*sighs* Hello, my dear readers. I'm so sorry this took forever and a day to update. I got caught up in the holidays and then another possible story idea... To top it all off, work went crazy and after that I essentially had no energy to sit and write or do much of anything. I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday and a great New Year's celebration. So here we have a little more interaction between Death and Eleyna. Yes, she is going to be difficult... Anyways, I dedicate this chapter to my boyfriend, who got me into this awesome series and has helped me develop these stories with a little bit of roleplay. This chapter has our favorite lines in it- see if you can guess. ^^ Happy Belated Anniversary, love. Anyways, on with our chapter. I hope you enjoy.

Disclaimer: I own nothing of the Darksiders universe. It belongs to the original creator and the developers of the games. The wonderful cover image was made by 'The phantom's girl'.

Chapter Three: The Drenchfort

The path towards Eleyna's had been nearly impossible to find, as Death had nearly not noticed the break in the wall of rock, narrow as it was. He followed the narrow trail for what felt like hours, his patience waning with every twist and turn he made. And then there were the thorns... If she wanted no visitors, she picked the right way to keep people out.

He heard angry cawing overhead as Dust attempted to weave about the trees, as the branches were thick and tangled together.

"I fail to see how you have room to complain." Death grumbled. "You have a better view than I do at this moment." This was true, as the trees that grew in this area were so tall and round with their age that it made any visibility nigh impossible save for his view of the moss-covered ground and the bits of shrapnel-like light that filtered to it. The bird let loose another 'caw' of protest. "See what you can find." ordered Death.

The bird wove its way about the enormous tree trunks, disappearing from view for but a few moments. He trailed behind it cautiously and carefully. There was something that did not add up about this place; it was dark and he felt like something sinister lurked in the shadows, hardly befitting for a child of life. When Dust circled back around, Death picked up his pace, also weaving around trees.

He stopped as he finally reached a clearing. What he found there was almost comical in its appearance. Beneath what must have been the eldest and most enormous of the trees in this part of the forest- the roots of which were nearly uprooted so that it leaned precariously to one side. Nestled between these roots were stones and a thick mud-straw mixture that created a rough thatched roof. Smaller branches

Dust gave a light-hearted caw as he landed as his partner's shoulder. With a roll of his shoulder, he dismissed the feathery creature and approached. It was with a raised curiosity that he noticed the door was not even all the way closed. In a very rare, gingerly manner, he pushed it so that it opened enough for him to step in. It was dark, cramped and musty beyond this door, but his vision soon adjusted to the shadows and he found himself easily maneuvered through the narrow passage.

To his almost surprise, he found that the room opened to a large, open living area. Rather than the dirt and roots of the tree and other various fauna serving as the walls, there was more stone, almost as if the tree had rooted itself over stone and this girl had carved into it. Speaking of the girl, he found her pouring over something and then she shifted her body to continue pouring into something else, scrutinizing what looked to be very, very old scrolls. Funnily enough, she had given no indication amidst her murmurings that she had even heard him enter. He could almost laugh at the situation, but instead, he quietly approached, leering over her as she continued to mull over.

The scroll she was looking at had an archaic diagram of a tree. He noted the alchemic symbols that made up the facade of branches. Another was etched in very old- almost illegible writing. This little girl was working on something; seemed almost a pity to draw her away from her work.

"Bit of light reading?" he whispered as he leaned in close. The mentioned girl jumped with a small, surprised cry and then rapidly turned. There was surprise and fear that lingered in her eye for but a second and then was replaced by a deep glare. Death then found himself completely haunted by those iridescent green eyes.

"Was that really necessary?" she breathily asked.

"Was what?" he replied.

"Ye appeared out of nowhere! It's like ye went 'poof'!"

Death's eyes narrowed and he slowly leaned in until he was towering over the girl.

"I don't poof." he said slowly, to which she deeply had to try to keep from laughing. Instead, she became serious, crossing her arms.

