The Wager (Bec and Mephisto only)

Despite his lack of knowledge on Assiah and the humans' ways, my brother was, by no means, unintelligent. He rarely went to Assiah and thus he scarcely had the chance to interact with humans; that is, of course, excluding when he is causing trouble for the mortals. Therefore, it would only be obvious that he knew not much of Assiah and its ways. He made up for that lack of intelligence in Gehenna. All was familiar to him; from the few rules that there were to the vast land that stretched afar. He knew how to fight. He knew how to strategize. All in all, when in Gehenna, he knew what he was doing. Gehenna to a demon is Assiah to a human.

"What a mess..." I muttered, shaking my head. My pesky brothers caused me heavy burdens quite often. Surely the noise would alarm other demons that were close by; maybe a few of them would come prowling around and investigate the scene in hope of finding the culprit and gaining some type of reward. That was a child's imagination though. Rewards aren't handed out in hell for doing a good deed, sorry kids. But we would be gone before anyone arrived anyways so there was nothing to worry about. Fortunately, the noise wasn’t loud enough to echo far enough to reach Lord Loss and Father’s range of hearing. With an inconsiderate shrug, it wasn't my home that was being destroyed after all, I casually scaled up the misshapen stairs with a sneeze. Dust, my eternal enemy, we meet again.

After having to summon a few tissues to sneeze into rather than begriming my sleeve, I made it to the next floor. I peered around carefully and sniffled. This floor was without one soul in sight. Surprisingly quiet and still. The lighting was dimmer than the floor below but still bright enough so a mortal could navigate their way through the rooms and corridors. It was rather... peaceful, well, as peaceful as it could get in Gehenna anyways. A perfect place to hold Bec prisoner. The question that stood in our way was which direction we should venture in: left or right? I cast my attention over to my younger brother. "This time it's your call."
-
The King of Demons, namely, Satan, stood proud and malicious while discussing with Lord Loss. A whip of his blue flames disintegrated a few dozen of lesser demons every now and then; had he cared, he would have put a stop to it, but a few messily demons mattered the value of a broken toothpick to him. Useless and should be thrown away. He and Lord Loss had been discussing for awhile now, most of their talk revolving around the Discples. He still had a few questions to ask and one or two topics to cover. "That mortal, Bec, how powerful would you say she is?" He had heard of a few feats she managed to perform and was curious of what Lord Loss had to say about her.

Lord Loss smiled when Satan asked about the girl. It seemed he was interested in her after all. Who wouldn't be? It was impossible to bring someone back to life without the kah-gash's power. This must be why Satan was so interested in her, for the power she held. Lord Loss was pleased in their common interests but he wished to use that power for his own use, not for the demon ruler. "A very powerful priestess...Her and her little gang many years ago gave me some trouble...Such a sweet child, though. When you look around that." His teeth showed in a sinister smirk as if she always interested him. "Of what interest do you have in her?" He figured he should ask, even if he was questioning the great Lucifer's intentions. He figured Satan must be here on behalf of Mephisto's letter...He pondered what it could have read. "This must involve your eldest, does it not?"

When I woke up, I was in a cold room. In my condition I was weakened, I couldn't cast a strong enough spell to break the chain on my foot holding me here. I was a healer, true, but I had to have so much magic to be able to cast it. I needed to recover somehow. The room nearly drained me of my energy, the fumes were intoxicating forcing me to badly cough. My spine hurt from the blast I took earlier that knocked me unconscious. I couldn't believe I had been caught so easily, even if I was distracted. I should have kept my guard up...But that demon that wandered past me, it was impossible not to stare. It made my body go numb in its presence, no wonder I didn't respond quick enough. "Idiot..." I mumbled to myself, yanking on the chain even if I knew it was no good. That was when I heard talking down the hall. It sounded like two people. The one voice I didn't recognize, but the other one I did. "Mephisto!?" I called out down the hall. If it was Lord Loss, I could only expect more sorrow to fill my now practically empty shell.

I trudged on after my younger brother, content with the decision he made. Had I decided to choose instead I would have most certainly chosen the same direction. I knew he disliked making decisions; sometimes though, the task came upon you without warning and you would have no other choice but to decide then and there. Therefore, it would be good for him if he had to determine a verdict every so often. I did not let the fact that every room we examined so far was empty bother me. Persistence was vital in these type of situations; search until you cannot anymore. Finally, we came upon a door protected by a barrier of cobwebs. Definitely the work of Lord Loss. I stayed quiet and let Amaymon rid of the nuisance with a quick spell then I swiftly stepped into the room after him. The amount of time it took for my eyes to adjust to the darkness was immediate. It was surprisingly cold; Gehenna was, after all, home of the Lake of Fire. There weren't too many frozen wastelands as far as I could remember. I paid not too much attention to it, my curiosity did always seem to pay mind to the most irrelevant of things, and casually started down the corridor.

