The Concrete Jungle

[Belial]

Everything had been going well tonight and the magnitude of mayhem being brought to the city almost brought a tear of joy to the demons eye. The so called gas fires that blew out the windows of the shopping stores in the area and brought pain and death to the masses was a work of art. Belial nodded to sol with a grin to show his satisfaction with the show of force he displayed. Something was wrong however and it was almost as if the feeling came out of no where. In the distance Belial noticed a single bolt of lightning and he knew deep down that someone else was around or maybe it was something. He could not put his finger on it but that bolt of lightning was like a symbol to him. A symbol that there actions were being observed and prehaps unappreciated.

It was not until the massive hunks of hail pelted him that he knew they had pissed something off. The hail hit hard and cause intense pain as they thudded against his skin. He reacted quickly by taking his massive blade and smashing it against the rooftop. It took a few powerful strikes but the roof gave way and he and sol feel into the top of the building. Moving under part of the roof that was still intact he hoped to keep the hail from smacking into him. That was no normal storm or hail that simply appeared out of no where but something summoned or at least that's how he felt. He was gathering his thoughts and wondering who or what it was that dared to target the duo but before hs could even make a guess he felt something of immense power drawing near.

Out of the fires came a man who by all measures seemed normal enough but Belial could tell there was something different about him and he could also tell this was someone not to be fucked with. Belial moved in his direction meeting him half way but made no move yet to remove his weapons and attack him. He was not scared but he was also not stupid enough to think this would be a simple fight. He wasn't even sure he would win against this guy and that bothered the hell out of him.

"Can I help you?"

It was all he could think of to say at the time and it seemed to fit the situation at the moment. He was not sure what was going on but he was sure that this guy was not hear to complement them on a job well done.

[Solemn Creed]

It was almost too good to be true. The deliciously sweet symphony of screams made Sol's flesh tingle in delight. Closing his eyes Sol imagined himself a conductor and raised his hands to begin directing his orchestra moving his hands in sweeping motions in imitation of a true conductor. Sol’s mind was lost as bliss temporarily became the dominant emotion in his head. Every few moments there would be another explosion as burning cars and the such would explode.

Deep within his own thought Sol’s consciousness stirred. What was that, he thought. Nothing, go back to sleep said the blissful voice. No Sol thought when on some level of consciousness he realized that one voice was becoming dominant over all others. As he began to open his eyes the other voices began to come back. He shook his head when he realized what had caused him to awaken. Around him it was hailing which was odd because a moment ago there had no been a cloud in the sky and it was a warm night.

Sol turned to look over a Belial and was made curious by the expression he saw. [glow=red,2,300]"What is it?" [/glow]Sol asked him. Moments latter Belial had smashed through the roof and caused it to cave in on the building, both Sol and Belial with it. Sol followed a Bel and when he saw Belial staring in one direction he could not help but glance. Sol dismissed what he saw at first but something was wrong. He had seen a man walk from fire as if there was nothing there. When Belial moved to meet the man Sol stayed rooted to the spot and brushed debree from his ivory skin. Still dont have that shirt thought Sol. Sol was not aware of exactly why he didnt want to go near the man and suddely for the first time ever The voices fell completely silent. Understanding dawned upon Sol in this brief moment of lucidity. He quickly hurried after Belial, knowing that he must stand beside his wingman for this and stopped, standing at Belial's side.

[Locutus Ferox]

Locutus watched as Belial advanced, his eyes hidden behind a pair of sunglasses, but the intensity was not one that was easily missed. The rest of his face, however, was devoid of emotion, neither happy, nor angry. However, he did inwardly chuckle at the sight of the two being forced to take shelter from the pelting hail. When Belial stopped the deity waited for him to speak.

"Your buddy and you seem to have been busy, Belial. Though I am not sure what you hope to accomplish by destroying a city. I'm sure there are people who wouldn't look down on this appreciatively. I myself am quite curious as to the thought process behind this one." As Locutus spoke he turned to look at the city, the fires having thinned out somewhat by now due to the joint efforts. "Some people, Mister Belial, do not like to be fucked with, and they don't take kindly to 'I was just having a little fun.' So what is your plan, now that you've gotten their attention?"

Locutus looked between Belial, and Sol who had just recently caught up. Tempted though he was to put them in their place quickly and swiftly, he held himself back waiting to hear what the arrogant demon had to say before he made his decision. Locutus heard a faint mewl before a cat made it's way out of a pile of rubble from nearby, looking frightened and injured. The deity's eyes darted over towards the sound, though his head didn't turn. The cat made it's way over to the deity and began rubbing along his leg. Locutus didn't move, letting the cat rub along that leg to it's content as he turned his gaze back towards the other two.

"I can guarantee you the destruction you have caused will not go without consequences. What those consequences are will depend upon you. So, before you open your mouth and say something stupid... you might want to consider that. I for one find your actions to be digusting, so I would watch what you say very carefully."

[Beklea Baudry]

Oh, shit.

The sounds were terrifying. She couldn't even hear her own frightened screams beneath the sounds of explosions and destruction. Gods, she wish she had her dragon.

She had been on the first floor of a shopping center when it happened. It was her first time being in New York, and she wanted to milk it for what it was worth. Shopping malls and other sacred places lay in abundance around this city, and she was taking advantage of it. Never had she seen so many clothes in one building!

She was returning a shirt to it's rack when it happened. Fire seemed to erupt from thin air, flaring up into a giant mass within the building. She faintly remembered the sound of multiple explosions as she was thrown to the ground, having been pushed back by the sheer force of the eruption. Women screamed, children cried, and wails of pain shrieked through the area. She couldn't even tell where it was all coming from anymore.

