Ragnarok: Livin' in Sin

[Dissinger]

(Closed to Zantetsuken. For the purposes of this thread, Karel and Seth have advanced in power beyond the constraints of their normal profiles. As his opponent in this deadly dance, I am fine with this, and so is he.)

Tomb of the Nameless Hunter - Berevar 2022 DW

Footsteps echoed in the ruined monastery, each step giving importance and purpose as the figure moved slowly down the hallways. It had been years since he had been here, and now he had what he sought. He merely needed to get to the body, and reinsert the soul, the rest would be taken care of, or so he had been told.

The clouds hung low over the sky, threatening to unleash their torrent of water upon the world, if only to cleanse away the sins of the present. A hand clad in black leather, and bearing steel plates casually lifted up the hood of the cloak that could be used in such situations, even as the distant sound of rumbling could be heard in the ruins.

The building had been at one time beautiful. It had a grace and elegance known only by a few, as a last bastion of Humanity in the lands of Berevar it had long since failed in its purpose, or perhaps it succeeded, not that anyone truly cared anymore. The burden of life in the area had been alleviated, and no one need worry about what may have come of their disappearance.

Doors, half rotted and decaying hung on hinges before the man as he strode forward. He stopped looking at the doors only momentarily, the cloak moving forward to continue its journey only to be held behind by its wearer. It then moved back to its proper place, but not before revealing daggers, in a neat row along his belt, a few covered in a chemical that made them undetectable, a few that glinted out in the faint light of the torch he bore.

A boot lashed out as the figure unleashed his fury into the kick. Savagely the wood tore and gave way, years of moisture and decay taking their toll upon the once proud doors. The target of the attack however, was not the wood, but the knob. As the kick connected the knob shot straight through the door, tearing a large hole in the wood, before the distant sound of metal upon stone could be heard.

Once more a gauntlet clad hand pushed forward and opened the door. Before the figure stepped forward, still bearing the torch as the flames danced and played upon the wood, and entered the chamber of burial.

The Seraphs of Sintyre had fallen so much, and in such large numbers, that no one had taken the time to bury the dead or even figure out who was dead. They merely had produced a mass burial site, coffins lining the area, in a mockery of reverence. The ceiling had caved in for the most part, and wooden planks that occasionally juxtaposed against the sky were all that remained. Rocks and rubble littered the area, and with a casual kick, the lone figure had knocked a rock clear across the large area.

Steel grey eyes scanned the room before sage words were muttered, "Like a needle in a haystack. Come my Angel, let's get to work."

[Zantetsuken]

The winds howled as the two lone figures walked the deserted path to the cathedral's graveyard way down the road. The taller of the pair, a swordsman with a long blue fighters coat, held the smaller one tightly. He removed his blue trench coat placing it upon the shoulders of his companion, a young woman with glasses and brown hair wearing a heavy set up of adventuring gear. She clutched in her small hands a book that was held slightly open. She would occasionally glance down at the old tattered pages it held within to see if the direction they were going was correct.

Leaves kicked up and swarmed at them like bees as they shielded themselves from the barrage. Both held each other for a moment as the swordsman's eyes looked around for nearby danger. He felt the trembling of the woman in his arms and he held her tightly lowering his mouth to her ear.

"Bethany," he said soothingly. "You have nothing to fear my dear. We are almost at the cemetery." running his left hand up her back he held her before her to see her beauty. Beth was a woman from a rural village off in the mountain ranges in the Horogen mountains. Her people had been believers in the fantasy of the Saint of Swords, seeing the title as that worthy only of a deity, an avatar of the gods. Studying it all her life was what she did, and she had a librarian air to her. Her eyes didn't hide the intelligence that she held deep within, but growing up in a sheltered life had not wizened her to the world.

She nuzzled her face into his chest as she looked up at her lover with eyes of a love sick teenager. Before her was not just any man, but the blessed Saint of Swords she had worshiped all her life. His hazel eyes looked at her warmly and the coldness she felt melted away instantly. "Don't worry," she said confidently, her angelic voice lifted by the storm. "I have the Saint of Swords, Karel Raven at my side. Nothing can harm me." Karel smiled as he leaned into to kiss her, and she rose up to the tip of her toes to meet his lips as they embraced.

After a moment of passion Karel nodded his head in the direction of the cemetery. "Are you sure this is the right place? There have got to be hundreds of places similar to this one." Karel said with a bit of concern in his tone. He flipped a bit of his black hair out of his eyes as he gave a steely glare to the darkness before him.

"The Seraphs of Sintyre had lost a very bad war. A war against time itself some say. Instead of having a place of reverence they unfortunately could only put them into a room with other coffins." Karel sighed as the two reached a rickety gate. As Bethany continued to walk forward Karel felt a sudden ill omen. He grabbed Bethany and turned her so that her eyes met his.

"What's wrong my love?" Bethany asked, eyes full of surprise. Karel gave one look into the Monastery and then back at the gate. He pulled out the Serra Karla Raven and pointed to the gate.

"The door handle, the chains are still attached. Somebody just recently ripped this gate open. I want you to stay here Bethany. No matter what. Do not come for me until I send word to. Do you understand?" Bethany was about to speak before Karel placed a finger to her lips. "Unless your next words are I understand you are not to speak." Bethany gave him a tough look, but Karel just stared her down and she nodded backing off.

Holding his blade loosely in his hand the Saint of Swords walked into the graveyard of the Seraphs.

[Dissinger]

Footsteps

They were light, the kind of footsteps of someone not weighed down, yet they too held a confidence and purpose in them. The man in the mausoleum paused as he heard them, his head turning so as to place an ear directly towards the sound. His eyes narrowed as he muttered, “Tomb robbers?”

He then sighed as he placed the torch in a nearby holder and moved quickly. A finger laced through a hoop at the top of his throwing knives, before in a well practiced twirl they came to a stop in the palm of his hand, ready for action. He slid to a halt between two rows of stone sarcophagi before he crouched low to the ground, and remained silent waiting.

His steel grey eyes focused on the door way to the tomb, before he steadied his breathing, he wasn’t going to act until he had proof of their treachery. He doubted however he would have to wait long, no. Very few people came to Berevar, let alone during the thaw when it was at its wettest. He was fairly certain that these people were merely tomb raiders and he could finish them off quickly, before looking once more for the body.

A figure in a bright blue trench coat entered the room his gaze sweeping over the area. The eyes of the predator narrowed deeply before he moved quietly towards the side of the man, always clutching the small kunai in his hand tightly. His movement was even and quickly, moving from clear patch of stone to clear patch of stone, each movement sending a soft tap, tap, tap through the area, almost imperceptible through the area.

A soft smile lit up his face as he contemplated figuring out why the figure had come, and decided against it, better to merely kill the man, before moving on. He took in the smallest details, the sword held lightly in his hand. The maneuver wasn’t completely lost on the dagger wielder, yet he recognized the tightness of muscles, the man expected an ambush. He let out a soft snort of derision as he flipped the kunai in his hand softly, and threw it as hard as he could, aiming right for the man’s arm.

