Shard

Welcome to Mega City [original universe w/superhumans...]

@Omega Man

I added the sample post, and with that, am done with my character.

Awaiting your judgment.

Welcome to Mega City [original universe w/superhumans...]

-

Heroes Reborn: Prime Earth (Superhero/Urban Fantasy: OPEN)

January 1st, 9:30 PM.
New York City, Pricetown, Nello's home.
Interactions - None.

Blood had long since been washed off Nello's pale scales, flowing across the sleek shower floor and into the drain as if a swirl of red wine. Hugging his knees beneath the warmth of an ever-streaming current, it would be impossible to note the salty tears coating a boy's cheeks. Trembling, Nello hid his face between his kneecaps, unable to wash the taste of blood from his mouth, a lingering presence of sanguine nightmares which had fueled a certain desire for war, and destruction. What brought the young teenager to his knees was the infuriatingly addictive essence brought along the crimson fluids, as his demonic side took center stage. Blood tasted good, no, it tasted far better than simply 'good'. It was intoxicating. Clenching his teeth, Nello let out a whimper, attempting to focus on the warmth which had coated him. This night had been a success, but a disaster, all the time. Children were sent into freedom, and released from the shackles of a coven surpassing all the ruthlessness of humanity, and yet, there was an emptiness within Nello which could not be filled. 

Tightening the embrace around his knees, Nello's crimson gaze had been shut tight, his eyes unable to meet a world which had been revealed to be so cruel, and unjust. He inhaled a trembling breath, before feeling a pair of arms wrapping themselves around his shoulders, the presence of another bringing comfort to his shattered self. He knew who it was, of course. Nocturne, who had never found himself further than a mere few feet from the young teen. "What were the options, Nello?" Came a soft whisper, as the demon's snout gently brushed against the boy's ear. Though silence met the creature, Nocturne was aware that even Nello would know the answer. No other options had been presented. Malfiell would have killed them both, had Nello not taken that ultimate step, and delved into his demonic savagery. "You did the right thing." Nocturne continued, his embrace around the young hero lingering in a tender motion, where they sat. 

Those versed in the art of killing, and those who could close the eyes of others would perhaps look at Nello and consider the boy a fragile mess. They would be right, and one could continue on the path and point out the teenager's tender age. This was not a comic book, nor was it a series displayed upon the surface of a television. Nello was not a character, he was a person, and the weight of ending another life was heavier than most would admit to. There was, after all, a reason as to why soldiers had nightmares. "I tried so hard..," the boy began, "to not kill him."

Placing his hand on Nello's cheek, Nocturne raised the young hero's face towards his own, where their eyes met in a shared exchange. "Your heart is pure, but no one else, least of all a demon, will leave you breathing at the end of a fight." He saw how the teenager inhaled another sharp breath, his teeth clenching as the boy's eyes closed. Nocturne's words rang true, and Nello knew this, but adopting this wisdom onto the field of battle had resulted in this very moment. Leaning forward, Nocturne brushed his lips against Nello's in a tender, compassionate kiss, before pulling him into another loving embrace. "The world isn't black and white."

Speaking through sniffling tears, Nello buried his face in Nocturne's neck, the boy's arms holding the other close in desperation. "I know..," came a quiet, muffled response. It was almost as if Nello was clinging to the demon, believing that if he let go, Nocturne would fade away with the flowing stream of water coating their exposed shapes. He could not let go, he could never let go, because the demonic entity ever so close kept the boy alive in far more ways than the drawing of breath. "I just..," Nello continued, his body tensing at the thought, though managed to calm somewhat as he felt Nocturne's hand gently stroking his back. "Even if we had the chance, should we have let him live, Noct'..?""

"No," the shadowy being offered, without a second to consider. There was no scenario which could possibly have played out, which would have left Nello with the possibility of sparing Malfiell, and also leave that room, knowing that the demon had been defeated, for good. He would have risen once more, angrier and more furious than before. A demon suffering defeat, was far more dangerous than one content in their power. Malfiell would have elevated his torture, his darkness. There would have been no end to the eternal damnation he brought, along with the coven he so dutifully served. "Being merciful to muggers and bandits is one thing, Nello," Nocturne explained, holding the boy tightly without loosening his embrace for but a moment. "But the Blackthorn Coven is different. Your morality doesn't apply to them."

Finally able to breathe without the trembling stream of tears to hinder its progress, Nello managed to move back, somewhat. With his hands in Nocturne's, the boy lowered his eyes to the floor, seeing how a coat of water washed past them in a harmonic flow. "Why?" He tried, melancholy taking shape in his eyes.

As Nocturne raised his clawed hand to Nello's face, lifting the teen's gaze to meet his own, a response was uttered. "Mercy is earned, and it can be erased. The Blackthorn Coven does not deserve mercy. You know this, and I shouldn't have to explain it."

Clicking his small, dragon-like claws against Nocturne's hand, Nello uttered a sigh. He gently removed the creature's digits from resting against the boy's features, and tenderly grasped them between his own. "What scares me the most, Nocturne..," Nello began, his body once more tensing, before blood red eyes met their reflection in Nocturne. ""Was that I liked it..."

Welcome to Mega City [original universe w/superhumans...]

Currently working on my character, but I am exhausted. I will finish him up in the morrow.

Heroes Reborn: Prime Earth (Superhero/Urban Fantasy: OPEN)

Blackthorn Investigation, Final

January 1st, 8:30 PM.
Cultist Hideout Depths, New York City, Pricetown.
Interactions - None.

One would not be mistaken, when claiming that the world felt frozen in time, as if the only sounds making their way through the area were crackling flames on burning torches. The moans of tortured souls were slowly vanishing into distant space as Nello's crimson gaze met the glare which struck at him like the piercing nature of a lance.

Fear, an emotion with the power to overwhelm every other sensation, a yoke which managed to chain Nello to the spot, his trembling hand gripping Calamity for dear life. Nocturne's confession had not been wasted on him, nor had it been lost in the wind. It was what kept Nello from turning on his heel to run from that forsaken chamber of death and agony. 'Because I love you,' a statement which might perhaps be stronger still, than the choking grasp of terror.

Clenching his teeth, Nello attempted to manage a breath, his eyes focused on the demonic entity which sat opposite him, reveling in the gore which coated its seat. "I take it you came here to..," the demon continued, it's voice a combination of sultry charm and blizzard winds. "Make a difference?" Came the question, like a sharpened blade drawn from its sheath.

Nello was left awestruck, his opponent maintaining a demeanor considered calm, relaxed, and by all intents, entirely composed. It was unlike what the boy had expected from followers of the evil God. In opposition to the gruesome picture painted for all to see within the demon's torturous lair, there was a sense of adequate regality upon this creature, a practiced charm which belonged to a seductive vampire.

As if staring at an emissary of The Horned God himself, Nello felt pain echoing throughout his hand, as the boy's claws dug through his scaled skin. A clenched fist which soon loosened to allow Nello's wound to close, black blood dripping onto a stone floor. It glistened in the torch light, as if dark paint reflecting the bright illumination of a light source. "I came to stop you..," Nello uttered, the statement somewhat of a whimper, more so than steadfast determination.

Where Nello expected the monstrous entity he had confronted to laugh, or shout with zealous intent, he was, yet again, struck by surprise. Leaning forth on the stone altar where it was sitting, the demon appeared quite intrigued by this young intruder. "And what is it you seek to stop, little one?"

Lowering his eyes to the floor, taking in the smooth surface with curves occasionally rowing its shape, various answers began circling Nello's mind. Was it not obvious, what he wanted to stop? The world was not always black and white, but in circumstances like these, what else could possibly be presented? The Three Horned God wanted others to anguish beneath his servants. Where shades of gray often warranted their place, this was not one of those times.
"Your tyranny." Nello tried, earning a soft smirk from the creature prompting a philosophically inclined conversation.

"Our tyranny," the demon echoed, slowly nodding his head. "Will you then seek to free your people from the tyranny of humanity, as well?" A clawed hand gently extended, a long talon pointing its length at Nello. "Those who have forsaken chaos in lieu of.., compassion?" He was undoubtedly referring to demons attempting to find another path.

"At least we all have a common enemy," the boy frowned, pointing his sword at the monster, "and humanity doesn't do this!" Nello exclaimed, motioning at the twisted and tortured creatures decorating the demon's chamber.

"No, humanity are more subtle in their pursuits, I admit," a large, clawed foot slid down from the altar as the demon rose to his full height. Clearly towering above the young hero who had ventured into these abyssal depths, the demon managed a height of seven feet. It was an estimation, of course, but an accurate assumption all the same. With a straight back and a glare demanding authority, the demon spoke once more. "You aim to challenge me, then." It was a statement, expressed in the shape of a question.

Bringing his remaining hand to Calamity's hilt, Nello opened his mouth to release a breath. Tension spread through him like a blanket of terror, his head lifting to meet a sinister gaze which knew pain as a close companion, indeed. "Yeah," came a short response from the small hero, his grip on Calamity tightening to stifle the trembling of Nello's hands. He felt Nocturne's presence, within, the one anchor which kept his sanity in order amidst absolute chaos. Yes, an ironic twist, indeed.

