Sword of Swords (Keiji Maeda)

OoC: Let's see... a test of sword skill that will occur on... ... ... ... ... I'll go with a hill. Better yet, lowlands. Series of hills. This oughta be interesting. Feel free to observe, Drago! We've just got our own little battle-circle now.

BiC: Two weeks had passed since Blitz' second encounter with Dirk. The Apocalyptic Archangel had certainly been a challenge the second time around. (OoC: I'll get back to you guys, Daphnes and Dan. Sorry for leaving you hanging like that. BiC) But now the swordsman found himself quite bored as he traveled the overworld in search of more information about The Dome. He was beginning to get restless in impatience. After all, speed and efficiency were his primary attributes; waiting was not something he enjoyed.

At least the scenery was quite beautiful. Clouds passed lazily overhead; the sky was a perfect blue, so pure; the grass was green and lush under his bare feet. Yes, a good day was on the horizon.

Guess I spoke too soon, Blitz thought to himself when he saw a figure on the next rise ahead of him. From what he could tell, the figure did appear to be armed with a sword of some sort. For now it was sheathed, but Blitz decided he should be cautious as he jogged easily toward the figure. It never occurred to him that he could simply walk the other way.

When he was a few yards away from the human, Blitz saw his hand move for the hilt of his weapon. Instinctively, Blitz mirrored the action, but did not draw the Supernova. He merely rested his hand on the hilt, as did the other human. For several moments, neither moved at all. But then the other must have decided Blitz was not a threat, for he relaxed his hand by his side.

Moved to curiosity, Blitz strolled to this strange person's side. "So, who are you?" he asked with an amused smirk. He could see that this man's sword was definitely different from his own.

"Tokûmarû Kyô," said the man simply, not moving his eyes from the distant horizon. He seemed to be waiting for something... "And yours?"

"Just call me Keir." Wondering what the swordsman was staring at, Blitz' own eyes wandered in the general direction of the horizon. But he saw nothing of interest, save for a plain blue sky meeting green grass. And a few trees. As he stared in wonder, he felt a flicker of familiarity. Tokûmarû, Tokûmarû... he thought. Where have I heard that name before? At the village, he realized. Some time before, he had passed through a rural dwelling and helped a craftsman with his work. The villager had thanked him and advised him to watch out for a dangerous samurai known by the name Tokûmarû Kyô.

Quick as lightning, Blitz brought the Supernova to his hand and held out its tip to the supposed enemy. But the other human was just as quick, if not more so, and stepped aside to avoid the blade's sharp edge without effort. Still his eyes never left the horizon.

"That was foolish," Tokûmarû said quietly. "You realize that I shall have to retaliate." Drawing his sword, a red katana that Blitz found to be quite attractive, Tokûmarû finally averted his eyes. They settled on the presumptuous human, piercing him.

Blitz felt a cold chill go through him at the sight of those eyes, and knelt into his signature battlestance, spinning his sword between two fingers stylishly. "Make your move."

OOC: Dude this is gonna be so freaking tight! (Lets make it longer than Underground Cavern, shall We?)

BiC: Tokumaru fixed his eyes on the opponent. What did he want with him? The only thing the Heavenflame Samurai had been doing was standing on the lush mountain top, enjoying the view of the fields. Yet, his challenger had a very familiar aura about him, one that was very close to his own. ‘Is this…’ he thought, ‘Is this perhaps Blitz Keir? The Legendary Fire Master that inspired my father to create the Kizu no Hinotama Ryû? (Maelstrom-Firestorm Style, see “The Rivalry” for details)

“Keir,” Tokumaru said coolly, “Is your first name perhaps… Blitz?”

Blitz held his sword tightly, and nodded his head. “Yes, I am Blitz Keir. And I have heard of you, Mister Kyô. (OOC: press ALT and 147 to get the ô and ALT 150 to get the û. BiC: ) Apparently, you are the Legendary Nakashima No Hitokiri, the Manslayer of Nakashima. Your hands are stained with blood, it is obvious. And your eyes are full of remorse. Did I catch you in the middle of a burial ceremony, murderer?”

Tokumaru glared off into the distance; his body still facing sideways to Blitz. Rage suddenly pumped through each vein in the Samurai’s body as his grip tightened on the Hinotama’s hilt. “Who was it, Blitz,” he said angrily, “that informed you of that side of me?”

Blitz was a little confused with this. Why did it matter to the Samurai? Tokumaru was a cold blooded manslayer, to Blitz’ point of view anyway. “A carpenter in the village of Nakashima told me about you." The warrior said, "He said you used to live there, and taht you commanded that the village gave you a tribute of two children for you to slaughter, and a woman for your enjoyment each year. That is truly sick.”

Tokumaru turned about-face and stared Blitz directly in the eyes. “The Carpenter, did he have long, flowing black hair, and red pupils perhaps?” Blitz nodded solemnly. ‘Damn you, Naoru.’ Tokumaru thought angrily, ‘Now you’ve sent an incredibly powerful warrior upon me, whose power is greater than Drago’s, and perhaps rivals mine, with tales of my past. You truly are the definition of agony.’

Blitz was beginning to become annoyed. “Are you quite finished mumbling to yourself, Samurai? I’ve found you, even though I wasn’t looking, and to tell you the truth, I’m pretty darn glad. Two children for you to kill, and a woman for you to rape... There’s no excuse for that! You will fall here, Samurai, I will make sure of it.”

Tokumaru entered his own kata stance and closed his eyes; the Hinotama began to radiate with intense heat, as did the Supernova sword. “I did indeed commit those crimes… In the past. And I took my life in part for it. (The other part being Eythinia's suicide) But I have come back to life, and I have repented.” A long pause followed, and both Keir and Kyô stood silently, remaining in their kata stances.

“But if you still do not believe me,” said Tokumaru quietly, “then a fight you shall have, and a fight you shall loose.”

OOC: Your turn, woo woo! Sorry to say, but I'll be MIAfor the next three days. I was thinking of putting something together like me and shade (using our demonic characters) versus u and Drago. But that'll be after this fight is done, so forget I said that lol.

EDIT: W00t! I'm probably going to get like one or two more posts in by the time today's over, provided you post in time. PS, do u have an MSN screen name?

OoC: T_T Dude, way too much Japanese. It just makes me wish I were more versed in the Holy Language. Yeah, I worship the Japanese. So what? BTW, Blitz isn't his first name. I thought the bio made that clear... Oh well, no harm done.

BiC: “I don’t plan on allowing you the satisfaction!” shouted Blitz as he abandoned his defensive position and rushed the samurai with his sword outstretched. The blade might have pierced this man’s skull completely, had he not took a single step back and to the side, easily evading the thrust. SWISH! His blade was blindingly quick, even Blitz had hardly seen it; that was the swordsman’s downfall. A gash opened up in his left arm, and he stumbled forward, gasping in pain.

Tokumaru sneered. “This is the Blitz Keir I’ve heard so much about in tales and legends?” He spat at the ground in disgust. “You assume that I am heartless, cruel, unfeeling. But you cannot even hold your own against what you believe to be evil? You do not deserve to live!!” The samurai’s blade jabbed with startling quickness, but Blitz had seen the attack coming.

Gracefully he spun aside, letting the attacks fly past him. Not a single sword swipe met his skin. But then, as he stopped to face the samurai, a single upward slash sent him into the air. As he flew, Blitz realized something. He hit me with the blunt of his sword…? And then came the moment in which Blitz knew the vast extent of his mistake. The samurai was in front of him, in midair, and had sprouted wings like a phoenix. Tokumaru’s attacks were now even faster, and Blitz nearly failed to parry a few of them. In battle, a mere second can last an eternity. Viscen’s words came to him clearly, and he knew he would have to expect a different method of attack in a moment. Sure enough, the samurai made for one more powerful upward slash. With as much speed as gravity would allow, Blitz flipped himself over and pushed off of the blade as it made for his chin.

Blitz landed, facing away from the enemy. Tokumaru landed next, completely stunned that this person had been able to defend against all but one attack. That one had taken him by surprise, that was all. Now the samurai knew why this man was so acclaimed. Though a mortal, he possessed battle prowess unlike that of any normal human. Tokumaru Kyo rose from his battle stance with a new admiration for this swordsman.

“I take that back,” he said quietly, face emotionless. “You are more than competent. You are worthy of the legends of might and virtue that my father told me as a child.”

Blitz gave him an unimpressed stare. “Flattery and compliments will not save you from me.” He charged again, determined not to allow this monster in sheep’s clothing to counter again.

OoC: Sorry, it's a little short. I spent a lot of time looking for an appropriate track for the battle. The one I really wanted for the battle was less than a megabyte off! ARGH! Speaking of which, would you know how to cut down the size of a file without compressing it? I tried that, but apprantly uploading the file doesn't count as saving it to a disk. Upid-sta e-ma.

OOC: Ok, I’ll cut down on the Japanese.

BiC: Tokumaru gazed deeply into his opponent’s soul. Calmly, his wings retreated back into his body. “Indeed you are quite powerful, Blitz-dono.” said Tokumaru respectively as he raised his sword into kata once more, allowing a smirk to cross his face, “However, your fighting style is quite easy to read. Speed and Fire are most obviously both our attributes, so any surprises on both our parts with be quite difficult. I admire your abilities, nonetheless, however.”

