The Dark Kami Arc: Tome 1 - Fading Sight

Subject: The Dark Kami Arc: Tome 1 - Fading Sight Fri Nov 27, 2009 3:49 am

Looking down at the bloody, mutilated carcass that lies at my feet, I lift the goblet filled with a deep, dark red liquid to my lips and my eyelids lower slowly. Feeling the wetness of the liquid touch my lips and slide thru in a smooth flow, I breathe thru my nasal passage as the aroma circulates to enhance the taste of the liquid. Taking in this sweet elixir, my mind replays the recent events leading up to this moment for me...

I was trading some loot and valuable parts that had gathered off of the demons and yokai that I had killed since I've been trapped out here. The merchant if he can even be called that arrived riding on a yokai and speaks. "So I hear you have some goods that might be of use to me?" I nod to him and extend my hand towards a thick brush that conceals three packs of goods. His eyes light up yet my expression does not change. "Glad I have your attention. I need to get out of this forest and find my way to Arden again. I don't even know how I got here. Also, there are these really annoying warriors in white that keep showing up trying to capture me. I want information on them so I can deal with them after I've been able to get to the Manticore Compound." The trader looks at me and asks why I would want to go to the Manticore Compound and I tell him because my uncle is there. He looks at me and quickly he seems to be overcome with fear. "I'm not going to kill you, but yes, Yisima of the House Manticore is my uncle. How do I get out of here and back to him?" The trader rummages thru his satchel of scrolls and gives me a scroll and tells me that this will help with the warriors in white once I escape from here. I nod to him and he continues, "Now as for getting out of here..."

From above I hear a voice yell out, "Die, you fiend!!" I use my telekinesis to push the trader out of the way. The problem is that in doing so, it gives him the head start he needs to run away with one of the packs. I didn't much mind the pack as I was interrupted from getting the information to allow me to escape from this place. Of course! It is one of those damn warriors in white. It would be nice to know why they keep attacking me. He comes in for another attack and I use my fire to try and burn his legs. The fire catches causing him to deal with that first giving me the opportunity to unleash my telekinetic pulse attack on him. I bet he didn't see that one coming! As my right hand comes up, a strong jolt of psychic energy is emitted from my hand and collides violently against his body. He flies back into a tree and before he can fully pull himself from the tree, a vortex orb appears right in front of him. I float towards him as his body armor is easily ripped open followed by the flesh of his chest. The sheer force tears at his flesh and ligaments ripping his arms from their sockets. Reaching out my hand towards the packs, I retrieve a goblet that flies into my hand as I extend towards his chest and armless shoulder. The blood flows into the goblet and once it is finished, I grab the jug at my hip and add some wine to the goblet. This isn't the best wine, but hey, it'll suffice...

The blood of demons and the beauty of their effect on me... I can not begin to describe how much I enjoy it. Looking around at this strange place that I have been trapped in for what I believe to be months. Just when I was so close to finally achieving my goals in the Earth Realm, I get ambushed by some operatives wearing the same symbol as this piece of fresh carrion food here and after they get the drop on me, I wake up here. There are bodies of yokai and lower order demons scattered about me in this nearby radius from the constant fighting that I have been engaged in. I activate my pyrokinesis to dispose of the old bodies, but leave the fresh one to help attract yokai and such. I notice that my fire has not been as strong as it used to be. Several of my powers have not been working as they should now that I have a moment to think about it. What exactly has been happening to me since I have been trapped here? I need to find my way out of here before more higher orders arrive for their hunts. The last group that arrived proved to be quite a challenge and I need to find that trader so that he can finish telling me what I need to know. Looking around, I lift off of the ground and realize that I need to keep anyone from tracking me as best as I can, so I telekinetically scatter the loot about the area. I figure this will attract even more obstacles to anyone else trying to find me. I fly from the carnage to try and seek refuge to give myself time to come up with some form of plan to finally escape from this cursed forest!

