tayiajdemonica: Demonica was flying through the air and a bolt of lighting strikes her and she falls into the court yard of and unknown empire to her. Her outfit is covered in her own blood. She hits the ground so hard her body makes a crater in the court yard and makes a loud noise that could be heard through the castle. "Fuck that hurt. I have to get out of here." Demonica says coughing up some blood from her wound. She pushes herself up from the ground and falls she doesn't finally get up and she starts walking towards the huge castle doors. "I need to get some help.!!" She says calming to herself.
ZeekHarbinger: He followed the Oculi through the shadows connecting the many realms, every one casted was like a door way to the shade as he could pass through each one with absolute ease to reach what ever destination he desired. Though he was unsure why his fellow kinn had chose this particular one was still beyond him, though he had learned not to question the higher ups. He kept his 8 foot form in transition, not fully shadow but not entirely physical either, which would prevent any one from touching him, and would not allow him to touch any one else in that matter. The dragon hide armour along his form almost blended with his umbral form perfectly minus a minor shine to the surface as his form shifted slightly, his ruby pools glancing over the surrounding area, before turning his gaze to the Oculi, "In votis regni non erit ultimum nec fructuosius aliquid" (Hopefully his one is more fruitful then the last), he kept his voice low so only the Oculi could hear him but the whispers of angered voices would lace his speech reguardless the volume he used. His kept to the shadows as he could blend almost perfectly within the darkness from head to toed including his attire was varying shades of black, minus the silver chains hanging from a set on horns upon his head and the blood red ruby pools of his eyes.
LuciDjiinn: /me Lucia had fallen asleep in her library again, this time she did not wake in her bed as usual as her soon-to-be husband was off delegating politics. she wondered what had woke her and then she scrunched her nose. she could smell blood on the breeze outside near the forest surrounding the palace, but this wasn't anyone she knew. She could smell it as if it were on herself as her senses were hightened in such a vulnerable transform such as an elf or human. she could smell the dirt, the rain but the wind carried the distinct smell of blood this night and she walked through the open doors of the library into the rain looking out to the woods from the balcony. Lucia definitely smelled blood, and it was not human blood. She rushed down the stairs, nearly slipping on the polished marble from her now wet bare feet and waved her hand to open the foyer doors. She was fast even in this elf girl form she could reach 500mph. she heard a girl cry out for help just before she found her, covered in mud and dark red blood. Lucia picked the creature up and slowly helped her to the castle leaving the doors open behind her and escorting the girl to the nearest restroom.
CeiliMacLeod: /me *ceili would wake after falling asleep on the big oak table in the library she had discovered late the evening before while everyone had turned into their private chambers. she still felt rather floored that the family of djinn had taken her into their home rather quickly and without too many questions. this was a relief to her because she found her mind still foggy from losing what past memories she had. with a sigh, she cloesed the large book on the table and make her way down to the main hall, smiling as she saw at least some familiar things*
tayiajdemonica: Demonica sees the elf walking towards her and she try's to draw her buster bladder great sword holding her side from the lighting bolt. "Don't come near me. I'll atta....." Demonica says as she falling forward passing out from a huge blood lost from her wound. The rain starts to come down harder as demonica falls asleep. She doesn't wake up for 8 minutes. "Mmmmaaarrrrhhhhh." Demonica moans in her sleep. While demonica slept from passing out she changed into her human form.
xxShadowedSecretsxx: On such a lovely day, Shadow did what any normal person would do and was "Sunbathing" out ontop the roof as the rain poored down. He was bare from head to toe with only a large leaf over his privates, rayban sunglasses over his eyes and the tanning tri-mirror he held in his hands. Despite all that was going down inside the castle, Shadow had the dying uncontrolable urge to just not care. I mean how else could he keep his adnormal pale and bizarre body like it was if he didn't bath in the warm loving rays of a cold stormy shower. He sighed "Some people will just never understand the price of this beauty, then again they have the imagination of moss" he said to himself and nodded agreeingly before continue his "tan session".
Sinabun: “Papa catch!” The words were happily shouted through the down pouring rain, the warning coming already to late. The small bolder, roughly the size of a mans skull and smooth from being warn away by the river until it was roughly ball shaped, was already long air born, on its downward arch. Altho she was new to the finer points of domestication, her aim was spot on, the stone would impact him in a matter of seconds, just south of center mass, spot on the leaf. Her pale eyes mirrored they sky in their storm like color today, yet it wouldnt stay like any of the other hues that sometimes appeared in her pupilless eyes. She was wearing real clothes today, a dress of sutible fabric, no shoes yet, that was a war for another day. Some one had also made half an attempt on her hair, it was shoddily cut at a reasonable length, as if she'd fought who ever had had the dubious honnor. Currently she was grinning, wee fangs peeking out from her smile.
Demarest: Demarest blinked as she heard her little one shout "Catch Papa" She closed the book and pursed her purple shaded lips, "Oh boy....." She muttered slowly curling from her spot. She started alking towards the stairs whistling quietly, she was headed for the roof even though her clothing wasn't suitable for rain she never minded it nor did she ever get cold. The gold and silver chains connecting the wrap bra top to her binkini bottoms swayed slightly with her movements, flicking her hair off her shoulder she started slowly climbing onto the roof. She had no shoes on as usual, resting herself against the tower wall before moving to where she had her Sina seeing what she was about to do to her father.
Daeras: “Tempus narrabo, et habemus multa.” – “Time will tell, and we have plenty.” – The Oculi spoke to the Shade. Her gaze, reaching through the walls around, sensing presences lost through the Castle itself. The scent of blood, combined with the numerous energies which roamed the unknown Halls. Her cards continued to shuffle at an increasing pace, anticipating the culling bite of an ambush predator. As the voice continued to trail off from features which were invisible to the naked eye, another anomaly erupted: Scent lingered, overpowering in its sweet Vanilla aspects. Pleasant, yet deadly – such a duality was to describe this being. When in the presence of an Oculi, most would find themselves in a state of “daze”, intrigued by the infinite beauty – darkened shadows surrounded her semi-solid manifestation, Umbra which carried her Aura of Sin. Despite her lack of shadow, the tattered edges of her cloak acted as one – tracing the ground below them, many would call it ‘alive’ – upon a creature which was not, by ordinary standards. They shifted and swirled with each step closer to the beings, lingering Greed off of them and drowning in their own Gluttony, yearning to devour whatever came close – even themselves – Cannibals, eating Cannibals. It watched the people in turn, from the wounded “bird”, to the young elven girl, one by one. Its voice, carrying nothing but a dull, monotone note – static as it was, its souls followed it. ‘Veni ad nobis…’ – Come to us – it now rang through the Halls. An echo which reigned far from realms untold, towards the breaking bounds of tangible. Like the Song of a Siren, the voice carried Sin. A lulling whisper of a sensual lick of lips, darkened as they were by the newfound Corruption – a hypnotic lure which would spread through the mind of the all those tainted. “We have come to offer our Services…” The snake-like hiss continued from her being. Clawed digits snapped open the silver prison in which laid her deck of Cards: slowly, each paperthin object began to whirl out – blank faced, an oddity for they carried no imagery – black backed, with silver carved lines which symbolized her power, intersecting together in an ancient tome. “Fortunes told, for those ever so bold…” It waited. Patience, a virtue she held close. All was to come, in due time.
ZeekHarbinger: The scent of blood was carried past them on a slight breeze, the rain normally drowned out most senses but no the kinn, especially not him as he was able to see through each of the many casted shadows through this land, reguardless how faint it was, he watched each being within the walls of this castle for amoment before moving his empty gaze back towards the Oculi as she spoke. He followed silently behind the dark shadowless figure keeping to himself his foot steps making no sound despite their large size and heavey looking armored boots, but still prepared if any would be stupid enough to make a hostile motion towards the oculi with his dual blades across his back, sort of like an acting body guard as it were, despite the fact she truly did not require one. Once inside the structure his ruby pools flowed over each of the beings now that he could see them in a different light as it were, the idea of being around so many beings of flesh was not what he had in mind for this evenings events. He absent mindedly began to fiddle with the inverted rosary around his wrist as he listened to his fellow Kinn offer her services, his index finger tracing the lines of the cross as he took a few steps off to the side and into one of the closest shadows, watching and waiting.
xxShadowedSecretsxx: Shadow lowered his shades to reveal the black veil covering his eyes. He then smirked at the oncoming large rock and vanished as it crash landed into his chair, the debry flying all about the place and the chair dented in from the impact, the leaf covering his crotch now flipping through the wind. Moments later he appeared right behind his daughter, her head blocking the veiw point of his masculinity and that there of its glory. "fine aim my dear, maye next time try a bigger rock, you didn't mark up the castle enough with that one" he said in a proud tone as he reached his hand that wasn't holding the mirror out to rub her head. "My lil girl, you're just like your father with all that mischeif" he said sarcastically sighing. "Let's get ice cream" he said to her with a chuckle.
LuciDjiinn: /me Lucia sets the semi-concious female down in the bathtub, trying to clean her up to find the source of the blood. She finally sees the nasty gash in the woman's side, and cleans off the mud and debris surrounding it. Lucia places her hand on the woman's side over the wound and in an instant all that is left of the large gash is a bright pink scar. she washed the now unconcious woman from the rest of the debris and put her in clean clothing before taking her into a bedroom and laying her on the bed. and closing the door as she leaves.
Sinabun: She made a little sound, a unhappy one as her rock 'ball' failed to be caught. She had seen the human children playing fetch with their tall ones and had wanted to try the game herself. The game although seeming pointless to her, had seemed to be fun when played. She still didnt understand its appeal now. Perhaps a bigger ball was nesicary as he said? She tilted her head to the side, considering his words, perhaps “Catch bigger ball?” She asked to be sure, just incase she didnt understand. Maybe it was the substance the ball was formed from that mattered? Her red hair stuck up in all sorts of disaray after his hand roughed up the attempt on civility that had been done in the brushing of it, at least there was no more twigs or odd bones remaining in her hair now, no small achivment that. Altho she had managed to snatch a great number of her collected bones before they had been stolen away to the garbage heap. They were her bones after all and nothing that was hers did she freely give up. It wasnt in her makeup. “ Ice cream?” she repeated, distinctly repeating them as seprate words, his tone impled it was a good thing, but she couldnt see how frozen milk would be any good.
Daeras: Looking towards the Shade, it seemed as though their visit had not been as fruitful as she intended to. The Oculi sighed and it was of a desolating sorrow to observe to whoever came in close, an inexistent wind following suit enough to scramble through the long drawn carpets along marbled tiles. Perpetual boredom overtook her senses as she continued to flip through the pages of her book; At least she was patient. Enough so that waiting around did not mother her much, aside from a slight pinch upon her senses. “Patientia.” – Patience – She uttered to the Shade, as well as to herself. All they had to do now was stay patient and they will come to them. How could they not, given their appearance? They were beings of the Dark, obsidian skinned and disband from nature’s creation of Flesh for they were beyond such low standards. They were the Kinn of the Cardinal, the void dwellers. The ones who dim the lights. And perhaps, a demonstration was in order. “Tenebris Impera Nobis, Sic Narro Nos Totus” – In Darkness We Reign, So Say We All – Once those words were outspoken, came the dimming of light – each flame from each torch, each light from every candle, burnt out until there was nothing but Darkness. The Main Lounge was now engulfed in black – through the darkness, there were little to no visible features of the creature which now stood in the middle of the room, aside from the cascading locks of snow white, which grazed the ground and a drowning gaze of blinding azure. Through the Darkness was an uneasy feeling, the impending sensation of drowning within an Endless Sea, gripping and pulling tighter and tighter within. There was no visible light to now illuminate around her, but a constant Void; no flame to guide their steps, as they were forced to walk blindly to her, guided by her eyes – like sheep to their Sheppard they’d approach, like worshipper to the church, they’d kneel. Her attention was now surprised by the woman who exited a nearby room after tending to the “wounded bird”. The elf looking woman made her way towards the two dark beings, to which the Oculi smiled pleased. “I told you. You catch more flies with honey…” She cooed towards the Shade, before directing her attention now towards the lady. “Good evening.” It was a hazy sort of dim light, which made little sense. A dull azure gaze.
ZeekHarbinger: He crossed his darkened arms across his chest as he leaned back against the stone wall behind him, "Haec dicit patientia..." (Patience she says...), unfortunately for the Oculi this was not a word that suited the Shade very well, the longer he waited the greater his own rage built, there was no need for creatures such as the Kinn to wait on such beings of the flesh, and his patience was growing rather thin, until she began to blow out each candle creating a darkening room, this was more his speed, he would not hold his transitional form any further allowing his form to shift away in swaths of black smoke, the last that was actually seen of him was the devilish grin and ruby pools before they too completely vanished from sight. He flowed freely through the darkened room when he took sight of another being entering the room, the scent of blood now wavery away so he assumed the wound that was inflicted was healed over, but the woman who enter still apeared to have that scent on her, though there was something else about the being that caught his attention, he was unsure what it was about her but he would deffinately be paying closer attention to her and any others who decided to join them in this area of the castle.
LuciDjiinn: /me She stepped out of the room where the unconcious female lay and quietly closed the door behind her. As she stepped into the now dark lounge room Lucia's 6 foot frame stood before a creature twice her size with glowing white hair, and another who stood behind her. Lucia's ice blue eyes glowed in the darkness and she could see the shapes pretty plainly in the dark room. SHe heard this...this hollow figure say good evening to her as if she knew who she was. Lucia cocked her head to the figure standing just a few feet in front of her and spoke in a soft voice as to not wake the house, "Good evening to you as well. Can i help you with something? a room perhaps to sleep?" She still had a puzzled look upon her face but was still very calm as she had visitors at all hours and was used to finding new people wandering about the castle in search of her.
Rido: /me was against a window in the extensive library. Sitting upon an open sill with a book lazily in hand. Rido yawned and glanced at the stars in black sea of night about them, she then turned her attention back to her book with languid motions. Brushing a stray piece of hair out of her eyes as she practically buried her nose in the pages.
Daeras: “Ego sum Oculus Galbrinth…” – I am the Eye of Galbrinth – it hissed, the whisper which slithered like a wandering serpent along the walls, along the buildings ; surrounding them as it was. “Primo, ut sit creata est...” – First to be Created – . The woman cooed to her. From her wandering limb, webbed-like digits pulled out a singular Tarot Card, its blank white imagery shifting now to a black and white picture of a Hanged Man. Extended to her as it was, she continued speech. The whispers followed. Her voice rang sharp, and deadly cold. “Omnes tenebrae est.” – Darkness is All – “Absente Lumine” – Absent of Light – “Aeternum perfectum…” – Eternal Perfection –; A Black World was their goal, Children of its purpose. “Confess to us…” She did laugh however, once. Brisk, cold. Humorless. Through the dense, cold air, the same lulling whisper carried past them, through their thoughts. ‘Confitemini…’ – Confess – It beckoned them closer to Sin. It persuaded them to fall deeper and deeper intyo the Corruption. ‘Venite liberabit vos…’ – Let us set you free – The cries and woes of thousands of souls echoed through the intangible grasps on their minds, surrounding them, from inside-out. Never threatening, though endlessly present.
ZeekHarbinger: He flowed through the darkened room blending almost perfectly with the shadows until he took form once more a few steps away from the Oculi, though his form would appear more or less like condenced smoke with physcial features, his ruby eyes peircing through the smoke were the most noticable of all the features, his 8 foot stance was shorter then that of the Oculi's as he stood behiind her waiting to see what would come of this meeting, so he remained quiet for the time being.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/08/2019 08:55AM by EzekielHarbinger.
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EzekielHarbinger
Shade vs Oculi Nov.9.2017
February 08, 2019 08:58AM
b]Daeras:[/b] Tainted were the ways of the Oculi, tainted were her goals. As the rotating cards of black swung around her semi-solid physique, they spoke to her in whispered chants of lost languages, guiding her presence over to a newly created Hall, having been given word from Galbrinth itself upon its creation. The Prime wished to know what a new Shade had cooking up behind closed doors and so, the Oculi responded. Her apparition was something to behold, molded by shadows and ghosts, souls which engulfed the magnificent structure of this being into itself-molded shape: Darkness enveloped skin of obsidian black upon which laid tattered robes of black, nothing as vain as her fellow Kinn; there were no jewels of Silver, nor trinkets of gemstones laying upon her creation, for her Pride laid within the silvery locks of hair which grazed marbled tiles, emanating their self-serving aura of Sin. Each vibrations brought out new influence for Sin itself, each strand, a shadow in disguise, painted pristine white. The only visible accessory she now carried were the silvered pauldrons which reached from her shoulders all around her arms, enveloping their interpretation in pure steel. They sizzled to touch, the arm pieces of a Sinner, Nemo himself; a piece of his Umbra given as a gift to her… so long ago, she could barely remember flashes through the jumbled memory of thousands of souls. It offered her a Sinner’s protection, increasing the Oculi’s durability to greater length, as well as her evasion rate. Swift was she now, flexible like a bending willow. Though not combat oriented, she was not something to be taken for granted. The cards swirled around her – they yearned in anticipation of what was to come next, as Moirai made her way towards the wandering Shade, flipping through the pages of an unknown book, black leather covered. “You have been busy.” She spoke, with no implication of an ulterior thought.
DeviousMiskreent: There was a deeper darkness about the woods and training hall of late. Darker than the normal, dismal darkness that is. It carried with it an as of yet, unknown sentience, though no form had actually shown itself yet. It wasn't that Kali couldn’t take her human like shape yet, it was more that she didn't want to. Her umbral darkness would simply flit from place to place, exploring this new 'home' realm. The woods, the incessant voices of the shadows, the fields and the one . . building that seemed to draw her attention. Her dark mist would flow from one place to the next, a conglomeration of insidious cohesive thoughts. A door . . laughable in her mist like density as she flowed under it, around it, through it. Merely a shiver as her cold wet darkness slipped inside the training hall, the only sound that of a wet rag rubbing down the wood as her 'mass' slid under the door, bringing with it the distinct scent of anise (black licorice). The sentient mass of shadow that was Kali would slide along the floor, moving towards the pillars to the left of the ring, avoiding any contact with the silver haired Oculi that she had met before as a fleshly being. The memory was there, sharp and crisp like a light in the darkness but it was still hard to grasp onto. She knew not to go near, but that was about it for now. Instead she pulled herself to the pillars, near the chairs and stopped, resting as a writhing mass of shadow for the time being.
ZeekHarbinger: Constantly wandering in the thick darkness that lingered within the black forest that surrounded the newly constructed hall, almost always in a transitional state of being as it made it far easier for him to flow through the unending shadows casted every which way. The sense of being watched was ever present within the forest as the Shade used these shadows as a way of watching his newly claimed lands, though he had yet to be visited by another Kinn. Catching the scent of the Oculi caught his attention before the sight of her, though she not combat oriented per say he was still werey of her all things considered. He would emerge from one of the shadows as she approached and spoke to him, a simple grin crossed his blackened lips as his ruby pools gazed at her blankly, "Wandering from realm to realm seemed tiresome at best, so why not build something where these beings can come to us?" his voice rang out through the shadows that surrounded with the whispers of thousands of angered voices in varying languages, some known, some lost in time. His gaze shifted to that of one of the newest members to their darkening family as she collected her shadows near a pillar that bordered the center of the hall before shifting back towards Moirai. "And what brings you two here this dark evening?"
Daeras: “Perhaps I was wondering what would happen, should I wish for a demonstration?” The Oculi chuckled. Whispers trailed off with the following choir of souls. Sharp as her voice was, the chants were only sharper. Another page of her book flipped, as she advanced towards the arena area, entering the concrete made circle upon the ground – upon entrance, Moirai did the unspeakable and unpredictable. Clawed digits from her opposite limb now plucked a solitary card from her silvered desk, the metal prison which sealed her strength, the cage which kept her Monsters locked. While some had skeletons in their closets, hers lived in the deck of cards. She would not show him the card, instead taking a few steps back and placing it, face down, upon the ground right where the Arena circle ended. Merely a few feet behind her, she then took her rightful place before the Shade. “Let’s play a game. If you can get past me and take that card from the ground … “ she paused for a moment, before continuing. The following words, spoken harsher, to make sure he understood their meaning. “… with your bare hands …” The Kinn grinned, knowing very well how to make a challenge even harder to achieve. “Then I shall grant you a gift. A Favor. If not…” There was a moment which could only be categorized as a threat. A sharp inhale was given through inexistent lungs, as her claws now ripped through a random page in her book – or perhaps, it was not as random after all – to her touch, the paper thin substance disintegrated into pure black ash. “I will exile you to the grounds of the Unholy Nation for a whole month.” She did not know whether or not Zeek has heard of it. The Unholy Nation, the sleeping grounds of Galbrinth. The endless torment of an empty Cemetery, full of dreading souls."What do you say, then? Do you wish to play?" As she spoke, another energy grasped her attention. A familiar Kinn, yet an unfamiliar presence as her gaze narrowed towards the wandering being. The jumbled memories made way to comprehension and then, this creature was not as estranged to her as before. "Hello again." Pause. A wider grin. "I'll get to you later..."
DeviousMiskreent: Kali had no inclination to speak whatsoever, not even as the ...male.. spoke a question to her. She was here to watch, and observe, and that was it. She didn't even particularly care to manifest herself, having hoped to just slip in unobserved, but clearly that wasn't happening. She tugged on her umbra, her shadows and darkness, pulling the souls in tight to manifest a denser form. Obsidian 'hair' and 'skin' formed around her core of nothingness, bright silver 'eyes' taking shape as her body filled out. Her form for now was small and slim looking, only slightly larger than your average human. Swirls of her darkness remained around her, the lost souls of her own empire screaming their defiance of her use of them. Her 'head' would turn to the male, her voice raspy and broken in its first use as kinn. Clothing that manifested to cover her feminine form was somewhat simple, bell bottomed pants of obsidian black that were open at the hips on either leg were held by a silver belt adorned with several different types and sizes of skulls. It was joined by a simple black tank top and mesh like overlay. Her brow held the silver and black adornments of her previous life, and her hands sported a number of silver rings and her once long silver hair had turned almost solid black, sporting only a few strands of the brilliant silver she once held such pride in. "Observation" was all that she said, and planted herself in one of the chairs and turned her brightly burning silver oculars towards the woman of the cards. "im sure you will try" .
ZeekHarbinger: He raised a brow at her request of a demonstration curiosity held his attention better than any battle he had entered thus far, though he knew full well there was more to it then a simple show of skills, watching the feminine kinn place a card on the floor behind her was just confirmation of said plans. Listening to the offer a game and it's possible rewards made him grin, "Torture and torment in an unending cemetary sounds alot like a retreat in comparison to the abyssal realms...", he paused for a moment when the other woman spoke of just being there to observe and nodded his head towards her, "I accept these terms, as long as you accept something in return once we are finished here, no further detail will be given until then", the whispers of angered voices crying out as they laced his own but never overpowered his rough voice, his form took on a more physical state as he reached his long arms back and gathered his braided obsidian hair from the crown of horns upon his head and tied it back with a simple strand of black leather he kept tuck in the dragonhide armored gloves that hugged his hands, before removing the inverted rosary from his wrist and tucked that away for safe keeping within the same dragonhide armor that hugged his chest. "If you agree to these terms, then we can begin playing your game"
Daeras: “Only seems fair, my dear.” As the Oculi continued to coo at him, she had taken notice of the angered choir of soils which followed his aura. How much Wrath could emanate from him was beyond her, her, a being of Patience and collecting thoughts, only enforced her plans for the night, to gain as many counters as possible from her fellow Kinn’s own actions and thoughts. Each strand of her white hair vibrated in its Soul Pool, each strand, a long soul in torment, gifted by Galbrinth itself. They were two different beings facing each other, connected only by a familiar Umbra, yet created through different aspects. They were two different beings, with two different styles. Her first action was not an attack, as many would believe, but a defense act which implicated the switching of cards, as the rotating “belt” around her waist now seemed to move and hover over the solitary card upon the ground, offering it an increased protection. This, however, left the Oculi with a small disadvantage, discarding a small part of her defense in order to offer it to the Card – a dual challenge, as he would have to first find a way around her own being, before then reaching the shield of oscillating cards in order to reach his Prize. “As a Host, you shall have the right to begin.” And then, she waited. As though nothing had ever changed since her appearance here, The Oculi continued to flip pages through her book. Perhaps, by the end, she’d eventually tell him what she was reading.
DeviousMiskreent: Kali smirked a little, her dark obsidian lips lifting on the left into a near sneer as she watched the two issue their challenges. She folded her long left leg over the knee of her right and sat back in the chair. Her fingers tribbling in the stream of odd souls that wrapped around her like some sort of hagoromo vestment.
ZeekHarbinger: He nodded his head slightly towards the Oculi as she agreed to his terms as he began to run different scenarios through his mind as to how to beat an Oculi of Galibrinth, though they were created from the same essence of being, their umbras were still very different from one another, she was the poster girl of patience as he was nothing more than a bucket full of rage, how far her patience went was still to be tested but he knew full well the moment the bucket spilt there was no stopping it, at least for the time being. His gaze caught sight of the carded balt as it were moving to the card that lay on the floor, increasing her chances of actually winning this battle as they would now protect the single card from his retrieval, but also left her at a disadvantage, an odd move on her part but understandable at the same time. Hearing her speak of being a host only made him grin, as it was in the hosts nature to hand the first move to the challenger, except she had already taken her turn per say. "Just so you're aware, I will not be easy on you solely because you're a woman, as you are a woman with a far higher rank than myself, it would only seem fair" he spoke before taking off from his lace across the arena from her he would close the gap between them quickly, calling his shadows to him to take on a full density form as he moved, he wanted to avoid the never ending locks of vibrating silver hair that flowed from her form but distant attacks against this sort of being seemed highly pointless, he wanted to test his boundaries as they were, see what he could do against the Oculi as nothing more than a mere shade. Moments before reaching the woman he would step off to the left, to quickly make his way past her, and spun around on his left foot as threw his right foot upwards towards the side of the Oculi, using the momentum behind his swing he followed the kick with the balled right fist to the chest of the Oculi, with enough force behind both strikes to knock her to the side and back if they both connected as he wanted them to.
Daeras: He had speed, that was certain. The evasive way in which he leaned towards her, the momentum he had built up until he reached a few inches away from her physique intrigued her as she had yet to see a Kinn in full battle, let alone against herself. The Oculi’s eyes widened for a brief second, as it only took a fraction of it to notice the rise of his leg coming in attempt to make contact and swivel her to the side. It took only that, a mere fraction of notice until Moirai understood what she had to do, reaction carefully calculated within her mind before even taking full effect. She allowed the kick to throw her off about 2 feet to the side, during her fall having a small part of her white locks would attempt tangle around Zeek’s wrist, catching his fist before it was to make contact with her chest and push her to the ground fully – in turn, as the coiled tendril of white wrapped tightly around his limb it would create enough force combined with her fall to throw him to the side and hopefully enough force which was needed to toss him all the way to the opposite wall. If not, she would’ve been pleased with at least shoving him right back to the middle of the arena. As the Oculi supported her weight against her left shoulder, her frame slowly began to rise up once more, dusting off lightly the black leathered book. Closed, and put neatly to the side right next to the card itself. “Well, that was annoying.” She scoffed, and allowed herself a short moment of a pause, before her eyes fully closed. She carried no weapons, for the only ones she needed were in her cards, clawed digits opening the silver deck. One card was plucked out, its blank white imagery sustained now by the colorful picture of Nine Pentacles, though instead of the star was the inverted cross. From the imagery now were divided 9 individual circular blades, each bearing the symbol of the inverted cross. And in a second, hopefully before he had time to get up, 5 of them would begin spinning like fast paced boomerangs his way, in an attempt to either cut, taunt him further off the arena, or, best case scenario, have him pinned to the wall behind him.
ZeekHarbinger: Watching the Oculi going down seemed too easy, as though there was something he missed, which was proven when he felt the strand of white hair around his wrist, as she went down he was sent across the room towards one of the pillars, but he would not be that easily deterred from his goal, he wrapped the strand around his hand a few times as he turned his form to place his feet against the pillar before using the hair around his hand like a rope, attempting to flip it up and around the hand that clasped the silver deck before pulling the hair and jerking the hand to spill the cards before she could pull any more from it, all this would take place in smooth motions simultaneously one after the other before he noticed the 5 blades coming towards him, he used the built up energy he absorbed into his legs as he landed against the pillar to launch himself upwards and over the blades and back towards her, reaching down for one of the blades with the wrist that still had the silver hair wrapped around it to cut through the strand and releasing the hold it would have on him, while airborne he would bring his legs up, tucking them underneath his form before he would begin his descent back down to the floor hoping to land beside her and spin back around on his foot with a leg sweep and still avoid her hair. "You haven't seen annoying yet darlin.."
Daeras: “You insolent brat!” The Oculi whined, seeing how her own attribute was used against her, releasing the grip upon her silver deck. The cards would flow out in a splatter against the floor, some with back up, some faced up, yet each card had a blank white face – there was no imagery on them, until the Oculi was to touch them which was an advantage for the Shade considering it would’ve taken her extra effort now to reach her precious treasures. Annoyed by this, she could only then focus on calculating the newly thought out course of actions which, despite his speed, offered her enough time to cook up a new plan. As he would try to cut the hair using her own blade, Moirai laughed, a bellowing sound which reached and vibrated along the walls now seeing how the blade, upon contact with her pristine strands, acted in a true boomerang effect, deflecting the same force it would’ve taken to cut through Zeek enough to launch itself right below his jawline, threatening to leave either a small cut, or sever his head completely off, which would’ve been a laughable matter, yet difficult to explain in the long run to the higher ups. All capable of action due to the attribute of her strands, taking more than just a simple blade to cut through them. Whatever would’ve been the result, her next course of actions implied taking two of the remaining 4 blades within her hands, waiting for the right opportunity, the right moment in which he would be fully poised onto the ground once more, sending one of them below, in an attempt to either trip and force him to stumble down, or have him jump upwards to avoid it – in which case, she simultaneously launched the other blade above, anticipating a jump. If he would not do so, then it would hit and stop into the opposite wall, anchored within the concrete.
ZeekHarbinger: Watching the one blade come back at him was not expected but at the same time what was he to expect, the hair of the Oculi was her most prized possession after all, he should have known better then to think it could be so easily cut. He would pull his head back just enough to miss being decapitated but not enough to miss the sharp edge entirely taking a small cut to his jaw line allowing the condensed umbra that flowed through his being a way out and droplets hitting the floor, despite this new plan of action from the woman he would continue to follow through with his own allowing his form to drop back down to the floor when he noticed one of the blades planted into the floor just below him, new plan of action was required at this point, he would quickly throw his feet out behind him moments before meeting the floor and braced himself up with his hands planted on the floor mere centimeters above the blade, before pushing himself upwards and spun his form with the absorbed energy in his arms just high enough to miss the secondary blade thrown, with the momentum of the spin he would kick out his left foot towards the side of the Oculi with enough force to push further away from the guarded card on the floor before he would plant his right on the floor and standing upright once again, hopefully with enough time to begin the thought process as to how to retrieve the card from it's guards.
Daeras: ‘Impressive…’ she thought to herself, nearly a moment before she noticed the kick, yet far too late to properly dodge it. With her lack of notice, the force of his kick would’ve been amplified now because of her unawareness, landing her, ironically enough, right into the same bent pillar Zeek was forced upon a round prior. With a grunt, it would’ve taken her a bit of time to recollect her thoughts, though not enough as it would’ve been needed for Zeek to reach the card. As a counter action, however, to buy her more time, the shield which surrounded the card now seemed to grow in size, each “guard” now towering higher and higher until they reached half the height of the Shade himself. Due to the length of her hair and the Oculi’s speed, a few strands of white managed to reach through the pool of splattered cards, its pristine tips holding one upwards to reveal then its imagery of the Five of Wands. Much as the same like the Pentacles, the wands would reach tangible bonds, seemingly made out of sharp ivory bones as they threw themselves towards Zeek using the force of her hair, in hopes of acting like spikes to either clash into his turned back, or at least create a sort of cage around him for the time being. All, in hopes to buy her more time. The wandering strand of white seemed to de-lace from around his wrist as the Oculi made her way back into the Arena, groaning in spite. “You’re forcing my hand, Shade…” The pool of splattered cards now rose up again on their own as they began to circle the arena itself, each coming around the Oculi herself to surround both Zeek and the smaller shield of cards. A bigger circle, engulfing the smaller one. Terrible was her next attack, for it resembled no attack at all, aside from the fact that each card began to take the Oculi’s exact image, to her exact height, with her exact attributes. These, of course, were non-tangible illusions which now surrounded the Shade, however enough of an annoying mind trick to confuse the layman and hopefully lose herself through the newly formed crowd of clones. Each now took a step forward. And… another. And another, as the circle grew smaller.
ZeekHarbinger: Watching the Oculi fly into the pillar across the room gave him more then enough time to be able to attempt to reach for the card on the floor but before he made any motion towards it the guarding cards grew in size to about half his height, "Bloody cards..." he turned his gaze back towards the Oculi within the turning of his form when he caught sight of her hair moving for the cards that were strewn across the arena floor, "Oh crap.." he crouched down and waited for the sharp bones to be within reach of his form before launching himself upwards and over them before landing about a foot away from the newly formed bone cage as they plunged into the floor, "Too bad we weren't in the abyssal realm, those beings would have loved that trick" his ruby gaze turned back towards her in time to watch her cards hover around them before taking on her appearance, almost exactly, "There is one thing you should know about me Oculi, my eyes are my greatest quality I own, as they allow me true sight, as perfect as your illusions appear, they're still flawed as they do not possess one simple quality of yours" the angered voices lacing his own echoed off the walls of the hall, as he spoke he would gaze at each one of her illusions for a brief moment noticing the lightest of differences before his eyes would land on her, he would begin to take small steps forward towards her as he reached up and wiped the small amount of 'blood' from the cut along his jawline and flicked his wrist towards the guarding cards that protected the one on the floor, "You're not a shadow, and your scent comes from one direction" he pulled the remaining shadows from around the hall towards the enclosing circle of oculi allowing the shadows to consume the illusions as he would make his way towards the Oculi his heavy dragon hide boots making no sound as they hit the floor before him, he would reach up and back to grip the blade of one of the dual blades along his back and pulled it from it's sheath, it a downwards slashing motion he would direct the act towards the Oculi's throat, he may have been a bit over confident in his actions, if she did not react he would stop his blade within millimeters from her throat, at the same time the black 'blood' as it were beginning to eat away at the cards, spreading its way across them as it would grew in quantity the more it consumed.
Daeras: He could see through her illusions, which, though slightly surprising, it was to be expected from a fellow Kinn and she realized it from the start of the battle. Despite him seeing past it, she would now remain quiet, awaiting to see how his next course of actions would take place, intrigued so far by the Shade’s tactics. She took pleasure in the Game, this little back and forth they had created, until she noticed the droplets of black hitting her most prized cards. “How dare you!” The Oculi shouted, as her anger only came to topple even over the Shade’s – which, ironically, was exactly what he wished for – as the bucket fell over, spilled. The last drop hit and she was enraged. “You –dare- soil my cards like that and even expect it to have a rewarding outcome?” She mocked him with rage, a strand of white leering towards one of his legs, attempting to wrap around his ankle even before he unsheathed the sword. Should it not be effective, another strand grabbed for one of the last 2 blades left on the floor, using it to counter the strike of his sword as it went for his neck. Knowing that this would distract the Shade enough, she now had time to let her hair wander even more along the ground until it would make an attempt to grip once more at his joints, eventually planning to suspend him in mid-air. Should it be successful, it would use enough force to smash his semi-solid form against the ground upon his belly, letting his eyes cast gaze upon the cards tainted with blood. “Apologize to them.” Now, she was pissed. Now, she wanted to humiliate him in front of her own treasures, as their manifest would break the tangible grasp of being solely paper, shifting into darkened tendrils which then shifted into black cobras, each hissing and spitting venom targeted directly to Zeek’s own eyes. “Apologize for you just did!” Should she not be successful in fully suspending him, she would at least hope one of his joints would’ve been tangled through with her hair, which then was to lead to him being // literally dragged \\ across the floor by either his ankle or wrist or neck, humiliated in the same way with the command for an apology.
ZeekHarbinger: The scent of unending rage filled the hall as her treasures were 'soiled' as she put it, though he could build no counters through her actions or by any other means he would still grin at the charge he would get from her rage, it was like watching a woman receive her first diamond ring with all her excitement, except it was her actions that followed that allowed him the energy he would need to carry out his plans, with his blade meeting the blade that was plucked from the floor by her hair he simply twisted his blade to toss that of the Oculi's aside before manipulating the shadows to surround her, circling around in swirls of heavy darkness since consuming the illusions, acting much like a tornado that would pull at her hair to keep back and away from him, "I dare to play your games Oculi, and by extending the offer to play, you agreed to play mine" he peered back to the cards that were guarding the one of the floor to make his move for the prize and noticed they were now cobras, "What is with the kinn and their bloody serpents?" despite their transformation the black blood was not so easily cleared, with this form however they would simply just take longer to be consumed by the spreading blood, as the serpents would spit their venom towards him he would close his eyes and turn his head and form away as well as lift his arm to guard his rubied pools, his new hatred for the slithering beings was only pushed further with these new ones in play, the venom of the serpent upon his head was still fresh in his memories and only came back in full as he would turn back to the Oculi to gaze at her with the burning rage that filled them now. "You may very well regret turning them into slithering beings" he would reach back and pull the second blade from it sheath before turning and targeting the snakes, he would take off from his place and move quickly towards them, slashing both swords horizontally, one right to left, the other left to right aiming to take each of their heads off and move for his prize in this game.
DeviousMiskreent: Kali watched as the two of them went at it, head to head. Her observationary position and disposition giving her exactly what she had come here for, Ideas, and knowledge on what exactly her new capabilities could be. In one quiet evening she had learned much. Acidic blood, she was used to that, and it would be an easy skill to duplicate. Illusions using her shadow, also a familiar skill and easy to relearn. The snakes were interesting, and the cards of the Oculi were definitely something to watch out for. She smiled as she played with her umbra, duplicating the attacks as she watched. First dripping sizzling 'blood' on the tiled floor, then forcing her will on the souls to take illusory forms that danced about her on the floor. WIth more thought she resized them, making them grow like the Occuli's had. The snakes were a little harder, tangible 'beings' that took considerable will and thought to make dense enough to affect the real world. She sent one to retrieve a fallen leaf of paper, testing her mettle with the skill. Pleased as it returned to her dragging the scrap she banished it with just another thought. She chuckled softly to herself then, and banished all her little tricks. Yes . .knowledge . . knowledge was power.
Daeras: Out of the 13 serpents which were the strategically placed 13 cards to act as a shield, 4 were left unharmed as the other became decapitated and transformed back into withering cards, one by one disintegrating into black ash, much like the ripped page from her book. Watching as her trusty servants fell to their withering demise, the Oculi yelled, a shout which sounded like a harpy’s shriek, high pitched and loud enough to send reverberations along the walls and the floor itself – vibrations which, much like Zeek’s shadowed tornado, acted in a wave the strength of a minor tsunami, enough to hopefully catch him off guard, either merely distracting him or, best scenario, have him stumble on his feet. Once the effects of his tornado carried off, she used her hair to launch her own form towards him, the last 4 snakes aiding their Mistress in their attempts to coil around his ankles. As they would, they began to morph once more now into pure black stone, sealing him like liquid concrete in place. This, however a powerful tactic, was heavily draining to the Oculi, having the chance to create solid, tangible illusions in order to come in contact with the Shade, Should they be successful, however, it was a moot point for him to still attempt to reach for the card, as the liquid “concrete” would solidify around his legs enough to keep him in place, or have him fall over with his torso forth. Regardless of the scenario, it was an attack draining enough of her umbral strength to be counted as a final blow, a last attempt to keep the Shade from winning the game. Now, the card was unguarded, and should the snakes not be able to reach him in time, it was a surefire shot at reaching for the paper thin face-down object, hopefully before the Oculi would launch herself towards the Shade. In a successful throw, she was to land on top of him, toppling over now and rolling around enough so that she would push both him and herself away from the card.
ZeekHarbinger: With 9 of the 13 serpents now in ash along the floor his praze was surely his to take, but the sudden shriek released from the Oculis mouth was more than sufficient to catch his attention, the tsunami like wave that followed the vibrations would actually imply his feet were in fact solid, he would grin at the fact the Oculi missed it when his footsteps made no sound when he was walking towards her, the force of the wave however did push at his form nonetheless with less of an effect she would have desired, more like a strong wind coming from her direction, he pulled his gaze from her just as she launched herself at him and he made his move towards the card on the floor witnessing the snakes moving in to aid their mistress in her last ditch effort to keep him from winning this game, as the serpents made their move for his feet they would simply flow through them like that of a shadow though he would still launch himself towards the card, just as Moirai would tackle him from the side, but not before his picked the paperthin item off the floor of the arena, they would roll across the floor and land against the wall outside the arena, despite her being on top of him he would only grin devilishly at her and hold the card up between two of his fingers. "I do believe I win this game ...", he paused for a moment before he would begin to make a move to get out from underneath her, "Now get off me woman!"
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EzekielHarbinger
The Shade's Offering Nov.10.2017
February 08, 2019 09:00AM
Daeras: ‘Rats!’ The Oculi thought to herself seeing the Shade advance ever so close to the prized card. The serpents hissed in spite as their attempt to immobilize him failed, soon as his black blood had its full effect into disintegrating their intangible manifestation into obsidian ash, carried by the wind itself blowing from the Hall’s tall, open windows. Her last solution was the physical strike, as Moirai launched herself towards the Shade resulting into a back tackle, her form turning to the side with enough force as to roll forward with him. She couldn’t see whether or not he reached the card or if she managed to be in time, as she could only hope it had the outcome she wanted… that was, until she heard his words, blue gaze shifting to notice the card which, when touched by Zeek’s hand, shifted its imagery from pure white into shapes and colors which resembled the Moon of the major Arcana. This was the Oculi’s representative Tarot – this was now the Shade’s reward. With a defeated whine, Moirai rolled off of him ever so slightly, not without a final playful punch to his shoulder, hoping to cause the least bit of a tease. However, she had not risen from the ground, her physique laying upon the marbled tiles with a gaze propped upwards to the glass ceiling, towards the darkened skies. “Congratulations.” She admitted with a chuckle. “Seems like Galbrinth has to wait for another Tribute.” She shifted an arm to support the weight of her head from behind, a deep exhale leaving non-existent lungs. “Name your Prize, Shade.”/b] She spat out through gritted teeth.-
ZeekHarbinger: With the Oculi now off of him he was free to stand back up, his 8 foot form stood over and yet he only stared at the now piles of ash that flowed out the open windows of the dark hall with his ruby pools. "I thank you for the opportunity Oculi, though I want to say you allowed me to win", his rough laced voice whispered through the shadows that now returned to the hall interior as he dropped his gaze to the card in his hand to see the new image that was displayed upon it. "As for my prize, I will hold it as a favor for the future, as I'm sure I will need it then rather than a desire of it now", he turned to look back at her form laid out along the floor of the hall staring up at the glass ceiling and reached a hand out towards her as an offering of help back to her feet, "Now for the details of my offering prior to this game..."
Daeras: Moirai chuckled to the assumption of letting him win. Perhaps, it was her plan to, all along – however it may have been, she had to admit the Shade made an impressive adversary to her and she could only hope it was mutual. “Very well then.” She spoke, her voice trailing off in a faint choir of the souls. “I shall owe you the favor whenever you are ready to ask for it. Until then…” There was a small pause, a moment to recollect her thoughts before noticing the offered limb to which she shook her head, perfectly comfortable where she was. Instead, clawed digits tapped lightly along the tiles by her side. “Join me. The sky is beautiful.” She was always a strange one, this creature – most of her reasoning, an enigma to anybody who came in contact with her, despite having her own motives which very few understood. To some, she resembled a wise woman with many stories to tell – to others, before becoming one of the Kinn, a temptation they couldn’t resist. Yet to the very few lucky one who were allowed to gaze past the façade of blazing blue eyes, she was more than anything they had imagined. “Tell me of your offering, then.”
ZeekHarbinger: He dropped his darkened hand back his side and raised a brow at her offer for him to join her on the floor, he was not entirely ure about her as of yet but none the less he would join her, he moved next to her before sitting down on the floor, still he played with the card between his fingers, the idea of the Oculi owing him a favor made him grin, whether or not she did allow him to win, she was a worthy opponent. He kept his feet against the floor as he stretched his arms over his knees just in front of him as he spoke, the echoes of the angered souls almost seemed quieter than they normally did this time, "Though we have not had much interaction one on one as we did this dark night, you have always been there to guide me from the sidelines, right from the beginning, and for that ..... you have my utmost respect", he turned to look over at her with his ruby pools as he paused for a brief moment, "And as is the way of the Kinn, nothing is given for free, so I would very much like to pay tribute to you, and offer my my most prized possession....... My eyes."
Daeras: She let her gaze continue to wander towards the darkened skies – admiring its beauty, the mystery of all that was surrounding them in such unending void – everything that they were was everything around them, as they all were particles of Darkness, a collective of souls. If they had hearts, they would beat as one, beat for one. Such was the Unity of Kinn, a thought she had pondered upon ever since her Creation, her Rebirth. Barely hearing the Shade’s offering, the Oculi blinked lightly though such an action was not needed, more of a mask of whatever residue of humanity still resided within her. “Your eyes?” She inquired, an inevitable grin forming upon pitch black features. [/i]“I see…”[/i] As he finished his train of speech, the Oculi reciprocated with her own: “I once knew someone… Someone who saw me in a way not many did. Someone who understood that my Kindness could only be measured and balanced through my Cruelty, as all things in our entire existence, all concepts of Life itself, no matter how different, require Equilibrium. When your soul alone is judged in a scale, against the weight of a feather, how much do you think yours would weight? How far do you believe the scale would fall?” It sounded like the swinging blabbers of a madman, a lonesome storyteller who had only her own demons to share her stories with. Almost not taking in account his offer, Moirai continued: “Should you offer me your eyes, you are offering me more than just that. You offer a bound, a shackle which shall be placed upon you from here on – and shackles weigh heavy on the soul. Do you understand?”
ZeekHarbinger: Listening to the words she spoke his gaze flowed back to the image on the card he continued to hold with his fingers, his ruby reds taking in every detail the card had to show,though he assumed his offer would mean a binding of sorts to one being or another, his only concern was the bound he currently had to the Sinner set, evident of such crowned upon his head that weaved its slithering form through the horns. He nodded his head lightly understanding all too well what his offer would mean, "I truly understand, but let's face it, shackles don't weigh nearly as much as one would think, when you're merely trading one shackle for another."/b], he glanced back at her endless azure pools as they stared off into the darkened skies above them, "The skills my eyes offer me are far out of my reach to master, thus wasting their true potential, a potential you already know how to master. I accept what ever shackle comes with such an offer, if you accept such an offer from a mere Shadow of existence"/b], he would be lying to himself if he said he was prepared for this, his eyes were as he stated his most prized possession, but he knew he would never master the skills they offered, no matter how long his existence was extended. He felt this was a tribute most worthy of the Oculi, and nothing would change his mind at this point, even if it meant going another 100 rounds with the Sinner Set as punishment, she deserved a tribute of this magnitude for all the guidance she had already offered him from the start.
Daeras: “Very well then.” The Oculi sighed. It was of a devastating sorrow to behold, the sigh of a damnable being which was now faced with an opportunity she never wanted, no matter how much it would benefit her for she knew the weight of Blindness – she knew how heavy a world of darkness was, far beyond what they now shared as the notion of a Black World. With a wandering step she’d rise up from the ground, slightly hovering above him as the cards seemed to return back to their deck until dark claws of two digits plucked a couple of them out: First, was the Ace of Cups. Second, was the Two of Swords – and from it, two daggers manifested, the edge of their blades, pitch dark. They floated to her side, along with a solitary cup from her first card, all tools from what was to be her Ritual. Sharp nail dug into her own palm; from it, bubbled black blood which, when it came in contact with the edges of each dagger sizzled like pure acid. Such was the binding of Blood Tarot, the most dangerous of kinds, although her blood worked differently than his, meant only for specific rituals such as this. “Kneel.” Moirai beckoned him to obey. To kneel in front of the Oculi was a sign of pure respect – moreover, a sign of servitude. “I will need you to hold very, very still. From the moment you become Blind, you – must – follow my commands and guide yourself through my voice and my voice alone. Fail to do so, and the ritual shall have severe consequences. Do you comply?”
ZeekHarbinger: His ruby pools followed the woman as she rose to her feet and hovered before him, he was not sure what was to come of this but this was what he wanted to be able to show his outmost respect to her.The sigh was indication enough to him that she would not enjoy what she was about to do, despite the benefits that she would gain from it. He watched carefully as her cards returned to their mistress once again, allowing her to pull two cards from the deck. His gaze moved to the small daggers at her side before she placed her own blood upon the edges of the blades. Hearing her 'command' as it were he shifted his knees from in front of him to rest against the floor under him and placed his hands palms down on the edge of his knees, in his mind he was kneeling before as a sign of respect and more so as a servant to the Oculi. Out of hold habits he took a deep breath despite the fact he had no lungs to fill, no nerves to calm, and thoughts of his own to quiet, before nodding his head to her, confirming he understood the directions she was giving him, "I comply ..." he kept his ruby reds directed straight at her and commanded his own form not to budge even in the slightest.
ZeekHarbinger: He followed the Oculi through the shadows connecting the many realms, every one casted was like a door way to the shade as he could pass through each one with absolute ease to reach what ever destination he desired. Though he was unsure why his fellow kinn had chose this particular one was still beyond him, though he had learned not to question the higher ups. He kept his 8 foot form in transition, not fully shadow but not entirely physical either, which would prevent any one from touching him, and would not allow him to touch any one else in that matter. The dragon hide armour along his form almost blended with his umbral form perfectly minus a minor shine to the surface as his form shifted slightly, his ruby pools glancing over the surrounding area, before turning his gaze to the Oculi, "In votis regni non erit ultimum nec fructuosius aliquid" (Hopefully his one is more fruitful then the last), he kept his voice low so only the Oculi could hear him but the whispers of angered voices would lace his speech reguardless the volume he used. His kept to the shadows as he could blend almost perfectly within the darkness from head to toed including his attire was varying shades of black, minus the silver chains hanging from a set on horns upon his head and the blood red ruby pools of his eyes.
LuciDjiinn: /me Lucia had fallen asleep in her library again, this time she did not wake in her bed as usual as her soon-to-be husband was off delegating politics. she wondered what had woke her and then she scrunched her nose. she could smell blood on the breeze outside near the forest surrounding the palace, but this wasn't anyone she knew. She could smell it as if it were on herself as her senses were hightened in such a vulnerable transform such as an elf or human. she could smell the dirt, the rain but the wind carried the distinct smell of blood this night and she walked through the open doors of the library into the rain looking out to the woods from the balcony. Lucia definitely smelled blood, and it was not human blood. She rushed down the stairs, nearly slipping on the polished marble from her now wet bare feet and waved her hand to open the foyer doors. She was fast even in this elf girl form she could reach 500mph. she heard a girl cry out for help just before she found her, covered in mud and dark red blood. Lucia picked the creature up and slowly helped her to the castle leaving the doors open behind her and escorting the girl to the nearest restroom.
CeiliMacLeod: /me *ceili would wake after falling asleep on the big oak table in the library she had discovered late the evening before while everyone had turned into their private chambers. she still felt rather floored that the family of djinn had taken her into their home rather quickly and without too many questions. this was a relief to her because she found her mind still foggy from losing what past memories she had. with a sigh, she cloesed the large book on the table and make her way down to the main hall, smiling as she saw at least some familiar things*
tayiajdemonica: Demonica sees the elf walking towards her and she try's to draw her buster bladder great sword holding her side from the lighting bolt. "Don't come near me. I'll atta....." Demonica says as she falling forward passing out from a huge blood lost from her wound. The rain starts to come down harder as demonica falls asleep. She doesn't wake up for 8 minutes. "Mmmmaaarrrrhhhhh." Demonica moans in her sleep. While demonica slept from passing out she changed into her human form.
xxShadowedSecretsxx: On such a lovely day, Shadow did what any normal person would do and was "Sunbathing" out ontop the roof as the rain poored down. He was bare from head to toe with only a large leaf over his privates, rayban sunglasses over his eyes and the tanning tri-mirror he held in his hands. Despite all that was going down inside the castle, Shadow had the dying uncontrolable urge to just not care. I mean how else could he keep his adnormal pale and bizarre body like it was if he didn't bath in the warm loving rays of a cold stormy shower. He sighed "Some people will just never understand the price of this beauty, then again they have the imagination of moss" he said to himself and nodded agreeingly before continue his "tan session".
Sinabun: “Papa catch!” The words were happily shouted through the down pouring rain, the warning coming already to late. The small bolder, roughly the size of a mans skull and smooth from being warn away by the river until it was roughly ball shaped, was already long air born, on its downward arch. Altho she was new to the finer points of domestication, her aim was spot on, the stone would impact him in a matter of seconds, just south of center mass, spot on the leaf. Her pale eyes mirrored they sky in their storm like color today, yet it wouldnt stay like any of the other hues that sometimes appeared in her pupilless eyes. She was wearing real clothes today, a dress of sutible fabric, no shoes yet, that was a war for another day. Some one had also made half an attempt on her hair, it was shoddily cut at a reasonable length, as if she'd fought who ever had had the dubious honnor. Currently she was grinning, wee fangs peeking out from her smile.
Demarest: Demarest blinked as she heard her little one shout "Catch Papa" She closed the book and pursed her purple shaded lips, "Oh boy....." She muttered slowly curling from her spot. She started alking towards the stairs whistling quietly, she was headed for the roof even though her clothing wasn't suitable for rain she never minded it nor did she ever get cold. The gold and silver chains connecting the wrap bra top to her binkini bottoms swayed slightly with her movements, flicking her hair off her shoulder she started slowly climbing onto the roof. She had no shoes on as usual, resting herself against the tower wall before moving to where she had her Sina seeing what she was about to do to her father.
Daeras: “Tempus narrabo, et habemus multa.” – “Time will tell, and we have plenty.” – The Oculi spoke to the Shade. Her gaze, reaching through the walls around, sensing presences lost through the Castle itself. The scent of blood, combined with the numerous energies which roamed the unknown Halls. Her cards continued to shuffle at an increasing pace, anticipating the culling bite of an ambush predator. As the voice continued to trail off from features which were invisible to the naked eye, another anomaly erupted: Scent lingered, overpowering in its sweet Vanilla aspects. Pleasant, yet deadly – such a duality was to describe this being. When in the presence of an Oculi, most would find themselves in a state of “daze”, intrigued by the infinite beauty – darkened shadows surrounded her semi-solid manifestation, Umbra which carried her Aura of Sin. Despite her lack of shadow, the tattered edges of her cloak acted as one – tracing the ground below them, many would call it ‘alive’ – upon a creature which was not, by ordinary standards. They shifted and swirled with each step closer to the beings, lingering Greed off of them and drowning in their own Gluttony, yearning to devour whatever came close – even themselves – Cannibals, eating Cannibals. It watched the people in turn, from the wounded “bird”, to the young elven girl, one by one. Its voice, carrying nothing but a dull, monotone note – static as it was, its souls followed it. ‘Veni ad nobis…’ – Come to us – it now rang through the Halls. An echo which reigned far from realms untold, towards the breaking bounds of tangible. Like the Song of a Siren, the voice carried Sin. A lulling whisper of a sensual lick of lips, darkened as they were by the newfound Corruption – a hypnotic lure which would spread through the mind of the all those tainted. “We have come to offer our Services…” The snake-like hiss continued from her being. Clawed digits snapped open the silver prison in which laid her deck of Cards: slowly, each paperthin object began to whirl out – blank faced, an oddity for they carried no imagery – black backed, with silver carved lines which symbolized her power, intersecting together in an ancient tome. “Fortunes told, for those ever so bold…” It waited. Patience, a virtue she held close. All was to come, in due time.
ZeekHarbinger: The scent of blood was carried past them on a slight breeze, the rain normally drowned out most senses but no the kinn, especially not him as he was able to see through each of the many casted shadows through this land, reguardless how faint it was, he watched each being within the walls of this castle for amoment before moving his empty gaze back towards the Oculi as she spoke. He followed silently behind the dark shadowless figure keeping to himself his foot steps making no sound despite their large size and heavey looking armored boots, but still prepared if any would be stupid enough to make a hostile motion towards the oculi with his dual blades across his back, sort of like an acting body guard as it were, despite the fact she truly did not require one. Once inside the structure his ruby pools flowed over each of the beings now that he could see them in a different light as it were, the idea of being around so many beings of flesh was not what he had in mind for this evenings events. He absent mindedly began to fiddle with the inverted rosary around his wrist as he listened to his fellow Kinn offer her services, his index finger tracing the lines of the cross as he took a few steps off to the side and into one of the closest shadows, watching and waiting.
xxShadowedSecretsxx: Shadow lowered his shades to reveal the black veil covering his eyes. He then smirked at the oncoming large rock and vanished as it crash landed into his chair, the debry flying all about the place and the chair dented in from the impact, the leaf covering his crotch now flipping through the wind. Moments later he appeared right behind his daughter, her head blocking the veiw point of his masculinity and that there of its glory. "fine aim my dear, maye next time try a bigger rock, you didn't mark up the castle enough with that one" he said in a proud tone as he reached his hand that wasn't holding the mirror out to rub her head. "My lil girl, you're just like your father with all that mischeif" he said sarcastically sighing. "Let's get ice cream" he said to her with a chuckle.
LuciDjiinn: /me Lucia sets the semi-concious female down in the bathtub, trying to clean her up to find the source of the blood. She finally sees the nasty gash in the woman's side, and cleans off the mud and debris surrounding it. Lucia places her hand on the woman's side over the wound and in an instant all that is left of the large gash is a bright pink scar. she washed the now unconcious woman from the rest of the debris and put her in clean clothing before taking her into a bedroom and laying her on the bed. and closing the door as she leaves.
Sinabun: She made a little sound, a unhappy one as her rock 'ball' failed to be caught. She had seen the human children playing fetch with their tall ones and had wanted to try the game herself. The game although seeming pointless to her, had seemed to be fun when played. She still didnt understand its appeal now. Perhaps a bigger ball was nesicary as he said? She tilted her head to the side, considering his words, perhaps “Catch bigger ball?” She asked to be sure, just incase she didnt understand. Maybe it was the substance the ball was formed from that mattered? Her red hair stuck up in all sorts of disaray after his hand roughed up the attempt on civility that had been done in the brushing of it, at least there was no more twigs or odd bones remaining in her hair now, no small achivment that. Altho she had managed to snatch a great number of her collected bones before they had been stolen away to the garbage heap. They were her bones after all and nothing that was hers did she freely give up. It wasnt in her makeup. “ Ice cream?” she repeated, distinctly repeating them as seprate words, his tone impled it was a good thing, but she couldnt see how frozen milk would be any good.
Daeras: Looking towards the Shade, it seemed as though their visit had not been as fruitful as she intended to. The Oculi sighed and it was of a desolating sorrow to observe to whoever came in close, an inexistent wind following suit enough to scramble through the long drawn carpets along marbled tiles. Perpetual boredom overtook her senses as she continued to flip through the pages of her book; At least she was patient. Enough so that waiting around did not mother her much, aside from a slight pinch upon her senses. “Patientia.” – Patience – She uttered to the Shade, as well as to herself. All they had to do now was stay patient and they will come to them. How could they not, given their appearance? They were beings of the Dark, obsidian skinned and disband from nature’s creation of Flesh for they were beyond such low standards. They were the Kinn of the Cardinal, the void dwellers. The ones who dim the lights. And perhaps, a demonstration was in order. “Tenebris Impera Nobis, Sic Narro Nos Totus” – In Darkness We Reign, So Say We All – Once those words were outspoken, came the dimming of light – each flame from each torch, each light from every candle, burnt out until there was nothing but Darkness. The Main Lounge was now engulfed in black – through the darkness, there were little to no visible features of the creature which now stood in the middle of the room, aside from the cascading locks of snow white, which grazed the ground and a drowning gaze of blinding azure. Through the Darkness was an uneasy feeling, the impending sensation of drowning within an Endless Sea, gripping and pulling tighter and tighter within. There was no visible light to now illuminate around her, but a constant Void; no flame to guide their steps, as they were forced to walk blindly to her, guided by her eyes – like sheep to their Sheppard they’d approach, like worshipper to the church, they’d kneel. Her attention was now surprised by the woman who exited a nearby room after tending to the “wounded bird”. The elf looking woman made her way towards the two dark beings, to which the Oculi smiled pleased. “I told you. You catch more flies with honey…” She cooed towards the Shade, before directing her attention now towards the lady. “Good evening.” It was a hazy sort of dim light, which made little sense. A dull azure gaze.
