Part 1
In many aspects, the small farming village she came from was very normal, almost too normal. It was common for the time, simple iron age wooden huts, and a still developing governing system. Greatness starts in the most unexpected of places, as always, however. It was here, thousands of years ago, that a young girl known as Sirene began her fateful journey.
Sirene loved her parents greatly, and they encouraged her to develop her burgeoning skill in magic as it flickered through as a child. Whenever she wasn't helping with farming, she was coming up with spells, but the ones she had a natural talent for were remarkably dark, and even she recognized it. Always death, decay. It was on her 20th birthday, or thereabouts, that the Goddess of Death visited her village. A plague was passing through, and while none suspected the young girl, her talents with death magic made her unpopular.
Sirene was hiding in the woods at the edge of town from some of the meaner young kids, who were calling her a bad omen and throwing rocks at her, when Eigengrau first visited her. Sirene saw the grey robed lady floating through the woods, and felt the blood in her veins freeze as she stopped and looked at her.
"W-who are you?" Sirene stuttered, terrified.
"The first meeting of many." Eigengrau answered. "At the moment, who I will be does not matter."
Sirene didn't answer, but was clearly confused. Eigengrau dropped to the forest floor with a soft thud, and her frost spread out, encircling Sirene, who pulled up her feet onto the log she was sitting on.
"I have felt your skill in magic, Sirene. You are at the start of a difficult path." Eigengrau said, approaching the young woman.
"W-why do you know my name?" Sirene asked, shaking in fear. Why did she have such an intense fear of this strange woman?
"The God of Death knows everyone, Sirene." Eigengrau answered, the frost pulsating.
"N-No! You're here to kill me!" Sirene screamed, but the frost turned to ice and entwined her up to her waist.
"No. You will, for better or worse, live forever. But those in your village will not." Eigengrau answered, still monotone, but walking up to Sirene and looking her in the face. "You will be the greatest user of that magic you know to ever live, but your resolve must be tested."
"My magic? You mean those awful death spells I'm so good at?"
"Yes. Everyone in this village, except you, will die an excruciating death from that plague. You cannot save any of them. What would you do, if you could make their deaths painless instead?" Eigengrau asked, raising an eyebrow.
"What sort of awful question is this? Why do I have to choose?"
"Your parents are deathly ill, but they hide it from you. When you are in the fields, they scream in pain. They suppress their coughs to not worry you. They will be the first to die in the village. From there, it will spread. You will be blamed. They will come to your door with torches, and try to burn you. Knowing this, what if you could give them all a painless death right now?"
"How could I ever answer that? Let me go!" Sirene said, struggling in the ice.
"Very well. We will meet again, Sirene." Eigengrau replied, the frost melting as she slowly disappeared into the woods.
Sirene ran home as quick as she could. As she drew near, she heard it. A scream of pain from inside her house. Was the strange lady right?