Death Walks Again

I do not own Rosario+Vampire or Darksiders or any of the characters. I own only Nyxaros/Death II. The original Death Character from the games is owned by THQ and Vigil games.

Author's Note: Alrighty, we broke 1,400 views wast chapter. 1,400 views and only 9 reviews... But I shall keep my chin up. Perhaps that'll change when the Endwar starts. Whoops, spoiler alert. Well, perhaps you'll like the New Horsemen then. Oops, I did it again.

Chapter 5- One Awkward Family Reunion

Fury rode through the void between the realms, sweat poured down her body as she rode the horse she had named Retribution all those years ago. She was running, she knew not from what. All she knew was that they were a product of the Council, though for some reason they were lead by a demon. She had worked for the Council long enough to recognize their handiwork. Her only hope was to reach Youkai Academy. That was where Vulgrim had said Death was hidden. She didn't know why Death was in the human world, all she knew was that she couldn't fight them by herself. If anyone could help her, it was her brother...

Back at Yokai Academy Dormitories...

He stood across from the man with the Axe, twin scythes grasped in his hands. The bodies of those he had once called his brethren littered the ground. Their souls contained in the amulet that hung from his neck,the stench of blood was thick in the air

"Death! Why have you turned against us when we are so close to taking Eden? Why do you stand in the way of a goal you fought so hard to achieve?" the man shouted as he gestured with his axe to the bodies strewn across the ground.

"The Nephilim have no claim to Eden! The Creator declared it to be the home of Mankind. You should heed his word!" He replied in his normal volume. He didn't need to shout, he knew Absalom would hear him either way.

"It seems there is no persuading you. If I cannot have Eden, then I will have my vengeance!" Absalom roared as he charged towards him.

He raised one of his scythes, using the haft to block the incoming strike. In the span of under the time it takes to blink, he reversed his grip on the other scythe and plunged it into the Nephilim's chest with all his strength. The all-too-familiar sound of metal rending flesh resounded through the battlefield as he saw the end of his scythe erupt from Absalom's back. He fell to the ground with a massive thud, the battle was over far quicker than any would have predicted; and as he watched the man who had once led him as his commander lying on the ground, he saw the man extend a hand as if to request help getting up. He realized that he had made a mistake. He grabbed Absalom's hand and tried to pull him up, only for the first Nephilim to be dragged into a pool of darkness that had appeared from nowhere. He pulled with all his considerable might in a futile attempt to pull him up, only to watch as he sank even further into the pool of darkness...

It had only been a few days since the altercation between Kuyou and Nyx. Both had been called into the dean's office for punishment. Kuyou had been removed from the Public Safety Commission, pending an academic review of his studies and conduct. Nyx had only barely managed to escape expulsion, a fact that was not helped by his attempting to throttle Kuyou while they were waiting to see the dean. He had managed to escape with only an academic probation, on the grounds that no matter what happened he was not to go with the Newspaper Club to Witch's Knoll for their club field trip. This turned out to be a moot point, as Nyx failed his math final and was forced to stay for summer classes...

Nyx woke up and saw that his alarm clock read 5:45 AM. He briefly thought about going back to sleep, but decided against it. He didn't wanna miss saying goodbye to Kurumu and Mizore, plus he wasn't tired anyway. He hadn't been sleeping much recently, it wasn't that he couldn't, he simply didn't feel like he needed to sleep as much as he used to. He on average only slept 4 or 5 hours a day now and was feeling no ill effects.

He reached out and flicked on his bed lamp, the sudden influx of light startling the sleeping Dust, that had perched atop the lamp. Dust squawked in indignation as he was woken from his slumber, but Nyx ignored him. He got out of bed, pulled on a pair of pants, and headed to the bathroom, where he flicked on the lights and headed over to the sink. He turned on the cold water before bending down and splashing some cold water on his face. He straightened up and grabbed a comb from the counter and ran it through his long, black hair. Queue the double take, he turned around to see his normal silver hair was the color of a starless night sky. But, wait a minute... He remembered having black hair before... When had it turned silver? It had been black when he fought Absalom... But that wasn't real was it?

