Careless Intrusion

[Cerberus]

The large three-headed dog did not belong. Cane knew this, somehow... he knew. The Left was vividly aware of the blood scent that still lay heavy on his skin--a scent that seemed to follow him wherever he traversed. He was not alone, though he was not wise enough to understand, Cane was only one of hundreds that shared a similiar blood-lust. However, they had not always been such bestial slaves as he. He was no more than a dog, a savage beast, trained to kill and to fight with a relentless passion that was resilient to even the most brutal and devestating attacks. Hell... he still had strips of flesh, rotten and charred that hung from the marrow of his bones. White putrid fluids had begun to form along the rings of the wound, and the scorched skin burned with an insatiable fire as the beast walked.

The Center was aware that they were no where familiar. The Left was only amused by the unsaturated hunger that dwelled within its stomach, and the Right was still plagued by the pain--whimpering at intervals that both soothed and annoyed the other minds of the carnivore. It was such torture to be seperated into three different sets. Three personalities combined into one host--each with the ability to rebel violently against the other. Luckily enough, Cane--the soul--was growing stronger, evolving with each experience, learning to fight the impulsive desires to join any and all frays. His inability to cooperate with others, left him in a rabid state, and there were few who would ever be able to approach him. He was still too wild, too unpredictable. He'd kill the first soul to chain him... and his mind would never forget those damn silver eyes. Those pitiless white orbs that pushed him hard, starved him, beat him, cursed him. He remembered that hellion just as clearly as he remembered the bastard who tried to seduce him. That "Xander" character whom nobody seemed to know or understand. Cane was presently a step above the half-blood's influence, and always would be. He had no magic to steal, and he had a burning and hateful passion for the similiarly colored eyes that Xander bore. If only coincidence it was an unfortunate vendetta.

Nonetheless, it is a minute point, but a sore spot nonetheless, as it was in association with that fellow monster at which time Storm was able to create her torment. Her damn fire, left him chronically wounded, tormented now for a seeming eternity until the next cycle of his rebirth. He had a while to wait... he'd only recently felt the calm of unbroken, healthy flesh... and now, less than a weaks wait, and he was once again rolling in his own misery, forced to look and feel his own grisly skin. A skin that peeled and flaked, a breadth that looked dead to anyone who had half an eye.

He should be dead, but he was no ordinary beasty. And now, he was hungry, looking for an easy meal. He'd promised Rigel, the maiden in the elfin wood that he would not hunt within the forests or water's borders in account that she provided him with what he wished to steal from her--a meal. Earth was the closests next.

Besides, humans were easy prey, and their livestock were delightfully teasing--so fat, so easily obtained. The winter would surely shorten their numbers, but Cane would find them nonetheless or find the farmers that wished to protect them. Either way, Cane held no discrepencies. He'd eat that which was available to him--the easier it was... the faster he would be.

Indeed, he was intruding on the outskirts of Borgis Plain, just another trouble for the dear Master Satazian to trouble over. Even Kaji Hito dare to be warned, for Cerberus was not a first time offender. He'd played his part in the fray that fateful day in the Shephard's fields. He could still feel that poisonous bile sliding through his skin and blood--a weapon on its own, that would kill any lesser than he. Indeed, Cane was bound to cause trouble wherever he went--and now... while he was still unchained, unbound and wild... there were few powers on this earth that could detain and deterr him. It would take more than kind words and simple consolences to calm this beast. He was still too filled with fire, too angered, too passionate in what he was initially trained to do. Perhaps he would never changed completely... perhaps he would always been the killer, the trained guard dog of the heathen world. An underling to the shadow lords...

[chaoskeeper]

Only a few words had actually been said in Saverin before the pair “parted ways” and left the military grounds.

“That’s an interesting technique you have there.” The usual smirk accompanied the usual tone of nonchalant remarks and confidence. He had followed Zerion’s magic with his own senses to a run-down alley just in time to witness the elf’s curious little transformation. With a gesture of both thumb and head over his right shoulder, he both continued and finished the cursory conversation/invitation. “Meet me outside the city gates. We can talk while we walk.” As he turned, he had finished, “I have a proposition for you.”

