In the guild's main lounge, Alaric Holloway was knocked out on this massive sofa like he owned the place. He'd crashed there for a solid nap after a late-night mission in the mines. It was pushing three in the afternoon, and he'd rolled into the cozy embrace of the sofa around two in the morning, post-mine adventures. Dust and debris clung to his clothes, but he didn't seem bothered. He did have a room upstairs, but old habits die hard years on the street make you cherish sleeping in public spots. Besides, it was warm, comfy, and these were his guildmates; safety was a given.

He squinted against the light as he stirred. The sniff he took wrinkled his face not exactly a rave review. A low groan escaped him as he flipped over, trying to hide from the invading brightness. “Ugh, I just wanted to snooze till dinner," he grumbled, catching another whiff. “And lunch has already wiped out all the good stuff." He shoved his face back into the cushions. “Damn it."

After a few more minutes of sulking, Alaric finally accepted the harsh reality. Rolling over, he faced the light, sat up, and let out a massive stretch with an audible moan just what you'd expect from someone who had a rough walk back from the mines. Mountain roads in the dark? Not exactly a walk in the park. He got up, making his way to the bar, snagging a seat and waiting for some service.

The guild hummed with activity around him, inviting anyone to jump into the vibe.

Lumikki was out of disguise as she walked around the guild. They all had the time to get used to her by now. Her skin was like the night and her hair was white as snow. Blue tattoos glowed from all over her skin and her eyes were a purple and pink. Her hands looked as though they were carved as ice and her legs were wrapped in living shadow that would form jutting feathers. She wore a large black over sized shirt and lacked any shoes. Finding that wearing them made her quite uncomfortable now.
Her hair hung in loose braids and the wings were relaxed.

As she took her silent steps, she would yawn periodically. Reveling her blue tongue and sharp fangs. By the time she made it to the bar area, she was near stumbling through the door way, but eager for a wake up drink.

Lumikki approached the bar counter and climbed on the stool, leaning most of her upper body on the counter as she slapped the counter top for the bartenders attention. ”
Oy Henderson, I require yer sweetest potion, stat if ye will. I need to rise fully from me slumber.” She was being annoying and cheeky, but that’s cause he was quite use to her antics by now. When she finally got a gulp in her to notice a new member at the bar as well.

She sauntered over and sat by him, ” Aye, greetings lad. Yer a new face aren’t cha. Names Lumikki Hrùtr but ye could just me Lumi.” She blinked for a bit and then really tried to get a focus on him, ” Do ye always look so haggard?…..Do ye always roll in the dirt? Actually, don’t answer that one. It’s more interesting if I think ya do.”

Alaric perched on a stool, patiently waiting for someone – anyone – to notice him amidst the lively hubbub of the guild. The attendants, however, seemed to have developed a peculiar skill for briskly sidestepping his existence, heading straight to more demanding customers. He sighed, not surprised. Ignored? That was an old story for him – a tale of a perpetual outcast, forever skirting the fringes of society. Plus, he was feeling a bit sticky at the moment.

Just as he was contemplating the mysteries of being perpetually overlooked, a newcomer claimed the stool next to him, making her presence known with a symphony of smacks on the bartop and a hearty holler. The unexpected burst of sound nearly jolted Alaric from his seat. “Jesus," he muttered, a hand clutching his heart. His eyes shifted toward the source, and honestly, he was taken aback. A demon had chosen the seat beside him.

Initially, Alaric attempted to redirect his attention to the bar, but the demon had other plans. Despite his attempt at nonchalance, her direct line of questioning eventually drew a response from him. “Ah, I guess I’m still newish. Been here for a year or so. I just don’t socialize well enough, I guess." He muttered, idly tearing a stray napkin into bits. Her remarks about his unkempt appearance didn't exactly ruffle his feathers, but it did dawn on him that maybe snoozing on the guild's sofa post-mine explosion wasn't the most socially acceptable move. Oh well, the napkin had already met its untimely end. By the time he mustered a reply, the bartender finally showed up.

“Here’s your beverage Ms. Lumikki,” he said, sliding a coaster beneath the drink. A distinctly disapproving glance Alaric's way accompanied the bartender's inquiry. “Meat. Whatever leftover roast you’ve got back there,” came Alaric's gruff response. The bartender, unimpressed, continued to eye him before turning to Lumikki. “And for you, Ms. Lumikki?” She received her beverage, a bubbling concoction that left Alaric curious. He gestured toward her drink. “So, you like those kinds of drinks?”

Lumikki's name rang a faint bell in Alaric's memory, but he hadn't ventured much into the realm of guild socializing. His acquaintances were more a result of work collaborations than casual chats.

” A year…..” Lumi squinted as she mulled it over. She didn’t doubt him but was disappointed she didn’t make note of him. She’ll have to talk it over with one of her ravens later. More than likely, they’ve seen him but never made note to tell her. And to both their defense, she’s been away as of late with matters like facing her fate.

After her thoughts cleared, which was quick enough, a smirk would appear on her face. The Demoness was in a playful mood. ” Good luck in making a year mate, colored me impressed. But now that ye’ve been discovered by me, consider yer peace gone. Ye’ll start socializing well now~”

Henderson returned with her request and slid it before her, taking all her focus on her company and back to her drink. ” Aye, thanks love. Ye could get the next ready for me, ‘cause this one won’t be lasting long…Now time to start the good ol’ morning correctly.” She threw it back, gulping a little more than half down. She took a moment to adjust to the burn before looking over her company again. She gave a deep sigh of pleasure, letting the liquor settle before talking again. ” Sweet drinks hit the spot lad, after growing with Dwarves ye get tired of ale.”

She casually snatched a shadow from the air and pulled it toward her mouth and munched. Lumikki was too lazy and impatient to prepare a breakfast of her own, nor did she want to wait for a meal at all. The darkness from around the bar would do just fine in filling her and the ice from her drink would top it off nicely.

