Forum Thread

So either Persephone was laughing at him (which fair, he was very laughable at the moment) or she genuinely wasn't home so.... that was a bust for all parties involved. Sighing, Belphi dragged himself up, the guardemons around him fast asleep. Well, wasn't his problem so he turned his attention to the humans instead. They didn't seem very happy and considering that the last thing that Belphi even remembered about anything was ripping humans apart... well he could read between the lines.

Smoothing out the harsh lines of his face, Belphie fit his body into something more approachable and younger, something that didn't scream danger and was probably easier to trust. A teen perhaps? A young one at that but not too young that he couldn't defend himself. Goddess, it was exhausting having to compress himself into something new and he was ready to pass out once again, a cat-like yawn puling itself out from his chest. By the time everything had been said and done and Belphi was pretty sure he had accidentally torn open some of his piercing holes, he was half asleep and stumbling his way down to... somewhere. So sue him if he didn't know where he was going, as long as he found some human child, gained its trust, and finally found out what the hell had been going on for however many years he had been asleep, he could finally fall back asleep without any regrets. Yay

So off he went, down the hills of lava and plains of ice. Off to go kidnap a child! Don't worry, he's a demon so this is all sanctioned by the Demon Board of Bad Things to Do. Here, he even has a permit! The middle finger. Going on his merry way, Belphi stood over one of the many empty expanses of desolate lad that made up 90% of the underworld's landscape, feeling like some sort of action hero as he watched a very conveniently placed human teen running through the wasteland. Maybe the world really was giving Belphi a break as he he let himself drop down the vantage point he had to trip and roll down the craggy mountainside. It hurt getting his skin scraped and dug into by small rocks and jagged protrusions and it was absolutely not worth it as Belphi flopped onto his back groaning. At least it was convincing enough that the human stopped running, giving him enough time to dramatically crack an eye open and reach out for it.

"Help me, please." He croaked and wow that was a huge blow to his pride. All for a tasty little morsel too, what a hassle. "They're after me, please yo- y- you're a human." He let his voice trail of in surprise, letting himself sit slack jawed at the "unfamiliar" species. "Its been almost half a century since humans were last seen, w-what are you doing here? You're not here to hunt us, right? "

Hook line and sinker, the human was visibly confused and now much more willing to at least talk. And talk the human did. "What are you talking about?" It demanded, taking a step back. "Humans have been imprisoned by you devils for at least a decade."

Belphie didn't bother listening to whatever the human had to say. They were rats, no even lower than that. Cockroaches. Little persistent buggers but still useful in some situations. But bugs like them were nothing more than annoyances as Belphie grasped its wrist and let his lethargy shed like a second skin. The human's knees buckled pathetically and he was forced to catch it and hold it close in order to speak.

"Look, if you want to make it out of here, we have to help each other somehow. You can't make it far without my help and I can't without you. We can part ways or whatever once we get away but for now we have to, as unpleasant as it is, work together. Got it?" Belphi grinned, and perhaps it was the innate fear that humans always had about demons or perhaps even as a childish facade of his usual self he still held some sort of power. But in any event, it worked wonders as the human nodded lethargically through the fear, leaning as far away from Belphi as possible. Score.

---

Cath followed Nox into the kitchen. She had dressed the wounds of the two strangers the best she could. They would fortunately both live. So many bloody memories. She sat down. It was quiet, given all the memories she had at this table, all of them surfacing. It was too quiet.

"So Nox," She looked at the demon hunter. "You asked why this 'base' was empty. It was never quite a base to begin with. Long ago, this structure was a beacon of hope and science; it was home to science labs in which we discovered the future. It was destroyed in the initial demon resurgence. I have made it my home." Hope, death, destruction.

"I have sheltered people here from time to time, even creating a makeshift hospital after some of the worst battles. If you remember this place as a rebel base, then you were either here during the best of times or the worst of times." She paused, and studied Nox. No one came here by choice. No one wanted to live down among the sticks and bones. She frowned, and picked her next words carefully.

"When was the last time that you were at a resistance base? You say you're a demon hunter, so you're freelance. When was the last time that you actually talked to high command?" All of them were traitors, murderers, demon-spawn.

