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 Posted: Sat Jul 30, 2005 11:28 am
Sunstrike winced as he was drawn back into Vahn's personal space. He stared into the saddened yellow eyes in confusion, not really understanding the sudden warmth from someone that had always been...so cold.
I want to give in... It would be so easy, just to let go, for that moment. He's not drunk, he's just...sad, I should...I should comfort....
And he looked away. Turning his head from the warmth and comfort. His bandaged hand pushed against the other mans chest, and then patted it softly.
"Vahn...we're upset, and tired...and...you're right, we need to be careful...more careful then this." Why....Something wrenched inside him. "Lets go get your sword, and if...if you still feel the same when we get back, when everythings calmed down...then we'll see about...well, we'll just see how everything goes, okay?"
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Posted: Sat Jul 30, 2005 3:12 pm
"Idiot--" A snort, as his eyes closed, pushing aside Sunstrike's hand. "--can you even move?"
Standing up, he ran a hand through his hair lazily, as he turned his head towards the horizon. He highly doubted someone would have actualy made off with his Fang, but it was irresponsible in the first place to actually lose it. I'd hate to think what the old man would think...I wonder how he's doing anyway...
He continued staring out in the vast expanse that was the mesa, knowing things were just going to get only motr interesting.
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Posted: Sat Jul 30, 2005 3:23 pm
"..." Sunstrike looked at him for a few minuetes, before taking stock.
His eyes dimmed, "I think..." More rooting around in his head. "That I'll be okay...for now....that spell did more damage then I'd originally thought..." Sunstrike sighed and blinked at Vahn.
"The doors to my memories are erroding, and their comming faster then I can handle....that...thing, looked like something I've had to deal with before...but on an extreme lesser scale. I-"
He blinked and began to wearily get up. "Physically I'm okay, my wings'll repair now that it's warm again...though I probably won't be able to open them for a while...my hand...I'll need to wrap up again..."He began to do so, half picking up some of the packs again at the same time. "I probably need a bed, really....but I'd rather get all this sorted first."
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Posted: Sat Jul 30, 2005 3:33 pm
"Come to think of it..." His eyes cut towards Sun, as he began walking towards him, the slowly dying sunlight the backdrop, to the pain inside both men, in more ways than one. "... You've never really talked about yourself."
How can you be so close... yet so far away... "If anyone's after you... they won't get you that easily." Can you see me? Can you see me building a bridge to you... "I promise." A bridge to...
He was a lot weaker than he'd initially thought, and he only hoped that this wound wouldn't at least become infected. Lord only knows where that slimy b*****d's been. However, he was able to move, he had to move. To keep on going forward.
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Posted: Sat Jul 30, 2005 3:49 pm
Sunstrike looked down and then ripped the excess bandage off with his teeth. "What can I say, Vahn? I'm janitor to the Leviathan Stadium, I clean up messes...I'm human yet not...I like various forms of art...my favourite colour is red..." He started walking, the foundations built for a bridge...but unsteady, as he ran down the list in his head...
I'm as old, if not older then you...I've traveld through ages same as you, and dimensions beyond that...I destroyed my sister, my home, my life...I tried to destroy my own father...I'm forever punished....cursed with emotions I once crushed...and I'm finding myself captivated by someone who's always distanced themselves from...everyone.
"There's not much to me really. I like my friends, I never really was supposed to have any enemies, never went out of my way to get them either. There was a deal that was struck..." The foundations became sturdier. "I was never supposed to get mixed up in all these great matters, and I get the feeling someones pulled me out of that deal and has made another behind my back, which ticks me off no end..." Sunstrike grinned. "Although it's probably my fault for calling too much attension to myself, bailing out stubborn friends..."
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Posted: Sat Jul 30, 2005 4:08 pm
"Right." The fighter moved forward, kicking a stray rock that lay in path, off to the side, watching it tumble forwards, and eventually bounce off to the side. A familiar old gleam came to his eyes, shining a birght yellow as he once again faced the sun.
His eyes closed as he took in a deep breath, nostrils flaring, as the fresh air hit him and filled his lungs. He could feel the pulse of power echoing out from his Fang... no matter where it was, he would know. It was as much a part of him as his own arm. Literally you could say that about any flame...
"I can already tell. Looks like this is going to be one hell of a party!" His voice shouted out across the mesa's, not caring what unseen enemy heard them, as he reached down, gripping hold of the packs. "And we'll see it through to the end, together."
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Posted: Sat Jul 30, 2005 4:19 pm
Sunstrike laughed, the clear sound echoed as much as Vahn's proclaimation had. Together, eh? Well...better then sitting at home with nothing to do...
"I'll hold you to that, buddy boy. You'd best bail me out next time I run into trouble though, I'm keeping score."
The wind picked up, moving the dust this way and that as they hiked to the location where they'd originally landed. Sunstrike sighed as he realized they may have to spend another night out here, and he idley wished that they'd run into less trouble on the way home then they had getting out here.
