DARKSIDERS: Return of the Horsemen

Chapter 2: Vulgrim's tale

Alli Wolf had managed to not only reach the toll gates, but had Vulgrim, the demonic merchant, begin to explain what happened to the Horsemen of the Apocalypse.
“As you are aware, the Endwar began four years ago. Ever since then, the Horsemen have been fighting the angels and demons that have now sided with the Charred Council. But, at the beginning of this year, the council set a trap. The Horsemen fell for it and have been imprisoned in four separate locations and have been incapacitated by a single dagger impaled into them. These daggers were designed by the council so no demon or angel could remove them. They also drain Nephilim of their strength if touched. If you still wish to continue your search, you will need my help. I have access to the serpent holes, and you will need them in order to reach the Horsemen.”
He explained, before pulling out what looked like a crystal encased in stone from behind his back. “If you accept this soul catcher to collect souls for me, I shall inform you on where the Horsemen are.” He held it up to her.

‘Whatever it takes to end this Endwar.’ Alli thought. She took the soul catcher and clipped it to her belt. “You got it, Vulgrim. Now, tell me where the Charred Council placed the Horsemen.” She said.
The demon smiled. “Very well, my dear. Strife is in an area close to your settlement known as The Bronx. His horse, Mayhem, shouldn’t be too far. Fury is trapped inside Twilight Cathedral. Tiamat may have been destroyed, but the demons still linger. A phantom horse destined to become the new Rampage should be about. Death and his horse, Despair, are trapped within the Iron Curtin. But, I strongly suggest you save that place for last. As for War and Ruin, they are in the Ashlands. Find the horses first. Gain their trust, and they should lead you to their riders.” He explained. Alli nodded in reply, memorizing each location so she could report back later.

“Thank you. Who do you think I should go after first, if you don’t mind me asking?” She asked. Vulgrim hummed, tapping his chin before saying, “If I were you, I’d begin with saving War. Since he slew the Stygian, the other ash worms have seemed to disappeared. Making the Ashlands more easier to traverse.” Alli nodded. “Alright. How do these serpent holes work?” She asked. Vulgrim opened a portal on the floor in front of them. “They are ancient tunnels beneath this world, and beyond. The pathways will appear to you as you make your way through. First time travel is free, but after that, you must collect souls to use it again.” He explained. Alli got an erie feeing in the back of her mind, but she chose to step into the portal.

Seconds later, she found herself in a pocket dimension.
‘So, these are the serpent holes.’  She thought as she pulled her flashlight out of her pack. With every step, a stone pathway appeared right in front of her. She kept following the pathway until it lead her to a new portal, which she stepped through. Once outside, she saw she was in a completely new location. Vulgrim appeared behind her once again. “Well, here we are, my dear. I wish you well on your mission.” He said, before vanishing once more.

Alone again, Alli saw the ruins of an apartment building to her right. Gripping both the flashlight and a pistol, she ran for the ruins. Running was kind of difficult due to the ashes that clustered together like sand. Luckily, the building wasn’t far. Once her feet touched something solid, she became more cautious. This place could be crawling with demons for all she knew. Finger on the trigger, the tracker cautiously traversed the empty halls of the ruins that used to house a bunch of people. Alli managed to find a unit that was both intact and empty. Once inside, she silently shut the door. She didn’t want to announce to any demons that might be lurking nearby. After doing a once over, Alli cracked another glowstick and saw the remains of a dining room. She got a chair and broke it apart before lighting it with her lighter. The fire may have been small, but it burned bright. Finally able to rest, Alli pulled an MRE out of her pack, sat down and began to cook it by the fire. She thought of contacting Valor, but decided against it. The demons might hear or people might be asleep.

After her food was done cooking, she was about to enjoy it, but a caw, coming from a near-by broken window, startled her. Alli aimed her gun, only to be greeted by a large raven gliding in. Something about this animal seemed other worldly to the tracker, but she brushed the feeling aside as the raven moved closer and closer to her. “You do know it’s rude to startle someone, right?” She chuckled as the raven hopped onto her knee, like he was expecting her to share some food. Alli tore up a piece of ham and held it out to the bird. “Here. This is pretty much all I can give you. All I got else on me right now is chips, water and a couple of granola bars.” She told him. The raven gently took the meat from her hand. Alli stroked the feathers on the bird’s chest and smiled. “At least I got another new friend out here. Maybe you can help me tomorrow. It’ll be nice to have another set of eyes helping me find one of the Four Horsemen.” The raven looked into her eyes, like it understood her. It nodded, ruffling its feathers before perching itself on another chair, looking out to the balcony. “Gonna keep an eye open for those bastards? You are quite smart, my new fine feathered friend. Just so you know, tomorrow, we go look for both Ruin and War.” Alli said to the bird before setting her pack up to be used as a pillow. Sleep was finally starting to take hold of her. The day had been successful. She found Vulgrim, found out what happened to the Horsemen and where they were. The raven was a pleasant surprise though. What remaining thoughts were pushed from her mind as the tracker fell into a deep sleep. Safe from the warring angels and demons that were just outside.

(AN:  So, I don't know if Rampage can be resurrected after the events of the third game. I saw a theory on the wiki that since the Horsemen are now free of the Council’s control, that it might be possible... but, I decided to try something with an unclaimed phantom horse.)