Terminus: Aldorin's Total Circuitry Purge

Yorumi was not found... Yet.
Alas, an assembly of the magus ilk was in attendance...
Alongside them? Dozens of nonmagus cultists taking to the night.
The workers of the day had retired to their tent city, leaving only Seers and Votaries present.


"This grouping will do just fine..."

The ideals of each member present was mentally catalogued -- and tonight? At least one, would be accommodated. It was time to make true on his promises.

The First Miracle of this proto-settlement was at-hand.

"Come... The preparations are nearly at-hand..."
The ebb and shift of the light nigh insinuated of the everlasting dark of the nightscape being culled -- wrought together to spawn the image of The End from beyond the prying eyes of those nigh. From the darkness? His image simply -was-...

As though it always was...
No need for theatrics, for the light emanated was limited.
Towering above the canopy, as though simply kneeling behind it just moments prior.

As he swiveled in fluid fashion, the titanic demon Patron's footfalls sought to rumble at the land underfoot. Cultists muttered prayers at the sight of him, drawing forth a cacophony of noise when joined with the moaning of the damn grafted to his flesh.

They were relocating to... A larger patch of the land.
One, where ritualistic markings were scribed across the ground: Runes, specifically drafted to evoke some sort of spell with mana applied. It was dug out of the dirt, around...

… Were those... Eggs?


They were huge... Amber, and occasionally? Pulsating sapphire, bustling with mana. However, they were walked by -- not the center of one's focus. Instead? A blank canvas of soil was taken to, with the upper-left arm slowly lifted to point a digit forth -- commanding the rest tofollow suit.

"Aldorin, My Herald... You will lie there..."
A subtle shift of his finger and... "And you..."
He wasn't pointing to anyone, but the psionic channel being forged wrought a connection to Retsuki.

"Will stand there..."
Such process repeated itself for Varrach's Bastard, and Ceiswyr respectively, until a half-circle with the nameless demon standing north-face from Aldorin took form.

"Your body's reconstruction, shall be completed on this day...
--and afterwards? The ritual that shall conjure my Nightreapers? Shall commence..."
His finger fell back to his side, and in silence -- the two-dozen tall titan idled in wait.
(Etheric Presence)

A frown was given by the ''warlock'' before be nodded and moved to lie were the demon patron had ordered him to be, while he didn't exactly trust the entity there was no hesitation from Aldorin. This was just the first step to complete their contract and if Terminus were to be true to his word the demon patron would be rewarded with his loyalty, something that was hard to adquire but easy to be lost.

"Understood." He'd say in a stoic tone before closing his eyes and relaxing his body.
(Aldorin of Terminus)

Retsuki brought about a hand. Almost waving at the force that felt as if it had been providing instructions on what to do this very day. Aldorin was to be given a nod.

The unarmed fighter moved closely and stood near where the man rested and laid at. Terminus was to be heeded for the safety that was of the Warlock.

"Mm."

Retsu just stood idle, but vigilant at this time.
(Retsuki)

The demon finally arrived at this island yet again. It's now a stained mess of grey turning black. Their horns have both been damaged - one broken completely. A yellow orb of cosmic energy's tainted by a different energy of similar ilk.

And yet somehow, this monster stood. It followed Terminus just as the others did to lie in wait. While it did, certain injuries have continued to heal thanks to blessed genes.
(Bastard)

A dark night..

Heralding an ominous undertaking. A missive, it had been received. A location garnered upon parchment, passed unto his eyes. With everyone distracted by sparring within Gloomlight, the Ookami was swift to make his exit. Meeting Aldorin at the specified location.

Traversal were undertook towards the island he had found via tavern rumour. Walking soft footfalls heralded his arrival towards a larger clearing wherein a ritual circle was inscribed upon freshly tiled soil.

Sienna gaze glanced about. Gazing upon the egg's. The spheroid shapes drawing the eye. Glimmering obsidian shimmering with an amber hue, as a psionic sensation t'were felt. It seemed to be bidding Ceiswyr towards a singular spot within the confines of environs.

A carrying trek of feet.

He stands at the ready.

Waiting, watching. Ready to help with the ritual, even if it was in accordance of just offering mana.
(Ceiswyr Tywyllwch)
Veins probed from its flexed muscularity, for all-four of its arms strained by its sides, before stretching forth across a patch of vacant land. As his maws opened, a wail sought to challenge the heavens...
The very bowels of Hel were called upon, and the powers that brimmed throughout his blood and soul, were invoked!

The pyre of lavender he summoned forth so boastfully, was pulsated through his feet into the soil. Where many other occultists simply Desecrated the Land with an impulsive casting upon their surroundings? Terminus skillfully directed his efforts, shredding the soil with blades of shadow, until inscriptions encompassed the numbers here -- gleaming of the same mauve that irradiated from his figure.

