Too much had happened in the last few days; for one thing, Vius had died. Thanks to dark magic performed by Akmun, the undead king, the elf walked the world once again. In that limbo that Vius had spent the days between his death and resurrection, time had moved differently. "Gods" or guardian spirits or perhaps simply figments of Vius' own overwhelmed mind had appeared and led the elf through visions of his own life and the truth of his existence. They showed him his family and explained the significance of his lineage, each new revelation tearing at the elf's fragile ego. Was the truth worth it? That was a question the elf could never answer now, as it had been forced on him. Did he deserve to live more than anyone else? That was another question with an answer forced onto the poor elf; Akmun had decided for him.

On returning to life, Vius was surprised to notice the things that had changed. Most of his scars were gone except for the cut over his eye from the duelist Boreas and those supposedly fatal piercings from Drakol's magical javelins. A streak of white zigzagged it's way through his dark hair and his skin was even paler than before. It wasn't limited to physical traits, though. For one thing, Vius felt more in control of his lightning quick thought processes. Before, his elven mind always seemed about ready to overwhelm him with the hundreds of thoughts that zipped by in a matter of seconds. He was slightly disturbed to notice a compulsion to protect and serve Akmun. It was an impression that Vius could not help but feel that the king may have inserted somewhere in the spell that returned the elf to life. Almost as a way to test the limits, Vius had set off with the first rays of dawn from the cloistered base he shared with his clanmates towards...well, he was not sure where he was headed.

It was nearly noon, with the sun overhead and shining through a light layer of clouds. A steady, light breeze carried the scent of mountain grass and coniferous forests. Up ahead, a small clearing was made near what seemed to be a gentle river. In the clearing was a pile of hay and on the hay rested a gray haired human. As Vius came nearer, he noted that the man appeared to have been beaten mercilessly. He slept the silent, shiftless sleep of one who was truly bone weary and Vius would not be surprised if the man had simply collapsed here out of sheer exhaustion. Checking over his shoulder and then skimming the horizon with his silver eyes, Vius could not detect any pursuers. What had happened to the man, Vius could only guess at. Nevertheless, this man gave Vius' trip some purpose. The elf unslung a small pouch of various useful things for a traveler and searched through, removing bandages and other helpful first aid equipment. He stepped into the shade the surrounding trees provided, smiling at how pleasant of a place this was for a moment's respite. Slowly, Vius crawled closer and closer to the man until he was near enough to shake the man's shoulder.

"Hey, I'm here to help," Vius said softly, questioning his sanity and motives for helping an apparently near-death stranger. He could only hope that the man wasn't some sort of stark-raving lunatic but there were plenty of those in this world. Hell, maybe Vius would become one too, before much longer.

(Okay, I'm a little rusty but I hope this works for you)

(Sorry, it told me DI was unsafe so I stayed clear for awhile. Seems to be fine though. Thanks for the patience. I AM almost in the three day limit I believe lol.)

The irony was indeed staggering. The sun hung high in the sky as the black robed figure stood over him, The man rifled through his bag, removing devices Cerit had no familiarity with. Cerit's vision was faint and his body was heavy, stabbed and beaten from the long night before. The man tried to say something but it was hard to make out. Was this his end? A figure so many mistook himself for finally greeting him at the doorstep to the afterlife. The hooded man reached out for Cerit's shoulder and shook it, trying to say something. Cerit reached out for the man in return, grasping at the neck of his robe and tugging lightly. “You... can't have me yet...” He muttered defiantly. “Dirty.... Reaper...” before his hand feebly let go as he started up a coughing fit that rattled his lungs.

Cerit cursed that elf and the guards that dumped him in that river. Cerit was expecting to live but was wrong. Had Zu failed him? He thought was saved... but apparently demons couldn't save him from bleeding out. He was mostly disappointed that he didn't crush the reapers skull against his own, didn't do anything, wasn't able to do anything. No more blood to bleed. Cerit always assumed he'd live a long life and would die a martyr... not the victim of a pitiful guards half murder. It was enough to make him question if what he did was truly worth anything... but hope quickly came back.

