Six dark eyes peered from around a darkened corner, surveying the chaos of fur and bodies colliding. As the smell of fresh blood and gore filled the lagoon, saliva slid from pointed fangs before dripping onto the rocks below. It had been quite some time since the creature had enjoyed a decent meal. A strangled growl escaped from its throat; it knew that now would not be the proper time to enjoy such a feast. For now, it would bide its time until the larger creatures would subdue their captors. There was no reason it would have to do any of the heavy lifting.

The scent of wet musk filled the creatures nostrils moments before hearing a snarl over its right shoulder. As all eight eyes narrowed, its thin red lips stretched into a slow smirk. A hiss escaped its throat before it spoke, the voice shrill. "So...we've come to play, have we, mutt? I do enjoy when my meals are delivered." With no second thought, a thin band of silk shot towards the wolf, wrapping itself tightly around it's limbs. The animal was quickly immobilized as it dropped to the ground. With a high-pitched laugh, the spider turned and scanned her prey. It clicked its tongue along the roof of its mouth as it sauntered over, all legs dancing around its prize. "Such a dumb pup. Should always be aware of who you're trying to sneak up on.."

After another laugh, the creature pounced and began to devour her meal. Anguished howls and whimpers escaped the wolf as it was slaughtered, but soon gave out with one quick nip to the throat. With this being the first fresh meal in what seemed like eons, it did not take long for the creature to finish. Sated, however, it was not. A long tongue swept out and cleaned the blood from its face before turning back to the group from before.

It would do no good for them to know all of its secrets. With a tilt of its head, the spider transformed itself. In its place stood a five-foot two-inch Asian beauty. Red silk draped across her long black hair, and a traditional crimson red kimono clung to her curvaceous figure. Her dark eyes continued to watch the group as she quietly made her way closer, her bare feet barely making a sound against the floor of the lagoon. Wasn't long until she found a hiding place behind a large boulder, her eyes never leaving the crowd. She would wait for the fighting to stop before she made her arrival known.

Empty. That’s what it felt in the Abyss. Those who traveled long and far enough would have found the same creeping sensation settling in their bones, smoothing over their skin until all they could feel was the. Cold. That’s what it felt right now. Strangers with strange voices doing strange things disturbed the serenity of the Abyss until it was no longer. Still. Stillness was broken, replaced by noise, noise, noise. The Lagoon was disrupted, a place of gathering where the Abyss could watch from its children, now shook with the violence that took it for a day.

By now the Lagoon was in more than just chaos. There were five groups of guardian wolves, and two groups of prisoners who deserved to be sent back to their cells and rot; give or take a straggler or two. Spread out as they were, the air was charged with the energy of carnage and became humid and hot with it. It was the opposite of the glassy Lagoon, whose waves were unmarred until now. Blood was spilled. That much was easy to ascertain, red flying.

Corpses fell with it, some of their essence flicked into the pools of the Lagoon just out of position. More than enough blood stained the cavern walls, red running freshly off their craggily surfaces into some form of cave art. But what mattered was the blood in the water. Strands of deep red from the spilled drops separated as all did beneath the waves. Compared to the darkness of the Lagoon’s waters, the red wisps were a source of light, a beacon.

Two eyes as deep as night opened somewhere from the depths of the Lagoon. Unfocused as they were, they wearily locked sight with the trickles of blood. An invisible force pushed them upwards, rising out of the deep, until a body broke the surface. Immediately, the tranquility beneath the Lagoon was switched for harsh noises of battle that hurt the girl’s ears. She might have chosen to cover them but instead stared at the Lagoon’s ceiling.

She made no move to intervene or participate in the battle. Some of the wolves who took notice of her didn’t raise their weapons to capture or kill. If anything, they ignored the new girl idly floating upon the water’s surface. She would remain there until approached but she prayed it wouldn’t happen too soon. Nothing would be better than to sink back into the depths where it was empty, cold, and still, where the Abyss was at its purest. But no, the noise kept coming.

It would seem any time to strategize their attack had vanished. Now it was them who were on the defense; though it did seem to make things easier. No need to coordinate any plans between them or those at the far end of the cavern. Especially now that they did the wonderful job of spiting themselves up in small, manageable groups. Azrael had showed just how much he cared for these things anyways as he charged forth to take care of one of the patrols. Rushing in with a sword of out no-where that confirmed his inhuman heritage. Something that probably wasn't anything more than a pleasant thought for Raula.

