The air grew increasingly heavy as the protagonists advanced through the vast and seemingly endless landscape of the Realm of the Dead. The ground beneath their feet was as dark as the void, darker than the night itself, and seemed to absorb light, creating the sensation of being lost in an infinite expanse. The shadows around them thickened, as though the very kingdom was wrapping them in its eternal darkness.

In front of them, in the center of the vast plain, stood four towering figures. They were like mountains cloaked in an indescribable mantle of power, each one radiating a primordial and ancient force, beyond human comprehension. They were the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.

Anubis, the imposing guardian of the dead who had thus far shown absolute control over the realm, suddenly stopped. The protagonists saw him bow slightly forward, a gesture of reverence they had never seen from him before. The atmosphere had changed drastically. The silence of the place became deafening, and the air grew denser, almost impossible to breathe.

—They are the true protectors of this realm —said Anubis, his voice, always solemn, now trembling slightly—. They represent the most fundamental aspects of death: War, Famine, Pestilence, and Death. These Horsemen are older than any other entity in this place. They are the personification of death in its purest forms, and their task is to ensure that the balance between life and death remains intact.

The Four Horsemen, in complete silence, began to advance toward the protagonists. Each step they took seemed to resonate through the void, and as they drew closer, their appearances became clearer. War advanced, clad in armor forged in living flames, his sword in hand radiating pure chaos, as if it could unleash limitless destruction with a single movement. His eyes burned with an unquenchable fire, and his presence conveyed a devastating power.

Famine, a pale and skeletal being, carried a broken scale, symbolizing imbalance, scarcity, and infinite hunger. His body was withered, his bones protruding beneath withered skin that seemed ready to disintegrate. Wherever he passed, a sensation of hunger and despair filled the air, as if everything around him dried up and died slowly.

Pestilence was shrouded in a dark, poisonous mist that seemed to corrode everything around him. His body was covered in sores, and his breathing, a rasping and disturbing sound, resonated as though the very air was infected. Black liquid dripped from his hand, leaving a trail of death in his wake, and anything he touched instantly decomposed.

And finally, Death, the most imposing of them all, walked wrapped in a black cloak that seemed to absorb all the light from the surroundings. In his hands, he held a scythe that appeared to cut through reality itself with every movement. His face was hidden, but his eyes, two cold points of light, radiated the final certainty he represented: the end of all things. His presence was so overwhelming that even Anubis, the guardian of the Realm of the Dead, seemed like a mere servant beside him.

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The Horsemen stopped in front of the protagonists, observing them with an intensity that surpassed any mortal judgment. Their power was palpable, enveloping them in an atmosphere of death and eternity that made the protagonists feel infinitely small.

War was the first to speak, his voice rumbling like thunder in the darkness.

—We are the guardians of this realm. We protect the balance between life and death. Without us, chaos would reign, and the cycle of existence would break. The soulless bodies that wander here must remain in this place, and it is our task to ensure that they do not return to the world of the living.

Famine, with his weak but penetrating voice, added:

—The balance of life depends on scarcity and abundance, on order and chaos. This realm is meant to contain those who have lost their souls, but not all accept their fate.

Pestilence raised a hand wrapped in venomous mist, letting droplets fall that evaporated on the dark ground.

—Some of these soulless bodies, as you may already know, are harmless. But there is one... one that represents a danger beyond any other.

The protagonists exchanged glances, feeling that an important revelation was about to be made. Death, who had remained silent until then, stepped forward, his scythe gleaming with dark, powerful energy.

—The skeleton with clock eyes —said Death, his voice resonating in the soul of each of those present—. That being has tried to escape this realm many times. His soul is broken, and the power he harbors is so dangerous that even we cannot allow him to cross into the world of the living. Every time he tries, we have had to join forces to stop him.

The protagonists felt a chill run through their bodies. The skeleton they spoke of was not just another soulless body. His power and instability represented a threat to the very balance of the universe.

—He is an unstable soul —War continued—. Consumed by sadness and guilt, his death process was interrupted, and now his soul is torn between this world and the next. If he ever manages to escape... the chaos he would unleash would be unimaginable.

The Four Horsemen remained on guard, watching the horizon with a mixture of fear and respect.

—We maintain the balance, but his power challenges us —Death concluded—. You must be aware that, on your journey, that being may attempt to intervene. And if he does, even our combined forces may not be enough to stop him without help.

With those words, the Four Horsemen retreated into the shadows, but their warning lingered in the air. The danger was real, and the protagonists knew that an encounter with the skeleton with clock eyes was inevitable.

Anubis, who had remained silent throughout the conversation, observed them gravely.

—This realm is full of mysteries and dangers. And what you have heard today is just the beginning. Now, you must prepare for what is to come, for your greatest trial has yet to arrive.

The protagonists nodded, aware that they had witnessed something beyond their understanding. The Four Horsemen were more than mere guardians; they were the forces that maintained the balance between life and death. But the skeleton with clock eyes, an unstable and broken soul, represented a threat that not even they could fully control.

The shadow of his power loomed over the Realm of the Dead, and the protagonists knew that their journey was about to become even darker and more dangerous.