But as he finished his sentence he could begin to make out some other details. Pale skin and black bangs. “W...wait.. Your not ....” He let in a deep breath through his nose and out his mouth to find his center in the spinning world, trying to straighten out his words. A white streak cut through the hair of the man, contrasting his black hair peeking out of the hood. Cerit reached out again at the man but he simply felt to weak to hurt him. Zu would be ashamed. Cerit would have to wait and see what happened. He let his hand fall to the ground and closed his eyes to fall deaf to the world around him. Haunted by dreams of guards and rampaging villagers. The corpse showed no sign of distraught sleep. His own imagination, not tied by the influence of Zu, quilting and torturing him in the form of nightmares. Showing him images of his inevitable fall... the vengeance of every soul he stole away and his own being dragged to the pits of hell. A typical sleep for him.

A particular scene hung in his mind even as he woke. Hanging in the air, the middle of a large square room constructed of stone with purple torches in each corner. The brick seemed to have an inch of darkness between them and floated as leisurely as Cerit did. He tried to walk, run or paddle the air but he simply stayed in place for a few minutes in silence, only the crackling flames keeping him company. The stones in front of him on the ground suddenly make way and float up into the room in zero gravity as a shadowy figure pushed them away and spread up to the ceiling, staring down at the suspended Cerit with a vague visage. It approaches him and arms extend from the shadowy mass, around him, consuming him. Despite how he thrashed in the air there was nothing he could do, just yell, knowing no one would come to his aid.

"Dirty reaper?" Vius smiled as he made a note of that one. The elf had been called plenty of names but that was a new one. Vius calmly raised his hand to fend off the weak grasp of the feverish man. Before the elf had a chance to make contact with the man, his hand fell away and it seemed as if the short burst of energy that had riled him now faded away as the man fell once again into a deep sleep. Vius did what he could, bandaging cuts and stemming the blood loss where he could. The ground under the man was black with what Vius had assumed was dark mud but he now realized was the man's very essence poured out. What a surprise to find a human who had taken such a beating and still clung to life. He must have something very important to live for.

After he had done what he could and made the man more comfortable, Vius moved to sit against a tree opposite the one currently providing a shady resting place for the badly beaten man. Vius stared out at the rushing river only a few yards away and took in the sounds of nature as it ran it's course. A sound cut the air, sharp and low and desperate. Vius' silver eyes quickly turned towards the sound. The sleeping man must have been having a nightmare but all Vius could hear was the repeated unintelligible whispers. Suddenly, the man thrashed as if being attacked. In a moment, Vius was at the man's side, trying to wake him from that horrible dreamspace. The man fought and kicked at what Vius assumed were invisible bonds and Vius felt a pang of sympathy. The elf had similar restless nights when he had first escaped from slavery. Vius did his best to help but the man's increasingly violent thrashing was getting dangerous. Vius broke off and ran to the river, quickly cupping his hands and gathering the freezing water up. He returned and threw the chilly liquid at the man's face, hoping to bring him out of whatever horror he was facing.

"This is for your own good!" Vius yelled. He hoped the man awoke and found enough strength to walk, for it was quite clear that Vius alone could probably not help him. They had to get to a village, a town, somewhere where a healer could properly tend to this poor, injured soul.

Dark shadows twisted and pulled at his limbs making him dance, twirl, dance and spin against his will. He felt as if he would be sick to his stomach. A knot twisted up in his gut as the horribly realistic dream toyed with his emotions. How such unimaginable horror was interrupted by a simple splash of water Cerit could never understand. He sat up in a rush as the chilly liquid splashed his face with a seething breath of air. Using his arms to prop himself up while taking in the surroundings with paranoid eyes. Adrenaline pumped through his veins as vague memories still kept him on his toes. The day had become late. The sun loomed over the horizon and threatened to reseed beyond it. He sat beneath a tree with the robed figure from before standing over him in a suspicious manner. Normally he would have disposed of the man but was too shaken. He brought his left hand up against his forehead.

