Aidon Haruke: Hades' Treachery

A mention of the Oscuri's homeland upon Valmasia: Alteros, lead the Harukean Arbitrator further away from Mormegil in search for potential candidates amongst the population, ditching the spiritual conjurations he harbored under his manipulative control up until now. They were useless as of now, incapable of true damage against his opposition nor a challenge to sustain under the power of the Arbitor's Mark.

The dirt road he traversed passed through a legion of craters rapturing the land, likely from an aged attack. To this day, the crack of brittle bones under the thin layer of dust and earth crunch beneath his boots, leaving him with mild empathy for the human and Oscuri lost in the wars of the past.

Aidon's vermillion hues scanned across the land, observing a small gathering in the distance, huddled within the likes of a crater about a person of interest he couldn't make out from his distance. Perhaps it was best to simply make his announcement and be on his way once he found those interested?
A sigh escaped his parting lips, eyes closing for a moment's rest in preparation for the speech he pieced together in his approach upon the land-bridge.

"People of Alteros!" He announced, hoping to pry even a single persona's attention. With that initial proclaimation, he settled back down to his typical husky and chilled tone, no longer pressed to call out to others any further inland. The faster this was done, the better--

"I come in search for warriors, and magi on the route to power. For I, have taken up a practice that can only be compared to what you Valmasians dub..." He paused to find the correct terminology.
"...Divine."

"To those willing, I will personally unlock your capabilities with a mark that supercedes that of Kokb'eal, Sinh, and even Judeal's own. A mark unknown to this land until this day... Come forth, allow me to show you the power I acknowledge so..."
The man's claim could easily be deemed dismissable, considering the oddity it harbored. It was an oddity in itself...

(Aidon Haruke)

Eiri wasnt intending on paying attention to the man who had just arrived, that was, until he mentioned power. Her eyes homed in on him and become locked on his form, her interest spiking tenfold at the mention of a single word. She didnt quite like how shady his proposition was, but as desperate for progress as she was, it couldnt hurt to atleast check it out.

Pacing away from the little group of people, as if hypnotized by his call, she walked over until she was about a meter away from the man. "You mentioned something about power. What is it you are offering?" She asked calmly, yet her tone was overflowing with curiosty and interest.

However, even as obsessed with the idea as she was, it was not enough to make her complete lose judgement. She still wasnt quite sure about this, the deal sounded a bit too far fetched for her.
(Eiri)

"What am I offering?" The Harukean queried, as though teasing her question with an echo, "What I offer is as blatant as it was stated. Raw, Power... And without so much of a catch nor cost as Judeal, Kokb'eal, or Sinh may strike you with. Infact, I'm feeling rather generous with the power I possess, sharing it amongst you Valmasians to further my experience in mana transference." He stated with a warming smile, defying his typical sly grin.

"Though, the procedure may burn alittle, " He warned, "The end result is an enhancement upon your essence and potency. If there is any cost to anyone I must say, it -does- cut a portion of my reserve off. It also allows me an idea of the affinities you capable of casting, though such should be relatively obvious at a glance, Oscuri."

He approached rather casually, bringing rise to his right arm, exposing the Xsperitan-grade runic markings that traversed up his arm: Transmunic tattoos, adopting a saffton glow as mana was forwarded through it's likes, akin to an arcane imbued weapon of choice charging up with it's user's mana reserve.

One of the glowing arms were extended out to lay upon Eiri's shoulder, where a prodding sensation could be felt should she allow his touch to carry through. The sensation was not limited to the flesh, but directly to one's circuit; Aidon's mana was attempting to invade her circuit, though couldn't quite complete the deed by force against another magi-- It was all a passive act from the looks of it.

"However, I can not give you power you don't accept... This is something you must allow to pour into your being. Once done, it is yours to manipulate, yours to control... A piece of my power will always be binded to your being. Consider it a contract of sorts... As for my name? I failed to give it out prior. You can call me... Hades."
(Aidon Haruke)
Eiri stared at him for a while, her expression was firm but her eyes were full of doubt. This sounded incredibly shady, never had she heard a shadier proposal in her entire life, even when scrouging through the streets of the lowest areas in the cities, where criminals and other assorted scum lived. It was, however, oh-so-tempting.

Sighing, she nodded. "Let me be straight with you here. I think this is some kind of trick, you are going to fuck me over with some kind of curse or something horrible. Im 99% sure this is going to bite me in the ass. People dont just go around offering power for no price..." She mumbles, deeply annoyed. "But sure, whatever, Ill give you the benefit of the doubt. If it does fuck me over I atleast hope Ill still be able to kick your ass for it." She added with a heavy frown.

Closing her eyes, she tried her best to relax, though she was incredibly worried about her fate after this strange procedure. She let Aidon's mana seep into her system as it wished, accepting his 'gift', or whatever it was. Her heart pounded in her chest, her mind screamed against it. But if there was any chance that this might truly be free power, she had to try. She did, though, very much hope that it was reversible should something bad happen.
(Eiri)
He couldn't believe it... He -ACTUALLY- got someone to accept his contract! The power of the Harukean Clan would be proven on this day, and the absolute activation of the Arbitor's mark will have been in grasp-- It's limitations tested for the first time on a living, breathing persona. Perhaps, he wouldn't mess this up, and the Oscuri would see results. He personally didn't know, he never once tested this 'divine' power on anyone aside from those whom were already dead.

The tangerine glow emanating from the palm of his hand replicated the feeling of a cast iron sinking into mortal flesh, even mirroring it's sizzle. Though, a contradicting sensation combatted the burning feeling that Aidon's touch granted. A soothing swoosh of his mana breaking the barriers between his own circuit and Eiri's own, demonstrating the odd anatomy of Harukean kind.

