NationStates Jolt Archive

OOC: Heres a link to the sign up and OOC thread. http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=549669 Now on with the show!

IC: Dark things are coming. The Old Ones, the Dark Things, they had many names. Now, they descended. On London, to be precise. People are being drawn. Not ordinary people of course, but the unnatural. Those referred to as 'Superheroes'. Of course, not only superheroes were coming...

Gun shots rang through the air. A man, his suit torn and bloodied, ran through the streets, turning every now and again to check behind him. Suddenly, a roar pierced the sky. A creature, pure black, leaped from a roof and kicked the man to the ground. The mans vision, blurred from the kick, was still able to make out details. A... human body. With... no, that couldn't be right..
"What the hell are yo..!" He was cut short by a hissing. A black shape snaked from the man's leg. Burning cinders were the eyes should be. It made its way towards the man.
"NO! Please, I'll do anything, please!" The creature laughed and the snake-thing struck.

The following morning, the police found the body. Horrified, they saw that the man has quite obviously been murdered. There was a large jagged hole over his heart, which was also missing.
"Sergeant? The victim has been identified. Richard Thompson, mental patient turned mobster. Ran a ring of vices sir. Drug distribution, prostitution, arms dealing, he did it all. Someone must of had it out for him to do this."

<Your job is completed, son?>
"Yes. The man is dead and his heart..." The creature tossed the heart onto a ebony plate. "Is now yours."
<Excellent. Our mission begins.>

Kain coughed and crushed his cigarette under his shoe. He was crouched on the roof of a building, overlooking the corpse.
"That must've been painful." He shook his head and walked to the edge, jumping off the building and landing on his feet. He clicked his neck, then walked away.

How gruesome.
The figure standing on a rooftop gazed steadily down at the area covered in yellow police tap, surronded by patrol cars, police officers and a crowd of curious civilians. Naturally there will be no fingerprints. They'll probably never know who killed him. But taking his heart...I'm in the right place. I have good standing, here, relatively. He nodded to himself. Yup. Let's see if I can trace it...

Voi walked past the crime scene with her umbrella up. Something caught her eye. There, at the scene, she pushed through the crowd & saw the corpse laying lifeless. Naturally, being a ex-detective, Voi investigated the corpse. "No fingerprints, no clues. Something is up. Another assassination?" thought Voi. Voi scrouged around a bit more, not noticing the figures above her.

A small black snake slithered out from underneath the corpse. Everyone around the body took a collective step back. The snake circled the body, hissing at everyone. Eventually, it hissed and lunged at a police officer, aiming for his chest. The officer raised his guns and shot it, but the bullets passed straight through. The snake plunged into the mans chest and he dropped to the ground, screaming.

Kain heard, and sprinted towards the source of the noise.

This just gets more and more amusing. A snake comes out from the body and attacks a police officer? Fun.
The figure smoothly jumped down three stories to the ground beside the body and grapped the snake, holding it just below it's head so it could not bite him. Swinging it like a grotesque whip he repeatedly smashed it against the ground, humming softly to himself. The man appeared to be about thirty years of age and six foot. His skin was pale, that of one who has spent too much time inside or underground. His green eyes glimmered mockingly underneth long onyx-black as he played with the serpant, and couldn't help remembering the passage in the Bible about God condemming the snake to be crushed beneth human's heels, or something like that.

Voi slowly backed away from the mysterious figure, whacking the snake around. She put her hand on her magnum...

Kain arrived just in time to see a strange man smashing a black smoky snake onto the ground. The snake disintegrated into smoke, floated up, then re solidified and dropped onto the ground. It lunged again at the strange man.

Voi pulled her Magnum out and tried to shoot it in the head, it again disintegrated before the bullet reached it. Voi was confused... She put her magnum away and drew her Katana. She thrusted and struck the snake through the tail

Over head, Flame heart was circling, observing all that went on at the corpse.
To his suprise he saw a snake, or what looked like a snake, come out from beneath the body and attack some one. Then a strange figure grabed the snake and began to smash it repetedly against the ground, it simply disolved into smoke and reapeared somewhere else, then attacked again Time to intervine I think he thaught to himself, spiraling slowly down.

Raising one hand he thaught the words Brisinger thrista and a ball of flame shot from his palm and rocketed towards the strange creature.

The snake disappeared in the ball of fire. Kain simply watched.
That couldn't have been... Raf?

A roar pierced the room.
<One of my children has died!> The voice wailed. <We must have revenge!>

Voi looked up and saw the ball of fire. She stood back and watched as the fireball smashed down. Partially injuring her.

Kain sighed and looked around. One magi, by the looks of it, one unknown creature, one bystander, heavily armed but still, and... Well, he couldn't see anyone, but he felt someone. He scanned the skyline, looking at all the rooftops.

From another rooftop, and out of sight, stood a figure dressed all in black. Only her black hair could be seen blowing slightly in the gentle breeze that licked the top of the roofs along with her cloak which billowed lazily in the wind. With each billowing motion, the scabbard could be seen at her left hand side. She was watching the snake like a hawk preparing to pounce on her prey. Her pale eyes were narrowed as she focused on the creature and the chaos it was causing on the ground. Those eyes, from a distance looked like a beautiful emerald green however from close up, an admirer would see only a cold pale stare, devoid of emotion or soul.

Her eyes were dead. And often Katie Harte wished she was as well.

She was coming up to her 418th birthday and, like every year, just thinking about tore a hole in her heart. All her friends, her family, her relations were long dead, although she did keep a close eye on her ancestors. To her family, she died on that day.

She wished she had died.

The cold, steely expression melted away for a few seconds to one of grief. Her curse was her life. She had watched this world take shape, from horse to planes, sailing ships to cruise liners, muskets to machine guns, knights to tanks, this world had evolved and left her behind. All the values she had been taught were long forgotten and now all she knew to do was her mission,

Protect the peace.

She often likened herself to the UN Peacekeepers she had followed to Korea in 1950 or those who had fought for their independence in the 1800th century. She had seen everything, she had even picked up a rifle at Stalingrad and fought there for a brief time. Now, however, she was standing on a rooftop, watching a snake of the Devil reeking havoc on the people below.

There was only one thing that could ever defeat these unholy demons, ironic, she laughed to herself, calling the Vampires unholy when she was one herself. She hated Vampires with a vengeance, yet she was a Mista, it was her job to act as a go-between for the two factions and so she always had to put her personnel feelings behind her. Ignore the monsters who had ruined her life.

For the moment, she was content to watch. That Cop's death was an unfortunately side-effect to this whole episode and doubtless a lot of work would need to be done to prevent the Hunters finding out. But that was her job. She was a Mista.

She listened to the demon voice and sighed, she knew it was going to be a long day, Vengeance was called for and she would have to try and prevent that. She pulled her Katana out slightly and prepared to throw herself into battle if she was needed. She hoped she wouldn't but there was no garuntee of that.

Voi looked beside her. She saw a strange man. In white robes with two crosses on either side of them. "Who is he...He is strange, but familiar..." Voi pondered and did not notice the two gem-like coloured eyes in the distance

"damn" he exclaimed as he saw hed missed slightly, injuring someone in the process.

Landing he said "Ooops! sorry, i need to work on that, is it serius?"

"Oh, of course not. Just a small scar. Did you send that fireball? It was amazing power, it did rid us of the snake of course." replied Voi.









-----------------------------------------
Going off for the night, be back later

"yes I, supose you guessed because im half-dragon" Looking at where the snake-thing had been he asked "Any idea what that thing was?"

Kartosh backed off. Obviously his help had not been needed, two do-gooders had just been standing by, waiting to help. The demon vanished into the alleyways and shadows of the gloomy London day, pondering his appearance here. The body, the missing heart, the snake. What does it all mean? Something's going on, and I will get to the bottom of it. This stinks of the Prince of Darkness, the Evil Ones, of demons and entropy and rot. Of Chaos.

Kain's eyesight snapped back to the man who picked up the snake. He had actually touched it, which means...
He mustn't exactly be normal.

He clicked his fingers and the body stirred. Kain then began to walk nearer to the man.

Kenichi turned to Thompson

"One of yours?"

"Clearly not," he replied "its the Mafia Boys of North London."

"Heh, ain't North London where Arsenal FC is?"

"Well, yeah, lets get out of here before someone sees us."

Both of them stroll out of the room overlooking the crime scene, behind lay two corpses a male and female, however the children were tied up and locked in their room.

"Well, thats for supporting our rivals" Kenichi said with a laugh.

He closed the door locked it before greeting a bypassing newspaper deliverer.

<My children, go. Avenge the death of your brother.

With a great roar, about 30 snakes slithered out of the ground and set upon the crowd, killing about 20 before the police even drew their guns.

Kenichi heard the screams in the crowd.

When he came out of the building, snakes were unleashed. Well not normal ones, but heart eating ones.

"Well lets hope the sun comes out soon." he looked down at his watch...

"Oh no you don't. They are mine." He clicked his fingers and all the dead members of the crowd stood. The set upon the snakes, tearing at them and biting through them. The snakes tried to bite back at the zombies, but couldn't kill them. "Feel free to help." Kain picked up a paper and began to read.

A creature watched from the shadows. This one was human shaped and holding a katana. A solid metal katana.

'Time to go to work'

With one elegant move, Katie had propelled herself into mid-air, drawing her glistening Katana and headed for the ground. She landed on her feet directly in front of the snakes. Her cloak still concealed most of her face and body. All that one could see was the lower half of her face and one long arm with a Katana held at it's end.
"Your fight is with me" She hissed in her Irish accent, her Katana still at her side. The sight of a Mista was enough to scare most of the Underworld to flight, they were widely acknowledged as the Terminators of the Underworld.

Drawing his sword Flameheart roared as the snakes aproached, only to be met by the reanimated deaD. Grining to himself he sliced at the head of one snake, sending a ball of fire rocketing from the blades end, scorching another, then the mista revealed herself.

"Mista, what are you doing here?!" he shouted as he turned and cut at another, fear and rage in his voice (rage due to his rising blood lust).

The creature growled.
Time to work.

Giant black spikes shot from the ground and the creature smashed into the ground. The pavement melted under his feet. He toted his sword and pointed it at Katie.
"You killed the children. Kill a parent." Then, with amazing speed, he flitted behind her and slashed at her back. Kain looked over the top of his paper.

Katie was able to cut through two Snakes with ease, they didn't have a chance to open their mouths before they were killed. She then barrel-rolled out of the way of a third attack had cut him to pieces before he had landed. She was moving so quickly that it looked she was in a 'fast-forward' mode. Snakes fell around her as she tore into any who attacked her. The site of Zombies did not startle her. Jasin had done the same thing towards the end of the civil war to try and keep his war alive, it had failed obviously.

"No you dont" roared Flameheart, slicing at the sything body parts of 'the parent', flames dancing along his blade.

The sword passed through the 'Parent', slicing off one arm.
"My quarrel is not with you, dragon." Flame flew across the street and smashed into a wall. The 'Parent' picked up the arm and reattached it with the bodies of dead 'Children.'

"She is of the under world, regardless of clan quarels, you harm her, you incur the wrath of us all!"

Sheathing his sword, Flameheart drew his bow, each time he fired he would thing the work Brisinger and each arrowwould burst in to flame.

The creature nodded.
"Damn you half-vampires. I never knew you hunted in pairs." He glanced at Kain, then back to Katie. He quickly did a flurry of slashes.

Kain lowered the paper fully. "Packs?"

OOC: I have to go now, so feel free to kill the Parent.

"You killed the children. Kill a parent." Then, with amazing speed, he flitted behind her and slashed at her back. Kain looked over the top of his paper.

