Shards of the Past: Death vs. Reaper

Dark, depressing and overall dull location. Heavy rain, lightning, all that jazz. At least it should be. Nope! It was quite a glorious day on Mobius. A good few thousand years ago...

The Nox Umbra; a clan of demons who held many secrets of the underworld. Led by Reaper, a demon that strives to be the best.

Death; a very powerful demon also striving to be the best of the best.

Two conflicting goals.
Commence the rivalry.

Every month, the two would not go without a fight of some sort. A battle; testing each other so and so. Mostly, they proved to be equal matches, sometimes one struggled, but never fell. Things were stolen, things were lost for good... anger and violence always resulted. One of the biggest steals was by Death; the precious scythe, the Key to Oblivion. The strongest scythe known to the underworld and the entire Nox Umbra... yes, things were indeed reaching breaking point!

However, the duo arranged for one final battle. The fight to end all fights, to finally put an end to the rivalry. Or so they thought. Things took quite a different turn. Oh so different. But why spoil it?

Let's go back to the exact date of said showdown...

---

And so we go back to the setting. The exact same place, but at night this time. Clear skies, no clouds, just the glint of the moonlight. A giant circle of rocks made up the "arena" in which was in place. Standing in the very center, waiting, was Reaper. Wearing old apparel, uncommon for the time however. Silently awaiting the rival to show up. The scythe that was lost was of high value, and he WAS going to get it back, like it or not.

Calmly waiting for the demon... calmly.

He had all the time in the world.

And someone was certainly taking all the time in the world to get there. Death wasn't paticularly interested in going toe to toe with reaper. The other demon had been pestering and needling him more then usual ever since he'd taken the scythe from him. A weapon that, in Deaths opinion, was far more suitable to him then it was to a second rate demon like reaper.

But as with every challenge the demon did show up, in his own time. Death was a demon unlike any other, though he physically resembled a hedgehog which was quite a comon appearance. He was utterly monochrome, even his tongue and irises where black. His clothing too was monochrome. In fact, the area around him within a 5ft radius seemed to have its colors faded, as if something was sucking all color from them and this is exactly why Death was a bit of an odd one out.

A relic from a different time, a creation of a different god, thrown on the melting pot that was the demon race. Ofcourse, he had braught the scythe with him as a simple taunting gesture to reaper. He entered the stone circle with an arrogant, casual air. The scythe slung across his shoulders in a lazy fashion.

"Arbretal Reaper... You call and I Deliver..."he smiled a small mocking smile, his eyes dancing with faint amusion"So eager to worship the dirt my friend?".

"...Took your time." The masked one said, glaring at the one that showed up late. Very late. A sharp glance towards the scythe, and the demon began plotting. "I see you brought the scythe. Not a wise thing to do, you fool." A narrowing of the eyes at that last remark of his. Cockiness indeed. "It'll not be me biting the dust this time... and when I do strike you down, I'll send you to Oblivion with that stolen scythe of yours!" Reaper stated blankly yet confidently, folding his arms, the weird black cape remaining still even in the strongest gusts of wind.

Exchanging eye contact with the other, before beginning the walk slowly around him, as if observing him. "Now..." Step after step the demon seemed to loom closer vocally, until it was just a whisper in Death's ear.

"Shall we proceed?" Despite the sound of him being close, he was actually getting further and further away, until the sound of metal scraping filled the air. Reaper had a hand on the handle of the giant pole which he carried around, and slowly drawn it out, as loud as possible. A strike of the base on the floor, and the top extended into that of a scythe, glowing red, a black mist seemingly emitting from it.

And then, the wait began. Who was to commence the first move?

A big gust of wind suddenly came over the duo, however the cape still did not move. It was lifeless, and unaffected by such winds.

"oh dear... more threats? you know that would be so much more impressive if..."

And suddenly he was gone, yet his voice came from everywhere at once"..you didn't bite the dust more then I did... I doubt you've improved much since we last faced off... and the scythe gives a certain advantage..".

He reformed as shadows flitted from all side and gathered, reshaping his body while he cocked his head at an impossible angle that would have broken a normal persons neck. Kind of like some creepy sort of owl.

"Well then... enough with the intimidation game"he snapped his fingers and the scythe started glowing a black, hungry aura, a malicious grin spreading on the monochrome demons muzzle as it did.

 "Let dance"and with that he swung the scythe at seemingly thin air but tore straight through reality intead opening a rift to the spirit world"Party time..".

A very deep glare at the other. "I've bit the dust more than you? Ha, I take it you don't count your own falls then." The demon snarled, before looking at the scythe. Yes, that did indeed give an advantage, but he was prepared for the worst this time. Oh, he was going to unleash hell. Literally.

"Enough of the showing off of your oh so spectacular ability to turn your head like that. Big woop. ¬¬" The demon hissed, before looking at the other with a 'srsly' expression. "So, spirit world eh? Fine by me." Before the demon could take in that however, the other had quickly went for a diving swing of the scythe at Death's head, going for a quick sleek move to knock him down.

He grinned like a cheshirecat as reaper obviously became agitated. Seems he didn't quite like it when others flaunted their own abilities. If Reaper hoped to surprise him with his sudden lunge, he was sadly mistaken. The moment he'd opened a tear in time space to the spirit world he had mentally started the fight. He had expected reaper to react immidiatly rather then talk some more though. It allowed him a small span of time to absorb a few spirits into the scythe right before he braught it up to block reapers.

There was a loud clang as the two blades locked, sparks flying. He didn't wait however to match his strenght with reaper by making the outcome depend on strenght. Rather he immidiatly jerked his scythe sidewats, keeping reapers trapped in the crook in the blade and attempting to jerk the other demon off balance even as he freed his scythe and whirled around him, swining at the side of the demon that would be exposed by the trick should it be succesful.

He kept himself in a low crouch as he did so though making himself a smaller target and making it easier to shield his more vital organs.

And as the blades interlocked, the demon gave a glare as strong as stone through the mask, strong hatred towards the other, Death. A slight moment of both shock and surprise as the demon got his scythe swiped to the side. But like hell did he go down easily. 

A sudden sound of scraping filled the air as Reaper secured his footing and used his gauntlet to block the attack, stepping back and sliding out of the way of the blow, before drawing his dagger, and leaping overhead, throwing it down hard at the demon's back upon getting behind him, lifting his scythe up again to prepare for another attack of some sorts.

A glance to the scratched gauntlet accompanied a narrowing of the eyes, prepared to engage in battle again, because surely a dagger wouldn't be even partly enough to kill his rival.