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[JRPomazon]

Minutes became hours. Time began to move at what seemed to be an irregular pace for Jordan. He had found Ken and after the argument with the sailor and amidst the deck fight, had learned of XI's departure. Jordan was shocked when he heard the news, but didn't let it show. The ship set sail after the fight was finished and Jordan was left alone with his thought on the filthy ship. He leaned against the side of the ship, resting his head on a crate next to him. First Shadow, now XI. One by one, his companions were leaving him and now only one of them remained. It could have been worse, they could have died at the hands of the enemy. They all have matters they have to attend to, so I guess their leaving is understandable. Besides, Jordan was alone when he first set off from Sornaiid. XI found him along the way and they traveled together to Ikana. But those days seemed like such a long time ago.

Jordan slowly began to doze off, his vision becoming darker. He chuckled to himself as his eyelids closed. "XI, you idiot. . ." he thought to himself. "You should of said goodbye . . . I'll have to smack you offside the head next time. . . we meet. . ." Jordan fell asleep, his body had gone limb as tiredness finally overtook him.


------------------------------
The cloaked man reappeared inside a large sanctuary. The room was constructed with pillars of stone and looked hundreds of years old. The empty spaces in the walls appeared to had once held stained glass windows and nature slowly crept in, slowly taking the structure back. The light of the afternoon came in and hit the walls across from the windows, creating a contrast on each side. One side that appeared dark and the other very bright. He was accompanied by a man in dark armor. His dirty blond hair fell downward, but his red eyes still were visible through the loose strands that guarded his face. He posture was horrible and he clenched a sword in his right hand, not appearing to let it go.

"Listen well, I revived you with the purpose of fighting a certain man." He said to his subordinate. "Once you kill him, I will return you to your peace."

"No." The warrior contested in a strained and tired voice. "I will fight him and you will return me. . . to the princess. . ."

The cloaked man smiled deviously.

"Oh, I had almost forgotten about your fiannce back in Van'Duras." He said cheerfully.

"Very well, I will return you to your beloved if you can kill him."

The man in dark armor vanished, most likely moving from one place to another with the aid of the cloaked man.

"I wonder if he realizes that I won't have to keep my end of the bargain. . ." He said to himself as he began to laugh.

Edited by JRPomazon, 29 September 2007 - 12:03 AM.

[Ken the Wandering Soul]

- - - - - - -

After a long journey, they had arrived on the coast of Sornaiid at a small port town. Ken had spent his mind in deep thought, wondering about those words that had been spoken into his ear, words no one seemed to have heard or spoken. He considered talking to Jordan about it, but could not bring up the thought to do it.

The port look fairly seasoned and aged. It was a busy place, but not quite as much as the other ports Ken had seen before.

"So, where to now? Where does your business take us?" Ken asked.

[JRPomazon]

Jordan look around the semi-familiar surroundings. He had been here before several times on errands and odd jobs in the past. He was never too familiar with the area, seeing as he would never stay around long enough to search every nook of this place. The people ran about with their own tasks at hand, trying to complete them as soon as possible.

"We'll leave this town and head north. I want to stop by and say hello to a few people."

That being said, he walked off the ship and head towards the town entrance. As he pasted the stone and wooden homes, Jordan and Ken arrived at a large gate, opened to allow travelers passage during the day. However, something wasn't right about the scene ahead. There were no people entering and leaving the town, a very unnatural occurrence for this place. Jordan stopped walking and looked upon at least half a dozen dead bodies about 20 or so feet away from where he was. Standing among them was a figure in black armor.

"What the hell happened here. . ." Jordan thought.

The black clad warrior spotted Jordan and Ken and began to move forward; his blood-stained sword pointed at them.

"I. . . found you. . . Jordan of the Whirlwind Spear. . ." he muttered as he marched towards Jordan.

Jordan armed himself with his spear, gripping the weapon with both hands.

"Who are you? Why did you kill those people?"

"They wouldn't . . . tell me where . . . you were. . ." He replied.

His details were much more visible now. The armor he was wearing was fine and well crafted, made a knight. His dirty blond hair was a mess, covering his face. His red eyes glared at Jordan as though he were staring into space. There was something about this man that was very unnatural; it was like he was dying or perhaps already dead. Reasoning was also out of the question, seeing as he had already taken several lives. Fighting was all that could be done here.

"Hey Ken, leave this guy to me." Jordan said.

He charged at the warrior and lunged his spear at the man's chest. The warrior caught the spear with his free hand right before the tip of the blade could touch his armor.

"Die." The Warrior said as he slashed his sword at Jordan.

