Susanna blinked twice trying to extradite the black spots from her vision. She'd have a scare from a blow like that, it must be bleeding. Susanna ran her hand over her head and while she found the spot that twinged when she touched it there didn't seem to be a wound. Mahtan had rushed to her side sheathing his sword, he must have just fought someone but she didn't see an trace of fresh blood. He gave her a quick explanation. A group of bandits most likely attracted by Susanna's complete mental break had come to the area and struck her over the head.

Mahtan promised her that he wouldn't let anything of that sort happen to Susanna ever again. Just as Susanna was feeling like there was someone she could actually trust after all these years he backed off using the address of human rather than her name. Susanna wasn't sure what had changed in the elf but despite his coldness he offered her his arm and they walked to the nearest town perhaps a league from the Great Gates of the Demon City.

When they finally got to the town darkness was beginning to seep into the air. The night was oncoming and the people had started to hang lanterns. There was a brisk chill in the air that got the blood pumping. They needed to get supplies here before they... well Susanna didn't know where they would go after this. She knew that she had to keep the elf safe but at the same time a tiny voice in her mind that was not at all related to Lilith whispered that the elf wanted to see Veiron again. Susanna didn't know what good would come of that but she knew that she didn't want to see that city again.

Susanna was about to start haggling with a man about his overpriced foods when a sight caught her eye. She wasn't sure what made her pick out these two people above everyone else in the bustling marketplace but her hand started to shake and she gripped her staff tightly to steady them. It was an old man in his early fifties or late forties playing with a girl who was perhaps sixteen. There was a flash of a blue reflection from a stone that was tied around the girl's neck and Susanna realized why she knew these people.

"You bitch," She whispered softly.
[i]Now now dearie, you shouldn't use that kind of language in front of the youngsters.[/i]
"Mom," Susanna whispered so no one could hear her.

The plight of these two, a father and his daughter was Susanna's fault. A month after Veiron and Lilith was furious, she'd had strong hosts before of course but never one that she couldn't break. It would be another two years before Susanna finally stopped caring. This village, it had been so much greater in the years before Veiron's fall but like the land on which the city was built this village had been scorched. Lilith had stroke through these streets with a smile on her face and orcs and imps scurrying around her feet. Lilith had had a mortal form for a little over a month and the high of the human experience hadn't faded yet.

Susanna had cried out against the destruction of the little town and Lilith decided it was about time that the farm girl learned her place. Lilith found a family, a very specific kind of family, one that was happy with an ageing father, a beautiful mother and a little girl. It wasn't hard to figure out exactly how Lilith was punishing Susanna, this was a mirror of Susanna's family if things had gone a little differently. Lilith told Susanna in her sweetest most caring voice that as a special favour she was spare the father and daughter. That was when Susanna learned that everything Lilith said came with a flip meaning.

Lilith took a kitchen knife from the families house and slowly and painfully with the little girl and her father watching and tied down she cut the mother into pieces always taking small pieces and going slow to ensure maximum pain for everyone especially Susanna. Lilith kept her word. She let the girl and her father go but they were scared for life. Before Lilith left she took a blue stone on a chain and tossed it onto the floor in front of the grieving man. It was a necklace that Susanna's mother had owned. It had extreme value to her and seeing it lie on the floor of a burned house had torn the farm girl apart.

[i]Go on farm girl, she's not a kid any more and she had your mother's sapphire. Wouldn't it be worth her life or her mental stability to have such a precious keepsake back?[/i]

Susanna found herself nodding her head. That stone belonged to her rightfully. Susanna shook her head waving off the suggestions. "I am not your puppet any more demon, stop trying to make me into you." [i]Oh dearie, you're a lot more like me than you'd ever let yourself admit.[/i] 

Susanna was shaken as Mahtan touched her shoulder. She'd completely forgotten he was there. "Susanna, we can't be lingering here, we need to get what we need and move on, towards Veiron. I believe we will find some answers if only we got closer." He said to her gently. Her worst fear was realized. He wanted her to go with him into the city. The rune on her neck twinged uncomfortably. She shouldn't be going so close to such demonic powers. Something very powerful said that she couldn't enter that city.

A man, a shop keeper of some sort who had eavesdropped on there conversation butted in conversation rudely demanding to know who they thought they were that they could approach the cursed ground of Veiron. Mahtan looked at the man with something that Susanna hadn't seen in him, contempt and more than that a sadistic pleasure. 

Mahtan began to change before Susanna' eyes. His teeth started to elongate into fangs and his eyes warped black like Susanna's when Lilith's power ran wild. Susanna gasped sharply taking in the cold night air. Who was this creature?

[i]That is simple dear, I planned on keeping this from you awhile longer while we prepared him but I suppose you ought to know. This is the Harbinger of Death, Prince of Hellfire and Champion of the Underworld. It is my task to stay with him and keep harm from coming to him.

