Dawn of Daemonic Revolution

Wandering...
That was all it could possibly do, considering the lack of recent game.
The Most Dangerous Game, were that of which could be the most evasive...
The most intellectual...
The most powerful...
... and the most common...

It wasn't very long before it'd come across the sound of others roaming nigh--
Training?
Fighting?
Hunting?
... It didn't know, nor did it care, so long as they were present.
Within the creases of the cavernous scene, he shrouded itself within the bleak shadows of their surroundings, detectable only by the shimmering gleam of its vermilion optics.

Easy prey, was likely weak prey as far as it was concerned...
Which left Shido acknowledged by its gander, but moreoff Zar--... It'd squint... No... That wasn't a human being at all! What it had thought it saw, adorned with a sizable sword and possessed an aged figure likely to have magically and physically matured was actually... A very well placed rock, devoid of the occasional column of sunlight that shone from up above.

Which left, the boy...
The guttural murmur of its gullet sounded off, implying its pending arrival.
Awareness to one's surroundings would turn eyes to the topside of a mesa nigh, revealing those adhorrent vermillion hues from up-above, prepared to dive down from what seemed to be the ceiling granted perspective!
(Vile Yokai)
Jin would talk to Zaros for little bit before he suddenly had to go. If he were Zaros, he wouldn't want anybody slowing down his training either. Anyways, Jin would wave goodbye to his friend. He would set his stuff down. He guessed he would start training again. He knew that others were counting on him to get stronger, and if he couldn't do that, he felt as if he was letting his friends, his new family, and his parents down. He began to think about the Yokai that had hurt his brother Hayate.

The hatred that he felt for that Yokai was like no other. This was the first time that Jin had actually wanted to kill something so badly. He just had to hone his skills, right? He had gotten one of the two magics that he planned become successful with, now there was only one left. But still.. He wondered if he should really join the Draco Nivis. He wanted to protect his family, but he didn't know if war was really for him. All he knew was that..

"If another Yokai tries to even touch my big brother.. I'll kill them."

He wondered what Hayate was doing as of right now. He probably was getting stronger as we speak. Jin knew that nothing would stop him from getting what he wanted. He had seen the anger in his eyes when he saw Jin pinned against the tree. He wanted to immediately go after that Yokai even after their complete defeat. Jin had to calm the both of them down, though. They both had vowed that even if their blood was spilled, they wouldn't give up, they would get stronger.

He clenched his fists and picked up sword. He noticed something, though. There was a change in the atmosphere. He looked around and tried to calm himself. Was it the Yokai from before? No.. This feeling was different. He grabbed his head. Whatever it was, it probably shouldn't mess with him right now. If a Yokai tries to get in his way, he'll kill it. Such disgusting creatures don't deserve to live in this world. There may be those intelligent ones, but would intelligent people resort to violence to solve problems? No. He kept hearing a strange noise. He looked up at the ceiling. There was something there. Was it an insect? Or.. He shook his head. Whatever it was, it didn't look like it came to talk. He grabbed his sword tightly, waiting on it's next move.
(Shido Enjin)
There it was...
Acknowledgement in the form of a grasped blade; Though, without any means of measurement to calculate the power he was standing up against, it could only presume that a child lacked the capability to fend for itself...
But, if a child was truly as feeble as it had come to believe, due to lack of bodily maturity... Then... Why was one here? One, out in the open, midst the wilderness without protection.

Why was a mere boy, armed with a blade?
Why, did they speak of death as though it was an act easily committed-- Especially at such youthful age.
The end presumption? This was perhaps, not an ordinary child...
Did that imply that it was as powerful as the magi it'd come across before?

"You... Must... Be.... Strong..."
The voice cackled throughout the telepathic channel, cringing in its own right-- Assailing in its own right, perhaps, even defined as its own aggressing spell to forego its hostilities.
A slight tilt of the head was complemented by a semblence of a sickly grin, "... Perhaps... You be... Next... Meal.... Yes?"
There was further encroachment in the form of vertical crawling for the ground nigh Shido's position.
(Vile Yokai)
He would stare at the creature before him. He was able to talk to. It wasn't as fluent as the one before, but he was speaking the human language. He didn't know what this creature had wanted with Jin, but he knew that it was dangerous. He had called him his next meal. This wouldn't do. He had to do something. Maybe he could scare it off or something? He didn't know if this one was on par with the one he fought from earlier, so he was very cautious. He knew that you shouldn't judge a book by it's cover. He grabbed his sword and focused his mana. He summoned his wind magic to send violent winds through the cave, knocking some spikes off of the ceiling.

"No. I'm nowhere near strong. But.. I won't be your next meal! I promised my brother that we both would grow stronger no matter what, and when it came to it. It had to be one of us that killed that Yokai from before! You're not going to defeat. You're just too weak."

Maybe his confidence and wind magic would scare him off a bit. He didn't know the true strength of the creature before him, but he knew he shouldn't take it lightly. He took a deep breath. If it came to it, he would just have to fight. He figured that there was no avoiding it, he was just prolonging the inevitable. He examined the creature. It was a weird one, yes. But Jin had to be confident in his own strength. If he couldn't do this, who would be there to save him? Nobody was close enough to even hear his screams if he were to be defeated.

"If you try to attack me, I will kill you!"
(Shido Enjin)
Zaros had watched the two talk for a little while now.and the Yokai seemed to want to... eat shido.....? Or Jin as he calls himself now. and he stood toe to toe with a yokai... But this one wasent like the others, it seemed.... different. It seemed smarter then the others. Zaros stayed low for the time since he believed it hadent seen him yet. but he wouldnt stay low for long as it was now threatening Jin. Zaros had to step in and show his power.

"Hey you! Yokai! Can you hear me? Try and eat someone your own size!" as Zaros said this he went into mist form and appeared infront of Jin. Heflexed his chest and arms and summoned a water aura around him. "You want someone strong? Well i'm right here" He didnt have a doubt that Jin could handle himself. But Zaros was not one to let his friends get into harms way.

Zaros drew his great sword with one hand and pointed it at the Yokai,

"If you want shido you will have to go through me first!"
(Zaros Magness)
An unexpected intervention!
He could've sworn he heard this one's voice...
He saw this one, once before... If only he managed to keep his eyes on them longer, perhaps he could've taken the advantage of surprise before it could be taken on him.
Regardless, it wouldn't matter... If he was to interrupt the matter, the target would simply change and the intensity of the bout would only tip for the better. Though, was it worth it? Or was he better off running?

The nameless beast took note of the venturamancy, prepared to pounce only to find... It missed? Entirely...
No... The kid was never aiming for him!
Its head cringe enough to catch sight of stalagmites torn asunder from the ceiling, swiflty pindropping for the general vicinity.

It was strategic in some fashion, but nothing one of his magnitude couldn't handle.
As earth tumbled for his form, it'd shatter hardly feet away, dissipating into a wispy dust abroad a spherical aegis: A translucent forcefield of the transmundanic artistry it'd come soon to master.

Slowly, its head craned back to face what it'd pray wouldn't be a surprise attack, finding Zaros before the boy now. From seemingly nowhere, water was pried from the atmosphere to his person: An aquamancer...
A percievable threat in comparison to that of a child... Something to be wary of...
Complemented with a great sword, it was safe to presume it would not be a match-up akin to any it'd have with non-magus human beings...

"G-....... Glaaaaaaaaad--....llyyyyyyyyyy...." The emitted sound that forced itself through the minds of those before him incremented in volume, badgering their tolerance in an endeavor to subdue them prematurely. It was a tactic that only a daemonic beastling such as himself could truly muster at such malleable stage.

It was all a prelude to its leap-- A pounce that'd introduce hardened appendages, sharpened at their palms with such solidity, it'd proven to match and best even steel's fringe time and time again.
(Vile Yokai)

Zaros feared no man or beast. It had shattered rock and probobly killed hundreds. But Zaros would not lose. He smiled as the Yokai tried to itimidate him. But it had no efect on Zaros. Intimidation was something he learened to ignore when dealing with yokai. Zaros lowered his head and smiled closing his eyes to feel the rush of adreneline and power flow through his body and mind. As the water became more forceful from the mana that it was created from Zaros looked up and gave a hardened face, no longer greinning, he stabbed the great sword into the ground giving it a crack and summoned more energy as he yelled at the top of his lungs.

After generating alot of power he pulled the sword from the ground effortlessly and prepared for a fight that meant life or death. And Zaros was not afraid to die.
(Zaros Magness)
[11:07:05] Zaros Magness: Jin back away!
[11:07:56] Shido Enjin: Zaros....
[11:09:39] Shido Enjin: <*He clenched his fist, watching the fight.*>
Where streams of water propelled to shave away rock, and tear earth to shreds-- The beast would evade, hiding back within the very darkness it initially concealed itself within. Perhaps, a creature of cowardice... But one brazen enough to see to it that its goals were met. Where the blade attempted to pierce the skin, it'd come across startling surprise...
The same that far more powerful entities, even those boasting to have fought against monarchs had discovered...

This, was no ordinary yokai, and far exceeded what was, of its own stature. Having excessively mutated from its fellow brethren, this nameless monstrosity proved potent enough to take upon powers, even beyond its own natural limitations.

"I... am... strongest..." It'd proclaim midst the scuffle, blasts of mauve scouring across the scene to whizz by Zaros' head, managing to evade every attempt to end the battle prematurely. The violent explosions from the bout damned the enviornment at nigh every spectacle, even threatening to harm Shido with blasts lead astray.

... Which lead the monster with a cruel idea...
Somewhere in the battle, eyes forwarded their attention to Shido...
Watching at the boy grew angered by watching this battle forced one-sided, it'd answer with a sickly grin.

In what felt like a hiatus within the bout, it'd reach an arm out for him-- Palm fully stretched and fingers extended.
He wasn't aiming to Zaros--No... Instead, he was going to go straight for the boy! It wouldn't be difficult for the swordsman to recover in this moment of pause, but should he charge directly for the beast, he would fail to stop the manifesting spheroid of corrupt shadow; Animated energies compounded within one's grasp, soon propelled in a maleficent steam of ebony, gattled in alabaster streaks of pseudo-lightning.

Thus, left one with a choice...
Continue to wrecklessly combat the beast...
Or turn to stop the blast from reaching the child!
Though, to condone to such, would risk damage from attempting to take the hit... Or worse, open them up to another strike from this Vile abnormality.
(Vile Yokai)

Zaros had fallen. He didnt expect this Yokai to have so much damn power. He used alot of his strength to try and take himdown but it seemed that none of his attacks had any eefect on him. He could hide in the shadow as Zaros thre massive attacks of water twords him. But his Occult magic was obviously not something to be taken lightly.

