Saga II: Dusk Star

SAGA II: Dusk Star
Location: Mare Maris

Wall of Text Summary

Spoiler:

“And in the garden they knew nothing of sin, nothing of shame. There was passion but in that passion there was no wrong. For they ere one with their father. Present not absent. They could speak and walk with him in that garden of their dreams. But then came the thorns. The serpent. And to them was brought iniquity. Forever cast out into the shadows”.~ Desperation and Trials

The dawn was but the beginning of the story for many, and the end for even more. But there were some stories that one would not have expected to begin in certain ways, and yet there they are in the shadow of what one would see as the rising of the sun. One such story was the beginnings of the woman who would become the Queen of Mare Maris. Like many creatures, she awakened after the dawn, but it was in a place that she did not belong. A place that was most unfortunate for her to end up in. Most Kami after the dawn had awakened in the place that they would call home, the celestial realm, a place where they would help one another rebuild. Where they would decide to protect what they could from the world below. To explore to love to help. The queen however didn’t begin here. Nor did she begin in Terra.

Her story began in the depths of the most horrible of places. Deep within the broken realm once known as Onitoshi. In the battle before the dusk, many of the Kami had fought to protect their home using what skills they had when the demons from the hells gate began to invade their home. But the end result for many had been death, For others it had been worse, dropping down from the skies above in the battle and falling into the pits of the hells gate. Normally had things gone well, this may have resulted in them fighting their way back out. Or a swift death upon entry by the hundreds of demons waiting to get themselves a piece of kami ass. But it just so happened that when the Queen and her troops fell through the gate. At that very moment. Everything came to an abrupt and violent end.

And when she awakened. She would be in a place far different from what she would have liked to see. From what other Kami had see-

---

Blinked. Fluttering eyes on the edge of consciousness. Like a waking dream, not quite sure where, how who or what. But within that idea of oblivion there was a sense of self. Eyes closed again. Embracing the warmth of sleep. But it wouldn’t last long. Screams tore over that serene sleep of hers. Screams of things that could never be described as human, pain. Death screams. All such things that a new life, a new memory was now baptised in. Oppression. But she was thankfully not the only one to be born into this mess. Not the only one like her.

Other winged ones, other kami had fallen in the same place she was. Not all were so lucky. Some were unlucky enough to land in the lava pits. Others upon spiked spires. But there was a group that had fallen into the land, a crevices of a ruined building. Those there like her knew that there was danger. And despite memories, words being long gone. There was safety in familiarity. The Kami approached the outside. A group of five including the queen. What they saw there was a sight that was beyond the ideas of men. A time to which only demons remember.

In the dawn there was chaos everywhere. But none so great as that in the place of chaos. When the demons awakened. In their rage in their evil in their confusion. They lashed out at one another. There was a time when the underworld was not just a simple desolate wasteland. There was a time when its plains were filled with bodies. Each one awakening from the effects of the dawn. Each one rising only to strike another down. It was a slaughter. And that is what met their eyes. Rivers of blood from demons who knew nothing but their base instinct. Who killed for the simple sheer assurance that they were in fact real. That their hunger for death could be satisfied. To take out the frustration of not being able to know what had came before. It was an image that would scar the mind. A carpet of bodies all cutting biting and slashing one another in to what was, a completely unknowable rage. The Kami made their way across the plains of what was now dubbed as Barathrum Regnum.

Trying to make their way out of the dark realm. Trying to find any glimmer of hope that there was a way to escape this hellish nightmare. But their searching was in vein, one by one the numbers of the group began to dwindle. One died in a demon attack, another a plain accident. The next, suicide over hopelessness. Till finally it was just the would be queen and her last companion. Wordless, in a land of nightmares. Just when all hope seemed to fail. The two uncovered a cavern within the dark land, the cavern would appear to be the root of their hopes. A light at the end of a very dark tunnel. In this place it would seem that the dense and oppressive air that permeated all of Barathrum Regnum was somehow diluted in here, the further that they moved in the less of a weight seemed to be pressed upon their shoulders. The cooler the air seemed to become. With dried cracked lips, and darkened eyes. The two Kami finally emerged from the horrors of hell, and into Terra. Which by comparison seemed like a paradise. There were no monsters here. Well, none that hit with tooth and claw. But that was something they were yet to discover. It was here that they first found water. That they first found words. And in those waters, washed away was the dust of the past. A thirst for freedom. Finally quenched.


---

“In the garden there were things that were forbidden. Fragments of what the fathers knew. Fruit of the gods. Power forbidden to all. And so the serpent came and his name was CHAOS. And he did tell them of ways to become an equal to god. To tempt them to the fragments. To tempt them with iniquity. And so came the dusk of the garden, the end of dreams. The gods would not bare an equal from their childer. And so to the wastelands they were brought. Here in the wastes, they did meet the shadow. And his name was DEATH, and he taught them of their wrong doings. For he had never known the grace of the garden. A lord of the wastes were he had been so long his body had rotted. So long the rot had crumbled to dust. So long that the dust had long since become the sands of the wastes. And quickly, the children forgot”~ Desperation and Trials

----

Like flowers to the sun, the children of the realm of man did flock to the would be queen. She healed, she blessed. And brought with her the grace and beauty she had been long denied in the lower realms. And they did treat her as a goddess. As a mother. And things began to grow around her. Happiness. Acceptance was hers. To her companion she did make a royal guard. And when she was pronounced queen, the ruler of the people. She built her city next to waters, for those had been her liberation. Her freedom. And from her new home she could see those waters, to be eternally thankful for the blessing that they brought. At first Mare Maris was little more than a village, then a town. There was no need for swords and shields nor destructive magic. In the first years of the cities founding it became known as a holy place. The queen and her followers would heal those that came, and in seeking for the healing, those that witnessed it did stay. Quickly it grew around her. But like all things. The larger the light, The bigger the shadow that it casts.

