Rise of Evil IC

[KuroKishi]

Charles watched as Mina attempted to rise up, only to fall down and nervously laugh. Though he would share the laugh, he had managed to notice her sense of balance was off, which meant either a wound in her legs or something wrong with the inner ear. Thus, he only shared a small smirk before nodding slightly.

"Alright, up you go." He said, taking the girl's hand in his own and slowly helping her up. As soon as she was up, Charles let go of her hand, preferring not to make too much contact with others. He reached for the back of his waist to grab a set of binoculars and then put them up to his eyes, analyzing the wasteland ahead of them. His trained eyes watched the buildings and the alleyways, attempting to recognize any kind of movement and then file off what it exactly belongs to. Slowly, his gaze approached the entrance to the Underground, still not having noticed anything abnormal. Then, as he slightly trailed off watching past the landmark, he spotted something unnatural. Increasing the zoom of the device, he managed to pick out a strange glow coming from around the corner of a large crossroad. Though it was weak, the glow managed to shine across the whole street, indicating that whatever it was, it would probably be big. Sighing softly, Charles put the goggles down and strapped them to his back before turning to Mina.

"It looks like there's something ahead. From the way it shines, I'm going to guess it's a reaver or two, so I'd suggest we get to the entrance quickly and quietly. Reavers aren't exactly tough to deal with, but in numbers, coupled with lesser demons, they certainly turn into a hassle. Plus, I already attracted some attention because I killed an alpha earlier, so they'd be trying to find me and kill me even harder." The man spoke out, turning to look down toward the street. Then, he started walking forward, making sure his steps were short and quiet. He didn't exactly bother giving Mina a sign to follow, since she would probably do that - nobody wanted to be on the streets at night, Demon Arms user or even convoy alike, and a single person would have no chance.

[Clown_of_God]

With a raised eyebrow, Karin watched as some old man wandered off, complaining that he couldn't find a man with a cross marking. Whether or not that was Rei, she felt like it might be a link to getting to Hope. So, without further delay, she bounded through the city until she found her companion.

Silver eyes looked it his inherited heterochromia eyes, one having a red pupil and black sclera while the other remained hazel. It seemed without even the transition of words, Rei understood what it was she was going to say and patted the top of her head.

Together, the two rushed through the streets until Karin spotted the elderly man from before. Making their way over to him, she called out to him and pointed out Rei's distinguished marking, which resulted in the man giving some form of praise as he shook each of their hands and made his way to the front of the caravan. All the while, he explained the situation, where he was going, what he was doing, and what he needed of them.

Rather than money, Rei simply agreed to provide protection as long as they reached Hope. At first, he seemed reluctant to receive such services and not give some sort of repayment, but Rei insisted that if it was money he needed, he would have taken up an offer from one of the local mercenary groups that was also heading in the same direction later that week.

One thing had bothered the elderly merchant and that was Rei's lack of carrying a weapon. Karin insisted that the journey shouldn't be too troublesome, but if something popped up they would be able to handle it fine. Skeptical at first, the man eventually shrugged and boarded the main cart.

Rei and Karin took their respective positions alongside the caravan, as it began to leave the barrier, reminding each other what they would do in case something occurred during their journey. Specifically, if Rei lost control of himself.

 

------

 

It was a rather calm journey, roughly twenty miles from the barrier of DC to the improvised barrier of Hope. Rei was actually impressed with how well the small civilization was handling itself, but there was one thing that literally got his blood boiling.

Lava pits had been established, that much he could feel, and that usually meant demons were nearby. Why demons were in the colony, he couldn't understand, but the few he met upon arrival hadn't seemed hostile. So, he let them be and carried on his search.

Karin stayed close by, a hand on Rei's shoulder as they navigated the small town. Rei would describe to the locals who it was he was searching for and they merely shrugged. Of course, he finally came up to an elderly woman and mentioned that the red-headed female he was searching for was one of the founders of Hope.

Upon hearing that, she perked up and mentioned the girl by name, but didn't know of her whereabouts. At least they had a name to go by, now.

Ezrea.

That name seemed so familiar to Rei. Scattered memories were pulling images and bits of conversations from his past. It looked as if they had worked together. Yet, what were they? Mercs? Scientists? Warriors? These memories were still hazy and the little portions of conversations that were somewhat audible still weren't clear enough.

Heaving a sigh, Karin looked over at him with slight concern, but he merely grinned and said it was nothing to be too terribly concerned about. Knowing Karin, she would be concerned regardless. It was part of her duty to be concerned after all, with what she had to deal with. Rei respected that and did his best to make sure she didn't worry too much. After all, too much stress is what caused one's hair to gray.

 

------

 

Time was now an irrelevant object, but it was taking a bit longer than expected to find the one person they were searching for. They had already been to the main house where Gareth and Ezrea resided, but no one was even there once they had arrived. Other places of interest had been pointed out and the two had separated once more to cover more ground.

While they had been separated, Rei had encountered one individual that declared they had seen Ezrea heading to the arena. After getting specific directions, Rei figured he'd allow Karin to continue searching, in case this was another dead end as well, and investigate the location himself.

To his surprise, however, down the stairs lay the girl he was searching for. By this point, he had remembered just enough to vaguely recognize her if he saw her. So, casually walking down the stairs, he took up a seat parallel to the red head and scratched at the back of his head.

"I hear you're still fiery tempered, but you must have certainly cooled down to have settled and married someone. Though, I vaguely remember anything, I do remember that no one on our team would have thought you were capable of even dating a guy, much less marry one."

Rei smirked slightly and held up his hands in a defensive manner. Of course, the notion was unnecessary, but the human side of him still felt it necessary to mock such actions.

"I don't know if you even recognize me, or if you even remember my real name, but everyone I know now knows me as Akurei, or just Rei.

Anyway, I came here wondering if you might be able to help me figure something out. Word was, your husband is looking for you as well, so we can wait until he gets here until I ask. I have some questions I need to ask him as well."

 

------

 

Whether he knew it or not, tracking Rei down wasn't too terribly difficult. You ask a few of the locals if they've seen a man with a cross scar on his face and they'll point you to his last known destination. Karin stayed at the top of the arena, allowing Rei to reminisce on lost thoughts and memories. This was a step closer for him to finding out who he truly was.

Besides, this woman was married, so there wasn't a threat in that department.

Slapping her face, Karin wondered why such thoughts were going through her mind and sighed. Sure, they were together most of the time, but that was because Karin needed to be sure that Rei didn't lose control of himself and go on a rampage. Especially here. If Rei lost control here, Hope probably wouldn't stand a chance in his wake. How capable Gareth was, she didn't truly know, but she doubted even someone of his stature would be able to hold out against Rei for too long. Hopefully it wouldn't come to that, but there was one thing that bothered Karin. In such close proximity to a nest of demons, she wondered just how long Rei could subconsciously subdue his own inner demon.

This had been one case back outside of Sacramento, during one the patrols that Rei had been leading. Part of the road had given out from underneath Rei and he had fallen into the subway tunnels. After declaring that he was fine and that everyone else should continue with the patrol as planned, it wasn't long until he encountered what they had feared.

A large portion of the tunnel had been converted into a demon nest and it housed quite a number of them. Rei decided that he'd be able to handle eliminating this threat and got to work, but the longer he remained within proximity to the lava nests, the hotter his blood began to boil. Eventually, he lost his calm and his rage started building until finally, his inner demon was released.

Karin had already ordered the search party to return to Sacramento, feeling uneasy about the mission since Rei had separated from them. Sure enough, it wasn't long before Rei was wreaking havoc across the sector, killing and destroying anything that got too close or that was in his way. By the time she had finally reached him, over six square miles of desolate city and suburbs had been razed. From there, it took nearly an hour to fully suppress his other half and Karin's armor had taken quite a beating. Once he was back to his original state and they were both back in Sacramento, Rei discovered that Karin had suffered four fractured ribs and a splintered humerus.

Needless to say, Karin was treated with extra care for several weeks before she finally convinced Rei that it was unnecessary.

Now, she sat idly at the top of the arena, awaiting any signs that could lead to danger. Waiting, observing, protecting.

 

------

 

Again, Mina pouted while her aid was looking elsewhere. Maybe she should exaggerate the pain, but then he made mention of reavers in the distance and that was certainly something Mina didn't want to have to hassle with at the moment.

Doing her best to both maintain her "injury" and make it to the entrance of this Underground area was a bit of a hassle. Knowing if she over exaggerated, this hideout wouldn't be of much use once the reaver found it, but also because she didn't want to actually hurt herself trying to play out the part.

There was plenty of rubble and debris on the ground that one false step could actually break her leg or give her a nice twisted ankle.

Continuing to follow her acquaintance, when he finally stopped, Mina took a seat against a wall and let out an exasperated sigh. It was more of burden acting injured than it would have been if she had actually hurt herself. Maybe next time, she would roll her ankle or something. Not that it mattered now. They were within the Underground and one step closer to her finding this man that her demon companion sought.

"So... where exactly are you headed? Well, maybe it's where were you headed, now, huh? Do you not have a team? What exactly happened to you, in your past?"

Some of these questions didn't really concern Mina, but she honestly wished to know more about this person's past. Well, assuming he was willing to share such information. Not that it should be too troublesome since he had already spilt most of the information out earlier, anyway.

This boy had been a slave like her, but where had he come from? Why did he have to senselessly beat other children? Was she the only one he had aided that day? What kind of life did he have before he was captured? Did he still have family or had they been killed as well?

So many questions for him, but her act prevented her from asking such specific questions. This person was probably the only other survivor from the time and it seemed he certainly had had more freedom than she. Pouting her lip and widening her gaze, she looked at him with the most desperate eyes, it should be hard to resist. Of course, this person had that dead expression she had felt so many years ago. So, there was a chance this method of hers wouldn't even work, but it wouldn't hurt to attempt.