It seemed to be another yokai just a bit smarter but its looks are decieveing. It was far stronger then anything Zaros had ever faced. And it seemed that Zaros was not going to be able to take this one down. He got up dragging his sword up to lift himself. He was injured but a quick water burst had nearly fully healed him! He was full of rage. Enough rage to not give up yet even though the battle seemed hopelessly lost.

"I... Refuse to lose to you... Monster..." Zaros said through his teeth. He was not the same cocky kid as before but now a kid shaking with anger as the aura around him seemed to get hotter with this rage. He nearly forgot about Jin in the distance.

Until the Yokai began to manifest a large spherew of dark energy... Zaros would respond with his Omega Beam charging the water before he noticed it... The sphere was not aimed at Zaros.... But at Jin...

Zaros looked at Jin as everything seemed to mgo in slow motion and he saw his brother again. Telling him that onme day he'd be strong enough to beat the dragon... Those words in his head were enough to give Zaros the strength. The strength to die for another as his brother had done for him. Zaros dropped the charge of the omega beam and dashed and leaped to take the full attack of the sphere.

But before the sphere had been launched zaros tossed a small ring at Jin. It was Zaros's prized possesion. A ring that could amplify the powers of the user. Zaros gave a weak smile as he turned twords the Yokai. ready to meet his fate head on.
(Zaros Magness)

 Lucas had woken up face down in the Trystle Caves. How long had he been here? A dull pain all over his body had reminded him of what had just happened. He had just lost in a battle against Zepar. Looking foward Lucas' eyes managed to catch what had been left of his Direwolf after that yokai was finished with it.

All sorts of insects were already eating at its flesh. Feeling somewhat of a grim responsibility, Lucas dug a shallow hole with his claws and dumped the body of what used to be his companion in there. While it seemed that Asena had graced Lucas with another day of life the same could not have been said for his companion.

Now walking down the caves with dirt and blood all over his body Lucas' ears caught the sound of commotion long before he had gotten to it. However he did not care, he continued walking without a single shift in his direction. The young Ookami was pretty pissed.

Soon enough Lucas would happen upon the scene of some boy throwing himself in the way of another presumably to protect him. Just like Lucas' Direwolf had done with him. Why had people and animals gone on with this curious behaviour?

It was a puzzle for Lucas who had thought that it was simply incomprehensible to sacrifice oneself for another. In order to find some sort of answer for this, the boy just waited and watched without a single action towards the yokai or the humans.
(Lucas Hayes)
[11:55:44] If only it could grasp the concept behind humans fending for one another-- The display of emotion was simply something it could never understand. However, the very existence of it was something it'd toy with, if it meant garnering a fuller advantage.
The blast had stripped one of their energy, further accumulating their fatigue to line up with their battered form.

It saw results...
And so, it was going in for the kill...
What was going to stop it? The very child that fell so flawlessly into his diminuitive display of strategy? No... There wasn't any hope for this scenario as far as one such as this was concerned.

Evolution was at-hand...
Ascension was within its grasp...
Everything, was soon to be -HIS-...
--And so long as he played his cards right, nothing would step in his way.

"Getting... sleeeeeepy?" It'd inquire in a mass-telepathic fashion...
"Hurting... Bad..." It could communicate, however was truly limited of vocabulary. Sentience was only on the horizon, yet to be obtained...
"Then, sleep..." It'd cooed... "In... Me..."
"We'll... be... perfect.... to--...geth--....errrrrr....."

The worth of human life was naught but fuel for a greater cause...
For a selfish cause...
For the only cause that mattered...
It approached slowly now... Boastfully now... Unafraid of what retaliation one could unveil upon its person in their weakened stature.

"There's no.... Hope...."
(Vile Yokai)

Zaros watched as the massive blast was nearly face to face with him. But he wouldnt let the blast kill Jin. It wasent Jins time. He was too young to die like this. 'Brother if you're there.... Give me strength...." Zaros thought as he streched his arms out wide for the incoming blast to smash into him.

And then it happened. THe heat was so hot it was as cold as death itself. It was the most painful thing Zaros had ever had in his entire life as the sphere was totally blocked from Jin. It was even more pain as Zaros attempted to summon up a water aura powerful enough to sheild jin the shpere detonated leaving a massive explosing that rocked the cave as a whole.

Amist the dust as it cleared stood Zaros arms outstreched, clothes ripped and bured. A scar had appeared as it a rock had be shot up and slashed Zaros's cheek. It was bleeding as Zaros put his arms to his sides and slumped a bit. He wasent dead. Suprisingly he picked up the sword and gave a Vile Smile,

"You're.... gonna have to to better then that to kill me... Scum..." Zaros said shakily through heavy breathing. A weaker aura of water flowed around him as he was nearly out of stamina. But Zaros wasent done yet. He wouldnt give up until he falls down dead.

Zaros lifted his sword above his shoulder and summoned up enough courage to finish the fight once and for all.
(Zaros Magness)

There was still Will to fight... A laughable thought to that of the yokai... Until, he saw the results of it.
A roaring wall of the aquatic element, shredded earth asunder, scattering abroad as it closed in to the monster-- Catching it by surprise!
There was only a flashed expression of bewilderment, before it'd drill into his chestal and abdominal regions, hurdling him into a mesa's side.

The deafening crash against solid rock was complemented by its pained cry! The magi was not to be underestimated in this state of weakness. It winced, taking to another charge, doggedly closing the distance to slash at one's side, ducking and weaving around to scathe one's back in its endeavor.

A stumble would lead to only another opening, especially should one had turned to face him; Maws parted to reveal four-flaps-- All lined with rings of teeth... Though, such was hardly the main attraction, for what would slither from its gullet would be an adhorrent extension of its being, seemingly contradicting its own size to imitate an entity of its own.
A symbiotic tongue, simulated by an innumerable quantity of serpents, barbed at their heads...

This, abomination... Sized up enough to encompass prey whole... Leaving Zaros as no exception.
"You lose..." It sounded off...
The wave of serpentry dove down for Zaros, impaling at his form, but only managing to slice through apparel and superficial portions of skin albeit enough to weave about his physique and ensnare him.
Around him, it'd form semblence to a club, his head being the protruding factor that was inevitiably toiled for the ground for one's sick pleasure.

The thunderous murmur that emanated from one's slam into the earth was enough to disorientate, yet not enough to quite kill..
Thus, it tossed one aside, liberating them from this lethal catch... If only to play with him longer.
"... I... Win..."
The many of its being retracted back within its parted maws, now reverting back to its original stature, slowly venturing closer to the aquamancer.

"Now, give u--"
Once more, it was caught by surprise.. Closing the distance to face another wall of water that'd send him sprawling off into the distance: Another water beam... But this time, the last time...
The taint of the shadows had finally sapped what energy remained to leave one incapacitated, albeit conscious... Good enough for a predator such as himself.

"... Me... I.... Absorb you now..." It proclaimed painfully, slowly but surely peeling itself from the earth it was temporally encrusted within. It was beaten back... But more than capable of finishing the job... Which left one, only to look onward to a bleak fate without means of an end, outside from consumption.
(Vile Yokai)

Zaros used the last of his mana and stamina to attack the Yokai. And this time he got it a few good hits. He had no chance at this point but he was going to use every last drop of mana he had in himself to shoot an omgea beam directly at the creature. It hit him finally and Zaros gained hope that maybe he had one this time and it was over.

But hopes were nothing but false dreams it seemed as the Yokai was caught of guard but not seriously harmed.it let out a wail as it was slammed into the rock by the force of the beam. But it only seemed to make it angrier and faster. It weaved all of his attacks, dodges all of his techniques. It seemed the creature could not be beaten. And When Zaros seemd to be doing ok the monster did something unspeakable.

Its maw opened to reveal a tounge that morphed into the Yokai but larger. Zaros was stunned by the sight momentarily as it then sliced at him. Managing only to cut through some clothes and skin it Zaros survived it could leave a nasty scar on his chest.

But Zaros knew that he could do no more as he felt extremly weak. He had almost no energy. But that wouldnt matter as The now Giant yokai slammed Zaros to the ground. He was out of energy and out of options. Usuing the Last of his mana He summoned the strongest Omega Beam he could fire. As the Yokai went back to its original form Zaros knew he had a chance to perhaps help the next fighter who took on The Yokai.

"May your body forever rot you damn-" Zaros Quickly sat up and released his Omega beam directly into the Yokai "-MONSTER!!!" Zaros yelled unleashing a beam that had all of Zaros's heart, soul, and Mana into. The beam sent the yokai back a bit as Zaros sat there lightly holding on to life as he was severly injured.

Zaros layed back down and was Beggining to go unconcious. Zaros saw one last time the Yokai stand and walk twords him. "It's over.... Friends... Brother.... I pray you dont share my fate." Zaros said falling back into the nothingness of dreams.

(Zaros Magness)

Lucas watched Zaros and the yokai fight with a blank expression on his face. Barely any thought was taking place in the Ookami's mind as he watched the fighting take place. Whatever moral obligation or emotional strife that seemed to be going on was null and void to him.

For some reason Lucas had found himself walking albeit slowly towards the two as they thought until he was in earshot of the two of them and just watched as Zaros was defeated. The boy had seemed to have a good control over water. Though for some reason the yokai was just using that very same magic that always made Lucas feel uncomfortable in its prescence.

Shido was practically invisible to Lucas now since he was just focusing on the two. The yokai seemed to be superior to Zaros in every single way. For some reason his own frustrations and grief had gotten the better of him. Grabbing onto his blade right after it looked like the yokai would go in for the kill Lucas dragged his blade across the floor creating a loud screeching noise.

The Ookami hadn't cared for the lives of Zaros nor Shido but he certainly had alot of pent-up frustration ready to be dealt out. Raising his blade towards the yokai, Lucas would say with an agitated tone in his voice,

"You'll fight me now."

What had he been doing? He was getting himself involved in some other person's fight but here his body was acting on his own without even an order from someone in the Church.
(Lucas Hayes)

Throughout the duration of the battle, he had siphoned up mana...
Inadvertantly through one's casting, every iota of mana forged into maleficent essence took part in the absorption process. Though it was seemingly besting this monster... It brought it closer to a threshold.
It had come to learn so much in its earlier forms, which only rapidly excelled with its new stature.

Suddenly, everything seemed to click...
The lines filled in the dotted streaks to make connections in its mind, and the educated scenarios prior no longer beared gaps of mystery between them. The rhetoric it had come to know as babble, translated fluently to him... Knowledgable to comprehend communications...
Finally, it had attained higher intellect: It, was sentient.

It parted from the rock, to make its slow venture for Zaros, unconsciously swelling in stuture as the distance closed. However, this was no illusion-- No... This, was evolution. With every step, it'd expand inches more, closing the distance by that many more accumulated feet. Its shadow would creep by one's feet, and soon engulf their entire body... For the victor stood tall, as a tyranous monstrosity; No longer did it reign at a sturdy 6'5", but an excessive 13 feet tall.

