Chapter 5

I do not own either Darksiders or Corpse Princess

A few days later.

Despite everyone knowing his identity Strife continued to go to school.

"Why are you still coming here?" asked Takamasa one day after school.

"What are you going to do to stop me," responded Strife. "You have nobody you can talk to who would believe you outside of the Kōugon sect anyway? Besides I could easily tell everyone your secret as well."

Takamasa didn't like it but Strife was right. There was nothing that Takamasa could've done to stop him from going to school.

One day during yet another uneventful day Strife saw Ouri talking to some of his friends in the corner of the classroom as he usually did. He couldn't make out what they were saying but then a girl walked in. The White Rider recognized the girl, her name was Nozomi Kasuga. The other students had a habit of calling her breast goddess for obvious reasons.

Nozomi walked over to Ouri. Who then got up to stand next to her they seemed to be talking with his friends for a moment. Judging by their reactions of their faces Strife was guessing that they were probably trying to disconfirm that they were dating.

The two of them then walked out of the room Strife, being as curious as he usually is, decided to follow them. He followed them to the library where they appeared to be going through some strange magazine.

Ever since the incident with Minai Strife had always kept his distance. Ouri had asked him a few times if he knew what had happened to Minai but The young horseman could never tell him. All that he could do was maintain his distance from Ouri while keeping an eye on him from a distance.

After Ouri and Nozomi left, Strife went in to see what they were looking at. The magazine that they were reading had a strange article about some type of cult or religion.

Devout followers witness the extraordinary ritual in which a young monk walks deliberately into the center of a raging inferno. Said the article. Despite the impossible, he survived, his burns disappearing in a matter of minutes.

"Looks like there's another shikabane in the area," Strife muttered to himself. "I guess I'll have to go tell my brother about this. Oh wait that's right he's not here."

Flashback

The previous day Strife had been called by his brother Death to his warehouse.

"You want me to take over your job because the Council needs a progress report?" spoke Strife repeated with surprise.

"Yes," responded Death to Strife's question. "The Council demands that I personally give them the progress report, but I dare not leave this city to the monks alone so I would like you to stay behind."

"I guess that would be okay," Strife said slowley. "But why would the Council ask you back so sudden for something as simple as a progress report?"

"I don't know," spoke Death. "But they were very insistent on me coming back to deliver the report personally. But whatever the reason I still have some questions of my own that I'd like to ask them."

"Okay," uttered Strife. "So when are you going to go?"

"Immediately," responded Death. "But before I go I need you to give me your word that you won't tell anybody about what happened with Minai."

"Why?" Asked Strife.

"Because, I can't have you exposing the one who did the deed." Death responded.

"Very well, you have my word." Strife promised.

End flashback

Later that day Strife got a note from Takamatsu asking him to meet him on the roof. Strife decided to do what it said simply out of curiosity.

"So what did you want to see me about," spoke Strife as he pushed open the door to the roof

Strife was surprised to find that Takamatsu wasn't alone; Itsuki and Keisei were there too.

"I'm guessing you didn't invite me here to tell me how I did on my last paper," spoke Strife sarcastically.

"Actually I was the one who asked you here," spoke Keisei. "I want to know if you know what happened to Minai?"

"Why don't you go ask your monk friends?" Strife responded. "They were the ones that found her weren't they?"

"I have asked but they're not telling me much," spoke Keisei. "I was hoping perhaps you knew more of what happened to her."

"I'm sorry but I can't tell you that," Strife said as he turned away from Keisei lookeing down over the fenced roof.

"You can't, or you won't!" Yelled Keisei.

"CAN'T unfortunately!" Strife responded in an equally angry tone. "It was made pretty obvious the other day that my brother and I don't always get along. But despite that he is the last of the firstborn nephilim and as a result he still has some level of authority over the rest of us."

"Why do you mean by authority?" Keisei asked in a much nicer tone.

