World of Warcraft®

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Picking right up from post #12; Sinister Beginnings [Open RP]: http://us.battle.net/wow/en/forum/topic/11423782432
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A small wagon of provisions and trade goods arrived in Darkshire. Lilith was fortunate enough to catch the man as he left Goldshire. A straight shot by way of the red mountain's tower near Lakeshire. Passage along the road through the Duskwoods was surprisingly uneventful, but largely due to the two horse team pulling the wagon and its driver. The raven haired gnome was certain that had she been alone the beady little eyes that watched her from the dark bushes would have tried to make a good meal of her.

She repaid the man for his kindness with a jar of strange dust, a common enough enchanting agent, then made herself at home in one of several vacant rooms upstairs in the Scarlet Raven Tavern. The place had been silent since the Cabal had left town. She wondered for a moment on where they might have gone.

She promptly entered the town hall and sought permission from Lord Ebonlocke, through the town historian Sirra Von'Indi, to have a look at their libraries. No small feat that. Being a stranger in a rather strange land, she decided to dedicate most of her time doing all she could to befriend both Von'Indi and Clerk Daltry as well as several other council members. Many were still wary of her sudden appearance and interest in their records, but she was slowly winning them over.

Three days later, she was no closer at finding even one of the several books on her list. She was, however, beginning to put the town clerk and historian at ease with her presence. She was even able to venture into the woods and follow a few Nightwatch on their patrol. Nothing too far from Darkshire, but enough to understand more about the mysterious darkness that was threatening the small town.

The first few nights passed well enough. Other than the occasional creeks and being a bit drafty, the Scarlet Raven was very homey.

Then the nightmares started again...

Lilith awoke suddenly.

She sat straight up in the darkness, heart racing, panting as if she had been running for her life. She pulled back her covers and immediately took a chill. Her flesh was cold and clammy, her nightwear damp with perspiration. She kicked her feet over side of the bed and just sat for a moment. The darkness in the room felt oppressive, like eyes staring at the back of her. Their gaze boring twin holes in the back of her mind. She sighed heavily and rubbed her eyes.

The illness. That's what it was. She was still suffering from the illness that was spreading through the kingdom.

That had to be it! She had to find her herbal medicines in her pack.

Lilith pushed herself off the bed. Her bare feet hit the floor. What should have felt like wooden planks strangely didn't. She looked down but only stared into darkness, her feet and wiggling toes barely visible. She walked to where she set her pack but found it missing.

Odd. I know I left it right here.

A commotion in the adjacent room distracted her. She listened for a moment. No voices. Furniture moaned as it moved across the floor. Who would be rearranging their room at this hour?

She moved to her door and the noise stopped. The floor just didn't feel right, but she couldn't put her finger on it. Then the noise started again, but this time it sounded as if things were being tossed against the walls. She scowled.

This is nonsense!

She pulled open the door and a warm gust of putrid smelling air blasted her face. Faint orange light from the hearth in the great room below poured up the stairs to barely illuminate the landing. All at once she felt sick again and her stomach churned. A familiar sensation. She moved to the door adjacent hers, noticing a thin line of greenish light glowing around the seams. Instead of knocking she cautiously pressed on the door.

It slowly swung open, hinges creaking.

All the furniture was upturned, save the bed. The footlocker at the foot sat wide open and random items from within flew out, haphazardly tossed around the room.

The greenish light strangely emanated from the corners and seams of the room itself. Candles lit around the small chandelier that hung from the center of the ceiling had eerie green dancing flames. Hesitant and fearful but curious, Lilith carefully stepped inside trying to not make a noise. She peered down at her feet and there saw her back pack.

She picked it up by a strap. It was empty. Moreover the bottom had been ripped open. Her mind raced. Questions. Confusion. Anger. Fear. It all rushed together and swirled around her head. She opened her mouth to say something but just then a familiar voice came from the open foot locker. A dark spindly arm reached up and out, a single long finger extended.

