Darth Vectis

[size="1"][b]Name:[/b] Mark Andrew Waite [b] Nickname:[/b] Mr. Feel Good [b] Age:[/b] 23 [b] Gender:[/b] Male [b] Casual Appearance:[/b] [IMG]http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b18/Sagethefiend/tennantdoc.jpg[/IMG] Mark typically wears anything he can find, no preference on any particular clothes and always dressing as he sees fit rather then what the occasion dictates. Often dressing in the attire seen above he chooses clothes that are distant from the person who he use to be, finding no purpose or reason to take back the days long since lost. [b]Battle Appearance:[/b] Same as Casual. [b]Magical Info Circle Color:[/b] White [b] Type:[/b] Caster [b]Magic:[/b] Nihilist Ecriture [b] Magical Items/Spells: Basic Items/Spells: Strike:[/b] This spell is Markâ??s most common ability, and most frequently used. The spell deals a very arbitrary amount of damage, hardly enough to really cause an enemy much damage. But as the same target is hit with the spell repeatedly, the damage stacks increasing the pain and damage inflicted on the person. [b] Teleport:[/b] Mark is able to draw runes on his own body to break it up into runes that reconstitute themselves into his form further away. The distance is minimal at first, only getting him a half mile from his previous location, the ability is taxing on his body so he doesnâ??t use it often. [b] Shared Pain:[/b] Mark casts a rune on his opponent first and then upon himself, linking him and his enemy when it comes to pain. Any pain inflicted on Mark by any source is instantly transmitted to the other bearing the rune. Any injuries sustained prior to the runes being attached do not affect the target, only knew injuries inflict pain. [b] Moderate Items/Spells: Reduction:[/b] This spell mainly only works on inanimate objects, casting runes they peel away layers of an object and cause the bits to disintegrate into nothingness. This ability is mainly effective at removing forms of cover or any object directed at Mark. [b] Nihilist Shield:[/b] One of the most detested of Markâ??s spells, the Nihilist Shield creates layers around him so if he is struck with a spell it smashes into each layer and dissipates until it simple is no more. Mark rarely uses this spell as he doesnâ??t truly care about his well being, this ability is primarily used as a humiliation tactic and as â??proofâ?? that nothing matters. [b] Advanced Items/Spells: Roulette:[/b] Markâ??s transformation ability would be considered his ultimate strength; giving him four forms for variety and versatility, however, his nihilistic nature deeply affects this ability and makes the form random and unreliable. He draws a specific order of runes in the shape of a circle on his body, when the circle is complete the circle spins and stops on a random rune and changing him into the selected form. The circle consists of nine runes total, four of them are his weakest form, two are his light form, two are his heavy and one rune belongs to his perfect form. [b] Weak form:[/b] Markâ??s weakest form is an obvious embodiment of his core beliefs, his body remains the same in appearance but he becomes incorporeal. He ceases to exist by common standards as he becomes untouchable by both physical means and magical. The world no longer affects him, but he also loses the ability to interact with the world as well, no longer able to use his magic or manipulate the world at all until the form dissipates. [b] Light form:[/b] This form takes on a thinner, lighter appearance then Markâ??s typical body. Becoming more fragile looking but growing sparse feathers on his arms and legs and sprouting small wings on his ankles that let him hover over the ground. This form focus on his ranged spells, boosting them to give them more power and giving him access to other ranged spells he could only use in this form. This form does also eliminate spells that have to do with physical strength or augmentation, making speed and agility his only defense. [b] Heavy From:[/b] If the circle lands on his form, Mark changes into a hulking beats that easily towers over most people. His skin changes into ruby red scales, his hands become clawed and he sprouts a tail giving him a distinct lizard appearance. His strength greatly increases and his defense goes up, this form increases his physical abilities and allows access to exclusives spells to this form. His massive form makes him slow moving, relaying on his strength and his reach to fight his enemy, leaving him vulnerable to quicker moving opponents. [b] Perfect Form:[/b] This form is balanced to be a perfect combatant, retaining both speed and strength of the other forms will increase all of his spells to their maximum potential. The appearance of this form, however, is by far the most interesting and most ridicules of them all. If the circle lands on this rune, Mark changes into a duck-billed Platypus, shrinking down to its stature. He casts his magic by using his tail, able to cast spells faster in this from then in his normal human form. This form is favored amongst them all, not for its power but for its â??absurdity of lifeâ??, as Mark calls it. However the chances of him obtaining this particular form are rather slim Other Info [b]Personality:[/b] Mark is truly a person who does not care about the world around him, he baths like a normal person, he eats like a normal person and he behaves enough like normal person to fit in with the crowd. But he is truly the closest thing to a defined version of Nihilism. He looks at the world and the people in it, including himself, as insignificant and meaningless. This doesnâ??t stem from a feeling of superiority or distaste for his fellow humans; he just simply believes it all doesnâ??t matter. He doesnâ??t give off either a feeling of cold heart or a warm smile; he simple lets his face move in the normal fashion with no real emotional attachment behind the expression. In battle his attitude hardly changes, as even in combat he will put his body at risk of serious injury or even risk death and show no reaction toward his possible demise. He has, though, exhibited a slight personality quirk where if he feels that the person deserves to be taught about his ways, he will actively show that person that everything is truly meaningless. It proves to be one of the only things that anyone knows about that gives him purpose to keep going. [b] Background:[/b] Markâ??s family was actually a fairly typical family unit, having both parents at birth he was the third of four siblings. His oldest sibling was his sister Stacey, she was not talented in the form of magic, showing no real aptitude for the art she turned her eyes to politics and entered into an ever engaging life. Markâ??s two other siblings showed ability in magic like him, his older brother Brady and younger sister Alyssa. Both showed to be holders, unlike Mark, but showed they were ever so competent in their ability as anyone else. His younger sister showed she was talented in Curse Magic, able to break the bones of anyone she touched with her gauntlets. She commonly referred her ability as Great Justice, as she is one of a straight arrow nature, using her magic on only those that she judged as deserving. His brother Brady, however, showed a rather carefree spirit and a charismatic aura that made all people from all wakes of life flock to him. Mark never truly found his place in the family at first, his older siblings having received the most attention while his youngest showed she had natural talent at almost anything she wanted to do. He found that he desired to be more like his brother than anyone else, their father absent mostly due to providing a stable income and their mother maintaining the house while still finding time to produce more income to care for their children. With no real parental guidance in everyday life, he looked to Brady to guide him in some direction. But at the age of fourteen, his life dramatically changed in the blink of an eye and he was born into who he is today. His Brother Bradyâ??s magic was called Human Subordination, or as he liked to call it True Humility, that he channeled through a pendent around his neck. It gave him the ability to weaken the physical and magical ability of everyone around him, making everyone equal and showing the more robust personalities that everyone was the same, in his presence. To this day, Mark is not sure if it was an accident or true crime, but the result was the same no matter the cause. Woken one night from a deep sleep, his oldest sister rushed both him and his youngest sister off into the night to a hospital. Both were confused as Stacey wept and walked through the halls as the realization hit him then, and the news finally broken to him. His brother had been mortally injured, his life ready to fade at any moment, giving them all only a few precious seconds to say goodbye. That night changed Mark forever, his mind falling deeper into himself and eventually pulling away completely from his family. His parents taking on religion and became zealots in their faith, pushing it on their children in the idea that it would help. Each child rejected in their own way, Mark rejecting it in the most severe way as he separated himself from everything, no longer holding a connection with the rest of the world or his family. His powers growing with his new view of the world, he left this family behind at twenty years old, with only a pack on his back and a direction in mind. His new goal to share his view with the world and show them all how pointless it all really was, his mind never truly caring whether he succeeded or not. He later found himself at the doorstep of the Excalibur Guild, his heart not truly caring where he went, he joined on a whim and has remained with the guild since. [b]Flashback: â??That is peculiar.â?[/b] He said as he looked at the small creature crawling across the leaf of the tree he had been settled under. He had heard a noise above him and had inspected for the sake of it, looking for the source before finding the small, hairy creature crawling around on the branch as it munched on the leaves. Observing the small caterpillar eat the leaf with absolute disinterest, simply seeing it as another thing that ultimately meant nothing to the universe. [b] â??Your world is so small, and yet to you itâ??s vast. But just like my life, and anyone elseâ??s, it is all meaningless.â?[/b] He heard the sounds of footsteps in the grass behind him, the person not trying to hide their approach as he turned his head ever so much to look over his shoulder. Seeing a familiar face, his mind taking note of the woman approaching him as he turned back to the caterpillar, leaning in closer to look at it more closely. [b] â??There you are Mark, I have been looking everywhere for you.â?[/b] He continued to look at the creature, turning his head and craning his neck to try to look at the details of the creature. Still trying to make up his mind on what to do with the pathetic life form he spoke without turning. [b] â??Seems like such a waste of time Selena, there is no reason to look for me, I would have returned to the Guild eventually and you would have found me much easier.â?[/b] She crossed her arms and stared at him with a cold expression, knowing it didnâ??t bother him but also understanding him enough to know she needed to be direct with him. [b] â??It was my time to do with as I wanted, and I needed to find you. You canâ??t just disappear whenever you want; you are still new to all of this and need more training. Honestly I donâ??t understand how you still seem able to progress forward when you lack the motivation like the others.â?[/b] He simply shrugged his shoulders as he lifted a hand up to the creature, scooping it up slowly he turned to face her, except his eyes were down cast to the caterpillar in his hand. Selenaâ??s eyes followed and looked at it with new eyes, seeing the beautiful marks adoring its small body, her slender fingers reaching out and touching the fine hairs. [b] â??It really is a beautiful creature, and it hasnâ??t even changed yet. I can only imagine how much more beautiful it will become.â?[/b] She saw his fingers twitch; his hand suddenly seemed like a steel toothed trap with the caterpillar as the potential victim of his overwhelming strength. [b] â??Beauty is as fleeting as are our lives in this world, only the dead see the truth. The messages they leave behind are always misinterpreted by the living.â?[/b] She looked up at him then, seeing the lack of empathy for anything around him, the obviousness of his disinterest in the creature he held making her shiver ever so slightly. He had become her biggest project, not only in training him in his powers, but also in making him remember how precious life truly was to the world. How truly special they all were, and how much each person meant to the world, she wanted to understand him and was determined to find the cause. She was about to reach out to take the creature from him, when he had turned and set the creature down on a low hanging branch, he was about to make his departure when she reached out and grabbed his arm. [b] â??You need to tell someone Mark, please let me help you. I can do more than just teach you magic, I can be your friend. I just need to know what happened to you.â?[/b] He looked at her small hand around his bicep, feeling her skin making contact with him and feeling nothing for it. His eyes found hers and he gave a smile, something that would normally warm a heart, but his held no emotional attachment, no connection with the world around him or the person before him. [b] â??It doesnâ??t matter, it never does.â?[/b] He said calmly as her fingers went slack, walking away from her then as she stood on the grass alone.[/size] OOC: Alright there Happy, Finally got it done, hope this meets your requirements. Please let me know if it needs changes.