Let’s see you fight with one arm!

Following the release he dropped back into the shadows trying hard to cling to their sweet embrace before he rushed into another row of coffins, waiting patiently for the swordsman to search for the thief, hide and seek was a childish game at best, but he couldn’t help but feel in a childish mood. Perhaps it was the recent repairing on his mind body and soul, but he didn’t care much for the swordsman, and wanted to actually enjoy the fight before he killed the man.

[Zantetsuken]

Time was not kind to the sacred place where the Seraphs kept their dead. Mold, rot, and rust surrounded the entire area, the stones littered and broken. Karel's eyes looked upon the broken tapestry, the paintings of demons being destroyed by blessed warriors. He half expected to see one of Kai Atari, but moss had overcome most of the oil paints.

He saw a wooden door that was missing a knob and he tensed his muscles as he walked inwards. Their was a light at the end of the room illuminating a small portion of the large warehouse. Karel didn't have to think twice as his nostrils filled with the scent of decay and death. He had found where he wanted to be. Unfortunately it seemed whoever else was in here was looking for something in this room as well.

Coffins littered the room and some were even stacked hastily on others it seemed in the haste to get back to the fighting from ages long past. What the Seraphs were fighting against and losing was now a secret on the lips of the dead. Karel didn't mind as he walked forwards with blade at the ready in a loose grip. Then, with a sudden jolt his lips widened as a scream escaped out into the silence. Instinct kicked in as his left arm reached for his right where he felt a protruding metal object lodged into the upper portion of his arm. He turned to face where the blade came from, his blade held tightly and low in a diagonal ready to deflect anything else.

"God damn..." Karel muttered ripping the small dagger out of his arm, blood pouring out of the wound. He felt his nerves growing numb and he sighed deeply as he looked upon the ground where he tossed the blade. That was skill, not luck... Karel observed as he looked around for the culprit. "I don't have times for games..." Karel hissed under his breath. He scanned the darkness, his eyes not able to fully adjust because of the torch in the corner of his eye. After a frustrating growl of displeasure he pulled a rag out of his traveling kit and tied off his wound after dropping a few drops of a liquid on the sour part. A tingling sensation moved up and down his arms as the wound boiled a bit, but after a few seconds he was able to rotate his arm and use it again.

Wound healed Karel made a few steps forward and saw a row of coffins just beyond the left to him. He listened deeply, and couldn't hear anything. His eyes looked around the room again, and he came to the conclusion that he should be there. He focused one hand up and he visualized a strip of the world going black and white, and as he stepped on that path he felt the magic of the slowing time around him. To the casual observer he would be moving faster than the blink of an eye, but to Karel he was just walking normally.

As he turned the corner he grinned as he looked down upon the cloaked man, a wry smug look on his face and his hands upon more daggers. The sword Saint shook his head as he walked past the assailant and squatted near him looking at the back of the intruders head. When the colors of the real world began to form again Karel couldn't help but smile as he whispered into the back of his neck.

"Boo!"

[Dissinger]

He heard the sound of a bottle uncork as he relished in his victory. He heard the cry of pain, the sound of frustration, and to hear the hiss of someone trying to bandage the wound he had inflicted he looked down at his belt. Four daggers left, then it was time to play with Spite and Malice. If his victim warranted Ebony and Ivory, well, he definitely deserved such things.

“Boo.”

The reaction was immediate as the man he could have sworn was in front of him suddenly came up from behind. Long since learning that every inch of his body was a potential weapon his elbow shot back as he growled, “You won’t get the drop on me you son of a bitch!”

Turning to face his opponent he breathed heavily as Spite and Malice were plucked from their holsters, seeing the elbow had given him a bit of room between them. His eyes took in the bloodied sleeve of the coat and they went wide as he was certain he had disabled that arm completely. Seeing it gripping the hilt of the long sword Seth dropped into a low crouch as he said, “Not bad for a swordsman, but its not going to be enough to let you rob this gravesite clean.”

His voice held a hint of animosity before he narrowed his eyes. The sky rumbled once more before rain began to pour down once more into the area. It began softly as first, the occasional drop here and there, but with time, the severity of the storm picked up, until it was a downpour. The cloak hung heavily upon the man’s form, and so he unclasped it, wishing to free himself of the burden, even as he slowly stood up to his full height.

His eyes bore into the swordsman as he searched for answers. Something had to be nestled in those Hazel eyes, something that would explain the sudden appearance of the swordsman upon him. Continuing to meet his gaze, looking now even for signs of an attack the cloak slowly slipped from his shoulders, before a wind knocked it completely from his form.

Dark brown hair kept unruly and a mess hung from his head, quickly matted down and soaked by the torrential rain. His steel grey eyes were cold and unresponsive, even while he brushed a shoulder, removing the phantom feeling of the cloak upon his body. His shirt and vest were clean and impeccable, as were his linen pants. No longer was he covered in the same dirty clothing he had become accustomed to as a rogue only twenty years ago.

A roguish grin lit up his face before he said, “That was a nice trick you pulled, but unfortunately that’s all it is, a trick.”

[Zantetsuken]

Karel's mouth let off a small trail of blood drip down, and his eyes held a soft stoic glare in them. He was confident that whoever this man was, he was no mere grave robber. Maybe he was a guardian, but his smug arrogance hinted at something different. Sizing him up Karel could easily tell the man would be stronger than he, but so was Letho, and he managed to pull the rug out from under his friend in their fight once or twice.

The downpour soaked Karel in his clothes as he gently took off the fighting coat, one sleeve shrugged off, and then the other. Karel let off a soft laugh as he looked at the warrior before him. "Tricks?" Karel smiled deeply as he wiped the blood from his mouth and dismissing it. "You'd be surprised what I can do." Karel winked. As the intruder gave a soft demonic grin of curiosity Karel narrowed a strip of time near the hip that held his daggers. As the familiar feeling of time being slowed came to him Karel ran down the path, and ripped the daggers from the man's holster. All four were scattered to the winds as Karel tossed them to his side with deadly force, leaving one in his hand and returning where he stood before the strip of time returned.

The man looked down upon his hip with sudden clarity before he looked back at Karel with a look of pure amusement on his face. Karel smiled wildly as he juggled the dagger in one hand before he tossed it to the side with the others.

"Don't want you to go running off and hiding again throwing these into the dark now do we?" Karel replied as he lowered his blade. Time Magic was his greatest asset, but he needed to use it sparingly. With that agreed upon in his mind he set out to feel his opponent.

He dove in with a wide diagonal feint, trying to cut from his left arm to his right hip. The blade met with resistance as two daggers blocked in an x pattern and harmlessly let the blade travel down to the hilt where the warrior swung out and inwards trying to stab Karel in both arms.

Anticipating the counter Karel had ducked low driving his shoulder into the man's gut and then using his upper body to try and toss the warrior over his back. As Karel lifted the warrior into the air he spun the dagger in his hand and slammed one fist onto the ground for leverage before twisting to land behind Karel grabbing him by the hair and pulling back to bring his other dagger in. Karel rotated his body to the left and elbowed the aggressor in the gut and slammed the hilt of his sword down into his inner thigh and then stabbing upwards to end the fight.