ZeekHarbinger: He crossed his darkened arms across his chest as he leaned back against the stone wall behind him, "Haec dicit patientia..." (Patience she says...), unfortunately for the Oculi this was not a word that suited the Shade very well, the longer he waited the greater his own rage built, there was no need for creatures such as the Kinn to wait on such beings of the flesh, and his patience was growing rather thin, until she began to blow out each candle creating a darkening room, this was more his speed, he would not hold his transitional form any further allowing his form to shift away in swaths of black smoke, the last that was actually seen of him was the devilish grin and ruby pools before they too completely vanished from sight. He flowed freely through the darkened room when he took sight of another being entering the room, the scent of blood now wavery away so he assumed the wound that was inflicted was healed over, but the woman who enter still apeared to have that scent on her, though there was something else about the being that caught his attention, he was unsure what it was about her but he would deffinately be paying closer attention to her and any others who decided to join them in this area of the castle.
LuciDjiinn: /me She stepped out of the room where the unconcious female lay and quietly closed the door behind her. As she stepped into the now dark lounge room Lucia's 6 foot frame stood before a creature twice her size with glowing white hair, and another who stood behind her. Lucia's ice blue eyes glowed in the darkness and she could see the shapes pretty plainly in the dark room. SHe heard this...this hollow figure say good evening to her as if she knew who she was. Lucia cocked her head to the figure standing just a few feet in front of her and spoke in a soft voice as to not wake the house, "Good evening to you as well. Can i help you with something? a room perhaps to sleep?" She still had a puzzled look upon her face but was still very calm as she had visitors at all hours and was used to finding new people wandering about the castle in search of her.
Rido: /me was against a window in the extensive library. Sitting upon an open sill with a book lazily in hand. Rido yawned and glanced at the stars in black sea of night about them, she then turned her attention back to her book with languid motions. Brushing a stray piece of hair out of her eyes as she practically buried her nose in the pages.
Daeras: “Ego sum Oculus Galbrinth…” – I am the Eye of Galbrinth – it hissed, the whisper which slithered like a wandering serpent along the walls, along the buildings ; surrounding them as it was. “Primo, ut sit creata est...” – First to be Created – . The woman cooed to her. From her wandering limb, webbed-like digits pulled out a singular Tarot Card, its blank white imagery shifting now to a black and white picture of a Hanged Man. Extended to her as it was, she continued speech. The whispers followed. Her voice rang sharp, and deadly cold. “Omnes tenebrae est.” – Darkness is All – “Absente Lumine” – Absent of Light – “Aeternum perfectum…” – Eternal Perfection –; A Black World was their goal, Children of its purpose. “Confess to us…” She did laugh however, once. Brisk, cold. Humorless. Through the dense, cold air, the same lulling whisper carried past them, through their thoughts. ‘Confitemini…’ – Confess – It beckoned them closer to Sin. It persuaded them to fall deeper and deeper intyo the Corruption. ‘Venite liberabit vos…’ – Let us set you free – The cries and woes of thousands of souls echoed through the intangible grasps on their minds, surrounding them, from inside-out. Never threatening, though endlessly present.
ZeekHarbinger: He flowed through the darkened room blending almost perfectly with the shadows until he took form once more a few steps away from the Oculi, though his form would appear more or less like condenced smoke with physcial features, his ruby eyes peircing through the smoke were the most noticable of all the features, his 8 foot stance was shorter then that of the Oculi's as he stood behiind her waiting to see what would come of this meeting, so he remained quiet for the time being.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/08/2019 08:55AM by EzekielHarbinger.
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EzekielHarbinger
Shade vs Oculi Nov.9.2017
February 08, 2019 08:58AM
b]Daeras:[/b] Tainted were the ways of the Oculi, tainted were her goals. As the rotating cards of black swung around her semi-solid physique, they spoke to her in whispered chants of lost languages, guiding her presence over to a newly created Hall, having been given word from Galbrinth itself upon its creation. The Prime wished to know what a new Shade had cooking up behind closed doors and so, the Oculi responded. Her apparition was something to behold, molded by shadows and ghosts, souls which engulfed the magnificent structure of this being into itself-molded shape: Darkness enveloped skin of obsidian black upon which laid tattered robes of black, nothing as vain as her fellow Kinn; there were no jewels of Silver, nor trinkets of gemstones laying upon her creation, for her Pride laid within the silvery locks of hair which grazed marbled tiles, emanating their self-serving aura of Sin. Each vibrations brought out new influence for Sin itself, each strand, a shadow in disguise, painted pristine white. The only visible accessory she now carried were the silvered pauldrons which reached from her shoulders all around her arms, enveloping their interpretation in pure steel. They sizzled to touch, the arm pieces of a Sinner, Nemo himself; a piece of his Umbra given as a gift to her… so long ago, she could barely remember flashes through the jumbled memory of thousands of souls. It offered her a Sinner’s protection, increasing the Oculi’s durability to greater length, as well as her evasion rate. Swift was she now, flexible like a bending willow. Though not combat oriented, she was not something to be taken for granted. The cards swirled around her – they yearned in anticipation of what was to come next, as Moirai made her way towards the wandering Shade, flipping through the pages of an unknown book, black leather covered. “You have been busy.” She spoke, with no implication of an ulterior thought.
DeviousMiskreent: There was a deeper darkness about the woods and training hall of late. Darker than the normal, dismal darkness that is. It carried with it an as of yet, unknown sentience, though no form had actually shown itself yet. It wasn't that Kali couldn’t take her human like shape yet, it was more that she didn't want to. Her umbral darkness would simply flit from place to place, exploring this new 'home' realm. The woods, the incessant voices of the shadows, the fields and the one . . building that seemed to draw her attention. Her dark mist would flow from one place to the next, a conglomeration of insidious cohesive thoughts. A door . . laughable in her mist like density as she flowed under it, around it, through it. Merely a shiver as her cold wet darkness slipped inside the training hall, the only sound that of a wet rag rubbing down the wood as her 'mass' slid under the door, bringing with it the distinct scent of anise (black licorice). The sentient mass of shadow that was Kali would slide along the floor, moving towards the pillars to the left of the ring, avoiding any contact with the silver haired Oculi that she had met before as a fleshly being. The memory was there, sharp and crisp like a light in the darkness but it was still hard to grasp onto. She knew not to go near, but that was about it for now. Instead she pulled herself to the pillars, near the chairs and stopped, resting as a writhing mass of shadow for the time being.
ZeekHarbinger: Constantly wandering in the thick darkness that lingered within the black forest that surrounded the newly constructed hall, almost always in a transitional state of being as it made it far easier for him to flow through the unending shadows casted every which way. The sense of being watched was ever present within the forest as the Shade used these shadows as a way of watching his newly claimed lands, though he had yet to be visited by another Kinn. Catching the scent of the Oculi caught his attention before the sight of her, though she not combat oriented per say he was still werey of her all things considered. He would emerge from one of the shadows as she approached and spoke to him, a simple grin crossed his blackened lips as his ruby pools gazed at her blankly, "Wandering from realm to realm seemed tiresome at best, so why not build something where these beings can come to us?" his voice rang out through the shadows that surrounded with the whispers of thousands of angered voices in varying languages, some known, some lost in time. His gaze shifted to that of one of the newest members to their darkening family as she collected her shadows near a pillar that bordered the center of the hall before shifting back towards Moirai. "And what brings you two here this dark evening?"
Daeras: “Perhaps I was wondering what would happen, should I wish for a demonstration?” The Oculi chuckled. Whispers trailed off with the following choir of souls. Sharp as her voice was, the chants were only sharper. Another page of her book flipped, as she advanced towards the arena area, entering the concrete made circle upon the ground – upon entrance, Moirai did the unspeakable and unpredictable. Clawed digits from her opposite limb now plucked a solitary card from her silvered desk, the metal prison which sealed her strength, the cage which kept her Monsters locked. While some had skeletons in their closets, hers lived in the deck of cards. She would not show him the card, instead taking a few steps back and placing it, face down, upon the ground right where the Arena circle ended. Merely a few feet behind her, she then took her rightful place before the Shade. “Let’s play a game. If you can get past me and take that card from the ground … “ she paused for a moment, before continuing. The following words, spoken harsher, to make sure he understood their meaning. “… with your bare hands …” The Kinn grinned, knowing very well how to make a challenge even harder to achieve. “Then I shall grant you a gift. A Favor. If not…” There was a moment which could only be categorized as a threat. A sharp inhale was given through inexistent lungs, as her claws now ripped through a random page in her book – or perhaps, it was not as random after all – to her touch, the paper thin substance disintegrated into pure black ash. “I will exile you to the grounds of the Unholy Nation for a whole month.” She did not know whether or not Zeek has heard of it. The Unholy Nation, the sleeping grounds of Galbrinth. The endless torment of an empty Cemetery, full of dreading souls."What do you say, then? Do you wish to play?" As she spoke, another energy grasped her attention. A familiar Kinn, yet an unfamiliar presence as her gaze narrowed towards the wandering being. The jumbled memories made way to comprehension and then, this creature was not as estranged to her as before. "Hello again." Pause. A wider grin. "I'll get to you later..."
DeviousMiskreent: Kali had no inclination to speak whatsoever, not even as the ...male.. spoke a question to her. She was here to watch, and observe, and that was it. She didn't even particularly care to manifest herself, having hoped to just slip in unobserved, but clearly that wasn't happening. She tugged on her umbra, her shadows and darkness, pulling the souls in tight to manifest a denser form. Obsidian 'hair' and 'skin' formed around her core of nothingness, bright silver 'eyes' taking shape as her body filled out. Her form for now was small and slim looking, only slightly larger than your average human. Swirls of her darkness remained around her, the lost souls of her own empire screaming their defiance of her use of them. Her 'head' would turn to the male, her voice raspy and broken in its first use as kinn. Clothing that manifested to cover her feminine form was somewhat simple, bell bottomed pants of obsidian black that were open at the hips on either leg were held by a silver belt adorned with several different types and sizes of skulls. It was joined by a simple black tank top and mesh like overlay. Her brow held the silver and black adornments of her previous life, and her hands sported a number of silver rings and her once long silver hair had turned almost solid black, sporting only a few strands of the brilliant silver she once held such pride in. "Observation" was all that she said, and planted herself in one of the chairs and turned her brightly burning silver oculars towards the woman of the cards. "im sure you will try" .
ZeekHarbinger: He raised a brow at her request of a demonstration curiosity held his attention better than any battle he had entered thus far, though he knew full well there was more to it then a simple show of skills, watching the feminine kinn place a card on the floor behind her was just confirmation of said plans. Listening to the offer a game and it's possible rewards made him grin, "Torture and torment in an unending cemetary sounds alot like a retreat in comparison to the abyssal realms...", he paused for a moment when the other woman spoke of just being there to observe and nodded his head towards her, "I accept these terms, as long as you accept something in return once we are finished here, no further detail will be given until then", the whispers of angered voices crying out as they laced his own but never overpowered his rough voice, his form took on a more physical state as he reached his long arms back and gathered his braided obsidian hair from the crown of horns upon his head and tied it back with a simple strand of black leather he kept tuck in the dragonhide armored gloves that hugged his hands, before removing the inverted rosary from his wrist and tucked that away for safe keeping within the same dragonhide armor that hugged his chest. "If you agree to these terms, then we can begin playing your game"
Daeras: “Only seems fair, my dear.” As the Oculi continued to coo at him, she had taken notice of the angered choir of soils which followed his aura. How much Wrath could emanate from him was beyond her, her, a being of Patience and collecting thoughts, only enforced her plans for the night, to gain as many counters as possible from her fellow Kinn’s own actions and thoughts. Each strand of her white hair vibrated in its Soul Pool, each strand, a long soul in torment, gifted by Galbrinth itself. They were two different beings facing each other, connected only by a familiar Umbra, yet created through different aspects. They were two different beings, with two different styles. Her first action was not an attack, as many would believe, but a defense act which implicated the switching of cards, as the rotating “belt” around her waist now seemed to move and hover over the solitary card upon the ground, offering it an increased protection. This, however, left the Oculi with a small disadvantage, discarding a small part of her defense in order to offer it to the Card – a dual challenge, as he would have to first find a way around her own being, before then reaching the shield of oscillating cards in order to reach his Prize. “As a Host, you shall have the right to begin.” And then, she waited. As though nothing had ever changed since her appearance here, The Oculi continued to flip pages through her book. Perhaps, by the end, she’d eventually tell him what she was reading.
DeviousMiskreent: Kali smirked a little, her dark obsidian lips lifting on the left into a near sneer as she watched the two issue their challenges. She folded her long left leg over the knee of her right and sat back in the chair. Her fingers tribbling in the stream of odd souls that wrapped around her like some sort of hagoromo vestment.
ZeekHarbinger: He nodded his head slightly towards the Oculi as she agreed to his terms as he began to run different scenarios through his mind as to how to beat an Oculi of Galibrinth, though they were created from the same essence of being, their umbras were still very different from one another, she was the poster girl of patience as he was nothing more than a bucket full of rage, how far her patience went was still to be tested but he knew full well the moment the bucket spilt there was no stopping it, at least for the time being. His gaze caught sight of the carded balt as it were moving to the card that lay on the floor, increasing her chances of actually winning this battle as they would now protect the single card from his retrieval, but also left her at a disadvantage, an odd move on her part but understandable at the same time. Hearing her speak of being a host only made him grin, as it was in the hosts nature to hand the first move to the challenger, except she had already taken her turn per say. "Just so you're aware, I will not be easy on you solely because you're a woman, as you are a woman with a far higher rank than myself, it would only seem fair" he spoke before taking off from his lace across the arena from her he would close the gap between them quickly, calling his shadows to him to take on a full density form as he moved, he wanted to avoid the never ending locks of vibrating silver hair that flowed from her form but distant attacks against this sort of being seemed highly pointless, he wanted to test his boundaries as they were, see what he could do against the Oculi as nothing more than a mere shade. Moments before reaching the woman he would step off to the left, to quickly make his way past her, and spun around on his left foot as threw his right foot upwards towards the side of the Oculi, using the momentum behind his swing he followed the kick with the balled right fist to the chest of the Oculi, with enough force behind both strikes to knock her to the side and back if they both connected as he wanted them to.
Daeras: He had speed, that was certain. The evasive way in which he leaned towards her, the momentum he had built up until he reached a few inches away from her physique intrigued her as she had yet to see a Kinn in full battle, let alone against herself. The Oculi’s eyes widened for a brief second, as it only took a fraction of it to notice the rise of his leg coming in attempt to make contact and swivel her to the side. It took only that, a mere fraction of notice until Moirai understood what she had to do, reaction carefully calculated within her mind before even taking full effect. She allowed the kick to throw her off about 2 feet to the side, during her fall having a small part of her white locks would attempt tangle around Zeek’s wrist, catching his fist before it was to make contact with her chest and push her to the ground fully – in turn, as the coiled tendril of white wrapped tightly around his limb it would create enough force combined with her fall to throw him to the side and hopefully enough force which was needed to toss him all the way to the opposite wall. If not, she would’ve been pleased with at least shoving him right back to the middle of the arena. As the Oculi supported her weight against her left shoulder, her frame slowly began to rise up once more, dusting off lightly the black leathered book. Closed, and put neatly to the side right next to the card itself. “Well, that was annoying.” She scoffed, and allowed herself a short moment of a pause, before her eyes fully closed. She carried no weapons, for the only ones she needed were in her cards, clawed digits opening the silver deck. One card was plucked out, its blank white imagery sustained now by the colorful picture of Nine Pentacles, though instead of the star was the inverted cross. From the imagery now were divided 9 individual circular blades, each bearing the symbol of the inverted cross. And in a second, hopefully before he had time to get up, 5 of them would begin spinning like fast paced boomerangs his way, in an attempt to either cut, taunt him further off the arena, or, best case scenario, have him pinned to the wall behind him.
ZeekHarbinger: Watching the Oculi going down seemed too easy, as though there was something he missed, which was proven when he felt the strand of white hair around his wrist, as she went down he was sent across the room towards one of the pillars, but he would not be that easily deterred from his goal, he wrapped the strand around his hand a few times as he turned his form to place his feet against the pillar before using the hair around his hand like a rope, attempting to flip it up and around the hand that clasped the silver deck before pulling the hair and jerking the hand to spill the cards before she could pull any more from it, all this would take place in smooth motions simultaneously one after the other before he noticed the 5 blades coming towards him, he used the built up energy he absorbed into his legs as he landed against the pillar to launch himself upwards and over the blades and back towards her, reaching down for one of the blades with the wrist that still had the silver hair wrapped around it to cut through the strand and releasing the hold it would have on him, while airborne he would bring his legs up, tucking them underneath his form before he would begin his descent back down to the floor hoping to land beside her and spin back around on his foot with a leg sweep and still avoid her hair. "You haven't seen annoying yet darlin.."
Daeras: “You insolent brat!” The Oculi whined, seeing how her own attribute was used against her, releasing the grip upon her silver deck. The cards would flow out in a splatter against the floor, some with back up, some faced up, yet each card had a blank white face – there was no imagery on them, until the Oculi was to touch them which was an advantage for the Shade considering it would’ve taken her extra effort now to reach her precious treasures. Annoyed by this, she could only then focus on calculating the newly thought out course of actions which, despite his speed, offered her enough time to cook up a new plan. As he would try to cut the hair using her own blade, Moirai laughed, a bellowing sound which reached and vibrated along the walls now seeing how the blade, upon contact with her pristine strands, acted in a true boomerang effect, deflecting the same force it would’ve taken to cut through Zeek enough to launch itself right below his jawline, threatening to leave either a small cut, or sever his head completely off, which would’ve been a laughable matter, yet difficult to explain in the long run to the higher ups. All capable of action due to the attribute of her strands, taking more than just a simple blade to cut through them. Whatever would’ve been the result, her next course of actions implied taking two of the remaining 4 blades within her hands, waiting for the right opportunity, the right moment in which he would be fully poised onto the ground once more, sending one of them below, in an attempt to either trip and force him to stumble down, or have him jump upwards to avoid it – in which case, she simultaneously launched the other blade above, anticipating a jump. If he would not do so, then it would hit and stop into the opposite wall, anchored within the concrete.
ZeekHarbinger: Watching the one blade come back at him was not expected but at the same time what was he to expect, the hair of the Oculi was her most prized possession after all, he should have known better then to think it could be so easily cut. He would pull his head back just enough to miss being decapitated but not enough to miss the sharp edge entirely taking a small cut to his jaw line allowing the condensed umbra that flowed through his being a way out and droplets hitting the floor, despite this new plan of action from the woman he would continue to follow through with his own allowing his form to drop back down to the floor when he noticed one of the blades planted into the floor just below him, new plan of action was required at this point, he would quickly throw his feet out behind him moments before meeting the floor and braced himself up with his hands planted on the floor mere centimeters above the blade, before pushing himself upwards and spun his form with the absorbed energy in his arms just high enough to miss the secondary blade thrown, with the momentum of the spin he would kick out his left foot towards the side of the Oculi with enough force to push further away from the guarded card on the floor before he would plant his right on the floor and standing upright once again, hopefully with enough time to begin the thought process as to how to retrieve the card from it's guards.
Daeras: ‘Impressive…’ she thought to herself, nearly a moment before she noticed the kick, yet far too late to properly dodge it. With her lack of notice, the force of his kick would’ve been amplified now because of her unawareness, landing her, ironically enough, right into the same bent pillar Zeek was forced upon a round prior. With a grunt, it would’ve taken her a bit of time to recollect her thoughts, though not enough as it would’ve been needed for Zeek to reach the card. As a counter action, however, to buy her more time, the shield which surrounded the card now seemed to grow in size, each “guard” now towering higher and higher until they reached half the height of the Shade himself. Due to the length of her hair and the Oculi’s speed, a few strands of white managed to reach through the pool of splattered cards, its pristine tips holding one upwards to reveal then its imagery of the Five of Wands. Much as the same like the Pentacles, the wands would reach tangible bonds, seemingly made out of sharp ivory bones as they threw themselves towards Zeek using the force of her hair, in hopes of acting like spikes to either clash into his turned back, or at least create a sort of cage around him for the time being. All, in hopes to buy her more time. The wandering strand of white seemed to de-lace from around his wrist as the Oculi made her way back into the Arena, groaning in spite. “You’re forcing my hand, Shade…” The pool of splattered cards now rose up again on their own as they began to circle the arena itself, each coming around the Oculi herself to surround both Zeek and the smaller shield of cards. A bigger circle, engulfing the smaller one. Terrible was her next attack, for it resembled no attack at all, aside from the fact that each card began to take the Oculi’s exact image, to her exact height, with her exact attributes. These, of course, were non-tangible illusions which now surrounded the Shade, however enough of an annoying mind trick to confuse the layman and hopefully lose herself through the newly formed crowd of clones. Each now took a step forward. And… another. And another, as the circle grew smaller.
ZeekHarbinger: Watching the Oculi fly into the pillar across the room gave him more then enough time to be able to attempt to reach for the card on the floor but before he made any motion towards it the guarding cards grew in size to about half his height, "Bloody cards..." he turned his gaze back towards the Oculi within the turning of his form when he caught sight of her hair moving for the cards that were strewn across the arena floor, "Oh crap.." he crouched down and waited for the sharp bones to be within reach of his form before launching himself upwards and over them before landing about a foot away from the newly formed bone cage as they plunged into the floor, "Too bad we weren't in the abyssal realm, those beings would have loved that trick" his ruby gaze turned back towards her in time to watch her cards hover around them before taking on her appearance, almost exactly, "There is one thing you should know about me Oculi, my eyes are my greatest quality I own, as they allow me true sight, as perfect as your illusions appear, they're still flawed as they do not possess one simple quality of yours" the angered voices lacing his own echoed off the walls of the hall, as he spoke he would gaze at each one of her illusions for a brief moment noticing the lightest of differences before his eyes would land on her, he would begin to take small steps forward towards her as he reached up and wiped the small amount of 'blood' from the cut along his jawline and flicked his wrist towards the guarding cards that protected the one on the floor, "You're not a shadow, and your scent comes from one direction" he pulled the remaining shadows from around the hall towards the enclosing circle of oculi allowing the shadows to consume the illusions as he would make his way towards the Oculi his heavy dragon hide boots making no sound as they hit the floor before him, he would reach up and back to grip the blade of one of the dual blades along his back and pulled it from it's sheath, it a downwards slashing motion he would direct the act towards the Oculi's throat, he may have been a bit over confident in his actions, if she did not react he would stop his blade within millimeters from her throat, at the same time the black 'blood' as it were beginning to eat away at the cards, spreading its way across them as it would grew in quantity the more it consumed.
Daeras: He could see through her illusions, which, though slightly surprising, it was to be expected from a fellow Kinn and she realized it from the start of the battle. Despite him seeing past it, she would now remain quiet, awaiting to see how his next course of actions would take place, intrigued so far by the Shade’s tactics. She took pleasure in the Game, this little back and forth they had created, until she noticed the droplets of black hitting her most prized cards. “How dare you!” The Oculi shouted, as her anger only came to topple even over the Shade’s – which, ironically, was exactly what he wished for – as the bucket fell over, spilled. The last drop hit and she was enraged. “You –dare- soil my cards like that and even expect it to have a rewarding outcome?” She mocked him with rage, a strand of white leering towards one of his legs, attempting to wrap around his ankle even before he unsheathed the sword. Should it not be effective, another strand grabbed for one of the last 2 blades left on the floor, using it to counter the strike of his sword as it went for his neck. Knowing that this would distract the Shade enough, she now had time to let her hair wander even more along the ground until it would make an attempt to grip once more at his joints, eventually planning to suspend him in mid-air. Should it be successful, it would use enough force to smash his semi-solid form against the ground upon his belly, letting his eyes cast gaze upon the cards tainted with blood. “Apologize to them.” Now, she was pissed. Now, she wanted to humiliate him in front of her own treasures, as their manifest would break the tangible grasp of being solely paper, shifting into darkened tendrils which then shifted into black cobras, each hissing and spitting venom targeted directly to Zeek’s own eyes. “Apologize for you just did!” Should she not be successful in fully suspending him, she would at least hope one of his joints would’ve been tangled through with her hair, which then was to lead to him being // literally dragged \\ across the floor by either his ankle or wrist or neck, humiliated in the same way with the command for an apology.
ZeekHarbinger: The scent of unending rage filled the hall as her treasures were 'soiled' as she put it, though he could build no counters through her actions or by any other means he would still grin at the charge he would get from her rage, it was like watching a woman receive her first diamond ring with all her excitement, except it was her actions that followed that allowed him the energy he would need to carry out his plans, with his blade meeting the blade that was plucked from the floor by her hair he simply twisted his blade to toss that of the Oculi's aside before manipulating the shadows to surround her, circling around in swirls of heavy darkness since consuming the illusions, acting much like a tornado that would pull at her hair to keep back and away from him, "I dare to play your games Oculi, and by extending the offer to play, you agreed to play mine" he peered back to the cards that were guarding the one of the floor to make his move for the prize and noticed they were now cobras, "What is with the kinn and their bloody serpents?" despite their transformation the black blood was not so easily cleared, with this form however they would simply just take longer to be consumed by the spreading blood, as the serpents would spit their venom towards him he would close his eyes and turn his head and form away as well as lift his arm to guard his rubied pools, his new hatred for the slithering beings was only pushed further with these new ones in play, the venom of the serpent upon his head was still fresh in his memories and only came back in full as he would turn back to the Oculi to gaze at her with the burning rage that filled them now. "You may very well regret turning them into slithering beings" he would reach back and pull the second blade from it sheath before turning and targeting the snakes, he would take off from his place and move quickly towards them, slashing both swords horizontally, one right to left, the other left to right aiming to take each of their heads off and move for his prize in this game.
DeviousMiskreent: Kali watched as the two of them went at it, head to head. Her observationary position and disposition giving her exactly what she had come here for, Ideas, and knowledge on what exactly her new capabilities could be. In one quiet evening she had learned much. Acidic blood, she was used to that, and it would be an easy skill to duplicate. Illusions using her shadow, also a familiar skill and easy to relearn. The snakes were interesting, and the cards of the Oculi were definitely something to watch out for. She smiled as she played with her umbra, duplicating the attacks as she watched. First dripping sizzling 'blood' on the tiled floor, then forcing her will on the souls to take illusory forms that danced about her on the floor. WIth more thought she resized them, making them grow like the Occuli's had. The snakes were a little harder, tangible 'beings' that took considerable will and thought to make dense enough to affect the real world. She sent one to retrieve a fallen leaf of paper, testing her mettle with the skill. Pleased as it returned to her dragging the scrap she banished it with just another thought. She chuckled softly to herself then, and banished all her little tricks. Yes . .knowledge . . knowledge was power.
Daeras: Out of the 13 serpents which were the strategically placed 13 cards to act as a shield, 4 were left unharmed as the other became decapitated and transformed back into withering cards, one by one disintegrating into black ash, much like the ripped page from her book. Watching as her trusty servants fell to their withering demise, the Oculi yelled, a shout which sounded like a harpy’s shriek, high pitched and loud enough to send reverberations along the walls and the floor itself – vibrations which, much like Zeek’s shadowed tornado, acted in a wave the strength of a minor tsunami, enough to hopefully catch him off guard, either merely distracting him or, best scenario, have him stumble on his feet. Once the effects of his tornado carried off, she used her hair to launch her own form towards him, the last 4 snakes aiding their Mistress in their attempts to coil around his ankles. As they would, they began to morph once more now into pure black stone, sealing him like liquid concrete in place. This, however a powerful tactic, was heavily draining to the Oculi, having the chance to create solid, tangible illusions in order to come in contact with the Shade, Should they be successful, however, it was a moot point for him to still attempt to reach for the card, as the liquid “concrete” would solidify around his legs enough to keep him in place, or have him fall over with his torso forth. Regardless of the scenario, it was an attack draining enough of her umbral strength to be counted as a final blow, a last attempt to keep the Shade from winning the game. Now, the card was unguarded, and should the snakes not be able to reach him in time, it was a surefire shot at reaching for the paper thin face-down object, hopefully before the Oculi would launch herself towards the Shade. In a successful throw, she was to land on top of him, toppling over now and rolling around enough so that she would push both him and herself away from the card.
ZeekHarbinger: With 9 of the 13 serpents now in ash along the floor his praze was surely his to take, but the sudden shriek released from the Oculis mouth was more than sufficient to catch his attention, the tsunami like wave that followed the vibrations would actually imply his feet were in fact solid, he would grin at the fact the Oculi missed it when his footsteps made no sound when he was walking towards her, the force of the wave however did push at his form nonetheless with less of an effect she would have desired, more like a strong wind coming from her direction, he pulled his gaze from her just as she launched herself at him and he made his move towards the card on the floor witnessing the snakes moving in to aid their mistress in her last ditch effort to keep him from winning this game, as the serpents made their move for his feet they would simply flow through them like that of a shadow though he would still launch himself towards the card, just as Moirai would tackle him from the side, but not before his picked the paperthin item off the floor of the arena, they would roll across the floor and land against the wall outside the arena, despite her being on top of him he would only grin devilishly at her and hold the card up between two of his fingers. "I do believe I win this game ...", he paused for a moment before he would begin to make a move to get out from underneath her, "Now get off me woman!"
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EzekielHarbinger
The Shade's Offering Nov.10.2017
February 08, 2019 09:00AM
Daeras: ‘Rats!’ The Oculi thought to herself seeing the Shade advance ever so close to the prized card. The serpents hissed in spite as their attempt to immobilize him failed, soon as his black blood had its full effect into disintegrating their intangible manifestation into obsidian ash, carried by the wind itself blowing from the Hall’s tall, open windows. Her last solution was the physical strike, as Moirai launched herself towards the Shade resulting into a back tackle, her form turning to the side with enough force as to roll forward with him. She couldn’t see whether or not he reached the card or if she managed to be in time, as she could only hope it had the outcome she wanted… that was, until she heard his words, blue gaze shifting to notice the card which, when touched by Zeek’s hand, shifted its imagery from pure white into shapes and colors which resembled the Moon of the major Arcana. This was the Oculi’s representative Tarot – this was now the Shade’s reward. With a defeated whine, Moirai rolled off of him ever so slightly, not without a final playful punch to his shoulder, hoping to cause the least bit of a tease. However, she had not risen from the ground, her physique laying upon the marbled tiles with a gaze propped upwards to the glass ceiling, towards the darkened skies. “Congratulations.” She admitted with a chuckle. “Seems like Galbrinth has to wait for another Tribute.” She shifted an arm to support the weight of her head from behind, a deep exhale leaving non-existent lungs. “Name your Prize, Shade.”/b] She spat out through gritted teeth.-
ZeekHarbinger: With the Oculi now off of him he was free to stand back up, his 8 foot form stood over and yet he only stared at the now piles of ash that flowed out the open windows of the dark hall with his ruby pools. "I thank you for the opportunity Oculi, though I want to say you allowed me to win", his rough laced voice whispered through the shadows that now returned to the hall interior as he dropped his gaze to the card in his hand to see the new image that was displayed upon it. "As for my prize, I will hold it as a favor for the future, as I'm sure I will need it then rather than a desire of it now", he turned to look back at her form laid out along the floor of the hall staring up at the glass ceiling and reached a hand out towards her as an offering of help back to her feet, "Now for the details of my offering prior to this game..."
Daeras: Moirai chuckled to the assumption of letting him win. Perhaps, it was her plan to, all along – however it may have been, she had to admit the Shade made an impressive adversary to her and she could only hope it was mutual. “Very well then.” She spoke, her voice trailing off in a faint choir of the souls. “I shall owe you the favor whenever you are ready to ask for it. Until then…” There was a small pause, a moment to recollect her thoughts before noticing the offered limb to which she shook her head, perfectly comfortable where she was. Instead, clawed digits tapped lightly along the tiles by her side. “Join me. The sky is beautiful.” She was always a strange one, this creature – most of her reasoning, an enigma to anybody who came in contact with her, despite having her own motives which very few understood. To some, she resembled a wise woman with many stories to tell – to others, before becoming one of the Kinn, a temptation they couldn’t resist. Yet to the very few lucky one who were allowed to gaze past the façade of blazing blue eyes, she was more than anything they had imagined. “Tell me of your offering, then.”
ZeekHarbinger: He dropped his darkened hand back his side and raised a brow at her offer for him to join her on the floor, he was not entirely ure about her as of yet but none the less he would join her, he moved next to her before sitting down on the floor, still he played with the card between his fingers, the idea of the Oculi owing him a favor made him grin, whether or not she did allow him to win, she was a worthy opponent. He kept his feet against the floor as he stretched his arms over his knees just in front of him as he spoke, the echoes of the angered souls almost seemed quieter than they normally did this time, "Though we have not had much interaction one on one as we did this dark night, you have always been there to guide me from the sidelines, right from the beginning, and for that ..... you have my utmost respect", he turned to look over at her with his ruby pools as he paused for a brief moment, "And as is the way of the Kinn, nothing is given for free, so I would very much like to pay tribute to you, and offer my my most prized possession....... My eyes."
Daeras: She let her gaze continue to wander towards the darkened skies – admiring its beauty, the mystery of all that was surrounding them in such unending void – everything that they were was everything around them, as they all were particles of Darkness, a collective of souls. If they had hearts, they would beat as one, beat for one. Such was the Unity of Kinn, a thought she had pondered upon ever since her Creation, her Rebirth. Barely hearing the Shade’s offering, the Oculi blinked lightly though such an action was not needed, more of a mask of whatever residue of humanity still resided within her. “Your eyes?” She inquired, an inevitable grin forming upon pitch black features. [/i]“I see…”[/i] As he finished his train of speech, the Oculi reciprocated with her own: “I once knew someone… Someone who saw me in a way not many did. Someone who understood that my Kindness could only be measured and balanced through my Cruelty, as all things in our entire existence, all concepts of Life itself, no matter how different, require Equilibrium. When your soul alone is judged in a scale, against the weight of a feather, how much do you think yours would weight? How far do you believe the scale would fall?” It sounded like the swinging blabbers of a madman, a lonesome storyteller who had only her own demons to share her stories with. Almost not taking in account his offer, Moirai continued: “Should you offer me your eyes, you are offering me more than just that. You offer a bound, a shackle which shall be placed upon you from here on – and shackles weigh heavy on the soul. Do you understand?”
ZeekHarbinger: Listening to the words she spoke his gaze flowed back to the image on the card he continued to hold with his fingers, his ruby reds taking in every detail the card had to show,though he assumed his offer would mean a binding of sorts to one being or another, his only concern was the bound he currently had to the Sinner set, evident of such crowned upon his head that weaved its slithering form through the horns. He nodded his head lightly understanding all too well what his offer would mean, "I truly understand, but let's face it, shackles don't weigh nearly as much as one would think, when you're merely trading one shackle for another."/b], he glanced back at her endless azure pools as they stared off into the darkened skies above them, "The skills my eyes offer me are far out of my reach to master, thus wasting their true potential, a potential you already know how to master. I accept what ever shackle comes with such an offer, if you accept such an offer from a mere Shadow of existence"/b], he would be lying to himself if he said he was prepared for this, his eyes were as he stated his most prized possession, but he knew he would never master the skills they offered, no matter how long his existence was extended. He felt this was a tribute most worthy of the Oculi, and nothing would change his mind at this point, even if it meant going another 100 rounds with the Sinner Set as punishment, she deserved a tribute of this magnitude for all the guidance she had already offered him from the start.
Daeras: “Very well then.” The Oculi sighed. It was of a devastating sorrow to behold, the sigh of a damnable being which was now faced with an opportunity she never wanted, no matter how much it would benefit her for she knew the weight of Blindness – she knew how heavy a world of darkness was, far beyond what they now shared as the notion of a Black World. With a wandering step she’d rise up from the ground, slightly hovering above him as the cards seemed to return back to their deck until dark claws of two digits plucked a couple of them out: First, was the Ace of Cups. Second, was the Two of Swords – and from it, two daggers manifested, the edge of their blades, pitch dark. They floated to her side, along with a solitary cup from her first card, all tools from what was to be her Ritual. Sharp nail dug into her own palm; from it, bubbled black blood which, when it came in contact with the edges of each dagger sizzled like pure acid. Such was the binding of Blood Tarot, the most dangerous of kinds, although her blood worked differently than his, meant only for specific rituals such as this. “Kneel.” Moirai beckoned him to obey. To kneel in front of the Oculi was a sign of pure respect – moreover, a sign of servitude. “I will need you to hold very, very still. From the moment you become Blind, you – must – follow my commands and guide yourself through my voice and my voice alone. Fail to do so, and the ritual shall have severe consequences. Do you comply?”
ZeekHarbinger: His ruby pools followed the woman as she rose to her feet and hovered before him, he was not sure what was to come of this but this was what he wanted to be able to show his outmost respect to her.The sigh was indication enough to him that she would not enjoy what she was about to do, despite the benefits that she would gain from it. He watched carefully as her cards returned to their mistress once again, allowing her to pull two cards from the deck. His gaze moved to the small daggers at her side before she placed her own blood upon the edges of the blades. Hearing her 'command' as it were he shifted his knees from in front of him to rest against the floor under him and placed his hands palms down on the edge of his knees, in his mind he was kneeling before as a sign of respect and more so as a servant to the Oculi. Out of hold habits he took a deep breath despite the fact he had no lungs to fill, no nerves to calm, and thoughts of his own to quiet, before nodding his head to her, confirming he understood the directions she was giving him, "I comply ..." he kept his ruby reds directed straight at her and commanded his own form not to budge even in the slightest.
DeviousMiskreent: Kali had never left the training hall, only devolved into her mist form. She rather enjoyed the feel of no longer having a physical body, having been trapped inside one for eons. Her ethereal mist had spread out along the floor, convulsed into shadows, flitted here and there, until the Oculi and the shade had begun their dealings. Once they had, she pulled herself back near the pillar, keeping herself ethereal and out of their way. She was still learning, still watching and observing, and as the Oculi agreed to take the shade's eyes, Kali's attention became rapt upon them. Her mist like form condensing and layering itself, one layer upon another until she took on her kinn form. Solid for the time being, but still small, just barely bigger than her fleshly form had once been. She leaned wrapped her arms around the pillar, floating about eight inches off the ground but still leaning on the support. Her attention quite stolen by the blood magic the Oculi seemed to be performing. Silent as always, she simply observed.
Daeras: The daggers soon joined together in each of the Oculi’s hands, her long, webbed like digits coiling around their handles as she only hovered down closer to the Shade. As she approached, the lights surrounding the Hall began to dim into a tantalizing darkness, shadows which now crept from every corner only coming closer to their manifest. Through the darkened Hall were chants of the forgotten, chants of the damned, each a whisper meant to be followed throughout the Ritual, each, a test for the Shade to distinguish them from the Oculi’s voice. The daggers continued to sizzle as droplets from her own black blood burned deeper into their sharp edge. “Somno, spiritum.” – Sleep, Spirit – Nearly half a second from the incantation and without a moment of preparation for Zeek, the sizzling daggers were deeply dug within his wide opened eyes, piercing the pools of ruby; an unspeakable pain was to be felt even for a Kinn which, despite not having a material form, synapses to burn or nerves to sever, had the notion of such still lodged within long lost memories – for these were not normal “eyes”, as those were not ordinary “daggers”, as the release of sight meant more than the removal of such a physical note. The sizzling blades burned through his retinas, the effect of her blood now surrounding his sockets, tainting him far from tangible grasps. Within a second’s passing, the daggers were removed along with his own eyes, each impaled by the sharpened edges. Blind as he was now, he could hear the clinking of her cup. Through the veil of darkness, Moirai let both eyes fall within the Cup allowing it to float before her as she plucked one last thing from the shadows themselves – a sparkling sapphire shard, a last residue of her former nature which was now transformed, molded and reshaped with her own Umbra. Mixing it within the confines of the cup, a faint sapphire light made itself present from the depths of the chalice, its contents now reshaping into liquid form. A finger dipped within it, right along the tip of her nail as it now dragged across the Oculi’s own forehead, the blue light creating a cut. All along through the process, the surrounding chants grew louder and louder – almost in agony, they wailed and shouted, moaned in an endless torture; as though the Shade’s current pain had not been enough, the same tar-dipped claw slid across his forehead, a deep cut which ran along obsidian “skin”, revealing the void within. The sapphire liquid seemed to seep through the gap. And then, what he could feel was the Oculi’s wandering limb, curling digits through darkened strands of the back of his head into a tight hold, guiding his head closer. “Tu vero liberati…” – You are set free - . There was silence. A defining silence which took over the Hall, as the chants seemed to halt far too abruptly, far too soon, for each Ending had a new Beginning. And his, was soon to come, deep within the suspenseful anticipation of it all.
ZeekHarbinger: His ruby pools unmoved as the Oculi moved closer to him, he took no notice to the encroaching shadows from within the hall, but the chanting was definitely new. He was unsure if it was a test or not, but he remained focus on the Oculi and only the Oculi, picking out two words spoken by her voice moments before the daggers dug deeply into his eyes. It was almost instantaneous, the deep screams of agonizing pain that escaped his mouth, nothing could have prepared him for this, not even all the torturing he had endured in the abyssal realm. Even when the daggers took their second pass around the pain shot through his very mind it seemed, like a memory that had been forgotten only to surface once again so shortly after it had been forgotten. The moment the daggers were plunged into his eyes his sight was no more, at least not as one would preseve sight, he still had the shadows after all. Once the daggers and eyes were removed, he wanted more then anything to rest his forehead against the floor and battle the pain he was enduring, but he had yet to be given permission from the Oculi to even move. The sound of metal on metal rang in his ears, despite the agonizing wails of the chanting, and still he continued to focus on the sensation of the Oculi's umbra, something he came to learn rather well from the start. It was the touch of her claw against his forehead that reassured him that she had not abandoned her ritual, not that he thought she actually would, but then a new feeling followed, he could feel yet another deep cut along his forehead where her claw had past over, followed by her clawed digits on the back of his head as they took a tight hold. He followed the guidance of the Oculi as she pulled him towards her and heard her voice once again, only to be followed by absolute silence.
Daeras: Pleased by the Shade’s compliance and obedience, there was a barely noticeable smile from her, a slight tug upon darkened lips. As reassurance, lithe digits brushed through his hair, an almost compassionate action, should she still carry such emotions, before guiding his head closer, lowering her frame over his until their foreheads touched. ‘Skin to skin’, her black blood mixed with his, the sapphire light becoming one. “Depono bellum.” – Give in – It commanded, and by the command alone would the chants follow suit, unimaginably louder than before as though the Hall filled up with thousands more entities, each calling out, crying so very close to his senses. The screeching sounds would almost count as unbearable as their foreheads touched, the blue light only glowing brighter; through it, the Ritual reached an upcoming climax as memories of the Shade began to emerge almost to the point of becoming material, each grip upon his mind only pulling out more and more of the jumbled visions – forgotten through time, wiped away, they began to surface once more as images through his thoughts – the flashes of his birth, the faces of an adrift family, irretrievable moments of his life lived through the passing of time. “Verum visus…” – True sight - , she began to speak, the sensation of her own umbra mere inches away from Zeek, the brushing of black lips upon his own. “Ut benedicat tibi.” – I bless you – Through his senses would he manage to discern her words as she offered his blessing, the trigger which was to open his Third Eye. As the more “physical” pain began to dull out, the mental anguish replaced it, the throes of his own memories now so very close to reality; for his woe became reality, trespassing the limit between what was known as tangible and non. Serpentine grasp only tightened now with both hands to the Shade’s body, holding him in place as his suffering continued to stream out, a perpetual surge which was combined with her own – for their memories mixed, and through the Oculi’s Third Eye was he able to glimpse past her own memories. There was a fire, and a dancing woman. There was an elderly woman, and burnt Tarot Cards. There was Death, and then, Rebirth. And what capsized it all was a pale woman with blind blue eyes. “Respice in praeteritum vision…” – Look past the vision – As she spoke, the sapphire light which united them began to dissolve, fade, as the Ritual was slowly reaching its lowering stride. “Videre Veritas!” – See the Truth – She called out. And with it, so did the voices, the chants which now seemed to repeat her words, loud echoes demanding him the same exact words – she had taken his eyes, only to give him Sight beyond the visible clutches. The Oculi’s embrace soon departed from his material clasp, a slow retreat as she allowed him to scream. To cry, to feel. Whatever it took, for him to regain conscious tenures.
ZeekHarbinger: The light brush of her digits through his hair was an odd one, not only to be coming from such a being like herself, but to him to receive such a gesture was never thought of in all his years he could remember of existence, but when he felt her 'flesh' against his he was beginning to understand the notion a bit more, it was nothing more than reassurance. The words that brushed his ears were short lived by the following chants, so unbearable was the anguish that laced the hundreds of thousands of voices that screamed in his ears, the added distractions of memories flooding his mind only added more confusion to the thousands of voices already flooding his thoughts as his third eyes would begin to open, 'What is this?.................Who are they?' Though he could not quite grasp the idea of a family he could feel the sensation of being drawn to them, when he heard the Oculi's voice once again but this time the brush of her lips on his drew him back from these long forgotten memories of a family he knew nothing of, hearing of a blessing his thoughts grasped at these memories, faces so close he wanted to reach out to them, the mental agony growing within his mind only caused his physical form to react, as it would begin to shake lightly uncontrollably, only then did he notice the grip the Oculi had on his form. As his memories and hers began to entwine he almost panicked, thinking it was his own mind playing tricks upon him, trying to heighten the confusion further, until he seen the burnt tarot cards, and the pale blue eyed woman, "Visions..." his voice spoke softly only repeating what he could hear past the thousands of echoes, "Truth..", as the words left his mouth it was as though he had woken up from a horrifying nightmare even he could not remotely comprehend, his third eye opened fully now as he would blink, the now empty sockets upon his facial features only darkening his appearance, if tears were possible for the Kinn race they would flood his cheeks uncontrollably, an emotion he never thought possible for even himself, until the rage rose within his form once again, pushing all other voices from his mind except his own, his balled his fists tightly against his knees before throwing his head backwards and screaming out with utmost anger he muster, just to clear his senses once again.
DeviousMiskreent: Kali's dark eyes remained rapt to the Ritual of the Oculi, her mind processing the procedure at an accelerated rate as she tried to make sense of it all. She smiled a little, if the dark visage of flicking lips could be called a smile. She shivered as the Shade screamed his agony into the darkened room and would have allowed herself to chuckle if she wasn't so focused on deconstructing what just happened. Her head tilted slowly from one side to the other, like that of a curious bird, watching, waiting for just the morsel that it desired. Darkened brows narrowed as she sensed it then, the activation of the Shades Third Eye. "ahhhhhh" she whispered, her curiosity sated for the moment. Her own umbra shivered and writhed as the new knowledge was processed and shared with her multitude of souls. Thousands of minds at work on a single 'magical' problem now.
Daeras: As the Ritual began to fade, the Oculi had only one last thing to seal it with. Snatching the card which was, only moments prior, the Shade’s winning prize, the black paper was then placed brutally against his forehead, covering the wound which had formed across his skin, sealing within the fading blue light. The Card began to dissolve, seep within the wound itself, The Moon it its grandiose beauty now topping the Oculi’s blessing. A small symbol would then form upon obsidian flesh, a silvered crescent moon which only resembled the Card itself; though a Ritual of the most skills Magi’s, Moirai now placed her own Signature upon it. From the shadows surrounding them would she pull a wandering tendril which reshaped itself into black fabric, a strip she then gently guided around the Shade’s head, covering the empty sockets where his eyes once were. This was no ordinary piece of Umbra – this was the very same fabric which concealed her gaze before turning Kinn, carrying the scent of fresh lilac – the scent of a creature once known as Sophia, the Blind Fortune Teller – fabric which was now gifted to the Shade as a sign of Victory, a token to his suffering. “Reliqua…” – Rest - , she reassured him, arms of darkened flesh coming to embrace him, allowing his head to fall against the tattered robes which enveloped her lap, claws of pitch dragging gently along his frame. Caring as she was, the Oculi’s actions were to be considered Motherly in the very least, a satisfied Master who had witnessed its Pupil succeeding such an impermeable task. “Your training starts tomorrow.” She let him know from the start that this was to be a long journey. For now, they were both adepts of the Long Road – followers to the Endless Sea.
ZeekHarbinger: After his voice had faded out he let form almost crumble from the exertion of such anger, despite the confusion that flooded his mind moments prior, one image remained in his mind, that of the young dragon, as it was a face he had to know even in this life. Feeling the card pressed against his forehead he knew the Oculi was merely doing the 'finishing touches' as it were. After the fabric was wrapped around his head he picked up the scent of lilacs, and from the shared memories he knew it to be the cloth that was once Sophia's. His form relaxed as he felt the Oculi's embrace. It was odd how it felt almost motherly, as he rested his head upon her lap. "Thank you Moirai.." his voice soft despite the angered echoes that laced it before he allowed his mind to slip into a sleep, if one could call it that.
DeviousMiskreent: "ooh how very touching Moirai" her voice would drift from the pillar as she extracted it, the multitude of echos from her souls ever so soft that they seemed to drift like fog across the floor. Curious eyes laid upon the two in their embrace, with an almost bored expression laid upon the rest of her face. She stood now, her brows narrowing in thought, only to have her form devolve into the misty fog that she seemed to love so much. Her umbra drifted to the stacks of books behind her, roving over the shelves and other items, her final thought directed only at the Oculi. "Perhaps I shall seek you out ...."
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EzekielHarbinger
Zeek vs Cerberus Dec.2.2017
February 08, 2019 09:06AM
Some where deep in a dark thick forest was the Hall of Shadows, many whispers circling around the nearby towns of a darkness that hangs over the structure, some mere fabrications of a great evil that dwells within the walls, some half truths about shadows that follow you, watch your every move and may even play the small of tricks on you to lure you deeper into the broken moonlit density of the trees, the air would feel thicker, maybe even heavier the deeper down the slightly beaten path as whispers from seemingly the trees themselves speak of great spoils, enticing the greedy to venture further, calling to the lustful in search of the fleshly desires, encouraging the wrathful seeking a fight, even the sloths of society would be intrigued enough to follow the sounds of the woods, every vice of every culture called to by these echoes, the skilled ones could pick out the words clearly spoke by the souls that linger as watchful eyes over those who would enter. The deeper one would travel into the woods, the less the moonlight would be able to break through the tree tops from the thick overhang of branches and leaves, as the ever watching eyes would grow closer one would find themselves within sight of a dark stone structure with a dull light seeping from the windows, the blackened doors called to visitors as though everything within the forest had it's own voice. Once inside, the silence was so overwhelming that it became uncertain if their thoughts were in fact their own to begin with, the whispering echos so intrusive it could make the weak willed loose hold of their sanity, dark statues would greet you at either side of the doorway as you walk out into the center of the hall where a circular platform would lay, clearly a sparring circle for those who sought to train, a small room full of books and a desk for those who sought knowledge, and a weapons room for weapons training on the other side, and small sections at the back for those who are so inclined to sit and watch even possibly guide some who are worthy the darkness itself. The Hall of Shadows offers a great many different possibilities.
ZeekHarbinger:
Being a Shade of Sinn it was not uncommon for him to wander within the shadows of any lands, as a shade of sinn was nothing more than an umbral shadow itself. The umbra of his form is a condensed form of their deity, the darkness, to which they strived to return everything and anything to. It was second nature to a kinn to flow through the shadows, it was as easy as any other being breathing, as the 'ethereal' like form was their true form, and a physical form was more of a manifestation when encountering other beings from the material realms. Using the shadows like door ways was another natural ability to the shade as he was able to walk from one shadow to another to travel in a much quicker fashion, though it did take some training to be able to navigate the shadowy realms beyond due to it not being an exact replica 'on the other side', living within the Unholy Nation for a rather lengthy period of time certainly helped him master this technique. After doing his rounds through the darkened forest he made his way back to the Hall using the shadows that hugged the stone walls within for his entrance, before he would gather his shadowy form once again along the edge of the sparring circle in the center of the vast hall. An 8ft thickening shadow began to take on the appearance of a dark being that had become known to this structure, the reason many would avoid the forest to begin with, the obsidian horns protruding from his head were the first to take on any definition, the silver chain and skull shaped trinkets hanging from a set hung a few inches from his dual medium length carbon steel blade across his back, raven hair pulled back neatly into small braids and tied back was crowned by the black serpent crown that twined itself through the mass of horns, a serpent he was yet to be able to rid himself of thanks to the Sinner that casted it upon him. The blood colored blindfold around his eyes was more of a trickery then anything as it never once hindered his sight, thanks to the gifted ability of true sight and the opening of his third eye, though he chose a simpler route and used the shadows as his sight, allowing him to see far more that just the surrounding room. A slightly reflection off light would bounce off the dragonhide armor that hugged his blackened umbral "flesh", strong and durable as dragon scale but far lighter allowing him to keep his speed and agility in top form. The armor hugged his chest, his biceps, forearms and hands, legs, shins and feet, even the belt and battle skirt he wore around his waist was made of this durable material. The medium length dagger he had at his waist was as unique as the place it was forged, the Unholy Nation, harboring many different beings and allowed for many different items to be made. As one would look upon this tall being, they would come to see that every aspect of his form was a varying shade of black, and hold true to his existence, a shadow, but the most unique part of this shadow could not be seen, as the black "blood" that flowed through out his form was something that one would hope not to see, if his blood were to be spilled it was like acidic variant of the umbra that he was made of, it would devour everything it came in contact with, the denser the material, the longer it would take, but as is devoured the material it would spread and it was not so simply wiped away, as it would simply spread to that which would attempt to wipe it away.
Anthropophagy:
~Malice, despair, blood; these things followed the Sinner everywhere he walked upon the mortal planes. Twin greatswords were bound to his back by the thick obsidian chains of the vextrosity (six soul harvesting chains of ten feet in length a piece. The chains attack at will as a limb would as well as their damage being on two varying planes of existence; both the physical and ethereal planes). The murderous creature waded through the bodies of the dead his very aura had set ablaze with a thirst for war. Sadism and brutality called to the Sinner in such a siren’s call that wherever the madness of battle occurred one could almost always expect Erebus and his destructive presence to be in tow as he harvested the souls of the dying or dead. A weak voice trembled from amidst the piles of bodies as Erebus walked by, a lone survivor whose cowardice had been the only thing saving the man from the same fate as his brothers in arms. “You, creature with piss in his breaches. Stand and face your superior.” Erebus demanded coolly with the yowling chorus of millions of lost souls crying out in anguish. The poor man quivered and debated simply running but the creature before him seemed to peak his curiosity with its aura of impending dread and the biting scent of freshly cut spicy peppers. The soldier did as commanded and stood before Erebus, his knees weak as even more urine flowed out between the gaps in his plated armor. Erebus turned in disgust of the creature, harboring immense distaste for the mortals and their weakness as he bit back the temptation to simply eviscerate the poor man right then and there. “You ran and hid from battle. You cowered like a babe in the woods. Do you know who or what I am?” Erebus asked, his tone lowering to little more than a growling cacophony that dripped with malice, without awaiting a reply he continued, “I am the Vextrosity of war, the embodiment of battle. You who have been present for this battle yet no blade has been drawn nor does any but the blood of your brothers coat your armor as you snuck beneath their corpses. You have disrespected me greatly this day.” Erebus’ powerful clawed hands gripped the handles of his great swords and the chains holding them dropped away noiselessly while the barbed hooks adorning each slithered around and hugged his waist like a belt. “State your final words that I may make this fast. You pathetic worm I will torture you before death for this dishonor to my name and when I am done you'll welcome the hell I send you to.” The eye adorning the hilt of the first greatsword fluttered open violently as the semi-sentient weaponry came to life at his touch (Blade of Khaine: The weapon of the dark elven god of war and murder. The blade enacts as a relay system for information between weapon and master, the eye feeding Erebus information to further increase the scope of his vision. The blade is also not limited to a singular shape, Aura skill: The weapon generates an aura of maddening wrath that drives those within thirteen feet of it to feel the madness and berserker state of a warrior in frenzy by being in its presence. This weapon is a god slayer class equipment and destroys even deified beings being it is in fact a celestial weapon and was devised to destroy other deities should the need arise.) The monolithic blade quivered and twitched anxiously in his hands as it awoke; the twisted mass of flesh-like material with razored edges coiled eagerly in his hand as it snaked out around the victim and embraced him in a lover’s grasp almost while tiny lacerations blossomed out across the soldier’s skin with the blade easily cutting through his plated armor like butter. With a quick motion or the slightest thought Erebus could very easily carve the man to ribbons but he wanted this poor plaything to taste the hatred he harbored for it. “You are a worthless piece of meat, garbage amongst all things. You’re pathetic. Even devouring you would be a waste of valuable time for my umbra to consume.” (Umbra, the specialized material from which Sinn are created formed from souls. Umbra is highly corrosive to organic creatures and can very easily melt them to ash in a matter of mere moments. Sinners of the race have a very potent capability to manipulate this as well as shadows to enact their will. All darkness contains trace amounts of umbra thus giving shadow manipulation to enact on controlled level) Erebus hissed angrily as he withdrew the second blade from behind himself and placed the even larger Dreadroot to the side of his toy’s throat. The soul steel blade touching the flesh hissed angrily as the weapon’s corrosive edge seared the flesh itself after having absorbed so much energy from Erebus the blade had become permeated with the volatile magicks and necrotic energies that he channeled through it. (Dreadroot, a blade forged of soul steel to replace his destroyed Dreadblade. The weapon shares several similarities to Darkthorn such as size and power but the blade itself is entirely it's own. Focusing on Erebus' death based magic and plague abilities the weapon emanates an aura of soul poison, reacting strongly with how powerful his opponent may be. The weapon's name is derived from its toxin laden special known as dark garden, a mass aoe that combines nature elements and poison magic to create a devilish minefield for any of those brave enough to cross the self regenerating weed bed. The blade focuses on the power of the souls used to forge it, multiplying energy output for each new soul used to temper the death forged steel. The blade's skill set is numerous and extensive, coupled with Erebus' own fighting style meeting such a monster in battle is a terrifying ordeal for many who survive to talk about it. The blade channels and outputs Erebus’ various magics at an increased rate. In synopsis the blade works as a staff for most mage characters in making magical access far greater.) Erebus grinned darkly to reveal an illusionary field around what could only be described as a mouth, showing the man a mass of souls swimming about in agony as he breathed out the fetid scent of rotten meat directly into the man’s face. The sense warping magics paid off of the scent of fecal matter quickly wafted around them both causing Erebus to grimace in disappointment as this grown man and soldier had managed to literally shit himself in Erebus’ presence. “That’s just disgusting. Have some damn pride man.” Erebus chastised as his blades pulled away from the victim, releasing him. Without a second’s worth of hesitation the man fled as Erebus opened his deadly maw once again and summoned forth a swarm of glossy black hornets. The insects formed of umbra spewed out like a massive haze that dive bombed the dashing man (As Vextrosity of war Erebus can summon insects and predatory creatures at whim). The man fell to his knees and tried to cover his face from the wretched horde as Erebus calmly stepped forward and glanced down at the being. Thick plates ripped through the shadowy material that garbed his eight feet in height. The onyx colored plates of fel mythril skittered like insects into place and cold welded together into a fully functioning set of towering plated armor. With his might released Erebus had grown an additional five feet, now standing above the man like a titan of battle ready to swoop in and finish the pathetic embarrassment. (Sin Eater armor; armor that not only increases his strength twenty fold but also enables Erebus to absorb impact from all but the most powerful of attacks and release the pent up energy through his own mysticism into a concussive blast. The armor is nigh indestructible to all but powerful attacks; breaking after three charged strikes capable of substantial force. The armor does not nullify damage all together though it does make almost anything short of an atomic detonation almost a moot point unless done correctly. Within this armored state his mind becomes more reserved and calm, his duty being no more than to finish whatever battle has warranted such a resort. Within this state his aura becomes even more potent to a degree that it becomes almost obscene. In this state Erebus can no longer release the counters generated by those he combats sins until the form is released or the armor is broken though the counters will no longer be rendered useless after two turns. By building power in this enhanced stage Erebus is capable of even greater feats of outward strength making his normal amount of force nearly unstoppable in combination with his natural armory. Within the armor Erebus becomes substantial to maintain shape however the armor reveals itself seemingly as a single piece around his body providing a nearly impenetrable defense. The cursed Fel Mythril expands and contracts in density to absorb or release stored energy turning potential energy into kinetic output to react as either defensive diffusion against impacts or a released wave that becomes multiplied in strength by four times, meaning the input will be sent outward with multiplied strength of whatever impacted it.) The Dreaded Vex, Dreadlord of the Knights Moriar. This was a face the man knew as the dreaded helmet locked around Erebus’ face to reveal the monster of battle revered in legend as a walking one man genocide. “Herald not ye gods of old, mortal, the one before you is he who you’ll be praying to. Bow in reverence and bless the day upon which you were allowed the glory of being slain by Erebus Harbinger, Dreadlord and Sinner.” The twin blades of Erebus came crashing down with the weight of two trains crashing fully on impact into the body as Erebus channeled his magic and umbral soul energy through the weapons, enacting his greatest feat of combat. (Blackmist Style: Though varied greatly in uses the fighting style indulges both soul energy and magical energies to increase the output and ferocity of Erebus’ magical attacks. This style reduces mana and stamina costs to increase the output and ferocity of Erebus’ magical attacks. This style reduces mana and stamina costs to near minimum requirements do two amplifying his magical capacity via the raw untapped essence of souls). The man’s carcass splattered as a monstrous pit opened up beneath him, a crater opened from the sheer impact dropped upon the now ground beef consistency that used to be the man’s body. “That would have almost been fun if not for the stench of humans.” Erebus muttered as his true gaze locked on another energy source. A Shade it seemed, rather promising in power however it did not seem the lesser kinn had even begun to broach the depths that one of their ilk could consider. A maddening idea washed through his twisted mind as the darkness emanating from around the Shade’s current location seemed to permeate the air for quite some distance. The armor sank back beneath the ghostly manifest of the Sinner as he bled into the shadows, his weapons still in hand as he passed into the abyssal realms to the bleak landscape outside the hall that harbored the shade. “Knock knock” Erebus chuckled as he rose like a specter of violence from the murky crevices of the tree roots before the structure, “Blackmist style: Entropic nightmares.” Erebus raised Dreadroot before himself and lashed out at the door with necrotic energy, rotting it away as if acid had been poured directly into the center of the planks. “Come out come out wherever you are. I hunger, little Shade and this place reeks of your scent. Let’s just make this easy and I won’t have to give you a s loppy death.” Erebus taunted as he gripped his twin swords, knowing precisely what he’d just done.~
ZeekHarbinger:
It was the smell of rotting flesh from the battlefields that first caught his attention, a scent he had not smelled for quite some time at least not since coming to the planes of the living, but the energy that flowed within the scent drew his attention further, training with a Sinner class before he was birthed as a Shade gave him insight as to recognizing the energy of one, this energy however was not that of the same Sinner he had trained with, he turned his head slightly to face the door before the wooden planks melted away from the acidic attack upon them. "The fact you have to call out to me to find me is rather ..... below you Sinner, especially when I stand in clear sight", the whispered anger of the thousands of souls within his form echoed through out the shadows casted within the writhing forest that surrounded his hall, though it was nothing in comparison to the voice of the higher ranks of the race, it still allowed him the advantage over the fleshies of this plane of existence, causing a great array of confusion and fear to grow with their minds. He turned his form entirely to face the Sinner he had never met before as he allowed his shadowy sight to examine the very essence of the blade he wielded, before he would begin to slowly make his way across the hall towards the doors. The heavy looking armor that hugged his feet made so sounds as he took each step, the shadows seemingly dancing all around him, he knew full well from past experiences that a Sinner had far more control over the shadow than any shade could ever imagine, but he was a shadow and he would find a way to use it to his advantage against these higher ranks. "I make nothing easy for anyone, you shall be no different". Zeek stopped for a brief moment as he exited the hall through the melted doorway, "I could only pray that the darkness sees me worthy of such beautiful death" He reached up to grip the hilt of one of his blades to pull it from its sheath before lowering his arm back to his side pointing the blade downwards towards the dirty floor of the forest. "From what i can sense from your energy, I'm nothing but a snack for one such as yourself, but I'm still a Shade of Sinn, and I will not make it that easy for you, despite your hunger"
Anthropophagy:
~The Sinner smiled darkly as the Shade spoke, obsidian plates wrenching their way up and across his manifest. The ebon plates locked across his body once more in a terrible set of plated armor, increasing the physical force that the mad titan could exhibit to near earth shaking levels. Clouds blotted out the moon entirely, casting the lands into shadow as Gaia herself revolted in Erebus’ mighty presence. The clouds opened up in a torrential downpour, streaking the sky with lightning that flashed violently to reveal the Sinner in his full glory whilst the shade made his way to battle. No punches would be pulled, no mercy found in the malevolent heart of Erebus who clenched his now gauntlet encased fingers around the sword of Khaine. The weapon reacted instinctually, sliding across the armor platings to form a secondary layer of armor to increase his durability in battle two fold to enhance the rate in which his armor could be broken (the armor with the durability increase now takes six charged attacks to break unless Erebus releases it). With his power overflowing Erebus grinned darkly, watching the Shade as he walked out to stand before the now towering ERebus. The aura from blade and Sinner was almost suffocating, the combination feeding any within it the desire for violence. The air of bloodshed was almost palpable as the six bestial chains around Erebus’ waist snaked out around him; adding to the already imposing beast’s intimidation factor while the eye that once adorned the hilt of the sword of khaine crept to his back and granted Erebus a radial form of input from the weapon that granted 360 degrees of visionary range in any direction. A sickly green smog began to pour from the remaining blade as the corrosive soul poison leaked from the hollow core of the towering great sword, surrounding Erebus with a dense miasma of crippling toxins that could envelope the very essence of even those matching rank with him. In a flurry of motion Erebus lunged at frightening speeds toward Zeek, blade at the ready as the caustic fog chugged forth, one swipe from the blade easily enough to do serious amounts of damage to even the strongest of opponent if the blunted edge passed through a being. His silver eyes widened as the very toxins his weapon had produced began to eat through the souls he’d recently harvested at a rate of twenty per minute inside the armor. Fortunately the soul pool he had been granted filled Erebus with more than enough to end this battle quickly. The first slash carved wide of Zeek, his dastardly weapon shooting off to the side in a wide arc and clouding the air above the shade with the deadly gas. With the second stroke Erebus turned the blade as easily as a practiced veteran would handle a dagger, curving the hellish weapon down in a slashing motion toward the legs only to have it sharply veer upward toward the midsection. The tactic was a feint of sorts but with each motion the blade would pour forth more of the putrid haze around them both with each bone crushing swing. “Cute, but we’ve only just begun.” Erebus cackled as the upward stroke wrenched through, hoping to cut Zeek in twain. The six chains, their hooked ends rattling ominously, ripped forth behind their master in a wicked entrapment of visceral nature to close the shade between Erebus’ seven feet long blade and the soul ripping hooks in a masterful pincer tactic that few had ever lived to tell the tale of. This would either be the shade’s final moments or Erebus’ most frustrating capture, the fates were to decide just how destructive this tactic would be.~
ZeekHarbinger:
(2/3 action = charging at zeek wrath, 2/3 action first swing of the blade wrath, 1 full commitment wrath = second motion of the blade, intent, 2/3 action = poisonous gas, 2/3 thought = chains x6, 6 chains, 1/3 thought pride = “Cute, but we’ve only just begun.” = 7 1/3 counters, 8 1/3 in total from previous post)
The overwhelming desire flooded his mind as he grew closer to the Sinner, a desire he already knew and understood all too well through many years of 're-education' within the Unholy Nation, he grinned lightly at the purity of this desire but as he was accustomed to these desires he had no intentions of acting upon them only relish the thought of them. The true sight allowed him to see the aura flowing between the master of such a blade and the sword itself, showing him the connection between the two went far deeper then one could simply see with their eyes, no doubt in his mind that weapon acted as a relay, informing its master of anything and everything it could of their opponent. The sickly green smog that was produced by the second blade only furthered his curiosity, but not enough for him to want to discover the effects of such a cloud, remembering the times of being submerged in the thick ooze they called lakes, and now without having the need to breathe, he simply held his breath as it were, so he didn't inhale these toxic fumes. He watched the movements of his opponent carefully taking note at the slightest of movements just moments before the monstrous beast lunged forward at the frightening speeds he had, Zeeks own reflexes already heightened by centuries of training caused him to jump and flipped backwards, he planted his feet against the wall just above the doorway before launching himself up and over this titan of a being before him moments before the blade would pass by him, the idea of such an attack only meaning to further increase the thickness of this toxic smog seemed a moot point to Zeek as he would pass over top of Erebus, only to catch sight of the hooked chains, the only reaction he could think of was to sacrifice the blade within his grin and toss it towards these chains are a form of distraction, just long enough for him to cast out a shadowy replica of himself as yet another distraction as he would land far enough behind the Sinner and pull the secondary blade from his back, taking the moment of clear air to take a breath at the sheer forwardness of this Sinner's attacks, quickly running through his mind some form of a plan of attack.