Tokumaru’s smirked instantly disappeared, and the cyclone of flames around the Hinotama began to intensify. “Unfortunately,” he spoke, “all those who know of my past must meet their end quicker than expected.”

Blitz flung the Supernova Sword around in his hand; the hilt weaved in and out of his fingers like a needle and string through silk. “Is that so?” he said bravely, “Well, then I’ll have you know this: All who murder and kill for the sake of pleasure, weather it be to sharpen your edge, or to receive sexual enjoyment, shall fall under this sword.”

Both combatants nodded, and Blitz rushed in on Tokumaru. Just as before, the Heavenflame Samurai evaded the blow, but this time, Blitz anticipated this, and countered with a raging sideswipe. Tokumaru felt the cold steel cut through his flesh, and immediately, he stepped back and did what he could to tend the wound. Blitz showed no mercy, and continued the onslaught upon the injured mercenary. In a desperate attempt to stay alive, Tokumaru slammed the Hinotama into the ground, and a cage of flames enshrined him.

“Heh,” said Blitz cockily as he stood outside the pyro-cage, “you sure are a tricky little bastard.”

Tokumaru sneered at his opponent. “I should be saying the same thing to you, counter-blower.”

Blitz held one hand high in the air, and the Supernova sword began to glow as a collection of heated energy, nay, a miniature sun, appeared in Blitz’ hand, continuously growing. “You see, samurai,” he said, trying to give off the impression that his justice was absolute, “there are those who use their bladesfor death, chaos, and self-gratification, and then there are those that use them for the good of the people, for selflessness, and… what is it that you Japanese call it? Bushido?”

Tokumaru’s eyes flared in anger as he nodded into the distance. WHAM! A strange, winged, and transparent green Tokumaru flew in from nowhere, and kicked Blitz in the jaw. The Wielder of The Sword was completely flabbergasted, as he had never seen such a trick. Instantly, the cage of flames disappeared, and the cyclone around the Hinotama increased in magnitude, tenfold.

“Oh,” said the Heavenflame Samurai said, “did I catch you off guard? Meet my doppelganger, the Sôryûsen Ryû. And don’t ever talk about Bushido. I serve under its ways with the utmost loyalty, and you don’t have a damn idea what it is.”

Blitz gripped his jaw in agony. ‘What the hell?!’ he thought, ‘Two Tokumarus? How am I supposed to fight that?!’ The Swordsman stood up shakily, and grasped his sword. His jaw hurt excruciatingly, and his vision was clouded. Anger filled his body, and the Supernova sword began to glow. But, for some reason, Blitz repressed this anger. ‘No…’ he thought, ‘I can beat him without Ascending, for now at least, and besides, he’s too quick. He’d be able to track me in this wounded state even if I was ascended.’

“I’ve had enough of this.” said Tokumaru, “We’ve been screwing around, and you know it. Now get your act together and show me what it is to be the Wielder of the Sword.” The Samurai flung the Hinotama around expertly, similar to what Blitz did with the Supernova. “For if you don’t,” he continued, “you will most definitely meet your demise in these plains.”

OOC: We’re both clear on the idea that Tokumaru isn’t really a baddie, but used to be one, right? Ah yes, my turn for mood music. Btw, could you tell me how to make zip files? I only know how to make folders.

OoC: Did you download the track yet? If not, here it is again. Again, scroll down to the "Games section" and download Iuchi Hiroshi (Ikaruga) Reality[Chapter04]. Ikaruga has some of the coolest battle music I've ever heard. You hear that really strong background music? I have that particular sound (not really an instrument) on my keyboard. It's appropriately titled Impact.

BiC: Carefully taking in the scene before him, measuring every tiny distance as Zeroun had taught him to do during free moments, the swordsman slowly circled his foe’s battleward. As he did, he took in the expressions of his enemies. The doppelganger, while it appeared identical to Tokumaru, seemed to maintain the same expression at all times; a cold, battle-hardened frown. It was wordless, as Blitz would have expected, though it probably had some other means of communication. Tokumaru himself was crouching within the fiery shield, wrapping a ripped sleeve around the wound in his shoulder.

“Fine, then!” Blitz responded to the samurai’s proposition, a taste of pleasure on his tongue. Though exterminating wicked men was not a task to be taken lightly, he was all for a great battle every now and then. Obviously, this man was competent with the blade; a worthy opponent. “However, Tokumaru…” he stopped, examining his foe’s very aware expression. “You were right about one thing… when you said that my primary attributes are my speed and control over the fire element.” Blitz held out his sword, gently pricking the cage of flames with its tip. A twisted grin crossed his face. “But you should expect plenty of surprises from me!”

From the hilt, fierce flames billowed across the sword, licking its blade as they plunged into the hemispherical cage. Tokumaru watched in shock as the ward shattered like glass and the flames raced over his body. Taken by surprise, but not slow to action, the Sôryûsen Ryû rushed the swordsman from behind. But Blitz had predicted this, and thrust backward with his sword. Though it met no flesh, for the Sôryûsen Ryû was a spiritual creature, the blade met a sort of fluid resistance. Blitz could not see the results of his attack, but knew instinctively that it had made contact with his enemy. Stepping aside so that he could see both of the enemies without averting his gaze, he chuckled in delight.

“…So predictable.”

The anger in their faces was blatant as both of them rose. Raging Flame had done little damage to the samurai, for he was a fire elemental; his doppelganger was inherently resistant to physical attacks. Had Blitz been in the opposite situation, he would have been able to deal out maximum damage, but that had not been an option. Nor was it now, for they both rushed him at once. Too late, Blitz saw that Tokumaru was attacking vertically, while the spirit being took aim with a horizontal sweep for his legs. Leaping up and foiling the doppelganger’s attack, he prepared to counter the samurai’s blow. But Tokumaru leapt up at him, sword idly by his waist, and Blitz was unable to determine beforehand how he should strike.

During the moment in which the swordsman was confused, Tokumaru thrust his blade directly upward. The curved blade met Blitz chest, searing through flesh, but did not strike any vitals as the samurai had hoped. Instead, the damage was minimal enough for his adversary not to flinch. Bounding away in midair, the Wielder of the Sword landed awkwardly on one knee. He had meant to grasp his wound to stop the bloodflow, but the Sôryûsen was already moving to attack him. Being short for his age, Blitz was already almost dwarfed by the spirit. He parried its vertical slash, but was not in the position to guard properly. The doppelganger lunged at him, but instead of slashing as Blitz had expected, it kicked at his face and sent him careening downhill. Sliding disgracefully down the slope, the Wielder of the Sword was dazed. He could not stop his descent down the hill, and was completely open to attack until his eyes focused again.

Tokumaru was practically on top of him by the time Blitz regained his senses, and he rolled aside just as the Hinotama came down on what would have been his heart. The blade was stuck in the dirt, hung on a clump of grass for a moment. Blitz took advantage of Tokumaru’s moment of weakness, and lunged at him with the hilt of his sword. It struck the samurai in his left temple before he could free the Hinotama, and his head lolled in a brief daze. But the doppelganger was fast approaching again, so Blitz kicked at Tokumaru’s head and sent him spiraling further downhill, into the ravine between this and the next rise. Wow, thought the swordsman. That was more satisfying than I thought it would be.

Sôryûsen Ryû was directly behind him now; Blitz whipped around, slashing horizontally with his flaming blade. But the spirit stopped just before the attack made contact, and the Supernova missed entirely. In that brief moment, the spirit leapt into him, knocking him to the ground and repeatedly slamming its transparent soft-green fists into his chest. Albeit dazed, Blitz was able to grab each of the Sôryûsen’s fists with his own hands. Then, with a bit of surprise, he saw that Tokumaru was standing over him. The Hinotama was hovering a few inches above his eyes, patiently awaiting something.

“Well, you are certainly worthy of your title, o’ great Wielder of the Sword.” Though he spoke with admiring words, the samurai’s tone was bland and his face was adorned with a frown much like that of his doppelganger. Blitz gained a bit of satisfaction at seeing a thin trail of blood trickle from his enemy's mouth. “But you appear to be at a loss. Can you escape from this predicament with your life? Or shall I split your skull in two at once?”

Blitz let the same calm frown cross his own complexion in an attempt not to give away his thoughts. There were a few solutions to this problem… but all of them were risky.

OoC: As I swore I would eventually do, I have put myself in an awkward position. Let's see how you handle a difficult situation on my side. After all, I have to come out of this battle with my life. It's all going to be chronological. My battles are all in a chronological order; you can check out the order at the bottom of Blitz' page. By the way, I meant to ask you... Do you like tragedy? Do you like crying? Do you like it when nothing goes right? Then have a look at this. ... ... ... ... So confused...

OOC: Ok, I’m back at last, everybody cheer.

BiC: Tokumaru paused. The Sôryûsen Ryû was ready to strike at any moment if Blitz got the sudden urge to try and escape. “Humph.” said Tokumaru. “This is akward, now isn’t it? You must be extremely powerful to be able to battle my Rival, Drago, and come out alive. And yet, I’ve got you in a life or death situation. I guess that’s why I am the only person to defeat Drago. You tied. Pathetic.”