Sensing his own doom the grave guardian jumped back landing on both hands and finishing out in a flip, one dagger in a reverse grip, the other held defensivly in the opposite position.

"Come on now," Karel said mock yawning. "Show me what you got!"

[Dissinger]

One second they had locked up in combat, the next he was caught off guard, feeling a numbing pain in his limbs and gut. While he wasn’t quite winded, the man had made ample attempts at gaining some form of combat advantage over the thief. It was admirable; the way the swordsman kept up his attack, even as Seth rolled over his back rather than fight the maneuver. The grin never left his face as Spite twirled harmlessly and was holstered. He then spoke, “You’d be surprised what you can live through!”

As the rain continued to pour over the combatants a red light began to glow ominously in the air surrounding the thief. A casual hand rose up as lightning crackled and arced through the man, suffusing him with an excited energy. He knew the spell all to well as it coursed through his veins, giving him a subtle caress on its way out. Electricity arced into his waiting hand, palm up as he looked upon the wary eyes of the swordsman. Soon a small ball of red energy was tucked neatly within his hand, the potential locked within its bloody illumination.

Rushing forward he used the opportunity to feint high with a slash, forcing the swordsman low before he punched forward with the orb of force. Hearing a grunt from the swordsman he grinned as he leaned forward and whispered, “I figure its bad form to kill someone, without giving them your name. I’m Seth Dahlios, and you’re just another victim.” Sending a kick roughly at the man he observed him as he collapsed to the ground.

A soft snort of derision left his lips as he casually flicked the wet hair from his eyes, staring at the man who even now would undergo perhaps Seth’s more sadistic spell. One of seven deaths, all as real as the imagination could make them, a nightmarish daydream of epic proportions, it would end all to real, if he couldn’t unravel its greater mysteries. Turning his back on the swordsman he casually picked up the cloak, even as he thought he saw the man twitch.

“I should have known better than to go for the killing blow so early, now I’m all worked up and I don’t even feel satisfied. I guess next time I’ll hold my impatience,” Seth muttered tossing the cloak on top of the sarcophagi next to him. A wistful sigh left his lips as he looked back upon the swordsman, “Hey, hurry up and die already, I don’t have forever you know! I have places to be, and a woman to save. I can’t just wait and hope you’ll snap out of it.”

He looked down at his body as he sighed shaking his head slowly. Not even cut. What kind of swordsman had the inability to even cut Seth? He was more than certain that he should have at least been cut, at least if these Swordsmen were to be believed. Didn’t they specialize in fast assaults? He shook his head as he spoke candidly, “Even the demon I tore the wings off of put up more of a fight than this.”

Running his hand through his hair and pulling it back from his eyes he stared up at the sky before he muttered, “And it’s raining, great, and here I was hoping to get her back out of the rain. Now I gotta worry about her catching a cold too. I swear fate is a bitch…”

[Zantetsuken]

The attack was faster than Karel was ready for as he watched the orb grow in size around the assailant's hand. He swung wildly, and Karel cursed as the blade moved to block the blow, his body going in low and then, all at once he felt his stomach rebel as the orb of energy felt like it was being pushed inside his body. Agony escaped Karel's lips as he dropped to one knee, his world growing dark for the briefest of moments. He heard the name Seth Dahlios before he nearly threw up.

Karel lifted one knee trying to stand back up before he heard the crackle of something giving way. He looked around him and saw a crimson, orange glow light all around him as his body felt hot. Fire! his mind concluded as he looked around. How did Seth do that? Karel wondered. He felt the flames licking his face, and despite what he thought he couldn't shake the feeling of the realism of this. The Sword Saint felt the warmth begin to overtake him, and he began to cough harshly.

"What is this?!?" Karel cried out looking around. Visions of his home began to surface, the pain he felt when he watched the mansion he grew up in burning to the ground, watching his sister and mother getting burnt to death and feeling helpless. As he shook the vision from his sights he screamed out in terror as the flames licked his hand, the burns eating away his clothing. Karel's blade drew in the heat, and the hilt began to grow hot with the touch.

He began to run for the door, but the roof collapsed around him, nearly crushing him to death as he tried to find a way to escape, flames whipped out and his back caught on fire and he screamed in fear as he slid to the ground rolling to dust off the flames. The element of life grew hotter and fiercer and began to converge around Karel and he cried out for help, cried out for someone to save him. Anything. He arched his back and a beam fell upon his leg, pinning him in place.

"SHIT!" Karel tried to move but found he couldn't. The beam had crushed his left leg. "SHIT! SHIT! SHIT!" He cussed as he tried to pull himself free. Another beam fell, just inches from slamming into his face as the wood was eaten away by the hungry flames. "Zantetsuken: Light as a Feather!" he cried touching the wood with his blade. A blue aura surrounded the blade as it glowed, and then he used his right leg to kick the wood. Sure enough the wood flew outwards as if it weighed nothing and Karel scrambled to be free.

The fire roared in disapproval as the flames burnt into the side of his face and the tears of pain streamed his face. Karel had no clue what he would do as his heart pounded in his ears it seemed. Another vision of his homeland burning filled his eyes as he watched the thousands of dragons burn away everything he loved.

"I'm so useless..." Karel wheezed as he looked down at the Serra Karla Raven. He traced his finger over the engraving of his sisters name, the phrase "In memory of Serra Karla Raven." etched into the blade. With a sudden realization Karel looked at the blade before holding it tightly in his hand. "I'm so sorry sister, I stumbled." The sword pulsed with a blue energy as Karel used all his energy to stand up.

He saw the flames around him, and he closed his eyes tightly as he shut out the burning sensation. He cringed and gritted his teeth as he focused his mind. No, Seth. Karel thought darkly. Your tricks won't work on me! Karel thought with fierce determination as his eyes shot open, a fading blue aura surrounding him.

The flames were immediately washed away as the downpour returned. Karel watched Seth Dahlios walking away and he froze time around the arrogant, prideful warrior. He moved with all due haste and slid forward, his sword sweeping down and up as he cut Seth across his hip all the way to his right shoulder. He turned on a dime and released the magic around his prey as he sized up the jaw of his opponent kicking it. Again Karel slowed down time as he jumped up into the air and slashed his blade deep into Seth's chest landing on the guardian of the graves before the body hit the ground.

"My name is Karel Hector Raven, The Saint of Swords." The body slammed into the ground and Karel jumped off him backwards standing proudly on top of a pile of rubble. The rain let up around the area Karel encompassed. "And if you are done playing games I'd like to start the battle now."

[Dissinger]

Pain, delicious and crisp arced across his back. Even before he had finished reveling in the delicious pain he had felt more pain blossomed from his jaw, before a twin stripe cut through the linen vest and shirt, exposing his chest for another scar. He was down on the ground and grunted softly in pain as the swordsman proudly defied Seth’s preconceptions. He laid there still for only a second before he slowly got up, picking Malice from the ground, even as Spite joined its brother.

