Swallowing Pride

Mystic Elder Rep! : 31

Iskra panted, more than a little worn from her journey despite ample time for sleep the previous night. The hyena demon wasn't sure why exactly she was in such a hurry to get back to the odd, half-toppled courthouse, but she was. Perhaps it was the promise that her quest for that silly girl was finally at an end. Not because she'd found the girl, but because she felt like she either needed more information or she needed a simpler task to complete.

Indeed, it was nervousness that drove her forward to resolve the situation before she lost any more rest... or perhaps she just wanted the trip across the brimstone to be over so that she could be in a relatively safe spot to rest.

Either way, her speed soon brought her up to the largely abandoned structure and the woman, still in her four-footed form, crawled into the shelter. She didn't sense the pride demon she sought anywhere, but that's probably because she was too weary to even look anywhere that wasn't a straight line from the door to the chair-room where she lay down to rest.

[ EXP: 214 ]

Mystic Elder Rep! : 26 Location : Behind you

The reasoning behind Iskra not being able to sense Jack at the seat of Pride wasn't down to her being far too tired. But simply down to the point of the Pride demon not actually being there. Much like her on her trip there. Jack was making his own way back from the deep tunnels in which he and the fear clan leader Jonah had tracked down the Glutton demon and had barely escaped with their lives. He didn't look forward to going back down there but knew it would one day be inevitable. He already felt the drawing. The need to return there as if it was some kind of an addiction. No. Not like that. More subtle. Like an itch he needed to scratch in the back of his mind. It wasn't anything to do with the Glutton. More tha building itself. There was a reason it had been supressing their powers. A reason why all three had been tempted to enter, and were still tempted to this very moment. But. Jack had his own goals. And Jonah, he had his wife. And the leadership of fear. For now. He returned to the seat of Pride. To gather his thoughts. And his powers.

He entered only a few minutes after her. His cane clicking against the floor signalling his presense if his own demonic aura did not do that for him. His face was slightly more solemn than normal. Deep in his own thoughts, consumed by them. Barely paying attention to his surroundings. Certainly not enough to sense Iskra. That is. Right until he pushed open the last door into the main hall. His blood warming slightly at the sense of the taint that was present only in other Oni. Slumped in front of him in a rather pitiful state was the hyena demon. He only raised an eyebrow and strolled right past her. Stopping at the throne, then turning and sitting down. He looked at her, not saying anything for those few seconds. Allowing silence to fill the hall.

" Nice to see you again".

The words echoed out like they would in an empty cavern. " I've been busy since we last saw one another, but I suspect that is the same of you as well...". Finger tapped once on the stone chair. " So tell me. Why have you returned to me?".

Exp: 418

Mystic Elder Rep! : 31

The rather large hyena snarled before her eyes opened, or indeed before she even became fully conscious. It was a reflex and a response to the darkness that constantly fell in waves off of the spirit. When her blue eyes did crack open to the sight of the pride demon on his throne, the sound stopped.

She stood easily, no longer worn out by her journey now that she'd had a few moments to lie down. She stepped a bit closer and sat down plainly, her head tilted to the side and her voice emerging despite her mouth not moving at all. "There is a slight problem with the task you have assigned me. I've been to and fro all over Terra, and I have seen many dead people. I'm not sure if any of them were this person that you want me to seek out, but the details of these things seems to escape me."

Her eyes rolled towards the ground again. "Even if I had more information, I fear that the person may have already died and so be lost to my ability to ever find. Such things I didn't think of until I'd been walking about sometime without ever coming across my goal."

She yawned briefly and licked her chops. "I feel I have learned more about myself, though. Your difficult question from earlier has a better answer in my mind now."

[ EXP: 251 ]

Mystic Elder Rep! : 26 Location : Behind you

Ah, so that was it. The Hyena Demon was here concerning the task he had set her when she had first appeared at this place and he had set her on a journey to unlock her true potiental. A journey to find kin that he may, or may not have had. The demon of pride was. Satisfied. With this outcome. The Hyena girl had no reason to lie. After all he had already explained the concequences of doing thus to him. And he did not feel that the girl was in his encounters with her. One to lie about such things. Despite being a demon. She was to put it plainly. A creature of simplistic forward ideology. She put what she was on the table, regardless of how you felt about it. This was not a bad thing. In fact, it was an interesting change from the normal pace. " I see, it matters not, when I sent you on this task I knew I was dealing in maybes and uncertainties. This has merely answered my query concerning that particular subject". And thankfully it had, such a thing had been a weight on Jack's mind since everything had kicked off with Jowan and his secret family. But now, he felt more at rest. One thing taken care of. Leaving him with no weaknesses to be exploited on that front.

" So I am satisfied".

That was that matter taken care of. A wave of that hand, gesturing the waving of her debt to him. She did however have another thing to put forward to him. That she had learned much in her travels. Mostly it seemed. About herself. " Ah, I see....then as the curious sort I am...". Jack leaned forward. crossing one leg over the other on the stone chair.

" I must ask....what have you learned?".

EXP:321

Mystic Elder Rep! : 31

Her eyes gradually rose off the floor during the question to look quizzically at the chair. She'd gained some power during her time on Terra. Indeed, when she beheld her teacher, he had a magnificent power, but much of that power had been brute strength. She felt she was getting more clever as time went on, a prideful assumption, yes, but she didn't understand Jack's nature or the abstract concept of pride itself to realize the inherit danger of thinking such things in his presence. She began mentally calculating in her head how long it would be until she could claim dominance over him as she'd claimed over Lethe.

It was an exciting prospect, certainly, and she couldn't help grinning in her way at the thought.

"I learned that I don't really need power for myself," she began, her brows furrowed. "The world is dangerous. Most creatures don't try to get too far above their station because doing so significantly shortens their lives. If I went after power it would probably kill me one day, as you say..." she looked up. "...those who want power for various reasons would continually come after me, and even the rock crumbles under so many drops of water."

She raised a leg and scratched her ear. She didn't have to look up to briefly glance at Jack's face before returning her gaze elsewhere to avoid eye contact. "But I still want it. I've seen spirits die and I've seen people die. There have been twenty years since the world was born, and I have no reason to believe that we don't die as the humans die, though we survive more things."

"And even then, how does one survive for a long time? By avoiding accidents... fights... hunting... Päike forbid me a long life of boredom... of living death... of staying inside where it is safe in fear for when my time comes to go back to Kaupe. No..."

She raised a curled paw like a fist, an oddly human gesture considering her current form, and her mane bristled, causing a brief dance of the spots thereon. "To continue my legacy I need a clan, and my strength will be to protect them so that they may grow strong as well. I will beat death with numbers."

