Axle's grin grew slow and menacing, close-lipped. “Terrifying?” he asked, pulling the lower lid of his eyelid down to reveal yet more black hidden underneath, “You wanna know why I filled them in?” He paused as if waiting for a response, but answered before the new demon even had a chance to respond, “I did it to terrify people. If I had this reaction on you, a fellow demon, imagine the terror an angel that is actively being hunted by me feels. You should try the terror route sometime. It's a lot of fun.” He leaned on the bar, resting both forearms in front of him, waggling his eyebrows, “I know a thing or two. But thirty-five years is nothing compared to a lot of these blockheads. Props for finding help. You'd be amazed how often new recruits die on the Border. Most of them, actually. Won't happen to you if I have anything to say about it.”

Maybe we should ask, Olivia signed, watching as he turned to face the bar. Her eyes went to his hands that were still signing. When Xander turned his head to see her, he'd find her smile wide, nodding her head in agreement with what he was saying.

Axle perked up, black eyes no longer focused solely on Nancy. “Actually, we were just talking about finding a group. With you two, we'll have four and that's the best number, I think. Small enough that we can move silently, but enough of us that we can overwhelm. Especially because at least one of us can be considered an infiltrator. How long you been dead, Red?”

~~~Earlier~~~

Katarina smiled and stretched her arms out wide, sunlight reflecting off of shining golden hair and bright green eyes, “Welcome to the center of self-discovery, the training arena!” Sage's eyes traveled up the building. Massive marble Greek style columns lined the outside of the rounded building. It almost hurt to look at. Red double doors squat in the middle, stark crimson against white. “You will find out what it is to die here, but you also find out what it is to live, to survive. Within these walls, no angel can be hurt. Lost limbs regenerate, spilled blood is replenished, broken minds are mended – so long as the wounds received happen within these walls. Countless people have tried to bring corpses back from the Border in vain hopes.”

Sage gasped as she lead the way through the double doors, down the dimmed hallway that eventually opened up into a giant stadium, a stadium that theoretically could seat thousands. The seats, however, were mostly empty save for a few angels attempting to nurse their wounds, waiting to regenerate to get back into the fray. Cries of pain and victory were dulled only by closer cries of pain and victory. Few stood by in groups in animated discussion as to how to go about certain battle plans. A larger group had split into two and were now lining up, getting ready to lay waste to those on the other team. Katarina smiled, “This place can make you, if you let it.”

Sage nodded eagerly, gulping, wondering how to take it all in. Blood was actually spilled, and that that hit the ground seemed to get absorbed by the dirt right away, leaving only stains on the surface. “Now, you were given a set of daggers, yes? Do you want to try your metal with only those, or would you like to pick out another weapon to give a spin?”

“I'll, I'll try my daggers first,” Sage breathed, drawing them out of their sheathe.

“Excellent. Those will be your most effective mode of killing,” Katarina answered, nodding, “I also will not choose a weapon. Now, you sacrificed your sense of taste, yes? Those that sacrifice that are generally given some sort of consumption ability, am I correct?”

Sage nodded, “That's what the book said anyway. Power absorption and super speed. Is that uh...good?”

Katarina's jaw dropped and she nodded, “Taste must have been precious to you...Power absorption is an excellent tool...provided you learn about the different types of abilities and how to wield them. Here, those with consumptive abilities may also eat angel flesh to achieve the same effects. My abilities are ice and water. Now then, introductions done, figure out how to beat me.”

She gave him no time before an icicle formed in her hand and she lunged it at his head. Sage, not expecting it, wound up with an icicle in right between the eyes and he collapsed, face forward. When he struggled back to his feet, blood traveled down his face soaking his shirt and he shook his head trying to gain his bearings, “Alright. Alright. I see how it is...” He took off after her, only to dive head first into a wall of ice. Again, he collapsed.

“Always be aware of your adversary's abilities. Always.”

~~Present~~

Sage stood up, a wide grin stretched across his face when he saw Avani and Luka come through the doors. The ice that was formed in Katarina's hands disappeared and she ran over to them, “Damn right we did! We didn't want to wait while you read an entire book. Sage here has already died twice.” She held up two fingers for emphasis. Sage scratched the back of his head.

“Can't deny it. She got me good, but I'm learning. Dying...dying fucking hurts. Even with the regeneration, I had a headache for a solid five minutes after I actually healed,” Sage said, pursing his lips. “I'll get there. And soon, I'll know what angel flesh tastes like, and I'll know what it's like to use your abilities.”

“That's right. And if I heard correctly, it only tastes almost as good as demon flesh.”

“How will I know what abilities I received?”

“That...I do not know. It might be a feeling, you may have to scout ahead to learn...”

Axle again checked the clock that was close to the entrance of the bar. Side work was already finished, so when the next person came he was out and he'd drag Nancy to get a phone and a hoverboard. “Spruced up?” Axle asked, shifting his eyes from the clock back down to his new hunting partner, “You mean like this?” He pointed at his eyes here, then gestured to the rest of his body. Lips pierced, tattoos covering his body from the neck down, and filled in eyes, he was truly a sight to behold. “You like pain? Because you've gotta at least tolerate it if you wanna end up looking like this. What if we start ya off small? Some sort of facial piercing. If you get a nose one done, you've gotta get another done too. Nose is too safe.”

Axle gave a low, amazed whistle, “So what brings ya to the shitty side of town, old timer? I bet you're loaded.” Olivia's eyes went wide when she saw the actual number, her jaw dropping a little bit. “Olivia and Red, huh? I'm Axle,” he said, nonchalantly looking at his nails. “So hunting partners, huh? You didn't happen to ask Olivia what her abilities were, right?” he was grateful Nancy said her name because either he'd forgotten to ask or already forgot, but either way he felt past the point of being able to ask without being rude.

Olivia read his lips and signed to Xander that she had no idea how to say her abilities in sign, but started writing on her whiteboard spelling out the words “Vibrokinetic Constructs”. Axle scratched his head. “Can't say I've heard of that one. Well, ah, I'm taking Nancy here to get a new cell phone and a hoverboard. I can get one for Olivia too if you're hurting for cash. Then, I propose a trip to the training facilities.”

Sage sighed, “I'm new, alright? I didn't even know what her abilities were before ten seconds before I got an icicle between the eyes...”Katarina looked at her nails, holding her hand out, fingers splayed.

