The Betrayer's Story

The City that Never Sleeps stood silent in the cold of the clear night. Though the streets were mostly clear, every once in a while one could hear a car pass by. In lower Manhattan stood the massive steeple of the Trinity Catholic Church, one of the city's most known places of worship. While things outside the church were quiet, and still, inside the church was complete silence. The church was always open, but that didn't mean people came all the time. 4 people sat in the rows of benches, their heads falling on top of clasped hands to pray. At the alter stood the priest; A short bald white man with a long string of prayer beads laced in his fingers, bent down on one knee to pray.

Over the city clouds started to gather, and the soft rumble of thunder and the light flicker of lightning could be heard across the city. Rain started to trickle down from them onto the buildings.The priest rose to his feet, bringing his right hand up to his forehead, down to his stomach, over to his heart, and then across his chest, muttering out under his breath: "Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit... Amen."

From the doors of the church walked in a singe man in a long black coat, black boots, and sunglasses. As the priest turned around to great the man, the man brought up his right hand to reveal a silenced glock 9mm. Pop...Pop...Pop...Pop...Pop. With 5 deft silent shots, the man had ended the lives of 5 innocent people, which would be the first of many. After looking for any others in the church, the man walked to the alter, dropping the gun onto the body of the priest who lied motionless on the floor. Walking up to the alter, the man dipped 2 fingers into the blood of the priest, bringing them up to the alter to draw 3 circles on the white cloth. The first circle was small, only a few inches in diameter, while the next one went around that one, about a foot in diameter, and the next one around that little more than 3 feet. Each circle was perfect, not a single line out of place.

With his left hand the man reached to his side, grasping a knife in a holster on his belt. The knife was long, and curved at the end, in the shape of a crescent moon. The center gem had a black-blood diamond in the center of it. Bringing it up into the air he gripped it with both hands before bringing it down onto the wooden alter right in the middle of the 3 rings, driving it deep into the wood. With the impact of the knife, a massive crack of thunder split the sky of New York. Unlike normal thunder, it was concussive and echoed far longer than normal thunder, almost as if it was a laugh.

With a gasp the man fell to his knees, ripping his coat and shirt off of him to reveal the same 3 circles painted in blood, with the long curved knife stuck deep into his spine, the same depth as it was stuck into the wood. Reaching his hands up onto the alter, the loud scream of pure pain from the man echoed through the church. The wound from the knife started to bleed heavily, the blood turning deep black as it rolled down the stairs leading to the alter. As the blood pooled in front of the stairs in a perfect back circle, the man lowered his head, and finally gave into to the wound, finally passing out and soon dieing.



A deep voice echoed out in the room as the black circle started to swirl around itself, and started to bubble. Slowly the bubbling grew and grew, steam seeming to come off the blood-pool as the bubbles grew into a shape. An evil and ominous laughter echoed out into the church with another loud crack of lightning as the bubbling stopped, and started to flow down into the pool again.

What was left was a massive grey-skinned monster, with horns almost 4 feet long curved back atop its head. A pair of massive night-black wings grew from its back, spanning out almost 20 feet. Slowly the creature rose from the ground to stand at almost 8 feet. Along its body were green tattoo's and symbols, along with deep cuts and scars form countless battles.

Atop were massive ram-like horns, and long black hair that reached his lower back. Its eyes were gone, and in its place were caves where eyes used to be. Dispite its inability to see, it looked at both of its hands, grinning darkly as it it took a headband from his side and rapped it around his head to cover his eyes. With almost a purr, the demon turned to the door and uttered out softly, almost as if it was whispering into a persons ear:

"Hear me, Void Reaper, and tremble. Your attempts to keep me from entering this world have failed, and I now know where you hide... This time, all of your order will fall, and none will survive... Prepare to be brought to justissssseeee...."

The Betrayer knew his words would be received by his target, the Void Reaper. Laughing under his breath, he brought his hands up slowly form his sides, and from the blood of the 4 other bodies in the room grew 4 large dog-like beasts. Once the 4 had been spawn, they looked to their master for direction.

With another twisted grin, he whispered to the beasts: Find them... Bring them to me... And with that, the 4 dogs ran from the church with their only objective in mind: Find the Reapers.

Xander was awaiting the man’s answer, his hand still held out almost though the Reaper would have enough pride to try and go it alone, he could respect that, he knew it was foolish but he still could respect it. However Xander wasn’t intending to let this go. He needed that century to do as he willed. He needed to be able to gather power; again, fact was that Nihilus alone was becoming too powerful, that Clown was outside the realm of predictable control, not to mention the King. He had given up a golden opportunity to slay the Reapers and absorb their power. He knew that they would be the best meals he’d ever had if he had only taken the plunge, however he also doubted that at his level they would give him the power to best both the King and his servants, not in one go like he needed. No, they were worth more to him alive. He needed that Century to gather his strength, and then he’d make his move. He still wondered if he’d made the right decision, maybe he should have considered it for loner, Who am I trying to fool… I knew which side I’d choice the moment this began…

