Somewhere in the jungles of Mexico:
A large complex, surrounded by a dense jungle. White marble walls that stood well against the humidity of the jungles air with greater glass panes giving view to the wild foliage beyond its barbed walls. Guards patrolled the grounds of this large complex; carrying rifles, swords, or just relying on their ranker abilities to deal with any would be trespassers.
The complex overlooked a settlement built into the valley. Not shanty shacks, or squalled homes. But a village of prosperity; far from what others would be able to achieve in such lands. A place of paradise, cut off from the rest of the country. Built from a time before the gates, but just as well prospered because of the gates.
In the main complex, the home of the head of the blood tooth cartel. A man as ruthless as any would suspect. Sitting in a leather-bound office chair, looking out over his cartel homeland.
Diego martin, the head of the blood tooth cartel. Sat with his thick aviators overlooking his little empire despite the pitch of night that would've made it near impossible to see.
"Sénior, la sombra ha vuelto." (Sir, the shadow has returned) Said a woman wearing a white dress shirt and black blazer that poked her head in the double door to his office.
"Bien, tráelo." (Good, bring him in.) Said the boss.
La Sombra entered; if not for the introduction we could have easily entered without notice, silent were his steps and figure for the pale man.
The boss turned away from his view to greet La Sombra.
"EHHHHHH, my friend. How did the business in Tokyo go, huh? Our problem with this other shadow dealt with?" A man who had a permanent smile etched into his face; a wide grin behind a well-manicured stubble of a beard.
"Yes. It is done. Our cleansing has been finished; our sins have been absolved and will be reborn anew. No longer will our transgressions weigh on our path to glory." La Sombra said without inflection.
"Goooood good, I knew you religious zealots always come through when it comes to matters of these gate issues. A drink my friend? Cigar?" Gesturing to an assortment of drinks and cigars in a large brown oak case, from floor to celling it was filled with the vices Diego took much pleasure in.
"Alcohol and smoke are bad for the soul. They lead only to further sins against the path-"
"Bah, you can drop the righteous act. We're all sinners here." The boss waved off La Sombra; grabbing a bottle of whiskey for himself.
La Sombra kept silent, as though thinking over the right words. Cautious in the presence of this blithe man.
"You seem troubled my friend. Come come, tell me your worries."
"I fear... That our business in Tokyo was unfinished. A man was left alive; his sister should have been taken and cleansed too. I have not received a report yet." La Sombra confessed; not showing fear, but something of a little like concern.
"Eh, a fighter? A bit of spunk would do us well here. Did you offer..." A quizzical look from the boss.
"Yes. He refused, thrice. Brought to his knees yet still he would not yield." La Sombra sat opposite the boss, watching as he poured himself a glass.
"Oh, this man sounds like someone I want to meet." A raised eyebrow.
"Tell you what... Tomorrow you will travel back through the gates; I'll send some back up with you. Don't want to lose my favourite zealot." The boss chuckled at that. Many a times this man was his own personal jester.
"It will be done."
"Saludos a eso." (Cheers to that) A glass raised to the pale man with a head thrown black as he savoured the flavour.
"He must some man to have you come to me with such concerns." The boss chuckled, returning his head to meet the pale man.
"No concern, a mere observation." A man without emotion, but somewhere deep down there lay a seed of unease. This reaper had done more damage than anyone else in the cartel's history. An easy cleanup this was not. An even easier conversion…
*Clasp*
Two hands came down onto the shoulders of La Sombra with a cold touch.
"A man of shadows should fear not what lurks in the night." A deep, dark voice came from behind La Sombra. The face of Diego sunk to that of pure fear at the sight of the sudden presence.
A man in midnight black, long unnatural fingers rubbed the tense shoulders of La Sombra.
"W-Who... How did you-"
*Schick* *Schick* *Schick* *Thud*
Tendrils erupted from behind La sombra. Piercing Diego's arms and torso. Pinned against the bulletproof glass that would so often protect from rival cartels and rankers.
"You are not Eren Heart." The pale man spoke quietly.
"No..." A dark voice answered back.
Cold breath close to his ear; pure malice dripped with each whispered breath.
"You brought a man that I thought would be able to fight through this madness... To the brink of despair."
"..." La Sombra kept silent; allowing this entity to continue speaking.
"I watched as you unravelled all our work. All that pain we endured; the suffering inflicted..."
