Creations of Man (Zorolo, Sakume)

[Power Shot]

OoC: Here it is. I am updating Chronos' appearance for this, so check it out. Here is the link.

BiC:

“Are you ready, Chronos?”

The Dark Eye nodded his head to the avatar that stood before him. The avatar smiled and placed his hand upon the other’s shoulder. “Do not worry, Chronos,” the avatar said with its even voice, which Chronos took to mean it was trying to steady him. “I am confident that I can take you to the Core. There should be no problems.” Kenjin’s avatar was rather bolder than its actual manifestation, Chronos thought dully. That mystic needs a little less egotism in his lectures. “I heard that,” the avatar said in a slightly hurt voice, but its smile widened. “You try my position and not developing one.”

“I wouldn’t know,” the Dark Eye retorted. “I do not know what it means to be egotistical, Kenjin.” The avatar issued a huffing noise with indifference.

“Has anyone ever told you what a mood killer you are, Chronos?” Before Chronos could issue a reply, he found that his mouth refused to obey his commands to inform Kenjin what a fool the mystic was. Briefly, a thought entered the Dark Eye’s mind to use the Arm Striker, but of course it would not work. Kenjin’s powers were too unique for the staff to work properly. “Wise choice, my friend,” the avatar said. “I would hate to have to nullify the existence of your precious weapon for such a small trip.”

Chronos had learnt how Kenjin transported others to the Core through the use of physics and mathematics. It was a simple operation in which Kenjin lowered the density of the reality surrounding them, then transported the weakened particles through the dimensions to the Core. Chronos himself felt nothing of the teleportation, but that was not out of the ordinary. The MetaSkin that shielded his body was difficult, Kenjin had often said, to break down for a vacation in the Core, but its effects on its owner did not waver. Before long, the laboratory that Chronos referred to as home vanished, replaced by the dimension of darkness that Kenjin referred to as home. He had only a brief glance of the avatar before it vanished, joining with the existence that surrounded Chronos. The Dark Eye glanced at the ground, where the yin-yang symbol was etched into the area just beneath his boots.

It is nice to see you again, old friend. The mind voice that Kenjin’s true self used floated through the Dark Eye’s metal brain, slightly muffled. I trust you have been well. “Your deshi continue to grow, and my experiments have yielded several answers,” the ronin answered. I am glad. I apologize for leaving them so unexpectedly with you. My battle with that youth has left me…somewhat indisposed, and Elrick is far too busy with Nenet to be intruded on. “What have you summoned me for, Kenjin?” The Dark Eye had been the protégé of the mystic too long to be fooled by his distracting words.

I have decided to send you somewhere important, Chronos. Somewhere where you may learn more than you ever have in your dank laboratory. Tell me, do you remember Kat? The ebon knight nodded; Kenjin’s daughter, though a thought of her had not entered his mind for some time. “She is the girl whom you once sent with the deshi to find a weapon. They failed to do so. I have not heard of her since.” Yes. Kat has been hiding for some time. I wish you to find her, Chronos, and return her here to me. “Why would I need to do that, Kenjin?” asked Chronos. “You are merged with the Core. Can you not handle this sort of task on your own?”

The mystic laughed. For someone with no emotion, Chronos, you have a wit that is almost comical. The Core does allow me some…ability, but such ability must be carefully used. I cannot retrieve Kat without her fulfilling her intended task in this world. Do you remember it, Chronos? “I believe you asked her to obtain the Black Ixis, correct?” Indeed. You have a somewhat-sharp memory after all, even with amnesia clouding it. Yes, the Black Ixis, which created the Master of Darkness, must be found by Kat before she can be returned to me. Find Kat, and the Ixis, and bring them to me. A query entered the dark knight’s head, and he said, “Why am I charged with doing this, Kenjin? What does this have to do with me?”

