NationStates Jolt Archive

Drusus had always found the sprawling structures of human civilisation to be disgusting. Despite being quite human himself, Drusus had never been content with the world around him or the people in it. Everything felt pointless to him, there was no purpose or reason to do it, he would die eventually and be forgotten like every other man and woman in the world.

At one point Drusus had tried religion and similar philosophies in his quest for a purpose and yet that simply earned him nightmares that still haunted him to this day. Ever since he had cursed his parents for sending him to that catholic boarding school as a boy. They payed for it later on.

Oddly enough Drusus had always felt this way, ever since he was a young boy he felt a sense of hopelessness. He was never one of the ignorantly blissful children playing in the mud or running around, there was too much in the world around him to waste time with such idle pursuits. Instead he had learned as much as his young mind could take in, becoming quite knowledgable and competent for his age. It was only later that he learned it was all for nothing.

It was at the tender age of twenty that Drusus decided it was enough. There wasn't anything in the world keeping him there and so the young man had found himself facing the pavement as it rushed up to meet him at ridiculous velocities. That's when it truly began.

Drusus had expected the nothingness of death of course and for a moment all seemed in order. He hit the pavement, his skull was crushed under the impact and his brain died, darkness, death. Unfortunately that release didn't last very long, not that Drusus could tell anyway.

For reasons still not quite clear to him, Drusus spawned back into consciousness all of a suddent and was confronted by a presence unlike anything he'd ever felt before. Unfortunately a physical form was never revealed to him yet Drusus knew it was something dark, something sinister and in a strange way he liked it. It felt... right.

From that day on Drusus had become servant to a higher power, one with a true intent and purpose, a power beyond that of petty humans. Humanity was simply a mild bump in the road to such goals, unfortunately there were other forces that managed to turn a molehill into a mountain. Yet they were not for Drusus to deal with, his role involved humans.

Since that day Drusus had died a further nine times and returned every time, fully intact as if nothing had ever happened. With intent behind his every action Drusus found his masters tended to bend the rules of a mortal for his case.

That was in the past of course and many decades ago. Drusus had hardly changed yet he wasn't too worried about that, there were more important things at hand. This particular city happened to be most filthy and disgusting than most of them. It was filled with the marvels of man yet ridden with invisible disease and false ideals. This was New York City and it made Drusus sick to the core. So many people in the one place, most of them not worthy of their own lives.

On this night the sky unleashed water like flooding river, the downpoor unrelenting in its intensity and persistance. Drusus walked the streets in what he deemed casual attire, a pair of jeans, khaki green t-shirt and a black suit coat wrapped around his broad shoulders. The man possessed a thick head of bright white hair with deeply tanned skin in contrast. His eyes were cold save for some occassions when it seemed the flames of hell itself burned within his gaze. Drusus was an odd man to view and even stranger to know. Yet he wouldn't have it any other way.

As Drusus continued down the filthy pathway he noted the large structure of a holy building appear to his side, resulting in his calm adjustment of direction until he stood at the stairs of the building, now under the shelter of its bricks. A slight push with one hand caused the large oak door to luch forward upon its well oiled hinges and allow the lone man to enter. Footsteps echoed upon the marble floor as Drusus slowly walked down the aisle of the main hall and stood before a common feature of almost all catholic churches. The confessional booth.

Within a few minutes a man draped in white robes had appeared and promptly entered the the priest's portion of the booth whilst Drusus entered his own. A brief silence passed until the priest spoke.

"You have something on your mind young one?"

"I'm not as young as you may think."

"Perhaps not. What troubles you?"

"Nothing troubles me now. I am about to achieve one of the many goals this life has set me. All is going well."

"Then what do you wish to confess?"

"I'm not here to confess."

With that said the weak mesh separating the pair was torn to pieces as Drusus launched a leg through it, using his hands to tear it fully open and push the rest of himself into the priest's booth, now standing literally upon the man's toes.

"Wha... what are you... doing?"

The fire burned behind Drusus' eyes yet he remained expressionless.

"My job Father Douglas. You have lived your life in faith and servitude, giving all you had to the church and your god. Your soul is destined for heaven and your probably know that. Today you learn there is no such thing as destiny."

Drusus lunged forward and put his weight upon the priest as he covered the man's mouth with his left hand whilst bringing his right before the widened eyes. What appeared to be a faint scar upon the right palm of Drusus' hand suddenly became quite prominent as it took on a blood red glow, illuminating a symbol, a rune that had a meaning lost upon all but a very select few in this world. Father Douglas happened to be one of them and upon seeing the rune began screaming and struggling in a hapless attempt to escape.

Without hesitation the palm was slammed into the priest's forehead, promptly burning the mark into the skin of Douglas. Immediately the booth filled with a white light of purity, of faith and of hope. Seconds later it was replaced by that blood red glow before darkness engulfed the booth. Douglas was dead.

Grunting slightly with the effort of getting back to his feet, Drusus stumbled out of the booth, panting heavily as he moved back down the aisle. Tonight's work was done and he could follow his own pursuits for now. Clutching his chest as he exited the church, Drusus picked up speed and quickly left the building behind. All power in the building was out, providing a quiet exit back into the downpour. Back into the city of filth.

Bump

ooc: i will post something later, don't have time right now

*Tag*

The stench of smoke produced by a filthy human habit used to irritate Drusus, it used to anger him knowing that the negligence of one human could lead to the death of another just like that. Back then there was little he could do about it and ironically these days he was a smoker himself. Of course it didn't matter now, smoking would not claim his life like so many before him.

This particular bar in New York was quiet and hidden away partially underground, resulting in only a small amount of people frequenting it. The air was thick with smoke or the scent of various alcoholic beverages with a slight hint of vomit. Most would find it repulsive and call the place seedy, the kind of place one would find sex addicts, alcoholics, deranged queers and all others shunned on by the supposed pure society.

Drusus didn't really have a lot to do in his spear time and so he usually turned to drink. One could never tell when his services were required, sometimes it was every night whilst days could also pass between a collection. Currently he found himself seated at the bar with a shot glass and one third full bottle of scotch by his side.

Whilst the atmosphere of the property was relaxed and calm it seemed that such things never lasted around Drusus. Of course he was doing nothing to no one as he leaned upon the bar in a half conscious state yet that didn't seem to matter to a six foot six giant of a thug as he stormed through the entrance and proceded to knock Drusus onto the ground in order to clear space for himself.

It took a few moments for Drusus to gather himself as he sat on the ground, his head spinning this way and that for a few rounds before finally settling. Once that was in order Drusus voiced his protest.

"Now... was that really.... necessary?"

The thug looked down at Drusus from under his large brow and sneared.

"Yeh.. I don't like you freaks getting between me and a drink. You got a problem with that? Freak."

The part of Drusus that wasn't blind drunk sighed in resignation as he prepared for the coming event. He would have preferred to be in his right mind yet it seemed the oppurtunity never came by when he was able to deal with it.

"Of course I have a fucking problem with it you dead shit. You just knocked me over because of your ignorant predjudice towards nothing you know anything about. You may not be the lowliest filth on this planet but you are certainly not that far off and I would have no qualms in seeing your pitiful carcus removed from existence."

By now Drusus was standing and ready to deal with the obviously enraged brute. Taking a look at his face, then at the crowd within the bar, Drusus added another comment.

"Shall we take this outside?"

There was no vocal reply as a meaty fist slammed into Drusus' nose whilst another grabbed him by the collar and dragged him across the bar and out the back door. The pair were now at the bottom of a flight of stairs that led up into one of the many alleys within the city.

Several more blows exploded across Drusus' chest before he had the sense to fall out of the way and land an elbow into the side of the thug's calf, causing him to fall to that knee. Drusus recieved another fist to the face for his efforts and was now bleeding from several cuts upon his head. He was quickly losing this fight and yet he didn't care. He would win anyway.

A few more minutes of the pommelling went by before Drusus noted the glint of polished steel and smiled. This was his time to shine. Pain shot through the nerves around each wound and spread throughout his already sore body as the blade pierced his flesh time after time, harming organs and destroying muscle. It was remarkable just how frail the human body was. A few more wounds and finally it happened. Complete blankness.

