Welcome to the rewrite of "Temptation"
Since this will only be read by a few of you, I wont have any authors notes, except to mention the Poll I have and to make sure you go over and cast your vote. I hope you enjoy but remember don't read on until I give the okay.
On with the show
Chapter 1-If at first you don't suceed . . . .
Over a thousand years ago
The Red Witch of Azarath, Amberlyn, began pacing back and forth, her unseen minions following her with their eyes, awaiting her to give them orders, but she was to furious to speak at the moment. Her black dress trailed behind her with her bare feet padding against the cold stone ground, her face set in a deep frown even from under the scarlet mask that covered the right half of her face, her green eyes never leaving the ground. As she would turn from her pacing her blood red hair would whip around revealing pale, smooth skin, until finally her rage had subsided enough that she was able to speak.
"Where is Landon!?" she shrieked outloud to no on in particular. She was met with silence so her furious gaze was turned to her underlings. "Where is that treacherous little worm!?" Again empty glowing black and red eyes stared back, not speaking until. . .
"He hasn't been found, my lady."
She stared into the darkness, the shape of a man froming from the shadows. A blonde haird, bearded man, with red eyes stepped casually to the witch, his face set, not showing the least amount of fear from the fuming red head. She approached him, pure fury on her face. "Find. . . him." she said through her teeth. "I want that little snake FOUND!" She looked up to the others around her. "Find him! And the remained dragon knights! NOW!" The eyes vanished one by one into the shadows.
"I do not understand the problem my lady. The war is over, victory belongs to you."
She turned to him. "Victory is NOT mine, Marik, until the bodies ofEVERY single dragon knight are at my feet. If there is the slightest chance that they are still alive, then there is a chance they can come back and rip apart everything that I have fought to accomplish!" The one called Marik was still unphased, but her ranting wasn't finished. "And Landon," she spat the name out like it was a disgusting piece of food, "He . . . betrayed ME! I trusted him and he BETRAYS ME?!" The space around them began to quake under the witch's rage.
Marik snickered. "Well thats what you get working with demons-"
Amberlyn glared at him. "And what of you? Will you turn on me given the chance?"
Marik returned to his stoic expression. "I have no intention of betraying you, now or ever."
Amberlyn scanned the demon with a solid stare, looking for deciet, but even for an emotionless creature she couldn't find any. "And your creatures? Did you intend for them to melt?"
Marik shuffled his shoulders at the sound of his failures being brought up. "Like I've told you before, the 'homemade' leviathans I created were only going to last a few months tops, I'm amazed they lasted this long. The original leviathans were created by fallen angels, not something I can do, but like I said your victory is ensured even without my creatures."
Amberlyn shook her head, her red hair whipping around her face. "No. As long as Tharog, Drake, and my twin brother and twin sister are still not found there is still a chance for retaliation." She growled in pure disgust. "It was one thing when my twin brother Jaraclow created those . . . brutish beings, but Malundra MOTHERING one!?" She twisted her face in furious revolsion at the idea of her twin sister actually caring one of those beasts in her womb. Giving herself to one of THEM. Bile rose in her throat at the thought.
Marik watched the witch as she paced and ranted, she was angry and exhausted. Guess having your face permenantly scared by a dragon makes you a little cranky. "What would you have me do my lady?" he asked her.
Amberlyn looked at him, her face in thought. "I need you to create soldiers."
Marik snorted a laugh. "I already tried that-"
"No you tried to recreate soldiers. I want you to start from scratch, completely fresh." Amberlyn seemed to calm down, staring blankly as she spoke into Marik's face. She came closer to him. "My dear Marik, I want you to create the perfect . . . animal. And I don't care how long it takes."
. . . . .
And that's what he did. For thousands of years he traveled the planet looking for the right ingrediants, the right creatures, the right monsters, but nothing compared to the complete and utter ferocity and power that the ancient leviathans provided. Fallen angels that sought mortal form so they possessed the bodies of mortal men and women, but became twisted, deformed, ravenous, hungry . . . unstopable. He was able to replicate the creatures, but they lasted a few months at best before dissolving, but they did their intended directive. The complete annialation of the Dragon Knight speices. Even if the dragon master Tharog was never found, and neither was his nephew, Drake, Marik was confident that the beasts would never be a problem again. Still his thirst to create, and destroy wouldn't be satisfied until he did as instructed by the Red Witch.