Katie ignored Flameheart for the moment, dodging backwards out of the way of the Parent's attack. Although she was able to dodge out of the way, their blades clashed in a terrible screech of steel. She was now facing the Parent, her cloak was still on and her face invisible to the others around her

"You disturb the peace, you fight with me. Leave it!" She snarled at Flameheart as he leapt forward, "This is my fight and my fight alone" She raised the tip of her sword so it was pointing at the Demon. Then she twirled the blade rapidly through her fingers a times before pointing the tip back at the Demon. It was a salute Mista style.

Kain stood, a slight curiosity in his eyes.
"Your half-vampiric?" He clicked his fingers and the zombies slumped again. "I see you chose the professional route."

OOC: Last post for the night.

The creature nodded.
"Damn you half-vampires. I never knew you hunted in pairs." He glanced at Kain, then back to Katie. He quickly did a flurry of slashes.

Kain lowered the paper fully. "Packs?"

OOC: I have to go now, so feel free to kill the Parent.

Katie simply jumped forward and in two strokes had both disarmed the demon and forced it to it's knees. There was no mercy in those pale cold eyes as Katie removed the Demon's head with one cutting swipe of her katana.

It was over, the body simply melted away. She stood over where it had been, not even out of breath, still not visible.

Kain stood, a slight curiosity in his eyes.
"Your half-vampiric?" He clicked his fingers and the zombies slumped again. "I see you chose the professional route."

OOC: Last post for the night.

Katie turned to face Kain, her face was still hidden and nothing of her body could be seen. She did not speak, all she did was twist the katana in her wrist and jam it back into it's scabbard. Then she leapt high into the air and, after that was gone from sight.

She did not say a word. She had done her duty, that was all that was needed.

Laughter from the shadows as the blood of the dead policemen and snakes pooled and mingled on the ground.
"Children doing the work of men and angels? Teenagers, or barely out of, fighting demons? This is something I have never seen before. Why do you fight, little children? Are you upholding honor? Vanquishing evil? Avenging the murder of parents, keeping the peace, making the world a better place, any number of useless, self-rightious veils murderers hide behind? Do you truly beleive, or are you trying not to? Do you seek to remember, or forget?"

Katie was, by now, safely back on the roofs of London. But she could still hear the question of the being and decided that it wasn't hers to answer. She did what had to be done. That was it,

"I do what has to be done" She muttered to herself as the wind started to pick up, "I do what has to be done. For the sake of all" Her shoulders sagged. She didn't really believe it. She did it because she had to take out her brief on anyone and everyone she could find, a teenager who was 417. It wasn't meant to be like this.

"Do you?" The shadow seemed to hear her, and mocked her from afar. "Do you truly beleive in what you are doing? Or do you do it because you know nothing else? And you do what you do for all? No one deserves it. How grateful would people be if they knew? They wouldn't. You are the dark hero, not recognized, never honored, unsung and never known. History will not forget you because you will not be remembered."

Katie's shoulders dropped with each statement. That last battle had thrown her entire life into perspective for her,
"Who am I? A soldier of the night? A girl out of her time? One who has cheated nature?"
She shuddered, the wind seemed to be having more effect on her than normal,
"If I don't do what I do, then there will be war. Millions will perish. I cannot allow that to happen. I made it my mission to stop that happening. I will not be remembered because I did not exist. Katie Harte was killed on a dirt track in County Antrim in 1607. She ceased to exist as an innocent child then. She became...me"
The realization hit her like a brick and she felt miserable even saying it. Everyone she had grown up with, every friend she had made had died when it was their time to go. Yet she remained, like a small forgotten weed in the garden. The other flowers would die when the time came from them to go but she would linger on forever, until death saw fit to release her from her agony.

"You cannot keep you vigile forever. Sooner or later, either you will make a mistake or your enemies will grow smarter than you. Then all your work will be for nought. Millions have perished before," whispered the shadow, "and millions will perish again. It is the way of life. Only men and machines dictate how. Why do you fight, Katie? Why do you continue? Surely there is a better way?"

"A better way?" Katie snorted, "There is no other way. I do what I have to because it is all I can do. The Underworld stays forgotten by mankind and I ensure that no more know about than need be. If I have to go to the very depths of hell to make sure that doesn't happen then I will!"

Her voice was filled with a fire she did not feel in her heart. Like all Mista, Katie felt the terrible loneliness of her mission. She would outlive anyone she met today could not make friends with her peers because she knew that, someday, she might have to face them at the tip of a sword. She had done it too many times in the civil war to bear doing it again.

"I truly hope you never must decend to the slope of Hell," murmered the shadow, "very unpleasant there. The Underworld will rise again young Mista. When and where only God knows, but it is inevitable. You fight because that is what you have always done and can do nothing more. Surely you have paid and repaid your debt to society. You are on a fool's mission, to prolong what will come. In time, all things come to pass. Even stars burn out."

"Then what do you suggest I do?" She asked the shadow desperately, "What other way is there to do what I do?" Her voice was filled with anguish and her eyes with tears, her statement was choked by sob, "How I stop it?" She begged.

"Have you not been listening?" the shadow demanded. "It has already started. Demons, attacking in broad daylight, at a crime scene no less, before dozens of witnesses? A sure sign. When I said it could not be stopped, I was correct. However, I never said it could not be defeated when the time came. The question is, Katie, can you overcome you prejudice and trust," there was a smile in the voice, "a demon?"

"You mean to tell me that I should put aside the one thing that has kept be going for the past 399 years?" Katie replied cynically, "The Underworld Council won't stand for these attacks and neither will the Hunters. As soon as those responsible are found, they will be crushed. By one Faction or another"
'Or by my sword, if I can get close enough'
Katie looked back down at the scene below her and sighed sadly,
"Vampires ruined my life," She whispered, almost to herself, "They left me with this curse. I am to trust them as friends when I cannot trust them as enemies. How can I betray that which has kept me going for so long?"

"Because it will not keep you going much longer. You must abandon your old ways if you are to destroy this new threat, or you will surely die, figurativly or literally. The forces of darkness gather and plot. It is as sure a thing as you or I. If you continue to follow the same path you have for nearly four hundred years, you will not succeed. This is a new age, the Information era. New technology. You cannot hope to catch up quickly enough to counter modern threats. Vampires will all become your enemies in their bid for power, and even the Mista cannot hold back all the vampires in creation."

Kain walked around the pile of bodies that was once the crowd.
"Lets see... Shadowy, apparently demonic, apparent parasitic host nature..." He poked one the people in the arm. No movement. "Quite thorough too." He inspected the hole in the bodie's chest.

"you seem to take this all in your stride, day-walker. Perhapse you would care to tell me why you are here, here in the newest teritory of my master, Smaug. This underworld belongs to him now, and as his greatest asasin i was hunting my prey at leasur, imagin my suprise when i see somany people attacked here, by non-other than deamons, and there just so happens to be a master of dark arts here" Flame heart said, ignoring the voices question and unstringing his bow, eyeing kain suspiciosly.

Kain turned sharply.
"My business is my own, Dragona. I do not have any knowledge of Summoning." He drew a throwing knife off his belt. "I also have no wish to fight you."

"Because it will not keep you going much longer. You must abandon your old ways if you are to destroy this new threat, or you will surely die, figurativly or literally. The forces of darkness gather and plot. It is as sure a thing as you or I. If you continue to follow the same path you have for nearly four hundred years, you will not succeed. This is a new age, the Information era. New technology. You cannot hope to catch up quickly enough to counter modern threats. Vampires will all become your enemies in their bid for power, and even the Mista cannot hold back all the vampires in creation."

That last statement was true enough, the Mista were well known for their fomidable fighting qualities but they were, ultimately, half Vampires. It was hard to make a half-vampire and there just were not enough in existence to keep the peace. The Civil War along had thinned their ranks considerably and now this new threat arose, the Vampires grew in number while theirs dwindled away,

"Who are you?" She asked, swallowing the lump in her throat. If the voice was right and she would have to lay down all her prejudices, grudges and hatred and try to work with those she despised above all others, could she do it? Would she be able to forgive them for what they had done to her? She had been denied a life because of their greed. She had tried to make them pay in anyway she could but now it seemed that way was over.

Katie's thoughts as she stared down at the chaos were very chaotic indeed. She could feel the pull of darkness on her and, as always, she managed to suppress it. Half-Vampires had that problem, they were half-human, but they were also half-vampire and they had to chose which life they followed. A Mista could try and retain their humanity and protect the peace, or they could embrace their Vampiric side and ran amok amongst the food of the world. Katie resisted the temptation but it was always at the back of her mind...She could become one of the greatest Vampires of all time.

"Then do not." He said, counjuring a fireball in one hand, drawing a blade with the other "I have been on the hunt for days, all the effort is wasted now because of this. It is also my duty to the clan to protect this land from invaders, untill you are ruled out as one, that includes you! Now speak, the prey here is ours, if that is what you seek find it else where, you needn't hunt here, nor bring what ever did summon those deamons with you. This goes to all not of Ingeteum Smaug, state your buisness." His voice was heavy with weirieness, for he had indeed hunted some members of the maffia for some days, rarely sleeping. Truly he longed to return to the stronghold, to drink and spend time with his mate, too long had he worked down here, claiming the lands for Smaug, too long.

His train of thaught was interupted as two more half- dragons appered and asked him when was happening, it followed thus (thoe translated from the roares, grunts and other forms of speech of halfdragons):
"What happened here, your hunt went amiss?"
"No, deamons"
"HERE!?!? Ridiculos, acept your mistake we grow stronger from it"
"IT WAS DEAMONS!! The kind I have never seen before, return to the dragonhold, inform lord Smaug of this"
"As you wish, asasin"
"YOU" he said pointing to one of the halfdragons "Remain here, it is doubtless safer to hunt together for this new threaght."

"More halfbreeds." Kain shook his head. He jumped off the building and headed over to his camp in the graveyard. At least there, he may be able to defend from an attack.

"Vampire scum" Flameheart muttered to himself, turning to his companion he said "Return to your guard duty, tell our warriers to stick together"
"As you direct" was the response
"Oh and keep an eye open for more underworld creaturs especialy"
"Yes, asasin" the halfdragon turned and flew away
"And the rest of you, stay here if you wish, you shall be watched"
He turned and flew away to the nearest 'safe house'

"Who are you?"
"Who am I? That is a very good question, little Mista. Even I am unsure at times. An Angel or a Demon, Good or Bad, Light or Dark, Order or Chaos. It depends on your point of view. Who I am, personally, does not matter. All you need to know is that I'm here to aide you, should you be victorious or fail. I work to serve two Masters, and only Time will tell who will succeed."

The answer confused her even more
"I am a Mista," She shook her head, ashamed that she had lost control so easily, "I am a Keeper of the Peace. If anyone gets in my way I will destroy them. I will have to destroy them. The Underworld must not rise again."

Her voice sounded like a repeat and she knew the statement no longer held any comfort or relevance. The Underworld was coming and she would have to chose whether to aid it or resist it. The Mista were notorious for their lack of loyalties with regards to any of the races. They kept the peace as a unit but if a war to erupt, they split as they had done before and fight each other if need be. She'd always thought it ironic that the Council's 'Police' didn't listen a word they said.

The shadow sounded bored. "Yes yes, Keeper of the Peace, Underworld police, destroy Underworld bad, blah blah blah. What are you going to do about it? What will be your first course of action, hmmm?"

"I will...try to find out where the Demon came from. I will try and track down others that are in the area and I will monitor the Underworld to collect as much information as possible"
She said this quickly, thinking as she did so. She need to find more of her own kind and see if they would work together against this new threat

"Very good," said the shadow coxingly, "now how may I help? My extensive services are," and you could almost see the shadow bow, "at your disposal, madam."

