The Long Road

[Qtchi]

Her face was grim, and within her grip, the dagger seemed inadequate, to whatever it was they were running away from.

Her pulse shuddered and the girl stretched out her legs, seeking to keep up with Castiel. ”Just… where… is… this.. Vuxxa?” She panted, the words struggling out from between gasps. The girl didn’t dare risk a glance over her shoulders, but she could hear the echoing cries of Ketotsue - the pain and agony still etched in her memory.

Hoping the possessed man wasn’t chasing them, the girl made a wild gesture and a sharp bolt of blue light filled the air to land and burn upon the ground. Flames quickly filled the pathway behind them, effectively blocking the exit they have just skirted through.

Outside, she skidded to a stop, her eyes frantically glanced left and right.

“Which way?“ She shouted, her voice ringing across the clearing at the man running before her. Behind her, she could hear nothing, but a feeling of uneasiness filled her heart. Stumbling closer to Castiel, she tightened her hands around the dagger and grimaced.

”Your mages!” She suddenly announced, her eyes intent as she whirled around to face the former enemy. ”Get them to help us!”

[Vuxxa]

Castiel continued to run with only one thing in mind, getting as far away as he could. He thought he heard Q say something as he ran but he didn't say anything, Ketotsue's screams still echoeing around the battlefield. He could feel the evil creatures, spawned from Atterimus' hate. They will hunt us down he thought as he continued to run The Abyss won't have me so soon, anger filling him as he thought even more on his current situation.

He continued running until he heared Q say something. He stopped, turning around, now noticeing the torrent of flames spread acoss the ground far behind him. She stepped closer to him as he answered "We're almost there" now looking off in the direction in which Vuxxa lay.

Q asked about the mages "They are gone, they cannot help us now. It would take some preparation for them to teleport here. When they teleported before, everything had already been prepared" he looked back at her "They could not help against the foes he's sent against us anyway"

Now turning back to his destination "I know you would like to rest, but we must continue. You can hold out a little while longer right!"

************************************************** *

Vuxxa woke up under a tree, his mind fuzzy. Looking around How did i get here? he wondered. Getting up, he saw that the sun was low in the sky ready, prepareing for the night. Stumbling across the field sombody bumped into him. Vuxxa asked "I don't belive I've seen you around the castle. If I may ask, who are you?"

"My name is Mallodeus" said the man with a kind look on his face.

"Mallodeus. I beleive I may have heard the name long ago. Well anyway, my name is Vuxxa" Vuxxa reach his hand out.

Mallodeus shook Vuxxa's hand as he spoke "I'm not surprised you heard of me. I am family after all."

[ketotsue]

The wraiths walked forward seemingly of no real accourd though in there slow pace they still gained ground. The flames had posed no real threat to them and they simply paced through causeing small particles of darkness to raise of the fake forms and slowy fade away. Soon they would be in range to fully attack but untill then the dark form of Q would find it's content in fireing arrow's of pure darkness one after the other in there direction. The shadows movements were excedingly fast allowing for what seemed to be around fifty arrows flying through the air at one time.

Atterimus was now moveing on to other matters. " Unless I am mistaken the forest should be less than a day away by normal means" Best to enjoy this moment soon I will be whole once more and the world will tremble to even think the name Atterimus. He walked onward at the pace of a normal man seeking to covet every moment of his comeing glory.

[ketotsue]

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~

Ketotsue awoke once more to find himself back at his birthland. More so in the training grounds where he spend most of his time. He couldn't help but to look around at the area, there were hay dummies scattered around most of which had what was at one time at least light armor though years of trainging spellblades and seen the end them. Weapon stacks stood around most of which contained the basic assortment of arms.

" Well go on, a man can do nothing without at least a basic weapon to cut his destiny with.

The voice was familiar and yet strange, looking up he saw his grandfather and suddenly he realized what exactly he was doing. This is his very first sparring session and would determine if he was to be granted his place in the roayl family. He then realized he stood directly in front of one of the weapon stacks. Right away he saw the weapon he would use it was unique to the rest and was the only blade there to hold a curve.

" Ahh excellent choice young one the katana shows true courage and the warrior spirit, you are the first to reach for that blade since me... Now move into the circle your opponet will be there shortly.

The elder man then pointed a single knarled finger to a dirt circle in the center of the training grounds. Takeing his place on one side of the ring his mind wandered as he awaited the arrival of his enemy... this must have been right before I went to find my spirit, But I blacked out during the combat I know I did but I was told that I showed my first sighn of magic here...

