Tread the Path at Dusk

Tanksandguns · **Posted:** August 31st, 2011, 1:42 am

Grageon smiled as he could see Jarrett was excited about his purchases.

"Come on, J-Jarrett. T-time to g-get back to the Sc-school."

He began heading back towards the school, relaxed for the first time in awhile, and enjoying life.

Riptide · **Posted:** August 31st, 2011, 5:24 am

OOC: HELL YES.

(Also, I have to go to school soon. Not gonna be a lengthy post for me.

)

BIC: "School?" A look of bewilderment passed over Jarrett's face. Then it changed as he realized Graegon meant the Institute. "Hey, Graegon, wait up!"

Riptide · **Posted:** September 1st, 2011, 6:31 pm

OOC: Double posting to keep the topic alive.

BIC: Jarrett walked with Graegon back to the Institute. He put the items he was showing the giant in his bag and pulled out the iron bar Adam had given him. He tried concentrating to change the metal's shape, but people were conversing all around him. He needed a quiet room. He wandered the halls, and peeked inside a door labeled 'Study'. There was a single wooden table with a stack of books on it and a single chair. He went inside, closed the door, and set the iron bar on the table. (Quick OOC: Is it alright if I base some magic that I do off of some kind of science?

)

Iron is a pure element, not a compound. So this should be easy. Jarrett thought.

An hour later, Jarrett was still in the room, cursing under his breath. He remembered what Adam had told him, something about communicating with nature. He thought about how to do this. First he tried speaking to it softly, but immediately stopped due to the fact he felt like an idiot. He leaned back in his chair, thinking about other methods and attempting them. He eventually started to daydream that he had made the bar into a dagger blade, razor sharp. He felt something moving in his hand. It was the iron bar! It was morphing, it's shape becoming unrecognizable. It eventually formed a point, and a sharp edge.

That's amazing, he thought, So if I see the image in my mind it will happen? He played around with the bar, making it take various shapes.

Landerpurex · **Posted:** September 3rd, 2011, 2:55 am

OOC: I'm going to go ahead and ask if anyone with any computer savvy can back this thread up somewhere that isn't here? There must be a quicker way than the old copy-pasta 50+ pages. Assuming the worst, I certainly don't want to lose this story. Thanks in advance!

Tanksandguns · **Posted:** September 3rd, 2011, 6:36 am

OOC: It'll be safe.

Riptide · **Posted:** September 3rd, 2011, 7:27 am

OOC: Well, if Glode backs up the site just in case it goes down, the files should be there, and you can probably ask him for a copy or something.

Znath · **Posted:** September 4th, 2011, 5:39 pm

Adam had decided to wait near the center of town taking in the sights while he waited. At this point his armor is a little sleeker and lighter looking with black material re-enforcement replacing much of the steel. The black material shielding aiding to protect against interference as well as strengthening the armor.

Tahu 1000 · **Posted:** September 5th, 2011, 3:53 pm

OOC: Awesome, this is starting up again. Ok, I'm going to be starting to finalize Tahu and Mabel's arsenal, so I'd appreciate guidelines as to what kinds of passive effects I can imbue objects with, what kind of spells can and can't be put into glass obs, etc.

Kikori · **Posted:** September 5th, 2011, 7:18 pm

OOC: Tahu, drop it. You've been asking for four pages and since mid-January, just use your own characters' abilities instead of forcing so much focus on working with items. This isn't DnD, this isn't WoW, and this isn't <insert generic magical system reference here>. You've been given many guidelines of what can or be can't done with Lander's world's magic system--if you still need an explanation at this point, I have to question if you're reading or not.

BIC...

Sleep. A new bed, a temporary home in an unknown room. There was something... passively calming, and neutral about it. She didn't have to worry about mess, schedule, or ritual with a new environment. She simply had to strip to a comfortable point, set aside her belongings where she felt safest, and allow herself to grow comfortable in the new territory. It was softer than her own bed, though she missed the scent. The familiar tingle of the powers of her home was gone, leaving her body both desiring and happy to be without it. She felt... at ease. No dreams, just a deep sleep overtaking her body until the dawn's light pierced the blanket of her eyelids.

She awoke with a fresher start than she'd felt in a couple years, but it still took a few minutes to come into her senses about where she was. An unfamiliar color on the walls, furniture that didn't belong... Windrow. Reserved room. Shaking her head clear of the confusion, she at least took to what of her morning needs she could remember. A vase and flowers within it on the table. With a very minimal effort, she lured the water to her hands and with second nature twists of her hand, directed over her body and through her clothes, the water dissolving all grime and dirt without leaving a drop behind. The orb, slightly murkier than before, was replaced within the vase (hopefully to be replaced) before dressing herself again. With a window to open to see the morning sun, Paige swung it out to allow the sun's full rays in. Still sunrise, so a few tints of orange in the sky as the town seemed to awaken as fast as the light came.

