⚔ Elric Etho ⚔ 

WHAT YOU'VE BECOME.

warning: gore in the following segment.

The thing about souls is that a reaper can always feel them. Could be at a point so isolated from the rest of the world yet the nagging feeling of a life would still scratch away at the brain to the point of complete insanity. It was the thing Etho hated most about being dead. It's what he regretted every day, but a Reaper must feed. Even when they don't want to.

Etho stopped in his path as he felt the small wisps of light from a soul enter the wood. He couldn't deny the hunger that rumbled in his bones. It was dark, the sun had set, his powers were more in tune and he had a 360-degree view of the world around him. It made him a constant predator on the hunt for prey, regardless of it was for food or his work. Etho's head slowly turned towards the sound of the footsteps, his eyes beginning to glow brighter in the dark of the night as he entered a state that he despised. Hunting was his least favorite engagement, yet the taste of a fresh soul was more delicious than the freshest of meat and savory of fish. Unable to feast on the food of mortals, he was cursed to kill, cursed to kill those who were undeserving, just one unfortunate to cross his path.

 The footsteps traveled closer. Etho’s body began to twitch and contort as he began to walk to it, his body twisting in a way that made his inhumanity even more obvious. His jaw dropped just a little as he began to creep through the forest and a soft clicking began to emit as his body twisted and prepared itself for the hunt. With each passing second, Etho's jaw dropped farther as a soft screech began to emit with increasing volume. Rows upon rows of teeth began to push through the flesh of his mouth, causing blood like crude oil to drip from his mandible and slick down his throat in preparation for soul and flesh. His mandible was now contorted, unhinging from its joints and pulling back to reveal his demon prowess. The screeches grew and the clicking grew louder and louder. Who would he come across, and who would he kill? The reaper approached the soul, towering over her with his jaw open wide, screeching and echoing across the dark wood. The light from the soul’s lantern reflected across her face, and his prey was…

No older than ten. Terrified. Jaw dropped in horror at the demon that blended into the shadows with ease but now was in the light and on the prowl. Etho felt his lack of a soul twist and stab. As much as he wanted to stop, it was already in motion. 

A reaper has to feed. There is no denying hunger, even though he prolonged it as best he could.

Etho picked her up and snapped her in half like a twig. She had no time to scream. Fear had dried her vocal cords, rendering her mute. The cracking of bone had never been more exciting nor satisfying and the blood sprayed onto Etho as his fate took hold once more. A bright white light emitted from the girl’s severed body, which Etho greedily swallowed with ease before feasting upon the unfortunate girl’s flesh. Etho crouched down and pulled at her arms and legs to consume her whole, yet no amount of flesh could fill out his skinny physique or calm his hunger. He was covered in her blood...and her family would never know what came of her.

Etho was too hungry to even leave evidence of her death behind, just a cesspool of blood.

He may cry behind the feast, but there is no stopping the Reaper. It was the weight of his sin.

Full profile to be added soon.