Mhyreu, Main Plot, Thread one

[Seraph]

Valir, Order of the Angel Slayers

Wisps of smoke drifted through the room, the scent of sandalwood and a hint of vanilla were thick. Amid the scattered pillows in the circular room sat Seraph Reaver folded neatly in the center on her favorite cushion. Her eyes were closed and her legs folded over one another with hands resting lightly on the knee of each one. She wasn't meditating or asleep, rather she was diving deep into everything she had learned from her possession of the human in Uzern. She had already learned that what Fallon 'knew' was different than how things actually were at times. Seraph would just have to be more active, go places where Fallon wasn't known so she could ease up on the act. That would be the best way to learn before she became so bold as to try her hand at taking her own form. Granted Fallon wasn't the most pleasant person to be, at least she lived alone and away from everyone else. That would cut down the suspicion and give Seraph the cover she needed. Seraph was roused from her thoughts by the rhythmic rapping on the door.

"Come in, Pandora," Seraph replied without opening her eyes.
"Ugh, sandalwood," the other demon coughed. "Why can't you get those girly scents? You know like strawberry-kiwi, cranberry-apple and the like? I enjoy them."
A thin yellow sliver of eye shown for a moment before it closed again. "Yes, I know. You took every last one of them the last four times I had any."
"You weren't using them," Pandora grunted as she flopped down on a green pillow. "So, what did you think of what you saw? If you're unimpressed I told you that you weren't active enough."
"Fallon's knowledge is spotty. She actually undersold herself with the trade. If that elf had not have been so honest the master thief would have been robbed. Where are areas she does not normally frequent? I want to be only partially in character next time."
"Everyone in Uzern knows her even if she doesn't know them. Durvale is another story. She's got this one tavern she always visits though. I can't remember the name but it has some laughing, pudgy dwarf on the sign above the door. Stay away from that and you'll hopefully not be near the crowd she knows. Durvale's where the action is too. Want to see a gladiator fight? You'll find the saltiest characters imaginable there."
At last the purple creature opened her eyes. "Ah, but I am not on a sight-seeing mission. While it does sound interesting to learn more I really should be more concerned about the angels. I did not sense any in Uzern, not even traces from a past visit. I know that should I need a place to lay low, that is where I shall go."
"Heh, maybe Uncle Ani would like to see the fight. He's more refined than Mother you know. Or I could try and bond with Douma more, Violet always weirded me out and kept me from talking to the Fallen much."

"Be careful around Douma," Seraph said suddenly. She unfolded herself and stood up, a pop from her hip made her absently rub the area.
"Why?" Pandora asked with her chin tilted up.
"Eloryn and he are... involved. Douma is also involved with Violet. He has the reputation of being a womanizer and Violet gets exceedingly jealous. It is best not to get too friendly with him, your mother might even take it the wrong way. Violet too would show her disdain. But yes, Douma might enjoy the fight. It is right up his alley, invite Violet too of course since they travel as a pair. Do not let showing off to the demon leaders distract you from your job though. Remember, you have been given control of my forces still on Earth."
"Of course, Auntie," Pandora bowed as best she could in a seated position. "I'll invite Douma along and after the match I'll visit the troops."
Seraph silently opened the door in the meditation room and stood in it. "Good. I think I'll go visit your Uncle, see if he has made a trip to Mhyreu himself."

Pandora was left alone, as soon as her aunt's footsteps had faded the satyr-like demon sprang to her feet and wove her way through rows of pillows until she reached her goal. Seraph's incense box, one of many since she kept all her types separate. Pandora opened it and grimaced upon finding sandalwood. She should have known that would be the top box considering what was burning. Another box held lavender, not bad but not what Pandora wanted. Still she took two sticks before she closed the decorative mahogany box. The next box yielded vanilla followed by chamomile, something that said sea foam but smelled more like wet sand then cinnamon and dragon's blood. Pandora smirked and took half of Seraph's dragon's blood. This was made with real blood from dragons, unlike the stuff on Earth by the same name. It had a very soothing effect and would induce sleep if enough was used or could just lower a person's inhibitions with a little of the cone burned. The sticks were easier to control the amount used but it seemed her Aunt only had the cones in the box. Pandora found the boxes she was looking for and one by one found them all to be empty.
"Need to restock," she murmured to herself. Not like Seraph would if she knew Pandora would just steal it. Maybe she should stop stealing the incense from her Aunt, then Seraph might actually burn the stuff Pandora really liked.

