"Have you rested enough for the journey?" Noise asked Decoda, looking her over critically. "I know angels normally have fast healing for wounds. But does your stamina regenerate as fast too?"
Rail seemed ready to leave and didn't much care if Decoda was set or not. She went over to check on Tybalt and let him know that they were ready to depart.
"Emit osa tog." She said to him.

Newi nodded. "A wise fear." She said critically. "Their kind haven't been giving themselves a good light lately. But allow me to put your fears to rest!"
Noting Lela's furtive glances Newi continued.
"I may appear to be an angel," she let her single wing unfold to its full extent, "But make no mistake. I am nothing like those others. I am one of the Gray. We do not do anything that wouldn't benefit others. All we are here for is to better ourselves and the other beings in creation. We care nothing for the struggle between this God and Devil." Arms held out, eyes staring off into the distance, Newi went on with the description of her glorious vision. "Humans and the Divine, together as we stand facing the sunshine. Everyone united under the banner of the Twilight King. Science our religion, the nature of the universe our tool. We will..."
Noticing that the girl was nodding off she let out an irritated sigh.
"Nevermind. You don't need to fear me. And soon you won't fear any angel or demon ever again. I can see to that!"

Decoda nodded her head. "I'm fine." She replied. "I'll be able to fly, as long as I'm not carrying three people." She added.

Siren pulled back her hood. "I'll follow on foot...well...in animal form."

Maraud spun on his heel and was in Sauriel's face in a blink.
"No. Let me make this ABSOLUTELY clear, if you do not follow my every instruction to the absolute letter not only will you remove your chance of EVER finding out about your child, as well as signing everyone's death warrants, you will also manage to annoy me. And believe me when I say this, annoying me tends to be fatal."

Cryth held Amelia close and glared at Maraud.
"We didn't sign up for this."

Maraud's stare twisted round to Cryth.
"No, you didn't. However, it's the situation you're in, so you can deal with it or die. And I know you won't do the latter, because you three humans are all trying very hard to ignore what you all are. Which is foolish. Let me be clear, all of you will be made to fight, and I know all of you won't do something as mundane as die."

Slightly less tense, he turned to Semira.
"Lucifer allows Moloch his little games, if only to amuse himself and to give Lucifer a valid prison that also doubles as a training ground for his finest soldiers."
He turned to the doors, their procedure having stopped for his little assertion.
"Now, any other issues before we head in to our gracious host?"

Semira's raised a brow
"I am one of Lucifer's finest and if..."
her eyes grew wide and she started backing away pulling on her chains
"I-I can't go out there. If he finds out and I fight against his soldiers, Lucifer will find out and once he does he will do far worse to me then you can imagine."
For once Semira showed fear in her eyes, and she tugged against the chains even harder



Tears started to well up in Amelia's eyes
"I don't want to fight, nor do I want to die. I can't fight"
she spoke up a little bit
"Please don't do this to us"
she was now trembling afraid of what was behind the door

Maraud shrugged. "Deal with it."
He turned to Amelia. "Don't think I wasn't watching you back there. You took down one of the elite demon soldiers in one shot, there are not many creatures that can do that. You will do that again. Or else you will die. And there is nothing the human body will not do in order to escape that."

"That's enough."
Sauriel spoke to Maraud in a stern, but calm voice. Then he turned to Amelia and Semira, though he didn't look directly at Semira for modesty's sake.
"The two of you just need to keep a low profile, you can let us handle most of the fighting. Remember, you have a former Archangel with you. And our vampiric comrade-- arrogant and brash though he may be-- does seem to have at least some skill."
He glanced at Maraud again.
"You are going to fight with us, aren't you? Or are you going to sit on the sidelines while we do all of the hard work for your little scheme?"


Tybalt stretched out his legs, getting ready for a long run.
"Don't worry about me, even without wings I can keep up just fine."
He looked around the room at everyone.
"So, are we ready to go? Oh...here's an idea! Let's make a race out of it. Once we decide on a destination, the first one there wins. Simple enough, right?"
He had a bright smile on his face, as he seemed to be enjoying this dangerous situation.

