DragonOC

Of Light and Shadow - Craw/DOC

Noting his expression, she couldn't help but feel that strange sense of excitement. She clenched her jaw against a smile, trying to figure out exactly why this excitement was. Could it be this dangerous situation? Running from a dangerous man next to another dangerous man. Could it be because she was so close to a hunter? Someone who has, no doubt, killed plenty. Killing does not come easy for most. But killing demons seemed a logical thing for most humans. Especially those involved with the church. Was it that she was telling only half-truths to someone who'd surely not hesitate to remove her from the picture? Or was it simply due to this sudden leap into the curious unknown?

"As far as I understood, Rainolf was still only looking to hire him. I'm not aware of a deal or agreement having been made yet." She looks out the window, the darkness of the night obscured by the storm, rain hammering down all around. "That said, I don't know if Cain's drive is the money or the thrill."

She almost rolls her eyes at his comment, leaning her head against the window, the cold of the glass strangely calming, "The irony of the name is not lost on me. And I don't think even these demons want Lilith to be free. I can only imagine their fear of her."

They pulled up to a motel. It looked like a typical place married men would take their hookers for five minutes of "fun", and parolees would come to "medicate" their headaches. She follows him out of the car, the chill of the night immediately taking the little heat her body managed to work up during the ride here. Her hair was still wet and her useless clothes stuck to her skin. She grabs the two bottles under an arm again, considering chugging the one to warm up from the inside.

Adam? She scoffed, this had to be some elaborately planned story or something. Biblical names were becoming all the more popular in recent years, with the increase in demonic worship opposing the church and all that. Unnecessary. "Lucy."

Death's little predicament- BunniesOfDoom x DragonOC

Picking up her lukewarm coffee, she sipped with a frown. She really was no fan of cold coffee. She eyed the other mug, it seemed Death wasn't a fan at all. She couldn't really blame him, coffee wasn't for everyone. Kaia sat down on the edge of the couch, her eyes scanning over the runes in the carpet. "He has my blood because I used it to set you free. I didn't have time to outsource blood to alter those runes around the cage. I realize now how immensely stupid I was, but I couldn't not free you." She felt as though she was trying to convince herself. "But if he's half as intelligent as I expect, he'd know the bloodmagic he used had to be altered to set you free. The only way to do that is with more blood. I mean, if I was in his position, I'd use that blood for more than simply finding the one who set my prisoner free." The more she speaks, the more uncomfortable she becomes with the situation, "I'd use it to curse the owner." The concern came through vividly across Kaia's face. She felt all she could do is hope that the magician saw more worth in finding them and that her protection spells were strong enough.

"I don't wa-" she stops herself, reconsidering her words, "My father is a difficult person. I'm not certain he will help. He's a busy man and quite particular as to what he gives his time and attention to. I can ask one of the help to send me access codes to the family's digital library instead. That might aid my decoding efforts." She'd prefer to avoid involving her father, she realized. Hell, she might even choose struggling and failing over asking his aid. She hoped Death would somehow forget of that as an option.

Her eyes fall to the jar in Death's hands, "Two nights from now there will be a full moon. I can perform a ritual to reach out to Thoth. If I weave some of the energy you gave me throughout, I'm certain it will draw the attention of any god. Considering Thoth is a god of wisdom and magic, we should have luck in piqueing his curiosity enough. At least, that's what I'm hoping."

She downed her disappointing coffee, getting to her feet again. Bringing a notebook and pen closer, she started replicating the runes into the paper, taking extra care of their spacings and placement. She didn't want to accidentally cast a spell with these runes she knew absolutely nothing about. Not a single one of them looked familiar to her. She scribbled a few additional notes down in the back, wondering how long this world will remain deathless.

Death's little predicament- BunniesOfDoom x DragonOC

The runes were older than she thought. Kaia had hoped that a god on Death's side would be able to decipher them or, in the very least, give her a way to do so herself fast. Of course it wouldn't be that easy. It was never that easy. Nox was nice enough to capture the runes into the carpet. That would save Kaia from asking Death for another demonstration or five to copy them down. The two doltish reapers were also free again, which was good. She wondered how long it would take for the magician to realize his carpet was gone. He'll be so focused on losing Death, it might take a while for him to notice. Kaia listened as Nox spoke.