The same light, reflecting a complex path, shot into the meditating eyes of Dusk. With the light, a renewed energy in him. He gave a sigh and stood, a couple joints popping as he gave a stretch. Another night of collecting himself, and another of keeping himself steady. The night was certainly trying, making sure everything was in place. All that was left was to wait.

Tahu 1000 · **Posted:** September 6th, 2011, 11:15 am

OOC: Ok, fine. I'll stick to just a few bolts and such. So far, I've been striking out on strategies on how to beat Dusk using the established magic system; if he's reasonably intelligent, he'll be able to counter anything I can throw at him. Now, before you say "There's a story, not just a fight," like I said, Tahu and Mabel see Dusk's elimination as the first priority. Ah well, I'll just play it by ear, I guess. Tell me when we're going to move out.

Riptide · **Posted:** October 6th, 2011, 6:52 pm

Bump.

Are we going to continue this or should we just start another RP?

Landerpurex · **Posted:** October 8th, 2011, 10:27 pm

OOC: When you're in college, a month slips by and things of low priority are lost through the cracks...

But this RP has been one of the lengthiest here, and I'll be damned to have made it so far and not finish. We're almost done. Also...in terms of those who have fallen inactive, assume they are with us and being very quiet. Heh.

BIC:

Caston retired to his room after his reading. He lit a candle and set to work.

He loosened control on his own identity as a wizard, feeling a much slighter insanity similar to what Dusk must feel. When one's very being goes hand in hand with magic, Caston could see how dangerous loosening those ties were.

He concentrated on the flame, willing it to flicker, to do anything. He tried to grasp it as he would the water, or as he would densify air...but it was thinner. Wilder.

He sighed and rested for a moment. He then thought of the twisted animals, the dead apprentice...his family. The burned town. The crater.

The little flame roared and licked the ceiling. Caston was somehow unsurprised. He laid down and went to sleep. It was the best he'd slept in ages.

***

Caston rose the next morning and headed to the square, awaiting the arrival of the others. In a few days' time, the group would either save the would or doom it. It was as simple as that. Caston did not have a problem with that, strangely enough. He had a cold determination. One of them would die; yet Caston had every reason to live. Dusk had every reason to die.

Kikori · **Posted:** July 12th, 2012, 10:45 pm

The time had finally come to set off. Paige knew she would likely not know the freedom of mind she had briefly experienced, but was once again content to follow her orders. Caston awoke with a fresh mind and keen vision to the goal. Finally freeing some of his pent up rage in the flame of the night had given a little peace of mind that he felt helped him understand his enemy somewhat better. Grageon, ever the simpleton, simply awoke with a roar of a yawn and wondered where his partner in humorous crime, Delon, could be. Jarrett was still rubbing his eyes sleepily, the full scope of the encounter a little over his head as he wished for another hour. Tahu and Mabel were already fresh and ready, neatly prepared to the best of their abilities as a long-standing team. Adam was equally prepared, bouncing a small orb of metal atop another in a display of his unique magnetic magic while waiting on the Academy's doorstep. Kyrina's eyes were somewhat downtrodden, knowing her worst fear was likely to pass. Death before her eyes that she may be powerless to stop.

Slowly the team assembled. Face by face they met before the Academy, their mission clear... but once again, their numbers not. Adam looked to the Academy doors and scoffed out, "Is the thief still not back yet?"

Caston sighed and tapped Grageon on the shoulder with his staff. "C'mon, big guy, let's go take a look for him. He'll probably be happy to see you." The giant nodded and started to follow the young blue mage, but as soon as a hand touched the door, it was pushed open from within. "Whoa! Excuse m--Delon?" Indeed the rogue was there, panting heavily. Behind him, his mentor and ever the snide Black mage Slanor gave a sneer before walking off. "Wait! How'd it go?"

"You'll see for yourself." The man didn't even bother to slow or anything, simply trailing off. "You might, anyway, if he remembers it at all." With a dismissive wave of his hand, the cocky man turned a corner, leaving Delon to gasp for air before starting to fall. Whatever insane crash course he had been through left him lifeless enough to need to be caught by Grageon and held over one of his massive shoulders.

Caston gave a little grimace, the trip a little more complicated with Delon's fatigue getting in the way of travel by anything like horse. Hoofing it was always an option, but an annoying thought. As he sighed and began to weigh if a two day trip were super, the worried giant knelt by young Kyrina and offered her a chance to ease the stress to Delon's mind and body. Very little was actually wrong with him. A lot of fatigue but no visible damage. As such, she had little to do but try to relax him into a proper slumber on the makeshift bed of the giant's shoulder. Paige, once again the insightful observer, started to walk away to the woods, to the northeast. "We will make it before night falls if you trust yourselves with a meeting at sunset."

That effectively decided it for Caston, and as such his companions. Content to put their boots to the dirt, the trip once again resumed by foot. What little conversation was had seemed awkward or forced. How did someone prepare to willingly come facefirst with a man who could potentially end the world? Certainly not brimming with confidence. Jarrett's rapid attempts at jokes both lifted the spirits and sparked the tempers of his companions, particularly the steely wit of Adam and cool logic of the three Blue mages walking alongside him. A few plans were made, both of attack and escape. Curiosities were shared to what would be found and how he would be encountered. Whatever the plan, it never seemed good enough. There were two constants in mind. To overwhelm him the best that could be done with a rapid flurry of magic to try to counter, and to take advantage of Adam's unique magnetism magic to remove Dusk's swords.

