My body quivered and shake rapidly, it wasn't the cold that was making me this way: the old buzzard just told me death was coming.

What

The

Fuck.

"Um, you mean THE Death? Skeleton man with the black cloak and the huge scythe, Death?" I stutter, still squatting behind the pillar as I was instructed.

Crowfather nods his head; his eyes close, flicking his wrist, sending a crow past the veil of towers of the icy world.

"We.." he starts as he faces me "I might have enough time: but if you must hear these words," he coughs and shakes his head, wincing as pain, suddenly grabbing his head. Digging his fingers into his skull, muttering in pain.

I rushed to his side, "Crowfather, you don't look so good, isn't there-"

He cuts me off, shushing me, he wheezes and straightens himself, composing himself. The old buzzard has a lot more pride than I had thought.

"Do not concern yourself: Please. Listen to my words; you must know the truth before…" he screeched again, clutching his head. "Before he comes…"

"What do you mean?" I ask, "What is so important, does this has something to do with New York?" I questioned.

"Yes… to the name of your realm and the many on Earth… I will tell you as much as I can, most from the beginning…"

Sitting down next to his throne, my ears perked, he breathes in and out.

"There can be no life without Order. Good, Evil… darkness, light-there must be Balance in the Universe."

Nodding along, I had a feeling it was going to be a long story.

"Such is the decree of the Charred Council-"

"The who?" I interrupted. Crowfather frowned, I sucked in my lips, and whispered 'sorry' before Crowfather began to speak again. "An ancient body charged by the Creator to preserve the very fabric of existence."

"The Creator?" I asked. "Do you mean God?" I asked, he frowned at me again, he nods and replies, "In human language, the Creator is the same being you look up to your name 'God', then yes, just as the same as the Lord of Darkness, Satan, both of them do exist, more than your ponderingness of religion and belief. "

"Wow!" I sputtered. "That's very interesting, but what does this has to do with Earth?"

Crowfather shakes his head; "I will be brief, and more so it will be painful." He looks at me "Your world is no more, you were there when the apocalypse has fallen, mankind extinct-apart from you that is my dear."

"YOU'RE LYING!" I roared. "What proof do you have? I-I rather see it with my own eyes!" I stand angrily and my mind racing in shock of what I just heard. Why would he say this? I don't think he has a reason to lie to me? Does he?

"You think I lie human child? I do not. I speak truth, for which the Destroyer was born from the apocalypse of the Kingdom of Man!" He then waves his hand, black spoke emerged, widening and revealing an image. "No…" I gasped as the image of New York, Lady Liberty was destroyed, buried in ruin, beyond was rubble and sand, it echoed emptiness. Tears rise up to my eyelids, I coughed and sputtered in shock, my body shakes, as I fell again to the floor.

Crowfather sighs exhausted, "Even now, Earth smoulders in ruin, fallen to the Demon lords, and the Destroyer carves a new kingdom amongst mighty Chosen. Some sat the Horsemen War triggered the apocalypse…."

My ears perked as I listened, I was in shock and couldn't say anything, all I could do was listen now. "…That he rode to Earth, unbidden, and doomed all of Mankind."

War… huh…

The crow that Crowfather sent, came back, flapping its wing madly and cawing crazy. Crowfather's eyes lit up, grabbing my arm again and forcing me to the pillar to hide again.

"So he comes… at last… quiet voices!" he gasps as he sits back done to his throne. I watch in silence, my mind numb from what I saw.

Loud footsteps enter the hall echoing the space; I turn my head slightly, peering over to the legendary Death himself, closer and closer he came as I can hear Crowfather saying, as he clutched his head again "Voices…always voices… torment without end."

I witness before my eyes of the pale man known as Death, he… looked a lot like the figurines you find for Death Metal inspirations, his long black hair, skull mask, bare chest and covered in muscles, noticing also two scythes hanging on his hips.