To create the perfect animal.
That brought him here. A thousand years later. To the 21st Century. A prison in Los Angeles.
Marik, donning a new look with longer dirty blonde hair and beard, a brown leather motorcycle jacket, but kept the same dark dead stare, sat looking over a file in a prison visitor room. He glanced up at the man that had given him a file, a man with jet black hair, and ice blue eyes in an orange prison uniform looked to him with nervous grin, hoping he had given the demon what he was asking for.
Marik closed the file. "So this is all you have on your nephew?" he asked.
The man, an inmate at Los Angeles prison, scoffed. "What do you mean 'is that it' that's two years worth of data on my nephew. He's everything your looking for!"
To be honest Marik was VERY impressed with what he was looking at, but he didn't want this human to know that. While not a salesman like many of his other demon brethern he knew how to read humans, their vices, their souls, their dreams, everything. Unfortunately he didn't see anything inherently different about this human. Money, power, blah blah blah. How he was the uncle of such an extraordinary being was beyond him. He only came across this individual when he began outsourcing to various scientists that participated in more . . . questionable and less then ethical experimentations.
T.O. Morrow, Professor Ivo, a Doctor Chang, to name a few, but suddenly he hit paydirt, and it was in the file he now held in his hands.
Marik glanced at the human. "I'll need to see if he'll work for my own unique brand of experiments, but if he does well . . . I think you'll have a deal."
The inmate's face dropped from pleading to anger. "No, no! You said you would get me out of here-"
"If the information you provided leads me to what I desire and I have yet to know that with just a few words on a piece of paper."
He got to his knees drawing the attention of guards monitoring the visiting room. "No! We had a deal!" he screamed, but Marik just stood up with the folder and left the prison as cooly as he arrived without another word to the screaming inmate, who was now being hauld away by prison gaurds. "NO ONE CHEATS NICHOLAS GALTRY!" he screamed. "NO ONE!"
Jump City.
Marik walked around the giant silo, glancing up at the three corpses dangling over the green liquid. When he entered this new age he was amazed at the leaps and bounds scientists had made when it came to, what they called, performance enhancement. It wasn't to far off from what he was trying to accomplish, only he was trying a combination of 21st century science, and years of sorcery. Most would argue that the two were similar if not the exact same, and Marik might agree, but he didn't care as long as it got results, and after everything he had learned about this young man he was hopeful.
He finished draining the remaining blood from the corpses. The unfortunate individuals possessed by demons, demon blood coursing through their veins with slit throats. He glanced into the silo, with his powers giving the mixture a quick stir making the goop a greenish hue, then slammed the lid shut. After hiding the bodies he returned to the lab, and waited. It wasn't an hour later when his test subject had arrived.
. . . . .
"You wimps think you can take down Adonis?! Bring it on!"
"Dude, it is totally brunged! . . . . Branged?"
"Ooh, bad grammer. That oughta scare him."
He couldn't believe it.
The results were . . . incredible! Even the human who was in the way of the chemicals gave a breathtaking performance. It would be easy to look over the human in greater detail later, but the shape shifter? Marik was still in awe at the pure POWER he demonstrated, the primal fury, the incredible mindless rage. It was . . . . breathtaking. He had to get it, he had to replicate it somehow, he had to create an army of these creatures that would bring this world to it's knees. He had found-
"Marik."
A voice from one of his subordinates caught his attnetion. "What is it?" he asked.
His underling had an joyous grin on his face. "The time of his arrival approaches." was all he said.
Marik raised a brow. "You'll have to be more specific-"
"The terrible! The conquror of worlds! Trigon, the magnificent, his time is at hand."
Mairk's eyes fell wide. "Y-your sure of this?"
"Oh yes. In a few short months, his gem will reach her sixteenth year, and when she does, the end will begin."
