Two ears perked up at the sound of another person, the boy knew this because he was adept at hearing, not only that, but movement was always soundless for him-- he was nimble to the core. The sound however, hadn't went unnoticed. The thundering noise of footsteps made the boy purse his lips before tilting his head; he was a stone cold killer. The agent of death, the prowling lion, the pouncing panther, the hungry tiger. He was the true big cat in this world, and unlike the natural nekos, he was a monster. One whom was given their strength, as punishment, but he'd make use of it. Very well in fact, the boy would stain the race's honor with the deeds of his infamy. Rumor was already spreading fast of his massacres anyways, his jobs, his very identification as the criminal called 'Strategist'.

The whole thing was giving him exactly what it is he wanted, to be revered. Erebus did have a soft spot of course, for Celeste, but she was the first, if the only, who'd ever stirred his heart. The feline flustered thinking of her... Such a beautiful girl. He'd make her the priority until reason arised for her to move on, or etc. For now, she was his one and true, he hoped that it could be that way for a long while. The cat was rather fond of her company.

Moving on though, the boy dusted off his attire. Consisting of customary garbs.

His black clothes with golden trim fit his body quite nicely, cat-like eyes which glowed ominously in the dark; scanned the horizon. The boy was very much a go-getter as one could guess, handsome and exotic compared to others in this world. But his story was heading towards martial arts now, instead of the route he assumed he'd traverse in the past. The one which felt obvious at first because he had no talent for magic, while his mana reserves were high, he was incapable of channeling it outside the body...

Swords seemed the way to go back then and yet to his surprise bare hands were becoming his new battle tools. It was going to be harder, but he trusted in his master Kaidou. He knew that this was a chapter for his destiny, if it weren't, then things would really suck, but alas, only time would tell. "What's to find is to lose, what's to lose is to find." The neko said out-loud-- eyeing his hands from the chair in which he leaned back in.

The cat never was one to be much for riddles in the past. Now more than ever though, life seemed to be getting more and more ridiculous. It was as if things were written to get crazier like this by the passing page. The whole setting of his life seemed almost story-book like... The sly cat criminal, on a road to be the best. Even if circumstance led him to do it through ulterior means.

Was he just a joke for that? He wondered... Oh, how he wondered... The boy stood up and aimed himself to seek out the sound. Long, metallic claws peeled from his flesh, causing red blood to seep off his knuckles, merely for aesthetics. He felt no pain from it, it just signified that not all of him was of the cat.

Instead he was more of a hybrid breed, a monster human. While he was of the lighter side, not being of the darkness in race, his fuel was a frenzy, a sociopathic hunger for murder and death. Looming hate for the intricate anatomy of bodily harm brought on by his combat expertise. His potential was of brutality. His song was like the psalm's for the murder book. A poetic piece of literature. One could say that the cat was born for this kind of thing. He'd be the savage killer if he had too. Someone to be feared, even if they thought he was lax on the outside, he'd be something entirely different on the flip. It was just a ruse he'd wear, well, unless they were her... The one he felt that connection to... Celeste Vagarosa.

"Irony." -- He managed... Perhaps the image of her was all of what humanity still resided in him. Maybe. Again, no one knows, but his legend was pulling off heads now. Someday it would be robbing them straight off the necks of those who were curious enough to peep his sights from afar. He need only wait... It was there for him... Like his name in shining lights... "The history books will know my name. One way or another." The dark adventurer spat. "Either if I'm to be remembered as Erebus or not."

The boy zoned back in to his surroundings from the inner glory which occupied his soul. It was now time to begin. The stage was set. The boy got u from his chair, hopping over a pool of thick red hemoglobin. Which puddled around limp bodies.

Nearby, outside of the dark building where he sat in silence, Erebus saw Mammon walking by. The cat was interested, and held both hands to his waist. "Hey, you. Yeah, you.. What are you doing so far away from the town?" The question made sense considering they were on the outskirts of Oak, just barely able to be considered in town. Erebus had been sent here to beat up some thugs, had Mammon went inside, he'd find them cut to pieces.

However, for the nimbleness that the cat maintained. Not a drop colored his clothing. But a singly drop was there, glistening on his lower chin. If questioned about it, Erebus might have to lie... Actually, he'd tel the kid. Then, he'd teach him why the world would fear his name. "Oak is dangerous, you should run along.''