"I gave my brother my word that I would not speak of what happened to Minai." Strife explained. "No matter how much I may want to I cannot go back on my word. I'm sorry but I lack the power to break that promise."

"Fine then guess I'll just have to ask your brother himself. How can I find him?"

"You can't, not unless you can jump between dimensions that is."

"What do you mean?"

"The Council that we serve demanded a progress report. Death left about a day ago to deliver that report. He probably won't be back for another day or two."

"All right then," mumbled Keisei. "I guess I'll have to keep searching on my own then."

"A word of advice Keisei," said Strife as Keisei was about to walk away. "My brother respects you because he finds a lot of things in common with you. You're both strong, determined, and care for your brothers even though you're not related by blood. However, I wouldn't recommend getting too close to him. Just because my brother respects you, doesn't mean he can't kill you with respect as well."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Takamatsu asked. "You and your brother came here to kill shikabane, you're the same as us."

"Let me correct you on that Takamatsu," Strife responded. "We came here to destroy whatever it is that threatens the balance. Whether that threat is human or shikabane we will kill them all the same."

Keisei left the roof unruffled by what Strife had just said. Takamatsu and Itsuki on the other hand stared at Strife with little to no concern. After a few minutes of silence Strife left the roof.

After school Strife decided to investigate the place he had seen in that magazine from earlier. The place wasn't very hard to find, it was a very large building with a very strange pillar at the front with a peculiar emblem on the top, it looked like a circular face with a spike in the middle one eye and horns and the words "Order of Eternal Life Research" were written at the base.

Once Strife was inside he found that the place was crowded. Like a shoulder to shoulder rock concert with people looking into a huge TV screen. The person on the screen was the one Strife had seen in the magazine article, he was saying things like "eternal life is like this fire that can never be extinguished." The most interesting part was when the monk and next to this man walked into the fire. Moments after the monk emerged from the fire his Burns began to disappear. After that the cult leader began to sweat and his sweat turned into gold as it fell. The young Horseman knew something was up here. What surprised him even more though, was when he looked around and saw Ouri in the crowd.

Strife was unable to confirm whether this individual was a shikabane or somebody was just putting on a good show. So he decided to leave and come back to investigate later. However, those plans changed when he heard what sounded like an explosion just after leaving. Going into his horseman form Strife snuck around to the back of the cult building. Once inside he saw the cult leader from the TV screen in the room, he was conversing with three other individuals. One of these individuals began to approach the cult leader a tall fellow with a mustache and a rope so long his arms were hidden.

However, the moment that he got close the cult leader screamed out "fires flame high," and suddenly the staircase between them burst into flames. Then he yelled, "trees, trees take them," and then the skinny one at the bottom of the stairs was trapped in a tree.

The cult leader went on to explain how he had a curse that made it so everything he said into being, this explained how he was able to do everything he did at the show. The cult leader continued to say how he believes that these three were from the Kōugon sect. But he was wrong.

The man trapped in the tree broke his way out rather easily, and upon exiting it was seen that instead of arms he had two giant centipedes where his arms should have been. The cult leader began saying "die," but they wouldn't die.

"Such a pity," said the man with the centipede arms. "Since were already dead the command is rather useless."

"All of you are shikabane," yelled the cult leader.

Suddenly the centipedes from the man's arms extended to attack the cult leader. The leader of the cult jumped and landed right in front of the exit. But standing at the exit was what looked like a young girl with white hair and tattered clothing. She slowly began to walk towards the cult leader and when she got close enough her vacant expressionless face turned sadistic, and in an instant the cult leader was dead in a flash of blood. Strife had seen enough and decided it was time to do something. Before revealing himself he noticed a camera near the entrance. He quietly came from his hiding place and began applauding, while still making sure not to be seen by the Camera.

"I must truly thank you," spoke Strife. "You did my job for me. However, my orders are to kill you so you'll have to accept my apology."

"And who are you supposed to be?" asked the man with the centipede arms.

"My name is Strife, more than that you don't need to know."