Present Day. Gotham City
The time. Midnight. The place on old abandoned church just outside of Gotham City. The sky. Clear showing off a brilliant full moon basking the city below in it's glow. The night was calm which was odd for a place like Gotham, still it was the perfect night. Inside the church sat men and women in the wooden, and decrepit benches, so much so that the slightest movement would send a loud creak echoing throughout the intire church. Each person was dressed in long crimson robes with hoods drapped over their heads. Candles were lit and lined the outside of the benches and was the only source of light filling the dark space, giving an errie glow over it's occupants, but with heads down in some kind of prayer, no one noticed.
Finally a man dressed in the same long scarlet robe emerged from the behind a long curtain and stood at the front of the congregation. The difference was that his robe had gold trim along the sides of his robe along with a gold pendent around his neck in the shape of a pentagram. In front of him was an alter with a scarlet cloth drapped over the top and on the alter lay different, antique items. A brass bowl filled with various herbs, plants and powders, a chalice filled with a thick red liquid which was persumed to be blood, and a large knife. With everything set he raised his arms addressing his guests.
"My brothers and sisters." His voice boomed throughout the church, the candles flickering slightly. "We gather tonight to finish our master's work," with one hand he gestured to the back of the church. "Please bring in our masters bride."
Everyone turned as the doors opened, an ungodly creaking noise penetrating the air as they did so. In walked four men in red robes and in the center, they were escouting a young women dressed in a snow white gown with a hood drawn over her head. Her head was down as she walked the aisle to the front of the church glacning at those who stared at her with envy, like she was the luckiest women alive. As they came to the alter the ones in red robes seperated to different sides of the alter, to the left and right, then turned to face the congregation. The women in white, nervously, knealt before the alter.
The man leaned over to the alter to her and lifted her chin to meet his gaze, her eyes trembling with fear. "It's okay my child. Tonight you will help create the greatest treasure in creation, and in return you will be rewarded in ways you can't even imagine." She gave a small smile, though she wasn't sure what it meant she was just glad for once in her abusive life, she was needed. He took his hand away and addressed his followers. "Three years ago our master, Trigon the Great, ascended to this plane. However his greatness was taken away from us by the very being HE created to be his entrance into our world. He gave her LIFE and he was rewarded with hate, and was TAKEN from us!" he shouted angrily, frightening the young women beneath him. The church echoed with angry mumuring until the priest raised his hands motioning for everyone to be quiet, his voice becoming calmer. "Fear not my brothers and sisters. For tonight we shall create a new gem, and in sixteen short years our master will be given another portal to which he will enter to our world. First he will take this pathetic planet and then the universe will be his to command with US by his side!" There was quiet cheering coming form the conregation now. The women before him was still confused by all of this, but she smiled nontheless.
To be honest she never saw herself doing this in a million years. But she wanted out of her old life. An abusive father, an abusive husband, no job, no money, no friends. At least these people promised her something, promised to need her for something important. No one had ever needed her before.
The man looked up a the roof which allowed a little bit of moon light to enter into the church, then looked down to the pale and beautiful young women who was still kneeling before him.
"It is time." he said softly. The room erupted in low humming, the worshiper swaying side to side producing an unholy creaking from the old benches that was lowder then anything else in that church practically drowning out their humming. The man grabbed the chalice and dipped his two fingers into the red liquid which smelled strongly of metal. He brought his fingers to the womens forehead just above her eyes and made two marks. Then he motioned for her to close her eyes, as she did he covered her eye lids in the thick liquid giving the illusion that she had four red eyes. Then he brought his fingers up again tracing a symbol that looked like an S on her forehead.
He set the chalice down and picked up the knife, and with one smooth motion dragged the knife acoss his palm, draining his own blood in the large cup. Then he began to chant as his own blood trickled into the bowl.
"Attenrobendum eos, ad consiendrum, ad ligandum eos, potiter et solvendum, et ad, congregontum eos, coram me. Trigon our lord and king. Come before us!" A gust of wind blew through the church blowing the candles out and opening and slamming doors, and window shutters plunging the church into complete darkness that not even the full moon could illuminate. The woman was frightned, but stayed with her head bowed staring intently at the floor, the creaking of the benches intensifying, the wind howling, and the humming louder. Until finally. . . . .
. . . . silence. . .
. . . .
The only sounds to be heard was the steady breathing of the worshipers.
. . . .
. . . .
. . . . then . . . .
