Los Angeles, California [CVU Location]

@bladebrave:

"I am yeah...I don't want to be but I'm the only one with the experience to even pretend. Our esteemed team leader before was an ok guy, he seemed nice enough when he formed the team but the moment something went wrong he turned into a giant raging asshat. He spent more time trying to goad me into a fight in front of the others than he did trying to fix what went wrong. When the others didn't agree with this crazy ass methods he kicked us all out...with another attempt at getting me to fight him, like I'm some sort of idiot."

She shook her head and sighed. "Someone really needs to punch him in the face."

@the_custodian:

Nathan tried really hard not to laugh. He held it to a snicker, anyway. "I... ah... it's probably not a good idea to go around punching people in the face. No matter how much you'd really like to. Or how much they deserve it." He didn't say much else, though. The kid sounded like she needed a good vent. He had a feeling that she'd probably been holding all of that in for a while. I don't want to be the team leader wasn't exactly something that you could say in front of your team without hurting their feelings, especially if they looked up to you. It was a lot to manage, especially for a teenager.

@bladebrave:

"Yeah I know...that's why I didn't pull his mountain down on-top of his head on my way out the door." She said. She found herself hopping up on one of the kitchen stools. "Anyway I'm kind of venting. I'm sorry, I don't mean to, there's just been so much going on lately." She ended up with another cookie after it floated across the room. "So anyway, Xae shows up a few weeks ago, helps us get settled for a little while before we moved again. She also is going to help us with equipment. Just between you and me...she's a little weird."

@the_custodian:

"Just between you and me, she's a lot weird," he assured her. "She seems like she's got the right intentions, I just can't decide if she's painfully socially awkward or she just enjoys making people uncomfortable. I kind of think the latter. Which, I suppose, is painfully socially awkward in its own special way. I'm glad she's helping you, though. She sort of... hinted that she was, when I last met her. It was good to find out that someone had an eye on you kids."

@icefire_outlaw:

Obstintineals sword bounced harmlessly off of the girl's armor, halting the combo of moves he was planning. It'd taken him by surprise more than anything, he knew how to fight an opponent in armor, but it'd been ages since he actually fought someone with it. Really who wore armor in the twenty-first century. Then again, he was fighting a winged outlaw with lightsabers in the rain. He really should have been ready for anything, it was a bit late for that though. He'd lost the one advantage he had in this fight. His momentum, had he been able to keep up the offensive, there was a chance he could have won it by himself. Though now with his blade lying on the ground cut up into several pieces he had to accept that he wasn't enough. For all the intense training he'd gone through, he was still just a relic from the past. Bringing a sword to a laser fight, there was only one way that was really going to end.

So when the beams of light raked across his skin leaving the scent of burning flesh in the air he had only one thought. Hopefully, the other guy will have a better chance because I can't beat her. Right before he hit the ground the conditions were met and the transformation begun. His body hit the floor limp at first, the rain mixing in with the pooling blood he was living it. Then there was a twitch, in his right hand first before it coursed through his entire body. Obstintineal's mouth opened and a green light shot out of it, that was the only warning given before his corpse exploded in a ball of green fel fire.

Malgarius opened his eyes and looked around him confused to where he'd been summoned. It had been months since he last had been allowed out and he was itching for a hunt. He hated being confined for so long, and he needed to kill. His eyes locked on to the only human in the area, a female fresh for the slaughter. The demon could care less about the bounty on her head or the blades in her hand. For he was always the hunter, no matter the strength of the prey. He marked his prey causing a green symbol to float over her head. This was a mark all could see, it was a way to let the world know who his prey was. A'thelan's champion licked his lips and he debated how he wanted to hunt this one. Given how long it had been he wanted to savor this one, to wear down his prey before ending her life. They always look the most frantic then, just the face of sheer desperation. With a bolt of speed, he rushed towards the female wildly slashing with his blades. Neither her armor or her blades could halt this onslaught of strikes. For when faced against the Horrific Hunter, flight was nearly always the answer.

@malgarius:

"Fluff...." I muttered. My apparent victory was interrupted by the appearance of a...demon. Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against demons, my adoptive son is technically a demon and I'm bound to a demon's human counterpart. But a demon with obvious intent to kill me is obviously going to be a problem. Using Force manipulation I barely managed to get out of the way of his first onslaught, but there was no way I'd be able to face that thing in mortal form. He might play with me like a cat with a mouse, but it would have the same ending if he chose to murder me instantly and painlessly. My mind made a quick calculation before I decided to play along without activating the Balance goddess. Spex, Yuki, and Jing were already all in, but the Bandit Queen wouldn't want to be involved until she was certain there was no other way. I took several deep breaths through my mouth before starting to whisper my mantra, "I am one with the Force and the Force is with me..." I watched him, tense, ready to defend, re-activating my wings and fully activating Denial as a shield. I doubted they'd do any good, but it didn't hurt to be prepared.

@icefire_outlaw:

Malgarius slashed the air as his prey narrowly dodged his attack. Just as he wanted he was doing her best to avoid him, she was giving him the hunt he wanted. She still didn't seem to be running away yet. It looked like he would have to cut her up a bit before she really started feeling the fear. He could see her lips moving, maybe she was praying to one of the many false gods. Or perhaps she was just begging for mercy, either way, he wanted to hear screams, not words. By the looks of it, she was going to try and fight him. A mistake he would make sure she regretted. Raking his Cross blade across the wall next to him he walked towards her, much slower than he did the first time. If she didn't take that chance to run he would attack her again. This time he would furiously slash at her, even if he missed he would keep up the onslaught. She would have to run or fight back, otherwise, he'd keep going until he cut her to pieces.

@malgarius:

"I am the wielder of the Flame, the protector of Balance." He was stalking now, savoring the hunt I seemed to be giving him. He was predator, I was prey. There was little to nothing I could do to fight him off. I played my role, however. Dodge, dodge, evade, step back, step side, attempt to block with Denial, fail at the block. I continued my words, honing my mind for the main event. "I am the holder of the torch, lighting the way. I am keeper of the flame, soldier of balance." I came very close to losing an arm on the next swing, and the one after that just barely nicked my face, drawing blood through my torn kerchief. I ducked and rolled out of his way, hoping his momentum would keep him going long enough for the BQ to sink into my mind. She began almost as soon as pain registered, flooding into my conscious mind alongside my other guardians. It was a warm, magnificent feeling that spread over my body. Power. Strength. It all came, with an equally warm flash of lavender light. When it cleared, my form was different, changed. I straightened my back and willed my red and green blades to my hands, my mind in harmony.