Ever since coming to the Academy, his strange dreams had gotten worse. He remembered things that couldn't possibly be real but he'd never heard stories of them so he had no idea where he would get the ideas for such things. They seemed so real. He remembered things after his defeat of Absalom. Small, fuzzy memories, fighting the construct army with the Crowfather, defeating the Guardian, killing the Wailing Host. He remembered all these things; yet it was not him that he remembered. It was a figure with orange-red eyes who wore an executioner's mask made of bone. A muscular, emaciated figure with a strange scar on his right shoulder with a tattered scarf around his neck that wore gauntlets and leggings of bone. Yet he seemed to possess the same skills and powers that Nyx had. But that was impossible... right? Nyx was startled from his thoughts by a knock on his door, which caused the raven to croak indignantly again.

"You sure are a sensitive little pest, aren't you?" Nyx called to the raven that followed him everywhere. This seemed to offend the bird, as he ruffled his feathers and turned to face the wall behind him.

"Who are you talking to? And what's up with your hair?" a voice asked from behind him. Nyx turned to face the source of the voice, only to see Mizore, hanging from an area that had previously been occupied by a ceiling tile.

"Oh. Hello Mizore, I was talking to Dust. The hair is just a new look I'm trying. So what are you doing in my ceiling at this time of day?" Nyx asked the Yuki-Onna. Mizore dropped to the floor with a light thump,

"I came to see how you were doing, but you took to long to answer the door so I came in through the ceiling. So are you looking forward to the club trip today?" she asked as she landed. Mizore had joined the Newspaper club after the incident with the apparently still alive and kicking, Mr Kotsubo. He guessed it was a plan for her to get closer to him but he hadn't questioned her about it, he didn't care one way or the other. Mizore was a perfectly nice young lady and he enjoyed her company, so her reasoning was no concern of his.

"Unfortunately, I have been forbidden from going on the trip, due to the altercation I got into with Kuyou yesterday." he said.

"Oh... I'm sorry to hear that. I was looking forward to spending some time alone with you." Mizore said sadly as her gaze fell to the floor

"Well, I'm sorry but I can't help you there." he said flatly as he turned to get a shirt from his dresser. As he turned around Mizore noted the scar that Affliction had left on his shoulder. It was a long, puckered line running from the top of his shoulder to just above his armpit, something about the blade Kuyou had used to inflict it deeply troubled Nyx. No other weapon had ever succeeded in leaving a lasting mark on his body, due to his incredible regenerative abilities .The blade was no ordinary weapon, that much, he knew.

"What's that scar on your shoulder from?" Mizore asked as she stepped forward and gently traced the scar running down his shoulder with one slender finger. Nyx shivered slightly at the Yuki-Onna's cold touch.

"Kuyou got in a lucky shot in our fight a few days ago. It's no big deal." he replied.

"You should be more careful. If you got hurt... I don't know what I'd do." Mizore said quietly as she wrapped her arms around his chest from behind him and pressed her body against his. Nyx shifted uncomfortably as Mizore continued to hold him before Nyx reached down and removed her arms from his torso.

"Well Mizore, I appreciate your concern. But I'm more than capable of defending myself. But enough about that, shouldn't you be getting ready?" he asked as he turned to face the Snow Woman.

"Well, I don't have to leave for a few hours. Maybe we could spend that time together..." she said, her voice trailing off near the end.

"No thank you Mizore, I have some things to do before my class this morning." he said as he turned to head to his dresser.

"But I-" Mizore began to say when Nyx cut her off by saying,

"Clinginess is not an attractive quality Mizore. It's not that I don't like spending time with you, I just have some things I have to do alone." Nyx said a he started to get dressed. Mizore nodded

"Okay, I understand." she replied as she headed for the door. As she passed him, Nyx felt a cold hand reach down his pants and give his butt a gentle, yet firm squeeze. Nyx started at this unprovoked groping.