“One moment!”

The voice was all too familiar. Liliths' head spun and her heart began to race again. How could this be? How could it be...

“Here?”

The imp she had summoned days before while in the safety of the Slaughtered Lambs' ritual circle popped its head out of the foot locker. An article of clothing around its head.

“How can I be here? Of alllll places!” It grinned sweeping its arms through the air. It then huffed, pointing a long bony finger at her and squinted. “Well, wouldn't yooooou like to know.”

Lilith held out the bag. “H-how...” Struggling to find the words, to make some sense of what was going on she stuttered. The imp interrupted again.

“Really?! Must I do ALL the thinking here?!”

It glared at Lilith. Frustrated it pulled the clothing from its head. Bounding out of the box the imp stood nearly as tall as the gnome. She stared at it confused, and it snidely stared back at her. Fists planted on its hips. Waiting.

Lilith glanced around the room again. “This is all too bizarre.” She muttered.

“YES!" The tall imp clapped. "My thoughts exactly! But then, you are a rather bizarre gnome aren't you.” It hopped playfully over to an upturned chest of drawers and pulled a drawer out. Its contents dumped in a pile on the floor.

“Seriously! What is this trash?” The imp, with its claws, started tearing through the contents on the floor, tossing the drawer over its shoulder.

“You can't find a single thing in this place!”

Suddenly remembering her pack, she pushed past all the strangeness, the oddities, the inconsistencies and glared at the imp. She shook the ripped pack at it, feigning at least annoyance. “Explain this.” She asked.

“No.” The imp flatly ignored her.

She drew her brow down harder feigning anger when really she wanted to run back to her room and slam the door behind her.

“Explain.” she demanded. The imp stopped long enough to peer at her over its shoulder.

“Good, but not quite.” It held up a corrective finger and twirled it in a circle.

“Remember your lessons little gnomie. Imps can smell your lies and see through your deceit.” It chuckled, returning to the destruction at hand. “And you my little-little gnomie reek of lies.”

It paused. “And not the good ones either.”

A spark of frustration flared and she hurled the ruined backpack at the imp, sailing it over its bent head. The imp stood and turned to her.

“Oh! Frustrated are we?! Goody!” The imp picked up the pack and threw it back at Lilith, hitting her in the face. “Goody-goody-goody!”

Dancing and prancing about the room it continued defiantly picking up random items and throwing them at her. Most struck her in the head, in the face, in the stomach, hard enough to hurt but nothing more.

“Stop!" Lilith cried out. "Stop hittin<muffle>.” A pillow hit her square in the face knocking her backward. She stumbled and fell to her seat.

The imp perched on the wooden footboard of the bed and howled with laughter. An eerie chorus of voices poured in from outside the walls, rattling the boards. Fear and confusion gripped her.

“I...I don't understand this! What's h-happening to me! This isn't real! This isn't real!” The little raven haired gnome pressed her hands against her ears and pressed shut her eyes.

It didn't help.

“This isn't real! This isn't real!” The imp squealed back, mocking her. Taunting her. Hopping up and down on the bed like a twisted little child. “This is as REAL as you let it be little-little gnomie!”

With a flash the imp turned from playful to bitterly angry. Venom dripped from every word and it pounced down on top of Lilith. "As real as the MIND makes it so!" It growled and pressed a sharp finger into her forehead. She pushed at the imp but it wouldn't budge. The imp pushed back, swatting at her with its open hands. claws raking across her skin, threatening to draw blood. The pungent smell of brimstone filled her nose once again. A moment of clarity came with it.

“This isn't real! This is a dream! You're only in my head.”

“And if you can't command me in here how can you command me out there?!” The imp growled. This time it swiped claws across her cheek. Blood spattered across the floor and up the wall. Pain ripped through her face. Her jaw went numb. Tears filled her eyes.

“Feels real enough to me!” It said with a strange kind of howling cackle, a hint of homicide in its laughter. It brought its claw down again.

