The past few weeks aboard the Arioch had been a refreshing change of pace for the Fire Demon, and a marked upgrade from months spent in stoic isolation training on Bunbuku Island. A now familiar Dimensional Rift tore open aboard the bridge of the warship and Amatricina stepped forth, irritated look on her face. She and the Mark I had been contacted as candidates for a tag team tournament on some planet known as 'Space Vegas.' While Amatricina was normally loath to mortal frivolities, blood sports and spectator combat were among the favored pastimes of Fire Demons. She had been looking forward to cracking skull alongside her metal titan, seeing how the Mark I fared in combat at her side. But alas, upon arrival Amatricina, in her mortal guise of the fire witch Amata Tricina, had been told by one 'Shroomy' that he was unable to find enough applicants for the second division of his tournament and it had been unfortunately canceled. Amatricina was rightfully irritated, and the compensatory 'gift basket' of what appeared to be some kind of edible fungus did little to sooth over ill will. As the demon stepped out onto the bridge she found the nearest of Sincara's servants, handing them the basket with a mildly annoyed look on her face. "Place this in the galley, or wherever it is you store foodstuffs. Actually, you may eat it yourself if you like. I have no desire for it, it is your burden now." With that matter taken care of the demoness simply stepped past the now confused servant, leaving him with the gift basket in hand and many unspoken questions on his mind.

Without wasting a beat, Amatricina made for the gravity chamber on the warship, armored heels clicking against metal floors with every step as she hurriedly made her way down the halls. "Computer, is the Mark I currently present on the vessel?" The demoness asked to the artificial intelligence that commanded the ship's autonomous functions. Amatricina could not sense the artificial ki that the armored titan used to power its techniques, and the mortal soul of the Johnny warrior within the Mark I was often dormant and suppressed. The latter made it especially difficult for the demon to keep tabs on her champion. At least Dain Sincara was mortal through and through, she could easily sense his proud soul and his particular energy several decks below.

The robotic voice of the ship's sentinel finally chimed in after a few seconds of scanning the warship and perimeter. "Negative Lady Amatricina. The Mark I is currently nowhere in proximity of the Arioch, and has offered no insight as to his current whereabouts." Amatricina simply frowned at this revelation, but paid it little mind. She had granted her Everchosen a large degree of autonomy in how they served her. If she truly needed the titan, she could find him.

"So be it then. Alert me if he returns, and set the gravity chamber to my preferred settings. I intend to meditate in peace." The Demon Queen commanded of the mechanical servant. She quite liked it, it did not disobey and was dutiful and obedient. Unlike the artificial voices that the Mark I generated to be his voice and assistants.

Petey paused for a moment, hesitant to issue the command she had been given. "Lady Amatricina, if I may offer an alternative suggestion. Master Sincara is presently located within his forge works, and has given me explicit instructions to inform you he would request your assistance upon your arrival." The artificial intelligence paused, almost wincing despite not having a body. Expecting a fierce verbal lashing from the demoness.

"Is he?" Amatricina replied simply, pausing as she walked. She turned to face one of the robotic cameras the 'Petey' used to physically see the interior of the ship. "And what pray tell, is he forging?"

"Katchin." The machine being replied instantly, not skipping so much as a beat. She had been informed it would be enough to command the demon's interest.

It did. And without pause Amatricina turned one hundred and eighty degree, cloak whirling behind her and then began walking towards the access ways to the ship's lower deck. "Very well then." She stated simply, dismissively waving a hand. "I rescind my command regarding the gravity chamber. I will be heading to the forge works instead." With that Amatricina casually made her way towards her new destination. As she drew close the smell of the forges filled her nostrils. It reminded her briefly of home. In her youth, her father Lord Tartaros had made sure all his progeny had a vested interest in the art of smithing. The Fire Demons prided themselves as the greatest smiths in all the Demon Realm, but it goldsmithing, blacksmithing, or anything in between. From weapons and armor to jewelry and objects of the arcane to warship hulls and plating, the venerable Fire Demons believed themselves without equal. And by all accounts, they were right. Fire Demon forged goods were their clan's primary export to other neighboring demon clans they held friendly relations with. In exchange these goods were chiefly paid for in caches of slaves who would then go on to toil in the mines of Monsigneus, harvesting more raw ore and precious metal to forge ever greater quantities of goods.

Though the work of a Master of the Fellforge was a labor well beneath the brood of a Demon Lord, Amatricina and her many siblings became at least moderately accomplished smiths as per Tartaros' desires. She was eager to prove her admittedly most skill to the Saiyan, having decided that even being only a modestly accomplished Fire Demon smith put her echelons above a mortal forge master. As she stepped into the forge works the smell of burning coal, molten metal, and the searing heat of a smoke filled air flooded her lungs. It was such a warm and inviting combination of scents and sensations it put the demoness' mind to ease and made her stresses almost melt away. Almost, Amatricina quickly threw on her normally haughty expression, sashaying across the room towards Sincara as he worked his bellows.

