All things considered, Zhergah was in quite a good mood. Sure, his glaive was broken, his sword as well, and he couldn't quite feel his left wing. But beyond that, it was a pretty good day. He was sat on a small cliff which stuck up through the water by the edge of the small lake in the outscirts of the forest, not all that far away from a small village and just further away from the cave from where he just had come. He closed his eyes and tried to move his wing. Nothing. Still, he was in too good a mood to care. The demon was dead, or banished at least, and that was the main concern. His wounds would heal in due time. Leaningback on the stone surface he felt the sun shin on his face. The demonic helmet lay beside him together with hisheavy leather gloves and he thought that today, for once, life was good. -- *Smoldering, the red embers glowed in the darkness of dusk as red as the sky just behind it. From the hill side she looked down upon her creation. Ah, beautiful, and yet, it did not make her happy. Death and destruction were never far behind her. Always in her wake she left a trail of it. That used to be enough to make her happy. It used to be all she craved. The ruin of man kind. Man kind was a selfish lot, so vain, so full of themselves, so completely and utterly oblivious to the realities of eternal damnation and what it truly meant. She watched as the embers died just as the pitch black over took the sky. The screams were silent now, as all were gone before her. She knew they would be welcomed with open arms into the realm she knew so well. But even this did not satisfy her desires. She recalled so many years ago how her and her beloved used to mount village upon village of souls wrapped in a tangled weave of pain together. But that was many years ago, and for some tie now there had been no word. Not a inkling that he was even still about. She had searched, believe me she had searched. But Malice had always been like that. He would only be found when he was ready to be found. At first she considered perhaps it was a test. A test to see how she would fair on her own. Ah, a test for his new bride. His only bride for that matter. Ah, but tests were for children, and he had chosen her above all others to be by his side, not to be below him in the order of things. She wondered at first if he had simply grown tired of her, regretting his choice to make her as he was. But as time went on, she cast that notion aside and at times barely thought of him. Tonight was not one of those nights however, as the chill of the summer eve came sweeping down the path towards her, the soft subtle cries of a small child drifting up for below. Ah, a innocent. Perhaps that would satisfy her needs for this eve? She made her way down the hill as quickly as the wide and was upon the small babe in a matter of seconds. It lay there, helpless, crying, it’s mother lying dead and burnt beside it. Obviously the mother was trying to save her child, oh how quaint. It disgusted her. She thought for a moment. To kill this one fast, as it really would not understand what it meant to be horrifically brutalized before hand. It would not understand nor be able to beg for death as a mercy. No, it would simply cry louder with pain. No.. It would be more annoying to stretch the death out for her than it would for the babe. Finally deciding, she leaned down and picked the child up by one leg, looking at it sideways, as if it were some sort of mystery to her that such tiny squalling little things ever lived past this age. That even it’s own mother would not cover it with a pillow and put it out of it’s misery. She shook it about a bit, and it cried even more hysterically. Ah.. Well, she could always bring it home to the dogs. They always enjoyed playing a bit with their food before eating it. She held it out from her and shook it very hard this time.. It seemed to stop crying for a moment and then it rang out even louder than before. No, she could not listen to this long enough to bring it back to the dogs for a snack. She finally reached out with her free hand and grabbed it by it’s neck. Twisting it until the head turned completely around and a loud snapping sound was made. She stopped and listened.. Ah.. Silence at last. Nothing but the crackling of the embers that were roaring back up into a small blaze now. The wind had picked up and sparked them anew. She stood there for a moment and held the child in her hand, looking over the soft pinkish body wrapped in nothing more than a small cloth. It lay limp in her hand now, but it’s head was facing the wrong direction. She shrugged and tossed it into a pile of embers and watched as the body began to sizzle. It sizzled for a long while as she stood there and watched, waiting. Finally what she had been waiting for. It burst into flames. She breathed in deeply the aroma of burning flesh, innocent flesh at that. Somehow, she had thought it would ease her sense of emptiness.. And yet, it was still there. She sighed out loudly and then yelled at the top of her lungs* Will nothing satisfy this need inside? For all that is unholy, for all that is wretched and godless and wicked, is there e nothing in this world that will ease fill this hole? Then, she looked up towards the caverns, the caves where something lurked. She could smell it. It was still some distance off form her though. Slipping back into the mist as she called it about her, she made her way quickly towards the scent of more prey. Or was it prey? It did not smell like the others. She would decide