Besides, if she truly wanted the information, there were a couple of guests she had tied up in a shack just north of the Texas border with Oklahoma. How they were doing was dependent on how desperately they wished to live. Aside from that, Mina had ensured they would sustain enough nutrients to make it through the year. It really just determined in whether they would resort to cannibalism or not. Two live bodies, one rotting away in the corner. Specific instructions had been given to them. Once they were outside of their restraints, they would be able to use the cabin freely. If they left, they would die and if they didn't eat the body, they would most likely die of starvation. Running water was provided, but it was slightly contaminated.

Simply, they were trapped within the cabin until Mina either decided to kill them, a demon killed them, they committed suicide, or they just up and died of sickness or something. Again, it was up to them on what actions they would take. Mina just made sure that they wouldn't die immediately.

Edited September 21, 2014 by zakku_uchiha

[KuroKishi]

Charles slightly held his breath as they started approaching the crossroad. His gaze kept observing the far end of the street, making sure that whatever was around the corner remained there. He stepped slowly, making sure to avoid any rubble in his way in order not to create noise and attract the reavers. He quietly weaved into one of the buildings to his right and started making his way through. As he shifted through the ruined rooms, he would often stop for a moment, taking his time to observe parts of the past. There were a couple rooms which seemed to have literally been frozen in time, the only thing unusual within them being a fine coat of dust on any surface or a small crack in one of the walls. It looked as if someone had stopped and painted still life, but had used an abundance of grays on the whole thing and had made it look... like a black-and-white picture.

 

After making his way through a second building, Charles slowly vaulted through a broken window, having cleared out any glass beforehand by breaking it off with his protective gloves. He was in a small alleyway, and he could hear the faint steps of demons in the distance. He sighed slightly to himself, moving up to the corner of the building and taking a look down the street. The glow had certainly moved, since now the walls of the buildings opposite that direction were being lit up. Though they hadn't been noticed yet, the demons were on patrol, and they'd surely pass through here sooner or later.

Thankfully, this was the alley he was searching for. He slowly rose up, then moved toward the far end and into a shady, dark area. Three high buildings surrounded the small alleyway, and a fourth provided enough shade to cover the parts closer to the street. One could easily lose any demon without better vision by hiding here. Silently, he ducked down near the end, his hands going down to the ground and starting to silently move around. Moments later, he found what he was searching for - a seemingly normal stone, formed into a good shape for grabbing. He took hold of it, then raised his hand, trying to pull on it. The stone followed, as well as the ground it was on, which suddenly revealed itself to be a metal panel. Opening the other piece, Charles rose from the ground, now in front of a slightly-illuminated staircase into a dark abyss. Quietly, he went through with his companion and sealed the doors from inside.

"There we go... good work." He mouthed slightly as they went into the corridor, leaning on the wall opposite of the one Mina had chosen. Though reavers weren't hard to kill, they certainly were troublesome, as their regeneration was far better than other demons. A severed limb would only act as a means to slow them down, and the only actual way to kill them was to sever all five extremities. Without being linked to the main body, the five limbs would die off, and the torso would be left alone, useless. The blood it tried to pump out to the extremities would move through the severed arteries and veins, leaking out on the ground, and once it was all out, the heart would stop, ultimately ending the demon's life.

As Mina spoke, Charles listened, debating whether to answer her questions or not. Though his past was not one he wished to speak of, nor did he wish to get acquainted with people, he'd have to make an exception sooner or later. Plus, though he didn't admit it, she was good in moving quietly behind him, so if anything, he was sharing things with an experienced individual - one who wouldn't die so easily in this hellish world.

"I guess telling you a bit wouldn't hurt... I was on a mission to slay an Alpha in this sector. Now, I'm returning to the bunker to get some information from a friend of mine, after which I will probably go to Hope because that's where most caravans pass through. I used to be in a guild, but they didn't exactly like my style of working alone, so I took my Demon Arm and left them for good... Wait, hold on a sec..." He spoke out, stopping for a moment to turn to his left. The sound of steps was growing slightly louder, and he thought for a moment that they had been found. Keeping silent, he waited, hearing how something approached their end of the alleyway. A bright glow started shining through the tiny openings of the panels, shining into the dimly illuminated corridor and to the dark abyss they were sitting in. Just as he thought they'd step on the fake floor, the sounds stopped, then started once again, seeming to quiet down slowly as they walked on. The glow slowly faded, and once it was completely gone, he released his breath.

 

"Right... they should be far enough by now... Where was I? Oh, right, my past." Charles spoke out after he was sure they weren't able to hear them, then sighed softly. He didn't exactly like going back in time and remembering all the things which happened to him, but... puppy eyes seemed to have quite an effect on him.

"So... I hail from Harlow, a small town near London, England. Around a third of the world around, in Europe. I was an average boy, but my father wasn't exactly... normal. Let's just say he was really hated by everyone. I was around 10 when... when my father murdered my mother and my old cousin. He killed them, then faked that they had actually fought eachother and had met their ends by the other's hands... all for money. I was sold off to some human dealer in North Dakota, to meet my dad's ends as he drank and gambled on. I... I'm not going to go into a lot of details as to what I had to do, but I can tell you... I saw humanity's worst there. The absolutely lowest a human can go... For three years, I was used like a toy by men and women, whether it was to provide them with their twisted desires, work hard for or do something horrible for them... I was weak, but... I actually rebelled once... I never came to regeret my decision - back then, she seemed so broken... I-I just had to act..." Charles said in one breath, his eyes slightly watering as he approached the end of his words. However, he quickly caught himself, his hands going up to wipe the tears away. He sighed softly, then turned around, delivering a punch to the wall. The impact was strong - one could literally feel a slight vibration the moment his hand collided with the concrete surface - but he shrugged the pain off, turning around to look at Mina once again.

"...Three years of suffering had been enough for me to plan an escape. One night, I killed my captor, stole a car and drove away. I had learned my father's address, and I was driven by vengeance to make him pay for what he had done to me, his only child. I snuck into his new house, watched how his new family slept... I approached him, woke him up and immediately drove a knife into his lungs, then watched him as he slowly choked on his own blood... though I felt sick later, I was sure I had a large grin on my face... Next day, I found a warning about the Apocalypse and drove toward Sacramento. I was caught outside of the safety zone when the first attacks came, but managed to get to safety... I had to kill demons with sharp pieces of metal and broken pipes, and I helped a Demon Arms user to kill an Alpha... I managed to survive, in the end. I joined a guild, got my weapon... and started looking for the ones who had ruined my life, as well as the life of many others. Now, here I am, trying to find out more about those men and women and kill them off, to let my friends rest in peace... " He finally finished, his gaze having turned sad and dark. He sat in silence for a few minutes, attempting to stop the cries for help he'd heard and pained expressions he'd seen from breaking him down.

 

Silently, he got off the wall and started walking toward Mina, his right hand going to the handle of his blade. With a quick move, he drew the sword and continued walking on, his face remaining expressionless. Suddenly, he swung down, embedding his blade into her arm's side. It would look like he was trying to kill her, had he not shut his eyes and focused. Moments later, Mina's wounds and bruises started fading away, the tattered flesh and clothing closing itself and the black marks seemingly disappearing. The 'wound' on her leg would also regenerate, though she really didn't have anything there. Finally, the slash he'd inflicted on her hand closed itself, leaving the edge of the blade hovering slightly over her now healed arm. The blade was now completely rid of blood, the remaining material on it having been used to heal Mina's wounds. Sheating his blade, Charles returned to his place across the girl, leaning slightly on the wall and turning his head up to look at her.

"I'm considering to join Hope's guild, the Dichotomy of Deliverance, but I may opt to continue as a hunter, instead... I honestly have no idea what I'll do now... Right, it's your turn," he said, crossing his arms and smiling slightly. He had noticed her strange walk earlier, and though he was unsure if he had enough to help her out, it turned out that he did. If he didn't, he'd just use his own blood as a substitute.

 

(( Ah, a slightly longer one. :3 ))

Edited September 21, 2014 by KuroKishi

[Neutual Demon]

The Fathered One was acting strange. He had the strangest look on his face as he leaned against the desk. Oh wait, was he shaking? Yes he was shaking. The human smelled of nerves and confusion. Did... did Zulfiqar scare him? But the human remained there against the large piece of furniture, his body quivering, and not responding to the hesitant nudge that the demon gave him for what the humans would think of as a minute or so, but to Zulfiqar it felt like eternity.

An unfamiliar feeling rose up in the demon's chest as he curled his clawed toes under his paws. He broke the human, didn't he? What did he do?! What was he supposed to do now?! Oh, he was going to have to tell Gareth that his Fathered One was broken. The meatball leader wasn't going to like that at all. Would he kick the demon out? Kill him? No, that would be mostly Gareth's mate's idea. After all, he did injure a human, even if it wasn't intentional. Did he even have to tell the human that the Fathered One had broke? He could just... hide the man away in his hording pile and no one will know. Or he could run, leave the humans here and go back to his aimless wanderings. But who would scratch him then? No other human outside this matchstick city would dare get close enough to please the demon unless they were trying to kill him. He didn't want to leave this place crawling with humans!

The demon's inner panic ground to a halt when a familiar, if not hesitant scratching drag over his flesh. It wasn't as good as Gareth's but these tiny paws would do. Most thought drain away as Zulfiqar practically melted under the human's hand, the rumbling purr escaping the cage of his chest.

His pleasant treatment did not last long, as through half-lidded eyes, the demon spotted a recognizable figure in the large mirror on the wall, reflecting the street outside the still open doorway. Zulfiqar recognized that body all too well, able to spot it halfway across this stick town. It was usually the sign to duck for cover, but this time Gareth's mate walked right passed without noticing the demon's presence. Which was good, because she looked like she was ready to bash some skulls in.

"Gareth's mate looks pissed," the demon stated. There was no need to butcher that observation with pleasant language. Of course the demon was curious. After all, who could get Gareth's mate in such a state that hadn't been something he himself had done? Whatever happened, it was going to end in bloodshed, or at least a decent scolding. He wouldn't want to miss that for anything.

