"Zoe, hey!" Hunter waved at the fiend.
"Hi," she smiled at him.
"I think this is the first time I'm seeing you outside the school premises," Hunter stated. "Well except for that one time in New Lanes when you and Sof were helping with the spy problem."
"I still cannot believe the guy with the thick eyebrows tried to put over his thought that we look alike," Zoe stated. "Not to mention how big of a fail the whole plan was," the gray-eyed girl added.
"Oye! I thought we all agreed to wipe that entire day from our memories!?" Hunter exclaimed.
"Apologies."
"Heh ... Hey, are you free right now?"
Zoe's face lits up. "Yeah, why?" She asks.
"I just bought some groceries and I'm about to go make something. I was wondering if you'd like to have lunch with me," he said.
"Lunch with -- You can cook?" Zoe asks like it's the most shocking thing she's heard all week.
"It would be the best lunch you ever had," Hunter stated matter-of-factly.
"We'll see. Cooking isn't allowed in the dorms though,"
"I know. We're not going to the dorm. There's a house I stay at not too far from here," said the sprite.
"What's wrong with the dorm?"
"Nothing. It's a long story, I'll tell you on the way," Hunter said.
...
"And ... Here we are!" Hunter stated as he typed in the passcode to the building.
"It's huge."
"I know right?"
They walk into the building where they see a raven-haired woman wearing nothing but an oversized tee shirt with a chocolate bar in her hand just centimeters from her mouth. "Uh ..." She shoves the flat slab of chocolate into her mouth, briefly chewing on it before quickly swallowing it. "Welcome," she said with a small smile.
"Er ... Who's this?" Zoe asks Hunter.
"I'm Hunter's wife," the dark mage quickly says, stepping between the sprite and the fiend and extending her hand for a handshake.
Zoe looks at the sprite with raised eyebrows. "You have a wife?"
"He doesn't like to talk about it since he had little say in the betrothal but we are a match made in heaven - literally!"
"The delusional clown is Chelsea. Better to ignore her," Hunter said as he moved to the counter to sort out the groceries.
"Delusional clown! Really?" Chelsea rolled her eyes.
"Is that my shirt you're wearing?"
"Yeah, you like? It's laundry day for me!"
"So you thought 'Why not steal some of Hunter's clothes'."
"Steal is a strong word," said Chelsea before walking to the living room.
"This is the fourth time!"
Zoe walked over to where Hunter was and lean on the counter. "When is she leaving?" She asks gesturing to the dark mage in the living room.
"Leaving? She's having lunch with us ... I invited two more," Hunter stated.
"I thought it would be just the two of us,"
"And what gave you that impression?"
"I just thought ... Nevermind," she sighed.
"Okay!" Hunter said as he put on an apron and begins to wash the vegetables. "You should hang out with Chelsea in the living room. She's a bit crazy but a good company," he said to the fiend.
"You know I can hear you, right?" Chelsea shouted from the living room.
"Why do you think I said it?"
...
Sometime later, they heard the bell ring and Hunter moved from the kitchen and unlocked the door. Sophia and Sydney were on the other side, both of them wearing a smile on their face.
"Hi," Sophia said walking past the sprite, her skin turning stone blue as she stepped foot in the house. "Oh Teach! You're here!" The redhead exclaimed running towards Zoe.
"Great, the nightmare keeps getting worse," the fiend muttered to herself.
"Hey Sydney," Hunter smiled at the werewolf.
"Hey. Thanks for inviting me," said the orange-haired girl.
"I see you and Sophia have been getting acquainted," Hunter said as she walked into the house.
"No. We haven't spoken since the new year celebration and we met just now on your driveway."
"Really? You should hang out with her, I feel like you two would get along with each other."
"We'll see," she smiled.
"Come on, there's someone I'd like you to meet," He ushered. They moved to the living room where Zoe, Chelsea, and Sophia were. The latter two already talking to each other like they've known each other for years.
"Wow," Hunter said.
"Hey, is the lunch ready? I'm getting hungry," Chelsea said.
"Yes, your Grace. Why don't you move to the dining table so I can serve you or would Her Highness prefer to eat lunch in the living room?" said the sprite.
