Hounds and Human || Zenneth and Kariline

Sighing heavily she pushed aside the Guild Hall doors. She stepped out of the hall and into the bright sun. Raising her hand she casted a shadow over her hazel eyes. She didn't really care for bright and sunny days, but it was better than the cold. Kariline walked down the steps rather nonchalant like. She needed to work on her Magic. Shoot she needed to work over all, she had only taken one job so far, and it didn't even present that much of a challenge. Guild was just so busy she often looked aside from the request board.

She looked around her, she needed something more. Something to really push her. She summoned Ukobach, the first demon she had made a contract with. Her tattoo glowed and from that a faint red smoke bellowed out. As soon as it touched the earth a flame burst. That flamed formed the large body of the hound. Its face soon took features. She felt her Magic Energy leave her body. There had to be a way to strengthen herself.

She tried to summon Henich, Her ankle tattoo glowed this time and a acid like smoke bellowed, but it never took form. Kariline could not put out the energy to summon both at the same time. this put her at a huge disadvantage.

Kariline thought about the first time she first started learning magic. Her brother, the artificer of both of their magics. She had contracted with the same Demons as he did. However their terms were different. While she didn't give them her soul, she bargained her brothers soul, after she finally would get her revenge.

She sat down on the steps of the Guild Hall, and placed her face in her hand. She wasn't giving up, she was just so unsure of how to do this. To defeat her brother she needed more, so much more.

Alexander was walking down streets of Hargeon with Hades on his heel. He had just finished getting out of hell for a second time in his life. Luckily this time he did not come out empty handed this time, there was not even as much torture this time around since he got out in a hurry. Not without getting his own personal hellhound though! He petted the demonic abomination on the head some more as it wagged its tail. It took him a while to train it not to devour other people’s souls (just animals), and not kill everything in sight. Only downside was that every though you were a freak for having a demonic spawn of hell walking next to you. Didn’t matter though, because they would not speak against him. In fact it caused him to slightly chuckle a bit. He then smelled sulfur, which meant only one thing…Demons.

He walked down the streets and towards the smell of sulfur and pushed though the crowds. Hades following close behind as they finally found the source, a woman summoning hellhounds into Fiore. Very dangerous magic to be sure. However there was at least control, but apparently not enough for another summon at same time. She did not have the energy for it. Hhe finally spoke up to her. “Nice hellhound you got there.” He then waited for an answer cautiously as Hades ran up to inspect the other hellhound. It be interesting to see how those 2 will react to one another.

She lifted her head in the direction of the voice. He acknowledged her hound and behind him too was, well a Hellhound. As of her knowledge, she was sure that only a few Demon summoners remained in Fiore, even out of the few mages. Kariline nodded, " Thank you, I suppose..." She wasnt sure what to say about him complimenting her summon. Its not like they looked like a piece of art, more intimidating. And his, was defiantly intimidating.

Her eyes flashed as the hound walked up to Ukobach and they simply stared at each other. Were they communicating, or was it to be assumed as Canine behavior. This was defiantly something she needed to learn about her summons, but its not like she can summon more than one at a time.

Kariline looked once more to the man that addressed her. " Are you in Lamia Scale?" She was knew, and had yet to meet all of the members, she wasn't sure what else he would be doing around these parts. But they way that the other guild members looked at her, they were all shocked and surprised. She only guess that they have never seen her power before. Not like it was anything special at this point. Her brother's magic however... that could make someone piss themselves.

Alexander watched the 2 hellhound socialize, it was nothing new to him before as he actually was in hell. In fact Alexander’s eyes did not even show much interest beyond an owner watching his dog. At the very least people seemed to give the 2 space, but because they had the fear of god. He actually chuckled at the reaction, everyone avoided those that they did not understand. Typical humans….

Alexander answered the lady by saying, “No, I am actually Sabretooth. It was just interesting to see one of these creatures outside of hell.”  He stood up from where he stood and walked towards the woman with a confident, but not condescending step.  Offering one hand to shake he said, “My name is Alexander Zenneth, Flame Demon Slayer. A pleasure to meet you.”  He smiled slightly, it wasn’t everyday he got to see a demon summoner.  He however had to ask, “So what did you sacrifice to get your contracts?” There was always a sacrifice when it came with demons, some better than others.

Ah, Sabertooth. She was curious as to what he was doing all the way in Hargeon, but that was his business, as hers was hers. But the way he spoke, it was as if he had seen the flames of hell himself. But no, that wasn't possible. Its was like going into the Celestial Spirit World. Defiant no no. Kariline seemed hesistant about reaching out to take his hand as he introduced himself.

That was something that Zuo, her master, was trying to get her to do, open up to people. She didnt seem so sure about this guy though, there was something that stood her hair straight up. Kariline took his hand gently and replied, " My Name is Kariline. And as you saw, i summon demons..."

