Amatricina's search for the Dragonballs of Earth was as tireless as her hatred of the Kais that ruled from the Other World. Her quest to find these arcane orbs of power led her to the deepest oceans, the coldest polar regions, and darkest jungles of the planet. It was largely for naught, as the Demon Lord had only three of the supposed Seven Gems in her possession. Carambolis held another three on his vast warship the Omnipotence, and that left a fourth utterly unaccounted for. In this search Amatricina found herself investigating any signs of magical power among the Earthlings. Most were charlatans, dealt with in the quickest and harshest of manners. Others were little more than conjurers of petty tricks, their knowledge meaningless to the demon. There were so precious few sources of true magical power on this planet, and while it was always disheartening, Amatricina's resolve burning brightly as ever.

The demoness was deep in the crypts of some ancient forgotten tomb high in the northern mountains of the planet. She'd heard rumors of magical powers being rife in the region, but it seemed these were little better than the folktales earthlings told their children to make them fear the night. The tomb was empty, save for a cursed statue of some ancient war-like deity. It say on a raised pedestal, surrounded by the bones of what Amatricina assumed were earthling explorers. She raised a hand, rubies on her armor glowing as she dispelled the curse on the idols, binding it deep within the artifact where it would not pester her. "Pathetic." She said aloud, retrieving the idol and inspecting it. It contained no dragonball, and was little better than a golden paperweight at this point. Nonetheless, Amatricina's great avarice kept her from just leaving a golden relic lying around, useless or otherwise. So she snatched it up under her arm and departed the tomb with great haste.

Amatricina took off from the stony entrance to the tomb, flying through the air wreathed in her blazing aura of demonic ki. She hadn't gotten far when she felt something. The telltale energies of magic, thrumming through the air in steady ripples of arcane power. She paused midair, hovering as she looked around trying to focus on the source of the magic. "There..." She said to herself, eyes focusing on a dense forest to the west. The demon took off again, racing towards the source of this magic with her idol still clutched in hand. It did not take long to arrive, the demoness' gaze scanning the ground until she spied a clearing in the forest. Dozens of acres cleared away, felled trees leaving a vast courtyard that was swallowed up by a monstrous castle. The ancient structure dilapidated and in disrepair, but Amatricina could already sense looks were deceiving. She hovered high in the night's sky, a burning red star for any onlooking on the ground. This energy, it felt familiar. But the demoness could not place her fingertip on it.

Naturally the Demon Lord decided she need investigate further, arcing her trajectory as she hurtled towards the ground. She landed in the midst of the castle's central courtyard, surprised by what she saw. A collection of beings magical, spectral, or otherwise patrolled the castle ground. Most simply watched the demoness with silent curiosity, though a number of skeletal hounds launched themselves at the demoness with vicious intent. They leapt at her, eager to try and tear out her throat. She simply bashed one aside with the back of her gauntlet, it shattered into a pile of bones that quickly began reforming. The other clamped down on her gauntlet, to which the demon smiled as she held it up to gaze into her eyes. "Quaint." She stated simply, fiery orange light illuminating her gaze. It flashed outwards, sending waves of arcane agony through the creature before she cast it aside like a ragdoll. With that Amatricina casually strode for the main door of the keep.

Inside Amatricina paused, she saw creatures familiar of her own realm. Here on Earth though? She leveled a finger at a burly red ogre, hoisting an armoire up a grand central staircase with the help of a leaner blue companion. "You two..." The demoness asked commandingly, causing the oni duo to pause in their tracks. "Who is your master? Who summoned you to this realm? Bring them before me, tell them a Demon Lord wishes to mince words. Now go, be quick about it." With that Amatricina aimed her finger at the heavy oaken furniture the two carried. She raised it easily with her telekinesis, moving it rapidly to the top of the stairs and dropping it with a thud. Therefore freeing the two brutes to go and heed her command. Amatricina would wait, but her patience was fleeting and finite. She'd suffered enough disappointment for one evening.

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Word Count: 818
Lilith Nevermore

Amatricina was slightly surprised, though not completely, when she saw the figure being escorted back to her by the duo of bumbling ogres. How she had not immediately recognized the arcane energy at play here was beyond her, a momentary lapse in good judgement. For indeed, it appeared this was the residence of none other than the Heir of Clan Nevermore herself, the ever diminutive little witch Lilith. The sight of her petite little body flanked by two lumbering brutes made the demoness crack a wry grin. The demoness let out a haughty chuckle as Lilith's tone shifted from pompous and curt to simply annoyed. She raised her free hand to cover her mouth, trying to be at least somewhat courteous. Her expression quickly turned malevolent, and the demon's eyes narrowed on her hostess. "Don't lie so openly child, you wear your emotions on your sleeve. I don't even need to glimpse your soul to sense them." None the less, Amatricina bowed her head and curtsied slightly with her cloak. It was after all, proper formalities when greeting another in their own home. Amatricina may be a mighty and powerful Demon Lord, but simple lessons in courtly etiquette drilled into her millennia ago by her beloved mother still hung firm.

The demoness raised an eyebrow at the little witch's sarcastic compliment, clearly intent to strike a nerve. "I like to think so too, and you yourself are looking as lovely as ever, Lady Lilith, Heiress of Clan Nevermore." She was not so petty as to ignore her hostess' full compliment of titles. At least not this time anyways. Amatricina ran her free hand over her figure, she did feel a bit more... voluptuous as of late. When Lord Kamui was slain she reabsorbed the vast quantities of demonic energy she had infused him with, the effects of which had gone straight to her figure. It was a welcome change in truth, Amatricina's great vanity in her figure as seemingly boundless as her ever growing power level. "No, I can't say I have." She added coyly, forked tongue running over plumb lips. "Mortals do one thing exceptionally well, and that is cook. My latest acolyte has been keeping me pampered and well fed on his luxury star ship. It is a fitting tribute, such lasciviousness, in exchange for my boon." She was referring of course to Dain Sincara, who personally employed some of the finest chefs in the galaxy aboard his warship the Arioch. Though in this case, it came out of a misguided attempt to impress the demon of avarice.