She was still slurping her ribbons of darkness when she abruptly turned back to the man beside her. Her Worlds eye could pass along to her the gist of one names and traits, but there’s not fun in that, not entirely.” Oy, I could gleam yer name mind ya, but it’s rude not to say it yerself. Considering yer a pup and ya look like ya ran a garden on the way here, I’m tempted ta calling ya a stray at this rate. But ye already strike me better than a stray I’ve ran into here long ago. Lass was running outside like a dunce in the morning chasing bunnies and keeping them warm from the cold. Oddest Demi-human I’ve met and I’m half Demi-raven meself….wait….am I even half Demi- human anymore….well suppose I’m full raven now….” It hadn’t occurred to her that her change to Demon would change such things and so it struck her all at once such implications. She has a bit to mull over in her free time now.

Alaric tilted his head slightly, his brows furrowing in response to Lumi's playful tone. The Demoness certainly had a flair for banter, something that seemed to breach his otherwise brooding facade. "Socializing, huh? We'll see about that," he muttered, a faint smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. Her teasing energy was a stark contrast to his usual interactions, a novelty he found strangely intriguing.

As Henderson returned with Lumi's order, Alaric watched their interaction with mild curiosity. His gaze shifted back to Lumi as she sipped her drink, an amused glint in her eye that matched the mischief in her words. "Dwarves and their ale, huh? Sounds like a rowdy crowd," Alaric commented, half in jest, half genuinely curious about Lumi's experiences. Her ability to casually conjure shadows as a snack was a sight that elicited a silent acknowledgment from him; he'd seen his fair share of unique abilities, but hers was a different breed altogether.

He was about to reply when Lumi abruptly turned her attention back to him. Her flurry of words, almost like a cascade of thoughts rushing out, gave Alaric pause. He couldn't help but chuckle softly at her rambling. "Names, huh? Alaric. And it seems you've got a knack for vivid descriptions," he replied, a hint of amusement lacing his words. Her peculiar observations about herself, mulling over her own identity, struck a chord with him. After all, identity was something he'd grappled with himself.

"Stray, garden runner, and now a full raven, huh? Quite the journey," Alaric mused, his gaze momentarily drifting off as if reflecting on his own wandering path. Her musings about her own nature resonated with the turmoil he'd faced in defining his own identity As he shifted his focus back to Lumi, he offered a wry smile. "Seems like Orchidia's got quite the cast of characters," he remarked, taking another sip of his drink. Engaging in this exchange felt surprisingly different, the conversation taking an unexpected turn that Alaric found oddly refreshing.

" Rowdy bunch? Suppose ya could say so. They mind to their matters keenly, but they know how to sip some spirits in between. Ale and mead are good in a pinch, but I like stronger things on the sweeter side. Ye know it's the sweeter ones that are more dangerous, and really, that's how I like 'em." She sipped more of her drink to seal her words and make her point. Licking her lips cheekily, before letting out a soft giggle.

It was like she said, she did not nurse that drink long, and her particular mix was stronger than most. She savored the warmth it brought as it helped shake her awake. All the while munching ribbons of darkness in between. Meanwhile, Henderson did not take long to slide her to the next drink.

" Vivid descriptions? Journey? Not sure what ye are hinting at lad, but I could agree that there is indeed a variety of characters in Orchidia. As a matter of fact, I know a pub or two worth crawling into. Since I got ye under me wing now- wait, ye like rock music? Actually, mate, what do ye even like doing?" She couldn't help herself asking a lot. Though she likes to be mysterious and mischievous, it is mostly toward those from outside the guild. When it was someone who she saw as a mate, well then they were like family and kin. And what would she be if she was not an annoying big or little sister?

" Oof I like ta ramble. Don't mind me, I'm not usually so chatty on wake up but a drink in the morning and new company, just makes it fun. If ye have questions ta shot back pup, but all means." She threw her second glass back and downed half her drink. She leaned back on her stool only to be caught by a dark tendril.

"Sounds like an adventure with each sip" Alaric replied, a half-smile touching his lips, attempting to match her easy demeanor. He'd never been one for the sweeter spirits; they always seemed to pack a different punch, one he hadn't quite grown accustomed to. The mention of Orchidia's characters resonated. "Aye, Orchidia's got its fair share of tales, and every soul here seems to carry a story or two." He watched her with a mix of curiosity and amusement, noticing her swift consumption of the potent drink, her playful spirit apparent even in the early hours. Her barrage of questions both bemused and startled him. "Rock music? It's a fair bit of everything, I reckon. Don't rightly know yet what I fancy doin' here. Just treading the waters for now," he confessed, scratching the back of his head in uncertainty.

He leaned forward, considering her with a faint grin. "Ramble away, lass. It's been a quiet morning anyhow." He found himself oddly entertained by her chatter, an unexpected shift from his usual brooding silence. "I'll have to catch up on my drink, haven't had a sip yet," he chuckled, lifting the glass to his lips, though his pace was slower than hers.

The dark tendril, a curious sight, wrapped around her, and Alaric raised a brow, intrigued by her peculiar abilities. "Ye've got quite the bag o' tricks, I see," he noted, gesturing subtly toward the shadowy tendril. His curiosity lingered, but a sense of camaraderie began to creep in, a bond forming over shared moments and early morning conversations. As the tendrils danced around her, a peculiar warmth spread within him—the kind that stemmed from an unexpected kinship. He found himself easing into the oddity of the situation, a soft chuckle escaping him. "Questions, eh? Give me a tick. " he muttered, taking another slow sip of his drink.

The quirky afternoon conversation felt oddly comforting, a break from the usual solitude he sought. As the day unfolded, he sensed that perhaps his days might not remain as solitary as they once were.

