Never Surrender (Open, could be mature)

[Rose for the Hunter]

The sky that day was full of anger, hatred and sorrow. No one knew why but the few that remained to see the end of the terrible war their bodies broken and slowly their life ebbed away surrendering to their death. One of them a young woman pulled herself onto her elbows blood dripping from her mouth with a once scarless body now riddled with scars, her coal black hair falling in front of her face, panting and gasping for air her mouth wide open as the pale blood dropped out.

She looked up hearing footsteps coming towards her and then suddenly stop, the once innocent eyes now filled with the sin of death and murder. Her barely living body clinging to any strand it could to survive, her razor teeth covered by bleeding lips. Tattered wings dropping to her sides their silver feathers forever stained with the crimson liquid of war, her arms shaking as they held her as far off the ground as they could, fists clenched, her head soon lowered again, mismatched eyes of deep gold amber and the purest of blood red.

She waited “Surrender there is only you left now, what can one woman do?” she head snapped up ignoring the pain that coursed through her body “I’ll tell you what I can do, I can hunt each and every one of you down until your souls are all rotting under the tinted moonlight” she snapped only to get kick in the stomach and gave a grunt of pain and looked to them. She was in no state to be arguing but she wasn’t going to surrender to anything or anyone and nothing would make her she had to live.

“Such a strong will to live despite the fact your broken through and through. Riddled with scars you’ll end up as a shadow”
“It’s better than rotting in hell because of you scum” she said devilish smirk appearing on her face coughing up blood when she was kicked again and wincing when another stepped on one of her broken wings and bit her lip from the agonising pain when they tore her wings out cleanly.

Instead of killing her they pulled her to her feet after tearing her wings off completely bone and all leaving two gaping wounds on her back her slender form cover in blood stained moon pale ivory skin blood dripped down her back as she was taken back. Her head was raised to the sky every time a pair of new wings grew they were ripped out once more. She looked to the chains that held her by her neck and hands as she wore the old tattered clothes wondering what would happen she made no sound refusing any food they gave her she muttered to herself “One month, that is all I have” she closed her eyes and just waited as days passed the sunlight meant nothing to her as she waited making no word to see if she’d be bought.

“It’s better than rotting in hell huh? Who knows what you’ll be used for and the scythe of yours will make a good price”
“Touch my scythe and you’ll regret it” she said no one would even touch it but her something stopped them as though the scythe it’s self was rejecting people they ended up with burns. She just waited too weak to do much more now two weeks had passed and as she took in a breath from the twilight sky her razor teeth showed and a sigh of sadness came from her closing her eyes a lullaby came from the scythe to try and sooth it’s master.

The young woman listened to the sadness that engulfed the lullaby of her scythe the twin silver blades that wept with unseen tears old bloodied bandages wrapped around its black handle there was nothing magnificent about this sight, the broken warrior and the weeping weapon. Her eyes were jaded, she never slept here it was not comfortable her neck burned from the chains. She listened to the entrancing melody of her scythe and soon began to sing a sweet angelic voice coming from her dry throat but the song was sad and engulfed with a deep sorrow.

(The basic storyline is my character ends up getting sold but being so stubborn she refuses to do a thing despite her condition, This is set after a war between the humans, angels, demons and Utopians fresh after the war has ended to be more precise. The rest of the plot will depend on who the other character is and what they are which I would appreicated if you'd put in the first reply, thank you)

[questor]

The place was dimly lit, and the smell of fear, urine, and stale air filled the place. It was the holding pens for the slave market above. Many slaves had been brought to the slave market after the end of the war. All those taken prisoners were now to be sold as slaves. At least in the lands controled by the Demon Lords. The other lands controled by the Angelic race and the Human Race had discarded slavery, a shame really, for there was much wealth to be made in such a trade.

The war that had lasted for over a hundred years had finally come to an end, with the three surviving races signing a peace agreement. It had been a hard agreement to hammer out, with each wanting a number of things to be put into it and agreed upon. One for the Demons had been the continuance of slavery for their lands, and the non interference with the laws governing slaves. One could own slaves in the Demon Lands but they could not be taken into the human or angelic lands. There if a Demon traveled he had to rent servents and they had to be treated with respect and not harmed.

Nickodemous prowled the holding pens getting a good look at the stock they had. He wanted to buy a slave girl for his amusment. Now that the war was over he could now enjoy the pleasures of a woman. His days as a General was now at an end and he was one of the lower Demon Lords, with land, money and a desire for more power. He moved about in his human looking form. The only thing that would tell him apart was his eyes. They were amber in color, with flakes of red in the irrus.