"Of course not. I reckon that if ye had it yer way, ye would sneak up on your poor hapless victims and put 'em through coronary failure before ye even had to draw one of yer blades."

"Now that we have an understanding of each other..." he countered.

"Aye," she replied, "I see that ye've taken to enterin' homes without the owner's permission as well as killin' innocent trees."

"Child-"

"I have a name, and I would prefer that ye would use it." she stated crossly.

Death disregarded that interruption. "And I would prefer that you hold your tongue whilst I try to speak to you civilly."

"Civilly?" the girl guffawed. "If this is your idea of civility-"

"Child," he began, lowly enough for her to stop in her administration of sarcasm, "I came here because the elder believed that you would help me reach the Drenchfort. I am in a bit of a rush and have no time nor need to look back on my past ventures, whether I was wrong about them or not." Eleyna silenced her ready and sharp tongue, deliberating carefully. With a ragged breath of finality, she turned her head, her long wisps of autumn- auburn hair moving statically about her.

"If it were you asking I would tell you to be on your way, find another way in; but for Eidard, I can deny nothing." She rolled up her scrolls slowly, as if defeated. She picked up a wide pouch and Death heard a strange sound, like sand falling, except heavier- and she fastened it to her waist. Next she gave a sharp clap and Death watched with slight fascination as various items flew to her. "Come, we must be fleet of foot."

They stepped out of her home and something caused Death to stop. Why had he not seen it before? In the now clear daylight, the thorns took the sickly green shine of Corruption. Even worse was the fact that the way the branches grew towards the giant tree. Even the thorns pointed toward the tree. For whatever reason, Death knew not, but Corruption had set its sights on Eleyna for some time. The noose was tightening, it seemed.

Eleyna walked through the forest needing no expert skill. Death was not surprised in the slightest. From the look of that tree, she had lived in it most of her life, away from everything and everyone, where only the trees seemed to listen to her. Many would call that a lonely life; not Death. She was not entirely alone- not like him.

'No less than you deserve!' cried the voices emanating from the shards in his chest. With teeth clenched painfully together, he banished them from his mind. Once they were clear of the vale, he paused.

"Tell me, have you ever ridden on a horse before?" he asked. She raised a brow, in spite of the fact that he paid her no attention.

"Somethin' tells me I'm about to have a first-hand experience." she deadpanned. In response, Death raised his hand and from the spectral green wisps and fire that had covered the ground, she got her first glimpse of the mount known as Despair. "So this is one of the fabled mounts of the Four." she said softly as the large creature approached. She stepped forward slowly and Death watched closely, ready in case she spooked him. He had to admit that he was somewhat impressed. Many who had laid eyes on his horse recoiled from the sight of it, calling it 'sinister' and 'unnatural'; Eleyna showed no fear, even going so far to reach for it. At this, he tensed, waiting for the reflexive sign of fear. It never came- Despair's ears twitched and went back, but the girl had sensed his unease. With a gentle voice and a language lost to him, she whispered something to him fingertips just barely grazing its diseased face.

Death's surprise had increased as his mount's head lowered. A creature that had often been seen as a harbinger of doom was now tentatively nuzzling the tiny creature before it as she whispered and softly laughed beneath her breath with not a shred of fear. When she looked to him, it was with a knowing smile.

"You would be the first aside from me that he would do that for." he stated. She shrugged, the knowing smile still on her face.

"Leave it to my affinity for handling animals." she began. A warning caw was all the warning she needed before a mass of black feathers landed on her shoulder. "And salutations to you, my fine feathered friend." she began amusedly. Said bird replied with a sharp nip to the bronze hoop embedded into her ear.

"Dust," Death barked sharply. The bird let go instinctually and puffed up its feathers as if they would provide a shield against the Horseman's wrath. "We have no time for antics, bird."

