@Arocraes-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Limadan slowly walked through the streets of Suna, his eyes narrowed. There were a lot of people who brushed past him, giving him wary looks. The dread of his aura was clear in the air and everyone who walked past him, did so with taking a bit of distance from the towering giant clad in armour. Some whispered his title. Or, at least, the title legends gave him. The Heretic King.
But, he wasn't here for anyone. Nor was he here for bloodshed. An ancient artifact had been located. A whisper in a shallow sleep's dream. But the closer he dawned upon Suna, the more he felt the presence of such dark artifact. It was possibly Harmaanian. Perhaps it was a shard of the lady of grey's armour.
A soft, anticipating smile appeared on his lips as he thought about it. His mask hid all his features. It was just a matter of time for his mistress to return.
Arocraes was browsing a fruit stall, trying his best to avoid drawing attention to himself. He picked up a bruised peach before resting it back in its place and lightly sighing. Of all the mundane daily tasks he was obligated to complete, grocery shopping was the one he loathed the most. He closed his eyes and cocked his head back allowing his forehead to become the perfect resting place for the sun's rays. He unwillingly listened to the banter going back and forth amongst the crowds around him while he wished for more excitement, more of a reason to live.
The banter turned into quiet murmurs, and the once vibrant chatter turned into an atmosphere full of awe and fear. Arocraes opened his eyes and moved his head until he could find the source of the commotion. His eyes widened at the sight of this behemoth of a person he was not even sure was a mortal. The craftmanship of the beast's armor was magnificent, Arocraes thought, and his gait, filled with power and confidence, only revealed a small fraction of the immense power he must hold. Arocraes was deeply intrigued, and decided to follow this person. He weaved in and out of the crowd, maintaining a 3 meter distance at all times and try to hide the sound of his footsteps as best as he could.
He didn't notice a persuer. Or in the least, he didn't even care. Limadan made his way to the inn and walked up to the counter.
Without a word, he stepped over the oak barrier, the innkeep protesting. Limadan only sighed and lifted him up by his throat, flinging him against the wall, before heading down some stairs.
Arocraes had to hold back his laughter. He had never seen another human been manhandled the way the innkeeper had been. Arocraes took advantage of all the commotion, and struck the ground with his katana creating a thin layer of air underneath his feet that could masquerade his footsteps. He continued to follow the beast down the stairs, eager to meet what lies at the end.
Limadan tapped against the cobblestone wall he was stood infront of him. One of the taps sounded hollow. With a low grunt he stepped back, before smacking.his foot against the wall, breaking it down. Revealing a dark cave, littered with cobwebs.
He grabbed one of the torches from the wall and descended down the cave, looking around. No doubt. The influence of the artifact was feelable.
Arocraes became even more enthused by this situation. He was still cautious, maintaining the 3 meter distance away from this beast. Seeing him tear down a stone wall with ease was more than enough for Arocraes to know that this beast was stronger than he looked; and he looked strong. Arocraes continued to follow him, but from further back so the light from the torch wouldn't illuminate his presence. His hand hovered over his katana as he crouched along, sensing that there might be impending danger.
The cave ended in a large clearing with ancient ruins. It was certain the artifact.Limadan sought was here. A sickening aura of.dread emanated frol the clearing. And as soon as Limadan set foot in it, the shadows formed tigether to a massive hulking creature. With a shard of corrupted metal in its eye.
"A demon?" The giant questioned. But he was only answered with a loud roar.
Arocraes' jaw dropped and he chuckled in amusement. He would never expected such a creature to exist, nor have it dwell beneath the city he grew up in. He dashed forward and simultaneously drew his katana with excitement, landing next to the beast he had been following for so long. He, for some reason, assumed that the beast who he knows nothing about was his ally, and perhaps was too hasty in deciding that.
Someone joined by his side. An idiot. Limadan swiftly turned around and smacked the back of his gloved hand against Arocraes' face, probably sending him flying back to the entrance to the clearing.