And yet it never lasts. The brute is standing over Drusus with a grin of victory upon his face when his victim suddenly gasps a breath of life, eyes wide in shock and pain. It seemed his murderer was in more shock as Drusus got up and placed his right palm onto the man's forehead.

Within seconds the dim light of a bulb on its last legs above the pair immediately faded away as darkness engulfed the area, save for the crimson glow of the rune upon Drusus' hand. The man tried to scream yet nothing came out as the mark was burned into his forehead, resulting in a thick black substance to flow out of his mouth and into the air about him. The brute fell to the ground dead and Drusus merely placed his palm over the black cloud and watched as it disappeared in a flash of crimson light.

Drusus found that death usually removed all the effects of alcohol from his mind and so he now viewed the situation quite clearly. Another soul gone to his master, that was of no real matter but now he had an unnecessary corpse on his hands. At that point the door swung open as the owner exited his building, obviously attracted by the strange lights. Before he could get a word out Drusus had grabbed the thug's knife and launched it through the air and into the barman's throat with such force the man was knocked to the ground.

Now he had a problem. Two corpses and attention likely to arise, Drusus did what any other New Yorker would do. He ran like a bat out of hell. Of course the rain began to rocket towards the earth again yet that was of little concern now. Ususually Drusus did his jobs without attracting attention to himself. This wasn't a job and there were practically eye witnesses around. Shit. Cursing himself, Drusus continued to run. He didn't no where or for how long but until he had a good reason he wouldn't stop.

Strange things happen, especially in bars scattered throughout New York City. It was a city that fused together a rather bizarre mixture of cultures, and to the more...'observant', races as well. Not the human perception, but rather, the inhuman.

Smoke twirled lazily about the man as he smoked his pack of Camels, his eyes illuminated by the burning end of the cigarette. He watched a pair of young looking men thankfully agree to brawling outside of the bar. The city had few of those civilities as it was, and to see such was refreshing.

At the same time, the watchers were given a subtle flag of the very instance. He could smell the dark anger beneath the smaller man's ranting, and it piqued the interest of the one who watched them. A subtle hand resting on the table gave a discreet movement, and he watched as a young woman, with blazing red hair slink her way away from him to act as he intended her to. She wore nothing more than what was necessary to cover her assets and avoid the meaningless ticketing of the local precinct. The eyes of sexually frustrated men of all ages followed her without effort to shield those gazes, and she knew it. Already, her presence was doing its magic, and in deeper tones than just about anyone didn't realize.

Satisfied with her progress, the man rose from his seat and followed the bartender's earlier path that followed the two men. He looked down at the fallen bartender, already dead from the blood loss and then to the other corpse, and particularly at the man's forehead. He narrowed his eyes as he studied the rune seared into the corpse's flesh.

At last, he turned partially and looked down the alley following the wet footprints with his eyes. You can run, but you can't hide.

Working late into the nights because the other office workers had taken the night off or were to lazy to work was the most annoying thing to Karen Deardoff. She had been slaving over paper work for the insurance company she worked for ever since Hurricane Katrina hit. The multi-million dollar company would probably go near bankruptcy, and since she had started working there only a year before; she would be one of the first layed off.

Karen was 26, stood at 5'11 with blonde hair and light hazel eyes. She looked at her watch, it was getting very late and the rest of the office was dark, spare for the lobby where a lone security guard sat. Calling it a night, Karen saved her files, shut off her computer and packed a slim black leather suitcase. She adjusted her blue skirt, tossed on a emerald green rain coat and went outside.

All Karen wished to do was catch a taxi and head back to her small apartment for a late microwave meal and sleep.

Thirty minutes had passed since Drusus had fled the scene of two dead humans, unnecessary deaths at that. He didn't necessarily regret them, especially that of the thug and yet he did feel irritated that they had to happen. Not because of any compassion for human life but due to the attention and mess it creates as far as police and the sort. Drusus attempted to avoid police at all times.

Normally the not so young man was much more careful when it came to such issues, usually avoiding leaving dead bodies in his path or having witnesses. There was no other way he'd be able to perform his job if he didn't use subtlety at some point. Unfortunately his habit of consuming large amounts of strong alcohol tended to create problems when it came to being quiet and unnoticed and so he was running again.

As he continued the fast paced jog through the streets of New York a brilliant arc of lightning flashed through the sky, momentarily blinding Drusus as he moved along the wet sidewalk. As his eyes cleared from the bright flash he found himself mere inches from woman in an emerald green raincoat. There was nothing he could do at this speed and so the pair collided heavily, the woman being knocked through the air a metre or so before slamming into the ground whilst Drusus lost his footing and slid to his knees.

At that point Drusus heard the sound of a police siren not far off and scrambled to his feet in a frantic attempt to escape the streets and find some place to gather himself. The woman on the ground obviously in pain was of little consequence to him and Drusus didn't bother even giving her a second glance as he hung a right down a side alley. All that mattered was not getting caught.

Kazar-Tiyon happened to be in New York at the time to arrange for an information purchase. It was best to avoid notice in places like this, where most of the inhabitants aren't used to magic; so far the only spell he had used was the illusion that disguised his appearance. He didn't care to risk even a portal or teleportation, so he was limited to conventional modes of transportation. He now had the information he had come for, but he was stuck here for a few days. He hadn't been certain how long this would take, when he arranged for the plane tickets.

All thoughts of this inconvenience left his mind, though, when he felt magic nearby. Any powerful magic interested him, but he was far more sensitive to some than to others. Kazar was almost certain that some dark power had cheated death, and few indeed were better qualified than him to recognize such magic. He hurried toward the alley where Drusus had made his two most recent kills, arriving not long after the man's departure. To Kazar's specialized senses, the residue of the revival and immediate killing were clear, although he did not recognize either. Greater concentration revealed a faint trail, the magic that had returned Drusus to life leaving marks where he had passed.

Ignoring the two corpses, Kazar-Tiyon followed. This was far to interesting to ignore.

OOC:
Kazar currently looks fairly ordinary - slightly above average height, pale skin, dark hair, and a slender build. He is dressed in black, and wears dark glasses; eyes are hard for his magic to disguise. In sufficiently dim light, a faint red glow might be visible around the edges of them.

Karen grunted as the man slammed headlong into her. She fell back and moved her hand to break her fall, she smacked the sidewalk hard and looked briefly at the man through the rain. She could make out vague facial feature before she heard police sirens and the man ran into an alley.

"Hey! Come back here you bas...ah!"

She tried to twist her right wrist, but found she had sprained it in her fall. She stood and leaned against a wall, holding her arm close. Karen looked down at the wet papers that spewed from her briefcase, she was finished. Crying from pain and from the fact because of some hooligan, she probably lost her job,

Karen slid down the wall and did not notice as several police cars pulled up.

Officer Stuart Clark waved his other comrades off as he motioned that he would take care of the recently assaulted woman. They had a murderer to catch and didn't need to waste resources on what was seen as a petty crime.

Getting out of his vehicle, Stuart hugged his navy blue raincoat around his form as he approached the young woman, offering a hand to help support her to her feet.

"Are you alright ma’am?"
________________

Drusus had to stop, his legs couldn't carry him any further without his heart exploding. Whilst possessing a unique gift from a demon lord himself, Drusus was still human in most respects and wasn't particularly fit. His muscles ached with exhaustion and his heart continued to race as he leaned back against the brick wall of the alley, allowing the rain to cool his heated face.

At times like this Drusus would kick himself in the face if he could. Whilst composed and in control for the majority of his existence there were always small portions of time when his stupidity of lack of thought popped up for a moment and got him in shit.

Before he could get himself moving again, a feeling of dread and fear came over the human as a presence so dark and sinister entered his mind that he felt he might actually die permanently. The rest of the world disappeared as Drusus found himself in a world of complete darkness, a place of fear and the unknown. At that point Arithon's voiced echoed throughout his head.

"I see you've attracted the attention of your local authorities. I trust you're not going to be caught...?"

Still breathless, Drusus struggled to regain his composure.

