[IC] Royal Rumble!

[Dezuel]

Andreim

It felt like it had taken ages since he first fell into her room. But he was not to linger for too long, otherwise he would have caused trouble for Lise. Despite he wanted to stay, it would have to wait until later. He bid his leave by planting a kiss at her cheek. "Let's meet up by the park this weekend?"

He had given her a few moments to ponder on it. Before he finally snuck out of her room during the night, the corridor was empty. Briefly he had considered the odds of being caught and that he could have borrowed some dress from Lise to pretend to be a girl. But it would have caused more trouble once he would have exited the girls dorm.

Imagine if Katherine would have spotted him in such a disguise? That very picture drew him out of that plan as swift as Alto's light. Thus he made it out without it, thankfully not running into anyone or being spotted in the corridor. He activated his thermal vision just to be certain.

Upon getting to his own bed he fell down, placing his hand on his face, pinching himself to see if he was dreaming. But it had not been a dream. Lady Liselotte had answered him, his greatest challenge, his greatest obstacle which could deter him from his future was now with him. He drew his hand down his face.

It was kind of her to allow me to use her shower. While I could use my powers for such a thing, the power is not a toy. It is a gift from the gods, a gift which shall be used properly. Even my morally wrong parents knew this. It's a weapon and your shield, with it you can control your surrounding and those in it.

He turned abit in his bed, placing himself on the side. Leaning against one of his arms and the other holding unto his head.

So many wish to use the power to do evil, because the power stems from evil gods. But if one wipe out evil, the amount remaining would be easier to take care of. The task of a god. To guide the future to a better one no matter what. A leader to gather the rest under him or her, then to ally and destroy the evil. Lise and I. We shall have to be the ones to guide this world forwards, someone must take the mantle and the world is rotten. The evil ones get away with their wicked desires and none can stop them.

What this world needs is a revolution.

Fire to scorch the world and cleanse it of those who defile it, then water to wash away the debris to allow new growth to begin. A better world that is to come.

I will win the tournament for lady Lise, but also for myself and the world that is to come. For that very sake I must not lose. I will win it and from that I will gain the respect and the acknowledgement from the others, even my enemies. Then I will gather my comerades, those who share my vision of a grand new future. For a blue and pure world free of war. But in order to get there, one final war must be fought against the dark. Like a gardener tending to the garden. When you look at it, this world of ours is indeed a large garden with all manner of plants within it. Lise is a rose ofcourse. But there are plants who are bad for the garden, which taint and contaminate the others and spread like weeds. They have to be cut down, pulled up in their roots and tossed into the cleansing pyre.

A tedious work but someone has to do it. If I have to become a god in order to do it so be it. We must train. We must all train. To be stronger. In both will and skill, in might and magic. My parents crafted me into a destroyer, and a destroyer I will be. But of people like them. The only one who made me forget about the cause were you my dear Lise. You who shine brightests of all the stars in the universe, and now you have embraced me with your light and that has empowered me even further. Now I am complete.

Like the thermometer, there is a point where there is a large shift in things. My motivation and determination has never been as strong as it is now. Katherine, Samoth, Cassius, William, Meredith, Alto... even you foxboy can be part of the magnificent world that is to come. But we need to remove parts of the old world first. It is a thing to build for the future, for now it is all about us getting stronger here in this school then when we finally leave it we should create the group which shall spark the flame.

Andreim turned over to look up at the ceiling. This is my real destiny. No.. not only mine but the destiny of the entire world. I'll save it. I will. Freedom for the world. This is far grander than the petty scheme you had in mind for me my parents. To usurp Clara's place in some school for the wicked? No. I will hunt down and destroy all the evil. A path greater than any other you had planned for me. I never was, nor will I ever be your puppet.

ELF. The elemental liberation front. It does sound good. Wind to blow the fire over the wicked, water to wash the debris away and earth to grow anew. Volkazar. That name has always meant nothing to me. I'll need a new last name. While Liselotte's lastname is good it is just too long. I shall have to sleep on that and much more. None knows yet what I intend to do. What I must do. They will in time.

He closed his eyes and slept.

[Bartimaeus]

A couple of hours after returning from his trip to the lab...

Aram stomped tiredly up the steps leading to his apartment. Today's been a long one... he thought.

He lived alone. Despite his talkative nature and overall social tendencies, he liked living alone. It gave him time to think. Time to do things he enjoyed, rather than get cats out of trees or almost die in an excluded, creepy, abandoned laboratory...

He reached his door, taking off his fedora and withdrawing a key from his breast pocket, before opening it and stepping inside.
He then removed his suit, placing it and his hat on the coat-rack near the door. These objects were closely followed by his satchel and his armor.

He continued to plop on the couch, lazily grabbing the remote and turning on the TV after removing his shoes. It came on, already showing his preferred channel. The only channel he watched, really.

The screen displayed a black and white scene; a man in a fedora and pinstripe suit holding a Thompson Submachine gun, which he had pointed at a detective and a woman.

"Don't do it, big Tony. This isn't what you want. The twelve'll be on you like wine on rice, Tony! Drop the gun."

"Quiet, detective! Nobody asked for your two-cents-worth!" the man on the left said, brandishing his gun.

"You can still leave here alive, Tony! Just let us walk.." the detective pleaded.

"I said dummy-up!"

Aram got up from the couch after having been watching for a minute, and moved to the kitchen. He'd seen the whole series at least a dozen times. He'd seen all the movies. Watching the same thing over and over again got boring after a while...

He went to fridge, taking out a couple of carrots before moving to the counter, and placing them on a chopping board as he grabbed a nearby knife. He began chopping while listening to the Television.

Can't wait for that remake they're puttin' together. But they better keep the originality. If they screw that up, I don't know what I'll watch. he thought.

That'd be swell, yeah. I could dig that. A classical remake. I've been needing a little boost...I don't feel myself- his thought was interrupted when he accidentally nicked his finger with the knife.

"Ah, hell!" he exclaimed, dropping the knife and instinctively sucking on his finger. He bent to pick up the knife with his other hand, "Ah, whatever. I was done anyway."

He dropped the knife in the sink. Excuse my French...he thought to himself as he fetched a bowl for the carrots.

A knock at the door.

Huh? he looked back towards the door as he reached into his cupboard, groping for a bowl. He ended up catching the edge of one, which was promptly pushed off the edge of the shelf, falling to the floor. It, obviously, shattered.

Aram face-palmed.

He stomped over to the door, opening it without looking through the peep-hole.

"What's up wiseguy? I'm tryna get some shut-eye in he-"

There was no one there.

He shifted his foot out the door, kicking something that had been lying on the other side of it. Aram looked down and saw a small, round, clay-looking jar.

Looking left and right for a sign of anyone, he stooped down to pick it up. It had a tag.

----------------------------
To: Aram
From: An admirer

To your future success.
-----------------------------------

Once again looking for a sign of anyone, Aram turned back inside, closing and locking the door.

Where did this come from? He thought. Secret admirer? Future success?

Examining the pot, Aram found it to be made of clay. It smelt, looked and felt like clay. He tried to open it, to no avail. The cork was stuck.

"Hmm..."

He drew a wooden plate from his satchel as he passed it.

Putting the plate on the kitchen counter, he placed one hand on it, and used the other to hold the small pot.

Black energy arced through his body, traveling to the foreign object. He aimed to transmute the cork off to get a look at what was inside. The energy moved to the jar, doing as it normally did, and forming with it.

Aram waited for a second. Then five. Then ten...as he stared at it.

"WHAT THE DEVIL?! he shouted, dropping it on the floor and falling backwards.

It hit the floor, but didn't break.

Aram slowly, and reluctantly, reached to pick it up and inspect it. No cracks.

He examined it further. He noticed that it had very dark, purple etchings in it that protruded slightly from the rest of the jar's surface. They sort of looked like tentacles.

What...how...it..it's not affected by my Alchemy? How's that even possible?

You're too weak.

No...No, there was no rebound...If it was my fault there would have been a rebound.

Too. Weak.

Aram shook his head. He stood up, taking the jar to a shelf across the room, and placing it where he could see it easily.

He went to his bed and laid down on it, fetching his phone and dialing a number from memory.

"Hello? Aram Secrue for Administrator of Alchemy."

After that call, he would lay there, staring at the wall. He left his carrots on the counter, and the bowl in pieces on the floor. After twenty minutes, he fell asleep.

[Gentlemanvaultboy]

Bak Tsarevna

---

@Dezuel@AtomicNut@KillamriX88@rawkhawk64

---

As Bak watched Vittorio float away from their conversation, apparently dead set on getting some practical demonstration out of Miss Moskono personally, she sighed. It seemed like this punishment was going to be harder on her than him if it meant she was going to have to explain things like the difference between training and attempted murder. Oh well, at least he was taking an interest in it! She wasn't worried about Miss Moskono. Plenty of students had tried before. They got the message eventually.

For now she turned hopefully back to Yuuto. "Do you want to be on team with me?"

---

Nasearph Sana

---

Nasearph could sense his world turning upside down as he was thrown backwards. He didn't exactly feel the ground under his back, but some strange sense that existed outside the five we're all taught as children told him it was so. He almost felt like that one had gotten stronger. Unfortunately, it wasn't the one he was developing.

He ripped the blindfold from his face in frustration and stared up at the vast, blue sky that was only now starting to be tinged with a hint of Orange. He lay in the middle of the small courtyard that led up to the door of their church. Across from his, fist outstretched, stood the fire creature Andras had left in their care. The event that had inspired this foolish idea in the first place. He pushed himself up into a sitting position and looked down at his chest, bare save for a few lines of whisby brown and slihtly charred feathers that snaked their way down his sides to hug his hips, and spotted an ugly red welt already starting to rise. He scowled at that, and at the similar, older burns that dotted his chest. He was thankful he couldn't feel them.

He jumped back to his feet, took a loose stance, and said "Again!" in what he thought should be a commanding voice. He couldn't hear it on account of the earplugs.

To say his conversation with Ria the week before had lit a fire under his ass was an understatement. It had rocked him out of his complacency like an earthquake. Skulking around and gather information was all well and good, but sometimes you had to get to work and use the information you did have. And what information did he have? Information on Alto, having seen first hand the boys light-speed attack and, in seeing it, realizing how woefully unprepared he was for it. Yes, the boy did flash to let you know he was using it. The unfortunate wrinkle was that he was still moving, if not truly at the speed of light, than at least fast enough that even Naseraph's eagle eyes couldn't follow him. Knowing it was coming did not protect you from it if you could not avoid, then counterattack. Nasearph had no doubt that if he kept up his training and pushed his power of enhancement to its absolute limit he could move at a comparable speed, if only for a moment. The problem, then, lay in tracking the strike at all so that it could be avoided.

It was an enormous problem. Going that fast meant you were moving faster than anything. Nasearph could tell by sound where an attack was coming from were he to lose his eyes, and the wind pressure tickling at his feathers were his hearing to become unreliable. He had learned such techniques from the old book that had sealed his fate all those years ago, cultivated them through years of isolated training, but they were useless. Alto moved faster than sound, his strike landing before the air between his blade and his opponents body had begun to move. No existing sense could track that attack. Nasearph, however, had discovered another sense.

On the rooftop he had gone into his meditation and found he could distinguish all the energy that flowed into him from one another. There was only one thing that would move faster than that radiant sword of Alto's, and that was the energy that would be radiating off of it. If he could find that, identify it, he would know from which direction the strike was coming and a flicker of a moment or an instant would be opened where he could dodge and counter all at once. At such a speed a attack from Nasearph would be crippling, and Alto would never think to defend while moving at a speed that had never been matched.

So the strategy was set. Nasearph would stake everything upon this single blow. One third of his problem would be solved.

The implementation of this blow, however, relied upon him being able to adsorb energy in the middle of battle. Something he, so far, had never been able to do. It was difficult to render himself empty while in the heat of combat, to allow himself to completely open up and allow the energy to flow into him. It required deep focus. So he'd decided to focus on trying to open the hole only a small bit, just enough for a trickle of energy to flow inside. It helped to have his senses dampened artificially. The blindfold, the earplugs, even a special drug he's requested Aram prepare so as to numb his body so there was nothing to interfere with the strengthening of this Seventh Sense. He started out trying to get it to open while standing, then while walking, guiding himself only by the energy he could feel flowing into him. Stationary things were not what he intended to use this power for, however. To truly develop he needed an opponent.

Which brings us to the flame monster Andras has dumped on their hands as though it were a mere pet she was not allowed to bring with her on a trip. It was the perfect training partner. The thing was made of nothing if not energy, a big mass of moving target that he could focus in on. It made for a dependable "easy mode" to start out developing his new sense.

To truly understand what Nasaraph was trying to do, here is a simple experiment that can be performed at home: Blindfold and deafen yourself, stick out your tongue as far as it can go, and attempt to dodge a flaming baseball bat based only upon the way that it tastes.

Thanks to Aram's remarkable drug he couldn't feel the creatures fist scrape along his flash as he jumped back, but he did raise the blindfold and regard the new mark with an appraising scowl. Another benefit of the creatures fiery form was that he could easily mark his progress. He hastily re-covered his eyes. Yes, it was definitely getting easier. He readied himself once more. "Again, creature!"

[Letter Bee]

Two Weeks, Two Days, After the Midnight Tournament

((Collab post between Gentelmanvaultboy and Letter Bee.))

Note: This is set a day or so after the 'Present Day'.

Shattered Illusions

It had been some time after he, Wolf, and Aram had explored Mephisto's abandoned laboratory, and William was still troubled. First by his' guilt at allowing Andras and Vera to be almost taken by Galbrek's minions, then by Galbrek's minions' plight themselves, then by the situation with Vittorio. He needed to save both the young man and the other Mephisto's students from Mephisto himself, not only for their sakes, but for the sake of the city. For the Evil Greater than the Ancient Evil was approaching Rhea, and the best and brightest were stuck in feuds among themselves.

And with that, William Ascot looked for another connection to form, a mutually beneficial bond that would allow him to forge another link in the protective armor of Rhea. In the early morning before classes, the boy would wake up a few hours earlier than usual, drink some extra strong coffee, and stroll to a park close to St. Lucifer's in civilian clothes. Other than said civilian clothes, he did not declare himself, but he did not make any further efforts to hide his identity, either. He would also carry a white flag of parley, which he would pull out of his backpack and wave around every so often...

He wasn't there for very long before he heard a shout, a yowl, and a resounding explosion shook the trees around him.

A cat, old, scarred, full of piss and viniger and still slightly smoking from the tips of its blue ears suddenly tore ass around the corner like the devil himself was chasing it and bounded into a nearby tree. The rythemic thuds of heavy footfalls resounded around the park, followed by the appearace of something that might very well be the Devil to the delinquint scum that attended St. Lucifers. Bak's heavy frame skidded into view, he gun already spinning up still apsent its counterpart on her bandaged arm. She leveled it at the cat.

"Is nowhere to be running now, blue eyed mongrel!" She shouted, ignoring William, tunnel vision seemingly focused on the enemy in front of her. The cat stared back, it's glassey blind eye refelecting only scorn for its pursuer. It cocked its head, seemingly taunting the girl, then began cleaning itself in its private areas.

