Chapter 4:

Unwanted Attention

         Death walked back to Ssnare’s room with him so he could retrieve his weapon, he came out with a rare scarlet and gold blackmetal broadsword enshrouded by blood rubies, which was about a meter and a half long.

“Whoa! That’s impressive!” Death exclaimed.

“My father gave it to me, it’s been in the family for generations,” Ssnare replied.

“Who is your father by the way?” asked Death curiously thinking she knew the answer but wanted her suspicions confirmed.

“No one special,” remarked Ssnare sourly, “Lets get going!” he said trying to change the subject.

“Ready when you are!” said Death playing along.

“Hey wait! Where’s your weapon?” said Ssnare realizing she carried none.

“Oh! I always have it with me,” replied Death mysteriously.

As Ssnare and Death entered the arena they noticed that it was just like the outside arena, with rocks ledges, cliffs and crevices, but around the arena was a stand for an audience.  Death noticed a bunch of students just standing around chatting, and she silently motioned towards them to Ssnare.  He nodded in comprehension and started walking to them, with Death in tow.  They reached the group and many stopped to stare at the peculiar pair, “You here because you made it to Dragonfang ranking?” asked a demon with horns protruding out of his shiny blue bald head.

“Yeah, you?” Ssnare asked him.

“Of course! It’s rare for any newbie student to become a Dragonfang, that’s why so few of us are here! Oh and I’m Ratech,” he said.

“Ssnare,” Ssnare said.

“Are you his servant or something?” Ratech asked Death.

Death was looking around and noticing that there weren’t any female demons, when Ratech asked her that, “What?” she asked calmly with anger creeping into her voice.

“Are-you-his-slave-?” Ratech asked slowly insulting her by thinking she was slow.

“Are you looking for a death wish?” she retorted.

But suddenly Death was knocked on the ground and winded by a heavy force, and when she heard the perpetrators’ voice she knew immediately who it was.

“My love! Did you come to zee me fight? I knew you couldn’t help yourself and you couldn’t keep avay from me!” said Thatch rubbing his face delightfully on her full breasts.

“Get Off OF Me You Moron!” said an angry Death, pushing him off with a right hook, sending him flying and blood pouring out of his nose.

“Ouch! Vhy do you hafe to be so mean?” asked a disappointed Thatch, when he came back into orbit.

“Why do you have to be so perverted?” asked Ssnare helping his friend up.

“I’m in love that’s vhy! But anyvay vhy are you here?” Thatch asked Death and Ssnare.

“Wait so you know Ssnare and his slave?” asked a confused Ratech.

“Ssnare is my friend and,…he haves a slave?” asked the confused Thatch.

“I am not anyone’s slave pea brain!” exclaimed Death heatedly.

“Death a slave!?!” asked Thatch incredulously, “No-no-no! Death is my lover!”

“I am not!!” said Death pile driving him into the ground.

“You’re right, you’re right!” said the dizzy and bleeding Thatch in surrender to Death, putting a hand slightly covering his mouth he whispered to Ratech, “She is my secret lover!”

Death looked at Ssnare, “Why is he your friend again?” she asked.

“Honestly?…I have no idea!” he replied.

Chapter 5:

Consequences of Stupidity 

         "So you’re not a servant?” asked Ratech still not convinced. “NO!” Death exclaimed, “What do I have to do to get it through your thick skull?”

“Ratech ginned at that last statement, as evil and corrupted thoughts penetrated his dirty mind.

“Well…for starters you—!” Ratech started.

Seeing the grin on his face a moment ago Death caught on, “Never mind I don’t want to know!” Death said quickly and started to walk away.

Ratech let his pride and ego cloud his better judgment and foolishly grabbed Death’s arm and yanked her back to face him.  Death slapped him not wanting him to touch her, and angered he turned her around restraining her.  Taking out one of his poison tipped throwing knifes he held it to her throat.

“IF YOU KNOW WHATS GOOD FOR YOU, YOU WILL NEVER HIT ME OR WALK AWAY FROM ME!” Ratech hissed.

Everyone in the arena was watching the two quarrel from the side, but none as closely as Ssnare and Thatch.

“PLEASE DON’T HURT HER, or at least not her face!” Said Thatch, that’s her 3^rd best quality!

Ssnare was equally disturbed by the commotion and he gripped his swords hilt so tight his knuckles were starting to turn white.

“IF YOU KNOW WHATS GOOD FOR YOU, THEN YOU WILL RELEASE ME RIFGHT NOW!” Death said in a voice unnaturally hers.

“Or What?” Ratech replied mockingly, “You Have No Weapon!”

Death smiled a malevolent smile and said to him, “THAT’S WHAT YOU THINK.” 

          Death’s hand started to glow, ribbons of smoke, colored silver and red surrounded her hand.  She brought her astonishing hand level to her face, and then unexpectedly swiped the open air with it creating a dimensional black rip.  Death outstretched her hand reaching for something in the shadows of shadows in the dark rip, pulling something towards her, beckoning something to her side.