“First rule of the Border? Expect the unexpected,” she said simply, a rather wry smile on her face.

Pursing his lips, Sage turned to Luka, “What was that? What are you thinking?”

Axle laughed, “A low pain tolerance, and this aesthetic I fear don't go hand in hand, elskling. But, if you're willing, then I can introduce you to my guy.” He shrugged and offered her a wry sideways glance, “I'll warn ya though, those featherbrains might think you're more high profile if you look like me. But, lucky for you, you've got me, and you'll be going after higher profiles in no time. You see, those that have been dead for a while, or have taken to hunting regularly will get a higher reward than those that have just died.” He looked at his blackened nails, then back at the clock. The next person was late and Axle tapped his foot impatiently.

Olivia couldn't help it, her smile was wide, pale cheeks flushed with misunderstood pride, I don't even know what it means. I've never used it before. They gave me a cane as a weapon? I don't know what any of it means. Her face changed to one of confusion, wondering what she could possibly do with a cane. She was told it was threaded, but compared to some of the other weapons she'd seen, she wondered if she could actually do anything with it. You have a hoverbike?! I want to see!

Axle pulled out his phone, pulled up new contacts and handed it over to Xander, “Here, Red. Put your number in. I'm guessing we'll all be going to do these things together, but it's best to be able to actually get a hold of each other, yeah? Especially if we're going to be partners. If you can, you should get something for Olivia too. Something with text messaging. If you can't swing it, I can cover them. I have too much money as it is.”

Finally, at long last, Axle's replacement came in, haggard and hung over looking, scowling at Axle. Axle rolled his eyes at him, “Side work's done. You can nurse your hangover for a few hours. Don't know what to tell you if you actually get customers. You're in fuckin' luck though, drunky. These folks will be leaving with me.”

Sage laughed and clapped Luka on the back, “It's okay, Luka. You'll get the hang of it. Just gotta be careful what you send out, yeah? We'll just be glad you have a way to communicate with us.” He stepped back, however, eyes wide mouth agape as Luka appeared to be leaving his body. His body seemed to crumble before the group's eyes.

Katarina stood back as awe-struck as Sage was and without taking her eyes off of the crumbling boy she uttered, “What was it you said Luka's abilities were again? Because whatever this is? It looks useful...”

When the dust settled and Luka was back in place, his embarassments seemingly behind him, Sage walked over, placing both of his hands on his shoulders and looked at him dead in the eyes, “That. That was amazing. Your voice must have been more precious to you than most because that shit...that shit was amazing.”

Katarina looked from one boy to the other, finally turning to Avani, “What do you say to a spar to show the boys how the girls fight? Then maybe Luka and Sage can spar.”

Sage blinked, looking at Luka, “You ready for a show? Because I think that's what we're about to get.”

On Earth, Axle had few tattoos. Those that he had were visible, of course, as were the piercings. Ink dotting his appendages, anyone who looked at him would have known that he belonged to a rather... alternative crowd, a product of the Satanic Panic with a pension to veer towards punk and metal. His blonde haired and blue-eyed Nordic face ensured that he had a place among the white middle or upper class; his tattoos ensured a distinct lack of employability and parental disappointment - but, that was then, when there was hope. He was a troubled youth who could yet be saved, brought in under the wings of the church, under the wings of rehab, under...something. That hope would forever remain unrealized as the drugs took over his life, more and more. The highs eventually plateaued, that sweet spot remaining unreached. He took more and more, eventually overdosing and taking the life of another who shared a similar story. His death and subsequent sacrifice lead him to yearn for more, always searching for that high that could never belong to him again.

But he didn't stop looking.

Adrenaline became the closet thing to a drug he could muster; and his first few months in Hell were characterized by the need for thrills. Roller coasters. Sex. Hardcore Heavy Metal. Axle wanted in on it all, relishing and savoring the evanescent feeling of elation gone too soon and in too small of an amount. Small thrills did nothing. They could never amount to that unreachable high he'd once achieved in life. So, he evolved.

He began with himself. Razor blades began to be added to his collection, though they never spilled angelic blood. Stitches became his one go-to, cutting himself open only to sew himself shut and reopen himself again. Recognizing the lack of results, he began to get tattoos, his canvas beginning to get filled until no patch of skin remained uninked. Piercings followed suit, and after that the scleras got filled in despite warnings from his guy. The process repeated itself until finally he'd had enough and he found himself standing on top of the living complex for the newly dead, doing a terrible job at convincing himself not to jump. He can still remember seeing the stars, how they were muted by the lights of the ironically named city of Purgatorio, how they seemed to wink at him when the voices told him to go for it. How the wind tussled his hair in sweet caresses beckoning him to his demise. His freedom from this self-made Hell. Another chance, another chance at another high is what he'd get when his soul was recycled.

But once dead, the dead cannot claim their life for their own – it must be taken by another.

This, of course, went above his head as images of his corpse and a new life filled his mind. That is, until a hand brushed his shoulder. You're an idiot. You know that right? A feminine voice. Low and rich, like molasses over corn bread. You can't kill yourself here. Axle rolled his blackened eyes, turning to look back over the city.

Then push me, he'd snapped.

Can't. The voice that now had a face answered, equally as terse.

Yeah? And why not? No one would know you did it.

The woman was silent for a moment until she finally said, I haven't decided if I like you yet. I can't kill anyone I like. Idiot.
->->
Axle laughed, drumming his fingers against the bar, “To look like this, you not only have to deal with pain. You have to enjoy it. Do you think that's something you could do?” The look on his face fell nothing short of a dare, complete with an eyebrow waggle to confirm. If Axle was a well-fed cat, Nancy was the mouse he liked to play with but was too fat to eat.

That's...amazing... Olivia answered, her face incredulous with the discovery of her own ability. At least, it looked amazing when signed. In practice, Olivia knew that she would be far behind and that the learning process would be slow and grueling. I hope to once I practice. How do you even go about practicing anyway? Her eyes followed his hands as they swept up the black-eyed man's phone, putting in first his number and then...hers? She blinked and looked up at him, her face once again incredulous, that feeling not going away when he told her she'd have her own hover bike. She'd never heard of one, let alone seen one, but it was pretty easy to figure out exactly what he was talking about. “Hover bike” was pretty self-explanatory.

