Zyarc [IC]

[The Shadow of Death]

Summary to current time from the original start of this RP:

It all started in the Alcove of Amassing within the Koclhor Forest, which was located in the Human Territory. The Shadow of Death was challenged to a spar by a pupil named Ashlia, Ash for short. The spar was initiated with a surprise attack, and they continued to go back and forth for a while before stopping with Ash riding Shadow's shoulders and being spoiled as a favorite pupil. After talking for a bit, Shadow decided it would be best if there were a base of operations, as they planned to derail the fighting on the planet of Zyarc so that it would not destroy so much due to the black hole that would be formed as a result.

It was at this time that Shadow drew one of his weapons, the Auctoritas, and used them, and their sentient interface, Midas, to create Solatium in the middle of the Alcove of Amassing. There, they conversed and formed a plan... an off the wall plan... using Shadow as a sort of figurehead of evil that could thrash any of the Human Territory's elite warriors and show them how powerless they were. Then Ashlia would show up, fighting him, and defeat him, in a mock battle (which shadow later deemed should not be a mock battle, but a true battle to push his pupil even further down the road of progress). In so doing, Ashlia would then gain Shadow as a 'slave'. This plan is in order to infiltrate the government's higher echelon and find out how to disable the fighting from the inside.

After this plan was finalized, Shadow stepped outside while Ashlia was left to Midas' care, who led her to a place with clothes and whatnot. This is where the story begins here.

(Did I miss anything that needs to be in there?)

[zearea]

Mid morning sun reached Solatium's enormous, panelled glass windows to bath a large rectangular room whose length and bredth had been lined by racks of clothing. Each individual rack had large text to identify the type and what it was made of but to Ashlia it was still overwhelming. At least everything was not a uniformed gold, she thought, running her pink tongue across her nervously trembling lips, flicking her emerald eyes about racks that held items she had never even heard of. With a soft sigh she began forward, picking the first clothing she understood and going from there...

About fifteen minutes in she found a rather unerring trend, all of these clothes were exactly her size, in fact none had such a thing as a tag which she was use to but to find something that fit her entirely? Like finding a pin in a haystack. Shoving the thought from her mind, Ash pulled forth a green bordered, red vest and what she fervently thought was a practical pair of cured leather pants before placing them thoughtfully beside a pair of leather boots and a cloak that she would not accidentally step on. As an after thought, Ash pulled a Midas from the floor, the golden man drawing up like a golden blob monster to assist her and eventually leading her to a door whiçh she was sure had been absent a moment ago.

Inside this room was an array of weapons of anything one could imagine and it occurred to Ashlia that she should be more specific, or perhaps not, Shadow was patient sometimes? Her lips quirked up a little thinking about her world destroying mentor, her steps silent as she trailed down a few benches, once she had an idea it would be easier, she hoped.

[The Shadow of Death]

[Human Territory, Koclhor Forest, Alcove of Amassing: me]

(I plan on flipping back to my usual first person writing of Shadow. I find third person to be distant, and not quite as accurate. Hopefully it does not cause any problems for you, if it does,just let me know, I am still willing to go third person if it is better to you.)

I stepped outside of Solatium into the Alcove of Amassing, pondering the past, as I often do, while waiting for my pupil to finish equipping herself with all that Solatium has to offer. I reminisced about my first days on this planet, after my exile from the Council of Eternity. So much has changed here since those days, as have I. In those days I found solace here as I tried to hide from the Olethros.

Those damnable things were sent after me by Death, on account of Endesha. Endesha was the most upset by my betrayal of the Council. She blamed me for that anger, an emotion that was imbued upon the Council members while I created them, among other emotions, all of which I bestowed upon them to create a 'moral compass' for those beings who would be emotionless otherwise. Hmph. It makes me wonder, did I really do the right thing when doing such? After all this time, I found myself asking this question once more.

My mind flashed even further back, my eyes flickering white as I was lost in memories of a time that I still had a full array of emotions myself. The memory of my days on EtaNaru. The days I had found my love. The wonderful days when I had all but forgotten that I had been exiled only weeks before. I had been driven there by those very same Olethros... How it infuriated me that I was exiled from my throne, overlooking all of my creation. It was during those days that I crafted what later became known as the first Weapon of Legend, The Mortals. I also took that very same pair of weapons, to which I had imbued souls, and formed my very own fighting style, the first full fighting style made for a pair of daggers.

