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[JRPomazon]

It wasn't clear when Jordan dosed off. All he remembered was finishing up his spears. When he came to, he noticed through a window that a sliver of the sun was appearing over the hills that formed the landscape. Morning had arrived. Slowly, Jordan got up from the chair and headed towards the kitchen. Sure enough, Gwen was staring breakfast. Jordan slowly shuffled over to the empty seat next to a sleeping Shadow. Ignoring the sleeping person, Jordan scooted his seat into the table.

"Morning." He said as his brain began to turn on.

Gwen turned around.

"Oh, good morning Jordan. Sleep well?"

Jordan scratched his head.

"Yeah, surprisingly enough."

"What's that suppose to mean?" She asked.

"I fell asleep in a chair, much like Shadow here." He replied.

"Oh, I see. Well breakfast will be ready soon, so sit tight."

Jordan did just that, moving his elbows on the table to claim his spot on the table.

"Say, how come you let Ken have all that freedom with the old man's armor?" He asked.

"Well, your friend explained that he wanted to make a copy of the armor. He seemed reliable enough, so I let him take it into the smith room. I also told him if that armor was damaged in any way, shape or form that I would have no choice but to pound him. He seemed to tune me out around that time, so I'm not sure he remembers I said that."

"You think you can actually hurt someone Gwen? I mean, look at you. You couldn't hurt a . . . "

Just then, Jordan felt a very large object connect with his head. A dish? No, it must be a frying pan. Cliche, but effective.

"Damn it woman! Why'd you hit me?!" Jordan shouted as he place his hand on his forehead.

"What were you saying about me not being able to hurt people? Hmm?"

The message was well received. Gwen could inflict pain after all.

[SL the Pyro]

The clang of that frying pan was more than enough to jolt Shadow awake; he was out of his chair in an instant and had his sword drawn. "Damn it woman! Why'd you hit me?!" he heard Jordan complain.

"What were you saying about me not being able to hurt people? Hmm?" Gwen said back with somewhat of a smirk on her face.

Calming his now fully-awake nerves, Shadow sheathed his sword. "Gah, false alarm..." he said, feeling a tad embarassed and sitting back down, hoping that Gwen was making something for him as well. All he'd had to eat for a while were leftover rations he'd found on that small boat owned by the two of Z's henchmen he'd polished off a while back.

[Ken the Wandering Soul]

Ken had not noticed the passage of time as he worked through the night. He had finally finished the armor a little bit before the sun rose. His memory of finishing the armor had blurred--he seemed to have gone into a trance as he worked. His short rest was stopped when the smell of breakfast drifted into the room. Not too soon after that, Ken was getting up and he heard a clang and some yelling.

"Methinks Jordan upsetted Miss Gwen." he guessed.

Ken eventually looked across the room to see the armor he had finished. It was not as spectacular as he hoped it to be. It did not have that aura that the original had. It still looked as mundane as his first attempt. With a sigh, Ken walked to over to pick it up When he picked it up, a look of surprise crossed his face.

"It's... It's still warm."

Ken knew this could not be right. He knew the armor should have cooled off by now, but there was something else to the warmth. It felt more like body heat than simple warm metal.

"... How?"

<"You did it for someone who mattered to you. It is something which cannot be accomplished for no good reason.">

Ken searched for that voice but never found it.

"Why do I keep hearing that voice...?"

His many questions unanswered, Ken decided that he might as well just accept that he could nothing about it. He picked up the armor, wary of it's warmth, and walked to the kitchen, tired and hungry.

"Here." Ken said, presenting the armor.

[JRPomazon]

Jordan looked at the armor with wide eyes, the previous pain inflicted by Gwen going numb in the awe of the moment.

"Ken, this is amazing! You really made this?" He exclaimed as he went to grab the armor.

"It's perfect!"

As Jordan was caught in the joy of obtaining a new "toy" to play with, Gwen smiled as she served breakfast to the three boys at the table. After the meal was finished, Jordan placed the new armor on. It felt warm for some reason, but since it was a chilly morning Jordan had no complaints. After his new armor, he equipped the remaining armor he had along with some of the replacements Ken made. The colors clashed a little bit, but armor wasn't about matching and fashion sense. As time went on, it seemed as though a peaceful day was ahead of everyone at the house. However, not all things come to pass. There was a knocking at the door. Everyone stopped what they were doing as the noise resounded throughout the small kitchen.

"I'll get it." Gwen said as she placed her apron away.

She opened the door casually, thinking it was a villager who perhaps needed something.

"Good morning, can I help. . . you. . .?"

A brilliant flash a light appeared from the doorway, sending Gwen across the room and right against the wall.

"GWEN!" Jordan shouted as he ran towards her. She appeared to be out cold. He lifted her head off the ground and placed his hand on her neck.

"She still has a pulse, she's still alive." Jordan thought.

However, a large, black X shaped mark appeared on her forehead. Jordan looked on in shock as the mark began to materialize.

"The Inigos X Spirit seal. . . it took me 30 years to discover how to learn it and another 5 to master it."

Jordan knew that voice all to well. He looked up to the voice. Of course, the cloaked man appeared in front of kitchen with a smile more disgusting than any he had put on before.

"That woman's soul is sealed within the deepest recesses of her mind. She will not wake from her sleep until the seal key is used to set her free. Would you like to borrow it for a little bit?"

A flat, smooth gem appeared in his hand.

"Well actually, I don't think I'll let you have this. Too bad."

With that said, he crushed the stone into dust. Jordan looked on in horror as the deed took place.

"Well, it seems she won't ever wake up now. Oh well, mortals are really only useful as playthings."

"You. . . You Bastard!" Jordan screamed.

"I may be a "ghoul" to you Jordan, but I'll make your life a living hell. YOU MIGHT AS WELL CALL ME THE DEVIL HIMSELF!" The cloaked man screamed.

The only thing Jordan had now was rage. There was not fear, there was no anxiety, only the want to kill the man in front of him.