My senses were at their height. I kept my eyes locked on the path in front of me, not bothering to look elsewhere. I had one set objective and my focus would be completely latched onto it until the end. Save for the faint patters of water hitting the ground, all was silent. Then, a voice, calling out me by my nickname. Close by, just ahead several paces. The tint of an Irish accent was unmistakable – Bec. I quickened my stride and gestured for Amaymon to follow. We reached another door bounded by webs once again. I hadn't needed to do anything and the webs melted away. I opened the door and peered around, bright green flashing ominously in the darkness. Gradually, my gaze settled upon Bec. I stepped into the room and shortly frowned. What a rude way to treat a guest – imprisoning them in a place of frigid temperatures and horrid fumes. With a simple snap of my fingers, I was not permitted to always perform the action but it added flavor to this "heroic rescue", the chains that bound her shattered. Smiling, I tilted my hat towards the girl and bowed, "Mephisto Pheles, at your service."
-
Satan folded his clawed hands together, thorough interest sparking in his threatening yellow eyes. Indeed, he held no apathy towards the girl – merely fascination of the power she held. The Kah Gash wielded the ability to destroy an entire world among many other things that could not be done even by the great king himself. It was no surprise that he wanted its power for himself. He could take over Assiah and rid of those who have served as a nuisance to him. He did not feel he was inclined to answer Lord Loss’ question directly. Lord Loss was a demon far below his power, not nearly deserving to know what his exact plans were. "That's obvious enough, is it not?" If Lord Loss could not piece together his plan, or at least the ideas and basics, then he should be tossed in with the lowest of demons. Moving onto the next situation at hand, Satan was a busy demon and did not have the time to ramble foolishly, he nodded. "It does. I imagine you already know of the letter he sent to me. In that letter, he proposed a wager. He is challenging you and me to a game of chess. If he by some odd chance wins one game, he has to fight the remaining opponent. If he defeats the opponent, we let the disciples live. If he loses both chess games," Satan grinned spitefully, teeth and gums oozing with blood, "we can rid of the disciples for good and claim the Kah Gash."

Huh, so this is what she looked like. There was no need to roll out the welcoming carpet, she wasn't as worldly renowned like Mephisto and I. This girl was a very powerful priestess, I could tell just by her appearance. She was in a state of near death but held on, her heart must be pure. We demons were nothing close to pure. I spat out the stick I had been chewing on since we got here, proceeding to plop a piece of candy in my mouth and chewed on its fruity goodness. "Father's outside. We may as well confront him with your little chess game...Rather you wait it out and prepare yourselves before you go and throw your lives away in a gamble." I honestly didn't care if any of them died. I held high regards to my brother but I was a demon, I could care less if he got himself killed. Life and death were natural in life. Should we head back, my familiar may as well have finished healing the others by now. The one in worst condition should be able to fight now, Kernal was it? I couldn't remember nor did I care. I grew bored easily, a very impatient fellow and this gal before me was testing my patience. Surely she was injured but she should pick up the pace to hurry if she really wished to keep her life. Oh yes, how droll of me, I had forgotten to introduce myself! "I am Amaymon. The earth king of Gehenna, Mephisto's younger brother." One would normally say pleasure to meet you, though I was not one to do so unless I thought highly of them. This girl was of no interest to me and I saw no reason to be too formal. "Shall we be off?"

It was rare of me to become flustered and agitated. I might talk to myself every so often – Kernel can be a witness to that – but I never went any further than that. There was one time though when I went off into a startled panic. Panic might not be the right word to describe it... I was just... thoroughly shocked. When you find out that a friend of yours – someone who you loved – is still alive after 1600 years of thinking they're dead, long gone, a decayed carcass that mended with the earth, it unnerves you. Impossible, I had repeated. It was; you cannot outwit death. Somehow though, she managed to outdo the impossible and emerge victorious. Now I had lost her again. I knew she could take care of herself, she was an extremely powerful priestess and I do not say that lightly, but there was always that constant nagging at me to protect her and keep her in my sight at all times – especially now that we were in the realm of the Demonata. I couldn't bear losing her again. I didn't want to repeat the experience of having that grave sorrow cling to me. I fought through many things with my own sheer willpower, but having to go through the misery of losing her again was something I knew I wouldn't be able to battle. You can only lose your love so many times before it drives you to insanity. And I loved her.

My name is Beranabus. Just Beranabus, I don't recall my last name. I'm a magician who has devoted his life to finding the Kah Gash and destroying the Demonata. I make risks that most people would not even dare to think about. Most people disagree and are even bold enough to criticize my decisions. They aren't seeing the big picture though. Sacrifices have to be made for mankind to prevail against the Demonata. If a few million humans have to die in the process then that's just how it has to be. It's whether that or the Demonata completely wipe out mankind. Originally, I preferred to fight demons alone, but many mages and magicians decided to follow me in the fight against the cruel creatures. The Disciples were formed and I was called their leader even though I never actually agreed to the position. Despite that, they weren't completely useless. I took small groups of them into this universe when I felt the need to. My work paid off and I was eventually able to discover the legendary Kah Gash. It took the form of three humans: Grubbs, Kernel, and Bec. Now we await the right time to use the weapon, partially wary and unsure of it.

My father was a demon and my mother was a human. My mother was banished for mating with a demon and cast out into the Minotaur's Labyrinth. There she gave birth to me before the Minotaur slaughtered her. The Minotaur brought me up but was later killed by a man named Theseus. I was distraught by his murder. Eventually, I ventured off away from the labyrinth in search of other friends. I spent years in search of a passageway to the Demonata's world since I enjoyed watching demons butcher others. I finally came upon one and spent another good chunk of my life in the twisted world. Inevitably, some years later, I stepped through a window that led back to the humans' world. Curiosity got the best of me and I went exploring, thinking that when I returned the window would still be there. It obviously was not. I sought out windows that led back to the world of massacre but soon found out that they were incredibly rare. Still, I traveled to find one and unconsciously picked up a few words of speech though most of what I said was just gibberish. I was a scatterbrained child. The closest I could get to saying my name was "Bran". As I moved from one village to another, my love for murder dimmed. I saw nothing substantial in the carcasses that were sprawled across the earth. This unease caused me to search even harder to find a window leading to the world I once adored.

