[M]Undying Quest: The Proving Grounds[IC]

[Eddren]

Dezeroth gritted his teeth, then pulled Alessandro by the hair and forced him to look up, at the fire's light--And the darkness beyond. "Look, boy--Look. I don't have the damned patience to deal with your temper-tantrums right now. Do you see that? Do you see the light my fire casts, and the darkness beyond? When my light goes away, all here will perish--Me, Karrha, Sel'ora, and Emilia. We will. All. Die. You will have no chance to redeem yourself. There will be no chance for us to continue on. The vampire queen will continue to reign, and there will be nothing to stop her. The only one who can stop that from happening is you right now, and I don't care if you've got the blood of the damned Gods themselves on your hands--Do what you can to fix the problem, damnit, and then we can work on you atoning your damned sins!"

[P.K.]

Karrha popped the cork to the potion as the two men went back and forth. Her hands were getting shaky and her vision was a bit dark. Her chest felt like it was splitting open, which might be the case but she tipped the potion up and poured it down her throat, ignoring bitter or sweet taste. It might heal her but she wasn't expecting any kind of boost beside not dying right here.

Bow-less and weakened she remained kneeling where she was even as the potion took effect. She watched as the young boy seemed to have a brake down after realizing what his sword had dug into. "Its no use at this rate, your better off putting your focus else where because he's probably withdrawn to far for you to reach." She said trying to push herself up to her feet, bringing her knife along and the remains of her bow.

[Evening Rain]

Aika

Strike after strike landed on the werewolf's body as Aika, her revenants and her disciples made a series of distracting, goading strikes. The beast, though, did not round on Tsuyoi immediately. It could not, for it was having problems of its own. Its body was beginning to fall apart, the reanimatory magics beginning to fail as its body had sustained so much damage. Although the magic was powerful, the massive heat within its own body was the crucial factor in its degradation. Flame and intense heat glowed from its wounds - and now its whole body seemed to be pulsing with heat. The last pitiful group of Aika's villagers were simply engulfed in fire as the monster's body gave off incredible amounts of heat, enough to ignite normal men. Rihii and Tsuyoi were quick enough to withdraw in time to avoid the heat aura - and Aika would be too.

The lead revenant did the same, but the last mindless undead creature was ignited, and would soon turn to ash. The werewolf howled, and dropped to one knee. It was vulnerable now, but Aika knew that moving to its back - she would likely go up in flames - and at the moment it seemed to be collapsing of its own accord.

Then a voice, primal and furious, tore from the werewolf's throat. The werewolf let out a piteous whimper, as if the voice was forcing itself without the creature's will. "RELEASE ME MORTALS. I AM VAROXYS THE EVERBURNING, FIST OF THE HIGH KING OF THE FIRE ELEMENTALS. I WILL BE FREE!"

----

Reina

Reina found the monk in his chamber, still seated quietly in the centre of the room. When the alchemist returned, his eyes glanced up to look upon her. He gestured to the large mat that he sat at the opposite end of. "Sit. And be welcome in Hinansho."

"No doubt you will have questions. Ask, and you shall receive. If you are here on behalf of the man named Magistrate, then I will tell you as I told him. I still have no wish to take part in this farce of a competition that he has laid out."

----

Samael

Alaana did not respond instantly to Samael's gesture, so entranced by his eloquent words. When she snapped free, she murmured a hasty apology before hurrying to attend his duty. Pax simply sat there, watching him shrewdly and stroking his beard. "Well, my good Sam, you certainly seem to have given this a lot of thought. Now, I am only a lowly satyr - but why is there a need for war at all? Why must the weak perish at all? If you have access to a wish of limitless power... could you not simply wish for the world to become a perfect utopia?" He chuckled, almost as if at his own expense. "If such a thing even exists. Perfection might be a little difficult, even for an unlimited wish."

Alaana returned with a cold leg of roasted mutton, freshly baked bread and butter, and a small salad of vegetables taken from one of the modest village gardens.

----

Alessandro, Dezeroth and Karrha

Narrowing her eyes, Sel'ora did her best to block out the sounds of conflict from behind her, focusing instead on one of the shadowy creatures - eyes fixed on it intently. She deftly caught the quiver that contained Dez's arrows, and nocked one immediately. Her eyes shifted only briefly to Alessandro, and her lips tightened, before she returned her gaze to the shadows who still shifted just at the edge of the torchlight.

With a swift motion, she fired one of Dezeroth's crafted arrows.

The shadow slipped away, but the elf had predicted its movement, hitting it in the very center of its torso. Immediately there was a rippling implosion of water, but that was the least of the shadow's concerns. Where Sel'ora's own arrow had passed right through the creature as if it were nothing more than smoke and mirrors, Dezeroth's arrow impaled itself in the shadow's chest as if it was a solid being of flesh and blood.

Almost instantly, the creature evaporated into smoky darkness - billowing away in a slight gust of wind, carried far into the night.

[cashpop]

Reina graciously sat on the opposite side of the mat indicated by the monk.

"Oh!" Reina was genuinely surprised at the monk's answer. Not because the monk refused his wish, but because it just so happened that was one the first questions she would have asked. I swear, these monks must be psychic as well. "W-well why not? I mean, you are here, just as I am, because we both share a strong desire for a wish. Otherwise we wouldn't in this land, i-if that is alright to ask, sir." Assorin had told Reina plenty of times before to highly respect monks for their undaunted will and faith in their art and teachings.

