Tell No Tails

[Ridley]

Prologue

He was not the original fallen, contrary to popular belief; no, there were others before him. The first—the Lord of the Flies—was the original king of the dead; his name was Beelzebub. When the earth was being forged from the mystical dust of the cosmos, Astaroth was sentenced to Hell; Astaroth was the first, and original, fallen angel. As he descended into the deep void in which Beelzebub was king, his powers exceeded Beelzebub’s, and Astaroth became the new ruler of Hell.
It was not long before Lucifer, the most favored of Arch Angels, created Sin from his mind, and Sin bore his first son, Death. Jehovah, the Almighty Creator, quickly took action and banished Death and Sin to walk among the mortals. Death and Sin did not survive the fall, and when they fell from the sky in a great ball of fire, all the world watched, and all grounds shook as they collided with the world.
On impact, both of them burst into a great light and the world was bathed in a blinding flash. When the flash finally receded, snow soon fell upon the lands, and the world was cast into an eternal winter…Death’s presence among the mortal world allowed the beings and creatures to die, and Sin’s presence inspiring all to commit acts of malice.
Lucifer’s punishment took far longer to decided, and when his fate was finally determined, the void in which have named Hell was opened up once more, as Jehovah hurled Lucifer into the never ending chasm.
Although those of the heavens were thought to have believed it was a never-ending fall into darkness, those who had actually fallen knew better. Now, Lucifer’s fiery form plummeted into the darkest recesses of Hell as all thought him gone forever.
Astaroth watched Lucifer fall, and soon came to learn of the terrible power Lucifer possessed; this new power far greater than his own. As soon as Lucifer was banished from Heaven, he quickly rose through the ranks and forced Astaroth from the throne. Lucifer, from that point onward, was the new King of Hell, and left Astaroth a forgotten prince.

[Ridley]

PART ONE:

The Creation

[Ridley]

Barren. Empty. Nothing dotting the horizon for as far as the eyes can see. Light mists swirl around your feet if you so dare to tred through these lands. In Hell, the demons call this the Soul Yard.
Only lost sould wander around these parts, for it is those souls who know no better. However, filmy green eyes scanned the wasteland as his this man stood in the mist. His hair lay in a mess on his head and his hair normally black as night, but ash coated it staining it to a sooty gray. His eyes should be a deep emerald green, but they were an ashy gray with flecks of green shinning through. He wasn't very tall, but he wasn't short either. His skin was pale, and his body slender. His lips were his most intriguing feature. Instead of a stern look portrayed through pursed lips, or even a look of boredom, he had a wicked grin plastered permanitly on his face; the kind of grin an insane peson would give.
His eyes darted around seeing nothing, then at last he turned to the person beside him.
"Someone is arriving, Adrath. I can sense it."

[Bekatrux]

The words echoed through the emptiness, the usually silence suddenly broken, if only for a moment, only to return to its original silence. The other made no reply, not even so much as a glance at the ashen person beside. Unlike the other, he would have seemed cleaner, much more angelic, if one could use such a word to describe him. He was taller than the other, if only by a bit, medium length hair of a light silver hue, eyes a clear bright azure. He seemed out of place here, but he was anything but. This was as close to home as he would ever get.
He had not sensed what the other had, but none the less waited for it. Maybe he had just been to lazy to look around, try and feel it. Not that such things would have been easy for such a being, his mind was twisted, his senses deranged. He lightly tapped the ground with his weapon of choice, something that would haven even made the nine foot obsidian raven wings seem obsolete. A tall stick of a blackened wood, carved into it many runes of many anceint forgotten langauges, upon the the staff was a blade, shining in the dim light, a rather grim weapon, for harvesting a crop of another kind. It was only fitting. For he was the collector.
Still he did not look over to the other, he would find that degrading. The mockery and dark sarcasm was enough to make even him recoil back into that god forbidden void.
"Then, Astaroth, shall we wait to see who has wandered into these empty lands?"