The very question that I hoped you would ask, Chronos, and the very question that I wish I could explain to you. But, alas, that would disrupt the path I have foreseen you must take. I can reiterate that, by taking on this task, you may learn more about yourself than in your laboratory with your cadavers. The Dark Eye nodded. “You can tell me nothing more?” No. But will you accept? “It seems that the choice is out of my hands, is it not?” There is always a multitude of choices, Chronos, but only one correct one. “Then I will choose the correct choice, and take this journey.”

Excellent. I will provide you with the details of Kat’s location, or where she was seen last, and where the Black Ixis is currently located. Oh, and Chronos? “Yes Kenjin?” You know that young deshi you now train, named the Aura Master? “Zorlo, with whom I left some pieces of my left arm.” Yes. I think it would be wise for him to come with you. He and a young lady named Selene, who I understand is involved with the deshi. Look after them, Chronos, and find yourself.

Though he thought it a strange request, Chronos could do nothing but say, “Yes, Kenjin. I will look after them.”
***
To Chronos, the place he now stood before sparked memories of comrades past.

The tavern was still there, after all this time. It seemed like years since he had been there with Tuariv and the other Knights. The sign still read The Green Dragon, though it looked a little worse for ware, now dull with some of the letters needing repainting. Despite the sign’s lack of attention, the Dark Eye could tell that the bar was very much alive from the lights inside. Kenjin had often told his comrades that The Green Dragon served the finest ale in all the lands, but Chronos, lacking a sense of taste, did not know if that was true. The ronin walked up to the oak door, upon which was painted a dragon of emerald, and carefully opened it with his remaining hand.

The Green Dragon‘s customers, all of whom were aware of its long history of harboring various…unique characters, did not glance at Chronos’ strange clothing or his appearance, and carried on with their conversation. The Dark Eye, after scouting out the entire tavern, walked up to the barkeeper, who was busy cleaning a glass with a washcloth. Chronos approached the keeper and handed him several gold coins, the universal currency for those who did not wish to deal with exchange rates. “Two rooms for the night. One for me, and another for my guests. I want them with windows in case we need to make ourselves scarce. Understood?” The barkeeper, a wise man, nodded his head silently, and handed Chronos keys for each room. “Thank you. Also, I want ale brought to my table when my guests arrive.”

Kenjin had told him enough to begin the operation, Chronos thought as he returned to his table. The mystic had been kind enough to tell the Dark Eye where Kat lived, which happened to be in very close proximity to The Green Dragon. Chronos would visit her later tonight, when Zorlo and Selene were asleep upstairs, and bring her back to the tavern. No, on second thought I might take one with me. Then he and the others would begin the trek to the Black Ixis.

Chronos settled in to wait. He had chosen a place by the fire, as it was a chilly night, and he did not want Selene and Zorlo uncomfortable. Chronos himself sat as far away as possible, not wanting to risk the chance of any melting.

[Zorolo]

What am I? What have I become? When did I become what I am? Are there any answer to these questions? Or am I merely being foolish as to wonder such things. I must find out why I have my powers and where they come from, otherwise I'll never be able to fully control my powers. If that happens... I fear for the worst.

Zorlo's thoughts had become rather distracted of late. Yes, he was to be married soon, but that didn't change the fact that he was plagued by his own problems. Even now, the Dome offered little solace to these questions. The forlorn silence gave only the sound of the beating of the fencer's heart, and with each beat came more pain. What bothered him so?

Perhaps it was what Gorin had done to him back when the God of Wrath had been reborn? That power to destroy Zorlo's inhibitions has also removed the fencer's normal checks on his power, and created a monster more terrifying then anything that he was sure Shinu nor Gorin had encountered... up until Dante a few moments later. Even with that, the fencer could completely control his emotions... but what would happen when Shinu was defeat and Zorlo was whole again? Terror would reign if the fencer ever let down his guard.

"To live a life of terror. Was that what plagued you too, Dante?" he asked himself with a slightly smile. "It was because of Gorin that you became what you were... and it was because of fate that I must destroy Shinu. Until he is part of me again, I'll never be whole... but is truly not being whole so bad? You were so depressed, and nothing could be done. Even so, I am not afraid. I'll destroy Shinu... and I'll destroy Gorin. Nothing will stand in my way."

