Introduction – The last Pact

An icy wind made the bunny's black cloak waved as she squeezed through the shadows of the crypt. She ran down the stairs at full speed, in a dead silence, the metal parts of her equipment not emitting the slightest sound. Her mastery of silent movement was worthy of Hallow's greatest assassins. But she wasn't an ordinary slayer, selling her blade to the highest bidder. This bunny had dedicated herself to a sacred mission that was pursued by all the members of her secular order; The Demons Hunters.

The fulfillment of this primordial task, which kept Hallow's accursed land in an ephemeral ray of blessing light, had led her today to hunt down one of her oldest enemies. She would never have thought seeing this filthy creature again, but despite the distress she felt when she realized that he had returned from the demonic worlds, she could not restrain an uncontrollable smile at the thought of confronting him again.

She came out into the vault, and the smell of blood mixed with death struck her nostrils. Although the darkness prevented her from clearly seeing the extent of the carnage, she easily distinguished the dozen dead bodies, which were bathed in their own, still hot, organs. On the wall, vaguely reflected by the dying glow of a pale moon, the bunny was able to guess the impious features of the ritual pentacle that had been traced by the partisans of the Black Mass. Their dismembered bodies now lay on the ground.

They had deserved their fate.

Because of their madness, Hallow's country was facing an additional danger, not least.

A familiar shiver ran down her spine, and her creamy fur bristled under her clothes. Without losing a second, she turned around, unsheathing her wrought silver combat blade. The only metal able to defeat Evil.

An obscure, ancient laugh, echoed from the darkest alcove of the underground crypt. The bunny frowned and stood ready. Her prey had not left the place.

"I'm going to have to send you back to your infernal burrow. Once again." She said on a firm, but amused, tone.

"Ah, don't try to deny that you're happy to see me again ..." answered the cavernous and guttural voice of the demon, still lurking in the shadows.

"I would not have killed you if I wanted to see you again."

"We would not have this discussion if you had been able to."

"I thought that would be enough last time ..." retorted the Hunter.

"Oh, considering the result ... I think you didn't put all your ... Heart! "

As he uttered this word, a flame of burning brilliance suddenly illuminated the bottom of the crypt, revealing two long horns as black as coal. They sprang from the sickly skull of a filthy-looking fox who scanned the bunny with an expression whose wickedness was only matched by malice. His skinny but muscular body was shapeless; his arms far too long ending in huge, clawed paws, still dripping with the warm blood of the cultists who had the misfortune to invoke him. From his vaulted back slowly spread two broad membranous wings, torn and damaged by time and centuries of fights. From his horns strangely flowed a black fluid similar to tar, which streamed down his face, and disappeared under the thick red scarf surrounding the ruffled fur of his neck. The flaming glow that revealed this demonic apparition sprang from the hearth of an unhealthy flame, burning between his two horns, floating in the air like a playful will-o'-the-wisp.

The demon pushed aside the fall of red cloth composing his scarf and hiding his bare chest. A gaping hole could be seen instead of his heart, whose hemorrhage of black blood seemed to never stop.

"You have something that belongs to me, I think... Isn't it, Oce?" The demon winced, displaying a cruel expression of predation. "I know it's here. I can feel it beat. You can't hide it from me "

"If I had intended to do so, I would not have taken it with me today." Retorted the so-called Oce.

Her gestures accompanying her speech, she lifted her black cloak to reveal a scarlet box hanging from her belt. An unhealthy and throbbing vibration emanated from it. The bunny stared the fox-demon, and offered him a smirk.

The greed that began to burn in the creature's eyes was even hotter than the flame that lit up his facial features.

"You came to give it to me as a gift?" The demon quipped, trying to hide his confusion. "Do not think I'll forgive you or spare you, even if you give it to me of your own will ..."

"I thought you knew me better than that… Your sense of humor hasn't improved in six years. "

"If I remember correctly, it wasn't my humor that you liked the most, even at that time. As for what you hold, I don't think I've offered it to you... "

"I know it well." The bunny retorted. "That's why I didn't hesitate to take it by force. "

"Ah, what a mistake." The demon replied, tightening his fangs in the form of a macabre smile. "You should have pierced it when you had the opportunity. Now, it's my turn to make some holes in your chest."

Having dropped these words, the demonic creature spread his wings, threw his immense claws out of his fingers, and rushed on his prey in a supernatural movement.

But it wasn't the Hunter's first fight. With a clever gesture of her blade, she parried the mortal blow which was destined to her, and went on a roll to get out of reach of the charge of her adversary. Without waiting for him to regain his balance, she jumped on his back, sword deployed, launching a precise blow in direction of his neck. But the demon had not said his last word. Anticipating the assault of the Hunter, he swept the space between them with a brutal blow of his tail, soft and silky in appearance, ending with a white tip of false purity, and which hide an unexpected strength.

Oce was thrown back and hit the wall of the crypt violently before falling back to the ground, immediately recovering to a fighting position.

The devil did volte-face, a burning fire flooding his arms, and flowing to his clenched fists like two fiery braziers.

"So what are you waiting for?" The demon finally let go, strangely surprised. "Pierce it, if you want to get out of it. Otherwise, I guarantee you, there will be nothing left of you but ashes ... You know how much I like to play with fire. "

"I have something else in mind ..."

The flames that covered his arms shorten to the point of disappearing completely, and he walked towards her with a mocking and somewhat vicious air.

"Are you sure you want to go in that direction ...? He coughed slyly.

"I don't think we have the same thing in mind." She countered, while putting her paw against the red box, which had the immediate effect of stopping the fox's confident approach, who stopped a few feet from her.

"In that case, tell me your thoughts." The demon replied, crossing his long arms over his chest and taking a falsely interested look.

"I think your flames would be much more useful if I put them to my service."

"You want to make a deal with me? With a demon?" The fox laughed. "No kidding ? It's the best joke I've ever heard!"

With a theatrical movement of the arm, he pointed the lifeless bodies that were lying at their feet.

"Did you see what happened to the last morons who tried to make a deal with me? You should think twice about it. "

"These fools didn't have that in their possession." retorted Oce, tightening her paw on the metal edge of the scarlet box, which literally vibrated under her fingers. "That being said, they deserved their fate. I have no intention of avenging this vermin."

"They will at least have allowed this little meeting. I must admit that the world of mortals had missed me ..." he said with detachment, his eyes lingering more than needed on her.

"Hallow, on the other hand, didn't regret you at all. There are too many of your kind who are still corrupting this land ..."

The fox frowned at the mention of his peers. A shadow instilled in his eyes.

"Keep going… "

"I know you hate them at least as much as I do. So here is what I propose to you: your heart against their death. Isn't it tempting, Zieg? "

"Except that I don't trust you at all." the demon grumbled.

"That makes us at least one thing in common." retorted the Hunter.

The fox advanced slowly towards her, without hostility, before leaning to her level, stopping his snout a few inches from hers.

"Deal."