"Do you have any furthur clue about how to solve the problem of this war, Vahn? You've been here before...whats the other side like?"
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Posted: Sat Jul 30, 2005 4:29 pm
"The other side...?" He never bothered even turning around to face the red-head, he just continued walking along, even if his mood took a nosedive.
"Well... there's this guy I know. His name's Engel... a good man. A good lizard. He used to fight alongside me and Dain. At least... for a time." His eyes closed, as he continued walking along, never missing a step, as if he could see fine without the use of his eyes. "A lot can change in fifty years, so I can't be sure if everything's the same or not. Their not all that different from us really..."
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Posted: Sat Jul 30, 2005 4:37 pm
Sunstrike looked up surprised, not knowing why Vahn had suddenly become sullen. What have I done now?
"That's good! At least I'll know who I might be talking to, I was worried I'd have to go a bit blind. So, they have cities and stuff? It'd be neat to see it from their perspective...I've been around people for so long...never really knew there was anyone like me out there. And I'm sure a bit's changed, if they're like humans, it definately has. I wonder...what could have come out of the woodwork to spur them on?"
He was half talking to himself, thinking out loud as they moved forward.
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Posted: Sat Jul 30, 2005 4:52 pm
"Hollow... I haevn't been there in so long." Both arms went up, crossed behind his head, as he continued walking along, eyes staring up to the clouds above them, however sparse they were.
"No one knows for sure... but I'll tell you this much: no war as big as this one would have started over meager border taxes. Whatever manipulated events fifty years ago... has decided to do it again." And this time... not even an army of fire Bringer's can do anything about it.
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Posted: Sat Jul 30, 2005 5:02 pm
"So what makes you think lil ole me...can? Something about a bridge, right? Will they listen to me?"
His eyes swirled as he looked at Vahn, and he tripped on a rock. It was getting darker again...birds of somekind scattered overhead as the two talked and hiked up the mesa's. And the shadows lengthend...
Talking like this was his way of consoling himself. He needed to get back into reality and not think about what happend earlier. The one thing that scared him more then even his own father...formless beings with no souls...that poor human...
He shook his head, swallowing. Someone was experimenting with life magic, that's the only way he could see this comming about like it had.
"Some party, indeed..." He muttered to himself.
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Posted: Sat Jul 30, 2005 5:35 pm
"Who's to say for sure... they may just kill us outright." He grinned, as he finnaly could see the peak, of the incline of rock and sand they ah dbeen walking up to, finding themselves right near the place they had both come crashing into.
"Right back where we started... life's funny like that." The fighter said softly, as he dropped the packs, letting him the ground, as he made his way towards what he had come here for: the Fang.
Waves of heat seemed to emanate off the sword, spreading out in a continual ripple of power, which was what had led Vahn to in the first place... Efreet's Fang... Not wasting anytime, he reached out and grabbed at the handle of the rapier, wincing slightly as he got used to the continual heat pouring out from it's handle. Yanking it up and out of it's imprisonement, he finally had the Fang in his grasp once more.
However, at the same moment that he had pulled the blade out, the hairs on the back of his neck rose, a strange fluttering in his stomach, and his yellowed eyes stared ahead wide eyed. It was obvious to Vahn, that someone...was here.
And that someone was coming right up behind Vahn, bringing down a katana, all the while, literally walking on air. The young man continued smiling, even as brought the blade swinging down upon Vahn, who barely managed a last minute block with his rapier.
"You are..." Vahn continued staring, wondering just exactly what the hell was going on. He snuck up... ont he both of us?! "Who are you?!" The fighter shouted out, anger and confusion showing on his face as he held his ground.
The young man merely brought his index finger to his lips, while still grinning like a cheschire cat. "Shhh. Don't make so much noise, Kyonuske Vahn." The young man continued grinning ear to ear, as he stared down the flame user. "With your giant power...you cannot get too excited.
Else it'll sound throughout the world, and someone will notice."
The wound in his side was still paining him a great deal, but he didn't let it show, as he refused to buckle under the mystery man's attack. "What...? By whom...?"
The young man stared at Vahn for a moment, as if he had suddenly turned into a lump of clay. "....Who, you ask?" Sighing softly, the young man simply pushed harder against Vahn. "Do I...have to tell you everything you moron?"
~~
A pair of footsteps could be heard, the sun was already mostly gone, and the shadows had alreayd taken hold of the ruins once more. Yet a beam of light stabed outwards, as two figures all but fell up and out of the stairway leading downwards.
"Wow! I can finally breathe again, Hibon." Nahara let out a giant breath, her clothes ragged and torn; Hibon fared no better, if not any worse than his sister.
"Vahn, you jerk! When I get my hands on you, you're gonna get it!" Hibon grumbled, as he pushed himself forward, wiping the sweat from his brow.
"Yeah!" The two began making their way forward, supporting one another, unaware of the heavily cloaked figure that trailed right behind them, seemingly forming out the night itself.
It's mask gleamed hollowly in the darkness.