It had felt so real that he could still feel the ache in his arms and the dizziness. He shook out his head and found his way to his feet with the help of the tree behind him. He rested his back against the tree and looked over the man from before. He felt well rested at least. His wounds from before had been cleaned and dressed, a convenience he normally didn't have when he passed out in a random location. He felt something not unlike gratitude towards the man but as always his mission would come before personal feelings. He looked around for any missing items, the noticed the robe had been used as a makeshift pillow for himself but where was his scythe? He still had his pants and his boots but without a weapon he'd have to kill this guy with his hands and that would take a lot longer.

After a minute of inner monologue and one long empty stare at his soon to be opponent he got up off the tree and stretched out. He then began a slow walk towards Vius. Stopping in front of him and placing his left hand on his shoulder. “Thank you... I'm very grateful for your assistance.” Cerit said solemnly. He was better then most but he was still a mortal. Cursed with imperfection, he may not have left Cerit for dead but he certainly held dark secrets of his own. As he spoke his other hand reached into his back pocket and with luck uncommon to himself his fingers found their way around his brass knuckles. He pulled his hand from his back pocket and his other hand clamped down just as suddenly. Cerit pulled back his arm and swung it around to deliver a blow to the side of the man's head with a lot more force then should have been possible for a beaten down man.

That pang again... Did killing always feel this bad? It used to make him happy.... made him feel in control. This didn't seem right though. He knew it was right, he just didn't feel so sure anymore. The being that renewed his vigor didn't seem so just and fair when it came to people. Did Cerit simply know who was right and who was wrong? Did Zu plot out the course to the guilty? Cerit just didn't know what to think anymore, so he acted.

Vius fretted nervously as the man showed signs of life. Instead of offering a helping hand, the elf let the wounded man use a nearby tree to get himself to his feet. Vius' hand rested on his own chest, a strange sense of worry flowing over him. It was too soon for this man to be up and around, given the extent of his wounds. Yet he had strength to stand already, and now he approached Vius steadily, his deliberate pace the only sign of injury. Or was there something more sinister in his step? Certainly, were he approached by this man on the road, Vius would have taken a defensive stance or even hid. Vius' sharp eyes missed that strange symbol carved in the man's forehead. Had he been so concerned over the man's well-being? Why should he even care about this stranger?

Questions flew through his head but were interrupted by the man's hand on his shoulder and a few words of grattitude. Vius noted the serious tone of the man's voice, almost as if he had more to say but couldn't or wouldn't say it. Vius bowed his head, about to shrug off the thanks and tell the man it was nothing and then hopefully, the two would go back to there own separate paths. As he bowed his head, though, he saw the man's right hand searching through his back pocket. Only months ago, Vius might have thought the man was going to attempt to deliver some sort of reward. Vius would already be planning his speech to nobly forsake the reward and assure the man that he had helped purely out of the goodness of his heart and the concern for a person's well-being. That was not his reaction, now. Instead, it was suspicion along with the realization that his guard was completely down. Death tends to make a man a bit wary.

Vius' face was blank as he lifted his head to meet the man's eyes. The man clenched down roughly on Vius' shoulder and swung his right hand around to strike Vius. The elf pushed himself off the ground in an attempt to leap to the side despite the man's iron grip. For his effort, the elf was rewarded with a hard blow to the shoulder instead of the temple. Vius marveled briefly at how a man who, as far as the elf knew, had bled enough to drain himself and then some, had summoned the strength for such an attack. Even more amazing , he still clung tightly to Vius, as if he intended to crush the life out of Vius piece by piece, starting at the elf's left shoulder.

"You shouldn't have done that," Summoning the power of the Void, Vius face changed, not into his usual cocky grin but a cold, predatory smile. Shivers ran through him, fires that burnt cold and blue in a heart that pumped ice were stoked and primed. Energy welled up, his for the taking and Vius seized it greedily, ready at long last to test his new-found power. So, this is why he was drawn to the man. There was no compassion, now that the man had proven to be a credible threat. All Vius felt was hatred for one man. Though this was not him, Vius bent that hate and aimed it towards this opponent.