Traversing the rolling hills surrounding Master Satazian’s beloved Saverin, the calculating assassin noted a trailing power behind him. He hoped, though this is too kind a word for Xander’s tastes, that the unnamed Zerion would indeed follow as he had suggested. However, it was not only the presence of the illusionist which had the Halfling’s attention. Another, more ominous presence was also held within his awareness.

Off some distance to his left, Xander recognized that bulky form; it was that same beast from before in the Wastes of Fire, but what is it doing here, he wondered. Cane’s presence, however, did not stop the weapon-for-hire in his tracks nor did it sway him from his current path. Shade turned back to his goal ahead still wondering how the Cerberus would react – in rage or perhaps seeking revenge or maybe even… curiosity (I doubt that).

It was the sound of water which led Xander into a nearby pocket of wood. The water source was clearly the reason for this patch of lustrous green in the middle of open space. Though the cold of winter still possessed bite in the afternoon air, it was a bearable cold not bitter enough to turn away the seeking assassin or to freeze the running water. Soon enough he found a small creek and upon following it upstream, he discovered a pool deeper than the rest created from a small drop in the creek’s path over quite a few years. Without even a thought as to avoiding wet clothes, Xander waded to the center deepest pool. He submerged himself in the cold life fluid only to quickly surface and splash about making sure all her caustic vomit wash off both his flesh and his clothes. It had been almost twelve disgusting… and interesting… hours since her capture and her body’s rejection of his poisons; her leftovers were being to make quite a stink. Similarly, the soothing touch of the water did well for the new skin which covered the once burned flesh of his left cheek and right heel.

After initially meeting with the disguised elf, Xander had done what he was ordered. He found the main infirmary in order to drop off the antidote for Jinx. Meanwhile, he had also stopped to heal his burns from the battle and pick up a couple of fresh magics courtesy of Satazian's loyal healers. They had done well leaving not a scar behind; only the new flesh was tender now, but that would remedy itself with a day or two and his work.

Upon exiting the creek’s waters, Shade of shadows shook the excess water quickly off before summoning a little bit of his reserved fire magics to finish evaporating the water so as to not become sick. This was the same trick he had used to convince Storm he was of fire the night before only instead of emanating merely through his hand his entire body emanated the heat. While doing this, he was fully aware of his company. He smirked in amusement. This is going to be interesting indeed.

ooc: yea it's random.... but I thought this possessed interesting possibilities... and it was still possible considering where I was... ;D

[Cerberus]

Cane’s mangled body turned suddenly as the attentive Left noticed a disturbance in their quiet little habitat just outside Saverin. Cane was famished, starving, injured, and near desperate for a meal. He’d note anything that moved, but what he saw… what the Left, the Center, and the Right saw… It drove him into mixed emotions.

First recognition. Then hunger. Then Rage.

It filled him with a terrifying tremor as the beast suddenly swelled within his carnage and let out an earth shattering roar—magnified by the three heads which echoed the call. With a savage snarl the beast, battered but not broken, barreled towards Xander. Dead flesh fell off in the haste as a snarling foam eased out from behind barred jaws.
Claws dug into the earth, and the bulk of the Cerberus covered ground at an amazing and unexpected rate. Yet, he did not strive. Locked front legs, and sitting down, the large four foot canine skid into a grinding stop before Xander. The Left lunged forward to snap, but the Center held the shoulders at a safe distance, preventing the Left from scoring a mark. The Right was growling vengefully as it remembered the pain that silver eyes had inflicted upon it. The Center acknowledged the memory, but refused to permit the body to attack. He wasn’t ready yet. Cane had seen Xander before, seen the way he’d moved, and the way he’d escaped. Cane knew to respect the figure before him, but his whole body tremored with insatiable desire to kill. No one could know how much adrenaline was coursing through the canine’s body. Such shaking could easily be misunderstood for a weakness from spent strength, from wounds, and fatigue. But how wrong they would be.