His mind still restless he barely noticed as a large club headed towards his skull. Instinct took over and his arm seemed to move of it's own accord raising his weapon to block the opponets blow. The hardened wood made the metal twinge and sent strong vibrations back up his arm almost garring his hand free of the sword. Before he had time to recover the man lashed out once more with what seemed to him no more than the trunk of some ancient tree. It was all he could do to avoid blow after blow of which only one would certainly have sent him to the priest for healing.

He strugled time and time again to raise his own weapon only to be pushed back. This went on untill lady fate took her place, as the overgrown man lunged forward with his overgrown tree his foot had taken it's place on a patch of loose soil. He tried to step backwards only to have his foot slip out from under him, he was now falling to the ground his eyes locked onto the large club promiseing him weeks of forced sleep. As he watched everything seemed to be slowing down what should have only been moments away seemed to be takeing an eternity to reach him.

It was then he felt himself tap into the spirit world for the first time, the feeling was impossible to convey rationly suffice it to say he was... no longer afraid. Darkness swelled up in front of him and slowly formed into an orb of black energy. As the world began to find it's track in time once more the orb launched into the large man upon impact the darkness swelled up and consumed the man entirely.

He felt a hard thud as he hit the ground but that hardly mattered now as fast as he could he lifted his head just in time to see the orb of darkness disapate to leave behind a snow white skeleton with two unique features, one of which was the now white club grasped into one hand the other... the skeleton was missing it's skull... The image quickly bagan to fad away and he was left once alone and surronded by emptiness.

[Vuxxa]

Looking ahead, Castiel now waved for Q to follow him again, running streight where Vuxxa now lay unconcious. The desolate and bloody lands now passing him by ounce again as he dodged, or jumped over the occassional rock, most the size of somebodies head.

He thought he heard arrows flying behind him. Some now landing nearly inches from him. Damn! Their closeing on us he thought as one of them zoomed past his head.

Soon the place at which a fierce dual had previously occured loomed into view and Castiel saw a seemingly lifeless form spawled upon the ground. Vuxxa thought the demon Perhaps some of Choronzons being still lurks within this human. Now he walked up to the to the motionless form of Vuxxa.

[Qtchi]

An arrow whizzed by her ear, and the girl instinctively ducked, her feet taking her into an abrupt turn into the bushes. Her foot caught hold of a root, and down went the girl, tumbling into the dense forest. Grunting, she came to a stop, jarring her shoulder painfully against a tree.

Twisting her body, she stumbled to her feet, three arrows instantly embedding itself in the tree where she had just sat.

Panicking, the girl blindly turned and continued to run, deeper into the forest now… away from the main clearing. She no longer remembered who, or what was chasing her, but she knew they would kill her if they found her. Her heart pounded furiously within her chest, and fear lent her speed as she darted between the trees, hiding from the oncoming assault…

[Necronas]

Necronas watched from a distance, his form dark and half-dissolved in the deep cloak of night. Necronas's deep saturation of magic had released memories from Vuxxa that would have otherwise remained stagnant. Necronas smiled from a distance. This was the purpose of his endeavor. Not to kill the demon lord, but to give him purpose. To reveal to the man his true destiny, rather than existing as a mindless lord of a despicable army bringing down the whole world at once. What would be the fun in that? When one was an immortal, one always knew to keep some fun for the future. Carpe diem was definitely something Necronas did not believe in. Why did he need to? He had bent the future to his will on multiple occasions, and he would do so again.

Qtchi moved with a minion of the demon lord Vuxxa, a creature that bent her loyalty to Necronas into bewilderment and fear. Regardless, the seeds of magic had been planted. She recognized now how much power was inside her. Soon enough that power would find another point at which it had to be let out, or else it would drive her mad. And then Necronas would return, to guide her, to bring her back to sanity, to be her savior. And after that, she would become his apprentice, his legacy.

For now, though, it would be better to leave her alone. She was being attacked, that was obvious, and with any luck, she would release some magic against her attackers. Though Necronas figured that may be a little too much to hope for. She knew no incantations aside from the one exorcism spell he had taught her. It would take some time. Until then, perhaps having her a little panicky wouldn’t hurt.

Returning to the figure lying in the grass, Necronas wondered whether it was smart to remove the creature’s memory of the fight. Perhaps it would have been better if Vuxxa remembered Necronas. No matter. The memory of the dreams would stay, and by inciting the dreams Necronas had learned of them himself.

