Dormant

27

Drawing courtesy of @Spi11ed_Ink! Make sure to check her out!

And I feel like I haven't slept in months,

And it takes everything I have to get up. 

It has for a while now,

It kills me to say it.

It's just too much.

And I, I think I've had enough.

I think I've had enough.

Please, take me home. 

Moose Blood, It's Too Much

27

Despair crested the hill with his head hung low, obviously equally tired as his two riders. Valir was asleep on Death's back. The only way that Death was able to stay awake was the uncomfortable position he was in from the saddlehorn and attempting to keep his Thoroughbred awake.

It had taken a while to get back to Jessica's. Jophiel had bid 'the two, unworthy children of Adam and Eve' as the other Archangels had approached. Apparently, the discussion that was to come could not be spoken with the listening ears of the Kingdom of Man, even though Death technically wasn't human. After accessing the surprise and the wounds that Valir and the Horseman had gathered, Death decided that there was no point in arguing with Jophiel's righteous views and simply left. From the evening sun, the moon had rose and brought the sparkling stars with it.

Jessica's broken house sat in the middle of her farm, a shadow casting over it from the one tree that was anywhere near it, another coming from the tigress that was waiting beside it. And, suddenly, things made sense. That broken house was Jessica's broken spirit. Death could almost see the shadows of the two people that had deceased in her life; there, like they weren't the ghosts of what had been, a man holding a young child's hand stood by the Guardian without casting shadows. It wasn't until the child ruffled Sera's fur that the Kinslayer realized the ghosts could interact with people. The second that they entered the shadow of the house the two had completely disappeared, leaving just the tigress.

You didn't die, Sera stated calmly as she flicked an ear in acknowledgement to their arrival. I was beginning to wonder if you would ever return, Horseman.

"Glad you missed me."

I was more concerned about the life you might have lost, Sera hissed, baring her fangs and flattening her ears.

"I wouldn't have gotten her hurt, Guardian." Death dismounted Despair, awakening Valir. She jerked upwards, taking a moment to gather her surroundings before stretching and dismounting herself. "Go rest. I'll take care of Despair." Valir nodded and left without complaining.

Sera watched her walk into the house before turning back to the Horseman. Where did you go?

"You weren't concerned when we left, what makes it different now?"

Again, her ears flattened, her lips pulling back into a snarl. One second later the white, purple-striped tiger was in her human-like form. Death wasn't entirely sure what to think of the Guardians. They claimed that they weren't human -they called themselves Sri Moi- but there were so many qualities that they shared with humans that it seemed like the best thing to go with. Sera stood before him, tall for a woman but not taller than him, and her hair was ruffled like she had been running her hands through it nervously. The only thing that didn't appear human were her too blue eyes and the glow that came from immortality was too strong.

"I had other things to do, Horseman." She crossed her arms, leaning into the side of the house. One of the shingles fell off with a clunk. "I'll explain everything to you later. There are people inside who you will most likely want to meet. Hand me Despair's reins. I'll put him up for you."