Carnage. Absolute carnage.

The building was still burning. She was lucky to have been far enough away from the first explosion, but the fire was spreading fast. While clutching her head, throbbing from it's crack against the ground, she heaved herself to her feet and stumbled down the isle.

The room was quickly filling up with smoke, blurring her vision and stinging viciously at her lungs. She had to stop momentarily, the hacking coughs that finally wracked through her enabling her immobile. She pressed the collar of her shirt against her mouth to help relieve the pain and allow her to breath; if only a little.

She could see foggy figures against the smoke, rushing and tripping toward the exit doors. The glass had shattered, and anyone and everyone was making their escape; if they were lucky enough to still be alive, that is.

Hope swelled within her chest when she broke free from the thick cloud of smoke within the building. She stumbled out into the street, wheezing loudly as she took in deep breath after deep breath. She leaned forward, hands bracing themselves against her knees.

And then the car exploded.

She really hated herself right now. Really? You should have ran, you idiot! Not double over like a weak little girl! But, alas, those thoughts weren't very helpful at this moment, because the force of the blast caused her to fly back a couple feet and land right into the shattered glass. That's gonna leave a mark.

Once again, she was lucky that she wasn't set aflame. She was also lucky that she didn't land on any giant shards of glass that could have pierced right through her. No, instead, small shards had embedded themselves into her. They weren't quite big enough to provide fatality. She'd had worse; but that fact didn't stop the painful cry from escaping her.

She didn't know how she did it. Was it sheer willpower, or her overwhelming fear that pushed her to her feet? Was it courage that caused her to tug the shards of glass from her body, or was it stupidity that drove her to stumble forward again? Either way, she was moving; slowly, but it was still progress.

Another car exploded behind her, but it was far enough away to not cause her anymore harm. Screams and cries sounded out from all around, but she kept moving forward. Her only thoughts were about getting out of this destruction.

Unfortunately, those thoughts were cut short when she spotted three men. One seemed normal, and she was okay with that. The other two, however, were the cause of the new dose of fear that shook her entire frame. Blood dripped down her limbs, explosions rang off in the distance; but she could do nothing but stare, frozen with terror.

Demons.

[Solemn Creed]

Sol eyed the strange man carefully. He seemed extremely powerful and as much as Sol hated to admit it, even to himself, he seemed far above Sol in power level. Sol reached up nervously with one hand to brush some of his ebony hair back from his face. A piece of hail found its way through the giant hole made by Belial and fell on Sol's face where it evaporated almost immediatly on contact with his ivory skin. Sol shifted a bit as he realised how small and insignificant he must look beside Belial while he was in his human form. Eyes narrowing slightly at the thought of not being seen as important as Belial and they narrowed even more when it was Belial who was addressed by the man and not himself. Not in particulary threatening to anyone or even appearing angry Sol only looked annoyed.

Noticing no reply forthcoming from Belial Sol sighed as he realised that he would have to take his brain out of perspective and bring it down to focusing on this one predicament. It had been a while since someone had gained his full attention and he intended to do whatever possible to avoid, you know, that little thing called death. [glow=red,2,300]"My apologies good sir but i didnt quite catch your name. Would you care to repeat it?"[/glow] Sol asked politely flashing one of his signature warm and charming smiles that gave most the idea that he was a 'good guy'. But knowing that deception wasnt going to work here Sol had no intention of deceiving anyone. [glow=red,2,300]"As embaressing as this may sound, my friend, we actually were simply having a bit of fun and had no intention of destroying this fair city that is New York. If you would look about a bit you would notice i spared the more important areas such as the Empire State building."[/glow] Sol says while gesturing briefly in the general area of said landmark.

Tired of maintaining his human form in such a situation Sol let his control slip. [glow=red,2,300]"Sorry but id like to get a bit more comfortable."[/glow] Sol said as he began to revert. Thick horns grew from his forehead, his stature grew from 6"1 to 8"3, his eye color became red with green feline pupils. his fingernails turned black, his fleshed thickened and grew spiked in some areas, wings grew from his back, and lastly his flesh turned a blood red. [glow=red,2,300]"Much better."[/glow] Sol sighed. Just then he felt unknown eyes upon them and he turned his head in Belial's direction with murderous insanity in his eyes. He wasnt actually looking at Belial but in his natural form he was bigger so looking over his head was easy.

Sol could see a woman who was bleeding from various wounds and looking as if she had been a leetle too close to one of the shops hed blown up. Seeing one of the products of his work caused a reaction in Sol and he licked his lips a little. No, this isnt the time thought Sol When is it not the time? asked the gluttonous voice. Sol shook his head slightly and looked back at the man and raised an eyebrow slightly while tilting his head in her direction as if to ask if he had noticed the woman yet.

[Locutus Ferox]

The deity's eyes slowly turned towards Sol, who spoke up in absence of any reply from Belial. Though again his shades prevented anyone from physically seeing those intense orbs, it was almost impossible to miss who it was he was glaring at.

Locutus couldn't actually quite believe what he had just heard, especially after what he had just said. Sol had actually used 'we were just having fun' as an excuse. Locutus for once, wasn't quite sure how to reply to something so flippantly said. He didn't know whether it was amusing, sad, or enraging. Partly because it was a mix of all three. Which just left him with a brow that had hiked it's way up his forehead. Of course Sol's reply was met with silence for a moment as the deity let the words Sol said sink in, though it was not him he was letting them sink into, but rather Sol. Perhaps, if he waited just a few moments for Sol to think about what he'd just said, he may actually reconsider his words.

