Pinacle of The Art

[bamthedoc]

Darz eyes light up as the ferocity of the battle, itself, fills the area with the light and sound of a world gone mad. The actors are on the stage, and the fools watch. Aphra is pounding at the barrier she erected, now trapping her.

Aphra: By Mother Martha, bring light to this darkened wasteland! *no effect* He speaks a lie! This place is not complete darkness, for even Ryu cannot drive darkness away! Even when balanced, their powers do not cancel out!
Darz: <Bah, that girl knows too much. Ha! I would expect my sister to.>

Darz strikes with his sword again, and he hits the Three of Soul. The force of the blow is so great, that all three fall, and they are unable to move for several moments. Battered and bruised, they struggle to their feet. It is then that Aphra's scream finally permiates the barrier, and it shatters like millions of shards of glass. Darz looks at her, and smiles. The Three of Soul manage to rise to their feet.

Darz: THIS IS MY TEST! NOW YOU KNOW MY INTENTIONS! SISTER! YOU KNOW WHAT YOU MUST DO!
Aphra: I am sorry, brother. I must not allow you to win.
Darz: You three are exactly what I had expected. I am resigned to what fate has shown me. I can't die, afterall!
ToS: What do you speak of?
Darz: You shall see! Strike at me agian, if you dare! For there is only one who can beat me besides Ryu, himself!

[color=royal blue]Ryu: I'm going to end it now.
Giles: You haven't a chance.
Ryu: YOU! TORICAS!! DARZ, HIMSELF!!! I WON'T LET YOU GET AWAY WITH WHAT YOU HAVE DONE! I SHALL WIN HERE AND NOW AND I WILL RESCUE TSUKIN`ASU!

Ryu flies at Giles with such splendor and might, and even the three of fate -- past, present, and future -- are driven into a furious rage. Giles raises his sword to block Ryu's attack, but the DBoSf simply goes straight through the blade. Ryu's Shard of Light shines with such intensity and light that Giles loses himself in a wall of pain.

Giles: Such is fate, huh? You haven't won.
Ryu: I shall win soon enough. Lucky for you, dragon's scales are tougher than that sword.

Ryu jumps back, but Giles has taken a great assault. The blunt force trama, by itself, drives his vission to see his own death. He looks through bloodied eyes and gasps through bloodied breaths as he looks at Ryu. He smiles as he realizes that the fight he desired has unfolded in a very...different way than he expected.

Ryu: I didn't think you had a smile in that black soul of yours.[/color]

 

[Tacitus]

ToS: Who ever said we wanted you dead?

*Great golden chains spring from the ground, each link marked with the symbol of the Family Nusradai. The chains dart up and wrap around Darz, binding him, body and soul. When they finally stop moving, Darz's legs are bound together and his arms are bound together.*

ToS: As long as the name Nusradai lives on, those chains will hamper you every move. There is no escape from our Glory, even if you change size or shape, they will bind thee. They will bind thee on this plane and all others. The only way they can be broken is in the darkned forge of Argus, the eldest Nusradai, or by our will. Enjoy your punishment for assaulting thos of the name Nusradai.

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

*As May approches the darkness, it receeds, revealing a broken and battered William. Her eye glow as the light that now surrounds him forms bonds around his wrists, chest, and legs.*

May: There is no escape. Your evil deeds have led you here, and now the Light shall exact its revenge. What have you to say?

William: You think my death will make any difference dearest? My death will only cuase more sorrow and death.

*May swings the blade before her, up from her lower right and downfrom her upper left, back up to her upper right, when seen from straight on, it would appear that she had drawn the symbol for eternity before her. She continues her swing up owver head and brings the AIE straight down into William's neck with suck force that his upper body is indented down into the ground. The scales upon his neck splinter and break and pain courses through his body. Within moments his body flails and slows to a stop as a deep black blood flows from his neck, eyes, nose and mouth.*

May: The Lights will be done.

*As May pulls her blade from Williams neck the surroundings begin to fade and the blood upon the AIE begins to dissovle it like acid.*

 

[bamthedoc]

Darz: I'll allow myself to resign to defeat, but only if Aphra shows me what I want to see.
ToS: What does he speak of?
Aphra: It is a skill I haven't used for a long time. In fact, few have ever seen it.
Darz: I will escape these bonds now if she doesn't!
Aphra: Then, I must. I call upon Dragon Skill!

Aphra stares at Darz as her eyes fade into a bright glow of light. A wind picks up, and it blows forward (from behind her to front). Then, several portals seem to rip into this plane. From them sprout forth a dragon for each element. Darz smirks as each dragon takes their turn striking at him. Bruised, battered, and willing to admit defeat, he faints from his injuries. One last word lingers forth from his lips.

Darz: I'll return...
Aphra: His words speak true. He did this for...many confusing reasons. He wanted so see my full potential.

