Yuki's eyes shot open, her body already gasping for air as if her lungs thought she was still drowning. Her senses dull from all the death's she had to experience. Eventually, she got up and was greeted by a pale landscape stretched in every direction, empty and endless, devoid of greenery.
The surface of the ground she stood on was made of white tiles, and the sky above was pale, with no clouds.
"This place…it feels familiar."
A woman's voice caught her off guard.
"Well, It should. This incredibly lonely territory exists within the Unseen Realm and was originally created by you, which is why it feels so familiar. However, this current construct we are standing on is only a cheap imitation, you can even say a false version meant to draw your memories back to the surface."
Yuki turned around, and a woman stood behind her.
This individual had green silky hair and no pupils in her eyes, wearing tree vines and withered flowers wrapped around her body, forming a dress.
She also bore a tattoo on the back of her hand, a black upside-down crescent moon stark against her pale skin.
"Glad you're awake. Conquest of the Four Horsemen."
Yuki narrowed her eyes, confusion visible on her face. Moments later, a crushing migraine was driven into her skull, forcing a hand to her head. Fragmented memories began to surface.
***
A vision materialized in her mind as a grayish landscape came into view from the perspective of a stranger. When the stranger blinked, it felt as if she were blinking as well.
A massive cube stood planted into the ground, enclosing her within its walls. It loomed, nearly a hundred feet in size.
In front of her stood a childlike figure. A plague doctor mask served as its head, and ravens formed its cloak. Its body beneath the cloak was small, no taller than a child of ten or twelve years old.
Outside the massive cube stood a demon with red wings. He wore a black suit and tie that contrasted with his red skin. Long black hair hid most of his face, leaving only his mouth visible.
He had both hands pressed against the wall of the large cube, as if strengthening it, or perhaps doing something else entirely. Whatever he was doing, remained beyond her understanding.
With the next blink, her point of view lifted, and both she and the childlike figure began to float in the air. Their auras intensified, dust lifting from the ground as the pressure grew.
A few seconds later, they collided, and the impact sent a shockwave tearing through the space around them.
With the next blink they surged forward, body turning as the kick rose and slammed into the raven-cloaked child's head.
Suddenly, the barrier groaned and split open above them. Their gazes snapped down, catching the curve of a grin on the demon's face as the childlike figure slashed at the air with their Death scythes, but none of the strikes connected.
In that same second, chains descended from the sky and wrapped around the raven-cloaked child, restraining them in place.
Witnessing the childlike figure's capture, they dove down toward the demon to strike, but before the attack could land, the demon countered and severed their hand bearing the ring on their pinky finger.
A dark beam of light descended from the sky and struck them as the vision dissolved into static.
***
Soon after the vision ended. Yuki's breath caught, sweat forming on her forehead.
"Wha—, what was that!"
The woman grinned.
"You must have seen your erasure, judging by the look on your face."
"My what?! That was me…?"
The woman snapped her fingers, materializing two chairs.
"Take a seat. I'd like you to help me… help you, on a certain matter."
Yuki took a seat as another wave of pain struck her head. It seemed that more fragmented memories were surfacing in her mind.
Some of these memories felt weirdly nostalgic, almost like these were not foreign memories at all but her own from another life.
Yuki sighed and clasped her hands together.
"Who are you and why have you brought me here?"
The woman covered her smile using her long sleeve.
"My apologies. I should have started with my introduction."
The woman rose and spread her arms.
"I am what you call a False Horseman, also known as Pestilence. I am but a humble replacement created by the Sovereign, our father, using a fragment of your soul after he erased you many years ago."
Yuki's eyes flew open as more memories crashed into her.
"I… I remember now. I was erased for breaking the Third Law…The Law of Mutual Annihilation."
Pestilence grinned.
"Yes, that's right…By Law, Horsemen Of The Apocalypse are forbidden to strike one another, for such a conflict invites the annihilation of existence itself."
Yuki gritted her teeth, anger tightening her jaw.
"I was tricked by that demon…Who was it again? I can't seem to remember him."
Pestilence sat down once again.
"Well, this is what I wanted to discuss with you. That demon who caused your erasure was previously known as the Demon Sin Of Greed, Mammon. However, he is currently known as Sasaki Shin, The current Horsemen of Death."
Yuki couldn't believe what she had just heard.
Sasaki. Of all people.
He was the demon that had orchestrated her erasure.
Worse than that, more memories of the encounter began to surface as Pestilence continued speaking.
They slipped back into place one by one, each fragmented memory reinforcing the same truth.
Sasaki had been there. The one who had created the barrier and—
Yuki's mind went blank for a second, unable to remember the person in the barrier.
"Do you know who I was fighting…i can't seem to remember this person."
Pestilence's eyes widened before easing back.
"Oh, yes. You fought the previous Horseman of Death, Azazel. However, whatever disagreements you had with them, I was not privy to. I was created shortly after your erasure, and learned of it only through the current Death, or as you know him, Sasaki."
She put a hand to her chin and realized what Sasaki had done all those years ago.
His plan had most likely involved using whatever disagreements she and Azazel had to push them into breaking the Third Law.
And once Sasaki created a barrier that allowed them to fight without the Sovereign ever knowing, she and Azazel must have agreed to it.
Another thing stood out to her.
When Sasaki opened the barrier and the Sovereign's wrath was invoked, Azazel's punishment had been far lighter than herself.
However, it made sense.
More memories surfaced, threading the truth together.
Death was the only Horseman with the unique property of being unable to be erased or reincarnated.
His role could be taken, passed on, but he himself could not be removed.
That was why the chains must have fallen from the sky.
She covered her eyes with one hand and let out a long sigh.
"Why are you telling me this? You must have your own reason for exposing the truth to me. So stop wasting time and tell me what you want."
An ugly grin spread as her teeth fell from rot and grew back.
"I thought you would never ask. Well, I simply want to make a contract with you."
"What are the terms?"
"The terms of the contract are simple… My sacred altar is already marked for ruin, borne by our siblings, War and Famine. Hence, I, Pestilence, shall dwell within you as sanctuary, for I am no longer able to return to it. In exchange, I shall grant you the wisdom and the knowledge of the Unseen Realm you may seek to claim..."
She continued.
"Furthermore, I should mention, the Sovereign laid Laws upon us, yet these Sacred Laws endure only while we remain Four. This truth was known from the beginning. And now Death has unmade these Laws by calling a Fifth Horseman into existence. You."
Yuki didn't like where this was going.
"Well, this is all fine and all but you seem to want something else. So, lets stop beating around the bush and say it already."
Pestilence rose and rested her forehead against Yuki's.
"Invite total annihilation by opposing the Horseman of Death, once again. However, this time, the past shall not repeat itself. I have already set plans in motion that will greatly benefit you in your battle."
Yuki rose and walked away from her, drawing a confused shout from Pestilence.
"Where are you going? Have you accepted the contract?"
Yuki turned around, her eyes hollow.
"Where's the exit? I've already made up my mind."
Pestilence snapped her fingers, and a door appeared before Yuki.
"Then I can assume our contract stands, right? If so, may your battle grant you victory, Conquest, Ruler of All."