” Treading waters? That takes me back when I was a fledgling here. Don’t miss the naive bliss and wonder either. Nor making a spot for meself in the mischief of Orchidia…well maybe a lil. They know me a lil too well ‘round these parts honestly.”

She was enjoying the energy of someone new. She wasn’t keen just yet on how sure he felt of himself, or even who he was just yet, but she was hoping he’d add to trouble around here. Makes things more fun and entertaining.

” Haven’t a sip lad? Shame on me for keeping ya.” She took the pause to drink some more of her own. Nestled along in her magic now, Alaric would make a comment now that brought her back into awareness. A dark tendril was coiling around her so snug and Lumi, so used to her magic, thought it normal. It took her a bit to really peg just what trick he was naming. Her shadows were ebbing and flowing as they were sustained, pulling at the nearby darkness around her.

She looked down for a moment, glancing at her drink. Spotting her skin color, which too became fairly normal and mundane to her, she figured she finally understood. Perhaps he was just entertained by meeting a Demon. She nodding to herself as she kept reaffirming how much she should be right. Such a thing is quite uncommon. Yet that answer wouldn’t satisfy her for long, after all, he would point it out by now. She figured it was vague enough to be met with a vague response of her own.

” Tricks are a fun part of the trade, no? Really personalizes the experience of creating havoc. Least…as far as the heartless Angle allows.” She scoffed at the last bit, but she grew too used to it to be bothered anymore. She was nearing the bottom of her second cup once more and holding out her hand in a gesture for another. Henderson caught her from the corner of his eye and nodded.

” What do ye do lad? Aren’t social, then how do ye spend yer time?”

"Yeah, Orchidia has its way of keeping you hooked," Alaric reflected, his voice tinged with a hint of nostalgia and a touch of regret. Memories of his own past in these streets danced through his mind, a mix of somber moments and fleeting connections. Those years on his own in Bosco and Fiore were rough. Always on the fringe. "I've had my share of scuffles and trying to carve out my spot," he admitted, a faint smile appearing briefly. "Sometimes, it's about fading into the background rather than making a grand statement."

Alaric's gaze shifted, reflecting the complexities of his thoughts. "Eh, I enjoy it but try not to indulge with spirits. The drinks, that is, spirits of the past always draw you to them ," he responded, acknowledging Lumi's offer but politely declining with a small shake of his head. "My time usually slips away in the pursuit of more personal agendas. I was drawn here to find somebody. A spirit of the past if you will. Though, lately that hunt seems to have been paused.”

As Henderson served Lumi her next drink along with Alaric’s requested meal. He asked for a basic ale so Lumi was not drinking alone. "And you?" he asked, his tone genuinely curious yet tinged with a hint of guardedness. His knife slid into the meat and he promptly plunged it into his mouth "What's your forte amid the chaos of this guild?" His words, albeit slightly muffled by mouthfuls of roast, echoed with genuine curiosity.

“ On the hunt ye say. Well yer speaking the the Raven Queen herself. Title aside, me flock could join the search if ye’d like. They’re spread and usually on the look out for me, so they’d tell me if they found that spirit of yers. But tis only an offer as a fellow guild mate. I know personal missions tend to stay personal but as a raven, I couldn’t help meself.” Ravens were the curious sort and naturally observant. Lumi was no exception, though she did better at leaving certain things alone.

Lumi’s eyes sparkled when she got her next drink, bringing it to her lips the moment the glass was in hand. Hmpt, me? She thought. Her next serving sliding down her throat as she gave it some thought. She got so used to being vaguely known of from within these walls, that describing herself now felt foreign and silly.

” I’m virtually harmless.” She fibbed, even as a Daemon she destroyed one of the guilds towers and made the boys dorm nearly unusable during a battle with her Uncle. ” So boring, ye could find me in the library.” Which you very well could as she is indeed in there often. Half the time searching up how to be more of a menace as a Demon in different cultures, other times consuming my legends and myth of old as a pass time. “ I’m really just a simple mage with support capabilities. Tossing out a spell or two, to help the mates. All for the sake of……what’s that word again…..aaaaah, it has ice in it too….ice, ice…oh yeaaaaa Justice. Yea we do that here. But personally, considering it gets annoying, I like to think of the pay.” The mischievous Demon would chuckle and grin as she spoke. Enjoying the nonsense that left her lips. They weren’t entirely lies but bland versions of the truth. She threw spells yea, like she was a natural disaster. She could support sure, because her spells could rob the capacity of others. She could chose to be akin to a vengeful ghost haunting the night, or a surprise blizzard on her victims. All depending on her devilish mood at the moment. After all Demons were simply agents of disaster. Though the need to only destroy bore her and she still has the capacity for kindness despite her nature. One could not neglect that the being she is, was a monster through and through. Removed from the normal moralities and priorities mortals had. And she preferred it that way, as the struggle and sacrifice to become a Demon has cost her plenty. It was the freedom and the new found perspective that made it now worth the whiles.

Sure she could explain and divulge more to her mysterious new friend. But that would be utterly boring. As much as she loved being boastful, it rid her of the pleasure of surprises and trickery. Sides, the lad though curious couldn’t possibility be that interested, she’d think. He has his own troubled past and a story to create. The mischievous force he’d occasional asked for advice, only to be met with a riddle to answer? That’s where she was in her life, exactly where she wanted to be.

"Your offer's mighty kind," Alaric acknowledged, nodding in appreciation at Lumi's gesture of support. Her mention of her flock pitching in for the search intrigued him. [color=#9868E7]"Having your birds keep an eye out could be a game-changer, If I only knew what I was looking for." he responded, a genuine note of gratitude in his voice. Despite his usual lone-wolf approach, he saw the value in tapping into Lumi's unique avian network. Sadly, he had no clue about his father’s true name or appearance. He had an image of his mother and had to assume any features he didn’t inherit from her he might have picked up from him. He took a few bites creating a natural pause in the chatter.

