The uncountable worlds of our universe swirl in an endless Abyss. Many worlds ravaged by time or conflict are swallowed by the Abyss, returned to the nothingness fro which they were formed.

But others linger for eternity on the brink of annihilation, that Creation might be balanced with Destruction.

And in the final moment in battle, Death was banished to one such world-in the autumn of its life, with the Child of Man, and yet both are not far from the edge of darkness.

Had Death been sent to his doom? The Human for her salvation? The answer would be found in the Horseman's future-and in his past.

/

"Holly…"

I grumbled, my head searing in pain, someone was waking me up, I knew that voice anywhere… "Darren…? Is that you?" I muttered, my eyelids tried to move and open, flickering, feeling the suns warmth, "I think I had a nightmare babe…I dreamt I was never going to see you again…" my voice hitched, knowing my sobs were going to come over me.

"Holly…!"

I searched for the voice again; it was Darren's, now it wasn't… I panicked… I knew that voice, my eyes then shot open, ignoring the pain in my head, my body jolted up, I coughed and wheezed, shook as I whisked my head around, nobody was there. That voice… voices… were the one from before…

Clutching my head with my hands, feeling the pain simmer, I got up, looking around where I was…

"Well, this isn't a hell hole I wasn't expecting to land in…" I held myself, feeling the soft fabric of the cardigan through my finger tips, it was a vast land of green fields and trees all around, hobbles of stone and ruins were around me, despite that I must say it was breath taking to look at. If only I had my camera with me…

Just then, I heard a groan from the distance, from inside the ruin, I looked around, there was only one other that was dragged through that portal, I could feel my anger boiling, "Death." I growled, I stomped through the hobbled stone grounds, making my way to wherever he was inside, I see him unconscious. In pain. GOOD.

I stare at him for a while, thinking of ways to end him now, he ruined everything… his brother too… Crow Father would still be alive; I would have had my answers, a way to get back to my home…

I shut my eyes, if I had a home to go back too… my bitter thoughts had to be shaken off.

I see his scythe… scattered away from him, I walk over it, and nothing comes to my mind. I know what I want to do. I pick up the scythe; it's heavy, definitely for my noodle arms…

With two hands I drag it with me, luckily able it lift it off the ground, I look down on him, with strength I had; I was able to hover it over my head, my arms shook violently, fearing the blade will pierce me and not my target…

"What are you doing child?" a thick Irish accent said suddenly.

With a gasp, I dropped the scythe next to me, the handle landing on my foot, I yelped in pain, rubbing my foot. "WHO THE HELL-" I barked angrily as I faced a being like no other, this…man… giant…was at least a good 8 foot taller than me, I crane my neck up, jaw had fallen. He was very old, with black beady eyes, thick white eyebrows and a long braided white beard, his hands were large and his fingers nails were long as if they were talons, noticing he was covered in robes, Celtic like armour and head piece, and a staff.

I puffed up my chest, "He is a murderer! He deserves to die!"

The old man laughed and peers at Death; he leans down looking at me dead in the eye. "Your heart is full of rage small human, calm yourself. You cannot kill the horseman."

I blinked at him, my cheeks puffed again, "And why not!? Didn't you hear what I just said?"

He nodded, while walking over to Death's unconscious body, "I heard child; but it's not his time nor will you be his taker of that life." He then looks at me sterner, then his eyes dart to my hands, I feel it now, they're shaking, and I look at them, feeling my stomach tighten. "He may be a killer, but you're not." He said more kindly.

Just then, I hear Death groan, the old man waved his hand over Death's new crystal wound over his chest, it vapour, a green smoke rising, made eerie hissing sounds as it raised from the crystal. "Be still, Horseman. You are wounded."

I step forward, I see Death's orange eyes snap open, the old mans finger barely came close to his wound, with speed, Death rolled and stepped away. "Don't touch me." He growled aggressively. I fumed, feeling as if steam was rising from the top of my head.

The old man took no notice, he then uses his staff to help him waddle over to the statue, I notice it too, looked a lot like the old man, I gasped as I look at the art work… I REALLY wanted my camera…

The old man stops, he ponders: "Your arrival here is a bad omen." I see him looking up, stroking his beard in thought. "Yes… troubles me greatly."

"That's an understatement." I mutter, Death heard me and snaps his head back.

"Oh still alive are we?" he innocently mocked, starring down at me.

