[Thunder]

(Human form.)

The Blazing Lord of Telos wasn't really sure why he was here.

Armatas gazed up at the shadowy building with a scowl on his face. He wasn't frightened of the place, but there was certainly a gloomy, dark air about it that wasn't very comfortable, and the darkness was perfect for hiding assassins- god knew how many people were plotting attempts on his life. He had come to Lya Pointa since he had a strange dream about it, in which a mysterious, vague form called him to the cathedral. He really wasn't one for superstitions or visions, but it had been nagging him all day, and so he decided to see if he could stop that bothersome feeling.

The lord stepped into the cathedral calmly and quietly. There didn't seem to be another soul around, and the silence was vast and oppressive. There was an altar at the other end of the room, and there were portals leading to other parts of the cathedral. Armatas decided to examine the altar for now and headed up to it. It depicted the gods of Evelon's Triumvirate, a religion which he was not familiar with at all. The only thing he knew was that it had been neglected in modern times...

[AjaxAlexander]

As light streamed through the stained glass, reflecting off the motes of dust that hovered over the altar, something... Changed. The air in the room became heavier than before, and the light lost some of its brilliance, and the smell... Blood. The stench hung thick in the air, mixed with the tang of deep red grapes. There was a noise of clashing steel, quiet enough that it might be imagined. Then something began to happen above the Altar:

The air began to shimmer, similar to the way things seem to tremble when viewed from the other side of a large fire. The shimmering had a very distinct outline, that of a man. Or, at least, something SIMILAR to a man. The shimmer became increasingly more violent until something stepped out of the air, onto the altar. It definitely LOOKED like a man, but he seemed... different somehow. His skin was deathly pale, his hair so black it was almost blue, and he was wearing Violet suit. He looked around at the cathedral, inhaled deeply, sighed and said,
"Ah, a new world, and new things to play with. Lovely, JUST lovely." The figure looked down at the conqueror who stood before and below him and said, "You must be Armatas, the one who called me here. Surely, you must have several questions for me." The figure then sat down on top of the altar, pulled a small apple out of his suit pocket, and began to eat.

Iero Thanatos

[Thunder]

As he stared at the altar, the lord noticed a strange change in his surroundings. At first it was subtle, like something heavy fell onto the whole cathedral. Then he began to smell the distinct scent of blood and could hear the sounds of war. Narrowing his eyes, he looked around to see where these sensations could possibly be coming from. But there was nothing around. Was this darkness somehow making him go mad?

Then, when Armatas looked back at the altar, there was a strange light in front of it. To his surprise, the glimmering air formed itself slowly into a man. The fellow had a horrible complexion, as if he was in desperate need of sunlight, and for whatever reason, he was casually chomping away on an apple, as if his bizarre entrance was nothing. Wary of this new stranger (some kind of magical being, perhaps?), Armatas leered and drew his sword.

He was perplexed, though, when this man claimed to have been called by him. The Telosian frowned and lowered his blade. "What do you mean, I called you?" he growled, giving the stranger an almost accusatory glare. "I do not recall summoning anyone here. What's your name, and what business do you have with me?"

[AjaxAlexander]

The figure took another bite of apple and said, "Would you like one? They're quite good... No? Very well. To answer your question, you didn't CONSCIOUSLY summon me, but I could hear your presence all the way from my seat in Pandemonium. You smell of conquest and war, and that to me is more alluring than a banquet is to a starving man. I could taste your ambition, your drive, your force of will, and I could not resist coming here. So you summoned me in the sense that if it weren't for you I would not have come, but I came of my own volition.

"To answer who I am, well... That is complicated. My true name is Iero Thanatos, but I am known in all realms as Chaos. I revel in war and confusion, and I am happiest where passion flares, whether that passion be negative or positive. What is my business with you? You are a warrior, and more importantly a conqueror, so what you need is power. I can give you that. My knowledge of all things pertaining to the Art of War is unchallenged, and as a warrior I am virtually peerless. Think not that I am a servant, however, rather treat me as a... consultant."

[Thunder]

Armatas wasn't particularly hungry, but he was rather intrigued by what this apparent demon was telling him. This...Iero Thanatos, was it? also seemed to enjoy warfare, though based on his words, the Blazing Lord assumed that Iero loved it more for the sheer pleasure of it, while Armatas's fondness for it was mostly in order to expand his empire. In the past, the nation of Telos had been bullied by its neighbors, but under his rule, that had changed dramatically. Telos was now the one to be feared.

Although he was sure that this demon had great power and military knowledge, Armatas still couldn't help but feel suspicious. They had just met, after all. He had no way of telling whether Iero would actually back up his words with actions. The lord had seen his share of betrayal, and he wasn't about to let himself walk into something that could bite him back later. His one good eye leered at Iero.

"Mere talk won't convince me," he growled. "Unless you show me what you can do, why should I believe you? You're a demon, and demons have been known for trickery. So, demonstrate your ability or begone. I can do fine using my current forces without you."

[AjaxAlexander]

Iero was pleased that the man was suspicious; after all, what fun would he be able to have with someone who was stupid enough to believe him the moment they met? So, far from feeling offended, Iero smiled and said, "Very well, If you want a display of power, you shall have it!" Iero threw his apple on the ground, closed his eyes, breathed deeply, raised his foot, held himself on one leg for a few seconds, an image of perfect serenity, then roared and brought his foot down hard upon the altar. With a noise like a thunder clap, the entire Cathedral split along the ceiling and floor, and out from the fissure came blue flames; these flames were cold to the touch but blackened all that they came into contact with.

"And THAT was but a taste of my power. Would you like more evidence? Should I show you the things that I have seen and done? Would you have me show you how I was there when Babylon rose and fell? How when Tathamet and Anu clashed I drank of their blood and laughed them to scorn? How many I've killed? How many women I've taken? How many men I've shamed? Would you see my hands smeared with gore as I roamed the halls of Pandemonium, as I slaughtered the enemies of the lady whom you call Night? Would you see how I contended with both Michael and Lucifer, and how I bested them? Tell me what you would have me do, brave conquerer, that I may gain your confidence!" Iero licked his lips at this point, for while he normally he was a controlled individual, this display had awoken his battle lust.

[AjaxAlexander]

The excitement of that moment, when he had shown Armatas his power, soon died as immense fatigue set in. He sat back down on the cracked altar and took several deep breaths, trying his best not to let Armatas know how much that display had cost him. Depending on the world, Iero's power waxed and waned, and it now seemed apparent to him that his normal god-like powers were not available within the realm of Evelon. So Iero smiled, sat back, and waited for the conqueror's answer. While he waited, he pulled yet another apple from his coat and began munching.