As usual, my thanks go out to my wonderful beta detrametal. And I don't own Darksiders, Dark Souls, a pair of earmuffs, or a Jigglypuff. Prefer Gengar anyway. That all? That's all. Alligator tail!


I dreamt. Actually, I guess I should say I remembered. I wondered if I was dying and this was really my life flashing before my eyes. You would know if you were dying though right? Even if you were asleep? I mean, there's gotta be some way of knowing, of feeling, that your life was coming to an end. Oh well, I'm just chasing rabbits here.

Memories I had repressed for various reasons - maintaining my sanity being the top one - came flooding back. My dad carrying me to bed when I was a kid. Playing my first Pokémon game. Picking blackberries, honeysuckles, and wild plums. Hiding in the corn fields. My first real date. Birthdays, Christmases, other family gatherings. Just laying around the house with my family. Almost enough to make a grown man cry. Or not.

There was a sound. A voice. The dream shattered.

"Wake up Hope." Came the voice again from beyond the beyond.

"Five more minutes. Scratch that, two more hours." I yawned in response.

"Wake up now."

Something about the dangerous tone the slightly familiar voice used make me instantly jerk to attention. Maybe it was the fact that it sounded dangerous…

"Whaaaaat?" I yawned again, rubbing the ick from my eyes. Opening said eyes, I saw Shadow Man standing in front of me. And he looked pissed. If a face with no discernable features besides eyes can looked pissed that is.

"Yo, wazzup my man o' the shadowy nature? What can I do ya fer? Speakin o' which, how can I move this time? Your Fear-o-matic rechargin er somethin?"

"You are unconscious somewhere so we are inside your mind." He said, ignoring my, self-proclaimed, awesome joke.

"My mind?" I took a moment to actually take in my surroundings. We were trapped in a perfect circle of white. All around us was nothing but blackness seemed to be writhing. Gross.

I took another moment to get a good look at Shadow Man in all his shadowy glory. Wasn't all that easy since he almost blended into the darkness. He was tall, easily over seven feet, not lanky but quite muscular. Horn like things could be seen sweeping back from the top of his head. His thick-ish arms were crossed over a broad chest and he was tapping his clawed fingers on his forearm impatiently.

He narrowed his glowing red eyes at me, "Yes, this is inside your mind."

"Why is it so… empty?"

"It's quite the opposite. Your mind is so cluttered that it created this." He said, waving a hand at the blackness.

"So if I did this…" I reached out of the safety of the white circle and felt the apparently countless thoughts wriggle around my hand. "I could pull out something like this?" I withdrew my hand which was now holding an orange popsicle.

I took an experimental bite out of it. Even though this was a dream, I could taste the orange flavoring. Feel the cold ice on my tongue. Best thing I'd had in a hundred years.

Shadow Man cleared his throat, "If you're done now…"

I waved him on, "Go on, I'm listenin."

"You were supposed to stay with the Horseman."

I finished with the popsicle and pulled out a bowl of chocolate covered strawberries, "Hey, ain't my fault angels think kidnappin is a good idea."

"You let him take you."

"Couldn't help it really since I was blackin out from blood loss."

"You wouldn't have been hurt if you hadn't tried to help the Horseman."

This time I found a plate of brownies, "Excuse me fer tryin ta help."

"Regardless, you failed and were hurt and taken."

I stopped eating. I don't like being told I failed if I already know I did. Hate it more than actually failing. "Look, I'm sorry about all that but I'll go find Big Red again when I wake up."

"How do you plan to do that? Your body is injured and currently surrounded by angels."

"Thanks fer the spoiler. I'll heal and find a way alright?"

"You better."

I was tempted to throw the plate of brownies at his head but didn't. "Yeah, whatever."

"Now wake up, you have work to do."

"And I ain't even gettin paid fer it." I grumbled, grifting off into a deeper sleep.