As Amatricina approached the Saiyan turned smith she could see the red hot lump of katchin sitting proudly at the heart of his forge. "Working with Katchin are we? That's a mighty tall order my Champion, even for you..." With that the demoness reached in, grabbing hold of the lump of metal with one hand, pulling it out and holding it like a hot potato juggling it slowly between armored palms. "Hmm... impressive heat, for such a crude forge. Still, you will need to do much better if you wish to command the master of all metals." With that she gently reached in and set the lump of katchin back down where it was, like a baker setting a loaf of bread into her oven to bake. "Tell me Sincara, what were you hoping to forge with this katchin once you sufficiently heated it? If you could even accomplish that task. It requires a temperature comparable to the surface of a star, and a vibrant star in the prime of its life at that." As she spoke her gaze turned to the sweat drenched saiyan, Amatricina herself barely registering the temperature. She preferred to sleep in magma far warmer than the air within the forge presently was.

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Word Count: 1,241 | Dain Sincara

Amatricina mulled over Sincara's words, armored talons delicately scratching her chin as she mused aloud. "A hobby? Well, I suppose there are far worse pastimes you could partake in. There is pride in a hard days work, and the forge master is a venerable position within my clan. My kind are fire made flesh, our forges burn bright and our blades run sharp." The demoness raised an eyebrow to the warrior's goal, to forge katchin with neither magic nor science. She chuckled slightly, looking down at his modest forge. It was serviceable for a wide range of smithing, but not this. "An admirable, if not unnecessary goal then Sincara. One you will unfortunately not be able to achieve with this particular forge." Amatricina said dryly as she slowly walked around the forge inspecting it carefully.

"Your forge is far too small for such a monumental feat I am afraid. You will need construct a much larger one, forged with at least trace amounts of katchin in its own construction, so it may resist the heat it intends to house within itself. To my knowledge, I do not in truth know how to forge katchin in such a way with total absence of magic or technology. My clan uses both in equal measure to expedite the process and weave spells and enchantments into our every creation. It is what makes my kind the finest smiths in our realm. Though in ancient times our distant ancestors crafted the metal deftly without modern innovation. Though I suspect if I poured through my royal archives I will find they used excessive amounts of magic to make up for the shortcomings of their science. To do such a feat as forging katchin with neither... would be a rather impressive task." Amatricina was slightly lost in her musings, the wheels turning in her head as she pulled forth knowledge she hadn't needed in over a millennia. It all came flooding back to her in a rush.

The demoness raised an eyebrow at the Saiyan smith's second goal, a far more loftier one than an already lofty goal. "You wish to create a katchin alloy? That transcends its properties? Now that is an admirable goal. Though I suspect, an impossibility. For tens of millions of years the finest smiths across three dimensions, the Demon Realm, the Mortal Realm, and Other World have all tried and failed to achieve what you seek to accomplish. While I admire the initiative, consider me skeptical such an ambition goal could be accomplished by one Saiyan. Although, fate it seems has done stranger things..." The demoness mulled over the prospect more, dismissing it in her head. Surely there was no stronger material than Katchin in existence.

Amatricina began to slowly saunter her way around the forge, lost in her idle daydreams as the Saiyan spoke. "Pride without purpose? Hmm... Agreeable, if not a hallow goal. My boundless pride comes from my clan, and our storied list of accomplishments. I seek to get stronger for their sake, and for my own. To protect my clan, to elevate them, and to forge a greater purpose with them at my back. Still, ladders exist to be climbed. The simple fact your pride compels you to climb even without purpose makes you echelons above the rank and file mortals who drift through their brief existence meaningless and without purpose. Merely spokes in the wheel of time, useful for nothing more than to be pawns in a grander scheme." The demon turned swiftly though back to face Sincara, a harsh look in her eyes. "My previous Champion, Lord Kamui, was also a warrior bound most fiercely by his pride. It consumed him, turning to arrogance as he ignored my training in his darkest hour. He was beaten mercilessly by the Mark I trying to restore his pride in a humiliating defeat he suffered. I slew him myself for his audacity, tearing his beating heart from his chest and casting him off to Hell. Now the Mark I serves me in his stead, a stronger champion replacing an unworthy Acolyte."

The demoness turned, letting out a long sigh. Smoke pouring from her mouth as she felt tears well at her eyes from the loss of her prodigal son. She blinked them back, refusing to allow Sincara to see them. "I lost my beloved son, the only mortal I truly came to care for. My first demonic chimera, my first champion." With that she turned back to coldly glare at the Saiyan. "I will not lose another champion to arrogance, not if I can afford it." She let her words hang in the air like the thick smoke from the forge. Arrogance had been what caused Sincara to overestimate himself when the two first thought. If pride was to be his strength, arrogance would be his vice. She would see the latter hammered from him. Like a smith hammering the imperfections from his steel against the mighty anvil that was discipline and training.

Amatricina walked up to Sincara as he sat at his bench, recovering from the heat of his forge. She smiled a mischievous smile, fangs gleaming in the light of the forge. The voluptuous demon leaned over, so she would be eye level with the seated Saiyan, her ponderously large bust hanging full and heavy as she spoke. "Of course this means I will help you Sincara. Just as you are sworn to serve my dark desires, I am honor bound to hold my own promises and pacts with my Everchosen. The liege-vassal contract is not one my clan takes lightly." She raised a hand to her mouth as the demoness let out an uncharacteristically cheerful giggle. "Extraordinary heat is my birthright, Sincara. The fires I breath alone can be potent enough to melt katchin. And those come from within, not from without." She paused, giving the warrior a teasing wink. "Though I would be lying to us both if I did not admit they were flames of an arcane nature. Normal fire could never reach such heats, not by mortal means that is. That said, I will do exactly as I offered, and forge you a mighty katchin blade to serve as your right hand in battle. I have seen your current blade, and you could do much better. Though I would gladly model your new sword off your existing weapon if you are preferential to its design."