The realm they are held in begins to shatter and break. Realizing that something bad is about to happen, the ToS pick up Aphra and make a break for it. As they approach the throne room again, a huge explosion ensues from where they battled with Darz. It is safe to assume something bad has occured.

[color=royal blue]Giles lunges at Ryu for, what he is begining to believe, will be the last time. Ryu lifts the DBoSf and swings it hard toward Giles. Giles is thrown back by the extreme heat and preasure of the attack, and falls broken and bleeding at the bottom of a valley. Ryu flies down and looks upon his broken body.

Ryu: You rely on your brother William, and it backfires. I rely on myself. Even if Bahamut and Avian are with me, it is only to ensure they know what goes on.
Giles: *bloodied cough* Ha! You'll never free your lovely elven woman!
Ryu: We'll see. Oh, wait. You won't, actually. I'll celebrate, however, when I see Tsukin`asu safe and Toricas broken and bleeding worse than you. *turning his back to Giles* Goodbye.
Giles: You...still...have much...to contend...wi-ith...

Giles dies there as Ryu looks over his shoulder. Ryu takes a deep breath as he calls his Golden Armor back. He looks at it to see it is fully repaired. He then throws his right hand forward and opens a portal. He walks through it and reappears next to Aphra and the Three of Soul, instantly knowing what Castus has done.

Ryu: He will be missed.[/color]

 

[Tacitus]

*With Giles dead, the Battlefield of Light and Dark fades away and May appears next to the ToS. She is breathing heavily and she carries the AIE as if it had weighed a ton.*

"Lets hurry, we must press on."

*She turns to the doors and with a gust of wind she kicks them open and off their hinges. Within The Rurikan King rises, but stops short. Everything above the Throne room of the Castle vaporizes as two robed men walks down from above, their faces hidden.*

1: You Have Done foul Deeds Against Death and Magic Alike!
2: Because Others Follow You, You Shall Pay Eternally.
RK: What Sorcery is this? You can't make me do anything!
1&2: We shall see.

*In a dazlzing display of light the room is filled with Apocalypse Walkers. With a wave of the taller one's skeletal hand, they all whither and return to death. The two remove their hood and reveal their faces. May looks up and moves back in fear.*

"BOCCOB! NERYUL! They are of the Gods!"

*Light fills the room as May rushes in, her plan is to cast Miracle on the Hourglass holding T'su ((gar)).*

 

[bamthedoc]

[color=royal blue]Ryu and Aphra's shards glow brightly as they walk into the room. Ryu spreads his wings and hovers just a few feet in the air. Aphra looks as May attempts to free Tsukin`asu.

Aphra: Brother, we should make a distraction for May.
Ryu: We are in deep trouble.
Aphra: I know.
Ryu: Bahamut! Avian! Tiamat! Hear my call and grant me the full power bequethed upon me!
Bahamut: I grant you light.
Avian: I grant you shadow.
Tiamat: I grant you dark.
Bahamut Avian Tiamat: You and Darz are our decendents. Aphra is your strength. Bring forth the true Dragonic Blade of Sunfire! Bring forth the light of SoulLore!

Ryu is engulfed in light as he looks around the room. He is prepared to protect anyone and to rescue Tsukin`asu as soon as she is free as he knows May will suceed.

Ryu: <I hope you know what you're doing, May!> Dragonic Blade of Sunfire! Take your true form!

As if Darz, himself, had entered the room, darkness creeps up Ryu's body and onto the DBoSf. It becomes the purest form of energies, combining all the elements of light (holy), shadow (elemental), and dark (banal). Ryu prepares himself.[/color]

 

[Tacitus]

Guys, just stay back, I've got it under control, they're not here for us.

*A bright light fills the room as the God exact their vengeance on the Rurikan King. The light is only bearable by May. The Light only increases as May Casts Miracle, draining her of her remaining Magical Energy.*

IT IS DONE

*After casting the spell, the light fades and the god rise into the air, preparing to demolish the Castle completely. May walks past Ryu slowly. She pauses for a moment.*

May: I couldn't save everyone...

Ry: What?

May: It has lost its meaning. Go, be with her, then leave this place, the Gods will soon bring down the rest of their wrath upon this god-forsaken place. I guess every mortal is bound to make mistakes, I'll just have to be more careful next time.

Ryu: What are you talking aobut?

May: It has also lost all its meaning. It is behind me now, My weary eyes have seen all that life can give. *She continues walking away* Once you stop to think about it, there are plenty of ways to save everyone. Why didn’t I see that? *to self* I’d like to live somewhere where life is easier. Somewhere with nothing but peaceful days. Somewhere with no stealing, no killing. Eden. In Eden, I’ll…I’ll live with him and ... ...