Hearing another voice calling my name, I followed it only to wake up and find Aen and a couple of other angels leaning over me and asking if I was okay. Apparently all that dreaming of food had made me hungry and my stomach was more-or-less roaring like a demon now. Not to mention I was almost gutted like a fish. At least the angels had tried to bandage me up a bit.

My mind was still disoriented from sleep so my body acted on its own. My body just so happened to be a little upset at being kidnapped. So it punched Aen in the nose then rolled out of the way of the gushing blood. My bad.

Hmm… my stomach don't hurt no more…

I took this chance to take in my surroundings. We were inside a building at the place where I first met the Horseman. About seven angels - excluding Aen who was still kneeling on the floor - surrounded us. All of them were ready for a fight that I accidently started. My book bag was laying off to the side, mostly untouched. I also checked out the wound in my stomach to find out that it was no longer there but had completely healed. Though, now that I'd fully woken up I could still feel a twinge of pain.

"What in Heaven's name are you doing?!" one of them asked.

"Oops, sorry man." I said crouching beside Aeneas. "Ya alright?"

He nodded, his eyes watering and nose still bleeding. Why isn't he wearing his helmet?

That's when I felt something sharp and pointy poke into my back.

"Stand, human." Commanded a female voice.

If this whore messes up my shirt anymore… Technically it's more of a hoodie than a shirt but that's beside the point.

I stood slowly with my hands clasped behind my head, "Alright, alright, my shirt's already got enough holes in it."

"Turn around."

What, too good ta say please er somethin? Out loud I said, "That's two wishes, what's the third?" Okay, what I say isn't much better than what I think. Deal with it.

"You have been traveling with the Horseman."

"Yeah, I'm fine. Not like ya almost cut me open er anythin." I mumbled. "Sorry but that's not a wish, that's statin the obvious."

"Why? Who are you? How are you still alive?"

"Sheesh lady, one at a time. My brain gets confused after two questions. Three just fries it."

Uriel looked as if she was getting mad but repeated her first question, "Why are you traveling with the Horseman War?"

Someone jealous? Don't she know that Big Red's got someone else?

"Simple, I found 'im first."

"What do you mean?"

"Before I answer anythin else put the flippin sword away."

She did as I said but continued to glare at me. Think she was still mad about earlier. I know I was.

"I died a century ago during the apocalypse er Endwar er whatever ya wanna call it. I even got the scars ta prove it. I woke up somewhere around here and Big Red helped me out with some demons. Plus I kinda made a deal with someone so now I gotta go with 'im."

"A deal with who?"

I shrugged, "How the Hel-… Heaven should I know? I just call 'im Shadow Man."

"A demon?" Aen asked, his nose having stopped bleeding.

My sarcastic manner instantly disappeared, "No. I feel like he's somethin worse. Much worse. But whatever. Next question!"

"Who are you?" Uriel again.

"Don'tcha think ya shoulda asked that first?" I mumbled before giving a bow. "Name's Hope. Last name's classified 'cause the readers don't need ta know it."

"Readers? What do you mean?"

"Nevermind. Anyway, I would say it's a pleasure ta meetcha but really it ain't."

Ignoring my comment, she continued the interrogation, "How are you still alive?"

Don't dis bitch listen? "I believe I already explained that I died a hundred years ago so the question ain't 'how are ya still alive' but 'how did ya come back'."

"How did you come back to life then?"

"Ain't got a clue. I was eaten by Bat Bitch then I saw Stone Heads gettin on ta Big Red then a voice told me ta wake up and I did back on Earth but not where I died…"

"This voice," started Aen, "what did it sound like?"

"Hmm… it was deep, soothing. Safe. Ya could hear everythin in it."

"Everything?"

"Yeah, like… birds singin, leaves rustlin, waves crashin on a shore, wind blowin. Ya know, shit like that."

Uriel and Aen looked at each other and the other angels started mumbling.

"Could it be…" he started.

"The Creator…" she finished. "Did he say anything else to you?"

