Carnavont stepped out of his van when he got home, a smile on his face as he started towards the door. His mind was still filled with thoughts of the date and how much fun he had, let alone the relief that Loona enjoyed herself and wanted to go on another date. As he walked towards the door when he heard the clicking of a handgun from behind him.
"Stay where you are or I'll use this." Came a male voice.
"Yes...I imagine you would." Carnavont stated calmly, his demeanor shifting as his eyes narrowed ever so slightly, turning to face the now revealed to be a slightly lanky, somewhat smaller, Hellhound that stood a foot or two away.
"I said stay where you are." The hellhound said, he looked to be not quite a common thug, but perhaps a potential foot soldier for some mafia...possibly on loan or hired out.
"Oh but I am staying where I am." Carnavont said with a cold calmness as he stared the other hound down. "Though why don't you come a little closer?" He asked as he beckoned him with a finger. "Threats usually work better with a gun against the head."
"No." The goon replied.
"Why, you're not the one with a gun pointed at him." Carnavont stated.
"Because I'm just here to deliver a message. You need to to watch your little activist shtick, nothing good will come of it."
"Why not just cut out the middle man and go ahead and kill me? You got the means to do it after all. It'd be simple and makes sense doesn't it? Demon killing demon, it's what we do after all." Carnavont said as the tone of his voice got colder and darker. "Come closer, look me in the eye, take my life."
"...no." The hound said with slightly wavering confidence
"Why not?" Carnavont asked coldly.
The goon gulped. "I...I wasn't told to...I can't."
Carnavont's expression got darker, taking a step closer to the demon, slowly but surely closing the gap. The other hellhound could swear he saw the shadow behind Carnavont stretching closer to the building and up onto the door, forming a skull of some kind. "Why. Not?" Carnavont asked again in a darker tone, now inches away, this eyes looking like a predator that knew it had it's prey dead to rights and about to strike at any second.
"I...I...I…" The goon stammered.
"Pathetic." Carnavont said coldly with narrowed eyes, the growing anger and contempt clear on his face as he grabbed the gun by the barrel and slowly tightened his grip until he crushed it, effortlessly taking it away from the goon's hand and tossing it.
The other hellhound could only stand there, now petrified by the utter dominance and control Carnavont exuded, the sheer amount of indignation and contempt coming from the crimson hound made him start to quake ever so slightly. He could do nothing, paralyzed by fear as Carnavont grabbed him by the neck, lifting him up, those eyes staring into him like hate filled daggers. He tried to struggle, clasping, anything but to no avail, only able to watch as the hound he was sent to instill fear to slowly grab his upper right arm and start to pull.
"No...no...please!" The goon begged. "I was only doing what I was told, you...you're going to cause a problem for all of us!" he pleaded.
Carnavont's eyes narrowed iin sheer anger as he looked at the goon. "If you hadn't come here to work against our kind, I might of heard you out. But you did, and that makes you worse than scum. Let me make my answer CLEAR."
The goon's eyes widened, panicking more as he started to scream. The sheer pain he felt from the sensation of bone and tendons being ripped apart was absolutely agonizing. His ears laying flat as he screamed out in pain as his arm was completely dislocated in a quick enough motion that he didn't pass out from shock. He heard a sickening crunch, wincing as he felt the crimson hellhound break a few fingers beyond any further use, leaving him in a broken state with a barely holding on arm.
"Tell whoever sent you that I got the message and that…" Carnavont paused for a moment, thinking back to what Vortex had said about not rocking the boat too much. "That next time, be more cordial with the request, it might help."
The other hellhound shook in absolute fear as his tail dropped between his legs. "I-I'll...tell them." he said as he clutched his shoulder before running off in terror.
Carnavont watched the goon flee, scoffing ever so slightly in indignant disgust before deciding to head into his home, he wasn't about to let this one incident completely ruin what had been a very good day. The crimson hellhound turned to head into his home, only to stand still and blink as he saw what was the equivalent of a bat for hell perched on the doorknob. "huh...odd." he thought to himself before starting to walk towards the door only for another to land and hang from the roof...and then another. More showed up and not just bats, but hell based flocks of crows and ravens along with a few owls showed up, perching here and there without seemingly any reason.
"Seriously, am I going to have to threaten and possibly kill birds and bats now?" Carnavont asked out loud to himself.
"You can try, but I certainly wouldn't recommend doing so, my little hellhound." came a somewhat distinguished, if slightly playful female voice of clearly noble standing and power, which Carnavont quickly saw emanated from the bat on the doorknob as it looked at him with what could be best described as a sly predator like playfulness.
