Back in Aspheri - Open - (Gabriel)

Shadow paced back and forth around the secure room she had to use during her vulnerable period, or the two days and two nights where she turned human. Wraith and Phantom were away on a short training course, leaving her with no guards, another thing she wasn't happy about. Her mask lay on the small table next to the bed, as she had no need to wear it at that moment. No one was going to see her.
She was worried. She had two days to decide what she was going to do about the prince who had threatened to slaughter her people if they didn't unite, and her trip to Earth hadn't helped. Now she needed to figure out what she was going to do about it. Her mind drifted back to Bart's unexpected arrival in Aspheri, and then she remembered the traveller. Maybe he had some idea of politics? She closed her eyes, seeking him out, sending directions of where she was along with the summons.

A tall man, standing at at least 7 foot tall was standing in a place he had once stood. A courtyard to a castle, although this visit was slightly different, there were significantly less men with weapons pointed at him. The man had dark coloured hair, resting on the balance between blue and black, and his eyes were an eerie green colour that emitted an unsettling light. The man wore a thick shirt, and a tunic like garb around his waist, decorated with various ancient runes. His trousers were long and black, and were tucked into large leather boots. The man had a chain resting on his right shoulder and slung over his body, making a full circle. Over all of this the man wore a long dark blue coat, the collar patterned with more ancient runes, unreadable by all in Aspheri. On the back of his coat, two long strips of fabric flew in the wind, with onyx rings at the bottom of each. On his left arm was a strange contraption, plagued by ancient runes, and the tip of a blade visible.
As the man watched the castle, his reason for coming became known. His eyes flickered to a violent, pale blue, as a map drew itself within his thoughts. He smiled, revealing gleeming white teeth. He dropped to one knee, as a pair of spiked like limbs pierced the flesh of his back. A thin membrane was attatched to the organ as it expaned and ripped through the mans back, revealing powerful black wings. They pushed downwards, propelling the man into the air as he crossed the distance to the secure area.
The man knocked on the door, as his lips moved in unison. "Your Majesty, you have summoned me?" The voice that came from the mans throat was soothing and appealing to the ear, but was also filled with wisdom. It was an aged voice, one that undoubtedly been around for many years.

Shadow was still pacing around the room when the other demon arrived. Mask forgotten, she pulled the heavy door open, meeting someone face to face in her dimension for a long time. A sword glinted at her hip, and only she knew that there was a gun concealed in the room. She rarely took chances during her vulnerable period.
"Be'lakor, yes, I did summon you. Come in." She said, turning back into the room and taking one of the two chairs. The very fact that she had turned her back on Be'lakor meant that she trusted him not to try to kill her, but also that her intentions were non violent.

As shadow sat down, the large aesthetically human demon stepped into the room. The door closed behind him as his foot brushed backwards to secure it.
"I will stand, mistress, it would appear you have been left ungaurded. That was a reletively foolish decision. I offer you my protection, so you may be safe in these times." Be'lakor's lips moved up his left cheek, forming a half smile. His voice was soft and caring, and the aged sensation was still present. Be'lakors eyes were glowing that pale blue colour, which meant he could see things as they really were.
"You would not have called me here without reason, Princess, do you have need of me?" Be'lakor asked, standing next to the princess.

Shadow nodded once to acknowledge Be'lakor's decision to stand.
"I am not completely unguarded, as I am not unlearned with sword. In usual times, no one may enter during the short time I am rendered no more than a normal mortal, but these are no usual times." She said before shaking her head to dismiss the subject. "I call you here on graver matters, and I am in need of advice from one who has no political ties to this dimension. It would seem that, using an Earthern expression, 'we are caught between a rock and a hard place', and you were the first person that came to my mind who could give me such advice."

"It strikes me as odd that i would be the first to come to mind, but then again, there is more to me then meets the eye...in many ways." Be'lakor answered, still standing firm, as if he were a tower, that even the strongest of earthquakes could not fell. His lips moved in a speed that would betray what he said, barely moving. "I am a Daemon Prince, from a realm long forgotten, it does not even have an official name, it is just 'The Old World'. I can help you, please, explain your situation, princess." Be'lakor answered, his eyes flickering blue once again, as he raised his arm over his chest.