Katie frowned at the Shadow. She didn't know whether or not to trust it and use the services it was advertising. Was it trustworthy? If it had wanted to kill her it certainly could have done so by now. But then maybe is was going to see what she could find before killing her, use her to find the rest of the Mista. Not that they were hard to find if one knew how to look,
But hesitation in the Underworld was death. Especially in her position, the Mista had enemies on both side who would not hesitate to strike them down and finish the one obstacle to their war. But then there were those who understood that their work was vital and did what they could to help the Half-Vampires.
Katie smiled
"Could you tell me if there are any other Demons active in London? And what they are doing? Please" She added politely. She had spent some time as the Niece to the Duke of Wellington and had yet to lose the polite manners she had been taught there.

"The Dragona expand their influence again?" She sighed in frustration at the news, "The Underworld will not stand for this expansive policy anymore. This could mean an Underworld war in itself. That's without the Demons! Then there's that boy. What part does he have to play in all of this. He remained me of a Vampire but...it isn't not dark enough for them yet. He can't be" Her eyes widened in surprise, "Well, well, another Half-Vampire. One outside the ranks of the Mista. And that Demon I killed was merely a pawn? Any other Pawns that I should know about in the area before I set off?" She asked politely again, taking out her katana to see, with relief that the black blood that had coated it's surface had gone. It was now just shiny steel again. Holy steel, but still steel.

"Depends," the shadow hissed, "on what you mean by "demons." There are the dragona, extensivly in London. They are here on clan business, marking new territories. And then, there is the Old Ones. The ancient demons one never sees because they use others to do their bidding. The snakes you fought were an extention of the Old Ones, as were the zombies. The demon you killed was merely a pawn, a lacky. A, ah, "birthmother", if you will. There is also a free-lance do-gooder about who you fought alongside. I do not know his story or his purpose, but he is here, and he knows of the Underworld."

Any other Pawns that I should know about in the area before I set off?"
"There are many, but I doubt they will trouble you much at the immediate moment. Search for the heart of the demons, Mista. I can handle the Dragona, whom I'm sure you have no love for." The shadow seemed confident, and it's tone indicated that the conversation was over.

Katie still wasn't sure that she could trust this voice but, still, it had helped her so far and so she guessed that it could deal with the Dragona,
"Thank you but, please, what is your name?" She asked, "Or am I to refer to you as Shadow?" She asked, pulling her cloak tighter around her to. It was an instinctive reaction, for she no longer felt the cold, or the heat, or the breeze.

"You may refer to me as you like, but my Earth name is Kartosh." The clouds overhead rumbled and a light rain slowly began to fall. The gloom darkened more until it became like evening, despite the time still being morning. Down at the crime scene dozens of patrols cars and ambulences were appearing, and helicopters could be heard coming to hover over the place. Bodies of the policemen and the civilians were scattered about, in the crime scene, over cars, splayed out in the street.

"Right then, Kartosh, is this a case of don't call you, you'll call me?" She asked sarcastically, looking down at the mess on the street below. She sighed,
"Someone's gonna have a great day anyway. I'll have to see if I can track down another one of these Demons and see what he has to say on this whole affair," it sounded sarcastic even to her, the only sound that would be heard when she ran into another demon would be the sound her sword running through it's gut."

"Call? I will call you, or you may call me. It makes no difference. Demons don't tend to be very talkative in any circumstances. I know from firsthand experience." The shadow, now named Kartosh, nodded.

"Tell me about it" She sighed and looked to the horizon, obscured as always by the buildings of London, "In that case, Kartosh, I will call you when I need your assistance again. The removal of ideals," She hesitated, "Can wait until that barrier arrives. I will speak with you once I have recruited a few more members to my cause,"
Then, with one leap high into the clouds, she was gone from sight. The Mista seemed to have a remarkable ability to vanish whenever the mood took them. It was a skill that baffled even the Eldest of Vampires.

The shadow watched the Mista vanish away like the wind. There was a tiny red-orange pinpoint of light as Kartosh brought a ciggerate to his lips and took a drag, blowing the smoke out into the wet air. Smoking was something he did for amusement, he was not addictated nor did he gain any of the negative effects. The same went for drinking, drugs and many other human vices. He would wait, as he had for the past six hundred years, to prove himself. but first he had to pay the Dragona clan in the area a little visit. Instead of leaping away and disappering into the fog, he called a taxi to the safehouse he knew the young Dragona "Flameheart" had gone. London was not his city, but he had enough of a sense of direction to guide him anywhere he wanted to go.

The graveyard was filled with shadows. Some of which Kain recognized as the guardians of his camp. He passed by them.

There were two shadows, however, he did not recognize. He walked straight past them and said, "Evening, gentlemen. I assume you are here on business?" The pair of demon Parents detached themselves from the wall of the tomb. They hissed and drew black scimitars. Kain turned and threw a pair of daggers into the Parent on the left. They passed through it, leaving two holes in its chest. They moved towards him. Kain whistled and a skeleton, wielding an axe, leapt into the fray. It swiped at the pair, ditracting them, while Kain ran and picked up a knife dipped in holy water. The demon smashed the skeleton into a wall and laughed. A number of snakes slithered out from his feet.
"Oh. Now thats just plain mean."

Not far from the graveyard, Katie watched and waited. She had tracked two of these Demons to this area and now she waited to see what transpired. She knew that the strange being, Kain was in there and even now he would be fighting two of them. But the Mista did not care about life. They took it constantly as part of their mission. All they cared about was the preservation of the peace and if that meant a thousand of deaths then so be it.

However, as her cloak ran with water from the ever running drizzle that pervaded London. She watched the battle, safe from view, waiting until the opportune moment to join the battle. She had thought about Kartosh's words. If she was to help save the world, she would need to put aside her hatred of Vampires. Could she do it? She didn't know yet and doubted she would have the answer for a while yet. She watched and waited.

The demons kept their distance from Kain, or rather, his knife.
"Oh, come on. You just gonna sit there?" He jumped onto the wall and kicked off, landing behind the demon with the holes in its chest. He cleanly sliced the arm that was holding the scimitar in half, then moved back.

"Yes my lord, i know that... Well I was hunting and I, well I 'sensed' something was wrong, i arived to late to witness anything, but a few arived at the scene.... There were 2 half vampires, one was a Mista i think, the other was adept in necromancy and there was also a hunter, i belive to be a human... We were attacked by deamons.. im looking over the archives here, from what i can tell they are anhcia deamonus(Anciant deamon), cant say which yet... Very well my lord, i shall return as soon as I am rested." This was a video-phone conversation that Flameheart and Smaugh had.

Deciding it would be best to leave as soon as posable he removed most of his armor and went to the sleeping quaters drifting into the waking-sleep all halfdragons substitute for sleep, his longsword in reach at all times.

The demons kept their distance from Kain, or rather, his knife.
"Oh, come on. You just gonna sit there?" He jumped onto the wall and kicked off, landing behind the demon with the holes in its chest. He cleanly sliced the arm that was holding the scimitar in half, then moved back.

'Time to go'

For the second time today, Katie drew her sword, shiny as it ever had been, and leapt up to where the battle was taking place. As she flews threw the rain filled sky, her cloak billowed behind her like a great black flag signaling doom. She landed easily on her feet and turned to face the Demons. Her face was, as ever covered apart from her mouth. Her eyes were not visible,
"You want to fight, you come to me" She stated in a dangerous voice and twirled her Katana in her signature salute.

"This is my fight, Mista. Leave!" He growled.

(OOC: Going off now. Why is it whenever a fight starts I have to go off? :headbang:)

"It's always my fight" She snarled as she began to circle the two Demons, her katana raised at shoulder height. "If you want me to leave then kill them. Do my job for me" She hissed, "save me the effort"

Deciding it would be best to leave as soon as posable he removed most of his armor and went to the sleeping quaters drifting into the waking-sleep all halfdragons substitute for sleep, his longsword in reach at all times.
"Your explination leaves much to be desired, little Dragona," came that mocking voice. "You "sensed" something was wrong. Hah. This is London, there's always something wrong."

Kain growled.
"Alright fine." He dashed towards the Parent with one arm and quickly sliced the other off. He then drew the knife back and cut off the Parent's head. The other one hissed, and seeing it was outnumbered, melted back into the shadows. he turned back to Katie. "Happy now?"

Opening his eye a tiny amount, Flame heart saw a man with onix black hair and sallow skin with the most remarkably green eyes. With barely a movement he turned one hand to face the man and said "Brisinger risa" and a wall of flame rose up around him. Jumping up Flame heart grabed his sword and leveled it at this stranger who, he noted, must have been about 6ft in hight.

"Who are you and how did you get in here, speak or die." He had to admit he was a little startled by the sudden aperance of this man in the safe house, especialy the fact that the DNA coded lock would stop even the most determined underword intruder from getting in.

Kain growled.
"Alright fine." He dashed towards the Parent with one arm and quickly sliced the other off. He then drew the knife back and cut off the Parent's head. The other one hissed, and seeing it was outnumbered, melted back into the shadows. he turned back to Katie. "Happy now?"

"Perfectly" Another flash and she had vanished from sight again. No one would have seen her leave and no one would know where she had run to. Only she knew where she was and, at the moment, that was on one of London's many rooftops,
"Another pair down. And I think I know where to find the next one" She stated before turning east and leaping into the air, jumping from rooftop to rooftop, her cloak billowing in the wind

Kenichi got into his Black BMW, and started the drive for home. Rather weird, against the morning traffic, with his favorite Cold Play Song "In My Place" running on his car MP3 player. "Snakes willing to kill harmless people, thats weird. Lets hope this would not cause a sudden outbreak, or it would get into a really sticky situation. Unless we can find the source of this... and of course afternoons would be the best time as they are confined to small areas which are dark in the City and at night they would roam the streets making it harder to find them."

He got back home, a unit on the 18th floor of a Condo in Downtown London. He inanimately turned on the showers and watched the morning news. "20 Dead" ran the headlines on BBC, as "unknown creatures attacked innocent civilians" whats more there were reports of people with supernatural abilities defeating the creatures although most of them were not of an attention to the public. It went on with, "lack of pest control in London? Deadly evolved snakes breeding in the sewers of London?"

"Man these guys don't even know what they are really up against do they? Do the supernatural world seem so fake to them?" Kenichi said to himself as he headed of the showers. What came after the showers was a good old morning nap from another night of 'work'.

"Who are you and how did you get in here, speak or die."
Kartosh simply stepped though the wall of flame. Being a demon, no kinds of flame hurt him in the slightest. He was now that much closer to the Dragona. "Who I am is not important for your purposes. How I got in you would never understand. I bring a message from the Mista," he lowered his head, grinning, "back down, or die. Stop your expansion into London for the good of your people. Tell your masters this, and let them decide to expand and die or withdraw and survive."

"If it is the will of a Mista, yet how can i be sure that it was a mista that gave you this task?"
"Would you like me to call the local Mista? I'm sure she would not be pleased at being interrupted for so trival a task. Should you wish to face her quite possible wrath, so be it. I will get her if that's what you want." Kartosh smiled wolfishly.

Slightly unerved Flame heart simply said "If it is the will of a Mista, yet how can i be sure that it was a mista that gave you this task?"

"Then i shall inform my master of her orders, thoe i doubt he will listen to her. Tell her this was out of desperation for our teritory is baren since that huge landslide last year and that we should have all the prey need in this part of london 'till people return to our lands."

"Then i shall inform my master of her orders, thoe i doubt he will listen to her. Tell her this was out of desperation for our teritory is baren since that huge landslide last year and that we should have all the prey need in this part of london 'till people return to our lands."
"The Mista does not care for your petty concerns, Dragona. You have one week to move out, or you will be forcibly ejected from London." The shadow seemed to be enjoying itself. "Your continued expansion has upset many people. The kind of people who don't like being upset, and will spread their concern very, very far. Heed my warning or not, it makes no difference to me."