As Lumi sipped her drink, Alaric chuckled lightly at her self-description as "virtually harmless." He knew better than to take such statements at face value in a city like Orchidia. Her talk of being a mage with a flair for support and a wink towards justice made him raise an eyebrow. "Justice is a subjective subject, isn't it?" he chimed in, a hint of amusement coloring his words. "The money is what calls me more than anything these days. Growing up there was no financial security. Fixing to change that for whoever comes after me in life.”

He sensed there was more to Lumi's playful banter than met the eye, recognizing the layers she kept hidden beneath her cheerful facade. He respected her choice to share only glimpses of her true self, realizing that everyone carried their own untold stories and struggles. He had probably given more light into his own personal past with her than most of the others he had interacted with since being here. " There's something about mysteries that keeps things lively, right?" Alaric mused, acknowledging the shared sense of enigmatic charm they seemed to share. [color=#9868E7]" Life's riddles sure make the journey interesting, sometimes even dangerous." he added, quietly acknowledging the art of balancing camaraderie with a hint of intrigue. The afternoon buzz in the lounge was starting to pick up. He had noticed several bodies had made their way into the warm room since the start of his conversation with Lumi. As he dropped the last bite of roast from his plate into his mouth he pushed the plate away.

" We're a guild of mercenaries at the end of the day. Regardless of whatever fanciful thing we decide to call ourselves. If there is a jewel in the game, I'd like to think most of us would entertain the job. For better or worse I suppose. So for a choice in guild to build the wealth, can't say ya could have picked any better. As for Justice, personally, I don't mind the thing. But people just don't always agree on how I choose to do it. But I tend to think that if a person decides to be a monster, it's only fair if they're met with a Demon, no? She grinned enough to show her sharp fangs, it pleased her to think of all those in the world that required a meeting with "justice".

It took her a while to even process the last of what he said, for now, the conversation would go on. It would take her a moment to even pick up on the recent influx of people too, only noticing the heat first and foremost. " I could brag all day to all night, but it would be boring at best and annoying at the least. Not like I have much to brag about, I still have a ways to go before I satisfy me goals. I find mystery is the best balance. If ya push for it, ye'd learn more. At yer pace, at yer desire. If I showed ye all me cards, or ye showed me yers. There wouldn't be time to enjoy all the charm. And charm is something I like to savor. Sides, I'm not ready to cry just yet when I find out how much stronger ye are than me." She feigned a pout as she reached out and gently tugged at his bangs. A sweet smile would soon replace her expression as she leaned into her more inviting charms. She could be sweet after all, only if she wanted.

The heat was finally getting to her at this point. The Demoness rolled her eyes as she leaned back and sighed deeply. Her cool aura, extended and pushed through. Covering the entirety of the room they inhabited. She loathed the heat, so much so that she was almost always pushing it away. It was one of her traits that would often win her favor, especially at the many bars she would frequent. When the air finally chilled to her preferred liking, her mind would return to their conversation. Only the echo of something he mentioned before would somewhat pop back up in her mind again. " Come after ye in life mate? Are ya speaking of having pups of yer own? Aren't ya too young to be thinking of a family, or was that yer dream all along?"

She spun around on her stool as she was thinking his thing over. The shadows that were attracted to her and clung to her skin would also wistfully follow like smoke trailing in the air. She stopped the instant she felt like she was getting dizzy, taking it as the perfect moment to play a game as she how well she could down more of her drink. " I've considered kids..ye know just to make sure I don't live alone for a long time. Curiously, if ye could become a god, would ya? Or are ya in the mindset that it's because ya expire one day that it somehow makes life feel more meaningful and precious?"

Alaric chuckled softly. “I’ve not met many demons in my lifetime, at least none as...” He paused, searching for the right words to describe Lumi without sounding offensive. “None that are more intimidating than most humans, I suppose.” He stumbled a bit with his phrasing, but it was genuine. In the short span they'd interacted, she'd shown him more kindness than many humans had in years. Taking a few swigs from his ale, he nonchalantly picked at the bits of meat stuck in his teeth with his elongated pinky nail, a gesture that was probably not the most refined, but he didn't seem bothered.

“Mystery as balance? That’s an interesting perspective,” Alaric remarked. Her words almost felt like a riddle, or perhaps she was merely rambling. Regardless, there was a kernel of truth in her sentiment. He believed that competing over who had the stronger magic or abilities often led to complications, both metaphorically and, well, actually.

A sudden cool breeze swept through the building, its origin evident to Alaric. He glanced at Lumi, recognizing her magic at play. How strong was she to conjure something so passive without even a magic circle? The effect on the other guests was evident; some huddled closer to the fires while others crossed their arms in discomfort. His eyebrow arched in curiosity, wondering if it was ice magic she wielded. However, before he could dwell on the breeze, her comment about life's pursuits caught his attention. With a mouthful of ale, Alaric chuckled, the sound abruptly halting with a gag. “Pups of my own? Ha. Not sure who’d fancy having pups with me. Besides, my interests aren’t known to lead to pups.” He cast her a playful glance, hinting subtly that his preferences might not align with the conventional norms.

“I wasn’t sure demons could have kids. I thought they just corrupted souls and stuff. I’m sure there are a lot of misconceptions about demons.,” Alaric mused, addressing her statement about demons.

She could not help the glow in her eyes as the man would stumble to find his words. They were like lights cutting into the darkness for the moment before she blinked them away and let him finish. Sliding back to her more welcoming disposition. ” Oh, ye haven’t seen me at work yet~” She winked at him and took another sip from her glass but really she didn’t stop until it was all gone once more.