Nonmagus cultists ran amongst the scribed manifestation, carrying crystalized mana attuned to various elements...

Fire.
Water.
Lightning.
Earth.
Air.

The primordial elements...
Those relinquished of the Arcane.
And five points described in the Litany of Death.

His lower-left hand gleamed of a sapphire, pulsating with the proximity of it alongside that of other living entities. It would appear as though the Patron had done runic work on its own body, for the veins on that respective arm gleamed of the sapphire of its exposed circuitry, having burned through the flesh.

However, those were elements...
The magi count was only...

"Four..."
To account for himself in tow.


"That, should be enough to ensure stability..."
Their body appeared more lax now, for the majority of the energy poured into the technique, was to initiate the ritual. To prolong it? Would require the combined efforts of the others...

To Retsuki? Terminus' head would turn first...
"You, will funnel your energy through the inscriptions... With what remains, ensure that not Aldorin's body, nor any other moves, for such will undo the ritual. Using my inscriptions as your guide, your mana should hold them in place..."

To Ceiswyr? Terminus' head turned next...
"You, will do the same, but channel your energy towards the elemental crystals... The powered inscriptions should allow you to manipulate their essence without attunement. Such, shall be called upon, to flood their circuitry and meddle with the tightness of one's binding to their natural attunement. Thus, weakening the bond..."

And then, Varrach's Bastard... would be turned to last.
"And alas, you shall complete it... Once their body is flooded with that of the five attunements? You shall flood them with mana with your attunement to the stars... Siphon at their vitality, and their systems shall compensate. What should remain, is their body fighting for survival...
The parts of me that lie within them, shall keep them alive.
They will, like any demon... Be forced to evolve... Lost of their attunements at last."

Perhaps, there was a more distinct, refined way of doing such? One, that was far less violent on the body... But alas, Terminus' methods were confident, backed up by the principles of the Litany of Death.

"Now..." Through the leylines of the rather weak alchemy circle? Wrought binding flames of ebony to lock them collectively into place.
It was time, for the ritual to begin.

"Aldorin of Terminus... Today, you shall truly be reborn..."
(Terminus)
The fighter raised his hands out and etched towards the runic formation. The very mana from Retsuki had been funneled through the inscriptions.

All in a bid to ensure that Aldorin's very body was unmoved. As well as for anyone else.

There was no erraticness. No jumbled movements. Only profound stillness as an eerily calm expression had been raised upon the violent one's face. Retsuki focused deeply on the ritual.

Involvement within such a thing brought by a literal etheric presence. The one and only patron.

Mana gently oozed and etched more and more. All in a bid to coil and restrict the movements of anyone within the ritual.
(Retsuki)
Alderin stood still with his eyes closed waiting for the ritual to start, while he didn't trust his companions his thirst for revenge and power was bigger than his distrust. He needed his body to be rebuilt to finally stand a chance to fight his rival as equals, just like he could fight that accursed woman before his body became sick he hoped to be able to fight again.

As mana was poured into the leylines and the others started to do their part of the ritual Aldorin focused on his memories, how Touki died, and how much he loved his rival but also hated her. But the most important memory, how she hurt him and even denied giving him Touki's book after his death...that was her fault.

"I hate you." He thought while focusing on his hatred to power himself and the leylines to make it easier for his circuitry to be felt and the ritual to start, or maybe the man just needed that hatred. Hatred and jealousy were the only thinking keeping him alive, his firstrebirth had happened when he fell into the pit and now the second was starting.

Alderin knew that he didn't have to hate her and keep going, but he couldn't stop himself anymore. What else was left to him?

He wouldn't accept their pity and how they looked at him as if he was pathetic, he would never be pathetic again.

"Through hatred, my chains are my broken, my hatred breaks the fear. There is no more fear, there is only power."


(Aldorin of Terminus)

Phantasmal chains, thick cords of invisible mana suffused alike shackles. Rooting Ceiswyr in place. A heaviness settled upon thin frame.

Mana emitted from the various runic inscriptions that littered the soil in the guise of ritual circle.

The Ookami hissed, air escaping mouth as thine own mana surged forth, casting a lingering glow of etheric mana about his visage. The motes of mana dangled suspended before funneling forth towards the circular line of the ritual circle at his feet.

Trailing along the circle of the ritual. Towards the elemental crystals that rested upon four points within the boundary of the ritual carving. The four elemental crystals alighted.

Lightning sparked to fore along the purple gemstone, a swift gust of spiraling air emerged about the surface of the green gem. Across the fire crystal, surged a small blaze, from the water crystal the pitter patter of sloshing water was heard. Lastly from the earth crystal, underneath it came a soft rumbling as earth rippled churning soil.

