Azazel's Stone

Sileya couldn’t restrain a soft laugh. Whatever other personalities Clown had, she had decided this one was her favorite at this point. The way he collapsed back into the grass and the way his voice trailed off sleepily stirred her latent maternal instincts. Now, he seemed a mere child needing protection—a marked contrast to the bloodthirsty monster she had pried off the angel a few moments before. She wished she had the time to sit with him and see what she could find out about his past.

“Again, I’m sorry if I hurt you. I should probably be going, but...will you be—?” A prolonged snore cut her off. She smiled and bent down to put a gentle hand on his forehead, whispering, “Perhaps you will be spared from the bloodbath I have a feeling will occur in there.”

Clown snored again, and Sileya chuckled. Glancing over her shoulder, she hardened her expression. It was time for her to see exactly what was going on inside the Eye.

* * * * *

Len’s eyes widened. Everything seemed to freeze. She couldn’t tell if everybody else there had witnessed Joker swallowing the stone. Was...that it? Surely, the stone wouldn’t tolerate being in someone’s stomach for very long. Any second now, Joker would be ripped apart in some explosion. Right?

There’s something wrong about this...

The display had been going on for far too long by now. Len ran a finger over Stille’s blade. “Well, there’s only one way to get that stone out if you really have swallowed it.” A fierce light shone in the assassin’s eyes.

* * * * *

“Ah...”

If Xaevakra’s intentions hadn’t been clear before, they were illumined now. He felt her fingers sliding teasingly in the gaps of his shirt. She wanted nothing less than his whole self and would not be satisfied with a few preliminary pleasantries. Alluring as she was, he had the stone to think about.

“As much as I’d like to... The stone...” Her fingertips were lingering in his shirt, the feel of them cool against his skin. She wasn’t exaggerating when she had said she was cold, though she had probably meant it metaphorically more so than literally.

Lucilius could stand it no longer. He spun around, not caring if his shirt incurred damage in the process. With his hands firmly grasping her hips, the two of them fell into the underbrush.

Xaevakra gave a small gasp as he pushed her down to the ground, hands firmly pressing against her hips. She looked up at him and laughed, a coy smile spreading along her lips. Whatever hesitation the incubus had was now completely gone as he pressed fervent kisses to her neck, his fingers dancing along her sides.

The fallen's wings folded and curled up beneath her, forming a makeshift mattress for the both of them. Her pulse was quickly spiralling out of control and her eyes were wide with anticipation. She hadn't felt like this in so long that she had forgotten what the sensation of making love was like.

Closing her eyes, she surrendered to him completely, even if it was only temporarily.

****

Calista's lower lip trembled softly and parted ways with the upper one ever so slightly. Her unseeing eyes lit up with an ethereal spark, before her eyelids shyly hid them from his sight. Leaning forwards with a barely noticeable motion, her lips pressed weakly against his own.

The vampire smiled softly against her innocent lips as he realised she had almost no experience with kissing. She had simply surrendered herself to him as if she didn't know any better. Her eyes were closed and her lips were warm against his. A sense of guilt permeated him as the question of why she was doing this Was it because she really wanted to kiss him, or was it due to the effect he had on her now that she had .bonded with his song?

Just as she would have been about the break away from the kiss in disappointment, the vampire's grip on her tightened slightly. Pulling her into an even closer embrace, he pressed his lips firmer against hers and mouthed at them experty. His hands played softly along her back as he took her slightly fuller lower lip in between his own, and ran his tongue along.

Breaking the kiss after a long moment, he smiled and lowered his hands from her back and then ran his fingers softly along her cheek. Looking off behind Calista, he frowned slightly as he saw the beastie laying in a rapidly growing pool of its own blood.

"The guardian seems to be dead, Miss Calista..." he said softly, his hand lingering against her cheek.