"DAMN YOU!" Jordan screamed as he called his spears with wind manipulation.

"Shall we take this outside?" The cloaked man asked as he vanished before everyone once again.

Jordan dashed outside only to find the cloaked man accompanied by stone giants. They were at least 6 times the size of a man and appeared as though they were somewhat human themselves.

"This is the Golem brigade. They are humanoid beasts of rock and earth. I've made a pact with them, so they obey my commands as long I provide them a proper nourishment of stones and a portion of my soul's energy." He explained pompously.

The cloaked man raised his arm up, signaling their march.

"Golems, strike that man down!" He shouted, his smile still intact on his face.

The Golems cried with an insidious howl as they began to charge Jordan. However, Jordan didn't flinch at the sight of these beasts. Using the wind, he cast both of his spears into midair. The both started to spin rapidly in a clockwise motion, Jordan's hands moving in sync. By the time they were nothing but circular blurs, Jordan slammed them into the ground.

Two cyclones burst from the long grass, carrying stones and earth along with them. They became entwined together and met at a single point and headed straight for the enemy. The cloaked man saw the attack coming and jumped off the head of one golem and on to another. The combined cyclone ran through the middle of the stone beasts, obliterating them in a flurry of wind and rock. In one attack, 1/3 of the golem brigade was nothing but rubble.

"Earth Dragon's Fang."

Jordan wasn't fighting for the sake of his honor or to put a cretin back in his place. For the first time, Jordan was fighting just so he could kill his enemy.

Edited by JRPomazon, 18 November 2007 - 05:18 AM.

[SL the Pyro]

A loud crack sound filled the air, the golem that the cloaked man was standing on having a hole blown right through it by Shadow's hammer. It fell into gravel, and Shadow's eyes drifted towards the man, who had jumped to another golem. Something was very different in them now; his ice-blue, hawk-like eyes housed neither joy nor despair like they usually did. They radiated of anger, and this was rare.

He'd seen the cloaked man make a friend of his suffer a fate that could be potentially worse than death. Up until now this was something Shadow thought only Z and the Sins were capable of, but he was wrong. Now he was going to pay for it.

"You..." Shadow spat, rising from the gravel of the fallen golem with his hammer and his sword drawn and ready to tear into the freak. "All the lives you've ended, manipulated and ruined in the name of your sick little game... it's disgusting. It surprises me that you're not affilated with Z..." he said with anger in each word, before standing up completely and preparing to attack. "...but you're still a monster just like him, and I'm gonna slay you like any other monster."

The golems nearby Shadow didn't seem to share his sentiments, as they attacked the moment he finished. They didn't seem too smart, however; each one that had tried to attack him, he ran right under. The over-weighted, glorified statues had tumbled over like dominoes, with the one serving as a ride fo the cloaked man at the end. When they'd stopped falling and Shadow was at the back of the line, he started hopping on them and caving their heads in with his hammer. He planned to keep this up until he reached the man, with his sword ready to impale his heart.

[JRPomazon]

"Hahaha! A monster?" the cloaked man shouted at Shadow. "You have no idea what I am fool!"

The golems where being decimated one after another. From their original number, only a few remained from the combined efforts of the three warriors. Even as his pact-beasts died before him, the cloaked man and his monsters continued their assault. Jordan dashed forward, obtaining unnatural speeds using the wind, meeting the monsters head on. He leaped into the air and swung his spears at the golems. As the large rock limbs fell off the stone creatues, the cloaked man gazed at Jordan's performance.

"Interesting, he uses the wind to increase his spear's power." He thought. "Using that blast wind manipulation, he could have the potential to destroy anything from dead grass to bedrock. Its all very. . . amusing. . . "

Jordan finished the golems he had encountered and set his sights on the cloaked man. He leaped into the air again and released his spears. He launched one of his spears at the cloaked man, the other still floating at his side. The projectile weapon zoomed through the sky. Seeing the incoming weapon, the cloaked man jumped off the golem he rested upon. The spear went through the beast's body and hit the ground, falling shortly after the impact.

Jordan recalled his spear and landed on another golem's head. As his spear was in mid flight, he sent his second spear at the cloaked man. The cloaked man didn't attempted to dodge this attack. When the spear came close, he merely swatted the projectile away, sending it flying to the right. Jordan quickly regain control of the weapon and recalled it to his side. The golem Jordan was standing took notice that he had something on his head. Jordan leaped into the air again and sent one of his spears to impale the beast's head, killing it. The weapon was recalled before it completely pierced through the monster's head, saving time and energy.

As that golem fell, Jordan looked over to the cloaked man, who had been evading Shadow's attacks. He didn't seem to care that his monsters were being killed. He still had his smile. Didn't the loss of a pact-beast mean that the other member in that pact would also suffer. The death in his golems would have to result in the cloaked man's death as well. It all came to Jordan then. Somehow, the cloaked man was benefiting off the loss of his pact-beast's life. He had found an alternative to offering his own soul as a cost? No, he had to give a soul's energy.

The cloaked man continued to evade Shadow.

"Enough of this." he said.

His hands began to glow with a white light. The light in both hands formed in a shape of what appeared to be a spikey ball and threw his conjured masses at Shadow. The balls burst into hundred of tiny needled of light, all aimed at Shadow.

"Let's see how good you really are, fool!" he shouted.

[SL the Pyro]

"Frankly I don't care what you are." Shadow yelled over the crumbling golems in response to the cloaked man's words about not knowing what he was. "All I need to know is that you need to be put down."

As the battle raged on, a favourably large chunk of the threatening golem army was reduced to rubble. They didn't seem nearly as tough as they looked. It went on until Shadow had reached the man, seeing him avoid Jordan's attacks. Now it was Shadow's turn; the cloaked man had sent out needles of light.

Shadow wasn't so blinded by rage that he hadn't noticed two thigns about the cloaked man; he was slowly getting stronger, and his arsenal seemed to consist of light magic. "Great... I'm not nearly as weak to it as Z, but a few good shots will still drop me." he thought as the needles of light flew at him. He'd had practice with avoiding this method of attack though, because of Koran and his confounded icicles.

