Demons at Emberfell {Sabyre} {Open}

"Gods aren't so powerful, and your stupid demon ruined my shirt," Dydra said glancing at her shoulder where the demon had caught her and then raising an eyebrow at the armored stranger.  "I'm already bored with this though," she said wiping her blade on on cloth she pulled from her bag.

"Maybe if you're as powerful as you say you could help me get what I want, if not it should at least be more entertaining than what I've been doing," Dydra said as she slipped the rag and her sword into her bag.  "I'm Dydra," she said with a curtsy before looking back at her shoulder.  "You owe me a new shirt though."

"Interesting..." Garlin said, impressed by the bravery of the two. "Perhaps you two could prove useful, if you could fell as much as my army as you did." He stabbed his sword into the ground, the eye on the blade opening and drawing in all the demonic smoke. "If you are this insistent however, I suppose we may work together. Now that I have the power of this place, it is time I began to move on to the next well of magic." Garlin said, walking past the two and to the door of the chamber. "As for your shirt, I'm sure this city has a suitable replacement somewhere within it. Take what you wish, the city is mine and none will stand against you for doing so."

Sabyre replied to the man, "We can work together for now, at least. I'm sure if we travel together long enough we'll each find what we're looking for."
    "What you're looking for... What are you looking for anyways?, he thought to himself. No matter. "What is it that you mean to do with these wells of magic then? Not as if I'm interested in them myself you see, I'm only curious. I'd rather not trust magic, my blade has always been there when I needed it. Not to mention what a few years of torture can do to a boy... Oh, the memories!", he said to Garlin, smiling, wiping away a fake tear. As he heard Dydra mentioning her shirt, he laughed. "I think it looks rather nice that way myself, love!", he told her with a wink. It had, however, reminded him that he hadn't looked at his own clothes. They were soaked in blood and torn in a few places. He let out a scream that could've made a demon shiver. "MY CAPE! MY BOOTS! THEY'RE... THEY'RE RUINED!!!", he screamed, having a meltdown in the middle of the room. He stood in shock, before falling to his knees.
    After enough time went by, he'd stand back to his feet, stripping off the blood soaked clothes. After he was suitably undressed (naked), he resigned himself to find a new set of clothes. He walked through the streets nude and unashamed, looking for mostly untouched buildings. "What could I hope to find in this place? These stuffy scholars had such drab clothing, but maybe one of the mages could have something... I'll never understand why people hate style.", he said to himself as he walked through the streets. He found a suitable pair of boots in what was likely a woman's closet, but they matched the ones he had closely enough, though he'd have to get used to the shorter heel... He also found what was likely the home of a very eccentric mage, and returned to the center of the village, now in a flowing black cape, inlaid with red glyphs sewn in. "Well... That's a bit more acceptable now."

Dydra raised an eyebrow at Sabyre's little meltdown, and as he began stripping she tried to keep her gaze averted but it was quite difficult, finally she excused herself, "Well, I don't often get the chance to pillage boys, I'll be back soon," she said practically skipping out the door.

The first place Dydra went was a little apothecary's shop to take care of her shoulder. Demon wounds, even shallow ones could become problematic if not treated properly. She sat on the counter and cleaned the wound thoroughly hissing through her teeth at the antiseptic sting before she took a healing potion. She loved watching potions work, how the wound seemed to seal back together from the inside out just leaving the faintest trace of a scar that would fade away in a few days. She rolled her shoulder a few times feeling a slight stiffness in the muscle but nothing concerning. She jumped down off the counter and opened her bag of holding placing several healing potions, a few mana potions, and some mundane medicinal potions. She grabbed her bag and headed across the square to the tailor's shop. She wasn't sure where this adventure was going to lead so she wanted to be prepared, she took several outfits for all sorts of different weather conditions, if she never ended up wearing them they could always be sold or traded for other things. She even took some sewing supplies and scrap fabric before looking down at the shirt she was wearing, and at the shirts available at the shop. None of the ones available were right, to plain, to stuffy, her shirt reminded her of home. Dydra let out a deep sigh before taking her shirt off and sitting on the counter with a needle and thread to fix the tear. "Stupid sentimentality wasting my time," she muttered as she worked.