"... No... Together..." It sounded off, "We'll be perfect..."
A hand extended out to grab the now-fallen Zaros, only to give pause.
There was something else... No...
Someone else...
It turned its head eversoslightly, enamored with the thought of more to test its amassed potency against.

"Oh?"
An unholy radiance hailed for the esoteric domain that cursed this seemingly vacant darkness, summoning the screeching sirens of the midnight. Daemonic warriors of humanities' nightmares had crept from the distance, shining through such veil with their eyes of solidified crimson.

This time, it wasn't alone...
A telepathic beacon wrought more of its now-lesser kin to the opportunity of subsistence, if only for its own personal gain.
"... You must be stronger... If you're brazen enough..." It turned completely to provide reverence in pending conflicts, "--To fight still..."
(Vile Yokai)
[13:23:37] Suddenly before Lucas' eyes the vile creature had more than doubled in size. Just by the sheer largeness in its body the creature had started to remind Lucas of both Kalerion and Zepar. Now that the thought of Zepar had entered his mind Lucas was starting to become all the more uncharacteristically riled up.

Clawing the side of his blade to once more make a horrible screeching noise Lucas would look at the yokai with a rather feral look in his eye. He had nothing against the yokai or anyone in the immideate area but his emotions had just made his body act.

Fierce winds would surround Lucas' body as he slowly circled the creature ready to attack at a moments notice. Though his body was still hurting from the very recent beating he had sustained from another Yokai, Lucas was determined to fight here and now.

If anything this was probably the best way to become stronger like Lucas had wanted. He was putting his life on the line battle after battle against his opponents.
(Lucas Hayes)

In this new form, power was of the abundance...
If he was capable of taking on Hiranos in, even his mutated lesser form, capable of holding off monarch-battling magi, whilst still in the foremost stature of existence, he was unstoppable now.
A harbinger of wrath and malice, with now... More to think about than simple evolution.

With this much power, he wouldn't need to be Perfect to change the world, would he? The more power he possessed however, the more inconcievable hope would seem when waged against his prowess.
"To think I've been so blind as to my capabilities... My powers... All of it, limited by my inferior forms, but alas, I am liberated of ignorance to embrace the infinite possibility that is..." He paused, as though thinking for words to say.

The fierce gales of the venturamancer attempting to bash his person down was suddenly... Vacant of their wrath against him. With the scathings it'd land upon him, they'd be undone-- Omitted by the very vitality sapped from Lucas' body, granted a single slash for his being. Nails that gored for even the slightly of bloodspill siphoned one of their mana and lifeforce-- Further empowering the grotesque insectoid with enough energy to counteract what inflictions would could unwound.


Though, with a weapon's slash for one's flesh, a four digited palm reached out to catch it-- Outright suspending the swing, as one took to further thought on a comedically unrelated topic.
"Eternity.""
A tug lifted the blade, and Lucas with it, had he failed to release it.

"Tell me now, what hope have you of saving the others, if you can't even save yourself?" He asked genuinely, "--Are you truly so foolish as to stand before my Will? And for what... What have you to prove, human?"
Slight rise in one's grapple preluded a hefty heave over yonder, where one would be splayed out against a stone mesa-- Allowed to peel off, courtesy of gravity's pry to land to the soils below.

There, the yokai would wait, resurrounded by more of its kin for one to stand once more, had they not recovered in their fall.
(Vile Yokai)

It looked like Lucas' efforts were all for naught. There were too many jutting stones around the place which served to block his movement. Even when he was able to find a clear opportunity to fight there were other yokai which he had to worry about. Not to mention that every single strike he had tried to make on the vile creature's body hadn't seemed to have an effect.

"Damn it." he thought to himself before trying to make one more attack on the creature only to have his weapon gripped and his body pulled up. It was a bad idea to fight so soon after being already beaten down by another yokai. However this yokai's words infuriated Lucas even more than he was already.

He didn't WANT to save anyone. He just wanted to fight. Just as he was about to make this clear he was thrown towards a nearby rock making quite a nasty sound upon impact. However, Lucas wasn't finished here. Slowly peeling off of the rock and falling onto the ground Lucas stood up.

Shakily grasping his blade in hand he readied himself to fight the yokai before him once more.
(Lucas Hayes)
[14:03:44] "I think I remember being like you..."

The beast commented, "So clueless..."
The slow incline of his right arm winding up across his person was all it'd answer Lucas' person with.

"So mindless..."

Betwixt his clasping digits manifested a ethereal accumulation of the ebonic arts, coalesced with the malignant essence of his own mana; The pseudo-fulmination tickling his form was a result of magical friction, generating an elemental-affiliated static that cackled about the scene, courtesy of raw potency.

"So... " He reared back slightly, only to slash out with a vicious swing, dispersing his fabrication as initiation of a cast spell. "--Feeble."
The grounds before Lucas would lit up in esoteric bombardment, torn asunder from subterranean cannonade.

The ground grew unstable, shattering apart to unveil a fissure radiant of the devoid art, sapping away at fatigue and Willpower... Attempting to vanquish one such foe, through the vampiristic realm of the Occult. Flee and evade, one could... But even in their ability to dodge, should they succeed, what advantage would it bring to any but this monster?

"... Though don't worry.. Perhaps I'll do you a justice and spare you the mercy from absorption, to educate you in the matters of power."
(Vile Yokai)

A grunt from its person, and blood... would splatter...
Lucas had got a good hit in; A strike that managed to pierce this nigh-invulnerable shell.
"A lucky shot..." It claimed, stepping back to let the thralled underlings recently claimed through telepathic channel to charge in, bridging the gap betwixt the two.

In this new scenario, it was allowed to rest... To take to acknowledgement of its wound. It was not invincible after all.. For unlike the Gods, he could bleed.
"--Though, nothing worth vying for Hope." He took clutch of his new sore, whilst dozens pushed Lucas away, taking the wrath of blade and gales alike. Ultimately however, the sheer quantity was what won over the bout...

Though, they could fall one by one by Lucas' blade, they'd come in, three by three...
With an opening, one would dive in to tackle his right side, taking teeth's hold of his right arm to leave him incapable of fending from another taking bite upon his left.
They'd gnaw in their grasp to pull him to the ground, attempting to eat him alive, regardless of his struggle... And their summoner would only watch in awe.

Dozens were tearing into the magi now, slicing and gnawing away at armor and apparel, desperately working for the flesh...

--And should the magi had given up in that instant... They probably would have got what they were striving for...
"... --And like that, I remain certain... This confrontation is over... Good bye, human..."
This vile monstrosity had taken presumption as to the battle's conclusion, turning his back on the mass that took to their ravenous endeavors, absolutely disregarding any potential chance of the Ookami retaliating...
(Vile Yokai)

Ignoring the weaker yokai Lucas had went ahead and charged straight for the big ugly one right infront of him. Lucas poured everything into one swift strike at the creature's body which happened to make it through its shell. With blood spattering on the ground Lucas was now sure that he could beat this thing if he had simply tried hard enough.

However that thought was redacted as more and more weaker yokai had come at him. It seemed like the more he cut down the more that would come in their places. Soon the young Ookami would have been overwhelmed trying to fend them off falling to the ground while the creatures that he was fighting were seemingly trying to eat him alive.

He wasn't going to have it not one bit. Gathering his mana Lucas would have suddenly made a fierce gathering of wind above his body. This gathering of wind would eventually grow and grow until it was a full-fledged tornado which had pushed off the weaker creatures from atop his body.

Now bruised and bleeding Lucas still wanted to continue fighting. While he did want to fight the boy found it difficult to understand his own stubborness in this fight.

"Why am I doing this?" He thought to himself as he prepared to fight the Yokai infront of him one more time.
(Lucas Hayes)

It could bleed... But so could he...
Lucas was wounded, whilst he was only cut, wound already sealing at a moderately slow pace.

The yokai were scattered about, leaving none but Lucas and the nameless...
"You're struggling to keep this up..."
He closed the distance, quaking the earth with its newly amassed form to further spike any feeligns towards intimidation.

"Your conviction leaves me to question further.."
With closed distance, the warrior sought to land a strike upon the beast, only to be intercepted by an open palm.
"This is becoming more of a growing nuisance, than it is entertaining."

Digits crushed about one's form, grinding arms, legs, torso and blade alike; Enlarged appendages allowed for such a feat, attempting to scathe one with their own weapon and bodily figure.
"--and so I ask.... Have you any idea of what power is?" He asked of this silent fighter.
"Is that what this is? You haven't proven to me that you intend to be some kind of hero with your lack of heroic speech."
The pressure beared down harder, further crushing bone and armor together, and mashing blade into flesh.

"--Or are you simply suicidal, looking for an escape from what you call a cruel world."
Pressure let up slightly, only to ignite in transmundanic blaze, consuming Lucas in a sadistic pyre that etched away at the flesh...
Slowly...
Allowing one to embrace every passing moment...
And as time passed, he siphoned more power to his volition.

Even now, he was growing -stronger-.
"No... You need guidance, don't you... You need to grow, just as I did. Unfortunate that you'll never become perfect like me, but perhaps I can augment your inferior stature."
Through the shadows of one's arcane, one dwelved into the eternal night to unveil unholy torment upon the very mind of this human.

Though, to one's luck... There, was where it'd end...
Without much explanation, he released the man, allowing him to fall limp to the soils below.

"Hrmmm...."
This time, he lacked the telepathic bridge he utilized thus far, abruptly switching to a new manner of thinking. He had, something else in mind rather than torturing humans...
Perhaps, something more productive, if not higher...
He was entitled to such, was he not?
(Vile Yokai)

Gales blew about the cave every which way while Lucas attempted to fight off the creature. The Ookami tried to stay quick on his feet attempting to weave in and out of combat so that he would not have taken as much damage. However it seemed like this yokai was also capable of ranged combat. "Great..." Lucas thought to himself trying to run back up to the creature to cut it down.

Alas it looked like his efforts were in vain. Lucas sliced and sliced but it looked like he was too wounded from his previous fight with another yokai to have been able to do anything to this one. "This guy's weaker than the last but..." he thought to himself with blood from his forhead getting into his eye.

"I just can't do anything against it." He continued thinking. No, he had to calm down. Stopping to catch his breath Lucas wiped off the stray stream of blood that had managed to get itself caught in his eye. Now that he had calmed down a bit it was time to change strategy.

His strategy would have been fine against the people who he had usually gone against which were close-ranged fighters but this yokai could have also been able to strike Lucas down from a distance. Going with this strategy would have only been hurting Lucas since he wasn't able to attack efficiently at a distance.

The winds around the Ookami's body became fiercer as he lept once more into close-quaters battle trying to strike at the yokai more and more only making the lightest of cuts into its skin. In the boy's mind it was starting to look like switching up strategies played no help in the face of overwhelming power.