The majority of the trip passed in awkward silence, however. Two breaks to eat, one to allow an awakening Delon to recover his senses and understand the situation, and one small one brought by the thief to test what he remembered. With a heavy breath and minute of focus, he started to move. He appeared to be walking normally up to Caston, but started to throw a punch. Caston scowled, not knowing if it were a mean trick or a seed of some evil planted by the Black mage, and tried to swat the fist away with his staff. As soon as Caston's wrist flicked to start the movement, Delon's own hand reached out to grab the staff at its middle. By the time he realized his weapon was gripped and being tugged, Caston had only barely began to back away. In two blinks of the eye Delon was standing with the staff and bringing it up to Caston's head, stopping an inch short and breathing heavily. His strength wasn't back in full, but the display was clear. He had at least some grasp of the control of time, taxing the body to move it faster than it was supposed to respond. He explained that he was taught, the speed of the mind was faster than the body. His new magic was being able to remove such limits in a way that hurt him if done too much... hence why the anatomically knowledgable and sadistic Black mages were the ones able to think of it.

Once his breath was caught, he was able to join the party properly in its walk, brought up to speed with the known plans and what was likely to be dones. The sun was getting dangerously close to setting, colors of the sky just starting to change as the mountain lair's size loomed in the majority of their view. Many caves and holes decorated the sides, leaving most of the party a little confused and skeptical. Caston shrugged and broke the silence with, "This is probably obviously on everybody's minds, but what exactly are all the holes for?"

Paige looked over her shoulder. "Less than obvious is that only about half of those are what you think they are. Many, surprisingly, are natural and useless. A few less, true paths around the mountain. Only a few are decoys and trapped. M'lord wants peace, not a corpse pile at his doorstep." It shockingly made sense considering his quiet history. Paige's hand pointed at one cave that couldn't be easily made out from the distance. "The most direct entrance is there. You will likely lose sight of it once we arrive at the foot of the mountain."

Jarrett offered another slightly obvious question. "Isn't it getting a bit dark to hike a mountain?" A few mumbled in agreement. With the sun's path downward, a strenuous hike up would be both too tiring and time consuming. What was left after that but to either sleep or face him too tired to be effective?

Yet Paige shook her head. "You could not see properly, but the entrance is quite low. We will have light." True enough, after a quick advance across the flat field, the mountain came up in little time with a path leading up. Only five minutes passed before the path started to turn to avoid a cliff face covered in vines and fallen boulders, but Paige stepped off the path and led the group behind it. There was an opening, quite large and visible from the side but not from the path itself--truly, well hidden from anyone actively looking for it while on the hike. The tunnel was smooth and dimly lit with natural light reflected in numerous places. Finally, the light ended and was replaced by a dimmer, magical glow. Paige stopped at its the darkest point and pulled off an amulet, numerous stones adorned in its gold grip. It was the one she had pulled out only briefly before her visit to the Academy. "Only one of us may proceed now. And not me." The jewel was extended to Caston. "The presence of every color magic at once will allow you to walk through, right here. You will find him quite quickly."

"Wait, only me?" The entire team was buzzing with worry about the idea, with one paranoid giant axe blade held to her throat. Yet Paige moved not an inch, her face serious and eyes sincere. "It was not my choice. You will not be harmed inside. Remember, your death has been possible before. It is not the goal."

It was only after a short but serious debate with himself that Caston took the jewel and wrapped its chain around his neck. He felt a very small but distinct rush of... something unique, very hard to discern. A wild energy hit his chest, and something seemed to call to him. He was quite sure his will was not affected. But he knew something ahead of him wanted him closer. "I'll be okay. Wait for me at the mountain foot."

And so they split up. Eyes downtrodden, Paige turned to lead the group down the path. She knew Caston would not be harmed... but what was undoubtedly coming even kindled feat in her heart. Caston turned and followed the call, blindly trusting the energy and necklace as he slipped through the wall, almost like walking through a sheet of water. Once through, the directions to go were almost instinctive, brought on by the amulet. Yet he stepped slowly, carefully, one hand constantly tracing the wall and the other keeping a tight grip on his staff. The rush of energy around him was unique to the amulet, only possibly made by the same person. "Dusk."

And so the old man was meditating on the bed, a serene smile on his face and eyes opened wide and wild. "Caston. Go ahead, ask what you will."

"Fine. I just want to know two things. Why did you pick me, let alone by attacking my family like that, and why are you being so antagonistic? Your talent is nothing short of miraculous. Why spend it fighting, killing, and trying to die?" Caston's voice remained level, but there was no denying the flare in his eyes and edge to his words.

