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Post by Delta on Feb 25, 2014 10:33:59 GMT -5
It was simple probability. The more men there were in a city, the more likely you were to rub into a keyblade wielder. And the biggest of big cities was hollow bastion. This is what the man was doing here.
The people of this world had gone through a lot of trials. They'd learned to stay away from mysterious people in cloaks. So when a man in a ragged brown cloak, face hidden and back strong and wide, came walking through the streets, he was given a wide berth. They weren't even necessarily scared- it was just better to avoid suspicious outsiders. No one wanted to cause trouble.
The man stopped, quite suddenly, in the middle of a plaza. This plaza had once been beautiful. It had been filled with flowers, with water rushing along the border. No more. It had been ruined, and by a keyblade at that.
Men wielding keyblades, creating and attracting heartless, fighting amongst themselves. The invention of the keyblade, of darkness... It had ruined this world.
The man looked about him, sizing up the people and looking for ideal people. "I AM SEARCHING FOR WIELDERS OF THE KEYBLADE!" he thundered. His voice rang, deep and resonating through the area. Movement stopped in the plaza, heads turning his way and conversations dying where they stood.
"Let any who dare stand before me, and my challenge to their strength." Not as loud now, but just as strong, almost taunting. The man drew his blade, a long, rugged thing that looked like it had been in use far too long, with the edge dented and nicked, then sharpened again, even the nicks filed and polished until they were so sharp you couldn't see the edge. He rested this blade on the pavement, point down, and it cut a couple inches into the stone under its own weight. And so he waited.
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Post by Prythian on Feb 26, 2014 0:08:01 GMT -5
From a nearby rooftop, a silver-robed figure studied the man. Ever since he'd gained the ability to fly, Prythian had taken to lurking on rooftops rather than explain certain oddities about himself. Besides, it was a good way to people-watch.
Alright. Time to let go of his emotions and analyze. He closed his eyes as he shifted himself mentally. The crystal set on his forehead slowed its chaotic swirling, the myriad colors changing to a cool shade of blue. A man with a nigh-broken blade, challenging Keyblade wielders. His mouth quirked up at the thought of the challenge, briefly remembering the suit of armor who challenged people with similar words. Ragged clothes, as well.
So. This man was not only seeking a fight, it seemed likely he had a vendetta against Keyblade wielders... and if he wasn't relocated from the city, then odds are it wouldn't go well.
Moving out of his analytical frame of mind, Prythian sighed. His course of action was clear, but he wouldn't enjoy it.
He leaped from the building, slowly down as he neared the streets to land in front of the man. His raven-black hair rippled in the winds that surrounded him, lowering him gently to the ground. As his wooden sandals touched the ground with a clack, he opened his eyes, piercing green, to stare at at him, blue and red pulsing in the crystal.
"I am a Keybearer." Prythian said. "But if you want to fight, we do it outside of the city. The people here should not be dragged into this."
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Post by Delta on Feb 27, 2014 15:36:40 GMT -5
((Posting order: Trust your judgement. If you can post without messing up the flow of battle, feel free to do so.))
"How thoughtful." While still deep, his voice was calmer than before. "Fighting in such a populated area was never a good idea. But I would likely not have found you had I issued the challenge on the outskirts, eh?" He threw back his hood, revealing a face that looked as old as it was strong. His hair was white and grey, unkempt but not unclean. His face was set, and his eyes burned with a strange determination. Raising his blade from the ground, he turned toward the outer gardens and disappeared in a flash. In his wake, he'd left a long trail of white light that trailed from where he had been standing, to the archway leading to the outer gardens, and eventually stopped where he was standing, in front of the center fountain.
((Remember to save))
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Post by Prythian on Feb 27, 2014 22:31:04 GMT -5
((Pfft, forget that, CHARGE!))
Prythian lifted up into the air, following the light as he (quite literally) rode on the wind to his destination. He landed a decent distance away from his opponent, sighing as he did so. "I suppose we should get this over with so we can move on with our lives." Prythian said, holding out his hands in an all-too-familiar fashion. His Keyblade, Translucent Soul, appeared in his hands. The handle looked like a carved rock pillar, while the guard circling it and his hand was made of what appeared to be stylized waves. The blade itself was carved in an ascending spiral, like a tornado, while the teeth looked like a burst of flames. The flames glowed the same swirling colors as the crystal on Prythian's forehead... at the moment, blue just about the only one, with a hint of purple.
