The mountains and freedom

[20:25] Clara Ultovex exclaims, "HEY!"
[20:28] Aku says, "..."
[20:28] Aku asks, "What do you want loser?"
[20:29] Clara Ultovex asks, ".... You think I owe you a gift or something, right?"
[20:29] Aku says, "Yeah-"
[20:30] Aku says, "I don't care right now."
[20:30] Aku says, "I'm busy."
[20:30] Aku turns around!
(Aku)
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[20:58] Clara Ultovex asks, "Are you SURE you don't care?"
[20:59] Aku says, "If it's not going to make me strong enough to get back my staff, I don't care."
[20:59] Clara sighed and rolled her eyes. She kind of didn't want to do this but... She withdrew the staff and held it out.
(Clara Ultovex)
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[21:00] Aku's back was facing her. He couldn't see her.
(Aku)
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[21:00] Clara Ultovex says, ".... Turn around, idiiot."
[21:00] Aku asks, "Why?"
[21:00] Clara Ultovex exclaims, "JUST DO IT!"
[21:01] Aku frowns, turning around to face the girl. He looks at his staff, then at her, then back at the staff he had turned down three times already.

"I don't want it."
(Aku)
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[21:01] She blinked, staring at him,

"But it's your staff," She said.
(Clara Ultovex)
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[21:01] Aku says, "I didn't win it back."
[21:02] Aku says, "It's worth nothing if I don't win."
[21:02] Clara Ultovex says, "Okay but.... Just take it."
[21:02] Aku says, "No."
[21:02] Clara Ultovex says, "Also that's a dumb mentality to have."
[21:03] Aku exclaims, "Yeah? I still beat you!"
[23:00] Clara was silent; he was right and the threat from her Mother remained fresh in her mind, but.... She had an idea,

"That's fine. I'll become the strongest," She said confidently, "I have to." - Or else I'll get punished. That went unsaid. She continued to hold the staff out to him.
(Clara Ultovex)
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[23:00] Aku says, "No-"
[23:00] Aku says, "I'm the one who'll be the strongest."
[23:00] Aku says, "That's what I'm gonna go do right now."
[23:01] Aku frowned, turning around once more to head up the path towards the mountains. Still within Dawn, but at the very edge of it.

"You can't understand."
(Aku)
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[23:01] Clara Ultovex exclaims, "... If I don't win next time I'm going to get punished!"
[23:05] Aku says, "..."
[23:05] Aku says, "Then win, idiot."
[23:05] Aku says, "All I know is that freedom's the best. Being able to do what you want rules."
[23:06] Aku says, "And that the only way you can do whatever you want is by having no one be able to stop you."
[23:06] Aku says, "That's what I learned from Belial."
[23:06] Aku says, ".. And that's what I'll get from him."
[23:26] Clara Ultovex says, "...."
[23:26] Clara Ultovex says, "There's strength, and there's control. The latter is better than the former."
[23:26] Clara Ultovex says, "According to my Father."
[23:26] Clara Ultovex says, ".... So I'll learn control."
[23:32] Aku says, "..."
[23:32] Aku says, "Have fun with control."
[23:32] Aku says, "I'll have fun being strong."
[23:32] Aku asks, "I'm heading out. Are you coming, wuss?"
[23:35] Clara Ultovex says, "...."
[23:35] Clara Ultovex asks, "Wait - out of Dawn?"
[23:41] Aku asks, "Where else am I gonna be the closest to the moon?"
[23:42] Clara Ultovex says, "....."
[23:42] Clara Ultovex says, "I don't wanna get kidnapped or something."
[23:42] Clara Ultovex says, "Or like - put in a collar."
[23:42] Clara Ultovex exclaims, "That's scary, I won't be able to use my magic or anything!"
[23:45] Aku says, "Well, I'm gonna go."
[23:45] Aku says, "Alone."
[23:45] Aku says, "To the mountains."
[23:46] Aku says, "Follow if you wanna."
[23:46] Aku says, "If not, I'll come back stronger."
[00:12] Clara Ultovex says, ".... Okay."
[00:13] Aku says, "..."
[00:13] Aku moves north!
(Aku)
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[00:14] Clara Ultovex exclaims, "I mean - yeah, I'll follow you!"
[00:15] Aku says, "Alright."
[17:35]
{LOAD GAME}