"I am a keeper of the balance. I am a Grey Jedi."

@icefire_outlaw:

Gaining one Fury from the one light slash he landed on his foe Malgarius was about to continue his attack when he was interrupted. A bright light washed over him and he saw that his opponent had seeming changed. He could feel the energy radiating off of her, but that was of no concern to him. His mark wasn't just for show, it was a promise. A pact that he made and one that he intended to fulfill. He wouldn't be deterred by a flash of light or a surge of power. This wasn't a fight for him, it was his sacred hunt. In fact, the stronger the prey thought it was, the more satisfying watching their life bleed away would be. He'd wished that he'd been able to enjoy the chase, but it seemed it was time to put an end to the beast. He'd already had a taste of her blood, and he only needed a little more before he could really kick things into high gear. If it came to a fight, the demon was a duelist. Plain and simple, he was built for single target elimination. Fighting her now when she had no chance of getting another's help was where he shined.

Aiming to prove this Malgarius opened his wings and with a strong flap, he rushed forwards. With a blindingly swift movement, he took two slashes with his blades. Both aimed at her chest, in an X formation. For all the rage that Malgarius had, there was still a bit of Obstintineal in him. He was able to make small decisions, or at least able to sway the demon on where to land his attacks. He knew that her chest was armored, but armor had a way of making someone cocky. If she thought her armor could take the hit she'd see no reason to dodge his attack. After all, he'd be pretty much left wide open if an all in attack like that was deflection. The mark would turn that situation on its head, however. Its armor penetration made his attacks nearly unstoppable by conventional methods. Of course, the best part was that she didn't know that just yet, and that lack of knowledge might end up turning his attack into a fatal one.

@malgarius:

My blades swung just as fast as my feathered cloak spread into wings. I caught his blow with one hand, just barely strong enough to put up a barrier of Force energy while bracing my blades for an attack. I needed info on this beast, and set the part of my brain connected to Spex to learn all I could. He fought like a duelist, but his mark indicated that perhaps he needed something to focus on rather so as not to become distracted from his target. Little did I know it was likely my doom. I could use help, but Erik was my only ally in the city, and I didn't want to place my ward in harm's way. No. I could do this alone, as I nearly always did it. I fought off his blades with my shield and made a few strikes, careful to conserve my energy so I didn't lose my goddess form.

"My impression is very much the second one. As a police officer I've dealt with a lot of different personalities and I can tell when something is carefully constructed versus simply existing." She shrugged a little. "I'm just glad to know there are people like you out here that actually care. We thought we were very much on our own for awhile there. It's...it's hard thinking you're the only ones that are looking out for each other. We had hoped when it happened that others would step up but either they don't care or they're too absorbed with proving they're right to actually remember what right is."

@icefire_outlaw:

Malgarius strikes became stronger and faster as his angry continued to grow. He wanted more Fury, he needed more. Whatever she was doing to stop his blows from connecting confused him, but when all else failed he often just kept attacking. He made no attempts to stop her attacks, they seared across his skin, the pain only fueling his blood lust. The attack's left wounds, but the for the demon offense was the best defense. The more cuts he landed on his opponent the more he'd be able to heal once he activated it. There was one slight change to his strategy, he put all of his focus on making sure the strikes hit and not how much damage the would do. He aimed at his opponents hands at her feet, any place that was hard to defend. He needed to inflict some pain before he could really show what he could do. If she really wanted a fight, then he would give her one.

@malgarius:

I held my ground for a good ten minutes, doing a lot of evading, blocking, and slashing, but my energy didn't last. I was losing focus and growing tired. That was the problem when I was finally hit with his blade, smack across the torso in a possibly random strike. I was knocked back with a pained "oof!" and felt my form flicker for an instant. In that instant I saw the thin cut through my armor across my stomach, causing a very small flow of blood. Then the goddess form returned as my guardians made one last effort to protect me. There was only one way out, and it wasn't guaranteed to keep me alive through the night. I wouldn't be able to last another minute if I stayed here, however. I focused the rest of my energy into my arms, hot and cold. My eyes closed as I pressed the hands to my sides. This was something I'd only done once, and I'd proceeded to vomit and pass out. It probably wasn't going to do much at all. I focused the last of my energy into the hands. There was a tingly feeling all over, and then I was streets away from there. My goddess form dissipated, and I took the opportunity to take a breather. The mark was still there but I wasn't in immediate danger anymore. For now, I used my wings to keep my torso off the ground, and ignoring the pain in my face and stomach, breathed.

@icefire_outlaw:

As his attack landed he felt the surge of energy as he was granted another point of Fury, just the thing he needed. His opponent had managed to land quite a few solid hits on him, nothing debilitating but enough that healing wouldn't be a bad idea. He was planning to do just that when his target just... vanished. He didn't see here even move, she just disappeared in the blink of on eye. He could still sense her with his mark though, she was still on earth and even better still in the area. As long as she had his mark on her though, no trickery like that would let her get away from him. Consuming 2 Fury he activated his Augmented Relentless Rush, in a bright green flash his body was transported across space to his target.

He'd arrive there only seconds after she did, not wanting to allow her a fraction of a time to recover. He was starting to wear her down, and while Malgarius had taken some damage himself he was all about whittling down his target. The longer the fight went on the better chances he had of winning. Once his body fully materialized at his target's location Malgarius instantly launched an attack from behind the unsuspecting girl. He aimed to use the tip of his blade to spear her through the stomach. After that, he would open his mouth and utter his first words during the entire fight, "No Escape."

@malgarius:

I crouched on the ground in pain for no more than a minute when I sensed danger. My body was too exhausted to even move my wings to properly form a shield. I, Jesse James, was going to die the inglorious death of a boar at the end of the chase. My eyes closed behind my slightly crooked sunglasses. At least it had been a good run, and I'd hit my enemy a few time. I began thinking the chant of the Grey Jedi as I awaited the inevitable agony of a weapon through the stomach, feeling the dry blood on my face and chin and the mild stinging in my cheek as the summer rain washed over me. I waited...but nothing happened.

The spear would never hit because immediately behind the crouched figure there opened a portal of shadows and dark magic. The spear passed through it, narrowly missing the figure that was emerging from it. It was tall, but not unusually so, with pointed ears, red eyes, a black coat, and a gas mask hiding the lower portion of his face. The creature glanced behind him to the in-between where the spear had likely dissipated or been caught in a nonexistent wall, before slowly turning his head back to the demon before him. His ears caught pained breathing and a heavy heartbeat. A low growl, animal in tone, erupted from the shadow godling's throat as he picked up on the situation he had sensed from the safety of Astrid's apartment further downtown. The Fel-beast before him had injured his mother, his only friend in this world. The red eyes glanced over the beast in silence for a moment, hearing the echo of his premature gloat. Finally the vampire spoke a single word, resonating in the demon tongue he had learned in Helheim, as he pointed one finger at the marked girl behind the still-open portal.