Jordan leaped back, dodging the blow and pulling his spear back with him. He didn't want to use wind manipulation, it didn't seem like he would need it. Old fashion fighting should be enough for this man. Jordan tried a new approach. He ran to the black clad knight and attacked him with a vertical slash, cutting the knight's arm in an attempt to disarm him. After the attack connected, the warrior showed no sign of pain and maintained to clench his weapon. Jordan's eyes widened in shock as he gazed at where his spear had struck the warrior. The blade of his spear had pierced his opponent's skin, but no blood was drawn from the wound he had given him. There didn't seem to be any left. It was clear now that this man was not a normal human.

"Who are you?" Jordan asked as he looked up in terror at the black clad knight.

"You may . . . call me Oblivion. . ." he responded in his tired and exhausted voice.

There was no light in this man's eyes, for he had already died long before Jordan met him. He tossed Jordan's spear away from his arm and lunged his sword at him. Jordan was wide open and without the protection of the armor he lost back at the Forsaken Fortress, this strike could prove fatal.

[SL the Pyro]

The small ship that Shadow had commendeered(sp?) from Z's unfortunate lackeys proved to be quite fast, and thankfully had some food on it; the fight had made him hungry. As he pulled up to the coast of Sornaiid, he noticed a pirate ship sailing away. "They must already be here..." he thought as he dropped the anchor and hopped off of the ship and onto the shoreline. Then he caught a whiff of something foul, a rather sudden change from the air of the sea. It was a scent he knew all too well. "Blood..." he said, wrinking up his nose and heading for the source fast.

He expected a fight to be going on, however he didn't expect Jordan and Ken to be in the middle of it. And the man in black... he thought it was Z at first, but not only did this man have black armor instead of a cloak, but he didn't sense as much dark power. Nonetheless, things didn't look too good with a bunch of dead bodies around them. When he was close enough to see that Jordan was unarmed and the dark knight about to run him through, that was his cue to pick up the pace.

Using the magic boots he sped up enough to get in between the two fighters and used his sword to block the attack for Jordan. A harder task than he thought since he swung the sword with considerable force, but in relation to Z's blows this wasn't much. He stood his ground as the warrior clad in block tried to push him into Jordan. Not taking his eyes off the warrior he said to Jordan in a strained voice, "Starting the party without me, guys? I'm crushed..." Even in the midst of battle, Shadow was as cynical as ever.

Edited by Shadow_Link, 04 October 2007 - 10:23 AM.

[JRPomazon]

"Sha-Shadow!?" Jordan exclaimed. Being saved at the last minute was the last thing Jordan expected. It was a pleasant surprise, to say the least.

"Do not. . . interfere. . ." Oblivion muttered as his sword clashed with Shadow's.

Using his free hand, the lifeless warrior shoved Shadow aside with tremendous force and attacked Jordan once again. Jordan blocked the strike with his spear, holding the blood stained sword back with his own weapon. His arms were shaking under the pressure of the received attack, possibly the result of this warrior's unnatural strength. It was hard to fathom, but Jordan would have to think of this man as anything but human.

"Damn you! What is it that you want!? Fame? Bragging rights? What!?" He shouted at Oblivion.

". . . Love . . ." he responded.

Jordan's rage died at that moment. Love? This monster was trying to kill him . . . for love? I seemed that there was more to this tortured creature than Jordan had thought. However, as he was distracted by idle thoughts, his guard was weakening. Snapping back to reality, Jordan regained his focus and fended off the sword that was moving ever closer to his body. Oblivion lifted his sword back and attempted the lunge his blade into Jordan's chest. Jordan saw through his attack and sidestepped out of the way. Now Oblivion was wide open and Jordan saw his chance. He thrust his spear into the warrior's open side, piercing through a gap in his armor and into his ribs. There was no blood drawn from the strike and the warrior seemed mostly unmoved by the attack.

"Hmm. . . Well damn, I thought that would work. Well, since Shadow already joined to battle, I suppose there would be no harm for Ken to come in as well."

He turned back to Ken.

"Hey, you know how I said to keep out of the fight Ken? Well, I take that back. This guy is tough and I need help."

As he said these words, Jordan's pride took a great hit. Then again, pride is nothing if your dead.

[Ken the Wandering Soul]

Ken had stared in amazement at the battle, wanting to move in and help. When he had heard Oblivion say his reasons for fighting though, he almost lost his will to fight.

Love? He is fighting for love? But...?

As more of the fight unfolded, with Shadow's intervention and Jordan's invitation, Ken brought himself to bare. He drew his sword, and readied himself.

Moving his entire body to account the shift in weight, Ken charged forward. The heavy weight of the blade was obvious as the tip of the blade dragged along the ground, but the young man pushed himself onward to fight with it. In the moment, he gave a great shout as he heaved the sword and down in a wide arc--the sheer force and weight managed to push Oblivion back a little bit. The already dead warrior pushed Ken back and attemted a slash at Ken, which Ken barely avoided

". . . This fight is not yours . . ." he uttered to Ken.