Carnavont blinked. "Ah...lady Camazotz." He said with a quick bow. "...how good to see you."
"And it's good to see you too dear little Carnavont. I will say, I'm rather impressed and surprised you let him live...or even give such a tame response for him to relay." Camazotz said through the ravens.
"Decided to not not poke the hornet's nest for a change...for now." Carnavont asked with a quickly composed somewhat formal tone. "So, what brings you by?"
"Oh nothing all that important." came the voice now from the crows. "I figured I'd see how demons like you live, never been to this side of the city, it's...quaint." The hell crow said as it looked around.
"Well it isn't exactly high end, but it'd not a dump by any means." Carnavont remarked.
all the gathered flying animals that had somewhat swarmed his home chuckled. "No, no it is not." Camazotz said through the few owls that were there.
"I get the feeling this is more than a cordial friendly visit." Carnavont commented as he crossed his arms.
"Perceptive as always my amusing little demon." Camazotz said through every animal gathered. "I couldn't help but noticed you used the spell I taught you and the others to go to Earth well beyond your business hours. Not that I'm against you and your friends going to the human world for some fun or relaxation, but I've noted that you have mostly kept it to business. That, and it was just you...and one other. Were you perhaps showing off to a friend of yours or..." The animals paused, a knowing wry look forming in their eyes. "Treating someone special?"
"...Forgot that you could monitor the use of your spells." Carnavont said with a not quite annoyed look. "I thought you stopped doing that."
"Oh, I did." Camazotz replied. "But when I detected you had used the spell so late in the day I grew curious. I must say, I didn't take you for the dating type...at least, not with you still trying to make a name for your company AND your amusing little crusade to better the station of Hellhounds."
"…Does everyone find talking about my love life that fun?" Asked himself with exasperation.
"Somewhat, yes." Camazotz replied in a teasing smirk. "But only because it amuses me slightly."
"….Riiight. If you don't mind, I know you don't want to be seen here, being well...the queen of death over every realm and so forth, but I'm not quite sure where or what to look at."
The animals chuckled once more, "Fair enough, if you find my means of communicating with you a bit bothersome." Camazotz said before the bats, crows, and ravens began to swarm, flying in a circular pattern in front of him faster and faster as they merged together until a black shadowy silhouette was formed from them. The figure was tall, slender, and just barely discernibly feminine. Though that was the only thing really discernible about the figure, it's shadowy nature obscuring everything else about the figure that might suggest who it was other than four eerie static like white eyes, a somewhat barely visible mouth, and what appeared to be bat like ears. The four eerie static like white eyes locked in on him as the shadowy figure smiled. "Better?"
Carnavont nodded."Yes, thank you."
"Now then, who is she?" Camazotz asked through the amalgamated projection of her form, her posture, stance, and even the tone of her voice befitting that of a noble who knew their position and status, the smile faded to being almost gone.
"Are you really that interested?" Carnavont asked, keeping his tone as neutrally respectful as he could/
Camazotz smirked. "I am...to an extent."
"Even though you likely already know who she is because of who you and what you are." Carnavont more so stated than asked.
A rather dark sharp toothed grin crossed Camazotz's lips. "Humor me Carnavont, I like to at least have some normal conversation every now and then."
"...Her name's Loona, she works for IMP, and is the daughter of the imp who runs it." Carnavont informed.
"my my, how scandalous, dating the competition's daughter...Is this some sort of clever tactic to keep an eye on your competition?" Camazotz bemusedly asked in a somewhat teasing manor.
"It's not." Carnavont stated in assurance.
Camazotz chuckled slightly. "Of course not, not quite your style." she said before the shadowy construct of her figure moved towards the hellhound. "So tell me Carnavont, do you intend to pursue this fully like you claimed with running your own business and making the lives of hellhounds better here in hell?" Camazotz asked as she slowly circled the hell hound like an apex animal that had cornered it's prey, her eyes never leaving him.
"I do, why do you ask?" Carnavont inquired.
"No reason in particular, Just wanted to see how how infatuated you are, seeing it is rather amusing...given your demeanor so far." Camazotz teased. "But are you sure you're not starting to juggle a bit too much?" She asked as she leaned in close towards Carnavont. "Wouldn't want you...lacking in some of your duties."
"I can handle it, with all due respect lady Camazotz." Carnavont replied, not showing any signs of losing composure.