This disrespect seemed to enrage the metal girl. "You and your horde of skanks will never darken the doorway of St. Lucifers again!" She opened fire, the bullets ripping through the tree and scattering its branches around the base. The cat, homever, had other plan. With a graceful leap that should have been impossible for something that looked so much like roadkill the cat tumbled out of the tree, leaping from falling branch to falling branch, a bridge that led it right to William. With a final tumble in landed directtly on his shoulders, and he could feel the fleas in eminated as it raised one paw and placed it uncofortably close to his neck.

Bak had followed the creatures trajectory, but seeing it land on another person gave her pause. She stared intently at the cat as she let her gun wind down, and held her hand up in the universal sign to be calm. "Do not make a sudden move." She said, in the voice of someone trying to talk another person through defusing a bomb. "Do not turn your head. Do not look at it in the eye." The artiller guns on her shoulder slowly lowered downward. "Turn, slowly, till the animal is facing me if you want to live."

The briefest of nods, before William turned around as slowly as possible, resisting the feeling of gnats on his skin, until the feral cat faced the girl's artillery. Bak Tsarvena from the last tournament. The name itself sounds like it came from The Tsardom of Yekaterina. Once his back was fully turned on, well, Bak, he would wait for the sound of gunfire.

He didn't have to wait long. The cat let out a low growl as her turned, looking between him and Bak, before she let out a "GAH!" that caught its complet attention. As it fliched she let lose with both barrels, catching the beast in a miniture explotion by Williams head. Its claws were yanked out of him as it tumbed end over end, landing in a momentary heap before wriggling back to its feet and bounding off into the underbrush.

Once the thing was off Bak wasted no time and running up to asses the condition of the boy. She held him by the shoulder to steadie him. "Are you allright? You are lucky, I have seen him slice a students nose in three."

William laughed good-naturedly, smiling widely at Bak. "That was awesome! Such precision is to be envied. And yes, I am all right; thank you."

Well, this is new. It seems that like most people, Ms. Tsarvena has a different side than she shows in battle.

"No, no, it was nothing." Bak said bashfully. "I do this most mornings. His guts are not fit to string violin." She took her hand off his shoulder, then scowled at it. Little red spots had sunk into the glove, and when she looked back at his sholder the reason became apparent. Old One Eye's claws had sunk in deeper than she'd relized. "You are bleeding. This should be dissinfected. I have alchohol in first aide kit. I will go fetch this. Stay right here." She started to stomp off, hurrying toward the gym. There was no telling what was on that old mongrels claws. He could be dying of going insane at any moment from some yet undiscovered strain of hyper-rabies.

Besides which, he hadn't flinched when she'd walked up to him. That deserved some special treament, didn't it?"

---

Bak handed over the kit, basically shoving it into his arms. "There. I am not so good at bandaging, so you will have to do it yourelf. Why were you out near this place so early in the morning? Normal students avoid area around St. Lucifers like it is plague infested. It has well earned reputation." Despite the fact that she seeminly spent every waking moment fighting agaist that reputation it was impossible to miss the hint of pride that crept into Baks voice when she spoke of the seedy underbelly of her school. Suddenly an idea struck her. "Were you meeting girlfreind? It would be so romantic to tell her you braved danger such as Old One Eye to see her so early!"

As William cleaned his wound and bandaged it, he felt at ease around Bak, before saying, "No. I have a boyfriend in the school, but he'd rage at me in worry if he knows I went anywhere near it without protection. Said boyfriend is a brown-skinned hottie with ice powers, by the way."

A smile at that. "No, I came here for the sake of the city. I need to meet more people from all three factions if I am to...expand my horizons." A pause. "The fighting between all three factions; two schools and a private group, it's gone beyond friendly competition to a blood feud. That is dangerous for us all, especially if there is a Greater Evil than the Ancient Evil, or just new machinations by the latter. Then again, I might just be seeking meaning beyond the conflicts and causes presented before me.

"Point is, I came here to meet someone, and that someone seems to be you." William then faced Bak. "Life is more than just tournaments and battles between superpowered students."

As the boy talked about his hot boyfreind Bak's eyes wandered down from his face to his flat, flat chest. The gears turned in Bak's head as she put two and two together, recieved an error message, and rounded back down to one. Good gods, she is even more unfortunate than me.

The rest of the speech, though, was something else. Fighting for the city? A blood feud? A greater evil? What was all this all of a sudden? Wait, no, before any of that, "You were here to meet with us?" She asked, then she arrived at four. "So you knew we would be around here?" She asked, a little more suspitious. That meant this person knew where Mephistos was. At least the area. That was...unusual. Had she made a mistake?

"I..." she started, nervously. "I do not know anything about great evils or creatures like that. If you would like to know about such things, Tovari-, Clara would know more than me. If you can find her."

William blinked as Bak stared at his chest, and decided to head off a rather humorous misunderstanding in the bud. "I'm a boy. Who likes other boys. And girls too. As for Clara...I can't do that; we've never met, but she'd regard me as an enemy the moment she sees me. More to the point, I don't plan on revealing myself to her yet. The other two of 'The Triad' already know of my existence but hold me beneath notice; Clara won't."

A pause before he resumed. "Clara, King, and Alto - yes, I said his name - are either the linchpin of the city's defense or its main weakness. They are the triple suns that the planets - and by planets, the superpowered children and teens of the city - revolve around. That is dangerous as they're trying to undermine or destroy each other, or at least Alto and Clara are. And King is enigmatic, a mystery. I do not feel comfortable just waiting for the mystery to be revealed."

Saying such words, do I look like I am craving the same position of importance that they have? That I want to be the Sun that the superpowered people of Rhea revolve around? Am I really such a narcissist and all my desire to protect just a cover for it?

He then remembered how sad Vittorio looked, and the sorrow that the young man held, a sorrow and brokenness that wrung tears from his heart. He remembered Christine (Baumann) as she agreed to an adoption she was skeptical of. And he looked at Bak herself, and saw the kindness in her voice and actions.

Another smile. "You're a kind person. That's why I want to protect this city."

Bak's head was sort of spinning. A whole lot of concepts were being thrown at it all at once that she wasn't really comfortable with parcing. She was a simple, straghtforward sort of girl. She shot at things. It's all she did. It's all she was ever going to be able to do. Protect the city? That wasn't in her range. Her bullets didn't fly far enough for that. She could only protect this, here, the life that was right in front of her. That was within her range.

She struggled until she found something to latch on to, like a sailor adrift in a storm. "How do you know Tovarish thinks you are enemy? You say yourself you have never met. How could she hate you then? It does not come from nowhere, if someone hates you you must have done something to them first."

The laughter from William's tone was loud, clear, and lasted a few seconds more than what was comfortable. "You actually think that? This world is more complex than you give it credit for. People hate each other for all sorts of petty reasons, like what powers they have or don't have, where they live, what language they speak, and even what clothes they wear! And Clara hates me because of the school I go to, the people I am studying with, and if she watched Galbrek's dumb video, my name."

He then faced her. "William Chekova Ascot. Of St. Laurel's. That's my name. And if you hate me because of this, even though I haven't done anything to you...well you know what that means."

The spinning suddenly stopped, the world coming into sharp focus as the boys laughter dragged across her confusions throat like a knife in the dark and left it choking on its own blood in some forgotten gutter. The whole girl seemed to stop, eyes raising up to look at him with none of the kindness he had seen in them before. "You are wrong." she muttered. "You have done something to me. And now you should leave."

William knew not to press further, and made to turn away, but not before saying this: "Make sure to make friends other than your 'Tovarish'. Vittorio desperately needs a connection to this world. And if you decide that the city - all of us - are more important than this current feud, have Vernon call me. And now I should go."

And with that he began to walk away. He felt the impulse to run, to stew in guilt over what he had done to Bak. But illusions had to be shattered; he can only hope it was worth it.

Bak watched him go. She wanted to scream out that there was no need for him to tell her that. She was already doing everything in her power. But she could only watch in silence, fuming. He wasn't a bad man, she didn't think. Not like Galbrek made him out. If he had been brainwashing her she would never have gotten so mad. But they were never bad people, were they?

The villagers wern't bad people.

Her parents wern't bad people.

She just brought out the worst in them.

The boy stopped as the girl's silence got to him; a signal that something was wrong. Turning back to Bak, still finding her within shouting range, he would say: "And if you don't hate me forever because of what I did, I just want to say: You're not a bad person! So think for yourself and all will be well! Also, if you want a proper kitten, ask Vernon if I can smuggle you one; I know a place!"

And with that, William Ascot would run off into the sunrise.

[Dezuel]

Galbrek

He did not enjoy being the only one in the building, with all his dolls out doing work for him and none at home able to provide him with conversation or serving him. He had to do Everything himself, a thing he was not used to nor approved of. The news had indeed reported that he was being sought after and hefty accusations against him. Not like it bothered him the slightest, his father and eldest brother would surely do some announcement or pay the right people off. Amazing what money can do at times...

The half-demon got up from his seat and began to wander across the room, every now and then picking up a dart and throwing it on the drawing depicting William. "Where are you? You wretched meddler. If it weren't for you she would already be in my hands..." Gritting his teeth he began to walk back and forth quicker, furrowing his eyebrows the more he thought about it.

On the other hand, would he had not meddled I would not have found out about his powers. Whomever sent me the dossier did well. His walking came to a stop and he froze, his eyes gradually widening. "Wait a Little... the dossier? Yes! Ofcourse! My brilliance is truly marvelous..." Feeling an urge to blush at his own creativity and brain, Galbrek went over to his writing desk and took out a piece of paper using his gloved hands, taking out the most expensive looking pen that he had.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
To: William Chekova Ascot
From: *The letter's sender is blank*

*Written in a exquisite way, but obviously forged and not very consistant*

William,

Now you've done it and there is no bridges left for you to burn. But I am not without mercy for an adversary such as yourself. You will do what I say.

If you do not. Then I'm afraid Vittorio will find his lifeline cut permanently. Not to mention that I will let the entire city know where the Mephisto school is located and dedicate the find to you. Earning the ire of every skulking figure in the dark. You and your family will experience pain beyond your comprehension and all because of you. Every little fight, every injury or death that would occur would be on your hands.

If you don't like that idea. You will come to the eastern district main park, and you will go there alone, to the bench marked with an X in the back. You will come alone and you will not be harmed (a small section has been erased here, it seems to have read the word 'much'), nor will your dear friend Vittorio be harmed or your pestersome family.

But if you get any foolish idea and arrive with allies, survelliance equipment, involve the authorities or some other matter then I shall make you, and everyone dear to you pay dearly for it.

I always get what I want. I win, William. You on the other hand will always lose, if it is bigtime or small is now up to you.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Galbrek smirked to his devilish plan and sealed the letter with some candlewax, Before sending the letter into the nearby mail-delivery service.

@Letter Bee

[Letter Bee]

Two and a Half Weeks after the Midnight Tournament

To: William Chekova Ascot
From: *The letter's sender is blank*

*Written in a exquisite way, but obviously forged and not very consistant*

William,

Now you've done it and there is no bridges left for you to burn. But I am not without mercy for an adversary such as yourself. You will do what I say.

If you do not. Then I'm afraid Vittorio will find his lifeline cut permanently. Not to mention that I will let the entire city know where the Mephisto school is located and dedicate the find to you. Earning the ire of every skulking figure in the dark. You and your family will experience pain beyond your comprehension and all because of you. Every little fight, every injury or death that would occur would be on your hands.

If you don't like that idea. You will come to the eastern district main park, and you will go there alone, to the bench marked with an X in the back. You will come alone and you will not be harmed (a small section has been erased here, it seems to have read the word 'much'), nor will your dear friend Vittorio be harmed or your pestersome family.

But if you get any foolish idea and arrive with allies, survelliance equipment, involve the authorities or some other matter then I shall make you, and everyone dear to you pay dearly for it.

I always get what I want. I win, William. You on the other hand will always lose, if it is bigtime or small is now up to you.

@Dezuel

"So," Gilgamesha Ascot asked, "What are you going to do, Will?"

The boy grinned as he took out his smartphone and began photographing the letter, saving the photos on it - he had already uploaded the data he had taken from Mephisto's laboratory into his computer. Then, he would forward said letter to Vernon, saying:

Galbrek's at it again. I'm sure Vittorio would not like his life threatened, nor would the people at Mephistos' want one of their own threatening to betray them. So, I think we should publicize this letter to the other Mephistos' students as soon as possible; Galbrek might have hidden his handwriting, but anyone with half a brain would know that it's him. After all, he was the one who tried to get me hunted down.

Gilgamesha would interject: "Him getting thrown out of Mephistos' would also harm his family's defense against our case; meaning that we can press them for a lucrative out-of-court settlement. To use for hiring Cyan and the Vigilantes, of course."

A nod from the boy, even as he wished that his mother would stop embarassing him sometimes. But yes, this would probably lead to a very hard fall for Galbrek.

The boy felt a stab of pity that was swiftly suppressed.

[Bartimaeus]

Are you serious... he thought. Aram pushed open the glass door, stepping into the sunlight of the early morning. He scanned the streets, looking for something...anything that told him he was dreaming. He had expected a simple answer. Not a whole fiasco over a single jar he'd found on his doorstep.

He'd been too tired to fetch all his attire for the day, such early in the morning, so he'd come in simple slacks and a suit-vest. It was 7:14 AM and he was across town. Not at home. Not sleeping in his bed.

To make matters worse, the Administration had given him a ward. A WARD. As if he needed protection!

He really did try to dissuade the whole ward idea, but they weren't having it. It was settled. She was going to be his ward, and he was going to let her sleep in his quarters.

Goddang adults...I shoulda just kept this to my lonesome..

Her name is Jirachi Soske, and she was strolling beside him now, her suitcase in his hands.

"This is my first job as a ward, so please, excuse me if I make it awkward.." she said thoughtfully.

She was nervous, but excited. Maybe I can make friends with this strange Alchemist! They told me a lot about him before assigning me. Fighting Demons? Combat tournaments? Sounds like a party-lovin' guy... she thought.

"Wait a minute." he said, stopping and turning to face her. "If this is your first mission as a ward, why should they assign you to something so important? This "Demon" is gonna be packin' some serious heat, if how they see it's how it is."

Does the Administration underestimate me? I can handle myself...right..?

Jirachi smiled at that. "I'm a very good bodyguard." she said with a grin.

"...that's not an acceptable excuse!" he complained loudly. He continued walking.

"The Administration has their reasons...What? Is it that you underestimate me?" she accused.

"No, no! It's not that." he responded quickly. "I just don't think it's necessary..."

"It's very necessary. We don't know what this "Demon" is capable of, or what it wants. It's my job to find out these things...while keeping you alive, of course."

They were at his door now. He retrieved his key, inserting it into the lock and stepping aside to let her through as the door opened.

"I'm gonna need a copy of that." she said as she walked through the door, gesturing to the key.

Seriously...

---------------

"Rock. Paper. Scissors. Shoot!"

"Ah, horsefeathers!" he groaned.