Some light needles he knocked away with his sword and some he blocked with his shield (he barely had time to swap the latter out for his hammer), but he spent most of the time speeding around them. This wasn't working too well, though, because the cloaked man's attacks were pushing him further and further away. Not too far, but it was noticable. Clearly he had a preference for ranged combat, and Shadow needed to get close enough to deal some good damage.

Shadow's only methods of ranged attack were his rod, spring-loaded chain and bombs, but the lattermost would probably get impaled by a needle. So that wouldn't work. His chain was out of the question too, since if he could pierce a bomb, he could pierce the chain and wreck it. That only left one option. "BURN!" Shadow hissed, swapping his sword for his rod and blowing a jet of fire at the man, all the while having to run around those blasted light needles; to get into close combat, he'd have to wait until they ran out. However, the cloaked man was definately being more conservative with his needles than Koran was with his ice spears, so he'd have to keep this up for a while...

Edited by Shadow_Link, 19 November 2007 - 08:48 AM.

[JRPomazon]

Shadow's magic attack was intense. Even from a distance the cloaked man could feel the heat. However, it was negated by one of the remaining golems, who blocked the flames with it's massive stone hands.

"It seems you've never battled against pact-partners before." He said as the golem's stone hands retreated back.

The cloaked man leaped towards shadow, his hands glowing again. Rather than the familiar white light they produced before, it appeared in a more reddish color. He clasped his hands together, sending a blast of fire towards shadow. Jordan leaped in front of Shadow and swung both his spears, creating a gust that blew the flames in different directions.

"Insolent pest. . . " The cloaked man muttered.

"Shut your trap." Jordan replied.

Jordan dashed at full speed towards his opponent, his spears floating by his side. The cloaked man raised his hand in front of his body, casting another fire blast. Jordan used his spears once again to cut the flames away, negating the attack. Jordan took hold of one of his spears and charged at the cloaked man. Once he arrived in attacking range, Jordan thrusted his weapon at the cloaked man, who dodged the attack by sidestepping. As Jordan retracted his spear from the first attack, his second spear was also lunged from midair towards the cloaked man. The cloaked man dodged the attack again, stepping backward to avoid the blade. The flurry of attack Jordan kept making with his spears, both from above and below were parried one after another by the cloaked man. It was like he could read every move Jordan was about to make. Becoming bored from the repetition of movements, the cloaked man sidestepped the last spear attack as a golem launched its fist at Jordan. Jordan managed to avoid the strike, but the aftershock from the impact caused him to fall backward. Currently unable to defend himself, the cloaked man leaped up as his hands began to glow a dark violet color.

"Checkmate." he said.

The cloaked man launched his attack of dark magic, taking the form of some sort of small sphere. This wasn't like the fire blasts from before, it was concentrated dark magic that could easily kill a man in one blast.

"Dark magic?!" Jordan exclaimed as the ball of energy came rushing at him.

The blast made contact with him, sending him flying a several meters away. Before his body hit the earth, Jordan used the wind to catch himself. He slowly lowered himself down to the ground, panting from the physical strain on his body.

"Damn. . . he knows more than just a few magic tricks. . ." He muttered to himself as he prepared to dash at his opponent once again.

[SL the Pyro]

"Damn!" Shadow cursed upon seeing Jordan blown away; all those attacks, and he hadn't made a single scratch on the cloaked man. "This guy is definately getting stronger as we take down more Golems, but if we leave the golems, they'll keep blocking our attacks and knocking us away..." he thought. There had to be a way to turn this to their favor; there were at least 5 golems left, the huge things still had to be draining the man a little. Granted it probably wasn't much, but at least it was something.

Shadow snapped his fingers; he had an idea. He jumped back and landed beside Jordan, whispering his plan.

"I have an idea." Shadow began. "The less golems there are, the less he needs his magic to support. We need to make those golems suffer, make them really need and suck down the juice, but just not kill them. You think you can still keep the freak busy while me and Ken work on these overglorified statues?"

[JRPomazon]

"It's a good idea. But something doesn't seem right here." He said to Shadow.
"If what he said about the pact with these creatures is true, then he should be becoming weaker. Pact-partners share the same life force, thus giving them an unnatural strength. You take out one, you essentially take out the other. However, it seems as though that bastard found away to weasel his way out of the pact without actually breaking it. I didn't think that was possible. . ."

Jordan trailed off as the ground began to shake. From the ground, rock and debris flew in all directions as a giant worm crawled out from below. It didn't seem to have eyes, only a large mouth covered in teeth.

"Meet the Gaia Worm." The cloaked man shouted over to Jordan.

"She is another beast I've summoned to the battlefield to fight with me."

"Impossible!" Jordan shouted.

"There is no way a person could hold two different pacts at the same time! No mortal soul could handle the strain!"

"What makes you think I used my soul for these pacts?" He replied.

In that moment, everything made sense. Jordan face became horrified by the realization he had made.

"You. . . You have been using other people's souls to maintain the pacts. . ."

"Correct." The cloaked man responded.

"Since the Golems and the Gaia Worm are not in direct pacts with me, I can keep the benefits of the pact without the price. And when the beasts die, I can absorb their souls and become even stronger. So go ahead and kill them, I couldn't care less. If not, then just stand still and I'll end your meaningless lives."

Jordan couldn't take it anymore. He knew he hated the cloaked man from the very moment he met him, but he never imagined that he could manipulate the very souls of living beings. How many souls has he taken for his own? How many lives has he ended and why? Was this all a game to him?

"Go, attack Jordan of the Whirlwind Spear!" The cloaked man cried out to his beasts as they began their charge.

Jordan launched both of his spears at the Gaia Worm, impaling the beast through different points in it's neck and brought it's life to an end. The Golems continued their march, even though the Gaia Worm had fallen. The cloaked man looked over to the worm that had just fallen and shrugged.

