Howdy Folks!

back at it.

took me a bit I know, but yet again, I got busy.

hopefully you enjoy this chapter enough to forgive me!

(I do not own West of Dead; I do not own Re:Zero)

"I am young. Maybe…six or seven. I'm peering through a crack in the cabin door. I can see five men standing on the porch. One stares at the ground in submission. Father. Blood is running from a cut under his left cheek. The others are counting dollar bills, their smiles as wide as the moon. Mother pulls me away. She sees my tears and thinks I'm afraid. I'm not. I'm angry." - William Mason, West of Dead

Welcome to the Kingdom of Ghosts

He was a fool.

She was playing with him right up until the end. Mason had thought he cornered her. He didn't realize how much she had been holding back that entire fight.

It pissed him off.

He should have been past this. He ain't no greenhorn, so why didn't he realize what she was doing? Hindsight, despite being a pillar of truth, can have some rather nasty side effects on a fella. Shame being one of them. Shame, because he failed to reign in his pride like he said he would.

He let down those people. And now? Well, he ain't sure. It would suffice to say whatever was happening to them now probably weren't good.

If he could let out a guilt laced sigh at this moment, he would. Unfortunately, he ain't been painted in yet. He doesn't feel it at first more than he does hear it. His heartbeat. A pathetic thing at first. Like a newborn arriving too early. He waits. Reality coils and unfurls in time with the stumbling rhythm as always. Corridors, doorways, and dust are shattered. Twisted. And rearranged. If this were his first time, it would be painfully obvious that something was terribly wrong. But he's been through this song and dance many times.

He wakes.

And, as he expects, he's back where he always is. The saloon. He rose from his knee and swayed a moment, before looking to the Barman. Who had a curious expression on his face.

"Haven't seen you here for a while longer than usual Mason." He stated. A rag still in his hand. His action still that of cleaning the ever-dirty glass.

"Somethin happened." He mumbled. He was feeling far dizzier than he usually does. He stuck a hand out and steadied himself on the bar.

"I'll say. You ain't one to kick the bucket that often anymore, so I suppose you ran into somethin meaner than usual." Yeah…yeah he did. Elsa.

But before her…in this place, it was the black hand.

At first, he thought it another consequence of the Preacher's machinations. His cultist abominations or a manifestation of his magic. His meddling left scars in this plane that have yet to heal and some will be carved into the very fabric of this reality for eternity. This is simply because of the nature of the magical power he imbued himself with.

But that hand had sent him to another world all together.

It wasn't a spawn from the Preacher. No. It couldn't be. For a couple of reasons.

One. It was powerful. The minions he uses are not magically talented enough to open up rifts between worlds.

Two. If it was his minion, Mason would have run into it sooner. This is a recent development.

It couldn't still be here could it? He looked out past the saloon doors, the sound of dripping water just outside. He ignored the others as they looked on at him in curiosity.

The corridors shift every time he's painted in. The layout is never the same. So he would need to look around a bit more thoroughly.

He quickly made his way out. The Barman called out to him but Mason simply waved him off.

"Be back in a bit." He pushed the saloon doors outward and marched on purposefully.

He made sure to get another revolver before wandering out into the crypts unprepared. Now all he had was his gun and a half empty flask. His knives were gone, disappearing with his latest death.

He moved slowly with his gun out, its hammer fully cocked and at the ready. Keeping an ear out, sweeping the crypts passageways and large rooms with precision. Prodding his other sense to tell him if anything was off. Eventually it did.

Another flare, his sixth sense pointing him somewhere. And once again, It's not an outlaw. Imagine his surprise when he sees Subaru sitting there in the center of one of the larger rooms that pop up sometimes in the crypt.

"Howdy kid." He inhaled sharply and turned to meet Mason's gaze. He could see some relief wash over his face. Mason didn't know how long that would last once he explained things to him though.

"Welcome to Purgatory." His face was blank yet still wide eyed for a moment.

"Wha-what?" He was frightened, confused. As all first timers are. Mason held out a hand for him and Subaru took it after a moment.

"C'mon, follow me. I know a place that's safe. We can talk more there." Mason started his walk back to the saloon. Subaru hesitated.