"I'll be fine. What brings you to the confines of my skull?"

"You have another target. A man by the name of George Roberts. He's not within the church, simply a good god fearing honest man. He lives in the suburbs with his family. The address is on you..."

Drusus looked down at his stinging arm to find an address carved into his forearm. He closed his eyes momentarily and ignored the pain.

"Right, you want it done tonight?"

"No, just have it done by tomorrow's end."

With that Arithon was gone and Drusus collapsed to the ground, his mind reeling from the encounter. No matter how many times he came into contact with his demonic master, there was no getting used to his presence.

Karen gratefully accepted the hand to pull her up from the ground. As she rose, she saw a nametag on the blue NYCPD uniform Clark. Karen forgot about her problems during this moment of caring and kindness. Several policemen had run past her without giving so much as a glance. She cringed when she stood as pain shot through her wrist and smiled at him through the rain.

"Thank you Officer Clark. Your man...he torpedoed me and I think I sprained my wrist when I hit the ground. Hopefully I didn't break it. He went off running into the alley where your friends are going."

'Slink..SLINK?' I don't slink! I may saunter, I may stroll, I usually strut. I am sex incarnate, and I wasn't 'just drawn that way', to paraphrase the infamous Mrs. Jessica Rabbit. I was born that way. I am a Sucubus, a true Demon Princess, daughter of Lillith and Lucifer, Monarchs in Hell.

I don't usually listen in on His thoughs either, but I'm a peeping Lillit at times. And as always the weakness of most men, and nearly as many women. Lust was lust.

Those who fell under my spell were doomed, just as they had been down though the centuries. But they were just incidental at the moment. Tossing my long red tresses back over my shoulders and making sure every not inconsiderable asset was displayed to best advantage.

The Boss was on the hunt.

From the shadows, a figure stood watching the woman recover from her fall. He had caught a glimpse of the man responsible for her fall, but he had disappeared quickly without stopping to assist the woman. The sound of sirens grew until a pair of squad cars came around the corner and stopped near the woman.

"Are you all right ma'am?" one called out. The officer in the other car scanned the area, and caught a brief glimpse of a figure in the shadows. Blinking, the officer looked again, but there was nothing there.

Yet, the figure had not moved. Rather, he had manipulated the weak mind of the officer to not 'see' him. The figure watched the officers for another few minutes, before finally turning and walking past them, remaining in the shadows.

Lillit he sought silently, searching for his accomplice. What have you found in regards to the local power-figures?

Glancing down, he pulled back his sleeve to reveal the silver and gold kinetic watch on his wrist. He pushed and turned a dial on the side three quarters of the way around, unlocking the hidden feature of the watch. He saw ten bars, and only two were illuminated. Suddenly, another one lit up, causing him to growl silently to himself.

He moved faster down the sidewalk, yet not too fast to attract undue attention. What did those bars represent? Why did they irritate him so?

The answer was a long one.

Power was everything. It was the way of things in the old realm, where he himself held a high position of power. Lillit had been by his side since then, her presence making him feel complete, as his presence did like-wise for her.

Of course, plans never went as anyone wished. Plans become ruined, become thwarted in so many ways. Such was a disruption in their plans when the two of them had become prisoners for a short time, delivered a swift justice, and finally condemned to these obscure lives they held now.

No matter. Their time had not been ill-spent. Glancing down at the readout on the watch once again, the figure was satisfied to see that all lit bars had disappeared.

I hate this. he thought to himself, running from THEM like a whipped dog. One day, I shall have my vengeance, with interest accrued.

*'A little shapechange, a wholly different wardrobe, and no need to hang back as I do my hunting tonight.'*

My thoughts sped back to my beloved *'I'll be home with good news, and another pawn at my beck and call'*

And I would. It took a very special sort of human to resist me and those I'd be partying with tonight were most assuredly not that kind or that special. But they had power among humankind, power that we could use to bolster our position.

Not that our position was any too shabby. We were unimaginabily wealthy and had many sources of more wealth, we had bases of power elsewhere, and this new beachhead would be simple to achieve.

Then I stopped in my proud strut down the street teaming with homeward hurrying humans, and a shiver sped though me. There was a powerful demonic in the city, one whose signature I did not recognise. I am very sensitive to such things, as my mate is to the presence of Angelics.

Surprized that I used the word beloved earlier? It's a tightly kept secret- the Angelics really don't want you humans to know the truth, they'd rather...demonize us...but we too know love. Admittedly it is rare, but when it happens it is a powerful and profound relationship.

The the feeling faded and I strode on, headed to the spacious, and famous condo that we'd just purchases...at the Dakota Lofts

Stuart gave the young woman a smile as she rose to her feet, obviously not too damaged from the encounter with their target. Murders were not uncommon in the city and Stuart had become used to such chases and dealing with victims and the loved ones of the more unfortunate victims. He was the diplomat. Scooping up the rest of her papers, Stuart offered them back as he examined the woman's injured wrist.

"Hmm, it doesn't look broken but you may have fractured it. I could give you a ride to the nearest hospital to be sure."

With several of his other men in pursuit, Stuart was confident the criminal would be caught and everything taken care of. And if he was lucky he may even be able to score a date out of the injured woman.
____________

Drusus had only just returned to his feet when two words blasted down the alley, assaulting his ringing ears.

"FREEZE ASSHOLE!"

Moving forward, Drusus turned to his left to find four police officers points torches and glocks in his direction. This wasn't good at all, Drusus had never been caught by the police before and he had no real desire to start such a trend.

Hands on his head, Drusus began taking tiny steps backwards, hoping that something might happen. He knew there was no way he could get around the corner without being gunned down and whilst he wouldn't die, waking up in a jail cell was just as bad.

At that point the entire alley seemed to fade into darkness before returning to normal lighting, yet something was different. The air was thick with a coldness Drusus was all too familiar with, that of the underworld. Ice literally formed from the moisture in his breath as he exhaled yet Drusus didn't pay much attention to this, he was more concerned with the frozen police officers before him.

"They won't remain like that forever..."

An echo of Arithon's voice was all the prompting he needed and with that Drusus broke off at a sprint onto the streets again. There was a park opposite the buildings likely to provide good cover for the young man to gain his bearings and get the hell out.

Within seconds he had disappeared into darkness again, leaving the frozen officers behind.

Karen gave a nod to Stuart. Her wrist started to hurt a lot and apparenlty swell.

"Thank you officer...I would like that very much."

Karen was about to bend down and grab her things, but they were all wet and the ink was washing off and down into the drains. Sighing, her job now gone and so was her life; she might as well get her wrist fixed and head home to Los Angles after she got a day or two of rest.

"I forgot to mention...I am Karen Deardoff."

Stuart shook Karen's uninjured hand as he ushered her towards his car, opening the door for her.

"I'm Stuart... I think you can gather the rest."

With Karen inside Stuart moved around the vehicle and sat himself in the driver's seat. The engine started with a hum and within seconds the police car had merged into the masses of traffic that composed New York streets.

"So Karen, ever ridden in a police car before?"

The trail was fading - the one Kazar followed had been moving faster than he could pursue without drawing attention. He decided to risk a bit of magic. Carefully tuning a fragment of power to the track he had found, he wove it into an Eye, one of the construct. None but a skilled mage would be likely to notice it, or have any chance of tracing it back to him.

As the Eye darted ahead, a police car roared past him with its siren wailing. Perhaps the bodies had been found, and someone had noticed the killer running in this direction...

Karen looked out the window before turning to Stuart.

"Up to this point..thankfully no. My folks kept me on the straight and narrow out in LA. Which, after I get my wrist fixed...is where I am going. My dad is a movie producer, so I am sure I can find a job working for him."

She looked at the man next to her and then back out the window.

"Tell me Officer, what do you think of New York?"

Ice...

The figure stepped forth from the shadows, studying the frozen officers. Their eyes were frozen in a fixed stare, yet he knew they could see him. He drew close, until his face was inches from theirs.

"Go home, or die." he stated simply. "This is not your hunt."

The wind blew suddenly, whipping around the officers, and bringing a number of loose papers to block their eyesight. Then, the wind died, and the man was gone.