"What the hell, Mizore? What was that for?" Nyx yelled as he turned to face her. Mizore said nothing as she flashed a smile and blew him a kiss, before shutting the door behind her.

"Crazy Snow Woman." he muttered as he proceeded to finish dressing when there was another knock on his door as he was getting out his shirt for the day. He sighed and trudged over to answer the door. He opened the door, still shirtless, to see Kurumu standing in the doorway, dressed in her usual school uniform.

"Oh. Hey Kurumu, what's up?" he asked. Kurumu didn't respond, she simply stared at him until it occurred to him what she was staring at.

"Kurumu, you're drooling." he said with a chuckle.

"What? Oh, sorry. What's up with your hair?" she asked as she regained her composure.

"Well, you see. It's such a long story(A/N: Foreshadowing!)... You know what? It's not important. Would you like to come in?" he said as he stepped back and gestured inside.

"Yeah, thanks." Kurumu said with a nod as she stepped inside, Nyx shut the door quietly behind her.

"I heard you can't some with us on the trip; is that true?" she asked as she turned around to face him.

"Yeah, I failed my math final so I gotta stay for review classes. Plus, the dean says I can't go since I got in that fight with Kuyou." he said as he took a seat on his bed.

"That sucks, I was hoping you and I could spend some time alone on the trip." She said, sounding disappointed as she took a seat next to him.

"Well I guess you and Mizore will have to go without then." he said with a shrug.

"What about Mizore?" she asked as she turned to stare at him.

"She was hoping for the same thing you are." he said casually.

"Oh..." Kurumu said.

"Is everything alright, Kurumu?" Nyx asked.

"Yeah... It's just I'm gonna really miss you while I'm gone." she said as she clenched her fists against her knees as she stared at her lap.

"Don't worry, I'll be right here when you get back. But, now that you mention it, I'm kinda worried about you guys going on your own. I want you to take Dust with you, he can let me know if you get in trouble." he said, he was referring to the telepathic link he shared with the raven. No sooner had he finished speak than Dust began to squawk and flap his wings indignantly.

"I don't care if you think Tsukune smells funny and that Moka's weird. You're going and that's final!" Nyx said to the raven. Dust puffed up his feathers and buried his head in his wing to fume in solitude. He turned back to Kurumu to see her smiling at him,

"What? Why are you smiling like that Kurumu?" he asked as he raised an eyebrow.

"It's just nice how you always look out for me." she said with a smile.

"How do you mean?" he asked as he got up to get a shirt from his dresser.

"Well, remember when you saved me from Moka, and then again. that fatass demon who attacked the library. Then again, when you tried to protect me from Kuyou and his thugs." she said as she stood up and walked over to where he was getting dressed and started to help him button his shirt.

"So I'm a decent guy. What's your point?" he asked as he reached for his tie and began to tie it around his neck.

"I'm saying that it recently occurred to me that I've never once done anything to thank you. So I wanted to do something to show you how much I appreciate what you've done for me. Close your eyes." She said as she brushed some lint from his shoulder.

"Yeah no, that's not gonna happen. I had a little incident with Mizore earlier, and I'm pretty sure that what you're gonna do falls along the same lines. Whatever you wanna do, you can do it where I can see you." he said as he finished tying his tie.

This seemed to embarrass the succubus, because she blushed a deep crimson color at his words and glanced away. He watched in silence as she inhaled deeply and seemed to steel herself for something.

"Alright, here goes then." she said as she reached up, closed her eyes, and pulled his head down to her height (as Nyx stood a good 8 inches taller than her) and before he could object, Kurumu planted a passionate kiss on his lips as she pressed her body against his. Nyx was caught off-guard for a moment, no more or less, before he pulled Kurumu closer to him and returned her kiss. It was probably on of the best kisses he'd ever had. Kurumu's exquisitely soft lips tasted unbelievably sweet, her tongue was far nimbler than he'd believed possible, and all of this coupled with the feeling of her breasts pressed against him and her grinding her hips against him, turned the entire experience into one of the most erotic moment's in the Pale Rider's entire existence. After several seconds, Nyx felt Kurumu's hands roaming over his chest, her soft hands running over every curve of his toned torso, as if desperate to commit every detail of him to memory. He regretfully pulled away from her lips as he reached down and removed her hands from underneath his shirt.