The swordsman wouldn't be the only one charging forth as the vampire caught a glimpse of the drow running towards them. A mystery vial in hand; Raula was quick to slide out her parasol. An elegant lace pattern opening up between the vampire and the leaping drow. She wasn't sure what was in that vial, but she wasn't going to stand there in case she was the intended target of a splash attack. Her umbrella twirled to match the drow's movements; eyes keeping watch as the woman emptied its contents on the group of wolves coming beside them. A smirk rising as she watched the results to the drow's actual attack.

"Hmph. As if I'd dabble with creatures such as those mutated canines. But you're not bad for a drow." Letting Willowa dispatch the rabble on her own, Raula spun her parasol and turned to face the emperor. "Well, I suppose talk of the pack alliance will be as it stands. On pause as the situation has changed." Raula wouldn't be polite enough for a bow as she melted into the ground she stood. A puddle of shadow mixing with the natural darkness of the cave.

Slipping her way to the mutated wolves, her hand popped up to grab hold of a discarded hammer before retreating back into darkness. Careful not to mix too closely with the grotesque transformations bursting out. The weapon was something she didn't plan on using, but it could come in handy should the situation arise. It was clear to her that she gave these wolves too much credit; but her friends here should be enough to keep the dogs entertained long enough. The only other creature of note was the lady of the lake rising from the lagoon. Something she'd ordinarily investigate if not for the prime opportunity to let the beasts play while she made her escape. Traveling fast through the shadows, and past the incoming horde of troops. Making her way up a ways closer to her goal of freedom before turning back into her true form. She was well out of sight of the battle behind her though could still hear the clash of battle. Turning back to speak to those left behind. "Pathetic. Useful, but I doubt most of you will last much longer. All I need is power to get through this place, and the freedom on the other side."

Turning back up the path, Raula held tight to her closed parasol. There was a good chance that they were still down there, somewhere. But could she really wait any longer? Perhaps it has been enough time to just move on in general.

The cat watched the others with careless boredom. Yawning with obvious distaste in their squabbles as her eyes bounced from the oni, to the rat, to vampire, to the drow. Noire sprawled out on her rock just as the real excitement started. Packs of wolves coming from every direction, to which many responded. Some fought back; but some, like the rat, caught the cat's attention as they scurried off. However that still wasn't enough to capture Noire's attention, especially now that she had just made herself comfortable. Instead, there she laid, watching the group of puppies explode into misshapen monstrosities.

A sound caught her attention, coming from behind her. One of the wolves had spotted her and had made its way over in hopes to make short work of an easy prisoner. Earning an irksome glare for involving her in the mess. The cold eyes, hungry for the dog's demise staring the wolf down would've been a warning if it wasn't also the last thing it would see. Immediately pouncing upon the would-be assassin and knocking the beast to the ground. Not a chance would be given for the dog to speak before a large claw wold force itself upon the meaty throat; pinning it to stone. Trails of crimson would leak where the claws punctured the flesh; effortlessly breaking the tough skin, but she was smart enough not to crush him completely. Not yet.

Instead, Noire would start with the dog's arms. String from the cat's own arm would wind itself around the dog's shoulders. Twisting and contorting his limbs until his bones broke and muscles tore. Toxin, all the while, leaking out to keep him from screaming; paralyzing him with a mind-numbing neuroleptic and set his mental-state aflame. More string winding its way across its body, tightening itself around a broken form and left collapsed on the ground. A trail of her toxin dripping off the bundle of bound fur from an excessive dosage.

"Hmm-nya? How bold of you. Sleep now, for you're going to not be able to once this fight is over. I'll make sure of it." The cat turned her angry gaze away from the pathetic dog and back to the rest of the cavern. Another creature had joined the room, this one hiding behind a rock, gazing outward. Noire was already bored of her perch and playing with the dogs as well; dragging her prey with her as she stalked the woman. Each sharp rock and jump crashing into her captive in spite; even if he was too far out of it to feel anything at this point.

Her sharp, blood-hungry eyes didn't calm as she padded silently behind the asian woman. A good distance of separation given between the cat and the rest of her string/arm holding the wolf down. "Enjoying the view, nya~? Its not every day monsters brawl on such a large scale and women appear from the lake. I'd go poke her instead, but I'd rather not get my fur wet just yet. It's a long way out of the Abyss to get water trapped in your boots so early."

To say that the wolves were absolutely shredded through would be an understatement to say the least, the walls and floor painted crimson with wolven blood as the escaped prisoners defended themselves from the ravenous pack. Jukati did a good job of grabbing the attention of one pack, letting Azrael take care of the group with his quintessence as they were distracted by the massive oni absolutely pummeling them. Willowa used her potion as a poison, ending the dogs with immense pain as they warped and deformed into misshapen monstrosities, while Noire took care of the third patrol with brutal efficiency. The fourth patrol was busy focusing their attentions on the ogre, but they would likely be dismantled quickly as the entire group turned their attentions on the remaining four. Well, remaining three, as the last leader whimpered away with tail in between legs. Someone was gonna have to report this to the boss, they were gonna need a lot more men if they wanted to get these prisoners back in their cells, better equipment too.