In the park, the man known as Drusus was hiding in the depths of the shadows. Yet, his labored breathing gave him away to the sensitive hearing of the one following him. An uneasy chill filled the air as the figure stepped forth from behind the man. He kept his hands in his trenchcoat pockets, and he wore shades, unfitting for the night.

"For one with ties to the underworld, you sure don't use your gifts very well." he called out, maintaining distance between Drusus and himself.

I discretely listened in on my Lords thoughs as he tracked the pawn to where it trembled and panted. I could be there in a heartbeat if the need was such.

As I left waves of frustrated lust behind me, I smiled inside. I might have to wait to share our meal together this night till much later, but it would be one of our favorites.

Eyeballs, fresh

Drusus jumped as a voice emerged from the silence behind him. He'd been so cocentrated on a foreign dark force that he hadn't even noticed the man behind him. Turning around and taking a few steps backwards, Drusus remained silent as stared at the man before him. It took a few moments fot the words to register and at that point he located the source of darkness.

The very man before him was not actually a man, he was much more. Most people wouldn't even realise such yet Drusus was attuned to such things and it was unmistakable. This man was a demon of some note and was not involved with Arithon. Such a thing couldn't be good.

"Well... my abilities aren't exactly that broad."

Silence reigned for a few seconds as Drusus posed a question.

"Why are you following me?"
__________

Stuart nodded in understanding, slightly disappointed Karen would be leaving the city soon enough. He might be able to have dinner with her but then she's off to the other side of the country whilst he's still here, hunting down the next murderer.

Karen's question took Stuart off guard a little. He could either answer with his honest opinion and paint a bleak image of New York or could fabricate the kind of idea that many deluded or ignorant citizens had about the city. Honesty was probably the best option.

"I can't say I really like this place. I'm from Canada originally and even our high crime areas didn't compare to New York. This place is cruel and tough to live in, you really have to keep your wits about you all the time or you end up another statistic in a body bag."

Easing the mood a little, Stuart asked a question of his own.

"How has your time here been?"

The man removed his shades at last, holding them in one hand behind his backside. He focused his eyes on Drusus, dark and malicious eyes that seemed to strip away all illusions of security. They were the eyes that had seen centuries upon this earth, and had seen many things. Yet, they didn't hold the peaceful counternance of wizened men, but rather it seemed that a hidden rage merely grew with each passing day behind those dreadful eyes.

"Why am I following you?" the man repeated slowly as he began a slow circle around Drusus. Naturally, Drusus kept his front to the stranger, wary of his actions. "Perhaps your question should be refined. But for now, it will suffice."

The man ceased his circling, as if he had been a predator circling its prey. With each step, the air had grown colder, until it was clearly below the freezing temperature of water. He bore his eyes into Drusus's own and replied at long last.

"I am here for you and your master."

Drusus didn't like this one bit as the man before him walked in circles, almost as if this were a mere game to him. He had to keep in mind that this man may indeed possess so much power than all this could be a game to him. Of course he didn't know that and knew one thing for sure about demonics. Most demons could convey a sense of fear and hopelessness far greater than their actual powers were capable of unleashing.

Keeping his eyes upon the newcomer, Drusus was surprised yet again when he mentioned Arithon. Not directly yet mentioned him nonetheless and he didn't like the way in which his master was mentioned. Remaining calm, Drusus kept his power at the ready, just in case. He may be a demon but even they had souls that he could steal.

"And why do I get the feeling your intentions are less than wholesome?"

Whilst unnerved slightly, Drusus was still able to maintain his composure around the demon, even if the cold was physically painful it was something he had endured before and would again.

The man gave a twisted grin, stepping closer. "I am here to kill your master of course." Hardly a second later, an evil chuckle followed. "No, that is a lie. I am here to speak to your master. I have a proposition for him."

The moon overhead suddenly darkened from sight as clouds rolled over its lunar glow. The city that held a sacred place in many immigrants' hearts was cast into a darkness under the thick clouds. Yet, few noticed the change in the weather. This was typical for them. The clouds had their reason to be pulled across the skies. They would simply block the watching gaze of his enemies, and give him time to speak to Drusus and his master.

"Well?" the man urged, "Call him forth."

Drusus slid back immediately at word of killing Arithon, the rune upon his right hand flaring into life in preparation to snatch away the demon's soul. If he could. Fortunately things didn't come to that as the previous statement was retracted and Drusus could rest a little. When dealing with unknown threats such as this man before him, Drusus had no sense of humour and had to be wary of everything.

"A proposition..."

At that moment Drusus felt the cold entering his mind, strangling his cerebal nerves and forcing his consciousness back from the reigns of his body and brain. Something was invading him, something dark cold and painfully familiar. Arithon had possessed Drusus on a few occassions and it was always unpleasant. He would have headaches for days afterwards.

Drusus' head fell to his chest as he seemingly blanked out on his feet. The body remained motionless for a few moments until Drusus' head snapped up once again, this time his eyes were formed of obsidian pools of darkness. One would assume they couldn't see but it was quite clear something inside that body was looking back out.

Arithon was there.

"Speak."

The man smiled, his gaze locking directly with Arithon's own. He indicated to the area around them. "This place is secure for as long as I wish."

A silence fell between them, and the man spoke again, "I have been seeking you for an important reason. But first, allow me to introduce myself."

A sweeping hand brought dark mist to swirl about the man, until at long last, it faded back to his feet. The man as seen before was no more, and another had taken his place. Yet, the two were one and the same. This one bore a mane of white hair that fell in crude waves to his shoulders. The human clothing had been replaced by black leather and metal clothing, stained with the blood of his foes, and had skulls adorning parts of it. Lastly, he bent over, clenching his fists as dark wings tore through his flesh and became visible. They resembled angelic wings, except they were onyx in color.Rising at last, he crossed his arms at last and spoke, his voice now a much more potent and deadly voice, one befitting him well.

"My name is Abaddon. I've been traveling the earth here, but condemned to that form you saw earlier. This is myself as I am, so you should know that I speak the truth here. I have heard through the last thoughts of the dying foes under my blade, of a great demon, greater than even some more famous demons. I believe I have found him now. I harness a unique strength, a unique asset in which I believe you may see as useful for your own purposes as well. I sensed your pawn possessed a similar power, but in no regards as strong as mine."

At that point, a young man jogging far from them suddenly collapsed to the earth. Arithon could see a shady substance suddenly rocketing toward Abaddon, to which he reached out and clamped his hand around the soul's throat. The young man looked in fear as he realized he was in serious trouble. He uttered a ghostly scream as his soul was fed into a bottle hanging at Abaddon's side.

"I hardly think your pawn can do this at such a distance, nor can he rip multiple souls at once. Nor can he fully command them into ruthless legions."

Abaddon fell silent, his own black eyes tinted with red irises, looking hard at Arithon.

Arithon watched cooly as the man before him revealed his true form, one of a demon he had never encountered before. Abaddon's power was certainly evident and the fact he'd remained hidden all these years was credible, yet Arithon hadn't exactly been looking for cursed demon lords roaming the Earth.

It was rare that demons of different broods would seek out eachother for non-hostile reasons and it had certainly grabbed Arithon's attention. He'd been noting the presence of Abaddon since the incident with the police in the alley, he'd made sure Drusus would escape and eventually encounter the mysterious figure.

Things were becoming interesting now. Abaddon possessed the very power he'd imbued Drusus with, save that it was of a much stronger nature and had the potential for a larger scale. That was interesting. For anyone paying attention to supernatural activities it was obvious Arithon was collecting souls for whatever plots he wished to pursue, Abaddon could make things run even smoother.

"Well Abaddon. You certainly have my interest. But of course I must ask, what is it you would want that I could provide?"

Whilst Arithon's voice was restrained to the vocal chords of a human it still sounded unnervingly unnatural, the entire manner in which the human flesh moved would be quite disturbing to other humans. It just wasn't right.

Abaddon replied simply, "A way to break this curse I am under. There is one other with me under the same curse as well, a succubus known as Lillit. We've been able to repress the curse and regain some of our power back, but we're having difficulty destroying the curse."