((This Imp better hope it doesn't ever make Tyvian angry, or do this in front of him... Keep up the amazing posting, a very real, very Canonically accurate portrayal of a student warlock and learning Fel arts and demonic domination))

Lilith stopped it. She caught the wrist and held it tight.

Through the pain and tears she glared up at the imp. “No.” She grunted. Together the two rolled around the floor of the room, each struggling for the dominate position. She rolled out on top with both impish hands seized at the wrist. She tried pinning the imp to the floor but it disappeared from beneath her.

Heat flared from behind and she turned. The imp stood atop the bed. He huffed with fury, glaring down its long nose at her with murder in its eyes. Working his hands up and down green tinted fel-flames rose and fell with them. The sheets began to burn as the flames dripped from its darkened flesh, slowly pooling at the creatures' feet. The fel-flames poured off the bed and creeped up the walls. The green inferno raged while outside the room cacophony of voices pierced her ears, every one of them angry and spiteful.

Fear still raced through the raven haired gnome. Bit by bit however she pulled it back. Pressed it down. Gained control of it. “What's the matter?!” She called out to the imp over the ever growing roar of the flames.

“Little impy get angry?!”

The walls, the ceiling, and the floor flex inward, the boards separating. Then she saw them. Thousands of other imps, prying, scratching, bashing, burning, all trying to get inside. Panic threatened to fill her once again, but she managed to steel herself. She glared up at the imp defiantly.

Then she put the puzzle together. It all became clear.

This was her mind. This room. This inn. "You're in here specifically for something." She mumbled to herself. "You're looking for something. All these drawers, its like you're probing my mind for something." What then?! What is it you want from me?!

The imp released a ferocious howl. Green fel-flames igniting all around, threatening to consume all in its wake. Lilith felt the heat and was only just able to bare it. Something in the back of her mind twitched. A thing. A memory crawling its way up from the dark recesses.

The memory made Lilith smile.

“The Black Grimoire."

The raven haired gnome grinned. She grinned because it made her remember the master. She remembered how he made her feel. So small and insignificant, yet full of endless potential. He inspired her to greatness. She grinned because that Black Grimoire was something most precious to her, and she would never give it up. She would never betray and never fail her dark master.

"That's what all of this is about!”

The fel-flames poured down from the imp and engulfed the gnome. For a moment she was lost in it. Lost to the chaos and the inferno, and she reveled in it. As the flames poured out of the room and filled the inn of her own mind, from somewhere within Lilith emerged. A little charred, her night gown now burnt and tattered remnants that clung to her, but amidst it all she stood firmly and glared at the imp. Upon seeing her the imp roared once more rattling the room and lunged for her.

“I told you NO.” Lilith reached out and snatched the imp by the neck. Somehow it had gained entry into her mind. It pried and dug, sifting through everything, trying so hard to discover the secrets contained within the Black Grimoire, but these were secrets which it could never attain.

“You can't have it.”

The room was suddenly dark.

All at peace.

The silence of the night poured over the raven haired gnome. She became aware of the room. All the furniture was in place. No mess in sight. All the wall boards were in their place and the bed sat empty and still. Everything was pristine. Untouched.

She inhaled deeply and smelt only the chill night air. Then she realized that all her fear, her angst, her doubt, all of those negative self destructive emotions were all firmly within her control. Packed tightly within their own crate in the cellar of her inn.

She felt a little neck in her hand gulp. Then realized that she still held the imp firmly in her grasp. It was much smaller now, about the size it had been when she first summoned the creature, standing no higher than her hip. It gurgled through her grip.

“Could.. you...?” It gestured at the floor with its eyes.

“Why should I?” She challenged. “What's preventing me from grabbing those little horns and separating your head from that scrawny neck?”

She grabbed hold of the imps' horns with the other hand and gave a little tug. “Give me a reason. A good reason why I shouldn't.” Her brow drew down into a hard glare completely unbecoming of her. This time the emotion wasn't fake. It was raw and very real, and she liked it. The little imp squirmed in her hand.