Blitz’ mind was riddled with anger. ‘Damn!’ he thought, ‘how the hell am I supposed to get out of this? Even if I manage to escape from Tokumaru’s upper-vision, I’ll be cut to ribbons by that doppelganger!’ In that instant, a brilliant idea popped into his head. It was very risky, but it was his only hope to leave the battle with his life.

Carefully, Blitz channeled energy into his legs, giving them a slight glow. Next, he undid the rope that held his sword’s sheath. ‘Well,’ thought Blitz, ‘Here goes!’ Using the newfound energy in his legs, he tripped the doppelganger, and, as he anticipated, Tokumaru thrust down his blade upon his head. But, Blitz held up the sheathe, and jumped back into kata.

Tokumaru gasped. “In… incredible!” he said with admiration, gaping at how the warrior had avoided his blows. “Only the most experienced of swordsmen could have pulled that off. But lets leave the rest to our swords, eh?” With this, the Sôryûsen transcended back into its owner, and Tokumaru readied the Hinotama.

Blitz flung his sword around in his hand expertly. “I concur, Samurai.” he said boldly, “Raw material fighting. No doppelgangers this time, eh?”

Tokumaru smiled. “No problem. But you still won’t live through this battle, my friend.”

As he rushed at the Samurai in a high attack stance (Niman Stance, if you recall from Master Obi-Wan from Star Wars), Blitz yelled, “I am not your friend! You are a selfish demonic man! And I will live through this battle! A cold hearted murderer such as you deserves to die!”

Blitz thrust his blade down, and without even blinking, Tokumaru countered with, not his sword, but by kicking his knee into Blitz’ stomach, winding the swordsman. Tokumaru swished his bangs away from his face coolly, and twirled the Hinotama, sending a spark of embers into the air. “You said no doppelgangers, Blitz.” he said cockily, “You never said I couldn’t use martial arts.”

Blitz stood up shakily and grasped his upper torso in pain. “Heh,” he said in sheer defiance of the agony his body was going through, “you really are a sick little ass.” Cocking his blade into a high parry stance, he said, “A…all the more reason to annihilate you and you sick demented ways for good!”

Tokumaru sensed tension within his foe. A great strength was welling up within this being, but for some reason, Blitz just refused to unleash it. “You’re being an idiot,” said Tokumaru, adjusting his footing, “you do realize this, correct?”

Blitz’ eyes flushed with anger. “E… excuse me?!”

Tokumaru stood dead still, staring straight into Blitz’ anger-filled blue eyes. “Repressing your power. I can sense it. If you are the one who inspired the Kaze no Hinotama Ryû, then you must be able to Ascend. And yet, you hold back your power because you think that you can handle some one like me without it. You call me selfish, but it what you’re doing now serves no difference. Holding back on your foe is the ultimate form of insult! (<-- getting a wee bit more angry here)“You’re being selfish by keeping that power locked up within you and not sharing it with me!” The samurai’s wings shot out, and the fiery aura around the Hinotama began to glow with a light so hot that Blitz could feel it from his footing spot ten feet away.

“Come,” continued Tokumaru, “come and show me your strength! Show me what it means to be the Wielder of the Sword!

Blitz’ clench on the Supernova Sword tightened, and he closed his eyes in repression of his anger. “I won’t.” he said indignantly, “I won’t show you Ascension. Something so powerful is not worthy of your eyes!”

OOC: Hopefully that length is more appropriate, eh? Remember, don’t Ascend him just yet!

OoC: Dude, my avatar rocks!

BiC: Despite Blitz’ efforts to hold back the flow of emotions which threatened to overcome him, he could not stop them entirely. His sword began to glow brightly, and Tokumaru drew back at the sight, his wings drawing closely around his body in defense. The Supernova sword grew several inches longer and thinned until it closely resembled the samurai’s Hinotama. When the brilliant light faded, a long red and yellow katana remained where the Supernova had been.

“Murderous cowards like you should never bear witness to the power that spawns from my love for her,” he threatened barely above a whisper. “I will crush you with my sword alone!”

He lunged for the samurai, sword whirling like a sawblade, and let out a battlecry. Tokumaru rushed forward to meet him, striking the Blazing sword with his Hinotama. The swords locked immediately; the two blades shuddered against one another as their wielders struggled to push one another away. Flames burst into being around the two as the blades burned, whipping up a hot wind. The grass beneath them caught fire, and the hill on which they stood in their struggle quickly turned into a raging fireball.

Though he was clearly having difficulty forcing back the swordsman’s Blazing sword, Tokumaru was confident and calm enough to smirk and utter a taunt. “Having trouble, Keir? Am I too much for you?”

“Burn in Hell!”

SHING!

Even Blitz was surprised by his own speed, but that did not cause him to falter. Out of the corner of his eye as he passed, he could see Tokumaru fall to his knees and nurse the wound that opened up in his arm. But the samurai did not rise to his feet this time. Instead, he shuddered as he clutched his arm tightly.

“What’s wrong, Kyô?” Blitz taunted coldly, rising from his striking stance and letting his swordarm fall idly by his side. “Will you let a small fleshwound bring you down? How disappointing.” But then he turned and saw that Tokumaru was shuddering. The samurai’s head slowly came around, and Blitz could see an incredible suffering in them. A twinge of sentiment flashed across the backdrop of his consciousness, but he forced it away. This man was a cold-hearted killer; he deserved to die.

But deep in those eyes, so far behind the agony that even Blitz failed to see it, an intense anger was beginning to emerge, a loathing the samurai had never felt before. Until now, Tokumaru had only felt disgust toward his presumptuous enemy. But now, something within him was beginning to stir. Perhaps something even greater than Ascension…

OOC: Let’s continue this! (Flashback time!) BA WARNING: Post rated PG-13 for blood and gore.

BiC: Tokumaru felt the surge of power rage through his every limb. This new force altered all of his senses, filling him with tantalizing feelings of powerful bliss. Blitz had pushed him into a realm far beyond Raging Inferno. Blitz looked down at his opponent oddly.

“Wh…what’s happening to you?!” he said in awe.

Tokumaru closed his eyes and remember the few short years when he really did do all those horrible things. The time of his true strength, the time he would never revert to again…

~~~ OPENING: EL FLASHBACKIO~~~

Tokumaru sat high above the ground in Miiazu Castle. His true strength had been awakened, and his ferocity was not to be matched. He looked over to the Fire-Guard at the doorway. “You, Hinosuke,” Tokumaru said in a dark tone, “bring me the new hosts. I am feeling the need for Blood.”

The fiery guard nodded, and walked out the door. Within minutes, he brought in a mother and her two children.

“Please!” the woman begged, “Tokumaru-sama, kill me, but let my children live! They are in the prime of their youth!”

Tokumaru stood up, and he unleashed his true strength: A pair a fiery wings spouted from his back, and his smooth black hair untangled and wisped around like fire itself. He unsheathed the mighty Hinotama, which was more or less a handle with flames coming out of it now. “You beg for forgiveness, woman.” He said, mercilessly, “But I, the great Tokumaru Kyô, SHAN’T GIVE IT TO AN INFERIOR BEING (<- - I been playing too much TOS lately, lol) SUCH AS YOURSELF!”

And with that, Tokumaru grabbed one of the woman’s sons and stuck his blade through the boys chest, twisting it around. “Yes, yes!!!” Yelled Tokumaru in a true bloodlust (no relation to Drago there), “FEEL THE BURN OF YOUR SINS! DIE! DIE! DIE!”

The Boy’s life soon faded out of his eyes, and he was then reduced to nothing more than a pile of ash. Tokumaru’s hands were stained with blood, and his face was not that of the mysterious Ronin that he would become, but the Demon within him. He enjoyed this, and he even more enjoyed the fear within the Mother and her remaining son.

“Child, you’re next.” the Demonic Tokumaru said as he raised the child up into the air, choking him.

“No!” Screamed the mother at the top of her lungs. “STOP! PLEASE STOP!!!”

Tokumaru’s eyes widened in shocking awe. He dropped the now unconscious child and stared the mother directly in her eyes. “Wh…what did you say to me?”

The woman was sobbing. “Stop.” she said, stuttered by her tears, “In… your eyes… is the soul of… some… someone who has experienced the joy… of… of having a child by their side! You were a father once… I can tell. And within your body is someone without this raging power… someone calm and secrete! Someone gentle! Allow that part of you to take control!!!”

That day, Tokumaru’s darkness faded, and, by some miracle, the woman’s words had brought out a caring soul. Looking at all that he had done, the Ronin fled from the Castle and was chased by numerous mobs, until he found sanctity in the forest.

“Never again…” he said, catching his breath, “Such powers… will never be donned upon me again.”

~~~END: EL FLASHBACKIO~~~

Blitz stepped back. Something was coming, and this something was extremely dangerous, beyond reason. Tokumaru’s hair began to glow with an neon tint and float around on his head like flames, and two fiery wings shot out of his back. He unsheathed the Hinotama, and Blitz was stunned. It had no blade, but was merely a casket of flames on top of a hilt. But, strangely, his eyes kept their innocent hazel color.

“It’s been too long…” said Tokumaru angrily, “Since this power has been unleashed. But I’d like to thank you, Blitz. You’ve allowed me to access this power… without transforming into the bloodthirsty manslayer I once was. I am now within… Eternal Inferno, my ultimate form of being. Now that you’ve seen even this, it is imperative that you die.”