[ EXP: 431 ]

Mystic Elder Rep! : 26 Location : Behind you

An odd tingle in the air. Like sparks of electricity. To those who were not of his kin, they would not feel it. They would not know it. But for Jack, that was the dinner bell ringing. Indeed, Iskra had learned. She had tasted the world. And she had tasted power. And with it came self confidence. Came pride. But he wouldn't feed on her. Such thing would be a waste. At least. For now. The girl had potiental. Yes. And like a good craftsman Jack never threw away a useful tool. Besides. If the day came when her usefulness dried up. He would rather wait till she became stronger. More confident. More ambitious. More prideful. It all meant for a better meal. And in the end. A greater gain of power for himself. On the throne the only physical display whilst listening to her, would be his left hand tightening around his cane. And a growing grin on his face. " I see....well...it seems that you have learned much...at least enough to know of what I spoke of the last time....". He lifted the cane slightly off the ground, and tapped it back down.

He knew what she said. To her it seemed that there were only two solutions. Fight, grow strong. And die one day when many come to face her. Or hide and be safe. Yet Jack knew of a third option. One that required breaking the very nature of himself. Of sacrificing ones pride. Humans called it the fight or flight response for a reason. When one was faced with overwealming odds. They escaped, they may lose face. But they live. Fear is a companion with good advice, but not one to be listened to all the time. For it took advantage. And would rule you if not careful. Yet. Telling her this would hardly do much good. At least for him. " You say you will defeat death with numbers?". He tilted his head.

" Be wary of this path".

That is all he would say on that matter, it said enough. Even in animal groups, the pack mentality always had one truth. The strongest led. But the strongest even then would constantly come under challenge from within their own group. They could put down the ambition of others before it took seed, thus avoiding it. But doing so would weaken the pack as a whole. Ambition. Pride. Was, much like fear. A positive thing in small doses. But a poison if given too much. Jack laid back on his throne in a more lazed relaxed position. " Power is all well and good...position too is important...to some....". He raised his hand, spreading the fingers and looking through them towards the crack in the roof. " But even the greatest king, with all the power and influence in the world. Can be miserable....when the lowliest pauper can be happy. Can be content". He moved up in his chair again. " Tell me Iskra...And think about it...". With that he seemed to fade into nothingness. Only to appear next to her once again. ( Devilspeed) Arm around the back of the Hyena, knelt down on one knee.

" When will you be happy?...When will you be content?...".

EXP: 584

Mystic Elder Rep! : 31

The hyena had been dutifully looking away when Jack suddenly appeared near her, and it was all she could do not to jump again. However, she remained sitting stoically like some spotted granite statue, trying not to give any hint of her sudden surge of fear.

Her breathing betrayed her, however. Even in her beast form it had picked up perceptibly and only calmed down slowly in the aftermath of the pride demon's question.

And she thought for awhile, not because the answer required very much thought, but because it required her to formulate an equation and draw a number from it.

Unfortunately, she found it difficult in her mental state. Her concentration wasn't so terribly shot that she forgot how to count. Simply put, the hyena hardly knew basic arithmetic other than what she deduced herself from her rare ability among her kind to count higher than eleven. Indeed, for most of her kind after about a dozen or so all numbers approached a singularity referred to as "seitse". A hundred... a thousand... or even a million... though it may be as few as sixty four. Precise numbers didn't matter at that point.

"I'll be happy at seitse..." she finally said, breaking the slight pause. "I know there's a word for it, but if you take eight groups of eight and add it to ten groups of ten, you will have the number I'll be happy at."

She sighed, still feeling somewhat unnerved for reasons she couldn't fully think or articulate. "That is the number of descendants I want and that I will protect, and I will be happy."

Indeed, having a definite goal lifted her spirits tangibly, even if she didn't have a name for the number. She could count to eight, and she could count if there were eight descendants in those eight groups, and then she could count to ten and do likewise with the other group. Either way, she'd know when she hit her goal, and knowing this thing in her head only increased her confidence, and for once she made eye contact. "If they're that number... if they're like the stars in the sky, then how could death possibly erase my legacy, as slowly as it works?"

[ EXP: 427 ]

Mystic Elder Rep! : 26 Location : Behind you

It was an...odd answer. To be fair. She would be ahppy. With a number. From her words he assumed that she was talking about the number of those she could gather in a group under her. Peopel she could rally to whatever cause she desired no matter how petty. Those who were fiercly loyal to her much like the boy he had seen during the events at the mansion. The Hyena demon was breathing more heavily. Was she afraid? Perhaps. He meant her no harm but, even so. Being around him, and those like him,was not easy. " A number will bring you happiness?...And...what about when disease takes that number and cuts it in half?....what when your group is devistated by a warring clan?". He tilted his head. " Will there be happiness in replenishing the numbers of those lost?...". It was an odd message he was trying to convey. Something along the lines of.Those with fame and influence spend half their lives trying to get those things. And the other half trying to get rid of them. What would one day be a life long goal, would next be a life long curse. Responsibility held that.

He grinned and darted around to the front of her, staring at her icy blue eyes with his deep crimson red. " Tell me young beast, will you ever be content with your lot?...will there ever be a day when you will say, I have enough?". He let out a chuckle. Then stood up. " Tell me, have you ever heard the legends of Demons of Gluttony?".

EXP:283

Mystic Elder Rep! : 31

Well, she certainly hadn't thought of those things that take out many, many people at once. While she didn't like the thought of something bad happening to her hypothetical children, but the more she thought about it, the more she recalled that out of all of the hyenas among the exiles, she was the strongest because she ultimately lived where they'd all been perished. "I'm sure my ten of ten with eight of eight will inherit my ability to survive adversity. I am strong, which is why I will live long enough to make seitse... make that many children. I can always make more."

"But I have not heard of many demons." Learning more of the world always intrigued her, even if this world was the third and lowest and least pleasant realm of the worlds.

Her eyes followed him, and she lay down on the ground, still sitting up and somewhat alert. "Tell me of them."

[ EXP: 179 ]

Mystic Elder Rep! : 26 Location : Behind you

Such a simplistic conclusion, to believe simply because you were capable of surviving that your children would inherit the same ability. Whilst it was true that strong genes gave a creature a better chance at surviving than others. There were infinte other factors that determined survivability. One of which included the enviroment to which the creature was raised. Genes gave little more than potiental. And potiental is only good if its used. None the elss he ignored this point leading onto his little talk about demons which seemed to interest Iskra. " I've told you before that I am a demon of Pride".Jack spoke whistfully, turning on his heel. " But there are others like me, not of pride, but of other things....They are demons of Sloth, Desire, Fear,Madness, Rage". He sat down on the stone floor in front of Iskra and began the process of looking into her eyes again as she seemed almost, eager. To learn.

" Take note not all demons are like this, in fact very few Oni are. Most of us are born this way, often only developing our powers as we grow, or perhaps having them awaken after a traumatic or important event in our lives".