Hermes. The messenger god. She might've been in a more favorable position had she gone into journalism. Travel is also one of the many things she always put off. She sighed as the next thought crossed her mind; she's officially a thief now. Just maybe that would earn ten seconds with the god. No. That's way too farfetched. It's like playing fetch with a stray dog and expecting Gula to appear and give you her thanks. Although, since he can move so easily between the worlds, maybe he'd be curious enough to show up? Death goes missing and is found in a mortal body alongside a mortal after being trapped by a different mortal. Hermes is sometimes seen as a psychopomp, after all. On the other hand, it might not be an excellent idea to put too much trust in him. He's no idiot and might even be aiding under the table at a chance of enforcing that title of his.

Thoth, however... he might be the good choice. There's a full moon in two nights. That should make reaching out somewhat easier. And Kaia's always had a passion for broadening her knowledge, so that might give her some additional points. Also, the fact that Thoth is a god of reckoning, he should understand the importance of freeing Death and having him return to his throne. Unless his idea for reckoning is "fuck around and find out", then he might not be of much help. She's barely just met Death and her entire world feels upside down. She's a mortal! What is she doing standing next to the Death. There's no time to think about that now.

Athena is completely out. There's no way Kaia would have enough knowledge or experience to think she'd be able to out-strategize the literal godess of wisdom and war. She was nowhere near that stupidly arrogant. It felt a bit confusing, though. Athena was said to be an advocate for peace, unlike Ares. Is it possible there was a different reason for Athena to go after Death's throne? But who was she to speculate on the motives of gods?

Kaia's shoulders suddenly felt a lot heavier, "Please, dissolving is not on my to-do list for today." She gladly accepted the charm, removing her necklace to slide it on next to the stone, hoping she wouldn't need to use it. She thanked Nox with a weary smile. Was it too late to reconsider the dissolving part? Then, everything went dark again. That sickening spinning sensation overwhelmed Kaia's senses. She was not build to withstand the drawbacks of travel like this. She again changed her mind on the dissolving. She had a feeling it would be a slow and painful way to go out.

Home. How she wished she could go sleep. Pretend that it was just a dream, and she hadn't unintentionally involved herself in the business of gods. And Death. She dropped the rug in the center of the living room. It rolled itself out as she passed by to the kitchen. This was going to be a long night. Wordlessly, she made coffee. She didn't know if Death would want coffee, much less if he actually drank it. Regardless, she made two cups. If he didn't want it, she decided she'd just drink it, too. She put a cup in front of him, slumping down next to him, eyes on the carpet.

After a sip, Kaia speaks, "How I see it, is we have five choices. Hermes could be a pain in the ass and we don't know his position. Thoth, we'd need to convince him to leave his studies to aid us. Athena's motives are unclear and we might fall into a trap with her. Doing it myself could take fuck knows how long. And then there's my father..." She scrunches her nose, "He's a language professor, but it would take almost a week to get to him. Then he'd need time to decode this rug, too. He'd have a faster time at it, I'll admit, but I guarantee you won't hear the end of it."

Part of her would rather face Athena than her father. She hasn't seen him in a while and would prefer to remain out of his sight. "Fuck!" She jumps up, "We need to hide ourselves! Stupid!" Kaia rummages through her things, hastily grabbing ingredients to preform a spell. She ends up with two small jars, enfused with magic and encased in the spell. She stuffs one into her own pocket and the other into Death's hands, relaxing as she does. "That man has my blood and who knows what of yours. Keep this on you at all times. It will hide you from his eyes should he attempt to locate or scry." She looked Death up and down, leaving the room, returning with a t-shirt, "No shirt, no service. Put that on."

Of Light and Shadow - Craw/DOC

She had to act fast, otherwise the both of them would be in immediate danger. If that man caught her with a hunter, she'd definitely be convenient collateral. She shot left, her grip around his wrist tight. Fuck, she'd completely forgotten of this meeting the demon had set up. That was too close for comfort.