“I underestimated you, a mistake I don’t repeat twice. You should have killed me when you had the chance, Karel Hector Raven, because now, now I don’t let up,” Seth said, even as the smile crept across his face, once again showing only teeth as he sized up his prey.

A hand gently went to his lips as he tasted the coppery tang of blood dwelling there. Only the briefest of glances at his fingers told the story, he’d probably bit his cheek or something during the fall and so he was bleeding, but nothing truly worrying. He snorted as he looked upon the swordsman before he flung both daggers, one aimed at a leg, the other at his wounded arm. Both would be easy to deflect, that wasn’t truly their intention.

Karel wake up, I need something, Seth thought.

What do you want pup? The grizzled voice of the veteran barked.

Seth grinned the bloody smile certainly unsettling, Chains, you know how I like them…

On it.

The bracelet that had wrapped over the outside of his gauntlet glowed briefly before it slid across his body to both wrists. Soon after, it melted and began to form twin delyn chains that were wrapped around his wrists, and extended out five feet. A chain whipped out quickly reaching for Karel’s neck as he began the deadly whirlwind of attacks, his chains sweeping and protecting him, even as he turned his back to the swordsman. Blood ran down his body as Seth began the dance, and he didn’t seem concerned in the least. If anything, the loss of blood invigorated him.

The swordsman swung and kept the chains at bay, if only by mere centimeters. His breathing could be heard even over the torrential downpour. Seth himself let his mouth go off as he said, “You seem like an angry guy, I’ll do you a favor, you go run with your tail between your legs, and I’ll pretend you didn’t make a embarrassment of yourself next time we meet. Deal?”

His laughter rang through the tomb even as he continued the assault, forcing the swordsman back with each step forward. The sound of metal upon metal rang through the area as cold steel met strong delyn. The two fighters were now locked in what could only be mortal combat.

[Zantetsuken]

Karel's eyes widened as the daggers came, and he already dismissed them as he watched the gauntlet on Seth's arm glow brightly. A quick sweep of his sword blocked both daggers in mid flight but he nearly wasn't fast enough to react as he watched a chain fly outwards, fetish's and razors among them. One lick from the metal on Karel's skin and he would be lacerated.

Karel's arms danced outwards swiftly as he began to grunt with frustration. He couldn't make any headway as the dance moved forward, the music provided by the clashing of metal on metal. It was a unique fighting style Karel was unused to as his body blocked blow after blow from three different chains. The swordsman cursed watching Seth as he danced his wild waltz forcing the Saint of Swords to back pedal in order to avoid the certain death should he falter one step in the rhythm of the death. His time magic wouldn't do much good as the chain's flailed around wildly in every direction. He rose up a wooden set of coffins as he looked for leverage, but Seth's chains danced upwards and forwards as Karel was now on the edge of falling into a pile of very unpleasant sharp bones and jagged rocks.

With a wry smile Karel opened his mouth. "Zantetsuken: Light as a Feather!" Karel tapped himself with the hilt of his blade and he launched himself off the ledge. The free fall was slow and steady as Karel floated like a leaf in the wind as he touched down upon the ground. Laughter was heard as the coffins exploded, a heavy ball and chain attached to Seth as it slammed the barricade aside as easily as a kid would knock down blocks.

"Persistent bastard aren't we?" Karel shouted as he deflected the chains over and over. His mind raced for an idea before he saw his opening. Jumping outwards and backwards he moved quickly behind a coffin before it immediately was shattered into thousands of splinters of wood and bone. Karel was just able to block again before the chains were upon him. Seth was still grinning demonically, his face amused at all of it.

Karel wanted to knock that grin off his face.

Using his momentum he rolled downwards to the left over a small ledge and grabbed a piece of a shattered coffin for use as a flimsy shield. He lifted it and the chains shredded the shield, just inches from lacerating Karel's hand. Cursing loudly he back pedaled as Seth was nearing the end of this dance. A wall was coming up and Karel couldn't just move through it. He had to stop the dance and stop it right away.

Using all his energy he brought his sword up straight as a chain came. The chain wrapped around Karel's blade, another coming right for his knee. He twisted the blade downwards, barely stopping the other chain. The third and final chain lashed outwards at Karel and he released his blade up rolling backwards. The third chain easily snatched up the blade, and Seth continued to dance, his blade intertwined with all three blades.

"Just so you know, Seth, I don't like dancing!" Karel shouted loudly. The Serra Karla Raven immediately shot out a ray of light into the heavens before dissipating. He looked to his blade hoping his plan would work. "ZANTETSUKEN: ARMOR ABOLISH!"

[Dissinger]

Seth wrenched the chains hard as he snickered, looking upon the swordsman, even as his sword came to rest on the ground in front of the thief. The snickering grew to a chuckle, which eventually rose to a guffaw as he spoke, "Armor Abolish? What is this, some kind of cliché story? Let me give you a hint Raven, shouting the name of your own maneuvers is cheesy as hell!"

Son of a bitch! That’s hot!

Seth looked down immediately where the blade the swordsman had been wielding only moments before began hissing. The chains that had been wrapped around it were turning a bright orange, before slowly melting. Seth’s eyes widened as he saw the damage the sword was wreaking upon the chains before what had occurred was made clear. This was supposed to be some kind of attack that bypassed armor, which most often was made of metal. It only made sense that it would cut through the chains like a hot knife through butter. Seth immediately cursed as he ordered the changeling amulet to revert to its inert form, which suddenly reformed on his wrist.

See you in a minute Karel...

Good luck lasting that long punk...

Seth rolled his eyes as he reached down and carefully picked up the sword he had seen Karel hold only moments ago. He clumsily swung it before he shook his head, the rain hissing as it came to rest on the blade, "I never understood the fascination of a sword. A dagger in the chest is just as effective, and a bit easier to accomplish. Swords were always too clumsy a tool for me."

He then swung it again, this time bringing both hands to grip the hilt as he spun in a circle and flung the blade right at the swordsman spiraling in a horizontal slash sure to cause the swordsman a bit of pain. He then jumped back a few feet and studied the ground cursing as the darkness made everything harder to see. He didn't want to have to use Ebony and Ivory, but the man was leaving him no choice.

Gripping the daggers tightly he heard their soft cooing and honeyed words enter his mind, even as the sound of metal upon metal could be heard through the small tomb. He then rushed forward, hoping that the flung sword would give him an opening as he said, "Alright boys, we're finishing this early. Hopefully I'll have Liliana back by nightfall!”

He felt a hand grab at his wrist even as he brought a knee forward to connect with the midsection of the swordsman. His arms moved in a windmill sure to confound and overwhelm the lesser man. He was still certain he was the stronger of the two, he merely had to make sure that this man didn’t have a chance to move through time again.

[Zantetsuken]

Karel felt the energy from Seth coursing stronger as he gripped two daggers Karel had previously missed before. Both daggers seemed to empower the man as he charged forward. The blade was easy to grab, being one with the sword was what stood Karel apart from others making the useless gesture seem arrogant for Karel to dodge. But as he swung with the momentum of his blade he used it to arc a vertical attack on Seth.