The Queen had seen the evils of this world, they however were far out weighed in her eyes by the good. For she had been a creature who had experienced the darkest of the dark. And not even the darkest things of man could compare to that place that now and again, still showed up within dreams of dreams. But she was not the only one to emerge from that pit. So too began the story of the pophet. A creature whose very mystery lied in his connection with the so called fragments of the old world. The pages of the book of creation. And an utmost mystery it does remain, at his side marching from the pits he brought with him legions of the demonic horde. Corrupting and tainting the south western forest far beyond what it should have been in those early days. Its proximity to the place of fiends would have been bad enough. Had things not crawled out, and made that place their home. To spread out roots, and conduct their plans for this world. And this is where our story begins. To the east, the light. The Innocent Queen of Mare Maris, the centre, the core, medius. The Dark king and his minions. The West, the prophet and his legions of Onikonjou ready to unleash chaos and enlightenment upon the world. A world divided. Carved out among three rulers.

----

South West Forest Region: The Black Citadel, 1 year prior


“ We have tried my lord, yet it is not appearing to be as easy as we first anticipated!”.

The black council had formed. Thirteen seats in an enclosed circled room, at one edge of the circle, a throne larger than the others. Upon it sat the Prophet. Robed, a crow sitting on either shoulder. Watching and listening to the reports of his most “ trusted” servants. The council had been attempting to spread their influence through the lands, spreading out from the west and into Medius. However it became quite clear that once they hit the zone known as the core they weren’t going to be travelling any further. No matter the strength of numbers that seemed to be sent in nothing that went into that area returned alive. So, if you couldn’t go through something then you had to go around it, so they did precisely that. Spreading around the core and into the lands that belonged to the southern tribes and the coastal regions. But their influence was not spreading with their minions. The initial idea had bee to use the influence of humans against them. Persuade them to make deals. Seduce their women. But for some reason in particular the east, they were meeting heavy resistance. Certain members of the human race were giving into their temptations easily but others were not. And the prophet wanted to know why. He rapped his claws upon the obsidian carved chair.


Ultimately the less humans that were under their influence then the less they would hear. The less they heard then the less chance of finding one of the pages was. And the Prophet would not tolerate such things. The pages would be needed for his plan, and the lack of them only opened up chances for others to find them, which would only impede his efforts further. One of the thirteen seats spoke, a rather ugly fellow who resembled a stone like monstrous gargoyle. Albeit with one of his arms being withered and ingrown. “ From the reports I hear my lord Prophet, there are many who believe that a divine being has come down among them...it seems to be the influence of this...eastern star...that is turning people away from the temptations of darkness and more towards the light”. This, was troubling. The Kami were beginning to interfere in things. Had they foresaw his plan? Had they too guessed just what he was up to? He grumbled under his breath and began to think on a way to dam the flow of how things were currently heading. And then it struck him. “ Has this eastern star officially developed any kind of religion?”. There were discussions among the council for a few brief moments before there was a resounding “ no” coming from the one with the withered arm. “ Not that t we are aware of. We know that she is their monarch, but not a goddess”. And this was where it became interesting. The Prophet had an idea of just how to use this kind of thing against the humans.

“ Very well then, we shall change our plan of action, gather our followers, spread the word that this monarch is chosen by the gods, Using this idea we will then gather her followers, grow in popularity....we shall commit acts of charity, feed the helpless, care for the sick and give shelter to the homeless”. There was confusion among most of the ranks of the black council. All bar the one who seemed to be doing the majority of their speaking. The one with the withered arm. “ Feed them poison and tell them that its fruit...a most excellent idea Lord Prophet...However , if we are to start a religion, a following among the people. They shall need holy words, a doctorate to follow”. The Prophet stood to his feet, the crows on his shoulder taking flight and circling the roof of the chamber with an incandescent cawing. “ The words I shall provide, simply ensure that you bring the flesh”.

----

And so it was done, over the year the demons took the form of en, took the form of kami. And spread the “ divine word”. They lured in the followers of the Queen, seemingly no threat to her reign, but rather a people running a successful promotional campaign. After luring in those followers with their good deeds and words of praise for the Queen, the emphasis of the religion shifted more from her and onto the “ will of the gods”. This will, successfully scrawled down in a holy book written by the prophet and a hand scrawled copy given to each and every chapel that had spread throughout the lands of Terra. And the prophets plan was strangely successful. The people ever since the dawn had been looking for an answer. A reason for their existence and here came in the prophet with his book of words and many followers, warped and twisted creatures put into the shells of divine and beautiful forms.

The prophet had his devout and began making the structure of the organisation. His direct followers would be those who were demons, below them were the human recruits. These were to be the main face of the church. They would be those that recruited others. They would be those who could not be suspected to be spirits. Those who honestly believed in the good works of their religion. Below them, the basic followers. The ignorant masses. And the religion was growing more each and every day. The prophets power base expanding each and every day, infecting the whole of Terra, bar the zone known as medius. It was not farfetched to say that the Prophet and his followers were instrumental in the spread of rumours concerning the dark king and the forsaken land known as the core. Particularly the rumours which concerned the moments of the dark king and his army of darkness. When things began to move out of Medius. It began to worry the council of the prophet greatly. Threatening their power base. A meeting was called to discuss the threat, and deal with it appropriately.

----
A week before the events of MoTDK

The sound of banging, mild like the knocking of a door resounded throughout the black citadel as the prophet moved down the hallowed halls of his base of operations. The Black citadel in the early days had been a hasty construction, but over time had been improved using magic and good craftsmanship. The stone of Trra was fine and smooth but lacked the strength, and the intimidation factor that he liked. So, building near the ways to hell gave its usefulness a new edge. He was able to draw up stone from deep within Barathrum Regnum and build himself a fortress worthy of the demonic horde. Of course, magic helped with that. Onikonjou were not always known as the best workers. Slaves to fear and temptation perhaps. But workers. No. The outside of the Citadel appeared to be something out of a nightmare. Black rough stone lining the walls, with orange coals that seemed to glow as if under constant heat jutting out here and there. The inside of the Citadel was slightly more refined. The walls, black Onyx, the floors. Obsidian glass. The floors in particular were an idea of the prophet. The obsidian reflected the person walking much like a mirror. And with some magical fine tuning, he had converted the floor to a sor of draining mirror. Whoever walked down it, if they looked at their own reflection. Would have their strength sapped. All except the prophet himself of course, it was one way of keeping the peons in line.