[21:00]
{LOAD GAME}

[21:11] The girl frowned, shivering lightly. Her outfit wasn't fit for the cold environment of the snowy mountains, but as Aku finally stopped, Clara took in where they were. It was pretty, yes - but... The girl found herself unable to properly focus on the fact she had left Dawn. Sure, the mountain was a place she doubted they'd run into any sort of enemies... And while it was pretty, she simply couldn't appreciate it.

There was only one thing in her mind, beating itself to death in her brain like a drum.

Win, Clara.

She inhaled deeply, the cold air hurting her lungs briefly. Gray eyes took in the back of her friend, and a thought occurred to her.

Win, Clara, even if you have to cheat.

He had no weapon. She didn't want to be disowned. She didn't want to be killed and then raised back up. She didn't want her friends to die if she didn't win. She just wanted their approval- that's all she craved.

The only sound Aku would hear behind him would be the soft ringing of a bell, before it grew more aggressive. Suddenly, a tendril of water would lash out against the red head's back, the young girl having a strange look upon her face.

Desperation. Fear. Panic. Paranoia.
(Clara Ultovex)
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[21:26] He had gone up to a dangerous spot. Far, far away from any kind of settlement or town. The highest point on Agartha wasn't one that was easy to reach; snow surrounded him and blocked his way constantly. It fell from the nightsky and hit his face relentless in utmost darkness, leaving him to go on - to move ahead and lead the way through the storm with Clara following behind him.

He needed power. He needed to feel like he could change something, like all of those fights weren't for nothing. All this pain had to bring him strength and power. The oath he took, the backpack he sacrificed, the path he was taking with his life was one that burned brightly and briefly.

Aku wasn't ready for his flame to die out.

Grey eyes looked up heavensward, seeking out the moon in the middle of the night - seeking out Belial's wisdom and words. His lips parted as he spoke out loud.

"What do I have to do to get more?! Is it no enough? Was losing to that jerk not enough for you?! I'm ge—"

Ring

That's all he heard before he felt the presence behind him. Tendrils of cursed waters he hated so much lashed out at him, aiming to attack him - to betray the trust he had. This... was too much.

The tainted liquid drew blood from him as it struck, leaving Aku to look directly into the Ultovex' eyes, his own wide and crazed. It had gone on for far too long; he wouldn't let this kind of magic hurt him anymore. Not from Clara, not from Sugarlad, and even less from Sienna.

Cosmic energies burned around him, rising up towards the skies as the mark of a third eye upon Aku's forehead flickered to life subtly, Belial's gaze being granted a first row seat to this event.

To this masacre.
(Aku)
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[21:36] She hadn't expected the red head to fight back so harshly, and so she was quickly overwhelmed. The presence of the trees didn't help either, the young girl not sure what to do in the midst of them.

As the snow fell amongst them, Clara was brought to her knees, only briefly before she panted. Slivers of wetness coursed down her cheeks, the girl gripping a handful of snow as she forced herself to stand.

"I.... HAVE TO WIN!" She shouted, desperation showing in her voice, "HE'S GOING TO KILL ME IF I DON'T WIN! I HAVE TO WIN!" Her voice trembled. She was petrified, and no amount of ice cream before bed would ever fix the mental trauma that had been inflicted upon her. The Whispers took advantage of her self doubt, and made it worse.

Her Father hadn't even said anything; but to her, he didn't need to. But even the threat of death didn't compel her that much. The threat of being disowned, of him not loving her. Of not having their approval, that's what drove her to attack her friend who had trusted her.

The tendrils of murky water lashed out around the occultist, Clara trembling a bit from the coldness and the battle itself. She exploded outwards in a frenzy of it, right towards Aku.
(Clara Ultovex)
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[21:41] "It's only the strong that get to pick what they do in life!"