Pleasantries completed, the demon's gaze quickly turned to the trio of imps snickering at their mistress' joke. Amatricina raised her free hand, the ruby the adorned her pauldron glowing brightly with fell demonic light. A fiery orange glow emanated from the demon's eyes, and the first imp to snicker suddenly gasped for hair, hands grabbing its throat. It tried to scream, but its windpipe was crushed too swiftly by Amatricina's telekinesis. The cretin was lifted into the air, kicking and struggling against the unseen pressure assailing it. Terror flashed in its eyes, and in one terrible moment as Amatricina fired a small, nearly invisible, red sphere of energy at the creature. She clenched shut her hand, and the imp exploded into a burst of gore and viscera alongside fire and smoke. However, rather than splatter across the walls or fall to the floor, the demoness held the remants of the imp in midair. They quickly compacted, forming a small sphere of material no bigger than a gumball. All that remained of the slain imp's gore condensed into one very macabre treat. Amatricina motioned with a finger, and reeled in the red orb of gore until she plucked it out of the air with her hand and tossed it into her waiting mouth.

Chewing slowly, savoring the taste she swallowed. "Hmm... Not bad. I figured these imps are not from the Demon Realm. Tell me Lilith, are they Hell-born fiends?" She asked genuinely curious, as the other two imps held each other tight in their arms cowering in fear. They too were hoisted into the air and summarily destroyed, only to be condensed and devoured by the ravenous demon. Amatricina licked her lips once as she finished her display, eyes coldly scanning the various remaining familiars in the castle's main foyer. She needed not say more, her point had been made abundantly clear. Amatricina's matriarchal grin returned, and she cast her gaze back upon young Lilith. "You are pardoned, though the mess is the least of your concerns if you can't keep your...assistants in line. They will suffer for their transgressions first, but once I have run out of supplicants to punish instead of their mistress..." She clenched her fist, grinning ear to ear as she let her unspoken threat linger in the air.

"I simply happened to be in the neighborhood is all." Amatricina said frankly in response to Lilith's final question, as she slowly sashayed around the young witch looking her over. She truly was adorable, for an earthling. Shame about her hair color through, it'd never look good on a Fire Demon. Mauve? With black horns? A much brighter color was needed for that contrast they strive for. A nice fiery red, or a deep crimson. Even orange would do in truth. But mauve? Audacious. The demon's tone quickly became more frank though, speaking matter of factly as she completed her 'lap' around the witch and returned to meeting her questioning gaze. "I have been scouring this world for magical relics, in my endless search for the final Dragonball. There is a tomb not far from here, over the next mountain ridge. It was the final resting place of some ancient earthling warrior-god, I presume a powerful ki user of a bygone era or perhaps a crude wizard of the past. Whatever the truth, they held no true divinity. But, I had heard rumors of explorers entering the tomb and never returning, and so I was compelled to see what exactly was inside."

Amatricina's tone grew dour, and she idle tossed the large golden relic clutched under her arm from hand to hand as she spoke. "The tomb was filled with petty traps, spiked pits, poison arrows, giant boulders. All very mundane. There were several undead abominations roaming about, you may have liked them. All to guard this..." She held the relic close for the witch to inspect. It displayed a stocky warrior in a skull headdress of a triceratops, wielding a large curved sword lined in Tyrannosaurus fangs, with a spiked club made from an Ankylosaurus tail in the other. Solid gold, about the same dimensions as a two liter bottle of soda. With small emeralds set in its eyes, sapphires for the horns on its helm, and rubies for the fangs on its sword.

The demon groaned slightly, popping the head off the vessel, revealing fine ash inside. "It is an urn. A burial urn no less. It was however, afflicted with a curse that was meant to make those who defiled it bleed from every orifice. I have since dispelled such a petty charm, binding it to the ash itself." Amatricina thrust out her arms, holding the idol close at hand for Lilith to take. "Here child, consider it my housewarming present. I'm sure you can appreciate an Earthling relic more than I can. And you did mention you are always on the search for potion ingredients. The cursed ashes of a long dead warrior-demigod should do quite nicely I assume?" Amatricina patted the girl tenderly on her head with her free hand, displaying a complete flip in her behavior. The demon that had moments ago slaughtered three imps and so casually devoured their remains shifting into her faux motherly tone. "As to your imps darling, I will replace them with some of my own. Should you desire them of course..." She flashed a fanged smile, her expression looking surprisingly warm, and... caring?

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Word Count: 1,350
Total Word Count: 2,168
Lilith Nevermore

Amatricina let out a haughty chuckle, raising a hand to her mouth. She did so come to enjoy the young witch's proud and irritable nature. It was both adorable, and befitting of her. "Of course Lilith. I will have to come up with a new term of endearment for you then. Perhaps Darling?" The demoness raised a hand to rub her chin as she mulled over the prospective term for the young witch. It would do, for now. Unless of course Lilith adamantly refused, in which case Amatricina would continue to sling new pronouns at her until the girl relented or found one agreeable. She ignored young Lilith's spiteful agitation, paying it no mind as she continued to speak. "I am quite pleased though to hear you age slower than the more... lowly portions of your race. Mortal lives can be so fleeting. Not yours though, since you still covet the ultimate gift of life." Amatricina flashed the witch a fanged smile, she had not forgotten Lilith's ambition to find the secrets of immortality. It was something the demoness herself greatly coveted.

