Bringing the Heat (open)

[.:Amilia:.]

There wasn't much to say about Arix when he wasn't wearing his armor and walking around with swords in his hands. Sure, he stuck out quite a bit because of the glowing aura of his left arm and the fiery blue eyes. However, he was still one of those guys who catches the eye of the random female who just so happened to look in his direction.

Arix was dressed down from his usual, wearing a t-shirt that fit him snug and long and a pair of baggy jeans with his combat boots. He had no weapon on him at the moment, but in his hand she could make a simple broomstick the most deadly thing on the planet. Today wasn't a casual day for him, he was just walking to the courtyard of the castle so he could don his armor and pick up a blade and train.

What awaited him wasn't a shock. It was the first time he had been around the castle in the last few weeks, there were men and women there waiting for him to arrive. Each of these people were wearing light armor and all of them had swords at their sides. When he walked into the courtyard they all stood and watched him just walk right past them and into the castle.

After a few moments of gearing up and gathering his weapons he walked back out into the courtyard, all of them were standing in a line facing the door waiting for him. "Chill," was the only thing he said to them before sitting down on the crate close by.

Arix adjusted the straps on the plated boots and just sat there watching them. Finally after they all stood very patiently he said, "I guess we can begin, draw your swords and get ready."

[Sparda]

Arix was not alone in presidency over the training of these brave individuals; another, his partner in this endeavour, had also been waiting for him, eager to see how he handled this.

Following him out into the courtyard after he'd donned his armour came Sparda, carrying a weapon that had not been seen on a Genesis battlefield since his arrival. His left forearm was concealed behind an angular shield of black and yellow, appearing as if made of the scaly hide of some great beast. Clutched in his right hand was an enormous lance of black metal and the same scaly chitin. The shaft, crafted of a lighter steel, glowed with an unnatural inner luminescence.

As he crossed into the courtyard to stand with Arix before the volunteers, he gave the point an experimental tap against the ground. The nearest recruits had to resist flinching from the mighty spark of lightning that cracked from the impact point.

This was Sakhayl, the third of Sparda's collected Devil Arms. Hefting it confidently, the Dark Knight took his place beside Arix, looking out across the gathering before them.

"I'm impressed by the numbers here," he mused out loud. "Let's hope their example inspires more to join us."

[sebastian]

^{_____________________________________________________________________}

This city, or town, was much more like the world he had only recently left. The building designs and architecture, the attitude of the people he passed, and the overall atmosphere of the place was very similar to England during his servitude years to his former master. It wasn't what one might call "home", his home in truth was hell itself. But that didn't mean a mixture of both pleasant and unpleasant memories didn't bombard him as he walked down the street. Even his own garb, the boring butler outfit, wasn't as out of place as it could have been. Yes, he gathered a few looks; but mostly due to his height and eye color. While the normally crimson eyes seemed a bit more of a dull rust shade, the traces of red still stood out harshly. They weren't flickering back and forth to the pinkish-red, slit pupil form; he was holding back the demon within with the ease of long practice. But that didn't lessen the hunger he was experiencing. He had satiated himself on rather boring human souls back in Isafaro; but he longed for a more desirable one which would erase the hunger for years. However, the sense he was getting from those he passed wasn't attractive in the slightest... Well, it didn't matter at that moment. For now, he was here simply to explore one part of this strange dimension he had somehow come to be in.

The boredom didn't last long, though. His tuxedo shoes came to a sudden halt as he raised his head; breathing deeply through his nose. That smell... It was quite different from all these normal people... The dull gaze seemed to light up; the crimson color emerging once more from behind the rust. He locked his eyes upon one figure in particular, a fairly tall man with black hair which fell past his shoulders. If the glow on his left arm wasn't interesting enough, it was this man's own eyes that really caught his attention. They were mismatched... Just as Ciel Phantomhive's had been. However; the right eye was black, rather than purple, and had a blue pupil with its own inner glow. This guy... Wasn't human... Oh yes, there was an obviously human scent to him; but there was also something darker... Something he couldn't quite place... Sebastian retreated into shadows as he began to follow at a discreet distance, mildly intrigued by this man. He obviously a sort of warrior, as was suggested by his muscular build; but there was a sense of unnatural power present as well.