"Wait, I-I shouldn't be here. I…"

"We'll iron it out when we get somewhere else. It ain't safe out here." With that Subaru nodded a little shakely. And followed closely behind him.

With every step there was an echo of sound that resonated throughout the darkness. The kid kept quiet.

Eventually after a few minutes they made it to a junction. And it had just what they needed to make it back quickly. A summoning circle in the center. Mason could use it to quickly teleport them closer to the saloon. He stepped into its center and its border which consisted of many symbols of spatial magic lit up in a blue as sparkling and bright as the sky. It was pure.

It started gathering magic in order to teleport him to where he wanted in this section of Purgatory; they wouldn't be able to use it to go to places they haven't been yet but that should be fine. Mason looked over to Subaru who was wide eyed and took a step back at the display. He was still a bit fidgety.

"Relax, this here will get us closer to where we need to go. Go on, get in the circle." If Subaru had any objections to Mason ordering him around he didn't show it. The only emotions he was inclined to at the moment were anxiety and fear…how did Mason know that? He turned his gaze back over to Subaru. That was when it snapped in his mind like a puzzle piece.

They were linked somehow. Souls most likely. Possibly something else. It made sense, the attunement to his sixth sense, the empathic abilities manifesting, the easy trust gained through understanding intention almost immediately.

He shook his head. He can't think about it right this minute. First they need to get to the saloon and get this mess sorted out.

With that, the circle began to glow brighter and brighter. The floor beneath them turning into pure magical energy, they sank into it like quicksand. Subaru probably panicked for a brief moment but soon relaxed once he realized it was actually quite soothing. Mason pictured where he and Subaru wanted to go. A blue pillar of light shot up from the circle on the ground and into the infinite darkness above. Signifying their teleportation.

Despite his mind still going a hundred miles per hour, Subaru managed to find it in him to stop his nervous fidgets. He sat on the bar stool with his arms folded on the wooden countertop in front of him. Subaru thought it unreal how quickly he managed to calm down. Seeing as he's only been here for several minutes.

Mason was pacing back and forth behind him with his hand under his bony chin, which for the record, was not doing him any favors when it came to keeping a freak out contained. But thankfully the barkeeper was kind and welcoming. The others meanwhile…

He turned his eyes to the grouchy old woman. Yep she was still giving him the stink eye.

"Why da hell you let dis pisspot stink up me saloon, Mason?" Subaru's eye twitched as he resisted the urge to retort with something childish.

"It ain't your saloon." The card player in the corner said as he let out a sigh. Probably for the best anyway since the undead cowboy himself seems to be preoccupied with something.

"You never fully explained yourself. What is this place? Why am I here!?" He asked a little impatiently all of the sudden after calming down a bit.

"Well…kid I reckon it's cause you're dead." Whoopty doo. Thanks captain obvious! He's just going to come out and tell him. Since apparently his Return by Death didn't work.

"Ok…this is going to sound crazy but…I've actually been going back in time when I die. This most recent death of mine didn't bring me back like I was expecting." He paused for a moment. This was a little different than how he expected others to react to this revelation. He could barely read Mason aside from his signature head tilt of curiosity and a cue to continue with what he was saying. The rest were either blank faced or acted like they weren't even paying attention.

"Also honestly I don't even know how I died this time. I just sorta…burned away." Mason straightened. Another moment of silence passed as the Plainwalker cupped his chin in thought.

He walked over and pulled out a bar stool as he sat down next to him.

"Listen, I'm no stranger to the whole death and rebirth thing-"

"It's more like reloading a save point." He unhelpfully interjected. Mason shifted his jaw a bit in annoyance. Right, he'll be shutting up now.

"Like I was saying I know a bit about what that's like. I've got a curse that won't let me stay dead. Hence why I'm here."

"…oh. I'm…I'm sorry." He cringed a little at how insincere that sounded despite his feelings being the opposite. Mason didn't seem offended though and in fact nodded in thanks.

"Do you know who happened to curse you?" Uh, what?

"Curse? I guess I thought it was just some ability I awakened when I came to a new world." Mason let out a genuinely amused chuckle at that.

"No, ain't no human who innately has magic like that."

"Are you saying that there is some kind of magic humans can use?"

"Sure, although I haven't studied up on it." Mason shrugged before he continued.

"From what you've told me though it sounds more like a curse."

