I do not know my Living Family, and I never found then among the Dead. My village of birth burned when I was very little. I was hidden in the local cemetery, but no one was left to come find me. I survived only because of one lingering spirit. He brought me food and water. He kept me in places warm and dry through the nights. He taught me to speak, to read, and to write. He never told me who he was before he died, but I called him father. When others among the Dead needed help, I helped them. Over time, I made friends. More than that, over time I grew to consider all Dead to be my Family. They were kind to me. When I was old enough, I set out to find my place among my own kind, but the Living can be cruel. They pretended to be my friend and swindled me. I was robbed and beaten in the streets, but one man saved me and drove them away. He was my age. He said his name was Pip and that he was studying to be the best Warpriest ever. It was he who gave me the name Michael, I had never known a name before. I trusted him, because I did not know what a Warpriest was. I brought him back to meet my family, and in return he tore my father from existence. All I have to remember my father are his wooden sandals which I keep on my feet, always. Pip and I became enemies that day. Through this rivalry I discovered the Elves. The Humans sought their destruction because the Elves honored their Dead and the Humans sacrificed their Dead to their Living God, the Great Devourer of the Dead. Eventually the war ended and the Warpriests were hunted down and executed to appease a peace treaty with the Elves. Pip escaped and survived as the last follower of his religion. I did not know he was hunting me, until he found me in the Voodoo Ward Inn in Aroamourne years later. You know the rest. After those events I decided to explore the Multiverse and be a protector for the Dead, who I had recently discovered have been protecting the Living since the Multiverse’s dawn. I made and lost many friends along my path, but I know every Dead. I know them all by name. They are my family and I love them, but an evil rises from within them. The Nekolich’s power wanes and I can feel the Nine become stronger. I know who you are, Nine. I know what you want. The Dead are my Family. If you want them, you will have to go through me first.

-Michael of the Dead-