"Haha, I win!" Jirachi cheered, taking her rightful control of the remote, fetching it from the table in front of the couch.

"You cheated..." he said, shamefaced.

"Did not!" she said cheerfully, changing the station to try and find something she liked.

Unsuccessfully.

"You uh...don't watch much TV, do ya?" she asked. There were only a few channels available on whatever network Aram had, most of which displayed really old shows.

"It's called appreciation for the classics, toots." he said proudly.

"Ohhh, I see. So that's why you talk like a weirdo, cause you appreciate the classics?" she asked, seemingly with genuine curiosity, but also a hint of teasing.

Aram blushed. "Hush up! It's not weird, that's just how I talk!" he said, embarrassed. He grabbed the brim of his fedora and pulled it down over his face.

Jirachi giggled, turning her attention back to the TV. She stopped clicking when a cooking documentary came on.

They watched that show for a little while until Jirachi broke the silence.

Why is this so booooooringgggg...Dear Godfather shoot me n- "Say, Aram...Can you cook?" she asked, turning her attention from the TV.

"What? Oh, yeah...sure. Why, are you hungry?" he responded.

Nope...was just wondering..

"Oh, okay...."

Several minutes passed before she turned back to him again.

"Can you make me something to eat?"

"YOU JUST SAID YOU WEREN'T HUNGRY!"

Jirachi shrunk back, "I know, I know...I just wanted to see how an Alchemist cooks. Headmaster never uses Alchemy for "mundane means unworthy of it".

She's spoken on such a personal level to the Headmaster of Alchemy?

"You talk to the Headmaster?" he asked.

"Of course I do. She's my mother, after-all."

Aram's jaw dropped. "S-s-she's had children?!" he said in shock.

"Well...she adopted me. But it feels more like the real thing than I've ever known."

Aram paused for a moment. She's never met her parents...or maybe they rough-handed her. Poor girl...Maybe I should sit down with my folks more often... he thought.

"You're an orphan, then..?"

"No. I used to be an orphan. I have a mother now, who cares about me. She'll make sure I'm alright, at the end of the day."

"How long was it until she found you?"

"Fifteen years. she said, deliberately slow.

"That's tough.." Aram said, nodding slowly to himself.

"Well just so you know, I cook just like everyone else. No Alchemy. It tastes all wet that way."

"All wet?"

"Weird."

She nodded.

They watched TV for several hours, trading small talk...

---------------

"It's probably best that we sleep." Jirachi said, looking through the blinds into the darkening light outside. "I can still sense that Jar's terrible contamination on you. You should rest." She closed the blinds.

"Swell idea. You can change into your sleep-dress first. Bathroom's right there. he said, gesturing to the door that led to the bathroom.

"Thank you, Alchemist."

"The handle's Aram." he replied, lying on the couch. She nodded.

They both finished, minutes later each lying in their designated sleeping spots.

----------

She's strong. Stronger than me...but I shouldn't be surprised. It seems like that's a theme. Wolf can't even control his powers sometimes. He's still stronger than me. William...his powers are bilge in a fight...yet, he's brave. He's got moxie. He has goals. What are my goals? I don't have any, do I? He shifted, turning towards the inside of the couch. I'm weak...

You're weak...

I'm weak...

The Satyr shifted. "Did you say something, Aram?"

"No."

[Crowvette]

Liselotte

"Hm...?" Lise awoke within the warm embrace of her bedsheets. She languidly turned. Something was off... she fell asleep in a strange position. She was laying across the width of her bed, rather than along the height of it. It explained why her feet were almost falling off the end. "What had gone on..." She rubbed her eye with her hand lazily, brushing her unkempt blonde hair behind her.

'Ah. I was doing work for the school. A lot of things happened...' Lise could feel the residual feeling of embarrassment at her performance during the job. 'I need to work harder.'

Her room was dark and unadorned, save for her very large bed. She wasn't sure what amenities she was to have moved into her room, and it had stayed rather barren even after a few months. She was unfamiliar with what commoners adorned their rooms with... Yet another thing she needed to continue studying. The cool air of the room made Lise bunch the covers around her tightly. "Fix this situation." Lise muttered quietly, to seemingly nobody.

Nobody had heard, and carried out her order. Picked up by nearly unseen hands in the dark room, Lady Valois-Saint-Remy was lifted, rotated, and set down correctly in bed, the covers around her being picked up and re-arranged around her expertly. In moments, she was tucked into a perfectly ordered bed. Laying on her side, her long hair was being brushed gently and rhythmically by a figure that blended perfectly with the room's darkness.

Lise let out a contented sigh. She remembered Andreim leaving her room, and she must have fallen asleep in the strange orientation afterwards. "Andreim... I will see you at the park..." She whispered, almost inaudibly, before falling back into a deep sleep.

[Bartimaeus]

"Those you cherish are your handholds to life,

Though this hold may loosen, throughout all strife~

But without a doubt, and to your avail,

They will be there, sure to not fail~

And if they pass, be sure to remain,

reverent their memory; your belay~

Your goal is the anchor, this is so true,

the goal is finding what's inside you~"

Aram wiped a fake tear from his eye as the poem came to an end. "Truly alluring, really.." he said, feigning a look of thoughtfulness.
---
They'd spent a good part of the morning doing their own separate things; Jirachi in bed, reading a book called "Understanding an Alchemist for Noobs", and Aram nearby on the couch, watching his aged Television shows. He'd occasionally catch her peeking over the book when a interesting part of his shows came on, and chuckle as she whipped back to reading her volume.
---
Now though, he shoved a spoonful of ice-cream in his mouth. He was wearing a new set of clothes, of Tan khakis and a matching suit-vest, but with a napkin tucked over his shirt.

Jirachi sat across from him, a real tear falling from her eye as she concluded her poem. He liked it? HE REALLY LIKED IT!? she screamed internally. Nobody has ever liked my poems before...apparently they're "forced to rhyme" ...not exactly sure what that means, but maybe it's because that one time I-
She interrupted her own roaming train of thought when she laid her hands down excitedly on the table.

"Alluring? Really? Nobody has called my poems that before...you really enjoyed it? she asked eagerly.

"Oh, yes. I really enjoy it.." Aram responded, seemingly memorized by the ice-cream. He wasn't listening.

"Awesome!" she shouted. "What was your favorite part??" she was gripping the edges of the table now, leaning forward out of her chair while looking intensely at him. It looked like she was trying to stare into his soul.

He looked up now. "Oh, well...uh.." his eyes shifted back and forth nervously, then landed upon his bowl of ice-cream. "Here, try this!" he said desperately, pushing the bowl towards her.

"Ice-cream? How long has it been since I've had that..." she mumbled as she took the spoon offered by Aram. She gently scooped some of it up, so as not to spill it on the robe that she had adorned after her morning shower.

She paused before eating it. "This isn't two-percent milk, is it? That makes me sick.." she said as she remembered the last time she'd drank two-percent. Milk...everywhere... she shuddered.

Aram had moved to the fridge to fetch more ice-cream for himself, and again wasn't paying much attention. "Oh, yeah.. no two-percent in this house." he said, his head thoroughly engrossed in the fridge's contents.

She ate the first scoop. "Ooohh, this is so gooood!" she exclaimed. "Where did you get this, Aram? I definitely haven't tasted ice-cream this good more than onc-" her face quickly shifted to a pale green.

He removed his head from the freezer to look back at her, "What were you saying? I couldn't hear- oh crap. Bathroom, Bathroom, Bathroom! he shouted.

Not again.. she thought as she ran to his bathroom.

Aram sighed, shaking his head.

Ring! ..Ring! ..Ring!

He trudged over to the household, picking it up. "Aram here."

"..."

"Missing? How?" he said, shocked. How did they lose it?! It's a damn Jar! he exasperated.

He turned from the dialer to check on Jirachi. Doggone...feel kinda bad about that... he thought while wincing at the sounds of barfing coming from the room.

He turned back to the dialer.

The jar was on the counter beside it.

"WHAT THE DEVIL!?!?" he screeched, dropping the phone.

"Aram? Something wrong in ther-" Jirachi called, but was interrupted by another wave of...milk.

Aram quickly recovered the device, also grabbing the jar and throwing it in a nearby cabinet, so as to hide it from the Satyr that would assumedly come out of the bathroom soon.

"Alchemist? Is there something wrong?"

"N-no! No, no...just...Jirachi drank some bad milk...she doesn't seem to pay attention very well. Sorry about that.."

"Right...anyways...If you come across the object in question, Alchemist...keep it."

"Come again? Did you say keep it?"

"No. Do NOT keep it. Bring it in."

""Okay, I'll bring it in. I actually have-" Aram's mouth stopped.

---

His body was suddenly extremely...drained of all energy. All power. He tried to speak. He could not. The air was heavy around him...it was...oppressive. He felt sick.

What the hell? I can't move my arms! Jirachi! He was frozen.

The other side of the line paused for a moment.

"Great, Aram. No activity so far is a little disappointing, but keep looking out."

Another pause. Aram couldn't help but stare at the phone in front of him. It's all he could do. Shift his eyes.

"Yes, Aram. The ward is completely necessary. We've already discussed this, she's not going anywhere."

Pause. Who the hell are they talking to? I haven't...said...a word! he tried to move as he spoke the words, but the effort was only met with a sharp pain.

"Good day, Aram."

They hung up.

His arm began to move, albeit with much resistance. It was shaking heavily as it turned under-handed to place the phone back on the dialer.

It didn't even feel like his arm. He could feel it. But it wasn't his. The phone clicked as it fell into place.

Do you feel that, Alchemist?

Who is that?!?! he tried turning around to see who it was, but to no avail. More pain struck his body.

That feeling is power. Of which you have none. Look at yourself at this very moment. You're helpless. In fact, I could kill you. Right now. Easily.

No! Not today! I'm not ready to die! Who are you?! Why are you doing this?! Let me loose, damnit!

Yes, yes! You are ready to die. As long as you are weak, you will be ready to die.

I wanted to wait a little longer before we became acquainted, but you forced my hand just now. If they had retaken my little gift...they would have locked it up real tight. I can't have that.

Gift? GIFT?! Look at you, you chicken! You can't even fight me mano a mano! his remark was met with a lash of pain to the head. He couldn't even recoil, or wince.

SILENCE, WELP! I am trying...to help you. You want to become stronger, don't you? the voice chuckled.

It sent shivers down Aram's spine. The echoing, dread-inducing sound made his hair stand on-end.

You...can make me stronger? Why? Why would you do that??

For my own entertainment, of course. Another laugh.

From now on...all you have to do...is follow your gut. Don't try to "rationalize" your problems. I'll make sure that you know what to do...one way or another. And if you don't comply. I'll kill you. And her.

Aram's eyes shifted to the left. He couldn't see far enough in his peripherals to tell where Jirachi was.

I will kill...EVERYONE. A long, cold laughter even more chilling than before permeated his mind after that.

You...really think you're something, don't you...I'm the weakest of anyone I know. And you think you can kill everyone? Ha! What a joke. Whatever kind of Demon you are, it doesn't matter. My death will mean nothing. You'll be exposed. And killed. he tried to move again. He put all his strength...all his will..into moving his right arm.

It moved. Ever-so-slightly.

Oh? He felt something cold touch his chest.

You moved. How...impressive. You definitely have potential. But...how many times will you resist before you're done?!

The cold feeling against his chest grew sharp. It slowly...slowly began scraping down his chest.

He could not make a sound. A single tear rolled down his cheek as the scraping tore through him.

H-how...what are you!? What is this power... the pain extended to his mind. He could hear it in his own thoughts.

How rude of me...I've yet to introduce myself. Aram could hear the blatant pride in the voice. The horrid voice. It sounded like the whole chalkboard jig. But in a cave. An echo-y cave.

I am the god who gave you your powers, Aram...

I am...THE GODDESS OF SPITE!

The following assault on his ears that could only be described as a cackle was cut short.

Play nice now, Alchemist. I will be checking in on you occasionally, so don't try any tricks. Bye...for now.

He could move again. He collapsed.

"Aram did you smell that? Smelt like-" she entered the room looking pale, after what felt like she was hacking up her breakfast, lunch, and dinner from the past week. When she saw Aram collapsed on the floor.

"Aram! Oh my god, are you alright?!" she screamed as she ran to him. She fell on the ground beside him, kneeling awkwardly due to her legs. "What happened? Are you okay? You smell like that damn pot! Is there something here that did this to you?" she bombarded him with questions. He looks like he saw a ghost...and he's shaking...what the heck happened to him..

The Alchemist reached for her hand. "I-I'm alright...I just...got light-headed." he said in heavy breaths. "That smell...just my cologne, don't...worry..." he looked around the room, as if he didn't know where he was.

His vision grew dark for a moment. He looked into her eyes, pleading without words. Even though he knew she couldn't help him. Not against a god. Who could? Why...why me...

"Bed..." he managed to let out.

The girl tried her hardest to pull Aram into the living room, with much difficulty due to the low amount of traction she got on hardwood floors. But she managed.

He was unconscious before he had a pillow.

[AtomicNut]

Mephisto's wicked Training for the Wickedly Inclined

First exercise- 1 Week and two days after the Midnight tournament.

(Open to all Mephisto Students)

@KillamriX88@Dezuel@RoflsMazoy@Gentlemanvaultboy@rawkhawk64@Hammerman

Teacher Maskono eyed her watch with mild concern as she awaited for all students to gather. She would have loved to do more and more exercises with the students, but time was pressing and results needed to be done. She dedicated a glare to the Fallen One, who, despite the purpose of the training, had appeared without teammates, much to Suzume's chagrin.

Oh, so you're bored now? Well, mister, I will have none of that! The Physical education teacher added, as she addressed the participants as they arrived.

"Okay, so we will do a team battle this time. However, it will not be a team battle in strict terms. You've got your teams of three, right? Excellent. Then we will play Knights, Demons and Princesses. This is how it goes. Each teammate picks one, and only one of the roles at the start, and the point of this exercise is to beat the other teams while playing with the following restrictions."

"One, The princess is the lead. Without that role, the team loses. They are forbidden from attacking or defending themselves, but they're the ones who call the shots."

"Two, the Knight. The knight can only defend himself or other team members."

"Third, the demon. THe demon can only attack, but not defend himself nor other teammates."

"Any team whose members don't adhere to these roles, will be disqualified. The roles will not be able to be changed for the duration of the exercise." Teacher Maskono added. "The battlefield is anywhere outside school that doesn't endanger students. Since it's a bit more tactical than the average exercise, I will allow some time for questions." The teacher put a hand to her hip.

"So, questions, anyone?"

[Gentlemanvaultboy]

Bak's hand eagerly shot up. "Teacher, what can you do to defend teammates? I can do that from very far away."

Bak enjoyed playing game. Singular. The children back home had had a game they called Baba Yaga. It was a very simple game; One person would be Baba Yaga and that person would chase the others in a attempt to "get" them. Bak had very much enjoyed this game. They had never actually invited her to play it with them but she had forced the issue one afternoon and, as far as she knew, they had never needed another Baba Yaga because once Bak had started playing she'd never stopped.