“So,” said Necronas to himself, “They’re your boys, Atterimus, old friend.” It had been much time since the two had met, yet Necronas still remembered when the two friends had been like brothers. The two teenage boys had been the prodigies of the Diamond Garden, the most prestigious mage academy in their multiverse, a magnificent behemoth caught in between worlds in the twisting, cosmic flux of ether, halfway between existence and nonexistence, the essence of magic. Both had embarked together on the quest for immortality, each had found his own method for achieving it. Necronas in undeath, mastery of the mind and body; Atterimus in possession, mastery of the soul. Both had given in to darkness. If one desired the impossible, that was the only option.

“Perhaps,” continued Necronas, “I shall watch over these two as well.” They now intrigued him more than they had before. Initially he simply desired to siphon magic from Vuxxa, who’s power would obviously be increased if it was for something the boy believed in rather than for wanton destruction. Necronas’s initial purpose was simply to let the meat simmer before he ate it. His family tree, however, changed this. Perhaps through the boy he could finally meet his old friend again. It was worth a shot.

Necronas dissipated into the dark winds, his form invisible, untouchable. He would see and be unseen.

[Vuxxa]

Castiel looked down upon Vuxxa. Sadness came over him, his master for so long. Now look at the state he was in. Drained, scared, humiliated by his defeat at the hands of these weak creatues. Oh, how he hated the thought of it. Choronzon, the lord of the abyss, brought down to his knees by mere children.

That despicable Atterimus. The betrayer of all that is and was. It's that fools fault everything is the way it is. thought Castiel as he bent over Vuxxa's unconcious form. Master, if only that boy could have controled himself more. Then, perhaps things would not be as they now are.. He grabed Vuxxa's shoulders, lifting him up onto one of his shoulders, Now I must carry you from here. How this sickens me to see you in such a powerless state.

Castiel now marched forward with the unconcious form draped across his shoulder, determined to help his master. Looking ahead, he now could see where a part of the forest juted out There lies our safety he whispered as the forest grew closer. He let his human form flutter away, his hands changing into the large montrous shapes they truly where, finger nail turned to claw. The skin darkened, and became thick as leather armor, and corse. His mouth and nose stretching out, the fangs growing into full view, the eyes becoming red, and a thick mane sat atop his head and neck. His speed grew slightly as he ran like an animal.

Leaping into the trees he ran deeper yet until he could no longer see the clearing. Castiel lay Vuxxa upon the ground under the leafy canopy. Several plants leaning up against him as he lay still upon the ground. "Perhaps you and I know more than any of these others running 'round here as to the true importance of stopping Atterimus. You yourself witnessed the devastation wrought by his will those many thousands of years ago. When man built cities that touched the sky." he looked up to the canopy "Much taller than these trees. It was he who had caused it all to disapear. Nearly every human whiped off the face of this world, every creature suffered. But Atterimus had failed. He had not destroyed all life as he had hoped, life survived. He will try to do this again. Destroy it all. Cleanse it all to make way for his "perfect" kingdom. His "perfect" dominion over the world, nay, the universe."

Were he and and the other demons the only ones who could truly felt the true gravity of what was happening. The extinction of everything, all life. The destruction of any demon or any spiritual beings that may be against his ideas. He of course hated humans and these other creatures as any other demon, but they were all nessisary. Atterimus, or Atter as he was known before his fusion with that human before the great destruction. That human, the human that was Atter's son. A perfect fusion between the lord of darkness and human. It had spawned what was thought impossible. Something that could perfectly and fully translate all of his power into the physical plane. Yet, it was thought he was destoyed, during a great battle merely an hour before that destruction. A being of light had made battle with Atterimus.

Atterimus at his full strength was a scary though, he could move mountains with his strength. Destroy a mountain range with consecutive blasts. He was the god of darkness, the most powerful being of evil. Castiel looked down at Vuxxa once more "Fear, it is something I now truly feel. If he regained his full strength nobody could stop him. But, even as he is now, can the power within this boy stop him". Castiel looked streight ahead, now reverting back to his human form, fear easily seen etched across his thin face. Does this world have any hope. he thought as he begane yelling for Qtchi.

************************************************** ****************

Vuxxa sat in the eastern most tower watching an illuminator make his pictures. It often calmed him to watch the old man to his work. Leaning over his table, the light from the brightly lit room laying across the picture as it slowly formed on the page. This room was several stories above the library, yet it itself had quite a few books. The book shelves almost white, neatly arrainged around the illuminators office.