He then turned around with a low growl, slowly unsheathing the large blade from his back. Everything went silent, only the sheen of his blade resounded, before a loud roar. Met by an even louder one that came from Limadan.
The sound of flesh tearing and blood dripping.
With a loud thud, everything went silent again. Limadan closed his hand around the corrupted shard and pulled it out of the corpse, looking at it with a soft smile underneath his mask.
Arocraes' body struck the wall of the entrance like a ragdoll before it thumped the ground beneath. He was winded and had to do his best to conjure air from his katana back into his lungs. He drove his sword into a crease in the ground and managed to steadily bring himself up on his own two feet. However, he was still recovering his strength, and angered that someone would strike him when he was trying to help. He was about to shout towards the beast when he caught sight of what just happened. The demon that was conjured managed to be defeated from the time between when Arocraes was hit to when he got back up, at the hands of the beast in front of him no less.
He could not see what the beast was ripping out of the carcass of the demon, but Arocraes did not care. He began to walk towards the beast with his katana in one hand. "What was that for?" he yelled at the beast, "I was trying to help!" Arocraes was visibly shaken with anger, but given the immense strength that this beast showed it was probably not a good idea for him to provoke him. He prepared himself for another possible hit.
Limadan studied the corrupted shard closely. Marvelous. Truly marvelous. It was all he had hoped for. A shard infused with his mistress' energy. He looked up and glanced his shoulder. How he hated being disturbed. A low snarl left him. "I don't recall asking for help. You also stood in my way," he growled as he clenched his hand around the shard.
It was powerful. He anticipated adding this piece to his armour already. Perhaps he could infuse his sword with it.
Arocraes was about to reply before he took notice of crystal the man was holding. For some reason he was enchanted by it; he had never seen a material that resembles its shape or glow, and wondered if he could possibly craft it into a special piece of armor back at his shop. "What is that?" Arocraes asked after he calmed down a little bit. He didn't care about this hulk of a creature before him that sent him flying across the room and defeated a demon with ease. He was, for some reason, captivated by the crystal.
"This is," he glanced at Arocraes, "none of your bussiness." He closed his fist around the shard and put stuck against his belt, feeling the hum of the corruption, Limadan smiled slowly. It reminded him of the void.
It reminded him of home.
"Now now, that's not very nice" Arocraes sarcastically replied. "All I want is a little peek at it" he continued. His eyes were fixated on the man's waist where he held the crystal. "My name is Arocraes, by the way" he continued.
"I don't care what is nice," Limadan spat out as he turned to Arocraes. "It is not for your eyes, if you wish to see it, take it." He answered, spite clear in his voice.
"I don't care for your name, weakling."
Arocraes curled the right corner of his mouth, he was hoping the beast would challenge him. He momentarily dug his toes into the rubble on the ground to prepare himself to dash forward. Arocraes charged forward, and as he did so he toss dirt up using his katana to cause a distraction. He then reached for the shard with his free hand.
Limadan arched an eyebrow. The dust flew up and hid Arocraes' charge. He stepped forward and with a loud and dry clunk, he smacked the palm of his hand against Arocraes' face, throwing him back against the wall. "This is mine."
Arocraes immediately blacked out from the initial impact momentarily, returning to consciousness while in air giving him enough time to produce a swirl of wind to cushion his fall. When he tried to stand up, however, he immediately fell down, somewhat concussed from the initial blow. After getting to his feet Arocraes pulled his katana in front of him, preparing for a fight.
"Why are you so obsessed with that thing? Judging by how you look I wouldn't expect you to fawn over shiny little rocks" Arocraes said, cheekily, before adding "You would get along well with my sister." Arocraes grinned in amusement, wondering if the beast could take a joke.
"I'd rape her," he only answered as he turned around to Arocraes. "Those 'shiny little rocks' hold more power and worth than you," he snarled slowly. "Out of my way."