It was almost laughable how easily the wolves were destroyed, only by a fraction of the gathered group too. It brought to question how any of the hounds expected to re-imprison the inmates but perhaps eons of playing house with the humans and being good dogs had softened them up. Without a backbone provided by human hands, they were easily discouraged. The last leader continued his path away from the bloodbath, casting a single glance back with pity at how his pack was handled. Oh well. There were more of them to go around and several hundred of miles and more between the Abyss' prisons and the surface. It was this impartial moment that caused a shadow to flicker in the corner of his vision. Instinct told him to follow it and sure enough, a few bounds and leaps later had one of the prisoners in sight. It was a girl by the looks of it, and one that reeked of blood.

The wolf instantly went back into some primal state, the long accursed history between vampire and lupin kind going far into his blood and genes. Without warning or restraint, he raced fully towards Raula with intent to drag her back down by force and of a well-placed bite to the back of her throat. No such action occurred when the shadows stirred once again, but not by Raula's making. The hound hesitated just an inch as something else was leaking into shape, stautly put between the vampire and the wolf, though it wouldn't have been the first strange phenomena. After all, there was still a lady in the lake.

He hunched over and growled at the unknown shape, his hackles bristling as he bared his fangs at this unknown that had entered the scene. 'Just another prisoner to take back to their cell.' He thought as he pointed his sword at the strange thing, before leaping forwards and stabbing at it with a roar of primal fury. A foolish dog, one who would bare its fangs at everything and everyone, precisely why he had been chosen as the leader of the 'pack.'

The gathering blot had grown large and well, almost to the size of a man. But the wisps of shadows that could dim the pathway was no man, and the wolf's attack passed right through. Well, not completely. At some point halfway into the midsection, the wolf's blade found itself stuck and embedded into the dark mass. Like licorice, the blade made squelching noises the more it was buried in and only when the wolf released it did the sword fall lifeless to the ground, brittle like bone; though that wasn't much hard to achieve given their poor equipment. Indeed, no man stared back at the wolf, but a thing who resembled the shape of men. Mass gave way to rigid bone and a hollow skull with hollower eyes stared back at the dog. The rest of the great mass conformed into vague clothes, the creature's skull unblinking.

"Who taught you to swing a sword like that?" it asked. Curiosity bubbled in its nature and voice. It acted indifferently to Raula; it was doubtful it knew she was there.

The wolf yelped in confusion as his blow met naught but shadow, stumbling forwards before stopping as something grabbed his sword. He let go and backed off, the sound of shattering iron ringing through the air as his pathetic sword shattered like ice on the ground. Whatever, he didn't need that shitty old sword to take down this upstart prisoner. He would rely on his claws and fangs, just like he did to get here. "None of your damn business prisoner!" He snarled, clawing at the inmate's face to put him down. A foolish dog indeed.

Before such feral claws could reach the creature's skull, a force slammed the dog back down, hard enough to place him on his back. The culprit revealed was a wooden staff in the creature's hand, the end pummeled against the wolf's chest. "I don't want to kill you without reason. In addition to my first question, I would like to ask where your masters are." Despite his thin shape, there was an undeniable strength in the creature's grip and arm. His words conveyed a hollow, almost objective tone that was nearly as barren as his visage. However, it was only not that he noticed there was someone else in close proximity. Straightening up, he caught Raula in the corner of his vision and slowly turned to her.

"What do you think? Does he look like someone who carries around important information? Or was his rank just by happenstance?"

"Go to hell skullface!" The wolf snarled, grabbing at the stick and doing his damndest to try and wrench it off his chest, or maybe break it, something! God damn this guy was strong, what the hell was under that suit? He looked over to Raula, snarling and baring his fangs to try and scare the vampire off, he'd be damned before he would let a god damn bloodsucker get to him!

Raula put away her parasol. Such thoughts were out of place where there was so much left of it to go. It was still possible for them to meet, yet even then she wasn't sure if that was what she wanted. No, now wasn't the time to get lost in the thoughts of pointless scenarios that had nothing to do with the present. She was escaping; is escaping. That was what she had decided to do, and she was going to finish that first, before moving on to other topics. Raula took in hand the hammer she stole and pressed the head of it flat against her palm. The battle behind her had seem to come to its close and she could hear the charging of what could only be one of the wolves. A hit of terror as she cursed herself for being distracted with personal affairs and tightened the grip around her weapon.

