"I agree, we should definitely do this more often."
Tybalt let out a slightly embarrassed chuckle.
"Sorry for asking so many questions, and thanks for indulging my curiosity. I hope I didn't pry too much."
He then started to make his way back to the house with Decoda.


Sauriel spread his black wings and started to take flight. It took a moment to get used to using his own wings again, but he soon adjusted. He took a quick glance towards the church.
"Their definition of "fun" seems to be very...twisted. You've made some interesting friends, Semira."
He looked back towards Semira.
"But like you said, we have more important things to discuss. By all means, lead the way."

Decoda tilted her head slightly. "It really didn't bother me." She smiled gently, as she walked into the house, and closed the door behind her. "It's always nice to have to talk about something I used to enjoy." She explained, as she began to walk up the stairs. "And thank you for introducing me to alcohol." She giggled quietly.

Tybalt stifled a laugh so as not to wake up Mike.
"Don't thank me too much, you haven't had your first hangover yet."
He waved to Decoda as he started to walk back to his room.
"Have a good night, Decoda. We'll talk some more in the morning."
He made his way back into his room and laid down on his bed, a warm smile still on his face.


Sauriel followed a short distance behind Semira as she made her way to the pub. A small part of him disapproved of her method of getting a room, but he didn't say anything. When she walked into her new room, Sauriel followed her inside and closed the door behind him, making sure to lock it. He sat down in a nearby chair and turned towards Semira.
"Well, what a day this has been, wouldn't you say?"
He put his arms behind his head and leaned back against the wall.
"I suppose I should apologize for all of the...effort you had to go through, but you definitely have my full attention now. What was it that you wanted to talk about?"

Decoda made her way up the stairs, and to the room across the hall from Tybalt. She smiled gently, as she opened the door, and closed it behind her. She walked over to the bed, and laid down on it, staring up at the ceiling. 'Of all the odd things that have happened today, it's nice to end on a good note.' She thought to herself, then closed her eyes.

Cryth smirked.
"It's fine. Just as long as you're safe."
Jokan sat down opposite them and raised an eyebrow. "So, Amelia. What's the story behind this brother of yours," he said, nodding at Cryth. Cryth looked around the room and after noticing everyone giving him the talking-is-a-swift-route-to-getting-punched look he sighed. "Go on, Amelia..."

The sound a shadow would make if it could fall resounded throughout the room Semira and Sauriel were standing in, and Maraud was leaning against the wall, his face expressionless.
"I do believe I can help you with that..."

Jokan looked up at Cryth, who returned the look.
"Because, I'm going to be honest here, I don't like your brother. He looks weedy, couldn't even manage to keep you safe even with help from that perverted bed - he's currently deflowering a room full of hammocks - and I'm not interested in him. You're the one I share the connection with. He's... well, insignificant, and I really think you're going to be upset with me for saying this but he might not be worth keeping around."

Semira shook her head
"I don't know who it was that did it, Lucifer made sure to keep everything from me"
Semira got up and walked over to Saurial then she knelt down next to him
"I did everything that I could to find out more information, but it was no use. When Lucifer demands something all demons must obey or he is liable to kill us"
she sighed
"I'm sorry, I know this is a lot to take in and if you want I will give you some time. Trust me it took everything I had not to go after Lucifer myself, but I'm no where near as strong as he is"
she then heard a voice behind them and turned to see Mauraud
"And exactly how do you think you can do that, Its not like you have the power to bring our baby back"
she stood up
"How did you get in here?"



There was a sudden thump and Amelia was standing she was looking down at her plate but it was obvious she was angry
"My brother has done everything he can to protect me. You try having every demon coming after you to kill you with only one person to protect you and tell me how that works. They dont just come in ones or twos but in groups. My parents died cause our home was attacked by a horde of them, My entire family but my brother was wiped out."
She looked up at Jokan
"My brother is the only family I have left, therefore he stays with me. He is the only one I trust and the only one who knows how to take care of me"

The faintest of smiles crossed Maraud's face.
"My dear lady, you're talking to a vampire. Death is not exactly as much of an obstacle for me as it is most people."
His gaze flickered to Sauriel. "And as for who..."
He stepped away from the walls and paced the room.
"I think I know who may have killed the child. And, if luck holds, maybe have NOT killed." He paused for a moment. "Maybe being a big word there. The only problem is that if they have NOT killed the child... I dread to think what it has become now. And if they have killed it, I will need a large supply of blood and the body. And if I am correct in who is responsible..."
The slight smile returned. "I have a feeling that will not be an issue."

