[IC] The Room

[2BlackJack1]

*Karma turns into a black smoke again, and disappears into the ground*
*The familiar reappears several yards behind the Tigerlord, and remains smirking*
Devils never die. Leave now, and only your sister will.

[Overlord Thraka]

*The Tigerlord roars and is about to charge when a voice speaks from the shadows of a tree. it cracks like a whip*
Voice: Togan! Enough! Take you sister and return home.
*At once the huge tigerlord stops and bows*
Togan: At once father.
*He picks up his sister and turns to walk away*

*A looming figure steps forwards, still hidden in shadow. Though much larger than any human, he's not as big as Togan. The only truly visible aspect of his are his eyes. Bright, cold, yellow eye glare at Karma*
Figure: Who be you that comes here?

[2BlackJack1]

*Karma folds her arms across her chest and meets the figure's gaze, her own black eyes boring back at his*
Something that shouldn't be crossed. You?

[Overlord Thraka]

*The figure takes a few steps forwards, his gait odd, unbalanced.*
Figure: Tiaz I be. Crossed? We don't cross, only take woman for us. She is very beautiful, she would make good slave...

*Iris shudders in fear, pressed against a tree on the opposite side of the clearing from Tiaz*
*Tiaz snarls at her then looks back at Karma*
Tiaz: Why you interfere with my affairs? It is not your place

[2BlackJack1]

*Karma shakes her head*
The girl is not for you to take. And I interfere when and where I please.

[Overlord Thraka]

*Tiaz growls and steps from the shadows. He's tall, over 8 feet, but hunched badly and leaning on a staff. He's draped in a huge dark purple cloak that hides most of his face and body bar the tip of his snout, his handpaws and footpaws.*
*One footpaw is bent awkwardly inward, almost like a club foot and he's missing 2 fingers on his left hand*
Tiaz: You are arrogant! Like others past you try to stop me and mine! Not your business what we do! Traditions to be kept, the girl is weak, we will take her. That is the way of things! Now stand aside lest I take you to!
*He snarls and reaches under his cloak for something*
Tiaz: Last chance woman! You leave now or suffer!

*Mergoux gets up to look for Lecter, angry at seemingly being stood-up*

[2BlackJack1]

*Lecter walks out of the side room and frowns when he sees Merg's angry expression*
Lecter: Is something wrong?

*Karma smirks*
Mortals and their traditions. I'm taking the girl for myself, and you will be grateful I didn't kill you here.
*more black smoke begins to form around Karma's feet*

[Overlord Thraka]

*Tiaz snarls*
Tiaz: You take her? What use have you for her!?
*He observes Karma carefully before snorting*
Tiaz: No. You not take her. I not take her. Death take her.
*He draws a battered old crossbow from under his cloak and fires it at Iris. The bolt sinks into her side and Iris gasps in shock and pain, clutching at the steel tipped dart in her side*
*Tiaz quickly begins to shuffle away, cackling to himself*
Tiaz: Two choices woman! Save girl or come after me! Make choice wisely!
*He continue to awkwardly shuffle off, laughing maniacally*

*Mergoux folds her arms and glares*
Mergoux: I've been waiting. We were supposed to go hunting yeah?

[2BlackJack1]

*Lecter frowns briefly, then nods with recognition*
Lecter: I apologize, I was talking with Hanna. I must've lost track of time. I am still ready to go if you are, however.

*Karma keeps smirking as she walks Tiaz walk away*
You are fortunate that Lecter is partial to mortals.
*Karma floats over to Iris, leaving a trail of black smoke behind her*
You are also fortunate.

[Overlord Thraka]

*Mergoux frowns*
Mergoux: Hanna? Who- nevermind, not important. Let's just get hunting.
*She double checks her gear and walks out the door towards the forest*

*Iris's breathing is ragged and panting as she stares up at Karma, still very afraid and now in a lot of pain. Her hands are still clasped over the bolt, trying to stem the bleeding but her hands are still covered in blood*
Iris: H-help... please...
*Her voice is weak and she looks weak as well*

[2BlackJack1]

*Lecter nods and follows after Mergoux*
Lecter: Has anyone else tried to hunt your Devil?

*Karma stoops down and lifts Iris up, not having any troubles with lifting her*
Only because you said please.
*She starts carrying Iris back towards the Room, never touching the ground while she goes*

[Overlord Thraka]

*Mergoux nods*
Mergoux: A few, Silvan's Grandfather was one who helped me, along with a few others.
*She sighs*
Mergoux: We've come close a few times, but never managed to get him...

*Iris bleeds badly and eventually passes out in Karma's arms*

*Tiaz vanishes into the forest*

[2BlackJack1]

*Lecter nods again*
Lecter: Now we'll get him. I can almost guarantee that your Devil hasn't met someone like me.
*The Devil Hunter says this matter of factly, without any trace of arrogance*

*Karma closes her eyes briefly as she walks, and focuses on Iris. Some of Karma's smoke goes into Iris' nostrils, and the elder's breathing and heart rate begin to slow*
*Karma reopens her eyes and keeps going*

[Overlord Thraka]

*Mergoux frowns, not liking what she sees as arrogance*
Mergoux: Maybe... but I doubt you've met anything like The Twisted Shaman
*She walks along, entering the woods and heading towards Iris and Karma unbeknownst to her*

*Iris's breathing and heartrate slow down, prolonging her life*

[2BlackJack1]

*Lecter shrugs*
Lecter: The gates of Hell make sure that you see Devils of every kind. But that doesn't mean I am not cautious. That just encourages an early death.

[Vulkan 707]

*John slowly rises from his corner of the bar, and walks into the kitchen.*
*Starts cooking up some meat, not really paying attention to anything.*

---
*Four armed robot scanners scan his surroundings, and watches Karma and Iris.*
*It adjusts it's position so it's front is facing the pair.*

[Overlord Thraka]

*Mergoux frowns, pauses and draws her sword*
Mergoux: I smell something... smells like blood...
*She steps forwards into the clearing where Iris was previously*
Mergoux: Someone's been busy. Look at this!
*She dips her fingers in a pool of Iris's blood and stares at it*
Mergoux: It smells like blood...
*She darts her tongue out to taste it*
Mergoux: It's blood alright, but look, it's changing colors!
*She spots something on the other side of the clearing, walks over and picks up the severed finger of the Tigerlady*
Mergoux: Weretiger! We're on the right track then!

*Iris is still out of it*

[2BlackJack1]

*Lecter nods and looks around*
*His uneasy feeling from before returns, and he shakes his head to clear it*
Lecter: Karma was here. But something was wrong. Let's keep going.

*Karma, sensing for living beings, doesn't notice the robot while she keeps moving towards the Room*

[Overlord Thraka]

*Mergoux nods and crouches low, walking slowly and trying to find any tracks*
Mergoux: Well then maybe you should call Karma if you can. Maybe there's something that bird could do to guide us..

*Iris is still out of it*

*Horus is in the gym*

[2BlackJack1]

*Lecter nods*
Lecter: She may not be able to answer it.
*The Devil Hunter pulls his hand out of his coat, happy to note that it's no longer demonic, and he promptly bites the webbing between his thumb and index finger, just enough to draw blood*
Lecter: Karma, I need you.

*Karma's eyes widen slightly as she's called on, and with a wave of her hand Iris is surrounded by smoke. Another wave of her hand sends Iris, now entombed within the smoke, floating towards the Room*
*Karma turns to a wisp of fog, and reforms next to Mergoux and Lecter, appearing theatrically out of the ground*
You called for me?