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The Story of Palis A continuing story of worlds trapped in war, where their only hope are Heroes from other worlds.

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Old 03-09-2005, 07:22 AM   #16
 
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Two hours later they arrived at town. Nichi had walked the rest of the way because Belials little pet had managed to damage his carnasor’s motivation to come with. Nichi was use to walking though. He was right though that damn demon needed his help that was the only reason he came. Nichi thought it might be a good idea to remove his restraints now knowing that he was in fact going to need full power to fend off such a powerful creature as this. Everyone dismounted and they tied up the carnasors outside of town, Belials pet disappeared into the darkness.

Malice and Magus looked ready; Belial just looked like he was thinking of how he could cheat the situation.

Nichi lifted up his Pant legs and pulled back his sleeves revealing two bracers on each limb. One was think and plain the other ornate but very thin. He first took off the plain ones from his arms and dropped them. Malice looked intrigued. The bracers hit the ground with a large thud.

“What were those exactly?” Magus said

“They seem to be training weights.” Malice said.

“Yeh Magic training weights that I’ve been wearing for about ten years now, they increased in weight every time I got stronger.” Nichi said. “They were around 30lbs each when I put them on. I have no idea how much they weigh now.”

Malice bent over and picked one up. His eyes wild. “These must weigh at least 150lbs now.” Malice looked impressed.

Magus picked up the other. “Very interesting!”

Malice took of the others on his legs they also seemed to weight about the same. “With this demon after Belial we can’t be too safe. If you have anything that will help you fight better please have it ready.”

Malice looked at the other bracelets. “What are those?”

“These suppress ki, the only time I have ever taken off these was fighting Belial, and He can tell you how nasty they can make me.” Nichi said looking at Belial who nodded in agreement.

Malice went and pulled up his pant legs and pointed to his own training weights. “I only keep them on the legs, my physical attack depend too much on speed to hinder it with weights.” Malice smiled. “It’s interesting we would use the same training methods.”

Nichi nodded, and pointed at the gate into town. The cane tapping started. Belial started in waving at the others. “If I find anything you’ll head them screaming, try to follow that.”

Malice magus and Nichi all entered together staying in a group. Nichi couldn’t believe how much lighter he felt. As he was enjoying how much lighter he felt the broad side of an axe hit him knocking him out of the air as he was jumping. Malice and Magus turned around to see a hulking beast about 8 feet tall that looked like a gain oxen demi-human.

“I think we found one.” Nichi said as he got back to his feet. ‘He doesn’t seem too happy to see us though.”

“But I don’t see any sign of a crystal in him.” Magus said readying his scythe.

Malice drew his daggers and pointed at its eyes. “Its one all right no whites in the eyes can only mean that he is possessed.”

Malice readied for attack and conjured his wind walking abilities; Magus started casting a large void spell. Malice went in, the monster swung his axe and malice went under its arm on the right and side and sliced the tendons. As they started to heal Magus launched the void spell on his the back side of the same arm, taking it almost to the bone. Malice caught foot and turned and hit the arm again with the end of the blade hitting bone and taking off the entire arm. As this happened Nichi Attacked the left arm and managed to cut the monsters hand off with two well placed blows to the wrist. Magus readied another void spell the creatures dismembered limbs started to grow back but not fact enough to block against the combined force of Nichi and Malice’s furry of head on attacks. The void spell hit right in the chest of the beast and knocked it down. Nichi went in for the final blow but the beast kicked him in the face. Nichi screamed in pain and fell to the ground holding his eyes. Malice used the winds current to throw the beast several feet into the air and as it came back down Malice used his daggers to plunge into the back of hits head. The beast went limp and turned to dust. The crystal shard laid on the ground a pale white color. Malice smashed it with his boot.

Magus was already at the aid of Nichi who was holding his eyes as blood spew from behind his hand. “Are you ok? What’s wrong Nichi?” Can I do anything?” Magus said concerned.

“Water I need water.” Nichi managed to say after much sobbing with pain.

Malice put a sack of water in Nichi’s hand and Nichi took it and got on his knees and poured it on his face. He turned to Malice and Magus.

Malice looked in horror. “Your eyes, they are gone.” Malice said looking into the now empty sockets of Nichi’s face.

Magus looked as well and felt his own eyes and shuttered.

Nichi got to his feet and started walking. “Makes no difference, I’ve been blind before. I can travel by hearing but I can’t fight like this, Belial might be able to help.” Nichi shivered at the thought of letting hit black magic touch him.

Malice and Magus nodded at each other and followed Nichi.

“So you can no longer learn skills by use of those eyes of yours?” Malice said sounding somewhat upset.

“I wouldn’t think so.” Nichi laughed. The pain was already going away.

A loud scream came from the road just ahead of them. Belial stood there with a faded crystal in hand and crushed it. He didn’t even seem to have broken a sweat killing whatever he had just faced. He looked at Nichi who was walking towards him. “This is not a good sign. I remember you being strong, not weak enough to loose your eyes to a damn lower demon.” He almost laughed as he said this.

“This might be funny and all to you but I can fight like this.” Nichi shuttered again. “I need your help; I know you can heal me, though the side effects are going to be less then desirable.”

Belial looked very pleased to Malice and Magus; it was almost as if he wanted this to happen. “Well I can’t give you back eyes, but I can give you better hearing.” He chuckled. “Only thing is if I do this, you’ll hear everything, including the demon aura talking to you.” Belial lit a cigarette. “Oh and you’ll be a semi-demon from then on, a half breed.” Belial said grinning in a way that made him look like he was doing it just because he knew that Nichi couldn’t see him doing it.

Nichi thought this over. “Is there any other way?”

Belial smiled again. “Well I could give you white eyes.”

Nichi had heard of white eyes, eyes that could only pick up the aura of creatures by the flow of their energies. It however also is said to drive people who have them crazy because they see the dead, and can’t sleep because they can see through their own eyelids. Problems that can be solved if give the proper items. “Will those taint me as being a demon?”

Belial sneered unhappily. “No you remain mortal. Lucky for you should you choose that I happen to have taken some off the last guy that lost a poker match to me.” Belial couldn’t look more pleased with himself to Malice and Magus.

“Don’t do it, neither of those cured ways of gaining back your sight is worth it.” Malice said.

Magus looked confused. This world was so very strange compared to earth.

Nichi though this over. “Give me the eyes.”

Belial smiled happily. “It’s your choice remember that.” He pulled out a jar from under his jacket and poured the two eyes into his hands. Placing his other hand over Nichi’s eyes and the eyes disappeared from his hand and the hand over Nichi’s eyes glow black.

Malice noticed something strange right away when Belial took away his hand. Nichi didn’t have the white eyes. They looked more catlike. “Is that how hey are supposed to look?” He pointed.

Belial looked at Nichi and shock filled him. He looked at the jar. “Oh shit!”

Nichi’s eyes were a dark red and looked very pissed off.

“What the hell did you do Belial?” Malice said stepping back from Nichi who was now glowing a black aura.

Belial swallowed hard.
Ensayne appeared and looked at Nichi’s eyes. “Belial what exactly do you think your doing?” She looked at the other two. “I’d get back if I were you. A bad thing is going to happen to Nichi here and I don’t think you want to see it.”