"Then, it is only right to present your name," the demon responded. With a swipe of his hand, a large sword appeared in his grip through a torrental burst of flame, the blade emanating the same tyrannical presence as its master. "I am Malfiell, and I will offer you this courtesy, as one demon to another," he continued. "Join us, join our shepherd, our God, and cast aside the shackles you choose to clasp around wrists and ankles alike."

Clenching his teeth, Nello felt his eyes watering at the offer. "I..," he began, a scowl making its way to his features. The blurry coat which acted as a layer over the boy's eyes were not prompted from gratitude, or relief. Rather, thoughts of those Nello had managed to help came to mind, and most of all, the children surrounding him at that very moment. Join Blackthorn? Join his fellow demons, and spread this savagery which groaned in a chorus of agony all around him? Meeting Malfiell's gaze in a manner of challenging intent, Nello finally found his voice. "I'm Nello, and I will never forsake my humanity!"

"Nello..," Nocturne's uttering came as a mere whisper, a sense of pride, if surprise, washing through it.

"I am demon, and human, and I'll stand against everything you freaks throw at us!" Shaking the tears from his eyes, Nello's words left his lips in a scream, a battle cry. "Whatever it takes! I will put an end to you, and your God!"

"Such lofty ideals," Malfiell responded, the ground cracking beneath his feet as the demon charged forth in a vicious dash. "Do you truly believe you, a child, can herald this utopia you so desperately seek?" With a massive swing, Malfiell's sword slammed into the ground where Nello had been standing, only moments before the boy dodged the attack.

Cracked stone splintered and fragmented upon impact, bursting like bullets. Nello would not be deterred. He couldn't be, or this would end with him on one of the countless hooks rowing those walls. "So what if I'm a kid!?" The boy swung Calamity at his overwhelming enemy, a loud clang ringing out as Malfiell caught Calamity's edge against his own sword. "So what if I'm naive!?" The boy continued, unleashing a series of expertly executed swings, each attack clashing with Malfiell's blade in a cacophony of metallic tunes. "I'll throw everything I've got at you!"

"Hmph," Malfiell grunted, "so you will," he finished, in a most unamused manner before a powerful cleave sent Nello tumbling towards a cage where he bashed against metal bars. "The little hero attempts to fulfill his quest by slaying the dragon? That is not the conclusion written for this confrontation, dear Nello."

"I'm..," the teenager clenched his teeth, and rose to his feet, "rewriting the ending!" With a quick, hasty advance, Nello evened the distance between himself and Malfiell, initiating their new exchange. Trained and calculated strikes connected with countless motions, their battle as if a choreographed danced executed upon a starlit stage.

"Delusions are for the weak, Nello," Malfiell barked, a massive wave of fire engulfing his sword with the demon's next attack. Though Nello raised his weapon and managed to prevent Malfiell's molten blade from unseaming him at the shoulders, he was instead struck by the flames. Pushed back, but rolling to his feet in an impressively agile manouver, the boy's shirt faded in a coat of embers. It revealed his white, reflective scales covering a scrawny body, which conjured forth another smirk on Malfiell's lips. "I would have enjoyed taking you under my wing, boy."

With his burns healing, Nello displayed a deep frown, the searing pain he had experienced washed away beneath anger, fury, and adrenaline.
"Tell that to the Horned asshole, when I send you back to him!" Pulling the remnants of his shirt from place, Nello tossed them aside. With horns now clearly visible through a mop of black hair, none would mistake the boy for a mere monster. He was a demon.

Their battle continued, with wounds tearing their way into Nello's body before they healed in an instant. However, with every wound closed, he felt his consciousness fading further. Fatigue was washing over him, and as the teen was disarmed by a powerful swing from an overwhelming opponent, he felt a large hand clasping itself around his throat. It was with no effort that Malfiell lifted Nello from the ground, his fingers crushing the boy's air canal. Gasping, Nello held his hands on Malfiell's arm, tired eyes meeting the larger demon's bored gaze. "You were a worthy opponent, Nello, champion of humanity, herald of a deluded cause."

Raising his sword to impale Nello on its long edge, the teenager conjured forth fragments of his strength, in the form of Calamity. Instantly, he shoved his sword through Malfiell's arm, and heard a loud cry of pain echoing throughout the torturous chamber. As Nello tore the sword free in a vicious motion, he left a massive fissure in Malfiell's appendage. The swordsman was dropped to the floor where he coughed, gasping for air, but felt a foot kicking him in the stomach. "Insect!" Malfiell screamed, his now useless arm falling to his side.

"I'm..," Nello groaned, managing to roll aside as he dodged Malfiell's hellish weapon. Jolting to his feet, Nello slid between the massive demon's legs, and executed a critical swing with his blade. It severed Malfiell's hamstrings, sending the demon to his knees. "Rewriting the ending..," Nello spat.

"Foolish!" Dropping his sword, Malfiell was right in considering it a hindrance in these circumstances. The weapon was too large, and Nello was too close. Rather, he managed to catch Nello's incoming swing, as the demon wrapped his fingers around Calamity. Blood gushed from the appendage, but it was enough to pull Nello into position, where he bashed his forehead against the smaller demon's. With a punch, he forced Nello to the floor, where another would have caved the boy's skull.

Luckily, the young swordsman managed to raise his blade in a desperate attempt, severing Malfiell's hand from place only moments before impact. A relentless foe, Malfiell would not let up, as he lunged forth and pulled Nello into a devastating grapple, nearly crushing the boy's back.

"Nello, no!" Nocturne screamed, feeling the agony of cracking bones with every passing second.

His arms were stuck, his life rapidly leaving the boy as he felt his body breaking beneath Malfiell's strength. Nello could not use Calamity, his hands locked at his sides. With a loud, anguished, and desperate howl, Nello opened his maw, razor sharp teeth on full display, before he sunk them into Malfiell's throat, tearing it out.

Red, hot blood spewed from the demon's gaping wound, coating Nello like a morbid blanket as the teen was dropped to the floor. Limply, Malfiell fell to his back, a trembling young swordsman attempting to cling to consciousness as tears streaked down his cheeks.

He had killed someone.

Heroes Reborn: Prime Earth (Superhero/Urban Fantasy: OPEN)

Blackthorn Investigation, Part Three

January 1st, 8:23 PM.
Cultist Hideout, New York City, Pricetown.
Interactions - None.

Raising his blade, Nello caught the incoming strike of a ruthless cultist. It was quickly joined by another, which forced Nello to maneuver in a matter which allowed for him to deflect his second opponent's attack. Was one present to view this fight, a clashing cascade of steel echoed throughout the interior with every swing biting into the other's bladed length.

Though Nello displayed masterful skill with the sword, each strike expertly deflected, his enemies maintained their footwork with impressive results. Throughout their sword-touched dance, as Nello gracefully slipped between his foes, the boy's eyes landed on a sight which caused him to nearly lose his balance. Brands had been seared into flesh, blatantly visible as fur was robbed from disfigured skin. "Going to stay on the defensive forever, Nello?" An annoyed voice scratched at the back of the boy's mind, moments before he was kicked through a doorway.

It sent Nello to the floor in the entrance hall. He would not stay down for long, however. Rolling to a knee, Nello was quick to deflect a bladed attack heading for him, but felt another cutting through his scales. With a sharp hiss, Nello shot up from the floor, jumping to his feet. Though the wound vanished nearly as quickly as it had arrived, the pain lingered for a fraction longer. "Stop fucking around!" Nocturne exclaimed, "these chumps shouldn't even be able to touch you! Get a grip!"

After yet another savage exchange, whisking blades slashing through air before clashing with a loud clang, Nello leaned against anticipation and managed to counter an incoming blow from a raging cultist. In a fluid motion, the young hero spun and slammed his sword hilt against his enemy's temple.

It was enough to stun the cultist, allowing Nello a strong impact from his fist, which presented itself to the dark dweller's visage. With one enemy remaining, Nello advanced with a calculated step. He waited for the opposing swordsman to strike, where the young demon met the strike and countered with the backside of his sword. Slapping it against the cultist's head, it was as if Nello had struck the opposing force with a baseball bat, ending the threat.

"Alright, enough," Nocturne barked, Calamity vanishing as he came into view, the demon's hands on Nello's collar. Black blood had stained his shirt, and though there was no wound beneath the cut in fabric, it was an injury the boy should never have sustained. "These aren't just muggers or fucking looters, Nello. They want to watch the world burn!"

"Maybe they..," Nello tried, meeting the blood red rubies staring into his very soul. In a way, they truly were. Nocturne shared a soul with the boy, after all.

"Maybe they what?" Nocturne frowned, "maybe they'll change? Maybe they'll learn? Fuck that noise!" A shout met the young hero, before he felt himself shook by Nocturne. "Don't you get it!? If you are going to keep holding back, you are going to get killed!" A finger moved to point at an unconscious cultist on the floor. "And for what!? For that!? They decided their fate, so stop fucking around, and grow up!"