"Dust is its name?" Eleyna clarified while scooping the abnormally large crow into her hand, shifting so that she held him before her. Death nodded and she responded with a wry smile. "How appropriate." she noted before turning back to the bird. "Alright, little friend." she began with a whisper. Her eyes closed for but a moment as the bird settled in her joined hands and then she let it fly. "Go." she told it.

At that point, Death had mounted Despair and reached for Eleyna. With a tentative stare and finally a sigh of assent, she allowed a reaching hand and he pulled her up, situating her in front of him.

While the fact that she was again so close to him- with his bare chest at her back and arms encircling her- it was all the more enthralling feeling the wind against her face and the rapid but steady hoof beats in her ears, the gentle back-and-forth rocking- the first time in ages that she had experienced something new. She was tempted to throw her arms out and for once in her life embrace the fresh air... Then she realized with whom she was riding, as well as the state of her fellow rider's dress. With a deep stripe of pink touching her face, she instead held on tightly, keeping her excitement quiet.

They raced out of the Weeping Crag, where Death had met up with Vulgrim before and rode on, crossing the large Vale. Eleyna cringed when she felt the eye of the enormous embodiment of Corruption focus on her. She could feel something emanating from it, but kept turned away from it, silent only until she saw a very familiar, very large shape before the doorway they were meant to enter. As soon as the recognition hit her, she gave a groan.

"What is he doing out here?" she grumbled as they got closer. Meanwhile, his attention was brought to the cluster of bombs covering the Corruption overhead. "Karn," she began as she swung herself off the horse, landing in a slight crouch before straightening herself out and sauntering toward the young Maker. "After what happened last time, I would think ye would know better than this."

"Ye can't expect me to control my nature any more than ye can, Eleyna." Karn retorted, but he paused as the girl sternly glared at him, crossing her arms over her chest. His gaze shifted to the ironically lesser threatening of the two- the Horseman who now approached. Putting on a brave face, Karn spoke again. "We tried to seal in the Corruption," he stated, looking over his shoulder at the damaged gate, "but no good came of it."

"Now that I have you two here, what can you tell me of the Drenchfort?"

"The Drenchfort lies just beyond this barrier. It was the first thing taken by Corruption. We sealed the Stonefather's Tears inside, fearing what would happen if they spread.

"If I do as Alya asks, you'll soon find out." Death replied. "It is also why I have Eleyna with me."

"Aye, and the realm will be better for it." mentioned Karn. "Whether pure as rain or black as sin, the tears will end this stalemate."

"It's odd how I often find you... standing." the Horseman remarked.

"Aye," agreed Eleyna. "And never where he should be."

"Without the Tree of Life, Horseman, I'm trapped here just like you. A fortunate few slipped out before the tree was lost... like Ulthane."

"Who is Ulthane?"

"He's just another maker. Has a big hammer, is all!"

"Karn!" Eleyna admonished. "He was one of the better makers, a creator of great and powerful weapons. Not a bad warrior, either."

The younger maker rolled his eyes. "He and Eleyna were good friends. When he escaped, he wanted to take her with him, but it was nigh too late for that. I feared to follow. And a good thing to, too!"

Death sighed. "And why is that?"

"Why you might still be looking for the Cauldron, if not for my courage and wit!" To this, Eleyna gave a soft groan and let her shaking head fall into her palm. Death ignored the two and pulled out the pistol, shooting at the cluster of shadow bombs above. The desired effect was instantaneous and a long stripe of a gap appeared in the doorway. "Ah, run along you two, I'll rest a bit." He turned back to Despair and remounted, catching the angry murmuring from Eleyna to Karn. With an iota of amusement in seeing the Maker cringe at the threats of something smaller than him, he held out a hand to her. She again accepted his assistance grudgingly and when she was safely astride in front of him, they were off.

"You speak to him as if he were an annoying younger sibling." he remarked.

"He should know better." she grumbled. "The gate to the Tri-Stone was shut for a reason."