"Fine, doesn't matter to me you'll be dead in a minute anyway."

"Okay but before we begin," Strife pulled out redemption and shot the camera. "I think we need a little more privacy."

The centipedes from the man's arms charged at Strife but he dodged them easily. He then pulled out Mercy and began to fire at the centipedes. The bullets went by so fast they severed two of the centipedes and wounded the others. Barely fazed by this the man released more centipedes from his arms, but this proved to be just as useless as the White Rider continued to doge them. Suddenly Strife noticed that the little girl from before was right behind him. She was mumbling something he couldn't make out and suddenly she charged at him. The young horseman figured he could dodge her but she was faster than he had initially thought. When she touched him black smoke began to appear at the spot where she touched and Strife began to feel immense pain. Realizing that this girl had done something to him Strife sought an escape. He gave out a loud whistle and from directly beneath him Toil appeared. Riding on Toil the horseman went directly through the shikabane and out the exit.

One hour later at Death's warehouse.

"Vulgrim!" Strife screamed as he entered the warehouse. "Vulgrim!"

Vulgrim appeared out from the center of the warehouse.

"How may this emergent help you horseman?" Said Vulgrim.

"I need a healing potion," Strife yelled. "I need an Angelica grade healing potion now."

"Are you insane?" Said Vulgrim and angered tone. "Those are almost impossible to get."

Strife began to draw spell circle in the ground. When the circle was complete a pile of gold as big as Strife himself appeared.

"One Angelica grade healing potion coming right up," spoke Vulgrim almost drooling over the pile of gold that had just appeared before him.

A few minutes later Vulgrim had acquired the potion, and Strife was using it to heal the wound that the child shikabane gave him at the Cults headquarters.

"That's much better," spoke Strife after his wound finally stopped hurting. "This injury was necrotic. I didn't think there was anything in this world that could create an injury like this on me."

"I'm surprised," said Vulgrim as he counted his new found gold. "I didn't think an injury like that would have affected you as much as it did."

"Normally it wouldn't," Strife responded holding his wound. "But I underestimated them and let my guard down. It seems my brother was right, there is more going on here than at first glance."

The next day

Strife had gotten a message from Keisei saying that he wanted to meet him at the temple. Strife called in sick at his school in order so that he could go meet him. The young horseman entered the center room and saw Keisei and Makina talking with Rika and Saki.

"Oh great what's he doing here?" Saki said in an arrogant tone.

"Nice to see you too," Strife said sarcastically. "How's your stomach been doing lately?" he taunted

"Relax Saki, I invited him here," said Keisei. "Since his brother is not here I thought it would be important for him to see this."

Rika reached over for the envelope that was lying beside to her. She pulled out what looked like photographs and began to hand them to Keisei. However, midway to handing them to him Makina reached out and grabbed Rika's arm.

"Are you sure it's them?" Keisei asked.

"Keisei, are they the next assignment?" Makina asked.

"Yeah," Said Keisei. "Probably."

As Makina let go of Rika's arm the photos all fell to the floor. Strife leaned over and looked at the photos.

"Hey it's them," Strife spoke in a surprise.

"How do you know them?" Asked Makina as she reached over and grabbed Strife by the throat.

"I'm guessing those pictures were taken at that immortality cult. And you weren't able to get any more pictures because the camera was destroyed." Said Strife

"Yes but how did you know that?" Rika asked.

"Because I was the one who shot the camera," Strife said is everyone stared at him in surprise. "I was there when this was taken."

"If you were there them why didn't you kill them?" Makina yelled still holding Strife's throat.

"I tried to, but there is something weird about that little one with white hair."

"Makina let go of him!" Keisei demanded as Makina began to slowly let go. "And what do you mean by there was something weird."

"What I mean is when the kid touched me she gave me this," Strife said as he pulled up his shirt revealing a large black patch of skin.

"What the hell is that?" Everyone asked simultaneously except Strife.