But just when it seemed that Morgan would reply, probably with a less than satisfactory answer, he went pale. The man looked like someone had kicked his puppy or something, but there was a much greater fear there than disbelief. What could make the Reaper of the Void stop so sudden-…Oh… Xander felt it now, that shiver down even his spine, that pressure against his throat like a hand resting there waiting to apply a deadly pressure. He recognized it immediately, he always hated that feeling. Of course he wasn’t a Reaper and he certainly wasn’t a human. While the Reaper was busy catching flies Xander made the very slightest conscious effort to expand his own power and nullify the feeling of “the King’s” hold. Of course he took pleasure in the fact that he felt that in the first place. To Xander it was a Leash being tied to him, a sign that he needed extra measure to control him. A leash I broke with a shrug, hope you’re taking notes your Majesty, pft

“Fine.” Xander glanced back to the Reaper who had finally gotten control of himself, ‘bout time, “You have your deal. It's not like I have much choice...”

Xander had the cheekiest of grins, as usual as he watch the proceedings, “Nope…”, By. The. Balls

“But if you double-cross me...” Void added as he began to fade at his lower extremities. Did he just say that?

Xander jumped on that as he pointedly glared the Reaper down, ”Just who the fuck do you think you’re dealing with, kid?” The fact that this single Reaper dared make such a direct threat, and worse insinuated that Xander would break his word, was frankly infuriating. But He’d let it go, for now, as Void phased, his hand going last as he began to slide through the car, Xander reached out and their middle fingers touched just before he’d finished vanishing. A stinging pain accompanied by a severe burning sensation as black runes emanated from the point of contact, spiraling down and around the finger to the base of the phalange. The hundreds of tiny symbols were the contract, written in the demonic language, complete with all terms and conditions. The black runes faded shortly after, though the tingling remained along with the urge to find and consume other Demons. That was how these things worked, he felt the urge to hunt other demons, like a craving for an odd food, and the Reapers (or at least those capable of noticing their expanded senses) would find a sudden flood of power dropping from their radar.

Looking his finger over and sighed exasperatedly as he glanced out the back window, the Reaper gone. “Well… looks like he’s going to take the easy ones… which leaves me to deal with…grrreat, somehow I feel I just drew the short straw.” he clicked down the blind as Daniel stopped the car, “well, Dan, looks like I’m gonna be working late tonight.”

The man presented a pistol and cocked back the bolt, a silver bullet scribed in runes gleaming in the chamber before he let the slide slam shut, “Need any aid sir?”

Xander had to smile genuinely at the loyalty his human aids always showed, he wondered what brought that out in them, and you say these beings are worthless, King, how little you know… “No, not this time, my friend, this fish is too big. No, you go back to the compound, make sure your family is behind the barrier, I have a feeling I’m not going to be making any friends tonight.” the driver nodded as he put the gun down, the moon roof opening above Xander as he looked up to the blank night sky, [“Oh, and Daniel… if you find the time head on down to the East side, I think Hound found something. He may need a hand if this guy has friends… tell him to take him to take him alive.”[/b]

“Yes sir, oh and sir…” Xander had slid to the middle seat and was looking into the sky like he was doubling checking the wind speed or something but looked back to his driver quizzically, “Good luck sir.”

Again a genuine smile, ”You as well… I’m off.” with that he slowly was clouded away in a white luminescent mist, and while his face and silhouette remained defined he shot into the sky in a stream of light and smoke, vanishing into the clouds. Daniel put the vehicle in drive and hit the call button, directing his wife not to leave the building or let the kids leave either and then turning the car toward the East Side.



Henry Mallory sat in the seventh floor apartment 15 of the down trodden building. The room was dimly lit, with half the lights damaged and the walls covered in a sickly and peeling green with cracked and broken wood paneling from mid wall to the floor. A typical terrible New York Apartment. Mallory sat upon a crushed and stained lounge chair watching the Mets on a crappy TV. Around the room and in the rest of the building were another fifteen men, some in track suits, while those near Mallory in full business wear. Two stood next to the door at any time. And everyone carried the smell of iron and saltpeter on them, guns, lots of them. His guy had called in some major favors. All of this would be simple for Hound to smell and determine which was why Xander hired him for these jobs.

A long black limo pulled up along the road across form the red haired young man. The driver getting out and tossing his hat into the vehicle as he approached, “Mr. Warrick,” he nodded as he stepped up beside the much smaller, yet more dangerous, ‘man’, “Mr. Steale sent me to aid you, says things have changed, we need Mallory alive.” He subconsciously rested his hands on his hips as he looked at the Building Hound was looking at, his hands close to the holster on the small of his back in this position, “What can we expect?” Daniel didn’t know what Hound’s powers were, all he knew was he was a powerful demon like Xander mascaraing as a man, and Daniel was in no mood to fight one of those so he was polite yet casual. And, in the past, very useful, for a human; Xander never kept around refuse, and he’d had Daniel on call for nearly fifteen years, that alone was more than enough of a recommendation for most.