Zulfiqar flicked his tail to the side as he grudgingly pried himself away from the tiny human paw scratching him. "I'm going to watch! Leave the image reflector someplace. I shall collect it later," he told the Fathered One before bounding out the door, the fires along his spine reigniting now that he wasn't in the small room. It was easy to guess where Ezrea would go in that temper she's in. Zulfiqar chose to go through the back entrance to the arena, snuffing out his fires once more so he could sneak in through the shadows.

The human was obviously waiting for someone, yet who, Zulfiqar could only guess. The most probable was that she was waiting for a new recruit, but those usually didn't get her in such a tizzy. The demon sat back, vaguely recalling Gareth's sudden departure from the Fathered One's place. Was it a new recruit that they knew? Gareth would accept anyone, but of course Ezrea would want to beat them into submission. Initiation into this burnable town was very interesting, or at least for a demon who could watch humans hammer other humans into the ground. It was almost like demon ranking in that one would have to fight and win in order to get to the next level, except there was no killing allowed here. They lived with the humiliation of losing, which was almost as good, if not better.

Another person did arrive, but they sat down near Gareth's mate. They weren't familiar to the demon, and from this distance he hadn't had the chance to get a good sniff of his scent. But their posture it was doubtful that they were the person Ezrea wanted to bludgeon. From the little he could catch from amongst the different smells of sweat and blood in this arena, this newcomer certainly smelled weird. Zulfiqar would've risked getting closer, but only if Gareth's mate hadn't been present. He wasn't going to risk his own hide to satisfy his curiosity.

Another human popped up, but Zulfiqar only vaguely took note of them as he settled down to watch the hopeful bloodshed that may or may not happen. He hoped so- it would be a shame to run from the scratching to investigate and not get anything of worth out of it.

[Dragonhatchling]

Arethviil listened to Icarus with some hope. Somebody had to know what was going on. Yes? Otherwise why would she get such a letter. He seemed right about the contract vs job scenario. She hadn't though of being offered an actual job. Usually it was just contract after contract with side-contracts and her lucrative business in between. She was used to shady people. Used to holding her own should one go awry again. She shuddered a little at the thought of Alex, but played it off quickly with a nod to Icarus. "If he tries anything I'll handle it..."

 

The girl strode calmly to the door as she had before, stopping just before the frame and knocked slightly. The old man froze, glaring at her. "I told you to leave." He responded sternly, watching her as she didn't move. He seemed angry suddenly. "I've got a question to ask of you..." She set foot in the door as George squared her off. "If it helps, I'll pay for whatever information you have." She was unfazed, and simultaneously pulled out her wallet. It flashed a few hundreds for the mere moment she allowed it, before putting it back until George calmed a little. She could tell he didn't trust her and knew he knew she didn't trust him. "Be quick." That's all she needed.

 

"I got this letter from a nearly dead man a few days ago... the payment it expressed and the token have yet to be evidenced. The letter was bare of gifts when I got it. Crumpled just as bad too." Arethviil handed the old man the note, not flinching when he snatched it up. For good measure she set a few hundreds on the table as he read it over.

His glare returned to her gaze as he finished reading the short letter. She held the gaze openly and just as firm. It would take a lot more than that to intimidate her. He resigned after another moment, looking to the pay. She laid down another bill. "Perhaps one of the Guilds is looking for your services..." He eyed her now a bit more suspiciously as if being asked to a Guild was terrible. Arethviil hated that idea and hoped it wasn't true. "There isn't much to go from, but it seems your best option..." One more hundred laid onto the small stack. It kept the information going. "Perhaps try to find the safe-hold too. Someone there might know more."

Arethviil bowed slightly, her only thank you to him. George didn't yell for her to leave this time, but she left and barely got out of the door in his last question. "Genuine?" "As genuine as eight hundred gets for some somewhat helpful information." She responded without turning around. She knew he thought her a cheat.

"Alrighty Icarus... some safe-hold place he mentioned going to find... got any idea where that is?" She, of course, had a clue. She'd worked with all of the highest guilds before. Especially Gareth's old guild before it dissolved. But she didn't want anyone to know that, and so she'd let Icarus lead the way if he knew. She hoped this wouldn't lead to Gareth himself. They weren't exactly on the best terms when she left.

[HellFireSouLess]

Saraph watched as she left the room. He then turned to the tray of food. He had not eaten anything all day. He took the tray of food gulping it down. She was indeed I very good cook. Saraph had not eaten like that in a long time. He finished his food and placed the tray by on the table. The words that Ezrea said kept echoing in his mind. If she only knew what it had done to him. What had been unleashed. She would not be saying that. He wanted to fight now to show her. At the same time what would Gareth think? What would anyone think if they saw? He also couldn't use his sword. That sword never leaves his side. Since that tragedy it never leaves him. Saraph could not explain why. It just never did. Then realized he had forgotten to tell them what happened.

"Gareth I forgot to tell you. I just recently killed an omega at least I think it was. A demon named Beraial. He told as he died to found a demon named Vol'tar. If i found him that there might hope? I do not know what he meant. Yet, something is telling me to find him." said Saraph trying to figure it out.

A demon wanting to help a human? This confused Saraph. Yet, something in Saraph's was telling him to find Vol'tar at all costs. Why thou? Why? He wanted to know why. I f he was going to find Vol'tar he would need Gareth's help. That was going to be the hard part. Saraph needed to convince Ezrea. Saraph was happy that Gareth found someone like her. But, at the same time jealous of him and her. He wanted to be something like them. It was impossible now for Allia was gone. Even thou he was jealous he was happy. Gareth the little giant found someone. Saraph smiled as he thought about this. He was glad to see his brother happy. He just wished he too could have this happiness. Being with the one you love holding her, loving her. Saraph knew he could not have this. Next to Saraph his sword began to glow white, not its normal black color. Saraph looked at his sword and saw Allia standing next to his sword smiling. His eyes widen as he saw her. She blew him a kiss and vanished. She was wearing a white dress this time. He dropped his head towards the ground. He got out of the bed standing on his own two feet.

“Gareth I am sorry, but his sword has never left my side. I will not use against her. So yes I am going to fight her. I need to show her and you something. I need you there friend. If I am to do this, something needs to be my wall. I just will not have the remedy, for afterward.” said Saraph in sadness.

He did not wish to do this but they needed to see. See what the loss of Allia had done to him. He sat back down on the edge of the bed. He saw his boots next to the bad along with a pair of socks. He put them on. He began to look around seeing if he could see his vest. On a coat rack he saw what looked like to be his. He walked over to it to investigate if it was really his. He grabbed the vest and sure enough it was his. He put it on. He felt ready but… still he did not want to do this. Saraph felt it deep down that if did not Ezrea would never trust him or anything. He did not want that. He wanted his brother’s wife to at least trust him or something.

“Come on Gareth let’s go.” said Saraph as he walked to the door.

He opened the door leaving it open for Gareth. Saraph put his hood on so no one would notice him. He then jumped on the roof trying to find the arena. Sure enough he found it. He jumped off and made his way to the arena. He was thinks if she would be using her Demon Arm. If so that would be a little unfair since he would not be using his. Never the less he had to prove himself to her. No matter it takes he had to. Even thou Allia would not be here to support him or anything. He reached the arena standing on the other edge. Saw Ezrea there looking at the sky. Saprah jumped in the air landing in the center the arena. He stab his sword into the ground. Waiting to see what Ezrea would do now.

 

[Thaelasan]

Charles watched as Zulfiqar bounded off with a slight bit more confusion than before. He was certain the demon had been pacified but he wasn't going to complain. As long as he could return to his work, he supposed. Though the demon's words troubled him. Ezrea? Mad? Well it wasn't unusual... but for Zulfiqar to actually admit it meant that it was something severe.

Oh no. Had Gareth done something again? Well, he supposed that was marriage. Unless they came to him specifically for help - why bother?

He sat back down at his desk and made himself comfortable. After all of that, he still felt shaken and a bit infuriated - both at himself and basically the world. But it would pass. He just needed more tea. That would fix it. Assuredly.

As he sipped, he looked out the window, bemused. Soon, Gareth would most likely be leaving his house to find his beloved and try to comfort her. It was always the same but it kept them together. Charles smiled whimsically because of his hand in their relationship.

Oh but he didn't expect too much gratitude. For now, just watching it happen was enough. He leaned back in his chair and continued to drink, pondering his next course of action. Hellboars. That was what he had named them. Now he needed to do the same for countless other demons which now infested - or, rather, LIVED - in the lava pits across the lane from his home. He placed the cup down and picked up his pen, placing it on the paper with satisfaction.

Life was slightly normal again. As long as people didn't interrupt his work, Charles could finally do what needed to be done.

Then, he looked up and noticed the door was, unfortunately, still very much open.

"Of course..." he sighed, standing to his feet. Within a few minutes, he had shut his door to the outside world and could finally do his work in - hopefully - peace.

 

-----

 

Ezrea still lay on the stairs, undeterred. For some reason, somebody had not only entered her arena but had also had the gall to sit next to her. She was sure it was a man at the voice.

"For one, I'm married, so this had better not be some way of getting into my bed." she said irritably, sighing. "For another, I don't have time for any sort of jokes. I'm about to beat the hell out of one of my husband's friends so if you could-"

She looked upward finally and got a glimpse of the man's face. She rolled her eyes and finally moved to a sitting position, frowning with annoyance.

"Of course. If one of my husband's old friends shows up, someone from my past does too. It's like his problems have to become mine sometime." she grumbled, turning. There was no mistake. Even though one of his eyes had changed and his body had altered slightly, it was still Allen.

Allen White - the Squad Leader she had been absolutely certain had died that day in the Arctic Circle.