A silvery nimbus surrounded Vius' left hand and he directed his open palm towards his opponent's chest. This was not a killing blow, certainly not so early in the game. It would send a deep chill through the man, if he simply stood there and took the blow. At the very least, Vius hoped to break loose of the crazed man's grip. He didn't like fighting so close, a battle at range would suit the warlock much more.

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Sunspark used, 2x left

He was more prepared then Cerit had given him credit for. He was very surprised to find his fist against the man's shoulder instead of in his skull. “You shouldn't have done that.” The elf said in an almost chilling voice equipped with a sly grin. Another side had been brought to light in the man as the blank look in his eyes was replaced by something much more dangerous. A conviction. Something that Cerit could respect. Before Cerit could say anything though a silver cloud overtook the man's hand and he pushed his palm towards his chest. Magic. The whole situation was suddenly getting serious fast.

There was little he could do as the palm hit against his chest. It was like his midsection had suddenly got covered in snow and a shiver was sent up his spine. Shock from the cold woke him up a little bit along side a sudden urge to chatter his teeth. Cerit tried to push it in the back of his mind but it lingered on his chest like a burn. He needed his scythe, but he couldn't let the spell thrower get too far. His grip on the elf's shoulder was lifted suddenly as the mark etched on his forehead took on a faint glow. “You... shouldn't have done that..” Cerit focused the energy into his now free arm he pulled it back and shot it forward for the elf's face. It wasn't a well drawn punch, the cold ached in deep in his body but he hoped the extra help would be enough to do some damage.

(Sudden Burst: x2 left)

He turned his attention away from the man for a moment, backing away from the fray. Looking about for his trusty weapon. Luckily the farming tool stuck out like a sore thumb and he made a short dash for it. It wasn't all that far away, a couple meters at most. They weren't too far from where Cerit had landed outside the river. A patch of stained land marking the resting place. He kept his eye on it curiously as he picked up his weapon. What would have happened if this man hadn't come? He didn't have an answer but it somehow felt better when he asked himself this stuff. Closing his eye hard he reminded himself that he was in the middle of something. Turning to where his opponent surely up to something. He raised his weapon in both hands, spaced out between the middle and the end. Keeping up a futile guard between the man and himself.

Who was Cerit kidding? He would be lucky if he could even block the attack that was coming up. But he braced himself regardless, hoping he'll be able to dodge as a last ditch effort. Magic was so annoying... He preferred Zu's power. “Or is it magic...” he pondered out loud to himself. He never thought of it like that before. Was he anything like this man standing before him? No... couldn't be.Magic took years of practice... Or is that what he had been doing this whole time? He did use the power quite a bit over the years. “Yea... definitely a brand of magic.” He confirmed with himself with a bit of a nod. Before remembering that he was in a fight.

Vius felt a surge of adrenaline as his attack struck his opponent. The elf's opponent restated Vius' previous warning but he also let Vius loose. Even as Vius attempted to hop backwards, the man struck out with a surprising burst of power and speed that Vius could hardly follow. The man swung his fist, apparently aiming for Vius' face again. This time, the attack struck, though the fact that Vius was moving backwards lessened the impact from bone-crunching to bruising and mildly disorienting. Vius threw his arms up, reorienting himself as fast as he could and preparing for a follow up. Once again, the man surprised Vius by breaking off from the battle and heading back towards where he had lay when Vius discovered him. For a second, the elf thought his eyes deceived him when he saw what the man was headed towards.

How had Vius missed the giant scythe embedded in the ground? Whatever had drawn the elf to this man had temporarily blinded him to details like the deadly, possibly bloodstained weapon that the man was most likely proficient in. Nevertheless, Vius still pressed on rather than attempting to escape. The man had given Vius some space and the elf intended to take advantage of it. Though some of his compatriots might have disapproved, Vius planned to attack the man while his back was still turned. Honor and nobility be damned. The blow to the head must have stunned him more than he thought, though. Either that, or the man was unexpectedly fast. He had already retrieved his weapon and hefted it up. Now, he faced Vius with the weapon prepared to ward off the attack Vius should have already delivered.

