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"There is no mistake, my lord," Jared said, opening his eye once again. He was clothed in his half-robe of black and red, and he carried an ornate staff that acted as both weapon and symbol of his role as Soothsayer. His claw traced the entwined gold and silver serpent-like dragons with their fierce visages staring and paying homage to the floating ruby between them, the jewel itself like a dragon's eye.

"None whatsoever? They intend to invade?" Lucian asked, clearly troubled. It was only Jared's soothing voice that kept him from outright anger as he listened to his counsel.

"Yes. Though not with armies or declarations of war. They intend to challenge you. For myself and Zagan, though I know not why."

"Because of what you once were, Rune," Lucian sighed, though Jared wasn't sure what he meant by that. He had always served Lucian, hadn't he? A small flicker of a memory was quickly snuffed out as he focused instead on his lord and master.

"They seek to rescue us?" Zagan said, a laugh in his voice. Jared looked down at his pendant; it was almost all obsidian now, save for a few features of what Davin had once been. It wouldn't be long now, though he wondered why the lone sapphire eye had not yet turned diamond. Perhaps it would be the last to turn. "Kidnap us, more likely. Turn us against you, make us fight for their cause... bastards."

"It matters little. We have time to prepare for their arrival," Lucian said, before Jared shook his head.

"Not nearly as much time as my lord envisions. They prepare from an adjacent realm to ours. I cannot see it for what it is, save for one small room. And even then, I see symbols instead of people. I know their intentions, but not their faces. Whenever I try to see more clearly, I am met only by the dark depths of a watery abyss."

"Dylann, most likely. Tell me more of the symbols you see, then," Lucian said. Zagan brandished his sword and shield in irritation as he listened; any idea of a threat to his lord was enough to aggravate the Herald.

"I see the wolf with horns; one eye looks to the past, while the other looks to the future. I see a sword of eyes, bathed in blinding light with two hands holding it. I see a strange green beast, and upon his head lies a crown of depravity and debauchery. I saw what I first thought to be a giant fish, but when I gazed closer upon it I saw it possessed the eyes and teeth of both a goat and a wolf. To either side of it I saw what looked to be guardians of some kind; one composed of multi-hued light yet promising battle, and the other of shadow and whispered secrets. I saw one other there as well, though when I tried to get a good look at them I felt my attention waning before I realized they had moved from my sight."

"I don't know this wolf with horns, but the rest seem obvious," Lucian said, after thinking upon what he had been told. "The crown of depravity and debauchery is obviously Lust, whatever form he takes. Dylann and Seth are both Temperance, and the avatars are Mark and Zale. To think he'd involve them... but then, they probably wanted to go. Uther is obviously with them, because I don't know any other blade of light... and the eyes must be those who once held the blade. Eyes can symbolize knowledge, as you well know Rune."

"All too well," Jared said, gazing upon Lucian with his lone eye. "I also agree with your interpretations, my lord, even if some of those names are unfamiliar to myself. Only the last one perplexes me. It was as if it knew I could see them."

"...I have my suspicions. It is no doubt another Elder, however. With so many in one place, and one warding against roving eyes, I can only assume they all met in the realm reserved for meetings between the Sins, which naturally protects the identities of those within, among other things... unless they're a Virtue. It seems Dylann added an extra layer of protection, though it identifies him as well..."

"They seek to take from you what is rightfully yours, my lord. I cannot abide such an insult to your honor!" Zagan said, barely keeping himself from shouting. "Let me rip them apart. You need only say the word."

"No. They will come to you anyway, but to go to them would be foolish," Lucian said, shaking his head in amusement. "Even if Rune went with you, you would be hard-pressed to keep them from taking you. No... let them come to us. If they seek an audience, they will have to work for it."

*******

The sensation of falling everywhere and nowhere was disorienting, but soon he felt himself enter a new reality from the one he had just left. Wings spread out above him as strong arms held him, and Uther realized Clay was landing them on a floating platform of some kind.

"So this is heaven, hm?" Uther joked, taking in the realm of light. "I could do better."

"Careful, that's the exact attitude Lucian seeks to foster in a mortal," Clay said, watching as the others landed beside them. "Though I expected a welcoming party at least."

"...I think they know we're here anyway," Stellan said, holding out his hand as rain began to slowly fall around them. "Flying may be difficult from now on. What a pain..."

"Why do you think that?" Seth asked, before Zale shook his head. They had wings as well, Uther noticed. Had they all transformed mid-fall?

"...You don't feel it? The wind..."

"Crap," Uther said, realizing why no one was there. "I think he's gonna-"

Wind blasted them all off the platform as the sky darkened considerably, the storm in full force in a matter of moments. As he fell, Uther could see twisters forming all over the place; no doubt they'd been hit by one of those just now, since everyone was being split up and blown away.