Paralyzed and glued to the spot, Nello tried to form words in response to Nocturne, with little luck. He was left staring into the endless pit of blood that were Nocturne's crimson orbs, the very same eyes meeting them. "Yeah..," the boy managed, finally. "Because if I die, you die," he finished, seeing a shocked expression responding to him.

Silence lingered as if an addition to dust particles slowly flowing through the air, Nocturne's grip on his young hero's collar loosening, until tired hands fell to his side. "Is that what you think?" Nocturne asked, his eyes finally breaking their shared gaze as the demon's attention fell. "That's all you think I care about?"

"It's why you wanted this pact, right?" The boy frowned, attempting to maintain his disposition. No answer came to greet him, however, which prompted Nello to turn towards the basement door. At this point, he had forsaken subtlety in lieu of anger, which his conversation with Nocturne had only fueled. With a strong kick, the boy forced the door from its hinges and revealed a series of stone steps leading into dark depths below.

"It was why I wanted this pact," Nocturne spoke, his voice trickling into Nello's ears as they descended a seemingly endless row of stairs. Torches rowed stone walls, and it felt like they had long since left modern life behind, entirely, the deeper they delved. Some kind of magic or trickery must have been at play here, perhaps a portal, or dimensional doorway. Nothing Nello would understand, at the very least. "It's been over six fucking months," Nocturne continued as the boy set foot on the bottom step, before he was presented by a large stone room.

Cages lined the walls with countless shackles gripping victims tightly. Large torches painted the otherwise gray room a bright orange, and sights which proceeded to curse young Nello's eyes were of a most horrid nature. Upon the floor, one could make out a large pentagram drawn with what could only have been blood. Bodies of what had once been children laid lifeless within its shape, and one would be a fool to expect Blackthorn cages an empty adornment.

Rather, Nello could clearly tell where the dissappeared children had been brought, many of whom could no longer be recognized as such. No, with twisted limbs and bodies warped into misshapen abominations, wide eyes would warrant tears at the realization. It was accompanied by groans of pain and cries of anguish, torturous devices presented as decorations with hapless young victims strapped to their unforgiving embrace.

With his heartbeat quickening, Nello was struck by a stench to match the nightmare he had been presented, as if the atrocities before him painted a picture. As if the suffering of these children had been elevated to an art by the large demon sitting on a stone slab on the opposite side of the torture chamber. It was coated in blood, and drenched by guts, a sacrificial altar.

Trembling, Nello met the sinister gaze of his new enemy, a creature licking its bloodied claws. "Welcome." It stated in a cold, chilling voice, a massive grin mocking their surroundings at its ridges.

"I don't want you to die, because I love you, asshole!" Nocturne shouted, taking the shape of Calamity, in Nello's hand.

Heroes Reborn: Prime Earth (Superhero/Urban Fantasy: OPEN)

Blackthorn Investigation, Part Two

January 1st, 8:10 PM.
Cultist Hideout, New York City, Pricetown.
Interactions - None.

Tracing his fingers across dusty surfaces, Nello's eyes fixed their gaze on various trinkets spread across the attic as it contained clutter numbering in the infinite space of a hoard. Boxes stood stacked, containing various files, the ink on their white shapes now faded as the documents themselves had grown yellow with age.

Attempting to read what had been printed on their now withered parchment, Nello would soon consider the endeavor a failed prospect. Allowing the files to once more slide into the box, he could deduce that they had nothing to do with what was happening in that building, and neither did the trivial trinkets scattered about. Tables, chairs, and furniture were riddled with spiderwebs, the mere thought of those pincered beasts sending a chill down Nello's spine. Clenching his teeth, the boy gulped and slowly moved across creaking floorboards. Even beneath his miniscule weight, they were beginning to give way, dust flowing through the damp air with every step.

"Makes you think this place is almost normal, eh?" Nocturne spoke, a small chuckle escaping his lips. Though decaying wood was reacting to Nello's presence, it was quick to ignore the demonic spirit's ghostly nature. "So what's the plan? Going to ask the cultists nicely to release the prisoners?"

Turning his attention to Nocturne, where the creature stood amidst dust and darkness, Nello did not appear angry or frustrated. Rather, he seemed unsure, and insecure. Lowering his gaze, the boy gently rested a clawed hand against the doorknob, his sharp, black additions clicking against its rusted, metallic shape. "I can't do it, Nocturne," Nello spoke, a mere whisper as the young teen's hand trembled. He tightened his grip at the knob, the boy's frame tensing. "I..," Nello breathed, shutting his eyes. "I have to be able to do this, my way."

Tilting his head, Nocturne narrowed his glare at the boy, those crimson orbs nearly glowing within the attic shade. "And when that way fails?" Came a question, hitting Nello like an inquisitive fist. Silence lingered, their conversation reaching its conclusion. This was not a venue to discuss philosophy, but in the very same breath, one would need to consider the question. Was it really? Once Nello decided on opening that door, he would be met by a choice, one where morality clashed with efficiency.

Not even this teenager was under any illusion that one could rehabilitate a follower of the Three Horned God with madness seared into their flesh. Then, what was the point in refraining from the decisive blow? Nello had his answer. It was an attempt to justify his decision, yes, but it was an answer, all the same. Nello did not want that blood on his hands, because he wasn't sure that he would be able to live with the consequences of such an ultimate act of supremacy.

He attempted to push the door open, but as was an expected outcome, Nello was met by a locked obstacle. Though gently, he pushed harder, allowing Calamity to appear in his hand once more as he began prying the door's rotted surface from the lock. This managed a successful result, though time consuming, and allowed for the young hero to venture down a set of splintered stairs.

A repetition was required, where it demanded from Nello the same treatment he had afforded the attic door, on yet another, which lead into the interior of this derelict building. Old pictures on cracked walls rowed the length of the hallway where Nello now found himself. As if an attempt to feel safer, he allowed Calamity to give way for Nocturne, preferring the company of this demon rather than the edge of a sword. It exposed the boy's inexperience, and his young age. Fear, it was a clinging emotion which he felt, like any other person, despite his nature as a demon.

Moving behind a wall, Nello lowered himself to a knee as the hero narrowed his eyes at the beings now coming into view on the lower floor. With fingers circling a rod of the railing separating him from a fall, Nello leaned forward. A small, warm breath escaped his lips, his eyes fixed on what used to be an old living room. He could see three monstrous beings speaking to one another, sharing words of prisoners and captives. They were all three sitting around a table, bottles of beer upon its wooden surface, occasionally reaching their lips in delighted sips.

Nello could make out their appearances. They were all relatively young, each one a beast species. The hyena Nello had followed sat amongst them, and they were dressed in ragged hoodies with similar pants. Worn shoes found home on their feet and it was not a stretch to consider the cultists equally ragged. A shower had not blessed them in quite a stretch of time, surely, as Nello's nose took in a sickly stench emanating from their company. "You have the skills to kill them all in an instant," Nocturne commented, his snout close enough to Nello's ear to allow his breath a trickling path down the boy's scales. "Why make this difficult?"

Clenching his fists, Nello raised his hand towards the top of the railing and threw himself over its height. Mere moments later, the hero landed. He smashed into the table, betwixt the three cultists as Nello harnessed the momentum of his fall, the boy's hands smashing two cultist's heads against their table with a loud crack.

In an instant, Nello vaulted over the remaining dweller of darkness amdist this chaotic shock, which he had caused. Again, Nello used his momentum as an advantage, and slammed the cultist against the floor. The three were rendered unconscious. "Hoe-lee shit, son! Damn!" Nocturne burst out laughing, "No killing but severe fucking brain damage is fine!? Woooo boy!"

Before Nello was afforded a chance to respond, two additional cultists made their presence known, as they ran into the room from an opposing hall. "The fuck!?" One of them exclaimed, brandishing a large machete. Gunshots in these acoustics would give away their position, instantly.

"He took them out!" The remaining cultist shouted, drawing an identical weapon. "Kill the little shit!"

"Noct'," Nello frowned, Calamity appearing in his hand.

"Fuck yes, let's start cutting!" Nocturne's voice echoed within Nello's mind as the boy's fingers tightened around his sword.

Heroes Reborn: Prime Earth (Superhero/Urban Fantasy: OPEN)

Blackthorn Investigation, Part One

January 1st, 8:00 PM.
Dark Alleys, New York City, Pricetown.
Interactions - None.

Without the sun blanketing New York's sky, which had now given way for a layer of soothing darkness, Nello could breathe a sigh of relief. With his most 'heroic' hoodie in place, the boy had been carefully stalking the investigative steps of a case he was infatuated with. Progress had been made, surely, but nothing quite like this, where he actually saw one of the cultists, and managed to follow them to a hideout in the dark underbelly of New York's ghettos. It had all began several days prior, where Nello had dove into the disappearance of orphans, the less fortunate dredges of society which no government would waste resources in attempting to collect. It was an atrocity kept on the down-low, as one might say, where those no one would miss were taken into a shadowy corner where nightmares soon came to swallow them. A task far too small for the spectacular heroes flying across New York City's skyscrapers, where newspapers were quick to present their cameras for a good view of the costumed gestalts. Rather, the scenario afflicted those none would notice were gone, those no one would care were ripped from the fabric of New York's cityscape. This was where Nello found himself drawn to the scene. He was an obscure hero, to say the least. Indeed, he had heard his persona spoken of once, a single time, at the supermarket in Pricetown. Raven, they called him. It was a name finding its way to the boy's lips through a vast lack of creativity, but it rang true, nonetheless. Simple, yet efficient.  