"Mmm, just ta wake up and that I would return ta Earth as well."

"If the Creator sent you back then it must have been for a reason."

I bit my thumb in thought, "Obviously but why me? I ain't nothin special, just a normal country girl. A little crazy, yeah, but that's it."

Uriel put her hand on my shoulder, "You have the Hellguard's protection until you find out what that reason is."

When did she become all chummy? Stay calm Hope. Don't flip out. Destroy her later. All women are evil and I'm no exception. Now let's set this bitch on fire.

I forced a smile, "Thank ya so much."

It seemed she'd totally forgotten about earlier - despite the fact that my shirt was still soaked in blood - as she smiled back before letting go and turning to the rest of the angels and speaking to them.

"Hey Aen?"

"Yes?"

"I ain't got a chance o' makin it back ta Big Red right now do I?"

"No, you do not."

"Shit."

That's when some random demons had the bright idea to attack. How convenient.

"Hellguard! To arms!" shouted Uriel, raising her sword. "Aeneas, protect the human!"

"I have a name, bitch!" I shouted back.

Aen moved to stand in front of me, "Go, Hope."

"What?"

"If you want to escape then now is your chance."

"But… wont'cha get in trouble?"

"It's possible but do not worry about me and just go."

I grabbed my book bag and slung it on my back, "Thanks Aen, and sorry 'bout punchin ya."

"No prob." He said with a smile.

I turned to go before remembering something else, "Oh, and 'bout that screw you thing? I didn't mean it. We're still friends."

"I know you didn't. Now go before they catch you."

Going in the opposite direction of the fight, I managed to avoid it completely and get safely inside the library. Luckily, the only things in there right now were zombies and I could take them out with my machete.

My luck ran out when I left the library through the back door. Two monkey/dog/demons - we'll can them Fluffy - were waiting outside.

"Oh shiatsus…" I was tempted to go back inside but running away from my problems wouldn't get me any closer to the Horseman. So I did the only thing I could think of that maybe wouldn't get me killed.

I took off my bells, put them in my book bag, and ran towards my problems.

Since they were facing the other way - and I made as little noise as possible - they didn't notice me until I was right on them. They didn't attack but they did give chase. Lucky me.

All I had to do was make it to Vulgrim, use his Serpent Holes to get to Hammer then maybe he can take me to wherever Big Red, and maybe the Crybaby, is. If he hadn't already killed and taken her heart, that is.

As usual, this was all fan-flippin-tastic in theory. The execution, however, seemed impossible. Especially with the damned Hounds of Hell chasing after me.

Focused on my plans as I was, I failed to pay attention to where I was actually going.

If you're already laughing - or at least chuckling quietly to yourself - because you think I ran into a pole or something, stop it. I did no such thing. What I did do was a lot worse.

Instead of turning where I should have, I ran straight. Right onto Samael's prison. And a dead end. Damn.

This is the part where I realize my stupidity and start cursing like a sailor - probably in different languages - while you sit there and shake your head sadly at my mistake.

Anyway, I made it all the way across the prison and thought about jumping over to Vulgrim from here. Behind me the Fluffies took their time slinking up, knowing they had my trapped. Fuck.

I drew my knife and machete, "If I'm going down I'ma drag at least one o' ya bastards back ta Hell with me!"

A loud roar sounded and Sammy rose up and out of his prison, coming between me and my attackers. The Fluffies instantly lost their nerve and scampered away. Shit.

Does this make things better er a lot, lot worse? Honestly, I didn't want to find out.

Willing to take the chance, I turned and jumped off the prison. Before I could even open my wings, I felt something slim and rough wrap around my waist and yank me back.

Damn demon and his tail. Haven't I been injured enough today?

"Holy hot Hells!" I yelled as I was quite literally thrown to the ground.

"Little human."

"I got a name." I groaned automatically. "And I ain't little."

"Lost the Horseman have you?" he chuckled.