[size="1"]She had kept his attention as she exited the room, the way she walked and the way she moved drew his attention in and kept his eyes transfixed on her until she exited the room. The only indication he showed that he had stopped staring at her was when he blinked rapidly before casually observing the others of his class as they left off in either pairs or one at a time. Each person he looked over, remembering the way the fought and how each worked together in teams. The most prominent, in his mind was Jenson and Asher, they had complimented each other very well during the fight, another pair had been Alice and Rhea. There had been a few moments that were questionable for them, close calls that could have resulted in them losing their lives, but they still proved resilient. Takeo had proven to be very useful, able to react to Crowley's movements and anticipate when an opportunity rose for him to strike. He had seemed genuinely grateful, something Crowley wasn't use to or actually prepared for from someone that was basically a stranger to him. His mind had finally comeback to Kaiel, how she had moved and her flexibility; he had to mentally shake himself once more to focus on the world around him. After each had left he was about to disappear on his own when he felt an arm around his bicep grip tightly, stopping in his tracks he looked to see Christopher holding him back, a serious look in his eyes. [b] "Can I speak with you a moment, Richard?"[/b] Crowley looked to see if any other students were in ear shot, but they had all vanished like the wind. He nodded to Chris as he walked a little bit away from the open doorway. [b] â??What is it you need, and please, call me Crowley.â? â??Yes, forgive me Crowley. Now, I wanted to talk to you more about your father.â? â??Which one, the living or dead one?â?[/b] Chris was taken back slightly by his coldness; the indifference to the question was far from a human reaction and that was his primary concern. [b] â??The one who tried to kill you, you act more like your birth father than anyone else I have seen so far. You know you are trying to resist their influence not fall prey to it.â?[/b] Crowley simply stared at him with his red eyes, lack of sleep was starting to creep in and he had no desire to keep this going longer than it already was. With a dismissal wave of his hand, Crowley left the room and immediately went to his room. Locking the door behind him he sat on the bed, feeling exhaustion creep in he tried to lie down, tried to gather himself once more and rest. But the moment he felt his muscles relax, the voice crept back in, more powerful now that he was closer to its taint. His eyes snapped open and he rose from his bed swiftly, reaching to the side of his bed and pulling the mace from its resting place and held the weighty weapon in his hands. Feeling the words pulling at his mind, the insistent need to feed on any blood it could find seemed to be its only purpose in life. Recently feeding had given it some rational thought, its words more coherent but still forceful, since it had missed the fight with the hobgoblins he could hear it slowly turning back into the animal it was. He gripped its handle rightly in his hands, closing his eyes again as he tried to banish the voice when he felt something happen. He felt an energy pull at him, tearing something from him before he suddenly stood up and released the mace. Hearing it clatter to the ground before looking at it, seeing a white ethereal energy evaporate. He felt shaken at not having seen what it did, or what it was that had resonated from his weapon, but as he stood upright, he noticed something different. He noticed he felt refreshed, felt well rested as if he had just slept for hours; he blinked multiple times before looking to the mace once more. Reaching down and picking it back up, he tried to see where it could have come from, as the only explanation was the mace had taken his exhaustion. He felt the need to probe more into the weapon, but he felt a pull toward the outside world, and more so he felt his mind go back to Kaiel. He held the mace as he left his room, gripping it right at the neck where the head met the handle and made sure the cap was secure on the weapon. He had a few moments to himself once more as he walked slowly, letting everything roll around in his mind as he looked around at the surroundings. The open hallways and the sunshine beaming down from the sky gave the open areas a glow that could only be described as beautiful. The flowers they grew and the miniature hedge mazes that could be found everywhere brought peace to troubled minds, and lifted weights off of heavy hearts. But, Crowley found peace in none of these places, try as he might he looked at these places of serenity and could only see fire and death. He could hear screams and saw bodies laying across the grasses and limbs strewn about like decorations. He had to stop as the images became clear, no longer just morbid thoughts of what could come, but true images in his mind. He could some were gashed open with talons and claws, teeth marks evident as flesh had been torn free. He could see others sliced into fine pieces, and plants growing through others and some of the most terrible were nothing more than dried husks of bodies. He saw even more with smashed in heads, bodies crumpled and obviously crippled if they had lived. He felt his hands grip tighter on the mace, his blood boiling and his heart pounding as his eyes burned brighter than before. He felt his teeth clenching and a sneer spread on his face as he stared at the whole scene, the fires burned brightly as they destroyed everything around him. His whole body shook before he finally let out a roar at the sight of it all, swinging away from the whole scene as he let his voice lose. He looked around quickly as he gritted his teeth, looking everywhere to suddenly see the whole world right once more. Everything having faded away, the carnage and bloodbath wiped clean from the face of the earth. He didnâ??t understand what he saw, he didnâ??t understand why he saw it all but he knew he needed to know more. He needed to find the answers to it all, his pace had quickened as he soon found the library. He didnâ??t like the stuffy feeling he gathered from buildings like this, he especially didnâ??t like the people he came across in those places as well, but his choices were limited since he didnâ??t desire to reveal his practices just yet. He walked into the library and found his way around slowly, the mace still in his hand as he picked out books one by one. He would have left the mace behind, but since he picked it up after it had revitalized him, he couldnâ??t seem to drop it. When he had the books collected in one arm he settled into a chair and finally set the mace down, resting the capped head to the ground and leaning the handle against his leg. He started to flip through the books, some had nothing to do with what he was trying to find. The information was scattered sometimes, reference in once book and mentioned a few times in other paragraphs, but, if he was anything he was patient just like his father. Every plan he had made was always scrutinized by him before enacted, every plan succeeded because of this habit of his. Soon he had five books open before him, each referencing what he was looking for and each pointing to another book in a subtle way. He had opened up a sixth book and flipped through the pages until he had found what he was looking for, but like the others it was pieces of it only. He laid the book the down before looking over them all, his eyes widened ever so slightly as he saw what it really was. He could see that it was a giant puzzle; each book held part of what the information was, piece was just part of a whole that could only be found within each book. His eyes began to trail across the words then, his mind absorbing the information hungrily as he could feel the weapon pressing against his calf. He kept reading, finding that he needed to turn pages, jump from one book to another in different sequences. He became suspicious at how well this had been hidden, how the information had been scattered and was difficult to anyone trying to find it. He also grew more suspicious as he started to see how easily it came to him to break the code, as if his mind picked up on it instinctually. His eyes rolled across the words seamlessly, he stopped suddenly when he saw a phrase that made his hands tighten on the book. [i] The Mace of Dementia.[/i] The words stuck to his brain like glue, those words threatened to eat away at him if he didnâ??t quell them quickly. What disturbed him even more was that there was information on this particular weapon, as if it had existed long before Crowley had ever been created. He cycled through his mind then, going over conversations he had long before this day. He felt a chill roll up his spine, maintaining his indifferent exterior as the questions rolled through him. Everything ceased as he heard someone sit at his table, a book following as he lowered his to see a familiar form sitting across from him. His breath almost caught but he did his best to keep himself calm, seeing her lower her book as they came eye to eye. The yellow tint obvious in her gaze as she stared at him, he couldnâ??t read her emotions, he wasnâ??t very good at that unless he was trying to manipulate them. But, something told him trying to manipulate her in anyway would be impossible, the information before him suddenly seemed unimportant as he closed the book. [b] â??What brings you here?â?[/b] He asked directly, his mind seemed unfocused enough that he couldnâ??t formulate much else to ask. The answer was obvious, but none the less asked it as he watched her search for her answer before speaking. [b] â??Had to get away from my brother.â?[/b] That was something he had not anticipated, but he kept everything hidden as he had learned, focused attention elsewhere from any micro twitches in his face. He found he could only nod as he set the book down, knowing he could come back to it now since he found what he was looking for; he had missed her body movements when he set the book aside. [b] â??Looking up your father I take it?â? [/b]He saw that question coming, his mind was slowly coming back to him as he spoke to her calmly. [b] â??I donâ??t know enough about him, not enough to feel comfortable.â?[/b] He lied to her then, he knew more then he probably should have known. But he didnâ??t dare share where he had found this information, not yet at least, he needed to keep it quiet for the time being. He saw her nod to him, accepting what he said at face value as he noticed her look back over her shoulder. His eyes followed as he heard her speak. [b] â??I wonder who that isâ?¦â?[/b] His eyes focusing in on the light pinked colored hair as he scrutinized her like the others, seeing where she could fall into plans as he had to shake himself again, finding the habit growing more annoying. [b] â??Who knows? Not my concern.â?[/b] He went back to his reading now, opening the book once more as he looked to each once by one. Tracing a time line for the mace now, he wasnâ??t sure if the others had a weapon like his, ones that history but from what he could see, his carried the weight of thousands of people having wielded it. Each had a different experience, none shared in the hallucinations or the revitalizing power, but he did see on common truth. The mace spoke to everyone who held it, and to date everyone had lost their minds to its blood lust and its words. He steeled his mind then, determined to not become another blubbering sack of meat because of this weapon. Kaiel had placed a book before him before she vanished; he had heard her say something before he took up reading the book she had handed to him. He could see what she was reading, how it laced in with her demon, but what he saw next shook the foundation of his mind. He slammed the book shut then, feeling a light shake to his body. He raised from his seat, reaching down and lifting the mace once more, a new understanding and a new barrier building in his mind. He left the library, seeing Kaiel walking off with the new person, before he turned back to his own room, moving quickly so he could begin his ritual. He set the mace down once more, this time setting it aside as he looked around and found his backpack. He pulled it up and set it down on his bed as he kneeled before it and opened it up, reaching into it he felt around until he found what he was looking for, feeling the soft cloth and pulled it out. He unwrapped the black cloth until it revealed a black handled knife; the weapon sheathed as he then took up the handle and set it aside gingerly before he looked around, grabbing a small night stand he placed the cloth over it. Reaching into his backpack once more he sifted through it before pulling out a vile with a stopper on it. He undid the stopper and put some of the liquid inside on his finger, tapping it to each temple then to his forehead. He took up the dagger once more, unsheathing it and then anointing it in the same liquid he settled himself in front of the nightstand with the black cloth and began to chant the barbarous words. His eyes closed as he moved the dagger around, the movements natural to him now as he had done this dozens of times before, if not hundreds by now. The words kept their pace; coming easily to him as he kept the motions continues and let his mind go. Time passed by him quickly; he never noticed it as it did since time was no longer relevant when it came to this particular ritual. As time went on, he could feel the charge in the room build, the buildup of energy gathered in the room. He could feel his Agathos Daemon approaching, feel it manifest itself before him in a hunched form. Its humanoid form was off put by its disproportionate limbs, the arms hanging low as the hands touched the floor now, its feet oversized and its face drawn out slightly in a small snout. The words tapered off and Crowley rose from his place on the floor, the white eyes looking down at him through long strands of matted hair. [b] â??את×? ×?תקשרת ×?א×?×?×??â?[/b] Crowley growled at the creature as he held the knife firmly in his hands. [b] â??Speak English, I hate deciphering when you speak in Hebrew.â?[/b] The creature cocked itâ??s head to the side, it reached up then and gripped its jaw, a loud crack followed as it seemed to pull it out of place, move it around and then reconnect it. It moved its jaw a few times before it looked to Crowley once more. [b] â??You called Master?â?[/b] Crowley stood tall once more now, his torn shirt still on him as he had forgotten all about it, his tattoos exposed still. [b] â??Show him to me, Mammal.â?[/b]The creature dipped low then, using its hands to support itself as its head touched the floor. [b] â??As you wish, Master.â?[/b] Crowley growled once more, hating the creature calling him that. It dissipated quickly, turning into nothing more than a black blob on the floor, before it rose again, reshaping itself into something more. Soon the form became clear as it finished with the two set of horns, the human looking person standing before him with a crow settled on his shoulder. [b] â??Ah, my boy, you are alive and well. I was concerned for your well being after our last little, meeting.â?[/b] He said with a casual wave of his hand. [b] â??You said it wouldnâ??t come to that! You said no one would get hurt if I came to you willingly! They are both dead now! Paul and Emillie! Both murdered by you!â?[/b] Astaroth looked around and sighed in annoyance. [b] â??You should be thanking me, Paul was dying of pancreatic cancer and Emillie, and well she didnâ??t have much time left either. The Reaper would have seen to that.â?[/b] Crowley felt his body tense up, his teeth gritted and showing to Astaroth. [b] â??Any other time, I would see the truth of this. But things have changed, you betrayed me and for that itâ??s unforgivable."[/b] Astaroth let out a laugh as he reached up and stroked the crowâ??s beak. [b] â??Oh please, you best drop the act and ask what you came to ask. I care very little about your forgiveness, or your emotions. Like you have anymore.â?[/b] Crowley held back a growl, finding he was doing that more often now; he kept his composure and let his questions flow freely. [b] â??What is that Mace? Why was it given to me? Why does it have a history of madness?â? â??You already know the answers there, you read the books. I mean, itâ??s called the Mace of Dementia, itâ??s obviously mad, but then again so are you child.â?[/b] Crowley was ready to dismiss the whole thing, create a blood oath against Astaroth and be done with his madness. But he stopped when he heard Astaroth laugh. [b] â??Now, as kyour real question, about Kaiel, about her mother.â?[/b] He felt his heart grow cold then, the question ripped from his mind so easily. [b] â??What is the answer, father?â?[/b] He said coldly, hiding everything that could rise up in him at any moment. Everything pushed away in his frost bitten mind. [b] â??Well, you arenâ??t brother and sister, just clarifying that for you. But, anything else, youâ??ll have to discover on your own. But just remember this, the Watcher is forever entwined with the Champion. Both live and die together, keep that in mind son and youâ??ll find the answers.â?[/b] Crowley turned away then, done with it all as he heard the demon laugh, the crow cawing after him. Falling into nothingness as the ritual was now broken, Crowley digging through his backpack once more to find a new shirt before departing. He turned away from the room, the mace left behind now as he understood what part of its existence was, he needed some release, and he needed someone he could talk too. His mind immediately came to Kaiel, but he couldnâ??t just yet, his mind was too jumbled, too scattered to really look at her then how Astaroth required he see her. For now, he just kept walking, letting his feet take him wherever they wanted to go, he could hear music now. The soft sound of a violin and the robustness of a piano, both were skilled players and their melody was alluring. He found himself following the sound, until it ended suddenly, leaving him standing in the middle of a hallway. He watched as Takeo left a room, soon enough Jenson was standing in a doorway. Crowleyâ??s eyes focused in on Jenson then, seeing something in him that he shared with the other man, loneliness that only came from self isolation. He walked forward then, taking the opportunity to speak to someone else before he eventually confronted Kaiel. Jenson noticing him before he made it to the door way, stopping short he kept his cold exterior up, letting nothing slip from him. [b] â??Was that you playing?â?[/b] He noticed Jenson sizing him up, a grin on his face as he analyzed the other man. [b] â??It most certainly was anything to say? Mind you, I am very sensitive about my playing, so be nice.â?[/b] He could see the feign in the words, Crowley cracked a small smile at the words. [b] â??It was actually fairly good, a few things here and there could be fixed but Iâ??m sure youâ??ll figure it out in time. Care to have a sit down for a bit?â?[/b] He focused his eyes on Jenson then, his mind wandering for a few moments to what hid inside of Jenson and if it was anything like what hid within him.[/size]

[size="1"]When the creatures had emerged and began to assault his fellow classmates, Crowley had watched everyone spring into action. Seeing how everyone began to fight, how each person had a different style to their technique, and he began to note and record each style they showed. His controlling mind holding on to the information in case he would need it for later, taking note of personality traits as well if his fathers nature ever arose to turn these people to his wants and needs. He mentally shook himself then as he had remained completely still for the beginning of the encounter, the hobgoblins reacting more to the movements of the others and ignoring him for the most part. It gave him the opportunity to sort through his thoughts and do what he did best, plan every movement that could be made be him or the others from the little he had been able to observe. However, it didn't take long for a particularly smart hobgoblin to notice him and approach him carefully, a distinct predator gaze in its eyes as it stalked around the fights in progress to get to him. Crowley had caught sight of hobgoblin, simply waiting as it crept closer and closer to him until it stopped and settled before suddenly leaping out at him. He only slid the chair away from the desk, the creature crashing into the desk and getting caught up in the debris giving Crowley time to rise from the chair and move toward the creature. He gave it only moments to register what was going on before he came down on it sharply, stomping down on its skull in one brutal hit. The brain matter and brackish blood squirting everywhere as he remained calm for only a few more moments, the recollection of having done the same to his foster father creeping to the front of his mind before pushing it away. His demeanor indifferent to the action going around him as he simply moved slowly through them all, his fighting methodical in the fact it was precise but brutal in the devastating blows he administrated. He had heard the teacher talk about working as a team, but he could see that mentality worked well for the others, not so much for his particular strength as he dulled out unceremonious death to each one that crossed his path. His calmness was suddenly fractured by the sudden cry for help, his eyes went wide then as he heard someone screaming and the scream smashed into him light a brick. He could hear his foster mother tell him to run, to see her try to fight off the walking corpse of Paul Crowley; he felt something snap in his mind, like a barrier crumbling for the moment as the next hobgoblin he came upon felt his wrath. Its attention elsewhere as he lashed out with a fist, the hand making contact with the thick skull and the sound of bones breaking could be heard as the hobgoblin spun around then. Its jaw slack as the bones had torn into the muscle, shredding the connective tissue leaving the creature unable to use its teeth. It hardly mattered as his foot came up, kicking straight out into the creatureâ??s chest the sternum giving way and the entire cavity caved in before it even hit the ground. He no longer walked as he simply charged into battle, the rage pushing through him now as he slammed into another hobgoblin with his shoulder and smashed him into a wall. The creature slumping to the ground before Crowley placed his foot on the creatureâ??s chest and grabbed his arm, pulling with all his force he roared as he ripped the arm off its body and smashed its head in with the severed limb. Quickly turning on anything in his path, using the clawed hand to slash and tear into the creatures around him. [b] â??Is that all you got? Come on!â?[/b] The words spilling form his lips without so much a second thought as he charged again. Swinging the arm with reckless abandon as he smashed into others with sheer force, crushing heads and bodies with all his strength, it didnâ??t take him long to notice the creatures starting to crowd around one of his classmates. He had lost the arm to the corpse of one of its brethren; all he could do was charge in once more. His mind was returning to him now, he could see if he hit them in just the right way he could take out all the ones coming for him. He lashed out then, but his aim was off but only grazing it before he tore through the others and smashed their bodies with his strength. The one that he had grazed seemed stunned, his hands reaching out as he grabbed the creature and held him out. Takeo taking advantage of the moment and snapped the creatures neck with an axe kick, Crowley tossed the creature away and suddenly saw a hand extend out to him. [b] â??Crowleyâ?¦ thanks man. That was a cool move you did a second ago.â?[/b] He initially didnâ??t know how to react, unaccustomed to friendly gestures he let his guard down for just a moment. Returning the motion with a stern shake of the hand, he saw a smile on Takeos face that put suspicion in his mind but he let it go as he ran off to give back one of the girls her glasses back. He turned back to the creatures, his blood still boiling for my blood, and he knew not where the need came from, until he heard it in his mind again. [i] Feed me![/i] He heard it roar, the sound pushing him forward to rush in once more. He didnâ??t lose himself to the fight, he just enjoyed it. He smashed into one hobgoblin after another, keeping track of how many crumbled before him as he delved deeper into the growing ranks. He had pushed farther than he had wanted, but it mattered little as the voice pushed him forward. He found himself surrounded quickly, his hands lashing out as they crumpled at his hits, bashing into them to clear space when they drew too close. He found five creatures before him, lashing out to catch him with the claws as he growled and snarled at him. He did his best to keep his composure as he could feel the pull of the mace, of the demon that harbored itself deep inside of him. His internal thoughts had pulled him far enough to let one creature draw near and slash at Crowley. Snapping out of it in time to move his body the claws raked across his robe, reaching all the way to his shirt underneath. The dense robe getting snagged in the hobgoblins claws he twisted out of it and wrapped it around the creature head with the arm pulled behind its back. Twisting quickly a snap followed, he felt the draft now as the torn apart shirt revealed several of his tattoos from underneath. He then felt the water rain down upon him, the sprinkler system having gone off for reasons he was aware off. The cold water washing over him as the sprinklers pumped out gallons of water in mere minutes, the water reaching their shins as it leaked out from the door frame. The creatures were frightened by the sudden down pour, but it hardly stemmed their need to kill. Crowley let the water cool him down, refocusing his thoughts as he charged forward and tackled the remaining hobgoblins before him, rolling away from them. He raised then, the water pouring down on him as he suddenly realized he was face to face with one of the women, his red eyes focused in on her yellow ones. Something about her gaze tried to pull him in, but he quickly put up the wall in his mind as he shook his head, the water splashing out as he realized his hair had come undone. Pulling it back once more, he tied it off as he seemed to recall her name clearly now. [b] â??Hope you donâ??t mind me crashing your even Kiael, I grow tired of fighting them alone.â?[/b] He saw a twitch in her ears, as he blue hair hung lower because of the water. [b] â??Not at all, as long as you arenâ??t like that fool back there.â?[/b] He showed a devilish smile, not knowing where it came from as he shook it away, turning back to face the hobgoblins, he heard her yell back to him then. [b] â??You never mentioned who your parent was.â?[/b] He held firm as he stood up tall, seeing the creatures move forward, he spoke loudly for her to hear. [b] â??My father, is Astaroth, and I hope I am not like my father.â?[/b] He didn't see if she had a reaction to hearing it, all he knew was that she was beside him and this would be an interesting class.[/size]