Gathering power once again, Vius extended his hand towards the man and a silvery beam shot upwards, then curved down in a smooth arc from Vius' hand towards the man's torso. It was simple, really. Though this Void magic felt much greater in terms of power than the magic Vius had controlled by using the Southern Cross, he hadn't yet figured out how to tap into those huge wells of energy just yet. So, for the moment, Vius fell back on what he already knew as a lightcaster warlock. He'd need more time to figure out the intricacies of Voidcasting and he'd need more opponents. It was Vius' opinion that the practical application of magic, as well as it's usefulness, could only be tested in battle.

"I can't lose to this guy," Vius muttered, enjoying the power he was wielding at the moment. He felt unstoppable and this chance to test out his abilities was truly a godsend. He'd toy with this man a bit more before unleashing something really spectacular...that is, as long as this man didn't harbor any more surprises.

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Beamstrike used, 1x left

Cerit's eyes were locked on the wizard as he lifted his hand. The silvery glow returning in the elf's hand that is soon replaced by a beam of silvery light that shot up into the air. It made Cerit chuckle as he attempted to yell. “Your aim is horrib...” But is soon cut off as the beam began arcing down towards him, a mocking smile replaced by an annoyed sneer. It flew in the air, almost crackling with frost. Cerit tries to strafe left quick before the spell could touch down. The spell hits home on his right breast despite his efforts, taking too long to swing his scythe around. It had felt like he had been sucker punched by a snow man. A numbing cold ran through his body again, causing him to seethe in pain as the spell jerked his shoulder back. Cerit gritted his teeth and pushed onward, regaining his footing.

Cerit rushes towards his opponent with scythe in hand but only goes a little distance before making a hop into the air. Raising his scythe in both hands up into the air, he sends it crashing down as if trying to break the earth. The blade almost seems to catch between the air as it tears down a purple arc, crackling with something not unlike static. As his blade digs into the ground the arc is completed with hard thud sound and sent hurdling towards Vius kicking up the ground as the force pushes through.

(Fending Energy: x2 remain)

Loosening his scythe from the ground he rushes towards Vius to close what distance he could while the elf was hopefully distracted. Pushing the thought of the chill that ran through his veins into the back of his mind. Focus. Focus. Focus. He repeated in his mind. Forget the pain, the stab, the cold. Find the feeling. He forced a familiar grin on his face. A demented smirk that had been the last memory of many people. Seeing the faces of those people, cowering in his head, frightened of Zu's power. He was gonna be sure that this man joined them. “If you keep this up... he's gonna get your soul. You know that?” He chuckled a fake chuckle. “Your gonna have to a lot better then that to bring me down. Why don't you just give up?”

People always assumed that Cerit was crazy when he asked them to give their life to him. They acted like it was going to be the end. Everyone knew very well of the existence of gods and demons. Ghosts and ghouls. Is it so unreasonable to ask that they go to his afterlife instead? He knew the elf would say something foolish and deny his request like so many others, but he felt obligated to try. To find that one soul that will give itself willingly. Someone with some sense of reason, like himself.

Vius' mood dropped temporarily as his ranged attack hit it's mark. Would this fight end before it had even begun? He hoped not; he was just warming up. His opponent shook off the attack he had failed to block easy enough and Vius once again thanked fate that he had ran into this man. It was a worthwhile battle that he had unassumingly placed himself into and the elf smiled at his good fortune. Again, the man did something unexpected, though by now, Vius was use to surprises. The power it took to summon up the purple energy and send it flying, cutting through the ground as easy as a shears through paper...was the man a magic user? What sorcery was this, then? Vius was determined to find out. It couldn't be anything more powerful than the Void...

