[center][color=8493ca]{ This post serves as a collab between Baphomini and Xandrya as a means to cover the encounter in a cleaner flow }[/color]

[img]https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/1214591096034693211/1215164422398672957/image.png?ex=65fbc10e&is=65e94c0e&hm=969d7e15efaa11bc5b4411577f1442874b716fbc893342c912e5273929f75e3c&[/img]

[url=https://youtu.be/Pff5Ej95XVk?si=9gWaoCrgy-03UZkf]{ ♪ ♫ ♪ }[/url]

[img]https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/577859824721592320/1216159162484920340/image.png?ex=65ff5f7b&is=65ecea7b&hm=4866c6c6049e9f3c289f778041786a23771f6df938db0999c0e3c4af2b8f8ef2&[/img][/center]

[indent]He rolled over panting, face flushed and covered with a thin layer of sweat. The girl, Amanda, simply smiled at him. “Someone got worn out...”

He raised an eyebrow and smirked at his partner. “Excuse me, you were sounding like you were having one hell of a good time, weren’t ya? I got the equipment to go for another round, but you’re the one who has work soon—“

“Shit!”

Amanda looked at her watch, panicking when she realized she’d have to hurry up if she wanted to make it in time for her midnight shift at the hospital. Theo was amused, watching his girlfriend scramble as he positioned one arm behind his head, the blanket still covering his midsection down to just above the knees. On the nightstand beside him, his phone was going off as it vibrated in place, but he didn’t pay it any mind. Instead, his attention was drawn to the naked figure who had been called a few hours prior to cover for someone needing to leave. “It’s a shame, could’ve had more fun.”

Amanda just ignored him, and Theo decided to get up and go get some water before bed. He pushed away the blanket and reached for his boxer briefs on the floor, getting on his feet to slip them on. Amanda was fixing her hair and he went on down to the kitchen, turning on the light. This startled their dog, Brutus, as tiny of a Yorkie as they can make them. Brutus yip yapped his owner the same way he always did, and Theo ignored him, walking past as if he weren’t there. Once he had the glass of water, he went back upstairs, kissing his girlfriend goodbye before settling into bed.[/indent]
 

[indent]With Amanda's departure, the house soon grew silent, even the far off tick-tick tack-a tick of the terrier's little nails clicking on the kitchen floor down below soon died away. The only sounds remaining were those of the creaking of the home as it settled--like all homes do--the rustling of the trees outside--whipping in the wind which had steddily grown stronger through the night--and a train horn howling in the distance--rushing to places unknown, as it was impossible to tell which direction the sound was heading. Just natural sounds. Nothing out of the ordinary. Everything was as always.[/indent]

[indent][indent][indent][color=7ea7d8][i]Click.[/i][/color][/indent][/indent][/indent]

[center][color=7ea7d8][i]Screeeent...[/i][/color][/center]

[center][url=https://youtu.be/x0S2X7BjLk8?si=jnRBjsnAnnsfGse1]{ ♪ ♫ ♪ }[/url][/center]

[indent]A lock snapped open. A door downstairs creaked against its own hinges, screaming at the friction in a desperate cry for wd-40.

Brutus burst into a wild state of yipping and growling, nails scattering across the floor.[/indent]

[center][color=7ea7d8][i]Thunt.[/i][/color][/center]

[indent][indent][indent][color=7ea7d8][i]CHHSSHHH![/i][/color][/indent][/indent][/indent]

[indent]Something crashed and broke, Brutus continued to yip and howl, pieces of something scattering around, and then, just like that, Brutus stopped with a sharp whine of a yip that trailed off. Nails skittered for a moment longer before all was silent once more.

But silent didn't mean safe.[/indent]
 

[indent]The crashing noise that happened beyond his closed eyelids jolted Theo awake. “What the hell?” The slight country accent broke through the silence. Amanda would have called or texted if she was returning early for whatever reason, but after checking his phone beside him, Theo saw nothing but a couple of missed calls from someone else. As quietly as possible, Theo reached into nightstand adjacent to the bed. He palmed a Glock that was locked and loaded, and slowly got up to walk over to the door. 