Shadow sighed, choosing her words carefully before she spoke, getting to her feet and starting to pace again in an agitated manner.
"An ambassador arrived in this dimension a fortnight ago, and he brought a choice with him from the ruler of his dimension. In shorter terms than the ambassador's speech, I must either endanger the lives of everyone in this dimension by entering a war, or I condeed and bind this dimension with his by the joining of the rulers, which would also endanger the people." She looked up at Be'lakor, "I need the advise of someone who is not blinded by the politics of this dimension to help me see a clear decision."

"By binding the realms through joining the rulers, am i to assume he is forcing you to marry him?" Be'lakor asked, sitting down now. Be'lakor had a slight glimpse of a smile on his face. "What dimension did this ambassador hale from? I wish to go there, and speak to them. I have ways...of reasoning with people." Be'lakor told Shadow, as he raised his hand, and a rip appeared in Aspheri. Be'lakor smiled, as a daemon erupted from the portal. It appeared as a minotaur of human myth, with blood red fur covering its body, and the head of a bull, with sharpened fangs. It held in its hands a large, double bladed axe. It looked at Shadow, and then to Be'lakor. It nodded, lowering to its knee's. "Daemon Prince, you have called upon us..." The daemon announced, looking at the Daemon Prince. Be'lakor smiled, "Aspheri will not go to war, but the old world just might."

"The dimension is Merthras," Shadow managed to say before she jumped to her feet, half drawing her sword as another daemon arrived. She took a deep breath, realising that he wasn't a threat. She sat down again, sheathing her sword. She looked at Be'lakor through her human blue eyes.
"It is wrong for you to put your dimension at risk to save mine," She said, "Although I know not what to do now."

"My dimension is of no danger. If one should attack, they would meet beings that even i would not dare to release on another world. Regardless of crimes they may have commited. Beings such as one of my brothers, Azazel, another Daemon Prince. I would not will any to have to face him." Be'lakor lowered his head, memories of a long gone battlefield, where he and Azazel fought alongside each other. "No survivors" Be'lakor muttered subconsciously, hoping that he had no been heard when he looked back at Shadow. "Warrior, stay with the princess. Protect her with your life." Be'lakor stated, still sat there. What he had done was a precaution, in case there was an event in which he could not be there.

The demoness glanced at the other daemon before looking back at Be'lakor.
"You suggest that we engage in warfare with Merthras then?" She asked to clarify. The thought of having to fight a war wasn't a welcome image in her mind after the several battles she had participated in, but the other option wasn't so good either.

"Not Aspheri. The old World. I can fight a war. They don't have know you had anything to do with it, I would first like to meet their leader,and i would like you to accompany me, if i don't like how things go down, then the warp will open, releasing my underlings." Be'lakor smiled, hinting that not all of his kind were as civil as he was. "None of Aspheri have to die, and if possible, neither will any of Merthras."

Shadow nodded.
"The journey to Merthras shall be arranged for tomorrow." She said, knowing that she would have returned to her normal state by then. She was half dreading the thought of seeing the ruler of Merthras, but she was also partially relieved that the problem may be quickly resolved.

"Good, i do not know how time works in this world, mistress. You will have to inform how long it is we will be waiting. I shall remain here, to see to it that you are undisturbed. I shall not leave your side in Merthras either. All will be well, trust me." Be'lakor stated, his eyes once again flickering colour from their original green, and the violent blue colour. He looked towards the contraption attatched to his arm, and it occured to him that Shadow may not know what it was, he had never used it in Aspheri.

"The new day should start within five Earth hours." Shadow said, giving Be'lakor a slight half-smile. "I thank you for your protection, Daemon Prince." Her ice blue eyes followed his gaze to the strange thing on his arm. She didn't ask what it was, even though she did wonder.

- Sorry, short post, got to get off the internet... -

OOC: Fair enough.