She hadn't thought much about it once she had put it behind her. Like Gareth, she didn't dwell on the past for long - it made her seem weak. She had been stationed in the Arctic Circle, at one of the three main gates, waiting on reinforcements. The plan was to attempt to fortify the gates' locks using human technology.

She hadn't been sure what exactly had happened but one of the squad members had walked up to the gate and had convinced Allen to follow him. In the next moment, the gate had swung open so fast that it had sent a wave of pressure, knocking most of the squads surrounding it to the ground. Those people had been lucky though.

Ezrea's nose had been filled with the scent of burning corpses. When she turned, sure enough, she had had to suppress vomiting at the sight of roughly 20 of her fellow men and women, charred. Worse, a few of them were still alive, screaming in agony and begging someone to help them.

But that hadn't been the main thing on her mind. THINGS began to swarm from the gate, things people had begun to call demons now, but at the time they had been enemies... enemies you couldn't kill with bullets.

Oh they had been trained to fight them in any situation but they hadn't been trained for THIS number. The demons began to devour the corpses and the half-living, and also set their sights on a certain red-headed woman who was struggling to stand. Before they could chase her, she was already running away. As fast as she could move, she forgot everything else and began to make a mad dash for the boat. She saw that others were doing the same.

The ice boat. Ezrea remembered that now more than ever before. The captain had seen them coming and seen the horde behind them. Without a word, he had started it up. Everyone had been forced to jump to grab onto the back of the boat. One or two didn't make the jump and had to be pulled aboard. Only thirteen managed to make it out of the sixty who had been in the area. Ezrea's squad had been completely eliminated - she was sure.

Yet now, sitting before her (though strange) was Allen White, now calling himself Rei.

She told him all of this, of course, if a little bit more bluntly. When she finished the story, she laid back down on her back, unabashed.

"That's all I know about you personally. If you're wondering if we dated or something, you wish you were that lucky." she chuckled, staring back up at the sky. "No. Back then I thought I'd never end up with someone else. You're right - I didn't seem the type. But he's still an idiot who depends on me for everything. He couldn't lead this guild without me."

She smiled at the thought, convinced it was true... though in her heart she knew it wasn't. Still, she would never admit that to anyone. She was still important to him, as important as he was to her.

And that's all there was to it.

"Anyway, if you want to see me destroy this man, just take a seat in the sidelines over there. But don't leave. I may as well ask you how you survived later, though I don't really care." she lied, still staring at the sky.

 

-----

 

Soon after she finished her speech with Rei, Saraph and Gareth had entered the arena. Ezrea was actually impressed, though she tried hard not to show it. She propped herself on her elbows, still laying on her back slightly.

"Gareth, I thought you warned him." Ezrea said, pleased. "Don't you want him to live a little longer?"

"You wouldn't kill him and you know it." Gareth said with total conviction.

"I'd do it! I don't care if he's a friend of yours." she responded quickly. "I mean it! If he enters my arena, all bets are off."

"Doesn't mean you lose who you are, honey." Gareth moved to sit in one of the stands outside of the arena, interested.

"Hmph." Ezrea grunted, standing to her full height. She held up her left hand, her demon arm showing on her finger like a warning.

"Because you're a friend of my husband, you get a nice treat - I'm going to use my demon arm, since you can't seem to let that damn thing go. Go ahead. Bring it up here if you can't fight without it." Ezrea taunted.

She walked into the center of the stage, standing on the opposing side of the stairs. On the other side, of course, was a marking where Saraph should begin. Ezrea cracked her knuckles theatrically. She had missed this feeling of showmanship. The arena was where you proved your worth.

"Now, let's see if you're actually worth my time." Ezrea stood in a fighting pose, preparing. "I don't care if you're my husband's friend or not! I'll take you out like anyone else."

[HellFireSouLess]

Saraph sighed and looked at Gareth. Then back at Ezrea. He figured she would use her Demon Arm if he brought his sword. Yet he still would not use it. He let go of his sword standing still. With his eyes closed. He could feel the breeze of the wind, the heat of his surrounding. He could even smell the ash in the air. His senses of when he was a scout and a tracker began to come back to him. The thrill of the hunt. Saraph stood still waiting for Ezrea.

"Funny thing Ezrea. You do not even know me. Yet, all I hear from you are words of pride. You have your right to be proud. Yet, ever think that i am weak. I might not look it. I was one of the best scouts and trackers. Funny thing is you do not know how I got my injuries. Would like to explain how." said Saraph for he tired of her talking.

He hated the way she talked try to think she was all high and mighty. Underestimating him she as smirked. The beast inside him was about to unleash. The sword next to him glowed in front of everyone. Saraph looked and saw Allia standing next to the blade. Saraph began to feel calm again. She waked over to him hugging him and kissed him.

"I know you can do this my love." said Allia as she vanished.

Saraph gained his sense of humanity back. Took off his hood and looked at Ezrea in the eye.

"Before you guys found I killed a demon named Beraial. I do know this. He was an omega or something stronger. Believe me or not I not care." Saraph with words of conviction.

All Saraph wanted now was to see how good she was. He wanetd to see what Gareth saw in her.

Edited September 22, 2014 by HellFireSouLess

[Clown_of_God]

Rei nodded, moving back to where Gareth had gone to, standing next to him and crossing his arms. This man she had married was a giant, that was for sure, but Rei had met people similar to him. Big, bulky and monstrous in appearance, but when you got to know them, they were the friendliest people you would ever meet.

Karin had come up from behind him, placing a hand on his shoulder while her eyes remained on the events down below. She was interested in seeing what these two were capable of, Rei could see it in her eyes. Not to say he wasn't interested himself, but he was also curious as to what the man beside him was capable of.

"Hello, Gareth. Name's Rei. Used to work with your wife a while back. I hear you're well acquainted with demon technology. If that's true, I have a weapon I need you to take a look at later. It might peak your interest, as I'm sure it's nothing you've ever seen before."

Karin had looked back at Rei and then over at Gareth. It was both appeasing and somewhat disappointing. Rei was finally on the short end, but in conjunction it made Karin seem even shorter than she was.

"Did you get the information you were looking for from her?"

"A bit, but she wants to know how I survived. Honestly, I don't even remember what it was I had been doing. I just know that sometime between the gates being opened and after I woke back up, I obtained my sword."

Karin nodded and returned her attention to the events transpiring below.

Something else that had intrigued her about that kid below was that he had mentioned defeating an Omega-class. Adjusting her gaze to glance at Rei, she pondered if he'd be able to handle something like him. Shrugging, her gaze went back to the two in the center of the arena.

[Thaelasan]

((IF. IF this works, it's Ezrea and Gareth so far. :I

In the original picture, she looked much shorter and younger. ))

 

Ezrea sighed, disappointed. Like her husband, this boy was long-winded. Why did everyone have to talk so much when there was fighting to be done? Did it look like she gave a damn about what demons people had killed? Not really. Her husband had killed several omega before and she'd done two or three in. Unless they were really high-class omega, their size was their only danger... which meant that big groups of people were at more risk than one or two. That's why most demon hunters traveled in pairs at most.

But for now, it didn't matter. This was a battle between two combatants, not a boasting match. If she wanted to boast, she'd have already made him feel insecure by now. But...

She looked at her husband for a fleeting moment. Their eyes met, giving a slight message between the two. Her eyes narrowed with annoyance. Yet, she stomped over to Saraph anyway and grabbed him by his collar, hoisting him upward with both hands.

"My husband likes you. I don't. But since has such great approval for you, I'll let your use of a blade in my arena slide. However, that doesn't mean that you can still hold it. Or are you afraid to face me without it?" she seethed.

"Ezrea, dear!" Gareth called from the stands, his great voice almost coming from all sides of the arena. "Maybe you could give a LITTLE bit of mercy this time around?"

"Dammit." she dropped Saraph, irritated. "Fine. Just give me the damn thing already and quit being such a-"

She reached to grab the sword in a fury only to pull her hand back with a loud, audible scream of pain. She closed her mouth quickly, surprised.

Her eyes appraised Saraph as she held her hand tightly. It still burned. Her eyes were accusing as she stared him up and down, unable to speak for a long moment.

"Get the hell out of my arena. You win. Just... just leave. And don't come back." she demanded, turning to walk back towards Gareth. Her eyes seemed distant. That sword.. that sword wasn't like any demon arm that Ezrea had placed her hand on before.

Oh sure, demon arms rejected some owners. Maybe they weren't strong enough or didn't meet its expectations, but it never... never did that. Those memories... those weren't hers. She shuddered. That wasn't something natural.

As she approached Gareth she simply held out her hands, saying nothing. Gareth was confused for a moment before Ezrea walked into him, arms outstretched. It was a hug. He returned it gladly but was still bewildered. She never did that.

And was she... crying?

"I'm sorry. That shocked me...." she shuddered.

"Are you ok?" Gareth asked, concerned.

"I'm fine! Just... just get them out of my arena. We have to talk. Now." Ezrea demanded, fiddling with her braid anxiously. "Just us. You can do that, right?"

"Of course. If you will all excuse us.." he said, hoisting her up. This time she didn't struggle. She clutched his neck tightly, quiet.

The two walked back towards their home, leaving the other three in silence.

 

[Clown_of_God]

Feeling somewhat irritated that he had been brushed off, Rei turned to follow after Gareth with Karin close behind. With his recent interaction with the pits, his blood had been unstable and it was beginning to boil in his veins. Just as he was about to grasp onto Gareth's shoulder, Rei took a knee and was clutching at the marking on his face.

Karin ran up beside him, but was thrown back with great force and the back of her head smacked into the tree she had been thrown into and she fell limp to the ground.

Beneath Rei, a small puddle of steel-red blood was forming and solidifying. Heavy breaths and agonizing groans were the only thing that would alert anybody else to his frantic situation, but it was already becoming too late to try and subdue him.

From his shoulders, his arms were already beginning to shift into their magma encrusted form. His body was increasing in size and horns began to grow from the side of Rei's head. A glow was forming inside his maw that now had razor sharp teeth lining the interior.