His words came loud and clear. His own experience against the girl's father had left him unable to deny that; no matter what he wanted it didn't matter if someone stronger kept it away. This was true in every aspect of their life, too.

"I'm not gonna give up on freedom just because you can't stop crying!" He added, the energies around him burning up with more intensity than before. Those cursed tendrils weren't going to ever leave his mind. The fact Clara used them was nothing but bad luck for her.

Aku was tired of losing. Tired of being weak. Tired of having to follow people's orders. This wasn't freedom. Even Eniel's own speeches about following Belial's way weren't going to cut it.

Freedom could only be attained on your own.
Freedom was the ability to make a choice, no matter what the 'right' answer was.

"I'M NOT GONNA LOSE JUST BECAUSE YOUR DAD'S A DICK!"

.. Big words. Bad words.
(Aku)
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[21:54] A rampage. A merciless assault from the older of the two. The relentless rain of meteors left the mountains in ruins. Rocks were sent tumbling down the sides and an avalanche may just have been sparked by the two fighting so roughly - mainly from Aku's inherent ability to destroy.

But what hurt the most wouldn't be being brought down in battle, no. Even the pain in Clara's heart couldn't compare to Aku's approach - to his foot forcing her down against the cold snow, pressing her back into it hard. Grey eyes met their opponents, only for the third, red depiction of an eye to appear more clearly upon Aku's forehead. The Sealed God's gaze was unruly, chaotic and embraced the way the redhead's foot twisted and turned upon Clara's chest, grinding her into the cold mountain further.

"I'm done losing, Clara. I'm done being weak. And I'm done doing the right thing - I'll do whatever I damn want! Neither of us is gonna tell your parents you lost."

He stomped on her, hard, driving his point before his foot moved away.

"'Cause we're not coming back until you can beat me."

Just what kind of worldwide terror could Aku's actions bring? Chaos was bound to be brought by that.

This would please Belial, certainly.
(Aku)
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[21:59] * You have been awarded 1 Roleplay Points! *
[22:00] Mentally, she was screaming. Physically, she was screaming. The voices in her head combined, as Aku ultimately sent her down onto her back in the battle. His foot stomped itself into her, and thusly her into the snow. It was cold, and she wanted to flee from it and get to somewhere warm. But she wasn't able to. Her hair was disheveled from the fight and in all honesty, she expected taunting.

Instead she received pain, and then a surprise - they weren't going back until she could beat him.

But he had no weapon. How could she have beat him as it was?

"W-What do you mean?!" She shouted, "We have to go back, Aku!" She finally managed to get a grip upon his foot, trying to pry it off her so she could get out of the snow and the cold.
(Clara Ultovex)
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[22:05] "If we go back right now I'm gonna tell your dad that I beat you. And we're both gonna get it!"

He knew better than anyone that Sors wouldn't just let his daughter lose without returning the favor. There was no way he'd go back down until she was stronger - until he was stronger, too. This was his great trip to the mountains for a reason. His left hand reached up to the skies, pointing at the moon.

"I'm gettin' Belial's gift. If you wanna go back and cry to your dad about how you lost, you can. Queen of the crybabies!"

Harsh words. Words that had a history, too. Still, Aku openly admitting he was going to gather the influence of Dawn's closest enemy wasn't something he should tell the daughter of the Adjucator.

But he was beyond caring about something like that.

"If you wanna be a loser and go home, do it."

His foot was displaced, lettingClara make her choice, giving her the freedom she never had.
(Aku)
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[22:09] Clara didn't care about Belial. Perhaps she should have, but... She didn't. She was quiet, before she shook her head,

"... It said.... If I didn't win, I'd get disowned... Terrible things..." She murmured mostly to herself - but Aku would hear it plain as day. "I can't go back, not unless I want to be killed... A-And raised into an Undead..."

She couldn't win by cheating. By attacking her opponent when he was weak.
Her Father had said a horde is stronger than individual. There was strength and control, and the latter was better than the former.

She squeezed her eyes shut.

"Fine!!" She finally shouted.
(Clara Ultovex)
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[22:10] Aku exclaims, "Fine!"