Soon enough the boy would have been too tired to have even raised his sword one more time. He was completely defeated. Then it happened. Lucas was lifted up by the yokai feeling like his entire body was being crushed in the process.

Waves of pain began shooting throughout the Ookami's body as the creature spoke to him. It spoke of power but in the heat of the moment Lucas only thought of it in such a way that the creature was taking pity on him and he needed no pity right now.

If he could he would have spat at the creature but it looked like he wouldn't have been able to. Lucas had also been taunted about not giving some sort of speech that heroes did. Gritting his teeth in sheer anger this thought would have rang out in his head.

"I AM NOT A HERO!"

He wasn't doing this for anyone else, he was doing it for himself and he sure as hell didn't want anybody thinking of it any differently. How could this have been harder than fighting in the recent war? Was there always going to be this big of a difference between Lucas and yokai?

Was that what it was? Lucas had no idea anymore. The sheer stress of the fight combined with the damage he had sustained from the one prior to this was now making the boy go in and out of consciousness as the beast spoke.
(Lucas Hayes)

Not a hero?
What did that matter to him? As far as he was concerned, he was a human all the same.
--and a human that condoned to hostilities against him, without his initial acknowledgement? What excuse did he have to let them live aside from newly adopted pity.

"Hrmm..."
"How I doubt I could aid one so much weaker than my self." It went on, seemingly oblivious to the fact that its very means of communication was detrimental... Or rather, callous.
"Physically... Magically... Mentally... All of which fundamental to proving an admirable challenge... And so, I ask of you... Do you wage violence in prayer for power?"

This was all it could presume at this point. "You fight in hopes of acquiring experience... To become as strong as magi before you?" It knelt down as though to level with one that it never truly could on a genuine level.
"... Please, don't tell me you do it to curse my race." He went on, "-- For I assure you, it will end adhorrently."
(Vile Yokai)

Struggling to remain conscious Lucas would have no choice but to listen to the yokai as it spoke. "Why does it have to talk to me?" Lucas thought to himself looking at the creature looking almost half-asleep by now. The Ookami lacked the energy to even lift a finger now.

Listening to the creature until it was finished talking to Lucas, he'd have thought that he had hit the nail right on the head. Though trying to get that through to the creature was another case. Talking was going to be a seriously challenging ordeal with all the injuries Lucas had sustained.

Gritting his teeth to get rid of some frustration Lucas would take a deep breath in despite how much it hurt his lungs and said, "I do it...to get stronger." By this point he was sure that he had atleast a few ribs broken judging by the pain he had felt.

Looking at the situation it didn't seem that the Yokai was going to outright kill him. At this point Lucas wasn't even really sure whether he wanted to live or die anymore. He was just going with the motions.

Now that he had spoken all that was left would be to just try to sit back and see what the creature would do to him. Sadly Lucas was in much to bad a shape to even try escaping assuming his legs even worked at this point.

"Now what?" He thought to himself.
(Lucas Hayes)

There was a persistant stare-down...
--But alas, he let up... He hadn't much reason in proving anything more of this, and to absorb would hardly be waste... But there was more potential to take upon.

"So... That's it..." There was a step backwards, turning offwards for the distant shadows northbound.
"Power... I understandable struggle... Tell me... What is your name, magi?"

There was a temporal hiatus, if only to listen rather than assault.
"Just how desperate are you to grow in prowess?"
(Vile Yokai)

A boy- no a man approached the scene, his white armor stained with blood of fights and those he had slain, two blades rested at his side. His hand loosely gripped the black hilt, the blade he usually used in battle for now. Perhaps preserving his other, or perhaps it was weaker than the one he gripped.

Slowly the blade is pulled out, Zain had no reason to be here. No reason to help the person who was downed nor did he really care about 'helping' that person. He saw a yokai, a being that was supposed to be fearful, something he admired about all yokai and yet something he desired for himself.

As the crimson red blade was fully drawn, a blue aura began to slowly wrap itself around Zains leg creeping up and onto the rest of his body before lashing out in a blue-flame looking aura comprised of purely energy. Mana began to flow to his muscles, every single one within his tiny mortal body further empowering what his aura had, his physical prowess.

"You seem decently strong to be talking about power so easily yokai. Show me, yourself, show me... your power, perhaps I want it. I hate forced bravery however if you wish to flee you can." his voice was not as it normally was, he wanted to fight, he wanted to test this yokai. His desires taking full control he hadn't even thought about if he would lose. He didn't want to think about losing, because he simply couldn't.
(Zain Cross)
[16:16:51] Lucas was about to give his answer to the yokai when Zain had suddenly happened upon the scene. How could Lucas have not smelt him? Oh wait, it was probably because his own blood was all he could smell now. Just great. How long would this one take to recover from?

Deciding to stay quiet and stare down at Zain struggling to keep consciousness he'd notice that he was using the same magic that his own brother had used. Maybe this new guy was strong. Right after thinking this Lucas would cough and spit violently before slowly stopping.

"I wonder what........" It seemed that this was all he could think of before his head suddenly lowered with him falling unconscious. It seemed that this was as long as he could hold out for under all this stress. It was regrettable that he wouldn't be able to stay up long enough to see what would happen next.
(Lucas Hayes)

Flawless victory...

Perfect...

A grin melted across his visage... But not before a voice beckoned his attention.

A New Challenger...

Eyes flickered over to Zain, absolutely indulged in his luck. He had come across so many opportunities to display his power and finally, he had yet another warrior to break. Would it be his Will? Or rather, a portion of his mana absorbed to ultimately power his person?

"Show you, my power?" He parroted with genuine interest, "How could my power ever benefit you?" It was a question that wouldn't be granted the opportunity of an answer. "Bah... What reason what I have to deny your request..." A sickly grin emerged across his face, "I'm eagerly curious as to what this encounter will entail human..."

He beckoned forth Zain to take to his approach.
(Vile Yokai)
[16:35:37] Zains demand, met with a question. One Zain had no intentions of answering, his insatiable desires had been in control at this point. He wanted to see if this yokai was worth having join him, or not. Weak, or strong the only two things Zain distinguished.

"Enough chatter Yokai. Your actions will be your answer, you -will- fear me. Everyone will, for that is what I want. Fear, respect, power. It will all be mine, and I wont even-- no need in speaking of things I don't carry on myself at all times."

As he finished saying this his blade began to spark, red flames meeting with his blue aura causing brief traces of purple to be seen by any around, only the faintest of traces, the enchantment wasn't that powerful afterall. As he approached time magic began to flood his circuits casting a dim coloring over his aura enhancing his reflexes.
(Zain Cross)

Fear him?
What reason did he have to fear the infer-- A blade's slash managed to penetrate his platelet bio-armor, forcing it to squeal in agony. Now, he knew why...
For once, he understood pain-- Even in this higher form?! But how? Could it be that there was still a level of power he had yet to ascend towards? Was this not close enough to perfection?

"How... DARE YOU?!"
Maws parted to unveil rings of teeth, and beyond it, serpents of its symbiotic tongue propelled out with dart-speed, pelting into the grounds abroad, attempting to skewer through armor and flesh alike across Zain's body for an instantanous kill-- Albeit, it was an endeavor horrendously failed.

Every barbed serpent managed to miss, save for one that pierced through the shoulder region, locking one in place with a sanguineous messing tainting their armor, dwindling down the arm and leg region.
"... --Have the audacity..."
The serpents retreated, carting Zain along with them, for a gaping set of maws... But he wouldn't be eaten just yet.
Instead, the very same barbed serpent that penetrated his vessel would be pulled back through the appendage with minimal damage applied thanks to its size... But only with the held of an extended arm, catching hold of the body, and keeping firm grasp of it to relinquish the last of his own, from Zain.

"To scathe me..."
Now, within an enlarged set of digits, he'd be toiled him offwards.
".... If you're that desperate to see me answer through wrath, you shall see it."
He started on his pace forth, moving with a broken haste... Limping? He had been injured!
Though, to consider the battle done would be inaccurate entirely, for the dozens of his underlings still roamed to his volition, ready to compensate where he faltered.

"Show me what you have left, human.."
(Vile Yokai)

A deranged laughter coming from Zain's mouth, a twisted smile forming across his lips, his golden eyes setting upon the Yokai. He was taking damage, but dealing a good amount in return, still, this was not the level of power he sought, not from himself or the yokai. He was dissapointed in both, he wanted more. Needed more it was what he cared about, even his own life would be in complete disregard when put side by side with what he wanted.

"This... Is not enough. It's not close to enough, no where close to enough!" Zain shouted his smile cracking just for the words to come out, his aura, and his empowered body through magic hadn't been enough, not that time at least. Time magic seeping out into his aura and ultimately over his wounds reversing them as they came. His blade still lifted high into the air preparing another assault on the yokai. The number-game was what the enemy was playing, that much was clear to him.
(Zain Cross)

The concept of time magic was beyond his own understanding, something he could not percieve, nor experience. Thus, he couldn't realize the regenerative capabilties one was exhibiting-- Instead, he continued onward with his endeavor, utilizing his underlings to enforce the bridge betwixt himself and his advarsary.

"Is it really?" He went onwards to reply, "--because I'm certain it's more than enough."
The horde grew vast, pushing off Zain to provide himself with the opportunity to take a breather.

Perhaps, it was to ensure a stature of dominance...
How could one prove more powerful against something they couldn't even make contact with?
"You see... With this new form, I'm able to call upon others of my kind... Much like those before me." He went onwards, "--But unlike them, I have no qualms in seeing you humiliated by the squabbles that are naught but mere iotas of power."
In that moment, he caught eye of the magi swinging back around, managing to weave past the summoned creatures to attempt making a dive for the nameless beast-- Responded to, with a side-step.

A means to attempt slashing back to one's surprise would be answered with the abrupt manifestation of a spherical aegis to his volition-- A Dark shield, summoned to his protection, blasting one back with a shockwave to ensure distance between the two.
"Now then... Are you done? Or have you more fight left in you." It asked of the energy mage, awaiting further hostilities.
(Vile Yokai)

Battle ensued...
The two clashed, with this daemonic recipent accepting the brunt of the energy magi's wrath; Underlings came in waves... But even as one knew such endeavors could be endless, he stopped. He allowed the quantity at his volition to dwindle rather than telepathically summoning more from the depths of the caverns.

He wanted to take on, what was left on his own.
"I admit that I question your purpose more than the other human... Do you challenge for the sake of obtaining power for yourself, as well?!"
This one was far stronger than the last one however, which left him to wonder-- How could one be aiming for more power, when this man was nearly strong enough to defeat him?!

