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The shots kept coming,and the Kobold with the spear did what it could.The one that ran had dove into the bush and was gone.Quickly on it's way home to report,the bold one had done his duty.Still,he kept dodging what he could.One shot met the middle of his spear and snapped it.The Kobold screeched angrily,and dodging to the side caught a shot in the leg.Limping it held it's ground.Standing tall it held one half of the spear in it's hand.It waved the piece at Zeno,as if challenging him to fight the wounded kobold in a less cowardly fashion.

The Kobold nodded to his opponent,and then rushed at him.His feet tore into the ground,limping quickly at Zeno.He was only 2ft tall,and planned to use it to what advantage he could.Moving at Zeno as the last moment he dropped to his left,in a bit of a little roll,reducing his size considerably.He rolled at Zeno's left side,pushing up with right leg,the good one,and brining up the spearpoint at the same time.He planned to ram the spearpiece into Zeno's knee from the side,and use his weight of his body pushing up to hit Zeno's knee.He only held 35 pound of body weight,but he was determined to take Zeno's leg out from under him.

The Kobold yelped in surprise.Caught without excape the attack would catch the small creature point blank.And it would wipe him out,all that would remain was blood and gore,as bone and guts and blood smashed into Zeno's body and the surround area.With Zeno crouchd,and the thing catching the Kobold in it's middle,it was likely the Kobold's skull would drive into Zeno's face.

*Nana would be back at the tower in about 3 minutes at the pace she was walking. Nana's wings flex a little*

<_<

Hmm...

Zeno: *skates back into the citadel* Hmm hmm... well look who it is *He closes in on Nana and the tower*

Zeno: *A shot is fired. The bullet bursts on door in front of Nana and leave a dent in the doorway. Zeno quickly advances* Hoi now..... you wouldn't be trying to get by security now would you? ku ku ku~~

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Than: nnnnn..... It's... here.. *Than walks in a daze towards the citadel. It had all happened so fast for him. After Zeno's last visit to the guild, Than had gone off on his own to use the little panel Zeno had given him. Turns out it was an audio file, an odd one. All that he heard from the file was the most fear inducing, ear piercing roar he'd ever heard, followed by lots of snarling. At first he had been confused about it, but then the shadow symbiote had reacted violently in him. He knew why..... the roar had been from the source, the mother, of the symbiote, its kindred entity. This was what Mastema had kept from him. Part of his journey since he was aware of the world was to reintegrate with the part of himself that he'd lost to this symbiote. This monster that he'd heard would help him on that journey. Than headed for sub level 5 of the citadel*

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Slayer: Are you sure this is wise m'lord? *Slayer puffed his pipe once, standing behind Mastema in the top of the tower as they watched Than's advance on a view screen*

Mastema: It has to be done. He's lasted far longer than I expected that he would in his state.

Slayer: Oh? You underestimated your son, then?

Mastema: So it would seem. *He grinned* He has more fight in him than I knew.

Slayer: If he has such endurance then why resort to the forced method?

Mastema: He doesn't have limitless time. Soon enough, events beyond his control will occur. His old truths and new truths will be scrutinized and reconstructed in his mind. His pure celestial and corrupt celestial powers will collide as this happens. If Thanatos is to survive his.... "epiphany of truth," then he must be integrated. Thanatos is an incomplete being.... he will not survive such events. Each of his 3 main personas would be bound to different beliefs. And thus the cliche of "A house divided can not stand" comes into play. He will be torn apart by his powers, beliefs, and uncertainty....

Slayer: I see. The scar on his back represents the pain of the coming event does it not?

Mastema: Indeed. That scar holds the secret to his body and powers. His mind is the remaining factor. I do wonder what conclusions my son will come to. So far, he's seen more than I thought necessary..... excellent...

Slayer: Reuniting with that creature will allow him to reintegrate with himself.... a catalyst?

Mastema: Not quite. It will facilitate the task of separating his persona from the symbiote and remerging with it. However, the third persona, the child will be much more challenging. Of course, if he plots his advances carefully..... the Beast's "core" could aid with that.... assuming Thanatos can separate the core unit.

Slayer: *nods solemnly* It's well thought out m'lord. However...... what if Thanatos fails to integrate and is destroyed?

Mastema: *smirks* Oh I won't give up so easily* If that happens.... then we will just have to begin it again. We will just create another Thanatos and start Project Gatia over again.

Slayer: Very well.....

Mastema: All of this is one meticulously calculated plan, yet the risks being run can be high in price. Regardless, Thanatos has learned the basis of everything he should have.... now all that is left is for him to integrate and accept these truths. Then he will truly discover his potential.....

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Than:.... *He was on the elevator. It stopped at sub level 4* Hmm?..... I see.... so I have to go the rest of the way alone hmmm? *He sinks into the dark ground, going straight down to sub level 5. As Thanatos appears in the ceiling, he's suddenly overcome with the fright that there is no ground below him* NYAH!~~ *He quickly starts to fall into what seems like infinite darkness. He sprouts his wings quickly and descends in a slow glide now* phew..... nnnnn *Than starts to shiver the closer he got to the ground* It's down here.... somewhere.... *He lands on the bottom, 500 meters below where he had appeared*..... *He walks around, not able to see anything further than a foot in front of him* Doko.... *He looks around and walked as if he could feel where he was going. Soon, his hands find a large plate of some metal* .... *He slowly starts to move his hand up along the metal when CLANG* AH!~ *Than falls clean on his rump and scrambles backwards* N-nani!? *He shakily stands. He looked around for anysign of what had hit the metal. As he did, his trembling became more violent. Suddenly, he couldn't control himself anymore* Ah.... why.... am I in so much pain?? *He falls to his knees as his body flows with pain. The symbiote was reacting violently. Somewhere in this large room was the source* Chikuso....Doko desu ka....? AHHH~ *he screamed as he continue to spasm and writhe uncontrollably. He leaned back, both his knee caps and forehead touching the ground from the writhing position* O-Onegai! Tomaru!~ *Than pleaded for the loss of control to end. Meanwhile, the large metal door Than had felt before the clang slowly opened. Large footsteps came forth from the darkness and loomed over Than, tears of fear and pain streaming his cheeks*

Zeno: *Zeno leaps into the air in a shadowy blur. He comes down with a loud thud a few meters from Nana. He's still covered in dry blood and is a very unpleasant sight* Well well well.... Lookie who I ran in to.....