Then he watched as Sol began to change. A shapeshifter.... The man's frame stretched and grew, horns, teeth, eyes, skin. He was a daunting image for most. Any others who laid eyes on him would watch in horror, or run away in utter fear. Mere humans would pray to the gods they believed in... Perhaps some few select individuals would mistake stupidity for bravery and attempt to 'slay' the beast, but if any tried, Locutus was sure they'd meet a swift, painful end. The deity however looked upon Sol with unimpressed eyes. As if he were still looking at the scrawny little shrimp that Sol had just portrayed himself as. He gazed upon Sol unaffected by this new look, except for the fact he now had to tilt his head back, slightly albeit, to keep his gaze into Sol's eyes.

That's when in the background he noticed, without looking, that a car had exploded, sending a particularly interesting individual toppling. Unusual in that... Locutus took a slight inhale through his nose as he kept his gaze on Sol. Yes.... he smelled.... a dragon. Even from this distance the deity could smell the aroma of a dragon surrounding the woman. It was a smell that couldn't easily be removed, if at all, but it was also one you wouldn't want to remove. Other dragons could smell it, which was a good thing, even for a draconian. Sure they had a dragon as a companion, but that didn't mean all dragons would think so highly of them. However, other dragons would easily detect the scent, and know not to mess with them... if the dragon was more powerful of course. But if she was here... where then.... was the dragon?

After a moment of silence Locutus finally spoke up, not giving mention on if he had noticed the girl in the distance or not. "I see.... So I must have this all wrong. So it must be perfectly alright for you to cause this ruckus because you're having fun right? This is perfectly acceptable because it's in the name of fun right?" Locutus let off a small laugh, as if he himself were amused by this. Then the deity began to pace slightly, back and fourth in front of the two men, the cat at his feet carefully following him, managing not to get in his way as he walked to and fro. "So as long as it's in the name of fun, it's perfectly acceptable to cause harm..... right?"

Without waiting for a reply Locutus would suddenly grasped Belial by his jacket and effortlessly whipped him across the street towards one of the already destroyed buildings. The fires flared as Belial would inevitably stir them up and knock debris into them into his passage, and would smack into a far wall with a loud thud. Locutus then turned to Sol, gazing into those blood thirsty eyes. "All in the name of fun right?" He gazed at Sol, not doing anything to him, yet. Instead would let him wonder what the deity had planned for him. Those shaded eyes locked intensely on Sol's. The deity's digits shifted and flexed at his sides, causing the muscles in his arms to shift. Then a wicked smile began to pull at the deity's lips....

"Perhaps... Mister Creed.... You did not catch my name... because I did not give it."

[Beklea Baudry]

Beklea had seen demons before; or demon, to be precise. It was a few years back, before she was as careful as she is now. She had him to thank for a few of the scars that now painted her skin. She would have been dead if it weren't for her scaly companion.

This situation was much worse, however. One, she was already beaten and bloodied thanks to the explosions, which she had a growing suspicion that these two monsters had a hand in; two, there were two demons this time, instead of the one that she had faced before; and three... her reptilian friend was no where in sight. She didn't stand a chance. She was beginning to wonder why she had even lasted this long; shouldn't they have killed her by now?

She stood frozen to the spot, fear keeping her feet glued to the ground. She didn't stumble even though her body was most likely protesting painfully; she couldn't feel it. What she could feel was the cold chill that slowly crawled up her spine, the hot flash of terror that shook her frame, and the moisture that was gathered around her eyes. She was crying? She hadn't even noticed.

She was never a very religious person, but she began to ponder where she would most likely be going in the next few minutes. Was there an afterlife; was it just a dark void, or something more akin to what was described as heaven? Was dying a painful experience, or a more peaceful one? Would she be missed? What would Brutus do once she was gone? Would she cease to exist, or would her spirit wander aimlessly till the end of time? ...Would she see her parents?

A loud crash brought her out of her trance, her head whipping toward the direction it had come from. Concrete and plaster tumbled to the ground, and the flames reared up powerfully for a moment before dying down again. Beklea slowly turned her gaze back to the three; actually, make that two. One of the demons was missing.

She looked back and forth between the two remaining men. The demon was terrifying, tall, and vicious looking. Just gazing upon him made her insides churn uneasily, but the man standing opposite of him did not seem to be fazed. Was he stupid, or did he want to die? Perhaps he thought he could take the eight foot demon, but that would fall under the 'stupid' category. However... the second demon was missing, and the man was still standing... Did he have something to do with that? But that would be impossible, unless he himself wasn't human, either.

She really wished that she had been paying attention, because then she wouldn't be as confused. She harnessed all of her remaining strength and listened, eyes trained on the both of them. The fear was still there, ever present, but she pushed it aside for the moment. The demon seemed to be concentrating on the man, anyway.

Mr. Creed? Was that the demon's name? She didn't know that demons even had names; unless it was something silly like 'Kill' or 'Maim'. Yeah. Those sounded like demon names. But did these two know each other? Was... the man a demon as well? The thought caused her breathing to falter for a few moments before she forcefully pulled a gulp of air into her lungs. Three demons? She was in trouble; so much trouble.

Beklea twitched her gaze around the surrounding area. Total destruction is what she found, but she wasn't trying to observe the state of the buildings. She was looking for the missing demon. Those creatures didn't just disappear. He must be hiding somewhere... waiting to strike. Were the two in front of her a diversion? Surely they wouldn't go to such lengths in order to kill her. They didn't need to distract their prey, especially one as weak and small in comparison. They could have killed her with one swift strike.

They were most likely playing with her, striking fear into her heart before reaching out and pulling it right from her chest. She didn't doubt that scenario one bit. Demons, at least from what she knew, were cruel and sadistic. They would enjoy playing with their victims before condemning them.