Anthropophagy:
~As the shade leapt above him the eye upon Erebus’ back caught sight of him, feeding the information back to Erebus’ mind and directing him toward his prey. As the sword went clamoring toward his back Erebus did not even bother to counter it with the chains, his dual layers of protection more than enough to halt the oncoming projectile in its tracks while Zeek attempted to summon forth a doppelganger of sorts from above. As the blade Zeek threw came whizzing down against his armored hide the dreadnought swung his legendary weapon through the air with a wide sweeping arc directly toward both the shadow clone that had been preemptively brought forth as well as the culprit who’d summoned it. The sheer ferocity of Erebus was unparallelled while Dreadroot poured forth more of the poisonous gas into the air, taking with it a tiny portion of Erebus’ soul pool but in terms of millions such a number was miniscule at best. “Good try hot shot, but I’m not one to be fooled by parlor tricks!” Erebus howled joyously in his ear splitting voice of the damned while the chains at his back swung around for another strike. The murderous abomination that lingered encased in armor growled ominously as the shadows around them began to speak in whispers, millions upon millions of voices seemingly speaking from within his very soul pool and sang to Zeek of the miseries that followed Erebus everywhere he went. “You’ve lost…. He will only grow stronger…. No one can beat him….. The world is doomed…. We’ll all die to his hunger…. There is no freedom… Sic Narro Nos Totus….Non Omnis Moriar….En Mors Resurgam…” The voices wailed around them as Erebus basked in the glory that befit a god. Even should Zeek find a way to avoid the blade and redirected chains what lingered on the horizon was far more dangerous. The voices went from a praising chorus to only repeating a singular phrase over and over again, like a funeral dirge awaiting the victim’s essence they howled out the creed of the Sinn, the nostalgic last rights in a sense that clouded over the judgement and filled those who heard it with fear. The army of the dead that lay within the Sinner called with a siren’s song to their soon to be brethren with their torturous melody that haunted the very soul.~
ZeekHarbinger:
Watching his blade have no effect what so ever on either the armor that encased the Sinner, no the attention of the chains was rather disappointing, lasting mere seconds as the large blade swung back towards the shadowy doppelganger he produced moment before and himself, with the shadows already gathering Zeek manipulated them further to give the shadowy replica a more solid form to use it as a shield against the magnitude of the attack, he knew it wouldn't be enough to nullify the attack completely but he didn't need it to be, it was just enough to cast a barrier between himself and the force of the weapon, a force which he would use to throw himself further back towards the closest trees and away from this being in hopes to quickly figure out a plan of attack, when the training sessions between himself and the Sinner Set raced through his mind. Planting his feet firming on the trunk of a nearby tree, he would bend his legs to absorb most of the energy within them before using that same energy along with his strength behind his legs to launch himself back towards the Sinner just before the hooked chains could strike him. Having the hilt his secondary sword within his grip he would pulled it from its sheath across his back as he would launch himself forward, the millions of whispers echoing throughout the shadows seemingly ignored by the shade despite their words, something he learned not to give a second thought to during his training. He moved throw air with the speeds to match that of an arrow released from a fully drawn longbow, his blades target, the gap that was always present between the helmet and the chest piece, regardless what kind of armor one would adorn their form with. He reached back to grip the blade with both hands and swung in an upwards angle with a slight arc aiming for that gap, if his blade struck true he would use the momentum within his form to push the blade deeper into the neck of Erebus, hoping to be able to use it as a pivoting point and bring himself back around to the back of the beast before him, the chains were his only concern, with their length and their reach they could easily reach back for him, by then he hoped he could launch himself back yet again off of the sinner and to a safe distance.
(1 = swing of the sword, 1 = toxic gases, 2/3 = “Good try hot shot, but I’m not one to be fooled by parlor tricks!”, 6 = Chains Strike, 2 = prideful taunting from the souls)
Anthropophagy:
~The eye widened with its jaundiced gaze while Zeek came plummeting in. Though it would be a bit much to ask for a return fire from this angle the blade that covered his armor was already on the move. The flesh-like material slid easily up to defend against the blow as Erebus felt the surge of power filter into his body from the weapon impacting against the surface. As the sword found itself buried point first into the musculature it moved once more with speed so immense that the mortal eye could not even grasp it as it shot forth around the sword’s blade intent on trapping it within the celestial weapon’s mass. Silence shifted through the forest as Erebus’ mind calmed from his armor’s skill of the perfect warrior finally quenched the blood thirst the blade of khaine instilled in him. The wind rustled through the leaves whilst the storm brewed to a thundering symphony of ominous wrath. The moment had come, the final climax of the band. Forgetting his typical boastful nature Erebus turned slowly toward the man who had most assuredly ricocheted off his plated hide, the titanic creature looming like a specter of massacre before him. Gone was the bravado and pride that Erebus had displayed and in its stead a sense of destructive duty filled the Vex’ mind. Dreadroot began to glow a vibrant lime color as Erebus swung the blade around himself, cloaking his body in the misty poison that poured from his blade and ebbed into a small stream. The forest around them began to show signs of his work as the trees and wildlife devolved into black sludge, rotting away to the very core within seconds with Erebus standing at the center nonplussed at the carnage he wrought. While the miasma poured forth Erebus raised his mighty sword, uncaring of any mortal weapons while in his armored state, their feeble blades bouncing cleanly off the damask coating. “Dreadroot…...Scream….” his voice called to the magical weapon and with a shrieking cry the haze was rushed back into the weapon at mind numbing speed. The primal soul steel blade siphoned its toxins in steadily before the blade reached full capacity, glowing like some sickening beacon of chaos. Around them now stood a wasteland for a mile out, cursed by his presence and the weapon’s sheer capability. “Dreadroot…. Roar.” The command came in a quiet whisper, the monolithic silhouette of the sword gleaming in the darkness as a wave of necrotic energy blasted forth from it in a dome for fifty feet, devouring the very hall that Zeek had once stood in as well as everything surrounding the Dreadlord for the radius of the blade’s energy dispersal. The blade came down and split the energy wave with a single stroke leaving Zeek only enough room to either run or face Erebus head on. The chains at his back waved like hungering serpents behind him, poised to strike with a powerful blow should the shade be fool enough to try such tactics again.~
ZeekHarbinger:
Realizing his blade was trapped within the seeming living armor that hugged the sinner, he had no choice but release the hilt and launch himself back away from this being once more, landing on his feet he would sense the wrath that flowed through air around them as the storm that followed Erebus began to pick up. He kept himself in a low crouch for the time beings as he took the time to gather the shadows that surrounded him as he watched the Sinner and his massive blade, as the blade once again spewed the toxic gases to form a thick cloud around it's master as it was swung around his form. He continued to watch carefully as the shade pulled his medium length dagger from the sheath along his belt, the forest and its life forms that were in close proximity turning to a blackened oozy of rot was yet another sight to see, until it was drawn in and cast back out covering everything around them for fifty feet, the casted shadows, the trees, and even the Hall of shadows seemingly vanished but truly devoured by this smog, thankfully for the shadow he gathered he had enough time to protect himself and evaded such an end, though now he was left with no launching points, and only a dagger for a weapon, well only actually physical weapon any way. He used the remaining shadows he had left over as well as a few charges to shoot himself forward, the speed of the prior arrow like movement tenfold as he would cross the space between himself and his opponent. He brought his armor gloved hand to his mouth and pulled the material with his teeth before allowing it to drop to the ground, then he ran the blade of the dagger across the palm of his hand, something he rarely ever did willingly as it had become a bit of rule of thumb for him not to draw his own blood, but if all went well it would be worth breaking his own rules. Only a single drop would be required to begin the process, as long as it was connected by some means to the Sinner before him.
Anthropophagy:
~Erebus felt the wrath of Zeek’s violence finally settle in, the amassed strength growing within the armor as a dull blue glow began to permeate from the recesses of the armor, pouring out at the mouth and eye slots in the armor. A cold embrace of longing washed through the Sinner’s form as he racked up more and more energy in the assault, allowing the tides of the battle to steadily grow in his favor. The vex let out a hissing noise and a dull humming noise permeated the forest, a buzzing drone that steadily got louder as Zeek rushed him. The tactic was a strange one but a millennium of battle had forged within Erebus a powerful instinct when it came to such tactics. His ruthless weapon slammed forward between them defensively with Erebus letting out those fated words yet again, “Dreadroot, roar!” The blade released a smaller pulse of energy this time having drained a rather good portion of its well of power though still enough to cause a cone of energy blasting outward for ten feet from the weapon, he’d not intend for the Shade to get any closer than he wished until the time was right. The ominous droning became a deafening roar as millions of locusts flew in on the winds; landing for fifty feet around them like silent observers. The skittering insects swarmed around them in seemingly random patterns as they positioned around the combatants, creating a rather annoying set of pitfalls around them in the empty wastes Erebus had created. Madness and power all intertwined together as Erebus released his armor, the plates rapidly sliding away from his body. With Dreadroot’s amplification Erebus let loose a single shock wave that crushed his insects into paste around them [1 charge]. “Blackmist style: Raining blades!” Erebus roared as he used a corrupted variant of lightning magic and essence control to expend the last bits of gained energy [3 charges instead of the usual 8 due to circle magic as well as the sword’s increased magical output]. The unholy lightning lashed together with the soul energy and shot upward toward the sky from the circle they stood in, ripping at everything surrounding Erebus outside a five foot radius of the now much smaller Sinner. His chains snapped in tightly around him while the spell rampaged forth into the sky for two hundred feet into the blackened air. The scent of ozone permeated the senses while the blades arced over, directing their flight path within an arcing span of another 300 feet out. The blades danced across the landscape, their flight path reaching terminal velocity within a heartbeat’s breadth only to meet whatever lay in their path head on. While the random impacts scattered across the landscape the sodden ground made a perfect conductor to create a vast spiderweb of electricity and umbra that finished devouring whatever it struck as the lightning raced out across the ground in all directions for another fifty feet. The trap had been laid, the power was capable of destroying many godly beings, to him this battle was no more than attrition and boredom on his part. The haughty nature of the Dreadlord returned for a moment as he was not so foolish as to let down his guard, and he took up his blade once more. Though Erebus was sure that if his opponent had anything left, it would not likely be enough to save them. The blade of khaine slithered back down his body to his hand once more to reform as Erebus adopted an easter Dao stance with his two titanic weapons ready for action. The chains snapped out behind him once more, awaiting their master’s command to begin the feast on the poor creature that had become his plaything.-
ZeekHarbinger:
Watching the massive blade come down between him and his opponent only made the Shade grin devilishly as the Sinner had now given him a launch pad once again, though the blade he had thrown had not found it's mark the black blood was able to be transferred nonetheless. As the massive blade came crashing down into the ground he jumped up used the hilt as a launch point directing himself straight towards the sinner, only but a drop would be required as he flicked his wrist and casted the blood out towards the sinner in a slight arc in hopes to not only get it on the sinner himself, but the chains and armor as well, just as the energy wave would cast outwards, he would use the force of the wave to carry him past the Sinner as he drop the massive armor that hugged his form. The mass amounts of locusts that swarmed in on the winds was a curious tactic, unsure what the point would be to have insects gather around them he seemingly ignored them as he turned his head as though to peer back at the Sinner, watching as some of the droplets of blood would have undoubtedly found some part of the sinner to land on, the wound on his hand already closing over as the flow of blood ceased. But it wasn't until the corrupted lightning began it's show that he actually readied his form, the shadows he had gathered prior were the perfect charge he required the phase his form to the same density as a shadow, nothing but a smoky figure as it were as the blade would shoot upwards, passing right through him as though he wasn't even there, once the blade has reached their peak he brought his form back into the same state it was before the blades, his feet still remaining phased as they had been through the whole battle, something the sinner clearly missed when his footsteps made no sound with such heavy looking material hugging them. With his speed and agility it was easy enough for him to dance around and dodge the blades as they would plummet back down into the ground, he would reach the first blade he had thrown towards the sinner easily enough and gripped the hilt as he continued dodging around the falling blades, the lightning spider web that flowed from them as one mass aoe attack would have no effect on him as his feet were still in the shadowy form, and shadows do not conduct electricity in any way, but it was the shadows that casted out from each blade even with the small amount of light provided that he paid more attention to, as he would be able to use these small shadows all the same, as the sinner readied himself, he took gathered the shadows that were provided. The idea of being trapped in this dome of destruction with this sinner was no idea of fun by any means, the chains across Erebus's back would make it far more than difficult to move around the sinner in any direction at all, let alone the two blades within the sinners grip, he was running out of options quickly, he tightened his grip on the medium length blade and faced the sinner, his form as relaxed as it could be given the situation.
Anthropophagy:
~Erebus grinned at the skillful dodge but now there was very little room between them. The fight had been one sided from the start but the lightning even caused the Sinner slight irritation due to the sparks flying over the ground. The trap had been set and all that remained was to pin Zeek between it and Erebus’ multiple forms of weaponry. The Dreadlord was a walking armory of chaos, unpredictable and brutal in the most potent ways. Aside from mastering the substantial feat of dual wielding such goliath weapons Erebus was no slouch in a fight, capable of utilizing his weaponry on the fly in new ways that one could only dream about when facing the nightmarish beast in battle. With his armor gone Erebus had to rely purely on skill, something he relished in the heat of battle. The acidic blood splattered his left shoulder, however such tactics were very little concern to one who had mastered umbral control. He would allow the Shade a brief moment of hope. Erebus had hardly begun to fight in this bout, preferring to play with his prey a bit to season the meal he’d been preparing. Sadism was as much a part of his being as his weapons, prone to violent acts of torture and brutality that would make the old monsters cringe.”Non Omnis Moriar, Shade.” Erebus smiled, a ragged maw that resembled black teeth tearing open in anticipation. He wanted a true challenge, a fight worthy of his power, though this Shade was far weaker in power the creature was tricky and would he have had blood Erebus’ would be boiling. The prospect of a true fight was almost akin to sexual pleasure and gratification to the vex who had wandered so long through the world to feed his craving. The sword of khaine twitched then blossomed open as Erebus’ now smaller form rushed Zeek in a display of what could only be described as either courage or madness. Truthfully Erebus cared little for anything else aside from the fight at hand. The gruesome weapon in his right hand snapped out like a predatory beast’s jaws toward Zeek as Erebus closed the gap; his weapon extending within five feet of the Shade to close around him with it’s now nine feet length. The soul cleaving chains at Erebus’ back motioned at the same time as his blade in a dual layer that was intent to trap the Shade or push him back into the minefield that Erebus had created only moments prior. The blade would only have the slightest of resistance were it to meet the dragonhide, being designed to destroy far greater opponents, as the hooked chains would rend the very essence from the lesser Kinn. Though Erebus drew forth the two attacks at once the weapon in his left was far from forgotten. The sword poured forth the green miasma once more as it bathed its’ master’s arm in the crippling toxins that had only moments before devoured the terrain. The wicked smog wrapped around ERebus like a coiled serpent to devour the organic matter and tiny specks that Zeek had placed on him though costing a rather annoying amount of his soul pool in the process Erebus knew that if he’d went through that much trouble to damage himself for an attack nothing good could come of such nonsense. As the blade poured its toxins out it went tearing forth beneath to aim itself at Zeek’s left knee. Even if the Shade were to find away from the devastating multi-hit combination of Erebus’ six chains as well as the ten pronged capture of the sword of khaine he would have the blade that yet again spewed a devious soul poison from the core aimed at Zeek’s joint. The crippling maneuver came with speeds one should not be able to manage with such massive weapons, however Erebus had spent ages honing his monumental power and technique for just such a reason. To he who had felled gods, such a weapon was little more than a switchblade.~
Daeras: The daggers soon joined together in each of the Oculi’s hands, her long, webbed like digits coiling around their handles as she only hovered down closer to the Shade. As she approached, the lights surrounding the Hall began to dim into a tantalizing darkness, shadows which now crept from every corner only coming closer to their manifest. Through the darkened Hall were chants of the forgotten, chants of the damned, each a whisper meant to be followed throughout the Ritual, each, a test for the Shade to distinguish them from the Oculi’s voice. The daggers continued to sizzle as droplets from her own black blood burned deeper into their sharp edge. “Somno, spiritum.” – Sleep, Spirit – Nearly half a second from the incantation and without a moment of preparation for Zeek, the sizzling daggers were deeply dug within his wide opened eyes, piercing the pools of ruby; an unspeakable pain was to be felt even for a Kinn which, despite not having a material form, synapses to burn or nerves to sever, had the notion of such still lodged within long lost memories – for these were not normal “eyes”, as those were not ordinary “daggers”, as the release of sight meant more than the removal of such a physical note. The sizzling blades burned through his retinas, the effect of her blood now surrounding his sockets, tainting him far from tangible grasps. Within a second’s passing, the daggers were removed along with his own eyes, each impaled by the sharpened edges. Blind as he was now, he could hear the clinking of her cup. Through the veil of darkness, Moirai let both eyes fall within the Cup allowing it to float before her as she plucked one last thing from the shadows themselves – a sparkling sapphire shard, a last residue of her former nature which was now transformed, molded and reshaped with her own Umbra. Mixing it within the confines of the cup, a faint sapphire light made itself present from the depths of the chalice, its contents now reshaping into liquid form. A finger dipped within it, right along the tip of her nail as it now dragged across the Oculi’s own forehead, the blue light creating a cut. All along through the process, the surrounding chants grew louder and louder – almost in agony, they wailed and shouted, moaned in an endless torture; as though the Shade’s current pain had not been enough, the same tar-dipped claw slid across his forehead, a deep cut which ran along obsidian “skin”, revealing the void within. The sapphire liquid seemed to seep through the gap. And then, what he could feel was the Oculi’s wandering limb, curling digits through darkened strands of the back of his head into a tight hold, guiding his head closer. “Tu vero liberati…” – You are set free - . There was silence. A defining silence which took over the Hall, as the chants seemed to halt far too abruptly, far too soon, for each Ending had a new Beginning. And his, was soon to come, deep within the suspenseful anticipation of it all.
ZeekHarbinger: His ruby pools unmoved as the Oculi moved closer to him, he took no notice to the encroaching shadows from within the hall, but the chanting was definitely new. He was unsure if it was a test or not, but he remained focus on the Oculi and only the Oculi, picking out two words spoken by her voice moments before the daggers dug deeply into his eyes. It was almost instantaneous, the deep screams of agonizing pain that escaped his mouth, nothing could have prepared him for this, not even all the torturing he had endured in the abyssal realm. Even when the daggers took their second pass around the pain shot through his very mind it seemed, like a memory that had been forgotten only to surface once again so shortly after it had been forgotten. The moment the daggers were plunged into his eyes his sight was no more, at least not as one would preseve sight, he still had the shadows after all. Once the daggers and eyes were removed, he wanted more then anything to rest his forehead against the floor and battle the pain he was enduring, but he had yet to be given permission from the Oculi to even move. The sound of metal on metal rang in his ears, despite the agonizing wails of the chanting, and still he continued to focus on the sensation of the Oculi's umbra, something he came to learn rather well from the start. It was the touch of her claw against his forehead that reassured him that she had not abandoned her ritual, not that he thought she actually would, but then a new feeling followed, he could feel yet another deep cut along his forehead where her claw had past over, followed by her clawed digits on the back of his head as they took a tight hold. He followed the guidance of the Oculi as she pulled him towards her and heard her voice once again, only to be followed by absolute silence.
Daeras: Pleased by the Shade’s compliance and obedience, there was a barely noticeable smile from her, a slight tug upon darkened lips. As reassurance, lithe digits brushed through his hair, an almost compassionate action, should she still carry such emotions, before guiding his head closer, lowering her frame over his until their foreheads touched. ‘Skin to skin’, her black blood mixed with his, the sapphire light becoming one. “Depono bellum.” – Give in – It commanded, and by the command alone would the chants follow suit, unimaginably louder than before as though the Hall filled up with thousands more entities, each calling out, crying so very close to his senses. The screeching sounds would almost count as unbearable as their foreheads touched, the blue light only glowing brighter; through it, the Ritual reached an upcoming climax as memories of the Shade began to emerge almost to the point of becoming material, each grip upon his mind only pulling out more and more of the jumbled visions – forgotten through time, wiped away, they began to surface once more as images through his thoughts – the flashes of his birth, the faces of an adrift family, irretrievable moments of his life lived through the passing of time. “Verum visus…” – True sight - , she began to speak, the sensation of her own umbra mere inches away from Zeek, the brushing of black lips upon his own. “Ut benedicat tibi.” – I bless you – Through his senses would he manage to discern her words as she offered his blessing, the trigger which was to open his Third Eye. As the more “physical” pain began to dull out, the mental anguish replaced it, the throes of his own memories now so very close to reality; for his woe became reality, trespassing the limit between what was known as tangible and non. Serpentine grasp only tightened now with both hands to the Shade’s body, holding him in place as his suffering continued to stream out, a perpetual surge which was combined with her own – for their memories mixed, and through the Oculi’s Third Eye was he able to glimpse past her own memories. There was a fire, and a dancing woman. There was an elderly woman, and burnt Tarot Cards. There was Death, and then, Rebirth. And what capsized it all was a pale woman with blind blue eyes. “Respice in praeteritum vision…” – Look past the vision – As she spoke, the sapphire light which united them began to dissolve, fade, as the Ritual was slowly reaching its lowering stride. “Videre Veritas!” – See the Truth – She called out. And with it, so did the voices, the chants which now seemed to repeat her words, loud echoes demanding him the same exact words – she had taken his eyes, only to give him Sight beyond the visible clutches. The Oculi’s embrace soon departed from his material clasp, a slow retreat as she allowed him to scream. To cry, to feel. Whatever it took, for him to regain conscious tenures.
ZeekHarbinger: The light brush of her digits through his hair was an odd one, not only to be coming from such a being like herself, but to him to receive such a gesture was never thought of in all his years he could remember of existence, but when he felt her 'flesh' against his he was beginning to understand the notion a bit more, it was nothing more than reassurance. The words that brushed his ears were short lived by the following chants, so unbearable was the anguish that laced the hundreds of thousands of voices that screamed in his ears, the added distractions of memories flooding his mind only added more confusion to the thousands of voices already flooding his thoughts as his third eyes would begin to open, 'What is this?.................Who are they?' Though he could not quite grasp the idea of a family he could feel the sensation of being drawn to them, when he heard the Oculi's voice once again but this time the brush of her lips on his drew him back from these long forgotten memories of a family he knew nothing of, hearing of a blessing his thoughts grasped at these memories, faces so close he wanted to reach out to them, the mental agony growing within his mind only caused his physical form to react, as it would begin to shake lightly uncontrollably, only then did he notice the grip the Oculi had on his form. As his memories and hers began to entwine he almost panicked, thinking it was his own mind playing tricks upon him, trying to heighten the confusion further, until he seen the burnt tarot cards, and the pale blue eyed woman, "Visions..." his voice spoke softly only repeating what he could hear past the thousands of echoes, "Truth..", as the words left his mouth it was as though he had woken up from a horrifying nightmare even he could not remotely comprehend, his third eye opened fully now as he would blink, the now empty sockets upon his facial features only darkening his appearance, if tears were possible for the Kinn race they would flood his cheeks uncontrollably, an emotion he never thought possible for even himself, until the rage rose within his form once again, pushing all other voices from his mind except his own, his balled his fists tightly against his knees before throwing his head backwards and screaming out with utmost anger he muster, just to clear his senses once again.
DeviousMiskreent: Kali's dark eyes remained rapt to the Ritual of the Oculi, her mind processing the procedure at an accelerated rate as she tried to make sense of it all. She smiled a little, if the dark visage of flicking lips could be called a smile. She shivered as the Shade screamed his agony into the darkened room and would have allowed herself to chuckle if she wasn't so focused on deconstructing what just happened. Her head tilted slowly from one side to the other, like that of a curious bird, watching, waiting for just the morsel that it desired. Darkened brows narrowed as she sensed it then, the activation of the Shades Third Eye. "ahhhhhh" she whispered, her curiosity sated for the moment. Her own umbra shivered and writhed as the new knowledge was processed and shared with her multitude of souls. Thousands of minds at work on a single 'magical' problem now.
Daeras: As the Ritual began to fade, the Oculi had only one last thing to seal it with. Snatching the card which was, only moments prior, the Shade’s winning prize, the black paper was then placed brutally against his forehead, covering the wound which had formed across his skin, sealing within the fading blue light. The Card began to dissolve, seep within the wound itself, The Moon it its grandiose beauty now topping the Oculi’s blessing. A small symbol would then form upon obsidian flesh, a silvered crescent moon which only resembled the Card itself; though a Ritual of the most skills Magi’s, Moirai now placed her own Signature upon it. From the shadows surrounding them would she pull a wandering tendril which reshaped itself into black fabric, a strip she then gently guided around the Shade’s head, covering the empty sockets where his eyes once were. This was no ordinary piece of Umbra – this was the very same fabric which concealed her gaze before turning Kinn, carrying the scent of fresh lilac – the scent of a creature once known as Sophia, the Blind Fortune Teller – fabric which was now gifted to the Shade as a sign of Victory, a token to his suffering. “Reliqua…” – Rest - , she reassured him, arms of darkened flesh coming to embrace him, allowing his head to fall against the tattered robes which enveloped her lap, claws of pitch dragging gently along his frame. Caring as she was, the Oculi’s actions were to be considered Motherly in the very least, a satisfied Master who had witnessed its Pupil succeeding such an impermeable task. “Your training starts tomorrow.” She let him know from the start that this was to be a long journey. For now, they were both adepts of the Long Road – followers to the Endless Sea.
ZeekHarbinger: After his voice had faded out he let form almost crumble from the exertion of such anger, despite the confusion that flooded his mind moments prior, one image remained in his mind, that of the young dragon, as it was a face he had to know even in this life. Feeling the card pressed against his forehead he knew the Oculi was merely doing the 'finishing touches' as it were. After the fabric was wrapped around his head he picked up the scent of lilacs, and from the shared memories he knew it to be the cloth that was once Sophia's. His form relaxed as he felt the Oculi's embrace. It was odd how it felt almost motherly, as he rested his head upon her lap. "Thank you Moirai.." his voice soft despite the angered echoes that laced it before he allowed his mind to slip into a sleep, if one could call it that.
DeviousMiskreent: "ooh how very touching Moirai" her voice would drift from the pillar as she extracted it, the multitude of echos from her souls ever so soft that they seemed to drift like fog across the floor. Curious eyes laid upon the two in their embrace, with an almost bored expression laid upon the rest of her face. She stood now, her brows narrowing in thought, only to have her form devolve into the misty fog that she seemed to love so much. Her umbra drifted to the stacks of books behind her, roving over the shelves and other items, her final thought directed only at the Oculi. "Perhaps I shall seek you out ...."
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EzekielHarbinger
Zeek vs Cerberus Dec.2.2017
February 08, 2019 09:06AM
Some where deep in a dark thick forest was the Hall of Shadows, many whispers circling around the nearby towns of a darkness that hangs over the structure, some mere fabrications of a great evil that dwells within the walls, some half truths about shadows that follow you, watch your every move and may even play the small of tricks on you to lure you deeper into the broken moonlit density of the trees, the air would feel thicker, maybe even heavier the deeper down the slightly beaten path as whispers from seemingly the trees themselves speak of great spoils, enticing the greedy to venture further, calling to the lustful in search of the fleshly desires, encouraging the wrathful seeking a fight, even the sloths of society would be intrigued enough to follow the sounds of the woods, every vice of every culture called to by these echoes, the skilled ones could pick out the words clearly spoke by the souls that linger as watchful eyes over those who would enter. The deeper one would travel into the woods, the less the moonlight would be able to break through the tree tops from the thick overhang of branches and leaves, as the ever watching eyes would grow closer one would find themselves within sight of a dark stone structure with a dull light seeping from the windows, the blackened doors called to visitors as though everything within the forest had it's own voice. Once inside, the silence was so overwhelming that it became uncertain if their thoughts were in fact their own to begin with, the whispering echos so intrusive it could make the weak willed loose hold of their sanity, dark statues would greet you at either side of the doorway as you walk out into the center of the hall where a circular platform would lay, clearly a sparring circle for those who sought to train, a small room full of books and a desk for those who sought knowledge, and a weapons room for weapons training on the other side, and small sections at the back for those who are so inclined to sit and watch even possibly guide some who are worthy the darkness itself. The Hall of Shadows offers a great many different possibilities.
ZeekHarbinger:
Being a Shade of Sinn it was not uncommon for him to wander within the shadows of any lands, as a shade of sinn was nothing more than an umbral shadow itself. The umbra of his form is a condensed form of their deity, the darkness, to which they strived to return everything and anything to. It was second nature to a kinn to flow through the shadows, it was as easy as any other being breathing, as the 'ethereal' like form was their true form, and a physical form was more of a manifestation when encountering other beings from the material realms. Using the shadows like door ways was another natural ability to the shade as he was able to walk from one shadow to another to travel in a much quicker fashion, though it did take some training to be able to navigate the shadowy realms beyond due to it not being an exact replica 'on the other side', living within the Unholy Nation for a rather lengthy period of time certainly helped him master this technique. After doing his rounds through the darkened forest he made his way back to the Hall using the shadows that hugged the stone walls within for his entrance, before he would gather his shadowy form once again along the edge of the sparring circle in the center of the vast hall. An 8ft thickening shadow began to take on the appearance of a dark being that had become known to this structure, the reason many would avoid the forest to begin with, the obsidian horns protruding from his head were the first to take on any definition, the silver chain and skull shaped trinkets hanging from a set hung a few inches from his dual medium length carbon steel blade across his back, raven hair pulled back neatly into small braids and tied back was crowned by the black serpent crown that twined itself through the mass of horns, a serpent he was yet to be able to rid himself of thanks to the Sinner that casted it upon him. The blood colored blindfold around his eyes was more of a trickery then anything as it never once hindered his sight, thanks to the gifted ability of true sight and the opening of his third eye, though he chose a simpler route and used the shadows as his sight, allowing him to see far more that just the surrounding room. A slightly reflection off light would bounce off the dragonhide armor that hugged his blackened umbral "flesh", strong and durable as dragon scale but far lighter allowing him to keep his speed and agility in top form. The armor hugged his chest, his biceps, forearms and hands, legs, shins and feet, even the belt and battle skirt he wore around his waist was made of this durable material. The medium length dagger he had at his waist was as unique as the place it was forged, the Unholy Nation, harboring many different beings and allowed for many different items to be made. As one would look upon this tall being, they would come to see that every aspect of his form was a varying shade of black, and hold true to his existence, a shadow, but the most unique part of this shadow could not be seen, as the black "blood" that flowed through out his form was something that one would hope not to see, if his blood were to be spilled it was like acidic variant of the umbra that he was made of, it would devour everything it came in contact with, the denser the material, the longer it would take, but as is devoured the material it would spread and it was not so simply wiped away, as it would simply spread to that which would attempt to wipe it away.
Anthropophagy:
~Malice, despair, blood; these things followed the Sinner everywhere he walked upon the mortal planes. Twin greatswords were bound to his back by the thick obsidian chains of the vextrosity (six soul harvesting chains of ten feet in length a piece. The chains attack at will as a limb would as well as their damage being on two varying planes of existence; both the physical and ethereal planes). The murderous creature waded through the bodies of the dead his very aura had set ablaze with a thirst for war. Sadism and brutality called to the Sinner in such a siren’s call that wherever the madness of battle occurred one could almost always expect Erebus and his destructive presence to be in tow as he harvested the souls of the dying or dead. A weak voice trembled from amidst the piles of bodies as Erebus walked by, a lone survivor whose cowardice had been the only thing saving the man from the same fate as his brothers in arms. “You, creature with piss in his breaches. Stand and face your superior.” Erebus demanded coolly with the yowling chorus of millions of lost souls crying out in anguish. The poor man quivered and debated simply running but the creature before him seemed to peak his curiosity with its aura of impending dread and the biting scent of freshly cut spicy peppers. The soldier did as commanded and stood before Erebus, his knees weak as even more urine flowed out between the gaps in his plated armor. Erebus turned in disgust of the creature, harboring immense distaste for the mortals and their weakness as he bit back the temptation to simply eviscerate the poor man right then and there. “You ran and hid from battle. You cowered like a babe in the woods. Do you know who or what I am?” Erebus asked, his tone lowering to little more than a growling cacophony that dripped with malice, without awaiting a reply he continued, “I am the Vextrosity of war, the embodiment of battle. You who have been present for this battle yet no blade has been drawn nor does any but the blood of your brothers coat your armor as you snuck beneath their corpses. You have disrespected me greatly this day.” Erebus’ powerful clawed hands gripped the handles of his great swords and the chains holding them dropped away noiselessly while the barbed hooks adorning each slithered around and hugged his waist like a belt. “State your final words that I may make this fast. You pathetic worm I will torture you before death for this dishonor to my name and when I am done you'll welcome the hell I send you to.” The eye adorning the hilt of the first greatsword fluttered open violently as the semi-sentient weaponry came to life at his touch (Blade of Khaine: The weapon of the dark elven god of war and murder. The blade enacts as a relay system for information between weapon and master, the eye feeding Erebus information to further increase the scope of his vision. The blade is also not limited to a singular shape, Aura skill: The weapon generates an aura of maddening wrath that drives those within thirteen feet of it to feel the madness and berserker state of a warrior in frenzy by being in its presence. This weapon is a god slayer class equipment and destroys even deified beings being it is in fact a celestial weapon and was devised to destroy other deities should the need arise.) The monolithic blade quivered and twitched anxiously in his hands as it awoke; the twisted mass of flesh-like material with razored edges coiled eagerly in his hand as it snaked out around the victim and embraced him in a lover’s grasp almost while tiny lacerations blossomed out across the soldier’s skin with the blade easily cutting through his plated armor like butter. With a quick motion or the slightest thought Erebus could very easily carve the man to ribbons but he wanted this poor plaything to taste the hatred he harbored for it. “You are a worthless piece of meat, garbage amongst all things. You’re pathetic. Even devouring you would be a waste of valuable time for my umbra to consume.” (Umbra, the specialized material from which Sinn are created formed from souls. Umbra is highly corrosive to organic creatures and can very easily melt them to ash in a matter of mere moments. Sinners of the race have a very potent capability to manipulate this as well as shadows to enact their will. All darkness contains trace amounts of umbra thus giving shadow manipulation to enact on controlled level) Erebus hissed angrily as he withdrew the second blade from behind himself and placed the even larger Dreadroot to the side of his toy’s throat. The soul steel blade touching the flesh hissed angrily as the weapon’s corrosive edge seared the flesh itself after having absorbed so much energy from Erebus the blade had become permeated with the volatile magicks and necrotic energies that he channeled through it. (Dreadroot, a blade forged of soul steel to replace his destroyed Dreadblade. The weapon shares several similarities to Darkthorn such as size and power but the blade itself is entirely it's own. Focusing on Erebus' death based magic and plague abilities the weapon emanates an aura of soul poison, reacting strongly with how powerful his opponent may be. The weapon's name is derived from its toxin laden special known as dark garden, a mass aoe that combines nature elements and poison magic to create a devilish minefield for any of those brave enough to cross the self regenerating weed bed. The blade focuses on the power of the souls used to forge it, multiplying energy output for each new soul used to temper the death forged steel. The blade's skill set is numerous and extensive, coupled with Erebus' own fighting style meeting such a monster in battle is a terrifying ordeal for many who survive to talk about it. The blade channels and outputs Erebus’ various magics at an increased rate. In synopsis the blade works as a staff for most mage characters in making magical access far greater.) Erebus grinned darkly to reveal an illusionary field around what could only be described as a mouth, showing the man a mass of souls swimming about in agony as he breathed out the fetid scent of rotten meat directly into the man’s face. The sense warping magics paid off of the scent of fecal matter quickly wafted around them both causing Erebus to grimace in disappointment as this grown man and soldier had managed to literally shit himself in Erebus’ presence. “That’s just disgusting. Have some damn pride man.” Erebus chastised as his blades pulled away from the victim, releasing him. Without a second’s worth of hesitation the man fled as Erebus opened his deadly maw once again and summoned forth a swarm of glossy black hornets. The insects formed of umbra spewed out like a massive haze that dive bombed the dashing man (As Vextrosity of war Erebus can summon insects and predatory creatures at whim). The man fell to his knees and tried to cover his face from the wretched horde as Erebus calmly stepped forward and glanced down at the being. Thick plates ripped through the shadowy material that garbed his eight feet in height. The onyx colored plates of fel mythril skittered like insects into place and cold welded together into a fully functioning set of towering plated armor. With his might released Erebus had grown an additional five feet, now standing above the man like a titan of battle ready to swoop in and finish the pathetic embarrassment. (Sin Eater armor; armor that not only increases his strength twenty fold but also enables Erebus to absorb impact from all but the most powerful of attacks and release the pent up energy through his own mysticism into a concussive blast. The armor is nigh indestructible to all but powerful attacks; breaking after three charged strikes capable of substantial force. The armor does not nullify damage all together though it does make almost anything short of an atomic detonation almost a moot point unless done correctly. Within this armored state his mind becomes more reserved and calm, his duty being no more than to finish whatever battle has warranted such a resort. Within this state his aura becomes even more potent to a degree that it becomes almost obscene. In this state Erebus can no longer release the counters generated by those he combats sins until the form is released or the armor is broken though the counters will no longer be rendered useless after two turns. By building power in this enhanced stage Erebus is capable of even greater feats of outward strength making his normal amount of force nearly unstoppable in combination with his natural armory. Within the armor Erebus becomes substantial to maintain shape however the armor reveals itself seemingly as a single piece around his body providing a nearly impenetrable defense. The cursed Fel Mythril expands and contracts in density to absorb or release stored energy turning potential energy into kinetic output to react as either defensive diffusion against impacts or a released wave that becomes multiplied in strength by four times, meaning the input will be sent outward with multiplied strength of whatever impacted it.) The Dreaded Vex, Dreadlord of the Knights Moriar. This was a face the man knew as the dreaded helmet locked around Erebus’ face to reveal the monster of battle revered in legend as a walking one man genocide. “Herald not ye gods of old, mortal, the one before you is he who you’ll be praying to. Bow in reverence and bless the day upon which you were allowed the glory of being slain by Erebus Harbinger, Dreadlord and Sinner.” The twin blades of Erebus came crashing down with the weight of two trains crashing fully on impact into the body as Erebus channeled his magic and umbral soul energy through the weapons, enacting his greatest feat of combat. (Blackmist Style: Though varied greatly in uses the fighting style indulges both soul energy and magical energies to increase the output and ferocity of Erebus’ magical attacks. This style reduces mana and stamina costs to increase the output and ferocity of Erebus’ magical attacks. This style reduces mana and stamina costs to near minimum requirements do two amplifying his magical capacity via the raw untapped essence of souls). The man’s carcass splattered as a monstrous pit opened up beneath him, a crater opened from the sheer impact dropped upon the now ground beef consistency that used to be the man’s body. “That would have almost been fun if not for the stench of humans.” Erebus muttered as his true gaze locked on another energy source. A Shade it seemed, rather promising in power however it did not seem the lesser kinn had even begun to broach the depths that one of their ilk could consider. A maddening idea washed through his twisted mind as the darkness emanating from around the Shade’s current location seemed to permeate the air for quite some distance. The armor sank back beneath the ghostly manifest of the Sinner as he bled into the shadows, his weapons still in hand as he passed into the abyssal realms to the bleak landscape outside the hall that harbored the shade. “Knock knock” Erebus chuckled as he rose like a specter of violence from the murky crevices of the tree roots before the structure, “Blackmist style: Entropic nightmares.” Erebus raised Dreadroot before himself and lashed out at the door with necrotic energy, rotting it away as if acid had been poured directly into the center of the planks. “Come out come out wherever you are. I hunger, little Shade and this place reeks of your scent. Let’s just make this easy and I won’t have to give you a s loppy death.” Erebus taunted as he gripped his twin swords, knowing precisely what he’d just done.~
ZeekHarbinger:
It was the smell of rotting flesh from the battlefields that first caught his attention, a scent he had not smelled for quite some time at least not since coming to the planes of the living, but the energy that flowed within the scent drew his attention further, training with a Sinner class before he was birthed as a Shade gave him insight as to recognizing the energy of one, this energy however was not that of the same Sinner he had trained with, he turned his head slightly to face the door before the wooden planks melted away from the acidic attack upon them. "The fact you have to call out to me to find me is rather ..... below you Sinner, especially when I stand in clear sight", the whispered anger of the thousands of souls within his form echoed through out the shadows casted within the writhing forest that surrounded his hall, though it was nothing in comparison to the voice of the higher ranks of the race, it still allowed him the advantage over the fleshies of this plane of existence, causing a great array of confusion and fear to grow with their minds. He turned his form entirely to face the Sinner he had never met before as he allowed his shadowy sight to examine the very essence of the blade he wielded, before he would begin to slowly make his way across the hall towards the doors. The heavy looking armor that hugged his feet made so sounds as he took each step, the shadows seemingly dancing all around him, he knew full well from past experiences that a Sinner had far more control over the shadow than any shade could ever imagine, but he was a shadow and he would find a way to use it to his advantage against these higher ranks. "I make nothing easy for anyone, you shall be no different". Zeek stopped for a brief moment as he exited the hall through the melted doorway, "I could only pray that the darkness sees me worthy of such beautiful death" He reached up to grip the hilt of one of his blades to pull it from its sheath before lowering his arm back to his side pointing the blade downwards towards the dirty floor of the forest. "From what i can sense from your energy, I'm nothing but a snack for one such as yourself, but I'm still a Shade of Sinn, and I will not make it that easy for you, despite your hunger"
Anthropophagy:
~The Sinner smiled darkly as the Shade spoke, obsidian plates wrenching their way up and across his manifest. The ebon plates locked across his body once more in a terrible set of plated armor, increasing the physical force that the mad titan could exhibit to near earth shaking levels. Clouds blotted out the moon entirely, casting the lands into shadow as Gaia herself revolted in Erebus’ mighty presence. The clouds opened up in a torrential downpour, streaking the sky with lightning that flashed violently to reveal the Sinner in his full glory whilst the shade made his way to battle. No punches would be pulled, no mercy found in the malevolent heart of Erebus who clenched his now gauntlet encased fingers around the sword of Khaine. The weapon reacted instinctually, sliding across the armor platings to form a secondary layer of armor to increase his durability in battle two fold to enhance the rate in which his armor could be broken (the armor with the durability increase now takes six charged attacks to break unless Erebus releases it). With his power overflowing Erebus grinned darkly, watching the Shade as he walked out to stand before the now towering ERebus. The aura from blade and Sinner was almost suffocating, the combination feeding any within it the desire for violence. The air of bloodshed was almost palpable as the six bestial chains around Erebus’ waist snaked out around him; adding to the already imposing beast’s intimidation factor while the eye that once adorned the hilt of the sword of khaine crept to his back and granted Erebus a radial form of input from the weapon that granted 360 degrees of visionary range in any direction. A sickly green smog began to pour from the remaining blade as the corrosive soul poison leaked from the hollow core of the towering great sword, surrounding Erebus with a dense miasma of crippling toxins that could envelope the very essence of even those matching rank with him. In a flurry of motion Erebus lunged at frightening speeds toward Zeek, blade at the ready as the caustic fog chugged forth, one swipe from the blade easily enough to do serious amounts of damage to even the strongest of opponent if the blunted edge passed through a being. His silver eyes widened as the very toxins his weapon had produced began to eat through the souls he’d recently harvested at a rate of twenty per minute inside the armor. Fortunately the soul pool he had been granted filled Erebus with more than enough to end this battle quickly. The first slash carved wide of Zeek, his dastardly weapon shooting off to the side in a wide arc and clouding the air above the shade with the deadly gas. With the second stroke Erebus turned the blade as easily as a practiced veteran would handle a dagger, curving the hellish weapon down in a slashing motion toward the legs only to have it sharply veer upward toward the midsection. The tactic was a feint of sorts but with each motion the blade would pour forth more of the putrid haze around them both with each bone crushing swing. “Cute, but we’ve only just begun.” Erebus cackled as the upward stroke wrenched through, hoping to cut Zeek in twain. The six chains, their hooked ends rattling ominously, ripped forth behind their master in a wicked entrapment of visceral nature to close the shade between Erebus’ seven feet long blade and the soul ripping hooks in a masterful pincer tactic that few had ever lived to tell the tale of. This would either be the shade’s final moments or Erebus’ most frustrating capture, the fates were to decide just how destructive this tactic would be.~
ZeekHarbinger:
(2/3 action = charging at zeek wrath, 2/3 action first swing of the blade wrath, 1 full commitment wrath = second motion of the blade, intent, 2/3 action = poisonous gas, 2/3 thought = chains x6, 6 chains, 1/3 thought pride = “Cute, but we’ve only just begun.” = 7 1/3 counters, 8 1/3 in total from previous post)
The overwhelming desire flooded his mind as he grew closer to the Sinner, a desire he already knew and understood all too well through many years of 're-education' within the Unholy Nation, he grinned lightly at the purity of this desire but as he was accustomed to these desires he had no intentions of acting upon them only relish the thought of them. The true sight allowed him to see the aura flowing between the master of such a blade and the sword itself, showing him the connection between the two went far deeper then one could simply see with their eyes, no doubt in his mind that weapon acted as a relay, informing its master of anything and everything it could of their opponent. The sickly green smog that was produced by the second blade only furthered his curiosity, but not enough for him to want to discover the effects of such a cloud, remembering the times of being submerged in the thick ooze they called lakes, and now without having the need to breathe, he simply held his breath as it were, so he didn't inhale these toxic fumes. He watched the movements of his opponent carefully taking note at the slightest of movements just moments before the monstrous beast lunged forward at the frightening speeds he had, Zeeks own reflexes already heightened by centuries of training caused him to jump and flipped backwards, he planted his feet against the wall just above the doorway before launching himself up and over this titan of a being before him moments before the blade would pass by him, the idea of such an attack only meaning to further increase the thickness of this toxic smog seemed a moot point to Zeek as he would pass over top of Erebus, only to catch sight of the hooked chains, the only reaction he could think of was to sacrifice the blade within his grin and toss it towards these chains are a form of distraction, just long enough for him to cast out a shadowy replica of himself as yet another distraction as he would land far enough behind the Sinner and pull the secondary blade from his back, taking the moment of clear air to take a breath at the sheer forwardness of this Sinner's attacks, quickly running through his mind some form of a plan of attack.
Anthropophagy:
~As the shade leapt above him the eye upon Erebus’ back caught sight of him, feeding the information back to Erebus’ mind and directing him toward his prey. As the sword went clamoring toward his back Erebus did not even bother to counter it with the chains, his dual layers of protection more than enough to halt the oncoming projectile in its tracks while Zeek attempted to summon forth a doppelganger of sorts from above. As the blade Zeek threw came whizzing down against his armored hide the dreadnought swung his legendary weapon through the air with a wide sweeping arc directly toward both the shadow clone that had been preemptively brought forth as well as the culprit who’d summoned it. The sheer ferocity of Erebus was unparallelled while Dreadroot poured forth more of the poisonous gas into the air, taking with it a tiny portion of Erebus’ soul pool but in terms of millions such a number was miniscule at best. “Good try hot shot, but I’m not one to be fooled by parlor tricks!” Erebus howled joyously in his ear splitting voice of the damned while the chains at his back swung around for another strike. The murderous abomination that lingered encased in armor growled ominously as the shadows around them began to speak in whispers, millions upon millions of voices seemingly speaking from within his very soul pool and sang to Zeek of the miseries that followed Erebus everywhere he went. “You’ve lost…. He will only grow stronger…. No one can beat him….. The world is doomed…. We’ll all die to his hunger…. There is no freedom… Sic Narro Nos Totus….Non Omnis Moriar….En Mors Resurgam…” The voices wailed around them as Erebus basked in the glory that befit a god. Even should Zeek find a way to avoid the blade and redirected chains what lingered on the horizon was far more dangerous. The voices went from a praising chorus to only repeating a singular phrase over and over again, like a funeral dirge awaiting the victim’s essence they howled out the creed of the Sinn, the nostalgic last rights in a sense that clouded over the judgement and filled those who heard it with fear. The army of the dead that lay within the Sinner called with a siren’s song to their soon to be brethren with their torturous melody that haunted the very soul.~
ZeekHarbinger:
Watching his blade have no effect what so ever on either the armor that encased the Sinner, no the attention of the chains was rather disappointing, lasting mere seconds as the large blade swung back towards the shadowy doppelganger he produced moment before and himself, with the shadows already gathering Zeek manipulated them further to give the shadowy replica a more solid form to use it as a shield against the magnitude of the attack, he knew it wouldn't be enough to nullify the attack completely but he didn't need it to be, it was just enough to cast a barrier between himself and the force of the weapon, a force which he would use to throw himself further back towards the closest trees and away from this being in hopes to quickly figure out a plan of attack, when the training sessions between himself and the Sinner Set raced through his mind. Planting his feet firming on the trunk of a nearby tree, he would bend his legs to absorb most of the energy within them before using that same energy along with his strength behind his legs to launch himself back towards the Sinner just before the hooked chains could strike him. Having the hilt his secondary sword within his grip he would pulled it from its sheath across his back as he would launch himself forward, the millions of whispers echoing throughout the shadows seemingly ignored by the shade despite their words, something he learned not to give a second thought to during his training. He moved throw air with the speeds to match that of an arrow released from a fully drawn longbow, his blades target, the gap that was always present between the helmet and the chest piece, regardless what kind of armor one would adorn their form with. He reached back to grip the blade with both hands and swung in an upwards angle with a slight arc aiming for that gap, if his blade struck true he would use the momentum within his form to push the blade deeper into the neck of Erebus, hoping to be able to use it as a pivoting point and bring himself back around to the back of the beast before him, the chains were his only concern, with their length and their reach they could easily reach back for him, by then he hoped he could launch himself back yet again off of the sinner and to a safe distance.
(1 = swing of the sword, 1 = toxic gases, 2/3 = “Good try hot shot, but I’m not one to be fooled by parlor tricks!”, 6 = Chains Strike, 2 = prideful taunting from the souls)
Anthropophagy:
~The eye widened with its jaundiced gaze while Zeek came plummeting in. Though it would be a bit much to ask for a return fire from this angle the blade that covered his armor was already on the move. The flesh-like material slid easily up to defend against the blow as Erebus felt the surge of power filter into his body from the weapon impacting against the surface. As the sword found itself buried point first into the musculature it moved once more with speed so immense that the mortal eye could not even grasp it as it shot forth around the sword’s blade intent on trapping it within the celestial weapon’s mass. Silence shifted through the forest as Erebus’ mind calmed from his armor’s skill of the perfect warrior finally quenched the blood thirst the blade of khaine instilled in him. The wind rustled through the leaves whilst the storm brewed to a thundering symphony of ominous wrath. The moment had come, the final climax of the band. Forgetting his typical boastful nature Erebus turned slowly toward the man who had most assuredly ricocheted off his plated hide, the titanic creature looming like a specter of massacre before him. Gone was the bravado and pride that Erebus had displayed and in its stead a sense of destructive duty filled the Vex’ mind. Dreadroot began to glow a vibrant lime color as Erebus swung the blade around himself, cloaking his body in the misty poison that poured from his blade and ebbed into a small stream. The forest around them began to show signs of his work as the trees and wildlife devolved into black sludge, rotting away to the very core within seconds with Erebus standing at the center nonplussed at the carnage he wrought. While the miasma poured forth Erebus raised his mighty sword, uncaring of any mortal weapons while in his armored state, their feeble blades bouncing cleanly off the damask coating. “Dreadroot…...Scream….” his voice called to the magical weapon and with a shrieking cry the haze was rushed back into the weapon at mind numbing speed. The primal soul steel blade siphoned its toxins in steadily before the blade reached full capacity, glowing like some sickening beacon of chaos. Around them now stood a wasteland for a mile out, cursed by his presence and the weapon’s sheer capability. “Dreadroot…. Roar.” The command came in a quiet whisper, the monolithic silhouette of the sword gleaming in the darkness as a wave of necrotic energy blasted forth from it in a dome for fifty feet, devouring the very hall that Zeek had once stood in as well as everything surrounding the Dreadlord for the radius of the blade’s energy dispersal. The blade came down and split the energy wave with a single stroke leaving Zeek only enough room to either run or face Erebus head on. The chains at his back waved like hungering serpents behind him, poised to strike with a powerful blow should the shade be fool enough to try such tactics again.~
ZeekHarbinger:
Realizing his blade was trapped within the seeming living armor that hugged the sinner, he had no choice but release the hilt and launch himself back away from this being once more, landing on his feet he would sense the wrath that flowed through air around them as the storm that followed Erebus began to pick up. He kept himself in a low crouch for the time beings as he took the time to gather the shadows that surrounded him as he watched the Sinner and his massive blade, as the blade once again spewed the toxic gases to form a thick cloud around it's master as it was swung around his form. He continued to watch carefully as the shade pulled his medium length dagger from the sheath along his belt, the forest and its life forms that were in close proximity turning to a blackened oozy of rot was yet another sight to see, until it was drawn in and cast back out covering everything around them for fifty feet, the casted shadows, the trees, and even the Hall of shadows seemingly vanished but truly devoured by this smog, thankfully for the shadow he gathered he had enough time to protect himself and evaded such an end, though now he was left with no launching points, and only a dagger for a weapon, well only actually physical weapon any way. He used the remaining shadows he had left over as well as a few charges to shoot himself forward, the speed of the prior arrow like movement tenfold as he would cross the space between himself and his opponent. He brought his armor gloved hand to his mouth and pulled the material with his teeth before allowing it to drop to the ground, then he ran the blade of the dagger across the palm of his hand, something he rarely ever did willingly as it had become a bit of rule of thumb for him not to draw his own blood, but if all went well it would be worth breaking his own rules. Only a single drop would be required to begin the process, as long as it was connected by some means to the Sinner before him.