She released his hands and cocked her hip, placing her left fist top rest on her hip bone, right in the curve. She looked at the two - dogs? But it was only for a moment, as her eyes darted back to the man. In her eyes was something close to anger, but not quite, a bit of shock was in there too. For him to ask her of her contract. Was like asking to get punched.

" I dont appreciate new people asking about my contract, however if you are curious enough, i didnt give them MY life..." She turned her head back away. How dare he. Just how much of her life was he going to ask? That was something she certainly wasn't just going to give away.... But since he asked, " I take it he is a summon of yours? Do you possess the magic to also summons demons.. as well as slay them...?"

She now understood the tension she felt between them. It was a signal from her Summons, as they knew what he was and could do. But for him to challenge her? She would certainly end up empty handed.

Alexander chuckled at the ladies confusion, anger and curiosity all at once. It was expected after all, he was supposed to be holy and her demonic influence. There was going to be a bit of mistrust when it came to that. However he was not going to righteously smite demons as long as they did not go out and kill people. Alexander replied, “Nope, was recently sent to hell thanks to a dumbass. I decided if it was going to be my second trip to that place, then at least bring a souvenir. Otherwise it was going to be a wasted trip.” He chuckled, most would say that it was full of bulls***. However most people don’t have hellhounds to claim as proof. Alexander shrugged, “I gave up nothing for it except a few bites in my shoulder.” He was lying of course, there was much more scars. Not all of them were physical though.

Her eyes widened at his story. He didn't summon the hound, but instead brought it with him from the depths of Hell itself!! She assumed a feat like that wasn't possible, and for a second time!!? She almost let her jaw drop in awe, but caught herself. What was he doing in hell? Being sent there by a idiot is one thing, but the first time? She was getting quite curious of his story. However she couldn't expect to get anything of of him without anything in return.

Kariline grinned, not a evil grin or sadistic, more of a " Lets have fun " grin. She released Ukobach, who burnt up in a large flame that diminished quickly. No magic energy needed to be wasted while just talking here. " Alright, i guess i'm kinda intrigued. Why don't we go have a drink and play 20 questions?" She said with a gleam in her eye.

She wanted to know his story, and what he could do. This could possibly be her given chance to surpass her brother. She hoped at least.

Alexander shrugged, “Sure if you want. I’ll buy first round.” Alexander patted his knee and Hades followed, causing people to back off from the devil dog. It would be fed animal souls latter and it knew it had to obey its master. However there was one thing that got to him. She did not sell her soul? So what did she sacrifice? Depending on the demons, they wanted different things. Adromelech just wanted the world to burn, others were servants and slaves. Dogs tended to be just like mortal realms dogs, but more vicious than normal. Luckily for him he got to see all the realms at least once and could give firsthand experience. However the technical knowledge of demons were beyond him, it was closer to streetwise than raw academic intelligence.

Eventually he got to a corner table and ordered a couple of mugs of beer. At first they were going to complain that no dogs were allowed, but thought twice when they saw what kind it was. They were lucky he decided to take the corner table. He took a drink and said, “Okay question 1.”

Her footsteps followed his, almost in complete sync too. Kariline was just a step behind him though, she still wanted to be on her guard around him. She had trust issues, and would admit it openly, well what would you expect when your own flesh and blood destroyed everything she held dear.

They eventually stepped into the bar, alot of gaping mouths and whispers followed their entrance. She slid into the seat and after that he ordered a couple of mugs of beer, just the perfect stuff. She liked this guy so far, unless he hid any tricks up his sleeve.

She let a large gulp fall down her throat and a bit down her chin. Her eyebrow raised as he let her have the first question. " Well alright..." She said simply and put the mug down, " I guess this is one you were expecting, Why were you in Hell?" She asked, coming across rather blunt and fast too. But she would answer anything he had asked in return, that's how things worked in life, you only get when you give.

Alexander took a drink from his mug as she asked the first question, okay easy enough. He set the beer down with a sigh and looked down the mug. Continual flashes of torture, screams, fire and death filled his visions. He still had waking nightmares every night, its why he had little to no sleep if he could. There were things some people were not meant to see, but he did over and over again. He looked at Kariline with some of the most jaded eyes she would have ever seen in her life and answered "Because a demon dragged me in. Question 2."

And he hoped that  he wouldn't be trapped there ever again.

She seemed shocked and yet at the same time she wasn't. She got her answer though, even if it didn't go into details. " Oh your going to let me get another question for free?" She said, or is that how these things usually went? Well of course she was curious about more. He had to give her the juicy details. And after gulping down the rest of her beer, and ordering another round ( on her of course) did she finally ask.

" Why did a Demon drag you down to hell?" she hoped that he would give her a more worded answer. " You know what i want to know, quit beating around the busy would ya?"