“No! Wait! Stop! I'm only here to help you!”

She tugged at its horns again. “Help me!” she scoffed.

“You invade my dreams, turning them into nightmares, all to dig around for what you can never attain. And for what? A sick thrill?” She twisted its head. “Answer me, and speak true.”

“Yes, yes, I did all of that!" It squealed in her hands. "And I did have my fun, but I was never going to harm you! I swear it!” The fear in its eyes spoke truth, Lilith could see. She relented and dropped the imp. It clattered to the floor, coughed, and scampered away rubbing its neck.

“You see...” It hopped up onto the closed footlocker and sat. Its little legs dangling from the lid. Still rubbing its neck. “You chose me.”

It lifted a hand to make a gesture but halted, catching the gnome's stern glare. “Only a minor vision I will share, if master permits.” Lilith nodded her head suspiciously.

The imp swirled its hand in the air and a circle shimmered with a clear green light. “Peer within but do not touch. This memory I share so you will know.” A small scene played out within the shimmering green circle.

“We exist in a realm not far from yours." Hellish plains of fire and brimstone appeared in the vision. Tiny impish creatures roamed the scorched earth. Larger demons wandered in the distance.

"Sometimes the two rub and we can pass over." The vision shifts, showing a little imp pressing into a thin dark crevasse and falling out the other end within a forest of Azeroth.

"Other times the emotions, thoughts, intentions, deeds of mortals saturate the thin veil that separates and if one such as I but listens we can hear the war and strife. The murderer and thief. The mischief and mayhem. This we enjoy.” The imp grinned fondly. “Then there are times when those few mortals press ever closer to the barrier between realms. They linger not knowing just how close. Many like me become aware of these and do all we can to be noticed.” The image wavered and faded.

“You were one such." The imp pointed at Lilith. "All you felt, all your pain, your strife, your raw emotions drew you near to us and we listened. For a long time I among many others watched your searching and studying. The closer your drew the more were attracted of a certain kind, while repelling others."

"You were chosen by a master. Known he is among us, feared and revered and we rejoiced. Then came when all crowded together with great anticipation and you summoned, me.” The imp grinned, pressing its hands against its chest to further indicate itself.

“You pierced the barrier, becoming like a conduit. You called out to me, and I answered with pride and glee because I was chosen. From then onward we were joined with a special bond.” The imp spread its arms out wide. "What's more you were fresh!"

“You were clean and new! I peered at you, searching not long before I saw and I knew.” It balled its fists up in excitement. “Special are you. You have it, the power, raw power. You are ready to be shaped! To be molded by your fearsome Dark Master! But still you are vulnerable. Still fragile and for all your power...” It hesitated.

“You are weak.”

Lilith glared at him. Pursed lips deep in thought. Mulling everything it told her over in her head, refining it for complete understanding.

“You are not here to destroy me.” A rhetorical statement. The imp looked shocked. Once again fear struck deep within his eyes.

“No, no, no!” It shook its head and waved its hands in the air.

“I would never! If I end you then I can not be! It is purely by your will and our shared bond that I can remain in your realm. Even now,” It grinned again. "In your own mind I remain only because you will it." It pulled its feet up, hugging its scrawny knees to its gaunt chest. “And I like it there.” It started to giggle but regained its composure.

“Then what was all of this about?" Lilith began to pace, gesturing circles with her hands as she worked it out. "You invading my dreams, twisting them into a nightmare, attacking me. Were you truely after the secrets of the Black Grimoire? Surely you would have known that was a fools errand. What about the green flames, the sulfur, and the burning?”

The imp shrugged, looking a bit proud. “All a fiction of your mind.” It tapped its head. “At least in part. As a conduit, new and fresh, you were open to all. The image of fire I conjured and the heat your own mind created. But the inferno. That was real enough. The rage of those unchosen, a baptism by fel-flames." It crossed its legs. "In truth, I am here only because you summoned me.”

