Inferno

A faint rush of adrenaline rushed through Vincent's veins as the pieces of the chess board began moving once again. A few pieces seemed to be removed from game..unfortunately it seemed to be only temporary. Yet with 'evidence' as clearly demonstrated as this, it would be an extremely difficult trick to pull off and disprove such 'facts'. A smug smirk appeared on Vincent's face as he witnessed Satan shoot down Bavol's attempts of appeal for her beloved man-servant..bastard that he was. His plan was going swimmingly, his advantages stacking up around him. It was a very generous gift of Satan to allow Vincent to takeover the expedition to the Human world. His mind was nearly delusional with ideas of weaponry just begging to be unearthed by his hands and to give further punishment to Seve, who would be deemed his personal pack mule for the duration of the trip.

Her smirk turned into that a Cheshire-like smile as another of his little pawns strode in form of the dutiful Alvina who stated her purpose as well as the progress of her own personal projects within his Library. ~I had better check on Seve's poor hands when I return..would hate for those delicate hands to blister too much~ Vincent thought with amusement as Alvina stated she had made preparations for the continuous tracking of the traitors opposing Satan, such a dedicated pawn she was. Quirking an eyebrow up as Vincent watched his right-handed woman attempt to provoke the clearly distressed and fragile Princess of Air, before speaking up "Now, now Alvina let's not distress the Princess as I am sure her mind is already clouded with grief of her mistakes in choosing an treacherous knave for a bodyguard". Running a hand through his hair in a relaxed manner as his mood was quite jubilant given the circumstances.

Turning his attention to the unsettled Bavol as his voice purred "Yes, my dear I would truly listen to Satan and do remember who you will attempting to challenge". His voice began to drip with sarcasm "Now, I feel so horrible for leaving you so..unprotected without that traitor, I would be more than pleased to lend you dearest Alvina at least temporarily. As I am sure you know I truly hate having to get my hands dirty when it comes to simple reconnaissance in the Human world. " That was the charm of having one as useful as Alvina who carried out his whims with ease. Such a useful tool.

Turning his attention to Alvina with a sharp turn "You are to follow myself into the Human world in order to find the cause of the power surge. Now I would prefer for this operation to have a delicate handling..meaning avoid the humans at any cost. Do I make myself clear? As for our dear Princess of Air, you are to assist her when you are not assisting myself. If there are any changes in your orders, I will send you a message through Jackal". Bowing to the distressed Princess, his eyes shifted to Satan as he inquired "Is there anything else I can assist you with sir? I am sure we will able to effectively wipe out those that oppose your just rule..". Now if only Chikyuu were to stay in the dungeons out of his way.

Bavol

---

Bavol had merely glanced over the supposed evidence that was put before her. She didn't want to believe it and neither she would. Those around her could surely guess how she was feeling at that moment. Alvina, the loyal servant of Vincent was there, close-by. Bavol didn't dare to face her.

"Though it is .such a surprise... that a traitor could get so close to a Princess no less and go unnoticed.... Even the lofty can't see the wood from the trees it seems." The woman spoke and irked the princess ever so slightly. Her gentle hands formed into tightly wound fists as the white haired girl stood quietly. However, with the intrusion of Vincent that did not last very long. "Now, now Alvina let's not distress the Princess as I am sure her mind is already clouded with grief of her mistakes in choosing an treacherous knave for a bodyguard". He said in his common vincent-ness tone.

"Pan it, Vince! Yeu hasn't done anything wrong and once I get him free he'll kick your ass!" The otherwise sweetly appearing lass spat at the rival prince. She briefly shot a glance at his servant also. "You would do well to remember who you are speaking to! I am the Princess of Air! The only traitors here are you pair! Satan clearly does not realize."

Her once high praise of their ruler was increasingly dieing as time passed on. Could she trust Satan? Certainly not Vince or any of his subordinates. What was a princess to do? "What a pity. The high and mighty are truly falling."

Her little remark was more or less directed at Satan, though he seemed to not require her audience any longer and the girl took her moment to get a little dig at him. She turned on her heel and began to take her leave, somewhat quickly in fear their ruler may seek out punishment just then, though paused momentarily to look once again at Vincent and his little helper. "I will challenge who I see fit if it means proving the innocence of Yeu. I am no fool, I know who I talk down to! It is by no accident that I do not tread lightly around you both and our leader." She had heard all that the duo had muttered on about and really paid little attention to what Vincent said next.

"Now, I feel so horrible for leaving you so..unprotected without that traitor, I would be more than pleased to lend you dearest Alvina at least temporarily." Was he doing her favour? Hardly. "The only one who will serve me is Yeu. Once he is free and this issue is dropped normality will be restored once more." It was hardly a lie to say that Bavol did not trust Alvina around her. She couldn't tolerate the woman, especially now. "Do as you wish - just stay out of my way."

With that said the princess took her leave from Satan's room and immediately began to progress to where her servant was being held down below. A short time later, Bavol arrived at the cells in which Yeu had been placed in. Where exactly, she wasn't too sure. The princess only knew he had been taken to their rulers dungeon, a place that she had, perhaps, only visited once if that. It wasn't exactly the sort of area she enjoyed being in. Nevertheless she needed Yeu and wouldn't stop until he was free.

Having thrown her authority around it hadn't taken long before one of the demons that roamed the area guided the girl to the specific cell that contained her bodyguard. That demon of course was the overseer. A peculiar demon in Bavol’s opinion, though she felt little need to really converse with the woman. All that the princess wanted was to find her subordinate, and not long after the overseer had shown Bavol to the specific cell that housed her servant. With a swift motioning of her hand the princess did not desire the overseer to remain, shooing the demon away almost, though the woman would most likely linger around just to keep an eye on their interactions.

Prior to leaving the woman had unlocked the door to the cell, to which Bavol proceeded to hurry through and close tightly behind her. Turning round her eyes immediately fell contently onto the familiar face of her servant, Yeu.

Skipping over the girl wrapped her arms around his figure and held him close for a moment, until she finally released the boy shortly after, affectionately ruffling his hair and looking him over whilst doing so. "Yeu, Yeu! What‘s going on? Their all saying bad things about you!" She quickly spoke with little time to take a breath, before sitting herself down calmly next to the other demon. "Not that I believe them, of course. I know their all lying! Vincent says you’re a traitor and has convinced Satan that your opposing him -- he even has proof, but it can‘t be true?"

Her eyes slowly glanced over his features once more, a look of unhappiness filling her own face as she raised a hand and gently traced the tip of her finger against the outlines of his cheek. "I hope their not treating you too badly. I wish I could break you out of here and be more helpful. I'm suppose to be a princess and yet I can't even help you."

Azrael

Azrael stared down at Alvina with cool eyes, something a bit unusual given the situation. He took note of her actions but for now he would have to focus on current matters. A slight curve at the corners of his lips gave the idea that he was amused by his courts attempts at flustering one another. The demon remembered such a time where he was like that with the previous Princes but that was then and this is now. Shifting in his throne Azrael watched the sky through the large open windows of the room. It looked like the time was changing again but he hoped it would not be so, there were many things he needed to get done.

You would do well to remember who you are speaking to! I am the Princess of Air! The only traitors here are you pair! Satan clearly does not realize.” At this Azrael’s eyes snapped towards Bavol’s position, fury flashed in those red orbs and it seemed for a moment he was about to snap finally. Even if he did not say it, Satan was waiting for the foolish demon to continue and surprisingly enough she did. "What a pity. The high and mighty are truly falling."