"I care not whom we anger, for it is the will of our lord Smaug, still, after YOU leave, i shall also, seeing as this safehouse is no longer safe."

"I care not whom we anger, for it is the will of our lord Smaug, still, after YOU leave, i shall also, seeing as this safehouse is no longer safe."
"If you do not care who you anger then you are a fool. Your "Lord Smaug" is not all-powerful. To kill him would be mere child's play to most involved in these matters too complex for you to understand. "Safehouse" is an oxymoron here, surronded by demons and vampires. No place is truly safe." Kartosh bowed and was gone, as quick as he came, leaving his voice ringing in Flameheart's ears.

"So the Mista gather."
Again the voice from the shadows. "My visit with the Dragona did not go as well as expected. They refuse to back down. It seems a little fear must be installed in them if we are to keep London."

As Katie stood watching the London sunset, she sighed and glanced around. While she was usually along on these roofs, with her black cloak and serious attitude, this time she had company. Around her were three other figures. All were dressed in identical cloaks and each was armed with a lone silver katana at their side.

Katie's sigh was not because another day was gone. It was because there was a bad business to be done. The Mista were gathering for the night. They had all seen the threat and now they were moving against Lord Smaug before the underworld could assemble an army and begin another war.

She looked around, hoping to see Kartosh again, but she knew that this bloody business would probably have to be done with the katana.

"So the Mista gather."
Again the voice from the shadows. "My visit with the Dragona did not go as well as expected. They refuse to back down. It seems a little fear must be installed in them if we are to keep London."

"We do gather" Katie confirmed, the statement sounded more impressive than the facts. At most there were two dozen Mista in London and some had come from as Norway to add their weight to the numbers assembling. An army of 24 Mista was still a formidable proposition, and now they would turn their fury and justice on the Dragons.

"Where have they moved to?" She asked darkly as the moon started it's duty shift in the skies over London. The shadows made the Mista look even more terrifying, they looked like four grim reapers preparing to harvest their crop for the night. It would be a bloody business.

"I do not know where the Dragona are located, but now that so many Mista have appeared they are sure to make some kind of move. I would suggest the capture of a Dragona and force him to reveal their base. There we can expel them from London and destroy their foothold here." Replyed the shadow.

Flameheart donned his helmet last, turned and smashed the floor to cealing mirror with a ball of fire and took of into the night, heading northwest to the penines, raoring loudly. Several other Half-dragons joined him on his flight, all clad in similar armor to him.

OOC: um, why exactly are you planning to kill all half- dragons, attacking one clan would bring them all down on you anyway and we hav'nt actuly refused to move yet, it takes time to fly a couple of hundred mile from london to the penines ya know.

OOC: They don't take kindly to aggression in general, y'know. Plus the Mista has the support of the Vampire Council.

From the rooftops, the Mista, now grouped around several roofs, watched the Dragona take flight. 24 faceless people, the most feared warriors in the Underworld, peered upwards as the Dragona flew overhead. They did not move, but one could tell that they would leap into action in less than a heartbeat. Katie was with them.
"Maybe they have decided to move after all? She suggested lightly.

"I doubt it," Kartosh hissed. "The young one I spoke to did not seem very confident that his Lord would accept or even consider the demands. We shall wait and see, then. To act without enough knowledge could be folly."

The Mista looked up as one and unconcerned, turned back to face the horizon,
"I would take that as a no then?" Katie stated mildly,
"No" Another replied in an equally pleasant, English voice,
"Now what?" A Welsh accent asked,
"We give them two days," a Scots voice answered, "As we always have done, If nothing transpires, we force them out. If they do leave, then the blood of hundreds of their kind will be saved. The Clans already move"

He indicated to a building slightly below theirs. The blood red capes were hard to miss,
"Scouts," Katie voice their concerns,
"Then we have exactly two days to end this, or the Clans will" The Scotsman concluded.

Hearing kate wisper Flameheart turned and hovered in one place for a moment and shouted "I know you watch us mista, your servant aswell, know this, we do not move yet, but there is yet time for it to be so. The Ingetums do not look kindly on attackers, mista or not, you would do well to leave this teritory alone till our rightful lands are populated with prey once more, lest you will be bringing about that which you have tried to prevent." Befor he turned and sped off, forming up with his companions once more.

The shadow watched and waited impassively. If the Dragona chose to stand and fight, fine. If they fled back to their homeland, so much the better. It was of little concern of his. All he needed was for the Mista Katie to live for his own purposes. If the Dragona or humans or all the other Mista died that was fine by him. For now, he assisted Katie and Katie alone to further himself to his ultimite goal. And if that meant assisting the Mista and killing Dragona, so be it.

MIDNIGHT, THE INGETUM SMAUG DRAGONHOLD,THE PENINES

OOC: hope you dont mind me skipinga head a bit but i would rather not RP the whole jurney.

IC:
Flameheart landed with his companions on the rockey outcrop at the mountains top and ran over to his mate who was stood waiting for him
"Amonet, how i have missed you!" he exclaimed
"And i you" she responded.
"I must speak with Smaug imediatly, we shall speak in the morn." he said, turning and walking away, heading swiftly to the shaft meleded into the mountains heart with perfectly smooth sides.

He droped down for a short while, his speed ncreasing untill he entered a huge cavern bellow the mountain, filled with glitering rocks, gems and strangly ornate buildings. On the far wall therfe was a large tunel leading to Smaugs chambers.

Flame heart landed infront of this tunel, showed a specialy crafted daer with the mark of Smaug on its blade, and the guards allowed him to pass, he proceded into the tunel.

Kain stood across from the Mista, hidden from view. He frowned at the sight.
"Mista, and Vampires?" He toted a small crossbow. He saw the Dragona flying away. "Cowardly half-breed."

He kept up watch, but had put away his crossbow. He had a feeling that if he was discovered, he would have to appear peaceful, or risk Oblivion.

And no way he was going back to there.
OOC: Find him or not, it's up to you.

A rustle of wind and suddenly, there was a long, silver, slender katana to Kain's Adam's Apple,
"You can't watch the watchers," Katie's Irish accent came from behind him, "What are you doing here?" She demanded, not removing the sword. One flick of the wrist, or even a twitch from Kain and the sword's holy metal would slide across his throat. He'd melt away before he hit the ground.

Careful not to say too many words which moved his neck he muttered, "This is my city too, Mista. If they Dragona are trying to impose on my land, I wish to help repel them." He held up his hands.

Far away, perched on a chimney, a raven stared at the goings-on. It was far far out of sight of any creature's range, but it wasn't a normal raven.
<They plan to Impose, do they? This will be interesting, won't it children?>

"This is no one's city," Katie stated darkly, "It belongs to the Underworld Council. You have no more right of sovereignty over it than they do" Another rustle of wind and there more figures had surrounded Kain, approaching from the front, like Katie, their faces were hidden beneath a deep, black hood,
"Who be this then?" Another, thicker Irish accent asked.
"He's not a Redcoat," A woman's voice sounded,
"He's a Renegade" The Scottish voice stated, calmly.

"I've lived here my entire life. Well, this one at least. The Dragona plan to expand their land into London, my home is in London. That, at the very least, is my land."

"It may be your home" Katie conceded drawing away her weapon, "But unless you want it to be ravaged by Dragona and Redcoats battling, I suggest you stop sneaking about and leave this to the peacekeepers..."
It was then that Katie whipped around, the other Mista did the same. After 398 years of chasing Demons, she knew when one was close, she scanned the rooftops, looking for a spy in the sky. Her eyes fixed on the blackbird,
"The Raven," She whispered, "The Raven."
The others nodded and one disappeared. In a blink of an eye he was behind the Raven, his Katana drawn, one downward swipe and it was done, if the Demons wanted the Mista, they would have to face them mano-a-mano.

Kain massaged his throat.
"Bastards." Kain shot off from the roof, and did a series of jumps until he reached the Graveyard. He entered his house, a large hollow tree. Mounted on the 'walls' were a series of silver weapons. Daggers, knifes, scimitars, katanas and crossbows. After spending years with vampire hunters, he came prepared. Even if those Mista's didn't want his help, this city was his home. He'd protect it with his life.

Katie calmly watched him go, she knew that the others on the roof with her would have slit his throat to stop him disturbing the peace. But after 400 years, Kate was sick of the killing. She was trapped in a loop, she would do what had to be done but that was it. A few moments later, they had rejoined the rest of the group watching the Red Cloaked Vampires stalk about beneath them.

Now fully armed, Kain began to patrol the rooftops. Any Dragona, or for that matter Parents, would be on the receiving end of his crossbow.

After around an hour, a number of shadows on a roof opposite formed into parents. Kain saw them and loosed a round of bolts at them.
"Damn it, why is it always me?" He dropped his crossbow and drew the katana. The demons stopped for a moment at the sight of the blade, then roared and charged. A number of snakes appeared as well, all heading for Kain. A Devourer was there as well, towering over the others.

OOC: Devourer (http://dougbot.com/forum/meatHoleDemon.jpg)

"Is your home defended? or do you need assistance?" An Irish voice whispered in his ear, "We are not your enemies"

"Is your home defended? or do you need assistance?" An Irish voice whispered in his ear, "We are not your enemies"

"A little help would be nice!" He roared, as he sliced a Parent in half lengthways. The Devourer stayed back, waiting for any opening.

All that one Parent saw before he was sliced into three pieces was the flash of a silver katana, and the familiar hooded figure stood beside Kain, facing off with the surviving Parents. Her katana was already dripped black blood at it's tip. Demons were idiots, they never understood the strength of the Mista,
She flicked the weapon through her fingers and pointed it at the Demons in the Mista salute, that alone would have most Vampires scrambling for cover. But the Demons were idiots, this would be a fight to the death.

The Devourer roared at the sight of the Mista and blades emerged from his palms. He leaped towards Katie, slashing with the blades. "You wanna get that?" Kain weaved between the Parent's, slashing at them.

Katie took a small step back and easily parried all strikes from the Devourer's weapons. She flicked her katana through her fingers so fast it looked as though she wasn't even holding on to it, with one lightning quick flick, she managed to nick underneath the Demon and catch his leg with a small cut of her katana,
She smiled as the black blood started to run down the monster's leg and moved her katana to a defensive position.

The devourer roared, then picked up a parent. Using it as a club, he smashed at Katie with it.

Surprised by the tactic, Katie was only just able to dodge backwards to prevent the parent connecting with her skull. She barrel-rolled to the side, avoiding the Parent completely, and, with two swift flicks of her sword, had cut the Devourer across the back of both knees, cutting the muscles connecting his legs to his thighs.
She was now behind the Devourer.

The devourer screeched, and dropped to the ground. However, it's leg detached below the knees and it turned towards Katie, slashing and biting. Kain threw a knife at it which embedded in it's skull. It shook, screeching, then stopped. He kicked a parent off the roof, then turned to the last one. It glanced at the two, then screeched at them and took off.

It had been a short but brutal fight, Katie turned to see if any other threats lingered nearby, but the sky was clear for now. She took a quick look up and the bright moonlight and turned away, before she took off, she twisted back to face Kain,
"You're quite good," She stated calmly, "You would have made an impressive Mista" With that, she was gone.

Kain chuckled.
"Stupid demons." His right arm was bleeding from where a parent's scimitar caught him. He headed back home. "Need to get more defenses up. Vampires, half-breeds and demons, all converging here at the same time?" He shook his head.

"Mah ha ha ha ha..."
A throaty chuckle for the shadows again near Katie. "You fight extremely well. Not many could have walked out of that alive."