As expected, Lilith seemed to display no regard for her slain minions. Good, imps were beneath such basic needs as love, or affection, or food. They existed purely to toil and serve. They were the lesser portion of the Fire Demon Clan's mantra made manifest. The Weak must serve the Strong, or be crushed beneath them. Imps served, in grueling horrid excuses for lives, because it was all they were good for. If they refused, they'd be stricken down in an instant for their defiance. Amatricina chuckled, then let out a small sigh as Lilith proudly boasted her abilities. "Impressive, most impressive Darling. I did not actually think your race could muster the arcane strength needed to open a portal to Hell. I am surprised the Kais did not send a pack of ogres to put a stop to this brazen intrusion on the Other World." Amatricina looked to the two brutes standing idly behind Lilith, averting their gaze. "Ha! Or did they?" She let her words hang in the air, like a miasma of malevolence. The demoness her head through, and shrugged at the notion of the word slave. "Slave is too harsh a word for these servants Darling. Slaves toil, they suffer. Their every waking moment is misery spent in service to their betters. These thralls." She said as the demon gestured to imps that had returned to hanging up paintings of witches and for some reason black felines, "Are living a life of grandeur compared to the slave castes of my realm. They should be thanking you. There is no whip at their back, no foot on their throat. They are not broken at the end of their strength, knowing if they should fall they will breath their last. They hanging curtains and moving furniture, not toiling in the back breaking labor of a Fire Demon mine."

Amatricina smiled like a proud parent as Lilith graciously accepted her gift. "You are the first being in centuries to call me kind, Darling. Outside of my own clan of course. I'm flattered." The Fire Demon raised a hand to her mouth, trying to hide the faintest of blushes at the young witch's graciousness. "Indeed, cursed ashes. The dead was cremated in a fire of non magical origin, using wood of your coniferous trees. It was not hot enough to melt iron, if he wore armor it was glowing red afterwards, but otherwise intact. There are bits of sand mixed in alongside the ash, it is my guess the funeral pyre was constructed along a riverbank." Amatricina paused her ramblings, "In case you wanted to know." She was after all, a Fire Demon. If there was one thing she knew, it was fire. "I'm glad you appreciate it. I was just going to dump it myself otherwise, and melt down the gold into a new set of golden bands for my horns." The demoness was deathly serious, she'd already mentally mapped out how she'd inset the gems from the urn into those bands. They'd look marvelous adorning her lower set of horns.

The Demon Lord made no effort to hide her elation when the witch hung her head and invited her to her humble abode. Amatricina relished the unspoken act of submission. "It is. Unless you'd prefer another tight hug as I wish you farewell and good fortunes." The demoness hadn't forgotten how much Lilith appreciated the last one. She'd show her just what 'not missing a single meal' felt like crushing close. "That said, I accept your invitation, Lady Lilith. I am your honored guest." With that Amatricina began to follow along after Lilith, armored heels clicking sharply against hardwood stairs. "Tea sounds lovely Darling. I am a fan of any drink served hot. As for these imps..." Amatricina stepped closer, wrapping an arm around the shorter woman's slim shoulders. Smothering her head against the side of the demon's armored brassiere.

"You may have your pick of the litter of the royal stock of imps that service my household. They are larger than their ill fed Hellish brethren, if only slightly. Their tails are longer, their horns more pointed, and their intellect slightly more keen. We breed them for obedience first, appearances second. The imps of my household retinue have the smoothest skin and less blemishes of their kind. Moreover, they are all the most brilliant shade of crimson. I do not suffer the muddied appearance of brown or rust colored imps to sully my halls with their filthy appearances." Amatricina released her grip on the once again smothered witch, freeing her head from being pressed against its pillowy cushion. The demoness distracting herself as she gestured in irritation with her hands at the deformities and imperfections of lesser variants of imps. She turned her ruby gaze as she finished, to look down at her smaller hostess. "Does that sound appealing to your Darling? Or would you prefer the larger, stronger, albeit dumber and uglier imps that toil in our mines?"

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Word Count: 1,025
Total Word Count: 3,193
Lilith Nevermore

"Sorry Lilith, I couldn't hear you." Amatricina purred as she felt the young witch struggling against her embrace. It was partly out of motherly affection, partly because she knew how much it irritated the diminutive young girl. It was fun, plain, simple, vain fun for the demoness. If the worst thing that Amatricina ever did to Lilith was smother her with her considerable bosom, she'd be quite literally the best off mortal who had ever angered the demoness. She smirked and shook her head as the witch so eloquently told her to keep her hands to herself. "I may..." The demoness stated sweetly, blowing the girl a literal fiery kiss. At this point it was simply too much fun to get on the witch's nerves. Lilith had earned Amatricina's affections with her character, though her severe weakness compared to the demon lord made her more a plaything than a serious acquaintance. Were she simply stronger, Amatricina would be more compelled to treat her with respect as a friend rather than as little more than a very sassy young girl.

Amatricina returned young Lilith's sharp smile with her owned fanged grin. "No, of course I did not. I merely offered you an inferior suggestion, to make my primary offer seem all the more appealing. On the off chance you wanted the lesser, bestial imps I would have given you a stern lecture on ambition and avarice, and likely refused to give you any." With that the demoness patted Lilith on her head innocently. She'd learn all of the demoness' quirks and intricacies, in time. Or she'd do something to sully their good nature, and suffer dearly for it. But for now Lilith remained perhaps Amatricina's favorite mortal, certainly her favorite Earthling. Though that was not a difficult position to achieve.