As Ken stumbled back, getting plenty of room between him and Oblivion to recover, he looked straight on into the warrior's red eyes.

"You are not the only one who has something to fight for!" he retorted.

The young man charged forward again, giving a heavy sideways swipe that just barely buffeted Oblivion.

"I can barely remember anything from more than few weeks ago, and Jordan is one of the few friends I have--I won't let you kill him!"

Edited by Ken the Wandering Soul, 04 October 2007 - 02:47 PM.

[SL the Pyro]

Shadow got to his feet, a bit winded by him being thrown; Oblivion was as strong as he looked. After hearing his reason for this battle, however, Shadow was beyond confused. "I don't see why love should come at the cost of death..." he said, a bit skeptical. He decided to try and sense his life force to try and guage his power, but got a rather odd result; he felt none. "No life force... he's undead. That explains the lack of blood."

Despite what he thought about this, though, he couldn't let Jordan and Ken fight alone. He jumped up and landed on Oblivion's shoulders, then bent downwards so he was looking into his helmet upside-down. He then stuck his tongue out at the warrior, ready to jump off when Oblivion tries to do something about it; attack Shadow and only hit himself in the process. Of course he was only hoping that'd happen; his only goal was to get him angry enough draw his attention away from the others. Oblivion attacking himself would just be a hilarious bonus.

Edited by Shadow_Link, 05 October 2007 - 09:18 AM.

[JRPomazon]

Shadow's plan worked. Oblivion turned his attention away from Jordan and Ken and focused on Shadow. He even got him to strike himself, which appeared as comical as Shadow had hoped. It was impossible not to smile. However, the hilarity didn't last for too long as he regained his balance. His helmet fell off, exposing his head. He brushed his blond hair back and clenched his fist.

"Only one of you has to die . . . please don't get . . . in my way. . ."

Jordan placed both hands on his spear. He looked right at Oblivion and Oblivion glared back. Was this man truly undead? No, it seemed more complicated than that. This body has a consciousness, it had a soul; but it seemed like he wasn't truly alive. Oh well, there was no use trying to understand the physics behind this man's existence. Jordan charged at Oblivion, still not using his power of wind against the knight. Oblivion rushed at Jordan as well, his sword held high and ready to strike. They closed in on each other and in a matter of moments, they clashed. Everything happened so fast. There was pain in Jordan's shoulder. He glanced over, noticing that the blood stained sword of his enemy had sunken into his limb. Jordan just smiled, seeing as his spear had run Oblivion through the heart and out the back. There was still no blood from the strike.

"I'm sorry I had to do this to you, but I still have a reason to live." He said to his opponent.

Jordan pulled his weapon out of his enemy and lifted the sword from his shoulder. It had apparently not gone in as deep as he had originally thought, a superficial wound at best. Oblivion just stood there, as though he were frozen. The grip on his sword weakened and he dropped his weapon.

"It seems I . . . can no longer remain . . . in this world. . ." He said with his tired voice. Oblivion dropped to his knees and stared up at the sky. His body was beginning to vanish.

"Forgive me . . . princess . . . I've failed you again . . ."

His body has disintegrated, causing his armor to fall to the ground. All that remained of the warrior named Oblivion was his sword and his dark armory, as though it were some sort of makeshift grave. Jordan lowered his spear and looked at the remains.

"It's just like that time in the Forsaken Fortress. . ." He thought, placing his spear back in it's case.

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

Elsewhere, the cloaked man was seated in an old stone throne as he held a piece of paper. It was like the paper he gave Jordan, displaying real time images with moving ink. After watching Oblivion's fall, he let loose of the sheet and allowed it to fly out of his hands.

"He was quite enjoyable to watch." He said as he chuckled to himself.

"His soul was loosely tied to that body, so he wouldn't have been around for much longer anyway. Oh well, he is not my concern anymore."

He looked over to his missing arm, moving his hand over it.

"I suppose if I'm going to remain in this world, I must destroy that man. I've lived for hundreds of years, I won't be killed now."

He shifted the sleeve of his cloak and revealed the stub of what remained of his arm. His free hand began to glow with a white light as he placed it on his wound.

Edited by JRPomazon, 05 October 2007 - 08:22 PM.

[SL the Pyro]

Shadow walked up to where the man had vanished. "Princess? A dark knight like this, in love with a princess? Strange..." he said.

He didn't really wonder about this at the moment, though; he was more curious as to what drove Oblivion. He, too, noticed that his soul was difficult to define being alive or dead. The body was definately dead, that was obvious because there was no blood. But the soul... the soul and the body didn't seem to match. The only instance he could think of this was when Z possesses someone, but that didn't fit at all since 1) he would've sensed two souls, and 2) he didn't come out upon his host's demise.

