“Well well, Look at what the cat dragged in; A demon of my very own.”

Renon started in the presence that sat before him. It wasn't her comment, it wasn't her demeanor, it wasn't even the fact that he had not expected to have been able to see the Queen of this realm so easily... it was what she was wearing. Or should he say, what she was not.

The Queen of the realm, the single most influential female within the Lower Plane, sat before the Businessman in complete and utter nudity. Renon's jade eyes cast to the side to consume the image of the entire room, finding himself searching, nearly desperately for some sort of reason, some sort of explanation. It was only when Liliths lips parted in smiling satisfaction did Renon realize too late that he had betrayed himself, and Lilith had won in her game.

The Queen was nude, not to flaunt, or be sexual, but to dominate. Renon's own smile broke forth with a low rumble of laughter. He shook his head in admiration. Only Lilith could turn nudity into strength. To be stripped, to be placed in the nude normally comes hand-in-hand with a sense of passive vulnerability. By all rights she should be the one in the room who is awkward, who is unsure, and therefore is in the weaker position. This cunning female dominates (without doubt) the entire room. Through her being perfectly comfortable and perfectly in control and most importantly in a position of power, anyone who enters her domicile for an audience is caught off guard, is unsure of what to do, is hesitant on how to react to such an unexpected and unusual circumstance. Lilith effectively transfers the sense of vulnerability through a sense of hesitation and uncertainty. Renon himself had stepped into the trap, and recognized it with a sense of admiration. In a brief few minutes she demonstrated exactly why Lucifer and Lilith have stood the tallest. It's about power, of every kind.

“To what do I owe the pleasure, Businessman?” She prompted again, a hidden sharpness danced around the amused notes in her voice- a thorned rose, her body leaning forward, to express further perhaps that he held her full attention.

“The pleasure is all mine Lilith” White teeth flashed as Renon's smile grew, his eyes unabashedly drawing over her naked form. It wasn't that her form was particularly attractive. The flesh was a pale hue, that took on undertones of unusual reds, the color of ochre under snowfall. The effect wasn't altogether pleasant. The flesh told of hints of youth and bountiful roundness, though between muscles and tendons crevices were beginning to form. A hollowed out effect. That wasn't to say there weren't pleasant swells as well. Whom should feel awkward in whom's presence was suddenly a battle thrown up in the air. Not a battle of who can gain it (as most battles are) but a battle of whom can force it on the other. Lilith sought to dominate through awkward air, Renon intended to push the limits of this control.

“No doubt.” She retorted simply, self assured.

A strong brow arched in questioning demand. She either choose not to participate in Renon's battle of wills, or simply put, was far too out of his league to even note the challenge. The muscles along her angular jawline tensed and untensed as though she moved to speak and bit back some hidden word. Her eyes a pale cream color, moonlight upon fields of hay, stared unwaveringly at his every action. Renon walked towards her still in long even strides making his way across the expansive room for which the two bantered back and forth. He couldn't help feeling like he was put to shame. Although the inner structure of the Obsidianus' realm with similar to Renon's own cement and metal, there was grander, Renon always chilled to have to enter the realm- though that could be due to the King of the realm alone. A mouse invading a lions den.

He was in Lucifer's realm but that was not who he had sought out. Though Lucifer indeed would be the best able to answer his questions, there was an undeniable logic behind not exposing yourself, unarmed, to a more capable rival. Renon would not abandon his cause however, that is why he was there to speak with Lilith.

Lilith was the 'companion' of Lucifer- if a demon could have a so-called partner. The idea was taboo, scoffed at. But again, who would mock someone strong enough to make any mocker deal with the repercussions? Renon understood the complexities of holding another demon dear, and wished the lord all the best, and good luck.

Jade eyes cast to the side as he observed the room that was like any other part of the Obsidisanus realm, as pitch as the night and as unmoving and unchanging as those who own the realm. The room stretched out before him like an organic growth of a large throne room- how modest. It was incredible the extent of the detail carved into the black obsidian. He found himself caught up in the details. The large throne that Lilith sat upon, polished black that curved as though great black tusks hatched to form a seat. A black bed of thorns. Even the wall hangings that stood unstirred by any breath of air held every detail. No image marred the polished banners, creating a black mirror that caught a replica of Renon's moving form but grotesquely deformed it, mocking his image. A sour taste touched his tongue.

The realm forces you to hear only your own breathing, smell your own scent, hear your own heartbeat, and look at your own twisted image. Each immaculate detail whispering of life, but offering only inanimacy. Even the grass across the large lawn Renon had to cross were detailed in their own little erect blades of black. His eyes instinctively followed his thoughts down to his dress shoes. He could still hear the sound of the small shrill screams of splintering glass that had marked every foot that pressed his eight into the thousands of beautifully formed obsidian blades of grass that blanketed the front lawn of the Lord and Queens castle.

“You owe me a new pair of shoes”

A chorus of laughter broke the silent air, as chill as the sound of shattering glass. Renon had amused her. “Vanity thy name is Renon. Is that why you've come then? To demand new shoes of me?” Her eyes fell to the scattered marks that marred the polished black of the Businessman's attire. “Next time despite your interest in my residence, pay attention to the 'Stay Off Of Grass' signs”

Jade eyes winked in response from behind dark shades. “Never could listen to signs.” A grin touched his lips, but like a wave fell just as abruptly to sober. “But I'm more interested in your lakes”

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Lilith's face notably grew grim and dark. Her sharp mind picks up all too quickly the implication behind his words. The battle, the silent feud that was supposed to go unnoticed on Obsidianus' grounds, had not.