Suddenly, the doors to the secluded hall swung open and a power beyond anything that the Aura Master had ever felt flooded in, followed by a form completely concealed in light that the fencer couldn't hope to block out. Whoever this was, the power he or she emitted was unlike anything the fencer had ever encountered before. Even so, the green haired man simply couldn't ignore the intruder, no matter how powerful he was.

The Aura Master picked up his sheathed sword and stood up, blocking his eyes from the figured bathed in vast light. "Who are you to invade my privacy?" the fencer asked with slight annoyance. Again, it had been a while, but an intrusion into this sanctum... who was this guy?

"Zorlo, the Aura Master, I've come to offer you some solace to your mind's woes. What do you say to that?" the force asked, power radiating off it so greatly that it seemed to nearly blind the fencer.

"Who are you? And who do you know what I am thinking."

"I cannot answer those questions. I have a mission for you. One you once failed in," the figure stated.

The fencer's arms dropped and he closed his eyes. Only once had he ever failed a mission. "You want me to recover the Ixis, don't you? The power that myself and the others failed to claim. Who are you to ask this of me?" the fencer asked as he clicked his sword from his sheathe.

Seconds later, the fencer's sheathed blade flew from his hand and away from the Aura Master, the figure appearing to smirk behind the light. "I am simply here to give you the order from the person you failed. I was merely sent by both he and the one known as Chronos to give you a message."

"Tell it now and begone. If you aren't to answer my questions now, I am not going to deal with you!" The fencer was being a bit more abrasive then normal... but he had to defend Selene, and that was all there was to it. Any fault of his would turn into a great crevice and consume him. His now forming greatest fear: failure.

"Meet him. Meet Chronos in The Green Dragon, and bring your bride to be. You, as he, have much to learn. That is all," the light said as it faded into nothing. The fencer sighed and recovered his sword, looking at him. He couldn't seem to escape that his and Chronos' destinies were tied together.

"Ever since that time," the fencer whispered as the room he was in faded away and he appeared in his room. The questions that had plagued the Aura Master during his thoughts faded and his normal, calm demeanor returned. He didn't need some strange, unknown figure to answer his questions. He'd answer them himself, through the shear force of his own will. For now, he just needed to contact Selene.

"Armond!" Zorlo's voice cut through the forest, and the albino monkey appeared. "Take a letter to Selene," the fencer said as he pulled a piece of paper from his pocket and scratched down a letter. It had both directions to how to get to The Green Dragon, as well as what they were getting themselves into. A lucky fate indeed, since the fencer had hoped to see his beloved again. After all, the time they spent apart only made their time together better.

The monkey took the letter and vanished into the forest. Somehow, that monkey seemed to be able to travel through space and time, but the Aura Master never questioned how. He knew that these things weren't too amazing. For now, the fencer had to go, and he grabbed his jacket off of a chair in the cabin he had built in his room and was off. Hopefully this wouldn't take too long.

o=)---------In the town where The Green Dragon is---------(=o

The fencer walked through the town, looking for the bar. He'd past it once or twice in his journeys, but had never stopped there. After all, the Aura Master never did have much of a need to be in a bar. The lights illuminated the city and seemed to almost lead the fencer towards the bar. The green haired man rested his right forearm upon the hilt of his sword, not really caring too much about the people that gave him awkward looks, since it happened a lot.

"That's what I get for having green hair," Zorlo joked lightheartedly with a slight smile as his normal, calm and kind smiled returned his face. The town passed by as everything did to those who were always on the move, and before long, the fencer simply stopped, staring up at the sign. "Interesting... there are a lot of unique and slightly powerful auras in there. Even so... I wonder why I never noticed this place before?" the Aura Master asked himself.

"I'll wait here for Selene. When she gets in here, we can proceed to meet with Chronos. Then, maybe, this can finally come to an end. Maybe when it does, I'll not have to worry about anything that bothers me anymore. That's all I can hope," the fencer said nonchalantly as he released a relaxed sigh and rested his back against the building. Just how long would Selene take to get here? He didn't know, but he'd find out soon. It all depended on Armond.