"Mine."

@icefire_outlaw:

As soon as he felt the presence of dark magic Malgarius had halted his attack, magic had never been something he'd been good with dealing with and he liked to avoid it when even possible. Though right now what had him concerned wasn't the magic itself but the vampire wielding it. While Malgarius was a monster when it came to single combat, he's effectiveness plummeted when he had to face more than one opponent. He had to very careful right now, if only he'd managed to finish off his target. It would make it so much easier to fight the new arrival. He had to make a choice, both of them equally bad in their own rights. If he took the mark off of the girl and put it on the vampire he'd risk her being able to get away. However, he couldn't just ignore the new threat, and he seemed determined to defend the human. What really set Malgarius off was how he had disturbed his hunt, just when he was about to make the kill. Even more, he thought he had claim over his prey, that was inexcusable.

Still wanted to cause a bit more pain to his true target before changing his mark, Malgarius cast Corrupting Cuts. Both of the wounds he'd left on his target ignited. The burn it would leave would be extremely painful, however not enough to kill. He just hoped it might be able to stop her from being able to flee or join her savior in combat. Once that was done he removed the mark from her and placed it on the vampire. He'd already used up all his Fury so the feeling of having enough point granted was refreshing. As his mark was applied to the new target his suspicions about the creature was confirmed, this wasn't a true vampire. There was something of about him, something unpure. "You dare disturb my hunt, Abomination?" He said rushing his new foe. With a quick burst of speed, he delivered a string of five attacks, the first at his neck, then three to his chest before finishing the combo by bringing his leg up to kick the vampire back.

@malgarius:

I screamed in pain as the fire burned my wounds. I wasn't one for complaining about a little pain but I was exhausted and taken off guard. There was nowhere to run for me, I was stuck here until my padawan finished with the demon. That's what I thought, at least, until I felt a cool darkness wash over me, absorb me, and deposit me in my hotel room.

"Dammit Erik."

_________________________________

The young (well, ancient) vampire had opened a portal immediately underneath his mother, sending her to safety so he could fight this in peace. The word the Felfire demon spoke raked against Erik's ears gratingly. The attack itself was avoided by allowing himself to be absorbed by the night, but he couldn't unhear that word, which he'd been called so many times in the world of darknessl in hell, and even here in Midgard. His red eyes flashed as he moved through the shadows to behind the rampaging creature, casually drawing a sword of shadow with an obsidian and ruby hilt from the darkness around them. He needed to fight, to release his inner demon against something. He didn't need Jesse getting caught in the crossfire. Being the one the creature marked, the beast would have no choice but to attack only him. The red eyes flashed again as he said, more softly, in the demontounge, "I prefer the word 'hybrid'. And this one is my pet, not your prey." He didn't assume a defensive stance, didn't attack the foe. He needed to come off as cockier as he really was. And this monster was very likely to take that bait.

@icefire_outlaw:

As the vampire dissipated into the shadows to avoid his attacks Malgarius waited for him to become corporeal once more. This wasn't a hunt like the one he'd initiated with the outlaw before. He felt a deep anger towards this abomination and wished for nothing more than its demise. This would be a true fight, not the hunt that he loved. "You especially cannot tell me what is my prey and what isn't. Your kind has no business living in the first place, consider this a mercy killing." He said idly clashing his blades togeatherwaiting to strike. Although his prey had disappeared he could at least claim the life of this vampire. He knew that a straight up attack wouldn't work, while he had the advantage against a human during the night, the tables had now been turned on him. He was attacking a creature of the night in his territory, he wasn't liking how his odds were looking. He wouldn't lose to a damn half-breed though, that was off the tables. All he needed was some more Fury, darting forwards he jumped in and out of the vampires attack range. Every time he darted in, he threw a quick slash towards him. He didn't want to commit fully to an attack until he had enough power to make something of it.

@malgarius:

Erik smiled under his gas mask as his leisurely position shifted slightly to accommodate for the strikes. "And why not? I marked her with my claim long before you laid eyes on her. At least my people are civilized enough to respect others' property. It may be the vampire in us, of course, but there's also the part that is Alfar, or man, or Fae, or fellow-demon. We might be outcasts but by no means does that make us any less powerful than you, possessor." He smelled his foe's nature through the mask and the air. Fel beast, as he'd first surmised, his soul attached to a human's in a possessive binding. He called Erik impure, but he was little better. At least Erik's was natural and magically inclined. In man form, the beast before him would be nothing more than a warm meal for the dark-haired halfling. As he spoke, he formed patches of shadow armor where the strikes nearly hit, deflecting many of them with his dual-handed blade. He'd gotten an idea into that pale head of his, and one that would warn the beast of the dangers of meddling in a halfling's affairs. For now, he kept baiting him, preventing him at the last second of every strike from obtaining the Fury energy he needed to heal.

@icefire_outlaw:

For a demon who's sole identity was formed around serving as the aspect of his God, his greatest shame was his reliance on the man he inhabited. While his opponent knowing that would have sent him into a rage by itself, it was only amplified by the fact that now the halfbreed thought he in some way his equal. "I will hear no more words from your disgusting tongue. You are a fool for growing attached to your food, I will do you a favor and show you what those meat bags are truly for. Not to coddle, but to kill." Just as he thought his blades were going to be useless in this fight, but he still had raw strength to rely on. He dropped his weapons on the floor, letting them splash down in a puddle on the ground. He then balled up his fist before charging in again, this time aiming to slam his fists into his opponent. With enough force to easily turn bones to dust, he threw punch after punch, even with armor his blows would still bruise and sting. That was all he needed to create Fury, as long as his foe was feeling pain from his attacks that was enough.

@malgarius:

Erik evaded the attacks as well as he could, using the advantage of being smaller and more nimble. He couldn't allow is assailant to generate too much energy. He still received small nicks, nothing really dangerous except in that instant of stinging that they occurred. He didn't bruise; without a proper blood stream, he was immune to at least that. He did what he could, and he'd have to deal with the consequences of being hit a few times. Still, he didn't drop his arrogant attitude, focusing intently on the shadows for a moment in order to get out of the way of what could be a rib-cracking blow. He came out behind his opponent again, his eyes glimmering with something not quite discernible. His sword shifted, the stone handle lengthening to become the grip for a mace shaped of Shadows, Magic, and Force. The taunting continued as the Unholy Halfling spread his feet in preparation for whatever attack the Fel demon had in store for him.