The vampire would turn around too late; hearing the rabid snarls of the beast run up through the tunnels to mere feet behind her in seconds flat. She was prepared to swing her hammer around regardless. To fight back the beast despite the blow she was sure to take and hope for the best. But instead her hammer fell; slipping out of her grasp in her surprise. A black veil standing between her and the wolf, now with a sword sliding into the mass. A strike that would've likely severely harmed her at best had the other shadow not intervened; possibly saving her life.

She would stand there, a few moments to compose herself as she watched the sword slip out and the shadow take shape. A man forming to reveal a rather well put together monster given the state of this prison. She remained silent, letting the man talk and beat the dog into its place. A bit shy to speak once he started to converse with her but quickly regaining her venomous tone once the dog spoke once more. "How bold of a mutt like you to speak so crudely in your position. I'd imagine you'd be better begging to offer any information you had than to spit poor words to those with a leash around your neck." As calm as Raula's words left her mouth; she was still quite surprised herself at the man appearing from darkness the same as her.

"I don't see how any of their kind can be of any useful rank, save for the fact they're all just mindless, raging brutes. Perhaps this was simply the best of them. Though, if any of them would know anything; it would probably be this one. And perhaps the only one we'll be able to get anything from." Walking around the side of the man, she eyed him with great interest. Keeping the dog in view at all times, but confident he was keeping it held down safely. "I don't remember seeing you down there with the rest of the fleeing prisoners. But you have my thanks. It could've ended badly had you not saved me." Clearing her throat, she turned towards the dog. Picking up her hammer and swinging idly in circles to get used to its weight. "Did you want me to take a crack at this dog? To see what he knows? I suppose I owe you more; though, I don't have much to offer as of right now."

---

The sound of rattling chains echoed faintly through the lagoon as the events continued to unfold. It lasted only a moment, as long as it took for the lady in the lake to step out of her watery stage. Her reaction was seemingly prompted either by the arrival of the mysterious skull-faced man or the defeat of the last of the lupine guards.

Not a word left her lips as she joined Raula and the other being. The mysterious, placid smile in face remained static as she knelt by the werewolf leader and petted his head just like one pets a puppy. Once she was satisfied with whatever intention she might have, Pandora looked up, alternating her indecipherable gaze between the skull being and the vampire.

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Azrael calmly slashed the throat of the last werewolf that had been pestering him, his expression one of pure ice as he stared down at the sputtering mutt that was slowly choking on its own blood. Dispelling his quintessence, and taking a few seconds to adjust himself to odd currents of energy now churning throughout his insides, the fallen seraph turned away from the bloody scene and headed back to where he had last seen Velo and Raula, only to find the vampire gone.

"Hmph. How typical that a creature born of shadow scurries away at the first sign of trouble," he muttered, staring at the patch of ground she had once occupied, his eyes narrowed into slits. Granted, he couldn't exactly blame her for running. Her ultimate goal seemed to be very similar to his own, that being escape, and as such running would be the most logical course of action. That and hiding. Still the fact she had fled, even after they'd seemingly finalized their deal, irked him.

Not that there was anything he could do about it now though. So, pushing those thoughts aside for the time being, Azrael took some time to consider his next move. If he advanced alone then he was at major risk of dying since no one would be there to pull his ass out of the fire, but on the other hand should he travel with some other prisoner's, then he ran the risk of betrayal.

The situation was an indecisive one to say the least.

The werewolves were truly pathetic jailors without the benefits of the Abyss' many warded cells and carefully maintained security to hide behind, and it was only the advantage of numbers that lent them any credence as a threat in the current state of affairs. As Willowa sat upon a groaning mound of meat that was formerly a jailor, taking in the defeat of the other packs, she noted that even that pitiful edge was dulling and chipping under the force of unified escapees.

Of course, they weren't in anyway organized themselves, what with the vampire just trying to run away and leave them to the mess, but karma was a fickle mistress and nearly smited her for it had not another monstrous entity moved to intercede itself between ragged blade and alabester flesh caught in the eternal repose of undeath. Willowa found her breath coming out in heated gasps, tongue darting between parted lips as the lagoon was made wet with the spilt blood of mongrels, but her excitement was short lived and she huffed, unsatisfied, as it ended all too soon.

"It appears there is no need for you to live longer with a far healthier speciment captured. Unfortunately for you lot, I have no reason to waste time mercifully ending you either. If you're lucky, you may yet be able to end your own lives before another bottom feeder comes to eat your mishapen flesh to the bone~" Willowa said in a sing-song voice, patting her former seat before twirling to join the gathering group, letting the last echoes of her sadistic impulses let her feel a twinge of excitement at the artful motion. Arriving in a whirl of robes, she found her eyes drifting to the strange one who moved with a sound akin to rattling chains yet acted with the seeming innocence of a child, even going so far as to pet the captured wolf like one does a cute, fluffy animal.