“Wait,” Axle said, casting a glance to Olivia, “If we're gonna be a fuckin' team, we've gotta be able to fuckin' talk to each other, right?” Olivia, reading his lips, blushed and looked down. Axle maintained eye contact with Red, “Teach us to sign. None of us should be mute to any of us. If we can see her, I want to be able to understand her. You speak her language. I'll pay you to teach it to us,” he said, pointing between Nancy and himself.”[/b]

Axle smirked, satisfied with Nancy's answer to some degree and he nodded, “Then we'll have to take you in. And I know the best, so you'll know you're in very capable hands.” He stepped from behind the bar, seeing the next bartender coming in late (as usual) and huffing, out of breath (again, as per usual). Despite his being fifteen minutes late, Axle betrayed no look of irritation or anger – he simply walked walked to the doorway, stuck his card in the slot until he heard the audible click of the time stamp hitting paper and rejoined his new hunting group, now free from his shackles of wage slavery. The other bartender, a freckled brunette with a button nose, broad shoulders, and round belly gulped and tossed his head toward Axle:

“Y'ain't mad?”

“Christopher. You're late every time. Am I ever angry?” Axle returned coolly, turning slightly to face his coworker.

“Well, I just figure, ya otta be, right? I mean, your sidework es always done perfectly, ya always show up on time and and and --”

Axle put up one finger and shook his head, “It's fine. If I wanted that problem taken care of, I'd see to it; I assure you.”

The aforenamed Christopher gulped once more, catching the implication. Axle could and would kill him if he wanted to. “However,” Axle said chuckling, “No more than as late as you've been being. I do like to have some time to dedicate to my other occupation.”

Christopher nodded quickly, muttering something about stocking in the back before he ducked to the back of the house.

Olivia caught maybe half of the conversation, only partially able to see Axle's lips, and she looked back to Xander who continued with the communication conversation. You have a way for me to be understood by everyone?

“A week?” Axle asked, cocking an eyebrow, “A week for what? For the first lesson or for all us to know how to sign?”

The conversation was now fast enough that Olivia could only keep up with Xander's less subtle signing and took the moment incomprehension to look at the other member of the party, the girl at the bar. It was true that the tattooed one immediately grabbed her attention (but then whose attention wouldn't be snatched by someone like him?), but the woman seemed to be as new to the game as she was. Must have died recently, just like herself. The Asiatic woman was beautiful and she found herself wondering how she died.

She didn't look like a demon.

Sage was quick to agree, swallowing the spit that had gathered at the back of his throat, staring at Luka wide-eyed. He wasn't sure if he'd be able to beat Luka if that was his ability. If he could get into his mind from anywhere on the battlefield, super speed and sharp teeth weren't likely to help him much – especially if he was frozen in place with the same potency he was just moments before. He didn't get much time to dwell on it before Avani's voice cut through his thoughts. The shitshow was about to begin.

Katarina stepped back, watching to see if her opponent would make the first move. There was no need to assign when to go, and both women knew it. The moment Avani's fists were aflame, she knew the fight had begun, “Ah, deine Fähigkeit ist Feuer, oder? Ich werde dich entsprechend behandeln.“ With that, five icicles appeared in one hand and she threw each in rapid succession toward Avani's face.

[[Avani, however, was no novice. With heat enough to melt icicles, she blasted them, evaporating them before they had a chance to even come close. But ice meant water, a potential sister-ability possessed by the former German, and therefore a potential problem Avani would have to deal with. Avani was now on the offensive, trying to break Katarina before she had a chance to come to grips with the glaring weakness.

The pyromancer was fast, and Katarina was on the defensive, building walls of ice only to have them melted, patches of skin becoming charred, ends of her golden hair singed. Katarina changed the game, sending ice to wrap around Avani – most being taken in by hypothermia coupled with an inability to move – but Avani's ability ensured she would not stay encapsuled long, her iced shelling melting into a puddle at her feet.

Katarina's plan was working. Their immediate surroundings, their side of the arena, was now getting wet.]]

Olivia watched Xander's hands flying wildly as he explained to the others what was going on in his mind. She sat forward in her seat, ready to be able to communicate with everyone else. Clasping her hands in her lap, her right leg began to twitch slightly with anticipation.

Axle gave a low whistle, cocking an eyebrow at Xander, “That's a pretty fuckin' tight ability there, mate. So you're saying you can transfer your knowledge of signing to us through an angelic medium? Because that sounds a lot more efficient than you teaching us to sign. No offense, but you don't look like the teacherly type. Also, are we allowed to kill said angel when we are finished with them?”

Olivia followed Xander's signs right to Axle's lips and stared incredulously. She thought her ability was cool, but it had nothing on Xander's. She was glad he was on her side. The thought made her wonder what that tattooed one's abilities consisted of, and she decided then that she didn't want to know. It was her turn to look at Xander with a somewhat worried expression and she signed, You have experience in kidnapping? I figured murder, but kidnapping too?

Axle had no idea what Olivia was signing so he decided to force Xander into two conversations at once, “Yes, we should. And to answer your earlier question, I do have transport – nothing as fancy as a chauffeur, mind you, but I think Nancy will find my mode of transportation more interesting anyway.” With that, he turned to Nancy and winked, letting her wonder what exactly the wink was supposed to mean. “Meet you fuckers there.”

Katarina gulped realizing that her opponent was following her train of thought and she put her hands out, freezing the water where it stopped in place. From the outside, it looked as though Avani was trapped in a sheet of ice, though Katarina knew better than to believe that she'd stay stuck for long. Her outstretched fingers clenched and the ice collapsed on itself – with the fellow angel caught inside – praying that that would do the job and crush her where she stood.

Axle's attention turned to the small blonde, watching her eyes dart from demon to demon. She was terrified. He could almost taste it. While fear was generally something he relished, it was something that would need to be trained out of her. Fear, he knew, was how demons died too soon on the battlefield. She sat there, hands clasped, leg twitching, pretty eyes waiting to see the next spectacular thing Hell had to offer. Axle guessed the next spectacular thing would be murders that didn't count in the arena, shortly thereafter being parts of the redhead he himself wouldn't care to see if his life depended on it. “I suppose that is true. But mercy isn't exactly my uh...my forte, so to speak,” he mused. He noted Olivia's facial expression and laughed, “Hey at least he's versed in kidnapping. I'm only versed in murder.”