Yes, the mention of Pricetown would perhaps bring light to another issue. These disappearances involved monsters, inhuman freaks as some would call them. This, of course, warranted yet another layer of indifference from leadership. However, Nello was even more so drawn to the circumstances, because these people were his kin. Nello was not going to blame humanity for this. Monsters, as the word did not bother him, needed to look after one another. This was a task for one of their own. Additionally, it was an atrocity carried out by none other than his kin, as well. Monster issues were required to be solved by monster involvement, Nello would reason.

"How are we going to get in there?" The young demonic teenager took a knee, his eyes staring down at the hyena he had been following, while making his way across shadowed rooftops. It was an old, decrepit building long since abandoned, that the hyena soon entered. Pausing for a moment, it turned to view the surroundings, deciding that none was following. The creature banged on the door twice, before a slot upon its shape was slid open, only moments before the path was no longer barred.

"Maybe there is a way in from up top?" Nocturne offered, motioning to the adjacent building. It looked unused, forgotten, and derelict. This was, of course, the point. However, for Nello, the most pressing matter was how he was going to make his way into its rotting confines. 

"Yeah," came a response from the teen. With graceful steps, Nello slid down the water shaft of the building he was on, and slipped down to the hard concrete below with a nearly weightless thud. The eight o'clock darkness masked his shape from others well enough, which allowed for some freedom of movement as the boy evened the distance between himself, and the faltering, adjacent building. With a quick step sending him up a short distance on an old, concrete wall, the boy's hand extended and grabbed onto a brick. His claws were perfect for climbing, and it would not be out of the question to compare his quick stride with a scene from the Assassin's Creed games, which Nello had incidentally played. His opinion on the entertainment media was somewhat mixed, one might add. As Nello reached the flat roof, he carefully peeked over the edge to make sure that no one was there. Of course not, if someone were, it would have destroyed their attempt at remaining incognito. 

Nello pulled himself onto the roof, his body flowing across its shape with haste as his feet quickly padded across the ground. "Perfect," a grin made its way to the boy's lips. There was a small set of windows, long since coated by filth, on the roof. They undoubtedly lead to the attic, where Nello would continue this investigation. He attempted to pull one of them open, but was soon met by the realization that every window was locked. They had not been touched in years, to say the very least. If nothing else, they were likely rusted shut. "Noct'," the boy stated, his eyes meeting the demonic spirit. 

"You got it." Without another word, Nocturne vanished from sight, a dark mist forming around Nello's hand before his sword, Calamity, manifested itself. He pried the tip of the blade between a space in the hinges, and gently tinkered with the obstruction before eventually, Nello managed to force it open. He did this with care, and silently so. It did not matter that the procedure required more time. He would rather not be spotted by any cultists within. Not yet. Slowly opening the window, Nello's crimson eyes viewed the darkness within. It was, indeed, as he had expected. An attic. Like the windows leading to its long since forgotten interior, no one had been there for countless years. With a deep breath, Nello allowed his sword to vanish in a similiar manner to how it had come into being. Moments later, he was met by Nocturne, once more. "Ready for this?"

Though a pause struck at the young hero, he would manage to present an answer. "Yeah," the teen nodded, a small frown making itself known on his features. "Let's go," he finished, and slipped into the blackness. 

Heroes Reborn: Prime Earth (Superhero/Urban Fantasy: OPEN)

January 1st, 10:55 AM.
Streets, New York City.
Interactions - None.

Scene 1 - The Show

Small, clawed hands worked quickly as they brought a minuscule creature towards the fire escape. Using the front door was far too practical, one might add, but also, quite visible. Nello was not the best hero in New York at hiding and going unseen, but his small size did participate in aiding the endeavor, for sure. He proceeded to pull himself over the metal railing, and gracefully landed on a pair of converse-clad feet. It would not be far fetched to mistake the boy for a girl of a similar age, considering his dainty, and petite features. However, it would be a lie to claim that Nello did not find it quite hilarious, as a punch for the demonic lad in no way translated to his appearance, in the slightest. "This is a dumb idea," came a voice, before it was embodied by a shape manifesting in front of Nello. A mirror image, one might say, with crossed arms and a less than amused expression on its reptilian face. "A dumb, dumb idea."

Pausing for a moment, Nello tilted his head. A small, clawed finger rose to scratch the tip of his snout, two large, circular ruby orbs meeting their reflection as Nocturne and Nello shared a gaze. "You know any other witches?"

"Yes, and they're all assholes!" Nocturne exclaimed, "she'll sell you out, trust me."

Managing a soft smirk, Nello leaned closer and playfully rubbed the tip of his snout against Nocturne's, "Makaya is good people. Relax," the boy finished, moving past his shadowy reflection, before a gentle knock was made against Clio Delphine's window.

---

Clio, sprawled out on her bed, jumped at the sound of a knock on her window. She lifted herself up from the mattress, and shuffled across the floor to the window. Her abdomen and stomach howled their protest, but she ignored them, forcing herself to throw open the curtains. Wincing at the sudden light, she blinked against it for a moment before her gaze settled on Nello. A small grin managed to light up her features. It met her eyes, genuine.

Unlocking the latch, she slid the window opened and beckoned Nello to come inside. Her bedroom smelled like cookies, to distract from the scents of her curse materials that were hiding in the closet. "What brings you here, Nello?" She narrowed her eyes at Nocturne. Not out of spite, but because she simply couldn't see him all that well. When she was using her magic, it was a different story. "How're you, Nocturne? Oh...um, keep it down a hair, I have a guest over."

---

It felt wonderful to be away from the sun, a lingering frustration which kept nagging at the exposed parts of Nello's body. His pale, snake-like scales glistened softly beneath the slight, and he was able to pull his hood down once he was freed from the sun's unforgiving rays. Shaking his messy, black hair free, the boy managed to exhale a relieved sigh. "A guest?" The demonic teenager blinked, squinting at the room. He did enjoy the scent, indeed, however. It was quick to claim his attention, cookies caressing his nose with their essence. Though Nello could not partake in eating the sweet, sugary treat, he enjoyed the lingering aroma, as much as anyone. "Oh, uhm, there's a magic show.., thing.., in town," he continued, thumbing over his shoulder.

"Eh, Nello thinks we need your help," Nocturne frowned, a hand falling to his hip. "And fine, we don't really get all the magic shit, so, yeah.., here we are."

Nudging Nocturne's side, Nello turned his attention back to Clio. "If you have guests over, we don't want to bother."

---

Clio shrugged, she wasn't against going back to sleep and letting herself heal up a bit more....but, then again, a magic show could be nice. It would be a distraction. Maybe it would take care of her itch, just a smidge. "She's a bit...different. I'm sure she'll be fine on her own." In her own form of a joke, Clio lifted her loose shirt up just past her bellybutton to show off the bruise left from her fight with Starfire. She forced a smirk. "She really packs a punch...uh, knee?"

---

With his eyes widening at the bruises, Nello paused, and looked towards Nocturne who simply sighed, in response. "Want us to fuck a bitch up?" 

Slapping a hand against the demonic spirits side, Nello shook his head. "Why are you always so aggressive?" The boy asked. It had been a conversation they had been in the midst of several times, and this exchange was nothing new. It been repeated time, and time again. "But uh..," Nello raised a hand, scratching the back of his head. "Does.., a bitch need to be fucked up..?"

"Hah!" Nocturne exclaimed, punching Nello's shoulder.

---

"I appeciate it...but that really isn't necessary. She's just, a long way from home. So she's staying here for the time being. Besides...If I ever needed to 'fuck a bitch up' I have some of her hair." Clio snapped, and her Makaya jacket was suddenly in hand. She dug into the pocket, pulling out a clump of bright auburn hair. Shoving it back in the pouch, she tossed the jacket across the room. It would be there when she needed it. She felt a burst of energy from using her magic, but it faded all too rapidly.

"Anyways, I'm ready to go when you are."

---

Nello did not fully understand how Makaya's, or Clio's, magic worked. However, he was well aware of its lethality, and of how potent it was. Indeed, the boy had seen the magical forces in action, and they were not left wanting. For Makaya, a single strand of hair could very well be sharper than Calamity's edge. "Roommate, huh..?" Nello smirked, looking to his side, "yeah, I know how that feels." He finished, feeling an elbow making its way to his side, as Nocturne nudged him. With a soft chuckle, the demonic boy nodded his head, "yeah, I am ready to go."

---

"Alright, just give me a second." Before they departed, Clio crept into the living room. If Starfire was still sleeping, she'd simply write a note for the girl. She was surprised to find her up and awake. "Star, I'm going to head out with a friend. In the upper right cabinet, behind the oats, is some cash." Curse suppliers usually didn't take debit. "Go out and have some fun, alright? Try to stay out of trouble."