Anthropophagy:
~Erebus felt the wrath of Zeek’s violence finally settle in, the amassed strength growing within the armor as a dull blue glow began to permeate from the recesses of the armor, pouring out at the mouth and eye slots in the armor. A cold embrace of longing washed through the Sinner’s form as he racked up more and more energy in the assault, allowing the tides of the battle to steadily grow in his favor. The vex let out a hissing noise and a dull humming noise permeated the forest, a buzzing drone that steadily got louder as Zeek rushed him. The tactic was a strange one but a millennium of battle had forged within Erebus a powerful instinct when it came to such tactics. His ruthless weapon slammed forward between them defensively with Erebus letting out those fated words yet again, “Dreadroot, roar!” The blade released a smaller pulse of energy this time having drained a rather good portion of its well of power though still enough to cause a cone of energy blasting outward for ten feet from the weapon, he’d not intend for the Shade to get any closer than he wished until the time was right. The ominous droning became a deafening roar as millions of locusts flew in on the winds; landing for fifty feet around them like silent observers. The skittering insects swarmed around them in seemingly random patterns as they positioned around the combatants, creating a rather annoying set of pitfalls around them in the empty wastes Erebus had created. Madness and power all intertwined together as Erebus released his armor, the plates rapidly sliding away from his body. With Dreadroot’s amplification Erebus let loose a single shock wave that crushed his insects into paste around them [1 charge]. “Blackmist style: Raining blades!” Erebus roared as he used a corrupted variant of lightning magic and essence control to expend the last bits of gained energy [3 charges instead of the usual 8 due to circle magic as well as the sword’s increased magical output]. The unholy lightning lashed together with the soul energy and shot upward toward the sky from the circle they stood in, ripping at everything surrounding Erebus outside a five foot radius of the now much smaller Sinner. His chains snapped in tightly around him while the spell rampaged forth into the sky for two hundred feet into the blackened air. The scent of ozone permeated the senses while the blades arced over, directing their flight path within an arcing span of another 300 feet out. The blades danced across the landscape, their flight path reaching terminal velocity within a heartbeat’s breadth only to meet whatever lay in their path head on. While the random impacts scattered across the landscape the sodden ground made a perfect conductor to create a vast spiderweb of electricity and umbra that finished devouring whatever it struck as the lightning raced out across the ground in all directions for another fifty feet. The trap had been laid, the power was capable of destroying many godly beings, to him this battle was no more than attrition and boredom on his part. The haughty nature of the Dreadlord returned for a moment as he was not so foolish as to let down his guard, and he took up his blade once more. Though Erebus was sure that if his opponent had anything left, it would not likely be enough to save them. The blade of khaine slithered back down his body to his hand once more to reform as Erebus adopted an easter Dao stance with his two titanic weapons ready for action. The chains snapped out behind him once more, awaiting their master’s command to begin the feast on the poor creature that had become his plaything.-
ZeekHarbinger:
Watching the massive blade come down between him and his opponent only made the Shade grin devilishly as the Sinner had now given him a launch pad once again, though the blade he had thrown had not found it's mark the black blood was able to be transferred nonetheless. As the massive blade came crashing down into the ground he jumped up used the hilt as a launch point directing himself straight towards the sinner, only but a drop would be required as he flicked his wrist and casted the blood out towards the sinner in a slight arc in hopes to not only get it on the sinner himself, but the chains and armor as well, just as the energy wave would cast outwards, he would use the force of the wave to carry him past the Sinner as he drop the massive armor that hugged his form. The mass amounts of locusts that swarmed in on the winds was a curious tactic, unsure what the point would be to have insects gather around them he seemingly ignored them as he turned his head as though to peer back at the Sinner, watching as some of the droplets of blood would have undoubtedly found some part of the sinner to land on, the wound on his hand already closing over as the flow of blood ceased. But it wasn't until the corrupted lightning began it's show that he actually readied his form, the shadows he had gathered prior were the perfect charge he required the phase his form to the same density as a shadow, nothing but a smoky figure as it were as the blade would shoot upwards, passing right through him as though he wasn't even there, once the blade has reached their peak he brought his form back into the same state it was before the blades, his feet still remaining phased as they had been through the whole battle, something the sinner clearly missed when his footsteps made no sound with such heavy looking material hugging them. With his speed and agility it was easy enough for him to dance around and dodge the blades as they would plummet back down into the ground, he would reach the first blade he had thrown towards the sinner easily enough and gripped the hilt as he continued dodging around the falling blades, the lightning spider web that flowed from them as one mass aoe attack would have no effect on him as his feet were still in the shadowy form, and shadows do not conduct electricity in any way, but it was the shadows that casted out from each blade even with the small amount of light provided that he paid more attention to, as he would be able to use these small shadows all the same, as the sinner readied himself, he took gathered the shadows that were provided. The idea of being trapped in this dome of destruction with this sinner was no idea of fun by any means, the chains across Erebus's back would make it far more than difficult to move around the sinner in any direction at all, let alone the two blades within the sinners grip, he was running out of options quickly, he tightened his grip on the medium length blade and faced the sinner, his form as relaxed as it could be given the situation.
Anthropophagy:
~Erebus grinned at the skillful dodge but now there was very little room between them. The fight had been one sided from the start but the lightning even caused the Sinner slight irritation due to the sparks flying over the ground. The trap had been set and all that remained was to pin Zeek between it and Erebus’ multiple forms of weaponry. The Dreadlord was a walking armory of chaos, unpredictable and brutal in the most potent ways. Aside from mastering the substantial feat of dual wielding such goliath weapons Erebus was no slouch in a fight, capable of utilizing his weaponry on the fly in new ways that one could only dream about when facing the nightmarish beast in battle. With his armor gone Erebus had to rely purely on skill, something he relished in the heat of battle. The acidic blood splattered his left shoulder, however such tactics were very little concern to one who had mastered umbral control. He would allow the Shade a brief moment of hope. Erebus had hardly begun to fight in this bout, preferring to play with his prey a bit to season the meal he’d been preparing. Sadism was as much a part of his being as his weapons, prone to violent acts of torture and brutality that would make the old monsters cringe.”Non Omnis Moriar, Shade.” Erebus smiled, a ragged maw that resembled black teeth tearing open in anticipation. He wanted a true challenge, a fight worthy of his power, though this Shade was far weaker in power the creature was tricky and would he have had blood Erebus’ would be boiling. The prospect of a true fight was almost akin to sexual pleasure and gratification to the vex who had wandered so long through the world to feed his craving. The sword of khaine twitched then blossomed open as Erebus’ now smaller form rushed Zeek in a display of what could only be described as either courage or madness. Truthfully Erebus cared little for anything else aside from the fight at hand. The gruesome weapon in his right hand snapped out like a predatory beast’s jaws toward Zeek as Erebus closed the gap; his weapon extending within five feet of the Shade to close around him with it’s now nine feet length. The soul cleaving chains at Erebus’ back motioned at the same time as his blade in a dual layer that was intent to trap the Shade or push him back into the minefield that Erebus had created only moments prior. The blade would only have the slightest of resistance were it to meet the dragonhide, being designed to destroy far greater opponents, as the hooked chains would rend the very essence from the lesser Kinn. Though Erebus drew forth the two attacks at once the weapon in his left was far from forgotten. The sword poured forth the green miasma once more as it bathed its’ master’s arm in the crippling toxins that had only moments before devoured the terrain. The wicked smog wrapped around ERebus like a coiled serpent to devour the organic matter and tiny specks that Zeek had placed on him though costing a rather annoying amount of his soul pool in the process Erebus knew that if he’d went through that much trouble to damage himself for an attack nothing good could come of such nonsense. As the blade poured its toxins out it went tearing forth beneath to aim itself at Zeek’s left knee. Even if the Shade were to find away from the devastating multi-hit combination of Erebus’ six chains as well as the ten pronged capture of the sword of khaine he would have the blade that yet again spewed a devious soul poison from the core aimed at Zeek’s joint. The crippling maneuver came with speeds one should not be able to manage with such massive weapons, however Erebus had spent ages honing his monumental power and technique for just such a reason. To he who had felled gods, such a weapon was little more than a switchblade.~
ZeekHarbinger:
The much smaller form of Erebus rushing at him brought no fear to the Shade's mind, it wasn't the first time he faced a being that was far stronger than himself, but the sheer lust of the battle at hand was what intrigued Zeek the most, they absolute rush this being got from the battlefield was something Zeek experienced only a handful of times, showing the clear difference in experience between the two. Watching the body movement of his opponent he took a gambled guess in hopes it would pay off and waited for the right moment, just as Erebus would snap the massive blade outwards, in that same moment Zeek would drop his form as low to the ground as possible, pushing his left leg outwards behind himself, and kept this right foot planted, it was good thing Zeek had the type of armor he had or there would be no possible way for him to be able to flatten himself in such a manner, placing his right hand down just in front of his foot on the ground the blade of Erebus would miss its mark, having gathered enough shadows from the last attack he used what he needed to manipulate the shadow below himself, and spin around using his left leg as a tripping bar aimed directly at the Sinner's feet, such a motion wouldn't deter the chains that shot out at the same moment as the blade, but they would also miss their mark as he was no longer in the same area that they were aiming. In hopes the trip worked, the Shade would launch himself upwards with enough force behind his arm and leg, adding in just enough charge from the energy he would have gathered from the Sinner's attacks, knowing those bloody hook soul ripper chains were his biggest obstacle, he threw what counters he had left into a wave of energy through his blade, though it was not that of fire it was still hot as the black flames that burned in the Unholy Nation, the carbon steel of the blade in his grip was crafted in such a way that it would not harm the blade in any way, but enhance the cutting efficiency as the edge would be enough to slice through the scales of the strongest dragons, note how he was able to get the dragon hide in the first place to make his armor. With the swing in motion he allowed his form to turn with it, adding just a touch more force behind such an attack, aimed directly at the sinners back where the chains would have been connected to him. If all went according to plan Zeek would come down on top of the sinner as he brought his blade point to aim downwards towards the back of the exposed neck.
Anthropophagy:
~As Zeek pulled his feint Erebus stood perfectly still, his reactions non-existent while the Shade kicked through to reveal what Erebus had been the entire time. He’d not needed the charging nor the power ups, not even the flashy bravado he’d exhibited to goad the Shade onward. The lands all around them grew silent with the remaining landscape dissolving to umbra that circled around them as ash would in a storm. The blade found true the place of which it had aimed but instead of crying out like a Sinner would the primordial force that was Erebus stood calmly without emotion before Zeek. The manifestation began to shrink to within 6 feet in height with the weapon still protruding from his umbral spine. Where once stood a towering monster now was a frail looking creature that looked to be made of bone and sinew while still holding the gigantic blades Erebus had become famous for carrying. “You have proved yourself to he of warriors. Your blade strikes true and you plan for your opponent’s might. Zeek Harbinger, kin of my kinn. Though your power knows not true potential I gift upon you this day a position of honor.” Erebus called but this time the voice was not of a meager Sinner but the earth trembling volume of a Prime. Erebus turned to the Shade with Dreadroot raised to the skies. The vex motioned with a single finger, using his monstrous control over umbra to puppet the Shade and draw him in.to just within range of the sword. “Such is the will of the all-father you have shown great promise to our kind. Upon you I gift the title of Marshal and a boon from myself. If you accept this role kneel of your own will before me. If not then I return thee to Caliga by my own hand.” The choice was clear, Erebus was not one to give options in the matter. The ultimatum was laid out before Zeek with the immense power radiating from Erebus as his overwhelming presence blotted out the ky. All was before the Prime, as was nothing. Time, space, life and death; these things mattered not to one whose being was far beyond mortal standards. Gaia trembled beneath their feet with an immense pressure setting in around the two. The sword came down and pointed directly beside Zeek’s head with the massive blade seeming to keep that same deadly glow in its silvery tones even amongst the darkness. If one were to pay close attention they could understand fully why this terrible weapon retained its shine. Millions of innocent souls had been forged into the blade’s thick edge, a sacrifice and memoir of his time before this life of godly power. “So, what do we say, little buddy? Don’t be rude and get a shiny new upgrade or….” Erebus remarked with a devious grin splitting his features and Dreadroot gently tapped Zeek on the side of the neck.~
ZeekHarbinger:
Seeing his blade protrude from the back of this sinner he grinned just slightly until he realized the Sinner was not a sinner, planting his feet on the ground once again his attention was so drawn he barely noticed that the surrounding lands melting away into umbra, nor the ash that began to fall from the sky til one flake landed on his cheek, he would begin to take steps back away as he had never been in the presence of one as of yet, so he was unsure what it was he was facing, though every ounce of his form screamed the answer into his mind. The small figure still gripping the massive blades before him was not something he was fully anticipating when this entire event began, until Erebus spoke with the voice of the Prime. Being drawn within range of the massive blade was no within his comfort zone by any means, but he also knew when to admit defeat and accept his place as it were while he listened intently to the words being spoken, with little thought and despite the sense of the umbral control over his form from the Prime, he would willingly drop to his left knee, placing his right hand firmly on the ground before him, bowing his head before the Prime, "I accept the honor.." his voice fill with pride to be proven worthy, bringing his head back up to face the prime before him as though the blindfold across his eyes were merely for show.The feel of the blade at his neck meant nothing to him at this point, what the prime would do next would be solely up to him, and the simple shade would willingly be at his mercy. "A new upgrade always sounds like fun.."
Anthropophagy:
~Erebus smiled almost nostalgically as the Shade eagerly accepted his offer. Not long ago by his scale had Erebus been keen on accepting power from a being of primordial evil, the thought touched one of the few remaining memories of his time as a mortal before the powers that be deemed him fit to journey down the path of madness that had made him a legend. “Then by my command you may rise as Marshal of your ilk. Treat this title with honor, lest I be made to return.” Erebus thundered as his gigantic weapon tapped each of Zeek’s shoulders as the knighting ceremonies of old had done. An act he’d dreamed of as a child but now bestowed as a godly being. The frail figure turned from Zeek and slowly began to walk into the depths of the abyss he brought with him, past the scope of view with the forest growing cold in the dead of a seemingly endless night. The Shade was allowed to think for a moment before the lithe figure shot out from the darkness in a shadowy blur that pierced through Zeek’s chest easily. “And for your troubles, remember these words.” The once thundering voice had become an almost childish whisper with Erebus twisting his hand deeper into the other’s sternum with each syllable, “Non Omnis Moriar, En Mors Resurgam.” Erebus’ hand found its way deep into Zeek’s being while his slender fingers curled around the dominant soul of the Shade. The process had always been a very painful one for those involved, even Erebus suffered through the first transformation but with it came unlimited potential being unlocked. Erebus squeezed down and buried his fingers deep into the soul of the lesser kinn with a strained grunting. The process was nowhere near as refined as typical soul forging, incapable of being created from such a delicate art. The lost skill of the Moriar, handed down from Dreadlords, required pain and not knowing if one were to live or die the day the manifestation would take place. The weakest moment of the being as they stood on the brink of the abyss, looking down at all they’d done in their miserable lives. His fingers found hold of what weakened the Shade, deep within the recesses of Zeek’s contained essence. Morality, love, the sense of kinship, it was to be replaced with the skill of perfected combat. So many things that once ties Erebus’ recruits to their past life had to be cast aside for such wretched power to enact the strength of Sin Eater.With a growl and a twisting pull Erebus physically ripped the armor’s needed components from within as he withdrew his hand from Zeek’s chest. The energies flowed like glowing pink eels that swam around Erebus’ hand with the Prime staring calmly on. The writhing strands of energy wove themselves together, spinning into a ball that Erebus observed closely, balancing the various factors that the armor he intended to forge had the perfect stability. To forge from souls was fine and easy but to forge from what made a soul who or what it was, that was an art in itself. One could not simply retrieve the soul and create like with the simpler counterpart, they were required to measure each strand that defined the essence of a being. The process completed by the energies smoothing into a perfect orb roughly the size of a large marble. After timing the lifespan of the Shade to determine how long he could live without the most crucial parts of one’s soul Erebus jammed the orb back into the gaping hole his hand created. Upon contact the wound sealed completely but that isn’t to say it was unlikely Zeek wouldn’t feel what had just happened in the morning. “You are now complete, arise Et PRofanum Marshal. Arise and take point as the first of your kind. You are the gift I leave to you lesser creatures.” With the ritual complete the bony specter that had replaced Erebus dispersed into smoke. The land visibly lightened with the full moon shining overhead and with that all trace of the Prime was lost aside from the sheer amount of destruction he’d wrought out of boredom alone. The land would flourish again one day, the stones of the hall would be replaced but this domain would never lose the vicious taint that Erebus had left behind. The trees that remained turned blacker than midnight on a new moon while the grass took on slight hues of scarlet, leaving the impression that they were soaked with the blood of an army as the day in France those hundreds of years ago that Erebus earned the name ‘Monstre du champ rouge’.~
Zeekharbinger:
He listened to the words spoken by the Prime through this battle turn ceremony, the turn of events was more than he expected by far. He would rise back to his once he was told and nodded his head at the Prime before it turned and began to walk away back into the shadows, for a brief moment he considered what the new title would entail of him, leaving his guard down for that brief moment when he felt the boney hand of Erebus plunge into his chest, it took a moment before the sheer pain flooded his mind and a loud growl of pain erupted from the shades blackened mouth, he wanted to reach up and grip the wrist of the Prime but could not bring himself to do so. The sense of the hand digging and twisting deeper only sending further waves of intense pain through his form. He couldn't bring himself to move at all as Erebus pulled the components he required from his chest and watched in slight awe at the orbs taking shape with his hand, just when he thought he would collapse from the loss of such an important part of his dominant soul the prime replaced it back into the gaping hole in his chest. An overwhelming sense that he assumed came from the Prime Erebus himself was the sheer lust of the battlefield, the desire to kill and cause mass destruction flooded his entire being for a moment, leaving behind only the urge of violence. He was unsure as to which point he had fallen to his knees, but once all was said and done he turned his head back to look upon the Prime before rising back to his feet once more, raising his still exposed hand to his chest as he watched through the shadows as the Prime Erebus returned back into the darkness that followed him into the area. He scanned the surrounding area at the scarred and tainted land that was left in the wake of the unexpected battle between Shade and Prime. "I shall not fail the darkness, as the darkness is we, Sic Narro NosTotus" before turning and returning back into the shadows the remained within this circle of destruction.
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CardinalSinn
Re: Ancient Scrolls
April 12, 2019 09:45AM
The night's violet skies over Mier opened with a down pour over the sister city of Gordon, a fair sized city that was in the transition of modern technology from a more medieval time, the cleansing of the rain washing over the little greeniery left within the walls of the city, the virus having spread quickly across the lands of this world had killed of most of the plant life, and slowly working its way through the animals and the other beings, Mier herself a world at war, so every corner of the map was slowly being tainted or already darkened. Streams of steam rose from Ez's form as it soaked through the few layers he wore, the dragon hide long coat offering next to no protection from such an onslaught of the skies moisture, the thin grey long sleeve underneath even less than his coat. The pools of water that had already collected along the street spread further by the weight of his footsteps, the heavy boots being about the only thing that offered up any resistance to the water soaking him to the bones, each step guiding him closer to the cell that awaited him, the rebels that surrounded him taking no chances with Mardu's Harbinger of Darkness, making sure the restraints around his wrists were well in place before throwing him into the cell below the Tavern.
It was hard to tell if the people that now surrounded him were thankful or disgusted towards him, the expressions across each one of their faces displayed such a mix of thoughts and emotions he couldn't tell one way or another. Whispers began to flow through the structure of who and what he was, and thoughts about what was to be done with him, but the one face he was curious to see wasn't there as of yet, the amethyst gems did not stare at him as they had in the forest, maybe he assumed incorrectly about her being the lead of these rebels. No, the way they waited for her to make any moves towards him, the way they all looked to her for some direction, and the way that one man stayed close to her, she had to be this young Yune he heard Riko speak of.
"Sorry Riko, looks like I won't be able to hold to my word after all, you're gonna have to protect yourself for a little while" He kept his voice low as he crossed his ankles before lowering himself to floor to sit cross legged in the middle of the small cell, restraint still firmly in place across his wrists, keeping his arms behind his back, crossed at the wrists, the restraints themselves preventing him from using his magical abilities, though it would seem the shadowy and true sight were no included in these abilities that were restricted in any way. He closed his eyes and allowed the shadows to show him all there was to see within the building and close surroundings, though they wouldn't allow him to hear what was spoken by any one within the structure, he had learned to read the lips of those who spoke the common tongue of this world, ironically enough he wasn't that concerned as to what was being said, as the body language spoke far louder than word ever could. Though the small cell was poorly lit, there were more than enough shadows within the confines to bring some comfort, if these beings refused to listen to he had to say, he could very well influence one of them to remove the restraints, giving him his exit rather easily, though he did not know these shadows well, he could still gather a fair amount quickly enough to open a doorway to the shadow realm, as everyone knew that all shadows lead to the dark realm that lay between the material world and the even darker abyssal worlds that lay beyond. One would consider the shadow realm a sort of purgatory in a sense, what with the many rotting and decaying beings left to dye within such a plain of existence, either from the world he was currently in or that which lay beyond the shadows. Nevertheless, it was something that was like second nature to him, traveling through the shadows was like breathing, to those who had lungs of course.
It wasn't long before he lost interest in these beings, he opened his blackened pools to the small confines of the cell. It seemed as though it would have been far easier had he stuck with the Makai woman who freed him from the cage within that ship, at least than she would have been able to explain some things on his behalf, like how he meant no threat to these people, and how he was there to help find the answers they all sought when it came to the virus, maybe even find a few to answer the questions that plagued his own mind in the process. Of course, he could have avoided all of this had he just carried through within the forest and slaughtered them all, the darker thoughts taking a tighter grip within his mind.
The dark whispers overpowered his own thoughts once again for the first time since before Mardu locked him away for disposal, calling to him to strike out against any one once again, the weak didn't deserve such mercy, taunting him with the fact he was bond and locked away yet again, such would be his life for the rest of his existence. "You know nothing of what it is I look to accomplish..." his words kept soft to prevent others from over hearing him, "Go back to remaining silent as you had for the last few days, and maybe you would see what I seek..." if one were to be listening, it was doubtful they would understand the words he spoke, it was a language unspoken throughout the lands, someone would consider it to be lost and forgotten with time, or the extinction of the race whose native tongue it was, some would even call it the language of the shadows, he simply kept the language as his own, using it to command the black blood within his veins, etching the names into the weapons he chose to keep at his side, the very language that called to him from those same weapons, begging to deliver the killing blow.
Ez would pull at the restraints around his wrists at his back, the thought of being locked up yet again pushed his thoughts further into the darkness, the whispers growing stronger within his mind. The anger rose within him the longer he sat there, the anger only making his form grow hotter, evident by the fact his clothing was already dry, the whispers seemingly travelled through the shadows within the cell, calling to him, taunting him further, driving the anger deeper into his mind. Thoughts and memories of battlefields flowed through his mind freely, reminding of him of his freedom, the thrill of the hunt and the ecstasy of the kill, further taunts to drive heighten the anger that flowed within.
Cela drifted through the darkness surrounding her kind, a strange kind of boredom drifitng through her. Flicking her fingers at the mists that drifted around her, scattering them restlessly. The swirling around her feet black, tinged with a dark blue, and almost like their was something within that six feet circle around her. The simple black leather that shrouded her form from prying eyes, and the silver that lay against her could be seen clearly enough against the black. The swirling silver of her eyes showing her restlessness, and the voices that drummed through her mind spoke out against the doing nothing that she has been doing here lately. Closing her eyes, she let her mind drift along the shadows that was her home. Moving through other dementions, other realms, and worlds. Listening and waiting for a small tugging at her, something, anything that would give her something to do. One hand tapping against her other arm. "Nothing.. Why is no one there…" Her words trailed off as she began to feel a stirring in her mind. The anger, and hate of another being crawling through the mists to steep itself in her mind.
Opening her swirling eyes, she turned her tall angular body and opened a portal swiftly. Wishing to travel towards this feeling quickly, hoping not to lose it as it feels certainly more so than only a single being. But only one who calls to the same type of darkness that she herself is made from. Following the orders of her Father, she moves into a new world, unknown to her, but full of all manner of nastiness that simply gave her a feast. Opening her mind up, she fed on the sin that surrounded her. So much here, she thought. And a small whisper along the time of it all, something that her mind spoke to, unknowingly. One who was full of a single darkness, that fed on the same as she was. She turned her eyes towards a city? Unsure, she drifted along the shadows, staying out of sight of others.
Her head tilting some as she looked around the unknown, making notes in her mind. Everything is dead or dieing here, she thinks. A feast simply waiting for us. So much energy here that could feed us all for yrs, and the souls that could be taken.. Tilting her head, she stepped away from some kind of building, reforming quickly into something that could be called humanoid. Her distaste for the form appreant in her face, if one wished to look closely enough. She strode through the streets, the rain neither getting her wet, or bothering the mists she kept close to her body. The black leather that covered the skin in this form rustled softly with her movements, her mind keen on finding out more of what is going on here.. And following the small whisper of anger she somehow knew how called to her. Keeping her hands close to her body, she side stepped around others and kept her twin short swords loose in their sheathes.
She came up to one building, the swirling in her eyes having slowed some, as she felt that her target was somewhere within. She stayed back, watching, and waiting to see what would come..
The shadows themselves seemed to laugh at him, his anger growing ever stronger within his mind, his thoughts growing darker still as he listened to the teasing, the thoughts of his freedom flashing through his mind with each word from the echoing whispers only adding insult to injury. Pulling at the restraints once again as though this whole time were nothing but a nightmare conjured up by the endless streaming of the violent battles not so long ago, the darkness once again calling out to him.
"You only drive the anger higher knowing there is nothing I can do about it, release these bindings and you shall find out quickly just how far you push me.." his rough voice filled with hatred of the entire situation, he should have followed his instincts, he should never have surrendered to such beings, despite the curiosity of what answers they may hold. The regret only lead to more anger, everything at this point in time seem to fill his mind with more anger, there was nothing to calm the fire that grew within him. Closing his blackened pools tightly he fought against the thought of accepting the anger and simply fighting it, trying to remember why he chose this path in the first place, what could these beings offer him that he could not find on his own?
His eyes opened at a single pull within his mind, a new being within the shadows just outside the structure above, a presence that was not there before, or maybe it was, his mind was filled with such anger and hatred he couldn't quite think clearly. Who was this and what could they possibly gain from spying on such a group? "I see you ..." He allowed his voice to echoed through the shadows he used as sight just outside the tavern walls, the woman may have been across the street but the shadows nearest to her would have spoken to her with his words. With such proximity to the shadows he sense the energy that surrounded her, though many would not have noticed, it was energy very similar to his own, though far more honed and trained, like a fine sword during forging. Something about this being called to him, maybe it was the darkness that surrounded her, possibly her energy, or maybe it was him that called to her, the fact she looked as though she were searching for something furthered his curiosity. "Why not enter and find what it is you seek? It is a public building after all..." he had a hunch, and was willing to play off it. The anger within barely contained at this point, all he needed was one person to release these bindings and he could have his freedom once again, the prospect of such feat made him pull at the bindings around his wrist again, even the many branded markings across his form was not enough for him to break the nullifying energy that pulsed through the restraints.
Tilting her head, the blue and silver of her hair in this form shifting and shimmering as she smirks. The whisper coming along the shadows, whispering to her. The raising anger, allowing her to feed on something fresh, brining forth an urge to speak to this.. Being. Closing her eyes, she allows her shadow form to follow the being voice back along the shadows, giving her an inside view of it. Coming to rest in such a dank and dreary settings, she simply clucks her tongue. Resting her hands on her hips, the shadow form, while not truly her, has more than enough potentness to cause those around to cringe away. The touch of her shadows against them bringing forth the worst of their sins, making them relive them, and showing it to them over and over, much like a slide show. Lifitng her eyes from those who sprawled away from her, crawling to hide in the corners or as far as their shackles would allow, she makes eye contact with the one who called her out..
"What manner of being are you? To believe you have such right as to call on me?" Her voice, while low in tone, could be heard to convey millions of other voices, a chorus below her own. The strength in the voice alone having brought others to their knees before her. Her form floats a few inchs from the ground, with dark blue mists circling and surrounding what there is of her. "Your anger.. Tis a feast for me." She moves closer, bring the aura around her towards the single being. She stops moving just before the other enters her aura. Closing her eyes for a moment, she opens them, and looks towards his shackles.. "Chained, like an animal. How pitiful, how low have they brought you?" Her question rings softly in his mind, spoken only for him. The soft musical laughter faded in and out as she vanishied from his sight.
Out on the street again, she straitens up and moves to walk inside the building. Her steps silent, and the only sound that came from her was the slight murmurr that came from her feet, and the souls she carried within her. Stepping into the building she allows her eyes to adjust and moves quickly away from the door, her gaze looking, searching for the door that would lead her downstairs. The amount of dark energy within this area was amazing, so many bad things to happen, and only one of her to pull in it.. Her thoughts wondered if perhaps another, would like this place as much as she. She stops moving, tilting her head once more, her right hand straying down to the hilt of one of her swords as she spots the door leading down. It appeared to be unguarded, for now anyway. She moves towards it, slipping around and between the others in the area.
Using the shadows in the manner he had left an opening for her, a hunch he was right to follow, it lead her straight to him within the cell, though it was not her per say, the true sight seeing right through the shadowed figure of the woman that she projected for him to see. Despite her form only being a shadow image, the energy that flowed off her was quite impressive, the fact that most of those within the neighbouring cells shook and hid as best they could against their own chains only played more into his disgust for the situation, such pathetic creatures to coward at such an energy. The slideshow of his "glory days" played through his mind, the cries and screams of those who fell to his sword was like long forgotten favorite song playing for the first time in what seemed like centuries, though it had been less than a few weeks ago for his last battle.
The silver swirls of her sight caught his attention, he had never before seen such a sight within the eyes of a being, nor had he ever met another who could use the shadows as he had. The chorus of voices that laced within her own was somehow musical to his ears, as though they matched the whispers that echoed within his own mind, though his voice would not hold as much harmony as her still filled with anger, "Your guess is as good as any... but you were the one who answered the call nevertheless, so I must worthy of something"
He pushed himself upwards off the floor using only his feet and legs as she drew closer to him, her aura now reaching out towards him as well as she would stop just before it would engulf him as well, the whispers now screaming at him to move closer, to allow this being of shadows and darkness to end such a pathetic being such as him, taunting him even further than before. Her words of being chained like an animal only further insult as the shadows laughed with her, but before he could even comment in any way, she vanished from his sight, using the shadows once again he would watch her move across the street and into the tavern. He stood in the center of the cell, hands still locked behind his back, watching and waiting to see what it was she would do, his curiosity growing ever so slightly as her words echoed in his mind, "They have no idea what it is they hold prisoner, or the damage they will cause keeping me restrained like this" his voice travelled through the shadows as they had before for her ears alone as she would slip between those within the level above. "The guards will not be concerned with the holding cells until the celebration of my capture has died down, though one such as yourself wouldn't be worried of such things, would you?" A minor tease thrown in just to play with the buttons currently presented to him by her first words.
A small snicker came from her lips as she heard his words to her, the small attempt to taunt her thrown in. Standing before the door, leading below she sends her words back to him. "The question should not be one of that, but rather.. Why did you allow yourself to become chained such as you are." Allowing the words to simply whisper along his mind, bringing forth the anger and hate. Her mind allowed his to become more unrestrained, the closer she became to him. Giving her more power with each step towards him. Moving through the door with ease, she passed by others. And the only indaction that they knew she was there was the way they drew into themselves. Their instincts telling them that a greater darkness lay close as their past transgressions played hatefully through their minds, and her glee was one of simple interest of it all.
At the bottom of the stairs was the cells, the darkness and shadows played well for her. Trailing her fingers along the bars of another cell, she simply smiles at those who cower from her, and from their own minds. She could hear them whimpering, begging for it to stop. Sending her voice along the shadows, towards the mind full of anger, "Do you wish to see the truth? To be released from this.. Life as you call it? For I can show you the truth, "She moved to the cell that contained him, standing on the other side. Still in the flash, as one would call it. Tap.. Tap.. Tap, her finger nails on the bars rang out in the dreariness that surrounded him. The swirling silver of her eyes glowing, as she moved to make eye contact with the being that had drawn her here.
"What say you.." She tilts her head, the chorus below her voice ringing out, reaching for the life surrounding them both. Craving the light and escape before she ruthlessly brought them back under control, the mists shrouding her body from view.
Allowing the skin to fade from her, she shudders in disgust, and allows her true form to show. Moving through the bars with ease, she moves to stand before the other, the disgust plain to be seen "Trapped, caged, worse than an animal. These things treat their food better.." She trails one hand along the shackles at his back, the mists blurring the edges of her body, and wondered where his mind would be taking him, sitting so close within her aura, forcing him to remember every sin that he had ever committed or thought of.
Listening to her words made he think back as to why indeed, he wanted answers but he could very well just had taken them with his blood, but the words of Riko echoed in his mind, "You're not a killing machine for the Empire..." He took a deep breath in an attempt to calm his mind as much as he could given his current situation, the bindings holding his wrists in place not helping the matter by any means. Conitinuing to stand in the center of his cell he feel dark energy growing closer, stronger than when her shadowy image was before him. "In my current state of mind, I honestly couldn't even tell you why I allowed them to restrain me..." even he didn't believe the words that left his lips, the taunting only pushing his anger higher, he was sure he would be able to melt the metal of the bars with the heat that rolled off his form from the level of anger that built up within him.
The whimpers from those who coward away from her energy only played further into his hatred for the situation, such pathetic beings didn't deserve the life they had, despite the lack of freedom. He turned his gaze to watch her approach the bars which stood between them, the restraints being the only thing to prevent him from passing through them, speaking of truth and freedom only taunted him further, who was this woman and why were her words getting under his skin so easily. "There is but one truth to this word, kill or be killed, survival isn't enough any more" the rough edges of voice held truth to his on words, words he could make even the most strong headed being believe at this point.
As the flesh that surrounded seemingly vanished from sight, he furrowed his brows trying to understand what it was he was no seeing, watching her pass through the bars with such ease only made him think she was nothing more than the shadows that surrounded them, the choir of her voice still drawing his attention just as much as the sight of her in this form, until that chior sang of him being treated worse than food, that was a cord not to strike, the anger grew greatly within his mind, to lash out towards this woman would bring a great satisfaction to swelling hatred. Even the memories of his days already past didn't bring the satisfaction they once had at this point, this woman had gone too far, the fact that his anger was easily manipulated by her words angered him even further.
"I have a thousand and one questions flowing through my mind right now, and not one of them have anything to do about this truth you speak of, nothing but how wonderous it would be to rip your tongue from your mouth, and tear the jaw from you head. But I must say my curiosity is playing rather deeply into that same scene...." His voice filled with anger he tried to so hard to quell, the same anger that was his fuel for so many of those memories playing in his mind, "But I would be willing to set that desire aside if you release these bloody shackles from my wrists and allow me that freedom you constantly taunt me with, with my own dark memories and thoughts..." As he spoke his words echoed through the shadows, his blackened gaze locked on the silver swirls. What was it about this woman, every ounce of his form seemingly screamed with the dark energy that flowed through his blood, even the branded spell work pulsed with an energy that had not coursed through them since the day they were burned into his flesh.
Locking eyes with him, she assumed it was a him anyway, she allowed the full weight of her mind and those within her to roll through him. Sensing the anger growing, and oddly enough the heat from him, she simply tilted her head, watching. A small smirk crosses her face at his words, and veiled threat that came across from him, "Come now..Is that such a way to speak of one who may very well release you? To let you free from this cage?" Lifting her hand from his shackles, she straitened up fully, reaching the full eleven feet and her mists brushing the top of the cell. "You say you speak of your truth.. Yet what is it that you see?" Once again, she lets her voice drift away into his mind, forcing him to listen to such a darkness that he had never before encountered.
Letting him have glimpses of her world, the truth that was her. She stepped back from him, the mists trailing from beneath her garb. The simply black cloth covering the shadows that made her up, silver etching crossing the hems of it. The black beads that lay in her left hand, clicking together softly as she moved her hand about. "You seem so… Distraught.." The sound of her laughter again echoed through the darkness around them. The sounds of the scampering and whimpering from those who shared the cell with him causing her to turn her gaze on them, and a horrible type of glee came from her as their shrewd screams, thin and wailing, pierced the air. Circling the being who had indeed called her, much like a shark does, she slowly began to allow him into her aura. Not only forcing forth his own sins, his own… mortality but to see hers.
Allowing him the small chance to see what true darkness is, what a being made from true shadows could hold. He could hear the millions of voices in her mind, all screaming. Either in remorse, or for help. Yet a single voice stood out among them all. A single female voice, that rang stronger and more dark than anything he had yet to encounter in this world before. The Genocide of her own people, the ashes left behind her. And finally.. The truth and pain that brought forth who she was always meant to be. Her voice seemed more an echo now, to him, as his thoughts would swirl quickly through his head. "Tell me this, being.. "Her contempt clearly heard, for she could barely stand the thoughts of flesh, "Why should I release you? It seems as though you brought yourself this low.. Why? Do you enjoy being treated in a such a manner? Surly you must…" She waves one hand towards him, the beads again clacking together softly, "Since you can not release yourself, perhaps you are not worthy of my time.." Trailing her voice off, she moves away slightly, her head tilted as she watchs.
Hearing her words he clenched his teeth tightly together, he needed to shut his mouth now more than ever if he truly desired for this being to release him from these confines, his gaze watched as she straightened her form and reached the top of the cell, he would take a step back merely to be able to see her fully, to him there was no way such a being could exist, at least not within this realm of existence. Her words filled his mind with such a darkness he never thought possible, such echoes lingering within each thought forced him to close his eyes, never before had he come face to face with such a darkness, such energy that was wielded so easily. The anger within his mind beginning to slowly fade, replaced only by the hatred he held for being in the state he was in.
The images of she shared with him were not what he expected, but at this moment he was not entirely sure what to expect. And entire race left in ashes behind her, an empire that once stood proud and strong seemingly vanished from sight along with all those who stood within it. The millions of voices screaming within her mind made those within his own seem like nothing but a misquitoe in a large room, the screaming and wailing of the other beings within the cell with them nothing but the slightest breeze in comparison, the sheer energy that surrounded her mixed in with it all brought him to a knee, unable to control the thoughts within his own mind, every ounce of every sinful action or thought overwhelming anything that could have possibly made any sense to him, all within a single moment of this being permitting him but a glimpse of her truth.
The echoing words she spoke stood out to him, fighting for a moment of clarity within his mind just before she would begin to walk away from him, the pull of her energy as she would move giving him enough leaway to find such clarity of thought, his dark voice not so much filled with anger any more, but understanding of something he had known for his entire existence, "I strayed from a path I had followed for as long as I can remember, a path of darkness I should never had left, followed a weakend state of mind..." the hatred he held for himself growing with every word, disgust for his choice. He opened his blackend pools once again to raise his gaze up to her as she tilted her head and watched him, "I should never have doubted the whispers of the darkness that has guided me, there is no place for the weak within the darkness. If you chose to free me, I shall not be so foolish again to believe such things could possibly guide any one down such a path." He was not one for begging, nor would he allow his mind to break in such a place or in such a situation as this, but some where within his mind, he knew this being could point him in the direction he needed to go to return to a path he once followed not so long ago, to find the one worthy of the darkness. What was this being, and how did she come to be?
Feeling his anger retreating some, she watchs him closely. The struggle for control over himself a small sight to see. Smirking,she moves back towards him and away from the mewlings behind her. "Have you no pride.. No.. Hmm" Humming softly to herself, she trails her hand over the shackles once more, the aura surrounding him now. Engulfing him into her own mind, pulling him back into the present and where he now stands.. "You are here, shackled before me. Because you wanted answers? And you truly think these… things here can answer them for you? So you say…" Her soft snickers could be heard as she gave the chains a light yank to bring him about to face her again.
Once more in flesh, she over comes her own distaste and moves in a small quick circle around him. The rustling of her leather easily heard over the other creatures around them. "What answers do you seek that can not be answered through me? Through the darkness you so easily claim to follow? What truths is in the light, that can not be given more so in the night?" Her words were meant for him alone, drifting through his mind, as her mouth never moved. Following his thoughts and feeding on the emotions that each sin brought forth. " I can release you.. I can give you the truth in which you seek. What makes you worthy of this.. Wonderous gift? A small.. Creature, no better than those here, that cower from me. And yet here you are.. Standing as tall as you can, chains attached of course." The contempt heard as she spoke of the beings around them, those above them. Tilting her head, she watched as he fought for control over himself, and rather than wait for it, she pushes into his mind. Using the aura around her, she allows her thoughts to merge with his, showing her what he has done, and..
The dim possiblty of what he could be. Her shadows, her pure darkness, carressed his thoughts bringing him closer to the brink, closer to her. " Tell me, creature.. What is it that you truly desire? What darkness do you wish to have? Do you not crave for more than…" She waves her hand around, indacting around them, "This sorry and measly life?" With only a quick shake of her head, she allows the shackles to fall from him, keeping her mind spell bound to his, watching his thoughts as she transforms back to her true form. Increasing the affect of her aura, and tapping the finger of her right hand to the small knife shaped necklace that rode high on her chest, covering a small worded tattoo that even in this form could be seen, "PAIN IS LOVE" Although maybe not he couldn’t read it. Moving only a few feet away from him, the cloth robe swirling with the dark blue mists as she watchs what he will do now that he is no longer held in place by chains and shackles.
"Pride is more of matter of perspective ..... I still hold my pride as all I have accomplished in my time of existence.." the words he spoke was back by the pride within his voice, he never once regretted his actions, until now any way, the thought he could find answers within these beings sickened him, furthering the hatred. The pull to his shackles brought him back to his feet and a new sense of pride rushed over him but for a moment, the sight of her back in the flesh once again was not someting he had expected for a being such as this, she spoke of seeking the answers in the light in a form that was not hers, a form far less than her energy spoke of, why would she take on such a form as this when her form prior was far more superior.
The absolution he felt from her aura was overwhelming, even if it was bringing him back to reality as it were. He was not enjoying how easy it was for her to play with his mind, despite his efforts he was unable to put up any form of restistance anagainst it. Her words of what answers he could not find within the darkness brought his gaze to hers, he thought of his next words carefully, knowing now that this being was far more what he sought than that of the dark lord who commanded his end. It was not normal for him to feel anything aside from pride of the work he had accomplished, but her words cut through him like no others could have before. Why would he consider himself worthy of such darkness? the struggle within his mind over her words brought out a new sense of anger and hatred, but not for himself or for the situation, one that went much further back, the never ending search for the absolution within the darkness.
Before the words could even escape his lips, he could feel her push through every ounce of resistence within his mind as though it were an open book. Images of his past flooded his mind and hers now with this connection, the smell of burning flesh would flow through the air as though to relive everything as a whole, ancient spell work branded into his flesh, the removal of his organs, the pain of everything he endured, the black tar like virus being injected into the only organ left within his form, the memories of the Mad Master and his lover, the black blood devouring every ounce of their existence, the years spent wandering every level of the abyssal realms, the battles fought in the name of Mardu, right up to the point of his surrender to the rebels to end up where he was now. Every memory flowing freely, every emotion he had ever experienced, most of which was nothing more than hatred and anger. The pain he endured, to the torment he fought through, just to survive, even the whispers that flooded his mind from the very beginning of the five year span of expirments, telling him to survive, surrender to the darkness that swept over him every day of the torture, giving her more hints as to who or what he could have possibly have been.
Though the sensation of the restraints no longer around his wrists was what he sought, the freedom returned to him once again, but the hold she had on his mind was like nothing he ever experienced, but now he was able to offer up some more resistence than before, alot more. With his mind unbroken he would begin to guide his own thoughts once again, feeding off the pride of the images that flowed freely through his mind, slowly beginning to push back against these new shackles. "The darkness has guided me thus far, I will not faulter from the path again..." the words echoed through his mind and into hers, as he would begin to feed her the imgaes of the Mad Master and his lover being devoured wholly by the thick black tar like blood that coursed through his veins, the amount of soul energy he had collected over his entire existence aiding him in the push back.
Black mist like fog would begin to flow from his freed hands, his call to the shadows that surrounded them, gathering and collecting, bending them to his will and his will alone, he would not allow this woman to toy with him any longer without a show of force back now that he had his freedom. The shadows would grow thicker, darker as they began to crawl up his form, creating a shield like effect til it completely encompassed him. At this point he did not care if it actually pushed her back into her own mind and left his to his own thoughts once again, but he would continue with his path, a small amount of shadows would collect as his back as the clothing that hugged his form began to shift as well, the grey shirt vanishing, allowing the branded ancient spell work to be seen clearly within the deathly colored flesh, the forgotten unknown language displayed all across his back with a crest, unknown even to him. The shadows at his back solidified as a damascus blade and dual desert eagles formed, even the pants that hung from his waist changed to a thicker denim like material, the boots as well changed to match the rest of the appearnace. His black endless pools never breaking their gaze locked on her's. "I may not seem worthy in your eyes, but the darkness has whispered in my ears since the first brand found my flesh, and I will not give up seeking out the purity of the darkness and the absolution it has to offer." His words cutting through all shadows, filled with an outmost pride like nothing any one of those around him would have heard before.
Laying her arms over her stomach, allowing the dark blue mists to converge and surround her, she fades from his view. Leaving only her presense within the cell with him, she stands back some, watching with some admiration how he shoved off the slight weight she had put on his mind. She heard his voice speaking to her, floating along the shadows that he brewed to cover and allow himself some small amount of pride back. "No matter if you are worthy to me, for I am not the one who calls to you. Tis not my voice that you hear, nor my voice that has whispered to you from within the realms of those that you have taken." She shifts herself back through the cell door, standing back out in the hall again, the whimpers coming from the other beings coming through to her again. She allows her presense to begin to fade from his mind, leaving her standing behind his ability to notice. She moves back through the other cells, her laughter ringing softly through them all.
A small tether left him connected to her, giving him the choice. To either follow her, or to walk away. She moves back upstairs, having shifted back into the skin form again, her leather a sudden sound with her movements where no sound had been there before. The silver in her eyes still glowed some, even in this form. The black beads held loosely in her left hand as she moved through the throngs of beings between her and the small table by the door that was her target. It sat empty now, and once she made her way there she sat. Pulling the dark blue swirling around her quickly, making it seem as though she wasn't there. More like she was nothing more than a deep shadow, that for unknown to themselves, that others avoided at all costs. Their baser instincts making them swerve and avoid the area where she was, even when the entered.
Sitting back in the chair, she watched the door that led below. Her own interest having been caught at another dark being. One that maybe… Just maybe could be brought to the All Father. At that thought, she wondered if perhaps she should let him know where she was. He might very well take a large interest in this world, as there is so much here that he would likely enjoy. As much as they do enjoy anyway. Tilting her head, she twisted one hand lightly, causing those closest to her, to shudder in some unknown fear. As though a ice cold finger had been run down the backs of their necks. Her soft laughter could be heard by those she toyed with, bored now as she waited, wondering how long it would be until the being down below would figure out she was no longer there, and would follow the small tether to her. IF the creature was able to follow the small path she left for him..
The words about the whispers drew his thoughts deeper to understand who it was that was in fact whispering to him all these years, guiding him through every aspect of the days past, was there truly a being that was the darkness, it was not something he fully understood, but maybe she was the one he was meant to follow to find the answers he sought. Feeling her presence finally faded from his mind he didn't fool himself into thinking for a moment that he beat her at her own game, she had the energy he had and could manipulate the same energies he could, but she was far more trained in the skills than he was, and he was not about to challenge that per say, there was much he could learn from this dark being.
The shadows that surrounded carried her laughter within them as she would leave through the cells, leaving behind a light tether of energy within him, it was not difficult to sense if one knew their own form well enough, but even easier with his sight, her energy leaving a distinctive trail behind, a simple hunting technique he picked up within the abyssal realms, handy for tracking those who would dare think they could hide from him. He stood for a moment to allow the thoughts to play through his mind, finding the answers he sought for so long was still his goal, but was it truly worth leaving the path he followed for so long. Once that question past his mind he allowed the entirety of his form to phase, basically becoming the shadows that surrounded him, blending almost perfectly with them he would walk through each cell like they weren't even there, and followed the tether she left behind.
Following the shadows and the tether it lead him to the gathered people of the sister city, still celebrating his capture, not even noticing that he was no longer 'restrained' in any way or form, though they wouldn't be able to see him unless they had true sight, he was nothing more than a shadow after all. He spotted the woman across the room sitting at a table nearest the door, shadows surrounding her, keeping her well hidden from the sight of others, it made him grin watching those being side step and avoid the area she took up, even more when he watched a few patrons shiver at a cold touch. He moved through the shadows to circle around the room, weaving in and out of each casted shadow until he came to the wall nearest the woman, guiding down the small hall to the tavern doors. "I see now the answers I seek can not be found in the light ..." He kept his words for her ears alone as they travelled within the shadows, "I feel as though I should be asking you permission to allow me to follow you to the one who does whisper in my ears...."
{continued}
The much smaller form of Erebus rushing at him brought no fear to the Shade's mind, it wasn't the first time he faced a being that was far stronger than himself, but the sheer lust of the battle at hand was what intrigued Zeek the most, they absolute rush this being got from the battlefield was something Zeek experienced only a handful of times, showing the clear difference in experience between the two. Watching the body movement of his opponent he took a gambled guess in hopes it would pay off and waited for the right moment, just as Erebus would snap the massive blade outwards, in that same moment Zeek would drop his form as low to the ground as possible, pushing his left leg outwards behind himself, and kept this right foot planted, it was good thing Zeek had the type of armor he had or there would be no possible way for him to be able to flatten himself in such a manner, placing his right hand down just in front of his foot on the ground the blade of Erebus would miss its mark, having gathered enough shadows from the last attack he used what he needed to manipulate the shadow below himself, and spin around using his left leg as a tripping bar aimed directly at the Sinner's feet, such a motion wouldn't deter the chains that shot out at the same moment as the blade, but they would also miss their mark as he was no longer in the same area that they were aiming. In hopes the trip worked, the Shade would launch himself upwards with enough force behind his arm and leg, adding in just enough charge from the energy he would have gathered from the Sinner's attacks, knowing those bloody hook soul ripper chains were his biggest obstacle, he threw what counters he had left into a wave of energy through his blade, though it was not that of fire it was still hot as the black flames that burned in the Unholy Nation, the carbon steel of the blade in his grip was crafted in such a way that it would not harm the blade in any way, but enhance the cutting efficiency as the edge would be enough to slice through the scales of the strongest dragons, note how he was able to get the dragon hide in the first place to make his armor. With the swing in motion he allowed his form to turn with it, adding just a touch more force behind such an attack, aimed directly at the sinners back where the chains would have been connected to him. If all went according to plan Zeek would come down on top of the sinner as he brought his blade point to aim downwards towards the back of the exposed neck.
Anthropophagy:
~As Zeek pulled his feint Erebus stood perfectly still, his reactions non-existent while the Shade kicked through to reveal what Erebus had been the entire time. He’d not needed the charging nor the power ups, not even the flashy bravado he’d exhibited to goad the Shade onward. The lands all around them grew silent with the remaining landscape dissolving to umbra that circled around them as ash would in a storm. The blade found true the place of which it had aimed but instead of crying out like a Sinner would the primordial force that was Erebus stood calmly without emotion before Zeek. The manifestation began to shrink to within 6 feet in height with the weapon still protruding from his umbral spine. Where once stood a towering monster now was a frail looking creature that looked to be made of bone and sinew while still holding the gigantic blades Erebus had become famous for carrying. “You have proved yourself to he of warriors. Your blade strikes true and you plan for your opponent’s might. Zeek Harbinger, kin of my kinn. Though your power knows not true potential I gift upon you this day a position of honor.” Erebus called but this time the voice was not of a meager Sinner but the earth trembling volume of a Prime. Erebus turned to the Shade with Dreadroot raised to the skies. The vex motioned with a single finger, using his monstrous control over umbra to puppet the Shade and draw him in.to just within range of the sword. “Such is the will of the all-father you have shown great promise to our kind. Upon you I gift the title of Marshal and a boon from myself. If you accept this role kneel of your own will before me. If not then I return thee to Caliga by my own hand.” The choice was clear, Erebus was not one to give options in the matter. The ultimatum was laid out before Zeek with the immense power radiating from Erebus as his overwhelming presence blotted out the ky. All was before the Prime, as was nothing. Time, space, life and death; these things mattered not to one whose being was far beyond mortal standards. Gaia trembled beneath their feet with an immense pressure setting in around the two. The sword came down and pointed directly beside Zeek’s head with the massive blade seeming to keep that same deadly glow in its silvery tones even amongst the darkness. If one were to pay close attention they could understand fully why this terrible weapon retained its shine. Millions of innocent souls had been forged into the blade’s thick edge, a sacrifice and memoir of his time before this life of godly power. “So, what do we say, little buddy? Don’t be rude and get a shiny new upgrade or….” Erebus remarked with a devious grin splitting his features and Dreadroot gently tapped Zeek on the side of the neck.~
ZeekHarbinger:
Seeing his blade protrude from the back of this sinner he grinned just slightly until he realized the Sinner was not a sinner, planting his feet on the ground once again his attention was so drawn he barely noticed that the surrounding lands melting away into umbra, nor the ash that began to fall from the sky til one flake landed on his cheek, he would begin to take steps back away as he had never been in the presence of one as of yet, so he was unsure what it was he was facing, though every ounce of his form screamed the answer into his mind. The small figure still gripping the massive blades before him was not something he was fully anticipating when this entire event began, until Erebus spoke with the voice of the Prime. Being drawn within range of the massive blade was no within his comfort zone by any means, but he also knew when to admit defeat and accept his place as it were while he listened intently to the words being spoken, with little thought and despite the sense of the umbral control over his form from the Prime, he would willingly drop to his left knee, placing his right hand firmly on the ground before him, bowing his head before the Prime, "I accept the honor.." his voice fill with pride to be proven worthy, bringing his head back up to face the prime before him as though the blindfold across his eyes were merely for show.The feel of the blade at his neck meant nothing to him at this point, what the prime would do next would be solely up to him, and the simple shade would willingly be at his mercy. "A new upgrade always sounds like fun.."
Anthropophagy:
~Erebus smiled almost nostalgically as the Shade eagerly accepted his offer. Not long ago by his scale had Erebus been keen on accepting power from a being of primordial evil, the thought touched one of the few remaining memories of his time as a mortal before the powers that be deemed him fit to journey down the path of madness that had made him a legend. “Then by my command you may rise as Marshal of your ilk. Treat this title with honor, lest I be made to return.” Erebus thundered as his gigantic weapon tapped each of Zeek’s shoulders as the knighting ceremonies of old had done. An act he’d dreamed of as a child but now bestowed as a godly being. The frail figure turned from Zeek and slowly began to walk into the depths of the abyss he brought with him, past the scope of view with the forest growing cold in the dead of a seemingly endless night. The Shade was allowed to think for a moment before the lithe figure shot out from the darkness in a shadowy blur that pierced through Zeek’s chest easily. “And for your troubles, remember these words.” The once thundering voice had become an almost childish whisper with Erebus twisting his hand deeper into the other’s sternum with each syllable, “Non Omnis Moriar, En Mors Resurgam.” Erebus’ hand found its way deep into Zeek’s being while his slender fingers curled around the dominant soul of the Shade. The process had always been a very painful one for those involved, even Erebus suffered through the first transformation but with it came unlimited potential being unlocked. Erebus squeezed down and buried his fingers deep into the soul of the lesser kinn with a strained grunting. The process was nowhere near as refined as typical soul forging, incapable of being created from such a delicate art. The lost skill of the Moriar, handed down from Dreadlords, required pain and not knowing if one were to live or die the day the manifestation would take place. The weakest moment of the being as they stood on the brink of the abyss, looking down at all they’d done in their miserable lives. His fingers found hold of what weakened the Shade, deep within the recesses of Zeek’s contained essence. Morality, love, the sense of kinship, it was to be replaced with the skill of perfected combat. So many things that once ties Erebus’ recruits to their past life had to be cast aside for such wretched power to enact the strength of Sin Eater.With a growl and a twisting pull Erebus physically ripped the armor’s needed components from within as he withdrew his hand from Zeek’s chest. The energies flowed like glowing pink eels that swam around Erebus’ hand with the Prime staring calmly on. The writhing strands of energy wove themselves together, spinning into a ball that Erebus observed closely, balancing the various factors that the armor he intended to forge had the perfect stability. To forge from souls was fine and easy but to forge from what made a soul who or what it was, that was an art in itself. One could not simply retrieve the soul and create like with the simpler counterpart, they were required to measure each strand that defined the essence of a being. The process completed by the energies smoothing into a perfect orb roughly the size of a large marble. After timing the lifespan of the Shade to determine how long he could live without the most crucial parts of one’s soul Erebus jammed the orb back into the gaping hole his hand created. Upon contact the wound sealed completely but that isn’t to say it was unlikely Zeek wouldn’t feel what had just happened in the morning. “You are now complete, arise Et PRofanum Marshal. Arise and take point as the first of your kind. You are the gift I leave to you lesser creatures.” With the ritual complete the bony specter that had replaced Erebus dispersed into smoke. The land visibly lightened with the full moon shining overhead and with that all trace of the Prime was lost aside from the sheer amount of destruction he’d wrought out of boredom alone. The land would flourish again one day, the stones of the hall would be replaced but this domain would never lose the vicious taint that Erebus had left behind. The trees that remained turned blacker than midnight on a new moon while the grass took on slight hues of scarlet, leaving the impression that they were soaked with the blood of an army as the day in France those hundreds of years ago that Erebus earned the name ‘Monstre du champ rouge’.~
Zeekharbinger:
He listened to the words spoken by the Prime through this battle turn ceremony, the turn of events was more than he expected by far. He would rise back to his once he was told and nodded his head at the Prime before it turned and began to walk away back into the shadows, for a brief moment he considered what the new title would entail of him, leaving his guard down for that brief moment when he felt the boney hand of Erebus plunge into his chest, it took a moment before the sheer pain flooded his mind and a loud growl of pain erupted from the shades blackened mouth, he wanted to reach up and grip the wrist of the Prime but could not bring himself to do so. The sense of the hand digging and twisting deeper only sending further waves of intense pain through his form. He couldn't bring himself to move at all as Erebus pulled the components he required from his chest and watched in slight awe at the orbs taking shape with his hand, just when he thought he would collapse from the loss of such an important part of his dominant soul the prime replaced it back into the gaping hole in his chest. An overwhelming sense that he assumed came from the Prime Erebus himself was the sheer lust of the battlefield, the desire to kill and cause mass destruction flooded his entire being for a moment, leaving behind only the urge of violence. He was unsure as to which point he had fallen to his knees, but once all was said and done he turned his head back to look upon the Prime before rising back to his feet once more, raising his still exposed hand to his chest as he watched through the shadows as the Prime Erebus returned back into the darkness that followed him into the area. He scanned the surrounding area at the scarred and tainted land that was left in the wake of the unexpected battle between Shade and Prime. "I shall not fail the darkness, as the darkness is we, Sic Narro NosTotus" before turning and returning back into the shadows the remained within this circle of destruction.
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CardinalSinn
Re: Ancient Scrolls
April 12, 2019 09:45AM
The night's violet skies over Mier opened with a down pour over the sister city of Gordon, a fair sized city that was in the transition of modern technology from a more medieval time, the cleansing of the rain washing over the little greeniery left within the walls of the city, the virus having spread quickly across the lands of this world had killed of most of the plant life, and slowly working its way through the animals and the other beings, Mier herself a world at war, so every corner of the map was slowly being tainted or already darkened. Streams of steam rose from Ez's form as it soaked through the few layers he wore, the dragon hide long coat offering next to no protection from such an onslaught of the skies moisture, the thin grey long sleeve underneath even less than his coat. The pools of water that had already collected along the street spread further by the weight of his footsteps, the heavy boots being about the only thing that offered up any resistance to the water soaking him to the bones, each step guiding him closer to the cell that awaited him, the rebels that surrounded him taking no chances with Mardu's Harbinger of Darkness, making sure the restraints around his wrists were well in place before throwing him into the cell below the Tavern.
It was hard to tell if the people that now surrounded him were thankful or disgusted towards him, the expressions across each one of their faces displayed such a mix of thoughts and emotions he couldn't tell one way or another. Whispers began to flow through the structure of who and what he was, and thoughts about what was to be done with him, but the one face he was curious to see wasn't there as of yet, the amethyst gems did not stare at him as they had in the forest, maybe he assumed incorrectly about her being the lead of these rebels. No, the way they waited for her to make any moves towards him, the way they all looked to her for some direction, and the way that one man stayed close to her, she had to be this young Yune he heard Riko speak of.