Lilith shook her head. “Wait, I never asked you to invade my mind.”

The imp chuckled. “No, no. You summoned me from beyond. We are now linked, you and I. I can sense you. Your every thought. Your every emotion. I can anticipate what you will say and do at any given moment. Know you well I do. Server you well I will. In time you will learn to sense me the same."

"I knew the help you needed. What to say, what to do, and so I came here through the bond we share to help. Only ever to help.” It made a shoving motion with both hands. “I only pushed the master to help her, and now look." It gestured up and down at Lilith.

"You have learned. Beginning to master your fear and emotions. Locking them away but keeping them near is a good start, but it is only a start. Soon you will learn to master them. I can help you learn." The imp stood on the foot locker and bounced a little like an exuberant child. "Still much to do, much to learn, but all is calm." It stopped and spread its palms out as if smoothing down a cloth sheet. "All is at peace because of you.”

Lilith grinned. “So this is how it feels to exert my will and have control.”

“You have been exerting your own will all along.” The imp grinned.

The raven haired gnome nodded. “I suppose that is true, isn't it.” Lilith grinned, her chest swelling with pride at her new found strength. "And I sense that you do not enjoy it?"

The imp recoiled a little. "No-no! It is the calm and peace that rubs at me. I love messy-messy chaos. So is my nature, but I favor your will over my own nature." It nodded its head fervently. "It is true."

She paused, a thought occurring to her. “Those other imps I saw outside the room. Were those all apart of your push?”

If the color could have drained from the imps' face, it would have. Its gaze fell and a sad fear seemed to wash over him. “No.” He whispered. “Those were the other imps. Those who were not chosen.” Lilith nearly gasped in astonishment but fought the urge. She listened.

“They knew you were weak. Knew your raw power, and they followed my bond back to you. They tormented you. They whispered to you, spoke all manner of vile things trying to get you to listen, trying to gain power over you, and I am sorry that I could not stop them." Its impish features drew down to a sad frown. "You were just so open that I could not stop them." It smiled again. "Oh but you remained defiant and strong. You would not let them in.”

Lilith folded her arms, astonished. Fear started scratching to get out of its crate. She wanted to ask more questions but her mind whirled with the apparent danger of the situation. Sensing this, the imp spoke sympathetically. “I know the master's strengths. I know the master's weakness too.”

“And you protected me.” She said. Recognition sank deep. The imp nodded. She looked at it pointedly. “This is the third time you've used 'master'.”

The imp nodded its head with a smile. “You have proven yourself, and so I will call you master until I fade from existence. Faithful I am, and helpful too! You will see. I will not disappoint you, master. I am at your command.”

A mixed wave of excitement and relief washed over her. Could it be true? Was this it? Had she finally learned to control and dominate her very own imp as the Master had instructed her? As she paced the floor of the room thinking, restraining her excitement, she glanced over at the imp. It bounced up and down reflecting her own repressed emotion, nodding to her unanswered questions.

“Tell me then, how am I to learn an Imp's name?”

The imp chuckled. “The same way you learn any other demon's name." It hopped down from the foot locker.

"You may discover it through sly trickery or deceit," It bounded up the side of the armoire and clung to the top.

"Or you prove your power." It dropped from the armoire and scampered over to the chest of drawers. It stood atop and flexed its puny muscles.

"Be greater than the demon, but earn more than its' respect you must. Its adoration of you, you seek." The imp bounded from the dresser to a chair and clung to Lilith, swinging up to perch on her naked shoulder.

It whispered intimately into her ear. "Once you have it, you may simply ask. Power over it fully you will gain.”

Lilith smirked a sidelong glance. “Then tell me, imp, what is your name?”

Lilith's eyes popped open.

She laid motionless for a long moment, staring up at the ceiling. Unable to decide if what she saw, felt, all that she sensed in this moment was real or just in her head.