"I'll never fulfil your mission whore." Susanna spat under her breath. All around the square the lanterns flames turned and dark black the emanated blood red light. Susanna knew this kind of flame. She could remember lifetimes of bathing in it as she fought to get to the surface but those weren't her memories. The light felt good sinking into her body, energizing her. She felt like she could drink a river of blood or crack the earth open all the way down to her master's throne on the deepest level. NO! Those weren't her feelings.

[i]Susanna you must make this stop.[/i]
"What?" Susanna said suddenly surprised. This was the kind of destruction that Lilith lived for. Why would she want it stopped.
[i]Girl if this is not stopped our hand will be tipped to the forces of the light, Mahtan is our ultimate weapon but he will not fare so well if the enemy had his identity. Thought I can't imagine you'll care about that then listen to this. If you do not stop Mahtan then the rest of the people here will die including that poor little girl and her father. Feed Mahtan my words in your silkiest voice and he will listen.[/i]

Susanna reached up to touch Mahtan's shoulder knowing what she must say to stop the Elf. She knew now that he was a creature of evil but she still felt the need to keep him in check. It was her duty. No, it was Lilith's duty she could not confuse there roles. She was in charge now.

[/i][/b]Mahtan, my Prince. Do not do this. Control yourself. We can talk about this later, just stop it now. I will wipe these Human's minds, but you must stop![/i][/b]

She gripped his shoulder firmly and she spoke Lilith's words. Susanna didn't know how she did it but though she said the entire thing she did not open her mouth once. This was part of Lilith's demonic energy and she knew that her eyes had gone black. The rune on the back of her neck hurt again but she didn't care. She needed him to stop.

Mahtan didn't answer her but the flames died all around him as he walked away towards the edge of town where an inn was waiting for them. She must now wipe the minds of everyone in the square. It would take some time but she knew that none would leave, everyone was too dazed. She started at one side laying her hand over an old man's forehead, pulling the memories from him. After twenty or thirty people the power Susanna had taken from the hellfire had long faded but she kept going. When she got to the girl and her father she looked down at them. They were both awake but unable to move. She had to make them understand that she wasn't the same. It was clear they recognized her.

She knelt down next to the girl, as a small mercy she wouldn't wipe there minds. She felt confident that they would tell no one, they would pretend to be like everyone else. Clueless. "I am sorry little girl, what's you're name." The girl looked terrified but she stammered "Cecilia." Susanna smiled "That's a beautiful name. Last time you saw me..." The memories flooded Susanna again but only a handful of words teamed to describe it. "I wasn't myself, I am the host of the demon that killed you're mother and I will never stop paying for her crimes but I can try." Susanna touched the blue stone around Cecilia's neck and a wash of energy and emotion fled from Susanna into the gem. She knew what she had done to it but it had come more from instinct than actual thought.

"Cecilia, this stone will protect you now. When it turns from blue to red that means there is a demon nearby. The darker the red the more powerful or numerous the demonic threat. If it ever turns black run for your life."

Susanna stood and turned her back on the two, this was all the good she could do for them after destroying there lives but at least it was something."Wait," said a voice behind her. She turned, the man was on his feet again. "At least tell us you're name." Susanna smiled sadly. "My name's Susan. I hope that gem keeps you safe, it belonged to my mother."

Susanna turned her back on them again when a voice burst across the square. "This was all you're doing! DEMON! MONSTER!" It was the store keeper who'd interrupted her and Mahtan's conversation. It was the man that had set Mahtan's demonic powers off. He rushed at her with a hammer he'd picked up from somewhere. She ducked under the weapon who's user didn't know had to wield it and grabbed him by the neck. She could feel his heart beating faster under her hands. Sometime changed in Susanna. She felt angry towards this man. The destruction in the town though wrought by Mahtan's unearthly powers had been caused by this man's snooping. [i]Come on, just a little squeeze[/i] It didn't register in Susanna's mind that that wasn't her own thought until it was too late. Susanna gripped the man's neck and squeezed as hard as she could. His flesh crumpled under her iron fist her throat collapsing and spaying blood everywhere.

Susanna realized what she had done and looked at Cecilia and her father who where both horrified. "I guess, I haven't shaken the monster completely." She said pathetically before she dropped the corpse and ran off after the elf. She needed to find Seth of Valeria. The thought of him made her slightly nauseous but something told her that he was the only one that could stop Mahtan. [i]You have to stay with him, the elf[/i] "I don't got to do anything you say." Susannna whispered venomously [i]Yes you do, this was just a precursor. If his power goes untrained then all of the kingdom will become like Veiron. You have the power to control him, at least for the time being.[/i]

Susanna cursed the demon for her logic was sound. She had to stay with the Prince of Darkness to stop him from doing anything like this again. She let herself quietly into the inn and checked which room he was in collapsed onto the second bed apposite him. The elf was fast asleep and it was a good thing. Susanna needed her sleep, however restless and nightmare filled it was.