” Demons are a brutish bunch not worth getting to know. The reason I play nice is cause its boring to destroy and the Angel would always keep me in check anyways. But I’d be lying if I said there isn’t a loved one or two that keeps me grounded despite the rippling urges to consume. It’s just….if I can’t control meself, I’d be pathetic. No better than the bumbling fools in the Abyss….Rule of thumb lad, ya could hate all Demons and lose nothing for it.”
He race was created with the intent to be deplorable. Their blood and flesh oozed the malice of the Abyss and it by nature corrupts all. Even Lumikki wasn’t entirely safe nor free form the brutality her being would offer her. And there were no Demons one could or ever turn to for guidance. She would prefer to devourer them all and gain their power as oppose to make friends with the shallow beasts below.

She chilled the bar and downed her drink, drumming on the counter with her hands playfully as she listened to her new friend. ” Souls? Do we even have souls I wonder? As for corrupted souls, I wouldn’t say that’s the case at all.” Lumi took her thumb to her lips and fix her fangs just around the tip. Biting ever so lightly as to just puncture just a little bit. She let a stop of blue blood run down to her palm to demonstrate her point, holding out her hand so her company could see. When her point was made, she licked up the blood and wound and went back to speaking her point again.” There isn’t anything to corrupt when yer being is broken down and churning n the Abyss. By the time ye come to again, if at all, yer just as much of the Abyss as it is ye.”  She didn’t mind speaking on this matter, it almost normalized this for her. It made her still feel real.

” Kids are a stretch aye, but I have centuries ta see. I mean if the Gods litter Earthland, then I want lil monsters of me own one day.” Honestly she didn’t care for children of her own. She never really did. It was just a means to assure that she wouldn’t be alone.

” Should I really deny this world of a fresh batch of monsters?” Her lips pulled back in a cheeky smile as she played around with the idea in her head.

"Demons and the forces that govern them... intriguing, to say the least." Alaric leaned back slightly, gauging her expressions as she spoke.  "I suppose controlling oneself when you're inherently made to unleash chaos takes a different sort of strength. Quite commendable." He regarded her with a mixture of curiosity and understanding. Lifting his half-drunk glass into the air as a symbolic toast to her willpower.  "It's a line we walk, isn't it? Struggling between what we are and what we aim to be. Controlling our natures, finding balance." His eyes drifted thoughtfully for a moment before returning to meet Lumi's gaze.
As she whimsically pondered the idea of having children, Alaric's lips curled into a faint grin.  "Monsters in their own right, I'm sure. Little echoes of their creators." He chuckled lightly.  "A fresh batch of chaos for the world to reckon with, perhaps. But isn't that what we all are, in some sense? Small, chaotic forces making our way through life?" His thoughts reflected his own internal dilemma.

His eyes glinted with amusement, the concept of creating more mischief-makers seeming to amuse him.  "It's a thought, isn't it? Seeing what new forms of havoc they'd wreak upon the world. Though it's the responsibility of guiding them through it that presents the real challenge, I imagine." He raised an eyebrow, a hint of mischief dancing in his eyes.  "I could only Imagine, guiding little chaos-makers to find their own balance in a world teetering on the edge itself."

Alaric's tone was contemplative, the ideas sparked by Lumi's words drawing him into an uncharted conversation, the very essence of their existence now the subject of their discussion.   “I’m sure life would be quite a different tale if my parents had a bit more to do with raising me. Well, my mother tried. Dear old Dad is behind on some child support payments.” His remarks shed the slightest light on his own dark and dusty background. Perhaps, Lumi would be able to pick up that his father was the one he was searching for. Maybe she wouldn’t even care. Most mages had some tragic story. Nature of the job he reckoned. Plus she was a demon. Clearly, she had her own shit to worry about.

" Ahhhh yes, much sooooo if ye ask me. Not many of us choose to be dark races yet here we're walking the line, forcing the peace. But the peace is boring is it not? It is also the least creative option. I think destroying the world would be a waste to its potential but I do think some chaos does it good. No one ever becomes interesting in this place without chaos to grant them the catalyst and the contrast. It's almost the only thing that makes anything meaningful but its the hardest to manage and gauge. One day I too risk falling into stagnating, the litter of chaos would do best to pick up me slack and bother the world in me place." She raised her drink to his with a smirk on her face, giggling before taking a break to chug her beverage down. Her hand went up to signal for another before the cup ever even parted her lips, and she was smiling the whole time she put the glass back down.

" Oooh but ye aren't wrong. Raising as batch of hel spawn woooould be a challenge if ye still had a sense of morality in ya. I meself have moved to a point, not that I'm above per se, but beside it all. It is a construct like all others, but it is not for me to care for. Beings of destruction don't care much for the rules they destroy along their mischief, but as a Demon of Honor, I somewhat keep it in mind so as to not forget the foundations the mortals work upon. I was meself was mortal once, it's not entirely lost on me."

Henderson was kind enough to slide her drink along with a leftover morning pastry. The glint of excitement was clear in her eyes like the oddity of her appearance. Pronounced in a way that it was hardly hidden at all she listened to her new friend's gripes with his parenting and nodded along with every word.

" Believe it or not, I was tremendously loved as a child. Me Nan taught me the magic of our tradition, me Mum raised me with passion and vigor, and me Pops, a Dwarf, made sure I took to the ways of the clan grit and all. Ye'd think I'd be the last to fall into this path but as all things in life, it was complicated. As ye were kind ta share with me, I shall do the same." She took another pause to stuff the rest of the apple fritter she was gifted, crumbs absolutely everywhere but she could not be bothered to mind it all. Only finally wiping her mouth when she rushed her way back to talking.