A finger tilted La Sombra to meet those eyes of white.
A skull of pure white. No longer a mask that held down the monster; it was the monster. Eyes filled up into large white eyes; the mouth now filled with razor sharp teeth. A smile so wide and wicked. And behind it all, a tongue longer than most, lapping about as the Reaper began to speak once more.
"...My turn."
The mouth moved to make way for a long thin tongue; dripping with thick saliva. Circling around La Sombra's face like a python. A hunger unlike anything this zealot could have imagined; Eren was gone now. Consumed by this being.
"My faith will protect me..." He said with courage still in the face of death.
"Faith in the gods? Those above wouldn't move a finger for a virgin sacrificed unto them. Your god... No god will save you now." Tendrils emerged from shadows behind. Restraining La Sombra into a cocoon; pulling the man closer to the Reaper.
"Look..." A quiet whisper. The skull looked beyond the boss. Both men turned to look outside.
*THUMP* *THUMP* THUMP*
A large rock giant; 12 meters high made its way to the village below. Each step felt like an earthquake.
Smoke to; rising higher and higher, jumping from tree to tree with each step of the rock giant. White fire that burned at the jungle with unnatural speed and intensity.
---
"Señor, incendios en la jungla... Señor- ARGHHHH!" A woman bounded up the floating stairs. In an instant she was pulled into a nearby shadow by a tendril.
"¡Detener! Deja que nuestro jefe-" (STOP! LEAVE OUR BOSS-)
Guards unable to stop the monster's march. They too pulled into the many shadows of the Reaper.
One by one; each was devoured by the void that swarmed around this unhallowed monster. La Sombra and Diego dragged along the ground in a cocoon of black attached to whatever black abyss hid under the cloak. Front row seats for what would come next.
The giant made its way to the gate of the complex; guards fired bullets and spells at it, yet it didn't slow down nor stop. A tree thrown sent them all scattering like ants. Those unfortunates enough to be caught by the debris turned to red smears along the pavement.
Arms climbed over the walls and through the wire; the vanguard charged forward into those who hadn't fled the complex. Making short work of the many men and women who thought they had a chance against the horde that came for them. No mercy was given to those who had shown no mercy.
With every body that fell, the shadows fed further. Tendrils multiplying per corpse, spreading along the ground like roots of a tree. Soon, nothing would escape the darkness that came.
"EURRRPHHHHH!" Diego attempted to scream beneath a tendril gag. Witnessing what the tendrils dragged out of the home.
"Papa! Hel- MMMPPHHH!" A girl, no older than 15, dragged into a cocoon. Then a woman, beauty engulfed too. Lastly, two more children both younger than 10 years old. The tendrils passed the bodies along each other until they came to the tether of the monster.
They cried and screamed; begging for mercy. Only for the Reaper to give a great grim grin to all.
The compound gates opened to reveal white fire that licked against the walls. Trees white towers of inferno. The jungle humidity replaced by the scorching heat of hell. Hotter than anything this complex had ever felt before.
"Now this... This is cleansing." The monster insulted La Sombra. Words of mockery as bodies were dragged from well-maintained pavement to rough dirt; the village below now in sight of the Reaper.
*THUMP* *THUMP* THUMP*
The rock giant marched down to the village; people began to scream out for salvation. Praying to the heavens above for someone to come save them. Yet, no one came. Only death stood before them now, and it was hungry.
Wolves, orcs, even the bronto's tore through the village. Cartel members attempted to fend off the horde of shadows, but all in vain. Bullets bounced off with little effect, melee fighters were picked off with little effort and spells both elemental and ones that buff one another did nothing. If you were lucky enough to down one, another took its place.
"Demonio, demonio malvado." (Demon, evil demon.) A village elder unable to flee on her old feeble legs stood at the edge of the village where the Reaper arrived.
Hoisted high into the air by the throat. White eyes looked deep into old and withered.
"I see it in you, a demon I. But you would stand by as innocents are sacrificed..." A cold voice spoke; the hand around the throat became tighter. "...In the name of greed."
"Vete al diablo. AHHHHHHHHH!" The elders final act of defiance. A spit and a curse against the Reaper.
The village elder was thrown into the white flames. Screams of pain echoing from the infernal burn.
None would escape the Reapers wraith.
