Evemek: Occultic Research

[08:30:30] As one was relinquished from the dungeons for the first time to venture the extent of the fort's interior, his mind constantly contested reality from what felt akin to this contorted sense of surreality he was ensnared by. He had been stuck here for so long, and after yet -another- loss, the crowd had cheered on his death. At the blade's fringe to Amyas' scythe, he was nearly executed without the slightest of remorse, and it horrified him to the core.

Evemek's greatest nightmare was nearly upon him... Yet, as though a blessing in its own right, his teacher up until that point had spoke out for him, completely in his favor. Eglen had taunted the people of the audience, condescending their right to exist and thus turning the executioner's blade upon himself. Was it an act of outright foolishness? The words of the suicidal? Perhaps... But to Evemek, having only grown whilst in their presence, even if it was rather short lived, it was a noble gesture.

This, yokai... Did more to save him than Kraus ever visible did. He was left to die here, and the very creature he was taught to exterminate as a boy, sacrificed itself before his eyes... Or so, such was how he saw it.
(Evemek)
[08:30:30] " ... Everything he said... His teachings... His plight... Everything... He died to preserve it, didn't he." He discoursed internally, "He knew fair and well of the malign intent of human nature... Of their accursed sinful ways. They would prove to be the bane of their own existence and so, he'd earn their hate so that I could grow strong." It was all an assumption that a yokai was capable of partaking such attributes that they'd never own.

Denial was what drove one to ponder further on the subject, soon taking to a seat midst what seemed to be a bar. No drinks were taken however, it was doubtful that one of his perceived value here would be rewarded with such. Passing glances were that of disgust, further dampening one’s mood wholly. There wasn't much reason to idle here, when he'd eventually would be tossed out, forced back into the pit alongside the others that were deemed unworthy; Rather, he being one of those captured to partake in the bouts rather than going about it on his own free will.

There came an option: Flee; He could get up from this table and make a mad-dash down the halls and across the corridors in prayer that he found his salvation, albeit the only liberation one could fathom in aforementioned endeavor was naught but a blade plunged through his chest-- Assuming he wasn't given the instantaneous experience of decapitation as many before him had. He glanced about the room, inspecting what means of security he'd find to discover he'd easily be overwhelmed. At every corner, there was another guard, idle and ready for action at the hint of its upheaval.

Maybe he could take on a few of them, but they'd certain delay him-- Delay him enough to allow magi to catch up, take him down, and if provoked enough, execute him right there. A palpitating heartbeat forced him into petrification, lost for his next course of action. Though, he was no fool... He sighed, "... I can't.." He'd monologue, "There's too many. I can't even fight one." Tough criticism on his own part, perhaps... But he knew his limits... Though, was there anything to stop him, from simple, walking around? Certainly, if they'd let him out from the pit to venture the fort at his own volition, they'd allow him to do so without too much trouble, right?
(Evemek)
[08:31:21] He rose from his seat, soon drifting into the constant flux of bodies scrolling through the halls, only to find the sound of his footsteps tripled-- A glance over his shoulder, an the perpetrators were revealed: Three brutish guards, threateningly sizable compared to his own physique, likely tailing him because he was heading for the exit. They couldn't allow their gladiators to simply run off.
It didn't deter him from wandering however, so long as they remained silent and lacked obstruction.

"Huh."
From a grandiose bar, to what was clearly a storage room... And beyond... A door. Unlike the rest, it was guarded by a duet of well-armed guards, likely intended to end off individuals as a last-ditch effort... Or maybe, as the forefront? This, was the exit.
"It's... So... Strange here..." He commented, advancing towards the exit, only to be paused by a suspicious guardsman following him up until then. Their hand rested on his right shoulder, demanding of his immediate pause-- ... And to such voiceless command, he obliged without resistance.

"Think it's about time you got back down to the dungeon, where you belong... Boy." Their claim, wasn't disputed, for Evemek had no place to attempt such. Any act that earned the distaste of the people abroad here, could immediately lead to his end, if not, guaranteeing his demise once he was tossed back into the ring.
"Yes, sir." He answered with a feigned smile, unveiled only with his turning-- It looked pained, and accurately so granted his conundrum.

"I'll be heading there, immediately."
(Evemek)
[08:31:21] Having turned, he started on his way, guards side-stepping to allow him passage back into the structure, further into the Lion's Den.
The trek back would bring one down a flight of steps where the contracting room and infirmary lied in wait-- Alongside a secret passage unlocked to the public via adjusting the correct tome from its shelf. It felt like common knowledge to those damned to this place, if not lusty towards the sight of a bloodied bludgeoning before hundreds in a depraved audience.
However, he wasn't going down to the pit -just- yet... He had something to do first, and whilst the guards left him alone, he'd see it accomplished.

If Eglen's claims were true, he'd have to learn more of this world...
Of his kind... Of Eglen's kind...
To comprehend what it mean't to be a Seer of Darkness, in the general term's raw definition.
As though in frantic rush, he doggedly sifted through the lists of reference books, managing to accidentally topple few amongst the subject he was searching for.
"Yokai Transformations." He read aloud, flickering open to the first page, and swiftly scanning page, by page.

The name "Kzer'za" came up, earning extra scrutiny throughout the text. Why hadn't he heard of a "Kzer'za" before? --And why did this book consider him a major threat to Valmasia? Next, came the term 'Imperfect'.
"An, Imperfect yokai? ... They exist?" Certainly he never grew up during their time, truly innocent to the truest extent of the esoteric forces Valmasia was capable of producing...
Though, as the reference book went onward to date the research of one's understanding of yokai... The writing abruptly... stops...
Soon after, as though written by another person altogether, it simply claimed, yokai were dangerous and required purging, which could only leave to the question of: What happened?

