Forest of sorrows

[max lionheart]

Bat watched closely at the couple as they decayed together and as Esabel whispered to the man, a smile came to his lips as she watched the man bring his hands around the women's throat, choking her to death. He could feel the fear and pain from it excited him, made his stronger as he watched her terror grow as her life slowly ended in her husbands hands.

He enjoyed looking into the mans eyes as his hand trembled, his eyes showing the horror and pain he was feeling as he realized he had killed his own wife with his own hands and his mind slowly breaking and it was wonderful to feel such feelings from those in pain, those who's minds break and those who suffer, it filled the air.

Bat slowly turned to Esabel and grinned softly at her"Wonderful my dear, truly wonderful, so much pain, so much terror, so much suffering.....I loved as it filled the air....it was perfect"
Before Bat could continue praising Esabel on her wonderful work the sound of Armour and heavy feet rang through his ears as he turned to see a Guard captain and roughly ten soldiers with him entering the village and surrounded him and Esabel.

"I was hoping to watch more of this lovely work before you would finally turn up...but oh well time for you to surround your souls to me"
Bat said with a grin as he quickly sent what looked like a blades of solid blood that pulsed a dim dark red as a dark red mist seemed to float of the blades as they sped through the air towards a few of the soldiers.

 

[Red Gypsy]

Esabel gave a happy laugh when the soldiers showed up and waited ffor Bat to attack them first before moving over to his side and going up onto her toes to place a light kiss on his cheek, "Thank you...," she whispered softly to him, "No one has ever said such nice things to me before...," she added, then she moved away to perch herself up on a fence erected around someone's yard.

She knew that he was supposed to harvest these souls, meaning he would actually have to ask her to join in and work with him. What he had to do was rather tricky... One had to beat them all down enough that they could be contained, then enrage them to the point that they were going to shift into their full demonic form, then kill them and catch the soul before it fled.

Not an easy task...

She watched as a few of the soldiers dodged the attack, a few taking minor hits that still dropped them to the ground. Then their captain moved to stand over her, forcing her to look a very long way up to see his face. The look there showed the promise of alot of pain for what he was blaming her for doing.

She eased out to the side to look around the captain, "Umm... Batly-Man? I think this one doesn't really like me right now... Can I take care of him while you get the others?" she asked him politely, knowing that he could handle the other eleven with ease...  

[max lionheart]

Bat Flexed his fingers one by one down into the palms of his hands and the flexing them out of the palm as she looked over the eleven soldiers, some managed to dodge his malice blades while others weren't so lucky.

Bat grinned as he closed his wings tightly onto his back and lunged at great speed towards the Soldiers, weaving, twirling, ducking and dodging there swings and attacks, he was avoiding all the attacks and moving so gracefully it was like her was dancing rather then fighting.

"Go ahead my dear, have your fun with him"

Bat swung his arms around gracefully towards the soldiers arms, lower arms, uppers arms, legs, lower leg, upper tight. As he swung his hands towards there limps it was only then that they would see the flash of malice like energy quickly solidifying into blood red, unnatural sharp nails about eight inches long, long enough to slice off there limps.

 

[Hot Champion_of_justice]

The captain sneered at the woman who seemed to think that those from the army were weaklings and the two of them could take him and his men.

As his men began to yell and scream as limbs and such were being cut off by the woman's companion, he shouted to the villagers who were still around.

"Get your asses to the main village in the main keep! Go now! Let those on duty know what's going on!"

He turned his attention back to the woman as those who lived in the village made a mad run up towards the castle. He swung his sword up and brought it down hard and fast hoping to injure his opponent.  

[Red Gypsy]

Esabel grinned and pointed one finger at the captain, a trail of dark energy moving from it to surround the captain in dark binds that proved very painful to touch, searing the skin as well as the soul, though not enough to cause permanent damage.

"The people can't leave yet... They're supposed to witness first... Then they can go and tattle...," she told the captain, as if it was supposed to be obvious.

She gave a gesture with her hand and he was dropped to his knees by the dark binds surrounding him. She leaned in to put her cheek against his, whispering in his ear, "We're not here for them... We're here for you and your men... He needs your souls... I want your blood and fear...," she promised him in her soft whisper, placing a teasing kiss on his cheek that made him give a roar of anger at her and try to bite her.