Subaru turned and looked down at his folded arms with a small frown.

"And…you just trust me when I say this? No pushback?" Mason mirrored Subarus' position next to, folding his arms on the bar and facing forward.

"That's actually somethin we need to talk about. I reckon somehow our souls are linked."

It took a few moments for the words to affect him.

"Huh?" Subaru queried ever so gracefully.

"Look, I have some knowledge 'bout these kinda things. Soul's and all that. If you think about it we have all the telltale signs of some kind of link. How fast we can trust each other, empath flares, you trailin' me back here when I died..." Mason groaned quietly in frustration.

"Still…this? This ain't anything I'm even remotely qualified for. Reckon we need to find someone who is." It didn't sound like this was an easy thing for anyone to wrap their head around. So he couldn't really blame him. Now that Subaru thinks about it, it would explain a lot. Especially how quickly he placed his trust into him.

"So what now?" Subaru could tell Mason once again submerged himself in deep thought for a moment at the question.

"...We go see the witch woman." Subaru felt a chill run up his spine. He heard mention of a witch from a few people in Lagunica from time to time. But this felt a bit more ominous.

"Relax, she ain't wicked."

"...I guess I'll find out." Subaru said, mostly just talking to himself. Mason and him stood.

"If you're ever around, this place is always open to ya, son." the Barman said.

"Thanks, I appreciate it." Subaru responded.

"Ain't no problem son, as far as I'm concerned this establishment could use more fine patrons." Subaru could swear that behind that thick muttonstache the man was wearing a warm smile.

"See you around Barman." Mason said as he walked his way to the doors. Nodding his head in lou for a short farewell to the rest of the saloon dwellers. Guess he's in a hurry.

"Sure thing Mason." he went back to cleaning his glass as Subaru followed Mason out the doors. Ignoring the glare that the old woman sent his way.

He hopes he gets out of this mess soon.

The guns were always just outside the saloon. Placed upon hexagonal stone pedestals. Even still, no matter how grand the plinth them shootin' irons are placed upon it'll always in some unspeakable and anti-gesticular way bely their gravity to the former marshall.

Made to kill. Displayed in the land of the dead. The poetry of it all ain't lost on him. He lit the lamp above, its light killing the darkness around the form of the firearms. He heard Subaru make a quiet exclamation at the sight of the weapons before them.

Mason reached out and grabbed the last revolver. 'Nother Colt 45 like the one in his holster. Thank god for this beauty. And for the fact that this fine piece replaced percussion cap loaded six shooters. He twirled it in his fingers, the gun was more than just comfortable in his hands, it was a part of him.

He turned to Subaru and held it out to him. Grip pointed toward the kid.

"You're gonna need this, partner."

He held up his hands in denial.

"Hey now, I don't know the first thing about guns! I could end up hurting someone!" He said.

"It ain't that hard. Just point and shoot. Any idiot can do it…no offense."

"Some taken…" Mason eyed the Subaru as the young man frowned at the weapon being handed to him. Before eventually sighing and taking it.

"Now since it's obvious you ain't terribly familiar with guns I reckon I should give you some tips."

"Yeah, that would be appreciated. don't wanna shoot my foot off accidently." Mason cocked his head.

"Which reminds me, since you're bound to bumble 'round it's probably best to only keep five in the cylinder, that is unless you're expectin' a shootout. And for you to leave the empty chamber under the hammer." Subaru's face warped into a look of confusion.

"Is there a reason for that?" Mason hummed in response.

"Well go ahead and pull the hammer back till it's half cocked." Subaru pulled the hammer till he heard a click.

"Now you see that?-" Mason pointed to the firing pin and Subaru nodded.

"That's the firing pin. It's attached to the hammer, and when the hammer isn't cocked that firing pin is resting on the chamber under it. If that chamber has a cartridge in it then there's a chance the gun could misfire if it gets bumped. Then you'll have a hole in your foot or…something else. Which is why I recommend you only load five bullets in and leave the hammer rested on an empty chamber."

"Oh." Subaru responded unceremoniously.

"That little latch there on the side-" Mason pointed and showed him.

"That's the loading gate. Flip that open. Then you can spin the cylinder clockwise and load at your leisure. You can only do this at half cock mind you." After showing him this Mason told him about how to fire a fully cocked gun.