Every muscle shook and shivered with kinetic energy—a power held back, fierce in its desire to escape.

Cane’s rapid snarls warned Xander. Why did he not attack the man he hated?

Because…

Cane didn’t know why he hated him.
So he waited—waiting for Xander to say something “smart”. Cane, for once, wanted a reason. He wanted a reason to tear out this man’s throat.

What an improvement.

[.::~*D.i.S.a.S.t.E.r*~::.]

<sup>A shadow and a myth filtered slowly back into the scene. The mortal's motive remained mysterious to the expressionless wraith, but his interest was not lacking. The dark lord within the man was surely at worked... and he curiously wondered how much they were one in the same--the human and the lord?

Ah, he shrugged as only a shadow could and appeared in a ghostly fashion to stand directly beside the one not yet known as Xander. His dark, hooded, faceless formed floated absently there, shapeless with nothing physical to grasp. For he saw the cerberus all to clearly and knew the capabilities of such beasts. He'd dealt with such animals before... stupid, cattle-like creatures, the hounds of war... a easily replicated and uncomplicated weapon designed with no other motive than to kill. That was all they were good for... but this one...?

Yes, Gabriel remembered this one.
The one that got away...

He let out an audible chuckle as the memory amused him. One little rogue dog free about the world, the only creature of his kind to escape his dark lord's bond, and this dog was a passionate one.

Gabriel had never met Cane personally, but he'd heard the stories... of how they said his mind had evolved making him too smart to be useless, but Gabriel didn't see much difference now in the canine than in those that still served their silver-eyed masters.

Another irony he maliciously enjoyed.
So, halfbreed, how will you deal with a shadow dog that hates you.
His mind teased, though the words did not reach Xander.

Gabriel was entirely prepared to sit back and watch the carnage. The dark lord within the hybrid has some control over him but it was minimal. Gabriel could not kill Xander himself, but he had noticed he remained free of its influence--retaining his own free will. He COULD sit back and watch someone else do it.

"Bene bene, ciao Cerbero lí, caro. Vedo che lei l'ha notato anche. " Gabriel sneered towards the Cerberus, with a mocking air.

A sideways glance and an evil smirk towards Xander revealed the target of his mockery, and he truly wondered if the human was too ignorant of himself to realize exactly what kind of hatred he was facing.

Gabriel knew.
This Cerberus was a rogue, incapable of being controlled any longer--too smart with his violence unchecked.
The crossbreed was treading in dangerous waters, and the wraith new it and was amused by it.</sup>

[chaoskeeper]

After brushing the last of the water from his black chopped hair with his hand, the Halfling began a cursory inspection of his simple garb; he wanted to be sure any evidence of her disgusting presence had vanished. The Lady ‘Keria’ was in the very capable hands of the Soil Master now. Hopefully, her unexpected presence would accomplish the task to which the shady manipulator had appointed her. With that done and the Cerberus obviously having taken notice to him, the silver-eyed man retrieved his blade three-quarters as long as a normal katana from the stump of an ancient fallen tree half-rotten and half-petrified.

What are you doing here now? Xander inquired in silence upon sensing the shadow wraith from earlier in the dungeons. Looking at the ghostly shadow from the corner of his eye, the man who was half shadow sneered in response to the wraith’s cocky air. “Chiuda in su,” his low voice snapped in immediate response. He turned back to the direct threat.

He straightened in time to see the monstrous dog charging head-long for a quarry who had already escaped once before. Taking one step forward with his right foot still only half-covered with the remnants of burnt cloth, Xander stood with a calm stance. Still, he stood ready with his right hand hovering over the hilt held firm by a grip on the simple sheath. But then the beast did the near impossible and surprised the living weapon.