I came upon a druid named Drust. I sensed that he too was on a mission to find a tunnel to the Demonata's world, so instead of fleeing to the next village, I decided to stay with him. Drust sent me on a mission to assist him with his quest. It wasn't easy I'll tell you, but after some time, I stumbled upon Bec and her group of friends. The very moment that I saw the priestess I fell in love with her. I couldn’t voice my feelings for her but I knew myself that I would easily give up my life for her. It was then that I put my demonic interests behind me and became a real human. Events followed and led up to that terrible tragedy – Bec's death. It tore me apart and I waited by the cave she had become entrapped in, hoping – screaming - for a miracle to happen. Months passed. Nothing changed. One day, I left my post without any intention of returning again. I retraced our steps through all of the areas we had traveled through in hopes of collecting any missing fragments from my memory and came upon the shore where we sheltered. Grief washed over me. I wanted to rid of all this pain of demons and death of the one I loved. I threw myself over the cliff, welcoming the positive memories of Bec and the Minotaur. It should have been the end of me. However, the Old Creatures, mysterious beings of magic, had other plans in mind. They lived in the cave beneath the cliff. They sensed the powerful magic I wielded and drew me into the cave. I had yelled at them, mad that they saved me. As they were able to sense my magic, they could sense my sorrow too and informed me that Bec's soul had yet to leave this world. If I would remain with them, they promised that I would one day see Bec again. This gave me new hope and I stayed with them, joyful that I would one day see the girl that I cared for so sincerely again.

As time passed, my brain developed and I was able to comprehend more. I came to believe that the Old Creatures lied to me about being able to see Bec again. I didn't blame them though. It was the only way they would be able to calm me down. They taught me many, many things. I learned how to open windows to the Demonata's world and I gradually went there more and more to kill off the demons. One night, I returned back to the cave to find that the Old Creatures were gone. I searched for them in a panic and found traces of them in a place called Newgrange. They told me that it was their time to move on and that they were leaving me as the guardian of this world. I argued with them until they told me about the Kah Gash. They gave me the task of finding it. I accepted, thrilled by the new information. I knew what I would be faced with, but I didn’t care. I would triumph over the Demonata.

I was pacing, muttering to myself, deep in thought. Now that I was patched up from the work of that demon's – I forgot his name, age was catching up to me I guess – familiar, I could move about freely. I contemplated on going to Lord Loss's realm, but I knew that that would be foolish. I didn't have a clue where Lord Loss was keeping Bec nor was I aware of what monstrosities stood in our way. That never stopped me before, whenever you step through a window leading to another hellish world you are unaware of what is prowling on the other side, but now that I knew that we were dealing with the King of Demons, I had to act meticulously. It would be suicide if we charged into Lord Loss's realm when he and Satan could be conversing at this very moment there. Our best bet was to remain here and wait. I was crazy to trust the two demons to bring Bec back, but oddly enough, I trusted them... to an extent, anyways. The others were waiting for my command. So, I turned to them and said gruffly, "We will stay here until the others arrive."

(How was that? Bad? Horrible? I should just delete it, huh? xD)

(Pfffffffft it was amazing. Don't delete it, I liked it. It works perfectly. I shall henceforth continue to friend zone you even still. xD)

“Nice to meet you, I’m Bec.” He didn’t seem very formal but he was a demon so I didn’t expect much from him. He was right, we needed to go, the sooner the better. I made a mental note to thank Mephisto later for breaking the chains that I couldn’t. I got up and started to walk, I might be in a weak state but that doesn’t mean I can’t move. Whatever magic I had left I used it to give me a boost to keep up the pace with them as we found our way out of the castle. I guessed escaping from the side would be our best bet if Satan and Lord Loss were still out front of the castle talking to one another. I found an empty room, another cobwebbed hole that made for a window. This time I used my hands to rip apart the webs, tearing it down and with a flick of my hand it fell to the floor off my fingers. That was the one thing I didn’t like about cobwebs – they were sticky. We dropped from the second floor onto the hard ground beneath. It was very hot outside compared to inside where I nearly froze. It may take longer if we go around them in a sort of half circle, but odds were that we wouldn’t get caught this way. An hour and a half tops and we’d be there reunited with the others. How they were doing, I wondered. They were injured last I saw. Beranabus was throwing a sort of fit before I left, I wonder how things worked out between him and Mephisto. Now I felt a sort of guilt for leaving them to talk or argue, hopefully things were solved though.

Lord Loss nods knowing the letter was from Mephisto and greatly concerned him. He was the one who started this little quarrel after all, well…Him and the disciples he should say. It was expected that Mephisto proposed a wager since he had mentioned it earlier while writing down the words before sending it off, but he was never informed of what the letter said inside. When Satan informed him, a devilish grin smeared across his face at the sound of Chess. Things truly were going to be interesting it would seem. Lord Loss had played Chess for centuries, ever since the first chess board was made – which he still had himself. It was a special kind of board though. Dare he wish it, he could entrap their souls in that chess board for all eternity and torture them. But that would become boring after awhile. Besides, Satan probably would like to take of them himself; he wouldn’t allow Lord Loss to take matters into his own hands since he was a lowly demon compared to the King. “Interesting…” His voice faded.

(...I don't even know what to say about those videos. xD)

I broke into a sudden fit of laughter at the words of my younger brother. Whether it be my death or a lesser demons', it was expected of him to be insensitive towards loss. Death was always lingering in Gehenna. When you live here long enough, you learn to embrace it and become numb to such carnage. If you're not careful, it could drive you mad – trust me, I would know. Without further chatter, I turned on my heel and strolled down the halls, cackling echoing somberly. Such a whimsical humor I had. Had time been our ally today, I would have patched up Bec to the best of my healing capabilities, but alas, it was and still is our enemy as we speak. She was able to pull her weight nevertheless. I could easily transport us to where the rest of the disciples were taking temporary refuge but there was a high chance that Father would sense my magic. Calamity would then befall us, and therefore, I did not want to risk it. As we were just adjusting to the outside surroundings, it became known to me that it was vital that I confront my father and Lord Loss. Bec and Amaymon would have to move on without me. I turned to them and spoke without hesitation, "This is where we depart. I must go discuss the rules of this wager with Father and Lord Loss. When the contract has been inscribed with blood," 'Tis my way of saying when all is clear and the regulations have been determined and agreed upon, "I will return so that we may discuss the set rules. Meanwhile, you two go meet up with the rest of the group. Relax and take it easy; have a cup of tea and chat about the holidays." I flashed a joker's smile and bowed slightly, "Until then." And with a snap of my fingers, I faded into the air.