Before they could get back two horns came to the surface of Nichi’s forehead. Fangs grew and his shirt was burned away by the energy surrounding him. The marks of the ice tribe burnt away. The mark of Xeris formed in its place.

“What the hell is happening to him Belial?” Malice said

Magus looked and then said “He put the wrong eyes in. Those were dragon eyes. Nichi’s body is about to be replaced completely with a new one of its design.” Magus had heard about this once on his travel, but he thought it was only myth.

Ensayne nodded and pointed.
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Old 03-09-2005, 07:22 AM   #17
 
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Nichi’s horns were gone, the fangs were not. Otherwise the body looked the same. Nichi passed out and fell to the ground.

Belial looked relieved for some reason. He went over and picked up Nichi. “We should find someplace to rest for the night; he won’t come too for at least a couple of hours.”

The next morning Belial came into the room where they had left Nichi. They had found an old house close to the town gate that was empty. Malice and Magus had each found their own room as well. Nichi was not in the room though. Belial looked outside and around the building. He found Nichi looking at his reflection in the water troth just outside the gate.

“Are you ok?” Belial said with the first sound of actually feeling somewhat concerned thus far.

Nichi looked at his face the eyes that were now in his head scared even him to look at. Other then his eyes the small fangs and pointy ears only his hair had changed to be annoying. It was now almost half way down his back in length and when he tried to cut it just grew back. “I think I’m ok, what exactly happened though.” He turned to Belial and was trying as hard as he could to use his ice powers.

“I pulled out the wrong jar. Those are eyes from a dragon I killed. They were not part of his body but rather in a chest he was protecting. They looked interesting so I took them; I really have no idea what they are aside from that.” Belial said

Ensayne looked at Belial and sighed. “They are no ordinary eye; they are a strange thing that showed up almost 4 thousand years ago. I’ve heard of two other people having them since they showed up. On was a god named Dao, he was the first on to have them. After he was killed they were lost for a long time and then out of no were a demon named Kararn had them, this is the first they have shown up since.”

Belial looked at Ensayne dazzled. “When do you have time to learn this crap?”

“Shut up. All you need to know is be careful the side effects can be very intense.” Ensayne said

Malice and Magus came outside both stretching trying to wake up.

“Well let’s get the last bastard that is here so we can move on to the next place.” Malice said looking pumped up.

Magus looked at Nichi. “Yes let’s get going if everything is all right now. We have much ground to cover.” ‘Schala I’ll find you I swear.’ Magus thought looking at his comrades feeling confidence that this would indeed happen with their help.

Only one more Crystal stood in their way in this town, a bad beginning may be a chance of something good coming.
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Old 03-09-2005, 12:04 PM   #18
 
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Belial shook his head. "I suppose that I shall have to figure out a way to fix this..." he said, examining his cane. "On the upshot, you'll at least get to try new things."

Nichi grabbed Belial by the coat, raising him off the ground. "I'm glad you find this funny and all, but what happens next?"

Belial looked down at Nichi's hands, then at Nichi's face. Nichi set him down. "Ask the damn sprite, I suppose. She seems to know a lot."

She shrugged. "That's all I know."

Belial adjusted his hat. "I hate to say it, but for better or worse, you're gonna live with it for now. Next time, try to keep your eyes in your own head."

He stalked down the street. Malice glared at him. "He's a lot of trouble, you know." he whispered to Magus.

"How does he survive, acting so reckless?" Magus wondered outloud. Nichi pointed.

"He survives because he's smart. He plays the odds against each other, damnit, and somehow, he seems to come out on top."

As Belial passed a door, a white and black blur slammed into his side, crashing him through the opposite side of the street. Malice and Magus broke into a run. Nichi started walking slowly.

"Well." Belial coughed, standing up. "That wasn't very polite."

The blur turned out to be a shirtless male, with a large red crystal gleaming in his chest. He held a pair of punching daggers, and his boots had small blades pointing out.

Belial raised his hand. "Do you have any last requests befor-"

He was cut off as the thing shrieked at him, lunging forward and bringing his foot across the demon's face. Belial spun, dropping to a knee. "Must play nicely..." he growled.

Malice put his hand against Magus' chest. "This could be fun." he smiled, sprinting forward. The attacker turned on his heel, and blades clashed.

While the crystal baring monster seemed to be all on the offensive, Malice's footwork counter balanced him. The speed was nearly defing vision, but there was no mistaking that Malice's technique was his only hope.

The punching daggers kept coming in high to reach at Malice's throat. Malice, in turn, kept blocking them both, moving his legs away from the bladed kicks. Suddenly, he planted his foot on the attacker's knee, and vaulted up, doing a flip to land headfirst with both daggers extended into the creature's collarbone.

It shrieked, flinging Malice against another wall, which he rebounded off of for a dive roll. COming in low, he stripped the creature's legs, just missing the responding attacks. He threw an excellent leg sweep to knock it off balance, then rose up with a spinning heel kick.

The creature hit the ground face down. Malice cracked his neck. "Want somemore?"

It flipped over, its wounds begining to mend almost instantly. "Ah hell..." he cursed.

Magus' awaiting scythe pinned the abomination to the ground, right through the chest. Without warning, Belial's whip latched around its leg, tearing it from the hip.

He wound up and took the other leg off. Nichi had reached the pandamonium. Before anyone could speak, he leaned over and ripped the thing's head off.

He shattered the gem with his heel. "I don't have time for these damn games." he hissed. THen he composed himself. "Sorry, I'm a little testy."

Belial retracted his weapon. "Yes, and I am a little restrained. And Malice is a little quick, and Magus is a little lost. Do you see the patern?"

"DON'T MOCK ME!" Nichi shouted. Belial held his cane out behind him, striking a stance.

"I gave you those eyes, I can take em' away." Belial warned. It was only half true. He'd have to kill him, of course, and he couldn't, but the demonic motto would always be 'me before you.'

Belial snapped his fingers. His mount decended. "I'll have you know those eyes are priceless, and besides that, I meant no harm in giving them." he actually seemed a little upset. "I try to keep my word, you know."

Malice raised an eyebrow. "Demon? HOnor?"

"We have a very strict code of laws, thank you." Belial snapped. "Ones which keep us from total annihilation."

He started down the street. "I am going to research a bit on those eyes. I suggest you all play nicely in the meanwhile."
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Old 03-09-2005, 06:10 PM   #19
 
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Belial left the party, cane tapping as he strode down the road, the faerie on his left shoulder whispering into his ear as he went. Malice watched them go as Magus attended to Nichi, and just Belial's form turned to the right blocking the faerie's view from him, Malice swore he saw her staring at him, as if to warn Belial of him.

With every passing minute, I come to trust that demon less he thought, and turned to Magus to help with Nichi.


Though not blind, Nichi was still having some trouble with orientation. He felt groggy, which he figured was pretty good for just having his eyes ripped out and replaced with unknown objects. He thought back to what Ensayne had said, and focused on that as he walked to take away from the searing in what used used to be his eyes. Ensayne had said they came from a dragon, and invoked madness on all who achieved them. Nichi's might flashed back to his unbelievable rage as he decapitated the corrupted warrior. This troubled him, for he'd always been able to keep his emotions in check during any of his fights. Was he too going mad? He shook it out of his memory.

No he told himself. I can fight this.

