Slayer of Demons(Rekoa)

Adrian wandered through the woods, as he smiled gently. It had taken time but he had found his way to the lake he'd met been at before he was taken to Hild's home. He stood by the edge of the water as he stared off into space, thinking back on the past and his experiences. His body was clad in his dark robes, his mask missing since he'd left it behind long ago. He moved to the water and drew the Devil's Teardrop from his hip before driving it into the ground at the edge of the lake. He knelt at the blade and closed his eyes, praying silently as he waited. He did this when he needed Hild, though he wasn't sure if she would speak to him again. He had proved his own weakness the last time he'd met with her and he'd let his temper get the best of him. Not to mention he'd let them all get away unharmed on top of it. He waited patiently as he knelt there, his hands clasped together around the handle of the Devil's Teardrop, in a Shinto seal.

"Darkness beyond twilight and crimson beyond blood that flows. Sealed within the flow of time is where your power grows. I pledge myself to conquer all the fools who stand against the mighty gift bestowed in my unworthy hand." he said, his eyes closed.

His eyes snapped open as he felt something pulse through him. Pain shot up his spine as he trembled. He grunted and coughed up blood. His left hand shot to his chest, clutching at the scar that had been etched into him by his goddess. He trembled as the pain began to subside his body trembling lightly, tears in his eyes.

(294/294)

Adrian's other hand pressed on the ground, his body shaking as pain flooded his body. His eyes opened as the pain grew larger. But he wasn't in the forest anymore. He was standing in a castle, a throne room. A tall ceiling high above him, stained glass windows high on the back wall. A large throne sat on a dais with a bright red carpet in front of it. Sitting in the throne was a woman wearing long regal robes that hid much of her figure. She wore an elaborate golden head piece made of what looked like solid gold. Several guards wearing white and black robes. They wore helmets with plumes on them, and armor on their shins and wrists.

Around them were three men, wearing black, white, and gold robes. One weilded a long sword with a thin round handle. He had long brown hair and had a small patch of hair on his chin. The one on his right was much older. His hair was white and he had a white beard on his face. He held a halberd in one hand, and a shield in the other. The last male in the dark robes wore a patch over his left eye, and held a short sword. The weapon had a long thin handle with a wide hilt and blade. His black hair was cropped short and his face was clean shaven. The doors to the room suddenly burst open and a man wearing a golden mask flew in, his robes flailing behind him. He wore blades on his wrists, and was flying at the brunette with the long sword.

Adrian stood there watching as the flying assassin was taken out without any form of effort on the man's part. He looked around as his eyes wide as he fought to keep breathing. The throne room quickly turned into a warzone as the dark haired man turned to the guards that looked frightened.

"Be not afraid! No matter how powerful Nether Gate's soldiers may be, their soldiers are just as human as we are! Let the Queen see your courage!" he said.

The battle seemed to be going well, until he saw the woman on the throne stand, a mark on her forehead glowing brightly as she waved her hand.

"Take this!" she shouted.

A bright light behind him drew Adrian's attention. A soldier with a cross bow was floating in some kind of bubble. His eyes narrowed as if this magic seemed familiar but so much different. The bubble seemed to pop and as it did the male hidden within it vanished, nothing left of him at all. Turning back to the "Queen" his eyes widened as he saw her laughing.

"You fools. You would dare attack me?! The sun's vice-jurrate, the Executioner of Justice, is a grave offence that deserves death!" She said, her body glowing brightly.

"Arshtat! NO!" the long haired male in black robes said, rushing for the Queen.

"Insects like you, aren't even good enough to be tortured! I'll crush you myself right now!" she said, the glow growing brighter.

"Arshtat! Snap out of it!" the man said, grabbing her shoulders, shaking her lightly.

Adrian watched her head dip down before rising up again, her forehead glowing all the brighter. "BACK OFF MORTAL!"

