Awaken: Book two of Fallen Series

Chapter Three-pestilence's POV

The woman with my power left without explanation. Melting into oblivion as if she had never been there. Did she claim to be a fifth horseman? She didn’t deny it when this Joy had said it. Even said so herself I looked over to the trembling woman, her wide terrified eyes on me. Had I made a mistake? The woman who saved me had a point. Humans were not pets. They were not meant to be kept on a leash, or in chains. Yet, they did so to me. This one human however did not. She had been the one and only human who tried to save me. The only one who spoke against the cruelty of her kind. Maybe I could show her the same and let her go. Allow the plaque to take her slowly and painlessly. Give her as much time as I can. Or I could just allow her to live. It was within my power to do so. I can spare those I think are worthy.

“What shall I do with you?” I questioned, circling her slowly. She was small. Though not as small as the woman who freed me.

“You can let me go. I won’t bother you. I won’t come after you.” She shook her head. “I just want to go to my sister.”

“Ah yes. The little one you were carrying around with you that first day.” I remembered her. She was all but dragging that child behind her as she ran back to see what had become of me. After she had shot me down for the men to obtain. Needless to say, I will not fall for another trick like such again.

“Ye…yes.”

“Tell me. Who was that woman just now? Do you know?” I asked her.

“No. She just showed up.” Joy’s eyes grew wide. “she sounded so innocent and she was so small. She said she got lost in the dark.” Her brows furrowed. “But then. She changed. Everything changed when I mentioned you. She knew you were here. Said she had come to free you. She said she was the fifth horseman. I didn’t even know there was a fifth.”

“That’s because there isn’t a fifth horseman.”

Joy laughed nervously. “I dare you to tell her that.” Her cerulean eyes met mine. “She used your plague, healed your wounds. She blended into plain sight and vanished without a trace. I wouldn’t dare tell her she isn’t what she says she is.”

“Powerful though she may be, a fifth horseman she is not.”

“Then please. I beg of you. Take me with you just so I can see you tell her that.” Joy’s challenging glare surprised me. There was no gest in here eyes. She wanted me to take her just so she could see the outcome of the challenge lain before me.

“Very well.” I removed the chains from her freeing her. It was her choice to come along after all. “But be warned. Death follows my plague.”

“I am well aware of how your plague works pestilence.” She wrinkled her nose at me. “Do you have a name? An actual name that isn’t pestilence?”

I thought for a moment. Should I tell this woman my name? I did not see any harm in her knowing it. “I do. My name is Cillian.”

“Cillian.” She smiled. “Much better than pestilence.”

“If you say so. Either is fine with me.” I waved her off, turning away and whistling for my horse. The white beast galloped from a crop of trees nearby, my armor, crown and bow on its back. Why must I have been given a crown? What was the purpose? Because I was considered a conquer? That was what some religions called me. Not pestilence, but the conqueror. Tedious to say the least. As I mounted my horse I looked over to Joy. “Do you plan on walking the entire way?”

“Uh…” She glanced around mutely.

“Look in the stables you bothersome woman.” I sighed.

Joy glared at me before stomping off in the direction of the closest stables. I do hope it was the fear causing her to lose her thoughts, otherwise this would be cause for a long and bothersome journey. I did not have time for such a nonsense.

“You could be nicer you know.” She stated flatly as she trotted up beside me on a black mare.

“My niceties are all gone.”

I rode ahead of her, leaving her grumbling behind me. She could not possibly understand the depth of torture her comrades had made me endure. I could only hope that once my ride was finished my brothers did not endure the same as I had. The only good thing that could come of it was I would still be on earth should they need help. I would not be put back into darkness again. I would finally be able to join my eldest brother in his realm and have a life. Whatever that may be. A life that will begin after the creator rains fire down on earth ending mankind. My eldest brother’s job did not end with his ride. It ended after the worlds fiery demise.

“How long do you ride for?” Joy asked.

“Until I’m done.”

“Why, thank you captain obvious, I had no idea.” There was sarcasm in her tone, something I had come to know among humans.

“That is all I know. I ride until I am done.”