[Seraph]

Jorgiam, Order of the Incubus

"Ah! Head Slayer Seraph," a solid black incubus with pale silver eyes said with a deep bow. "What brings you to our humble world?"
Seraph fell into step with the taller demon as he lead her through the entrance hall of Anicetus' lavish mansion. He had so many statues of women from all cultures in all the worlds he had visited, typical of him Seraph thought. "Business with my brother. Is he here?" The purple creature slowed her step when the incubus stopped.
"Actually, I think he's at the library still. Might have gone to visit the succubii though." The black creature rubbed the finely trimmed goatee on his chin as he thought. "It was a lazy day, he could be anywhere."
Seraph sighed softly before she turned back around. "Thank you, Porter. If you should find him before I do, have him contact me. I will most likely be at home, in a trance but at home."
"Not going to stay?" Porter asked in a disappointed tone.
"Father has put me to work, I needed to meet with Anicetus about it before I returned once more." Seraph walked passed the servant before she spun back around. "Pandora is going to watch a gladiator match on the planet Mhyreu, in the city of Durvale. She is going to invite Anicetus to join her with Douma and Violet. Anicetus may not wish to go and Violet may not take well to Pandora. Anicetus trusts you well enough, if he will not go I would like you to keep an eye on Pandora."
Porter blinked absently at the slayer. "Why me though? You surely have higher ranking demons to make sure Violet doesn't get out of hand."
The angel slayer grinned. "You are an incubus, Porter," she replied as she turned her back on him again. "And Pandora is known to get lost in activities when she has duties to attend to. As an incubus you could use your charm to get her back to work, mainly on Earth." Seraph Reaver felt no need to further explain things and headed once again for the door she had come through moments ago.

"Gladiator match," Porter said aloud. "Never been to one of those. It could be fun." He watched Seraph leave before he turned down the hall on the right. Well if there was a chance he could hop off to a place he'd never been before, he had better make sure he finished all the tasks Anicetus had given him first.

No sooner had Seraph Reaver left the confines of the mansion did she gather the needed magic for a teleportation spell. Within the blink of an eye she was on the steps of Jorgaim's grand library, a few demons around her scattered in their startle but resumed their conversations a moment later. Seraph took a little time to watch two of the demons talking, she could understand their language but without altering her vocal chords couldn't speak it. The enormous slug-like creatures slowly inched down the stairs, at least they didn't leave a trail of slime. The lead slayer gave curt nods to the other demons who greeted her including a few fledglings from her order. They seemed nervous to have been caught in such a place but when Seraph walked passed them their fears were eased.

"I am looking for Anicetus," Seraph announced upon her entrance into the grand hall.
A demon with two heads, one of a human female and one of a male canine looked up from the book it was reading. "He left nearly an hour ago," the female head replied.
The male head waited until the other was done before he added, "And then he returned about five minutes ago. He's in the history wing, brought an armful of scrolls and books with him and said he wasn't to be disturbed."
"Though family was welcomed," the female head said with a glance towards the hall Seraph needed to take.
"Thank you," Seraph nodded to the two. That creature always confused her with information she didn't need or care about, must be the drawback to having two heads.

"Thought I sensed you," Anicetus greeted Seraph from behind a stack of books that nearly reached the ceiling. He leaned out and adjusted the glasses on his nose with a smile.
"You do not need glasses and there are no lenses in them."
"They help me think, believe it or not," Ani shrugged. He cleared a chair out for his sister and motioned for her to take it, they could be there for a while.
"So," Seraph began as she looked up to see the top of his literature tower. "Is this Mhyreu?"
Anicetus held out the chair and stepped away only after Seraph had sat down. "None other. Species reports, histories of settlement, conflict, religion and the boring tripe too like family trees. I'm looking into the ochia race personally."
Seraph took the open book he handed her and studied the snake creature on the page. Indeed, it did look a bit like Anicetus. A human torso that merged into a snake around the waistline was the only difference, the creature had horns though like Ani. "A guise, I take it?" She handed the leather-bound object back and studied others around her.
"It's between them or satyrs. Personally though I never was one for body hair so I'm leaning towards the sleek and sinuous snake body."
The older demon nodded. "Fitting." Seraph blinked a few times then looked over her shoulder when she realized Anicetus was staring in her direction, with no one behind her she was the focal point.
"You know, Sis, the sprites would be a fitting choice for you. Small and compact, easy to miss and fast. Nymphs and dwarves aren't bad either. I heard you went for a visit, anything you saw you might look into?"
"Not yet," Seraph replied. She resituated herself in the chair and took a book simply titled Mhyreu: Species Details. "I am using a human as a jumping off point right now. Pandora has come with me to act as a guide as well. Speaking of Pandora. She is going to ask you to join her for a gladiator match in the city Durvale. I have business there myself and am unable to attend. If you will not go then I request Porter to join her, Douma and Violet will probably be there."

