Life

The tunnel takes me to the heart of the Monster Forest. At least that's what the mortals prefer to call it. To Life and me it's always just been home. One of the oldest woods in existence populated by giant trees and all of her childhood experiments. Wonder how the humans would feel knowing that The Mother Tree they worship so much is the one responsible for creating so many of the beasts they fear. The uglier they were, the more she loved them.

As I made my way towards her, my form started to shift. My hands, neck and feet became bone, my black hair grew longer, some strands turning golden as my bun disappeared and a golden crown of small light orbs appeared. My dress changed into a dark ocher with lily white petals. This has always been the only place where I can shift into my true form. The only place where I know my touch won't kill someone by accident.

I stopped in front of her. Life’s true body has always been massive. The largest and oldest tree in existence. Her roots span across everything, all the way down to the heart of the world. She spreads her life-force to everything, so that souls can find a home, so that they can be born. She used to use her little puppet, so that we could go exploring together, so that she wouldn't always have to stay in the same place. So long as her true form was within reach through the roots, we could go anywhere. But those days have long since passed. She Hasn't said a word for millennia by this point.

I placed my hand on the bark as the tree's glow increased slightly in reaction to it. “It's been a while since I last came here, hasn't it? You seem to be doing well. As strong and bright as ever. I went to see Fate just a little while ago. She's still doing that forest granny thing as always. Guess she'll keep it up till the end of her days, he he…hah. I miss you. I really do.” I put my forehead on the bark and sighed. It's been so long since she faded and yet, it never gets easier.

This is something I didn't want to admit, but I have to confront it at some point, so I looked up and saw Life’s end date. “Even someone with as much life-force as you will pass on too huh. Not that I should be surprised when my own end will come too. Will we be together then? Reborn again as sisters somewhere else? Where I won't have to just talk with an empty shell. Where we'll get to run around again and play once more.” I put my forehead back on the tree bark. At the very least, we will pass on together. I won't have to feel the pain of losing you anymore. Or any of the others either.

At that moment I could hear someone's footsteps behind me. There's only one spirit, it could possibly be. “ It's been a while, Sacha.” The footsteps stopped a small distance away from me. I turned around and saw a petite girl with light green skin, leafy hair and light green eyes. She has always been one of your favorites, this small little guardian. Sacha seemed a little flustered(as always) and said “Hello, lady Death.”. I smiled at her. “I told you, just Death is fine, no need for all these formalities. We've known each other for centuries by this point. Even Life always preferred for you to speak more casually with her.“ Sacha blushed a little but then shook her head and said with a serious look on her face “ I can't. It's disrespectful to behave that way with one's creator or her family.” I sighed. No matter how much Life and I always tried to talk her out of it, she's always insisted on the formalities, not much can be done about it now after all this time.

When I looked back at her I saw it, her death date. The same as ours. That's somewhat of a relief at least. “How have things been here while I was gone? Any trespassers?” She folded her arms behind her back and straightened her shoulders.” No, Miss, there were some hunters that came into the forest as always, but no one suspicious. And no one, who tried to get to Lady Life either.” At times like this she speaks to me as if I’m her superior officer in the military.

Unlike the earth or sea gods, Life has always been in a much more vulnerable position, and it only became worse when her consciousness faded. That's why she made Sacha in the first place, to manage things while she was away and to help protect her body from harm. A single branch was all it took for those seeking to escape from me to come flocking to this place. To find a way to gain eternal youth, to find a cure to some rare disease, to find a magic mystery tree that regrows instantly no matter how many times you cut it. The reasons were numerous, but their intentions were vile. Although, even with her mind gone, she has always provided aid to those who truly needed it. But that's what started this whole mess in the first place, isn't it? If not for him, that branch would have never made it there at all.

Not that it matters anymore, he's been dead for centuries and I've never encountered his soul again. If I wasn't bound by mother's oath, that soul would never have gotten the chance to reincarnate. But I'm the incarnation of death, not justice, revenge or some other human concept. I have no right to interfere with life, just as I have no right to imprison any soul. Everyone's time comes eventually, my only consolation was that his was filled with loneliness and regret.