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-FOUR HORSEMEN OF THE APOCALYPSE-
***BOOK ONE: DEATH***
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A/n: Welcome, my lovelies! In this x reader series, you only get to choose your name and eye color. Hair color will already be determined as to what role of the Four Horsemen the book follows.
FYI-NOCTIS AND LUNA ARE NOT ENGAGED IN THIS STORY!!!
I hope you all enjoy this short series! Love you all!!!
~✨Celestial✨~
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"So..." Prompto muttered, glancing around at their surroundings. "Why're we walking through an abandoned tomb again?"
Noctis sighed at knowing he would have to explain the circumstances again to his best friend. "I don't know, Prom. All my dad said was to head to the Duscae tomb that lied below the wetlands. He didn't say what we would find, but he said we needed to come here."
"His Majesty wouldn't send us on a wild goose-chase through some abandoned tomb for no reason. There must be something we can find down here," Gladio stated, coming to defend his King.
"Though void of daemons, do exceed caution. There possibly may be other foes afoot," Ignis exclaimed as he followed behind the prince through a narrow tunnel. Their flashlights pierced the darkness as the tunnel seemed to be leading them in a certain direction. No branching paths presented themselves as the air around them chilled the boys to the bone.
Prompto's teeth chattered as he rubbed his arms in desperation for warmth. "I-It's freezing down here. What could we possibly find down here?"
"Don't know, but we're gonna find out," the bodyguard said. "You scared?"
"N-No!" The blonde boy denied with a shaky voice.
Gladio snickered and grinned at the younger boy. "You think the dead are gonna wake and attack us?"
"What if they do?!" The sharpshooter wails.
Noctis rolled his eyes at his shield's words. "You seriously think that's gonna happen? That's not even possible."
The brute knew he couldn't scare the prince, but he did make a good point. "You never know. We left the city only a few days ago. Who the hell knows what forces are really at work around us."
The tactician behind the raven-haired boy agreed with the bodyguard. "Indeed. Compared to those in the Duscae, Leide, and Cleigne regions, a sheltered life is what we've experienced."
"Seriously, Specs? You're falling for-" Noctis fell silent when he heard the sound of heavy footsteps echoing behind them. The four boys froze, turning to see if their flashlights could find someone in the darkness. When the sound grew in intensity, they realized it was more than one person by how loud the footfalls were. "Shit..." Noctis murmured.
Unbeknownst to the prince, a figure was standing behind him. Before he could react, the boy was grabbed and dragged into the darkness with a scream. "Noct!" His three friends shouted, searching the narrow tunnel for the prince. With no luck, they ran down the tunnel and away from the approaching footsteps of those behind them.
As they ran, the remaining three boys were picked off one by one by the same figure that had dragged Noctis away only a few minutes earlier.
In the blink of an eye, all four boys were reunited inside a chamber that was well-lit with torches. Prompto was still frightened as he spotted a skeletal warrior looming above him.
The boy screamed, his legs shaking as he collapsed to the floor. Noctis ran to his friend's side and helped him up. "Calm down, Prompto. It's not gonna hurt you."
"Yes, it is!" The shutterbug whined, gripping onto Noctis tightly. "Just look at its weapons!"
Gladio and Ignis were ready to summon their weapons, but the prince stopped them. "Like I said, it isn't gonna hurt anyone! Just listen, dammit!" Prompto sealed his lips, but the fear remained in his being as the warrior watched him and his friends with glowing eyes.
"Shall I help explain the matter at hand?" A feminine voice asked. Prompto, Gladio, and Ignis turned to see a girl with long sable locks, (e/c) eyes, and cladded in a strange outfit.
Noctis sighed, accepting the girl's help. "Please, do."
"Brauhn, step down," she ordered the skeletal warrior. It nodded in response and walked over to her side, acting as her bodyguard. "You four are the ones King Regis told me of. I never expected to see you this soon, though."
The prince had already learned of who the girl was when she had dragged him out of the tunnel. "This is why we're down here. This is Death."
Prompto swallowed nervously. "Is that really your name?"
"Well, no. You could say it's more of a title than a name. My true name is (Y/n). A pleasure to finally meet you all." (Y/n) bowed politely and Brauhn followed her action. The sable-haired girl glanced at Ignis and saw the bespectacled advisor had pieced together the puzzle with such little information. "I see you catch on quick. Quite impressive, I must say."
Noctis, Prompto, and Gladio were now the ones who were confused. The brute glanced at Ignis in curiosity. "Whats going on, Iggy?"
The tactician adjusted his glasses before clearing his throat. "We stand before the embodiment of Death, one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse."
"Hey, I've read that story!" Prompto shouted. "But, it doesn't mention four women."
(Y/n) laughed lightly. "The stories you read are false tales. I, along with my three sisters, make up the Horsemen. If you wish to know the true tale, I will gladly share it whenever."
"Another time, perhaps," Ignis stated.
(Y/n) nodded and soon was called out by Gladio. "Why did you drag us here?"
"You are being followed," she simply responds.
"By whom?" The strategist inquired.
"The ones you call "Imperials." They've been following your moves for quite a while now. But, they cannot reach this chamber unless granted access by me," the Horseman responds.
"That explains the footsteps we heard earlier," the prince murmured, releasing his hold on Prompto. The blonde's fear remained as he refused to move from the spot he fell. He couldn't help but stare at Brauhn, fearing the undead warrior would strike him down if (Y/n) were to leave.