It wasn't long before a castle was reached, and Sebastian halted in his tracking as he looked up at the impressive structure. A few people he had passed earlier had mentioned a queen; and this castle only created further similarities to Ciel's dimension. These people were ruled by a queen, and most seemed to have only good gossip directed toward her. He certainly hadn't expected to find this sort of lifestyle in this world; after his visit to Isafaro. The man he had been following entered the castle, and he made a decision on the spot to continue his pursuit. Well, it wasn't so much hunting; he was genuinely interested in what exactly this guy was... Without a sound, his shadow leaped easily from the ground; coming to rest with undisguised grace upon the rather high outer wall. On the other side of the structure were numerous buildings, many joined by tunnels; and a well-kept courtyard.

Looking down into that grassy rectangle; he could make out a small crowd of people, and his suspicions were confirmed by the way they reacted to the man's presence. He was one regarded with high respect; but for what reasons...? Sebastian dropped to a roof below the wall's level, and once again melted into shadows as he picked his way carefully to the edge of the courtyard. Finally, he came to rest on top of a slanted roof which gave him a perfect view of the courtyard and its occupants; and there was a nice shadow cast by an adjacent building to conceal his dark form.

He noted with a renewed interest that the male he'd been observing had apparently suited up into armor as he made his way to this roof. There also was another with him... And the second bore a strange weapon which slightly resembled that of the knights in Medieval ages. But it was apparently capable of some electrical combat... This world was just getting more interesting with every passing minute. The armor seemed extremely out of place, for both of them... But then, so did the lighter armor worn by the other people here. Half-amused, he squatted on the roof in the shadows; resting an elbow on either upraised knee as he settled in to observe.

[.:Amilia:.]

"As impressed as I am, they wont matter at all when the tanks roll in again," he said crossing his arms. Arix looked between them men and women just simpletons living their normal lives until Vulture rolled through and nearly wiped the world clean of this place. He looked up at the sky noting how the sun was perfectly center with where he stood.

"Alright ladies, we don't have much time today to shape you up. So lets begin with normal drills. Each of you, take your sword from your side, sheath and all, hold it in the palms of your hands and extend them out right," he ordered and they did as they were told each of them holding their swords (standard issue broad swords) outward toward him and Sparda.

"Those swords don't weigh but maybe a pound or two. Not that heavy under the circumstances you're dealing with now. You're all fresh and ready to train, no fatigue at all. By the end of this session when the sky is full of stars, you will not be able to lift those swords. If by chance you can, then you didn't work as hard as you should of and you will die against the full wrath of my blade."

Of course, he wasn't being serious, but the message was clear when each person swallowed rather loudly. Arix uncrossed his arms and put his hand on the hilt of his right sword, "You will all learn the basics of the ancient art of Merjutsu, however, only two of you will learn it in depth. When an army is created more of you will learn further, but until then I will train you as I was trained... So get ready to feel broken. Everyone draw your swords."

[Sparda]

"There is that small problem, yes," came Sparda's resigned reply to Arix pointing out that the Crimson Vulture would be bringing tanks to the sword fights these people were being prepared for. Sooner or later, Hallowton would need to arm itself in the same cutting-edge gear or find some other edge over Isafaro if they were to survive another invocation of the General's belligerent wrath.

Sparda remained silent as Arix briefed the volunteers in a fashion that was equal parts nonchalant and professional; he clearly knew exactly what he was talking about. Sparda had to wonder what kind of tutelage the Ajerian King had undergone to master the peerless disciplines of Merjutsu to the level he had. He was still human, after all, owing his longevity to his bond with the Judgement within him. He must have lived and breathed the most hellish training regime to even begin to grasp the style he had made his own.

The Dark Knight stood in place, the faint buzz of Sakhayl's potent electrical power keeping the courtyard from silence, and waited for the drills to begin.

[sebastian]

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There was a certain fire about this man, and aura of power... The sense he got when facing someone who had been through living hell, and grown stronger from it; refused to let it break them. It was understandable that he was only part human... No pure-blooded human being could give off this sort of strength; it seemed to visibly radiate from the man himself. The same could be said about the second who had followed the first, though that one didn't attract his attention nearly as much as the first. Yes, that weapon and armor was impressive; but the sword the first wielded had its own aura of power. Honestly, he felt more intimidated by that sword than the lance. No, not intimidated... More like... intrigued. Sebastian's mouth opened slightly as an almost sadistic smile appeared. His tongue ran once across his upper lip as he continued to look down upon the courtyard.