"Indeed." Satan settled back into his chair, blue flames licking at the air maliciously, hungry for bloodshed. There was a shift in the atmosphere; Lord Loss might have been able to sense such an intricate detail but any demon of lower rank would take no notice. He chuckled, lips peeling back into a grin bubbling with venomous hatred. "It seems we have a guest in our midst."

(Oh thanks, leave me with Amaymon. And we're switching rp posts really quick. XD Oh and I know its kinda strange music video, but I thought the lyrics actually kinda suit Beranabus surprisingly, how he was towards the Old Creatures.)


I didn't like the sounds of that, Mephisto pretty much going off and sealing his fate. I had to remember that it was his decision to do this. He must have a plan if he was going to go confront them, it was unlike him not to. I figured now that Satan must know we're here, he would be too focused on Mephisto to even try taking care of us. Amaymon was capable of doing the same thing as Mephisto, which is what he did. With a snap of his fingers he transported us to the others while he held me in one arm carrying me. When we got there, I was set down and went to the others. There was a reason I let myself get captured, it was because I needed something from Lord Loss's home that would help us out. I then pulled out of my pocket a small box looking item. I set it down and waded a hand over it as it tripled its size. It was the very first chess board ever made. The same I had recalled my mentor Drust talking about years ago. "I used magic too when sneaking out to trick him into thinking my presence was outside and fleeing. In a sense...I learned a spell that can clone myself. But its damaging...My clone was the one that got caught escaping while I snatched the board. When she was thrown in the chamber, I switched spots and it vanished. Because the spell is so powerful, I was in a very bad state..." I mentioned, running a hand over myself to show my condition and my pale skin. This was my plan, and I knew Mephisto wouldn't be pleased with it. "Now that I have the board...I will play against Lord Loss and Satan. They will be forced to come to us now..."
Grubbs couldn't believe it. Before he thought I was foolish for giving myself up, but it seems like I had a plan all along. He should have listened to Beranabus earlier when he mentioned that she must have had a good reason for doing it.

(Ignore my one post about the magic energy in the room, I should have said it was a clone. XD Oh and I totally made that up on the spot too. I feel so accomplished that that fit in so well with the plot. 8D)

Lord Loss's snakes in his chest hissed and snapped when they noticed Mephisto arrive. Lord Loss turned his head, his grin widening. It was just the man he hoped to have seen and Satan was dead on the spot about the sudden company. But then his lips frowned seeing that he was alone. Where were the disciples? Did he make the conscious decision to come alone? "Mephistopheles...What a pleasure." That's odd. He felt a strange energy wave pass over, as if someone transported. Only the sons of Satan and a selective amount of magicians were capable of doing that without opening windows. He frowned maliciously, eyeing him suspiciously. Something was different. It was as though one of the sons of Satan had passed by then vanished. But why? There must be some type of scheme. None the less, he wouldn't show it on the outside. "Please, do come in." He motioned to his castle for Satan and Mephisto to make themselves at home. The show was about to start, he may as well get out the chess board. He was anxious to slaughter the disciples and watch Mephisto lose the game of chess.

(Forever alone Beranabus. D; I deem that his theme song. That and "What is Love". xD Wow... it takes me an hour to actually type something, and you just randomly come up with that in like... less than an hour. That's not fair. xD)

When Bec returned, I immediately stopped my infernal pacing and directed my attention completely towards her. She was in bad condition. I frowned, about to question the odd green haired demon – I didn't care to memorize his name – but I was cut short when my old friend set a small box on the ground. I furrowed my eyebrows, puzzled by the object. My confusion quickly faded into surprise when she cast her hand over it and it transformed into a chess board – the first chess board to ever exist. I listened to her tale with sincere intent. Before speaking, I glanced over at Grubbs, a smug smirk sharpened on the corner of my mouth. He was stupid to not believe me and trust Bec; now, he would recognize that and feel a bit guilty. Served the kid right. After that, I faced Bec again, expression growing serious and cold. I wasn't mad at her, but I needed to be serious in this situation. If that meant being harsh with my words towards her then that's how it would have to be. It was for her own good, otherwise, she – maybe we all together – could perish in this war. "You're sure that you're in good enough condition to play chess against one of them?" She knew what she was getting into and I trusted her decisions, but was she in the right state to make them? Pain can be distracting. During a chess game, it is important that your focus is completely on the match, especially when you are dealing with opponents who have had centuries of experience in the game. Her life – all of our lives – were on the line here. If she wins, great, if not, we're all dead. You gotta accept that.

Quickly, I waved it off. There was nothing we could do about it now. It was hard to change Bec's mind – it was her stubbornness that pulled us through many situations alive - and it was only a matter of minutes before Lord Loss and Satan would be on their was here. I turned to the others, "Prepare for one hell of a fight. I'm not saying that it’s certain that Bec will lose, but if she does and we’re not prepared for a fight, then we won't be able to put up a fight, aye?" Next, I walked over to Bec and muttered a few words before placing my hands over her. Magic gradually seeped through her skin, patching up her injuries and bringing life into her skin once again again. I wouldn’t be able to heal her completely with the little time that we had left but it was better than nothing. Yeah, she could heal herself, but that would cost her more energy. I stayed quiet for a minute. "You're sure that you're ready for this?"