Olivia's eyes widened and she looked to Xander, strangely enough, for comfort. Never once did she imagine herself ending up in Hell; yet, she was here and she was undoubtedly surrounded by people that deserved to be here. Xander possessed no memories of his former life, so he didn't even know what he did – but she was sure Axle and Nancy knew exactly the chain of events that lead them there. She nodded weakly, wondering if she could actually carry through with killing another human – angel, whatever – if she'd be able to sleep at night through that.

Axle produced something flat from his pocket that had some weight to it, tossed it in the air and caught it, “More like a shitty arena. Think of the shit you'd see in Greece or Rome or whatthefuckever and make it a thousand times less cared for and a bit more bloody. Now c'mon. Can't extend the board out here.” With that, Axle lead the way out of the bar, opening the door and giving a mock bow to the others as they left.

Sage watched the two veteran angels fighting like a clash of the titans. Goddesses of fire and ice at war for nothing more than the hell of it. Their movements were fluid, graceful a fatal dance of sweat and adrenaline.

The ice compacted crashing together before combining to be one cohesive unit. Steam sizzled from somewhere in the middle, and as the steam stopped, Katarina, for a moment, believed she won. She stood there, panting, waiting for the ice to drop revealing a recovering Avani. Instead, the ice shattered and Katarina's breath was taken away by a dagger to the heart. She collapsed.

Olivia pressed her lips tightly together, nodding. She wasn't exactly the bastion of innocence with the amount of payback she'd dealt – but they deserved it. If they were killing angels, they were killing decent people, right? Decent people that go to the Border to kill other people... she reminded herself. I will fight...and I will kill, she signed carefully, looking Xander in the eyes attempting comfort, It will be hard at first, but I believe I can.

Axle waggled his eyebrows, a grin appearing on his face, “You saw it a moment ago, didn't you? Or...wait...do the living not have those yet? I guess living in a place where technomancers exist have its perks.” Again, he tossed the flat square up from his pocket, but this time it expanded – unfolding to expose a flat levitating board, lighting up red at the bottom, more red lights interspersing in various patterns on the top surface. He nodded toward Xander and snorted, “Hope Olivia doesn't die of fucking boredom from your chauffeur before you even make it to the training ground.” He laughed, hopping on, the board only slightly dipping under his weight. When he was situated, he held out his hand to guide Nancy to stand in front of him.

“Okay. I'm not trying to come on to you, okay?” Axle said, ideally shutting down any doubts Nancy might have about the situation, “But I'm gonna need to grab your waist to shift weight where it needs to go. I used to ride with Kady all the time, so it's perfectly safe. Watch. We'll get through our first training session before Xander even has his fancy pants driver slave called.”

Sage stood, still enamored from the fight though it was now over. He'd already died on the battlefield a couple of times now, at the hands of the angel who now lay face down, gorgeous blonde locks now soaked in her own blood. He knew she would get back up, and yet, and yet, someone so strong was brought down so low right before his eyes.

Katarina lifted an arm, placing her palm in the puddle of blood that sprung from her chest and used it to prop herself up, “As are you. I will be sure to not underestimate you next time.” As she spoke, she sat up, slowly getting to her feet. She was pale, her body rushing to replace all the blood she'd lost, “Avani is right. When you have the opportunity to kill, take advantage. Do not think twice and do not consider mercy. They are demons. Remember that. Give them a chance at a better life and let them return to the mortal world. Now, it is your turn.”

Sage blinked, gulping, and looking over to Luka. “Wait, wait, wait. You want me to kill him?” he said, pointing at Luka, “You saw what he can do, right? You all saw that? How can I ever hope to compete with that?!”

“By eating him,” Katarina said simply.

The hand on Olivia's shoulder was a comfort, it was an anchor in her new silent world. Her former life was once defined by the sounds around her: music, overheard conversations of passersby, the tone in a voice, the steady sound of her feet beneath her. All of that was gone now, all she had were the remaining four senses, and where she once hated being touched, Xander's provided relief. The tension in her shoulders eased and when his hand found hers, she followed without a second thought. Bike? she signed back when both hands were free, It seats two?

Axle laughed at the apparent shock on his new hunting companion's face, “Yeah, I've got one of the newer versions. A nerdy science nerd friend of mine made it for me. Not for free, because the friend is also an asshole prick, but he did customize it for my purposes.” Once Nancy was situated in front of him he placed his hands around her waist, “Comfortable? Okay, good. So, I'm going to guide you with my hands – if you feel my right hand applying more pressure, lean to the right, do the opposite for the left. When we go up, lean forward, down lean back. Don't worry about falling. Even if it was possible, I wouldn't let you get hurt. I have my methods. And with that, awaaa~aaay we go!”

The pair took off flying at amazing speeds, Axle now wishing he'd asked Nancy to pull her hair up. She proved to be exceptionally good at following directions, and balance seemed to come naturally to the girl. He'd have to ask Simon for another one. The gods knew he could afford it. When she seemed to begin to understand how the board worked, he began to show off, leading them through dips and twists, showing her everything the board could do.

Soon after, Axle slowed the board down and they landed in front of a dilapidated building – a gladiatorial arena's ruins at first glance – sandwiched between what appeared to be old apartment complexes. Both pairs of feet safely on firm ground Axle looked up at the faded sign gesturing grandly, “This is where you'll learn the art of murder~! Of course, learning the techniques is only a part of it. If you're gonna hunt with me, you're gonna have to get on a steady workout regime. You spawn at pique physical condition, but it's gotta be maintained, you see? Border hunters stay in that condition. Civilian jobbers can lose it by leading a fucking boring - sedentary – lifestyle. Sooo, you'll learn what a gym looks like if you don't already know, and you'll learn to appreciate it. Your powers increase when your body's happy. You'll find that out.”

“No, no, no. I can't. I don't even know how to use my powers yet, much less how to use them against anyone. I can't do this, Kat, I just can't,” Sage said, casting doubtful glances to Luka. Luka had his back. The thought of biting him like he would a big, juicy steak made him sick to his stomach. On Earth, in the mortal realm, he'd become accustomed to his brother's cooking; rich spices, tender pasta, the sweetest sweets were familiar to tongue. But flesh – raw flesh – ripped right off the bone of a human looking creature complete with likely screams of pain to make it so much worse.