The hand that had once been clutching at his face was now smashing into the ground. His other eye had taken on the same coloration as his demonic one, red iris and black sclera. What skin was still exposed underneath the armor-like substance beginning to form over his body had become ashen. A deep guttural roar was beginning to replace the pained grunts and huffs.

Rei never appreciated even the partial transformations he performed, they brought him nothing but pain as his bones filled with metal and magma-like blood began to pump through his veins. Muscles tore and reformed, almost solidifying as to increase their defensive purpose while simultaneously bolstering his strength tremendously.

As the transition was beginning to settle, Rei finally stood, but he still retained a slump in his stance as his body finalized the remaining transformations. Steam streamed from his nostrils, while a helm-like object covered his face. Rei's eyes gave off an eerie glow from behind the mask and it seemed like a heavy pressure began to radiate from his body while an ominous aura filled the air.

Finally, his transformation completed itself and a blast of hot air erupted through the area as he released a tremendous roar. Nearby brush and trees swayed and began to shrivel from the heat.

 

------

 

So, he was hunting those men and women as well, huh? There had been quite a large group of them, but Mina had already taken a good portion of them down. Since she hadn't been able to locate some of them, she figured the demons had gotten to them already, slightly dismayed that she wasn't able to wring the lives out of them herself.

Yet, here was this man before her, informing that he was the one responsible for their deaths. Mina had to ponder on what sort of method this man took. Had it been slow and painful or did he just outright kill them? It would be too simple to ask, but Mina figured if she probed too much that he might grow suspicious. After all, she's supposed to be the little sister of a kind man.

Suddenly, he mentioned a place called Hope and a guild that resided within it, Dichotomy of Deliverance. This, she was interested in. Hope. There had been rumors of a crazed man from DC that separated and began his own colony, but that's all they had been was rumors and speculation. If she weren't sitting right across from this man, a sinister smile would have creased her lips.

"Hope? I think my big brother had mentioned something like that, but that was a long time ago. What do you know about Hope and this guild?"

Edited September 22, 2014 by zakku_uchiha

[KuroKishi]

(( Eh. Looks like crazed characters don't react to suddenly being attacked out of nowhere, nor do they react to their wounds suddenly being mended. Lemme write that down... ))

 

Charles stood quietly, leaning on the opposite wall and letting Mina absorb what he had just said. He shut his eyes and let out a soft sigh, then slowly dove back into his memories. He went back to the first person he'd found from the ones who'd survived the Apocalypse, in his hunt to kill every single 'human user'. It was just before he joined his first guild, the Atra Mors, and he still had no Demon Arms. However, he was still a good fighter, and though guns and a nodachi weren't as effective as the current Demon Arms, any good weapon with armor piercing or FMJ bullets and blades made of titanium or carbon steel would still prove lethal to any lesser and capable of doing damage to tougher, rarer types.

He could recall how he had just completed a small escort mission - thankfully, very successfully, since the toughest thing that came to attack them was a reaver - and was about to go buy some new ammunition when a strange poster caught his attention. He slowly moved over, ignoring the strangely familiar female in the middle and reading the text. His gaze turned darker with every line he read - it was, once again, a human trading group. Though the main aim of this was to 'give the needy work for pay, food and shelter', he could notice that nobody was actually making use of this, and the ones passing by would often throw strange glances at him. He tore it down, placed it in his backpack and went to a nearby information broker. After a few minutes of torture and threats, Charles had found that the woman in the poster was actually his first female client, and she was making a 'clothing factory' with workers here, in the safe zone, so as to help the population's demands. What a load of bull.

 

After a few small conversations with strangers on the street, he had found the place he was looking for. He climbed up to a high vantage point and quietly observed. The facility was large, and from what he could recognize, it used to be a warehouse before the Apocalypse. Now, it had been converted into a factory for clothing, with a second floor for extra space and a few barred windows letting light inside. Over ten guards walked around in the courtyard, armed with simple guns in case 'someone wasn't happy enough about his choice of attire and wanted to steal some'. He saw how a small truck approached a nearby garage, and the door swung open. The vehicle drove in, and the doors shut, but in the small amount of time, he'd noticed young girls with worried faces inside. It was a secret entrance, used to not draw attention to their methods of hiring. A generator ran electricity through the building, but he was sure it was only for looks, as many rooms remained dark and lit up afterwards seemingly at random. However, he could spot the women working inside, their broken gazes and the few glances some of the guardsmen threw at them. This was just a facility about using women, whether it would be to fulfill desires or make clothes, through slavery and usage of force.

A wave of anger washed over Charles as he observed the abuse through the few second story windows. Nobody was acting against this violation of human rights, and nobody was going to. He had to do something. So, he sat down, formulated a plan, and went off as soon as it turned dark. He snuck behind the building and climbed up and into the courtyard. Then, he slowly sneaked inside, wiping out a couple of the guards stationed outside and sneakily making his way past cameras. He moved through the building and to the second floor, locating the security room and disabling the low-grade system with the quick flip of a switch.

He weaved through the corridors, avoiding guards and trying desperately not to listen to what was happening in the other rooms, in order to find the one who had started this operation - the one he was hunting. In the end, he came to her office. He quickly walked into the room, making the woman gasp in suprise, and gave her no time to react by immediately driving a knife into her chest. Charles grinned as he watched her choke on her own blood and die, the life fading from her eyes with a last, forced breath. Having taken his revenge, he went on to kill every single guard within the building and left without a word after leaving the keys to one of the women. From what he'd heard afterward, the facility had started up again, but under the women's control. In the end, though the reason he started his attack was because he was reminded of his slavery, he had only gone in for the kill.

 

Charles reopened his eyes as Mina started speaking and listened to what she had to say. It was a question about the miracle town, Hope, and the guild which created it, the Dichotomy of Deliverance. Moving one of his hands through his hair, he sighed softly before nodding slightly to Mina, agreeing to tell her what he knew.

"Hope... Hope was created a few years ago. It's a city, created by survivors, which were fed up of living in the safe zones and wanted to go out and claim back what we had lost to the demons. A man named Gareth Victor lead them to where the city is now, using his Demon Arms to kill everything in their way but not letting even one of his fellow travelers die. After their arrival, Hope was created, as well as the guild, the Dichotomy of Deliverance, which served to keep the city safe, as well as limit the threat in the Washington DC area. Though it took a while, this small miracle flourished, managing to get electricity, barriers and much more a city would need within the span of a year. I've heard that demons live in the city, working with humans, but those are only rumors - just like the story about Gareth. However, I've been to Hope, and I've seen Gareth in action... and after having seen him, I'm sure that he has done something nobody else would even try to - take back these demonic lands and create a city of Hope to prove we're not weaklings, ready to bow down to these demons." He said and pushed himself off the wall, having noticed that they had spent a bit more time than he'd want to.

"We should get going for now. The bunker isn't too far away, and I'd rather talk with someone when I know I'm safe and I have a glass of whiskey in my hand." Charles finished as he started walking into the abyss, his hand quickly going to his belt and drawing a flashlight. He turned it on, illuminating a huge, dark tunnel with train rails in the middle, before turning to the left and starting to walk deeper into the darkness.

Edited September 29, 2014 by KuroKishi

[Clown_of_God]

((Well, she did watch you do it to yourself earlier. Besides it was late, I was tired and I completely forgot to post something with her. So, I threw that together, as you can probably tell. Anyway, I'll see if I'm able to get another post in later. Gotta get ready for work.))

[Thaelasan]

The sudden change in atmosphere was absolute and overpowering. Gareth turned, shocked, as he saw Rei's transformation finish in its entirety.

He couldn't do anything but stand there for a moment. Here he was, with his wife - definitely not in any state to fight properly - riding upon his back and a demon he'd never seen before was now behind him. Where had he come from?!

"Let me down." Ezrea commanded.

"But you're not-"

"Put. Me. Down."

Her words were firm. She looked at Rei as well. She now realized a little bit of what was going on. So this was what had happened to Allen White.

Unabashed, she leaped from Gareth's back as Gareth set her down. She was ready, her ring sitting firmly on her hand, her eyes stern.

"Of course no one could have survived that unscathed." Ezrea stated, amused. "You died... just not completely. Maybe I need to fix that."

"Ezrea this is not a good idea. You need to know when to stop." Gareth warned, placing a hand before her. "I don't want to fight him either."

"Don't stop me." Ezrea demanded.

"Then I'm going to help you fight him." Gareth replied softly, turning back to Rei. He stared the man's new form over, unable to believe what he was witnessing. This wasn't human but it wasn't the kind of demon he was used to either. It was some sort of new beast he'd never seen before.

Metallic, berserker armor, mask shrouded in flame, a body as hot as molten steel. This was not your average demon.

His arms transformed into their blade forms almost immediately and he took a stance. If this demon came at them, they would not move aside.

[HellFireSouLess]

Saraph stood in confusion. Ezrea wanted to beat him and yet she cried. All from just grabbing his sword. Saraph turned his head to the sword as it still glowed white. Saraph ahd never touched his sword when it glowed like this before He grabbed the hilt and then a surge of memories poured into him. It was not just his memories but Allia's memories. Seeing all of the times they were together. All of the pain she felt during the attack on the facility. Yet, he sees something more. He sees his times in isolation, everything that had transpired up till now. They were not through his own eyes. They were from someone else's eyes.

"Saraph free me." said a voice in Allia's voice.

Saraph's eyes widen for Allia popped out of the sword as a spectre. She walked to him putting her hand on his cheek. Saraph raised his hand touching hers. They both looked into each other eyes. Saraph could not believe it. Was she in his sword. He wondered if when he twist the hilt he absorbed her soul.

"Set me free my love. Only then will we be together." said Allia as she went back into the sword.