With that said Amatricina pulled herself upright, the wheels already turning in her head on how she would forge this warrior's new blade. Her flare for fashion and beauty in battle shown through in her craftsmanship, not that she had forged anything like this task in hundreds of years. She scoffed, shaking her head at the Saiyans other remark. "Me, a master smith? Hardly. I have a topical knowledge of the forge and the art of smithing, most retained from my youth. My late father made sure his entire progeny were adept as smiths, if only so we would grow up with a proper respect and appreciation for our ancient trade. No, Dabre is the current Master of the Fellforge, the greatest living smith among my clan. He has millennias worth of experience, my own knowledge is a candle before his flame. That said, it should be sufficient for something as simple as a blade." Amatricina leaned in to better inspect the forge, running her hand along its length, inadvertently giving the mortal a commanding view of her considerable rear.

"Hmm... I know not what fuels you mortals use in your forge. My world is of volcanic composition, and the fuels we use may simply not exist in this realm. Moreover, all our forges are treated with powerful fire magic to insure strength and durability well beyond their composition, their interiors laced with a layer of katchin to act as a final buffer against the incredible heat within." She tapped a finger to her lips, musing over her options as she stood upright again. "If you are so opposed to forge katchin without magic, I will be of little help to you. The materials you seek simply do not exist here, nor do I have the knowledge to find them. Moreover there is the pressing issue of your forge simply being too small to properly contain the immense heat that it will need to fulfill its purpose. If you wish my aid, I will grant it. But again, I am am merely adept at the fellforge, neither amateur nor master. And my forging uses heavy amounts of magic, I have been taught no other way in practice."

At Dain's final comment the demoness simply turned and raised a hand to her mouth, letting out a haughty chuckle. "Your boldness is forgiven, Dain Sincara. Flattery will get you nowhere, do not think that you can curry my favor with your compliments, true as they may be." Her eyes shimmered with fiery light, and a wide grin crossed plump ruby lips. "Though I appreciate the gesture. Vanity is the daughter of Pride and Lust, and I am a very proud demoness. My beauty is my favorite quality in myself... after perhaps my incredible power level." With that the demoness clenched her fist, it crackled with Dark Energy as her aura briefly flared within the forge.  She added, the demoness was well beyond  Amatricina was ever proud of her seemingly boundless growth in power. For her, it was only just the beginning.

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Word Count: 1,591 | Total Word Count: 2,832 | Dain Sincara

Amatricina still seemed unsure of Sincara's plan to discover successful katchin alloys. "Again, I find it a lofty goal at best, a fool's errand at worst. Though if there is a way, and you do discover it, it would certainly leave a lasting legacy in your name. Moreover... my clan would need to rethink millions of years of metallurgy... We have remained under the philosophy that pure katchin is the apex, and our attempts to create something better are all for naught." Any such alloy would send ripples through the mortal and demonic community once the secret was revealed of successfully forged katchin alloys. Eons of star ship, armor, and building design would have to be thrown out and reevaluated almost overnight. For the Demon Realm it would be a race to best utilize this discovery for their own clan's war machine, unless she united them first and made sure such knowledge was evenly distributed among the demon clans.

As Dain more thoroughly explained his rationale behind his forges, Amatricina simply nodded along in agreement. "Like you stated, it is a hobby through and through. I see now, you merely want a master worked forge that is free from automation. To feel the simple pleasure of a day's hard work and a tool forged by your own two hands. A noble desire, I suppose. Our Forge Masters prefer efficiency, and the knowledge they can create more with less largely is the satisfaction they receive." The Demon Lord's clan were an industrious race of demons to the core. With their great Pride brought an unyielding desire for self improvement and self betterment. Even the lowliest fire demon soldier held aspirations of one day being a legion commander. Even the humblest apprentice longed for the day he could claim the title of Master of the Fellforge. Even Amatricina's own siblings had once longed for her coveted title of heir apparent, and to one day claim the throne of Warlord. But alas, merit decided all things in their culture. Only the strongest of Tartraos' sires became his heir, and only the greatest smiths came to be Forge Masters. Efficiency was a large part of that journey, to waste both time or resources was an admission of inferior skill.

Amatricina turned her gaze back coldly as Sincara spoke of loss. "You fail to understand, Saiyan. Kamui was not just close to me, he was my prodigal son. Reborn by two hands, infused with my demonic ki. I restored his shattered body in my image, trained him until his power was at the highest it had ever been. I saw so much of myself in him. His cunning, his sadism, his unyielding desire for vengeance to restore his pride. You do not understand my loss, Kamui was more than just a friend or an ally. He was also far more to me than you or the Mark I are. Neither of my Everchosen were born again of my blood. Nor do I intend them to be, I will not make the same mistakes again..." The demoness trailed off, unwilling to continue discussion on the topic. Her time with Kamui was over, he had died as her kind should, standing. His body had been cremated in a great funeral pyre as her kind buried their dead. So his body would not rot under the sun and his ashes be returned to the fires of creation. Kamui was laid to rest, and there was no sense on Amatricina continuing to lament his loss. She had new Acolytes now, stronger ones... stranger ones. Ones she did not sympathize with or even fully understand at times. She preferred Kamui, but he was arrogant, foolish, and paid for it with his life. Mark I was stronger, and Sincara had more potential. They were her champions now.

