New York, New York

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...

“Any demon who took the time could find you from miles away...” The King was baiting him.

“Oh, right, ‘cause you’re so inconspicuous… you barely notice the big black wings,” he felt that familiar leash back on his neck, it would be harder to break this close to its owner, hell it would require him to transform. His pride, however, would not allow that. He just grinned against the tightening pressure as the actual hand closed in around his throat. His tiny humanoid neck was barely two fingers of the beat however even as the pressure increased he was able to prevent the Betrayer form ever actually touching him, his Aura creating a palpable barrier that kept him from being choked physically. Still his voice was slightly more strained as he took another jab, “And the horns, so understated I could mistake you for a human at a distance…”

“You stink of the False Reaper's scent. For this I should kill you.” The Betrayer threateed as he squeezed tigher though Xander just pushed back with his aura, you could try you son of a-, “ I wonder how long you could fight the Nightmares before they rip your mind from your body...” that one actually elicited a response.

“Ha! Do you really have so large an army as to waste a few thousand soldiers on me?” he was less than amused by this demons lack of conscientious regard for who he was dealing with despite the huge scar on his back. However as he spoke of History Xander himself was reminded who he was dealing with as well.

At the offer of a gift Xander’s eyebrow involuntarily jumped, “Is it a pony?”, though he took note of the blood pooling. In the moment when the chains were beginning to form he had a moment to check his surrounds. The blood was form the bodies of the dead around him, but something struck him as odd. As hi gaze fell upon the priest he found that a glimmer remained in his eye, the glimmer of a soul. This bastard had killed the humans that they fed upon and then just left their souls for the most part intact and lying around? It infuriated him, not the killing but the wastefully ness, like throwing out a burger after a single bite or making a prom dress of imported meat. Xander loved extravagance but this!? The chains that draped over him drew his attention back to his foe as he smirked and continued his goading, “You know… I typically demand to be wined and dined before I’ll let a date tie me up…”

All jokes were off the moment he felt the sting of those bladed chains in his arms, and Xander’s smirk faded to a scowl as he glanced away to the two spears injecting the Betrayers sickening aura into him. Any other demon would have gladly accepted this “gift”, the power it would bring being a lure in the dark unlike any other. To the contrary though,I can’t allow this… this humiliation won’t stand was all that Xander could think of. Unlike other demons he was not about to accept this power, he didn’t need it, whenever he was around the Betrayer his power would increase many times, it was that reason that would allow a demon like Nihilus to hold him at bay one minute and the next allow him to put a gash the size of a child across the King’s back.

And it was that power he now used, forming a barrier in his arms. As the sickening black filled beneath his skin, turning it rotted and red at a glance a circle of silver light like tow bands formed half way up his biceps blocking the infectious power. Xander didn’t say a thing as he glared at his foe, but he did think rather loudly game on. He slouched as the chains encircled him, blocking his body from view and let go, a soft glow of blue streaming gently form beneath the chains which began to vibrate. As the light grew ever brighter so too did the vibrations until at last a blinding light peered form the few cracks in the chain bindings, though the cracks were growing. Xander let out a growl as he stood up straighter, pushing outward. In a blinding burst the chains shattered, skittering to the ground all over the church and turning to small pools of blood. There, in their place stood a human Xander with the tendril like wings of his later form unfurled and flowing in the windless building, disconnected to him and floating gently near his shoulders yet never touching him. His shadow cast by the city light streaming in from outside the church was less human in appearance, being far larger and seeming to be almost armoured in form, the shadow cast tendrils of its own which was strange as the real wings were luminous.

Hanging form his arms, spikes still imbedded in his flesh dangled the tattered remains of the two chains that had stabbed him, stuck fast. With a frown he looked to the one on his left arm and reached over, taking hold he drew it out and tossed it to the side, before doing the same o the other. With a huff he stood observantly by as his opponent began building a portal though his cocky grin had returned, “Seems you could use this power more than me…” he held up his hand lazily, palm facing to the sky as the rot like aura on his arms fled form his outstretched hand. A shining white pillar of cloud and smoke and energy shot from above, smashing a hole in the roof over the aisle as it landed before him. The smoke fades as his hand reached forth and gripped at something with in. As it dissipated the gleaming golden spear became clear, the energy upon it nearly palpable.

The rotten aura drained from his arms, leaving his suit in tact beneath as it channeled into the spear. He spun the spear to his other hand, the aura draining from it as well as he looked to the portal and it’s master, “You’re oh so generous, your majesty, however as that scar attests I don’t need your charity…” he lowered the spear, pointing it toward the King “So here, have it back.” the tip of the spear flared as the dark aura was converted into a powerful and concentrated beam that shot forth toward the King, the power so concentrated that even he’d feel it, though the beam would do little permanent damage it was sure to be something one would want to avoid. Still the true trajectory did not truly target the King, but rather just below his left wing, toward the Portal. Not that it would dmage the protal, but simply pass throught, still whatever was on the other side was bound to have a bad day.

Daniel just nodded to the young man…uh demon…uh thing… anyway he nodded, “That’s fine, my only instructions are to take the man Mallory alive, the others are inconsequential.” Daniel stepped off with his left foot and onward to the building. The first floor provided no challenge, no guards or door man to get past, it wasn’t the Ritz after all, and so he just walked right up to the elevator and pushed the open key, gesturing for the Hound to go first. “They inhabit the entire third floor right? Ready to attack?”