"Perhaps the only way an ugly git like you could get his fix" Arocraes replied, half jokingly and half angrily. His eyes once again shifted to where the beast hid the crystals. "Are those for a special girl? I think she'd prefer flowers over bloody stones ripped out of a corpse" Arocraes said, with his new plan being to annoy the man into striking first, allowing Arocraes to get close and to have another shot at taking the crystal.
"Your audacity annoys me," Limadan said as dark green chains shot from.the ground and wrapped around Arocraes' arms. To pull him to his knees. "Bow before the strong, weakling," he said, voice filled with contempt.
Arocraes' amusement quickly turned into fear. He underestimated the beast's strength, and did not even expect him to possess such magical ability. While he was dreading for his life, he was also impressed and filled with awe that such a person existed. "What... are you?" Arocraes asked in a shaking tone.
Limadan huffed slowly. "Ascended," he answered with a snicker. "You are weak.. No right on living."
Arocraes mustered up his remaining strength to spit in the direction of the man. "Then kill me" he said bringing a smug grin on his face. "Ascended..." Arocraes laughed, "what the hell does that even mean."
"I am above a lowly weakling such as yourself. I am not human. I am powerful." He pulled the short blade from the sheathe on his back. "So be it. Die in pain, weakling," he snarled. Voice filled with contempt.
"How cute" Arocraes sarcastically said as he smirked. He then slipped his left arm out of the armor surrounding it that was still wrapped around by the magic roots conjured by the beast. Arocraes reached for his katana and cut off the other root before jumping backwards into a fighting stance. He began to channel his most powerful wind spell, one that knocks back the target with a great blunt force. "At least tell me your name before I kill you" Arocraes boldly said to the beast.
"Kill me?" The giant stopped in his tracks. Eyes widening. Before a bellowing laughter resounded. He switched the blade around in his hand and stabbed himself through the chest. Once. Twice. Three,.four and ultimatly five times. Ribs cracking and organs spilling out. Yet he remained standing. "You cannot kill me!" He called out as the organs regrew and the wounds closed again, followed by the armour. He spinned the greatsword in his hand. "Hit me with your best shot!" The chains completely dissappeared. Giving him unfettered acces to his arsenal.
Arocraes' smile grew wider. He wouldn't have thought an average day at the market could turn out to be so... interesting. This beast was not human; at least not anymore. Arocraes was not trained well enough nor strong enough to truly face him, but the crystal still called for Arocraes, in his head at least. This could provide him an opportunity to both steal the crystal and run away.
"You should have your funeral in Thanatos, they're more fun than you'd think" Arocraes joked before unleashing his wind spell directly towards the beast's abdomen. The second he let go of the wind spell, he dashed forward with his muffled footsteps from the air underneath his feet. He juked to the side and aimed to grab onto the belt of the creature, hoping to secure the crystal and to rely on his speed and quickness to head for the exit.
The spell clunked into him, without much effect as his two wings flicked out and completely negated the spell with raw strength. His hand shot to the side and clamped around his face, fmaiming.to force him down to his knees. "I hear your breathing. The beating of your heart," he snarled slowly. "I smell your fear.. Your weakness. You cannot hide from me."
Arocraes' eyes widened, seemingly bulging out of his skull as his breaths grew heavy and weaker each second. He was growing unconscious, as all the energy he had remaining left his body with his last attack and last attempt at stealing the crystal. The beast's hand stunk, but all Arocraes could think about was his fleeting breaths as his sight withdrew to darkness. He could not muster up anymore energy to make a comment, as his body grew weaker and eventually became unconscious with a slight pulse.
Limadan snarled slowly as he dropped Arocraes again. "You're still breathing," he murmured to himself with a soft sigh, grabbing his collar and holding Arocraes up to examine him.
"Intruiging," he said as he let his throat slip from his hand.
Arocraes did not have any energy to open up his eyes. He was slowly regaining consciousness and his thoughts were only of his own survival. Slow and easy breaths he thought to himself as he forgot about the hulk of a creature grabbing hold of him. Survive he kept repeating to himself as his body dangled like a rag doll.