****

Osiris arched an eyebrow when he saw Joker swallow the stone. He was surprised the boy ould swallow something of the size without choking to death. The girl with the two daggers seemed bent on gutting him for it. He had to get to him before she did.

Cutting across from her, he sheathed his sword and picked up the young man by the shirt, Leaning close to him, he scrutinised his face closely, and then opened Joker's mouth with his other hand. Squinting slightly, he peered inside.

"The guardian seems to be dead, Miss Calista..." the soft words cut through the sensual haze she found herself in, forcing her to focus on things outside the feeling he was stirring within her.

Drawing in an unsteady breath, she pulled back slightly, shivering as his fingers glided so smoothly against her cheek in a caress. The kiss had been everything she could have wanted, and even now she struggled against the urge to lean forwards for one more.

"It's... dead?" she hardly noticed her words were unsteady, instead she slowly worked on dropping Des' song from her. It proved more difficult than she had imagined - the notes clinging to her own melody, trying to change it to create a more melodious harmony. When she had succeeded, she could verify that the beast was indeed gone. It's song no longer sang.

Opening her eyes, she breathed a little easier. Her song was her own, no longer shielded by the vampire's.

"Thank you..." A smile broke across her face as did a faint blush as their kiss sprang back into her mind, "and because I'm no longer under threat of going insane..." still smiling, her eyes bright she leaned forwards once more, her lips pressing to his in a brief kiss.