The huge Demon had sent out his minions and burst onto the stage in a flurry of pyrotechnics, played a single note to his own self imagined adoring crowd, and now sat back patting himself on the back, waiting for his groupies to gather some delicious damsels to bring back to his dressing room. It made Xander laugh, and the pride it was does with, oh how enjoyable. He had left the car and vanished, coming down in a pillar outside the church. He’d hidden his aura, not hard in the torrent of power the large winged beast was putting off, well, it wouldn’t have been if it wasn’t’ for the amount of power Xander held himself. As it was there was a fifty-fifty chance he’d been noticed five minutes before when he’d first entered the building. Of course the demon lord was probably watching his hounds play around in his minds ye. Either way Xander felt he’d given the man enough time to ignore him if he was doing so after eight minutes of just sitting there and cleared his throat. A count to three and he began clapping with a huge smile, “Well done!” he stood from the rear pew where he’d sat and stepped down the aisle looking the demon over, “Quite the entrance, though I’m certain it was unnecessary you made such an impression, should have seen Void’s face, priceless.” he stopped halfway up the Aisle and just smiled with venom toward the Arch demon, “Still too proud to dress the part while in this world I see…”

The presence of Xander was no surprise. He had smelled his stench miles away, since it was a well-known smell to the Betrayer. Xander, in his prime, was one of the only other demons strong enough to face the Betrayer at the peak of his power. Even though the Betrayer defeated Xander, Xander sure gave him a run for his money. The both of them had waked away as a mess. The battle actually left a scar on the Betrayers body; A thick 2 inch wide ridge on his back from there Xander's sword had struck him. The strike would have slain any normal man or demon, and if it wasn't for his sheer size and extreme muscle mass he would have been dead.

Before Xander walked through the door, the Demon Lord was finishing up collecting the blood from the body's. A single quart of blood would make an excellent sized portal for his minions to come through, but it would take more body's than 4 to bring in bigger monsters like Drakes and Nightmares.

As the doors swung open into the church, the demon smiled to himself, bringing his wings up and out to display them at their full span. The massive scar Xander had left on the demon still covered his back. It was like a display of art; All of the smaller scars around it made it look like it was the masterpiece of an art show. With a deep growlish purr he turned to Xander, holding his arms out in a hugging-fashion. A devilish grin crossed his face as he walked down form the alter, the ground lightly shaking as he stepped forward to the fellow demon.

"Xander... Your appearance is no surprise to me. Your soul is drenched in blood from your previous lives in the Void... Any demon who took the time could find you from miles away...' The demons face turned from a smile into a stern look. Bringing his hand up from his side the demon gripped the air like the throat of an opponent. From the pew Xander was sitting in the Betrayer lifted up Xanders body into the air. As if his hand was around Xanders throat, he demon lord pulled him forward till he was in front of him, and it was his real hand around Xanders throat.

"You stink of the False Reaper's scent. For this I should kill you. I wonder how long you could fight the Nightmares before they rip your mind from your body..." He growled deeply as he lifted Xander up higher, his grip tightening. "But, since you and I have... "History"... Together. I shall let you live. In fact, I will give you a gift before you leave..."

A pool of blood gathered under Xander. From it grew thick black chains, levitating up to wrap around the demons body. After enough of them had wrapped around Xander, the Betrayer dropped him into the arms of the chains. From the blood, more and more black chains shoot up with 2 of them digging into Xander's arms. One in each arm. The pain was only temporary before Xander could feel a rush of power through out his whole body. Grabbing Xander by his neck again, the Betrayer lifted Xander from the pool. With a devilish purr the Betrayer dropped Xander from his grip.

"Ahhh... Congratulations Xander. There is a lock on your true power... This lock is strong, and requires a massive surge of power to break it." The betrayer purred deeply as he leaned forward, almost whispering to Xander. "That lock is now broken... Now, all you must do is uncover the truth. The more you combat demon kind, the more you will learn about your true self... The true demon inside you..."

"Now..." The Betrayer grinned as he scooped up a handful of fresh blood from the pile of body's, throwing it forward to all over the alter. Covering the alter in the black blood. "You may wish to leave before our guests arrive... Have you ever been to a prison, where most of the prisoners have been put there by you...?" The Betrayer laughed out as the blood started to come together, making a black portal to the Void...

Vince didn't have long to ponder the question of what the lizards were. After walking a little under a city block Vince could see another massive beast at the end of the block; right in his path. It was black as the night around it, and almost looked like just a pair of floating red eyes. But covering the back of the animal were black licks of flames that rose up 3-5 inches before disappearing into the night. Slowly the massive shadow moved forward until it was caught under the light of a street lamp. Then Vince could get a good look at what it truly was.

It was a dog, about 5 feet high, with pitch black fur and sturdy legs. Its front paws held 3 massive and viciously curved black claws, at least 6 inches long. Its eyes were blood red, with its pupils dilated. Atop its heads were 2 long horns that curved outwards, then forwards like a bulls horns. While all of this was scary, the scarity part by far was the look on its face. It looked starved, crazy, and angry, all at the same time.

With a deep growl it stepped forward to Vince before it finally jumped forward with its jaws wide open, aiming right for Vince's head...