What was truly surprising was Azrael’s reaction to it. Without any form of warning a deep laugh erupted from deep within Satan’s core. The Princess’s choice in words reminded him of his lover, Is it true, will I fall to as you did? The laugh was short-lived as he bared his teeth in what was a very strange smile. The Princess must have grown from her time in the Human Realm, however short it was. For a fleeting moment Azrael felt pity towards the girl but it was squashed upon recognizing it. Hearing the sarcasm drip from Vincents voice as he continued to tease and prod the Princess of Air, his eyes lost the fury from earlier and was replaced by something unfamiliar to those who stood before him.

"Is there anything else I can assist you with sir? I am sure we will able to effectively wipe out those that oppose your just rule..".

Regarding the Prince for a brief moment the strange smile was now absent as he returned to business. Taking in a deep breath, Azrael folded his hands in front of him. The Princes act gave Satan a feeling of doubt. He may be old but he’s had his fair share of demons attempting to over throw him, and it’d be in his best interest to gain help from someone he truly trusts. "I better hope so boy, need I say your behavior is truly like that of a child?” His own voice dripped with that same sarcasm Vincent had earlier. It was a subtle push to see if the Prince would retaliate as the Princess did. “There is nothing left for you to do at the moment Vincent. I suggest you get going on your mission.”

Thea

It had been such a long time since she had last had a newcomer join her exquisite home. Giggling to herself Thea threw the piece of paper that had informed her of the traitor. It honestly did not surprise her that Satan was informed of there being a traitor in his courts. From her view the young demon, by her standards, was getting a little soft. “OH! But I’m so happy! I get a new playmate.” squealing with joy, any other demon would find Thea’s behavior odd considering she wasn’t even a demon or human. The small woman was the prison itself, just in a form that allowed for her to connect with her prisoners better.

Prancing about Thea waved her hand towards the few demons she came across. She knew the traitor would be arriving shortly. It helped being connected with her domain in this compact body of hers. Although Thea could easily have taken the easy way to the upper levels by going back inside the walls and transferring her body to where it needed to be but it was fun walking around. After maybe an hour passed she finally reached the upper levels however by then the deity was already tired, not it was possible but she liked to think she could, and simply transferred her body the rest of the way. At that point the royal guard had been waiting for a while. Flopping down on the ground in front of them as soon as she phased through the door, Thea looked up at them. As usual the guards stood still as ever, stoic expressions the norm of their particular group.

Neon pink orbs jumped from on demon to the next, taking in as much information as they could until they landed on a particular demon in the center. Eyes widening in apparent glee, a smile crept onto her lips and Thea immediately jumped up. With speed that even the guards couldn’t beat, Thea stood before the prisoner. Curiosity glittered in those pink orbs as they stared up at Yeuri mouth slightly open in awe. Having stared at him for a good solid minute, drool had begun to slip past her lips and dribble down her chin. Realizing this Thea quickly wiped it away and circled Yeuri as if she were inspecting a piece of meat. Suddenly she stood in front of the guards, making one flinch in surprise. Bringing a hand up as if she had an urgent question Thea finally spoke to the group. “Okidokie’s then! Now that that’s done with, can I take him now?”


Thea stepped close to a guard, folding her hands again as if she were about to say a prayer and with puppy eyes begged, “Please. Can I take him now? I haven’t had a traitor in such a long time. They’re the funniest people ever.” The guard leaned away from her considering how close she was but he did answer. “Yes we’ll leave him in your hands then.” Stepping away from Yeuri in unison, the guards left the prison. Following them for a short while, Thea stopped and then turned around to face Yeuri, a wide grin on her face. “So shall I give you the tour of my home?” Without waiting for an answer from the demon, Thea started to walk at a rather quick pace in a seemingly random direction.

---

It took them quite a while to finish the tour and they barely scratched the surface with what she was able to show him. Throughout the entire walk Thea pranced around, greeted other prisoners and bombarded Yeuri with an assortment of questions. Most of which pertained to his status as a traitor. Of course being nothing more than the prison in a human body, Thea was oblivious to any actions Yeuri took to silence her, if he took any at all.

The two walked the halls until they came across a huge lump of body mass blocking their way. Upon closer inspection it became clear that what was blocking their way was an incredibly large lesser demon. Frowning a bit, Thea titled her head as she thought about how to proceed. Brightening up the small woman rushed forwards and kicked the lesser demon. Giggling a bit Thea stepped back and waited patiently for the lesser demon to turn around, which it did. Focusing its multiple eyes on Thea it looked at her with annoyance. “Move please.” It continued to stare at her until finally Thea kicked it again but this time in the eyes. Growling at the sudden attack it bite Thea’s leg clean off. Surprisingly enough the woman did nothing, she simply hopped backwards on one foot.

“You naughty thing, you should know better than to bite me.” Teasing the creature with her cheery tone, Thea then phased into the ground and suddenly the walls and floor began to move. Rippling like water a mass of stone erupted from the walls and floor, eating up the lesser demon like it was nothing. As the stone settled back into place Thea popped out of the ground where the lesser demon had just been, with all limbs accounted for. Dusting herself off Thea beckoned for Yeuri to follow her down the hall until they stopped in front of a door that was open wide.

Stepping into the room Thea did a 360 and smiled at Yeuri. “Well this is your new home now. If you’re being killed just scream.” Whether her words rang true or were meant as a joke, they certainly didn’t accomplish the latter. With that being said Thea left Yeuri to his own devices.

---

Short time later

This time Thea was escorting a demon of high standing. All smiles, Thea practically bounced off the walls as she led the Princess of Air to her subordinate’s cell. Just like she did with Yeuri, the overseer pestered the Princess with countless questions. Unlike before it didn’t take them long to get to Yeuri’s cell since she didn’t give Bavol the tour although she really wanted to. The pair now stood in front of the door and Thea opened it for the woman. "Hope you guys have fun talking to each other." Waving at Yeuri before Bavol closed the door, Thea pouted a bit but then a mischievous smile took its place. Just like Bavol thought, Thea wanted to keep an eye on their conversation. It wasn't because of Satan, she could careless really on what he wanted, but her own need to satiate her curiosity.

Turning her gaze downwards, Alvina bowed her head deeply to Vincent's request to no longer agitate the Princess as he so put it. It seemed he was going to take that duty from her, His tone was completely different, but it was clear that the intentions were the same, then again that was how Vincent normally was. Her responses was imminent but the dear princess interrupted her, the almost predictable reply to the prince, but suddenly her gaze was upon Alvina. "You would do well to remember who you are speaking to! I am the Princess of Air!..." Alvina stared straight at the Bavol muttering to herself "Indeed Princess"

Alvina's attention waned, it was so far being rather predictable and uninteresting. She expected Bavol's dig towards Satan, though she soon turned chill. Her breath caught in her throat, Satan's laugh had unnerved her. The feeling soon passed , and Alvina had found her hand had strayed where she would normally keep her cross bow. Letting out a deep breath She turned and bowed to Vincent and then briefly towards Satan. " Seeing as i am no longer needed here, i will go prepare for our departure" her words were swift as she turned and with the same practised silent movements she slipped out of throne room.