"Glad you think so," She replied lightly, "I have had a lot of practise"

"Obviously. But the demons have been stepping up their apperances, and with the Dragona and the Red Cloaks this could get really nasty really fast. You and your little band of warriors must keep the demons down, but if it comes to that you will need to assault the Dragona mountain. Enlist the help of that young lad you just fought alongside, he looks like he needs something to do. After tonight, anyway, there's a chance that the demons will strike at him in vegence, and so much the better if he's with Mista when that happens. You do seek to preserve life, no? And what better life to save than that of a fellow, if not Mista, warrior?"
Kartosh was not seen, but he was heard. He could have been on the other side of the city and still do this. Anywhere there was shadows he could go also.

Kenichi Woke up from his slumber, it was 12pm, great if your looking for what he is looking for. He did is normal routines, brushing of teeth, doing up hair and having a leftover Pizza for Lunch before taking a lift to his car. Very soon he was speeding off in his Black BMW, in search of dark alley ways along the poorer districts of the City. He turned to Dawson Street, North London, alone he brought along his MP7 and G3 Guns along, just in case, and of course his sword of the Flame of Shidochi, arguably the second best sword ever made in Japan. He walked into the dark alley,

"Now If I were demons would I be here?"

He asked himself...

Enlist the help of that young lad you just fought alongside, he looks like he needs something to do. After tonight, anyway, there's a chance that the demons will strike at him in vegence, and so much the better if he's with Mista when that happens. You do seek to preserve life, no? And what better life to save than that of a fellow, if not Mista, warrior?"

Katie almost snorted with laughter but managed to control herself,
"Him? A Mista? You must be kidding, he hates us as much as he hates the Red Cloaks," She stated, referring to the soldiers of the Underworld, "He would kill us as quickly as he would kill any of them."
But Kartosh was right, the Mista like it or not, just were not strong enough or in great enough numbers to defend both the city's inhabitants and repel an assualt from Dragona. The 24 here had come from all over the United Kingdom, this was essentially it for them. Their numbers became fewer and fewer, thinned by war and conflict, yet the threat grew and grew. There was only so much that such a small body of people could do.
"Will he accept?" She asked cautiously, reluctantly.

Kain chuckled.
"Stupid demons." His right arm was bleeding from where a parent's scimitar caught him. He headed back home. "Need to get more defenses up. Vampires, half-breeds and demons, all converging here at the same time?" He shook his head.

00C: i ment to post this this morning but my stupid media teacher blocked teh interwebs

IC:
A halfdragon appeared behind Kain, a sword pressed to Kains back.
"We have no quarrel with you nor the mista, leave us be and we shall return the courtesy, tell that to your mista friends as well." and he was gone again.

In the Dragon hold Flameheart approached a set of large golden doors that opened outwards seemingly of their own accord, revealing a large stone slab inlayed with rubies, sapphires, diamonds and all manner of other precious gems and stones. Upon this slab lay Smaug, his red scales glittering in the flickering light from the many torches on the wall.

"My lord" Flameheart said, inclining his head
“Welcome back Flameheart, I would enquire as to how your journey went but alas, the circumstances do not allow it.”
“That is true. Would you here my report?”
“I would”
“The mista are on the move to London, they demand we withdraw from that land as it is the territory of non but the council. Also these daemons are formidable, conventional weapons cannot harm them and it was only with a powerful fireball that I managed to kill the most basic ones.”
Smaug roared “HOW CAN THEY EXPECT US TO FEED WHEN OUR LANDS ARE EMPTYED BY NATURAL PHENOMINA!?!?! IF THEY WISH FOR OUR HELP THEY WILL NEED OUR KNOWLEDGE OF THE LAND, GIVE THEM THIS MESSAGE!” Smaug calmed down “If they wish us to help them deal with these creatures then the Mista will have it, provided they allow us to hunt in London ‘till our lands are swarming with prey once more.”
“As you will, I shall depart in the morning, by your leave, for it has been an exhausting day”
“So be it, but go back to London with haste in the morn”
“Yes my lord” And Flameheart turned and departed and traipsed back to his home.
Once there he donned a casual set of clothing and sat at the table, gnawing a leg of salted mutton and conversed with Amonet about the happenings in the hold whilst he was gone and the strange vents in London

Kenichi Woke up from his slumber, it was 12pm, great if your looking for what he is looking for. He did is normal routines, brushing of teeth, doing up hair and having a leftover Pizza for Lunch before taking a lift to his car. Very soon he was speeding off in his Black BMW, in search of dark alley ways along the poorer districts of the City. He turned to Dawson Street, North London, alone he brought along his MP7 and G3 Guns along, just in case, and of course his sword of the Flame of Shidochi, arguably the second best sword ever made in Japan. He walked into the dark alley,

"Now If I were demons would I be here?"

He asked himself...

From around the corner of the allyway a faint roar echoed, then a screem that abruptly stoped and was replaced by a sickening sond of something biteing into flesh as a pool of blood began to run past the corner and along the wall next to Kenichi.

Kain felt the small of his back. No injury. The least he could say about the half-breeds is they were handy with their blades. He grimaced. If the Half-Breed wanted a war, the right way to go about it was ambushing Kain.

"Will he accept?"
"I would suggest," said the shadow without emotion, "that you ask him. It may be that he hates you, but it would be much easier for him to cooperate with you and kill demons than it would be for him to try and fight both sides at once. Surely he will see the wisdom to this."

Flameheart awoke early, kissed Amonet and donned his armor and headed to the cnter of the cavern were another 7 Halfdragons were wating for him.

As one they took off up the shaft and flew straight towards London with all haste, golden-brown capes billowing behind them, wings flapping rappidly, scales reflecting multicolord flecks of coloured sunlight on the nearby surfaces.

In the ally, scufling noises could be heared as something was dragged along..

"Very well, I shall have to track him down..." She started before a scuffle caught her eye. Her eyes narrowed behind her hood,
"Dragona" She hissed and vanished.

Streets, London

In front of the Dragona, carrying the corpse, suddenly appeared no less than 5 Mista, all had their weapons drawn and all were invisible behind their cloaks,
"We told you these are not your hunting grounds" The lead voice stated darkly, "You have no right to be here"
It was still dark, the moon was still high in the sky and that could present a problem to the Mista for one simple reason.

They were not alone.

Kain, back on patrol again, heard a noise. He unsheathed his knife quietly, expecting demons. He edged his way over to the edge of the roof and saw the standoff.
5 Mista vs one Dragona...
"Well, this'll be interesting..."

From around the corner of the allyway a faint roar echoed, then a screem that abruptly stoped and was replaced by a sickening sond of something biteing into flesh as a pool of blood began to run past the corner and along the wall next to Kenichi.

Kenichi drew out his G3, and fired at the wall at full automatic. Hopefully drawing attention to the demon or hopefully killing the demon on the other side of the wall, as the 5.56 round of the G3 was more than capable than penetrating the thin cement wall.

"The Half dragon simply stood there, looking at the mister then, with out warning unleashed a great roar that echoed around the ally like the toll of a church bell when heard from inside the bell.

Several more roars erupted near by and more half dragons began to arive from a variety of diffent clans, landing on the rooftops or landing in the ally.
"You told me nothing mista, i have resided in London long with Ingeteum Quhan. We have dwelt here amonst the vampires and the mortals for a century." The first halfdragon said.

Behind Kenichi two figures apeared, thier wings unfolded making thier siloets even more menacing "Look Talon, we got a brave one" said on of the figures.

At this time flame heart was landing in the cavern in the dragonhold of Ingeteum Smaug.

OOC: Rember there are many clans of Half dragons, im only RPing this one whilst i let the thread catch up with Flamehearts progress.

"Who the hell are you guys?" Kenichi said in a hurry.

The Mista looked at each dragon without apparent concern, their weapons were still drzwn although they held them, tip pointing at the ground,
"We do not want a slaughter" The Mista stated loudly enough for all to hear, her Irish accent penetrated the black sky. "We are simply warning you to leave before the Redcloaks of the Underworld Council decend on your ranks like a swarm of Locusts. Leave this place. Now" She stated menacingly.

"Look guys, its a slight misunderstanding, I was hunting down some demons, not here to play some sword games. If you want me to leave ASAP, I could, but if I could tag along and see what you guys are doing I would be more than willing to do so."

The halfdragons laughed, "Heh heh, the prey seeks to aid us? A rarety indeed, but perhapse he could have his uses. Go to the tower bridge on the east side on the river thames, there will be someone wating there for you, we have a common goal and for naw that will save you, now begone!" one said before they turned and flew off towards the bridge, leaving a jet black dagger with a blood-red rag tied to its hilt.

The halfdragons did not back down from the mista "Pah, let the redcloaks come. If they would condem Ingeteum Smaug for ruling baren lands and turn against those who either visit on the buisness of thier clan or reside here as Ingeteum Quhan has for a century then they would be no better than the humans we all hunt. We shall leave, but should this happen again the results may not be so peacefull" The halfdragon with the body flew off and others on the ground claimed the corpses of the rest of the mans family before taking flight also.

The Mista watched the Dragona fly away, permitting them their prizes. This was not the first time that the Mista had been able to defuse a situation purely by reputation alone. Their reputation had brought a lot of fear during the Civil War and, despite the immense casualties they had suffered, they had come out of the Civil War in one piece. And now they fought to defeat the Demon menace that now threatened London.

"Aw, that was terrible. You shoulda kicked their asses." Kain hopped of the roof and landed in front of the Mistas. "You shouldn't let them hunt here. Hell, those ones weren't even of the same Clan."

The Mista turned to Kain, katanas raised. But they did not strike,
"Sometimes," the Irish one stated coldly, "It is better not to kill for killings sake. They have withdrawn, the Redcloaks will find nothing. War has been averted for now"
Her cloaked shoulders dropped slightly
"What are you doing here?" She asked instead.

"I've been patrolling the city for demons. If I see any, I kill 'em. Relatively interesting job, shame they're so stupid. I'd ask what your doing here, but it seems self-explanatory."

"There are many Demons, young one" the Irish Mista stated, "And many have far more capacity for thought than we give them credit for." The hooded figure glanced up at the moon in time to see three figures dart across it's silvery surface,
"More Patrols," She sighed, "They're not gonna let this lie"
She looked at the other Mista, "We have work to do"

They each nodded and leapt high into the night sky, vanishing from view, leaving only the Irish Mista and Kain
"Might as well come with us" She sighed, "It'll teach you some subtlety if nothing else"

"Well, I got nothing else to do. Hang on a second..." He took a book out of his top hat and read a line. There was a rustle of cold wind then he snapped the book shut and put it back.
"Just securing my home in case anyone I don't know comes a-knocking. Lets go."

A number of skeletons shook, then rose inside the graveyard. Picking up the silver weapons laying next to them and began patrolling around the tree.

"Welcome to the party," said the shadow to Kain. A whisper in Katie's ear: "I told you. Maybe he is not as bad as you anticipated, hmmm?"

The Mista pursued the Redcloaks across the London skyline, taking great steps so that each foot landed on a different building each time, their cloaks billowed behind them like flags,
The buildings seemed to blur as they ran across the new city of London, chasing an old enemy.

"Thanks for the welcome." He sprinted alongside Katie.
"So when we find the things we're looking for, we kill them or we talk first?"

"The things we are looking for," Katie couldn't keep the scorn from her voice, "will not have a hair on their head touched or else I will fillet you myself. We fight only as a last resort. The Mista learned long ago that picking up the sword only incites it's use. If we talk, people will listen"

"Aw your no fun, Mista." Kain looked puzzled for a moment.
"By the way, what is your real name? It's annoying to having to keep calling you Mista."

"My name?" Katie seemed taken aback by the question, although she was no stranger to her own name, she had long since stopped hearing it's use. She had stopped using her name as soon as she was bitten. After that, she was simply Mista.
"Katie," She said thoughtfully, "My name's Katie. How about you?" She asked back, a little concerned now that this boy knew more about her than all the other Mista combined.