To his surprise though not only did the two new daggers empower the grave guardian, but also increased his speed. Karel's wrist was halted from finishing the attack. Karel instinctively brought his free hand to grab Seth's other wrist. The knee came at Karel quickly and as he prepared to dodge it he felt his feet leave the ground. His body began to spin on the spot before his face connected intimately with Seth's knee. Karel's mouth bled before he was even released from Seth's strong grip, and the swordsman's body flew in the air slamming through coffins and shattering them as his flight was ended by a stone slab of the falling ceiling.

Karel looked up as the aggressor was already moving on him, and Karel's blade lanced forward. Metal met metal as they hit each other with such ferocity that sparks erupted with each impact. Karel's blade angled and arced to block each step Seth made, and as the daggers were blocked Karel jumped upwards and rolled over the back of Seth, who had ducked the horizontal swing. Karel's feet swiftly did a roundhouse as he landed knocking his opponent off the ground. Karel brought the hilt of his blade up and slammed it hard into Seth's chest finishing the maneuver. Seth rolled away as Karel back pedaled to buy himself a short rest period.

"A sword is the extensions of someones will you arrogant bastard," Karel's blade cut in a diagonal feint, which Seth blocked with one blade. As the other Blade came in Karel rotated his wrists bringing his sword upwards slashing Seth in the chest again blocking the other dagger. Ignoring the Lavinian Demon's laughter Karel brought his elbows back and swung upwards horizontally. "Each swing is an ideal made manifest through battle and discipline. You can learn a lot about someone in how they fight." The blade crossed against Seth's forearm as he brought it up to block the strike from taking out his neck. Blood exploded outwards over Karel as he back pedaled a few steps.

"Your daggers are a sign of cowardice, a sign of weakness in you. You throw them uselessly and do not show them any respect. As such you have no respect in your attitude, and I am only assuming you still think you have this in the bag still." Karel sighed as Seth was already charging again, both daggers behind his back as he spread his lips wide, a riot of laughter escaping his mouth. "Allow me to put you back into your place, monster."

Karel lifted his blade up overhead as he focused all of his will and energy into his blade. "Zantetsuken: Power Outlet!" Karel said stoically as his blade began to have a large ball of blue energy cycle around the tip. Seth was still charging, not flinching as Karel focused his heart into the attack. He looked at Seth and slowed time down just to the right of Seth. Karel traveled down the path, energy still at a climax as he slashed Seth in his right shoulder down all the way to his upper thigh before ending his attack with his back to the Lavinian demon.

As he sheathed his sword back in his scabbard time returned and Seth's body exploded in a burst of blood as the demon fell to the ground.

[Dissinger]

Seth was thrown off guard at the sudden change in Karel's demeanor as he raged. His attacks while harsh were far from killing blows as he attempted to pummel the thief into submission. He continued to attack and feint, drawing Seth into a coordinated fight that saw the thief on the defensive, rather than the offensive despite their close proximity. He continued to fight, and finally he was pushed back and given some breathing room.

He panted heavily as he watched the swordsman warily, until he slashed at the thief. From that far away Seth knew something was up, and he wasn’t proved wrong when, even as he began to try and move, he realized that the swordsman had already moved behind him, leaving an arc of energy coming at him from the front. Once more a slash cut across his back as he arced his back in pure reflex, still untrained despite long since abandoning his fear of pain.

The dual blows saw blood fly into the air as Seth staggered in step once, then twice. Blood ran down his body in torrents even as he stubbornly gripped his daggers. A wet cough escaped his lips as he stumbled forward and hit the ground, laying flat. Pain blossomed through his body, sweet and cruel at the same time. The mistress that taught him when he had made a mistake, the cruelest of teachers, Pain visited him.

He lay on the ground even in the rain the waters below him darkened red with his blood as the torch fought vainly against the downpour, finally snuffing out. The body of the thief didn’t move at all, as it rested in the tomb, ironically seeking to claim its newest member. The swordsman seemed to watch and wait, and took a step towards the doors, prepared to call the fight over before a groan issued from the body.

The swordsman watched in awestruck horror as slowly the man he had brutalized rose to his feet. Slowly at first but with ginger vitality he got up. His head craned to one side, and then towards the other side as the muscles forced a popping of the neck bones, releasing built up stress and tension. He stood there for a few seconds checking over himself before baleful grey eyes locked upon the hazel orbs of his opponent, “My turn.”

He rushed forward locking the swordsman into a contest of wills as he spoke his piece, “You have no clue what I am, let alone who. You think that because I threw my daggers that I am merely a wasteful human being, one who has a careless attitude.” A snort of derision left his lips before he continued, “Daggers are the ultimate tool, a sign of true versatility. They have both range and close quarters in mind. A knife that can be wielded properly can also be thrown, and it’s in this versatility that the sword cannot compare. Much like me, who had to learn how to adapt to people beating the crap out of me! You have no idea the pain I’ve endured, but now you get a taste. Karel Hector Raven, you will feel my pain!

[Zantetsuken]

Karel was almost to the door when he felt his body weighted down by a pressure of something powerful. As he turned back to Seth Dahlios, he saw the warrior shiver as he stood back up. Impossible! Karel's eyes went wide as he placed his hand on the hilt of his blade. As the demon got up and said his piece Karel felt a sudden and deadly pain throb throughout his entire body.

"ERRGGGGAAAAHHHHH!" Karel cried out as his body reacted violently, his muscles twitching violently as his entire right half of his body nearly shut down. The pain was excruciating and the Sword Saint nearly collapsed out right from the agony. He slammed his blade into the ground to support his weight as he glared at Seth with vile eyes.

The man before Karel was a prideful, arrogant warrior, but also a master of battle and Karel was running out of ideas. He damn near cut the Lavinian Demon in half and the bastard still stood up. Seth's will was opposing Karel's and he didn't know if he could be strong enough to overcome it. As the doubt set in he felt heavy as his eyes tried to close upon him. NO! Karel thought harshly trying to snap himself awake. I'm the Saint of Swords! Karel felt his knees quiver as he couldn't help but fall to a single knee.

"NOT LIKE THIS!" Karel cried out lashing upwards, all his energy pouring into his blade as the released wave of blue lightening cascaded forward smashing a wall and bringing more of the roof down. His attentions returned to Seth, who had yet to move as he breathed heavily at Karel, a look of hatred in his eyes. Karel's own eyes returned the vile stare. "You think you have pain?" Karel barked as he took one stumbling step forward. "You think that your trials and ordeals are the worst in the world?" Karel let himself grin as he chuckled. "I doubt that."

Karel's mind raced with thoughts of his mother dying in a fire, his best friend Daniel being ripped apart by dragons, his entire homeland of Black Isle being destroyed by dragons, seeing Vladimir stand next to his sister as her husband, the death of his own baby nephew by his hands, the death of his own sister by his own hands, the death of his first's love brother by his hands, all through life death followed Karel. Whatever he loved he killed or watched it taken from him.

