Restaul, Outskirts

(pronounced RESS-tall)

Restaul is a small farming town on the outskirts of Strid, within a day's easy trek, but outside the protective walls. Clinging to the mountain ridge partially incorporated into the eastern sector of Strid, it appears as little more than a cultivated clearing from the sky, the houses small and comparatively primitive.

It was created a few years ago as a movement to get back to the humans' "roots." Though it's mainly self-sustained, a supply-cum-medical truck comes by with any necessities that are both considered kosher and in demand. It's old enough that the tourists have finally stopped dropping by to see the idiots who decided to go backwards in time, so there's little traffic in and out.

The soil around Restaul is decidedly poor; it's full of rocks, holes, and tree roots. There are very few people who can actually eke out a living on this rubble, and those that actually have that ability are highly valued. Still, the townspeople are content, living close to Nature.

The only real problem is the myopic distrust of any outsider. Any other races are automatically run out of town.

Anya stretched luxiuriously and yawned, sitting up. "Ouch!" she yelped, falling back and clutching her head. "Urrrgh..." she groaned, peering through half-closed eyelids up at the wooden beam that had tried so earnestly to split her skull. Still massaging her developing goose egg, she rolled to her stomach in the hard-packed dirt.

Grumbling at the grainy, splintered wood, she scrambled out from beneath a lonely grain silo. I... really need to find a place to stay. Anya stood up, cracking her back and peering around nervously. After her quick survey of the area, she crouched down, fishing around under the silo until her hand met the worn strap of a knapsack. Flipping it out neatly, she stood up and strapped it to her back, sending up plumes of dust in the early morning sunrise.

The girl sneezed lightly, shaking like a dog. Her oddly golden eyes winked open to gaze across the rocky fields of wheat to the small town only a few acres away. A soft whine trembled her lips slightly before she about-faced toward the pines that towered a few yards away.

Still so long here and this is as close as I can get... she sighed a bit to herself and wiped her dry cheek, smudging dirt as her hand passed.

A slight breeze tickled her shoulder-length tendrils of light brown hair and Anya jumped. Her pupils dilated while her eyes narrowed. Food, her mind rumbled imperiously.

Poking its head above the wheat, a rabbit popped its head above the grass and surveyed its surroundings cautiously. Anya tensed, her hackles rising. Suddenly either sighting or sniffing her, the creature bolted away, panicked as a half-strangled growl clawed its way from Anya's throat. The girl was after the rabbit before she had thought. NO! A thwarted snarl was the only thing that chased the rabbit down its frantic path as Anya skidded to a stop.

A stone fang slipped from her shirt, dangling loosely as she panted. No. No. She gritted her teeth and straightened her back. I don't need this.

Turning on her heel, Anya began trudging up to the woods, though not without a wistful look behind.

Anya rushed through the trees, reveling in the feel of the soft, pillowy pine needles against her calloused soles. She barely made a sound as she wound through the trees, padding around logs and through thickets with the ease of long practice. It often scared her how easily she adapted to her surroundings.

The girl slowed down to a trot, then a walk. She buried her toes in the needles like a young child burying his or her feet in the sand at the beach. The warm, fresh scent of pines wrapped around her like loving arms and she smiled slightly to herself. Sometimes, just sometimes, she thought, looking at the shafts of light glistening through the trees, listening to the trill of the morning, Life can be beautiful.

Crack! A twig snapped nearby. Anya's head immediately whipped around, her nostrils flaring.

She almost yelped in suprise as a child stumbled out from behind a huge pine. The boy had been sobbing and wiping his face until he was as nearly covered in sap as Anya was in dust. The child looked up, saw her, and froze. His eyes filling with greatful tears, the boy ran to Anya, clutching her jeans desperately.

"I-I'm lost!" he howled, burying his face in her midriff and sobbing.

Stunned, Anya patted his tousled head awkwardly. "Uh... Okay..." she spurted lamely. What do I do? she bit her lip anxiously and stared down at him.

The child turned his wide eyes up to her, "I wanna go hoooome!"

Anya mentally steeled herself, nodded, and told the child that she knew where he could find people who could help him. The boy's face brightened. "Really?"

Anya nodded again, trying to peel the kid from her leg. "Yeah."

After his reprieve back in Heaven, Kage had returned to Earth to continue with his sole work as protector. Once again in his human form, he decided to see how the lands had changed since his last visit. Noticing the small towns on the outskirts, he decided to visit one.