The entire Keyblade shown in the daylight, glittering, as it made entirely of transparent crystal.
"I am curious..." Prythian raised an eyebrow as he got into a crouch, ready for whatever would happen next. "Why do you seek out those who bear Keyblades?"
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Post by Delta on Mar 3, 2014 15:24:23 GMT -5
((Was sorta kinda hoping the others would join in first but meh.))
"Of course. I have a busy schedule." The man raised his jagged blade calmly, the old, damaged steel contrasting sharply with the beautiful crystalline blade. Yet the second was a deception. That beauty only brought destruction. It was the nature of the blade.
"I fight those that wield keyblades because their weapons should not exist. The hearts of the wielders are so easily corrupted, and the destruction they bring is endless. But as you said... We should get this over with." He lunged at a speed that stood at contrast with his apparent age, blade arcing toward Prythian's head with light trailing behind it. He wouldn't show his hand quite yet; for now he just slashed quickly from several angles, deflecting blows returned if necessary and chasing his opponent down should he dodge or move back for space.
His intent was to force his opponent into a defensive, blocking mode of swordplay. That would make his goal much easier.
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Post by Prythian on Mar 3, 2014 15:51:03 GMT -5
((I'm not sure why Ark hasn't shown up yet...))
Prythian simply slid backwards instantly, moving out of the way of the sword strikes. He hadn't had his Keyblade for too long by this point, but one of the powers he'd gained with it he used all of the time... the flight. Manipulating the winds for speed and mobility was now second-nature to him, and while his thin and lean body could deal with a defensive fight, that wasn't the sort he preferred.
No, he always took a dodging, hit-and-run strategy when possible. Flipping through the air, he swung his Keyblade, water appearing from it to fly forwards in a large blast. He landed on the ground again as the blast homed in on his opponent. In fact, that was the real power of that attack; even when one had dodged it, its great homing capabilities would send it flying at them again and again until the magic that sustained it faded. Unfortunately, he could only maintain it for so long.
Anticipating another charge from the man, Prythian flung a small piece of crystal on the ground in front of him. When it impacted, it would rapidly grow upwards as a large spike.
There was no time to refute the man's declaration that Keyblades brought endless destruction or that they shouldn't exist. Because the truth was, Prythian knew well that all weapons bring about destruction... and that his, in particular, shouldn't exist because he shouldn't exist. That thought, ugly as it was, rapidly got shoved to the back of his mind.
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Post by Delta on Mar 3, 2014 18:00:59 GMT -5
Not slowing in the slightest, the man dove straight forward, still charging after Prythian, actually diving through the blast of water, blade first. The spray was diverted to either side of the blade, with the man close behind. As he started to close in, a pillar of crystal sprung from the earth. Where exactly from, he couldn't tell- the water spray obscured the ground beneath him.
Regardless, he dealt with it the same way. Flipping forward, he cleaved the spike in two vertically and landed near what used to be its base. Legs coiling like a spring, he pushed off again, up into the air and after Prythian. Perhaps he couldn't fly, but he could jump rather high, and he was agile enough to stay there, pushing off the walls of buildings and balancing on lamp posts.
As he leapt, the man swung his blade and it glowed, three light projectiles shooting off of the blade. One arced left, one right, and one shot directly at Prythian, and the outer two then turned back toward the center in a pincer attack of sorts. There would be no escaping him or any of this silly dodging.
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Post by Prythian on Mar 3, 2014 19:19:36 GMT -5
He was fast.
He would only just be able to compete relying on his speed, and Prythian had no confidence that his strength would be able to defeat this person on an even match. Time to change tactics. Prythian instantly focused as the projectiles flew at him, and before they hit, blue crystalline armor coalesced around him, protecting him from the blasts.