Starfire was standing on two pillows. Looking over at her friend, she smiled. ”Very well, Clio. I will find the cash and keep it safe.” Perhaps Clio was right and it was time for Starfire to get out there and explore.

”Have fun with your friend!” Starfire said, picking up the pillows and placing them back on the couch.

"I'll try. Hey...there's a concert later, we should be able to get in for free if we get there early. Try to get back to the apartment at four thirty...if you want to go of course." It was a Karen concert. While Clio had danced to the girl's music in the privacy of her home before, she'd never gotten the chance to attend a live show. It would be...nice. Clio walked to the door, grabbing her set of spare keys. She handed them over to Starfire. "This is so you don't have to go in through the fire escape."

Starfire accepted the keys solemnly, cupping them in her hands. ”I will keep the keys and the cash safe. And yes, Clio, I would like to go to this concert with you. How many hours away is it from happening? I have yet to learn human time-keeping.”

Clio glanced at the time, it was about eleven o'clock. "Er, about...five hours and thirty minutes." With that, she approached her bedroom and gave Starfire a final wave. It was time to go, they had to make it to the magic show.

”I will return to your home in five hours and thirty minutes.” Starfire waved back and watched her friend leave, standing in the middle of the room with keys to the house in her hand.

---

Tick... Tock... Tick... Tock...

The old grandfather clock that stood against the wall swung out a constant rhythm, a metronome made of wood and brass.

Tick... Tock... Tick... Tock...

The regular beat of the clock contrasted the quiet murmur of the fire in the hearth, interrupted by erratic pops and hisses from the wood that burned merrily and filled the room with warmth and light. The room was richly furnished with lovingly painted artwork adorning the walls of the master bedroom. A four-poster bed made of mahogany and dressed in fine scarlet sheets sat opposite the hardwood floor from the fireplace, it's curtains drawn aside as Tobias carefully made his bed, tucking in each corner by hand and smoothing the velvet comforter. He stood, wearing silk slacks and a white collared shirt under a black vest with his blood red tie, crisp and immaculate, at his throat. A moment later, his work was done and he stood straight to his full height. The room was dark save for the fire in the hearth, and the house was large and empty. He looked over to his dresser, the large mirror that rose from the top of the piece reflected his face. He felt his years heavily this day and he could see it in the lines of his face, the bags under his eyes. He frowned and stepped up to the mirror, reaching into a drawer and extracting a slender wooden object. He tapped his face with the tip of the wand and he watched his reflection's features relax, the lines and signs of fatigue fading as they were covered by a semblance of stage makeup. Satisfied, he turned his attention to the carved runes on the wood of the mirror's frame. He set the wand down on the dresser and waved a gloved hand before the polished glass of the mirror.

"Smotret."

The runes on the sides of the mirror blazed to life as the mirror's reflection shifted and distored. Tobias' reflection warped as the mirror seemed to twist around its center, and for the briefest moment there seemed to be a glint of scarlet in Tobias' dark eyes. The mirror's surface grew brighter as the image of a large auditorium came into view. Men and women dressed for the theater were milling into balcony boxes even as more casually dressed patrons found seats on the show floor.

"Another full house." Tobias thought, watching as the crowd filed into the venue for his next show. Despite himself, a pleased grin crept up onto the young man's face. Pride swelled in his chest for this reaffirmation of his success in this new world, and with a snap of his fingers he dispelled the image. The runes faded even as the reflection returned to his room and the young man stretched his hand out towards the coat and hat that hung next to the open door.

"Prikhodit." He declared with confidence, feeling the familiar sensation of nervousness and excitement building behind his widening grin even as the coat and hat threw themselves from their resting place towards him. With fluid, practiced grace Tobias turned as his arm slid into the coat's sleeve and reached his other arm through the sleeve that remained. In the same motion, he caught the hat as it reached him and without interrupting its momentum twirled the brim in his fingers and brought it down on his head. He came out of his turn fully dressed and took a step towards the door, snapping his fingers in the direction of the door. A silver headed cane lept up from beside the coathook and into his waiting hand, which lifted the cane and tapped its head against the doorframe as he entered it with a single spoken word, "Vorota.".

The doorway darkened around him, and he had the distinctly unpleasant impression of falling from a great height for a moment before his next step came down into the green room in the theater. A small sigil above the door glowed for a moment more before fading out of sight once more as Tobias closed the door behind him. Seemingly mere seconds later there was a knock at the door, followed by the voice of a stage hand:

"Showtime in five minutes Mr. Davenstar!"

Tobias took a bottle of water from the tray on the table in the room and took a drink, stretching his hands out in front of him and flexing his fingers. Practiced gestures and flourishes were quickly pantomimed as small illusory objects popped in and out of existence in and around his hands. A deck of cards that shuffled themsleves. A rabbit that twitched its nose. A set of rings that linked and unlinked themselves. Tobias smiled and clapped his hands together, cringing as the lightbulbs in the room burnt out in the same instant as the illusions all manifested and vanished in unison. His momentary frown quickly gave way to his smile again as he heard the hype man getting his crowd ready above.

He took up his position in the center of the room and turned to face his back to the crowd. He took his cane and felt the final surge of nervousness swell to the breaking point as he heard the man give the cue. He turned on the spot and brought his cane down with force on the concrete floor of the green room, appearing in a flash of smoke and the crack of a whip on the stage with arms outstretched and face turned up towards the spotlights.

Showtime!

---

With his hood moved back in place, Nello made his way through the crowd with Makaya, or rather Clio, close behind. It was quite a gathering, to be sure, of both humans and species of other kinds, as well. Of course, as much as Nello was indifferent towards the term Monster, and even enjoyed it to a certain extent, others were not quite so inclined. It was a slur, after all, one most creatures considered rude and mean-spirited. As for Nello, he owned it. Becoming a 'Monster', for that was what he considered himself, saved his life. When he put that bracelet on and bonded with Nocturne, an early death had been traded for infinity, and nigh immortality. Indeed, to claim that a person could be proud of what species they were was quite misguided, as most could not choose. However, for Nello, a choice was exactly what it was. 

Lowering himself to a seat, the boy felt relieved to be out of the sun, its bright rays as always, ruthless against his exposed shape. One could argue that it was purity shining down on wickedness, as two opposing forced clashed on the surface of Nello's soft scales. Quite the extravagant way of expressing discomfort for the celestial layer of light which came flowing down from a bright, blue sky. As a pair of large, red orbs looked towards the stage, Nello could not help but feel a soft smile make its way to his reptilian snout. He had always enjoyed watching spectacles such as these, and the magician on stage appeared professional, to say the least. "Wanna' bet that this will end in a demon infestation that we'll be forced to deal with?"

Nello's smile shifted to a grin, before he turned to the shape only he could see, among the spectators. "As if you'd have anything against that." The boy finished. 

---

Clio shuffled past Nello and sank into a seat, the hypeman had been toying with the crowd when they arrived, but almost as soon as Clio sat down the Magician appeared from beneath the stage. A wry smile lit up Clio's face. She had always wanted to go to a magic show, one where the magician used cheap tricks to impress the audience. She wanted to be amazed by normalcy. There was nothing better than that, in her mind. It helped to convince her that her own life was fine without magic.

Clio glanced at Nello as the show continued, watching his face to make sure he was enjoying things. This was another important aspect. Having a friend around, even if that friend was far younger and it was slightly strange for them to be hanging out. "How're you two enjoying the show?"

---

The crowd erupted with cheers as Tobias appeared in a flash of light and smoke on the stage, his coat billowing majestically behind him. "Ladies and gentlemen! Welcome to the most enchanted night of your lives!" He declared, pointing the tip of his cane into the air above the crowd as another bang accompanied another flash of light and smoke. The theater suddenly was alive with the sound of bird song as vibrant birds of paradise flew out into the air above the gasping crowd. The birds sang joyously as they performed a synchronized lap around the room before returning to the stage, where Tobias lifted his hat from his head and the songbirds seemingly vanished into the void. A twirl of the hat shook nothing loose, and with a twist and a hop Tobias flings the hat into the air where it tumbled and caught the full attention of the spotlight. The hat flipped over and fell back to the stage where the magician waited, landing rightside up with a quiet thud. Tobias grabbed the brim, and quickly lifted the hat, revealing nothing but air under the tall silk hat. He took a bow as the room applauded the sudden appearance and equally swift vanishing of the birds, setting the hat down on a small table that stood off to the side of the stage.

"Hello and welcome to fans of magic and mystery of all ages! You may call me Tobias Davenstar, and I have the incredible honor of performing for you all tonight. I have studied the arcane and mysterious arts of magic for my entire life, and here I stand before you poised to show you the fruits of my efforts!" With a tap of his cane against the floor the rod stood still as a statue even after Tobias stepped away from the tool, which brought with it a small smattering of applause. The illusionist returned to the table on the stage and picked up a plain deck of cards, shuffling them in the air with flourishes and seemingly impossible feats; sending them cascading through the air from one hand to the other, before suddenly going rigid like a sheet of plywood between his hands.