Camazotz chuckled as she grinned, moving back a bit. "Good, good. That spirited determination of yours is always amusing and a delight. Just remember, keep that up; along with amusing me and helping out here and there, and I will continue to back you...and keep my end of our little promise...IF I'm feeling nice enough and you stay on my good side." Camazotz said as she picked up a nearby flower, only for it to instantly whither and die with it's remains blowing away like dust in the gentle breeze.
Carnavont nodded. "Yes lady Camazotz..."
"Good. Oh, and thank you for dealing with those South American humans...true they still had a few years in them, but nothing wrong with a bit of early collecting." she grinned. "I did so enjoy the show you and your compatriots put on, nothing quite like a good massacre. I've gotten every perspective but yours..."
"Of course, I wouldn't want you to miss out on seeing every angle of a good reaping of life." Carnavont said as he he knelt down.
Camazotz smiled as she moved close once more, placing her hand on his head as she briefly chanted an incantation, the shadowy construct's eyes glowing for a moment before she removed her hand. "Excellent, this shall entertain me for a while."
"Always happy to please." Carnavont said as he stayed knelt.
"That you are..." Camazotz said with a slight smile. "Well, I must be off, business to attend to and I'm sure you need the rest. Unless, of course, I can interest you in knowing the years you and Loona have left." she teased darkly.
"...Thanks for the offer, but I'll decline lady Camazotz." Carnavont replied as he lifted up his hand, finding the prospect more morbid than anything he'd truly want to know.
A sinister grin once more formed on Camazotz lips, "It could be just a few days or hours for all you know."
Carnavont raised a hand in a no thanks gesture. "I'm good."
Camazotz chuckled ever so slightly, "Alright then. Oh, and don't worry, it's not a few days or hours, I'll at least assuage any worry of that. But remember, even in hell your time is limited, do not waste it too much. Life is precious, and I so do love watching it as much as I do ending it. Be it human...or demon."
"I'm sure you do." Carnavont mused.
"Yes, I do. It's all I can do until the very end. And I most certainly enjoy watching you work, you can make death as artistic as you can make it simple and brutal."
"Got to enjoy what you do and have fun with what you love." Carnavont remarked.
A wide and unsettling grin formed on the shadowy figure. "And that is what I like about you the most Carnavont, you appreciate the art of death. Watching you and your team is just as fun as watching those who still draw breath try to stop what is inevitable or just accepting my coming embrace and living to their fullest potential. The end comes for all eventually, there is no true immortality. At least, not unless you're able to reside in a CERTAIN place." Camazotz said with a restrained resentment and anger before quickly composing herself. "Well, anyway, I need to attend to something, farewell Carnavont. I do hope to see more delightfully enjoyable carnage from you, until we meet again." With that, the shadowy projection quickly broke apart and dispersed into nothingness.
Carnavont let out a sigh as he stood there for a moment, the day had definitely been quite eventful till the very end. He really could have gone without having to deal with someone sending some lacky to try and intimidate him into ceasing his attempts at helping out his kind, but he wasn't going to let that ruin the whole day, especially the date he had just had. He had dealt with similar, if not somewhat worse before so it wasn't any skin off his back for now.
As for the sudden and unexpected visit by his backer, that was something else entirely. While he did respect and show such as expected to Camazotz, she nonetheless still unnerved him somewhat, Sure she was surprisingly civil and as she stated, willing to lend a hand...if she desired. There was just something about her, something about that cordial friendliness that seemed unnaturally...creepy to a degree, like she was always toying with her next meal.
Still, despite having every right to mot even give him any form of backing given her position, she had still loosely given him her word; that ever present possibility of her choosing to just never give any support for what he wanted always hanging over him like a dark cloud waiting to form. She was completely unreadable, her true intentions for the most part hard to pin down. At least, they were when it came to matters like these. She reminded him quite a bit of the deal maker demon he had ran into near Pentagram city before meeting her. He had seemed not as unnerving as her, but still eerie enough to be respectful to.
It was actually due to that respectfulness, and showing his more gentlemanly nature towards helping women in trouble, that had the demon point him in the direction of Camazotz. Well, that, and the fact he was also equally amused by Carnavont's goals for hellhounds. Carnavont couldn't help but wonder somewhat if the demon informed him about Camazotz just because she might kill him. In either case, it had worked out for him so far and he wasn't about to bite the hand that was feeding him...for multiple reasons.
