Hel's Grasp

Lilith would see a demon snake trying its best to run away from them. Even if she had her child with her an Estra, she had to fight this thing in order to ensure the safety of other people. Especially those who didn't know how to fight. Though, if they wanted to leave, she wouldn't stop them. Perhaps it was better if they did.

Cornering the demon, she would look to the two beside her, motioning them to move away. Before she would let the runes on her skin glow and ready for battle. Her eyes would be cautious as it watched the demon...

"You… You vile serpent. What do you think you're doing here?"
(Lilith Allison)

Devias moves back, though a little hesitant and concerned for his mother. What is she thinking..?
(Devias)

Estra nods moving back, but keeping her sword in her hand.
(Estra)

Evidently, the Serpent was mostly out on his own business.

But when the drakanite seeks to confront him, he does not run. Instead, the gaze of the Serpent turns towards the drakanite infront of him. And children, accompanying her? Was this a family of sort that chose to try and confront him?

"Vile serpent..?"

The gaze of a demon darkens. So quick to start off with insults... so quick to offend someone who could easily end their life.

"It's not 'vile serpent' to you. It's Fidi… or better yet, someone you should be wary of and respect."

Yet, he stands his ground. Does this woman think herself so terribly brave, to confront this Serpent? Does she think that she opposes a greater force that she could smite with the force of her own goodness?

How terribly wrong..

"What I do here is none of your concern."

"And if you dare insult me, then perhaps a lesson is in place for you. Loathsome parasites such as yourself tend to be fairly.."

"Annoying."

The shadows deepen around the Serpent. There was no doubt about it - he was fairly experienced in magics that require darker aspect of oneself. Unsurprising, considering he's a demon.

"Apologize."

"Now."
(Fidi)

Lilith would smile upon seeing him get offended. She would stand her ground, not moving and not running away. It wasn't the first demon she's fought, and it certainly won't be that last. She just hoped that her family wouldn't be endangered because of this promise she had to keep.

"Yes... Vile serpent. Or would you rather be called legless lizard?"

She needed some way to relieve her stress, she was just lucky enough to find something to lay it onto.

"Parasites huh? And look at the race that would need help from us to bring you from Hel. You wouldn't even be here if it wasn't for some insane person."

A prayer would be chanted to Garljing at the moment. The runes would flare up with green poisonous fire, and the air around her would start to pick up the debris and throw it around her. She wasn't going to apologize, she was ready to fight.

"You're nothing but a demon..."

After which she would charge in with a blast of poisonous fire.
(Lilith Allison)

The semi-floating hooded Shengese made their way through the cave with a bag of her secured to their back. It's expected to be eventless, as every other cave was.

To their surprise, they see a Serpent and a Drakanite. My, my.

An icy, sharp gaze fell to Lilith and her wings. Scorn enveloping soon after as they linger and watch. There's an opinion that forms.

Rip her wings apart.

Of course, it's the thought process that occurs when they see any Drakanite. Damned lizards.

Jianyu made sure to give enough space, gaze soon burning upon those present as a rather pleased hum escaped them. Digits tapped along their bag of ore.
(Jianyu Xi)

"Sanctimonious to the end.."

A low grumble that escapes the throat of a reptilian, and while his gaze is pointed towards Lilith, it's fairly evident that he wasn't all too amused by her disposition. Not in the slightest... and the fact that she was willing to openly challenge him like this?

"Bold words."

"Unfortunately, boldness has led humanity nowhere."

The shadows deepen further- but instead, the crystal of Lady Erie's Greed begins to hum; hungering for the essence at mere sensation of upcoming conflict, the sights set upon her of all things. Even then..

"Now that I remember.."

"You're terribly convenient with this, you know? You see, I plan to evolve humanity.. but first, they must be taught a lesson."

The space warps. It shifts, with the slightest hints of a new art at his disposal that could blossom into something more- a touch of divine to the heaven beyond, carrying the energies of Helheim, and intending to tear it around Lilith.

To erase her from existence.

"Angels created humanity. So flawed, so imperfect... and yet, us demons were created by humanity. So riddle me this, drakanite.."

"If demons are so much stronger than humanity.."
"What purpose do angels serve?"

And here, it begins. The flooding distortion of space, made to eviscerate the stance that she holds. She would have no choice..

But to defend herself.
(Fidi)

Fidi has lost 16 vitality from this battle for three hours.

Lilith Allison has sustained a grevious injury in battle...



To think herself above creation of nightmares..
She would be shown the folly of her ways.

The poison of drakanite, as potent as it could be, cannot hold up to the venom of the Serpent- a true being forged out of Hel itself, here to plague humanity. Since the dawn of time, they were an enemy of humanity... but here and now? She made herself an enemy out of this Serpent in particular.

"I was in predicament, you see.."

"Lots of ways I wished to explore Helheim, lots of ways to use this peculiar crystal I have.." Already they struggle against one another; while the shadows rend against her, and each venomous bite weakens her, it would be a different experience altogether that she's subjected to.

"But so little toys to play with.."
"Oh, so little.."

Does she understand yet? Does she realize that she's met not with the creation of Helheim alone.. but with conniving Serpent that would make this experience as torturous as possible? She may try to corner him with the magics of wind and poison, and yet..

It's just not enough.

"Come along for a little ride."

"Have a seat... and consider yourself lucky."

She's not asked for permission, or whether she wants to - instead, the Serpent lunges, to take a sizeable bite out of her.. to poison her with his venom, and when the essence is drawn to the crystal of Lady Erie's Greed from the weakened state, it begins to hum..

"Places, everyone.."
"Places."