[size="1"][b]"Oh my god I am so hung over!"[/b] He groaned as he had his face i his hands and his elbows on the desk of his room, his eyes closed as the curtains were drawn to drown out any noise from the outside world. Crowley had been drinking since the night before, going well into the next day until the later afternoon and now he was feeling the draw backs of his heavy drinking habits. But there was nothing he could do, he could hear that insistent whisper again, the one that haunted him since he was a child. The voice had abated as he got older, as he distanced himself further and further from his family he the voiced got weaker until it all about vanished when he moved out of his familyâ??s home. He had use to needed medication as a child, thinking he might have been developing a form of schizophrenia they drugged him often. For the last two years he had been fine, no voices or anything grating on his brain, but that had changed once he had received an urgent letter from his adopted parents, telling him that his 'father' was sick and that it didn't look good. He recalled vaguely looking at the letter, seeing how formal the writing was and how he was just address by name rather than by 'son' or any other pet name they had for him. He had also recalled how little his adoptive mom had really shown him care, how she had shown very little warmth in his direction. He assumed it was that she believed he did something wrong when he was little, that he had wronged her somehow and he had been determined as young boy to make her love him. When he got older, and when he understood the world he could see why she didn't show him care, he saw clearly the eyes of his that burned with an intensity that reflected his emotions. When he understood how different he was from everyone else, he closed himself off, no longer attempting any such niceties with her and even drew farther from his father then. He knew he was different and wanted nothing to do with the normal world as long as he could manage it, he would interact with people when he had too. It was easy to pass off his eyes as contact lenses, people accepting the answer without so much as another glance. A few tried to verify but he quickly disarmed them with a smile and a few words, they seemed to give when he spoke to them, as if it was almost like they were commanded to do it. But now, he found himself in his old room from the years passed, and the voice seemed even louder since he had been away from it for so long. His pounding headache did nothing to push the voice away, but he used his own means to push it away to make it a dull whisper before rising from his seat and sluggishly walking his way to the door and out into the hallway. [b] "Nothing really changed here, that woman was rather anal retentive in her ways."[/b] He rolled his shoulders as he started to head down the stairs, going to grab some aspirin from the kitchen before finding something to eat that he could keep down. That was until he started to hear something from the room down the hallway, a soft sound that seemed to penetrate the quiet of the house. He gripped the banister of the stairway, looking down the way of the sound as he felt a pull now in that direction, the voice forgotten as he felt his body start to move in that direction. His mind soon followed and he quietly crept down the hall, being careful not to touch the floorboards that would give away his position as he pressed his back to the wall. Coming to the door, he saw it was cracked and could hear the sound more clearly, he could hear the sound of someone crying softly. He slowly pushed the door open as he stood tall now, seeing his foster mother Emiliee sitting in a chair as she was weeping into the bed sheets, the sound damped by the material. Crowley was trying to figure out how he could hear her, but that thought faded when he saw his father in the bed, his skin drawn back as if it was stretched across his bones. His eyes barely visible in the sunken pits of his sockets, his hair simply thin wisps of what it use to be. He took a step forward; hitting a creaking board and making his mother look up at him. His own eyes only on the barely breathing form of his father as he was about to move closer, his own mind trying to understand how he had deteriorated so much in one day. The day before he had seen him, he was sick looking, but he was still well enough that he looked like a person. But all he could see now was a piles of bones with the skin still attached; his mother had rushed him then, her eyes wide as she was trying to push him out the door. Yelling something at him that he couldn't hear, hardly feeling her hands pushing on him before he came back to the world o hear her pleading to him. [b] "Richard, Run!"[/b] He had been thrown off then, hearing her say his name since it had been several years since he had actually spoken to her even after arriving he had only nodded to her in acknowledgement before vanishing from their sight. He simply stood there as events unfolded in front of his eyes, the skeletal form of his father suddenly rose from the bed sharply, the black pits of his eyes turning to look at them now as he cocked to his head to one side. His lips pulled back then to show a gruesome smile, the teeth tarnished and seemed to reshape themselves before his eyes sharpening and clenching. [b] "My boy, it is so good to see you again."[/b] The voice rang through his head like an old friend, it wasn't the voice he had heard in his childhood, but it was familiar none the less. Crowley felt his muscles tense as the body began to move, looking forced almost like a marionette puppet. Stepping out of bed it walked slowly toward them, the corruption of the body obvious as he stopped a short distance away. [b] "Who are you? Where is Paul?"[/b] He couldn't think of anything else to ask, it was too much for his brain to take in as he saw what use to be his father standing before them. His hands clenching into fists as he suddenly felt a burning sensation on his back, starting out light but slowly intensifying as the creature moved closer. [b] "Don't you recognize me? I'm your real father, and how I have missed my boy. Time to go home."[/b] His mind reeling then as he didn't know what to think, and in an instant it turned even darker as he saw something he thought he never would. Emiliee lunged forward then, tackling the creature and pinning it to the ground, she quickly looked away from the creature and turned her head to look at him, the words that came out of her mouth broke his heart then. [b] "Run son!"[/b] He couldn't move as the words sank deep, the world slowing down as the creature tossed her away slamming her into a wall as it rose slowly. She launched herself again, only to be meet with a hand to her throat as he tried to claw at the arm holding her. Crowley could hear the gasping words of his mother, her hands ceasing to claw as she started to gesture in a direction, Crowley following the motion to the closet as he charged in that direction. Pulling the doors open he plunged his hand in and grabbed something cold and smooth. Pulling it free, he found a mace hidden away, a leather cap around the head of it with intricate runes stitched into the leather as he held the weapon comfortably in his hands. He looked back with the weapon in his hand, his face hard as he could see the creature still smiling, his mother still gasping weakly before the hand contracted, squeezing on her throat before crushing down on her windpipe. The bony hand tearing into her flesh into the next moment, the hand jerked away with the red and wet hunk of flesh in its hand, the blood dripping on the ground as she slumped to the ground, her eyes going cold as she bled out in moments. He felt the horror welling up in his chest, his mind threatening to break under seeing some much wrong happen in only mere moments. The creature resumed its walk, the smile still on its face as it moved slowly, everything was falling apart until he hear the sudden rush of words in his mind. [i]Free me![/i] Without missing a beat, his other hand reached out and grabbed the leather cap, yanking it away without a second thought as he felt a wave hit him. An inhuman rage coursing through his body as he felt a change happen, the tattoo on his back flaring hotter as his body began to crack and break to create something new. He roared as he grew in size, his shoulder broadening out as his skin seemed to shift into a metallic material, he soon enough stood over the creature as spikes protruded out of his body, his head covered in a metal helm. His sheer size crushing the house around him as it pushed apart a near by wall and through the ceiling, mace itself resizing itself to his massive body, he breathed heavily now as he looked down to the creature before him. His hands clenched together as he could see what truly inhabited his foster fathers body, the demonic form taking control of everything that he once was. His smile still held firmly in place. [b] "You are quite strong; I can't wait to see this world fall to your powers. Come along boy." "No."[/b] Was all Crowley said, the voice sounding hollow and filled with anger and madness. He lashed out then, his mace swinging with such force that when it made contact, it tore the upper torso clean form the body, blood splashing everywhere as the two pieces fell in opposite directions. He took only once step forward as he lifted the foot and swiftly came down, obliterating the skull of the man who use to be Paul. He breathed heavily as he could feel the power in his blood, the mace pushing itself into him farther and farther, the voice echoing in his mind now. [i]Feed me more death.[/i] It was all he could hear from it now, the voice trying to consume him as he gripped the mace tighter. He turned to the corpse of his mother, seeing something in her hand he moved forward, tearing the house apart further before kneeling next to her. Using his free hand to look at the paper, stained now with her blood before he unfolded it carefully. He looked to the words now, reading them carefully as he pushed the voice away. After reading the first line, he seemed to find himself once more as he reached over easily across the room to the leather cap. He started to put it on the mace as he heard it shriek at him, as if it was cowering away from its cover when he finally squelched its power with the cap secured back on. His body reverting then, his body returning to normal size as he read the rest of the paper, his feelings trying to push their way to the forefront of his mind but he capped them quickly, tucking them away into a box in the far reaches of his mind before finishing the note he simply started walking. Letting his feet carry him until he found the pub he had been instructed to find, the mace held securely to his person as he was allowed in, his eyes were a dull red then as he found his room and settled in. Sleep didnâ??t come to him as he simply sat on his bed, the mace cradled in his arms as the sun reached over the horizon and seeped into his room. He could see the intricate stitching as he sighed. Setting it down he dawned the robe they had given him, no one really took much of an interest in him as he looked the most normal of the others in his new class now. He had simply been told where to be and had been to first to arrive as he sat in the back, his arms on the desk with his head settled down as he just looked forward. He watched the others come into the room, dark circles under his eyes from no sleep but he still didnâ??t feel the urge. He listened to the others tell their stories, some were in his boat in losing their parents to some demonic spirit. Others it was easier on them, he could see that one of two were showing the grief, their gazes distant and the caring in them cease to exist. He kept looking around as he tried to listen intently, but he didnâ??t really feel the need since he knew he was terrible with names. But the faces he would remember forever, each unique beside the obvious traits from their otherworldly parent. He almost felt like an outcast even here, his features making him the most average looking besides his eyes. He had always prayed that he could change his eyes, and now he prayed that he could have just one other feature so he didnâ??t stick out in this crowd. He had been shifting into his own world when he heard a voice, his mind coming back as he just shifted his eyes toward the voice, seeing it was the instructor. [b] â??You in the back, youâ??ve been awfully quiet so far. Care to share anything with us, like your name?â? [/b]He lifted his head then, sitting up straight as he kept his features straight, his eyes the only thing giving away his dark mood. [b]â??Crowley, Richard Crowley. Please, just Crowley would be fine with me.â? â??Sounds like James bond!â?[/b] He heard someone say, looking briefly he saw it was the one named Jenson, he shrugged at him then. [b] â??However you see it friend.â?[/b] He wasnâ??t in any mood to fight, no temper to pull forward to have a war of words with the other. He looked to the instructor again, still sitting up straight as he kept going. [b] â??I watched my mother die by my fatherâ??s hand, before I ripped him in half and smashed his skull. I really donâ??t feel like retelling it all detail by detail, I would just like to listen for now.â?[/b] He put his head back down, his eyes looking forward once more as he started to replay it in his head. Sadness trying to creep its way in, all of it trying to move forward when it was all scattered into the wind as he heard the whispers again. [i]Free me, Son of Astaroth.[/i][/size]