Glancing around, having sensed the approaching presence of Lillit, he continued, "But if you cannot help, then a mere alliance to destroy all that is good in this world will suffice."

Arithon pondered this a moment. He'd been under a similar curse up until recently, caused by a demon he had battled over one hundred years ago. He knew first hand just how bad such a curse could be and it had angered him to no end.

"Angelic or demonic?"

A slight shift in the flow of energies around Abaddon revealed the angelic signature of a Seraphim. That made things much more difficult. Any tampering with the curse was likely attract attention yet he supposed everything he did on the human plane was being watched.

"Angelic... of course. It's unlikely I could remove the curse in its entirety, yet I believe I could take a fair chunk out of it without too much trouble."

Arithon noted the approaching presence of Lillit yet kept his physical senses upon Abaddon.

Abaddon was in the stranger's presence, and he'd told him what none others lived to know. I had not thought that Abaddon would risk so much, reveal weakness than many demons would howl with glee for the knowing of.

Though he had been cautious enough to not reveal our status, or true extent of our powers. I was at his side in the blink of the eye, snuggling in under his arm, looking as vapidly sexual as most succubi did. My powers were far more than any save my esteemed mothers. But this Arithon did not need to know that, and I would trust Abaddon to tell him no more than was needed.

Gossamer strands of mist enrobed me, flowing aside to provide a flash of tender flesh here, clinging for a bit of mystery there. True fire crimson hair fell in heavy silken waves to pool about my slender feet, and my complection was pure paleness of cream blushed with spring's first roses. Bat wings tiped with dainty but none the less cruel barbs spread, with glimmers of fine gold, ivory and peach, for a second then furled neatly into place. Yes they marked me as Hellborn, just as Abaddon's marked him as born before the war, before the "fall"

"You spoke my name?"

Feeling a strong demonic presence ahead, Kazar dissolved the Eye before it was noticed. He had worked with demons before and would surely do so again, but he wanted to arrange such partnerships on his own terms. That meant finding out what the demon or demons was/were up to before his presence was discovered, otherwise the demon would probably start figuring out how to use him.

Kazar hid his nature to the best of his ability, then erected a mental screen. He would seem to be an ordinary low-grade magician, barely strong enough to detect the presence of a powerful demon. Adding the best concealment spells his screen could manage, he crept cautiously forward.

Karen shrugged to Stuart, she had to admit, he was pretty cute.

"Well, what can I say? I moved out here a few years ago, my dad tried to convince me to become and actress instead of an accountant. But, I wanted to do something different and wanted to see the East Coast."

She looked at the tall skyscrapers of the concrete jungle. Her tiny apartment was a thimble compared the large condo her parents owned. Still, will head home and work for dad...then again... Karen eyed Stuart. Might stay around for a bit longer.

"How much longer to the hospital?"

Taking a quick glance at Karen as he drove down the streets, Stuart unleashed a compliment he hoped would get him in her good books.

"Well I think you're certainly pretty enough to be an actress. Did you ever want to be one?"

The car took a right turn onto a slightly less crowded street and the hospital could be seen in the distance.

"We'll be there in a few minutes."
___________

Arithon gave Lillit a brief glance of acknowledgement yet wasn't phased by her apparent beauty. There were more important things to worry about and he'd found that a beautiful woman, no matter the species, could not be trusted.

Before anyone said anything in reply to Lillit, Arithon noted the presence of yet another not far away. This one was of an arcane inclination and yet he also felt vaguely familiar. He couldn't help but wonder why everytime he entered the human world it seemed to attract everyone that could cast a spell immediately. It was quite frustrating.

Extending his mind towards the approaching mage, Arithon unleashed a question.

"Give me a good reason why I shouldn't take your soul into my realm and have it tormented for my entertainment?"

Karen blushed to the point her face looked like a cherry at Stuart's comment. My, this guy is the greatest. It was obvious he was on her good side.

"Well, acting is something I enjoy and find interesting. Accounting, I just wanted to try and do something different. I have done a few cameo roles in a few of my dad's films. I tried out for Alone in the Dark...I hate horror..but Christan Slater.....oh man what a hunk. Peter Jackon's remake of King Kong, another film I tried for. Obviously lost both. My dad has kept me updated with different films I might like, but have been kept so busy with work I haven't been able to do much. Your suspect, knocked open my suitcase and destroyed a lot of my stuff. So, I have an excuse to quit...if they don't fire me first. Could then hopefully pursue acting."

It was them Karen paused after her rambling and blushed again. She laughed and looked at Stuart.

"I am so sorry, I sound like a teenager babbling on like this. So, what made you become a police officer?"

I could tell that Abaddon, though he made no outward sign, was aware of the approach as I was. We were seldom bothered by mages, or demon hunters. We had become skilled, thousands of years before, at hiding from not only their senses but their majicks as well.

*Let Arithon deal with him at first* my thoughts flowed to Abaddon, as I kept an unobtrusive eye as the mage came closer. He was more than what he appeared, that I could sense, but the exact naure and powers were carefully shielded. Shielded to the point were attemtping to press the issue would be noticed

I sent a mental alert to our chamberlin, one who down through the centuries had served us well and honestly. He would let those awaiting my arrival know that I would be late, and to prepare our dwelling for visitors. He would know what we required, he was a powerful mage himself

Abaddon had also sensed the approaching mage, so natural it seemed, and yet...there was more. More hidden. It was like sensing an iceberg. There was always a lot more under the surface of the water.

It was this way with this mage. That much, he knew. Lillit had slipped under his arm, and he let her do so for now. She kept herself covered appropriately, but he could sense that Arithon wouldn't have cared either way. He looked down at her briefly, recieving a slight smile, before turning his attention back to Arithon.

"No matter where we go, someone is always bound to crash on our meetings. That is what most annoys me about this mortal world. Such endless inconsistencies."

He paused, falling silent as the mage came into view, although hidden in the deep shadows of the nightly surroundings. He remained silent as he sensed Arithon speaking to the mage.

As the police car pulled up within the hospital car park, Stuart sighed as he recalled not so fond memories. Evidently it was a touchy subject yet he seemed willing to discuss it.

"When I was about seventeen, two men broke into our house and were trying to rob the place. We came home after a night at a friend's place to find them hauling our TV out the back door. My father attempted to stop them... they shot him. Without hesitation they simply shit him in the face...

After his funeral I became determined to prevent such a thing happening again. I couldn't stand the thought of people like that running around, willing to shoot someone over a damn TV. And so here I am..."

With that said Stuart exited the car and came around Karen's side, opening the door for her.

"Come on, let's get you to a doctor."
___________

Arithon nodded at Abaddon's comment. He found it to be very true himself and it was a constant anoyance.

"This is true. Yet sometimes they present oppurtunities one should consider."

With that, Arithon switched to vocal communication.

"I suggest you come out of the shadows now. We know you are there and won't hesitate to wipe your miserable self from existence unless you give as a good reason to do otherwise."

Arithon's tone wasn't overly menacing, yet it was honest. He wasn't about to waste time with pointless hiding games. If this mage had something useful, he wanted to know about it.

Karen walked into the hospital with Stuart. A nurse looked up at them from the front desk. Karen explained what had happened and she was shuffled to the back while Stuart had to wait. Forty-five minutes later, Karen reemerged with a wrist brace. She signed some more papers with her free hand and smiled at Stuart when she could go.

Karen had to admit, she liked the man. He was very handsome and probably a lot deeper than the movie stars she could have ended up dating. Taking a chance, she bit her lip slightly.

"So...when do you get off work?"

OOC: I'm very sorry for the delayed reply. I've been rather busy recently, mostly with schoolo work.

IC:
Kazar stepped forward and flung himself to the ground, groveling before the small gathering of demons. He sent terror flickering through the screen. He recognized Arithon's mental voice as belonging to the one who ruled Nez'gah, a demon he had had dealings with before, but he was not ready to reveal himself quite yet.

"Please, Mighty One, have mercy on me! I did not mean to disturb you - I simply wondered what it was I felt. I'll do anything you ask if you spare me! Surely there is some way I can be useful?"