Crossing his legs he thought about his own awakening as a demon of pride. It had been something that occured within the year he had spent in Terra, and was one of the driving factors to his infernal migration. " However, there is one more type that among us. Is considered an abomination. Although we are uncommon, and certain subtypes are considered rare, this abomination has only ever arisen twice within our knowledge". Jack drew a symbol on the floor, not something that he expected Iskra to recognise. But it was an infernal symbol representing hunger. " All demons are in some form or another driven to fight, to gain power. This is our nature. When a demon however becomes obssessed with this, it can become dangerous. There is nothing wrong with gaining power. In a place like this, it is neccisary for survival. But when such a thing becomes perverse. When a demon only lives, to kill and devour. That is when the abomination is born. That. Is when Gluttony, is born". The terrifying nature of Gluttons was alone, enough to make Jack's own eyes for a moment, falter with their stare from Iskra.

His face turning in a manner of displeasure. " A demon of Gluttony is one who hungered for power, this hunger drove them to obsession, killing and devouring countless numbers of other Oni, eating their flesh, their souls. Their essense. Wasting nothing. When they stand upon a mountain of bones , they will have changed. The hunger for power. No longer a metaphorical drive. But a part of their very being. Where once they had a choice, no longer does one exist. They exist in a constant state of starvation, their hunger consuming them in a beast like fury, and so they walk the lands, devouring everything in their path. Those who escape its eyes, will be taken by the hunger that surrounds it, infected by the hunger themselves, forced to devour those around them, or if no one is around them". He closed his eyes. The memories of the fear clan traitors fresh in his mind.

" Then you will devour yourself...Hunger consumes all...personality, soul"

Exp:642

Mystic Elder Rep! : 31

It made sense to the relatively simple creature that other abstract concepts bore representatives in this place other than simply pride, though somehow she could imagine pride being the most vocal. Iskra went over the nouns one by one in her head, and most of them didn't sound so terrible. From what she knew of Sloth, it was the thing that made it feel good to laze in the sun on a warm day or stay in shelter during a cold one. It prevented a creature from wasting unnecessary energy: an important adaptation for a life in which famine and ruin crouched around every corner. Desire didn't seem so terrible either. Desire was what made a creature want food when it was available and to replicate itself so its kind could fill Terra with life. Fear is the radar that allows an animal to know when to flee from a situation to avoid hurt or death. Rage is what allowed a hyena to protect her clan and save her home from incursion by removing the offending creature or object from the sphere of existence where it could inflict hurt or scarcity. That was good as well.

The one vice she found no virtue in and that plainly broke the suite was madness. Madness is what drove her clan into extinction, and it was an altogether unnatural condition that, unlike the other vices, lead a wild creature into hurt and misery. She frowned just thinking about it. Perchance if she ever came across a madness demon, she could visit her wrath at being left alone with no family upon it.

But for now, she tilted her head at the explanation of psyche demons, a rounded ear flicking in the air.

Honestly, she felt as though she might be able to relate to such a creature. She didn't have many desires, but foremost among them were food and lots of it. This one's pursuit of food seemed more a madness, however. One that was so perverse and infectious that it caused side effects in bystanders.

Surely, such a fiend must be a terrible thing, however, if it even temporarily dampened the confident mood of her teacher. She found solace in the fact that apparently they were very rare and that none were present nearby, but the story still frightened her until one detail broke her suspension of disbelief.

"...bones? Mountain of..."

She didn't mean to nitpick, but her species colored the detail very powerfully for her. As scientists of old may have observed, hyenas have disproportionately large carnassials and premolars adapted for bone consumption. This went double for the demonic variety. At the tender age of three she was already cracking open a metatarsus that had upheld 5 tons of "meat" during its tenure in its owner like a child cracks the chocolate shell of an ice cream bar. Eating, as she understood it, left little more than a red stain on the ground.

Of course, she may have understood it as a figure of speech if that one detail wasn't so very significant to the realism of the picture in her mind.

Her brow furrowed and she stared hard at the symbol. "If there are bones, then there is waste."

The audacity of the statement startled her somewhat, though she'd simply been doing what she had been all along, that is, speaking her mind.

"I don't think I can understand such a creature," she added on hastily.

[ EXP: 659 || +1 TEXP (2nd post) ]

Mystic Elder Rep! : 26 Location : Behind you

She seemed interested enough in learning about the different types of demons. And on the subject of fluttony. Well. Experiencing such a thing for himself only a few days ago, the mories of it were still fresh in his mind. Far too fresh for him to be able to be confident and jolly about it. Particularly when he still knew the thing needed to be slain. Would he let her in on this? Perhaps in time. But not now. She however seemed to have her own comment on it,he had almost forgotten just who he was talking to, that she would take everything he said literally. He shook his head and chuckled. Lightening the mood slightly, amusing considering the subject matter." It was a turn of phrase, a metaphor to describe just how many deaths he had at his feet". He however could at least agree with her statement in part. The part about it being a waste. Yes, that he could certainly agree with. " Yes, a waste it is Iskra". He tapped the leg of his trouser a couple of times with his hand, clearing off some dust.

" A waste of food, life, power, energy...gluttony devours everything that it does and does not require...".

He laid back on the stone. Staring upwards. " Just remember. Its existance is a lesson to us all about the traps of our nature. Any one of us, should we be consumed by the hunger for power. Could become a glutton. And lose ourselves completely".

EXP:273

Mystic Elder Rep! : 31

So it was a lust for unnatural amounts of power that drove a creature or thing to lose control.

Somehow she sill felt as though she didn't understand. Perhaps owe to her rather simple nature, she couldn't help but view life as a collection of appetites and the quest to fulfill them.

There was a peculiar phenomenon she'd noticed among a few humans. Some of them ate so much that it made them altogether weak, helpless, and diseased. This unnatural condition existed because their bodies were originally adapted for living like she did, with a long time between meals. With the unnatural condition of unlimited food, they felt compelled to drown themselves in dining.

Likewise, she imagined the demons here, and perhaps by extension herself since she imagined herself as one of their distant relatives, were adapted to always seeking power and in the process of seeking it, destroy the authority of all the other oni, making it nearly impossible for them to ever organize and threaten the human world with a unified front of cruelty and hunger.

Or so she thought. Perhaps gluttony crushed a spirit with power in the same way that obesity crushed a human with food. The sickness of the hypothetical glutton seemed to be in that it couldn't stop killing and eating, and while that wasn't a sizable weakness, it ended in death for the brute when he ran out of things to eat. She imagined they wouldn't take the time to farm demons like humans farm cattle to keep themselves from starvation.

Those metaphors made sense in her head, but she'd eaten a fat human before. They were sumptuous and tender... a true delicacy in these times.