I stood, sheathing my knife in favor of holding my aching stomach. Maybe it wasn't as healed as I'd thought. "Quite the opposite in fact."

I had to get out of here. He may be helping War but it's for his own gain and I didn't trust him one bit. Knowing I stood no chance trying to fight him, I tried to take the easy way out.

"Sooo, thanks fer the help Sammy. 'Preciate it. Now if you'll excuse me, I better get goin." I started to back away slowly but didn't get very far.

Sammy lifted me into the air with that weird power of his and there I hung. It's days like this that make me wish I was a tree. Life would be so simple. And I wouldn't have to put up with this shit.

"Where are you going little human?"

I sighed, "I give up on the little but at least call me by my name. It's Hope. H-O-P-E. I'm tryin ta find my way back ta Big Red so if you'll kindly set me down I'll be on my way."

He outright laughed but put me down all the same, "Fine Little Hope."

I couldn't help sighing again, " So if you'll excuse me now, I'll be goin."

This dude seriously creeped my out even more than Vulgrim. I didn't want to stay here any longer.

He smiled at me and I suddenly had the feeling that I should watch what I thought around him as well as what I said. "Why don't you wait awhile Hope?"

"No offense but why would I do that?"

"Your Horseman will return soon enough. If you go now you'll miss him."

As much as I hated to admit it, he did have a point.

"He's not my Horseman." I groaned, easing myself to the ground and laying my machete beside me.

"Ah yes, he belongs to Alina."

Needless to say this caught my attention, "Alina?"

"Alina is just one of the names she goes by but she is the Horseman's demon."

"I hope you mean as in girlfriend. Anyway, would it kill ya ta sit down? All your pacin is hurtin my neck."

He chuckled but sat down on the gargoyle beside me.

Aaaand it was quiet again. Awkwardly quiet. In other news- oh wait, there was a gash in my stomach.

I lifted up my hoodie and unwrapped the bandages to see my new scar connecting the two bat teeth scars. I can never wear a bikini again. Oh well.

"You heal faster than normal."

I stopped poking my scar to look up at Samael who had spoken.

"You heal faster than normal humans. It is one of the powers given to you by Shadow Man, as you call him."

"Hm, that would explain a lot. But what's the other power?"

"You will figure it out soon enough." He chuckled again.

I couldn't help but be skeptical about this but let that part go but something else was bugging me since my talk with the angels. I hadn't really thought about it till then but now it was gnawing at me.

"What is he anyway? Shadow Man I mean."

"He is one of the Old Ones. Ancient and evil. Even older than the Crowfather."

Hm, a demon callin someone evil… Mr. Tall Dark and Creepy must be really bad. Also, who's the Crowfather? Is he like the giant crow that takes ya to the Undead Asylum in Dark Souls? No, I don't wanna go back! There are Hollows there! And that giant demon! Noooooo! Wait… wrong game.

I decided to drop it. If it didn't hurt me not to think about it before it wouldn't hurt me now. I had another problem on my hands.

"There's a hole in my shirt." I thought out loud.

Sammy looked at me as if he thought I expected him to do something about it. Which I didn't.

"I don't suppose ya know o' any not destroyed stores 'round here do ya?"

"You'll not find anything intact now Little Hope."

"Fan-fuckin-tastic. Well, I'll have ta do somethin. I cain't run 'round with a hole in my shirt. It simply ain't ladylike."

"Your language suggests that you are concerned with everything but being a lady."

I whipped my head around to glare at Samael, "Gee, thanks."

Guess I'd have to figure something out later. Couldn't exactly go out looking for a new shirt now with all the demons about just waiting to eat me alive. Such a dilemma.

That's when I remembered my book bag. I still hadn't looked through it. Now was as good a time as any, I suppose.

