A low rumble reverberated from Fenn’s chest. His reptilian tail twitched nervously in almost cat-like discomfort, and the cobblestone was scratched and dented in certain places, where he had pressed against it with his claws in the restless clenching and unclenching of his fists.
 
It had not been long since Fenn had set an entire forest to flames in an attempt to flush out his enemy. The insult of his foe’s avoidance still stung, and his blood still boiled with the prospects of battling a mighty adversary.
 
The beast lay against the side of a stone building in one of the city’s plazas, eyes closed in a futile attempt to find some rest. He wished to close his eyes and follow the trail of his thoughts, as he commonly did when waiting between hunts, but in his agitated state he could not keep his ears from latching on to the sounds coming from the inhabitants of this place. For once, Fenn found himself missing the warmth and quietude of the Council’s citadel. The surrounding plaza was currently vacant, the few humans that remained outside despite the presence of the otherworldly creatures in their city had left when they caught sight of him, but he could sense that some had gathered in nearby streets. At first, they had been little more than gawkers, but it had not taken long for a proper cordon to be formed around the plaza. He could hear the exchanges between some of the men as clearly as though they were speaking into his ear.
 
“Any updates?”
 
“No sir, it hasn’t moved from its spot.”
 
“Good. Tell me the minute that changes.”
 
“Sir, do we have any word on where it came from? Did hell lose one of its war dogs?”
 
“Still waiting on that. Suffice to say, if it doesn’t belong to anyone we may have a problem in our hands.”
 
The longer he listened, however, the more difficult it was to focus on the words over the weak, rhythmic thrumming that served as the conversation’s backdrop. The hound’s forearms tensed once again as he focused on the sound of small, weak hearts and sloshing blood. In this city where the forces of the three realms had gathered he found himself wondering just how much of it could he spill before an adversary fit to satisfy him stood in his way.
 
However, before he could delve too far into that line of thinking, a familiar scent roused him. Fenn opened his eyes, craning his head towards one of the nearby streets as an unfamiliar woman broke through the cordon.  

“Hey, Lady, wait! Don’t approach, the beast is dangerous!” 

The woman—tall and bronze skinned—shrugged off the hand that tried to hold her back. “Oh please, he’s just a Pup.” She pushed back yet another soldier who tried to ‘protect’ her, this one with enough force to topple himself and a few of his comrades. 

She approached in quick, long strides, not giving the continued shouts of the humans behind her any mind. Green eyes narrowed as she grew closer, meeting Fenn’s. “Isn’t that right, old friend?” She asked, lips quirking into a cocksure grin. 

In that moment, a part of him dearly wished to tear that obnoxious smirk from the woman’s face. It was because of her that he found himself in this land, because of her that he had to restrain himself. Fenn had known when she had asked for his assistance that he would need patience to serve a purpose; that he would need to act against his instincts to join the chaos born of this realm’s last breath. He had promised to make her enemies his own, but it had taken but an hour before she had found herself doing the bidding of another.

“Imp,” he growled. Was it finally time to express his dissatisfaction?

The hound began to rouse himself, lifting his large body with his four limbs. Behind the woman, some of the men that had followed her began to raise weapons, only to be stopped by one of their own.

“Put those things away. Get back to the cordon and make sure no one else gets past the tape.”

Fenn glanced away from the woman, sparing the retreating men a glance. The one who had issued the order still stood some distance away, keeping watch over the two demons. Had he sent them away because he had realized they would be ineffective if he chose to attack, or because he believed that this strange woman would be the one to take care of this ‘problem’ of theirs?

Whatever the case, the momentary distraction spared him a moment to cool his head. This was not the time or place to voice his complaints. He stared back at the demoness standing in front of him. “You have returned from your search,” he observed.

“I have,” she echoed. “You as well it seems.” She took a moment to look him over, searching his expression. “You seem dissatisfied? Or is that just your usual face?” Her brows furrowed. “No, I think that’s just your usual look.” 

Rather than the usual dismissive grunt to the shapeshifter’s antics, Fenn answered with a question. “Have you come to mock me?” 