"So, Purgatory…is it really dangerous enough for me to carry a gun around all the time?" Subaru said, aiming down the sights, both hands on the grip and a finger latching around the trigger like a fishhook as he squinted down range at the overhead lamp. It hung just low enough to be good target practice for him.

"Not as much as it used to be. But yes…also dont curl your whole damn finger around the trigger, use just the top part of your index. And don't lock your arms." Subaru blinked, then adjusted himself with an embarrassed chuckle.

He squinted. And breathed slowly. His tight grip on the gun made his fingers turn white. Mason could tell it frightened him a bit. Shootin' a gun for the first time can be a little intimidating. It ain't his first time teaching a youngster how to shoot. That's how it goes out west.

A few more moments of breathing from Subaru. His hands weren't necessarily shaky but they were far from steady.

Then he pulled the trigger. A loud bark escaping from the roscoe. It kicked a lot. But since Subaru was holding it correctly he was able to compensate. He missed too. By an embarrassing amount. But he wasn't much worse than Jake Harlow was when he got his badge and became his deputy.

"...damn it, it's way too dark for me to see." He said a little shakily. Mason put his hand on his shoulder.

"We'll work with this for a minute before we head out."

He took his own gun out and reloaded nimbly within just a few seconds. Much to the minor amazement of Subaru.

"First thing you need to do is stay calm." He flourished the gun before fully cocking it.

"Keep calm, keep relaxed. Cause as long as your grip is right, the gun ain't goin' nowhere." He brought his revolver up with his hand and aimed it down range. His movements are fluid and his aim steady.

"Aim on the inhale, shoot on the exhale." He fired and hit the lantern, causing it to go out. Subaru gaped at how easy he made it look. He lowered his gun slowly.

"I think you got the gist of it, the rest comes with practice. I'll tell you what I told my deputies - A gun is tool same as any other. It's as good or as bad as the man who wields it. Same as any other thing. But it is made for killing." He holstered his gun. And turned to Subaru.

"All I'm saying is know when to use it. And when you do, use it justly." Subaru nodded succinctly.

"How about some cowboy tricks? Can you teach me any?" Mason would have had a sly smile on his face if he could.

"No."

"Aww What!" The kid slumped his shoulders.

"Every shootist makes their own tricks, kid. And they don't share."

Subaru didn't have a gun belt, so he was forced to carry his revolver in his hands. Not that he minded. It made him feel at least a little safe knowing he had something to protect himself. He had to borrow bullets from Mason, which he kept in his pockets.

The air here was cold. His skin felt tight and goosebumps ran up and down his whole body, making him shiver.

The darkness made him nervous too. Reminding him of the moments after death and before being thrown back into the past again. The only respite in the dimness of what was essentially hell was the bright flame that danced on Mason's head. Which he stuck close to.

He had a lot of questions, as did Mason. Although the undead cowboy seemed to have a good idea of who could answer them, Subaru trusted him. But that didn't mean he liked this one bit.

Man, he's had just about enough of these unorthodox isekai shenanigans. He rubbed his eyes tiredly. One hand still holding his revolver.

Mason held up his hand and told him to stop. He did so, clutching his gun a little tighter. In the silence he could hear his heart pounding just as much as he could feel it. Mason's skull turned slightly in the darkness, like someone tilting their head to hear something. No sound was heard by Subaru however, excluding his heartbeat.

An agonizing moment of stillness passed.

"Subaru…" Mason spoke. Subaru jumped at his voice but quickly honed in and listened.

"There's an outlaw nearby." Subaru went rigid. His breath became only slightly more shaky.

"Is there a way to avoid him?" Subaru asked.

"No. I'm gettin him." Mason replied instantly. His phantom voice carries a hard edge he's never heard before.

"What!? Shouldn't we be going to find that witch you mentioned, not trying to fight everything we come in contact with!"

"We ain't got a choice, he's in the way." Of course he is. Subaru let out a shaky sigh.

Mason turned to him.

"Here's the plan, I'm gonna deal with him while you hide. These bastards are a lot tougher than most of the dangers we'll find here, so I'll deal with him myself." Subaru nodded, although he wanted to say he could help. This time however, he felt compelled to listen. They walked. Each step telling Subaru they were closing in on something bad.