[Cfavano]

"That's the thing, Pax, you cannot wish for a Utopia, for thinking you can have one is a wrong thing to think. People throw round the word Utopia like they do Tyrant, without fully grasping its meaning. Did you know it is not actually a word in the common tongue, only one that is adapted?" He says, cutting off a piece of mutton for himself. "It's true meaning is why it cannot exist, for 'Utopia' means 'Nowhere' or 'No Place', and even if I did manage, with a wish, to make my world this peaceful place where everything was perfect, what of other worlds? What would they do when thy see this perfect place where no one wants for anything? They will want it for themselves, they will attempt to take and invade it, and there would be little one could do to stop it." he says, eating some.

"No, a nation, a world, a free world, ruled by strength, and I don't mean physical strength, I mean strength of character, of will, is what is best. This is because even if an extraworldly or extrplanar invasion happened, they would find a sword behind every blade of grass. A nation committed to unity and its beliefs cannot be overtaken. And by weakness, I don't mean lowborn, or physically weak. I mean those of a slave mentality, who look at the chains, whether physical, economical, or societal, that bind them and say 'I am content' or those greedy, money-grubbing and crooked politicians crawling on the shit-pile that is 'civilized' society like maggots, those are who would be purged. Does that help you understand my dream?"

[Mfable]

Aika gently let go of her breath, saving the foul energies for a later time. She smiled and took several steps back, signaling for her disciples and undead commander to cease their attacks. ”Intelligent enough for speech, I see. I heard tales of Jinn from the Burning Sands, ancient creatures that could inhabit one’s body. Very connected to the elements. Perhaps that is what you are? Bound into the body of this poor creature. No matter, I suppose. Your body is falling apart. Soon there will be nothing left. What happens when this body is finally consumed by your fires? What happens if I decide to end you with claws or wind?” She cocked her head curiously to the side.

[Evening Rain]

Reina

The monk's smile was calm as a lake on a fine morning. "Fret not. Your manners are more than an old mystic like myself deserves." He thought on her question for but a moment before responding. "It is true, that in life I fought as hard as I could to achieve my wish... but I fought with wisdom, with kindness and with pacifism. I never raised a hand outside of self-defense, and this... this trial is beyond me. Perhaps the Magistrate thought I would fight to achieve my dreams, but I will not allow myself to simultaneously crush the hopes and dreams of other aspirants - especially not through violence. I am content with my life, you see. I do not long for that which I do not have, for my time has been fulfilling. I hope that answers your question, young one."

----

Samael

"Yes." Pax affirmed, all mirth gone from his face.

"I understand. But I am afraid I cannot agree with you, Samael."

"The weak, as you put them... they must be given the freedom to do as they wish, live their lives as followers if they want, or leave their rules and chains behind. Certainly they should not be despised and purged." The satyr sounded rather sincere.

"People have become slaves to laws and ideals, if you ask me... You would offer up an excuse that we must be strong to defend ourselves at the expense of individual freedom, the rights of each to live how they choose. I'm not saying you're wrong, but as a creature of the wilderness, I find that I have no taste for such philosophies."

He shrugged. "But that poses an interesting question. If I were to leave, right now, would you stop me? Pax the Whistler wishes to be beholden to no man, and would sooner die than be a captive. Forgive the seriousness, but I do think it best that we make that clear."

----

Aika

Scraps of the werewolf's flesh began to dissolve into flame, but yet the undead frame held just together - the necromantic properties powerful enough to ward off the destruction of the fire elemental... barely.

"THIS BODY IS FRAIL. IT DOES NOT BELONG TO ME. FLESH AND BONE ARE LIABILITIES. BUT MY MIND IS STRONG, AND SHOULD YOU DESTROY THIS MORTAL CAGE FOR ME - I WILL BE FREE TO ROAM THIS LAND AS I PLEASE. YOU WILL FIND THAT VAROXYS IS A POWERFUL FRIEND, AND A VENGEFUL ENEMY."

[cashpop]

"I see." Reina admired the tenacity of a monk to be able to ward off the feeling of wanting. She couldn't understand their culture, but it would be remiss of her to not acknowledge its impact on so many people and the world. The alchemist wondered what it was like not to be wanting, to not desire anything and simply be content with what she has. She wondered what would it be like if she lost the desire to experiment.

A brief look of fear plastered onto Reina's face before she shook her head.Let's not think about that.

"Oh! I almost forgot. I hadn't asked for your name, I'm so sorry." Reina sat straight, trying to imitate a formal seating posture. "My name is Reina Croo. May I ask for your name, sir?"

[P.K.]

Karrha watched the shadow disperse with narrowed eyes. she wasn't sure if that worked but that seemed like a final for a monster like that. "That seems to have worked." She murmured looking around at the rest of the shadows, cursing her uselessness at this moment, she glanced at her broken bow before looking down at herself. her apparel was sliced exposing some of her newly healed skin, blood was still soaked into everything, of coarse there were still those slash marks from the werewolf. but this could be fixed later once they got out of this. Of coarse she had a sling nestled around her hips like a belt, and she did have a good arm at the moment but if normal arrows wern't going to work on these things she doubted a normal stone would.

One thing she could do right now. She staggered over to floundering Emilia, if she could incapacitate the women with a few pressure points then they wouldn't have to worry about her bolting off into the darkness again. All she would have to do was hit a point or two in her legs and arms to temporarily Paralyze her.

[Mfable]

Aika nodded slowly, her curiosity taking the better of her. ”If released, what would you do? If I chose to bind you to yet another undead form, what would you do? You talk of being a powerful ally or a vengeful enemy, but you have given me no indication of my rewards should I release you, or what you will do to me and mine should I refuse. I can just as easily bury you in a pit of stone.” She smiled sweetly at the beast. ”How did you get trapped in that decaying beast, anyways?”