The First Reaper

. I remember when my younger brother used to only want to be around me and said that he would always want to spend time with his family, then he fell into that bad habit of magic research that our whole family all seems to have. Tsk tsk. ”

”I get it, Adam. You know more than anyone how much I care about our family, otherwise I wouldn risk what I am going to do with my ritual based purely on an instinct of mine. I just wanted to double check all my research before going through with it. ” Charon said with a flash of determination in his eyes.

A hand pats Charon on the shoulder as Adam gives him a sombre smile. ”I know, Brother. Its the tension that seems to have gripped our whole continent after the fall of the Andrasteen Empire. We all can sense the war on the horizon, even those not involved with politics. ”

The two proceed to leave the room filled to the brim with books and head down a hallway into an open room with several tables and paintings of the past heads of House Vertigo spread around the room with a painting of Adam at the very back of the room, showing his status as the current patriarch and one of four kings of the Nekronis Kingdom. There is also a small gathering of beings in the middle of the room. There is two humans, two beings with blood red eyes and fangs, a being made up entirely of a black smokey substance, and a pale man with small fires instead of eyes.

”I did not expect Father alongside my uncle and my cousins! ” Charon exclaimed as he gave Adam a withering stare, Adam only gave a sheepish smile in return before embracing one of the humans with a hug and then hiding behind her.

”Save me, my darling! My brother plans to kill me! ” Adam shed a single tear as he glanced at the roof as if asking the heavens why.

”If only your subjects could see you now, Darling. One of the most talented necromancers reduced to hiding behind his wife just because his little brother gave him a glare. ” Adams wife, Charlotte, stated with a sigh before laughing along with Adam before she went over to Charon and ruffled his hair. ”You really need to leave your room more often Charon, me and Adam were betting whether you had already gone ahead with the ritual before telling any of us… ”

”Speaking of… ” Adam cut in as he held his hand out to Charlotte with a grin.

”Ah, Dammit. This is what happens when you leave your family in the lurch, Charon. ” Charlotte pulled out a gold coin before flicking it directly into the middle of Adams forehead.

Charon gives a chuckle and shakes his head before he walks over to the other human, His sister, and gives her a hug. One of the vampires simply shakes his head at all this before turning to the other vampire.

”Im beginning to wonder why we left our research only for me to deal with these kids of mine who can even greet their father. ” Charons Father, Michael, said to the other vampire who only rolled his eyes at him.

”Deny it all you want, we both know you have a picture of your kids at your research desk. ” The other vampire, Vlad Dracula, said slightly louder so that all those gathered could hear.

The Figure made out of smoke, a wraith, shook slightly as a laugh could be heard at Michaels expense. The pale man with fire instead of eyes, a lich, looked at the wraith as a slight grin snuck onto his face and the fires color changed from orange to blue for a brief moment. Charons sister, Elizabeth, shooed Charon over to their father.

”Father, I suppose this will be the last time you see me as a human. ” Charon said after giving Michael a big hug.

”I suppose that means you are going to go through with your experiment today then? ” Vlad interjected before Michael could respond.

”Yes, I have double checked not only my research but with all the books we have on Rituals. I have no more reason to stall. The ritual needs to be done before war breaks out. ” Charons eyes shine with determination as he looks at all of them gathered.