"Sorry Riko, looks like I won't be able to hold to my word after all, you're gonna have to protect yourself for a little while" He kept his voice low as he crossed his ankles before lowering himself to floor to sit cross legged in the middle of the small cell, restraint still firmly in place across his wrists, keeping his arms behind his back, crossed at the wrists, the restraints themselves preventing him from using his magical abilities, though it would seem the shadowy and true sight were no included in these abilities that were restricted in any way. He closed his eyes and allowed the shadows to show him all there was to see within the building and close surroundings, though they wouldn't allow him to hear what was spoken by any one within the structure, he had learned to read the lips of those who spoke the common tongue of this world, ironically enough he wasn't that concerned as to what was being said, as the body language spoke far louder than word ever could. Though the small cell was poorly lit, there were more than enough shadows within the confines to bring some comfort, if these beings refused to listen to he had to say, he could very well influence one of them to remove the restraints, giving him his exit rather easily, though he did not know these shadows well, he could still gather a fair amount quickly enough to open a doorway to the shadow realm, as everyone knew that all shadows lead to the dark realm that lay between the material world and the even darker abyssal worlds that lay beyond. One would consider the shadow realm a sort of purgatory in a sense, what with the many rotting and decaying beings left to dye within such a plain of existence, either from the world he was currently in or that which lay beyond the shadows. Nevertheless, it was something that was like second nature to him, traveling through the shadows was like breathing, to those who had lungs of course.
It wasn't long before he lost interest in these beings, he opened his blackened pools to the small confines of the cell. It seemed as though it would have been far easier had he stuck with the Makai woman who freed him from the cage within that ship, at least than she would have been able to explain some things on his behalf, like how he meant no threat to these people, and how he was there to help find the answers they all sought when it came to the virus, maybe even find a few to answer the questions that plagued his own mind in the process. Of course, he could have avoided all of this had he just carried through within the forest and slaughtered them all, the darker thoughts taking a tighter grip within his mind.
The dark whispers overpowered his own thoughts once again for the first time since before Mardu locked him away for disposal, calling to him to strike out against any one once again, the weak didn't deserve such mercy, taunting him with the fact he was bond and locked away yet again, such would be his life for the rest of his existence. "You know nothing of what it is I look to accomplish..." his words kept soft to prevent others from over hearing him, "Go back to remaining silent as you had for the last few days, and maybe you would see what I seek..." if one were to be listening, it was doubtful they would understand the words he spoke, it was a language unspoken throughout the lands, someone would consider it to be lost and forgotten with time, or the extinction of the race whose native tongue it was, some would even call it the language of the shadows, he simply kept the language as his own, using it to command the black blood within his veins, etching the names into the weapons he chose to keep at his side, the very language that called to him from those same weapons, begging to deliver the killing blow.
Ez would pull at the restraints around his wrists at his back, the thought of being locked up yet again pushed his thoughts further into the darkness, the whispers growing stronger within his mind. The anger rose within him the longer he sat there, the anger only making his form grow hotter, evident by the fact his clothing was already dry, the whispers seemingly travelled through the shadows within the cell, calling to him, taunting him further, driving the anger deeper into his mind. Thoughts and memories of battlefields flowed through his mind freely, reminding of him of his freedom, the thrill of the hunt and the ecstasy of the kill, further taunts to drive heighten the anger that flowed within.
Cela drifted through the darkness surrounding her kind, a strange kind of boredom drifitng through her. Flicking her fingers at the mists that drifted around her, scattering them restlessly. The swirling around her feet black, tinged with a dark blue, and almost like their was something within that six feet circle around her. The simple black leather that shrouded her form from prying eyes, and the silver that lay against her could be seen clearly enough against the black. The swirling silver of her eyes showing her restlessness, and the voices that drummed through her mind spoke out against the doing nothing that she has been doing here lately. Closing her eyes, she let her mind drift along the shadows that was her home. Moving through other dementions, other realms, and worlds. Listening and waiting for a small tugging at her, something, anything that would give her something to do. One hand tapping against her other arm. "Nothing.. Why is no one there…" Her words trailed off as she began to feel a stirring in her mind. The anger, and hate of another being crawling through the mists to steep itself in her mind.
Opening her swirling eyes, she turned her tall angular body and opened a portal swiftly. Wishing to travel towards this feeling quickly, hoping not to lose it as it feels certainly more so than only a single being. But only one who calls to the same type of darkness that she herself is made from. Following the orders of her Father, she moves into a new world, unknown to her, but full of all manner of nastiness that simply gave her a feast. Opening her mind up, she fed on the sin that surrounded her. So much here, she thought. And a small whisper along the time of it all, something that her mind spoke to, unknowingly. One who was full of a single darkness, that fed on the same as she was. She turned her eyes towards a city? Unsure, she drifted along the shadows, staying out of sight of others.
Her head tilting some as she looked around the unknown, making notes in her mind. Everything is dead or dieing here, she thinks. A feast simply waiting for us. So much energy here that could feed us all for yrs, and the souls that could be taken.. Tilting her head, she stepped away from some kind of building, reforming quickly into something that could be called humanoid. Her distaste for the form appreant in her face, if one wished to look closely enough. She strode through the streets, the rain neither getting her wet, or bothering the mists she kept close to her body. The black leather that covered the skin in this form rustled softly with her movements, her mind keen on finding out more of what is going on here.. And following the small whisper of anger she somehow knew how called to her. Keeping her hands close to her body, she side stepped around others and kept her twin short swords loose in their sheathes.
She came up to one building, the swirling in her eyes having slowed some, as she felt that her target was somewhere within. She stayed back, watching, and waiting to see what would come..
The shadows themselves seemed to laugh at him, his anger growing ever stronger within his mind, his thoughts growing darker still as he listened to the teasing, the thoughts of his freedom flashing through his mind with each word from the echoing whispers only adding insult to injury. Pulling at the restraints once again as though this whole time were nothing but a nightmare conjured up by the endless streaming of the violent battles not so long ago, the darkness once again calling out to him.
"You only drive the anger higher knowing there is nothing I can do about it, release these bindings and you shall find out quickly just how far you push me.." his rough voice filled with hatred of the entire situation, he should have followed his instincts, he should never have surrendered to such beings, despite the curiosity of what answers they may hold. The regret only lead to more anger, everything at this point in time seem to fill his mind with more anger, there was nothing to calm the fire that grew within him. Closing his blackened pools tightly he fought against the thought of accepting the anger and simply fighting it, trying to remember why he chose this path in the first place, what could these beings offer him that he could not find on his own?
His eyes opened at a single pull within his mind, a new being within the shadows just outside the structure above, a presence that was not there before, or maybe it was, his mind was filled with such anger and hatred he couldn't quite think clearly. Who was this and what could they possibly gain from spying on such a group? "I see you ..." He allowed his voice to echoed through the shadows he used as sight just outside the tavern walls, the woman may have been across the street but the shadows nearest to her would have spoken to her with his words. With such proximity to the shadows he sense the energy that surrounded her, though many would not have noticed, it was energy very similar to his own, though far more honed and trained, like a fine sword during forging. Something about this being called to him, maybe it was the darkness that surrounded her, possibly her energy, or maybe it was him that called to her, the fact she looked as though she were searching for something furthered his curiosity. "Why not enter and find what it is you seek? It is a public building after all..." he had a hunch, and was willing to play off it. The anger within barely contained at this point, all he needed was one person to release these bindings and he could have his freedom once again, the prospect of such feat made him pull at the bindings around his wrist again, even the many branded markings across his form was not enough for him to break the nullifying energy that pulsed through the restraints.
Tilting her head, the blue and silver of her hair in this form shifting and shimmering as she smirks. The whisper coming along the shadows, whispering to her. The raising anger, allowing her to feed on something fresh, brining forth an urge to speak to this.. Being. Closing her eyes, she allows her shadow form to follow the being voice back along the shadows, giving her an inside view of it. Coming to rest in such a dank and dreary settings, she simply clucks her tongue. Resting her hands on her hips, the shadow form, while not truly her, has more than enough potentness to cause those around to cringe away. The touch of her shadows against them bringing forth the worst of their sins, making them relive them, and showing it to them over and over, much like a slide show. Lifitng her eyes from those who sprawled away from her, crawling to hide in the corners or as far as their shackles would allow, she makes eye contact with the one who called her out..
"What manner of being are you? To believe you have such right as to call on me?" Her voice, while low in tone, could be heard to convey millions of other voices, a chorus below her own. The strength in the voice alone having brought others to their knees before her. Her form floats a few inchs from the ground, with dark blue mists circling and surrounding what there is of her. "Your anger.. Tis a feast for me." She moves closer, bring the aura around her towards the single being. She stops moving just before the other enters her aura. Closing her eyes for a moment, she opens them, and looks towards his shackles.. "Chained, like an animal. How pitiful, how low have they brought you?" Her question rings softly in his mind, spoken only for him. The soft musical laughter faded in and out as she vanishied from his sight.
Out on the street again, she straitens up and moves to walk inside the building. Her steps silent, and the only sound that came from her was the slight murmurr that came from her feet, and the souls she carried within her. Stepping into the building she allows her eyes to adjust and moves quickly away from the door, her gaze looking, searching for the door that would lead her downstairs. The amount of dark energy within this area was amazing, so many bad things to happen, and only one of her to pull in it.. Her thoughts wondered if perhaps another, would like this place as much as she. She stops moving, tilting her head once more, her right hand straying down to the hilt of one of her swords as she spots the door leading down. It appeared to be unguarded, for now anyway. She moves towards it, slipping around and between the others in the area.
Using the shadows in the manner he had left an opening for her, a hunch he was right to follow, it lead her straight to him within the cell, though it was not her per say, the true sight seeing right through the shadowed figure of the woman that she projected for him to see. Despite her form only being a shadow image, the energy that flowed off her was quite impressive, the fact that most of those within the neighbouring cells shook and hid as best they could against their own chains only played more into his disgust for the situation, such pathetic creatures to coward at such an energy. The slideshow of his "glory days" played through his mind, the cries and screams of those who fell to his sword was like long forgotten favorite song playing for the first time in what seemed like centuries, though it had been less than a few weeks ago for his last battle.
The silver swirls of her sight caught his attention, he had never before seen such a sight within the eyes of a being, nor had he ever met another who could use the shadows as he had. The chorus of voices that laced within her own was somehow musical to his ears, as though they matched the whispers that echoed within his own mind, though his voice would not hold as much harmony as her still filled with anger, "Your guess is as good as any... but you were the one who answered the call nevertheless, so I must worthy of something"
He pushed himself upwards off the floor using only his feet and legs as she drew closer to him, her aura now reaching out towards him as well as she would stop just before it would engulf him as well, the whispers now screaming at him to move closer, to allow this being of shadows and darkness to end such a pathetic being such as him, taunting him even further than before. Her words of being chained like an animal only further insult as the shadows laughed with her, but before he could even comment in any way, she vanished from his sight, using the shadows once again he would watch her move across the street and into the tavern. He stood in the center of the cell, hands still locked behind his back, watching and waiting to see what it was she would do, his curiosity growing ever so slightly as her words echoed in his mind, "They have no idea what it is they hold prisoner, or the damage they will cause keeping me restrained like this" his voice travelled through the shadows as they had before for her ears alone as she would slip between those within the level above. "The guards will not be concerned with the holding cells until the celebration of my capture has died down, though one such as yourself wouldn't be worried of such things, would you?" A minor tease thrown in just to play with the buttons currently presented to him by her first words.
A small snicker came from her lips as she heard his words to her, the small attempt to taunt her thrown in. Standing before the door, leading below she sends her words back to him. "The question should not be one of that, but rather.. Why did you allow yourself to become chained such as you are." Allowing the words to simply whisper along his mind, bringing forth the anger and hate. Her mind allowed his to become more unrestrained, the closer she became to him. Giving her more power with each step towards him. Moving through the door with ease, she passed by others. And the only indaction that they knew she was there was the way they drew into themselves. Their instincts telling them that a greater darkness lay close as their past transgressions played hatefully through their minds, and her glee was one of simple interest of it all.
At the bottom of the stairs was the cells, the darkness and shadows played well for her. Trailing her fingers along the bars of another cell, she simply smiles at those who cower from her, and from their own minds. She could hear them whimpering, begging for it to stop. Sending her voice along the shadows, towards the mind full of anger, "Do you wish to see the truth? To be released from this.. Life as you call it? For I can show you the truth, "She moved to the cell that contained him, standing on the other side. Still in the flash, as one would call it. Tap.. Tap.. Tap, her finger nails on the bars rang out in the dreariness that surrounded him. The swirling silver of her eyes glowing, as she moved to make eye contact with the being that had drawn her here.
"What say you.." She tilts her head, the chorus below her voice ringing out, reaching for the life surrounding them both. Craving the light and escape before she ruthlessly brought them back under control, the mists shrouding her body from view.
Allowing the skin to fade from her, she shudders in disgust, and allows her true form to show. Moving through the bars with ease, she moves to stand before the other, the disgust plain to be seen "Trapped, caged, worse than an animal. These things treat their food better.." She trails one hand along the shackles at his back, the mists blurring the edges of her body, and wondered where his mind would be taking him, sitting so close within her aura, forcing him to remember every sin that he had ever committed or thought of.
Listening to her words made he think back as to why indeed, he wanted answers but he could very well just had taken them with his blood, but the words of Riko echoed in his mind, "You're not a killing machine for the Empire..." He took a deep breath in an attempt to calm his mind as much as he could given his current situation, the bindings holding his wrists in place not helping the matter by any means. Conitinuing to stand in the center of his cell he feel dark energy growing closer, stronger than when her shadowy image was before him. "In my current state of mind, I honestly couldn't even tell you why I allowed them to restrain me..." even he didn't believe the words that left his lips, the taunting only pushing his anger higher, he was sure he would be able to melt the metal of the bars with the heat that rolled off his form from the level of anger that built up within him.
The whimpers from those who coward away from her energy only played further into his hatred for the situation, such pathetic beings didn't deserve the life they had, despite the lack of freedom. He turned his gaze to watch her approach the bars which stood between them, the restraints being the only thing to prevent him from passing through them, speaking of truth and freedom only taunted him further, who was this woman and why were her words getting under his skin so easily. "There is but one truth to this word, kill or be killed, survival isn't enough any more" the rough edges of voice held truth to his on words, words he could make even the most strong headed being believe at this point.
As the flesh that surrounded seemingly vanished from sight, he furrowed his brows trying to understand what it was he was no seeing, watching her pass through the bars with such ease only made him think she was nothing more than the shadows that surrounded them, the choir of her voice still drawing his attention just as much as the sight of her in this form, until that chior sang of him being treated worse than food, that was a cord not to strike, the anger grew greatly within his mind, to lash out towards this woman would bring a great satisfaction to swelling hatred. Even the memories of his days already past didn't bring the satisfaction they once had at this point, this woman had gone too far, the fact that his anger was easily manipulated by her words angered him even further.
"I have a thousand and one questions flowing through my mind right now, and not one of them have anything to do about this truth you speak of, nothing but how wonderous it would be to rip your tongue from your mouth, and tear the jaw from you head. But I must say my curiosity is playing rather deeply into that same scene...." His voice filled with anger he tried to so hard to quell, the same anger that was his fuel for so many of those memories playing in his mind, "But I would be willing to set that desire aside if you release these bloody shackles from my wrists and allow me that freedom you constantly taunt me with, with my own dark memories and thoughts..." As he spoke his words echoed through the shadows, his blackened gaze locked on the silver swirls. What was it about this woman, every ounce of his form seemingly screamed with the dark energy that flowed through his blood, even the branded spell work pulsed with an energy that had not coursed through them since the day they were burned into his flesh.
Locking eyes with him, she assumed it was a him anyway, she allowed the full weight of her mind and those within her to roll through him. Sensing the anger growing, and oddly enough the heat from him, she simply tilted her head, watching. A small smirk crosses her face at his words, and veiled threat that came across from him, "Come now..Is that such a way to speak of one who may very well release you? To let you free from this cage?" Lifting her hand from his shackles, she straitened up fully, reaching the full eleven feet and her mists brushing the top of the cell. "You say you speak of your truth.. Yet what is it that you see?" Once again, she lets her voice drift away into his mind, forcing him to listen to such a darkness that he had never before encountered.
Letting him have glimpses of her world, the truth that was her. She stepped back from him, the mists trailing from beneath her garb. The simply black cloth covering the shadows that made her up, silver etching crossing the hems of it. The black beads that lay in her left hand, clicking together softly as she moved her hand about. "You seem so… Distraught.." The sound of her laughter again echoed through the darkness around them. The sounds of the scampering and whimpering from those who shared the cell with him causing her to turn her gaze on them, and a horrible type of glee came from her as their shrewd screams, thin and wailing, pierced the air. Circling the being who had indeed called her, much like a shark does, she slowly began to allow him into her aura. Not only forcing forth his own sins, his own… mortality but to see hers.
Allowing him the small chance to see what true darkness is, what a being made from true shadows could hold. He could hear the millions of voices in her mind, all screaming. Either in remorse, or for help. Yet a single voice stood out among them all. A single female voice, that rang stronger and more dark than anything he had yet to encounter in this world before. The Genocide of her own people, the ashes left behind her. And finally.. The truth and pain that brought forth who she was always meant to be. Her voice seemed more an echo now, to him, as his thoughts would swirl quickly through his head. "Tell me this, being.. "Her contempt clearly heard, for she could barely stand the thoughts of flesh, "Why should I release you? It seems as though you brought yourself this low.. Why? Do you enjoy being treated in a such a manner? Surly you must…" She waves one hand towards him, the beads again clacking together softly, "Since you can not release yourself, perhaps you are not worthy of my time.." Trailing her voice off, she moves away slightly, her head tilted as she watchs.
Hearing her words he clenched his teeth tightly together, he needed to shut his mouth now more than ever if he truly desired for this being to release him from these confines, his gaze watched as she straightened her form and reached the top of the cell, he would take a step back merely to be able to see her fully, to him there was no way such a being could exist, at least not within this realm of existence. Her words filled his mind with such a darkness he never thought possible, such echoes lingering within each thought forced him to close his eyes, never before had he come face to face with such a darkness, such energy that was wielded so easily. The anger within his mind beginning to slowly fade, replaced only by the hatred he held for being in the state he was in.
The images of she shared with him were not what he expected, but at this moment he was not entirely sure what to expect. And entire race left in ashes behind her, an empire that once stood proud and strong seemingly vanished from sight along with all those who stood within it. The millions of voices screaming within her mind made those within his own seem like nothing but a misquitoe in a large room, the screaming and wailing of the other beings within the cell with them nothing but the slightest breeze in comparison, the sheer energy that surrounded her mixed in with it all brought him to a knee, unable to control the thoughts within his own mind, every ounce of every sinful action or thought overwhelming anything that could have possibly made any sense to him, all within a single moment of this being permitting him but a glimpse of her truth.
The echoing words she spoke stood out to him, fighting for a moment of clarity within his mind just before she would begin to walk away from him, the pull of her energy as she would move giving him enough leaway to find such clarity of thought, his dark voice not so much filled with anger any more, but understanding of something he had known for his entire existence, "I strayed from a path I had followed for as long as I can remember, a path of darkness I should never had left, followed a weakend state of mind..." the hatred he held for himself growing with every word, disgust for his choice. He opened his blackend pools once again to raise his gaze up to her as she tilted her head and watched him, "I should never have doubted the whispers of the darkness that has guided me, there is no place for the weak within the darkness. If you chose to free me, I shall not be so foolish again to believe such things could possibly guide any one down such a path." He was not one for begging, nor would he allow his mind to break in such a place or in such a situation as this, but some where within his mind, he knew this being could point him in the direction he needed to go to return to a path he once followed not so long ago, to find the one worthy of the darkness. What was this being, and how did she come to be?
Feeling his anger retreating some, she watchs him closely. The struggle for control over himself a small sight to see. Smirking,she moves back towards him and away from the mewlings behind her. "Have you no pride.. No.. Hmm" Humming softly to herself, she trails her hand over the shackles once more, the aura surrounding him now. Engulfing him into her own mind, pulling him back into the present and where he now stands.. "You are here, shackled before me. Because you wanted answers? And you truly think these… things here can answer them for you? So you say…" Her soft snickers could be heard as she gave the chains a light yank to bring him about to face her again.
Once more in flesh, she over comes her own distaste and moves in a small quick circle around him. The rustling of her leather easily heard over the other creatures around them. "What answers do you seek that can not be answered through me? Through the darkness you so easily claim to follow? What truths is in the light, that can not be given more so in the night?" Her words were meant for him alone, drifting through his mind, as her mouth never moved. Following his thoughts and feeding on the emotions that each sin brought forth. " I can release you.. I can give you the truth in which you seek. What makes you worthy of this.. Wonderous gift? A small.. Creature, no better than those here, that cower from me. And yet here you are.. Standing as tall as you can, chains attached of course." The contempt heard as she spoke of the beings around them, those above them. Tilting her head, she watched as he fought for control over himself, and rather than wait for it, she pushes into his mind. Using the aura around her, she allows her thoughts to merge with his, showing her what he has done, and..
The dim possiblty of what he could be. Her shadows, her pure darkness, carressed his thoughts bringing him closer to the brink, closer to her. " Tell me, creature.. What is it that you truly desire? What darkness do you wish to have? Do you not crave for more than…" She waves her hand around, indacting around them, "This sorry and measly life?" With only a quick shake of her head, she allows the shackles to fall from him, keeping her mind spell bound to his, watching his thoughts as she transforms back to her true form. Increasing the affect of her aura, and tapping the finger of her right hand to the small knife shaped necklace that rode high on her chest, covering a small worded tattoo that even in this form could be seen, "PAIN IS LOVE" Although maybe not he couldn’t read it. Moving only a few feet away from him, the cloth robe swirling with the dark blue mists as she watchs what he will do now that he is no longer held in place by chains and shackles.
"Pride is more of matter of perspective ..... I still hold my pride as all I have accomplished in my time of existence.." the words he spoke was back by the pride within his voice, he never once regretted his actions, until now any way, the thought he could find answers within these beings sickened him, furthering the hatred. The pull to his shackles brought him back to his feet and a new sense of pride rushed over him but for a moment, the sight of her back in the flesh once again was not someting he had expected for a being such as this, she spoke of seeking the answers in the light in a form that was not hers, a form far less than her energy spoke of, why would she take on such a form as this when her form prior was far more superior.
The absolution he felt from her aura was overwhelming, even if it was bringing him back to reality as it were. He was not enjoying how easy it was for her to play with his mind, despite his efforts he was unable to put up any form of restistance anagainst it. Her words of what answers he could not find within the darkness brought his gaze to hers, he thought of his next words carefully, knowing now that this being was far more what he sought than that of the dark lord who commanded his end. It was not normal for him to feel anything aside from pride of the work he had accomplished, but her words cut through him like no others could have before. Why would he consider himself worthy of such darkness? the struggle within his mind over her words brought out a new sense of anger and hatred, but not for himself or for the situation, one that went much further back, the never ending search for the absolution within the darkness.
Before the words could even escape his lips, he could feel her push through every ounce of resistence within his mind as though it were an open book. Images of his past flooded his mind and hers now with this connection, the smell of burning flesh would flow through the air as though to relive everything as a whole, ancient spell work branded into his flesh, the removal of his organs, the pain of everything he endured, the black tar like virus being injected into the only organ left within his form, the memories of the Mad Master and his lover, the black blood devouring every ounce of their existence, the years spent wandering every level of the abyssal realms, the battles fought in the name of Mardu, right up to the point of his surrender to the rebels to end up where he was now. Every memory flowing freely, every emotion he had ever experienced, most of which was nothing more than hatred and anger. The pain he endured, to the torment he fought through, just to survive, even the whispers that flooded his mind from the very beginning of the five year span of expirments, telling him to survive, surrender to the darkness that swept over him every day of the torture, giving her more hints as to who or what he could have possibly have been.
Though the sensation of the restraints no longer around his wrists was what he sought, the freedom returned to him once again, but the hold she had on his mind was like nothing he ever experienced, but now he was able to offer up some more resistence than before, alot more. With his mind unbroken he would begin to guide his own thoughts once again, feeding off the pride of the images that flowed freely through his mind, slowly beginning to push back against these new shackles. "The darkness has guided me thus far, I will not faulter from the path again..." the words echoed through his mind and into hers, as he would begin to feed her the imgaes of the Mad Master and his lover being devoured wholly by the thick black tar like blood that coursed through his veins, the amount of soul energy he had collected over his entire existence aiding him in the push back.
Black mist like fog would begin to flow from his freed hands, his call to the shadows that surrounded them, gathering and collecting, bending them to his will and his will alone, he would not allow this woman to toy with him any longer without a show of force back now that he had his freedom. The shadows would grow thicker, darker as they began to crawl up his form, creating a shield like effect til it completely encompassed him. At this point he did not care if it actually pushed her back into her own mind and left his to his own thoughts once again, but he would continue with his path, a small amount of shadows would collect as his back as the clothing that hugged his form began to shift as well, the grey shirt vanishing, allowing the branded ancient spell work to be seen clearly within the deathly colored flesh, the forgotten unknown language displayed all across his back with a crest, unknown even to him. The shadows at his back solidified as a damascus blade and dual desert eagles formed, even the pants that hung from his waist changed to a thicker denim like material, the boots as well changed to match the rest of the appearnace. His black endless pools never breaking their gaze locked on her's. "I may not seem worthy in your eyes, but the darkness has whispered in my ears since the first brand found my flesh, and I will not give up seeking out the purity of the darkness and the absolution it has to offer." His words cutting through all shadows, filled with an outmost pride like nothing any one of those around him would have heard before.
Laying her arms over her stomach, allowing the dark blue mists to converge and surround her, she fades from his view. Leaving only her presense within the cell with him, she stands back some, watching with some admiration how he shoved off the slight weight she had put on his mind. She heard his voice speaking to her, floating along the shadows that he brewed to cover and allow himself some small amount of pride back. "No matter if you are worthy to me, for I am not the one who calls to you. Tis not my voice that you hear, nor my voice that has whispered to you from within the realms of those that you have taken." She shifts herself back through the cell door, standing back out in the hall again, the whimpers coming from the other beings coming through to her again. She allows her presense to begin to fade from his mind, leaving her standing behind his ability to notice. She moves back through the other cells, her laughter ringing softly through them all.
A small tether left him connected to her, giving him the choice. To either follow her, or to walk away. She moves back upstairs, having shifted back into the skin form again, her leather a sudden sound with her movements where no sound had been there before. The silver in her eyes still glowed some, even in this form. The black beads held loosely in her left hand as she moved through the throngs of beings between her and the small table by the door that was her target. It sat empty now, and once she made her way there she sat. Pulling the dark blue swirling around her quickly, making it seem as though she wasn't there. More like she was nothing more than a deep shadow, that for unknown to themselves, that others avoided at all costs. Their baser instincts making them swerve and avoid the area where she was, even when the entered.
Sitting back in the chair, she watched the door that led below. Her own interest having been caught at another dark being. One that maybe… Just maybe could be brought to the All Father. At that thought, she wondered if perhaps she should let him know where she was. He might very well take a large interest in this world, as there is so much here that he would likely enjoy. As much as they do enjoy anyway. Tilting her head, she twisted one hand lightly, causing those closest to her, to shudder in some unknown fear. As though a ice cold finger had been run down the backs of their necks. Her soft laughter could be heard by those she toyed with, bored now as she waited, wondering how long it would be until the being down below would figure out she was no longer there, and would follow the small tether to her. IF the creature was able to follow the small path she left for him..
The words about the whispers drew his thoughts deeper to understand who it was that was in fact whispering to him all these years, guiding him through every aspect of the days past, was there truly a being that was the darkness, it was not something he fully understood, but maybe she was the one he was meant to follow to find the answers he sought. Feeling her presence finally faded from his mind he didn't fool himself into thinking for a moment that he beat her at her own game, she had the energy he had and could manipulate the same energies he could, but she was far more trained in the skills than he was, and he was not about to challenge that per say, there was much he could learn from this dark being.
The shadows that surrounded carried her laughter within them as she would leave through the cells, leaving behind a light tether of energy within him, it was not difficult to sense if one knew their own form well enough, but even easier with his sight, her energy leaving a distinctive trail behind, a simple hunting technique he picked up within the abyssal realms, handy for tracking those who would dare think they could hide from him. He stood for a moment to allow the thoughts to play through his mind, finding the answers he sought for so long was still his goal, but was it truly worth leaving the path he followed for so long. Once that question past his mind he allowed the entirety of his form to phase, basically becoming the shadows that surrounded him, blending almost perfectly with them he would walk through each cell like they weren't even there, and followed the tether she left behind.
Following the shadows and the tether it lead him to the gathered people of the sister city, still celebrating his capture, not even noticing that he was no longer 'restrained' in any way or form, though they wouldn't be able to see him unless they had true sight, he was nothing more than a shadow after all. He spotted the woman across the room sitting at a table nearest the door, shadows surrounding her, keeping her well hidden from the sight of others, it made him grin watching those being side step and avoid the area she took up, even more when he watched a few patrons shiver at a cold touch. He moved through the shadows to circle around the room, weaving in and out of each casted shadow until he came to the wall nearest the woman, guiding down the small hall to the tavern doors. "I see now the answers I seek can not be found in the light ..." He kept his words for her ears alone as they travelled within the shadows, "I feel as though I should be asking you permission to allow me to follow you to the one who does whisper in my ears...."
{continued}
CardinalSinn
Re: Ancient Scrolls
April 12, 2019 09:46AM
Listening to the whispers through the shadows, she calls to him.. Bringing him closer to her, egging him on. Turning her silver glided eyes to look straight at him, the blast of memories, of hers and his mixing. "My, my.. "Her words echoed back to him, "You seem to have enjoyed a nice full.. Life." Her words condasending and smirking. Shifting her body, the mist moving along with her, as though they were indeed alive as well. Beckoning to him, she moves back outside, out of the false light that surrounded the other beings within the busy area. Breathing in, she moves away from noise, sending her own thoughts along to those above her in the darkness, asking softly for the permission for one of them to come along, as she felt that they would indeed enjoy this place.
Opening her mind, she lifted her face upward towards the shifting purple of the sky. Shutting out the noises that surround her, she pulled her dark blue shadows close to her, creating her a small bubble in which to fill with the darkness that surrounds her. The ease in which she does this comes from the same voices that fill her mind, always restless. The silver that glinted in her hair was nearly purple with the light that eased through some of the shadows around her as she allowed her mind to follow the shadows back to her own people again. Having sent her message though, she eased the shadows from her, turning back to the building behind her.
Tilting her head, she smiled some, clacking the small beads in her hand, finally listening to the sounds around her. The chatter and just.. Life around her caused her to grimance some, a small shudder from her at the such happiness and the sudden wish to see them all screaming in pain and fear. Her eyes seem almost violet in the night sky lights as she stood away from everything, waiting and watching, her interest turned back to the curious being that had first called her here, before she had known that there was so much more than only one here that could feed her kind.
A scowl crossed his face at her words of a "nice life", most of what he enjoyed came after his creation as it were, closing his eyes to her own memories mixed with his a soft grin crossed his lips, "You seemed to have enjoyed quite a bit of your own life as well..". Opening his eyes once more he watched as the woman walked out of the building and back into the streets, following her curiously he remained within the shadows to keep himself from being spotted by these rebels, in case they would so choose to place him back in custody, that was not an option to him, he was done playing with these beings and had no further desires to play along.
He brought his form to a large tree closest to her, pulling the shadows close to him to keep his form very well hidden, he watched as she surrounded herself in her midnight blue mist and created a bubble, he wasn't entirely sure what it was she was doing, but the energy control that it took to accomplish such a feat captivated his attention. It was as though her mist itself called to him, luring him into a false sense of hope, promises of such accomplishments resounded in his mind, the temptation was strong indeed, everything he could imagine doing with such energy, but his will was more than strong enough, reminding him of what he had accomplished already as he was now.
His gaze began to wander, scanning the surrounding area as though something were waiting to jump out at them, he felt an unease within the air. He leaned against the tree behind him and crossed his arms over his chest as his eyes watched everything and anything within sight, the shadowy sight allowing him to see further and clearier despite the low light casted out by the moon. Thoughts of the virus returning to his mind, images of it seeping into the life stream of everything that surrounded, overlapped by the images of his own black blood devouring everything it touched in almost the exact same manner, the sense of energy that came from both, the same energy that he sensed from this woman, what was the connection? Was the virus some concoction of what this being was? He felt a strong urge to hunt down Mardu and begin the torture and torment to make him spill the information he may hold on the virus. "The energy you hold..... what fuels it? Is it the shadows themselves, or the souls it devours?" his rough voice would speak to her alone, keeping him well hidden.
She wanted permission, to bring someone into the darkness? Fides heard the soft words. And inhaled deeply, an infinitesimally small sound in such a vast darkness, it was still likely that she…of all people would have heard this. It was not a verbal answer, more raw and symbolic, the inhale a thing which welcomes in that which was once outside. She had her answer as she continued to taunt him. The darkness seemed to be breathing now, watching, listening, and feeling the emotion of her, the ire for the life which surrounded her. Though she was weary as well, there was likely other things here which were aware of her, things which had not announced themselves as of yet.
Fides took great interest that the two seemed to have a mental bond of a sort, one that allowed this new “thing” into the mind of one of the children of darkness. that having been noticed more of the Evincar would manifest, though still, not in so much a physical fashion as might have been expected, but now it was certainly more easy to detect. The surge of perhaps less then perceivable energy that was Fides echoed out into this place as “it” followed Celatain into the streets. That may have been what made things a bit less perceivable to the man, the breathing darkness exerting a palpable pressure through the air in those darkened areas.
Fides felt the desire and pride ebbing from the man, a small appetizer for this beast, but it was something from the man, a way in of sorts, desire, calling to be slaked. All the more ironic then as it clung to pride from deeds past, arguably this led to its incarceration, even though it seemed as if it were a free choice.
The man became aware suddenly, of what had likely been obvious for some time now to Celatain, the darkness, it was watching, which made it all the more humorous to Fides then as the man would try in vain to look through the darkness to find what it was that gave him this feeling of unease. Fides would not hinder his abilities in the slightest, offering no true resistance, though he would in a fashion “play” with him. Fides being what it was had a number of effects, a pull…a draw of sorts. Darker creatures, “evil” beings were naturally attracted to such a power that was Fides, its presence like a sweet scent that begged to be followed, or perhaps the infamous “gut feeling” that came to some in important moments.
Looking out into the darkness then it was more then expected that he might have caught the occasional creature skittering through the shadows, or heard the occasional umbral creatures chattering to one another through the darkness excitedly at the presence of the Evincar. As the man began to contemplate the “virus” within himself and indulge in fantasies of consumption and noticing the similarities he would have likely noticed then that the darkness was beginning to grow, the smaller inane creatures of darkness growing in number, and perhaps a random shady character from this place or two would have come here now as well, the pressure of the breathing darkness growing more intense, growing with every perceived exhale, as if to humor the man’s desires, its growth now beginning to hinder his view and perception. It was then he asked what gave Celatain such power, it was asked in such fashion that Fides was inclined to remain silent, SHE would know it was here, and likely be aware that it was watching her, were she to focus particular she might have the impression of the Evincar bowing, motioning her to answer the man’s question. Fides wanted to hear her answer, much as the man would surely. Fides would however remain beyond the perception of all but the most astute and skilled of mages with influence within such darkness. it waited patiently for the answer to the man’s question.
She tilted her head, her eyes watching as the shadows around where she stood deepened. Because darker, and she knew she was no longer alone. Sensing the one that she had given her request, she turned her eyes, watching and looking. Finding him, or more likely sensing him, she nods at his motions, and turns back to the creature who had followed her out. "I know where you are, being. Attempting to hide from one such as me is normally very hard to do. And it seems that you lack the skills needed to. The shadows, the darkness, if you will is my life. And was my life, before I was given such a wonderus gift." She kept her voice, speaking out loud, as she had cut off the mental bond with the being, since it was no longer needed. Moving forward some, closer to both where her creator was, and the other being, the new one was as well.
"You wish to know what gives me my power? Or what simply powers it? That, dear, is a two-prong question. And for myself, it has two different answers." Raising her left hand, she formed a black shadow clone, deep and dense, as no light could be seen through it. Moment only passed as she then lifted her right hand, forming yet another one. Only this one was different. A small cluck came from her as she stood between them. The deepest darkest and coldest black one could hope to never see, and yet on her right.. Blue rang true. As dense as the black, but much more active. One could see the swirls and circles passing through the clone. Both clones stood tall and straight, easily mistaken for a normal being at any range away. A quick snap of her fingers, and they simply dissolved from sight. Pulling herself strait, she looks back at Him for a moment, before turning back to the strange being.
" I am a creature that was shadows before I was darkness." Tilting her head, she made a motion towards him. "Come out from hiding, little one. If I had wanted to harm you, then I would have already have done so. Staying hidden at this point only reeks of being a coward, and unless I am wrong, that is not something you are.." Her voice trailed off some, as she stood waiting and watching. Wondering at this point, both what her Creator was thinking, and what the smaller being was thinking, as she had chosen to block her mind from the ones thoughts, and sadly was unable to tell what He was thinking unless he wished her to. Remembering the quick intake from him, she nodded to herself, and went back to watching. Waiting to see what would happen now.
Watching this dark being from within the shadows his blackened gaze would watch both her physical movements and the shadowy movements that echoed her in every aspect, such control was never eld by his gaze before and it drew him even further. Everything about this being called to him, the shadows that surrounded, the darkness she held within her form, everything, even the words she spoke despite the blatant taunting that followed her words, and yet why had he never come across one such as her before.
A slight tug on his mind caught his attention for a brief moment, an deepening darkness seemingly creeping across the lands, but not the darkness he knew, something different, stronger, older even. Listening to her question to answer his question he turned his gaze back towards the woman before him, "Is it not better to understand how you become more powerful before seeking out the power?" His voice responded simply with another question, he didn't like how she evaded his questions, though after her next comment he was beginning to understand this being thought a lot of herself.
A dark grin crossed his lips as she told him to step out of the shadows and stop hiding, he stood up from the tree behind him and dropped his arms to his sides as he would step 'out' of the shadows per say, but it was as though the shadows merely followed him, hung to his form with each stepping moving from the tree as he did, he would hold his arms out to his sides with a light chuckle in his voice as he spoke, "I am the shadows, I do not hide in them as you may think, and I'm certainly no coward."
Picking up on that dark tug once again he knew at that point someone or something else had joined them, watching them both just out of sight. His endless black pools began to scan the surrounding area once again in hopes to catch a glimpse of anything that lingered, he wasn't entirely sure but he was beginning to think that this female could in fact see of feel what it was that was hanging around, the way she nodded absently to herself brought forth a curiosity for the new presence. "What are you?"
Fides was still content to watch in silence though he would continue, slowly, to manifest more of himself. Doing this increased the ambient pressure in the darkness here, anything concealed, or covered by it would now almost feel like it was getting an ever so slight hug. The darkness becoming more and more oppressive as the two spoke. He would likely refrain from speaking for some time, content to watch as the spider wove its web, offering taunts to the man, whom thus far had been amicable in regards to them. Fides wondered why that was; his assumptions for the moment leaning more towards the males wish to understand just who or what Celatain was.
Fides did take a slight exception to the man’s claims, a slight almost inaudible snicker escaped the ambient darkness as he made the claim “I am the shadows”. Beyond perception Fides shook his head slowly as he mused over the claim, were he truly the shadows it was not likely he would be regarded the way he was or that Fides would have been able to elude his vision. The man was however becoming more and more aware of Fides as time went on, the way he looked into the darkness made this more and more apparent. As his eyes once more scanned the darkness fides power would echo out once more the darkness the man peered into directly and peripherally would become subjected to a differing reality, one which showcased souls beyond counting, slithering, writhing over and through one another in some unimaginable acts of contortion and mingling, some euphoric in their damnation others clearly lamenting. They were all confined to the darkness, and barely visible, presented in such a way that if one were not to be paying astute attention to detail they may well have been overlooked.
The continued strengthening of the presence of Fides was beginning to take more and more hold over the area, the lights diming further, the darkness offering physical resistance now, as if it were water. Most notable would have been the ominous overtone, a dark foreboding. This brought with it the infamous tell tale sign of such evil that leaked out…and into the surrounding denizens of this place, soon it would be likely that the natives near here would begin to act out of sorts. Holy imagery near here be it idol or symbol was beginning to writhe as if in discomfort, despite were it of a normal mundane nature or not. This effect was one that was unique among the Nefas to the particular profane presence of the Evincar, an unmistakable herald of its presence and or attentions.
Manners were a thing of great import to the Evincar, and as such while it had remained obscured more or less it would not interrupt the conversation. Listening intently to the exchange occurring between them, waiting to see where this conversation would lead them to.
The doors were not yet closed behind them before Vitra and Mirai were welcomed by an immediate atmosphere of a busy Tavern. The heat hit their cheeks that were cool from the torrential rain outside which then tingled with warmth, and the sudden wafting scents of unfamiliar hot foods and beverages teased curious nostrils. Those intriguing smells were accompanied by the spontaneous eruptions of loud laughter and elated voices of those that were clearly celebrating. It left both Vitra and Mirai wondering what all the fuss was about.. It was an odd reception for them both, it seemed like years had passed since they had heard the hustle and bustle of a Tavern. In a City under strife, a Virus taunting the outskirts of their sanctuary and a war that in-turn threatened the very existence of an entire population, it was frankly refreshing to be surrounded by the happy noise for once.
Vitra somewhat overwhelmed, grasped Mirai’s hand with a slight squeeze, but said nothing as she noticed Estelle was there ready to welcome them. While Mirai smiled and soaked in her surroundings, strangely feeling as though everything was new and viewed by fresh eyes almost like a child in a candy store. Out of the two, Mirai was adapting more-so and if it wasn’t for the occasional furrowed brow that lingered, as if guilt was finding a way to fight through the brief respite; you’d think she was almost amused. She couldn’t help thinking Alliyah would have have been with them if she hadn’t been so hell bent and stubborn in staying with the remainder of the infected back home. ‘Had she perished with the rest of their people?’ Was a haunting thought and a question that Mirai wasn’t sure she wanted to know the answer too, but it remained carved into her subconscious. And it was something she just had to accept along with anyone else that may have been in her company.
“Come on.. “ Mirai tugged at Vitra’s hand as they met Estelle once more. This time feeling a little less troubled, Vitra finally found words and smiled towards Estelle. “Indeed we did old friend.” Mirai then interrupted and continued abruptly on, her curiosity got the better of her as it usually did. “So.. Er… what’s going on here? Are they celebrating, did something else happen while we were away? And do you mind if we stay a little? Vitra rolled her eyes at Mirai and shook her head. “Stop being so nosy. We do need to talk to Estelle, not sure if ‘here’ is the right place though. I still….. I still want to know what happened to you Estelle?” Vitra finished with a stern tone then looked around, her pointed little ears twitched with the sound of music. “Is there a place we can talk here? “
Ezekiel's gaze shifted to the citizens of this city that wandered around, still in high spirits about his capture, clearly they had yet to discover he was no longer within their holding cells. The celebration it seemed flowed out of the tavern, under which were the prison like cells where they had placed him, and walked away, though he had been more than willing to give himself up, a new opportunity arose and offered him his release, more like taunted his curiosity, but freedom was his once again.
Each time he spoke to the woman before him, the urge to see through the shadows grew within him, shifting his gaze from this darkening energy before, to the overwhelming dark energy that seemingly hugged his form as he remained within the shadows. A familiarity wrapped itself around him ever so slightly at first, but as it tighten it's hold on him he could sense something was very different about this energy, backed by the pulse of energy that slowly grew across the ancient language scrolled across his back.
Finally giving into the urges Ezekiel closed his eyes for but a moment, shifting his sight through the shadows that continued to grow heavier, upon opening his eyes he could see the thousands of souls writhing together, in ways no one would ever think possible, the abyssal realms he wandered for so long seemed like child's play in comparison. He reached his hand back to grip the hilt of one of the Ebony Sisters (dual desert eagles), his hand freezing in place just before he took hold of the gun, something else was within the shadows, possibly the source of such a promise of souls.
"I stand within the darkness and it shows me such promises of the souls, though it has yet to show it's form to me, I feel as I already know it." his words echoed throughout the shadows as his gaze catch sight of the dimming lights, opening his vision further the darker it grew. His gaze shifting as those that surrounded them began to act quite differently towards each other, in one form of another what many would call sinful acts, until finally he found the being, rather faint at first but as this new presence's energy grew with the thickening darkness, it grew more obvious to him that this was indeed the source, and dropped his hand from his weapon almost immediately. "Who are you?" were the only words he could figure at that point in time, his curiosity growing stronger by the minute.
Roaring thunder caused the heavens to rumble once again, and as Ruhl passed through into the dome once again, he was glad to be free of the pouring rain that pounded the outside territory. It took a few moments to clear the gathering of people that had wandered into the city as well, guards checking about their goods and what not, ensuring that the goods they were selling weren't in violation of any restrictions, but Ruhl eventually moved on. The man moved through what few people walked along the main road, standing a shoulder length above most due to his Shadier heritage, and as he went along a few would occasionally throw a glance towards him. By all means it wasn't surprising considering how drenched the forest green cloak was that hung from his shoulders, and besides that, Nocturne hung from his shoulder taking up most of the back half of his body. What was Nocturne? A long, modified version of the Mitherus that he carried in order to fulfill most jobs with precision and stealth. It had been with him for a few years ever since he'd quit his job working with a local arms dealer.
Ruhl continued along the narrow streets, and after some time he managed to find that familiar, bustling tavern from which he'd picked up the job. Was he aware it was typically filled with resistance members? Sure.. But regardless of his opinion of them, the drinks were cold, and the money was good. Pushing through the door, Ruhl felt the blast of warmth, and the sound of merriment as it collided with his senses. “The hell..?” he muttered as he reached up into the hood of his cloak, gloved fingers taking hold of the ebony tinted goggles that covered his eyes. “Hey, you there!” a familiar voice called out from behind the bar, a slender man grinning like he'd had a few drinks himself. “You do what I asked ya?” he said as Ruhl approached the bar in hand. An almost neon set of green eyes burned from beneath the hood as his lips pulled into a cocky smirk, two small pearls of white poking out over his ashen colored lips. “Did you doubt me?” he said as his free hand moved beneath the cloak to toy with something beneath that was attached to his belt. A few moments later he produced a very ugly looking coyote's head, several maws, and eyes scattered about it's unholy features. “That chimera has been messing with travelers for a few weeks. Good on you for taking care of it.” the man said before filling up a glass, setting the cold brew down in front of Ruhl. “I'll pay 1k credits as promised, and hell I'll even throw in a room and some food for the night in spirit of the celebration!” he cheered as the man reluctantly took the disgusting head to set behind the bar.
The sound of everyone carrying on caused Ruhl to roll his eyes, but he preferred it to being approached by resistance members. “So what's the occasion?” he asked, removing the large rifle from his shoulder by the strap before leaning it against the bar beside him, barrel up. As the bartender ignored his question and moved on to pour a drink, Ruhl chuckled and then proceeded to remove his cloak, scooting it beside his stool as it dropped in a wet heap behind him. It was then that anyone who hadn't guessed his lineage would notice the familiar details of one of the Shadier birth. The long lithe frame, joined by the appearance of long, pointed ears giving hint to his fey bloodline. Even his slender tail gave clues as it snaked about his left leg, coiled about it as if trying to make it's self less obvious. Indeed, even as he tried to hide some of those details beneath his messy cropping of chin length, gray hair, there was no hiding what he was.
“Eh whatever, heres to getting paid!” he said with encouragement to himself, reaching to take hold of the glass before tipping his head back to drain it's contents happily. The job was done.. and unless some unforeseen interruptions were to take place, Ruhl was going to put the day behind him with as much alcohol as he could consume.
Despite the other goings on in the town Fides attentions were fixed on Zeek. This man had attracted the attentions of the Nefas, and in doing so the Evincar himself had been called for. Zeek happened to have an incredibly rare lineage, the markings upon his flesh spoke to those ends. Were it not for such markings he likely would have been overlooked...that or looked down on with disdain. Instead Fides listened, though he had yet to speak or truly address the man. Instead he had slowly crept into this realm surrounding Zeek, encompassing him in his darkness. The Evincar was aware of this man's fugitive status, not wishing any form of medleing or interference he saw fit to take Zeek from here, though Zeek likely remained ignorant of that, seemingly entranced with the darkness that was Fides. 'Who are you?' Zeek asked into the abyss at only the faintest image of the Evincar, the words dismissing the silhouette, it evaporated away as the darkness returned removing all sense of sight for a moment. The impenetrable darkness the moment of transport to the Citadel within the Umbra, a place removed from the common realms yet connected to them all. The darkness was broken as six imperial purple eyes would open, their size seemed enormous as their gaze fell Squarely upon Zeek. A chorus of voices shattering the silence here, the ech only furthering the effect of the whispering mass. "Who we are is a thing that will remain a mystery to you for now child...a name at this point would be...superfluous. Instead we shall tell you what. We are your saviour both from that place and your other prison, the prison of which you have been subjected to from your conception. A profane thing robbing you of your true lineage. We will gift you true freedom...in time. First though, as in nothing is free, you will do a thing for us. This task, a simple one...a proving of sorts. One that we imagine goes well with your common actions, though now given purpose. as Fides spoke a token of Nefas would form from the ambient darkness, still remaining out of sight, the weight of the thing could be felt now though as Fides continued. with this, the souls of those you fell...those you kill, shall become yours. Here i set you out as a wolf among the sheep Zeek, go and gorge yourself accordingly. In time we will come for you again, and further educate you as to your true self, your actual lineage, and bestow upon you your birthright should you prove up to the task...go now back into the realms of men and feast. Know this, we are watching you now, you are indeed being tested.
Her silver gilded eyes spinning restlessly, she could feel him leaving, and taking the new one with him. Tilting her head, she pondered what it was that was going to happen with him, before shrugging it off. "Hmm.. " She turns her gaze back towards the tavern, and the loud noise from inside. A slight smirk crossed her face as she began to move back across the area that was between her and the lights from the tavern. As she moved, her body shifted back for her natural form, into flesh. Covered in black leather, and her skin tinged shades of blue in the violet lite sky. Pushing open the door to the tavern, she looked around. She could see groups together, conversing. Some seemed serious, she thought to herself. I wonder if they know I released him from their grasp. With a quick lighting up of her silver eyes, she snapped her fingers and allowed a shadow clone that looked just like Zeek, move from within a group that stood close to the bar. As she tilted her head, the silver and blue of her hair gliding over her shoulder, she twisted her fingers slightly, causing the clone to move across the floor. In full view of any who wished to see, or who would simply open their eyes and look around. Taking a hard step back, she bumped into a group of males that were loudly drunk behind her, causing their tankards of ale to spill over. The golden liquid splashing onto their own laps and to the floor, causing some others who were walking by to slip and fall into the same table. With a slight smirk, Cela moves away. Looking around, she taps her finger to her lips, wondering what other havoc she can cause before stepped outside again. Turning her head, she moves the clone around, having him weave through others acting as though he was trying to avoid being seen. Beyond him, sat a single man. Drinking alone, by all appearances. She turned her mind towards him, and drifted through others to get closer. The shadows in the corner began to darken some as she began to see the effect of being close to her on his face. He began to sweat, only a little at first as the first of his buried memories played to the surface of his mind. And then slowly, it began to trail down his face in small rivers as those past sins become clear in his mind. Playing relentlessly, over and over. Each time clearer than before. Moving closer yet again, he would be able to feel the pressure of her presence but only so far as to know he wasn't alone. One could hear him mumbling to himself, over and over. "No.. Enough. Stop it." The same words, over and over. Getting louder each time, until finally he could be heard screaming. With a slightly chuckle, Cela moved away. Leaving the screaming man trapped in his head, the shadows surrounding her darker than before. Weaving back towards the door, she moves slowly in order to see what other chaos she could have here. She ran her right hand down in the air, as though she was running it along someones neck. Making all those close to her shiver, and try to move away. She turned her eyes back towards the small group, tilting her head some as she snapped her fingers quickly,, releaseing her body back into its true form and allowing the dark blue shadows that was her trade mark fill the area. Dimming the lights quickly as she made her way to the door that led outside, still smirking as she could hear the short screams from those around her who were already afriad of the dark.
Mirai grumbled lowly at Vitra’s stern words. She had always been the same, bossy and assertive; a real ‘Miss Prim and Proper.’ Compared to Mirai who was simply a free spirit. This attitude from Vitra was usually the beginning of Mirai’s rebellian, as whenever she was told not to do something, or that she couldn’t, she felt it her responsibility to prove otherwise.Usually out of spite and likely stubbornness, but either way it was going to happen, like it or not.
While Vitra was distracted with Estelle, Mirai zoned out of the conversation, so many strange faces around her, such distracting noises and all drinking the interesting Ale like substance that seemed alien to her Ravanese home. She wanted to explore just as she had outside the wall after seeing the Darakai for the first time, the fascination between her and them was very much apparent. “I will do what I like..” She whispered under her breath, not loud enough for her counterpart to hear but for herself as a conformation of sorts.
Something did catch her attention almost immediately however as her bluish pools glanced from face to face and slight elongated ears twitched in response to the loud smashing of glass along with aggressive tones of a group nearby and the shadie figure that weaved within the crowds by the bar. Careful not to collide with the sudden bodies that had slipped on the wet slippery tavern floor. The woman stood out from most with her oddly tainted flesh, such movements fluid and erratic as she slithered into a gathering of people before disappearing from her gaze. Mirai bit her lip and then drifted away herself and left Vitra and Estelle without giving a second thought, likely they wouldn’t even notice her absence which somewhat amused Mirai instantly and rose stained lips curled into a proud smirk.
A sudden bump of shoulder was what shook her out of following the woman to which she immediately peered upwards as a tall male with suspicious eyes shot passed her in a hurry. The bump was enough for her shoulder to tingle and Mirai furrowed her brow, turned and snapped. “Watch it.. Idiot..” Before she carried on towards the bar. The man didn’t even acknowledge her words and Mirai simply shook her head. For some reason the Tavern seemed fuller than before, even though she and Vitra were stood by the entrance for quite some time, she was sure no-one else had passed them but, soon the small groups of people seemed to cast a wider net, some argued and bickered while others were more expressive with their hands. Loud thumps and clanking pitchers seemed to surround her yet there was no sign of the woman? ‘Where did she go?’ She thought as the abrupt irate shrieking of a man could be heard over the otherside of the bar, Mirai was now in hunt mode, sky blue orbs darted from group to group hoping she would catch sight of the woman once more or at least get to the bottom of the sudden change in mood and perhaps finally taste the Ale that soaked Tavern air, so potent it was increasingly hard to ignore.
Estelle nodded as she heard Mirai speak the music was getting louder and the sound of glass shattering could be heard. Simon was already manning the bar and helping as much as he could and Yune one couldn’t be sure where she had slunk off to but Estelle figured at least one place she could be found if needed. “ Yes, I know of a few places… there is an office somewhere that is pretty quiet that we can talk at.” There was no getting around things but where was she going to start was the question. Her tale was a rather strange one, to say the least, “ To answer at least one question you can stay as long as you like or as needed. “ She looked them over only to find that Mirai had vanished but she didn’t sweat it. She trusted them both and Gordon was pretty much safe the community was tight-knit and spies didn’t get too far with the mix of Makai and Sions around that were proficient with magics that were set in place to protect if someone got funny ideas. “ Well, “ She looked over to Vitra “ I guess it is us… I have a room where we can slip off to and I can explain everything that would be a lot quieter as well.” She’d offer an arm to her, a soft smile spreading on her lips. She glanced behind her only for a moment and while she couldn’t find Yune she saw Simon manning the bar. She took note of the stranger sitting there but didn’t think much of it mercenaries and the like were normal occurrences since the rebellion had started through her eyes settled on what she thought was a tail and made a mental note to investigate later. As far as she knew she, Yune, and now Mirai and Vitra were the only Shadier left the others had vanished. She pushed the distraction out of her mind tho as she waited for Vitra’s answer.
That first glass of that amber colored ale soothed every fiber in Ruhl's body it seemed, or at least it would from an outside perspective as he let out a soothed “Ahh..”, before seating himself on the stool behind him. It was pretty much the most anticipated part of his day besides getting paid. Hell, it looked like the last couple days that were spent hunting down the damn chimera were hell compared to the enjoyment of a good drink, and some rest, but just as he licked his lips at the prospect of having another ale he heard the god awful noise of some man letting out an awkward, shrill scream. Long ears twitched from beneath the gray tangles of hair that cascaded about his face. “The hell..?” he asked himself, turning to try and get a look at the origin of the scream. Just as he began to focus amungst the sea of people mulling about in the bar a man struck his shoulder with his drunken form, and the lights began to dim unnaturally. “Oh come on!” he protested at the fate of things, grinding the two pearly white tips into his bottom lip. The last thing he wanted to deal with was a tavern sized brawl, or some spooky happenings, and as he reached for the ale that the blessed bartender had somehow poured him when he wasn't looking, Ruhl was struck in the back by another drunken man causing his drink to spill. “Alright! That's it!” he roared, his neon, green orbs widening as he reached to his hip.
Now that the drenched cloak had been removed, Ruhl was dressed rather simply in nothing more than a dingy, gray linen shirt, and a pair of black breeches that seemed to descend into a pair of black, combat boots. In fact, the only reason to mention the outfit at all was to note that since he'd gotten rid of the cloak, anyone would notice the large handgun that was concealed in a holster at his side. A single thickened strap of leather gripped the upper left side of his hip and descended across some very low regions of his front before fastening to the holster against his right thigh. When he'd issued that statement of being fed up, a quick hand drew the gun, better known to Ruhl as Bella, and with it positioned beneath the chin of the man who spilled his drink he eyeballed him wildly. “The next person who pisses me off is gonna' have a talk with Bella! You get me?!” he half asked, half commanded. The man's gaze was one of pure terror, and quickly he apologized profusely in order to save himself from having his head melted clean off. Still, in all that panic, and insanity, Ruhl felt as though some eyes were upon him. It caused him to lift his gaze towards Estelle, but considering the time it took to break his threatening gaze from the man, he didn't caught anyone looking. “Alright buddy, now step up to the bar and apologize to the man. After you do, make sure you order me something expensive!” he commanded, twirling the gun in his grasp before letting it elegantly fall back into the holster as his hand guided it down in one swift movement. Just like that, Ruhl's arm slipped around the man whom he'd just freshly threatened, hugging his shoulders with a sudden grin on his face. “Cheer up, buddy! It's pay day!” he said with glee.
The encompassed darkness offered no touch per say, no cold nor warmth crossed the dead flesh across Zeek's body, just the constant familiarity, like the comfort of a childhood blanket as it were. The surrounding sights faded out with the light of the city they once stood in, knowing he was no longer on the plane of existence, let alone that particular planet, where he was was still unknown to him, there was nothing to be seen after the faint image of the being that remained within the shadows faded after he spoke to it, as though to trigger some form of reaction.
The moment the darkness removed all sense of sight was the moment Zeek understood he wasn't dealing with just any dark entity, he had heard whispers and rumors as these creatures who were known only to be Darkness, in it's the level below the purest of forms, created by the Darkness itself to reclaim all that once was. Never in all the years of his existence did he ever think for an instant that he would come face to face, or in this case, face to darkness, with such a being, though he had always wondered if the rumors were true.
Zeek's gaze shifted around the emptiness of this new location, though at first it was nothing more than black, he sensed something more was there, focusing the darkened sight he could vaguely make out the broken silhouette of seemed like some form of a window, as the image of it slowly cleared up six enormous purple eyes set their gaze squarely upon him. The very sensation of these eyes on him left his mind in a whirlwind of curiosity, but hearing the whispering mass of echoes surrounding him was more than he ever thought possible. He himself could cast his voice through the shadow in almost the same manner, but this was the voices of hundreds of thousands all speaking to him from every possible direction.
{continued}
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/12/2019 09:47AM by CardinalSinn.
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CardinalSinn
Re: Ancient Scrolls
April 12, 2019 09:48AM
'Another prison since conception? what does it mean by that?' were the only thoughts dancing in his mind as he listened to the words spoken by this entity, his past seemingly lost with his memories were a key to his existence, this was clear now more than ever. Seeing without actually seeing it, Zeek reached out towards a sense of weight almost directly in front of him, a simple but profane symbol as it were in most realms, an inverted cross. His darkened gaze taking in the simple sight of it, and grinning at the monstrous ideals it held. "A purpose for collecting souls? There is no room within the darkness for the weak.." the words that Zeek hadn't spoken for what seemed like a lifetime now left his lips with absolute ease, as though he never stopped speaking them.
Placing the not so simple token around his neck he would wear this with a sort of pride as it were, the words of true lineage, birthright and true self danced in his mind, should he be up to the task would be no question in his mind, he would not lose sight of the path before him again, he would be true to his nature and prove this in any way he could to this darkness that watched him even more closely than before. As though he just swore loyalty to dark lord, he placed his right fist over the left side of his chest and lowered his top half towards the being, his way of beginning to prove his worth, "I shall not disappoint".
