The gaze of the First Horseman was cast upon them all as he took a moment to exhale a deep breathe followed by noxious fumes as the smoke escaped his lungs. Giving each being in the room a brief glance as if etching their faces within his memory. Finally ending this swift motion as he eventually rested his eyes upon Tsubasa. The covering shielding his face did little to prevent the uneasy feeling which began to invade any vulnerable surface among the young man's body. Jerking his attention away, he looked towards the scene of the Death God. The skeletal form sitting calmly beside the body of the fallen arch angel. This only caused the horseman to clench his bow as he slowly raised his weapon towards the Patron God of bone.
This action was immediately interrupted as Mammon used her own body to block his view. Demanding his attention with this action as Pestilence appeared intrigued. He guided his empty hand towards the five remaining spires which remained settled on his back. The sharp protrusions were sickly and black and didn't particularly appear natural as he broke one of these segments and settled it within the confines of his bow. He waited there, patiently as the demonic woman gave him a small smile.
Even one of the four respected a demon of this caliber and it appeared conflict was only mere moments away.
As these events began too transpire, a radiating pain began too spread from Sylvia's hand. Accompanied by a violent pounding that wracked her head it felt as if the blood inside her was fighting back against her body. Mammon seemed to notice this as she gave a careful glance towards Sylvia before giving her attention too Miklan.
"It appears that I shall be taking the lead of this one... All of you did well on killing Raquel but we face a different trial this time. We are not looking to kill him but too free him. If that is not possible then we shall do what we must. I will not be against any of you taking the greedier and easier option here. I believe simply trying to kill him to be the rational option here. Since this girl has given permission to rid the body it will also be out goal to protect Miklan. So stay focused. Let us attempt at fighting Pestilence." Mammon calmly spoke to them as she seemed prepared and readied for this conflict.
Miklan gave his trust to the Demon as he placed his focus on the carcass before him. Opening a dark violet portal underneath the body as a few spiritual arms began too attach themselves to the body. Gripping the angel with their fingers as they began to force the body through the opening. Even then, the remains seemed to resist as Miklan placed the entirety of their strength and focus into this event. His hope would now be for them to survive long enough so he could join them once he finished. Having this here could be extremely dangerous especially with the God of Pestilence around. It required attention even if it meant one less within this fight.
DeAndre could feel the sickening feeling spread as he cursed at the unfortunate situation. The vile sensation spreading as he was not alone with this feeling. It was as, the demoness had said, the longer they waited to take action the more sickly and disgusting they would feel. This was what the creature was simply waiting for as the longer they took the more drastic their situation became. He wanted them to be desperate.
There was a brief moment of silence as no one seemed eager to take the first move. The horse itself having remained loyal as it remained at the side of its master as it kicked its legs eagerly.
Even though the silence was broken by this there was someone else who no one expected that disrupted it even further as Tsubasa approached the currently maskless demon. Her mask still remaining underneath the feet of the horseman as well as his stead. She didn't seem particularly upset about revealing her beautiful face but her eyes did occasionally drag upon her item as she looked in surprise at the reaper approaching her. The reverence Tsubasa had shown caused her eyes too narrow as he offered her a respectful bow. She carefully listened to his words as she could feel her bones tighten as Miklan obviously didn't appreciate what was happening.
"In exchange for your kindness to me, please allow me to serve you until I better understand this situation that I've been placed in. I ask that in return you grant me something, anything with which I can be of some use to you *kami*, instead of continuing to cower from these impure spirits."
Mammon hid her shock as she looked beside the young man too the sickly girl at Tsubasa's side. Her health was steadily returning as she kept her eyes locked upon that of the Demon. She was impressed at the ingenuity that this young girl had shown at saving her own life but she truly wondered if the child could trust this Reaper with her existence.
Especially now with the reaper giving some allegiance too the God of Greed.
The girl breathed heavily as the disease began to leave her body. Even as she returned too her normal state, there was a dirty feeling still engaged around her as she knew that Pestilence was not so pleased at her health returning. She tugged on Tsubasa's arm as she tried to pull him away before noticing the horseman raising his bow and taking aim.
She panicked and screamed as the Demon noticed the action as well and pushed the pair roughly away from her as she tossed her hand towards the floor as a pair of cubes spun wildly from her hand. The horseman followed the girl with his bow as he fixed his aim at her as the Demon shouted through the panic.
"I offer you a gamble! An arrow for an arrow!" She spoke swiftly as the horseman paused as he seemed intrigued by her words. The two spinning pieces dancing rapidly before the demon as they expected an answer to this bet.
"I'll offer you one free shot that I promise will not be impeded by anyone here... In exchange, if you fail, I demand you to tell me where that angelic sigil is." She kept her words short as the dice seemed impatient as they began too wobble slightly. "Will you take the offer?"
The Horseman nodded as he looked upon the dice on the floor.
"I laid the stakes so you must make the call... High or low?"
"High." The voice was clear as well as it was direct. The authority it held was of someone who was certain about their purpose and what they would accomplish. And as the dice settled on the cold ground of the floor, the first horseman moved swiftly as he turned his arrow as he fired his arrow as it exploded with intense speed and found its way towards the Demon.
