Thread: Choking on Halo's || Vertaige & DD

He awoke in the humid heat of the woods. Not next to a cool slender form in a rather spartan bed. Not on a bedroll in the back of a wagon. No, Veteris Sanguine awoke in the dull wet heat of the summer in the woods on harsh ground. He squirmed a bit, the dull ache of stone and branch under his form. He blinked once. then twice. Looking down he was nude. No surprise he had gone to bed as such. But not here. Not in this world. He took a moment to think. Then sat up. Around him scorched into the brush and grass a sigil of summoning. Angular lines met harsh infernal dialect, incomprehensible to mortals not versed in Aramaic and Enochian. Lovely. I thought I told that bitch to burn the book.... He sounded sour and petulant. Said it was the last time...promised too. So much for fostering goodwill. He sat up. no clothes. No priestess or witch there to greet or command. TO do whatever it is mortals figured they needed to do upon summoning a demon. Cracking his neck he huffed a bit as he stood, body fully on display showing a tapestry of scars from aeons of wounds. Bites, burns, slashes, stabs and a few gouges danced up his crimson form in the pale moonlight. His body athletic and harrowed would tell a tale of many things. However the most distinct wound sat across his back. A brand stood seared fresh on his back. A mark of service, glowing violet as if on fire. Tenderly he touched the wound. His world flashed violet and pain slammed into his chest, knocking the breath from him. Fucking Gods Below! Really?! Great. Perfect. He staggered from the impact and gave a deep breath. He touched his head, horns still obsidian black and spiraled out like a ram. Well at least I got to keep the horns this time. Several seconds passed where he waited for the summoner. But nothing... Least they can do is bring me a coat and something to eat. Don't they usually have a goat tied up for this? He thought for a moment. Did the last one have some sort of sacrifice on hand? No. That was the bitch and she had been a headache all her own. How long had that been? Mortals had a funny concept of time. After a moment he recognized the summoner wasn't going to greet him. He crouched as his spine cracked and groaned, his flesh melding to form a more suitable body. Sinew knit new positions as bone broke and regrew. His face the same as his body sloped and spindled out with splayed hoofed limbs. He lowered his face to the dirt and inhaled, taking in the magickal scent and memorizing it. Alright. I guess I'll have to come to you. I hope for your sake you have something I can wear or eat. Shuffling off with a skittering gait he prowled to the source. Not taking too long he arrived at the edge of a clearing and with a few wrenching heaves his body sloughed back together to a humaniod form. He spied her, a small thing in white and swore under his breath, Bratzlarg! A child?! Fucking kill me now. I'm not some babysitter. Her illusion was fair he'd admit but his eyes weren't meant to see the way mortals were. Rather he'd see things as they were from the corners. He could throw a rock at her. Get her attention...no. She reeked of magick, not some parlor tricks either. Veteris sighed and walked up to her, naked as the day he was created and simply stepped to her accepting whatever chicanery followed. ----- DevilsDelight