The dirt beneath his feet did little to mask their approach, though Mason didn't seem to care. Walking to the end of the corridor revealed a much larger room with stone coffins inside. Carefully, they both entered the room.

Subaru jumped at the sound of metal grating behind them and turned with a start. To his horror their entry was blocked off by metal bars. They looked like they were pulled straight from the fence of a decrepit cemetery. The decaying skeleton of a man was skewered in the spikes.

Subaru scrambled back slightly. Mason stopped him by putting a hand on his shoulder.

"Calm down." Subaru listened to him and started taking slow deep breaths. Looking around the room once more. It was dark, far darker than the hallways if that was even possible. Mason tightened his grip on him slightly to get his attention.

Subaru turned to him. He pointed towards a stone coffin to their left.

"Hide." His eyes widened. Quickly he heeded the word of ally and crouched down behind the coffin. The only thing behind him being the dirt walls of the large room. He peeked out and watched the events that were about to take place in the room.

Mason took a few tentative steps into the darkness of the room. It wasn't a surprise when he got locked in. That was usually how they operated. It never worked, and a good thing he never left any of them alive to tell their friends how ineffective the method was.

Because the truth was they don't lock him in with them, they lock themselves in with him.

He looked back to see Subaru slightly peeking out the top of the coffin he told him to hide behind.

When he turned back, a green flame made itself known in the middle of the room. Then brightness engulfed him. A lamp being lit. The outlaw made himself known.

"We do not recognize your authority Plainwalker. This place is ours." The outlaw's voice echoed through the room, carrying the same qualities as Mason's except his deep and gravelly timbre. The skull of a deer on a human body. Large antlers reaching out on both sides. A green fire burned the elk head black. Yet the flame only seemed to settle on his head. Not affecting the long gray duster coat he was wearing.

"There ain't no 'we' anymore fella." Mason shook his head. It was just another slug who felt he could defy death. Likely heard of the stunt the Preacher and his followers pulled and decided to follow in their footsteps.

"I'll give you the chance to head west now…Or we can fight and I'll send you there myself. It's your choice boy." He could see the outlaw shake with rage at his ultimatum.

"DRAW." The outlaw shouted out at him in defiance and a twinge of fear.

So that's how it was.

Mason grunted. The two of them bored eachothers stabbing gaze. Although Mason was handling it better if the slight shaking of the outlaws hand was any indication. It strayed near his gun holster, aiming to draw soon.

Mason stepped right. The outlaw took a step left. They circled slowly. One step. Two steps. Three steps.

They stopped. Mason could see now that Subaru had a side view of their duel.

"Need a count?" Mason asked.

"…No." the outlaw answered.

…

In the precious few duals Mason could remember from his time alive, you could always read the other person. The usual riff raff he's dealt with all had sweaty brows and wide fearful eyes. A shaking wreck of a person. Bound to die.

Then again, everyone is going to die someday. Mason hopes at least. Still up in the air for him.

On the other side of the equation however, is steely eyes and steady limbs. It's those people that will get you faster than you can think "oh, I'm dead". He had plenty of time to get into this groove when he became a Plainwalker.

This outlaw didn't.

His hand trembled near his holster as Mason rested easily near his. He was calm, the kind of calm a soldier slips into when their training kicks in. A cool collectiveness. His reflexes soon about to take over.

Mason could hear the malevolent being making heaving breaths of nervousness. Likely out of habit at being confronted with a stressful situation.

The outlaw was almost certainly frightened.

They both stared at each other. Right into where their eyes would be. Both of their respective flames danced on their black skulls.

The heavy breaths rose in intensity and volume. Mason almost rolled his eyes but thought better of it. Not after what happened last time he underestimated someone.

Instead he watched and waited.

At the zenith of his inhales and exhales, the outlaw cleared leather…or tried.

If the outlaws' speed was like a viper striking out at its prey, then Mason was like lighting.

Mason's gun spat lead at his enemy before he could even point his gun from the ground to the former Marshall. It only took one bullet.

The outlaw's head snapped back. His elk skull hollowed out and leaking black gunk from the hole now in his forehead. He fell to the ground, kicking up dirt into the air like dust.