The black-haired girl saw the fear in the sharpshooter and promptly placed a hand on the skeleton beside her. "You've done your job well, Brauhn. Now, dispose of our unwanted guests." In a mere second, the warrior was gone. When a few seconds passed, they heard the screams of the Imperials from the tunnel. Ignoring the screams, (Y/n) faced the blonde with a warm smile. "Do you feel better after I've sent Brauhn away?"
In response, Prompto nods and moves his legs. He stands between Gladio and Ignis as Noctis chats away with (Y/n). Suddenly, the young prince reaches out and pokes the Horseman on the cheek. The girl's (e/c) eyes blink owlishly as she was confused as to why Noctis was poking her. Seeing her confusion, the raven-haired boy snorts with laughter. "Just checking."
"Just checking what?" She questioned.
"Some stories say that if you touch Death, you become one of the dead and join his army of skeletal warriors. Others say you turn to ash."
(Y/n) sighs and playfully swats the prince's hand away. "As I said earlier, those tales are lies. Although, I do have the touch of death." She walks over and picks a small flower that was growing through a crack in the chamber's stone floor. With her other hand, (Y/n) touches a single petal and the flower slowly begins to wilt. Eventually, the flora crumbles away into a pile of ash. "It's a power that I can easily control. Death is just a touch away."
"Um, (Y/n)?" Prompto spoke up.
"Yes?"
"Are there any parts of the stories that are true?"
"Hmm..." The Horseman falls into deep thought before answering. "I do wield a scythe and have a loyal steed. Besides that, everything else is a fabrication of someone's imagination."
Prompto gasped. "I-Is it undead, too?"
"Yes, Thanatos is dead. He's relatively a normal horse besides the vacant eyes. Since we have time until Brauhn deals with the Imperials, I'll tell you the true story of the Four Horsemen right now."
"Yes. It would be in our best interest to pass the time," Ignis stated. Even though he was against the storytelling earlier, the advisor knew they wouldn't be able to leave until the Niflheim soldiers were dealt with.
The four boys gathered around (Y/n) as she sat on a crumbling stone chair and listened to the true tale of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.
***
Four souls were pulled from the four corners of Hell, gifted with abilities no human, god, nor daemon could comprehend. Each soul was given one of four aliases that accompanied their powers-War, Famine, Pestilence, and Death. Now dubbed the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse by the Daemon King, Aeshema, they were sent to a world between the living and the dead known as the Inner Sanctum-a domain where the Four Horsemen would reside and keep order of the monsters who relish to break the seal preventing them from entering the world of the living and quenching their bloodlust.
With the seal preventing the monsters from escaping to the land of the living shattered, the Horsemen were tasked with traveling to the bustling world to hunt down the monsters that escaped and kill them before humans fell victim to their bloodlust. Once each Horseman slew their share of the monsters, they would be granted passage back to the Inner Sanctum.
Once the Four Horsemen reached the gateway and entered the portal, they arrived in the land of the living. Famine, Death, Pestilence, and War went their separate ways and disguised themselves as humans in order to walk among the living and hunt down the monsters incognito without startling the lives around them.
***
The four boys were silent for a few minutes before Gladio questioned (Y/n). "Is that it?"
The girl glanced towards the brute. "Well, yes. The story doesn't have an ending because you're currently living it without knowing it. In truth, the story is no tale you tell. In fact, you are reciting true events that have unfolded and continue to unfold."
"Does that mean your sisters are on Eos, too?" Prompto wondered.
(Y/n) shook her head with a frown. "No. They've already returned to the Inner Sanctum. Famine, War, and Pestilence have already done their duties. I, on the other hand, haven't."
"A complication of sorts?" Ignis asked.
"Yes. There's a group of monsters known as "Wendigos" that I have failed to find on Eos. There location is unknown and I've no clue of where they reside."
"Then, why're you down here?" The blonde shutterbug inquired.
"It's quiet and away from prying eyes. No human would ever wander in here voluntarily... except for you four," (Y/n) said.
A few minutes of silence passed before Brauhn appeared at Death's side. Blood covered the skeletal warrior's armor as he sheathed his axes. (Y/n) smiled and clapped her hands together. "Excellent work, Brauhn. Now, let's discuss what brings you four here. I'm aware of your relations to His Majesty, but he did not mention why he was sending you all my way."
"Oh, uh..." Noctis mumbled, realizing he and the others failed to mention as to why they were looking for her. "Dad said you could help us. Well, he didn't really specify what we would find, only that it would help."
"Help you with what?"
"With our journey," the prince responded.
"An alliance with you would provide us a connection to the royal tombs and to an ally we can trust," Ignis said.
Gladio smirked slightly. "It'd be nice to have an ally with your powers."
(Y/n) hooked her thumb and index finger around her chin, wondering what she should do. Pacing back and forth for a few seconds, she smiled as she made up her mind. "Alright. I'll join you. It'll give me a chance to search for the Wendigo, as well."
Beside Noctis, Prompto was pointing to Brauhn with a shaky finger. "Is he comin' along, too?"
The sable-haired girl snickered. "No. Brauhn will stay here." At her words, the undead warrior's body crumbled into a pile of bones. Before his head fell, (Y/n) caught it and placed it on top of a stone. She adjusted the helmet before facing the boys. "Let's get going."