BIC: Be'lakor smiled as he watched where the princesses eyes wondered. The blade, whom's tip was visible, shot out the contraption, stopping at the length of a longsword. It was as thick as a hand and a half sword, but longer then most. It has a dark blue glow emitting from runes that pathed the blade's face. Be'lakor smiled, as he raised it upwards, his mouth moving in a movement barely noticeable. "This is a Daemon Blade. It is enchanted with dark magics that make it incredibly effective against magical beings, that includes demons." Be'lakor's mouth twitched into a smile at the sight of his faithful blade.

Shadow kept wary eyes on the Daemon Blade as Be'lakor remarked on its effectiveness against demons. The princess unsheathed her own sword, a slightly curved, one edged, two-handed blade. She still preferred using two shorter blades during a battle, but the two-handed sword was easier to carry on a day-to-day basis. There were a few runes carved on it in the language of another dimension.
"Not as enchanted as your Daemon Blade, but it serves its purpose," Shadow said with a slight smile.

Be'lakor smiled back at Shadow, the daemon blade returning to the contraption. Be'lakor examined the blood letter he had summoned, and looked at its Battle axe. "I prefer to use the poleaxes and battleaxes of the bloodletters, and the other weapons of my daemons. It means i am more versatile in battle, and am able to improvise with most weapons." Be'lakor sat down again, a smile on his face. "Now we wait til dawn."

Shadow sheathed her sword again, getting to her feet to pace. Five Earth hours until the dawn of a new day in the dimension, and she got her demonic side back and she went to see the prince of Merthras. She wondered briefly about the methods Be'lakor intended to use against the prince, but she soon pushed those thoughts to the back of her mind. She probably didn't want to know.

Be'lakor watched the princess pace back and forth, shaking his head as he watched her. "Care to tell me what is on your mind, princess? Are you worried about what may happen tomorrow?" Be'lakor asked, as he started to tap his fingers on the chair.

OOC: Sorry short post. I seem to have hit a mind blank.

- So have I, so if you don't mind, I shall make a little time jump -

Shadow sensed the new day dawning over the dimension as she felt the changes taking over her. The demonic fire coursed through her veins, warming her blood while her ice blue eyes fazed to their old violet. Her canines grew into wolf-like fangs, her nails hardening and curving into claws.
She drew herself up to her full height, feeling the magic coursing through her again. She turned to Be'lakor, picking up her mask.
"I believe dawn has arrived," She said with a slightly worried smile.

"Then we shall depart." Be'lakor said, his eyes changing to their alternate blue colour. Be'lakor smiled, seeing that the princess had returned to her demonic form. "Why is it you must wear that mask? Mistress." Be'lakor asked, examing the mask, it hid her face completely, but was powerless to Be'lakors true sight, he could see her face without a problem.

Shadow looked down at her mask, turning it over a couple of times in her hands before finally putting it on, tying it behind her head.
"I know not why I have to wear it. It is a law of the dimension that any female ruler must wear a similar mask." She said, already feeling a hatred for the mask as she placed the circlet crown on her head. She adjusted her cloak briefly before nodding once to Be'lakor, signalling that she was ready to leave.

Be'lakor stood up, stepping toward Shadow. "Awfully sexist isn't it? Males don't have to wear it?" Be'lakor smiled at her, stepping out of the door first, looking around at the dimension, it was certainly a nice place, but it wasn't his home. Be'lakors home had long since been forgotten. He looked back to the princess, the smile still on his face. "So, do you have a means of transportation, or do we take portal?"

"It may be sexist, but a tradition that some people just have to put up with," Shadow replied, her one visible violet eye watching Be'lakor. She lightly placed one hand on the Daemon Prince's arm, concentrating on the codes she needed before teleporting them both to the dimension known as Merthras.

It was cold, a lot colder than Aspheri or even Earth. Shadow pulled her cloak around her shoulders, shivering briefly before taking charge of herself. They had arrived in the entrance hall of what looked like a palace, although it was hard to tell as everything glittered in its icy beauty.