Katarina squeezed the bridge of her nose, leaving two bloody fingerprints on either side when she brought her hand away, “Well, Avani and I can find new hunting mates. There are restaurants looking for busboys just about everywhere. You can live like you did as a mortal if you choose. Rent doesn't start for noobies until after the first year. You can theoretically save up living in your first complex until you might be able to maybe afford the next step up. If you had experience as a business person, you might be able to work your way up a little faster, but you'd have to prove your experience.” The blonde angel said, matter-of-factly. The sad part? She wasn't lying. Life was easy for the hunters, even if the angels that chose a more civilize lifestyle looked down on them. There was something different about the angels that had seen battle, something different in their eyes. There was more wisdom...more sadness. They knew what it was to take a life, but maybe they also knew what it was to save a life. To release someone from the eternal night they belonged to.

Sage was silent for a moment, his head bowed, his face pale, eyes wide with the thousand yard stare of one who was just exposed to a painful truth. When he looked up, the faces of Avani and Katarina disappeared. He took an unwilling step back, walls coming in close from either side of him, a fog just opposite. Luka's face disappeared in the mist and a genuine fear gripped his chest. Fear and...and...hunger.

Sage was really, really hungry.

Then he remembered Luka's power. He was being manipulated. For an intents and purposes, he was blind and he'd need to rely on his other senses. With an inhuman cry, he charged at superhuman speeds into the fog, coming into contact with a body.

Xander nodded, a small, reassuring smile playing upon his lips. "It's safe, I promise. I won't put you in harm's way when we are off the battlefield." He signed before patting the leather seat behind him.

Despite his overwhelming confidence, he was still an anxiety-ridden little boy in the presence of this girl. He had never witnessed such beauty in the depths of this tragic and evil world. If that wasn't enough to overwhelm the foolish child that still resided within him, then he didn't know what would. Though, it was still quite exciting...to feel something other than resentment.

Olivia bit her lip in consideration. She was definitely not used to vehicles without...well, without wheels. The whole ordeal seemed sketchy, but the look on Xander's face was sincere. The girl gave a curt nod before hopping onto the back of the hoverbike. Her hands circled tightly around the other demon's waist, gripping the thick fabric of his coat.

Xander grinned before kicking his feet up and peeling out of the alleyway. The familiar, hellish air grazed past their faces, biting the skin with a chill. Devoid of any lunar radiance, the two buzzed under only the faint light of the stars and the glow of orange streetlamps. Pebbles rumbled their way into places between cobbled stone as they passed by. The streets were unusually vacant and silent. Xander's hair floated ungracefully around his face, blocking his vision, but not enough to cause any damage.

At the speeds in which they progressed, it was no surprise that their destination already lay before them. He pulled into another alley across from the arena. He turned the bike off and slid off, holding his hand out for Olivia to take. "We're here."

As Axle and Nancy rode through the air, she couldn't help but feel completely liberating. A life imprisoned could small things like going out for a walk seem like a million dollars, but this feeling was not derived from the absence of freedom. No, this came from something else. This was something completely new, but somehow familiar.

They maneuvered through the decrepit buildings, weaving creative webs on the air. Goosebumps arose on top of her pale skin. She shivered in delight as the sounds of the city sunk behind her. Sure, she was in Hell, but this felt better than anything she had ever experienced before.

Nancy felt different. Not only was she letting a man stand less than one foot away from her, but he had his arms around her waist. On a normal day, even a platonic gesture like this would send her off, but this seemed okay. She felt no threat. Maybe it was his charm or perhaps they had a mutual, unspoken disregard for the other. It didn't matter. Though, it was an interesting observation.

Upon landing, Nancy leaned forward a bit, trying to maintain her balance before hopping off. Her eyes traced the building in front of them. It looked horrible, but she still found herself beaming at the sight of it. "This...this is amazing." She turned around in disbelief,"[I]That[I] was amazing!" She gestured to the board before she giggled to herself. "Oh, and trust me, I know the art of murder. Perhaps, not when supernatural powers are involved, but I don't hesitate." She turned back around to the arena, tucking her hair behind her ear.

Avani looked to Katarina. She sure knew how to manipulate. Her speech, albeit completely true, was a clever scheme to knock the boys out of their daydreams. They had to realize that this was real, that this is what they had to do. Kat knew exactly how to convince them. She smiled to herself as the two angels begrudgingly began their battle.

Luka's illusions only seemed to work briefly before Sage ran forward and tackled him down. Luckily, the other boy hadn't quite pinned him down. Luka scrambled to his feet and ran away from Sage. How could he trick him? How else could he use his powers to his advantage?

Thick fog still surrounded the two, offering Luka a chance to gather his wits. Think. Think. There had to be a way that he could distract him enough to gain the upper hand. Well, he already slightly had the upper hand, but Sage had the willpower. The way he had come after Luka was enough to send shivers across his body. He was hungry and in some circumstances, hunger won.

But, what if his prey became more difficult to pinpoint? The angel smiled devilishly to himself as he began to speak telepathically. "Sage, where am I?" It echoed around the other boy, like screams in an echo chamber. The fog became ever so thick as Luka seemingly traveled through it. Appearing before Sage before vanishing into the soft clouds again. "Can you find me?" He spoke from behind him.

Olivia didn't need her hearing to experience the sensory sensations that were overtaking her on the bike. She held onto Xander tight, tight enough that she almost worried she'd be a distraction. The wind whipped through her hair, rushed by her face, stole the breath from her lungs. But, it was okay. Everything was okay because here, in this moment, she felt more alive than she ever did when she was alive. No amount of drugs gave her a sensation quite like this. The closest she'd come was riding on a motorcycle, but then she could feel the contact of the wheels to the ground. This was something else; the ride was smooth and bumpless, completely free of the ground below.

The building the pair now stood in front of was less than impressive. There seemed to be no lights that belonged to the building outright, at least outside the thing, and their destination was shrouded in the shadow of night. One could make out the words emblazoned on the top if they squinted though, and could also read Latin. Olivia was squinting adjusting to the, now steady, darkness of a literal everlasting night. She lacked the second requirement though, knowing nothing of Latin, so she had to trust Xander when he told her that they had arrived.