The council had been called, and he had been called to oversee it. A task whih The Prophet did not find to be a good use of his time. At the moment most of his attention was spent overlooking the progress of the religion, which of course had a subtask of searching for the fragments, the pages. But thus far, there had been nothing. Yet despite the use of resources with what was at the moment very little come back. The Prophet did not think it to be a foolish investment. Zealots had their uses, and eyes and ears everywhere had even more. A sly sneer as the Prophet pushed open the doors to the council chamber. The council members already sat, each of their eyes ( some more than two per head) watching him intently. As he moved through the circle. To the large chair at the back. Taking his seat, he raised a hand. And gave permission for the council to convene the meeting. One of the multi eyed council members seemed to be the first to speak up. “ It is good to see you Lord Prophet. It had been some time since any of us have had the honour of being graced by your presence”. The prophet could not yet determine whether the words of this council member were sincere or sarcastic. Really it could go either way with some of these members. It had been true though the last time any of these council members had actually seen him in person was the meeting all those months ago concerning the founding of the religion. His tiem ever since then had mostly been taken up in writing up the doctrine of this religion and of course keeping the information lines flowing concerning the locations of the fragments. The Prophet merely gave the slightest of nods, and acknowledgement that could honestly go either way. He wouldn’t be seen to rise to sarcasm or be overly penitent concerning areas of respect.

On of he other council members spoke up, this one however didn’t look as if he belonged. Flowing golden hair, white wings at his back For all intents and purposes this one looked like a Kami. But the Prophet knew that this was merely just an illusion to fool the masses. Likely this council member was one of the “ Grand Clerics” of the new religion. Taking on the appearance of a kami to fool those into believing that they wre indeed holy. Although it was surprising, when he spoke. The Prophet was bemused that he knew precisely who this one was. “ Lord Prophet”. Said the Kami like council member. By his voice the Prophyet had identified him as the oni who had the appeareance that struck him as awfully simi,lar to a gargoyle. Which was rather amusing considering his current form. “ There have been whisperings in the villages of the faithful that a dark force had begun its movement towards the west, the dark force merging from Medius”. A dark force? The Prophet could only assume that such a thing came from the forsaken land of the core. That place had for the most part remained a relative mystery to everyone. In the sage areas of Medius you could see the ruins and relics of what had came before. And yet like the monkey trying to catch the moon, one could never touch it, and trying to do so would end up getting you drowned in whatever dark power called that place its home. And if it was emerging, and moving West. Then that meant it was quite possible that whatever was heading that way was going to be coming in a rather close proximity to the south western forest. Which meant far too close to their seat of power. And it seemed that his thoughts reflected those of the entire council. They all began mumbling among themselves debating upon how to deal with this problem. The majority view on the problem seemed to be to form up the demoni legions and march against whatever was heading westward. But the Prophet did not agree on this. The action would draw attention to them, and since they were currently tryingto remain seen by the world as an inactive threat due to their spread of the religion. They could not afford such a clear cut display of power.

He said. His voice sounding out throughout the chamber. “ It would destroy the efforts we have made in our current goals, drawing attention and suspicion where we cannot afford any...our plan of action should be this...first off....I doubt that these movements have escaped the sights of those within Mare Maris either. We should be watching the political climate of these areas and act depending upon the feelings of those within”. The were nods of agreement. An orange haired Onikonjou spoke up. “ My lord...I am the cleric within the parish of Mare Maris....you are correct, there have been rumblings concerning the movement of this darkness...however as they are moving westward and have presented no direct threat to Mare Maris...the Queen had determined that they are currently not a threat, and will not take pre-emtive action”. The Prophet had expected as much, whilst these thigns were just rumours at the moment, they did have many prominent members of Mare Maris government within their faithful. So it was creditable. Going off that and the sheer disgusting innocence of the queen. He knew it was likely they would not be the aggressors in any kind of war between them and anyone else.

“ Very well if this is the case then what we must do is remain hidden, silent, but form an opposition to cut off the dark force and its march westward”

The Prophet placed his hand below his cowl and stroked at the chin underneath, thinking carefully. “ The church should praise the Queen’s peace keeping efforts. But at the same time urge caution among the faithful...we must make them wary of the darkness....keep rumours up and news concerning its progress and make them readily available” Finally and more importantly came the Prophets final plan of action. “ No doubt that most of you would have heard of the Dragon Slayers”. It was the name of a rag tag group that had been circulating about a particular region after a town had came under assault from a rampaging dragon. Dragons were rare creatures, rare and powerful. The average human or indeed spirit didn’t stand much of a chance against the tyrant lizards. “...Ensure that those who own property and live within the areas that the dark force is in the path of are aware of its movements...in particular...make aware those who were known to have slain the dragon weeks ago of just what is happening...if we have people with strength like that...then it may be possible to turn its tide elsewhere without interfering ourselves”.. More discussion among the group. But it seemed that after it they all came to agree with the logic of the prophet. Those who defeated the dragon were powerful and likely would provide more of an offense against the dark march that was no doubt coming down upon them all..