"The way you speak of the creature... it must be a truly terrible thing," she murmured. No doubt if it was something that cold prey on him, he would find it frightening... or perhaps he found it frightening because of the glutton's horrible fate: need without satiation and life without living. A diseased spirit. "If there have only been two gluttons since the world was born out of all of the demons and wild spirits that live, then it must take a lot more than what I'm planning to do to become one, but if I were caught in a glutton's influence," she gazed at the symbol on the floor. "I'd wish to use the hunger it inflicts to at least taste the monster before I died."

If fat humans made for a good meal, she imagined a "fat" spirit would as well.

She suddenly looked up towards her teacher. "Have you ever seen such a thing before? A gluttony demon, I mean..."

[ EXP: 529 ]

Mystic Elder Rep! : 26 Location : Behind you

No words could truely convey the horror that was to face, or to know the demons of gluttony. Yet it seemed that he had found enough to at least pass on some effect of what it was to Iskra. Even if she did not understand it all fully. Delving onto this subject however was moving deeper into Jacks personal affairs, and as of yet. Despite this girl being what he could only have considered as the cloest thing to an ally he had. He did not wish to get any one wrapped up in that bar those who were already involved. Relying on others, to him. Was a sign of weakness. He had to stand resolute. Firm. Alone. Too proud to require aid. And thats when she asked the question. Had he ever seen a demon of gluttony before. Jack thought about his words carefully. However, the point that his answer was not immediete was already a giveaway as to the answer. Determining that there was no use in lying about it. He merely shrugged. And gave a simple. " Yes". Nothing more. Nothing less. Whether her curiousity would continue. Was yet to be seen.But he would leave his own answer there for now.

" Regardless, I am curious to see how you have developed...".

He sat back up facing Iskra. " Have you used the techniques I have taught you?.....have you learned the truth of magic and life?...of blood and suffering?". He tilted his head. Before he had given the Hhyena demon the key to unlocking her inner potiental for dark magics. Demon magics. He doubted she would have much taste for the specific school that he inhabited. Blood magic. But still. He didn't doubt that her nature led to a few interesting tricks.

EXP: 324

Mystic Elder Rep! : 31

Briefly, she looked back at the door. While she had learned how to fight to an extent, she certainly didn't think she was ready to take the pride demon on. His presence alone was intimidating, and she suspected she had many more things to learn before she could topple his position "over" her, as it were.

Yet, since her ambition was to eventually surpass Jack, then a brief spar to feel out his strength would certainly be a good idea. While he hadn't stated that he wanted to fight, she wasn't sure how else she would demonstrate what she had learned, unless they were going to go out and find some demon to fight, which didn't seem altogether practical, given the unpredictability of the world outside.

"I do not know much," she answered humbly. "But what I did learn was enough to preserve me in my travels. There is this... art that keeps me from being able to channel magic. You saw it with that giant plant that we came up against. It was then that I learned that I need to fight with my teeth as well... this form is the more comfortable one for me to fight in so far."

[ EXP: 220 ]

Mystic Elder Rep! : 26 Location : Behind you

" Yes, that giant plant was rather annoying".

Memories of the last time they had seen one another, in that mansion whilst seeking out the so called 'princess'. He'd hoped to get a sample of royal virgins blood. But unfortunatly the entire quest had turned out be a sham. At least in his mind. Still if it gave Iskra some battle experience then he supposed that it wasn't a total loss. At least not for her anyways. " Well yes, but you have to admit, its effect on the kami was rather amusing". A grin with the light remark. Remembering the events. He hopped up off the ground and then stretched slightly. " Well I suppose theres nothing to hurt in training ones old bones. After all you can't always just expect to be in perfect working order every single second....best keep nimble...". By this of course he was indicating his plan to test Iskra. " Alright then...to keep things fair...I won't transform....not yet anyways...if you are doing well..I may just....think of that as a reward. Something to aspire to". With that, his left hand moved down, grasping the bottom of his cane. Dragging the bottom part off.. Revealing a sword blade hidden within.

He looked down the length of his sword, it would probably have been easier fighting her beast to beast. However. He felt that in a sparring match. The form of the dread wolf might be too overwealming for Iskra's current level of power. With that Jack slashed open his hand, the blood flowing. The magic flowing. He smeared the blade with his own blood. Then brought his hand to his mouth. Licking the wound.

" Perhaps you'll be able to taste the taint today too...".

EXP: 328

Mystic Elder Rep! : 31

To say Iskra was uncomfortable with that blade and her teacher's demeanor... well, understatements might best convey the dread she felt as she looked back towards the way she came again.

However, this was necessary and she knew it, so she focused her fear into anger and a desire to show herself strong in the face of the self-confident pride demon. Even if she didn't show him how dangerous a wild hyena spirit could be today, she would do it eventually, and today could be a potent foretaste.

Of course, there were the preliminaries. She spent several moments snarling and bristling and circling about on stiff legs. Though she wasn't the largest of her kind, she wasn't a small beast when she stood to her full height. She stood four feet off of the ground at the shoulder, her muscles undulating under her ghostly, dappled fur. It was important to present an intimidating picture of herself before a fight, even if it was a mere formality that she would have realized was inefficient had she taken the time to think.

With her semicircle done, she continued on, casting a spell over the other Oni. "Kuum nagu päike," she murmured quickly, each word a single growled syllable as waves of malicious agony swirled from her form like an invisible mist. The hyena was much more practiced now than she'd been before when she first summoned the prototype of the spell, and it was far more accurate. Symbols swirled about, the disembodied agony of the dead that sought a new host. She grinned doggishly. Should those symbols make contact with her teacher, he'd feel the effects for a long while afterwards. A pain would come over him as though he were being torn and eaten alive by the fangs of a dozen of her kin. It was a good opening spell, as it had a tendency to hinder an enemy's mind with pain.

[ EXP: 365 ]

Actions:
> Malady (Mastered)
> Stamina: -23
> Effects: Poison for duration of roll

Veteran Rep! : 5

The member 'LittleMariko' has done the following action : Dices roll

'[ Mastered ]' :
Swallowing Pride OMEGA

Mystic Elder Rep! : 26 Location : Behind you

To say that he was taken surprise by the potency of the first attack was...well it would be saying far too little of the Hyena Demons skills. She had improved. He remembered this effect. It was the same move that she had originally unleashed on him during their first meeting by complete accident. And yet now here it was, capable of being commanded by her. The pain burning through his body much like the taint itself. But still. Even through the agony he began to grin. Not because he was some kind of masoginistic madman. But merely because Iskra was indeed showing herself to be a capable tool. " I see...you managed to master that one....hehehe...still....we'll see how you fare....best not get too confident little girl.....". He raised his hand, taking it from his chest, where it had instantly gone the moment the Hyena girl had attacked. He gestured it at her. Slowly crushing his hand into a ball.

" Of the fallen star, I feed...".