Standing up right once again, a dark thought rolled through his mind, bringing a devilish grin to his lips, he had a debt to settle with a young woman on that planet, one he was sure to clear before going any further down this new path, and with the words that were spoken from this dark entity, he would carry it out in the most fitting of ways, a way he was well known for to begin with. Turning around he began to walk into the darkness, keeping a clear thought as to where he wanted to go, just as the surrounding darkness completely closed around him, his steps would take him back to the planet from which he was taken from, but back within the city protected by the magical dome, no quite a bit further out in fact, closer to where the rebel had found him before taking him to the city. He remembered seeing an encampment of loyalist soldiers in between the city and the location of the young woman's hide out, an encampment filled with thousands of soldiers, souls ripe for the picking. He would not pass up the opportunity to kill two birds with one stone, proving himself to the darkness as requested, and clearing a debt he had no intentions of being held over him for any reason whatsoever.
If the rebel had gone much deeper into the forest past the infected village, they would have stumbled upon this encampment, and most likely would have been taken hostage, if not worse. It was clear they had no intentions of meeting these forces head on, not like the Harbinger, he had no desires to fall to such weak beings let alone some mutated version of his blood. He had one clear thought in his mind as he strolled through the blackening forest around him, walking in and out of the shadows as though they were doorways taking him that much closer to the encampment that much quicker, a faint stream of shadows flowing from his body seeped into the surrounding shadows of the forest, not so much as a call to them but more so a way to control the shadows, allowing him the ability to use every shadow that was casted throughout the forest. Casting out his shadowy sight he was able to spot a couple of guards just at the perimeter of the camp, his right hand coming up to the set of throwing knives, known to him as pins and needles, at his right thigh and pulled the required amount from the snug sheath, manipulating the shadows in such a way that he would be able to throw both blades towards these men, and have an absolute clear shot, aiming true towards their foreheads, each of the small blades sinking in more than far enough to drop both the guards, "Foolish beings, helmets are meant to keep your brains from harm." he voice was low and taunting as he stepped over the bodies on his way past, taking note of the stream of black fog flowing from their mouths and flowed along the forest floor towards him. Was this what the entity meant by collecting souls for himself? The only time he had seen something similar was when he called his black blood back to him after it absorbed a being.
His heavy steps made no sounds as he reach the position he desired, thick streams of shadows now flowing towards his form as he held his palms outwards, now calling the shadows back to his being, "Kar ro gan," (Come to me) the faint words echoed throughout the shadows that surrounded him, each one seemingly twisting and moving at his command, each one gathering before him. He pulled the leather glove from his right hand and tucked it away in his back pocket of the thick denim pants that loosely hugged his waist before gripping the hilt of the damascus blade, known to him as Abyssal Rage, that rested at his back, he had always hated the idea of shedding his own blood, but it was quite entertaining to watch the events unfold afterwards, holding the sharpened edge in his bare hand he would gently pull it across his flesh, "Arki dae tensa gan mir ouls" (Arise and bring me their souls), whispered echoes crept across the gathered shadows as the blackened blood from his palm fell into them, creating a reaction of sorts. The pools of shadows beginning to bubble up, collecting and forming to create deformed looking humanoid like beings, blood red eyes being the only thing to stand out from the pitch black forms that stood before him moment before they all took off towards the encampment, each one carried with it no sounds, each one passing through the wooded area like there were no trees, each one will one goal in mind, find the souls.
As the shadowy army descended upon the encampment, echoes of voices could be heard throughout, the soldiers finding themselves completely surrounded by these monstrous beings, and when they thought it would be as simple as cutting them down, the minimal explosions as each one began popping would cover these men and women in a thick tar like substance, Zeek's own blood. Agonizing screams filled the air for miles around, without a doubt they could be heard with in the city despite the distance between the locations, the blood ooze absorbing and devouring every once of organic material it touched, taking with it the energy the material once held. Zeek's steps calm as he continued to stroll through the camp, only ever having to swing his blade at the on coming attacker as they would attempt to end their own misery, a clear path towards the commanding officers tent, knowing he would find the coward hiding under his desk no doubt.
This was not the case, the commander was in fact waiting for him as he entered the tent, a full swing of the man's sword barely missing his form as the shadowy sight caught the glint of light off the blade before it came down in front of him, Zeek taking a small step back allowing the blade to pass right pass his chest. "Now that's no way to greet your ex Commanding officer no is it?" a dark grin crossed his lips as he tightened his grip on the damascus. "You're a traitor, one who deserves the fiery pits of the abyss for eternity." the man responded with such anger, "I've been there before, they are quite lovely, let me show you how to get there."
With no hesitation the man before him drew his blade back than thrusted it forward towards Zeek's side, typical standard movements, it was why Mardu would lose this battle, his men weren't trained to think outside the proverbial box. With a simple turn the blade's edge missed his side, but than turned inwards towards his body, another quick step back and the blade missed as it sliced past his stomach. "You're truly gonna have to do better than that if you want to send me back to the abyss.." his words taunted the man, furthering the rage that built up with in his mind. The screams outside the tent would continue though now not as many could be heard, sadly it was not something Zeek would be able to show this man, the fall of his entire force, but he had every inclination to show him first hand what happens when you cross the Harbinger of darkness. The man's movements becoming less coherent, almost erratic as he swung the blade without cause, more and more effort being placed into the attack, but far less thought as to the motion of the blade, though it was entertaining at first, Zeek grew bored, simple steps to avoid such strokes of a blade, but he was able to guide the man outside his tent, into the blackened pit that was left of his men.
The commanding officer froze in his movements as his gaze caught sight of the encampment, black bubbling pools left in every direction, with no sight of a single being left alive, no body parts to be seen as evidence of those who were here only moments before hand, no blood nothing. The absolute shock that carried through the man brought a devilish laughter from Zeek's lips. "Ruget." (Return) the command echoed outwards from Zeek's form causing the bubbling pools to calm and begin to flow towards him, gathering at his feet at first, but then slowly began to build up around him, slowly covering his entire form until nothing of his body could be seen, until the blackened ooze absorbed back into his form, leaving Zeek to take in a deep breath and exhaling with a light "Aah" as his body relaxed. The man still frozen in place couldn't believe what he had just witnessed, he had heard the stories of Mardu's Harbinger, but had never seen it with his own eyes, it was like nothing else in all the worlds.
With dark thought tickling his mind, Zeek turned and began to walk away, leaving the man to remain frozen for however long it would take for him to realize there was nothing left where he was, which didn't take him long at all really. Zeek anticipated as much and gripped the hilt of Abyssal Rage, channelling his own energy into it causing it to ignite in a blackened abyssal flame, the man taking off towards him with a battle cry of absolute anger, blade at the ready as he ran at the fastest pace he could manage. Quickly turning back around Zeek swung the damascus blade in the man's direction, a force and heat like that of an atom bomb going off left the blade as it swung, incinerating the man almost instantly, causing the entire area behind him to ignite into a furious blaze, setting the forest on fire so intense the falling rain would be simply evaporate before reaching the flames themselves. "Let it be known, my debt is paid in full." his words echoed through the lands as his form seemingly faded into the shadows once again.
With only a small smirk crossing her face, Cela moves about the room, staying in her true form. Others who look towards her will only see a darkened area, one that for reasons they don't understand, fills them with fear. The screaming coming from the one man has calmed down to only mewling now, as he is still unable to move past the thoughts that still fill his mind of his past deeds. Moving towards an empty table near the entrance, she shifts back into a body again. A hard and quick shudder passes through her as her distain is clearly seen on her face. Filth, she thinks, covered in filth.. "Perhaps I can have some fun though. Would make it worthwhile wearing this skin bag.." Her words were softly spoken, so none could hear but her. Her spinning silver gilded eyes roamed across the room, taking in the small fights breaking out. Hearing the harsh words spoken by one at the bar that she had passed over before in favor of the table, she tilted her head some, watching as he pulled a rather neat looking weapon out, and shoved it up beneath another's chin. With a quick chuckle, she allows the shadows to fade away, bringing back the normal light for here. She then moved her gaze to land on the clone she had made of the other shadow being that she had released. Leaning over some towards another patron, she asked, "What is everyone so happy for? Did something happen?" Her voice would have sounded odd to any and all. The chorus of millions of different tones below her own, all speaking in a harsh harmony. Cela's tone over them all, with the steel of massive will power, to keep them all under control. Listening for a moment, she simply smiles. A creepy look for one of her kind, but it fit. Someone, without knowing it, She had released a prisoner that, for some unknown reason, had worked for the other side of things here. "Hmm, I wonder what will happen.." The words trailed off as she sees the drenched stranger at the bar getting more to drink. The smells filling her nostrils was repugnant, at best. Still.. She used her fingers to move the clone along the bar. Moving him closer and closer to the stranger with the guns and the free drinks. Making it appear that he was trying to hide, just not doing it very well. Not very well at all. Tilting her head, Cela then noticed the smaller being, the one who was roaming freely about the room, in search of something.. Or someone? Unsure of what it is that the being was looking for, Cela made no apparent moves to hide herself, wondering if she had been seen. And not caring if she was seen. Still.. Could add another element of fun. Those who say close to her began to get noisy, their inhibitions lowered to the point that the anger was easily brought to the surface. Causing one male to stand abruptly, knocking his chair backwards to land on the floor with a loud thunk. Yelling at those with him, he sweeps his arm across the table, knocking the tankards and cups onto the floor. With a small snicker, Cela moves her feet avoiding the barage of them coming her way. Instead, she stood and began to make her way through the throngs of people again, going up to the bar. Wondering what type of michief she can cause up here..
With a quick grin, she can feel as the one she released returns to the same place as she, just further away. She can feel him pulling at the shadows, drawing them up to him. And the massive pain that he suddenly swept through the camp. She laughs loudly as she can feel the dispair of those around him, and leans forward, bracing herself against the bar. Her laughter coming quick and joyful for her, as she so enjoys what he is doing. She claps her hands together as she watchs the end of it, and wonders if Fides would enjoy the show as much as she did? Perhaps more so, as he would have been watching much closer than she. Cela only noticed because she has a much closer connection to the shadows themselves than most beings do, even those of her own kind.
This woman must of been some sort of hallucination, a figment of her imagination maybe? Or a possible side effect to her transformation perhaps? If not, then where on earth did she go? Mirai tussled with these notions quite a bit as she made her way back through the bellowing crowds of people. She was small, much smaller than most of the men and even a majority of the women that stood scattered about the bar which made it a little easier for her to slip in and out of crowd, but was also a hindrance as it made it near on impossible to see across the area.
Frustration was slowly niggling away at her, and it was becoming rather apparent as her bluish pools began to darken into something quite the opposite. The sable blackness slowly engulfed the light of her iris and blended with the sheen of pupils, along with the glyphs that darkened down her spine and along her arm. Which could be seen peeking along the pale flesh visible. To look at it would appear really quite majestic, yet she was completely unaware of the effects her mood was having on herself, let alone the strange looks that had passed her, distracted by the vibrations of tables that spreaded and screeched to a halt across the floor of her chosen path, the spill of Ale dampened ground and the strange darkness that seemed to have descended around them.
“What the hell is going on?...” She spoke out under her breath as it almost seemed as though she was surrounded. The circle closing in all around her it was almost suffocating. And then.. Came the unexpected elbow to her ribcage as a huge male shot up from his seat and begun to yell as he upturned the table just as she had made it to the bar, the blow sent her back a few paces. Her back hitting the back of the Male she had witnessed moments ago having a disagreement with another punter. “Shit…” She yelped instantly as she stepped forward and away from him as swiftly as she could and spinned around to face him. “I mean, sorry..” Dark orbs shot up at the male before she kicked back at a pitcher that hit the back of her heels. Subconsciously hoping that the man that elbowed her would trip and fall on it. Her curious orbs darted from the male she nudged to the familiar and suspicious character that seemingly moved along the bar towards them. Mirai immediately narrowed troubled eye’s before the abrupt sound of clapping took her sights to the other end of the bar, back to the female she had being trying to follow, for whatever reason was unknown. “You….” Almost relieved that she wasn’t going insane.
That delicious mug of ale.. so frosty, and so welcomed. It shined in front of him as the man ordered him another mug of the good stuff, and with a sudden smile forming he went to take hold of it's precious handle. Of course, as fate tended to do, a sudden series of oddities and interruptions began to take place. First, he felt a sudden sensation that caused the tail coiled about his leg to squeeze at him, the hairs on the back of his neck also standing up as well. It was enough to cause his right ear to twitch beneath his hair, and his head to turn slightly towards the disturbance. If not mistaken, he thought that someone was manipulating energies similar to the ones that he'd been attuned with from his birth. While he wasn't super practiced and studied in the nature of shadows, they still had a keen connection with his bloodline, and thus there were certain sensitivities to the element. However, there couldn't be any time to worry about that as another person, smaller, and more vulgar mouthed, slammed into him. Eyes seemed to almost diminish into cat-like slits, the neon green burning like an unholy flame. “You've got to be kidding me!” he hissed, turning almost immediately. Already a hand was descending down towards Bella, but as he suddenly spotted the curious person his eyebrow raised.
This one didn't look anything like the others in the tavern, and honestly with that strange hue in her eyes she was starting to creep him out. “Damn right sorry!” he suddenly announced, beginning to lecture her. “When a man is just trying to have a drink, and people are bouncing around here and there.. it's pretty damn frustrating to get bumped into every 5 seconds. If all these rebel bastards would just CALM DOWN!!” he said with an almost child-like stomp at the floor below him. Of course that couldn't possibly be the end of the occurrences because right about then a strange man seemed to be creeping up on him with eyes locked on his position. He'd noticed the man before the girl bumped him, but a large tavern full of people provided a lot of wandering eyes.
Ruhl huffed and reached a hand out towards the girl, holding up a finger as a scowl formed on his angular features. “One moment sweetie, and don't worry about it!” he said quickly as he turned towards the man that was approaching. One hand instinctively went to the grip of Bella, while the younger girl would likely notice the leathery, cord-like tail unraveling from his leg to reach over and coil around the strap of Nocturne, the rifle leaning against the bar next to him. It would draw it close, leaning it against his body as green eyes narrowed. This whole crazy bar situation was starting to be way less worth it by the minute, and aside from a free room, Ruhl was starting to wonder if he should even stick around. “Can I help you, pal?!” he barked out at the man as he took an oddly casual stance with both shoulders almost leaning back, his midsection in a type of slump. While it looked casual and lazy, Ruhl was in the most comfortable, and angle effective position to shoot someone if necessary.
Re: Ancient Scrolls
April 12, 2019 09:46AM
Listening to the whispers through the shadows, she calls to him.. Bringing him closer to her, egging him on. Turning her silver glided eyes to look straight at him, the blast of memories, of hers and his mixing. "My, my.. "Her words echoed back to him, "You seem to have enjoyed a nice full.. Life." Her words condasending and smirking. Shifting her body, the mist moving along with her, as though they were indeed alive as well. Beckoning to him, she moves back outside, out of the false light that surrounded the other beings within the busy area. Breathing in, she moves away from noise, sending her own thoughts along to those above her in the darkness, asking softly for the permission for one of them to come along, as she felt that they would indeed enjoy this place.
Opening her mind, she lifted her face upward towards the shifting purple of the sky. Shutting out the noises that surround her, she pulled her dark blue shadows close to her, creating her a small bubble in which to fill with the darkness that surrounds her. The ease in which she does this comes from the same voices that fill her mind, always restless. The silver that glinted in her hair was nearly purple with the light that eased through some of the shadows around her as she allowed her mind to follow the shadows back to her own people again. Having sent her message though, she eased the shadows from her, turning back to the building behind her.
Tilting her head, she smiled some, clacking the small beads in her hand, finally listening to the sounds around her. The chatter and just.. Life around her caused her to grimance some, a small shudder from her at the such happiness and the sudden wish to see them all screaming in pain and fear. Her eyes seem almost violet in the night sky lights as she stood away from everything, waiting and watching, her interest turned back to the curious being that had first called her here, before she had known that there was so much more than only one here that could feed her kind.
A scowl crossed his face at her words of a "nice life", most of what he enjoyed came after his creation as it were, closing his eyes to her own memories mixed with his a soft grin crossed his lips, "You seemed to have enjoyed quite a bit of your own life as well..". Opening his eyes once more he watched as the woman walked out of the building and back into the streets, following her curiously he remained within the shadows to keep himself from being spotted by these rebels, in case they would so choose to place him back in custody, that was not an option to him, he was done playing with these beings and had no further desires to play along.
He brought his form to a large tree closest to her, pulling the shadows close to him to keep his form very well hidden, he watched as she surrounded herself in her midnight blue mist and created a bubble, he wasn't entirely sure what it was she was doing, but the energy control that it took to accomplish such a feat captivated his attention. It was as though her mist itself called to him, luring him into a false sense of hope, promises of such accomplishments resounded in his mind, the temptation was strong indeed, everything he could imagine doing with such energy, but his will was more than strong enough, reminding him of what he had accomplished already as he was now.
His gaze began to wander, scanning the surrounding area as though something were waiting to jump out at them, he felt an unease within the air. He leaned against the tree behind him and crossed his arms over his chest as his eyes watched everything and anything within sight, the shadowy sight allowing him to see further and clearier despite the low light casted out by the moon. Thoughts of the virus returning to his mind, images of it seeping into the life stream of everything that surrounded, overlapped by the images of his own black blood devouring everything it touched in almost the exact same manner, the sense of energy that came from both, the same energy that he sensed from this woman, what was the connection? Was the virus some concoction of what this being was? He felt a strong urge to hunt down Mardu and begin the torture and torment to make him spill the information he may hold on the virus. "The energy you hold..... what fuels it? Is it the shadows themselves, or the souls it devours?" his rough voice would speak to her alone, keeping him well hidden.
She wanted permission, to bring someone into the darkness? Fides heard the soft words. And inhaled deeply, an infinitesimally small sound in such a vast darkness, it was still likely that she…of all people would have heard this. It was not a verbal answer, more raw and symbolic, the inhale a thing which welcomes in that which was once outside. She had her answer as she continued to taunt him. The darkness seemed to be breathing now, watching, listening, and feeling the emotion of her, the ire for the life which surrounded her. Though she was weary as well, there was likely other things here which were aware of her, things which had not announced themselves as of yet.
Fides took great interest that the two seemed to have a mental bond of a sort, one that allowed this new “thing” into the mind of one of the children of darkness. that having been noticed more of the Evincar would manifest, though still, not in so much a physical fashion as might have been expected, but now it was certainly more easy to detect. The surge of perhaps less then perceivable energy that was Fides echoed out into this place as “it” followed Celatain into the streets. That may have been what made things a bit less perceivable to the man, the breathing darkness exerting a palpable pressure through the air in those darkened areas.
Fides felt the desire and pride ebbing from the man, a small appetizer for this beast, but it was something from the man, a way in of sorts, desire, calling to be slaked. All the more ironic then as it clung to pride from deeds past, arguably this led to its incarceration, even though it seemed as if it were a free choice.
The man became aware suddenly, of what had likely been obvious for some time now to Celatain, the darkness, it was watching, which made it all the more humorous to Fides then as the man would try in vain to look through the darkness to find what it was that gave him this feeling of unease. Fides would not hinder his abilities in the slightest, offering no true resistance, though he would in a fashion “play” with him. Fides being what it was had a number of effects, a pull…a draw of sorts. Darker creatures, “evil” beings were naturally attracted to such a power that was Fides, its presence like a sweet scent that begged to be followed, or perhaps the infamous “gut feeling” that came to some in important moments.
Looking out into the darkness then it was more then expected that he might have caught the occasional creature skittering through the shadows, or heard the occasional umbral creatures chattering to one another through the darkness excitedly at the presence of the Evincar. As the man began to contemplate the “virus” within himself and indulge in fantasies of consumption and noticing the similarities he would have likely noticed then that the darkness was beginning to grow, the smaller inane creatures of darkness growing in number, and perhaps a random shady character from this place or two would have come here now as well, the pressure of the breathing darkness growing more intense, growing with every perceived exhale, as if to humor the man’s desires, its growth now beginning to hinder his view and perception. It was then he asked what gave Celatain such power, it was asked in such fashion that Fides was inclined to remain silent, SHE would know it was here, and likely be aware that it was watching her, were she to focus particular she might have the impression of the Evincar bowing, motioning her to answer the man’s question. Fides wanted to hear her answer, much as the man would surely. Fides would however remain beyond the perception of all but the most astute and skilled of mages with influence within such darkness. it waited patiently for the answer to the man’s question.
She tilted her head, her eyes watching as the shadows around where she stood deepened. Because darker, and she knew she was no longer alone. Sensing the one that she had given her request, she turned her eyes, watching and looking. Finding him, or more likely sensing him, she nods at his motions, and turns back to the creature who had followed her out. "I know where you are, being. Attempting to hide from one such as me is normally very hard to do. And it seems that you lack the skills needed to. The shadows, the darkness, if you will is my life. And was my life, before I was given such a wonderus gift." She kept her voice, speaking out loud, as she had cut off the mental bond with the being, since it was no longer needed. Moving forward some, closer to both where her creator was, and the other being, the new one was as well.
"You wish to know what gives me my power? Or what simply powers it? That, dear, is a two-prong question. And for myself, it has two different answers." Raising her left hand, she formed a black shadow clone, deep and dense, as no light could be seen through it. Moment only passed as she then lifted her right hand, forming yet another one. Only this one was different. A small cluck came from her as she stood between them. The deepest darkest and coldest black one could hope to never see, and yet on her right.. Blue rang true. As dense as the black, but much more active. One could see the swirls and circles passing through the clone. Both clones stood tall and straight, easily mistaken for a normal being at any range away. A quick snap of her fingers, and they simply dissolved from sight. Pulling herself strait, she looks back at Him for a moment, before turning back to the strange being.
" I am a creature that was shadows before I was darkness." Tilting her head, she made a motion towards him. "Come out from hiding, little one. If I had wanted to harm you, then I would have already have done so. Staying hidden at this point only reeks of being a coward, and unless I am wrong, that is not something you are.." Her voice trailed off some, as she stood waiting and watching. Wondering at this point, both what her Creator was thinking, and what the smaller being was thinking, as she had chosen to block her mind from the ones thoughts, and sadly was unable to tell what He was thinking unless he wished her to. Remembering the quick intake from him, she nodded to herself, and went back to watching. Waiting to see what would happen now.
Watching this dark being from within the shadows his blackened gaze would watch both her physical movements and the shadowy movements that echoed her in every aspect, such control was never eld by his gaze before and it drew him even further. Everything about this being called to him, the shadows that surrounded, the darkness she held within her form, everything, even the words she spoke despite the blatant taunting that followed her words, and yet why had he never come across one such as her before.
A slight tug on his mind caught his attention for a brief moment, an deepening darkness seemingly creeping across the lands, but not the darkness he knew, something different, stronger, older even. Listening to her question to answer his question he turned his gaze back towards the woman before him, "Is it not better to understand how you become more powerful before seeking out the power?" His voice responded simply with another question, he didn't like how she evaded his questions, though after her next comment he was beginning to understand this being thought a lot of herself.
A dark grin crossed his lips as she told him to step out of the shadows and stop hiding, he stood up from the tree behind him and dropped his arms to his sides as he would step 'out' of the shadows per say, but it was as though the shadows merely followed him, hung to his form with each stepping moving from the tree as he did, he would hold his arms out to his sides with a light chuckle in his voice as he spoke, "I am the shadows, I do not hide in them as you may think, and I'm certainly no coward."
Picking up on that dark tug once again he knew at that point someone or something else had joined them, watching them both just out of sight. His endless black pools began to scan the surrounding area once again in hopes to catch a glimpse of anything that lingered, he wasn't entirely sure but he was beginning to think that this female could in fact see of feel what it was that was hanging around, the way she nodded absently to herself brought forth a curiosity for the new presence. "What are you?"
Fides was still content to watch in silence though he would continue, slowly, to manifest more of himself. Doing this increased the ambient pressure in the darkness here, anything concealed, or covered by it would now almost feel like it was getting an ever so slight hug. The darkness becoming more and more oppressive as the two spoke. He would likely refrain from speaking for some time, content to watch as the spider wove its web, offering taunts to the man, whom thus far had been amicable in regards to them. Fides wondered why that was; his assumptions for the moment leaning more towards the males wish to understand just who or what Celatain was.
Fides did take a slight exception to the man’s claims, a slight almost inaudible snicker escaped the ambient darkness as he made the claim “I am the shadows”. Beyond perception Fides shook his head slowly as he mused over the claim, were he truly the shadows it was not likely he would be regarded the way he was or that Fides would have been able to elude his vision. The man was however becoming more and more aware of Fides as time went on, the way he looked into the darkness made this more and more apparent. As his eyes once more scanned the darkness fides power would echo out once more the darkness the man peered into directly and peripherally would become subjected to a differing reality, one which showcased souls beyond counting, slithering, writhing over and through one another in some unimaginable acts of contortion and mingling, some euphoric in their damnation others clearly lamenting. They were all confined to the darkness, and barely visible, presented in such a way that if one were not to be paying astute attention to detail they may well have been overlooked.
The continued strengthening of the presence of Fides was beginning to take more and more hold over the area, the lights diming further, the darkness offering physical resistance now, as if it were water. Most notable would have been the ominous overtone, a dark foreboding. This brought with it the infamous tell tale sign of such evil that leaked out…and into the surrounding denizens of this place, soon it would be likely that the natives near here would begin to act out of sorts. Holy imagery near here be it idol or symbol was beginning to writhe as if in discomfort, despite were it of a normal mundane nature or not. This effect was one that was unique among the Nefas to the particular profane presence of the Evincar, an unmistakable herald of its presence and or attentions.
Manners were a thing of great import to the Evincar, and as such while it had remained obscured more or less it would not interrupt the conversation. Listening intently to the exchange occurring between them, waiting to see where this conversation would lead them to.
The doors were not yet closed behind them before Vitra and Mirai were welcomed by an immediate atmosphere of a busy Tavern. The heat hit their cheeks that were cool from the torrential rain outside which then tingled with warmth, and the sudden wafting scents of unfamiliar hot foods and beverages teased curious nostrils. Those intriguing smells were accompanied by the spontaneous eruptions of loud laughter and elated voices of those that were clearly celebrating. It left both Vitra and Mirai wondering what all the fuss was about.. It was an odd reception for them both, it seemed like years had passed since they had heard the hustle and bustle of a Tavern. In a City under strife, a Virus taunting the outskirts of their sanctuary and a war that in-turn threatened the very existence of an entire population, it was frankly refreshing to be surrounded by the happy noise for once.
Vitra somewhat overwhelmed, grasped Mirai’s hand with a slight squeeze, but said nothing as she noticed Estelle was there ready to welcome them. While Mirai smiled and soaked in her surroundings, strangely feeling as though everything was new and viewed by fresh eyes almost like a child in a candy store. Out of the two, Mirai was adapting more-so and if it wasn’t for the occasional furrowed brow that lingered, as if guilt was finding a way to fight through the brief respite; you’d think she was almost amused. She couldn’t help thinking Alliyah would have have been with them if she hadn’t been so hell bent and stubborn in staying with the remainder of the infected back home. ‘Had she perished with the rest of their people?’ Was a haunting thought and a question that Mirai wasn’t sure she wanted to know the answer too, but it remained carved into her subconscious. And it was something she just had to accept along with anyone else that may have been in her company.
“Come on.. “ Mirai tugged at Vitra’s hand as they met Estelle once more. This time feeling a little less troubled, Vitra finally found words and smiled towards Estelle. “Indeed we did old friend.” Mirai then interrupted and continued abruptly on, her curiosity got the better of her as it usually did. “So.. Er… what’s going on here? Are they celebrating, did something else happen while we were away? And do you mind if we stay a little? Vitra rolled her eyes at Mirai and shook her head. “Stop being so nosy. We do need to talk to Estelle, not sure if ‘here’ is the right place though. I still….. I still want to know what happened to you Estelle?” Vitra finished with a stern tone then looked around, her pointed little ears twitched with the sound of music. “Is there a place we can talk here? “
Ezekiel's gaze shifted to the citizens of this city that wandered around, still in high spirits about his capture, clearly they had yet to discover he was no longer within their holding cells. The celebration it seemed flowed out of the tavern, under which were the prison like cells where they had placed him, and walked away, though he had been more than willing to give himself up, a new opportunity arose and offered him his release, more like taunted his curiosity, but freedom was his once again.
Each time he spoke to the woman before him, the urge to see through the shadows grew within him, shifting his gaze from this darkening energy before, to the overwhelming dark energy that seemingly hugged his form as he remained within the shadows. A familiarity wrapped itself around him ever so slightly at first, but as it tighten it's hold on him he could sense something was very different about this energy, backed by the pulse of energy that slowly grew across the ancient language scrolled across his back.
Finally giving into the urges Ezekiel closed his eyes for but a moment, shifting his sight through the shadows that continued to grow heavier, upon opening his eyes he could see the thousands of souls writhing together, in ways no one would ever think possible, the abyssal realms he wandered for so long seemed like child's play in comparison. He reached his hand back to grip the hilt of one of the Ebony Sisters (dual desert eagles), his hand freezing in place just before he took hold of the gun, something else was within the shadows, possibly the source of such a promise of souls.
"I stand within the darkness and it shows me such promises of the souls, though it has yet to show it's form to me, I feel as I already know it." his words echoed throughout the shadows as his gaze catch sight of the dimming lights, opening his vision further the darker it grew. His gaze shifting as those that surrounded them began to act quite differently towards each other, in one form of another what many would call sinful acts, until finally he found the being, rather faint at first but as this new presence's energy grew with the thickening darkness, it grew more obvious to him that this was indeed the source, and dropped his hand from his weapon almost immediately. "Who are you?" were the only words he could figure at that point in time, his curiosity growing stronger by the minute.
Roaring thunder caused the heavens to rumble once again, and as Ruhl passed through into the dome once again, he was glad to be free of the pouring rain that pounded the outside territory. It took a few moments to clear the gathering of people that had wandered into the city as well, guards checking about their goods and what not, ensuring that the goods they were selling weren't in violation of any restrictions, but Ruhl eventually moved on. The man moved through what few people walked along the main road, standing a shoulder length above most due to his Shadier heritage, and as he went along a few would occasionally throw a glance towards him. By all means it wasn't surprising considering how drenched the forest green cloak was that hung from his shoulders, and besides that, Nocturne hung from his shoulder taking up most of the back half of his body. What was Nocturne? A long, modified version of the Mitherus that he carried in order to fulfill most jobs with precision and stealth. It had been with him for a few years ever since he'd quit his job working with a local arms dealer.
Ruhl continued along the narrow streets, and after some time he managed to find that familiar, bustling tavern from which he'd picked up the job. Was he aware it was typically filled with resistance members? Sure.. But regardless of his opinion of them, the drinks were cold, and the money was good. Pushing through the door, Ruhl felt the blast of warmth, and the sound of merriment as it collided with his senses. “The hell..?” he muttered as he reached up into the hood of his cloak, gloved fingers taking hold of the ebony tinted goggles that covered his eyes. “Hey, you there!” a familiar voice called out from behind the bar, a slender man grinning like he'd had a few drinks himself. “You do what I asked ya?” he said as Ruhl approached the bar in hand. An almost neon set of green eyes burned from beneath the hood as his lips pulled into a cocky smirk, two small pearls of white poking out over his ashen colored lips. “Did you doubt me?” he said as his free hand moved beneath the cloak to toy with something beneath that was attached to his belt. A few moments later he produced a very ugly looking coyote's head, several maws, and eyes scattered about it's unholy features. “That chimera has been messing with travelers for a few weeks. Good on you for taking care of it.” the man said before filling up a glass, setting the cold brew down in front of Ruhl. “I'll pay 1k credits as promised, and hell I'll even throw in a room and some food for the night in spirit of the celebration!” he cheered as the man reluctantly took the disgusting head to set behind the bar.
The sound of everyone carrying on caused Ruhl to roll his eyes, but he preferred it to being approached by resistance members. “So what's the occasion?” he asked, removing the large rifle from his shoulder by the strap before leaning it against the bar beside him, barrel up. As the bartender ignored his question and moved on to pour a drink, Ruhl chuckled and then proceeded to remove his cloak, scooting it beside his stool as it dropped in a wet heap behind him. It was then that anyone who hadn't guessed his lineage would notice the familiar details of one of the Shadier birth. The long lithe frame, joined by the appearance of long, pointed ears giving hint to his fey bloodline. Even his slender tail gave clues as it snaked about his left leg, coiled about it as if trying to make it's self less obvious. Indeed, even as he tried to hide some of those details beneath his messy cropping of chin length, gray hair, there was no hiding what he was.
“Eh whatever, heres to getting paid!” he said with encouragement to himself, reaching to take hold of the glass before tipping his head back to drain it's contents happily. The job was done.. and unless some unforeseen interruptions were to take place, Ruhl was going to put the day behind him with as much alcohol as he could consume.
Despite the other goings on in the town Fides attentions were fixed on Zeek. This man had attracted the attentions of the Nefas, and in doing so the Evincar himself had been called for. Zeek happened to have an incredibly rare lineage, the markings upon his flesh spoke to those ends. Were it not for such markings he likely would have been overlooked...that or looked down on with disdain. Instead Fides listened, though he had yet to speak or truly address the man. Instead he had slowly crept into this realm surrounding Zeek, encompassing him in his darkness. The Evincar was aware of this man's fugitive status, not wishing any form of medleing or interference he saw fit to take Zeek from here, though Zeek likely remained ignorant of that, seemingly entranced with the darkness that was Fides. 'Who are you?' Zeek asked into the abyss at only the faintest image of the Evincar, the words dismissing the silhouette, it evaporated away as the darkness returned removing all sense of sight for a moment. The impenetrable darkness the moment of transport to the Citadel within the Umbra, a place removed from the common realms yet connected to them all. The darkness was broken as six imperial purple eyes would open, their size seemed enormous as their gaze fell Squarely upon Zeek. A chorus of voices shattering the silence here, the ech only furthering the effect of the whispering mass. "Who we are is a thing that will remain a mystery to you for now child...a name at this point would be...superfluous. Instead we shall tell you what. We are your saviour both from that place and your other prison, the prison of which you have been subjected to from your conception. A profane thing robbing you of your true lineage. We will gift you true freedom...in time. First though, as in nothing is free, you will do a thing for us. This task, a simple one...a proving of sorts. One that we imagine goes well with your common actions, though now given purpose. as Fides spoke a token of Nefas would form from the ambient darkness, still remaining out of sight, the weight of the thing could be felt now though as Fides continued. with this, the souls of those you fell...those you kill, shall become yours. Here i set you out as a wolf among the sheep Zeek, go and gorge yourself accordingly. In time we will come for you again, and further educate you as to your true self, your actual lineage, and bestow upon you your birthright should you prove up to the task...go now back into the realms of men and feast. Know this, we are watching you now, you are indeed being tested.
Her silver gilded eyes spinning restlessly, she could feel him leaving, and taking the new one with him. Tilting her head, she pondered what it was that was going to happen with him, before shrugging it off. "Hmm.. " She turns her gaze back towards the tavern, and the loud noise from inside. A slight smirk crossed her face as she began to move back across the area that was between her and the lights from the tavern. As she moved, her body shifted back for her natural form, into flesh. Covered in black leather, and her skin tinged shades of blue in the violet lite sky. Pushing open the door to the tavern, she looked around. She could see groups together, conversing. Some seemed serious, she thought to herself. I wonder if they know I released him from their grasp. With a quick lighting up of her silver eyes, she snapped her fingers and allowed a shadow clone that looked just like Zeek, move from within a group that stood close to the bar. As she tilted her head, the silver and blue of her hair gliding over her shoulder, she twisted her fingers slightly, causing the clone to move across the floor. In full view of any who wished to see, or who would simply open their eyes and look around. Taking a hard step back, she bumped into a group of males that were loudly drunk behind her, causing their tankards of ale to spill over. The golden liquid splashing onto their own laps and to the floor, causing some others who were walking by to slip and fall into the same table. With a slight smirk, Cela moves away. Looking around, she taps her finger to her lips, wondering what other havoc she can cause before stepped outside again. Turning her head, she moves the clone around, having him weave through others acting as though he was trying to avoid being seen. Beyond him, sat a single man. Drinking alone, by all appearances. She turned her mind towards him, and drifted through others to get closer. The shadows in the corner began to darken some as she began to see the effect of being close to her on his face. He began to sweat, only a little at first as the first of his buried memories played to the surface of his mind. And then slowly, it began to trail down his face in small rivers as those past sins become clear in his mind. Playing relentlessly, over and over. Each time clearer than before. Moving closer yet again, he would be able to feel the pressure of her presence but only so far as to know he wasn't alone. One could hear him mumbling to himself, over and over. "No.. Enough. Stop it." The same words, over and over. Getting louder each time, until finally he could be heard screaming. With a slightly chuckle, Cela moved away. Leaving the screaming man trapped in his head, the shadows surrounding her darker than before. Weaving back towards the door, she moves slowly in order to see what other chaos she could have here. She ran her right hand down in the air, as though she was running it along someones neck. Making all those close to her shiver, and try to move away. She turned her eyes back towards the small group, tilting her head some as she snapped her fingers quickly,, releaseing her body back into its true form and allowing the dark blue shadows that was her trade mark fill the area. Dimming the lights quickly as she made her way to the door that led outside, still smirking as she could hear the short screams from those around her who were already afriad of the dark.
Mirai grumbled lowly at Vitra’s stern words. She had always been the same, bossy and assertive; a real ‘Miss Prim and Proper.’ Compared to Mirai who was simply a free spirit. This attitude from Vitra was usually the beginning of Mirai’s rebellian, as whenever she was told not to do something, or that she couldn’t, she felt it her responsibility to prove otherwise.Usually out of spite and likely stubbornness, but either way it was going to happen, like it or not.
While Vitra was distracted with Estelle, Mirai zoned out of the conversation, so many strange faces around her, such distracting noises and all drinking the interesting Ale like substance that seemed alien to her Ravanese home. She wanted to explore just as she had outside the wall after seeing the Darakai for the first time, the fascination between her and them was very much apparent. “I will do what I like..” She whispered under her breath, not loud enough for her counterpart to hear but for herself as a conformation of sorts.
Something did catch her attention almost immediately however as her bluish pools glanced from face to face and slight elongated ears twitched in response to the loud smashing of glass along with aggressive tones of a group nearby and the shadie figure that weaved within the crowds by the bar. Careful not to collide with the sudden bodies that had slipped on the wet slippery tavern floor. The woman stood out from most with her oddly tainted flesh, such movements fluid and erratic as she slithered into a gathering of people before disappearing from her gaze. Mirai bit her lip and then drifted away herself and left Vitra and Estelle without giving a second thought, likely they wouldn’t even notice her absence which somewhat amused Mirai instantly and rose stained lips curled into a proud smirk.
A sudden bump of shoulder was what shook her out of following the woman to which she immediately peered upwards as a tall male with suspicious eyes shot passed her in a hurry. The bump was enough for her shoulder to tingle and Mirai furrowed her brow, turned and snapped. “Watch it.. Idiot..” Before she carried on towards the bar. The man didn’t even acknowledge her words and Mirai simply shook her head. For some reason the Tavern seemed fuller than before, even though she and Vitra were stood by the entrance for quite some time, she was sure no-one else had passed them but, soon the small groups of people seemed to cast a wider net, some argued and bickered while others were more expressive with their hands. Loud thumps and clanking pitchers seemed to surround her yet there was no sign of the woman? ‘Where did she go?’ She thought as the abrupt irate shrieking of a man could be heard over the otherside of the bar, Mirai was now in hunt mode, sky blue orbs darted from group to group hoping she would catch sight of the woman once more or at least get to the bottom of the sudden change in mood and perhaps finally taste the Ale that soaked Tavern air, so potent it was increasingly hard to ignore.
Estelle nodded as she heard Mirai speak the music was getting louder and the sound of glass shattering could be heard. Simon was already manning the bar and helping as much as he could and Yune one couldn’t be sure where she had slunk off to but Estelle figured at least one place she could be found if needed. “ Yes, I know of a few places… there is an office somewhere that is pretty quiet that we can talk at.” There was no getting around things but where was she going to start was the question. Her tale was a rather strange one, to say the least, “ To answer at least one question you can stay as long as you like or as needed. “ She looked them over only to find that Mirai had vanished but she didn’t sweat it. She trusted them both and Gordon was pretty much safe the community was tight-knit and spies didn’t get too far with the mix of Makai and Sions around that were proficient with magics that were set in place to protect if someone got funny ideas. “ Well, “ She looked over to Vitra “ I guess it is us… I have a room where we can slip off to and I can explain everything that would be a lot quieter as well.” She’d offer an arm to her, a soft smile spreading on her lips. She glanced behind her only for a moment and while she couldn’t find Yune she saw Simon manning the bar. She took note of the stranger sitting there but didn’t think much of it mercenaries and the like were normal occurrences since the rebellion had started through her eyes settled on what she thought was a tail and made a mental note to investigate later. As far as she knew she, Yune, and now Mirai and Vitra were the only Shadier left the others had vanished. She pushed the distraction out of her mind tho as she waited for Vitra’s answer.
That first glass of that amber colored ale soothed every fiber in Ruhl's body it seemed, or at least it would from an outside perspective as he let out a soothed “Ahh..”, before seating himself on the stool behind him. It was pretty much the most anticipated part of his day besides getting paid. Hell, it looked like the last couple days that were spent hunting down the damn chimera were hell compared to the enjoyment of a good drink, and some rest, but just as he licked his lips at the prospect of having another ale he heard the god awful noise of some man letting out an awkward, shrill scream. Long ears twitched from beneath the gray tangles of hair that cascaded about his face. “The hell..?” he asked himself, turning to try and get a look at the origin of the scream. Just as he began to focus amungst the sea of people mulling about in the bar a man struck his shoulder with his drunken form, and the lights began to dim unnaturally. “Oh come on!” he protested at the fate of things, grinding the two pearly white tips into his bottom lip. The last thing he wanted to deal with was a tavern sized brawl, or some spooky happenings, and as he reached for the ale that the blessed bartender had somehow poured him when he wasn't looking, Ruhl was struck in the back by another drunken man causing his drink to spill. “Alright! That's it!” he roared, his neon, green orbs widening as he reached to his hip.
Now that the drenched cloak had been removed, Ruhl was dressed rather simply in nothing more than a dingy, gray linen shirt, and a pair of black breeches that seemed to descend into a pair of black, combat boots. In fact, the only reason to mention the outfit at all was to note that since he'd gotten rid of the cloak, anyone would notice the large handgun that was concealed in a holster at his side. A single thickened strap of leather gripped the upper left side of his hip and descended across some very low regions of his front before fastening to the holster against his right thigh. When he'd issued that statement of being fed up, a quick hand drew the gun, better known to Ruhl as Bella, and with it positioned beneath the chin of the man who spilled his drink he eyeballed him wildly. “The next person who pisses me off is gonna' have a talk with Bella! You get me?!” he half asked, half commanded. The man's gaze was one of pure terror, and quickly he apologized profusely in order to save himself from having his head melted clean off. Still, in all that panic, and insanity, Ruhl felt as though some eyes were upon him. It caused him to lift his gaze towards Estelle, but considering the time it took to break his threatening gaze from the man, he didn't caught anyone looking. “Alright buddy, now step up to the bar and apologize to the man. After you do, make sure you order me something expensive!” he commanded, twirling the gun in his grasp before letting it elegantly fall back into the holster as his hand guided it down in one swift movement. Just like that, Ruhl's arm slipped around the man whom he'd just freshly threatened, hugging his shoulders with a sudden grin on his face. “Cheer up, buddy! It's pay day!” he said with glee.
The encompassed darkness offered no touch per say, no cold nor warmth crossed the dead flesh across Zeek's body, just the constant familiarity, like the comfort of a childhood blanket as it were. The surrounding sights faded out with the light of the city they once stood in, knowing he was no longer on the plane of existence, let alone that particular planet, where he was was still unknown to him, there was nothing to be seen after the faint image of the being that remained within the shadows faded after he spoke to it, as though to trigger some form of reaction.
The moment the darkness removed all sense of sight was the moment Zeek understood he wasn't dealing with just any dark entity, he had heard whispers and rumors as these creatures who were known only to be Darkness, in it's the level below the purest of forms, created by the Darkness itself to reclaim all that once was. Never in all the years of his existence did he ever think for an instant that he would come face to face, or in this case, face to darkness, with such a being, though he had always wondered if the rumors were true.
Zeek's gaze shifted around the emptiness of this new location, though at first it was nothing more than black, he sensed something more was there, focusing the darkened sight he could vaguely make out the broken silhouette of seemed like some form of a window, as the image of it slowly cleared up six enormous purple eyes set their gaze squarely upon him. The very sensation of these eyes on him left his mind in a whirlwind of curiosity, but hearing the whispering mass of echoes surrounding him was more than he ever thought possible. He himself could cast his voice through the shadow in almost the same manner, but this was the voices of hundreds of thousands all speaking to him from every possible direction.
{continued}
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/12/2019 09:47AM by CardinalSinn.
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CardinalSinn
Re: Ancient Scrolls
April 12, 2019 09:48AM
'Another prison since conception? what does it mean by that?' were the only thoughts dancing in his mind as he listened to the words spoken by this entity, his past seemingly lost with his memories were a key to his existence, this was clear now more than ever. Seeing without actually seeing it, Zeek reached out towards a sense of weight almost directly in front of him, a simple but profane symbol as it were in most realms, an inverted cross. His darkened gaze taking in the simple sight of it, and grinning at the monstrous ideals it held. "A purpose for collecting souls? There is no room within the darkness for the weak.." the words that Zeek hadn't spoken for what seemed like a lifetime now left his lips with absolute ease, as though he never stopped speaking them.
Placing the not so simple token around his neck he would wear this with a sort of pride as it were, the words of true lineage, birthright and true self danced in his mind, should he be up to the task would be no question in his mind, he would not lose sight of the path before him again, he would be true to his nature and prove this in any way he could to this darkness that watched him even more closely than before. As though he just swore loyalty to dark lord, he placed his right fist over the left side of his chest and lowered his top half towards the being, his way of beginning to prove his worth, "I shall not disappoint".
Standing up right once again, a dark thought rolled through his mind, bringing a devilish grin to his lips, he had a debt to settle with a young woman on that planet, one he was sure to clear before going any further down this new path, and with the words that were spoken from this dark entity, he would carry it out in the most fitting of ways, a way he was well known for to begin with. Turning around he began to walk into the darkness, keeping a clear thought as to where he wanted to go, just as the surrounding darkness completely closed around him, his steps would take him back to the planet from which he was taken from, but back within the city protected by the magical dome, no quite a bit further out in fact, closer to where the rebel had found him before taking him to the city. He remembered seeing an encampment of loyalist soldiers in between the city and the location of the young woman's hide out, an encampment filled with thousands of soldiers, souls ripe for the picking. He would not pass up the opportunity to kill two birds with one stone, proving himself to the darkness as requested, and clearing a debt he had no intentions of being held over him for any reason whatsoever.
If the rebel had gone much deeper into the forest past the infected village, they would have stumbled upon this encampment, and most likely would have been taken hostage, if not worse. It was clear they had no intentions of meeting these forces head on, not like the Harbinger, he had no desires to fall to such weak beings let alone some mutated version of his blood. He had one clear thought in his mind as he strolled through the blackening forest around him, walking in and out of the shadows as though they were doorways taking him that much closer to the encampment that much quicker, a faint stream of shadows flowing from his body seeped into the surrounding shadows of the forest, not so much as a call to them but more so a way to control the shadows, allowing him the ability to use every shadow that was casted throughout the forest. Casting out his shadowy sight he was able to spot a couple of guards just at the perimeter of the camp, his right hand coming up to the set of throwing knives, known to him as pins and needles, at his right thigh and pulled the required amount from the snug sheath, manipulating the shadows in such a way that he would be able to throw both blades towards these men, and have an absolute clear shot, aiming true towards their foreheads, each of the small blades sinking in more than far enough to drop both the guards, "Foolish beings, helmets are meant to keep your brains from harm." he voice was low and taunting as he stepped over the bodies on his way past, taking note of the stream of black fog flowing from their mouths and flowed along the forest floor towards him. Was this what the entity meant by collecting souls for himself? The only time he had seen something similar was when he called his black blood back to him after it absorbed a being.
His heavy steps made no sounds as he reach the position he desired, thick streams of shadows now flowing towards his form as he held his palms outwards, now calling the shadows back to his being, "Kar ro gan," (Come to me) the faint words echoed throughout the shadows that surrounded him, each one seemingly twisting and moving at his command, each one gathering before him. He pulled the leather glove from his right hand and tucked it away in his back pocket of the thick denim pants that loosely hugged his waist before gripping the hilt of the damascus blade, known to him as Abyssal Rage, that rested at his back, he had always hated the idea of shedding his own blood, but it was quite entertaining to watch the events unfold afterwards, holding the sharpened edge in his bare hand he would gently pull it across his flesh, "Arki dae tensa gan mir ouls" (Arise and bring me their souls), whispered echoes crept across the gathered shadows as the blackened blood from his palm fell into them, creating a reaction of sorts. The pools of shadows beginning to bubble up, collecting and forming to create deformed looking humanoid like beings, blood red eyes being the only thing to stand out from the pitch black forms that stood before him moment before they all took off towards the encampment, each one carried with it no sounds, each one passing through the wooded area like there were no trees, each one will one goal in mind, find the souls.
As the shadowy army descended upon the encampment, echoes of voices could be heard throughout, the soldiers finding themselves completely surrounded by these monstrous beings, and when they thought it would be as simple as cutting them down, the minimal explosions as each one began popping would cover these men and women in a thick tar like substance, Zeek's own blood. Agonizing screams filled the air for miles around, without a doubt they could be heard with in the city despite the distance between the locations, the blood ooze absorbing and devouring every once of organic material it touched, taking with it the energy the material once held. Zeek's steps calm as he continued to stroll through the camp, only ever having to swing his blade at the on coming attacker as they would attempt to end their own misery, a clear path towards the commanding officers tent, knowing he would find the coward hiding under his desk no doubt.
This was not the case, the commander was in fact waiting for him as he entered the tent, a full swing of the man's sword barely missing his form as the shadowy sight caught the glint of light off the blade before it came down in front of him, Zeek taking a small step back allowing the blade to pass right pass his chest. "Now that's no way to greet your ex Commanding officer no is it?" a dark grin crossed his lips as he tightened his grip on the damascus. "You're a traitor, one who deserves the fiery pits of the abyss for eternity." the man responded with such anger, "I've been there before, they are quite lovely, let me show you how to get there."
With no hesitation the man before him drew his blade back than thrusted it forward towards Zeek's side, typical standard movements, it was why Mardu would lose this battle, his men weren't trained to think outside the proverbial box. With a simple turn the blade's edge missed his side, but than turned inwards towards his body, another quick step back and the blade missed as it sliced past his stomach. "You're truly gonna have to do better than that if you want to send me back to the abyss.." his words taunted the man, furthering the rage that built up with in his mind. The screams outside the tent would continue though now not as many could be heard, sadly it was not something Zeek would be able to show this man, the fall of his entire force, but he had every inclination to show him first hand what happens when you cross the Harbinger of darkness. The man's movements becoming less coherent, almost erratic as he swung the blade without cause, more and more effort being placed into the attack, but far less thought as to the motion of the blade, though it was entertaining at first, Zeek grew bored, simple steps to avoid such strokes of a blade, but he was able to guide the man outside his tent, into the blackened pit that was left of his men.
The commanding officer froze in his movements as his gaze caught sight of the encampment, black bubbling pools left in every direction, with no sight of a single being left alive, no body parts to be seen as evidence of those who were here only moments before hand, no blood nothing. The absolute shock that carried through the man brought a devilish laughter from Zeek's lips. "Ruget." (Return) the command echoed outwards from Zeek's form causing the bubbling pools to calm and begin to flow towards him, gathering at his feet at first, but then slowly began to build up around him, slowly covering his entire form until nothing of his body could be seen, until the blackened ooze absorbed back into his form, leaving Zeek to take in a deep breath and exhaling with a light "Aah" as his body relaxed. The man still frozen in place couldn't believe what he had just witnessed, he had heard the stories of Mardu's Harbinger, but had never seen it with his own eyes, it was like nothing else in all the worlds.
With dark thought tickling his mind, Zeek turned and began to walk away, leaving the man to remain frozen for however long it would take for him to realize there was nothing left where he was, which didn't take him long at all really. Zeek anticipated as much and gripped the hilt of Abyssal Rage, channelling his own energy into it causing it to ignite in a blackened abyssal flame, the man taking off towards him with a battle cry of absolute anger, blade at the ready as he ran at the fastest pace he could manage. Quickly turning back around Zeek swung the damascus blade in the man's direction, a force and heat like that of an atom bomb going off left the blade as it swung, incinerating the man almost instantly, causing the entire area behind him to ignite into a furious blaze, setting the forest on fire so intense the falling rain would be simply evaporate before reaching the flames themselves. "Let it be known, my debt is paid in full." his words echoed through the lands as his form seemingly faded into the shadows once again.
With only a small smirk crossing her face, Cela moves about the room, staying in her true form. Others who look towards her will only see a darkened area, one that for reasons they don't understand, fills them with fear. The screaming coming from the one man has calmed down to only mewling now, as he is still unable to move past the thoughts that still fill his mind of his past deeds. Moving towards an empty table near the entrance, she shifts back into a body again. A hard and quick shudder passes through her as her distain is clearly seen on her face. Filth, she thinks, covered in filth.. "Perhaps I can have some fun though. Would make it worthwhile wearing this skin bag.." Her words were softly spoken, so none could hear but her. Her spinning silver gilded eyes roamed across the room, taking in the small fights breaking out. Hearing the harsh words spoken by one at the bar that she had passed over before in favor of the table, she tilted her head some, watching as he pulled a rather neat looking weapon out, and shoved it up beneath another's chin. With a quick chuckle, she allows the shadows to fade away, bringing back the normal light for here. She then moved her gaze to land on the clone she had made of the other shadow being that she had released. Leaning over some towards another patron, she asked, "What is everyone so happy for? Did something happen?" Her voice would have sounded odd to any and all. The chorus of millions of different tones below her own, all speaking in a harsh harmony. Cela's tone over them all, with the steel of massive will power, to keep them all under control. Listening for a moment, she simply smiles. A creepy look for one of her kind, but it fit. Someone, without knowing it, She had released a prisoner that, for some unknown reason, had worked for the other side of things here. "Hmm, I wonder what will happen.." The words trailed off as she sees the drenched stranger at the bar getting more to drink. The smells filling her nostrils was repugnant, at best. Still.. She used her fingers to move the clone along the bar. Moving him closer and closer to the stranger with the guns and the free drinks. Making it appear that he was trying to hide, just not doing it very well. Not very well at all. Tilting her head, Cela then noticed the smaller being, the one who was roaming freely about the room, in search of something.. Or someone? Unsure of what it is that the being was looking for, Cela made no apparent moves to hide herself, wondering if she had been seen. And not caring if she was seen. Still.. Could add another element of fun. Those who say close to her began to get noisy, their inhibitions lowered to the point that the anger was easily brought to the surface. Causing one male to stand abruptly, knocking his chair backwards to land on the floor with a loud thunk. Yelling at those with him, he sweeps his arm across the table, knocking the tankards and cups onto the floor. With a small snicker, Cela moves her feet avoiding the barage of them coming her way. Instead, she stood and began to make her way through the throngs of people again, going up to the bar. Wondering what type of michief she can cause up here..
With a quick grin, she can feel as the one she released returns to the same place as she, just further away. She can feel him pulling at the shadows, drawing them up to him. And the massive pain that he suddenly swept through the camp. She laughs loudly as she can feel the dispair of those around him, and leans forward, bracing herself against the bar. Her laughter coming quick and joyful for her, as she so enjoys what he is doing. She claps her hands together as she watchs the end of it, and wonders if Fides would enjoy the show as much as she did? Perhaps more so, as he would have been watching much closer than she. Cela only noticed because she has a much closer connection to the shadows themselves than most beings do, even those of her own kind.
This woman must of been some sort of hallucination, a figment of her imagination maybe? Or a possible side effect to her transformation perhaps? If not, then where on earth did she go? Mirai tussled with these notions quite a bit as she made her way back through the bellowing crowds of people. She was small, much smaller than most of the men and even a majority of the women that stood scattered about the bar which made it a little easier for her to slip in and out of crowd, but was also a hindrance as it made it near on impossible to see across the area.
Frustration was slowly niggling away at her, and it was becoming rather apparent as her bluish pools began to darken into something quite the opposite. The sable blackness slowly engulfed the light of her iris and blended with the sheen of pupils, along with the glyphs that darkened down her spine and along her arm. Which could be seen peeking along the pale flesh visible. To look at it would appear really quite majestic, yet she was completely unaware of the effects her mood was having on herself, let alone the strange looks that had passed her, distracted by the vibrations of tables that spreaded and screeched to a halt across the floor of her chosen path, the spill of Ale dampened ground and the strange darkness that seemed to have descended around them.
“What the hell is going on?...” She spoke out under her breath as it almost seemed as though she was surrounded. The circle closing in all around her it was almost suffocating. And then.. Came the unexpected elbow to her ribcage as a huge male shot up from his seat and begun to yell as he upturned the table just as she had made it to the bar, the blow sent her back a few paces. Her back hitting the back of the Male she had witnessed moments ago having a disagreement with another punter. “Shit…” She yelped instantly as she stepped forward and away from him as swiftly as she could and spinned around to face him. “I mean, sorry..” Dark orbs shot up at the male before she kicked back at a pitcher that hit the back of her heels. Subconsciously hoping that the man that elbowed her would trip and fall on it. Her curious orbs darted from the male she nudged to the familiar and suspicious character that seemingly moved along the bar towards them. Mirai immediately narrowed troubled eye’s before the abrupt sound of clapping took her sights to the other end of the bar, back to the female she had being trying to follow, for whatever reason was unknown. “You….” Almost relieved that she wasn’t going insane.
That delicious mug of ale.. so frosty, and so welcomed. It shined in front of him as the man ordered him another mug of the good stuff, and with a sudden smile forming he went to take hold of it's precious handle. Of course, as fate tended to do, a sudden series of oddities and interruptions began to take place. First, he felt a sudden sensation that caused the tail coiled about his leg to squeeze at him, the hairs on the back of his neck also standing up as well. It was enough to cause his right ear to twitch beneath his hair, and his head to turn slightly towards the disturbance. If not mistaken, he thought that someone was manipulating energies similar to the ones that he'd been attuned with from his birth. While he wasn't super practiced and studied in the nature of shadows, they still had a keen connection with his bloodline, and thus there were certain sensitivities to the element. However, there couldn't be any time to worry about that as another person, smaller, and more vulgar mouthed, slammed into him. Eyes seemed to almost diminish into cat-like slits, the neon green burning like an unholy flame. “You've got to be kidding me!” he hissed, turning almost immediately. Already a hand was descending down towards Bella, but as he suddenly spotted the curious person his eyebrow raised.
This one didn't look anything like the others in the tavern, and honestly with that strange hue in her eyes she was starting to creep him out. “Damn right sorry!” he suddenly announced, beginning to lecture her. “When a man is just trying to have a drink, and people are bouncing around here and there.. it's pretty damn frustrating to get bumped into every 5 seconds. If all these rebel bastards would just CALM DOWN!!” he said with an almost child-like stomp at the floor below him. Of course that couldn't possibly be the end of the occurrences because right about then a strange man seemed to be creeping up on him with eyes locked on his position. He'd noticed the man before the girl bumped him, but a large tavern full of people provided a lot of wandering eyes.
Ruhl huffed and reached a hand out towards the girl, holding up a finger as a scowl formed on his angular features. “One moment sweetie, and don't worry about it!” he said quickly as he turned towards the man that was approaching. One hand instinctively went to the grip of Bella, while the younger girl would likely notice the leathery, cord-like tail unraveling from his leg to reach over and coil around the strap of Nocturne, the rifle leaning against the bar next to him. It would draw it close, leaning it against his body as green eyes narrowed. This whole crazy bar situation was starting to be way less worth it by the minute, and aside from a free room, Ruhl was starting to wonder if he should even stick around. “Can I help you, pal?!” he barked out at the man as he took an oddly casual stance with both shoulders almost leaning back, his midsection in a type of slump. While it looked casual and lazy, Ruhl was in the most comfortable, and angle effective position to shoot someone if necessary.
CardinalSinn
Re: Ancient Scrolls new
May 13, 2019 05:57PM
the setting for this RP is Renascence, where Fides awaits the arrival of Cel and Ez.