"In all my time here selling between the cells, I don't think we've been introduced. Willowa Turnas," She said, gesticulating to herself with a roll of the wrist before turning it about to Pandora, fingers splayed out beneath the strange woman's chin, gently tilting it up to meet the tall drow's eyes with a tap. "And you would be?"

The emperor hated interruptions. In fact, interruptions from minor beings was the worst kind of thing that could screech his speech to a halt. If he was describe the werewolves, he'd compare them to something like a slug congealing off a wall with a sickening thud. Their presence alone was like walking through sludge. Filthy. FILTHY. FILTHY! And filth? A god emperor like Velo the 27th must purge such things from his sight.

The emperor raised his hand as he took a step back. The emperor did not get his hands dirty with filth. Instead, he had his Right Hand for that. Well that, and his drones. His cloak opened up, and three drones unfurled from the depths of his imperial majesty. Those three drones surged out, seeking out distracted targets amongst the pack, and zapping them. Arcing electricity sizzled at their fur, before the massive claw of his Right Hand would smear their brains along the floor. That electrical charge coursing through their bodies was the last feeling some of them might feel. Violence was the call of beasts, and humans were beasts.

A sharp pain exploded in the emperor's chest, an arrow notched right into his chest. An arrow plunged into his heart, or where it should be. Piercing through his chest, and pinning the back of his cape to his back. Disgusting. Velo scowled as he pulled it out, throwing it aside. Where the wound was, a red liquid drooled out. But, it clearly wasn't blood. It was too thick, like maple syrup. Oozing out, before stopping midway down his chest. As if time was rewinding, it was being pulled right back towards the wound, rolling and gushing back into the small hole the arrow had left behind. Any ooze on the arrow leapt off the blade, joining the rest of his 'blood' in his chest. Hardening, it became flesh once more.

"Filth that lays hands on a God Emperor must DIE!" Velo snarled, finally showing some bite of his own. His finger gestured, and all the drones, and his right hand, descended upon the werewolf archer who had personally crossed him. It was likely he'd be a smear well before the emperor's fury was spent on his corpse.

"Azrael." Velo said, finally relaxing as he approached the fallen angel. Using his name, what an honor for the genocidal monster. "Once we are free, is there anything you desire? As the rightful emperor of all humans, I can offer you any desire that fleets past your vision. Consider it a gift if you will, for giving your aid in my ceremonial return to the surface."

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"What I desire would probably send you into a fit, Velo, and it is most certainly not something you alone could grant me," Azrael replied, directing his gaze towards the emperor. "Unless, of course, you possess a means of eradicating every last human on the planet..."

The fallen seraph paused only for the briefest of moments before continuing, an implication laden smirk twisting the pale features of his face the only foreshadowing to his response.

"Yourself included."

Perhaps it was a stupid thing to say. A foolish revelation that ultimately underminded his position here among this group of abyssal misfits, but then again, what will be will be. There was no going back now. Granted, it wasn't as though he'd have taken back his words in any case. Despite their discussions over the years and shared hatred of humanity Azrael still saw Velo as a human, albeit one who had managed to luck his way into immortality, and as such had a certain amount of disdain for the fellow. A feeling that was only compounded further by the man's arrogant attitude. He supposed it made sense, since Velo couldn't technically be killed as far as he knew, but by the Seventeen was it annoying.

"But, of course, you don't," Azrael said, pushing such thoughts to the recesses of his mind for the time being. "Even if you did you still wouldn't use it, that much I know for sure. You'd rather rule the humans than eradicate them. A foolish goal far more difficult to achieve than mine own given their rebellious natures. Still-"

He pauses once more, clasping his hands behind his back this time as his expression returns to its usual stoic state.

"There's no accounting for taste I suppose. All of that aside, however, I'm more concerned with what you can do in the here and now."

Azrael takes a step forward, his eyes catlike slits of cold calculation.

"We still need to make our way out of this place," he says, gesturing to the cavernous space around them. "And seeing how our vampiric friend abandoned us, I'd say we need to join forces now more than ever. Two heads are better than one after all, and unlike the bloodsucker, I am more than willing to hold up my end of the agreement."

He cocks his head to the side slightly, a sly smile making its way across his face.

"So, what do you say?"