Her eyes looked forward towards the pit of darkness that people call Oak. Truly at night it was said to reek like death as the land has been covered once before by souls that were taken. Of course that was in her book from her mother, Kuriana. She always carried it wherever she went, hiding it somewhere. This time she hid it in her armor that she took from the manor that was given to her. It hasn't been long since she has gotten the manor from those who worked for her mother. Where was she truly? Oddly enough she felt some presence from her, even when she couldn't see her nor hear her. Her brown medium hair was growing a little longer, but weirdly the tips of the new hair was a rather different color. Her lioness eyes would stare into the darkness, letting the nature and wind feel her feet and body, wrapping its invisible embrace upon her soul. It felt amazing as it made her feel like someone or something was always with her no matter what.

As she continued to walk, Arisa wouldn't see anyone around. 'At least I don't have to deal with stupid shit.' she started to think to herself and looked forward. The deeper she went into the darkness the more weird she'd feel. This wasn't really an unwelcoming type either.  She walked alone, the streets covered in cobbled stone as the simple street lights would shine halo shape lights upon the very cold street. The time was about midnight as all that were there would be asleep besides those that reaped and stalked the sound of silence. Her steps would clash against the stone as her armored covered arms would dangle away yet close to her sides. Her facial on the other hand was calm yet sweet looking with her innocent-like eyes just dazing forward. Rather it was a couple minutes since her last actual thought, she'd hear something.

'People are out? Mmm..' she would wonder as she would have her back against the wall of some random building in her eyes. All she would hear is that this was some dangerous place, a girls voice and that was about it. Her brown eyes cornered as she would yawn softly to enter the area where they were. Her eyes stayed expressionless and calm. She didn't want to spill out her real self just out of no where. Who knows who these people were. She would eye some cat guy, a female with galactic cream blue hair and a dude with blonde. 'What an interesting group.' the darker voice spoke in disgust in her thoughts. 'Shut up...' Arisa would respond softly and sighed. Her eyes lowered half way. ''Oak is only dangerous to those that make it that way.'' she would speak in a soft soothing tone, melodic to those that would be weak to the heart yet enough to sooth a beast.

Her head tilted a little to the left making her brown hair move with. Her eyes then really looked at what seemed to be a weird couple. 'Reminds me of what I don't have...' she thought darkly as she would stare towards them in an expressionless way. Truly Arisa wasn't so sure on what to say to these strangers. She didn't know who they were and honestly what mattered to her was if they were interesting enough to entertain her time here. A part of her felt envious all-the-while feeling desire to have what she doesn't have.

Erebus's arms wrapped around Irony, as he smiled to her, his eyes giving her a closed-shut grin and a whispered purr. When the character known vaguely by his woman spoke up, the male lowered his hand to her rear and smugly pulled her in and squeezed her. grab ass. Strategist's change of atmosphere would be evident as he released tension off her. Meeting the blond kid's gaze. Sharp claws-- roughly a foot in length-- shot from the crevices between his knuckles. Then he gestured towards the boy, somewhat taunting him. "It's funny you bring up shit and animals being in the woods at the same time. Hence the difference between you and me, you being the shit-- me being the animal. If you value your tongue then I'd refrain from 'triggering' me as you put it. I'd sooner cut your head down from your shoulders than eat an insult from a nobody."

The cat's eyes stared forward, having pressed vision behind the Fairy Tail mage to stare off at a silent Arisa after her dialogue had ended. Were the two partners?

She gave him an annoyingly familiar vibe, such being the one he use to wear. It wasn't cute but then again, maybe she was watching this fool here. Hoping to get some protection out of her, the bastard Mammon would open his mouth again, Erebus figured at least. All the while, he had peripheral vision on Mammon when he looked off at her, ensuing the guy didn't try a hasty swing upon the cat-boy unsheathing his claws in the meantime. Frankly, though, Erebus could tell his skills were probably above this man's simpleton leagues. So he'd relax his agitation to speak up again. Magic no longer made Erebus question his abilities. It was easy enough for him to defeat wizards without such trivial toys like flame or frost...

"Irony you know this guy? I'm resisting pretty heavily because of your relations to him. You should thank her when you get the chance, since I'd have torn into you by now Mr. Nobody..." The boy then flickered vision back towards Arisa, she looked similar... "Ah, you in the back. You were in the tournament yeah? I think we were defeated by the same competitor. Maarschalk." Erebus only knew of her loss, because of word travelling from Baska. He wasn't the type to stay in a foreign place to watch others attain victories.