"Porter it is, then. I'd like to explore myself and a gladiator event is too distracting for a first time visit."
The book the purple creature took was held up. "May I borrow this?" Seraph asked.
"Of course, it came from Father's library when you're done. I copied all my book didn't have and I no longer need that one. I think you'll find it helpful, there are far more colorful races than humans."
"The lack of 'color' cane be used to your advantage at times. From what I know so far, humans are the plainest race and therefore also the least likely to draw attention. Angel slaying is a far more covert operation than your duties, the human guise will suit my needs. Despite the disdain of being such a low race."
"Elves are higher up on the laying low circuit, a noble race with no bad seeds ever. People don't even blink at the passing of an elf, an enraged elf still doesn't draw much attention. Give them some thought, you'll be able to hold onto your natural grace."
Seraph tapped the cover of the book. "I will use this book to help me, then. And my own studies."

[Seraph]

Uzern

By the third knock Elaniah was at the door, the aging elf opened it to find Rafer outside. "Good morning," she said with a warm smile. Have you found something?"
Rafer chuckled and shook his head, he stepped inside when the other invited him in and left his quiver as well as bow on the peg near the door. "No Matriarch, a simple visit. Things are calm as usual, only Pandora and Fallon to upset it."
"Mm, yes," the elder elf said in a slightly sour tone. "Care for some tea? I have black walnut and ginger brewing at the moment."
Rafer followed a few paces behind his leader. "Yes, please."
Elaniah waited for Rafer to take a seat before she slipped into the kitchen. "You seem tense child, is there something the matter?"
The white and black haired elf sank into the arm chair he'd taken to and sighed, "Just thinking again. Pandora's sudden appearance a month ago still bothers me."
"Not everyone is as open about their past and reasons for being here."
"I know, I know. But do you ever get the feeling she's watching us? I mean really watching us, not just curiosity about how she says things are different here compared to where ever it is she's from."
There was silence for a while then the sound of liquid being poured into a cup before Elaniah replied. "I do at times. She seems more wary of things than she should be, we won't do any harm to her unless she first does something terrible. But it's not fear that seems to motivate her studies." Gradually Elaniah's voice became clearer and louder as she brought out a silver tray with two cups and a serving pitcher on it. She sat the tray down before she offered one cup and it's under saucer to Rafer. "However, since she is a satyr, it might simply be her looking for a... companion."
Rafer made a face then quickly let Elaniah know it wasn't because of the tea. "That habit of theirs always did make me feel uneasy around them. Her teasing too could be taken as... that."
Elaniah couldn't help but chuckle. "If that's what her attention is supposed to be, she's the poorest flirt of a satyr I've ever seen."

"Heh, yeah." Rafer's smile wasn't genuine but it didn't matter as Elaniah had turned her attention to the fire place in the back. Rafer glanced over his shoulder to see what might of held her attention. He caught sight of an old cauldron swathed in the flames with the barest wisps of smoke starting to flow from it.
"Fertilizer," Elaniah replied. "Boiling the bark of juniper with a pinch of ash and half a protection potion. We seem to have a problem with bugs in the crops this year and with it being early spring, it's even worse."
Rafer nodded and swallowed a sip of tea before he spoke. "I had noticed the increased usage of sevin dust by those who grow."
"This is more potent and should last through the spring, then we have to do it again."
While he knew nothing of agriculture, Rafer nodded politely anyway. It was sad in a way how people rarely visited Elaniah now. Most waited for her to invite them over or called for her to see them. He liked the other elf's company, she was something of a mother to him since he had lost his. "Would you care to join me for lunch today?" Rafer asked out of the blue.
"I'd love to," Elaniah smiled happily.