With godlike speed, Tokumaru rammed into Blitz with his sword’s hilt. “Augh!” Yelled Blitz, who couldn’t anticipate the speed. Yet, Tokumaru wasn’t finished, and kept hitting him and hitting him with blows, all of which couldn’t be caught. Then, suddenly, Blitz snapped.

“I’ve had enough!” he yelled, holding his sword out. “You will fall here! NOW!”

Tokumaru was enraged. “Damn you.” he said loudly. “Damn you to hell! You’re still repressing your Ascension?! Unbelievable! Obviously you don’t care too much about your whore of a wife! Isn’t that what triggers your Ascension? Believing that your pathetic wife, who couldn’t even fend for herself, will live on within you if you fight? IS THAT IT? BELIEVING IN THE DEAD HAVING IMPORTANCE TRIGGERS YOUR STRENGTH?!?”

Blitz’ eyes flashed. A tinge of a pure concentrated anger fit which he was holding inside then burst into a full blown, nearly psychotic, rage. “YOU!” the Wielder of the Sword said sadistically, “YOU -- BASTARD!!!”

The rage for Amy sent the swordsman into his Ascended form, nay, beyond that: He had reached a new form of being. He was…

OOC: And the new name is your decision, my friend! There may be a few typos in there, but I decided to just get it posted before I edit, to let u read it without waiting longer. It didnt end up being as long as id hoped... But it took up a page and a half on 10 point TNR...

This is it, he thought. Somehow, though he had never experienced this extent of it before, he knew that this was their power. After so long, I have become like them.

In curiosity, he flicked his wrist. A ripple extended through the air, causing a mild warp in the fabric of space. The very sight fascinated the swordsman in a sort of morbid way; never before could he have imagined this kind of incredible power, yet here he was at the pinnacle of mankind’s potential. To think that I could even destroy them once and for all… he thought, lost in his inner monologue. …That I could bring an end to their twisted rule… and restore peace to the galaxy.

But now was not the time for such thoughts. This samurai, Tokumaru Kyô, had to be annihilated. In his mind, there was no other conceivable possibility. As Tokumaru stared on in wide-eyed amazement, Blitz rose into the air as though he were light as a feather. “You have brought about your undoing, Kyô,” he said, voice booming across the plains like that of a god. “Your power is nothing compared to mine. I have become like them…”

Tokumaru drew back, slightly fearful even in his current state. A forbidding feeling hung over his head; a feeling that Blitz was right, and that his own life was forfeit.

“Like the Celestials.”

And then it happened. All of the power contained within that frail human body burst forth in a fiery explosion that rocked the Earth, and a new Celestial was born. The swordsman’s very body appeared to be composed entirely of flame. The sword in his hand had completely transformed; now it was intricate and menacing, marked with patterns that represented its connection with the fire element and the world beyond the heavens.

"Do you hear me, Blaisek?" Blitz shouted with a thunderous echo. "We are as one, you and I!"

Only now did Tokumaru realize exactly what he’d unleashed. In legends of ancient times, twelve beings had achieved godlike status and ruled over a large portion of the universe with their newfound power. Even he, in his enlightened state, had thought the tale to be mere myth. But now, hovering before him was one of those godlike creatures. And it wanted him dead.

“I am now immortal. You can no longer stand in my way, Heavenflame Samurai.”

The Blazing Ether surged forward, angling for Tokumaru, but he dodged the blade effortlessly. Then the sword came around for another go, and Kyô danced aside. How dare he! He’s not even trying! Apparently disinterested, the Blazing Ether returned to its master’s hand, whistling as it zipped through the air.

“You insult me, Keir!” shouted Tokumaru at the Celestial. “I know well that you are capable of far more in this form. Hold back on me, and I shall strike you down; no matter your state of being!”

“Heh!” Blitz smirked. This human was certainly an interesting fellow. How could he even hope to defy such power? What a fool. “Repent of your crimes, samurai, or I shall send you to oblivion.”

Tokumaru was taken aback. His mouth hung open in disbelief, but he quickly regained his composure. “Do you think I’m going to beg for forgiveness? Ridiculous!” he mocked. “You are no God! So I shall continue to pursue my ideals!”

OoC: HAH! Now who’s the master? ToS references for all!! ...And remember: You asked for it. ...You didn't ask for this, though, but I'm giving it to you anyway. Have fun!

OOC: Two can play at that game. We really have GOT to fight again man! This is kickass! But We’re not ending it yet! This one’s gonna be a dramatic post.

BiC: Tokumaru stared his opponent in the eyes. He was deadset on living through this.(lol, deadset on living) He and his opponent had achieved true enlightenment, and the powers that surged through them caused the earth to shake beneath their feet. The surrounding plain was already drenched in fire, and the two Flame Swordsmen (NO RELATION TO YU-GI-OH) were of a new species of being. Tokumaru had gone even further than he was as a Demon, and he had his father, the Angelic Phoenix, on his side to revive him from the dead 2 more times throughout his lifetime. In essence, he too was immortal, to a limit.

The Celestial, the Wielder of the Sword, was enraged at Tokumaru’s accusations, and thought that his power was equaled by no other. But somehow, this cold-hearted murderer had kept on, and matched him, a legendary god, in power! Blitz refused to think this way. [I]There’s no way he could match me! EVER![i/] But yet, a raging flame within the Samurai kept him going. There was no stopping these Holy Swords (<- -ToS title quote - ->) who had reached the pinnacle of their strength.

“Keir.” said Tokumaru softly. “From the moment you told me you were the Wielder of the Sword, my objective was to see your full strength. Although I can tell you are ultimately powerful, I have also achieved the Nirvana of being divine. I do apologize for my accusations to your wife, I’m sure she was a great woman. But it was the only way to unleash this.”

Blitz’ new persona of Celestial stared the Samurai cold in the face. “You realize that I will kill you here, yet you have no regrets?”

Tokumaru nodded. “As things stand now, I may very well die in this battle. My father, Khayoro Aliyuras, despises my very existence, and might not even allow me back into this world. This form consumes an abhorrent amount of mana, although it grants me with an abhorrent amount to start out with. If I do die here, I will know that I fought against the world's greatest Warrior.”

Tokumaru raised his flaming blade into kata. “But let it be known,” he said, “I won’t die without a fight.”

Blitz realized that a whole new chapter (in other words, we’re not done for a great few more posts, hopefully) in this battle of Sword of Swords had opened just now.

“Samurai.” he said with dignity, “you mocked my wife and killed innocent people. Whether or not that is your persona or not-”

“Those acts cannot, and will not be forgiven.” cut off Tokumaru. “I realize that the Demon within me desired human blood, but I, at least, never intended to take lives. Yet, it is all the same. You have the perfect right to attack me now. I will retaliate, and the fires of battle will be glorious. The burning anger within both of us right now is so intense that a mere mortal approaching us would burn to a crisp.”

The flames that were the Hinotama exploded into a raging inferno, and Tokumaru’s energy shot up. “But my son is out in the world, alone. That is why I was standing on this hill when you found me. I sent a letter to him, telling that if he would meet me here, he would be able to see me for the first time in a decade. I don’t want him to have to see this.”

Blitz entered his own kata. “Heh,” he said bluntly, “you know, normally I would have stopped by now, but in your case, I DON’T GIVE A DAMN! You’ve pushed me beyond the limits of anger, and I will kill you and take joy in my victory!”

The Celestial rushed at Tokumaru with his sword. “Now die!”

Tokumaru dodged effortlessly. “Idiot.” Slamming the hilt of the Hinotama into Blitz back, he kicked the Celestial into the air, and prepared the Hinotama technique. But it was then, from his vantage point in the sky, the Tokumaru saw his son, the mighty Second Angelic Phoenix, and worse, he had brought his girlfriend, young Jenny Aquaria.

‘Dammit!’ Thought Tokumaru, ‘I’ve got to finish this, now!’

Abandoning the hope for the Hinotama, he trust Blitz into a spiral towards the ground, and began to spin. Soon, flames engulfed the Samurai’s body, and he disappeared beneath them. The flames took on the shape of a ravaging Dragon, and, as it rushed towards Blitz, Tokumaru yelled, “ESTUANS ANGELUS DRAGONIS!!!”

As the flames subsided, Tokumaru knelt to the ground in exhaustion. But, to his terror, he saw not one being. In panic, he turned around, and his heart felt as if it had been caught in a vice. Blitz stood ten feet away, Alex and Jenny’s weapons yet another 10 feet behind him. In his arms was the pubescent young couple.

“D…dad?” said Alex in fear, not realizing that the fiery warrior was his own father.

Tokumaru’s pupils shrunk.

Blitz laughed, although inside, he felt horrible for doing these acts. “Kyô.” He said sternly. “I believe that the Samurai have a method of ritual suicide known as seppuku, do they not?”

Tokumaru felt a cold chill run through his body. He knew what the Celestial was going to say.

“Commit seppuku, you pathetic inferior being, or I will crush these two children!”

OOC: Like you did before me, lets see how you handle an awkward situation on MY part!

