Darksiders: The Survivors

Chapter 20 - Ghosts of the Crow

The top of the spire was a vast open antechamber with rotating stone glyphs. Death remembered it all too well the last time he had been here. It was when he had come to the Crowfather to seek answers to help War when he was imprisoned. Unfortunately, the Crowfather was unwilling to cooperate due to the irritability he suffered from the souls of the Nephilim Death had left in his care.

I wish I didn't have to kill him, but there was no other choice, Death thought as they climbed the steps to the open arena. Mathias Dimitrescu was fascinated while Fury remained ever so alert.

It was quiet at first and Death stepped forward scanning the area. Where else could the Crowfather have gone? Now that he was a ghost, it should have given him more mobility between worlds as long he could return to his own.

"What's wrong brother?" Fury inquired cautiously.

"He's here, just choosing not to show himself. The Crowfather doesn't like visitors, or at least ones other than myself," Death replied, sensing the presence of the wise man.

Death could always tell when the Crowfather was lurking in the shadows, no matter what form he took. He was always whispering to himself and Death seemed to be the only one capable of hearing. He motioned Dust to leave and fly forward to confirm if he was right for the little crow was even better at detecting the presence of his old master.

It was the shape-shifting the Crowfather did that Death hated most when the former took the form of War to attack him. At least he will never do that again, the eldest Horseman thought.

"You may come out, Crowfather, it's just me," he beckoned,

A few seconds passed and Dust vanished behind one of the rotating sculptured and did not return.

"Wait here," Death requested to his sister and her human companion and the two of them exchanged looks but obeyed as Death climbed the stone dais searching for the old crone. If Dust had found him, surely he was with him now. Death walked around the stone pillar in front of him where the portal to the Tree of Life had once been the last time he was there. Muffled whispers were heard out of the corner of his ear but he could not make out what they were, only that they belong to the Crowfather. Why was he hiding?

A faint green glow was between another set of pillars and there Death saw him, the hunched-over humanoid being, covered in black feathers, sans his face with a warty nose and long white beard. He was glowing like a ghost, Death remembered that had been his own fault. I still can't believe he was willing to let me kill him as the only way for me to seek answers to save my brother, even worse, he shapeshifted to resemble War! Death thought, staring at the Crowfather who was in turn, looking at Dust, perched on the ground before his old master.

Death approached, "Well, look who found his previous owner. Hello, again Crowfather. I see you made yourself back home,"

The Crowfather looked up awestruck as Dust turned and fluttered back onto Death's shoulder, "Death? How is it possible?"

"Things work in mysterious ways. I need your help, well actually, we do," he turned and walked back around from once he came, and the old crone followed him without question, surprisingly. Death suspected he was still transfixed how someone who seemingly sacrificed himself not so long ago, was living and breathing once again.

Mathias and Fury were still waiting silently and did not question the elder Horseman briefly leaving them. Both of them saw the Crowfather and appeared to be intrigued, especially Mathias, for he had never seen a being quite like this one.

"What's this?" The Crowfather inquired, "Is that a human?"

Fury stood protectively in front of Mathias, "He's mine,"