He was listening for a few moments, but there were no other sounds. Theo opened the door as carefully as possible as to not alert the intruder. He immediately brought out his weapon, aimed at nothing in particular but the darkness beyond, and looked down the sights. Only then did he move away from the doorway and forward towards the stairs. The entirety of the second floor was carpeted, therefore whomever had broken in, had not made it up yet. Unless they were incredibly quick.

Theo’s bare foot settled on the first step down, then the other foot followed the routine. He moved ever so delicately, weapon straight out and aimed wherever he was looking. Given the rest of the house was as dark as his room, Theo’s eyes were adjusting quite nicely. If there was so much as a peep, he would not have a problem hesitating to shoot whomever had dared break into his home.[/indent]

 
[indent]A noise which sounded almost similar to that [i]tickity tick tack[/i] of a dog's nails on the wood floor sounded around the base of the stairs, though heavier, more erratic, and it quickened in tempo before dying away as a small blue object came into sight, bouncing and rolling before coming to a stop just a foot or so from the last step. It shone brightly in the darkness of the home, casting its own light. Dimly. [i]Eerily[/i]. Pulsing in and out ever so slightly. Rhythmically. As though it were alive and breathing.

There was no other sound.

No other movement.

Just the little blue orb at the end of the stairs.

Waiting.[/indent]

[center][ [color=fff200]15[/color] ][/center]

 
[indent]"You think this is funny?!” Theo completed his descent down the stairs, sweeping the die away with the side of his foot. Despite his mostly calm demeanor, Theo was fearing something would go down. It was often the crazies lurking in the shadows that posed the biggest threat. “Quit it with your stupid games and get out of my house, NOW!”

His back to the wall, the homeowner eventually broke from the stairs and hurried to the hallway closet down the hall. Why in god’s name he would have a flashlight so inconveniently far from him for a moment just like this would surely need to be pondered in the near future. Theo opened the cabinet door and reached for the flashlight, turning in an instant to hopefully shine some light on this damn intruder.[/indent]

 
[indent]There, standing just outside the closet door, was a tall, slender figure, dressed all in black with a hood pulled over their head. A mask covered their face, blank and coldly expressionless, the holes of the eyes nothing but black voids despite the light being shined upon them.

"Fifteen," they spoke, that layered multitude of voices holding an air of amusement and even surprise, "Luck is on your side, it would seem. You make your way safely through the darkness of your home, successfully managing to retrieve a torch from the closet so you may better face the intruder who looms near. Armed and ready, you set force to face the fiend, but oh, the fiend is facing you. Your luck is strong, the odds? Favorable. A roll of the die could change it all, so try not to cry when your fortune inevitably takes its fall."

In a blink, the figure was gone, a laugh sounding, echoing around the home and seeming to jump from one direction to another, as though the being were everywhere at once. The wind continued to howl outside, but other than that, no other sound could be heard. Not a foot step, not a creak of the floor. Nothing.

"A count to ten is of no need, brave hero," the voice spoke from one direction. Upstairs? It continued though and when it did it was from the kitchen, "Your target is ready, shout 'here I come!' Play along, brave hero, or you'll ruin the fun."[/indent]

 
[indent]“Well what have we got here, a little demon action...” Theo jerked his weapon higher than hisself, aiming at nothing but thin air. Of course, tracking ‘em down was always the tricky part. He then turned on his heel, body covered in a thin layer of sweat which glistened from the brightness emanated by the flashlight. Theo had propped up his gun hand over the opposite one holding the flashlight as it’s what felt the most natural and comfortable, and what he had been trained to do. 