The male slaves he would let his Captain select for the maintaining of his lands, farming, building and the like. These he didn't even give a second look as he concentrated on the females. He smiled as he saw one that intrested him. A Utopian, a rare find these days, She was good looking, had a very nice looking body that he would enjoy thourghly, even though she was scared from the war and her wings had been taken from her, she was still desireable. The scars he could easily get rid of and the wings, well there were other ways to keep her earthbound. He looked at her number and then down at her in the small cage she was in.

"Well little one, it seems that you have fallen on some very hard times." he grinned. He snapped his fingers and at once one of the attendance came running. He threw him a bag of gold, way more then she would have probably gone for. "The paperwork, now, or I will have you flogged till your bloodied body moves no more." He opened the cage and lifted her chin so she could look into his eyes. "You are now the property of Lord Nickodemus."

[Rose for the Hunter]

She had closed her eyes briefly snapping them open picking up some rather unnerving thoughts from a demon made her disgusted and they scythe even gave a snarl picking up its master’s unease. New wings had already started growing on her back. She too had been a general of sorts she had once lead the Utopians to their demise and was not proud of it, not in the slightest. Bits of coal black hair fell back and her razor teeth showed. Sadness might have engulfed her but she still held her other traits and her hatred for what they had done to her race.

She growled at being called 'little one' piercing mismatched eyes of blood red and golden amber ,looking straight into his, angrily already her eyes locking onto him swiftly the very soul of him was what she read and snarled. A load of racket came from the scythe and it turned swiftly to a wolf and snarled angrily warning him, but it was no use the boy had already gone to fetch the documents and she felt her heart sink that very instant. Damn it all she thought angrily. She tried retreating back into the cage when it was opened and was tempted to snap at his hand a rip a finger or two off, or at the very least try to. However, she decided against it, mismatched eyes of pure hatred pierced through his, she was still full of fight unlike a lot of them.

The boy coughed “I’m sorry to inform you sir but that scythe goes with her, no one else can wield it at the moment, seems it used ot be one of Death’s scythes that he lost before the long war and you certainly found a good one, don’t think there are many of them left now, but she's a bit...lively” she turned her head and snapped at him angrily, she didn't speak but such anger showed in her eyes as clear as day. THey hadn't figured out that she couldn't eat solid food yet and he showed that she refused to eat. "She is also stubborn, so you might have your hands full" he warned, a few of them had been bitten by thsoe hellish teeth of hers and well it didn't end up very well.

Pulled from her cage the scythe was handed to her but her hands chained in such a manner that she could not attack with it at all, it frustrated her greatly and she tugged at them hugging the scythe to her body, she stood with the same pride all Utopians once had. Her eyes had frozen; she was reading through him, to find anything, anything at all that would allow her a chance to escape. She tugged a little more at the chained but they were weak tugs, she was tired, not sleeping for days with the chains burning into her neck. She lifted her head briefly and frowned, “Stained…” she whispered a little, she still kept that scythe of hers close to her, hugging it tightly, as if it were a teddy bear. It was all she had left now, she could hear no voices in her head from toher of her kind, that was what made her loose hope.

[questor]

Nick grinned as she was taken from the cage. He saw the look in her eyes, the hatred and desire to kill him. He looked at the Scythe. "You will no longer need that. The war is over and all prisoners we have in our lands are now ours to do with as we please. So the peace agreement reads." he smiled. He removed his cloak and placed it about her shoulders and moved around infront of her and closed the clasp. He then placed a thin metal collar about her neck and removed the chains about her neck. The Scythe would go into the armory he had at his castle.

The collar gave a warm glow and sent a warm feeling through the body. "Do not try anything my dear, for the collar not only will help heal your wounds and scars but will also give you great pain, upon my command." he then took her by the arm and began leading her out of the holding pens up into the main part of the auction house. He stuffed the papers of ownershp in a small satchel he had slung over one shoulder. Outside the auction house his carriage awaited.

Nick had fought the Utopians. They had been a formable foe and a worthy one. "You will learn now that the war is over and your people lost. The rest of us, well we all lost and won something. Now you must resign yourself to the status that Fate has put before you." It was a pitty that so many of them had died. The few that did escape had fled far into the mountains. They should have served with the Demons in the war, perhaps then they would have been better off.

"Now into the carriage with you." he told her.

[Rose for the Hunter]

She glared at him even more so hugging the scythe to her still and it gave a growl of disapproval, this scythe was alive the twin blades singing within its masters scared arms. “I know full well the war is over you, twit” she said her voice was harsh and scratchy; she hadn’t spoken very much recently and found it a waste of the energy she had left. She hissed a little through her teeth at the thin metal collar around her neck, it didn’t cover an old seal of her race around her neck.

She shivered slightly from the warmth and snapped at him for her ‘dear’ she looked to the satchel but then moved a hand to the collar on her neck and bit her lip a little, rather ticked off about it. If I can just get those papers she thought as she was dragged by her arm constantly trying to pull her arm away from him, but had no success, she was too weak, too tired.