"It's not uncommon for my father's people to, as you say, coddle foodstuffs. At least I remain true to my nature. You, on the other hand, are nothing but a pathetic hypocrite. You say that I am impure, that my words and existence disgust you? That I am attached to the prey? I'm not the one soulbound to a mortal. You even fight like one of them."

Generating 4 Fury from his barrage the demon was satisfied with his change of strategy, but that was enough for now. He had enough power to do things now, it was finally time to show it. As the halfbreed taunted him again Malgarius picked up his blades before responding. "I couldn't care any less for the human I am bound to. He exists only to act as a host for my power. It was my master's will to have me confined in this creature, and I shall not disobey. Unlike you, I feel to attachment to him. You claim that I fight like a mortal? You've hardly seen the tip of my power, cease your insistent nagging and perhaps you'll see." He opened his mouth a bright green light shining out of it. Consuming his entire pool of Fury he summoned three Brimstone Blast. They set idly in the air to be called upon later, all the demon had to do now was slice the half-bloods skin.

This time his attacks were all in, putting an insane amount of pressure on his opponent. He didn't hold back in any regards planning to cut the vampire apart. In between his combo of whirling blades, Malgarius made sure to throw in several kicks and headbutts for good measure. Finishing it off, he moved to grab the vampire by the neck and slamming him up against the wall behind him.

@malgarius:

The battle was too fast for human eye to follow, but a decent speed for Erik to work with. His pace was enough to keep himself out of harm's way, though he did cloak himself in armor just to be safe. He knew Fel magic, it was something his father had made certain to teach him about. Many Svart could wield it. Heck, Erik himself might have wielded it if he felt so inclined. But he had other strengths that had yet to be revealed. His armor was nicked several times by the blades, but he managed to evade the fists and even got a whack in with his mace. He knew it wouldn't do much good but at least he didn't prove to be a completely defensive player.

Trouble started when he was grabbed by the throat and slammed against the wall. While he couldn't be strangled, the blow was disorienting and bone-rattling if not outright painful. His weapon fell back into the shadows as he growled and tried to dig his claws into his enemy's hand, though he knew it would do nothing. He willed himself to disperse into intangible shadow, then moved through the alley, again to behind his foe. He stood upright, and it was hard to see his gritting teeth under the mask. The monster had made his point clear, but Erik wasn't even close to finished with the fight. His eyes smiled as his hilt returned yet again to his hand, this time in the form of a staff. "You make your point clear, possessor. You are a good fighter, though I've seen Alfar who could do better. Still, you're not the only one with new tricks up their sleeve." A human colloquialism, completely intentional. It sounded strange in the demonic tongue, but there was a meaning behind it. The half-vampire lifted his staff and struck the ground once. The earth beneath them trembled, perhaps enough to cause the demon to fall but unlikely. Erik calculated that fighting an airborne opponent may be best. He was at a disadvantage here, he was smaller and probably less experienced than the Fel servant. His eyes were challenge enough for even lesser demons to have little choice but to respond.

@icefire_outlaw:

As his foe escaped his grasp the demon began to get a feel for how his opponent was fighting. Aside from a swing her or there he was fighting very defensively, the halfling must have figured out how dangerous even a small cut could be from the demon. That still put Malgarius in a favorable position though, while he was using hardly any energy to attack the vampire, his opponent kept having to use his magic to shield himself. If he drew this fight on for long enough, either the halfbreed would slip up of the sun would rise. Once that happened finishing the duel would be easy, he just had to keep up the pressure until then.

He leaped into the air letting his wings keep him airborne as the ground trembled beneath him. A clever ploy, but his wings were not just for show. Once the tremors had ceased he landed back letting his hooves click against the ground. While fighting in the sky was not out of the question, he did move slower when he had to rely on his wings. His powerful legs let him dart around the ground with easy though, and he wouldn't let his opponent choose where he would fight him. Since his opponent still didn't seem to wish to be the first to engage, Malgarius to the offensive once again. The vampire was letting him control the pace of the fight freely, normally his fights were a back in forth, but it seemed his opponent was too busy defending. Rushing at him once more he aimed to slam his blade down on the vampire's shoulder. Even if he used his annoying armor to block the strike it's force alone would be enough to bring the half blood to his knees. From there he would simultaneously smash both his fists down on the top of his head, while also kneeing him in the chin. The combined pressure would likely turn his head into an over-ripe tomato, or at the very least shatter some bones and teeth.

@malgarius:

Erik had to keep up the defensive. His staff shifted into a shield, which he lifted to block against each blow. The halfbreed needed just another moment, one last hint as to his opponent's strategy. Defensiveness was only half of his nature, a gut instinct from being a Svart. Even vampires had weaknesses, and even if they were the hunters there were still bigger predators in search of prey. The mark burning above his head reminded him of the enemy's power and need to take care of the single item of the hunt. Citizens caught in the crossfire would survive unless Erik lost control. He didn't intend to. The blow did bring him to his knees, but he teleported one more time to farther down the alley. He dragged himself to his feet, forming full armor from the darkness and willing his sword back to his hand. He would allow one last attack from the enemy before revealing his full hand.

@icefire_outlaw:

With the vampire narrowly avoiding his skull splitting crunch, Malgarius quickly switched to a second plan of attack. He saw his opponent start summoning his defenses and knew he had to act quick. Gripping his blades harder the demon took to the sky with a mighty flap of his wings. Once he had gained sufficient altitude his rapid ascension turned to a nose dive as he plummeted back towards the ground. Aiming his blades at the armored halfbreed he channeled all his strength into this colossal smash. He'd gotten a pretty good feel for how strong his armor was, and if he was correct about its durability a blow this massive should break it. Rushing towards he started channeling his Shield of the Shadows. Consuming both the Fury he'd gained from the choke slam and his previous attack. In less something interrupted him, the channeling should be completed shortly after he collided with his opponent.