She danced away easily as she laughed at him, pausing a short ways away to grin at the demon happily. She waited another brief moment then grinned as he started writhing in pain, "Oh goody! My kiss worked on you!" she said happily, even giving a small jump and clapping her hands, "The pain will move through you slowly for a little bit more then it will seep into your mind, forcing you to relive every moment that you haven't been a very good demon. It will slowly break your mind while these people witness... But I will give you this now... If you make this worth my while, I will let the rest of the people of this village go after you and your men are dead. You have my word on it, and that can never be broken...," she finished with a promise that guaranteed to give her what she wanted here.  

[Hot Champion_of_justice]

The captain let out a scream as the pain was so intense he thought he was being ripped in two. He could see his men being slaughtered and he only realized that he was crying for them. He could see the scared demon villagers.

"I don't trust you to keep your word...but I have to believe you wi...will." In his mind's eye he could see past events and he yelled as past war memories, killings, and sadly the pain he caused his late wife when she caught him cheating. He shakily got to his feet and one could see he was slowly breaking down. he shook and he was sweating as he held his sword tight. He reached up and tore off a limiter necklace all generals had to wear as Lareth wanted the demonic side of them under control. He crushed it to dust and in his last bit of sanity he chuckled as he frothed at the mouth.

He would be dead shortly.

"I am..so...sorry...my king...."

He turned eyes that had blood streaking down from them to Esabel. His body contorted and made disgusting noises as bones broke and the man grew into a hulking mass of body as he shifted to a demonic looking raptor bird thing. He let out a screch as he charged at Esabel clawing at her. His jaw went for her neck.  

[max lionheart]

Bat slowly kneeled down and placed his hands onto the ground, pushing them against the ground, spreading his palms and fingers over the ground. A grin creeped over his lips as his head was looking down at the ground below him.

There was a small screech of agony as twisted snake like creatures head burst from the ground, its mouth opening up unnaturally wide, filled with razor sharp, pointy and long fangs. This twisted creature torn from the ground showing that the rest of its body was covered in thorns and seemed endless. More burst from the ground and they all rushed towards the soldiers trying to wrap themselves around them and restrain them.

Bat turned his attention to the sounds of breaking bones and a screech, seeing a now transformed captain charging towards Esabel. Bat stood up and threw his hands and hands towards in a under arm motion, sending out whip like energy, attempting to get them around the captain and restrain him before her could hurt Esabel.

 

[Red Gypsy]

Before Bat's attack could land, Esabel had blown a kiss at the transformed captain, sending a mass of dark energy at his bird-like form that hit him at the same time as Bat's attack.

As it was, the captain didn't stand a chance as Esabel's dark energy pulled the bulk of his demonic energy from him and severed the last of his will to struggle against them.

As both energies pulled the demon to the ground, Esabel moved over to his now-broken body and knelt by his head, gently stroking his face as she shushed him in a soothing manner, "Shhh... It's alright... You will die now... Your soul will carry on...," she told him in a soft whisper, giving him hope. False hope, but hope nonetheless...

She stayed there as he let go of his last breath and caught his soul in her hand before it could flee, cradling it tenderly in her hands as she stood and carried it over to Bat, "Your container... Quickly now...," she ordered him softly and put the soul in the container when he produced it.

That done, she moved through the dying soldiers, gathering their souls and putting them into Bat's container as he followed her. It held all twelve easily and securely when it was sealed up.

Their task done, Esabel waved a hand at the rest of the villagers, her dark energy moving through them and killing them all in an obscure manner, hidden by the energy but pulling painful screams from all of them in the process. She pulled the energy back to herself before she turned a grin to Bat, "All done! Now what should we do, Batly-Man?" she asked him happily, though her happiness faded after only a brief moment of looking at him and she gave a soft sigh, "You have to go away now, don't you... Back to the Master's new toy...," she gave another soft sigh and moved in to give him a kiss on the cheek, pulling away before he could stop her, "Go on... You know you can always find me...," she told him softly, giving him another long look before she turned and headed out of the village with a walk that should have been illegal...