"For unlike those prior, you've only managed in successfully ticking me off." The next attempt to strike his person would be answered with a risen right arm, palm clasped, and arm flexed: The initiation to a subterreanian eruption.
The ground Zain charged over grew unstable, shattering apart akin to distorted glass. Through the jagged seems gleamed the emanation of the purest of depraved light, radiating its illustrious tangerine. The light touch of crimson lined feet that remained in contact with this now-corrupted earth, drained of energy and vitality alike, especially as time ticked on by.

With second's delay, it'd succumb to violent combustion, outright rising up in domes of dematerializing cascades of maleficent energies. Within the midst, was Zain, seemingly vanishing midst the blast... Though to claim his demise would be far too swift a presumption.
With the coming of the battle's conclusion, a crater remained-- Within its center: The Yokai, having bombarded the area with another display of corruptive spells upon the enviornment.

Encrusted along the lining of this earthern indentation, incapacitated for the time being, but conscious.
Panting...
Fatigue was setting in...
Another battle afterwards would likely result in the worst, if not a casualty...
But first, there was thie one to worry about: A legitimate threat that seemingly came out of nowhere, and now he wanted answers.

"What is your name, magi.... What is your conviction.... Explain to me, this."
(Vile Yokai)

The man slowly pulled himself to his feet after the Yokai's assalt had ended. Damage was sustained by him, great damage slowly time magic began flowing about his figure reversing some of the wounds he sustained once again, but not enough for him to be in proper fighting condition not even close. Zain was the worst type of human, one so foul that he betrayed his city, and his kind on more than one occasion for personal gain, broken oaths and killed friends, but here he was losing to a pack of Yokai.

"My name? Zain. My conviction is to gain everything I can before I die a horrific death. I want everything power, respect, fear and of course a proper weapon." He said the crimson blade in his hand finally shattering after years of use without any upkeep, years of being used to brutalize his opponents and take lives of all he could manage, all he wanted to take from. Once again he wanted power, something this yokai had to a degree, but his biggest flaw was being unable to take on a group of enemies, even that paled in comparison to the flaw he had, the voices he listened to in the back of his mind.

"I am the one who will do anything for what I want. I am the traitorous being that killed a former ally to assist a yokai for a weapon I can't even hold yet. By the looks of it I never will. As I have lost." He said the twisted smile remaining upon his face, he accepted his loss at this point. It was set in stone, his inability to fight in an area littered with objects, and multiple opponents got the better of him. He took a fight on enemy grounds, a disadvantageous spot for him, an advantageous one for his opponent. He had to give the yokai credit for that.

"You choose a fine terrain for the way you combat your opponents, had this been on an opened field it may have gone differently." he admitted sliding the broken hilt into its sheathe. His insatiable want making him desire continuing but his body was in no condition to carry on.
(Zain Cross)

"I chose no terrain... I simply found others like yourself, and came across more than I originally came to suspect...." He answered, "... And with that..." He stopped to look over his new form, "I transformed to accomodate."
He took a single step further, looking down upon his bested foe. Was this common amoungst humanity? To fight for the sole purpose of gaining power? To obtain weapons? To obtain... Respect...

He thought truly on this matter, curious... Even turning his attention away from the man to ponder to himself.
"Is that how you humans work?" He took to rest as the conversation dragged on, taking the opportunity after all of these continuous brawls to finally recover.

"So, granted the chance to take upon all of these... Would that complete you, human?" He switched around, "Would that make you... 'Perfect'?"
He took to climbing out of his self-forged crater to stand free and tall-- A new being, evolved, stronger than he had ever fathomed himself becoming... And now, thinking to things beyond simplistic evolution.

"You magi are different from your human counterparts... Stronger... More... Capable... Does that make you any bit capable of ascending as my race does?"" He turned his head slightly to acknowledge a weakened Zain, listening intently for an answer.
(Vile Yokai)

Having escaped with his tail intact, Bakuyu had a bad feeling that if he didn't leave right then and there he would of been in some serious trouble. Thankfully his instincts payed off as well as his sense of smell and hearing. He could hear the footsteps of a human from a mile away and he could smell their scent as well.I'm glad that I escaped with my life, that was quite the thrill at the end.." Bakuyu would state this as he leaped through the desert. This method of traveling would get him to the prarie grasslands in no time. Once he got their, Bakuyu would not stop until he reached the caves. Inisde he could hear and smell the presence of humans, one of them being the scent of his friend Zain. It seemed that he was fighting a yokai from the sound and smell of it. Bakuyu would hurry to the scene to see what was happening.

Once Bakuyu arrived he was shocked to see the strong swordsmen heavily injured and bleeding from what seemed to be at the hands of a giga yokai. Zain was Bakuyu's ally and Zain considered the yokai as a firend, this was the only relationship Bakuyu had with a human that had such a bond with. This was interesting, he couldn't let him die here.."From the looks of it it seemed like you are in trouble, do you need assistance Zain? Bakuyu would say standing on a rock formation inside of the cave. Standing behind the giga, Bakuyu always had to make such a grand entrance..
(Bakuyu, The Devourer)

The same twisted smile remaining upon his face, his frame bleeding, damaged much so. Time magic still flowing about his wounds reversing more as he is left to listen to the Yokai and respond accordingly. It was interesting to him suddenly, where it wasn't the strongest yokai he had ever met, not even close. It seemed interested in him, and why he wanted so badly that he would take to doing anything to get what he wanted.

"Is that how humans work? Not at all. I am what you would call a greedy human, I take what I want, or try to. Be it power, respect, fear, or material goods. I only wish to better myself and along the way allies provided I have them."

Another maniacal laughter escaped his being as the Yokai mentioned perfection, this drive it led him far from perfection, infact he was quite the opposite and he knew so himself. Somewhere deep inside he knew this urge to take, this urge to obtain was not anything like perfection. It had led him dangerously close to death in the past few days but still, he continued to feed on it, and allow it to be in control of him.

"I- yes, that is -my- personal perfection. That is what -I- want and desire. it is all I care about, what I can obtain from who I converse with, fight, or even work for. It is my drive, my goal and ultimately who I am and allow myself to be."

His voice raising as he spoke admitting to what he was, what he was allowing himself to be and the fact he had no qualms with himself as is. His mind raced, thinking how he allowed himself to go from begging for crowns, to this. This desire it felt good, when he obtained something it felt good, but he was still much too weak to get what he truly wanted.

"That depends Bakuyu, I don't know what he wishes out of this now. He hasn't tried to eat me, a surprising thing thus far."
(Zain Cross)

A another yokai?
Not just any one either, but one of a superior form!
If anything, it would most certainly be a prominent threat... Which left this beast to backpedal, eversoslightly... It was natural. He had every reason to fear one of his same ilk, of the same, or greater stature than himself. He wasn't strong enough to take one someone of this magnitude of power... Yet...

"Hu-- Whaa--..." The sheer power difference was detectable, unsettling to the nameless yokai; If one was to attempt flight however, it was likely to incite self-definition as prey.
It had to keep its ground...
It had to survive at all costs, and thus...

"Another one, like me?" He asked rhetorically, "...N- No... You're not like me... You're nothing like me."
There was another backstep, before coming to catch glimpse of the conversation overheard.
Did this yokai arrive mentioning detection of its... 'friend'? Here?
He glimpsed back to acknowledge the injured Zain...

"... So you two are acquanted..." A turn back towards the elemental, complemented transition into defensive posture, "I only imagine you come to bear further hostilties..."
(Vile Yokai)

All the books Bakuyu had read made him a much more Human like Yokai. He spoke more like the humans , he acted more like the humans and he fought like them as well. This came from his ideals that humanhad the more superior methods than yokai. This theory was backed by the obvious status of yokai and the staus of humans in this period of time in the world. To Bakuyu, one had to mimic and master before he could create the same thing in his own image. Bakuyu would do this, he had his mind set on it. But with knowledge came power and the increased thirst for power now that he knew it's true importance. "Damn straight, I'm here to eat you and evolve. That is the basic funtion of us yokai is not not? Though I do apologize for having to continue to spill the bood of my own race. It is necessary for me to do so so that I may reach my ultimate form..."

Making his intentions known, Bakuyu would drop down from the rock and begin to walk toward the giga, felling it's fear, Bakuyu would grin and lick his lips with a hungry expression laid upon his visage.
(Bakuyu, The Devourer)

A hand raised to Zains head, his magic could reverse no more wounds at this point, the rest of them would have to be dealt with for time can only be reversed so far back, and far too much time had passed by for anymore to revert back to the undamaged way he was originally, his hand resting on a third hilt along his back it was small, holding a much more pathetic looking weapon, one that would be stabbed into the ground as a form of further supporting himself, sure, he could stand on his own at this point but he had always wanted to see what it was like to use a walking stick.

"He and I are indeed acquanted, he is a good friend of mine so to speak. A business partner as well, and an ally. One who I have assisted before." he spoke the words clearly, his voice stern. He wasn't scared, he was never scared not even of his own death. He even went so much as to have declared himself dead for what seemed to be too early at this point.

"If you and Bakuyu must fight, I will most likely sit out, Bakuyu is strong however, I have seen some stronger, more evolved than even him. But should he get any further in his evolution he will surely be a force most would not want to deal with." he spoke his manipulation had begun speaking greatly of a future he could not see, a future he could only predict and even then not directly and he could always be wrong.

This yokai however was just developing a smart brain, and intelligence. Manipulation was a feat better done when you know the other is not the smartest, he intended to take full advantage of any small thing he could to begin toying with others minds.

"Though all yokai have that chance, it depends on if they choose to make use of the potential lying deep within. It depends on if they understand their true purpose, or if they only understand a small portion of their true purpose."

He finished speaking golden eyes looking between the two, did either understand why they were truly here, or did they only have an insatiably hunger for flesh and eachother, as much as he had for power, and objects.
(Zain Cross)

It was a contradicting outright...
Whilst one obliged to hear out what he had to say, the other was more willing to see him consumed-- Something, he couldn't allow.
--But could he flee? Certainly something in such an advanced form was more than capable of outmanuevering him, was it not?

One spoke of a higher purpose...
Whilst the newer arrival spoke of consuming him...
One of them was lying, and considering the calmness in Zain's voice, whilst being in a position that could've spelt swift demise in the hands of any other yokai, he could only imagine that he was the one lying.

"I'd imagine the threat of the yokai exceeds that of whatever you have in mind, human."
A guttural murmur from his parting maws implied hostilities akin to its feralistic counterpart.

"Which would mean, I have not many choices aside from battle... and die..."
Considering the forced string of events thus far, it was safe to presume that this was a cycle that was never going to end. He had come to a means to an end, especially considering the fact that he ascended to -this- form of power...
Perhaps, this was when he'd be faced with insurmountable odds?
Perhaps, this was when he was destined to perish?
Perhaps, this was when... He'd amount to naught that he'd come to believe for so long.

