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Post by Rhiath on Sept 15, 2008 20:46:02 GMT -6
Rhiath stood on the edge of the Forest of Shadows, the Reyone Bridge and the once-prosperous City of Reyone behind him. After some...persuasive questioning, Rhiath had managed to get confirmation that Inor had come through the area only a few days before. Not only that, but he had traveled with some...curious company.
An angel, Inor? You've certainly developed strange taste in friends lately. First, an unpossessed human. Then, the angel hunter, although I sensed he came more to keep me in check. But now, not only do you betray me, you travel with only an angel for company? Now, you betray what you ARE, Inor.
He paced along the boundaries of the forest for nearly an hour, searching in the dwindling light for any sort of trail. Despite the warnings of Shadowspawn in the forest, he couldn't afford to let Inor increase his lead. With any luck, they'd have stopped at some point farther on.
Then, smiling, he found it. It was a few days old, but without rain to hide it, there was no mistaking the unnatural depression in the wall of green. Stepping closer, Rhiath smiled. Already, with the sun dropping fast behind him, he could hear chatter in the forest. He couldn't understand it, but he could tell, from the way one direction called out, and the other seemed to answer, that it was intelligent.
Grinning, he stepped into the forest, following the trail. As soon as he turned from the single shaft of light allowed by the trail, he could hear movement all around him.
Guess I'll have to light things up a bit. Should be fun.
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Post by Rhiath on Nov 19, 2008 23:47:48 GMT -6
Rhiath continued on through the Forest, leaving another charred Shadowspawn in the path behind him. The trees on either side of the narrow trail were still charred black from his last time through here. He clenched his fist as he remembered the motivation behind that particular trip.
Inor. Damn you thrice over, Inor. How dare you steal from me the pleasure of killing you myself. I swear, if I ever see you again... He stopped, standing still in the trail. But I won't see you again, will I? A small smile found its way onto Rhiath's face. He started moving again, continuing through the Forest of Shadows.
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That night, Rhiath made camp in a small clearing, just off the path. He started a fire, and was setting up a perimeter of small torches, hoping the light from them would be able to repel the Shadowspawn long enough for him to get some sleep. However, as he was lighting one of the torches, he heard a hissing behind him, and saw shadows flickering against the treeline before him.
Dammit....let's see...can't be more than 4 or 5, from the sounds of it...and they've gotta be between me and the fire, if they're casting shadows...but how the hell did they manage to get so close to the light?
Rhiath planted the torch in the ground, making sure the end was lit before turning around. He palmed a small fireball, ready to enlarge it if he had to. Then, standing straight, Rhiath turned around slowly.
Come out, come out, wherever you...what the hell? Standing before Rhiath, their backs to the fire, was a group of perhaps 10 demons. Looking over them, he saw a few former humans, like himself, and...his breath caught.
What the hell are Legions doing this far from Home? And why are they traveling with Humanforms? Rhiath forced himself to move closer, keeping an eye on the 3 larger demons at the rear of the group. Legions were hard to kill, and he'd rather avoid having to try any one of them, let alone all 3.
"Who are you?" Rhiath asked, directing his question towards the group's apparent leader, a Humanform with a shaved head, and horrible scarring on the right side of his face. The only indication as to the demon's status was the fact that he was the only one smiling at Rhiath. Where the others were either expressionless or faceless, this man was grinning, widely.
"The name's Ardent, fire-wielder. I'm on a mission, heading through these parts, gathering demons to my cause. I figure it's high time we head back Home...and perhaps change things around a bit."
Rhiath cringed. He'd had more than his fill of coups during his time in Hell. He'd been a paid participant in quite a few, as well. However, he'd always been lucky enough to pick the winning side in such situations.
He raised a hand, his hopes of avoiding a fight fading fast. "I'm not interested, thanks."
Ardent scoffed. "Not interested? What makes you think you have a choice, fire-wielder? You think you can take us all on?"
Rhiath smiled, watching the group around Ardent. Returning to his perimeter-making, Rhiath replied, "No. If you were all to attack me, I'd lose. I know that, so do you."
Planting another torch, Rhiath turned to face Ardent again. "But if you try, you'll be the only one fighting. The rest of your group either hates you, or doesnt care. My guess is, you forced them into your group, like you're trying to force me. What you fail to realize is that I'm out of your league, kid."
Ardent was slowly becoming visibly enraged as Rhiath continued. "Kid? I just broke out of Hell, old-timer. I fought my way to the surface, killed every guard I came across. You really think you can take me on?"
Rhiath smiled. "I know it. You broke out, so what? Hell's weak, kid. And so are you."
Ardent held out his hand, the flesh and bone shifting into a sword. He ran towards Rhiath, screaming, his blade held above his head. He knew they'd back him up...they had to, right?
Rhiath sighed, pulling out his revolver, and leveling it at Ardent's scarred head. He pulled the trigger twice, one bullet following the other into the demon's skull. The second bullet then exploded in a burst of hellfire, killing the scarred demon. Rhiath blew the smoke out of the barrel, before re-holstering his gun.
He turned, ready to fight the others if need be. However, as he watched, they all laid down their weapons. Of the 5 non-Humanform demons in the group, two of them placed their claws on the ground, and the Legions visibly shrank. Rhaith blinked, slowly remembering the meaning of the old signs.
He'd just killed their leader. In Hell, a demon killed in battle with another gave up his possessions to his killer. In this case, that meant the group.
Rhiath closed his eyes, throwing his hands up. He wasn't going to fight this. Besides, it couldn't hurt his reputation with Lotus to start bolstering the ranks. Finishing his perimeter, he began to speak to his new followers as he sat near the fire.
"Rule One: What you've done before this means nothing. Breaking out of Hell, as things are now, and even before, does not mean you are invincible, or even strong. It means you are lucky.
Rule Two: You respect your elders. Demons are killers by nature, and to survive even one year in a race of killers is to earn the respect of those who have not. I have survived in Hell, in my current form, for over a decade.
Rule Three: I make the rules, I set the pace. We move when I say we move, we rest when I give permission to do so. Any questions?"
One of the other Humanforms spoke up softly. "Wh-where are we going, sir?"
Rhiath nodded, accepting the youngster's question. "We aren't going to Hell. There is currently no future there for any of you. That's why you left, why you followed the Kid.
I recently accepted a position as a general, serving under Lotus, Lord of Second Hell. We journey there. Then, you will show him what you can do, and he will decide whether or not you're worth the time to train you."
Rhiath looked at the group before him. 9, including 3 Legions, and 4 Humanforms. Good potential. He believed Lotus would be pleased.
"Alright. We start moving at dawn. We walk until we reach the Bridge. Get some rest."
Rhiath watched as the group split up around the fire, with the Legions assuming guard duty. Their kind didn't need sleep, and had been created to protect valuable objects and places. Now, it seemed, they had adapted to protecting their leader.
Rhiath closed his eyes, more than secure in his company. None of the Humanforms would attack him after the example he'd made of Ardent, the Legions were dedicated to their purpose, and the other two, Hellhounds, he thought, were simply too dumb to try it.
Rhiath slowly fell asleep. He did not dream.
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