She got into the carriage and keeping her scythe named Deadly Score close she settled down a little and the scythe whined and turned into a white wolf, the coat was dirty and it licked the young woman’s face before nuzzling her as if she was being spoken to she didn’t let go of the she-wolfs fur, this was a demonic being, one that belonged in the demons lands.

She stayed close to the young woman who was named Seclusion, it was such a fitting name at this point in time, since she was so isolated from any others that there were, she closed her eyes briefly listening, Deadly kept her eyes on him, she knew not to trust him, it did not take much longer for her wings to be completely feathers their silver, blood-stained feather fading to a darker colour quickly, one of midnight blue tipped with an ink black colour as the wolf returned to a scythe the girls head fell forward leaning again the top blade of the double bladed scythe.

[questor]

Nick chuckled at the scythe. "Oh have no fear you will be among old friends and others of your kind. My own Demon Blade Crimson Death is there to keep you company. Where your master is going to be is no place for you. Remember where you came from and who made you." he smiled. "You have no power over me and can do no harm to me."

He tapped on the roof of the carriage and his driver snapped the reigns and the horses moved forward. The trip to the castle was not to long. It sat on a hill overlooking the city below. His city, his lands. As a Demon Lord he had been given enough land to keep him in wealth. But as with all Demons he wanted more, more power, more land, more everything. The lesser demons that inhabited the land was under his control and orders. He was subject to the laws and whims of the Demon King. One day if the te old Demon King was not careful a new Demon King would be sitting on his throne. Perhaps even Nick.

At the castle one could see the soldiers on the walls patrolling it and inside the courtyard. When the carriage came to a stop, he opened the door and held out his hand to her. "You can make this easy on yourself and live a comfortable life. If you show me that you can be trusted, I will grant you the freedom of flying in my small domain. Your wings will be alowed to grow back, but I must have your word you will not try to escape."

[Rose for the Hunter]

Deadly Score snarled a little before she turned back into a scythe, resting one blade on her master’s shoulder. “I remember such a place well, but I was re-made after being broken, the king of her race re-made me” she said almost proudly but even he was dead. She said nothing more playing an almost whispering melody to the ears of Seclusion.

Opening her blood red eye she looked to him and snarled a little at him but did nothing more until the carriage stopped, she remembered the demon king, she had seen him in the war a few times got a few nasty scars from him as well. She saw the soldiers on guard; she picked up every detail and bit her lip. Deadly having turned back to a wolf jumped down herself and barked at Seclusion to follow, she walked down herself not daring to take his hand. She was very cautious and she had her reasons, her wings changing angels constantly to help her stay balanced.

She didn’t speak a word at what he said; she didn’t find it easy living here anywhere, the demon lands; the place she dreaded. Deadly looked to her as she raised her head to the sky thinking again “Fine, then. I give you my word” she said in a whisper lowering her head until it hung and looked to Deadly who sat neatly at her heels.

Her eyes took in the new place underneath her scruffy, short, coal black hair, her small wings remaining tightly folded almost in fear of them being ripped out despite what he had said. People had lied to her before. She noted every detail about that place picking up small peices of information from each soldier they passed, by the time night had fallen she had learnt all she needed. Her wings were stretched out for the first time in ages they crackled themselves into place, the small swift wings soon would be used. She needed to hunt.

She jumped from one of the windows and stretched her wings as she landed, she wondered around in the darkness with ease, her silver, blood-stained wings resting folded on her back with Deadly walking beside her. She lifted her head a little to the moon filled sky. "Perfect" she said her teeth snapping a little. She kept alert though and tugged at the collar aorund ehr neck, it was really annoying.

[questor]

He nodded as she gave him her word she would not escape. A Utopian's word was their bond and it was dishonorable to break it once given. Once in side the castle's main house, he told a couple slaves to prepare a bath for her and to get her proper cloths for her station as his slave. They hurried to do his bidding and motioned for her come with them. They stayed clear of the wolf like creature walking with her.

Nick followed along and stood there as the slaves stripped Seclusion of her filthy clothes. He looked at her lovely body and grinned. Yes she would do very nicely. The women took care to wash her poperly and thorghly. They rubbed scented oils into her skin and wahsed her hair. Once cleaned and dried they brought out a short red dress that had a very low V kneckline that showed off her tits quite well. It tied behind her neck , leaving her back free.

Once done he removed the chains on her wrists. "You have free run of the Castle. Remember you have given your word. He looked at her and smiled. "Go and hunt if that is what you wish to do."