[Augite]

Uzern

No farther than a leisurely stroll away, a strange sight approached the village of Uzern. It was correct to call the nymph 'strange', with her wide-eyed, not-completely-there expression, her particular choice of clothing, and the sack as big as she was being dragged along behind her; but she certainly wasn't anything to be afraid of. She trudged along a worn path, occasionally having to fight with her large, patchy bag to get it over stones and small hills in the road. The grey sack had shoddy sewing jobs in places where it had split its seams, and at the bottom where it was being dragged, numerous small holes. It was also very dusty.
The tousle-headed young nymph stopped a moment, unsteadily hoisting herself up onto her bag to sit there and rest her legs. She dragged a hand across her brow, then cupped it there, squinting ahead.
"Lucky!" she said, breaking out into a grin. "Looks like a village! C'mon!" To whom she was speaking, it was hard to tell, but it'd be safe to assume she was talking to her bag. She hopped down and gave it a yank for momentum, ready to sprint off toward the village, but there was a ripping sound and Sneeuw (the nymph) suddenly found her load much lighter. She only stopped when she was about five yards away, wondering why she'd suddenly gotten stronger. She turned around and saw that she was carrying nothing but an empty rag of a bag. Her possessions lay in a heap in the middle of the road.
"Gab bammit!" she growled, stomping a tattoo on the ground and throwing a tantrum. As an afterthought she threw her ruined bag down and trampled it, too. It was only until she'd exhausted herself that her little fit ended, and she slumped onto the ground, hufffing and puffing and glaring at the messy pile of her things five yards away. When she'd caught her breath she stood and lumbered over to the pile, dragging the torn and trampled sack along behind her. She plopped onto the ground next to the heap and began to sort through her things to see what could be left behind and what she needed to take with her.
When she was finished with the pile it had been halved, the remainder of it being a small pile of soggy, bruised fruit. Her other possessions had been wrapped up in what survived of her sack, and some of them stored in the waistband of her sash or around her neck, wherever she could keep it. She had a large, rainbow feather tucked behind her ear, and a dead snake draped over her shoulders like a scarf. Her pockets bulged with knick-knacks and necessities and the rag that held everything else was now tied up. She would attach it to a stick and be the very picture of a little kid who ran away from home.
She stood over the pile of fruit, twisting her mouth to one side, then the other. She didn't really want to leave anything behind, but it'd be too much of a hassle to take the fruit with her. She'd have to carry it in her arms and it would bleed fruit juice all over her and make her sticky. She already needed to splash some water onto her arms and face, if she came to the village stinking of bad fruit she'd need a full bath. An idea occurred to her and she smiled.
"I'll just eat what I can't carry," she said, and began to pick fruits from the top of the pile and bite into them, a fruit in each hand as she ate. She quickly got full this way, but she didn't stop until the only things that remained of the pile were the fruits that were too rotten, bruised, or dirty to eat. She kicked them to the side of the road and buried them in dirt, then found a decent-sized stick which she attached to her bag. Then she continued along her way, too full and by now too tired to run toward the village.
She was relieved when she finally reached the village, it seemed like she had walked miles from the point where her sack had ripped to here, though she knew it could hardly be that much of a distance. She looked around, thinking what a nice village it seemed to be. Very peaceful and lovely. She paused by some stables to admire what to her were giant beasts. Horses were big even to someone who might reach the height of six feet, so imagine what they were like to Sneeuw, who was no little more than half that!
A horse lowered its neck and snorted at her, causing her to jump back in alarm.
"How rude," Sneeuw muttered, smoothing down her hair with her knuckles and trotting away from the stables to see more of the village.
"Looks like an elf village," she said to herself. "Elves are hospitable," she added matter-of-factly. It wasn't long before a stomach ache seized Sneeuw by the reins and forced her to retreat to the shade of a tree, where she sat down to rest and complain to herself.
"Shouldn't have eaten all that fruit," she sighed, rubbing her stomach. Before you could say 'rotten apples' Sneeuw had fallen into a light doze- a bizarre sight indeed with that snake around her neck and her mouth and hands stained pink from fruit juice. Her mouth hung open slightly and she breathed gently, every exhalation causing a stray bit of hair to flutter up away from her face.