He knew this wasn't true, that he was lying to himself. Like the two warriors before him, he would soon go mad. He could feel his mind warping. Something inside of him shifted. He was changing. He could already feel his thoughts becoming more malicious. He look to his right, to Magus, who was supporting his weight as they walked through the town square. He could see Magus, and he realized just how easy it would be to draw his sword and end Magus' life there. He shook his head again, banning the thoughts from his head.


Magus looked over at Nichi, and noticed him shaking, troubled. He felt sorry for a warrior such as Nichi. He truly did not deserve a fate such as that. He decided to put his search for Schala on hold, and help Nichi regain his strength. They were on a journey, and he'd still search the towns for mention of a young woman who appeared out of the sky, but he felt it better to help Nichi in his time of need.

Magus smiled. "You alright there buddy?" he asked, concerned.

Nichi answered in a gruff voice, that didn't seem entirely his. "Heh, yea I'll just walk it off. It's nothing."

Magus laughed to humor him. His heart wanted to believe it, but in his mind he knew there was something deeper to this newfound problem. "Good. Well we're at the inn now, lets head upstairs and rest a bit."

"Sounds good." Nichi replied. "And thanks Magus." The last part seemed kind of forced, but Magus didn't care. He was happy that Nichi was doing well.

The three walked into the inn and Magus and Nichi went straight to their rooms. Malice, on the other hand, had a lurking suspicion that something wasn't right. He had some detective work to do, and it started at the library. He waved to Magus, and told him he was heading off to the bar for a quick ale before Belial got back. When the two were in their rooms, he summoned the forces of the winds, and silently travelled toward the library.

*****

Nichi lay in his bed, restless. It took him much longer to fall asleep, and as he did, he hoped that his recurring dream would strike him, in fear of a much worse vision.
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Old 03-10-2005, 05:15 AM   #20
 
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Nichi fell asleep. The normal dream as always started.

The village was in flames and people were screaming. For the most part everything seemed normal, only this time Nichi was not killing the enemy he was slaughtering his own people. In the peoples faces that he killed he saw Malice and Magus’s faces, fighting on his side were demons. He could make out Belial’s face amongst the demons. He turned and saw Ishia and with a single blow took off her head.

Nichi sat up in a cold sweat. ‘This is not happening to me.’

He looked out the window and noticed it was midnight.

Malice appeared in the window. “Are you ok?” He said as he floated in the window. “It seems the villagers are all normal again.”

“I don’t really know if I am ok, but I’ll manage.” Nichi said shaking his head.

“Well I looked into the legends behind your eyes.” Malice said pulling out two scrolls. “To say the least they are dangerous. How I am not quite sure yet, but it seems that you’ll be safe as long as you can talk yourself out of doing evil things, evil becomes evil and well it will also become very tempting. Should you loose it and start becoming more and more evil well, let’s just say it’s over for you being a saint and a nice person.”

“I figured. I just had a dream that I killed you and magus and joined forces with the demons. I can’t have that happen.” Nichi thought of the image of killing Ishia.

“Don’t worry we’ll keep you in line, however Belial is getting to the point of pissing me off.” Malice looked at Nichi. “I don’t trust him, in fact every time he looks at me I trust him less.”

“I don’t trust him either. However we don’t have much choice now do we? It’s painfully obvious that he is evil, but he also has some good in him and so long as he has that, well he has a lot to loose by letting the world die as well.”

“I’m not talking about that. I think he knows more about these eyes then he is letting on.” Malice said looking out the window. “And if not him then that little thing that follows him knows more.”

Nichi stood up and stretched. “If they know more and are keeping it from me then it might be for the best.” He smiled.

Meanwhile…..

Belial sat in the moonlight with Ensayne.

“I don’t think its right to not tell him what he’s in store for.” Belial said. He almost felt bad for Nichi, but there wasn’t much he could do.

“If he knows he is going to die and be reborn in the next 15 days he might just try to make you pay for it before he does die.” Ensayne said harshly. “I’ve never known you to give two cents about a mortal anyways.”

Belial glared at Ensayne. “You know damn well why I give a shit. He is the only hope either of us has in living to see the next century.”

Ensayne nodded. “If he dies, he won’t be Nichi anymore, you know that. He’ll be someone sort of like him. He’ll have some of him memories, possibly some of his personality, but he won’t think or act the same.”

Magus stood up from behind a small brick wall. “So what are we supposed to do for him?” Magus looked pretty pissed. “How are we supposed to help out Nichi, we can’t have him die on us.”

Belial with a look of surprise looked over at Magus. “You, the one I least expected to be listening in on me.” Belial grinned. “We can’t do anything but hope that when the change happens he doesn’t come back evil, at least not too evil. If he still has some good in him well, there is a chance that he will be able to keep control.”

Magus turned. “You better hope he turns out ok.”

“I wouldn’t tell him what you know.” Ensayne said calmly.

“I know I won’t, the way I figure it, the less anger he feels right now the more likely he will return as a Nichi willing to help us.” Magus left.

The group formed at the gate the next morning ready to head to the next town. Nichi looked out of it but ok overall.

Malice had decided he was going to take charge now. “Ok guys we have a lot more people to save. Let’s get this show on the road.” They left behind the town and moved on to the horizon in hopes of what might be in store for them next.
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Old 03-10-2005, 03:37 PM   #21
 
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Belial rode a few paces behind the party, an archaic manuscript in his hands. The cover was stone, with a series of silver glyphs decending down the front. Each page sent a scene in black fire above the book, twisting and turning as it played out an epic love story.

She was a child, and I was a child...

He slowly reached his hand through the images. They flitted around his fingers, escaping his touch. It played on. There was an angel, he flaming wings outstretched as she cradled someone in her arms. There was a sword embedded in his ribs, and flames pulsed down the handle. He turned the page again.

Now, she drew the blade out, turning towards something unseen. A massive demonic visage decended towards her, and she screamed defiant silently as its hand came to sweep her away. The dying figure at her feet raised himself up slowly, pointing a crooked finger at the monster. A great gout of flames torrented towards its face, but the angel was taken up with it.

Bleeding and crying, the figure lay, as a single rose fell down from above. He picked it up gently. While the rest of the story was in black fire, this, somehow, was in gold.

Belial slammed the book shut.

"So many, so long, so fast." He sighed. Malice looked back.

"Years?" he said simply. Belial nodded.

"TIme may fly, and make fools of us all, but what can unbreak the hardest of hearts? Can a shattered diamond ever hold beauty again?" Belial mused. "Some small portion of the world belives that nothing ever really goes away. That they just go somewhere else."

Malice nodded.

"However, the things that come from where all the others go, where do they go when they die?" Belial looked off into the sunset. "Feelings are not lines of silver connecting us, they are internal, nothing more."

Malice cracked his knuckles. Magus rode back. "Tell me a story." Magus said simply.

Belial raised an eyebrow as he lit a ciggarette. "What kind of story?"

"A story. Any story. SOmething to pass the time." Magus answered.

Belial sighed, thinking back to all the tales he knew. "A demon scorned can rock the foundations of the earth, and no one better example exists than this one. Ages and ages ago..."

Belial spoke the story, but it began to replay in his mind again...