“It was not my intent,” she answered, playing with the tip of her braid, “but do forgive me, my assignment left a lot to be desired. I had anticipated some excitement, but all I got was a so-called golem.” She sighed, tossing her hair back over her shoulder. “I’m about as bored as you are, if I had to make a guess.” 

In spite of himself, Fenn let out a harsh laugh at the sentiment, so close to mirroring his own. Though that said, boredom was not a good way to describe his the tension coiling through his muscles. “It is ironic that you should say that, Imp. You see, the snake showed itself while you were away.”

“Really? For the love of, of course he turns up when I’m not there.” She crossed her arms. “Well? What happened? You looking bored and him showing up seems counter to each other. Did he beat you?” 

“Worse. He vanished into the woods.”

“Oh.” She shook her head, sadly almost. “Poor trees. They must’ve been there for centuries.” 

Fenn let out a long breath through his nose. A slitted eye moved to glance at the nearby humans, their captain still watching over the pair and no doubt listening to their exchange. “I tire of the vermin’s presence, Imp. Let us take this elsewhere.”

A weak slap against his leg brought his gaze back to the Imp. “Don’t be too harsh on them. They’re not used to dogs larger than they can pick up by the scruff of their neck,” she admonished playfully. 

“True. The existence of your kind has been a tough pill to swallow.” The leading human chose that moment to interject, directing his remark to Lily and drawing the hound’s attention once more. “In fact, it would be best if from now someone accompanied the big fellow while in the city.”

“The pest speaks as though I am not present.” Fenn’s lifted his lip in displeasure, showing teeth as he took a step towards the man. “It ought to know better.”

The man grimaced, but, to Fenn’s grudging respect, turned to face the demon’s glare. “Fair enough, big guy. I’m going to be frank. We’re stretched thin trying to keep tabs over what’s happening in the city, and maintaining something like a sense of normalcy for the people living here. The monsters in human skin are one thing, but when something like you comes along in a populated area, we need to mobilize people we don’t have to block off whole sections of the city just for the chance to figure out if the latest monster to stroll down the street is capable of holding a conversation, or would rather rip the intestines out of the first person to come near it. I would rather not waste our time, if possible.” The man paused, as if going over what had come out of his mouth. After a moment, he added, “I say with all due respect.”

“I question the sincerity of your last statement, human.“ The hound considered the small man before him. His gaze strayed towards the nearby demoness for a moment, before he finally grunted. “I have been asked not to bring harm your kind. Beyond that one point, your brethren’s peace of mind is of no consequence to me. I go where I please.” 

“I see.” The man sighed, stepping away. Once again, he addressed Lily, whom he obviously regarded as the more agreeable of the two. “In any case, don’t let me stop you from going on your way. I will tell my men to open up the plaza again in the meantime.”  

“Thank you,” she said, lifting the sides of her dress and bending at her knees. Anyone who did not know better would think the gesture one of genuine respect, but Fenn knew it to be one of innumerable mocking gestures in her repertoire. 

“You handled that remarkably well,” Lily noted after a few heartbeats, watching the retreating soldier. 

“Forthright words demand forthright answers,” the hound retorted.

She twirled on the spot, stopping to face Fenn. “But much as he worries needlessly, he does have a point. Normal people become frightened by your presence… Maybe it’s time you learned how to hide yourself in plain sight?” 

“Were you not listening, Imp?” The demon growled irritably and strode past Lily. It was obvious he did not mean to sit still while they conversed. “I care little for the concerns of these coddled apes—certainly not enough to degrade myself by concealing my nature. Let them fear. They are right to.”

Lily followed, lips pressed into a thin line. “I would appreciate if you did not call them ‘apes’. Nevertheless, them not being frightened of you has its advantages. It is easier to gain information, for one. Not only will they trust you more, but you will also find that you can get into places you couldn’t before. There is also stealth to consider. It will be easier to get the better of this ‘Vega’ if you can get close to him without him noticing. Being smaller will help with that.” 