Rather than mana vampirism, like his Oracle baring counterparts that'd utilize Lyperion Utovex to consume their prey, and leave them as shallow husks, if not consumed entirely, Aidon's feat as an Arbitor was to bless those with a portion of his own power. He seemed to shudder, quaking at the cringing feeling of his own essence escaping him, leaving him drained.

Although his overall reserves were nigh halved, Eiri's potence would recieve a respectable rise; Albeit, it wasn't absolutely dramatic. He shown signs of evident fatigue, and the glow that illuminated his marks had been riddened of-- However, he -did- furfill the deed. Eiri had a portion of his power now... But what were the conseqences?

A look in the mirror would earn Eiri the answer to such a question... The color of her pupils had shifted to match that of Aidon's own-- A trademark perhaps? Vermillion hues would take up her person, but aside from that, not even a scar from his touch remained. So far, it'd seem as though he spoke the truth!
(Aidon Haruke)

Eiri breathed deeply, fully calming herself to properly recieve the strange mana. The girl felt the burning sensation of his touch starting to rise, gritting her teeth loudly and twitching as it shifted into a burning agonizing feeling. As if for a stroke of fate, however, the girl had specifically been training her resistance to pain for the last three months, and so could remain still as the process happened. She could also feel the odd cool sensation mixing in with the searing pain, somehow mingling with it in an indescribable way. The girl was relieved when the burning feeling begun to let up, leaving only the cool sensation for some time, until that too faded away.

After that the feelings were definitely something completely different. This she truly couldnt describe, it was as if having a new bodypart, something new inside of her had just sprouted out of nowhere. Her own rieka somehow mingling with the alien energies, assimilating them into her very core and powering her being.

Opening her eyes, the girl stared at the man for a few moments before looking down at herself and scanning her own body. Surprisingly, nothing bad had happened, she didnt feel anything wrong, no mind control, no crazy mutations, no death. "Huh..." She mumbled, the surprise clear in her voice. "Im...actually fine. This is unexpected." She added with a chuckle. "I mean, this feels weird but Im pretty sure its not bad. Youre actually a nice guy." She continued, looking back over to the man. She did sort of feel bad for doubting him, but she really couldnt blame herself, the offer was really weird.

"I have no idea what you just did, but uh, I suppose Ill figure the effects out in time. Sorry for doubting you and stuff. Though, what -did- you do anyways?" She asked after a short pause, rubbing her shoulder to check for any injuries, once more surprised at the lack of any.
(Eiri)
Unbeknownist to the girl, there -was- an ulterior motive, she simply wasn't aware of it. It did not fester, nor build... But sustain, dormant. Aidon hadn't reason to break trust between himself and Eiri and thus wouldn't condone to such a task. However, the idea that he managed to pull it off forced a wide grin upon his face, trying so hard to prevent from bursting into a violent laughter-- It would more than likely prove terrifying to one whom had already accepted his gift.. Or so he'd assume.

"What -did- I do?" He echoed once again, finding the idea of entertaining himself with the parrot behavior to be ingenious for the moment.
"Well, I'm not entirely sure it'd make too much sense to one unlike myself or kin... but..."

He reached his arms out, as though to embrace her. "I used the power of the Arbitor's Mark... It's... Something unique to my race of people: The Harukean Race. It isn't exactly something a human would be capable of, not without being blessed by one of our stature at our leisure. Though, the odds of a human surviving the process is.... So slim. The conversion to jumpstart the evolution needed to match the intellect, and magical superiority of my kind is simply... Much too great."

As of now? He was treading rather dangerous grounds, for he wished not to engage in combat just yet. He was far too winded to urge such in his state.
"My Harukean anatomy, and traditional markings leaves me with an alternated means of casting... Or, an exclusive technique bent to my leisure... These 'markings' upon my flesh are the key to what was locked within me. Though, simply removing them will not remove the power at all, no... It's simply the activation, merged into my very blood as an amplifier...

A mutation of my being that differs me, from you, drakanites, and common humans."

He finished with a parting statement: "I suppose you truly wish, you can call it 'Divine Magic', for it is the amplication of your power at the cost of mine..."
The mana forwarded to Eiri was much more than a simple donation, but the key to unlocking a connection forged between them both. A faceless miasma trembled about his physique in a display of his magic use for the first time!

Slowly, he hovered for the air, demonstrating his telekinetic capability! Flight!
The man could hover, resting his vermillion hues upon Eiri as he left.
"We'll meet again soon enough." He stated...
Prior to turning away, and departing through the skies...

But wait a moment... Something wasn't right!
As he departed, his words met Eiri's ears, but never once past his lips. It was as though he was speaking directly to her... But not from a direction, but within!
Was this an illusion? Perhaps he was an illusionist as well...
(Aidon Haruke)
Eiri stared right into the man's eyes as he spoke, trying her best to assimilate all the knowledg she could. Nodding softly at his statements she carefully listened, atleast she had found one single person willing to tell her stuff, everyone else seemed to busy with their own bullshit. "I see." She replied calmly, there was still something fishy about it, if he had to sacrifice his own power to boost hers, then he absolutely had another reason.

Blinking as the man turned around she seemed to realize there was something odd about the conversation. She didnt seem to recall his mouth moving, but she wasnt sure why. That sounded crazy, but she didnt know if it had been just her mind playing tricks, some kind of side effect, an illusion or something more serious.

Regardless, she would have to wait and see. "Alright, Ill be waiting. I still do hope this doesnt turn sour at some point, too." She replied as the man started flying away, squinting her eyes at him as she watched for a few moments. All in all, it seemed like a good deal so far, she needed power in absurd amounts as fast as she could, this was a great opportunity, even if it came with a price later.
(Eiri)