She wouldn't give them that satisfaction.

Her feet shuffled against the ground, aligning herself in a more sturdy position. Her back straightened as far as she could make it, her hands balled into fists at her sides, and her expression turned cold and hard. She lifted a hand to momentarily wipe the wetness from her eyes. Yes, she felt fear. Yes, she thought that she was going to die. But she would not be killed trembling like a coward.

She was a Draconian! If she was going to die, then she was going to go with pride and honor!

[Solemn Creed]

Sol listened carefully to the strange man's words. Sol contemplated them for a moment. In a strange, crazy kind of way he may be right Sol mused to himself. He glanced back at the woman. yep, still standing there the obvious voice said. Sol sighed[glow=red,2,300] "Ok, mayhaps it isnt polite to just go about blowing stuff up." [/glow]he said admittedly while holding out his hands. [glow=red,2,300]"What i did, and do, is wrong."[/glow] Sol put his hands in his pockets and for a few moments said nothing. [glow=red,2,300]"I could apologise, but i dont feel like it."[/glow] Sol noticed the woman off to the side stand up straight a little bit as if shed just had some inspiring inner monologue, but he ignored her. [glow=red,2,300]"Every time a few individuals decide to go nuts about something do you decide to toss their friends about and threaton to kill them?"[/glow]

Sol sighed as he realised the man would do what he wished. Sol turned and walked over to the woman, assuming a more pleasant expression. [glow=red,2,300]"I am terribly sorry but this is a rather private conversation and unless you feel you have some insight into this, i would recommend you turn around and forget about everything you may have heard here."[/glow] Sol turned back to the strange man [glow=red,2,300]"but, before you do anything else i would like to know your name and why you feel you should intervene within the affairs of others."[/glow] Finished speaking Sol stood and awaited his fate.

((sorry its so short))

[Locutus Ferox]

The deity let his head roll back and he let out a proper laugh this time, gazing up towards the rain before looking back down at Sol. The man was rather arrogant for the position he was in. This time the deity was honestly amused, though perhaps not in a good way. He was quite astounded that someone who, in the presence of that blasting storm, and who had just watched their friend being effortlessly tossed across the street, managed to talk down to him. Locutus slowly shook his head before holding up his hand, a single finger extended while the rest stayed half-curled into a fist.

"One. I don't recall threatening. I will admit that I did indeed toss your friend out of my way, but being silent as he was, he really was of no use talking to. However, perhaps I missed this threat I supposedly made? Do enlighten me Mister Creed. Which threat was it that I made?" This is when the deity held up a second finger next to the first. "Secondly... I don't believe you're in any position to make demands of anyone. Especially the woman over yonder. I'm pretty sure her reptilian friend would not like it very much either."

Locutus then turned his head over towards the woman, getting his first glimpse at her. His shades reflected the fire and sporadic flashes of light from the lightning, and various power surges caused by the destruction. If Beklea looked closely enough, she may have seen herself reflected in those dark lenses. Finally the deity looked back forward to Sol and held up a third finger.

"Thirdly, my business is my own, and I don't have to explain myself to anyone, you least of all. I have made your problem my business, and that is all you need to know. I am involved, and nothing you say or do will change that. The only thing that will change will be the outcome of this event. And that, Mister Creed, depends entirely on your actions. So if I were you, I would choose your words and actions VERY carefully, because I guarantee you, if you choose the wrong ones...Then there will only be two of us walking away from this place, and you will not be one of them. Now THAT, Mister Creed, is a threat, and one I will make good on. I hope I am understood."

"And finally, I don't like your attitude, I recommend that you change it for your own good. I don't like being talked down to, especially not by young punks who think themselves some slick shit for blowing up a few buildings." With that the deity turned about and made his way over towards Beklea slowly. The stray cat was hot on his heels, following as closely as it could without getting in his way.

When he was closer to Beklea he stopped, not getting within reaching distance of her in an attempt not to frighten her into running. He gave a slight bow of his head in greeting to her and then he slowly reached out with his hand and held it open and extended towards her in an offering to her. He hoped it would show that he meant her no harm, though he was half convinced that due to what had just happened to the city, that she might run off in the other direction.

[Beklea Baudry]

"Ok, mayhaps it isnt polite to just go about blowing stuff up." she heard. She had made sure to pay attention this time, and was hanging on every word the two of them said. Really? She thought to herself. That's the understatement of the year. He continued on.

"What i did, and do, is wrong. I could apologise, but i dont feel like it." A moment's pause. "Every time a few individuals decide to go nuts about something do you decide to toss their friends about and threaton to kill them?" Again, another understatement. They didn't go nuts. They unleashed hell. People were dead

[/u].

The demon once again paused, as if thinking deeply for a few moments, and then turned sharply on his heel. He began to walk toward her. Beklea at first, didn't seem to register the action, but after a few seconds and enough time to allow her brain to kick back into gear, she finally began to react. The former courage she had mustered was completely forgotten as her instincts screamed at her to flee. She made a low noise in the back of her throat, widened her eyes, and then took a step backward. She had lost her footing due to her lose of blood, wounds, and nerves, but quickly caught herself after a few stumbling steps. She was well enough not to fall on her ass, especially in front of a fucking demon.

Her heart began to race, her skin began to crawl, and the hair on the back of her neck stood on end. She let out a soft, helpless pant of air as he stopped short a few feet in front of her, staring. Her skin seemed to grow a shade paler.

"I am terribly sorry but this is a rather private conversation and unless you feel you have some insight into this, i would recommend you turn around and forget about everything you may have heard here."