(Its settled. That'll be the theme song for this entire rp now. ;D *Starts awkwardly dancing to it and bobbing her head.* Just picture all 4 of us doing this in the car. XD)

(Hahaha, Jim Carrey and his awesome troll face. If that happened, we would probably get pulled over by the cops. They'd think we were high or something. xD And yes Amaymon, I agree. T_T)

"Such mindless beasts... they know nothing but slaughter." I noted, gesturing to the snakes, muttering mostly to myself. I raised my gaze towards Lord Loss’s face, a grin of mockery taunting his frown. I was expecting Amaymon to transport himself and Bec to where the Disciples were. It was quicker and it saved them up energy. "The pleasure is mine." My grin widened, not viciously, but joyfully. Foolish joy, if I might add. I was disguised as a jester, and therefore, I would keep up my act until I see no need for it anymore. Lord Loss's confusion amused me greatly, and I knew that Father was puzzled himself, though he would never show or admit that. I beckoned for Satan to go first and with a sneer towards me, he did. Unfazed, I laughed and followed.

I was least focused upon the details of Lord Loss's chambers. It wasn't really that different from some of the other rooms. Vast and... webby. Displeased with the chairs made of cobweb, I snapped my fingers and a burgundy chair made of velvet appeared before me. I sat down and crossed one leg over the other, arms resting on either sides of the chair. I lied to Bec and Amaymon when I told them that I came here to discuss rules. When you are battling against the almighty Satan, the rules always change to fit his advantage. I tilted my head to the side, smiling, "Is the weather here always so unbearable?" I looked over at Father who was glaring back at me, sneering still, his azure flames itching to turn me to ash then and there. I sighed, "Neither of you are up for a friendly conversation today it seems. Very well, I will joke no longer! Who shall I be playing against in chess?" Satan grinned and nodded towards Lord Loss, "Your opponent in chess will be Lord Loss and you will face me in battle." Of course. Nevertheless, my smile did not fade. "And the chess board...?"

(I wouldn't even doubt it. We'd look like we're on drugs or something and get pulled over. They'd be like "Young kids, blasting that damn music!" Then we roll down the window and its all "old guys" and one young girl. Awkward. XD)

I was glad to have seen the others, they looked in good condition since I last saw them. That's good that they were healed. I smiled seeing Beranabus but knew my smile could only last so long for I already knew he would warn me of the conditions. "I will do my best, even if I am in such a condition." I then felt his magic seep into my body, restoring my cells quickly. He was trying to heal me before I made any decisions. It wasn't much, but it was appreciated. I was glad really. This may be the last time we all would get to have a talk with one another before we were sent into the real war that is certain to come.

Turned around and grabbed I was a bit frightened at first wondering why Amaymon seemed so on edge. I couldn't tell what emotion he was. Whether it was anger, sadness, or worry. I went ahead and guessed it was a warning more than anything. He didn't seem like the kind of person who took sides. My lips trembled when he saw right through me, it was like he read me like a book. How was it that both of those two could do that? Even on our first encounter it seemed like we kept figuring one another out with little amount of words spoken. Of course, we both practically interrogated one another and got our answers. He was completely right too. I was taking Satan for granted. He wasn't like any demon I had faced before, I couldn't trick someone like him. I didn't know how to play chess, I only heard about it from Drust and Lord Loss. But that didn't mean we wouldn't try to kill Satan while the chess was being played. He wouldn't play by the rules, why should we?
"You're right...Absolutely right." I looked away almost in shame for having been so careless. I couldn't go through with something so risky. I wasn't smart enough to fool Satan. "What if Mephisto wins the chess game? Won't it still mean a fight to the death either way right after?" My voice trailed off, saddened to think of what could happen. I already knew what could happen. It was unfair in every aspect. He had become a very good friend, I was distraught at the idea of losing him since I only had very few friends in this century.

Lord Loss hovered into his castle since of course he had no legs to even walk with. Before Mephisto arrived the two had already discussed who would be the opponent for chess, and who the opponent would be for battle. "I will retrieve it." He said sorrowfully but snickered at the the same time. With a snap of his fingers, Artery disappeared to go fetch the board. Moments later, he returned empty handed. "Where is the board?" His tone sounded agitated, on the brink of snapping almost if he receieved the wrong answer. Artery gurgled a reply and waved his hands around. Lord Loss frowned. "Go check on Bec, immediately!" That damn girl...She couldn't have, could she?! She was making a mockery of him in front of the King, surely he would be furious knowing the board isn't here. It then clicked into his mind. That energy wave from earlier, it was her escaping! Just as soon as Artery left, he came back once more and gave a firm shook of his head in a "no" gesture. Lord Loss was outright furious. "Where is that damn girl and how did she escape." He then turned quickly to Mephisto. "You! I imagine you would be the one who helped her, didn't you!?" Satan didn't think too highly of his own son, he didn't see any reason why Satan would get mad if he yelled at Mephisto for stealing what he captured. "That girl snatched the board and fled. Where was she taken?"