-----------------------------

There he was, armored and armed. In his hands, the black sledgehammer he'd annhilated many a city with. His wings of stone were spread, and he was pacing foward across a battlefield. With every step, a small patch of grass burned into cinders, till the wind was carrying ashes like snowflakes. The sky faded from a brilliant blue to a dull crimson. LIghtning arced across clouds of gray, the earth rumbling slightly. He wasn't walking, he was foretelling. His stride carried him with all the sureness of a glacier, there was no stopping nor swaying him.

He was drawing towards a rift in reality, one through which his opponent had stepped. It was no mortal or immortal. It was a mockery of both, a clockwork messiah. Its vents gouted steam with its every move, and pistons clicked, shuffled and whirred upon its back. Standing a full twelve feet tall, created of brass and steel, its arms a strange combobulation of various projectile weaponry, from a five barrled cannon to a large, crystaline structured elemental weapon. Jutting out from below the massive full arms were smaller, lithe arms, carrying dangerously sharp blades that whirled into motion. About his feet were the bodies of many a foe, demon and angel alike, but one was still moving. His legs had been snapped off at the knees, and his chest was blasted open, but the dark ether inside him was somewhat intact. Belial was drawing slowly closer.

The clockwork monster looked slowly down at the wounded angel. It said nothing, though capable of speech when needed. Instead, it just leveled the cannon at the angel's head.

Shivering with pain, the angel spat a mouthfull of blood directly into the barrel that began to glow.

Belial winced as he watched his only friend's head explode in a cloud of gore. But it was too late for that now. Cast with a hard heart, fate had taken everything from him. Now, he'd strike back, first this thing, then fate itself.

The machine started lumbering forward, the steam venting rhythmically huffing. It raised both arms, aiming for Belial.

He kept approaching. The weapons both lept into life, barraging the demon with a withering hail of fire. Belial didn't even flinch as his wings were ripped to shreds, shrapnel embedding in the ground below. He kept walking.

The machine stopped approaching, and seemed almost puzzled.

"You took them." Belial said calmly. The machine brought the massive cannon atop its back to bear, firing a shell the size of a human.

Belial swept it away with a wave of his arm. "You killed them. You, who cannot feel victory, loss, or success. You killed them all."

It slowly began to revese direction, firing again. Another shell thudded into the earth. It was swallowed up as the ground began to fissure. Flames erupted almost a mile high from each crack.

The machine tensed up, waiting to pounce. Belial was only ten feet away now. His hands were gripped tight enough to dent the handle on his nigh indestructable weapon. Before attempting to close the gap, the machine fired its crystal elemental arm at Belial.

THe beam ceased to exist upon hitting th hammer head. THe machine lowered its self, pressure building till the vents screeched. It lept.

Twelve someodd tons of screaming death attempted to crush the demon bodily. Belial gripped his hammer directly below the head and brought it up square into the monsters chest, stopping it dead. Cracks formed.

"Your protecting magic failed you." Belial said coldly. He snap kick the thing back a few feet. Striking a stance, he raised his hammer. "No soul."

He brought it down with a clap of thunder. It sent the monster reeling. He raised his weapon again, this time, coming around to smash it on the shoulder. The cannon fell off, brass melting from the sheer force of the weapon.

Cogs popped out. The twin bladed arms aimed towards Belial's chest, but he spun his hammer around and ripped them off. The machine's head was level with Belial's.

"Emotions I have none." It intoned, its voice just the right series of tiny bells being struck. "Emotions are the force of destiny. But you do not carry any in your heart, cold one."

Belial gritted his teeth, thinking of the thirty brothers and sisters he'd lost that day. "No, I carry mine in my fist."

He headbutted the thing, then lept up a few feet to bring the full force of his weapon down upon the clockwork messiah's forhead. It fell, its mechanisms ceasing, to the earth.

-----------------------

Belial paused. "Thirty friends that day. Thirty faces that comeback to me everytime I feel pain. Eons and eons of loss. Tell me what makes us evil. Instinct? A wicked heart? Or simply time?"
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Old 03-10-2005, 07:32 PM   #22
 
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Palis, The Year 699 Ishia, Somewhere

Magus looked up at Belial. "What makes us evil?" he asked. "I wish I knew the same thing. I was considered evil back in my world. I simply wanted revenge on a monster for..." he trailed off, then realized that he was thinking too much again. "...anyway, I began to lead a war while trying to summon the monster at the same time. Some of my enemies found out that I was summoning a creature that would destroy the world later. They confronted me, challenging me while I was summoning the monster. At the time, I did not know that this monster would destroy the world in almost fourteen hundred years. They were confused - they thought I created the monster, whereas I merely summoned it from the depths of the earth. Later I joined them. But what makes us evil? In my case, it was keeping a dark secret. I wanted vengeance, without explaining my intentions." He looked around, making sure that Nichi and Malice were further ahead. He lowered his voice. "And if you don't tell Nichi what's going to happen to him before it happens, you'll be considered just as bad."

Belial's eyes widened. "Interesting. I'd never thought of it that way. Still," he muttered, glancing at Ensayne who was also flitting about nearby, "I think we'd better hold off for a few days. There may be a way to fix him, in which case, why bother making him anxious?"

Magus nodded, and suddenly gasped. He hopped off his mount and grabbed a small red rock on the floor, examining it.

Nichi and Malice turned around and rode back. "What is it, Magus?" asked Malice.

Magus picked it up, examining it. "I think it's Dreamstone," he said, "but it's from my world, not this one. There's only one way any Dreamstone could have made it here; either with me, but I didn't have any, or from... the pendant..." He closed his eyes and gripped the rock piece tightly.

****************************
Palis, The Year 698 Ishia, Somewhere

Rain splatted against the desert ground. Heavily armored boots trudged through the muddy ground, leading a dragon with a young woman on its back. She sat up on the dragon's back groggily. The soldier turned and slapped her. The force from his slap threw her pendant from her neck, and it shattered on the ground. She jumped off the dragon to collect the pieces - she had all except one safely hidden in her cloak before the soldier slapped her into unconsciousness again. He hoisted her back onto the dragon and continued trudging down the path. The small stone remained on the ground.

****************************
Palis, The Year 699 Ishia, Somewhere

Nichi, Malice, and Belial all leaned towards Magus's face. Magus's eyes suddenly snapped open, the red in them gleaming. He grabbed Nichi by the front of his shirt and pulled him close. "When's the last time it rained here?"

Nichi shook his head. "What kind of question is that?"

Magus's grip tightened. "Answer! When did it last rain?"

Nichi shrugged. "A little over a week ago, at best guess."

Magus let go of Nichi and sank to the ground. "A week. A week. We'll never...' He suddenly stood up, his eyes looking out into the distance. He closed his eyes and breathed deeply. He opened his eyes again. "The black wind howls..." he whispered, although he was too quiet for anyone else to hear. He walked over to his mount. "Come on! We'll never crush the next crystal standing around like this!" He rode off as fast as possible, the others close behind.
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Old 03-17-2005, 12:55 AM   #23
 
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Everyone was worried about what was going to happen to Nichi, it was the 7th day he had the eyes in him and they seemed to have taken a large toll on him. He wasn’t talking much and kept away from the fights they were having along the way. They had set up a camp near a river, Nichi had already fallen asleep.

Masuto looked at Nichi as he slept. ‘He’s growing weaker; I’ll be able to have some fun soon.’ He thought. Masuto woke up.

Malice and Magus looked over at Nichi’s body only to find nothing.