"As much as I'd love to continue, I have to get to class and you have to get on the bus soon." he said with her hands still in his.

"C'mon, we've got time. Things were just getting good." she pouted. Nyx was saved from having to argue with her by yet another knock at his door.

"Kurumu c'mon, we've gotta get going soon or we won't make it by tonight." he heard Tsukune whine from behind the door. Kurumu sighed,

"Fine, wanna continue when I get back?"she asked as she walked her fingers up his chest.

"We'll see what happens." he said.

"Okay. Coming Tsukune!" she called as she winked at Nyx before heading out the door, Dust flapping loudly after her as he followed her out the door. He walked over to see Tsukune still standing in his doorway.

"Can I help you Mr. Aono?" he asked as he crossed his arms in front of him.

"Well, I just want you to know that I'll take care of Mizore,Moka, and Kurumu while we're on this trip. I'll protect them." he said to the Vampire. At this news, Nyx shot him a look of utter incredulity.

"Is something the matter, Nyx?" he asked.

"Yes, in fact, it is. You think you can protect them. You can't even protect yourself from being caught in their squabbles. You are more than useless when we get into fights with other monsters , at many points you're a hindrance. You can't protect them Tsukune, you can't even protect yourself." Nyx sneered at the human, he found it quite presumptuous that Tsukune thought he could protect the girls. The human was weak, even by human standards.

"Well that's not entirely true; I have worked on controlling the vampire blood Moka has injected me-" Tsukune began

"Have you had any success?" Nyx asked, interrupting him.

"Well, not really..." Tsukune said as he rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment.

"I've heard enough, go away." Nyx declared as he slammed the door in the human's face. He returned to his room to see a woman with white (not caucasian, white) skin and wine colored-hair, clad in dark red leather armor, armed with a whip made of lightning's angry, less loved cousin

"Hello, brother" she said to him.

"Hello... strange person." Nyx said to the new arrival in his dorm room...

Meanwhile, in the Black City...

"Sir, Samael's forces have been very active of late. His efforts seem to be focused on Yokai Academy in the human world. What action would you have us take?" the Destroyer asked the Masked King.

"The Red Wanderer seeks to halt the return of the Pale Rider. Perhaps he would be upset if we sought to accelerate his return to power..." the Masked King said from his throne as he drummed his fingers on the armrest.

"How do you propose we do that, Sir?" the monstrously large dragon asked.

"His friends are going on a trip to Witch's Knoll. Have Ruby pay them a visit..." the Masked king replied fiendishly.

"As you wish, my Prince." the Destroyer said before turning to leave...

"Return soon Abaddon, I have a special aassignment for you. I will need your help to steal something rather interesting that Samael found in the Well of Souls." The Masked King called after his lieutenant

Back at Yokai Academy...

Nyx had ended up skipping class that day to talk to his guest, who had referred to herself as Fury and was sure that his name was Death. While Nyx thought that being called Death would be badass as all get-out, he had no memory of taking that name. Fury had gone on to explain that they worked for some people called the Charred Council as a team called the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse and had gone on to give what she believed to be their family history. Something that had unsettled him to no end, as they seemed to be eerily similar to some of the dreams he had...

"So let's say I believe you; which I don't. What is it you want from me that this Council can't do?" he asked his supposed sister.

"I want your help to find out what happened to our brothers Strife and War." she exclaimed from his bed.

"How? You have no idea where they disappeared and I have no way to travel to these other worlds you speak of." he said as he crossed his arms and shrugged.

"What about Despair?" she asked as she stood up.

"What?" he asked, not quite getting what she meant.