She watched Abyss out of the corner of her eye. He had introduced himself as Neo Sanchez... what was he playing at? She had her friend back, but the Professor wasn't stupid enough to think that she could completely trust him. And how had he survived, anyway? Had Neo Abyss made a deal with the devil?

---

Abyss fiddled with his necklace.

A keepsake from old times.

He hadn't had the heart to throw it out, along with every other trace of his old life.

Athena and Cath had given it to him on his last birthday before he disappeared.

He couldn't throw it out.

It meant too much.

He carefully took off the necklace, stuffing it into a pocket.

This table... just sitting there made a wave of melancholy rush over him.

All the dinners... all the laughter...

Where had it all gone?

What had happened to his family?

He shook his head.

He couldn't think of what happened.

He needed to think of the future.

The future...

He didn't have one... did he?

He could never go back to how things were.

What he had done down in that ravine...

What he did to survive...

His soul-

He stopped himself.

"I guess... I'll just enjoy being with Cath again... while it lasts.

---

The mention of food briefly caught Nox's attention. When was the last time she had a proper meal that didn't consist of meat or berries? Too long. Nox practically felt ready to collapse, the thought of sitting down and eating a proper meal made her want to fully drop her guard.

Don't be foolish Nox tells herself while side eyeing Abyss. She silently follows them to the kitchen, feeling far more comfortable with the silence than Cath seemed to be. She turns her attention back to Cath when she speaks again. Surprise fills her eyes when she learns about the current state of this base. She frowns when Cath mentions "the worst of times.".

Nox takes a seat, taking her time to fully relax into the chair before she answers Cath's question. "I usually never go a few months without returning to a Resistant base. But things have only gotten worse within the outside world. Hmm, I would say it's been nearly two years since I've been at a Resistance base." She winces, and holds a hand up to her face, blinking back tears. Not now, not now! "It's been awhile since I found survivors... There aren't many signs of life out there. Things have always been bad, but they have only gotten worse" she explains.

She sighs and shakes her head, quickly regaining her composure. "You mentioned 'discovering the future' with your science labs. What did you find? And who would be stupid enough to destory it?" She asks.

Abyss was eating, silently.

He understood they couldn't trust him and he was fine with the fact.

Cath's family was killed by demons.

Nox probably had some sad, depressing backstory involving demons as well.

And Abyss?

Well...

He stopped himself.

He should move on and get along with his life.

...

Abyss scoffed to himself.

A life? What a joke.

He didn't have anything left for him.

...

He quietly listened to Nox's explanation as he ate.

Naturally, neither of them had touched their food.

Of course.

What did he expect?

Of course they couldn't trust the creepy killer man just because he cooked some food.

Nox probably thought it was poisoned.

cath probably thought he was playing some sort of game.

He wanted to tell Cath that he wasn't playing at any sort of game.

He wanted to tell her that he just wanted to live a normal life.

He shook his head.

He could never have a normal life.

He knew what Cath and Athena, his little sisters, thought of him now.

A monster.

That's what he was.

A monster.

A demon who should be eradicated from the face of the earth.

What would his mother think of him now?

he smacked himself.

He went back to eating.

he kept his head low, as he stared at the cold, hard wood of the table.

---

The Professor started to eat her food quietly. She was weary of this war. She would never give up. She hated the resistance. She would always resist. Someday she would die. And the demons would play with her soul for the rest of eternity.

Nox was curious. She was an anomaly. Demon-hunters were no longer part of the resistance; they had all either died, or returned to base once the career path had been discouraged. Outlawed. Cath wondered if Nox knew that she would not be welcomed with open arms.

"Hmm, the lab. I've lived here as long as I can remember. My childhood was spent in the workshops and labs. We worked on everything, from mechanics to biology. The technology we created back then was to help our society flourish; farming, transportation, construction. Now... I've applied it to the war. For the past ten years, I have been creating drones, weapons, medical supplies..." This Professor was true manufacturer of death.

"The demons came. They killed everyone. They tore through our reinforced walls as if they were butter, and killed our scientists as if they were ants. We were progress, we were hope. They destroyed us before we even started." Blood. Screams. Begging for death. That voice and its cruel laughter. She took a deep breath, eyes as bright as fire. "I was nine."