Only one dark art he knew of fit the bill. "Reanimation..." Shadow said with disgust. "Placing the soul of one person into the dead body of another before they pass on to the afterlife. It's a forbidden dark art..." he explained for all those who cared to hear. Was this Z's doing... no. He may know a few dark arts, but he's not that powerful, at least not yet. It must've been the cloaked man that's been giving Jordan trouble. It fit since he only wanted to fight Jordan despite Shadow's and Ken's attacks.

The reanimation spell used for Oblivion clearly wasn't perfect; a perfect reanimation has yet to be done. But still, to make the dark art work as well as it did meant that the cloaked man was a force to be reckoned with after all.

[JRPomazon]

Ken was sheathing his large sword. Shadow had saved Jordan at the last minute. The battle had been won. But something still didn't feel quite right. Jordan couldn't put his finger on it, whatever it was. He turned around to discover that the people from the port town he arrived from had discovered one of the people Oblivion had killed previously. The horrified mob looked in horror at the murder scene, giving Jordan the idea that it was best to leave at that moment. The last thing he needed was to accused of murder.

"Ken, Shadow, let's get going." He said as he began to walk. "We should get moving."

Shadow had mentioned something about reanimation when he looked over at Oblivion's remains. If what he said was in fact the truth, then Jordan seriously underestimated the vast amount of power the cloaked man had in his arsenal. But was it power? No, it was more like knowledge. He must be a master of a large amount of magics, a rather frighting idea. Still, Jordan hadn't lost all hope just yet. He wasn't sure who this man was, or why he was so interested in him. Was it because of his heritage as a descendant of the Hall of Heroes or perhaps something he did before to anger this character? It must be something along those lines.

"We can stop at the next village. I want to say hello to someone before we move on." He said to Ken and Shadow.

[SL the Pyro]

Shadow nodded and walked alongside Jordan and Ken. "Sorry about the dramatic entrance, I should probably explain." he said to them. "Those two soldiers who picked me up from the Fortress... they weren't from Uradiel's army. They were from Z's. Hired to kill me, but they didn't even come close. I thought I'd come back since it was a trick."

He then thought back on what the fake soldier has said about an army; that fact that Z was building an army up meant that he was ready to make his move. A chilling thought indeed, because it could only mean trouble.

Edited by Shadow_Link, 10 October 2007 - 11:22 AM.

[JRPomazon]

"Z again, huh?" Jordan asked Shadow as he walked along the dirt road. "That guy doesn't know when to quit."

The scenery here was nice; short green grass with a few trees on the side under a deep blue sky. Barely a cloud in the sky. It appeared peaceful, to say the least. About a mile from where he and the others started was their current destination: a small town with farm land as far as the eye could see. If they kept this pace, they'd make it there by sunset. It felt good to be in familiar surroundings, thats for sure. It was then that Jordan felt truly at piece, even if the cloaked man had been watching him. The truth was that nothing could really stop Jordan from feeling good at this moment in time.

[SL the Pyro]

(CAN SOMEONE DO A FECKING TIME SKIP OR NEW TOPIC ALREADY!?!)

[JRPomazon]

(CAN SOMEONE DO A FECKING TIME SKIP OR NEW TOPIC ALREADY!?!)

OoC: I was waiting for Ken the Wandering Soul or you to post something. I had the last post and double posting isn't very classy. However, I'll make a post because now I have a excuse to. Please, after this someone ELSE post.

IC:

The walk to their destination was longer than Jordan originally intended. Everything from scenery to the people around him seemed a little different from what he remembered. It must have been the progress of time, making subtle changes in the world one second after the other. Before Jordan even realized, he had reached his destination. A large dirt road surrounded by small homes occupied the scene, with people in plain clothes finishing up their chores and duties with only dinner on their minds. They appeared to ignore Jordan, Ken and Shadow as they entered their home.

This village was the destination Jordan had in mind, but it was a specific area in this place that he was trying to go to. Small talk kept Jordan entertained as the band of warriors walked passed the main area of the village. Jordan lead them up a green hill covered in short grass and stopped once he reached the summit of the small lump of earth. The trio found themselves looking over a large green field, golden light from the setting sun shimmering on the long grass.

"It's just as I remember it." Jordan said out loud.

In the distance, a small cabin gave off smoke from it's chimney.

"Follow me." he said, walking down the hill and towards the cabin. It was closer than it appeared from the hill, which was a relief to the somewhat weary travelers. The grass came up to their knees as they waded through the field. As they walked past the grass and reached the cabin, the door opened from the inside. A young woman wearing a white dress with an apron appeared from within the cabin. Well kept brown hair reached to her neck, kept clear away from her blue eyes and the rest of her face. She took a look at Jordan, her eyes widening at the very sight of him.

"Jordan?" She softly asked.

Jordan gave a tired looking smile, happy to see the owner of the house.