The words chipped at Blitz heart; something had come over him, and he could not control it. This power… could it really be too much for him to bear? Even his thoughts were no longer his own. I shall destroy this mortal at all costs! his mind shouted in defiance of his human nature. None shall stand in my way! All those who defy my will must perish!

But deep within his mind, tucked far behind the deluded consciousness, secret thoughts were taking place. What am I doing? his self screamed at the power-crazy being taking control of his mind and body. This isn’t like me… What’s happening?

His arm was wrapped across Alex’ throat, holding the Blazing Ether at Jenny’s neck. If either moved, he could snap their necks in an instant. Trapped in his fiery embrace, Jenny shrieked in fear. “Who are you?! Let me go!” She struggled, but Blitz gave the girl a sharp tug and she quieted.

Alex, on the other hand, did not seem terribly interested in remaining neutral. With what force he could gather against the godlike entity, the young boy slammed his elbow into Blitz’ chest. Another sharper tug resulted in a sickening crunch. “Augh!” cried Alex in pain.

Tokumaru was too stunned to react immediately. This man—no, this monster—had taken two thirteen-year old children hostage! Memories of so long ago, during the time his mind had been influenced by bloodthirsty dementia, resurfaced. The samurai groaned in heartbreak. Blitz was a fool and a hypocrite; he called Tokumaru a murderer and a rapist, but Blitz himself did what Tokumaru would never dream of doing in his normal state of mind. “How could you…?” he sneered in a low threatening voice. “How could a man who considers himself an upholder of justice take innocent children hostage?!”

Blitz did not answer, but both Alex and Jenny gave Tokumaru a pleading look.

“You…” he seethed, sword shaking in his quavering hand. “You... monster!” The already malevolent power within him began to swell, to radiate. “YOU COWARD!!”

And then, though it was not visible, Blitz felt a new power begin to unfold within the blazing plains. The rise in elemental consumption was phenomenal! He feared that the elemental energy in the atmosphere might be depleted if this kept up. And Tokumaru obviously did not plan on ceding defeat anytime soon.

Suddenly, flames unfurled around Blitz like a rose. Then the petals of fire closed in around him, consuming both the swordsman and the children. From within Blitz recoiled at the intensity of the heat. Nothing, that he knew of, could produce such temperatures; not even nuclear fission! The flames unfolded again, disappearing in a wisp of smoke, and Blitz realized that the children in his arms were gone. That idiot! Blitz’ mad consciousness cried in frustration. He vaporized his own…! Then he saw what had happened. Through some strange form of spacial displacement, Tokumaru had brought the boy and his lover away from Blitz' grasp, and into his own care.

“Hah!” Blitz mocked. “You can only have so many aces, samurai. Soon, your bag of tricks shall be exhausted.” The Blazing Ether moved blindingly fast, but Tokumaru easily smacked it away with the fiery Hinotama. As the blade rushed back to its master, Blitz channeled as much elemental energy through it as he could. Once it was safely in his grasp again, he surged forward and struck the ground before Tokumaru with all his might.

“Flash Explosion!!” Cracked clumps of dirt and Tokumaru were sent flying by the resulting burst of flames which erupted from the point of impact. The children themselves went careening downhill, at least ten meters further than their father. “You cannot protect them forever!” Blitz shouted in a mad fury. He could not remember ever being so consumed with hatred; his deeper consciousness, still self-aware, drew back in fear.

The samurai pulled himself to his feet, prepared for the worst. Surely enough, Blitz rushed him with the Blazing Ether raised for another of those flash explosions. Leaping above as Blitz approached, Tokumaru avoided the attack and landed behind the swordsman. He planted a powerful kick in his psychotic enemy’s back and sent him flying across to the next rise.

Downhill, Alex and Jenny were recovering from the impact of Blitz’ attack. His paternal instinct kicking in, he rushed to their sides to help them up. “Are you kids alright?” he asked in genuine concern. Upon first glance, they did not appear wounded. They must have taken the shockwave, but avoided the brunt of the attack.

“I’m fine,” Alex groaned, sitting up and taking the hand his father offered. Once to his feet, he offered Jenny a helping hand. “What about you?”

“Heh… Just a scratch,” Tokumaru said, grinning.

“I was asking Jenny.”

Inside, the samurai laughed. But he knew that now was not the time for humor; his grin turned to a stern commanding expression. Once both of his children were at their feet, he drew them close. “I want you to listen to me, Alex, Jenny.”

They both watched him, eyes attentive as obedient children.

“I want you to leave, quickly and quietly. You are not safe here; you will only hinder me, and give my enemy something precious to aim for.” He chose the words wisely, but still felt that his son would object.

And he was right. “But father, I cannot just leave you here!” Alex cried worriedly. “I want to stay and help—”

“No,” Tokumaru said stubbornly, trying to be as calm and understanding as was fatherly possible. “You must go now before it is too late.”

Jenny, who was apparently more reasonable than her lover, tugged at Alex’ shoulder. “He is right, Alex. There is nothing we can do. We have to go.”

The boy gave her a long hard look. Her eyes were pleading. Finally, with a sigh, Alex gave in to her pleas. “Alright, father,” he said. “But don’t go dying on me!”

The two quickly rushed off, hand-in-hand, in the opposite direction. Assured that they were safe, Tokumaru averted his eyes from the retreating couple and watched Blitz recover from the kick to his spine. A sinister look was in the delirious swordsman’s eyes. With a start, Tokumaru realized that his eyes, those orbs of furious flame, were set on Alex and Jenny as they retreated….

OoC: I would have liked to include more detail towards the end, but you were rushing me.

OOC: Alrighty, you’ve really done it now, Mr. Psycho.

BiC: Tokumaru looked frantically back at his son and his potential daughter-in-law, and screamed. “Run! GET OUT OF THERE NOW YOU FOOLS!”

But the desperate cries did not reach the children, and before Tokumaru could turn around, Blitz had jumped high into the air, preparing a devilish ball of flames, nay, a miniature sun! Tokumaru tried to fly high into the air, but Blitz was so high in fact, that the flaming wings that held him up lacked the mana to support themselves, and the Heavenflame Samurai had no way to get up to his enemy.

Looking back at the children, then were simply walking down the hill, and for the first time in over twenty years, Tokumaru shed tears. He looked up to Blitz, the cruel and merciless Celestial who was holding a now-gargantuan Sun bomb in his hands and yelled, “Please don’t do it! I’ll give you anything you want! They’re the only family I have left!”

Blitz grinned maliciously at his opponent, but the force in the back of his head was screaming at the top of its lungs, “DAMN YOU! DON’T YOU DARE KILL THOSE CHILDREN! DO NOT DO IT!!!” But the newfound evil within him drowned out the old Blitz’ cries, and Tokumaru screamed louder than ever. Yet, through all the noise, it was in vain. “BURN IN HELL, YOUNGLINGS!!!” And the Sun Bomb enveloped the Children just as they turned to see it.

Tokumaru saw the sight, and he purposely let his wings disappear. He fell to the ground, lifeless. Every bit of hope he had was stripped from him. Only he had the use of Grievances, the mystic force that his father used to resurrect him after death, and now there was no hope for the children. They were dead. Tokumaru was the last of his kin. (yes, kin. Not kind)

Blitz floated down to the ground and placed his foot on Tokumaru’s head. “How does it feel, Ronin? To have your loved ones stripped from your grasp from your enemies?” Tokumaru kept a blank expression on his face, but Anger like none before rushed through him. “My son…” he said blankly, “my son is dead… You killed my son…” A tear rolled down his cheek. But, unlike normal tears, this one was piping hot, and was not made of water. Flames rolled down his cheeks, and the Samurai’s emotions were unleashed all at once.

In a flurry of flames, Tokumaru grabbed Blitz’ legs, inflicting major burns on contact. The samurai stood up and flung Blitz it the side of a nearby cliff, and pure rage replaced his warm, hazel eyes. He was not Tokumaru, the Ronin. He was not Tokumaru the Demon. He was just another being in the world, deadest on annihilating his opponent.

“I will not kill you, Blitz.” said Tokumaru in a cold tone. “I will make you suffer Eternal Damnation in Living Hell!!!”

The Samurai launched in on Blitz and did not even unsheathe his sword. He simply beat Blitz to the ground with his fists, and threw him about the Hillside. If by some weird twist of fate, Tokumaru and his Rival Drago’s wife shared one common trait: Tempers that can destroy an entire hemisphere.

But as Tokumaru beat Blitz to a bloody pulp, an Angelic Figure watch from above, and worried.

This Battle is kickass, You guys have got to be the best battlers EVER, no joke. I think maybe the only guy who is a match in skill to you two is maybe shade, (who is a great battler in his own right) and drago when he is actually trying for stuff like this...
This is amazing. I've never seen anything like it. My characters 1. could never have that kind of depth to thier battles 2. would never stand a chance against either of you.

Sorry if this sounds like mush but i might have a case of hero worship. You, are the kind of guys i need in my forum site. Although if you don't want to I can understand, it is a new site and all. But I'm sure you could make it grow. I know i'm babbling and i'll get out of you guy's hair. But do me one thing, At least check out my site, And maybe join if it looks like something you'd like to be a part of. I'd be honored to have you.

