It was cold. Well...he thought it was cold. His nervous system had not been functioning perfectly since the explosion. But by the fact that everyone else was bundled up in winter wear, it must be cold.

Or humans were just stupid. Either was a very valid possibility.

The hood of his cloak fluttered lightly as a breeze hit it, revealing his brilliantly green bangs and malicious grin. The short man - to tell he was male was easy - stalked out of La'To, headed north. He had recently purchased a very run down old house that was supposed to be haunted.

Rethen snorted. Haunted. Indeed.

Inhabited was more like it.

So he walked north. Or rolled. And once he even cartwheeled. His boredom was growing again. And the last time he let his boredom out of control...well...that forest would grow back eventually. He needed something to entertain his creative and malicious sides at the same time. His malicious smirk returned as he stopped before an old Victorian manor house.

And if the demonic energies running out of this house were anything to go by, he was going to have fun. Then he frowned as a flash of white struck the shadows that were surrounding his home.

"Priest..." he growled out darkly, turning to see some novice casting holy magic and...was he really using a Holy Water Sprinkler?! The alchemist felt the poison in his veins and temples flare. Oh yes. This creature would pay. And the shadows would be happy and help him create.

Rethen barred his fangs in a manic smile that reveled the pulsing green scar next to his left eye. He lifted his left arm, revealing it to the moonlight for the first time and watching as the light bounced and shimmered off of the metal that comprised the entirety of the appendage. And the shimmering caught the eyes of the priest, making him turn.

"You do realize you are trespassing on private property boy..." the alchemist said clearly, his voice dripping with insanity and malice. The priest looked a bit started. He looked ready to reply. And that reply was sure to include logic and a plea for the goodness of the world. But Rethen ignored it and pushed a pulse of power down his metal arm.

And the metal sprang to life.

Little pieces and large pieces began to rearrange themselves, turning and shifting. What was left as the metal settled into place was no longer an arm. Where the wrist and hand had been sat the large curve of a bow. A taught metal wire ran between the arches of the massive bow. And the arm supported the new construction with braces and springs. There was a hiss as the metal cooled and smoke rose from the newly formed metal.

The priest was silent. Rethen pulled a small diamond shaped scrap of metal from a pouch and watched as it grew into an arrow. He notched the bolt to the wire and drew the bow.

"Trespassers on this property...have only one punishment..." the alchemist purred. He bore his fangs and licked his lips in delight. The priest raised his book and began to chant. And Rethen let the bolt fly.

The shadows that surrounded the house bucked and writhed in glee. A like minded creature had come to live here. And it had brought fun things. Fun things that spilled blood on its lawn. It would make sure to raise a patch of beautiful Blood Roses there. They would look so gorgeous there where the priest had lost his arm and his book of nasty Light spells. But now that priest was silent, in the basement in a newly built lab. The little thing with the sinister smile had asked nicely and the shadows had helped.

It was good to be useful again.

Rethen sat watching as the priest whimpered and writhed, the green tendrils of the venom slowly working their way though his body. Rethen smirked as the shadows wound themselves around him, making him part of the house and changing the house to his design and desires.

He was home.