" Aye, I was loved. But it was not me father who raised me but the man who stepped up to the task instead. No the fool left before I was born with naught a word. Didn't know till recent passing he did it to avoid the Demon he pacted with from using me, but that not only proved pointless but left an aged bitter taste in me mouth I still taste today. And the Demon was another fool, pathetic as it came. Saught me since a lass and forced me into a Daemon, though I made it me own mind yea, I hated him with all the life in me. See that wretched being was as much as me father as the Daemon. Poured his Obscura in me like he did the rest, ta force us to be his Daemons upon birth, if me Nan didn't act fast to ward it, it would of. So I sought the fool meself and slayed him before he got what it was that he wanted. Ye know how many siblings that bastard made till I came to be? Too many for me to reason that he should live, aye. Ye'd be surprised how many searches for their fathers, but I'd be more surprised to see those who find 'em. Ye should take whatever help is afforded to ye lad. Goes a long way with a world this big, but I can guarantee with the right friends it gets smaller." She looked him in the eyes when she spoke, serious with every word. But now that she made her peace and spilled what she figured was the most interesting, she went back to her goofy self too seamlessly to think normally. As if the seriousness was a mask she flung from her face now that the moment was over. And now she was bobbing side to side happily drinking her next drink.

"Chaos? Ha! I reckon a bit of chaos does stir things up. Too much order can make this whole existence a bit bland. But still, the world going up in flames? I'd rather not see that happen, even if its got its problems." Alaric leaned back in his chair, folding his arms as he contemplated her words. "You've got a point, though. Chaos does have its place. It's the spark that lights the fire sometimes. But controlling that? That's a whole other story."
He shrugged slightly, taking a sip from his own drink.

"Morality and chaos... they're a tricky pair. Sometimes, ya gotta pick your battles. But raising a batch of little monsters? Not exactly on my to-do list. I think I’m the race that eats their young" He chuckled, shaking his head. "Guess we're all a bit complicated, aren't we?"

Listening to her story, he nodded sympathetically. "Sounds like you've been through quite a lot. Loved as a child, yet tangled up in all sorts of... well, demonic messes." He let out a low whistle. "Fathers... yeah, I get that. Mine wasn't around either, but I reckon that's nothing compared to your tale. Kudos for slaying that wretched being. Can't say I've had that kind of showdown in my life. At least not yet. The winds lately feel like they’re blowing me toward something like that though. Can’t say for certain why, just a hunch." He motioned over to the bartender and ordered another ale. Not his normal move but hey, he was enjoying this chat.  
The mug was placed right before him and he lifted it up and held it towards her for a little toast. He gave her a wry grin "Cheers to that, Lumi. To friends, chaos in moderation, and a world that's a bit smaller thanks to good company."

” In flames?! Noooo neeever. Buried in ice on the other hand, kukuku, don’t mind me. I don’t want to see the world destroyed as it’ll bore me. Nor do I want to control chaos, just be it.”

She was really enjoying her conversation and it was showing. The Demoness would bob back in forth in a cheery motion as the drink and her company were sending her off. Then she’d stop as sudden as she began. Her hands drumming the counter as she spoke her response. ” Eatin yer young ya say, and out of the two I’m the Demon.” She broke into a little laugh before pushing on. Her eyes for of life as she looked back to him. ” I’ve time before I plan to unleash me spawn on the world. If I do. Wouldn’t need ‘em if I have good company.”

He heard her out even when the tale wasn’t nearly as light hearted as she’d like. And though it was grandiose, it was a bitter sweet occurrence. Too soon did it happen in her life to be just some story she would casually delivery sarcastically. No, it was still a horrid taste in her mouth, hardly worth the triumph. Yet her kinship with the lad coaxed such a tale out, and her drinks would see to it that her mood never soured. She softly slumped on the counter until comfortable. Both elbows resting on the surface as her arms cradled her head.

Though his response would take her entirely out of her feelings. Flicking her hand at his face to conjure a small flurry of snow to send toward him. ” The are more interesting things in life. Ye’ll find ‘em sure enough.”

He would lift his glass toward her. The Demoness who was leaning on the counter would lift what was left in hers to his. Clinging along his mug and meeting him with a warm smile. The light from her eyes didn’t diminish but there was somewhat a far away look to her gaze.

” What are yer thoughts of morality?“

Alaric paused at her statement and then shrugged. “Fire, ice, all the same with me. So long as there’s a little chaos and a bit of fun why not.” He chuckled at her response to eating his young. Perhaps it was only funny to him since it was a double entendre with him being a werewolf and a homosexual. “Let it be known, demons don’t eat babies.” He paused and then gave Lumi a wink adding the line “At least not their own.”

Alaric looked around perplexed for a moment before snapping his fingers. He leaned up in his seat and over to get the attention of Henderson. “All this baby-eating talk has me craving a stronger drink than ale.” He muttered to Lumi before hollering down the bar, interrupting Henderson as the man was finishing taking the order of another. “Hey Henderson, can you get me a double high rye with orange bitters and a splash of ginger beer? Oh and four tequila shots! It's a day-drinking afternoon after all.”

As he slid back into the seat, Lumi flicked snow into his face and asked about morality. An auspiciously funny topic for today. Alaric leaned on the bar placed his head in one of his hands and looked off towards the distant corner of the room while making a low humming sound as he pondered his response. Having just sent a group of miners to their deaths not but a day before he couldn’t say he was a saint nor would he call himself even good. But, that was not the norm for him. This had to be said. He wasn’t always so money-hungry and quick to make moves like that.

“Morality is a weird one for me. I think I want to be a good person and love others and all that jazz but life makes it hard. You get beat down and it sticks with you. Trust is a hard thing to regain once lost, you know? I think maybe that’s what it all boils down to is trust. Do you trust the words of others, do you trust others with your thoughts, do you trust others with your heart? Trust seems to be the ultimate factor in how I think I base my actions. Case by case basis for each action.”