once she got there. The mist began to whirl about where he was now, moving in too fast to be anything natural. But she did not appear to him just yet. -- At first he figured the shade passing over his closed eyes was nothing but a whisp of clouds covering the evening sun, or that the sun itself had passed down behind the horizon, but then there was the scent. It was ever so subtle, but it was there nonetheless. Fear. He had learned to taste the smell of human fear a long time ago and here it was, close yet distant, as if someone was rather wearing it than feeling it. He opened his right eye slightly and looked up at the sky. The mist had come upon him fast. Had he fallen asleep? Impossible. The left eye opened and he slowly sat up on the cliff and looked out over the lake. The water lay silent and clear but around his restingplace swirled a fog which seemed to twist with a life of its own. He frowned slightly as he tried to move his damaged wing again without success. It was the unnatural mist that brought the scent of fear. A terror from far away, carried together with a touch of blood and fire. He cast a gaze towards the caverns. Could it have come back so soon? He wouldn't have thought so, not with the wounds he had dealt it. This was something new. But there was the tingling sensation down his neck, the warning in his mind. Demon. He reached for his helmet, more to have it close in case he had to escape. He was in no condition to fight, with a broken wing and two broken weapons. Still, he stood up and opened his mouth, speaking with a clear voice. "Show yourself, Demon." -- The mist swirled about him more, as if it were beginning to focus only upon him, moving up from the lower grounds now and encircling him. She did not appear just then, as he spoke, but her voice was as clear s if she had been in corporeal form as she chuckled slightly. “Ah, so that is what you are. It has been a long time since I have seen a demon hunter.” The mist swirled about him a bit more, as if she were sniffing for something, the blackness of it nearly taking away the very air about him as she chuckled once again. Her voice was deep and almost seemed to delight in whatever it was she was doing, like a child playing. The mist slowed now as it began to pull itself together, rolling in from the edges to form an intangible lump in front of him. “SO brave in the face of ones enemy. And with no weapon.. and wounded.” She felt no threat, at least not eminent, from him right then. The lump of mist before him began to congeal and take on a form now. At first, it seemed as if the body was being formed into a solid black statue of a goddess from old. But then, color began to make it’s way through the mist and her body began to actually take form. Her shape was as perfect as any mortal woman, more so, as she was capable of being anything she wished really. Though she preferred the form she had before she had become what she was. It had been hr perfect6ly loyal heart and her perfect body that had attracted Malice in the beginning, that and her life long quest to become his bride when he was but a myth to most. She was scantily clad, most of her slipping out over what should be covering it. Her hair billowed behind her as if the wind that carried the mist resided in it, black as night. Her eyes the same, as if there were no pupils in them they were so black. But her lips, delightfully blood red. “I have shown myself. Now what? Would you prefer to fight? Or would you prefer to delight in my ... charms?” again, the child like chuckle as she stepped a bit closer to him then. -- "Demon-hunter?... Hardly." He was sick to his bones of demons and their games. It seemed like everywhere he went there was a new demon there, waiting for him to start the dance again and again until the pathetic creature was hurled back to whatever abyss it had come from. It never failed. And it seemed to him that every demon he met was a prince of this or a lord of that, not to mention the occational overlord and general of this and that hell or damnation. It seemed to him that every demon was a ruler of a very small realm, populated only by themselves and that, he figured, was the reason for their terrible peopleskills. This one seemed different though. It hadn't presented itself as the Destroyer of Worlds or something similar straight away and it seemed more curious than malicious. He eyed the abomination carefully. It was in fact, rather beautiful. He cast aside such thoughts just too late after they surfaced. If she could read his mind, she would have picked up on it. He had to be carefull. Gentle on the eye or not, she was still the thing in the world he hated the most. The thing within himself he hated the most. Demon. In her precense he could feel the demonic blood in his veins boiling with a burning desire to join her in her nature, to let whatever human was left in him die away and to run through the nights, feasting on flesh and souls. He wasn't about to let her manipulate him with her nature though. Not now. Had he been stronger, not half crippled after the fight against the self-appointed Master of Shadows, he would have danced her dance, played her game, at least long enough to learn more of her. But as it stood now, he wasn't sure he could drive her off. Sure, he still had his claws, one wing and his teeth, but something told him that he would needmore than so to drive this creature away. "I don't hunt your kind. It rather seems to be the other way around." It was true. He never looked for the demons who came