I swung it off my back and unzipped the smaller pouch in the front to find a few more knives and my bells, which I left in there. They really didn't do me any good. In the larger part I found… well wouldn't ya know it, different clothes. A blue, green, and black tank top, a pair of shorts, and even new… more personal items. At the very bottom was a little black bag that I'd never seen before, much less put it in my own bag. On the back were loops I guess my belt was supposed to go through.

Curious, I unzipped it to see it had three little sections. In the first was another knife. I have a lot of knives okay? Gah… The middle section was empty so I guessed I could put whatever I wanted in there. What was in the third part almost made me cry. It was full of candy. Lemon heads, war heads, bubble gum, a few peppermints, air heads, saltwater taffy. Who knew that something so simple could almost bring me to tears?

I felt something sharp and warm touch my face and glanced over through the unshed tears to see Sammy wiping some of the moisture away. I guess he could be pretty nice sometimes.

"Thanks." I told him. "I'm just havin really bad allergies right now fer some reason."

I knew that was a lie. He knew that was a lie. You know that was a lie. It made me feel better anyway.

"Now if you'll excuse me," How many times have I said that now? "I need ta change clothes so no peekin."

He chuckled as I went behind the gargoyle and started to strip, keeping a look out for anybody else around.

"You humans are strange." He said out of nowhere.

"Ya mean were strange. But waddya mean by that?"

"You get so sentimental over the silliest of things."

"Yeah, well, since I'd never thought I'd see somethin even as simple as candy again I think I'm allowed ta get a bit sentimental. Besides, I'm maybe the only human left alive. Give me a break fer breakin down."

"You are the last human."

I peeked around the gargoyle to look at him, "What?"

"You continue to say that you are maybe the only human left alive. There is no maybe, Little Hope. You are the last human."

I had to sit down in the middle of getting dressed. I'd pretty much been in denial about the whole thing. It was the only thing preserving what was left of my sanity. Ya know, maybe there was another human out there somewhere, going through all the same shit, realizing the same heartbreaking things, having the same fucking breakdowns. This kind of thing wasn't something I would wish on anybody but I guess I was just hoping for a kindred spirit. Someone to say, "Hey, you aren't the last of your kind. Don't worry. We'll get through this together." Now there was confirmation that there was definitely nobody else out there. I felt so… alone. Well and truly alone.

I wish I could believe that Big Red could fix all this. Restore the world to the way it was before. Bring back all the humans. But that was impossible. He was only trying to clear his name, not restore humanity. Even if he could bring their souls back, they had no bodies to return to, only rotting corpses that tried to attack you. The world had quite literally gone to Hell and there was nothing anybody could do about it now.

I stood and finished getting dressed. Sitting here and letting my brain slowly descend further into madness wasn't going to do me any good.

I switched all of my stuff from the pockets of my pants and into my short's pockets. All except my phone. It wasn't doing me any good. Just extra weight keeping me tied to the past. After I was done with that, and had gotten the knives out of my book bag, I bundled it and the bandages from my stomach all up and threw it over the edge of the prison and into the lava below. Usually I'd get all sentimental - proving Sammy right - but not this time. I refused to feel anything.

I went back around to join Sam with a smile on my face, "So Sammy, what now?"

"What?"

"I know," I said, sitting down in front of him, "tell me about yourself. Actually, tell me about everythin. Everythin new fer me. If I'm gonna be livin in this new era filled with destruction and death I might as well know all I can about it."

"Your cities have been demolished, your world destroyed, and your kind all but eliminated and you wish to sit here and talk with me?"

"Sure, why not?"

"Ask a question Little Hope and I shall answer it." He laughed.

"Hmm, okay. Who are ya?"

"I am Samael. I once had power to rival even the Dark Prince."

"Not sure I wanna know who that is but what happened ta your power?"

"I defied the Destroyer and was stripped of it and locked inside this prison."

"Is there anyway ta get it back? Er ta escape?"

"There is a way to get all of my power back and once I have it then I will escape."

"Oh okay. Who is this Destroyer dude?"

"He was once an angel but he was defeated and became the Destroyer."