Everyone had a story. She was nothing special. They all had their reasons for sitting at this table.

"The state of the resistance is... not what you would remember. It's no longer launching brave, strategic attacks. I'm not sure the last time a demon actually fell by our hands. The resistance is turning inwards. They are more defensive than ever. Their tactics are setting us on a losing path. It may seem callous to simply dismiss them, but it's true. And as for those operatives that try to make a difference..." Don't look at Neo. Don't look at Neo. "They disappear. They enter the front lines and hunt demons, and we never hear from them again. Were you ever known by another name? For all we know, you're but another legend said to have died."

There was a brief silence. She stared at her food, and took another bite.

"We're in a sorry state. No one else understands science, and there's only so much I could do. I fear that on our current path, the question is whether or not we'll be overrun in five years or twenty." She wondered whether Nox would ask the right questions. She and Abyss couldn't come right out and declare their severance from the resistance, but she had implied enough.

---

Abyss quietly finished his food.

He got up from his chair, putting his plate away.

"A legend said to have died? It sounds like you're aiming those words towards someone, professor."

Abyss' grin was tired and forced, and the joking tone in his voice was hollow.

"If these legends hunted down by the resistance truly do come back..."

Abyss turned on his heel, heading to the door.

"Who knows? Maybe they compromised the very foundation of their morals just to get back to the people they cared about.

"I've heard of people who even signed treaties with demons to stay alive..."

"You know what the worst part of it is, though?"

Abyss placed his mask, covering his face.

"These people, who sacrificed so much... Their loved ones shunned them. Left them to rot just because of the one terrible thing they did to get back to them."

"I ask you, what would you do if you were one of the loved ones in that scenario?"

he laughed.

"Please, indulge me. It's just a little something to think about."

---

Nox's world was quickly starting to change. Everything she thought she knew was nothing but a distant memory. At first, she felt angry. She could use their help with eradicating the demons, why does she have to risk her life while they do nothing? Were they that comfortable with the current situation? Then she felt despair. She knew of a few demon hunters... were they-? Stop it!

It would appear the Resistance is only a shell of what it once was. Still, her ideologies had yet to die with it.

"You still care about helping the world right? It would appear we have something in common. Why don't we work together? You can use that great mind of yours to do the hard stuff, I'll put my energy into protecting you. Maybe we won't have to fight alone for long, there has to be more people in the other bases fighting the same silent battle as you." She hesitates when she hears Cath's question. "My real name is Dakota Thorne, but she has been dead for years." She glances away and sighs. Now wasn't the time to relive those memories.

She glances up at Abyss when he starts talking. She could immediately sense the tension between the two. Did something happen?

Now that she thought about it. They were an odd pair...

Nox slowly stands up and glares at Abyss, almost daring him to attempt something.

Abyss looked back at Nox.

"... What is it, Nox?"

"What do you want me to do?"

He tilted his head slightly.

"... I did know you before, didn't I?"

"I used to be a hunter as well, y'know?"

---

Cath closed her eyes. If Neo signed a treaty with Abyss, was he even her friend at all? But she had a more pressing matter to attend to. Nox. Dakota Thorne. She had heard the woman's name once, long ago. A whisper of hope in the early days of the war, a legendary demon hunter sent by the gods themselves. A legend that finally died half a decade ago. Also, what was it with demon hunters changing their names?

"Neo. Abyss. We can talk about this further at a later time. You will always have my sincerest apologies, but there's an entire world that needs saving right now." She turned to Nox.

"I still care about the world. Now, more than ever. I agree, the resistance is no longer the answer, but I'll need to talk to Ne-Abyss first about what to do next. I have already agreed to no longer support the resistance with anything other than medical supplies." Was she leaving the innocent to die?

She stood, and looked at the pair of demon hunters. "I have no problem working with both of you. Will the two of you be able to... put aside your differences?"

---

The sudden change in Neo's mood sharpened Nox's instincts. No longer did she feel exhausted or hungry, her only focus was the man in front of her, who didn't seem the least bit fazed by her sudden aggression. It reminded her of someone...

There it was, Cath had called Abyss "Neo." Abyss himself had called himself Neo. Where had she heard that name? She turns her attention to Cath. "I will be willing to work with you, no matter what it takes. I suppose I can work with-"

-Wait.