So this was the place she was to learn how to kill. But why was she learning to kill, again? For the same reason she'd given up her music, apparently. The same reason she'd keep her youth until something claimed her. The system was flawed inherently, but who was Olivia to argue with all-powerful beings? She wasn't a particularly strong demon, yet she could feel Xander's powers oozing off him like a separate entity unable to be contained. Perhaps she should listen to him.

Or perhaps she could convince him of a separate path.

For the time being, however, Olivia decided to play their games, I'll learn how fight here? she signed, letting her eyes take in the monstrosity before her. She guessed Axle and Nancy were already in as they'd left first and started faster than even she and Xander had.

The trip was nothing new to Axle and even the flourishes thrown on for added entertainment's value were done with an air of nonchalance and a straight face. They landed and Axle let go of Nancy, nodding to the words, shadowed over by the night. “It used to light up,” Axle said, shoving his hands in his pockets and tossing back a lock of his hair, “There for a few years, anyway. When it stopped working, it was just never fixed, just like fucking everything around here,” he said, cracking his knuckles. He looked up to see Nancy unsteadily stepping off and he held his hand out for her to take.

“Fortunately,” Axle said, shoving the hand that had previously helped Nancy back into his pocket, “Our bodies don't crack as easily, should we take fuckin' care of them. Now. This is our chance to show you that your sacrifices weren't for nothing and that you can live a decent life without whatever it is that you sacrificed.” He started walking up the cracked steps and opened the door for her to pass through, closing it after himself.

“Unfortunately,” he said leading the way through the double doors and into an actually lit gym-like area, “Some sacrifices are too great. I still regret mine, and mine was supposed to be a good thing to give up. Just means I'm that much tougher on the field. You'll see the same, likely.”

Katarina's eyes were cold, assessing. Her words nothing more than the cold, hard truth. It felt doubly true for Sage who knew the only place he could potentially taste anything ever again – there on the battlefield. She knew this. Sage wasn't the first to give up taste that she'd seen, and likely, he wouldn't be the last. Now, she needed to coerce the boy to the fight.

Sage missed his first charge. The fog had proven to serve its purpose and he could see nothing. He could only hear the voices surrounding him: Sage, where am I? Can you find me? Sage stood still, initially turning to each voice's direction, but there was one sense that he wondered if Luka would be able throw off – his sense of smell. Sage stopped moving, letting the fog waft about him, no longer concerned of whether he could see or not. Now he was focused on one thing.

His drink at the bar earlier, the one where he'd been given a blood containing demon's blood, was the best he'd ever had and the smell resonated with him and would until the end of his days. It would forever be what he chased, his own dragon. That same smell greeted him here, in the arena. Whatever it was that enabled angels to get back from the dead seemed to have the same effect on him, giving angels tasty flesh, tasty blood – flesh and blood that now filled his nostrils.

Finally, he spun around and opened his eyes, “Hello, Luka.”

Xander gestured to the building. Don't let its appearance startle you. It's actually quite comfortable inside. He smirked. He shoved the key deep into his coat pockets and proceeded towards the weathered structure. It was not comfortable in the slightest like Xander had previously stated. Actually, it was the mere opposite. The arena, as he had theorized, had never been in peak condition.

He spun around to face Olivia, walking backward and up the stairs. Of course, it may not seem comfortable to you. But, soon you'll become accustomed to its atmosphere and it with yours. From this day forward, unless you back down, will learn to become great friends with this building here. They made it to the front entrance. Xander kicked open the door before turning around to hold it open for Olivia.

It's not too late to turn back. He looked deeply into her eyes. Testing her.

Nancy stepped further into the arena. She felt a bit intimidated by the possibilities, but she was willing to grow stronger. Of course, that's what she was always striving to be back on Earth. She wanted to save others and conquer. Here, she could actually do it. Nancy was no longer a slave to the system. She would be independent once more.

She spun around once she was inside and looked to Axle. "I may be a newbie, but once I figure out my shit, I know I'll be able to do this." Her jaw clenched in determination. "I need to do this."

Nancy's gaze traveled beyond Axle's features before spotting a wall across from them adorned with a multitude of various weapons. Her feet started to carry her over to the wall, her eyes entranced on a couple of picks. Their metal shone like dazzling jewels under the fluorescent lights. "Are-are these for practicing with?" She asked Axle, gazed still fixed on the weapons.

From her observation, Avani was impressed by the show they both had been putting on. Luka's powers proved to be beneficial but only seemed to give him the upper hand for a limited amount of time. Sage's abilities were powerful as well. Through whatever hallucinations Luka had given him, he was still able to find the other boy. His hunger seemed to overpower his lack of vision and hearing.

Luka's heart skipped a bit as Sage's hot breath hit his skin. Goosebumps formed as he attempted to hide in plain sight. Though, to no avail. He had been caught and he had no idea what to do now. His mind thought it best to run, but he didn't think he would be fast enough. This was his last chance to win the fight, but he had little hope that his plan would actually work.

Olivia couldn't believe him. There was something to his face that said “I'm being sarcastic” even as she knew he'd never actually lie to her. She'd look up to see what the building looked like, but the dark of night prevented her from even making the gesture, and thinking about it a little longer helped her realize that she'd never get the chance to see it during the day. Death was a strange thing.

All her life she'd been told about gleaming streets of gold and a big bearded man who judged whether you went to Heaven or Hell and she thought that she just might be in purgatory. No such luck she found herself in the place very explicitly named Hell – but there was no fire or lake of fire or anything. Instead, she had this: a worn down arena smashed between two apartment buildings in the dead of forever night in a forever dark and forever freezing town or city or whatever the fuck this urban area was because who are we kidding Olivia was just a baby demon who had no idea where she was what she was doing or what the fuck she was getting herself in to. So, she listened to his promises of acclimation, of mutual respect for a dilapidated building that only said that she was a demon.

Xander's gaze was intense, boring into Olivia's soul rendering her useless of most thoughts. She stood there, wide-eyed and blinking at Xander for a long while before raising her hands to sign to him, Is there ever a time it will be? Or am I giving everything by entering this building?

Axle drew the eyes of the other demons in the arena, that much was certain. Some even stopped mid-battle to note his presence. He was a regular there and always provided a show. Sure, he looked normal enough now (as normal as a black eyed punk rocker could look) with a face of stoicism and apathy, but those who stopped knew him as one who changed to a completely different person when fighting. He seemed to give up his humanity losing all sanity, like he was high.