Then, soon after-- Assumptions were to be made. What if, this was a person attempting to forge themselves as the author? Albeit horrendously done in his own opinion, it was likely that they supported the common notion of the daemonic creatures worthy of naught but oblivion.
(Evemek)
[08:31:21] Soon after, came another book having come across his sights--
Another test concerning yokai from the lesser stage, likely expected to take a similar, yet deviated route as the former.
However, as though to contradict the previous text, it went on to claim how they could be tamed, having adapted to human nature in itself... Did that make, Eglen, a person?
Not simply a tool to be used for mastery, but a full blown persona with a skillset to boot. If such was the case, these mongrels lacked justification in killing the one mentor of his they'd claim 'monster'. It was a stigma that had to be purged... One that -he- felt destined to obliterate himself.

He couldn't digress from the opportunity at-hand however, he had to learn, as much as he could. Whatever knowledge he could accumulate before his next death match could mean the difference betwixt life and death. If it was a new technique or means of amplifying his power, he had to know. Thus, when a familiar title dubbed 'Occult Madness' came to his attention, he'd flicker it open without the slightest delay.

Immediately, he was greeted with terms that rectified what devastation he had managed to fall to. "Madness." He said aloud--
As though to haunt him after his alleged demise, Eglencenin's voice sounded out to him, seemingly in retrospective narration:
"Are you certain that what you prayed to was the right being? Perhaps it was not Kraus..whom thy prayed to?"
... Was he?
What if, he had gone mad upon contracting the taint of the eternal night?
What if, this 'Eline Sakete' had come to terms with this, and managed to overpower this delusive effect on the mind?
What if, he could not only understand his predicament at roots he lacked realization of, and... Change it? To be the first, as he had come to believe thus far.
(Evemek)
[08:31:21] --Even as he carried through the text, even as he sought to collect all the knowledge he could, reading as fast as he could, more sources were noted. If he truly wanted to understand, he'd have to keep digging.
"Ro'tro? ... How far back does the research on the Occult go?" He inquired to no one in particular. If only a voice from beyond his perception could answer him for once, and spare him the inconvenience of delving so deep into the eldritch nature of like-ilk.

"Does that mean, mastering occultism comes with a price? Is that to imply that I can't get any stronger?" He hated the the notion. Why could yokai do it, but not himself? If yokai were created by Kraus, and granted mastery over the full range of the occult, unsullied by deviants... Why couldn't humans whom were granted nothing, but offered all, do the same?
Were they not teachers?
If so, then by his logic, teachers were mean't to be succeeded by their students and he's, fit the part.

This, did not bring him to depart from the text-- For every page further he'd advance, he'd come to better understand...
He was... Never a man of Kraus?
How spirit-killing such belief was, earning a crushed slump in posture.
As Eglen stated, he was likely never following the deity of Holy light, all along. Merely deluded by his own madness, as Eline had claimed in this text. He was, insane? Then, if such was the case, how would he ever recover? How could he ever deny this state of mind? Or was this ingrained in fate...
(Evemek)
[08:32:12] Evemek winced at the surging thoughts, vehemently refusing to accept such insecurity and weakness-- He was greater than that. Even if he suffered of Occult Madness, he seemed confident on growing beyond it. He had to ascend and surpass that of other magi-- To become a new icon, a new entity worthy of the history books. He couldn't be like anyone else, he had to change the world. Wasn't that, Eglen's parting dream?

Finally, he took upon a final book, placing the rest back in their place; It was time to get to the pit. On his way through the audience section of the facility, he'd wander into the actual arena, to get to the dungeon pit where others like himself lied in wait.
In his hand, was naught else but a beginner's guide to the Occult. It was time to formally understand what he had tapped into.

Unlike, every claim to the Darkness he had come to know thus far, this book was nothing like it. For within its text, the shadows were not a brand for a faction nor a monster's arcane; It was that, of knowledge. It made sense, for Eglen in himself was intellectual enough to surpass any individual human mentally in immediate contest. Whilst the light housed the ignorant in its safe veil, they would never come to see what lied where the light ended. For, such illumination would never come to that outside their line of sight... They were limited, whilst the shadows were everywhere. In every corner, and behind every overbearing edge and crevice.

It was symbolic in itself, for no matter how much one could know and understand-- The truly intelligent would only come to realize there is so much more beyond their grasp of comprehension. It was a necessary opposite to creation, intended for balance with a dosage of destruction in the mix. It was the source, whilst light was the soon-after presence to defy it. From black everything began, and to black everything shall return... This, was what had constructed the concept of what some would dub, The Void.
(Evemek)
[08:32:12] From there onward, it wrought contortions upon his philosophy of reality and creation. "Huh?" He hummed, "If, for everything to exist, there must be nothing and vice versa... Then, how is 'The Void', reality? In some manner of sense, it was sound. However, he couldn't help but prod further at it...
Did it imply that one, potent enough could infact, influence the perception of reality with influence over oblivion? To control and conjure that of oblivion, mean't to manipulate the fullness of reality in itself.

"Isn't that, divine magic?" He asked aloud, "No... It is, but it isn't. Which, to some is illusion, whilst it is also real. Which means, everything is, and isn't real... Then, wouldn't that make, illusion... Real?" He was perplexed at the concept. "Then, what is divine magic?"
As much as he'd wish to know, he couldn't be badgered to digress from the topic at-hand. He came to learn of the Occult, and so he would.

He was amongst fellow pit members now...
Obligated to take to practice, the very art he had grown eternally tethered to.
(Evemek)