"It's good to see you again Gwen." He said.

There was silence for a moment. Gwen slowly walked up to Jordan and placed her hand on his cheek. The feel of her hand on his face made Jordan blush. Small tears began to form around her eyes.

"You're. . . alive. I thought you were. . . "

She stopped talking. All she could was cry. Jordan looked down at the woman with surprise and concern (she was shorter than him after all).

"Dead? Who said I was dead?" He asked.

Gwen wiped away her tears and regained some of her composure.

"A man came by the other day and told me you had been killed." She replied.

[Ken the Wandering Soul]

ooc: sorry, my internet access has been limited as of late.

Ken's attention continually drifted to the west, an instinct constantly nagging at his thoughts. He had thought to talk to Jordan or Shadow about it, but just the same did not want to bring it up. He just could not get the doubt to leave him.

"There is something out there I have to find..." he mumbled to himself.

Ken shifted his sword around as he felt it's balance shift to an uneven keel. Watching the townspeople as they went through, Ken starting thinking and wondering about where his own home was. He was finally brought out of his thoughts when Jordan spoke aloud.

Ken then watched the interplay between Jordan and Gwen, not interfering when he saw that they were close in some way. It was not until Gwen started crying that Ken's concern rose.

"What?!"

Edited by Ken the Wandering Soul, 05 November 2007 - 05:02 PM.

[JRPomazon]

Jordan turned over to Ken, looking confused and surprised.

"My thought exactly Ken." He said.

He turned back over to Gwen, his face becoming a little more serious.

"Who said I was dead? What did he look like?" He asked her sincerely while she began to loosen her grip on his shirt.

"He didn't say. I couldn't get a good look at his face either, it was covered by a gray hood."

Jordan's eyes widened.

"Gray hood? Did she say gray hood? The cloaked man? He came over to taunt Gwen? Is he so sure that he would kill me? Perhaps he knew I was coming here and wanted to make fun at . . . wait, he came to Gwen. He knows about Gwen? Is she in danger? Is she going to be targeted by him?"

As these thought ran through his head, Jordan put a smile on his face.

"It must have been someone who was just making trouble, nothing for you to worry about."

She let go of Jordan as she backed away from him, her face red with embarrassment.

"Let me introduce my traveling buddies to you." He said cheerfully. He turned he attention to the people standing behind Jordan.

"The one in black is Shadow and the one with the silver hair is Ken." Jordan said.

Gwen took a look at them and smiled.

"Pleased to meet you." She said. "Thank you very much for taking care of Jordan, I know he can be a handful at times. Please, come inside."

She opened the door to her home and motioned the travelers inside.

"Ta-Taking care of me? Huh? What are the hell are you talking about?" Jordan shouted, his embarrassment showing from his beet red face.

Edited by JRPomazon, 06 November 2007 - 11:08 PM.

[Ken the Wandering Soul]

Ken's thoughts temporarily dwelled around thoughts similar to Jordan's. He shook the thoughts out though, and paid more attention to the the conversation at hand. He smiled and chuckled a little bit at Jordan's embarrassed expression.

"She has a point Jordan, remember when we first met? You do get in the middle of some trouble."

Not paying attention, Ken forgot to turn himself sideways so he could fit himself and his large sword through the door. The result was his sword stopping at the door, snagging Ken by the straps and falling to the ground.

"Ow ow ow..."

Now himself embarrassed, Ken scooted back outside and slowly started bringing himself up.

"I suppose I should not be one to talk about getting in trouble..."

[JRPomazon]

Jordan gave a smug and content look as he patted Ken on his head and helped him up.

"You would be correct sir." He said.

One by one, the trio shuffled into the small home. They dropped their satchels and weapons on the floor near the fireplace and took a seat at the wooden table. Dinner was served shortly after. As the afternoon became evening, explanations of their journey were told as entertainment for after dinner. It was hard for Jordan to come up with stories, as most of them included near death calls and he didn't want to worry Gwen.

"Wow, it seems you've been busy having fun in the world Jordan." She said as she finished cleaning up the dishes from dinner.

"Umm. . .yeah, an adventure. Right". he said.

"Having Fun? Sheesh, what does this girl think I do all the time?" He thought to himself.

Gwen finished cleaning and a question came to Jordan's mind.

"Hey Gwen, can I ask you for a favor?" He asked.

"Umm. . . sure. What do you need?" She asked.

"I need new armor, my old stuff got trashed by a lightning. . . bolt. . ."

Jordan just said something very stupid. It was already too late.

"A LIGHTNING BOLT!? WHY WERE YOU STRUCK BY A LIGHTNING BOLT?" She asked him practically screaming.

"Well. . . I was in a fight in the rain and I got struck by. . ."

"You idiot! You did something stupid while fighting, didn't you?" She asked him, almost in a accusing fashion.