As soon as she left the throne room she noticed someone on her peripheral vision, turning she feigned to walk towards the doors that would lead towards Chiyuki's domain, before swiftly turning round confronting the man who followed her " When i requested your Services did you really think the best place to meet would be in purgatory?" It was one who she worked closely with before, an information broker, with a large network of ears and eyes, always willing to accept jobs as well. " The information you seek will take time to gather" he said in a hushed voice

" But this is confirmation of the contract, correct?" The broker simply nodded " Good, you will receive payment soon, though i want personal delivery, i will arrange that when the time comes though.... now leave" her voice was stern, and luckily for her the broker slipped off swiftly, there was no way she could be allowed to be spotted within purgatory with any of her contacts, or otherwise she would have to come up with a very good cover story. She was a thief, a killer but she was not a story teller.

A cheshire-like smile appeared on Vincent's face for a few moments as he observed the Princess of Air flounce off in a huff..of well hot air so to speak. The irony of the situation made that same smile return a few seconds later as he let out a small breath in order to compose himself. That smile was lost as Satan's laugh etched its way into his body, cold and harsh..as if the joke was on him. Unwillingly, Vincent's hands tensed for a moment as the tension in the air slowly faded away..the source all from the devil on the throne. Withdrawing a cloth from his pocket, Vincent idly cleaned the lens of his glasses as he heard the orders from Satan of his own personal mission, slipping them onto his composed face, he gave a low bow towards his ruler before stating "Right away sir. I do so regret having to of ruined your day with the news of the traitor. I do hope my next report will be one to your satisfaction..". His footsteps followed the ones left behind his servant who was attempting to be inconspicuous through loitering just outside the throne room.


The briefest flash of a retreating cloak signaled that his associate had been in conference with someone. A rush of anger flooded Vincent at his associate's rookie mistake..even a child knew not to try and steal a treat right as the mother was nearby..distracted. With an irritated sigh, Vincent fixed his impeccably straight black tie as he strolled by the 'shrouded' thief before turning an icy glare at the female demon with a hiss " Have you really gotten so bold as to conduct your business in the open under the nose of Him..I must have forgotten your talents. Was it not true that you once knew how to be inconspicuous. I truly do not think you need..rats trailing after you in broad daylight like some lost puppy..". As graceful of a chess piece Alvina was, she should have known better to retreat from the white King. With a wave of his hand, gesturing for the woman to follow him, Vincent retreated back into his personal abode..or the shambles of what remained, given the state of the entrance. Skittish servants flinched away as Vincent's gaze fell upon the bits and pieces of his glorious door. A painfully nice smile etched on his lips "Clean this up now..anyone who disturbs me will be doing guard duty for the next century..". Cold and precise was his order, as a few select servants squeaked a response and returned to their cleaning..wary of the woman trailing after their Master.

Finally reaching the welcoming views of his Library, Vincent eased himself into the leach chair behind his desk, propping shined black shoes on the desk, lazily gesturing for Alvina to take a seat on the sofa in front of him. Cerberus, merely opened a single eyelid at the visitor before huffing and falling asleep. Meanwhile Vincent was shifting around in a drawer withdrawing something from, before rapidly throwing it at the woman. Silver knives flashed through the air..a trio of them headed for the pretty face. One missed and lodged itself firmly in the shelf behind it..the others, well that was up to the talents of his mysterious thief. A faint grin appeared on Vincent's face he awaited to see if she was still up to the challenge of surviving. After all what use would he have of a pawn if it was dead and buried..regardless of how pretty the body would be.

It seemed that the broker, and herself had not been quick enough during their meeting. At this point Alvina was still trying to figure out whether or not she had been lucky or not that it was Vincent discovered her, of course she would of preferred no one to have seen that. Meeting his Icy glare with her own unmoving eyes, she made sure not to look away at any point while being spoke to, waiting precisely for her master to finish before nodding her head " I will personally flay the next piece of business that follows me"

Heeding the gesture Alvina followed behind Vincent, following just a couple paces behind and a pace or so to his right. She did not inspect the wreckage of the doors, she had spent the morning doing that, no she instead glanced around at the servants, nearly all of them did not meet her amber glare, one braved a look upon Alvina features and earned a slight smirk. Both the servant and herself turned to listen to the Prince of fire, before the servant swiftly turned to carry on her duties, except this time she was met by the glare of silver eyes, Umbra, Alvina's familiar had decide to try being social again with the servants again. They probably did not want to be social back, but they did not dare to test the gaze of this beast, seeing as behind its eyes sat those of the harlequin.

Sitting her self down on the sofa, she raised a brow, what was he looking for in his draw?. It dawned on her just as it happened. Throwing her head downwards she felt the knives, two of them narrowly miss her head.Using the momentum on which she threw her head downwards, she forced its path towards the floor, pushing up with her toes so she came off the sofa and rolled forward. Springing up at the end with grace, she lazily placed her left hand on the desk, before placing the dagger within her right hand flat on the desk, she had slipped the blade off her hip during the roll out of instinct " I can assure you, i did not wake this morn void of my experience and skills....some things can't be forgotten"

Leaving the dagger on the table, she stepped backwards, facing Vincent at all times, so she could once again resume sitting upon the sofa again. " Perhaps i should waive the charge of my next job?.... it would mean i could cheat my idiotic business partners into paying them less.... but i digress.... for i doubt you brought me in here to discuss such things.... especially as the mission to the human realm is now your" she wondered how much of the talk in front of satan was true. It did seem unlikely that Vincent would attend a simple mission like by himself, no she would probably be the one. Glancing off to one side, she felt something pass through the air, no not the air, the very realm. A surge in power. Trying to discern an exact location on the source of the spike would be next to impossible from her location, the intricate and complex relationship between realms and relative positioning to each other meant a vector could not be accurately be given a direction, however it could be given a magnitude. The strength of the inter-realm barrier and the rate of decay of the energy provided an approximation to the location of the Source. " I might suggest we be swift in our preparations as not to lose this advantage" Alvina spoke softly as she once again cast a questioning gaze up Vincent. No doubt he felt it too, and no doubt he to would of discerned what she had.

Yeuri

---

Yeuri was led through several different realms, or at least it felt that long. Despite his prior comments, the guards refused to let him walk on his own, and everyone seemed to want to hold onto a little piece of him. Hands clasped over his shoulders, arms, back, sides, etc. He was flattered, really, that they found him such a threat. And they were very right to be wary of him. Yeuri remained rather quiet throughout the journey, seeing as his words had been rather pointless thus far.

As Azrael looked back at him with a carefully hidden expression, Yeuri blinked once before baring his fangs in a smirk. ”See something you like?” He snorted derisively at his own comment, rolling his eyes but otherwise keeping very steady eye contact with the ruler of hell. As Satan motioned towards the wall, Yeuri’s eyes narrowed, furthermore when the guards started battering at him to get him to move towards it. Obviously it was some sort of fake wall or other. Before he was pushed through it, he glanced back over his shoulder with a harsh look of boredom, ”I expect an audience with you later, Azrael. I want to see this supposed ‘evidence’ you have against me.”

The guards led him through dark, dank hallways down the rather squeezed corridor, the six or so guards having to switch to a single-file line so that they could proceed through. Yeuri remained absolutely silent, his face void of expression and his jaw slack as he allowed himself to be cattle prodded through the place. Eventually they reached the end of the path, and it opened up before him into a massive cavern. A huge drop was set in the middle, one that held the many lower levels, no doubt. It was a rather unpleasant place. Slime, cobwebs, dirt, mildew, mold, and all sorts of other little lovely things clung to the skeleton gray walls among obsidian black rocks. Rather than breaching the pit, as he had expected, the guards led him up slanted paths, jagged crests, and over many different skeletal bits scattered about the area.