Heading to the kitchen, the nearly naked man smirked. “You amuse me, you know that? Though here I come, you best get, while the going’s best...” Maybe it was his eyes playing tricks on him, maybe not, but Theo could have sworn something just outside his field of vision dashed at him. Without taking a good look—the opposite of what he had been taught—he aimed his gun in that direction and fired two rounds, the deafening sound exploding through the otherwise quiet house.[/indent]

 
[indent]The demon laughed, the sound jumping all around, and even, for a moment, right beside Theo, before jumping away once more to another part of the home, "Oh so close!" they crooned, "That's two lost, I wonder...how many more will this endeavor cost? You search through the dark with a light to your aid, searching for the creature infesting your home. Two shots ring out, an effort made, but alas, this fiend is still left to roam. A roll of the die, or a flip of the coin, two ways to alter your fate. Choose wisely, brave hero, and make up your mind, quickly now, before it's too late."[/indent]

 
[indent]With the ringing fresh in his ear, Theo suddenly imagined what would have happened if Amanda had been home too, and his tone changed. “I’m done playing your damn game. You don’t step into my house and demand I do as you please. Come out, NOW!” He picked up the pace, shining the light at every corner and space.[/indent]

[indent]"Ah ah ah," the demon sang, "[i]I'm[/i] the Game Master here, and [i]you[/i] are but a player in this epic tale. [i]I[/i] set the scene, [i]I[/i] write the plot, while [i]you[/i], my dear hero?" they laughed, "[i]You[/i] just dangle on your sad little strings─[i]oooh[/i] that [i]slant[/i] rhyme, I'm getting better at this," another laugh and they got back on track, "Now, I'll make you a deal, brave little hero," they spoke smoothly, [i]smugly[/i], like someone who, were they to be playing poker in that moment, would be giving the biggest tell to the hand they held, "Take your pick from the two, the coin or the die. Do this, and for you, I will gladly comply."

For a flicker, the fiend appeared ahead of Theo in a hallway, laughing as they rushed at him in the light, vanishing just like that a moment before their collide. Two objects dropped onto a nearby table, a coin and a glowing blue die. The coin stood straight up on its narrow little side, while the die balanced unnaturally on a corner, neither object giving a proper read, as though both waiting for his decision.[/indent]

 
[indent]He was ready to kill that motherfucker dead in his tracks, but he wasn't quick enough to pull the trigger on time. Another two rounds gone, four in total wasted at that. Theo had enough brains in his noggin to know his unwelcomed guest was relentlessly insistent to the point of driving him mad. But if he wanted to move things along...

'Fine," Theo spoke up with a sigh. He lowered his weapon and walked over to the table to free his hands. "Heads you leave my damn house, tails you can fuck off." A flick up in the air above him and Theo way watched as the coin eventually made its way back down.[/indent]

 
[indent]The coin stopped.

Right there, in mid-air. Then it [i]waggled[/i] as the demonic intruder spoke once more, its voice holding a sing-songy lightness to it as it said, "Cheaters never prosper, Theo," and with that, the coin flung itself at Theo's forehead at a speed so fierce the impact would surely hurt. The coin was gone then, racing down the hall and vanishing into the darkness.

The die remained.

"Old-fashioned methods it is then," the voice spoke once more, and the die moved on its own as it made a little hop before rolling along the table, "Anything over ten and I'll let you take another shot at me," they announced, "Just because I [i]like[/i] you."

The die tumbled to a stop just before falling off the table and thrummed where it sat.[/indent]

[center][ [color=fff200]10[/color] ][/center]

[center][url=https://youtu.be/ROoalSB2DOM?si=PVjic59UT8KJzgF6]{ ♪ ♫ ♪ }[/url][/center]

[indent]The voice laughed, [i]hard[/i], and then suddenly the being was right behind Theo, quickly shoving his shoulders and slamming his face-first against the wall, "You're lucky I'm feeling [i]frisky[/i] tonight," they hummed, "Else I would have counted that as a fail. Granted...it's not a win either..." they laughed again and shoved him harder against the wall, a knee digging into the base of his spine as they pressed their full weight against him to pin him there, "Now then," they cleared their throat, "You attempt to outsmart the villain, but in the name of the game, your efforts do fail. In a twist of fate, you are faced with your foe dead-on, but with luck so weak, the fiend gains the upper hand, and you, brave hero, are left in a position quite bleak!"[/indent]

 
[indent]"Fuck! You son of a—" Theo turned his face to the side, forcibly spitting out blood from his lip. His nose was also bleeding, though thankfully it wasn't broken. He struggled against his opponent momentarily to test out their technique but there certainly wasn't a lack of effort or strength pinning him in place.