The scent of that human soul was making him ravenous. It smelled utterly delightful. But if he ended up devouring that one now, before he could mold and perfect it; what would happen to the unidentifiable soul which he could also sense? He had to wait... There was no purpose in simply taking the soul now; there was no fun in it. He would continue to watch, and then would consider offering a contract if he found inclination to do so. There would be no mistakes this time... He had lost Ciel Phantomhive's soul due to unprecedented events, and he couldn't afford to lose another. If he did, then he would be reduced to eating any and every soul he came across; back to not being a "hopelessly picky" eater as other demons usually called him. Besides... That sense of power... For all he knew, trying to take the soul by force could end up in his own death... He seemed like prey that was quite capable of fighting back. The man could probably hold out against a demon if he resorted to using force to take that soul... The contract would be the only full proof way to get the soul, as the contractor willingly gave up his soul in the end; unless other demons interfered like they had with Ciel's contract. The problem was, he knew next to nothing about this man...

The man in question suddenly looked up, and Sebastian stiffened as he emerged from his thoughts. Had he been seen? No, apparently not. The man had simply been looking at the sky, and now he had resumed speaking to these trainees. From what he said, he was indeed a warrior. He wasn't an easy mentor, not at all. He projected enough skill to instill fear within those he would be training, and the tone of his voice... He sounded quite merciless; yet at the same time, there was a determination to create true warriors. Sebastian's crimson gaze grew softer as he nodded slightly in approval. That was the best way to make an army... Be tough on them; and the weak would be rooted out, while the strong became stronger. Given time and effort, an unstoppable army could come into being.

To top it off, the word Merjutsu was stated. He was no master swordsman, but he had a feeling that he'd heard of that sword technique before. No, wait... Not that very same one... But another which had a very similar name. The question was; would this Merjutsu be at all like the style he was thinking of right then? This was turning out to be the most interesting day he'd gone through within the past thousand years. Never before had he felt such a hunger for one's soul, not even for the Phantomhive one. Perhaps it was the existence of two souls within the man that made it doubly desirable... But he couldn't be sure... Maybe it was just boredom and intense curiosity which drove him... Only time would tell. The demon remained motionless on the roof; now completely drawn in and focused on the events below. However, the steady buzz of electricity was somewhat distracting; and his gaze shifted over to study the second man for a time.

[.:Amilia:.]

Each man and woman drew their blades. He pulled both of his swords from his sides sheath and all and tossed them aside. Arix walked forward and raised his arms on both sides of him, "The masters who trained me, were Edion, Exion, and Alvion. Each of them were pure blood Ajerians, Alvion was the true master of the Merjutsu style, he was of the second generation. There's only one other that I know of who wields the sword in full strength aside from myself.

"Of course, I never got her name, but she's a nightmare in her own shell. Anyways, I want you all to try and kill me..."

He could see the hesitation in their faces, none of them were expecting that, "The first one of you to kill me has surpassed me in skill. Begin." No one moved, Arix lowered his hands and tilted his head back staring at them.

Finally someone came forward and with him each person individually moved causing a clustered V shape. When that man made it to Arix he swung his sword violently at the Ajerian but his sword was easily avoided, a boot hit him in the side of the leg and he collapsed to a knee. The next one behind him tried thrusting forward during the attack but would up with a shoulder to the chest and he would fall into the crowd running forward knocking several of them down.

He was surrounded now. Three in front, two behind him, one running from his right side. The one on his right swung his blade and Arix moved into his range and grabbed him by the arm swinging his body around and putting him on the ground. He turned and kicked the man causing him to lift off the ground and slam into the three moving forward.

Arix continued using the momentum putting his boot into the one behind him following it with a flying elbow to the other as he attempted to run away.

Casually walking away he stood back in the center of the field, "Stop." Everyone didn't need to be told, there were very few people standing up, a couple of them hadn't been injured at all but most of them were getting up or still on the ground. Arix shook his head, "Pacifists..."

[Sparda]

"The first one of you to kill me has surpassed me in skill. Begin."