"Kain Aliosa. Necromancer and Half Vampire. Nice to meet you." He tipped his hat. "And that odd disembodied voice I heard a minute ago?"

Katie did not stop her pursuit
"Glad to meet you Kain. You are a half-vampire? I thought as much. How did it happen to you?" She asked, now that conversation had gotten rolling, she didn't see much point in stopping it, plus she always curious as to how others managed to save themselves from the gloom of internal death.

"My mother was bitten while carrying me, and the genes just kinda carried over. I was partially vampiric, but not much." He sighed. "When I was 19, I was bitten in a fight between me, a clan of vampires and a group of vampire hunters. From there, I just sorta wandered. 900 years of wandering is a bloody long time. Thats a basic summary of me." He frowned. "I've been looking for a cure for about 500 years. Keeps me occupied. Keeps me outta trouble mostly. Hasn't been working lately, I'm sure you'll note."

"I had noticed" Katie observed dryly, "You were born a half-vampire? That is a new one I have to admit." Her mind wandered back to the moment her life had been ruined, all those centuries ago. She wasn't even thinking about the task in front of her, just the past behind her.

"And you? How'd it happen to you? Unless I'm intruding of course. Don't go 900 years without learning manners."

"No it's...fine" Katie was still thinking back,
"I was 17, the year was 1607. I had just finished ploughing the field for my father and I was walking down the track back to my village when something jumped out of the bushes at the side of the road and bit me in the shoulder. At first, I thought it was just a dog but then I started to get cold, icy cold," She stopped as a wave of unhappy feelings and memories flooded over her, "I struggled to get back to my village but stumbled on an old Celtic Druid instead. He took me in and did everything he could to save me. He stopped the process but he was unable to reverse it. I became an Outcast neither Vampire nor human, only Mista. I never saw my Family again" She turned and looked at Kain, "You're the first person I've ever told that story to, you know that?"

"Vice versa. Most people aren't interested in my story anyway. Their put off by the whole 'Army of the Dead' thing." He looked ahead. "So... What do you reckon the Dragona will do? Stay and fight or be smart and stay where they are?"

"And that odd disembodied voice I heard a minute ago?"
Kartosh had declined from commenting, but if the Mista wasn't going to introduce him, he would have to take matters into his own hands.
"Kartosh is the name, slaying demons is the game, as they say. That's all you need to know, for now. I am here to assist the Mista in clearing London of demons and, should the situation call for it, Dragona."

I am here to assist the Mista in clearing London of demons and, should the situation call for it, Dragona."

"Kartosh has been acting as our eyes and mouth" Katie stated, "If we need something, Kartosh here helps us with it. As for the Dragona, they have withdrawn for the moment so they are no longer the priority. We have to convince the Redcloaks to stop patrolling this area. If we can do that, then war may be avoided after all" She was speaking in hope.

The halfdragons laughed, "Heh heh, the prey seeks to aid us? A rarety indeed, but perhapse he could have his uses. Go to the tower bridge on the east side on the river thames, there will be someone wating there for you, we have a common goal and for naw that will save you, now begone!" one said before they turned and flew off towards the bridge, leaving a jet black dagger with a blood-red rag tied to its hilt.

The halfdragons did not back down from the mista "Pah, let the redcloaks come. If they would condem Ingeteum Smaug for ruling baren lands and turn against those who either visit on the buisness of thier clan or reside here as Ingeteum Quhan has for a century then they would be no better than the humans we all hunt. We shall leave, but should this happen again the results may not be so peacefull" The halfdragon with the body flew off and others on the ground claimed the corpses of the rest of the mans family before taking flight also.

Kenichi slowly paced back to his car, driving to the well known London bridge. "Who could that someone be waiting for me?" he asked himself, "being a rather westernized Nation Britain sure got tons of weridos..."

He picked up speed, across the rather empty afternoon streets of London, even beating a couple of red lights. he stopped at a nearby parking lot near the east tower. "Now, he didn't say where to meet did he?" He waited at the base of the tower, hoping "he" would spot him and come down.

"Right, well, if the Vampires from that clan are as stubborn as the one from the clan I fought, good luck with that."

"Right, well, if the Vampires from that clan are as stubborn as the one from the clan I fought, good luck with that."

"They will not be," Katie assured him, "The Redcloaks are the soldiers of the Underworld council, they will not be so foolish as to ignore a warning from us. Our two organisations tend to interact well with each other and I don't intend to degenerate that relationship. The Redcloaks want to preserve peace as well but they won't hesitate to go on the offensive their sovreign territory is threatened

Kenichi slowly paced back to his car, driving to the well known London bridge. "Who could that someone be waiting for me?" he asked himself, "being a rather westernized Nation Britain sure got tons of weridos..."

He picked up speed, across the rather empty afternoon streets of London, even beating a couple of red lights. he stopped at a nearby parking lot near the east tower. "Now, he didn't say where to meet did he?" He waited at the base of the tower, hoping "he" would spot him and come down.

A halfdragon stood watching Kenichi from the other tower .He climed the tower and flew across to the one Kenichi stood by, droping down to land directly behind him with barely a sound, he was dressed in a long black ovecoat that his his black wings well.
"Follow me, i shall lead you to where you are to go to he muttered into Kenichi's ear. Unbeknownst to Kenichi they were infact being watched by several halfdragons, and unbeknowst to all was the fac that they to were being watched.

<snip>

"Ok, if you say so..." Kain was still wary of the Redcoats from experience.

"I know so" She stated firmly and then suddenly stopped. Just below them, perched on a lower building. Where three Redcloaks. They appeared to be watching something going on in the street below. Katie was immediately aware of the other Mista on the surrounding buildings,
"Stay here" She hissed to Kain, then vanished with the others. A few seconds later, they were on the roof of the building, each Redcloak had a katana to his throat and didn't dream of moving,
"You can come down now" She called to Kain as the Redcloaks were released,
"New to these roofs, aren't you, Hakim?"
The Redcloak scowled
"You know we don't like it when you do that" He stated in a thick, eastern European accent

Kain hopped down, keeping silent. There was a slight frown on his face and his head was slightly angled as he stared at the Redcoats.
He then smiled. "They've done that to me before. It's annoying."

Apparently I am the only one who has not felt the blade of a Mista against their throat...
The shadow watched with boredem. While Kartosh knew much about the politics concerning those who dealed with the Underworld, they interested him little. All he cared about was getting back into the good graces of a certain entity. All would crumble away and mean nothing in time. Still he watched, observing all. If even the Mista could not detect his presence, he hardly expected the Red Cloaks to.

"Even more annoying when you're the Scout not the scouted" Hakim replied to Kain before turning back to Katie, "Not a Social Visit?"
"You were looking for Dragona" She answered coldly, all friendliness gone from her voice,
"We were"
"Why?"
"These lands belong to the United Council of the Underworld," Hakim replied, "The Dragona have no right to move in when they want. You talk to them already?"
"They have withdrawn for now"
"Peacekeepers of the Night, eh?" Hakim laughed, "Always rely on the Mista to keep the peace. Never mind, we will withdraw for now then However, if they return, so will we. And we will bring an Army with us" With that, they were gone.

The Mista now crowded around, Kain, there was five. All unrecognizable thanks to their cloaks and hoods

Kain took a step back before realizing there were Mista behind him. He frowned.
"Your invading my personal bubble."

"Who are you?" One with a Scottish voice asked curiously,
"Vampire?" A Welsh accent suggested.
Katie just hung back and watched the questioning with amusement, "Well Kartosh," she spoke into mid-air, "Any other Demons we should know of?"

"My name is Kain, and I am, in fact, a half-vampire." He tipped his hat. "And it's a safe bet you are Mistas?"

"A half-Vampire!" The Mista seemed surprised,
"You are a rare one" The Scottish voice stated, "There have been no new Half-Vampires for well over fifty years."
The others murmured in agreement.

"Any other Demons we should know of?"
"At the moment there is only silence, no demon has shown itself. No, wait..." the voice paused. "I stand corrected. Necromancer corpses, skeletons, patrolling a graveyard not far from here. Dragona are across the city at the tower bridge on the east side of the river Thames. A small concentration of them. Aside from that, nothing my senses can perceive." The voice sounded slightly fainter than before, indicating that Kartosh may be further away than he had been previously.

"Well... It's nice to know I'm a commodity..." He smiled. "I'm also a Necromancer. I know there haven't been any of them for a while."

"Speak for yourself. Besides, being a Mista isn't really for me. I don't like to get involved in the affairs of others unless they get involved in mine." He looked at the Mistas. "Plus the uniform wouldn't suit me."

"There hasn't been on of those in over 200 years" The Scottish Mista admitted, "But you are a Half-Vampire."
He seemed to be frowning,
"Why aren't you in the Mista? We need all the help we can get these days and it's not that easy to recruit from the ranks of the dead.

"Speak for yourself. Besides, being a Mista isn't really for me. I don't like to get involved in the affairs of others unless they get involved in mine." He looked at the Mistas. "Plus the uniform wouldn't suit me."

"The Uniform protects our identities," The Scotsman stated stiffly, "We know nothing of each so that if we have to met on the field of battle, we will be able to kill each other without hesitation" He said this part viciously, "And what is more noble a cause than defending Mankind from the horrors of the Underworld?"

"The Uniform protects our identities," The Scotsman stated stiffly, "We know nothing of each so that if we have to met on the field of battle, we will be able to kill each other without hesitation" He said this part viciously, "And what is more noble a cause than defending Mankind from the horrors of the Underworld?"

I can think of a few...
"True..." He nodded. "Tell you what, I'll help you out." He smiled and moved his jacket slightly to the side, showing a small arsenal of silver weaponry."

Kain smiled, dusted his hat and was suddenly behind the Mista, knife to his throat.
"You decide." He drew the knife away and sheathed it. "I'm terribly light footed when I want to be."

"You have the weapons" The Scotsman smirked, "Do you have the skill?" he asked in a louder voice.

Kain's eyes narrowed.
"How fast do Mista heal?"

<Interesting. The Mista are all grouped together. And they are with the one who keeps killing my Children. Prepare an attack, send Korillai.>

Kain smiled, dusted his hat and was suddenly behind the Mista, knife to his throat.
"You decide." He drew the knife away and sheathed it. "I'm terribly light footed when I want to be."

The Mista did not even blink,
"You are quick, I'll give you that" He stated with might have been a smirk, "but a Rabbit can be quick when it wants to be, that's not what I asked. I wanted to know is, can you use them Flash Gordon?" He teased.

Kain's eyes narrowed.
"How fast do Mista heal?"

<Interesting. The Mista are all grouped together. And they are with the one who keeps killing my Children. Prepare an attack, children.>

"Well enough" He laughed, "Not that that question will be relevant. I will not need to be healed for anything." he laughed again, "But a fight is not what I want"

Kain opened his mouth to say something, but then a shower of fire landed on the roof. A number of snakes writhed over the edge of the roof, and a Devourer stood on the other roof. A roar pierced the air, and a Korillai leaped down from a steeple.
"Oh, you just had to go and tempt fate didn't you?" He drew a shortsword and slashed a trio of snakes in half.

OOC: Korillai (http://www.mwctoys.com/images/review_balrog_1.jpg)

"I love to tickle fate," The Mista pulled out their weapons and spread out as the snakes and the other Demon came down to engage them. All of the Mista, Katie included, cut through the snakes with ease. However, now Katie and two other Mista moved to engage the massive Demon.

The Korillai roared and spouted fire at the Mista. It swiped it's sword at them, narrowly missing Kain who was slashing at a Parent.

Katie leapt over the flaming attacks while the other two Mista rolled out of the way. Katie lashed out with her sword as she fell to the ground. She landed easily on her feet and looked up the beast. She was still protected by her hood and so no one else could see her.

