Ripping through the starry sky, a grand dragon of deep blue scales flaps with a body softly perched between her jaws. And the ride takes a while before she finds the place she needs to be. After landing, she scours through the forest for any sign of what she is looking for. And there, she spots a thick line of smoke rising from within a plain field. 

Atop a hill, a tiny group surrounds a bonfire nearby their famous door frame leading to their residence. Singing songs of all kinds and drinking around the fire, all in celebration of their recent taste of victory that happened just yesterday.

The dragon bellows, alerting the adventurers but they stop once they recognize who she is.

"Heya, Vyra!" One of them calls out.

"Did Oasis send you to celebrate our victory?" Another asks.

"Not exactly." Vyra the dragon struggles to reply. And the rest take notice of it and ask in curiosity--

"Whatcha got there?"

Vyra pushes her head into the light to show them the person perched safely in her jaws just between her teeth. A fearsome enemy of all kinds of beings...

"Oh my fucking...! That's--!"

"It's your newest member, Myerasis." The dragon nods, leaving the passed out elf onto the grass just a few feet away from them and then turns to one side in preparation for take off.

Everyone is quick to group around him, gazing upon his body. Even the team leader, Enette, has trouble pushing them all away to give their passed out visitor space. But she freezes to admire his beauty from up close. Such feminine qualities such as his long white and light pink hair, his slender body, and even his lips. Whereas his masculine points fall on his scar-covered fair skin, his gruff hands which seem to have gone through many battles, and obviously his...

"No way that's the fucking Elf Lord of Destruction!" A half-elf human boy gasps, ignoring the dragon's words.

"Timi!" Enette, the leader of the team, hisses, slapping the back of her son's head before turning to the rest of her team. "Everyone! Calm yourselves. Remember that we are the Rehab Adventure Team and that we accept criminals and villains of all kinds according to Oasis' holy judgement."

"How the fuck are we gonna--" Their werewolf member begins but is immediately cut off by their faun priestess member.

"Oh, Oasis, he reeks of darkness. You sure you didn't make a wrong turn somewhere, Vyra? Perhaps the River of Eon where dark, villainous overlords like him belong? No, no. Perhaps that's an overstatement, after all, he is leagues more powerful than any souls there."

"Older too." Someone else squeaks.

"As much as I hate his kind of people--not racially--I believe we should give him a chance." Their male demon member responds. "After all, we are the rehab adventurers. We pride ourselves in shaping the darkness in lost causes, into something beautiful. Just like we did with Rochelle. And she was as tough as rock to shape into what she is now."

"That is true." Rochelle, their female human member, agrees while spinning her dagger around her finger.

"Do not fret, everyone, for the Mark of Oasis was placed on him to ensure your safety. Now, I must depart. I wish you all the best of luck." She spreads out her wings but then stops upon remembering, "Oh and do try your best to take care of him. I believe this one is quite important to Oasis. It'd be a great loss to him if something were to happen."

"Important?" The faun scoffs to which the werewolf flicks her horns at in order to keep her insanity in check. In retaliation, she smacks his face with the top of her adorned staff.

"I'll connect to him before he wakes up." Enette states, gingerly placing her glowing hand onto the mark neatly on his chest. Allowing the magic to connect to her own. It has always acted as a security measure. Sealing the target's magic as well as anything else that grants them strength that can kill.

As she presses her hand, Myerasis feels her palm's warmth, but mostly the sting coming from the mark and her magic. Just hearing them talk about Oasis and him makes him tired. So he decides that this is the time to wake up and make a first impression. Perhaps by bashing in one of their heads? Oh how twisted that would be.

"Fuck...." The lying Myerasis breathes, causing Enette to jump back in surprise. Watching him pretending to struggle in picking himself off the ground.

From the corner, Timi almost opens his mouth to greet the stranger but the demon places his hand on his shoulder and shakes his head, knowing how much of a prankster he can be.

"Places everyone!" Enette whispers, rushing everyone to their places around the bonfire. Then batters the dirt off her dress and hair, instead of helping the stranger who picks himself up all the way with a huff.