In the town square; Three groups were spread around it by the time the Reaper made his slow approach. A pile of charred and torn bodies, fuel for shadows and the growing fires. Located by the turned to steam by the heat.
To the far left, the last surviving adults lined up and guarded by orcs. Most looked as if they never picked up a weapon in their lives. Fires lapped at their bare soles, ready to sear the flesh from the ones who stood by.
To the far right, those younger, huddled together and guarded by wolves. Well away from the fires but given a clear view of those that remained.
"You two, to the left." The Reaper withdrew the tendrils that cocooned the family that sat atop the village.
"Mercy, please I beg of you... Spare my children-"
*THWACK*
A punch near strong enough to break the jaw of Diego.
"What of all those you killed in your name? Did you show mercy?" A hiss from the skull. Eyes locked onto the children, each one crying and looking for safety in their mother. But none would come. She could see that.
Vanguards picked up the parents dragging them to the group of adults. The mother prayed for her life whilst the farther screamed and shouted promises to do right. All fell on deaf ears, for what was promised now would never be upheld.
"You... What is your name?" The Reaper picked up the eldest girl between the cheeks. Gently squeezing to bring a look of fear, tears streaming down the face.
"M- M- Mariana. Mariana Martin." Stuttering words, stuttering breath, stuttering heartbeat.
"Do you know why I have done this? What your farther did, what sins your parents behind you committed? What people them let happen?" The skull spoke. It seemed almost sympathetic, like a father teaching a child the ways of the world. A very cruel world.
Eyes switched between both parents. Old enough to know what business she was born into, too young to understand what to do.
"Y-Yes... They-They sell drugs..." Not daring to meet the white eyes that bore down into her soul. "And... Kill people who stand against them... Please don't hurt them-" Tears fell, but were singed instantly. A tender stroke from a tendril to wipe away her salty tears.
"Shhhhh - Shhhh - Cursed with knowledge, cursed with innocence. You will lead those remaining to safety, and always remember the horrors you witnessed today. Retribution came for those who stood by. Punishment came to the ones with voices." Mariana nodded frantically, taking her two siblings over to the other underage kids.
The Reaper strode towards the adults, looking down upon them like vermin. "Your actions have condemned many. Parading around with profits earned from the misery of others. Your crimes, your sins. All that you have done in the name of greed, selfishness."
"Please, Señor. I can offer information. I have friends who can get you anything you need... I-I'll take my family and disappear. Dismantle the cartel, anything. Just please spare us!" Diego pleaded on behalf of all.
"Why is it that when humans sit on the edge of the void. They would offer the world just to live again, all the compassion in the world and you use it to avoid your own ends." A growl came from the skull.
Silence from the adults.
"Master please... We don't need to kill them. We have them on their knees; no more will they hurt the innocent. Let us show them compassion." Megi stood between the Reaper and those who sat in fear before the shadow of the Reapers cloak. Her own face was of fear; the mask that Eren once wore had become an entity beyond that of any other being on earth.
"My little fox, you have my heart. But these people, made their choices..." A hand raised ready for the order to execute.
"Eren would never kill them if-"
"Eren made his choice. He knew the price to be paid... As did you." A vile grin spread across that face. Eyes widened and grew to encompass nearly half of it.
Megi was the last shadow that held any autonomy to this creature. Saku, simply stood in the dark corner. Monolith watched from above, Virtue and Vice waited on rooftops, whilst Guren simply walked away.
"I have something to show you..." His ring hand pointed at Megi; a white glow emanating from the object.
"What are you- URGH!" Grabbing her head and dropping to her knees.
Her eyes became white like her new masters. Rising once more, sword drawn and ready.
The right hand thrown down. The shadows moved in.
Men and women, elders, and those in the prime of life. They were all pushed into the white flames.
Screams that filled the air as flesh turned black under the heat of the flames.
Agony for all that were engulfed in the inferno. The Reaper kept that smile as more fell into the abyss of fire.
"Now for you... Shadow." A hand pointed at the pale man who was still encased in the tendrils that came from him.
"I'm in need of your services." Leaning down close, a tendril from his index finger pointed close to the exposed skin.
"Forgive me, my black speech has gone unused for quite some time. This… May hurt." The Reaper said with his wide grin.
For the first time in many years, La Sombra showed a sign of fear. Eren had become something more than a man, more than a reaper. Something else, pain born anew.
A monster of madness.