@malgarius:

Erik saw the move coming. Jesse used it all the time with Icarus' Fall when they were training together. She was never trying to kill him with her dive, of course, but he had a good idea of how this was going to end. He didn't flee to the shadows, instead reinforcing his armor to take the blow without taking damage. He sensed a change in the darkness around him, as if his enemy was trying to access it. Erik didn't stop him. The shadows were answering the other demon's call at the moment; the halfbreed could feel them shifting, opening. He was going to seek refuge there. Erik couldn't do anything about it just yet. He turned and began running towards the entrance of the alley, not to escape the attack but to at least avoid getting pinned by the bigger monster. He turned at the last moment, taking the blow to the chest and flying backwards, where he rolled and skidded along the ground for several hundred feet before coming to a stop on his right side. He didn't get right back up this time, instead dragging himself slowly to one knee and placing his hand on the ground beneath him. His eyes were slightly duller than before as he realized his armor had dissipated back into darkness. That was okay too. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes. His enemy might try to attack while he was down. It wouldn't matter if Erik could do this. His voice came from under his mask, but it was no longer the demon tongue. It was Svart Alfar, his mother's native tongue and his first language. It was a prayer, a meditation, and a sharpening of focus, all together in the same hoarsely spoken lines. As he spoke, there was a shift in his aura, as if acknowledging his nature gave him a new strength and the power to continue, if not finish, the fight.

"I call upon my ancestors, upon Mythica, my mother, upon Dokk, my father. I am my mother's flesh, the clay of Svartalheim. I am my father's soul, the shadows and blood of Helheim. I am a creature of night, blood, shadow, and earth. I seek strength in my power, but I cannot only seek the power of the night. There can be no shadow without the sun, no night without day, no darkness without light. I am the unholy, the last, the blood of the night and the glory of the sun. May light be my strength and darkness be my refuge. May I find balance in my nature. I become one with the Force, as my master and her master before her. I am whole through the Force and through the shadows and through the light of the moon. I am one through the Force, and the Force is with me."

@icefire_outlaw:

Malgarius landed a fierce blow on his opponent, but it hadn't been enough to take him out of the fight. His opponent had been flung away from him, and he'd even managed to shatter that armor of his. As he banked his point of Fury he noticed something else was happening. He was right to anticipate a counterattack as the vampire started chanting something. However, this forced him to make a choice, continue channeling his ability and fade away into the shadow and hope to avoid the hit or take advantage of how defenseless his foe was. The inner hunter won out in the end as the demon broke his channeling wasting the Fury he'd used to begin it. Calling to his blades which laid forgotten on the floor, they rushed towards his hands. Gripping them he rushed the halfbreed when he was still focused on his prayer. Becoming a demonic whirlwind of death, his wet blades glistening as the light from a nearby street light shined on them. He would cut his foe down before he finished his ritual. He couldn't give the vampire enough time to channel any of his stronger magic. If the half-blood wanted a free second to power up, then Malgarius wouldn't give it to him.

@malgarius:

Erik felt the Fel-servant surge forward in an attack, not going into the shadows as the halfblood had hoped. Erik knew that this fight was uneven. He had first thought that the earth could help him, but now he realized there was something else in his nature he had to accept. He'd hated that he was a demon for most of his long life. He'd hated using shadows and drinking blood, unless it was the pure shadow magic of his mother's folk or the unclean blood of villains and fellow-monsters. But Malgarius was right: Erik was too attached to this world and its inhabitants. He wasn't native here. It wasn't his home turf. His homeworld was a land of shadows and precious metals, not sand and clay and creatures with no magic. He had no home. He continued his meditation unperturbed, and the street lamp that glimmered off the swords sputtered and died, its light consumed by shadow as the gap closed too quickly for any human to see. It wasn't too fast for the young vampire, however.

"I am the child of shadows cast by the moons of Svartalheim. I have dwelt in the light of hellfire. I have fought for life under the full moon of the World of Darkness." The gap was almost shut. The blades swung down over the vampire's head."Shadows heed my call, bright shadows, dark shadows. All follow, all guide, all protect. Light give me strength, Dark give me refuge..." And at the last moment, the very last instant, he disappeared. He opened his eyes in the darkness that was the shadow reflection of Los Angeles at night. The blades whizzed harmlessly past his head, as his head wasn't there to see anymore. Erik was bringing the fight to the place where he had dominion, where the half-Alfar, half-demon had absolute reign. He might be a halfling, but there was one thing he was entirely. He was Svart, kindred to shadows, and he was ready to finish this battle. All he had to do was wait for his enemy to come to him.

@icefire_outlaw:

His prey had evaded him, the demon simply hadn't been fast enough to interrupt the vampires spell from going off. Now he had no way of reaching the halfbreed, he had burned through his supply of Fury and since he was unable to attack his foe he had no way of building up anymore. While losing his prey would under most circumstances fill him with rage, he felt oddly calm about it this time. The vampire hadn't even been his true prey in the first place, and while he mourned the loss of the chance to slay the abomination, he still could let this one go. Not for good though, while he had slipped into his realm of shadows for long Malgarius knew he was too attached to this world to abandon it for long. The mark would never leave him though, even as he sat in a different realm the fiery brand would stay above his head. So whenever he did return to the physical realm Malgarius would know when and where.

If he was lucky the vampire would even lead him straight to the outlaw, from there he could finish them both off. For now though just as his opponent unknowingly waited for him, the demon waited for the half-blood to return. Though the demon would not spend his time idly sitting around, he took to the sky and started scan the city. He, like most demons, was blessed with enhanced senses, something he would use to search for the outlaw that had been whisked away earlier that night. He remembered the scent of her blood quite well from their fight, and while the rain did hamper his sense of smell id she was still in the city it wouldn't take him long to find out where.

@malgarius:

Erik watched his opponent's shadow, which didn't seem to notice him in the dark realm. Instead of following, he took of into the sky, no doubt to seek out Jesse. Erik didn't have much time. He focused his teleportation skills and came to find me.

I had stripped off my coat and changed my jeans for a pair of sweat pants. I was physically exhausted, and after putting my weapons away flopped down on the queen-sized bed at the four and a half star hotel I was staying in. I hoped Erik was okay. The demon seemed like to much for even him to handle. Collapsing my wings into their harness, which was still over my t-shirt, I lay on the bed and closed my eyes. It only took a few minutes of meditation for me to fall into a peaceful and hopefully healing sleep.

Erik came to the shadow reflection of the hotel room before turning to himself--or rather, his shadow. He had discussed his plan with it, and it had agreed to help. Erik stepped out of the realm of darkness and walked quietly over to the bed, watching his mother sleep with his warm red eyes. He felt a mild ache in his veins. No. Never Astrid. Malgarius was correct--he had an attachment to her. Astrid had been there for him from his first day in the sun, when his skin still turned red and his eyes were blinded by average light. She had helped him learn to control himself in a world full of prey. She had fed him pints of her own fresh blood in order to sustain him. Even now, he knew she'd be willing to give herself up in exchange for his safety. That was what he refused to allow. Quietly, he bent over and picked her up, holding her quietly in his arms as she breathed and her heart beat against his skin. She was his even more than if she was his servant rather than master. He sighed in her scent before stepping back into the realm of shadows. He didn't have time to waste. The Fel demon was on their trail, and was closing fast. With both his prey in the same place it was a matter of minutes before he would arrive. Erik couldn't dawdle.