It was a shame that the werewolves insisted on fighting to the last, that much Slarg registered even as he was bashing the last one into the floor. They were savage, and ferocious, and most of all tenacious. They would have fit in fine in his own army, back in the day, harassing enemy flanks and taking out their scouts in the night. Alas, they made a pitiful sight here, with their rusted, pitted blades. Their spears were handily outranged by Slarg's club, and their numbers weren't close to enough to circle him. The other escapees had even taking to toying with the things - Slarg might have too, but he was not in the mood. His limbs still ached from his long imprisonment, and he hadn't had a decent meal in ages. Stringy wolf-meat was the worst, and eating it raw off the ground was no way for a great chief to live. He offhandedly munched on a werewolf torso as he parried a spear-thrust, twisting his club so the rusted old thing snapped between the club's assorted protrusions. Slarg was not a scholar of rare monsters, but he had plenty of time to observe his fellow prisoners, and their behaviour put him at ease; they could certainly not be human. The red one fought with the strength of a beast twice her size or more. She also yelled a lot, which was always a plus.

Finally, the last werewolf got a little too close, and Slarg got it with a backhanded blow that sent it skipping across the surface of the lagoon. Following its bouncing path with amusement, the ogre grinned to himself - the first real humour he'd found in anything since the defeat of his army - until he noticed something floating in the water. A tiny body, bobbing up and down with the gentle disturbances in the lagoon's surface. Slarg narrowed his eyes. His kind were comfortable in dark caves, and he was quite certain of what he was seeing. It looked very much like a human, and very much like it was playing dead. Clever, in a way, but Slarg was much too wise and cunning to fall for a simple trick like that, and his revenge on the wretched humans would not be stopped by a few feet of water. Reaching down, he grabbed the battered remains of one of the werewolves, and flung it toward the girl in the water. That should be enough to see if she were alive.

---

Chryseis was pestered on his way towards the lagoon. He dealt with every wonderful annoyance that bared their fangs against him, which only left him hungry for more. Much to his misfortune, the rest of the packs were already cleaned up and dealt with by some strange individuals in the lagoon.

A party of strange creatures no different than what he is awaited him. The large lion sauntered over to the more interesting group in his eyes. Someone dressed like royalty with the shape of a pure human being, and another exquisite being in the shape of a human as well. These two...

He may have possibly heard of them in the past, but he barely remembers those days. It all blended together until now where he truly awakened himself. Instead of reminiscing though, he should be greeting these two. He gracefully prowled the lagoon until he came within a foot of them both.

"Pray tell me, what are your names?" He's interested in these being which radiate vigor. The human draped in dark clothes and the royal human that emanates extravagance and arrogance not unfounded. The both of them would serve as worthy opponents or great allies. Either way would mean the same to Chryseis, for he would love them both no matter their choice.

There was also another reason why he came to talk to them. The feeling of tension in the air between those two. He could feel the chaos coming to a boil unlike with the other groups of strangers. The turgid air was being ignited by the clashing wills on both sides, so there's no way he could just miss something as beautiful as that. A dance of wits or battles, both are ardent in their own ways. After all, conflict is the most sincere form of love. The path of the deepest bond leads to a mutual self-destruction. The antimony that Chryseis acknowledges. The contradiction that he holds as the world's truth.

In short, he would love to know these two.

“A mindless mutt still knows when to follow orders. If there’s been information passed to his head, he would know it,” said the skull-faced being. Much like before, his voice held no rise in emotion or dip in range. Every syllable to pass through his lack of lips were objective, as hollow and yet as sunken as his face. “Even if it means splitting that head into pieces. Knowledge is knowledge after all.” He referred to nothing more than the great hammer held in Raula’s hand, a weapon that inspired fear into the werewolf despite his bravado; of this, the skull-faced being could see in his animalistic eyes.

“Oh, I wouldn’t think you have nothing to offer me vampire. An eye for an eye, is how they say both above and below. The shadows in the walls tell me your trust is hard-earned, but well worth the efforts,” he said. Before he could say more, the two of them were joined by two others in short. His grip on his staff didn’t lessen or rise even as Pandora huddled close to the wolf and pet it with….compassion? Kindness? Who knew from the silent girl who seemed to react based off emotions instead of her lips. The second add-on was a drow, one who was much more expressive.

As Willowa held her attention to the chain-rattling girl, the skull-faced being turned his sights on her now. “Drow…no, Willowa. Are there any surviving werewolves in the Lagoon?” Indeed, the wet caverns were wetter still by the spray of red left over from the skirmish. Where rock once dominated the landscape, now the departed corpses of lupine kind dotted each crevice. The werewolf beneath the staff, still pinned down and now glaring at everyone who joined, howled in his grief from the passing of his brothers. The skull-faced being ignored his yips.