"My... talent? My curse. This is no gift of the gods, boy. This is what happens when someone with power abuses it for revenge." Dusk looked away and his face fell into sadness. "I assure you, I would have been content to be a fiery hero in life. You will learn what I mean, or you will die trying." His face turned back to the young mage's, a small twitch in his eye forming. "How I have held off... I wish I could a little longer. But you are not alone, and are the hero hero. I trust you'll live up to your task."

"My task? Hero? You're mad, Dusk." The growth of insanity was apparent. Caston grasped his staff and lowered it, adopting a defensive stance with the wood held out. "Hero or not, you are a villian in the world. We can't let you live."

"Good... keep that vision, boy." Dusk stood up upon the bed, hopping off and resting his hands on the bedrest. It was the kind of end made of bent tubes, ending in golden orbs (though its gold had peeled off some time ago). Caston watched Dusk's hands intently--something was obviously at work to focus on such a spot instead of the weapon sheathed upon his back. "Just... please do not disappoint me. I do not wish to see the world where Dusk beats Caston."

The sincerity of Dusk's words threw off Caston, his guard dropping for the one second Dusk needed. With a yank against the orbs his hands rested on, he smashed one to the floor and the other to the roof. Both crashed in a wave of light, one green and one bright blue, holes forming at the base of the small explosions made. Light could be seen coming through the roof, starting to pale into gold and orange on the stone walls. It was shining straight through to the hole made below, deeper into the mountain, though what it led to wasn't visible at all. With a renewed spark in his face and wild laugh, Dusk jumped into the hole leading down. Caston took one step forward before hearing a very familiar sound. The rush of water. Joining it was a still laughing Dusk, his wild cries echoing through stone.

Caston felt a rumble at his feet and jumped back, watching a geyser shoot straight upward. Standing atop it, his foe. The stream went up well past the mountaintop, spraying around and pooling into path winding down the mountain--a dried stream made into a water slide by his magic. As Dusk rode the rushing water down, Caston summoned his courage to join, jumping into the erupting water to fly upward as Dusk had done. The force propelled him high enough to figure out what happened, where his foe went, and how to proceed. With a spin of his staff and small flip, he descended with his feet on the wood to slide down the water. The tip of his staff marked his direction with each turn, shocked to find Dusk doing the same with his swords before a leap out and onto the grass. "No you don't..."

Staff collided with the same ramp-stone that Dusk flew off of, and a burst of air shot both the wood and its owner swiftly toward what seemed to be Dusk surrounded by his friends. With a slam to the ground and large splash into the soaked, muddy earth, Caston stood and pointed his staff at the old mage. "Just die now and make it quick. You won't win."

"Like this... I indeed will not. Paige." Everyone's head snapped to the servant. Her eyes almost seemed to blank out some just from hearing Dusk's voice. "Now's the time. Containment. Full strength." With a little visible hesitation that faltered more by the inch, her hands raised up and clapped together. The water soaking the ground rushed instantly upward, swirling in waves before finally coming to rest around the team. Each one encased in their own unique bubble of water, rippling with their attempts to force through. Caston tried to thrust his staff through, Grageon let loose a barrage of axe blows, Tahu and Mabel combined their energies to undo the prison... but nothing gave. Laughing a little, Dusk walked over to her and gave her hands a soft pat.

"Save your strength, kids. She's picked up my energy for decades. Likely she can keep you held for half a day. You won't be killed by her like this--she hates to shed blood, after all. But just remember, she's not all you're dealing with." Dusk grabbed her hands and pointed one end of his blade directly at the bubble containing Tahu and Mabel. The water crashed inward, the beginning of a cry coming out before it was snuffed by the implosion of water. Left standing in the wake was Tahu. At his side, Mabel on the ground, not breathing. Paige's eyes were wide and her face shocked. Dusk had used her containment to collapse into Mabel, the pressure ending her life. Her magic... ended life.

Dusk started walking to Tahu, unphased by his own action. Separating the swords and clashing them together, he barked out, "Now, let's see what the friends of Caston can do!" With a strong step, he began a sprint to the shocked red mage.

Despite all his planning, preparation, and cool logic, the sudden death of one of his oldest friends in magic set off the spark making his kind infamous for anger. With a rear of his head and loud cry, a wave of fury could be felt even through the water prisons. Tahu reached into his pocket and hurled a vial of liquid at Dusk, who slashed it away. A single jolt from his blade caused a small fire to puff, soon reeled in by the furious Tahu. With a shout of effort, the flame grew and plunged into the space at his feet, causing the water around him to flash into steam. Dusk stopped in his tracks a few feet from Tahu, but the fury ended not. Water split, leaving the flame free to absorb the oxygen and setting the area surrounding Tahu completely aflame.