Now looking all the world like a graceful knight in thick plate armor, Prythian crashed to the ground, unable to continue his flight while dealing with the weight of his new plate armor. Large cracks in the chestplate and arm pieces showed where the projectiles had struck him. Swiftly, judging the man to be in range, he raised up his Keyblade, and beneath him flames rose into an enormous pillar of flame, reaching 25 feet away from him in all directions. Meanwhile, inside the flames, Prythian began focusing. The crystal on his forehead began to glow with intensity as he honed his soul into a single thought.
There were a few more tricks he had up his sleeve for this fight... and at least one friend he could call on.
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Post by Delta on Mar 6, 2014 19:56:15 GMT -5
Water, you could repel. Stone, you could cut. Fire... not so much. For once, the man was forced to retreat, riding the wave of fire to its outer rim. He was more than a little singed in the process, but for one as familiar with battle as he, it wasn't going to kill him. Instead, he stood at the outer rim of the flaming pillar and waited, the end of his blade extending into the circle. The flames licked around the blade, parting and swirling together again, but the man seemed unconcerned with the heat. Rather, he watched carefully, every sense of his working at full. Ready to counter any attack thrown his way.
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Post by Raphael on Mar 8, 2014 3:08:36 GMT -5
Arin had been watching the man who had challenged key bearers since he made his challenge, not quite interested in fighting him just because he wanted to test their strength. But when he saw another mysterious figure accept his challenge, under the condition that it be held outside of the city, he was intrigued *Conscientious of the people around him, gotta admire that in a fighter. Might as well go watch and see if he can teach me a thing or two about my own keyblade, after the fight at least.*
He had followed silently behind the two, keeping his distance and making sure to stay out of sight throughout the entire length of the battle so far. He was honestly impressed by the key bearer's prowess in magic, but noticed a lack in physical combat skill *I guess he's the hit from a distance type.* He was also surprised by the old man's speed and agility, which he used to easily counter the key bearer's magic attacks *Holy crap, for an old guy, he's pretty light on his feet!*
Then, the crystal key bearer summoned forth a giant pillar of flames so bright, Arin had to shield his eyes just to keep watching *Woah! Talk about immense, my fire spell is a tiny ember compared to that!* He noticed the old man watching and waiting, not really surprised he chose to wait the spell out. *Well, when it comes to strength vs magic, they seem pretty evenly matched. I wonder what the old man will do when the fire settles*
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Post by Prythian on Mar 8, 2014 3:18:39 GMT -5
As the flames faded, Prythian held his Keyblade up high again. "Prism!" He cried out, as a large amount of crystal materialized behind him... and got up. It stood up, a sharp, angular figure, eyes ablaze with light.
He had called forth a large golem made out of crystal. It stood 40 feet tall.
With a bell-like tone, it knelt down, chest opening up, as Prythian jumped backwards into it... the opening rapidly sealing shut. It left him within a spherical room in the center of the golem as it stood up. Prythian held his Keyblade in front of him and focused. Soon, a light began to form around it... a thin red outline of flame-like energy. Prythian knew his only chance now was a single powerful strike. He needed what he called his Final Strike.
"The more time you can buy me, the more powerful my attack will be." He said softly to his golem. "Thank you for your aid, my friend." From the outside, Prism held one sharp-edged hand to its chest, as the spherical center filled with red light... and then turned its attention to the old man, bellowing a bell-like tone as a challenge.
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Post by Archer Zero on Mar 11, 2014 21:48:59 GMT -5
Meanwhile, hidden, Kenji watched. He had heard the summons, but wasn't aware if one would challenge him. He came to check, and sure enough, one did. A lone keyblade wielder. He looked to be a young man, and there was a curious crystal embedded in his forehead. As for the challenger... he was old , but that only emphasized his strength. He was a veteran of many, many battles... and of many, many griefs. He silently watched as they summoned their weapons, and he noted that their weapons could not be any more unalike. One was crystal, beautiful to look at and graceful. The older man's sword was rusted and jagged, reflecting its owner quite well. For any reasonable person, taking such a weapon into a battle was foolhardy at best.