Cane stopped just short of biting off Shade’s ever-working head. One eyebrow raised in slight confusion at the Cerberus’s sudden skidding stop. Shrugging it off for the moment, Xander visibly relaxed allowing his arms to fall to his side with his sword still in a hand. His body rose to his full height of six foot three as silver eyes sized up the three-headed beast from hell. He smiled his usual concocting smile with accompanying plans and schemes swimming in his eyes. With one fluid movement, the man returned the sheath to his back. His arm crossed his vision of the rogue dog once otherwise allowing him an unbroken view of his potential quarry.

Knowing not to take a step closer for if he did, he would be stepping into an untimely death, the man only stepped to straighten himself out. He wanted to face the beast with an unwritten history head-on. Mischievous thrill flooded his system. With the thin smile still holding his face hostage, Xander followed the bulky dieing flesh to his three heads and enraged eyes.

Three heads. Three separate personalities. His left head was obviously ticked at seeing Xander again. He was openly aggressive and overly threatening. On his far right, however, that head, yes, snarled in anger, but it did not seem to follow the same cut-throat ideals… at least it did not lash out in brash vengeance. However, the most interesting observation made was that of the center. This head, this personality, seemed to be the brains of the outfit. Xander knew it was the center who held the rest at bay and that it was the center he had to convince first not to kill him and perhaps even listen to him.

“Hey, buddy,” he said with a wide smile addressing the Cerberus directly. The assassin jumped back slightly arms in the air at the most recent attempt the left made on his life. “Look. Hear me out for a bit.” Xander raised empty hands for the show. “I have a little idea that might just interest you.” He turned his palms up and raised his arms in a half shrug. Black eyebrows raised and a smirk crossed his face once again.

[Cerberus]

Cane could feel the approach of the wraith before it ever broke the surface of reality and he bristled hatefully, the Left temporarily catching sight of a new target—another bad memory in the Right’s opinion.

But the Center ignored it—it’s words and presence, as it was not in any physical, threatening form… and its words were easily understood and openly passive towards the canine. Cane seemed to sense a meaning behind the shadow wraith’s words—something meant to have an aggravating effect, but it did not bother Cane.

With a snort and a shake of his three volatile skulls, the murderous dog focused back on his initial quarry.

The sound of the address, brought the Cerberus back into its original state of vengeance, and all three heads seemed to draw back in aggressiveness—a snake coiling for the strike, lungs inflated ready to pounce.

Vengefully, the Left released its coils and snapped viciously towards the impassive demon, Xander, and the Right apprehensively observed the blade—following it as it found its sheath.
However, the Center merely resorted to a low, rolling growl—tilting its head curiously at the sound of a propository voice. What did this silver eyed demon have to say?

Lies, no doubt.
Pointed ears lay flat against the Center’s skull as he snarled aggressively in distrust. His understanding of the human tongue was limited compared to the ancient voice which he’d listened to all his life, but he found no threat among the words.

Still… anger and memory were hard reasons to ignore and his natural, impulsive instinct ran against this new patience he was portraying. He wanted to kill—kill Xander and satisfy an old bloodlust as well as his nagging hunger.

Adrenaline poured through his brain in waves and his muscles shivered expectantly. Cane felt himself leaning forward ever so suddenly—subtle enough that event he Center did not notice.

But the Left was all too aware, and red victorious eyes flashed as he struck out towards the feit lord within—sharp incisors flashing as the large jaws looked for flesh.

Yet, in a sudden flurry of motion the Center reacted; digging in his heels, Cane turned upon his anger—his reason snapping out to put his wrath back in its place.

There was not a good reason to kill him yet; no yet and with a disgruntled snarl, the left head lowered into a passive pose—continuing to eye the silver transgressor before it.

But otherwise, Cane did nothing merely looked back towards Xander—waiting.
Waiting for his reason.
If Xander was expecting some forward progress towards an amiable response… than he was asking too much of the carnivorous and unpredictable Cane.

[.::~*D.i.S.a.S.t.E.r*~::.]