Eventually it seemed as if the guards simply figured that one particular level was finally good enough- either that or they were just tired of wandering around aimlessly, or so Yukon figured- and they ordered him to sit down on the ground near a particularly foul mass of what seemed to be flesh. Yeuri snorted with an authority-challenging look. Instead, as soon as the guards released him, he simply wandered over to the wall and leaned against it. At first the guards were obviously pissed at this, and had tried to force him to the ground, but Yeuri was done humoring them. If it weren’t for the fact that soundly kicking their asses would only make his situation worse, he would have put them in their places. He also figured that he could simply try to slip away, but that would give Satan a legitimate reason to want to keep him down here.

The guards didn’t leave him, either. Yeuri quirked an eyebrow at this. Were these poor sods expected to watch him for an eternity? Outside of a cage? A cage he wasn’t even in yet? Sucked to be them then if that were the case. They stood around for like twenty minutes, shifting around uncomfortably and seeming more and more agitated with each passing second. After about forty minutes, they grumbled loudly at each other, and some even slumped down to the ground, growing tired of standing for so long doing nothing. Yeuri was patient, his eyes seemingly closed but really cracked open just a bit to keep an eye on the other demons. These were supposed to be Satan’s royal guards? Yeuri chuckled darkly to himself at their expense. They were waiting for something, and after a while, Yukon allowed his mind to wander and wonder about just what it could be. He had heard whispers about Purgatory and what lay beneath it. It wasn’t an unknown subject, but Yeuri had not expected to find himself within its confines. At least not for a few more centuries, at least.

After an hour had passed, the guards stood and made a crescent around him, their faces shifting back into something serious and more apt for their position. It seemed finally something was about to happen. That something appeared seconds later, suddenly sitting cross-legged in front of the guards. Yeu’s eyes creaked open and he regarded the entity with a bit of interest, but not much. It seemed he had pushed himself from the wall at the exact same moment she had laid eyes on him. And then she was in front of him, seeming to have phased from one place to the next in the turn of a split second. Yeuri did not move an inch, didn’t even bat an eyelash at the display. As she craned her neck backwards to gaze up at his towering form, he crossed his arms comfortably and stared down at her, his eyes harsh, cold, and calculating. It had been awhile since anyone had dared to subject themselves to his mesmerizing gaze.

It seemed as though this creature was no different than the others, staring at him for a solid minute. He was unimpressed by the thing in front of him, and a bored look slowly began to seep to the surface of his face the longer the gaze lasted. Was this thing going to stare at him for an eternity now too? Then a bit of drool was beginning to dribble from the corner of her mouth, and Yeuri’s eyebrows knitted together in mild disgust and slight irritation. He was not something to be ogled at for very long.

However, with the escape of the fluid, it seemed that the entity realized that she had been staring, and snapped out of it, swallowing what had pooled in her mouth and wiping away what had escaped the confines of her lips. She turned to the guards swiftly, surprising one and causing the guard to flinch. Yeuri couldn’t help but let the wry little smirk spread across his lips for a second. Satan’s finest, apparently.

“Okidokie’s then! Now that that’s done with, can I take him now?” Hold up. With the chipper little voice that bounced from the girl’s face, all amusement fled from Yeu’s features to be replaced with a momentarily agonized disdain. He was dealing with the mind of a child.

“Please. Can I take him now? I haven’t had a traitor in such a long time. They’re the funniest people ever.” Yeuri’s eyes hardened once more. He was not a toy. He was not a jester. Poor thing would be so disappointed. The guards were quick to ditch him at that, and he bristled at their cowardice. The creature followed after them like a lost little puppy for a few yards before seeming to remember that he was still there. She whirled around with an excited grin.

“So shall I give you the tour of my home?” The being didn’t even wait for an answer and simply fluttered off in some direction or other. Yeuri held no expectation to even have to follow her. He could pretty well do whatever the hell he felt like at this point. He rolled his eyes, uncrossed his arms and shoved his hands into his pockets, and trailed after the direction in which the girl wandered off. When he had caught up with her, she chattered away over this pointless thing and that unimportant tidbit. She seemed to have to tell him every single little bit of no-one-gives-a-crap information about every little thing that existed in this domain. A pebble, a bone, some dust… it was annoying.

”Your home is disgusting. Your house-keeping skills suck.” He said bluntly, running a finger over the nearest wall to make his point. It turned up with all manner of disgusting bits of things. He slid it against her shoulder, ridding himself of the grime. She seemed never to shut up either, but Yeuri wasn’t always silent either. He was throwing snide comments at everything she showed him, and with every annoying question she asked him about being a ‘traitor’ Yukon didn’t deign to answer. However, the constant quipping about it finally drove him to the edge.

”I am not a traitor. Your owner is growing slow and paranoid. I have not been presented with any sort of evidence as to this supposed accusation, and it’s interfering with my job- the only reason I’m even mildly pissed off about this. And I am not just ‘mildly’ peeved.”

Eventually they came across some beast or other that was laying in the middle of their path. Thea went ahead and simply kicked the poor beast in the side with a giggle. Yeuri looked on in disdain, crossing his arms once more. The Lesser’s eyes blinked in a wave-formation, one right after another. Thea impatiently demanded that it move, which was utterly stupid. It was obvious that this particular creature was a sloth, and it would take it too long to process and then take up the task of bringing its lumbering bulk into the air and shift it over. And just like Yukon figured, she did not give it any time whatsoever. Instead she kicked it right in the eyes- a sensitive part of the beast no doubt, especially considering it was practically made up of eyeballs.

As a natural reaction to being attacked, the beast suddenly switched into a fighting mindset, and shifted about as it prepared to lunge at her. Despite its previous sluggishness, it launched itself forward and latched its jaws around the girl’s legs. Thea was unfazed, and simply hopped back once, suddenly speaking in a cheery tone, “You naughty thing, you should know better than to bite me.” Then she was gone, manipulating the area around her to utterly destroy the beast.

While Yeuri held no particular sympathy towards other creatures, especially Lessers, he was rather unimpressed. It was obvious she had known of the slow beast, and had allowed it to make a home here, yet she acted as if she had no idea of how it behaved. She turned to look at him, and his eyes glanced over her form for a moment, a bored look on his face. He was then led down another hall and they came to a stop in front of an open cell. “Well this is your new home now. If you’re being killed just scream.” Yukon rolled his eyes. He had grown ever so tired of the creature’s presence and unimaginative comments.

”Like hell.” He spoke bluntly, and by his tone it was obvious that he had no intentions of accepting or doing anything that she had just said. This was not his home; it wouldn’t even be his dwelling place for very long. He wasn’t about to get killed by the weaker things in this dungeon, and Inferno itself would freeze over before he ever screamed.

”Just go find someone else to bother. Sorry to have disappointed you- I’m rather boring.” As Thea turned and walked away, Yeuri let out a begrudged sigh, running a hand through his hair. Well, he had things to do and set up, so it was best that he got started. It was strange that the girl had left him and just expected him to enter the cell himself while she was gone.