"Tonight you will experience a transformation in the way you understand the world!" He exclaimed, turning the cards to face the audience as a single large whole of intermixed reds and blacks, before turning the stack over again and the cards were all red. Another turn of the stack and all the cards were black. Finally a turn of the cards and they were entirely blank.

"You will see things that defy logic and explanation!" He shouted as he took the rigid board of blank cards and twirled in place. The cards separated from each other and remained floating in a ring around the illusionist, twirling and spinning as though hanging from thin thread. A wave of his hand and the cards began to rotate, slowly orbiting the performer even as they twirled in place like so many planets orbiting a star. A flick of his wrist and the cards suddenly flashed out and flew over the crowd like fifty-two small birds, coming to rest above a small group of the audience in the theater.

"But I will need help from my audience! After all, how could you believe what happens here on stage without the word of a complete stranger that could easily have been paid off before the show started?" He asked, the crowd laughing in response to his joke even as the the cards continued their slow spin above the heads of some of the attendants.

"Those of you who had the luck to have a card come to you, reach your hand above your head and if the card responds to you, you're the lucky winner!" Tobias declared as he scanned the crowd quietly, observing as those who had received a card began obeying his instructions, and silently making notes of which of the guests looked like they would be the most entertaining to play with. An older businessman who looked skeptical of the whole ordeal. A young couple that seemed starstruck and eager. A familiar looking journalist, notepad in hand. A young, hooded demihuman with a reptillian face that served to hide his features from the guests around him. A shadowy being next to the boy. "Wait what?"

Tobias' attention locked onto the shade that seemed to be clinging closely to the young man, like a particularly needy pet or a halo of smoke. As he held his gaze, he could begin to make out more details of the being, and he felt a shiver of cold run up his spine.

"A demon?" He thought, already feeling the familiar surge of fury that he often tapped for his evocations. "I can't open my Sight here. Too many people and things in the hall that would make it too hard on me right now. I'll just keep an eye on that one."

His smile tightened, his gaze having lingered on the shadowy figure for merely an instant more than it had on the others in the crowd, as he turned his attentions to the person next to the pair: a young woman dressed in comfortable clothes. Tobias could see the pair whispering to each other, and what better way to investigate the spirit that seemed itself to be reacting to her presence and words? The spotlights had been moving around the audience erratically, highlighting each card in the crowd before one finally shot down into the waiting hand of the young woman.

"It seems we have our volunteer!" Tobias exclaimed as the crowd cheered and applauded, "Miss, would you care to join me on stage?"

---

For Nello, the relationship he shared with Clio was somewhat endearing. The two heroes had only known one another for a short while, but it was enough to cause a certain desire within the boy to cling tightly. The pursuit for a maternal presence. Yes, indeed, he would shyly claim that this was, in fact, not the case, but that would be a lie. Nello's mother had passed away, and his attraction, and indeed affection for Clio was found in a certain emotional journey which painted her an older sister for the teenager.

As she turned to look at her younger friend, Clio came into view of a soft smile which eventually developed into a more excited expression once the show proceeded as a bombastic spectacle. Nello was a unique teen, to say the least, but one would be foolish to discard the notion of his yet young age. Though he stared into the abyss of infinity every day, he was still a mere and tender sixteen years old. Like any boy his disposition, a magic show did manage to impress. Whether it was merely a string of smokes and mirrors, Nello could not for the life of him figure the secrets poured into this mysterious art.

Every motion of the magician caused his spectators to cheer in awe, and Nello was no different, a bright and impressed expression making its way to his face as a row of shark like teeth revealed themselves within his reptilian mouth. "It's awesome," Nello responded, "thanks for coming with us, Clio." The boy finished, offering the woman a tender smile, beneath his hood. This was only moments before Nello noted the card which had made its way to Clio's hand, his eyes widening with a grin. "Looks like you're the lucky one."

"Just don't out-magic the mage, eh?" Nocturne pitched in, "I hear magic users are really fucking pet-..,"" the demon tried, before Nello nudged him, causing the creature to sigh, and start over. "Good luck," he finished.

---

Throughout the magic show, Clio grew increasingly anxious. These tricks, as amazing as they were, seemed more or less impossible for a mere human to accomplish. She tried to tell herself that it was all an act, that this was the result of modern technology. When the cards began flying over the audience, she glanced up at them, looking for strings that could be an explanation as to how they soared above the crowd. None that she could notice. Her gaze shifted to the magician. Even from here, she could feel his gaze on them. Her hand shot up, and the card above reacted almost instantly. What a surprise.

An offer to come up to the stage. She shifted and looked at Nello, wanting to tell him that the magician was, in fact, bogus. Instead, she wore a small smile and said, "Looks like I got called to the stage." Turning, she accepted the invitation in a monotone. As soon as she did so, all the cards surrounding the audience flew to her seat. They wrapped around her, spinning in a pattern that was dizzying. Clio's body felt light, like nothing. For an instant, it was like she wasn't a part of the world at all. Moments later, the cards shot to the stage and spun around in the same dizzying pattern, and there she appeared.

Teleportation.

Clio's fists clenched at her sides. The shadows on stage reacted, creeping towards the Magician. She willed them away, at the expense of her rapid burst of energy and clarity. Her head began to throb. "Let's get this over with." She muttered, almost inaudibly, though the disappointment was clear.

---

Applause and gasps rippled through the crowd as the young woman appeared in a flurry of cards that rushed back towards Tobias, landing one after another in his hand until he held the full deck of cards again. Beaming, he turned back towards the young woman who had been brought to the stage and gestured over her shoulder towards the stagehand behind the curtain. The young man shoved a chair across the waxed floor to Tobias, who with a gesture and a smile redirected the chair towards his new assistant. The chair came to rest behind her legs, and Tobias reached behind him, where a stagehand threw a microphone to him.

"Welcome, welcome! Thank you so much for volunteering to help! Now, since this is the first time we're meeting and have never encountered each other before, would you give me your name?" He asked, offering her the microphone with which to speak.

"Clio," She said, leaning into the microphone but not taking it. She tried to make her voice sound a bit enthusiastic, if only for Nello and Nocturne. Leaning away from the microphone, she asked him the question on her mind. "What's the trick?"

---

"Straight to the point then! I like it!" Tobias said, his grin not wavering for even a moment.

"Tonight I would like to perform one of the classics of stage magic, the levitating woman!" He declared as stagehands rolled a table with a pair of rings resting upon it behind the pair.

"You're not afraid of heights are you?" He asks, as the crowd chuckles.

"Not at all, in fact, I jumped off a building earlier today." Clio declared with a small chuckle. The smile that followed didn't reach her eyes, as she was still rather upset. Luckily, she wasn't talking into the microphone. She was certain that joke wouldn't have gone over well with most of the crowd.

She had seen this trick before, and with the magic of levitation she knew it would be easy. So, she walked over to the table and laid down on it. Her shirt rode up slightly, and she tugged it down, hoping no one on stage saw her large bruise. As Theo-no, Tobias...how could she forget that? Now wasn't the time. As he walked over to her, she stared up at him, eyes sparking with disdain. "I'd like to talk to you, after the show." She spoke in hushed tones. She would get a conversation with him, even if it meant ripping the guards a new one in her Makaya outfit.

---

"Ominous... Tobias thought, slightly unnerved by the intensity of her gaze, though he didn't skip a beat as he led the crowd in a round of applause for her eagerness to finish.

"Once again, right to the point! Isn't she great ladies and gentlemen?" He declared over the cheering voices.

"Now, just relax and let me do all the work." He says, winking at the crowd as he stretched his hand towards his cane, which leapt from its position and into his waiting hand.

"Behold! The laws of nature are mine to command! Vsplyt'!"

Tobias leapt back from the table as he gestured towards the ceiling with his cane, and a feeling of lightness overcame the young woman upon his table. A heartbeat passed and she began to slowly rise from the table towards the ceiling, accompanied by the rings that had been brought out with the table. As she rose into the air to the startled gasps of the crowd, Tobias laughed and took a step up towards the table, lifting his foot as though taking a first tenative step onto a staircase. He mocked instability and waved his arms in a pantomime of trying to stablize himself. He took another, surer step onto the next phantom stair, further into the air behind her as Clio rose ever higher, the spotlights focused on her's and Tobias' ascent. A wave of his free hand and the rings drifted languidly around the young woman, demonstrating she wasn't attached to any wires or lifts, even while the crowd cheered the duo's impossible journey towards the roof.

Faster Tobias ran, like an excited child taking stairs two steps at a time until he reached her, standing on thin air as surely as he would on a platform.

"How do you like the view from up here, Clio?" He asked, extending his arm out towards the crowd and laughing with glee.

Clio and her family were not practiced levitators. They hadn't branched much out of curses, necromancy and shadowmancy. So, this was new to say the least. She could feel her braids dangling beneath her, twisting as she tilted her head. Despite the fact that she was confident the magician had her covered, she didn't move another inch.