------

In the City of Mare Maris

Ever since the rise of the dawn Uriel had been with her. And that was his mission, his purpose in life. To be with her and to protect her. She HAD his heart, even if he did not have hers. Which was why he had to do certain things fro her which she could not do. This little meeting being one of them. Uriel was the Queen’s right hand man. She at times, was the perfect example of a ruler. Kind, merciful, fair. But unfortunately, these things were not always the best virtues of a ruler. Even though technically the city was still in his boom growth period, problems had already cropped up from all sides. Evils that one could not really deal with if you only had the merciful option available to you. These problems had quickly became a thorn in the side of the Queen in the early days. Which is why Uriel decided to take matters onto himself and establish the Gestalt group. The queen was the spirit of Mare Maris. The message to the outside world that not everything had to be dark and cold. That the sun did indeed rise in the east. The Queen herself a radiant beacon of good. A healer who walked among he people. The Gestalt. And Uriel. They were the body of Mare Maris. The thing that defended the soul. Whilst Gestalt covered the military forces of Mare Maris. It also encompassed its more shady side of things. The military dealt with the direct threats, and for the most part the Queen determined just what those threats were. The military, were defensive. Not offensive. So its main use in battle was seen against ether bandits or dark spirits that sought to invade and subvert. This was Eisen Gestalt(Iron Body. The other side of things was the group that he mostly took handle of, the one that even the Queen didn’t know about. Assassinations. Covert operations, trafficing with...powerful entities. These were the tasks of Verstect Gestalt(Hidden Body). His side of the Gestalt was essentially the secret police of Mare Maris.

And they were very good at their jobs. The majority of those that actually belonged to his section of the Gestalt group were actually masquerading as members of the public. Merchants, peasants. Ones from all walks of life. It made for effective social cover. The assassinations, dealt with as accidents. And in the past fifteen years no one had suspected that they even existed. Today, was another one of those dark things that he had to deal with that the Queen could enver have her hands sullied in. The dungeons built underneath the cities. In the sewers. A holding cell for some of their darker activities. Rigorous interrogation. A couple of weeks ago a dark force had came to Mare Maris iand had started spreading levels of disease and discord among the good people. And Uriel was determined to get to the bottom of this little indiscresion. Most of these spirits who played the part of these rumour mongers were simply just pawns for greater powers greater owers that would ultimately then be taken care of for the preservation of the peace and for Mare Maris. Torture had been going on for several days now, and whilst you wouldn’t expect the holiest of places on Terra to bethe home of expert torture masters. The Inquisitors of the Gestalt were masters of pain.

They knew how to tweak people, find their weaknesses. Exploit them and even manipulate their feelings into making the torture victim think that they were in the company of friends who wanted to help them be relieved of the burden that came with the truth. It was rather amusing thing to see ven as dark as it sounded coming from one of his own kind. He pushed open the door and the hooded inquisitor was looking up at the rack with what looked like an onion in his hand. A bucket of water at his feet and a balloon. It was...disturbing. One of the things about these inquisitors was that they had long ago disposed of what you would call the more traditional methods of torture and had instead started playing a little game among themselves. Giving each other three random items and seeing what kind of horrific methods they could come up with. And Uriel knew just what they could do with these seemingly harmless items.

“ Lord Uriel”.

Spoke the hooded man in the room with the balloon in his hand. “ We have discovered that the root cause of this mans misdeeds lies within things that he has seen....”. Uriel raised an eyebrow. Things that he had seen? Discord and rumour mongering certainly could be brought about by sight alone. But disease? Were they unconnected? Had he made a mistake? “ What things has he seen?”. The Inquisitor approached the Oni male on the rack and touched his cheek in what would be seen an a serene and caring manner. “ This one has been in the core it would seem...the horrors that he saw there have tainted him beyond the level of normal Onikonjou, yet he is no threat beyond that taint....his mind has been snapped by what has been seen...his corruption is not to be malicious to others...not anymore....but where he steps....the corruption will spread”. Uriel took a step closer. Indeed, there was something different about this spirit. He wasn’t like the normal Onikonjou. Therew as something else in there swimming with the usual corruption. Something below the surface. “ Tell me”. Uriel said. “ What did he see within the core?”. There was silence as the inquisitor let out a deep sigh, stroking the cheek of his victim. Uriel had a great curiosity concerning the things of the core. The gestalt had previously tried to send agents within to see just what kind of things lived there, to see if there was anything within the centre of medius that presented any real threat to them. But ultimately the answer had been kept from him. For the thigs within the core clearly did not wish to be discovered. For every agent he sent, he received nothing, not even a word of hei death. It was as if they simply ceased to exist. He felt for the families of those who died in service to the secret agency of the gestalt group. Those who had children, wives, could not be given any kind of help or compensation despite how much Uriel wished to grant it to them. For to do so would make others question just why they were receiving benefits that others were not. It would eventually come to the queens attention and no doubt risk the integrity of the entre group.

“ I think that is a question best answered by our poor demented friend here...”.

Uriel wondered if the inquisitor was being awkward or if truely the question was best answered by the damned soul in front of him. The right hand man of the Queen leaned over the bloodied ruined body of their prisoner and whispered. “ Tell me of what you saw”. The eyes of the prisoner shot open, they were blank white, as if he had been blinded. He started whisoering and Uriel could barely make out a word until he drew himself closer to the madded secrets of the victim. “.....See upon the bloodied bone streaked road a balack mass of writhing death....it screams and walks upon the dead who are the ones that lie before for nothing does stand away only in the light do they be slowed.In the dark do they now rule in the core do they now see, a man on throne a man once been, a man brings pain, to be his rule”. Giggling. Madness. Then weeping. “ Kill kill kill....there will be nothing left....they will consume us all...no escape...none....just lie down and be among the dea, drown ourselves in the soil we may do....hehehehehehahahahaha urgh...>”> More senless giggling combined with the weeping. It was a horrible sight. The inquisitor continued to stroke the cheek of the mad Oni in front of him and it seemed to bring some simple comfort towards the man. It became ultimately clear that whatever pain the hooded Gestalt member had inflicted upon the demon was in no way equal to the pain that he suffered merely by living. This show of affection was not false. But out of true sympathy that he could not cause any level of agony that matched it.

Uriel turned. Physically sick. “ Put him out of his misery...”. Teh Inquisitor nodded and bowed. “ Yes my lord...as you have said....but know that before...he spoke of that writhing mass moving along westward....the bone streaked road he called it...”. Uriel nodded.