Karel felt his energy fade with each step as righteous fury filled his body. Seth looked to Karel warily before he charged forward. He slammed one dagger forward which Karel side stepped. The follow up swing Karel blocked with his blade, but his feet skidded across the slippery surface of the mausoleum before he lost his footing. Seth took advantage of the moment and put all his weight into the swing and Karel flew back a few feet slamming into the freshly crumbled wall he made.

"Look at me you bastard!" Karel said as he coughed up blood. He slammed the Serra Karla Raven back into the ground as he stood up again. "I'm still standing..." Karel said full of vindication. "Your pain...your pain means NOTHING to me!" Karel argued. He lifted his blade back up and rested it on his shoulder. He felt his energy slowly return as he looked to the entrance of the mausoleum.

"Three people," Karel spoke softly. "Have witnessed this attack. Only three..." Karel said as he lowered the blade before it hovered around the ground. "I promised someone I wouldn't use it...I promised her that I would stop being the monster." Karel felt a primal power within his own soul as the Serra Karla Raven trembled in his hand. It was as if the Zantetsuken's spirit wanted Karel to do it. He raised his hand up pointing at Seth. "But my will is stronger, Lavinian Demon!"

Karel dragged his blade on the ground, creating sparks as he did so. His mouth held open as he cried out a warriors cry screaming with all his rage.

"ZANTETSUKEN FORBIDDEN ART!" He slashed the blade forward aiming it right at Seth's chest. "BLOOD OF A THOUSAND!"

[Dissinger]

The blade slashed through Seth before everything around the thief went dark. A bowl had collected at Seth’s feet and suddenly, everything was pain. He fought the scream of pain as he bit down on it, while Karel swung his sword faster and faster, each blow drawing blood, never killing, despite how much Seth wished it. He continued to swing each blow of the sword another fire starting across his skin before another one began. Blood continued to collect in the bowl, while he heard a soft count.

Three hundred and thirty!

It made sense, the name of the technique. He was literally bleeding for thousands of people. As the blade sang through the air Seth let it pass through him over and over as the sword continued to sing out the count of every person whose blood he was atoning for. Until finally he heard the number he was looking for, what seemed like eon’s later.

Nine hundred and ninety nine!

He reached out and grabbed the sword blade first as he held onto it, the last drops of blood to be spilt flowing down the blade, and covering Karel’s hand. A grin lit up the Demon’s visage before he spoke, “So nice to hear my name…or at least, one of them.”

The words seemed distant, weak almost as he held the sword in a deathly grip. His eyes rose to meet the swordsman’s own before he continued, “Since we’re on a journey to hell, let me be your guide…” His eyes closed as he took a shuddering gasp and clutched the Gift of the Magi. As the spell dissipated and the rain fell around them Seth’s wounds slowly began to seal up, even as his shirt was torn to tatters his vest long forgotten in the aftermath of the Blood of a Thousand. When he opened his eyes, still clutching the sword in his hand he smirked before he said, “Of all the warriors I’ve seen, you’re the most pathetic.”

The eyes that locked onto Karel’s Hazel eyes were the eyes of a dead man.

“Lazarus the master artificer made many weapons of destruction, but none were prized higher than the Zantetsuken and the Masamune. Those swords contain the souls of every wielder past, and those who die, give their expertise to the next wielder. The problem is, they’ll only let someone use their prowess when fighting their mortal enemy, the sister sword,” Seth began as the grin widened, while before it was a demonic smirk, gone was any trace of sanity in that smile.

“But what people failed to realize, and I found out, was they were cursed blades. You sir, are a victim of that curse, and while you may be able to wield the Zantetsuken, you cannot win this fight. You’ve already lost the important battle,” A soft chuckle left Seth’s lips as the energy within him crackled and danced slightly over the surface, a purple hue taking over his skin as it began to glow and illuminate.

“In listening to me tell you what you already know…you gave me all the time I needed,” Seth explained before he reached out and grabbed Karel by the throat, “Nothing personal, I just need you dead. But I will give you a treat, since you’ve been using those forbidden arts, I can tell your soul is dark, and you need to have those skeletons in your closet removed. I’ll give you penance for your sins…”

[Zantetsuken]

Karel's eyes remained shut as he continued to cut deep into the skin of the Lavinian Demon. Seth's eyes glossed over many times, he could tell the man wanted death, but he was holding out, a shred of spirit refusing to die despite the tremendous blood loss. Than it happened. The final cut, one last cut.

Karel's eyes jolted wide as Seth held the blade in his hand, blood pouring all over his wounds. Within the flash of a second, Seth was healed, the blood of a thousand ignored plain as day. Whoever Seth was, he was not what Karel expected when he fought. As Seth spoke of Lazarus and the Masamune he felt a odd feeling of coldness wash down his spine. Who exactly Seth Dahlios was in the great game Lazarus played for sport was beyond Karel, but now he had another plan of attack, and as Karel tried to rationalize he realized Seth was right. He had failed. His throat felt ready to collapse as the orb of energy hit Karel square in the upper abdominal region, and Karel felt himself rise in the air before he landed hard.

As Karel felt his body hit the ground he felt a presence near Seth. Looking at the attacker with blood stained eyes Karel felt the weight of the world bearing down upon him. His actions were all being judged harshly, and as he looked up to the sky he felt a long dagger cut across his back. A flash of Bethany filled his mind, a promise to never go back down that road of Forbidden arts that was broken. As he dived further back into his life he had lied to the guards in thr port about his business, and another long cut began to go down Karel's left temple. Blood poured all over him and he had had enough of this.

"My sins are my own problem, Seth Dahlios." Karel said spitting up blood as he slammed both his hands together in a prayer position closing his eyes tightly as his body continued to get lacerated. He focused all his energy into his thoughts as he waited a moment in mediation. After a few more moments the red aura left Karel, a pure white energy shield around him. "Aside from a few misgivings, I have atoned for them!"

Karel let the energy wash over him as he looked to Seth with distaste. "A being such as yourself, you can not possibly defeat me. I have trotted down the path of darkness a bit too long, but now it's time to end you." Karel smiled curling his lips on one side as he looked to Seth.

He slowed time down directly on Seth as his body charged forward. His blade cut deep into the right shoulder of Seth, exploding out the other side in a splatter of blood as Karel lifted up to release his blade from the muscle prison that was Seth's body. He turned on his heel and released time to hit Seth with a roundhouse. As Seth fell he stopped time again right on the Demon and leapt up into the air stabbing his blade downwards landing on top of Seth. As time sped back up he impaled the demon on his blade and pinned him to the ground. Karel began to pummel the demon with fist after fist.

"You do not understand that you are not the one who can forgive others for their wrong doings, it is up to the will of the sinner to atone, not you!" Karel's hand suddenly stopped as Seth grabbed the fist within his own hand and he grinned vilely. With little effort Karel was tossed aside, and Seth stood up, sword inside him and all.

