A raven flew hurriedly through the trees toward the rocky path, trying to escape a beast that followed behind him. The bird broke free of the trees. A creature not of this world followed behind it, pouncing the bird, making it change into it original form.
Matt shuddered under the creature. His eyes never left the beast's face. The creature had the face of a crocodile, yet the body of a large dog. It's front paws were those of a human woman's, blood under the nails that shaped like claws.
The creature snapped at the nightmare as it bared it's sharp teeth. Matt let out a yell before turning into his last form: a simple fly. He weaved between her jaws and flew off in a hurry. It only took a minute for the creature to find the nightmare and attack. Matt turned into his human form once more and fell to the ground. His eyes grew wide at the site of the human hand swoop down to hit him. Darkness followed by pain grew. Numbness took over Matt's body.

Hours seemed to have passed. Matt finally woke. He was surrounded by white walls that seemed to continue on forever. The nightmare stood and walked forward, only to hit a wall. He took a step back, hitting the opposing wall. His arms outstretched to touch the other walls. They were closing in, Mat could feel it. He had no idea where he was, so he couldn't leave. He tried to turn into one of his forms, but could not.
"Help me!" Matt screamed, but his voice was never heard.
The fear of loneliness engulfed him. Many questions filled his head, doubting whether or not he would be found. There seemed to be no hope anywhere. The air had finally grew thin.
He was alone.

The beast that had attacked the defenseless nightmare stood upon a rock, still and unmoving. From far off, it may have appeared to be carved out of stone and lightly painted. The only sound was a low growl at anything that crossed the creature's path.
Under her human-like claw, there was a small box, white with a black mist drifting inside. There were quiet screams echoing from the container, but not loud enough for any human to hear.

Diablo watched from a safe distance as Matt was chased by the demon. He had become.... intersted in what was going on and followed in his human form. So much had been going on. The escape of the unwoken Erela Knight had put his plans back a little.

"An intersting chase with what seems to be an uneventful end." Diablo mused as he stepped from the shadows to watch the creature. At a safe distance out of her claws though. "What matter of creature are you and why chase the nightmare causing it to panic as it did?"

The creature's eyes squinted into a glare. Low growls were erupting from its throat. The nails on it's human-like hand clenched, scratching the rock it sat on.

Diablo gave a slight bow to the creature. "Trying to drive him mad are you?" he asked casualy as he leaned against a rock several feet from it. "Try an illusion of his love rejecting him. Not like she can defend herself against such accusations."

The creature lowered her head slightly, her growls never ceasing. She lifted her paw from the box and hit it toward Diablo. Her teeth bared. She jumped off the rock. The creature reached out her claws, trying to gauge his arm.

Diablo was quite entertained by this creature though it was very agressive. He felt her claws gauge his arm just before he jumped into the air, landing several feet away. "Such a temper." He said amusement in his voice as he used a wave of energy to catch the box.

The creature opened its jaws and attacked Diablo once more, hoping to tear off his arm.

"I'm afraid that my arm is not on the menu my dear." Diablo said taking to the air taking his demon form as he did so. His black-red wings were spread wide waiting for the creature to attack. He could have been long gone by now but what fun would that have been.

The creature glared at Diablo and sat, thinking of a new maneuver of attack. She stood and circled the area Diablo hovered over.
At the last moment, she jumped onto a rock, using it as a springboard to catch him. Several marks were left in the stone.

Just to see where this went, Diablo allowed the creature to catch him. He could always dissappear if her treatment became too painful after all.

Her jaws sunk into Diablo's arm, shaking her head in a vicious manner. She trued to tear off his flesh and taste his blood.

"you are a visious one aren't you?" Diablo mused lightly as he felt the teeth sink into his arm. "So glad you aren't doing this to my brother. I'd hate to see how much power he'd gain because of you." He said as blood ran down his arm. "Now now. No tearing off my arm. I need that still."

The creature growled louder and jerked her head to the side, tasting a large amount of blood.
"Vein, down," a voice said.
The creature growled one last time before letting go of Diablo and juping onto a rock, sitting down.

Diablo jumped up, his arm healing as he did so. "Hmmmm." He said thoughtfully as he looked around for the source of the voice. "A pet is she? Or just a minion? A friend?" He asked quite amused.

"Minion of a friend," the voice said again.
A tall woman walked out from behind a tree. She wore a long crimson cloak, it's hood covering her face. Her long white hair was easily visible. She wore a white gown and black boots.
"And you are?"

Diablo looked at the woman before he spoke. "Diablo. And you?" He asked as he took his human form again.

"I have many names, but most are unpronounceable. It would be easier to call me anything you like, as long as it isn't Misere," the woman said, pulling down her hood.
Her skin was paler than the moon and her eyes shone like gold. Her lips had a tint of a light rose.

Diablo had to say he was caught by the woman's beauty but only for a second. He had a love already after all. "Well, Milady, what interst have you in the Nightmare?" He asked curious as he kept his guard up.

"The same reason as to why I have interest in the other nightmares," she smiled, taking a velvet bag from her pocket and taking out several white boxes.

"Collecting them?" He asked a little curious as to her reasoning. "I'm surprised at how many nightmares you have captured."

"It pays off when you do it since you were born. Now, nightmares sell nicely on the black market if they are scared, but better when they're dead," the woman smirked, "want one?"

"No thank you. You've actualy taken one of the creatures off my hands." Diablo said smirking as he walked over and handed her the box he caught from the creature. "But why do they sell better dead than scared?" He asked as he started to walk away.