He had seen the way she had looked about the castle and at the soldiers and everything. "When you are done, come to my chambers." he then left her to her own design, but he stroked an arm band on his right arm. It was made of the same metal as her collar, and bore a black gem in the middle of it. He walked to his study and placed her papers in a safe and closed the secret compartment when he was done.

[Rose for the Hunter]

She snarled a little, but soon just turned her back to them all afterwards before she went outside; she sniffed the air a little and walked off in one direction. A dead body was what she found and she smirked Deadly rushed it and pulled a flame from it giving it to her before she sat herself high up with her wings around her as the wolf dug into the rotting corpse both content. “At least I won’t starve” she muttered and Deadly looked up. “We need to get out of here, you know that; honour or freedom, which do you pick?” Seclusion lowered her head a little thinking and gave a smirk. “You are right; however, we cannot make it obvious. Such as now, one would expect me to take this opportunity, but it’s too obvious plus there is one solider down there watching you eating his friend.” She laughed and jumped down. She hated the dress but her back was free at least, jeans and a top would have been better for her.

Deadly snarled and chased the soldier away and Seclusion sat down stroking to soft fur of her companion. The wolf whined and nuzzled her before laughing a little, “So what shall we do?” They spoke for a little stood up again and headed inside, sick of the bitter winds. She walked around a little just picking up subtle details such as where most servants were at certain times, she knew they would most likely keep a routine so she had to be careful about where and what times she picked to plan this escape.

After another while she knocked on his door “You said to come here” she said simply before she walked in, her arms crossed over her chest as she looked to him, she still held that hateful look in her eyes. “What is it you want?”

[questor]

Laying on the floor was a pure blood red furred, male wolf with red glowing eyes "Since you seem to enjoy the company of your enchanted weapon, I thought that it should meet mine. This is Crimson Death. The wolf sniffed the air and looked at the female then growled. He sat behind a large desk of wood, that had been hand carved and detailed with fine craftmanship. On his desk lay many papers that had to do with dealing with the running of his domain.

"Did you enjoy your hunt and kill. I will have to replace the guard of course but such is the life of the lower demons." he stood up and moved to her, circling her. "I see your wings have fully recovered. The fools that had tore them from you should have been gutted and their heads displayed on spikes on the city walls." he ran his fingers over them, feeling the softness of the feathers, and then down to the base of the wings where them met her back, rubbing them lightly. "Beauty should not be mared." he walked around infront of her.

"Life here can be easy for you. That choice is yours. I bought you to be my slave, my pleasure slave, and traveling companion." he reached up and caressed her right cheek. "You have already given me your word you will not try to escape and as you have seen you already have the freedom to fly about with out chains, or guards. More freedom then the other slaves about the castle."

He returned to his desk and leaned against it as he looked at her. "The war created a hatred between our races, since yours decided to side with the Angelic Race, our heritatary enemy. Our races are much alike in firceness......." he pointed to the two wolves, "Weapons, and other things. It is to bad that we had not been allies."

[Rose for the Hunter]

Deadly did not seemed impressed at all and snarled at the other wolf, amber eyes showed the same thing as her companion; hatred. She stayed where she was having wondered a little from the heels of Seclusion having sensed another weapon. Much like her, to her dislike, her ears went back and she snarled. Both of them had never said their names and did not plan to give them either, if they could help it anyway.

“He was dead when I found him, demons souls are bitter” she muttered. Her eyes followed as he circled her folding her wings in tightly when he touched them and jerked when he touched the base of her wings and they flicked him slightly, she really hated anyone touching her wings and back it irritated her and after so long, it was not something she was comfortable with. She gave a hiss of annoyance at him.

She looked to him once more at what he said and snapped “I’m no ones slave or travelling companion” she said pulling away when he caressed her cheek, she wished that she hadn’t given her word now. Seclusion spoke, “You are mistaken, we did not side with either angels or demons, or humans in the end” she said “They turned on us when we refused one of the orders at the beginning of the war.” Her voice turned harsh suddenly.

“And what do you know of my race? Nothing, you don’t get a thing you only believe what you have been told, that is all you know” she said stopping suddenly. Deadly was looking at her with a warning look ‘Be careful, with your words, remember that collar’ Seclusion bit her lip. “Now answer my question, what is it you want?” she did not add the part that she was leaving otherwise she’d rather go and sleep than be anywhere near him and his enchanted weapon, as would her companion. Her wings rustled on her back, the scar that ran down her back slowly healing still, it had been a rather deep wound and scar. But one thing that most didn't pick up on was how much she hid, not even at the holding pens had they picked up that much.

Her patience faded and she just turned her back in order to walk out, Deadly gave a final snap of her jaws before she followed the young woman. She was near enough in her top form by now after the annoying collar on her neck had healed up most of her scars, her wings had grown back fully, the dress that she hated she had to wear otherwise it was those tattered, smelly clothes again, made her more desirable, but she also held many secrets inside her yet to be seen, or heard of yet.