“I will report this to the Queen and see what her action will be”.

II

Two days had passed since that disturbing event in the holding cell. Since the Onikonjou causing the issues had been taken care of. But by the looks of it just like before the oni had only been the symptom of a much larger problem. One that had to bereported directly to the queen Whatever darkness had lain sleeping within the core was now beginning to stri, and it was moving out westward. The Kami could only be glad that it was not moving towards Mare Maris. Such things were small blessings however, and ti only emant that it gave them time to either attack pre-emptively or prepare for an attack themselves. Uriel of course had to think of a way to get this thin out in the open. As of yet only a few people knew of the mans mad ramblings and that was limited to the few that had heard him and ultimately dismissed him before he had been picked up by the members of the Verstect Gestalt And now Uriel had to make these md remablings more common knowledge. So he sent out his members and had them spread the word of this dark army. And it seemed that he was no alone in this. Whether it was coincidence ore mere happenstance the church seemed to be helping with this. They were a world spreading religion and apparently some of their clerics were receiving horrible reports from the west. Many of them were actually coming to him and begging for the Queen to do something. It was a thing that brought a smile to hsi face. The church had influence among the people. It was going to be easier to get the queen into taking action rather than retaining her usual normal passive nature about things like this. With his collective reports on the rumours and the written pelas from the church in hand he marched into the throne room quite intent on seeing if he could get the Queen to give the go ahead on taking action and marching West with the Eisen Gestalt.

The chambers of the queen wern’t really what you would call grant, she was after all a woman of the people and whilst she wore and did have certain things that were givent o her due to her status for the most part she tried to make it so that the majority of her riches were spent on the poor. In Uriels opinion this was the perfect way to be a leader. Not to rule the people, but to serve them. Both to make their lives better and to serve their best interests. “ Uriel”. Spoke the Queen. She was a radiant figure. Long glowing golden hair that reached down to her back. A porcelain face that looked as if it had endured no hardship. A petite frame of a young woman. Despite this, Uriel knew just what she had endured. And respected her all the more for having coming through it as she was. She stood and approached him, hands held out in front her. Then collapsed around his cheeks, slender arms resting against his chest and shoulders. She cupped his face, and kissed his forehead in a traditional greeting that was common to the both of them. He took his own hands, palcing them over hers. Removing them one at a time, planting a kiss gently on the bck of each. “ My Queen”. He said, kneeling before her as he finished. His followers taking kneel after him. She laid her hand upon his head and spoke in that gentle hypnotic voice of hers. “ Stand Uriel, you know that you need not bow to me”. Uriel stood, but shrugged as he did so. “ Formalities must be kept my lady”. He gestured over to a long rectangular table in the chamber, each took their seats. The Queen at one end of the table and Uriel at the other. The Queens attendents took the right side of the table and Uriel’s followers the left.

“ I bring news from the people, and pleas from the church.... A dark force has arisen in the west emerging from the forsaken core....it is said that this force moves further west towards the great forests, as of yet its purpose is undefined...however any who have seen or stood in its way are either dead or mad....the church has many followers fleeing for their lives from the homes that are in the path of the dark march.....and the people are looking to us to ensure their protection...”.

The queen’s brow furrowed. She never did like conversations concerning any sorts of military matters, for the most part she left everything concerning the Gestalt’s to him. But anything concerning actual action, he needed her authority on it. And he hated to ay, but it was a difficult thing for him to get. “ Has this dark march shown any indications of harming our people?”. And there was the question that he had expected. To the outsider it would seem selfish. Self preservation. The truth simply was that the Queen did not want to be an aggressor. And the stories from the great forest indicated that a great many demon followers lived out there. And whilst she was all too willing to help them if they came to her, well. There was always the chance that those evil people had done something to anger those that lived in the core. By helping the guilty, Mare Maris would only be involving itself, and putting its people at an unnecessary risk. “ As of yet, no”. The Queen folded her hands in front of her and let out an apologetic smile.

“ I’m sorry Uriel but we cannot take an aggressive stance on this, thus far the force, be it dark or no has not turned its head towards Mare Maris, for all we know there may indeed be a good reason for these actions. And by moving in pre-emptively we risk our people in a foolhardy venture that we know nothing about”.

Uriel could see where she was coming from, but her nature was unfortunately blinded by her naivety. She wouldn’t take a risk based on good fact, and wasn’t willing tom bend to the will of her people or the pleas of the church if it meant some misguided sense of preservation. “ However that’s not to say that I won’t authorise the increase in defensive measures, you may increase our border forces as well as place more of the men scout patrol just n case there is any sign of suspicious activity around the borders and within our lands”. He didn’t expect pre-emptive action from her, defence was going to be the best that he was going to get from her. So he would take it, frowning on the inside but nodding graciously on the out. She looked to the table however, a tired look to her face. “ I know this was not the answer that you wanted Uriel, and I know that I have been....unhelpful...in the past...but I cannot be seen as an aggressor by the people of Terra... already there are people within our ranks that seek to destroy me...those that distrust spirits and would rather us dead or returned to our own realm....this is my home, and I cannot afford to give them ammunition”. Uriel nodded. “ I understand my queen”.

What he really meant and wanted to say of course was that, yes he understood her position. But being overly passive was as much weakness to these people as being overly aggressive. To be seen as a door mat would make her appear to be a weak leader if anything indeed did go wrong. But thus far it had not, and it was all too lucky for her that it hadn’t. Well luck was one word. Intervention by the secretive members of the Gestalt group had been another more accurate description. Uriel had watched over her from day one, and would continue to do so, but she was making it eternally difficult to do even that anymore. And that is what he didn’t like. With a brief nod, he stood. She looked back up at him as his servants followed suit. He bowed, and she merely stared at him with sad eyes. Did she feel guilty for being like this? Did she not wish to deny him? Or was it something else entirely that was bothering her. He couldn’t really think about it at the moment. He had defences to arrange Turning and walking out of the chamber he would take his leave and move towards the main complex of the armed forces. The Eisen Gestalt and have a meeting with the Generals. Who would no doubt be unhappy about the news.