The implied suggestion that he should sneak upon the foe he wished to battle angered Fenn, and he answered hotly, teeth bared. “And what shall I do then? Strike the snake down while unawares, ending this scramble for the Seals in one fell stroke? What a convenient narrative you have weaved, Imp. An insulting one, at that. You must not know me as well as I believed if you thought I would agree on those grounds.”

Lily rolled her eyes. “Really?” She asked, sounding exasperated more than hurt at the accusation. “If I wanted to suggest an ambush I would have spelled it out. So far you haven’t been able to so much as get close enough to see him, correct?” She did not wait for a reply before continuing. “Being smaller would allow you to possibly get close enough to challenge him, right then and there, and put you in a position to chase should he flee. You and I both know you’re as likely to want to make an ambush, as I am to turn into a man.” 

“I assure you that none of that has to do with my size.” The hound gruffed with a surety that made the point difficult to debate, even if it remained difficult to believe. “Even if it did, a more compact form is not beyond my capabilities.”

She skipped up past him, turning to walk backwards even as she faced him. “Truly? Leaving aside the fact that your size makes you easy to spot, you claim to be capable of becoming, at the very least, smaller? Do show me, I would like to see just what kind of smaller creature the mighty Fenn can become.” 

Fenn had to stop in his tracks lest he flatten the woman, and he quickly found himself cursing his loose tongue. He brought one massive hand to his face as if to ward off an oncoming headache. “What is this about, Imp? Why are you suddenly so fixated on seeing me match these vermin in appearance?” 

“One part curiousity,” the demoness admitted, “but another part because it would be useful to reach our goals. There may be times when I would require your aid, and it would be in a place where you’re too big to fit in, or other times when cooperation through diplomacy, not intimidation, will work in our favour. If you will, consider it a skill you can use to get your end of our bargain quicker.” 

Fenn felt the claws prickling his hide for a moment before he relaxed the grip on his head. Much as the thought shamed him, the Imp was not wrong. Being who she was, given her predilection for the apes of the third realm, he should have known she would eventually ask this of him. “Fine,” he assented begrudgingly, bringing his arm down. “If it will keep you from pestering me further, I shall show you. But not here, not in the open.”

A wide grin appeared on Lily’s face. “Wonderful.” She twirled around again, dress flaring, and started walking. “I know a place. Follow me, Pup.” 

[hr]

Seeing no reason to complain further, Fenn had fallen in line behind the comparatively small Lily. Some time passed with a smatter of idle chatter, with the woman’s occasional probes towards Fenn hesitance being answered with curt grunts and dismissive gestures. It was only when they were well on their way, and a semblance of silence had fallen over the pair, that the hound himself spoke up.

“I care little for this soft world, Imp. Neither do I wish to bathe in the blood its people, as others of our realm would. This is only the second time I make this crossing. The previous, came before we met.”

Lily gave him a sidelong look, keeping in step with him as a moment of rare, thoughtful silence surrounded her. She clasped her hands behind her back. “I am happy that you say that,” she said at length, her gaze trailing skywards. “I had feared that, whatever you ask of me once this is all over, would involve shedding their blood. I am not certain I could bring myself to do that.” She offered him a wan smile. “So for what it’s worth, thank you for not wishing death upon this world.” 

“Fool. You are wrong to thank me,” he chastised. “If I do not wish for humanity’s end, it is because I do not think it worthy of notice in the first place. More than that, if I did wish for it, I would need do nothing to achieve that desire. The humans are nothing if not thorough. They shall find their end even without the involvement of us outsiders.” He grunted, clearly annoyed by the turn the conversation had taken. “The reason I say this is so you understand that, when I first arrived to this realm, it was not by choice.

“That time, I was much diminished, and the barriers isolating this realm were still intact. Much like the lowest footsoldiers of the Prince of Darkness, that resorted to possessing puppets to survive the crossing before the Seals were tampered with, neither could I exist as myself within this realm. My self was lost to me, instead replaced by one that escaped this world’s rejection.” The hound let off a long breath through his nostrils. His usually stern glare was clouded by the far-off memory, lost in the distance. “Given your… malleability, you may not understand this, but this new form was not my choice. It was simply the result of my nature clashing with this world’s. It was an indignity I had to endure for near a century before I managed to regain enough of myself to make the crossing once more.”