[questor]

A guard at the door saw how she acted and talked to Lord Nickodemus. He moved up and back handed her across the face and pushed her back into the room, "Filthy bitch, the master is not done with you and you will show respect." The guard was only doing his job but Nick did not like others touching what belonged to him. He was at his desk across the room and then suddenly stood between the guard and Seclusion a hand around the lesser demons throat raising him off the floor. The lesser demon soldier squirmmed and gurgled as air was cut off from his lungs.

Nick snarled at the guard, "No one be me touches her and if I wish to listen to her insolent toung, I will. It is only I that will punish her if I so desire!" his voice was full of anger. He threw the guard against the wall in the corridor beyond. "You will inform all in the castle of this, is that understood!"

The guard rubbed his throat and croaked out, "Yes my Lord." and clawed his way back to his feet and stumbled off to do as he was ordered. He turned frowning and looked at her, then moved back to his desk. "You may leave now. You will find my bed through that door." he told her, and then went to the balcony off his study window and put his hands on the railing and looked up at the sky. Crimson Death stood at his side and changed back to the red bladed sword and sheathed itself back in the scabbard on his left leg.

Removing his shirt and dropping it to the floor, he streached out his arms and he gritted his teeth as bat like wings grew from his back and spread wide. His tanned skin became pale and one could see around the edges of his bat wings the soft brown of feathers. He Launched himself up into the air and beat his wings hard, gaining altitude. Soon he was gliding in the upper currents, his wings spread wide. He was one of but a few demons that possessed wings, when they transformed in to their demon forms.

[Rose for the Hunter]

She snarled at the guard, not impressed and Deadly was about to snap as well as Seclusion swiftly got to her feet and spoke swiftly beforehand “No one is my master, also why punish someone for doing their job” she snapped angrily, just before watching the scene unfold before her. She just remained silent as he stood between her and the guard; she was already baring her teeth at the guard as was Deadly. She just let the scene unfold at its will; she didn’t care what happened she had other things to do.

Before she left she spoke swiftly “How about we get this straight, no one, not even you will touch me and you are not my master, no one is” she said simply before her wings stretched themselves out the blood-stained wings cracked again, still rather stiff. She gave a tired sigh and sat herself down. Rustling her short black hair, Deadly that had left another way came back handing her an old, tattered, black book. “Ahh, thank you Deadly, I wondered what had become of this” she said softly and flicked through the yellow tinted pages. She wondered around for somewhere else to go sleep, having no luck and getting kicked out a few times by the maids she ended up having to go back.

It wasn’t too long before she was curled up, Deadly sighed keeping guard laying on the floor in silence, her wings draped over her like a second blanket from under the covers, her breathing was barely audible. Curled up tightly her legs tangled themselves with her closed fists in front of her face her hair covering the rest of her calm face. Deadly got up and gave a growl hearing someone walk in and snapped a warning, she heard the door slam as they left and a lot of cursing as well.

“We need to get out of here, but… a Utopians word is her honour. Such peculiar beings.” She laughed the motherly voice form the wolf woke her up with a light groan. “Deadly, don’t wake me up.” Her hand stretched and rubbed the wolf behind her ear. “Seclusion, we have to get away from here, you know that” Seclusion frowned.
“There is nowhere to go, the others are not in the mountains, they were tracked down and hunted, they are really all gone, Deadly Score” she said softly, her velvet voice was very different, from the voice she spoke to Nickodemus with.

[questor]

Nick had not been able to fly for some time, due to the political power struggle that had gone on after the war ended. There were those that blamed the old King for their inablity to win the war. Others blamed a number of the Demon Lords and their failure to secure vital positions that would have kept the Angelics at bay for the time that they had needed to concentrate forces to defeat them.

He enjoyed flying high over the land, "That one is trouble Nick." Crimson spoke to him. "She will never bend to you. Her hatred is deep."

"Well she does have a good reason for that hatred. Was it not the King that declared her people enemies, for not siding with us. Besides I like the rebelliousness. Better then some whimpering slave that can not satisfy me in bed. Give her time and she will come around. I think you just don't like the sprited she wolf." he laughed.

Finally he returned to the Castle and reentered his study from the balcony. Upon his return a guard came in and went to one knee. "My lord, a captive has been brought in from the mountans. Another Utopian, a male."

Nick raised a brow and nodded. The mountains was not in his domain. It seemed Lord Vargos was sending him a present. A way of negotiating a pact of sorts. "Bring him up." he told the guard, as he again changed back into his human form.