"I've got you!" Clay said, grabbing hold of him as he tried his best to fly in the whirlwind while carrying him.

"Stop flying and fall!" Uther commanded. Even if he was confused, Clay obeyed instantly as he wrapped his arms and wings tightly around him. Focusing, light surrounded them both as Uther channeled the power of his blade without it actually being in his hands... that was a new one. But every single one of his past lives were acting in unison, settling their differences all for the chance to take on Pride himself. That's what it felt like to him anyway, as wings of light sprouted from them... yet they weren't attached to Uther. Not really. Each of his six wings seemed to cut through the air as if it was nothing but a minor inconvenience, though he knew he flew with more than just wing strength as he navigated them out of the worst of it. Clay let go of him before settling in beside him, flapping his own more natural looking bat wings.

"Yeah, they definitely know we're here!" Clay shouted, pointing ahead of them at the many flying shapes.

"You ready?" Uther asked, his eyes glowing with light as the blade emerged... though for the first time, it had chosen the form of a greatsword. Until now, he had not been aware it could do that. He heard Clay laugh as sparks of green lightning formed between his hands.

"Try to keep up!" Clay said, before loosing a powerful blast ahead of them. Uther could see the enemy had been taken by surprise, since some were caught in the blast and instantly vaporized. No way any of them had been mortal though. They were only allowed to kill daemons, since death meant so little to them in the long run. Not that Uther had any intention to do otherwise.

Caledfwlch shone brightly as Uther lifted it in front of him, the flat of the blade facing the daemons flying toward them. It felt so light despite its size; holding it with one hand, he ran his other down the length as he chanted. Just as they were about to be upon them, he shouted the last words of the spell as tendrils of light erupted from the blade and pierced the hearts of those closest. Disintegrating as they fell, Uther could tell he had felled a great amount of them.

"Holy shit!" Clay said, already charging another bolt. "Nevermind! I'll try to keep up with you instead!"

Ignoring the praise, Uther simply prepared himself to clash with the approaching dragons that were more than prepared to pierce his own flesh. After all, a daemon was allowed to act in self-defense, and they were the invaders here. They were not lost mortals, nor were they here as guests. These daemons may have not started this fight, but they were standing against a soldier who had haunted daemons since the first Uther Pendragon took up Caledfwlch against them.

*******

Zale hadn't known what hit him as they were all scattered... he only remembered falling, his wings utterly useless as the wind worked to pin them to his body or carry him to places he didn't want to go. Dizzy from all the tumbling, he was grateful when he felt strong hands and arms catching him and carrying him toward a building of some kind. It was massive inside, yet somehow it sheltered them from the storm as they landed. But instead of letting him go, he felt himself being spun around by those same hands and falling into some kind of luxurious cushion. These were not his friends, he realized, watching as they examined him.

"Oh, this one's of Temperance," a dragon said, noticing his lone bracer. He must have lost his other one. "He'll be fun."

"He'll definitely give us a tough fight," another dragon agreed. "But he looked so strong and handsome trying to fly against the wind, so we just had to help him out of that terrible storm. Didn't we?"

"Let me go!" Zale demanded, before he realized they weren't holding him down at all. Yet he couldn't move his body other than to look and speak. Magic. Of course.

"We're not keeping you prisoner, my lord," one dragon said, though despite the meek words Zale could sense the hidden malice. "We wish only to entertain you as our guest."

"You deserve the best, coming to this realm with such confidence and determination."

"I..." Zale said, his head swimming with praise already. Despite the wards he'd been set up with, nothing could stop the words as they kept pampering him and helping him to relax. It wasn't long before he was able to move, yet... he didn't want to. "Why am I so... weak..."

"You are strong, lord," yet another dragon said, sliding his bracer off of his arm. Were there more now? It didn't matter; he allowed one behind him to begin massaging his temples as they spoke in a soothing voice. "A proud warrior such as yourself must have seen countless battles. Why not tell us of the glories you have no doubt witnessed?"

"Why do you keep calling me that?" Zale asked, curiosity overriding the fogginess creeping into his head. "I am no lord."

"You are the new master of this house, are you not?"

"You should be, with such power and authority."

"Why else would you just sit there, while we, your servants, pamper and serve you to the best of our abilities?"

"But I-"

"Your wine, my lord?" a servant suggested, placing an ornate goblet into his hands. Without thinking, he brought it to his lips and drank. It tasted so good... in fact, he had never tasted wine so well aged as this.

"...I could... use something for my headache..." he said, his head throbbing even with the alcohol quickly helping to numb the pain. "And isn't there anything to be done about that awful noise outside?"

"I shall bring my lord's medicine," one servant said, as others bowed to close the large doors and windows of the place. The unease he'd been feeling began to dissipate as he allowed himself to be tended to, the magic seeping into him from the cushion and wine slowly clouding his mind further even as it filled him with a sense of power and purpose.

