It was only a matter of time, Death supposed. Humanity's intelligence and curiosity was only growing, and Phlà's latest streak of inspiration just happened to hit at the worst possible moment, and as such the zombie apocalypse started.

Mortem wasn't really sure what kind of effect he expected it to have on him, perhaps a little dizziness here and there (he wasn't sure at first if the zombies were fully dead, but no matter, it was the parasite keeping them 'alive') but whatever he thought it would do to him, it had nothing to do with what happened to Vitae.

His usually golden skin paled to a color closely resembling spoiled milk. His sunshine-y hair lost its pigment. And his eyes, oh god, his eyes. The kaleidoscope was shattered, leaving behind something broken and unable to be fixed.

It was because the life energy was tainted, an exhausted Life had explained to him. When you die, you don't lose all of your life energy. The bit that remains is your spirit, what enables you to move onto the next world. The virus part of the zombie parasite (how a parasite could be part virus Death had no idea) had somehow targeted the reserve energy, and Death feared it would kill his counterpart.

"Don't worry about me," Vitae assured him upon hearing these concerns. His eyes sparkled, a bit of the old kaleidoscope shining through. "It'll take a lot more than that to kill life."

Death wasn't so sure. As more and more humans fell, Vitae's condition worsened and worsened until all Death thought about was his friend fading away into nothingness.

But Life seemed to be holding on ok. Someway, somehow, he was keeping it together.

Until it all fell apart.

Death can still remember what exactly went down with startling clarity.

One minute he'd been talking to Vitae, the next the Spirit of Life was coughing uncontrollably. Specs of gold flew from his mouth, and for a second Death feared it was ichor, the blood of the spirits, but then he realized it was much worse:

Vitae was coughing up Life Essence.

Just as he himself as a primordial being was made of Death Essence, Vitae was composed entirely of Life Essence. For him to be coughing it up...

This was bad. Very, very bad.

"We need to get you out of here," Death blurted worriedly as Vitae went though another round of vicious coughing. "I don't know how, but we need to. And don't give me any of that 'I'm fine' crap either. We both know that's a lie." Vitae looked up at him, and in that instant, Death knew there was no hope. The disease (was it even a disease? This had never happened before, as far as Death was concerned-) had progressed too far. Life was fading by the second.

Death shouted out in surprise when the Spirit of Life collapsed suddenly. He caught his friend before he hit the ground, somehow, and cradled him close as his counterpart went through the process of hacking up his other lung.

"Please don't go," Death pleaded, blinking away tears. "Please." Vitae frowned.

"Can't," he choked. "Can't-" he coughed again, and leaned over to spit out the excess. When he came back, the Life Essence was dripping out his nose.

"This is it for me," he said. "I'm finished. Je suis fini," he laughed weakly at the astounded look on Death's face at hearing him speak French. "Amour taught me." Death gave a laugh that sounded more like a sob.

"That son of a bitch," he said shakily, gripping Life tightly as he went coughed again. "She never taught me." Vitae laughed again, but it was weaker this time.

"Guess I'm just special," the Life Essence was dribbling out his ears now. Death sniffled.

"Thank- thank you for being my friend," he said. Vitae gave him a gentle smile, but the image was married by the Life Essence on his face.

"Thank you for being mine," he breathed, voice faint. "I'd say don't forget me, but I'm pretty unforgettable." Death choked on a sob and pulled the spirit in for a hug- the last one he'd ever get.

"Oh Vitae," Mortem mumbled into his shoulder as the tears finally fell from his eyes. "I couldn't forget you if I tried."

(I cried while writing this, I kid you not.
Also, for all you non-french (or non-canadien) folk out there, Je suis fini translates into 'I am done,' as in 'I am dead, I am on my deathbed.' Not to be confused with J'ai fini, which translates into 'I have finished,' as in 'I have finished my work.')