"My my, was the Gaia Worm truly that weak?" He asked himself.

Jordan called back his spears, which were partially covered in blood.

"Shadow, go ahead with Ken and disable the Golems. I'll keep the ringleader busy."

Edited by JRPomazon, 19 November 2007 - 11:09 PM.

[SL the Pyro]

"Alright..." Shadow said, a bit disheartened at having his original plan threw out the window. Knowing that it was the souls of OTHERS on the line and not the cloaked man's... what could he do? Trying to disable the beasts would make them suck down the souls of others instead of that of the cloaked man, and killing them would give their souls to the man. They were essentially trapped, either way leading to eternal darkness.

It sickened Shadow to the core, knowing that there was effectively nothing they could do to save the trapped souls. From what he could tell, getting them exorcised was the only way, a skill that he was sure all but one person in the area lacked. And that person was the one they were fighting against. Damn.

Shadow walked up to Ken and divulged his now less-effective, but right choice of a plan. "Ken, these things are running on the souls of others. Unless we want said souls destroyed, the only thing we can do is keep them away from Jordan and that freak." he explained.

This was certainly a new experience for Shadow, taking out his sword and hammer without the intention of actually breaking something. What would happen if the cloaked man was slain, would all the souls he's absorbed be set free, or would they go down with him? And what about those consumed by the golems, or the ones he has in confinement? This might not be the most pleasureable way, but as of yet it was the only way to find out.

--------------------

Not one of the combatants knew that from high atop Sin Sanctuary, Z was watching and listening to the whole situation. A black cloud materialized in the middle of his chamber allowed him to see and hear everything. Especially the part about using other people's souls. "Interesting... if this man can channel souls at will like this, then he must have a vast collection of them..." A thought suddenly occured to him. "In order to use all eight keys together, they need a strong bond of spiritual energy. For that, I need strong souls. Perhaps I should strike a deal with the man..."

"Considering he survives." muttered Koran, walking up to the Dreadlord. "Shadow, Jordan and Ken have gotten out of tighter situations than this, if you recall. If things remain true to form, then the cloaked man won't survive this battle."

"Which is why you are going there to make sure that doesn't happen..." Z said, turning to face his comrade. He pulled a blue, brightly-glowing gem out of his cloak. "...by any means necessary."

Koran's eyes grew wide as he grasped the Key of Water in his hand; clearly he wasn't expecting this. "I will not fail you, my lord..." he said, leaving Z's chamber.

Z turned around to face the image of the battle once again. "You're lucky you've had centuries to gather souls, my friend... having to deal with this war and finding the keys means I haven't had that kind of chance. Perhaps our shaky alliance might serve a purpose after all..."

Edited by Shadow_Link, 20 November 2007 - 08:43 AM.

[JRPomazon]

Jordan dashed. His spears in hand, he readied his attack. The cloaked man prepared for another flurry of attacks. He smiled, thinking of ways he could attack Jordan like last time. Jordan thrust both spears at the cloaked man, who avoided their blade by jumping on top of the weapons. And his feet touched both spears, he managed his weight so well that not even Jordan could feel the pressure of his weight on his weapons. As Jordan flinched at that moment, the cloaked man smashed his knee into Jordan's face. Jordan flew back, releasing his spears from the shock. The cloaked man landed on the ground, his hand glowing a golden color. He raised his hands in the air as Jordan landed on the ground from the hit. Suddenly, Jordan found his arms and legs held by earth, rocks that shifted to cover his limbs and sealed them in place. Jordan struggled, only to find out that his efforts were in vain.

"Tell me Jordan, why do you hate me?" The cloaked man asked as he crept closer to Jordan.

"Is it that I know your secret heritage? Is is that I sealed the soul of that girl Gwen? Is it that I've tried to kill you before?"

Jordan spat at the cloaked man, hitting his cheek.

"It's true that I hate you for those reasons. But the real thing that pisses me off the most about you is t how you treat life. Tell me, have you lived for hundreds of years just to manipulate others, steal their very souls and use them for your own uses? Why? What's the use in doing that?"

The cloaked man wiped the spit from his cheek.

"I have used people in various ways. Taking their knowledge and adding to my own, using their souls to maintain my various pacts and to fuel my own body. Although, with all the souls I've collected inside my own body, I can't really say it's my own anymore. I've done these things so that I may escape the cursed fate bestowed upon me. And that was all. . . to find you."

"Me?" Jordan asked.

"Yes. You are the key to my freedom. Your death shall herald the beginning of my life. My true life. I've been searching for you for decades now, the descendant of the fire mage Pharos."

"What does my ancestor have to do with all this?" Jordan asked.

The cloaked man chuckled.

"As cliche as it is, I will tell you." He responding.

OoC: Ok, major plot point right here. You might want to read it.
IC:

"During the times of the Hall of Heroes still existed, I was a once known as the wraith Crowe. Unlike my brethren, I was ambitious and what more out my existence than just devouring soul after soul just to survive. I sought after a way to gain more power, to truly live. It all started when after I killed a human, I accidentally absorbed his soul, rather than devouring it. At that moment, all of that man's memories, feelings, knowledge, abilities, everything was taken into me and I became more than just a simple wraith. My brethren abandoned me after that day, claiming I had ceased to be a wraith. It was true, I had become something more powerful that they could ever imagine. I continued to reap souls, absorbing them one after another. It went on for several years and I became something of a legend. I decided it was time to go off and attack a large scale city, after all, I had the power.

