The storm howled outside the church as rain hammered against the windows. Near the altar a hooded man was crouched in a messy seven point star. On each point was a candle. The man also held one. He had his eyes closed and appeared to be in prayer. But the twisted smile on his face showed otherwise.

“There comes a time when the fire must burn no more.”

Using the tip of his pale bony finger he pressed it against the candle stalk, extinguishing the flame.

“When faith can no longer find solace, on a dead plain.” He moved onto the second and did same.

“Mortalis are gathering and they are hungry.”

As he finished speaking, he heard a low distant growl. It didn’t take too long to plunge the entire church into darkness.

“Where darkness reigns. The dawn fades and our future is decided.’

The old wooden doors opened, inviting the wind’s vicious howl. The hooded man stood up, his scarred face lit by the flash of lightning. A priest stood on the threshold. As he stepped forward, the doors slammed shut as if by unseen force.

“What is this heresy!”

He was soon staring down the hooded man, “what do you think your doing!”

The hooded man laughed and grabbed the priest’s collar befoe throwing him into the seven point star and pressed down on the priests chest with his black boots, “This isn’t your home anymore! Can you not see all that they are. Cracks are showing, man of faith. Corruption is coming. Mortalis will cover the Earth. It is inevitable”

The priest was muttering a prayer under his breath. The hooded man bent down and seized hold of the tongue. Removing a curved knife he shook his head. “Your prayers go unheard,” in one swift cut he removed it. The man’s blood splayed his robe and coated the floor beneath them

The priest floundered, and struggled his eyes wide in terror. The hooded man kept him restrained

“It’s time for you to see,” he laughed as he gouged out both eyes. Darkness was everywhere, and the howls blistered the priests ears. The laugh cut through him. The footsteps were distant now. There was the faint sound of glass cracking.

“Remove the veil, its children come,” chanted the hooded man. “Remove the veil.”

The priest felt something grab his ankles, he was suddenly be dragged, “Hope is distant and your faith is fading.”

The man’s screamed punctuated the air. Then came the silence. The hooded man moved to leave the church when a new powerful voice stopped him.

“Brother-”

“Yes.”

“Thank you.”

The hooded man smiled. “Don’t mention it. We are a family after all.”

The voice chose not to answer. Instead the church doors opened and the hooded man known only as the Lifetaker disappeared into a endless night.