The attack pushed forward, kicking up dirt and grass and Vius easily evaded, diving out of the way at the last second and simultaneously waved his left hand. Even as he regained his feet, the silver shimmer of power had begun to form the Brightsteel blade. Electric soarks danced up from Vius' hand and swirled as they formed the edged weapon. They took shape so it looked as if Vius was holding the outline of a wepon and then, in the next blink of the eye, the blade was fully formed and functional. It cast a cool, silvery light not unlike the glow of the full moon and Vius' eyes caught that light, even in the bright sun, so that they seemed to glow together for a moment. Then the man laughed derisively and spoke, warning Vius someone was going to get his soul and offering Vius a chance to surrender. The elf only chuckled in the same mocking tone as the man had used.

In the second before he responded, Vius quick elvish mind replayed a scene from his time as a corpse. "Elven twins, you and he," Vacuus said. Vius had been surprised to be conversing with a god or anyone, for Drakol's fatal spell had certainly finished their battle with what seemed like a decisive blow. Yet, here they were. "The belief is that one is born without a soul because the stronger of the two takes both. So, you end up with a magically powerful child and one who is little more than a shell. Your father needed the shell, though, for a soulless body is incredibly useful for those who practice the art of Necromancy..."

"My soul?" Vius asked. For a moment more, he recalled being in Limbo, then it faded into something similar to the way a person might recall a fever dream months afterwards. Had he really spoken with a god? Two gods? Perhaps the recollection had more in common with a fever dream than Vius thought. Still, one thing was for certain. Since returning to life, he felt the lack of something, something that only the Void, oddly enough, filled. They had explained it perfectly but the words...he couldn't remember the exact words. All he knew was the Void made him feel whole. What a bizarre concept. Vius shrugged and tossed the Brightsteel blade from his left hand to his right, enjoying the lightness of the short sword. He calmly repositioned himself and prepared for the man's next attack, choosing to fight defensively for a moment. His sword was held horizntally in front of him, ready to deflect incoming attacks and his left hand, still glowing a soft silver was held slightly behind to provide balance. He continued speaking. "Who is it that you speak of, that wishes to take from me what I never truly had?"

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Brightsteel used, 0x left

(Sorry bout the wait, holidays got a bit hectic lol.)

Light twisted in the man's hand as he dodged to the side with wild static. The silver blade extended to the size of a spatha. Cerit recalled training with weapons like that. Two in each hand to improve offensive ability. He never much cared for them personally, even such a fine silver blade. Glowing in the near dark of twilight. The man took up a defensive stance with his new weapon and asked a very complicated question. “No man in these lands has cared to believe me yet. No one has listened to my words of warning.” Cerit said with an annoyed glare at the man. He hefted up his scythe with one hand and leaned it against his shoulder, taking a more relaxed position with a hand down his pocket. “Zu is a being of great power. A devourer of sin and mortality. He wishes to breath new life into this world but to do that, he needs more power.”

So many had heard the tale of the demon from another world. So many had thought Cerit a psychotic devil worshipper. The very thought of their faces brought his teeth to a grit. He had little patience for the ignorance of villagers and fools. But this man seemed to be someone... more reasonable. Calm silver eyes, unshaken. It made it hard to stay angry. He didn't fear for his life at all it seemed. Cerit's features softened as he considered the request for knowledge. Cerit used to try to guess in which way people would react. Some would laugh, others would be left with an awkward stare. Mouth a gap like they were trying to catch a fly. The elves always tended to be a bit more condescending though.

The angry glare was replaced by almost determined eyes . A face of a believer. Ready to preach on in the face of stupidity. “Offer your power to him... Nourish him and let him thrive so the world can stop being like this. So deprived. So lost in itself. I have left a trail of blood a mile long for Zu and will do more if it'll bring peace. Do your part. You can't stand there and tell me you have no soul to give.”Taking his scythe back in both hands once more he positions the blade behind him at one side, the weight of the blade digging lightly into the dirt. His blank eyes locked on the elf. “No one ever surrenders and they fall one by one. Two by two. Four by four. However many it takes me for Zu to reach his limit.” Cerit made his move at that moment taking a stride towards Vius to close the distance Strafing a bit to the right with a curve in his step, sweeping his blade horizontally at the side of the elf's waist. “Don't lie to me! Every man has a soul! Even if only in pieces.”