[size="1"][i]Time is a relative aspect in the world around us; it ebbs and flows without so much as any consideration for the world around it. She is neither cruel nor is she kind, she is simply there and does what she was meant to do. The world however, is cruel and heartless to the beings it creates, as if it was playing a universal game to satisfy some sort of deep desire to see other creatures suffer. The maliciousness of it all curdles the blood and makes every- [/i] The sound of a throat being cleared caused the young man to look up from his writing and look back over his shoulder to a figure looking him in the eyes. The red color of the eyes fluctuated as the light struck them; he saw the mischievous grin on the other manâ??s face and that knowing look behind those crimson gaze that made him sigh. [b] â??What is it now? You have disturbed me several times since I started this journal.â?[/b] He shrugged his shoulders as he kept his grin on his face. [b] â??Oh you know, just that you are too serious about what you write. I mean, itâ??s your journal, no one will read it, except me of course. I do need to proof read your work since I know how much you fumble with your words.â?[/b] The young man set down his pen then, looking forward again as he placed a hand to his face and massaged both temples before letting out a heavy sighs. The other man stepped away and put his hands behind his back, leaning against the nearby wall as he waited for the other to get out of his moment. [b] â??Others will read it, for the next person who gets stuck with you will need to know everything they can about what I know.â?[/b] He rolled his shoulders in a shrug again, the grin never leaving his face, only changing slightly as his eyes showed what his true thoughts were. [b] â??You can only tell so much; any child of yours who inherits me will have to learn plenty of it on their own. I mean, if you ever have a child that is. It has been quite a long time since you have done well, you know what.â?[/b] He winked at the young man at the table, hearing the exasperated sigh from him before letting out a small laugh. The young man threw up his hands then, the frustration and annoyance clear on his face as he spoke to the red eyed being. [b] â??I swear, you are far more infuriating then anyone I have ever met!â? â??Well, I am one of the few people you actually socialize with, so thatâ??s not entirely true.â? â??By god, you drive me insane Azriath! Let me finish this damn thing already will you?â?[/b] Azriath held up his hands then, disarming the situation with his cool smile and his calm demeanor. The young man going back to his work, picking up the pen again as he look intently at the page, seeing what Azriath had meant and flipped to a blank page. He sat quietly for several moments, no longer paying attention to whatever Azriath was doing or that he was looking over his shoulder from a distance this time. When the words came to him again, he set the pen to paper and began again. [i] I know this world seems confusing, I know everything can quickly fall apart if youâ??re not looking or it could be torn apart by the closest friend. But you should know that everything gets easier in life, and that for our family, it is much easier at times than others. Iâ??ll start at the beginning, when everything came into existence, when we were all nothing but children to an old world. Back then, when the history of mankind was still fresh and we were still naive to the dangers of the world, we thrived as a community. But, as time went on, as we advanced and we grew as a culture and a society the dangers began to appear in our world. Beings of pure darkness and shadow emerged from the depths of the forest, from the darkest places in our simple cities and towns. The Malagai were monsters we had never seen before, never encountered in any of our conquests or wars. They did not discriminate on who they maimed, slaughtered and fed upon, they simply killed any human they could find, and they took whatever life they could. We advanced and we grew as quickly as we could, as much as we possibly could in order to combat these creatures. It proved to be futile; our only salvation was the day light hours, when the creatures would recede into their dark world. In time, as things continued to grow worse, the Church appeared then. They promised us salvation, they promised us a way to a safe existence without the Malagai. And for a short time, they came through on their promise; the creatures seemed to lessen in their attacks, they were harder to come across as less people vanished into the night. Our technology, however, continued to grow as the outlaying areas still fought off the monsters, the Church still provided a heavy influence but we continued to advance. But as many skeptics and heretics said, it was only a matter of time before the Malagai appeared again in full force. They tore through our ranks, killing thousands of people every night as scientists and the Church looked for ways to combat the Malagai as they continued to kill without fail. Science soon failed to produce answers; our technology and advancement couldnâ??t fight the monsters. In our time of need and in our final moments of desperation, the Church turned to ancient texts, scrolls of old that showed another method to fight the Malagai[/i]. He pulled away from his writing then, holding the pen casually in his hand as he looked over the words. Doing his best to imagine what had gone through the heads of the clergy when they had rooted through those old books, when they had found the scrolls that spoke of ancient magic that held their salvation. The thought soon turned sour and bitter as he could clearly see how they had turned on their creations without a second thought, simply hoping that they would fade from time. He looked up to Azriath and let out a heavy sigh as he dropped his pen and put his hand to his face again, rubbing his forehead in annoyance. [b] â??What in the name of the Malagai Darum are you doing?â?[/b] His eyes focusing back on the demon before him, balancing a book on his nose with a candle holder on top of it. Azriath didnâ??t look from his balancing act as he shifted his body every so often to maintain his trick. [b] â??Iâ??m just trying to keep myself entertained, I mean, I could just do that one thing you hate so much. What was it again?â? â??Please donâ??t do it, I swear I will send you outside if you-â?[/b] He threw up his hands then as the book and candle holder fell to the ground as an old man stood before him now. He suddenly laid down on the ground, putting the back of his hand to his forehead as he wheezed and spoke in a raspy voice. [b] â??Iâ??m dying Jim, Iâ??m dying!â?[/b] Azriath did not get any further in his act before he was struck with a book, crashing into his chest as he curled up into a ball as he let out a groan while clutching his chest. His form shifting again as he returned to his previous identity, still lying on the ground as he continued to feign pain and let out a small laugh in between groans. [b] â??You sir, need to take a nap. You seem rather grumpy, maybe grab a cookie while youâ??re at it Fieri.â?[/b] Another groan escaped Alfieriâ??s lips as he dismissed Azriath, returning back to his work and letting his attention fall back into the telling of the world they lived in. He took up the pen once more, leaning over the leather bound papers and began once more, letting the words flow through him again. [i] The details of what they found specifically have been covered up and hidden from the public eye, but to those who discovered the texts and those who the power was used on know the truth. In our time of greatest need, it was a worthy cause and a noble idea to continue our species, especially against a threat that seemed indestructible to everything we had. What they found was older then some of the Church's earliest written documents, this alone showed its potency as the spell did not crumble with time. The spell detailed an intricate ritual that, when done right, bonded the soul of a human with a being from another realm. The bond could only be created by a human who had a truly willing spirit and a being that desired to join our world as a physical manifestation. The process of bringing two souls together in this way was met with very little success, the human aspect too weak to maintain the bond or to withstand the overwhelming presence of the other soul. The ones who were strong enough to survive, showed that their bonded spirit was sometimes ravaged by the other beings powers. So, the spell was crafted with fail safes directed at the foreign entity, conditions being placed on the being that controlled their power to safely flow to the bonded human. These select few people became known as Pact Bearers, and even though their were only six humans who took on this duty, they were more then enough for Malagai. With their power, they ripped apart the creatures, none could find refuge in their dark worlds as the Bearers partners could follow them any where. Now, when they were originally created, the Church believed that the foreign beings were angels descended from the high heavens. But, this was wrong as it became clear that the beings that they used, were of a different origin. Several in the Church, who knew about these events, saw it as divine justice for what they did to the Pact Bearers after their task was done. I believe that they simply found a reason to exile monsters from their â??perfect worldâ?? and did so with extreme prejudice. They knew they couldnâ??t out right kill the Pact Bearers, being more powerful then any human on the planet. They decreed holy laws upon them, forbidding them from ever passing on their â??curseâ?? to any offspring they might have. Other laws were decreed as well, laws that forbid the use of power when their authority was revoked. Anything they could come up with that would make the Bearers submit to the Churchâ??s rule. Another such law forbid communication between Bearer and their demon counter parts, attempting to remove any temptation. Most of the Pact Bearers followed these laws without question, having been so broken by religious dogma and teachings to go against the Churchâ??s words. But, one Bearer chose to ignore the words of the people who gave him his power, he instead chose to do what the others would have thought was abhorrent to their â??moralâ?? code. He chose to befriend his demon, to learn about him and to understand what he wanted from this pact and what he truly desired in his existence. The demon made his intentions clear to the Bearer, he simply wanted to stay in our world, to live in the sun instead of perpetual darkness and nothingness. Of course things never start easily, but, as time went on and the other Bearers drifted farther from their demons, he grew closer to his. It didnâ??t take much for the Bearer to break the laws decreed upon him by his Church, starting a family in secret with a woman he had fallen in love with long ago. This Bearer was Eliodoro, and he did what the Church forbid him from doing by passing his power on to his children, and their children and so on and so forth. The other Bearers lived and died as they were told, and because of that their demons vanished from this world along with whatever they had to offer. The demon, known as Azriath, became a guardian for the family of Eliodoro and with time passed he became a dear friend and a member of their family. Now, as time went on and Eliodoro passed on from the world, his children inherited Azriath, the power following with it as they all partook their own journey through life. Some were cautious and sparing with the power given, others used it for selfish needs or whatever they desired. As the family spread out and the blood line thinned out through out the grandchildren, and the great grand children and the other generations born, Azriath would be transferred to the one who was the most worthy. My name is Alfieri dâ??Eliodoro; I am a descendant of Eliodoro and with the passing of one of my family members years ago I have inherited the power of Azriath and all of the problems with him.[/i][b] â??Hey, I resent that last remark there Fieri.â?[/b] Azriath looking over his shoulder once more, a puppy dog look on his face as Alfieri looked over his shoulder slightly. [b] â??You resemble that remark, I only wish their were better words to describe what I truly feel.â? â??Is it love, compassion, kinship, OH! Maybe it is undying admiration!â?[/b] Alfieri gave a slight smirk then. [b] â??Close, but try frustrated, aggravated or anything you can think of that follows along that train of thought.â?[/b] Azriath crossed his arms, a pouting face following as he scooted away and plopped down on a chair in the corner, turning away from Alfieri as he hid the grin on his face. Alfieri held on to his victory, knowing that they did not come often but were always memorable when they arrived. He looked back to the journal, his eyes scrolling over the words as he tried to think of anything he could write that did not break the rules of the pact. He sighed once more, this time a more content one as he set the pen down and and closed the book before him. Rising from his seat, the chair slid out form under him and scrapped across the ground, making Azriath turn and rise as well. [b] â??Iâ??m going for a walk. Care to join me for some time in the cool night air?â?[/b] Azriathâ??s eyes brightened up, and a large smile grew on his face as he tried to straighten his clothes even though he never had a single crease anywhere. As his hands moved, Alfieri could hear the light clink of the blackened metal shackles around his wrists. The broken links on both wrists made the clanking sound, as did the ones around his ankles when he walked. Each shackle was a physical representation of one of the conditions placed on his powers to keep him in check. Once he had finished his inspection of his attire, the two took off into the night, the current Bearer and his demon companion, the demon walking slightly behind him. [b] â??You know you could use a computer to document everything right?â?[/b] All that could be heard was another groan and a smug smirk on the demons face as the two walked under the pale moonlight. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Welcome to The Last of the Pact Bearers, the world we will be roaming around in is shaped just like our Earth. The continents are the same, the cities are more or less the same, the population is not quite as high as our own as it is closer to 1 billion rather then 7 billion. History has been altered since the Malagai appeared, mankind has only been focused on surviving the creatures and for a long time it has been a hard fight. The Malagai aren't extinct, they are however significantly thinned and reduced to such numbers that they no longer bother major cities or large towns. Methods have been developed through all sorts of means to help defend from the creatures, a means to kill them was only found through the Pact Bearers, the rest of the population was given ways to simply halt or defend against the Malagai. Now, this rp will be different in the fact that there are only two Protagonist, Alfieri (Vangola) and Azriath (Me). Everyone else who joins, will be against the two for their own reasons and their own purpose in mind. Your lives don't need to revolve around the apprehension of the two (unless of course that is your mission) and can expand whoever you want, but over all your ultimate goal is aimed toward the Pact Bearer and his Demon. Now, Hope you all enjoyed the read and here is your sign-up. [b] Name:[/b] (Anything will do here, it can be modern it can be ancient, doesnâ??t really matter.) [b] Age: Appearance: Personality:[/b] [b] Power: [/b](This can vary on how you have your powers, were you born with them, did you have to make a deal with some creature to obtain your power? Magic isn't the strongest in this world, extravagant power only comes from making Pacts with demons and only the Church has that information) [b]Skills:[/b] (Most, if not everyone had a strength somewhere. This world is different than ours, had to survive and thrive in your own way. Cultures also have changed with the Malagai, not everyone is under the thumb of the Church or lives within the major cities.) [b] Weapons:[/b] (Weapons vary from swords and shields, to pistols and rifles. No weapon is stronger than another; it all just comes down to the person wielding them.) [b]Motivation/Purpose:[/b] (What is your motivation for hunting the demon and the Pact Bearer? Do you believe it is divine justice, or are you out for personal gain? Whatever you want, you can put it here.)[/size]

[size=2]He charged and rammed into the walls, the energy sparking to life as it bounced him back against its force, the runes around the room hold him fast as he roared with all his might. His powers surging through his body as he continued to smashed into the walls, hitting a different place each time like he was looking for a weakness, even thought he knew for a fact his father had not only made and crafted the web around this room; Marcus had added his own web around the room as well. His body felt like it was on fire, the runes seemed to be searing into his flesh now as if he was getting them tattooed all at the same time. The edges becoming harsher and the runes themselves seemed to hold a different power on their own, the purpose dark and foreboding as they held something out of his reach. His random rage seemed to settle for now as he came back to his mind, feeling an emptiness and darkness worming it's way through his body. he saw down at the one table with the single chair, both objects runed and protected from anything he could do to them. He felt like he was going mad, as if everything was horrible wrong in the world and he couldn't understand what the problem was, besides him. He put both of his elbows on the table, his hands bound now by one of his sashes the runes stitched into it kept him from breaking the bond, placing his head in his hands as he recalled the events that had occurred to bring him here. [b]"I just don't understand Ali!"[/b] Marcus raised his voice then, the fight seemed to be going on for days now. And it seemed to be about the same thing now, Marcus and Ali arguing about anything that could be argued about. First it had started off with something simple, but it always escalated into something more quickly, and it seemed that Marcus was the one to make it worse. His emotions were almost out of control, the smallest thing set him off into a full rage and with each outburst it grew worse and more intense, the last time he had picked up an object and thrown it across the room before snapping out of it. After each fight, Marcus would slump down into a chair, his runes would glow a sickly color before fading, holding his face in his hand as he tried to understand where the rage was coming from. Ali would come to comfort him then even thought there was always an ever-present fear in her heart that she was seeing the real Marcus now, someone who was driven mad by a decade of hunting his apprentice and another three years away from his son and loved ones. He did his best to reassure her that he was alright, apologizing for the whole thing, telling her he wouldn't let it happen again. But, they always found themselves in the same position, just as they were now, their voices raising then. [b]"Of course you don't! You are hardly here anymore to help him with anything he needs, it is always just me now!"[/b] Ali came back at him then, both of them feeling the tension build in their muscles, this fight was quickly growing more turbulent by the second. [b]"What are you talking about? I am always here for them, I get my work done and then I'm here for them!" "That is complete crap Marcus, you may be here in body, but your mind is gone along with your spirit. Off roaming those other worlds of yours with Neos, you never have time for Tank or Lily and they need you just as much as he does."[/b] A growled bubbled up from marcus throat, his hands tensing into fists as his anger seemed to keep growing. [b]"What do you know? You can't understand anything that Neos and I do, I have to teach him how to control his powers before he becomes and adolescent. Can you even comprehend how destruct he could be if he doesn't know how to deal with his power?"[/b] Ali came back with an equally powerful growl at him. [b]"Of course I do! He is our son Marcus Demos, our baby. But Tank needs someone too, he feels like an outcast because he has no one to relate to. Lily at least looks a little bit like me to feel like she belongs to this family, but he is seventeen years old, he is facing his adolescents now!" "Why does it matter? He dealt with far worse when he was with that animal Berserk, he is a strong kid and can manage on his own." "What the hell is the matter with you? He is lost and confused and he needs a father figure to be there for him and that needs to be you!" "I didn't ask for any of this Ali, I didn't ask for Tank, I didn't ask for Lily, and I didn't ask for Neos either. But here it is, all of us together now in our so happy family, their adoptive mother the Commander of HDF and her boyfriend the Commandant."[/b] He saw the hurt in her eyes then, the rage leaving her as pain filled in. Part of him felt a terrible pain for the words, they felt wrong, they felt forced as if someone was forcing them past his lips. He saw signs of tears in her eyes then as he steeled her face. [b]"If that is how you really feel, then don't worry about it any more Commandant Demos."[/b] He felt a stab at his chest then, his heart thumping painfully before rage swelled in to cover the pain. [b]"What does that mean Ali?"[/b] She shook her head at him then. [b]"No, don't call me that. We're through, get out of my house!"[/b] She instantly pointed then, Marcus felt everything falling apart then as he saw what he would of done, what he should of done in this situation. He would of fallen to his knees, would of stayed right there, begging for her forgiveness, telling her how he would change, how it was all just words and that they meant nothing. He would tell her of how he loved her and how he loved the kids, how the words didn't belong to him. None of this ever happened as the rage and anger filled up his every thought and action. His hand went out lightning fast, snatching her wrist twisting it painfully behind her back, he heard her let out a grunt as her eyes went wide. [b]"I don't think so, it's not over until I say so!"[/b] The panic clear in her face, struggling to get out of his grip as he held tighter, squeezing harder on her as she tried to get free. He suddenly felt something at his side, and energy that he was all too familiar with as he looked. Neos stood by then, his runes glowing as he looked at Marcus with dark eyes, but they way he stared, almost seemed as if he was looking past him to somewhere else. [b]"Let go of my mommy!"[/b] He rushed forward then, read to hit Marcus as best as he could but without knowing any real fighting techniques it quickly turned into him throwing balled fists and trying to kick him anyway he could. The next moment took them all by surprise as Marcus other hand appeared, swinging downward and smashing into the side of Neos' head. Enough force to make the small boy to fall over, sprawling on the ground, the rage still swimming through his veins that drowned out Ali's scream. But Neos moved from the ground, his body shifting as he rose, the back hand obvious on the side of his face as it showed deep red. But Neos' face said volumes of his endurance, he was hard looking, no sign of tears in his eyes as the boy stared at his father. [b]"Monsters never win, and my Wind daddy will make sure of that."[/b] Neos' words seemed to have a profound effect on Marcus mind, bringing him back as he looked around, remembering where he was and seeing that he was clenching Ali in his hand he let go. The horror of his flowing into him as he backed away from them, Ali instantly going to Neos and hold him closing, whispering words of comfort to him as he held on to her too, still looking at Marcus as he backed up into the island in the kitchen. [b]"No, no, no, no, no, no, no no NO!"[/b] Marcus yelled then as he felt everything wash of him, Ali ready to turn on him when he suddenly gripped his head, the fire burning through his body and his head feeling as if it was being split in half. He let out a cry then, still gripping his head firmly as he thrashed, crashing into the island and knocking pots and pans off the counter. His cries growing louder as he fell to the ground, thrashing as the pain intensified for several more seconds before subsiding enough fro him to breath and to somewhat think clearly. He stayed on his back then, breathing heavily as he saw Neos standing over him, Ali knelling at his side as she looked into his eyes and saw the kindness in them again. [b]"Marcus, whats wrong?"[/b] He shook his head, feeling deep inside the pain was only going to get worse. [b]"Get the sash Ali, throw me in the runed room. Don't open the door."[/b] He didn't dare explaining anything more, for fear he wouldn't get the chance to tell her anything important, she moved away then, coming back quickly with his sash. He instantly held out his arms, holding them together and she quickly understood as she wrapped it around his wrists and tying it off. She ran to the door then, gone for several moments before coming back with three guards, HDF members whose powers fit the security category. They picked him up off the ground, helping him to his feet before carrying him off to the room they all knew about, the journey didn't seem long enough as Marcus tried to tell Ali everything on his sober mind. [b]"It wasn't me, none of it, don't forget anything. Find Break, and Dream Catcher."[/b] She nodded as he comforted him as best she could, they reached the door to the room soon enough, the runes carved even on the outside now to create an impenetrable barrier. When they reached the door they were releasing the locks, he looked to her then, getting as close as he could so he could talk to her quietly. [b]"Don't forget, I love you. Don't forget."[/b] Before anything else could be said, he was pushed inside and the door closed. He simply sat at the table now, the pain receding as he wait for Break and his mother to arrive, hoping answers would come with them.[/size]