"Such marvelous scales you have," one admired, and Zale couldn't help but feel flattered about that. He'd always liked his newer merlion form, but some people only truly appreciated the upper furry half of his body. Not that he needed their approval, though.

"Are you some sort of water dragon?" another asked, before Zale shook his head.

"No. But ah, I guess I can see how you might think that," Zale said, smiling as he drank more of the wine.

"No need to be so bashful, lord. You are worthy of worship and praise. You must work very hard on your body for it to look so amazing."

"You have no idea," Zale sighed, remembering the workout routine he underwent. Sure, his body seemed to need less maintenance than a human mortal of similar proportions, but he still had to put in a lot of effort. For his job, and for his image. It was no secret he enjoyed a good flex session in front of the mirror after a particularly hard workout. He could properly admire his scaly muscles as he flexed his thighs, abs... chest. Arms... scaly arms? That didn't sound right to him. When he tried to question it though, he felt oil dripping onto his chest as a servant or three rubbed him up and down. "That... feels nice."

"It pleases my lord?"

"It pleases me very much," Zale chuckled, starting to get into it. As distracted as he was with the massaging and oil, he didn't realize that the scales on his body had begun to spread upward. His tail began to look more and more like a water dragon instead of the crocodile look he'd adopted for land and inspired by Dylann. "I can still hear the wind howling outside, but... it is a bit soothing, admittedly. The fire is nice and warm, as well."

"Shall I play music for my lord?"

"Yes, but softly; my head is pounding something fierce. Where is that medicine?"

"Right here, my lord," a servant said, carrying a smaller goblet with him. "Drink and be well."

"What took so long?" Zale snorted, downing it quickly as his servant brought it to his lips. He could already feel his headache diminishing as a tingling sensation spread through his body. Flexing his arm, he admired his new draconic hands and arms as the scales spread along his sides. He knew deep down this wasn't right, but he wanted this now. Perhaps Lucian was right.

"Apologies, my lord, but it seems some of your servants have gone missing. I had sent for someone to retrieve it, but when he did not return I ended up having to do so myself. Not that it was any burden of course, but the one I sent is nowhere to be found now."

"That is strange," Zale admitted. Snapping his fingers at a few of his servants, he gestured for them to follow the first servant. Despite having been there for so little time, he already felt and acted like he owned the place. "Go with him and look for them. Make sure they aren't slacking on the job."

The servants obeyed, leaving him with just a few massaging and tending to him. The longer it went on, the less it felt like they were ruffling through slicked up fur and more like they were smoothing his thick hide. When he finally bothered to look down at his body, he felt only pride at how much of it now looked like a dragon's. He could feel the scales slowly crawling up his neck now, though by this point he was now wishing he could help it along. He felt powerful and strong, and he couldn't wait to be a dragon and offer himself to Pride. He had already started to forget anything before this moment, as if every part of his old self was just another memory to be swallowed up.

"What curious webbing, my lord," a servant said, remarking on the webbing of his hands and feet. "Does it propel you through the air better?"

"No, it's for swimming. Though flying is infinitely superior," Zale said, laughing at the ignorance of his servant. "I do feel as if I am forgetting something, however. Might you know what that is?"

"Well, my lord's schedule is open, considering the storm repelling the invaders outside..."

"Who invited them anyway?" Zale snorted, his jaw popping as his muzzle slowly started turning into a powerful draconic maw. Looking around, he saw it was just him and the one servant. As if realizing no one else was around, the servant himself looked about to leap into action before grunting in pain. Disintegrating, he fell to the side to reveal a lion with wings. Zale had to admit he was particularly attractive, especially with such a nice harness upon him.

"Zale, I swear..." the lion said, rolling his eyes and pulling something from a pouch. Before Zale could react or even demand anything of him, a flash of light blinded and overtook him. Blinking, Zale looked down to see his body was quickly returning back to normal along with his memories. He shuddered in revulsion at what had almost happened to him, staring Mark in the eyes as if looking away would make him disappear.

"What the hell just happened?" Zale said, before catching something Mark threw at him.

"You lost one of your bracers," Mark said, picking up Zale's second bracer from where it had been placed. "Seems that gust did more than just scatter us. Put them back on and I'll help ward them back up."

"I... okay," Zale said, remembering more and more everything he had just been doing. Leaping off the cushion as if it were a cactus, he took his bracers and placed them back on his naked forearms. "I'm sorry."

"For what?" Mark asked, while he renewed the wards on their gear. "Your mind was under attack. It could have happened to anyone."

"I should be better than that, though," Zale said, ashamed. "It just... felt so good to be appreciated, I guess? I knew better and yet..."