The old man was certainly skilled at his work, creating beutiful works, brightening up the pages otherwise filled with black ink. He was currently finishing up on a work of the great battle many years ago, where Vuxxa's father King Tierme had defeated the Dark Blood. It showed a knight, clade in armor, his cape and hair flowing, sword in hand, and light sorrounding him. That would be father though Vuxxa. Then farther up past some trees, there was a red figure, its face like a devils, fangs jutting from it's mouth, and it's clawed hand stretching forward. Tentacles of darkness spread out all around it's body, trying to devour everything. The Sky above him was completely black. Gold sorrounded the scene.

The Illuminator, whos name was Fonos, turned around and spoke. "I can remember when that battle took place. We thought it was over. The Dark Blood's forces had nearly reached the castle when your father finally defeated him. But they say he can never truly die. He is actually suppose to be some sort of god from before the time of destruction. That was nearly five thousand years ago by our reconing. That time has ended. The desturction caused by him. But, before that destruction there was a great battle, between him and your families most distant ancestor" Fonos turned back around "But, we can't know for sure for that time is lost to us."

Fonos set his book aside and pulled out another one. Opening it to the first page a scene unfolded, at the bottom there were many people, they were looking into the sky sceaming, a field of red, then some red mountains, then above that darkness spreading outward across a red sky. Vuxxa read some of what was said below the picture,

"The evil grew in power as it swallowed the peoples, land, and sky. They knew not from whence it came. Yet they knew now that this beast had slept before thier eyes for many a years. The world, united around a single man had known peace. Yet, it was an illusion, for that man was the greatest of evil. He grew stronger by the day, and his mind and heart grew darker.

Fonos turned several pages over and Vuxxa saw a man, depicted in the same way as his father, the exception being the wings that sprouted from his back as he stood mid-air amongst a sea of mountains faceing a man clad in the blackest of armor. "That!" said Fonos pointing at the holy figure "Is suppose to be your ancestor Zaphnel Sanctus. He lived longer than any who came after him, a thousand years or more. Yet, he did not die, he vanished one evening. He also had no spirit locked within a weapon, he had great power though, it was a power very much like the power the royal family has today. Supposedly it came from his own soul. Then the memory faded.

Vuxxa was disturbed by something on the outside, he could tell that he was moveing, but where to. He could also feel a prescence, one was outside, perhaps the one moveing him, this one had a darkness in him, one that was not human. The other prescence was in his own mind, it was human, but there was darkness within this one also.

Well, somebody is listening in on my mind. he though, looking around within his mind, Who is this that diturbs my mind! he shouted I know your here, watching and listening to my memories! He stopped, now waiting for a reply.

[Necronas]

Necronas made a small laugh inside his mind. A laugh that could not fully materialize because of the fact that at the moment Necronas had no lungs. He hung over his prize like an invisible thundercloud, though it was no wonder Vuxxa could sense Necronas's aura of magic. The demon lord had magic running through his blood, it was no wonder he could tap into the netherworld and detect the aura. Perhaps it would be time to reveal himself. At least a little. "Is that any way to treat your godfather, Vuxxa?" The words seemed to echo inside Vuxxa's mind, as if the thoughts were at once foreign and his own. If these were the children of Atterimus who else to be their godfather but the soulbender's closest friend? It seemed a rather fitting title. Necronas liked it. "And besides, I may have a couple dreams of my own to offer..." Yes, he was going to help Vuxxa. Why? Because doing so would invariably solve Necronas's needs. Necronas fed on the magic of others, and who better to feed on than the lord of darkness himself? Vuxxa was the worm that Necronas would throw into the river in wait for the grand sea monster. It was obviously smarter than just eating the worm. Perhaps, though, it would be a good idea to give the worm a couple tips, if nothing else.