However, that decision was what got me the way I am now. During my attack, the Hall of Heroes stepped into stop me. I struck them down, one by one, until I came across a young man. They called him Pharos. He looked a lot you Jordan, except for the eyes. His eyes burned with an golden color, as though they were gazing into a great fire. I thought I would kill him easily, until I was burned by his fire. With his staff and magic, we entered a duel the likes the world had never experienced. We almost destroyed the entire city we fought in. He was strong, but only human. I was about to kill him and take his soul for my own when he did the unthinkable. He used his power to merge his very essence with my body. He used his flames and a strange stone he kept with him as the medium to do this. I was sealed by his flames in his body, thus saving the people and his comrades. However, several years later he died from the very power he welded, only a year before the Hall of Heroes defeated the Labyrinth in the great battle and saved the world. After he died, I was free from his body, but not his seal. After I resurfaced, I had this form instead of my wraith body. I welcomed the changed and began restoring myself. Over the years, I had absorbed more souls and mastered hundreds of magics and techniques while I searched for what would free me from the seal completely.

I came across my answer: using the sealer's blood as a medium to create a key to remove the seal. However, since Pharos had died I was unable to collect his blood, but I knew he must of had some family ties somewhere. I searched and searched, then I found you Jordan."

The cloaked man took off his cloak, revealing his face. His hair was a deep red, almost black and his eyes a cool blue, ice like but with a fire of their own. His face was obscured with black markings, tattoo like lines that when across the bridge of his nose and down the right side of his face. He didn't smile as he revealed himself.

"I've had no name since the day I was sealed, so I suppose I will retake Crowe. After all, when you die I will finally be alive."

His hand glowed a dark violet again, forming a long sickle-like spear out of dark magic.

"Farewell, Jordan of the Whirlwind Spear." He said as he thrust the weapon at Jordan's chest.

[SL the Pyro]

Shadow slammed his hammer into the head of a golem; not with enough force to destroy it, but to knock it down. He had been keeping his eyes and ears somewhat on the battle between Jordan and -- what did he call himself, Crowe? -- nearby. At first he thought Jordan stood a chance, until he got buried in earth. This guy was like all the Sins merged into one, except his individual elements weren't as strong; however, this also meant he had a very broad selection of attacks.

And he just used that one that Jordan's wind would have the least effect on; Earth. He then saw Crowe about to impale Jordan with dark energy; that wasn't going to end well.

After knocking the golem down, Shadow thought he should intervene; he fired his spring-loaded chain at Crowe, or rather his makeshift weapon. It wrapped around it and he pulled on it, barely diverting the aim from Jordan; he knew how close it was because it took out some of the rock that encased him... well, not so much "took out" as it was totally annihlated. Jordan would've been in pieces if that attack had connected. Oh well, maybe Jordan could free himself now.

"You should really stop focusing on Jordan so much." Shadow said with a smirk as he tried to pull Crowe's weapon away before he could strike again. "You've got more than one opponent here; don't think just because you have your golems here means that we're indisposed." To prove his point, he swapped his hammer out for a pair of small bombs and threw them; one at Crowe, and one at the rocks encasing Jordan; it exploded with enough force to get rid of them. It wouldn't do Jordan and serious harm, even though it would probably hurt and blow him back, but it was a hell of a lot better than where he was.

[Ken the Wandering Soul]

Ken could not believe what was happening about him. He felt rage inside himself as he realized what he was fighting: souls, trapped and enslaved to serve the will of a single, greedy one. All trace of sleepiness escaped him. He took up his heavy blade, ready to fight.

Ken did his best to fend off the golems, striking only hard enough to deflect their attacks. The battle was a fierce one, and Ken could not shake off a wierd feeling he was getting. He eventually came to bare on one golem, and the odd feeling became notably stronger. The golem attacked, leaving Ken to block with his sword. The moment the golem's strike hit the blade, a voice briefly sounded in the air.

". . . Ken . . ." a female voice strained.

Ken's eyes went wide. The voice... It was familiar, and it knew his name!

"W-w-who...?" he stuttered.

The golem swung again, with Ken barely dodging the attack.

". . . Please . . . don't let me . . . hurt you . . ."

A chord struck in Ken's soul. A brief memory came to him, a face connected to the voice.

"No--no--It can't be...!" he shook his head.

The golem attacked again.

". . . Please don't . . . let me . . . hurt you . . ."

Ken could not deny it.

"Mother..."

[JRPomazon]

With his limbs freed by Shadow's interference, Jordan leaped into the air using the wind to catch him and throw him a good distance from the newly named Crowe. He landed on the ground, sliding backwards as he called forth his spears. His weapons shortly arrived at his side, floating in midair. Crowe looked at Jordan, witnessing his recovery and turned back to Shadow. There was no smile on his face, for his long sought freedom had once again escaped his grasp.

"It seems you have a point, I do have one opponent." He said.

He leaped into the air, his hands glowing a golden color. A pillar of earth rose from the ground, throwing Shadow off the very earth he stood on.

"Insect." He muttered as his handed began to glow white. A beam of light was fired from Crowe's hand that pierced through Shadow's right shoulder. The light materialized into a solid form and formed a stake, binding him to the ground.

"Stay put, and your death will be painless." He said as he looked down on to Shadow.

He turned to Jordan, thinking of what he could do next. He heard something from the third warrior who he had left to the golems.

"Mother..." he said.

Crowe's smile resurfaced on his face. He just had an idea. But before he could do anything to act upon his idea, Jordan came rushing at him as fast as the wind could take him. Crowe avoided his spear attacks, which were even faster than before. Parts of his robe were being cut as the spears grazed him. Crowe leaped back from Jordan, his hands glowing green. He placed his hands in front of himself and cast a twister at Jordan. Jordan raised his spear up towards the sky, creating a twister that encased his body. As the two attacks met, Crowe's twister was engulfed by Jordan's, making it larger.

"Thanks for the fuel Crowe." Jordan said over the howling winds of his storm.

"You should of known better than to use the wind against me."

"What? The attacks should have canceled each other out. How did you use my magic to fuel your own?" He asked.

"Fool. My attacks aren't magic." He replied.

Jordan took his second spear and raised it towards the sky, increasing the size of the tornado he had conjured. He swung both spears down at Crowe.

"NOW! TAKE THIS!"