(Lol, Beranabus would be sent to jail while the others would get away with it just because they don't look old. Poor guy. ;_; )

Of course Bec would answer with that. Even if she was on the brink of death she would go out of her way and use the last of her strength to do her best to help others. I nodded and focused on mending her flesh back together. However, I was interrupted when that green haired demon pulled her away from me. Furious, I gnashed my teeth together, a yell building up in my throat. If he dare hurt her, I would kill him myself. He might have been helping us but a demon was still a demon and they all deserved to perish. But he was just talking to her, making valid points and denoting the obvious. I blew out the breath I had been holding in; my demon side was successfully kept at bay. I was taken aback when Bec said that he was right. I should have known that she wasn’t familiar with the rules of chess. When she was alive, the only time she actually saw a board and heard of it was with Drust. Lord Loss mentioned it too, but she never got the chance to learn the rules and try the game out herself. Satan was the king of all demons. We were all underestimating his power, not just Bec. We couldn’t simply face him in battle and expect the odds to be in our favor and win. It was obvious that we were all going to die. "Aye, those were the terms that they agreed upon. It's apparent that he's going to die. We will too and humankind will follow shortly after." I shrugged, "That doesn't mean that we don't give them a challenge though. If we're going to die then we best make the most out of it. Give 'em a headache and foil their plans as best as we can before we're destroyed. Who knows, maybe we'll be able to anger them enough so they'll fight like blind men." That would give us the advantage. Demons were full of wrath and that could be the cause of their downfall. Anger was a weakness. "There's no point in worrying about it though. What's to happen will happen."

(Amaymon would likely be hauled away. He already looks high even when he's not on drugs. xD Everyone else would probably be safe.)

I saw the man gnaw his teeth at me in a sneer after I had torn her away from him. Nevertheless I would not harm her, he had nothing to fear. I held no motive in harming any of them, I'd much rather watch them all fight to the bloody death and become dismembered rather than allow myself to fight such mindless beasts. Berenabus had a very valid point. A demons weakness was its pride and its anger. That is what got the best of them. "Perhaps you can get the upper hand that way...But those are just lesser demons. I would suggest you focus on Satan." I clicked my tongue and ran my tongue over one of my fangs. "Didn't you have a back up plan? There was a vital reason Mephisto and I fetched you Bec, do you know why that is?" It must be obvious. I wouldn't go save her because I liked her, but because she was a huge piece to the puzzle we were currently placing together. I was cut short to telling her what it was due to Behemoth gurgling forcing me to avert my attention to him instead, but none the less, she should know why whether I told her straight forward or not. "Do not let yourselves become separated..." I grinned wickedly. "That is a very big key to winning this war..."

Satan's grin fell when he heard the news of the chess board. This displeased him. "Are you telling me you have...Misplaced it?" He chose his words wisely to say. Sending a bit of fright into Lord Loss would buy him some amusement to pass over the time until this game was finally put to action. It seemed that girl Bec wasn't to be taken lightly just as Lord Loss had explained about her. "Let us go retrieve the chess board. I would very much so like to pay this girl a visit." He would take care of Lord Loss later for a punishment. For now he was too focused on obtaining the power she held that everyone wanted.

(... So, me and Bec get to stay together? ;D hahaha)

I waited patiently, calmly, as Artery sought out the board. I sat up straight in the chair, a prince ravishing in his pride and glory. I was bewildered when the hell child returned empty handed. Did he not know that he would be rebuked if he failed to obey his master's command? As a demon, I could understand his obscured reply as he waved his arms around frantically. The board was... gone? Now how could this be? I was sure that Lord Loss would not misplace such an artifact. That would be irresponsible and careless, both of which things the sorrowful demon was not. Was it possible that... that Bec had somehow swiped the board and took it with her? It seemed most logical. After all, this was Bec that we were talking about. She would try to take matters into her own hands. I frowned, internally frustrated by her decision though I ceased from showing it. This was a time to chortle at Lord Loss’s humiliation. My frown twisted into a conceited grin when Lord Loss turned to and questioned me about Bec's mysterious disappearance. I raised my index finger in the air and waved it back and forth mockingly, "Tsk, keep your temper in check when you are in my presence and in my father's. It's rude to yell at your superior." No, these days Father would not slaughter anyone who disrespected me. Those times were long gone. "So demanding... what are you, a three year old child throwing a fit over a lost toy?" I scoffed. Despite all of my snide remarks, I knew that I would have to lead them to where Bec and the rest of them resided. It would be a mistake if I did not obey my father's command right away. Reluctantly, I stood from my chair and folded my hands behind my back, "Then I shall take you there right away." I snapped my fingers behind my back and the three of us vanished.

We appeared before the Disciples immediately. My eyes searched the group and fell upon Bec. I frowned, the disdain apparent on my expression. I wasn't happy with the decision she had made. It was possible that Satan would refuse to let me play chess and instead force Bec to do so. I doubted she knew the rules. She looked as though she had just come to a realization and was now regretting ever stealing the board. That was her doing and now she would have to accept the consequences. I backed off to the side and stood by Amaymon, again folding my hands behind my back. With this turn of events, I could serve as spectator for now.

(FUCK THIS SHIT!)


Lord Loss was mad but held his tongue. He wanted to say more but dare not say it. He knew how powerful Mephisto was and him alone could not defeat him. This is why he had an army of familiars at his disposal. He almost unfolded when Mephisto compared him to a child. He knew if it was reversed Mephisto would perhaps panic as well if he was to lose his one of his greatest possessions.

"Mephisto and Amaymon are the only one's who can conjure up the same flames as their father. They are the only ones at the biggest advantage of killing him..." I was well aware that Amaymon didn't care to partake in this battle but he had already made up his mind when rescuing me whether he realized that or not. He was on our side. When he said that, I knew what he meant. Our only chance was the Kah-Gash, but we couldn't trust it. I didn't want to take that chance unless it was absolutely necessary with no other options. "I'll make a deal with Lord Loss with them. I will hand over the chessboard if-"