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

The Diamond Garden was a magnificent structure floating in the middle of a spectrum of colors. Each window outside of the complex was covered with a forcefield, and outside the inhabitants could see the twisting energies of raw mana at work. It was both terrifying and beautiful.
"Hey, -----" The second word had been tampered with. Unlike Vuxxa, Necronas had active control over his dream. He would not have Vuxxa know the name that the young Atterimus had spoken was Necronas.
"Yeah, Atter?"
"Remember that last time we talked about immortality?"
"How could I forget."
"I think... I'm not sure, but I think I found a way how."
"Really? How? Tell me!" He had grown excited. Both boys were just as eager to live forever as one another. Most magi could not find the garden until they were deep into the last years of their lives. The Diamond Garden called to those with powerful blood in their veins, but only once they managed to reach it would they be worthy of reading from its infinite libraries. Both friends had found the garden before they had left their teenage years. Atter was 30, and Necronas was 22, but the two had seen so many old crippled men falling upon themselves, fighting against death and losing miserably, that the dream had become an obsession.
"I was reading a book about something called bodysnatching... It allows a person to literally steal into and take over another person's body... along with their youth."
"It sounds quite risky... but it could just work... Perhaps if we could test it-"
"That's exactly what I was thinking, friend."
The body of Atterimus spasmed in a demonic seizure, then fell to the ground. Its eyes were pale and empty. In that same moment Necronas fell to the ground on all fours, every muscle in his body clenching itself as he roared in pain. "I'm so sorry, --------. You are young yet your body and mind possess powers that are irresistible. The perfect candidate. And imagine how powerful we would be combined!"
The younger Necronas could only continue to roar as he writhed in pain, both mental and physical, fighting off this foreign presence. For the first time in years, Necronas found himself fighting for his life. It was in that moment that he was able to muster every atom within him to pour energy into blasting Atterimus's soul as far away from him as possible.
"GET. THE ****. OUT!"
His eyes and mouth erupted in flames, and in that moment the painful roars of two boys could be heard from a single mouth, and as one died away, the boy collapsed, and Necronas finally found himself alone again.
His heartbeat slowly went lower and lower, and the young boy passed out.

[ketotsue]

His time... his glory was drawing ever closer each step brought him but moments nearer to his destiny soon his power would be whole again. Now the forest that was his destination laid in front of him a massive stronghold enticing his entry. A strong wind picked up carrying his cloak upward, billowing it behind him. It was all Atterimus could do to restrain himself from screaming out in joy.

He walked into the forest knowing he would find the shrine soon enough. The blade in his sheath was the "key" the energies locked within it would split the shrine apart releasing all the fragments of his soul that damned 'Zaphnel' had sealed in it. After that there would only be one thing left to do... only one piece left to reclaim, and it laid deep within the forgotten spirit of the "lick king" Necronas.

' Foolish simply foolish... It should have been more than obvious that his will to live would have been to strong...'

Atterimus thought back to that day as he drew ever closer to his promised land.

It had been many many years but when he had tried to claim Necronas or as he was known then 'Hadriel' as his shell he was forced into the spirit realm. When his will finally came back to him it was obvious his soul had been broken 'something' had remained within his once close friend that day.

But now was not the time for pointless day dreaming on the past. The shrine that promised his freedom was within eyesight. Soon he would be whole again. Soon he would carve this world into his own vision... Soon flesh would rot in the streets and blood would fall from the sky, his fury was about to be released in full.

[Vuxxa]

Vuxxa was shocked "You knew Atterimus? Do you realise how lucky you were?" He then lauphed "Atterimus is a god. If I have learned anything from the demon, that is it. He was the first being of darkness. Every city and every town was whiped off the face of this world because of him. Humanity barely survived, nature itself barely survived. Yet a few did survive simply becuase everything didnt go according to plan. Though that was thousands of years ago. A time when man had created many wonders." He then stoped.

"Perhaps I can show you from what the demons saw. I can do this, for more has been unlocked than my broken memories. The memories of demons, the memories of Choronzon are also available to me." There was an image of a man, wearing stange clothing standing before thousands of people, they cheered for him. There were building around that seemd to touch the sky. "This was his son from what I gather. He ruled the world with the help of his father, Atter. But soon he became a tyrant due to Atter's manipulation."

Then another image of Atter's son and another man faceing off, sorrounded by mountains. "This was after Atter completly fused with his son and became Atterimus. The other man is a distant ancestor of mine. We knew him as Zaphnel, but he had a different name then. Though, that is unknown." Then the image changed again showing ruins. It shifted to may different cities and town, all destroyed. There was nothing but ash where forests once were. The ground everywhere dead. No creature of human apeared to be alive. "This was what happened. Atterimus nearly got his way. Though it stil destroyed everything, some life did survive." He paused. "The demons thought Atterimus had been destroyed. They could sense him nowhere. Though it seems he rose back up with an altered form and and damaged memory. But his memory has recovered now. And no doubt, if he gains control of Ketotsue, he will try to destroy the world again."

[ketotsue]

*hums a song of trepidation*... trying to once again revive this long lost thread.

[laurand761]

Very good history you made together, i love a lot the feeling of terror on it, readin g another Vuxxa post too, are great.

[Vuxxa]

Didn't expect to see any activity coming from here again. laurand761, I thank you for your kind words.