[Sakume]

“Pheonix fire!” A short burst of white flame came from her gloved hands, power coursing through her veins in her feelings of anger. “Pheonix, I pray you! Come and give me your aid! Only through your help can I become the queen of heaven!” It was no use. Short, sporadic shoots of flame were all her feelings produced. Without the tiara, her efforts proved futile. Right now, her father wore the crown and possessed the immense energy, corrupting both heaven and earth. She had to stop him. “Pheonix fire!” She shouted again, pushing herself harder.

Her wings lifted her into the air, flapping once or twice to keep her upwind. A few trickles of sweat slid down her forehead to her nose. “I said phoenix fire, damn it!” She was not like Zorlo with his training. Selene had trouble getting stronger, more than any human would. She unsheathed her twin swords from her back where they hung, pinpointing her eyes on them and thinking.

Pheonix flame, phoenix flame… come on… what else am I supposed to do? I can’t do it without… the tiara. She screamed in anger, clashing the swords together, a stream of white flame enveloping the nearest tree. Due to her strong, passionate emotions, Selene’s power had briefly increased, but she needed the crown to become fully stable. She closed her eyes as she imagined it for a moment. It was a small, fragile item that switched appearances to a crown, tiara, or any other piece of jewelry commanded. If she didn’t have that soon… she may begin to deteriorate, her emotions making her unstable.

A strong screeching noise caught her attention and snapped her out of her thoughts. “Armond?” she asked as the white-furred monkey approached her, some of its fur singed. “Oh, I’m so sorry, Armond!” she exclaimed, taking the monkey in her arms and hugging it for a moment. “I didn’t even know you were there!”

Zorlo’s helper seemed to enjoy Selene very much, probably because the angel had an affinity for animals of all sorts. Selene also loved Armond, since he usually meant Zorlo was near. The monkey tugged on the dress of the serene woman and waved a letter towards her.

She took the envelope curiously and ripped apart the back. Selene’s eyes lit up as she noticed the type of stationary inside. Green. No use in doubting it, the letter was obviously from her future husband. Her eyes scanned the words as she imagined him speaking to her in person.

Dear Selene,

We’ve been invited to meet with Chronos, my teacher, at this address, The Green Dragon. I’m so happy we’ll be able to see each other again after being apart for awhile. I miss you more each day when I don’t see you. I can hardly wait to be able to hold you again. We shall be learning something, or so it seems. Come as quickly as you can, and safely.

Love,

Zorlo.

It followed with a series of directions for the general way of the meeting place. Selene figured the fencer must have written the letter quickly, since he didn’t make it as long as he usually tended to when writing to her. This person they were meeting must be of some importance.

“Chronos?” she repeated his name with a question emphasis. “Who’s that? I thought Zorlo’s teacher was dead… I never knew he still had one… well, Armond.” She patted the monkey briefly on the head. “I suppose I’ll have to do as my lover asks, won’t I?”

---------------------------------------------------

Selene toyed with her fingers, shying away from the people she didn’t know, especially men. She had taken on her human appearance, her wings non-visible. She didn’t want to give off any sort of naïve appearance anymore than possible since this was a town she had never visited before. Therefore, she wore something different than her normal white dress and boots.

A pair of tan shorts rested on her, without a belt. Tucked into the pants was a white frilly blouse with a brown blazer over it, unzipped. Her hair was in a ponytail, the whole shift of appearance causing her to look a bit more modern and less heavenly than normal. She suddenly saw Zorlo leaning against the side of the bar. Struggling not to be her normally bubbly self and catch too much attention, she approached him.

“Hello, Zorlo,” she whispered, a light flush entering her cheeks as she hung her head a little. “I’m sorry I took so long, but I got a little lost and I didn’t want to attract any attention, so I had to get some different clothes.”