"Don't worry about it, babe," Mark said, smiling. "Pride is a deadly sin for a reason. Besides, you had like twenty daemons attacking you personally. I'm just glad I made it inside in time to start picking them off."

"Wait, you killed twenty daemons?" Zale asked. "When?"

"I'll take that as a compliment," Mark said, invisibility shimmering over his body like a wave from left to right. "They never saw it coming."

"God I love you," Zale said, finally feeling himself once more.

"Not going to go dragon again on me, are you?" Mark teased, smiling as he played with Zale's tendril-like whiskers.

"Not unless you want me to, after all this. I have a score to settle right now."

"Let's go kick some ass, then," Mark laughed, watching as Zale focused. A small whirlpool of water formed at his feet before his old harpoon slowly emerged; grasping it, his bracers glowed with the weapon as he felt the blessing of Temperance strengthen. He felt like a commander once more.

"Hope the others are okay," Zale said, allowing the remaining water to crawl up his body and rest in his free hand to form an orb. He didn't have as much magic as someone like Seth did, but little tricks combined with his gear allowed him to gain an edge in battle. Thrusting his arm out, the orb erupted into a pressurized stream, cutting through the stone door as easily as a warm knife through butter. Finishing, he kicked the slab out and made his way through the new hole before sending the orb at a passing daemon, punching a hole through their wings in the process.

"So which way, do you think?" Mark asked, flicking his dagger without looking. A surprised yelp was the response, and soon the blade was back in Mark's hands.

"Even without the reports, I'd be surprised if Lucian wasn't in the largest, most ornate building of them all."

"Right. Find the structure as big as his ego. Shouldn't be hard," Mark laughed, giving him a kiss on the shoulder before falling off the side and vanishing from sight.

"Well this was humbling," Zale muttered to himself, carrying the lesson he'd learned just now with him as he launched into flight. Yes, it could have happened to anyone, but he knew better than this. He couldn't help but shake the feeling they'd been expecting them all and that this trap had been designed just for him. What else would they have to face before they saw the end of this? Zale wasn't sure he wanted to know.

*******

Liam watched as more dragons dropped like stones, their eyes glazed over. It almost made Liam want to close his eyes and join them, but he knew better than to give in to the wave of exhaustion rippling off Stellan as he flew close by. His link to Dylann was the only thing allowing him to even use his power without much restrictions, and without it he surely would have succumbed to Sloth.

"I can back off a bit if you need me to," Stellan said, his tired voice not doing much to help keep Liam alert. But Liam's worries and adrenaline were enough to keep him from sleeping, even on a normal night on Earth.

"I'm fine. Just keep doing what you're doing, Stellan. Even if it isn't much," he half-joked, but Stellan simply nodded as he flapped his wings above him. Liam had to admit it was nice to be even partially shielded from all this rain. A flash of lightning arced once again through the sky, no doubt headed towards Dylann once more. Liam had thought of him as lord of his own ocean for so long that he forgot he could command storms. No doubt he was the sole reason this storm wasn't making it completely impossible to fly around in; Pride's power and his must be in a constant state of conflict. It was funny to Liam that he'd been helping Lucian to face off against Dylann not even a year ago. Spotting some daemons actually fighting against Stellan's aura as they drew a bit too close, Liam began focusing on their desire to fall fast asleep. He smirked as his power mixed with Stellan's to bring them crashing down.

"Nice one," Stellan said, calm as ever. "But don't let your guard down."

"I don't plan on it," Liam said, though honestly he was just glad Stellan was with him. If he was by himself he wasn't sure if he'd be able to fend them off as well as they both could together. Once everyone had been scattered, it was like these soldiers knew exactly where they were going to be. Liam didn't like it. He was so wrapped up in his thoughts that he didn't sense the new twister forming until it was too late.

"Screw it," he heard Stellan say, before his feet clutched both of Liam's arms. Stellan was more bat than anthro at the moment, though it also made him far better at flying through the storm. Instinctively, Liam folded up his wings and allowed himself to be carried as they were caught in the vortex, the massive fruit bat navigating the wind with ease as he simply went with the flow. It wasn't just that though. Any time a gust tried to knock them from the sky, it was as if it simply relaxed as soon as it drew near them, resulting in a more gentle breeze. When they were out of the worst of it, Stellan let Liam go.

"Shit," Liam cursed, spreading his wings out again from the jolt of being dropped. He'd actually relaxed while being carried, but now he had to focus again. "Thanks, Stellan."

"Any time. Wouldn't want my favorite bartender to get Pride-ified now, would I? Oh, but don't let that go to your head."

"Let's just get this done. Honestly, all I really want to do is just go home and take a nap," Liam yawned, allowing himself to glide a bit. He felt urgency to get their task done, but he also saw no reason to hurry. It seemed they were only going to get to Lucian on the dragon's own terms anyway. Even Liam could see he was trying to wear them out, or worse.