"The only thing you got right is that I'm a hero..." With that, Theo snapped his head back in an attempt to catch them offguard and return the favor, simultaneously bringing his foot up to deliver a backwards blow to their knee. Filled with rage now, Theo used whatever strength he had to push his attacker off of him.[/indent]

 
[indent]Amazingly, it worked. Theo's foot made direct contact with the attacker's knee, and they were easily thrown off as he shoved away from the wall. In fact, it was so effective that the demon was tossed to the floor. For a moment anyway... As soon as they hit the wood, the intruder rolled with the momentum, doing a simple backward somersault and popping back up on their feet in one swell motion. Standing there for just a moment, they made sure they had their balance, then focused their attention on Theo, blank face and hollow eyes turned directly on the man, "Not bad," they said, "You're more capable than I took you for."

A laugh, and then they rushed at him again, popping from view once more, though this time they merely blipped behind him and offered a firm sweep to his legs, flowing with the motion in a twirl only to throw another kick at his spine as they came back around.

"If it's a fight you want, brave hero, then it's a fight you'll get," they said, "Let's [i]roll[/i]."[/indent]

 
[indent]Landing awkwardly on his shoulder once the floor broke his fall, Theo couldn't help but groan in pain. The kick to his spine had gotten to him, sending painful jolts in all sorts of directions for a split second. He lay there momentarily, catching his breath. That is, until he made a fist and pounded once at the ground. 

"You think I'm looking to fight?" Theo pulled himself off of the floor, somewhat weakly at first but then shaking it off. "I just want you dead, and I'm well within my rights to make that a reality." No warning, no nothing. Theo suddenly lunged at the masked stranger, his goal was to tackle them and begin pounding on their head. May not necessarily kill them right there and then, but at least he'd get some of his anger and frustration out of him.[/indent]

 
[indent]The lack of warning on Theo's part was almost enough to catch the being off guard. [i]Almost[/i]. A brush of fingertips against fabric was all Theo would get as the creature popped back, practically gliding on the air beneath their feet before they took a flourishing dive to sweep around the man once more. They laughed as they moved. Laughed at Theo's words, "'I'm well within my right to make that a reality,'" they mocked, "Careful, now, hero," there was a bright amusement to the choir of voices with came from the mask, "You're starting to sound like [i]me[/i]," another laugh escaped them then as they awaited Theo's attack, seeming to be allowing the man to take another shot at them without offering one of their own.

"You fight your foe head-on," there went the narrating, "and you find them quite the trial. Quick and sharp, the beast escapes your grasp all the while. With laughs and mockery, this fiend shows their truest of hues, that you, my hero, are merely a [i]toy to be used[/i]."

With that, they swept the die from the table and gave it another roll, tossing it with quite the show, hitting it in the air with one knee and then the other before letting it fly high in the air and drop once more. It tumbled and twirled before falling still, and the number on the top seemed to radiate from the etching itself.[/indent]

[center][ [color=fff200]19[/color] ][/center]

 
[indent]"Man... You know what, I gotta give it to ya. You go on about me playing the game but then coward away from an actual hit." As he spoke, Leo casually made his way to the table where he had placed his gun with 8 remaining silver rounds. "I don't see the point in playing if one of us is always cheating, right?" He wiped his nose clean from the fresh blood with the back of his hand, or at least attempted to. "So I'm wondering, it's only fair if we even the playing field, right? You are so capable, teleporting from one spot to the next, or disappearing from sight within an instant..."