Saraph dropped to his knees. He still could not believe it. Was Allia really in his sword? Then Saraph heard a loud roar. He turned to what seemed an omega. he looked at his sword. This was something that he now wanted to believe in. Even thou if he did not get her back. He wanted her to be free. With new profound hope and determination. He grabbed his sword.

"Together then Allia. I will set you free." said Saraph.

Then he remembered what Beraial had said. Did Beraial knew this and wanted to help Saraph? Is why he took him to find Vol'tar? These had to wait for Saraph knew he had to stop this demon. He jumped into the air. When he was in the air he saw a girl on the ground. He had to get her away from here. When he landed he ran to her with all speed.

"Hey you alright?" asked Saraph as he dropped next to her.

Saraph could tell that she was out of it. Yet, what could he do. See saw Gareth and Ezrea as if they were ready for a fight. Even thou he did not get a chance to prove himself maybe this was. A tree began to fall on top of Saraph and the girl. Saraph turned his blade so he would not cut it. If fell on his blade so he could hold it up. It was extremly heavy, but Saraph had to for her sake.

"Gareth!!! Ezrea!!! Help over here!!!" exclaimed Saraph as he was holding the tree up.

Saraph dropped to one knee still trying to hold it up. He put his other hand under the blade. The weight was starting to get ubearable.

[Neutual Demon]

Zulfiqar was highly disappointed. Another new human had crawled out of the woodwork and Ezrea was putting on her serious pummeling face. At least she was, until something happened. He thought she grabbed onto what was most likely the meatball's Demon Arm, but something must've happened for her to cry out and promptly let go, then demanded for the man to leave. Gareth then picked up his mate and all the humans, both strange smelling and not, left. Without any punches thrown. What the hell happened?

With a snort, the fires along the demon's back relit, casting a soft glow in the shadows he had previously been lurking in. Whatever happened to Gareth's mate distracted her enough to not bloody the human target, and despite whatever disappointment he felt over the lack of conflict, his curiosity over what caused her to simply give up the fight drove Zulfiqar out of the arena again to follow after the ragtag group of two-legged meatsacks. He came out just as the fireworks began; the strange smelling human's form twisting and forming what from this distance appeared to be armor. Demon armor? Did he just form demon armor over himself like some demons? A human-demon? Not a demon but not human either?

Zulfiqar had to repress the urge to drag the curiously confusing being back to his horde.

Gareth and his mate were getting ready to beat demon-human's brains out, the meatloaf leader no longer carrying his very serious mate and both of them striking a fighting pose. The demon was more than ready to just sit back and enjoy the show, but a cry drew his attention. It was that human who Ezrea was going to fight first not then changed her mind. He was managing to hold up a tree- slightly impressive for a meatbag- in order to keep it from crushing himself and that other female that the human-demon had tossed aside during his transformation.

Zulfiqar hesitated for a moment before letting out a harrumph, smoke curling him his snout as he prowled over to the tree, keeping to the walls and shadows before he stepped to the two humans. He stuck his head under the trunk, his horns supporting most of the weight as he wedged himself under the tree. He sat up onto his haunches, propping the tree up on top of his head and horns and taking the weight fully from the human. "I got it," he grumbled, ignoring how his flaming mane licked at the bark. The tree would have to dry out some before it would catch, or he had to crank up the heat. "Get the scrawny, bony meatball out of here." Then ignoring the two, he turned his pupil-less eyes towards the pending fight in an almost calculating look. Should he...? Ezrea never did say he couldn't hurt a human if the human was hurting others. It was all on a matter of scale: from one to losing his tongue, how mad would Ezrea get if he launched this fallen tree at the human-demon?

[Thaelasan]

(( In case you didn't see it in the OOC, Zakku gave me control of this fight. ))

 

Steam and flame. That's all that poured from Rei now, burning the very air into cinders. It was directed at no one in particular - a flame which burned the world just to see how much it blackened and turned to nothing. This was a flame of anger and rage which no longer had a target.

Gareth definitely didn't want Ezrea involved in this. The two of them had fought their fair share of demons before, a few of which being the dreaded Omegas. Ezrea was not an easy kill. She prided herself on her ability to handle herself in combat just like anyone else. Even Gareth knew that she was a fierce opponent.

But now, here, with Rei standing before them clad in this dark armor of magma and fury, even Gareth felt a slight bit of fear. He didn't know why but he just knew for a certainty that this was not a normal demon that stood before them now. This was nothing like anything he had faced before.

Ezrea, however, didn't stand around debating. She had, of course, noticed Saraph and Zulf's current situation. Yet, for some reason, it didn't stop her. She launched forward, her fist moving as quickly as she could muster towards the beast's face.

Rei moved aside slightly as though nothing had happened, grabbing her arm with his own and throwing her into the air. He then proceeded to leap after her, bringing both fists down into her body as it flew into the sky. She landed on the ground with a heavy impact. She groaned as she leaned up from where she had landed, dazed.

"The hell? Since when could demons move that fast?!" she said, irritated.

Gareth didn't hear her speak. The moment he had seen her harmed his entire body had changed. Just like when Allia had died in front of him, he felt some sort of void within him. The normal emotions he felt - his happiness, his general kindness, his humor - all seemed to leave him. Instead, the void began to fill with emotions of a much darker nature.

He lowered his arm blades, fury rising within him. There was one thing in this world he would not stand for in any situation - only one thing which could turn him from his normal self to this: the harm of those he held dear to him, especially Ezrea. He bared his blades, snorting with pure aggression.

Rei seemed undaunted, standing back as he had before - perfectly still, hands hanging by his sides. The heat from his body rivaled that of the magma pits nearby. He held out a hand, sending a gout of flame at Ezrea to finish her.

The shot did not even reach her halfway. Gareth held up one of his arm blades, moving quickly to stand in front of Ezrea and take the brunt of the shot. The flames flew around him, leaving the two of them unscathed.

"I didn't need your help or anything!" Ezrea said, flustered. She stood to her feet angrily, hands on her hips.

"Don't get in my way! I can handle him-"

Gareth turned slightly, staring at her for a long moment. She saw it again, that stare he had given the squad when he had fought that omega over two months ago. It was the stare that had led her to moving the squad bases safely from the frontlines so that they would not be in danger. But the danger didn't come from the demons, it came from him.

She actually backed up slightly, nervous.

"Gareth. Honey. Calm down." she gestured soothingly, trying to bring him back to normal. "There's no need for that."

But Gareth didn't respond. He turned, blades bared once again. Rei cocked his head questionably, unable to decide which target he should for first. But the confusion only made him more infuriated. He finally decided that both of them should perish at once - a simple conclusion.

Gareth, however, charged forward, breaking Rei's concentration only slightly. One of Gareth's blades came around in a wide arc, slamming against Rei's side. The demon being grabbed the blade, slowing it to a halt. He tried to push back or swing around but hesitated.

Gareth's other blade came around at the side of Rei's head. The demon leaped backward as both blades slashed closed where he had been just moments before. Now Rei's blinded, angry vision only saw one true target. Ignoring all other combatants, he charged at Gareth, meeting the enraged goliath in the middle.

Blade met fists. They began to push each other back, neither side giving much room. As they continued to struggle with each other, their rage only continued to build. Finally, Gareth let out a roar and began to push forward even harder. Though Rei was covered in demon armor, he was still his human size. Gareth's size, in the end, began to force him backward.

Infuriated, Rei began to heat up, becoming hotter than pure flame. Gareth winced as the heat began to push him backward more than Rei was.

"MOVE, YOU IDIOT!" Ezrea shouted, running forward. "Get the hell back before he burns you! I won't forgive you if you die to something so foolish!"

Gareth moved aside slightly to see her speaking right as her fist landed into Rei's stomach, going past the moving Gareth. She punched again before Rei could finally dodge, screeching in pain.

Gareth, confused, turned to Ezrea. She put up a pair of thumbs, grinning.

"My ring works based on amount of hits, not WHAT I hit. I just sat over there punching that tree Zulf was holding-" she pointed at the now broken branches. "-until I broke it."

Gareth shrugged, then turned back to Rei.

Rei was now a living fireball of rage and hatred. The ground around him began to melt. Luckily, no citizens of Hope came to this part of town unless Ezrea dragged them there. However, it still meant they were in a dangerous situation if Rei decided the town was a better target.

"Ezrea. No more." Gareth commanded. "I will do it."

"And burn to death? Good! Care more about yourself than everyone else!" she said haughtily. "If he killed you, where would that leave me!? You're not allowed to die for such stupid reasons, you understand me?"

"But Ezrea.." Gareth said, worried.

"NO. I refuse! If I can't fight, you can't either." she stated, turning on her heel. "So I guess he'll just burn the town down anyway."

"But Ezrea you use your fists. You'll be in more danger than me!" Gareth complained, pointing with one of his blade arms at Rei's furious form.

"I think I can help.."

Gareth and Ezrea turned, interested. Karin had stood shakily to her feet, still barely able to move.

"He's my responsibility.. I can take care of him." Karin said weakly, holding up a hand. "He does this sometimes. It's not his fault."

"That's not his fault?" Ezrea said, bemused, pointing a thumb over at him. "Call me skeptical but he looks pretty serious about it."

"It's hard to explain.. That's not really him." Karin said, sheepishly. "Just.. just know that he's not the one in there right now."

"Fireman has more than one brain?" Ezrea looked completely confused.

"It's not really that simple either.." Karin responded. "Anyway you may want to hurry because.."

Rei had steadily been increasing in heat and rage ever since he had been punched. He'd been kneeling on the ground, breathing heavily as he regained his strength. Where Ezrea had punched him, the armor was reconstructing itself, rebuilding like flesh would. It was close to being finished.

"But you can barely stand!" Gareth protested, holding Karin back. "Just let us take care of him."

"But if you died then we'd feel terribly!" Karin whined, turning to Ezrea and Gareth, arms flailing. "And if you killed him, I'd never forgive you!"

"You'd die too, in that state!" Gareth stated firmly.