The demoness stood by quietly, hand on her hip as she admired the witch's portal to Hell. "I am impressed." Amatricina said simply, eyeing the rift like a proud parent looking at her daughter's first place science fair project. She moved closer to inspect the rift in dimensions. It was similar in nature to her own, but devised from very different means. "Hmm... impressive dimensions, flat planar surface, low discharge of energy, you've managed to keep it from howling as it tries to bind itself back shut. No Dark Energy though..." Amatricina noted, remembering that the ruinous power of the Demon Realm was a resource beyond the mortals. "You've substituted... more mundane energy in place. It must a significant draw of resources, especially for one so..." She thought for a moment how best to phrase the work 'weak.' "Young as yourself. I doubt you could maintain this for a prolonged period of time. It took the full of demonic energy of myself and my three eldest siblings to maintain a Dimensional Rift on the planet Styx. It was far larger though, large enough for a full legion of my demons to pour through and ravage the world. And we had to focus to maintain it for a full solar rotation."

Amatricina raised a hand, placing it on the 'edge' of the portal and gripping its arcane seam tight. Her aura began to flare, crimson demonic ki roaring forth and pouring into the portal. It grew several feet in diameter, but now arced and crackled with the raw power that flowed into it through the demoness. After a minute or so of heavy expenditure Amatricina released her grip. She stepped back to admire her work. The portal had turned a sinister crimson color, and reeked of her demonic energies. "There, that should be sufficient to maintain your Hell Gate for at least another day. It prides me to see such a venerable rift in dimensions conjured by a mere mortal. No offense Darling. Yours is a talent few in this blasted realm possess, I would be a poor demon not to nurture such a black heart, teeming with such dark gifts."

With a smile the demoness turned and moved to join Lilith at her table. She found it agreeable to sit upon antique hardwood furniture as opposed to some boulder or felled tree on her island. Amatricina had sorely missed the simple comforts brought on my extravagant wealth, power, and luxury. This witch's manor was but another small taste of opulence Amatricina left behind on Monsigneus as she dallied among the mortals in her hunt for the Dragonballs. The demon reached for her teacup, holding it delicately with her telekinesis, bringing it to her lips as she enjoyed a sip. "Mmm... Marvelous. As always, Earthlings' finest quality remains their culinary expertise." She said, licking her plush lips. "The Kais are busy at the moment, of that I am sure. Two Emperors, a Queen, and a pair of Lords powerful enough to slay all three have all recently died in a climactic battle. I have no doubt Yama had his hands full with just Carambolis. Between Polaris and Radia, I am sure he called in the aid of every Kai he could just to keep them in line." Amatricina grinned, the more powerful warriors died killing each other, the higher she climbed in the rankings among the living. "As for this 'so-called god', tell me more Lilith. You never told you had a run in with a Shinjin before. I admire any being who is an enemy of divinity, be it the lowliest attendant or the Supreme Kai himself." With that last revelation, Lilith had cemented her place in Amatricina's black heart.

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Word Count: 928
Total Word Count: 4,121
Lilith Nevermore

"Indeed..." Amatricina replied simply when the young witch whispered the late Emperor's name. The demoness could see clearly by Lilith's body language that name meant a particular something to her, though the fire demon had never met this Polaris firsthand. Only in Carambolis' recordings of their battles had she seen this warrior secondhand, and even she had been wary of his might. "The Saiyan Queen, Galactic Emperor, and Kabochan Emperor are all dead, slain by a powerful duo of Polaris' race who themselves perished in the conflict. There were other, less worrisome casualties. The leader of the planet Arcose, who's name escapes me, and the King of Ferusale,... the loathsome knight Sir Nickel Gallius both fell in battle. I am glad to be rid of them one and all." Amatricina clenched her fist in anger, she hated thinking of mortals who exceeded her power level. Carambolis had once mentioned there were 'perhaps a dozen who bested his strength.' Amatricina had used that as the next milestone of her training. First she must surpass the Emperor, only then could she begin wiping the names clean from his list.

The demoness took another sip of the strange blue tea. It thrummed with magic, and had a pleasant aftertaste. Truly it seemed, young Lilith knew her boiled beverages. "The political hierarchy of your mortal realm has, in one fateful moment been turned on its side. The heads cut from proverbial serpents. I intend to use the chaos that follows to further my own dark ambitions. I trust you will be doing the same?" A fanged smile was flashed at Lilith, Amatricina had seen the darkness in the witch's heart. Sensed the very sins within her soul, and heard every word of the child's boastful ambitions. She was a cunning little girl, she made up for in wits and talent what she lacked in raw power. She would do well for herself in the turmoil that would wash over the galaxy in the growing power vacuum.

Amatricina listened quite intently as Lilith recounted her story of her run in with a Kai. The demoness was not mocking, or feigning interest in this particular matter. So focused was she that she absentmindedly reached out to grab her teacup and plate as it hung in the air. Lifting it to her lips with her hands, forgetting she already held it aloft with her telekinesis. "It is always a displeasure, isn't it?" She interjected, taking a sip as she continued to keenly listen. "I see..." She added in rebuttal to Lilith's self description. "Those who dabble in dark magic will always find themselves in the ire of divinity. The Gods of Creation do not lightly suffer those who pervert the magics they consider rightfully theirs." The demoness was quite enjoying the witch's story, the fire in her burned bright... even if she was no fire demon. Amatricina nodded and smiled, "More tea would be lovely."