Semira continued tugging on the chains speaking to Sauriel
"You don't know what Lucifer is capable of, and if he finds out one of his top soldiers was fighting alongside an angel and humans against his other top soldiers, death would be the least of my worries."
She then looked at the Maraud anger clearly in her eyes
"I cant believe I fell for your lies, how you said you were going to help us find our child, I should have known not to trust you, trust a vampire"
she gave him an evil glare but stopped fighting against the chains
"You want to come out blazing in glory in front of Lucifer. Then so be it..but I'll tell you this right now enjoy it while it lasts"
she then suddenly walked past Sauriel, and Maraud, up to the front of the group. 'might as well accept my fate now'
"well since your in such a hurry to get us out to the arena, lets go then vampire"
she glared back at him
"Open this damn door"


Amelia cowered behind Cryth speaking in a low voice
"B-But I don't remember"
she looked at her brother then Jokan for some hope at getting out of this, her tears streaming down her face.
"Im scared brother"
she squeezed his arm tighter as Semira approached the door
"please don't let go"
she said only for him to hear

"A race?" Siren looked at Tybalt, and raised her brow. He didn't look like he was a demon of any kind...not even a half demon...and it was clear that he wasn't an angel. "How are you-"

"You're on!" Decoda interrupted Tybalt, with a slight smile on her face.

Maraud sighed, then backhanded Semira across the face.
"Enough."
There was something very dark, very cruel and extremely inhuman in his face now, and his body was changing.
A young man was no longer standing before them, but a tall and regal vampire. His eyes were the colour of blood, and his fingernails were now long and vicious talons. If he had backhanded Semira across the face with those out, her face would have been torn off.

"I am going to explain this as clearly as I can. I have made a deal with you two, and I ALWAYS, honor, my deals," he said. His voice was now deeper, far more adult - and far, far more terrifying.
"I am playing a dangerous game with Moloch, and I am by no means guaranteed to win. I will not fight with you. I am a client of his. You, all of you, are little more than pawns in the game I play with him. However, I will be in as much danger as you, I have gone to great lengths to aid you thus far, including making myself an enemy of Lucifer in the process which as you correctly point out Semira is NOT safe, and -"
Without warning he sank his teeth into Semira's neck, not deeply enough to tear through it but with enough force to leave two bright red pin-holes.
"- and, if your fear of Lucifer means that much, consider that insurance."
His eyes flickered, and the Maraud they knew was standing before them again, looking like nothing had happened.
"Shall we?"

Cryth held Amelia close.
"I won't let you go. I promise. Just hold onto me and I promise we'll be safe. I PROMISE."

Semira growled when he backhanded her
"So you play the game with our lives."
Before she could react he had his mouth on her neck she could feel his teeth biting down but not enough to penetrate her skin. When he moved back she gave him a confused look
"What kind of insurance is that?"
She was still showing anger toward him not sure whether to trust him or not

Amelia looked up at her brother squeezing his arm
"Thank you"
She slightly relaxed but was still terrified bof what lies behind the door

"You'll see."
He opened the door.

Inside, there was a long carpet leading up to a large throne, which faced out onto a vast gladiatorial arena. In the throne, idly toying with a skull, was what could only be described as a demon.
The arms were huge and mottled, the fingers webbed. Instead of feet, great slimy black and green tentacles writhed incessantly. Muscle and bulk adorned it's great frame, and it's face was vaguely humanoid, only with shining yellow eyes.
"Greetings, oh Lord Moloch, Ruler of Carnage, God of the Bloodied Sands and He Who Passes Judgement," Maraud said sweetly. "I bring you... my champions."