"No! He would never kill me!" Karin responded frantically. "You have to believe me!"

"He isn't himself, ma'am!" Gareth replied. "You can't just assume he wouldn't do this or that!"

"JUST DO IT ALREADY!" Ezrea roared. She punched Karin in the back, sending her flying at Rei just as he stood to his full height.

Gareth's jaw dropped as he stood in disbelief. Ezrea cracked her knuckles, nodding.

"Good shot, huh?" Ezrea said proudly.

"BUT WHY!?" Gareth asked, utterly shocked. "You could have hurt her! She was just-"

"Hey. Stop talking and look." Ezrea pointed, ignoring his protests.

As they watched, Karin embraced Rei, holding him tightly and not allowing him to go. He struggled for a moment before hissing and ceasing his movements. For a long while, no one moved.

Then, as Gareth and Ezrea (who would never say this was true) watched in fascination, Rei's armor began to deconstruct. Flesh replaced black metal and hair took the place of horns. Soon, Karin was embracing a disoriented and weakened Rei, who immediately fell to the ground, exhausted.

"...Did... did I hurt you?" Rei asked, sighing weakly.

"No! You would never do that." Karin replied quickly.

Rei looked around and saw Gareth and Ezrea still staring at him in awe. He frowned, rubbing a hand through his rustled hair. Of course, he had done it again. If this place had been crowded...

"It's the magma pits. I have to get away from them." Rei stated firmly, standing back to his feet. Karin still held on to him, refusing to let go.

"Do you.. have a place Karin and I can stay for a while? We have means of payment." Rei asked, still slightly dazed.

"Don't worry about money." Gareth said, much to Ezrea's chagrin. "Just head down the street. There's a makeshift apartment area far from these lava pits that you can live in. Just tell the innkeeper I sent you."

"Much appreciated. Karin, you can let go now. I'm fine." Rei assured.

"I'm not letting go until you're in bed." Karin refused.

"Fine.. fine." Rei sighed, beginning the long trek towards the destination. Ezrea and Gareth watched him go, silent for a long while.

"Aren't they adorable?" Gareth commented, smiling. "A good pair of young lovers. I hope it all works out for them."

Ezrea grunted slightly, then turned to Gareth. Without a word, she wrapped both arms around one of his and placed her face into his chest, sighing.

"You did it again." she accused. "You're lucky I was there to get you out of that."

"I was indeed." Gareth agreed, rubbing her hair lovingly. "That was some quick thinking, my love."

"You're damn straight." she replied, looking up at him. "I wasn't going to rest until I put a fist into his metal gut. He needed a good backhand too.."

"I don't think he would have survived that in his condition." Gareth commented.

"Who said I was worried about that?" she replied wistfully, moving away from him. "Now, what about this guy?"

She pointed at Saraph non-chalantly, bored.

"What about him?" Gareth asked.

"His sword's cursed." she shrugged. "I saw myself die when I touched it."

Gareth blinked.

"You saw WHAT?" he asked, heavily concerned. She held him back with a hand, rolling her eyes.

"This is why I didn't say a damn thing. His sword made me see a giant golem. You were in it. Then this fool was standing there too. Then I died. End of story."

"What'd the golem look like!?" Gareth had started to think of something.

"Some kind of giant stone thing. It was huge." she held up both arms for exaggeration. "You wouldn't have even reached halfway to its knees."

"....Gol'tar..?" Gareth said weakly. "....The Behemoth... Gol'tar?"

"What's the problem now? Don't go all blank on me." Ezrea crossed her arms, turning back to Saraph.

"That's... the golem that killed Allia. My sister." Gareth responded.

Ezrea sat silent for a moment. Then, she let out a soft whistle.

"Well this just got interesting." she smirked.

 

((

)) Edited September 23, 2014 by Thaelasan

[HellFireSouLess]

Saraph watched as Ezrea took Karin and punched her into him. He smiled as he saw. When it was all said and done. He could believe that a human could turn into a demon. How and why? Was he a half breed? Saraph only heard rumors about it. He never figured he would actually see it. As long as everyone is ok, he did not care. He looked at the demon that helped him. Saraph put his hand demon saying thank you. Yet, he did not say thank you. Saraph did not know anymore. He jumped onto one of the pillars that are around the lava pits. Signifying a training area in the lava pits. So that when new people entered the pits. They could first get use to the heat. Under the watchful eyes of DoD. He jumped on it and sat down. Placing his sword in front of him. He turned to see Ezrea and Gareth hugging happily. His face began to darken, as he turned back around to his sword. Allia was in the sword. Now that he knew this how was he going to get her back? Then he looked up at the sky. Seeing the smoke fill the sky and feeling the wind blow against him. He had no one. Still remembering what Gol'tar did to him. He took everything from him. The one person that meant the whole world to him. Why him? Why can't my question be answered? This was all he wanted to know. Tears began flowing down his face. He punched the ground leaving a small indent. His hand stung after the hit. He ignored the pain in his hand. Anger and sadness were filling him. Anger for he was alone. Sadness for his love was dead. Even thou she was in the sword. She was still not here with him. His anger began to take hold of him. He grabbed his sword with his right hand. With his sword in hand he threw it into one of the seven pillars that surrounded the area. This was away from everyone so no one could get hurt. He jumped off the pillar towards the sword; soon as he grasped it he twisted the hilt. He shot demon essence up in the sky cutting the pillar in half. He did all this without even flinching and staying quiet. The pillar on the other hand made a loud thunderous crash when it hit the ground. Grasped the hilt firmly he walked past everyone. He past them all ignoring anything they said. His anger had consumed him and his sadness was not hidden.

“Gareth, do not follow me. I am going to find this demon Vol’tar if it is the last thing I do. Do not try and stop me. Any of you.” said Saraph as he threw off his hood.

He turned to show Gareth his eyes. Eyes filled with tears of pain and eyes of bloodlust. Saraph hoped that even thou he had said those words he would follow him. Even if he did not follow him at least stop him. Gareth was the only thing left that was close to family to him. He looked at Ezrea and saw that Gareth had chosen the right woman. He was happy for him but did not show it. He hoped he would fight Ezrea actually. Yet, after what happened he did not know if she wanted to. Maybe in the future they will fight. He put his hood back on. With head turning forward he began walking in away. With one hand holding the sword he placed it on his shoulder. Even thou he did not know where he go. He had to find Vol'tar for it was the only lead he had to figure out what Beraial meant. Yet what demon was Vol'tar? Where could he be in this world?

"Allia." said Saraph to him himself.

The only thing that was on his mind. Could he get her back? Why is she in the sword? Allia appeared in front of him.

"So you are leaving my brother again?" asked Allia unhappy.

He stopped as she asked that question. Saraph did not know what say. He stayed quiet not knowing how he should answer. He looked at her with tears still running down his face. Allia walked over him to and hugged him. He did not hug back. Still trying to figure out how to answer her.

"I am not leaving him. I just need some answers." answered Saraph.

"Then why are you not taking him along?" asked Allia wanting to know.

Saraph fell silent as if he walked in a funeral session. Why was did not just tell him and ask him to come with him? Why? Saraph did not know and could not answer her question.

"You cannot answer me can you. I figured as much. Saraph please stop doing this to yourself." said Allia with caring words.

Saraph could not answer that as well for he would not stop. Not until she was back in his life. He was tired of being alone. Not having someone he could come to when he needed help. Tired of all the pain he felt. Tried of being alone. She vanished from his presence. Since he could answer anymore of her questions.

Edited September 24, 2014 by HellFireSouLess

[Thaelasan]

(( THREE MORE DAYS OF WORK LATER. This picture of Ezrea and Gareth has taken so much from me. AND I'M STILL NOT HAPPY WITH IT YET. If you guys have background suggestions, please. Let me know. ))

 

Gareth sighed, displeased. He made an attempt to follow Saraph but a hand grabbed him firmly from behind. Ezrea stood behind him, her fist grabbing the back of his shirt roughly.

"Ezrea..." Gareth began, slightly turning.

Ezrea was shaking slightly. Gareth, concerned, only stared at her for a long while. He frowned, unable to ask her what vexed her.

Finally, she looked up at him. She had been sobbing slightly. Surprised, Gareth could do nothing as she embraced him for the second time that day. Gareth winced, suddenly feeling slight pain.

It was then that Gareth looked down at his own skin. Parts of his shirts had been scorched, revealing partially burnt flesh beneath. Some of his own hair had been ignited. The leather of his armor had slightly melted. Thankfully, where his armor had been, he was fine.

He hadn't noticed in his rage but the intense heat that Rei had been giving off had threatened to burn him alive. As he returned her embrace, he began to understand just how close he had been to death.

Ezrea held him in an iron grip, unwilling to release him. For a long while, as Saraph began his trek into the distance, Ezrea and Gareth stood in silence.

Finally, she looked up at him, both angry and concerned. Her eyes were red, her hair a mess. He noticed with a grim heart that her gauntlets were showing signs of scorching as well after her punch into Rei's abdomen. The heat had been intense, yet without the swords she had ran in there just to save him from the flame.

"Ezrea..." Gareth began again, struggling to find words. Ezrea, however, punched his chest none too gently.

"YOU DAMN IDIOT!" she roared into his face, slamming him again. "YOU MORON! YOU IDIOT! YOU ABSOLUTE FOOL!"

She grabbed his hair and pulled him down to her level, their eyes inches from each other.

"IF YOU'D HAVE DIED, WHAT WOULD I HAVE DONE?!" she said, furious. "Who would I yell at!? Who would stand to be near me if you were gone!?"

Gareth pulled her close, their lips touching. He then released her, having appeased her slightly.

"As if that's enough." Ezrea huffed, arms crossed.

"I'm sorry. I don't know what happened. I just.. lost it." Gareth shrugged hopelessly. "When you got hit like that.."

