“Okay,” Azazel took up the stance of one desiring to take up a great challenge, “I'll get you a 'Mother'?” her frown was evident about the word, perhaps not at all desiring to wonder more than what was initially thought of, “So just wait here, okay? I'll be right back.”
In so saying, she turned herself around and vanished from the Void Space. Whereupon Karastak sighed a heavy sigh, and allowed his body to dissolve into a form which must never be spoken of, acknowledged, nor written about. Instead, to call this being other than divine would not give it the justice needed, but to call it as such would be a gross understatement of what he had become.
Regardless, he sighed as a staff of white energy was summoned to his hand. One which seemed to bow and graciously except its position as this one's walking staff. However, he did not use it as intended and slumped to the grass which tried their best to bear his weight, which was both non-existent and present at the same time. Afterwards, he did sigh slowly, tickling the wind with his breath.
“That's enough,” came a sultry voice that came with an entirely effeminate figure with skin of soft bark, and everything defined as a woman barely covered by leaves and vines. A Dryad, some might call her; an annoyance by others. “*****, you should not misuse your abilities like that, and the child?” she stood behind him with her hands upon her waist, knowing full well he could see her, “You agreed to return to her world for an immature Demon mother? Why not just ask for a grain of sand from the banks of the River Styx that she had lifted with her forefinger and thumb? It would have been funnier and more difficult than plucking a Demon from a clutch.”
“Siisha,” he whispered softly into her right ear, whereupon she turned to find him looming over her person. Where she immediately bowed her head, her body bending one knee whilst her lips stretched into a small smile. “Do not use that name, nor use it to bind me and them into one.”
Her head quickly snapped up, confusion in her eyes which glowed a soft and vibrant green, “But...”
“But me no buts, Siisha. The last name I called myself by was Karastak. Please use that and respect my wishes.”
“But, you were once greater than you were now. Why become something as lesser as a Vampire?”
“Siisha, I am no longer within the space of Earth, nor am I beholden to its laws of Reincarnation. Therefore, I would prefer to be known as Karastak.”
“You have lived a thousand, thousand lifetimes, though!”
“This is true,” he nodded in agreement, “and I was promised sleep afterwards, though there was always the option of journeying once more into life before sleeping. Truth be told, I would like to explore that life a little more than sleep for a full age.”
“But...” She was unmistakably upset about this development. For the being who wished to be called Karastak had chosen her oak to sleep within, and desired him to stay. Unfortunately for herself, he did not wish to sleep, and would continue to walk amongst the living instead of staying asleep. Where she would be able to drain away a small percentage of a percentage of his essence as payment for his stay.
Of course, she also tasted barely a drop of what she could take, and desired more. Therefore, she wished to have it all, but knew that doing so would lead to her destruction. So? Was it worth it? “Yes,” she muttered, watching his retreating back as he slowly formed the Goliath-like body from before, and knew she must act before he slipped away forever.
Whereupon a spike formed itself from the centre of her palm, and stretched forth into a spear of wood and spike vines. Which she then pulled away from her body and twirled it in front of her for a dozen rotations before hefting it with her left. Here, she watched as the man's back was bare to her, as was his smooth, hardened backside, “No,” she shook her head quickly, tossing the image of his muscled body from her mind, and drew back the spear before launching it towards his body.
Instead of dodging the projectile, as she believed would happened, the spear sunk into his back, nearest the area where the heart would be, and his body fell face down into the grass. Whereupon her eyes grew wide as she noted the grass, which should have been stained with red, completely and utterly bereft of anything. However, the blood did pool out of the body, but instead of drifting down and outwards, it spiraled towards the sky above, darkening it with a stain of red.
“Quite a sight, isn't it?” commented a rumbling voice from behind the Dryad. Of whom immediately leaped up and forward with an indignant yelp of surprise. Which led to her body turning around in a slow manner whilst dread overwhelmed her body as the world in its entirety continued to be dyed a crimson red. The same colour as a mortal, Humanoid's blood.
“Wh-wh-wh-wh,” she stuttered quickly, backing away as fast as she could, but tripped and splashed into, “Blood?!” Her voice became full of panic as much of her leafy green body became stained with a deep crimson, whilst her senses were filled with a coppery tang, and vision full of the pale Goliath which stood over her with eyes fully of nothing, but pity.
“Do you know why I chose to spend an age asleep here instead of with another?” the Dryad's eyes slowly drifted up towards his face, fear and questions assaulting her mind, “Your hell was the only one with a tree when Charon gave me leave to spend my time with one of you lot,” his right hand flittered off towards the blood filled sky above, then placed both behind his back as he loomed over her body. Where once his features were full of pity, now contained not even a scrap of emotion beyond contempt.
A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.
“But now I see it was a mistake, and will now leave you to your demise. For you see, my dear, in my first life it was considered a death sentence to attack one who was a God.” In so saying, his body flew off towards the bloodied skies above, piercing through the heavens just as the Dryad screamed obscenities up at his person.