"Yeah I'm still kickin', if it weren't for that old man, you would have ended up in pieces with your own blade in my hand!" getting close and personal, jabbing my finger purposely into his crystal, he groans, snarls at me as he swats my hand away, I snarl back, noticing the glow of the crystal looked hot to the touch to his dead like skin.

He just looked at me, chuckles in a mocking tone; "With those skinny arms, that must have been something to be seen."

I could have sworn he was smirking behind that mask of his, readying my fist, curling as tight as I can to punch that damn crystal to really feel the pain, but before I could…

"ENOUGH!" The old man shouts, as if a gust of wind was formed. Sending my short hair and Death's, flying behind us. "AM I IN THE PRESENCE OF CHILDREN!?"

I grumbled, lowering my fist. The old man shakes his head, "An omen indeed..." he then walked away from the statue with loud large steps.

Death points at him as he walks away, "Old one-there's more trouble ahead if you don't start making sense. Where is the Tree of Life?"

I rolled my eyes and folded my arms, add 'rude as hell' to my list of 'Why I hate Death."

"Life." He chuckled in a quizzing tone as he faced Death again; "Our world is dying lad. Choking on chaos and Corruption. We can do little to stop it."

I give a look back to the old man, he simply nodded, I step closer; "Does that mean…?" I asked, possibly knowing the answer. The old man looks around, his shoulders slumped, "Soon the great tree too shall perish and, with it, the last of my people…"

Death folded his arms, the old man stares at him; "Is that not what brought you here, pale rider?"

Death huffs, "I seek the tree." Something buzzed in my ears, I turn as I see black like ooze formed from the ground, different shades of green and purple formed around the ooze, I pulled onto Death's arm to look, but he brushes me off, "Uh Death…" soon the ooze had quickly grabbed onto some pieces of the ruin, it sounded like metal work being put together, taking form….

"Your "chaos and corruption" don't concern me."

Just by his words, the goo, had form into some sort of stone like creature, wielding a heavy sword, I yelped at the sight, suddenly shoved away by Death and the old man easily picks me up by his hand, he waved his staff, creating a blue shield, he whispers, "Be still. You are safe."

We both look on; Death natural speed gave him the edge as he easily cuts down the enemy with multiple strikes, quickly moving onto the next one.

"It seems they do concern you." The old man smirks, I notice more around him, "Hey! Behind you!" I yelled, Death hears, I notice him flipping backwards while finishing the enemy that tried to sneak on him.

Oh no…. I helped him…was that some sort of reflex or something; I gave a loud groan hating myself for shouting that out loud. I notice the old man, he looks at me as he quirks his eyebrow upright, smirking. "Shut up." I grumpled.

The old man placed me down gently, Death walks towards us "For someone whom proclaimed to hates me so dearly…" looking down at me, seeing his orange eyes gleaming "You sure wanted to aid me quickly."

Son of a bitch was grinning like the Cheshire cat behind his mask wasn't he?

I rolled my eyes; "Slip of the tongue. Don't be too thrilled." I remarked, I could hear Death grunt aggressively back to my remark.

"You fight well. But this Corruption can't be beaten with a blade." The old man says as purposely comes between us, hopefully avoiding another earful of our arguments… I step out beside him, giving him my full attention.

"Seek out the Forge Sister. Ask her about the Fire of the Mountain. Help her, and she will help you reach the tree." He sighs, soon his chest halted and coughed harshly into his fist, "As for me. I must return to my work."

I see him point to where we were, there was an entrance next to it, I looked onto curiosity. Taking a few steps, I see the entrance, a small light illuminate's from the cave like entrance; I smile and nod at the old man, "May I come with you? I've got some questions that need some answers."

The old giant nods at me and replies, "I will do my best to answer them. But yes please, join me and my people, you must be exhausted small one."

I began to walk towards it. Suddenly, an icy harsh grip was on my arm, Death had pulled me back, I yelped in surprise; Death blocked the older giant from his way, his orange hue eyes starring at the giant.

"And who are you to command a rider?" he scowls harshly, stepping in front of him; the older one stops himself, harshly holding himself up with his staff.

"I am a maker." He begins, I wriggle my arm off Death's grip, he complies and let's me go. "Older than even the Charred Council."

I whistled in amazement to his statement, from also knowing what (little) CrowFather has told me. Death stares at me, I quirked an eyebrow at him, and decided to stay quiet. "These hands have laid the foundations of many worlds. For that was long ago. And now, they but hardly know the touch of stone."

Death hummed in response, something bubbled inside of me, wondering since this rider came. "What is this, 'Tree of Life'?" I perked, the old maker and Death stare at me, and almost surprised that I asked.

