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Zackeria was growing up a nice, strong boy. He was always helpful to his snake family, and, although he was only six, always willing to go out and find food for them. He had inherited his mothers love for nature, transformation abilities, and slight control over elements. He was currently in snake form, his mottled yellow and brown skin slithered through the grass, eyeing a rat nearby. Just as he was about to strike, Diego took hold of the rat himself. Zack hissed, darting to the side to avoid burying his fangs in Diego's throat, and changed back into human form.

"That one was mine." He said, pouting as Diego resumed his human form. "You should know me better then that Zackeria." He said, smiling. Over the years, they had grown very close, Diego took him under his scales, teaching him the trade of living with the lair. "I told you I don't like being called by my full name." Zackeria said, standing up, and walking back top the cave with Diego. "Call me Zack." "Your mother wished you to be named Zackeria, that is what I shall call you." Diego said, stepping into the cave, and kicking the snakes that bowed befre him. "I told you to stop bowing whenever I enter here." Was all he could say, shooting Zack a wry glance.

That night Zack couldn't sleep properly. He tossed and turned, changing from human to snake, to bear, to leopard, to lion, to tiger. He eventually stood, and went to the edge of the cave. He pulled out a small dagger from his boot, and examined it yet again. It was found with his mothers body, and it was inscribed. He had never let it out of his person, as was enscribed on the hilt. He walked into the forest, and saw a deer in the distance. He could not change fast enough, nor did he have a spear, but he was hungry. He flung his dagger, and buried it in the throat of the deer.

As soon as the dagger left his hand, the lights went out. The moon and stars were blotched out, and Zack saw a dark cloud seeping towards him. He wanted to run for the blade, but the cloud was already against it. He grabbed a stone, and scrawled Help me. into a tree. The cloud sweapt over him, and a pair of bloodred eyes showed up on him. "Hello Zackeria." Came a sibiliant voice that seemed to be coming from everywhere, and nowhere all at once. Zack screamed as he was drawn into a void, and landed in front of a massive red being, with horns, and the eyes of death and pain. "At last. My son." The voice said, utterly terrifying.

A sword stroke fell harshly from above, and Zack glinted it off of his blade. He backed away to breathe heavily while his opponent fumbled with his balance. Once they had both gotten back into fighting position, Zack moved forewards, parrying his opponents blade, and slicing deeply into the arm of the demon. It howled in pain, and redoubled it's attack, only to lose the arm that had been slashed at the end of Zack's sword. "The more that you try and attack me, the easier it gets to kill you." He said, smirking. "I could've done it a dozen times already." He remarked, tossing aside his longsword, and reaching for a lighter rapier at his side. He poked at the demon many times, barely touching the skin. "Here, and here, and here, and here." He said, proving his point. He turned away and looked back in disgust. "Go back to your own circle, heal your wounds, and remember this battle, and remember the name Zackeria." As he began to walk away, the demon rose it's sword high in the air, and charged him noisily from behind, he turned, and ran it through with the rapier, peircing it's heart. "No honour, no skill...Now you've got no life."

A soft clapping began as the devil strode into themidst of the scene of carnage. He stood and looked at Zack, covered in yet another warriors blood. "Four years, and four circles." He said, his voice rising through all of Hell. "I would not quite beleive it if I hadn't seen it first hand. You are definately my son, and you shall work wonders in my plan." Zack stared at him with hostile eyes. "I thought I already told you. I want no part in your plan to dominate all life." He said, shaking with rage. "And how you can send your warriors after your own son, trying to kill him weekly now astounds me. I will have NO PART OF IT!" He screamed the last part, letting every demon in hell know of his resiliance. His father backhanded him, and sent him flying into a rock, nearly breaking his back. "You will do as I command you." He said simply. "You have no choice in the matter. The demon inside you is begging to get out, I can feel it's presence, and you cannot venture into the human world without a portal summoned by the leader of Hell, namely, ME." Were the only words Zack could ever get out of him.

Darkness and flame washed over the battlefeild, and Zack vanished, reappearing in the eighth floor, the eighth circle. He arched his back, wincing at the pain it caused him to move. A big demon moved towards him, smirking. "Back again young one?" It asked almost mockingly. Zack leapt to his feet, his rapier in his hand, brandishing it in the others face. "Jakebe, I may not be ready to kill you outright, but if I die while I do it, and you ******** with me, I will kill you just as well." He said, glaring hatred out at him. "No need to worry, no need to worry." Jakebe stated, raising his hands, showing he was unarmed. "I have no plans to hurt you. I want to help you. I want to train you. You are an elemental master, a panwere, a veritable shapeshifter. Not to mention the demon inside you. I wish to unlock your powers, and I want you to fulfill your destiny." He said, sitting by Zack side, and plunking him down with him. "It must be done in secret, and only while your father is not watching. Prefferably in the human world. I will suggest a portal be made for me on my next venture, and bring you along as my assistant. There, we will train, for as long as it takes for you to become what you were meant to be." Jakebe rose, and walked off to consult Zack's father.