Arithon was not impressed. He detested begging and similar tactics in order to get what one wanted and he didn't respond well to such. Gazing down at the mage, Arithon almost snarled at him.

"Get up mage. You'll have to explain to me what you can do that would be of any value to me. I don't like humans interrupting my business and have a low tolerance for your kind. You are quickly running out of time..."

A small blade had appeared within Arithon's grip, the blade blacker than space. It appeared to absorb all light within the area, creating an apparent patch of nothingness within his grasp.
____________

Stuart had waited patiently with Karen and continued to wait as she was finally seen to by a doctor. He was a little irritated at the time it took for her to recieve medical attention yet there was little that could be done about such.

Finally she emerged, patched up and good to go. Looking at his watch, Stuart answered with a grin.

"In about fifteen minutes thankfully. Feel like getting something to eat afterwards?"

He'd finally put himself out in the open, asking Karen out in the hope she could tolerate him enough. Stuart was normally quite a confident man yet the idea of missing out on spending more time with Karen had him unnerved slightly. It couldn't be explained, that's just how he felt.

Lillit looked at the prostrate mortal with an expression of utter disgust. She knew what Abaddon thought of such spinelessness, and Arithon seemed to share the same feelings.

She'd trust her mates notion that Arithon might make a valuable ally. His reaction- or rather his lack of reaction to her - garnered him several upward notches in her estimation of him. As a succubus she was used to being viewed as a sex object - her kind had been designed to celebrate that most natural of desires. Truly most of her kind thought no further than that, but she was not average in anything. There were countless time when being Desire in physical form was far more trouble than it was worth. She'd spent no little time and energy learning to control what she was, and had mastered this eons before she and Abaddon had been abducted from Hell and judged by the Angelics. Judged and punished for daring to love.

She set those thoughts aside, there was a trace of the Demonic about him. She opened her senses up even more and confirmed it

"Arithon, there is a faint scent about him, old, but I think he has worked with our kind before."

A heart piercer, long and slender, formed of fire condensed into plasma, its sullen crimson shot ebon hue appeared in her free hand. She took a step away from her close cuddle with Abaddon, freeing both of them to act if it became necessary.

Karen smiled and gave a nod. She was starving, and couldn't wait to sit down with the police officer.

"I know of an Italian place that will still be open. Or do you have some other place in mind?"

Her stomach had butterflies in it, it was the closest thing she had gotten to a date since her junior year in high school. Karen was not going to miss out on a chance like this.

Kazar gave himself a mental nod. Such tactics had never worked on him, either, but they were all too common. Certainly begging hadn't saved the one he had based this screen on, though the man had proven useful before he died.

Standing, he allowed a touch of annoyance to mix with the terror his screen felt. Then Lillit spoke. For the first time, Kazar felt a touch of nervousness. If he was exposed now, there was no telling how the demons would react. This might become quite inconvenient.

"Mighty One, I once came upon a minor demon that had been badly weakened in some struggle. I captured a sacrifice for him, he recovered, and he went on his way. Perhaps this is what she smells?
"There are places I can go without notice where you would be certain to attract attention. I have some skill at hypnosis. Perhaps these abilities can be of use? It is difficult to say how I might help you when I no not what help you might need."

Lillit snorted in non amusement.

"Human, I have been passing among you for thousands of years, and as for the fogging of minds..." She shook her head. It was one of the powers the Angelics had not been able to weaken, much less take from her or Abaddon.

Her voice was firm, but not harsh "So quick to offer aid...and my senses are keener than a "minor bit of aid ages ago."..."

"Honesty would serve you far better, so drop the glamor and speak true!

"That sounds good, I haven't had Italian food in a while."

Now back in the car, Stuart brought the engine into life and rejoined New York traffic once again. It wasn't quite so heavy as before yet it would still take about twenty minutes for the pair to make it back to Stuart's station.

"I just need to go back to the station and clock off, then we're free."
__________

Arithon noted that whoever this mage was, they were not seeing all of him, yet that wasn't surprising. Most people with knowledge of the arcane tended to be reserved and have something to hide. The idea that he would simply approach and offer his services wasn't right though, it just didn't make sense and Arithon didn't like it.

"Tell me mage. Why should I simply tell you my plans, not knowing who or what you really are or why you are here. I have no reason to trust you... in the slightest. I have pawns for certain tasks and I don't need a trickster."

Patience was quickly beginning to leave Arithon as he grew bored and irritated with the mage. He was just as likely a spy for the angelics than anything else.

Karen smiled and slid smoothly into Stuart's car. Her heart was pounding and she was sure he could hear it. She eyed Stuart several times during the drive to his station, eager for him to sign out and so they could enjoy an easy meal together. Karen also began to wonder what would happen after they had dinner. I wonder if I should invite him back to my apartment...or maybe a walk through Central Park. Or both...I'd best pay for dinner, have the money and he has done so much for me.

Karen waited outside in his car while he went inside and checked out. When Stuart came out, she directed him to a small Italian resturant sitting on a corner. She pointed him to park around back. Picking up her purse, she led him inside.

It was small and cozy, a few booths and tables took up the floor while pictures of the Italian countryside lined the walls. Taking a seat at a booth, the pair waited until a young man brought them a menu.

"I'll take the pasta with shrimp and alfredo sauce. What do you want Stuart? Its my treat for being so kind."

As the others had conversed, Abaddon had taken slight steps back until he became completely engulfed in the deepest shadows of the night. Neither Lillit nor Arithon noticed him leave silently, but in a few moments they would notice, because he would make himself known.

A muscular arm reached out and suddenly gripped the mage by the back of his throat, lifting him into the air dangling. A sword of black steel pressed into the mage's backside.

"You tread where you should not, mortal." Abaddon growled quietly, stepping forward and carrying the mage by his throat until the mage came into direct view of Arithon and Lillit. He then violently thrust the mage to the ground between the three of them.

"Now tell us why you are really here. This is your last chance to save your own life."

Now completely on his own time, Stuart let Karen guide him to the Italian resteraunt she spoke of. It was a nice little place and Stuart was surprised he'd never encountered it before considering it was so close to the station.

Sitting down, they calmly awaited the presence of a waiter. Stuart didn't really know what to choose as he didn't have much experience in Italian food and so he simply copied Karen's order.

"I'll have the same thanks. And I suppose I can let you pay for this one, but I do attempt to be a gentlemen sometimes."
____________

It seemed Abaddon's patience had expired before Arithon's as the demon crept back into the shadows before emerging once again with a grip upon the mage's throat. Arithon couldn't complain, he felt violence usually made things work and had no qualms with using it frequently.

Gripping his black blade, Arithon moved forward slowly within the body of his pawn, his keen eyes remaining upon the struggling form of the mage.

"I would heed his words human..."

Karen smiled at Stuart.

"You have already been a wonderful gentleman."

They chatted for a little more, ordered their drinks, before thier food came. Karen speared a small shrimp with her fork, twirled it in some pasta and sauce before eating it, savoring the taste. Though she tried not to be obvious, she could not keep her eyes off the policeman in front of her. As she sipped some Diet Coke, she finally got the courage to ask the question she had been wanting to for a while now.

Karen hopped she didn't look like a moron asking it.

"Would you like to go for a walk in the park...then come over to my place?"

For the briefest of moments, red eyes flared brighter behind Kazar's sunglasses as he was flung to the ground. This was starting to become more trouble than it was worth. Still, he could put up with a lot when he chose to, and regained control of himself almost instantly.

"I have been honest. I felt power, some strong magic, and came out of curiousity. I wanted to know what it was that I felt, nothing more. I did not plan on being noticed, and I certainly had no intention of interfering. When discovered, I offered my help in exchange for my life. I truly do not understand why you find this difficult to believe.

"As for treading where I should not, this is no cursed temple or blasted moor; it is the middle of New York City. The place is swarming with people, the mast majority of them mortal. Someone could easily stumble upon you through sheer chance. Had I known what I would find, I would not have come here, but there was no warning to keep away.