When the shirt was repaired Dydra looked up and saw Sabyre, newly outfitted, walking past towards the village center. She put her shirt back on as she walked briskly out of the shop following him. "Very nice cape kind sir. You do realize we can probably wash your other clothes too right? Always better to have options, can't have you running around naked every time we get in a fight," she said with a chuckle as she drew up beside him.

Garlin watched as the two ran into the streets and let out a sigh. "How strange, that they could best my armies so easily..." He said, stepping out of the building and looking at the streets, filled with corpses, both fresh or otherwise. Slamming his sword into the ground, Garlin sent a wave of black mist all throughout the city, filling the bodies and causing them to stir and rise. "Oh well, the next city will fall more easily then." He said as the undead force began to form something resembling ranks at the edge of the city. Walking past his new associates he stood, looking over his newly built army and chuckled. "Soon, this whole world will kneel to me."

"Well I could possibly wash the blood away, but the smell seems to always stay. After a few years of torture, the smell of blood tends to remind one of worse days...", he said with a strange smile. Truth be told, the smell of blood was only partially the reason, but it did sometimes have the tendency to bring out a more feral side in Sabyre.
    As they rejoined Garlin, Sabyre saw the black mist and his army beginning to regain form. "Ooh... Neat trick! Hope they don't retain any of those nasty little memories of being carved apart? No hard feelings, right love?", he said as he walked up to a newly formed undead with a wink, making a heart shape in his hands. Gaining no real response from it, he shrugged with a sigh and walked away back to Garlin and Dydra, "Guess not then? And what's this talk now of the world kneeling? What is it you're truly after, our darkest sir knight? Or what you might prefer to be called.", he said to Garlin. Truthfully, Sabyre didn't care much for the world, as he'd seen nothing but darkness and evil since leaving his own home. The way he saw it, the only way to return the favors the world had dealt him was to simply be crueler.

"Ah I see," Dydra said with a sly smile to Sabyre's remarks, "Granted as a woman you learn to deal with blood to a certain extent. As it stands though If you ever see any extra clothes you'd like to have on hand I've got a bit of room to spare in my bag. Although with a body like yours you running around naked could help distract our enemies."

As the dead began to rise Dydra gave a slight shiver. "Do what you want with this world. It's a rubbish world anyway, but I swear, if any of your little necro-servers come near me they're going to be re-dead. Those things give me the creeps." She said giving the reanimated corpses a wide berth.

"Do not strike them, and they will bring no harm to you." Garlin said, not looking at the pair. "Call me what you will, soon it will not matter." He said, conjuring more dark mist and shaping it into another demon. "My armies will do as I command, do not cross me and you have nothing to worry about. Now, come, there is nothing more in this city for us." He stabbed his sword into the ground, the eye on the blade opening and looking out towards the east. "Our next target is that way. Follow me to glory and ultimate power." He said, leading his armies out of the city.

"Ugh... Another ball I assume. How far to this next one? And might I ask what you're collecting them for anyways? I would venture that they hold some kind of great power which your kind always seem to be so fond of.", Sabyre replied with a smile. He'd emphasized the 'great power' with a low voice and gesture, knowing that people searching for power were doing so because they believed they needed to, but he trusted more in his own abilities, as they'd always gotten him through well enough. He added, "Your kind being those hellbent on 'razing cities and enslaving souls' but if anything like my last dear little demon prince, falling to a Paladin or two and friends... Forgive my asperity, I just like to know my allies' motives." He'd had bad luck with the last man he'd nearly considered his superior.
    He truthfully looked forward to traveling on the open road again. It would give him time to speak with his new companions, and he was particularly interested in what drove them. Evil deeds for the sake of doing them were fun and all, but Sabyre reveled more in the chaos of knowing his quarry well before their untimely deaths. He remembered the city before Emberfell he'd taken. The city's inhabitants didn't trust him at first, rightfully so as they would come to find, and he took great joy in becoming a model citizen and hero of the city before sewing in the chaos that would cause the people to turn on themselves. He'd only had to kill 12 of them himself.

"I know you mean, one of those magical ball things, but an actual ball would be quite fun too," Dydra said as she linked arms with Sabyre and followed Garlin. "I'm sure you'd look quite dashing on a dance floor, granted, you look quite dashing off one as well," she said with a smile to Sabyre.