Kariline looked him straight in the eye, not staring, but more like trying to see past what was on the outside.

Alexander set his beer down and sighed, “I was age 5 when I was taken from my family’s house. It was a long winter night in a snowstorm. All I remember that day was my room bursting in fire, my mother impaled on the ceiling as her flesh melted from her bone and dripped on my face. Then a hand dragged me in, there was so much fire. However I was not alone, there were 50 other children captured with me. All of us waiting scared in a giant room. That’s when we saw him, the Arch demon of fire himself Adromelech.” Alexander was going to need something stronger for this, so he finished the beer and instead got himself some whiskey. This was going to be some thirsty work.

'Her eyes fell to the table at his story. It was, horrific, but she knew she couldn't be the only one to experience something awful in a lifetime. Kariline didn't say anything, she didn't drink, just had a thoughtful expression on her face, and what color she did have, vanished. " I - I have heard of him.. But i thought they were just stories.. I am sorry about your mother..." She said, and for the fist time in a long time, she actually felt sorry for him, just like her, her family was taken away, part of his childhood, taken away by force.

" I take it that is where you learned your powers huh?" she asked asking for two more shots of whiskey, Alexander had the right idea. She glanced over at him, she was curious as to how he lived with things like that.

Forget the 2 shots, Alexander ordered the whole damn bottle. This was the thing of nightmares incarnate. How could have survived was mind boggling. Why him and not them. It was something that he always lived with the guilt of. He took a shot of whiskey and poured himself another glass, this was going to be hard. Alexander continued, “Well apparently Adromelech was bored, so he gathered 50 children and gave us one instruction. We were to kill one another until only one survived. At first we were all too scared to act. We were all around the age of 5 for crying out loud! Adromelech however decided to start it off by setting a girl with rabbit outfit on fire and did not kill her quickly… Her scream filled the cavern in an echo and it sparked the fight. We did not want to die like that, so we punched, kicked, strangled and murdered each other one by one. I was one of the smarter ones as I grabbed the nearest sharp rock and bashed a poor boys skull in that tried to strangle me. Then I hid in a dark corner and watched as one by one they killed one another. 50 lives snuffed in less than 15 minutes, until there was a red headed girl that won… And I hit her in back of the head with said rock. And it was the end of that. I ‘won,’ but he did not let me go. F***, he did not even grant me the mercy of killing me.” Alexander poured himself another glass of whiskey and drank another shot. She needed to know what kind of creatures she was dealing with.

Bump Bump... Bump Bump... Bump Bump...

The sound of her heart was the only thing she could hear, her eyes were blank as she receded within herself. Kariline stared into her glass of the heavy alcohol content liquid. She couldn't comprehend what she was hearing. He took a life. To live. This went along with her views of sacrifice, and what he did was alot like her sacrifice. Involving someone else's life.

She was almost afraid to ask what happened next. Did he eventually let him go? Or did Adromelech torture him by killing again? Kariline glanced up, " He trained you didn't he..." That was where he got his power, she could feel the power almost radiate off of him, and it was different.

She took a sip of her drink, feeling the slight sting. Kariline then tipped the glass. This was alot to take in. She thought about her brother, and what she had to do. She thought about her parents, she couldn't even remember their faces anymore.

Alexander chuckled at Kariline's fear and eagerness. There was so much more that happened, but he would give short story. Alexander set drink down for a bit and answered, "No, he did not teach me. After 5 years of every torture unimaginable, you begin to block out the pain and feel only hate. Hate then becomes an inner fire, inner fire then lights up the darkness and it fuels into a weapon. I one day got so angry at my torturers that I lashed out in anger and burnt it in holy fire. The demon forged me through torture, but did not teach me s***. I was nothing to him, only a plaything. My anger lashed out and killed several of his servants as I ran out the palace, hell hounds on my heels."

Alexander sighed and actually chuckled, the next part always gave him a bit of humor. He looked in the eye of Kariline, "And you want to know how I escaped? Pure stupid luck. A demon summoner said the wrong word to summon Adromelech and accidentally summoned me instead. And that's all I wish to say, except I want to smack the guy that sent me there accidentally a second time."

It took everything she had to keep her composure. She had nearly bust up laughing, but only at his escape. The rest of his story gave her goosebumps defiantly. Kariline tipped back another glass and sighed heavily. She wondered about the mage that tried to summon Adromelech... Could it have been her brother Perhaps? His development of his lost magic had that power... one that she would soon possess.

" So you got out by DUMB luck, and were sent back in for the second time by a DUMB ass?" She grinned slightly. Perhaps it was the alcohol speaking for her. She felt fairly warm but who could blame her, together they finished off four pints of whiskey and four large mugs of beer. Any normal person would be drunk off their ass by now.