"Yup, that's me. . . the idiot. . . hehe . . ."

"Stop laughing like a damn idiot Jordan! That armor was custom made by my father, YOUR master! You can't just ask for a new set all of the sudden!"

"I know, I know, that's why I wanted to take the old man's . . ."

"What!? How could you just ask for my father's armor?"

"Why not? Its not like he is using it!"

Gwen walked in front of Jordan and slapped him.

"Don't you know anything? It's the only piece of him that I have left!"

Everyone became quiet. A lasting silence would ensue after. Gwen lowered her head, her hair covering her eyes.

"I'm sorry. Its . . . been a few years since he died. I haven't quite got over it yet." She said in a quieter voice, breaking the silence.

She looked up at Jordan, tears beginning to form under her eyes.

"I'm sorry Jordan, I can't give you his armor."

She left the room with her head low and headed to another room, closing the door behind her. Jordan slouched in his chair, lowering his head. He really wished he didn't ask for that favor.

"Geez, I really wish you guys didn't have to hear that." He said.

Edited by JRPomazon, 07 November 2007 - 08:50 PM.

[Ken the Wandering Soul]

Ken could only watch as the sorrow of the past overtook what would have been a comfortable evening.

"Her memories... I can understand her want to keep the armor." Ken said as cast a glance at his sword, his strongest link to the past.

"Jordan, you need not apologize for things beyond your control. There is no--"

All of a sudden, it was as though a spark went off in Ken's thoughts.

"I think I could do it." he stated simply.

Ken looked to Jordan again.

"I could copy it--or at least try. If Miss Gwen will let me look at the original armor, I could try to recreate of it."

Edited by Ken the Wandering Soul, 07 November 2007 - 09:37 PM.

[SL the Pyro]

Shadow looked on at the situation with some amusement, but moreso with jealousy. Looking at Jordan and Gwen like this gave him the impression of a brother/sister-like relationship. Something he wished he had in the past.

His eyes shifted to Ken when he offered to recreate the armor. That seemed random... unless more of Ken's memories were returning. "Didn't know you had some blacksmith skills..." he chidded.

Although then the whole weight of the situation hit him. Jordan's destroyed armor... it was his fault. It was during Jordan's fight with Z that the armor got burnt to a crisp, only because Shadow was travelling with them. Although... it was probably better that Gwen know that. If she knew that Jordan had went toe-to-toe with one of the most feared terrorists in the world...

Shadow leaned back against his chair with a sigh. "It's never easy..."

Edited by Shadow_Link, 08 November 2007 - 11:13 AM.

[JRPomazon]

"A copy of the armor?" Jordan asked Ken, his eyes wide with curiosity.

"You think you can really do it?"

If Ken was going to make a replica of the armor, he would need steel. Luckily, this house had plenty of smithing materials left behind from Jordan's master. Jordan got out of his slouch and sat up straight. A familiar smile came back to his face.

"Alright, let's try it."

[Ken the Wandering Soul]

It's weird Ken thought to himself, I feel like I know I have done it before. Wait... the man from the shop in the Fortress... Didn't he say I did smithing for the Fortress...?

Ken shook the thoughts off, realizing that it was not important to dwell on such things. He knew he could it, and that was all he needed to know for now. He walked to the door of the room Gwen had retreated into. Knocking gently on the door and opening it only by a crack.

"Miss Gwen? If Jordan can not take the armor, then may I have your permission to at least look at it to try to make a proper copy of it?"

[Ken the Wandering Soul]

Ooc: Double posted, my apologies.

Edited by Ken the Wandering Soul, 09 November 2007 - 03:09 PM.

[JRPomazon]

The door cracked a little, Gwen peeked through the small opening. She quickly rubbed any trace of tears from her face before confronting Ken.

"Fine. You can look at it, but that's all you can do." She said, sounding more cheery than a few minutes ago.

"It's hanging on the wall."

She lead Ken into the room, Jordan rising from his seat to join them. A few steps into the next room, it was hanging on the wall. It was an emerald color, resembling Jordan's original armor with only a few variations. The armor consisted of a chest plate and shoulder guards. It was light, but sturdy. It had a strangle glow to it, as if it had an aura of it's own. It was keep in a darker part of the room, in the space between two windows to prevent sun damage to the heirloom.

"Well, this is it. Gander away boys."

She left the room, heading through the kitchen and to the front of the house.

"I'll be right back." Jordan said to Ken as he went to follow Gwen.

He followed her trail, eventually catching up with her. She realized she was followed and turned around to find Jordan. The two stopped a few feet away from the house, a full moon rising in the dark sky.

"Gwen, I'm really. . ."

"Don't bother. I know you didn't mean to hurt my feelings."

She looked away.

"I really wish you would take the time to think about what you will say before you say it. Don't always be so direct."

"Yeah, I'll try."