He was kidding... right? He had to be. She didn't believe a single word that came crawling out of his damned mouth. He wouldn't let her leave alive, with both her eyes, limbs, and teeth intact. This was another sick, cruel joke he played on his prey. Her eyes, momentarily, darted to the other man; it was only momentary, before her gaze returned to the hulking mass of pain and suffering before her.

She couldn't find her voice, so frozen in fear she was. She couldn't even blink, or move. She could feel the pain now, and an especially nagging sting coming from her legs; they didn't want to hold her weight any longer, having been assaulted with shards of glass. But she couldn't give her limbs relief, she couldn't calm herself down, and she couldn't speak the words that the demon wanted her to say.

Time began to blend together for a long while, the only thing she really registering during that period was the giant demon before her, and the terrifying eyes he held. Her chest still rose and fell with quick, ragged breaths; if she didn't calm herself soon, then, if she didn't die from fear like a frightened little rabbit, she would most likely pass out from hyperventilation.

The other man's words rumbled in the background. She heard each individual word he said, but couldn't necessarily put it all together. How could she, when the creature who would end her had just spoken to her, smiled to her, and stared right into her face? But one sentence, near the end of the second man's rant, grasped her attention. It tore her concentration completely away from the demon before her, causing her head to whip into his direction.

"I'm pretty sure her reptilian friend would not like it very much either."

She was shocked... appalled... and her inner turmoil was most likely displayed on her face like a billboard.

What?!

How could he, a random stranger, know anything about her linage? How could he know anything about Brutus and his existence? And how could he know about the bond between them!? He hadn't even uttered a word to her or glanced her way, and he already knew her most deepest, darkest secret?

As if reading her mind, he finally looked at her, a short turn of his head. She stared back. The intensity of his gaze, even though hidden behind those dark shades, caused her breathing to waver for a few short moments; this confirmed, along with his knowledge of her, that he was anything but human.

But was he a demon? That was the important question.

He began to speak again, and it was a dull, droning sound in the background. Her breaths began to come in even quicker, feeling as if she were unable to breathe. She took another frightened step backward, almost crumpling to the ground in the process, but she stayed upright. She began to question her sanity; was this all really happening right now, or was it a dark, morbid dream of hers? Will she wake up in a field somewhere, curled up against the scaly hide of her dragon companion, and wipe the sweat from her brow in relief? She wished that were true, with every fiber of her being.

But the pain felt so real.

Beklea was still staring in the man's direction, but she wasn't really seeing him; until he started moving. She was pulled from her thoughts violently when he turned and... headed toward her.

Great. Perfect. Both of them were going to be here now. Yep. They are going to kill you now, Beklea, she thought. She briefly registered the cat, which she had just now noticed, and a fleeting thought of: What the fuck? fluttered through her mind. But it was quick, and the feeling of fear overpowered the initial confusion.

She wanted to turn and run, stumble away and try to get to safety anyway she could, but she couldn't move her feet. She couldn't even tear her eyes away as he advanced; all she could to was sit -- or rather stand -- like a brain-dead vegetable. How ashamed she would have been at herself if she were in her right mind.

Right when she thought it was over, right at the time when she thought they would both attack, the man stopped. He stood, towering over her, and she stared back at her own reflection in his shades, bordered by the orange flames that licked in the distance behind her. She must have looked quite comical, quivering before him like a frightened animal.

He bowed his head, respectfully.

Beklea's mouth, literally, dropped. Not far. It was only a parting of lips to represent her dumb-foundment. He fucking bowed. She couldn't even think anymore. What the hell was happening? City destruction, demon appearances, and now one of the assumed demons was fucking bowing to her. This just had to be a trick. A sick joke.

But she was still alive.

He lifted his hand and offered it to her, causing her eyes to twitch toward the outstretched fingers. She stared for a long, immeasurable moment before her gaze finally returned to the reflective shades. She opened her mouth, but found that she was at lose for words. She really had to dig deep in order to remember how to speak again, and when she did, her voice was a lot less level than she wanted it to be.

"...You know that... B-Brutus..." Her last word broke when she said it as she tripped over her own words. It was the softest mumble, and she wasn't even sure if he had even heard her. But there was no time to worry about coherency.

She couldn't, just couldn't bring herself to reach forward and take the outstretched hand. She didn't trust it, the situation, or the man that had offered it. She would have been a fool if she did, and she would like to think that she wasn't a fool.
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[Locutus Ferox]

"Indeed, and if I were so inclined, I could tell a considerable amount more about you Miss Beklea, but I'm not here for that." He let his hand drop when he saw that she was not going to take it. Then he looked over his shoulder towards Sol for a moment before looking back to Beklea. "What I am here for is to make sure balance is maintained, and to make an example of people who would destroy that balance. If anarchy and lawlessness were to run rampant in our world, then it would be quite the desolate place. Civilization would destroy itself."

Locutus then turned his entire frame back towards the Demon, gazing at him for a long, silent moment before shaking his head. "And that means dealing with people like you Mister Creed. Perhaps I was being a bit too lenient. You don't seem to get it do you? "

The man sighed and shook his head before he brought his hand up to rub his forehead. Finally he walked over the the demon, however before he quite reached the man he lifted up his fist. Suddenly Sol would be grabbed by an invisible force and lifted off the ground. Locutus then pushed his fist backwards, in the direction of Sol, who would immediately be thrust back against the rubble of a nearby building. The wall protested and part of the building would collapse from the sudden heavy impact.