*******

"Well, that's impressive," Seth said, his booming voice startling him slightly as he observed the massive tempest ahead of them. He wasn't used to feeling this powerful outside of the realm of Temperance; he was as big as he was used to, his crown of authority on full display above his head. Instead of the usual tail fin however, he had a much longer tail and many pairs of smaller wings to match the larger ones on his back. It reminded him more of those eastern dragons than the fire-breathing type knights would slay in books and movies. "I'd say it rivals the Maelstrom, even."

"It's similar, but not nearly as powerful as it seems," Dylann reassured him, another lightning strike channeling straight towards his trident. His body looked similar to Seth's, but the wolf thought he looked much more impressive than himself. Twirling his charged weapon around, Dylann aimed and released the stored bolt not unlike some sort of rifle. Several daemons in the path of the deadly bolt were instantly vaporized or injured to the point they couldn't keep flying properly.

"Where are all the mortals, do you think?" Seth asked, curious.

"No doubt safe. Though for Lucian to know to do that in advance, I have to believe Odin is beginning to learn how to divine."

Seth was about to ask what he meant when he realized several larger daemons were almost upon him. Turning to defend himself, he winced as a streak of light crossed his vision. Blinking, he smiled when he realized who was now with them.

"Uther! Clay!" Seth laughed, glad to see they were okay. "You made it!"

"Zale and Mark too," Uther said, pointing back behind his six wings. They didn't quite connect to his body, giving Seth the impression of him being some sort of high tech superhero. "They actually saved our asses earlier. I should really learn more from them later."

"It wasn't any trouble, my lord Temperance," a voice said from beside Seth. A shimmer of light and Mark was visible once more, though Zale wasn't too far behind him. Seth wasn't about to correct them right now; not only were they in their power once again, it would also serve as a buffer against Lucian's own influence.

"How the hell are we getting through that, anyway?" Seth heard Liam ask, flying in with a more bat-like shape flying above him. Stellan seemed the least concerned of them all... maybe Seth would pay him a visit after all this. He still had to get to know his fellow elders, Sin or Virtue. "Oh, and hey. Sorry for dropping in like this."

"Well that's all of us, I'd say," Dylann said, and Seth felt his attention diverting to him. "Ready, my heart?"

"...Ah. I see what you want to do. And of course I'm ready," Seth said, smiling as he moved into position. Dylann and Seth twirled around each other, light forming along their bodies as they drew closer and closer... with a deep kiss, Seth felt himself and Dylann merge. It was the first time they'd done this, though they'd often discussed it. Where Dylann ended, Seth began and vice versa. They... he was Temperance. When the light faded, it revealed a larger being with four great wings added onto the rest of their body. Black and white swirled together in patterns all along their fur, and two pairs of arms held a magnificent harpoon and trident to either side. Their features were a mix of wolf and goat, though all four eyes stared ahead with determination. Smiling, they both focused their combined and amplified power before launching themselves into the giant twister. A small part of them wondered what the hell they were doing as they flew the opposite way it was turning, though a reassuring feeling passed through them as strike after strike of lightning flew into their weapons. Instead of releasing the energy, they used it as they focused on the spell in mind; between the knowledge Ortun had once gained and Dylann's own, the twister began to unravel as both wind and magic flowed out of it. Twisting suddenly, they entered the eye of the storm before traveling upward... with a shout louder than Seth would have thought possible, they both released the energy and spell outward as it blasted the storm apart.

"Fine! So be it," Lucian's enraged voice boomed all around them. As suddenly as the rain and winds had come, the storm gave way to white clouds and sunbeams as it all came to a sudden stop. Feeling himself separate from Dylann, Seth began falling before he felt Dylann wrap his arms around his chest. Before he knew it, they were all standing before a massive doorway as Seth felt himself and Dylann transform into a more land-based approach.

"I'm fine now, my heart," Seth said, standing on his own as Dylann reluctantly pulled away. "That was amazing, but... wow. Talk about an experience."

"Well? Are you entering or not?!" Lucian boomed again, though Seth could tell it was coming from inside as his voice vibrated through them.

"Shouldn't keep him waiting," Dylann laughed, though Seth knew he was just trying to hide his concern. Seth simply nodded, gesturing for the others to follow them inside.

*******

"...Not you, Pendragon," the large, midnight-like dragon said, pointing his sword directly at Uther. "You will wait here while the others proceed."

"Good to see you too, I guess," Uther sighed. He'd already allowed the wings to fade away, though he'd kept his blade out just in case. It was easier to handle now that it was back to its usual size, however. "Go on ahead, you guys."

"You sure?" Seth asked, before the dragon snorted in irritation.

"My lord will see the Elders, as well as those in service to them, but not him."

"What about me?" Clay asked, causing the dragon to shrug.