Carnavont sighed, he was just ready to head in, crash, and get some rest. He made his way into his home, making his way to change out of his clothes before grabbing a drink and watching some TV. It didn't take long though for him to not only finish his drink, but to turn the TV off as well. He was tired, and he had work tomorrow as well, so he might as well get as much sleep as he could so he could not only get to work early, but feel up for the day as well.
Getting up from the couch he stretched, heading to his bedroom and getting into bed with a yawn. A smile formed on his face as he laid in bed, drifting off as his mind remained on the date he had just had. It was definitely something he'd be thinking of until the next one, the thought of a next one alone making his tail thump against the bed a little. Not even the thought of his employees, specifically Xera, poking and prodding him about anything happening during the date was enough to make the smile waver any. He just hoped that whatever and however many dates that had were as just as memorable and enjoyable as this one, at least, if he could help it.
The night sky hung over an extravagantly opulent, albeit somewhat foreboding, palace that was nestled in the pride ring. Like all palaces for the hierarchy in hell it reflected the focus of the one who lived in it. Artistic symbols and reflections of death throughout history adorned it's outside walls with a main one, the crest of the owner plastered for all to see with it being bigger than any other, the name Camazotz around the outer layer just above the inner symbol of the crest.
Inside it's formal regal halls a winged imp, made his way through the palace, a telephone in hand as he quickly made his way to his employer. The only other thing of note about him, other than the wings and how well dressed he was, was the fact he looked like a skeleton. Whether it was paint or he had some skeleton jester heritage in him was hard to tell. As he made his way to large ornate double doors he cleared his throat before knocking on it.
"Madam, you have a call, from the Ars Goetia." The imp called out as he stood formally at the doors, not wanting to anger their employer and wanting to show the proper respect due of one in his station.
"Well, anyway, I need to attend to something, farewell Carnavont. I do hope to see more delightfully enjoyable carnage from you, until we meet again." Camazotz' voice could be heard, before the doors opened, allowing the imp to come in.
The imp quickly made his way in, moving over to the of figure sitting on a throne and lifting up the phone as Camazotz shifted from an in-between form that cycled through multiple animals that were associated with death. "So sorry for disturbing you mistress, but the caller did seem rather...insistent on talking to you by tone alone."
A black hand with talon like fingers reached down and took the phone. "It's quite alright Skittle, I was not in the middle of anything too important." Camazotz said as she brought the phone up to her bat like ears, still wearing her formal attire that was more suited for a man than a woman that showed off her elegant and curvy figure. "Yes? To who do I have the pleasure of speaking to?" She asked before her eyes soon lit up a bit with familiarity and delight. "Ah, Stella, how good to hear from you, it has been quite the while hasn't it? I can't quite remember the last time we talked. Such is the nature of royalty I suppose, always being busy...I know I've certainly been busy. Anyway, to what do I owe the pleasure?"
Camazotz nodded as she listened, blinking a bit every now and then before nodding. "I see...trouble in paradise, things not quite working out and you've been kicked out of the palace, not to mention your brother is being...well...him, even though he's not actively doing anything against you." she said before a smile formed on her lips. "I just got a splendid idea, why don't you come over and stay a day or two? We can catch up, I mean the last time I saw you was...well, when you were not yet married to Stolas. Trouble? Oh it'd be no trouble at all, and ir sounds like you need a neutral yet friendly ear to lean on."
"Am I sure? Of course I'm sure, you know full well that I don't care too much for the hierarchical rules of the Ars Goetia. Even if I am a part if it. Even if your parents or brother had anything to say I still out rank them by...leagues." Camazotz chuckled. "You will? Excellent, then I shall prepare a place for you and await your arrival with the coming days. No need to rush, just when you are free. Great, take care. See you soon." she said before placing the receiver.
"I shall inform the other servants tomorrow to prepare one of the other rooms for lady Stella's arrival." Skittle said as he stood at a proper professional stance.
"See that you do. It should be most interesting to see Stella once more, she was always such a...interesting girl." Camazotz chuckled. "A bit temperamental, but understandably so."
"As you say mistress...Is there anything else or anything you require my lady?" Skittle asked as he maintained his formal stance.
"No, no that will do for now, you may be dismissed." Camazotz replied as she excused the imp with a dismissive wave.
"Yes mistress." Skittle said with a bow before promptly leaving.
Camazotz smiled as the doors closed, rising from her throne as she moved to look out a nearby window at hell's night sky. The thought of seeing Stella again after so long was something she quite looked forward to, a thought that brought a slight smile to her lips. "Well now, things just keep getting all the more interesting it seems. Let's see what can come of all this…" She mused, chuckling a bit to herself.