"So Joe, the magical eye thing in your sword, did you find that or did you make it? Seems pretty handy, like a compass that leads you to your goal. Does it only work for the magic balls or does it hep you find whatever you're searching for. Oh, and does it only work for you or does it work for others too?" Dydra said to Garlin, studying what she could see of his sword. "I don't mean to ask so many questions but it does seem mighty useful if you're looking for something."

"Are you two going to continue to make jokes?" Garlin growled, stopping in his march. "If so, then I will gladly be rid of you." He swung out an arm, felling a building with a blast of dark energy. Lowering his arm, he continued to lead his army out of the city. He led them westward for some time before he eventually saw another city on the horizon, this one larger than the last. It would most likely be better guarded and fortified, but also be home to more power than the last. Pointing at the city, Garlin's armies and demons began to charge the gates of the city as the Dark Knight watched.

"Ooh... Scary! Luck would have it that wasn't a person or they could have been injured.", Sabyre said in a deadpan, yet somehow still mocking tone. "Already dreadfully bored... Still not a single lord of darkness with a sense of humor or passion for his work. It's always the same, 'destroy this, kill these people, ULTIMATE POWER!', but it would seem the art of it all is lost.", Sabyre thought to himself. "As for myself, Dark Knight Timmy, it's been a real thrill, but I think we should start seeing other people. A heart break, I'm certain, but look at you. With that charming smile, I'm sure you'll find someone else dear.", Sabyre said with a smile and bow.
    As he rose from his bow, he turned on his heels and drew his cape, walking back toward the center of the now vacant town. He shouted behind him as he walked, "It was grand meeting you as well of course, my lovely Dydra!" "Now she was a force of darkness with style... I think that I truly will miss fighting at her side. Or rather at least not opposite her.", he smiled to himself. He liked the way these boots tapped against the stones in the road. Maybe the smaller heel was a bit more functional really?

When Garlin destroyed the building Dydra dropped Sabyre's arm and glared at the large knight, as Sabyre began walking away she plastered a smile on her face and said in a cheery voice, "Yeah, sorry Mike, but I think I'll keep making the jokes. Life is far to short to have a stick up your arse. I don't want glory or power, and I've had enough of men who chase it in it's many forms. It was fun for a bit though, and good luck finding your balls." She turned away from Garin with a litlte wave and a toss of her head.

Dydra walked briskly down the street until she caught up with Sabyre. "Care for some company?" She asked looking up at him, "I know where the pub owner hides the good stuff," she said with a sly smile.

Sabyre heard the steps behind him, and knew them far too light to belong to Garlin. He smiled as he continued walking, Dydra quickly catching up to him. "The good stuff, eh? Let's only hope it wasn't damaged, though it would seem truly not much was unless you count the inhabitants. I'll admit tonight was fun, if not unexpected, but I could use a drink.", he replied. To be fair, he'd expected some chaos and probably fatalities by the end of the night, but now the entire city lay dead. "No fun toying with the people when there are none left alive. Dead bodies don't for a very joyous time make...", he thought to himself as they continued to where the pub still seemed to stand. Sabyre had intended to use the researchers as playthings anyways, maybe start a rumor or two of the head researcher wanting to claim the power to himself and kill the rest, and plan a coup d'état of sorts, narrowing down the weak to leave the strong. It would seem however, none of them would have been strong enough to provide much sport at all anyways... "Maybe the next city... I'm growing rather bored with all of these weak little dolls. Maybe I'll go look for a paladin? Their honor codes make me a bit nauseous to be sure, but they're such fun to crack.", he thought as he smiled widely.

"Bit of a waste really," Dydra said looking around as they walked through the abandoned streets. "The people here could have made pretty good serfs, I mean, they were duller than dormice, but they had good work ethic, especially if you could motivate them with a bit of strategic torture," she said with a chuckle walking into the pub and vaulting over the counter.

"So, what's your poison?" Dydra asked sliding away a secret panel behind the bar and taking a few bottles down. "We've got a nice variety here, scotch, cognac, brandy, champagne, ohh and Ice Wine, one of my personal favorites. I'm a pretty proficient mixer love, so what'll it be," she said grabbing the cloth left behind the counter and wiping out a glass arching an eyebrow at Sabyre, playing he part of stereotypical barkeep.