The ritualistic Crystal catalyst's surged, as mana t'were taken from each correlating to the elements that comprised thine making.

Directed with the finesse of a brute battering ram, against the ritual lines, and crawling within confines of such to entreat upon the prone form of Aldorin of Terminus. Mana from each crystal began to invade his being, suffusing within circuitry.. all to destabilize the bond'd attunement already present within Aldorin own entity.
(Ceiswyr Tywyllwch)

"Through hatred, my chains are my broken, my hatred breaks the fear. There is no more fear, there is only power." He'd whisper like a mantra to keep his hatred burning bright until his vitality and circuits had been drained like promised and his body shaped into something better.

(Aldorin of Terminus)

Finally, it was this demon-spawn's part to commit to such nefarious acts. The monstrosity stepped up and kneeled over the restrained cambion. Such a build-up of occultic presence would normally send this beast into a frenzy, but now it had enough intelligence to stave its hunger in favor of control.

Thus, it moved on with the process. With influence instilled into Aldorin, a rugged hand has pressed against his back. The beast's eyes closed, allowing full concentration to access the gates to its mana through thought alone. Even with this foreign influence and scars causing a headache did it not stop the activation process. Simply, it's a simple will provided from mastery of the dark arts that keep it from tampering with this pivotal project.

So therefore,

with required focus, thoughts have been emptied with a command when beckoning forth this one's mana. Through so, there's a link formed with the source of power - stronger than before and controlled to efficiency from this monster. The mana leaks into the cambion, and from this connection is a sensation of something much more vile in its own right overwatching with a wide grin as always.

Soon after, this same sensation siphoned Aldorin's life... Like a mosquito to blood.
(Bastard)


The feeling of his own spell binding himself in place was unique... Not once had he ever managed to conjure something so powerful it had managed to surpass him wholly. Though, for a moment there -- it appeared as though Varrach's Bastard had seemingly ebbed himself from his position!
Alas, the bindings did their job, the inscriptions were not unconsciously broken for the time being...

Retsuki had committed to his part of the ritual without issue!
Then, there was Ceiswyr, fastening their energies through the transmutation circle and runes alike. All five elements were engaged, battering against their body, circuitry and likely waning at the binding of such attunements and the soul...
The body was likely being put under immense strain, weakening from the flood of excess mana striving dominion over a tortured and poisoned circuit.

Though, such coalescing was not without the finishing touch...
Against all odds, it would seem the primary purpose of such bindings had played out to fruition. The Bastard Demon was not free to act on its impulses so callously, for the bindings that were enforced sought to slow them down at the very least -- ensuring that one didn't decide to go overboard before the collective could rush in to pacify them.

Vitality was siphoned, weakening the tether between the flesh and the spirit, while the arcane was also introduced into the matter.
Alas, the body was being bombarded with an excess of 7 elements.

Of the physical...
Of the metaphysical...
And now? Of the arcane...

The goal was the body to be stripped, rinsed thoroughly of its previous attachments for a blank slate, merely tainted by occult. It extended into one's blood after all...

"It's all coming together..."

Through his own casted magic, he followed the artificial circuitry crafted through the transmutation circle's leylines, trailing until they met encompassed Aldorin's flesh -- possessing at them with a rising miasma of shadows and occult, possessing at them through their blood connection.

Such wrought them into a levitation, wrought up by their chest to the air.
Spatial magics sought to vacuum the very air from the lungs... Flexing muscularity, and defying the very instructions told unto Retsuki?!
Wasn't everyone supposed to remain still?
Alas, Terminus hadn't explained all of the properties of runic creation.

For Aldorin's stillness was only mildly limited for this reason -- the majority of their restraint would come from Terminus himself.
Instead, it was insurance...
To ensure none of them would meddle with the ritual throughout... After all, demons were still demons...
And humans? Could be as nefarious as ever.

A century's worth of life permitted one with such precautious thinking after-all.

--but what was Terminus doing?
Just as he had sensed through the physical bodies of humans before, he sought to commit to that very same act here, extending his etheric influence unto Aldorin's now levitating figure.

He had partially rebuilt their body from the ground up once... Inducing mutation by forcing them to partake in his blood... In his flesh...
Until he would trigger a controlled transformation.
Now? He would tamper with it, the same way Varrach committed to with the destruction of Abendrot.

Except? This time, it was controlled...
Not indiscriminate nor potent enough to render their body cancerous and deteriorating like his own...
The image? The sight of literal leylines being carved through the skin, as though the circuitry were burning through the flesh, not-unlike Terminus' lower-left arm having suffered the same fate.