[size=2]The whole world seemed to stand still then, everyone frozen where they lay, the commander and commandant on their knees as he moved through the field of battle, seeing however was still stunned, some recovering faster then others. He could see a few rising then as, their hands on the ground and their feet planted to get back into the fight. He continued forward, seeing the boy who was easily twice his side still on his back, the armor not having fully covered his body yet as he hadn't even hit the ground yet as it seemed. He could see how the close the family resemblance was to his biological father, how he was almost the spitting image of the man. The Marked Man kept his pace even, maneuvering through the people, until he came across the form of Baast and her loyal panther. He could see she had almost immediately been back on her feet, the panther had the front half of his body standing again, the lower half still laying on the ground as its body contorted. Marcus could almost touch all of them, he felt he could simply reach out and hold them all close once more, but as he reached he felt something stop him. As if he didn't truly exist anymore, that he was simply a shadow in the world of mortals, and when he heard the words, he knew that everything he valued, was in danger. [b]"I finally have you mystic....." [/b]He heard the voice as if they were whispering right next to him, the words hanging loosely in his skull as he tried to push them away. But he turned in the direction the voice came from, and saw something that chilled his blood so deeply that he had never felt before. The white smile of a dead man showing through the obsidian black skin, the snow white hair hanging to mid-back as it seemed to be caught in the wind, moving with the breeze like a leaf on the wind. Marcus tried to summon his powers then, tried to bring the rage and the hatred to the surface to create enough energy to eliminate the entity. But he found it wouldn't obey his command, it wouldn't rise to his need, the runs remained cold and lifeless and all that followed was a hallow laugh. [b]"Come now, you didn't think it would be that easy." "This is impossible! You couldn't have gotten through my barriers!"[/b] Marcus yelled at him then, anyone else hearing the words might of thought it was simply a boast. But, they both knew it was true, his barriers couldn't be broken unless he had allowed them to be. Ali had made her way in through other means, finding a other route into his mind that no one else could find. He could only growl as the laugh returned, trying to steal his soul and his warmth. [b]"Of course not, but I didn't need to. You and I, Mystic Demos, we share enough that I slipped in with very little problem." "That doesn't make sense, we share nothing." "Tsk tsk, Marcus. How can you say that?"[/b] Anomander feigned hurt then, trying to make a face but found he could only grin and let his laugh out again. Marcus clenched his fists as kept trying to call the power, kept trying to bring to life anything to kill Anomander. [b]"Make sense already, the games are pointless."[/b] He saw what little warmth that was in the smile vanish, all that was left was cruel indifference hidden by the pearl white teeth. [b]"You have some of my power in you, and I, have some of your power in me."[/b] Marcus' hands fell open then, his eyes widening ever so much then as he stared a the dark creature, putting everything together then, seeing all the dots connect. [b]"That was.... your plan all along...." [/b]Marcus felt it burn in his mind as the laughter erupted, gripping his head as he fell to his knees trying to get the sound out. [b]"You are indeed one of the smartest member's of the HDF, but you are also lacking sometimes. You could have seen this coming ages ago, if you had simply accept the Throne." "It's not mine to accept! No one should have that Throne!"[/b] He growled at the apparition, the laughed was more subtle this time, but just as biting. [b]"And that's why, you lost Marcus Demos."[/b] The world suddenly caught up to them, the people moving again as eyes blinked once more. Muscles twitched and moved with every movement created, the soulless eyes looking around as he took in the world in his new home. He quickly turned then, moving passed the commandant and commander on the ground as he made it to Baast with Archon at her side. She could see the change had taken the Marked Man, but she failed to notice the difference it made, how the two forced of light and darkness coming together had created something more. She held a snarl on her face, words no longer coming to her as she simply lunged out at the tattooed man, and she froze in mid-air, Marcus only looking at her with a cruel smile. [b]"You are in my way, wench."[/b] He said as the two voices mixed, creating a turbulent shudder of a voice. She tried to claw at him, tried to rip his throat out as she growled, her panther reacting then as he lunged at Marcus. His hand going up then, catching the panther by the throat as he kept his eyes on the Goddess before him. The panther lashed out with its claws, trying to tear into his flesh but finding that the magic protected him from its wrath. [b]"I'll kill you! You'll never stand against the gods!"[/b] His dark eyes focused on her face, silently staring at her then before a laugh erupted form his throat, throwing his head back as he let loose a hollow sound that made others around him flinch at the sound. His head coming back down to look her dead in the eyes. [b]"Your reign is over, the time of Darkness has arrived!"[/b] And with one swift, unceremonious twist of the wrist, he snapped the panthers neck, the creature going limp in his grip and the Goddess following as she suddenly fell to eh ground, her eyes unseeing as the panther fell beside her. Marcus looking at the corpses with a cold smile still in place. Suddenly feeling a large hand on his shoulder, he reacted, throwing up his hand and catching the giant in a force, lifting him off the ground and turning to him. The smile replaced with a cold rage then, murder in his eyes as he began to speak. [b]"You, Commandant Demetri Athens, you and the fool Marcus Demos tried to kill me once. You will never, find that chance again."[/b] He began to whisper then, ancient words from a forget spell slipping form his lips. Marcus howled in his mind, trying to disrupt the spell, trying to stop the dark creature from fulfilling his dark desire. [i]'Stop! You can't use this spell, it's too much power!' [/i]The words continued to fall from his lips, the wind picking up as a purple mist appeared and started swirling around Demetri, trying to fight the force as best he could but finding he had no chance of movement. [i]'That is the point, say goodbye to Demetri Athens. Although, you won't remember him after this is done.'[/i] As the spell continued, the mist began to constrict Demetri, and quickly a scream followed as it became obvious that the mist was doing something to him. And upon closer inspection, it was obvious that the mist was eating away at his body; dissolving every inch as he was being dipped in acid. A blue energy followed the mist now, swirling around and around as the words grew more intense the blue swirled around faster, and everyone who watched found that their vision on him was growing hazy. They could feel something slipping away, as if it they were forgetting the man before them, the mist kept eating as the energy followed, the screams continued as it kept eating away at him. What seemed like an eternity took only mere moments for the mist to reach the top of his head, the screams gone as the energy suddenly balled up, compressing into a tight sphere for only a split second, before it suddenly exploded, creating a wave of pure energy that ripped through air. All who were around were struck by this wave, Marcus the first to collapse as it passed through his body, the others followed as they each fell once more to the hard ground, Anomader retreating then to the dark recesses of the mystics mind. And all would awake soon enough, but with one thing missing, and that would be the memory of Demetri Athens. [/size]

[size="1"][b]Name:[/b] Richard Crowley prefers Crowley [b]Age:[/b] 24 [b]Appearance:[/b] Crowley stands at an average height of 5â??10â? but has a fairly muscular build, typically wearing any t-shirt he can find and a pair of jeans he doesnâ??t bother much with his appearance. His hair reaching shoulder length, he keeps it tied back securely with a few charms hanging. The only feature his parent gave him was eyes of crimson red, the red varying depending on the mood he is in. He has decorated his body in tattoos, some of symbols he has found, one symbol is from his own father and other tattoos he tends to keep covered up unless asked about it. [b]Demon Appearance:[/b] [url="http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b18/Sagethefiend/Demon_Warrior_by_ProjectHybrid.jpg"]Demon Crowley[/url] [b]Personality:[/b] Crowley is rather methodical and manipulative in the way he acts around others, his power lending credence to his personality. He acts rather cold sometimes; speaking whatâ??s on his mind often enough but also knows when to hold back information. He tends to maintain that exterior indifference to maintain his own sense of paranoia and self loathing. He tends to hide it all behind a smile if he can, acting warm during normal interactions but doing his best to separate himself from people emotionally. As a child of Astaroth, he likes to have plans on top of plans as he hates to be caught off guard or unprepared for any reason. Often carrying around a backpack full of anything he might need at a momentâ??s notice, no matter how trivial it might seem. [b] Weapon:[/b] Dementia Mace- The mace is finely crafted, if only by a means of how functional it is rather than being awe inspiring to the eye. Created for only one function of delivering death in a single swing, the mace also has a mind of its own. Not able to function without a wielder, but to the one it belongs to, it whispers constantly to their mind about the one thing it craves: Blood. And has it finds itself starved of what it needs; the whispers grow in volume and power, capable of breaking a weak mind. [b]Power:[/b] Crowleyâ??s power is influence, but more specifically it is the influence of his voice. His words have the power to seep into the cracks of a personâ??s mind and plant ideas and thoughts to fit his needs. However, at this early stage, the power is purely suggestion and not everyone obeys the suggestion. The more external you are about your feelings, the more susceptible the person is to his powers, the more introspective people have an easier time rejecting his powers. [b]Demonic Parent:[/b] [url="http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b18/Sagethefiend/o-o.jpg"]Astaroth[/url], crowned Prince of Hell.[/size]

[center][b][size="4"]PLEASE READ EVERYTHING BELOW.[/size][/b][/center] Hey there to everyone reading this, glad you've taken an interest in seeing what we've come up with and we would like everyone and anyone to participate in this with us. Now, before you get all gun-ho and try to just jump into the Rp, this one is just between Vangola and I. But, we are only so knowledgeable of the world and plenty of us have been reading a book or manga, or watching and Anime and think to ourselves 'I think this would be really cool if this happened.' Well, we are giving you that chance to put up your suggestions and your ideas to help our story out along the way. We have a few things planned, but not everything is set in stone and we are more then happy to put to use your ideas of scenarios or even characters that you want involved in this. We would like everyone's ideas post here so that everyone can get a good idea of what could possibly happen, however, if you are feeling shy or unsure for any reason what so ever, don't be afraid to PM Vangola or myself with the idea. We don't want anyone to feel rejected or left out because they didn't get their idea used or posted in time, post as much as you want as often as you want. Finally, to let you all know that all of this information below is not complete yet, and there is lots of more information that will be introduced as we progress forward. So, for now read until your eyeballs bleed and look for regular updates of both this thread and the Theater thread. [b]Marduk[/b] (Original Name)- Back during the Sumerian time, Marduk was an Akkadian chief known for his stoic personality. His father died when Marduk was only 16, and he became the youngest Akkadian king. His rule was known for itâ??s cruel efficiency-- although he forged a prosperous city, he was often unfavorable with the people because they thought him unfeeling and merciless. He had constructed this persona from the teachings of his father, who was a moderately effective king whose reign was marred only by his inability to remain vigilant in making necessary but unpopular judgements. Marduk would kill dissenters and war criminals without blinking an eye, and further incited the ire of some of his subjects by openly disrespecting the gods and tearing down the ziggurats of conquered cities. [b]Abilsin [/b](Original Name)- Abilsinâ??s name was scored from the history books centuries ago in an attempt to nullify his reign during the time of Sumer. The reason for this was because of his blood thirsty ways, tearing into enemies and allies alike to accomplish his goals. He was aggressive, savage and constantly on the search for another battle, another opponent to crush and another scream to fill his ears. Under all of his pure rage and destructiveness, he showed the ability to command without error, able to make risky military moves and decisions that ultimately gained him victory. His kingdom prospered under his reign, but just as much blood was spilled for the sake of his enjoyment. Hosting multiple bloodsports on his own to see how depraved he could make the rest of his court. [b]Shala [/b]- The beautiful maiden who Marduk and Abilsin fought over. She was from a village in what is modern day Turkey that Abilsin conquered. They fell in love immediately, although she was unnerved by his blood thirsty ways. At one point in time Abilsin left her to go on a raid of another kingdom, and did not return for several weeks. Rumors spread of his death and Shala sunk into depression. While her king was gone, an overzealous group of warriors from Mardukâ??s kingdom raided and abducted the mourning queen. When they returned, they presented Marduk with the treasures they had collected and Marduk promptly had them killed for insubordination and a lack of dignity and integrity. Marduk had a convoy send back the stolen treasures, but he insisted that Shala stay and recover before leaving. While there Marduk tended to her and the two fell in love. When Abilsin returned from war, he ordered an attack on Marduk to retrieve his wife. As soon as Abilsin and his men arrived at Mardukâ??s doorstep, Marduk and Abilsin engaged in a one on one competition. Torn between her two loves, but still desperate for neither to get hurt, she jumped between the two, knowing they would kill her and hoping that they would cease fighting once she had died. Unfortunately, she was wrong. As part of Marduk and Abilsinâ??s punishment, Shala is reborn in a new body as soon as her current body has died.

I think that is a good idea to push the training ahead, I personally can't think of a way for my powers to progress in the post and with my work schedule just running out of control it's been difficult to try to get on here on my actual computer rather then my phone. Sorry for letting this drag on.

Sorry for no post like I said, got stuck with jury duty this week so I'm hoping to get a post out soon.

Yay for moving forward, Im hopefully going to have a post done either later today after work or tomorrow on my day off.

