Kin and Kith

The First Circle

^^ The Hunter ^^

--- Jacob's POV ---

"Welcome to Hell, master." Mira grinned.

I breathed slowly, taking the complete majesty of the palace before me in. It was super-sized, and obviously specifically made for Dragons.

I took a step forward, and another, and I was soon walking towards the throne room. Mira stopped me in front of a giant set of doors.

"Some last minute things you need to know." She started.

I glared. "We had three days of travel, plus 6 hours in the city, and you didn't start that then?"

She shrugged. "Didn't occur to me. Weapons are prohibited inside the Throne Room."

"And?" I asked, and pushed the doors open slowly, using magic to push the 12-15 tons I couldn't handle in this form.

She sighed and followed me as I entered.

---

There were about 500 demons in the room, all in human form, and two thrones at one end. A man and woman sat in them, and I approached easily. Not dawdling, but not rushing.

I bowed. "King Acadian presents himself."

The man stood, and bowed back. "Well met. King Gunther Presents himself." He replied.

I stood straight in tandem with him, and bowed to the woman. "Greetings."

She nodded politely, but did not speak. Gunther grinned. "Now that that's out of the way. Hello, Bastard King. How was the journey?"

I chuckled. "Arduous. Most of the time I wanted to throttle my horse, he seemed to enjoy stepping in puddles and breaking his ankles." I said.

He laughed. "Interesting. Now. To streamline matters. This is my mother, and your grandmother, Queen Fauna." He introduced the young woman.

I blinked. "I honestly believed her to be your wife... Demons do not age?"

She smiled. "No. We do not. Though if you're skilled enough with shapeshifting, you can replicate it. I was prepared to hate you, you know. Now, I am more curious."

I smiled back. "Well good. I'd hate to have enemies already, I haven't done anything. Now. Let us move on to this test. My blood is still hot from fighting that GateKeeper."

He raised an eyebrow. "You fought the GateKeeper?"

"I would've won if I'd have known he was a god. I stabbed his heart with Strife. I should've cut off his head." I shrugged.

Gunther laughed until he realized I was serious. "Amazing. Only an elite demon would even consider fighting him, much less almost triumph. And he's not a God. He's a Construct, built by Hephaestus to protect our portals."

I hummed. "He was terrifying, but fear is only an obstacle. Now. The Test? I apologize if I come off impatient, but my blood is calling for a fight."

He nodded. "I understand. The Hunter will be your opponent. He has just returned from eradicating the escaped Wyrms in your lands."

A giant man came into the throne room, lugging a bloody bag. He was around 7 feet tall, and he had ink-black hair, and an aura of danger. He dropped the bag in front of the King, before speaking in a gravelly voice. "The heads of the 8 Wyrms, master." Then he turned to me, and bowed. "I am the Hunter."