“WHAT IS THIS!?!” shrieked the sudden panic stricken Ratech, clumsily falling over himself in an attempt to get as far away from Death as possible.

“YOUR MISFORTUNATE END!” replied Death, as a black and red striped tiger baring his long and ferocious teeth, while carrying a ancient blackmetal scythe stepped out of the portal.  The scythe was incrusted with gold around the unbelievably sharp edges, and had a antique silver serpent coiling up the staff.  Death’s appearance had changed too, her hair no longer had its natural red tips on the end, and it was now pure black.  Her wings were spread and her nails grew in length, ad an energy force was visible flowing around her, not to mention her eyes were now the color of blood.  Ratech was whimpering with fear on the ground, desperately trying to get away from the raging creature walking toward him.  Ratech was pleading for his life to be spared, that he didn’t really mean anything by it, that he was sorry.  Death couldn’t have stopped even if she wanted to; she had no control over her body. The demon inside her was awakened and released.

Chapter 6

Inner Turmoil

Death swung her scythe towards the weakling demon, Ratech, chopping one of his horns clean off his head. “STOP!” yelled Thatch to her, she heard his plea and she wanted to obey but she couldn’t. Ssnare saw the inner turmoil within, and knew that she truly did not wish to harm Ratech.  He saw a single tear trickle from her blood red eye and roll down her cheek.  Ssnare knew the feeling well.  Once a long time ago he had an uncontrollable red demon take control of him at his highest emotional state and take over his actions.  Death is just like him, Ssnare realized. And like him, she too was so unlike the other demons that would kill, slaughter, even die for a power like hers and Ssnare’s.

          Death hated the power. Why did it have to be her that receives the Shadow Demon of Fears and Rage why not her merciless older brother who actually wanted it?  Numerous times has Death tried to kill herself, to be free from her cruel gift.  But all her attempts failed, not because she wasn’t able to take her own life, but because the demon inside her wouldn’t let her.  Her power controlled the tiniest bit of evil hidden deep down inside of her; it protected her, even against her own will.  Striking down anyone who tries to harm her, or even get in her way. 

She stood towering over the trembling form of Ratech; her scythe rose above her head ready to strike the pathetic demon down for the killing blow.  Death immediately squeezed her eyes shut so she wouldn’t have to watch the gruesome sight, as she felt her arms release into a downward chop of her scythe.  But the spattering of blood never came. Instead there was a loud clang of metal against metal, and Death’s scythe vibrating from impact. She snapped open her eyes to see Ssnare kneeling in front of her weapon shielding Ratech from harm, with an understanding grin on his face.  Death was relived to not cause harm to Ratech, but at the same time scared for Ssnare as she felt the demon inside her well up in growling fury, for the intrusion.  She felt the thoughts of the demon, it was about to strike out against the impudent fool who dared to intervene.

Death’s demon was about to attack Ssnare, when another demon equally powerful in every way emerged and presented itself to the other.  This demon was a demon of pure Hell, its muscles bulged against its red skin, and its two horns at the top of its head made it seem taller as it slightly curved going straight up.  This demon was the demon of Satin, and the one responsible for the control and imprisonment of it was Ssnare, the next Tyrant of Hell, Satin himself.  Death’s shadow demon stood down knowing its place when dealing with the Tyrant its Master, and dissipated back into the farthest and darkest reaches of Death’s body.

Death slowly transformed into her regular self, turning back into the Death that was thought to be seemingly harmless.  They knew now that she was a force not to be reckoned with.  Death swooned as she stood, her energy eaten away by the demon that is consuming her soul little by little.  With her energy drained she did not have the strength enough to stand, and almost fell if it hadn’t been for Ssnare and his quick reflexes.  He held her like a married couple would, when entering a threshold, cradling her delicate body as gently as he could.

A single person clapping could be heard echoing throughout the arena. Making may of the students look around trying to figure out who was clapping at a time like this.

“Impressive,” said a deep voice coming from behind the group of wide eyed students.  The crowd parted and there in the back stood a jackalope.  Not the bedtime stories of a rabbit with antlers, but a fearsome looking half hyena and half menator creature. 

“Well done I must say,” he said in his deep gravely voice, “Thank you for the show!”

Ssnare glared at the jackalope, pissed off by the way he was amending Death for the torture she endured just for his amusement. 

“Who the hell are you?” Ssnare asked his tone matching his glare.

“I am the Dragonfang instructor Lithnar, but lets forget introductions for now! Take her someplace quiet to rest, stay with her until she awakes. Understand?” asked Lithnar.

Ssnare nodded his head in comprehension as much as gratefulness, and started off towards the exit.

“Oh! Oh!” Thatch exclaimed waving his hand about wildly trying to get the instructors attention.

“What is it?” Lithnar asked testily.

“Can I go too?” Thatch asked, “I’m her—!” he started but was cut off by the instructor’s response.

“No! I said take her to a quiet place, and if you are there then there will be no peace for her to recover!” Lithnar bluntly stated.

Thatch folded his arms and pouted, feeling left out.