Cryth said nothing, looking at Amelia with what bordered on admiration.
Jokan also said nothing, but glared at Cryth. "I just don't like him. What use does he have in a fight?"
A vein pulsed in Cryth's temple. I'm not going to fight back, I'm not going to fight back, I'm not going to -
Someone started laughing and jeering, and the whole room started filling up with catcalls and mocking laughs.
I WILL NOT FIGHT BACK, I WILL NOT FIGHT BACK, I WILL NOT -
Something very wet and slimy hit him in the back of the head, and a whole wave of laughter followed.
I'm just going to sit here, and -
The same thing splatted into Amelia's hair, a missed shot at him again, and he snapped.
He twisted in his chair, glaring at the offender - a big burly man twice his height and weight who laughed at the look.
Cryth's eyes narrowed, and he punched.
Every glass in the room shattered into the tiniest fragments, and the man stopped laughing. His eyes went wide. Blood trickled out of his nose and throat, tiny scarlet rivulets. His eyes rolled back in his head, and he crashed down on the table, out cold.
All eyes were on Cryth as he stood up, adjusting his glasses.
He fixed his angry eyes on Jokan, who was also on his feet. The pair squared off, each livid with the other. Jokan reached up to grasp something that wasn't there.
Cryth punched again, at the exact same time Jokan pulled.
Both went down instantly, without a sound.

Semira looked at Saurial then back at the vampire
"Yes please tell us everything. Is our child alive?"
she paused for a moment
"How do you know if that is the case?"


Amelia kept looking from her brother to Jokan as they spoke back and forth. When everyone started laughing she had tears in her eyes. Amelia only blinked when she was hit in the back of the head/
"Please stop"
she whispered but was not heard. When her brother got up and he and Jokan when at it she watched in horror until they both went down. When that happened she immediatly jumped up and rushed to her brothers aid. She started shaking him.
"Brother, wake up...please"

Maraud started pacing the room, his eyes on the floor as he talked.
"Every old vampire gets a visit from Lucifer, and a tour of Hell. A very simple reason for this is because all vampires end up going there, and Lucifer gives them a target margin that determines where they stay. If you're a greedy prick and use your powers for nothing but carousing and human pleasures and getting killed straight away, you spend eternity getting violated by 20-ft mole people, for example. But most importantly to you, I know who the Devil gets to do his dirty work - a rather detestable fat lump of demonic waste called Moloch. In your case, Lucifer would have given the child to Moloch. Best case scenario, Moloch would have killed the child, and it would have gone straight to Heaven. All children do that. Long story."

The pacing increased. "Worst case scenario, Moloch kept the child and raised it as his own. And I hate to think what he would have taught the bea- I mean, child. He is a vile yet powerful wretch who commands vast influence in hell -"
The pacing stopped.
"And I think I have just realized what he has done." Maraud closed his eyes. "He has used the child for his..." His lip curled in distaste. "...games."

Neither woke up.
Guards came and escorted Amelia to her room, carrying her over their shoulders to ensure there was no trouble.
About an hour later, Cryth walked in, his hair a mess and glasses askew. "You OK?"

Semira raised a brow
"Games? what sort of games are you talking about"
she clenched her fist
"Where is our child tell us"
she took a step forward


Amelia was pacing in her room wondering if her brother was ok. When Cryth walked in Amelia quickly ran to him throwing herself at him wrapping her arms around his neck
"You're ok!"
she spoke in a worried tone
"I was so worried about you and the made me come in here. The carried me over their shoulders so i couldnt fight to stay with you"
she kept her hands on his shoulder and looked him up and down
"Please brother tell me your ok, are you hurt?"