The dagger that Nox didn't realize she was holding clatters to the floor. A shocked expression appears on Nox's face. "Wait" she whispers. "Neo!?" No, Neo had died. There was no way he survived his final assignment! Yet here he was. Standing in front of her, most certainly alive. "H-how?" She slowly sits down in her chair, looking starstruck. "Is it really you?" She whispers.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk. Your aggression is misplaced."

"Most certainly, It is I, Thorne."

"I survived, as I always have."

Abyss fidgeted with the hilt of his daggers.

"It seems you haven't forgotten me either."

"We were... friends back then, in that unforgiving line of work, weren't we?"

"and as to the matter of how I survived..."

Abyss sighed.

"As of this point in time, that is unimportant."

"Though I think you could figure that out quite easily."

---

Bright and early, just how Mei hated it.

Thanks to this stupid dog, she didn't get a chance to sleep in as she had hoped, but at least she wasn't waking up to that demon again. Instead, she woke up to the sound of her friend barking. Upon closer inspection though, it turned out to be absolutely nothing. Speaking of the dog... She hadn't even had the time to name it, or even get to know it much.

Well... It was a pretty large dog, dark colors fading in an out on its body. She didn't recognize it at first, but then again, humans have bred their pets to oblivion. It was a light brown color mostly, with large chocolate-colored streaks running on its back. Its face was narrow and the ears were large and pointed. Now that she thought about it, someone she had met in Hell described their own dog looking similar to this. Well, after they mentioned "German Shephard" Mei gave them a confused look that is. Maybe this is what this dog was... It seemed to be a male, so that was good to know... "I'm gonna call you... Cerberus," Mei muttered, giving the dog a smile as she rubbed its ears. She found the name fitting, as well as hilarious given how docile he was. "Anyway..." She got up with a grunt, gathering her things and walking to the stairs she had entered from. "We're getting out of here..."

Mei walked through the streets once again, trying to look around for any useful places she could head to. The fire seemed to have died down enough to where she couldn't see the smoke anymore, but she still had to beware of the demon. Well... he wasn't here yet, so that probably meant she was early enough to be safe. Might as well make the most of it.

Out of this dump seemed like a good place to go, so Mei set her sights on the field beyond and began to walk. She didn't feel like running, that made her parched, and it was too bright out to travel in the shadows. Ugh... This was a pain, but at least she could get her steps in for the day.

After... a considerable amount of time walking, Mei finally managed to spot something interesting. It was a lone, old building but she could feel a very faint presence emitting from it. Someone was in there, but who was it? She started to run, and Cerberus, filled with an excess amount of energy, began to chase after. Of course, it was faster than her, but he managed to keep a steady pace.

Once she arrived, she made sure to be as quiet as possible, hopefully not disturbing the peace of anyone inside. Leaning against the door, Mei tried to listen for anything that was of interest, or any sound at all really.

Nothing, absolutely nothing. The door was unlocked, so guess that meant she was welcome.

Mei grinned at the thought, it wasn't breaking and entering if the door was unlocked to begin with, right? Eh, probably one of the lesser jokes she had made, but it was nice to keep the mood. Her and Cerberus searched around the building until a particular door caught the latter's attention. While he didn't bark or anything, he just stood and stared at the door handle, wagging its tail. The dog didn't seem all that scared, so could that mean that whoever was behind the door was friendly?

Good, she needed weaklings with hearts 4 times too big to toy with anyways.

Oh the ideas were just flooding in, her expression turning more devious by the second. Mei stopped herself though, reminding herself that this wasn't her style. She didn't just jump in at the smallest chance, she liked to play with their emotions before she did anything physically.

Slowly approaching the door, Mei could begin to hear small echoes of voices from the other side. That was certainly promising, but it sounded like there was multiple voices. The more the merrier I guess.

Knock knock knock.

"Yoohoo, anyone here? Hellooooooo, is this place dry?" Mei's calls resonated against the dusty walls, but she knew she was loud enough for those inside to hear. Well, it was basically guaranteed now that Cerberus was barking as well.