---

After a few hours had passed and Yukon had cleaned up the cell rather nicely, imbedding several small things that seemed of little importance in the walls along the way. Yeuri was right in the middle of exercising, shirt off and folded neatly off to one corner as he propped himself up with one arm, his legs resting against the wall as he did a sort of handstand. He was running push-ups and while normally might try to do them without the support of a wall, was using such to curl his toes and stretch the muscles in his foot arches almost painfully. But he suddenly paused as the air seemed to change. He knew immediately that she had appeared.

Yeu carefully dismounted from the wall and stood up, stretching a bit and rubbing at each foot for a moment to ease off the tension that had locked into them. He was not kept waiting long as the entity reappeared in front of the door, his Mistress in tow. He stood from his seat on an outjutting bit of rock against the far wall, standing at attention as Bavol entered his cell.

Thea said something or other, which the both of them utterly ignored, the Princess waving her off impatiently as she passed the door and closed it tight behind her. Their eyes met for a moment and Yeuri dipped his head in greeting and respect, ”Mistress~” She did not waste time in closing the distance between them, and Yeuri stiffened for a small moment as she wrapped her arms around his abdomen and drew him into a hug. He immediately eased and wrapped one arm loosely around her neck, letting his other hand rest on the top of her head protectively and running his fingers through it for a few centimeters before withdrawing.

Once Bavol had released him, she then stood on her tip-toes and ruffled his ash-grey hair affectionately. Yeuri’s face scrunched up at that and he stuck his tongue out a little bit at her, grabbing her hand gently and removing it from his hair. It was then that a sudden outpouring of words left her lips, and Yeuri listened intently to every one of them, and as she sat down on the rock, he joined her. ”I know they’re all lying! Vincent says you’re a traitor and has convinced Satan that your opposing him -- he even has proof, but it can‘t be true?" Yeu chuckled softly at that, and placed a hand on top of her head once again to ground her back to reality.

”No, it is not true. Heavens know my time is completely occupied with handling you, so there would not have been time to do anything that they accuse me with. And damn, if I had known Vincent would be this pissed off about me breaking those doors, I would have done a lot more damage~” He smirked with a twinkle of mischief in his eyes, making a bit of a joke about the whole thing.

"I hope they’re not treating you too badly. I wish I could break you out of here and be more helpful. I'm supposed to be a princess and yet I can't even help you." Her hand was then close to his face, a finger tracing the outline of his left cheek and thus tilting his head to look a bit more at her. He grabbed her hand and held it in his own larger on, his other coming up to her jaw, his thumb and index resting between her chin as he angled her face up to look at him.

”It is my job to look after you, not the other way arround, Mistress,” He gave her a reassuring, though harsh-featured grin before continuing, ”Other than being bored as hell, I’m rather ignored and just trying to entertain myself here.” He dropped his hand from her chin, brushing a bit of hair from her eyes before resting both palms against the smooth surface of the rock below them.

His features suddenly stilled and a very serious look filled his face. ”Gore?” He questioned, concerned about how his familiar was handling the situation and if he had grown depressed yet. Along those thoughts, he inclined his head a bit to his Mistress, his eyes suddenly scanning over her form, searching for something. ”Did you bring it with you?”

Bavol

---

Bavol noticed the shift in expression as Yeu looked to her with a rather serious stare, before questioning with, ”Gore?” Bavol looked to her subordinate for a silent moment as she gathered her thoughts over what he was referring to - not long naturally her focus fell onto his familiar and loyal friend with whom she had seen not too long before. "Please do not fret about Gore I can assure you he’s doing good. He’s doing his job and keeping our realm in-check whilst we are gone - I’m rather appreciative of him for doing that despite the situation.” She tried to reassure her subordinate as best as she could at that moment with a smile, hoping his mind would ease in-regards to his familiar just a little. ”He’ll be ever better once we get you out of here so lets just focus on that for now.”

She could tell he was looking her over - though for what she couldn’t think. It wasn’t until he asked, ”Did you bring it with you?”, that Bavol had a realization and quickly began to feel around in her pockets. A moment or so after she pulled out the small wooden device that Gore had given her prior and instantly held it out in front of Yeu. ”Is this what your referring to?” She whispered after being mindful that the pair may or may not be entirely alone. It didn’t make the Princess feel any more at ease knowing that the latter was seemingly more likely.

With that in mind Bavol took the wooden item and quickly shoved it tightly into the hands of Yeu, clasping his fingers over it securely before retuning her hands onto her own lap in a rather innocent fashion. ”Gore gave it to me after they hauled you away so I kept it with me. I figured it would come in handy - and its probably safer in your hands than mine, knowing me I‘ll lose it or something worse.” She spoke with a hushed voice, though self-doubt was evidently threaded through her words.

Looking up to her friend quietly the white-haired girl silenced herself momentarily, allowing her subordinate the time he needed to study the device and analyze it as she knew he would. Whilst she sat, the girl titled her head a little and grasped at a strand of loose hair and hung over her shoulder at that moment, twisting and turning the end playfully with her fingers as the action occupied her attention for some minutes, before dropping the hair and allowing it to return to the rest that flowed down her back. Facing Yeu, she looked him up and down, waiting to hear what he had to say about it.

”Well?” She asked a moment later, throwing her hair to the side as she moved her head a little, looking to her subordinate curiously. ”What do you think?” Her stare fixed onto the wooden device once more.

---

---

Cuthbert Baltair

---

As he stood idly in the courtyard Cuthbert flinched a little as he heard a voice suddenly though the barer was seemingly familiar, to which proved to be true, as he turned his stare to the side and saw a teacher approach him. It was Cerbin, and once close enough Cuthbert turned to face the man fully with his claymore in hand.

The man addressed him with, “Seems you made it to this part kid. If you want to quite, this is your only chance. Though I guess you wouldn't be here if you were going to quit before the entrance exam.” Cuthbert remained still and gave little in the way of expression as his blank stare merely lowered just a little towards the ground. Just then though Cerbin continued, prompting the boy to face him directly again. “You're a knight right?” The youth offered a nod in response. “Then you should know that it's a knights duty to be the brawn of his team. As such, you must get used to fighting demons face to face. With that being said,” Glancing to the side of Cerbin the boy noticed odd movements of his shadow that lingered behind the man, causing Cuthbert to fidget a little in the meantime as the teacher added, ”You will have to last ten minutes fighting my familiar. The winning conditions are lasting long enough. The losing conditions are taking enough injuries for me to stop the battle and also you giving up. Though, I really don't want to see you give up. Do you accept?

Cuthbert nodded again, giving his claymore a few swings back and forth after doing so. ”I accept,” He answered simply before standing still once more and taking a deep breath. ”I don’t plan on loosing - even if I take a lot of damage I’ll keep going for as long as I need to. Just remember that, Cerbin.” Taking a step back he shifted his feet into a defensive stance and readied his blade in front of him as he held it securely in his hands. Giving the teacher a nod, the boy stood ready and waiting for the battle to commence.

Chikyu
Inner Circle of the 3rd, 5th & 8th Circles

When one first thought of the Third Pillars personal domain within his circles, many thought of a disgusting and horrid place beyond imagination. It was his bad temper and grueling appetite that gave birth to this image. In truth, in the eyes of a messenger, who was currently delivering a message to said Pillar of Strength, his home was quite grand. It was also, quite possibly, the only domain that looked normal if a human or Angel was to set eyes upon it. With its lush pastures set upon rolling hills, gigantic mountains that dwarfed the few scattered settlements within the immediate vicinity. There was even a large river. Its waters tore at its borders with only the crash of water against rock as the only warning to a swift and cold death.