During his walk to Restaul he heard a commotion a ways off and decided to see what it was. After further inspection, he hid in the shadows of a few majestic trees and watched as a young female were was trying to help this small child who had almost fallen on her. Intrigued, Kage stepped back farther to watch. So other creatures are helping the humans as well, he thought to himself, silently wondering if the world could have changed so much during his absence.

Although he would have been content to walk away, he knew deep inside he had to find out why she seemed so willing when other creatures strayed away from contact with humans. So he deserted his hiding place and stepped forward.

"Ah, young one, if I may lend a hand here," he said, motioning to the attached child. "Why would one such as yourself volunteer to help this young child?" he inquired, hinting that he knew of her were side.

Anya had stiffened as the man walked over, and his winning smile did nothing to relax her muscles. She remained half crouched, arm wrapped around the child protectively as her golden eyes watched him warily. Both his confident manner and his strange, otherworldly scent warned the were of imminent danger.

Checking her lips from curling back in a snarl, Anya forced herself into a semblance of calm. "What do you mean, one such as I?" she demanded, her hackles prickling.

Swallowing a growl, Anya stepped between the stranger and the child, taking care to be gentle with the boy. He smells so strange. What is he? He doesn't smell like a demon... yet, there's a similar tang. I don't understand. Then, with a horrified thought, she searched his face. Does he know?

The boy peered up at the newcomer curiously, his eyes shining as he reached out silently towards the man. Before the child could touch the stranger's clothing or hair or whatever he was aiming for, Anya gently took his hand and started backing away from the man, glaring at him.

(Note: It's partly that Anya's really wary of new things and partly that, as it says in the timeline, weres are actually a perversion of humans created through a virus by Lucifer. XD)

Noticing her reaction he halted. "lady i come here with no intention of harming you or your charge." Deciding it best to not single out either one.

"My name is Kagemusha but i am know only as Kage to most." He kept an eye on her and realized the strong unease he put her in. Not wanting her to risk a change with the human so near he stepped back and crossing his right hand over his chest he did a slight bow.

"Forgive my intrusion" he said so both could hear then in a lower tone he whispered "don't lose control here" knowing her ears would hear.

A jolt of shock and horror zapped through Anya at the man's soft whisper. He knows! She could have howled in despair. Am I so easily singled out?

Instead of releasing the warning snarl she could feel gathering in her throat, the were tightened her grip on the child's hand and continued her backwards slink. "But I want to see the mister!" the boy whispered unhappily, squirming in the were's tight grip.

Anya didn't trust herself with an answer, and simply glanced down at the child as he stared intently at the tall man-creature who stood before them, still offering a helping hand. Sampling the air, the creature's scent - she was more convinced now than ever that he wasn't quite human - hung heavy in the morning air. It was comforting and revolting, with the slightly sulfuric burn that she'd come to associate with demons. Not to be trusted, the were decided, baring her teeth threateningly.

I've known too many a creature to ensnare a child with a glance for sport. Anya bit back another of her warning growls at the thought. She tugged at the child's hand, but he wouldn't budge. What was wrong? The were dropped her eyes for only a moment to check on the child.

Her voice was husky when she spoke again, somewhere between a growl and a whisper, "I think we should take you home," her eyes remained steadily on the man. "Let's go."

Watching this scene. How can i show here i am to be trusted without revealing myself to the human with her? A smile crossed his face as he realized the child could sense what she couldn't, that he would not harm them.

As he noticed the retreat he made a motion to reach out trying to portray safety. Its useless he thought knowing only telling her the truth could keep her at bay. He decided to back down and watch them as they stepped back.

But this child would not leave. What held him in place he wondered?? the fear coming off of the young girl should make his instincts want to run. Was there more to this child that was instantly seen? He had managed to find a were and an angel at the same time. Maybe i should keep an eye on these two. he decided.

Giving it one last try he said to her "Look at this young one. He wishes not to leave why would you force him?" Hoping to allow her to sense the child's peace.

Kage stood waiting for her to speak when he heard a far off call. He was to return to Arenief. Drawn between his curiosity at this strange were and his duty to return he decided to return at a later date to see if he could learn more about them both.

He bid them a farwell saying "I apologize for my intrusion but now i must be leaving" then turned and ran through the trees till he was safe enough away to fly. Then kage spread his wings and headed back up to Arenief and the Court of the Angels. The whole time wondering What could be so important that we are all called there? As his wings beat and he raced through the sky.

The boy sighed unhappily as the man took flight through the forest, finally giving up his protests. Still watching warily, Anya remained tense and alert. Will it come back? she wondered worriedly. She remained stock still for a few moments longer, all her senses attuned to any change in the forest.

