[I]After midnight, in the spring of 2014[/I]

Rhythiel soared above the City. The voice of her mother, calling her back, increased. She had already tried several places (churches, synagogues, a Freyani temple) that seemed likely to help her oppose that call, but she could not enter them. It was almost as if she [I]were[/I] the demon many believed her kind to be. Regardless, if she were to remain in this realm, she would have to silence the calling. This would no doubt be painful and dangerous, but the only other choice was to give in to the calling and return to her mother's realm.

Below she spotted a statue in a plaza: A phoenix rising, supporting a globe and bearing it up. Flames issued from its eyes and water poured over its back. This was perfect, a symbol of rebirth, and perseverance! Rhythiel settled atop the globe, and prepared.

Shifting her perceptions, she found each of the nine cords that bound her to her mother. She conjured a knife to cut into her soul, isolating each hook. Finally, taking five cords in her right hand and four in her left, she pulled out the hooks in her soul.

A column of black fire rose into the night, invisible to most mortals, but easily perceived by those touched by the divine, or the infernal. Rhythiel dropped unconscious atop the globe, ichor flowing from the nine wounds that had appeared in her flesh. Within moments, something not unlike blood began to flow instead, washing the ichor down into the water of the fountain...

The healing magic stopped the flow of blood, but it seemed to do little to close the wounds; the one over her right horn looking especially nasty. Rhythiel stirred, though, and her eyes opened again. "That was more painful than I thought it would be," she said softly. "No wonder that more of my sisters do not attempt to free themselves this way." She looked at the fellow with the stones, and said, "I am Rhythiel, formerly of the Lillim, and I thank you for your gift of healing."

The mysterious form sat atop a building, looking over the edge and watching the dark streets below. A foul rain began to pelt the shadowy figure as he scanned the streets for any signs of trouble. Finding none, he closed his faintly glowing eyes and concentrated, sending telepathic feelers out across the city. Within seconds he had located his next target, a Svaltik that had been terrorizing the occupants of an apartment building in the Alexandria district of Titan City. He opened his eyes again, planted his feet on the side of the building, and pushed off. He fell through the air, the wind tugging at his hood and whistling in his ears. Seconds before he smashed into the cold wet ground, a dark portal of swirling energy opened underneath him and he disappeared into it.

A district away, a similar portal opened in a dark alley and the dark form stepped out. His glowing green eyes quickly located his target. He made no noise as he drew twin swords, Judgment and Damnation, from their scabbards on his back. He moved to within striking distance of the Svaltik, taking advantage of it being too intent on stalking its prey to notice his presence.

“Ti vala soral ko jher nov, mur bakar. (Your reign of terror ends now, foul creature.)” he said. The Svaltik whipped around and looked at him, then roared a challenge. It raised its arm and wickedly sharp claws slid from their sheaths. It roared again and charged at the shadowy figure. There was a subtle hiss as one of his swords whipped through the air, amputating the creature's arm at the shoulder. The severed appendage fell to the ground with a wet THUMP as the beast howled in pain and attempted to bolt past him. He spun and his other sword passed cleanly through the creature's abdomen, cutting it neatly in half. The legs stopped moving immediately, but the top half fell off as it continued in its attempt to flee. Black blood poured out of its wounds and burned into the street as the Svaltik attempted to drag its upper half away from the shadowy figure. But, it was not fast enough. One last stab through the creature’s neck severed its brain stem, ending its struggles.

The dark form pulled his sword out of the creature's throat and holy fire burned up the blades, incinerating the putrid-smelling blood. His fingertip glowed and he traced a glowing rune in the air, then uttered a short incantation. Light shot from the rune and impacted the three pieces of the Svaltiks body. They burst into holy flame, burning quickly until there were only small piles of ash left. He swiped quickly with one of the swords, scattering the ashes.

The swords slid silently back into their scabbards and he opened another dark portal. Just as he was about to step through, he felt the tug of strange magiks and looked over his shoulder. He could see the Phoenix and watched as a column of black flame shot upwards from the top of the globe. Without looking back at the portal, he changed its destination. Stepping through, he disappeared.

The corresponding portal opened atop the globe and he stepped out to find a man knelt over a horned woman. Silently, he drew his swords, but something about the woman gave him pause. The glow of his eyes increased subtly as he shifted his sight to study their auras. A cold voice emerged from the darkness beneath the hood. “Who… or what are you?”

