Quintessence


A great, earth-shattering roar soared through the air from one ghastly mouth, arcing over the heads of many gathered on the deck below. Then, one-by-one, each of the soldiers raised their flickering weapons, and lifted their voices in praise.

It was a triumphant moment for Draven, that would be carved into his memory for the rest of eternity— One arm raised with the head of the old King of the Dead in its grasp, and the other supporting his exhausted ally… The prize and trophy in equal turn. His body felt lighter than it had ever since he'd been cursed to his never-ending tenure of servitude, and the tight coil of loathing that had sustained him had all but released. He was free.

"Now comes a new order," He shouted over the balcony, jaw clenched tightly between each of his words, speaking slowly and powerfully. "No longer are the dead at the mercy of a ruler that cares not for his subjects, a King with no thought for his kingdom! Let word ring from the Serpent's Peak to the Psychameron, from the Tree of Death to the Sentinel's Gaze! I claim this realm as my own, and souls will be abused no more!"

It was a short speech, but one that rang true with the ones long since lost to their mortal bodies. A time of celebration would begin, but for now…

The new King looked to his consort, tucked under his arm so, and noted through the smile she put up that her face was taking up a pallor of grey. He froze, and searched for wounds. "You had been injured?" He demanded quietly, flicking a glance out to the souls still rejoicing their freedom.

She shook her head, huffing a laugh. "No, I wasn't. Anyway, how does it feel?" She glanced to the dismembered head still grasped in his fist fleetingly. "His power is yours, now."

Draven felt his chest tighten with pride and excitement, but the swell of it was still deflated at that disconcerting look… "He had grown weak over the centuries." He announced loftily, flinging the head out into the crowd without a care. "The weight is heavy, but not cumbersome. Not only weak, but he was a fool to have grown so greedy for power, when he let that which he had rot within his clutches." Deciding himself unconvinced by the nod he was given, he prodded once more, "You look unwell. Are you sure you came out unscathed?"

She chuckled. "I'm telling you, I didn't get hurt. Yeesh. But, well…" The same as her mouth twisted off to the side, his stomach twisted into a knot. Figuratively, of course. "You're the crux of this world, now. And I'm alive, so I don't think being so… Close, is good for my health." The ethereal light he had in place for eyes went wide, and she set to calming him. "When Death came for his audience with the King, he made me stay back, remember? He can stand the presence of that much, well, death. But I don't think I'm that strong." Her smile went rueful. "But you got what you wanted, right? This just means I need to keep a bit of a distance. It's no big deal."

His arm squeezed impulsively, unwilling to let the prize go— But he released her all the same, taking a step back. Some of the color returned to her, but the remains of his soul cried out in anger, demanding the pulsing, bleeding life be brought back to him.

Control was his existence now, however. Control the power, control the masses, control his realm…

There was the whisper of a withered, bitter laugh scratching against his ears.

"There is a price to pay for all gains. Did you think you were an exception?"

He roughly shook the voice of the errant soul away, rage once more sparking the only form of life he had left within him. "Wait until I have taken full control of the situation." He folded his arms, intent on ignoring the warmth of something living still giggling along his ghostly flesh. "I doubt this will be a difficult problem to overcome. Make sure to send one of the Horsemen in due time, as well. I intend on paying in full." He made this his farewell, raising a hand casually.

The girl grinned, unknowing of the hunger that the dead held to the living— Echoing in thousands through him, now that he was… "Yeah, I can imagine you have a lot of work to do, now. Just let me know when you're all situated, okay? Or if you need any help. I don't envy you the position, but I at least know enough from experience to lend a hand."

Experience— She was a leader once? He didn't get to ask, for she'd turned around and swiftly staggered down the stairs, lifting a hand over her shoulder in goodbye before disappearing into the mass of undead.

The scent of a beating heart still drifted in the air around him, and he stiffly turned his back to it, heading into the throne room.

The prize would have to wait until later— And when he ruled over the enervating quality that sapped the energy from it, he could properly… Enjoy it.


"What, now—"

Death was caught by surprise at the sudden, swirling portal opening in his library, with an armored form tumbling forth from it and straight into him. He steadied her by the shoulders, and made sure that the magic had dissipated appropriately before leaning his head down to peer into her face.