Yay answers, the teasers were enough to get me all amped up to see how this ends

[size="1"][b]"Are you ready to go Aimanan? You are fine to leave."[/b] He hardly heard the doctor talk to him, his legs pulled up to his chest as he simply at their quietly now. He had hardly noticed as each and every member had made their way out of the infirmary wing, each one having a destination in mind or seeking the comfort of their own quarters. Aimanan had hardly moved since he had become fully aware of the world around him, he had no desire to leave, he had no drive to be anywhere near the shadows. The well lit infirmary gave him some comfort in the fact that the shadows couldn't reach, and as long as he didn't leave these confines, he would thought he would never feel the phantom pain of those teeth tearing into his flesh again. The doctor simply stood there for the time being, trying to get him to look at her long enough to trying to understand his mental state, to see if there was anything more she could do for him. Aimanan was so consumed with his terror, his own nightmare, that he missed the beautiful face of Dr Ambrose before him. When he had come out of his nightmare and had thrashed around, he had hardly felt the restraining hands; he only recalled screaming for them to not put him back to sleep. He did remember Ri cradling his head, trying to keep calm him but finding it difficult to pull him back to the real world. [b] "I don't want to leave."[/b] He whispered quietly as his eyes scanned quickly to see if the shadows had crept any closer. He felt almost like a paranoid wreck, everything seemed to be after him, as if it was plotting against him to put him in the perfect place for the hound to get him. He felt a gentle hand on his arm then, looking at the hand before looking up to the face, his mind still to strung out to even recognize the doctor clearly. [b] "You can stay as long as you want, but let me see if you are doing alright Aimanan."[/b] He gave a weak nod as he slowly lowered his legs; Ambrose pulling out her stethoscope to check his heart rate, feeling the cold metal against his skin was a relief, it was just enough to lightly bring his mind to the world. Breathing in deeply every time she asked, he still watched the darkness around him, making sure it wasn't moving but his paranoia was fading slowly as the check up went on. Checking his iris' gave her the opportunity to take a careful look into his mind, trying to see what was bothering him most. He blinked and pulled away from her then, curling back up into a ball as he forced her away as he withdrew from everything again, she sighed then as she rose from the bed. Reaching for his chart then she jotted down a few notes, looking at Aimanan for just a moment before finishing and setting it down again and walking off. [b] "I'll never leave this room again."[/b] His eyes focused on the floor then, staring at the pearl white flooring and catching a glare from one of the florescent lights. His mind wandering for the thousandth time as he kept running through the hallways, the howling following him constantly and other times the shape changed to some other monstrosity that he had invented years ago. But the hound was the most prominent, the only one that was constantly in the shadows waiting to leap at him and finish its work. He would always run from it, always look for the next hiding place, and he could only hope he would find the light at the end of the hallway to escape the creatures. He suddenly became aware of another presence standing beside him, his eyes lazily sweeping to his left to see a man in a suit standing there. He could see a white smile from the man, but the smile was anything but happy, it looked dark and gave the distinct feeling that there was menace behind his eyes. Aimanan wasnâ??t sure how he could tell what this manâ??s intent was, but he just chalked it up to instincts, knowing they were typically spot on when it came to people. [b] â??Hello Night Terror.â?[/b] The man said with his smile still in place, Aimanan kept his feet pulled up to his body then, looking away from his gaze. [b] â??My name is Aimanan Fathi, I want to go home.â? â??Yes, yes, I am aware of what your name is young man. I am Zachary Welsh; of course you must have known that already.â?[/b] Aimanan made no effort to confirm or deny the truth of it, he knew who he was, and normally he would have been shaking a little in his presence but right now his mind was haunted by other monsters. [b] â??I see you havenâ??t left the infirmary yet, everyone else has.â? â??I like the light.â? [/b]Aimanan responded instantly, not desiring to share his real fears with the Giest Corporation lead. He looked to Welsh once more to see the look of a man who knew all, who understand exactly why Aimanan remained in the bed while everyone left. [b] â??Well, Iâ??m glad you so enjoy the lighting we have in here. We spared no expense when it came to this facility.â?[/b] Aimanan stayed silent then as he just waited to see why he was here, Zachary Welsh of Geist shouldnâ??t be in the infirmary for one boy. Especially one that was one of the weakest of the bunch, as far as Aimanan thought about everyoneâ??s power. Welsh had his hands laced together then, looking at the boy as his smile faded. [b] â??I know the real reason you are still here boy, and for intensive purposes, it really doesnâ??t matter. All that matters is that you get out of this bed, and get to your training Fathi.â?[/b] Aimanan simply shook his head then, holding on to his legs tightly as he resolved not to budge from this bed, to remain in the light as long as possible. [b] â??So itâ??s going to be like that, fine, this is what you should know Aimanan. If you do not get out of this bed soon, leave the infirmary and get prepped for your training session, Geist will no longer see a use for you. Decided quickly, Night Terror.â?[/b] Aimananâ??s eyes had grown wide listening to the obvious threat in his voice. His toes tingled from being in his current position for so long, and he let his mind go over the choices. None of them were perfect, but then again, this whole situation was far from perfect and he thought about it carefully with the few moments he had. Pulling the sheets from his right side he flung them off, uncurling his legs as he turned and then hung them over the bed. Gingerly setting his feet to the ground, letting his weight settle before he stood then, his heart hammering then as the shadows were so close but he did what he could to push the fear aside. He then felt lightness around his neck and his wrist he hadnâ??t noticed before, touching both he found his Mala and his Misbaha missing. Looking around quickly he found them settled on a silver tray, quickly grabbing them and putting them back on, and he felt whole again. It was enough for him to have a slight form of confidence, enough for him to not look back at Zachary Welshâ??s smug smile as he walked out of the infirmary. He walked through the halls rather shakily; staying in the light, knowing he had made the choice to conquer the monsters rather than be killed hadnâ??t made it any easier to accept the darkness. Arriving at his room quickly, he cleaned up as swiftly as possible, the lights on all over his room, turning them off only as needed. He dressed then, his heart hammering too much for him to even attempt to sleep, he was dressed in only a few moments before departing his room again, leaving the lights on as he left. As he walked through the hall, he looked at all the doorways, trying to keep his mind off the feeling of the shadows closing in on him until he saw a door with Addleyâ??s name on it. He didnâ??t know why, but he felt a pull then, as if something called to him somewhere deep inside of his mind. It pushed the fear of the darkness far enough back that it was a slight whisper, creating a weightless feeling in him.He stopped firmly before his doorway then, staring at it for several moments before finally working up the courage to knock. He stood firm as he gave three firm hits on the doorway, feeling his heart beat a bit faster now. [b] â??Addley, itâ??s me, Aimanan. Are you in there?â?[/b] He hoped he wasnâ??t talking to empty air before deciding to simply push the door open, hoping to see Warp sitting in his room.[/size] [b]OOC: Sorry it took me a little longer then expected, hope I didn't step on any toes with this one.[/b]

Hey all, I'm gonna get a post up today after work, sorry about being a ghost lately but I'm up and ready to see where this all goes.

[size="1"]All he could hear was the patter of his two own feet, the only thing that was moving faster then him was his fear, raving through his mind at break neck speeds. His breathing heavy and his body covered in sweat as he simply ran, feeling nothing but the blinding panic racing through his mind. He turned a corner, racing down what seemed to be an endless hallway but kept running down regardless. His heart was beating rapidly, Aimanan could only hear it thumping in his head as his eyes shifted every which way as he made another turn, losing his grip on the ground as he skidded and collided with the wall, bracing himself with his hands and pushing off to keep running. [b] "Please, someone help!"[/b] He screamed as he slowed for just a few, his lungs still burning but his need to keep going over powering his sense of fatigue. His heart slowed just long enough to hear the thumping that had been pursuing him now, the madness that had been chasing after him, right to the point of exhaustion. He wouldn't stop though, he couldn't if he was to stay alive and he wanted so desperately to stay alive. Running down another set of corridors he did what he could, his legs feeling weak and wobbly as he tried to escape the unseen horror. Keeping his pace he finally heard the thumping fade, until finally it was silent in the endless hallways, his breathing slowing down as he slumped against the wall, a small smile on his face as he finally felt like he could relax. A light laugh coming from his lips as he rose and started to slowly walk around yet another corner, looking down as his body swayed, his head lolling for just a moment before he looked up and the color from his face drained then. A Blank stood at the end of the hallway, his MP5 in his hands casually as he simply stared at Aimanan. [b] "Time for you to die, boy." [/b]The Blank said to him, he could hear the raspy sound of his voice that came from years of cigarette use. The Blank drew his weapon slowly, Aimanan seeing the scene happen all over again, except this time the man was much farther, and there would be no hound to save him this time. His body shook then as he could only watch as the Blank finally held his weapon fast, taking aim as his finger glided to the trigger. Aimanan tried to use his powers, tried to throw up some sort of distraction anything that could save his life, but nothing worked, his arms to weak to move and his mind to scattered to concentrate on any coherent shape. He could only wait for the Blank to pull the trigger, to feel his life vanish and drain away. But, the moment never came as he stared at the Blank who never had time to look as the massive shape took him then, smashing him into the wall, Aimanan could hear the bones in the Blanks body break and shatter as the mass became clearer. The monster that came around the corner held the Blank against the wall, clawed hand crushing the form as the reptilian like head looked down the hall toward Aimanan. He could see the serrated teeth in the demon like grin, the creature fathomed from his own deepest nightmares. [b] "Run."[/b] Was all he could hear from the lips of the twisted creature, inky blackness leaked from it's gaping jaws. Aimanan tried to run then, stumbling only a few steps before having to stop dead in his tracks. His eyes wide now as he stared at the thing that had been pursuing him from the start, the shape staring at him with ruffled fur and its muzzle pulled back. Those same teeth gleaming at him now with obvious intent, Aimanan had no time to react as the hound lunged at him, screaming as he threw his arms up to protect his face. The world faded as the hound crashed into him, the walls of the medical center coming to life around him as he thrashed in his semi-conscious, screams erupting from his throat, the medical staff running over to secure him as he thrashed harder and harder, pleas coming from him. [b] "Someone help! Please make it stop! It's going to kill me!"[/b] He screamed until his eyes opened up to the sound of someone on the medical staff speaking to him, his breathing heavy as he felt the pain in his arm and his legs. Looking around he saw his arm wrapped, his shoulder was sore and both of his legs were elevated as they looked beaten and bruised, he couldn't hear what the doctor was saying, all he could hear was the howl of the hound, and the sound his his screams as the hound had torn him apart. He felt the modular on his head, and for once, prayed they never took it off. [/size]

Since no one has claimed it, I shall shoot for Dragon type. I'm totally excited.

[size="1"]Aimanan had already been on the verge of panic when they had been in the hands of Addley and his warping power, he wasn't sure of how it would affect him and his comment about their limbs being rearranged or coming back only partially complete came close to making him break then. He wasn't made for this line of work, his mind didn't work like the others, dealing with a crowd was hard enough. That heaving wave of emotion that was sometimes so palpable that he was sure he was going to drown in it, other times it was so placid it nearly made him break out in hysterics for some sort of reaction. Now, he was finding they were under more pressure then he thought he was capable of handling, he did his absolute best in keeping his calm, in remaining mindful of his surroundings and focusing on his powers and maintaining his control. He was pleasantly surprised to see how much he didn't need to focus on surrounding him and Martian in the shadows. Her levitation giving them the lift they needed and his shadows were able to grip the ceiling, interacting the other shadows on the ceiling and able to pull them along quietly. He had started to feel more nervous when he began to see how well lit the ceilings were in the lower parts of the bank, the shadows were thinner and started to notice that the ground was a better place to roam in darkness. He was about to say something when he felt them start to lower back to the ground. [b] "Do you read minds or something because that was just scary timing."[/b] She gave him a small smile then as their feet touched the ground. [b] "Good timing really, seemed like a good idea." [/b]Martian whispered back to him, he let out a small laugh barely audible past their ears. They pressed themselves against the wall then, slowly working their way through as the danger level sky rocket for the both of them with being on the ground. Aimanan knew he was scared, his heart pounding in his ears and his throat was dry as sweat trickled down his forehead. They crept slowly through the hallway, coming to stairway, the time ticking away as they suddenly heard footsteps, Aimanan suddenly pushing Martian into the corner before covering them in thicker shadows. The boots walking by then, their breathing quiet as the sounds faded before they continued moving, both taking note of the one Blank on the stairs. They came to another hallway and started walking again, suddenly caught off guard by the sudden sounds, Martian grabbing Aimanan this time as he threw up the shadow around them. The Blank standing in the hallway now, staring down its length as if he was looking directly as them, Aimanan feeling his breathing trying to become more rapid as the panic crept in again. The Blank slowly starting to walk down the hallway directly toward them, his pace picking up ever so slightly as he seemed to catch something before him. He could see the panic in Martians wide eyes that matched his own, only keeping his features calm looking from years of standing in front of people. His reflex's kicked in with his hand suddenly moving, a shadow apparition appearing just out of the corner of his eye, human only in appearance as it ran off, the guard catching it as he followed it down that direction. He sighed with relief until he realized where it was going, his hand suddenly going up to the com. [b] "Warp, we've managed to elude the stairwell Blank, but the second one caught on to us so I had to send him your way. He may even be coming with the stairwell Blank. Still no signs of any hostages. Requesting radio silence."[/b] He felt he had been fairly professional in his radio transmission, accepting that they had heard his transmission, they resumed their reconnaissance. Both of them relaxing now as they couldn't hear anymore footsteps. Feeling calm until they turned a corner, bumping into a Blank right then, an MP5 in his hands with a ski mask over his head. In his eyes they could see the intent, the cold nature that resided deep within. [i]He's going to kill us, by the 99 names of Allah we have to do something. I don't want to die.[/i] The words echoed through his mind, his fear making it escalate as he could see the weapon start to rise. His mind raced through everything he knew, all of it coming back to the dossier, sections popping into his mind that seemed utterly useless. His arms went up in response to the situation, his eyes staring in wide terror as his hands simply reacted, the gun never getting the chance to let loose the rounds in the clip. The Blank going down then as a large shape erupted from his side, the jaws gaping as they stretched out, the teeth sinking in and tearing at the soft flesh, hot blood squiring from his neck as he fell back with the weight of the giant hound. Aimanan stared with a mixture of horror and confusion as he watched the shadow shred the mans throat, the muzzle dripping blood as the form hit the ground, the hound smashing down on it with all its weight with the audible sound of ribs cracking. The dossier suddenly coming to mind again, except this time, the words meant so much more. [b] "Subject shows the possibility, under duress and with the suit enhancement, shadows can take on a defensive strength to interact with living matter to protect the subject."[/b] He whispered to himself as he looked down to the lifeless body, the last part he kept in his head. [i]Subject could prove dangers with no control over this ability, will be under heavy watch if the ability is shown.[/i] He stayed quiet then as he looked at the hound standing on the body, the muzzle still dripping before the hound turned its head, the empty eyes looking at the shadow wielder before evaporating into nothingness. Aimanan no longer seeing the hounds as they once were, no longer an expression of his desire to be free, but now, he would see them as the wild animals they always wanted to be. He felt Martians hand on his shoulder then, feeling a slight tremble from her. [b] "It's alright Night Terror, he would of killed us."[/b] He simply nodded his head then, drawing the shadows up then as they covered his head in a black hood, a curtain of shadow wrapping around him, giving him that comfortable feeling of being back in the circus. Something he knew he would never have again, at least not as innocent as it once was.[/size]