In the end... He was one that slept too long... Now, it was time to compensate, or die trying.
"... --And I do not intend to die here!"
It was ready for the ultimate test, against an Infernus at that... But did it have a chance?
(Vile Yokai)
"Heheheeh, I can smell the fear leaking from yuor body yokai. Where is your pride, where is your honour? Iam going to devour you whole so that I can evolve into my ultimate form. I can feel the darkness brewing inside me, urging to become somthing more, uring to manifest into something truly powerful. With my knowledge I know enough that this brutal cycle of kill or be killed cannot be stopped. As longas I am a elemental I will never truly know my purpose. That is one of the questions I seek, it cannot be answered by any book I read, no human can tell me this either. It is something I must experience for myself with time." Bakuyu would lay the facts down on what exactly was going through his mind in this moment.

He wasn't exactly focused on the fight at hand but focused on the  myriad of questions floating around in his consciousness. As long as he had them, they would continue to shroud his mind, keeping him from the truth and keeping him from the answers he sought. Why did yokai di the things they did, to survive and to grow stronger. Why were they here? How did they get here, they were a  creation of kraus. What purpose did Bakuyu serve as well as the yokai race? Some of these questions had answers but not all...
(Bakuyu, The Devourer)
While the Yokai started their fighting, Zain would move out of their combat zone dissapearing into some random place for the night as he required sleep, in more than one realm. His weapon sliding into the sheathe on his back as he fell asleep between rocks or another formation that would keep him well hidden whilst he slept off his injuries.
(Zain Cross)
The threat of death was true-- There was no way out of this. He had to fight, or die...
And granted the power difference, he was almost confident that victory was impossible, but that wouldn't stop the will of one desperately clinging to the dream of ascending to perfection.
It didn't strive so hard, just to die here!

"No... NO...  I DID NOT COME THIS FAR TO BE  YOUR FODDER! "
So much effort would not come without struggle... And here it was, in the form of its sprint forth to meet Bakuyu mid-way midst this beaten battlefield.

Everything boiled down to this; The moment of truth was at-hand. To one's side, came more of their fellow kin, likely to match those of the Devourer's brand... But would one prove superior to the other? As one could tell, the nameless monstrosity was hoping on it.
"In the end of this... I will... I will prevail... I promise... I SWEAR IT! On EVERYTHING THAT I SHALL EVER AMOUNT TO BECOME!"
Malice translated into a maleficent aura of the esoteric force, shredding the earth asunder into an uplifting aura of mauve.

The abnormality was determined to push his chances...
To live up to a legend...

"NOW, LET US BECOME ONE!"
(Vile Yokai)


"I like your fighting spirit yokai, and we will become one, once your in my stomach..I'm leeting you know right now that their is no chance. You will die here, right now in these caves. You will become the power that drives me to evolve. I promise you that.." Bakuyu would say before activating his flame shroud. The fire came in the form of a firey mane on Bakuyu's back. The wolf-like yokai was fast and strong and with fire ability it could not be stopped from it's goal. It's fire gave life to the meaning of infitnite power. the flames of it's wrath would be set upon the floor of the battlefield, forever burning until Bakuyu decided to make them cease.

These bright  red flames would and could burn anything to ash, this was the destructive force and passion given to him by whateer mutation made it so."Know my name yokai, I am Bakuyu the Devourer. Devourer of yokai, seeker of knowledge, enlightened beyond normality. I will bring forth a new age to yokai, so great and glorious that it will outshine anything before it. And if I don't I will die trying..But that time is far from now, and it is your time to die!"

Bakuyu would say this as he smashed the nameless yokai into the ground with his full power. This created a massive crator which caused the cave to shake a bit dropping chunks of rock from it's ceiling.."Know my power!"
(Bakuyu, The Devourer)
Bakuyu, The Devourer: *gulps*
How...
How could it be that even after all of this, that it'd be face with this impasse?
Why...
Why was it that no matter its strife, it was forcefully pit against stronger foes?
When...
When would its chance come? Did it even have one?
From the looks of things, there was no hope.

It was, too weak...
It was, too oblivious...
It was, too...
There was no third factor, it lacked anything more-- From lacking presence, to lacking even a name.

It had no memorable heritage... Nothing to fight for... And everything to aspire to... Everything, that would be denied.
There was panting, sweat beading up... Faith, dwindling...
--And now, fatigue setting in...

This was it...
He was going to die...
As fodder to another of its very same race.

It'd tremble in its rise from the new crater, looking back unto the devourer with a visage reaking of fear for death.
"P- Power.... If only... You knew..."
There had to be something he could do... and if pleading was an option, he'd condone to it.
"--What power we could accumulate together."
(Vile Yokai)

All of its hopes and dreams, poured into what followed...
"If you think for a moment that I'm going to surrender my llife over to you!" He doggedly charged through the flames to catch one's jaw with a hardened fist, charging it with the transmundanic arcane. "Then, you're dellusional beyond your WILDEST of fantacisms!" An explosive after-effect combusted contact with one's face to send them skidding back hardly any feet at all.

The flames were intense, but tenacity pushed him on through. Where despair once cradled him into the everlasting expanse of oblivion, he broke free-- If only liberated for a moment. In a moment climbing towards battle's climax, beasts from beyond the void were summoned against him, answered with more of his own as means of retaliation.

It was all he had to defend himself...
And with distance forced betwixt them, this vile yokai took full advantage. Every  bit of energy it had to its person was throttled forth in a succession of occultic-charged blasts, bombarding the scene with flashy fulmination...
Smoke clouded the battle scene... And soon after... A patient wait would follow.

The battle was hardly over, not by a long shot, and so, the nameless beast was ready to see it to the end, ready to face Death in the form of an Infernus head-on, if it needed to.
(Vile Yokai)
"Good, good if I decimated you this would be boring..Though I might have to use all of my power..So be it..RRROOOOOOOOOAAR!" Bakuyu unleashed a mighter roar that unleashed all of his chaotic mana n the form of fire and darkness. Fir now covered every aspect of the battlefield and darkness overalyed that fire and gave it a darker shade, resembling shadowflame but did not hold its abilities. This was the limit of Bakuyu's power. His muscles flexed to thier extent, revealing vains and cuts never before seen despite the yokai's average muscle build.. This yokai was serious and they both knew what was at stake. It was their very lives, the power that they'd worked so hard to achieve as well as their intelligence. This was the harsh reality that Bakuyu had been talking about, no matter how asceneded he became, no matter how enlightened and how much smarter he became, nothing could keep him from the life of a yokai.

This was the nature his race was born with. Devouring or being devoured, their was no way out of this brutal chain. The greater had displayed it's power to be a worthy enough foe to make Bakuyu go this far. Bakuyu would not lose, he couldn't, he still had so much to do and so much to learn.."We both for life but I will not die here!"
(Bakuyu, The Devourer)

The battle was fierce but only one yokai would be left standing and that yokai would be Bakuyu. This was clearly a battle to the death and once again Bakuyu had proved himself of being worthy of living. The deciding clash was when Bakuyu dodged a nearly lethal attack sent from the yokai. The wolf yokai jumped into the air and did his signature move which was his fire axel. In mid-air Bakuyu began to spin rapidly and creating a axel of flames. Powered by the momentum of falling and the speed of spinning so fast, this attack would prove to be the downfall of the nameless greater. A direct hit, Bakuyu's attack would smash  into the greater's chest, burning him and ripping into it's flesh. The impact of the hit was enough to force the greater into the ground but it was not great enough to stop the spin of his attack.

It continued to spin and spin until it caused extremely serious burn damage and physical damage to the greater. After the damage had been done, Bakuyu jumped out of the spinning ball he was in and put one foot on top of the greaters chest, pressing down with his sharp claws, digging into the flesh of the greater making sure he could not move or make any comback once so ever. "I am victorious! Do you have any last words before you die!" Bakuyu would say.The wolf yokai had sustained his own ammount of damage but nothing like what the giga had withstood. Now Bakuyu had been standing over the greater, one foot on his chest and one foot amongst the field of flames that was their battlefield. The elemental was still enshrouded in everlasting flames, still burning the greater as he awaited his dying words..
(Bakuyu, The Devourer)
--And in the end...
When within an inch of vanquishing his foe...
He had failed. This, is where he fell-- Dropped by a foot, threatening to shatter the formity of his chestal region. He was marred by the burns, and damaged by the pressure-- Incapacitated wholly, and ultimately, vulnerable.

'So close... Yet... So far...'
Those words itched at it from within.
'So much strife... Only to lose it all here.'
They continued to badger him.
'... --And so...'

He parted his maws, only to give his loudest cry out to the heavens; In this state of weakness, where nothing would save him any longer, his wrath would be the last thing he'd utter in the form of incoherent wailing.
He could physically utter no language, restrained the same way as his fellow brethren, nor did he intend to satisfy one with his worthless begging.

The impact had done more than physically wound him, but outright shatter what remained of his will. All he could do, is await demise...
Destruction was inevitible, and so, when witnessing pending doom, he'd answer with only aggression.

"You will -NEVER- know power!"


(Vile Yokai)
Bakuyu, The Devourer: are u interfering with his death, i'm just going to do the killing
What a sight! What a show!

How fun these silly creatures could be!

As the fight concluded, as the fire from the winner rang out, a melodious laugh rang through the air. She loved it, loved to watch them do battle! Giggling from her high perch, a very dark and heavy feeling fell upon all the inhabitants within; something was VERY/i> wrong here. But, they had no time to run, no time to flee and evade the coming danger…She was already here. They were doomed from the moment they began their fight.

"What a show!"

Clapping sounded through the caves, echoing as red mist rolled in, as it began to shroud the place in a scarlet tinge. The scent of blood was heavy, over powering…Whatever this woman was? IT was bad, it was VERY bad…She didn't bother to hold back, not right now. Yokai were different from humans, they didn't run from power as easily…No, they were attracted to it! As if she would garner much of a meal for the beast though…Her blood was worth more 'alive'.

"I must say, it was quite suspenseful! I enjoyed it thoroughly…As such, I think I'll let you two cuties live! Well…"

A sadistic smile poured across her lips, sharp and elongated canines shown as a teenager lets herself be seen through the red mist. Large, glowing red orbs rest in her eye sockets, the pale woman giving a giggle as a finger is pointed at the winner. As fun as this was, her games did not end with someone being killed.

Unless she did it.

"I won't kill you if you don't step back and leave your playmate alone! I know devouring each other is an essential part of yokai lifestyle…But my dear, sweet Elemental…I ask you to leave the bug be. I have plans for you both, after all…~"

Laughing once more, the girl jumps down and clasps her hands behind her back.

"Why don't we play a game, my pets?"

A wispy giggle falls from her lips as the vampire trots over to the two beasts, the fire seeming to quell as the blood mist follows her and begins to start pouring into the vampire's hands. The air grew chilly, the caves become ever so slightly darker and the look in the woman's eyes was not one to question. Standing next to both of them, the fire hardly doing more but singe her clothing, the vampire snickers.