Slowly Karel got back up as he looked to his opponent. "I'd watch it if I were you." Karel said as he slowed time down just inches to Seth's right. Karel charged down the path and he grabbed the hilt of his blade, but was surprised when the gauntlet of Seth grabbed his arm.

"Zantetsuken Forbidden Art!" Karel shouted as fast as he could. It was a hesitation tactic that worked, for Seth cocked his head to the side in confusion waiting to see what the attack was, and Karel shrugged head butting the demon and kicking him off his blade.

"I lied." Karel said smugly twirling the blade over head before dropping into his beloved scorpion stance.

[Dissinger]

Seth clutched his stomach as he closed his eyes, relishing in the pain. He stood once more, as he always had, while Karel continued his cheap tricks and attempts at killing the Lavinian Demon. For all his talk, he certainly couldn't get the job done. Seth merely looked about and sighed, realizing he was finally truly disarmed and dagger less. His gauntlets stayed on his hands resolutely as Seth moved steadily towards the man, who had placed his sword above head, and stretched out his other hands, sizing up Seth within two fingers.

Seth merely moved forward unafraid, and when the sword swung at Seth, his arm moved in a quick parry that saw sparks fly as the blade bit deep into the mithril plates on his gauntlets. He grinned as the swordsman’s eyes grew wider even as Seth threw a punch that saw the man knocked flat on his back. He tried to get up only to get a boot stomp firmly on his hand; the Zantetsuken clattered uselessly to the ground as Seth ground his boot into the man’s hand.

“A creature like me?” Seth asked casually continuing to stomp or grind into the man’s hand. “Do you know why I’ll win when this is all over Karel? Because I have way more experience at ruthless killing than you. Kai Atari the former saint of swords was renowned for one trait, a trait that saw him the weakest son of a bitch on the planet, mercy. You share that trait, and now a Demon gets his Saint. You can’t kill me, because you won’t, and I’ll keep coming back till you change that. You’re pathetic, and you make me sick. All that bluster, all that false bravado, and all for what? Impress someone else? You’re a bigger attention whore than I am Raven, and I was known for some rather drastic attempts at pleasing the crowds.”

Give me a sword… Seth asked the Changeling amulet carefully.

Karel Dahlios, his great grandfather replied, “With relish.”

As the delyn sword formed in Seth’s hand he continued his speech undaunted by the man even as he launched a kick into the stomach of the swordsman, “You’re a waste of time, and I know a few things about time. Like that little trick with slowing time down to beat me up. It’s a clever ruse, until you used it for the seventh time. You’re predictable like that. No matter how much faster you make yourself, if you don’t change tactics now and then, you only serve to get yourself killed.”

The sword stabbed deep into Karel’s stomach before he grinned and wedged it deep in the stone. He then looked at his gauntlet clad hand for a second before he nodded and said, “You give monsters like me a bad name Raven, and I can’t have that. I think its best for all of us, if I merely help everyone else forget an embarrassment like you exists.”

Seth, wait! Don’t you’re going to-

Shut up old man! Seth barked as he reached his hand forward, the downpour washing the blood from Seth’s flesh as he spoke the words to end this fight, “I’ll put you out of my misery…”

[Zantetsuken]

Karel's body flew forward as Seth relentlessly kept up the attacks, unable to hold him off before he was able to block the blow of the Zantetsuken with his gauntlet. The Lavinian Demon moved swiftly and knocked Karel upon the ground, and his eyes opened wide as his chest erupted in pain. His sword arm was numb as it sent dead signals and pulses to Karel's brain, Seth doing a marvelous job of showing that this fight was over.

Karel looked upwards into the eyes of Seth, and he could see the venom they held. He despised Karel for what he had done and as he spoke his frustrations at the Sword Saint. Yet despite all the retorts Karel wanted to say, despite the pride he felt, he knew deep down that Seth Dahlios was right.

Karel Hector Raven fought against the Lavinian Demon in a battle of wills and in the end Seth's was stronger. Karel didn't feel regret as he let his eyes close softly. No matter what he believed, what he felt, Karel Raven had lost the fight.

For all the tricks Karel had, all the techniques it was just simply not enough. The demon countered or simply erased any damage Karel had done without even breaking a stride. Seth Dahlios was a man who survived against time itself, coming again and again at the Sword Saint, and now he had no answer to a will as strong as a mountain.

He looked up at Seth, looking at all his rage in the back of his eyes. Karel felt a twinge of pride in his heart as he knew he had done what others couldn't do. He survived the best Seth Dahlios had to offer in some cases, but without any ability to restore himself like his foe had, Karel knew he had at last been defeated.

Death didn't scare the Sword Saint as he waited for the killing blow, and he knew he had failed in his journey, but the peace from death was all he wanted now, his mind oblivious to everything else. A string of curse words erupted from his killer, and Karel shot his eyes open. To his shock Seth Dahlios had a look of frustration and rage as a black orb was mere inches from Karel's face.

Karel turned to look at the Zantetsuken, the blade now growing with a deep amethyst aura that countered Seth's magics. The Lavinain Demon tried with all his might to end the life of his opponent, but he couldn't counter the energy pouring out of the blade of the Zantetsuken. Karel watched in shock as the energy eventually overcame Seth and launched him up and off Karel along with the blade that held him in place.

Karel gripped his blade tightly, despite the numb feeling in his arms as he watched the energy course into his body. As it washed over him he felt reinvigorated by the pure energy, and he stood up easily as Seth slowly brought himself up.

Karel dove forward with blade in hand as he slashed Seth in the gut, rotating with the swing grabbing Seth's head and running forward slamming him into a wall. As Seth gripped around for anything he lifted a Coffin and tossed it at Karel.

"No, not anymore. I am going to show you the true power of the Saint of Swords." Karel replied grinning as he stopped time around the coffin. Karel ran forward and dropped kicked the coffin releasing time around it. Seth brought forward a single palm and the wood shattered from the impact, not even making him flinch. In the debris of the explosion came Karel with his blade dancing upwards and side ways, moving fast. Seth brought up his gauntlet, and a large shield exploded forth. Karel ducked low and flipped into the shield. Seth lifted upwards trying to overpower Karel and knock him downwards, but Karel rolled with the momentum and landed behind Seth. He hit Seth in the kidney's with the hilt of his sword, following with with a simple back kick hitting the demon in the calf of his leg dropping him to one knee.

"Bow to a saint!" Karel taunted as he turned around and slashed Seth's exposed back. The demon rolled forward avoiding the attack, but was surprised when he saw Karel glowing with a bright blue aura, the purple aura that protected Karel surrounding the blade.

"Zantetsuken: Abscindo Venas!" Karel shouted. The waves of energy surrounding Karel charged up and lashed out forward as one large attack, but Karel was the one grinning and chuckling when Seth prepared with bountiful excitement. "This attack I think you'll like Seth." The demon chuckled with Karel as the energy sprang forward at an alarming rate. "I say that because I know you love pain, and this attack...it doesn't strike you in just one spot." Seth cocked his head holding his shield at the ready. The wave was about to hit Seth when suddenly it exploded off into five waves, darting all outwards in different directions reconverting back on Seth to meet again.