As soon as he heard this, Sparda was quick to back off and give the Rockstar some space. No sense getting involved yet; he would allow the recruits to take on this saviour of theirs with no interference, and let them witness a fraction of the standard they would be raised to. Their fear was written clearly across their every face as they almost reluctantly advanced.

Weren't a great deal better with their weapons, either. Their swings were almost as clumsy as they were fatally hesitant, and it came as no surprise whatsoever to Sparda to see his comrade effortlessly beat them all aside.

"Pacifists," Arix remarked coldly. Sparda nodded his agreement as he stepped forward, pausing for a few long seconds as everyone gathered themselves.

"Fear," he began simply. Each man and woman turned to regard him and listen. "I can smell it on each and every one of you. It weakens your grips on your weapons, makes you hesitate in such a way that if Arix had been an enemy, he'd have killed you all without breaking a sweat. But it's not Arix you fear - it's yourselves."

The recruits looked around at each other. Sparda was on the right track. "You're terrified of those swords, not disdainful of them. You fear their power, fear the things you could do using them and anything like them. And it's led Hallowton's citizenry to the near-fatal mindset that in the company of such hostile neighbours, they can survive with a policy of total pacifism that derides violence of all kinds."

Walking amongst the recruits, lance raised vertically, he helped a slightly older man to his feet. "As I hope has been proved by the near-total destruction of this city, that mindset was sadly naive, doomed to fail you eventually, and no longer tenable at all now that the Crimson Vulture is on the warpath."

By now, the volunteers were looking at each other with disappointment on their faces - at themselves.

"We can't yet equip you with the weapons you'll need to fend off Isafaro's forces next time, but this training will give you a mental weapon even stronger than anything the General can bring to bear; determination. Starting with you, we will conquer Hallowton's fear of a necessary evil and give you the power to stand up to your aggressors and protect your livelihoods.

"Now, take up your swords. Look at Arix not as an ally, but as a soldier of Isafaro sent to tear down your homes again. Think of your family, friends, everyone whose lives he will take without a second thought if he isn't stopped... Then think of the lives you will save, the livelihoods you will keep intact, all the good that will be done if you find the courage to make a stand and strike your enemy down."

Again, he stood back, turning to face into the courtyard and smiling to see faces hardening little by little among the volunteers. His sharp tongue had struck home when it counted. "Take courage. Defend your homes and your lives... Attack."

[sebastian]

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Edion, Exion, and Alvion... None of those three names sounded familiar to him; no surprise really. But the names themselves seemed to have an affect on the man; made him into an even more intimidating figure. As he spoke of merjutsu again, the demon took careful note that it did indeed sound similar to another technique he knew of; even though he didn't use it. Swords were not a weapon he often took up; he preferred to make weapons out of whatever he had within his reach. But swordsmanship required discipline and focus. He could tell right now that these in-training people had no trace of either essential trait. Then the man gave the order to try and kill him, and he became expectant of quite a show.

And it was a show that he received. The soldiers were obviously unsettled and confused by the order. What had they been expecting? So step by step demonstration? Probably. Sebastian watched as the soldiers finally moved forward, and suppressed a whistle as he watched the man in action. First one soldier went down, then another was thrown into a group; sending them all down. Then he was surrounded, a common group tactic. And still, not one blow was landed on him. Those flickering crimson eyes followed every lithe motion, every graceful transition and counter attack. Had he not known any better; then he would have assumed this man was a demon himself. He certainly possessed some demonic skills... Speed, strength, skill, grace, and seemingly infinite energy. He was quite impressed, and the red in his eyes flickered back to pink once again for a moment. He was almost salivating. That soul was a must have.

The soldiers were called off their attack, and Sebastian shifted a bit further down the roof to get a better look. A light breeze had picked up, and it felt pleasing in his face. While the soldiers were rising to their feet, the second man came forward. He was a bit caught off guard; he had completely forgotten about the lightning lance guy, being so drawn into this training session. But as the man proceeded to make what was a sort of motivational speech, a new interest began to burn in the demon. Perhaps this other was worth some attention. He mentioned "smelling fear" as well, and that in itself was interesting. He seemed human enough... But if he could smell fear, that wasn't human at all. So... What was he...?