The smile Amatricina wore only widened, growing ever more malevolent at the phrase absolutely livid. "Of course, a completely justified reaction Lilith. Wrath is among my favorite of the sins." The rest of Lilith's tale ended interestingly, albeit unfortunately. Teleportation was among the more common abilities of the Kais, it was a loathsome technique most demons could not replicate. If they could... the seal on their dimension would be little more than a nuisance. Amatricina shifted in her seat, before taking another sip of her tea. "Lilith Nevermore." She said simply, gaze narrowing on the young witch. "I have not known you to be a liar. Boastful, proud, ambitious, but not a liar. So you claim you bested a Kai in battle, sending him fleeing back to the Other World. I commend you on this feat, even if it did not end in the death of your foe." She paused, finishing her tea and setting it down carefully. "But, while I congratulate you... I will not over-flatter you on your accomplishment. The Kai you bested was a petty deity at best, lowly in status and power. Likely an attendant to the North Kai who rules over this quadrant of your realm. There is an entire hierarchy of divinity an order of magnitude above the being you faced. Even I do not foolishly believe I could face the entire pantheon of the Kais myself."

Amatricina looked upon the witch with a strange kind of, pride. Vicarious, and affectionate, but pride nonetheless. "Still, you did well. No, admirably. Truly, you are a shining example of the darkness your race is capable of. For that, two dozen Imps. I trust you will be able to command that many? Or am I too generous in my offer?" The demoness knew the witch was far too proud to turn her down. More importantly, if she could best even the lowliest of Kais then Lilith Nevermore was more than capable of handling a few dozen lowly demoness bent to her will. It was after all, the least Amatricina could do.

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Word Count: 842
Total Word Count: 4,963
Lilith Nevermore

Amatricina let out a haughty chuckle, nodding in agreement with the young witch. She raised an armored gauntlet, hand glowing with a fell demonic glow. A brilliant crimson energy that crackled with ebon lightning. "This conqueror, dear Lilith, has little reason to bicker." She flashed a sinister smile, the demonic ki at her fingertips fading as she set her hand down gently on the hardwood table. She nodded along in agreement with the sinister little magic wielder. "I see, fair enough. I should have expected as much." Without asking, the demoness lifted a hand, reaching out to the teapot telekinetically and pouring herself another cup. It was the smallest price Lilith could pay for her imps. Her brew was rather good though, it seemed to warm the very spirit and rejuvenate the body. Again a wide grin crossed the demon's face, and she gave the witch a knowing look at her comment on lying. "I would expect nothing my dear."

When the conversation shifted to her offer of imps, the demoness quickly finished her tea, setting the cup down and slowly rising from her seat. "Once more, you are the first mortal in eons to call me 'kind', Lady Lilith. You truly are a brilliant, beautiful little witch." At this point it was purely motherly affection talking, Amatricina content to stoke the fires of the witch's ego. It was so much like staring into a mirror to the past. Just add stubby black horns, bright red hair, and a much more fashionable outfit and she'd be a spitting image of a juvenile Amatricina. "Confident, and ambitious. You will make a worthy master to my cretins. I have dallied enough, time to make good on my promise." With that Amatricina stepped a ways away from the table, to the emptiest part of the large ballroom. Her right gauntlet began to glow with searing red light, ebony lightning crackled at the demoness' fingertips as she raised her hand and slashed downward through the air. Her fingers bit into the fabric between dimensions, carving through the Kais' ancient barrier like a wound in time and space.

The demon reached both hands in, physically tearing open the portal like she was drawing open the curtains. It howled like a wounded beast, the dimensional fabric trying in vain to force itself back shut only to be forced open by the constant flow of demonic energy needed to sustain the portal. It was several feet taller than Amatricina, perfectly spherical in nature. On the far side could be seen high stone ceilings, and a sprawling complex that stretched on for miles. The stone was red, and the portal opened onto a wide catwalk of sorts. "Behold." Amatricina said, turning proudly and bowing. "My Dimensional Rift. And beyond... Monsigneus. You shall be the first mortal in my lifetime graced with the privilege of setting foot on my planet on good terms." The demoness stood back upright, thinking briefly of the rebel army on Styx. She'd cast them through her giant dimensional rift to be killed by the elements, then devoured by the carrion feeders of her world.

"Now, follow me if you would Darling. It is my turn to play hostess." Amatricina purred, stepping through her portal causing its surface to ripple briefly like an unseen liquid. She breathed in deeply as once more she set foot on her beloved world. The air was thick with noxious fumes of a world endlessly wracked by volcanic activity. It hung heavy with pyroclastic ash, and the gravity of the world was fifteen times that of Earth. Amatricina's brow furrowed, as she remembered the frailty of mortals. She turned back, raising a hand to Lilith as she stood on the far side of the portal. Demonic energy pooled at the demon's palm, and Lilith was immediately shielded by a large barrier of demonic ki. "Monsigneus is a harsh world Lady Nevermore. It makes Hell look like a paradise for the wicked dead. My Demonic Barrier will protect you from the atmosphere, and there should be plenty of air in there for you to breath for your brief stay. However, I can do nothing to reduce the effect's of my planet's gravity. That you will just need to endure."