The were started at the soft rush of wings in the distance, but it was nothing threatening and was too far away for human ears to pick up. It seemed the boy was safe. She looked down to the child at her side and released a breath she hadn't known she was holding. "Shall we go, then?" she asked the boy softly, her voice still gravelly from her supressed growls. she cleaned her throat surriptiously and tugged on his hand.

"I can get you to Restaul," Anya told him as they began to move.

Looking contemplative for a moment, the child beamed. "Okay!"

After about an hour and a half's walking, stopping, carrying, and wandering, the odd pair finally made it to the edge of the field Anya had awoken in that morning. Anya smiled warmly at the boy, extracting him from where he was clinging, monkey-like onto her back. "You can make it from here, right?"

He grinned widely at having his rough, brown hair tousled further, nodding vigorously. Suddenly, his expression became serious. "Why can't you come?"

"E-eh..." Anya stumbled over her words, suddenly nervous again, "Um... well... You see... I... uh... I was busy looking for something in the forest when I found you, and now that you're safe, you'd better go on ahead so I can get back to what I was doing."

The boy looked up at her quizzically, becoming more bewildered as her speech gathered speed. "But-"

"Halloooo!" the field's farmer called out a greeting to the pair from afar, breaking the boy's concentration and whirling him around. He waved happily and called a joyous greeting to the rather rotund man approaching them from downhill.

"Hey! He can take us-" the boy turned around to discover that his companion was gone. He wandered back towards the forest for a few steps, bewildered, before being halted by the farmer's heavy hand.

"Don't go wandering in there, sonny," the farmer warned cheerfully, steering the boy back towards town. "You never know what sort of creatures might be in there."

The boy glanced curiously back over his shoulder just once, but there was no movement in the tall, forbidding pines. Puzzled, the boy turned back around and attended to the farmer's idle chatter.

Within the safety of the trees, Anya stood for a moment, watching the pair. Oh, how she longed to follow them, to be welcomed... If the encounter with the stranger in the trees had confirmed anything her earlier disappointments had told her, though, it was that she would never be able to truly live among her people again. She could feel the hot tears of disgust and despair prickling the corners of her eyes, but she forced them back. I will not cry.

Instead, Anya straightened her back stiffly and stalked off into the forest, returning the way she'd come. Maybe I can find where he's gone, she wondered, her curiosity piqued, Now that I don't have to worry about the child, I can really look.

She padded through the pines quietly in the midday sun, taking care to keep half her nose on the trail and the other half for any new scents. Here it was - she gritted her teeth and followed the bitter scent in the direction she'd seen the man depart. A few yards away, the scent abruptly stopped. What? The were stopped, too, sniffing around the area. It was as if the man had dropped off the face of the Earth.

Anya circled the area a couple more times, even going so far as to retrace her steps. Nothing. She went down the man's other trail and came upon the same phenomenon. The were frowned and trotted back towards Restaul. If I can't find it, I can at least make sure that it isn't coming back, Anya decided, circling the town carefully. Once or twice, she had to avoid some humans wandering through the forest, presumably in search of her after the child's report. The were bit her lip at the thought, whimpering a little in apprehension, but continued on.

Luckily, her search was fruitless. There were no signs nor scent of the stranger, and Anya planned to keep it that way. She snorted in approval as the sun began to set. Sitting down on a bed of needles on an outcrop overlooking the town, Anya took off her pack and pulled out a rather ancient loaf of bread and munched on it a bit. Real food would be nice for a change, Anya thought to herself as she tried too gnaw an edge off of the rock-hard loaf.

The lights of Restaul were coming on now, with the Sun's disappearance, and Anya indulged herself in looking longingly through the trees at the little sparkling stars winking softly a ways below her. The were's face was as drawn and weary as an old woman's, full of longing and memories. A single crystalline tear traced its track down her cheek in the cool twilight air, and before she knew it, the were was sobbing.

God, I want to go back! She howled miserably, her golden eyes turned to the moon's nearly full, pitted face. Please, anything to return! The were curled her face into her knees and sobbed until she fell asleep in the cold night air.

A quiet form materialized within close proximity to Anya. This figure was, of course, none other than Lucifer. Now just why was he here in person? Everyone gets tired of the same old thing now and then. Besides, he rather enjoyed performing some of his own tasks for himself instead of sending some poor lackey on a behest. So instead he appeared within his casual form, purple skin, wide red eyes, a comical white shirt with frills about the top, a blue bow fastened comically about his neck and a suit with pointed shoulders. He also sported a rather long devilish tail that appeared to be a comical purple as well.