[b] “Yes, I know. I was a noobie once too. I learned. So too, shall you,” he said, watching her brow furrow and her fists clench. She really was determined. She would make an excellent hunting partner.

He didn't blink as she made her way to the wall of weapons, turning his body to face her as she moved, “If you need them, yes. You will need them, won't you? You don't know yet what any of the rest of us can do...” Axle teleported so his mouth was next to her ear and whispered, “I know I don't need them...

Sage inhaled deeply through his nose, taking in the scent of Sage's neck flesh, “You tried to fool me, and you came close. But you...you smell so...so sososo good.” Even as he spoke, he could see multiple Lukas, all facing him, and all looking at him with a face begging him to stay confused. They all spoke to him, but only one gave off that delicious smell.

“You smell better than the wine,” he murmured, debating taking out his knives. There were no icicles in his head this time. No, instead he found himself with his own little rabbit trapped within his own jowls. Knives would only make the meat tense up and he wanted it so bad, he wanted to taste it just one more time. One more time.

He bit Luka's neck and tore.

Xander looked at her quizzically before he began to laugh. His eyes and mouth crinkled up in delight. I was teasing you. If at any point you do not want to be here, you can leave. Though, this is the easiest way to live in Hell. Not to mention all the riches. He signed after he had gained his composure.

You don't have to be devoted to the system. And it may seem daunting and laborious, but it pays off. I promise if you stick with it...with me you will be okay. He made it a point to look at her; to show her that what he had stated was completely true.

Nancy rolled her eyes before she spun around to face the other demon. He smirked devilishly. "Okay, Mr. I'm-Better-Than-You." She raised a brow and laughed jokingly. "I get it. Your sacrifice was a significant change. Mine on the other hand...not so much. But now, I don't feel guilty about all the shit I did before.

She crossed her arms and popped her hip out. "And if I don't feel guilty then I suppose I won't have a problem with being a completely heartless bitch to these angel fuckers, yeah?" Nancy bit the inside of her lip and looked down at Axle's shoes.

Luka screamed out in pain. This was worse than any other thing he had ever felt before. Now, he was still alive to witness his own slow death. He could feel warm blood trickle down his neck and down his chest, staining his t-shirt. The other angel's teeth felt jagged and rough piercing through his skin.

He could feel himself lose grip on reality as he choked up crimson streams. His knees felt wobbled as he slipped from the world and fell to the floor. Collapsed, he thought he had seen the end. It was warm and he could almost feel his whole entire being begin to unwind. He was a tapestry over a blazing fire, but he was content.

That is...until his lungs finally filled with air and he felt the pain once again. He grasped at his throat and felt the skin slowly starting to patch itself together. He coughed and choked, he held himself tightly, tears streaming down his blood-stained cheeks. His whole body was soaked in his own blood. He brought a shaky hand up and gripped his hair. Flakes of dried blood smeared themselves inside strands of hair.

"Seems as though we have our victor. Congratulations, you won your first battle, but it won't always be this easy. And Luka, I know this is only your first time, but you need to begin thinking of alternatives based on your opponent's abilities. If we were out at the border both of you would be dead. Avani spoke.

Luka looked down and watched as the stains slowly began to disappear to reveal his normal clothes. Tears still spun webs down his cheeks and he felt like he still couldn't breathe. He had once only felt adrenaline, but now, he felt pure defeat. I wish I would've just died.

Avani pursed her lips and walked over to Luka. "Listen, I know this is difficult. You've only just died and know you been thrust into back into the face of death. That doesn't mean you should succumb to it. Your powers are brilliant, Luka. We are here to strengthen you, to make you powerful. She rested a hand on his shoulder which in turn caused the small angel to jump in fright. His eyes looked back up to Avani. We won't give up on you so you shouldn't either.

Luka wiped the tears from his face and offered a very small smile. Avani stood and stretched her hand out for Luka to take. Grateful, he took it and stood. That's it. Avani gave him a pat on the back.

He felt better...but he still couldn't look Sage in the eye.

Olivia's face softened and she relaxed a bit. Alright...I'll give it a shot, but I can't make any promises, okay?” she signed, biting her lower lip. Nothing about this future occupation was comforting. She knew what angels looked like. If demons went to Hell looking the same as they did in life, then it was the same for angels. There would be no difference between killing an angel and killing a person. It would look the same.

It would feel the same.

The change in pronouns from “it” to “me” was all Olivia needed to muster up the strength to go through the double doors into the arena. She had no idea what wait for her beyond them besides that it was a place to practice her powers – whatever the fuck that meant. “Vibrokinetic Constructs” sounded like it was ripped right out of a comic book, and she was given this gnarly-ass cane to top it all off. Canes she'd always associated with the blind, but apparently that didn't matter to the Council and she now kept it on a strap she'd made on her back. Using it as a walking cane felt more arduous than simply carrying it. She didn't know why she carried it at all, why she even had it when she went to the bar. It just felt right, she supposed, having sacrificed her most loved of the senses for it. It had to be precious, right? ...Right?

She hoped so.

“Was guilt inhibiting you, Nancy?” Axle asked, tilting his head and looking at her with black, unblinking eyes. “You must have been a decent person before you came here, huh?” Axle vanished only to reappear in front of her, leaning against the wall beside the weapons.

[b] “Guilt is a way to deal with the aftermath, yes. But what about during the fight? Will a lack of guilt enable you to dodge bullets, shrapnel, and immaterial projectiles? What about have the wherewithal to know where a teleporting or invisible enemy is? What about those who lacked guilt without a sacrifice? Those that weren't sane before? Will a lack of guilt be a strong enough crutch for you then?” Axle asked, taking down one of the knives and toying with it for a second before throwing it directly at Nancy, it missing by a mere inch and vibrating in the wall beside her.

“I'll tell you what, Nancy,” he said approaching her, “I'll not use any of these weapons on you, at first. Though I could and you would walk out of here physically fine. I'll give you a chance to try to catch me. Use your new ability and see what you can do. Try and kill me if you can.” His voice was suddenly playful, and a hint of a smirk stayed etched at the corners of his lips, “There are no consequences here.”