in his way. Suddenly they were just there, screaming and causing a stir in his otherwise already painful existance. And if they were that eagre to die, who was he to deny them their wishes. His voice was a perfect mix of sarcasm, apathy and hate. "So what is it this time? Was the last demon I sent to the Abyss your father/brother/lover/son or otherwise related and you seek revenge, or are you just here to block my sun?" For a second he thought about just sitting back down, but he wasn't feeling confident enough. Also, he would rather stand to appear more majestetic in her eyes. Once again he emptied his mind from such thoughts. -- She chuckled again at his comments. Her voice was light hearted and playful as she did, she began to walk nearer now, Sniffing the air slightly as she went, AH, yes, he was different. One of her own kind, of sorts. And yet, he detested what he was. Curious … to have all that power bottled up inside and refuse to let it be used for what it was meant for. Her body swayed almost like that of an angel as she got closer to him now. He would see not a flaw on her body, perfect in every way as she gracefully swayed within feet of him. “You suffer so. And while you may not intentionally hunt us, your own mind I may add, the smell of our death upon you is strong. Almost stronger than that of what you are. It is no wonder so many get confused by it. Perhaps.. if you cleansed yourself, you would not have to endure so much suffering. “ She smiled sweetly into his face as she was close enough now for him to attack if that was what he truly wished. She could take punishment if need be for her curiosity. It would not be the first time it had gotten the better of her. How odd, he thought she had come for some revenge.. he had not tuned his skills, obviously. He was.. fighting it! Amazing! Where she had embraced it, searched it out even, he was fighting the gift given to him! Was he mad? “I Have not come for revenge, I have no one or nothing to avenge. I come because you called. Maybe you were unaware you did, but you did. It is your scent. It travels for miles upon miles, seeking us out, calling to us. As far as blocking your sun, you may have your sun back, if you so chose. “ And with that, she lifted her hand to the skis and the black clouds that had blown her in separated and moved, allowing the sun to beam down only upon him. “Is that better? If so, can you tell me why you fight it so?” She wanted to know, she wanted to understand why anyone would turn down and fight such power as she had. -- He shivered as she came closer. She was indeed perfect in every way, from her physical appearance to the power she wielded when she commandeered to clouds away, allowing the sun to touch him. Behind the scent of fear, blood, fire and death was something else as well. Something that crawled thourgh his nostril and forced its way into the back of his mind. He straightened his back and tilted his head slightly to the side, as if to study her face more carefully. Doing so, he showed the line of his neck, his jugular vein pulsing with his life's blood. He knew what he was doing thought, for he had used this manuever on many seductive foes before. Give them the perfect pitch and they can't help themself. Better to know exactly where they will strike. "At least my suffering is my own, demon. It's mine." He leaned forward slowly until the point when his face almost touched hers. Deep within his eyes burned the purple fire which had driven him to destroy all mirror in his old home, the flaring rage his demon father had passed onto him. It was obvious to see, small violet suns exploding in his black eyes. "What do you have that is yours?" -- She watched him as he tilted his head sideways, a grin slipping across those lovely brilliant red lips of hrs as she waited, not moving for the moment. MMM, the blood that coursed with in her smelled of something old, perhaps older than her. It was a delight to her, but not in the ay he thought. She had no taste for those of her own kind, be it only in part. She could also smell the human half of him within his blood as it pulsed before her eyes. But her eyes never removed themselves form his until he moved closer to her, placing it next to hers as if he wanted her to taste him now. She saw the fire deep within his eyes and smiled even more. He was more the demon than he knew. But he denied it. This confused her somewhat/ Why he would deny it. His face so close to hers as she spoke softly, her breath felt upon his lips as she did, soft, tender like a caress as she spoke. “I have my power, some lands of course, children of my own making. Why would I need to suffer? Why would you for that matter when you could have all I have and more I think.” She moved hr hand slowly from hr side to place it to his face as she added, “I have no wish to harm you, even though you do try to tempt me so. I find you something more of a mystery than a source of my next meal. Relax.” And her hand pressed softly to his face as she looked deep into his eyes, her lips just inches from his now, her body stepping forward to match the closeness of their faces. “I find you delightful. Why would I wish harm upon you? Your scent, your denial, something very refreshing. Yes, refreshing and a bit of a quandary I think. “ Yes, he was delightful. She was unsure why she wanted to know more, except that she had never seen anyone born demon, or half demon, who was so reluctant to be who they were. -- He didn't relax. He couldn't. He physically couldn't. The pain running