"Stay, or go. But if you make trouble then I promise you will not see the outside of a cell for a millennia as you currently are, lust daemon. So say I, Zagan, Herald of Pride."

"Geez. I'll stay with Uther then," Clay growled. He clearly wanted to say more, but Uther shook his head at him.

"Very well then. Allow me to announce you all. Some things must be kept sacred, after all..."

"Of course, Zagan," Dylann said, clearly having expected this. "It would be rude of us to intrude past this point during a ceasefire... unless we are given no other choice."

"Hmph. If you say so, lord Temperance."

Watching Zagan entering through the massive doors, Uther couldn't help but feel like a minnow among sharks as he waited. Only Clay had stayed even close to his size; even Mark and Zale were much bigger than he could hope to be. He chuckled as he idly wondered if size really mattered to daemons. Everyone was quiet, but Uther understood it was mostly because of the tension in the air. Anything that was going to be said, would be said in the 'throne' room ahead. Soon enough, however, the doors opened once more and Zagan gave a slight bow of the head to them.

"My lords, you may enter. Master Lucian, in his infinite mercy and grace, has decided to grant you the audience you seek."

"Thank you, Zagan," Dylann said, cutting off everyone else before they could make any remark. "We are grateful for the opportunity to do so without further bloodshed."

"As much as I hate how you did it, I do have to admit you all fought admirably. Enter, then," Zagan said, stepping to the side. "I will stay here, for now. Someone must keep an eye on the daemon slayer."

When they had all gone ahead, the doors closed behind them and Zagan turned to stare at them with his solid black eyes. No, not quite black... staring into them as an equal, Uther had to admit it reminded him a bit of those pictures of galaxies he'd seen when learning about the universe in school.

"...So how have you been?" Uther asked, feeling awkward with the silence.

"You mean, how has Davin been? But the line between myself and him has blurred so much it might as well not even exist at this point. Yet, somehow, it does," sighed Zagan, idly stroking the obsidian pendant around his neck. It looked just like him, save for a few streaks of ivory and the eyes, one a diamond and one a sapphire. "Either way, the years have treated us very well. I see you brought Clay with you. Seeking to 'cure' me, hm?"

"Well it's not exactly a curse anyway, is it?" Clay muttered, having been quiet as he had studied him. "But if it's not a curse, then... a contract?"

"Yes. A contract within a contract," Zagan chuckled, putting aside his sword and shield before kneeling and holding out a hand for them. When neither of them moved, he smirked. "I won't bite. Come. Let me show you my lord's handiwork."

"I will stab you," Uther warned, before slowly walking onto the open hand. It was pretty massive, and after only a moment of hesitation Clay followed. "Fair warning."

"Let's just be civil, hm? Now, look upon it," Zagan said, using his free hand to turn the large pendant around. Well, large compared to them; Uther assumed it grew or shrank in proportion to the rest of his body. A glowing contract could be seen as Uther felt the thrum of magic being channeled through it... all the terms and legalese made his head spin.

"How the hell did Davin even get this on him?" Uther asked, irritated. "I thought he wasn't going to sign anything complicated..."

"He didn't sign this one directly. The contract he did sign said he would accept the consequences of being Zagan. This one states that the wearer accepts the terms of that contract as well as this one. A contract within a contract."

"Fuck me sideways," Clay said, crossing his arms. "I knew he shouldn't have trusted Lucian so quickly."

"What about Jared? What did you do to him?" Uther asked, knowing there wasn't really much he could do for Davin now. Unless...

"Nothing, save for showing my affection for him. He resisted the idea of even being with me. Then my lord suggested he spend a week with me and if he didn't like me by the end still, then he wouldn't bother him about it anymore. Of course, he agreed without asking which week my lord meant... so he has been here for years and years. A week on Earth is a long time here by comparison."

"And if he spent time here for that long with his guard down, he probably succumbed to his own pride like any other mortal would in this realm," Clay said, gritting his teeth.

"Exactly. But it did mean I got to spend the time with him that I wished. Davin doesn't deserve this body or Rune. But enough of this unpleasantness," Zagan said, bringing them back down to the ground. "How about a little contest to pass the time? It's that or we spend this time in silence."

"What kind of contest?" Uther warily asked. He was well aware what 'contest' meant to daemons.

"Smart lad. I was thinking we could spar, Pendragon. My sword and shield against your blade, no magic involved. Steel against steel, winner take all."

"You'd have to be smaller first," Uther said, causing Zagan to chuckle. "No more than how you'd be as a normal anthro on Earth."

"Good of you to specify that, though I had every intention to make it 'fair' anyway. I can't really prove my skill against yours if the contest is rigged from the start, now can I?"

"You said winner take all," Clay said. "What did you mean?"

"Well, any contest needs wagers. If I win, Uther will join us in service to Pride. I bet he'd make a perfect commander."