"Oh come on," Chelsea rolled her eyes. "You know I get hungry pretty easily," she stated.
"Yeah, yeah," he dismissed before turning to Sydney. "Sydney meet the Vacuum, and vice versa."
"The vacuum? Seriously?" Chelsea frowned.
"Chelsea's his wife," Sophia chipped.
"Sheesh! Did you tell her that? She's been in here for like a second!"
"I don't know why you're ashamed of introducing me to your friends. Am I that ugly?" She moues.
"I won't say ugly ... More like fugly," he stated.
"Huh," she gasped placing her hand on her chest.
"Can we eat already? Some of us have somewhere to be," Zoe said.
"Right. Move to the dining room," Hunter said.
The sprite moved to the kitchen while Sophia follows him closely behind. "This is not the dining," he said without turning back.
"I know! You got an eye in the back of your head or something? I just wanted to help you with the plates," the blue-skinned girl said.
"Sure."
"..."
"..."
"So Chelsea seems nice."
"And she reveals her true intentions."
"Oh come on," she rolled her eyes. "You have to know it was coming," she stated. "We didn't even talk about what happened with you and René."
"Probably because there was nothing to talk about. But if you must know, I talked to René afterward."
"I'm sorry, what?! Was this before or after she kidnapped you?"
"After. It's not like she wanted to ... You know, kidnap me, she was ordered to," he argued.
"You're lucky I have a set of plates in hand, I have the urge to punch you in the face but the food smells good and I don't want it wasted."
They moved to the dining room and placed the plates on the table. "A smoky spiced jollof rice and coconut fried plantain for Sydney and a corned beef and kimchi rice for everyone else!"
"Thanks! I've never felt more seen yet marginalized before," said Sydney, a small smile on her face.
"Apologies. I promised this one I was going make her some corned beef and she gets loud when she doesn't have her way," he said pointing to Chelsea who pays him no mind, her honey-brown eyes fixed on the food.
"It's okay. I was only joking."
"Alright," Hunter said as he picks up the cutlery and takes a spoonful from the plate in front of him. "Shit! I knew I should have let the --"
"Oh my goodness!"
"Wow!"
"Mhmm ..."
"This is ... Wow! You've outdone yourself," Sophia said.
"I mean ... It's not perfect but I'm pretty sure I just became you guy's favorite cook," he shrugged.
"You always were," Sophia agreed.
Hunter turned to Zoe. "Aren't you glad you came?" He asked.
The fiend's cheeks burn up with the rest of her body. "You were right, this is the best lunch I ever had."
He smiles before turning to Sydney. "This is really good. I thought you were joking when you said you could cook. I'm glad you weren't!"
"..."
"..."
"Aren't you going to ask me how the food is?" Chelsea said raising an eyebrow.
"I actually do not care plus I can see that your plate is already empty."
"Heh ... Can I have seconds?"
"Sure, I saved you some more in the kitchen."
"Thank you!" She said before jumping out of her seat to head for the kitchen.
They finished their food in silence and once they were all done, Hunter served some dessert. Chocolate cake, cupcakes, pancakes, cookies, and ice cream. "Don't worry, they are all dairy-free and there's no egg or honey either," Hunter said to Sydney who smiles. "Why thank you, good sir," she said before pulling a plate of cake towards herself.
"Mmm," Sophia said taking a bite from her pancake. "This takes me back. I mean, the food here in the Met is good but nothing beats a good breakfast in Skyline,"
"Tell me about it. Everyone over there knows the formula to make an amazing baked good," Hunter agreed.
"You two are from Skyline, right?" Sydney asked.
"Yup! The home of bakery," said Sof.
"No way it's actually called that," Chelsea laughed.
"It is. Why do you think Hunter smells like a freshly baked doughnut?" said the redhead.
Hunter's eyebrows shoot up. "I don't?"
"Yes you do," Sydney affirmed.
"Zoe, a little help here?"
Zoe turns to him with a cupcake in her hand. "I have no idea what you guys are talking about nor do I care to know," she added before taking a bite from the cake, the scowl on her face quickly disappearing and turning into a smile.
