A Simple Test Most Complex...[Closed]

[Paladin_Lorenor]

Grass and earth died...

The darkness made manifest reminded the old Paladin of something else he'd seen once before but couldn't recollect at that point in time.

There was a more serious matter at hand...

The fifteen lances of energy, void energy, cascaded towards Lorenor with the intent to kill. He's not messing around. I have to figure this out... But it happened all at once. The grass blades burnt to ash as the void energy passed through them and towards Lorenor. The Paladin growled and cursed out loud, readying his sword in a feeble attempt to stand firm.

And then something happened.

Just as the void energy came cascading at Lorenor an old memory resurfaced.

He was not entirely certain what had just happened...only that the manifestation of the void had awakened something from deep within...

He found himself above the battle-field for a moment or two as time seemed to slow down. I'm all talk...I'm going to die.

A voice called from the manifestation of the void. That is not true. You've been here before...

Lorenor turned towards the void and saw...a reflection of HIMSELF in the void. "Long ago...you died just like you are about to die now. Protecting them...those peasants. Those...animals." The dark Lorenor kept his eyes on Lorenor as he spoke. "You have only begun to understand the nature of who you really are. Lorenor."

"Go on..." Lorenor responded to himself from the void.

"Sei Orlouge did not save you from yourself...Reformation with the Ixian Knights has only culminated in this exact moment passing. It has transpired before, and it will always transpire."

"What are you saying?" Lorenor asked.

"Awaken, boy." The void commanded of Lorenor.

***

Fifteen lances of purest void energy struck their mark true. Making short work of the old Paladin. But the void itself had just told him that the exact event had occurred before. Lorenor was crouching on the ground, having narrowly survived the assault. Black blood pouring down his mouth, his weapon against the dead ground. Energy swirled off of Lorenor as a vapor, steam cloud might. Lorenor was coughing and gasping at that point, spitting up blood...but something had clicked...something from DEEP within. The true nature of who I am...what I am... Lorenor knew he was an Undead. A member of the scourged races of Althanas. That much he could never deny.

However, at that precise moment...Shinsou had done something to him.

In the back of his mind, Lorenor heard the void calling out to him. Live you bastard...show them who you really are.

The black blood, the mark of undeath, flowed freely from him. Yet the vessel of his body remained alive somehow. He would never really know exactly what had happened...only that it had. Lorenor was badly injured, but could still act and function. He wrapped his hand around the grip of his weapon and stood up very slowly. He faltered for a moment, falling down, but soon got back up mustering his ancient strength again. I am Undead... Lorenor thought to himself. His armour had been destroyed by the fifteen lances.

But the fucker still lived.

Somehow...he lived. "You probably think you've already won..." Lorenor began. "That was a nice trick...I'll give you that." He said coughing up black blood, fueled by Undeath. He knew he still had much to learn about everything that was going on with him...but that would be another journey. Now he had to focus his attention on Shinsou. "I hope that was not your only trick." Lorenor taunted, he was finding it difficult to stand up straight. But he would manage. The important thing was that his sword had survived the onslaught somehow. He was prepared to fight Shinsou to the death...

[Shinsou Vaan Osiris]

The forest was filled with the scents of death. Branches burned like incense in the wake of the powerful arcane aggression, their pungent charcoal aromas wafting and intertwining with that of the scorched soil.

After Shinsou had dispatched a full volley of one of his most powerful attacks at Lorenor, he had already turned and begun to walk to where he knew the Citadel's portal would manifest to take him home as victor.

It was done. No-one had ever survived a full powered Enpera Kurohitsugi before.

But then, as an ominous wind rustled through the leaves and whispered to him, something incredible happened. The paladin moved. The man spoke. The opponent he had assumed he had left as a mutilated carcass was still alive. Shifting his weight to the balls of his feet, Shinsou pivoted on the loose dirt and stared incredulously at the crumpled form of metal and flesh before him as the lunar glow blanketed the forest canopies in bright silver.

Who are you?

It was the most burning question on his mind. Someone had wanted to get Shinsou's attention by putting him and this man in combat together. As the Telgradian approached, he found himself in the midst of an intrigue.

This armored paladin had been shredded by the dark magic, but even then seemed almost confident of his continued participation, swaggering as he rose to his knees and clinging to his sword with an iron grip. Shinsou hesitated, like a child lining his foot to crush a wounded beetle. The rank, foul stench of burning leaves and seared flesh didn’t seem to unsettle Lorenor, nor did the grevious wounds he had suffered. Black blood poured from his mouth and trickled down his dented metal plating, staining it with jet spatters.

The frowning, thin Brotherhood representative spoke out, his tone beset with curiosity.

"You're one to talk about tricks. A human with black blood?" Shinsou retorted, "I can only think of two reasons for that. Are you cursed or have you made death your ally? Given that you still stand after taking the full force of my Enpera Kurohitsugi, I would assume the latter."

With that, the Telgradian slid Shira back into its ivory sheath. Flails of ice swished over the frozen ground as Shinsou closed his eyes and extended his right arm, hand now empty, to call his treasured sword Enpera to his palm. Like the manifestation of an apparition, the long katana phased into existence from within a white mist; a loud snap echoing around the moonlit forest as the green and silver cord grip became solid instantly. With each moment in this so-far one sided fight, Shinsou's doubts about Lorenor grew wider and more pronounced, exasperation and obvious surprise that these blows were not finishing the job as they were landing addling his mind. Solutions for dealing with the undead were not immediately apparant to him, but a good start would always be to improve his position by breaking the seal on his powers. After that, perseverance would carry Shinsou as far as it could, and then when the opportunity arose the Telgradian would steal Lorenor from this virtual world as quickly and cruelly as possible.

"The undead are famously resiliant. Show me more of what you're made of, Lorenor!"

Hakai: Enpera Shinkotei

With speed and a venomous hiss, the flawless blade of Enpera shimmered, sending a twisting whorl of blue and white down its length as it grew to the length of a no-dachi anti-cavalry sword. The resultant burst of power charred the ice beneath Shinsou's heels with a blackening huff, cracking the dehlar strength frost. A flash of energy bubbled in his chest as the Telgradian felt his body overcome its mortal limitations; a result of Enpera's awakening. His eyes continued to pop about Lorenor's broken form, which appeared to be completely devoid of any doubt or hesitance despite his injuries and despite the scene unfolding before him.

Shinsou looked to the sky, as if seeking divine guidance from Am'aleh. She wouldn't have approved of such brutality, but that was the least of his worries.

Usually, such a heavy weapon would be impossible to wield with such ease at such speed, but with its seal broken Enpera was no heavier or wieldy to Shinsou than a normal katana. With all of his new agility and strength at the forefront of his attack, Osiris sprung from his left foot, Enpera's one hundred and eight centimetre blade pointed forwards on his right, and spun on his toes to bring the deadly sword screaming in an arc towards Lorenor's midriff with the intention to cleave him in half.