Dusk attempted to slice through the flame, managing to expose a streak enough to see his foe's waist. Unseen was the hand, sleeve aflame, reaching out to grab the blade as it continued its path. Sword cut skin, drawing blood down its blade as Tahu's grip on the sword tightened. With a yell of pain and fury rolling through the dying flame, Tahu poured his unchecked fury into his hand, the blade in his grasp losing its form from the intense heat. Finally the inferno died down, Tahu's control returning once the explosion finished. He was visibly burnt, clothes still aflame at the edges, but soon snapped them all into one atop his hand. He and Dusk stood facing each other, one's face solemn and one wild in glee. "Such power! If you have learned this much, then this promises to be very entertaining indeed!"

"Entertain this!" Tahu gave a punch with his hand, sending a streak of fire aimed for Dusk. Rapid blows shot out bit by bit of the flame toward his foe, each being sliced away before the weapon was extinguished. Before the heat could be reformed, Dusk slammed his crooked blade into the space in front of Tahu, sending a great splash of mud and water over the fiery mage. Without his partner, Tahu was off guard and left helpless to the incoming sword. The steel sliced clean through flesh, leaving Tahu to gasp for air before falling to the ground.

Dusk swung his blade once, spraying off the excess liquid before pointing it at Adam. "You... I feel I might have some fun with you." Despite her shock, the obedient Paige allowed the bubble to drop, a splash of water hitting Adam's feet as he unsheathed his blade. "A proper sword fight has been beyond my reach for a while. I hope you're ready!"

Armed with his one blade, Adam took the most direct course of action he could think of. Charging and leaping, he tried to bring his sword down in a way that would have Dusk block with both weapons. Astonishingly, it worked. Dusk crossed his blades and caught Adam's sword, prepared to have a test of physical strength as the two pushed against each other. Equally matched, they grunted and tried to wrestle each other back. The back of Dusk's neck tingled at the presence of something magical forming, and he sprung back quickly, one blade still keeping Adam's deflected.

The weight of his blade soon became too great to bear. Some unearthly gravity was yanking his bad sword down, its blunted edge still managing to pierce the wet earth until only the sheathe was visible. "What...? Aha! What a power! To focus yourself through metal, bravo! What magic is this, to control gravity itself? To have the earth call out for my blade? Truly a dangerous man! Come, let us test this power of yours!" With a wild cry, Dusk thrust his blade out at Adam. A little giddy with the idea of disarming Dusk, one blade deflected another as he triggered his magnetic magic once again. As metal rubbed, however, sparks and visible crackles of energy flew, and Dusk remained unarmed.

"What!?" Adam twisted his arm and swung a blow aimed at Dusk's neck, causing another clash. Streaks of lightning caused a boom of thunder to echo through the trees as Dusk remained attached to his blade, able to trade blows with Adam rapidly. Each blow created another thunderclap, the woods soon overtaken with the rumbles of their fight. Dusk was discharging the magnetic energy as pure electricity, leaving the air noticably charged with it. Hair stood on end as it built with each blow. "Dammit! I can't get an edge..."

"Not bad, but I'm afraid to say I've fought better." Dusk charged in and traded two swift blows to the sides, knocking Adam's sword side to side before slinging down in a way that pinned Adam's sword to the ground. With a futile effort he tried to tug upward, nearly ignoring the charge building around him. He sensed the spike of energy of his own magic being directed at him, releasing his sword a moment before it was too late. The pent up electric charge hanging in the air coursed down through Dusk's blade and into Adam's, leaping from handle to fingertips as they backed away. Left on, it would have been fatal--only by letting go when he did was Adam able to get away with naught but a brilliant bolt of lightning arcing across his arm and it alone, leaving the limb numb and lifeless. "Back away with your life while you have it."

Dusk turned once more, his gaze resting on Kyrina. From within numerous bubbles, objections were raised over the idea of her being fought against. She was a healer--able to restore, say, Adam's arm. A threat, regardless. "If you do not walk away as soon as you are freed, I shall strike you down. Do not make me harm who I sought to save... Paige." The bubble around Kyrina rippled, but remained up. Dusk's head turned, speaking louder. "Paige. Drop the bubble." And yet she stood motionless, her eyes locked onto Dusk's. She blinked once. Then twice. Everyone watched the servant as her expression hardened a little, betraying the watery eyes forming.

"... No." She flinched, knowing what she had said to her master, but her resolve remained. Kyrina stayed imprisoned... and kept safe.

Dusk's eye twitched again. His own servant, betraying his order? He had offered Kyrina a chance to leave with her life, so nothing was wrong with the command. Nothing! Dusk started stomping toward Paige. His face was not his own. The madness in Dusk's heart was starting to manifest. "Need I remind you what I can do with your--"

A loud splash interrupted his speech, followed by the battlecry of the goliath Grageon. An axe shattered the water like glass before he started his charge to Dusk. "L-LEAVE THE-EM A-ALO-ONE!" The fury in his face matched that of his foe as he brought down his axe aimed right for Dusk's head. The old man dug his heels in and met the clash with a great blaze on his blade, holding his strength against the giant only long enough to let his charged weapon melt through the giant's axe. Dusk sidestepped the section of blade that fell down once separated from the brunt of the axe, but Grageon kept forcing down. In his rage he didn't notice the fact that Dusk's sword inched closer and closer, finally snapping through the handle. Grageon's budy lurched forward and into the blade as it sliced sideways across his chest, still searing in heat. With the wound immediately cauterized, Grageon yelled in pain and stumbled back.