The twister was cast at Crowe, sucking him into the winds that threw him around relentlessly in the sky. After a minute or so, the storm began to wane and the Crowe began to fall to the earth. He hit the ground with a loud thud, the earth offering him no comfortable landing. His robe was in tatters and his face was cut up from the winds. However, his eyes still burned like a cold fire and his smile as disturbing as ever.

"It's just like the time with Pharos. He really his a descendant of that accursed man, this Jordan of the Whirlwind Spear." He muttered as he lay on the ground.

He slowly got to his feet and stood in front of Jordan.

"Still alive. . . go figure." Jordan said.

"I underestimated you. It seems after all these years I still play the fool." Crowe said, chuckling to himself.

"Enough talk. Your time is up Crowe. You are going to take responsibility for your actions here and now."

"Heh, guess again." He muttered.

He fired off a beam of light, shattering the head of the golem Ken was battling.

"You came here to travel to the lost sanctuary, did you not? That's what your entire journey has been about. I'll be waiting for you there."

Crowe vanished into the shadows, the remaining golems retreating back into the earth.

[SL the Pyro]

Shadow barely managed to hold in the scream of agony from having his shoulder impaled; if it were anything else, he'd treat it as no more than a scratch. But this stake was made of light magic, so it was much worse.

Then many things happened at once; Ken found the soul of his mother in a golem, Crowe got swept away by Jordan, and then he escaped. "ARGH! Don't you run away!" Shadow howled at Crowe in a vain attempt to reach out for him. Vain because the light was beginning to paralyse him, like a snake's venom. He knew it was non-lethal to him, but he still felt his strength being drained.

He'd never been hit by light in this manner before, perhaps he was more vulnerable to it than he thought, but he'd been through worse; this wouldn't kill him. He tried to pull the stake out, but failed due to the paralysis. Slowly his senses began to dim.

"...Damn..." he muttered, still trying to pull the stake out. "GET OUT OF MY SHOULDER YOU DAMN THORN IN MY SIDE!" he yelled, finally pulling that damned thing out and letting out an anguished scream; he couldn't hold it in any longer. He panted hard despite his strength slowly returning; he was still paralysed, so he wouldn't be moving for a little while. "Now I know how Z feels..." he muttered with a sardonic chuckle.

His thoughts went back to what had just happened over the past few moments. Jordan had lost his closest friend, Ken had supposedly lost his mother -- again -- and Shadow was now both paralysed and had a big shoulder wound.

Yeah, this was a REAL good way to start the day.

Edited by Shadow_Link, 24 November 2007 - 11:18 AM.

[Ken the Wandering Soul]

"No..."

Ken dropped his sword to the ground and ran to the remains of the golem--now nothing more than a pile of soil.

"No, no, please no..."

Ken dropped to his knees, digging through the earth with his hands, holding onto a small hope in his heart that what happened was not true.

"No, don't be dead, don't be dead!"

Eventually, the reality set in. Ken gradually stopped searching. He collapsed onto the pile, tears streaming from his face.

"... How could he... Why..." Ken mumbled as his feelings cycled between sadness and rage, "I will get him, even if it is the last thing that I do!"

[JRPomazon]

Jordan stood back as Crowe disappeared into the shadows. He merely contemplated on what had just happened.

"That wind. . . why was he so weak to my attack?" he thought to himself.

"I didn't teach you what you know just so you could get yourself killed."

"You have the burden of someone's destiny on your shoulders. Get moving."

His master's words rang in his head, but why now? It didn't really matter now, this wasn't a time to think. Jordan slowly walked over to Gwen's cabin. He entered the kitchen, dropping his spears on the floor and walking slowly to Gwen. She appeared like she was asleep. Perhaps she was, but she would never wake up. The dark X mark on her forehead remained, a reminder of the seal placed upon her. Jordan fell to his knees out of exhaustion and sadness.

"It seems in the end, I couldn't protect you. If the old man was alive, I don't know what kind of lecture I would be getting right now."

Tears formed around his eyes.

"I'm so sorry."

He picked Gwen up from the ground and brought her to a bed. He laid her down slowly on the bed and looked at her for a moment. His tears had begun to flow, but his face remained as serious as it was during the battle.

"I guess I have no choice but to save you." He said as he wiped away his tears.

He turned around and headed out. He called his spears up from the ground using the wind and briskly caught them. As he walked outside, Ken was mourning and Shadow was lying on the ground. They were alive. It was a good sign, perhaps not everything was lost. Jordan walked over to Shadow and lifted him up.

"It looks like you've seen better days." Jordan said.

The two walked over to Ken. Jordan didn't know who the golem was, but from Crowe's actions he could tell it was someone important to Ken. Jordan sat down Shadow and sat down next to Ken. The three of them sat in that field, surrounded by the scars of the battle.

"His name is Crowe." Jordan said. "After all this time, we finally have a name. However, I have to ask you all something."

Jordan stopped for a moment.

"I thought I could defeat him without any help. I thought he was nothing more than a hapless ghoul. However, we all know better than to think that now. I finally understand my ancestor's plight and see why not even he could defeat him. But even still, I'm going to finish him off. I'm begging you: Ken, Shadow, please lend me your strength to destroy Crowe."

Edited by JRPomazon, 25 November 2007 - 11:57 PM.

[SL the Pyro]

Shadow nodded and said, "No worries there... I'm sure if I told Uradiel about this -- and if they weren't in the middle of a war -- they'd treat him as a national threat." He then smiled sadistically, though it was more of a grimace because of his shoulder wound. "National threats usually wind up executed anyway, so I don't have to feel sorry about it."

[JRPomazon]

Jordan grinned.

"Heh, good answer." he said as he leaned his head back and gazed at the sky.

---------------------------------

In his familiar home, the Crowe reappeared in his territory. The sun was in high noon, so no light was shed through the broken stained glass windows. The ground, a combination of set stone, fallen leaves and dirt seemed more alive to him as he walked down the broken hallways. He arrived in the chapel area of the sanctuary, perhaps the largest area in his small domain. He walked past the wooden pews and headed towards the stone chair in the front, atop a step platform. Crowe took his seat, lowering his head in fatigue.