Once in the realm, he approached his shadow, which held a shape similar to Jesse's in its arms. He approached the shadow reflection's bed and laid his precious cargo on it, hushing her gently when she murmured and pulling the blankets up to her chin. She would be safe here. There was no chance for Malgarius to touch her in Erik's realm unless Erik fell first. And he had no intention of dying tonight. Astrid now gently tucked in, he turned back to his shadow and took hers from its arms. It was cold, but it still smelled of her essence, held a similar gentle breathing pattern. This, Erik took with him back to the realm of light, and placed in Jesse's bed. It was strange, seeing her dark form there asleep, but at the same time it wasn't. Shadows were Erik's friends and playthings. How much more to have a human shadow for a mother.

Now that Astrid was safe, Erik had one last thing to do. First he pulled a coat from the shadows, a form of armor for the coming fight. He went to Jesse's suitcase and opened the interior pocket. He pulled out her gun belt and the Icefire weapons, and strapped them around his own waist. Her hat, one of her defining features as the Outlaw, was placed on his own pitch-black hair. He took a deep breath before closing the suitcase and going to the dresser to pull out her sunglasses. He closed his eyes and placed them on the bridge of his nose, then opened the eyes for the retinal scan. Spex's voice became active in his mind.

"Spex unit coming online. Validating User..... User validated. Erik son of Dokk of Svartalheim. Hello, Erik."

The vampire's lips curved up as he turned to the window. The moonlight was pooling in. Now all he had to do was wait for the hunter to locate him.

The demon cut through the rain his senses finally locked on to the outlaw's position. The vampire had also briefly entered and exited the room, which made him very suspicious. He had a feeling he might be walking straight into a trap, but he wasn't going to pull back now. Flapping his wings once more he arrived at the apartment building hovering outside of the room. He knew that the vampire was waiting for him in the room, yet he could also smell the outlaw in there. All he needed to do was slay the halfbreed and then he could finish his hunt. Feeling some warmth on his back he realized the sun started to rise behind him, the fight had dragged on through the night. This was a good sign, even if the vampire wouldn't be burned by the sun it would still weaken him. Malgarius suffered from none of the negative side effects, trap or nor he was going in with a small advantage.

Smashing his fist through the wall and tearing down the rest of it, Malgarius shined the rising sun into the room. As his eyes flickered around he saw the vampire who was playing dress up and the outlaw on a bed. It wasn't the real one though, that was clear from one glance it was a shadow of the real thing. Shame he had wished to take down two birds with one stone. As he landed in the room a grin crept on his face as he looked at the vampire, he seemed to be attempting to fight him. "Done running yet? If you're so determined to save your pet you'll have to do more than just defend yourself this time. It seems the clock is working against you as well." As he said this he pointed a finger behind him, towards the sun that was creeping over the horizon.

Erik watched the moonlight die. The beauty was extinguished, replaced by the demon and burning sunlight. Had the monster caught him by day even a month ago, that would have been the end of Erik Svart. Now, however, he could protect himself, and his skin was much more resistant to the burns. His coat didn't fade, being made of the shadows of the night it would stay until dismissed. He adjusted his hat slightly with one hand to shade his face while drawing his sword hilt from the shadows again, this time creating a single-handed sword, which he swung once for balance. There was nowhere to run now that the day was here. Still, a smile matching Malgarius' graced the half-Alfar's lips. Erik mentally engaged Spex in researching the demon's kind, seeking a weakness, if only a small one. He doubted he'd find anything. Dokk, Erik's father, had taught him to avoid a fight with a Fel hunter at any cost. Just another rule to be broken.

"I am." English now, a human tongue just like the human clothes he wore, just like the human mother he had adopted. "You are never going to touch her again. She is mine by right, and even if I didn't have emotion I'd be obliged to fight for her life." He took a fighting stance. "Now, I'll give you the honor of the first attack. After that there will be no mercy." Something was different about the halfling, something more demonic, as if the replacement of the gentle moon with the harsh sun had caused a similar change in his very soul. It was time to turn and make his name, to prove his worth. His warrior father was watching. There was no room for mistakes, even in an apartment as spacious as Astrid's. It was life or death now. Neither demon would stop until slain.

@icefire_outlaw:

While Malgarius could speak English he never wanted to feel the disgusting language on his tongue. The fact that this abomination used it so willing and without hesitation only cemented the demons desire to end him. "Don't speak of honor halfbreed, you hardly deserve even half the blood you have flowing through you." With that, he moved in for the attack. While the vampire's shadow armor was a pain to get through, the demons blades were nothing to scoff at. While the magic prevented him from cleanly slicing through them his blades were sharp enough to cut through nearly anything. All he need was to apply enough force, so channeling all his strength he aimed to plunge his blades straight through the armor and dig it into the vampire's flesh. He would teach his opponent the one rule when fighting a demonic hunter, never fight one alone. While the half-blood thought this was a fight, it was only to Malgarius whatever other engagement was, a hunt. And this one was drawing to a close.

@malgarius:

Erik braced himself for a moment before dodging to the side at the last moment, focusing less on defense, more on speed and assault. He could pull this off, even with the mark above his head and the disadvantage of small size. He made a small jab with his sword, careful to keep out of the other blades' way. He doubted he could take too many blows from them. "Honor is the way of the Alfar and the vampyr alike. I have far more right to speak of a warrior's honor than you, hunter." Baiting again, similar strategy to before as he tried to keep the beast's attention on himself.

I've found something, Spex said as he pulled a file and began translating it into Erik's mind. It was very old, and seemed to be in Latin. Erik listened quietly. Demon hunters always attacked in packs, hoping to bring the unholy creatures down by sheer numbers. Erik couldn't put Jesse at risk...but he did have a friend or two who could help. Closing his eyes, he focused for half an instant on a hybrid like himself, thousands of miles away in Chicago. A shadow portal opened behind the beast, and it entered willingly, recognizing Erik's voice in its mind. Still, it would take a few minutes for him to come all the way through, time Erik couldn't afford. One other friend waited his orders. He reached into the shadows with his mind, summoning it. His shadow obliged, coming out from Malgarius' other side and driving with a blade not unlike Erik's, in the same kind of jab and flowing motion as its owner, its eyes glowing the same shade of red. There were two of him now, enough to slow the monster down at the very least.