She shifted beneath the warm covers, arms and legs drifting into cold sections between the sheets. She smiled. This was real. She inhaled deeply and instantly recognized the unique musk of Darkshire. It permeated everything, but she found it not entirely unpleasant. More comforting in a strange way. Likely because it reminded her of home.

Everything drifted back to her.

Unlike most dreams, or nightmares, everything that happened remained at the forefront of her mind. She replayed the events again and again. It felt so real. The mind makes it real. Her head was a mysterious place.

She recalled her conversation with the imp. She understood now everything that had transpired. The imp spoke the truth. Their link was unique, common among other warlocks to be sure, but unique nonetheless in its own way. Warlock. The title danced around her head and made her grin. For a long time she wanted that title. Wanted to be one of them. One among few. Something more than an aspirant. A novice. She would always be a pupil and she would always have her master, but something about the title Warlock made her feel almost equal.

She scoffed in the darkness at the thought. She would wait until her master called her such. Warlock was something given. Something earned. Sometimes something taken but seldom ever just assumed. Until her Master spoke it, she would remain the novice. Eager to please.

Still. It was interesting. Through that bond with the imp she could sense everything about it. She could tell when it was lying. When it was telling the truth. When it was stretching the truth, or just simply leaving certain truths unsaid. She could also sense its emotions, the few basic ones that it had. It was really a simple being. It saw no value in having complex emotions, and so it just didn't.

Her mind trailed back to the image of the thousands of imps trying to break down the walls. Trying to pour down through the ceiling and claw their way up through the floor. They were all angry in their own way, the heat she felt was from them, not the imp in the room.

They wanted to destroy the imp she had chosen and replace it. Jealousy. Greed. Anger. Rage. If they couldn't do that then they were willing to destroy her. Not all of them, but enough of them. The inherent danger in dealing with demons in any form or fashion was so much more clearer now. She knew it was dangerous going in and so took every precaution she could, but even then it was not enough. A valuable lesson learned and best remembered going forward.

This one was much the same as those in many ways. It could be greedy and jealous. Anger and rage were no strangers to it. As playful and domestic as it liked to be she knew that the imp had a drastic flip side. Even still, this one had its difference. It wasn't homicidal. She sensed it took no pleasure in killing, but neither would it feel any remorse. She knew that she had only to command and it would kill, but only for her. Kill. A word the imp curiously refused to utter.

Chomat. The name would have rolled easily off the tongue, but she was feeling much too cautious. She didn't know yet all of the rules. If anyone else could gain power over her imp should they learn its name. Another question to ask.

Chomat was a mischievous creature. It loved to torment. To play tricks and pranks or just simply to play as a child. It enjoyed making messes and sewing a little chaos where it could. In that way Chomat was very manipulative, even among the other Imps. Physical and emotional pain were mere tools for it to twist for its own impish pleasure. Only seldom did it end a life, but never by choice. Only as an unfortunate result of vigorous play.

Lilith stared up at the ceiling in the darkness and marveled. As sick and twisted as the Imp's mind was, she couldn't help but think. It all seemed to make sense, in its own perverse way. The way of the imp was liberating.

She huffed as she turned over to stare at the darkened windows, realizing that she would have no more sleep tonight. Still, she just wanted to lay there and rest. The morning would bring a new day full of possibilities, now that she had grown stronger. The Duskwoods, dark and mysterious as they were, seemed a little less fearsome knowing that she would have Chomat by her side. Her own little sociopath.

It was a perfect place for her to summon in peace. She needed to flex her new found strength.

Time to discover what else she could do.

The next day came with a surprise.

Lilith had been awake most of the night. Excitement over getting into the woods so she could summon her imp was getting the better of her. She felt very antsy. Tossing and turning the night away until finally she couldn't lay there any longer. She arose a few hours before day break and began putting herself together.