Alexander laughed, "Yeah pretty much! Oh and it gets better! The summoner that sent me in also got me out TWICE! What are the f***ing odds of that!?" Alexander was not drunk since alcohol just burned in his stomach, but he could get minor buzzes here and there from the leftover bits. Alexander then pointed at the dog, "there's really 2 ways to get demons in world. One is by summoning them temporarily through your strength, the other is to basically kidnap them and bring them to other side. In essence you cut off their access to hell if you apply holy pressure in the right spot."

She busted up laughing, snorting a little bit as she did. But as soon as she realized what was happening she calmed down. " Does he have a lisp or something?!" Either that, or Alexander was tied to Adromelech closer than he even knew. She had a slight grin on her face as he explained about the demons... Cut it off with holy magic.

" Can they never return to Hell?" She asked, rather curious if his hound was to remain on earth forever. Then she thought about her magic, it would save alot of energy if she didnt have to summon them back and forth all the time.

Alexander answered, "Well yes and no. I mean they can eventually feed off their demonic energy to go back. Sometimes in the case of succubi, they choose not to when they find out they get their energy easier here. Its like making a deal, but of another type. Closer to 'be my slave and I let you live' type of deal for them. I wouldn't suggest more than one or they start plotting their freedom." Alexander took another drink and noticed that all these questions were leading in a certain direction. He had an interesting feeling about this...

She grinned and brushed aside her hair. Kariline ran her finger around the empty glass. " You act like you have dealt with many succubi. Did you have a little fun under the earth?" She said mockingly. Perhaps she went too far with that, she didn't mean to upset him, as he seemed to hate going there, she understood the reason though, Hell was certainly no place for humans.

Kariline gave a slight hiccup, this was turning out quite fun! She never expected to find someone like this. He had a history even more exciting than hers, but she wasn't sure that was the best way to describe it.

Alexander chuckled, "Some of them tried, but then if I actually dead then I'd be an empty souless husk. Besides I must be an STD or something cause my touch leaves them a burning sensation. I wonder why..." Alexander was reffering of course to his holy fire and not actually sleeping with them. Alexander then had a bright idea to get back at certain someone and Kariline looked drunk to go along with one. And it also piss off his old master, 2 birds with one stone. Alexander said, "Well I wont go back to hell, but if you summon one here on other hand... Then I got a succubus name for you. I warn you she can be a bit of a pain."

She sat up quickly in surprise, " I have never tried to summon a succubus before!!" She was excited, of course trying new things always got her excited. Kariline nearly burst from her seat, throwing money down on the table. " LETS GO!!" She was already walking out the door. They couldn't do it inside, heck it wouldn't be safe to do it in city limit either. They would have to go to a field outside of the city. away from the public.

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

The grass shifted slightly in the wind as she stood up on a cliff that over looked the beach below. this was perfect, no one was in sight. Eager to get ready she turned to Alexander with her hands on her hip and a sly grin, " Let's get started."

Wow that did not take a lot of convincing. Maybe the alcohol did more than he thought, but if it got revenge on that b****... Yes this was going to be worth it and entertaining. She had the know how to get the demons out and he had an actual name that she needed. He had never seen a summoning from the outside either, so this was going to be new experience. He smiled slightly, this was going to be fun.

Alexander figured though that if she was going to do her this favor, then he needed to help her. He knew in demonology that there was powers in names, and he had a lot of names collected. He started to write down their names one by one in a book he tended to carry. He said, "Well I don't know how it works, but I can give you a name to go with it. I hear that and magic power was all you needed to go by. Her name is Lillitha and just treat it like any other deal. Let me just complete the list of demon names I know so that you have something to go by in future summons."

She nodded her head, her name was Lillitha huh? Could have sworn she hear that name elsewhere. Kariline just shrugged nonchalant like. Now, when she summoned the hounds for the first time, it was to make a contract with them. She was very emotional, and she knew she had alot more powers in feelings. Especially Hate.... She had to concentrate on this one.

Summoning a Demon was different, you had to coax them out, as they don't abide by the same rule concept as Celestial Spirits. You had to speak in their tongue, almost as if you were there humble servant.

"Dum clamo ad te, A latere ad profundum inferni, Istud est aeternitas Lillitha!!" She spoke rather loud, and held her hands over one another and outward from her body. A Dark colored Magic circle appeared and she pushed her hands to ground. The magic circle extended itself and she found that she was the epicenter of that circle now. " COME!"

The Circle glowed and she stepped back. Then suddenly a Flame burst, and the circle disappeared. But where the magic circle was, the flames turned into a large ring. From that ring, "Lillitha should appear..." She said, rather hopefully.

The center of the ring turned very dark, and began to swirl, turning itself into a portal, the real Gate to hell. She gritted her teeth and from the center an black form molded. It grew, and then suddenly ....

A swarm of bats surrounding them, it came from the black form that rose. And what was left was - A Fairy sized Succubus.

Kariline hung her head in shame...