@icefire_outlaw:

Malgarius skillfully deflected the vampires weak initial strike before pressing the attack. "A hunter needs no honor, all I need is to know what my prey is. Yet you speak of honor while you send the shadows to do the hard work for you." As he said this he dodged the attack from the shadow that had jabbed at him. He was able to control the shadows as Erik but he could still feel the magic at work. While having to fight two opponents at once would normally hurt Malgarius this was different. It was still the vampire attacking him, still his shadow. So he was free to attach either one he pleased not having to worry about the constraint of his mark. After quickly slashing at the shadowing form he focused his attention back on the vampire. Dashing at him he moved to grab the half-breed by the throat and fly out of the hole in the wall. From there he would fly up towards the sky exposing him even more to the sun. Even if it didn't kill him outright the sun would still weaken his opponent. Hopefully, his armor would weaken with him allowing him to deliver a fatal blow.

@malgarius:

The blade passed through where the shadow had been, but it was gone, retreated momentarily into the realm of darkness to reappear in front of Erik to take the throat grab for him, being lifted in his place into the sun, where it began to fizz out of existence back to its own world. Erik didn't have any time to intervene, so he did the next best thing, he focused on aiding his other ally in his journey here. "If you want a hunter to battle, your wish his granted," Erik whispered to himself. He needed aid, he wasn't afraid to admit that. The gryphon came out behind the airborne Demon, recognizing his prey from Erik's brief mental message. He seemed to be bearing the vampire boy in his hands, trying to expose him to the daylight. Using the momentum he already had, he extended his claws, intending to bear down on the devil. Meanwhile, Erik made a run towards the missing wall and leapt out, free falling to the ground and catching himself in the long morning shadows. The sun wasn't strong enough to even come close enough to harm him. So far, he was a prey, an evasive target bred to survive and nothing more. Now he was ready to act, after watching the predator he was certain he understood his mindset. He lifted his face to the sky, waiting for Hunter to drive Magarius down so the real battle could finally begin.

@icefire_outlaw:

His hand clutching only air as the shadow disappeared back to its realm Malgarius cursed in his demonic tongue before spinning around in mid-air to face his real foe. He was about to dive the vampire as he felt a pair of claws rake his back, while they failed to pierce his skin it did momentarily distract him. A gryphon, here he had thought their kind had died out. It seemed fitting that the abominations pet was a mix of two creatures though. While he would enjoy the thrill of chasing down the mythical beast he couldn't waste more time on all the small fries that keep popping up. He would take out the vampire for being a thorn in his side, but after that, he could move on to the outlaw. Maybe then he'd see if he could find time to slay this beast as well.

With a strong flap of his wing, he plummeted down from the skies his eyes focused on the vampire. Slamming down with enough force to create a small crater the demon rose looking to see if he had landed on his foe. He doubted he did, but his true goal had been accomplished either way. The amount of dust that was caused by the impact would be enough to clog both of their enhanced senses. Malgarius still had his mark on the vampire though, so no matter the conditions he could still 'see' his prey. Rushing towards where ever his opponent might be he struck at him with all his might once again hoping to pierce the armor.

@malgarius: (wrong alt :/)

Erik shifted his sword, expanding it into a dual-edged, dual-handed blade as he rolled out of his enemy's way. His eyes and nose might be out of order but his ears worked just fine. He leapt into the air to dodge the attack, not bothering to hold his hat on as it seemed to stick of its own accord. His goal was to land between the demon's wings and plunge his sword into the enemy's back. Even if the blade's blow didn't land properly, he'd still be behind the hunter's head and be able to avoid most attacks from the front, maybe even take a ride on the demon's back. He saw Hunter hovering not far off, ready to cover for the darkling if trouble came since energy attacks had no practical effect on the leopard-bird.

@icefire_outlaw: (Lol no problem)

The demon howled in agony as the blade plunged through his back straight between his wings. Had he shared the same anatomy as a mortal the strike might have slain him right there. However being a pure avatar of rage he had no need for inner organs, he's veins run with anger, not blood. As such instead of blood flowing from his wound all that came out was a horrific screaming could be heard. Using his strong wings he slammed down on the vampire who had sought to take him for a joy ride. The enormous wings had enough power to propel the demon at speed rivaling a jet, so the force that would smash down on the vampire would be strong enough to stun if not kill him. If he had managed to hit his opponent he would grab him off of his back with both hands before smashing his back down on the demon's knee. He would shatter the halfbreed for the pain he caused him.

@malgarius:

Erik winced at the sound and was taken off guard by the noise. He felt himself going down hard and felt something shatter...his ribs perhaps. He sensed the shadows leaving him, dispersing his strong godling body for his small, true form. He tried to push himself up or roll out of the demon's way but knew he wasn't going to make it. His cloudy blue eyes were still dazed, his mind still in a fog. He knew this was the end of the line, until he felt an outside force pick up his body and throw him aside. He looked up, blinking, and saw a shadow portal opened. In its doorway he saw me, still in my pajamas, my wings unfurled, entirely healed from my experience last night. Aside from the Shadow, I was unarmed, and I flicked my wrist to telekinetically pull my hat and glasses to my head. I sighed deeply. I was back, and I was fairly certain I had the answer to my problem. First, though, I had to make sure I had his attention, and then make sure I was ready when I did. I felt the life of the city and focused on that while I addressed first my gryphon while pointing to Erik. "Hunter, guard."

As the bird obeyed, I looked at the demon. I'd learned my lesson. I couldn't fight fire with fire, I couldn't cut him down with weapons and rage. That was his territory, and I respected that. I had something he didn't, though. He had passion, chaos, strength, power. I had that too, but I couldn't use it on him. No, I needed the things he didn't have. Completely dismissing Yuki from my consciousness, I focused on Jing's teachings as I spoke to the demon.

"Leave my son alone," I called, amplifying my voice through the energy around me. "You wanted my life, here I am. Come, take it. But if you lay a finger on the child again and I will make you suffer for it." No emotion, only peace. No ignorance, only knowledge. No passion, only serenity. No chaos, only harmony. No death, only the Force.

@icefire_outlaw:

Malgarius grinned as he got to his feet tightening his grip on his weapons. While humans did disgust him, they did provide some entertainment to watch. His fight wasn't with the vampire anyway, and his true prey had come to him. Giving the boy one last look the demon called out to him in his native tongue. "Your time with these humans has made you weak, even worse they have convinced you that what they have given you is power. Yet you have garnered my attention halfling, I see potential in you after all. Seek me out if you ever wish to reach your full potential." His eyes shifted back to the outlaw as the burning mark was placed upon her head. Finally, time to finish this, the boy would likely need a new teacher after this fight anyway.