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Subject: Re: The Dark Kami Arc: Tome 1 - Fading Sight Fri Nov 27, 2009 8:38 pm

Flying thru the forest in some random direction, I come across a dense collection of branches in the canopy that would provide sufficient cover for me to hide out for a while... or so I thought. Scanning the area, I try to create a viewing orb between my palms and I notice that the range is only going about the distance of a football field or so and not the normal block radius that I used to be able to see. A voice chuckles around me and speaks, "You didn't really think that you could drink all that demon blood from so many different demons with so many different powers and nothing would ever happen to you, did you? You are part human after all? Well... you were. You are practically all demon now and a vile abomination. You will continue to kill and consume as your lust for power is growing with each passing day. You must be stopped just as Quinto had to be stopped!" Looking around with the orb, I don't see anyone until an old bearded man is seen standing on the ground directly beneath the tree. He has a trimmed white bearded and is wearing all white clothing. The ground around the base of the tree begins to glow as the old man seems to be chanting. More figures appear around him and around the tree. Very well. I create a vortex orb and send it straight down the tree. When it reaches the base, it rapidly expands growing to roughly 50 feet in radius and most of the figures try to defend against the attack. Some do not sense it in time and they are caught completely unaware. Those who are caught unaware bleed profusely while I leap off of the branches I had been crouched on flying away from the figures. They give chase as expected. Flying past some Yokai that were traveling together, I decide to fly straight at them in the hopes that they would attack me. If I am able to evade the attacks they should hit my pursuers or at least distract them long enough that I can put more distance between us.

The yokai are not the bravest creatures and upon seeing me flying towards them, most of them scatter. The benefit in this is that I quickly change my trajectory to use them as obstacles to be hit. Some of the white clothed pursuers collide with them or have to dispose of them before moving on to continue their chase of me. I telekinetically grab larger branches and sticks to create a barrier as I pass thru a thicker part of this forest. Once I pass thru the barrier, I activate the Godspeed power to enhance my speed and put some real distance between us. The barrier stalls them for a while, but as I escape from one nuisance trying to seize me, I run into another one. Just what I needed... a higher order onikonjou hunting party about to battle against a party of yokai and the yokai aren't backing down. That can only mean one of two things... these yokai are retarded or these are those mystic yokai that I had been hearing about and seeing challenging higher orders before. my hoping to just move by them unnoticed is quickly thwarted as attention is brought to me. Damn it!

Oh this just keeps getting better. The ones in white have made it thru the barrier and are approaching very quickly. All three groups move towards me at once, so I realize that there is no way that I'll be able to evade all of them, so I stand still needing to time this perfectly. I prepare a Cyclone Cutter orb and wait. Once they get within striking distance of me, I release the orb and fly straight up in the air at full speed. I had never been hurt by my powers before but the blast radius cuts into my leg a bit as I move vertically. The vortex orb is reinforced by my focus to deal even more damage before I quickly leave.

Escaping the danger at hand, I come across a small camp after about nearly an hour of flight away while the survivors of the three parties fight amongst themselves. Something is truly wrong with me as my powers are not functioning the way they should be. Landing in the camp, I look around and the demons there are just trying to exist without people bothering them so the fact that I'm just trying to lay low fits in perfectly with their wishes. I tend my own wounds and rest for a bit. While I am resting, I hear a soft soothing song that fills me with a great peace and calm before I realize that it is draining my strength and slipping me into a soft slumber. The shrieking screams of battle snap me out of this as I rush outside to help out. The camp is on fire and under attack by the warriors in white. One power that never fails me no matter what it would seem is my telekinesis as I grab two of them who go to attack a downed man and hurl them away from him and into the path of their friends' attacks. I help the man up and tell him to get out of here quickly. I give him a scroll and he grabs his daughter and a boy who seems to be his squire or page and tell him to find the Order of the Volos Castai and let them know that Psyre is in danger. He nods to me and I reach out to telekinetically push them out of the way, but instead they all vanish from sight. I am confused and in shock at this as I am completely unsure of what has just happened. Unfortunately, the distraction allows me to be surrounded. My curse power manifests in a strange way as well as a dark mist moves out from my body. What the hell is going on here?!

The mist seems to be badly hurt the warriors and I take this opening to try and escape again. Leaping into the air, I begin to ascend when a large, pastel colored winged beast spear tackles me out of the air and into the ground creating a crater around the point of impact. The mist fades and my body is surrounded in a barrier of dark energy and I look at it trying to figure out what is wrong with my Energy Barrier. The warriors in white look at me and one of them speaks. "He has no control over the growth. We must get him out of here now if we wish to end this." A second warrior speaks, "They are almost here and they cannot be allowed to find him! We must move quickly." A milky portal opens and I lose the ability to move before they seize me and push me thru it.