Then he noticed something, being that close, and sucked an irritated breath between his teeth. "You reek of the dead." He pointed out in greeting, trying to restrain the acidic note to his voice.

She laughed tiredly. "That's what every girl wants to hear first thing when she comes home from a long day of work." She retorted wryly, hooking her hands onto his arms heavily. He didn't focus too hard on the word 'home' she used. "Just got back, actually— The Land of the Dead has a new King, now. Fancy that, right?" There was something slightly wrong, with that… He scrutinized her once more, this time taking her head into both hands so she would stay still. The flustered expression she wore would normally amuse, but not this time.

"…You should have come straight home." He reprimanded sternly, and flinched inwardly when he realized he used that word too. Damn it all… "Standing in the presence of the King of the Dead for too long would have drawn the life right out of you. And I am in no need for any more ghouls in my household."

Her mouth pressed into a line for a moment, but when it parted to speak, it bore more color than when she first arrived. "I'm sorry." She said this before anything else, and suddenly the one floundering was him. It was a general rule of thumb that he received apologies about as often as he gave them. "Draven asked for my help, and I agreed to it. Didn't want to drag the four of you into it, since you're just getting used to a semi-peaceful existence here. I drew the line, because you're my first priority. So I helped him alone. But I'm still sorry, and won't make excuses for it."

The Pale Rider expelled a large sigh of bemused exasperation, craning his neck back to look at his ceiling for salvation. Since he obviously wasn't about to receive it, he set his hands onto her shoulders once more and gripped them firmly, giving her an emphatic look. "There is no need for you to police all the other realms. Their business is none of your own, and sticking your neck out is liable to get your head cut off." He drew a line across her throat with his finger to drive his point home.

Then, she said something he didn't expect, and leaned against him listlessly. The scent of decaying life was just that much stronger… "If I kept to my own business, though, I never would have gotten to know the Four Horsemen. And I don't like that idea at all." She muttered restlessly,

He laughed at the irony of it all, and said, "Out of all the dangers I warn you of, and all the risks I tell you not to take— Maker help the creature subjected to your tongue, for there will be no saving them then." He chuckled a little more under his breath, the same as she seemed to shrink under his hands. She was embarrassed, he assumed. Then he held her out at a length, exhaling. "I suggest you bathe before all else— I'll not have my furniture reeking of dead warriors."

She snickered at that. "And here we thought regular warriors smelled bad enough, huh?" She joked humorously, then paused. "Don't tell War I said that. Though, I would like to make a side note that the Nephilim have a track record of not stinking after battle. What's your secret? I'm terribly jealous." A toothy grin was given to him, and he compulsively messed her hair up.

"It takes more for us to work up a sweat, that's why." He felt content at the state of pouting disarray he left her in. "You'll recall that we encountered lava quite frequently in the Forge Lands, and snow in the Veil. We also try not to roll around in the entrails of our victims like animals." He added that at the end helpfully.

His sarcasm seemed to be appreciated, oddly enough. "I'm sure that helps." She replied blandly. In spite of her surprising coherence at the moment, though, she still bastioned herself against his arm as the weakness took its toll. "I think I'd like a bath, though. Because, not only did I almost become dead today, I was starting to feel like it a little bit. And it was icky." She made a face of distaste.

It couldn't be helped; He snorted in amusement. "A different experience than all the times you had died, in a very legitimate way. Ahh, the stray that brother of mine picked up…" Shaking his head, he continued, so as to distract her from her indignation over being called a 'stray'. "I'll have water drawn for a bath, then. And try not to hit Strife with your wet hair this time. He wouldn't stop complaining about the headache the ringing of his helmet caused."

Something seemed to dawn upon her then, and a silly smile strolled into existence. "Having a bath drawn by ghouls. Well, there's one thing off my bucket-list." At his uncomprehending look, she explained, "It's a phrase the humans use, to describe a list of things they want to do before they die. Kick the bucket. Thus, a bucket-list." Then she sighed, closing her eyes. "Think I'll stick around here a little bit more, though. Torture you with the stench a little."

He rolled his eyes. "How kind of you."


Authors Note: I figured I'd stop there before my hand would decide to slip and the topic of bathing would go elsewhere.

Like me.
I am going elsewhere.

Right now.

'Kay, bye. x.x