From the skys the fight was being watched by about 20 halfdragons.

The lead halfdragon let loose a fearce roar and as one they decended into the fray, 10 moving to engage the devourer, the others fighting off the snakes.

"You may not want us here mista but the fact remains that whilst these deamons swarm over the land it is the duty of all of us to try and stop them." Roared one dragon as he ran past Katie to stab at the devourer.

The devourer roared and picked up the dragona, using it's own momentum to smash it into a chimney then into the roof.

Kain sighed.
"Great, fighting alongside half-breeds." He charged the devourer, using the Parent's as stepping stones, leaping over the demon and slashing it's back downwards. The demon dropped and twitched. Kain turned to the Half-Dragons. "That's how you kill one of them."

"Not bad" one of the halfdragons called before breathing a torrent of flame that fryed one parent and slicing at another.

As more of the snakes fell so more of the halfdragons began to turn thier attention to the parents, 3 more of them falling in the proces.

The Korillai roared, and changed it's attack to the Dragons. It slashed at them with it's sword, then bit at one.

The halfdragons scattered before the deadly blows then swarmed around the mosters feet and slashed at its feet.

The demons roared in sync, then all melted back into the shadows, bar the Korillai. It stepped forward, raised it's sword and screeched a challenge. The fire swirling around it changed a purple-black, and it shook for a second before lowering it's sword.
"It appears your little alliance of convenience is quite effective. Although I doubt you could contain the full force of my legions, I believe I should be quite enough." A black door appeared in front of them. It was plain with only a silver door knocker. The korillai turned back to it's normal red, growled, and melted away too.

Katie lowered her weapon and looked around at all the other Mista in the area. They were not injured in any way and had taken their toll of the Demons. Katie gulped and turned to the others,
"I will go," She stated through her cloak. The others nodded,
"Good luck, lass" The Scottish voice stated affectionately.

Katie stepped forward and gripped onto the door handle. She slide her katana back into it's sheath as she turned the handle.

"I'ma coming too. Never let go of a chance to kick a demons ass." He gripped a silver falchion.

The door opened, revealing a small tunnel. There was a faint red light at the end of the tunnel.
<Well, come in. You may as well. I've made tea.>

Katie nodded and headed down the tunnel with Kain in tow,
"It seems we are about to duel with a demon" She stated calmly, "And I'm in the mood for tea"

The tunnels exit led into a small room made of stone, with a fireplace in the corner and a man sitting on a wooden chair with a pot of tea and 5 cups in front of him. He smiled and geustured to the table.
"Ah, but of course, where are my manners." He waved his hand towards a group of chairs and they shot across the room, landing next to the table.

Kain frowned. "Uh, are you sure he's a demon?"

OOC: This is the closest I can get to the demon, but imagine him in a red suit and black tie. http://www.infanity.org/mason/layout.jpg

Katie did not sit but nodded to Kain,
"He is a Demon. Trust me"
She waited for him to speak, staring through the hood of her vast billowing black cloak,
"You summoned me here" She stated, "Why?"

Katie responded by drawing her own sword. She twirled the weapon through her fingers a few times then pointing the tip at the Demon in a salute,
"Bring it" She snarled.

"Oh, company, a good chat, a new head to hang on the wall. Why else?" He smiled and sipped his tea. "So, you aren't having any tea?" He stood up and kicked the table away. "Such a waste of tea." He drew a staff and twirled it. "Well, come on then."

"Very well." He tapped himself lightly on the forehead with the staff. Instantly, 3 others split away from him. They all looked exactly the same, except they wore different colored suits.
"Meet Envy, Rage, Greed and Tommie," He pointed to himself at the last name. He smiled, then they all rushed Katie, sweeping with their staffs and moving almost too fast to see.

Kain whooped and drew his knife. He sidestepped a blow from Envy then slashed at him.

"Very well." He tapped himself lightly on the forehead with the staff. Instantly, 3 others split away from him. They all looked exactly the same, except they wore different colored suits.
"Meet Envy, Rage, Greed and Tommie," He pointed to himself at the last name. He smiled, then they all rushed Katie, sweeping with their staffs and moving almost too fast to see.

Kain whooped and drew his knife. He sidestepped a blow from Envy then slashed at him.

Katie was forced back, moving her blade to deflect each attack as it came to her. It was taking all her skill just to defend herself from the attacks of three Demon masters at once.

There was a peircing screetch and a silver blade buried itself into the back of the demon named Tommie. Kartosh was standing at the far side of the room, a knife in his left hand and a short saber in his right. "You have chosen the wrong foe to fight, demon. This one has friends." He grinned evily. The demon would be able to recognize Kartosh as the same breed instantly by certain characteristics unnoticible to anyone but another demon.

Katie was forced back, moving her blade to deflect each attack as it came to her. It was taking all her skill just to defend herself from the attacks of three Demon masters at once.

The monsters kept up their flurry of blows. Kain sliced Envy's suit then looked over at Katie.
"Well, she's a Mista." He shrugged then got back to the task at hand.

Tommie smiled.
"Oh please." He took the silver blade out of his back.
"Well, shall we fight? Equal footing." He wielded the blade, uneffected by the silver.
"However, I am more trained, or so experience would have me believe."

"That may be," Kartosh continued to grin, "but do you have more actual experience? For over half a millenia I have fought humans, vampires, Mista and Dragona alike. Are you equal to me," he sheathed the knife and floruished the sword, "or are you out of your league? Draw your sword, if you have one."

Katie, glad to have some of the pressure diverted continued to duel with two of the Demons using a combination of sword skills and martial arts to keep them both at bay. She wished she had a staff now instead of her katana, then she could really do some damage. But no point in complaining about what one didn't have, better to work with what was about.

She parried another strike and smashed the Demon's face with her fist. It knocked him back long enough for her to get a couple of swipes against her second attacker. Then both were back on top of her.

IC: Greed's suit ripped and Katie's swipes drew blood. He growled, and smashed at her head with the staff, and Rage swiped at her legs, then brought the tip of the staff up in case Katie jumped.

Tommie smiled and put his hand out openly. A sword materialized in his hand. He bowed, then lunged at Kartosh's chest, sweeping the blade horizontally.

OOC: Tommie's blade (http://www.phantomblades.com/images/images_big/dark_ages_dragon_of_fury.jpg)

Kartosh parried with one hand, lightly blocking the blade, then gave it a shove away and stabbed forward at Tommie's throat. He croutched low after the stab, bringing his other hand up with a dagger to slice the tendons in the demon's right leg.

IC: Greed's suit ripped and Katie's swipes drew blood. He growled, and smashed at her head with the staff, and Rage swiped at her legs, then brought the tip of the staff up in case Katie jumped.


Katie was able to avoid the smashing staff that aimed for her head but could not react in time to counter the staff sweeping at her feet. She hit the ground hard but rolled away as soon as she made contact with the floor. In a second, she was on her feet again and lunging forward with quick, elegant, calculated strokes, first at the head, then at the neck then she feinted an attack to the stomach and aimed for the throat again.

Tommie dodged the blow to the throat, but didn't see the slice at the legs. He grimaced and lowered his guard slightly.

However, Katie's sword thrust straight through Greed's neck, who dropped into her, twitching. Rage roared and threw his staff to the ground, drawing a sickle instead. He cut in great swathes at Katie.

Katie allowed Rage to swing the sickle at her and, taking a step back, she raised her katana to parry the blow. However, when the blades struck, Katie's offered no resistance and the sickle continued in it's swing through missing her by a considerable distance. The katana swung down until Katie gripped it again and, with Rage's sickle still in mid swing, she sliced with her own weapon at his abdomen.

Cutting across the leg, Kartosh brought his saber down and then thrusted the weapon upward with paramount force, intending to skewer the demon on the blade.

The blade cut into Rage, drawing blood, but he just growled and and swung again at Katie, this time keeping the slashes shorter.

Tommie roared as the blade cut into his leg, but he rolled to the side, dodging the incoming sword. <I taught you better than that, Tom.> The voice spoke clearly and slowly, with a time like ice. <Do not let me down.> Tommie nodded, and cracked his knuckle. He then dashed towards towards Kartosh, slashing with his sword, then dashed to the side, slashing horizontally. He then slashed vertically, hoping to catch Kartosh's neck.

Katie took another few steps back, parrying his weapon easily. The sickle was designed for long decapitating strokes whereas her Katana was meant as a balanced weapon. It compensated, strength, balance and speed, it was the perfect killing weapon.

Flame heart heard the roar of the masive deamon from the other side of the city and arived just in time to see it melt away. To his dismay he saw that 7 of his kin had been slain and inquierd about the door.
"It is odd indeed, i heard a voice say that we should enter but we are wounded badly else we would be in there now. From the sounds of it we miss out on a gloryus battle"
"I can see that brother. Go, rest, i will kill in your stead" And Flameheart entered the doorway with 2 of his escorts.

Upon entering the room Flameheart said to his companions "Wait here, if things turn ill then join the fray, i fear they may be deamons." whilst fiting a silver arrow to his bowstring
"Yes asasain."
With barely a wisper he spread his wings and glided into the room loosing his arrow at Rage, again thinking the word brisinger. The flaming dart sped towards Rages neck with blinding speed whilst Flameheart was alredy drawing his broadsword.

The arrow hit Rage in the nape of his neck, shooting through the other side, narrowly missing Kartosh.

Tommie backflipped numerous times until he was at the farthest end of the room.
"Well, it seems this fight is now a little unfair. I'll need a quick boost." He smiled, then began to change. He laughed, but it was more like a scream.

OOC: Cookies for guessing what he is without looking at picture. Tommie's true form (http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/c/c3/Violator.JPG/300px-Violator.JPG)

Katie paused for a brief second to stare at the creature before turning back to the battle in front of her. The battle was hard but, as she was technically dead, she didn't tire all that easily.

"NOW BROTHERS" Yelled Flameheart throwing a dagger at Tommie and making flames spread across his sword he sliced at what he could only assume was an arm.

From the shadows of the door way a pair of blue lighting bolts shot at Tommie as the two halfdragon spellcasters cast thier spells.

Rage roared, turning in his death throes, and swiped feebly at Katie before collapsing. The thing Tommie had become dodged the spells easily. It then raised a hand and swiped at the tunnels entrance collapsing it.

<No intervention down here, Dragon.> It roared and swiped at Flameheart, at the same time balancing on it's other hand and kicking at Katie and Kartosh.

Flameheart roared in protest as the door caved in and in pain as he slamed into the fireplace, no so much pained by the fire, but rather the large splinter of burning log passing thrugh his leg.

Katie, exhausted from killing two demon masters, was able to dodge the attack from Tommie and flew into the back wall. It seemed to collapse around her as she fell to the ground, she moved slightly, groaning as she did so. She lacked the strength to haul herself back up again.

The thing contorted it's features into what could be called a smile, then leaped at Kartosh, mouth agape and hands aiming to swat him.

Kartosh dodged and parried all the sword attacks but a swift turn of events left the room devistated and everyone on the floor, dead or wounded, except for him and the thing Tommie had become. Untouched, Kartosh sheathed his knife, staring at the demon's new form. "Uglier and uglier, I see. Never was much one for the true form. But if that's how you want it to go down, that's how it will."
Kartosh changed in the blink of an eye to his true form. (http://00chalcedony00.deviantart.com/art/Bloody-Demon-1620890) Blood had come from no where to splatter the floor and coat his features. He still retained his sword however. In a deep voice of tombstones and winter wind he spoke.
"Let's go."

The thing contorted it's features into what could be called a smile, then leaped at Kartosh, mouth agape and hands aiming to swat him.
Kartosh met the demon head on, sword positioned straight out under him to stab the thing, literally flying to Toomie. A hawk-like screetch rent itself away and echoed from his mouth as he lunged forward.