Sebastian drew in the smells around him again, but could make no judgment on the second man. His own senses were still rather fogged up by the first guy; Arix was his name, according to the monologue guy. And what was this about Isafaro forces? Yes, he had left Isafaro himself quite recently. He had seen its army and weaponry, but he hadn't expected the city to be hostile toward Hollowton. There was still much to learn here. The second man began to close his speech, and Sebastian's gaze traveled over the soldier who were now back on their feet. There was a visible change around them... It seemed as if things were about to get interesting once again. Satisfied, he shifted his position so that he was kneeling on the roof rather than squatting; it was more comfortable and gave him a better view. He looked forward to seeing what came next

[.:Amilia:.]

There was a new fire in their eyes. Perhaps they remembered what had happened to their homes and families, or perhaps being called weak put them over the edge. And then they moved again. Given that he was in the center of them all he was instantly in action. This time he would actually use his fists. The first of his foes was very close and though he raised his sword Arix's knuckles collided with the insides of his arms.

Arix put his shoulder into the man dropping him. The man wouldn't be able to feel anything in his arms for a little while. The next person swung hard coming within an inch of hitting him but a lunging strait cracked him in the face and threw him off his feet. The mans sword flew into the air. Arix drove his knee through the next man easily avoiding his blade, he ran toward the crowd who literally flinched and hesitated, he pressed into the center person and rolled through him coming to a halt. His right hand up in the air the sword that had been airborne was caught.

"The foes you'll be facing use weapons of mass destruction. If you cannot harm me unarmed then I will break you all with a sword in hand. No one will fight fair, and none of you will walk away alive if you fight on hatred and emotion."

He turned his sword smashed into the swing of one woman shattering her sword. He walked through her dropping her with a hilt to the side of the temple. His aura rose up from his left arm becoming more intense every moment. "The vulture or the demon army in the south will not spare you a moment to rest. They will break you, one will kill you the other will enslave you."

Four at once in his general direction. His sword raised and collided with two of them in one swing. The power behind that swing through both men off their feet into the other two pushing them away with ease. "They walk with shadows at their heels, and yet, they are vulnerable to the cold steel of your blades. It is only you who can protect yourself from death."

Arix tossed the sword aside eyeing the last few who were still standing. Arix ran at them sliding under the two slashes easily. His foot caught one in the knee dropping him. From his slide he turned and was back on his feet from just the momentum. Arix moved forward from behind the other man catching him around his left arm and drove his own left arm into his chest several times breaking the chest plate he wore. Arix tossed him aside and as the other went to stand he put all of his power into one kick to the side which caused the entire side of his armor to shatter. The man hit the ground ten feet away.

"Take a break, all of you," Arix said walking back to where his swords were and picked them both up putting them back on their respected sides, "You cannot use anger and fear as a stimulation tool. The masters of Merjutsu in the past have all been the most fearless and respected members of sword arts. Those who cannot handle the power that comes with the style break and go insane, just as the Ookami has. She killed most of the ancient masters. The others passed away to old age.

"So if you're all to be the next generation, you'll need to learn how to be emotionless in the face of death."

[Sparda]

They fought with a renewed vigour, but they were still no match for the Ajerian King. He fought back with his own ferocity, cracking armour and shattering blades as he smacked them almost casually about the courtyard. This time, however, in the midst of Arix's speaking, they all picked themselves up off the ground. Sparda smiled, seeing a new determination in them to show their two instructors that they had what it took. They sat down to rest, as advised, and listened intently.

"I'll keep going," one of them said, to himself more than to anyone listening. "I don't care how often I have to be knocked down and get back up. We need this strength."

"Yes," added a woman at the other side of the group, smiling through a wince of pain. "If this is what it takes to make sure our city and people never come to harm again, we'll fight as long as you need us to."

"Excellent," Sparda concurred, smiling. "You have your motivation. Embrace it and be driven by it, but don't let it rule you, for that's the dangerous side of anger. Given a righteous form, anger is humanity's greatest force for change; but if you don't control it, it can only be wild and destructive. If you let your emotions get the best of you in the heat of life-or-death battle, you become sloppy and reckless, and an enemy who can capitalise on that will cut you down with ease. Mastering your fear is the first step to that emotional calm."

Smiling, he turned and approached Arix, muttering out of earshot of the rest. "They're catching on quick. I see a lot of potential."