"Have you any idea where the others could be?"

~~~~~

Joker started as he felt himself being plucked off the floor and then having a face being shoved close to his own. Normally, he wouldn't protest such treatment but in this case he'd have preferred it if a woman had been opening his mouth - not another man.

"Ara - ah!" Joker tried to jerk his head away but he was caught by the man's firm grip. He glared slightly, noticing how the man peered into his mouth as though the stone would still be there for him to see.

Well, if it was something the man wanted to see...

Closing his eyes, Joker summoned a small portal at the back of his throat and the next thing others knew, a long tentacle covered in orange stripes sprang out from his mouth, slapping itself into the angel's face.

As quickly as it appeared, the tentacle and portal vanished, leaving a weakly grinning Joker staring at the angel in defiance.

"Only Joker's dentist should be looking so closely in Joker's mouth!" he declared, though he would be the first to admit that he was a tad shaky on his feet. Having a tentacle move around in one's mouth did tend to stretch it just a bit past comfort levels.

His eyes slid to the woman who had her dagger held ready. Well, it seemed he'd have to dis-encourage her as well.

"Ah, cutting open Joker won't work either, Joker is sorry to say~" twirling his own dagger in the air he shoved it into his side, extending it so everyone could see how it stabbed all the way through. He even dragged it up and down, leaving no doubt that he should be cut open all along his sides - if he hadn't silently told the blade to pass through harmlessly.

Not that they needed to know that. Perhaps they'd do him the favor of thinking the Stone allowed him to pass above physical harm.

Breathing slowly. His chest rose and fell as he inhaled and exhaled the cool moonlit air. His eyelids were closed, but his eyelids moved around beneath them. What was he dreaming? Could he dream at all? A cold breeze whispered in his ear, his eyes moved towards it.

“Wake up,” it said.

“Why?” he responded, but his lips did not move. His voice was still audible, at least in his head.

“Wake up.”

“…Koooochie koochie koooo~”

At that moment, it seemed the wind got annoyed and left. It stopped blowing in his ear; the grass stopped tickling his cheek.

He blinked his eyes open and stared up at the moon for a few moments. Manic was trapped inside the dream for now, probably tickling whispers under their chins. Demented was locked away until he was needed again.

It took a while, but he was able to struggle up to his feet again. He groaned, “Ah…what did you two do to our body?”

He stumbled forward, resting his talons against the wall to support himself as he moved further into the Eye.

Now Len knew something was wrong. “If you think cheap parlor tricks will fool me, you’re gravely mistaken. I doubt you would have plunged a dagger so willingly into your side without knowing it wouldn’t hurt you.” She smirked, an eyebrow arching in self-satisfaction. Her assassin eyes slid over him, taking in every detail. There. The bulge in his pocket. She almost laughed out loud. Of course he hadn’t really swallowed the stone.

Unfolding her fingers, she produced a single shimmering butterfly in her palm, then another, then another, then one more. The four danced lazily on her skin, a fluttering convocation. She whispered inaudibly to them, as though giving instructions. In perfect harmony, they lifted from her hand, then abruptly shot straight at Joker’s face. Using them as a distraction, Len darted for his pocket and deftly snatched the stone back.

If Lucilius doesn’t show up soon, this is going to turn into a long game of “keep-away”...

* * * * *

Sileya had gone from walking to sprinting when she heard the sounds of skirmishing in the heart of the Eye. Drageziel was out of its casing and gleaming silver in the moonlight.

Small One, be careful. There is something incredibly powerful in there, and it isn’t any of the people. There went Lithiuan being motherly again.

I’ll be fine, the Elf replied simply.

She was surprised to find a straight path awaiting her. For some reason, she had thought the journey to the center would have been fraught with many dangers and twists, even puzzles. Either these so-called “Four” had thought the outside barrier and giant guardian would be enough to stave off intruders, or one of those already in the Eye had done something to make the way easier.

Finally reaching the center, Sileya’s eyes widened at the scene. The assassin was ruthlessly taking her daggers to Joker in a deadly dance. And the Dragons’ Favored caught a glimpse of what looked to be a stone nestled deep within that black leather dress.

She gripped her sword’s hilt tighter and prepared to intervene, but the feeling of someone next to her stopped her. Turning her head curiously, her eyes met Clown, much to her surprise. “You’re...awake already?”

His eyes widened slightly in surprise as he felt a renewed kiss against his lips, which if not nearly as passionate as the one he had given her, was certainly much more confident than her earlier effort. The vampire arched his eyebrows slightly and smile, assured that this was definitely a much more conscious endeavour. He wasn't sure if that was an invitation for more later or just an expression of gratitude. It was certainly something he'd look into after this whole charade with the Stone was over.

"Have you any idea where the others could be?"

Now that she was calm and composed, he realised just how beautiful and melodious her voice sounded. It was no wonder she was a musician the vampire thought, that voice of hers seemed able to charm anyone who listened to it. That one sentence of hers had almost completely captivated him, and he wondered whether the nature of his abilities along with Calista's own was working against him.

Trying to break the spell which had crept over him, he looked on ahead at the gargantuan mass of stone that was the Eye. He hadn't been able to enter earlier, but seeing as how everyone was now inside, killing the Guardian had probably lifted what barrier had been set in place.

"They all seem to have gone into the Eye... We could go take a look if you want to, miss Calista." He turned to look at her as a hand slipped around her waist, holding her securely but gently, and trying to keep his hold on her as platonic as possible for the time being. "Try not to stray too far away from me..."

The vampire smiled and began to walk with her towards the Eye.

****

The angel looked at Joker incredulously as he took a few steps back, and then wiped the slime from the tentacle off his helmet. He arched an eyebrow at this strange attack which had driven him back, and then his eyes widened as he plunged the dagger into his side and moved it about. Could this be one of the Stone's powers?

The angel barely had time to react when Len sent a flurry of butterflies straight into Joker's face, and in the blink of an eye the Stone was in her grasp. Before the girl could retreat to a safe distance however, the angel's hand clenched firmly around her wrist and held onto her tightly.

"Give me the Stone, girl."

Joker felt the old bitterness and anger well up within him as the Stone left his grasp as easily as he'd attained it. The girls attack had shocked him - he hadn't thought butterflies to be particularly menacing. Indeed, compared to the nightmare visions that are so abundant in his line of work they were actually quite tame.

"Stubborn snarly women," he snarled, his face losing his normal look of idiocy and humor. Instead, he remembered another girl, one no doubt as stubborn as the one before him.

Looking at the angel and the girl he gave a mirthless smile, "Why is it always a woman who seems to be Joker's downfall?" as he spoke he twirled his dagger in his hand lazily.

"Women always seem to cause the best laid plans to fall. They never wait and merely react, no doubt dancing to another tune only they are aware of and falling victim to fate. Joker wonders if they would be so quick if say... Joker cut all feelings from their legs? Then they wouldn't scurry so!"

At his last words he pulled the dagger back, intent on driving it through Len and numbing the feeling in her legs so she wouldn't be able to run away.