Hunter could count on his hand the number of times he had seen the fiend smile like that and seeing her like that, he didn't know when his lips curl upward, a smile appearing on his face too.
.
.
.
"How long until we get there?" Ishani asked the pure demon.
"We're almost there," said the blue-haired woman. Hunter was wearing a green cape with a large symbol in the back, a longsword in one hand, and a shield in the other - all given to him by Naamah as the cape was a protection cloth and the sword capable of dealing heavy damage. Ishani was wearing a similar cloth, also given to her by the turquoise-eyed pure demon. "We are going to the Deadland," the demon stated.
"Deadland? Should we be concerned?" Ishani queried.
"I don't know. The deadland used to be a safe haven for demons before the War of Heaven and Hell. It is guarded by the Gatekeeper who only lets those who can defeat him in," she said.
"What happened?" Hunter asked.
"The Adversary happened. After the Dark Majesty killed him in Nym'Roal, he returned to Hel and took refuge in the Deadland. Last we heard, he was now the ruler of the region," Naamah responded.
"What about Lilith? Why doesn't she do anything about it?"
"What can she do? The Deadland has never been considered a part of Hel even while the realm was separated into two."
"What do you mean?" Ishani asked.
"Hel used to be separated into the lower regions and the upper regions until the arrival of the Dark Majesty. He was the one who ruled all of Hel after he killed my father for the lower regions and The Adversary's brother for the upper regions," Naamah explained.
"I'm sorry about your father."
"Don't be," the pure demon frowned. "He deserved it," a small smile crawling up on her face.
"I don't get it," Ishani said confused. "Why don't Lilith just march her army over to the Deadland and take the place, isn't she afraid the Adversary might be planning a rebellion?"
Naamah laughs hysterically, holding her belly and stamping her feet on the ground. "Lilith? Fighting? You'll have a better chance of finding a necromancer!" The pure demon claimed.
"The Adversary is one of if not the strongest living pure demon, he would crush Lilith in a matter of seconds. The only reason that bitch is feared by other demons is because of her reputation which she falsely earned thanks to her association with the Dark Majesty," she continued.
"What do you mean?" Ishani asked. "I thought Lilith attacked and conquered all the tribes in Hel and became the sole ruler? At least it's what we were taught in the Met school."
"Please. Lilith is only feared because she was favored by the Dark Majesty. I don't think there's anyone he loved more than her ... Well, except his daughter, The Darkchild."
'You have a daughter?'
[We've talked about this Hunter, I had a lot of kids]
'Yeah, but I thought that was as Cal-Ra, not the Dark Majesty!'
[Well ... surprise?]
They reached a new region. Where everything was monochromatic.
[See now that this place could do with a splash of color]
'Heh.'
"Welcome to the Deadland," said the pure demon as they approached the gate that was guarded by a tall man wearing heavy armor that covers his entire body.
"That's the Gatekeeper. Only those who can beat him are allowed inside and that is where your friend is," Naamah stated.
Hunter rubs the side of his ear. "Uh-huh. Does that mean we all have to fight him?" The sprite asked.
"No, just one!"
"Then maybe you should have s ... Nevermind."
"So which one of us would face the Gatekeeper?" Ishani asks, the both of them turn to Hunter waiting for an answer.
"Er ..."
"Pick me, master!" Naamah said excitedly. "I want to show you what I can do!" She stated.
[You do it]
"Not now Naamah," Hunter refused. "I'll take this one but I promise the next fight would be all yours."
"I can't wait!" She jumped.
"Anything I should know?"
"Not really. You get to decide the rules," she revealed.
"Right." The trio approached the gate and the Gatekeeper stands still, unmoving like a statue until Hunter was in front of him.
"Do you know the rules?" The gatekeeper asked.
"Yes," Hunter replied.
"Then pick a stipulation," said the gatekeeper.
[Hand to Hand combat]
"Hand to hand; no powers," Hunter picked, dropping the longsword and the shield on the ground.
"Very well," said the gatekeeper, taking a step back. "Good luck, sprite."
---------