The male looked shocked as he stepped back, surrounded by a bubble just like before. The queen's hands clasped over her mouth quickly as she stared at him. Her eyes welled with tears as she stared at him. Her hand reached out slowly, toward him as he smiled at her and reached out to her. His lips moved but nothing could be heard. Adrian, however, knew what was said. He wasn't sure how but he knew that the male had said, 'I love you' before the bubble burst taking the male with it.

As the bubble vanished Adrian found himself by the lake once more, his eyes wide. Tears were falling down his face as he clutched at the ground and his chest.

(674/968)

Looking to Hild Adrian smiled weakly before he wiped his eyes on his sleeve. He grunted his eyes squeezing shut. His face contorted in pain as his hand gripped his chest tightly. Crying out in pain his body trembled before he found himself sitting up in bed suddenly. His eyes were wide as he looked around. There were three other people near by, sleeping in their own beds in the large room. Along with that there was a bed that had been slept in recently. Rising from his bed he moved a door and stepped out onto a small porch. Looking around he smiled when he saw what he was looking for.

She had long red hair that trailed down her back to her waist. She wore simple boots, tan pants, a bright blue tunic, and a black cloak. She smiled when she saw him motioning him closer. She smiled when he came to stand beside her. Her eyes turned back to the stars as she smiled.

"Tir, can't you sleep? You shouldn't be up so late." she said, glancing at him.

"Bad dreams. What about you?" he asked.

It was strange. Adrian had never met her but he knew her. He didn't know why he could talk to her or how she knew him, but the name Tir was so natural to respond to.

"Me neither. But the night breeze makes me feel better. Can I tell you something?" she asked, turning to face him.

"What is it?" he asked in response.

"Flik, Humphry, Viktor, and all the rest... They expect so much from me. But sometimes I feel like running away, just letting it all drop and going somewhere else. I'm not sure I'm worthy of their hopes. What about you? Do you plan on going back to them?"

"...I don't know. The clan might not let me back... I guess I'll go with you."

"Your father is the clan head. You might be able to go back and live a peaceful life there. But remember, you cannot turn away from what you see or what you feel. Heh.. You're strange. I feel so much compassion when I'm with you. I guess Viktor brought you to us because he found that special quality in you. Well... It's getting late Tir. We should get some sleep."

With that the red haired woman turned and left heading inside. Turning to the stars he smiled before following suit. But as he entered the room the scene changed. He was in a sewer of some kind. And there, on the floor in the middle of the room was the red haired woman. Rushing forward he fell into place beside her, lifting her into his arms.

"Nanami! Oh god!" he said, as he put his hand over the wound in her stomach. "Hang in there. They're coming. They can help you!"

"I'm sorry Tir.. It seems I've chosen to be a woman, rather than the leader of my clan. I couldn't let that child die. I'm a failure as a leader... A failure..." she said, her eyes closing as she panted lightly.

"Nanami, don't talk. You'll reopen your wound!"

"Tir.. Please, I need your help. I-"

"Stop it! I don't want to hear final requests, Nanami. You're going to be fine!"

"Tir... Thank you. But I know the end is near. Please... Throw my body into the stream."

"I can't do that. Please don't ask me to do it..."

"Tir.. If they know I'm dead... Then the movement will lose faith. I need your help."

He trembled clutching at the ground under him as reality came back. He didn't know why he was seeing what he was seeing, but it was tearing him apart. He didn't know what he had to do to make it stop. He trembled lightly as he shifted to a sitting position with his back against the black bladed sword.

"Sorry... I'm not in the best of shape." he said, his hand still rubbing at the rune through his clothing.

(671/1,639)

Adrian's vision focused on Hild as she came into her own power. He knew why she had chosen him. She hadn't been waiting for someone with the sword of light, or someone to obey. She had been waiting for him in particular. Now the only question in his mind was about if she was only using him for this or if she would keep him around at this point. But he doubted it, since he had given her exactly what she had desired. His body shook lightly as he rolled, his body moving to all fours as he coughed up blood. His arms shook as the rune on his chest glowed softly. His entire body felt like it was on fire, yet even as his pain built he felt something even more powerful building.

