Death's Foe
Chapter 14
Disclaimer: I do not own Darksiders or Darksiders 2. Its on my wish list but so far it does not look promising. I do not own any lyrics I may or may not use.
The Nephilim entered the realm of the Charred Council and noted all was unusually still as they made their way toward the cavern that the council resided in. "Death we have a tail and you won't believe what they are." Fury spoke as they entered the edge of the path leading into the cavern. Death looked over his shoulder at her and raised his eyebrow. "It's three of the Knights of Perdition." Death's only response was a slight narrowing of his eyes; although fear stabbed at where his heart should have been.
Suddenly a Watcher appeared in front of them. "Dismount Riders." It commanded and they all exchanged glances. No sense in riling them this soon Death decided, besides if they were summoned the horses would respond instantly. He gave the nod to the others before dismounting. Despair nudged him and he turned to place a hand against the stallion's head. "It will be fine." The horse gave a sarcastic nicker at his rider but stayed as he was commanded.
The further they went into the cavern the more cautious they were for a trap. Since the breaking of the seal they were freed from the control of council but they could still ambush them but they couldn't simply will them into Oblivion or strip them of their power. The Horsemen were now beyond their control and thus a threat.
Suddenly they stood in front of the council as the heads flared to life. "You have finally come; we knew you wouldn't abandon the angel Death." He raised his eyebrow at them in answer. "What is it that you want exactly?" Death cut straight to point and while he was speaking the others squared off with their counter-parts of the Knights since they had followed them into the cavern. They watched each other warily, neither caring to make the first moves.
"We want your destruction. You are no longer able to be trusted and have been replaced with far more suitable servants." Death laughed a deep hearty laugh. "By the Knights of Perdition, creatures made by Lilith as imperfect copies of us. They owe none their allegiance, save Lilith." The heads made ominous rumbling sounds.
"We will destroy you, Death, and then the other Horsemen." Death split Harvester into two halves before crouching into a battle ready stance. He finally asked the question that he had been dying to ask since they arrived here. "Where is the angel?"
"Should it matter to you Death? A fallen angel has little worth." Death made an audible growl behind the mask. "Answer me, damn you!" Laughing filled the platform from the right and Death recoiled as if struck. Not because of fear of the leader of the Knights but because of what lay behind him. He could just see the naked, bloody, and battered upper body of Oreila. She lay sprawled across the stone floor with her wings draped limply across her back and onto the floor while her hair pooled on the floor just behind her shoulders.
"She put up quite a fight, and was actually quite enjoyable. I think I can see why you came for her. After you are put down horseman, I think I will keep her for myself." Hope soared in Death's chest, a foreign feeling as he noted the Knight said she still lived. However with her appearance there was no guarantee how long it would stay that way. Then rage boiled over and clouded his vision as it sunk in what the Knight implied. His vision bled red as he locked weapons with the Knight.
The fight was vicious, bloody, and extremely short as the Horsemen made short work of the Knights. The council however managed to flee deeper into their realm before the Horsemen could pursue them.
Death grunted as he pulled Harvester from the skull of the Knight he had fought. He laid it against a stone as he hurried up the platform to where Oreila laid in chains on the floor. He bent to rest his ear next to her mouth to see if she truly lived. The others gathered and waited in silence as he knelt beside her. Her breath brushed his cheek though it was slow, weak, and rattled in her chest. Carefully he unwound the heavy chains from her wrists, noting that they were lacerated and bleeding heavily.
She was covered in cuts and bruises as he turned her over to examine her. He saw the proof of her most horrible torture then as smears across her legs and he clutched her limp body to his gently. The others were shocked by his display as he buried his face against her hair and mumbled, "I should have gotten to you sooner, I let them hurt you." She hung limply in his arms, not stirring at all as he pulled her half way onto his lap and they feared for her.
Gently Death lifted her and summoned Despair as the others summoned their mounts as well. He mounted with her cradled in his arms and opened the portal to their realm. The others rushed in behind him so that they wouldn't be left behind as he bolted into the portal.
When they reached their realm Death was already disappearing into the house. The others shared looks as they moved to go in, they knew to leave their brother be, though Fury sent for the only angel that she knew could help Oreila.
Death laid Oreila gently on the bed in his room and left to gather clothes and warm water after throwing a worried glance over his shoulder. When he returned he set to bathing the grime from her body, making sure to remove any trace of what had happened to her. He felt guilt bury itself deep in his chest with each cut or injury he cleaned.
He had just finished bathing her and pulling a clean robe on her so he could place her under the cover when a knock came at the door. He snarled "Enter." In the direction of the door fully expecting it to be one of his siblings, much to his surprise it was the Angel of Death, Azrael, who entered his room. "Touch her and you die angel, she is mine."
He was reaching for his weapon when the angel held his hands out to show he intended no harm. "Peace, Pale Rider, I mean you or her no harm. Your sister sent for me to help her, she is after all my daughter." Death stared at the angel in surprise at the revelation. "You allowed her to be cast out? Your own damned daughter?!"
"Do not pretend to know the laws in the White City and do not presume to judge me rider. She made her choices knowing fully what it would cost. Now do you intend to lecture me or let me see if I can help her heal?" Death motioned for the angel to proceed as he stepped away to the side.
Azrael held both hands over her body and began murmuring incantations. Soon her body began to glow a soft blue as sweat beaded across the angel's brow. Finally he sagged back and sat looking down at the other angel. The pain lines had eased from her brow and she breathing was deep and even. "She wouldn't have lasted much longer."
Death stood at the edge of the bed gazing down at her before looking over at the angel. "Thank you." He nodded before rising. "I must go; no one in the White City must know I helped one of the fallen."
"Don't you think it sad that they would condemn you for helping your own daughter?" Azrael stopped at the door before glancing over his shoulder at Death. "Yes it is rider but what can I do? The law is the law; you know that better than any." Then the angel was gone.
Death sat beside her on the bed the rest of the evening and into the night. She slept peacefully, though occasionally she would frown and mumble in her sleep. Sometime around midnight she sat up suddenly with a scream. Death grabbed her before she could jump from the bed. She looked at him wild eyed in fear as she looked around franticly. "Easy, little one, easy you are safe now."
"You came for me?" She asked in a trembling voice. He nodded as he pushed her back against the pillows again. "Yes I came for you, we all did. You need to rest." She snorted and he was relieved that she still had some of her spunk. "I doubt I can. The nightmares will come back."
"Then I will stay here and wake you if you look like you are having a nightmare." She gave him a wan smile before lying back against the pillows and drifting off again. She slept the rest of the night peacefully without any nightmares.