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Friday. December 2019
It was almost just as any other day. He said he was busy and left the Clergy. Which was not entirely inaccurate. He was on his way to reopen old wounds he was trying so hard to hide. He walked past the half ripped posters warning of the disease and giving appropriate instructions of how to deal with it. He tilted his hat so they were out of his vision field.
Now that he was out of the shadows and shed his invisibility, it was hard to be discret about his secondary business. He had to be crafty, such as emptying the soap tanks and making people sneeze on each other on accident. He also ripped a few posters that said WASH YOUR HANDS, although he felt like a hypocrite as he practiced that at least a few times a day.
It has been almost a year and half since he had released his first album. Middle ages. A Prequel. He felt it fitting, while also staying true to his nature. Allowing him to hide in plain sight under the spotlight
.
It's been half a year since he last saw Pollution at the contaminated lake of the destroyed village. Nothing remained of it that could have suggested that once upon a time people lived there. He shuddered. He knew he left decaying bodies in his wake with his diseases back then, but he barely batted an eye at it. Why was it so different now? Was he becoming too human?
He walked into the nearby coffee shop where he was instructed to be. He didn't know who else would be attending, but they were late as far as he could tell.
He chose a table for 5 at the corner. He didn't know why, but he knew it would be required. A waitress approached and he answered briefly that he was waiting for company. She raised an eyebrow, as if trying to recognize him, but soon lost interest and walked off to the back. He was still fairly new to the stage, or he managed to retain some of the invisibility factor. Either way, he was thankful the attention was off him.
The doorbell dinged a little later, and she arrived. Her hair was in a loose braid and her eyes were balls of repressed fire. She was always the first one to arrive anywhere, even when he was a part of the group.
She noticed him, and threw a cordial smirk at him „Hey, long time no seen.“ she threw her jacket over the seat and plopped herself besides him. „Others will be here shortly soon.“
Copia nodded, fiddling with his gloved fingers.
„Nice look. Is your church rich?“ she looked him up and down
„Not in that sense. Not yet, at least. But I could pull a few strings behind the scene.“ his eyes glanced at her, both white. His skin was turning a pale shade of greenish yellow, and his voice sounded raspier than before.
„Does anyone else know?“ she leaned back into her seat.
Before he could answer, the door announced another arrival. This time it was him.
Copia tensed. He was as tall and neatly dressed as he remembered him, and he still looked at him the same way he did back then. He had to resist the urge to recoil when Famine sat besides him, so that he was now trapped between him and War. He couldn't leave if he wanted to.
Famine threw a smirk at Copia „Hello, Emery.“ and threw an arm around Copia's shoulders.
Copia recoiled „I told you not to call me that.“
Famine looked at Copia's hair as he removed his arm „You stopped bleaching it.“ he stated, as if it was a poorly made project done just before due date.
„Sad much about that? White is not a good look for me at present.“ Copia found a little amusement in seeing Famine upset about small matters
Famine ignored his comment. „I heard your new album. Is that all you've been doing these last hundred of years? A waste of time, Pestilence.“
Copia narrowed his eyes. The name now felt like a distant bad memory and could barely associate it with himself anymore. „A solid start. It's just the first base. It's already gotten so much praise. Much bigger arenas are booked and our popularity is growing.“
Famine scoffed and was about to throw another comment, but the fourth party was just entering the coffee shop. They looked as bad as they always did. Stench and small plastic wraps followed them and they took a seat opposite of Copia. He noticed the blue streaks in their hair. Must have been recent
The waitress returned, and was visibly a bit more shaken up than when it was just Copia. Perhaps she should have pressed him about the order so she wouldn't have to come back.
Everyone except Copia ordered alcohol. Only him and Death ordered decaf coffee.
„My lord, when have you arrived?“ Famine showed slight surprise. It always caught him off guard when the dark one showed up in random places.
I NEVER LEAVE he spoke plainly. It was always the same. He was everywhere and nowhere.
He looked at Copia, who acknowledged him with a brief nod.