Everyone sits in silence with their hearts beating with adrenaline. Both in excitement and cautiousness, in case this elf of destruction tries anything. Even Enette puts herself on high alert, despite needing to be as welcoming as she can to avoid looking vulnerable and possibly hypocritical. Though it will always be in her nature to be cautious despite her forgiving and kind nature. Being with a group of dangerous people toughens one up in order to get them used to it. One would guess that's why she's forgetting her role at this moment, as the others look at her in expectation, which she thankfully picks up.

"Oh-- Good sir, are you--" She says and tries reaching her his arm but her evades her touch, a smile plastered on his face.

"Who might you be...?" Myerasis asks.

'Oh, actually...I know who you are, Enette D'Cruz. Two years widowed with a troubling child you feel uneasy having within society, managing a circus of freaks. Where I apparently belong now. Because of him.' He recounts in anger inside his head which he quickly turns into a passing thought once he looks down at his own body to find Oasis' mark on his exposed chest. Burnt into his flesh like a brand on a vicious animal. Even now Oasis, the grand God of all-kind, sees him as less than the rest of the mortals without talent or power. He pushes his brows together in realization of that reality. 

"Um...I..." Enette grows more unsteady than usual as she watches the elf's expression change to emptiness. Not just the depressing kind, but the void-type of empty. Dangerous and like he'll explode at any minute. 

'So what should I say to avoid my own death?' She wonders nervously. 'He's like the incarnation of death and destruction itself...'

Her demon companion places a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "I got this. You just rest, dear." He whispers, patting her before turning to Myerasis with an outstretched hand. "Welcome, Myerasis. My name is Tor. Supervisor and protector of the Rehab Adventure Team, at your service."

Myerasis looks at Tor's hand, from there he glances at Enette, who nods nervously at him with a forced smile and clenched fists. She, along with everyone else, have grown cautious. To see a monster in front of them, unpredictable and stronger than any of them, even if he wears chains. Because never in history has this happened before. After all, his power rivals Oasis' himself. A power that almost had him succeed in corrupting and killing almost all on this planet.

Myerasis immediately smiles and shakes Tor's hand.

"Oh~ what a handshake. Rough and with protruding veins that seemed to have tasted blood before." He says, feeling the tiny muscles in Tor's hand tense only by a tiny bit. "Or perhaps longs to...? Either way, it's my pleasure, good one." He then leans in and whispers, "If you need a sparring buddy, call my name."

Tor pulls back, laughing off the intensity. "What a sense of humor, Myerasis."

"Humor, of course..." Myerasis dismisses him and turns to everyone else. "Just what is this place exactly other than the graveyard of Oasis' failures...?"

Everyone frowns, the tension in the air becoming thicker. 

Enette jumps up from her seat, thumb trembling without her knowledge. "Right. You just woke up, probably confused and sca....er.... let me introduce myself first. My name is Enette, leader and founder of the Rehab Adventure Team. Now, I want to take this step by step.... or, um..."

She's freezing up, voice trailing off as her thoughts run blank. That's never happened before, ever. Perhaps it almost occurred that one time Siena tried killing her, but not as intensely as this. This deity-- this manifestation of pure darkness is more compared to everyone else.

"I have a question." Myerasis begins, taking a seat across the fire only for every seated person to stand up and awkwardly distance themselves away. Not even they could handle his corrupting aura. But that does not matter to him. "For one: why did Oasis put me here instead of rip out my heart and kill me on the spot? Wouldn't that have saved your little lives?"

"....I'm not very sure. Vyras, the messenger, just left you and Oasis' trust in us keeping you safe, here."

"He cares?" Myerasis scoffs softly, pointing his finger at the mark on his chest. "Does he brand everyone that he cares about?"

"It's for our, and your, safety. I'm sure you understand." Tor responds.

"Explain to me, what exactly it is you do."

Enette steps in, a sudden light of confidence now on her face. "We are an adventure team. Founded with the quest of taking in and rehabilitating criminals and such other lost ones sentenced by Oasis, to utilize therapeutic means such as going on adventures, to forge bonds and gather healthy tools to combat whatever traumas and darkness held so far before being pardoned and released. That is our purpose, in which we have been very successful at."

"Really?"