"I can handle myself!" Ezrea stated firmly, turning quickly around to face him. "You'll never have to worry about trying to do that to save me! I'm not helpless! Did you think he was going to kill me? Do you think I'm that weak!? Just because I'm a wife doesn't mean I've suddenly lost my strength!"

"Of course I didn't think that.." Gareth replied weakly.

"Even if I get hit hard I won't die! Because.. because.." she struggled for a reason. "Because then who would keep you in line!? I have to stay alive because otherwise you'll just wander stupidly into a trap and get hurt!"

Gareth paused for a moment in disbelief. Then, without warning, he began to laugh, hard. With every possible amount of force in his great chest, he laughed. It echoed throughout Hope, showing, finally, that peace was really restored in the town.

As the last amount of force left him, he turned back to Ezrea, grinning widely. He grabbed her without warning and put her on his shoulders again before she could stop him.

"What do you think you're doing?!" Ezrea asked, her face red with embarrassment. "Weren't you listening to me!? This is serious, Gareth! Why'd you laugh like that? Are you making fun of me?!"

"Of course not!" Gareth responded, turning to follow Saraph. "I just need to make sure you can see to lead me."

Ezrea had no real response to this. She crossed her arms again, sighing.

"Are we really going to follow this guy?" she asked, frowning.

"Yes. I owe him that much. Besides, there's not much left to do in Hope that Charles can't take care of."

Far away, in his home, Charles sneezed, sending his papers flying.

"That's... actually sort of mean of you. I'm impressed." Ezrea nodded in approval. "So where is your friend here headed, anyway? Do we actually have a goal?"

"I'm not sure. I guess we'll find out together, right?"

"I suppose." Ezrea replied, a little nicer than usual.

Together, the couple followed behind Saraph, curious to find out what would happen soon.

[Melomancer]

"Safe-hold place.. I don't think I've heard of one. Not one that I remember, anyway. I usually just stick to random contracts, and usually stay on my own, so I don't really know where other people do business. I usually just get my clients to help spread the word that I offer my services. " Icarus stood there thinking for a while, before deciding it would be best to leave the building first so George wouldn't yell at them again. "We should get out of here in the meantime. I'll try to remember, but I don't think I've heard of any safehouses." As he walked out of the building, the man with the knife glared at them, still gripping the knife. Deciding to risk it, Icarus turned to him and spoke. "Hey, Lyra here is looking for a Safe-hold. Any idea what that is?"

 

The man lowered his knife, still slightly distrustful. "If you're looking for a safe-hold, can help you there. But if it's the safe-hold you're talking 'bout, I can help you with that." He studied Icarus's face, laughing at his confused expression. "Kid, you're too young to be in there, but I'll tell you anyway. It's in the city. A big bar, where people drink and party day and night. Plenty of guilds, and even more black market dealers. Lots of illegal activity too. Keep your wallet close, and your weapon closer." Icarus grinned widely, surprised the man who he had thought of as a jerk had been so helpful. "Thanks pal, see you around. " Icarus took out a stack of bills from the briefcase, handing it to him. He could probably just ask another person where exactly it was later, someone who wouldn't expect to get paid.

[Bonkfire]

June 23, 21__

Alexandria State Prison

 

From: Dr. Ryall

 

To: Warden Stein

 

Subject name: ________________

 

Subject: Psychological Evaluation - Transfer Hearing Prelim _______________ is a African American male, 22 years old. He is serving a __ -year sentence for multiple felony accounts, including third-degree murder and aggravated assault. He appears to be in satisfactory physical health. The prisoner is currently being considered for transfer to general population.

 

After multiple sessions with the prisoner, I have diagnosed the patient as suffering from acute Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. Patient described recurring nightmares, anxiety, fits of anger, and panic attacks stemming from the irrational belief that--

 

Sending recommendation to the patient's GP that he is suffering from OCD with schizophrenia, advising further tests and possible antipsychotic medication. As a result, I feel he poses an imminent danger to the other inmates should he be released from solitary, and is therefore a poor candidate for transfer.

 

Dr. Ryall

 

Chief Psychiatrist

 

Alexandria State Prison

[Clown_of_God]

After listening to her companion's story on Hope, Mina began pondering whether this man, Gareth, might in fact be her target. Still, it was a large area to search and the chance of actually finding her prey within such a reasonable time was rather slim. Still, even if it wasn't him, there could be others in the town of Hope that might fit her bill. If not, she'd make sure Hope stood for something, alright. If it was meant to be stand as a beacon for humanity, indicating it was going to reconquer this hate filled world, Mina would make it stand as a beacon of blood and fear.

As her cohort began walking further into the tunnel, Mina stood and dusted herself off, simultaneously checking over her 'injuries' and smiling at the result. So, that blade really did heal wounds, making it seem as if they had never occurred in the first place. Wonderful. Yes, she would have to find a way to either steal the blade itself or somehow obtain its ability.

"So, how'd you get that neat sword? It was a little surprising when you suddenly stabbed me with it, but I felt the effects of it healing me almost instantly."

[KuroKishi]

(( Woot! A post! Thanks for posting even though you're busy, mate. ))

 

Charles sighed as he stopped for a moment to let Mina catch up to him, his eyes watching how his breath left his mouth and expanded outward into the air. The Underground air was stale, yet strangely cold - except, if one was near the lava pits that had randomly been unearthed around a few parts of the train tunnels, as those were very hot and almost untraversable by normal humans. However, he was sure demons would use them, as he would often spot strange tracks whenever he passed near the ruined passages.

"Oh, my little friend here?" He asked and turned around to look at Mina, then slightly placed the flashlight on the ground, making sure the light pointed upward. Then, his right hand went to his side, grasped the handle and drew it out. He put it out, holding it in both of his hands and under the light of the torch.

 

"This is the Devil's Reverter. The design is based on the nodachi - more or less an enlarged katana - but the blade, as you can see, is thicker and more single-edged than what an actual refined sword would look like. You already saw the ability, which is able to revert practically anything - wounds, clothing, even the surrounding, if I have enough blood to work with. Yes, the sustenance is blood... So, I got the sword from my old destruction guild, Atra Mors. In my only mission with the guild, we fought almost four hours with two Alphas - a strange, black and metallic humanoid demon named Umbra, as well as a bright, armored humanoid demon... named Revertor. We had to beat the two whilst they worked in unison, with Umbra moving quickly around, trying to kill us and the Revertor acting as a protective knight for him. We fought half an hour with them, thinking that we had killed them once they fell... only for the two to rise up and slowly regenerate their wounds. We were extremely confused... but managed to kill them by splitting them up. I landed the killing blow on both, and as an award, I got a blade forged from bits of both of them - the white armor Revertor wore was used to make my blade's edge, whilst Umbra's body was used to create the blade's body. An entire creation guild worked to make this Demon Arm four days straight... it's an honor of sorts to wield something like this." Charles said, slightly moving his fingers along the edge, then giving Mina a couple of minutes to observe the sword as closely as she wanted before sheathing the blade. Then, he took the flashlight and turned around, starting to walk along the long tunnel.

"You don't have a weapon, correct? I'm not sure what you're holding in the white... thing on your back, but it's alright if you don't want to share." The young man asked, watching the abyss back away as the light from the device in his hands moved onward.

Edited September 26, 2014 by KuroKishi

[Dragonhatchling]

Icarus and Arethviil were more in like in business than she was sure either of them wanted to admit. They came from different backrgounds mostly. She did contracts two, but of two types; illegal and demon-hunting. A smirk crossed her face as she thought of it. She was a dealer, and Icarus willingly fell for her play. He was helping her now, and she held true to those willing to help her. He had shown to be a good man so far, albiet young, as the old man started speaking. She listened intently.

 

Arethviil sighed softly; releaved. It didn't sound to be taking her to Gareth directly. Good. She wasn't sure if she could face him again. He'd nearly found her out before, and she wasn't sure if her same excuse would hold up again.

She nodded to the old man who in turn glared at her. Her left hand raised a little, the trinket she had worn around her neck had been moved. "He'll be fine... you'll get to see him again." She taunted playfully with a teasing smile. The man snorted slightly at the jab, dismissing them as they walked away.

"Thank you Icarus." She glanced to him. He definitely reminded her of Alexander- the fool. He shouldn't have gotten a hold of her wares either. But this boy, he seemed somewhat promising. Hopefully when he decided to take her ware she wouldn't have to watch him die. Not yet.

[Clown_of_God]

Mina looked closely at the blade, intrigued by its design and the story behind its origin. As she was looking it over, the man asked of her tube and she looked up at him. Grasping one end of the white tube, she pulled it over her head and unslung it and tossed it to her escort. This would let him look over the object and its unique material, but there was nothing that would indicate that it was in fact a demon's arm.

"Nothing special, just a white tube I found that gives me a little defense. You said Umbra and Revertor? I've heard of the battle and the trouble the two caused in the Midwest. Supposedly, they're the reason why a Safe Zone wasn't able to be established in Dallas, Texas. Of course, there's also a rumor they had a third brother they called Ja-X (pronounced Jax), a play on Jason X and his torturous ways of killing and maiming people. Have you heard of him?

Supposedly, he would sneak into houses and bunkers without setting any kind of alarm and then kill everyone in a different way. Rumor has it a team from that one guild in Sacramento, Hell Reaper, was able to kill him during one of his 'raids.' I can't be entirely sure with how distorted information gets nowadays."

Actually, Mina knew for a fact that Ja-X was indeed one of the brothers and that he had indeed been killed by Hell Reaper. She was the one that killed him. After her weapon broke, she used a broken pole to stab into his chest thirteen times before she ripped out whatever entrails she could find and bathed in the cooling blood. Later, her weapon that the man was currently holding, had been forced from this demon. Crafted into the white tube that upon her command transitioned into the sickening little short sword she used for her own pleasantries. This was her reasoning behind having such lenience in allowing others to handle it, because there was no way they could use it themselves. It took over a month for it to be constructed under her specifications, but the result was definitely to her liking.