CHAPTER 131

"Hmm." Eulalie tapped her fingers on the table, then turned her attention to her laptops. Despite the collective knowledge of mankind at her fingertips, this was a unique problem that required a solution that couldn't be dredged up from the internet. She had cast her net wide, and succeeded in catching an inter-dimensional expert while also establishing a secure presence around the home. Now, though, it was time to change tactics.

"What are you thinking?" asked Sofia.

"My mom had a saying. Once a web has served its purpose, you build a new one." She leaned back with a grin. "It's a spider thing. She was actually full of spider-themed advice. They were kind of like dad jokes on steroids. A bug in the hand is worth two in the web, knock that shit off or I'll swat you with a newspaper..."

"Still waiting on your idea." Sofia didn't seem amused by spider jokes.

"We go back to the Library. The rats can watch this place and Suly can keep tabs on Cyrus. He's sleeping in the main house, so we don't have to worry about him wandering over. We do some research of our own on extra-dimensional folding or whatever until we can speak to Ratu. Make good use of our time."

"Are we planning to sleep at all?" Sofia raised her eyebrow. "Some of us have been busy babysitting all day instead of playing on computers."

"Sleep is for bitches." Eulalie smirked. "But if you need your beauty rest, be my guest."

"Guess I'll brew some coffee." Sofia stood and walked into the kitchen. "If anyone knows how to properly pull an all-nighter, it's a librarian."

Eulalie smirked, then turned her attention back to the monitors. On the display, she could see that the rat guard had set up a perimeter around Murray's home. The longer she spent with the rats, the more self-sufficient they seemed.

She cleaned up the dining room, making sure to leave no webs behind. Once she was satisfied that she had left no trace, she waited for Sofia to finish her coffee and the two of them returned to the Library together.

Beth stood with her arms crossed as Mehkhkahrel descended from the mists above, his whirling form somehow glistening with light that didn't exist. Beneath him, Murray pointed dramatically upward, surrounded by War, Pestilence and Famine. It surprised her that the air outside the home was far warmer than inside. This caused tiny alarm bells to ring in her mind, but she turned her attention toward Murray as his floating body tilted in her direction.

"We shall act as the final arbiter in this mediation," Murray declared. Though his limbs stuck out in odd directions, his mouth now moved appropriately when he spoke. "Each party will now present what they wish to achieve by the end of this deliberation."

"We'll go first." War stepped forward and stabbed his sword into the ground. "When this is over, we wish to walk the Earth. That is our bare minimum, and we will accept no other offers."

Famine and Pestilence nodded their agreement. Beth sighed and looked up at the angel. She had expected this.

"Our desire is to keep these three from being brought to Earth. Even if only one of them arrives, countless people will perish." Beth looked over at Death, who nodded in agreement. "Death will be allowed to remain."

"It would seem that your terms are at odds. We ask now that you attempt to come to an agreement." Murray turned his head and was able to look at both parties with his crooked eyes. "This mediation will continue until an agreement is made."

"I wish to clarify something." Beth looked up at the angel's true form. "It seems to me that neither party wishes to budge on their demands."

"You must come to an agreement," Murray declared.

"Right, about that. Hypothetically speaking, what would occur should we never agree?"

Murray's lips twisted into a sneer, then a frown. One eye rolled up into his head, and then it snapped back into place. "No party may leave this space until an agreement has been made."

"Good." Beth smirked at the horsemen, then directed her attention to War. "You see, as Death's legal counsel, I am mortal."

"We are aware of your failings." War grinned, revealing that his teeth were full of black stuff. "But please, continue."

"These people, who I am still unconvinced are the official horsemen, do not suffer from my mortal affliction. As time here progresses, I have nothing to eat or drink."

Famine chuckled, then pulled an apple out of his bag and proceeded to loudly consume it.

"That's not our problem." War tilted his head and licked his lips. "We figure, at some point, you'll be hungry enough to give us what we want."

"Or I won't." Beth crossed her arms, then looked up at Mehkhkahrel. "You see, if I were to become incapacitated, then I would be unable to complete this mediation. Is that correct?"

"You are stating the obvious," Murray replied.

"So let's just say, for the sake of argument, I can no longer continue to represent my client. He would be free to seek new counsel, yes?"

"This is true."

"Good. Death, if I succumb to dehydration, who shall represent you?"

Death stepped forward and crossed his arms. "I will represent myself."

War let out a laugh, followed by Famine. If Pestilence joined in, it was impossible to tell. Beth gave them plenty of time to yuck it up. The false sense of security that had just been established would give her an edge.

"Do you wish to give in to their demands?" Beth asked.

"No." Death's eyes filled with fire. "I shall sit here for an eternity before I allow these fools to walk the mortal realm. As I have walked this world since the beginning, so shall I sit until it meets its end. Even then, I shall maintain my vigil, purely out of spite for my brethren. They shall never again take part in the end of any world, and it shall put a smile on my face to crush their dreams."