“You will offer me your services vampire, just as I have given mine. Survival is better in numbers. Do you have any hypnotic methods to extract information?” He turned once more to Willowa now. “If there are any survivors, round them up. I would like to consider the possibility of swaying them to our side. They’d be a great boon in our escape from this place.” There was little, if any, hesitation in his words and his tone was almost communal. He even lifted his staff away, fully expecting the three girls present to keep the wolf from attacking or escaping.

The sound of his staff meeting with the floor was no doubt a sound to consider, one that echoed as he descended further and back into the main section of the Lagoon. It didn’t take very long, no time at all, noting a second trio of Abyss dwellers. “Does that offer extend to more than one person?” he asked Azrael, catching the last ends of his conversation with the Emperor. His skull moved in a nod of acknowledgement both to him and Chryseis. “The Abyss holds many who would betray one another, be it by greed or personal gain. Never do they consider the strength that can be held in numbers. A simple, almost too simple, concept invented by humans.”

His expression didn’t change for obvious reasons, but he finally budged slightly when a loud splash reverberated around the cavern walls. It came from an ogre and a rather large one at that. “Steady, friend. There is nothing there for you to smash,” said the skull-faced being. Indeed, he was right, for Pandora was long since gone and away from the Lagoon’s waters. Whatever Slarg had seen was perhaps only a trick of the mind provided by the Abyss’ strange ways.

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Jukati's ferocious strength and rage was more than enough to pummel the wolves into a fine red paste. With her strength combined with the methods from the other convicts, they all proved too much for their opponents to handle. As she brutally snapped the neck of the last wolf, she tossed it aside before issuing a resonating bellow of triumph. She was more than ready to slaughter more had there been anymore, but alas she must accept with the number she had.

"Hmph," she grunted to herself as she kicked a wolf corpse, "And I was ready for more..."

Speaking of more, she then cocked her head to see one last wolf who lunged at the vampiric lady. For a split second the oni's rage returned, only for it to vanish as a new face entered the lagoon - one made of shadow and bone. He gripped the beast within his skeletal hand as conversation broke out before he plunged him into the ground. Yet it wouldn't be killed, not yet at least. Intrigued, the oni began to approach them.

"Oi," she growled bluntly as she eyed the being's crimson pupils deep within his dark cranial orifices, "Wadd'are you? And waddya doin' here?"

While she attempted to grab its attention, she would notice another figure approach the fallen werewolf amongst the bone-man's side. It took the form of a small dainty-looking girl who remained mute throughout the entire ordeal. She seemed to be an interesting case, one which Jukati will not deal with now. Soon she found herself next to Willowa, in which she admittedly muttered to her:

"I suppose ya potion wuddn't dogshit after all." she admitted, "We 'ill talk more later."

Now with the bone-man assuming control of the situation and ordering everyone to search for survivors, the oni would walk straight towards him with a piercing stare.

"Who are ya'?" she asked swiftly with an inquisitive stare.

Her mind also happened to wonder where the rat-man had gone. He had seemed to made up her mind about their alliance...

---

As Jukati wondered just where Rafiq had gone, the answer would present itself shortly. Very shortly, both literally and metaphorically. "Very good, you are as I thought! Strong, mighty, angry, very angry! This will be a fruitful partnership! Partnership, collaboration, relationship." A voice squeaked near Jukati's ear, as a certain rat slowly turned visible. Rafiq was much smaller than they were just a minute ago, a size more befitting the rat they were some would say, but it was a useful tool for when one wanted to get somewhere they weren't supposed to be. Combining Rafiq's unique brand of magic with the Ratatoskr's own natural ability to erase their presence from the world, it was more than easy to just hang onto Jukati while she was fighting, staying hidden from the wolves' senses until the battle was over. Worst case scenario that Jukati and the others somehow lost, they would just hide under the oni's corpse until the wolves left, then loot the corpses of everyone and move on.

"Your potions are adequate Willowa of Turnas. We will talk more later about working out deals." They said as Jukati passed by the drow. Being a master thief was all well and good, but having someone to sell it to was equally important. No point stealing unless you could make a profit off it after all.

Suddenly the hair on the back of Rafiq's neck bristled as they felt a certain... gaze, fall upon them. Something equivalent to death, something Rafiq most certainly didn't want to get caught by. Their eyes darted back and forth around the lagoon, finally settling on the... cat, thing watching them. "I will need much protection from the cat. Protection, defense, safety." They whispered in Jukati's ear, scurrying over to the other shoulder to put something in between them and the cat. Even if it was Jukati's own neck.

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"Azrael," the exiled angel replied, glancing over at the lion briefly. "As for my offer horned one, it extends to everyone willing to turn their wrath towards the miserable creatures above rather than towards each other, like savages."