“Were did he go?” Magus said looking around.

“Malice and Magus is it, it’s a pleasure to meet you.” A familiar voice said coming from the shadows. Nichi, just with long red hair stepped into the light of the fire. “I hope you don’t mind me joining you, Nichi’s out cold for a while so you’ve got me.” He smirked.

Malice and Magus looked at each other in disbelief. Belial walked up behind Nichi.

“Who are you?” Belial said with a hiss.

“Why I am Masuto Ochiri.” He laughed. “You must be the famous demon Belial; I’ve even heard stories of you in the whispers of the spirits.”

Belial looked at him and went to the fire and sat down. “So you’re the spirit connected with the eyes?”

“Why yes I am. I am the legendary slayer of dragons, I killed so many of them that I was granted their power, too bad it killed me, but lucky for me I was able to pass myself on in these eyes.” He pointed to his eyes.

Malice looked and confusion struck him, the eyes he pointed at were normal blue eyes. “So what will happen to Nichi?”

“Oh nothing, we’ll just be sharing this body for a while. I’ve decided not to kill him, because he has more potential then my own power.” Masuto grinned.

“Are you on our side?” Magus said being very strait forward and stern.

“I am on your side, and now that I am awake Nichi won’t be such a looser anymore, he should start feeling a bit better.” Masuto said.

The three of them looked at each other, then noticed that Masuto had gone back to sleep.

The next day Nichi woke up he felt great.

“Nichi?” Malice said looking at him.

“Yes? What is it?” He turned and looked at Malice who was standing a few feet away.

Malice looked at Nichi, his eyes were normal again; he had the same green eyes he had when Malice first met him. “Nichi your eyes, they are normal!”

Nichi ran to the river and looked into the river to see that in fact his eyes had been restored to normal. “What happened last night? I had the strangest dream.”

Malice explained everything to Nichi.

“No way I’ve got some other personality inside me now?” Nichi scratched his head. “I guess it could be worse.” He smiled and started to whistle and seemed almost too happy.

Magus looked at Malice. “What the hell is wrong with him?”

“I think he’s lost it.” Malice said looking at Nichi strangely as Nichi went about getting ready to go in a strange and bouncy matter.

Belial looked at Nichi and turned the other way. ‘Oh great, he’s been tamed by Masuto, just what we need’ he though and sighed.

“Let’s go!” Nichi said jumping on his carnasor.
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Old 03-20-2005, 09:33 PM   #24
 
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Belial shrugged. Some time, he'd have to deal with it. When it came up, reality could be torn to accomodate such a termination.

He adjusted his glasses. Every once in a while, Belial had a tendency to subconciously throw a wrench in the works. This may have been the worst one to date.

Naturally, as they rode, he contemplated this as a pattern. That was his other hobby. Spotting potential proofs to either fate or choice, long term routes that proved consistant over the eternity he was given.

And, naturally, as sprites are wont to do, Ensayne rode on top of Nichi's head, singing "Jeepers Creepers," for a good couple hours. Every time some one swatted at her, she dodged in that way that only annoying pixies can.

Belial sighed finally and said "I gave them to him."

Ensayne nodded. "Cool then."

He went back to his thoughts. There was no such thing, he belived, as fate, although you had to admit then that luck had to exist. But things happened too convienently. He could be realitivly sure that giving Nichi those eyes was going to end up either saving or condeming the world, or at least a small part thereof. But, then again, Belial was the only one who could heal them, realistically, whether or not he improved on the original design didn't really matter.

If Fate existed, Nichi was no better nor worse off than before. If choice existed, that Nichi would suffer only because it was Belial's fault, then it could be said that he'd be screwed, because no one can ignore a guilt trip quite like a demon.

As of the present time, he'd never seen Nichi that alert. Belial liked to think that these three had a 55% chance of being the ones to save the world, or at least, bail him out to the point where he could put his finger on the scales.

Many a kingdom owed their survival or downfall to a wellplaced action from the demon. Belial looked at his companions, not without a touch of compassion. "You of course realize, no matter what happens, that you all will go down in history as having sold your souls to achieve whatever end we reach."

Magus looked over annoyed. "Excuse me?"

"You have associated with me. I hate to say this, but many people will say you gave your souls to me to achieve the powers that you will need to slay these intruders. Sorry. Them's the brakes." Belial sighed. "You'd figure that perhaps I give these boons out of foolish sentiment, but nope. Everyone thinks that you have to give your soul to a demon for it."

He gestured at Nichi. "Sometimes, you're just a happy mistake. Others..."

Belial shuddered to think of some of the abominations he'd created. He wouldn't be surprised if any of them were still alive.
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Old 03-20-2005, 10:05 PM   #25
 
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Nichi rode with a newfound confidence. He looked high to the sky, as if he could never see and had just acquired the talent for the first time in his life. Magus and Malice looked at him with unease. This Masuto character was having more of an affect on Nichi then he was willing to admit. Nichi rode higher in his mount. He seemed physically taller. Though that was the only physical trait so far they'd seen, the mental tolls had hit him hard. He rode wearing a newfound confidence in his abilities, but that had come with a price. He also rode with a newfound cockyness, which he constantly mocked Magus for. While Malice felt uneasy still, he looked at Belial and saw him actually smile for the first time since the two had had the "priveledge" of meeting. the smile looked more ominous then joyful, but Malice could sense that the demon was up to something yet again.

"Haha don't worry Magus, one day when you obtain skills like me, I'll teach yea how to use him?"" Nichi taunted, seemingly playful.

Magus winced as if hit by an arrow, then he shook his head. "Malice, when will we be at the next town?"

Before Malice could answer, Belial spoke up. "The next town is Frevola. It's a large town, so do not expect your search to be over as quickly as in the other village. We should be there by dusk."

It was already midafternoon, and Malice figured he could bear the ride. Their seemingly perfect team wasn't turning out to be what it should, and Malice blamed Belial. Malice had a suspicion that the demon had awoken the Masuto demon for a reason, maybe to sway Nichi into helping him kill his demon. Either way, Malice only smelled more trouble and turmoil in the group in the future. The four rode in silence.


As dusk hit the travellers noticed a tall city on the plains. Lit by torch, it almost seemed magical. The sun began setting behind them, creating darkness faster in the distance. As they came closer to the city, they heard a scream, and noticed a single figure run from the gate.

"Hya," Nichi urged, and pressed his carnosaur forward. The others happily obliged and did the same.

Three carnosaur exploded from the gate, travelling at inhuman speed, even so for a carnosaur. They could barely be seen through the darkness, and they appeared as little beacons of light from the torches their riders carried. The scream, now noted as a mans scream, came again and the man continued to run towards Malice and the party. Nichi, still in the lead, broke forward from the group, and grabbed the man as he ploughed through. Nichi reared his mount and it came to a stop in front of the pursuing riders. They skid to a stop and leapt off their carnosaur.

"Give ussss the man, he is wanted in our kingdom," they said in an inhuman hiss with a hint of rage.

Nichi immediately noticed something wrong, and spoke. "What has this poor man done to you? He does not look to me like a common criminal."

The lead exploded, "GIVE HIM TO US NOW." And he raised his poleaxe in response, pointing it at Nichi.

Magus looked up. "I think they're infected guys."

Malice agreed. "Yeah, and what's to say the whole village isn't the same. A chase such as this would not go unnoticed between the guards. I think the village must be infested."