Being close enough, Theo reached for the weapon and in one swift move, turned around while bringing up the sights to fire a few more rounds at the figure across from him.[/indent]

 
[indent]"Cheating?" the demon questioned the word and laughed, "My good, sir, there is nothing in the rules of this game which forbids one from using their natural abilities. It is no fault of mine that you are merely human. A demon does as a demon does, while fantastical to you, my power is all my own. Innante. [i]Instinctive[/i], even. As ordinary as your ability to fight as you do. A practiced skill learned well over time. That you can not best these strengths is no reason to whine."

They were monologuing. Fitting, for one so full of themself. Their monologuing had them distracted, though, and they were not as fast to act as they had been before when Theo took his shots. They dodged, but only managed to escape the first two shots, the third hitting them clear in the knee, and a forth in the shoulder as they stumbled at the initial hit. They hissed, growling fiercely as they stumbled to the ground, a white-gloved hand going to each wound. Blood too dark of a red to be human soaked into the white fabric of the creature's gloves and it growled lowly, "You son of a bitch. Just for that, I'm going to make sure that your run through that blasted labyrinth is one that surely won't be forgotten any time soon."

They rose, unsteadily, and grunted as they put weight on their bad leg, "Damn," they muttered, "Gonna have to wait on that one..." Shifting their weight to their good leg, they set their hollow gaze on the hunter, head cocking to one side as they took on a loose and cynical stance as they continued to speak with indifference, "Alright, hero," they started, raising their arms up to the sides, "You got me. Can't hop around with this damned silver embedded in me, so I guess you got your wish, hm? Playing field is fair. Now what? Hm? Gonna shoot me again?" they questioned, then flicked their wrist and as they did, Theo's gun was tugged from his hands and flung down the hall, "I don't think that'd be quite fair, do you? You wanna dance, right? I may be down to one good leg, but let's fucking dance, [i]I'm ready[/i]."

Snapping their fingers, they summoned the die and tossed it between the two of them. It bounced and rolled as always, dancing in a way to a beat all its own, before spinning to a stop smack dab in the middle of the space separating the two forms. It glowed and thrummed just as always, breathing, as it may well have been, and the golden etching on the top panel pulsed as it emphasized the result.[/indent]

[center][ [color=fff200]8[/color] ][/center]

[indent]"[i]Oof[/i]," they clicked their tongue at that and gave a low laugh, "Low roll, not looking good for you, hero. Do you still wish to proceed? I wouldn't blame you if you backed down now. You just got two shots of silver in on a demon and I'm still standing. Still strong enough to fight a pitiful creature like you. Do you [i]really[/i] think you stand a chance against a fiend like [i]me[/i]?"[/indent]

 
[indent]Theo smirked as soon as he saw the demon's blood. May have not outright killed them, but he sure inflicted some damage, and that was a good start for him. Ever the chatterbox going on across from him, Theo planned his next move in his head, though there weren't many options left for him, not when his firearm was ripped from his grasp.

"Why stop now? The fun's just getting started." Theo eyed either wound... It was something at least. Keeping an eye on the demon, his back never turned to them, Theo stepped back to reach one of the kitchen drawers. He pulled it open and reached for a silver-plated knife, wrapping his hand around the handle first but then sliding his grip down to the sharp tip. Hoping luck was on his side, Theo studied them for a moment then aimed and threw the knife at his opponent, the weapon spinning menacingly in their direction. wasting no time as he then charged at the demon, aiming for a head-splitting punch.[/indent]

 
[indent]They ducked quickly at the approach of the knife, turning to watch it embed itself in the wall behind them, and then laughing as they turned. A comment was cut short as they turned back to see Theo charging at them, and instead, all that escaped them was a soft, "Oh shit," as they rushed to move out of the way. They fumbled as weight went on their injured knee and gave another curse, stumbling forward and tumbling to their uninjured knee as they caught themself with their good arm.