Maraud spoke quietly, as though running through his words in his head.
"Moloch is a great lover of blood, carnage, murder and death - so much so he's made it into entertainment. I believe he even took it to here on this planet, ages ago - the Romans and the Coliseum. He is the source of all Lucifer's soldiers - hand-trained and groomed in his gladiatorial arenas. It also serves as their political forum - though considering it's demons, hardly surprising."
He started pacing again.
"Every major player in hell backs various champions, who fight for their own reasons as well as their lords. Whoever wins gets one request granted by Moloch, anything at all. If Moloch wins, he grants himself the ability to do whatever he wants until the next tournament rolls around - which is why, for the last eight games in a row, Moloch hasn't won. Some other really tough demon kept taking the top spot but, with the potential a child between you two could have? Moloch would never be able to pass up forging that into a completely unstoppable soldier."

Cryth readjusted his glasses.
"They were not too kind to me, tis true, but I did clear things up with Jokan. I think he fancies you."
He coughed, slightly embarrassed.
"This is not the kind of place where you can afford to be useless, I see that now. Don't worry. How about you, did they manhandle you at all?"

Semira thought for a moment
"The child isn't a full demon, the child is part angel and with that being the case I doubt the child would still be alive. I dont think lucifer would have allowed it"
she sighed
"As for this demon that is defeating Moloch, its most likely Lucifers child. He chooses certain female demons to breed with in order to create a powerful army. I was to be one of them until he found out what I had done"


Amelia looked at her brother with confusion
"He fancies me? but why?"
she looked down at herself then back up at her brother
"I don't think anyone has fancied me before, and no they didnt man handle me they just carried me into this room and wouldnt let me out"
she walked over and sat down on a nearby chair
"So you and Jokan won't be fighting again? You scared me, you're the only family I have left and i can't lose you"
a tear rolled down her cheek

Maraud raised a finger.
"But, my dear angel, it is necessary to retrace the steps, no? If you wish to find the child, I cannot magically produce him or her from my pocket. But I would stake my un-life on Moloch knowing the child's fate. I will say this, then wait for your verdict - Moloch can take you to the child, for better or for worse, and I can take you to Moloch. But if you attempt to meet Moloch with a show of force, and a valiant rampaging storm through his fort, then I can assure you it will meet with only death and pain."
He paused, then lifted his shirt.
A great slice of his body was missing, simply not there. Only a column of flesh, about a hand's width, stopped his body from being completely sliced in half.
"I tried."
He lowered his shirt, then spoke again, this time a lot more softly. "I know you don't want to hear that you can't just storm up to him and shake him until he spills. But I promise you: He can be beaten. But only at his own games."

Cryth rolled his eyes.
"Amelia, please. Tonnes of boys back home fancied you, but no-one ever got the balls to speak up."
He saw she was crying and gave her a cuddle.
"You won't lose me. I promised I'd stay with you, and I always keep my promises."
He brushed the tears away. "Better? Jokan wants to speak with us, but he can wait until you're up to it, okay?"

Decoda woke up fairly early in the morning. She got out of bed, and made it, so that Mike or his wife wouldn't have to. She walked down stairs to find that Mike's wife was already up.
"Morning." Mike's wife smiled warmly to Decoda. "Did you sleep well?"
Decoda smiled, and nodded her head. "I did. Thank you so much for opening your home to Tybalt, and I."
Mike's wife handed Decoda a cup of tea, still smiling. "Are you kidding, we would never turn you away. You've done so much for Mike and myself."
Decoda took a sip of the tea, and placed the cup on the island. "I did what I was supposed to do, and in the process, you showed me the path I needed to take."
"It pains me that they call you 'fallen' for leaving." Mike's wife said, as she looked at Decoda's folded wings.
Decoda shrugged her shoulders. "They're growing on me." She said with a smile.

Semira groaned at the thought of not being about to storm in
"Fine we will do it your way, But one wrong move and I'm blasting him to bits"

Amelia looked up at her brother as he wiped the tears from her eyes then shook her head
"Thank you brother, you always know what to say to make me feel better"
she smiled then stood up
"What does he want to speak to us about? maybe we should go to him in case its important, I promis I'm fine just as long as you two dont get into a fight again"