"In that case, lets crush 'em," Nichi said, and drew his sword. "Sorry guys, but he's ours. Ensayne, look after this man, we'll need to talk after."

Ensayne looked at him with a look of disgust on her face. She looked to Belial, who just laughed.

The three villagers attacked, and Malice knocked his fists together. Magus drew his scythe and readied himself. They waited for an attack. Nichi, on the other hand, didn't wait, but attacked. He swung his sword, blocking the blow of the lead's poleaxe and snapping the weapon in two. He swung his leg around and connected with the outside of his foot, his leg still bent at a V. There was a distinct cracking sound as the lead's jaw broke. He crumpled to the gruond. The other two attacked him in a rage. Nichi sidestepped the blow, and the villager stumbled forward. He parried the second blow and with a sweep of his legs, the villager lay on the ground. Nichi spun his sword so it rested downward in his hand, and stabbed the villager on the ground. The second villager regained his balance and attacked him. With his awkward grip, he blocked the blow, swinging his arm forward, pushing the sword back. With a quick pull back, he ran the villager through the heart.

Nichi quickly dealt with the lead villager, who lay on the ground, blood erupting from his mouth. He turned to the man, who lay shaking on the ground watching the fight. "Now," Nichi said. "What has happened to your village?"
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Old 03-21-2005, 01:08 AM   #26
 
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As Nichi walked towards the man who lay shaking Nichi started to scream in pain and fell to his knees. Nichi started to convulse on the ground and then as if nothing ever was wrong stood back up. Malice and Magus knew instantly that it was Masuto that was now standing there. Belial cocked his head in interest in what was about to happen.

This time Masuto looked different. Instead of the short red hair he had last time it was long and a silvery grey. He seemed even taller then last time, he also seemed somehow divine. “What were you running from these men for?”

The villager at first seemed freaked out, but now that he was talking to Masuto he calmed down, somehow Masuto’s voice seemed almost calming. “Just recently our town was taken over by the dark shroud and our lord went insane, slowly so did all the villagers. I never turned like them and so they thought I was a traitor and tried to kill me so I ran.”

Belial looked at them men who were dead on the ground. None of them seemed to be carrying a shard of any type. “It’s an Aunix crystal or red one as you loosely call it. This is not good, they influence anyone lower then them, which means this man here has royal, demon, or godly blood in him.”

Malice examined the bodies further. “They all have velmore marks on the back of their heads, defiantly mind control, but more then just that. It seems whoever is leading this is also streaming their power to all those under his control. We’ll probably have to kill everyone just to get to him.” Malice sighed.

Magus kneeled near the man and started to cast a healing spell on his legs. “Have you seen a girl around here?” He went on to describe Schala in detail.

The man shook his head. “I’m sorry but I have heard nothing of a person like this.”

Magus sighed.

Malice watched Masuto as he walked around the dead bodies. Masuto seemed to be giving off a very strange aura. “Who exactly are you Masuto?”

“Well now the questions start.” Masuto said as he went on to explain that he was the first person of this world to become a god through helping his people, then ascended to being a demon by killing so many because he was enraged that he could not marry after becoming a god. He was in love with a girl so badly that he decided to become a demon so that he could marry and have kids. Only it took so long for him to kill enough people to become a demon that she had already passed away. So he killed himself only to leave his soul stuck in a set of eyes. He had gone from body to body for almost twenty thousand years. Nichi was the first person with a body and spirit strong enough to hold him.

He told this while carrying and digging the men graves.

Malice and Magus were at first confused at what Masuto was doing, they then decided to help. Belial grinned at what was going on. ‘So thousands of years later he has finally come to peace with the death of his loved one.’

Another set of men on carnasors came out of the town at full tilt. Malice and Magus drew weapons and prepared for defense. Belial decided to watch rather then fight.

Masuto motioned to them to lower their weapons. He stood in front of the men as they approached. The men didn’t even stop they just jumped off their carnasors and jumped into attack. Masuto didn’t even draw Nichi’s sword. Rather he raised his hand and closed his eyes, a wave of energy passed from his hand knocking over the men and stunning them.

“Rope please.” Masuto said as he sat down exhausted.

Malice and Magus ran over with the rope and started to tie up the men. Belial grinned, exactly what he expected from a man like him.

After attempting to question the men several times and getting nothing from them Malice and Magus tied them to a tree sever miles outside the town.

Masuto never changed back into Nichi after that fight but slept for several hours after the fight. Malice and Magus returned to find Belial talking to Masuto.

“What are you two talking about?” Magus said looking at Masuto strangely.

“We were talking about coming to terms with the sins of our past.” Masuto said smiling. He had changed more; he looked even more like a different person.

Belial nodded. “We are also talking about what has happened to Nichi’s spirit.”

Malice looked at Belial with murderous eyes. “So what has happened to him?”

Masuto looked strait at Malice. “He gave up, something he said was wrong with what had happened since he and I joined body. He gave me his body in return he will be my first son if I have one.”

Magus shook his head. “So he handed his life over to you because he feels that you’re powerful enough to save his mother and this world?”

Masuto nodded.

Malice looked displeased. Now he had to trust two demons to helping him. “I don’t trust you, or what you’re saying, can you prove that he actually intended for this?”

Masuto looked at Malice and shook his head. “No I can’t, and I’m afraid I won’t be much use to anyone for a while. It will take a long time before I can gain much power, or learn to control this body’s power.”

“Magus and Malice I know you don’t trust me at all but Nichi really did wish for this to happen. He was here just a moment before you came back, he had hoped to talk to you but his strength left him too quickly.” Belial said arms crossed and eyes closed.
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Old 03-21-2005, 10:49 PM   #27
 
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Magus and Masuto drifted fast into sleep that night under the rocky outcrop they'd chosen as their makeshift camp. Their snores echoed across the plains. Malice had his own agenda though. He feigned sleep, listening to Belial whistle across the fire. The tune was hypnotic. It sang of a burden, the burden of destruction and of sorrow that Belial carried. Malice listened as Belials tune told him the story of a great war of the past, and more preticularily of its loss. Though the whistling didn't sound morbid, it was produced with a great weight, as if Belial was carrying the world on his shoulders.

Though Malice had never heard the song before, he felt drawn to it. He listened intently, and the notes formed in his head. He silently followed along, singing himself the tune. He swore he'd never heard it, and yet something about it felt so close to his heart. He tried to think back to his childhood, but he could not recollect any instance of that song. As Belial stopped the tune and put out the fire, Malice hummed to himself, entranced.

When he was sure that Belial was sound asleep, he slowly got up and gathered his things. He prodded Magus, and he slowly rolled over, sleeping soundly. Good, he would need them to be asleep. Malice windwalked up onto the rock quickly, and hid his pack amoungst the grass. He marked the spot; he'd return for it later. By that time, the group would be looking for him elsewhere, and he could windwalk back in and collect his stuff.

He was regretful to leave them, but with the current situation, he felt safer by himself. The elders had told him to collect strong willed warriors. Magus could become a Theirian mage. His kind could enhance his magical abilities, molding Magus into a powerful warrior. Once, Malice thought the same of Nichi, but with his newfound demon, he wasn't so sure. Belial was neglecting to tell them something about Masuto, and Malice could hear the tenseness in Masuto's voice. His happy demeanor seemed too forced. He was safe for now, but how long before his companions put him in harms way?

