The Fall of Morality

This was supposed to happen another time.

But with the dawn of war looming over their heads, they could use every single combatant that they could muster for their side; that, of course, included the people that were captured and could be made into undead. Arthur despised slavery, he really did- but there's such thing as selfishness that thrummed in his heart.

If he had an opportunity to take advantage of Khaine by submitting him under his will, and send him out to fight the fight that Valmasians have? He will take it.

A thud.

Arthur made his way inside the cell. Now Adjudicator, and clearly far more powerful than he used to be, his gaze turns towards Khaine. He observes the prisoner who's been stuck around here for so long- unsurprisingly, the Ookami was fed with meat during his lockup in prison, or else they'd risk turning him insane.

And insane soldieris as good as useless.

"Morning."

"I believe you're yearning for freedom at this point, yes? I've come to turn a new page in your life, starting today."
(Arthur Rowan)

Weeks? Months? Years? How long has it been?
His golden gaze was fixed upon Arthur; despite having been locked up in here for quite awhile, his gaze was still as fierce as always. He sucked onto his dry lips in an attempt to wet them with his saliva, essentially making it easier to speak...

Speak? How long has it been since Khaine had last spoken?
"Grgggh-.." - he unleashed a snarl that was filled with hostility. Clearly, he wasn't too happy about seeing Arthur. Khaine had already thought that Arthur had forgotten all about him being in the dungeon; now, how great would that be? That would've made things so much easier. Escaping this dungeon would've been a piece of cake.

That wasn't the case however.

Still, refraining from speaking, Khaine tilted his head, as if inquiring as to what has he done to deserve Arthur's presence.

(Khaine)


Click, click, click. There is still a sense of anticipation and uncertainty. Wonderlust floods within her wandering mind - the desire to be anywhere else, but the dungeon cells brings about a peculiar feeling within her heart. For some strange reason, everytime she is down here, something voracious happens. And perhaps, that same thing could possibly be said within matters such as this. Cerulean hues flutter briefly- hands carefully netting together as heels clatter upon the cobblestone. Just like any loyal knight, she opens the prison cells and closes it behind her and Rea...Opting to merely serve as a means to protect the Rowan.

 "Please- do not try to fight. I think that this'll only make matters much worse." She says while beginning to nod briefly. "There are still things that we've all got to do. And I think that-...Well. It all can fall in place if done in the right way." she adds. However, despite her tone- there is no smile upon her features.

 It is simply an empty stare...Anticipation bubbling within her being, her hands tightening into clasps behind her back. This..Is going to be wild. She's almost certain.
(Bei Bei)

It's obvious that Khaine would not be happy about seeing him here.

If he were truly forgotten, perhaps Khaine could have the chance of escaping this place while everybody else was away and unable to intercept him, but alas, there's nothing like that which could be done for the Ookami.

"Mm. As expected."

Though, there's a small grin from him. There's no empathy that he can spare for the beast that he's about to tame - only the fact that he would serve Valmasia faithfully from now on. And even if Khaine somehow got his freedom by breaking off from Rowan?

He would still die, eventually.

"You're going to become a loyal soldier of Valmasia, whether you like it or not."

"The following procedure for you will be... unique. I warn you beforehand, should you try to ever try betray me, not only you will be submitted with as much force as possible, but you will die without me."

"In a sense, Valmasia is your life now."

"I am your life."

There's a tug. Something feels wrong in the air, like reality itself being compressed around Khaine's head- it's painless, but soon enough, an orb of air begins to form around his head. There's no apparent effect just yet, but...

For Ookami? Something is about to happen.
(Arthur Rowan)

A brief chuckle escaped Khaine's mouth.

"Are ya' fuckin' delusional, ya' lil' shi'? I'd rather /die/ than serve yer' sorry arse." - at last, he spoke, and with a lot of sass. As always, he gave no regard to the situation he's in - he spoke freely, as if he was a free man out in the open.

That's how Khaine is. He does whatever he fucking wants to. And the fact that Arthur thinks Khaine would easily submit... it genuinely made him crack up; his laughter echoing throughout the dungeon.

Little did the Ookami know, however, that soon he won't be retaining his current thoughts.

He pushed himself up onto his feet and simply spat straight into Arthur's face. A wry smile spread across his face shortly afterwards; although it was mostly hidden behind the mask.

After having done so, he backed off and leaned against a wall; holding onto his head briefly upon noticing a vacuum-like space surrounding his head.
(Khaine)

Perhaps it's the corruption that began to echo within him.

But there's something about Rowan that changed ever since he lived his life as idealist of pure thought. There's something about him that now would not shy away from the murder in order to enslave someone, to keep their mind under his control, all for his selfish desires.

Often, you don't even notice how far you've fallen until it's too late.

"You'd rather die?"

"Don't worry. I'll grant your wish."

The ball of air swirled around Khaine's head; the suction of wind was forced into his throat, then into his nasal canals, into his nose too- all the way to his lungs, and the air was being drawn out. Bit by bit, the precious oxygen that every living being takes for granted was robbed from Ookami, leaving his lungs empty and his blood lacking in any sustenance it craves so much.

It felt like darkness that engulfed his mind.

It's like being strangled... except, there are no hands on your throat. It's the blackout, the loss of consciousness, except there's nothing you can do to fight it back. The air bubble persisted around his head, actively draining him of any oxygen.

