The Return of Nox: An Empire of Death.

Nox's eyes snapped open, the sudden light causing him to wince. The world around him was dull and foggy, as if he was looking at it through a sheet of glass.

"I see that you have finally woken up." Said a voice from the blankness. "It took you considerably longer than I had hoped for."

Nox looked around, blinking several times in an attempt to focus his vision. His surroundings were still blurry, but he could just make out the shape of a man sitting on what appeared to be a throne. Nox's eyes widened. "Death?"

The figure chuckled in response. "Yes, Death himself," He said, gesturing around him with his hands, "This is my realm, where all souls must pass when their time has come."

"Why have you summoned me back here?" Nox asked, slowly standing up and placing his hand on his sword. "I don't remember dying."

Death laughed again. "Not yet, but you will eventually." He responded calmly. "Do not be alarmed young man. I simply have need of your services."

Nox grunted in response as he crossed his arms over his chest. "And why would I ever serve you?" He spat scornfully.

Death smiled behind his cowl, knowing that Nox's arrogance would soon prove to be his undoing. "Because if you refuse...you will not live very long." Death responded coolly as he stood up from behind the throne and walked down the steps towards Nox. "I fear that your health may not be as strong as it once was..." He continued as he intently stared at Nox's body with his glossy white eyes concealed by his hooded robe.

Nox glanced down at himself and immediately noticed something was wrong; there were large holes in his shirt revealing deep gashes in his flesh beneath it and even darker streaks of dried blood on the front of it where the cuts were located. He quickly grabbed the edges of his shirt and pulled them down farther so that he could see the rest of himself better; sure enough there were numerous stab wounds visible across his abdomen and shoulders and various bruises littered most areas of skin that wasn't covered by blood or punctures in some way or another including what looked to be a large black eye on one side of his face.

With wide eyes Nox turned around and saw a large dead bear lying not too far away from him with its throat torn out and a bloody dagger sticking out of its side next to where it lay limp on its side while several smaller animals lay around it with similar injuries; this must have been what happened to him before death brought him here. It was no wonder that he felt so weak now; he had been attacked by bears! And judging from how much blood covered him...he barely survived!

"You are right about one thing though..." Death said calmly as if he had read Nox's mind, "Your health isn't exactly good..." He said as he pointed at one of the wounds on Nox's stomach causing him to wince again in pain at being reminded about it so suddenly, "...But I can fix that for you if you like." He continued after a short pause before reaching into one of the pockets on the inside of his robe between his shoulder blades and pulling out a small bottle made out of glass holding several blue colored pills within it while Nox watched him curiously wondering what they might do for him, "...If you agree to my offer..." Death added casually while turning the bottle over in one hand so that it faced upwards so that Nox could see clearly what was inside it before extending it towards him slightly with an open palm facing forwards towards him for emphasis; "...and take these pills."