Her heart was racing in her chest as the car spad off, her thoughts were almost faster than her heart. She snapped back when he spoke and only then noticed her own shivering. She leans over the seat, no longer giving a damn about what the dress revealed, and grabs a towel. She dries her face and arms first. She'll have to give him some answers after that.

"They call him the Venator. He goes by Cain." She moves on to her legs, "He meets with the demons when they suspect they're being targeted."

Sitting back in the seat now, calmed, she almost enjoyed how on edge he was. A dangerous hair trigger. Like a reactive dog, ready to attack at any sudden movement.

"To sum it up... he hunts hunters."

Of Light and Shadow - Craw/DOC

Following him through the hall, she was strangely amused. She watched him place bibles on the same spot at every door. She's not heard of hunters doing this for cultists before. She wondered if all of them did it, it only this man. Most cultists didn't give a damn about life outside of the demon they worshipped, and they certainly didn't want to be "saved". She also wondered if the hunters knew that, once the cultists realize their lord had been murdered, most of these men and women kill themselves, believing their souls will be guided by that of their lord. Some lucky few will find themselves migrating into a different demon's cult. Even fewer find escape. Most of the people here believe in their lords. This was their one place of escape, acceptance and safety. At the measly price of their mortal soul.

Just as she wanted to tell him to wait, he stopped. The whiskey. It may soften him up a bit more, but she somehow doubted that. "In the pantry," she stated, turning to the kitchen. She disappeared into the pantry for a long moment, reappearing with two bottles. They were still sealed, a black and silver label printed into the glass.

They opened the front door, the storm raging outside. She was not looking forward to getting drenched and chilled in this thing that could barely be called an outfit. Sometimes, she felt the slightest bit jealous over the demons' thick skin. They were barely ever affected by temperatures and weather. As she stood there, bracing herself to step out, a door slammed shut somewhere in the rear of the house, making her head whip back. She thought for a second, then grabbed the hunter's wrist, pulling him outside, "We have to go. Now!" She clutched the bottles under the other arm, forgetting she wanted to give them to him to put in his bag. There was no more time to dally around this house.

Death's little predicament- BunniesOfDoom x DragonOC

It felt like it belonged in a strange nightmare; the flock of reapers that wore her dead mother's face. Kaia hasn't thought of her in a while, but her image is sure to be haunting now. She did her best to ignore the reapers, the situation was too dangerous to be focused on her dead mother's face duplicated fifty times over. The situation... how was she the one pulled into this? Why not some death magic practitioner? Or better yet, why not someone skilled in traps and seals and barriers? Well, there's no turning back now.

She immediately grabbed Death's hand when he extended it in an offer of aid. Trying to keep momentum, she lifted the rug as he hoisted her, aiming to throw it out the window first. Then, she blinked, and everything went black. It was like night reached into her mind, coiling throughout her thoughts. Her soul shuddered. This was not balance, it was a single piece of a whole. A one-sided coin. Death's energy had a peace to it. This had... nothing, but with a dash of chaos. She was left dizzy and dazed, first from the darkness. Then, from the woman in front of them. Kaia caught herself wishing to have half as much confidence as this woman in the black dress. She was quite stunning. Frowning at the thought, Kaia blinked quickly in an attempt to rid her mind of the fog that flooded in alongside the darkness. Stars. Now she was seeing stars.

It seemed as though Death was quite popular amongst the gods. It would make sense, though. Together with life, he is the most well-known and probably most powerful. The small woman nearly jumped on Death, he seemed slightly disheartened at her appearance. She could understand why; the more gods show up, the more complicated this becomes. This had to be some kind of record, Kaia thought to herself, meeting three separate gods in a single day. Please let there be some cosmic limit of a maximum of three. This is definitely not what she had expected for her evening.

Nox? Ah. Of course. She could understand how darkness and chaos were infatuated with death. It is one of the sides of death, after all. Darkness, however, did not seem too keen on the idea of Death alongside a mortal human. Again, it was just wrong.