Malice windwalked down, realizing just how little he knew of the elders plans for the warriors. Malice was completely in the dark, and it was a feeling that made him useasy. He knew the elders weren't playing him, but it felt that they too were hiding something from him. With all his friends hiding their secrets from him, he was better of alone. He looked back as he left, and frowned into the dark. He'd conquer the town alone, without raising a ruckus and then he'd move west, instead of the intended east, towards the village of Falgoh. From there, he'd have a better shot through the mountains towards his destination. Silently he turned to leave.

"Leavin' without us? And yea didn't even say goodbye? How your friends would pain over your loss."

Malice spun around to find Belial leaning against a tree, widdling a stick. His face and body were basked in moonlight, and he gave off an otherworldly glow.

"Demon, it's none of your business, but I must leave," Malice said unswayed by the demon's taunts.

"It's because you can't trust me isn't it? You fear your own life, and our humble group is slowing you down?" The demon replied as-a-matter-of-factly.

"That's... not it. I won't discuss it with you demon. You have ruined my friends life, and I will not forgive you for what you have done."

By this point, Malice was furious. But Belial simply smiled, and calmly said,

"I believe you take your friends for granted, young one. I know more about life and death than you think, and the wisdom I could bestow upon you is endless."

"And at what price would this come? My eyes? My body? My soul?"

"You have me wrong boy. My past is... long and troublesome. The worlds largest library could not hold the knowledge I possess from years of unrelenting torment. But it is behind me, and I long to create a new existance, one less scarring." He paused and pointed. "Tell me Malice, do you intend on vanquishing the whole town? I warn you now it is a task far out of your reach. There lies a troubled soul, and I don't like you would be able to come to terms with it."

Malice almost exploded, but then lowered his voice. "You will not keep me from accomplishing my goal, and it lies in that town. That is where I will head. Please do not try and stop me."

"I will not stop you. Instead, I will join you. I have become frail in my years, or moreso then one thousand years ago, and my body could use the exercise."

Belial put his arm on Malice's shoulder, and they began to walk towards the city.

"Plus, we have some talking to do."

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Old 03-22-2005, 07:29 PM   #28
 
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*****************************
Somewhere, Sometime, Magus's Dream

"..." said Crono.

The gigantic beast loomed ahead. Magus turned to look at it, but it seemed... different, somehow. It was as if it wasn't really... "Crono," Magus whispered hoarsely, "what is that thing? It's not Lavos, is it?"

Lucca spoke up. "It's sort of Lavos... don't you remember? Lavos merged with Schala. They're one and the same now. And it's still ripping everything apart."

Magus shook his head. Impossible. Lavos and Schala merged? How can this be? And now they must defeat Lavos... but he couldn't kill Schala...

Lavos-Schala fired a beam, disintegrating Crono.

Again? thought Magus. He's already been blasted by Lavos, we brought him back, but... He glanced around. None of the other team members were there. He saw the monster's face clearly now; it was, in fact, Schala's. Magus's hand trembled, and he dropped his scythe. The abomination began charging up a second beam.

Magus's hand unconciously dropped into his pocket. His fingers tightened around a small red piece of rock. He took it out and stared at it. ...Dreamstone? From the Mammon Machine? Or maybe... from Palis? Ugh... what is Palis? he wondered. Suddenly it all came flooding back to him. Defeating Lavos at Crono's side... coming to Palis searching for Schala... That's not even part Schala. This is just a dream. He lifted his trembling hand.

The monster was done charging.

Magus screamed "Dark Matter!" The pure dark energy flowed from his fingertips, completely surrounding the monster.

Nothing happened to it.

The beam flew at him.

I'm dead... I'm dead and I can never save Schala. If it was truly a dream I'd have woken up by now. What is this? What's in my mind? Schala... Schala... this thing has twisted her... I can't kill her, but I can't die either... Schala... Schala... "SCHALA!"

The beam seemed to freeze.

Time itself seemed to freeze.

The words "Dark Flare" escaped from Magus's mouth.

A flame composed of compressed darkness appeared beneath the creature.

A force comparable to that of Bahamut's breath (honestly the only analogy I know everyone on an FF board will get) blasted the monster.

The shell split.

The beam vanished.

Magus looked at the foul creature within the shell. Magus shook his head and blinked. Is that...

The sleeper dashed at Magus with incredible speed. Magus knew he was going to die, when suddenly...

Masuto came flying out of nowhere. "Need a little help?" he asked.

Magus nodded. "I dunno if Nichi told you, but that thing is a sleeper demon called Zera-shaal. It's after Belial, though I don't know why. Only people with good intentions can hurt- OOF!" He went tumbling as the sleeper charged him.

Masuto stepped back. "Wow. That thing is fas- OW!" He also flew back a bit.

Zera-shaal let out a horrible screech. It charged for Magus again.

This time Magus knew what to do. He whipped out his scythe... then remembered he dropped it when he was fighting Lavos-Schala. He got slammed again.

Masuto staggered up. "The hell was tha- GRAH!" Another hit.

Magus got up again. He gripped the Dreamstone. He squeezed harder and harder until it cut his palm. The pain stimulated his brain...

**************************
Palis, The Year 699 Ishia, Campsite

Magus sat straight up. His palm was bleeding. He quickly crawled over and shook Masuto awake.

Masuto looked at him groggily. "What the... is it gone?"

Magus nodded. "For now, at least. But it found us, it might be looking for Belial soon." He glanced up at the night sky, remembering the surge of power that went through him when he cast Dark Flare. I'd better remember how to do that one, he thought. Then he began shouting. "Belial! Belial! BELIAL!"
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Old 03-28-2005, 03:51 PM   #29
 
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Belial's hand sparked as he put it on Malice's shoulder. "To understand the destruction you cause, you must always know why you do it."

Malice ground his teeth. "Don't your kind thrive on pain and suffering?"

"No. No we don't. We do what we know. We suffer constantly. Our world is a long, lonely walk of rejection, repression, and isolation." Belial's eye shed a single, silver tear. "Any thing of beauty you hold shall turn to ash, they say. You do things for people, you hand them gifts to achieve their ends, and invariably, they abuse it. And rather than admit that perhaps they are evil inside, or that they were too weak to hold that gift, they say we corrupted them. That we took their souls..."

Malice stopped. "Wait, you don't?"

"I have never, NEVER, in all my existance, given a gift with a string like that attached. I would not instill evil in a creature. I have given each one praying for my salvation."

"You sound like you work hard to do good. Then howcome you can't hurt a sleeper?" Malice wondered outloud.

"Because... because when you have to suffer this much, your emotions become unstable. I hate to admit it... I don't want... I never... I HATED IT!" Belial fell to his knees, gripping his head. "BUT THEY PUSH YOU! WE SHOULDN'T HAVE FEELINGS!"

Malice looked in horror as black flames circled Belial. "I never asked for it..." Belial whispered. "But they kept on screaming..."

Malice tried to pick Belial to his feet. Instead, he shared the hallucination. A city burning in the black fires Belial was known to create. Belial was crying in the center of a crossroads, as all around him, ashes rose high into the sky. Implanted in his ribs was a holy claymore.