(So sorry, I meant to keep this fairly lively but midterms got in the way and some family stuff piled on top)

As the man spoke of the slaughter he had committed in the name of someone called Zu, Vius felt torn. On one hand, someone who had done so much in honor of another must have been very powerful or very devoted, perhaps both. Who was Zu? One of the lost gods, even older than the ones Vius knew of? Was he a demon or a demi-god? Vius listened with fascination but his muscles stayed tense and ready for action. He smiled at the man's comment about bloodshed. So, he would make war to find peace? Truly a child of Darkness Incarnate...

This man was beyond devoted to Zu. Vius could understand that sentiment, the passion that devoting oneself to a greater power could invoke. Unlike Vius, though, this man was just a servant. Vius devoted himself to a great power, the Void, but he did not serve it. He sought to master it and make it serve him. Such a feat would make him a legend. He would stand well beyond other mortals, look down on demi-gods and, with the Void at his command, perhaps he would be on equal footing with the gods themselves.

One step at a time...

The man's attack was strong but a bit wild. A small gust of wind swept dirt and leaves up as the blade hit empty air. Vius dodged successfully by dropping down and rolling to the side. He stayed low, prepared to lunge but he had another spell to cast before this battle continued. The warlock absorbed more of the Void's power, then released it slowly out of his body. The result was a light, silvery glow enveloping him. The opponent might not know what to think now, but Vius was more confident now that his magical pseudo-shield was up. It wouldn't prevent the man from cleaving Vius in two if he hit with full force, but it would soften glancing blows and the like. That allowed Vius more on causing some damage rather than simply avoiding it.

"Your strength is admirable and so is your loyalty. Even if I had a soul, though, it would be mine and mine alone!"

The elf was looking to draw blood, now. With the man's failed attack most likely leaving him off balance, Vius hoped he could dart in with a quick jab. The man had been smart enough to sidestep slightly when he swung so Vius didn't manage to get completely behind him. However, the elf was confident that his sword would hit something. He hopped forward and struck out, the sword leading the rest of his body forward to collide with the mysterious man in a classic, fencing-style lunge.

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Holy Aura used, 0x left
Holy Aura effects, 4/4 posts left

Vius simply rolled out of the way of Cerit's attack. The scythe whistled as it cleaved through nothing but air and a bit of grass as he tried to get it under control. The man was casting yet another spell and training the tip of his phantom blade at Cerit. Moving with the arc of the swing to line himself up with Vius and then widening his stance. By the time He had his scythe under control the enemy was wreathed in a silvery aura. Not much time to react before Vius launched his attack, trying to get the blade from piercing anything important more then trying to get it to completely miss. He can feel the short sword drag along his side like an icicle, not a great chill like the magic he passed through Cerit, but still a noticeable cool mixed with his warm blood as it dripped down his side. But Cerit was a tad too annoyed to pay this much mind.

Teeth gritted and adrenaline pumping through his head like air in his lungs or blood in his heart. “They never listen!” He yelled right in the man's face. “Useless peons of your own fear! Mongrel folk in the purest sense. Denying that you have a soul to give and saying that it's yours to keep. I'll make sure to spatter your brain across floor so you can personally see how foolish you are!” The mark etched onto Cerit's forehead began to take on a brilliant glow as he roared in anger, feeling unusually spurred today. The sweet smell of lilac pushing into the night air not calming him at all. That day it brought Cerit frustration, annoyance, confusion. His muscles pulsed and twisted as energy began to course through his whole body and the cold stare of his eyes becomes even more spooky as a terrible black overtakes the whites and his pupil glows in the same eerie purple as the mark. “You will see that Zu is irrefutable!”

Cerit took a little hop back as he repositioned his scythe with a twist of the wrist so the blade would be facing Vius again, taking it in both hands as before and sends it towards his midsection with devastating force. Straining every newly empowered muscle in his body to destroy his opponent with the large sweep. The attack was less wild then the last however. Being more careful to aim it out as he struck out, trying to fit his opponent's arm into the area of the blade. All Cerit could do now was wait to see what Vius would do.