A cacophony of madness. A vision of Helheim fills her mind- and before her eyes, they are no longer in the true reality that she's used to. Instead, she's exposed to tormented spirits of Hel that stare with wicked smiles upon their faces while the Serpent feasts upon her, rending her with shadows all the same..

They laugh.
They ridicule.
They mock.

"You are but a vessel.."
"And there are others."

She was used - for this essence to fuel the crystal, and for the progress of his arts. Rarely does it become possible for complex spatial arts to be used by Fidi, to transport them into places so far off, places so mysterious..

"But you gave me the means for that."
"For that... you can live. For now."

This cannot last for long; as they travel to Helheim briefly, and her body becomes exposed to its harsh conditions, they warp back to reality- the Serpent still coiled around her, fangs stuck in her flesh. Until..

She's released.

"Naïve little creature.."

"Did you ever think you could even stand next to me?"
(Fidi)

Lilith would lunge at the serpent, having already fought multiple demons from her past. She wouldn't think that this one would be any different...

 Oh boy was she wrong

She would try her best to slow the creature with wind, poisoning the already poisonous serpent. Yet, it seemed like whatever she did would be useless, futile in fact. Each bite would deliver poison stronger than hers, the shadows around her in the mines would be used against her. Battering her and hurting her more and more.

"Tch, Die you vile demon."

She would say that, but she would be overpowered. Bitten by the serpent, feeling something be taken from her, a part of her being slowly sucked away. And then... It would happen.

Helheim, the sight of it in her mind. Yet, when she would open her eyes, she would see it in all of its vile glory. The tormented screams, the demons and servants of the Lord fighting, killing, and biding their time. The Spirits would also rend her mind just like the shadows. They would laugh at her, ridicule her quest for peace, mock her cheerful demeanor.

This had to be an illusion... Had to be fake... Yet it would feel all to real. She knew no illusion would be able to create such a hellscape, that no mind would be able to think of such torment and pain. She would be broken...

Yet, in the back of her mind, something would still beckon her to stand. Fight someone... to strengthen ones will... A voice inside of her would whisper to her to try and encourage her... But the voices of those tormented spirits would overpower that small kind voice. Replacing it with doubts, fear, and the feeling of being utterly powerless.

Her eyes would open once again, being grappled by the snake. The vision would leave her shocked, too shocked to move, to do anything against the serpent... At this moment, she wouldn't even register anything else happening around her. Her mind would still be tormented by those things...

 At this moment... She was broken
(Lilith Allison)

Estra's rage boiled over she stared down the demon with only hatred in her yes. The second he stuck his fangs into Lilith was the second she absolutely snapped. "You piece of crap! Don't you ever day touch her again! I swear ……. I WILL get strong and I will tear you limb from limb one day until only your screams are left! I will make you wish that death was all I could give you! My soul burns with hatred for your worthless being. A stain on the world. You are worthless and deserve a fate worse that death!" She was screaming at the demon at the top of her lungs. Tears running down her face. She couldn't do anything now, but... One day she would or die trying.
(Estra)

Naturally...

There is no disappointment.

Jianyu watches this torment, torture upon the Drakanite. Did she know that her poisons will always pale in comparison to that of a Helspawn Serpent?

It's a shame, though. The Drakanite didn't die. A pity, truly. Though with her seemingly losing her senses, they did crack a small smile.

All was seen. Jianyu turned now.

"So much energy to scream yet all you amount to is tears." Pleased hums part them. A grown woman brought to tears and no action.

There's no intention to listen to such noise. They continue down further into the cave.
(Jianyu Xi)

The moment Lilith challenged the serpent, the young man knew... he knew that it would end badly. He wanted to trust and believe his mother; that she would win this one for them.... but he was only disheartened when he saw the serpent winning, whilst biting away on Lilith.

The horror that young Devias witnesses incapacitates him. He wanted to do something, but is unable to move... trembling only in fear.

"M-mom?"

Once the serpent frees Lilith, Devias finds the courage to run up to her aid. Devias does his very best to comfort her... to ease her pain in any way he can. He sobs while holding his mother.

"What did you do to her?!"
(Devias)

Reality depends upon space, time and our ability to influence it.
And he intended to be one who lords over the space.

To show her the full glory of Helheim, the incredible torment that could follow her until the end of her life. These terrible wounds upon her body would not disappear anytime soon, and this nightmare is all too alarmingly real. What's worse is that this was no illusion.. but her essence stolen to make this possible.

To push the art of rift beyond its current limit. Unrefined, lacking mastery.. and yet, due to its inherent connection to Helheim, using it as a 'middle-man' in such display of wicked art. She was subjected to the hellish amalgamation of twisted art of Wayfinding, one that could instead warp them within the Rift to be sent in a two-way trip to Hel..

An occasion to be remembered forever.

"How small they are.."

All this talk about him being merely ademon. Yet, while she remains broken and defeated, she's easily discarded by the Serpent; after taking her essence and utilizing it to bolster his own arts, as well as to refine them, he had no further use for her. Why would he have any?

She served her purpose. For now.

"It amazes me, why you don't see.."
"Why I abhor your species."

All this incessant shouting, all the promises to end the Serpent. But what difference does it make? There were so many demon hunters already, and all too often the Serpent's life was on the line. This was no different.

"You stand there, confident in your ability.."
"Believing you can secure yourself from danger.."
"But you are only human, in the end."

The gaze trails to the duo of children; the threats are easily dismissed, and a mere response is given.

"She was shown the error of her ways."

"Now... take her. Perhaps, she can reconsider her decisions - so that she would not die a horrible death.."

"One day."

Yet, as the Serpent begins to leave, the reality ripples with echoes of the rift. Even now, as Helheim had a brief taste of this plane, it tries to break through..

Unsuccessful yet.
But a promise of what's to come.
(Fidi)