 

There she was in the midst of the night with three random people she didn't know, except one. Her eyes would shoot towards the man that seemed to be some human animal. The wind was rather nice as she stood there like some god damn statue. Wearing armor of course would hide her body, making her seem either flat or just bodily ashamed even though the real answer would be neither. Arisa listened to the three speak their piece of words as if she was studying. First the blonde hair guy would speak, triggering her peace of mind with his constant talk. Something within her felt rather irritated, angry and therefore enclosing a part of her that she wanted to keep closed. Slowly her right hand would rub the side of her temple, looking, thinking. 'Mmmm...what an annoying brat. That blonde kid needs to shut up.' the dark voice would speak. Arisa would tilt her head a little to look at the blonde one. 'Him? He's just a kid...or looks like one.' she would respond softly. Truly in her head it was a war of her own as the one outside was nothing compared to the true edginess of half of the heart.

After the blonde kid finally stopped talking she would hear the dark voice again. 'Finally that kid shutted the fuck up.'. Her right hand would face plant and pinch the base of her nose. The three were too busy bickering to each other to honestly notice. As her eyes opened all the way she would see the girl all up against Strategist's body causing her to eye twitch. 'How disgusting...' Arisa thought, self denying the fact that she's envious. 'How delectable. Oh my.' spoke the darker voice in her thought, chuckling seductively.

'Back off damn you...' Arisa would think back. 'Too bad that bitch has some self-issues by the looks of her.' the darker self would think as honestly Ana wasn't highly intrigued by her 'type' other than defiling innocence from them. 'Reminds me of you sometimes.' the darker voice would then speak again and laughed. Arisa's eye twitch would continue, but then stopped as she stood up straight giving a rather nice smile as she was brought up finally. ''Ah yea, him. He won evidently in the end.'' she would only say as she really didn't pay much attention to what seemed threatening. Was that bad since she was technically a rune knight? Truly though Arisa didn't care, but her heart was beating shyly as her face blushed out of no where. Due to Ana distracting her, she didn't notice that she was blushing at what the two were doing. She never had such contact with any gender before unlike Ana...

In a swift, and undamaging way, the boy managed to slide out from Celete's hug, with killer intent gathering within his irises. The cat-like pupils themselves seeed to be pulsing and shaking with madness. He was the mighty death cutter, it was his job to end weaklings in blows that meant their foretold doom. But it was also a quality art making them experience excruciating physical harm and ailment. For Mammon, this next series of events would not feel good; in fact it'd feel quite hellish.

Lesson one, never turn your back on a big cat. As predators they lose control if their prey is dumb enough to give them an easy kill. They're like savages, but their intellect makes them even more dangerous than normal beasts... The events were already underway now, with Irony being left a step behind him out of danger. For what he was now preparing to do right in front of her, she might feel disgust. Slaughter... But not to murder, instead to torture.

Mammon had made a dire mistake, to look at Arisa, the blonde would've required to fully turn around, or at the very least open himself up to an attack that could not have been stopped considering the point blank range between the two. Soundless as the night, the cat moved his hands at a speed that could be considered a blurred motion. First sliding roughly across the boy's top, shaving a wide gap of hair off and leaving blood in it's wake, the other claw rested at his side, ready to counter-attack anything un-foreseen occurring. Although due to the speed, range, and the soundless perk of his nimble body. Erebus would be fairly safe, in which case, when his opponent yelped in pain, the mage would thrust a clawed punch into the blonde's side leaving him on the ground to bleed profusely. The attack was enough to knock out the pyromaniac, but was halted in depth merely to allow him the suffering of pain. To complete the combo Erebus would merely land a powerful blow into the back of the kid's shoulder.

Due to his staggering strength compared to Mammon's endurance statistic, it might dislocate or even shatter the bone. Putting him to shame in front of both the females. If on the ground the boy managed to ready himself any spells, Strategist would interrupt by squashing the boy's hands against the ground, breaking his knuckles in the process as well.

Then the cat's gaze would sling upwards, eyeing Arisa if she dared move in his direction, if she already had too. She'd be at the disadvantage regardless, in the dark he was the monster men should fear. The only way making out his figure in this place from her distance was a difficulty in and of itself, to assume she could see their shapes and hear voices, she had to be trying quite hard. It was actually quite pitch in this area after all. Now then, with the divine judgement in place, this would become the cat's playground, they'd both now realize why Oak was dangerous. The knight and the light mage. If they dared throw conflict with Grimoire Heart, that is...

"I warned him. Now, what do you say you exit the area with his body in hand so he can hurt awhile longer, accept this kid's humiliation for what it is. If not, then you can join him, the choice is yours? If Maarschalk won that tournament, good. I'll see him again someday, if anyone is deserving of my defeat. It's got to be a champion, and the champion alone. However, you, are no champion. So just try me and taste what it means to rival the mighty Strategist! I'm in the mood, make my day!"