"Incredible, this is the first time in 490 years that I've been this tired." He said.

"His attacks, I assumed they were magic. I wonder what it is that he uses to attack. I need to learn more about this 'Wind Manipulation'."

He raised his hand in the air, calling forth a sea of souls. The room became pitch black, even though the natural sunlight was coming through. Thousands of tiny white lights appeared over head, covering the entire room. Crowe scanned the mass with his eyes, as if he were looking for a specific soul to call upon. After a few moments, he found what he was looking for and beckoned it over. The bright light zoomed past all the others and reached Crowe, lowering itself into his hand.

"Now, tell me what you know." He said to the soul.

A bright flash followed, covering the entire room with its brilliance. The light faded away, the darkness crept back into the room.

"I never would have suspected such complexity in this art. A power that draws itself from one's very spirit, far stronger than most magics."

Crowe smiled, chuckling to himself.

"In all this time, I'm surprised I never heard of it. I wonder if Pharos used some sort of 'Fire Manipulation' during his time." He said to himself.

He released the soul into the air and allowed it to flutter back to the others.

"I suppose it helped that I took a sample of that girl's soul before I sealed her." He said, a smile appearing on his face.

He took the gray cloak he was wearing before and placed on his head, obscuring his face.

"Now." He muttered to himself.

At his very whim, several dozen souls rushed into his body. His clothes and his injuries were restored to perfect condition, using their power to help him. After his maintenance was complete, the souls departed his body. The mass of spirits faded back to where they came and the room was restored to normal. Crowe rose from his seat, restored and ready for the next battle. But something was wrong. In his domain, there was nothing but the harmony of nature, where time stood still. Someone had invaded the sanctuary. He vanished from his seat and arrived at the hallway that lead to the alter room.

"I assume you must be a Sin." He said to the stranger that stood before him.

"You're the one they call Koran, correct?"

Edited by JRPomazon, 26 November 2007 - 08:59 PM.

[SL the Pyro]

"Why yes, I am Koran. The pleasure is all mine..." Koran replied, taking a bow. "Interesting place you have here... far out of the way of travellers. A good place to hide."

His eyes scanned the room; he could feel it. Souls, hundreds and possibly thousands of them, inhabited this place. It seemed that Crowe's words were very true about using these souls to do his bidding, and he had a lot to spare. Perfect.

"I suppose I should get straight to the point; you don't seem like the patient type..." Koran said, crossing his arms and hovering about the room, using ice he had formed on his boots. "You see, Z observed your battle with those do-gooders. He's taken an interest in your... centuries of work..." He wasn't quite sure how else to say it. "I was hoping to strike a deal with you... I offer you my services in disposing of your pursuers -- excluding Jordan of course, he's all yours -- and in exchange, you supply us with the souls we need for our plans. A fair exchange, no?"

Edited by Shadow_Link, 27 November 2007 - 07:19 AM.

[JRPomazon]

Crowe smiled.

"Fascinating offer. However, I have absolutely no interest in aiding Z anymore than I already have" He said, smiling as usual.

"If he wishes to become a god, then he must do it by his own strength. But still, if he were to come and beg me for my assistance then I might consider giving him access to the souls in my dominion."

Crowe vanished from his current location and teleported himself a few feet behind Koran. In his hand, he held to Key of Water.

"I think I should tell you just what kind of situation you are in right now. Invading my home his something I can't quite stand and you've done just that. I'm afraid I can't let you leave this place unharmed."

His hand began to glow a golden color, conjuring a bracelet of thorns to appear on his wrist.

"That little accessory will rip your hand off the moment you use anymore water-based magics. This includes ice. You'll need fire to burn it away."

Crowe looked at the Key of Water.

"I'm also surprised that you even had this artifact on your person, Z must really trust you."

The key began to shine with a faint blue light, reacting to Crowe's touch. He chuckled, amused with the key and tossed it back to Koran.

"Consider yourself lucky that I have no interest in these keys. If I did, I can assure you that you would be dead right now. If you would be so kind, tell your master my reply and leave me."

With those words said, Crowe vanished into his sanctuary, leaving Koran to himself.

[SL the Pyro]

Koran grimaced as the thorns from Crowe's bracelet dug into his arm; it hurt like hell. "That little accessory will rip your hand off the moment you use anymore water-based magics. This includes ice. You'll need fire to burn it away."

Koran's eyes narrowed at Crowe with a hate-filled glare; what was that for!? He clearly had no intention of helping... bothersome wraith. As Crowe gave Koran back the Key of Water and took his leave, he inspected the bracelet. It looks like there was no way to get it off without ripping his hand off anyway. "Great... he must've done that so I couldn't get rid of him. Annoying... but smart."

Not wanting to tempt fate any more than he had, Koran left Crowe's sanctuary the way he'd came in. Once he was outside, he pulled out his keychain and contacted Z. "Back so soon? How did it go?" Koran's only response was to hold up the bracelet into Z's view, an irritated look on his face. "My... that looks rather painful... I'm assuming his reply was no?"

"No, you think?" was Koran's reply. "This thing will rip off my hand if I try to use any of my magic; I need fire to burn it off. Can you send Hali over here?"

In a flash of fire, Hali was right there. "You called?" she said casually, putting a small flame on her finger and carefully burning off the bracelet; Koran was weak to fire, she didn't want to hurt him.

"She was in here with me, go figure." Z chuckled. "What did Crowe say, exactly?"

"That he didn't want to help us any more than he already had... he's not really against us, but that's likely to change when he sees that we aren't just upstarts." Koran said, the bracelet falling off. He rubbed his sore wrist.

