Diabolus Lake

Convience was certainly not the name of this place. Nor the idea anyone had whenever these tunnels were originally built.Or formed. Jack had traversed through these tunnels 4 times in his memory, once when he had originally decended into hell from Terra, and then back and forth again with Jowan. Now he had left again on his own in an attempt to find the human woman he had spent the first year after the dawn with ( and any suspected offspirng). He had been forced to emerge again. Unfortunatly. He couldn't stay up in this place for very long, not because there was anything inherantly wrong with it. But rather due to the nature of Oni. He couldn't trust that without him being there the seat of Pride would continue to be the safe haven it was. On his way back he had to trek through this forest, it wasn't so bad. After all it reminded him of the early days, when he had first been drawn to this location following the very taint of his nature. Decended into the base of the lake, into the tunnels and then reborn. Discovering his true self. Not the human this world had tried to warp him into.

That is to say however, that it would be a nice relaxing stroll through the woods, if he was alone. As he approached the lake, the sense of something nearby began to crop up on the edge of his perceptions. His blood growing warm with the taint indicated that it was a creature much like himself. A demon, an Oni. Something that had probably crawled out of the lake much like he had only weeks ago. As he approahced he saw an odd sight, a distinctly human figure, but with that effect on his senses. Another Oni who took a mostly human shape. How interesting. If one knew anything about Jack it was that, by nature the Oni was a curious fellow.He heard her inner questioning and as he stepped out into the open. He couldn't help but wonder just what it was this girl had in mind by coming here. " To some...the ends of the earth". He answered. " To others....the pit...". Stopping where he was, a few feet away. Jack gestured at himself. "But to me toots..". He winked.

" Home sweet home".

EXP:420

It was odd. The way this girl looked at him was just the way most demons looked at one another. But never himself. It was a predatory gaze. It didn't always mean that the demon in question was planning on eating the creature that they were looking at. Sometimes it did but, not always. For their kind it was a mostly unconcious thing. Something done without knowing. She stared him up and down, an action usually known as " sizing up". Determining whether or not he was a strong enough opponent. And yet, her next question. Puzzled him. She asked, no. Stated. That he wasn't human. But the way this question / statement was posed to him it read as if there was a tinge of uncertainity within. It was strange, this girl seemed to lack a certain instinct of their kind. A direct instinctual " knowing". Of what was what and who was who. The very power of the taint that lay dormant within their blood.

" Perceptive, arn't we?"

He stepped forward. His cane leaning in front for a quick sword draw just in case. Pressing into the soft soil at their feet. " No, I am not human, I am an Oni. A demon....as for this lake...". He stared out onto the lake. There indeed was a radiation of the power within hell on this lake. It was after all. Aptly named by the humans of the area. The forest itself seemed to carry this feeling. Even if Jack did not have the awakened power of blood magic, gaining the power to sense the taint within others and in the air. There was still something there even on the edges of the taint. A buzzing warmth, a warm and slick in the air. As blood was on the hands.

" This lake is not just my home...but also yours...it is a doorway...of sorts...".

And a rather annoying one at that. Treking through miles of underground tunnels just to reach home wasn't his idea of relaxation. He was going to have to invent an easier way of jumping between the two realms. For Jack certainly wasn't going to be walking through that way, dodging stalagmites or hitting his head off the roof of the cavern every now and again. His eyes drifted back to her following the same motions that she had. Sizing her up. So to speak . A mischievious grin at her feminine figure was required.

The female demon gave her name. Zaiaku. The moment he heard it, an odd itch on the back of his head again. A minor pain in his head. Not enough to cause him to react outwardly. But enough for him to notice its presence. It faded however. Allowing him to get on with this little encounter.

" You can call me Jack".

EXP:506

Jack shrugged. He cared little for the whole lack of memories ideal. Although indeed it had been his quest to find out just what had caused such a mass disruption the idea of just what had happened before was now relatively irrelavent. There was the here. The now. Thats what really mattered. At least. To Jack. " I fear my dear you will find that is one thing that we beings all who were older than the dawn face...a blank slate...trust me when I say that worrying upon such a thing will do you little good...there is little to be discovered in the past...twenty years is enough time to change who we were from who we are....And if we did recover our memories....who we are now might not like who we were then...". A little bit of wisdom from the demon of pride. However he did understand the lack of knowing about just where she had came from. He leaned forwards again on his cane. " I was much the same". He said, gesturing with his hand. " I awakened in the human world...I spent a year here...but I began to understand I was not like the others....and I felt a.....drawing...a calling to come to this place....it was here that I found where I belonged". Her next question was odd. How was home doing? How indeed?