"And yet you're out here." he noted.

"I can handle myself."

"If your aim with rocks is anything to go by."

"If ye think that my only fighting prowess is throwin' rocks, Horseman, then obviously ye know not much of me."

They pressed on through the valley. Immediately did he take note of the lack of color and ever-present shadow as they continued on.

"The lack of life..." she noted aloud. "It's swallowed all the world in grey. Listen..." Death did, and he noted it, too. There was not a sound save for hollow emptiness, not one sign of life. He could feel the pain and anger raging through Eleyna, especially with the way she was gripping the saddle.

Passing under an archway, they noted ahead that there was a pulsing, sac-like nest ahead. Pouring out from and swarming around it were abnormally large insects. Certainly their most noticeable feature was their long abdomens, which ended at the rather nasty-looking point of a stinger.

"Aye," began Eleyna, "Those stingers protect the nest. Like the legendary hydra, if you kill one, more will come. Distract them. I'll deal with the nest." With that, she slid again off Despair and slunk off into the shadow. Death sighed and dismissed his mount, leaping off- right into the fray. As she had hoped, they swarmed him, and he cut them. It wasn't until the Prowlers came and fully had his attention that she approached the abandoned nest.

As he pulled the scythe from the Prowler's skull, the nest rotted within itself and Eleyna made her way for the gate with a knowing glance. Death dealt with the remaining host of stingers and with a shot from his gun towards a shadow bomb, he cleared a path up a wall. Quickly taking it upward, he disappeared from sight.

As moments passed, Eleyna heard the sounds of gunshots- the sounds of which caused her to inwardly jump. Many years of silence had been ingrained into her memory. These were quickly followed by the ring of blades and several thuds and squelching noises before the Horseman came into view on the other side of the gate. Wordlessly, he pulled the lever and the gate rose, granting Eleyna passage. Instead of offering her hand for assistance, this time she reached and scuttled her way up to her appointed spot in front of Death.

Into a wide area they wandered. Before them there rose another larger stalking demon. While Eleyna was about to tell him to take evasive action, Death instead ushered Despair forward with a heel into what would have been the mount's side, all the while putting the two halves of his scythe together and then twisting it into position. The stalker noticed them as well and had begun to charge at them with a growl and then a loud roar. It was dead before the horse even took but a few steps past it. As they cleared their way around a large hill, Death took note of a crumbling building almost built entirely over the water of the enormous fjord that led out to the open sea.

"What was this place?" he asked. Eleyna was silent for a moment and then quietly shrugged.

"I cannae remember exactly." she replied. "It has been so long since I had contact with people, and since this place had been sealed off."

"Where is the path to the Drenchfort?" he asked.

"There's a path that leads southwest, just beyond this building." With that knowledge, he rushed Despair forward. The wind once again whipped past them, billowing her hair like the tether of a whip.

The path went up a steep slope that bent around and then curved into the mountain. After that, it curled back outward again and opened up to a large caldera.

"Is this it?" he asked, peering at the building that seemed to be carved into the rock wall itself and then built out from it.

"Aye." Eleyna said. She looked around the large cavity that formerly seemed to welcome people to the Drenchfort. Now the massive gap that was once covered by a bridge bid them away. After dismounting Despair again, she walked to the very edge and peered down. Seeing the fog that covered the bottom- or lack thereof, she gave a low whistle. "I can see why Eidard wanted me specifically." she turned to him, only to jump when he was- again- right behind her. "Could ye not do that?" she demanded.

"All the better to keep you on your toes." he commented. Her eyes narrowed and with a huff, she dug her hand into the pouch at her side.

"Stand back." she ordered shortly. When she was sure he did as he was told, she tossed the contents down into the ravine. Death had seen several tiny things glisten in the sunlight as they flew through the air and then they disappeared over the edge. With that, she held out her hand and patiently waited. He noted then that the air around them grew quiet at that moment and remained that way for quite a few moments before he felt a slight rumble beneath the earth.