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Posted: Sat Jul 30, 2005 5:51 pm
Sunstrike had put his hand to his forehead, dealing with the thought of someone just doing away with them for just stepping to the door and ringing the bell. The next comment had his eyes sweeping the spot, the large bird form still etched into the rock, the two holes where they'd finally stopped, and the sword.
He breathed a sigh of relief...home again then, to a shower a bed a...
Then time stopped. Vahn grasped the sword, another came down out of nowhere. He moved to cry out, and saw Vahn block...where the hell?
He watched the conversation take place with a kind of horror, not knowing what to do...should he help? Or would that break the small standoff between the two...Vahn was wounded, this other fighter was fresh and had obviously some kind of power at his disposal...Once again he yanked the staff out of it's harness, moving forward towards the two cautiously...
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Posted: Sat Jul 30, 2005 6:39 pm
The mass of tentacles travelled through the air, and it was pur eluck that Hibon had noticed them coming at the last instant, time enough to shove Nahara off to the side. "A monster!" The tentacles apparently missing their initial target, swerved and now aimed for Hibon, who simply leaped out of harm''s way...
"Nngh!" He came to a grinding halt on one knee, as he stared towards where the attacks had come from, visibly surprised at how he had suddenly evaded. ...What the....
Directly in front of Hibon, the same person that had confronted the two red-heads earlier: Winters. His body only vaguely humanoid now, he approached Hibon and Nahara.
"He''s able to rip through dimensions?!" Nahara yelled out, seeing Winters slipping through the "background" of the sands, as though it were nothing but a curtain.
"WHOA!?" Hibon felt his knees buckle, as the ground under him lurched, and out exploded several ichor vines, twisting and grasping out for his body, causing the youth to land directly on his behind, jostling his entire body hard. "Wha...What the heck!? What''s going on here dammit!! Everyone''s getting in my....way...." Hibon stared up, as Winters had closed the distance considerably fast, his mask cackling out at him madly.
~~
"...Sunstrike... this is..." The words didn''t quite finish coming out, as Vahn suddenly pushed outwards with all the upper body strength he could muster, sending the mysterious assailant reeling backwards.
"They are here...." The young man simply stated, as if he were reading off test scores, and it were the most boring thing in the world.
Vahn''s eyes narrowed, as he looked to Sunstrike, wondering if maybe he knew who this person was. However, Sun''s face wasn;t registering acknowledgement. Vahn''s face turned back to the stranger. "Who...are you....?!"
The young man lifted a finger, waggling it at Vahn, and just standing there... on air. "See I told you. It''s because you can''t control your temper." The stranger seemed more annoyed than anything, as if he didn''t want to keep dealing with a child.
"Just answer the question!" Vahn yelled out, getting more and more annoyed.
A sigh escaped the young man''s lips, as he rubbed his temple. "...How troublesome. Does it bother you that much?" Lifting his left hand, while keeping his sword balanced across his right shoulder, he smiled gently. "Alright then!! See... look closely."
A swirl of movement, and a black flame seemed to rise from his left hand, spreading out, thickening into a familiar shape... until he was holding up... a mask. "Does this look familiar?" The young man seemed to have a grin to match the one etched into his own mask.
"!!!" Vahn stared on in pure surprise, not quite sure what to make of what he was seeing. "The mask...of a Devil...!"
"Yup!" The young man continued smiling softly, as he placed the mask to hang just over his head. "...You see now: a black flame, and a devil mask. I am..." The young man spread both his arms out as he started to approach Vahn & Sunstrike once more. "...a man who stepped into the realm of a devil. I told you before: ''let''s be friend''s''."
The young man''s smile widened, as he stared down Vahn, eyes erringly entrancing and shimmering a dull yellow. "I am a Murmillion... a masked soldier. The same as you." Vahn stared on, his tounge numbed and unsure of what exactly he was supposed to say.
"Come with us, Vahn. You are wasting your talent ''over there''." The young man held out an extended hand towards Vahn.
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Posted: Sat Jul 30, 2005 7:15 pm
Sunstrike's hackles rose again as something primal responded again to something he almost saw. Something here...wasn't right. His fingers itched and he stepped back a bit, looking around. Masks again, why did it always have to be the same thing. People that wore one were bad enough...this man had two.
He blinked at the stunned expression on Vahn's face. Murmillion? What was...what was a murmillion? Yellow eyes...the same blood? Relations? They didn't look alike...the same species then? He shook his head. Too much to process...
His breath quickened as the hand stretched out to Vahn...
"No..." Sunstrike moved before he was consciously aware of what was going on. "NO!" The weapon in his hand whistled and made contact with the other outstretched hand even as he stood in front of his companion, broken wings snapping into place and blood flying as rents tore open, shielding Vahn from this being. "He isn't like you..." Came the low snarl...."He's nothing like you....." Eyes glowed malevolently from his face, meeting the danceing yellow eyes of their assailant. "You have no place here. Leave...NOW!"
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