Death than faces the giant, "Are you not curious of why I seek the tree?"

The giant blinks and then replies, "I would not presume to question on the Four-but yes, tell me."

Death then turns his head to me, I stare uncomfortably back, he then looks back and what he said next, shocked me, "I must restore Humanity-to redeem War."

With my jaw hanging, as if I could feel it touching the ground, somehow my voice was able to muster sounds of shock… to screech out loud even: but I didn't. I know that I was going to give him an ear full later. So I stand there, grumbling to myself.

"Heaven and Hell battle from the shattered Earth. All creation trembles, and in the centre… stands your brother."

Death stands, almost ready to strike the old man from where he stood: "He is innocent."

"I never said he wasn't." and with that sentence, I watched, as Death seemed to relax himself, noticing that his hand had left slowly his blade.

"The Tree holds power over life and death. If you would resurrect Humanity. You are headed in the right direction. But be warned a dark presence dwells now within the Tree, and the path is barred by Corruption."

The old maker says his goodbyes and pointed us to the path where we should take, I nodded and thanked him, and Death had already walked off. I jogged after him, pass the entrance, as I watched the torches flicker it's flames against the stonewall. I finally cached up to Death as I walked nearly side by side with him, I hear him sniff at me as I noticed he was also starring too.

"What?" I questioned.

"Say your peace now human, the creases in your brow are maddening." He snorts, I frown harder, rubbing a finger over the creases, as I took a deep breath, I tried my best to calm my nerves.

"So… bringing Humanity back to life huh?" I mumbled, "So how does that damn work? You smack the tree to make it do it or is there a spell or something like that, a tree damn it, really? This is all happening so fast, I have so many questions, and I am not getting any damn answers, all I fucking know that your damn brother is the damn centre of it! Giving him his get out of jail free card! I-I'm… t-t-the-" my shouting became subdued as tears begun to override me, my stress level had reached maximum, I fell to my knees and cried. I couldn't finish that sentenced, as much as I tried, I just couldn't. This world was mad to me, magic? Spells? The hell was going on anymore?!

I buried my face in hands, as my breath became to soften, my body flinched as I felt something rubbed the crown of my head. I shuddered, as I slowly looked up, Deaths hand rubbed his hand on my head, I look up at him as I swallowed hard.

"Better?" he asks. I nodded my head in reply, "a little bit…" I whispered back, rubbing my eyes with the back of my hands, his hand left my head and hoisted me up by my arm gently.

"Come now, its not far now by the looks of it." He points out as he pointed towards an open log; I nodded as I followed silently. I fanned my eyes, blinking them slowly, to feel them slowly cooling down.

"Hate me if you must human; I would do most anything for my brother." He noted as he stopped halfway through the log, "So… now I have questions: Crowfather? What was your relationship? It seems bizarre that you are reacting this way till now."

"Crowfather. Saved. Me." I noted, "He was willing to tell me everything, hell I would still be stuck in that damn crystal coffin if it wasn't for him!"

"He told you everything did he?" he noted, hand on his hip.

I crossed my arms; "Damn straight, specially from what happen to Earth and-"

"But he seemed to not mention this. How did you end up in that coffin?" he quizzed. I stood there: "I-"

"How would he know how to free you?"

"May-maybe…-"

"How did he got that interesting little armour of yours? Oh I can practically smell the magic off it."

"I-don't-"

"You seem to be in good health for someone whom has been asleep for nearly a millennium-"

"STOP IT!" I roared. I clenched my fingers into my head, I think it even shocked Death how loud I shouted. "I DON'T KNOW GODDAMMIT! I NEVER FOUND OUT! SOME DEMONIC MANIAC WITH BIG ASS TEETH KNOCKED ME OUT! YOU KILLED HIM BEFORE I COULD ASK!"

My chest rose up and down heavy, "Calm yourself." Death said as he raised his hands up in defence. "As my point is across," He added, my face is scrunched up with fury and frustration. "I am suggesting to come with me to The Tree of Life."

I raise my eyebrow, "Why?"

"You won't find your answers here, you might as well follow me to find those to your questions."

"Death is being kind is he?" I laughed as, I saw the irony in my words. I sniffed as I swallowed hard. "I still don't get it…why…gosh why your doing this, but I am not gonna question it now."

I skipped up and punched Death in the arm, passing through, to see the end of the tunnel. "By the way, the name's Holly." I said as turned to face him again.

/

hey all it's great to be back, Death seems to like pushing Holly's buttons.