~~~

"Try not to stray too far away from me.." his words crawled around her and Calista felt herself relaxing. He was a good man, and his words were sincere - he wished no harm to befall her and she suddenly felt safe.

"Lead on, sir Vampire," Calista declared, feeling almost euphoric in this new comrade. In the back of her mind though, the story teller within was wailing at no doubt missing so many interesting things that had happened while she was with Des.

He had made his miniature entrance at a most unpleasant time. Len, the supposed assassin, was all over the Joker, ready to take him apart for this ‘stone’. In a flash of movement, with some help from supernatural butterflies, she had acquired it; seemingly with ease.

Clown moved onward until he stood right next to the silver lady, Sileya. She had her sword out, and was ready to go in to stop the fighting; play ‘peacemaker’. But she hesitated, distracted by the new presence beside her.

“You’re...awake already?” she asked; perhaps she was surprised at his sudden recovery? Manic was probably still sleeping, Matthew was awake now.

He smiled a little, but didn’t turn towards her. “Hey, Shiny.” was all he said. Clown’s eyes were focused on what was happening before the two of them. The angel had swiftly grabbed the assassin’s wrist and sternly demanded the stone, which was now neatly tucked away in her black garbs.

Clown took a few steps forward to stand a foot or two away from both the angel and the butterfly woman in the black leather dress. He lifted his hand and scratched his cheek lightly with a single talon.

But before he could say anything, the Joker flew into a rage; his personality now in contrast to just a few moments ago. He spurted out some words in his rage and lunged at the assassin with his dagger drawn.

Within moments, the hand that held the dagger was tangled in a webbing of tight, ectoplasmic strings, shot from Clown’s right hand. The Crowned Clown pulled hard on the flurry of strings that tied the Joker’s arm, pulling him face-first into the ground.

“Now…” he spoke, looking at the grounded man, “it’s fun to fight over a stone and all, but what the hell does it do?”

OoC: Uh... sorry for the extremely long wait... but I thought there was no posting order. I haven't posted, for lack of a better reason, because I haven't seen anything for Z and Zach to do yet. @_@

BiC: With as interesting as all of this competition over the stone was, the waiting was killing Zorlo. He couldn't stand how long it was taking whatever had wanted them to go there to get the stone. Mostly because that would be the enjoyable thing to kick the teeth of in. After all, those people are normally insane megalomaniacs that make great fodder for the first two or three hits before they start monologuing. Not that Z could complain about people monologuing, but at least his had points.

Zachary, however, was simply bored. Between the stupid girl, the guy referring to himself in third person, the strange clown, Zorlo, and that stupid metal angel, everyone here was one thing: stupid. The time had come to settle this thing with this stone. Thanks to the obnoxious angel, the stone was in perfect aiming point. Zachary flicked his wrist quickly, launching a small spike of ice and aiming it towards the woman's hand.

The Aura Master simply watched as he became little more than a green blur for a moment and appeared on the other side of Len and Osiris, waiting to lay claim to the stone after it was, hopefully, dislodged from the woman's hand. After all, everyone here, except it seemed, Zorlo and Zachary had a reason for the stone. "After all, we just came for the adventure.

"I just came because I was dragged along," Zachary muttered as he kept an eye out. This might be a worthwhile thing to watch.