"And of course I would not ask you to explain the details of your plans to one you have no reason to trust. I just want to know enough to figure out how I might be of use. Perhaps there is some project you have that isn't worth wasting one of your more trusted servants on, but would be worth accomplishing at no risk?"

This would almost certainly be the last such exchange. Either they would decide to use him, or they would decide to try to kill him. Though he gave no sign of it, Kazar was ready to act immediately if they chose the latter...

The impourtuning mage found himself lifted to his fee as Lillit threw back her head and laughed.

"You've got good answers human, perhaps too good but I'm willing to let you live...for now."

She glanced at Abaddon and Airthon briefly.

"He's quite right, the Big Apple has many wor...humans. Might I suggest that we retire to a more private place?"

What answers she intended to get was just why this one, with the tantalizing eddies she sensed about him, was so eager to serve them.

Abaddon lifted the mage and turned him so that his back was to the demon in human form. He pulled his arms back and bound them with strong dark energy. Should the mage try to escape, by physical means or otherwise, he would find his body become drained of all energy until he was a near lifeless form, helpless on the ground.

A hand hovered in front of the mage's eyes, casting a purple light to them. Blindness would take the mage relentlessly until Abaddon deemed it safe to remove the veil again.

He turned to Arithon and spoke, "If you'll follow us, we shall take you to our home. There, I can guarantee that neither angelics or wayward travelers," he gave a sideways glance to the mage, "shall overhear us or bother us."

Looking to Lillit, he spoke, "There, we can question the mage. If you'll lead the way?" he asked her at last.

It was finally decided that the mage's presence was too much of annoyance and the demonic trio did not wish to gather any further unwanted attention. Nodding to Abaddon and Lillit, Arithon closed his eyes and sighed. Immediately it was obvious something was going on, the human form was contorting and bulging as all light around his form was overwhelmed by darkness.

Drusus could feel the presence within him lifting and yet it was the same as most other times, Arithon was actually using him as a window. The human grunted in pain as an ethereal form literally stepped out of Drusus and into the mortal world, onto the very grass before him. With that presence now gone, Drusus fell to the ground in exhaustion and pain as Arithon released him. The blade of darkness was gone and Drusus appeared completely human once again.

Standing before the grounded human was a man of similar stature with near shoulder length black hair and eyes of complete darkness. No pupil or other distinguishable feature existed within his eyes, they were just darkn and all seeing. This man didn't appear to be of a particularly impressive physical ability yet he gave off an air of dominance so cold and merciless that there was no mistaking it in Drusus' eyes. That was a demon lord. That was Arithon.

Looking down at his human servant, Arithon remained expressionless upon his pale flesh.

"You have tasks to attend to. I want that next soul by the morrows end."

Even his voice resounded with power, it was almost overwhelming for Drusus. He felt helpless, inadequate and completely hopeless in the physical presence of his master. All he could do was nod.

Without another word to Drusus, the darkness faded away and Arithon stepped towards Abaddon and Lillit.

"Lead the way..."
____________

Stuart had thouroughly enjoyed his meal and made a mental note to come back to this palce more often, it was certainly worth it. The evening was starting to wind down a little and Stuart noted Karen was nervous about something, yet he didn't bother prying.

The question Karen posed was slightly surprising. Stuart liked Karen yet he wasn't expecting her to move so quickly, yet he did suppose she was only here for a few more nights. Flashing her a charming grin, Stuart replied.

"I'd love to. Shall we?"

Stuart began to rise, inidcating the door.

Lillit was pleased that Arithon had chosen to leave his puppet and accompany them in person. I brief gesture with one hand , an nearly silent pop of displaced air and the trio, and their prisoner, found themselves in a spacious foyer.

It had also pleased her to manage what so many had not - the purchase of the condominimum once owned by John Lennon. None of the furnishings of the famous prior resident had come with it, and so Lillit had chosen to have one of the best known designers take the sprawling flat under consultation. She refused to have it as some sort of sterile display piece. It was lavishly but comfortably decorated, but the wealth of majic about could be barely discerned even by the most sensitive. A construct, modeled to look like a dutiful and discrete house keeper appeared to see to their needs

"Arithon, make yourself at home. If there is any refreshment you might desire, you have but to ask. Excuse me I will be back in a moment."

Ignoring the captive, She kissed Abaddon on the cheek and disappeared into the private section of the loft. Yes, she could have changed clothes, or rahter changed illusions, but she prefered the sensous feel of silk and satin against her creamy skin

Karen smiled and she and Stuart departed the resturant after Karen had paid the bill. The pair headed out into the street and walked into Centeral Park. Karen loved it here, it was always peaceful and quiet; of course she had never been assaulted before, at least not till tonight. She lived just on the other side of the park.

"Have you ever been any place outside of New York Stuart? Like out of the country or into another state?"

It was a simple matter to filter the blinding light down to a more reasonable level, and virtually indectable to even the most sensitive of observers. Breaking his bonds would have required quite a bit more effort, but Kazar was confident that he could manage it in an instant if he had to. What was excessive force for a mage with several times the skill of his screen was barely significant to him.

For now, though, he went where he was led quietly and without resistance.

The pair left the resteraunt happily and moved towards Central Park, merely a few streets away. Stuart was wary of the place considering how many people tended to get mugged at night, yet he was confident enough that he could protect Karen if anything happened.

The park seemed eerily peaceful, not even the slight noises of crickets or other such animals disturbed the silence, yet Stuart wasn't about to let that concern him. He was more interested in Karen.

"I was born in Canada but moved down to New York when I was about five. Been on a few trips down the west coast, otherwise everything has been around here. Someday I'd like to visit Europe, apparently I have family in France. I suppose you've seen a fair few sights of the US, travelling with your dad?"

So far the night was going great and Stuart was enjoying Karen's company. It was about time he had some luck in his life.
__________

Drusus had managed to shift to his hands and knees yet was still unable to get up. The prolonged presence of Arithon in his body had taken it's toll as the human continued to empty the contents of his stomach.

This night couldn't get much worse in Drusus' eyes. Two odd demons had appeared and were plotting something nasty with his master, he'd been hunted by the police and he was also sick to the core.

Still unable to rise, Drusus could only think of where he would sleep tonight as he continued to vomit.
________________

Arithon remained silent as he viewed his surroundings. It was certainly under the guise of an affluent human's apartment, some aspects being real whilst others were simply illusions. Arithon didn't care for such things himself but he wasn't about to lecture others on how they existed within the mortal world.

"I won't require anything..."

There was no need for any 'refreshments'. Such things were the concerns of mortals and didn't bother Arithon in the slightest. Turning his gaze back to Abaddon, Arithon indicated the prisoner with a slight nod.

"What shall we do with this one?"

"Simple." Abaddon replied as he turned to the mage.

We make him tell us his true nature by his lies.

"What are your skills?" he questioned the mage, his tone equal to that of positive curiosity, as if he were contemplating the usefulness of the mage for their purposes.

Karen noticeably blushed and gave a nod.

"Yeah, I have been around the states more than once...once or two to Europe."

She thought for a moment. "France. Went to the Mediterrain coast when I was thirteen. You would love it, clear warm water, nice beaches...nice people and great food."

It was then she paused and started humming the infamous da-dum from Jaws. She looked over and grinned at Stuart.

"It is great an all...as long as you don't swim out to far and join a shark for brunch."

Karen bit her lip. "While you were in your station...did they mention anything about that man? Have they caught him yet?"

Stuart grinned slightly as Karen blushed. Evidently she was a little embarassed about her more affluent life, yet that didn't bother him. There was no point judging people on their assets as far as Stuart was concerned and Karen appeared to be far wealthier in personality as far as he was concerned.

Karen's descriptions of France were certainly enticing, fuelling Stuart's urge to eventually go there even more. One day he would.

At the mention of the murderer, Stuart went a little cold. Something odd had happened, no one could figure it out.

"No... they didn't get him. Something happened, something weird. Some of our men were knocked out or something, yet they were still standing... it was very strange."

At that point the sound of someone being violently sick could be heard in the distance.