"When the kid touched me the very spot that she touched began to become necrotic. Luckily I was able to get a powerful healing potion before it spread. If this kid is able to leave a wound like this on me I'd hate to imagine what she could do to humans."

"So what you're saying is that this shikabane's dangerous even to you," Keisei asked.

"It would seem that way," responded Strife. "But what's odd is the fact that this was able to damage me this much. If it was a naturally occurring or even a magical illness or disease it wouldn't have been able to affect me like this."

"So then what you think it is?" Rika asked.

"The only other thing I could think of that would cause a necrotic wound like this would be necromancy magic."

"Necromancy, how?"

"Necromancy does more than just raise the dead; it can also involve magic that rots and decays. Unfortunately I'm not much of an expert in this category."

"Then who is?" Makina demanded.

"You honestly need to ask me that," Strife responded looking at Makina like she was a moron.

"Do you know when your brother is going to return?" Keisei asked.

"Well from what I heard this morning he should be back by tomorrow,"

"All right we'll wait till then and see if he knows anything more about this."

"Okay, but before I go, who are these shikabane?"

"We don't know much about them, only that they call themselves the Seven Stars."

"All right I guess I'll see you later then," Strife spoke as he got up, leaving the room and eventually the temple.

Later at Death's warehouse

"Ahh, a pleasure to see you Master Strife," spoke Vulgrim as Strife entered the room.

"Vulgrim," said Strife as he threw Vulgrim a boatman coin. "I need you to find some information on a group of shikabane they call themselves the Seven Stars."

"As you wish," Vulgrim chuckled disappearing into the floor.

When night fell Strife decided to return to the immortality cult in the hopes of finding some clues as to what the seven stars were planning. He wasn't alone there multiple contracted monks and shikabane hime were also there.

"It would appear that the founder was a shikabane himself," spoke of a man that Strife identified as Sougen Takamine from the files his brother gave him. "And to think the seven stars were one step ahead of us."

"The first to arrive on the scene were killed instantly," spoke the woman next to Sougen Takamine who Strife believed was his shikabane hime. "It was like they made a point to ensure there wasn't a single survivor."

"That's very ingenuous of you," spoke Strife as he emerged from the shadows.

"Who are you?" Sougen asked as his shikabane hime grabbed the two swords at her waist.

"My name is Strife; I'm guessing you've heard of me by now."

"Sojo!" Rika yelled as she ran to the room. "Come outside, quickly."

As everyone, including Strife, ran outside, a large red wall begin to rise around them; it was at an impossible height.

"What is this?" Asked Kamika a.k.a. Sougen's shikabane hime.

"This is a trench," Sougen answered. "This is a curse of a powerful shikabane the dimension is used to capture their prey."

"Yeah but one this big ain't going to last too long," Strife said. "In line to wage you that whoever is doing this is just trying to buy time, which means we're not the ones that their after."

"Senior Keisei, and Makina!" Yelled Rika.

"That would be my best guess," responded Strife.

Meanwhile in the Charred Council's Chamber

"I have given my report to the best of my abilities I demand to know why it is that I was not given all the information," Death demanded to the Council.

"You were told only what you needed to be told," said the first head.

"These contracted monks have abilities that shouldn't belong in the human world and on top of that that you would send one of my brothers to aid me when it does not seem necessary," argued Death.

"Do not test our patience horseman," said the second head. "Your mission is the same no matter what we decide to do."

Suddenly Dust flew in and landed directly on death shoulder.

"What is the meaning of this interruption?" The first head demanded.

Death looked into Dust's mind. He saw Keisei and Makina fighting against the traitor monk that Death had seen before as well as one that was obviously a shikabane wearing what looked like monk robes.

"I have to go now!" Death said.

"What is so urgent that you need to leave now?" Said the first head.

"Keisei may very well be my only means to infiltrating the Kōugon sect," Death answered. "I can't let him die I need him alive and right now he's in the middle of a fight that he cannot possibly win on his own."

