Prologue
The Eternal Hunters
The world was barren. Lifeless. Dirt and dust stretched as far as eyes could see, and some leagues farther. The landscape consisted of only mounds and molehills, the mountains had been wiped away through time. The landscape was only broken by the occasional structure of old. Some ancient monument the creator doubtless claimed would last for eternity, now was entirely unrecognizable, lying in a broken spattering of rocks and metal shards across the dusty ground. the oceans, parched and dry, wheeze with the winds attempts to stir the once mighty waves it once had, now not even ghosts of what they once were.
The wars of the races had finally caught up to the living and none had survived. Ever pushing higher and higher, stronger and stronger, till not even the creators of the vile contraptions, weapons and monstrosities could hope to stop the destruction that would come. Not even the strongest of beings could stop the disaster, the unstoppable onslaught of rage and greed.
The End War started small, with a simple death of a commoner from another land. Accusations flew and blame was tossed like chaff to the wind. Long standing hatred was given reason to burn just strong enough to fire the first shot. The others returned the fire, but bolstered in might by tenfold. Back and forth they went, till there was nothing left...
Save you and me...
"Where was the chasing, Lamb? You said there would be chasing!", Wolf growled, annoyed at the lack of his favorite pastime.
"During the war, Wolf.", Lamb responded, as calmly as ever, unfazed by her companions harsh tones.
Lamb and Wolf walked across the desert that once held a great nation. Ever continuing their hunt. Lamb was small, sleek and slender in build. She sported a coat of white-gray fur, messy, but not matted or unkempt. her hands, calves and feet were not covered by fur, but instead left bare to the dust and wind of the barren world. This showed Lamb's black skin, though not rough, her skin would not be considered soft or smooth. Her fur was broken by blue lines, glowing with spiritual energy and power, betraying her true nature. The lines looked drawn, as if by an artist amusing themselves with sketches and half-drawings.
In her hand, she held a black wooden bow, the tree from which was cursed by some eldritch abomination long forgotten by even the ageless Lamb. The bow was wide, traced with the same blue energies as Lamb, glowing just as brightly. from the ends of the bow, energy fell away, like blue mist off of cold, wet ground. It was there, but almost unnoticed through the other facets of the bow. The string was a ghostly twine, doubtless spiritual in nature, was untouchable by any other than Lamb, giving off ghostly wisps of energy, far lighter than those of the bow.
The most striking feature of Lamb was her face, or rather what was on it. Ever perched on her head, through shyness or from creation, a black wooden masks sits. It is a mask depicting a wolf, with pointed ears sticking up, angular features, its length and thin build mimicking a snout, this fact was unmistakable. It's edges were smooth and well kept, as if it was carved yesterday. On the forehead of the mask was a crooked white outline of half of a heart, seemingly made from a different piece of wood, and placed in the mask with the best craftsmanship. The holes for the eyes did not show through to Lamb's eyes, but instead showed a blue fire tipped with purple. the fire was calm and inviting, and would have been perfect to come home to on a cold winter's night.
The eyes of Wolf were starkly different. The same fire could be seen in his eyes, but this fire sought only too consume and destroy any that was unfortunate to be near it. The mask wolf wore was wooden and white, depicting depicting the form of his companion, a lamb. The edges where rough and chips were missing, as if clawed out by something that wolf was attacking in a futile attempt to ward him off. The ears faced downward, giving a slight curl upward near the bottom of the mask. On its forehead was a dark outline of a half a heart, this one also crooked, but also upside down, as if in a trivial attempt to differentiate from Lamb. Wolf's head was mostly covered by the mask, leaving only his long, pointy black ears and wide, long snout sticking out, with his black nose ever wet for his eternal hunt.
These are the only features of Wolf that can be considered wolf-like. His maw contains no tongue, but only swirling energy and fire. His teeth appeared to be jagged rocks jutting out from a horrible cave. His mouth opens well past his ears, giving him the ability to eat anything Lamb-sized, whole. From his mouth drips black saliva, always falling from his unending hunger. His body is black smoke, appearing as fur at a glance. It is long and snake like, always following his head.
"Tell me more about the war then!", Wolf says, impatiently moving around Lamb.
"What is there to tell, my dear friend? You were there for it all...", she says calmly without breaking her quick and agile stride.
"But I want to hear it, Lamb!", Wolf howls despondently, giving Lamb a gently shove with the top of his head, sending her off balance for a fleeting moment.
"But Wolf, I've told you so many stories today! I will tell you more tomorrow, my friend.", Lamb replied, stopping to give Wolf a quick scratch behind the ear, eliciting a few light growls of pleasure from her companion.
"Fine... But just one more Lamb, please?"
"...
There was once a pale man with dark hair, who was very lonely..."
"Why was it lonely?"
"All things must meet this man, so the shunned him."
"Did he chase them all?"
"He took an axe, and split himself in two..."
"So he would always have a friend...?"
"... So he would always have a friend."
These two wondered through the husk of a land they once played in, enjoyed and frolicked in, performing their duties to the inhabitants, giving them a choice. They would either accept death, letting Lamb pierce their heart with a soft and painless arrow, or flee from death, only to be chased and torn asunder by Wolf and his painful, mighty jaws.
But now, in their lifeless world, they have no job, no duties to perform. They have no other companion or friend.
They are the only living things that exist in this world.
But they are not alone, they have each other. Together, these two are as one. Together, they are death, together, they are death incarnate, together, they are,
Kindred
