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 Posted: Mon Aug 30, 2010 4:57 pm
Raiden walks toward one of the spiked walls and studies the spikes themselves. There is no chance that he'd survive being squished between the walls. He returns to the center of the room, where he sits down and tries to focus.
Once every half hour, the walls give a terrible screeching noise as they inch closer to the center of the room.
"Ok...think...focus...I have to survive...I need the Ashura Blade...I need it."
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Posted: Mon Aug 30, 2010 5:00 pm
As Raiden meditates, he finds himself locked in conversation with his own inner thoughts.
"I have to be strong enough to help Kyla and the others without being in the way."
"Why?"
"I have to help them fight Yokoshima."
"Why help? If you are useless than run away and leave the fighting to them. Better that you stay away from the fight if you'll just mess things up."
"That is a coward's way out. No. I have to make myself useful to them. I have to get stronger and use the gift that Lord Ashura has given me."
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Posted: Mon Aug 30, 2010 5:02 pm
Raiden's meditation continues in this way for hours. Eventually, Raiden even falls asleep. He awakens with a shock to find the spiked walls far closer than they were when he fell asleep. He only has about 5 hours before the walls will crush him. He tries to focus his mind once again and meditate on his will to fight and survive.
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Posted: Mon Aug 30, 2010 5:09 pm
Lord Ashura stands outside the room. In fact, he never left, even when Raiden fell asleep. The lord of flame and destruction monitored Raiden's inner thoughts and struggle from the moment they began. He continues to watch and listen in on Raiden's meditation with a worried expression. "The danger and threat are very real...he is aware of that. So why hasn't he produced the blade yet? His desire to aid his friends is very real and strong. So...why?"
 My, my, my....Lord Ashura peeking in on the inner most thoughts of his own little mortal pet. Now this is amusing. It's so adorable that I might just be sick.Kujaku appears standing right next to Ashura. Lord Ashura starts in suprise, then glares at the demon. What the hell do you want Kujaku? This is no buisness of yours.
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Posted: Mon Aug 30, 2010 5:14 pm
Ah, but any buisness that mildly interests me is my buisness. And I happen to be mildly interested to know what's going on inside the mind of one, tiny, boring mortal that would fascinate your lordship so much. So I thought it would be fun to pop by and peek in on his thoughts myself. I only wish to observe, so you'll have no objections if I just stand here and satisfy my own curiosity, eh?Kujaku winks with a little purple sparkle. Ashura rolls his eyes. "Very well, so long as observing is all that you do."
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Posted: Mon Aug 30, 2010 5:18 pm
Unaware that both deities are listening in on his meditation, Raiden continues to reflect.
"Again...why fight Yokoshima?"
"I cannot let him continue to hurt the people I love. I must stand along side them when the fight comes. I must be a shield to those I was once forced to hurt and betray."
"So...you have the will to fight. There is no question there."
"None."
"You are avoiding the other thing."
"..."
"Survival"
"..."
"How important is it for you to survive the fight against Yokoshima, Raiden?"
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Posted: Mon Aug 30, 2010 5:23 pm
"...I have to survive. So I can go back to the Lunar Hope with everyone and continue to live happily."
"How exactly?"
"My friends will all be safe. That will be enough for me."
"Is it?"
"..."
"What happens to you? Surely you can't return to Orion, he seems quite happy now."
"I..haven't thought that far ahead."
"But you have thought about who you'll be returning to at adventure's end haven't you?"
"I..."
"Who will be waiting for you at home? What purpose will drive you once you beat Yokoshima? If fighting Yokoshima keeps you alive now, what happens when you beat him? What will keep you alive all the way through the fight?"
"...nothing...I have no other goal now except to defeat Yokoshima."
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Posted: Mon Aug 30, 2010 5:42 pm
"What if you can defeat Yokoshima by sacrificing yourself? Would you?"
"Of course...for my friends..."
"Without trying to think of another way?"
"I...shouldn't hesitate if there's an opportunity to destroy him."
"You know then...you are fully aware of the barrier that is keeping you from summoning the Ashura Blade and saving yourself right here and now."
"My will to survive...I hardly have any. I can see myself fighting Yokoshima but beyond that...beyond that I have no purpose at all! The others all have something to return to when the fight is over but it....it isn't enough to simply want to be alive. I have no purpose after its done and given...given the opportunity...I would probably use myself as a human shield without thinking twice about it!"