------

The rumours of the dark king spread by the church of the prophet did reach far and wide, bringing in heroes and warriors, both those who defeated the dragon and others. There was a battle and the Dark Kings purpose was revealed. Albeit too late for the Prophet himself to intercede. . The Page fromt he book of life was found, and when it was unsealed. So where the angry ghosts of the Dusk. Those known as [The Words]. For a day and a Night, the confused lost phantoms did rage, some merely tormenting people, others the rumours were that they had the power to kill. Everything was unconfirmed within the power of that dense mist. What was known though was that this event greatly panicked the people of Terra and made the leaders of the world rather concerned about just what they could do to protect their peoples. Uriel, despite the fortified defences could find no weakness within the phantoms of the mist, unable to stop their advance for the night, until they were banished in the sun. Even the prophet was unable to avoid the barrage of fury that came from the phantoms of the fog. It was a mystery that upon the sun rise caused him to ponder the nature of the pages. And step up his efforts to find the remaining ones. And to do that, he required a plan. And so once more was called a meeting of the dark council in the Black Citadel.

----

A month prior to saga

“ We have managed to translate the words carved upon the trees....walls...and in...flesh...my lord...”.

The event of the phantoms had been most categorised by the lasting mark that these thigns left upo the land, words in the incomprehensible old landguage scarred into walls trees and any other real lasting surface. Even branded into the flesh of certain individuals if rumour was to be believed. Thankfully among the followers of the Prophet and the dark council was an expert on the old world. One who had anaged to decipher their language and was holding the secret to the old world A B Cs to themselves. The council member stood with a piece of parchment in his hand assembly holding the translated script. “ A rough translation at best my lord it states, ‘ In Dusk we Scream’. Well that certainly made some kind of sense considering the actions of the Phantoms. Although the main word that had attracted the attention of the Prophet was Dusk. A counter statement to the dawn, the beginning. Losing more pages was not going to be an option in this case, he knew that the Dark King had already gained far too much power when he had taken that Page. Curiously however he was more concerned about just how much power. When the Prophet had uncovered and unsealed his page of the book, such a thing had not happened. Nothing like that had happened bar his flashback from the past. However, the Dark king...when he had unsealed it...the world itself had come to a stand still. And something like that had happened. The Day the world stopped. Where some pages more powerful than others? If so the only two holders that the world currently knew were outbalanced. And the lord of the core had power the exceeded that of himself. It grinded against his thoughts. Efforts to find more pages


There were mumblings among the council. “ But my lord....”. Said the one, disguised as a Kami. “ This will be bringing them far too close to the truth would it not?” Ordinarily the answer to that question would been yes, but he was in a place where that revealing part of the truth gave more of an advantage than disadvantage. He would just spin it in a way that suited him and his needs. And of course the goals of himself and the Dark Council. “ Having more eyes and ears that are aware of the Fragments only works to our advantage. We would simply say that the hands of the un-anointed touching the artefacts would bring upon us another disaster...and lead us closer to the...Dusk....which would be the Gods final wrath...”.More muttering but there seemed to be a feel of overall acceptance around the council members. The Dusk would be an effective tool of control. Fear always was. And if they were able to control the ignorant masses with their religion offering the answer to eternal salvation, well then this was going to be far easier to deal with.

“ There are however Lord Prophet...still some unbelievers...”.

A snake tailed member of the council spoke up with this little point. The raven on his shoulder let out a caw. And a sly grin spread up the Prophets face. “ Then we shall have to make them believe....”.


-----

The Queen had been stressed lately. As had uriel. The two had grown apart, at least thats how Uriel saw it. He blamed her, and she knew that he blamed her. Whatever had happened, a few weeks after the report of the dark force and her denial of taking action. Soemthing horrible happened that effected the entire world. Time itself seemed to have stopped. Frozen in fear, at least thats what Uriel thought. What had happened that day caused even the battle hardened Kami’;s blood to freeze in his veins. First just random out of the ordinary occurances. Noises with no cause. Items being moved. Then, a fog had rolled into the city. And from the fog came phantoms. Horrors. Monstrosities made of the very fog that chased and terrified the locals and soldiers alike. Weapons were ueless against them. For they seemed to be as formless as the fog itself. They had been banished by the rising sun along with the mist, but people had died that night. Whether it was the cause of these ghosts. Or something else entirely was up to interpretation. Most wounded came in with knife wounds or slashes. Uriel suspected that the phantoms themselves were simply terrifying visions. And that people had been so terrified they had struck out at anything and everything around them just to be safe. Such things happened. For out of his own men not a one reported even a scratch from fighting the ghosts.

But he blamed her for everything happening in the first place. He didn’t doubt for a second that the problem had started because of that dark force in the west. [Continued in next post]

Fighter’s pride aside, Battousai came to the conclusion that he wanted to get this done with quick since he had already been in the mood to go. There were factors playing against drawing this out and he wasn’t the type to wish to seek the glory of victory among the masses gathered here. He just wanted to finish his objective and head out; as an assassin in upbringing, he wasn’t really into the drawn out battle paradigm that had captured the hearts of many of a hearty warrior. Things were in place for him and Dravec to be on the same accord, so with that he would allow himself to battle in this scenario.

The samurai would observe there were many factors at play here and would see with Uriel turned his attention on Yuki. It also seemed to occur at the same time that the leader of the Church group would attack Uriel around the time that Uriel was attacking Yuki. Battousai would begin to channel his energy while pondering his opponent. He would ultimately wait on the response of the Wind Scythe before moving, but in thinking he would wonder about incapacitating the vessel that was holding onto the relic blade. Since it seemed to snatch his body, he could only assume it had the ability to exist outside of the body’s well being since it seemed to be a separate entity all together. That would make Uriel the puppet and the sword the master, thus the samurai would assuming that attacking him via traditional means might prove fruitless, unless the Wind Scythe proved him wrong.