"People like you cause problems for those like me. When people come in and abuse your powers to disrupt that balance... then we have to come in here to clean up YOUR mess. And believe me. There is a considerable number of things I would rather be doing then DAMAGE CONTROL." The last two words were practically shouted as the grip on Sol tightened and he was forced more firmly against the wall. The deity took another deep breath and let it out slowly, calming himself slightly. "Earlier, you asked who I am. Well, I shall grant you an answer. Not because you deserve one, but maybe... just maybe... it might give you some enlightenment. Locutus Ferox."

He let the name hang into the air for a moment, plunging the world into a silence only punctuated by faint cackles of the sputtering fires and falling rain and hail. On occasion the rumble of thunder would break the silence. However, until someone else spoke, the silence would hang over the area. Finally Locutus broke that silence, speaking to Sol once more.

"I had hoped that perhaps I could convince you to cease your antics without exercising my power. Because doing that only makes you change your ways to avoid being pounded into the ground. It's a hollow notion. However, apparently... it just won't be so. So, I won't even bother to give you the chance to beg and plead for mercy. We're beyond that stage. If we're here to flex our powers and show others what we can do? Fine. We can both play that game."

The deity reached up with his free hand to remove his glasses. There he leveled his intense gaze upon Sol's face, glaring deep into him with those deep, glowing red eyes. All at once, the rain would cease, if even for a moment. It was as if the storm had been put on pause. Then it happened. A soft buzz began to fill the air. It was that thrumming sound of chitinous wings vibrating at high speed. There was no mistaking it for anything but what it was. A swarm of winged insects were beginning to form around the pair. From the wrecked building came another form of bug. This was of the eight legged kind... They all began to converge upon Sol. All at once these insects began to bite and sting at Sol, unrelenting in their assault upon him.

Locutus let the man go, watching the small creatures repeatedly bite and sting the demon. After a few moments Locutus spoke once more. "Some people find bugs to be quite the nuisance.... Perhaps now you'll understand how much you bug other people Mister Creed." He stood back and watched Sol, giving him a moment to reply before once again sighing.

"Now maybe you'll learn something."

With that Locutus raised his hand and snapped his fingers. In the next instant Sol vanished without a trace. He then turned back to Beklea, offering a somewhat apologetic bow of his head. Sol meanwhile would find himself almost a world away, dealing with his new 'ability'.

[Beklea Baudry]

"Indeed, and if I were so inclined, I could tell a considerable amount more about you Miss Beklea, but I'm not here for that."

Beklea's mouth seemed to unhinge another notch lower in her surprise. He knew her name. He knew her name. He knew her name! She was in even more trouble than she had originally thought. Now, instead of her being in danger, it seemed that even her closest companion was as well, if this man did indeed know everything about her.

Was this man a demon as well, or was he a hunter? Would he try to kill her like the one before and then go after Brutus?

Or... was he neither of those two things?

His hand dropped away when she didn't take it and he turned. The gesture stopped her breathing for a moment before she let it all out in a puff. For some reason, the fact that he had turned his back on her, seemed to calm her nerves slightly.

He soon turned back to face her though, and spoke. "What I am here for is to make sure balance is maintained, and to make an example of people who would destroy that balance. If anarchy and lawlessness were to run rampant in our world, then it would be quite the desolate place. Civilization would destroy itself."

Beklea stared into the black shades he wore, her mouth finally closing itself. Still, even though he had not harmed her, she wasn't sure if she should believe him. Even though he knew her name without her speaking it, she still doubted. Did demons have the power to read minds? She wasn't sure.

So, he was here to maintain balance. Then why was the city on fire? If it were truly his job to keep the peace, then he was doing a poor job in her opinion.

"And that means dealing with people like you Mister Creed. Perhaps I was being a bit too lenient. You don't seem to get it do you? " So drawn into her thoughts she was, that she hadn't even noticed the man turning back to face the demon.

But she did notice when he lifted his fist, now clenched; the demon lifted into the air. With a short forward thrust, he was then thrown into the nearest building. The sound of the impact caused Beklea to start with a jump, then stumble back a few paces.

Oh gods, oh gods, oh gods! she thought. I was right. He's not human. Oh no. I'm next, aren't I? I-I've got to get out of-.... her thoughts trailed off when the man began to speak again. Her gaze quickly darted from the smoke and rubble, and back to his tall figure. Stop! You should be running!

He began to rant again, speaking as if he were scolding a troubled child. Somewhere during the monologue he had shoved the demon more firmly into the building, causing her gaze to be attracted to the building once again. However, her gaze didn't stay there for long, because something that the man said caused her attention to once again be pulled away.

"Earlier, you asked who I am. Well, I shall grant you an answer. Not because you deserve one, but maybe... just maybe... it might give you some enlightenment. Locutus Ferox."

For the longest moment, during the silence that dragged on between the three of them, Beklea just stood in silence. The name sounded vaguely familiar, but she couldn't quite place it. Her brain whirred, trying to remember... it was right at the tip of her tongue...

And then it hit her. Square in the face. Her eyes, after her realization, widened, her breath sucked in sharply, and her demeanor fell.

The man was a god.

Now, which god, she was unsure. She knew that she had heard the name before, in stories and fables, but she still couldn't remember exactly who Locutus Ferox was. But she did know that he was a god. A. God.

Should she be relieved, or terrified? She wasn't sure, but at the moment, she felt both. She felt relieved because this man was not a demon; that, in itself, was good. But, he also wasn't human; and that frightened her. That frightened her very, very much. Not all gods are good.

"I had hoped that perhaps I could convince you to cease your antics without exercising my power. Because doing that only makes you change your ways to avoid being pounded into the ground. It's a hollow notion. However, apparently... it just won't be so. So, I won't even bother to give you the chance to beg and plead for mercy. We're beyond that stage. If we're here to flex our powers and show others what we can do? Fine. We can both play that game."