"[i]Crap[/i]," they muttered, before quickly getting back to their feet and making an effort to dash across the kitchen, supporting themself on nothing but air as they seemed to skate on the hardwood flooring. They ended up at the back door near some broken glass surrounding a piece of furniture there, the unconscious body of Theo's dog, Brutus lying among the debris. Interestingly, they took a moment to give the animal a small pet, even seeming to ensure the little terrier was still breathing, nodding once they saw the animal's chest rise and fall a few times in a natural rhythm, before turning their attention back to Theo.

"Fine, fine," they growled, "You don't wanna give up while you're ahead? We'll just keep this up then and hope I don't kill you before you even step foot in the dungeon." Cracking their neck to either side and rolling out their shoulders, they straightened back up to their full height. It wasn't seven feet like some of the stories said, but, it was impressive enough. With a deep breath, they tilted their head once more and let out a short sharp laugh before speaking once more, "Blessed by the gods, you manage to strike the beast. Once. Twice. Though two more bullets were wasted in the process, the demon is injured, and you seem to have it on the run. But oh! The fiend still fights. OH! The fiend still moves too quick for you to conquer. In their attempts to escape your attacks, the creature soon lands at the scene of the first crime upon entering your home. You see your poor pooch. Lying there. Seemingly lifeless. Could this beast of a being be so cruel? You hate to think about it, but the sight is right there! 'An ultimatum,' the beast projects, 'A life, for a life.' How much can a man love his dog? How much can a human care for their animal? Is it worth it? Surely, [i]surely[/i], hero, if you are as skilled as you believe yourself to be, you can give your life for that of your hound, and trek the dungeons to once more face me."[/indent]

 
[indent]"Brutus!" He knew how much Amanda cared for her dog. He remembered when she had first brought him home, it was a rainy and cold Saturday afternoon. Amanda was soaking wet from head to toe, but inside her blue rain jacket was a trembling little thing covered in hazelnut brown and black fur. The expression on Amanda's face had been priceless. She knew how he had argued against having any animal in the house, a dog included. But what were they supposed to do with the pup now other than to take him in?

Brutus had indeed brought on numerous arguments between the couple, but looking at him now, lying unconscious on the ground and unaware of what was going on, Theo couldn't help but feel extremely bad for the dog. Amanda considered him her baby, at least until they had a child of their own. That's what she would say any way. Theo pleaded with the demon, on arm outstretched as he crouched protectively to pick up the small dog. "Let me bring him inside, please..."

With that, Theo picked up Brutus and walked him in. Stepping away from underneath the glow of the outside light, Theo saw the perfect opportunity. On the wall, hanging next to the door leading to the back patio, was a small cross. Theo wasn't the overly religious type, but he wasn't opposed to Amanda's idea of comfort in that manner. Having gently placed Brutus down next to the refrigerator, Theo grabbed the cross before the demon could see him. 

"I warned you, get the fuck out of my house!" Theo lunged at the demon, placing the cross against their chest as they both fell to the ground from the impact. But Theo wouldn't budge, using all his strength to keep them pinned down.[/indent]

 
[indent]The demon was thrown back from the sudden attack, grunting and growling at their impact with the ground. After a moment to recover, they moved a hand to reach for the object held against their chest, fingers tracing the shape of it for a moment before they laughed, "Oh my fucking hell," they burst, "You're an [i]amateur[/i]," they laughed harshly, then ripped the cross from Theo's grasp with an unnataural stregth and swung it hard, driving the end of it into the side of Theo's head before shoving the man to the side and rolling over to land on top of him. Another hit. And then another. They rammed the cross into whatever side of his head they could get and continued to laugh, "Do you believe in [i]fairies[/i] too, hero? Not everything you see in media is [i]true[/i], you know!" they continued to beat him senseless, showing absolutely no mercy as they just laughed and laughed, a wicked, malicious, and horrible sound with the different voices all lacing together in a wild cacophony of sadistic glee.[/indent]

 
[indent]The first impact knocked Theo off his senses, his head throbbing as he barely registered being pushed onto his back. The onslaught that followed didn't do him no favors. Theo made the attempt to stop the demon by putting his hands up, but they wouldn't stop.