Amatricina withdrew her hand, placing it on her wide hip as she waited for the witch to step through. The portal emptied itself into the heart of the slave pits beneath Amatricina's royal fortress in the beating heart of her capital city. The massive dungeon stretched on for miles in all directions, having been created from the hallowed out quarries that provided the stone to construct her ancient citadel. The slave pits were composed of hundreds of large chambers, little better than cells. They contained few amenities beyond four walls, bed mats, and a place to defecate. Large metal doors provided the closest thing to comfort for the slaves housed within a given cell. The door was their provider, the slit in it gave them their daily rations of food and water. The menial labor they endured day in and out in the palatial bastion above the closest thing to exercise, recreation, or escape from four dull walls. Guards and wardens patrolled the sprawling network of catwalks above the slave pits, able to look down upon with a harsh gaze and a harsher whip. They patrolled at intervals, delivering harsh beatings for even the slightest sign of transgressions.

The sentries nearest the portal seemed shocked, a rift between dimensions the last thing they expected. They raised their weapons, grim black halberds at the enigmatic portal. Though the moment Amatricina stepped through they holstered their weapons, kneeling deeply in submission. "My Liege. We apologize, we did not expect you. Please, forgive us." They pleaded, to which Amatricina idly waved them off with a hand.

"You are forgiven, go. Alert the High Slave Master. Inform him your Warlord has returned, tell him to bring the finest hundred household imps in my stock to the fight pit. And inform him I have a guest with me. She is a mortal, and to be treated with full respect while she remains in my company. Now go, my time is more precious than you breath." With that Amatricina dismissed her soldiers, who bowed their head in acknowledgement before darting off to report to their superiors. They dared not question the will of their Warlord, silently thankful she did not take offense to them raising their weapons threateningly to her. "Come Lilith, walk with me." Amatricina called back sternly to the far end of the portal, as she slowly began to sashay her way down a catwalk. Heading towards the nearest fight pit; they were scattered at regular intervals between the more abundant slave pits.

---

Word Count: 1,137
Total Word Count: 6,100
Lilith Nevermore

Amatricina chuckled in response to Lilith's comment on her 'home.' "Please Darling, idle flattery will get you nowhere. My home is several levels above. The slave pits are merely the sub-basement, above the dungeons but below the storerooms. If I wanted to impress you with my accommodations, I'd show you the throne room or the main hall. Now come along Lilith." With that the demoness began the long walk to the nearest fight pit, relishing the view. In her youth, the slave pits had been a dull affair, where the most fun she or her siblings had was in seeing if they could blast an errant slave or two into ash with a well placed ki blast before the guards notice. She had received one too many beatings from her father as punishment for such an innocent pastime, and largely avoided the complex from that day forward. But now as Warlord, the fetid stench of excrement, blood, and sweat was a sweet vapor to her nostrils. It stunk rancorous with the scent of... power. Souls shackled to her whims, literally as physically. Their mere lives an idle currency for her to save or spent at her whim. A particularly uppity slave, bleeding profusely from his latest round of lashes for some defiance looked up at the Demon Lord. As one last, foolish act of defiance against his masters and his own life, the petty demon hurled a ball of his waste at Amatricina. It failed, naturally, impacting the arcane barrier kept around each individual cell.

In an instant the demoness turned, fast enough no being watching could perceive the movement. Her Burning Gaze fired from her pupils, two thin beams of molten ki firing outwards, shattering the magic barrier and then piercing the whipped slave through the chest. He screamed in agony, burning outward from the wound like tissue paper set to the match. In moments the slave was gone, but embers and ash. Amatricina huffed, turning without pause and resuming her walk. She felt the rippling waves of fear radiating out from the slaves in proximity to witness such a display, and many of the guards and jailers. She was ignorant to the fact Lilith was not closely tailing her, until she heard the witch call out behind her. "Oh?" Amatricina said simply, her ki sense had been distracted elsewhere. Rather than focus on the young witch, Amatricina had been sensing outwards for the power levels of her eldest kin. Sensing her sister Arissa, Amatricina had instructed her to tell the demon's War Council to assemble within the hour, she would sit her throne before nightfall... once more personal matters were attended to.

When Amatricina looked back at Lilith she raised a hand to her mouth, fighting hard to suppress a laugh at the young woman's demonic... could it even be called a transformation? "Oh my... Lilith." The demon finally said, eyes wandering up and down Lilith's new... brawnier form. "That is certainly something. You siphoned demonic energy, didn't you? I must say, it is an unbecoming look for you Darling." Amatricina did not actually have the heart to tell Lilith she looked like the bastard spawn of a Fire Demon and a Gremlin. The emotions that radiated off the mortal told her more than enough about Lilith's thoughts on the matter as is. "Let me say dear... red is certainly not your color. And if you needed such a stop gap to withstand Monsigneus, I'd advise you consider training under higher than Earth levels of gravity. I myself can easily withstand over thirty times my homeworld's gravity. It is my preferred training intensity. Now... if we may proceed."

Amatricina left it at that, shaking her head slightly as she tried to wipe the image of the girl's face from her mind. The Demon Lord led the witch down a long catwalk towards their destination. "Anyways Lilith, I have sent for the High-Slave Master to corral a hundred of my finest household imps in the nearest fight pit. It is a larger, more open space than these cramped cells you see bellow. If a slave attempts to offend, assail, or insult you in any way, feel free to dispatch of them as you see fit. Suffering is their destiny after all. The Weak must serve the Strong..." Amatricina did not finish her mantra, only the first portion was necessary as she walked briskly.

After a time the duo cam upon a large set of pillars, supports that held up the great stone works above. Between the four pillars as a pit roughly three times the radius as the common slave pits. A number of sentries mulled about on the catwalk above, and more stood at attention on the stony floor below. There were a hundred or so scrawny red skinned demons all huddled in a mass. Occasionally one got too far out of line, and was promptly met with the crack of a whip on the thrust of a spear. Though the weapons did not actually strike the cretins, only putting the fear in their hearts. At the center of the arena stood a monstrously tall Fire Demon. Over twice Amatricina's height, though his four horns were not as large or impressive as hers. They were however, pierced with many great iron hoops, each one represented a century of service as the High-Slave Master. The venerable demon having served long under the tenure of her father.