What was that sound?! It rang in his ear like a bee was stuck inside his head. It gave him a headache something fierce. He wasn't sure if he just still had some water stuck up there but it wasn't very pleasing. He couldn't even reach up and clean out his ear right now cause of the Elf... Cerit wasn't sure if you were allowed to call time outs in fights. He remembered that the other children would often ask him to stop after the first few broken bones but that was a bit different. His mind wandered aimlessly away from the fight but it didn't effect him much. Feeling the sudden instincts kick in. Zu guiding his steps. Taking away the stress of the situation and making it easy to push on.
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(Full Possession: 2/3 left : 3 posts remaining.)

(I think we had set the time of day at mid-afternoon but I'm going to roll with it being closer to night time)

Vius had drawn first blood. That was usually a good sign. As the man spun to face him, Vius noticed the waning light of dusk. Had he dozed off before? What was happening to him...he was missing important visual cues, as if he was too distracted to notice certain things happening. Perhaps it was his elven nature affecting his perceptions. He had so many things to think about, so many other things he should be doing, but he was here, now, testing his skills against a stranger. Even as he thought these things, the man was chiding him about his non-existent soul again. A change began in the man, who had seemed so frail and weak before. Now, that strange mark was glowing with eldritch energy Vius had never experienced and the man's eyes took on an inhuman expression. This was no ordinary man, this was a monster. Or...was it?

"Do you know of indwelling?" Vacuus asked. He continued before Vius had a chance to answer, his voice always that same, monotonous tone. "Often, a person in search of power or afraid of their own mortality will offer themselves to a stronger entity. A demon, a deity, even the ghosts of the fallen, whoever hears their plea offers a pact that allows those creatures who were never meant to walk this land into the world, using the person's body as a gateway, a host. The person's soul remains intact, though it shifts and warps to allow that otherwordly patron room to move. There are some, though, that give up their soul completely. Those are the most dangerous, for they allow deadly, chaotic beings to enter our world at almost full power. The capacity for destruction is frightening. That's why you were so valuable; a soulless child, the perfect vessel for the dark creature your father found..."

Could it be? Was that what Vius was facing now? The man kept mentioning "Zu", could that be his patron? Whatever was happening, Vius needed to focus on the fight at hand. Summoning power, he cast another spell; silvery, feathered wings sprouted from his back and the soft glow from Vius' aura was increased. The additional speed and reaction time this spell gave him would come in handy. He was becoming more and more interested in this strange person. Maybe, if he could just incapacitate the man somehow, they could speak about these strange qualities the man possessed. Vius stepped inside the range of the scythe's wicked blade and raised his blade in two hands to meet the oncoming scythe, noting that the weapon was moving faster, as if the man was regaining lost strength. Even as the two weapons collided, Vius knew the attack was going to hurt. The force of the blow picked Vius up off his feet and sent him flying a short distance. He slammed against a tree and slid to the ground. He knew full well that if it wasn't for the holy aura, broken bones would have been where he could feel bruises forming. Even augmented as such by his warlock spells, Vius could hardly match this man's unholy strength. Once again, keeping his distance seemed like a good idea.

"Not bad," Vius yelled. As he spoke, he could feel the heavy impact from both the man's attack and the crash into the tree. His jaw felt as if it were buzzing, he hurt down to his bones. As he continued, Vius reached into his robe with his right hand, feeling for one of his iron knives. "You're strong. This Zu must be something special, if he's what's letting you do this. No human hits that hard on their strength alone!" As a punctuation to that sentiment, Vius let loose with a throwing knife aimed towards the man's left shoulder. It was a long shot and he wasn't exactly a master of thrown weapons but if the elf could disable one of the man's arms, that scythe might not be so deadly...

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Wings of Light used, 1x left
Holy Aura effect, 3/4 posts left
Wings of Light effect, 3/3 posts left

Edit: battle over due to timeout.

3 gold to Jodai.

I'm sorry this battle didn't go just a BIT further... it might have gotten you a weak at least.