She looked back at Jordan, her face showing worry and curiosity.

"That armor you had, my father made that for you when you left. His work doesn't break unless you put it up against a lot of force. What the hell did you do to scrap it so bad that you couldn't even use it?"

Jordan thought over what he should say.

"Mention the battle with Z?" He thought. Bad idea, that'll make her worry. Tell her I broke it? No, I can't lie to her. She'll see straight through me anyway so what's the point? Ugh, this is tough. . ."

"I'd rather not mention that right now." Jordan said.

"Alright then, but you are going to tell me eventually."

She headed toward the house, a smile returning to her face.

"Are you coming?" She asked.

"Yeah, just give me a minute." He replied.

As she went inside, he looked up into the sky. The moon dominated the sky, captivating Jordan.

"Don't you think you're a bit too old to be daydreaming?"

Jordan turned around only to find to cloaked man. Captivation gave way to anger and and a sense of danger. The cloaked man, bearing his disgusting smile had decided to rear his ugly head. Was this another of his strange formal meetings?

"Hello there." Jordan said.

"You know, it's funny. We've met many times before, yet I don't know your name. Care to divulge a little about yourself?"

The cloaked man chuckled.

"Now, now, would I be as mysterious if I did something like that?" He replied.

"Then at least tell me why you are here."

The cloaked man chuckled once again. Jordan was becoming more and more irritated with him for each second that passed. However, when dealing with this man, it was best to keep your cool.

"I've come to tell you that this will the last of our little meetings."

"Really? Isn't that a shame." Jordan sarcastically replied.

The cloaked man's smile vanished, a grim look to its place.

"As of tomorrow, I will no longer give you amnesty and let you or your companions roam around freely. Prepare yourself, Oblivion was only one of the first of many beings I've created to kill you."

Oblivion. . . the reanimated knight who desperately fought to protect his love. Just thinking about that made Jordan go dangerously close to the boiling point. However, keeping his cool was essential at the time being.

"Why is it that you want to kill me so bad?" Jordan asked.

"Have you forgotten? You are of the blood descendant of Pharos, a member of the Hall of Heroes. Because of that, you could pose a very dangerous threat towards my very existence."

"Then why didn't you let Z finish me at the Forsaken Fortress? Why did you save me and go and tell Gwen I was dead?"

"For the first question, I'm going to become more than just a cloaked man by killing you. I wasn't going to let that upstart Z take that away from me. As for your last question, I have no idea what you are talking about. I didn't tell your little girlfriend that you died."

Jordan began to blush a little.

"Sh-She's not my girlfriend." He replied, feeling a tad bit embarrassed.

The cloaked man began to vanish into the shadows.

"Prepare yourself, tomorrow marks the beginning of the end of your life."

"One last question. Why did you sound like a child when we first met and now you sound older?"

"Because the voice I'm using now is my true voice. I'll only let you know that much about me."

The cloaked man completely vanished, heralding the end for Jordan and possibly everyone around him. At least some questions were answered. He headed back inside, hoping Ken was finished with his survey of the armor.

Edited by JRPomazon, 10 November 2007 - 08:01 PM.

[JRPomazon]

Double Post.

Edited by JRPomazon, 10 November 2007 - 08:01 PM.

[SL the Pyro]

Wondering what Gwen and Jordan were up to, Shadow had accidentally stumbled onto his conversation with the cloaked man. Though he hated spying on his companions like this, it was in his nature to keep tabs on everything going on if at all possible, so he wouldn't get too many surprises. Trying to keep out of sight, he listened in on as much of the conversation as he could. All he'd managed to catch was the part about Jordan's life ending tomorrow, and that worried him.

As Jordan headed back for the house, Shadow made himself known. "Jordan, that didn't sound too good... let's hope Ken finishes that armor tonight, because unless you want your friend involved in this, we'll have to book fast."

[JRPomazon]

"So, you listened in on my conversation?" Jordan asked as he walked inside the house.

"Why am I not surprised?"

He walked over to a chair and sat down, facing Shadow.

"We don't have anything to worry about. Gwen isn't a stranger to battle and the occasional carnage. Her father took her to some rough places when she was young. Man, that guy was a real piece of work."

A smile appeared on his face as he began to reminiscence on the past. His trip down memory lane was swiftly halted as he shifted back to the matter at hand.

"I refuse to let the cloaked man scare me into running. The last time I got scared, he manipulated my mind and made me kill those soldiers on the Vanadiel Ship. Not sure how, but he managed to do a real number on me. And I'm sure you remember what happened next. He is is nothing more than a hapless ghoul who attacks from the shadows. Even if he attacks tomorrow, I'll be ready for him and whoever else he brings to fight for him."

Jordan got up from his seat and headed towards the other room.