Dusk raised his sword and tried to bring it down into the half giant's neck, but was stopped by a staff coated in a shimmering layer of water. Dusk looked up, finding Caston holding the staff in the way of his swing. Everyone was free of the water, with Delon leading the wounded Adam into a space where Jarrett was forming a wall of earth to hide the trio and a worried Kyrina. That left Dusk to try to pierce Caston's defence as the staff-wielder guarded his giant friend. "Good job, Grageon. Get back to Kyrina." Obediently the gigas crawled away, hugging his chest a bit as he retreated. It was soon only Caston and Dusk, with Paige dropped to her knees, eyes on the duo but fingers remaining unlifted to help either. "A wise man once told me, a staff has two ends."

Dusk gave a little smirk and pulled his sword back, realizing the obvious meaning that he was without two of his 'ends'. One sword missing, and one partner no longer under his control. But what he did not expect is that Caston gripped his staff at the middle, water trickling down below his hand... and a flame sparking at the top, crackling like a torch. "Impressive... I'm glad I picked right."

Caston slammed his staff into the ground at the water end and barked out, "Picked? You provoked. A maniac bent on dying but too great a coward to put a blade to his own throat, assailing the innocent just to make someone angry enough to do the deed for him!" Caston pointed the flame at Dusk, growing brighter with his indignation.

"Then do the deed!" Dusk retaliated with a blazing strike of his own, sword knocking staff aside as the two started slinging their weapons, trading rapid blows. With every attempt Dusk made to destroy Caston's weapon--shocking his water, dousing his flame, slicing clean through the wood--Caston adjusted his energies and denied each effort made. Yet any blow he tried to make to an exposed spot earned a counter strike, a sudden blow to fend off, or burst of magic that forced him to retreat from his swing. The test of proficiency yielded a draw. Caston made the first move at taking the fight to a magical level. Imitating Tahu's fury, he slammed the staff into the water, spraying upward to crash his flaming wood down through, sending bursts of steam out at Dusk's exposed face.

Dusk sliced throuth the incoming steam, billowing wind that vortexed around the steam's creator. Steadily the boiled water built heat, leaving Caston to rapidly start to sweat. He had to act, and swung his staff against the flow of the air. The whirlwind gave way, revealing a sword thrusting toward his heart. Caston tipped the whirling staff down to knock the blade away, rotating himself away from it as it swung. Dusk turned on his heel and continued his spin, aiming at Caston's back. The rotation of the staff stopped, leaving it vertical and able to stop the blow from striking spine. Caston raised his hand up to the end hanging high in the air, new leverage allowing him to give a firm yank that knocked Dusk off balance.
Indeed the wizard staggered back before stopping, slinging his sword straight into the earth. Remembering the magic of the earth, Caston jumped back to avoid numerous spikes of earth aimed at his legs, but only barely saw a flash as Dusk pulled his blade back and thrust it to the ground as if trying to sheathe it in the earth.

A rumble hit Caston's feet as a spike shot upward, nearly piercing his cgest as it shot up. Predicting something larger, Caston at least knew to propel upward with a wind-aided jump, landing on the pointed pillar after its growth ended. Landing at an angle, he sprung off the spike, staff raised in an attempt to slam down upon Dusk while he withdrew his sword from the earth. In a flash of speed only capable of one who trained long in the magic arts, Dusk shot forward under Caston's flying body, imitating his movement. As Caston hit the ground, Dusk was already agaisnt the spike and starting to spring on it. Caston could only turn to see two blurs. One silhouette flying at him with great speed, and another running with greater.

Dusk's blade came down, and a figure tackled into the mage with a reckless battlecry. Both daggers plunged the best they could into Dusk's side as bodies collided, tangling up and rolling from the force of both their movements. Delon was the first to stand, teetering and breathing heavily but already rushing in on Dusk who was only just then getting up. Knowing the speed couldn't easily be kept up with, Dusk sliced his sword across the earth, sending a streak of solid earth at Delon's ankles. Fatigued and still not used to his magic, Delon was caught in the shins and fell facefirst, back exposed to Dusk's sword. Sure enough, the maniac was turning his blade down to plunge into the back of his new assailant.

Caston had one chance to do something. An attack? He would likely not have an immediate way to kill Dusk. Even knocking his balance off would likely not stop the death of Delon. Caston recklessly plunged his staff out, between Dusk's legs and landing the tip into the space just above Delon's fallen head. The water in the earth formed up to a solid shield, the pressure of the water fighting against Dusk's descending blade. His will urged against the water stopping his blade, but in a battle of wills, fatigued and desperate was failing against the blind, mad fury trying to thrust down.