Prides Chalice. One of the most basic and fundamental techniques of Pride demons. Draining the opponent of their pride. Whilst at the same time leaving them weakened. Unwilling to continue. The magics would stretch out from him, seeking Iskra's pride. Wishing to wisp it away to power Jack. Hopefully it would offset the balance of this soul poison. At least for awhile.

[Prides's Chalice: Perfected]
-20STA
Effect: High bind + HP drain
Damage: 15
HP Recovered: 10
EXP: 283

Veteran Rep! : 5

The member 'Jack' has done the following action : Dices roll

'[ Perfected ]' :
Swallowing Pride ZETA

Mystic Elder Rep! : 31

It was a weird thing that happened, or so the hyena demon decided in her strangely violated mind. She could only assume that the effect was coming from Jack, who she'd previously caught up in the swirling, screaming spell she'd cast, surprised at its own potency, but any satisfaction that would have come of hitting him so powerfully, she found completely stopped by some sort of blockage on her mind.

A block was all she could think of it as, though it came camouflaged in her own natural discouragement at having to fight such a powerful sparring partner. What was she doing anyways? How would she ever surpass him? Already she could feel herself being drained and he hadn't even gotten to using his real attacks yet.

But she did recognize it as an effect of her teacher and not her own mind, and like an ember beneath a fallen log, she began to grow resentful of whatever he had done to soften her will to fight. She was a creature designed for fighting. This attack proposed to weaken her in her ability to fulfill her purpose in living, and she snarled, her fighting spirit rising back up as she willed herself off of his proverbial dinner plate. It wasn't a swift process, but she gradually fought off the thoughts that threatened her ability to continue the battle.

[ EXP: 259 ]

> Actions: Used Power of Will to weaken the bind to Medium (Equal Aegis to Bind, will be free next turn if it works)
> Stamina: -30
> HP: 85

Veteran Rep! : 5

The member 'LittleMariko' has done the following action : Dices roll

'[ Perfected ]' :
Swallowing Pride ZETA

Mystic Elder Rep! : 26 Location : Behind you

The feel of her Pride restoring him was like extasy. The look of confusion, of loss in her face( or the face of the beast) was in itself. Something to be amused at, That is. Until the agonising effects of that damned poison cropped up again. Flashes before his eyes, the sounds of flesh tearing, the pain of another souls last breath. A potent technique to say the least. If not for the agony it caused. But for the sheer mind fuckery that went along with it. But as quickly as the effects came, they wained. But he knew they were not gone. For now he would concentrate on the attack. Pushing the offense against his opponent. Once again he ran his blood stained hand across the blade, smearing it with the tainted blood within his veins. The demonic ichor filled with dark energies. A technique that Iskra had herself witnessed once before. Much like Jack had once seen her opening move. Admittedly however. She had never been on the recieving end of this one. Jack dashed forwards. Striking out with his sword.

The blade, coated in blood. Would be filled with the power of darkness. It would be far more than ripping steal in her flesh, but a burning cold, of the hungry darkness. That thing that all creatures, even demons were afraid of. How it would react with her own tainted blood. Jack didn't know. But he was about to find out. And he always was a curious fellow.

Tainted Blood(Perfected): +1DMG
Stamina Drain -20
HP: 90
DMG: 50

Veteran Rep! : 5

The member 'Jack' has done the following action : Dices roll

'[ Perfected ]' :
Swallowing Pride ZETA

Mystic Elder Rep! : 31

The beast only snarled at Jack's approach, her blue eyes full of helpless rage. For whatever reason she couldn't get herself to just move. It was like her body was her own enemy. It filled with tiredness that wasn't even surrender, for if she surrendered she could at least run. This apathy that brimmed like a storm's waves over the sides of a canoe just took away her resistances, and she grew madder and madder until she was all but frothing at the mouth...

...and then the made came...

The ripping jolt that tore through her nerves held more than pain. It held more than just the hints of death that ever creature from its infancy feared. No, it held a darkness more abhorrent than the grave. Of infinite sorrow and darkness and horrors unspeakable. Like ice, it bit into her body and she couldn't suppress a yelp of fear and hurt.

But on the tail of that yelp, her anger surged, the transient fear morphed into fury fueled by her unusually strong desire to live. Hardly had the blade departed her split skin than she leaped up to bring her teeth around the wrist that held the offending sword, aiming to shear its flesh away.

[ EXP: 236 ]

Actions:
> Used Nip (Damage (3) [50] + 10) Will recover 5 HP if it's successful
> STA: -57
> HP: 35

Veteran Rep! : 5

The member 'LittleMariko' has done the following action : Dices roll

'[ Perfected ]' :
Swallowing Pride ZETA

Mystic Elder Rep! : 26 Location : Behind you

The song of his sword as it swiped through her flesh was something to be enjoyed. For he certainly did revel in its glory. The sounds of her wimpers of pain as the attack struck only adding to the glorious chorus of the battle. Once again, pain struck. But this time it was not the poison. but not the poison which brought it. But the vengeful jaws of the Hyena Demon as she clamped onto his arm. Blood welled to the surface as he felt the oddly strong grip upon his arm. Then the pain from the poison struck, further weakening him. For the first moment in this little match, the possibility of losing actually popped into his head. Thinking that perhaps he had underestimated the matriarch's compteance. However, by biting him. She had done him a favour. His eyes flashed up. A darkly promising grin.

" Thank you, you saved me another cut..."

The blood flowing from the wound became charged with magic. The blood magic working, he channeled it towards the Hyena who, stood next to him. Wouldn't have much chance for escape. He knew that although he was feeling weakened, the girl would be much the same. There were a variety of attacks he could have performed to finish her off, the majority would however, have likely resulted in a case of overkill. Causing death to her. This technique however he hadn't quite mastered yet. And considering this was just a spar. He didn't want to kill her. But he didn't want to lose. And did want to end it.

The magic he sent out would take hold of the white blood cells in her veins. And if successful. Turn them against the host. Making them attack the body as it would a foriegn substance

EXP: 328
Attack: DevilDrive (honed) + 1 intel dmg
Stamina: - 15
HP: 20
DMG:35 (KO)

Veteran Rep! : 5

The member 'Jack' has done the following action : Dices roll

'[ Honed ]' :
Swallowing Pride EPSILON

Mystic Elder Rep! : 31

Around this point in the fight, one might say that the pride demon made a bit of a mistake. It was true that at their proximity, Jack was at an advantage. After all, there was a split second where she had to inhale the relatively small bit of flesh and attendant bit of eldritch blood, but she choked it down with such speed that she may as well have only bitten him, and they were in an intimate proximity as far as battling went. A lion and its tamer hardly remained in such a proximity as two fiends locked in melee combat.