---

Nox doesn't have to say anything. He is right, about everything that he has said. Even the last part was true. She was aware of his capabilities. Still, she couldn't help but feel slightly impressed that he managed to survive. Of course he would, b*stards like us never die easily. Perhaps she just wanted to convince herself that he was dead. Still he was alive, that's all that mattered now, but she couldn't get ahead of herself. It was clear to her that he had changed. He was dangerous and could possibly be a threat to her and Cath.

A sudden voice makes her stand up again. This time, she grabs her katana instead of her dagger and turns towards the sound. "Were you expecting anyone?" She asks darkly.

It wasn't that terrible, sneaking through Hell with a human. It was kind of boring actually but boring was always better than dead. It was startling easily to find and cross through the portal, maybe because Belphi's own exhaustion had lulled the guards into lazily hand waving the two to just go in without a fuss. Perhaps that own lethargic resignation that Belphi always carried with him was also infecting the human as it seemed to drag its feet when stumbling through the ruins of a city that Belphi was pretty sure he had a hand in destroying. Oh well, small details. What was for sure is that the human was leading him somewhere and Belphi hoped that it was some kind of human base. It would be fun, scouting out where the nest of cockroaches had hunkered down in. At least it gave him something to do, Persephone probably wouldn't murder him for leaving her castle undefended or something. Probably. Or something. Being awake was confusing and he was still tired from exerting himself throughout the journey.

It seemed like the the human too was tired as it collapsed on the dirt road beside him. Groaning, Belphie wondered if he should just leave the stupid rat be and die in the dirt, forgotten and alone. It would be the most fitting choice, but no. If he wanted to get on the good side of any other human, keeping this cockroach sleepy and injured was the best bet. Humans were horribly empathetic and would at least take pity on the dying rat allowing Belphie some chance of getting into their circles. Still it was tedious work as he hefted the stupid fragile human onto his shoulder before stumbling his way towards the smell of smoke. It was recent enough for the burnt wood to still retain its pungent scent but long enough that the fire had probably all but died out. Curiously enough, the path was leading him towards a section of the broken and battered town. Having no other destination to follow, Belphie set off towards the burned remains of whatever it was. Hopefully he would find something useful

---

"I don't believe we were expecting anyone."

Abyss pulled his daggers out of their sheaths.

"I'll take care o' this m'self."

He walked out into the hallway to face Mei.

"And who might you be?"

---

While she had been waiting, Mei had decided to do the sensible thing and whistle an odd tune, gazing aimlessly while doing so. Cerberus, however, was scratching at the door occasionally, as if it was begging it to open. The pain in her leg was still there, but she had inspected the wound this morning and it seemed to be doing... alright to say the least. Once it did open though, Mei's whistling faltered as her greeter asked a fair question. The interaction was slow enough to where she could get a quick look at whoever was inside, noticing they all had weapons on them, and they were rightfully uneasy.

She was looking at the ceiling at the time, so instead of moving her head downwards to meet Abyss's eyes, she simply moved her gaze. Sure, she didn't have as good a look at who was in front of her, but she didn't care. After the question though, she slowly lowered her head and gave a slight smile. Her friend had already darted inside and tried to get everyone else's attention, but strangely avoided the one at the door, giving an almost similar reaction to when it met her. Hmm... So this guy was... Ah, good to know.

"Me? Hmm..." She paused, visibly looking around the area behind Abyss. "I'm just a lone traveler, needed a place to stay is all." Mei gave her words a faint southern accent, which was fitting considering where she came from. Then again... Maybe Hell was a bit too far south. She clearly acknowledged the existence of the blades everyone was wielding, but strangely chose not to bring attention to it. Gotta be careful, these guys don't look all that stupid... "Guess I should probably introduce myself..." Mei chuckled, rubbing the back of her neck in a sheepish manner. "I'm Lilac, but I guess you can call me Lila if you want!" After the short introduction, she stretched her hand out to Abyss for him to shake it.

There was a reason she didn't give her real name, instead using a cheesy and stupid one.

Just like how she was one of the few who truly deserved her spot in Hell

People still talked about her to this day. Who knows if her name died out or not, but it was better to be safe than to be sorry.

"Nice t' meet 'ya, Lilac."

Abyss sheathed his daggers, taking her hand.

"I truly do hope you aren't lying."

He took off his mask, smiling.

"For your sake."