"I won't hold it against you if you choose not to fight. However, promise me that you and Ken will get Gwen out of here if anything goes sour."

- - - - - - - -

In his familiar territory, the cloaked man reappeared among the ruins of his sanctuary. Without a smile and his arm regenerated, he walked through his home as the moonlight lit his path. Past the grand hallways of stone and broken stained windows he arrived at an alter amidst a small set of stairs. He climbed the steps and reached a long stone alter, made of marble and appeared to be crafted by a master. The alter faced a open window, moonlight seeping in like water on a sinking ship. There he stood in front of the structure, raising his hands up as an unnatural glow appeared on his hands and the alter.

"I can't falter now. Only with that man dead can I truly be free."

[SL the Pyro]

Choose not to fight? Choose not to fight? That made Shadow laugh out loud. "I live for thrills like this, I won't be scared off so easily." he cackled, but then turned serious. "But... I promise I'll keep her safe should something go wrong."

As he and Jordan began to relax, Shadow began to think. Could this cloaked madman really hold a candle to Z? Like it or not, he was gonna find out tomorrow. Considering this, resting now would be wise. He began to fall asleep in the chair he was sitting in.

[JRPomazon]

OoC: Looking back, I made some random posts earlier that hinted character development and mysteries yet to be revealed. TIME TO MAKE EVERYTHING MAKE SENSE! w00t!

IC:

Jordan got from his chair, leaving Shadow to rest in his seat. He walked over to the other room, only to find that Ken and the armor were no longer there. He noticed Gwen coming out of a dark area known as the "smith room".

"Hey Jordan." Gwen said as she closed the door.

"I reopened the smith shop for your friend. There should be plenty of tools in there for him to use and some materials my father left behind. I'm actually interested in seeing how the armor will turn out."

"Just like old times, eh Gwen?" Jordan asked.

Gwen smiled.

"You know what, it is. I haven't been this excited about armor and weapons for a long time."

They talked for a what seemed liked hours, enjoying the conversations they once had on a daily basis. Eventually, Gwen got tired and headed for bed. Jordan wished her a good night and headed back to the kitchen. Shadow was sound asleep in his set as Jordan took his spears from his other possessions he had dropped on the wood and stone floor. Grabbing them, he headed over to the other room he just left and found a small chair to sit in. Once situated, he took his spears and inspected them for imperfections. As he took the time to look at his weapons, he remembered all the battles he had fought.

Goose of Ikana Canyon, the giant serpent, The Vanadiel soldiers, Ezra the dancer, the Dreadlord Z and most recently Oblivion. Ezra and Oblivion definitely had some ties to the cloaked man, but the others may have been coincidence. With these spears, he had seen battle and also the world around him. Jordan began to sharpen and polish his weapons, beginning to think of the dream he had during the time after he had lost consciousness during the explosion at sea. The old man he encountered during his dream. . . it was his master. He remembered the words he said during that time in the dream.

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

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

And then there was the issue with the boy in the fire. He seemed familiar, but it was impossible to recognize him. Why was he crying? What was that red pendant he held? It was uncertain whether or not he would ever learn the truth behind that youth, but it didn't seem to matter right now. His weapons were also in his dream, around the very end. By touching them, he awoke from his dream. It must of meant that he would need his spears to take action, which makes sense when he thought about it. He finished polishing his weapons and placed them back where he found them. There was nothing more Jordan could do but wait for Ken to finish the armor. It was uncertain how much time was left until the cloaked man made his move. His first strike could determine the very lives of everyone in Sornaiid.

[Ken the Wandering Soul]

ooc: Try doing an entire post with your wii >.<

Ken had spent a long time just marvelling at the armor. There was a feeling to it which he could not place. Ken decided it right then and there.

"I don't know, but I will make it."
------------------

Ken felt very grateful to Gwen for allowing him such freedom and accesibility. He considered asking why she was so willing, but decided it was best to just start on the armor.

For a while, he just worked away at making a chest plate. Once he was finished though, he put it off to the side with disapointment.

"No, this won't do at all..." he thought to himself, "That feeling, that aura... how could I possibly make it?"

<Quite simple, it was the first thing you learned to do.>

Ken turned about, but the only thing his eyes found was a silver blur in his peripheral vision.

"Just like on the ship... That voice..."

A thought grew in Ken's mind.

"The first thing... wait..."

"Your not strong enough to hold the hammer, but I if you want to help that badly then pray.

And just like that, the memory was gone.

"Pray..." Ken considered.

Ken found a new piece of steel, considering it for a moment. Quietly, he spoke the first words that came to mind.

"Spirits of the armor to be, please be strong, and never let the heart you guard stop beating true."

Ken struck the steel. Nothing happened. It was just like the first time. Ken considered giving up, but something in him urged him otherwise. So, he spoke the prayer and struck. Again. Again. Again, into the night, he contiued.