The Demon Lord nodded to acknowledge her guards, the men saluting her in unison as she approached. Many sets of eyes wandered upon Lilith, walking along in her bubble of demonic ki. Amatricina figured it best not to address her companion, and let her stoic silence carry the weight of her authority. She moved gracefully down a spiraling staircase that led out to the storeroom of the fight pit below. The great felliron gates to the pit were already open, and Amatricina strode out until she stood before the imposing demon. The High-Slave Master did not wear the regal and frankly ostentatious armor of the Demon Lord. His attire was more utilitarian, a suit of spiked plate mail adorned in the skulls of particularly uppity slaves. Their skulls pierced on his spikes as reminders of his terrible wrath to the next batch brought before him.

The larger demon looked at Amatricina with a grim scowl on his face, then dropped low to one knee. The weight of his body shaking the ground briefly. Amatricina's expression broke first, changing to a smirk. The elder demon's then changed to a soft grin of his own. "Basco!" Amatricina said warmly, ushering the slave master to rise to his feet. "It has been too long." The larger demon did as commanded, rising back to his feet as he crossed his arms.

"Amatricina, so good to see you. And here I thought My Liege was too proud to come see a humble slaver in his pits." The sarcasm in Basco's words was slight and playful. "Who pray tell, is that, and what was the purpose of this sudden request?" Basco pointed a huge hand at Lilith, a look of confusion on his face.

Amatricina's tone swiftly changed from informal back to commanding. There was only so much time she could waste on informalities. "That, High-Slave Master, is Lady Lilith Nevermore, Heiress of Clan Nevermore. She is my honored guest, and a black hearted mortal from the planet Earth. She is... unaccustomed to our realm, and must burrow our energy to withstand it. Her normal appearance is more becoming than her current state." The demoness did not know how to more politely phrase that, and the look in Basco's eyes told her he doubted the claim Lilith was usually less hideous. It was just something about her face, even the Imps had picked up on and balked away. Amatricina gestured out to the throngs of imps waiting nervously, turning to address both demons and witch. "Because she has earned my good graces, and bested a minor Kai in battle, I have offered the Heiress of Nevermore two dozen of my finest imps as a token of my appreciation." Her gaze turned more directly to Lilith. "Darling, you may choose your preferred imps by whatever means you like. Command them to fight to the death to determine the strongest, and my guards will ensure it. Let their blood, test their knowledge, pick the tallest or the reddest or the ones with the largest horns, whatever method you so choose. I grant you as long as you need to make your decision, within reason." With that Amatricina crossed her arms, and Basco gave a knowing nod though was still perplexed why a Fire Demon as beautiful as Lord Tartaros' eldest daughter would allow herself to be seen in company with such a hideous mortal girl. He did not question though, it was not his place.

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Word Count: 1,495
Total Word Count: 7,595
Lilith Nevermore

Basco folded his massive arms in displeasure, more than fed up with this ugly goblin woman, but unwilling to voice his grievances openly to his Liege. He valued Amatricina's friendship dearly, even fondly remembering presenting the Brood of Tartaros with their first Imps upon the late Lord Tartaros' request. His loyalty to his Warlord was unwavering, his thoughts on her strange mortal guest however, not so much. The towering slave master simply glared down at the diminutive woman beneath him, then slowly turned his gaze to his Warlord. "Your guest, is she aware that all of our kind can sense sin?"

Amatricina simply nodded. "She is. Lilith has a foul little temper that I find quite adorable. It reminds me of myself when I was of that age." It was an uncharacteristically off the nose response by the demoness.

"Ha! I was just thinking the same thing My Liege. There is fire in her for sure... even if she misdirects her flames." The elder demon was no stranger to anger directed against him. He practically basked in it as part of his daily life. Barcos savored the rage, and the wrath of those around him. It was his favorite of the sins, especially when the wrathful in question was powerless to act on it. He relished every slave who held their tongue for fear of reprisal, the anger in them only deepening with the crack of the whip or the prod of the spear. Such outburst of emotions made it all the more fun when one did snap, and he was therefore free to punish them for it... more intimately. He had not earned the cherished nickname 'Barcos the Butcher' among his men for nothing. It was a title seeped in more blood than his official one.

In spite of Lilith's deep seated anger, none of the Fire Demons did anything to act on it. Guards would not move unless they sensed an attack or their Liege commanded it, the High-Slave Master found the witch amusing, and held no doubts he could wrap his hand around her windpipe before she could even mutter a spell, and Amatricina more than ready to intercept that hand, and cut it off for such a brazen display of insolence. However, these were civil demons, with civil laws, and a rigidly structured caste society. What happened next was the furthest thing from a bloodbath of violence. They merely stood silently, save for the imps that cowered and crooned, watching the young witch choose her new servants. All of Lilith's spells required a verbal component it seemed, which the demon's found quite curious. Their own magic was fueled by will and emotion, it needed neither a verbal or somatic invocation to trigger. Because of this, practicing and advancing in said magic came through intense concentration, meditation, and repetition. Moreover, Lilith's particular breed of Earthly magic was a distant cousin to their own dark magic. Her magic selecting bones seemed an archaic, if not charming way to choose the strongest imps.