"Very well," said the first head after a moment's pause.

After hearing that Death summoned Despair and rode off hoping to get to Keisei and Makina before it was too late.

Meanwhile back with Strife at the immortality cult

Strife, as well as the shikabane hime that were trapped in the trenches, were busy fighting ravens that were somehow created by the trench itself.

Saki seemed to be having fun with a chasing after the ravens with her hammer. Until about 100 ravens started chasing her.

"What would you like me to do Sir?" Kamika asked.

"Educate them," Sougen responded. "Show them why we call you the sword Princess."

Kamika then took a stance similar to that of a samurai and placed her arms around the two swords at her waist. She drew the sword and on doing so a huge shock wave was created that sliced the ravens apart.

"Not bad," said Strife. "Now let me show you what I can do."

"What are you going to do?" Rika asked

"I'm going to show you how I earned my first name." Strife said with an evil grin on his face. "By the way I'd recommend holding your breath."

Suddenly white mist began to appear all around Strife. It was incredibly beautiful almost like something out of a fantasy. But suddenly the mist turned pitch black, like the thick smoke from a burning tire. Strife and then pointed directly at the ravens and the smoke went in the direction of where his hand was pointing. As the ravens became consumed by the smoke they all began to fall down to the ground dead.

"He truly is the rider of the white horse," said Sougen. "He is pestilence."

Death was traveling as fast as he could to try and get to the temple. He needed to get to the temple to try and help Keisei and Makina, but traveling between worlds is a timely chore even for one of the horsemen. Death arrived just in time to see Makina being thrown into the building by some type of an explosion. As the Pale Rider rode forth on Despair he was stopped just before he reached the building by a cloud of pink fog which then took the form of the shikabane he had seen in Dust's memory.

"And just who are you supposed to be?" Asked the shikabane.

"Is one not expected to give their own name before demanding that of another?" Death responded.

"I am Kowaku of the seven stars," said the shikabane. "Now you tell me yours."

"I am that which your kind claims to be," Death said. "I am Death."

"Ha, some gut comes riding up claiming to be death hoping to save his damsel in distress," laughed Kowaku.

"Whether you believe me or not is irrelevant. I've come to kill you and I intend to do just that."

"Well as much fun as I'm sure I could have fighting with you I got a date with someone else right now."

With that said Kowaku turned back into pink fog and then flew straight into the building through the hole that Makina had gone through only moments ago.

Death followed close behind by the time he got inside Makina was already being surrounded in a vortex. Keisei ran into the vortex and chewed something in his mouth which he then spat out. Suddenly, Kowaku turned back into his physical form and look like as if he was in great pain.

"You bastard, what did you do to me?" Kowaku said.

"That plant was a poison that circulates through your entire body." Akasha spoke in shock only just having been noticed by Death. "You fool, by putting that in your mouth you've sealed your own fate."

"I've had more than enough of your nonsense," Keisei spoke in a tone that sounded more like a man possessed then a monk. "Instead of talking, perhaps you should realize that both of you are now well within my range."

Akasha summoned the shikabane arms he had used before to create a wall between himself and Keisei. The Keisei charged and punched directly through the wall. Death could hardly believe what he was seeing; a mere mortal was hurting a demon. Then The Pale Rider noticed that there were scriptures on Keisei's arms. Death never thought he would see this in the third kingdom, a warrior that had accepted his own death and was willing to fight to the very end.

As Death watched Keisei do what he thought was impossible he also noticed that Makina was on the floor. She was mumbling something about Keisei and it looked as if she was very weak. Suddenly Keisei unraveled the Scriptures from his arms and they turned into a monk staff and with that staff he charged at Akasha.

"Senior wait, stop and I'll tell you the truth, don't you want to know?" Akasha yelled frantically.

"Save your breath!" Keisei hollered while still charging at Akasha. "Your kind of truth leads to the death and destruction of innocent people. And it caused you to murder your own shikabane hime, I don't ever need to know!"