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This place exist every where an no where, reachable through one surprisingly simple method. In order to reach this place ones physical form must be engulfed in darkness, which is doable through any number of means. This place may also be reached on occasion through sincere prayer to darkness which a Kinn answers and brings that person here. This place is called Nexus by Kinn and exist deep within the Umbra, which goes by a number of other names, such as the void, or the empty. Upon emerging from the darkness that person emerges here before the large "C" shaped plateau. This place is in a state of eternal twilight, and emanates an aura of darkness and foreboding that even the most oblivious can pick up on. The area out side the plateau is an impressive bit of masonry, bricks laid out as far as perception can perceive. The opening in the plateau is relatively small, perhaps forty to fifty feet wide. Both sides of the opening are adorned with impressively large and dark "guardian angel" statues, their gaze cast downward to those whom would enter, blades firmly grasped in both hands, wings spread high and proudly behind them. Natural stone work bridges the threshold of the opening, with a small natural stone path leading into the inside hollow. The center of this hollow is encompassed by ancient stone work which much resembles stone henge, the stones themselves seemingly onyx with impressive silver Celtic knot inlay. At their epicenter is an altar to make offerings to the Kinn and their dark god. Above the altar and rotating in a clockwise direction, the stones themselves are dark, likely the same stone which composes the henge though these pulse with a potent deep crimson energy. Just beyond the henge is a massive twisted tree its branches reaching high into the air, their black cross foliage constantly descending into the hollow, evaporating shortly after they make contact with a person or the ground. The bark of the tree massive as it is seems to be made of millions of tormented souls, their eternal agony frozen in time. The cliff that ascend the back of the hollow are home to a number of waterfalls, their torrents strangely never gathering or accumulating upon the ground below them as logic would dictate. Floating at about the middle of the cliffs very near the tree are three separate stone areas, large enough to fit about three people comfortably. Atop the plateau are a number of buildings, the right home to an old long abandoned and decrepit church, the left a tall tower which looks out over and into the area within the plateau. The center rear was home to a "Citadell" a religious building where Kinn gather, an impressive gothic architectural structure resembling a mixing Notre dame with an old medieval castle.
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Her mind is closed to so many things, her body apart from her. She swims in a world of words, and she has not seen or spoken to another being in more years than she cared to count. She is trapped, by herself. I AM CELATAIN… No.. The words whispered back to her softly.. You are Celeste. Her anger grows slightly, as yet another set of emotions come into her. She doesn't understand how she can feel anything, she has no body, no heart. And yet, at the oddest times, she will feel. She has so many emotions inside her mind, Love, Hate, Anger, Pain, Fear.. Fear… That is my way out she thinks. I have to fear, we have to fear so that I can get out. To be able to walk again.. To kill again. Her blood lust was so high, that she remembered the taste of blood on her tongue. The copper of it, how would make her jaws tingle as it coated her throat and body during battle. She remembers how she ended up here, how the spell worked. The memories flash back into her mind, bringing her own pain back from it. On her knees, in a darkly shadowed woods. The small night animals who would normally be out, were silent on this night. No sounds could be heard but her own sobbing, and the clanking from her chains and manacles. The soft rustling of the robes of those who surrounded her, sounded almost like a breeze. She lowers her head, her tears falling to the ground and slowly creating a shadow field around her, covering the arcane markings that surrounded her, and held her in place. As she struggled against the chains, she started to scream.. Her mind having split from the grief and drama. Celeste is there in chains, having been tracked and caught by a large groups of magi. They took the necklace from her, and was able to subdue her. She killed many of them, and was still covered in their blood. Shaking her head, her black and silver hair flaring out around her, with speck of blood in it. She hears the chanting, and looks up screaming at them, " I WILL RETURN, AND I WILL HAVE MY REVENGE ON YOU!!" Within moment of her saying this, she could hear the wind whirling around her, throwing her leather around and making her hair spin and the chains rattle. Her screams were drowned out by the chanting of the 12 magi that surrounded her. In the hands of the one who stood directly in front of her, was a large dark blue book.. A tome. Covered in the darkest blue leather, spell bound by many hands. Her screams began to change, going from enraged to pain and fear. Her mind.. Part of it was being pulled away, taken against her will. Within the depths of her mind, a calm voice spoke out. "We are Celatain together. For now we must be apart, for you are Celeste, and I am Cela. I feel nothing, while you feel to much." Almost like a stroke upon her mind, Celeste Screamed out once more, before she was in another place, empty of anything but words...She thinks to herself as she floats there still, many years later, Only someone that Cela knows and trusts can let me out, in only a moment of fear is needed for me to emerge on my own. To pull the ribbon that binds the book, and to call forth me by name… Her thoughts wondered off as she knew that she would never be able to leave here…….
Fides had run across Cela during its meanderings of the various realms her form had attracted the Evencar's attention as she was naturally quite close to being Kinn already. During their conversations over time Cela had made Fides aware of a tome in her possession, and what those pages held. Fides remained relatively ignorant of the story behind just how it had come to pass, but was aware it was a thing which she desired. Why shouldn’t she, she had been torn asunder. and was as far as it was concerned "incomplete", robbed of the power she possessed. Her form even as it was when Fides had run across her help promise, there was a potential and natural sort of kinship the Evencar acknowledged. Were Fides to rejoin them her form would only grow in power, and make her quite useful to the Kinn. That being what it was a deal had been proposed for Fides to retrieve this tome and make whole what had been torn asunder, for a being such as it was the melding and molding of things such as souls was common place. The Evencar was directly responsible for the creation of a number of species within the Kinn, "birthing" new species was a thing it was well acquainted with. Joining Celeste and Cel in theory would be well with its reach and effort. However nothing was ever free, in return for this favor Cel would need offer fealty, and accomplish a number of tasks before the Evencar would set about joining the two back into a singular being. In turn for this initial task Fides had bestowed upon her a number of souls, and brought her into the ranks, setting her out to spread Veritas and seek out the worthy. It had not taken long for her to prove her usefulness. Her tome was a thing which was easy to find, it sat inside a crystal barrier which shimmered hinting at the power of the book within. It was situated within her manor, between two bookshelves. It was not at all hidden and in theory easily accessible. There were however a number of precautions she had put in place which prevented the book from being taken by just any person, Fides fell within the condition to retrieve the book though. The book itself was a dark blue color, sealed further with a bit of enchanted silver twine. It would retrieve the tome now as was part of their bargain taking care not to undo the seal any further. Only taking possession of the book and returning to the Citadel in Nexus, at which point it would reach out the black blood and make them aware of a task, a simple one, retrieve Cel and bring her to the Citadel so that fides might make well on the bargain it had struck. At which point the Evencar would also fulfill its Bargain to the black blood and give him the location of the man he sought out.
After she had completed her mission within the world she had entered unknowingly, the male being which had *called out* to her, in such a manner she answered and even took it one step further. Unbeknownst to her, having showing him how to get himself out of the bars that held his body in place, she had released him and allowed him to make contact with the one she herself looked up to. She had released him from the bindings of the flesh and set him on a different path, one that allowed for a true beginning of who and what he was. She kept her steps steady, as much as one such as she steps. But further and futher away from Fides and the male, she took herself. Unwilling and unwanting to keep further contact with him and knowing the Fides would do whatever it was that he did, and keep the male busy, no doubt collecting souls. Her traveling and meandering brought her to a small village, one that held less than a hundred souls, but gave her a small sense of entertainment for a short while. She passed an inn, the shouting within telling her it could be a fine place to go to for a while and see what she could have happen insi… Her thoughts narrowed, the intenseness crossing her face would have created fear in the very soul of anyone who would have looked at her.Her manor had been entered, she thought, “Fides..” She whispered softly to herself. She knew it had been him who had entered, and had somehow managed to get to the tome. The book that held another part of her, one that held power unlike any other. Her eyes narrowed, the silver glinting now in the moonlight the drifted down from the clouded sky. Only moments later, she felt the male, the one she had released. Searching for her, she had left the tether between them. Unsure as to what her intentions are, doing that, but as she could tell he seemed to have a knack for using the shadows like her, she allowed the blue to darken, her *color* so to speak. What he was using to find her, and make it easier. And in turn, also sent a message. Her voice flowed along the lines between them, crossing through the space and time the still kept them apart. The softness of it a contrast to the tones fighting below her own, “So you came to find me, have you? And do you feel you have made yourself worthy of the gift granted you?” Like a stroke upon his mind, she could still see his thoughts. “You have gotten rid of your flesh, yet you seem to harbor so much inside you.So much resentment, such… sin.” She moved out of the village, out in the empty fields surrounding it. Knowing that now he would be compelled to come to her, but even still. Her thoughts were not wholy on playing with his mind, but instead on her book.
The fact the black blood was already enroute to finding the being that practically handed him the means of escape, during a time in which he was neither alive nor dead, he couldn't help but wonder of the interest Fides held for her. Many theories flowed through his mind but not one would truly lead in any one direction, the idea she had helped him to escape out of nothing more than entertainment still played in his mind, furthered only by the fact she had left the tether between their minds attached, and once more furthered when she made it even easier for him to find her, to what end? Why would she walk away from the dealing only to allow him the easement of being able to find her at a later date. It truly didn't make a lot of sense to him, but he had been given a task from the Evincar himself, one he would not turn away from.
The darkness that surrounded him felt more and more like "home" as it were, the freedom it gave him to move wherever his mind pleased was by far the greatest gift Fides could have ever given him, true freedom. It didn't take him long to find the woman, out in an empty field outside a small village of maybe a 100 souls or so, the very scent of sin on every level flowing in the air made it clear as to why she stayed here even for the short time she did. For the time being he would remain within the shadows casted along the ground, even though she would have no problems being able to pick him out as she could use the shadows as he did, just one more thing to add to the list of why he rather enjoyed this woman's company. "Numquid vere unquam aliquis dignus aliquo bono quod in me erat? (Is one ever truly worthy of a gift that was bestowed upon me?)" he remembered all too well just how much this one found great entertainment in playing her mind games, "Sit enim quod in cordibus vere potest non dimittet, tenendo Tales enim post peccatum, ita et longa, seorsum fieri non tendunt ad nos: melius agit, quam nos causam nostrae fuerunt propter maius bonum. (What we harbor may never truly be let go, after holding onto such sin for so long, it tends to become apart of us, drives us to be better than we were for the greater good of our cause.)"
With the tether between them still as strong as the first day he called out to her, he was able to sense her mind was elsewhere, though he wasn't entirely sure as to where per say, he could make out a rather odd looking book of sorts, a curiosity growing within his own thoughts. "Evincar signauit nos et te in domum suam, dicens: etsi nulla sponsione ad hoc quod in quantum sumus de Their invitationem-bet quod iam tibi sentiri post eam rem Their (The Evincar has enlisted us to bring you home, though there is no saying as to the extent of their invitation, we would wager to bet that you have already sensed their purpose behind it.)" It was than he chose pull his form from the shadows, just enough to create a faint shadowy image of himself, pitch black head to toes in the varying shades only to show features along his frame, the runic spells and other tattoo like markings he had as a fleshling were still very much there, but no other scars of the multitude of experiments or the years of torture would be seen. The only major contrast that could be seen would be the silver chains that were strung from his horns, a set of chains hung from either side of his hips, or even those that wrapped around his wrist and neck, many would think them nothing more than show, but he had learned he came to enjoy the thought of using these chains in various ways, binding or weapons depending on his frame of mind at the time. "Et exitus nos habeamus, quia vestrum est, tu nobiscum iter ad arcem, scire et aurum quod Evincar Qui enim post captam paroeciae possessionem? (The question we have for you is, will you travel with us back to the Citadel, or will ignore that which the Evincar has taken possession of?)"
Cela shifted her eyes slightly, the silver gleaming pools of depths untold by many. A small tilt of her head as she watched the male slowly show himself, the games he seemed to finally learned how to enjoy within the shadows. And those that she herself played in the minds of others. “Tu missus nunc, ad indagre alios? Sicut canis qui vult placere dominum suum?” (("Are you being sent now, to track down others? Like that of a dog who wishes to please their master?")) With the smirk crossing her face, she turned to fully meet this male as he showed his form, the dark blue shadows swirling around her robed form. The soft clinking of the beads in her hand such a loud sound, for such a small item. In her full form like this, she stood much taller than the small beings in the town behind them. Ranging in height of thirteen feet now, she kept her body not wholey formed. Almost like that of the a picture, a bit out of focus. The lines that would normally create the form were shrouded and misty. Her mind still followed that of her book, so she was not fully paying attention to what the male was saying.. Until he had mentioned that he had been sent to fetch her. With that, she chuckled ever so softly and moved to glide around him. The motions effortless on her part, creating small whirlpools of a mix of black and blue shadows. Her hands kept clasped together across her middle, the clacking of the beads still shadowed against the whispers and screams that stemmed from around Cela.Her own voice, using english played like silk across his mind. The sins that would have been brought forth to his mind from her being so close, weighted heavy against him. “Et qui indicavit tibi, quid te missi sunt? In et et sunt tibi indicavit causa missi sunt?rationes, cur in Evencar sensit tanti erat, ut ipse mitteret esse post me? Et unum quod habeo deditionem?” (("And were you told why you were sent? The reasons as to why he felt it was so important that The Evenscar send a being after me? And one that I have already given to him once?")) She let the words trail off a bit before stepped away and allowing her form to fade into the shadows. She shifted her body into the shadow paths and forged her own way back to him… One of the only ones who would have been able to compel Cela to do anything, much less return. Or who would have had enough sense of mind to fully realize the extent of the tome that he had taken from her manor. Drifting into what is now her home, the soft whispers of terror wafted along the air, announcing the arrival of the only blue Sinner. She slowly formed into as solid of frame as she ever would have here, the silver gilt of the swirling pools of her eyes much easier to see here and the shimmer of the small chains the hung around the horns atop her head showed the height of her. Keeping to english now, knowing it would be an annoyance to him, she spoke, her voice coarse and harsh. Like gravel, with the millions of undertones below her own “Seems you have summoned me… And taken something which does not belong to you in the process.” Tilting her head, she did not move now, “ You sent your dog to find me, one who is still so new to this game. And.. he finds such freedom in what you gave him. An odd connection to me still, I’m sure you can rid him of that soon enough though.”
Fides had been waiting at the Citadel, book in hand as he pondered over how best to go about utilizing it. The presence within was indeed a strong one, and would surely add to the might of Cel. Though Cel was still not the most obedient, FIdes often saw her as a petulant child, which desperately clung to her past...such was her right though it supposed. It was almost understandable given her history, and it gave drive to her vengeful side which would only make her all the more useful, and once he had rejoined the two it was bound to be a more interesting show, time would tell exactly what came of it. The Evencar was immediately aware of her return, the presence ebbing its way back into the umbra would be a thing that was hard to miss, it knew even before her ambient whispers began to clamor. FIdes let out an audible exhale, a sigh of sorts as she came before it. She was rather insisten on the blue hue to her manifestation, yet another bit of sentiment she desperately clung to, it was obvious she took pride and joy from her small acts of defiance, they were enough so that they caused a bit of vexation yet no infraction so offencive so as in to warrant any punitive action. It slowly shook its head as she spoke, again with the english, little more than the chittering of monkeys, but the words were understood all the same, regardless of how abrasive the sound was. It slowly blinked, hinting at its vague vexation as she spoke so familiarly with the Evencar, it was lord here, unchallenged...nearly. It responded in kind with its own voices, a monsterous chorus of whispers they all spoke in hushed tones in various languages beyond counting, Latin though always the most prevalent and audible. “audax tibi parum spini, assumere alii vero sunt canes, obliviscens, ad comitem te apud vulgus, ut per solet videmus. Ut enim studia frater tuus...sunt parva cura. Puer cum novum ludibrium. In tempus, talia erunt facta est ut spiritus, id est, de natura omnium rerum, ut maculæ deliciis affluentes, in tenebras quondam gravis vitellus libertatis et dogmatica morum fuisse elevatum a corpore, et mente. Certe etiam oportet convenire ad hoc” (bold of you little spine, to assume the others are dogs, forgetting to count yourself among the masses as per usual we see. As for the tastes of your brother...those are of little concern. A child with a new toy. In time such things shall become as breathing, it is the nature of all things to revel in darkness once the oppressive yolk of freedom and dogmatic morals have been lifted from the body and mind. Surely even you must agree to this). Here the Evencar paused standing to its full height, even leaning back slightly to more obviously look down at cell as it lifted the book gently shaking it back and forth as it continued. ”ut enim hoc decus, tu vero cogita, quod vestrum est, quod aliquid pertinet ad te...vel ulla alia in re? Impar tenere talis reverentia tam pugnantia est, hoc...haec dica, quae ligat, quid esset prorsus ut magis ad dimidium. Vos venire coram nobis cum hostili tonus cum dicitur offerre, ut vos magis totum, ut tibi plus etiam praeterita, quae vos manseritis adhaerere et cum talis desperationem. Miramur,...forte nos iniuriam, si forte hoc non est vis...vos facere videntur ad cultum tuum, compedes, sordidus, ut sint. Fortasse sunt conveniens ornatus enim similia.” (as for this trinket, do you truly imagine that it is yours, that anything belongs to you...or any other for that matter? Odd to hold such reverence for such a repugnant thing, this...this shackle which binds what we would utter as your better half. You come before us with a hostile tone when we have called to offer to make you more whole, to give you even more of the past which you continue to cling to with such desperation. We wonder...perhaps we are wrong, perhaps this is not a thing you wish...you do so seem to worship your shackles, shabby as they may be. Perhaps they are a fitting adornment for the likes of you). Here Fides placed the book down, upon the pulpit before its manifestation. Moving both hands to grip ither side of the pulpit and lean slightly forward so that it stood straight once more, tilting its head slightly to the right as it waited for her to respond.
The words that flowed past her lips were nothing but the same old taunts and teases he endured all his fleshly life, a life he had casted aside, for the most part, sure he clung to a particular aspect of those days, but it was the only unfinished business he would dwell upon to any extent, a dark chuckle would cross his lips, the illusion or imitation of sorts of the amusement he gathered from her attempts to rile his mind as she did not so long ago. "Hic canis datum est donum quod non numquam vere adepto in suum in commutatione faciemus et nos interrogavit, si quaeratur a nobis, et ita non est eligere, si magistrum non aprove est nobis super faciem suam ira ut aliquem alium." (This dog was given a gift that it could never truly get on its own, in exchange we do as we are asked, when we are asked, in a way we so choose, if master does not approve than we shall face his wrath like any other.) the tones that echoed within its words seemingly amused as they whispered his words in a laughter, though the entire time Kage remained calm and unmoved, even as she took to the shadows and swirled around it's frame. "Qui sumus lenes in medio interrogabant quod vos rogavi ut retreive et tamen non sunt: et nos sentio ut is est ut sciret propter quam causam." (Who are we to question why it summons you, we were asked to retrieve you nevertheless, we feel it is for you to find out why.)
True amusement crossing it mind, despite her taunts of it being the dog she still couldn't bring herself to walk away from the summons herself, just as she took to the shadows to return 'home' it did as well, taking a vantage point upon the rafters high above the massive presence of the Evincar, the very image of him nothing more that a faint thought within the shadows he so enjoyed. Listening intently to the exchange of words between the two more dominating beings, the oddity of his gaze taking in all that was offered within the detailing of everything that surrounded them, right down to very runics and spellwork that flowed over the Tome that contained, what Fides called, her better half, the shapes of it's fingers absentmindedly stroking through the beads along the gift bestowed to him, like a monk with it's prayer beads softly whispering the words before moving to the next bead to repeat the process a thousand times over within a day. "Depositis impedimentis iis saltem momento canem casted amplexi tenebris nesciens quo intelligatur." (At least this dog casted those shackles aside the moment he was embraced by the darkness, knowing where he was meant to be.) It truly couldn't help the words that crossed it's lips, though they were not spoken in the domineering tones of those of the Evincar, the echoes of agony were still a force like no other even for those of the umbra, especially for one as 'young' as he was in comparison to these two. "Etiam abonination hoc unum saltem sani omnino tenebras unum sumus." (Even an abomination as this one, at least we are whole, entirely one with the shadows that we are.)
Cela shifted backwards, the sounds of its voice and the final offer The Evincar had made to her.. Her thoughts scrambled, the possibilty of becoming whole. An idea thought to be lost in the times of her past, part of why she clung so tightly to it. For the mere possibilty that she could be brought back together with who she truly is, rather than what she was made. The bright silver of her eyes narrowed slightly as she let her fingers play along the beads in her hand, running them through the hands seen at the ends of her robes.Sine me sententia vera metus, sit impossibile dimittere eius.. Quomodo unum facere?... “ Without me feeling true fear, it should be impossible to release her.. How would one do so?...” Her words trailed off at this point, refusing to raise to his bait of the comments of brother. She would pay no mind to that, as she spoke the same to any being. The Evincar being one of the only ones she changed her tone with. Granted, she rarely changed her tone anyway. However… If he could make her whole, bring the piece of her that was missing back from the neither.. Lowering her head, her {Face} As it were, hiding from view for a moment as she began to think… Freedom, true freedom. A chance to truly let go of all that holds her in the chains, as it said. To let go and become one with what makes her whole.. Lifting back to look at The Evincar, she spoke again, a more hushed tone. The tones below her own having gone soft now, the whispers calling back closer to her.Hoc facere potes? Fac me toto iterum? Te posse eam ex et introductis simul iterum? “You can do this? Make me whole again? You have the ability to let her out and to bring us back together again?” The possibilty of it brought forth a strange, trembling, to her voice. Something that would not have been heard by another being for eons from Cela’s lips. Wanton need, a thing she had forced herself to leave alone in her mind, as she couldn’t do it herself.Nescio quam timere, et quod modo dictum est, posset esse dimisit. Si ego, qui ad sentire momento vera timore. “I don’t know how to feel fear and that was the only way I was told she could be released. Is if I were to feel a moment of true fear.” The blue mists that always surrounded her faded off at the last of her words, leaving her standing there shrouded in the blackness of what was around her. Her colors remained the same.. And even still, could stay blue IF The Evincar is able to do as he said. Gesturing towards the book, she stayed back from it and him.Quam erant vos potest adepto is sicco crystal? Significatum est, ut tutum sit ab omni modo entia, qui posset. Quamvis iterum, sine vera metus non quam dimittere eam. “How were you able to get it out of the crystal? It was meant to be safe from all manner of beings who could use it. Although again, without true fear I wouldnt know how to release her.”
Given the pair were within the citadel Fides was acutely aware of both of them, Kage had followed Cel, as was to be expected. Fides took note of Kage adhering to manners and waiting patiently in the rafters, his utterances not loud nor demanding enough to detract from his conversation with Cel. the prayers offered to the rosary were heard, and would only further the Evencars favor, a Kinn so young which already understood its place was deserverving some gesture of appreciation, and that time would come after the conversation and dealings with Cel. Her demeanor had changed almost immediately as he held up the book and spoke of his offer. It was apparent his words had put a degree of apprehension into her, his words jarring her forcing her to consider the reality of the situation. Her question was a reasonable one, and gave Fides an important clue without his asking as for how to proceed. He only had a vague knowledge of the tome, and how to go about unlocking it. ‘True fear’ was an important component apparently, the linchpin to opening the book as it were. As her mind wandered Fides eyes would narrow, hinting at an imperceptible smile as her thoughts already traveled into the realm of fear. The tremble in her voice hinted at the hope it instilled her with, her tone now completely different, lacking the common defiant tone she generally had. “Quam venimus ad recipiendum liber erat simplex est, similia nobis. Sicut enim tuum opus esse inspirati vera timore...tam parum spini, super inpediunt hoc, ratus vera timore, et abiecta metu sunt idem. Iam scio vera metus erat, cum te nisi momentis ante” (how we came to retrieve the book was a simple thing for the likes of us. as for your needing to be inspired by true fear...well little spini, you over complicate this, thinking true fear, and abject terror are the same. you already know true fear, it was with you only moments ago). Fides leaned back over the pulpit, his abnormally large figure allowing him to lean over it in such a way that his face was able to draw quite close to Cel’s before he continued speaking. “Tibi videtur dubium, quod non solum est in nostra positum, sed quod est in potestate nostra. Adhuc multa fallaciis dubitas profundum nostra potestate, dubitas virtutem Tenebris Pater donatus est nobis, et gloriam quae potest dare. Praeterea...vos defecerunt ad respondendum nobis quaestio est de vobis....” (you seem to doubt that which is not only within our reach, but that which is well within our power. you still have a great many misconceptions you doubt the depth of our power, you doubt the power the Dark Father has gifted us with, and the glory which it can bestow. furthermore...you have failed to answer our question of you....) as he spoke of failing to answer his question he picked up the book with his right hand, as he did so there was a great clamour from the darkness and souls within that was audible to all here, Cel in particular may have been able to pick out a few particular screams of agon as fides grip bore down upon the tome as he held it out infront of her. “sic igitur, rogamus vos iterum....tu velle tale? aut erit venio hoc decus, ubi invenimus, aut erimus dono tibi hoc? vicissim tibi semper servire et facere quod petimus, quando nos petere, quam rogamus,....” (so then, we ask you once more....do you desire such a thing? or shall I return this trinket to where we found it, or shall we gift you this? in turn you will continue to serve and do as we ask of you, when we ask of you, how we ask of you....).
Kage remained unmoved from his place along the rafters above the two as they poked and prodded, temptations and teasers but the fact the woman had yet to say otherwise, it appeared as though she truly wanted the union the Evincar offered, she was doing what she could to show it but it was clear as day, desire being one of those emotions that could lead down a dangerous path, or a rather interesting one to say the least, curious however that she honestly believed she held no fears what so ever, the moment he heard the whispers he would, a new shine of black casting across what feature were noticeable, the appearance or presence of teeth could be seen as a grin. The voidless pools of his gaze casting down towards the woman, his finger had long since stopped moving over the beads along the rosary chain, "Mendacium... (Lies..)" the faintest of whispers crept through every shadow casted through the chapel walls, multiple echoes of varying languages flowing from every word, "Ipsi enim audivimus de clamat (We've heard the cries)" followed shortly after.
The faint presence of features that played across his face would shift ever so slightly, a new texture of black shined in the faint light provided within the citadel, the bright green orbs casting down to watch the blue woman as the echoes would cross her ears, mixed within the voices that was Fides. His fingers slowing to a stop as he focused now on the 'deal' that played out before him, he had to admit, watching the Evincar and this woman was rather intriguing, he could see why Fides held favor with her. He could see the desires and temptations playing in her mind, the bond she held open to him allowing him the knowledge of where her mind flowed, making the mistake to allow him access in any way had left that door wide open, but for now he was curious to learn her choice, weather to accept the gift or to deny all that she was meant to be.
Cela’s silver swirling eyes stayed on the tome, watching as it was moved around as though it were nothing. Perhaps, to those who followed this path, it was nothing. To her though.. It was the chains that held her in place. Such a strong part of her, one torn from her without permission, taken against her will so many years ago. Only moments passed after The Evincar had leaned down towards her, the clattering of what he was a sure sound in her mind. Even as distracted as she was, she had heard the whispered from above. From the one she herself had released and offered to Fides as a gift, one that would bring benefits to the Dark Father. She lifted her eyes to meet his, only for a moment, his gaze even to much for her handle beyond a moment or two before she nodded. Knowing that his words spoke the truth,"Etiam.. Si potes facere". (“Yes.. If you can do so..”) Her words choked out, the safety net that had been placed in her mind causing some minor pain. As her thoughts mingled towards the realms of possibly being whole, the crisis in which had caused this part of her to be torn away… In the dead of night, the animals all having went into hiding. The tree limbs rustling before the screaming winds decended on her, forcing her to her knees…. Jerking her mind back, she looked towards The Evincar and slightly bowed her head.""Fiduciam.. mensura vera fides a me ad te, sinet significat aperire librum. Esse monuit.. erumpunt, quae ab intrinseco faciet, me a magna dolor. Mea affectus erit... erraticus, ut levissime dicam,. Et enim tempus, ego non poterit ad imperium eas, aut me. Mea solum petitio est, cum id facere, tenere stricta ad vinculum. Vel aliud, ego esse perditus, intra penetralia mea mens. Si potes me totum iterum, dimitte me, ex mea pasts. Ego debeo plus quam tantum munera, in quibus erat concessit."" (“Trust.. A measure of true trust from me to you, will allow you the means to open the book. Be warned.. The burst of what comes from within will cause me a great deal of pain. My emotions will be… erratic, to say the least. And for a time, I will be unable to control them or myself. My only request is that when you do it, to hold tight to the bond. Or else I could be lost within the depths of my own mind. If you can make me whole again, release me from my pasts. I will owe for more than only the gifts in which I was granted.”)
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CardinalSinn
Re: Ancient Scrolls new
May 13, 2019 06:01PM
She seemed to doubt the Evencar, which in a way was understandable. Most beings that dwelt within the realms of mortals had little to no sway over souls, “soul forging” tended to be a rare skill to most, for a being such as Fides though molding and sculpting souls was as creating are with clay or stone to a sculptor. The tome which her other half resided in had been made with a number of somewhat impressive souls, powerful mages in concert with their sacrifices. Had it been any other it may well have been out of reach, this was Fides though, Evencar of the kinn. The souls over which it held dominion were beyond the comprehension to most. It was not uncommon for some of the larger kinn to hold sway of thousands, on rare occasion billions. Fides held dominion over entire realms, the number of souls at its disposal were beyond counting, entire realms both living and dead served this dark beast, to many it was nothing short of a god. The Evincar did pause for thought concerning her cautioning, she was something more powerful than most were aware, even Fides was not sure the full extent of her power, the books warding was potent, and not some curtain that could simply be pushed aside to see what was held within. It mused over her warning as an idea began to form in its mind, there was the possibility of quite the outburst, and things here in this place were quite capable of being broken or damaged. Even if this place was comprised of primarily abandon ruins Fides would rather not see the lands destroyed for the birthing of a Bellator. Most beings would “lose their minds” for a time upon being birthed, it was a common side effect of being so violently subjected to what the Kinn would call “The truth”. It was perhaps the most pure experiencing of Veritas most kinn would ever come to know, and often would fail to remember the experience as a whole. Having one’s soul torn from their bodies and thrown into the darkest depth of the Umbra was often traumatic to say the least, some damage to the psyche was to be expected. Normally this was a simple process and would not invoke the care, or honor Fides was about to bestow. At first it almost looked as if the Evencar would rescind its offer as it took the tome of Cela into its manifestation. The book sank slowly into Fides left hand, being brought into the true Fides, not simply held captive in its manifestation which was paltry in comparison to its true self. A being which held entire worlds within it was not something which could manifest in so small a form, this was merely an avatar with which it allowed other to interact with, a puppet so to speak. The book went into the truth of the Evencar as it extended its left hand now to take Cel’s. If she would not offer it freely Fides would take it by force before bringing her to the same place as the book. Were she to resist this would be incredibly painful. Her soul fragmented as it were would be forcibly torn from her flesh, lest she willingly abandon it. Once within the darkness that was Fides the atmosphere would be completely bereft of light, there would be nothing to stimulate the senses, no up, no down, no light no sound, just complete and immaculate darkness.
The atmosphere would become oppressive as all at once The Evencar would bare down on the book completely shattering the warding which held her “better half” as Fides had called it. This would offer a sudden and rather clamorous stimulation as the agony of those who had been sacrificed to form and bind the book screamed out in agony, all their effort was for naught. Their souls now in the same limbo as those they had torn asunder, the disembodied souls confined within an imperceptible darkness. Despite the robbery of primary senses there were things to be perceived now in this immediate area. Aside from the souls, those crying out in pain and abject terror there would be the sigh of relief of her other half, now free to an extent. This freedom though was relatively short lived as Fides closed the walls within itself, forcing this gathering of souls into one another. It employed it soul forging now to make those select souls within it one being, much like the other Kinn, Dominion over Cel’s soul pool now split between her and her other half. Which would prove to be the dominant soul remained to be seen, though there were in truth only two options. Many of the souls in this small space were already under Cel’s dominion, which would have made the incorporation of the mages a simple thing, but time would tell. Once fides had mashed these beings into one it released the oppression it had inflicted. Leaving the amalgam to sort itself out within itself, nothing but pure unending darkness surrounding them as the uncountable hissing whispers of the Evencar echoed.”Quod habebant captum inlacrimat nos iterum facere totum, nos tibi hoc donum et in reditu autem veritati, vos servietis nobis et patrem omnium rerum nunc. Nos tibi tempus ad paciscendum cum nova hac re, et quondam vos es promptus, semel vos es promptus dicemus, set vos in secula materia semel.” (what they had torn asunder we once again make whole, we give you this gift and in return you now serve the truth, you serve us and the father of all things now. we give you time to come to terms with this new reality, and once you are ready, once you are ready we shall set you out into the worlds of the material once more. )
Cela watched, speechlessly for once as what held part of her was slowly taken into this being. The greater part of her slipped from sight and she was reached for. The Evincar reached out for her, and in the possibility of her being made whole, she stepped forward. Releasing the hold of her will on what held her within the body. Allowing the form to crumble and fold to the floor, the robes which covered the form left to pile together as one. Cela closed her mind, drifting where she would be pulled towards. Unaware of what would be around her as of yet, she waited until she could feel The Evincar before she would become aware of her surroundings. OPening her eyes, she felt some slight disorientation due to the lack of anything beyond the whispers and agony held within her, only more so. Very few beings would have the power to simply overcome Cela, as this being could with ease. She could not see but rather felt the bindings on the book break, as simply as breaking a lock, from what was felt.She felt the release of the mages, and the screams they let loose from their souls as their own gifts were released. Cela’s mind tembled, waiting, watching as the oppression took its toll on her causing her to reach out mentally for the lost part of her. Knowing that once she reached it, she would no longer be Cela.. She would finally be Celatain again. The being in which held more power than she could control but would finally break the chains that held her into a past she no longer needed. The screaming of the mages who created the tome, a sound of homecoming for Cela as her mind melded with that of Celeste. The memories between the two rammed together, creating havok all around them, held and contained within The Evincar. Celeste fighting Cela, the unknown of where she was and what had happened causing all thoughts to fly from her minds. Forcing her to move with instinct alone, towards the only known thing around her. THe mind and thoughts of Cela and what they used to be. As the two came together, the shock of it created a cascade of images from the beginning of their life, until the time they were torn apart. Even Cela began to rebel some, for the amount of emotions held within the tome torn through her, forcing her to face issues she had not been forced to deal with before this. Celeste gloried in the freedom, once she stopped fighting. Her mind, at first thoughts tricks were being played against her again. But no.. SHe thought, this is no longer within that damn book. I am free.. And here is pretty little Cela, all ready to be free herself. Celeste used her mind, reaching out towards Cela, bringing the two minds into one. Celeste, sadly being the weaker of the two due to the emotions. But with a very strong survival instict that caused her to push and shove Cela.. No longer making them as two minds, but as one. Allowing Celatain to emerge as the victor. The two thoughts as one, finally after years of being apart. The casade slowed and stopped. The screaming howls of those released silenced as Celatain reached out with her mind and drew them firmly within her grasp, smashing through the defenses each had put in place before. The few small tilts of her mind steadied as she shook out the ages of dust, leaving her as one. Both Cela and Celeste caught in the snare of who they used to be… “They are me now, and I am them..” The sound of her own thoughts played easily now, the gift of her powers returned and so she struck out. Wanting to be released again, wanting to go hunting as she used to. Not having a body, all she could use was her mind and as such shoved, and stuck out time and again. Trying to force her way out, the need for a hunt, for blood pressing down on her.
Cel offered no resistance to Fides taking her soul into itself, it was a quick and painless transition. Her eyes were closed as she was taken in, not that it would matter much, there was initially nothing to perceive, even her bodies movement and confinement were beyond perception. Her physical body rapidly atrophied, flesh and garb turning into something akin to ash which crumbled disintegrating rapidly as Fides embraced the effigy that had been her body. The first thing which had assiled her senses were the whispered torments she carried within her, her “personal demons”. That was short lived though as the bindings of the book shattered, making her more aware of what was about to transpire. The ease of which those bindings were broken took her off guard, giving her some modicum of better understanding the power which the Evencar was capable of utilizing. Her awe was short lived though as the mass of free souls was set loose in this small space which was becoming rapidly smaller, forcing the assimilation of those souls into one another, she had of course reached out to her other half, the reunion was accompanied by the lamenting song of screams by what was left of the mages sentience. For Cel it was pure chaos for a time, the reunion offered little in the way of reintroduction as the two egos clashed, the union bringing a plethora of memories to her prior self. After a short while though the two were once again whole, reveling in their being made whole once again, at first their thoughts wandered to a place which perceived deception, as if the book might be taunting her in some perverse way. Likely what brought her back to reality as it were was the presentation of those meddling mages, free for the taking. She found herself readily able to reach out and crush them, taking their essence for her own with ease.
As the battle within Fides took place Kage would likely have no idea the entensity, nor the profundity of what was transpiring, the manifestation of FIdes certainly seemed unaffected, looking up to the rafters and offering the young black blood a nod before it would begin to address him. The way in which he spoke with Kage was not through conventional means, instead the words were spoken into his mind, as if Kage were speaking to himself using the choir that was Fides voices. “Fecisti, ut quaereremus te, et fecisti sic cum cupidus zelo loquitur ad penetralia vestra obedientia et voluntate servire veritati. Ita tibi parta, quod nos obtulit pro expletum munus tuum.” (you have done as we asked of you, and have done so with an eager zeal speaking to the depths of your obedience and willingness to serve the truth. in doing so you have secured that which we offered for completing your task.) Fides motioned for Kage to come and stand before him now as it continued to speak. ”obedientia est aliquid dignum praemium, et in vobis erit. ibi est unum quaeritis, quem habet iniuriam, unum dignum retributionem a manus tuae solus. scimus hoc creatura, ubi latet...ubi latet. nihil est in creatura quod potest abscondere a gloria, ut serviamus. vos elegi, ad serviendum nobis, servire veritati. invenimus enim decet vestri praemium tantum progreditur tuus, ita erit vestri vindictam serviens voluntati pater noster, et pater vester...pater.” (obedience is a thing deserving reward, and you shall have it. there is one you seek, one whom has wronged you, one deserving retribution from your hands alone. we know of this creature, where it lurks...where it hides. there is nothing in creation that can hide from the glory that we serve. you have chosen to serve us, to serve the truth. we find it fitting that your reward only advances your service, in doing so you shall have your retribution while serving the will of our father, your father...the father.) Fides now lifted his arms, bringing his hands together so that he firmly grasped his right pointer finger and gave a slow blink as it tore the digit from its hand and offered it to Kage. “sit hoc parvum signum servire vos in venatione descendit tuam praedam, nos erit punctum in via tua fata. totus vos postulo debitum tenere hac in parte nos in manu tua, et in ea erit punctum in via. ite nunc, et tolle quod tuum est, in tuum reditum dicemus, det vobis gloria” (let this small token serve you in hunting down your prey, we shall point the way to your destiny. all you need due is hold this part of us in your palm, and it shall point the way. go now, and take that which is yours, upon your return we shall grant you glory).
As Fides conversed with Kage things continued to transpire within its manifestation regarding the newly reunited one within, Celatain. Having regained both her sanity and composure now Fides would appear before her in the unending depths of darkness. ”quam, sicut tu nobis dona? fecimus totum semel, quod erat captum inlacrimat, et tamen nos adhuc magis gloriam dare super vos parum spina.” (how like you our gifts? we have made whole once more that which was torn asunder, and yet we still have more glory to bestow upon you little thorn.) Fides would lift its hand and hold up a singular digit as it continued. ”primo quidem dicemus accipere a te nomine parum spina. tibi dabitur forte mereretur nomen, quod est magis. (firstly we shall take from you the name little thorn. you shall be given chance to earn a name that is more.) FIdes offered a slight pause as it then raised another digit. ”secundo offerimus tibi forma bellator. sic faciendo vobis retinere utriusque partes de te, ut in imperio totum.” (secondly we offer you the the form of a warrior. in doing so you shall retain both parts of yourself so as in to command the whole.) Fides then raised a third finger and continued. ”et tandem nos dono tibi parva pars gloriae, quae sunt nobis. cum hoc invenietis in tenebris servus tuus, tenebrarum erit tibi in vas caro est aliquid, quod erit amplius profana vos, id est, sub te, nunc et in perpetuum. hic nos dimittere te in sinu patris vestri, nos posuit te rursus ex in corporis mundi, ut adduceret veritatem ad missas et quaerere dignum.” (and finally we gift you a small part of the glory that are we. with this you shall find the darkness your servant, darkness will become your vessel flesh is a thing that shall no longer profane you, it is beneath you now and forever. here we release you into the bosom of your father, we set you back out into the physical worlds to bring truth to the masses and seek out the worthy.) The last of the words trailed off into the depths as the form of the Evincar would fade from view. As the evincar faded though Celatain could feel herself stretching out into the darkness, no longer confined within Fides, it had done as promised setting her loose onto the worlds once more.
All it could do was watch in awe as the Evincar drew Cela and the tome into the darkness that was Fides, though he truly had no idea what it was that was happening within, he could sense the tome releasing what he assumed would have been the woman's 'better half'. The thick inkly pools held those bright green orbs with a curiosity, taking in every sense that the surrounding darkness had to offer, including that which was the Evincar and the woman enveloped within him, his fingers beginning to move across the beads once again with the unspoken prayers, the intensity of his curiosity broken only when Fides had turned towards him in the rafters. The choir of the Envicar's voices filling his mind was rather difficult to ignore in on itself, but the fact this being was the one to have brought him into the shadows holey as he had, he was but a rabid dog on a leash, awaiting his masters command, at least for now.
When Fides motioned for him to come stand before him, he would allow his frame to drop from the rafters, almost instantly shifting into the misty shadows only to reform once again as he stepped forward towards the massive being, listening more intently than before as the being spoke of the one he sought, the name echoing with rage in his mind as Fides continued to speak. What features could be seen across his face would show the dark grin creeping across it lips, the very thought of finally being able to find the being that corrupted the man that would be his biological father, the lust for the beings blood filling his senses, all the while the thought of him being no better than the woman with her chains to the past, though breaking these chains would be no different that those she had just broken with the aid of Fides, it certainly did mean more power to carry out the will of the All Father.
He bowed his head respectively towards the Evincar as it handed him it's own pointer finger to guide him to the location where the being hid, "Evincar nos gratias ago tibi, quia non est actus entis est omnium Pater, et redde illis erit aut in sanguine, aut esse ..." (We thank you Evincar, the actions of the being is not that of the all father, and it will pay for them, either in blood or existence ...) With those words spoken he would than turn and make his way from the vast and dark citadel, the very manifestation of his being fading into the shadows as he followed the instructions as to how to use the digit within the palm of his hand, the finger turning to point in a particular direction just before he would fade from sight, and would begin this new path set out before him. Though it was nothing more than a chain to the flesh of his past, he was more than certain it would mean a greater path forward, the glory that was promised to him by the Evincar would not dissapoint, the will of the All Father would deal it's blow upon this being to correct the actions so long ago, was it even aware that one day the very thing he sought to create would be the one that would bring it the end of it's days.
Re: Ancient Scrolls new
May 13, 2019 05:57PM
the setting for this RP is Renascence, where Fides awaits the arrival of Cel and Ez.
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This place exist every where an no where, reachable through one surprisingly simple method. In order to reach this place ones physical form must be engulfed in darkness, which is doable through any number of means. This place may also be reached on occasion through sincere prayer to darkness which a Kinn answers and brings that person here. This place is called Nexus by Kinn and exist deep within the Umbra, which goes by a number of other names, such as the void, or the empty. Upon emerging from the darkness that person emerges here before the large "C" shaped plateau. This place is in a state of eternal twilight, and emanates an aura of darkness and foreboding that even the most oblivious can pick up on. The area out side the plateau is an impressive bit of masonry, bricks laid out as far as perception can perceive. The opening in the plateau is relatively small, perhaps forty to fifty feet wide. Both sides of the opening are adorned with impressively large and dark "guardian angel" statues, their gaze cast downward to those whom would enter, blades firmly grasped in both hands, wings spread high and proudly behind them. Natural stone work bridges the threshold of the opening, with a small natural stone path leading into the inside hollow. The center of this hollow is encompassed by ancient stone work which much resembles stone henge, the stones themselves seemingly onyx with impressive silver Celtic knot inlay. At their epicenter is an altar to make offerings to the Kinn and their dark god. Above the altar and rotating in a clockwise direction, the stones themselves are dark, likely the same stone which composes the henge though these pulse with a potent deep crimson energy. Just beyond the henge is a massive twisted tree its branches reaching high into the air, their black cross foliage constantly descending into the hollow, evaporating shortly after they make contact with a person or the ground. The bark of the tree massive as it is seems to be made of millions of tormented souls, their eternal agony frozen in time. The cliff that ascend the back of the hollow are home to a number of waterfalls, their torrents strangely never gathering or accumulating upon the ground below them as logic would dictate. Floating at about the middle of the cliffs very near the tree are three separate stone areas, large enough to fit about three people comfortably. Atop the plateau are a number of buildings, the right home to an old long abandoned and decrepit church, the left a tall tower which looks out over and into the area within the plateau. The center rear was home to a "Citadell" a religious building where Kinn gather, an impressive gothic architectural structure resembling a mixing Notre dame with an old medieval castle.
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Her mind is closed to so many things, her body apart from her. She swims in a world of words, and she has not seen or spoken to another being in more years than she cared to count. She is trapped, by herself. I AM CELATAIN… No.. The words whispered back to her softly.. You are Celeste. Her anger grows slightly, as yet another set of emotions come into her. She doesn't understand how she can feel anything, she has no body, no heart. And yet, at the oddest times, she will feel. She has so many emotions inside her mind, Love, Hate, Anger, Pain, Fear.. Fear… That is my way out she thinks. I have to fear, we have to fear so that I can get out. To be able to walk again.. To kill again. Her blood lust was so high, that she remembered the taste of blood on her tongue. The copper of it, how would make her jaws tingle as it coated her throat and body during battle. She remembers how she ended up here, how the spell worked. The memories flash back into her mind, bringing her own pain back from it. On her knees, in a darkly shadowed woods. The small night animals who would normally be out, were silent on this night. No sounds could be heard but her own sobbing, and the clanking from her chains and manacles. The soft rustling of the robes of those who surrounded her, sounded almost like a breeze. She lowers her head, her tears falling to the ground and slowly creating a shadow field around her, covering the arcane markings that surrounded her, and held her in place. As she struggled against the chains, she started to scream.. Her mind having split from the grief and drama. Celeste is there in chains, having been tracked and caught by a large groups of magi. They took the necklace from her, and was able to subdue her. She killed many of them, and was still covered in their blood. Shaking her head, her black and silver hair flaring out around her, with speck of blood in it. She hears the chanting, and looks up screaming at them, " I WILL RETURN, AND I WILL HAVE MY REVENGE ON YOU!!" Within moment of her saying this, she could hear the wind whirling around her, throwing her leather around and making her hair spin and the chains rattle. Her screams were drowned out by the chanting of the 12 magi that surrounded her. In the hands of the one who stood directly in front of her, was a large dark blue book.. A tome. Covered in the darkest blue leather, spell bound by many hands. Her screams began to change, going from enraged to pain and fear. Her mind.. Part of it was being pulled away, taken against her will. Within the depths of her mind, a calm voice spoke out. "We are Celatain together. For now we must be apart, for you are Celeste, and I am Cela. I feel nothing, while you feel to much." Almost like a stroke upon her mind, Celeste Screamed out once more, before she was in another place, empty of anything but words...She thinks to herself as she floats there still, many years later, Only someone that Cela knows and trusts can let me out, in only a moment of fear is needed for me to emerge on my own. To pull the ribbon that binds the book, and to call forth me by name… Her thoughts wondered off as she knew that she would never be able to leave here…….
Fides had run across Cela during its meanderings of the various realms her form had attracted the Evencar's attention as she was naturally quite close to being Kinn already. During their conversations over time Cela had made Fides aware of a tome in her possession, and what those pages held. Fides remained relatively ignorant of the story behind just how it had come to pass, but was aware it was a thing which she desired. Why shouldn’t she, she had been torn asunder. and was as far as it was concerned "incomplete", robbed of the power she possessed. Her form even as it was when Fides had run across her help promise, there was a potential and natural sort of kinship the Evencar acknowledged. Were Fides to rejoin them her form would only grow in power, and make her quite useful to the Kinn. That being what it was a deal had been proposed for Fides to retrieve this tome and make whole what had been torn asunder, for a being such as it was the melding and molding of things such as souls was common place. The Evencar was directly responsible for the creation of a number of species within the Kinn, "birthing" new species was a thing it was well acquainted with. Joining Celeste and Cel in theory would be well with its reach and effort. However nothing was ever free, in return for this favor Cel would need offer fealty, and accomplish a number of tasks before the Evencar would set about joining the two back into a singular being. In turn for this initial task Fides had bestowed upon her a number of souls, and brought her into the ranks, setting her out to spread Veritas and seek out the worthy. It had not taken long for her to prove her usefulness. Her tome was a thing which was easy to find, it sat inside a crystal barrier which shimmered hinting at the power of the book within. It was situated within her manor, between two bookshelves. It was not at all hidden and in theory easily accessible. There were however a number of precautions she had put in place which prevented the book from being taken by just any person, Fides fell within the condition to retrieve the book though. The book itself was a dark blue color, sealed further with a bit of enchanted silver twine. It would retrieve the tome now as was part of their bargain taking care not to undo the seal any further. Only taking possession of the book and returning to the Citadel in Nexus, at which point it would reach out the black blood and make them aware of a task, a simple one, retrieve Cel and bring her to the Citadel so that fides might make well on the bargain it had struck. At which point the Evencar would also fulfill its Bargain to the black blood and give him the location of the man he sought out.
After she had completed her mission within the world she had entered unknowingly, the male being which had *called out* to her, in such a manner she answered and even took it one step further. Unbeknownst to her, having showing him how to get himself out of the bars that held his body in place, she had released him and allowed him to make contact with the one she herself looked up to. She had released him from the bindings of the flesh and set him on a different path, one that allowed for a true beginning of who and what he was. She kept her steps steady, as much as one such as she steps. But further and futher away from Fides and the male, she took herself. Unwilling and unwanting to keep further contact with him and knowing the Fides would do whatever it was that he did, and keep the male busy, no doubt collecting souls. Her traveling and meandering brought her to a small village, one that held less than a hundred souls, but gave her a small sense of entertainment for a short while. She passed an inn, the shouting within telling her it could be a fine place to go to for a while and see what she could have happen insi… Her thoughts narrowed, the intenseness crossing her face would have created fear in the very soul of anyone who would have looked at her.Her manor had been entered, she thought, “Fides..” She whispered softly to herself. She knew it had been him who had entered, and had somehow managed to get to the tome. The book that held another part of her, one that held power unlike any other. Her eyes narrowed, the silver glinting now in the moonlight the drifted down from the clouded sky. Only moments later, she felt the male, the one she had released. Searching for her, she had left the tether between them. Unsure as to what her intentions are, doing that, but as she could tell he seemed to have a knack for using the shadows like her, she allowed the blue to darken, her *color* so to speak. What he was using to find her, and make it easier. And in turn, also sent a message. Her voice flowed along the lines between them, crossing through the space and time the still kept them apart. The softness of it a contrast to the tones fighting below her own, “So you came to find me, have you? And do you feel you have made yourself worthy of the gift granted you?” Like a stroke upon his mind, she could still see his thoughts. “You have gotten rid of your flesh, yet you seem to harbor so much inside you.So much resentment, such… sin.” She moved out of the village, out in the empty fields surrounding it. Knowing that now he would be compelled to come to her, but even still. Her thoughts were not wholy on playing with his mind, but instead on her book.
The fact the black blood was already enroute to finding the being that practically handed him the means of escape, during a time in which he was neither alive nor dead, he couldn't help but wonder of the interest Fides held for her. Many theories flowed through his mind but not one would truly lead in any one direction, the idea she had helped him to escape out of nothing more than entertainment still played in his mind, furthered only by the fact she had left the tether between their minds attached, and once more furthered when she made it even easier for him to find her, to what end? Why would she walk away from the dealing only to allow him the easement of being able to find her at a later date. It truly didn't make a lot of sense to him, but he had been given a task from the Evincar himself, one he would not turn away from.
The darkness that surrounded him felt more and more like "home" as it were, the freedom it gave him to move wherever his mind pleased was by far the greatest gift Fides could have ever given him, true freedom. It didn't take him long to find the woman, out in an empty field outside a small village of maybe a 100 souls or so, the very scent of sin on every level flowing in the air made it clear as to why she stayed here even for the short time she did. For the time being he would remain within the shadows casted along the ground, even though she would have no problems being able to pick him out as she could use the shadows as he did, just one more thing to add to the list of why he rather enjoyed this woman's company. "Numquid vere unquam aliquis dignus aliquo bono quod in me erat? (Is one ever truly worthy of a gift that was bestowed upon me?)" he remembered all too well just how much this one found great entertainment in playing her mind games, "Sit enim quod in cordibus vere potest non dimittet, tenendo Tales enim post peccatum, ita et longa, seorsum fieri non tendunt ad nos: melius agit, quam nos causam nostrae fuerunt propter maius bonum. (What we harbor may never truly be let go, after holding onto such sin for so long, it tends to become apart of us, drives us to be better than we were for the greater good of our cause.)"
With the tether between them still as strong as the first day he called out to her, he was able to sense her mind was elsewhere, though he wasn't entirely sure as to where per say, he could make out a rather odd looking book of sorts, a curiosity growing within his own thoughts. "Evincar signauit nos et te in domum suam, dicens: etsi nulla sponsione ad hoc quod in quantum sumus de Their invitationem-bet quod iam tibi sentiri post eam rem Their (The Evincar has enlisted us to bring you home, though there is no saying as to the extent of their invitation, we would wager to bet that you have already sensed their purpose behind it.)" It was than he chose pull his form from the shadows, just enough to create a faint shadowy image of himself, pitch black head to toes in the varying shades only to show features along his frame, the runic spells and other tattoo like markings he had as a fleshling were still very much there, but no other scars of the multitude of experiments or the years of torture would be seen. The only major contrast that could be seen would be the silver chains that were strung from his horns, a set of chains hung from either side of his hips, or even those that wrapped around his wrist and neck, many would think them nothing more than show, but he had learned he came to enjoy the thought of using these chains in various ways, binding or weapons depending on his frame of mind at the time. "Et exitus nos habeamus, quia vestrum est, tu nobiscum iter ad arcem, scire et aurum quod Evincar Qui enim post captam paroeciae possessionem? (The question we have for you is, will you travel with us back to the Citadel, or will ignore that which the Evincar has taken possession of?)"
Cela shifted her eyes slightly, the silver gleaming pools of depths untold by many. A small tilt of her head as she watched the male slowly show himself, the games he seemed to finally learned how to enjoy within the shadows. And those that she herself played in the minds of others. “Tu missus nunc, ad indagre alios? Sicut canis qui vult placere dominum suum?” (("Are you being sent now, to track down others? Like that of a dog who wishes to please their master?")) With the smirk crossing her face, she turned to fully meet this male as he showed his form, the dark blue shadows swirling around her robed form. The soft clinking of the beads in her hand such a loud sound, for such a small item. In her full form like this, she stood much taller than the small beings in the town behind them. Ranging in height of thirteen feet now, she kept her body not wholey formed. Almost like that of the a picture, a bit out of focus. The lines that would normally create the form were shrouded and misty. Her mind still followed that of her book, so she was not fully paying attention to what the male was saying.. Until he had mentioned that he had been sent to fetch her. With that, she chuckled ever so softly and moved to glide around him. The motions effortless on her part, creating small whirlpools of a mix of black and blue shadows. Her hands kept clasped together across her middle, the clacking of the beads still shadowed against the whispers and screams that stemmed from around Cela.Her own voice, using english played like silk across his mind. The sins that would have been brought forth to his mind from her being so close, weighted heavy against him. “Et qui indicavit tibi, quid te missi sunt? In et et sunt tibi indicavit causa missi sunt?rationes, cur in Evencar sensit tanti erat, ut ipse mitteret esse post me? Et unum quod habeo deditionem?” (("And were you told why you were sent? The reasons as to why he felt it was so important that The Evenscar send a being after me? And one that I have already given to him once?")) She let the words trail off a bit before stepped away and allowing her form to fade into the shadows. She shifted her body into the shadow paths and forged her own way back to him… One of the only ones who would have been able to compel Cela to do anything, much less return. Or who would have had enough sense of mind to fully realize the extent of the tome that he had taken from her manor. Drifting into what is now her home, the soft whispers of terror wafted along the air, announcing the arrival of the only blue Sinner. She slowly formed into as solid of frame as she ever would have here, the silver gilt of the swirling pools of her eyes much easier to see here and the shimmer of the small chains the hung around the horns atop her head showed the height of her. Keeping to english now, knowing it would be an annoyance to him, she spoke, her voice coarse and harsh. Like gravel, with the millions of undertones below her own “Seems you have summoned me… And taken something which does not belong to you in the process.” Tilting her head, she did not move now, “ You sent your dog to find me, one who is still so new to this game. And.. he finds such freedom in what you gave him. An odd connection to me still, I’m sure you can rid him of that soon enough though.”
Fides had been waiting at the Citadel, book in hand as he pondered over how best to go about utilizing it. The presence within was indeed a strong one, and would surely add to the might of Cel. Though Cel was still not the most obedient, FIdes often saw her as a petulant child, which desperately clung to her past...such was her right though it supposed. It was almost understandable given her history, and it gave drive to her vengeful side which would only make her all the more useful, and once he had rejoined the two it was bound to be a more interesting show, time would tell exactly what came of it. The Evencar was immediately aware of her return, the presence ebbing its way back into the umbra would be a thing that was hard to miss, it knew even before her ambient whispers began to clamor. FIdes let out an audible exhale, a sigh of sorts as she came before it. She was rather insisten on the blue hue to her manifestation, yet another bit of sentiment she desperately clung to, it was obvious she took pride and joy from her small acts of defiance, they were enough so that they caused a bit of vexation yet no infraction so offencive so as in to warrant any punitive action. It slowly shook its head as she spoke, again with the english, little more than the chittering of monkeys, but the words were understood all the same, regardless of how abrasive the sound was. It slowly blinked, hinting at its vague vexation as she spoke so familiarly with the Evencar, it was lord here, unchallenged...nearly. It responded in kind with its own voices, a monsterous chorus of whispers they all spoke in hushed tones in various languages beyond counting, Latin though always the most prevalent and audible. “audax tibi parum spini, assumere alii vero sunt canes, obliviscens, ad comitem te apud vulgus, ut per solet videmus. Ut enim studia frater tuus...sunt parva cura. Puer cum novum ludibrium. In tempus, talia erunt facta est ut spiritus, id est, de natura omnium rerum, ut maculæ deliciis affluentes, in tenebras quondam gravis vitellus libertatis et dogmatica morum fuisse elevatum a corpore, et mente. Certe etiam oportet convenire ad hoc” (bold of you little spine, to assume the others are dogs, forgetting to count yourself among the masses as per usual we see. As for the tastes of your brother...those are of little concern. A child with a new toy. In time such things shall become as breathing, it is the nature of all things to revel in darkness once the oppressive yolk of freedom and dogmatic morals have been lifted from the body and mind. Surely even you must agree to this). Here the Evencar paused standing to its full height, even leaning back slightly to more obviously look down at cell as it lifted the book gently shaking it back and forth as it continued. ”ut enim hoc decus, tu vero cogita, quod vestrum est, quod aliquid pertinet ad te...vel ulla alia in re? Impar tenere talis reverentia tam pugnantia est, hoc...haec dica, quae ligat, quid esset prorsus ut magis ad dimidium. Vos venire coram nobis cum hostili tonus cum dicitur offerre, ut vos magis totum, ut tibi plus etiam praeterita, quae vos manseritis adhaerere et cum talis desperationem. Miramur,...forte nos iniuriam, si forte hoc non est vis...vos facere videntur ad cultum tuum, compedes, sordidus, ut sint. Fortasse sunt conveniens ornatus enim similia.” (as for this trinket, do you truly imagine that it is yours, that anything belongs to you...or any other for that matter? Odd to hold such reverence for such a repugnant thing, this...this shackle which binds what we would utter as your better half. You come before us with a hostile tone when we have called to offer to make you more whole, to give you even more of the past which you continue to cling to with such desperation. We wonder...perhaps we are wrong, perhaps this is not a thing you wish...you do so seem to worship your shackles, shabby as they may be. Perhaps they are a fitting adornment for the likes of you). Here Fides placed the book down, upon the pulpit before its manifestation. Moving both hands to grip ither side of the pulpit and lean slightly forward so that it stood straight once more, tilting its head slightly to the right as it waited for her to respond.
The words that flowed past her lips were nothing but the same old taunts and teases he endured all his fleshly life, a life he had casted aside, for the most part, sure he clung to a particular aspect of those days, but it was the only unfinished business he would dwell upon to any extent, a dark chuckle would cross his lips, the illusion or imitation of sorts of the amusement he gathered from her attempts to rile his mind as she did not so long ago. "Hic canis datum est donum quod non numquam vere adepto in suum in commutatione faciemus et nos interrogavit, si quaeratur a nobis, et ita non est eligere, si magistrum non aprove est nobis super faciem suam ira ut aliquem alium." (This dog was given a gift that it could never truly get on its own, in exchange we do as we are asked, when we are asked, in a way we so choose, if master does not approve than we shall face his wrath like any other.) the tones that echoed within its words seemingly amused as they whispered his words in a laughter, though the entire time Kage remained calm and unmoved, even as she took to the shadows and swirled around it's frame. "Qui sumus lenes in medio interrogabant quod vos rogavi ut retreive et tamen non sunt: et nos sentio ut is est ut sciret propter quam causam." (Who are we to question why it summons you, we were asked to retrieve you nevertheless, we feel it is for you to find out why.)