"The Lillim... you are a child of Lilith." he said, the glow of his eyes returning to normal as he ceased studying their auras. He sheathed his left sword and traced a series of five runes into the air with a glowing fingertip, then tapped the runes to feed power into them. The runes forms grew indistinct and they transformed into a circle of five small, glowing spheres. The spheres burst into motion, flying in different directions down the surface of the globe to clean the Lillim's blood off the stone. Gathering back together in the pool, the spheres glow increased in intensity until they exploded in a shower of light, spreading motes of energy throughout the entire pool, cleansing it of any taint.

He then looked back to Rhythiel and pointed his remaining sword at her. "You may not be a demon, but why should I continue to tolerate your presence on this plane?"

The glowing eyes studied her for a moment longer, then he sheathed his sword in one smooth motion. "Though I am loathe to believe one so closely linked with Lilith, your words have the ring of Truth to them."

He sketched a short bow. "I am Taurien Felrender, slayer of demons and a Guardian of this plane from the forces of the Black Triad."

Rhythiel smiled wryly as she looked at the wound in each of her arms. "Understandable. If I had realized in advance how painful removing those links would be, I do not think I would have had the courage to do so. You slay demons? Would you know anything about a summoner of demons being killed recently?"

"I am Rhythiel,.formerly of the Lillim, and I am pleased to make your acquaintance, as well." She took his hand in a firm grip. Then she suddenly looked at him again, before releasing his hand... [I]He can help, but perhaps it would be best to wait[/I], she thought.

Taurien bowed more deeply to the newcomer, having studied his aura when he arrived and seen that he was a fellow paladin. "Well met, Shepherd Gideon. I am Taurien Felrender, a slayer of demons."

Taurien nodded as Finngeirr and Rhythiel departed, then he slid down the curve of the globe before dropping to the ground. He trotted after the other two and soon caught up to Rhythiel. "If a demon summoner has died recently, it was not by my blades. Why do you ask?"

Shepherd followed as he jumped off the globe and landed on his feet next to them.

Rhythiel attempted to change into a wingless form, but failed to change at all, so she sat on the edge of the other chair. "David's story, I think, as he told it to me. Perhaps one of you will be able to point me in the right direction after hearing it. He left Boston two years ago, when he was fourteen, to get away from a bad family situation. I did not press for details. He lived in an abandoned building for a few months, and was then taken in by one William Collins, a local businessman, philanthropist, and demonologist, though David was warned not to let anyone know that last bit. Collins taught David some basic magic, and was teaching him all that was needed to summon demons safely, for the summoner, at least. About three ago Collins started getting worried, then scared. He told David that someone was killing his associates, and he gave David some money and told him to pack up and hide. A week ago David heard on the news that Mr. Collins had been found shot in his apartment. That was when David moved back into the abandon building and prepared to summon a demon that could protect him. He gathered the materials he needed, drew out the circle with the demon's name - Ryhtiel - properly spelled out. If he had pronounced it correctly, he'd have had a rather potent demon bodyguard at his command. But when he cast the spell, he pronounced it more like 'Rhythiel'."

Rhythiel noted the glow behind Shepherd's eyes brightening, and she knew that he knew something about this already. She decided not to push, as she might need his good will when it came to negotiating with the hunter. So she continued.
"Mother had me in the cooler for botching the last assignment she'd sent me on, and had just got done berating me with yet another list of consequences that her allies were tracing back to that event. So while I could have resisted the pull of that summons, I saw no real reason to. I went, and realized that the circle had no hold on me. So I asked the kid if he realized how dangerous demon summoning could be. He said he had no choice, and I eventually got him to tell me his story. I made him a deal, that he would promise to never even try summoning a demon again, and I would try to find the hunter and do my best to talk him into letting the kid off. So I left his basement, and right away Mother started trying to summon me back. My promise gave me a way to resist, but I knew I couldn't resist long. But after however many years it was in the cooler, I'd thought I'd figured out a way to remove the bonds. It worked, but it still hurts.'

Rhythiel took a cup of tea. "Thank you. This contract, only since just before midnight, when I made the deal with David. The one I ended on the globe, that I had been stuck in all my life. Sometime in the thirteenth century. But it can be hard to judge time passing here by time passing in my mother's realm." She sipped the tea, and began to relax a bit.