What he said should have calmed her... right? The demon was getting what he deserved, Locutus was maintaining order. He was punishing the demon, Mr. Creed, for the unnecessary destruction of the city. That's good, right?

Obviously not, because what she heard next, made her freeze. Her heart, literally, skipped a beat.

No. No, no, no, no... she thought. She hadn't even noticed that the rain had stopped, or that Locutus had removed his shades, or that the demon was still pinned to the broken building. All she could think about was the dull buzz off in the distance. She had heard that noise before, at multiple occasions, and each time it had ran shivers up her spine. But this time... the sound was much more concentrated... powerful... louder...

There must have been thousands of them.

Beklea let out a scream when the bug swarm appeared, lifting her aching arms and covering her head. This, in her opinion, seemed much more worse than any other torture. She would have rather been burned alive by one of those explosions or crushed by pieces of falling concrete. Anything would have been better than what she thought was going to happen.

She still heard them, so very close, but she couldn't bring herself to look up, and she especially wasn't going to uncover her head. It was her only protection against the disgusting, winged beasts. She would just stay where she was, still and silent, because it seemed to be working at the moment. She couldn't feel anything crawling across her skin or and beating wings fluttering in her hair.

Maybe she was already dead?

No, she could still hear them. They were still there.

If Mr. Creed had been screaming, she didn't hear it. She wasn't sure if she could hear anything over the loud buzz the evil creatures were making. She couldn't' even hear her own breathing or the erratic thumping of her heart. So, when the buzzing abruptly stopped, she was left in a daze.

Now was she dead? No... no. She could still feel the pain. She could still hear the crackling and snapping of some of the nearby fires that had yet to go out. She could still feel the dampness on her skin and the cold wind that brushed against it.

Slowly, timidly, she removed her arms. They fell limply at her sides as her gaze lifted. Her eyes darted around the clearing, to the building, then to Locutus, then to the building again, then to the sky.

Where was the demon? And where was the hellish bug swarm? Even when Locutus turned to look back to her and give an apologetic bow of his head, she was still searching for the missing demon and cloud of insects.

This made her angry. Very angry, because once again, she had missed the departure of a demon.

She finally let her eyes rest upon the god's form. The shades were now in his hand and Beklea finally had some eyes to stare at. She wasn't sure if she preferred the dark glasses, since his eyes were the most unnatural color of red; just like the demon's.

Was he truly a god, or just a demon in disguise?

No. He was a god. For some reason, she just knew. Perhaps it was his demeanor, or the way he spoke, or perhaps it was even the extravagant display of power he had just performed. Either way, she didn't doubt who he was any longer.

"...You aren't lying," she muttered, the last word of her sentence coming off as a strangled squeak. It wasn't a question, but a statement. Only after she said it, did she curse herself internally. What a stupid thing to say; of course he wasn't lying.

She should have thought of something better to say, since she was in the presence of a fucking god, but she couldn't muster up the words. Was the adrenaline leaving her? Was she falling into shock? It was probable, and even more so when she crumpled to the ground.

Yes, she could feel the energy leaving her now that the danger had passed and the demon was gone. She could feel it in the heaviness of her limbs and the gasps of air that just couldn't fill her lungs quickly enough. Her shaking hands pressed against her face for a moment, and then her arms dropped to wrap around her torso. She had gone into shock like this before, and she knew that she had to get a hold of herself. She struggled to slow her breathing, temporarily forgetting about the god's presence.

She didn't care if he called back the swarm of insects, she didn't care if he attacked, and she didn't care if he even walked away. All she cared about right now was that she was alive. She let out a wavering breath at that thought, realizing just how close to death she had been. She would have to thank this god, because he was most likely the only reason why she was still breathing.

But first, she would try to calm herself. She shouldn't embarrass herself even further in front of Locutus Ferox.

[Solemn Creed]

Sol sighed for he cared not who the girl was or for what friends she had, for he had not possessed the intention of harming her, otherwise she would be most likely be dead by now. Sol had bigger things to worry about. Like guys standing in front of him who could toss people through walls and show up and bore him to death. This entire conflict had exhausted him like no other and the obvious reason was simple. his drive, his motivation, was gone. The voices were quiet with nothing to say and for once a sober Sol was in charge.

[glow=red,2,300]"Look, I know my actions were wrong. I do realize that you did not directly threaten me but I felt it was implied."[/glow] Sol sighed and turned around. [glow=red,2,300]"What can I say? What do you want exactly? Do you want me to promise not to go blowing up any more buildings? Fine, have it your way, cuz frankly I’m sick of this shit. I’ve been doing this all night it seems and I’m tired of it."[/glow] Sol's voice grew from frustrated to tired.[glow=red,2,300] "Look, I’ve expended a lot of energy on destruction tonight and the voices are satisfied. I apologize if I have offended you with my wanton destruction and can assure you that if it means I will have to deal with one such as you again, there shall never be a repeat."[/glow] Finished with nothing to say and finally having apologized Sol stood there and awaited judgment from... whoever this was.

[Locutus Ferox]

Locutus chuckled softly as he looked upon the startled woman. He hadn't expected her to be bothered more by the insects than Sol might have been, but at least, for her sake, they were gone now. Locutus nodded his head again, though this time in accordance with what Beklea had spoken.

"Yes. I am Locutus Ferox. I am the guardian of Nature. I am it's keeper, and it's protector. They are my charge, and I their watcher. I speak for them to others who do not understand. I apologize for...." The bald man looked back to where the demon had been only a few moments prior before he looked back to Beklea. "The display.... Unfortunately, sometimes people like Mister Creed only learn when the proper... stimulation... is applied. I assure you, it would take.... something on the scale of what he did to this city to anger me to that extent, so unless your as unreasonable as the demon was... You really have nothing to fear from me."