Also, I'm terribly sorry to do this in the middle of your battle, so i'll delete this post if you guys ask me to. I just, on the spur of the moment decided i had to post something, I'd willingly participate in battles if you guys need another player, (not to intrude on your little circle of fighters). And hope you guys dont' just pass me up. You would do me a great honor to join my site or at least talk to me or battle me on this one, You guys are amazing (now I'm repeating myself) And This battle is awesome!!!

Once again, this post is gone if you just say the word. I'm not trying to weird you out.

OoC: It may be a little short, but I figure you're sick of waiting.

BiC: Aggravated by Tokumaru’s vicious assault, the crazed Celestial snared each of the samurai’s fists at once. Grinning at his enemy’s obvious fury, Blitz felt a sick pleasure flow through him. “Do you honestly believe you can defeat me, mortal?!” he shrieked in that booming thunderous voice. “I shall crush your spirit as well as your body!” Blitz’ fists clenched down on Tokumaru’s hands, and there was a crunching sound.

“Augh!” the samurai cried in pain. But his current state of fury allowed him to block out the agonizing sensation. Ignoring the dull throb in his hands, he thrust both fists down in his enemy’s own clenched hands, and felt the pop as one or both of Blitz’ arms snapped from their sockets.

But Blitz did not even seem to notice. One limp finger flicked at the samurai, and he flew into the air. “You fail to understand just what I am, samurai.” While Tokumaru hovered helplessly in the air against his own will, nursing his wounded fingers, the swordsman stood. Keeping one finger pointed in Kyô’s direction at all times, he walked forward slowly, menacingly. “Doubtless, you’ve heard the ancient tales.”

Tokumaru began to ignore his enemy and bandage his hands with a ripped section of his sleeve which was starting to become sparse. The pain receded a bit, but his fingers still throbbed.

“But do you understand their significance?” continued the insane Celestial. “I seriously doubt that you do. Those beings who call themselves Gods exist far beyond our world, even till today.” He popped his arms back into place, not even flinching. “Those Celestials, as the mortals refer to them, achieved the impossible. They transcended beyond this plane of existence and entered into the very heavens themselves.” The ground beneath Blitz rippled, then was enveloped in white-hot flames. He was now shrouded in a fancifully dancing ring of fire. “In doing so, they bridged the gap between the galaxies and ruled them all with their incredible omnipotence. They possessed masterful control over their element, could warp matter, and even create it. For all practical purposes, they were Gods.

“And now I myself have achieved this level of power. You shall bear witness to the birth of a God unlike any other,” he concluded with a malicious grin. The finger pointed in Tokumaru’s direction suddenly rose, and the samurai was hurled even higher into the air. And then whatever sustaining field Blitz had used to keep him aloft suddenly vanished. Between Tokumaru and the ground were approximately four hundred feet empty air.

OoC: I'm sorry this took so long... I've already explained why I couldn't get this written down, so we'll skip to the juicy part. The password protected startup on my sister's computer is now gone, and I can freely access it at any time now. Rejoice!

OOC: Alright, lets continue this!

BiC: Tokumaru fell through the air at astronomical speeds. His fingers were broken, and there was no chance of the Sôryûsen Ryû having any affect on that Godlike creature. With a deafening crash, he hit the ground, and all hopes were lost. The lace within his ponytail snapped as a sudden, violent surge of mana that was Tokumaru’s life left the Earth, and his long hair flowed about. He faded into a dream world, and nothing else mattered except the sweet serenity of the memorable quotes…

“Father… don’t go dying on me!” Alex. “Only a fool would die against him. Don’t forget, mortal, I am the one who shall claim your life.” Naoru. “Pathetic, Kyô. Truly pathetic. Die here, and I will forget you ever existed.” Hanshin. “Are you going to plan on using the Grievances again? All you have is Atrocity and Insanity left, my son. Use them… wisely.

Tokumaru snapped up. He wasn’t alive, but at the same time, he was. He stood in a large white room, with caskets of pure solid gold surrounding him. A large gate was in the back of the room, shining with bright colors of which Tokumaru had never seen, and sitting on the couch was a man he did not want to see. A man with the astronomical power to bring people from the dead; his father, Khayoro Aliyuras, sat on the couch, looking straight at him.

“I told you,” Khayoro said, “that you have two Grievances left.”

Tokumaru clenched his sword. “Then isn’t it obvious, old man?! I want to use them!”

Khayoro shook his head. “No, you can’t use either of them, because you are not dead. I have brought you here so that you can make a decision. The Grievances Atrocity and Insanity still remain, but there are two beings you can use them on.”

Tokumaru’s face brightened up. “Alex and Jenny?!”

Khayoro nodded, and sighed directly after. “Of course, it has a price. After using a Grievance, your soul looses a part of itself. If you use up all three and die of natural causes, you will go to Heaven or Hell. But if you’ve used up all three and die in battle, you will be pushed further than hell. You will enter Tartarus, and live your days in Eternal Damnation. So with that, are you certain of your decision?”

Tokumaru thought on the situation, and bravely nodded. His father closed his eyes, and in an instant, Alex and Jenny appeared back on Earth, miles away from Blitz. Khayoro did not say anything else, and Tokumaru’s vision faded. Within minutes, the samurai too was back on Earth, fully healed. But yet, something was different about the Heavenflame Samurai this time. His eyes flashed with the colors of flame, and his spirit was stronger than ever.

The samurai smiled at Blitz, and cracked his own knuckles to show indignantly how much he hated the Celestial. Tokumaru flew up to face the swordsman. Both combatants stared eachother dead in the face, and the ground shook. The flames coiled up beneath them, and everything within miles of that once beautiful field could feel an awesome force. These two warriors that had reached the absolute pinnacle of their strengths, beyond that that any magical amplifier could do, were no longer considered human. These two beings were now divine living flames, and the heat radiating from the two of them was greater than that of the core of the Earth. Simultaneously, the two fighters unsheathed their blades. Tokumaru looked deep into the eyes of his immortal opponent, and put on a quaint smirk.

“You know,” he said, “you once said that I didn’t realize what I had gotten myself into. You said I was foolish to think I could even challenge you, the so-called Celestial. But what you fail to take into account is that I am more powerful than any being you have ever faced. More powerful than Dark Link, more powerful than Ganon, even more powerful than Drago. You are faced with equality, yet you deny it with every ounce of your strength. Are you so dense that you don’t realize, that in your effort to become powerful, you failed to be invincible? I AM your equal! FACE IT!” And with that, Tokumaru thrust the Hinotama at his Celestial foe, and the battle of the millennium continued.

OOC: Can you believe we've gotten over 400 views?!

OoC: Yes, I'm just that awesome. :cool: What I don't understand, though, is why Blitz doesn't seem at all surprised that Tokumaru isn't extremely dead. You know, seeing as how he splattered all over the ground just moments before. Shouldn't his other body's guts still be around? I mean, nothing would come away from that fall intact. He's definitely in more than one (two, depending how you look at it) piece. And, to be honest, I didn't expect you to take that fall. I expected you to fly. You know, since you have wings.

BiC: It was definite; both of them were so powerful that the first blow would kill. Though they both possessed incredibly elemental power, they were still made of flesh. And flesh shall always give way beneath a blade. Nothing could stop this battle from ending very soon.

With a sweep of his Supernova, Blitz stopped the Hinotama short. Flames danced around the blades, burning the air and making it difficult to breathe. Both combatants pushed against the clashing swords with all their might, each trying to break the swordlock to their advantage. Both were straining. Finally, Blitz leapt back from the lock, letting the Hinotama strike dust. Still recovering from the break of the lock, Tokumaru was unprepared for Blitz' counterstrike. Still, he spun aside, narrowly avoiding certain death. And now the Celestial was at a disadvantage. The samurai lunged, intent on making his opportunity count.

Stopping his headlong run, Blitz held out a hand to stop Tokumaru, expecting the samurai to halt before a warped gravitational field. But for some reason that the Celestial could not comprehend, Tokumaru was not stopped by the hand. Instead, he passed through the field as though there was no gravity at all. The blade keened as it connected with his skin, piercing flesh and bone alike. So shocked was he that Blitz simply stood there, hand still outstretched, face still marked by a malicious grin. His lip twitched slightly.

"You are a truly disgusting sight," Tokumaru seethed quietly, wrenching the Hinotama free with a sickening pop. He backed away, watching the blood flow from his enemy's stomach.

And then, Blitz was overcome by the pain. He dropped the Supernova and shrunk to his knees, gripping the wound tightly with both arms and whimpering. Blood soaked through his garments, filling the soft fabric and staining it a dark-violet. "How... how is it possible?" he quietly reasoned to himself, though Tokumaru could hear his words clearly. As he breathed, a trickle of crimson trickled from his mouth and meandered down his chin. "You cannot withstand the forces... Nothing can withstand the power of a Celestial!" The blood, showing no sign of stopping, spilled out of his arms and onto the ground, forming a grotesque red pool on the smoldering rock.

"Pitiful creature!" shouted the Heavenflame Samurai, swiping the air with his arm. "If you do not possess the will to fight me, coward, then I shall strike you down here and now!" He raised the Hinotama above Blitz' head, preparing to deal the killing blow. But then, something happened. It was so sudden, so incredibly unexpected, that even Blitz himself had not seen it coming.