The demoness listened intently as her champion spoke of his prototype forge, held in one of the ship's many cargo bays. She was curious to see what it looked like, more curious to see what it looked like once it spanned an entire room. She was unaware Sincara had more forge works than what lied within this room. "You are ever full of surprises it seems." She mused to herself as Sincara paced around the room spouting off instructions to his artificial servant. She did however scoff again when the Saiyan addressed her as an 'extraordinary craftsman.' Amatricina simply shook her head in response, the jewelry that adorned her horns chiming as she did. "There you go again with idle flattery Sincara. You have seen neither my work or its quality, I am far from an extraordinary craftsman. It would be a waste of my time as a Warlord's daughter to have pursued that goal over being educated to rule and training to grow stronger."

"That said, I will make you a more than worthy blade of an traditional demonic design. But in exchange I expect you prove yourself worthy of wielding it. Have I made myself clear?" Amatricina commanded harshly, she had never made such a weapon before, not that she'd admit it to Sincara. Moreover, she had never entrusted such a weapon to a mortal. These were uncharted waters for the Demon Lord. She chuckled though, when her champion freely admitted his aversion to magic was partially due to his lack of mastery of it. Amatricina shrugged her slender shoulders, her enormous bust bouncing lightly from the motion. "Then you have far more in common with the Mark I than I originally thought. The titan also shares your, lack of skill when it comes to magic. I have been teaching the titan dark magic, it is the reason he serves me as my herald. He takes surprisingly well to it, you may want to consider seeing if he'll teach you some of what he knows." Amatricina grinned, knowing it would strike the Saiyan in his pride. He'd request to learn from her directly, not wanted second hand instruction from the mute armored titan that was the Mark I. She'd say she'd consider it, then agree to it only because it empowered her champion and thus his worth to her. It was becoming predictable, Amatricina and her Everchosen. The Demon Lord was fast learning to understand them well.

Amatricina smiled a teasing smile, batting her long lashes. "I could wound you with far more than with words, Sincara. Perhaps you've forgotten the time I gored you with my horns?" She remembered it fondly, her crown of grim black horns had stunk of Saiyan blood for the duration of their battle on Arcose' moon. A fitting punishment for the Saiyan groping her rear. "You are sworn to me, you are by definition trying to gain something from me. In your case, restoring yourself to peak fighting form, restoring your fierce Saiyan Pride, and finding a cause worth fighting for in your life." She paused, letting out a soft sigh. "In exchange... I will allow you to continue gracing me with such flattery. I do not hear the praise I deserve often enough in my travels. I have spent great lengths of time in isolation." Her smile widened, she would allow her champion to continue heaping praise and adoration upon her. It fanned the flames of her massive ego, for Amatricina was both extremely proud and vain. She could do with more flattery in her life, pointless as it may be.

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Word Count: 1,247 | Total Word Count: 4,079 | Dain Sincara

The Demon Lord listened to the remainder of her champion's katchin speech. There was no denying he was bold, and ambitious. Though she still held her doubts such a feat was possible, it was far better in Amatricina's eyes to have lofty goals and pour your heart and soul into them than to live a life free from true ambition. Ambition was the son of Pride, and Fire Demon's greatly valued pride. Besides, there were plenty in the Demon Realm or the Other World that would consider Amatricina's own goals impossible. To break the seal on the Demon Realm, freeing her kind to once more rampage across the universe. Tearing down the very heavens, liberating the evil dead from Hell, and slaughtering every Kai that gets in her way. The demoness clutched her fists, ebon power crackling around her fingers as her thoughts drifted far away from talk of katchin.

Amatricina's attention snapped back into focus a moment later and she let her anger simmer. The gods and the heavens could wait, though she was closer than any demon had been in millions of years her goal was still a very distant one at that. "Good." She stated simply, leveling her ruby gaze on her Saiyan champion. "Then you are fast coming to understand what it truly means to be among my Everchosen. To be worthy of service to the Demon Queen. A simple mission statement, one so few mortals will ever fit the criteria of. And fewer still will have the sin in their heart to agree to fealty before my throne." Amatricina let out a soft sigh, she would need recruit more champions in the future. The more powerful mortals she could steal away from the great factions of the universe, the less likely they'd be to pester her while she schemed against the gods themselves. "Show me then..." she added curtly, "What it is you have recovered?"

She watched keenly as the Saiyan transformed once more into his golden Super Saiyan state. It was no less impressive in a vacuum, though her own transformations eclipsed it, but to her delight. Her interest however was piqued at Sincara's declaration of a form beyond that of a Super Saiyan. "Oh? I was unaware your race could ascend further." In truth she was unaware of the limitations of any mortal race. Each new transformation she saw brought about new questions in the demoness. Her ignorance of this dimension was perhaps her most glaring weakness. Still, the lights danced in her eyes as Amatricina watched her champion ascend further, encasing his body in an armor of shimmering, arcing lightning. She raised an eyebrow, lifting a hand to scratch her chin. "So it is less a transformation, and more an advanced state of ki control. Interesting. I assume all your race have the potential to unlock this state, given sufficient training and strength of course."