But the blood magic user didn't employ his melee weapon. True enough, it was a gesture of kindness, but it was lost upon Iskra for various reasons. Firstly, she was still a certain kind of wild, carnivorous beast and thus dangerous to anyone immobilized in close range for even the slightest of moments. Secondly, she was still in a frenzy from the initial strike with the blade and the frightening effects of the various magics he'd used and now she fought as though she'd been backed into a corner, that is, with a reckless, shredding abandon. Thirdly, her particular species was accustomed to dragging down prey by simply eating it alive and her instincts told her not to stop... to pierce him again without the slightest hint of sentience or mercy and swallow him down and do it all over again.

Indeed, things might have been different if her fear hadn't removed him from her rational mind and if there wasn't the slightest of delays, a mere two seconds without his other words, between the spell's conception and its completion. Iskra wasn't slow. If he'd paused to begin channeling the spell perhaps thirty feet away instead of the scant yard or so now between them, it would have been a contest. Perhaps if he wasn't in such maddeningly close proximity with his sword and his ominous words, she would have had time to think, but no.

Two ticks of the clock was more than enough time for her to whirl, her teeth a silver flash in the red light as they came together with bone-crushing force on path to the other demon's hip.

[ EXP: 418 || +1 TEXP (1st post) ]

Actions:
> Interrupted Jack's 2-second channeling of his spell
> Used Nip (Damage (3) [50] + 10) Will recover 5 HP if it's successful
> HP: 40

Veteran Rep! : 5

The member 'LittleMariko' has done the following action : Dices roll

'[ Perfected ]' :
Swallowing Pride ZETA

Mystic Elder Rep! : 26 Location : Behind you

There was almost a distinct sense of outrage the moment Iskra went for him. In those few seconds time itself seemed to slow down. The girl was a beast, and as of now held no concept of the fact that this was a spar. Nor the fact that he had just spared her life by atttempting that spell. Yes. The briefest moment of outrage as his body automatically began to motions to avoid her gnashing jaws. Such a thing was not something a creature thought about, rather more of an automatic gesture to avoid death. For, that was what would surely come if she sunk her jaws in once more. No time to transform. At least. Not as of yet. If he managed to avoid her jaws. Likely his outrage would be of such that he would consider her attack an automatic negation of his ideas of her being a useful tool. A beast was useful in hunting down ones enemies. But the moment it turned. It would need to be put down. Harshly.

He would have had far more of an advantage in movement if his pride had not taken him into not transforming in the first placee. He would not make that mistake with this one again. So, with what he had left in him. Jack attempted a move that would hopefully takee him those vital few inches away from Iskra's jaws. Otherwise. There was only going to be the darkness again.

[[ Dodge attempt. Strong vs Strong 50/50 chance, if roll is 50 or less, dodge succeeds]]

EXP:275

Veteran Rep! : 5

The member 'Jack' has done the following action : Dices roll

'100 Roll' : 90

Mystic Elder Rep! : 26 Location : Behind you

The moment those jaws entered his flesh, he realised that his dodge had indeed failed. There was a brief instance of pain and then. Nothing. Jack could indeed feel his life blood flowing out. In such copious ammounts that he'd be able to perform a powerful blood magic spell. If only he had the strength. For now. All he had the strength to do. Was laugh. And he did so. He laughed till his throat was sore. He then stopped and dlooked back at Iskra. The numbness continuing to spread as he felt the end encroching. " You have an....interesting....idea...on what a spar is.....". A cough, another weak laugh. " Looks like...in the end...pride...was my downfall....hahahahaha....the irony of it all....". Breaths were becoming sparse. Difficult. Blackness moving in on his vision, his demonic aura losing its strength. Finally. All there was, was darkness. " Ah...Oblivion....how...beautiful......". With that. Jack collapsed. Blood loss had taken him. For a vital few seconds, his heart continued to beat. Struggling to keep the body alive under the pressure of everything. Under the lack of blood.

In death, there was no white light for Jack. Only an infinte darkness that seemed to surround him. But there was something in that darkness. Something moving. Something that had been waiting. Yellow eyes, shaped by darkness stared at him. Well hello there. Said the voice from behind the door. It laughed. Was this truely the end?

EXP: 290

Mystic Elder Rep! : 31

Iskra kept up a steady growl as she sank her jaws into the warm flesh. She felt she couldn't help it. The blood that welled up in her mouth tasted unnaturally delicious as it flowed down her throat. Ages of ancestors who similarly clung to their dying prey made this good, though it wasn't the mere fact that he was meat that made the hyena's bloodlust rise up, nor was it the oddly wine-like flavor. The power drove her mad. Her entire life she'd consumed relatively weak prey, sickly creatures with not much life left in them, aged and diseased. Jack was far above this level, and his strength intoxicated her as a strong drink might intoxicate a man.

Through all that, however, she still heard his voice. His laughing made sense to her if she didn't think about it too hard, though his words were complex. Laughter among her kind was a response to anxiety, pain, or fear, and perhaps it was the laughter that woke her into the realization that he couldn't eat him. He was so close to death and if she brought her jaws completely together, she'd never see him again. He looked like a human, yes, but the pride demon was one of the closest things she'd had to a clan member since her family died. Who gave her a shelter in the middle of a plane of hostility? Who took the time to teach her how to summon up magic? Who kept watch while she slept in this realm?

He'd certainly performed all of the actions she'd associate with someone of her own group, though her jaws were fastened about his outer hip and she only wanted to push them together harder and that feeling was strong. Had Päike, the god above, grabbed the top of her mouth and vosht, the god of things below, grabbed the bottom and they fled apart as was their natural tendency to, she felt they would have still come together and viciously took off the lean flesh.

What eventually stopped her was the same thing that stopped her from losing the resolve to fight earlier: her will. This man was as a brother to her, and she couldn't allow herself to partake of his flesh.

With infinite reluctance, she stopped her bite, not bringing her teeth completely together and not swallowing any more of his flesh.

But perhaps it was too late. He lay perfectly still, bleeding on the floor before the throne, quietly on the ground, not even twitching. With a nervous chuckle of worry, she walked a small circle around the motionless pride demon. He was bleeding from his wrist and his hip, and with a wince she saw that the wound on his upper thigh that she'd made came dangerously close to his--

She felt at a bit of a loss. The bite's strength reduced enough to leave him alive, but his lack of consciousness worried her. With a grunt of regret, she laid across his body in a rather unfortunate position. Unfortunate, rather, because of the view it would give the pride demon should he wake. She sat atop his chest and laid down so that his cold form could borrow some of her warmth and her tongue flicked out, tenderly licking the wound in hopes that it would heal and that this person she'd come to value would come back to her. She hated to feel at fault for another clansmember's death.

[ EXP: 639 ]

> Action: Reduced bite damage to Strong w/o ABS effect

Mystic Elder Rep! : 26 Location : Behind you

Who are you?