The creature turned, lifting itself out of the chair and moving up to the chained captives, examining them.
"Ooh, what have you got for me..? Ah, an archangel! He will be a crowd pleaser, I'm certain of it. And what's this...?"
He was now looking Semira up and down.
"Ah-hahah, I know you. I can't imagine how pleased Lucifer will be when I pass word of your treachery -"
"Ahem," Maraud interrupted, "I did... coerce her into this."
Moloch checked her neck.
"Ohh... she's your thrall now, is she? How come you decided to capture such a pretty little treat?"
"She irked me with her arrogance," Maraud said scornfully. "I decided to show her the error of her ways." Moloch clapped in delight. "Oh capital, capital! Not only will she provide me with excellent sport in the arena, but I have heard stories of her powers of seduction... I think I will rather enjoy ravishing her at my -"
"That," Maraud said lightly, "was not in our deal, Moloch. And surely you of all people know better than to go back on a deal. Am I not correct?"
Moloch smirked. "Oh, give it time, give it time."
Then he turned his attention to the human captives.
"Well, well, well - three little fleshlings. I''m sorry, Maraud, I can't have lumps of meat heralded as champions in my arena! I'm afraid these champions will not make it past the first round - unless," he said suspiciously as he slithered closer to Maraud, "there's something you're not telling me..."
Maraud met the demon lord's gaze evenly. "There is nothing I have told you I am not obliged under our initial contract to inform you of."
Still suspicious, Moloch turned to Amelia, and lust instantly filled his gaze.
"Oh, Maraud, PLEASE let me have this one! She's so fresh, so pure, so tempting, I promise I'll give her back, I just need one or two hours with her in my coils -"
Maraud's lips peeled back over his teeth, and a pair of fangs as large as daggers shone in the firelight.
"You lay one tentacle on her, and I will consider our deal violated."
A tentacle snaked round Maraud's throat and lifted him off the ground as effortlessly as if he was a child. "As of yet, parasite, we do not have a deal."
Maraud glared. "You know my terms. Now honor them or I will take my champions and entertainment elsewhere."

Grumbling, Moloch lowered the vampire to the ground and turned to face the group.
"Speak your names." It wasn't a request, and his eyes were lingering on Semira's and Amelia's chests.

Semira raised a brow at Maraud when he said she irked him of her arrogance. She then looked over at Moloch. Semira opened her mouth to say something when he was speaking of her ravishing but then Maraud cut her off before she could say anything and she simply closed her mouth.
"Well if you know who I am then you should know my name, and I would appreciate if you kept your eyes off my body"
she said in a strict tone



Amelia hid behind her brother when Moloch spoke of having her for a few hours in his coils. She didnt want to be left alone with him for even a second let alone 2 hours. When Maraud reacted the way he did towards Moloch, she was surprised how he had stood up to Moloch. When they were requested their names, in a quiet voice behind her brother she spoke
"Amelia"

"Sure." Noise said, not really caring either way. She looked to Rail, who nodded.
"Well then, let's get going. Our time should be running short, all this blood in one place is a beacon for them."

Siren transformed into a horse, though she had to lower her head slightly to keep from knocking her head off the ceiling.

Decoda nodded her head, as she dismissed her weapon, and opened the door. "Let's go!" Decoda said, then took the sky.

Sauriel stared blankly at Moloch, undaunted by his threats and grotesque appearance, seeming more uninterested and detached than anything else.
"I don't care about your entertainment, your crowds or this ridiculous little arena you've constructed. I will do whatever is necessary to get what I want and if your twisted enjoyment is necessary for that, then so be it. My name is Sauriel, a former archangel who would have rather not wasted his time with introductions and useless talk."
He looked back to the arena, a slight flare of determination in his eyes.



Tybalt lowered himself to the ground, positioning himself for a running start. With a smile on his face, he nodded and muttered under his breath.
"You're on!"
He took off out the door at breakneck speed, much faster than any normal human could hope to run. Putting in some extra effort, he caught up to Decoda quickly and waved to her. True to his word, he managed to keep up with her despite being on the ground instead of up in the air.

Noise and Rail followed the two out. Hesitantly beating their wings, doubt forming as to whether they'd actually be able to take off or not. Their fears were unbased, and they both rose skyward flying side by side.
"Rail," Noise shouted over the wind, "Let's break out into two directions and spread our blood. That should help."
"Neeyanna!" She cried in agreement and peeled off to port. Angling herself to starboard Noise waited until she was a mile from their path and unscrewed the cap from the flask. Pouring some of her blood out she watched the pink liquid fall towards the Earth. She flew several more miles and dropped more. Doubling back she headed towards where the cluster of angels and demons were in pursuit. Leaving a trail heading back towards that direction and then branching out towards the heading Rail had flown off in.
Doing this several more times and in a seemingly random order Noise upended the flask and let the final drops of her spilled blood fall to the ground far below. Satisfied with her work she returned the flask to a pouch in her clothing and sped off after Decoda and the others.
Meeting up with Rail, who spoke of her success in her nonsensical words, they continued together towards their destination. With any luck, that'd buy them enough time to get clear. If not they might have to fight. Noise felt a grin on her face. She didn't mind the prospect all that much.