As he laughed, she found herself growing less spiteful. The crowd seemed to be enjoying themselves, and so was he. Was it really all that wrong of him to profit off of his gift? She felt conflicted. Perhaps the reason why she had been so upset in the first place was because she couldn't do the same. Only terrible people wanted to place curses on others, only the grieving wished to raise the dead. She was useless, and her powers were dark.

Frowning, she forced herself out of her head. She had forgotten to take her medication in the morning after breakfast, her mind was becoming grim. Looking out into the crowd, she waved at Nocturne and Nello. Seeing them reminded her of why she had come here, to enjoy herself. "It's...it's nice." She replied to Tobias. For the rest of the trick, she allowed herself to be amazed. At the end, after they had floated back to the stage, she gave him another look. This one was lighter, though she still intended to speak with him. If only to get an understanding of why he wasted his time on these shows. He could be very helpful as a hero.

Once she was teleported back to her seat, she turned her attention back to Nello and Noct. "Interesting trick, huh?"

---

"Yeah! That was so cool!" Nello offered with a bright smile. Despite being fused with a demon, and being a very part of the chaotic world that was Chaos Magic by virtue of his existence alone, Nello had no knowledge of the art, or how it was weaved into the world. Where Nocturne, the ancient creature within Nello was less than impressed, their symbiotic relationship was not entirely equal with every aspect. Nocturne possessed all of Nello's memories, but the other way around was not the case. The teenager had not seen the countless years of fantastical battles and warfare which Nocturne had lived through, which painted a simple magic trick an impressive spectacle for the young teen. With his small fist gently nudging the woman at his side, Nello grinned at his friend with sharp teeth revealed within his mouth, "it's nothing compared to your magic, though."

---

Scene 2 - The Exchange

They watched the show to the end, with Clio nearly falling asleep throughout. She was no longer mad at the magician. That meant his magic didn't excite her either. Once the show was over, she guided Nello out with a gentle hand on his back. She was far taller than the boy, and while she didn't look like much of a threat in her sweats and loose t-shirt, this was a protective gesture. She knew he could hold his own, but humans tended to pick on him for his looks. She wouldn't let that slide.

Once they made it to the sidewalk outside of the theater, she dropped her arm. Peering around to make sure the coast was clear, she gestured for Nello and Nocturne to follow. "I want to talk to this Todd guy." Was his name Todd? Eh, whatever. She walked fast, moving around the building until they were in the alleyway beside the theatre. Approaching a door, she detached her shadow and had it slide beneath the threshold. A moment later, it popped open.

Once they were in, Clio strode through the hallways, nodding at passersby like she owned the place. When people stopped to ask what she and Nello were doing, she quickly silenced them by putting them in a chokehold with their shadows until they were unconscious. "They'll wake up soon..." She promised, mostly to herself.

When they arrived at Tobias' green room, she stared down the bouncer outside the door. "Todd...er, Tobias! Tobias requested us."

---

This was an unexpected development, to be sure. Nello had seen Clio, and Makaya for that matter, utilize her magic many times in the past. It never grew less spectacular in execution, reality binding to her will as nature of her shadow heeded the witch's command. As to mention the nature of things, Nocturne was clearly entertained by the less than legal activity Nello and Clio were leaning towards. They were breaking into someone's quarters. Someone who appeared quite pupular, one might note. This Tobias fellow owned they stage, even if his name was vacant from the lease.Raising a hand to rub the back of his head, Nello cleared his throat, his deep red emeralds gazing out from beneath a hood and Raven black bangs. "Mr. Davenstar requested me for his next act." The boy lied, turning to his inhuman appearance. He did not need to justify the statement, as magicians had a reputation of making a spectacle of those in possession of striking applications. In Nello's case, his monstrous features.

"We should just knock him out," Nocturne pitched in, crossing his arms. "Or kill him, that works too." The shade finished.

---

There were voices coming from outside the green room, followed by a loud thud that shook the door in its frame, something that alarmed Tobias, but he merely turned in the stool to face the door, a warm cup of Chamomile tea still in his hand, saucer held beneath and steam slowly wafting from the liquid. The fragrance of lemon zest and cinnamon accompanied the herbal aroma emanating from the kettle that rested on the vanity next to him.

"...That sounded quite a lot like Lucas' head hitting the door..." Tobias thinks, taking a sip from his tea and sighing cheerfully.

Regardless of what was about to happen, the show was quite successful, and Tobias was very pleased with himself.

"Come in!" He said, raising his voice to be heard through the door, smiling warmly at whoever had taken the trouble to come see him like this.

---

While Nello attempted to chat up the bouncer, Clio decided against making the effort to be diplomatic and strangled him instead. On the way down, his head hit the door, alerting Tobias of their presence. Out of spite, she kicked the man's mostly still body. He grunted in his sleep, but didn't stir. Clio was feeling quite energetic, having used her magic for almost five minutes straight. It felt exhilarating, she didn't want to stop. Why would she, when the man she was going to visit was a mage himself?

Kicking open the door, Makaya looked around the room. Her gaze landed on Tobias, and she grinned wickedly. "Friend! You're having tea? Wonderful of you to invite us!" Detaching Nello's shadow, she made it into a rolling chair and nudged him into it, sending him rolling towards Tobias. Following suit, she rolled herself forward, spinning around and giggling as she went.

"I like mine with sugar. Three cubes...no, four! Four cubes, but if you don't have cubes that low calorie crap is fine too. I like it all!"

---

Tobias watched the energetic young woman as she bounded forward, babbling all the while, and took another contented sip before setting his cup on the vanity next to the kettle.

"Well that would certainly explain your calm demeanor at the show tonight." He said, clapping his hands twice in rapid succession. As he did so, a pair of simple wooden folding chairs popped into existence behind the new arrivals, including a pair of porcelain cups like his own. Rising from his seat, he poured some tea out of the kettle into each of their cups.

"I have fresh lemons, cinnamon, and honey if you would like to sweeten it. I find raising bees to be a very useful investment for any practicioner." He added, gesturing towards a small bag beside the Kettle.

"Now, how can I help you?" He crossed his legs and took another drink while keeping his eyes fixed on Nocturne.

---

Nello's weightless frame was easily pushed onto the shadowy furniture Makaya had conjured into being. Makaya, yes, it was almost as if the entity was entirely separate from Clio herself, the calm young woman who maintained a sense of solitude in her loneliness. Makaya was quite opposite in how the voodo witch carried herself. She was sporadic, bombastic, and by all respects, quite crazy. However, it would be a lie to state that Nello did not find her entertaining. She was, indeed. As far as Nello was concerned, Clio needed Makaya's crazed state of mind as a balancing weight to her own more somber disposition. As much as the teenaged demonic boy enjoyed Clio's company, and though he saw the woman as an older sibling, in a way, he was aware of her reclusive life. It had not been kind to her, and while Nello did try to add some comfort to the woman's solitude, he was not delusional. He could not fill all the missing pieces, as the boy was but one single puzzle piece on a large canvas.

He did not seem to mind sitting on his own shadow as it manifested itself into a chair, the surprise of this revelation soon settling. Nocturne stood behind the boy, resting his arms around Nello's neck, with his snout finding its way on top of Nello's head, between his hooded horns. It was a common development, and a relationship the two shared. One of friendship, oddness, a dash of insanity, and a bundle of love. It was a connection most would not be able to fully understand, and judgmental opinions were expected. Now in full view for Makaya, Nocturne nuzzled his snout into Nello's hood lovingly, a finger teasingly nudging the boy's neck which exposed his weakness to tickling. "Cheap shot!" Nello yipped, nearly falling from his shadowy seat, had Nocturne not held onto him. "Ugh.., I'll have some tea, thanks.."

"With honey," the demonic spirit pitched in, apparently aware of the fact that the mages in the room were able to hear him. Considering Makaya's ability to stare right at him with no effort, he could also draw the conclusion that she could see him. This was soon elevated to Tobias as an addition. They could both see him. "Lots of honey."

---

Makaya sneered as she listened to the selection. Who used honey to sweeten their tea? Oh right...she did. But, that wasn't the point! Honey wasn't good enough, she wanted something sweeter. Was he sweet? Ugh, why was she thinking that? Probably because Nello and Nocturne were cuddling up and she wished she could be that happy but she wasn't. She was never happy. No, no! Not the time, now was not the time for that sad, depressing idiocy. She was with friends! Giggling to herself, she took the teacup and the honey. After pouring almost half of it into Nello's cup, she globbed some straight into her mouth and chased it with tea. Sweet, but not as satisfying as sugar. It burned her throat, not like liquor, she wasn't allowed to have liquor. Clio's medicine interacted with it badly. She began to tap her leg against the floor, but, anxious to move, got up and began pacing the room instead.

How could he help them? He could satisfy her desires. Her desire to fight, to use her magic freely. Without having to worry about Clio time. No one wanted Clio time. But did they really want Makaya time? Of course they did! And if they didn't, it was fine, because they didn't matter! "The real question is how can we help you? Are you satisfied with your life? Tricking mortals for fun? Doesn't seem like the most entertaining thing. You could be useful out in the real world, like us! Improving public morale is nice and all, but you're no popstar. Use those tricks for the greater good!" Makaya smirked, her fingers dancing, the shadows in the rooms twisting and coiling through the air. "Can I have some of your hair, for a friend? Gonna sell it on ebay."