“Ah...” She said simply “ I see”

There was a moment’s beat before Liliths legs untangled from before her and she quietly rose to her feet. The action wholly silent, she pulled her shoulders back in a quick motion to ease the muscles in her back. Her eyes had for the first time moved away from Renon, they had grown tactful, pensive. Her expression is as still as ice. Her emotions and any sort of inner turmoil not betraying her. She was clearly unsure of how much Renon knew about the situation, but his visit had suddenly become relevant to her.

After a moment she stood. Her form stretched out, square and unintimidated. A light hissing accompanied her stillness. The sound danced about her feet, where bare flesh touched polished black glass. Steam curled in licking tongues about her feet, rings of moisture slowly spanned out in condensed circles, like there was some great heat radiating from her body. She stood poised, but unmoving still, not backing down, but not giving anything away. A tiger, tensed in reeds.

“There was someone-”

“-Who?”

She cut him off sharply, as soon as the words had slipped passed his lips. Her voice was as dangerously sharp as a blade, the glint of metal reflected within her eyes. Renon realized his mistake, and his expression contorted, his lips twisting in disdain. Renon's playful air had been torn from his lungs.

“Oh what's this?” A tone that were lovers between amusement and mocking stole upon her words. “ Renon Uth Zhakrin, The silver tongued demon,” she paused and considered “ the gentile businessmen,” she cast him a poignant look “ the Faller of Angels,” here all pretense was dropped and she laughed openly at the joke of her words once more “doesn't know something?”

He gave her her moment, and bore her flaunting. He treated her humor with abruptness.

“You know it's more than that.”

She sensed the air had changed, and offered him an honest nod at the sincerity of his words.

“Yes” She made sure she had his gaze “Renon can't 'look up' someone.”

His lips twisted further, stealing the alluring features from his face. His abruptness deepened leaving the taste of anger upon his tongue.

“Who is he?”

“Oh but you must know Renon, you can't get everything for free.” She shrugged off his souring demeanor. “If we all just got what we wanted, I wouldn't be top dog.” A simple wink punctuated her words and she began to move towards him in slow long drawn out strides. Each time the obsidian beneath her reacts and halos her feet with warm moisture, each slow step causing her body to sway side to side like a cobra preparing to strike.“ I think we can have fun with this-” She glanced at him side-long “You and I...” there was a whispered suggestion to her words that caused the guards within the room to refocus on the conversation unfolding. She came to rest before him, standing a hair closer than comfortable personal space deemed. “Wouldn't you like to have fun with me Renon?”

“Fun with you, is never the sort of fun I'm looking for, Lilith”

Her lips pursed for a moment as she regarded him, obviously off put by his answer. She shrugged, as though she figured he was the one to have missed an opportunity and once more the air between them shifted.

“Regardless, here is what I propose.” Her tone fell to the same blunt nature that deemed business was now the focus.

“You want to find out who this mystery man is.” She arched a brow in quick double-checking that that was what he had come here for. She continued “Well, I don't want you to find out. I'm rather fond of him, you see, and he does his job well-” The same mischievous look that she had just cast upon Renon returned, but her focus was no longer on him. “ -very well.” She purred the sentence. “ Neither do I want you to figure out who he is” she paused refocusing her eyes on him, wanted to view his reaction to her immanent insult “ nor do I think you can figure out who he is”

Renon bristled at the comment. Satan's Fables had built its power on being able to figure out who people were, and most importantly why they were relevant. But more so than that, Renon prides himself in being clever enough to gain this information without his company. It was one thing to insult his business, it was another thing to threaten his capabilities.

“I'm going to wager you've grown too saggy around the midsection to do your former self justice- let alone surpass it.” Renon's hand subconsciously moved to his side, despite the insult being non-literal. An assumption based off of the fact that Renon was now successful within Satan's Fables? Does being a dog make you more battle ready than being a master? His mind yearned to loll over her words, but there was something of great deal more importance to her words... or I should say, a lack in her words.

Carefully calculated, he responded with a simple: “I heard no wager there.”

Carefully considered she clarified her challenge: “You will never figure out who that man was”

“And the prize..?”

Here she paused, and displeasure touched her expression. Renon spotted it, and recognized it immediately. He had until recently been under the foot of another. Even with the illusion of freedom and power, it still had a leash, and on the other end a commanding hand. His face tore into a wild grin, a maddening satisfaction that although she still held more power then him, there was something he now held, that she could never achieve. Answering to no one.

“You're baulking now? Not able to put your money where your mouth is Lilith?” He struck her where she was weakest. “ You know there is one thing and one thing only that could tempt me.”

For the first time her face betrayed every conflict that gripped her mind and chest. Internal torture ran havoc with her expressions. Her hand moved to her heart as though to support it, and give it strength. She was not the head of this realm, she held nearly equal power, but ultimately she answered to Lucifer. She was at a crossroads, she knew either herself, or her loyalty would have to give.

Something did give, and as quickly as she had shown a moment of weakness, she burned alive the hesitation with a thronging fire, a sudden wild disobedience, and a look of defiant individuality... the look of a dog biting the hand that feeds it.

“If you fail, as I suspect you will, then your position in Satan's Fables will be forfeit. Obsidianus will absorb it, and it will be no more. To prove that you have succeeded in discovering who my mystery man is, you will have to kill him as proof. That is the only way I will fully believe that I have underestimated you. If you succeed at this-” Even through her strength of character her pause here betrays a flinching sign of hesitation. If she did indeed pause out of doubt of her choice, it never showed in her voice. She spoke with the commanding force of a Queen.“-I will relinquish Obsidianus to you, and Satan's Fables will effectively absorb it and be the undisputed dominant force in the Lower Plane.”

“There is a catch to this.”

“Undoubtedly.”