Rising he turned, his right fist coming back before he drove it as hard as he could into the trunk of a near by tree. He growled and repeated the process with his left hand, then smashed his forehead against it as hard as he could. His body shook as rage flowed through him.

"ODESSA! GREMIO! MY FATHER! TED! NANAMI! KIBA! GLEN! SIALEEDS! MY MOTHER! EVEN LYON! YOU TOOK THEM ALL!" he shouted, striking the tree with every name. "YOU TOOK EVERYTHING I HAD! BUT I'M STILL HERE YOU SON OF A BITCH! I'M STILL HERE! YOU CAN'T TAKE ANYMORE OF THEM! I WONT LET YOU!"

He trembled as he fell to his knees his body leaning against the tree. His shoulders shook as he sobbed in rage and sorrow both. His strength was fading, vanishing as tears fell down his face. He coughed, his body shaking as more blood flew from his lips. His eyes widened as he felt the pain returning once more. The adrenaline was gone from his system just as swiftly as it had come. Whatever it was that had happened to him it was much stronger than anything else he had ever encountered. This pain burned through him, claiming him as his skin took on a more red hue. Trembling he fell back to all fours, his fingers digging as deep into the ground as he could get them.

His body shook as he screamed in pain and rage, his eyes rolling back in his head as he clawed at the ground. His mouth opened wide in a scream of agony. His body reared back, as his body began to grow pale. He set his jaw, his body doubling over as he fell to his side. He grunted and clawed at the ground as the the shadow of the Devil's Teardrop and his own enveloped him. His left hand clawed at the air, free of the shadows for a brief moment before it was surrounded. The shadows around his hands faded away, the flesh literally decaying in just a matter of seconds, falling in clumps as if it had been melted right off him. The blood red bones of his arm held still for a moment as the screams of pain died down. Then they flexed, his fingers curling to make a fist before the dark form shifted.

The shadows took on a more physical look, looking like cloth. He was covered from head to toe in black robes that seemed to have mist coming off of them. The mists were very similar to those that were formed when the Devil's Teardrop was summoned. The bony arm reached behind him, grabbing the hilt of the demonic sword which began to glow brightly as he drew it from the ground. Death permeated from him, animals retreating from him as quickly as they could, almost as if they felt they would die just being near him.

His head lowered before the hood and his shoulders came up, the area around him seeming almost poisonous. His right hand extended from the robes, just as red as his left. With the Devil's teardrop in hand he turned toward the women. The hood was deep, casting shadows across his face, hiding it. His eyes glowed, a deep ruby red before he reached up gripping the hood. He pulled it back, revealing the bloody skull under it. He stood there, his body shaking. On the center of his forehead was the mark of the Soul Eater, and there was no hiding it as it glowed a soft blue color. The sword came up glowing brightly.

He moved forward, toward the priestess and the gunner. His body moved with nearly no sign of any steps. It almost appeared that he was floating across the ground toward them. His skeleton grin was almost unnerving as he moved. But he stopped, his head tilting, the glow burning brighter on his forehead. The red glow inside the dark eye sockets shifted, almost as if recognizing them.

"NOT, this one..." he said, his voice very warped. "I wont.. Let you take this one..."

The blade in his hand shook lightly before it fell from his hand. The shadows vanished. His body fell to the ground, the bones pulsing as flesh in sinew reformed, organs, and the rest of him forming as the shadows returned to normal, granting the male his human form once more. He was covered from the waist up in his robes, the emblem of the Soul Eater etched into the right side of his chest. He panted lightly as he tried to fight back whatever had happened to him.

You wanted power. You must exchange something for power. Nothing can be gained unless you first give up something for it. To receive, first you must be bestow. You have been given power, and for it you have been forsaken in what so many desire. You should be grateful that I have seen fit to remove that weakness from you.

His blue-green eyes stared up above him gazing into the sky, before they began to rolled back. Darkness crept into his vision slowly his head turning ever so slightly. The last thing he saw before everything vanished was Yuna, though he muttered Natsuki's name.

(1,000/1,000-Taint: Soul Reaper)
(14/1,653)

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