But she'd given him so many hints as to who she really was, even though she really hadn't said anything. Still, right now, she looked even more alone now than she had when he'd found her...  

[max lionheart]

Bat ran his fingers slowly over the enchanted container that held the souls of the demons within. His nails ran over the glass of the container slowly, his black sharp nails caressing over the glass as well as seeming to claw at its contents like a cat.

Mortal souls where so fragile and yet he somewhat envied them but yet he didn't, being a being made up solely of malice he had no soul, just the pain and sorrow of all those that are alive and dead.

Bat tilted his head softly to the side at Esabel's words 'Master's new toy' the ideas and thoughts inside his head clicked as he came to slowly understand who she was and what she seemed to know.

He smiled as he watched her walk away, it wasn't her body that attracted him to her if that was what he thought it was, but her mind, the art she created on those villages, soldiers and how she tore the souls from there body's, it had been centuries since he had meet such a wonderfully interesting being and he knew he would have to find her again sooner or later.

Holding the container up to his face, Bat grinned as a dark red and black mist engulfed his body and vanishing from the village, leaving the snake like creatures in the village to act on there own as he returned to where he had come from.

 

[Red Gypsy]

Esabel paused as she felt Bat leave and turned a small smile on where he'd stood, wondering what he'd do with the information she'd given him. It really didn't matter in the long run, but it might be interesting.

Yes, she'd been Goh's first toy, the test that had lead to his current perfection with Ilea. But he really hadn't known what he'd created with her, not by a long shot.

She blew a simple kiss in the direction of where Bat had disappeared, still smiling as she too disappeared. But she simply faded from sight, leaving the mess for the demon king to find and mourn over...  

[Red Gypsy]

Esabel had returned to the Demon Realm just before Lareth closed the portals, knowing he'd do just that and it would prevent Goh from trying to call her to him after dropping her little gift in to him. So, for now, she was stuck here. That was alright, it gave her more chances to mess with the demon king.

After all, it wasn't as if there was much for her to do to entertain herself lately.

Esabel knew that she was 'different' in so many ways, some of them more 'alright' than others. She knew others thought her 'child-like' when they first met her, though that usually changed to active dislike after more than a few moments in their company. Not that she minded much, but she did think she'd like a friend who would like her just the way she was...

Still, all of that just brought her mind right back to the here and now. She was sitting on top of one of the buildings in the village where she and Bat had had their 'fun', now waiting to see if Lareth would show up or not.

This wasn't the first village that she'd brought down like this, just the first one she'd done so with help. In each one, she'd sent the children out first, leaving them all alive while the adults all died in bizarre and nasty ways. This one had been very fun, though, and she attributed that to having Bat with her.

But he was gone now, back to his mistress and her master. Leaving Esabel alone again. She rather thought she was getting used to that by now...

She was sitting with her legs crossed, one elbow on her knee with the fist propping her chin as she looked out over the carnage she and Bat had wrought, though mostly her to tell the truth. Bat had merely fought eleven of the guards, she'd actually killed everyone, villagers and guards alike.

And here she sat, on top of one of the houses, waiting to see what would happen next. She was still wearing the shorts, halter-top, and boots outfit with a bit of blood spattered here and there and her long black hair floating a bit in the breeze. She actually looked a little lost, sitting the way she was. But that was far from the truth.

Esabel's appearance was more than deceptive. She looked innocent, like someone to be trusted. And while she held a type of innocence, she was still evil to her core...  

[Hot Champion_of_justice]

Lareth had been searching the nearby area for clues for the missing squad and he knew he should be prepared to find them dead...but nothing prepared him for the carnage that he had come upon when he entered the village.

He walked forward slowly his boots barely making a sound in the eerily quiet village. He stepped around the bodies of the slain demons and his torn to shred soldiers.

Lareth hadn never seen such carnage....not even on the battlefield, where death surrounded him everywhere was it like this....

He clenched his fists as blood tears streamed down his cheeks. He kneeled and touched the cold cheek of a woman who had a look of horror on her face. He closed her eyes with his fingers and magically sealed them.

_____________________________________________________________


He whipped around when he sensed her nearby. He was about to fling fire at her as he thought she was an enemy. But....she didn't look like one and he could not sense the dark energy around her. (lets say she is really good at masking it.)