LOVED THAT SONG NEAR THE END OF THE ALBUM. DID YOU DEDICATE IT TO ME? he asked genuinely, and Copia gave him an unspecified mumble. He wouldn't admit that, but he did admire his mentor and wanted to pay his respects.
Pollution raised their head up „What album?“
War turned to them „You didn't hear? Pest is now a rock star.“ she slapped Copia over the shoulder.
Copia replied, almost shyly „Not yet. No. It's just the first step. I have a long way till I conquer the scene.“ he sipped his coffee
Pollution was baffled. They knew he was up to something, but they were apparently under the wrong impression that he was working undercover as an agent in a righteous church.
THERE ARE MANY WAYS TO CONQUER, EVEN THROUGH SONGS. Death stated. BUT WE'RE HERE ON DIFFERENT MATTER. COPIA, I'M AFRAID IT'S ALL UP TO YOU.
Copia blinked „What's up to me?“
Famine chimed in „Armageddon failed. The Antichrist is uncooperative.“
„And we lost our powers for the time.“ War squeezed her empty beer can.
THEY NEED CHAOS TO REGAIN THEIR POWERS. YOU NEED TO START A GLOBAL PANIC. Death gestured toward the three active horsemen.
Copia shook his head „I'm not doing that. I left my position to Chalky. They are the white horseman now. Do not drag me back into this conflict.“ he glanced over at Pollution, who was obviously worn out after losing.
I HAD A FEELING THAT YOU'D SAY THAT. Death crossed his fingers.
Copia looked at his former mentor almost with sympathy. If they had to resort to a retired horseman, it must've been critical.
“Who’s sending you anyway? I pledged my allegiance to only the Old One, I answer no more to the other one.” Copia added
The four horsemen threw a knowing smirk at each other, and Copia wondered how much they knew.
“You can’t run from your true nature.” Pollution mumbled while giving him a stern look
Copia felt a shiver tickle his spine. They had already told him a similar thing at the contaminated lakes. How much of his life is really under his own control?
“Well, excuse me, if you don’t mind, I have to go back to my own duties.” he left his bill on the table, and slowly left. He felt his former collegues’s eyes on his back, piercing right through.
WE ARE SENT BY EVERYONE. Death stated, and his voice seemed to have grown distant.
Copia turned his head, and his former Colleagues were gone. He gulped. This was just the beginning. He went to the bathroom to wash his face. The cold water felt good against his face, which had slowly regained the human features he had kept on for the last 100 years. His hair was a slightly pale brown, like burnt wood covered with ashes. His eye was a snake green, and the other was snow white. Famine’s favorite color.
Copia glanced up into the mirror and saw the black horseman. He barely had the time to react when the tall man’s abnormally thin hands landed on Copia’s shoulders.
“You’re not the same as you were before.” He stated.
“No, I’m not. Time makes different people of us.” Copia agreed.
Famine spun Copia around with a swift twirl, and stared into his insulting humanish eyes.
“Pollution told me about the lake incident. You ought to take your jobs seriously.” Famine spoke with irritated concern
Copia tried to be as intimidating as he could, but he had always been the more cowardly one of the original 4. It felt fitting for someone who manipulated health and had wanted nothing to do with human contact for so long.
“I told them as I will you. I’m no longer the horseman of disease. I retired. They have my crown now. They’ve tainted it and claimed it. You understand?” he spoke, trying to control his shaking voice.
“Then why haven’t you given up your bow? We know you have it on you.” Famine smirked, drawing Pestilence a little closer to him
Copia avoided his eyes. He did not know why he still had not destroyed it, but he kept assuring himself it’s because Pollution would one day be ready to take it on as well. Now he was just keeping up excuses as to why it was just collecting dust in his quarters, hidden from all the ghouls, other Papas and siblings of sin.
Famine rested a skeletal hand on Copia’s hip “You can’t deny yourself, Niveous.”
Copia’s face darkened at the name. He pushed the horseman off “But I can deny you. Do not touch me that way.” he pointed his carved cane at Famine warningly, and left the dirty public restroom. He was sure it had been perfectly clean before.