But Kenji knew to look beyond appearances. This man didn't seem the type to make idle boasts, and his words, about how keyblades were used for destruction, how their wielders could so easily be tempted to corruption, only confirmed that. He could sense... something from that blade. It was forboding. It looked weak, worn, and all in all not fit for battle, but in appearance only. No. There was something about that sword...
When Kenji had his suspicions, he silently had both his Paladins and Black Knights who were with him spread out and form a perimeter, so that they couldn't leave without being watched or possibly intercepted if they deemed fit. Like what Kenji did, they suppressed all trace of their presence until they were hidden, silent, watchful. That rusted excuse for a sword (or so it seemed), Kenji deemed a necessary case of study... and for the wielder as well. For now, he just wanted to see its capabilities.
As the match went on, Kenji, trained as he was, had to use his demon eyes to keep up. They were fast, no doubt about that, but the older man seemed a bit faster. The younger one with the keyblade seemed to be a mage of great prowess, casting spell after spell of frightening power. They seemed to be evenly matched, with the older man attempting to close the distance. He seemed extremely eager for blade-to-blade combat... but why...?
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Post by Delta on Mar 11, 2014 22:46:40 GMT -5
(Forgive me if controlling your summon a bit is g-modish. I'm toeing the line, especially playing with a nonposted character and such, but I hope you all can play along to a reasonable extent for the sake of the plot. ^^)
The man wasted no time the minute the pillar of fire was down. Forward he came, undeterred by the crystalline beast that was formed by the young keyblade wielder. Placing a second hand on the handle as he neared the two, he leapt upwards again, straight toward the golem. It raised an arm to stop him, and his blade flashed faster than most could see.
If you could see, though, you would see a slice designed not to parry, or block, or even smash through the crystal arm. No, the blade met the solid, compressed rock and slid along its surface, like a bread knife cutting through, well, bread. The dented edge actually aided it in this, working a bit like serrated tongs on the sword. In the blink of an eye, the arm not protecting the chest area was severed entirely from the upper arm. Using what resistance he had found in his upward slash to flip forwards, he raised the blade, holding it firmly with both hands above his head, and slashed downward at the core, and hand protecting it. The blade glowed slightly as it flew, wisps of light trailing off it as if it was feeling the rush of battle as well.
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Post by Prythian on Mar 11, 2014 23:19:40 GMT -5
((With permission from Xand, skipping the charge time. Also, skipping Raphael. Sorry, but I'm overexcited and you're not actually fighting. ^^))
Prism stumbled backwards as its arm fell off... and it was only this that managed to keep the blade from slicing through Prythian as well as it opened up a large gash in the chest. Prythian winced and continued focusing, letting orange light layer above the red... and then he noticed something odd.
Despite him being inside of it, Prism wasn't regenerating from the damage. What IS that blade? Prythian shook his head, focusing again. "Prism... new plan. I need the energy from your manifestation... now. I'll see you on the flip side." With that, colored light began to stream through the golem, pouring into the blade... and forming new layers on top of the other flame outlines. Yellow... green... blue... indigo... As the golem shuddered, Prythian braced himself, the crystal beginning to actually dissolve and fall apart into tiny shards. Just a bit more... the last bit of light wrapped around the Keyblade, forming into violet. At once, the layers mixed up into a brightly-shining coating of rainbow flame.
While he normally cloaked his blade in rainbow flame anyway, this particular one was different. As he waved it, the colors moved behind it like afterimages, forming a curtain-like aurora.
As the core opened up around him, the crystal armor broke apart. Prythian flew forward, blade held at the ready.
With one mighty swing, he planned on defeating this enemy. His Final Strike, rarely used, requiring massive amounts of energy to be focused into the blade... light converted into pure power... it was like being hit by seven strikes all at once, each more powerful than the last. He'd tested it before, and when fully powered, it could cut through and shatter the toughest materials.
He hoped it was enough.
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Post by Raphael on Mar 12, 2014 2:53:37 GMT -5
Arin was awe-struck by the massive golem that the keyblade wielder summoned forth, but the old man seemed to have some sort of mystically powered weapon, because it cleaved through the crystalline golem like it was a blade of grass. Seeing the golem vanish, and the key bearer aiming to strike the old man with everything he had, his keyblade shining seven different colors, Arin believed that the match might just be over after this, but with the mysterious ability of that battered down sword the old man had, there was no telling what the outcome of the match could be.