@AtomicNut@Dezuel@rawkhawk64

[KillamriX88]

---

@AtomicNut@6slyboy6@Gentlemanvaultboy

---

It was time for the training to begin. This kind of training wasn't exactly common at Mephisto's, at least as far as Vernon knew. It was as if someone wanted them to actually try this time. Well, being better at hurting people was always useful in his line of work.

He stood near the entrance, seemingly waiting for someone. Two people walked onto the school grounds, looking so stereotypically delinquent that one might have instinctually hidden one's lunch money. One was a boy in torn jeans with his hair spiked up with far too much gel, and the other a girl who actually had a cough-mask on but certainly wasn't sick. Vernon did not acknowledge their presence, and one could have been forgiven for thinking they weren't who he was waiting for.

"Uhhh... boss?" the girl spoke, tapping him on the shoulder. She flinched as Vernon's hand shot up, holding up a finger. Wait.

"Eyy, come on. You know better than to interrupt him!" the boy said next.

"Yeah, but how am I supposed to know!?" the girl groaned. Finally Vernon actually looked at them.

"What the hell are you two wearing?" By comparison, Vernon's hair was combed, he was wearing slacks, and he had on a button up shirt. Untucked, but still.

"You said to blend in!" the girl responded. "It's a school for bad kids right?"

Vernon pinched the bridge of his nose, "You..."

The boy raised an eyebrow, "Boss-?"

"IDIOTS!" He simultaneously karate chopped both of them in the forehead. "I expected you to mug some freshmen and steal their uniforms! I told you the school has a uniform!" Vernon was missing the coat, but the rest was indeed... mostly up to code. .

"B-but what kind of rebellious punk actually wears one of those?!" the girl whined, rubbing her forehead. Meanwhile his friends had clearly gone with some romanticized rebel fantasy

"Whatever! Let's go..." It was a bit late now, so he had no choice but to present the two morons as the members of his team...

---

. . .A Week Later. . .

@Dezuel@Letter Bee

Somehow still intact after training under the woman, Vernon received a whole new kettle of fish to deal with. A message from William, his own, personal, never ending well of trouble. He wondered if he'd ever grow weary of William's habit for sticking his nose where it may or may not belong.

Currently, though, it was just another chapter in the feud between William and Galbrek.

"Well, not the world's worst idea, William, but it lacks imagination," Vernon spoke to himself after reading the message. "I'll show you how a proper criminal deals with this kind of thing." It took him a bit of sneaking around, but after a few hours he was ready, with a few fail-safes in place. He made sure to respond to William, a short message, telling him that he was under no circumstances to attend the meeting as Galbrek had asked.

Quite frankly, Vernon didn't trust William to not somehow get himself into an even bigger mess. He wasn't sure if it was naivety or just an overabundance of good will towards humanity, but William had it in spades.

No, instead, Vernon arrived, sitting upon the marked bench. Well, rather he was reclining and seemed to be taking a nap. Obviously it was a trap of some sort, but hopefully it would end with him having a pleasant chat with his overeager classmate.

[KillamriX88]

Featuring: Vera, Andras, and more...

---

Part 1

Vera entered the Blackgate household a little later in the day. They had a day off from dealing with William, so Vera had gotten a day off from babysitting Andras. Recent events in mind, she supposed she really didn’t mind the girl’s company… but almost nothing was enjoyable for two weeks straight, and she wasn’t sure she liked Andras that much.

So, the previous night, she’d let herself go home, figuring she’d pick things up the next afternoon. She ran into Anna first, and asked if Andras was up yet. The kid just shrugged. Useless.

Well, the demon who only pretended to be a demon in a house filled with demons tended to sleep later, so she was probably still sleeping. It was hit-or-miss at this time of day. She knocked on the guest room door, and got no response. She carefully opened the door and saw a small lump laying in the bed Andras was using.

It was eerily still and not quite right in shape. She stared for a moment, thinking her eyes might be messing with her. Nope, still not right. Tip-toeing over, she gently poked Andras’s very, very soft shoulder.

“You little shit…” Vera snarled and whipped the sheets off. Pillows. “SERIOUSLY!?” she screeched. It meant only one thing. No one pulled a stunt like this unless they were sneaking around behind people's’ backs! She’d gone off on her own.

She, who was being hunted by killer doll people, had gone off on her own! For all she knew, even Seth could be out for revenge! He was a bit of a coward, so that was less likely, but the point was that Andras had enemies.

She quickly pulled out her phone, swiping through the screens almost but certainly not frantically until she found Andras’s number. She’d just had to be cute and put her under World’s Worst Demon instead of taking advantage of the fact that both her real and fake name began with an “A”.

Andras’s phone vibrated in her bag. Without thinking, Andras had already begun to answer it. “This is-”

‘Wait. I was supposed to be sneaking out.’ Andras froze mid-greeting. ‘I can’t be just answering my phone like this! I’m an idiot!’

Very quickly changing her voice to an impression of a gruff store manager, Andras continued. “Joe’s Meat Shop. Whatchyu want.”

Vera was surprised, but only for a moment, by the voice that answered. However, if the brat honestly thought Vera hadn’t noticed her almost answer it in her own voice, she was sadly mistaken.

“Oh, hi, yes. I’ll have a ham and cheese sandwich with a side of WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU, DAMMIT?! What kind of idiot runs off alone when people are trying to kidnap them?!” Vera’s harsh yell would have peaked out the phone’s mic. “I better know where I’m going in five seconds or so help me!”

Andras almost dropped her phone from the sudden yelling. “I-I was just heading out to the library… You know, a friendly neighborhood library…” Andras said weakly, and added, “D-Did you want any books?”

“Sure,” Vera said curtly as she attempted to compose herself and immediately headed back out. “How about a book on knot tying, so I can tie you down! Or maybe one on welding so I can put you in a cage! I just… What the hell were you thinking!?” She pinched the bridge of her nose. “L-look, just stay put, in a crowd, and keep talking to me so I know no one’s grabbed you! I’m on my way…” She didn’t even want to think of what Wolf would do if he found out Andras got taken on her watch. It would be humiliating! Her, Vera Goh, being scolded by Wolf of all people!

“I-I don’t think there are any welding books at the library, Vera…” Andras muttered. “Though, there probably are knot tying books. I don’t really want to go back in, though, I was just being nice and offering…”

Vera didn’t bother resisting the urge to sigh tiredly, but soon enough she was able to hang up the phone. Andras had probably just picked the library because she was a nerd who liked libraries, but Vera had allowed it since it wasn’t too terribly far from the Blackgate household. She quickly stormed over to Andras and grabbed her face in one hand, squishing her cheeks. She turned her head this way and that, looking her over as if she’d just pulled her out of a burning car and not just had her run off to… read.

Once she was done giving Andras the world’s most disapproving look, she let go and let out a long breath.

“Well I suppose you’re still in one piece and not in some creepy dollmaker’s dungeon, so that’s… something,” Vera crossed her arms.

Andras let out a low chuckle, crossing her arms. “A demon like me would never be caught by something as mundane as a dollmaker. Your fears were clearly misplaced.”

“Really, even if it’s a demon whose dolls can shoot lasers?” Vera scowled. “They almost got you last time! Twice!” She held up two fingers for emphasis. “Do you know how much shit I’d have to deal with if they actually got you? I can’t believe you’d be so selfish as to just run off!” And the old familiar bubbling anger began to rise up. The same one that happened every time someone didn’t just quietly fall in line and listen. She clenched her teeth and for a moment was just silent. “And besides… I still owe you a night out that doesn’t get crashed by drug dealing exes.”

‘Ah. I knew I screwed up, but I guess she was taking this really seriously…’ Andras felt a little embarrassed. However, she was also interested by Vera’s last comment. ‘Maybe…’

Andras leaned forward, close to Vera, with an innocent-as-possible smile. “Oh, so you were worried about me, huh?” Andras always wondered what Vera would do if she tried this.

Vera’s eyes snapped wide at the suggestion but then she squinted and her mouth scrunched into a tight frown. The girl was just asking for it now!

SQUISH!

Vera soon once more had Andras’s face trapped, this time sandwiched between both her palms, mercilessly squishing her cheeks and giving her a fish-face.

“Oh who the hell would be worried by a delusional little shit like you!” Vera growled, still tormenting the girl as she spoke. “I-... I wouldn’t… GRR!” She’d never been much for lying, but… Why the hell did she even have to worry about lying? She was just some burden Wolf had dropped in her lap! At least…

She finally let go once she figured Andras had had enough, “If you’re done being a pest, I should be bringing you back! I’m not exactly a bodyguard you know! I can’t protect you from those things!” She felt a pang in her chest at the words. It was just an obvious fact, but…

‘Ah, so that’s what happens when I do that.’ Andras thought, as she gingerly touched her cheeks. However, Vera’s response overall OTHER than the physical attack was… ‘Well, it wasn’t technically positive, but I feel happy about it, somehow.’ Andras mused to herself.

Andras eventually managed to work a smile back onto her face, after some effort. “Don’t worry. We’re not that far from the house, and I’ve got some responses to anyone who wants to get in between us.” Andras confidently flashed the pentagram on the back of her hand, as if to show proof of her magical enhancement. After a moment, Andras spoke up again in a lower voice, “That being said, I’ve been considering carrying that divine spear of mine around nowadays. You didn’t happen to bring it with you, did you?” Andras’s eye looked Vera up and down.

“Yeah, it’s right here in my purse,” Vera spoke deadpan. “Obviously I was too busy trying to find you to worry about remembering something like that!” She then clamped her mouth shut. That had been a bit more straightforward than she’d liked. And in hindsight, as weird as walking into town with a golden spear would have been, it would have been a nice safety cushion. “Let’s just go…” She grabbed Andras’s wrist, ready to literally drag her back.

Andras followed along with Vera’s guiding grip. If Andras was feeling more reckless, she might have tried to poke fun at Vera’s apparent concern, but she didn’t want her cheeks to be assaulted any further. “I was going to head home right now anyway!” Andras huffed.

Part 2

The dolls came to a halt as Adam motioned for the remaining dolls to stop in their tracks, Fegin had not yet departed with Celine and something had caught his attention up ahead.

"What's the matter big brother~?" Eve asked in a curious manner, trying to be polite yet at the same time condescending.

"I am about to find out.... follow me, all of you." Adam beckoned the three other dolls to follow, with Eve joining right behind him, followed in turn by Celine with Fegin guarding the rear.

Up ahead Adam then saw a familiar sight. The girl whom master Galbrek had wanted to get. She was out there with someone and on their own. It would have baffled Adam, would he had known the meaning of the word. "It's the girl the master wants. Andras. Change of plans. We are going to capture her, show your loyalty to master Galbrek and aid. He will surely reward us all well."

Celine looked troubled, nothing was going as she wanted. She still had the number that Celestine had given to him. But she had no phone to call with, neither could she see any phone booth. Even if she would have seen one, would she had been able to get there and live long enough to make the actual call. Then the possibility of once again falling under Celestine's hands. Stuck in between two different evils as far as she saw it.

She petted the rat she carried with her, now being the only one she could really trust would not be out to kill her. For now though she had to go with the other dolls, if the chance would present itself she had to run. Adam nodded his head to Fegin and Eve. "You two.. move up and draw their attention and keep them from spotting the rest of us. They've seen us before but not you two."

"Wiieoow... that's kinda smart. What would I know? I am just a jester." Fegin tipped an imaginary hat to Adam before moving forwards with Eve. Leaving Adam and Celine behind a corner, where the two could later flank the two girls.

"Good someday! What a fancy meetin' and greetin' a pair of fair ladies out here. Don't you agree, Eve'y dear?" Fegin gave Andras and Vera an overly ambiguous bowing motion.

"Very so~" Eve licked her artificial lips.

"Oh no! Dread and doom, I am left in such a gloom. This lady here be Andras the brave, the powerful, the attractive! How could I not see this being so?"

"My brother is a little bit on the flamboyant side. Do forgive him~" Eve stepped closer towards the two young women, biting her lower lip as it was starting to curl up into a smile.

"Autographs! Oh goodness me, please grace us with your fine mark on a humble piece of paper! To be donated to help all the poor orphans!" Fegin placed his hand on his chest and dramatized believably how sad it was. While those two dolls were busy with their own thing, Adam and Celine had snuck around a building and have arrived to the sides of the two young women. Giving them a good flanking position.

It didn’t take more than two seconds for Vera’s blood to run cold. Andras being famous enough for people to want her autograph? For a second, it had been laughable. Then she realized that the odds were against them that this was in any way innocent. It probably helped that she’d pretty much been in panic mode since she’d realized Andras had run off.

“Sorry, you probably have the wrong person. We’re very busy, please excuse us,” she spoke hastily, her hand clamping down on Andras’s wrist like a vice to the point of being painful. She needed to get the message across and hope the girl was actually paying attention for once.

“Ow ow!” Andras winced. Even she could tell that Vera had very quickly changed her tone with these newcomers confronting them. As much as Andras DID want to give out an autograph, she felt it necessary to stick with Vera’s lead - Especially after all the worry she caused already.

Andras’s lack of excitement over an autograph gave Vera the slightest bit of relief. She quickly turned away from the two and hurried off in a new direction with Andras in tow. They had the smallest window of safety right now -- witnesses. In a city where every other person could potentially spew flames, kidnappings in broad daylight were dangerous. But that safety was limited. If they stuck around, the crowds would eventually disperse or their enemies would have time to come up with a plan, their pray just sitting and waiting for them to figure things out.

But the only two safe havens that Vera could potentially reach sat in private neighborhoods, with plenty of empty streets. Head deeper into the city, and there would be empty alleyways to be dragged into. No, there was no easy way out of this.

Vera tugged Andras closer and leaned toward her ear, “Get that angel of yours ready, now!” she whispered. They were bound to run out of luck, and probably sooner than she’d like. They were gonna need a buffer.

As the two young women had begun to move so did the two dolls which had approached them, the first to act was Eve who energized her whip as she'd put it into her hand, flinging it out aiming to latch around Andras throat, seeking to hold her back and apply pain from the energy surging through it. While the hula hoop carrying jester doll jumped up into the air using his ring as a helping tool to make the jump, he flew over the two girls and landed on his feet. Not flawlessly but decently.

"'Fraid we cannot let you pass without meeting our benefactor." The jester offered a playful smile as the ring he held unto began to light up in purple energy. "Willingly or not you will come with us."

Adam and Celine had also moved forwards, Adam had shot dark shards of energy right in front of Vera, seeking to stop their advance forwards while Celine had moved further up. "Stop! Two of my siblings have died because of you.. don't make more die. Surrender..." Celine said in a grave tone of voice.

It had to have been more instinct and reflexes than anything else. As Vera had pulled Andras in, she’d turned her head and out of the corner of her eye…

“Shit!” She pushed Andras’s head down just before the whip reached her, but cried out as the whip instead raked across her shoulder. She had to bite her lip against the pain, and could do nothing more as the dolls surrounded them. “I don’t care if all of you die, you fucking monster!” Vera shouted at the doll. “You’re trying to kidnap people!”