[Rose for the Hunter]

Seclusion lifted her head and gave a snarl she could sense someone from her race and got to her feet her wings wrapped around her and Deadly at her feet. She picked up who it was, an old friend of hers and she froze. “That idiot” she muttered under her breath. The other utopian growled as he was brought up, he had picked her up as well. Neither of them were happy with being prisoners. “State your name.” they said and he hissed before answering “Draco Alma” he said simply.

Seclusion walked through she was holding a scythe this time he singing silver blades. Her wings rustled on her back a little, “Let him go, are you trying to destroy us even more” she snapped angrily at them. Deadly snarled as well, raising his head a little he spoke in their native language and her voice became softer and he bowed his head slightly, she didn’t care what any of them did or said to her, she went over and spoke again. “I’ll get you out of here” she whispered to him before she backed up, Deadly turned into a wolf once more staying at the heels of Seclusion.

She was even more disgusted at this, damn it, why didn’t I sense them? she thought shaking her head a little. “Why are Seclusion and Deadly Score here?” he asked. “Did she get caught as well?” he seemed calmer than her, wiser in a way. Deadly stayed in the room while Seclusion went outside once more, she hated this all. Deadly stood beside the other one and whined looking up to him, he mouthed something to her ‘look after her’, the pair fo them knew full well what she was like.

Walking outside she kept her wings around her, it was better than the dress. She walked inside getting baord and feeling rather chilly, she stayed away if she could and found an old place in the castlle, she opened it and sneezed a little covering her face with one of her wings, she saw tones of books. "At least there's something to keep me eterntained for a bit" she smiled a little, she had to make an entirely new plan now anyway.

[questor]

Nick had watched from a distance as the two Utopians seemed to sense each other and talked. He was in chains, ankles, wrists and about his neck. As his slave left the area he came forward and motioned for the guards to take Draco into the throne room of the castle. Nick walked up the three steps to the throne and sat down as the guards drug Draco in. They had their swords and spears pointed at him at all times. Two of the guards hit him behind the knees making him fall to his knees.

Nick looked down at him and shook his head. "Go find my slave and bring her here. He pointed to one of the guards, "Tell her that I wish her here as I talk to her brethern. The rest of you clear out." They looked surprised at his order but bowed and left. He sighed.

Crimson transformed again in to his wolf form and barred his fangs at the Utopian. "Shuch. No need for that right now."

"What are you going to do with me!" Draco demanded.

Nick shugged his shoulders, "I am not sure. I could have you executed, touchered publicly and executed. Haven't really decided yet. I think I will wait till your brethern is brought here. It seems the two of you know each other.

The guard found Seclusion and cleared his throat. He knew he was not to touch her and did not want to incur Nicks wrath. "My Lord bids you join him in the throne room, as he questions the other Utopian."

[Rose for the Hunter]

She looked to guard after he had found her and put the dusty old book down, she retraced her steps a little giving up on that tactic she didn’t ask direction she picked her way through by finding their souls and following her hunting instinct.

She found her way there swiftly and Deadly appeared first and licked the cheek of Draco and barked a little happy to see another person familiar to her. Seclusion appeared soon after flicking her wings a little. Draco looked to Seclusion as if giving her a kind of warning and she bowed her head a little to him before she turned to Nick, she did not speak a word but her and Deadly.

She waited for the questions to start listening to the answers in complete silence; Deadly sat beside her both looked to Draco in chains and she twitched her fingers slightly but both Deadly and Draco shook their heads and she bit her lip. “Why?” she whispered under her breath and her wings wrapped around her again. Deadly sighed a little and nipped her and she just listened once more to everything that was being asked and answers given, she couldn’t do much more really.

“From what I can recall the mountains is not within your domain, I figured that much at least so why are you questioning someone who wasn’t even trespassing on your land?” she said simply to Nick her gaze turning to him. “Explain yourself.” she demanded him, it didn't make to sense to her and then searched his soul and snarled "So, we really have become nothing mroe than rare trading items, how disrespectful, surely you are supposed to show even your enimies some respect."

[questor]

When Seclusion arrived along with Deadly he leaned back in his throne. "It seems that another Demon Lord wants to make a pact with me and sent him as a gift." It was one way of making deals to secure ones position with in the court of the Demon King. The more backing one had the more power he could bring to bear to get what he or she wanted. Nick had already done some of that and held his own in the court.

He touched a section of the arm rest of his throne and the chains on Draco fell away. "Now I think that is a bit better." he stroked the head of Crimson. "You asked what I was going to do with you a bit ago." he looked down at the two of them. He smiled and then leaned forward on his throne. "I am going to set you free, to return to what remains of your people with a proposition."

He removed a metal wristband from his right wrist and tossed it to Draco. "This bears my seal upon it. Any who stops you and sees it will know that you are under my protection and will not hinder you." He looked over at Seclusion. "Does this meet with your approval." he asked

Then turning back to Draco. "Return to your people and tell them, that I offer Sanctuary here in my domain if they are willing to swear alligence to me. Here they will be under my protection, and not even the King can contest it, such is our laws." he leaned back in the throne awaiting the response from both of them.