"This might not be my place to speak, but I feel compelled to admit... you are stunning. Darkness in the most beautiful form." Kaia looked to Death and spoke again, not giving Nox time to process or reply, "I was helping Death escape from his entrapment. A mortal man meddling with forces this great is a danger to everything and everyone. Death should happen. It is a part of life. The circle of balance. Without Death, there will never be peace for the mortal soul. It has to be corrected."

Kaia's eyes fell on the rug, she's unable to meet Nox's gaze, "This magic used is older than I've ever experienced first hand, and setting Death free from this body he is trapped in will take time. I don't suppose there is any way you might be able to help? Maybe with some form of script or knowledge so I may learn this language faster? Death needs to resume his duties before the entire world goes up in flames."

Of Light and Shadow - Craw/DOC

She was unsure if she found this back and forth tiring, or entertaining. She had spent most of her life in a small circle due to her rather unique situation. She was used to the quiet life. But no more. She had a goal that took priority.

"My friend may be soft, but they're smart. They will know when to keep quiet and listen, and when to move. I have faith they still live." She almost wanted to chuckle at the word. Faith. Blind belief. Instead, she smiled softly at herself, "I have to believe that."

She produces a tie from a pocket, tying her hair back in a long ponytail, eying the hunter's change in stance. This was the first time she spoke with a hunter. It was rather... exhilarating.

"Give me your rules, and I'll get you more. There are two sealed bottles I can get you on the way out. We can't linger around here for much longer."

Of Light and Shadow - Craw/DOC

With a sigh, she pushes herself up and away from the desk. A manipulator, he says. Clearly not a good one to be spotted this quickly. "I'm in a rather... precarious situation at the moment. This was an unfortunate willing captivity type of thing. Or it started that way, at least." She steps past the body, on to a display case on the far side of the room, "My servitude to save another. A dear friend. But I was a fool for believing this fucker's word. He said he'd set them free if I served him." She opens the glass door, picking up what appears to be a fox's skull, probably left behind from the true owners, "My friend's soft. They'd crumble under the gaze of a monster like this."

She tightly grips the skull in her hand, jaws clenched, "And now they're missing. So, I decided to bide my time. Gather all the information I could. To see if I could figure out where my friend could've been sent. Then, I overheard this demon speak of his so-called stock..." she turns to look at the hunter, "Stock? Like a fucking pig!"

Taking a deep breath, she calms herself. She doesn't want to come across as hostile towards the one with the gun and knife, "The church said they couldn't help me. That, even if they could, it would take time. I didn't have time. My friend didn't have time. I had no choice. I acted out of desperation. But now they know me, and my friend is no closer to safety."

She puts the skull back on its spot, "You need to understand... I can't return to a normal life. I know too much. I've seen too much. Heard too much. Until this ring is wiped from this earth, I cannot rest. I won't be safe until they bleed at my feet."

Death's little predicament- BunniesOfDoom x DragonOC

Making her way up the steps and to the door, Kaia reached out for the handle but stopped short. She activated one of her spells with a short phrase, "Show me the threads of magic beneath." With this, a faint glow started from a magnifying glass tattoo close to her wrist. Two wheels of interlocking spells appeared on the door. She examined them, "I may not have given this man enough credit..." She span both wheels until two pieces overlapped to form a solid circle, "But I can't give him too much." She opened the door and stepped through, Death and the reapers following.

She spoke over her shoulder, "Please don't let your reapers just go too far. I don't know if there might be spells to trap, attack or even drain energy. It'd be a disaster if he got his hands on your pure death magic." Walking into the main room, her eyes scanned about. Kaia wasn't even sure what to look out for. This was a desperate man who got his hands on old magic. Old magic was lost and no longer permitted for very specific reasons. Who knew where he got it from and what else he might have. He could have a spell that, should she touch the wrong thing, could peel the skin from her body. If she glimpsed what he didn't want seen, could melt her eyes in her skull. He could drown her with the water in her own body. Turn her bones to dust. Drain her- no, she stopped her thoughts. This was not the time to recount old family tales of old magic. Maybe she could...