301 / 6638 | 16
Location: The battlegrounds outside of Mare Maris.

SAGA II: Dusk Star
Location: Mare Maris
Characters Involved

Spoiler:

Boss Battle: Uriel, The Avatar of Punishment

• Name: Uriel/Punishment
  
• Affinity: Fire
  
• Weapon: Fragment of Mercy/Punishment: +1DMG (Fire Elemental), Unnatural Den ( 10)
  
• Armour: Eisen Gestalt, Commander Armour ( 0Den), Halo of Punishment ( 5 Den)
  
• Health: 200%
  
• Stamina???%
  
• Statistics: Supreme
  
• Passive Effects: Vengeance: All physical strikes will cause you to be damaged by the oppressive aura. ( Unless Den shielded) [ SEI: Poison, AOE: STG1], Voice of Words: The Words each have their own individual voices, each magical spell Uriel unleashes is chanted by them. Giving the same effect as a perfected freechannel.
  
• Techniques
  - Wormwood:: A strike with the flaming sword that seems to leave some lasting effect. [ DMG STG2, SEI, Poison, SEI, Stun]
  - Absolute Punishment: An attack which makes you suffer a dreadfully ironic punishment to your sins. [ DMG, STG 4]
  - Authority of the Word: Striking the sword into the ground, unleashing a blazing inferno to all standing in a wide radius. [ DMG STG 2, AOE STG 2]
  - Ward of Decision: A shield of fire rises up to protect him from damage [ SHLD STG 6]
  - Inferno Cage: Flames rise up and create a prison around an area, trapping those within to endure the punishments that the Words desire. [SHLD STG6, AOE STG6, MDE STG3]
  
• Description:
  The true " form" of the fragment of the book of life. The Relic that was uncovered was the Sword of Mercy and Punishment. The Page of the book of life that reflected the mercy of the Watchers, but also their punishment and the suffering of those who endured it. The " Words" within the book of life, the phantoms from the Dusk have however overwhelmed the more passive aspects of the page. Focusing more on their own inner torment. The " Burden of Mercy" effect in fact seems to have been a safe guard to prevent the blade from ever being unsealed. However in a tragic turn of events, in the hands of Uriel it has been. At the moment, Uriel has been overwhelmed by the words, who are using him as a driving force for the power of punishment. In his current state he appears to be an extremely powerful (albiet corrupted) Kami with black flesh on his left side, with orange symbols ( assumably the words themselves) imprinted on his flesh. In his hand the fragment itself seemingly bonded to him by fire.
  
  Whilst this is the current form of the Fragment. Uriel's body is unable to contain its power. The aura around him becoming more and more unstable and oppressive as time progresses. If not put an end to quickly. No doubt this power will be unleashed, giving " The Words" freedom once again in the world of the living.
  
• Battle Theme
  

  
  

Actions:
The created barrier by Yuki would form just in the nick of time. The form of the male Iskra smacking flat against it before dissipating into magical particles. The wind scythe would smack against Uriel, but the real brunt of the attack would be taken by the armour that Uriel wore. Noah’s attack would follow, but would have much of a similar effect. However this time it would penetrate the armour having it sufficiently weakened Uriel would now be exposed to damage. He moved backwards a couple of steps. But by the looks of it damage was having more of an adverse effect on him than would be expected. The blackening of his skin seemed to spread along with those fiery symbols along his body.

His next move would be on a thus far passive target. Rushing toward Battosai, if not stopped he would unleash the attack known as Wormwood. Aiming to infect him with damaging spiritual poison. Wormwood:: A strike with the flaming sword that seems to leave some lasting effect. [ DMG STG2, SEI, Poison, SEI, Stun]( Supreme+1= Godlike + Poison+ Stun]


[Damage to Uriel[Armour Den: 10-4 ( Wind Scythe)=6, 6-8 vs Supreme Aegis = 0]

The wind attack is disappointing in its own right, but after it failed upon the boss figure, Uriel does something interesting and saves Battousai the effort of having to go to him. Through some means, the side lined spectator seemed to gain the attention of Uriel who must have discarded Yuki and all those attacking him as a threat in order to pursue the random joy of attacking a passerby. It seemed to be something that could leave him open, but being possessed by something, perhaps strategy wasn’t his, or its, strong point. Either way, the energy that was previously being channeled in order to bring him closer to Uriel could easily be used another way within the same spell. A rushing figure with a sword would telegraph a sword strike of some kind. With Uriel’s speed, it would take him the time it took Battousai to place his hand on his blade to actually get to him. Since the spell was already channeled, all Battousai would have to do was murmur a single word to proceed with his counter to the rushing attack.

In the order of things from the beginning, Battousai would witness the attacks fail on Uriel, he would see the figure stumble with his adverse effects, then would see and more or less feel, the monster rushing towards him with incredible speed. Due to the lack of ACC in the dash and the lack of instantaneousness in the movement, he could at least comprehend what was about to happen. Battousai would not hinder the rush towards him, but when then blade slashed, thrust, struck, or what have you, through his position, it would meet with any resistance of skin, flesh or bone. But at the moment that he was attempted to be slashed, Battousai would counter slash Uriel in a downward manner with skill and precision aiming just beneath where Uriel’s hands held his blades with full intentions of cutting all the way through his arm from the side. With the downward slash, a swift line of light with the sound of metal slicing the air, his footing would already be set, and if his blade managed to slice through the wrist or wrists (depending on of the sword is held with one hand or two), Battousai’s image would flicker and appear five feet to the rear of Uriel, having pulled his blade horizontally through the vessel’s torso with more intentions of rendering him asunder into multiple bits. (Summary: Teleport + Slash to cut off hands + Dash & Slash to cut through stomach). His goal, after all, was to remove the sword from its owner. Still, dealing with the unknown, Battousai’s body would be tense with readiness despite and ignoring the pain each move caused him.