"I'm sorry. Trigon the terrible is not in right now. Would you like to leave a message?"
Whispers filled the darkness accompanied by the sounds of footsteps walking towards the alter and each time they passed a candle it was lit with a tiny flame piercing through the darkness. A man dressed in a dark two button suit with black hair, five o'clock shadow, and a bright handsome smile was walking with his hands in his pants pockets towards the alter.
The young woman and the priest looked at the new comer oddly, but once the shock of this intrusion wore off, the priest raised the knife at the stranger. "Who do you think you are coming here?" he bellowed.
The man stopped, looking confused, spoke to them in a smooth english accent. "That's odd for a second there I thought you called for the king of demons?"
The robed man looked bewildered. "We summoned our lord and master Trigon the Great."
The enlishman was now behind the young women who was looking up at him with confusion, but not fear. "Yeeeeeeeah about that," he addressed, "You see Trigon was beatin three years ago, and sent to some . . . . shit hole, I don't know. Now he's more of a whithered husk, ya know fetal position on the floor kind of thing. So he wont be making any house calls today." He looked at the women. "You do know what they were planning for you yes?" All she could do was stare at the charming man, a very cold feeling radiating off of him that made her shake even more then she already was. "I'll take stunned silence as a no. Once Trigon got here you were to be his . . . how do I put this delicately . . . sex toy, and the child you were going to bare was to be his entrance into this world." Her eyes sparked with horror at was this man was telling her. "I take it they 'casually' forgot to mention that? Tsk tsk tsk, always read the fine print darling."
She couldn't speak, her brain unable to command her mouth to speak. She had never had a child before, but it was a joy she had always wanted, and the very thought of her child being nothing more then a . . . tool terrified and angered her. More then anything now though she was hurt. Just like everyone else in her life, they were just using her. She looked up to the priest. "I-Is this. . . true?" He didn't say anything, but glared angrily at the man who had ruined their ritual.
"Yea well," the british man interrupted, "don't worry one nighters with demons isn't always that bad." He winked at her and clicked her tongue which, for some reason she found flattering. He wasn't the one she was spending the night with was he?
Once they saw this wasn't going the way it was planned, the men and women from began to stand and rush for the doors. With a wave of his hand, the doors slammed shut, and would not open no matter how hard they tried to pry them open. "Now now now, mass isn't over yet." He said coldly.
The robed man stood with the knife in hand ready to attack. "You have no-"
The women still kneeling at the alter stood up in time for the priests head to be sliced off his shoulders and go tumbling down the asiles. In horror she saw a man in black body armor and an orange and black mask kick the priests body over the alter, a katanna in his hand dripping blood onto the church floor. She had enough, and on the spot she fainted into the arms on the british man.
He stood with her bridal style and turned to the remaining members. "As much as I'd love to stay and chat, I've got things to do, but before I go I would like to introduce you to a very dear friend of mine." He turned to the swordsman. "He's a virgo, enjoys long walks on the beach, candle lit dinners and the sweet soothing sounds of the backstreet boys. Ladies and genltmen please welcome, Slade Wilson." The one known as Slade stepped forward drawing the other katanna from his back.
"You all play nice now." The british man, along with the women in his arms, vanished in a puff of black mist.
Landon stood outside an open car door with the women laying across the backseat, a glass of scotch in his hands. Standing in front of him was another man dressed in a dark grey suit, a red tie and black shoes. He had thick black rimmed glasses with fine combed dark brown hair. In his hands he held an Ipad that he was swiping his finger across.
He adjusted his glasses. "Okay Mister Landon we have-"
"Shh." Landon held up a hand. "Wait a second." He cocked his head to the side as he listened. Suddenly they started to hear the sounds of screaming from inside the church. Landon sighed and smiled. "Music, sweet sweet music." He turned to his assistant taking a drink. "You were saying, Chip?"
Chip nodded looking back at his Ipad, ignoring the screams filling the night air. "We have located all the factions of Trigon loyalists among the humans, however we haven't been able to locate all the loyalists among the demons."
Landon scrunched his face. "Are they all factions among demons from MY hell?"
"It's looking that way sir."
Landon groaned. "Why is it my subjects have a hard time listening to me?"