"Told you so," Uther sighed, irritably looking up at Zagan as the dragon began to shrink himself down. "So, what about when I win?"

"Well, I cannot offer myself nor would I wish to do so. You would need to challenge Master Lucian for that right anyway, though I am sure one of your allies plans to do just that for you. So, what is it you would you like?"

"If I win, you have to wear this hat," Uther said, taking the worn-out baseball cap he carried with him. "Oh, and you must accept all the consequences of doing so, to quote you and your master."

"That's it, huh? Fine, I accept," Zagan said, shaking his head. "A waste of a wager on your part, but still... it will be good to have you with us, Pendragon."

"Wait, how do we determine who wins? You can't exactly kill me if you want me to join you..."

"And you can't kill me with just the steel of that blade. But the aim isn't to kill each other. It is to get one of us to submit to the other's superior skill. You will know which of us wins."

"Vague, but fine, I'll accept that," Uther said, brandishing his blade. "Though if we're forced into a situation that would normally result in a lethal blow and we declare it, or one of us is disarmed without any chance of reclaiming our weapons, then that should also count as a loss. I doubt either of us would admit defeat otherwise. I'm stubborn and you're prideful."

"Same thing, really," Zagan said, though Uther definitely couldn't agree on that one. "Are you ready?"

"Wait, shit, let me get off to the side..." Clay said, getting out of the way of the two of them. Zagan was an acceptable size by this point, though Uther couldn't help but notice he definitely kept his size on the 'large' side of the vague scale he'd set.

Uther spent a moment focusing on the blade and his own thoughts. For once, they were in agreement. Adopting a sword-fighting stance, he smiled without opening his eyes.

"Well?"

"Yeah, have at thee or whatever," Uther said, his eyes snapping open with fierce determination. "I'm ready."

If it had been anyone but Uther who was fighting him, they might have been surprised by how quickly Zagan moved as he closed the distance. Sidestepping the obvious thrust, Uther batted his back with the flat of his blade. He could have sliced him, but he didn't.

"If you're going to fight me, then fight me!" Uther snarled, watching as Zagan quickly regained his balance. "Or could it be you only practice against those who take a fall for you?"

"You'll eat those words," Zagan laughed, smiling fiercely as he prepared for his next attack.

*******

"So you're making good on your promise, after all," Lucian sighed. "I assume Stellan is here to be a judge, then?"

"Among other reasons, but sure. I can judge if you want," Stellan said, completely unconcerned with the tension in the air. "Not like Dylann or you can do it."

"And you can?"

"I mean, sure, I like Davin. I don't really know Jared that well other than the drinks he'd serve me sometimes, but as long as everything's legit then I can't really do anything. I'll judge it fairly, don't worry."

"Yes, I suppose it's too much effort for you to pick a favorite anyway," Lucian chuckled, before turning his gaze to Seth. "You offer yourself up to me, in exchange for Zagan."

"Davin."

"They are the same, overall," Lucian said. "Due to his contracts with me, the best I can do is turn him over to you. There is no magical reset button to get Davin back, not without him wanting to come back himself. Do you understand that, Temperance?"

"...I guess I have to accept that, don't I?" Seth sighed, looking Lucian in the eyes. "Fine. Me for 'Zagan'. And Jared too, while we're at it."

"No. He joined me willingly, and I do not wish to part with him even in theory. Though he is Rune these days, and my Soothsayer. The one you see to my left."

Waiting for them to admire his latest prize, Lucian smirked as Seth's angry eyes bore through him.

"Is there no room for negotiation?" Dylann asked, sensing the distress Seth was in.

"You ask me for him. He is easily worth two of your best, so... I would only consider such a wager if your Mark and Zale are offered up to me in return, and even then I am being generous."

"You can't be serious!" snarled Seth, before calming himself down. "Why them?"

"They are currently in your service, are they not? Then those are my terms. Last I checked, you are not exactly in a position to negotiate anything else with me."

"Fine. But we include them all in the same contest," Stellan said, yawning as everyone stared at him in surprise. "I mean, I don't know about the rest of you, but I do have places to be after this. One contest is enough, right?"

"It's acceptable," Lucian said, mentally reviewing the changes. "Then a contest... Zagan and Rune, in exchange for Mark, Zale, and Seth."

"I don't..." Dylann said, clearly unwilling to go along with it before Seth placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder.

"Do you trust me, my heart?" Seth asked, and even Lucian had to admit it was rather sweet.

"You know I do, but..."

"Then let me do this," Seth said, smiling.

"...I suppose I must start trusting you as I do myself. We are equals, are we not? Very well, Seth," Dylann said. Lucian could tell he wanted to say more, but he kept his silence as the wolf turned to face him instead.