The Demon Lord smiled coyly as her Acolyte dropped to his knee, it did wonders to improve her disposition when subordinates remembered proper respect for their superior. "No thanks are needed, Sincara." She replied dismissively, waving Dain off with a hand to rise back to his feet. "If it strengthens you, it strengthens both me and your worth to me. Though your appreciation is noted." Never would she have expected such... jubilation from a warrior who only weeks ago had bitterly admitted his life wasn't worth living and his own death was not significant a price to compel him to serve her. Nowadays though, it seemed him just being in her presence brought a smile to the Saiyan's face. Lust was such a wondrous sin, the great failing of men strong and weak, young and old. Amatricina grinned to herself as the warrior once more rose to his feet.

She listened as the warrior talked in circles, practically tripping over his own tongue in response to the mere mention of flattery. Especially since that is what it was, and continued to be. Excessive praise. Amatricina thought to herself she could defecate and Sincara would announce it was the cleanest, freshest smelling excrement he had ever had the honor of beholding in his entire life. "Good." She simply stated in response. "Than I am eager to see the results of these actions, the power of this strength, and the conviction of devotion. In the meantime, you have your oaths to me... and flattery." The demoness gave the man a wry grin as she finished her sentence. "As to the Mark I, I was only half joking. He is improving, something I thought impossible. You two could learn a lot from each other, if only because of how very different you are." Amatricina's gaze her harsher, and her violent demonic aura flared with wrath for a brief moment. "I will pretend I did not hear the latter part of your statement, Saiyan. And I am quite aware I have qualities not mortal possesses. I am no mortal." She spoke irritably, not liking being compared to beings automatically lesser than herself. It was obvious a Fire Demon was superior to a mortal. The rest was just semantics.

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Word Count: 867 | Total Word Count: 4,946 | Dain Sincara

Amatricina discarded Dain's statements with the wave of a hand. "I am keenly aware of both these statements, Sincara. There is little reason to restate them. As for the nature of this new form of yours, I am listening." And she was, keenly. The demoness had come to realize that there was far more power in the mortal races than she had been willing to accept. Kabochans, Saiyans, Kamui's nameless race, all displayed power and transformations that had once exceeded her wildest dreams. She had come to the revelation a Super Saiyan was likely the death of the last Demon King, Dabura, and wished not to share his fate. Though her power had grown tremendously since her first arrival in the mortal realm, Amatricina still held a cautious weariness regarding that which she did not know. As Sincara spoke, she listened. Hearing him describe his new form as rare was something of a blessing, the fewer powerful warriors beneath her in the mortal realm, the better. Amatricina knew her vast power, and she knew it still had clear limits. She did not wish to find herself in battle against multiple of these ascended Super Saiyans with no allies of her own at her side. The demon briefly paused to consider if the late Saiyan Queen, whatever her name was, had been in possession of such a form. It stood to reason that she did, though it had done little to prevent her death.

"Hmm..." She mused aloud. "It sounds similar to my Darkness Demon form. It is an ascension beyond that of a normal demon's power. Brought on through intense Dark Energy infusion. Though it is an unnatural transformation, in the absence of Dark Energy it simply cannot occur on its own." As the demon spoke she sashayed slowly alongside Sincara. She was particularly vested in hearing more of the full abilities of the Saiyan. She found it slightly peculiar how Sincara no longer freely teleported about his own ship. He used to do so much more frequently, though now it seemed he favored walking. Was it only when in her presence? Or because the demoness was loathe to being touched against her will, a feature that seemed essential to Sincara teleporting more than just himself.

Amatricina nodded along in quiet agreement, pausing to think at the subject of lightning affinity demons. "If this elemental affinity of yours is unique, then all the better that you serve me. There are few forces in the universe as great as the rare power of the elements, it is why my clan's progenitor modeled himself and his creations as he did. Now... as to your question. The answer is of course there are. Just as my clan is the Fire Demon clan, there is also a Thunder Demon clan. We are both the strongest of our respective elements, though for much of history we have been on unfriendly terms. All of the great demon clans are ambitious, and any gaps in strength between our two clans have waxed and waned throughout the ages. At present my clan is the stronger of the two, but in the past it was not always so. It varies with the strength of our respective warlords, and the strength of our own alliances. Nothing in the demon realm exists in a vacuum. The webs of power are a winding latticework built only on strength and respect."

The demoness paused to muse on the Thunder Demons and their ilk. It had been over a century since she had held major contact with them. The two great clans content to ignore each other and carve out their own middling kingdoms within their sector of the Demon Realm. It was rare two of the larger clans ever truly fought, as all their lesser enemies would band together against them. Demons coveted power, but they detested others coveting it over them with even greater zeal. It was why it was so difficult to crown a Demon King. Any clan attempting to do so by force must deal with the combined might of their every enemy uniting against them at once. It was much more preferable to simply harbor a soft grudge and a quiet contempt for powerful rivals. "Moreover... there is not just the Thunder Demon clan. Just as there are scores of fire affinity demon clans, the same is true of every elemental force. The strongest though is always the oldest, and for that takes the element itself in their name. If you do not wish to seek out the Thunder Demons, there are a myriad of smaller, less notable clans of lightning affinity demons out there in my realm. Just as there are the Cinderhulk Clan, the Embershard Clan, the Magmamen, the Hellflame Clan, the Infernal Imps, the Obsidian Legion. And just as those and more are prominently sworn to my clan as vassals, many of the lesser lightning clans are in turn sworn to the Thunder Demons in some way."