Amatricina largely did not care one way or the other, so long as Lilith had made her selection. Many of the marked imps raised their arms defensively over their heads, fearing an incoming spell or curse, or something. The rest shirked away, thinking their kin now little better than living time bombs. The Demon Lord just smiled, watching the cravenous display. "So be it then Lilith." She said as the witch declared her choice. "Yes, you may have whatever assistance you need to initially coral them. High-Slave Master, have the unselected imps be returned to their pits. I want them shifted into breeding rotations, to help replenish my lost stock." Some of the imps seemed wide eyed and thankful. Forced copulation was the closest they got to an enjoyable pastime. The pleasures of the flesh one of the few pleasures that was allowed by their overlords... in a controlled manner to encourage the best offspring of course. The selected imps seemed sullen and crestfallen, having resigned themselves to their new fate.

The demoness turned to her slave master, again addressing him directly. "Arrange them as she said, the first row kneels, the second stands." Her words harsh and commanding.

Basco merely nodded. "As you will, My Liege." He spoke without hesitation, raising his huge right hand as demonic energy crackled at his fingertips. Basco's eyes glowed with fiery orange light, just as Amatricina's would when she invoked her magics. Tendrils of Dark Energy poured forth from the massive Fire Demon, ensnaring the imps around the hands and feet. It was a technique quite similar to Amatricina's Malicious Intent. Basco had little need for a whip or a spear to keep his slaves in line. He had been a warrior once, a commander of the Seventh Black Legion, before retiring from a proud legacy of service into his current occupation. Old dogs were quick to forget old tricks, and his shadow tendrils forcibly drug the imps into two rows facing the gremlin child. Their hands were bound behind their backs, so they could not even attempt to shield their eyes. After all, she had said she wanted them to be able to see her. A ones in front forced to their hands and feet so they would not block those at the rear. "As commanded, My Liege." Basco said simply, his task complete.

"Go on then Lilith." Amatricina replied, eager to see the mortal girl's spectacle be done with. But, if the spell truly did help her control the demon's gift then so be it. "Show us this spell, then we may be on our way."

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Word Count: 949
Total Word Count: 8,545
Lilith Nevermore

The Fire Demons watched the young witch with a curious fascination as she began her unholy spell. The guards however, averted their eyes to avoid the effects of the spell on them. Dark spells derrived from magic gazes were commonplace among their kind, and their warrior's training put to good use. Keeping their gaze low, the dutiful soldiers began to shepherd the unneeded imps out of the fighting pit. In doing so they kept any more slaves than needed from falling victim to the mortal's spell. They did not want to explain to their superior why they needed to dispel magic from the vermin later on down the line. Amatricina and Basco however watching with more keen intent, their gaze direct on the witch. Both knew well their own power level far exceeded the mortal, and their commanding mastery of magic made them all but impervious to such a technique. There was a simple pleasure though, in watching lesser beings bent to another's will. The imps however, did not think the same. Not that it mattered much, as moments later they were forcibly ensnared by the witch's potent magics.

When the spell was finished the imps immediately began to struggle against their bonds. Desperate not to flee, but to move to stand besides their new mistress. To simply feel themselves close in her presence. Basco chortled, and Amatricina merely smirked at the display of subservience. "Release them High-Slave Master." She commanded simply, to which the larger fire demon idly flexed his hand and undid his binding magics. The Demon Lord did not need such magic to keep her servants under her beck and call. She had something far more potent from them, Loyalty. With the display finished and the imps freed, Amatricina simply sashayed her walk back to Lilith's side. The imps barreled towards their new mistress, pushing past each other as they fought for the right to stand closest to her. They did not speak though, they had not been commanded to. But they did make eager sounds of excitement, like a child trying to suppress their elation at seeing a wrapped present. Even in their spell the imps were careful to give Amatricina a wide berth as she approached. The sheer power that radiated through her sending hesitation through the thralls, in addition to their thoughts on the demon and her ire prior to being ensnared by Lilith's magic.

"Agreed Lilith, I believe we are." Amatricina said lazily, but not before casting the witch a knowing look and a soft smile. "Come then, let us return to your humble abode." With that the demoness' claws began to glow with their familiar searing light. She slashed downwards through the air, carving open another Dimensional Rift. This one she tore open wider, to allow the imps through in a more orderly procession. Basco silently looked impressed, he had never seen the technique up close and silently had pondered how his liege so easily came and went from their realm. That curiosity sated, but so many new questions raised.

The High-Slave Master dipped to one knee, bowing his head low as he spoke. "I presume that concludes your visit My Liege? Is there more I can do for you?" His words earnest and humble in their request.

"Indeed you are mostly correct, and there is nothing more I need of you at the moment." Amatricina replied with her usual authoritative tone, before turning back to the witch. "You could still show them, Lady Nevermore. You need only stand on the far side of my portal and say your goodbyes. I will not be following you back though. I have matters to tend to here among my court. Though it was pleasant seeing you again, this time on more personable terms." Amatricina gave the hideous little gremlin of a witch a final smile. She'd give the girl a crushingly smothering hug, if not for that... face. That and what Basco would think of her for such an affectionate display. The demoness however reached out to the witch's mind with her telepathy, briefly linking the two with psychic thoughts. "One last thing Darling. I extend an offer to you, should you wish it. I admire you for your fire, and should you ever desire to study in my tutelage as my protege, I'd be happy to call myself your mentor. It is a genuine offer, I expect no sarcastic remarks in your response lest I rescind my offer." And on that note the Demon Lord simply awaited a reply, and goodbye.

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Word Count: 776
Total Word Count: 9,321
Lilith Nevermore | @amatricina offers Lilith Nevermore the opportunity to join The Everchosen