"What's the contest then?" Seth asked, causing Lucian to smile.

"Chess."

"Chess?" Seth asked, surprised. "Wait, really?"

"Is it so hard to believe? Though there will be some variations, which I will explain once we get into it. Stellan, you're familiar with this one."

"Yeah. Should be easy enough to judge then," Stellan said, shrugging as he wrapped his wings around himself. He was more anthro now than when he'd appeared in the skies of Lucian's realm. "Same rules as last time, right?"

"Indeed. I think it best to whet the young elder's appetite with something simpler than, say, a larger than life drinking contest."

"So who am I facing, then?" Seth asked.

"I assume you mean to enter the contest yourself, instead of appointing a champion. The end result is the same however. You will face me."

"My lord! Surely I should be the one who-" Rune began to protest, before Lucian held his hand up to silence him.

"I will face him. Elder to elder. As talented as I know you to be, I have significantly more experience with this."

"As... as you say, my lord," Rune said, gritting his teeth.

"Yes. As I say," Lucian warned, smirking as he looked down at the group before him. "The rest of you may watch, of course. But do not interfere or try to aid him in any way. That goes double for you, Dylann. I know of your link even in this realm."

"Then you will know if I use it, even if I were one to cheat," Dylann said, offended at the implication. "I don't like this contest, Lucian. But you should know me better than that."

"I thought I did, once. And then you went and gave Seth a place in your kingdom... so forgive me if I wish to 'cover my ass', so to speak. I do feel bad for taking them all from you, however. Perhaps when it's over, I'll allow you to bend the knee as well. It's the only way you'll see them again."

"Arrogant, aren't you?" Dylann said, bristling at the words. "But despite your words and attitude, you won't have any interference from me Lucian. You have my word as Temperance."

"Then let us begin," Lucian said, snapping his fingers. In an instant, they were whisked away to a void between realms. Allowing Seth to recover from his obvious disorientation, Lucian gestured to the board between them. The pieces were the usual setup, save for the fact that one side was red dragons and the other black wolves. "As you know, black moves last. And since you are the challenger here, I have taken the privilege of going first for myself."

"I would prefer to go second anyway," Seth said, his eyes resting to the side of the table. "I see you've also shrunk everyone else... except I don't see Stellan."

"I'm here," a voice boomed around them, and Seth jumped as a pair of wings unfolded from the darkness beyond them. A pair of lazy eyes stared at each of them, though Lucian smirked at the realization he was upside down. Just like a normal bat, then.

"I assume you're ready to judge this contest, then?" Lucian asked, causing Stellan to nod.

"This is Daemon's Chess," Stellan explained, his tired voice sounding even more bored than Lucian might have thought it could. "It's like normal chess, but uh... every piece you take joins your side. Kind of like Shogi I guess, except you put them into play from your back two rows where they'd normally go. That is, they can only be put into play in an open spot they would normally be, so if you haven't moved your rooks and take a rook, you have to wait until you move one of your own rooks before you can put another into play. Putting a piece into play also counts as a move though, so choose wisely."

"The pieces, once taken, will change to match their new master. Much like how daemons in real life change their aspect," Lucian said, bored already at how slowly Stellan was explaining this. "Oh, and there is one other thing."

"What is that, then?" Seth asked, listening closely to every word said to him.

"Every piece taken also affects your will as the player. Meaning, if I have more pieces than you, I might be able to influence you to make a mistake if you let your guard down. You might even begin wanting me to, if I'm winning by that much. But do you see your King there?"

"...Ah. I see..." Seth said, picking up his piece to look at it more closely. "It's me."

"It is. When that piece is placed into checkmate, you lose the game. Obviously. But it also means I dominate your mind completely. In addition to the terms we have agreed upon, you will obey one command of my choosing just as if I had spoken your true name."

"I assume the same happens if I place Lucian in checkmate?" Seth asked, looking to Stellan. When the giant bat nodded in confirmation, Seth turned back to the board. "Then let's do it. Assuming there aren't more changes, like the rooks move diagonally instead?"

"No, the game plays normally besides those variant rules," Stellan said, somehow producing an apple from somewhere neither of them could see and biting into it. "Oh, but do you want it to be timed? Might be more challenging though..."

"No, that won't be necessary Stellan," Lucian said, leaning over the table menacingly. "I want to watch him take his time. I want to see the moment he realizes everything he does is in vain. I want to see him struggle..."

"Geez, bad breath," Seth sighed, waving his hand in front of his face. A flippant attitude for someone who looked just like a biker thug, Lucian had to admit. The dragon himself, while still in an anthro form, had changed his own clothing to that of one of his usual suits. "Anyway, you gonna move a piece or what? I thought we were playing a game here."

"You'll make an excellent Pride daemon," Lucian said, smiling as he moved his first piece. This was all going according to plan. "Your turn."