[sebastian]

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Soldier after soldier was fallen, and it all happened quite fast. One moment, Arix had resorted to fists; then the next instant he would avoid blows and send a sword flying. And still, no one was able to land a blow. He drove through the ranks without hesitation or any form of faltering; he spoke as he attacked and defended. People were dropping like flies, swords and armor were shattering. Though he wasn't participating, the rush of battle was still roaring within the demon's ears. He listened carefully to every word that was spoken, and didn't miss a single movement. It was a very short-lived battle. Every one of the trainees was soon on the ground, a good couple had been knocked out cold and were being roused by their fellows. Oh yes... He could sense their fear and anger, their frustration... It did nothing to lessen his appetite.

Arix had mention weapons of mass destruction, and Sebastian could do nothing but agree. He had seen many of the said weapons, and he didn't need to witness them in action to know they packed immense power. If these soldiers couldn't defend against hand to hand blows, how exactly did they intend to stand up against war machines? There was no way they could handle it. Perhaps if they underwent years of training, as this Arix no doubt had; then just maybe they could become decent defenders of Hollowton. But right now... He saw nothing promising about them... But Arix and his friend seemed quite set on whipping these men and women into shape, and there was no doubt in his mind that they could do it. He thought back briefly to that strange glow that seemed to come from within Arix's left arm. He had no idea what that was, or what caused it... But it was even more reason for him to study the man. He was always hungry for both souls and knowledge. If he could learn anything new from observing Arix and his friend, then he would go to any lengths to gain that knowledge.

A demon army in the south had also been mentioned, and that created a new question. What kind of demons were these? They were certainly not the same species as himself. His demon species would never gather to form an army. They were all loners at heart, and hated each other the the core. That hate had been born through competition for food, and survival of the fittest. His demons wouldn't hesitate to kill another if the fool got in the way. Whatever kind of demons these were, there was no way that they could see eye to eye with him. His species was superior, and there was no questioning it. They were capable of so much more, and it would certainly take an army of lesser demons to bring down one of his own kind. He made a mental note to go visit the south at some point, to study these foul beings. He assumed that they were more like mindless zombies than true demons; working as one under a common leader, doing nothing but fighting and killing because they were ordered to. Alone, they would be helplessly lost... He would amuse himself by observing them at a later time.

The fighting below had ceased, and it was Arix's voice that drew his attention once more. Well how interesting... He wasn't as merciless as his earlier words had suggested. He had known leaders who would have worked their trainees until the fell over from complete fatigue, and still tried to get a decent response when it was physically impossible for the victims. Those leaders had been fools to think constant work would get a positive response. They had always been rewarded for their cruelty by being stabbed in the back. Arix on the other hand, was giving these soldiers a break; a chance to recoup and process everything that had been said and demonstrated. This was a trait of a true leader. He was stern and expected only the best, but he wasn't going to work them to the edge of death. That only made him more fascinating. And the part about appearing "emotionless in the face of death"; now that brought a fresh surge of respect to the demon's mindset.

One of the soldiers spoke up, and he was followed by a woman. Their words... Sebastian's smile grew more pronounced. They got it. That was a step in the right direction. These two mentors certainly knew how to get their men ready. They had what it took to make this army they needed to defend the city. The electric lance man spoke up again, this time they were words of warning against anger. Anger was indeed a weapon of mass destruction in its own way; and it could lead one into the worst possible situations... He himself as a demon had to exercise self-control constantly. Other demons like him normally had difficulty controlling their true forms. But for him... It was a weapon he could handle without losing himself. He could make out the words spoken to Arix by the other man without too much difficulty, and he grinned again. Potential indeed...

[.:Amilia:.]

"As much potential as they have, it's impossible for them to all learn and master what I know when I am the only one of my kind. One of these men and women will stick out like a sore thumb eventually, and that'll be the one I take in as my apprentice to learn the ways of Merjutsu," Arix said watching them. They all took the moment of silence to rub out injuries and sore muscles. There was a medic on hand to wrap up a couple people.

These men and women would become accustomed to broken bones and lacerations just as he did. Not a single one among them were the age he was when he started, that was the main problem, they all had their goals and histories. Each one of them already had limits to how far they would go to protect their families and friends, none of them were a blank slate like he was. The other problem was that he wasn't a tyrant.