She cleaned her face and washed the rest of herself as best she could. She pulled her clothing out of the backpack and laid everything out over the bed. Lilith shook her head, disappointed that she didn't bring at the very least another shirt or perhaps robes. Something she could change into. She hadn't expected to be spending so much time in Darkshire.

The little gnome began weaving her long raven hair into two long coils.

All she wanted to do was peruse their town libraries, but she didn't count on them being so suspicious of outsiders. The Duskwoods, after all, were a province of the greater kingdom. However, after being forced to patronize the locals and the leadership these past few days, she was beginning to understand why they were a standoffish lot.

Her hair now woven into two long dark coils, she began carefully wrapping them into two tight buns. One on each side of her head, a little higher than most and further back.

Darkshire was indeed a dark place. A great deal of misfortune had befallen what was once a Grand Hamlet and for reasons, which were still unclear to her, it appeared that Stormwind was far to preoccupied with itself to give a damn. She gleaned as much from what records she was allow to scan through. She wasn't judging. Situations are seldom as black and white as people would like to believe. Often times its just easier to look the other way than to face the issues at hand.

Her hair done, the little raven haired gnome began slowly dressing herself. As she did so, Lilith's mind drifted back to the Black Grimoire. She eyed the dark tome as it sat on her pillow among all her other things. She eyed it, almost as if she half expected it to speak. She mused to herself while fastening her shoes. The plight of the Warlock was similar in many ways.

It never ceased to amaze her the things she would learn every time she opened that thick black tome. It contained more than just knowledge of spells and rituals, but also a rather detailed history of several covens through out the ages. It also named names, from the more infamous of warlocks to the lesser known. She hadn't fully read up on these, the interest for her just wasn't yet there, but she did on occasion skim through the names. If for no other reason than to familiarize herself with a few.

The little raven haired gnome finished her dressing.

She pulled on what she liked to call her “purple merchants vest” over her now dingy white shirt. If ever there was a metaphor for what it was like to stay a while in Darkshire, she would be wearing it. She thought to herself, pulling the sleaves straight along each arm. Thankfully her clothing wasn't beginning to smell, but she knew she would have to wash them soon. Seeing as how she had no other clothing on her, nor the coin to pay for a change while she was here assuming she could even find a tailor, washing her clothing would be a rather awkward experience.

Looking herself over in the mirror, she grinned. Giggling inwardly. Perhaps she would have her imp wash them for her. Putting such matters aside, Lilith repacked her bags but took with her the book satchel with the usual note pad, ink quill, and dark tome.

She joyfully descended into the main salon of the Scarlet Raven Tavern, she was greeted by a surprise. It was still quite early and she had hoped to steal away into the woods before most of the town began to stir. Standing at the foot of the stairs was a tall grim figure.

Her Dark Master had come calling.

Lilith stood motionless.

She hadn't seen him for what felt like a very long while, even if it had only been a few weeks. She hadn't expected to see him for much longer still. The faint light in the tavern bellow reflected of a pale face protruding from beneath the hood. An eerie mask seemingly made from bone. Strange, yet rather befitting.

Her wits began to return. She glanced around the room behind him to see if anyone had seen him. No one had. The room was vacant. She opened her mouth to greet the man. No. To greet the being before her. She stopped herself when the grim figure raised a single silencing finger to the tip of the bone mask. She nodded her understanding and turned making her way back up the stairs to her room. She glanced behind to see if he followed but saw nothing. Only shadows of the predawn hours. An eerie but excited chill ran up her spine.

Quietly opening the door she entered her dark room to see the same dark figure standing tall at the foot of her bed. The grim bone masked followed her closely. She closed the door and took a place opposite. In that moment she felt insignificant. Being in his presence had that effect. No. Being in its presence affected her greatly. She still wasn't sure that her Dark Master was even a man. All logic told her as much, that he was still a man, but what she experienced when he was around told her differently. She wasn't just a man. He was sometime more than...

Unsure of what to do with herself she bent a knee to the floor and bowed her head, removing her hat.