Summary of evasion: Uriel attacked, Battousai teleported just enough to evade the attack and counter attack at the same time.

Techniques used: Light Flash (TEL1, P, 7 STA), Speed Burst (MOV2, M, 15 STA), Simple Melee (DMG4, Abn+2+Blade=Gdlke, -87.5 HP vs non guarding Supreme, Possible Crit, P, 16 STA) x2, Bladed Endurance (END4)

HP: [ 100 | 100 ]
STA: [ 101 | 155 ]

584 / 6921 | 16
Location: The battlegrounds outside of Mare Maris.

SAGA II: Dusk Star
Location: Mare Maris
Characters Involved

Spoiler:

Boss Battle: Uriel, The Avatar of Punishment COMPLETE

Whilst this is the current form of the Fragment. Uriel's body is unable to contain its power. The aura around him becoming more and more unstable and oppressive as time progresses. If not put an end to quickly. No doubt this power will be unleashed, giving " The Words" freedom once again in the world of the living.

The battle was over!. Uriel dropped to one knee, the blackness quickly spreading across all of his skin. The symbols moving around more frantically. Madly. Rushing here and there. As Battousai had originally guessed. Uriel was merely a pawn of the words within and around the sword. They had used his body to unleash the power hidden within the fragment. To unseal it in the hopes of being free themselves. They had pushed the power of punishment to great lengths. Uriel's body had merely been a proverbial egg. A fragile shell that contained far too much power. It was too fargone now for you to restore mercy to the sword. You had already unleashed your own punishments upon the body of the Kami. The violent and oppressive aura began to fluxate wildly. The earth cracked beneath it. The cage of fire surrounding you all blazed up, the fires becoming more intense filling the skies. The blackness on Uriel's face began to splinter and crack. An orange liquid fell out from within it. Burning the ground, when it struck the ground a symbol drew itself in fire.

A voice on the wind, an echo a whisper. A laugh. A word had escaped. Now the rest were trying to pry their way out of this shell that you had so well weakened for them. The mouth of Uriel began to move. Even as it began to crumble. "....We...thank you....hahahaha.....we shall...scream...once more....". More laughter. More orange liquid that spilled out and created the same symbols on the earth. Voices began to fill the air. Laughter. And then, something changed. It was quiet at first. A voice beneath a voice. In your mind you saw images of the truth. Phantoms that inhabited the sword, not their origin or the truth of them. Only that they were there and in control of Uriel and the swords actions. A whisper was that voice. But soon it would become something that all who were present could hear.

"...Damage control.....Show him the mercy, we never recieved...I can..help you....give me your voice....your words....".

A glint on the sword. A glowing green symbol. Not orange like the others. It was what was calling you, drawing your attention. It seemed to reach inside of you as you stared.....giving you the oppertunity to-

Final Choice

By inflicting punishment and weakening Uriel's body. You have made it so that the words can escape. If only you had tried to stop him. To end the madness. But its too late now to look back. The Green Symbol. The voice offers you a choice. Trust it and allow it to take your memories and experiences of this day. And it will restore mercy to the sword, thanks to Battousai slashing it from the hands of Uriel there is a chance forresealing it along with the Words that have not escaped. Sparing Uriels life. Or. You can continue down the path of punishment. Push past the oppressive aura and strike down Uriel once and for all. You may release the words, but it would put an end to the power of punishment once and for all.

• Punish ( For punishment to be successful, at least 3 people need to choose this option)
  
• Show Mercy: Give up all the experience you have earned thus far in the saga, and lose your memories of this day. ( For Mercy to be successful at least 2 people need to select this option)

SAGA II: Dusk Star
Location: Mare Maris
Characters Involved

Spoiler:

[Mercy Option Chosen by Noah and Jay'de]

The green symbol would react, and as the two opened themselves up to mercy it would take from them their experiences, their memories from the day. Most important however was their final memory and the feeling that was imparted from it. Mercy. The green symbol let out a light which encompassed the sword, and by extension Uriel. Uriel had been tainted, controlled by the words, merely a vessel for them and punishment. Regardless of his current handless status he was connected to the sword more deeply than that.

But with the green light and mercy, the symbols and the blackness began to retreat from his skin. Wounds began to close up on him. The whispers however, they grew louder. Angrier. An orange symbol flared up, and the blackness stopped its retreat for the briefest second, seeming to fight against the mercy. There was something that still wanted Uriel's death. The hand still connected to Uriel shook, grabbing a dagger from within his boot, the hand shot up and attempted to bring it to its neck. But the movement didn't get much farther than half way, as an arrow shot from what would seem out of nowhere and catch the arm. Causing Uriel to fall back. The orange symbol faded, and the blackness once again began to receed. The orange glow returning to the sword. The cage of fire would fall. And everything seemed to return as it was.

Azazel seemed to relax momentarily letting out a sigh. He made to make a move towards the sword, another arrow shot out and landed at his feet. The man gritted his teeth, looking around to see where they were coming from. Uriel would seem to at that point rise up on his own, he was still limp though so it kind of looked as if he was a puppet. And then a kind of energy sparked next to him, and a figure would reveal itself. A member of the still unknown Verstect Gestalt. His eyes seemed blank, unjudging, not angry but at the same time not happy.

He turned to Uriel. Looking down at the sorry state in which the leader was in. " But if it was my choice to make, it would be destroyed...". Azazel looked as if he thought he would step towards them again but remembering the arrow rethunk his position. " Do not speak blasphemy...the Relic needs to be returned to the holy church, surely you understand this entire event only occured because a non believer touched the blade?". The Gestalt member didn't seem to care, or hang around long enough for political discussions. Once again by whatever means he had rendered himself invisible. He and Uriel were gone.


The sword remained there, smoking. A member of Azazels group would make a dash for it, only to be pin cushioned by a rain of arrows. The cleric seemed to give in at this stage. " Well...it seems for now the day is theirs.....if indeed it can be called anyones...". With that. The church retreated leaving the sword as it was.