It was a day like any other, a day much like today, that I was practicing this style of fighting when I felt her. She watched me from the shadow of a tree. This was all before I had become what I am now, back in the days when I was known as Vitas. After I finished the practice, finding a few things I would have to tweak before being done with such a style, I called out to the woman watching me up til now.

"Come out, young one." This simple phrase started me on the path to who I am now. That simple four word phrase led to me becoming married, to feeling both love and happiness, true joy. I had truly forgotten the shame of my exile, and instead began living for her, my wife. Then... everything fell apart. The day I became who I am now, was the day she was taken from me, killed.

I was the creator of all though, surely I could bring her back with that selfsame power, right? Wrong. She had been taken in such a way that her soul no longer existed in this creation at all. Without her soul, I could do nothing. The madness that permeates my mind was born at that realization. It chased away most of my emotions, which led me to do horrible things, things which alerted the Olethros as to where I was.

This planet, this Zyarc, was the second home of my exile. That was when I found the flaw in Zyarc's creation, it's core. It was the days that led to magic coming to pass, as well as many other things. How nostalgic this planet was for me, and oh, how much history we had with each other.

I walked over to a large tree and gently placed my osseous hand against its trunk. As soon as I did I felt deep sorrow, a sorrow that told that it knew the past I was just remembering.

[zearea]

[Human Territory, Koclhor Forest, Alcove of Amassing: Ashlia, Shadow]

The flowing velvety cloak fluttered about my ankles, held shut by a couple of large buttons, my weapon of choice tucked in it's sheath at my waist. In the end I did not want something too flashy, fitting my eyes to an ordinary looking blade whose end curved to a deadly point at the end and which had Hellripper carved in the glossy steel, or what she assumed to be. It would do I thought as I skipped across the mossy, forest floor in search for Shadow. He was not obscuring his presence, or perhaps it was more then that, because their souls were tethered in a way due to the two hundred year ago exchange between them.

"Look what I found Shadow!" I chirped, arms unfurling from my side as I spun on the spot, the dark cloak lifting up around my form to show peeks of the richly coloured vest and boots beneath, but any initial cheer I had accumilated at showing my mentor died. He was fixiated again, his skeletal hand placed against the trunk of a tree and the flaming depths of his eye sockets white, an all to familiar appearance, one which drew a frown to my features as well as sadness. Rocking forward on the balls of my feet I shivered, the forest was alive and highly magical, moreso then any other place I had been, curiosity of the past The Shadow of Death had yet to reveal to me compelled my feet to move closer. Eyeing his bone white hand against the dark of the oak, I took a moment to heighten my sensitivity to nature who both accepted me but seemed at the same time frightened. It was a mistake, a wave of pure sorrow, guilt and anger, of age old rememberance battered my conscious mind and slamming a barrier down about my mind I hissed. No words or pictures had assaulted me, no it had been emotion, the forest like a warzone and I felt a flush touch my cheeks, that was a silly idea.

[The Shadow of Death]

[Human Territory, Koclhor Forest, Alcove of Amassing: Ashlia, me]

As I was reminiscing with the trees around the Alcove I felt a disturbance. I immediately realized my folly. My pupil must have finished and come out without my notice due to being lost in my past. That disturbance snapped me back to reality, I immediately felt the presence of Ash, with a mental barrier in tatters. The flames of my eyes slowly faded back to their usual haunting green hue.

"Ah, I apologize about that. Tis my fault for being lost in my past whilst here in the open. I was just reminiscing about my first time here, as well as some of the events that led me to this place the first time. Those were dark days indeed... Anyways, if I had noticed you had finished, I would have ceased my reminiscence, saving you from what just happened. One of these days I owe you an explanation for some of these things. I think it has been long enough that you deserve the knowledge."

I retracted my hand from the tree as I spoke, my tone indicating that I was indeed sorry that Ash had to suffer due to my past like that. It is something that is hard enough for me to carry even after all the years I have had to cope with it, and to see her after she took the brunt of such emotions as she was now, and survived, was astonishing.

"We can save it for another time though if you want to commence our plan for this Territory."