"Keeper of Secrets, I need your help." His voice was deep and dark; he approached Crowfather coming closer as soon as the old man noticed him. Death stood on the step as Crowfather looked onto him angrily.

"I helped you once, Horseman. Look at me now!" the old man says bitterly as the amulet glows brighter, I gulped as I turn my gaze again to Death and back to Crowfather. "How I curse that day. How I curse you." Crowfather said icily as he points a bony finger at Death.

As if I notice a glint of smirk behind Death's skull mask, his voice rippled, he waved his finger, "Careful, Crowfather I'm not here to put you out of your misery." Death said mockingly, his hand resting on his scythe, "Not yet."

"I know why you've come." Crowfather began, beginning to turn me away, he see him glancing at me, perking my ears, shuffling lightly back to keep myself out of sight. "Your brother, the one called War. He's been imprisoned by the Charred Council and awaits their judgment." I see what the old buzzard was doing, he wants me to listen to this conversation, he wants' me to know the truth. My blood was boiling; I wanted to reveal myself, screaming and shouting, to demand the life of War! My anger spewed, clenching my jaw tightly together, my fingertips went white as I gripped the pillar hard "For dooming the Earth. For mankind's extinction. Why should I care about your brother's fate?" Crowfather says, turning his back on Death. Nodding his head at me, signalling me to stay.

"Because you know the truth." Death says, I shuffled forward slightly, noticing Crowfather's reaction. "Your secrets can save him."

Crowfather laughs mockingly, "The Council will condemn War." Crowfather faces Death again, as the pale man steps forward onto the steps, heading towards Crowfather, I quickly shuffle back, but I could still see what was going on. "Strip him of his power, let him rot in oblivion… to hide the truth! My secrets cannot prove his innocence, Horseman."

"No… but the can help me to erase the crime."

'Whoa…' I think to myself, Crowfather and I shared the same look: baffled.

"Bring Mankind back from extinction? Madness!" the old man exasperates, Death comes closer again. "If it's madness," Death begins to laugh sarcastically "then who better to show me the way?"

I stifled my giggles and continued to watch, I notice Death looking around suspiciously. I breathe in, holding my breath. Until Death shrugged and ignored it whatever he heard. Crowfather steps back, his hand glowed, as black smoke emerged again, creating another image. "Should a way exist…" A image of a vast land, a tall tree stands in the far distance.

"The Tree of life…" Death said, he stared at the image, walking towards it, I held my breath, but Crowfather, twist his wrist and closed his hand and the image disappeared.

"Let me pass." Death says as he faces Crowfather, face to face. "Not yet! That which you gave me…" the old man screeches, before calming himself, he pulls out the green amulet "You will take it back."

Death starring at Crowfather, I began to notice the pale horseman now, as his eyes were the colour of orange, noticing he was glaring at the old man.

"In exchange for it's secrets, you agreed to keep the Amulet."

"No…" Crowfather gasped as he grabs his skull with a free hand, beating it ruthlessly "the voices, they curse and threaten without end. They cry to return!" The old man scrrecjes again, forcing the Amulet forward towards Death, it glowed menacingly, casting the green colour and shadows off Crowfather's face. "You must destroy it!"

Death stares at the Amulet, before his head fell pitifully. "I…cannot."

"Oh boy…" I think to myself, Crowfather is not taking this so well, he walks a little, starring at the angered and bewildered face of the old man.

"You annihilated their flesh, why do you guard their souls?" Crowfather asked, I also listened in, knowing the answer.

But Death wasn't going to reveal all his skeletons just yet, he steps forward again as pulls out his weapons, his scythes unsheathed and said threatening "Open the portal."