The Lavinain Demon was about to dodge the attack before Karel shouted a taunt. "Nah uh! No avoiding this one!" Karel said happily. "This attack washes over you searching for your veins and than it cuts them, like a laceration. Think of it as tiny razor blades cutting under your skin!" Karel watched as Seth was slammed with the energy waves, his body exploding with blood as it showered making it difficult to tell if it was raining blood or water. Karel ran forward, slowing down time as he did in one final strip. When he reached Seth he did a fierce uppercut upon Seth's torso hitting his chin before he slowed time around Seth's head so when he kicked him it would intensify the impact.

Karel watched as Seth soared in the air, landing in a new room with a few oddly shaped coffins. Some more ornate than the others. Karel turned his back to Seth again placing his blade in his scabbard. He waited a few moments, and then with a definitive clank he slammed the Zantetsuken into the scabbard, the energy waves exploding out of Seth in another torrent downpour of blood.

[Dissinger]

Seth rested in the room a bit as the blood poured out of him. His vitality was drained greatly with the attack. His eyes lost their hardened edge as he moved about slowly, deliberately. The confidence was there, the arrogance, the anger; it was all that fed this body. As he moved slowly blood poured off his body, even as he dragged himself out of a coffin. His hand briefly brushed against the bones in the coffin as he shivered, feeling the cold of the fight as the rain washed his blood away.

The Demon, was not dead yet.

Each step was torment, each hobble agony. He had given too much ground to Karel Hector Raven, even when they had fought. Had the fight continued like this, he surely would have died. However, Seth wasn’t one to die, not when he had so much to finally live for. His head tilted to one side, and then the other as he released the last ounces of stress in his neck. The soft pops reassuring, despite his condition.

“You stupid arrogant son of a bitch,” Seth said firmly. His eyes held utter hatred within them while he raised a hand tiredly to face palm forward towards Karel, “Life is passing you by!”

An orb of grey energy shot forward at the speed of an arrow, before hitting the Saint. As the man tried to move he realized it was like fighting the current of a river, it took far too much effort to gain any ground as Seth rushed forward. As he collided with the Saint of swords they capitulated, even as the pummeling began. Punches of anger, rage, and frustration were taken out on the sword saint, even as he continued the pummeling.

“Seth stop! That’s enough!”

He stopped hearing the words, almost from far off. His eyes held a look of confusion as he looked down at the rather punch drunk sword saint. Looking at his fist a look of confusion painted his features, even before he rose up looking for the sound of the voice.

Behind him, in a burial shroud that had for the most part rotted away stood a woman. Brown hair ran down to halfway down her back, even as her brown eyes contained a look of innocence. Her mere presence began to chip and whittle away at the rage built up in the Lavinian Demon. He could never stay mad around the girl, no matter how hard he tried.

Seth spat, the bloody wad of spit and phlegm hitting the ground next to Karel, before he spoke bitterly, “Thank the gods I have her back, you would not have survived this otherwise.” He then limped slowly, wincing with every step towards the woman before he hugged her tightly, unwilling to let her go for fear she was a ghost. Her hands moved quickly around him drawing him in as she whispered soothing words, calming the enraged Demon, until that part of him slept soundly.

Leaving the downed sword saint alone Seth gathered his knives, his weapons everything and holstered them. Liliana then put the cloak around her for modesty and warmth, before they moved out of the mausoleum. Already the beginning of their conversation leaving them utterly involved with one another.

All the while, the Demon slept, unable to counter the serenity she gave him.

[Zantetsuken]

Karel Raven let the rain wash over him for eternity it seemed. Blood poured out of his body and face, and the last words of the demon were only a bluff, the Sword Saint had one last ace up his sleeve, but when the woman spoke Karel didn't take advantage of the opportunity. He saw Seth Dahlios crumble like a sack of bricks before he stood up.

The Saint of Swords remained still as the rain slammed his body, keeping him from the verge of passing out. He slowly but surely returned to life as his aching body got up. Blood pooled out of his wounds as he gripped his sword and looked around. He hadn't even realized it as he got up, but now that he had his senses around he realized he had destroyed this place with Seth. The dead were disturbed and it was a hell hole now. He looked up at the sky and he laughed as a sudden thought crossed his mind.

The rain washed over Karel as his body began to convulse with laughter. This fight, this insane ordeal was all from a simple issue. Karel hunched over as he continued to laugh. "The whole time..." Karel said unable to contain it. "The whole time we were looking for the same thing." Karel said unable to stop himself from the hysterics. His sides ached as he looked up to the rain in irony.

"ALL THIS TIME!" He fell to his knees unable to control the madness. "We were looking for the same woman..." he said defeated.

Karel spent the better part of an hour in the tomb, and it wasn't until he heard footsteps coming before he snapped out of his daze. He looked to his left to see Bethany enter the room, drenched and wet. When she saw Karel in a pool of his own blood she immediately freaked out and screamed running to him.

"Now I know how the angel fell," Karel said whim fully. "I couldn't believe it until just now. A demon, a true and honest demon came to fight me." Bethany looked to Karel with concerned eyes. She began to tend to his aids as he continued to talk.

"Karel, are you okay?" Bethany asked.

Karel took a moment before he lifted Bethany up with him. "Come." Karel said happily. "She'll cross our path again, but for now the demon is at bay, and he should enjoy that." Bethany looked to Karel as she studied him for any visible signs of head trauma. Karel instead just kissed her as he took her hand. She was confused at first, but as she leaned into the kiss she felt all of Karel with her in that moment.

"If you insist." She teased. Karel smiled as he walked with her, the rain finally letting up.

[Taskmienster]

Ragnarok: Livin’ in Sin

Dissinger
Zantetsuken

STORY (16/30)(15.5/30)

~ Continuity ~ {4} {4.5}

I didn’t really get a whole lot of why either of you were there, or what the significance of the place you were fighting was. The general lack of background info threw me off at first, but the fight more than made up for it.

~ Setting ~ {5}{5}

~ Pacing ~ {7}{6}

I felt that Zan kept the pacing up a little bit better, though both of you kept it going well.



CHARACTER (18/30) (20/30)

~ Dialogue ~ {5} {6}

Zan: Your dialogue seemed too much at times, as if saying too much between attacks. It felt like you were talking because you had all the time in the world, instead of as if you were facing a powerful character.

~ Action~ {7} {7}

~ Persona ~ {6}{7}

I got a little bit more of whom and what Dissinger was, though not by much. Both of you expressed the characters very well.



WRITING STYLE (21/30)(21/30)

~ Technique ~ {7}{6}

~ Mechanics ~ {7}{8}

~ Clarity ~ {7}{7}


WILD CARD!!! {7}{7}



TOTAL

(62/100)(63.5/100)

Dissinger Wins!

GAINS/REWARDS!

Dissinger gains 3850 exp; 180 gold

Zantetsuken 1050 exp; 180 gold

[Taskmienster]

Exp and GP added!