I emerge from the portal at a camp site seemingly still in the forest but badly poisonous to me. I wheeze badly as I find it hard to breathe or focus and significantly fatigued. They take me and tie me to a vertical apparatus that I can only assume is for interrogation. As I am bound to this apparatus, it takes everything in me not to bell out in pain as the metal surface burns my flesh badly. The pain flowing thru me right now is great, but I cannot allow myself to break. I quickly realize that the pain will not allow me to properly utilize my powers meaning that I am about to experience a continued session of pain.

The old man walks up and stands before me. "An abomination like yourself cannot be allowed to go unchecked. Your crimes and those of your kind are a disgrace to our race. Will you repent your sins and return to the Ways of the Light so that you may finally know the grace of the Northern Heavens?" I look at him fighting back the pain as my golden orbs are filled with bright veins showing my pain. "Shut up and get on with it. Let's see what you've got." I try to escape to Quinto's Palace, but one of the other interrogators steps forward to cut open my shirt. I can't really say mine since I took it from the pack of one of the demons I killed when I first got trapped int his cursed forest. They begin drawing symbols on my abdomen with this magic liquid and at the very touch it is uncomfortable, but that is nothing compared to what I feel when they start chanting to show me what the symbols and liquid are truly capable of. It had been nearly two years since I had been stabbed before but I remember this feeling all too vividly. When the symbols activate it feels like several small needles are stabbing me with a cold ice that pierces my internal organs repeatedly. He continues to ask me if I will repent and what I wouldn't give to have the power to choke him telekinetically!

A liquid is brought in and there is a mist flowing around it continuously. Before you deny the Light yet again, let me tell you about your kind. I interrupt, "I have been taught about my kind. I know of your kind's jealousy and betrayal. My Tajaes told me everything when I asked. I have no patience for you, so go ahead and kill me." The old man shakes his head, "You are definitely Quinto's offspring. Do you know what I'm sure he forgot to mention is that not everyone wanted to be trapped in this pit! There was an entire stronghold that wanted to return home and the Dark Ones were so consumed by their hatred of the Light Kami that they exiled us! When the House of Manticore rose to power and Marqos left for the Earth Realm, we knew there would be chaos and no hope for our return so long as Yisima was in power. We tried talking to him first and that nearly caused civil war between the Kami Houses. We do not embrace the darkness, young one. Our ancestors made that choice not us, so I want you to understand that the light that I can see within you does not have to be extinguished just because you are Quinto's heir. The Volos Korol can survive without you if necessary or you can change their ways to allow for us to be allowed to return home. We are not your enemy, but we are trying to get you to see that you should not be harmed by blessings, yet that is the pain that you feel right now. The Darkness is consuming you, young one, just as it consumed Quinto."

The old man pauses for a moment before he continues, "He should not have died, but there was no other way and he sacrificed himself to allow the fiend of a warlord to survive and reign even more terror on everyone be them demons, kami, or mortals. He has killed far more than you may care to admit, but if Quinto knew that Yisima would abandon his Order to protect his own life and position, Quinto would not have sacrificed himself. Young One, listen to me. I know that you are taught not to listen to your enemies, but listen to what you know to be fact. Yisima has scouts and connections all over Onitoshi and how long have you been here? We had to make sure that you could see Yisima for who and what he truly is. He cares to protect himself and only himself. Join us and let us escape this hell and show you heaven." I must admit that the old man does make some valid points, but they are responsible for the death of my maker and that makes them my enemy for life. If I have to deal with Yisima, I will address that then, but for now... "You wish to be set free? I can help with that. Remove these runes and I will set you free! Set his heart on fire!" A curse rune appears on the old man's chest and he growls out in pain before he chants to remove the curse rune and one of the captains signals for the liquid to be applied to me.