The idea of hell changing from anything other than what it was. Was to put it frank. Ludicrious. The place was always going to be a warzone. Filled with those who cared nothing for order or balance. But simply for power. Darwins dream incarnate. Survival of the fittest. Everyone out for themselves in a one on one struggle to live. And of course. Thats just the way Jack liked it. A little glint in his eye at the thought of that one, being at the top of the food chain had its advantages. " Oh. You know. Fire. Death. Destruction. The usual". He shrugged. " Home sweet home". It was then she pulled back her hood and the reason for it was revealed. More than just a simple decorum. But in fact something to...hide? Her demonic nature. Two horns. He supposed that even in these human forms there was always something that revealed their true nature. For Jack it was those blood red eyes of his. The eyes of a demon of pride.

" Well hi, didly dee....are those horns or are you just excited to see me?".

EXP: 447

Well at least that explained the whole hooded ensamble of the strange demonic girl. Still, this left them at a bit of an offset as just what to do. Jack had the theory that most of the Oni who had the potiental to be strong, could take human form, or at least held one.To him it was a distinct advantage that allowed them to walk the human worlds unchallenged. Well at least for him, this girl would have to wear her hood, or at least cast some kind of illusion upon herself. Yet he doubted that would be the case. Usually with these kinds of things they were a mark of pride. He grinned at that thought. " Yes, I can see how that would be taken as....". He closed his eyes for a second, in an overly long blink. " odd ". Suffice to say though that gears were begining to turn in the mind of the pride demon. Another with a human...ish. Appearance. The last one he had encountered in such a way had been Iskra, the Hyena demon. One who had held much potiental as a tool to be used.

Jack stepped in, slowly. But almost with a skip in his step. He stood next to her now, moving around to her back. A single gloved finger brushed up her arm as he moved around to the back. Placing both hands on her shoulders. " So then...Zaiaku". He said in a darkly seductive manner. Moving his head down and whispering in her ear.

" Tell old Jack....what brings you home?....What sort of exodus has brought you to this place?".

In a way. He was geniuinely curious. However his motive was two fold. One to saite his curiousity. And for second, to determine what kind of obstacles she had faced in coming here. What kind of dangers she had overcome in the process of getting to this place. Fate or chance? Either way. He was sure this encounter was going to be. Interesting.

EXP:335

The moment that woman did that, the moment that she began to treat Jack like some kind of. Pet. She'd signed her own death warrent. Now Jack knew that demons such as himself were all about playing with their prey. However. Jack was not prey. He was, a predator. The Predator. The moment she began to touch his hair and speak in such a manner. Jack began to shift forms. Darkness encroching around him. Obscuring his features. A dense mist emerged from the forests. And perhaps. Most important of all. The immense weight of Jacks spiritual presense would weigh down on everyone in the area. Several red eyes, now visible within the mist. Far to close to the horned demon for comfort. A snarl of anger, a twist of the head would be all it took to snap himself out of her grasp. [ Ascended Strength vs Strong]. With that he twisted his head to the source of a new sound. Iskra. Interesting how many times his path often crossed with that of the Hyena demon.

" Indeed...."

He tilted his head. " I just happen to be one of them". A snarl as he stepped forwards toward Zaikau. "...Curious as I may be, I don't take kindly to being treated like someone elses pet...or their subordinate". Slaver dripping from his fanged maw. He stepped forwards again. Hearing Iskra and letting out a chuckle that sounded more like a twisted growl. " Nothing as of yet....".

EXP:275

A bow a sign of subservance. Good. This one at least knew her place. For that, Jack would allow her to live. And leave. For if he had pressed on with his spiritual presence. Then the overwelming power of it would have forced her to her knees, regardless of options. ( Ascended+Pressure). Despite the way it had ended however Jack didn't think that this was the last he was going tos ee of the red hooded oni. Not quite sure what made him think that, Perhaps it was down to the humanoid appearance which she sported. All bar the horns of course. Yes, that was more than likely it. Demons like that were few and far between, and indeed if it was as Jack suspected. And those with a more human like appearance, or option to appear thus. Were stronger than normal. No doubt this girl would be showing up at some stage on another on the main performance. With that dealt with it was just a case of he and Iskra now. Turning around and shifting form back into his more human form. Jack fixed his tie and then looked at Iskra.

" Well. Fancy meeting you here~".

Jack shrugged. For now. There was little for the two to discuss. Likely whatever had brought her here was different to him. " If you wish to speak...I shall be at the seat of my power....toodles...". With a wink. He disappeared. (Devilspeed). Moving through the caverns towards the underworld.

[[EXIT]]

EXP: 274

Sent to UYB