“If the humans destroy themselves, that is their choice, but I would stand before the flood if heaven or hell overstepped themselves,” she said with such surety, that no doubt was left that she wouldn’t. “But you were forced to change? You are right, I am not familiar with that. Here,” she pointed towards a large pair of double doors, “a storage facility. We can have some privacy in there.” She pushed open the doors, allowing entry. 

“You have my condolences, then. Losing my freedom is… not something I want to imagine,” she continued, closing the doors with a low boom. She turned around, a few motes of fire flickering into existence around them for better lighting. “So? Will you show me now, old wolf?” 

No sooner had she began to turn, however, that a dark shape lunged at her. For the briefest moment the thought that the warehouse may not have been as empty as she had first believed crossed her mind, but it was quickly discarded. The creature had pounced from outside of the door. 

The shadow moved with alarming quickness, and mid-step as she was, she could not dodge out of the way before the thing fell on her, heavy weight pressing down on her shoulders. A row of sharp teeth were the first thing she saw of her assailant, bared in a feral grin inches from her face. Though smaller and sleeker, she immediately recognized the familiar features they were attached to with the exception of its eyes. The large wolf’s eyes were no longer slitted like a reptile’s, but round and gleaming like the animal they belonged to.

The wolf uttered a guttural growl, and had she had any doubts as to the identity of her assailant, they would have disappeared at the slight jingling of the manacles fastened to its leg, smaller though they were and with most of the chain links gone. 

“I was wondering how long it would be until you jumped me, Pup, but I am still surprised it happened this soon,” she said, laughing. The dagger she held against his ribcage, its tip pressed just hard enough to be felt, betrayed her good humour. A small warning in response to the unexpected pounce. “I would appreciate it, if we postponed that for another time.” 

The snarling grew in intensity for a moment, and she could spy strings of drool beginning to pool at the corner of Fenn’s lips. Before she could reconsider making actual use of her weapon, the growling ceased. The wolf reared its head, jaws clicking as they closed. A moment later the weight of its paws left Lily’s shoulders as it moved off of her.

Lily remained on her back, tilting her head to watch the animal pacing nearby, ears standing at attention and eyes staring suspiciously at its new surroundings. Now that it had stepped off Lily, she could get a better look at her assailant. Large beyond her initial impression, the creature’s powerfully muscled shoulders could easily reach up to her ribs. A tapestry of white, faded scars covered the animal’s body, leaving its dark fur to grow in thin, messy clumps over a few intact patches of hide. Somehow, only the animal’s head seemed to lack any significant scarring. Where for Fenn’s scaled body the old wounds seemed to compliment the demon’s imposing air, on this form’s comparatively smaller frame and softer hide they gave the beast a tired, tortured appearance.   

“You look old,” she said contemplatively and started rolling over onto her stomach, already pushing herself up by her arms. “Wounded,” she said, her dress growing slack around her. “Sick.” Her braid undid itself, the hair pooling across her back before it melded into her body, from where black, coarse fur started spreading across her skin. 

Small hands condensed, the long nails thickening to curved claws as her limbs rearranged themselves, becoming digitigrade to match her new paws. Fine, delicate features pulled forward into a canine muzzle, her previously flat teeth now larger, longer, and sharper. 

Though unclear if the words had meant anything to it, the other creature in the room took notice of the change. The wolf, swung its wary gaze at the woman, lips curling warningly as its body tensed.

Within another few moments whatever remained of the human-like Lily was gone, and in her place stood a large black wolf, regal and powerful, with the remainder of her dress covering its withers. Lily shrugged off the dress and moved forward slowly to meet Fenn, her new paws quiet on the floor save for the click of her claws. Each step had her stand taller than before, going from no larger than a dog to a head larger than Fenn in his canine form—the size of a small horse.

“I can help you gain an appearance that mirrors your true self, even in disguise,” she said, yet her mouth or muzzle did not move to produce the sounds. “A form that is worthy of Fenn the Chained Hound, if you will.” 