Azrael crossed his arms, drumming his slender fingers against his forearm. He knew being this trusting was a huge gamble, but he didn't really have another choice. He would only get so far by himself in the world above, especially if any of his brothers or sisters got involved, so allies were a necessity. Not just any allies, however. Good allies. One's he could trust not to slit his throat or pick his pocket when he least expected it. So far few of the beings gathered round showed such promise. Perhaps the Oni, if only because she seemed to have an even greater hatred of humans than he did, or Velo as risky as that was. It wasn't as if he could threaten the unkillable bastard, or use some other form of intimidation, after all.

Then again, maybe he wouldn't need to. Maybe, if he played his cards just right, he could use the immortal emperors overwhelming arrogance to his own ends. He'd have to be careful though.

Very careful.

One wrong move and he'd make an enemy for life, and then some.

---

The whimpering cries of the last werewolf brought a shade of sadness to Pandora’s eyes. Her gaze turned away from Raula, following every step of the skull-faced being as he—it?—approached the rest of the group by the lagoon.

However, the target of her sapphire-like irises would change in a moment as she was approached by the dark elf—a merchant of the depths, cast into the Abyss after one too many bad deals.

“…” Not a whisper came from Pandora’s lips as her gaze was captured by Willowa, nevertheless, her mysterious smile turned into an inquisitive one.

The soft nudge on her chin made Pandora stand up just as Jukati—the mighty oni warrior, imprisoned for being the living incarnation of the cardinal sin of wrath—joined them. Once again, the faint rattling of ethereal chains followed her, present but barely audible as if it came from the very depths of the Abyss itself.

The sadness in Pandora’s face seemed more pronounced for an instant after being asked about her identity.

She parted her lips as if trying to vocalize something, yet her silence continued all the same as she retracted the move, going back to her doll-like smile.

She had expected an answer, whether a name or a dismissal of the Drow's close contact. Receiving neither had the Drow raising a brow, curious by the seeming effort to speak yet the stranger was lacking in a voice. Her initial instinct was to see her a potion to restore her voice....but such was not in her wares, and she doubted one with as...soft, a temperment as their fair creature would be able to meet her demands with any degree of ease. Brushed a thumb across Pandora's cheek, she returned the smile with an airy laugh.

"No name be required and no words spoken should you ever find yourself in need of my goods. I'm quite good with pantomime should the need arise." Willowa said, parting from her as the Oni and Rat returned, offering acknowledgement of her goods. That was swell, as she'd have felt rather put out if they hadn't noticed the pile of still moaning wolfman lumped along the lagoon's shores. She might have even had a barbed comment to throw the rat's way about their own cowardice if it wasn't screeching about cats.

Certainly, there was a talking lion that had approached them, the area seeming to now team with escapees looking to gather their wits and might into a unified force, but the rat's focus was turned elsewhere. It was a given that everyone present was accostomed to the dark, but few were as naturally gifted as a Dark Elf, and with a direction provided by Rafiq she could pin point the crouched outline of a lascivious feline above the rocky crags.

"It seems we have even more waiting in the rafters. If only they'd come down before we left them to handle things on their lonesome!" Willowa barked sharply, eyes intent upon the poorly concealed feline who couldn't even think to keep her shapely rear end from poking out from behind the rocks. She could only keep so focused when the man of skull and shadow tried to direct her to round up survivors, a task she scoffed at with barely a glance.

"Sure, a few live, but I made sure they are in no condition to be of help to anyone, least of all themselves. If you are so desperate for cannon fodder, perhaps take the initiative with the next marauding patrol."

It was certainly an interesting moment talking to the fallen creature that Azrael was. Fallen in a sense that it had fallen from his creator's good graces, and been left to languish for all eternity. On the other side, Velo the 27th considered himself blessed in many ways. For example, he was always going to drink fine wine, and he was always going to rule. In one way or another.

It was true what Azrael said. Even if he did have a machine to eradicate all humans, he wouldn't use it. It was meaningless to use such a thing, as monsters were a absolute chore to control, unlike humans. All you had to do was breed them to have absolute faith in a central power. The rebels who appear once a decade would be torn apart by his loyals. That was how it goes.

"Well, I'm more than accepting of an alliance, and to allow others to join." Velo said, gesturing briefly to Chryseis and the strange skull-like being. "You may both refer to me as Emperor Velo the 27th, Divine Leader of the Unending Empire that Conquered the Heavens. Or simply Emperor Velo, if that is too much effort on your behalf." He could have used his full title, which took at least two minutes to completely rattle off. But he didn't want to waste too much time. He was immortal, but he still had to live in the moment.

"Either way, we should start. The other groups that are gathering shall no doubt follow behind us."