Lullabye wrote:

Newi nodded. "A wise fear." She said critically. "Their kind haven't been giving themselves a good light lately. But allow me to put your fears to rest!"
Noting Lela's furtive glances Newi continued.
"I may appear to be an angel," she let her single wing unfold to its full extent, "But make no mistake. I am nothing like those others. I am one of the Gray. We do not do anything that wouldn't benefit others. All we are here for is to better ourselves and the other beings in creation. We care nothing for the struggle between this God and Devil." Arms held out, eyes staring off into the distance, Newi went on with the description of her glorious vision. "Humans and the Divine, together as we stand facing the sunshine. Everyone united under the banner of the Twilight King. Science our religion, the nature of the universe our tool. We will..."
Noticing that the girl was nodding off she let out an irritated sigh.
"Nevermind. You don't need to fear me. And soon you won't fear any angel or demon ever again. I can see to that!"

Lela nodded her head, still a little scared of what this Angel might do to her. Even though she told her not to fear her, she still did. She couldn't trust her and she did kidnap her, but she knew there was nothing she could do at this point and just gave up, waiting for the woman to do what she was gonna do to her.

Moloch tittered.
"Oh hoho, so broody, so manly, so indignant - he'll be fun to watch."

Cryth and Jokan both spoke their names, and Moloch wrote something down and dismissed them.
Maraud looked at them when they were outside.
"See? That wasn't so bad. It only gets worse from here though..."

Decoda looked at Tybalt, and grinned. "Oh..you think you can keep up to me." She giggled, then blasted forward, as if she had a jet pack attached to her back.

Siren bolted from the house with a speed more than that of a normal horse, quickly catching up to Tybalt, and Decoda, only for Decoda to 'blast' forward. 'Damn, she's fast.' She thought to herself.

Semira crossed her arms
"So I'm assuming we just sit here and wait til its our time to fight."
she show frustration
"Well if we are gonna be waiting a while can I please have some clothes"
she looked in the direction of Moloch
"that slimeball over there can't keep his filthy eyes off me"
She looked back at Maraud
"I must say your good at tell him how it is"
she smirked


Amelia didnt leave her brothers side
"Only going to get worse? whats gonna happen to us?"

Maraud smiled.
"I may not look it, but I am a shrewd negotiator."
Then he led them towards what looked like a barracks. "This is where you will be living for the duration."
He paused.
"Alongside every other champion from every other demon lord."

Semira looked around
"Never thought I would be put in a situation like this"
she placed her fingers on her forehead
"what did I get myself into"


Amelia looked around
"I dont want to be here, can we go home please"

Maraud didn't reply, but opened the door.

Inside, drinking, laughing, singing and bellowing, was a veritable horde of demons, of every shape and size. Some were covered with blades, others columns of muscle, some played with arcane energies - all sorts dwelled within.
Upon their arrival, they instantly noticed them, and a few leered aggressively.
Maraud unlocked the chains, and turned to leave.
"Play nice," he said over his shoulder, then left them alone with the horde.

Cryth looked up at them.
"Err..."

One particularly large horned purple beast with a snake's tongue stomped forward.
"What are you shorties looking at?"

Amelia quickly jumped behind her brother when large beast approached them
"Dont hurt us"
she said quietly



"Your not stay....ing"
she turned her head half way through the sentence realizing he had already left
"Well I guess that answers my question. When the large beast approached them, Semira looked him up and down sizing him up. she raised a brow when he called them shorties
"Speak like that again and Ill make you smaller then us"
her eyes slightly glowed

Sauriel let out a heavy sigh, not even trying to hide his annoyance.
"That's enough. Both of you."
He turned to the large, beast-like demon.
"Do you want to waste your energy here, or would you rather save it for the arena? Stay out of our way and we'll do the same for you."
Not bothering to wait for a response he sat down in a nearby corner, quietly biding his time.
"Vampires..." he mumbled to himself. "I should have known he would be trouble."


Tybalt frowned, looking disappointed that Decoda and even Siren had passed him by so easily.
"Wow...this will be even tougher than I thought! It looks like I'll have to put everything I've got into this!"
His body glowed a faint golden color as he drew out more of his power. His run had turned into a mad dash, and he soon caught up with the others. He laughed and smiled at them.
"I might not be an angel or a demon but I can still, as we humans say, "throw down with the best of them!"