Though, such seemed much more... Controlled, intentional...
As though to forge something seemingly robotic in design. Each slice into the flesh emulated the jagged and blocky design of a technological wonder. Though, such was flesh...
A cambion cleansed of their circuitry, though mildly physically damaged in the effort.

In beholding such of his Herald, Terminus couldn't help but give an insidious grin.

"Yessss…"
The hiss through the end of his utterance echoed through the transmundanic scene -- haunted by the occult, and sung to by the damned grafted to Terminus' form.


(Terminus)



"Abrenuntio quod me unum De multis facit, quia multi Ex uno sumus."


His flesh ebbed, for the damned sought fervorously for liberty...
One of which finally plopped free from his left shoulder -- a magi of renown, identity lost to time. Their flesh now ebony, leaving them unrecognizable... But their parting maws would speak in their once-lost voice, for their vocal chords were left intact:
"Renuntio quod sanguinem ulterius petit, mox enim nunquam iterum sanguinem iungemus."

They spoke, as though to answer Terminus.
In doing such, his opposing shoulder wriggled, writhed... Before yet another face plopped free, irking left and right until it could get proper seating, able to speak unabated:
"Abrenuntio quod me ad sanguinalem impellit, quia carne caecati non manebimus."

Finally, Terminus himself spoke, as though to assure to them both:

"Abrenuntio quod me mortalem facit, mox enim immortali iungemus."


The collective chants of nonmagus cultists around the transmutation circle spoke in unison now...
They called out, shouting at the top of their lungs! And in their collective speech? Some of which took upon a mauve glow.
Terminus' influence was spreading, possessing at one... Then another...
Then another...
Slowly as the ritual took place.

They were nonmagus, making such possession relatively easy -- but to condone his efforts to the ritual -and- them, was rather excessive, making the connection weak unto the nonmagus compatriots. In doing such? These human participants were likely to leave this ritual with their lives.

Regardless, his voice reigned true from many of their collective gullets:

"Finis praeco invoco, vis ut perfice visum meum ut consequar.

Invoco praeconem extremum, offerre carnem meam et animam, ut merear eius.

Per manus eius semper more- vivam — Mortales iras non patiar amplius.

Sed somnium ficti mihi, et omnibus qui etiam vident."


For a moment, the world went silent...
As though it was coddled away -- reaped by the metaphysical, mulled unto eternal darkness.
Oblivion, where none were meant to return.
In this absolute quiet, only his true name was uttered...
Spoken through a voice unlike one Terminus was depicted to use up until now...
One that spoke without gravel, nor the curse of Death haunting him...
One that spoke soothingly... Calm...
Truly at ease.

"Usque Terminus"

Alas, a flash of light, enveloping all magi within the transmutation circle in a pillar of mauve that sought to pierce the heavens. Their details were wrought to naught but strained stress lines to sustain their silhouettes, breaking apart as the spell took hold.

Suchcombustion was intended to be that of Aldorin's body, forced to finally flush it all out. Terminus' intention to bring it all to a close by possessing their figure, draft inscriptions upon their form to circumvent their current circuitry and finally evoke most of their mana collectively in a singular controlled burst upwards - and away from the nonmagus cultists chanting along the perimeter of the scene.

The transmutation circle's glow was extinguished... And what remained? Was a gravitational well that emulated the antigravity-likeness of buoyancy. Within it? The magi that participated in the ritual were free to move...
Free to explore such an odd phenomenon....
But within the center?


The Herald Of The End
He would be levitated up to their feet, able to control their form once more...
Flesh, remade...
Circuitry, rewrit...
Attunements? likely... vanquished


Terminus towered tall now, prying the heads of the once-renown magi back into the flesh of his shoulders. To the eternal darkness within his being they'd reside once more, unlikely to see the light of day for eternity's passing... Unless another magi were to force their invocation once more.
(Terminus)
There were screams coming from the Cambion as his vitality was drained and his circuitry cleaned from previous attunements, his body going through immense strain and pain being weakened really close to death but being kept alive. Once again the Cambion was being rebuilt, this was his second rebirth as herald of Terminus.

The rebirth needed for his sick body to heal and to have a chance at revenge, if he were to survive the man would have a chance to fight the one that was in his thoughts until he passed out due to the pain. Hatred powered the man to stay awake until the ritual was complete, his body mutating and being rebuilt at an inhuman speed.

"SHIGENOBU!"

He'd yell furious before passing out due to the pain, pain, and hatred that had set him free but was it all? There were feelings hiding inside the Cambion, the source of all his hatred...rejection.

If the ritual were to work the magi would work to never be rejected or abandoned again, he would never be seen as weak or inferior. His shattered mind was being healed even if a bit, instead of many voices now it was just one surrounded by darkness and a lesser one...a small thing that couldn't be understood.
(Aldorin of Terminus)