soft and calming voice but with the sound of cockiness this time. "But locking the 7 seals is the only way to do that. How do you expect me to do that given the circumstances?" Death responded in exclamation. "Then you know what happens to Famine" The Lamb said, emotionless. Infuriated by the unbothered Lamb sitting on the silver throne, Death took his scythe and sliced the Lamb in two with no feeling of regret. Panting in anxiety and relief, Death noticed another realm behind the throne. The view was unimaginable. Death paused for a minute due to the beauty the realm possessed. The Garden of Eden.

Death then enters the Realm and sees a tree; a tree of infinitely shimmering, iridescent colors he didn't even.know existed. Every angle was unique but just as stunning as the others. He gazed carefully at the leaves and noticed them at they were crystals: and inside, were familiar silhouettes of creatures he had seen before. He was stuck in awe with what he had experienced. Hurriedly, he took his scythe and cut all the leaves from the tree's branches. The moment he cut the last crystal off the branches, every creature inside was shattered with it. He was devastated. Now, humanity is no more because he ended the race. He is to blame. At that moment, an entity of light appeared in front if him. It was the Holy Trinity. "For destroying my creation, your fate has been decided. You are the new and eternal guardian of the Garden of Eden. No other being shall enter this realm. I shall close the gates to this realm and never let you leave." The entity left at that note and Death was called by a different name. Life. Something more sorrowful and evil than death. Something that was made to be taken away at any moment.

Now the question remains. Who can replace death?