Karen also went cold when she heard the description Stuart gave her of the men. Jeez, like something out of the Twilight Zone. She wondered if there was some new non-lethal technology that the man had stolen and had employeed it on the police. Before she could talk, she heard a strange noise. The pair paused and looked at each other.

They moved slowly up the path a little more and around the corner saw a man up a head puking his guts out; his body was in darkness and his face was not seen. Karen did not know if he was just a drunk or infected with something, she pulled out her cell phone and readied it.

Keeping at a safe distance, she called out to him.

"Excuse me? Are you okay?"

Stuart was also quite wary of the sick stranger, even if he did appear to be in a sorry state he'd learned over the years to never trust strangers, especially those within central park late at night. By all appearances this man was pretty sick, yet one could never be too careful.

"Hey mate... you need some help?"

Whilst evidently concerned about the man before him, Stuart kept a hand behind his, hovering close to the holster holding a gun under his shirt.

Drusus looked up as a woman's voice called out to him, genuine concern in her tone. He'd been so occupied with the fleeing contents of his stomach that a pair of ordinary people had almost crept up on him. Narrowing his eyes, Drusus watched the pair for a moment. There was something familiar about the woman, yet nothing was coming to mind.

With his stomach now empty, Drusus was dry retching in pain yet managed to get a few words out.

"Piss off bitch... get away from me..."

Karen stared at the man and it finally clicked with her much sooner than it did with him. Though the exact details of the face she did not see; she was able to recal the nose, cheekbones, and enough to make her believe this was the man the police were after.

Happy she had bought a camera phone a week ealier, with two thumb presses on the pad; the camera quickly snapped off two pictures of him. She made it look like she was shutting off her cell as the glowly numbers died and she flipped it shut.

When the man turned his head, Karen patted Stuart on the shoulder and whispered.

"I think its him. The guy you are after."

"Simple." Abaddon replied as he turned to the mage.

We make him tell us his true nature by his lies.

"What are your skills?" he questioned the mage, his tone equal to that of positive curiosity, as if he were contemplating the usefulness of the mage for their purposes.
"My strongest skill is, I think, hypnosis. I also have some telekinetic ability, and can work with fire and illusion. There are a few other things I can do, but those are my primary talents. As you know, I am sensitive to strong magic."

Judging by his words, Arithon figured the mage wasn't of particular note at all regarding his powers. Of course he didn't believe him though. One of that little power yet sensitivty does not approach demonic signatures without considering whether they wish to die or not. Either he wanted to die or he was able to defend himself well enough to escape.

"Well mage, I have a few issues with your story. You approached us, knowing your abilities and having some idea of strong magiks in the area. Why would you approach us if you had no real power to protect yourself with? You're hiding something, there is no doubt about it."

Arithon wasn't angry or even slightly annoyed, more curious about why this human would approach them. In his experience, most mortals tended to avoid demons unless they were quite powerful.
____________

Stuart was about to reply rather angrily in response to the strangers rude words when Karen's whisper caused him to hault. Taking a step forward, Stuart strained his eyes in an attempt to gain better view of the man before him. It clicked.

Stepping back quickly, Stuart withdrew his gun and brought it to bear, aiming straight for where Drusus had been. Blinking in surprise, Stuart watched as Drusus made a clear leap upwards, grabbing a low branch and swinging his body around until he could further climb into the tree, disappearing behind leaves. Switching off his safety, Stuart shouted out to the man.

"There's no use hiding, we'll get you this time. Give yourself up and maybe they won't kill your ass. You have ten seconds to get out of the tree and lay upon the ground. Ten! Nine!......."

Karen dialed 911 on her cell phone as soon as the man jumped into the tree.

"Hello NYPD." came a voice on the other line.

"Yes, I am in the middle of Central Park and there is this man the police were chasing ealier..."

"Okay ma'am...take cover somewhere...."

"He is up in a tree. I am with one of your policemen."

"Okay ma'am. We'll have some more men and SWAT there in a hot minute."

Karen hung up and put her phone back in her purse. "More cops will be here quick Stuart."

Taking a taser from her purse, she took cover behind a bush a few feet away from Stuart; not wanting to mess up his aim if it came to a gunfight.

"I did not recognize the feeling. I just knew that there was some strong magic in the area, not what it was. I hoped to avoid notice long enough to find out what was happening. It was curiosity, nothing more."

Abaddon gave the mage a strong look. "Your art of lying is perfected by ourselves and our kind. Your level of experience betrays you, human."

He looked to Arithon and spoke, "Study his face. He bears no emotion. That is overcompensation for a hidden thought. There are other indications as well."

Turning to the mage, he spoke, "True, anyone can detect magic if they have some capability of harnessing it. However, that is where you fail, mage. To pinpoint the magic is something that requires high skill. And you are no novice."

A glower crossed his face, "You're lying to us, yet again! Tell me all you know, or face death!"

OOC: OK, usually I don't complain about little assumptions made for the sake of the story, but I'm going to have to make an exception here. I'd have no problem with Abaddon deciding that Kazar's emotion looked fake because he's better at detecting an act than Kazar is at acting, but you just declare that he shows no emotion? Of course Kazar would adjust the illision of his face to match the emotions his screen is feeling! He's certainly seen fear-of-death enough times to imitate it. Perhaps I should have specifically mentioned that, but that's my mistake, not my character's. If you're determined that Kazar won't make it through this meeting with his cover intact, then tell me that OOC and I'll plan on it, but please don't just find holes in his disguise that aren't even there.

Also, why would one have to pinpoint the location of something to approach it? It seems to me that you'd just need a general sense of direction. If you hear an explosion, you don't need to know exactly where it happened to know which way to run (altough you have to decide if curiosity or self preservation is stronger, of course), and that isn't even a constant feeling. I truly don't understand why Kazar's story is so hard to believe; is it just the vague impression that he's more than he seems to be?

OOC: If you can, hop on MSN right now and we'll talk this over.

OOC: Hmm, we do need to discuss a few things. Get some direction sorted out in this RP.

The thing about Arithon is that he trusts no one, that's why he believes your character is lying. Curiosity gets many people killed so he reasons your character is either stupid or wants to die.

IC: Before Stuart of Karen could react, Drusus had launched himself out of the tree as if he could fly, gliding through the air before descending with a heavy thud upon Stuart. The officer dropped his gun as he fell to the ground, dazed and confused.

Back on his feet, Drusus moved foward with a supernatural speed and backhanded Karen with ferocious force, distracting her enough for the taser to fall into Drusus' hands. Within those few seconds everything had changed, the power was now within Drusus' field and he intended to use it.

Bringing his right hand forth, the rune upon his palm began to glow as it hovered before Karen's head.

"I'll enjoy taking your soul bitch..."

As the burn of Drusus' hand came upon Karen's forehead, the roar of a single bullet leaving Stuart's gun and running through Drusus' shoulder filled the air. Cursing to himself, Drusus broke into a sprint and disappeared into the darkness.

Now on his knees, Stuart called out to Karen.

"Are you alright?"

Karen grunted as she felt the man strike her. She had no time to act as she felt a burning sensation on her forehead. Karen opened her mouth and a quick scream emitted from her lips before the roar of the gun over took it and his assaliant ran.

"I'm alright Stuart."

Her forehead burned and she heard the sirens and could see through the trees police lights and shapes moving into the park. Moving over to Stuart, trying to keep her face from displaying the pain she felt from her forehead; she knelt next to him and wrapped an arm around him.

"Are you okay?"

Stuart sighed with relief as Karen answered. Her safety was first priority, then he could worry about other things. Taking Karen into his grasp his attention was soon shifted to his own state as he sat up and Karen inquired. Upon brief inspection he noted a gash on his head, nothing too serious but it was unleashing blood down the side of his face.

"I'll live..."

Noting the police presence nearby, Stuart put his gun down and raised his free hand, calling out to the officers.

"Over here!"

Immediately they responded with flashlights and shouts as the group of law enforcers surrounded the injured couple whilst others continued to search through the park.

"Sir, what happened?"

"I'm officer Stuart Clark, we were just attacked by a suspected murderer that was being pursued earlier tonight. No positive identifcation but we'll be alright."