"Or…Are we going to have to teach you to listen? I promise it's a fun game, we can even hold WAGERS! Does that not sound good? Does it not sound FUN?"

(Doll)
Tensei would be wondering around alone like he always would be doing in his life.  The boy traveled out of the city nostvale as he could not come up with any ideas to find his leader Ludeth, well known as father Ludeth he calls him. Tensei was always rather obediet child.

Not once he would say no to anyone unless he was being forced to do something that he did not want to do. The others in the Cathedral kept on even fighting about being leader and all. Nothing solved violence in Tensei's book. He was ignored by others around and he proceeded to move out of the town for awhile before he would comeback as he traveled over the grasslands days past by. Soon he would arrive at the trystle caves.

Though a mysterious feeling could be felt as if something inside him was telling him to leave. "Depraved energy...? this is what is called.. I have felt this before while I was fighting in the nostvale war but this...no, this is much worse beyond worse...s-should I keep going?..."

 Tensei pondered though he would just take a peek to see what was going on. His legs would shake and quivver as he was walking down the long path. Then he would arrive at his potential last destination in his life. Tensei saw two yokai almosted dead as if the two have been battling it out for quite the time now. Though it seemed that the elemental yokai has taken giga as his meal.

Tensei wasn't surpised to see that two yokai were here though what really made him think was that "what was reeking all this depraved evil energy...?" His voice echoed as he want he said he said way to loud. Looking over the yokai he saw a human... no it looked just like one except it was pale white glowing with a massive red aura that could be felt. "I can't believe it... its actually a-a vampire? I thought those were only myths!?" This was going to be good for him the boy could barely move from so much fright.
(Tensei Shogo D.)
With these words, the greater's fate was sealed, Bakuyu was now to deal the deathly blow and end this yokai's life. One of his own, one chained to the same curse as Bakuyu. Now with that knowledge, Bakuyu didn't completely enjoy this sensless violence and would make this apparent with the following words.."Hmph, perhaps you are correct. I can and will never know true power until I free my race from this curse. With your power I will be one step closer to figuring out ho-" Bakuyu would stop in mid sentence once he felt the pure, twisted and wretched malice that was this being before him. The raw power and depravity that emmitted from this being at such great rates was something out of anyone Bakuyu had ever interacted with's league. It was something on another level of evil.

Something that drew sweat from the pores of even this hardened yokai. His fur stood up, on guard of whatever this creature might do. It walked in human skin but Bakuyu knew it wasn't human, its humanity was null n void, nonextistant..It told bakuyu to leave the greater alone and not to kill it. She wanted to play again, no it wanted to play again.."What...do you have in mind?"
(Bakuyu, The Devourer)
Zepar's journey after speaking with Drakkel had been a quick one. The yokai only moved about the marshes in order to search for Zeal or Wesker once more. Still, it hadn't found the humans, and Zepar figured it would return back to where it loved the most. The trystle caves. It provided the earthern contents it loved oh so much, and had grown acustomed to. Zepar now thinking of such things like its on level of respect gained throughout Valmasia. It spoke with Drakkel, a yokai unknown, and already it had begun to gain respect from it. There was the humans Zeal and Wesker as well who'd been respecting the elemental. Heck, even more so than Kalerion. Amazing.

Zepar would have a lot to think on obviously. Its influence could change quite a few things, but if it did things stupidly it obviously wouldn't get anywhere. Zepar moved forward, soon to be near one of its favorite high-spots within the cave. As it moved about, it could hear voices, and could feel the occultic and depraved mana within the air. Sadly, it wasn't all coming from just the turtlekai. Zepar wondered who wondered within its cave, and decided to move forward, soon to be stomping upon the pillar of rocks as it looked down at the humans, so assumed, as well as the yokai seeming to be in conflict.

"And you all come into my, Zepar's, territory in order to ruin -my- land?" Had Zepar already begun to claim these caves as its own land? Maybe it meant more-so its home seeing as to how months at a time were now spent within the cave, still. "What's the reason..." its eyes would shift towards Bakuyu when asking. Of course, Tensei had been noticed as well, the cloak baring the spider upon its back being a familiar. Still, was Tensei a foe? It'd be dealt with later. For now, Zepar awaited answers.
(Zepar)
Downed and ready... Ready to see a means of an end...
Eyes glared up at what see--... No...
Not yet...
It didn't come yet...
He wasn't consumed yet...

By the grace of higher powers, he'd live just a moment longer from what it seemed; He'd be able to see, just a few seconds more.. If not, something beyond that.
Another entity that filled one with a new emotion, one of dread-- If only it had come to comprehend powers such as this one before.

The voice...
He recorded it, slowly turning his head to acknowledge what looked like a human? Where did she come from? Why was she here? What power could she possibly wage against the two them, most certainly the elemental?

Was it this... Sixth sense he was exhibiting? As false as it was, he could only hang on the bad feeling that badgered at him-- But perhaps it was concealed by the closeness one had to death.
The voice of the other yokai nigh was drowned out in the mix of all of this, leaving one honed on what stood over them.

".... Well?" It sounded off through the mass telepathic link, gurgling its own blood unto the soils. "What... Is it going to be?"
(Vile Yokai)
Hearing that the greater had survived and was still able to talk infuriated Bakuyu. "This yokai should be dead from the injuries I gave him..I could kill him right now but, I would probaly die right after. The smart thing to do would be to try and subsitute Zepar for myself somehow, but how indeed.." Bakuyu would think to himself before removing his foot from the greater's chest. He still doubted that he would be able to move. Being burned alive in a field of fire was painful no matter how tough your skin was..Now turning towards the....malice creature, Bakuyu would attempt to show composure.."I have let him go, what do you want with me, a simple yokai and what do you plan on doing...What are you?" Bakuyu couldn't help himself but to ask questions.

He needed to know what this thing was. It had obvious power far beyond enything Bakuyu had ever expereinced. It had the depravity of a powerful kaor in it's prime and yet Bakuyu could feel no magical presence from the being, was it even alive?
(Bakuyu, The Devourer)
They agreed! How great!

For her…

"Wonderful! Just WONDERFUL! We'll have fun, you two and I--…Oh? Another player to arrive? No…Two~!"

Giggling to herself, the vampire clasps hands to her chest, turning to stare at the human, then to the new turtlekai. How cute! Clapping her hands, the excited little woman giggled and jumped around on her toes. But, the power beginning to form around her grew even heavier suffocating almost…She was letting go of it, letting herself enjoy the moment and withhold nothing if it caused her mild agitation. But, as the yokai spoke again, she would turn and frown at it. Bakuyu was being AWFUL pushy…

"WELL! Someone seems to be quite full of themselves! Asking ME of all others to explain what I am! Clearly I'm just a really cute girl! I want to play, to skip…To MURDER anyone who does not follow my rules! So…Lets play quiet time whilst I explain the rules to the game! And…If you win…I let you go! Simple right?"

The bloody mist began to swirl about her form, Doll floating off the floor as her dread only spread more and more. To the yokai, it was a horrendous creature…To the human boy however? She was beautiful, breath taking. Her pale skin glowed, her eyes glittered, her thin waist and curved hips gave her shape and a wonderful profile altogether. The very lull of her voice was melodic, entrancing…Hypnotic. IT was a siren call that no mortal man could ever resist.

She really looked like a human sized doll.

"Let's see now…My game is called the Sleeping Bear! Now, I have been sleeping a long time, so my eye sight is not too good! But, if you remain still every time I turn my head and look at you, I won't see you! But…If I do see you?"

Another wicked smile spread over her lips.

"You get eaten by the Monster…I mean, the bear!"

Glancing to the turtlekai, she grins and waves.

"Hey there cutie! Wanna join? It's so much more fun with other people….~"

(Doll)
Tensei saw as another yokai had appeared from in the scene though he still could not move as things just have gotten worse that before. Now that another yokai he had saw which looked kinda familar in the past but he could come up with a name. The girl asked the dead and victiorious yokai if they wanted to play a game. "What the heck... its kinda dark to play a game right now in this cave other than the yokai unleashing fire everywhere." He would say quietly hoping they would hear. The other yokai complained about us apprently tresspassing in his land.

This would put the boy in a even more unfitting postion then he was than before. Could a make a move and be unoticed? or would he escape slowly as no one would notice. Tensei would begin to move slowly side steping away from them but than he steped on a yokai that made him almost fall and trip. Though he would caught his own balance with one foot. It was quite and darker than usual.

He could only hear them speak and the sound of  the flames sizzling as the girl was standing over the fire. "She..is gonna die!" he said. Why would a person do that to simply just walk into a dangerous area of fire. Then ask if they yokai wanted to play a game? He had so much things going on in his head. Though as he was pondering he realized the girl wasn't dying. She was perfectly fine as he looked closer. "w-what? how?"

Soon she looked over to the boy and apprently he was just another player to her game. She called it the Sleep Bear. Tensei had to join or else that would be it for him. The whole part of the game was to not move and hope she would hurt you. Although in tensei eyes from the distance she looked like just a cute little girl but he could tell that this was no human it had to be a monster shaping shifting into one. Tensei was so scared that he still was wasn't even moving from the momment he laid eyes on the girl. Tensei was already playing the game. It was soundless throughout the cave, he could only hear is own hearbeat and the voices that were being said.
(Tensei Shogo D.)
Zepar looked onto the scene for a moment. Its words, and its presence here had obviously not been the most feared factor. What was it though? What was drawing their attention away froma  yokai that had now been claiming its territory? Zepar looked around for a short while up until suddenly noticing Doll speak. The woman seemed to be in control of the yokai below. Asking them to play some game, and even giving a descrption for it. Was this serious? Did she actually expect yokai, two being elementals for the moment while there'd also been a giga upon the ground, to simply go along with some human sort of game? Zepar had grown curious and wondered if it would actually be respectable or anything of the sort enough for it to do. It thought and thought just before remmebering how situation usually go.

Being the hot-head of things only led one to their deaths, thus, Zepar moved on stepping a bit closer, its body now leaning over the edge. The giant yokai would soon after decide it was time to jon them seeing as to how Doll had already called the yokai out. The gigantic beast would drop down from the pillar, soon landing, and even causing a small crater to form around each of its feet. Dust began to pick up around Zepar as it had began to adjust itself upon the ground now. Slowly, its head would move downwards in order to look the girl apparently 'calling the shots' in the eye.