[zearea]

[Human Territory, Koclhor Forest, Alcove of Amassing, Ashlia, Shadow]

My mind throbbed angrily, while the rest of my shuddered, legs wobbly from what I had just indured. Inside I could still feel the emotions, faded but still drawing a strangled sob from between my lips and vision blurred by watery eyes, I saw Shadow's flames shift green. "No need to a-appologize, I should not have even tried what I had..." My voice sounded strained as I tried to pull myself together, in the literal sense actually. With my barrier a mangled mess, the recesses of my mind were prone to breaking apart, or shutting down. If I had been weaker willed, i'd been left a husk, stuck endlessly in the tide of emotions in this forest. The thought left me frowning deeply, my arms rising to wrap loosely about my torso and averting my gaze from Shadow, I would nod. "Yes, maybe later after we at least take the human's base." My voice had gained some strength. "How will I know when to show myself?"

[The Shadow of Death]

[Human Territory, Koclhor Forest, Alcove of Amassing: Ash, me]

I felt somewhat sympathetic for Ash having to take such a mental blow due to her mentor's lack of observance. To think that I am omnipotent and did not even realise something so simple happening so close to me... Then again, that could be said to be due to the limit of my omnipotence...

"Ah, as for how to know, I will shout say something to the effect of 'Is there any worthy of being my opponent? If not should I just level this territory?'... I may not go quite that stereotypical, but I will practically call for you. My voice will resonate through the whole city, as if it comes from each surface, so as long as you are in the city when I say it, you should know when the time is right... Thus is what I thought of, if you have a better idea I am open to suggestions." I said this in part to answer her question, but also to take her mind off of the situation she had just faced.

I looked at Solarium for a moment, still paying attention to Ash as I waved a hand before it, watching it shimmer before a light coalesced around the structure, hiding it's existence fully. This would keep the Koclhor Forest from having to work any harder than usual to keep people who didn't belong here away. A flicker of color danced in my eyes before they settled once more to their normal state. I pondered how much fun this invasion would be. It had been a while since I had wreaked such havoc, and I could feel the madness within starting to stir at the thought. I would have to be careful of it for sure, just to keep from getting out of hand.

I felt eyes upon us suddenly, but immediately recognised the presence before it vanished completely once more. 'This might get even more interesting after all if he shows up...' I thought to my self as I smiled inwardly. I looked focused back on my pupil to see if she had noticed the faint presence.

[zearea]

[Human Territory, Koclhor Forest, Alcove of Amassing: Ash, Shadow]

It was simple, in fact the whole plan seemed reasonably simple although I knew it was too much to ask for it to go on without a hitch. My grip loosened as the pain began to ease, feeling as it did so that my shoulders relaxed as well and I shook my head, running my fingers once down my new clothes. "I think we have done enough planning for this, if I can't get into the city when it is time then it would be an embarrassment, I won't let that happen." Came my determined response, flashing Shadow a teasing smile. With all the commotion and fear my mentor's entrance would make, I doubted they would pay much heed to my tiny figure slipping through and besides if I were stopped and discovered, I would just pull forth the trump card. It hardly mattered, my presence would soon be noted. "Go on ahead of me, ill, ah, take my time, slip in after everything goes up in the air." Still recovering from the earlier onslaught, I barely caught the shift in the air, as if the atmosphere had become denser, weighing for a brief moment on my shoulders and drawing the hair at the back of my neck up. I jerked my chin up, large, luminous eyes falling on Shadow's careful gaze on me, he had felt it too.

[The Shadow of Death]

[Human Territory, Koclhor Forest, Alcove of Amassing: Ash, Me]

I saw Ash's reaction to the presence and decided to make a short remark on it before moving on to the next order of business. "Ah, so you did feel his presence. Don't worry about that one, I know him well. Albeit he can be a troublemaker, I wouldn't worry about him too much. Your senses are becoming better...

"Anyways, we can go at the same time, you just need to shadow walk into another part of the city. Doesn't really bother me either way which way you handle it though."

The Shadow Realm opened before me soundlessly as I began walking I to the portal. "I look forward to meeting you on the battlefield." Leaving only that, I stepped into the Shadow Realm, travelling a great distance almost immediately.