He cocked his head to one side mischievously as he stared at Anya thoroughly enjoying the feeling that came with her simply not knowing he was there. Slowly, he walked toward her and put an icy hand on her shoulder.
"What's troubling poor Anya now?" He asked with mock sympathy.

Truthfully he pretty much knew what the response was going to be and despite his anticipation, he feigned a face devoid of all emotion. Actually sometimes he wondered if he truly could feel anything at all... Lucifer wondered if he was just going through the motions as if imitating those who are still alive in an envious fashion.

An icy hand touched her shoulder lightly and the young were shuddered, slowly awakening. "Muuuuuh..." she groaned, her eyelids still heavy and gummy from sleep. "Go 'way."

When the hand persisted, her eyelids fluttered open grumpily to try to find the culprit. Huh, purple... she thought, bemused. Suddenly, she shied away from the hand, tumbling as far away from its master as possible. Her heels hung over the edge of the outcrop as she crouched and growled at Lucifer, standing calmly with his arms akimbo.

His stench filled her nostrils and burned through her lungs. Her instinct was to bow and scrape in front of him, grovelling and begging for his attention and approval, but her disgust, pride and infuriation obliterated even the thought of doing so where a weaker or younger were might have given in. "Why are you here?" she snarled viciously, every hair bristling and every tooth glimmering in the moonlight.

(Note: Since, according to the timeline, weres were created through a virus made by Satan, they have the tendency to act similarly to lower-level demons in front of Lucifer. This tendency is especially strong in a were that has been Turned from a human up to three generations afterword, or a were before or just after its first Change. Many of the older weres do not have this tendency and can fend for themselves. Hence Anya's reaction. XD")

Lucifer dropped his hand unceremoniously and it hung loosely at his side until Anya finished speaking. Once she had indeed finished protesting an odd little half smile played across his violet lips revealing the tips of his animal like fangs. He then proceeded to fumble with the tip of his tail as if only half aware of the present conversation with the rest of his mind focusing on other matters.
"Now now," Lucifer sighed as his eyes widened somewhat feigning a youthful innocence, "Can't a poor lowly being such as myself venture into the realms of the living now and then?"

He paused for a moment as if expecting an answer but abruptly began again, "I just thought you could use a little company. Isn't that terribly nice of me?" His white teeth flashed another little half smile as if he genuinely believed that he was doing her a favour.

"I'd think it far more terribly nice if you and the rest of your spawn would just leave me alone!" Anya snapped back, her golden eyes shining maliciously. "I'm going to ask you again, why the H--- are you here?!"

Anya could feel her vision growing red and the flaming ferocity of the Wolf roiling through her belly and seeping into her veins. No! NO! the were screamed inwardly, mentally pushing back the film of fury that coated her vision. Her fingers scored the earth beneath them and began to bleed, but she remained as tensed against Lucifer as she now was against the force growing within her.

"Just relax child," He rolled his eyes with a sigh, "I don't (necessarily) mean you any harm" He lessened the pressure of his aura substantially as if a gesture of goodwill. "Can't we talk being to being?" He asked with a semi honest look in his eyes.

He remained quite still and fumbled with his devilishly purple tail. Really these weres, he thought to himself, sometimes I wonder if that virus was a mistake after all. He mentally shrugged and turned to fix his gaze upon Anya's startled eyes. Ever fibre of his being was telling her to relax, perhaps, with a bit too much icy forcefulness. "Trust me," He folded his arms and nodded as if to reinforce this point, "I mean you no harm. I just want to talk... Honest!"

Despite her infuriation, the waves of Lucifer's unspoken command washed over her and, as pre-programmed, the virus forced her into complete submission. Like a pile of jell-o left too long in the sun, the young were flopped over bonelessly and luckily away from the edge.

The were sat there for a moment, panting and twitching uselessly while glaring at him murderously with her golden eyes. Finally, she subsided and simply glared. "Just spit out what you want and be done with it!" Anya snarled through clenched jaws.

"Do I need a reason to see you Anya?" He whispered his words enunciating every excruciating syllable. Lucifer then walked slowly towards her with his arms folded behind his back in a sort of inquisitive gesture. He then proceeded to tap her foot with the tip of his shoe as if to see if she was still with him.

"Perhaps I could arrange a little... something to help you with the thing you desire the most above all else," Lucifer smiled slyly once more, "you know the one"

The were shuddered as the meaning of Lucifer's words penetrated her skull. A hope so painful it seemed it would break through her ribcage convulsed her body, and she whimpered in despair. Hot tears blurred her eyes for the second time in a single night as she attempted to curl around the ten-ton weight that was her stomach. But... I couldn't do that again.

