Death stood in silence, surveying the destruction he had caused. The grass was littered with broken rubble that had fallen from the cave ceiling. What remained of the garden lay in ruin, stripped of the beauty it once held. He dematerialized his scythes and drew a long breath, letting the silence settle around him. After what felt like an eternity, a faint buzzing reached his ear from somewhere within the grass.
A few of Beelzebub's flies had managed to hide from his sight, and the thought of them escaping to reveal his location unsettled him. He raised his hand, and the ravens above swooped down, ripping through the grass as they devoured the remnants of Beelzebub's flies. Death watched as the ravens made certain none of them escaped.
When the last of the flies were devoured, Death crouched and gathered several of the dead rats scattered across the ground. He carried them to the circular altar and placed them upon the rough stone surface.
Their tails were tied together before he arranged their bodies into a crude circle. Then he spoke in an ancient tongue not born of this world. A green light began to glow from the cracked stone, spreading across the altar's surface. As Death raised both of his hands.
"Sister, I stand before your sacred altar and demand your presence. Show yourself."
The green light grew brighter until a woman materialized from the light. Her hair flowed in long, silken strands of green, and her eyes held no pupils. Tree vines and withered flowers wrapped around her body, forming a dress and on the back of her hand rested a black upside-down crescent moon, its shape stark against her pale skin.
An unsettling grin curved across her lips almost mocking him. The moment her toe touched the earth, the grass blackened and shriveled. The dead rats and mice nearby decayed in an instant, their bodies collapsing as dark liquid seeped out.
"Umm, big brother, it's been far too long. Tell me, how is life among the living? Has your role as a therapist changed you?"
Death sat on top of the circular sacred altar as the ravens descended down and merged into his robe while one remained next to him.
"Enough, Pestilence. You've overstepped your boundaries. The Deathmark's truth was mine to reveal, not yours."
Pestilence crouched and picked up a dead rat, its back leaking thick black fluid. She bit down on its head. The dark liquid smeared the corner of her lips as she wiped it away with the back of her hand, a grin slowly spreading across her face.
"Death… no, big brother. Was it that obvious? I truly thought I'd covered my tracks."
Annoyed from her response he got up from the circular altar and got right to her face looking down at her.
"No, you've covered your tracks quite well."
Pestilence finished eating the rest of the dead rat and rubbed her hands clean of the black liquid.
"Such high praise coming from you. Yet it doesn't matter; you always see through me in the end."
Death placed his right hand on her shoulder. The once dark green flowers that shaped her dress lost their color, fading into lifeless gray beneath his touch. Petals broke away and drifted to the ground, crumbling into dust before her eyes.
"What did you hope to gain by offering her hints that would, in time, lead her to realize I was the one who cursed her?"
Pestilence stepped back, her hands clasping together as she shook her head in disappointment.
"How could you accuse me of such a thing? Don't you remember? I was the one who stood by you when our siblings wanted to drag you back to our father, the Sovereign, for breaking the Second Law."
Death's rage broke loose, echoing through the cave as his ravens burst into panic.
"Then what is it! Tell me, Pestilence. Why did you interfere in my affairs? Explain yourself!!"
Pestilence lifted a finger towards one of the fallen broken pillars.
"How about we sit here? I'll tell you everything. Please, brother… This will take longer than you think."