If Arisa leapt into the offense whilst Erebus spoke, he too would move into action at the ready, and close off her attacks with martial arts. Ready to reversal and counteract her attacks. Thus, entering his Death Cutter Stance while pressing forward.

DCS: 1

Death Cutter Stance:

--------------------------------------------------------
- Claws = +20% STR.
- Soundless Perk = Passive, Can't be heard.
- Nightvision Perk = Perfect vision in the dark forest.
- Stance = +20%; stacking with Claws.

 

Arisa would stand there in the misty night as she looked at the three. Not really caring to move nor paying attention she wouldn't notice the cat man coming forward towards the blonde guy. Truly it wasn't too fast, but it was fast enough for her to not do anything. Truly she had no idea who this guy was nor the other person, but what the fuck just really happened? The guy started to bleed, being bald and now somewhat knocked out. 'That poor filfthy soul.' the darker voice spoke in her thoughts as Arisa would look. Honestly it didn't bother her that the guy that constantly talked was attacked, it was what was said next. Was this guy really trying to trigger her? Start shit with her even? Was it because of this chick that was there? 'I'll be right back...' she would mumble under her breath. She'd be on her guard as she would drag the blonde guy from the collar and to some building. Far away from the accident she would go to the hospital and into the building. ''Yo, this guy needs attention. Bar fight and all. Bye bye now.~'' she would say as she would let go of his shirt. The people there would take care of him as she would walk her sweet ass right on back to the duo to have some nice talks and perhaps drinks. Surely this guy wasn't going to start too much shit. She wasn't even there to start anything, just social and walk about to adventure. After so many minutes she would end up back to the building where they were at. ''Alright. Now that's finished. That's a fancy nickname you got there, Strategist. Not sure why you're starting stuff unless that's part of some fancy strategy as well.'' she would say softly and sweetly with a smile. Of course she would stay away about three meters from them with the street lights all on, shining the place.

Arisa moved slowly forwards, cautious he assumed, his eyes trained on her as she bent at his feet to take Mammon away. He then felt the press of Celeste, body against his. The softness of her breasts and the harmony in her voice soothed his state of anger, and he wrapped his body around hers. "I know Celeste. You're the only thing that matters and it wasn't right for me to lose my head. If my... Habits ever bother you to much, just tell me. I'll behave around you, I promise..." He had whispered the words into her ear, planting a kiss into her neck, stimulating the beauty's senses with a bite, as her fingers-tips hit him, and scratched behind the ears. A soft, almost sexual noise escaped his lips. But the twitch of his ears after about ten minutes there in the dark with her told him that Arisa had arrived again. The boy pulled his head back from her, smiling.

He'd toned his anger down do to Irony's presence, but he was prone to being set off at any dire moment. Kaidou was training him to do so, so it wasn't like he could avoid his bloodlust every time. Erebus knew this true in his head, bu ignore the thought. For now he kept his arm around the blue-haired girl upon witnessing the arrival of their neutral enemy; the rune knight.

The cat's eyes peered down the block. He then spoke up to her back inside his typical voice and tone. Strong and eager, but also fairly evened out-- so to adjust the wearisome stranger not to jump any thin lines. "Irony is right, you came here with a pretentious attitude yourself, even if it wasn't as foolish as the other guy's. It was asking for a conflict... No, my tone isn't some strategy to intimidate you, it's simply what happens when you piss someone off. They get angry. It's an instinct." The cat fixed his ruffled clothing, it had drops of red on it. Perhaps because he hadn't been paying attention this time around. Highly likely, considering his much more aggressive take.

The stance had been dropped.

 

She looked towards the cat man and girl who was beside him. Honestly the main Arisa would feel rather flustered. Her heart pounded as she would imagine herself next to a guy she liked. Her face would blush, but then honestly it was all ruined as the girl talked. Was she challenging her? She was smart though to not start something so she was just going to study these guys. Studying? She loved studying as did her mother. The book she had with her that was shoved in her breasts in her armor had it all. From the time she was first born to her mothers disappearance. ''Mmmm...I honestly wish to hang out. Perhaps read my book and walk around.'' she spoke as if she acted clueless to literally the cat guy shredding the last guy. After a couple seconds she listened to the guy talk of how she acted rather mighty even though she honestly didn't get how. Perhaps tonight wasn't the time to really enjoy her night, shame. Her eyes would remember what happened and she knew the name the cat guy went by. Slowly she would then go away as she would wave goodbye. ''Perhaps another time...'' she would whisper softly and sighed. Her eyes looked forward as her lips formed a frown, disappearing like a leaf withering into the air from the flames.

-exit-