Limadan dropped Arocraes to the floor again. "You fight well. And didn't die yet," he stated, glancing down at Arocraes, cracking his knuckle. "What is your name, weakling?"
Arocraes could begin to hear sounds other than his own pulse and breathing. First the movement of the dirt below him, then the echoes of the cave he was in, and finally the beasts' question. His vision was blurred, but he was able to answer the beast. "Aro...Arocraes Vanelor" he answered obediently before spitting out a chunk of blood.
"Limadan of Harmaa," he answered. "Stand up," his command was short, cold and harsh. Yet his voice made it clear that he wouldn't tolerate any backtalk or disobidience.
As Arocraes' vision began to return to normal, he grabbed his katana which he dropped moments ago. With both hands on the handle he used it as a crutch to get back up, standing straight even though his body was still in much pain. He spit more blood out onto the ground before wiping his mouth with his sleeve. "Harmaa?" he asked Limadan.
"The church of Harmaa," he started to explain with a slow sigh, "we worship the lady of grey. Anticipate her return from the void."
Arocraes produced a light giggle, still weary from earlier. "And what of that crystal? What is its role?" he continued to pry.
"A shard of the lady's armour." Limadan answered. "This indicates her return is nigh."
Arocraes grew even more attracted to it. He didn't understand what Limadan was saying, but he was captivated by the crystal and this mysterious lady of the grey. "And what will she when she returns?" he asked.
"This blighted world will be purged and destroyed," he answered. "Only those that served her in life, stand by her side in death. The rest will be enslaved."
Arocraes closed his eyes and chuckled softly. Just another day at the market he thought to himself. "Then I will live to obey" Arocraes said, believing every word Limadan has said after he he handedly defeated him.
Limadan arched an eyebrow. "You wish to serve the lady of grey?"
Arocraes hesitated for a second before closing his eyes again and grinning. "I do" he replied.
"Good," Limadan answered. "You have the mettle. But I wonder if you have the stomach." A soft grin formed underneath the mask. "I will conduct your joining soon." He said as he started to walk back out ofbthe cave, notioning Arocraes to follow him.
Arocraes obeyed, sheathing his sword and adjusting his armor as he followed Limadan. He wondered if he would speak to his family ever again, and if he'd speak to his mentor. "Where are we going?" he asked.
"My home. Our village. Where the other that follow the ways of Harmaa are," he answered. Before they entered the now desolated bar.
"I see" Arocraes said as he began to regain his energy more and more. He thought about asking Limadan if he could make a quick stop to say goodbye to his family, but decided it was best that he didn't. He didn't understand much of the situation, but he could tell that the only family he has now belongs to the lady of grey.
"Good," Limadan glanced at the door. "Let's see how well your hand is against twenty others." Limadan answered with a low snarl. "They want me. They will probably let you go. Men and women only following their orders." He smirked underneath his mask. "Cut their last breath from them."
Arocraes nodded as he drew his katana with a smile. Twenty soldiers came barging in, not seemingly Thanati. He dashed forward, dodging multiple strikes easily and blocking ones fortunate enough to go through with his armored arm. As weaved in between each soldier, he aimed for small vulnerable openings near the neck with a single swift swing of his blade. This way slitting their throats would kill them quickly, which was what Arocraes wanted since he was already tired from earlier. One by one, he killed each soldier in cold blood before sheathing is katana and facing Limadan once more. "Done" he said to him.
"You're not," Limadan retorted. "You have to dictate this killing to the lady of grey."
Arocraes sighed as he walked next to Limadan. "And how do I do that?"
"Pray for her, any way you wish," Limadan said as he pulled out his greatsword, pushing it in the floor and kneeling down infront of the massacre.
Arocraes was unsure of what to do. "Oh uh great one lady of grey here is my uh offering for you" Arocraes said as he watched Limadan from the corner of his eye. "I am your uh blade and loyal servant."