"Bec..." Lord Loss and the others had just arrived before I could unravel my plan. It seems they would have yet to learn of what it would take for them to retrieve the chessboard.
"Lord Loss," I smiled. He didn't seem very happy to see me. In fact, he seemed furious now that he discovered I had somehow escaped. His gaze turned to Amaymon, answering his question of how I made it back over here so quickly without Mephisto's help. Grubbs wasn't very happy to see any of them but was mostly terrified when he saw Satan. So this was the king of hell. He was almost paralyzed looking at him. A loss of hope seeped into him and doubt. There was no way they could win in a fight against such a monster. Kernel on the other hand stood firm even if he had his doubts as well. He kept quite the entire time not saying a word.
"Hand over the board, little one." His frown lengthened into a slight smirk from irritation, the side of his lip twitching into a snarl. He was done playing games, at least these physical ones. The chess game they would play would be all mental.
"I'll give you the board...if Satan will spare Mephisto's life in the battle..."
I knew it sounded ridiculous but it was a reasonable wager. Mephisto and Amaymon were the only ones who stood a chance again Satan. If Mephisto died now, we'd be doomed. The rest of us being slaughtered wouldn't mean as much. Amaymon had no intention of killing his own father. Mephisto did. He was the key to this all. "Deal?"

(Pfft hahaha that picture... oh god. xD)

The green haired demon was right. We would be able to annihilate the lesser demons quickly if we used that tactic, but I doubt that Satan would fall for it. Even if we were able to irritate him, it would probably just cause misfortune to us. We'd no doubt die quicker. I cast my eyes towards the ground when he brought up that fact. Aye, we could use the Kah Gash, but we were all still wary of it. It had a mind of its own and there was no telling of what it would do. If it came to the worst case scenario, then I suppose that we would have to use it. It was a destructive trump card, that was not a mystery, but it chose its own side. We could only wait and see if we had to use it. I nodded, agreeing with Bec's words. It was important that those two demons – oh right, his name was Amaymon – stay alive. If they died then we were doomed and would be forced to use the Kah Gash. A deal with Lord Loss? I wondered what exactly was important enough to trade for the chess board.

My curiosity was cut short when Lord Loss, Mephisto, and the King of Demons himself arrived. I scowled towards our two enemies. Lord Loss was enraged; it was obvious that he was going to be sour due to the recent events. I found it funny even in our grave situation. Then I looked over at Satan and shuddered. I still managed to scowl at him though. His power was... indescribable. Most would run away immediately and be plunged in the misery of accepting their death without a second thought. Hell, the vibration of his power itself could kill a cowardly soul. He wasn't invincible though. One way or another he could be killed. I glanced over at Grubbs and Kernel. Grubbs looked petrified, I would have been surprised if he didn't look like a lost two year old, and Kernel was staying calm. I'm sure that his thoughts weren't that calm though. I reverted my attention back upon Bec and Lord Loss's conversation. The deal that she wagered was smart. We needed Mephisto alive to even put up a challenge against Satan. I awaited the answer in anticipation.

(Wait, Bec, come back! D; I just want a little love... T.T o__o M'kay, I'm pretty sure that picture is going to give me nightmares. Yep. They need to burn his face off... or something...)

I am Mephistopheles – the very Embodiment and Duke of Hell, the Judge of the Damned, Lord of Fear and Nightmares, fabled as the Falsehood Plasterer who stole the souls of humans and sentenced them to eternal suffering! I was second only to Lucifer in the hierarchy of hell! Once upon a time, mortals worshiped my very being out of sheer terror that I would appear before them and rip them of their souls with deceptive promises of power. Some summoned me with complex diagrams and spells, others wished to be left out of the downfall and destruction. I roamed the earth and made my presence known to the lowly humans, always making and collecting bloodstained contracts with twisted joy. Everything has an end though. If you mention my name today, not one would be about to recollect such destruction. No, Mephistopheles was a figure of literature, remembered only for his deal with Faust. A fictional character used to teach lessons and whatnot. Not even many humans sought out to learn that much. They were much too busy with their own fake life, unaware of the dangers lurking about. They denied and laughed at them, internally fearful of such monsters. Later they would be weeping. What weep'st thou? ‘Tis too late; despair; farewell. Fools that will laugh on earth, must weep in hell.

It was odd, I could now pipe in, having your soul wagered upon. In a sense, that was what was going on here. A life was a soul to me. She was making a bet on my soul. I was perplexed at first, but confusion quickly altered into clarity. My power was needed for the fight against Satan. I doubted that my father would actually even accept the proposal. If he did, he wouldn't follow the rules. Nevertheless, I was not worried about it. I could put up a fight if I wanted to; normally, I just didn't care for bloodshed. Fighting wasn't fun anymore. When I was young, it was exciting, but then it grew dull. The only one who could stand up to my power was Satan. Battle was supposed to serve as a challenge to both opponents and that was the least that it conjured up for me. I could never find a good challenge so instead, I reverted to watching. I had tried everything and now all that was left for me to do was watch. It was quite shocking how much you could learn from merely observing. Alas, today I will have to join in on this game of sorts. The stand for spectators would remain empty during this war.

Satan took the deal into thoughtful consideration. He was devising plans in his mad mind at this very moment; quick but precise. After a few moments of eerie, tense silence, he peeled his lips back from his sharp teeth into a cruel grin. "Deal." The king could speak for both he and Lord Loss. Being of higher rank, it was his right to make the decisions. "Now, let us stop this foolish chatter and get on with the game." He gestured to the board.

(Get away from me you pedo! D; Besides I think Beranabus would get jealous xD Bec and Mephisto alone in the car and all. Oh god, both pictures just make me laugh so hard...I can't get over it.)