"As for knowing about you and Brutus... I am sure that has been explained now? After all, even a mortal could figure it out given enough time. We can just do it faster... despite having more time to do it." Locutus chuckled again before looking around the destroyed city. He gave a soft sigh and shook his head disapprovingly. He couldn't believe that two demons would just randomly start destroying buildings like that all of a sudden.

"I do find it a bit curious though. It's unusual for a dragon to wander so far from it's friend I could tell without using any of my powers that he must be a considerable distance away, or under strict orders. Though I sincerely doubt the latter. An event like this..." At that, the deity would gaze around the partially wrecked city. "He'd have been here in a heartbeat. That tells me that he's likely unaware... which means he'd have to be quite the ways away.... "

"I do wonder what the other would do if one of you were to get injured or killed. I imagine it would way heavily on you both. Guilt is such a powerful, and deadly thing. Beings can destroy themselves over it." Locutus's gaze hardened for a moment as he gazed off into the distance. How many beings had he personally witness fall to that very same emotion. How many had given up the will to live from blaming themselves for something they couldn't control. Sometimes mortals truly were interesting creatures. That was not to say that gods never felt guilt of course....

The fires still burned around the city, though by now, many of them had been put out thanks to the joint efforts of nature and the city fire departments. Since he'd cursed Sol, the rain had not returned, giving those around a good view of the destruction the pair had caused. Broken buildings glowed faintly with the fires that burned inside them. Rubble was strewn across the street from when said buildings had exploded. Hulks of cars now blackened from fire were occasionally tossed up onto their sides. However, much of the confusion and chaos, the initial shock and awe, was gone. Now even the every day citizen seemed to be attempting to help one another through this sudden catastrophe. However, Locutus was aware that this wasn't their first experience with such an issue. They had learned ten years ago that they could get through just about anything.... One thing Locutus admired about humanity.

[Beklea Baudry]

Beklea continued to hold herself throughout Locutus' speech. She was slowly, slowly starting to become level-headed. At first, all she could hear was a loud roaring in the background. It helped her with her nerves, and vaguely reminded her of the ocean; the sound would pick up at certain intervals and become louder, just like the crashing of waves against the sand, and then die down again, the waves slowly retreating back into the sea.

Soon, the sounds began to solidify. She was able to tell apart each noise from the other. There was her heavy breathing, a distant crackling, the occasional tumble of loose rubble, and the monotonous drawl of conversation.

"...guardian of Nature... ...my charge, and I their watcher... ...speak for them... ...nothing to fear... ...you and Brutus... ...can just do it faster..."

Was she being spoken to? Yes, that's right. Locutus Ferox, the god. What was he saying to her? Shouldn't she be paying attention? No, she heard, her own mind conversing with herself. Calm yourself. Breathe. In... she inhaled deeply... and out ... she exhaled with a ragged puff. Good. One more time.

Beklea repeated the motion, and only after did she finally open her eyes. She was coherent, for the most part, and she could decipher the words that Locutus spoke; the words that only seconds ago had been unintelligible mutterings.

"...unusual for a dragon to wander so far from it's friend. I could tell without using any of my powers that he must be a considerable distance away, or under strict orders. Though I sincerely doubt the latter. An event like this..." He paused, and she looked upward just in time to see him turn about to have a look at the destruction around them. "He'd have been here in a heartbeat. That tells me that he's likely unaware... which means he'd have to be quite the ways away.... "

Why was he telling her this? She already knew that Brutus was absent. She wouldn't be in this situation if he wasn't.

"..He...." she rasped, pausing for a short moment to clear her throat. "When I'm... in public... he goes off to do... dragon... things..." Why was she finding herself hesitating with her words? Was it because she was still slightly frightened for her well-being? Was it because she was sitting in the most vulnerable position, dazed and wounded? Was it because she was in the middle of what looked like a bombing site? The answer to all three of those questions was yes. She was, also, still shaken up. She had calmed herself down enough to think clearly, but not enough to stop the quiver in her voice or the tremor of her limbs.

"I do wonder what the other would do if one of you were to get injured or killed. I imagine it would way heavily on you both. Guilt is such a powerful, and deadly thing. Beings can destroy themselves over it."

Her brow furrowed, and she took a few moments to take in his words. Guilt? Yes, she would have felt very guilty if harm had come to her dragon friend because of her. Though, it wouldn't exactly be her fault since she didn't reveal any information. This man just knew. But still... she would have felt the guilt.

She stared at Locutus as he gazed around the clearing, taking in the damage, she assumed. After pulling up a few of the snippets that she had heard while her mind was clouded, she remembered that he had said something about nature, and having nothing to fear. Putting the pieces together, she assumed that he was the God of Nature. It made sense, and it relieved her. He wouldn't be causing her any harm.

She could now see the area clearly, without the obscurity the rain had brought with it, the fires and rubble were easy to spot out. But Beklea didn't take her time to observe; she didn't want to. Looking at the extent of the damage would only make her cringe.

Beklea started to make her way to her feet, slowly leaning forward until she was on her hands and knees. She spoke to Locutus once she had pushed herself into a upright position. Instead of her former plan to stand, she decided to remain seated for the moment. Her legs were protesting, and a few more moments of rest would be prudent, even if they were only seconds.

"...You.. Do you know where he is?" she asked, returning her tired, hooded gaze to the god's figure. If he didn't know where Brutus was, then no matter. She would tend to her wounds and then make her way out to the closest wild-life reserve or park. He would find her eventually once he returned.