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Posted: Mon Aug 30, 2010 5:53 pm
Lord Ashura shakes his head, but Kujaku merely smirks. "Man, what an emo kid! "I have no purpose, wah wah wah." Though I suppose it's true. Nobody to welcome him home at the end of it, huh? All the others have future aims, but your little champion there is only living for a single purpose. Yokoshima will probably squish him anyway, but even in the absurd chance that they actually beat him, that kid won't have anything to fight for any longer. At least he realizes now how pathetic that is."Ashura looks very sad as he stares into the room, watching Raiden's mental struggle. "Oh young mortal...there is so much you've yet to realize. So much you do not see. Those you summon care for you a great deal. If you were lost, their mourning would be endless. You have so much to live for. Yet the weight of a single fight being your only driving force is consuming you. You are so focused on this one thing that your mind has no room to think beyond that. But we will still be here Raiden. We will be waiting for you at the end of your battle, and we will help you discover a happy future."
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Posted: Mon Aug 30, 2010 6:01 pm
Kujaku raises an eyebrow. "Now...when you say "we". Do you mean all the deities and things that Raiden summons....or just yourself. I mean...you do use that royal "we" to refer to yourself so I can't really assume either way. Although...it's far more interesting if you're talking about yourself. Cuz if you are, that means you really want that worm to survive, and that you would actually mourn his death. I think you're becoming rather...attached to this human Lord Ashura."Ashura swings his arm at Kujaku. The demon simply vanishes, and re-appears several feet away. "Don't be stupid Kujaku. It would...merely be a shame to loose such a powerful summoner.""I see." Raiden's thoughts are suddenly audible in both Ashura and Kujaku's minds. Ashura is startled by this, but Kujaku is not at all...since he transmitted his previous exchange with Ashura into Raiden's mind. "I...I am once again a tool to those more powerful than myself. My true purpose...is nothing more than the aims of others. Then I will simply live to serve Lord Ashura...if being a tool is all I am meant for."
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Posted: Mon Aug 30, 2010 6:08 pm
The Ashura Blade appears in Raiden's hands, though Raiden looks more disheartened than victorious. He swings the blade at one of the spiked walls, expecting it to be cut...but the blade is ineffective. Raiden tries the other wall, but still nothing. The only change is that the walls begin to close in faster, so that Raiden now only has a matter of minutes, where he should have at least another hour.
"Lord Ashura...the blade isn't working. I was able to call it out, and I have resolved to live if only to serve you. What am I doing wrong? Why have the walls sped up?"
Ashura looks puzzled and commands the walls to stop...but they continue to close in.
"Dammit I constructed that room so I should have full control of it! Those walls should be nothing against the might of that blade...no matter how the mortal was able to summon it!"
Ashura slams his fists against the room, but the walls do not even yield to him.
"RAIDEN! I CAN'T CONTROL IT! NO! THIS ISN'T SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN!"
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Posted: Mon Aug 30, 2010 6:19 pm
Kujaku laughs, a long cruel laugh of amusement. "Ahh, this is just too good! All I had to do was meddle slightly, and now the mighty Lord Ashura is all flustered! Relax, I'm sure you can find an equally gifted summoner. This one is finally starting to amuse me. I can't wait to see its face just before it gets splattered all over that room." Lord Ashura's flames change from brilliant crimson to a wicked black. His eyes glow golden. "...how...dare...you...."The black flames tower over Kujaku for an instant before vanishing. Lord Ashura appears inside the room, and his flames change once more to a stunning orange-gold. The flames surround Raiden, and within seconds, the entire room is reduced to ashes, while Raiden remains unharmed. The flames remain while the figure of Lord Ashura re-appears standing behind the summoner with both hands on Raiden's shoulders. "This mortal is not your plaything...nor his he ours, nor anyone's. This human has been enslaved and has had the agendas of others forced on him long enough. But no more. We will not allow it. Those who attempt to further twist the soul of this mortal will be met with the fury of our flame, and so shall be reduced to ashes. Raiden's life will be his, to do with as he alone wishes."
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Posted: Mon Aug 30, 2010 6:24 pm
Kujaku shrugs. "Sheesh...it was only a reversal spell. I just made it so the more you tried to stop the walls, the faster they'd move. All you had to do was let them squish him, and they would have vanished once they touched him. I made it so that stopping the walls would be more dangerous than just letting them squash him. I thought it was rather funny. Ah well..."Kujaku sinks into a puddle of blood and is gone.
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Posted: Mon Aug 30, 2010 6:25 pm
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Posted: Wed Oct 20, 2010 6:09 pm
Eventually, the flames vanish and Lord Ashura steps aside. Raiden rises to his feet, and there is a long akward moment as they look at each other. Ashura breaks the silence.
"That will...do for today. Well done, you are now able to use the Ashura Blade. I have only one more ability to teach you, my avatar form. With it, you can take my form in battle and tap into amazing power. But...tomorrow."
He vanishes.
Raiden doesn't move for a bit, then slowly he walks towards the little shack. His head is aching from the events of the day. The things he heard Ashura say to Kujaku, his own self doubt, the near death experience...he enters the shack and sits on the bed.
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