*By now she has left the throne room. Yemeth sees she has left, and runs after her, but she is nowhere to be found. A smashed hammer lays on the ground. A few yards away is a damaged Scythe and a weapon which is completely and utterly destroyed, it is nothing more than a lump of metal and wood. Blood covers all the weapons, but a small trail leads from the throne room to a small white disk that lies on the ground. The disk has a spiral carved upon it with two arrows piercing the center, had there been a third, it would have made a traingle with the feathered ends.*

Yemeth: This symbol....

*Near the center of the Valley is a small village known as Trand. For some reason May finds herself walking to the exact center of town, which is ironically at the very center of the valley, where she kneels down.*

May: I stood where no man goes, and conquered the darkest of foes. With glory and passion no longer in fashion, The Savior breaks her blade.

*She holds her sword before her, the tip firmly placed in the ground. Her Gem falls from her neck onto the hilt of the sword and turns a deep black, whereby it shatters. A cold wind blows through the valley as a lone farmboy exits his hut and stares at the odd woman. He walks over and asks her if she is ok, but she makes no reply. With a gust of wind, the blade cracks down the center, hilt and all.*

 

[bamthedoc]

[color=royal blue]Ryu feels something break, and he knows what has transpired as he looks around the room. He flies over the the weary Tsukin`asu and picks her up. He opens a portal in front of him, and he yells for everyone to enter. He has aimed for the center of the Kivicks. He doesn't know why, but he feels he must go there. Ryu then looks to Yemmeth.

Ryu: Come on! You haven't much time, and she would want us to survive!

Ryu stops for a moment as Yemmeth makes his way into the portal and looks at the door Yemmeth stood at not too long ago. He feels something powerful from over there, but he knows he hasn't much time. He sighs as pure realization washes over him. He then steps through the portal, holding Tsukin`asu. When he places her down, a tearful Aphra flies into Ryu's arms. Ryu holds his sister, consoling her.

Ryu: I know, sister. I know.
Tsukin`asu: *rubbing her head* I have a feeling...I'll need a lot of things explained to me...
Ryu: Yes. We'll have a good, long talk soon enough...[/color]

 

[Tacitus]

*As the group arrives in Kivicks, great golems with a glint of intelligence in their eyes and glowing hands surround the group. A single man steps forward.*

"Leave this Valley and Never return. Failure to do so will result in your death."


((speeding stuff up.))
*A battle ensues, eventually you guys beat the crap out of them all, and destroy the Kivicks Government.*

 

[bamthedoc]

[color=royal blue]Having killed the last of the rebels, Ryu decides it may be time to report to the Crusaders of the Open Palm. Ryu looks around at the destruction, and the last bit of resistance at his feet -- a dead power mage. Ryu sighs as he becomes engulfed in light. When he emerges, he is in his human form. He can barely stand as he becomes dizzy and nearly faints. Tsukin`asu catches him and calls Aphra over. Aphra procedes to heal her brother. The others gather around, knowing Ryu is, essentially, in charge now.

Ryu: *standing up* It's time we returned. *opens portal* I'll make the report. You should all be prepared to be debriefed. They are...strict in their military standards. I'll take the full brunt for all lives lost...[/color]

 

[Tacitus]

With the war won and the Nuetral townships put down after their resistance and attempt to command and conquer all. The Kivicks government has been disbanded and all corrupted members have been tried, exectuted, and crucified throughout the region.

Over the next few years, Trand turns from a small farming village to a large trading hub for traders from all throughout the region. Kivicks becomes a desolate wasteland. The Kortuganorians are crushed by their defeat, and after the assault by the Kivickan army, and their foes from over the mountains raiding their supply lines, the Empire simply could not hold together, the Capital becomes little more than a meager outpost.

Tartio has benefitted from the War, having stood up against the Kivickan revolters, they came into favor of many. Over time it has become a sprawling metropolis with a large, bustling population with a formidable army.

Engineers are puzzled to this day about the ruins of Boscha. Every attempt to rebuild is dashed to pieces by small, non magical, non natural localized earthquakes. No buildings last there for very long.

The Fate of the Savior is only known by a few throughout history. Aevus, a temporal mage dedicated to preserving balance and studying history (Trias and Ryu in particular), and thus observing this maiden. The second is Argus Nusradai, father of Trias Nusradai, who had always kept a close watch upon his daughter-in-law. The third was a small boy known as Milliw. And lastly there is Toricas and his Master, seeing the death of who will likely be, or would have been, their greatest opponent.

The rest of the Brigade is disbanded and sent on their way. Soon afterwards the Crusaders of the Open Palm fall into dispair and slowly erase themselves from history. Jans to his home within the heavens where, he returns to guarding the gate.

The War may have ended, but the cost was great. Also, A fugitive of the war, Toricas, is still out there somewhere. Its only a matter of time before he surfaces again.... or worse yet, his Master...