"It seems I am to big to play such a mortal game. You though..." Zepar thought of the words she'd used for a moment. WOndering what caused such a malicious creation to act such a way. "You're one of the only humans i've seen act 'calm' and 'demanding' amongst other yokai without having some sort of loyalty treaty amongst us...." a chuckle soon followed. "You've got balls, girl." Zepar would 'compliment' for a moment just before lifting its head back up. "Leave now, girl. No yokai is to come and play a mortals game. You're confidence has obviously made you delusional here." It was evident Zepar hadn't noticed much about the oddities of  Doll .
(Zepar)
Bakuyu, The Devourer: zepar, your bravery knows no bounds
--And with the arrival of this new woman that bombarded the scene with the ethereal radiance of Depravity, he lied in rest, irked by the heat that constant fizzled at his lining. He was relinquished, but what could he possibly do in reverence to this situation?

Perhaps... Flee?
And so, squirm he tried... But he couldn't get too far, not from one whom just bested him... Or could he?
This new arrival seemingly convinced him, clearly because of the power he displayed: A disturbance that they, as yokai could explicitly detect...

He heard that same third party, taunting the dreadful presence, something he hadn't the Will to idle and watch. Inadvertantly, the flames one treked upon, as much as they'd irk him, were soon to be escaped, assuming he was stopped. As for departing the scene?

He hadn't the power to stand, much less run outright. He'd have to stop eventually, and when he did, he'd have to share whatever fate the others would in this cruel game of Doll's.

"Damn... It.... All..."


(Vile Yokai)
Bakuyu's heart raced in this moment and as the flames raged on, Bakuyu's adrineline would not stop pumping through his veins. He couldn't think of a single thing to do in this moment. The sleeping bear game? This game was designed to kill, their was virtualy no way out of this. The only way was to remain still or was that it? "If their was anytime to put this into practice it would be now, I have to try this.." Bakuyu would close his eyes and drain everything out of his mind until an image of a small sphere of light remained. Inside his mind, this sphere would grow larger and larger until it was the size of himself."I control the universe, I am the universe.." Just as the book said, Bakuyu would imagine his body as the universe itself and he would pull out the one thing he desired most. For this he would have to use his mind to reach inside the void itself and pull out the darkness, the power to ascend..

With this, darkness would begin to envelop the wolf yokai's body and begin to form a sphere around him while he was still in this state of meditation.  This sphere of darkness was tangible with anything that touched it, being absorbed and filled with darkness. Any being that was not already accustomed to darkness would be consumed upon contact. As the sphere fully shrouded and enveloped the yokai, it would then ascend into the air until coming to a full hault, stopping and floating in the air, completely still without so much a centimeter of movement.
(Bakuyu, The Devourer)
His body was...Oh, these stupid things, at a time like this? What a mood killer. Sighing, the woman stood back and watch, letting her eyes fall on the turtle yokai for a moment. What...Did they just say? Turning sharply on her heel, waltzing over to the creature, he would feel that suffocation dread pouring off her, her would feel the looking shadows and spot the bloody mist that spun about her. The scent of blood clung to the air, stale and cold as a chill ran through the caves. The vampire was displeased....

Very much so.

Glaring up at it, those burning, bright red hues pulsed slightly as the woman hissed. How DARE he confuse her with some simple girl! OH...But thatwas understable, in a way. With the woman so close now though?

It was hard to try and focus on ANYTHING else.

Pulling back her hand, letting it reach back behind her, she grps it into a tight first and sends it hurtaling at the turtle. The swing flew fast, meeting stone and cracking it under her force. It shook and began to rumple, the whole cliff edge falling to bits atop the yokai whilst she backs up. He'd best move, less he find himself under bits of stone! An easy let off really!

Turning sharply on her heel, the pale woman turns her back to the creature with a flutter of curls. The bright pink color anything but subtle.

"Let's not go telling me what I should do...Hmph. I get tired of people telling me what to do...I reccomend shutting your mouth and stick to fighting other yokai...I  don't feel so much like playing a game anymore. Why dont you and the other lippy one have a little tussle? Might be fun to waaatch...!~"
(Doll)

The boy was still scared shitless as nothing was compared to this. Like he was was having a bad dream in real life even though this wasn't a dream it was the real deal. Though the turtalkai moved jumping down from the moutain it was on. Walking up to the girl and apprently making fun of the human. Tensei thought to him self that, such a thing wasn't nice to even say to a girl even though he tried to stand up for us he failed and got punched into a wall. Her strength in power was crazy that

Tensei tried his hardest not to shed any tears from being so afraid. The only thing that was save him now was hope of only beieveing in himself that he would live. After punching the turlekai into the rocks the girl got bored of the game and told the two to fight. It was a good thing that Tensei was being ignored for quite a bit so which gave him even more of a chance to live. Tensei felt as if some sort of pressure kept pushing on his entire body and it didn't feel good at all.

Tensei fell to one knee as he was in a much more better postion to not be moving. Tensei was still forzen even though the game was over. Now all he had to do was watch the two yokai fight it out since that was what the cute little monster girl wanted.
(Tensei Shogo D.)
Zepar looked down at the girl for a moment. She seemed to be weirder and weirder, and had a 'presence' about her as she got closer and closer. Zepar had obviously been thinking purely on the two other yokai present. Believe their joint powers together had released such a disgusting amount of power. However, it was completely wrong. Instead, it seems this girl was the one who'd been radiating such a foul amount of energy. Zepar glared at her for a while. It was evident that her power had led to her confidence here, and she wasn't afraid of any of the yokai there at this point.

She'd suddenly punch at a the stone wall near Zepar. It seems she actually did hold quite a bit of power. Something for any strong magi or fighter to do was to break a stone wall like such, but with their bare fist? Zepar needed to be careful. The beast could hear the sudden crumbling of rocks, and could tell it'd be falling on it soon. A stomp of its foot sent mana into the ground beanthe it. A large pillar suddenly rising up from the ground and focusing moving Zepar quicker than it ever could honestly.

Zepar then moved on to landing in a different location. A stern look given towards the girl for a moment just before hearing her odd commands. Ordering yokai to simply fight against each other, what did she think she was, a imperfect, or even perfect yokai?! Zepar would chuckle some at first, soon looking to Bakuyu. Wondering if the once proud, soon to be king, would be softening its attitude like it did when obeying the womans orders of not killing off the giga.

As it looked though, it would notice Bakuyu within a sphere of pure darkness. What had been going on now? Was this its transformation? Had Bakuyu actually become a greater being even before Zepar itself? The turtlekai watched intensely. The sight of evolution for whatever reason being way more important than that of Doll's appearance and unusual amount of depravity.
(Zepar)
From the looks of things, the game was already beginning...
His victor had encompassed himself in a spherical aegis, taking to absolute stagnation... And the Terra Elemental? It garnered the attention of a now-agitated vampress... Which left him, still dragging its body with what iota of energy and tenacity it had left.

It was doubtful that he'd get far... But he was hoping on it, even if it'd be a painfully long process-- One, that forced him to consider accepting death.
He couldn't however! If he gave up now, what would everything up until this moment, mean? Nothing?
He snarled at the thought, and pushed onward with another drag!

Though, how much longer would it be until Doll would glimpse over in his direction? How much longer before Bukuya relinquished himself from this suspended stature to realize that he was using this opportunity to attempt escape? Would he finally perish to his victor? Or worse, to this monster...

Then, there was the unpredictable factor of a third party...
The factor of unpredictability...

The question was now... How far could he get, before being detected... Or better yet, how soon would it be, before he managed to get out-of-sight.
(Vile Yokai)
It seemed like mere moments or perhaps maybe 5 or 10 minutes paased before the perfect black sphere began to crack, revealing shards of light. First it was one tiny crack, then two and then they began to mutliply until the sphere completely cracked open in one grand and elegant explosion of darkness. Taking the form of black, sharded feather falling from the sky. However this wasn't the main point of focus. From the sphere was born a new yokai. Not wolf, not lion or even snake. Bakuyu had gone through a complete metamorphesis. His fur, gone without a trace revealing ripped and lean muscle covered in dark indigo skin. Wing spread out massive in size; each wing the length of Bakuyu's entire body. His tail now eternaly hardened and armored with dark plating, Also a long as his entire form.

As for his facial features, Bakuyu's ears were turned back and morphed into a miniture version of the wings on his back. His face was pale, the same color of his skin. His snout shrunk to resemble that of a human with his nose resembling one even more. His teeth were quite the same however though his maw had been sized down as well. Lines indicated the possible openings of his mouth, able to stretch to devour large prey. His legs had been coated in the same type of natural dark, armor-like plating as his tail;even long spikes protuted from the back and sides of his body, acting as decoration or perhaps some type of defense as well..

Though his claws at his feet and hands lengthened, sharpened beyond comprehension. He could still use them as delicately as to turn the pages of a book. His natural amethyst eyes conquered the white of his eyes, resulting in a completly purple, glowing with an eerie light that could peirce through the most absolute darkness. The expression now currently edged upon Bakuyu's face was blank, as if he'd been lost in thought. All of these features could be seen as Bakuyu gracefully decended down back towards the earth with his wing folding once he'd touched the ground. With his new form Bakuyu looked around to see that the game had been over, yet everyone was still alive.

Darkness and depravity flushed out from his being, fruitlessly attempting to reach the heights of the vampire's own depravity..Though, the yokai needed a meal and a test subject to see what his new abilities held for him. He also remembered defeating the greater. looking to see that it was attempting to escape, Bakuyu would use his tail and wrap it around the neck of the greater and throw it back to the ground near him. Then turning his attention towards the yokai, Bakuyu seemingly ignored the human as he was nothing but an ant to him now. "Zepar, I spared you once but you will not get the same mercy as before..Come and become part of me.."
(Bakuyu, The Devourer)
Doll: <*She smirks and claps her hands together.*> Fight, fight!~
Doll: <*She glances at the half dead yokai and floats over, gripping it's arm and FLINGING it across the caves*> Get out of here,  you're in the way...
Vile Yokai: <*is flung off-wards into a random part of the caverns*>
Tensei Shogo D.: <*moves out the away from the body...*>
From the clutches of Azreal, he was launched, liberated from what would've been his undoing... Into a random portion of the caverns. He... Was saved...
If not, by sheer luck.
He was pit up with one, in a situation he hadn't the slightest hope of winning, and managed to break the odds.

Finally, he had a chance to recover...
To hide from powers that superceded his own...
--And to grow, to finally match and surpass the aforementioned powers.

'Bakuyu...' He spoke to himself,
'I will remember that name...' There was some pause, before he pushed himself up into a corner, awaiting other of his kin to attempt creeping up on him, ready to pounce on the wounded beast.
'... --And next time we meet...' He mustered up, only to be interupted of his endeavor by diving beastlings of his ilk.

To one's dismay, one miniature monstrosity would find only the clutching palm of the nameless beast. Crushing digits siphoned raw vitality from its vessel, wrinkling its figure, and leaving it deprived of the bond betwixt body and soul.
With this minor consumption however, he had healed in reverence... Only to a minor degree, perhaps, just barely enough to force himself upright..
But it was a start; One such start that would lead to many more...

'... You will die by my hand.. '
(Vile Yokai)