The dice on the floor were tiny but the numbers displayed on the wooden surface were clear. One of them was already a dreaded numeral as it clearly displayed the number five to the ceiling. The one that settled beside it must have been a one for the Death God too fail.
It was six.
The answer was clear as the makeshift arrow smashed through the right eye of the demon as it cleanly went straight through her skull. Pieces of bone and flesh fell too the floor as Mammon stood there. Perplexed as she looked at the horseman as her vision began to waver and she could feel the intensity on the right side of her face. The arrow had slid across the floor as it settled before the feet of Sebastian, drenched in demonic blood and brain matter. It was clear this thing had definitely found its mark.
"Damn... You convinced me... Thought for certain you would go for her..." The demon smiled as she raised an arm. Offering whatever last bit of strength she could provide as her mask immediately reacted to its owners peril and snapped shut like a Venus fly trap. The sharp prongs on the mask acting like teeth as the horseman's steed escaped the entrapment with only one of its tails being ripped from its body. The horseman himself was much less lucky as the he was pierced from both sides of his abdomen. Keeping hims still as the pressure caused blood to leak from the wound on his stomach.
"Wish you children luck." She gave them these final words as she collapsed too the floor as she lay there motionless. The disease was clearly spreading throughout her wound as her breathing began too slow.
There was now nothing between the horseman and the reapers as he looked towards where his arrow fell. Noticing Sebastian as he raised his hand and pointed towards the man. The Horse responded instantly as it began too charge with ferocity in the direction of the arrow.
The horse was only a few strides away from Sebastian as it raised its weapon in preparation to spear the Reaper.
Miklan could not believe what had just transpired and he could no longer keep his focus on the angelic body as he quickly abandoned the effort as the portal disappeared. He rapidly turned as he watched the animal charge towards Sebastian as he proceeded to slam his remaining arm into the floor. A giant skeletal arm suddenly appeared beneath the creature as it was suddenly rocketed into the ceiling. The weapon slighlty grazing one of Sebastian's cheeks with how close the steed had gotten as Miklan turned too face him.
"You! Keep that arrow away from him! Do not allow him to have it!" Miklan ordered him as he then turned towards Sylvia as he began to bark orders to each and every one of them.
"Sylvia! Get to that demon! Use that blood of yours too heal her! Do it before she's dead!" The Angelic blood did have amazing healing powers with their previous battle with the Arch Angel and it wasn't a terrible idea but she must make her way there first if she wanted too help.
"The rest of you, protect her!" He responded towards James, DeAndre, and Tsubasa as the first horseman began to summon a horde of mosquitoes as the cloud of angry insects began to make their way towards the group with needle like appendages as well as sharp protrusions coming from their legs.
They raced towards them all before suddenly making their way towards the demon. Even though she had been barely clinging to life there was a small pool of blood which had found its way around Mammon's hand. It appeared she had a cut on it but this wasn't a detail that she had expressly shown. Regardless, as the mosquitoes came towards her, they began to viciously fight against one another as they attempted to drink from it. Goring each other and ripping their wings and their limbs. It seemed that greed had overtaken them.
It seemed the God of Greed had at least anticipated this far and even if she were too die she would be a thorn in the God of Pestilence's side.
He didn't appear to be pleased as his mosquitoes began to cannibalize one another as he cracked another one of his spines as there only remained three more attached too his back.
Miklan looked over to James as he hoped he would be able to use what he had given him. He couldn't move his arm and he was too weak too temporarily repair his other one. Preventing the horse from fighting them was the best he could offer.
He noticed Victiore as he remembered the question she had asked about what the demon would wish from her and he believed he had found the answer.
"She wishes for you to save her." He responded as he looked at the body of the arch angel which remained beside the two. "And I believe we have something here we can use too assure that. Quick, use that body, don't allow him to take another shot. I believe the next would be at me and once that occurs. The rest of you will be hunted one by one. Make it count." He responded as he clenched his teeth in the terrifying grin that had always remained carved upon his face.
The girl was still laying on the floor with Tsubasa as she seemed stunned at what had just happened. She imagined herself to be dead at that moment but now they were required too fight. She listened too the words Miklan offered by saving the demon and she didn't particularly agree with it but at the current state of the situation she believed there to be no choice. She quickly pushed Tsubasa to his feet as she spoke calmly beside him.
"If you want to help her... You need too fight. I can give you the power of anyone here you demand. It will be temporary and it will come with its own consequences... Just ask, and I shall give... I don't know where my other brothers and sisters are but I feel they are afraid to face this thing."
And this began the second conflict with the God of Pestilence. The First horseman.
(
@WanderingWriter ,
@Kobold ,
@Wister ,
@Ur Degaton ,
@Zahara )
(I apologize for the long wait but this fight shall be interesting and the dice were done at random. Unfortunately this seems to have gone almost the worst outcome for the lot of you as if it landed on twelve. Things would have been certain but luckily the roll was at eleven but as of this moment that dice game will be placed on hold as saving the life of this demon while finding the sigil on this horseman shall be your priorities. Good luck and hope you guys find this fun!)