His rye was placed before him along with the shots. Alaric quickly took the shot and threw it back followed by a heavy sip of his drink for a chaser. “I don’t know. Long story short, I think you just have to do what’s best for you and not worry about the morality of it all. People are gonna do what they want at the end of the day anyways.”

Lumikki pouted, her eyes zeroing in on his own. ” Fire and ice aren’t the same. If I set ye ablaze or freeze ya to the core, I’m sure ye could tell me the difference.” But his comment to toward eating her own made her burst out in laugher. It was a snide comment that she didn’t see coming. ” Fair, fair kukuku.” The drink made laugh heartier than otherwise.

Upon Alaric’s decision to up his stakes and drink harder, the Demoness was amused. Fully for the idea, she decided to chime in and join the celebrations. ” Ye can up the ante for me too Henderson! Knock me drink to lethal levels won’t ya! Something that would make even an Oni roll over~”

Henderson looked over to the pair and nodded along his reply. Swiftly going back to finish taking the orders of the patrons on the other side. Lumi continued to look his way for a little while longer while Alaric gathered his thoughts. She finally looked back over to him staring off to the distance, humming something with no melody. She didn’t figure he would give her question that much thought, but she was eager to hear his response when he got it out.

He would utter the words from the culmination of his thoughts, and it wasn’t quite the answer she expected. Trust? She would pounder, wondering how it intertwined with morality. Would trust be the foundation on based their morality on?

Henderson stepped over and passed Alaric his drink and shots and the man wasted no time to down his drink and chase it. A Deep long ice tea was slid before her, a concoction of too many kinds of liquors mixed into one glass, barely watered down by tea and brimming with sugar. This mixture really played off the request to be lethal, and it would have been if she weren’t a Demon herself. Not even a Dwarf would enjoy this unholy mixture, thinking the thing an abomination. They could take the drink, but the taste would make them hurl instead. But for Lumikki, the sickly sweet taste was what shit lived for.

And so the Demoness would gulp a little of her drink before proceeding with her answer, finding the strong taste of liquor to burn her throat, but the sensation pleased her just fine and the mix would drag her quickly to a fine drunken state. ” I just saw mortality as some code that was skewed and wrapped to a bastardize version of what it was meant to be. There is honor, and then there is morality I suppose. But I guess for ye, the distinction is trust.” She took another sip of her poison and let the next wave of warmth wash over her.” Ye’d think a Demon would understand yer sentiment on trust, and I do to an extent, but I don’t worry much on it. Me birds would never break such a thing, nor do I figure me family would. Even the Angel I figure, could be trusted with me life. So it’s not something I pounder often. New comers like ye who slink in the shadows for a year I suppose are trickier. But with enough eyes out and about, I won’t have to worry much for it. Perhaps consider building a small art of critters to lurk in yer stead. It would spare ya the fear of unpredictable betrayal.”


The Demoness shrugged. She was always far removed from such problems. Bless with a sound foundation in her life, it would be only herself that she’d feared, with the growing chances of losing control. Or the dangers her more Demonic families caused. Soon she’ll make long lasting enemies of her own, but trust was oddly the least of her problems to come. ” No one suspects rabbits watching their every move.” She suggested as she took another swig.

Alaric chuckled “An Oni rollover? What a queer expression. Are you from Jovya or something?” She wasted no time gulping alcohol for herself. Alaric’s eyes started to glaze over as the shot sank in slowly. He slumped back into his seat as he watched Lumi’s drink disappear. Her philosophy seemed to be bubbling up and Alaric’s ears perked to attention, even if his eyes had started to drift.

He lifted his half-drunk glass for a small cheer moment to agree with the icy demon. “Cheers to trusting others so long as we’re spying on them. Trusting those damn angels with our rabbits. Or whatever it is you said.” He started bursting out laughing and tipped forward slightly before catching himself on the bar’s counter. “Woah…” He fell back to his seat and finished his drink.

”Yeesh, this is why I don’t day drink. Too many rabbits watching my every move.” He chuckled before giving Lumi a sly smile and wink. “You mentioned ravens? Are you a raven fancier or something?” The alcohol was sneaking up on Alaric at this point. The man wasn’t a lush nor was he a lightweight but the two strangers had only been chatting for less than an hour and he’d already consumed more alcohol in that sitting than he would most nights. Maybe some more food might help? His mind kept drifting off to the smells he would catch with his nose. If he had a tail, it probably would have started wagging by now. He snapped his mind back to Lumi and their convo. Surely, this demon was feeling the strength of those drinks too?

" Huh? Ooooh, no mate. I ain't Joyan, but I do have some family from there. No, I've just read and heard a story or two. I really like me tales, ya see." Lumikki was polishing her drink as he was entertaining his, though it would appear it sunk much faster than she'd thought and he seemed as if he was downing for it. A playful smile would entertain her features as she leaned toward him and gleamed his eyes. The man had enough sense in him to humor the gesture of cheers with her, but not so much to reiterate her words with practical verbatim.

Her shadows would envelop him sparsely, like smoke wafting around him. Its cool touch added a chill to his skin. Lumikki would playfully inch closer before leaning her elbow on the table and resting her head. Meanwhile, her free hand would play with the darkness as if she were plucking petals from flowers. With each plus the features of the rabbits would form. One ear then the next, the tail and the eyes. Before Alaric knew it, he was surrounded.

" Oh yesss, the rabbits are watching yere every move." She chuckled as she made her little apparitions dance around him, then hopped around him in circles as she amused herself. " Hmmmm ye could say that. Ye could also say they take a fancy to me. One could even claim me a queen of ravens, or a crazy witch with a flock for company. The choice is yers as it's all the same to me. Hel, I've heard mention the Lumi even turns to one herself. Or maybe a big one, a massive raven. Whose to say lad, but a niche is nice to have." Lumi leaned back for her glass and finished what was left while holding her hand up to signal Henderson for another. The two locked eyes and he nodded. Getting the drink together in no time at all and sliding it over. Lumikki nearly lunged for it like she was securing water, and gulped done this mixture with just about the same ease. With a satisfied sigh, she'd look back at her company. Wiping her mouth with the back of her hand before revealing her brimming smile once more.