From elsewhere, another will joined. Stronger than steel, the water seemed to solidify, preventing even the intent to stab from going through. Once again, heads turned. Paige had moved. Her eyes were on Delon, and hand was on the ground. She devoted herself to the defence of Delon, her distaste for any more death visible. Caston recognized her eyes again--she was moving of her own free will. Dusk's face, however, wasn't able to pick a side between what seemed to be heartbreak and fury. Both he and Caston had the same thing to utter. "Paige..."

She indeed had enough. Taking the water from around Dusk's blade, she slid it up along the length, forming a thin layer of the liquid over his sword, hands, and forearms. With a flinch of her face and grip of her hand, the water crashed inward, the same strength that took Mabel's life undoing Dusk's grip on his weapon as his hands were crushed. He knew he could not fight against Paige's strength. He made her power stronger... and she took away his.

Without an implement and unable to swing his blade, Dusk was left standing defeated. Caston stood, tapped his staff to the earth again, and pulled a watery spearhead from the earth. With an aimed strike at Dusk's heart, he thrust. The water pierced cloth but stopped at skin, leaving Dusk and Caston deadlocked in one final battle. The fear of death, the need to survive, against the need to defend and desire to save the world. Bit by bit the water finally pierced skin. As soon as the 'edge' hit the heart, Dusk's will gave. Caston hilted his watery spear's blade into Dusk's chest. It was a victory soon broken by a cry of pain, rage, sadness, fear... every emotion in Dusk's twisted heart was pouring out with his final breath.

The ground started to rumble, the water spinning in a vortex around the wizard, energy crackling at random. His control was lost. All the energy of the old man, his fury and power to control all around him, was unleashing itself in a whirlwind of energy threatening the entire party. Caston dropped his staff and grabbed Delon by the wrist, tugging away firmly. "Paige, come on!" With a nod and scramble, the lady joined in helping yank Delon away towards Jarrett's wall. Anything was better than nothing. But to their great surprise, the young boy was rushing past them in a straight line to Dusk. "Jarrett, what the hell are you doing!?"

"I don't know! Just run!" The young mage continued on his path, losing himself in the swirl of energy. Caston gave him a prayer but continued moving away to join the rest of the party behind the wall. Everyone was tucked against the stone, Adam's hand to it in an attempt to reinforce it as Caston and Paige combined efforts to try to make a bubble around the team just in case. Yet even with the combined efforts, the energies risked tearing down their walls. Only abruptly did it stop, leaving the party relieved, a little confused, and a deal more worried about Jarrett. With the barriers lowered, everyone trudged outward, looking upon an odd scene. Earth was scattered around, still crackling with energy as Jarrett stood slumped against a still standing Dusk. Their hands were locked as if wrestling.

"Jarrett? Hey!" Caston rushed up to the two, noticing Dusk's body oddly colorless. Completely still. Finally he could tell, it was petrified. Jarrett had somehow turned the man to stone to quell his fury. The land was visibly scarred by the effort, but not nearly as much as Jarrett himself. His hands were seared, damaged by the magic he had fought to hold back by physical grasp alone. Caston tried to tug him away, but his hands were locked tight with Dusk's, and the stone just didn't give. "Dammit..." Caston looked for his staff, but found nothing. It wasn't his strength to rip stone apart, though. "Grageon! Adam! Someone help him out!"

Adam tried to shatter the stone, but to no avail. Something about the magic of the petrified body kept him from knowing how to safely undo it. So Grageon's brute force came to work, massive hands encasing the stone wrists and gripping in. Stone started to crumble, shards dropping as Jarrett's hands were finally revealed. The process left his hands bloody among its magical damage, but Kyrina immediately put her attention to assessing and trying to help it.

Paige, however, was at Dusk's side, putting a palm to one of his frozen cheeks. A tear fell, followed by another, but she didn't sob. They simply poured out one at a time, dropping onto the grass again and again. Caston took off the amulet and showed it in his palm. "I'll return this if you tell us why. Why this happened, why he was like this, why you served him... We need to know why everything happened."

And so she fulfilled her final promise, to both her master and her party. It was a tale of a boy with his head in the clouds of justice, a gifted Red mage who was somehow able to generate fire from nothing once provoked. His talent feared, and friends gone. A new friend understood the fear, catered to him, allowed him to vent. A best friend who was more feared than the boy himself. She was a Black mage, noticably dark but never banished due to lack of evidence that she was truly evil. However, it didn't take long before the Master magician of the city learned of their friendship, afraid of the combination of power should she make a move. She was watched carefully, and caught in the act. Indeed she intended to abuse the boy's gift to burn the city that seemed to shun her. Remorseless, her hand found his head and twisted it. A young boy, not fully developed and matured, had his entire reality warped. Memories and desired blurred by the hostile takeover of the one person he thought he could trust.

He couldn't take it. The town indeed did burn, his backstabbing 'friend' along with the city. His mind was almost shattered, but one single image kept him from losing himself to the insanity. He heart a baby's cry and say the infant, thankfully a distance enough from the flame and smoke to avoid getting caught within it. No matter what magic was invading his mind, it could not erase his desire to do some good. He found something to devote himself to, keeping the baby safe. Rutilus and Paige travelled, feared for the boy's random and destructive bursts of magic, could never settle down. They always had to move, a stress that further wore at the mind of the young boy. He wanted to do good. But nobody would help him, let alone the baby he was trying to help. What was there to be good for? The thoughts only further fed the Black infiltrating his mind.