Chip shuffled nervously. "That brings me to another point sir." He clicked a few buttons on the Ipad and handed it to the demon king. "Here are your latest approval ratings."
Landon took the Ipad. "Ewgh." he groaned. "That good?"
Chip nodded. "Sorry sir. It's just that a lot of the inhabitants of the pit doubt your ability to lead."
This wasn't really news to Landon, he was very aware that his ability to lead was questioned, but with more and more factions joining Trigon's cause was trouble for him. He handed the Ipad back. "Thoughts?"
Chip shrugged. "The only idea I have sir is to show your true nature to your subjects. Word had gotten around about the slaughter you dealt, which increased your numbers slightly."
Landon raised a brow at this. "Is that so?" You could see the wheels in Landon's head turning. As they stood there they saw one of the worshipers kicked the doors out and stumbled out of the church. He was covered in blood which seemed to blend in fine with his red robes and screaming as loud as he could running as fast as his legs could take him. Landon nonchalantly snapped his fingers towards the running man. With a sickening crack they heard his legs snap in half. He was still screaming when Landon turned back to Chip.
"Any idea who is leading any of these bands of anti-Landons?" Landon asked casually, ignoring the screams.
"Sources tell me it's the demon named Marik." Chip responded.
Landon snorted. "Wonderful. When is my next appointment?"
Chip looked over his Ipad. "I believe you have the rest of the night off sir."
"Excellent. Send me the location of the nearest Trigon loyalist demon devision and I'll see to that myself, and keep an eye out for Marik and his followers."
"Yes sir, and what would you like me to do with her?" he gestured to the women still unconscious in the car.
Landon shrugged. "Schedule a mind wipe, get rid of those nasty memories of Trigon and all that."
"Alright." Chip was busy typing on the Ipad when they heard someone else exit the church.
Slade was busy whiping blood off of his katana as he joined the two demons outside.
"Slade?" Landon gestured to the man crawling away with two broken legs. "Missed one."
Slade didn't say anything just walked over to the man laying facedown on the ground, putting his sword away. Landon felt his phone vibrate signaling he just got the message from Chip with the location of his next target. They heard a sick twisting noise coming from the man Slade stood over. They didn't need to see he had just snapped his neck. Once done Slade approached them once again.
"Slade your kind of completeing me right now." Landon put his phone away. Slade said nothing just folded his arms over his chest. "I assume everyone is dead?"
Landon could see Slade's single eye narrow ever so slightly. "Of course. You expected anything less?"
"Of course not," Landon said with a smirk, "I only invest in the best after all. Why don't you take the rest of the night off. I have some business to attend to. Tomorrow Chip here will get you the location and names of your other targets."
Slade remained motionless, but Landon could sense the mercenary glaring at him. "As much as I enjoy taking out those loyal to Trigon I hope you don't think I'm doing this free of charge?"
Landon looked to Slade nonchallantly, not in the slightest bit intimidated, even if he was weilding duel katanas that can kill demons. "Of course not, my friend." Landon glanced at Chip. "Speaking of which how goes out search for our little demon friend?"
"Unfortuneatly sir we haven't found any leads as of yet and as far as I am aware neither have the Titans or Mister Daniels. However the trap over the city is still in effect so we know Carnus won't be leaving the city."
"Hmm . . . If they make contact with you let me know. All my messages will be forwarded to you while I am . . . . preocupied tonight."
"Yes sir."
Slade unfolded his arms, fingers twitching ever so slightly. "I only agreed to assist you on the condition I put a knife through his neck."
Landon smirked again. "Patients darling. You will have your revenge in due time. These things take time, you understand?" Slade was quiet, which Landon took as an alright. "Lovely. Anyways I am-"
"Hold on," Slade interrupted, "I have an . . . apprentice, if you will, that I am going to have join me on my assignments."
Landon raised a brow, "Okay."
Chip looked to the king oddly. "Your going to LET this mercenary just bring someone else along?" Slade was actually wondering the same thing.
Landon shrugged. "Well he didn't ask me, he told me. Can't say no if it's not a question." Chip reluctanly nodded. "Alright then. If you two don't mind. I have a little hell to raise." His eyes flashed red, and the king of demons was gone.