She was not spared the effects of her drink, but she simply did not get bogged down by the bad as much either. Instead, she would simply get more hyper and more ungraceful with her movements. Her shadows would engulf her in kind, catching her on the moments she'd bobbed too much to recenter for herself.

“Pffftt…” He made an obnoxious sound with his lips and he shooed away the concept of Lumi and her ravens. “The Queen of Ravens? Here in this room? No, ma’am you’re pulling my leg.” He gave her a wicked grin and wink before pushing himself off the table and leaning back in the chair. He took in a big breath and let it out before letting his body’s inertia shift back forward.

He stared there for a moment before taking another sip of his drink and changing the subject of their conversations from bunnies to something else. It's less cute but still furry. “Hey Ms. Raven Queen. Let me ask ya something…” His voice trailed off as his mind tried to work the words together. Pushing through the alcohol like a swap’s thick waters. “In your travels across this world and the demons, have you ever run into other things out there? Not human? Not saying dwarves or elves. Heck not even the beast-folk but other creatures of the night…like yourself?” If somebody knew more about werewolves and their kin, it would be a demon right? She probably knew a thing or two. Maybe even another wolf that wasn’t a total asshole. All the others he’d crossed paths with were in worse mental shape than him. Hostile to their own. Alaric wasn’t fond of humans, dwarves, and elves, but he could tolerate most and he didn’t have direct beef with any other race. He wasn't outwardly hostile towards any one race, just to those with authority and a sense of entitlement.

" Oy, ye caught me. It was all a jest. I wanted to see if I could take the piss out of ye, but I didn't realize ye were just oh so clever." Lumi spoke once more in a sing-song voice as she played with his reaction. And the things she said were not too far off. The Demoness indeed wanted to gauge how much he'd take her seriously, and the best way to have fun doing it was by mixing lies with truth. Now all that was left was to see how long it would take for him to sort it all out, and how he'd take her word in the future. It was all such an entertaining thought for her to have another to play around with for some time that it made her quite giddy.

She leaned back so that she was comfortably resting on her shadows to prop her up. She slipped on her drink at a much slower pace as if she wanted to savor it. Her eyes shut like the sensations and comforts were pulling her into peace. Alaric words hummed in her ears as he spoke, trying to get his point out while she was melting into the moment. The fire in her stomach that was sparked from her drink was warming her like one drinking tea, and the tingles from becoming tipsy were fun to play with. Swishing ever so lightly, she enjoyed the jitters it brought her.

" Lad yer in a guild filled with those who are of the dark ye know. Another werewolf entered just around a week or so ago...I think it was, it feels so recent see....But then there's the night receptionist who is a vampire, a Daemon who tumbled in. Hel, I used to lock talons with a wolf of another guild too and another Daemon crossed the north a few months back." She went back to sipping her drink for a moment, thinking about any more relevant characters to share. Figuring her siblings would hardly be worth mentioning." Well it's safe to say yer not alone. Not really, not while yer here. Oh, but I heard Megan-the wolf I mentioned- is newly turned so she'd be inexperienced there. But it is a funny thought isn't it, a Seraphim of all things would house all these trudging creatures ain't it? He was the one who even gave me the pep talk to embrace the dark and turn Demon one day." One of her favorite memories that she would admit to. It really put her at ease around that time, as she was still just discovering the thing she had become. In that sense, she could very much understand wolves just turned, but the hunger they faced was still a tad different and she wasn't sure how much she'd want to step in there.

" Oh! But were ye asking to find a lass, mate?" Lumi teased, she leaned toward him with a cheeky smile. " Or maybe were ye planing on banding with 'em to take down the humans? Who knows right, the intentions of the rabbit king?"

Alaric’s eyes watched the shadows twist themselves into a solid surface for the demoness to lean herself on. Amazed at her mastery over her magic. Icy and shadows alike, it was a frightening thing to consider. She was not one to be crossed, that was certain. Her words brought him a bit of comfort though. He was not aware that the guild was so diverse in its standings. “Who’d known it? A magic guild so progressive.” He chuckled to himself. Taking a sigh, he fixed his posture so a few of his fingers rested on his lips while the rest of his hand supported him. Now that he took a moment to look around, he did notice a decent mix of non-humans in the room. He was blessed in some regard. His wolf only really came out when he was heated or during the lunar cycle.

The thought of another werewolf joining sounded promising. He’d only had a few crossings with others and they never turned out well. Perhaps, this other one was of level-mindedness. Not trying to be some macho-alpha type. The mention of the guild master caught Alaric’s attention. Lumi’s tone and body language shifted too. He could tell she had affection for him. Perhaps not in a sexual manner but one of respect and fondness. “Yes, I’ve read plenty of stories and news reports about Master Yuurei. I’ve never really had a moment alone with him like we are having right now." It was a queer thought though, a Serephim aiding a mortal to step into the role of a demon. Not a typical story there. Maybe one day Lumi would let him know it in full.

“A lass? Nah, no such interest in lasses.” He stopped himself “Well, no lass other than my mother. She went missing some years back. We got separated and I could never find her. It was during a time when we were running from a village. I had lost control recently and caused some trouble. His voice trailed off thinking of the memory. Of his mother. She had not gotten separated. She had left him. But he was not going to dump that emotional baggage on this demon. He had just met her and didn’t need to be that personal with her. It’s gotten him stung in the past. “We just had to get out and that was quite a while ago. Back in Bosco. One of the border towns. We were headed here to Fiore and so I figured, maybe she’s here somewhere now. Same with my father. [/color]