Shepherd took a sip of his tea before responding.

Yes I do. I was the one hunting them but I had only been hunting them for months. the first hunter was slain by a demon. a regular mortal with magical ties. The Mages that contracted me needed someone not of this world who's abilities went far beyond that of any mortal magic user. Many of these occultists had sold their souls to these demons resulting in the demons inhabiting their bodies and running the governments and corporations they were in charge of but the cultists were not the only ones, there were vampires and werewolves involved as well.

Shepherd took another sip of his tea.

"These creatures were involved in the trafficking of humans for food and to be used as sacrifices. When I went after Collins. I found 13 teenage girls ranging from ages 13 to 17, all virgins trapped in his basement. I freed them after putting Collins out of his misery"

Taurien sat in the chair and simply listened to the others. He was a being of action and not of words, so he had very little to contribute to the conversation, or so he felt. After the peppermint tea was served, Taurien took the edges of his hood and pulled it down, causing the spell that concealed his face to go dormant.

He would've been a very handsome man if it wasn't for three wicked scars that scored his face from his right temple to his left jawbone. His eyes, both of which he'd lost when he received the scar, had been replaced with orbs that glowed a dim white-gold color.

Taking a cup of the tea, he sipped it while continuing to listen.

Rhythiel briefly considers a number, then rejects it as she is certain Finn meant a whole number, as in how many runes he should use. "Six," she says instead. "Is there any place nearby to get pie at this time of night?"

It was as if a great weight had come off her shoulders. "Thank you. I would appreciate the help, though I think they must first find him. The basement he is in is well warded, Collins taught him that much, at least. But if you could perhaps look in on him from time to time, I think between the two of us we can keep him safe. For a time, at least."

Anyone who happened to be looking at the wound above her right horn might possibly notice that it had closed a bit since she sat down...

Shepherd smiled knowing he could help.

"If David really wants to get into the mystic arts. he needs a good teacher...the right teacher. I have a friend who has recently joined the team I'm in Titan's Legacy. Her name is Goldenrod. She may be able to teach him. The other members of the team don't know what I've been up to but I won't be surprised if she does since she has her ways of finding things out."

Shepherd nodded

"Yes, Ray's pizza. What i can do is when i head back home I can inform Goldenrod of the situation, this way David won't have to leave the safety of the basement. she is a powerful magic user and I am very confident she can help David out."

Shepherd finished drinking his tea.

"If you and David need asylum, My private base is an abandoned church that I purchased upon my arrival with a bunker that connects to the tunnels under the city."

Shepherd smiled. as he nodded.

"Only to prevent evil creatures from entering.The place is surrounded with invisible sigils. Only those I allow in can enter."

Shepherd nodded as he wrote the address on back of the Ray's pizza business card he had.

"If you want, we can head to Ray's now. He does stay open late for some of the heroes like myself who are usually on night watch."

Shepherd opened the door as he lead the way out to Ray's

Hypatia released Shepherd as her sight (and her Sight) cleared from the aftereffects of the teleport. Then she looked (and Looked) at the statue. "Looks like it's about ready to be consecrated. Willing sacrifice, then it looks like you cleansed it, then someone else with a Nordic feel, but not the priestess of Freya that sometimes comes by the Library, someone else..."

Hypatia nodded. "Unfortunately, with all the cleansing you and Finn did, I can't really See much more than that. Hopefully Kahry will have some background info for me."

"From what I've heard, even angels have been known to make mistakes. What counts more is learning from them and fixing them if you can." Hypatia looked at her watch. "I'm going to see if I can catch Sarah at her office. Call me if anything comes up you think I can help with."

Hypatia went across the street to the building where the District Attorney's offices were located. At the desk she gave her name and asked if Miss Holt was in, and if she had a few moments to spare.

"Hypatia Argyros. Or just Pat. It seems I may have come at a bad time..." As she tried to make out the identity of the person Sarah Holt was facing, the sounds of Oingo Boingo's [I]Dead Man's Party[/I] sounded softly. She pulled out her Goldenrod phone and accepted the call, speaking softly...

The door to Sarah's office is quickly opened, as the silky and attention grabbing voice of Cordelia Bennet cuts off a still fuming Sarah.