“M-master.”She stuttered. Her face burned with embarrassment, stuttering like a child. She dug deep as she had in her dream the night before and grasped control of her emotions. “It is an unexpected honor.” The dark figure stood stoic. The grim bone face fixated on her. A voice came to her, low and horse like a whispering shadow.

“I have been watching you. Lilith. Tell me, pupil. How goes your preparation?”

Odd. She thought for a moment. Had he truly been watching her, then he would know. Fool. She rebuked herself. He knew the answers to all the unasked questions. The master merely tested her. Had she not felt his gaze upon her at all times? She should tell him as much then.

“Yes, my Master. I have felt your eyes upon me always. I feel that I am truly ready to summon my Imp.”

The bone face cocked to the side curiously. It gazed down at Lilith. “Feel? Hmm..." It's voice rasped deep. "I sense nothing of you. Not fear. Not doubt.” The figure inhaled deeply behind the grim mask. “Good. Now show me of what you are truly ready.” The dark figure gestured at the floor.

Here?

She hesitated and glanced up at her hooded master.

Of course here. Now. She rebuked herself.

Standing straight she reached for that confidence she had learned only hours ago. She pulled from her pack a thick stick of chalk and began setting her ritual upon the floor. Her circles were drawn effortlessly. Perfectly formed. Each line perfectly placed. How easily and fluidly she worked was a testament to her preparation. Each rune set and every item in its place. Everything was prepared in short order. She began the quiet chant of her summoning ritual.

Whatever dim light was present in the room sucked into a void that appeared before her, and for only a moment it felt like she stood on another plain. The room flooded back to her. The lines of her casting illuminated with a bright purple energy, at first in a flicker then a flash drawing upon the dark energy of the nether. The dark energies gathered and swirled to the center of the summoning circle and with an excited giggle the imp appeared as if clawing its way from the shadows beyond.

Almost on contact with the air its flesh ignited. Orange and yellow flames licked across its dark skin.

The imp peered up at Lilith. Its lips curled into an impish grin exposing jagged teeth as it stretched, scratching its stomach. Its voice strained and high pitched. Impish.

“My-my-my am I GLAD to finally...” Catching a glimpse of the tall grim figure standing at the foot of the bed the Imp quickly looked back a second time. Recognition filled its fire-yellow eyes. The imp squealed bounding over to Lilith's side. It stood just behind her as if to hide from the dark figure's awful presence. The grim figure spoke. Terror filled the darkness.

“Imp.” A dark arm arose, finger pointing.

“You are bound to Lilith. You are also then bound to me. Speak your name.” His dreadful voice commanded. The imp glanced up at Lilith who was in turn peering down at it. It stretched its neck out a little farther to answer, fighting back a nervous cackle.

“Ch-chomat.”

“Chomat.” The harsh voice repeated. A slight hint of approval. The bone mask fixed on the imp and the creature withered.

“Know this, Chomat. Should you displease me in your service to my pupil then you will feel my wrath.” The dark arm lowered. “There will be no place within the nether where you could hide.”

The bone mask turned back to Lilith. She bowed her head. “I am well pleased. Further domination of the imp will garner you unquestioned loyalty and absolute servitude. Greater power will follow in kind.” The grim figure moved to the closed door. The very shadows in the room seemed to follow. Lilith remained where she stood. Her head bowed and hands clasped behind her.

The Dark Master stopped at the door, the grim mask turning back. His harsh voice whispered. “Well done, Warlock. Welcome to the coven.”

Warlock. The voice reverberated in Lilith's head bringing an involuntary grin to her lips.

Suddenly she inhaled deeply as if surfacing from beneath a lake. She noticed only then the oppression that filled the room. Indeed, she thought. His power is awful. An excited chill ran up her spine. She glanced down at the imp by her side. It met her gaze and expressed what she was feeling. It danced our before her and twirled in the air, ending with a bow.

“Warlock.” Chomat muttered. An impish giggle of excitement in its breath.