Now she could only hope Andras could do something again...

“Vera!” Andras shouted as Vera saved her from the whip. Andras heard Vera’s cry of pain. Calling her cards to her hand, she quickly analyzed the situation.

‘I’ve got to create an opening, and get my angel over here too…’ Choosing a card in her hand, she took a breath and cast it. Throwing the pinpoint of light directly towards Eve, it burst into a shadowy substance that wrapped around her arm, manifesting itself as a heavy ball and chain.

Andras had instructed the angel to look for her signs of casting from above, so she hoped that it would have seen her at this point. “Let’s go, Vera!” Andras grabbed Vera and started running, hoping that the weakening enchantment would let them get past the doll.

Eve blinked, the girl had ducked away from her whip and instead slashed the other over the shoulder. She readied her whip once more but stopped as she saw a bright light, which then turned into a shadowy substance. She was creeped out, what was this?

It attached itself to her and suddenly she felt a deep push through her entire form,, her legs broke by the ankles, then she was thrown down at full force, her arm first and then the rest of her body. She was pressed against the ground and felt her body begin to press in on itself, she gritted her teeth before screaming out in terror. "Ahhhh-! Help... me... please.."

She felt her body beginning to form cracks over it, artificial tears filling up in her eyes as she closed them tightly, then a sound in the air as her arm was torn apart. she waited for the crack that wound break her body into pieces, but it did not come. The hula hoop ring sliced over her arm up by her shoulder and severed the link with the dark spell.

Leaving her face down against the ground but no longer pressing against it. The entirety of the spell had caused the dolls to freeze for a moment, until Fegin had sprung into action to aid his fellow doll. Quickly moving up to lift her up in her broken state.

Celine stood still, not patting the rat in her possession nor aiding. She felt fear. True fear. Was this what their creator wanted to obtain? Such a horrible power. Adam looked to his fellow dolls before he gritted his teeth together. "We are-"

Fegin interfered and threw Eve's battered body into Celine's hands. "You know what to do." He winked before he flipped backwards. "Let's go Adam." He nodded towards the young women. Something about the jester bothered Adam, but he could not pinpoint what it was. The two began to chase after Andras and Vera.

Vera swallowed hard against the pained sounds as they ran off. She hadn’t seen that one coming. Somehow she felt a little guilty for saying she was OK with all of them dying now. It was easy to say until they started begging. However, those thoughts were left behind almost as soon as they’d entered her mind. She had bigger problems to worry about.

She quickly directed Andras which way to run. They needed to go to the closes safe-haven, and they needed to not run in a straight line and be found too quickly again. That said, there were only so many twists and turns they could take without just wasting time or going the complete wrong way.

They reached a house that Andras wouldn’t recognize. In fact, Andras likely would have been quite lost for some time now. Vera stumbled through the arched gateway of the house and through the courtyard. It had never felt quite so long before, just trying to reach the door before they were capture.

A raven, perched on the tall, stone walls began screeching its fool head off, as if angrily shouting at the two girls. Somehow this amplified the feeling Vera had in her spine, as if a knife was just hovering there the whole time.

She grabbed the door and pulled. Nothing. It held fast.

“LOCKED?!” Vera’s heart sank. If the door was locked, that meant no one was home. “Fuck, fuck, fuck.” She dug in her purse and pulled out a key. The door mercifully opened quickly enough and she shoved Andras inside before following and locking it behind them.

But it was just a door. It was just a house. Without anyone home, it was nothing so special.

Part 3

“Dammit, Guntram…” Vera panted, clutching at her shoulder. “Shit, that means Wolf isn’t here either!” She just sort of stumbled deeper into the room. It was a large room, with numerous portraits hanging from the walls, some with little tables on the floor beneath, holding some sort of artifact that might have belonged to them. The rest of the floor was empty. No furniture to sit at, and the tables that were there were too full to hold one’s belongings.

Most noteworthy was one portrait, larger than the rest, of a woman. Below it, its table might as well have been a shrine. On the wall beneath the portrait was a sword in a glass case. There seemed nothing there that could help them all that much, unless they suddenly learned how to use one of the various, antique weapons lying about.

“Oh!” Andras stared at the portrait, only managing that much in between gasps of air. After some time, she finally managed to speak up further. “W-Where are we, exactly? And who is this?” Andras gestured to the painting. Rearranging her cards, she quickly added, “How valuable is this house to you?”

“It’s Wolf’s house. Don’t get too excited, because that one is his mother. He doesn’t talk about her much… and judging by the shrine, I assume she’s dead.” Vera frowned. Her next question was a tad concerning. “Err, less than our lives, but considering Wolf’s dead mother has a shrine in here, I’m pretty sure his father might kill you if you mess it up.” Not to mention she didn’t like the odds of them standing and fighting. It had worked out last time, but that only left that at Andras with a 50% win rate against these things.

“OK, I… I have an idea. It’s stupid but it might save us…” Vera swallowed hard. “How lucky do you feel?”

Andras briefly thought over the previous events. Weighing getting free ice cream against being attacked by dolls, she figured… “Can I answer that after you tell me your plan?”

Adam had forcefully made his way after the two girls, keeping them within sight but out of reach. Some bystanders had decided to give chase after the tall doll in order to apprehend him but the doll had other plans, thus toppled over a few neatly placed fruit-stands causing a large ruckus in an alley. The other doll, Fegin on the other hand, had jumped up unto the nearby roofs and ran after the girls in that way. Less hindered but a bit more risky if one didn’t watch ones steps well. Both of the dolls ultimately saw the girls enter a house and close the door behind them.

Adam looked up as he heard a slight ‘beep’ sound. The jester-like doll had jumped up on top of a lamp post and used that as a viewing platform, placing one hand above his eyes and the other holding unto his hula hoop ring.

“Fun fun. Looks like the missuses decided to enter the house. Should we be proper unwanted guests or?” Fegin turned to look down to Adam who was partly dirty from tomatoes and various fruits that had gotten in his path.

“I will look for another entrance or window and enter through it. You take the main door, clown.”
“Horrible! Simply horrible! I am so unappreciated for my particular set of talents, have you ever seen any jester like me before, Adam?” The doll smiled as he jumped down to inspect the house closer.

“Yes.” Adam answered. “Our master redecorated his face after some ill placed words.”

“Oh that’s not good at all! Not good at all! So why not quit? Send in your leave application to our holy benefactor!” Fegin did a jump forwards to look at the main door, like a curious cat looking over an area it should totally not be in.

“Watch your mouth or I will make you pay for it. I will not allow anyone to betray master G-” Adam paused and remembered something his master had told him. That William person was able to find out things which had been said by others, revealing his master’s name in a place like this would be disastrous for him.

“Enter.” Adam simply said as he walked around to look for another door or neatly placed window to break into.

Fegin on the other hand went up to the main door, felt the handle and turned it down. Locked. “Oh dang, why must it always be locked. Why can’t they just leave all doors open. It’s not like they don’t want visitors right Adam? Adam? Oh… right.” He coughed gently into his hand before knocking on the door.

Vera jumped at the knock at the door. How… polite. She carefully inched over to it to look who was there. Guntram had a number of friends, all good fighters. Maybe it was someone who could help. But one glance revealed it to be one of the freakish dolls. Seriously, why the jester appearance? They were already inherently disturbing enough.

“Forget it, let’s just go!” Vera rushed back over to Andras, leading her through the house to a side entrance. It was another courtyard, only reachable through the house. This one also had a gateway, but it led back behind the house. All that was back there was forest and a small mountain, barely more than an oversized hill. “So… um… this could be my worst idea ever, but… I don’t suppose I can just ask you to trust me?” she said to Andras. She had no idea what was out there, just that Wolf had told her that it was the one thing she had to listen to him about. Never, ever go into the woods behind the house.

It was dangerous.

Andras looked over into the woods. ‘Maybe she knows something I don’t… This doesn’t seem like ‘worst idea ever’ material.’

Fegin had waited but none had answered the door, he tapped his beeping boots against the ground. “Just rotten luck is all, typically typic.” He tilted his head from side to side. “Oh well!” Before he raised the hula hoop ring above his head and made four slicing motions around the door edges, then poking at it with his free hand, causing it to fall in. “Roomservice!” He peeked around but saw none but was met with a painting of a knight or so it appeared. Something had to be done about that, she didn’t look right at all.

Fegin fetched a color pen from his pocket, where had he found it? Who knows. Perhaps his master would not find his. Fegin jumped up on a dresser or table, whichever was closest to it and then began his work. Adding a mustache and chin beard was just what it needed. He gave his masterpiece a look before putting the pen back and resuming his search, finding a second entry point. “Oho? Sneaky little rabbits.” He clapped his hand on his chest.

On the other end of the house, Adam had seen the two girls exit through some inner courtyard of the building. He watched them for a bit before giving chase, making his presence discreet if he could. Moving from trees to bushes to rocks, whatever was about to give him cover.

On the other hand, this was no time for idle discussions. Andras nodded, and said plainly, “I trust you.” Partially to reassure her, and partially to potentially give another signal for her angel, Andras manifested her cards at the ready. “Let’s go.”

Vera took a deep breath, hoping Andras wouldn’t regret that. She led Andras into the woods. There was a path, about three people wide, cut into the landscape. Tall walls of earth and roots surrounded it, ending just above their heads. It was as if they were walking beneath the forest, rather than through it.

The trail stretched on longer than one might have expected, leading toward the hill’s peak. However, before they even reached much of an incline, there was a rustling in the forest. Vera came to a dead halt, motioning for Andras to do the same.

She’d expected perhaps the danger was at the destination, or that it was just a lie to keep her away. Was there actually something out here? There was a bit of a slope cut into the side of the path ahead, and the rustling became crashing as a furry shape tumbled down it and onto the path ahead. It was a small dog? No… a wolf?

It was a baby wolf. The actual animal, of course.

It righted itself and then planted its feet, lowering itself and growling as viciously as a wolf pup could. It had the strangest eyes...

“You’ve… got to be kidding me…” Vera stared at it. There was something familiar about it, but that was important. This wasn’t helpful. What would it do, bite at their ankles and make them into a chew toy? But then the one or two nature documentaries she’d seen as a kid came back to her. Where there was a baby, there was a parent not far off.

Something landed behind them. There was a softness to it, but also a weight. Like a massive object landing upon a cushion. The two girls would feel breath on the back of their necks.

Vera felt herself begin to shake and she slowly turned around. It was white, with only occasional patches of grey mottling its coarse fur. There was something wrong about it: its eyes seemed to burn, one of its monstrous eyes even having two pupils, and its teeth barely fit in its mouth. Most horrifying was the fact that its shoulders were up to Vera’s chest. It just completely dwarfed poor Andras. It turned its muzzle up, mere centimeters from Vera’s face.

It bared its fangs, a low growl coming from it that could be felt through the ground below them.

“P-please… w-we aren’t here to trespass…” She knew next to nothing about these creatures, save that she’d been told they existed. She just wish she’d been told they were the reason this forest was dangerous! She knew they were smart, but could they understand her? Judging by the fact that it was still growling at her, she had reason to doubt this.

It sniffed at her, and then it turned to sniff at Andras. Terror turned to horror as its mouth began to gape open, growling turning to a vicious snarl.

“No!” Vera stuck her arm out, barring its path to the girl. “I-I’m here to protect her!” The wolf’s gaze snapped back to Vera, the fury clear in its eyes. It barked at her, and took a step forward, as if to ask how dare she confront it.

Vera felt her legs give and she shrunk down to her knees, the beast staring down at her…

“P-please…”

Andras was taken aback. ‘She’s going to such a length?! Amazing…’ Vera had some serious courage, to stand up to something like that despite everything.

Adam had stalked the girls through the wilderness, getting all manner of moss, branches and thorns over his artificial body and clothing. But nothing was going to stop him from completing the mission which was going to bring him closer to his master. The thing he needed to do.

The girls had been stopped further ahead by some form of beast. Adam believed it was known as a wolf. Master Galbrek had allowed Darla to watch some form of documentary regarding it. But it didn’t matter much to Adam, it was now both aiding and obstructing him. It was keeping the girls still but potentially harming Andras which he sought to capture. If she would be deeply wounded or killed then his master would not forgive him. Thus the creature had to be-

He suddenly felt something on his shoulder, a quick yet firm thing, like a paw of some great beast. Adam turned to look at what it was. That damn clown. Fegin had caught up with him somehow.

“Found ya. Ya really should train on sneaking, I saw you from far away…” He said in a hushed voice, then looked ahead to the two girls. “Now that’s a problem.”

Adam gave Fegin an annoyed look and then said in a serious tone. “Yes. I shall take it out…”

The tall doll stood up and stepped forwards, raising his both hands to unleash a barrage of dark purple shards of magic towards the fur clad beast. Fegin at the same moment let out a slight noise and began to run forwards trying to get to Andras and Vera, his steps now causing beeping sounds. “Outta! Heya fancy meeting you out ‘ere, ‘fraid we got a schedule to pass so mind to tag along?” Fegin gave a smirk with a slightly carefree look to his face, despite the really bad situation they were in.

The wolf’s ears suddenly perked up and turned. This was followed by the whole beast suddenly throwing itself aside and skidding to a stop a few feet away. A second later shards of energy struck the ground where it had stood.

This was followed by… beeping? What? Oh, the damn creepy clown doll.

The wolf was already mad, but then… it inhaled. Its nostrils suddenly flared and it gave two more quick sniffs of the air. In an instant, its lips pulled back and thick ropes of drool began to leak from its mouth. Its eyes had gone wide and it let out a ferocious roar like no proper wolf should have ever been able to.

Vera had seemed to set it on edge and Andras’s presence had seemed to upset it. But now, something about these intruders had sent it into a mad rage. It seemed any moment now it would-

Beep. Beep-beep-beep.

Everything screeched to a halt as the dolls shoes began rapidly beeping… as the wolf pup had latched on and begun chewing at them. Apparently the beeping had gotten its attention.

The painted doll had peeked down to his boots at the sight of a wolf pup chewing on his flawless boots. He made a pouty face and quickly leaned down to pick it up with his free hand before whistling over to it’s apparent parent. “Yohoo! Who's a good pup? Oh you are! Who's a bad bitch? You are!” Fegin went from looking at the pup to it’s mother, whistling to get the attention of the mother before starting to run with the pup in hand. His boots beeping along his fast stride.

Adam’s attention went to Fegin for a moment and watched what the big wolf like creature would do, he was prepared to use another barrage of dark energy shards. Right now his power was far greater than it had been before, if these would hit it would hurt it. The power master Galbrek have bestowed to him, his most loyal and determined servant. A sense of pride filled him.

If Fegin could lead the beast away he would have the opening he needed to subdue the girls or so he thought. They seemed to be out of tricks. This is for you, Lord Galbrek

Adam prepared himself for what would come.

Vera couldn’t imagine that running off with a something like that wolf’s baby could ever be a good idea, but the gravity of the situation soon became apparent when the wolf bolted after him. At the speed it took off, it would catch up quickly, but that still left them wide open to the other doll. But, if it was just one, maybe Andras would be OK. If only she was actually a factor in this fight, then they’d definitely win… but as it was, she was about as useful as a screen door on a submarine.