[Rose for the Hunter]

Seclusion quickly asked something important “How many are left?” “Not many at all, Seclusion, of what remains of our people there are only 4 maybe 5 of us, the others are defiantly dead though, I’m sorry” She saddened and went over her fingers twitched and small threads ran over him and healed the wounds stitching them up. “You never change little sis…” he laughed and she turned her head to Nick, she nodded a little “OK then, Draco, you decide.”

“It’ll be better than living in the mountains” was all he said and she nodded Deadly barked a little and looked to Seclusion. “You sure about this? What if it’s another trick” she said they both knew such a thing well. Seclusion closed her eyes a little and gave a soft sigh turning her head back she helped Draco up and he stretched his wings and arms they cracked a little as well. “OK then, we agree to your terms but let me say this, do anything to betray such a deal and we can sever it easily, our laws are different from yours, a betrayal for a betrayal. “ He was quickly gone.

Seclusion turned to him “Why offer such a thing? For power I’m guessing, that’s all you demons ever want” she snapped at the end “It makes no sense” she muttered her eyes closing and Deadly sighed and stood up talking to her she turned her head once more. “But, I thank you, even if it is only for power, at least they’ll be safe” she said her head hung a little thinking everything through carefully. She thought a little abotu which ones were alive and found a few links, efinatly four of them but one confused her she wasn't sure if they were dead or alive.

Opening her eyes she looked to him "If you'll excuse me, I'm going to go back to the old library" she muttered under her breath and turned her back. she walked down the stairs careful not to slip and Deadly looked to them as well, she was also still a bit confused.

[questor]

He smiled when the two decided to accept his offer. Yes in part it was for power. He admired the Utopians for their fierceness and their ability to fly. They were more like the Demon Race then that of humans or Angelics. But there was another reason one that was more personal. As Draco left he could hear the muttering of his soldiers wondering what was going on. He had to chuckle a bit at it.

He watched Seclusion leave. It seemed she had found the old library of the Castle. It probably had not been used for a very long time. Many of the tomes dealt with the history of the Demon Race and their constant waring with the Angelic race. Tales of great battles, victories and defeats. Some was on the human race that had been caught between the two waring powers.

One was a family history, a genelogical tree of sorts of one Lord Brasko Deakon, which was the Demon Kings name. In it was the listing of all his ancestors and the new generation after him. Nicks name was displayed below the kings name, but there was no name for his mother listed.

[Rose for the Hunter]

Seclusion didn’t come out for some time; she walked back into the chambers and found her black book she had to check who was there. Draco flew in and panting slightly from the long flight. Jumping down swiftly she looked to him. “I’m sorry; we lost two on the way” “It’s fine, at least they’ll get to rest in peace. Where are the others?” she asked he stepped aside, there was a young boy, an old lady, Draco and a young man about Seclusion’s age. She easily picked their names out. “Elder Kana, I’m glad to see you are well. Skilleg, I see you survived” “of course I would, what do you aspect? glad to see you as well” he smirked a little at her and she glared snapping at him as a warning.

“No more of that, the war is over.” said the Elder hitting the youngster in the arm.
“And Samuel, it’s good to see you are well” she said and knelled down her wings folding and hugged the young boy before looking at them. “Seclusion, what are you doing here?”
“Got caught at the very end, sold and here I am, but I can’t escape from this place, I gave my word and my word is my honour, for now anyway” she said standing up her wings wrapping around her like a cloak.

She rustled her wings around her a little “Come on, you might as well come in, I’ll check you all over” she said softly and let them in. they followed her to the old library, in which she felt was a sort of sanctuary, a place she could be alone in this castle and checked them all over. “You all seem well” she said softly and they nodded.

She turned a little and Deadly came back after a hunt bringing some souls for the utopians, they didn’t have to eat as much as she did, only once or twice a year, she had to eat one once a month, it was an unknown illness in her race but she could live with it. After a while they went to see Nick to thank him, they too gave their word trusting what Seclusion and Draco had chosen to do, Seclusion had been their second leader, her brother Draco their first leader but both were shown respect of sorts.

Afterwards they just vanished staying within his lands though since they knew they were safe now. They found it easy to blend in with the lower demons; fooling them with small tricks such as dying their wings black saying they were fallen angels. It worked that was for sure until they got used to living there.

Afterwards she foudn the blacony as well and sat on the edge of it talking to Deadly, she still pretty much ignored, hated and avoided him as well as the others if she could. However, she had to think to herself about if this choice was best now.