Beyond the river were two large peaks. A single archway of rock connected the two peaks together, forming a natural bridge of sorts but many could speculate that it was the Earth Kings doing. There were many other peaks of varying sizes with their own natural bridges. These peaks upon first look seemed to be scattered randomly but in fact, if seen from above, formed a circle of sorts. There were five twin peaks in total with the fifth peak being the largest of the other four. It was quite obvious that this peak was home to the Prince of Earth. A large building was set into the side of one of the two peaks. It was made completely of stone but of course over time plants and other things began to live on its surface. Across the rocky bridge was another archway but much smaller in comparison to what it sat upon. Each of the five peaks housed a similar archway, each with a different roman numeral carved into its stone.

It could be assumed that each of these archways were the portals that led would lead the traveler to one of the Circles that Chikyu looked after. The one near his home was his personal portal that would take him to the Human world while the other portal, also the second largest twin peaks, led to Purgatory which the messenger had passed through some time ago. However he stood there for quite some time, his eyes searching every nook and cranny they could visibly see and what his mind could handle. Suddenly the ground began to shake violently before it seemed to liquefy before his very eyes. It was as if something was moving under the very rock he stood upon. Immediately the messenger stepped back in hopes the portal would take him back to Purgatory, a place he knew well unlike here.

The rolling rock formed a wall between the messenger and the portal’s entryway. This made the demon jump and he quickly ran forwards in hopes of outrunning it. However a tall figure blocked his escape route and the poor demon was just about ready to push the figure down until he felt the weight of said figures gaze upon him. The messenger stumbled to a halt that soon led to him being on his knees. Already his body began to shake and he glanced up at those cold blue-green orbs as their gaze narrowed.

Realizing nothing would happen without him breaking the ice, the Prince of Earth crouched down in front of the messenger. A flicker of curiosity was cast in his eyes but it was but a flicker and was gone. Looking over the messengers shoulder, Chikyu realized his Golem was still blocking the portal to Purgatory and was also still making the ground quiver. With a soft growl Chikyu waved his hand in a shooing motion in the general direction of the Golem. There was no reply from the mound of earth but now that the ground no longer quivered with its movements it could be assumed the familiar had gone elsewhere. He focused his attention back on the messenger who visibly relaxed some but was still tense in the towering shadow of the Third Pillar. Rolling his eyes, Chikyu laid his chin on his palm, regarding the messenger with a look of boredom.

“So I see you’re a messenger. What is this messenger you’ve come to deliver?” At the sudden break of strained silence, the messenger flinched and quickly dug into the satchel at his side. “Ah yes my mistake for taking so long.” Only giving him a nod, Chikyu watched the fellow for a bit longer until his mind began to think of his next meal. “And uh here is your message Prince of Earth. Now if you’ll excuse me I must be on my way.” Finally the demon showed some backbone and in an instant he scampered on back to the portal and was gone without even waiting to see if Chikyu had a response for him to send back to the sender. For the briefest of moments his temper flared but with a deep breath in and out, he calmed himself and focused his energy on opening the letter.

It wasn’t often that he got a message on paper. Usually Satan would have the messengers relay the message verbally but if it was important the King of Demons often resorted to pen and paper to avoid potential conflict. He knew it was from his mentor by the seal that had been pressed into the wax. Finally standing upright Chikyu started the trek back to his home, opening and reading the contents of the letter as he walked.

Satan Azrael

It occurred again, that surge of power. Azrael had gone to his study after he had dismissed the Princes. The messenger should be on his way back from delivering his letter to the Prince of Earth. His body stiffened and the hair on his neck stood on end. The power surge was different this time. It felt raw as if something new had been born. The surge was short-lived but that didn't mean they wouldn't be able to track down its general location. With a frown Azrael looked out the large window to the light red sky. It was still brightly colored and it didn't seem like it would darken anytime soon.

He leaned back in his seat and stretched, releasing a restless sigh as he did so. There were many things he had to deal with. First it was the absence of return of the Prince of Earths subordinate. Then came the power surges that garnered his most attention for some time now and now he had to focus his attention on the Princess of Air's subordinate and the proof that was shown him of his treacherous acts. Azrael was sure the Princess resented him for believing her fellow Prince of Fire. There wasn't much that he could do about the subject other than deem it as truth and conduct an investigation.

He stood up from his chair, striding to the edge of the window to look down at his domain, Purgatory. "Maybe it's time that I visit her and see what she has seen." A look of irritation crossed his face. It was never particularly enjoyable when he dealt with the Keeper of Purgatory. Thinking about her childish behavior made his head ache; already he could faintly hear her high voice. But alas she really was the only one who would know what happens around Inferno. At one point in time, too long ago for any demon to remember, she had been able to roam all of Inferno before she had been strictly forced into the circle of Purgatory.

Azrael walked the halls of his home, turning right into what seemed to be a wall. However unlike a wall, Azrael was able to pass through. It had been a while since he walked through this dank and small hallway. "I'll need to have this fixed as well." With a sigh the King of Inferno swiped his finger against the wall, pulling away his finger to find grime and something wet. He frowned at the sight and wiped it against his pant leg as he continued down the narrow hall. It was only a few moments later that he arrived at the cavern. Azrael walked to the edge of the rocky platform and looked down at the many levels below as they disappeared into the black maw of Purgatory's finest prison.

Stepping away from the edge, Azrael clasped his hands behind his back and whistled a brief tune. The shrill notes danced and bounced against the walls, making it seem louder than it really was. "I am in need of your assistance, Thea." He forced out her more personal name with a frown.

Thea
Not Long Before

The deity watched and listened attentively to her newest prisoner’s conversation with his superior, the Princess of Air. Their conversation thus far was pretty boring to listen to but the white haired girl’s expressions were amusing. She was like a child speaking to her dearly beloved older brother. What would that be like? Her brow knitted together in confusion at the brief thought. Thinking more on it, Thea stopped paying attention to the pair’s conversation until it was too late. She noticed the Princess of Air wished to leave however the only way to open the door was from the outside. Giggling to herself, Thea whisked the door open. She stood to the side to allow the Princess through and peeked within the room at Yeuri, a devilish grin on her lips. “Tata Mr. I’m Not a Traitor.” The door now closed and locked behind her, Thea led the Princess of Air back out of Purgatory’s prison; leaving her once they reached the start of the narrow hall that would take her back into the nicer parts of Purgatory.

~ ~ ~

The shrill tunes of his whistle hurt her ears, as it filled her being with its noise. Frowning, the conscious that was the Keeper of Purgatory drifted through the walls until finally she was close enough for her to become physical again. Satan watched as the ground rolled like the sea would when something massive moved beneath its calm surface. It stopped some ten feet away from him where a bubble began to rise up from the ground and then pop to reveal a small woman, or girl really. As usual the creature wore her usual goofy grin but her bright pink eyes belied the notion that she was anything but goofy.

Folding her arms across her chest, Thea regarded Satan with some amusement for she already knew what he was here for. “If you’re here to ask about my new prisoner, he’s still alive and kicking. At least when I last saw him.” She giggled but stopped when she saw that her King was not amused. “You know what I came here for and it wasn’t to see if the traitor is still in good health. Of course he’ll need to be once the investigation gets underway.” The two stared at each other for a moment longer before Azrael cleared his throat, obviously irritated already.