True amusement crossing it mind, despite her taunts of it being the dog she still couldn't bring herself to walk away from the summons herself, just as she took to the shadows to return 'home' it did as well, taking a vantage point upon the rafters high above the massive presence of the Evincar, the very image of him nothing more that a faint thought within the shadows he so enjoyed. Listening intently to the exchange of words between the two more dominating beings, the oddity of his gaze taking in all that was offered within the detailing of everything that surrounded them, right down to very runics and spellwork that flowed over the Tome that contained, what Fides called, her better half, the shapes of it's fingers absentmindedly stroking through the beads along the gift bestowed to him, like a monk with it's prayer beads softly whispering the words before moving to the next bead to repeat the process a thousand times over within a day. "Depositis impedimentis iis saltem momento canem casted amplexi tenebris nesciens quo intelligatur." (At least this dog casted those shackles aside the moment he was embraced by the darkness, knowing where he was meant to be.) It truly couldn't help the words that crossed it's lips, though they were not spoken in the domineering tones of those of the Evincar, the echoes of agony were still a force like no other even for those of the umbra, especially for one as 'young' as he was in comparison to these two. "Etiam abonination hoc unum saltem sani omnino tenebras unum sumus." (Even an abomination as this one, at least we are whole, entirely one with the shadows that we are.)
Cela shifted backwards, the sounds of its voice and the final offer The Evincar had made to her.. Her thoughts scrambled, the possibilty of becoming whole. An idea thought to be lost in the times of her past, part of why she clung so tightly to it. For the mere possibilty that she could be brought back together with who she truly is, rather than what she was made. The bright silver of her eyes narrowed slightly as she let her fingers play along the beads in her hand, running them through the hands seen at the ends of her robes.Sine me sententia vera metus, sit impossibile dimittere eius.. Quomodo unum facere?... “ Without me feeling true fear, it should be impossible to release her.. How would one do so?...” Her words trailed off at this point, refusing to raise to his bait of the comments of brother. She would pay no mind to that, as she spoke the same to any being. The Evincar being one of the only ones she changed her tone with. Granted, she rarely changed her tone anyway. However… If he could make her whole, bring the piece of her that was missing back from the neither.. Lowering her head, her {Face} As it were, hiding from view for a moment as she began to think… Freedom, true freedom. A chance to truly let go of all that holds her in the chains, as it said. To let go and become one with what makes her whole.. Lifting back to look at The Evincar, she spoke again, a more hushed tone. The tones below her own having gone soft now, the whispers calling back closer to her.Hoc facere potes? Fac me toto iterum? Te posse eam ex et introductis simul iterum? “You can do this? Make me whole again? You have the ability to let her out and to bring us back together again?” The possibilty of it brought forth a strange, trembling, to her voice. Something that would not have been heard by another being for eons from Cela’s lips. Wanton need, a thing she had forced herself to leave alone in her mind, as she couldn’t do it herself.Nescio quam timere, et quod modo dictum est, posset esse dimisit. Si ego, qui ad sentire momento vera timore. “I don’t know how to feel fear and that was the only way I was told she could be released. Is if I were to feel a moment of true fear.” The blue mists that always surrounded her faded off at the last of her words, leaving her standing there shrouded in the blackness of what was around her. Her colors remained the same.. And even still, could stay blue IF The Evincar is able to do as he said. Gesturing towards the book, she stayed back from it and him.Quam erant vos potest adepto is sicco crystal? Significatum est, ut tutum sit ab omni modo entia, qui posset. Quamvis iterum, sine vera metus non quam dimittere eam. “How were you able to get it out of the crystal? It was meant to be safe from all manner of beings who could use it. Although again, without true fear I wouldnt know how to release her.”
Given the pair were within the citadel Fides was acutely aware of both of them, Kage had followed Cel, as was to be expected. Fides took note of Kage adhering to manners and waiting patiently in the rafters, his utterances not loud nor demanding enough to detract from his conversation with Cel. the prayers offered to the rosary were heard, and would only further the Evencars favor, a Kinn so young which already understood its place was deserverving some gesture of appreciation, and that time would come after the conversation and dealings with Cel. Her demeanor had changed almost immediately as he held up the book and spoke of his offer. It was apparent his words had put a degree of apprehension into her, his words jarring her forcing her to consider the reality of the situation. Her question was a reasonable one, and gave Fides an important clue without his asking as for how to proceed. He only had a vague knowledge of the tome, and how to go about unlocking it. ‘True fear’ was an important component apparently, the linchpin to opening the book as it were. As her mind wandered Fides eyes would narrow, hinting at an imperceptible smile as her thoughts already traveled into the realm of fear. The tremble in her voice hinted at the hope it instilled her with, her tone now completely different, lacking the common defiant tone she generally had. “Quam venimus ad recipiendum liber erat simplex est, similia nobis. Sicut enim tuum opus esse inspirati vera timore...tam parum spini, super inpediunt hoc, ratus vera timore, et abiecta metu sunt idem. Iam scio vera metus erat, cum te nisi momentis ante” (how we came to retrieve the book was a simple thing for the likes of us. as for your needing to be inspired by true fear...well little spini, you over complicate this, thinking true fear, and abject terror are the same. you already know true fear, it was with you only moments ago). Fides leaned back over the pulpit, his abnormally large figure allowing him to lean over it in such a way that his face was able to draw quite close to Cel’s before he continued speaking. “Tibi videtur dubium, quod non solum est in nostra positum, sed quod est in potestate nostra. Adhuc multa fallaciis dubitas profundum nostra potestate, dubitas virtutem Tenebris Pater donatus est nobis, et gloriam quae potest dare. Praeterea...vos defecerunt ad respondendum nobis quaestio est de vobis....” (you seem to doubt that which is not only within our reach, but that which is well within our power. you still have a great many misconceptions you doubt the depth of our power, you doubt the power the Dark Father has gifted us with, and the glory which it can bestow. furthermore...you have failed to answer our question of you....) as he spoke of failing to answer his question he picked up the book with his right hand, as he did so there was a great clamour from the darkness and souls within that was audible to all here, Cel in particular may have been able to pick out a few particular screams of agon as fides grip bore down upon the tome as he held it out infront of her. “sic igitur, rogamus vos iterum....tu velle tale? aut erit venio hoc decus, ubi invenimus, aut erimus dono tibi hoc? vicissim tibi semper servire et facere quod petimus, quando nos petere, quam rogamus,....” (so then, we ask you once more....do you desire such a thing? or shall I return this trinket to where we found it, or shall we gift you this? in turn you will continue to serve and do as we ask of you, when we ask of you, how we ask of you....).
Kage remained unmoved from his place along the rafters above the two as they poked and prodded, temptations and teasers but the fact the woman had yet to say otherwise, it appeared as though she truly wanted the union the Evincar offered, she was doing what she could to show it but it was clear as day, desire being one of those emotions that could lead down a dangerous path, or a rather interesting one to say the least, curious however that she honestly believed she held no fears what so ever, the moment he heard the whispers he would, a new shine of black casting across what feature were noticeable, the appearance or presence of teeth could be seen as a grin. The voidless pools of his gaze casting down towards the woman, his finger had long since stopped moving over the beads along the rosary chain, "Mendacium... (Lies..)" the faintest of whispers crept through every shadow casted through the chapel walls, multiple echoes of varying languages flowing from every word, "Ipsi enim audivimus de clamat (We've heard the cries)" followed shortly after.
The faint presence of features that played across his face would shift ever so slightly, a new texture of black shined in the faint light provided within the citadel, the bright green orbs casting down to watch the blue woman as the echoes would cross her ears, mixed within the voices that was Fides. His fingers slowing to a stop as he focused now on the 'deal' that played out before him, he had to admit, watching the Evincar and this woman was rather intriguing, he could see why Fides held favor with her. He could see the desires and temptations playing in her mind, the bond she held open to him allowing him the knowledge of where her mind flowed, making the mistake to allow him access in any way had left that door wide open, but for now he was curious to learn her choice, weather to accept the gift or to deny all that she was meant to be.
Cela’s silver swirling eyes stayed on the tome, watching as it was moved around as though it were nothing. Perhaps, to those who followed this path, it was nothing. To her though.. It was the chains that held her in place. Such a strong part of her, one torn from her without permission, taken against her will so many years ago. Only moments passed after The Evincar had leaned down towards her, the clattering of what he was a sure sound in her mind. Even as distracted as she was, she had heard the whispered from above. From the one she herself had released and offered to Fides as a gift, one that would bring benefits to the Dark Father. She lifted her eyes to meet his, only for a moment, his gaze even to much for her handle beyond a moment or two before she nodded. Knowing that his words spoke the truth,"Etiam.. Si potes facere". (“Yes.. If you can do so..”) Her words choked out, the safety net that had been placed in her mind causing some minor pain. As her thoughts mingled towards the realms of possibly being whole, the crisis in which had caused this part of her to be torn away… In the dead of night, the animals all having went into hiding. The tree limbs rustling before the screaming winds decended on her, forcing her to her knees…. Jerking her mind back, she looked towards The Evincar and slightly bowed her head.""Fiduciam.. mensura vera fides a me ad te, sinet significat aperire librum. Esse monuit.. erumpunt, quae ab intrinseco faciet, me a magna dolor. Mea affectus erit... erraticus, ut levissime dicam,. Et enim tempus, ego non poterit ad imperium eas, aut me. Mea solum petitio est, cum id facere, tenere stricta ad vinculum. Vel aliud, ego esse perditus, intra penetralia mea mens. Si potes me totum iterum, dimitte me, ex mea pasts. Ego debeo plus quam tantum munera, in quibus erat concessit."" (“Trust.. A measure of true trust from me to you, will allow you the means to open the book. Be warned.. The burst of what comes from within will cause me a great deal of pain. My emotions will be… erratic, to say the least. And for a time, I will be unable to control them or myself. My only request is that when you do it, to hold tight to the bond. Or else I could be lost within the depths of my own mind. If you can make me whole again, release me from my pasts. I will owe for more than only the gifts in which I was granted.”)
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CardinalSinn
Re: Ancient Scrolls new
May 13, 2019 06:01PM
She seemed to doubt the Evencar, which in a way was understandable. Most beings that dwelt within the realms of mortals had little to no sway over souls, “soul forging” tended to be a rare skill to most, for a being such as Fides though molding and sculpting souls was as creating are with clay or stone to a sculptor. The tome which her other half resided in had been made with a number of somewhat impressive souls, powerful mages in concert with their sacrifices. Had it been any other it may well have been out of reach, this was Fides though, Evencar of the kinn. The souls over which it held dominion were beyond the comprehension to most. It was not uncommon for some of the larger kinn to hold sway of thousands, on rare occasion billions. Fides held dominion over entire realms, the number of souls at its disposal were beyond counting, entire realms both living and dead served this dark beast, to many it was nothing short of a god. The Evincar did pause for thought concerning her cautioning, she was something more powerful than most were aware, even Fides was not sure the full extent of her power, the books warding was potent, and not some curtain that could simply be pushed aside to see what was held within. It mused over her warning as an idea began to form in its mind, there was the possibility of quite the outburst, and things here in this place were quite capable of being broken or damaged. Even if this place was comprised of primarily abandon ruins Fides would rather not see the lands destroyed for the birthing of a Bellator. Most beings would “lose their minds” for a time upon being birthed, it was a common side effect of being so violently subjected to what the Kinn would call “The truth”. It was perhaps the most pure experiencing of Veritas most kinn would ever come to know, and often would fail to remember the experience as a whole. Having one’s soul torn from their bodies and thrown into the darkest depth of the Umbra was often traumatic to say the least, some damage to the psyche was to be expected. Normally this was a simple process and would not invoke the care, or honor Fides was about to bestow. At first it almost looked as if the Evencar would rescind its offer as it took the tome of Cela into its manifestation. The book sank slowly into Fides left hand, being brought into the true Fides, not simply held captive in its manifestation which was paltry in comparison to its true self. A being which held entire worlds within it was not something which could manifest in so small a form, this was merely an avatar with which it allowed other to interact with, a puppet so to speak. The book went into the truth of the Evencar as it extended its left hand now to take Cel’s. If she would not offer it freely Fides would take it by force before bringing her to the same place as the book. Were she to resist this would be incredibly painful. Her soul fragmented as it were would be forcibly torn from her flesh, lest she willingly abandon it. Once within the darkness that was Fides the atmosphere would be completely bereft of light, there would be nothing to stimulate the senses, no up, no down, no light no sound, just complete and immaculate darkness.
The atmosphere would become oppressive as all at once The Evencar would bare down on the book completely shattering the warding which held her “better half” as Fides had called it. This would offer a sudden and rather clamorous stimulation as the agony of those who had been sacrificed to form and bind the book screamed out in agony, all their effort was for naught. Their souls now in the same limbo as those they had torn asunder, the disembodied souls confined within an imperceptible darkness. Despite the robbery of primary senses there were things to be perceived now in this immediate area. Aside from the souls, those crying out in pain and abject terror there would be the sigh of relief of her other half, now free to an extent. This freedom though was relatively short lived as Fides closed the walls within itself, forcing this gathering of souls into one another. It employed it soul forging now to make those select souls within it one being, much like the other Kinn, Dominion over Cel’s soul pool now split between her and her other half. Which would prove to be the dominant soul remained to be seen, though there were in truth only two options. Many of the souls in this small space were already under Cel’s dominion, which would have made the incorporation of the mages a simple thing, but time would tell. Once fides had mashed these beings into one it released the oppression it had inflicted. Leaving the amalgam to sort itself out within itself, nothing but pure unending darkness surrounding them as the uncountable hissing whispers of the Evencar echoed.”Quod habebant captum inlacrimat nos iterum facere totum, nos tibi hoc donum et in reditu autem veritati, vos servietis nobis et patrem omnium rerum nunc. Nos tibi tempus ad paciscendum cum nova hac re, et quondam vos es promptus, semel vos es promptus dicemus, set vos in secula materia semel.” (what they had torn asunder we once again make whole, we give you this gift and in return you now serve the truth, you serve us and the father of all things now. we give you time to come to terms with this new reality, and once you are ready, once you are ready we shall set you out into the worlds of the material once more. )
Cela watched, speechlessly for once as what held part of her was slowly taken into this being. The greater part of her slipped from sight and she was reached for. The Evincar reached out for her, and in the possibility of her being made whole, she stepped forward. Releasing the hold of her will on what held her within the body. Allowing the form to crumble and fold to the floor, the robes which covered the form left to pile together as one. Cela closed her mind, drifting where she would be pulled towards. Unaware of what would be around her as of yet, she waited until she could feel The Evincar before she would become aware of her surroundings. OPening her eyes, she felt some slight disorientation due to the lack of anything beyond the whispers and agony held within her, only more so. Very few beings would have the power to simply overcome Cela, as this being could with ease. She could not see but rather felt the bindings on the book break, as simply as breaking a lock, from what was felt.She felt the release of the mages, and the screams they let loose from their souls as their own gifts were released. Cela’s mind tembled, waiting, watching as the oppression took its toll on her causing her to reach out mentally for the lost part of her. Knowing that once she reached it, she would no longer be Cela.. She would finally be Celatain again. The being in which held more power than she could control but would finally break the chains that held her into a past she no longer needed. The screaming of the mages who created the tome, a sound of homecoming for Cela as her mind melded with that of Celeste. The memories between the two rammed together, creating havok all around them, held and contained within The Evincar. Celeste fighting Cela, the unknown of where she was and what had happened causing all thoughts to fly from her minds. Forcing her to move with instinct alone, towards the only known thing around her. THe mind and thoughts of Cela and what they used to be. As the two came together, the shock of it created a cascade of images from the beginning of their life, until the time they were torn apart. Even Cela began to rebel some, for the amount of emotions held within the tome torn through her, forcing her to face issues she had not been forced to deal with before this. Celeste gloried in the freedom, once she stopped fighting. Her mind, at first thoughts tricks were being played against her again. But no.. SHe thought, this is no longer within that damn book. I am free.. And here is pretty little Cela, all ready to be free herself. Celeste used her mind, reaching out towards Cela, bringing the two minds into one. Celeste, sadly being the weaker of the two due to the emotions. But with a very strong survival instict that caused her to push and shove Cela.. No longer making them as two minds, but as one. Allowing Celatain to emerge as the victor. The two thoughts as one, finally after years of being apart. The casade slowed and stopped. The screaming howls of those released silenced as Celatain reached out with her mind and drew them firmly within her grasp, smashing through the defenses each had put in place before. The few small tilts of her mind steadied as she shook out the ages of dust, leaving her as one. Both Cela and Celeste caught in the snare of who they used to be… “They are me now, and I am them..” The sound of her own thoughts played easily now, the gift of her powers returned and so she struck out. Wanting to be released again, wanting to go hunting as she used to. Not having a body, all she could use was her mind and as such shoved, and stuck out time and again. Trying to force her way out, the need for a hunt, for blood pressing down on her.
Cel offered no resistance to Fides taking her soul into itself, it was a quick and painless transition. Her eyes were closed as she was taken in, not that it would matter much, there was initially nothing to perceive, even her bodies movement and confinement were beyond perception. Her physical body rapidly atrophied, flesh and garb turning into something akin to ash which crumbled disintegrating rapidly as Fides embraced the effigy that had been her body. The first thing which had assiled her senses were the whispered torments she carried within her, her “personal demons”. That was short lived though as the bindings of the book shattered, making her more aware of what was about to transpire. The ease of which those bindings were broken took her off guard, giving her some modicum of better understanding the power which the Evencar was capable of utilizing. Her awe was short lived though as the mass of free souls was set loose in this small space which was becoming rapidly smaller, forcing the assimilation of those souls into one another, she had of course reached out to her other half, the reunion was accompanied by the lamenting song of screams by what was left of the mages sentience. For Cel it was pure chaos for a time, the reunion offered little in the way of reintroduction as the two egos clashed, the union bringing a plethora of memories to her prior self. After a short while though the two were once again whole, reveling in their being made whole once again, at first their thoughts wandered to a place which perceived deception, as if the book might be taunting her in some perverse way. Likely what brought her back to reality as it were was the presentation of those meddling mages, free for the taking. She found herself readily able to reach out and crush them, taking their essence for her own with ease.
As the battle within Fides took place Kage would likely have no idea the entensity, nor the profundity of what was transpiring, the manifestation of FIdes certainly seemed unaffected, looking up to the rafters and offering the young black blood a nod before it would begin to address him. The way in which he spoke with Kage was not through conventional means, instead the words were spoken into his mind, as if Kage were speaking to himself using the choir that was Fides voices. “Fecisti, ut quaereremus te, et fecisti sic cum cupidus zelo loquitur ad penetralia vestra obedientia et voluntate servire veritati. Ita tibi parta, quod nos obtulit pro expletum munus tuum.” (you have done as we asked of you, and have done so with an eager zeal speaking to the depths of your obedience and willingness to serve the truth. in doing so you have secured that which we offered for completing your task.) Fides motioned for Kage to come and stand before him now as it continued to speak. ”obedientia est aliquid dignum praemium, et in vobis erit. ibi est unum quaeritis, quem habet iniuriam, unum dignum retributionem a manus tuae solus. scimus hoc creatura, ubi latet...ubi latet. nihil est in creatura quod potest abscondere a gloria, ut serviamus. vos elegi, ad serviendum nobis, servire veritati. invenimus enim decet vestri praemium tantum progreditur tuus, ita erit vestri vindictam serviens voluntati pater noster, et pater vester...pater.” (obedience is a thing deserving reward, and you shall have it. there is one you seek, one whom has wronged you, one deserving retribution from your hands alone. we know of this creature, where it lurks...where it hides. there is nothing in creation that can hide from the glory that we serve. you have chosen to serve us, to serve the truth. we find it fitting that your reward only advances your service, in doing so you shall have your retribution while serving the will of our father, your father...the father.) Fides now lifted his arms, bringing his hands together so that he firmly grasped his right pointer finger and gave a slow blink as it tore the digit from its hand and offered it to Kage. “sit hoc parvum signum servire vos in venatione descendit tuam praedam, nos erit punctum in via tua fata. totus vos postulo debitum tenere hac in parte nos in manu tua, et in ea erit punctum in via. ite nunc, et tolle quod tuum est, in tuum reditum dicemus, det vobis gloria” (let this small token serve you in hunting down your prey, we shall point the way to your destiny. all you need due is hold this part of us in your palm, and it shall point the way. go now, and take that which is yours, upon your return we shall grant you glory).
As Fides conversed with Kage things continued to transpire within its manifestation regarding the newly reunited one within, Celatain. Having regained both her sanity and composure now Fides would appear before her in the unending depths of darkness. ”quam, sicut tu nobis dona? fecimus totum semel, quod erat captum inlacrimat, et tamen nos adhuc magis gloriam dare super vos parum spina.” (how like you our gifts? we have made whole once more that which was torn asunder, and yet we still have more glory to bestow upon you little thorn.) Fides would lift its hand and hold up a singular digit as it continued. ”primo quidem dicemus accipere a te nomine parum spina. tibi dabitur forte mereretur nomen, quod est magis. (firstly we shall take from you the name little thorn. you shall be given chance to earn a name that is more.) FIdes offered a slight pause as it then raised another digit. ”secundo offerimus tibi forma bellator. sic faciendo vobis retinere utriusque partes de te, ut in imperio totum.” (secondly we offer you the the form of a warrior. in doing so you shall retain both parts of yourself so as in to command the whole.) Fides then raised a third finger and continued. ”et tandem nos dono tibi parva pars gloriae, quae sunt nobis. cum hoc invenietis in tenebris servus tuus, tenebrarum erit tibi in vas caro est aliquid, quod erit amplius profana vos, id est, sub te, nunc et in perpetuum. hic nos dimittere te in sinu patris vestri, nos posuit te rursus ex in corporis mundi, ut adduceret veritatem ad missas et quaerere dignum.” (and finally we gift you a small part of the glory that are we. with this you shall find the darkness your servant, darkness will become your vessel flesh is a thing that shall no longer profane you, it is beneath you now and forever. here we release you into the bosom of your father, we set you back out into the physical worlds to bring truth to the masses and seek out the worthy.) The last of the words trailed off into the depths as the form of the Evincar would fade from view. As the evincar faded though Celatain could feel herself stretching out into the darkness, no longer confined within Fides, it had done as promised setting her loose onto the worlds once more.
All it could do was watch in awe as the Evincar drew Cela and the tome into the darkness that was Fides, though he truly had no idea what it was that was happening within, he could sense the tome releasing what he assumed would have been the woman's 'better half'. The thick inkly pools held those bright green orbs with a curiosity, taking in every sense that the surrounding darkness had to offer, including that which was the Evincar and the woman enveloped within him, his fingers beginning to move across the beads once again with the unspoken prayers, the intensity of his curiosity broken only when Fides had turned towards him in the rafters. The choir of the Envicar's voices filling his mind was rather difficult to ignore in on itself, but the fact this being was the one to have brought him into the shadows holey as he had, he was but a rabid dog on a leash, awaiting his masters command, at least for now.
When Fides motioned for him to come stand before him, he would allow his frame to drop from the rafters, almost instantly shifting into the misty shadows only to reform once again as he stepped forward towards the massive being, listening more intently than before as the being spoke of the one he sought, the name echoing with rage in his mind as Fides continued to speak. What features could be seen across his face would show the dark grin creeping across it lips, the very thought of finally being able to find the being that corrupted the man that would be his biological father, the lust for the beings blood filling his senses, all the while the thought of him being no better than the woman with her chains to the past, though breaking these chains would be no different that those she had just broken with the aid of Fides, it certainly did mean more power to carry out the will of the All Father.
He bowed his head respectively towards the Evincar as it handed him it's own pointer finger to guide him to the location where the being hid, "Evincar nos gratias ago tibi, quia non est actus entis est omnium Pater, et redde illis erit aut in sanguine, aut esse ..." (We thank you Evincar, the actions of the being is not that of the all father, and it will pay for them, either in blood or existence ...) With those words spoken he would than turn and make his way from the vast and dark citadel, the very manifestation of his being fading into the shadows as he followed the instructions as to how to use the digit within the palm of his hand, the finger turning to point in a particular direction just before he would fade from sight, and would begin this new path set out before him. Though it was nothing more than a chain to the flesh of his past, he was more than certain it would mean a greater path forward, the glory that was promised to him by the Evincar would not dissapoint, the will of the All Father would deal it's blow upon this being to correct the actions so long ago, was it even aware that one day the very thing he sought to create would be the one that would bring it the end of it's days.
CardinalSinn
Re: Ancient Scrolls new
May 13, 2019 06:07PM
KAGE'S GIFT
Scourge: The putrid scent of rotting dead flesh hung heavily in the air within his darkened lair, a cave deep within a mountain long forgotten to the mortals of the land, many had avoided it for generations with tales of a dark entity that would cast a sickness upon any who dare to trespass on it's mountain, or a plague against those who thought themselves brave enough to face the clearly insane being that was Scourge, tales turned to reality when the mortals of the town at the base of the mountain all developed plague like symptoms, though not one would had actually died because of the disease that worked its way through the town, instead each of them would become more or less his zombies of pestilence. Half decayed corpses hung from the rock spikes that protrude from the caverns ceiling, maggots crawling all around the pools of flesh that fell away from the failing frames, the buzzing of flies was about the only other sounds one could truly hear before they would even enter the mouth of the cave, the deeper one traveled into the darkness, one could make out the sound of a possible rhyme, "Cast the flies to lay the eggs, watch the beings run in fear, hatch the eggs for the magots to crawl, eat the flesh from those who fall, their screams and cries but a song, rot and decay will be all that remains...." the very voice of which would stop between the sets and almost giggle like a mad man before continuing through the twisted rhyme, jagged razor like teeth lined the crooked grin that played across his blackened lips. His frame would be hunched over a table, the surface of which was covered heavily in clotted, dried blood, guts and fecal matter, his hand would move up and tug at a length of what looked like string, only to be sinew pulled into thread, busy at work sewing the flesh of two other beings together to create what appeared to be a pocket, the frantic movements of his sickly green orbs danced over the raw material in the thick black tar coated hands, the same thick tar like substance that seemingly cascaded down his entire frame, pooling at the stitched up feet upon the floor, the flesh of his frame holding its own sickly green tinge beneath the tar. If one were simply to stand and watch the being at work, they would notice he never once stood perfectly still, his head twitching from time to time, the constant movements of his limbs in erratic movements, right down to the fact he even seemed to talk to himself a great deal, and not just talk but actually have conversations and arguments as well, this dark and twisted being was the very embodiment one would have when they would think of the Plaguebringer, the horseman Pestilence.
Even though the young shadow had only just started his journey that would eventually bring him before Scourge, he was already being watched, the darkness that surrounded him both mind and body had shown him as much, it would always show him the threats that made their move the moment they would begin to move against him, it did not matter how far the distance between them, neither time nor realm would hide the threats from his gaze. Curious however, the very sense that he should know this one who made his move against the very embodiment of Pestilence, what could such a dark being want with Scourge, why not work with him to cast the darkness across the lands, to bring the fever before the sickness and watch as the useless mortals would fall to yet another of their own creations, illness. The onset of the only defence nature truly had against those that sought to rip it apart, unknowingly setting themselves upon a path that would create such things like the black plague of ancient times, a maniacal laugh rolling past his lips at the very thought of the history of the human race, "Such sweet memories.." he chimed in as he moved about his cavern. He had no misconception that he had fallen from favor of his dark lord, on a few occasions he would contemplate the extra time when the All Father had closed it's all seeing as to him, the thought never truly bothering the plaguebringer though, more or less just a curiosity in the end, but it would seem he had the full sight casted upon him, the watchful eyes showing the young shadow the way, thoughts of how to deal with this running through his mind, even though at the end of the day, it would truly all come down to the stronger will. Did this young shadow have a will strong enough to break that of Scourge, or would this new favored pet fall to his ancient will as so many have before him.
Kage: Every thought within the mind of the shadow, every voice of the souls in his command, every ounce of his very being had waited for the moment the Evincar would grant him the chance to be able to even hunt the being that influenced the turn of events that would have brought him into existence, even now as the shapeless shadow flowed through the darkness between time and space, he wanted nothing more than to please the All Father, to bring this creature to its knees before the Evincar, to watch as it's very being would be ripped and torn to shreds before his own gaze, to know that he was the undoing of this Scourge, the plaguebringer of realms, it would be as satisfying to him as the most passionate acts of lust known to any being. He would stop from time to time to take form, casting his gaze to the single finger within the palm of his hand to make sure he was still moving in the right direction before taking back to the darkness, never once hiding himself from any of the dark beings within the realms, not even trying to hide himself from the one he hunted. Drawing ever closer to the being meant he drew closer to being free of any and all remaining chains that held his being to the material planes of existence, sure he understood what he was now, but to be truly free of these fleshly chains of his past, the shadows themselves shuddered at the very thought of it, such excitement rarely held his thoughts like this.
Pulling his frame from the shadows he stood upon a cliff's edge, the shadows were thick here, as was the scent of sickness and disease, the look of grotesque crossing what features could be seen across his face as he looked to the small village in the valley below, the shadows showing him the villagers themselves were nothing more than the zombified corpses of those who fell to the influences of Scourge's will, such prowess of a being so dark as this, and yet he plays god in the material realms. He was no god, he was nothing but a harbinger, a dog to the All Father, one that had forgotten who his true master was, lead astray but such blasphemous notions that he could be more than that, more than the All Father. A new playful thought crossed his mind as the whispers of the souls practically chanted and cheered, some even egging him on in a sense, the desire to show this being just how far he had fallen from favor growing stronger the longer his gaze watched the rotting fleshlings below. He'd pull his gaze upwards to the mouth a cavern high above the village, the scent of rotting decay flowing form the opening, that was where he was, and undoubtedly he was watching, for how long was unknown, and uncared, he was about to learn his place once again.
Flowing back into the shadows he would than step out of them just at the front gates to the small village, arms outstretched to either side of him as he called a gathering of sorts to the shadows that were thickly casted under the moons light, faint whispers filling the air as his slow heavy steps carried him closer to the village, "Veni mi obumbratio, ut dedere mihi tenebris, subditæ meae voluntatis est quod non claudentur ut adferatur ad justitiam in oculis meis et omnia Patris, et mittamus in cisternam veterem: dicemusque RUDICULUS propositum pulvere emortuus fuerit carnalia sunt entia in tenebris sempiternis." (Come my shadows, surrender to me your darkness, submit to my will so that I may bring justice to the eyes of the All Father, let us cast these grotesque rotting fleshly beings into the unending pits of darkness.) Thick streams of shadows would flow along the ground towards him, gathering at his feet before climbing up his legs, wrapping themselves around his torso before twisting around his arms, it would look as though the shadows themselves were more like flames that clouds of smoke, Kage's very will coursing within thickened their darkness even more.
The villagers weren't entirely sure what to think of the sight before them, at first they thought it a comrade to the plaguebringer, but as it spoke and drew closer, the intent clear within the endless void of his gaze, it was than they would all begin to gather in the town square, thinking their combined strength granted upon them from Scourge would truly help them, a few of them would whisper in words barely audible before their frames would shudder violently, only to erupt into thick clouds of swarming pests, hurling in towards the black creature that approached their village. Kage simply held a single hand upwards, throwing the thick shadows up in front of him like a shield of sorts, only this shield would engulf the pests that flew at him, as they swirled around in a panic within the thick shadow, he could feel the very will of Scourge with them, as they wanted to be devoured to cast that very will into his own frame. "Tales autem infirma casted onto pulvere emortuus fuerit entia conclusio: Quod vobis quod iam non potest infici Plaguebringer inficiat." (Such weak will casted onto these rotting beings, you can infect that which is already infected Plaguebringer.) The whole idea behind the attack would have been to infect his will with that of Scourge's, allowing the being to absorb the very make up of the pests thrown at him, even as the pests within the thick shadows would begin to decay themselves and absorb into the heavy shadow, it did not look as they would in fact succeed in their purpose.
The heavy shadow in front of him would pull back into his arm as he dropped his hand back to his side, still his steps carried him forward, never once stopping even when they casted the swarm of the plague like pest at him. The line of villagers would begin to chant, a deeper more guttural sound would fill the air this time, the bodies trembling as thick tar like pools would them begin to form at their feet, the dark substance flowing from every orpheus along their bodies as the pool would grow in size, Kage would only tilt his head curiously as he watched the show, never once did his steps stop though, even when the tar like pool would than reach out towards him, like a hand grabbing at him frame, only to find shadows in it place, "quam rude." (How rude) would echo through the shadows that surrounded the entire village before Kage's frame solidified it was than his steps had halted, reaching out quickly to take hold of the tar like limb and gripped it tightly, again, another attack with the intent to hinder rather than mame, he was beginning to grow tired of this, the nails of his hands would lengthen, creating razor sharp claws as they pierced clean through the tarly limb. His eyes fluttered softly as he absorbed the every ounce of the tar pool into himself, the will that created it was nothing more than that of the fear these villagers held, his hand dropping back to his side as he breathed in deeply, taking in any and all information he could as he suppressed the very essence of what made up the tar, never once did the will of Scourge ever threaten his frame as it absorbed it entirely.
"Taedet me ludos mihi magis delectabiles villis verbera ........" (I grow tired of these games, I thought the village of Scourge would be more....... entertaining.) He held his arms outwards to either side, the shadows that wrapped around his entire frame all moving and gathering thickly at his feet, with the aid of what he had learned from the tar like pool, he created one similar to it, only this time the pool would separate into multiple pools, and then rise up from the ground, taking the shape of something more humanoid. Before long there were about 5 thick tar like beings standing just in front of Kage, not features to them whatsoever could be seen as the tar dripped what would appear to be their arms, "Da mihi animas suas." (Bring me their souls.) At his command the tar figures would move forward rather quickly, erratic movements as they rushed the dozen or so villagers, each scrambling to run away form these creatures. When these tar figures would take hold of a villager, it would grow across their decaying bodies, screams of agony would fill the air as every bit of them would be eaten and absorbed into the tar, it would take maybe 5 minutes for the tar to completely absorb everything that made up these beings, every last bit of information, sustenance, even the very energy that the human body produced, right down to their very soul was held captive in the thick pools of tar. As the last of the villagers was devoured, the pools would stream across the ground back to their master, pooling back at his feet before seeping back into his being, an audible breath of pleasure would cross his lips as he took in everything they had to offer him, he would have to atone for such actions later, for now he would take the extra knowledge and energy and put it to good use.
Opening his eyes once more he would turn his head towards the opening of the cave high above, a dark grin would have been more clear than ever before against the pitch black features of his face, "Id est, si vos omnem veritatem fecisti verbera, ego suadeant te magis quam nobis, nisi quod utraque plurimum tempus, et si tradidero te omnes voluntatem Dei Patris.." (If that is truly all you have accomplished Scourge, than I suggest you save both of us a great deal of time, and surrender yourself to the will of the All Father.) Shifting back into the shadows he would move through to the edge of the cliff that looked out over the village, right at the entrance to the cave where he was certain Scourge was hiding. Be it over confidence of just the sheer arrogance of his nature, he would step inside, following the large pathway deeper into the caver, the scent of rot thickening with every step, the decay so potent that even the shadows appeared to melt away from the walls they were casted upon to pool along the floor of the cave. He could hear the maniacal giggles of a madman deep within the cavern, knowing he was drawing closer to his prey, he would keep his own shadows close to his frame to avoid even the slightest thought of influence from one far older and more experienced than himself. "Dubitabitur delectamentum puer umbra sumus." (Your doubts are delicious young Shadow.) Scourge's words echoed through the interior of the cavern, whispers of agony filling every syllable as Kage moved deeper into his lair, "Timeo vos virtutis est quod umbrae teneas proxima." (Do you fear my prowess, is that why you keep your shadows close?) His words were meant to taunt, but they would draw nothing from Kage, no fear, no anger, no hatred of any kind would be found, the young shadow had kept his thoughts locked away for himself and the All Father, closing them off from the collective for such a task.
"Flagellum metuis puella mea est causa latet intus monte custodire sperans non et Pater, et enutries me tibi?" (Do you fear my prowess Scourge, is that why you keep yourself hidden deep within this mountain, hoping the All Father wouldn't find you, and guide me to you?) Kage's own voices would whisper through the shadows now, flowing through each of them as they moved towards the dark being, "Adeo viribus suis dubitas avertis manum habebat ex te creavit." (You doubt your own abilities so much so that you hide from one you yourself had a hand in creating.) His silent steps carried him deeper into the cave, he could hear the muffled growl as Scourge tried to keep his own anger in check, "Profecta tuo armis et ad patrem homines invenire puerorum, qui opibus ac corrumpere ..." (Setting your own armor out for the boys human father to find, to influence and corrupt ...) the shadows that surrounded his frame thickened as they swirled in tighter. "Numquam tu puer putavit esse concipiuntur, ad quem iam mulier secuta est omnia verba Domini ad Patrem." (You never thought a child would be conceived, to a woman who already followed the words of the All Father.) Scourges mind would begin to reel with numerous thoughts, doubts, anger, frustration, all of it slowly playing into his own being, corrupting his absolution as it were, each word Kage spoke, it filled the shadows, shadows that were slowly beginning to falter to his will, "A flaminica Dialis captus et servus factus, verum Deum sacerdos," (A priestess, taken captive and made a slave, a priestess of the true God,) his dominance over the shadows vibrated from the very image of him, Kage may have been overly confident, but he was certain his path was darkened by the All Father himself, blessed by the Evincar, and enforced by the collective, "Tua productum tuum in interitum ludos, ludum trahit et eo modo ad finem, vos do not volo ludere ultra." (Your games produced your own undoing, and now that game draws to end, you don't want to play no more.)
Finally he reached the end of the path, the cave he stood in now deep within the mountain was lit with torches, the light from which would slowly begin to fade, the fact they even burned with a regular color told Kage this being had fallen from favor with the All Father. The creature known as Scourge was a twisted frame of putrid rotting flesh that was in constant flux of decay and reform, as the flesh would slip from his frame and hit the floor in a pile of grotesque slop it would than add to the pooling tar at his stitched up feet that were in turn coated heavily in the black substance, thick black bones worn like armor graced the lower jaw of its face, his hands, and his chest, and the bones themselves seeming set off an aura of their own, created from being just as dark as the one wearing it held captive to his will by the runes and black blood that dripped from them. "Puer non umbra, non solum ludos sicut inceperat" (No young shadow, the games have only just begun.) The maniacal laughter rolled into the words, the sickly green gaze would hold the frame of Kage, trying to take in as much detail as possible about the youngling before him, but oddly enough he couldn't see anything but thick shadows. "Kage sumus, et timor tenebrosus Magister, ludio ludius in mentibus eorum qui pereunt peccatorum, omnes umbra Patre, et unus non est nihil, non inest potentia ad non estis in tenebris dici quod tuum est nec gratiam in oculis tenendum est verus Deus noster, virtus non carnalia sunt super te paulo homines lusit, lusit tua ludum cursum suum, iam tum mihi talis ad ultimum in volumine." (We are Kage, Master of shadows and fear, player of the minds who are lost to their sins, shadow of the All Father, and you are nothing to no one, you've no power to see through the darkness that you claim is yours, no favor to be held in the eyes of our true god, no prowess over the fleshly little humans you've toyed with, your game has played its course, tis time for the final roll of the dice.)
A loud gurgle growl erupted from Scourges mouth as a flood of swarming insects flowed past his lips and straight towards the frame of Kage, a distraction while two long tendril sprouted from his back, dripping with a tar like substance that appeared to be more or less acid to anything solid, sizzling and bubbling on contact with the stone floor of the cave, long poisonous claws stretched out from his fingers just before he would launch himself towards Kage. "Vos scitis quod timor est puer: Dimitte me docebit vos." (You know nothing of fear boy, let me teach you.) He'd move into the swarm of insects as they surrounded Kage, a smoke screen if you will, hiding the movements of Scourge, when he was within range he would swipe the green tinged claws towards the frame of Kage, the tendrils lashed out towards him looking to impale the dark appearance, all the while Scourge's laughter filled the air. Each strike casting that tar onto Kage's frame as it bobbed and weaved, moving with such speed that Kage was avoiding all the strikes towards him, minus the tar of course. The tar itself would grow across his frame, coating every inch available, before long Scourge had stopped his onslaught of attacks, laughing even louder than before, "Te MINORIS AESTIMO potestatem habentes plagas septem crescunt si sunt aliti sunt, et pueri in tantum ut pascat eam." (You underestimate the power of plagues, they grow when fed, and you boy have much to feed it.) The tar that coated Kage's entire frame would slow his movements as it held his frame captive, covering his frame entirely, there wasn't a single spot that one could see anything that would resemble the body of Kage in any way, it would seem Scourge had won, and so quickly too. Scourge himself would begin giggling and dancing around the statue of Kage like a mad man who just won the lottery.
"Non est minoris virtutis et verbera, non usque eo defectum ex gratiam in te." (There is no power to be underestimated Scourge, not when you've fallen so far out of favor.) Kage's voice echoed through the shadows, filled with the thousands of taunting cries of the souls he held, stopping Scourge in his tracks as he titled his head towards the statue. As his sickly green hues watched carefully, the tar would slowly begin to absorb into Kage's 'flesh' the ancient runes that covered his frame nearly pulsated with darkness, the shadow seeping through what holes would begin to form around the tar like blanket, it wouldn't take long for every last sign of the tar to be absorbed into his body, the shadows returning in a much darker tone than before as wrapped itself around his frame, appearing more or less like heavy armor. He'd lift the endless pools of his gaze to Scourge who would begin taking steps back towards a table strewn with body parts, Kage's own feet would carry him forward one slow step at a time as he drew closer to Scourge, "Dubitabitur pascenda timorem, timorem alit mea umbra odio pascit omnia putas te iam meum munus et Patris dando mihi talem privlage ut abrumperent vincula mea perfecta figura hoc planum est ABSURDUS exsistence." (Your doubts feed your fear, and your fear feeds my shadows, your hatred feeds them, everything that you think you were is now mine, a gift to the All Father for granting me such a privilege as to sever the chains that bind my perfected form to this grotesque plane of existence.) His frame practically towered over the writhing form of Scourge as he spoke, Scourge's eyes couldn't have gotten any wider unless he popped them from his skull, his entire body seemingly frozen in place as Kage's shadows would tightly wrap themselves around him. Pulling Scourge into his own frame, much like the Evincar had done to Cel, but it a slightly different manner, fully engulfed he would allow Scourge the pleasure of enduring every last torment of every soul under his command, all the while keeping him bound.
Kage made his way from the depths of the mountain and back out into the moon light of the night, taking but a moment to peer back towards the cave, grinning darkly he would tilt his head to the side, "comminuet eam." (Crush it.) one command to the shadows that remained with the depth of the cave, and without hesitation they pulled the walls in on themselves, collapsing the pathways of the caves that tunnelled through the mountain. Kage returned to the shadows and would begin to make his way back to the Evincar.
{fin}
(Continued as "Marshaling")
Re: Ancient Scrolls new
May 13, 2019 06:07PM
KAGE'S GIFT
Scourge: The putrid scent of rotting dead flesh hung heavily in the air within his darkened lair, a cave deep within a mountain long forgotten to the mortals of the land, many had avoided it for generations with tales of a dark entity that would cast a sickness upon any who dare to trespass on it's mountain, or a plague against those who thought themselves brave enough to face the clearly insane being that was Scourge, tales turned to reality when the mortals of the town at the base of the mountain all developed plague like symptoms, though not one would had actually died because of the disease that worked its way through the town, instead each of them would become more or less his zombies of pestilence. Half decayed corpses hung from the rock spikes that protrude from the caverns ceiling, maggots crawling all around the pools of flesh that fell away from the failing frames, the buzzing of flies was about the only other sounds one could truly hear before they would even enter the mouth of the cave, the deeper one traveled into the darkness, one could make out the sound of a possible rhyme, "Cast the flies to lay the eggs, watch the beings run in fear, hatch the eggs for the magots to crawl, eat the flesh from those who fall, their screams and cries but a song, rot and decay will be all that remains...." the very voice of which would stop between the sets and almost giggle like a mad man before continuing through the twisted rhyme, jagged razor like teeth lined the crooked grin that played across his blackened lips. His frame would be hunched over a table, the surface of which was covered heavily in clotted, dried blood, guts and fecal matter, his hand would move up and tug at a length of what looked like string, only to be sinew pulled into thread, busy at work sewing the flesh of two other beings together to create what appeared to be a pocket, the frantic movements of his sickly green orbs danced over the raw material in the thick black tar coated hands, the same thick tar like substance that seemingly cascaded down his entire frame, pooling at the stitched up feet upon the floor, the flesh of his frame holding its own sickly green tinge beneath the tar. If one were simply to stand and watch the being at work, they would notice he never once stood perfectly still, his head twitching from time to time, the constant movements of his limbs in erratic movements, right down to the fact he even seemed to talk to himself a great deal, and not just talk but actually have conversations and arguments as well, this dark and twisted being was the very embodiment one would have when they would think of the Plaguebringer, the horseman Pestilence.
Even though the young shadow had only just started his journey that would eventually bring him before Scourge, he was already being watched, the darkness that surrounded him both mind and body had shown him as much, it would always show him the threats that made their move the moment they would begin to move against him, it did not matter how far the distance between them, neither time nor realm would hide the threats from his gaze. Curious however, the very sense that he should know this one who made his move against the very embodiment of Pestilence, what could such a dark being want with Scourge, why not work with him to cast the darkness across the lands, to bring the fever before the sickness and watch as the useless mortals would fall to yet another of their own creations, illness. The onset of the only defence nature truly had against those that sought to rip it apart, unknowingly setting themselves upon a path that would create such things like the black plague of ancient times, a maniacal laugh rolling past his lips at the very thought of the history of the human race, "Such sweet memories.." he chimed in as he moved about his cavern. He had no misconception that he had fallen from favor of his dark lord, on a few occasions he would contemplate the extra time when the All Father had closed it's all seeing as to him, the thought never truly bothering the plaguebringer though, more or less just a curiosity in the end, but it would seem he had the full sight casted upon him, the watchful eyes showing the young shadow the way, thoughts of how to deal with this running through his mind, even though at the end of the day, it would truly all come down to the stronger will. Did this young shadow have a will strong enough to break that of Scourge, or would this new favored pet fall to his ancient will as so many have before him.
Kage: Every thought within the mind of the shadow, every voice of the souls in his command, every ounce of his very being had waited for the moment the Evincar would grant him the chance to be able to even hunt the being that influenced the turn of events that would have brought him into existence, even now as the shapeless shadow flowed through the darkness between time and space, he wanted nothing more than to please the All Father, to bring this creature to its knees before the Evincar, to watch as it's very being would be ripped and torn to shreds before his own gaze, to know that he was the undoing of this Scourge, the plaguebringer of realms, it would be as satisfying to him as the most passionate acts of lust known to any being. He would stop from time to time to take form, casting his gaze to the single finger within the palm of his hand to make sure he was still moving in the right direction before taking back to the darkness, never once hiding himself from any of the dark beings within the realms, not even trying to hide himself from the one he hunted. Drawing ever closer to the being meant he drew closer to being free of any and all remaining chains that held his being to the material planes of existence, sure he understood what he was now, but to be truly free of these fleshly chains of his past, the shadows themselves shuddered at the very thought of it, such excitement rarely held his thoughts like this.
Pulling his frame from the shadows he stood upon a cliff's edge, the shadows were thick here, as was the scent of sickness and disease, the look of grotesque crossing what features could be seen across his face as he looked to the small village in the valley below, the shadows showing him the villagers themselves were nothing more than the zombified corpses of those who fell to the influences of Scourge's will, such prowess of a being so dark as this, and yet he plays god in the material realms. He was no god, he was nothing but a harbinger, a dog to the All Father, one that had forgotten who his true master was, lead astray but such blasphemous notions that he could be more than that, more than the All Father. A new playful thought crossed his mind as the whispers of the souls practically chanted and cheered, some even egging him on in a sense, the desire to show this being just how far he had fallen from favor growing stronger the longer his gaze watched the rotting fleshlings below. He'd pull his gaze upwards to the mouth a cavern high above the village, the scent of rotting decay flowing form the opening, that was where he was, and undoubtedly he was watching, for how long was unknown, and uncared, he was about to learn his place once again.
Flowing back into the shadows he would than step out of them just at the front gates to the small village, arms outstretched to either side of him as he called a gathering of sorts to the shadows that were thickly casted under the moons light, faint whispers filling the air as his slow heavy steps carried him closer to the village, "Veni mi obumbratio, ut dedere mihi tenebris, subditæ meae voluntatis est quod non claudentur ut adferatur ad justitiam in oculis meis et omnia Patris, et mittamus in cisternam veterem: dicemusque RUDICULUS propositum pulvere emortuus fuerit carnalia sunt entia in tenebris sempiternis." (Come my shadows, surrender to me your darkness, submit to my will so that I may bring justice to the eyes of the All Father, let us cast these grotesque rotting fleshly beings into the unending pits of darkness.) Thick streams of shadows would flow along the ground towards him, gathering at his feet before climbing up his legs, wrapping themselves around his torso before twisting around his arms, it would look as though the shadows themselves were more like flames that clouds of smoke, Kage's very will coursing within thickened their darkness even more.
The villagers weren't entirely sure what to think of the sight before them, at first they thought it a comrade to the plaguebringer, but as it spoke and drew closer, the intent clear within the endless void of his gaze, it was than they would all begin to gather in the town square, thinking their combined strength granted upon them from Scourge would truly help them, a few of them would whisper in words barely audible before their frames would shudder violently, only to erupt into thick clouds of swarming pests, hurling in towards the black creature that approached their village. Kage simply held a single hand upwards, throwing the thick shadows up in front of him like a shield of sorts, only this shield would engulf the pests that flew at him, as they swirled around in a panic within the thick shadow, he could feel the very will of Scourge with them, as they wanted to be devoured to cast that very will into his own frame. "Tales autem infirma casted onto pulvere emortuus fuerit entia conclusio: Quod vobis quod iam non potest infici Plaguebringer inficiat." (Such weak will casted onto these rotting beings, you can infect that which is already infected Plaguebringer.) The whole idea behind the attack would have been to infect his will with that of Scourge's, allowing the being to absorb the very make up of the pests thrown at him, even as the pests within the thick shadows would begin to decay themselves and absorb into the heavy shadow, it did not look as they would in fact succeed in their purpose.
The heavy shadow in front of him would pull back into his arm as he dropped his hand back to his side, still his steps carried him forward, never once stopping even when they casted the swarm of the plague like pest at him. The line of villagers would begin to chant, a deeper more guttural sound would fill the air this time, the bodies trembling as thick tar like pools would them begin to form at their feet, the dark substance flowing from every orpheus along their bodies as the pool would grow in size, Kage would only tilt his head curiously as he watched the show, never once did his steps stop though, even when the tar like pool would than reach out towards him, like a hand grabbing at him frame, only to find shadows in it place, "quam rude." (How rude) would echo through the shadows that surrounded the entire village before Kage's frame solidified it was than his steps had halted, reaching out quickly to take hold of the tar like limb and gripped it tightly, again, another attack with the intent to hinder rather than mame, he was beginning to grow tired of this, the nails of his hands would lengthen, creating razor sharp claws as they pierced clean through the tarly limb. His eyes fluttered softly as he absorbed the every ounce of the tar pool into himself, the will that created it was nothing more than that of the fear these villagers held, his hand dropping back to his side as he breathed in deeply, taking in any and all information he could as he suppressed the very essence of what made up the tar, never once did the will of Scourge ever threaten his frame as it absorbed it entirely.
"Taedet me ludos mihi magis delectabiles villis verbera ........" (I grow tired of these games, I thought the village of Scourge would be more....... entertaining.) He held his arms outwards to either side, the shadows that wrapped around his entire frame all moving and gathering thickly at his feet, with the aid of what he had learned from the tar like pool, he created one similar to it, only this time the pool would separate into multiple pools, and then rise up from the ground, taking the shape of something more humanoid. Before long there were about 5 thick tar like beings standing just in front of Kage, not features to them whatsoever could be seen as the tar dripped what would appear to be their arms, "Da mihi animas suas." (Bring me their souls.) At his command the tar figures would move forward rather quickly, erratic movements as they rushed the dozen or so villagers, each scrambling to run away form these creatures. When these tar figures would take hold of a villager, it would grow across their decaying bodies, screams of agony would fill the air as every bit of them would be eaten and absorbed into the tar, it would take maybe 5 minutes for the tar to completely absorb everything that made up these beings, every last bit of information, sustenance, even the very energy that the human body produced, right down to their very soul was held captive in the thick pools of tar. As the last of the villagers was devoured, the pools would stream across the ground back to their master, pooling back at his feet before seeping back into his being, an audible breath of pleasure would cross his lips as he took in everything they had to offer him, he would have to atone for such actions later, for now he would take the extra knowledge and energy and put it to good use.
Opening his eyes once more he would turn his head towards the opening of the cave high above, a dark grin would have been more clear than ever before against the pitch black features of his face, "Id est, si vos omnem veritatem fecisti verbera, ego suadeant te magis quam nobis, nisi quod utraque plurimum tempus, et si tradidero te omnes voluntatem Dei Patris.." (If that is truly all you have accomplished Scourge, than I suggest you save both of us a great deal of time, and surrender yourself to the will of the All Father.) Shifting back into the shadows he would move through to the edge of the cliff that looked out over the village, right at the entrance to the cave where he was certain Scourge was hiding. Be it over confidence of just the sheer arrogance of his nature, he would step inside, following the large pathway deeper into the caver, the scent of rot thickening with every step, the decay so potent that even the shadows appeared to melt away from the walls they were casted upon to pool along the floor of the cave. He could hear the maniacal giggles of a madman deep within the cavern, knowing he was drawing closer to his prey, he would keep his own shadows close to his frame to avoid even the slightest thought of influence from one far older and more experienced than himself. "Dubitabitur delectamentum puer umbra sumus." (Your doubts are delicious young Shadow.) Scourge's words echoed through the interior of the cavern, whispers of agony filling every syllable as Kage moved deeper into his lair, "Timeo vos virtutis est quod umbrae teneas proxima." (Do you fear my prowess, is that why you keep your shadows close?) His words were meant to taunt, but they would draw nothing from Kage, no fear, no anger, no hatred of any kind would be found, the young shadow had kept his thoughts locked away for himself and the All Father, closing them off from the collective for such a task.
"Flagellum metuis puella mea est causa latet intus monte custodire sperans non et Pater, et enutries me tibi?" (Do you fear my prowess Scourge, is that why you keep yourself hidden deep within this mountain, hoping the All Father wouldn't find you, and guide me to you?) Kage's own voices would whisper through the shadows now, flowing through each of them as they moved towards the dark being, "Adeo viribus suis dubitas avertis manum habebat ex te creavit." (You doubt your own abilities so much so that you hide from one you yourself had a hand in creating.) His silent steps carried him deeper into the cave, he could hear the muffled growl as Scourge tried to keep his own anger in check, "Profecta tuo armis et ad patrem homines invenire puerorum, qui opibus ac corrumpere ..." (Setting your own armor out for the boys human father to find, to influence and corrupt ...) the shadows that surrounded his frame thickened as they swirled in tighter. "Numquam tu puer putavit esse concipiuntur, ad quem iam mulier secuta est omnia verba Domini ad Patrem." (You never thought a child would be conceived, to a woman who already followed the words of the All Father.) Scourges mind would begin to reel with numerous thoughts, doubts, anger, frustration, all of it slowly playing into his own being, corrupting his absolution as it were, each word Kage spoke, it filled the shadows, shadows that were slowly beginning to falter to his will, "A flaminica Dialis captus et servus factus, verum Deum sacerdos," (A priestess, taken captive and made a slave, a priestess of the true God,) his dominance over the shadows vibrated from the very image of him, Kage may have been overly confident, but he was certain his path was darkened by the All Father himself, blessed by the Evincar, and enforced by the collective, "Tua productum tuum in interitum ludos, ludum trahit et eo modo ad finem, vos do not volo ludere ultra." (Your games produced your own undoing, and now that game draws to end, you don't want to play no more.)
Finally he reached the end of the path, the cave he stood in now deep within the mountain was lit with torches, the light from which would slowly begin to fade, the fact they even burned with a regular color told Kage this being had fallen from favor with the All Father. The creature known as Scourge was a twisted frame of putrid rotting flesh that was in constant flux of decay and reform, as the flesh would slip from his frame and hit the floor in a pile of grotesque slop it would than add to the pooling tar at his stitched up feet that were in turn coated heavily in the black substance, thick black bones worn like armor graced the lower jaw of its face, his hands, and his chest, and the bones themselves seeming set off an aura of their own, created from being just as dark as the one wearing it held captive to his will by the runes and black blood that dripped from them. "Puer non umbra, non solum ludos sicut inceperat" (No young shadow, the games have only just begun.) The maniacal laughter rolled into the words, the sickly green gaze would hold the frame of Kage, trying to take in as much detail as possible about the youngling before him, but oddly enough he couldn't see anything but thick shadows. "Kage sumus, et timor tenebrosus Magister, ludio ludius in mentibus eorum qui pereunt peccatorum, omnes umbra Patre, et unus non est nihil, non inest potentia ad non estis in tenebris dici quod tuum est nec gratiam in oculis tenendum est verus Deus noster, virtus non carnalia sunt super te paulo homines lusit, lusit tua ludum cursum suum, iam tum mihi talis ad ultimum in volumine." (We are Kage, Master of shadows and fear, player of the minds who are lost to their sins, shadow of the All Father, and you are nothing to no one, you've no power to see through the darkness that you claim is yours, no favor to be held in the eyes of our true god, no prowess over the fleshly little humans you've toyed with, your game has played its course, tis time for the final roll of the dice.)
A loud gurgle growl erupted from Scourges mouth as a flood of swarming insects flowed past his lips and straight towards the frame of Kage, a distraction while two long tendril sprouted from his back, dripping with a tar like substance that appeared to be more or less acid to anything solid, sizzling and bubbling on contact with the stone floor of the cave, long poisonous claws stretched out from his fingers just before he would launch himself towards Kage. "Vos scitis quod timor est puer: Dimitte me docebit vos." (You know nothing of fear boy, let me teach you.) He'd move into the swarm of insects as they surrounded Kage, a smoke screen if you will, hiding the movements of Scourge, when he was within range he would swipe the green tinged claws towards the frame of Kage, the tendrils lashed out towards him looking to impale the dark appearance, all the while Scourge's laughter filled the air. Each strike casting that tar onto Kage's frame as it bobbed and weaved, moving with such speed that Kage was avoiding all the strikes towards him, minus the tar of course. The tar itself would grow across his frame, coating every inch available, before long Scourge had stopped his onslaught of attacks, laughing even louder than before, "Te MINORIS AESTIMO potestatem habentes plagas septem crescunt si sunt aliti sunt, et pueri in tantum ut pascat eam." (You underestimate the power of plagues, they grow when fed, and you boy have much to feed it.) The tar that coated Kage's entire frame would slow his movements as it held his frame captive, covering his frame entirely, there wasn't a single spot that one could see anything that would resemble the body of Kage in any way, it would seem Scourge had won, and so quickly too. Scourge himself would begin giggling and dancing around the statue of Kage like a mad man who just won the lottery.
"Non est minoris virtutis et verbera, non usque eo defectum ex gratiam in te." (There is no power to be underestimated Scourge, not when you've fallen so far out of favor.) Kage's voice echoed through the shadows, filled with the thousands of taunting cries of the souls he held, stopping Scourge in his tracks as he titled his head towards the statue. As his sickly green hues watched carefully, the tar would slowly begin to absorb into Kage's 'flesh' the ancient runes that covered his frame nearly pulsated with darkness, the shadow seeping through what holes would begin to form around the tar like blanket, it wouldn't take long for every last sign of the tar to be absorbed into his body, the shadows returning in a much darker tone than before as wrapped itself around his frame, appearing more or less like heavy armor. He'd lift the endless pools of his gaze to Scourge who would begin taking steps back towards a table strewn with body parts, Kage's own feet would carry him forward one slow step at a time as he drew closer to Scourge, "Dubitabitur pascenda timorem, timorem alit mea umbra odio pascit omnia putas te iam meum munus et Patris dando mihi talem privlage ut abrumperent vincula mea perfecta figura hoc planum est ABSURDUS exsistence." (Your doubts feed your fear, and your fear feeds my shadows, your hatred feeds them, everything that you think you were is now mine, a gift to the All Father for granting me such a privilege as to sever the chains that bind my perfected form to this grotesque plane of existence.) His frame practically towered over the writhing form of Scourge as he spoke, Scourge's eyes couldn't have gotten any wider unless he popped them from his skull, his entire body seemingly frozen in place as Kage's shadows would tightly wrap themselves around him. Pulling Scourge into his own frame, much like the Evincar had done to Cel, but it a slightly different manner, fully engulfed he would allow Scourge the pleasure of enduring every last torment of every soul under his command, all the while keeping him bound.
Kage made his way from the depths of the mountain and back out into the moon light of the night, taking but a moment to peer back towards the cave, grinning darkly he would tilt his head to the side, "comminuet eam." (Crush it.) one command to the shadows that remained with the depth of the cave, and without hesitation they pulled the walls in on themselves, collapsing the pathways of the caves that tunnelled through the mountain. Kage returned to the shadows and would begin to make his way back to the Evincar.
{fin}
(Continued as "Marshaling")
Moderators: Kage (played by ZeekHarbinger)