Chapter 1: The Devil's Due

Stepping into the round circular stage area, I was greeted by harsh lights and a harshly anticipatory audience of hundreds. Their voices melded together like a shapeless, wordless cacophony of noise and screaming. I smiled taking a bow before rasing my ebony cane high into the air.

"LADIES AND GENTLEMEN!!!!!" I shouted, egging the crowd on causing more uproarious laughter, screaming, and cheering from the already hyped audience. "PREPARE YOURSELVES FOR AN EXPERIENCE UNLIKE ANY OTHER!!, BEYOND TOUCH!, SMELL, SIGHT AND HEARING, THIS WILL ROCK YOU TO THE CORE!!!!" I clicked my thick leather boots together and took another bow. "I Devon Zorostred humbly present to you The Devil's Dancers, LA SQUADRA!!!!" I thrust my cane into the air and the crowd became rabid with clapping and cheering. I brought my hand to my mouth and blew a kiss into the crowd. the crowd went wild, all trying to catch the nonexistent kiss. men trampled women, kids were shoved. finally, the chaos subsided a small girl with charming cutesy pigtails and a cute as a button face. she wore a cute sundress with a minimalist pattern on it. she stood up holding her hand triumphant in the air.

"I CAUGHT IT!" She squeaked. "I caught his kiss!" She piped up again. The clowns beside me waited their turn as I walked back out to the stage. With a bright smile, I answered.

"Well then c'mon down here" I motioned with my hand for the little girl to join me on the stage. the whole crowd went dead quiet as this little girl made her way down the many many rows of seats towards the stage. Holding my cane to my side I commanded the clowns to learn their place and wait to perform.

"Patience dears!" I said to the eager clowns. after a while, the child made her way down to the stage her hand still clenched tight in a ball.

"I caught it" she repeated.

Well, then it appears you did, Now tell me, darling?" I asked squatting down placing my ringmaster's cap upon her head. "What's your name?"

"Mariah, Mariah Calstrung"

"My what a pretty name" Turning to the crowd I smiled "Isn't it!?" I raised my arms and the crowd erupted with cheering. I scratched my chin. "although a girl like you might get lonely without a friend" I reached my hand into my waistcoat, the crowd and little Mariah were all caught in suspense, wondering what could possibly happen next. removing my hand from my coat I retrieved a large, snow-white, and rather excited rabbit.

"Well go on my dear take him," I said handing the rabbit to Mariah. She took the bunny with delight turning to face her father in the crowd. her face lit up with joy as she held the bunny above her head.

"CAN I KEEP HIM, DADDY!!!??" She excitedly asked. With glee, she turned back to me and smiled.

"Thank you Mister Devon" She went to leave and with a whistle, I stopped her.

"Hold it, what are you going to name him?" I asked pulling the rabbit from her arms and cradling it like a newborn in my arms. "All things must have a name lest we forget them, and you wouldn't want to forget your little bunny would you?" I said cocking an eyebrow to the lass, handing the bunny back she smiled and beamed with energy.

"I'm gonna name him...." everything became dull ambient noise as my senses began to dilute, I was no longer in the real world I was in a dream of sorts. my body as if frozen time remained standing, unmoving, unblinking, yet somehow I was still breathing.

A man clad in a black robe, adorned in black chains and other forms of opulent jewelry stepped out from the darkness. He carried a large golden staff that was topped with a wicked and occult crescent moon shape that I swear I saw before. He had long black hair, in a long messy braid. he had devilish red eyes that pierced my soul with a single glance.

"You hate them don't you?" He asked me. he had a rough voice that while sounding as though he had swallowed a patch of sandpaper, he still sounded relatively young almost childlike. He stared at me with his dagger-like pupils. "You can't hide darkness from me, especially hatred" He thrust his staff into my chest. I didn't feel pain, I didn't feel the impact either, it was as if he had given me permission to speak.

"What gives you the right to speak to me in such a way? Who are you anyway?" I questioned scowling at the man crossing my arms and snickering.

"Who I am is irrelevant to the question at hand" He snapped back.

"At least give me a title if you have one?" I demanded to know who in the hell this magical whimsical mind hijacker was. As the figure smiled the darkness around him seemed to move up and down as if it was breathing.

"The God of Shadows" His cheeks pulled back into a manic smile. his sharp shark-like teeth seemed to glow among the darkened space that filled wherever the hell we were. "Now I will ask only once more, do you hate them?"

"Y-Yes" I answered like a schoolboy being forced to tell the truth. "I hate them"

"why exactly? I've heard many reasons but a defensive stooge like you must have a good reason"

"you want to know why?" I asked

"but of course"

"Fine, I'll tell you! It's because they are all clueless, they live life as if everything is ordinary when in reality we have this horrid destiny we can't control, and that's why I hate them"

"let me get this straight, You hate them for something they can't control?" He questioned. "I figured as much, You have good darkness but you're too artsy with it, darkness its a Van Gough painting it doesn't have to be perfect but perfect enough"

"Who or what the hell is a Van Gough?!"I asked folding my arms.

"Oh I'm in the wrong timeline" the figure shook his head. "Look doesn't matter just think of a reason, for hatred and turn that hate into anger, and anger into power" He turned his back and began to walk into the vast darkness around. "Oh and before I go, My name is Joahz" With that he was gone. My senses slowly filled in and I became a part of the real world again. my body reviving still standing, still breathing in the middle of the stage. with a gasp and a jolt I was back to my senses.