"No," Anya sighed miserably, closing her eyes helplessly, "I've learned my lesson. Go away."

His pupils suddenly narrowed and became like two vertical lines rather like that of a snake’s. A shadow of a smile passed across his newly hardened face like a passing thought as he knelt beside her and put his mouth just above one of her ears. “I know what you want,” He hissed, “I can give it to you as easily as one two three.” His words though surprisingly soft seemed to linger in the air for a moment as if they possessed a weight of their own.

“This is your last chance,” His eyes darted away from her as he ran one of his long purple fingers across her arced back, “I hope you know that there’s no hope of you ever getting what you want yourself. Once again this is your last chance. All it takes is a simple action and it can be yours…”

He stood suddenly and slowly turned around so he faced the opposite direction, “If you truly wanted me to leave you know I’d have no business to stay,” He then turned his head slightly in her direction as his eyes narrowed, “so why am I still here?”

The flesh under Lucifer's finger crawled and burned, but Anya felt her will breaking. Something was jammed in her throat, so heavy and thick she couldn't breathe. Hope or despair? The were didn't know. Anya struggled back and forth between hope and hatred without an outward sign other than the tears that painted streams in her cheeks, glistening in the moonlight.

Between the two emotions and the decisions behind them, she felt like a prisoner stretched on the rack, screaming for release. The were barely heard Lucifer's last sentence as she withdrew into herself.

Torn by her hope and hatred, her heart leapt and fell like a boulder being tossed by a giant when she heard a distant, raspy voice whisper. It sounded very much like her own and voiced the very thought that had echoed like the cackle of a loon through Anya's mind. "What do you want me to do?"

A contract made of a sepia parchment appeared within a barrage of shadows in one of Lucifer's purple hands. Slowly, in the other palm, a rather long and foreboding onyx quill materialized. He then turned around carefully and extended his arms as if to offer the items to her. "You know the drill luv'," He spoke and seemed to regain some of his previous mischievous attitude, "just sign on the dotted line. In blood of course"

The were whimpered a little, cracking open her eyelids to watch Lucifer despairingly. She said nothing as the demon held the quill and parchment out to her invitingly. Her breath caught and she steeled herself to reach for them. I'll be able to go home... Anya swallowed thickly and willed her arm to move.

Anya growled at herself. Still under the power of Lucifer's command, Anya's body refused to move more than a few inches. Her arm sort of flopped a bit before falling back to the ground, rubbery and relaxed. "I can't do anything until you let me go," Anya grumbled, irritated more than upset.

"Oh yes that," Lucifer shrugged, "It's soooo easily to forget these things" He smiled a tight twisted little smile, "I'm sure you understand." He then paused for a moment as if to consider his own words, "Well I suppose you really don't understand," He chuckled.

"In any case I've released you," Lucifer rolled one of his shoulders and sighed, "Usual deal. Sign in blood. You get what you want, and then I get your mortal soul. Same old same old"

Savvy walked through the streets of the old town he'd visited a million times. He wasn't exactly sure what he was looking for, but he knew it would come to him eventually. He wasn't in the mood to start thinking about simple things and get himself into a knot again. He screamed in frustration and burned a barn down when he started to try to understand the stupidity of people the last time. No, now he just wanted to walk around and maybe God would show him just what exactly he was doing there.

Savvy simply turned the corner before he jumped back and hid from the monstrous creature out in the field. Today was simply not his lucky day what so ever. He crouched and peaked around the corner, watching the demon tempt and taint a young girl into doing whatever sick desires he had in mind. Savvy didn't have chivalry by any means, but he loathed watching people fall into temptation from the devil himself. However, he could not help but watch and assess the situation. Savvy was most intruiged.

"Now what are the odds of me finding you here, damned deomon?" he whispered to himself. He concentrated hard on masking his pressence from the demon using the magic training the elves taught him, but he feared it wasn't enough. The devil was a tricky one, and he had no trouble sensing others nearby. He patiently listened and waited for whatever possible outcomes.

"I am more than a mere demon," Lucifer's voice echoed within Savvy's mind completely unheard by Anya or anyone else who may be lingering nearby. Lucifer's patience was beginning to thin with the little were and this new comer certainly wasn't helping things.

"One last chance," He stated simply to Anya, "Sign or don't. I won't ask again." He then thrust the paper closer towards the were as if hoping the sheer smell from the parchment would entice her into signing. "Never again," He added excessively.