All to the point of eventual death.

"Shhhhh…"

"Don't struggle. Let it go..."

A silent, gentle, but unsettling death in the quiet of Valmasian chambers and dungeons.
(Arthur Rowan)

At first, it became somewhat difficult to breathe properly. Soon, however, It became impossible to breathe all together.

He dropped onto his knees whilst holding onto his own throat. The veins on his neck became swollen and were visible to the naked eye as his lips, and his face in general turned blue. All, signs of suffocation.

His heart rate went up a notch; beating rapidly; thumping strongly. It felt almost as if the heart was going to jump straight out of his chest.

It was obvious; he was about to die. Of suffocation, of all things. For a being such as Khaine, that must be one of the worst ways to go. It's slow and painful. Yet, somewhat peaceful and silent.

Khaine always wanted to go out with a huge bang, make lots of noise and make himself well-known. And yet; precisely the opposite happened. He died silently, deep underground, in a dungeon far off from any people - from any possible witnesses. All alone.

How saddening.

The ability to acquire sufficient oxygen through breathing - it was taken away from Khaine, and eventually, resulted in death.

His body collapsed with a loud thud as all signs of life were gone.
(Khaine)

The moment he collapsed, Arthur knew it's time to employ the Art of Azrael he learned so far.

There's excitement in his heart. To resurrect a magi, for the first time in his life, and acquire his very own subject to command? As much as he loathed the slavery, the thought of holding someone's fate in his own hands felt... thrilling. Even now, should Khaine ever rebel against Arthur, there's no way he would survive alone.

At least, not for long. That's what excited him.

"Ah... now, onto giving you new life."

A sharp inhale. This would take a great deal of Arthur's focus and a great deal of his mana too, but he was prepared- his hands were directed at Ookami, and in the moment's notice, the powerful connection of his own mana flushed his circuits, like a large wave of the ocean that hits the shore.

His brain, his heart, his spinal cord and his stomach - all important places,the wells of mana, all were filled to the brim.

Like the warmth of the heart that was re-started, like the blood of the living, the mana that would now sustain his undeath spread throughout his body, filling every bit of his circuits with the signature of Rowan's power, essentially making him into Necromancer's possession.

Khaine was granted life, but from now on, they were connected.

Just as the Ookami began seeing stars, just as his soul floated into cosmos, suddenly, it's pulled back. The vision of the stars blackens before him, disappearing into the endless black of the Void, and something tugs him back home.

Back to the land of the living.

"Rise, Khaine."

"Awaken. You have new purpose to fulfil."
(Arthur Rowan)

He was dead. A brief vision of the cosmos; surrounded by stars, on his way to purgatory. As he 'traveled' to the purgatory, he was anything but in peace. He was infuriated. He still had so much he wanted to do. And the way he died - absolutely shameful.

Luckily, it wasn't over just yet. He had another chance; and he was quick to realize that. His soul, forcefully was pulled back into his corspe as it was re-started with the Art of Azrael - necromancy.

His eyes slowly opened up; his gaze immediately was fixed upon Arthur. He stared at him in a somewhat protective manner. He could tell, that they were connected, and that he is to follow his orders.

'Rise, Khaine.'

Khaine immediately reacted to Arthur's order and quickly rose up.

It was odd, though. His body didn't quite move the way he wanted it to - a side-effect of the revival, it'd seem. The soul's connection to the body was weaker due to the travel to purgatory and back. Understandable.

However, that wasn't it. There was something else to it.. What was it..?

Khaine's fists closed up, instinctively as he redirected his gaze upwards, looking at the ceiling.

"Oh-.." - he muttered, following up with a somewhat sinister cackle.

It was anger. His soul was corrupted. It's warped; twisted. All the anger he had felt throughout his life-time was doubled. Mayhaps even tripled.

He was like a volcano awaiting for an opportunity to erupt.

The new Khaine will far more cruel, merciless and twisted than before.


(Khaine)


Khaine says, "Let's agree on one thing."

Khaine says, "No one needs to know about how I died..."

Khaine says, "Fuckin' suffocation-.."

Arthur did not care for the details of Khaine's death.

For him? It was all for the greater goal of defeating his enemies and acquiring as many soldiers for Valmasia as possible. If it meant forcing new ones into servitude under him, then so be it. He didn't feel sympathy to the man that lost everything he could be, if he continued down the path he pursued in his life--

-- instead, a new purpose given.

"I care little for the glory of your death."

"You may tell others whatever tale about how you died, and if you wish to keep it secret, then it will stay as one, for as long as you're silent on your own."

It was not in Arthur's plans to reveal that Khaine is now under his control, for obvious reasons. Perhaps, some of the methods of warfare he wished to employ could require sending a man under disguise, and Khaine would become a perfect candidate for that.

"There is one thing you must understand now."

"You will follow my word. You will follow what I say. Do so, and you will yet have a chance to accomplish anything you desire."

"Disobey, and you will perish before you realize what happened."

The instinctive tug of connection between them was apparent. Even if Ookami wanted to disobey the Rowan, it's a dangerous gamble, one that would inevitably cost him his life.

Now, there's no Khaine without Arthur.

"Now, ah-- I suppose I should get you your weapon."
(Arthur Rowan)