Tommie planted his hand into the ground and vaulted over Kartosh, dodging the blade. However, he kicked out at Katosh, cutting his leg on the blade. He landed, then swept his uninjured leg at him.

Kartosh caught the leg with his left hand and twirled away, wencing the bone and trying to break it. Without waiting to see the effect he slashed verticly, intending to cut the demon in half.

OOC: Void templar said that i can bring my deamon from the followup thread into this thread to help xipia out then changed his mind :angry: so edit time:(
His info is here btw:http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showpost.php?p=13489328&postcount=2.

IC: Wincing with every movement Flameheart braught his hands together and yelled "BRISINGER!!!!!!" sending a ball of flame hurtling at Tommie before he slumped back, trying to conserve his strength, giving the odd moan of pain.

There was a loud snap as Tommie's leg broke. He roared, then leapt to attack Kartosh, slicing his front on the blade. The ball of fire caught him, and he slammed into the far wall of the room. He stood there, glaring at the two.

Kain kicked Envy's body for good measure, then turned and saw Tommie standing pretty much next to him. He gulped, then drew a small knife. The tip was salted iron, good for weakening demon's. This demon was already weak, but Envy had broken all of his other blades. He Threw it and it embedded itself in Tommies other leg.

Tommie dropped to the floor, both legs effectively broken, and roared defiantly.

In the corner of the room stood a humanoid figure with white wings with black tips, visable only to Kartosh and Tommie. The figure beconed to tommie and its eyes flashed red for a brief second, revealing to him what awated him.

Sudenly the figure apeared behind Tommie and said in a calm, collected voice that was one and many at the same time "He calls you 'Tommie'. Azazil calls you." and it was gone.

OOC: Yes that was Carnage from the follow up thread But, before you give me a boloking over it let me point out that it COULD be the reason that he is in the follow up thread, aside from hunting Xipias angel of the apocolipse. Also it may help the thread along :p

Katie was still struggling on the ground, managing to prop herself up against a wall. Exhaustion and that attack had taken it out of her. Then she realized with horror that her hood had slipped down so that all within the chamber could see her. They could see her long, shiny black hair and her dead green eyes. She looked away quickly as if that would stop people noticing her.

Kartosh grinned evily, echoing the words of the demon so that Kain, Katie and Flameheart could hear them. "He calls you 'Tommie'. Azazil calls you." Striding forward, he whirled his blade high above his head, the point level with his chest, and stabbed downward into the chest of the screaming demon. Blood sprayed as the blade rent the heart in two, the body twisting beneath Kartosh. "Go to him now." He licked the blood which coated his features, tounge cleaning away the crimsion liquid into his mouth.

Kain saw Katie's face.
"How embarrassing. Especially in the presence of non-Mista." He nodded towards the disabled Flameheart and Kartosh. Kain glanced over at Tommie and smiled. "Good job." He proffered a hand to Katie and the other to Flameheart.

"Mista, come, i have word for you and little time to deliver it" Flameheart gasped to Katie, feebly beconing with his hand.

Katie scrambled to put her hood back on, then decided that there was no point and so nodded shyly, like she had lost her confidence with the protection of the thick material
"What is it?" She asked.

"Smaug will withdraw soon, once our lands regain our prey. He also pleges his suport against the deamons but that now seems irelavent. Lastly I give you this *he barely manages to draw his sword and cuts his palm on the blade, offering it to Katie*, may it serve you well and rember, even unlife has its good points" then he slumped back, the hilt of the sword still offered to Katie, and lay still, so passed Flameheart into the void.

Katie gave a small nod and took the sword, holding it in her hands, she sighed sadly,
"So now you know what I looked like" She said without turning around to face Kain, "What do you think?"

"I think it means leverage for me." he said. "Nice sword." he nodded at the dead Flameheart, then at Kartosh then at Katie. "I reckon we did good today. Still, Tommie was right. This was mostly an alliance of convenience."

"Leverage," She sighed sadly, "You're the first person to see my face in 300 years. Congratulations" She then looked at the sword,
"Do you want it?" She offered it to him, "It was a nice gesture but I can't keep it. And the Alliance can be permenant or temporary, I will continue to do my duty"

"We can't just leave it here. I'll take it." He took it from her. "I'll look after it." He thought for a moment.
"So... Need any help with anything other bad guys? I'm all for permanent."

"I don't have any major enemies for the time being" She gave a small face, which seemed to light her face up and give it a new life. Then she sighed and the radiance was gone,
"I'll return to Ireland for the time being. My job here is done, the Redcloaks can handle it from here." She turned to go,
"Goodbye, Kain, I'll call you if I ever need you" She turned go vanish, then stopped and turned back again,
"And I wasn't kidding, you would have made a fine Mista"
With that, she was gone.

It was a dark day in Ireland, the winter breeze was cutting through the trees and the fields of potatoes that grew for acres in all directions. The sky was a dull grey as the thick cumulus clouds obstructed the blue sky and prevented the sun from spreading her warmth down to the people below. The horizon was a smooth, green apart from a few small mounds to represent vast fir trees.

In the direct area there was a small valley, little more than twelve feet deep. At the bottom of the small valley was a narrow, tarmac road, worn down from decades of hard service. Both sides of the road were long long strands of grass while the top of the valley boasted a small cluster of trees on one side and a series of thorn bushes on the other.

At the moment, while the people had fled to their homes to escape the fierce Arctic winds, one girl stood between the trees and stared down into the valley. If one were to look at her, all they would see was a tallish person wearing a long cloak with the hood up. They wouldn't even be able to tell that it was a girl. It would be an unnerving sight.

However, the girl was not here for malicious reasons. On the contrary, she raised her pale hands slowly to her face and lifted the hood gently down. It revealed her delicate features, her pale skin, her long black hair and her eyes. Those eyes looked full of life from a distance but up close, one would see that they were dead. There was no emotion or life there at all. They were dead, like the girl that bore them. She continued to stare down at the road below her.

This was where it had happened. All those years ago. It looked much different now of course, but she could still see the dirt track, the big hedgerows and the vast fir tree forests that towered over the small path. This was where she had been bitten and here her life had changed forever. But she was not here to think of her cursed past, but to watch her future.

Katie's head jerked up as a small child approached her from behind. Immediately, she cursed herself for not detecting her presence earlier, she had been so wrapped up in thought that she had become sloppy. She turned to face the child, no older than nine years old.

"How are you?" She asked innocently in a thick Irish accent. She had black hair, plated into small brands down her back. She was looking at Katie with wide, green eyes.

"I'm fine, thank you" Katie replied gently, happily, "What's your name?" She lowered herself down into one knee, beckoning that the girl should come closer.

The little girl complied and approached Katie, sitting up on her knee,
"I'm Chloe Harte" she replied happily, "What's your name?"

"My name?" Katie looked up thoughtfully, then looked back at Chloe with a friendly smile, "My name's Charlotte Smith. Nice to meet you"

"Nice to meet you too, Charlotte" Chloe smiled again, then the sound of a woman calling could be heard across the wind, "That's my mummy, I have to go in. Do you want to come?" She asked enthusiastically.

"No, I think I'll stay here for a while, thank you" She stood up again, as Chloe brushed herself off and skipped away, waving as she left.

Katie waved as well until Chloe had vanished from view. Then she could bear it no longer and burst into tears, sobbing heavily and holding her head in her hands. She couldn't help it. The tears were in free-flow now and soon her cloak was soaked through.

Dear little Chloe, the 8th Generation of Hartes since Katie's disappearance and 'death'. She had watched them all, followed them to Australia, to France, to the Pacific, always watching them. They were her ancestors, her flesh and blood. So instead of resting in peace with her family like she should have been, she was protecting her family from danger. If Chloe's mother had seen the cloaked girl, she would have rung a few bells. Katie had rescued Chloe's mother from a house fire when she was a teenager herself. She was now part of the Harte folklore, she was their guardian angel. They even had her identity perfect. The rumour was that the young, beautiful teenager who vanished that one evening was now watching over the family as a Guardian. If only they had known. Katie did not care, she was a part of the family, even if it was in name only.

Katie had only been a teenager. She still yearned for her mother's hug, her father's kiss and her brother's jibes. But she couldn't have them, hearing Chloe's mother filled her with a terrible urge to run to her and embrace her in a massive hug. Katie still wanted a family. The one thing she couldn't have.

Still, she had a job to do. It kept her family alive. It kept humanity alive. She would continue to do it until fate saw fit to free her of her curse. She turned back to stare at the horizon, tears still leaking down her face.

She was back to the beginning. She was home...

----------------
OOC: Sorry for the incredibly long conclusion, but I felt it would be nice to wind up the story with a sad little story.

Kartosh yanked his blade from the slain demon, wiping the blood off on the prone body. "Goodbye, Mista..." he whispered as Katie vanished. He looked to Kain, and nodded to the door. "You can exit there, nothing to it. I'd advise you take him," he pointed to Flameheart's body, "with you. His clan will probably want it back." Kartosh sheathed his sword, bowed, and was gone.
Outside...
Once again the shadow roams the dark London streets, seeking redemption in the eyes of the Creator, All Powerful God. Kartosh croutched on a roof, noticing the weather beginning to drizzle again onto him, wiping away the last of the blood as he slowly melted back into his human form. He could hear nothing, sense nothing. The demons were gone, perhaps for good now. Six hundred years of slaying demons, battling his own kind, trying to prove to be good enough to come back after the Fall. And still nothing to show for it. He suspected he could do this for another six hundred and get no where. But he had just killed a major demon, had he not? And saved two lives, a Mista's and a rouge demon killers. Surly...?
He suddenly felt warm. Not the hot warmth that creeps up with anger or embarrassment, but a loving, circuling invisible blanket. Looking up he saw a bright light, so bright it stung his eyes, a illumination slicing though the thick clouds to land on him. Squinting into it, he stood, shielding his eyes. A form appared, features unknowable but somehow familiar. The demon felt himself lift upward and he heard a great and terrible voice:
WELL DONE, MY GOOD AND FAITHFUL SERVANT

Kain nodded to Kartosh as he bowed. He walked over to Flameheart's body and sighed. "Here is as good a resting place as any." He nodded to the corpse, then walked out of the room, emerging on the rooftop.
Two figures were waiting for him.
Thanks for the help.
Yeah. Taking out Tommie really did us a favor.
Kain drew his sword but the demon waved it's hand. The sword flew off the roof.
You helped us, so we're going to make this as quick as possible.
It'll still be slow of course.
Of course. The other demon flicked its hand and Kain suddenly felt like he had just been hit in the chest with a hammer. Coughing up blood, he drew a dagger, which like before flew away. The demons drew their swords and descended on Kain.

The world went dark.

Then it was light again. Kain sat bolt upright, yelled from the pain and lay back down again.
"You might wanna lie down, your ribs are still broken."
"Huh? Where am I?"
"Somewhere safe. A place in the netherrealm."
"Ah. This must be some strange usage of the word 'safe' I wasn't previously aware of." And after a pause, "Um... Shouldn't I be dead?"
"Yes."
"Oh. And I'm not why?"
"You did a good thing, so I got a friend of mine to help you out."
Kain opened his eyes. The room was in pitch black, and the only thing he could see was two bright red irises.
"Wait, I can't see..."
"You did say death was the only cure. He thought you'd been good, so he gave you a present. Think of him as Halloween's Santa."
"So I'm not a..."
"Half vampire? No. Your also technically dead which makes you like me." Kain felt a mirror pressed into his hand and a whip of air over his face. He brought the mirror up to his face and saw his eyes in the dark. Two red irises. As he saw them, the room lit up, showing row upon row of hourglasses.
"Welcome to the club, Reaper." Orin smiled.