One of the dolls distracted the wolf, leaving it between the two of them and a single doll. Of course, that was hardly a fair evaluation, considering that it was a Demon Lady of Despair versus a mere doll. Andras laughed to herself lightly, a card rising from her hand and glowing white. “Knight of Rath, hear my voice, and break the lines of darkness!” Her summon chant materialized her spell. From the card burst an armored knight, mounted upon a horse.

“Clear our path!” Andras commanded, and the knight charged towards Adam, holding its sword in a reversed grip.

Adam kept his both hands raised and as the knight materialized from Andras’ summoning, he changed his target to it. A knight who would try break the lines of darkness as her chant went. The tall doll narrowed his eyes and focused.

“This is for the one whom I respect and love, the one whom gave me a new life as a homunculus! This is for Lord Galbrek!” He unleashed his barrage of purple shards of magic towards the approaching knight.

A distance away Fegin was running and cutting down any tree close to him using his hula hoop ring, causing it to fall behind him to hinder or possibly fall over the large beast, buying a bit of time until he finally took a leap up on a tree stump and up unto a large branch on a tree, a fair distance from the ground, still with the pup in his other hand. “Oof. That was… stressful. Bad dog. Stay. Stay.”

He looked briefly at the pup, making sure the bigger creature saw it. All he had to do now was to buy a bit of time for Adam to get out of there with the target.

The wolf eventually wised up, breaking off from following directly behind. One of the trees had come close to crushing it, right when it had been inches from tearing Fegin in half. Again, it was moments away, snarling and flying through the air just as Fegin leapt, its fur brushing the heels of his boots as it sailed past.

It turned back, circling the tree once and then stopping. It reared its head back and howled. It was a low, droning howl, one befitting its twisted appearance. The whole forest seemed to tremble. The pup in Fegin's arms squirmed and joined in chorus, though not as deafeningly loud.

The issue that may have presented itself to Fegin was when the chorus was joined by something a little bigger. Two more howls echoed through the forest in response to the first. Then… the wolf charged off, out of sight.

For a moment.

The next thing Fegin knew it stormed back onto the scene, jumping, rebounding off a tree, and then up toward his branch, jaws clamping down on the branch. It was only a question of what would occur first, the branch snapping off the tree, or Fegin being shaken loose.

Adam’s attack may have hurt a lesser knight, but Andras’s summon was specifically trained to endure attacks while charging. The shards clashed against the paladin’s armor, but his horse continued galloping forward, and it bore down upon Adam. The paladin swiftly struck at the doll with his sword as it passed him, slashing the doll with his sword. Rearing around, the paladin turned back to face his opponent after his charge.

Andras grabbed Vera’s wrist, which was the opposite of what was usual so far. “Vera. The doll’s wounded, and the other one ran off. Now’s our chance to run!”

“Wh- Huh?!” Vera was all for getting far away from the dolls, but somehow going farther down the path just seemed… almost as bad. Her fears were founded, but not before the path began to wind up the hill, leaving them quite deep into the old forest.

They rounded a corner to see another giant wolf sitting there. This one had long, dark, stringy fur that left its eyes almost completely hidden and gave the impression it had a beard. And, whereas the first wolf looked like it might have just had birth defects, this one was clearly not normal. It had two rows of short horns sticking out of the fur on its head.

It sat there, like a guardian monolith, halting their advance. Just like the first, the forest’s silence was soon broken by a low rumbling as it began to growl. And then another, white like the first, but without the spots to mar its fur. It also seemed a bit smaller, perhaps younger, but this ones fangs were so long they stuck out when its mouth was closed. They were trapped between the two.

The shaggy one stood, stalking toward them as the second circled, as if they were trying to herd the girls out of the forest. It was merely a question of if they could safely turn their backs without being set upon… and how patient the wolves were.

And if it was even safe to head back yet.

Andras gripped Vera’s hand. “D-Do you have a plan?” She said, her voice shaking with fear.

“W-w-walk backwards… don’t make any sudden moves… and hope they aren’t hungry…” Vera really hadn’t thought things through this far ahead. Mutant wolves hadn’t been part of her plan. They were bred for a purpose, and killing them wasn’t it, but that didn’t mean they weren’t still vicious and plenty able to do so.

Their harrowing, uneasy retreat went on for about a minute. The longest minute of Vera’s life. It seemed it might work, that showing they would leave the forest was enough to keep the wolves from attacking.

But then their path was blocked off. The first wolf was back, seeming to have reclaimed the pup from the clownish doll. They could no longer advance in any direction. They hadn’t exactly been able to finish, err, negotiating with the first wolf either, and no doubt it was in a truly foul mood.

Then, an oddly familiar noise. The screeching caws of a raven as a large, black bird soared past, unusually low. It seemed to distract the wolves, and then a high pitched whistle rang through the forest.

And suddenly, just like that, they backed off. All three with pup in tow, albeit with noticeable reluctance, loped off into the forest.

“OK…” Vera said breathlessly, on the verge of hyperventilating. “J-just go! Go!” she urged and took advantage of the sudden clear path.

Halfway back, the man Vera had been looking for in the first place greeted them, though it wasn’t with a smile.

“Vera!? My goodness, what are you girls doing out here!? You could have been killed!” His face was taught and his lips pressed tightly together. “Well, judging by the fact that my door is in pieces, you must have had a reason. Come, it’s safe enough now. You can explain inside…”

Adam had quickly dashed to the side and moved past the knight, withdrawing from the area. The cut the knight had made was causing his dark purple power to begin to leak out, he placed one hand over the wound as if to prevent it from leaking out as much.

Gritting his teeth but realizing this battle was lost, he began to run off, dashing behind a couple of trees and making his way back the same way he came. Hearing some noises in the distance, likely more of those beasts and possibly the knight following him. He didn't stay to find out but ran as fast as he could. Taking advantage in his inhuman physique, that he never gets tired. He could make it if he kept running with the advantage he currently had. Fegin had to find his own way out.

The jester had just managed to raise his hula hoop ring above his head when the large beast lunged for the branch he stood on, grappling unto a partly decapitated branch a little bit further up, before he decided it was time to move, he pulled himself up on the partly decapitated branch and took a leap to another tree, with a branch further down, before sliding down the tree, holding unto the wolf pup in one hand and then flinging it like a flying bowling ball towards the larger one.

That would distract it for a bit he thought, and ran quickly, slicing down a few trees along his way, causing them to fall down to obscure his path.

He was faster than Adam, tougher and more endurable. He flung himself acrobatically over some of the trees which fell to the sides or in front of him due to his cutting, most fell backwards though.

While he might had been able to kill such a creature he pondered on the morals of doing so. They were likely only defending their home and they were not part of the mission they had accepted. Even so he couldn't lower his guard until he was fully out of the forest.

Andras sat in the house, still shaken up considerably. ‘This is not helping my fear of dogs at all…’ She stuck close to Vera, as if leaving her would suddenly cause the wolves to come back.

Clearing her throat, Andras eventually spoke up to introduce herself. “H-Hello… My name is And- Er… Alexandria Sova. Me and Vera had been… Well…” Andras trailed off, not sure what to say exactly. Given the situation, even something like using her demon name seemed rash. Andras shot a look at Vera as if to ask for her to explain it for her.

Vera took a deep breath and explained the situation to Guntram, allowing him to bandage her shoulder while she did so. She was getting sick of being hurt because of the whole Andras situation, but she couldn’t find it in herself to blame the girl. She couldn’t even say she and Andras were even. Andras had pretty much come to her own rescue in the end.

“So… it is most likely the work of this… Galbrek?” Guntram sighed. “Children these days.”

“I… can’t swear that he’s the master these dolls keep talking about, but I don’t think him being there the first time is a coincidence,” Vera told him.

“Hm. A lack of evidence then. Well, I suggest you lie low for a bit. Rash action has been the cause of most of this grief, I imagine,” he spoke, leading the girls back to the main room. He suddenly whistled loudly, the same whistle that had warded off the wolves before.

He stood, staring at the defiled portrait of Wolf’s mother -- his wife.

“And yet… I don’t think I’ll be staying silent.” His arms were folded behind his back, but Vera could see his knuckles turning white. “There is a line.”

The sound of hard nails on a wooden floor echoed into the room.

“Yes, come in. You may as well see what they did to her,” Guntram said, but it was unclear to who. And then the white wolf with the odd eye walked in, just barely able to fit its broad shoulders through the doorways. Vera scurried back at the sight of it, clinging fearfully to Andras. “Have you calmed down then?” Guntram asked the wolf.

The beast wandered over and sat, almost politely, before the defiled portrait. It stared at it, as if transfixed in reverence.

“No need to be so afraid girls, he won’t harm you while I’m here. They know to be on their best behavior in this house,” he told them.

Andras instinctively edged away from the newcomer. No amount of reassurance would not have her on edge after what she had experienced previously. Now that most of the danger had passed, she had lost her adrenaline kick. Pressing up against Vera, she inched away from the wolf. “N-Not scared at all, sir.” Andras managed to mumble. “What exactly are… They?” She gestured toward it.

“What? You’ve never seen a wolf before?” Guntram raised an eyebrow. There was a silent pause and Vera just smiled nervously, assuming it was some sort of attempt at humor. “Right, I suppose this isn’t the time for levity.” He sighed and turned to face them directly. “Well, the ancient evil may have been driven back, and the great lines of defenses rendered mostly unnecessary, the veil was left… thin in some places.

While remnants still occasionally leak into this world, they are rarely any real threat. In the world we live in now, even school children can push them back. However, the host of demons may also take advantage of these weaknesses. The gods in all their power are not omniscient, there is evil that can shield itself from their gaze.” It seemed he was going to give them the long version.

“Now, there are those who hunt demons. My wife… her family fought alongside wolves. In time, their lineage grew so engorged on their blood and corruption that they… changed.” He gestured to the example before them, and then to the portrait. “The monster that lays slain in that picture is what happens when instead of gaining a hunger for that corruption, it takes over. It was as much her job to slay them as it was to raise them.” He shook his head and then looked at Vera. “That side of them is why they’re so well suited for the job, but it also makes them incredibly dangerous. I imagine the only reason he didn’t attack you immediately is because you spend so much time around us, he probably felt he recognized you. Still, if he hadn’t let out that war cry, I might not have returned in time.”

Vera wondered if something in that story explained why the wolf had reacted so violently to the presence of the dolls…

“Well, umm, Andras has been staying with the Blackgates for safekeeping… Do you think you could get us there?” Vera asked.

“Ah, yes, Wolfram told me as much. Hard to find a place safer than that.” He looked away for a moment. “This house should have been just as safe. You have my apologies that I wasn’t here,” he told them. “So yes, I will happily escort you back.”

The great wolf looked over its shoulder at him.

“I assure you, I will deal with this.” It continued to stare. “No, I’m afraid I cannot bring you with me.” It lowered its head, whatever spell the portrait had seemingly cast over it now broken. It then trudged off, presumably back to the forest.

Andras let out a sigh of relief, now that the wolf had gone. She also realized how much she was pressing against Vera, and quickly scooted away without looking at her. “I don’t think… I’ll take a trip to the library alone again. I’m sorry, Vera.” Andras stood up after some thought. “I’ve also got something to attend to, right now…”

‘The knight I summoned, and the angel… I almost forgot about them.’ She walked back outside. ‘Agh, how am I going to keep the knight around?! The angel at least can fly and stay out of people’s view.’ Andras scratched her head.

Summoning her cards and having them hover around her, she provided a beacon of light for her summons to congregate towards. Andras didn’t have to wait long before the knight emerged from the forest path. She began to instruct the knight for what to do. “Okay, I’m going to lead you to the Vigilante’s base, and hopefully you can stay there and help out anyone who has a job… Ah. Stay here until I come back for you.”

The angel that Andras had summoned had finally found her. Turning to the angel, Andras took a bit of a scolding tone, wagging her finger at the heavenly being. “You need to follow me more closely next time! I know I said to stay high up to keep suspicion away, but you’ve got to be able to track me. Stick around more from now on, and if anyone sees you, evade them before circling back to where I am. And keep an eye out for my cards!” Andras emphasized her point by having her cards do a quick spin around her. “Stay close when me and Vera return home. I’m not sure when I’ll leave the house next time, but I’ll give a signal when I do.”

With that, Andras dismissed the angel with a wave of her hand. ‘Okay, we’ll have to stop at the Vigilante headquarters again… Hopefully it’ll be fine.’ She thought as she walked back into the house.

“Now that I’ve sorted that out…” Andras trailed off.

‘I hope he wasn’t watching me out there… He could probably see me talking with an angel from any of the windows in the house!’ Andras hadn’t considered that somebody probably would be watching her consult with her summons.

Guntram raised an eyebrow at the sight of the girl conversing with her… things. He clearly had been caught off guard by Andras’s capabilities.

“You… have an interesting friend,” he said to Vera. “She seems to be scolding an angel. Never thought I’d say that.”

“I don’t think she knows you can see her. Do me a favor and pretend like you didn’t,” Vera requested with a sigh..

“What’s this? Considering other people’s feelings? How unusually nice of you,” Guntram smirked.

“Wh-!?” Vera puffed her cheeks out. “I can be nice! I’m always nice to you!” she insisted.

“No, you’re polite. There’s a difference.” Those few words and the lack of hesitation behind them shut her down instantly. Well of course she was polite to him, he was the kind of person who demanded respect just by existing, like Victor, who she not so coincidentally was also very “polite” with.

And thus their exchange ended just as Andras walked back into the room.

“All set then?” the man asked Andras, not giving any indications that he had or had not seen anything.

“Well, it might be necessary to stop at the Vigilante’s base to-” Andras caught herself from saying something about the knight she summoned,’ “-report that Vera’s job is going well!” Andras gave a warm smile towards Vera. “Isn’t it?”

Vera was silent a moment. Andras was making it real hard to be so considerate.

“Well, it’s more like I’m doing Wolf’s job for him while he’s busy,” she let a little venom creep into her voice. If Wolf had actually been around today, none of this would have been a problem! “Great’s probably a strong word, but last I checked you and William haven’t been flayed alive, so sure. Everything is peachy.”

“I see. Well, I’d be a terrible father if I didn’t know where my son did business, so I’m quite aware of where that is. Not too terrible of a detour I suppose.” He gave Vera a sly wink as he continued to play along, causing her to grimace slightly.

“Let’s get going then. My shoulder hurts and I’m tired.”

And so go they did. Vera wasn’t sure how the hell Andras hid an entire horse with mounted knight on the way back, but she did it. Well, they could make out the clip-clop of hooves on pavement in the distance, but they just acted like they couldn’t.

Vera figured that Andras had earned the right to keep her pride fully intact.

Finally, some time later, Andras’s torture was ended as they stopped by the Vigilante outpost and then Guntram later bid them farewell after a short chat with Victor. Vera found it strange that he didn’t mention anything about the portrait or the break-in, but perhaps he wanted to deal with it on his own.