[questor]

Nick had heard that some Utopian survivors had returned. He met with them shortly and to each he gave a wrist band that should they need it prove that they were under his protection. The ones that did not survive he sent soldiers to bring their bodies back to the Castle. The young one he studied long and well. He would one day be tall and strong as any of the utopians and he would have a place of authority when he became of age.

To Draco he handed him an amulet. "This is your seal of authority. There is a village on the outer rim of my domain. Go there and show this to the Captain of the garrison there. If he gives you any trouble send word to me. You are the commander there now." he wrote out something on paper and applied his signent ring to it and handed it to Draco as well. "Serve me well young Utopian and who knows what may come about."

He then sent for his healer/wizard. "Two bodies will be coming. I want their souls returned to them. You know what must be done." it was something that was seldom done. Dark and powerful magic was used, that sometimes killed the user if they were not skilled. That was one reason it was seldom done. Not many cared to take the chance. But he wanted the two Utopians that had been lost, brought back and nurtured to health. They would be valuable in time.

When he returned to the Study he saw her on the balcony. "I will be keeping an eye on the one called Samuel." he told her. "When he is of age, I will give him a place of authority in my domain as I have your brother."

[Rose for the Hunter]

She had closed her eyes once she was there thinking snapping out of it hearing his voice. "No, he is going with the others, he has to make sure they are safe, they need a leader of their own kind to translate, not many can speak languages other than the one native to them especially Samuel, he aspired to join the war, to help fight, but there was no one to train him..." she spoke in that velvet voice for once, still mostly deep in thought.

Draco found the village, following the instructions he was given and gave a sigh of relief translating for the other Utopians there and they nodded smiling but one asked something "Where is Seclusion?"
"She gave her word to stay there, so she's keeping it, don't worry I'm sure she'll be fine, remember who you're talking about" he chuckled.

She brought one of her knees up to her chest. "What on earth is going on here, first I'm bought as a slave, you make me give my word not to try and escape and then you give shelter to what remains of my race... I don't understand, something doesn't add up" she said her voice trailing off slightly. Deadly sighed a little and walked inside for a bit to find something to drink mostly.

Raising her head a little she rustled her wings, wrapped around her still trying to figure everything out she looked over her shoulder to him reading through what she could of his soul, but some parts were locked off. “What exactly do you hope to achieve through such acts? Power I understand but you have other reasons, that I can tell.”

[questor]

"I respect your people. I fought them and saw how fiercely they fought, perhaps to fiericely. They did not know when to quite, to retreat to fight another day. I think they will be of great value to me yes, and yes I might have another reason, but that is for me to know right now." he told her. He rested his hands on the stone work of the balcony ledge.

"Trying to look inside me to see what makes me tick?" he asked her smiling. "You will find that quite difficult to do. But I am not what you expected am I?" Looking up at the sky that was begining to get light again. "You will find that I rule with an iron hand, but a fair one. My methods of punishment may seem cruel but it deters those that would try to disobey my orders."

He then turned and looked at her. "I have sent for the bodies of the two that did not make it all the way here. My healer/wizard has the dark secret to bring their souls back to their bodies and heal them. Your people need to survive." He then went back inside and to his bedchamber.

The Captain was not to pleased to see a former enemy now under the protection of his Lord and was replacing him as commander of the garrison. But the orders stated he was to return to the city for a higher command which pleased him. "You are welcome to this hell hole." he told Draco. "Beyond the boarder lies lands of the humans." With that he went to pack his thngs and head back.

[Rose for the Hunter]

She rustled her hair a little, it was all messy once more; not that she cared. She glared at him a little, she didn’t quite believe what he said. “That was under our queens order, she used to be ruler, but becoming engulfed by greed and power she made the wrong choices and sealed our fate, she’d come back to haunt me if she could.” She laughed a little before listening to what he said.

She was bound here now, her people were here and she could no longer plan her escape now. But giving shelter to them gained one level of trust from her but only to a certain extent, anyone could deceive. “Make sure they receive the correct souls and check their links then, it is important they have two souls or they might as well be dead, they’ll suffer more than anything for they’ll not be complete.” She said simply before she stretched her wings.

She remained outside until the sun was up and then just slipped from the balcony and went to find Deadly, having no luck she sighed and just settled herself finding a pen she wrote in the small black book before she rustled her wings and just went to bed, still not able to find ehrself somewhere else to sleep since the maids kept kicking her out of every room she found. She stretched her wings and lay on er front her wings folded loosly draping over her revealing only part of her back.

“Perfect, we can hunt more easily then, but we’ll have to be careful. And this is not a hell hole, for us it is perfect.” He said smiling her ruffle his wings and went to make sure the others had settled down. “We should only pick off the ones that are already dead, it’ll be better that way we do not wish to cause any more wars or trouble for them.” He said to the small group.

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