[Ridley]

Astaroth said nothing as he turned his head forward took look at a spirit walking towards them. He watched through his filmed-over eyes and surprsingly his vision was shockingly clear; his wicked grin seemed to extend slightly as he watched the girl walk torwards Adrath and himself.
The girl seemed strangely out of place in the soul yard. She wore hip-hugger jeans and a shirt that just barely exposed her stomahc. Her eyes were of the purest blue Astaroth had ever seen, but they were hidden behind black eye liner and a dark blue eye shadow. Her skin seem strangely pale in contrast to the black shirt she was wearing, and her chocolate brown hair resting in gentle curls on her shoulders. Shereached up and tucked a lock of hair behind her ear, and when she did she revealed her cause of death: slashed wrists.
Astaroth did nopt move as she approached he and Adrath, and her voice was cold, but betrayed a hidden innocence.
"Who are you?"
Before Astaroth had a chance to respond, she looked over Adrath and gave a flirtatious grin. She was about to propose the same question to him, but her eyes fell on his scythe and she nodded towards it.
"Oh...i know who you are. You're the Grim. I never knew you'd be so hot."
Astaroth reached out, his cold hands latching onto her wrists and pulling her round. His tone was icy, but yet playful and daring.
"Do not speak unless spoken to Kara."
"How did you know my name?"
"Oh...i know all about you Kara. You think your so unloved, and you rebeled; you tried to be cool, did the drugs and the drinks; i know everything you did, and i know that you took your life tonight. I was there, Kara. I was that blade that you cut your wrists with. I was that needle that you used to shoot yourself full of herion. Oh Kara...i know all about you. The good girl gone bad...good thing too. I'm very estactic to have you here."
She looked at him with frightened eyes, but her fright so turned to an all knowning smirk. At last she sased back again, ignoring the burning sensation in her wrist.
"You're Satan, aren't you? All that 'devil's temptation' nonsesnse? Please I've--"
"No...i'm far worse. I am Astaroth."
She collasped to the ground and let out a shreik of pain as she looked up into his eyes, now feeling helplessnes well up inside her as she couldn't even look at his face for dread of that insane grin.
After a few moments he let go and she clutched her wrist not looking up at either of them. Astaroth looked down at her, amused with her pain as he spoke softly.
"Glad you've learned your place...on your knees before me. Learns fast, doesn't she Adrath?"

[Bekatrux]

Adrath grinned slightly, as he watched, finding amusement in the fact. Against all morality, he enjoyed this. Even the immediate love at first site. He couldn't be loved. He was far to mangled for that. Her scream echoed, a loud ring into his half hearing ears, alerted to him an unexplainable joy. Such a pretty girl. Such a shame. But she was right where she belonged. In this shit hole with the rest of them. No one to blame but herself.
"They always do."
It was learn fast, or perish. Not that you wouldn't perish in the end. That was how it worked here. The beautiful chaos, so empty and cold, even though the flames burned so hot. The pain was unbearable, but he had been here so long, he was numb. There was no feeling, just another half illusion of his broken mind. He stared down at her. She was like a puppy that had been kicked one to many times. But what did she expect? A welcome party? Pain was the only thing you'd get here.
Unavoidable it was, a craving, a intense want of that pain, he had left, if only for a while, thinking he might not come back and spit on those below him again. He could never be good. He crawled back into this shit hole, just to feel the pain, hear the screams. She would too. forever. Just like all before her. But he would stand, in silence, except for his few words. He was a watcher, he would not jump in, or speak. Only watch, and wait. All these poor, unfortunate people.... Being played with, like dolls....

[Ridley]

Astaroth's clothes--which were robes that hung loosely on his slender body, and drapped until the touched the earthen ground--swayed with a wind. Instantly Astaroth turned to see what being could make such a wind travel through this barren land.
He let out a small chuckled as he watched a rather regal looking canine staring downward into the mist. Barbed wire was wrapped tightly around, but he could tell it had long since been grating at the flesh of the wolf's muzzle. He knew that there were also barbs around the two fore paws of the wolf as well, but the hovering mist kept the paws from view.
He knew the wolf could not see them, but he also knew she could sense them all standing around. Astaroth glanced back down at Kara who had now taken notice of the wolf. He knew the question that plauged her mind, and he didn't intend for her to suffer in such a way...not yet anyways.
He spoke with a chilling tone that sent shiveres up the spine of all those who heard. "I can see the curiosity in your eyes, child. Speak what plauges your mind."
"What's with the mutt?"
"That mutt is rather intresting...so i suggest you regard it with just a tiny ounce of respect. Not much...but she is greater than you can ever be."
"Okay...well, isn't there doggy heaven or something?"
"No...spirits can take on any form they wish, and can also be cursed to remain in any form the King of Hell wishes. She is cursed."
Astaroth kneeled down, and lifted Kara's chin up so he could see into her eyes. For a few moments he could see past the want-to-be rebel, and into the eyes of the silent angel she once was. Her eyes awoke in him a deep longing; a strange craving for the flesh. He smirked and looked back up to Adrath, then into her eyes once more.
Kara diverted his gaze and tried to change the subject. Her voice chimmed in, and sounded weaker than she intended.
"Why? What did she do?"
"Well, if you are to hear that story, then perhaps Adrath should tell a few other parts...seeing as how i was doing slightly more," his eye fell on Adrath with a sinful glare as he knew exactly what had happened at said point in time, and was warning Adrath not to even bring it up. "important things."