From the ravine, there rapidly grew a tree so vast that it reached out of the caldera into what little sunlight there was. To say that he was surprised and mystified by what he had seen- that she had been able to grow so rapidly, without the use of time, soil, water or sunlight... such a power he in all his years had never known to exist, at least not in such potency.

"The Old One was not lying." he admitted beneath his breath. He turned to her, but found her frowning at the old fortress. Her teeth grit, he noted.

"The plants in there- they're dyin'." she noted with a strained voice. Her steady steps forward indicated to him that she was going in with him, if only to open the water ways. Realizing this, hi gave a grumbling sigh and caught her wrist. She suppressed a shudder and turned back to protest before he tugged her back to him, twisting so that she was pulled up onto his back to roost there. Instinctively, her hands reached up to his shoulders and she instinctively closed her eyes.

When Death was certain that she wouldn't slip out of her grasp, he leapt toward the tree. Eleyna, flinching, closed her eyes tight, burying her face against his shoulder. He climbed quickly, ducking and weaving about the branches and finally making a leap for the other side. He pried Eleyna's arms from his shoulder and she fell to her feet, shooting him an undignified look.

"Ye didnae have to carry me." she hissed. "I have been climbing trees since I was little."

"Yes, but this was faster." he replied.

"If that's gonna become a regular thing with ye, I would appreciate a little word of warning."

"What? Do you not like to be carried?"

"As a matter of fact, I do not, but that's not the point."

"Then what is?"

She paused.

"What?" he pressed.

"Yer... so cold." she noted. He remained silent for but a moment before letting loose a disparaging laugh.

"You are surprised, child?" he asked. "I am Death, after all, devoid of life. No heart beats within this body- no blood rushes, no air breathes."

"Aye." she replied sadly, realizing what he had just reminded him. Swallowing back the shame-filled lump in her throat, she followed hesitantly as he wandered with her into the Drenchfort.

The opening hallway of the fortress had an infestation of the stinger enemies, which Death quickly dispatched with Redemption. She took note of the graying outer atriums making up the corners of the hallway with a hurt expression and a sigh before following him.

As they took note of this larger room, there rose the prowlers. As he reached for his scythe, Eleyna knelt, spreading seeds over and then spanning her hands over them. From the ground sprang a small sapling, twisting about as it sprang upward. She touched it for but a second before the sapling parted from its roots and branches. Grinning, she pushed off of her heels, running into the fight with a wooden staff that twisted at the top. He had to admit that he did not foresee that she would be efficient in wielding such a weapon.

She was strong, that was more than certain, with the way she swung and blocked while kicking away the prowler that had launched itself at her. With another powerful swing, she knocked it so that it rolled to the side, dead. Death, who had already dealt with his kill, climbed up to the top of one of the alcoves, where he found an impotent shadow bomb. Across the way, he saw another of the carved stone globes stuck above the alcove across the way. Wasting no time, he tossed a bomb and when it had landed securely he took a shot with the pistol. The responding explosion caused the orb to fall and Eleyna used all of her strength to move it into place, gritting her teeth. With that, the door was unlatched and the two advanced down a short hallway.

The wide open central chamber of the Drenchfort was drenched in grey shadows. An immense statue of a construct held a yolk over its shoulder. Thick, sturdy chains connected this yolk to the basin-like track at its feet.

"That track leads the Tears to the outer basin- a store for the water until it was needed." Eleyna explained. "There's a switch just outside that opens up the damn of the basin, taking the Tears to the Tri-Stone."

"What must we do then?" he asked.

"Activate the aquifers in the wings first." she replied.

He nodded and followed her to the left, taking the rounding path through the doors there. In the long hall they entered, and there, Death saw what was meant by the aquifers, dug into deep trenches in the floor that descended toward a grate at the other end, where they had entered. A minimal amount of water poured out from beneath a sealed gate above.