Just then, a reaper passed Kaia, moving across the carpet in the center of the room, clashing against an unseen barrier. It turned back, but there was another barrier. It went in a circle, around and around and around, pushing against the unseen force, clearly confused. Kaia swore under her breath, carefully approaching the carpet. Activating the same spell with the same phrase, nothing seemed to happen. Slowly, she lifted the corner of the carpet. As she feared, the trap was at the bottom. Not beneath on the floor, no, on the underside of the carpet. She could not see the complete spell this way. It glowed with a shimmer, something that only happens when a lot of energy has been poured into it combined with a true understanding of where to focus that energy. A perfect spell, if you will. Since Death can't use his magic to break the spell, Kaia will have to free the reaper herself. The problem was that this one won't be as simple as altering a few things, this will need time. Time they cannot spend here. Just as she looked up, a second reaper entered the circle, joining in the confusion of the first. She gave a heavy, exasperated sigh, looking at Death. These... creatures, really were dim. Clearly barely a mind. But why would they need intellect if they only existed for one purpose.

"Keep them off the carpet. Better yet, send them outside," she whispered, quickly adding, "Through the basement. I'll be right back." She got up to her feet and moved to the bookcase on the far side of the room, scanning over the spines. Most of these just seemed to revolve around different ingredients used in modern-day magic. Here and there's a book she'd seen in nearly any caster's home, teaching basic spellwork and the roots of magic. The strangest one was a book on gods in entertainment. Not gods as they are in mythology and legend, but in entertainment? There are quite a few differences, she thought.

She shook the light confusion from her mind, now sneaking down the faintly lit hall. Upon reaching the magician's bedroom, she found the door open on a crack. Peering in, she could see him passed out on his stomach, the corner of a phone peeking out under the pillow. She could feel her heart racing, the clamminess on her forehead, she wasn't cut out for this kind of thing. She found no spells at the door, carefully pushing it open, hoping in her soul that the hinges are oiled. Suddenly, the magician's phone rang, and he shot upright, "No payment plan!"

Kaia found herself back up the hall in an instant, dropping next to the carpet, rolling it up. "He's awake," she spoke with an urgent, hushed voice, "To the basement. Hurry!" Luckily, the reapers were composed of pure energy. It would've been a disaster had they had physical bodies. Rolling the carpet, the reapers appeared to protest as their energies were forced to change shape, rolling into the spiral of the carpet, unable to escape the border of the magic. "I'm sorry," Kaia rushed, "A few minutes." She hoists the carpet over her shoulder. It wasn't very large, just deceptively heavy. They made their way back downstairs, towards the only exit she knew was safe to pass.

Of Light and Shadow - Craw/DOC

She keeps him in the corner of her eye as she speaks. He's smart and she's not particularly fond of spinning tall tales. This will fall apart soon, but she means to keep him calm. She's in no mood for some pointless grandiose fight. Less so in this dress. This hunter's appearance has surely made things more complicated for her now. Sure, it could be easier if he just rolled over and died, but she finds herself intrigued. Maybe, just maybe, this man could be an advantage.

He holsters his gun and she can feel herself relax a bit. She wasn't even aware of her stiff shoulders until they went away. This man also seemed to relax some after a sip or two. Good, she wanted a peaceful exchange. She listens to him speak. So, he's alone. Or, at least, he works alone.

Her eyes moved to the door when he mentioned them unlocked, "I... don't have anywhere to go anymore. They completely destroyed my apartment and I don't feel safe knowing they know where to find me." She tightens her arms around her, shivering as another rumbling sounds outside. "I'm sure they'll kill me next time. Or worse. They don't take kindly to escapees."

"You hunters," she started, gaze falling on the glass in his hands, "You're the honorable type, right? If you can help me, I might be able to help you in turn. See... I heard many of their conversations during the demons' meetups. There might be plenty I could tell you that could make things easier and safer for you. But that would put me in a lot of danger. I'm sure they would figure it out. At the risk of sounding like one of them," she motions with a hand to the corpse, "Why don't we make a deal? Help for help?"