As it turns out, Amanda wasn't needed no more. Her coworker had returned from vacation a day early and so she was sent home. The young woman had seen the ruckus from a distance. Having not said a peep, she reached for a gun in her purse. It was Theo who'd convinced her to stay armed since she was working the night shift and traveled alone for quite some distance.

With a trembling hand, Amanda aimed the weapon at her boyfriend's attacker. "Step away from him, I'm not asking twice..."[/indent]

 
[indent]At her voice, the demon stopped their onslaught and looked over towards Amanda, any expression they had completely hidden by the mask that had somehow, [i]somehow[/i], remained in place all this time. For a moment, that was it, just them looking toward the woman. Then they laughed and gripped the cross tighter as they moved to climb off of Theo, getting back to their feet with a careful stance to stay off of their injured knee, "Player two enters the scene," they mused, "Now things are [i]really[/i] getting interesting."

They cracked their neck again and rolled their shoulders once more before giving a heavy sigh, "You arrive home earlier than expected and find your boyfriend being mercilessly beaten by a wicked intruder and blah blah blah, fuck I'm tired," they huffed, shoulders dropping then, "[i]Let's just roll[/i]," and with that, the die popped out of nowhere and fell to the floor, chaotically making its way to a stop by Amanda's feet.

[center][color=fff200][i]Calla lily.[/i][/color][/center]

"Damn, tough luck," the villain snorted, and then the tiny pistol was ripped from Amanda's hands, flying straight to the demon's grasp where they quickly took shot and fired. Nothing fatal, or even all that damaging for that matter. In fact, the beast had purposely only grazed her. It would still hurt, for sure, but they seemed to find enjoyment in that fact, "That flower there actually has a name, you know," they said casually, "I call her [i]Karma[/i]," with a laugh, they turned their masked face to Theo as they finished with, "She's a real [i]bitch[/i], huh?"[/indent]

 
[indent]Amanda didn't have time to react or attempt to save herself. Once the gun went off, she gripped her arm as she cursed under her breath, turning away from the demon and behind him, Theo. Her purse dropped to the ground as a result, but thankfully, when she took a peek at where she'd been hit, Amanda noticed it wasn't nothing a few stitches couldn't fix. Had they missed on purpose?

Theo, on the other hand, had the bigger scare. "Amanda!" his head and face were bloodied, blurring his vision, and he barely had the strength to get to his feet. In face, he barely made it to his knees, one arm outstretched as a tear escaped his left eye.

As the ringing in her ear dissipated, she heard his voice. "Theo!" The young woman wasn't seeing anything else right now other than her boyfriend. In fact, not even the demon itself registered in her brain as she rushed to be by Theo's side.[/indent]

 
[indent]Surprisingly, the demon actually took a few careful steps to the side as Amanda approached, giving her space to kneel down by Theo's side. Absently, they turned their attention to the pistol in their hands, looking it over with their blank-mask expression. Dramatic as this fiend was, they [i]hated[/i] soap opera drama, but they had enough respect to allow the couple their time together before ending it all. After a few moments of giving the two their scene, the intruder flipped the gun in their hold so they were gripping the barrel and pat it a couple of times in their other hand. It wasn't much, but it would do.

Clearing their throat to interrupt the couple, they said, "Hi, yeah, masked killer? Still in the room? I think it's time we finish this little show up, don't you?" It was a rhetorical question though as they took no time to await an answer, and instead swung the butt of the gun hard, first to the back of Amanda's head, relishing in the horror it surely inflicted on the man beside her, "With your savior knocked cold, you lay helplessly on the floor. All your efforts have been for naught, and you realize this fight was never about win or lose. No, brave hero, there was never actually a path to choose. From the start of this brawl, you realize now, you had already lost it all."

One final blow, and that was it.

Lights out.[/indent]