Epilogue

It was at this point Vera took advantage of the ability to get Andras alone.

“We need to talk… I’m acting like your babysitter, but you’re the one who can actually fight,” Vera told her. “A little awkward, don’t you think?”

Andras fidgeted in her seat a little. “W-Well, it’s just the nature of the job, isn’t it? Technically, at least…”

“Andras, you know I’m not really a Vigilante. I just follow around my boyfriend because watching him get mauled by a rabid raccoon is hilarious.” Usually the little odd jobs they did were so boring she could pass out on her feet, but sometimes… “Point is, it’s not my job. The other point is that all I can do is try to keep you out of trouble. The second trouble finds you, there’s not much I can do…” She absentmindedly rubbed at her aching shoulder. “And if they’re bold enough to go for you in broad daylight with witnesses, there’s even less I can do. You have to be more careful.”

She was silent for a moment, looking down at her feet, “I don’t need you on my conscience.”

Andras was taken a little off guard, but she felt that everything that had happened today had definitely proven Vera right. Getting herself in trouble meant problems for everyone else… Especially for Vera, who wasn’t even technically on the job. Andras sniffled a little. ‘I’ve put her through a lot today… All for some books?!’

Andras suddenly hugged Vera. “I’m sooooorry!!” Andras cried. “I wasn’t thinking at all and I screwed everything up…”

Vera flinched at the sudden hug. She was never gonna be used to that. All she could do was awkwardly pat her on the head. Eventually though she decided she wanted her personal space back and pried the girl off. Most people wouldn’t even make it to eventually, so Andras was lucky.

“You really did,” Vera said bluntly. “But… the most important part of screwing up is what you do to make it right. I figure you did OK.” Vera almost managed a full smile to punctuate her words. “You know, I said by the end of this we might be ‘besties’. Keep impressing me and you might actually make it that long.” She didn’t let Andras get a word in though. In true Vera fashion, she dropped the bomb and then went to make her escape. She booped Andras on the nose to keep her off guard and then stood.

“Anyway, Wolf wasn’t around when I needed him, so I figure he’s earned himself a long, angry text.. Or maybe I should be passive-aggressive and make him sweat… Hmmm,” she mused to herself as she walked out of the room.

‘Did… Did she just boop my nose...?’ Andras thought. Stunned for a moment, she began to lean backwards until she plopped onto the guest room’s bed. ‘I should be mad, but…’ Andras yawned. ‘We might be besties, so… Maybe it’s not all bad.’ With that as her last thought, Andras fell into a long nap.

---

@Crowvette@Dezuel@AtomicNut

[Hammerman]

Christine Abigail

---

After Kath was discharged from the clinic, it didn't take long for Christine to return back to her normal activities. Christine was not the type to worry for long, especially when it involved her sister. It wasn't the first time she had gotten into scraps after all, and it certainly wouldn't be the last. As long as her sister was back up and healthy, she wouldn't dwell on it.

Her normal daily life in Mephisto was like this. First, she had to attend her classes, obviously, and she would usually be the one to help the teachers in their tasks, like carrying test papers and spreading them around to the class. And as this was Mephisto, she also would have to "straighten up" some of the more unruly students. As a council student member, she had the authority of using her powers in the school grounds. And she wasn't shy at all in using it, especially when those students started being cheeky towards her. Some perverts even blatantly tried to flip up her coat just to see whether the rumors were true or not, only to find that their hands froze the moment they grabbed the hem of her coat.

This was why she preferred Mephisto over St. Laurel, among other things. You just had more freedom here.

Speaking of perverts, some boys would choose a more sneaky way in satisfying their curiosity, like trying to peek at her from below when she climbed the stairs. Those people would also get the cold treatment if she noticed them, leading to the frequent sight of frozen students on the stairs.

And then there were the lucky perverts, who just happened to be in the perfect spot to look up her coat, like when she bent over to pick up a fallen paper for example. Normally, she wouldn't notice but even if she did, she would just blush and pull down her coat, giving a shy smile to their direction. Unlike your classic violent tsunderes in those romcom anime and manga, she would only punish intentional perverts.

After school was over, she would go to the student council room. Even if there weren't to be a meeting that day, she usually would have some paperwork to do. She usually went home right as the sun went down.

Today, however, her schedule changed a little. Instead of going to the student council room after class, she instead went to Teacher Maskono's training lesson. As a member of the student council, she had to make sure everything went smoothly and according to protocols after all, especially since this was something that the teacher just recently started. She would watch for a couple of sessions before she could be sure that everything was fine. Naturally, as an observer, she didn't really join in.

So far, everything seemed to be in order, even though Miss Maskono could be really quite spartan at times.

Today, she participated as an observer once more, sitting on a nearby bench with her legs crossed and a book on her hand. She saw Bak eagerly participating. Well, there was no rule that a student council member couldn't join in.

@Gentlemanvaultboy@AtomicNut

[KillamriX88]

@AtomicNut

---

"I'm home!" Wolf called out as he stepped into his house. "Dad... why is the door gone?" It was later in the day now, but even in the fading light it was hard to miss an entire part of the house having been removed.

"Welcome back, son. Indeed, some things transpired while you were out," his father strode into the main room. "I'll-"

While his father spoke, Wolf's gaze wandered over to his mother's portrait. He saw the graffiti upon it. For a moment the rest of the world faded away, becoming muffled and colorless. All that he could really hear was a dull roaring in his ears, broken up occasionally only by his own accelerating heartbeat. Something clawed at the back of his mind, trying to unbury itself, and his vision began to blur- no, the room seemed to be shaking.

And then it stopped.

His father pulled the portrait from the wall, turning it over and removing the painting from the frame and rolling it up.

"Huh, what are y-"

"You're right, Wolfram. There's no point in leaving it up in its current state," the man said. "I'll have to get a suitable replacement. I don't know that it can be repaired."

"So, uh..." Wolf shook his head, feeling like he'd just been suddenly woken up from a deep sleep. He realized his palms hurt and looked down to see he'd nearly torn them open from clenching his fists so hard. "What happened, exactly?"

"There was a break-in of a sort. Your girl and a friend of hers came here seeking shelter, but I was out at the time. The assailants followed them in and apparently decided to add vandalism to their list of crimes," his father explained.

"What?!" Wolf pulled out his phone. He'd received a message earlier, but hadn't been in a position to read it. Indeed it was from Vera. He didn't even bother reading it. "Is she OK?!"

"For the most part, yes. I got them both back to Victor's safely."

"I-I need to-"

"Yes, of course. Go," Guntram urged him and Wolf wasted no time, turning on his heel and dashing back out of the house.

. . .

Vera stepped outside, having finally received a response from Wolf. She saw him walking over to her nervously.

"Y-you're OK!" Wolf was relieved to see it with his own eyes, but there was still that sinking feeling in his chest. He knew better than to expect a happy reunion.

"No thanks to you. But yes, I'm in one piece," she told him, crossing her arms.

"Umm-"

"I can't keep doing this, Wolf!" Her brow furrowed as she gave him a harsh glare. "It's your job to protect her, not mine. I can't even do anything anyway! You need to be there!"

"Wh-"

"She's practically a prisoner here! She can't leave without some fucking creepy ass doll trying to drag her off somewhere! If she needs to go somewhere, then you show up! Got it?!" Vera commanded.

"Well, that's why I-"

"What good is your stupid training if you're not even around to use it!" she snapped. "Whatever you're doing, you cut it short and move your ass over here! I'm sick of being in the firing line to cover for you!" She stomped over to him and jabbed him in the chest with her index finger. "GOT IT!?"

"Y... yes..." He nodded, feeling his body tremble.

"You need to fix this! This isn't over when the job is. Just because whatever stupid plan William has is done, doesn't mean the people trying to kidnap her will be! So I suggest you get rid of them sooner rather than later!"

"I... don't know. How would I even do that?" He agreed, to be fair. Andras was a friend, not just a job. He'd have loved to get rid of the problem, but short of murder... how?

"Well I suggest you figure that out." Vera seemed ready to leave it at that and just walk away, but Wolf grabbed her wrist.

"Vera... I... I'm sorry."

She quickly pulled away, seeming offended that he'd dare touch her, "You should be." She took another few steps away and then stopped. "So what had you so busy?"

Wolf flinched. This wasn't going to help his case, ". . . one of William's stupid plans."

The silence that followed said a lot.

"I see," Vera finally spoke. "And?"

"There was an old building filled with bloodthirsty, mutated animals..." He explained. It sounded especially ridiculous saying it out loud, but the truth was what it was.

"Well, you survived. So good for you." Vera still wouldn't even look at him.

"Yeah... I guess." Wolf lifted a hand to his ribs, where the giant horse creature had kicked him. He felt like mentioning how close he'd come to not surviving wouldn't even phase Vera. Part of him was scared to find out if he was right. A big part of him, apparently.

He couldn't bring himself to speak up.

"Goodnight," Vera said, dismissively of course, and all Wolf could do was watch her walk back into the house. He knew he was free to follow her. No one would stop him. Most would even welcome him.

"Good... night..."

But instead he just wandered over to a nearby stone wall and slide down to sit against it. Speaking of getting kicked by a giant, fire-breathing horse, running there had actually hurt quite a bit. After Vera's dressing down, he wondered if maybe he deserved it...

[AtomicNut]

Les Misérables

Featuring: Wolf,Meredith, Vera and...

@KillamriX88

---

What was reality. What was a dream. Meredith counted the seconds in her brain, as chains of pain took hold of all her limbs. These past weeks had started badly enough, and it had only gotten worse. She felt useless. Unnoticed. She wanted to be helpful, and a better person. That’s why she had taken the sword like her father. Like her brother. The tournament was a big thing for her school, and she dedicated herself dutifully. At first slower, but soon it gained a breakneck pace as lesson after lesson and blow after blow, her father was trying his best to put her into shape.

But it was never fast enough. She was still sluggish. Naive. Weak. And then, her mother intervened. It had started because Victor Blackgate had gone to do some errands, and Nyxdaemona had found her eldest daughter practicing swordsmanship. She felt a chill down her spine when she heard her amused chuckle, and then words she would dread.

“Let me help you.”

She had been unforgiving, relentless. With just enough care to not kill her, making her stagger and gasp for air, for breathe, as wound after wound accumulated in her body, her demonic nature being the only thing that she felt at times, was holding her together.

“See, you’re my daughter. I love you.” She said. “As an extension of myself. A pathetic one.” She added, her words full of bile and poison. “And, if you’re going to enter that tournament, I shall do everything on my hand to help you. Whether you like it or not. However, a lot of work has to be done. You’re weak, soft, indulgent… you won’t last three seconds out there.”

She added, as she finished her spiel, the dark magics that had held Meredith midair extinguishing and her maimed body crashing into the floor. That’s how it had been.

“Patch yourself up. Tomorrow we will do more.” The succubus had added, before taking her leave. Meredith did her best, as she crawled towards the door upstairs, exiting the basement-slash-dungeon of the house. She took care to change her clothes and use her magic. Nobody liked someone bleeding all over the place.

She wondered if the others were back… when a heated exchange took place. She forced herself to compose her face in a placid smile. No matter what happened, she would be Meredith. Specially to an old friend. She stumbled a step, cursing, but managed to open the door as she eyed the couple.

“Oh hi. Do you want to come in?” She offered. They were at it again. It never ended. It pained her to see Wolf like that. He had been a brave boy once. Brave enough to befriend her… a half-demon with tainted blood.

Wolf looked up from where he sat as Vera just stormed past Meredith. It took him a moment to get his head straight enough to speak.

“Not… really. Sorry,” Wolf finally said. Even actually being welcomed in, as he knew he would have been, couldn’t change his feelings. It didn’t feel right being near Vera at the moment. “I’d offer you a seat, but all I have is this pavement…” he added, looking down at the ground he sat upon.

Meredith eyed Wolf, as she slid outside silently. His gait said much more than his words. Once again, he was the sad, battered knight. And he was reluctant to go inside. Her gaze trailed inside. Vera Goh was likely the cause. But Meredith had to do something, somehow. She walked towards Wolf, as she squatted in front of him, smiling.

“Are you hurt, Wolfie?” She asked. A flaring, scorching pain rupture on her left side. Probably one of the wounds had reopened. “Do you want to be healed?” She questioned further, her eyes staring directly into her best friend.

“N-no, I’m fine,” Wolf lied. He was pretty sure nothing was broken at least. Probably. Hopefully. “Sorry I dumped all this on you. I know you and Vera don’t get along…” And he hadn’t even really been around to check in much. He’d really just been compounding failures lately. “I’ve… been pretty scarce lately. Umm, how are you doing?” It felt like such a lame thing to say, but it was all he had at the moment.

Meredith stood firm on her ground,even though something ugly and bitter stirred inside. “It’s what friends are for, isn’t it?” She said, trying to dismiss it as no big deal. Answering his white lie with another. “I am doing fine, Wolf. Don’t worry about me.” She added, without even the slightest trace of hesitation. Even though one of her sides of her shirt was beginning to be soaked red. “I know you mean well.” She said.

Just like me. And that’s why we are punished for it. She added to herself, as her legs finally gave in, falling butt first in the ground in front of Wolf. “Just a little tired. Don’t worry.” She quickly tried to excuse herself. “I am training these days.”

“No winning for either of us. Both our parents are pretty rough with their training, huh?” Wolf threw on a half-forced smile. After all, Victor had been trained by Guntram, and thus had inherited all of his brutal habits. “Well I guess it’s the end result that matters...”

“I suppose.” Meredith said bitterly, as she stared into Wolf once more. Results. That was always what mattered. One could be right for the wrong reasons. And that’s why Wolf and herself struggled so much. They had scruples. Finally her mother’s words made sense, amidst the exhaustion and sadness.

“Weak, soft… indulgent.” She droned, as she dabbed one hand under her shirt, and began to paint the tired’s knight’s cheek with a healing rune. “No more.” She gritted through her teeth, as she worked herself to stand upright. “You need to rest, Wolfie.” She added as a matter of fact, as she began to walk towards the house.

Something...had changed, even if her smiling face was as always. She would not shy away this time. She had something to say to the one who had invited herself under her roof.

As much as he appreciated being healed anyway, he had a sudden cause for concern. Normally Meredith had to make herself bleed for that, but this time…

“Wait, you’re bleeding?” Wolf knew Victor was tough, but he had never pictured him as someone who went to those extremes. Meredith could take a hit better than most, but still. Wolf got up, much more easily now, and followed after her. “What kind of training are you doing!?”

“Mother loves me.” Meredith just added, her sweet words finally breaking apart to reveal something...darker. “And dad is away on an errand.” She refused to elaborate further as she advanced towards Vera, her visage composing again in record time. A little too well. She did not address her directly, just stared at her, beaming her best smile, ignoring that she was being tailed by Wolf.

“Uhh…” Wolf knew Victor had Mona under control, and while Mona might help them, it didn’t mean her methods were good or pleasant. He’d heard a thing or two. But he’d unwittingly followed her right toward Vera, causing his throat to practically seal shut. The venomous look in Vera’s eyes as they momentarily met his nearly stopped his heart out of dread.