<sup>Gabrial's faceless head seemed to watch Xander with a careless air. The wraith was fully enjoying the fact that he had retained a sense of free-will about the hybrid, though it did dissapoint him that he couldn't kill the intruder who so arrogantly tread within the dark abyss of the shadowy worlds.

Thus as the human barked an order to silence... Gabrial absorbed the sarcasm with a sadistic and darkly playful smile.

With a shrug, a step back, and a mock bow he moved away from Xander's side, motioning his arms as if presenting the crossbreed with the cerberus. A very "he's all yours..." motion.

However, he couldn't keep his silence... afterall... that was just no fun.
With a sneer from behind the shadows, he muttered softly in almost a whisper, but in a very "I know something you don't" manner of tone: "È il vostro funerale."

With a dark laugh he straightened up, and the misty shadow stood back away from the scene, intent to linger and watch.
Xander needn't worry, Gabe was not going to interfere.</sup>

OOC: sorry its not terribly long. I'm just gonna have Gabriel sit out for the time being and just kinda linger in the background to watch, so you guys can go on ahead without me... and I might jump in sometime if the moment seems right.

[chaoskeeper]

Cold silver eyes rolled ignoring the wraith’s final comment before stepping aside. No comment. Shade’s complete attention followed everything about Hell’s guard dog including its partially distracted attention directed towards the wraith and the implications it hinted at. This dog seems to have had a number of memories connected him to the realm hidden in shadow, a realm the crossbreed had only visited in haste, yet this beast had first appeared in fire and seemed the type of creature only Pyran would allow free reign in his lands. The thoughts were tossed aside with a snort and assassin eyes made contact with dark amber eyes made for one beast alone.

With a mind still calculating his chances, Xander watched in silence as the three-headed canine vented some unsatisfied anger and vengeance. He stood just out of range from the Left heads fangs since the Center had yet to release its leash, so the man merely waited for his moment to continue his proposition.

The Cerberus clearly did not trust the man from a previous fight in a strange land. Who in their right mind would? A man dressed in black who had displayed the gifts bestowed by one of the divine siblings but now exited a city protected by another. Pointed ears flat against his apparently leading head created the perfect picture of a king cobra ready to strike. Despite what seemed the whole-hearted desire to fight in his eyes, the unnamed beast out of Hell waited. Xander smiled crookedly recognizing his opportunity to sway Cane away from biting his head off.

He shifted his weight with anxious energy the excitement rippling through his body and blood.
Xander was about to begin having opened his mouth to let loose his tongue when a flash of teeth and bloodlust lashed out against a sleeping shadow lord. Eyes gone wide watched as in slow motion a large set of ivory teeth come at him. Immediately, his feet left the dirt to escape to the fallen tree just behind him. The Cerberus literally fought with himself to keep from harming their target as of now. It must be torture to want one thing, need another, and do something else. Upon landing, a relieve sigh escaped thin lips. He was in the clear… for now at least.

When Hell’s beast had finally brought his rage back under control, Xander dropped from the log. Standing tall again, he began.

“I have an idea about you.” Continuing with a friendly tone and his usual shrugs and hand gestures in the general vicinity of his waist, he explained himself having unconsciously slipped into the ancient language of his father. “Sembrate godere fare la difficoltà, ma la cosa è io ha un'idea che renderebbe la difficoltà più soddisfacente.” He paused to be sure Cane was still listening. Silver eyes glanced in a crooked manner. “La mia idea è dare alla vostra difficoltà un motivo oltre a divertimento. Sarebbe una spada a doppio taglio. Che opinione voi?” Xander finished with barely a pause to reinforce authenticity of his offer. “Desideri sentire più?”

With every part of his blackened heart, Xander hoped the Cerberus understood the general idea of his proposition. Beyond that, he hoped he would be able to understand the answer without a doubt. When dealing with these types of things, it is never good to be questioning the reliability of the intelligence.

His face conveyed a sense of pleasant expectation. Black eyebrows raised opening up silver eyes and freshly washed cheeks creased with his standard half-cocked smirk.