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Post by Delta on Mar 12, 2014 19:16:16 GMT -5
Missing my just a hair, the man used his momentum to carry forward, push off the dissolving golem, and land a short distance away. As prythian charged with energy, the man exploded with a brilliant, pure white energy of his own. This power rapidly vanished, all of it draining into the blade. Then he shot forward, blade held at his side, and swung upwards to meet Prythian's multicolored swing. The edge of the blade glowed white hot, and there was a shockwave as the blades collided, blasting out and rustling the grass and bushes in every direction around the plaza.
For a moment, it was silent. Then a crack appeared in the crystal blade, spreading rapidly like a spiderweb until the whole blade, handle and all, was covered in miniscule cracks. Then, with a final push, the keyblade shattered. The crystal caught the light and sparkled in all the colors of the rainbow as the pieces dissolved into the air.
"It shouldn't exist. And now it doesn't. Only one step closer to fixing my mistake."
The man sheathed his blade, no longer glowing, and turned to walk away. "You'll thank me with time."
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Post by Raphael on Mar 12, 2014 20:18:52 GMT -5
Arin saw the blades collide and was actually holding his breath while watching the two make their final strikes. When the blades collided, he had to shield his eyes from the shockwave, the pulse in the air blasting across his face for the briefest moment. Then, it all just seemed to fall to pieces…Literally. Arin watched in shock as the keyblade just splintered more and more until shattering into pieces and vanishing, quite possibly forever.
Furious that the old man would pull a stunt so underhanded, Arin stepped out from behind his hiding place and rushed forward without thinking, standing between the former keyblade warrior and the old man "HEY!" He called out with a harsh tone, trying to get the attention of the old man as he was walking away "Is this how you get your kicks, old timer, by destroying what doesn't belong to you?"
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Post by Delta on Mar 12, 2014 21:10:31 GMT -5
"My 'kicks'? No, I don't enjoy destroying anything, let alone what belongs to someone else. But it is the price I pay. My repentance. My part, however small, to keep the worlds safe from the wielders of those blasted weapons."
He'd said all this over his shoulder, still walking away. He did turn at the end, though. "So unless you have a keyblade, too, you should pretend you didn't see anything and go back to your daily life. I have no quarrel with you."
Then he turned and started to walk away again, the air sparking in front of him as it tore apart, revealing the lanes between.
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Post by Prythian on Mar 12, 2014 21:28:25 GMT -5
"W... wait." Prythian said, stumbling to the ground. He briefly looked up, a stunned look on his face... and grim desperation. "I won't be available to thank you later." The words came slowly, as if echoing up from a long well. "I may not survive this day, now." The crystal in his forehead cracked, light bursting out from it... and then the cracks began to spread outwards across his skin. Like blood, the rainbow light began to ooze from the cracks, gleaming in the light. "That weapon you said shouldn't exist... if it doesn't... I may not. My situation..."
He shook his head, before collapsing prone on the ground. With the last of his strength, he finished what he was going to say. "...that blade was my soul and heart..." The cracks began continuing to spread down his neck, vanishing underneath his robes as his body continued to fragment.
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Post by Raphael on Mar 12, 2014 22:59:50 GMT -5
Arin noticed the keyblade warrior behind him beginning to splinter, just like his key bade had, and that made him even more ticked off at the old man. He glared at the old man, a burning fire in his eyes "You talk about the corruption that the keyblade brings? Try telling that to someone who escaped that darkness, and pushes with everything he has to prevent it from happening again…" He pointed at the old man accusingly "Your actions may have just killed a living being, one that from what I see doesn't deserve the fate you forced on him. In my point of view that makes you the bad guy, no matter how you justify your actions, and I'm going to make sure you pay for what you've done!"
Not even thinking about the consequences his actions may bring, Arin reached forward with his right hand, and summoned his keyblade. Twin blades parallel to one another in reverse, and a shining silver with black embroidering "This is what you're after, right? Well I don't plan on making it easy for you…Murderer…"
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