The first wolf’s ears flicked confusedly at the sound, but even though smaller than the new creature, its warning posture remained. Instead, the approach of another of its kind seemed to put it even further on edge. 

Finally, the wolf’s restraint snapped, and the tension in its muscles loosened as it lunged forward with a snarl. However, before it managed to pounce on the other creature, a sudden cloud of smoke appeared to engulf it.

The smoke suddenly solidified, taking back Fenn’s more familiar appearance. “Damn you, Imp. Did you wish to provoke me?” The hellhound brought a clawed hand to its face, forcing vacant eyes back into focus. For a moment, it had been questionable whether he had been aware of the finer details of his short time while transformed, but these doubts were quashed when the hound let out an irritable grunt. “There are no worthier forms than these. Therein lies the problem.”

Lily chuckled, her mouth opened in a canine grin, her tail wagging. “Someone is territorial I see,” she noted and started circling him—her gait casual and un-threatening. “I did not mean to provoke,” she continued while studying him, ”but to demonstrate. I wanted to show you what you could become, if you put your mind to it.” She completed her circle and trotted back to her dress, shrinking herself and awkwardly shuffling into it in her furred form, before quickly reverting to her humanoid appearance. 

“I can dance between species and appearance with each step I take. You should be able to at least retain yourself, while adopting a different form of your choosing.” She took her hair over one shoulder and started braiding it, weaving in a small number of ribbons as well. “To make it easier, make it similar to yourself. The colour of your fur, for example, the texture of it. Think of that covering your new body; a smaller body. The important part is knowing what you want, and then willing it to happen.” She paused the braiding to scratch her chin. “It’s not too different from your flames, I would presume. You control whether they burn or not. Apply the same logic.” 

Fenn looked displeased, as usual. “Fur? You would have me take on that form again?”

She stopped herself short of palming her face, though she couldn’t stop her eyebrows from raising instead. “No.” She tied a ribbon into a bow in her braid, and let it fall, finished. “Not [i]that[/i] form. A new one, but similar. I want you to consciously change your own body, not regress to some lesser version. Every form I take, has the potential to utilize every shred of my power, as such they are [i]me,[/i] in every sense of the word. It is the same thing I want you to accomplish.”

A humming sound reverberated in the demon’s chest, almost hesitant. “Fine,” he said at last. “I would not have allowed this to carry on this far had I not intended to humor you.” 

Lily grinned. “Wonderful.” 

With that, Lily closed off the door to the warehouse, and the two demons threw themselves into this exercise. Lily continued to demonstrate her ability to Fenn, taking the time to explain the ways she channelled her magic to the given effect. Occasionally she would offer mental exercises to put her impromptu pupil in the correct state of mind. For his part, the hound repeatedly attempted to follow instructions, but be it because of his way of thinking, or some intrinsic difference in the nature of their powers, he failed to effect the minute changes that Lily requested of him. Every time the hound shifted, the scarred wolf took his place.

The lesson was not entirely without progress. With each attempt, Fenn’s hold over the lesser animal’s instinct grew. Lily held this to be a kind of progress, though not the one she had expected, or wanted. He disagreed, seeing it as little more than proof of familiarity. The animal’s instincts were no different from his, and only the ego required to balance them was lacking. After centuries without the need to adopt that lesser form, some adjustment was necessary. One way or another, a breakthrough that would allow Fenn to fine tune his appearance to the degree Lily wished for seemed unlikely, and frustration was beginning to set in over both parties.

“Cassandra had an easier time understanding this, and she was only twenty at the time,” Lily huffed, her arms crossed underneath her chest. “I’d have thought you would have an easier time, given your familiarity with our powers and nature.” 

“You speak as though we are kin, Imp,” Fenn shot back, equally irritated by his continued failures, “but have you ever sought to teach this to others beside your spawn?”

She was about to answer that, of course she had, but that would have been a lie. He would probably see through said lie as well. “I have not,” she admitted. Begrudgingly. “But Shapeshifting is not a natural ability of mine, so that excuse won’t work.” 