"But… don't angels hate demons? I mean, they're polar opposites so why would he become one?"

"He wanted power. He wants to rule Heaven and Earth using Hell's forces."

"Well that's stupid."

"Any more questions human?"

"Oh, I don't suppose ya know how-"

I heard footsteps coming closer and turned to see the Horseman and the Watcher returning victorious and with the Crybaby's Heart.

Samael jumped off the gargoyle and took the heart from War, completely forgetting about me. Not that I had a problem with that.

"Did you enjoy yourself? War and the Black Hammer 'plucking pigeons'."

Wait, how did he know? I wondered, going over to join them.

"You see a great many things from inside a prison, Samael." Big Red commented.

He wasn't inside his prison. In fact, it seems he can get out at any time.

"There is little you can keep from me Horseman, once I have a mind to know it."

That would explain how he knew bout me. Also, where'd the Heart go?

"And what do you know of Uriel?"

She's a skank ass bitch that has tried ta kill ya on multiple occasions and had me kidnapped?

Sammy chuckled at War's question, "Oh, I thought the Horseman were above such earthly pursuits."

Apparently not since Big Red here has a girlfriend.

"She believes I killed Abaddon."

"The Hellguard worshiped their fallen lord and leader. And Uriel… some might say her admiration was less than professional."

I frikkin knew it! Fuckin called it bitches!

"She will stop at nothing to punish the one responsible."

Hmm… he didn't say "you". Meanin he knows Big Red didn't do it.

"I fought the demon who killed Abaddon. And he will be punished."

"Straga is the strongest of the Chosen. No doubt you'll face him again - he draws power from the spire, and won't stand to be away from it for long."

But he - whoever he is - could stay away from it long enough ta kill a very powerful angel and fight Big Red?

"With all I have taught you, you might even survive the reunion."

I'm surprised the Watcher hasn't said anything this whole time. I'm surprised I haven't.

"Who's Heart would you have, demon?" asked War, finally getting down to business.

"The Stygian is King of the ancient worms that now plague the Ashlands. It won't be easy. The worms grow well in such fertile ground."

Ashlands? Don't like the sound o' that. Somethin tells me we ain't dealin with somethin you'll find in the garden.

"Fertile?"

"Fertile with death. Decay."

Yup, don't wanna go.

"All the land is covered in it. The ashes of the dead."

And watch it get all in my hair.

"But you may be in luck. It seems that some fool demons have taken to capturing the worms for sport. And they hunt… other creatures as well. The strongest are made to fight in cruel arenas. The demons seek to tame the Stygian. Not knowing that within the monster, there beats a black Heart of the Chosen."

What idiots.

"How do the demons avoid the Ashworms?" asked the Horseman while I chased mind bunnies.

Wait… ash-whats?

"You know of the Chronospheres?"

"A gift of The Old Ones. It is said that to master the Chronosphere is to master time itself. One could even stop time, or even more it - forward and back."

Cooleos.

"Indeed. None of the old masters exist, but the demons have learned to use them, to a lesser degree… I can grant you a basic understanding of the Chronospheres."

A blue light surrounded Sammy's hand and somehow he handed the light to Big Red. Then, amazingly, he handed some to me too. Don't ask how I managed to take it from him.

"It won't be much - perhaps just enough to avoid the worms."

"Perhaps?" War sounded kinda angry when he asked this. Cain't really blame him.

"Perhaps not. What in this life is certain, Horseman… other than our word, of course?"

With that, we turned to leave.

"Come talk with me again, Little Hope."

"Okay? See ya later." I ran after War. "So, guess I'm back with ya now."

Without even cracking a smile - or any other facial expression for that matter - he reached behind him and pulled an ax out of nowhere and handed it to me, "From the Black Hammer."

It was beautiful. A double-sided battle ax made out of steel yet somehow it was very light. Leather wrapped the long hilt and designs were carved into the head. There was also a leather strap where I could sling it across my back so it would stay, since I didn't have the magic ability to make it stay on my back without anything holding it.