[Human Territory, Malagarn, outside front gate: Me]

A shadow spread out in the middle of the vast road outside the front gate of Malagarn. As the shadow continued to spread across the ground, the guards noticed something was amiss. They had been warned by Hanma just a while ago that if anything seemed out of place he was to be told at once and the gates were to be closed immediately. The guards had been on high alert til now,. It they felt frozen for a moment as the shadow began to rise out of the ground, gathering in the air. When the initial shock wore off, the guards took off running, one to the gate, and the other to tell Hanma.

It only took a few moments of hard work for the one guard to close the gate and latch it shut. That guard quickly climbed up to the ramparts that had been built around the city for protection. As he looked down to see the progress of the situation, he was frozen still once again. The shadows had coalesced into a humanoid form. What stood before the gate was me of course, 7 feet tall, with my trenchcoat billowing in the wind. My skeletal form was not revealed to the man until I lowered my hood slowly, letting loose the bloodlust that had built for the last few millennia. The guard dropped to his knees with his mouth agape. When i looked up at him, meeting his eyes, he fell over lifelessly, having suffered a deadly heart attack just from witnessing my appearance. It had been so long since I had been able to save this kind of reaction. Albeit I am usually quite benevolent and helpful, I am by no means that way perpetually.

The gate before me was no more than a toothpick to me as I let out a blast of air from one osseous palm towards it. The air howled like a thousand demons as it approached the door instantly, shredding the gate and the stonework around it, blowing it inside with great force, leveling several brick like buildings instantly. Anyone who was caught in the crossfire was left unrecognisable.

"Finally!" I cried out with a deep raspy voice that resounded through the whole city, "You have the privilege of being ruled by me. None here can hope to face me!"

A voice combatted mine from down the street, accompanying use by the clanging of plate mail against chainmail as a knight was running towards me. I recognised him as one of the 5 people that was powerful here. He was not visibly daunted by my presence, but I knew... I knew the sight of me scared him. I could smell it.

"I will banish you from this place spectre! Return to your rightful place in Pokol! I am Hanma, leader of the knights, and I cannot allow your trespass!" As he finished his small speech, he drew his sword, a sword which I realised he should not have... A sword whose form was imbued with Runegraving.

'This will ineed be an interesting plan' I thought to myself.

[zearea]

[Human Territory, Koclhor Forest: Ash]

Heeding Shadows words I felt myself relax slightly, knowing without needing to look about me that whoever he was referring to had left, in what way I did not know and I watched as my tall, skeletal mentor ghosted into a shadow portal which snapped shut behind him. I was left alone, Solatium invisible because of Shadow's spell and giving the forest a light sweep, I rolled forward on the balls of my feet and shot into a run, purple shadow misting around my form as I focused my senses on Shadow's current location. The feeling of him coalescing back into the physical plane brought with it an inner resonance and using that as a guide, I altered my readying spell, another one shifting over my form to make me invisible when I made my appearance. He wanted me to watch, to learn some skills so I attempted to find a place close to his. Before appearing, I ripped my own hole into the shadow realm and slipped through, skirting through the endless plane until the desired ripple formed, indicating the place I had sort out. Slowing on my head long run, I reached out, fingers prying at the ripple and causing the very fabric of the shadow realm to peel, revealing what lay ahead.

[Human Territory, Malagarm, Outside the City: Ash, Shadow]

Shadow himself could not be seem, however it was clear that the omnipotent lord had arrived, leaving in his wake the ruined remains of the city's gate and of those whom stayed to protect it. Slipping through the rip, I felt the shadow realm fall away, noting that no one was around now to see my entrance and unless someone of magical experience and power were close at hand, I wouldn't be felt yet. There was little I could do about her innate pull however, except concentrating on dampening it, but the effort to do such was taxing, my soul a hungry beast. Here, using magic was a hazard, knowing from experience that doing so left a flash of your signiture to be felt by those strong enough to sense it. I did not want that yet and made my way about the remains of the gate in a quick walk, the invisibility surrounding me starting to wane, when it did I pulled the hood up and over my head, hiding my clearly elven features from light scrutiny. Yells grew louder, the carnage grew worse until in the distance Shadow's figure stepped forth, another, a burly looking man with a sword readying for a battle and before either could turn and see me, I slipped behind a building, tensing as the sound of many feet became louder. Soldiers were coming to investigate.