Malice fell over backwards. Belial rose again. He lifted Malice back up, steadying him. Malice was shaking from the anguish he felt that Belial carried. "You know, not all of us become damned. Some of us were sadly born that way."

And then, Belial was flung thirty feet away. Standing there, inches from Malice was a fourteen foot tall abberation. Its aura was completely visable, almost masking the creature in darkness. But it was there. Its massive arms and legs were strained, as if not attacking was an effort it could barely maintain.

OOG: I'm going to mention that the specifics of it are a mish-mash of your innerfears.]

Belial kicked up from the ground. "You!" He shouted. He thrust his hands out forward and a horrific gout of flames slammed into the Sleeper.

It ignored them, charging forward and pinning Belial to the ground. Its fist came down into Belial's chest again and again.

Malice blinked. He rushed forward, jumping on its back. "BACK TO HELL WITH YOU!" he roared, stabbing the back of its neck again and again.

Belial put both feet into its chest, throwing it off. His wings shot out as he rose up like the last tide upon a flaming shore. "Now, you will see... true demonic combat..." he growled.

Sure, you had to have goodness in your heart to hurt a sleeper. But when two demons battle, they can always hurt one another.

The area around Belial, Malice and Zera Shaal began to darken. Malice backflipped off of the sleep, landing behind Belial. Belial spun, planting his palm right in the middle of Malice's chest.

He fell, twitching, coughing up a mouthfull of blood. Belial began a series of gestures. Zera Shaal charged forward, and met a wall of un-reality. He stopped before hitting it. A host of black shadowed demons poured from the rift, swarming Zera Shaal.

Malice suddenly felt... diffrent. His limbs felt a little loose. He went to stand, and was nearly thrown off balance by the new speed he had.

"What have you done?" he gasped. He easily cleared Belial, the rift, and Zera-Shaal in one leap. He unleashed a flurry of kicks and punches onto the Sleeper.

Zera-Shaal roared, flinging the shade demons from his form. He swung both his arms outward, dispelling the rift. Belial formed a square with his fingers infront of him, and a bolt of nothingness careened towards the demon.

Malice ran up the demon's back, kicking Zera Shaal as he lept straight up. The bolt passed cleanly through the sleeper, who dropped to his knees. The wound began to close rapidly, however.

Belial raised his hands over his head. Suddenly, two pillars of ice appeared behind him. The whole scene shifted to the middle of a bustling city. People ran screaming. Belial looked around, terrified at the change. Zera-Shaal started to advance. Malice lept off of buildings on either side, slamming into Zera-Shaal. The sleeper was pounded down against the ground again and again.

Malice suddenly fell limp, going through a window. He panted and coughed. He felt weak as a newborn kitten.

And very, very thirsty...

Belial spun, drawing his cane. The pillars of ice dissapeared. "COWARDS!" he screamed. Zera-Shaal was regaining his balance.

Belial thrust his arms outward. "For what I must do... I am truely sorry..."

He pointed at Malice. The weakened warrior disapeared.

Zera-Shaal began to charge. HIs speed was gaining. Belial crossed his arms in an X infront of his face.

"Please... let them all die in the change..."

He thrust his arms outward again. Zera-Shaal was inches from him as a giant wave of nothing flew outward.

Belial disapeared.

------------

Belial landed from the sky right next to Malice. Masuto calmly walked over to them. "What in the name of..."

Belial just lay there, shivering. His wings retracted. Malice slowly and shakily got to his feet. "Wa... water..."

Belial thrust his hand out. "Stay back..."

Even Masuto felt the evil that Belial had just done. Over half a city, winked out of existance. And he knew, deep inside, that the sleeper would most likely return. After all, he could be recreated. All they needed was matierals.

Belial was wretching and spasming. Silver blood was escaping his lips. He heaved and rolled, finally just twitching, sprawled on the ground.

"So... much... matter... to... consume..." Belial whispered...

Masuto sighed. "You ARE a demon of unmakeing." he shook his head. "Lucky bastard."

Malice drained a bottle, slowly crawling to another.

Magus propped Belial up. "What's an unmaker?"

Masuto looked solem. "They can make things cease to exist. True destruction. But doing so takes not only tremendous effort, it also requires the Demon to take some of it into himself. And how many souls did you just unmake?"

Belial closed his eyes. "Uncountable."

He looked like someone who drank far too much. Paler, shaking, he used his cane to get to his feet. "Its like an overdose..."

He turned, placing his hand on Malice's head. Malice felt rejuvenated, and still a little loose. "I had to help you, kiddo." Belial whispered. "I thought you could use a limited removal. YOu can push your speed without limit, saving how much energy you have."

Malice just stared at the sky. Belial sat down. "I suppose we must do something soon?"

----

OOG: Yep. Unmaking. To clarify, having just decimated that city, a good couple punches will truck Belial into a coma for a little while. He'll be normal again in a few hours. Malice's gift stays till Belial removes it.
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Old 03-28-2005, 08:28 PM   #30
 
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Masuto looked at Belial and shook his head. “I was created as a Tormenter Demon when I was changed over. I feel it’s much more painful to be like you.” Masuto stood up and walked towards town and then jumped into the air, in the distance lay a hole in the outer edge of the town, it spread over two miles. This was the second largest city in the alliance, over a hundred thousand people probably died in that blast.

Malice had finally calmed his thirst. Masuto walked back towards them. “What were you doing?” Malice said looking at Masuto who had a look of sorrow on his face.

“I was seeing just how many died in the blast.” Masuto said now smiling at Malice. “One hundred thousand is my estimate.”

Malice fell to his knees. “So many. Holy shit!” Malice looked at Belial in contempt. “You killed that many people to save yourself?”

Belial just laughed. “Would you rather I let him kill me and you and then the rest of the people in the city then the one we just freed and then Gracia?”

Malice sighed and lowered his head. Magus thought about what he had done in his own past and sighed as well.

“Its nothing, did you know that all of Palice use to be under the protection of Gracia, everyone was happy and there were no serious demons here. I made it that way, and now the 90% of the world that is in their control that was all my doing. I killed everyone that lived on that side of the world that’s how it fell under the crystal shroud.” Masuto said as tears fell from his eyes. “I killed 41 billion people.”

Malice looked at Masuto and went white. He could not believe his ears. “And you did this all because you were not aloud to get married?”

“Love is a powerful thing.” Masuto said looking at the sky as the sun began to rise.

They gathered their gear and started towards town. Masuto whistled to the beat of Belials cane tapping. The beats together seemed to make Malice and magus seem more confident in their strength. Malice decided to carry a few extra bottles of water with him, seeing as the power Belial gave him might be useful in their current situation. The streets seemed empty as they walked through town. Eyes could be made out in the windows of the houses as they passed but they all looked frightened.

Only a small group of heavy armored men stood at the end of the road, in front of the town Palace. Malice turned red in the face with anger. He knew someone in that crowd.

“Guys take care of the others; the tall one with the red hair is mine.” Malice said as the men drew their weapons. Masuto stopped and raised his hands, two of them men immediately stopped and started to scream. “I’ll hold these two the others are up to you two.”

Malice killed two as he ran towards the red headed man, Magus was holding his own against a group of four men and Belial killed a few that ran towards him but mostly protected Masuto as he channeled to the two he was holding. Suddenly they both stopped screaming and looked at each other and then committed suicide. “Sweet dreams.”
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