Jack's voice, it was, shakey. An unnatural thing for the Pride demon. And yet. He couldn't help it. This figure he couldn't see. An outline. And eyes. Yellow like Ceila's. The eyes of madness. Another chuckle from within the abyss. Thats a question I asked myself more than you know, never did really find an answer to that, but I did come close....so close I could almost taste it...and you were my key. Jack didn't quite understand the words of the voice, the eyes. The figure. He didn't know who he was either? Jack looked around. Where is this place?. The figure seemed to fade out, last of all those eyes. Jack felt a cold hand on his shoulder. A breath on the back of his neck like the first winters breeze. Been to the library right?..this is what I'd like to call...the maintence corridor...its the place behind that dark door....the place we're not supposed to come...yet you and me Jackie boy....we couldn't help ourselves....we're curious types we are....we had to know...had to see what lies beyond the door...and although this may seem like nothing....theres something here....can't you feel it?...something beyond the darkness. At the moment. All Jack could feel was confusion and....wetness? He looked at his wrist. There was an odd glaze to it as if someone had been...licking it?

Ah...that time already is it?...time to go Jack, but I'll see you again soon. Promise.

-----

On the outside, Jack's body. Twitched slightly. The eyes. Flashed open. Instead of their distinct red however. They were yellow. A slow giggling. Yet. The face didn't change. Didn't grin. It was somewhat. Disturbing.

" ...Whats that barkin'? Its all startin' Like a row....of dominos...
...Can you hear them fallin'? Someones due a maulin'....
....Dearest one...its time to run....
......Jackie listen....heres a mission.....this worlds toast....Its time to start the roast......
....Got to find Shiori....tear her up real gorey....bow wow wow....time to end her now....
.....hahahahaha.....Hahahahahaha!.....".

And then. Silence. Jack's eyes began to fade back into red. Another twitch. This time in his face.Then his hand. A groan as he tried to move but then realised in doing so he might accidently touch. "...Hm...Hello Iskra...".

EXP:468

Mystic Elder Rep! : 31

The large hyena turned her head before she turned the rest of her body, curious as to the voice coming from behind her that sounded a little... off. However, she could only see a single one of his eyes due to the notable obstruction that was her posterior.

However, upon hearing her name, Iskra realized that he'd come back awake, though no doubt he was probably still weak.

She stood to her feet immediately and turned around, standing to either side of the man on the ground as she happily licked his face, the invasive nature of her particular method of showing affection outside of her sphere of immediate comprehension. "You are alive!" she shouted in her odd, breathless way that completely failed to interrupt her enthusiastic licking. "I... apologize. I did not mean to try to eat you. You're... like family now. You tasted... really good." She paused to look into his face, smiling. He seemed less dangerous simply because she'd managed to bring him to the brink of death, which freed her up to be more "friendly", since she was no longer fearful.

[ EXP: 226 || +1 TEXP (2nd thread) ]

Mystic Elder Rep! : 26 Location : Behind you

Affection. Interesting. And. Awkward.

Jack wasn't one that was really used to..intimate moments. Of course he wasn't a virgin ( otherwise he wouldn't have been too worried about that whole possible bastard spawn thing) however at the same time he had neveer really gotten into the whole, touchy feely stuff. So as she licked his face, first there was a look of surprise, and then passiveness. " Yes, I'm alive. Although just barely....". He looked down at his side, the blood flow slow. he'd lost quite a bit of it and it would likely take some time to heal. If he'd been human. He probably would have been long dead by now. It was at this point she began her apology about having tried to eat him in the first place. If she had killed him. And he'd ended up stuck in that dark place, he would have probably tried to find some way to crawl himself tooth and nail back to the world just so he could tear her limb from limb. However, in this case. It was no harm done. Well. Nothing permenant anyways.

" Don't worry about that, no permenant damage, at least to my body, my ego is going to have to take a bit of time for recovery though"

He let out a mild groan as he brought himself to a more comfortable position. " However, next time. I'm going to have to remember not to hold back....you were right when you said you had learned. I was foolish for not taking that into account from the very begining...". He cursed himself on the inside. However. All was learning experience. And then came the strange remark about him tasting...good. He raised an eyebrow at that. " Yes, well I'll take that as a compliment coming from a female". He tried to chuckle, but once again the pain in his side took its place in reminding him it was still there.

EXP:351

Mystic Elder Rep! : 31

Iskra tilted her head for a moment, looking into his face with a slight feeling of confusion. Ostensibly, she'd beat him on a bad day, but did this mean she was strong? Apparently she learned a lot in a very short period of time, or she discovered much about herself, one of the two. It seemed only yesterday that she couldn't shift out of her human form, and now she was summoning all manner of spirits, she had a sturdy understanding of how people traded on Terra, and she had a few friends to banish the profound loneliness she experienced when her clan first died.

Things were going well, but she could only be satisfied with more progress. Naturally, this meant moving on to the next phase of accomplishing her stated goals. Jack, on a bad day, was still powerful, so this meant she could defend a small number of things.

She moved backwards to allow the pride demon freedom of movement before she sat and scratched herself behind one ear. The place she'd been sliced with the cane's sword stung a bit with the motion as the adrenaline began to wear off. "Jack, what's your opinion on human females?" she asked, seeming out of the blue before she turned to tend to her wounds with her tongue. It had some sort of black taint about it that she felt she needed to remove.

[ EXP: 258 ]

Mystic Elder Rep! : 26 Location : Behind you

Her question spawned a few thoughts in Jack. Thoughts that he would have rather kept below the surface.It was a personal secret that Jack had, in his first year after the dawn. Spent some time with a human female. It had been the whole reason, after several paranoid moments and eventually Jowan's own secret family coming to light, that he had sent Iskra on that little jaunt in the human world. He prefered not to think of those times. Lesser times. Weaker times. When he hadn't known the true nature of himself. Still confused. An extended moment of weakness that he did not plan to repeat. He looked at the Hyena demon as she licked herself at that area, the wound that he'd struck upon her. The tainted blade smeared with his own blood. " What do I think of human women?......well...they go nicely with fried onions...". A mischievous grin. But then it sort of dropped along with his eyes to the floor. The Pride demon attempted to stand on his feet. It was a slow process at first, moving into a sitting position, then up on one knee. Pushing himself onto two feet.

Dizzy at first, he began to sway slightly before managing some kind of balance. " Amusements aside however, I don't have a general opinion on human women, bar the one general opinion I have on humans as a whole". His eyes, despite the glazed fatigue ,flashed slightly. " Weakness. Their females, much like their males. Differ from person to person. In that way they are much like us, or any living thing....There are some, much like in other races, that I can find...interesting...but beyond that...there is no real opinion....why do you ask?".

EXP: 325

Mystic Elder Rep! : 31

The hyena still had a puzzled air about her and shifted slightly where she sat. Humans being weak was comforting news to her. As a subadult, she'd feared that particular race, but with knowledge of their ways the fear from the unknown that shielded them from any aggressive attempts on her part began to erode.