“What have you seen Thea? Have they begun to move yet?” The They he spoke of was the faction that wished him dead and gone, especially after his affair with the previous Seraphim. Azrael had thought they were no longer around but it seems they are still very much active and they’ve certainly gotten bolder by placing Yeuri in a position so close to him.

The overseer watched him with a guarded expression. Suddenly twirling around so that her back was to him, Thea looked over her shoulder with a finger on her chin as she thought about his question. “Well they certainly have been a bit antsier as of late, especially when I’m around. Of course just because I’m not there in person doesn’t mean I can’t see or hear them.” She raised her hands in disappointment then faced him again. “The demons you caught eight years ago have also begun to meet up with one another. I’m sure they’re planning their next move now that their pawn has been found out.” Azrael looked down at her, hands still clasped behind his back. “Are you willing to keep tabs on them from now on then? At least until all this has been taken care of.” Thea thought for a brief moment, walking about as she did so.

Suddenly she jumped to the side almost melding together with the rock wall completely. She stopped herself and looked back at Satan who watched her. “Fine but you owe me a trip outside.” Sticking her tongue out at Azrael, she disappeared completely. The King of Demons couldn’t help but snort in amusement, “If that’s what it takes then so be it.” Turning on his heel, he was about to step into the narrow hallway when he remembered his other request. He looked to where she had disappeared, “And please do something about this hallway of yours. It has gotten rather dirty.” Azrael turned back to the hallway only to find that it had changed in those few seconds. Lips curled in a smile as he walked through the much wider hall. It was still made of the same material but at least it wasn’t dirty anymore and it actually smelled a bit nicer than before.

Chikyu

He also was within his home when he felt that power surge. It was the second time actually but he hadn’t paid much mind to it. He merely assumed it was some human who went off and did something stupid. Chikyu looked down at the letter he held in his hands, still in a state of some disbelief of what has occurred while he had been secluded in his Circles, he reread the letter for the third time. Eyes danced across the piece of parchment in a slow dance, Chikyu wasn’t an avid reader, taking in its contents carefully and filing it away for later use. What really caught his attention was the fact that it was the Prince of Fire who had presented the evidence. “There is definitely something wrong with this.”

Folding up the letter, Chikyu stopped walking to look out a giant hole in the wall that was indeed a window of sorts. It could be assumed it came about during one of Chikyu's episodes. He folded his arms across his chest the letter tucked away under his arm. An amused expression settled on his features as he thought of the fun to be had due to current events. The Prince never would have thought Bavol's subordinate, her bodyguard, was in fact under allegiance to the Nine-Star faction. The thought made him chuckle since it was only eight years ago that they had apprehended quite a few of their members. “Which means some of them should be greeting their so called brother in arms very soon.”

With that in mind Chikyu stepped away from the wall to see more about the problems that have arisen. He left his home with the gateway of Purgatory in his mind. It wouldn’t take him very long to reach the gate even if it was on different peaks. Now that he was at the edge of his peak Chikyu whistled a low note. The ground rumbled beneath him as something swam under the surface of the ground. With a look of calm the Prince of Earth leapt off the edge of the peak to land safely on the back of what looked to be a smooth lump of rock. It was in fact his familiar Golem who was capable of fusing with the rock around him but there was only so much rock he could take in before he got to large.

Golem stretched out to the next peaks which held the door to Purgatory. If he wanted to visit his fellow Prince he'd have to go through Satan's many gates. Chikyu didn't quite wish to go through his old mentors’ home in order to get to the gate but it was in a sense the only way he could get to the Prince of Fires Circle. Finally Chikyu stood before the gate of Purgatory; still with a frown on his face. He scratched his head as if he were still thinking about whether or not he’d actually go through with his plan but then when he thought about how fun it’d be to poke at a few of his buttons a wolfish smile settled on his lips. The Prince of Earth looked up at the top of the gate before taking a step through it and opening a door into a white hallway. Looking around, he saw that no one was around which was good. Unfortunately even if he did try to hide his being there, Satan would know that someone had used his set of gates. Chikyu turned to the gate to the left, of the one that bore his mark, and stepped through the doorway.

Within Vincent’s Library

The wrathful demon strode the hallways of the paper filled room as if he was meant to be there. Many of the servants he came across squeaked upon seeing him, for they knew of the usual events that occurred when he was around their master. It didn’t take the Third Pillar very long to reach the area where he knew Vincent would be. Almost at once a servant tried to stop him, she was one of the more defiant ones and quite possibly new. “You’re not welcomed here. Please leave” she spoke with authority and it was obvious she was unaware of who he was. A cruel smile played at his lips as Chikyu stared her down. “Oh I know little girl.” He suddenly lashed out, kicking the woman who was thrown into the room that Vincent and another woman stood in. Chikyu entered the room, admiring the broken down door as if it were a masterpiece. “I must say Prince of Fire. You really need to educate your servants better; I almost gave into my ugly little sin.” sneering at his fellow prince.

With that being said Chikyu pulled one of the chairs closer towards him and plopped down into the cushions. He sat back in the chair his cold eyes staring intently at the demon before him. “I hear you caught a big one while I was holed up in my Circle and I must say it must have been awfully convenient for you to lay out such a well spun lie like that. I certainly didn’t expect you to pull out such a dangerous card. You know of the circumstances when he finds out you lied to him right? It won’t be pretty and I’ll be happy to lay out the punishment.” The prince watched Vincent for his reactions. He was well aware that the other demon probably had plans in case a certain meddlesome demon stepped in. Regardless of how the conversation went Chikyu would stand up swiftly to leave. Only once would he looked back his “comrade” with pure hate in his gaze. “I’ll make sure you burn for your lies Prince of Fire.” stuffing his hands in his pockets as he walked away, his gaze falling upon the servant he had kicked before looking away without a care.

It seemed Alvina was had a curse on her today. Everything seemed to be ill timed today and already her master was in a foul mood with her. Though maybe this could benefit her, since the approaching prince of earth might instead earn the ire of Vincent. " He is here" she said in such a grim tone that could only ever denote her speaking of Chikyu. Her familiar Umbra, had fixed its gaze on Chikyu as soon as he entered the building, and upon her silent command it would not leave him either, and she was relayed ever bit of information, including his apparent mood, though you could never trust a demonic panther to gauge any emotions.

" You know.. i get that eery feeling of familiarity whenever i see you" she directed towards Chikyu as soon as he entered the room, using her familiars vision to time it, as she never looked round " the same lumbering, boorish demeanour, just like all my brothers.. but what can we help you with oh great Prince of Earth?" she said, listening to the prince. She didn't need to look at Vincent to know he was finding this boring, bordering on annoying, it was painfully predictable, and utterly unimaginative in its delivery. Still it helped confirm that Chikyu would undoubtedly be swift to react to any news that reaches his ears.