She was without any weaponry, easy picking for the Fel-hunter. Right now she was a lion without claws, the fight might not be as satisfying, but the kill was always the same. A mad grin consuming his entire face he dove in for the kill aiming to plunge his blade straight into his heart. Somewhere inside the demon, Obstinineal struggled against the demons control. He'd gone into this to kill a bandit, not a pajama wearing mother. Yet was too late for him to do anything, he'd already given the demon control and he would have to let him do as he saw fit.

@malgarius:

I waited with closed eyes, watching through the Force. Even now, I was no easy meal. He seemed to have taken an interest in Erik, meaning that the boy would be safe for now. I felt the man moving inside the beast, struggling to get to the surface, to end this now that I looked like any other human. I didn't want his pity but I could take advantage of it to stop the monster. The air was laden now with Light Force energy. I hated separating good from evil, but evil would only feed him. I needed to cut him down, not make him stronger. He rushed me. I waited. At the moment he lowered his sword to slay me I made my move, shoving the energy into him, around him, through him. I hoped it was enough to at least push him backwards, even throw him away from me. That wasn't the main goal, however. The main goal was to weaken his mental and spiritual defenses for my next move. I remembered Jing-Quinon's teachings from my first days bound to him.

War isn't always the answer, Stella. One must bind himself to peace if he wants to win the battle at the end. You can't go too far with it, otherwise you're no stronger than your enemy.

@icefire_outlaw:

Resisting against the enormous force being used to push him away the demon kept walking forwards. His hooves left holes in the cement as he kept walking until he'd managed to get to his opponent even through the energy push. Standing in front of the outlaw, her attack not having visibly affecting him. He'd thought she had given up before but it seemed that she still wished to fight him. It seemed that the outlaw wasn't prepared to go out without a fight, perfect. It was alway better when the beast struggled before the kill. Not wanting to have the same move be used on him again he moving to wrap his hand around her throat. Hopefully crushing the air out of her would stop her from using her powers to knock his around. Lifting her into the air he would deliver fatal blow stabbing through her chest and slice downwards.

Did it again :/

@malgarius:

I let him pick me up, feeling the constriction of his hand around my throat. My eyes closed as I focused on the wings, pushing energy through them. Each feather was mined and forged on the banks of the River Styx and cooled in its waters, giving them the power to concentrate energy and contain it. I focused on flowing them with Force energy now, then pulled them around me to block the blade. Underneath was a thick layer of the pure kind of Force energy in the case this didn't work. I shook my head as well as I could, my strength fading with lack of oxygen. My sunglasses fell to my chin, much to Spex's discomfort. My wide blue eyes looked into my killer's green ones. With the last of my breath, I addressed not him, but the man inside, using focus on the Jedi mind trick. There were few humans who were stronger willed than me, and hopefully this one was no exception. I managed to make the words clear and powerful, hardly resistable especially to someone who probably wanted what I was asking anyway.

"Come....out...."

My vision was going fuzzy but that was okay. I kept repeating in my mind what Jing had taught me, shoving down the objections from the BQ and Terumi. There is no death, there is only the Force.

@icefire_outlaw:

The demon's anger was endless, an unlimited sea of hatred and wrath, yet somehow hear words managed to pierce him and find it's way to the man inside of him. She had managed to block his killing strike and in that moment of surprise, Obstintineal had managed to take a slight amount of control back. Malgarius' hand slightly loosened his grip, not enough to let her go but enough to let her breath. He opened his mouth and spoke, not as the demon and as the man, "I'm sorry doll, but not even I can stop him right now. I thought it would be safe to sic him on ya, guess I was wrong about you after all. I'- starting to lose control her- aghh- your kid, might want to close his eyes for this."While the demon's face remained in it contorted expression of sick joy, his eyes had become blue and filled with pity. The look stayed for only fraction of a second before they began shining green once again, as the demon's anger proved too much for him to stop. His grip tightening again he moved to quickly flick his wrist to the side, the least Obstintineal could do for her was hopefully grant her a swift and painless death. Breaking her neck seemed like the most humane way to do it.

"There seems to be a lot of that going around," Nathan commented. He reached out a criminal hand, and stole another cookie. Although, technically, he supposed they were his own cookies in the first place, since he'd made them. Fair enough. Contemplating the tin, he determined it was likely going to be time to make some more, soon. "I don't know how much we can do about that other than to wait for it to pass over and try to lead by example." He shrugged a shoulder, then added, "For what it's worth, you kids are welcome to come hang out here. I don't know that we can defend you against whatever whoever decides to throw at you, but we wouldn't turn you in anywhere. You can come hang out and eat cookies. Kids your age ought to have a bit more of that in their lives, anyway."

@malgarius:

Erik gently lifted himself to his feet in time to see the demon make the first kill blow. Jesse managed to avoid it, but she was in no shape to attack or fight. It was going to be over before it began, and the boy saw the unfairness of the hunt. Something new, sudden, pure and wicked flowed through him. For the first time in his life, he knew what all pure demons knew from birth. For that moment, Erik Svart felt hate. And that hate tore the morals his mothers, human and alfar, had both tried to instill in his soul.

"NO!"

It was a scream in three voices, overlapping each other, each a different language as the boy's body morphed into its shadow god form. The sky blackened and the earth shook as every part of his being filled with demonic passion. His red eyes burned through the blackness, seeing one thing, the monster before him. Hunter and Jesse were gone from his sight, as he wielded the shadows with formerly unknown strength and the very foundations of the earth answered his call. The shadows became conscious, merely servants of the halfling now reaching towards the beast with a clawed hand. The earth moved, the asphalt breaking, as space and time were warped and Erik dragged Jesse and Hunter out of reality into his realm, his playground, leaving only himself and the monster in the street. Pure rage rolled off Erik's body in waves as he watched the beast before him. The shadows heard an order from their master's subconscious: Kill. And the shadows obeyed, flowing out from under his feet and rushing from every corner of darkness in the city. The demon had wished to see Erik's full potential, and now he would. Jesse was safe, but the demon was a different story. Every shadow in the city now targeted it, and even if it survived the assault it would face the shadow god's wrath. Erik was showing every sign the demon had accused him of lacking the night before. Now it was up to the demon to fight or to flee now that he saw what lay behind the soft exterior of the Svart child.