The liquid is poured directly into my eyes and that is when my resolve can hold no longer and roar in agonizing pain. They had an annoying sense of humor, but to curse the eyes of a Seer... that is a ballsy move. Still, I await my death that will not come. Blinded by the liquid, I try to focus on my other senses to remain aware of what is going on. The large symbol that I am attached to is lifted into the air. Several voices begin chanting and I figure that this will be the end for me. Not exactly how I wanted to finish things, but it is the way that I must go. I try to reach out with my mind to call for help. It is a long shot that probably won't save me, but I must try if my mind is strong enough. "If anyone can hear me, I am about to die soon without aid. This pain... it is most unnatural and unlike any poison I have ever found. Make haste as I need your help now."

The chanting stops and chains wrap around my body tightly cutting most of the air flow inside of me. The symbol falls backwards laying against the earth and seven thin needles pierce my body in specific locations filling me with an agony that I struggle to put into words. Imagine if you can feeling liquid ice flowing thru your veins and your mind feeling like it is about implode on itself. Now imagine that every breath you take set your insides on fire and your nervous system is keeps convulsing as you try to fight against the flow of icy death thru your body. Then add on the extra pain of feeling fairly thin needles that engulf nearly your entire palm. Now, feel your chest slowly start to open up before you feel a strong jerk as if your core essence is being yanked from your body. If you can imagine all of that then you will know a fraction of what I feel right now. The jerk is actually the worst imaginable fate for me... an exorcism. My concern and fear for my father's safety allows me to speak thru the pain, "Father!!!" My sheer will seems to yank back like an ethereal hand against the tugging force trying to rip my spirit from my body.

I am pulled into my mind forcefully. Looking around the palace is crumbling and the luscious jungle around us is decaying as the water turns red like blood. "I have failed you, Father. I still have not become strong enough." Quinto is standing in the archway of the Palace looking at the destruction all around us before he shakes his head at me. "No, Psyre. You cannot defeat every enemy... just as I was not able to defeat all of my enemies. Your most loyal and true retainers are almost here so fear not the death that is sure to come as they can make you so much stronger than I could. I should have prepared you more for the feud that you would be dragged into. I cannot allow you to be killed permanently from this." I look at Quinto and speak, "You are more important, Father. I will need you if these retainers can find a way to restore me." I use my telekinesis to encase Quinto in a protective confine while I force myself out of the Palace. I sacrifice myself during this exorcism as I will not live without my Father, but if I can sacrifice my life to save him, I know that there is much that he can do to avenge me! Everything becomes so distant to me as darkness surrounds me. So this is what death feels like. I can't say that I particularly like this, but I can feel my body rising. What is happening to me now? As my body begins to rise up, I feel it get pushed back down forcefully but no one is around me. I am so confused by all of this. What is going on right now?!

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Subject: Re: The Dark Kami Arc: Tome 1 - Fading Sight Fri Nov 27, 2009 9:18 pm

Spirus Board Description wrote:: The realm of demons and angels. The spirit realm broken into two portions. It's inhabited by spirits and is normally inaccessible to humans due to the difference in atmosphere.

Definition of atmosphere wrote:: at⋅mos⋅phere
1. the gaseous envelope surrounding the earth; the air.
2. this medium at a given place.
3. Astronomy. the gaseous envelope surrounding a heavenly body.
4. Chemistry. any gaseous envelope or medium.
5. a conventional unit of pressure, the normal pressure of the air at sea level, about 14.7 pounds per square inch (101.3 kilopascals), equal to the pressure exerted by a column of mercury 29.92 in. (760 mm) high. Abbreviation: atm.
6. a surrounding or pervading mood, environment, or influence: an atmosphere of impending war; a very tense atmosphere.
7. the dominant mood or emotional tone of a work of art, as of a play or novel: the chilly atmosphere of a ghost story.
8. a distinctive quality, as of a place; character: The old part of town has lots of atmosphere.

I hate to butt in your thread, but last time I asked they said to ask you directly.
Since everything's burning I'd assume there'd be a lot of carbon monoxide and CO2 and maybe some sulfurous gases very little oxygen. See also: http://www.doctorfire.com/toxicity.html
So how exactly is Psyre breathing down here?