[b][size="4"]Two Weeks Ago[/size][/b] [size="1"]The sun had been beating down, the heat pressing down on the people who were moving sluggishly through the festival. Many held on to water bottles, some having purchased bottles with fan attachments so they could spray themselves down and even more hid under the tent covers to feel shades cooling embrace. A man in his black tuxedo, his top hat sitting formally on his peppered gray hair, his black mustache having lost its color and showed off the same gray color. He, however, moved with the grace and fluidity of days from his youth as he gripped his cane, time having changed the cane he used, the silver wolf head of the cane glimmering in the sun light as he held a broad smile on his face. [b] "Welcome one and all! Escape the heat and come and witness the wonders you have never seen before. Experience moments you will never find anywhere else! Come one come all to the Wonder Emporium!" [/b]The tent had grown over the years, new acts had been added to the show, the crowds had demanded more and more. Most of the time now, people were drawn to one of their main acts, the one many called Hood: The Shadow Man. It had been a decade since his outburst, since the beasts had been let loose on the people but no one ever really forgot about it. Aimanan had learned to roll with the crowdâ??s dark interest, taking advantage of it to bring them some sort of twisted joy. He peaked through the curtain as he watched the chairs fill with bodies one by one, he noticed some children amongst the people, but he knew there wouldnâ??t be many more. When the room was sufficiently filled the opening closed and the lights dimmed, the man from outside was no on stage, relief obvious on his joyful expression from the scorching heat. [b] â??Welcome to all of you who felt brave enough to experience our wondrous familyâ?¦..â? [/b]His words trailed off to Aimanan as he moved away from all the people, preparing himself mentally and making sure every trick he had in store would be sufficient enough to entertain the crowd. He could hear the people cheer and oh and awe at the first act, the snake boy that had joined their family a few years back. His scaly exterior had been enough to pull them all in, kept their attention enough for him to show off his forked tongue, his prowess and understanding of the slithery creatures of the world. Aimanan sat down then, his nerves calm as he knew he had done this sort of thing over a hundreds, if not thousands of times over the past 10 years. It never got any easier, but it never got harder either, it always just remained the same last moment twist of his stomach before stepping out into the dull gloom so everyone could witness his prowess. However, his day would be cut short, two men pushed through the side curtain then navigating their way through the back room until they came upon him sitting quietly in the chair. Holding now his Misbaha and gently flicked the beads, mumbling a prayer he recalled from his childhood in the orphanage. He heard on stop behind him, and saw the other move in front of him, coming out of his slight trance to see the black suited man, an ear wig showed from its place. [b] â??Can I help you? You guys shouldnâ??t be back here; the show is going on andâ?¦.â?[/b] He saw the motion then, no words spoken as the man pulled a weapon from his belt, and he was only about half way when Aimanan reacted. Grabbing the chair he swung it around violently, smashing it into the man with the weapon, letting the momentum carry him around as he ran then, his legs carrying him away with his Misbaha back around his neck. Fighting was not his way, he knew how to throw a punch but formal training was not included in his arsenal, he would need to use his tricks to get out of this one. Running as fast as possible, he jumped and dodged obstacles as he kept running, reaching the edge of the tent he lunged forward, crashing through the material and rolling away. Looking around then, seeing that the sun wasnâ??t high in the sky, but still up, casting enough shadows for him to use. He took off again, the cape of his costume billowing out behind him, undoing the clasp mid run he let it go, and hearing the shouts behind him from the two men. He cut one way, then another, trying to confuse them but they were too close on his trail, he cut down another aisle between two booths. Using the shadow he laid a trap, one man in the lead rushing the aisle without any consideration, the shadows sprouted a creature then, a massive hound with gleaming teeth that lunged at the man. He jumped back in surprise, crashing into his partner causing both of them to fall on their asses as the hound passed right through them, Aimanan turned to run laughing then. [b] â??Canâ??t catch the shadows!â?[/b] His words ended there as he turned a corner, three more men in suits, each pointing a weapon at him now, his eyes wide as he looked at each man about to pull the trigger. He did the only thing he could think of then, his hands raising then, pulling at the shadows then as they clumped together, and creating a massive form that towered over the three. The massive serpent like head moving swiftly then, the mouth gaping open as it roared at the men, its talon hands shrouded in shadow. Aimanan feeling the strain, only able to manifest half the creature as he saw the men stumbling out of its reach, a smirk on his face until he felt something sting into his back. His legs giving out then as the shadows dissipated, tearing it apart as its creator collapsed face first into the hay covered fair grounds. [/size] [b][size="4"] Current Day[/size][/b] [size="1"]Aimanan sat in a room now, looking around at the other people near him as he held his Misbaha in his hand again, counting the beads mentally as he mumbled his prayer lightly. He had caught the eyes of the woman named Riona Sharp; he had heard the ranting of the man called Tyler. He tried to listen carefully, catch all the names; he had heard Esfirs powers, then Ri, and Autumns. He raised from his seat then, a broad smile on his face, forgetting about his ridicules gold hoop earrings. [b] â??I am Aimanan Abdul-Quddus Fathi.â?[/b] He could see the looks on everyones faces, see how their minds were trying to process his entire name then. [b] â??Hey uh, Aimansds shibal diddle bleh ga, got anything shorter than that?â?[/b] He heard Tyler say then, something in Aimanan made him see him as that heckler form years back, and it made him twitch ever so slightly. [b] â??Meh? It was a nice try at my name, just call me Hood for short.â? â??Alright, where the hell do you get Hood out of that entire name?â?[/b] He flashed his smile again, bowing then with one arm out and the other crossed over his chest. [b] â??It is my stage name, Iâ??m quite the performer.â? [/b] [b] â??So youâ??re a stripper?â?[/b] He heard Ri say then, giving her a wink then as he flicked his wrist, but finding nothing came out. [b] â??Son of a *****! They even took my god damn playing cards! Long story short, Iâ??m a magician. Ta da!â?[/b] Flaring his hands out then, his Misbaha still in his hand, clicking lightly as everyone just stared at him then, his eyes shifting between each person before letting his arms fall to his sides and let out a sigh. [b] â??Always get the tough crowd.â?[/b] Taking a seat then, putting his Misbaha around his neck again before crossing his arms and giving a fake pout. [/size]

[size="1"][b]Subject Number:[/b] #009 [b] Real Name:[/b] Aimanan "Hood" Fathi [b] Codename:[/b] Night Terror [b] Age:[/b] 22 [b] Appearance:[/b] [url=http://s16.photobucket.com/albums/b18/Sagethefiend/?action=view&current=Aimanan1.jpg] [b]Aimanan.[/b][/Url] Aimanan would be considered average in only his height as he stands at only 5â??10 and actually has a lean build, he has no overly obvious muscle mass and seems a bit gangly at times in the right light. His skin tone is actually fairly dark shade, the major factor coming from his heritage of having both of his parents originally being from the Middle East. He wears the gold hoop earrings for comical effect mostly and changes them at his own whim. Aimanan avoids wearing anything too extravagant, except for his work. Normally consists of a plain white long sleeve shirt and black slacks. He also wears a Japa Mala, Buddhist prayer beads, around his wrist. The beads are made of bone and twin blue thread tassels hang down from the beads. He also wears a Misbaha or Islamic Prayer beads, around his neck that consists of 99 beads and, in his mind, keep him closely connected with the parents he never really knew. [b] Personality:[/b] Aimanan is a confusing mixture of playfulness, cruel cynicism, morbid curiosity and a deep down need to help others. His powers make him kind of a trickster, fueling one of the more prominent parts of his personality. He enjoys a good laugh, but because of his serious trust issues with others he finds it harder to let go of that jokester side when the situation becomes grave. His jokes can seem insensitive at times with somewhat of his lack of ability to fully understand another person emotionally. He does however try to be the comic relief for the people he knows, his deep seeded need to please others and help them in any way he can. He will do anything for a laugh, whether it is rude behavior or some off colored joke, anything to brighten the day, even in the most infinitesimal sense. [b] Powers/Abilities:[/b] Shadow Manipulation- Aimanan has the power to manipulate the shadows around the world, however, his control and what he can do with the shadows is very limited. He can form shapes from them, craft illusions whether humanoid figure or beastly in appearance. His illusions, however, can only touch inanimate objects and give faint feeling of a cold touch. Otherwise, his powers can do nothing else and he must rely upon his own dexterity to prevail [b] Writing Snippet:[/b] [b]â??Come one come all; see the wonders of the supernatural! See the magic before your very eyes!â?[/b] The voice called out to the crowd, the fairgrounds full of people on this hot summer day. The voices of the crowd a dull drone as they talked, the sounds of the fair games and rides trying to overtake the crowd, to draw them to them to make them spend their money. The man bellowing out to the crowd dressed in a black and white tuxedo, a top hate adoring his head with the classic black mustache and the gentlemanâ??s cane in his hand as he gestured to the people. Inside the tent was dark, the lights dim as people slowly settled into seats, the curtain drawn as people spoke quietly amongst themselves. Eyes looked from behind the curtain now, light brown in color, they scanned the gathering group of people, feeling his hands start to tremble lightly. Rubbing his hands together with a grin on his face, his nervousness preventing him from doing anything but smile no matter how hard he tried to force it away. [b] â??Itâ??ll be alright, donâ??t be nervous.â?[/b] A voice said from behind him as a hand settled on his young shoulder, wringing his fingers he could only nod as he looked to the feminine face of the woman he came to see as mother. In the darkness of the tent, the details of her features couldnâ??t be seen clearly, but he knew she had lines from years of worry, the age showing on her face with the slight graying in her long flowing hair. It didnâ??t affect her act in the least bit, being the fire breather and the sword eater only proved how tough she was. After they had adopted him, bringing him into their circus family, he could only hope to make her proud with his performance. Within moments, the main entrance had been closed and the announcer beginning again, introducing the acts as they came out one by one. The crowd of people sitting in awes, some in boredom from seeing the acts before, but still entranced by the almost freakish ways they performed their tricks. Each act that passed made the young boys heart jump, beating faster and faster as he tried to control his breath, keep from sweating through his costume. Soon enough, he heard the cue backstage that he was coming up, steadying his nerves then as he listened intently to the announcer, the man who was father to him now. [b] â??Now, Ladies and Gentlemen, I present to you a very special treat for your eyes. Tonight, I have the honor to present a new act, to give you the pleasure of seeing our newest member of our family. I give you the Prince of Night, the Boy of wonders; I give you, Hood!â?[/b] With the words spoken, the body pulled up his hood then, the fog machine kicking on as the lights dimmed more, the boy moving out swiftly then. Taking center stage, under the cover of the fog he remained still, his hand maid cloak covering his body with the hood hanging over his head. Separate lights kicked on then, the blinding white light covering him then, making him only a shadowy figure, the crowd silent as the boy remained motionless. Suddenly his hands appeared from his cloak, light bursting from his out stretched hands, the colorful show giving the crowd all that they needed to draw them in. When the color disappeared, Aimanan threw back his cloak then, revealing his face with a smile. Continuing his act then, one he had been working on for months upon months, learning the small details that made every trick that much more fantastic. The crowd was drawn in to his act, following each trick as he performed them as he had practiced. Mentally telling him to take his time, until he heard a voice in the crowd, one that would break his concentration enough. [b] â??Oh, thatâ??s SO fascinating! Come on kid, where is the real magic?â?[/b] He heard the voice, couldnâ??t see the face but his mind began to stumble, his hands faltering as he tried to do a card trick, losing the card from his grip and trying to pick it off the ground. The crowd laughed then, the tone of it obvious, the mockery of each sound smashing into his heart with every wave of renewed laughter. The heckler in the crowd still poking and prodding Aimanan, the boy trying to maintain focus, the tears welling up in his eyes as he could only try to keep from weeping before the crowd. All he wanted to do was retreat from the world; hide in the dark depths of the shadows where he felt the safest, where he felt the most at home. His mind shifted then, his thoughts turning to the heckler in the crowd, the one who felt the need to bring down a boy who had done him no harm. His want, his sudden desire for the heckler to get what was coming to him, it caused him to focus on the place where the voice came from. And his time of great desire, the shadows obeyed, the shapes forming from the inky blackness created by the pure light. Using his head, the shapes came to life, rising from nowhere as they took on nightmarish forms, some regular animalâ??s people feared, wolves, bears, serpents and other creatures. Others could only be explained as beings summoned from your deepest nightmare, the creatures flwoing out then at the gestures of his hands, the hot tears rolling down his face now as the crowd screamed. The creatures pushing through them, evaporating at the touch of mortals, leaving only chilled spines in their wakes as they looked for the one man. They found him quick enough, cowering away from the creatures, a warm trail flowing down his legs as the shadow creatures surround him, throwing up his hands as a shield before the creatures leaped as one, the mass of shadow enveloping the man before evaporating again. Leaving only the man on the ground, his pants wet from the encounter, his eyes wide as he looked around, the people rising from where they had fallen to look at the young man. Aimanans eyes just as wide as the crowd, his father having seen it all, the only question that could cross his mind was one he didnâ??t think he could ever voice to anyone. [i]What did I get myself into?[/i] [b] Other Skills:[/b] The combination of the need to help and his morbid curiosity has lead Aimanan to study medicine, having a photographic memory he was able to learn books upon books of medical text. He wouldnâ??t go as far as to declare himself a doctor, but it has saved his skin plenty of times. And with the powers he has, he also developed his sleight of hand tricks which make him a particularly interesting street magician for those last minute distractions.[/size]

[size="1"][b]Name: [/b]Desmond Relanko [b]Age:[/b] 28 [b]Appearance:[/b] Will edit [b]Personality:[/b] Desmond is methodical, ambitious and above all he is ruthless in his business practices. He is always in control of his situation; nothing goes unseen if he wishes it. He has a very calm personality in the sense of being able to maintain a steady mind and an unshakable concentration that has always kept him on top. He isnâ??t a cold and emotionless man, just has extreme difficulties expressing anything beyond his normal charm and wit he uses on clients. His wife was able to pull that side out of him, she couldnâ??t completely make him understand the emotional aspect of peopleâ??s minds, but she did help him understand how it is to feel something for someone. [b]Power:[/b] Desmondâ??s power is influence, more specifically it stems from his voice. His words are able to push into the deep parts of the mind and pull them towards him, however, the words are just suggestions that most follow. Not everyone is affected the same, some fall into his charm with minimal effort, others take time and convincing words along with his powers. But everyone, except his wife, gets pulled in eventually buy his powers. With time and development, his powers will become more than just suggestion; they will become the core beliefs of a person and spread like an infectious disease from one mind to the next. [b]Weapon:[/b] Desmond relies on his voice and his charisma to get his out of situations, been when that fails and he is met with confrontation, he carries a scoped police baton that with a flick of his wrist it extends out. He isnâ??t the most proficient, but he is quick enough that he can hit key body parts to end a fight as quickly as possible. [b]Holy Weapon:[/b] Mace of Dementia, this weapon comes from Lucifer, forged for a demon prince Astaroth it is passed down to Desmond. The mace itself holds its own consciousness, but the mind is more animal in the words it whispers to Desmond, itâ??s forger crafted it to desire only one thing, blood. And the need grows stronger and stronger as it becomes starved of the death it needs. [b]Bio:[/b] Will Edit[/size]

[size="1"]Geralt pushed the curtains away and then cracked the blinds open, looking out the window as he looked around carefully. His eyes scanning everything he could in the short burst he dared try. [b] "God Iron Bars, are you really at the window again?"[/b] Closing the blinds again he turned his head with a giant grin towards the voice. His smile covering up his concern in his eyes, the carrier wouldn't be able to read, or at least he hoped he wouldn't be able to see it for the woman who was still holding a towel to her back. [b] "Yes I am, I mean it's such a beautiful day I figured I would stare at the sun and see if my eyes would really burn out like my Ma use to tell me."[/b] He saw her shake her head then, able to see the obvious pain on her face as he held the pressure to the wound. His eyes traveled to the boy at her side then, seeing the youth of the child who was now their carrier, he found he was definitely curious about the boy. He made his way to the bed and set himself down, bouncing lightly as he laid back on the bed now. [b] "So, boy. You seem rather young, what is your gifts? What can you do? Can you jump through walls can you-" "Alexander." "Meh? What was that kid?"[/b] A slightly annoyed look on Alexanders face showed. [b] "My name is Alexander. Not kid or boy, Alexander." "Interesting name, wish I knew Alexander the Great. He was long before my time, I did get to meet Richard the Lionheart though. He was actually kind of an asshole really, always yelling and screeching at everyone. There was actually this one time, while me and my brothers were all in the Mott Irregulars, man those were good times. Anyways, we were out following the crusaders, hard ass bunch they were and no wonder with Richard screaming and yelling at them and we were just drinking and going about business, and man did those Crusaders hate us! Always calling us pig swill and-" "You met Richard the Lionheart? That's impossible!" "Didn't anyone teach you to not interrupt someone when they are talking? Sheesh! But anyways, they hated us and they had good reason, since we always made them all look bad every fight we got into. But one battle, we got bogged down in Black Dog forest and the crusaders were getting smashed every which way, mind you, we were doing some of the smashing ourselves. But we would dive into the enemy camp, literally fight our way through, and we stole a table." "Was the table important?" "What? Why would the table be important, It was just a table. But man, was it hilarious how they chased us for that thing. We would advance, run away with it, they would advance take it back and it went on and on for weeks like that. We ended up keeping the table, think we just burned it later on, but it was lots of fun." "Wait a minute, you ran behind enemy lines, during combat, and stole a table?" [/b]Alexander said then. Geralt still grinning broadly. [b] "Yeah, I mean it wasn't the greatest plan but it worked out in the end." "How the hell does that plan work at all?"[/b] The Carrier exclaimed at the Crimson Guard. [b] "We got them to stop fighting, they paid attention to a table. No idea what they were thinking, but they were in for a really bad day when they found the Mott Irregulars."[/b] Alexander had a exasperated looked on his face, slowly turning to Ashen before a thought hit him, his mouth gaping then. [b] "There are more like him?" [/b]Geralt could only smile then, the light fading as the darkness crept in, the time to move would come soon, and it was going to be a long night.[/size]