With that said Amatricina raised a hand to her chin, thinking of what repercussions there would be to a mortal seeking out such clans to live among them. "Though you are more than welcome to seek out whoever you desire within the Demon Realm, I do not promise you will receive a warm greeting. Each clan operates in their own way, adhering to laws ancient or new, ruled at the discretion of their warlord. Mortals are almost universally detested among my kind, and only through strength could you hope to entertain their audience. Might makes right, it is the single most immutable truth of our kind." Amatricina turned, flashing a fanged smile. "Though you have faced me and lost, I am the strongest living demon. So none of the other great demon clan warlords should be nearly as much of a challenge. Between myself and my close siblings I have shared the secrets with, I dare say there are no other Darkness Demons in existence. And your Super Saiyan form is on par with that of the Darkness Demon form, so I will let you do the math on your own power level relative to the bulk of my kind." Amatricina did not openly admitting how a select few dozen powerful mortals wielded strength in excess to even great demon lords. She herself had been victim to that at the hands of Carambolis. It was a deep wound to her pride.

The two walked as they spoke, through the winding decks of the warship. It was in truth the most pleasant conversation Amatricina had held with Dain Sincara. He was preferable like this, an inquisitive outsider with a growing interest in her kind. She much preferred it to the cocky mercenary she had first met, a man who acted as if the universe was his plaything and none could punish him for his transgressions. Amatricina would mold him into something greater, but only if Sincara's pride and stubbornness gave way enough to allow it. Her thoughts drifted to the other mortal she knew to possess a fascination with the Demon Realm. The false Demon King Lute. She knew not when or how he acquired the power others claimed he wielded, but she knew a great portion of it must have been stolen from her realm.

Amatricina held slight reservations she could be creating a second false king by introducing Sincara to her realm and its intoxicatingly powerful Dark Energy. But, she also wagered she could easily slay Sincara if he came to develop delusions of grandeur. She turned her head to gaze at her champion as he pledged himself to remain at her side. "That is not necessary, Sincara. I have told you, as I have told the Mark I. I need champions, not bodyguards. You remain free to pursue your own goals, and designs. Though do so in the knowledge when I request your service or call to your for aid, you heed your mistress. So long as your own ambitions to do conflict with mine, the pact of the Everchosen is one that allows a great deal of autonomy at the cost of unyielding loyalty. Now, I wish to see this improved forge of yours. Talk of lightning and thunder has given me ideas as to the blade I craft for you."

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Word Count: 1,396 | Total Word Count: 6,342 | Dain Sincara

Amatricina paused for a moment, surprised by Sincara's remark. "Elemental beings? Interesting... I wonder if their elemental affinity came from the arcane or the mundane? Both present intriguing possibilities." Dain Sincara, the Saiyan was ever an enigma. His past seemed shrouded in mysteries, and each new revelation added another layer to his seemingly endless arsenal of talents and quirks. It was a refreshing change of to the Mark I, who had clearly stated his origin to Amatricina yet done nothing to explain it. It left endless unanswered questions, one the Mark I felt he did not need to, or could not divulge. Sincara was a far more forward Everchosen, openly boasting of his accolades. Amatricina found this vastly superior, and a likely side effect of his Saiyan pride.

The demoness nodded along sympathetically to Sincara's admittance of long lost power. It reminded her of her own plight upon entering the Mortal Realm. Cut off from her precious Dark Energy, its loss was debilitating and left Amatricina sapped of her true might. Only through intense training and meditation had she been able to return to full strength. And after that... her power had begun to grow exponentially as she only further pressed her body's seemingly boundless limits. Amatricina turned to face Sincara, a wry grin at her lips. "Good, then it means you have more potential to awaken. That makes you an ever more valuable resource, my Everchosen. Do not lament the loss of such power, instead lament those who must one day face it firsthand."

Sincara's enthusiasm for her realm, and the demons that dwelled within it, was greatly misplaced. It was far from a pleasant place to mortals, and simply treading foot in the Demon Realm gripped the minds of the weak willed and frail with madness. This was the chief reason Amatricina had preferred to keep her interactions with her disciples limited purely to their own native dimension. "You and I possess vastly differing opinions of 'fun', Sincara." She simply stated dryly, her reaction muted and opposite the man's clear enthusiasm. It took much more than the prospect of being unwelcomed and hated to get Amatricina into such an eager mood. She preferred the prospect of being adored and respected.

The mention of her siblings piqued Amatricina's interest, and stroked at her vast ego. "My siblings? As strong as me? Ha! Were they, I would likely not have been my father's heiress. I was not destined to rule, I was privileged with it by my status as my father's eldest child. However, that privilege can be taken easily, usurped by a stronger sibling. That said, prior to my arrival in the Mortal Realm my eldest brother, Raigu, was a near match for me in strength. It is joked we are our parents reborn. He, the spitting image of our father Tartaros, and I, a mirror to our mother Bonara. But, in spite of this, Raigu has always been a close second to me. Never able to quite match his elder sister. As for the rest of my siblings, they descend in power from Sofrito onwards. Only my eldest three siblings have also unlocked their Darkness Demon form. And the youngest and weakest of my kin are outmatched by my Generals, Legion Commanders, Admirals, and Sorcerers. I do not speak of my feeble kin, I merely tolerate them." Said the demoness as she spoke at length of her kin. They were a mixed lot, from her dearest friends and closest companions to distant and forgotten, kept alive only by her clan's thoughts towards kin slaying.