"My name is Neo Sanchez, though most call me Abyss."

---

Nox hadn't moved from her position. But from the look in her eyes, it was clear she wasn't buying Lilac's act. Still though, if anything happened, she was clearly outnumbered. From the looks of the slobbering, happy dog at her feet, it would appear it wouldn't be of great help to Lilac if she turned on them. Maybe I should just relax. Nox sheaves her weapon, deciding to let Neo handle it. She regretfully eats her cold food, but keeps a close eye on Lilac.
...
Aster wasn't too clear on what time it was when he awoke. The building had long since burned down. He had taken refuge on the ground nearby once the fire got worse. The overwhelming heat felt like home, it was such a shame that the fire had to disappear.

But turns out, he wasn't far from home. He smelt a familiar scent in the air. A demon who has been alive for about as long as him. It momentarily makes him forget that he was supposed to be on the hunt. Aster follows the scent, interested in who was with Belphi. His hand still hurt, but fortunately, he could move it. He didn't think Belphi would fight him, but still, he knew enough about Belphie that he wasn't someone to underestimate.

"What are you doing?" Aster asks once he nears Belphi. An amused smile appears on his face. "Dragging your prey around? I didn't expect you to be that savage. Why don't you just finish the poor thing?" Aster asks.

The absurd statement Abyss made almost made Mei burst out laughing, and it pissed her off a little too. For her sake? Seriously? God, she could already tell this guy was edge-lord central. And the names... oh god the names... They were just as stupid as the one she came up with. Really, who names their child Neo? How could anyone call themselves Abyss or Lilac with a straight face?

But she restrained herself, she kept that smile on her face as she shook Abyss's hand.

"Trust me, I couldn't do anything if I tried! My hands are empty, clean as can be. Not the type to resort to violence, if ya know what I mean," she spoke nonchalantly, folding her small pockets inside out and showing him her hands.

Mei's hands weren't clean, not in the slightest. Her hands were soaked in blood, the number of victims too high to count. She was a monster, that's for sure.

She couldn't underestimate him though, he clearly wasn't human, or at least not fully. Maybe he was like her... Nah, that thought should've rotted in her mind long ago. No one was like her, and she intended on keeping it that way.

Now, enough thinking about random things, Mei had more important matters to attend to.

Like why Cerberus was obsessed with the katana-wielding woman.

"Pleasure to meet you too, Abyss. Now... I'm starving, anyone got a bite?" She grinned innocently. She had eaten before she arrived here, but she couldn't think of anything else to say at the moment. She couldn't just leave it at a "pleasure to meet you," that was boring and awkward as hell. Besides, she had to lift the tension somehow. Sure, she was being a little intrusive, but she honestly couldn't give a crap about what they thought. Unless... They all became buddies or something. She almost threw up when those words came to mind. Mei? Making friends? Good luck finding a universe where that's possible.

Once the conversation was seemingly finished, Mei let herself inside and quietly sat down on an extra chair, a bit away from where Cath and Nox sat, calling Cerberus to her side. Unsurprisingly, he wouldn't listen to her, and instead stayed put next to Nox. "Heh, guess he likes you," Mei giggled, a seemingly genuine expression of cheerfulness appearing on her face.

That girl wasn't buying her act. It was a bit annoying, but she expected it. To be honest, it surprised her when Abyss dropped his guard as quickly as he did. Granted, she doubted he fully dropped it, but definitely more than she thought he would. Oh well, it is what it is. Mei would just have to try a bit harder.

The throbbing in her leg was becoming an issue... She had changed the wrappings this morning, but since then it had become filthy. Blood was starting to show from the cut wounds she assumed had opened. She didn't think she would need to stitch them... Sure, she could just expose herself and let the shadows heal her, but that wouldn't lead to the most pleasant outcome. "Hey uh... Sorry to keep askin' for things, but anyone got some..." Oh god, what's the word... "Uh... Gauze? Oh, and while you're at it, any stitches too?" Embarrassment crept into her voice as she spoke, as if she didn't want to bring attention to her injury.

Oh but she did, it made her seem weaker, easier to kill if given the opportunity. If they're dumb enough, the could sympathize with her and lower their guard even further. Mei couldn't believe she was stooping this low, but she was a bit desperate.