Chapter 1

"It takes one to know one..." Kasler thought as he let out a bored sigh.

Just to the side of the ratty old inn slumbered a mess of common demon hunter pets. They didn't react as he passed them by. Kasler didn't have to strain to assume there was a fellow hunter inside. He shifted inside his Marauder armor and slung Raven's Wing across his back, the back quiver jostled at the unusual invasion on it's space. With both hands he roughly pried his helmet off. A hulking thing of metal and padding, two great black and gold striped horns protruded from the front sides of it. Magic within it gave Kasler glowing red eyes and a void of black for a face, it typically scared common folk off. Breathing deep and squaring his shoulders, Kasler readied himself to endure the self-pitied tales of another demon hunter. Self pity is for the weak, he mused to himself as he pushed in the thick tavern air.

Inside was as he expected, solemn and heavy with the common folk trying to escape the toils of their lives. A glance across the room found a few patrons eying him from behind mugs of mead and from beneath near rotting hat brims. Towards the back of the tavern there sat a man slouched onto his table, hand still wrapped around his mug and knee bouncing in impatience. A bright red Mempo of Twilight helmet rest on it's side discarded from it's owners head. It's silver mask a bit tarnished from use and two great red spike horns curving from the top front of it. A thick long mop of dirty dark brown hair adorned the man's head, glimpses of armor shaded pale skin darted out from behind joints in the armor. This demon hunter bore two smaller quivers dangling from his belt on either side, angled to end behind his thighs. The rest of the cast of patrons seemed to be unlikely friendly and equally boring. Most looked to be farmers and tradesmen, rough, simple, quiet folk. A pleasant barmaid approached as he took a table to himself, he as quickly ordered a mead and the taverns 'special'. Kasler's mood didn't accommodate pointless banter or fishing to have a companion for the evening. He took to looking over his inventory and checking his equipment's conditions. He was engrossed in counting his wealth when he sensed someone standing at the other side of the table. The gems he was counting froze as his hand stiffened around them. Poor quarry for a thief to choose, not to mention the piss-poor method he thought to himself. Kasler's eyes rose and his head followed as he continued to look up at his unwanted guest. The demon hunter in the red armor Kasler glanced over earlier stood still, mug in hand and helmet lazily clamped under his arm. He was grinning like a fool in the midst of a mound of goblin loot. Kasler scowl showed deep on his face.

"Demon hunter, huh." The man in the red armor said lightly. "Just get off a job?"

Kasler's face spoke volumes, but he said less. "Not your business."

The red demon hunter stiffed back a chuckle and took a seat not offered. "I take it it wasn't worth the ride out there."

"Walked, and I do prefer to be alone." Kasler's voice was cold and unaffected by the accurate comment of his 'kinsmen'.

"Prickly one aren't you." the Mempo made little noise as it was sat on the table.

"Great." Kasler sneered to himself. "I have two idiot faces to ignore...at least the metal one is quiet."

"I just heard of a job over in New Tristram. Suppose to have more monsters then they can handle." The helmet's owner smirked, the lust for demon and monster blood was a common trait among all demon hunters. "Not to far, just up the road a short way."

Kasler, not one for trusting, tried again to dissuade the red annoyance from staying any longer. "Sounds to me like you have a short and easy trip for yourself."

"..."

A lull drifted between them and Kasler put his gems back in their pouch. "...and?" he clipped out coldly.

Red lifted up a finger as if to point and gestured at Kasler, " and it so happens to have had a star fall into the town."

Kasler's curiosity was caught, "...a star?" He failed to hide the surprise on his face.

The red armored demon hunter merely grinned and waited for Kasler to mull it over a moment more. "..."

Kasler looked sharply at the fellow hunter, pushing the recently delivered food and mead aside. "I take what I kill, I am not your 'friend' and I do not share supplies."

Red stood suddenly and scooped up his helmet. With an outstretched hand he proudly gave his name. "Dante."

Kasler rose slower, eying the rather friendly hunter. Taking his hand and grasping it firmly, "Kasler. We leave in the morning."

Morning arrived with a cold mist along the tavern and roads. Dante's mood was soured thanks to the rude awakening he received from Kasler. The sun hadn't even breached the horizon when Kasler roughly yanked Dante by his foot from bed. Dante grumbled through dressing and griped through a portion of bread he choked down dry as they hurried out the door. The coins dropped on the counters were still spinning as the hunters departed from the inn.

Dante kept behind Kasler as they walked quietly along the road to New Tristram. Dante found it amusing that Kasler had the same assortment of hunter pets. Though Dante had two more wolves than Kasler had, they both had a giant spider, a common brown bat, common raven, a boar, white pair of ferrets and a wolf. The black armored demon hunter kept glancing over his shoulder at Dante as he called his pets back to him and tossed bit of food to them or a random stick for the wolves to chase. Kasler kept his selection of pets close behind them, struggling to keep them from running off with his new companion's pets. The scoffs and head shakes were not lost to more cheery hunter. Dante had had enough of Kasler distaste, a few quick steps and Dante was step for step next to him.

"Sooo, Kaster..." Dante begun.

"Kasler." Kasler curtly interrupted and empathized the 'ler' of his name. "Moron." He thought to himself.

"KasLER," Dante exaggerated. "Is that the Marauder armor? Looks...accommodating."

A long moment passed before Kasler cared to reply, "Yes." Looking over his new companion. "That looks like a altered Natalya armor."

Dante thumped his chest plate lightly, "indeed. It helps boost my magic. I do use some of the Marauder you have. Just enough to keep the kids in line."

"Kids?" The Visage may have blocked Kasler's facial expression but Dante knew what he was confused by.

Dante thumbed back to his collection of pets. "My kids. At least that's what I call them as a group. Been with me for years. Don't you call your pets something?"

Kasler was puzzled and cared little for the personal life, theories or reasons of Dante. "No. They are tools for killing monsters and demons. I train them to their best, that is all."

The silence was sudden and unexpected as both demon hunters stopped in their tracks. It was the smell that halted them, strong, sharp and fresh. Something was off about the road ahead. They both looked at each other and Kasler was glad to see a more serious mood take over Dante and his 'kids'. Everyone smelled it, faint as it was, the dead were no longer in their pine box beds. The scent of rot wafted up the road a short way, weapons were armed and readied. The collection of animal companions focused their attentions. With nothing more to do or say Dante and Kasler quicken the pace and soon found themselves at the gate of New Tristram.