As Keisei struck at the wall of shikabane arms an explosion was created that knocked both Akasha, and Kowaku outside. But after it was over Keisei fell to the ground in pain. Makina went over to him telling Keisei how stupid he was.

"I'm sorry." said Ouri whom Death just noticed.

"Shut your mouth!" Makina yelled. "Don't tell me you're sorry, if you do I'll kill you where you stand. Keisei knew what he was doing he wanted to protect those he had sworn to protect and his family. This was never about you."

"Makina I'm sorry I never intended to screw things up so much." Keisei said as he tried to get back up.

For the first time Makina actually noticed Death standing there in the doorway.

"You can help him can't you?" Makina asked death frantically. "I know you can help him you've done it before."

"I'm afraid there is little I can do for him at this point," Death said leaning over Keisei.

"But why not?" Makina demanded.

"Blunt force trauma, spiritual trauma, blood loss, and poison if it were any one of these things individually there may be something I can do but I lack both the means and the time to fix all of them at the same time." Death explained.

"But you can bring the dead back to life," said Makina. "I saw you do it on the bridge once."

"To perform that spell takes constant concentration." Death began to explain. "Even if I could keep it going his body would still continue to decay. There's nothing I can do at this point that would save him."

"In that case, Ouri I have a favor to ask you," Keisei said as he was able to lean against the wall. "I need you to help Makina and the others in my place,"

"I don't understand," said Ouri.

"You can't," said Makina as she grabbed Keisei by the collar. "You can't transfer the contract, you promised."

Makina raised her arms if she was about to slap Keisei, but instead placed her hand on the side of his face and began mumbling something under her breath.

"I hated to be inconsiderate," death interrupted. "Whatever you're planning to do I'd recommend doing it soon I don't think Keisei has much time."

"You're right," Keisei said as he turned to look towards Ouri. "I wish I had time to explain her to give you a reason to accept, but you saw what happened to Minai. A shikabane hime without a contracted monk either dies instantly or just becomes another shikabane. I won't let that to happen to Makina."

After a few moments of intense arguments between Keisei and Makina, Ouri accepted. Keisei raised his left hand, and Ouri raised his right in their hands interlocking there was a glorious light. The contract was being transferred. Keisei looked towards Death.

"I know this might be a little inconsiderate of me to ask this of Death himself, but can I ask you to look after Ouri for me." Keisei's expression would've even made an angel weep.

"I'll do what I can, but I can make no promises." Death surprisingly responded.

After the transfer the contract was complete Ouri passed out on the floor. Makina should've taken Ouri but instead was dragging Keisei to the front door. Death picked up Ouri and began to follow behind them.

"When Ouri wakes up the transfer will be complete," Keisei said clearly out of breath. "Get Ouri to a safe place. Don't take me take Ouri."

"I'll contact the head temple and get you to a hospital," said Makina still dragging Keisei.

"You don't have any choice your place is at Ouri side now," said Keisei.

"No it's not!" Makina yelled.

Death decided it was best not to get in the middle of this. He sat Ouri up against the wall and decided to sit down himself; he couldn't hear what they were saying over there but decided it was best that he didn't. After a few short moments he felt Keisei's life as it slipped away and knew he was gone. Makina let out a cry so loud and terrifying she could have been mistaken for a banshee.

Meanwhile at the immortality cult

Most of the ravens inside of the trench had been destroyed, and the trench itself finally began to disappear.

"We have to get to Keisei immediately," said Rika.

"No time to waste," responded Saki.

"Hold on a second," yelled strife as he let out a loud whistle.

Suddenly Toil appeared in a cloud of white mist and Strife jumped on top.

"This'll be able to get us there faster," said Strife as he ran over on Toil and picked up Rika and Saki.