"I ask because I had an interesting idea in my head," she began. "I met a man who carried a big cart with him and he fed me some meat... rather, he traded some person a number of things and he received meat, which he gave to me. The humans like to trade things among each other." Her bestial brow furrowed. "I know it's a silly thing... to give things to get another thing instead of just killing the person and taking what you need but... what if the other person is stronger? What if they need to make something out of other things for you when you don't know how to make those somethings yourself? You can't really force someone to do something with any kind of quality if they aren't happy about it."

"So I needed something to trade. I don't have anything worth trading, but it's easy enough to find human women. If I gathered up a bunch of them and threw them into one of your... umm..." She cast a glance around at the stones, as though the name of the enclosure was on the tip of her tongue. "Buildings! Yes, I was going to throw a bunch of them into a building because the humans on Terra are... backwards in a way. They aren't like my kind at all. It seems they'd give me things to let them into that sort of scenario, and it's very easy, or so it seems. It took me a lot of thinking, but I was going to go claim some land for the purpose soon."

[ EXP: 337 || +1 TEXP (1st post) ]

Mystic Elder Rep! : 26 Location : Behind you

So now the talk was about trading.

Yes humans had an odd way of doing things, they would use each other, to trade goods. Whilst there was always the option of killing them as Ikra said. This indeed take away the intial supply. To Jack, this was easily solved without having to resort to human ways. He'd just enslave the person in question. And keep them constantly threatened with death. Thus, bartering would not be required. But then again, slavery wasn't for everyone. And he didn't know if Iskra would understand the concept. She was more of an animal type and they only understood things based on pack terms. Which seemed particularly true with her. Jack was however, amused when she brought up her idea. Throwing a bunch of human females in a building and forcing them to what sounded like prostitution. Iskra. The Hyena girl. Was going to become a Madam. And open up a brothel. Jack would have laughed aloud if not for the pain in his side. It wasn't about the idea of a woman opening a Brothel. Madams were as common as the male brothel runners. However it was the idea of the demon opening one. She didn't really " get" the idea behind it.

Yet found it to be enough to bring her what she needed. It would be funny if nothing else.

Jack did find it interesting however that she mentioned she was going to need to take some land for it soon however. And with that, therein lay what he thought to be a proposition. " You need land for this....building, this...business with human females.....I doubt the locals would be too happy about that...". He grinned and tilted his head. " Mayhap, you need a hand or....a....paw....from the dread wolf?".

EXP: 333

Mystic Elder Rep! : 31

The hyena woman appeared once again seized by one of those fits of thinking that gripped her mind any time she pondered over human concepts and ideas. Naturally, if there were others there, she'd drive them out with a vengeance. The idea of a territory remained commonsensical in her mind. After all, most carnivores had an instinctive drive to protect their resources from other predators, but the idea of actually finding a building and driving out it's inhabitants...

Well, it would be a simple thing, not unlike driving a warthog out of its burrow. She could handle such a thing.

But the idea of her new "family member" helping her to establish such an outpost appealed to her on a base level. If she were more cynical about life, she may have concluded that it was less a sign of camaraderie that he wished to join her and more out of the fact that he didn't seem to have much to do in hell. No way remained for her to know of his exploits with the glutton-monster or derelict courthouses.

"I will be gladdened by your presence in this," she announced in her cheerfully neutral way. "If it will not trouble you."

[ EXP: 231 ]

Mystic Elder Rep! : 26 Location : Behind you

In truth, driving humans out of their homes in terror and fear. As well as killing a few of them. Seemed most appealing as a break in comparison to his current activities in the infernal realm. Whilst it was true that the glutton demanded attention. It was not something that Fear, Sloth or Pride could do anything about as of right now. Both sloth and fear needed to gather their forces. As far as he was aware, Jonah was sending a few of his clan members over to Rage in an attempt to get them to join in on the hunt. However Jack doubted the success of that. Rage, was one of the few of the psyche demon clans that actually did reflect the base emotion they fed from. They were berserkers. Little else mattered but killing to them. Even their own survival was a secondary thought process.

But if they by some act of the divine did agree. Then there would be more bodies for the meat grinder. One task that Jack was not too interested in dealing with at this point in time. His main focus would be gaining strength and influence. And if feasting on the blood of some innocents didn't do that. Well then he didn't know what would. Jack staggered over to the throne in the back of the room. And let himself collapse down upon it. " Very well...just tell me where to be....and I shall be there".

EXP:262

Mystic Elder Rep! : 31

So he would accompany her. This certainly bode well for the female, who knew how to drive others out just fine by herself, but could always use the aid of an ally. They'd clear twice as much land in the same amount of time together. She grinned at the thought.

But the spar had called upon reserves of energy that she didn't have to begin with. Indeed, a short nap ordinarily would not have prepared her for such an intense spar, and she was frankly exhausted.

Ordinarily, she would have no problems whatsoever humbly sleeping on the cold stone in the far corner of the room. However, she wished for a softer place to sleep that wouldn't aggravate her side as much, and as far as she was concerned, the only soft spot in the room would make a sufficient prize for her efforts in winning the battle.

Irreverently, she made her way back over to the sitting pride demon and proceeded to push him slowly backwards as far as he would go on his throne, and should he make no motions to push her off, she'd curl up atop his sitting body, taking painfully slow precautions to not actually touch the chair itself. After all, it wasn't her aim to make an enemy. She only wanted a soft bed before she could speak again.

[ EXP: 247 ]

Mystic Elder Rep! : 26 Location : Behind you

He laid back on the throne thinking that for the moment he would rest, catch up on some sleep that he'd been putting off for a long long time. Unconciousness over on the floor didn't quite count, he still " felt " as if he was awake. As if he was in the darkness whilst still feeling. But the moment one strange thing happened he determined sleep would probably be nigh impossible. The large beast that was Iskra. Pushed him back on the throne. For a second he wondered just what the hell the hyena demon was up to. First talk of brothels and now pushing him back on his chair. Was she going to try to..in this form? In his current condition? Thats when she just laid down for some sleep. And the memory of her being little more than an animal in mind set came to him. Oh yes....thank goodness. Jack at that point probably would have shoved her off. Yet he was too tired himself from the battle and...the potiental of death to even bother. Besides. The female Hyena brought with her an odd warmth that he was not accustomed to. A large blanket of sorts.

Deciding not to fight the sleep any longer. Jack merely gave into it. His eyes closing once again. The darkness overcoming everything. This time hwoever, there was no door. No yellow eyes. No odd voice. Just an oblivion waiting to swallow him till the morn.

EXP: 266

» The Seat of Pride
» Pride of Daedalus
» Fall of Pride
» Scourge of Pride
» Chapter 3: Fall of Pride