"Take myself, for example." Tor starts. "A few years ago I was locked up for bashing in the head of a drunkard after a heated conversation. I held not a drop of remorse for taking his life. Not even after the revelation of his identity as a renowned architect with a wife and twins."

"The murder of a drunkard who had a wife and twins? Oasis must have been there himself to witness such a tiny crime to sentence you to therapy." Myerasis sighs.

"It was regrettably not my first crime." Tor confesses. "I've had other mistakes, tragedies, done by my hands alone. I was supposed to be banished long ago but for some reason Oasis took it upon himself to give me a chance to repent. So after I joined Enette's growing adventure team, I found the solution to my meaningless life." 

Even thinking about the past makes Tor feel nothing. Even through many many years of adventures where he had the opportunity to grow and learn, he doesn't regret.

'He has no empathy.' Is all Myerasis can read off of the demon's situation. He turns away and points at the nearest stranger-- the faun.

"Name." He commands.

Enette scrambles to answer, "That's Siena Lolock--"

"Siena Lolock, female faun. A priestess loyal to Oasis yet head ever so corrupt with such darkness." He answers, tired of waiting for them.

Siena's expression never changes, even after Myerasis' truth. For she knows he knows of her consciousness and everything below. The only being ever to see right through her. Like a mother who can see through her child's antics.

"You dream everyday of the music you sang to the humans and fauns that were willing to heed your preach. Sung in the name of Oasis yet masked with trickery and malice." He stands next to her with his head tilted, taking a look into her bright blue eyes only to see the darkness still lingering in her soul along with Oasis' mark. Branded and left off to some bootcamp, tamed and turned obedient. 

"You're still loyal to Oasis, despite the "corruption" running through your veins?"

"Of course I am." Siena nods with a soft smile. "His light leads my life. And my evil is but a part of me."

'A failed specimen.' He thinks and turns to the others. Specifically the werewolf of the group. Tall and thick in muscle with a darkening stubble.

"I've seen you before, Yarek the werewolf. Once feared among a kingdom as he spilled blood. Very famous during that time." He then turns to a human woman, young and slim in stature with her exposed upper thigh covered in markings of features. "You too, Rochelle the merciless maid. All of you."

They all glare at him intensely, creating a showdown type of feel in the air. Although most would like to show off their power and put this elf in his place, they cannot. They cower, just like wood to fire.

"I believe it is in all of our interest if we retreat for the night." Tor suggests, an idea to the liking of Enette, who claps her hands with a nervous smile.

"Yes, yes. I'll show Myerasis around the inside to his new room whilst you all head on to catch some sleep. Because I have an assignment ready to explain upon daylight." She explains and receives a couple of groans in response.

"So much for our victory night." Rochelle groans, heading into the door along with everyone else. But Tor stays behind, worried about Enette's safety. She quickly notices his gaze and turns to Myerasis with a nervous chuckle.

"Excuse me for a moment as Tor and I discuss business." 

"Sure. Don't let me get in the way." Myerasis watches as the two walk away towards the darkness not too far from the camp and not too close to the forest. Now that they are all gone he can sneak some food and liquids into his starving body.

"I can take care of the tour segment for you." Tor says, giving quick glances at the elf lord of destruction. "I know how busy you are, given everyone's tensed up by his presence and tomorrow's adventure."

"I don't want to bother you with it."

"Enette, you should know me by now. I value this job as much as you do and the responsibilities that come with it. I have never let anything fall out of place, that includes your health."

With her hand to her thumping chest, Enette sighs, feeling her heart ease down with every breath she draws and exhales. The insects chirping in the night sky and the crackling fire becoming louder, rushing in calmness to her mind.

"You're right, as usual. I have a lot that needs to be done and if I focus on my heart never stopping from the stress he invokes in me, I'll never get anything done." She takes a look at the hand that is tied to the mark on Myerasis. "If you need help, be sure to-"

"I'll be sure to let you know. Now go get some rest, leader."

Overjoyed by his support, Enette goes ahead to get to work. "I bid you night." She calls out to Myerasis and disappears into the door.

With a deep inhale, Tor turns to Myerasis with a fake smile.

"Shall we get started?"