The elemental energy all around them suddenly rushed to the Celestial, causing his fiery exterior to glow a blinding white. Wary and feeling drained, Tokumaru drew back and covered his face with his free arm. Blitz rose to his feet, expression no longer perceivable under the blanket of white-hot flames. "No," he said matter-of-factly. "I will not let you to strike me... I shall not allow you to kill me." He spread his arms wide, the elemental energy within him beginning to convulse violently. "On the contrary... I shall kill you."

There was no sound; only an explosion so pure, so white, that it was almost beautiful. Any normal being would have been vaporized by such power. The only way Tokumaru could describe it was to think of a dying star. When he came to more than ten seconds later, he was flat on his back; his vision was terribly blurred and his ears were ringing loudly. The Hinotama was no longer in his hand; there was no telling where it might be now. Waiting until his vision return naturally, he rose from the ground. Every inch of his body felt burnt, but he was still alive. With a start, he realized that the mana in the atmosphere was virtually depleted here. What did he do...?

Now his vision had almost returned to normal. Looking around, he saw that Blitz was no longer visible. What he did see, however, was a massive smoldering crater ranging perhaps half a mile in diameter. All of the foliage that had previously been on these once-grassy knoles was now gone. This land was a barren wasteland, thanks to the two of them. A small twinge of regret twinkled at the back of his mind. Tokumaru took a single step, but his head swam and he stumbled. Suddenly, a blade came down where his head would have been had he taken another step.

Blitz was directly in front of him, breathing like a fat man in a triathalon. The sight was truly disturbing, for the flames around him were beginning to die. The flames were also no longer white with heat, which was an indication of just how much energy Blitz had dispelled with that explosion. His expression was no longer covered in thick flames. Blitz' face was twisted into a sick, crazed smile that Tokumaru would only expect from a psychotic serial killer; someone like himself, all those years ago. His eyes were bulging and bloodshot, only adding to the already disturbing image. Again and again, the insane Celestial uttered a single phrase that began to tear at Tokumaru's own sanity.

"I will kill you... I will kill you... I will kill you."

OOC: This is great, how many more posts you good for until the end? Whatever you can take, I betcha I can too! Ok, I’m finally not writing a plot related post! This one will be mostly fighting. Get ready to face the Eternal Inferno form of the Hinotama technique! (Sheena quote in here somewhere) Also, the Hinotama No Hitokiri (Firestorm of the Manslayer) is NOT the Ultimate move, although I set it up to where you might think that. ALSO… when Tokumaru uses said Hinotama No Hitokiri, he HAS NOT entered Divinity, so I’m keeping your request valid.

BiC: Tokumaru was, for the first time in quite awhile, terrified. His new foe was not only angry, but verging on the edges of pure and utter insanity. Flames licked up around them in a flurry of embers, and the wind within the large crater was ironically coarse and chilly. The mana in the area was close to be deprived, and with this new craze, Blitz could very well end it all right then and there.

Tokumaru was indeed scared. This omni-powerful being had equaled his Eternal Inferno, and it was only a matter of time before the mana in the area gave way to both of their strengths.

“I will kill you… I will kill you… I WILL KILL YOU!”

With that, Blitz rushed in at Tokumaru with a blinding craze for the samurai’s blood. Tokumaru evaded the blow with an ironic easiness, and whipped out, slashing Blitz’ left leg. The Celestial did not even flinch, and merely turned around; the blood was pouring from his leg and stomach wounds quickly. Any normal human would’ve died of blood loss by now, but Blitz wasn’t human. He was a Celestial who, through all his training and hard work, was equaled by this man, this Heavenflame Samurai.

Tokumaru grasped the Hinotama’s hilt with both hands and swung fiercely at Blitz. The two omnipotent blades clashed in a flurry of embers, and the mana in the area became even more unstable with each hit. Blitz held his blade into high-attack stance and rushed Tokumaru. The samurai blocked the upper slash, and yet, its intensity was extremely weak. WHAM! Using Tokumaru’s bewilderment over the strength of the attack, he slammed his blade into the ronin’s side.

The cold steel met his flesh, and Tokumaru howled in pain. Blood splattered everywhere, and was instantly dissolved into a murky red mist as it hit the hellflames surrounding them.

“What’s the matter, samurai?!” yelled Blitz in a craze. “Am I too tough for you? Have I finally become GREATER than you?! Well?! Answer me!”

Tokumaru swayed hazily. The blow had been more than powerful; its strength rivaled that of a god. Then again, Tokumaru expected nothing less from the awesome Celestial, who had claimed to be immortal. It was dire then, that he attack. If he were to stand there and let his wounds heal, he would be struck down; his body did not have the mana to forge his doppelganger, so it was up to him to attack.

Tokumaru gripped the Hinotama’s hilt nervously, and charged at blitz with a devilish war cry.

“This ends now, Keir!”

Blitz was caught off guard by the rage that compelled the samurai. Why does he attack like that?! He should just walk away! What will defeating me accomplish? NO! I cannot, will not loose!”

The Samurai hit Blitz extremely hard with the blunt of his sword, sending the craze Celestial flying. Tokumaru caught up to him with speeds that rivaled teleportation and slammed him about in midair; all the while, the raging flame that was the Hinotama was burning with translucent flames, that of which could not be matched by the outer core of the sun. In a final move, Tokumaru slammed Blitz higher and higher into the air, and called upon the deepest strength within the Hinotama.

“Hinotama, here my cry! I summon thee! Now, gatherest before me and unleash thine power! I bring about thee, HINOTAMA NO HITOKIRI!

At that moment, flames consumed the entire face of the region, and Tokumaru hit Blitz down with a force unlike that anyone had witnessed before. It was over. Blitz was dead, and the Eternal balance was restored. Tokumaru stepped down to the ground solemnly, and, not to his surprise, saw Blitz’ body lying on the ground, charred, but not destroyed. The Heavenflame Samurai then knelt before Blitz’ body and put his hands together, praying.

“Great spirit of the Afterlife…” he prayed, “Allow this being to make a safe journey to Heaven, for now, all is over.”

At that moment, Blitz’ eyes shot open. They were no longer bloodshot, nor were they normal. His body then entered a new form of rage, unlike that any human being could comprehend.

“You think this is over, samurai? Pathetic. I would NEVER die against someone such as you!”

OOC: Wow, that came out GREAT!

OoC: You're getting better... but why exactly are those three lines of text centered? Take a good look at them; they don't fit very well with the rest of the text. Oh, and check out Blitz' character page again. I think you'll find the two little additives interesting. Now we both have themesongs!

BiC: Blitz’ hidden consciousness shot to the forefront just before his blade pierced the samurai’s stomach. For a very brief moment, Tokumaru glimpsed sadness behind those eyes, and then it was gone. Surprised though he was, slipping aside to avoid the attack was simple enough. Taking solace in that he had managed to hold the blade back long enough to avoid killing the samurai, Blitz’ inner self rested. This was a mental struggle unlike anything he had experienced before. Two consciousnesses now existed in this body: One of a crazed god, and one of a kind warrior. For some reason, Blitz could not allow himself to be lost in this thirst for blood; he would do everything in his power to force back the insanity. But would it be enough?

He rose and spun away as the Hinotama slashed at him, sustaining a tiny cut on his waist. Flesh and blood hissed on contact with the fiery weapon, but the power craze counteracted the pain, and he felt nothing. Unholy though the sensation was, Blitz was grateful; absence of pain allowed him to focus on self-control. Battle was now second nature, almost instinctive. A thrill of bloodshed rushed through him, and his self was pushed further into the corner of his mind, leaving the madness to gain yet more dominance. Tokumaru’s Hinotama bit flesh in his shoulder, but he countered with a strike to the samurai’s abdomen. The attack connected and Tokumaru cried out, backing off and crouching to nurse the wound. The Blazing Ether was like a sliver of light as it whipped at the samurai. But Tokumaru parried and fended off the blow.

Words filtered from Blitz’ mouth, perhaps a sinister taunt, but he was not aware of them. Somehow he had to gain control over this monster. Like a plague, this power had spread through his body, consumed it with fiery hatred. Yet were it not for the struggle occurring in his mind, Tokumaru would have been dead long ago. At the thought of this, the intense bloodthirst receded very slightly, and the samurai was witness to the effects in reality.

Moving only a little slower than before, Blitz thrust his Blazing Ether at the opponent. But the Heavenflame Samurai flowed away from the attack, countering with his own flaming sword. Another small cut appeared; this time on the index finger of Blitz’ sword hand. Again, the Celestial showed no reaction, but instead lunged again with a furious barrage of slashes. Tokumaru could not avoid them all, and sustained a number of cuts on his chest, arms and legs. Somehow he could sense that Blitz was not operating at full capacity, for he backed away warily, feeling that he was being set up.

A bit of blood trickled from the swordsman’s mouth and dripped from his chin. I have to win this, Tokumaru knew. Somehow I have to survive. But no solutions came to mind. Already he had taken his share of near-fatal wounds. If he could not end this fight soon, he would end up dead. If only there were some way that I could stop him…

But he could not think of anything, not when those bloodthirsty eyes pierced into his own. Putting out the Celestial's eyes would prove an impossible task; for even though the craze had overtaken Blitz, he guarded his vitals well. No, there had to be some other way, something less obvious. Use of his Hinotama might also be unwise. Strategy was imperative now; without thinking this through, Tokumaru would never defeat this being.

