Disclaimer: While the ideas of the Four Horsemen is an old one, the characters presented here, there names, and personalities are my creations. As such they are copyright to me. I don't really care if someone out there wants to use them or even to write in my Four Horsemen Universe, I just want to know that you are using them. Well with that out of the way. Read on:Rowena Elora had never been so frustrated in her life. She had been the bard of the Night Owl Inn, in Lise for almost as long as she cared to remember and she had never had a night as bad as this one. No matter what she played, what she sang, or what tale she told she couldn't get the crowd's attention for more then five minutes. Finally Andreas, the innkeeper, called her over to the bar so that she could take a break.
"The crowd is just tough tonight, don't let it get to you," he started with. "You see that man at the end of the bar?" he asked pointing to an old white haired man sitting at the far end of the inn's bar. Rowena nodded. "Well he asked me if you would take a few minutes when you were done tonight to talk with him. I think he is a bard like you are. You might get some new stories and maybe get a better crowd then the one that you have tonight. You might as well be done for tonight for all the attention that the crowd is giving you. Why don't you go talk to him." With that dismissal Andreas returned to serving the patrons. Rowena had the nagging suspicion that there was more to the old man then met the eye and with that in mind she approached him with caution.
"Worried about an old man are you, young one," the old man said with sparkling brown eyes. She stood still as he looked over her carefully as though to size her up. The old man was pleased with what he saw, she was a tall woman, who walked with the grace of a cat. Her short white hair set off her cobalt eyes. She would be one of the oldest of the four he knew from the legends, but still she seemed painfully young for what destiny had in store for her. He gestured for her to lead the way to the door and Rowena realized that she had passed some kind of test and whatever this man had in mind she was worthy. They walked for awhile on the roads that lead out of town before the man suggested that they sit so they could talk.
"Tell me, young bard, what do you know of the Four Horsemen?"
"The Four Horsemen! They are said to be the most evil thing that has happened to this world and that when they awake they will unleash the end of the world. Mothers tell children of the Four Horsemen to scare them. Curses fall upon those who call for them, all the bad things that happen in these days are blamed on their influence. They are hell on earth," Rowena finished with an exclamation.
"What if I were to tell you, you were wrong, everyone was wrong in what they saw in the horsemen."
"You can't think that I would honestly believe you."
"They are here you know, they never did die and they can't they only went into hiding. I have been called to release the seals that have bound them for thousands of years. You, my dear, are to help me. Don't you remember who you are?" Rowena stood meaning to leave this old man and his insanity and get away. However, he caught her arm in a surprisingly strong grip. There was a frown on his face as he brought his other hand around and plunged a crossbow bolt deep into her heart. Rowena stared at her chest in horror as the blood spilled down her clothing. As she began to black out she heard the old man mutter, "Sorry, my dear, I have to wake you up. It won't hurt for too long and then we can talk about this all." Kit Elisharen pulled Rowena's still body into the woods a little way and then set up camp for the night. He closed his eyes knowing the first seal wouldn't be released until the rise of the sun.
The rising sun had never felt so good on her face, Rowena thought as she slowly floated to consciousness, but the again she rarely slept outside anymore. She opened her eyes to see an old man staring happily down at. Sitting up in alarm all the events of the pervious day came rushing back to her. She reached for her heart and found that not only was there no wound there but there wasn't even a hole in her clothing.
"What the hell have you done old man," Rowena shouted, sending the old one jumping back.
"I have just wakened the seal. You are the first seal you know. You can't die either, you will always wake up, it will get quicker when you adjust to your new self." He looked frantically around as she continues to advance on him with a menacing gleam in her eyes. "Just think about it a moment. Please look back at your memories." Rowena paused at this and sat down abruptly as she realized that not all her memories matched up correctly. She could remember her whole life as the bard of Lise, but she could also remember a time when people had run when they saw her, she could remember a time when the four had traveled, destroying the earth as they went.
"What have you done to me old man?" she asked her eyes begging for him to tell her the full story.
"Listen, I can only tell you once. In the old days the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse rode the earth as they had been commanded by all the evils of the heavens. They rode for thousands of years, and were feared by everyone. They destroyed all the was good on this earth and they enjoyed it. One day the fourth seal, seeking a rest from the darkness, was touched by the good that she was to destroy. She brought this good to her brothers and sisters. Through the blessing of all the good in the heavens they were granted peace and absolution for the ills that they had caused. They were also granted peace from their existence. It was realized by the heavens that they were the ultimate method of making sure that there was balance. They had brought evil to a time when there was only great good. They were granted peace of body and soul with the knowledge that they could be called upon when they were needed again. When either good or evil became to powerful and the balance was too far off."
"You mean that we are going to be reawakened to make sure that the balance can be reached? Where are the others? How are we supposed to do this?" the questions can unbidden to Rowena's lips.
"Only you four can decide if it is good or evil that is needed now. You are all capable of doing both with the blessing of both the evil and good of the heavens. As for the other four, you are the first seal so I have awakened you first. I will wake the others shortly."
"Well then old man," Rowena said grabbing his hand and pulling him up, "let's go wake the others."
He pulled his arm out of her grip answering, "I have to wake them, but you all have to find each other on your own."
"How are we to do that?"
"Look at your memories, they all will look the same, be riding their same horses, carrying the same weapons, and if all else fails you have the symbols that you can use to tell who they are."
"I don't have a horse, old man, and what are these symbols you're talking about," she growled frowning.
The old man reached behind him and handed her a bag, heavy with items. "These are all yours, I have been keeping them for years, now go and put them on!" he shouted pushing her towards the woods. Rowena emerged a short while later and the old man grinned happily. Now she looked right, just as she had all those years ago. She stood in a knee length white tunic, slit to the waist, black breeches, and knee length black leather boots. On top of this she wore a light weight chain mail washed in gold, gold bracers embedded with crushed sapphires encased her wrists, a died black leather quiver was slung high on her back, and she carried in her arms a massive long bow. The most stunning thing that she had on however, was a thin gold circlet set with sapphires that made her eyes glow in the shadows of the woods.
"More comfortable now?" She only nodded. "Well now you look as you should. You remember that the bracers and circlet are the symbols that you can use to identify your fellow riders. Of course they each have their own metal and gem preferences. Now, my dear, you are the first seal, you are the rider Pestilence. 'And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer.' All you have to do is find your horse now and you can seek you brothers and sister. I do believe that Ekirei can be found near here when the water falls," with that said the old man took off running. Rowena could only stare at his retreating back.
It was almost to much of a shock. I f she hadn't had the second set of memories she wouldn't have believed what the old man had told her. The memories however made sure that she knew this was all too real. She left in the direction that the old one had pointed making a note to get even with him when she had the chance to later. After about three hours of walking, which she spent sorting through her memories, she arrived at a lake into which ran a waterfall. Sitting on the banks she called softly, "Ekirei, are you here? Please, Ekirei, come to me." Out of the waterfall's foam came a came a delicate Egyptian-Arabian who was flawless in his white coloring. A horse meant for a king surely. Ekirei came silently to the shore and looked at his mistress, gently taking hold of his main Rowena was lead to the back of the waterfall where Ekirei's white leather tack sat. Rowena took great care in saddling her horse, making sure that each of the gold and sapphire charms were is the right place. Mounting Ekirei lead the way out of the cave and the two headed the direction that the old man had. The first seal released fully, she went to find the other seals and the only man who could release them.
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