Back at the temple

Death heard a loud crash as this something must've broken down the door outside. Suddenly a very long arm reached out and before Death could even reactor it grabbed Ouri and dragged him outside. Death followed it outside and saw Kowaku but he was different the shikabane that Akasha was using had somehow merged with him and created some kind of base where his legs should've been.

"Where is a shikabane hime hiding?" Kowaku demanded as he held an unconscious Ouri upside down.

Death was about to charge at Kowaku but before he could Makina jumped out and attacked him. Kowaku blocked by using the shikabane at his base and dropped Ouri. Death managed to catch Ouri before he hit the ground. Kowaku then tried to attack using the long arms and shikabane but could never seem to hit Makina. Eventually he had Makina tied up but she didn't seem to show any fear.

"I'm going to kill you, you and every other shikabane, I'll kill you all," Makina said with a demonic glare.

"Don't be so sure you brat I'm even more powerful than I was before," Kowaku responded.

Eventually Makina managed to break free and charge directly at Kowaku and grabbing him by the head. Death was planning to lend support but the glare that Makina had was one that sent shivers down the spine of even Death himself.

"Disappear, get out of my sight, and out of my memories," Makina said as she tried to crush Kowaku's skull.

Death could hardly believe what he was seeing, the power that this girl was showing was one that most demons wouldn't even be able to acquire. Kowaku managed to grab Makina and smash her on the ground but she just got back up like it was nothing and continued to attack. Death wondered where she could be getting this much power from, but he got his answer the very next moment.

Ouri's hand had started turning black and he looked as if he was becoming faint. Death realized that she must be draining him in order to gain the power that she had. Death tried using necromancy to keep Ouri alive but his energy was being drained faster than Death could replenish it.

Meanwhile on the road to the temple

"Can't this thing go any faster," yelled Saki.

"You want to get out and push?" Strife responded.

I just hope we can get there before it's too late, Strife thought to himself. Brother if that really was you that I felt earlier I hope you're doing something.

Back at the temple

All of the shikabane at Kowaku's base were destroyed and Makina pulled out her to machine guns and destroyed Kowaku's body. Makina then jumped up and grabbed one of the large beads that Kowaku was wearing around his neck. It didn't take Death very long to figure out what was going on so he left Ouri alone and prepared to throw Harvester.

"Get your hands off me," spoke Kowaku's voice that came from the bead.

"Seems that you have a brain after all," said Makina. "It's just in a different form than others."

"Stop, please," Kowaku begged. "I'll do anything, I want to keep living. It doesn't matter in what form, I want to live,"

"Allow me to repeat what you said before you killed me," Makina said as she was crushing the bead. "How ungraceful."

At the same time that Makina crushed the bead in her hand Death through Harvester and slashed all the remaining ones just to make sure there was no trace of him left.

Death raced back over to check on Ouri only to discover that he was just fine. Death couldn't understand until he looked over and saw Akasha walking away. Death realized that he must've healed Ouri and decided for that reason to let him leave. The scream that Makina gave out made the one she did when Keisei died look like nothing. The Angels in heaven must've heard that cry.

As the sun finally began to rise strife Rika and Saki finally arrived at the temple only to discover that it had been almost completely destroyed. Strife rushed into the temple redemption and mercy both drawn. He saw his brother Makina and Ouri both standing over Keisei's remains. Rika and Saki followed close behind, all Death did was turn around and look at them, he shook his head.

"So what do we do now?" strife asked as he and his brother left the temple.

"For now we don't do anything," death responded to his brother. "We'll wait until after their funeral for that man Keisei. If the Kōugon sect decides to accept our alliance then we'll aid them. If not, then we'll end this on our own."

Fifth chapter of my first crossover. Please review and comment on my work.

P.S I'm sorry this one took so long and it may not be well done because I'm having trouble finding proofreaders. If anyone can help please P.M me I just need someone to look for Spelling and Punctuation errors but story ideas are welcome too.

PP.S if you want me to write more than please comment. I have more of an incentive to write if I know people want me to and comment on my work.

Credit to AlexConfused for proofreading.