If Luka screamed out in pain, Sage didn't hear it. Nor did he care to listen. “Luka” and “Sage” were no more in that moment, it was only hunter and prey and the prey was safe and secure in his jaw. It felt like an eternity for Sage since he could eat and then he'd had so many delicacies. Bed bound, the most delicious treats from around the world were made for him personally by his brother. Food had always been his gateway out of the hospital, and the sacrifice hurt more than he'd ever care to admit. But it was seen now. His first meal was his new friend and he tasted better than anything his brother could have made. The taste was...it was...divine.

Without thinking, his jaw closed down, tighter, tighter, until he was tearing flesh from bone. When Luka went limp, Sage finally sat back, sucking back Luka's flesh with a greedy gulp. In that moment, he knew that he had won and he knew that he would be returning to the battlefield time and time again. Not for the money. No, nor the power.

He would be coming back for the taste.

In the background, he could hear Avani speaking, but he couldn't hear what she said. All he heard in that moment was the ringing in his ears and that low rumble in his stomach that told him to continue; there was more, he must continue. He licked his lips tasting Luka's blood, finally shaking his head to get out of his reverie. His gaze drifted to the one he'd just killed, already mended but still wide-eyed and carefully looking away.

Katarina watched, nodding with satisfaction when the victor had been determined. Luka would need to experiment with his powers. His were the kind that had a high skill ceiling and weren't friendly to beginners; but with a little help from his friends he'd see what all he could do and soon he'd be able to manipulate scents as well. Even Sage wouldn't be immune once he learned that. Luka looked shell-shocked and Sage sat against the wall, Luka's blood starting to dissipate. He was breathing heavy and started to get up.

The new angel made his way over to Luka and put his hand on his shoulder, “Hey I uh...might have gone overboard there...I'm sorry...”

Xander gave a curt nod before following her in through the doors. He spotted Axle immediately--he was hard to miss. He cupped his hands around his mouth before yelling out to the two other demons. "Hey, dipshit. Shall we get started?" He smiled devilishly.

Now, Xander didn't know why, but he always felt a tinge of excitement on meeting and teaching the newly dead. He thought it to be quite refreshing. Instead of focusing on his own life, wealth, and wellbeing, he could let his focus travel to something new. It almost like a game to him; almost like he was the king and every newbie was his pawn.

Though, he did feel different when it came to Olivia. It could've been her looks or her reserved manner that changed Xander's perspective. But either way, he was intrigued by her. She was new in a different way. She wasn't a piece in his game. Perhaps, in this circumstance, Xander was the lowly pawn. Just waiting to see what the queen needed him to do.

Maybe he was being too reckless with his emotions. It was best to have none. Emotions get you killed. But, this one wouldn't hurt, right.

Nancy's brows furrowed together in deep thought. She bit her lip as she began to consider Axle's words before a dagger raced passed her head. She held her breath and, without turning her head, looked back at the dagger stuck deep into the wall.

She exhaled sharply, ground her teeth and spoke up. "You may be right. I may not know a goddamn thing about battle strategies, but am not some princess. You underestimate my will. And yes, I'm not that strong, but I will do anything to get the job done." Nancy was getting slightly angered. She did not like to be belittled, especially by an asshole demon. "So, let's fight."

"Woah, Woah, Woah!" Xander ran up to the two demons. "Don't think about starting without us. Don't forget, we have another demon to teach." He propped an eyebrow up and stuck a hand out in annoyance. "At least, let Olivia watch." He grinned.

Luka slowly looked up at the other boy. I-it's okay. You were just doing what needed to be done. He looked back down at his hands before he brought them back up to his neck. The skin was completely healed by now, but the sensation of pure fear still lingered. He would definitely need to work on his courage if he wanted to survive out on the border.

He began to get up, legs still wobbly. Let's try again. His gaze met Sage's.

Axle turned to face Xander, slowly, to make sure the redheaded fuck didn't think he could be taken by surprise. Xander was older, more experienced, and probably more powerful. Axle wanted him to know that he didn't give a shit. “I don't appreciate you calling me that, Ronald.” The joke was likely over his head. McDonald's wasn't one of the fast food places that translated back into Hell, being replaced instead with even shittier options for food, generally individually owned by people who decided to hang up their weapons in favor of a more tamed existence. The fact that the joke might have gone over Xander's head made it all the more funny to Axle, though his face didn't betray a trace of humor.

Olivia didn't miss the two hanging close to the wall of weapons either and she could still see the dagger vibrating in the wall beside Nancy. She looked over to Xander who was telling them to not start without them, and Olivia found herself not being able to control her trembling. Despite his willingness to drag her into this situation, Xander's presence was comforting. Every bone in her body was telling her to leave, to run, to never learn what it was she'd made such an enormous sacrifice for, but then what would that mean? It would mean a failure to adapt, she thought to herself, and a futile sacrifice. I would have given up my hearing for nothing...

That and she risked disappointing Xander. She didn't know what it was about him, but something drew her to him and his recklessness. His lopsided smile, extroverted attitude, and red hair added a splash of color to her normally monochromatic life. He seemed to be the yin to her yang, the voice to her silence.

And he could talk to her.

No one else in all of Hell it seemed could do that. People were spawned in their pique physical condition after all. How many would willingly give up hearing after gaining it again? Or after having it all of their lives? So here she was, in a run-down arena with a few other demons getting ready to learn how to kill. She took out her cane and looked at it, then looked at the group of demons before her wondering how this whole thing worked.

[b] “Don't worry. We have plenty of time for me to kill all of you; there's no need to rush anything,” Axle said, looking first at Nancy and then at Xander. “So who fights who first? Should we give the newbies a chance to see if they can activate their abilities?”

Sage gulped. He was wracked with guilt; he could only imagine the pain he'd caused Luka, but who was he to say no to another full course meal? He wasn't anyone, really, and he was excited to taste demon. If angel tasted this good in the arena, what did demon taste like? “I...I know, but...but...I can smell your fear. Are you – are you afraid of me? Is that what I smell?”

Katarina grinned, “Ah, so the nooblies are capable of learning! I'm impressed. Luka, you've got a high skill ceiling to navigate and it seems like Sage's abilities will work mostly with instincts so before you go again, let's figure out what your weaknesses were, Luka. Your illusions were working, initially, but what made them fail? We figure that out, you may be able to beat Sage. Scheisse, you could even take a bite of him if you wanted; get some payback.”