"Well, that's his choice. Let him get killed by the others if he wants; we'll simply steal his cache of souls afterwards if he wants to cause us trouble." Z explained. "Alright, come back. There's nothing more you can do there." Both Hali and Koran nodded, disappearing in a flash of fire and frigid air respectively. The bracelet crystals in Z's hand became inert as they vanished from view. "So Crowe is working for himself, and only himself... shame, he'll only get in the way like that." Z sighed and turned to the window; the storm outside of his tower, aptly named the Death Wind, ravaged it's elemental fury like always; it oblitereated anything that tried to approached their sanctuary that didn't have a favorably strong form of elemental protection. "But it matters not; there's a large chance that Shadow, Jordan and Ken will dispatch him sooner or later. If not, then all of us Sins at once could just as easily crush him. Either way, you made the wrong choice, Crowe..."

Edited by Shadow_Link, 27 November 2007 - 09:03 PM.

[Ken the Wandering Soul]

Ken looked up from the mound of earth to Jordan. There was no need for mercy, no need for kindness, no need for being just. The tears that once ran down his face had stopped, leaving only an expression of murderous intent.

"Whatever it takes to destroy him, I will give it."

[JRPomazon]

Ken and Shadow had made up their minds, reinforcing Jordan's resolve. A smile appeared on his face, he wasn't going to be going all alone in this fight. As much as his pride hated it, he knew that he'd need all the help he could get. He got off from the ground a made sure he had his things. His spears: check, his pouch: check, his armor: check. Packing light always seemed to help whenever an inventory check was involved.

"Alright then. He told me that he was going to be at an old sanctuary nearby, only about an hour from here."

That said, Jordan headed east, walking away from the scars on the battlefield and away from Gwen's cabin. Jordan looked back at the small home nestled in between an endless field of green and the small mountains. His smile waned, feelings of sadness crept from his heart. He turned away, continuing on his path. Shadow seemed excited about the chance to finish the fight while Ken just looked straight on, his killing intent practically emanating off of him. As unnerving as it was, Jordan tried his best to ignore it. After all, not too long ago he was feeling the same way.

Specifics weren't needed really when it comes to losing something or someone precious to you. It all hurt the same. Jordan could only sympathize with Ken, but there was no doubt in his mind that this rage would only be used against Ken. Crowe was a manipulator, he will do whatever it took to better himself and makes his enemies miserable. Jordan decided not to ask Ken about it, not really his business to begin with. He only hoped that his friend could resolve the troubles riddling his heart.

Jordan turned to Shadow.

"Hey Shadow, is it just me or did you feel as though we were being watched in our last fight?"

[Steel Samurai]

Steel's senses snapped into alertness the moment he felt himself fading, his hand instantly on the hilt of the Dualist Blade. It was over quickly and he found himself in an old, overgrown building made of stone. Perhaps a religious building of some type. The princess was still with him, fortunately. He turned to the cloaked figure beside him, a menacing snarl upon his lips.
"You'll find that taking me somewhere I don't wish to go isn't the best thing for your health. Give me one good reason why I shouldn't strike your head from your body now."

[JRPomazon]

The cloaked man raised his hand, it began glowing white. a small ball of light floated towards Steel, traveling towards his head. The ball reached Steel's face, a warm glow emanated from the light. It moved closer to his right eye, phasing through the cloth he covered his eyes with. Once it completely entered Steel's head, the cloaked man chuckled.

"Take off the cloth covering your right eye. It doesn't see very well if you have something in front of it."

[Steel Samurai]

Steel unwrapped his bandages swiftly, one hand remaining on his sword hilt, wrapping the black cloth around his hand. He blinked once or twice as his eyes got used to what light there was in the abandoned cathedral.
"You've earned yourself two minutes sorcerer. Make it quick. Don't think you've done me any real favor either. The lack of my sight was no impediment to what I needed to accomplish, and you may yet rue restoring it."

[JRPomazon]

"My, My, always with the anger." He replied.

"I require your help. I had to make sure you weren't a hero, so I resurrected that knight you killed to see how you would act. I even tried that guilt trip routine just for kicks. Sure enough, your resolution was stronger than any feeling of guilt I could create."

He removed his cloak, revealing his face. His eyes were a piercing blue, but his right eye had taken a strange change, the iris becoming a red color.

"A band of three warriors are coming to this place to end my existence. I need you to dispatch of the one called Shadow. The warrior Ken will face off against an suiting opponent and I will kill the man known as Jordan of the Whirlwind Spear. In exchange, I'll offer you the power of my eyes. I've taken several years to train them to the way they are now. You should already have noticed that your eye can see more than a normal man's vision. By the way, my name is Crowe."

OoC: Crowe's description

His hair was a deep red, almost black and his eyes a cool blue, ice like but with a fire of their own. His face was obscured with black markings, tattoo like lines that when across the bridge of his nose and down the right side of his face.

Also, go to the Battle of Van'Duras to see how Steel got here.

Edited by JRPomazon, 01 December 2007 - 11:18 PM.

[Steel Samurai]

Steel laughed.
"You think to buy my sword with this . . . cheap magical augmentation? For all I know as soon as I kill this man for you, it will revert. Not that I could notice the difference in any case; my eyesight is much better than anything this weak augmentation could provide anyway." Steel laughed again. "I'll help you sorcerer, but in return you will be of use to me."

Steel looked at the man, tried to feel his aura. Nothing. He closed his eyes and instantly he felt his senses expand. He could feel those around him, from the unconscious princess on the ground beside him to the 3 adventurers some distance away. The man in front of him had a strange aura though. It changed constantly, shifting this way and that, almost as though he had not one person living in his body, but many. So. He absorbed souls. Interesting. Steel focused, and forced his senses through the barrage of other souls to the man's core. The decaying, rotting aura of a wraith. Perfect. Steel opened his eyes, having had them closed no more than a second. He perceived time differently without sight.

"On the walls of this Cathedral, with your own blood you will pledge loyalty to me and my successors for the next one hundred years. Do that and, with my help, you survive the coming battle. Should you decline, you will die, either by my hand tonight, or by that of those already on their way. For," Steel whispered in Crowe's ear, "I know what you are . . . and how to kill you."