Limadan snickered slowly, raising his hand. "Dark mistress. Hear the cries of agony of these fallen foes. Accept this offering from your newest subject." He said, before he stood up, dark green and black souls raising from the corpses, wrapped in similair colored chains. Writhing in pain and agony.
Arocraes' eyes widened. He didn't understand if the souls were being raised by the lady or by Limadan, but could feel the power of the force regardless. "Where is she?" Arocraes asked, referring to the lady of grey.
"The void," Limadan answered. "I am merely taking these souls for my spectral army," he said as the chains pulled back towards his arm, the souls forced into the palm of his hand as they rapidly shrinked.
"You have an...army?" Arocraes was not really surprised that Limadan possessed one, but was curious. "Just what is your title? What do I call you?"
"I have.. Two armies," he answered. "I am the Vanguard."
"Vanguard" Arocraes repeated while grinning. "Do I get a fancy title too?" Arocraes teased as he headed for the door, peaking through to see if more troops would come in. "Perhaps we should head for that village...Harmaa was it?" there was still much that Arocraes did not understand, but he expected to catch up quickly soon.
"If you prove yourself, perhaps." He followed Arocraes with his hand grasped around the hilt above his shoulder. "Harmaa isn't the village. It is the religion." Limadan let out a soft snarl. "More people will come."
"I'll follow your lead" Arocraes said. He analyzed Limadan's armor. The craftsmanship was impressive, he had never seen a blacksmith in Thanatos to have come anywhere close to the level of intricacy in his gear. It was definitely not made by men.
"Stand back," Limadan glanced at Arocraes. "I will cut loose," he rolled his shoulders. "That will make their employers more doubtful of sending people."
Arocraes did as he said, taking a few paces backwards and hovering his hand over the handle of his katana. He watched intently, trying to learn as much as he can from the Vanguard.
With a soft sheen, he pulled the enormous zweihander from it's sheathe and stepped forward. A low snarl left him as the sound of clunking armour drew near. Thirty, was what Limadan concluded.
As soon as he saw thr first soldiers, he ran forward with a loud, feral roar. Met by cries of both fear and determination. He slammed into their ranks like a wild beast. Not even bothering to defend against their blows. Knowing that he could take any punishment given by these weaklings.
After a minute of fighting, Limadan stood in the middle of the massacre. Covered in blood. Both his own and the soldier's.
Arocraes chuckled softly as he closed his eyes and tilted his head backwards. He is the devil he thought to himself, referring to Limadan. There was a lot he could learn by watching Limadan's fighting. Though they had very different fighting styles--while Arocraes relied on speed, agility, and mobility Limadan relied on brute strength--the mentality and intangibles the come with combat are things that Arocraes has yet to grasp.
"Who are these soldiers working for?" Arocraes asked Limadan, not surprised that Harmaa has amassed enemies capable of sending dozens of troops at a moment's notice.
Limadan raised his open palm again as he repeaed the souls of the fallen, using them to heal the wounds he sustained. "A religion that seeks to destroy the ways of Harmaa. They call us heretics."
Arocraes watched as he mended the wounds with the fallen opposition. "Why don't we just kill them all, then?" he asked as he continued watching. Corrupting those who disagree with him to help himself Arocraes thought he is the devil. Arocraes smiled in admiration.
"In time, Arocraes. In time." He smirked soflty. "They are weaklings. Easy to squash, like a pack of ants. But they are numerous."
Arocraes brought his hands to the back of his head with his chest out. "As long as I get a piece" Arocraes said as he closed his eyes and softly sighed. "We should leave Suna as soon as we can" he added, "before we cause a national crisis." Arocraes already witnessed the might of Limadan several times, but could he wage war himself and with his army against a whole nation? "We can't really hide you so we're gonna have to make a run for it."
"A piece of what, exactly?" Limadan insuired with a snarl.m, before turning to Arocraes with a shrug. "They will learn the ways of Harmaa. We shall not be trifled with.