Not a moment later in a subdued explosion of green fire did the corpse of the outlaw dissipate into nothing. Its soul was sent out west.

Small balls of white hot energy pulsed where he died. Then began gravitating towards Mason. Who absorbed it without a thought.

Sin. a currency for the witch. They might need it.

Mason spun his 45 by the trigger guard and slid it into his holster smoothly like a glove. Then slapped its side. He ain't obsolete yet.

"That was…" Subaru came out from behind the coffin.

"…fast."

"So it goes." Mason said slowly. He pointed to the corridor that was behind the outlaw. The metal bars disappeared as soon as the outlaw died.

"We need to go down there. Then I reckon we'll be there soon." Mason said.

"Right, yeah." Subaru said. They exited the large room they found themselves in and soon began journeying through even more cold, dark hallways and corridors.

Mason found himself to be pleasantly surprised by the lack of hostiles in the crypts. Besides that of the outlaw of course. Or well, maybe he shouldn't be. He did clean house on this section of Purgatory very thoroughly. Nonetheless there is always a stray here or there that wanders into this place. And with recent events it's best to be on guard.

Which was why he deemed Subaru worthy enough to get a gun. In case he might need to protect himself. He would rather deal with any threats that come their way himself if he could help it, but he can't always be there to stop harm from comin' to Subaru every step of the way.

But once again the only trouble that they ran into was the outlaw. And no black hand has reached out from the darkness yet to his relief. So it must not be here anymore. A good or bad sign? He couldn't say.

Mason turns the corner of the hall they have been following for the last 20 minutes at least. He spots ahead of them exactly what they were looking for.

A summoning circle. Like the one that got them to the saloon. They walked up to it. Mason hovering his hand over it, feeling where its energies converge at. Unlike the last one where he had to tell the portal where to take him essentially, this one was fixed. Ergo it would bring them to a specific place.

The only portals in Purgatory that were fixed were the ones that lead to the witch woman.

"This is it, we step onto here and it'll lead us to the witch woman." He said to Subaru.

He was silent for a moment.

"Are you sure this person can help us? Calling her a witch doesn't inspire my confidence in her."

"Look, there ain't many good folks here. And even less of those folks are my friends. I'll admit she ain't of an altruistic nature by heart, but we really ain't got many other places to turn." There was a moment of silence before Mason continued.

"Actually? We ain't have nowhere else to go. You can't go to the afterlife cause you're linked to me-" Subarus' face flashed with panic at the prospect of staying dead forever.

"And hypothetically your curse is bound to backfire if you stay here too long partner. Which could put this place at risk, and I ain't havin' that." He thumbed his chest.

"So it's this or nothing." Subaru responded conclusively. Mason nodded.

He watched as the kid composed himself. He gripped his gun a little tighter before nodding resolutely.

"Ok…let's go see this witch." They both stepped into the circle. And it swallowed them whole into a blue mass of magical energy.

The gushing of power that pumped through his now eldritch veins felt like being roughly woken from a nightmare of voids. His memories, still intact, were replayed once again. He frowned.

He died. He was sent west. The marshall and his posse. The righteous souls. Hmph.

The ritual made him injustice. But he was still partially Matthias Bauer. Therefore, he could be killed. Though not forever. How long has he been gone, are his followers still with him? Probably not. No matter, he's back now.

His gold shimmering face twisted into a wicked grin. The green fire around the titan's head became more intense and gathered in his clawed hands. His massive wings fluttered as he brought his giant avatar down from the darkness above Purgatory and into a new plane he had not seen before. Plenty of time to find out though.

Mr. Mason should have known. You can't banish a concept. Matthias was just as much Injustice now as he was the Preacher. Perhaps it's time to see if there are any souls around who wish to be his servant. Or at the very least, made to be his servant.

A demonic chuckle reverberated throughout this section of Purgatory.

And only those who were masters of magic could sense the return of the Plainwalker's archnemesis, returned from hell with the powers of a god. And once again attempting to cause havoc in the realm of the dead.

To all of you readers who are wondering why Subaru can talk about RBD - all will be revealed in time.

probably next time actually. Keep an eye out for the next chapter which hopefully won't take as long to get out fellas!

I bid you a good day or night dear reader.

PS. Leave some reviews, they make me jolly.