"Who are you and why are you here? Were you here when this carnage happened?"

Blood stained cheeks, a breeze blew by and pushed his clothes tight against his lean muscular frame. A dark look....now he was something out of a novel, one about a dark hero or something....  

[Red Gypsy]

Esabel had silently watched the demon king move though the dead in the village and almost grinned when he spoke to her, his anguish perfectly evident on his face.

She did nod to his question of her, "Yes, I was here when it happened...," she told him simply and tilted her head at him a bit as she continued to watch him, part of her oddly grateful that she could fully mask the energy that made her what she was.

She stayed seated on the roof, not bothering to come down just yet, "Why do you grieve for them so? You didn't know them; not their names, not their hopes and dreams, not their fears... So I don't understand why you cry for them...," she asked him then explained why she was asking.

She sounded perfectly reasonable and a bit confused at his grief and anguish. She really didn't understand it, couldn't comprehend grief like this.

She tilted her head the other way, the breeze shifting her hair again in a very fetching way though she paid it no attention, "I know who you are, of course. But I really don't understand the grief over people that you didn't know...," she added, truly hoping that he'd explain it to her. No one else ever had...  

[Hot Champion_of_justice]

Lareth didn't like how it seemed she could care less about what happened to her people. It seemed that she was oblivious as to why he was sad and why this slaughter was horrid.

Was she even demon? Perhaps she...no....she didn't look like she could have done this. To take down fully trained demon men both in the army and not....it should have been impossible.

"I may have not known these people, but they are people. They are living, breathing creatures like you and I. They did not deserve this death! They did not deserve to be torn to shreads as if they were nothing! Only beasts do things like this! Killing innocents is in no way honorable and a creature who feeds off of this destruction is not even worth to be considered a person.  

[Red Gypsy]

Esabel smiled at him then and even gave a soft laugh, "They weren't like me... You aren't like me... There's no one else like me... It could be debatable that I could be considered to be alive, considering how I came into being... And how do you know they were innocent? There are many degrees of innocence, you see; many degrees of evil as well. We all hold innocence and evil within us, both at the same time," she rattled off on one of her favorite points for a few moments.

Then the smile on her face was gone as if it had been simply wiped off of her face in an instant, "Besides, no one actually fed off of this... Their deaths weren't meaningless at all... The villagers were a lure for the guards, the guards killed for their souls. The one who needed the souls is gone now, he was sent to get them for his mistress. What she needs them for, I have no idea. But that is what happened here. No feeding, no meaningless death...," she explained to him as if slightly offended by his description of the events.

She finally shifted to stand up and stepped off of the roof, landing in a slight crouch before rising to her full (if short) height to step around the bodies towards him, no weapons on her at all, "As for the ones who did this being beasts... That is debatable as well, Lareth the Terrible, High King of the Demon Realm... Describing them like that shows a very distinct lack of understanding on your part... You have no idea of what has been to your realm, nor of the destruction it is capable of if insulted or slighted... I may be the creation of a madman, but even he did not know what he created when he made me...," by now she was inches away from him, staring up at him with violet eyes that held a hint of crimson to them.

Those eyes held something within their beautiful depths, something that couldn't really be described fully, something both innocent and evil, something deadly, and something that spoke of great power barely contained. All of that held within such a small, delicate, and beautiful package.

"My creator didn't understand what he made... Didn't care to, really... I was a test for his true creation... He abandoned me to my own devices and forgot about me until today... He was more careful when he made his new toy... Didn't make her from a demi-god, made her from a vampire half-ling instead...," she added and gave him a very small teasing smile as she touched one finger to the center of his chest, nothing more than that.

"So consider this around you a heralding of what is to come as long as you have what my creator wants... What he wants, he gets... And if he can't have it, he kills it in ways that make the death currently surrounding look like a beautiful spring day... My advice? Give her to Goh, before he brings much more than this to your door...," she told him softly, needing him to understand and heed the warning, "Either give her to him or kill her now, the choice is really yours now...," with that, she simply faded from sight.

She hadn't left the realm, that was impossible right now with the portals sealed. But she wasn't where he could get to her at the moment...