Subject: Re: The Dark Kami Arc: Tome 1 - Fading Sight Fri Nov 27, 2009 9:49 pm

The answer to that was blatantly obvious though I am consciously unaware. As the exorcism is taking place, a collection of portals open around this camp like stronghold and dark miasma and shadows flood the area as the skies darken as well. War maidens clad in blood red and black leather emerge from them and instantly attack the warriors in white. The attacks pour out swiftly and with terrifying precision. The maidens carry either a blood red rod that is roughly a foot to foot and a half in length or a leather whip studded with gems carved into magical runes. Both weapons seems to groan or shriek in pain when they make contact with the bodies of the warriors in white. The women have young girls in their late teens as well as grown women in both their 30s and 40s by appearance in their ranks. They are trained in various forms of martial arts but take pleasure in using their weapons. Even when bladed weapons are dropped at their feet, they still elect to wield only their weapons of choice. The old man saves one of the younger female light kami from being captured.

The battle erupts into a bloody skirmish and the leather clad women warriors collect their wounded when they fall in battle to move them back to the portal. A leader amongst the female warriors, as suggested by the rank insignia on her leather armor, emerges carrying her battle rod and takes the rod of one of her fallen "sisters". She moves with such fluidity, speed, and brutal elegance that the old man has no choice but to step forward and face her.

One of the females with the insignia of a hand on her armor signifying a healer or support fighter exits the portal. She quickly kneels next to my body and places her hand on my chest. She begins to chant, "My Young Prince, expel the needles!" After a few minutes, the needles evaporate and she looks at me with mild bewilderment. She turns to leader of the group and informs her, "Mistress... we need to get the Prince back to the Temple if we want to have any hope of saving him. I'm not strong enough here to correct what has happened to him. My sister can do this." The female leader disarms the old man and goes in for the final blow when a young male warrior steps into the way and takes the attack for him. She palm strikes him in the chest knocking both the young and old man back before she nods to the healer, grabs one of the young girls by her neck and falls back towards the portals. A low pitched shriek is emitted from her mouth to call the rest of the female warriors back to the portals. The little girl is passed off to another of the women and dragged screaming and crying into the portal. The female leader's personal guards shield her as she unleashes two separate void portals next to each other that violently vibrate next to each other, but not quite connected to each other. It is as if some force is keeping them separate.

As the women return to where they originated from having found what they were looking for, the two void portals that had been contained next to each other fly away from one another ripping the very fabric of time and space creating a vortex of immense destruction. The entire altar area and all of the warriors in white around the area are ripped to pieces. The old man uses the last of his strength to quickly erect a barrier to buffer most of the wounded and younger warriors around him from harm, but even his barrier could not fully protect him. The very terrain of their camp is ripped from its place leaving the marks of violent ruptures and fissures in the ground. The blast affects more than the after effects of an explosion would normally do as even birds and flying yokai that were simply passing by litter the ground around what used to be the altar. Once the sky returns to light and the rupture seals returning the continuum of time and space to normal, the warriors in white work quickly to try and tend to their wounded comrades. They lost quite a few of their brethren to the departure attack and to my rescuers themselves. Even in death, I am pleased by this. During their assessment of the damage and losses, they notice something far more troubling to them... several of their members are missing. That could only mean one thing! The old man looks at one of his younger warriors and tells him that he must get word to the others. He nods and takes off towards the outskirts of the forest. The old man raises his eyes to the skies before falling forward and spitting up blood. The chief healer rushes to his side.

This carnage is nothing compared to what I wish to do to this order of Light Kami if I or my Tajaes can be returned to life! There is darkness all around me.

END OF TOME 1

900/4786
~ Death of Psyre
- ALL techniques

On Bio Currently:
EXP: 34,861
T-EXP: 100

From Tech Refunds:
Techs = +87,500 EXP
TEXP = +109
Training = Pending Shin's Decision (+220,000 EXP)

Totals
EXP = 122,361 or 12,236 per day + 1 today
TEXP = 209 or 21 per day

Subject: Re: The Dark Kami Arc: Tome 1 - Fading Sight Wed Dec 02, 2009 12:53 am

Updated

» The Dark Kami Arc: Tome 2 - Emergence from Blood
» The Dark Kami Arc: Tome 3 - Conquer Thy Confusion
» The Dark Tourney - Part 2: The Dark Tournament
» Sight Seeing (Shioriko)
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