Crowfather shakes his head, my eyes widening, biting my lip. "You will not pass while I live…"

"So be it." As that said, Death charged forward to strike, but Crowfather flicked his wrist, creating a ball of black energy. Powerful enough to send the horseman flying backwards in the air, put he saved himself from a harsh land as he digged his scythes into the ground, carving for a safe landing. Death's angry growl echoed the hall, I rise from where I was squatting, Crowfather notices "Don't you dare human! Stay there!" he growls. Facing Death again, he raises the Amulet high and asked:

"Here your brethren are trapped in eternal torment. Do you wish to join them?' Crowfather asked, tucking the Amulet away. "And what of War? Would you kill your brother to save your precious balance?"

"He is innocent!" Death barked back.

Cowfather rised into the air. He stared down at Death, "Are you so certain?" And after, his body dispersed into black energy and smoke, crows fly out, the noise vanishing along with him. I stand up… walking slowly, worried about the old man, able to stretch my legs again.

Soon loud, thunderous footsteps, I was able to rush down to hide near the throne, Death facing away from the throne, my heart beating so fast. Out from the entrance, walking towards Death. I gasped. Recognizing… that man.

"No way…" I shuddered.

Death posed and readied his blades, a red cloaked man, with lots of heavy armour, "that's… War?" I squeaked, the image of the tall man saving me from the destruction of New York was standing right there.

I watched dumb stucked as the two cross fires with one and another, War was much more heavier, but had stronger attacks with his broad sword. Death was agile, moving more quickly then his brother. I gulped as the two clashed swords, Death slcing through War like paper, back and forth, War smashed the end of his sword against Death's ribcage and sending him flying, crashing onto the icy floor. I wince as I watched, Death get's up quickly and darts forward again. The two brother's clash again, War swung forward as Death tries to push back with his scythe. Death catches his opponent off guard, slicing through his torso and flipping in the air, but War landed on the ground, charging at one another again, Death chargers, War doing the same.

Holding my breath as the tense battle was coming to an end. The two brothers, ready to give one final blow, readying their weapons. I watched as they swung their weapons, close to another, I straed as took his blade from his brothers body as War fell back to the ground. Starring gobsmacked.

The body began to disperse in black energy, Death was not fighting War, but Crowfather…

"CROWFATHER!" I cried out, running out, couldn't care less what was going to happen to me. Death's head spins, his orange eyes widened. He stares at me as I continued to run to the old man.

But Death notices Crowfather trying to crawl away, Death, swings his into the old man, forcing his small body to rise above him, blood spewing everyone. The Amulet snaps from his chain landing far away from him "Open the portal! Or the girl is next!" Death threatened again. Flinging his body off his scythe, making the old man collapse, I sit next to him, panicking, not sure what to do. "Do you humans….. ever… listen?" Crowfather gasped. My heart banging against my chest. "I'm sorry Crowfather…" I whimpered, Death stared at me, I looked up and barked at him "What the hell! He's dying you heartless son of a-"

"Your… human…" Deaths says in shock. He then turns his attention to Crowfather again and says "Your secrets will die with you… old fool."

"Oh no… what can I do….?" I gasped, I felt Crowfathers hand on mine, giving it a squeeze, reassuring me. "My secrets… but not your yours…" as blood escaped from his lips "Be safe… Holly…" his body than disappeared, the Amulet began to crack and glow, rising in the air, as I swore I heard Crowfather laughing, the shards of the Amulet, piecing into Death's chest, making the horseman stagger, groaning in pain and falling back into uncontiousness. Crows began to flee away, cawing…

I stare as I run towards Death, angry, gripping onto one of his scythes, loosing the only man that felt like he could give me all the answers I needed, but now were taken over a petty fight and a portal! Suddenly a large dark portal opened, sucking in anything. I drop the scythe and pick up Death by his shoulders, shaking him violently

"OI! WAKE UP YOU FUCKING MURDERER! SO I CAN KILL YOU MYSELF!" I cried out as we both disappeared and into the portal… taking us both… beginning of the adventure and travel, I would never thought I could ever dream about…

/

hnnng, finally updated and thanks so much for the reviews!