As the two walked through the other set of doors not far from that sealed gate and proceeded down another long hallway, he noted her bearing. True, she was a tiny thing, barely coming up to his chest, but she carried herself as if she were much taller, probably as a result from being around the Makers for so long. Her eyes held no fear, her grip on her staff gave no quarter for fear. Had he possessed a more humane nature, he would have greatly approved of her bravery.

Again, they were met with a trio of prowlers.

"They donnae know when to give up, do they?" she asked coyly, shifting her staff.

"There is no time for this." he rasped, raising his hand. From the ground, there came a few coffins and from them burst a host of corpses, rabid and angry. As they distracted and dispatched the demons, he ushered Eleyna away around the corner and up the stairs.

In the next room, there were two wings off to either side of a large Maker statue. Eleyna ran to the one to the right, casting out her seeds. Holding out her hand, she grabbed onto the rapidly climbing tree, pulling herself up onto the high 'shelf' that held another of the carved globes. With a groan of exertion, she pushed it towards and over the edge. The huge shape of stone bounced slightly with a loud crack and then rolled into the cavity perfectly, causing her to smirk before she heard a loud, cracking explosion. She climbed down and approached a grate where Death had placed another one. With a look that told him his intention, he retreated to a platform that stood in the middle of the irrigation system of this particular little garden. Once he stepped on the pressure plate there, the gate lowered and she took the orb, pushing it back into the main room until it sank into the other cavity in the floor. After Death climbed his way back over, he and Eleyna proceeded up the stairs and through the door.

The winding hallway following was calm- up until they came across another stinger's nest. She again took a handful of seeds and had them sprout, this time over the wall in tangling vines until a bright purple flower sprouted and bloomed fully. The nest withered within moments while the Horseman sliced through the remaining drones. He was about to continue when she held out one arm, waved the other one- thus banishing the flower.

"What was that?" he asked.

"I have not named it yet, as I just fully developed it, but that flower drops a highly poisonous miasma that tends to decay even non-living matter. Ye would nae believe how long it took to perfect it without it harming myself."

"Biological weaponry..." he noted aloud.

"If ye want to give it a label like that, sure." she remarked.

The two opened the door, only to find themselves not alone once more. Eleyna flourished her staff, running in as Death dashed toward the other, slicing through flesh. His comrade finished bludgeoning her foe before she picked up a shadow bomb from the plant growing in the corner and lobbing it at the cluster of Corruption crystals guarding the lever. When she moved to pull the lever, he stopped her when he saw Corruption's black matter covering the floor. Instead, he made his way across it and pulled the lever.

In the aquifer, a gate rose, releasing a powerful surge of water. Eleyna was beaming as she approached the edge and viewed the rushing water. To her delight, there was greenery that she could see again and she relished also in the warm sunlight now filtering in over her face. With a spirited laugh, she jumped in- to the Horseman's puzzlement. When she surfaced, she gazed back up at him. "Come on then, assuming ye don't want to take the long way back." she beckoned. Death rolled his eyes and jumped in. The water was cool, pure, refreshing even, and the current's strength carried them back effortlessly. The sudden drop as they came back into the previous long hall was a but of a thrill, at least for her, but she pulled herself out of the water with the aid of a long-dangling vine and he climbed out after her.

The unlikely duo returned to the main chamber in time to see the water gush from the aquifer into the basin track. Due to the imbalance of having one side filled, the basin track lowered and tilted, causing water to flood into the lower level of the chamber, filling it. Death pointed out a lower tunnel. When she explained that she did not know where that went, he contemplated.

"Only one way to find out, then." he sighed before jumping in, followed closely by her.

Alrighty, I have another chapter down. How did you guys like the interaction between Eleyna and Death? I hope I'm still doing alright in staying true to his character. Again, I'm sorry about the lateness of this chapter. I'll have the next chapter up sooner, I promise.