“And yet shapeshifter is far from an apt title for most demons.”

She grunted and walked to one of the shelves carrying various supplies, staring at them without really noticing what they were. “To change you need to be willing. Are you sure you’re just not too stubborn to?” She looked at him over her shoulder. “Perhaps the fact that you were forced into that state is why. It’s not your own choice.” She turned around fully, chewing on her lip thoughtfully. “Perhaps we should try a different approach. Discard the big naked poodle idea, and think bigger. Think of a human shape. Big, hairy, and a sour look on his face, is what I’m thinking. You already know how to will yourself to change into something else, so do what you do then, but decide to become a human instead.” 

“So we finally aim for the point of this exercise.” The hound grumbled. “So be it, but should this fail as well, that will be the end of it. You will not bring this issue to me again.”

Fenn looked away from the demoness, stern gaze focusing on some point past the nearby walls as he once again touched the thing within himself that brought about change. His form wavered, losing consistency until the hellhound was replaced by a cloud of smoke his own size. This had been the same process he had undergone when transforming into the scarred wolf before, and it was not terribly different from the transformation that brought back the Hellhound she was more familiar with. 

In hindsight, that it was not the same process she underwent with her own shapeshifting should have hinted at the difficulties she would have in getting Fenn to apply her own methods, even if she still believed the principles behind the changes had to be similar enough to her own. However, while previously the smoke had dissipated in the next moment to reveal the reduced Fenn, this time the cloud held itself together for long enough to be worrisome.

Suddenly, the smoke cloud fell, spreading over the floor before quickly vanishing. At what had been its center, a brutish man stood. Towering in height and powerfully built, the echo of the demon was clearly visible even before one took notice of the numerous scars marring the man’s dull ochre skin, or of the chains wrapped around his arms. A mane of long black hair swept back to reach past his shoulders, and the man’s severe features and sunken, close-set eyes were framed by a full, bristling beard. 

The examination was facilitated by the fact that the man was stark naked.

Taking a long breath, Fenn looked down upon the unfamiliar body, lips twisting into a very human, if displeased, grimace. 

“The chains are a surprise,” Lily noted with a cocked smile, “but they can be hidden with some sleeves. Well done, though. You now look like a human.” 

“I believe I feel as one, too.” While still recognizable as his own, Fenn’s tone as a human was smoother than before, lacking the deep reverb that usually accompanied his words. If his deepening scowl meant anything, he was likely both aware and unamused by the change.”Soft and dull of senses.”

She started circling him, not for the first time impressed by his physique, but for different reasons this time. For one, she had assumed before that the chains were present simply because of the change being a forced one, and not of his own volition. It turned out, she realised that he simply viewed them as such an intrinsic part of himself, that he wouldn’t be rid of them. 

That aside, she had always preferred to be tall among humans, but Fenn blew her out of the water for the moment. She was not shy to admit that she had met more than a few ladies, and men, who would throw themselves at him given the chance. Granted, they were likely to be put off by the chains. He definitely looked every bit as she had expected Fenn to as a human, if longer haired. 

“We should get you some clothes,” she concluded. “I know you usually go all natural, but there is such a thing as [i]too[/i] much attention in public… Or at least attention for the wrong reasons.” 

“So I have gathered.” He finally looked up at Lily. “Are we done, Imp? The sooner I can return to myself, the better.”

She stopped her circling in front of him, looking up to meet his grumpy gaze. A small part of her was amused by the fact that she did not need to crane her neck as much as she usually did. “You don’t seem to be fond of being smaller.” It wasn’t a question. Perhaps it was just because his expression was easier to read as a human, but he definitely looked more displeased than usual. “Keep the advantages in mind, it is not always a detriment. I keep myself near half my real size because of said advantages.” She shook her head. “Not everything is a measuring contest, old wolf. But you have learned what I wanted you to learn, so I would say we are finished with at least this part of our conversation.” 

“You truly think…” The man trailed off, biting down his retort to her teasing. A cloud of smoke materialized and billowed over the man. The next moment, the familiar Hellhound emerged from within. “Aye, let that be the end of that.”