"When they are scared, they go insane, but they do not listen to your commands. When the are dead, you can use the blood and create your own creature, like Vein here, who will listen to your every command and much more," she said.
The woman patted Vein's head and smiled.

"I did not realize that." Diablo said with a slight hum. "I wonder if the same would work for other creatures." He looked at Vein and smiled. "A very lovely creature she is. Still, what would happen if the blood of a nightmare was combined with the blood of a dragon?" he wondered aloud.

"Dunno, it all depends on the dragon and the nightmare's abilities. What kind of dragon is it?" The woman asked, "and I'll tell my lord you said that."

Diablo smirked a little. "A silver flame dragoness. Over 2000 years old with the ablity to control all flames but golden ones." He said as he thought of Atela's new ablities. "She has very powerful magic and power beyond what any would believe her to have in her human form."

"What do you want your creature's abilities to be? The creature's looks is will be depended on the abilities and how you make it," The woman said.
She held up a necklace that was in a separate pocket. The pendant was a jagged, circular stone with red marking on it.
"There are different stones for each ability. You can use these to enhance the abilities of your demon."

Diablo smiled evily. A creature that could actualy kill Atela was something he had wanted to create for some time. But they had to have certian powers to defeat the Empress Dragon. He thought back to the war 2000 years ago. The Void Dragon that was at his command. What powers did he have? HE almost, almost killed her then. "The ablity to use soul shredder. An ablity that will destroy the soul of the one it touches. Tearing it in two." ~Yes that's how Kauket and Atela came to be... Soul shredder... htat was a lovely ablity.~ He thought to himself.

The woman stared at him for a long time before she spoke.
"You will need two nightmares. One that is specialized in entering the panels of the mind and one that was extinct. there is only one in history, but I'm afraid you can't get that one," the woman said.
She took another charm from her pocket and handed it to Diablo. The markings were blue and green.
"It enhances speed, strength, and mind bending."

Diablo smiled. It would work anyway. At least he'll have something to use against that damned dragon. "How much for the nightmare?" He asked now very intersted.

"None of mine are dead yet, so I say about......million," the woman said, "the rare one.........five."
She got out two cubes from the pouch.
"Want me to kill them?"

"Yes." Diablo said with a small smile. He wasn't worried about money. He could easily get it from the treasures that he saved after all. ~Estrella. Bring around 30 million here please... make that about 50.~ Diablo sent to his minion.

Ella appeared close to Diablo with two treasure chests full of gold, curious at to what was going on.

The woman stared at the chest and looked at Diablo.
"Open them," she said.
Vein, who had laid down and listened to the conversaton, sat up and growled low at Estrella

Ella bent over and undid the locks on the chests. Once opened, it revealed very rare gemstones and gold coins in one. The other had old gold coins and various pieces of silver and copper. Some bronze and steel as well.

The woman grabbed several gold coins and a couple gems, then held up the two boxes.
"Have fun catching them," she grinned, throwing the boxes in the air and running.
Vein followed after her. The two boxes exploded. A tall man stood on the shore. His hair was long and black with a single red streak through it. His eyes were a dark coal. the man wore all black.
Another man was hovering in the air, his wings leathery and green. He had bright green hair and orange eyes. The man wore all green and black boots.
"Well, well...looks like we've been sold," the man in black grinned.

Estrella looked at Diablo a little... confused but was unable to comment as she felt two ice arrows hit her shoulder.

"Where is Matt?!" Koori yelled as she aimed two more arrows at Diablo, firing them.

Diablo was already irritated that he had to deal with the two living nightmares that he didn't want to deal with the ice mist... well actualy two as Ise appeared and slashed him from behind. Both girls were pissed off. "He's not here." Diablo merely said as he glared at the women.

The man in green chuckled lightly.
"Well, that was amusing," he said, landing beside the man in black.
"Anian, think we will be able to get paid for this?" the man in black said.
His friend shrugged.
"Dunno, Ayden, think those damsels need help finding this 'Matt' boy?" the one in green said

Diablo was careful when he landed the hit on Ise, making sure it hit just above her heart. Ise was thrown back from the flames that entered her.

Ella smiled sweetly as she sent a wave of black ice at Koori. The ice mist was able to avoid most of it but ended up getting thrown back into a tree.

Diablo raised his hand to try and finish off Ise when blue ice impaled itself in his arm. Ella yelled in pain as the ice hit her wings. They both looked over at Shiva who's eyes were glowing brightly. "I know that attack didn't harm you Diablo." Shiva said as the ice melted.

"I have no time to play with you Shiva." Diablo snarled as Ella disappeared with the chests. "I'll fight you with Atela when the time is right. He disappeared as well.

Shiva went over to Ise while Koori sat up, tears in her eyes. "What did they do to Matt?" Koori whispered as she wiped the tears away.

Shiva looked over to the two men. "Just who are you?" She asked her hand on her ice blade as she healed Ise.

The man in green smiled, "I'm Anian, and this is my good friend Ayden."
"Good evening," Ayden bowed slightly, "I have a question myself, were either you three the ones we were sold too?"

Shiva raised an eye brow. "I'm afraid not. We were following Diablo's trail. He may have been the one to buy you." She said as she turned her eyes back to Ise. "You ok?"

"Yes just hot..." Ise said as she sat up, healing herself more.

"Diablo's the one that took off. Good luck finding him. He's taken refuge in Ren now." Koori said as she sat there pouting a little.