"Ever wonder how far you can go before you break an entire group of people emotionally without killing them? Or how long you could call it training before it becomes torture?" He was being completely serious for the first time in a long time. Arix wasn't accustomed to training people at all, let alone leading a group that thought for themselves.

His Judgment all acted on a single thought of his, when he ordered them they would gladly give their lives for his wishes. The problem with people, they think too much. The Judgment were also pre-trained, an ancient army more than fifty thousand years old, and that was the main problem, the oldest person here was in his sixties, the youngest was a girl who was nineteen, and none of them had combat experience in war.

[Sparda]

Arix's response was prompt, hushed, and intrigued his comrade. Sparda's head inclined slightly; the Rockstar was scouting for an apprentice, intending to take the most promising of these volunteers and train them further. The demon deigned to remain silent, pondering this and watching them rest.

When Arix spoke again, though, Sparda looked visibly more concerned. He turned to look at his interlocutor, brow furrowed slightly.

"You think you'll need to push them that far?" he muttered in reply, glancing back at the group. "I know you must have had it infinitely worse when you were still learning. Guts will only get them so far if they're not ready to devote themselves to this as completely as you did, and I imagine only the youngest will even be in the optimum physical shape..."

He paused for a moment, thinking to himself as he regarded the recovering volunteers. "With time against us, we'll need to take some shortcuts in physically preparing them for a harsher training regimen. I wonder..."

[sebastian]

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One of a kind... Quite so. He had never found anyone before who were such a prospective meal, not even Ciel Phantomhive met this man's caliber. Sebastian nearly laughed at his next words. So, despite his words; he had no intention of training these men and women into an army. He was trying to chose one, and one alone. The person who would be the next to learn the unique craft of Merjutsu. It seemed as if he did care a bit about these soldiers, but all the same... When he found his one future apprentice, would he abandon them? Leave them to the other man to train? He watched the soldiers mill about and handle their injuries, trying to pick one that stood out. None of them did; not to him at least. But he also wasn't the one hunting for an apprentice, he had no idea what would make a man or woman stand out to Arix. It would be interesting to study who he chose as well.

Arix's voice then changed as he spoke to his friend. How interesting... He was echoing the very thoughts which had just been running through his own head. Was the man showing doubt now? A moment of weakness and uncertainty? If so, he was genuinely worried about working these humans to death; worried that he would forget they had limits which his own surpassed? If he was concerned about that, then how exactly did he intend to chose one to work with him? That human would be physically incapable of reaching his master's level of skill, simply because the said master was only part human. But the fact that Arix might have been feeling concern for them did nothing to lessen the demon's interest. If he was human enough to fear for the well-being of those under him, then his soul would became that much more appetizing...

He wasn't going to lie to himself, this apprenticeship sounded rather appealing. He would certainly be more fit for the work of learning Arix's skills than these humans, but there one one problem. He was demon. Demons were not meant to become swordsmen, they were fiends of hell who helped clean the worlds of excess souls. Besides... He was in the middle of seeking his next meal. Taking up a sword and testing the man himself wasn't even close to the top of his mental to-do list. And yes, there was also the fact that Arix was an intimidating figure to him; a very rare thing indeed. Normally it was him, as the demon, who instilled fear in his victims; not the other way around. He didn't plan on giving his life to this person, when it was he who was supposed to have the victim's life in his hands to shape. And there was no denying one fact... He was a butler to whomever his new master would become in the future, a servant; not an apprentice who was meant to learn ancient sword techniques. He much preferred kitchen knives to a sword anyway; they were smaller and easier to handle, as well as harder to see when they flew toward a target at just-fired bullet speed.

So... Who here in this courtyard would become the apprentice? If Arix found one, then that could open up yet another possibility to him. If he couldn't make a contract with the master, then he would certainly be able to make one with the apprentice; especially if that person was purely human. Humans were naturally the most greedy and most dangerous beings that existed. They always had some dark desire in their hearts; a desire that he could pinpoint and make them believe was possible to achieve. Then once the desire was satisfied, he could feast. So he could possibly get at Arix's soul through the apprentice. But all the same... He much preferred to contract the master rather than the apprentice. Sebastian pushed the thoughts aside as he returned his focus to the two men. He hadn't seen any prospective students in the crowd, so he'd keep watching the leader instead. And what "shortcuts" was the second man referring to...? He tried again to work out what the second was, but his scent remained drowned out by everything else.