[size=2]He sat in the chair for several moments, the run itself hadn't been enough to wind him, it was the panic that tried to settle in that Anomander might still be alive. That his spirit, and his mind might have survived after that huge release of energy. Marcus still had a hard time believing the whole thing, that burst of energy from three users should have been enough to completely wipe out anyone from existence. After a few more deep inhales, he felt his throat loosen enough for him to speak again. [b]"Gear found me in the Archives. Neos...... he told me things I'm still having problems believing." "What is it Marcus?"[/b] Ali said, all he could do was look into the red eyes of hers before speaking again. [b]"He..... He said that.... Anomander lives." "That is impossible! We destroyed him!"[/b] Marcus nodded at Demetri's out burst. [b]"I thought so too, but it seems that we were unsuccessful in our assault." "How is that possible? We all witnessed his complete and utter destruction." "Again, I'm not sure how he survived."[/b] Marcus had to lie then, he had an idea how it was possible. But, it only made sense for someone like Anomander, and Marcus knew next to nothing about him but he felt his assumption was right, that every question he had was already answered, it just needed to be found. [b]"I think someone needs to find Tank, see if he is safe, and if we are all really in danger."[/b] He heard from a familiar voice, he didn't bother looking as his mind raced and searched for a way through the block, trying to break the memory barrier and then it hit him. He came back from his world, seeing the team talking now as the debate raged on what to do. They had now found themselves at an impasse, they could either go after the god, or they could stay behind to handle Anomander once more. Marcus could see Ali still standing near him, her attention still on the group as he rose then, his voice becoming louder a she enhanced it with the power of his runes. [b]"Everyone else should go, I will stay behind."[/b] He saw the faces turn back to him then, all eyes focusing on his dark face, the looks going over his runes, some seeing the subtle difference, others not noticing. Marcus had noticed, and when he had seen they were changing, he knew something was wrong, but he couldn't put his finger on it, even when it was on the tip of his tongue. [b]"Marcus, let me at least leave someone else with you. If he is still alive...." "No, take everyone. I will be fine on my own, the God needs to be handled and the more people you have, the sooner you can all return. But, I need to stay here, I can at least hold him off long enough if it comes down to it."[/b] Standing as tall as he could, he remained steady, even thought he knew his knees wanted to give out on him. He wasn't sure if he could really hold out against Anomander right now, he still felt weak from that fight, and found he was slow in recovering, it disturbed him greatly, but he did his best to shield his thoughts and his expression. Demetri nodded after several moments, Marcus feeling the relief surge into him. bowing his head to all of them then. [b]"I will see you all when you return, I will begin my task now."[/b] He left the room then, Neos standing outside the door with Gear, the hound still manifested into the real world for the time being. Marcus reaching down and rubbing the hounds head then, feeling the rough fur on his hand as he looked to the boy. [b]"Can you get Gear to find Break, I need his help."[/b] The hound took off then, not needing the commander of the boy to begin his search. [b]"Go with him, explain to him I need to see him in the archive room."[/b] Marcus left then, giving Neos a quick hug before they both went their own ways. Marcus trying to find the answers, but all he came up to was a wall in his mind, and that gave him the idea to find Break finally. To have him breach the wall and finally reveal to him what he had hidden away deep in his thoughts. He made his way back to the archives, going back to the table full of files, data and information on anything that could have mad Anomanders appearance make more sense. He also had the files of every person who had passed, Iron Bars, Plavos, Mist, and many others who now were resting in peace. Each person was displayed before him, standing before them, he placed his hands on the table, looking at everyone on the table, he couldn't understand the connection. Even when he removed Iron Bars from the equation, it still left too many questions, and not enough answers. He was becoming consumed by this, the answers that taunted him that were just out of his grasp, on the tip of his tongue, on the cusp of his awareness. It was driving him insane, he was about ready to scream when he heard the door open, not bothering to look he felt the hound come up and nuzzle up to him, Neos following as he grabbed on to Marcus then, pulling himself from the table and looking to the last figure. [b]"Break, good to see you. I need your talents."[/b] He looked at Marcus then, but not with surprise or with interest. He looked at him with a knowing look, as if he had been waiting for this for some time now. Marcus could see it, how he held himself and how he seemed to be carrying some sort of burden. [b]"You already know why I brought you here, don't you?"[/b] Break nodded. [b]"You told me, years ago, that you would call for me. I've been waiting to hear from you since that day." "I see, well, I must say. I never knew I would be able to pull something like this... on myself."[/b] He saw Break give a small laugh before walking up, standing before Marcus then. The Mystic could see the burden in his eyes, and he still didn't have the answers. Break raised his hands, placing them on the side of the Mystics head, his index fingers on Marcus' temples as every other finger touched a rune, carefully placing them on each mark he looked into his dark brown eyes. [b]"Ready for this Marked Man?"[/b] Marcus simply nodded, feeling his muscles tighten up as he waited for what was to come. But, nothing could have prepared him for it. The dissolving of the barrier in his mind was painless, but the sudden rush of thoughts, of feelings of memories was almost crippling. He felt his body stiffen and ready to crumble to the ground then, a scream trying to wretch itself from his throat but finding that he was still silent. His eyes shut tightly as everything slammed into him, finally opening his eyes he found himself on his knees, his breathing heavy and his body sweating. His teeth were clenched and his jaw was sore from how hard he had been pressing his teeth together, he looked up slowly, his vision swimming a little then as he came face to face with Gear then. The muzzle in his face as he looked into the eyes of the hound, seeing the longing in them he hadn't seen before. He rose slowly, unsteady but supporting himself on the table as he looked at the files again, his breathing coming back under control as he could see it now, the connection so simple now as he moved Plavos out of the equation as well, bringing them files together again he felt a heaviness settle in his heart again. [b]"Break......I got them all killed...... all killed for a secret."[/b] He felt his body tremble lightly then. Break coming up and touching his shoulder then. [b]"What secret Marcus?" [/b]He kept staring at the files, seeing all the information come together again. [b]"We couldn't kill him Break, back then he was a part of the darkness. So, we sealed him away, we broke his power, broke his soul into pieces. We carried all of those pieces inside of us, each one a piece of him. We thought, it would be enough."[/b] Break turned Marcus around then. [b]"What are you talking about Mystic?" "The others who were killed, except Plavos and Iron Bars. We were all part of the ritual, it started when Exodus and Claire died. We didn't know, I had their minds wiped when mine was wiped. All to hid a secret.......Break, I killed them."[/b] A hand smacked across his face, pulling him back from the surge of memories. [b]"What secret Marcus?"[/b] He almost yelled at the mystic now. Marcus shook his head then. [b]"The secret of the location of the Throne of Shadow......... MY throne Break."[/b] He let the words fall from his lips, feeling the magnitude of them as it settled in finally.[/size]

[size="1"][b]"Geralt Boles! Don't you ******* run from you son of a *****!"[/b] Laughter erupted from the red haired man as he held on to a pair of pants, flailing it around as he rushed through the hallways. His younger brother Amby running behind him then, half trying to cover himself and half trying to catch up with Geralt. He looked back at his younger brother, seeing the heated look in his face as he tried to catch up to him. [b] "Come on! Just give me back my pants!" "Hell no! This is what you get for pissing in the corner of my room!" "You did it to me last week." "That was Cain you idiot! Good luck getting these back!"[/b] He balled them up then, stopping just long enough to aim and then launched them up and watched them land on a window ledge. Amby ran past him, looking up at where his pants dangled off, Geralt doubling over in his laughter as a helpless look crossed Amby's face, moments later replaced by an angry look as he suddenly whipped around, charged and leaped at his older brother. Smashing right into him, tumbling on the ground, both trying to get the upper hand as Geralt continued to laugh hysterically, even after he had Amby pinned to the ground and gave him one good hit to the face. Amby went limp then, Geralt's laugh lessened as he gripped him by his shirt and dragged Amby through the hall back to the Boles common area, tossing him on to a long couch, grabbing a blanket before throwing it over Amby then. [b] "Sweet dreams little brother, you're face is going to hurt like no tomorrow!"[/b] He let out one final laugh before moving off then, walking over to his own room. The smell of urine having faded now as he undressed then walked into his shower, cleaning off the sweat and grim of the day. He took only a few minutes to clean off before stepping back out, drying himself off before catching himself in the mirror, rubbing his face and seeing the stubble along with the stray hairs on his beard, taking the time to trim it up before going back to him room. Putting on his jeans and then a black and red shirt, as he walked around he started to tear through his room, looking around trying to find his boots. He finally found them only after having ran into them and stubbing his toe. [b] â??God dammit! This is just my luck, damn boots even hate me!â?[/b] Picking up one of the boots he was about to throw it when he took a moment, hearing a voice in his head that had become soothing these past 600 hundred years. He set down his boot and stuck his foot in, tying the laces before finally setting out he walked through the halls, eager to reach his destination but keeping his pace slow and his path discreet. He finally came to the door he was looking for, looking over his shoulder a bit, making sure no one was around he straightened himself out and knocked on the door. [b] â??Come in Geralt.â?[/b] He heard the soft voice behind the door, a slight grin on his face as he opened the door, stepping through and looking around again. He had already become so familiar with this room in the past centuries that it was almost second nature for him to be here, the room had hardly been rearranged in those past centuries, the occasional move of something small but nothing major due to Ashenâ??s blindness. Walking in he closed the door behind him as a giant grin grew on his face at seeing her sitting in her usual spot, her fingers gently going over the brail on the pages. [b] â??Ashen! Itâ??s been too long!â? â??Itâ??s only been an hour Geralt. You know you are excessively needy sometimes.â?[/b] Geralt let out a small laugh then. [b] â??Of course I am, you know this better than most Ashen.â?[/b] He took a seat in his usual chair, one that sat right across from Ashen putting his feet up on a small ottoman. She leaned over quickly and pushed his feet off, a small grunt from him then. [b] â??You know the rules, boots off!â?[/b] He shook his head as he leaned over, untying his boots and setting them out of the way. Remembering one of many times she tripped over one of his boots and proceeding to hit him with it. He put his feet back up and relaxed into the chair once more. [b] â??Ah this is nice, well, how is that book going for you so far? I mean, youâ??ve must of read it at least a thousand times by now.â?[/b] She nodded then. [b] â??It has been a few times, it actually just reminded me. You have never told me a story about Tehol, the others I heard about often enough but not the youngest one. He seems to be mysteriously absent through most of these stories you tell me.â?[/b] Geralt took a few moments then, silent as he went through his mind to find the right one to tell, suddenly snapping his fingers when he realized a perfect story. [b] â??Iâ??ve got one for you my dear Ashen. Brace yourself, though, you are about you hear a side of my younger brother you never heard before.â?[/b] Ashen rolled her eyes and let out a sigh before â??lookingâ?? in his last known direction. [b] â??Come now, he is a Boles, of course he has some side to him that makes every just sigh heavily.â?[/b] Geralt laughed then. [b] â??Câ??mon Ashen, you know us all better than that. Tehol couldnâ??t do half the things we do, purely because he thought we were ridicules in all of our antics.â? â??Iâ??m aware, I just have been waiting to hear about what stupid thing he has done.â? â??Stupid isnâ??t the word I would use, more like, cute if that is the right word.â?[/b] She lifted a lean eyebrow at him then. [b] â??Cute Geralt? I donâ??t think Iâ??ve heard you say that word for a long time.â? â??Yeah yeah, quiet and listen already. Jezz!â?[/b] He smiled as he saw her shake her head at him, gesturing for him to start with the story. [b] â??Well, one time when me and the boys had gone out for a few drinks, our buddy Blues was getting married soon and we were throwing him a bachelor party the Boles way.â?[/b] He heard her groan then, his smile growing a bit. [b] â??As you can imagine, it was a lot of drinking, a lot of trouble followed. Think we got thrown out of some bar or tavern, Iâ??m having a problem remembering the time period now, but anyways it was one of many nights. We ended up drinking Blues under the table and we had to carry him around for the rest of the night. We came across this old barn in the random path we took to walk, we were about to just dump Blues in there with no clothes, thinking it would be a great way for him to wake up.â? â??What does this have to do with Tehol?â? â??Just hold on, you know I like to build up to it. Anyways, we get closer to the barn, ready to dump him in the hay when we suddenly all hear a sound we all know very well. So, we drop Blues into a nearby barrel, the water being cold enough that he instantly woke up. Obon had to clap a hand over his mouth so he wouldnâ??t scream, we all went in quietly-" â??Thatâ??s a surprise Geralt.â? â??Let me finish already! By the carrier, so we snuck in QUIETLY, and we hear the sound and it becomes clearer. And we all know exactly what is happening, we hear the moaning and the gasping, so now we have to see who is doing work on some random girl. Maybe give him some inspirational cheering while we are at it. We climb up to where the noise is, and Iâ??m the first to see it and I just was speechless.â? â??Really, you? That is hard to believe Geralt Boles.â? â??It does happen to me as well, but anyways. So, I see the girl first, riding the unknown guy and she is quite the catch. I think Higus tried to bed her a few times and she turned him down, it made more sense why she did when we saw who the man was.â?[/b] He saw the expression on her face change then. [b] â??Donâ??t tell meâ?¦â?¦â? â??Yup, it was none other than Tehol Boles. I could not believe my eyes, the pride of an older brother hit me then. Unfortunately, the girl saw me then and freaked, screaming before I fell off the later. I remember Tehol looking down at me, a huge smile on my face as we all laughed and cheered and clapped for him. He wasnâ??t pleased with us for a while, and we bothered him so much about it, later we found out she joined the Guard and her and Tehol have been together ever since.â?[/b] He saw her mouth gap then. [b] â??Wait, you mean, Coraline â??Saberâ?? is who Tehol is with? Wasnâ??t she an Avowed before him?â? â??I know right? She is far toâ?¦â?¦ fun really, Iâ??ve drank with her more than Tehol. I wonder if he will ever pop the question to her? Oh well, but that is the Tehol we all never see, he is quite the romantic that none of us knew about.â?[/b] Geralt couldnâ??t help but laugh at remembering that day, and seeing the slightly shocked expression on Ashenâ??s face.[/size]