---

Tobias's eyes narrowed as they shifted towards Makaya, frowning somewhat as he set his tea down on the saucer. A snap of his fingers and the unused chairs vanished just as quickly as they had appeared.

"Thaumaturgy is known to me, madame, do not take me for a conjurer of cheap tricks or mistake my mask for who I am." He said, his eyes flashing scarlet for the faintest instant before he closed his eyes tight and took another sip of tea before opening them again, a smile on his face that failed to reach his eyes.

"And what would my help be useful for? Do you have any idea how many people I've heard claim they were fighting 'for the greater good' in my life. Very few were genuine in their intentions. Less were able to effect any lasting change from their limited positions of power. What is the point of bothering when nothing I do will make any long-term difference?" He asked, pouring himself more tea and maintaining a smile on his face that grew more and more forced with each passing word.

---

Makaya's eyes nearly rolled out of her head at the flash of crimson in his gaze. The chaos and...whatever else fueled him, was becoming nauseous. Perhaps that was just her own irritability speaking, though. Forcing herself to stop her pacing, her movement spread to her arms. They twitched sporadically, but she appeared to be doing her best to control them. "The point of bothering?" She sighed, rubbing her face with her hands. She had to speak with purpose around him, she couldn't just say that she fought to fight. What had been Clio's motivation? Oh, right!

"The point is to stand up to this fucked up world. We're weak, we're small. We're no Justice League. But we are something. If we just lie down and take it like a dying animal, then we're showing that we're nothing. We're showing that everyone who ever wronged us was right in doing so." She didn't know if this would break through to him. He was like a walnut, tough to crack open and get to the good bits. "Don't get me wrong, sir, sitting around and studying while the world dies is always a good option. But have you considered that helping to save the world will give you more to gain in the long run?"

---

"Your world is undergoing a change, not dying. Even then, this plane contains a great number of inhabited worlds." Tobias says, twirling his finger in the air and creating a floating replica of the solar system that zoomed out to show the galaxy at large.

"And I do not study the world. I study this world's magic. Something that clings to both you--" he glanced over at Nello, eyes focusing more on Nocturne than on the boy--"and your companion here." He set his tea down again, placing the cup and saucer on the table and putting his hands together with his index fingers steepled.

"So, why don't we make a deal? I will assist you and your friend here however I can when you find yourselves in need of it, but in return I want to know whatever you can show me or tell me about your magics. I have not had much opportunity to study demons in a controlled environment, and your control over shadow tells me that you have experience with... shall we say, less than 'white' magic." He smirked for a moment as though he just told a joke.

---

Your world? Another alien? He was certainly less friendly than Starfire, and she had beat Makaya's ass! As soon as he brought up studying the demonic pair, Makaya's face fell, distaste evident. She didn't mind sharing her magic for personal gain. That being said, she wasn't going to let him 'study' Nello and Noct. Whatever the hell that meant. "You're not going anywhere near either of them. We don't need you, right, guys?"

---

As the mages were going back and forth, Nello sat quietly with Nocturne resting against him, lazily. It was an interesting conversation, to be sure, one which Nello could not contribute to in any worthwhile fashion. He was not a magician, nor was he an experienced hero. Indeed, he possessed the skills of a master combatant with both fists and sword, and yet, his mind had not synced with this development. Nocturne's skills were impressive to say the least, and now, they flowed through Nello with each motion. However, the teen did not know why he knew what he did. They were simply a part of him, these skills. Chaos magic fueled him, but not in an external manner, in a way which allowed for him to manifest it. It was an internal source, a burning ember which kept him alive.

Pausing for a moment, and lowering his now empty cup to the table, Nello exhaled a soft breath. It was as Clio had said, they were no justice league, and they did not possess strength of unfathomable proportions like some heroes. At the end of the day, Nello and Clio were simply two people, somewhat damaged in their own right, who were trying to make their colorful if savage world a better place. There was no part of Nello which dismissed the care Clio had shown him, and her protective nature was endearing. He appreciated it, without fault. However, were they going to dismiss willing aid because of pride? Caution was understandable, but Tobias did not appear malevolent in his pursuits, at least not to Nello.

"I have a condition, too." Nello spoke, pulling his hood back to reveal a pair of curved, white horns, and large, red eyes. Though he had been a spectator in their their conversation, Nello had been paying attention. "If you're going to.., study me, you have to tell me what you learn." The boy continued, meeting Tobias with a pair of circular rubies, "because we'd like to know, too."

---

Tobias met the boy's gaze then quickly, and noticeably, averted his eyes from the youth's.

"My intention is not to bring you harm, but to free myself of my affliction. I do not know how much I will be able to teach you, but it would appear that you and I may share more in common that appearances would indicate." He said, rising and extending his hand towards the pair.

"I will be happy to work with you, though I will admit that beyond the occasional mugger or other miscreant that has had the misfortune of crossing my path I am realitvely inexperienced with heroics."

His smile returned to his face, looking much more genuine than it had before.

---

Muggers and miscreants. Indeed, if the world was only so simple, so innocent. Nello, though raising his blade against the threat of darkness for a mere six months, had come in contact with horrors he would rather not recall. Alas, he did just that, the boy's gaze falling to the floor, if only for a moment. It was not hard to sense the chaotic energies within Nello, where they glimmered like a distant beacon. He attracted darkness like a diamond reflected light. Demons were more than a little curious to unravel the mystery that was this most specific youth. Not a human, certainly not a lizard, but yet, not quite a demon. What was missing? It was hard to say. Rather, one could almost claim that nothing was missing. No, nothing demonic was missing. The framework was different, as if the boy had maintained a stature of complete unfamiliarity in the past, only for it to now be translated in a chaotic slate. No, something demonic was not missing from Nello. Something human was missing, something which had once been there. "You spellslingers can get used to this shit fast, enough," Nocturne offered with a shrug of his shoulders. "Turn a bitch inside out, cut their balls off, burn em' alive, nothing too fancy. Just getting the job done, you know?"

Elbowing the creature, Nello was quick to chime in. "No. Killing." He stated, as a matter of fact. They had gone over this, time and time again. They would need to repeat this process, endlessly, for sure. 

---

"Killing is a necessary evil. Not every problem can simply be tied up and left for the proper authorities." Tobias said, eyes distant for a moment. "However, it is a very good sign that you are so resistant to your... other half's more bestial instincts." Tobias' eyes focused on Nocturne for a moment before returning to Nello.

"My home once clung to the same idealism that you do now. Sadly the history books speak of the loss of innocence that led to its final downfall, the same fall that has brought me to you here. Justice and Mercy must ever stand in balance of one another, but to presume that Mercy alone can suffice is childish naivete. It is the ideal, utopian hope of those who have never had to dirty their hands. Those who do not carry the burden of their own sins." His shoulders seemed to droop and for a moment he looked so very tired, with lines marring his otherwise youthful face and dark circles under his eyes. He sighed, shaking his head for a moment. "That being said, I much prefer your utopian ideas to the reality of the world. Things would be much better if others were as hopeful as you are."

A small, sad smile crossed his features as he looked back up at the pair. "I cannot promise that I will be able to live up to your request, but I will make the greatest effort to avoid unnecessary bloodshed." He reached out his hand towards his cane which leapt to his hand and clicked it against the floor, the now-empty cups and kettle vanishing along with the rest of the materials for tea.

"So, where to now? Unless you intend to simply go out and patrol the city?" He asked with a wry smile.

---

"Makaya and I usually patrol the streets.., actually," Nello pitched in, rubbing the back of his neck. The boy had considered what Tobias said, that naivete would not manage to shepherd their world onto better fields. This was true, and Nello was aware of the fact. Indeed, Nocturne had explained to him that people are not opposed to evil dying at the hands of justice, as long as they aren't the ones dirtying their hands in committing the atrocity. He was correct, as well, when assuming this. However, Nello was a sixteen-year-old boy. For him, the mere thought of ending another life sent chills down his spine. It was not a line he had crossed, not yet, and was hopefully one he would never pass. The question then lingered. Did he have the same aversion to this most permanent solution when it took into consideration demons? The Blackthorn Coven? Nello's teeth clenched at the thought. Yes, it was a difficult subject to discuss, and a dangerous philosophy to dwell on. "We can leave, whenever," the demonic youth uttered, "if you're in."

---

Tobias smiled and looked over these two young people who had approached him. It had been a long time indeed since he had worked with others, the occasional assistant or apprentice notwithstanding. His smile wavered for a moment as he remembered some of the final fates of those allies he had gained over the years, but it was restored as he decided that it was better to work with others than to simply remain a passive observer as he had for so long.

"Yes, I think I am."

---

Welcome to Mega City [original universe w/superhumans...]

@Omega Man

Looking forward to it mate.

Bea and I are making twins.