“How do you know when you’re done?” She was beside me now, her wide curious eyes on me.

“The creator will tell me, and I will stop.”

“God talks to you? This is his doing?” Shock was in her wide eyes.

“Yes.”

“What kind of God would do something like this?”

“The kind of God who warned you humans what would come to pass before it came to pass to prepare you. Do not blame me, or him because you decided not to listen. Hell will rise, and earth will meet its end. As will hell. Once all is done there will be peace.”

“Once everyone is dead you mean.” Joy replied sourly.

“Dead in body is all.” I told her plainly. How could a human ever understand? A body is nothing more than a shell, a cage. It keeps the soul captive until death frees it. We are freeing the souls from their prisons. Sending them to an eternity where they can be free, can be what they were originally intended to be. Immortal, unbound by sin, fears, doubts or pain. Forever young and happy. No sadness, only joy. How could that be considered a bad thing? It’s only bad to humans because they are the ones left behind. Because they are left in pain, and they are angry at the world at God, at death. They could never understand the true concept behind it all. Even I couldn’t fully comprehend it all and I was a celestial being.

Continuing my ride, I knew would prove to become more dangerous for me. I could survive any attack. Joy however could not. She should not have come. If anyone were to target her, she would be killed. She should for all intense and purposes be dead anyway. But I am keeping her alive. She had issued me a challenge. One I fully planned on seeing through. Though I didn’t know how I would. Or even if I could. The woman never said how, if or when I would see her again. She said something about me calling her, and my brother training her. Since when does my brother train anyone? Why would he teach anyone? Thanatos was not known for his patience or kindness. So why with her? What did she mean to him?

“Uh, Cillian.” The uncertainty in Joy’s voice caught my attention. I turned to her, noticing she had lagged behind. All she did was point ahead. Ahead of us, people were gathering on the streets. Little by little at first. Small devices in some hands, while large cameras in others. This was being televised. Modern electronics should have been destroyed alongside vehicles before my awakening. Such a tremendous annoyance they are causing. Spreading the word of my ride, and soon the ride of my brothers much faster than would have been possible if they were destroyed.

“Such loathsome creatures, humans.” I accused woefully. “Always getting in the way.”

“Hey.” Joy pouted.

“Do not sound so vexed Joy. You live do you not?” I asked.

“I guess you have a point.” She replied, still pouting, her arms crossed over her chest.

One by one the plaque took the people before us. Joy’s startled gasp did not escape me as the bodies of the humans started to drop, their limbs turning black and faces shriveling. Devices fell and cracked against the pavement but I am sure plenty of what happened was caught on the cameras and advertised across the world.

“Cillian. This is..it’s terrible.”

“it is necessary.” I blandly.

“How is death ever necessary?” She demanded angrily.

“The fact that you even asked me that question proves to me just how little humanity has evolved.” I Replied drearily. “Such a shame.”

“Evolved?” She shrieked. “You think we haven’t evolved because we don’t like death?”

“Death is inevitable Joy.”

“Inevitable.” Joy scoffed, rolling her eyes. “Death is just a power play for your brother.”

“I warn you human. Do not speak ill of my brother.” I hissed lowly. “he does a job handed to him from much higher than him. He does a service to you people. Tell me. How do you think this planet would fare if none of you could die? How would you all live? Where would you all live? This planet is not suitable to sustain such a large amount of life. There are too many of you living here as it is. You consume this planets life, killing it in the process.” I growled angrily turning from her.

“You may be right Cillian.” She told me brusquely. “But it does not give you the right to kill us like animals.”

“You prefer I kill your kind slowly? Painfully? As they did I? I can give them that. A slow and painful death. Allowing them to go around and spread my sickness to one after another allowing each and everyone of you to die agonizingly slowly.” I turned and eyes her harshly. “Is that what you would prefer?”

“I would prefer you not kill us at all.”

I scoffed, facing the road ahead. “That will not happen.”

“Of course not.” She sneered under her breath, clearly not knowing I could hear her. “You’re heartless.” If only this human woman knew. I never wanted this task. Taking human lives was never what I wanted to do.