Darcy Krohs. So that was the cold woman's name... She had a malevolent air around herself, if Kai ever saw any. Her beauty was like a statue of ice - there was nothing warm, alluring or kind about her, it was a woman not milk and blood, but steel and ice. Uncomfortably reminiscent of Lena from a few centuries ago, but it wasn't the same person. He'd recognize<span style="font-style: italic">her</span>, and this Darcy was someone else. Her presence lacked the flame he'd feel if it were Lena, the flame of a twisted and tortured emotion which wasn't willing to disappear. He flinched at the sound of her voice, smooth and elegant, and yet coming like a spear right to the back to him. Something wasn't right.<br/><br/>What that something was he did not have the time to recognize, because he found himself dumbfounded staring at her, eyes empty like bottomless wells. A part of his being was willing to resist, but it was a minority. He wasn't even thinking about the possibility of something like this happening - hell, no.<br/><br/>She spoke of the sins, and he regained his conscience for a mere moment. Wait, what was she saying? He wasn't a mortal, how could he possibly give up something that was a part of the essence of his being? He didn't want to agree to this. The smile was completely wiped from his face, and his almond-shaped eyes narrowed as he gazed at her. She was strong, definitely a witch. If he wasn't sure about Isolde in the beginning, this was definitely a witch like from a picture book. He strayed from his thoughts once more, becoming absorbed in her voice, and agreed to her words, but the yes was a half-hearted nod to the crowd rather than his true will.<br/><br/>And then, another presence smacked itself into his conscience. Different one than the witch's - he clearly recognized holy power, which was to a demon like a kick into the stomach. His pupils dilated to nothing but tiny droplets of black among the pools that have been slowly shifting into a dark burgundy, and he twitched. 'Love'. To Hell with love. Well, at least such a sharp sensation was enough to break out of the trance. All of a sudden, he wanted to be anywhere else than there.<br/><br/>Like with a snap, he returned to his full senses and conscience as she left the stage. His fingers clenched around his hat, returning it to his head, and swung his fur-lined black coat over his shoulders. The hall begun filling with murmur and talk, and a possibility to slip out offered itself to him.<br/><br/>"Cigarette break," he muttered to no one in particular, and quickly made his way through the rows of chairs and crowd to slip out through the back entrance. The cold winter air that he breathed in at the first moment he put his feet onto the fresh white snow was heavenly pleasing in comparison to the stiff, unbreathable air inside. He drew a long, deep breath in, a gloved hand slipping into the pocket of his coat to retrieve a pack of cigarettes. It was more than convenient to him to have this sort of excuse ready any time he needed to get out of somewhere, when things simply became unbearable. He didn't feel anything for the taste, but the twirling smoke that arose from the thin white cigarette's tip, burning in tiny embers after he drew the glowing match near, was fascinating. In the end, he spent more time simply holding it between his forefinger and middle finger, perceiving as it burns, rather than smoking it. If his memory was correct, he actually drew it near his lips only twice.<br/><br/>A shadow appeared on the white snow, sharp in the rectangle of light that the lightbulbs from the interior cast on the stark white snow. He slowly turned his head towards it, his keen eyes picking up the sounds of footsteps, pushing through snow. A thick grey furcoat brushed against his shoulder a moment later. She was shivering, pressing the coat to herself.<br/><br/>"Herr Jaeger, did you see that woman?" her silent voice requested to him, raising a small white hand to drag the fox fur collar up and cover her neck from the wind. She was just a human, a young one to add to that. Her dark mahogany hair was pinned in an elegant up-do at the back of her head, adorned by a sapphire clasp - as dark blue as her eyes were, sharply contrasting with her pale skin, which appeared blue-gray in the dim light of the twilight. A blooming flower, just a daughter of someone wealthy and powerful with little mind and opinions of her own. But in his greed, albeit hidden well, Kai wouldn't mind taking even this girl, though she couldn't think for herself much. He gave her a soft smile, but his eyes in the shadow of his hat remained cold. He nodded to her. "A magnificent display of elegance and power in one." he concluded, shortly gazing at the cigarette in his hand.<br/>"I don't have a good feeling about this, Herr Jaeger." she muttered, eyes flashing towards the ground.<br/>"Just call me Kristof, Annika." he requested to her silently.<br/>"Really? I... Alright then, if you... Think it's fine." she clasped her hands together. "Kristof, I think something bad is going to happen. Do you... Think there will be war?" She looked up at him. Her eyes mirrored the stars above.<br/>"Oh, definitely." he agreed, silent in voice, but there was no worry or sadness in those words.<br/>"Aren't you... Afraid of it? If there will be war, it means that many good men might die..." It was a whisper rather than an open statement.<br/>He shook his head. "There is no need to worry, child. The strong will be victorious. And we are the strong, thus the victory will be ours. If you fear death... Death is only another door that we have to pass through."<br/><br/>Sweet talk, sweet talk to lure the fish into the net. A make-believe front.<br/><br/>"Thank you, Kristof. Maybe you're right... And there's nothing to be afraid of." Annika nodded, a small smile appearing on her plump lips.<br/><br/>All of a sudden, Kai wished Asmodeus was somewhere nearby. He had a lot to talk to him about.<br/><br/>He turned on his heel and made his way back to the hotel. His mind was far clearer now...