I didn't like Satan, he gave me the chills and I felt very uneasy near him to the point my stomach nearly dropped. I gulped nervously but stepped forward then handing him over the board. "Deal." I had a feeling he might weasel his way around this. He was Mephisto and Amaymon's father after all, its unlikely he sticks to his word. I then walked over to Beranabus, Amaymon and Mephisto. "I can't play...But I will fight Satan on my own once the chess game is won. I feel its necessary that I at least be the one to do it."
I didn't want to jeopardize the others lives. I figured I could weaken Satan, then if he killed me the others would be the trump card and be able to finish him off. It was the most reasonable solution I could come up with, but first there was the other matter to deal with, the chess board. This game of chess was very special, it involved real life pieces meaning that we would be involved. If we survived through the chess game without dying, it might just be a miracle. This may be the last time we see one another if we make it out alive. I didn't want to say my goodbyes, it would be far too painful to do it and only give our enemies the satisfaction they desired of our lack of confidence.
"Good luck, Mephisto." I knew I would absorb memories from him, but for the first time I had given him a hug as a friend. Before we had only shook hands as acquaintances and for thanking him for coming along. I was glad he did. Now, we needed to prepare for the worst. I stepped aside and stood next to Beranabus while Lord Loss stepped forward after being handed the chess board.
"Well Mephistopheles, shall we start our game?" He was quite eager to get on with the show. He hoped Mephisto was a promising challenge to him, it had been years since the last time he was offered the chance at a game of Chess. Not to mention he was eager for the chance to defeat him in order to slaughter the disciples he wished to bring down for so long.

(I have such bad writers block on what to post now. >_<)

(Beranabus would just go sulk into a corner and die. Forever alone. xD Lol, who knows all the shit that Mephisto would try to pull with Bec. ._.)

Deal. Deal? Now, that was surprising. I doubted Satan's words. They were a lie. He was the one who created the act of lying; he was deceitful and he was using his trickery on us now. He'd try to twist the so called "deal" into something that could be used to his advantage. It might work, might not. We could only wait and see. When Bec handed over the board to Lord Loss, a sense of uneasiness swept over me. I knew the rules to this particular game of chess. We, the Disciples, would act as the pieces. Mephisto would be in control of our every mood, and obviously I wasn't too fond of that idea. I wasn't fond of Bec fighting Satan either. She was strong, the strongest priestess of her time and most certainly of this time, but could she take on such a monster as Satan? I didn't think so. Weaken him maybe but that's it. Even though the odds were against her, she didn't let that stop her. That's one of the traits I always admired about her: bravery. I opened my mouth to question her but my words crumbled in my throat. She was giving Mephisto a hug. Jealously bubbled up within me and I snapped my mouth shut, a disgusted frown forming on my lips. I was close – so close – to storming up to the foolish, sorry excuse for a demon and lashing out at him. But I didn't. I chewed on my lip angrily and looked away from the two, frown turning into a scowl. I wasn't mad at Bec – I couldn't get mad at her – but I was furious with Mephisto. I could clearly see that now wasn't the time to start a fight with him but I sure as hell would whenever things weren't so hectic. I'd throw a punch and yell at him on my deathbed if it came down to that. When Bec came to stand by me, I set a possessive hand on her shoulder and tugged her towards me just a bit. I didn't care. This could be the last time that we get to spend with each other and I wouldn't waste it. I narrowed my eyes, fingers twitching in apprehension for the fight to begin. I didn't know about the others, but I was sure as hell ready to wipe the floor with some demons. Grubbs and Kernel knew the rules to the game so I didn't waste my breath with useless explanations.

(That's how I was a few days ago... which is why it took me for freaking ever to post. So don't even worry about it. Post whenever you feel up to it.)

(With Beranabus and Amaymon in jail, its likely that Mephisto will try something with Bec while they're alone. Although Amaymon wouldn't care much about Bec in that case. xD As you kindly put it, "He came to fuck bitches." With Bec now taken and occupied, he'll move onto fresh prey!)

"Father." I greeted with distaste. He was eager just like Lord Loss to get on with the chess game.
"So this is where you have been, Amaymon." His voice was distorted but pleased. He expected me to have been here alongside my brother. It was often I visited him in Assiah every other 100 years. It would stun him to think of me not being here when there was plenty of things to keep my boredom at rest. War raised my interest. It gave me something to watch or involve myself in. Father averted himself to Mephisto.

Satan was corrupted. A fallen angel. His other name was Lucifer. When he betrayed the heavens, the underworld became his domain where his power grew almost to the equivalencies of the gods above. It wavered back and forth depending on what god you believed in for there were many. Satan was the ruler of hell; the great underworld that rules all other demon realms. It was the embody of the Demonata. His body was corrupted too, not just his heart. His body was described as many things. Burt ashes, lava instead of blood, blackened horns and pointy ears. Tales were like rumors, unless you saw for yourself it is not accurate, one detail will either always have miscommunication or interpreted wrong. Here he stood before us all, his form as plain as day. It was beyond me to entirely describe him for the simple reason he took many different forms.

I stepped forth ignoring my own fathers words. I had seen enough of him at home, there was no reason for me to be excited in his presence now. Bec was right, I was in too deep to weasel myself out of this. I already agreed with brother that I took his side for it would be the funnest. In a droll, agitated tone, I sneered at Lord Loss. His power was weak before me. I would easily flick him upon the forehead sending him a mile away if I so wished it upon him. "Well well...I guess it can't be helped then." I took the board for myself and set it down. This was dark magic that surrounded it, something I was familiar with.

"Exuro Tabula, Acceptus Letum." The board began to move, a mini vortex summoning itself from the center sucking Beranabus, Bec, Grubbs, Kernel and I into the board. I didn't know where each of us were, we were all spread out within the board on one single side. We were the pieces of the game. This was game was played with living beings unlike other games. I found myself in complete darkness once inside. This must have been one of the black slots of the board. Due to not knowing our position, only father, brother and Lord Loss from above could see our positions and tell us what pieces we were. It made me wonder if I was a knight or something else. It was hard to tell. We now must wait for Lord Loss to include his half of the board with pieces and await orders to start our game.