"There is nothing more I need out here, Sincara." Amatricina stated bluntly when her champion asked what more she needed before entering his forge. She smiled as the outer waves of heat washed over her. Like the temperature within an active volcano, enough to melt mundane metals. Her skin got goosebumps, feeling such heat wash over her. It reminded her of home, where the surface temperature was enough most mortals burned to cinders upon stepping foot. As expected the Fire Demon was utterly unphased by fire. She was Fire made Flesh, Flame and Shadow in one. Moreover, she was extremely impressed with the forge thus far. As she moved through the heat her attire displayed no signs of adverse effects. The gold of her ostentatious amounts of jewelry and gilding enchanted by her most potent dark magics. They were every bit as durable as the rest of her demonic visage.

"This is splendid..." Amatricina practically purred, moving into the heat of the second layer. She may need reconsider where she meditated from now on. When alone, this was much preferable to a facsimile. This was real heat, raw heat. Energy and fire and so much wondrous heat. However, it lacked the intense artificial gravity, and so while more pleasurable, it was far less practical. Though Amatricina decided she could simply nap here instead. She followed Sincara eagerly to the center most depths of his forge. There lied a rather strange apparatus, and no great anvil to use either. She found it somewhat vexing, but her Everchosen had impressed thus far. The demon of fire would trust the Saiyans... creative decision making process, for now. She looked down upon the otherwise mundane looking pedestal, listening to Sincara's words. Still, it was not a material she was familiar with, and she had to real reason to doubt the properties Dain spoke were true.

"So this is an untested design, and you intend to use yourself as a live test subject? Truly your race is bolder than I thought." Amatricina mused as she gently ran an armored hand along the strange material of the pedestal. "Still, your ambition pleases me, as does your drive and creativity. And I agree with you this time. This is much closer to my definition of the word 'fun.'" Amatricina said with a soft chuckle, placing a hand on her wide hips as she stepped back to watch the display. "Go on then, demonstrate this device of yours first hand for me. I wish to see if it lives up to your hype. And as to my flames, you do not want them enhanced in any way within this forge while you are present. Of that I can assure you. Though I will test your claim about that pedestal later, and at my own leisure." With that Amatricina grinned a coy grin, eager to watch the theatrics.

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Word Count: 1,085 | Total Word Count: 7,427 | Dain Sincara

Amatricina watched with great curiosity as Sincara attempted to forge his block of Katchin. While his lightning was incredibly hot, a searing plasma that arced and crackled, it did so violently, unpredictably. A flame would always be superior to lightning when it came to moderation and control, though the demoness did admit lightning's raw speed and unpredictable power certainly made it appealing in its own ways. The initial display looked promising, Sincara's strange device seemed to be functioning exactly as he had explained. The Katchin block was heating up nicely, albeit unevenly, much to the demoness' chagrin. She hoped he had a way to temper it better, and even out the chaotic and arcing flow of his own lightning's heat to more evenly distribute its effects. Amatricina furrowed her brow though, as the situation did not improve, scowling at the block of katchin as she watched it flood with unstable heat from the barrage of electricity.

Then in one terrible instant the block of metal detonated violently shattering into a million pieces that flew outwards like shrapnel. Amatricina raised up her hands and projected a Demonic Barrier, grimacing at the failed attempt to properly heat the metal. It was a waste of good katchin, something she loathed greatly. Still, she had to give Sincara some credit. His forge withstood the detonation well enough, and it was not the worst attempt to forge katchin she had seen. Many races tried to forge the legendary metal, and many failed. It required either incredibly advanced technology that took most races thousands of years to develop without outside aid, or, in many cases the use of magic. Magic was a rare resource it seemed in the Mortal Realm, and few races commanded its power as deftly as demons or shinjin. For Sincara to have made even a failed attempt to forge katchin was to do more than most species achieved in their entire brief existence.

Amatricina nodded simply, turning her gaze to Sincara as he spoke. "We are in agreement then. Go rest, I will show you how a Fire Demon earns her name." With that the demoness watched and simply waited for her Champion to leave. The Demon Queen smiled, stretching her back and arching her hands over her head. She had not done this in a very, very long time. It was time to melt the rust off, so to speak, and see just how much of her father's teaching she could remember. For this matter Amatricina would take the gloves off, literally in this case. She raised up her hands, de-materializing her armored gauntlets. While deft and gracefully forged, she did not need or want armored talons for a task this delicate. Slender, graceful hands emerged as the gauntlets faded away, feminine and perfect from a lifetime spent beneath their gilded protection. Amatricina wiggled her fingers, unused to feeling them not pressed again fellforged armor. Her nails were long and black, unnaturally sharp but otherwise beautiful in their own way.