[Bekatrux]

Adrath took no notice of his surroundings, though he plainly knew the dog was there, he payed no attention. She wasn't important. Made him regret he even came down here in the first place. It was a rather awful story, painful, on his part, he didn't really find it worth sharing. He would much rather waste his time on other things. Such as trying to fix all those messed up bits of his life, and trying, once again, to crawl back out of the shit hole back into that paradise that seemed so far away now. But that wasn't going to happen. Not with him here.
He pulled the hood of his cloak up, the tattered black cape moving slightly, hiding his eyes from view. He had only glimpse back at Astaroth when he had been spoken too, but the though was rather revolting, and he had looked away quickly. Beneath his cape, other than the neatly folded raven wings, he was wearing simple dark clothing, a tunic and trousers (much outdated considering the time), and if one had looked close enough, or put enough thought into it, around his neck upon a silver chain would be the pendant of the elithiran moon, a rather guarded piece of his long abandoned life.
He moved his wings slightly, staring off blankly ahead, and remaining silent. He hated telling stories. He found them rather painful, and with his shattered mind, it was to much effort just to dig up all the pieces. However, the other seemed more than willing to tell it. That was, of course, if had he read it right. He nodded slowly, none the less. He was far to obedient to even attempt trying to get out of it. But he certainly wasn't in the mood for story time.

[Ridley]

Astaroth moved around the group as he enclosed the two, making a small circle out of the three. The mist swirled slightly and he waved his arm over it in one great sweeping motion.
Slowly, ever so slowly, the mist faded out in a small pool of water was visible. The waters were dark, and if it weren’t from the strange reflection of their images, for there was a light source somewhere in these barren lands, one could’ve easily mistaken the liquid as a hole.
Keira looked into it with a sense of curiosity and fear reflecting in her eyes. She stared into the pool, not really knowing what to expect, but she prepared herself for the worst, and was careful not to step too close.
Astaroth’s eyes seemed to glow slightly as the pool depicted a crystal clear image of another white canine; wolf or dog it was difficult to tell—not that it mattered of course. Astaroth’s cool voice was soon heard as he explained the image of the dog talking with another 2 others; one of the canines was white and the other a cinnamon red with a charcoal colored strip running the length of its back.
“You hear people talk of reincarnation?”
Keira nodded.
“They are all right, you know. There is such a thing as life after death. One may choose to live among the mortals once more may do so.”
Keira’s eye brightened for a moment as she forgot all about the wolf or dog or whatever it was. “So I can—“
“No; only those in Heaven have that option.”
The words seemed to crush the girl, and Astaroth took pleasure in that fact. His expressions seemed colder now, but his fluid tone still danced around Adrath and Keira like icy rain drops sliding off the skin.
Astaroth delayed no more as he motioned to the white wolf.
“Her name is Anu. Although she appears as a wolf here, she was once a human as you once were. She—“
“Wait. What do you mean were?”
“You were once a human with some ounce of dignity, but now you’re nothing more than a soul in Hell’s Soul Yard. Now, do shut up.”

[sorry it took so long. anyway...left it open for some snide remark from Grim.

btw...um, would you mind if i controlled your characters for the duration of the love story when Grim starts telling it? thne i'll send it over to you, and you and you can edit it to help make it reflect like Grim is telling it. This way you have the story, you justn eed to kinda..personalize that section i guess. Seeing as how Adrath is the one telling the story.]

[Bekatrux]

[Oh, go ahead. I don't mind.

Only, I have nothing to say to that.... Adrath doesn't often make snide remarks XD Only if he hates you. And after writing Blackbird, I've remotely exhausted my immediate literateness at the moment.]