Finally enough time passed that the girl could feed on things that could be hunted for, and the boy could hunt. Some years apart in age but linked forever nearly as family, the boy found a cave and was able to keep away from people. He strengthened himself, kept her safe, and tried to learn proper control. For the most part, it worked. He was able to make a life on his own, simply practicing his own arts while learning about Paige's. She took it on herself to help out her savior--as a Blue mage with cold, steely logic that could learn anything rather quickly. She grew dependant on Dusk, effectively knowing only him while he tried to keep himself devoted only to her.

It almost worked. But the insanity in his mind never quelled. The seed had been planted, fed by the mistrust of his childhood years. Seclusion slowed the growth, but never stopped it. He knew in time he would snap. He tried to distract himself with intense training, but the Black took over, leading him to delve into the studies of genetics and mutation. Even in his attempts to avoid the insanity, it started to win out. He had to stop himself. But suicide... he could not leave Paige alone just like that. She needed somewhere to go. And as she was--a shell--just placing her anywhere was madness. And Paige both couldn't and wouldn't harm her savior and master. It had been up to Caston, whose great power and charisma attracted Dusk's scrying eye. So the journey started--Dusk wanted a villian's end before his control was lost. And so he finally got it.

Once the story ended, she fell to her knees and looked down. Her face was blank, as neutral as could be in a forced attempt to hide the heartache. But finally, it was too much. She broke down, crying into the statue, leaving everyone in the party to ponder the worth of the journey. Jarrett groaned and woke up some time in this thought, rubbing his head and yelling in shock of his hands. "What the!? What happened? Why is Dusk stone, what happened to my hands!?"

Caston shot him a very curious look. Jarrett was young and a little ignorant, but... not like this. "You can't be serious. You ran right at him! You did this."

"Me? No way, I... I thought I made a wall for us and... I can't remember." Paige looked at him and gave a small giggle, the idea of not even remembering his action somehow amusing to her. Taking advantage of her smile, she stood and dusted herself off, looking down with wet but noticably happier eyes. "Paige? So you didn't side with him?"

"No... Once upon a time ago, he gave me a way out. I was allowed to leave him, if he was no longer my master. He knows I hate to hurt, and made promises never to abuse my strength for such a feat. When he took over my magic to slay Mabel, it... it showed me he wasn't himself. He wasn't really my master. I... felt free again. Like the first time I was with you guys." She tilted her head and gave a look as if amused with herself. "Free... I kind of always was, but now I know how to be. At least a little. Will you all help me, though? I still don't know where to actually start."

Caston simply smirked a little and offered his hand to shake for a deal--the pendant still available within his hand. "I'll help if you'll let me." Paige looked at the pendant and grasped it, shaking Caston's hand in agreement.

The Full Story of Dusk and Paige:

Riptide · **Posted:** July 12th, 2012, 11:28 pm

That. Was. Amazing.

Tanksandguns · **Posted:** July 13th, 2012, 10:07 am

Incredible.

Saten Ruiko · **Posted:** July 15th, 2012, 7:18 pm

I am incredibly happy to have this RP resolved. Even though I was only in it for a short time, it was easily my favorite of all the ones I've participated in.

Also you did an awesome job. Well done. :mrgreen:

Landerpurex · **Posted:** July 15th, 2012, 8:15 pm

Excellent. I told the man to make a final fight worthy of our entire roleplay, and he did that.

I'm flattered to hear you say that, Jaron, considering the amount of roleplays you've played around here. I had begun to entertain the idea that this one was one of the most successful in its time with over 1000 posts and 4000 views.

At any rate, Kikori has asked me to concoct an epilogue, and I will grant this request, though it may take a small amount of time. He will no doubt harass me until I finish it, though, and after such an effort from him I feel almost obligated to.

Cheers for playing along, everyone, and expect an epilogue in the near future, after several decisions have been made.

Riptide · **Posted:** July 15th, 2012, 8:20 pm

Landerpurex wrote:

He will no doubt harass me until I finish it

He won't be the only one.

Saten Ruiko · **Posted:** July 15th, 2012, 10:01 pm

Landerpurex wrote:

I'm flattered to hear you say that, Jaron, considering the amount of roleplays you've played around here.

Haha, stop giving me so much credit man.

I think I played in like 4 Battlefield games or something, and only four actual RPs come to mind (and every single one of them died.

) I am easily one of the most inexperienced of everyone, I just like these things is all.

(But truly it was my favorite; you should be proud.

)

Riptide · **Posted:** July 16th, 2012, 12:14 am

That reminds me, we never got to use my awesome jedi light trick where we use Kyrina's necklace to bend light and make Dusk not see attacks that were coming.

Tread the Path at Dusk

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