The demoness then began doing something she rarely did. She sung. Amatricina began humming a tune to herself in a sing song voice. A light and airy tune, one sung by the smiths as they worked at their great forges. It reminded her of home, and put her spirits into the mood needed to work a proper forge. As Petey placed a second, fresh block of Katchin, Amatricina got down to work. She placed her hands on the strange pedestal, summoning her vast and terrible ki and flooding it with demonic heat. The temperature of the room skyrocketed, and the demoness watched as the shields buckled and flared against the added heat. She was ever careful not to damage the warship, or this magnificent new forge in the process. As the room grew hotter the block of katchin slowly began to warm up, coming to glow a warm red and then gradually increasing until it was a brilliant red hue. Amatricina lifted the block of metal carefully, inspecting it the way a farmer inspects a prized watermelon or a large pumpkin. She ran her hands softly, slowly over the metal. Feeling it for imperfections or signs of duress. She found none, still humming her song to herself as she worked. Amatricina's palms then began to glow bright with demonic light, as she poured more heat into the katchin block directly.

All around her the Demon Queen's molten aura flared with terrible power. Dark Magic crackled in the air, ebon lightning crackling from her radiant form. As the katchin was heated to a fever pitch, its discoloration changed from searing white to a brilliant, almost blinding white light. Amatricina then ceased her humming, pursing her lips and breathing out a gentle stream of fire on the metal block. Bathing it in her flames, she pressed her hand deep into the metal as it began to take on a putty like quality as it came to enter a molten state. Like a potter working a block of clay, Amatricina slowly began to shape the cube of metal to her liking. She had no need for a hammer, her deft touch and nimble fingers far stronger than such a cumbersome tool. Where a human blacksmith had to beat the metal into shape before it cooled and hardened outside his forge, Amatricina could work it even in the heat itself. She ceased her flame, finding the katchin at just the right consistency to work with. Not so superheated it ran like molten slag, and not so cool that it remained in a solid form.

Slowly Amatricina began to pull and tug at the metal. Pinching and rolling it into a long central length. She then worked the length of the blade into a flat surface, giving it a relatively lopsided shape. Turning it over, the demoness began to work more carefully on the far end. With great precision, and steady hand, and a careful touch Amatricina worked a spiral pattern into the hilt of the weapon. She then fanned out two small wing shaped guards to protect the grip was incoming strikes. The demoness then tapered the blade itself, balancing its long length and giving it a finely honed edge. All the while she hummed her ominous hymn of death. It was a relaxing change of pace, all things considered. Amatricina rarely found time these days for the finer things in life. All she did was threaten mortals for their Dragonballs, deal with her Everchosen, and plot the downfall of the very gods themselves. Sometimes life was about the smaller things, like a well crafted blade and the simply joy of working with one's hands.

When her task was complete, Amatricina looked over the weapon from side to side, inspecting it for imperfections. She found a few, and after some tireless corrections she was satisfied with her results. With that Amatricina relaxed her aura, opening her mouth wide and devouring the lingering heat that flooded the forge using her All-Consuming Flame. As the fires within the forge vanished, Amatricina was left holding her demonic blade in hand. It was a simple cut style, one that was versatile and would serve a myriad of practical forms and stances. She admired the length of it, as it slowly began to cool in her hands. However, it lacked a special something, a certain spark. The weapon was no good in its current, drab grey colors. Amatricina reached out and touched the sword with her free hand, infusing it with dark magics.

The color of the weapon changed in a moment, color worked into katchin itself. This was so simple paint, but a literal infusion of color into the metal. The blade became a vibrant golden color, like that of the Super Saiyan's hair and aura. The guard and hilt became black as the Dark Energy of the Demon Realm, as as a final touch Amatricina used her telekinesis to gather up some of the shards of shattered katchin from the ground. She formed these into a red pommel stone, telekinetically smashing them together as she breathed over the still hot metal fragments with her fire breath. This she inset into the weapon's pommel, an eternal reminder this was Fire Demon handiwork. Amatricina smiled, slicing the weapon several times through the air to test its balance. It felt perfect in her hands, and she was more than happy with her results.

Amatricina then slowly made her way outside, demon blade in hand. As the door to exit the forge room opened she was hit by a wave of freezing air. She had forgotten how cold it was outside the temperatures of a sun. The demoness held out her sword by the blade, offering it to Sincara by the hilt. "It is yours, my Everchosen. A Demon Blade made in a neutral style. I did not know which clan's designs would best suit you. It is yours to keep, I only ask that you give it many worthy foes to slay. It is a weapon fit to kill gods, rend kings, and sunder empires beneath its blade. As an added boon, it should act as a lightning rod through which to focus your elemental affinity for lightning." When Sincara finally took the blade from Amatricina, she held up her bare hands and re-materialized her gauntlets in a puff of demonic flame. No mortal had ever actually seen her hands before, she found it a very... intimate thing for her to display. Hers were the hands of a warrior. Of a Warlord. They were meant to be bedecked in armor at all times, it displayed strength to her followers and fear to her enemies that she ruled with an ever molten fist. Delicate feminine hands were symbol of a soft and tender creature, of which Amatricina was not. Her gauntlet's re-affixed she clenched her armored talons, smiling as light gleamed off her gilded claws. "Much better..." Amatricina purred, eyes wandering to her champion. "Tell me Sincara, does my gift please you?"

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Word Count: 1,681 | Total Word Count: 9,108 | Dain Sincara