Whereupon he was met with a tired and disheveled Azazel who was carrying a small box that was squeaking pitifully. Of whom then stared at Karastak, her eyes slowly drifting down his naked form, which stared a little too long at what was betwixt his legs before snapping up towards his bemused eyes. “I see you enjoyed what you saw, but tell me, do you have what I asked for.”
“Y-yep,” she held up the box slowly, which was immediately removed from her hands with an eagerness reserved for children that were promised a sweet for being good. Here, he tentatively opened up the box, and released a very unmanly squeal of delight for what his eyes fell upon whilst Azazel giggled at the sound. For within the box was a white, bat-like creature with red eyes that stared at the giant man with a look that begged to be released.
Which led to him slowly placing his hand inside, and scooping up the little creature, and smirked as his digits were attacked almost immediately. “Hungry, aren't you?” his voice was soft as the creature danced amongst his palm. Whereas the other drifted towards his now parted mouth, and pricked his forefinger hard enough to draw forth a bead of his essence.
It was here that the little one stopped in her antics, the little nose twitching as it caught the scent of something good and fresh. Whereupon is squeaked several times until the digit was placed in front of her nose. Thus, leading to the white bat sniffed it intently before lapping at the bead. One which continued to flow due to the pressure he exuded upon his fingertip, and after a few more beads were devoured, the little one squeaked once more before giving a great yawn before falling asleep where it lay.
“So cute,” Azazel cooed, her body had drifted closer to the scene at some point, and she had the face of one who had found something new and wondrous wrapped in a tiny package.
“Yes,” Karastak agreed, “but I believe we ignored the master of the River for too long.” Turning one hundred and eighty degrees behind himself, he bowed low to a robed, giant Skeleton which stood upon a large gondola that was currently empty of any souls. “My apologies, Master Charon, for ignoring you.”
Charon, on the other hand, shook his head slowly as he turned his attention towards the little girl who stared in wonder at the little creature who had squeaked with indignation at being awoken from the pale man's bowing, and had crawled into his hair. Here, the little Demon nestled into the flowing waves to sleep for a time. Of course, he felt all of this, but only smirked whilst keeping his posture bent towards he who was the master of the River Styx.
“AZAZEL,” came the giant's rumble as he pointed a bony finger towards the Vampire Lord's essence, “DO YOU WISH FOR THIS ONE TO RETURN?”
“Y-yes,” she spoke with some hesitation, but quickly banished it as she tore her gaze away from the creature inside his hair.
“THEN THERE ARE A FEW STIPULATIONS YOU MUST ABIDE BY. FIRST-”
“If I may interject, Master Charon?” came the voice of Karastak, who did not wait for either party to voice their concerns, nor opinion. Instead, he turned towards the white-silver haired girl speaking, “Azazel, those stats you gave my person were too much and need to be changed. You can't expect me to have over one hundred Intelligence right off the bat, nor the others above fifty at such a low level. Are you trying to turn me into an unbeatable monster?”
Whereas Azazel just stared agape as she listened. For he should not have been able to see any of those stats which she created for him. However, he was not through speaking, “On top of all that, you forgot to add my Health and Mana Points.” An audible slap of a hand meeting a face echoed around the trio, leading to a muffled squeak from underneath the hair of the pale man. If one were to peer close enough, they would have seen a small clump bounce from the noise.
Where the noise originated from was from the girl herself, who also exuded a small groan of, “I knew I forgot something, but how did you see it?”
“It popped up when I fell asleep on the skull pile and woke up on the banks of the River. Were you trying to keep it a secret from me?”
“Well,” she drew out the word far longer than necessary, her features taking on an image of a child who was caught with something they shouldn't have done.
“REGARDLESS,” boomed Charon, who had grown weary of the banter, and was rewarded with another muffled squeak of indignation, “IF YOU ARE TO TAKE HIM FROM MY DOMAIN, THEN HE IS TO BE MARKED-”
“-with words, letters, and numbers tattooed into the skin,” finished Karastak, the other two staring at himself without comprehension, “What? Writing with my blood is annoying and I had already thought of getting all of the world's words and number system being tattooed onto my flesh when I found an artist later down the road. With this, it'd be perfect. I'd have my class of Enchanter, and won't have to write anymore, but speak it to cast my spells.
“Of course, I'd have to either touch or fling out my hands towards what the spell is to be aimed at... Hmm...” He took up a pose of concentration with his arms folded over one another as the other pair looked on, then at each other, and shrugged.
“Well, whatever,” he shook his head to one side, and paused. Here, he reached into his hair and slowly detached the little Demon from his scalp, then shook his head quickly. Whereupon the creature gave a few more squeaks, its eyes brimming with tears when the pair stared at one another. “Aw,” he cooed softly, pricking his finger and offering to it with a, “You're so adorable.” After which his lips stretched into a soft smile as the little one lapped at his essence.
Thus leaving the other two to watch on in silence, though the Master of the River Styx did notice something in particular. The pale man's ethereal eyes glazed over as he watched the creature with a smile of content.