After Chikyu finished and finally left, Alvina let out a heavy sigh and focused once again back at Vincent. "He reacted quickly... though if he acted without correct information even he could not escape Satan's wrath" it would be a dangerous plan, but it was clear that he could prove a massive thorn in their side, and truly all that could be done was to try and turn Satan's favour even for the briefest of moments. She did not know either of the princes as well as they probably knew each other so despite her remarks she could offer no advice to Vincent about his rival. " Still.... our focus should be on the human world... Satan will have our hides if we came back empty handed.. and i have grown rather attached to mine" Placing her hand out to the side, she felt the nose of her familiar gently press against her hand, the panther wishing to sit by its mistress side. It was looking forward to exploring a new territory though Alvina would be swift to remind it that restrictions would be placed upon it, just like they would be placed upon herself. " Your familiar was not long ago in that realm.... anything we can use?"

Vincent Price

The woman before him was lucky enough to have barely ducked as the knives flew over her pretty little head. It was quite the sight to see those fluid movements of her as she got back onto her feet quite gracefully. That faint smile from before became much more noticeable however it wasn’t a nice smile. It was more like he was content that his stock was still in good shape. Lazily setting her own knife flat on the table Alvina walked back towards her spot on the sofa, all the while facing him. He couldn’t quite tell if she was just being cautious or if it was something else but he approved of the former. It was good that she felt that way. It meant he was still something to be feared and he would continue to do so for as long as breath left this body of his.

As he contemplated her words a surge of power erupted into existence. It was quite the marvelous feeling; to have felt it even here of all places. Vincent however did not disclose those emotions to Alvina but instead maintained a cool façade. Considering the relationship between the three worlds, it’d be near impossible to find the exact location of the power surge but one could determine the area that it may have originated from. Before he was allowed to comment on Alvina’s words one of the maids cleaning up the mess by his doors suddenly flew into the room, rolling across the floor and eventually into a stop.

Even before those words slipped past his dirty mouth, Vincent was well aware of who it was. When he spoke it confirmed his assumptions and he could already feel a headache coming forth. There was really only one dirt encrusted demon that could cause him such a disturbance and upon looking it up, it was none other than the Third Pillar, Chikyu. Those pale blue orbs watched in disgust as the Prince of Earth as he placed his dirty hands on a chair to perch on. “My, my quite the manners you have there. You most certainly may sit Prince of Earth.” Vincent could only listen in boredom as Chikyu once again gave the same damned speech he gave all those other times. He thought himself valiant when in fact he was meddling in affairs that he did not, could not, comprehend. In reply to the Prince of Earth’s obvious threat Vincent said, “And I shall make sure to bury you under your cause Prince of Earth.”

“Oh I’m well aware of that my dearest which is entirely why you will be staying here.” He leaned back into his chair, lacing his fingers before him as he gauged her reaction. Suddenly standing he placed his hands behind his back as he strode around the room, answering her questions one by one. “My familiar was indeed there. He came across an exorcist party and managed to bring me quite the specimen.” His hand hovered over a leather bound book that rested on the corner of his desk. Eyes flicking up towards Alvina’s face, they were cold and harsh. “Did you know there exists countless offspring between demons and mortals? I find it quite fascinating to which I will gladly look into while in the Human’s realm.” He continued his pacing and stopped just in front of his beautiful pawn. “You on the other hand will be here, making sure everything goes accordingly. I will contact you as needed while I am away. Any objections?” His eyes locked onto hers as if challenging her to voice out her objections. Regardless of what was said, Vincent would soon prepare for his trip to the Human Realm.

Alvina simply arched a brow hearing that she would stay in inferno. It seemed like she was being punished harder then she thought. Normally venturing into the human realm with Vincent under these circumstances would give them a reasonable alibi for anything that had set up to happen, now while staying would give Alvina greater control over what would happen she truly felt she was being thrown to the wolves, being left with Bavol, who live Alvina had just helped throw into chaos. Chikyu who from what Alvina could tell despises everything that she is. And of course Satan, she wished nothing to do with him, even under the best of circumstance. Of course if she failed upon any aspect she also had to watch out for the wrath of her master.

" Half breeds?" she thought for a moment as she glanced over at Vincent's book, her instincts always told her she should steal that book one day and sell it to the highest bidder, but that would be a foolish move, and fools end up dead. " Any use for them?...or are they just annoying creatures?" she said referring to the half demon children, in all honesty she did not care if they were useful or not, it showed a thoughtful nature which she knew Vincent would look for. When Vincent came to rest from his pacing in front of her, she met his gaze. She knew she was being called out.

" I am to be left under the crushing gaze of satan while the other two lords positively hate anything to do with you, which by virtue of association means me?.... No objections, should be entertaining" Raising one of her fingers she made it clear that she had not finished talking. " However i would like to make one request.." she turned her finger and gestured roughly in the direction that the maid who got booted through the door lied. " I want her to serve as my assistant during your absence... she might learn something" Alvina was no teacher unlike Vincent, and as such was very stern with anyone working under Vincent. It was odd though that she was requesting an assistant as she could be seen as almost completely solitary.

Standing up she once again she made a very calculated move in bowing her head slightly, it was to show that she was not making a challenge and that she was still technically sub servant to him but from her earlier words she still showed her determined nature. " We should probably send a message to Satan to inform him of the arrangement...Would you like me to fetch one of the messengers?" Finally she seemed to break her gaze away from Vincent as she moved away from the sofa, but it soon became clear she was still watching as sitting in the doorway was her familiar Umbra, acting once again as her second set of eyes. The familiar was instructed not to enter the office, but it was keen to return to her masters side. Coming to stand next to her Familiar she rested a hand on its head as she looked back towards Vincent. She would not leave with out being dismissed but she felt that their conversation was coming to a close, and she did not want to be in that office any longer, she wished to get prepared for what was coming.

Vincent Price

“They’re more annoying than they are useful but they are expendable.” He replied to her questions. What Vincent said is true, well to him anyway. The pesky half breeds are always whining about being the freak in society when in fact they were superior to the regular human. It was when they were compared to a true demon, a Superior demon, that they became inferior. Alvina’s words rung true. The Prince had no intention of working under Satan’s scrutinizing glare and while the woman before him was quite useful, he wouldn’t hesitate to let her take the fall. Of course that’d require his plans to be discovered. Plans that have been in the works for years. There was no way he was going to have it all go down the drain after all the work he put into it.

A brow was raised in question at the gesture Alvina made to signify she wasn’t done just yet. “A request?” He deliberately said it slowly to show that she was toeing the line. Blue orbs flickered over to where she had pointed. It was the maid the Prince of Earth had kicked as a means of announcing his arrival. He looked at her as if contemplating whether he should give in to Alvina’s request. He really only did it to annoy the woman. “You want her? Mm I don’t see why not.” Shrugging his shoulders as he spoke, Vincent took note of the bow. It was good to know she was still subject to his words, but her request put a miniscule splotch on it.

Vincent walked back to stand behind his desk. The demon noticed that her familiar, Umbra, had arrived. The familiar stood by its master who was now at the door. “Yes do send a messenger.” He waved his hand at her as if to shoo her off. It was his way of telling her that she may go. Like Alvina he had much to prepare for however his preparations would be much different from hers. Hands shuffled through a stack of papers all of which needed his seal of approval but he eventually glanced back up to see if his subordinate had left already. He was glad to see that the maid she had requested to aid her was gone as well. "Such useless people I swear." He said with a frown.

After going over all the necessary paperwork Vincent left his office and to his personal quarters. They were off limits to the majority of the staffs and only a select few were allowed to enter. Those select few were all mute so that they wouldn't be able to inform anyone outside of his circle of what he was doing. It wasn't like he was doing anything truly bad but it certainly could be deemed as suspicious.