Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse {Book Four: War} (Gladiolus x Reader)

|| Twenty-One ||

"Will this really work?" Prompto asked, unsure of their plan.

"Only one way to find out," Noctis said.

"Just stick to the plan, blondie," Gladio stated.

"This will work," Ignis reassures the worried marksman.

"Are you all ready?" Death questioned.

Gladio nodded. "Lead the way."

She summoned her scythe and emerged from their hiding spot. She casually strolled up to the dullahan who had yet to notice her presence. Once it did, it raised its whip and released a battlecry. The Horseman dodged each and every attack it sent her way. She remained on the defensive, trying to evaluate the monster's newly acquired strength and what method would be safest to extract (Y/n).

Noctis, Ignis, Prompto, and Gladio soon joined the fray with their own weapons drawn. They focused their attacks on the dullahan's steed while dodging and deflecting the whip. Prompto fired a few rounds into the horse's chest, causing it to rear up with a neigh. He watched with hopeful eyes to see if the rider would fall off. However, it remained steady on the animal's back.

Ignis was still trying to get used to being unable to see. He used his ears to listen to the horse and the rushing air created by the whip to understand where the enemy was at all times. His daggers became inflamed as he attacked the adversary. He threw one of them directly at the horse, the sharp, flaming blade embedding itself into its side.

Noctis and Gladio focused on the steed's hind legs while Death did her best to protect them from the whip. She gripped her scythe tightly when the whip wrapped around it. The dullahan tried to disarm her, but she stood strong and yanked back. It lost its balance slightly, making her grin. When the prince and his shield managed to cause the horse to lose its balance, its rider came tumbling off.

As planned, Prompto dealt the killing blow to the horse. He giddily grinned when seeing its body disappear. "Yes!"

"We're not finished yet!" Noctis shouted.

Death yanked harder on her scythe, which still had the dullahan's whip wound around it. She caused it to stumble before slicing the whip in two. The monster hadn't anticipated its weapon breaking and pulled too hard when it broke. Its momentum from pulling resulted in it to tumble backwards and land on its back.

"Noctis, now!" Death hollered.

At hearing the girl shout, Noctis activated the armiger. He flew towards the dullahan, using the royal arms to pin it to the floor. The weapons pierced its arms and legs. It howled out, struggling against the weapons.

Knowing Noctis couldn't support the armiger for long, Death and Gladio acted quickly. They rushed over to the trapped monster and leapt onto its body. The sable-haired girl switched her scythe out for (Y/n)'s sword and handed it to the shield. "You cut, I'll pull."

Gladio caught the blade and followed the Horseman's instructions. He jammed the blade into the dullahan's chest just far enough to cut its rotting flesh. Using her hands, Death pulled the skin back. The dullahan's black blood covered her hands and was burning them. She fought against the pain and pulled as hard as she could. She gritted her teeth when her own blood began mixing with the monster's.

When Death could see her sister, she told Gladio to cut a little deeper. She ignored the dullahan's wails as she grabbed (Y/n) and freed her from its body. She dragged her sister away from the monster while Noctis and Gladio leapt away. The monster recovered once the royal arms vanished.

"Now can we target the head?" Noctis asked.

"Your attacks alone won't do any damage," Death said, her eyes focused on War's body. She held a hand against her sister's chest and used a healing incantation. She watched as the redhead's wounds healed, sighing in relief.