"Your horse, don't you still have him?" she asked

"The closest thing I have to a horse is an annoying raven named Dust!" he said, exasperated.

"Wait, so you have no mount?!" she asked incredulously.

"None! I don't see why you think I'm this Death character you idolize when I'm obviously-" he began when halfway through, his speech turned from Japanese to a language so old Fury had no knowledge of it. As this happened Nyx fell to the ground and began to babble in the same ancient language as images bombarded his mind.

Vines. Plant monsters with teeth like knives. A woman with 6 wings. Kurumu,Mizore, Yukari, and Moka inside a huge sphere of plant matter.

All these images raced through his mind for almost half a minute. When they stopped he was totally sure of the source of the images, this was what Dust was seeing.

"Brother, are you all right?" Fury exclaimed as she knelt next to Nyx and helped him get to his feet.

"No, Kurumu and the others are in trouble I have to get to them soon." Nyx gasped as he stumbled over to his bed.

"I can help with that." said a demonic voice, accompanied by the sound of bone chimes as Nyx turned to see Vulgrim floating at the foot of his bed.

"Name your price." Nyx said flatly, in no mood to haggle.

"I have none, this is a little gift from me. You will need it in the days to come. I can't find the mask, the Crowfather is a greedy bastard." the merchant said as he produced a set of gauntlets and greaves that appeared to be made of bone and seemed familiar along with a tattered scarf and what appeared to be a cloak blacker than the midnight sky(Necromancer armor set). Along with appeared to be a whistle made of a metal he could not identify.

"What's the meaning of this, merchant? You always want something. Always. Why not now?" Fury asked with narrowed eyes.

"The completion of Samael's plan will mean and end to all life as we know it. Dead people aren't good customers, horsewoman. This is an investment on my part. Now, I must go." Vulgirm replied before he vanished in a cloud of smoke.

Nyx donned the gauntlets and greaves along with the scarf and cloak as well. He examined the whistle, not sure of why the demon had given it to him. Eventually he headed outside with Fury and wandered until he was sure they would bother them. The he brought the whistle to his lips and blew with all his might. But no sound came out, he tried twice more and got the same result.

"What the hell? It does nothing!" Nyx said as he threw it to the ground and crushed it beneath the heel of his boot. There was a crunch as he crushed the whistle to powder... followed by a sickly whinny. Nyx turned around to see a horse standing behind him. It had a skeletal emaciated appearance, a glowing green haze emanating from within its body and its eyes glowing with green light as well. Its skin was mostly torn and somewhat rotted, revealing the musculature and skeletal structure underneath. Its bridle was made of chain and covered in corrosion and rust. Nyx reached out and placed a hand on its muzzle. As he did he felt a rush of feelings and memories come flooding back.

"Hello, old friend. I'd love to catch up but I'm afraid I must call on you once more to ride as hard as you can." the horse responded with a flick of its head as he raised himself onto the saddle. Fury watched on with a smile at the reunion. She knew that the strongest bond any of the Four had were with their horses. With a thought she called Retribution to her and prepared to follow her brother.

And so he rode. Fury hot on his heels. He rode toward Witch Hill, his current appearance was a nightmare burned into the mind of every being in creation. And soon he would remind them why..

Meanwhile at Witch Hill...

Kurumu was upside down in a giant ball of vines. She was so dizzy from being upside-down for the last half hour. How had this happened how had it gotten so bad? What if she died here? The thought of never seeing him again was scarier than death to her, for some odd reason, that didn't bother her. She was trying to think of a way out when he appeared.

A figure, clad in a long black robe, astride a pale horse, wielding a massive scythe. The second she saw him, Kurumu was more scared than she had ever been in her life. Every fiber of her being told her that this man was something to be avoided. No, to be feared. He spoke in a bone chilling voice as he asked

"Am I interrupting something?" he asked with a grin...

Author's Note: Alrighty, please vote. I've already decided Ruby will be a huge part of the story, though some of you might not like her part in it. I'm sure she will though(giggity)! Please review as well. This is 19th Angel, signing off.