"Remind me ta thank 'im next time we see 'im." I put the ax in its place. Somehow it just felt right.

And we went on our way to find the third Chosen.

"According to Samael, you need to use the Chronospheres in the ASHLANDS to reach the demon's camp." Reminded the Watcher.

"Am I the only one who don't like the sound o' the Ashlands?"

We went back the way towards Vulgrim but passed his little shop station and continued on to the blue crystals that were blocking the path. There was a Fluffy there but Big Red just cut it in half. I really hope he has a way to get these crystals out of the way though.

A wicked looking gauntlet appeared around his smaller hand and he raised into the air, letting blue energy gather around it before slamming it into the ground and causing the crystals to shatter. We could go on!

Down a tunnel, into a pipe, down another tunnel with zombies. When will the monotony end? Good news is that I got to chop up some zombie flesh with my new ax. I'm not a serial killer but it felt good. Then another, larger, tunnel with more zombies and bats.

War smashed some more crystals blocking the way into a small room where a lever thingy and a glowing thingy were.

I went over to inspect the glowing thingy while Big Red hit the glowing thingy with the Crossblade then turned the lever which pulled up the gate dividing the tunnel. Thinking it might be a good idea to do the same, I hit it. That's when things got weird.

Everything except the Chronosphere - I'm guessing that's what it was - went black, white, and varying shades of grey and time slowed down. As we exited the small room and ran towards the lifting gate, I became aware of a clock ticking somewhere. The ticking became faster as we ran and stopped the same time the world went back to normal. We made it right before the gate slammed back down. Talk about lucky.

In the other side of the tunnel were more abandoned cars, another lever off to the side, and a Mr. Spontaneous Combustion. Surprise, surprise. Anyway, the Horseman killed him and we went on up the stairs at the end of the tunnel. Up, up, up. Kill zombies. Jump up some ledges and into another - much smaller - tunnel behind us.

"Sooo, ya have fun killin the Crybaby?"

War gave a grunt as an answer. More than I usually get, I guess.

"Sammy told me your girlfriend's name is Alina. Er at least one o' her names is."

This time I did get an answer, "She goes by many different names."

"Why? She don't like her real name?"

"Names hold power for her kind."

This was getting good, "Her kind? I thought she was a demon?"

I think I almost got him to sigh, "Her kind of demon."

"…Do ya know her real name?"

He glared at me for a second, as if I was crossing into some dangerous territory, "Yes."

"Chillax dude. I'm not gonna ask what it is. Just curious is all." I skipped ahead of him, humming the Jigglypuff tune.


Ya know, in hindsight, maybe it wasn't such a good idea to sit around and chat with a very powerful demon…

Regretting some decisions,

Hope


"Let me use the fucking Serpent Hole already!" the she demon shouted at the "humble" merchant.

"What will you give me in return?" he chuckled.

He's lucky he's helping War out or else I'd slit his slimy throat right here and now. Briar tried to reign in her rage to deal with the demon. It wasn't really working as she had very little patience for her own kind.

"I don't have time for this Vulgrim." She sighed. "I need to beat them to the Ashlands."

"Bring me a Trauma's claws and the Serpent Holes are yours."

She gave him a look that suggested he was an idiot, "And where the Hell am I supposed to find a Trauma?"

"The Broken Stair would be a good place to start." The merchant tried to keep himself from laughing but couldn't quite manage it.

Briar knew he was toying with her and gnashed her teeth at the thought. He probably didn't even need a Trauma's claws! No wonder she couldn't stand other demons.

"It'll take way too long to fly there!"

"Then I suggest you hurry." He waved her goodbye before disappearing back into his invitation only passageway.

She took to the air turned in the direction of the Broken Stair, grumbling all the while. If she missed her Horseman again, as she already knew she would, there would be Hell to pay.