"Miss Holt and I were just finishing, darlings." She calmly states as she eyes the pair, before slightly narrowing her eyes at Pat, before turning back to Sarah to rub salt on one last biting wound upon spying a picture of her late father and a beaming Sarah on the day of her first court case.

"And a pity about your father, my condolences...I bet he was a treasured member of the drunken beat officer club." With that last cruel insult, Cordelia steps out of the still tensionflled office and brushes past Pat and Isabella, as...a momentary chill is felt?

Not seconds after the sound of heeled boots enter the lobby and away from their area, Sarah rises slowly from her chair within her cream top, grey jacket and skirt, before speaking without a trace of malice as she waves them in.

"Pat, so sorry about the delay! Please come on in, take a seat. Isabella, can you make sure the DA is notified of my break?" Isabella nods, briefly appearing concerned at her boss's and friend's state before offering a smile to both women and closing the door as she practically skips out.

Cordelia simply smirks as she lays her verdant eyes over Sam, appearing as though she had spotted something rancid and dying as she glanced in his direction. When she speaks, her tone drips derision and mocking.

"And where would Sarah be without her zookeeper, I wonder. Very cute, but please, all this entertainment isn't usually a part of my lunch rush. Regardless, I'll simply try my best, honestly." She states, before softly brushing past Sam and entering a waiting limosuine, driving off with a hiss of pavement.

Elsewhere, Sarah blinks at Pat's question, taking it into consideration before replying.

"Yes, I would. It could provide us with a additional source of evidence in a case, in wherein we have no witnesses willing to testify or etcetera. However I would have to get my co-counsel on board and the DA, but we could certainly try." She smiles.

Sam maintained level eye contact with Cordelia as she left the office, the plunked back down on the edge of Isabella's desk and waited for the receptionist to return. Once she had, he greeted her. "Afternoon, Izzy. I don't know why the Queen Bitch of the Universe was here, but after that last comment, she's lucky she didn't get nova blasted back the way she'd slithered in."

Izzy giggles at Sam's comment, having grown fond of him since Sarah had began dating him. Comforted by his presence, she speaks her mind rather than a usual mouselike reply.

"That was viscous, but Sarah is a superheroine, she used to complaints and stares and comments. What's going to matter is if she let's Queen Bitch be a negative blot on her day, or she continues being a quite literal ray of sunshine." They would receive their answer as they would spot a chuckling Sarah approach them as she leads Pat out. Sarah turns back to Pat with a smile as she replies.

"It looks like she has already fled on her broomstick, but for reference just down that hallway, those stairs." Points, before adding sheepishly, apologetically.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to offend...still not used to you being a witch. Makes me feel pretty meek in comparison, seeing as magic is...well, magic." Confesses quietly, as not to reveal their alter egos, before she grins to Izzy and Sam.

"Izzy, you alright, Sam?" The former nods, waving off the recent events with a twirl of her tablet stylus.

"It takes more than a socialite harpy to faze me Boss, I live in Downtown." Jokes

Rift appeared in Phoenix park, startling a vagrant, and perhaps a few children with his arrival. The telltale Crack of a teleportal opening up a hole in space announced his arrival to the surrounding idle folk. He quickly made himself scarce atop the phoenix statue in the arc of it's shoulder. He curled up in the arc, cradling like a hammock. In his scaled hands was a simple black book with traditional gold leaf writing on the spine and front cover: Complete Guide to Super-human laws, Revision 5.2. It may have been a rental, it may have been 'borrowed'. Whatever the case was, the reptilian was still reading through the restrictions and privileges associated with registration. Something would probably come up later on to break his reading session. Hell, with all the recent events, it was even possible that something would come to him, just for being so central to the city. Until then...

"Chapter 6, probable cause is defined by..."

Izzy blushes furiously before chuckling, along with Sarah who replies warmly.

"I would have taken Izzy myself, but if you insist." Grins, Izzy blushing more furiously before Sarah walks back to her office to grab her purse. In that span of time, Isabella turns to Sam in a moment of seriousness, edged with a teasing lilt.

"So, when are you going to pop the question, Sam?" Quite bluntly asks.

Sam smiled and played dumb. "What question would that be?"

Izzy took a moment to eye Sam with a look rarely used that made all manner of clientele shiver and beg for mercy, from jaywalkers to drug kingpins. Her tone was equally serious as she inquires.

"I think you know the question, don't you Sam?"