through his wing was getting the better of him and he heard himself give out a low moan from the strain in his muscles. He felt his mind slipping. Not sure if it was the wounds getting the upper hand or if her influence was too strong for him to resist, he tried to withdraw, but without luck. He was locked in place by some force, supernatural or a mental block, all the same, he was frozen. "Your power is a gift, and gifts can be retaken." His eyes fixed on hers he struggled to keep his voice clear and it failed him to notbut a whisper. "And when your power is retaken by whoever gave it... ...your lands and children will wither..." He was losing his focus and he knew he was close to caving in. There was one way to regain strength, one way to heal in an instant, and the way was right in front of him. All he had to do was to let the demon out, just for a few second. She was already touching his skin. He could draw power to heal himself. But no. He couldn't. He wouldn't. Never. Not this time. Not again. His unharmed wing slowly moved forward in an arc, as if to cover her in an embrace, as he fought the urges. His entire essence pushed from within, blocking the area of his face where their skins met. But the wing moved without his control, and as it touched her back, the demonic force residing within him made an attack on his mind he was unprepared for. Through the wing, the power came towards her back, a force directed to draw on her power to add to his own, for him to be whole again. As the power was unleashed, somewhere in his mind, he could hear the laughter of his father. The same laughter he had heard so long ago when he had killed his mother. -- His intent was not clear at first, as he moved in towards her, his one broken wing simply laying behind him the other beginning to wrap about her in a intimate way. She smiled a bit more at first, until she felt the unwelcome drain of her power coming form him. She removed her hand from his face quickly and in a flash the clouds covered the sun again, the mist began to roll inwards towards her immediately. Her bright smile turned to that of a frown as she resisted his drain of her power. But with himself wrapped about her , draining her power from her as it was, she was unable to allow herself to mingle with the mist and thus was stuck. She pressed back on his wing, and attempted to turn form him, but it was encompassing her now as she felt the power she had being sucked from her. A panic rose in her eyes as she looked back into his. She did not see malice nor the intent to kill her in them. Merely a need. He needed to heal, then why did he simply not ask her? She raised her arms to his chest then, pressing back now with more force, though she was being weakened with every movement. She felt a bit light headed then, as she had never had someone else tax her powers without her doing it for them before. Between the struggle to stop him and the draining itself, she was becoming even weaker as the clouds thundered and rattled and began to become unstable around them. She finally found her voice, though it was merely a whisper into his ears as she spoke. “Stop. Stop now. You only had not ask.. not take. It .. it can’t be denied.. even as you try, you can not deny it.” -- The rush of power that suddenly hit him blinded his vision. His human side was pushed aside and the demon within him just kept drawing on the force it had found. He couldn't fight it. He felt the crack in his wing as the bones mended, the pain from a thousand nerves reconnectiong throughout his body and the agony of muscles being rebuilt. He wanted to scream, to pull away and end the ferocious onslaught on her essence. He didn't want to kill her. He wondered why. He felt her twitch in front of him, one second further away, then closer again. He tried to focus, to block out his farthers laughter in his head. Then he suddenly heard her words, whispered all around him, and he forced his eyes open. Flares of purpled shot out through the open darkness and he saw. For the first time in years, he saw with the eyes of the demon. That gave him resolve and he tore himself awy from her, tripping over the edge of the low cliff as he did and with a thunder he struck the ground. He remained there, on his back, gasping for air, smoke boiling around him. "I... I couldn't..." -- She felt his wing remove itself from about her as she saw his eyes open. There it was, his truer nature, the one he denied. He could be a king among her kind! And apparently he could claim her if he only chose to. He certainly found a way to subdue her. She fell to her knees as he fell backwards, she saw the struggle and quick transformation in his eyes as he did. AH, gone again. Somehow, she almost preferred the pain the arousal it caused her to be taken, even if it was just her power, in such an instant and forceful way. She felt the dirt beneath her knees now, as the clouds still spun in chaotic swirls about the sky and the mist swirled about her. She breathed in softly as it did, feeling her power begin to be restored slightly. The mist was where she carried her extra power.. that which was too much to absorb at once, that she had sucked out of human souls. She let her minds eye follow down to where he had fallen. He was.. bruised.. nothing more. He was healed as well. Would he have drained her completely of life if he had been given the chance? Did she at this moment care? For in the passion of pain, she delighted so much so that death would be welcome if it held enough of it to consume her. --