“Can… I help you?” Vera asked. She was too tired for this shit. Wolf was there. Oh geez, was Meredith trying to play peacekeeper or something pathetic like that? She wasn’t sure her opinion of Wolf would survive that.

“Yes, actually, you can.” Meredith added, “Get the fuck out of my house.” She said without breaking a heartbeat. “I need to have a little chat with your boyfriend, and I am too tired to even try to be the gracious host.” She added.

“Excuse me?” Vera glowered. “Today? Really? Go to another fucking room then. Maybe I’m too tired to leave. Whatever shit you’re dealing with is nothing compared to what I’ve already dealt with today.”

Meredith inched closer, her forehead actually touching Vera’s, without breaking her smile nor poise, and then she started pushing her head against the talkative woman, exerting a non small amount of force while doing so, as she brought one of her still bloodstained fingers to vera’s face, soiling her cheek. “Mother decided to be motherly today, and I find my best friend no different than a talking corpse. You are welcome to bring it, but before remember whose house is this.” She added.

“Fine.” Vera said shortly and began gathering up her things. “Fine. Not like I almost died a few hours ago. Not like I was doing his job for him when it happened.”

“What?” Wolf hadn’t heard that part.

“No, no. Don’t worry. You had rabid mutants to handle, it’s fine. It’s just fucking fine!” Vera ranted and roughly shouldered past the two on her way out. “Maybe I’ll just go get kidnapped this time!”

“B-but-” Wolf swallowed hard.

“So yeah, fuck you too!” She spun to walk backwards, flipping them off with both hands before she walked out of sight. Wolf could only hang his head in defeat. The hits just kept coming.

“I’ll send Zack to shadow her. But she can’t treat you like this, Wolfie.” Meredith added. “Results are what matters. I am too tired to be polite today.” She finished, as she offered Wolf a seat.

“So tell me, what really happened?”

Wolf took the seat, “What if I deserve it? I wasn’t here… and you heard her. I’m supposed to be protecting Andras.”

“Well, that much is true, but you’re my friend too. No one kicks my friend when he’s down. No. One.” She emphasized, as she leant on Wolf from behind, giving him one of her famous (-or perhaps infamous) hugs. “Everyone makes mistakes, learn from them.” She added in a warm inflection, so different from what had happened. It seemed that while still downtrodden...she could muster some warmth still.

He let out a long sigh. He was lucky he even had a chance to learn from this. If things had gone a little different… But they hadn’t, so learn he would have to.

“. . . when they got attacked, I guess they ran to my house because it was closer, or something,” he said finally. “And whoever was after them broke in to chase them. While they were there they defaced my mother’s portrait… for some reason. I dunno… when I saw everything just sort of went blank for a bit…” he explained. He’d run off to check on Vera before he’d had a chance to really process that one. Thinking about it again, it felt like a crushing weight descended upon him.

He’d grown accustomed to walking past it every day without feeling the sharp pain of loss every time. In a way, it had been comforting to have around, to know she was still respected after her passing.

But now… it just hurt.

“Repeat that, please.” Meredith’s whole hug and warmth froze all of a sudden. She was in denial, in a similar mood to before when she confronted Vera. Wolf would probably recognize it, after knowing her for so long. Meredith was livid.

“They drew a moustache and beard on it…” Wolf told her. Despite the strange stupor seeing it had knocked him into, the image of what had been done was burned crystal clear into his mind.

Meredith let Wolf go of her embrace, just in time. She would probably had choked Wolf afterwards. Dabbing into the blood of her shirt once more, she drew a circle, of which a creature came fort. Small, squeaky but definitely demonic. An imp. But for some reason it was wearing a Saint Laurel’s uniform.

“Bring Vera back.” She commanded, and sent the summoned creature forth.

“Wait, what?” Wolf was confused. Did Meredith feel bad after hearing the full story, or…?

A minute later the imp rejoined them… by flying across the room like a punted football and bouncing off the far wall. Vera strode back into the room, arms crossed and foot tapping angrily.

“Change of heart? Because I’m perfectly fine with leaving at this point if it means I don’t have to look at you…” Vera growled at Meredith.

Meredith rubbed her imp in reassurance, and dismissed the creature of its services, vanishing in a puff as it had come. “In a manner of speaking.” Meredith, added. “A name, and then you will have your shelter back.” Meredith spoke in a somber tone, maintaining her gaze, unlike normally.

“Captain Joe Swallow,” Vera said deadpan and then paused a moment. “Gonna need to be more specific than that.”

“The one who wrote on my mother’s portrait,” Wolf told her.

“I dunno. One of those stupid dolls did it. We’re like 90 percent sure they belong to that Galbrek prick, right?” Vera rolled her eyes. Eyes that shot wide a second later. “Actually… I was kinda freaking out, but back in the woods I think I heard one actually say his name, so now I’m like 99 percent sure.”

“Uh, woods?” Wolf was confused. What woods?

“The woods behind your house,” Vera said and his face grew pale. “Yeah, I know you said not to but I was out of options! I mean, I almost got eaten but I kinda worked.”

Wolf had to take a second to slow his heart back down. This was all too much.

“Thank you.” Meredith answered, before drawing blood once more… and writing a sleep rune on Wolf’s face. “Now take a rest.” She said, activating the rune. “Ravenovich. Kin. I don’t like him.” Her gait was slow and deliberate, as she eyed one of her father’s swords, a huge chunk of metal that a grown man would need to use both hands. Meredith just yanked it like if it were a feather-duster, demonic vigor strengthening her arm. Like father, like Daughter.

“I need to go for a walk.” She lied through her teeth.

WHUMP!

Wolf’s body collapsed to the floor as Meredith marched out of the house.

Vera crouched down next to him, “Hey…” She slapped his cheek lightly. “Wake up.” She shook his shoulder. Nope, he was out. “. . . neat.” And now she had to deal with this shit.

[Dezuel]

Galbrek

Galbrek was walking back and forth, awaiting his dolls to return with the good news. He had an appointment to keep aswell and capture William in the park would he show up that is.Having patiently waited, longer than he normally would be willing to he finally heard footsteps. Beep. It was the jester. His latest creation had returned, but he had returned empty-handed or so it appeared. "Well?" Galbrek said, placing both of his hands behind his back.

"Weeeeell... I got good news and bad news, lets start with the bad news. We found Celine and Andras, aswell as her pink haired friend, but we couldn't capture them and now Eve and Celine are both dead and well... Adam is kinda dead too I guess? He got into a jam in a forest with some beasts and some summoned knight from the girl."

Galbrek's eyes widened and he let his hands fall to the sides before he tightened them into fists. "What?!" He barked out in a combination of disbelief and rage.

"Yes, yes. And now the good news! I actually managed to survive the entire thing and report back to you master. I also uncovered the location of a peculiar house the girls hid within."

The half-demon's eyebrows twitched and his teeth grinded against oneanother as he strode forwards and tried to push Fegin aside. "Outta." The jester quickly jumped out of the way. "Where are you going master?" The jester asked as his half-demon master passed him by.

"There's just no way Adam would fail me... I am going to get my precious doll back. You will stay here and await my return." Galbrek said through clenched teeth, as he reached over to take on a black cloak with a hood. Then he headed out through the main door.

"Oh dear me..." Fegin scratched his neck as he looked for some good place to spend his time while waiting his creator's return. It took the half-demon abit of time to find the dirty and partly cracked Adam. He was covered in dirt, moss, fruit and twigs.

"Master! I-I'm sorry... we've failed to capture..." Adam begun to explain but his master interupted him, he had a look of concern on his face which was swiftly changed to a fierce red.

"You...you... bastard!" Galbrek grabbed hold of the tall doll's collared shirt. "You do not fail unless I tell you to fail! Have I made myself clear?! You don't die unless I tell you to fucking die! Now you made me walk all the way out here to fetch you!"

His master vented and breathed heavily before looking around, and adjusting his stance, combing his hair back to look more refined. "Now... we are going back, I shall have to fix you up and make some improvements."

"Master Galbrek..." Adam said in a affectionate way, seldom had his master shown such concern for his wellbeing. But both of them were now quickly on the way back to the base to regroup.

[KillamriX88]

@AtomicNut@Gentlemanvaultboy@Hammerman

---

“Nice try, Vernon… but people outside school aren’t allowed. This is only for Mephisto students.” Suzume had said.

And so Vernon, glaring at his two cronies, was at a loss as to what he could do...

"Gah, if you idiots had just shown up in proper uniforms!" He was already busted, what did it matter if anyone heard his now foiled plans.

"S-sorry boss..."

"Hi." All three jumped at Annabelle's sudden interruption. He hadn't even seen her walk over. He'd seen her arrive with Gabrielle and some other poor student they'd abducted to be their third, but...

"What do you want?" Vernon frowned.

"Couldn't help but to overhear your problem. I have a suggestion," she said. "Sounds you need to grab yourself a new teammate."

"Yes, I'll just go pluck a few from the nearest classroom like you did," Vernon rolled his eyes. "It's not that easy!"

"True. That only works because we're special," Belle admitted. "But I had someone more specific in mind. You see, we have a lovely visitor in the form of the esteemed Christine. Go grab her boyfriend Rurik, and things just might fall into place for you."

"You... want me to grab that lazy idiot?" Vernon raised an eyebrow. "Even if I wanted to, why would he help me?"

"So short sighted! I already laid it out for you, put the pieces together!" Belle scoffed and shook her head. "Don't you think Christine would be delighted for him to show up to training?"

"I don't really ca-" And finally it clicked. If he got Rurik, Christine might switch from observer to participant. Rurik might want to just slack off and leave, but maybe he'd be inclined to stick around because of Christine! "Well, it's worth a try. You two! Go fetch Rurik!"

"On it!" the female of the pair nodded.

"Be right back!" the second saluted. The two ran off... only to return ten seconds later. "What does he look like?"

Vernon pinched the bridge of his nose. Somehow he'd totally forgotten about that. Belle meanwhile looked about ready to fall over laughing. She managed to stay on her feet, stumbling over to the two dunces and giving them a description and even places to look for him.

Vernon could only hope that this time they wouldn't somehow fuck it up. But he should have know better.

When they came back, they indeed had found Rurik. Except they seemed to have basically dragged him there by force, with his hands bound behind his back and everything. He looked less than pleased to be there.

Vernon's jaw dropped as Anabelle fell into hysterics in the background. He almost began admonishing his cohorts, but then just shut his mouth and sighed. He'd just let this one happen.

"Hey boss, we found him!" they announced... and then...

POP!

The ropes binding Rurik's hands together burst apart and he then lifted his hands, one to the side of each of the idiots' faces. BLAM! And the two were blasted away, flying off until they crashed into the first solid object they came across.

Vernon glanced at the two crumpled heaps that had been his lackeys. ". . . they really deserved that," he muttered to himself. Maybe once they slept off the headaches they'd be smarter. Unlikely, though.

"So... I take it you're behind all this?" Rurik said, slipping his hands into his pockets. Strangely, the jacket he almost always wore was in tatters, being held together by half a dozen patches, but still frayed around the edges. Well, strange to anyone who hadn't seen his scuffle with Thobias.

"Well, I-"

"Sorry... what was your name again?" Rurik blinked.

". . . excuse me?" Vernon had to do a double take. Was this guy serious? "We're both on the council!"

"And?"

"Vernon!" said boy barked.

"Right, so, Vernon," Rurik said. "The fuck?"

Vernon took a breath, taking the moment recompose himself, "Well you see, Rurik, we have a little training session about to start he- Hey! Don't walk away from me while I'm talking!" So much for composing himself.

"Not interested!" Rurik shouted over his shoulder, still making his way to the exit.

"And here I thought you liked a challenge," Vernon called after him.

"You got the wrong guy."

"Not even when there are stakes to be had?" That got Rurik to stop, even if just for a moment. He turned to look at Vernon, who simply pointed in Christine's direction.

"Really...?" Rurik grumbled. "How do you eve-" And that was when he noticed Annabelle, who gave him a sly wink. "That... utter... bitch!"

"So what do you say? Go along nicely and we'll keep your little habit under wraps," Vernon didn't mince words.

Rurik had to think about it for a moment, but then he just shrugged and turned again to leave anyway. He could talk all he wanted. Rurik would just deal with the aftermath later, and he had a feeling it wouldn't be nearly so dramatic as Vernon hoped.

"Oh Christine!" Vernon called out, causing Rurik to flinch. OK, so maybe he was a little anxious. "Rurik here can't seem to decide if he wants to join us for training or not. Care to weigh in? You do have so much more influence over him than I."

Rurik spun around to face Vernon once more, now struggling to keep his face neutral.

"I'm gonna fuckin' kill him..."

[Hammerman]

Christine Abigail

---

"Oh Christine!"

"Hmm?"

Christine looked up from her book to see who had just called her. Oh, it was Vernon. She wondered what he wanted with her.

"Rurik here can't seem to decide if he wants to join us for training or not. Care to weigh in? You do have so much more influence over him than I," he said to her.

Hmm, that's odd. Usually Rurik wouldn't even bother joining any events like this.

Christine stood up and left her book behind, approaching Vernon and Rurik's location. She then looked at Rurik and said, "You're interested in joining in, Rurik? Well, I won't stop you if you want to. I myself would be okay with participating but only for the fighting parts. I don't really like training, you see."

@KillamriX88

[KillamriX88]

@AtomicNut@Gentlemanvaultboy@Hammerman

---

"Ah, well this may be a training exercise, but as I'm sure you heard, it involves plenty of fighting. So no worries there," Vernon said to her. "We do need a third person or no matter what Rurik decides, we'll be disqualified. You'll join us won't you?"

"Well see I don't like training or fighting all that much," Rurik said. Ironic for someone whose unofficial nickname was 'King of the Ring' in a certain circle. OK, so deep down he didn't hate fighting, but in this case it sounded like a huge pain in the ass. Teams? Vernon? He really wanted to pass on all that.

"Really? Not what I've heard." Vernon smirked at him knowingly.

"Well you must have heard wrong," Rurik sighed. Well, really it was debatable but Christine didn't need to hear about it! "Ugh, whatever. Fine. If Christine is in then... whatever. Just for today." He crossed his now thoroughly twisted arms.

"Excellent. There's a few strange rules, but basically one of us is the princess, aka the leader, but cannot fight. Then there is a defender and an attacker," Vernon explained for Rurik who had missed the earlier explanation. "Since I've drawn us together and Christine would prefer a more active role, I suppose I'll be leader."

"Sure thing, princess," Rurik rolled his eyes, earning a scowl from Vernon. He'd walked right into that one. "I'll... play defense I guess," he decided after a few moments of thinking. Christine was usually more stationary, but her powers could wreak havoc on offense just as well as on defense. Rurik figured, however, that defense was probably that role that would allow him to do the least amount of work... And if Christine wanted to fight, well, "That leaves attacking for you, if that's all right," he said to Christine. Of course none of it mattered if Christine didn't want to participate.

And if she backed out, well, that wasn't his fault and with any luck Vernon would keep his damn mouth shut. And then he could get the hell away from this mess.

But his luck had been pretty awful lately...