As if on cue, Blitz lunged again.

OOC: Ok, let’s further this awing battle. Beware, I’m doing an EXTREME Dragonball Z knock-off here.

BiC: Tokumaru jumped up into the air just as the Blazing Ether began to touch the flames surrounding him. Unscathed, he sheathed the Hinotama smoothly, and held out his hands towards Blitz. At that moment, a collection of raging-hot mana appeared in the samurai’s hands, where there normally would have been flames, and the samurai grinned.

“Have at this!” he yelled; the mana in his hands accumulated to a well brought up ball of pure pyro-mana. “Flames… of Extermination!” At that instant, the mana shot forth in a divine formation towards the Celestial. It was a true sight to behold, for Tokumaru was quite literally creating his own impression of a Solar Flare. The mana shone with a fiery glory that neither Blitz nor Tokumaru had ever witnessed. If it didn’t burn them to cinders at first glance, any mortals that approached this awe-inspiring concentration of mana would be blinded for life.

Blitz looked down as the beam approached him. “Heh… heh… HA! Ha ha ha!” he laughed, and he grabbed the beam of fiery mana in his hands and held it back. Embers shot in every direction as Tokumaru and Blitz struggled in the heated deadlock. The Heavenflame samurai was exhausting the mana in his body excruciatingly quickly as he held the mana out; he hadn’t expected Blitz to be able to grasp it with that kind of ease.

The Celestial laughed sinisterly at his opponent. “You fool!” he said maniacally, “It’s over! Do you honestly think I can be stopped?! This pathetic excuse for pyro-mana is nothing! It won’t scathe me! I am god! Do you hear me?! I AM A GOD!!!" With this, Blitz slammed the Blazing Ether against the Solar Flare and sent it straight back at Tokumaru.

In that split second, the samurai realized all that he had unleashed. By saying all of those cruel words about poor Amy, he sent this creature into a mind-bottling rage unlike that of any other. But somehow the Celestial wasn’t entirely focused on killing Tokumaru for mocking his wife; he was in it to prove that a Celestial, nay, a god, cannot be defeated by a foolish human. It was as if Blitz was matched with the mighty Grievances themselves. He was filled with Rage. He had just then committed an Atrocity. And he was undoubtedly Insane.

Tokumaru was enveloped in the flames, and couldn’t see straight. His Kimono burned off completely, leaving him bare, and in complete bewilderment. He had to do things. He couldn’t die here, or else he would suffer Eternal Damnation in Tartarus. He had to see his son once more. He had to defeat Hanshin once and for all. And, over all, he had to kill Naoru Aurashino, the Demon that murdered his mother.

It was then that Tokumaru realized his ultimate formality. The Kimono in which clothed him was gone, and was then replaced with a flaming set of clothes, which were then incased in a fiery suit of Armor which was lighter than a feather. He then knew what he had to do. He would help Blitz go to Heaven and join his wife. He would allow Blitz the peace of mind he deserved. He would end the Celestial’s life right now, and bring about a new era of calm for both of them.

But, ironically, he did not plan to do this kindly. Much to Blitz’ surprise, the Heavenflame Samurai bolted through the flames and kicked the unsuspecting Celestial to the ground, then placing both of his flaming hands around Blitz' neck, he began to squeeze. In turn, Blitz grabbed Tokumaru’s arms.

“I…” Blitz said coarsely, “I… I REFUSE TO LOOSE TO SCUM LIKE YOU!” And with that, he jumped up and kicked Tokumaru in the absolute worst and most cheap-shot place any male can be kicked. Need I say more? The samurai fell over in pain; even in Eternal Inferno, pain such as that can’t be prevented. Blitz took this opportunity to finish the battle once and for all. With a crushing blow, he stabbed the Blazing Ether into Tokumaru’s neck, and the samurai’s eyes closed instantly. The battle was over, just like that.

“Heh.” said Blitz halfheartedly, “Should’a done that in the first place!”

It was then, as Blitz walked away, that he heard laughter. It was not a childish laughter, yet not a maniacal one. It was the laughter of ridicule, and it sounded disturbingly familiar.

“You honestly don’t learn from past mistakes, do you?”

Blitz immediately turned around, and much to his dismay, found a piping-hot blade going straight through his leg. It was the Hinotama, Blade of the Firestorm.

“Sôryûsen…” said its wielder, Tokumaru, in a mournful tone, “I shall bring you back some day. Do not fret.”

Once again, The Samurai had failed to strike a vital in his enemy’s body. Blitz chuckled as blood began to pour from the wound. “Dammit.” he said. “Heh, you bastard. You… said… no more… doppelgangers…”

OOC: Slightly comic ending, lol.

OoC: Just so you know, this absolutely refused to go where I wanted it to go. I know that you know that I intended it to reach this all along, but it went further than I intended. Blitz has lost it, plain and simple. He's lost so much of it that he's done something so horribly stupid that... well, it's more stupid than anything that's ever been done before. Even more stupid than the creation of the universe. And that was pretty stupid. (No offense, God.)

BiC: Blitz’ eyes flashed a brilliant yet horrifying crimson, the color of blood, and then he rose into the air again. Tokumaru sensed a sudden shift in the elemental energy surrounding them, as if something had warped its natural form. The mana whirled violently, whipping around like tiny threads of iron in a breeze, stinging his skin whenever it made contact. What in the Hell is he doing?

As if he had read the samurai’s mind, Blitz spoke. “Since you prove so defiant toward your death, I shall have to force your hand. You shall be destroyed in a way no mortal being has ever witnessed. Behold a power wielded only by the Gods themselves!”

The frigid mana in the wind kicked up a notch, and Tokumaru was appalled to find that a small cut had opened up in his forearm. Frantic for some sort of defense, he held up his sword, but quickly knew that wouldn’t help. With a start, Tokumaru realized he was completely defenseless against this bizarre technique. One foot found its way behind him, though the samurai knew retreat was not an option. He would have to bring this Celestial down with brute force.

Again, those bloodthirsty eyes flashed in that terrible way, accompanied this time by a frightening grin. “Suffer before you die, pathetic mortal!”

Suddenly, the Earth lurched beneath a massive power. Tokumaru prepared for his counterattack, trying to keep his balance amidst the ground’s shaking. But then he saw the expression on Blitz’ face. Surprise… And not only surprise; fear as well. Again, the mana in the atmosphere shifted violently. Now it was returned to its normal state, but the samurai found it quite obvious that his enemy was not responsible.

“Ye hath mocked the Gods of old.” The voice came seemingly from nowhere. Tokumaru looked about, but the source was not to be found in this plane of existence. “Such acts we do gaze upon with retribution. Address this one as the Celestial of Flames, lest ye perish in the way.” There was a thunderous clap as if a bolt of lightning had struck directly between the two wondering combatants. Tokumaru saw Blitz’ eyes turn upward in terror, and he held up his hands to force back some unseen attack from above. Then a pillar of flames descended upon the Celestial. Like red lightning, the pillar was! An endless river of holy power, it completely consumed the Celestial, convulsing as though it were a living being. Tokumaru could feel the intense heat even from the distance he was and was forced to back away.

Blitz could not cry out, for the red lightning had fried the air around him to the point that it was no longer breathable. All of the air in his lungs was also gone. But he did not fear suffocation; as a Celestial, his power alone could sustain him. What terrified him was that his own resistance to the fire element had been bypassed by this incredible power. Every millimeter of his body was burning as if pressed up against a lit oven. It was as though his skin were melting away, peeling off of a writhing, convulsing body. For what seemed an eternity, Blitz was trapped in that unbearably hot pillar of fire and red lightning. And then, as quickly as it had come, it was gone. The swordsman’s body went limp and he dropped to the ground with a thud. Smoke rose from his charred flesh, yet for some unexplainable reason his clothes were left intact.

A face appeared in the sky then, a powerful and forbidding face with an expression so calm yet so filled with anger that Tokumaru drew back in horror. “Let this lesson be well learnt,” it said coolly. “Lest ye wish to invoke our wrath, curb thy words! Farewell, foolish mortal.”

All of the fear that had come over Blitz was gone then, replaced now with hatred; hatred for this supposed god who had smote him with flame. Slowly, quivering with rage, he pushed himself to his feet with his arms. Taking a deep breath, he allowed the elemental energy to swarm to him. Welcoming the power that came with it, he began to warp the mana once more. This time, though, his target was not the Heavenflame Samurai. In fact, Tokumaru feared what might happen if Blitz invoked the wrath of this other godlike entity.

And what the samurai feared most suddenly happened. The wind around them died instantly. Clouds billowed into the sky above them, turning red beneath the unholy glow of something high above. Blitz’ words could have been heard for miles. “Come, O’ Great Celestial of Flames! Stand before me, and be annihilated!!” A raw sadistic smile of pure insanity was pasted on his face, and Tokumaru knew that he had just doomed himself.

Something descended from the heavens, appearing in the sky and slowly floated downward. Every nerve cell in Tokumaru’s body cried ‘Run!!’ but he could not bring himself to move. The mere sight of this being from the world beyond the stars paralyzed him with fear.

This was one of the original Celestials. This was Blaisek, Celestial of the Flames…