“Don’t be sorry, my love,” Zorlo replied with a smile, resting a hand on her cheek and rubbing it for a moment. “You arrived here not long after I did. I guess Armond did a good job of delivering the letter quickly.”

“Yes, he did. Now…” Selene looked at him after giving his hand a kiss. She wanted to spend some time with her fiancé, but she didn’t want to keep their company waiting. “Who is Chronos?”

[Power Shot]

Thump…thumpthump…thump…

Chronos lowered his head to observe the Arm Striker’s pulsations. He had been training himself to memorize the different kinds of pulsations the giant staff emitted when exposed to magic and the supernatural. The soft purple lines had been glowing since he had arrived at The Green Dragon, but the pulse had been rather weak. Now, however, the staff was almost vibrating from the energy it was sensing. Zorlo is here. The pulsations matched the exact beat that Zorlo’s aura powers gave off when near the Arm Striker’s tracking radius. Plus, Chronos could sense the fragments of his arm that Zorlo carried in his rapier.

Sure enough, the ronin saw the door open only moments later, his deshi accompanied by the woman whom Chronos took to be his lover. Both of them were rather short, and Chronos noted that the Arm Striker, when focused on her, also pulsated, indicating a power based on angelic properties, and an integrated beat Chronos had not matched to a specific source of energy. In an effort to be polite, the Dark Eye stood up from his seat to greet them. Zorlo had already spotted him, and both were heading towards him. Selene, for the most part, was very busy staring at the ebon knight in shock.

The Dark Eye did not offer his hand in welcome, and Zorlo knew better than to greet him in such a way. “Zorlo, you arrived earlier than I expected. Take your seat.” His deshi did as he was told, and the woman mimicked his motion. Chronos returned to his chair. “I have obtained rooms for the night for us,” he informed the two, and handed the Aura Master his and his lover’s key to their room. “It will be right next to mine, in case we need to vacate the premises quickly.”

Zorlo, one for introductions, gestured to the woman seated on his right. “Master Chronos, if I may introduce my fiancé Selene Vlaxen.” He then turned to the woman herself. “Selene, this is my sensei, Chronos.”

Selene, Chronos assumed, was shy at meeting him, and did not blame her. His appearance was rather frightening at times. “Good,” he said to her, with as much grace as he was willing to express. “Your presence was requested by my friend, Kenjin. Have you told her the details of this expedition, Zorlo?”

The deshi shook his head. “No, Master. Actually, I was wondering if you could fill in some gaps of information myself. The glowing being who delivered your message was neither the Domerii nor the letters you commonly use.”

“That is correct. The being that delivered your message was most likely the avatar.”

“Whose avatar?” Selene, the woman, asked. Chronos, beneath his mask, let out a soft growl, which translated a request of silence from the Dark Eye to both his guests. The innkeeper, always punctual, appeared with two glasses of ale for his guests, but nothing for Chronos himself. Selene noticed this, and said, “Would you join us in drink, Chronos?”

“My body does not require frequent consumption of drink and food,” he answered, “now silence.” He turned his head to the fencer. “Now, both of you, listen closely. You remember the failed mission to obtain the Black Ixis, deshi?” Zorlo nodded. “The avatar summoned me to the Core, where I had an interview with Kenjin himself. He gave me specific details pertaining to what we must do in terms of recovering the item, along with the instruction that we find Kat.”

“The Encorna’s daughter?”

Chronos nodded. “Yes, boy, though he no longer goes by that title anymore. The girl Kat lives near The Green Dragon. It is important that I locate her and bring her with us.” Chronos did not need to move his head, but glanced through the side of his mask at the clock on the wall. 11:30. “In one hour’s time. It is late, and I move best at night.”

“Would you like us to accompany you, Master?” Zorlo asked, sipping at his ale.

Chronos pondered the inquiry for a moment’s time. “I would rather not. If I am right, there will probably be difficulties in obtaining Kat. Kenjin mentioned she was hiding, with good reasons apparently.” With his arm Chronos pulled a slip of folded parchment from his coat pocket. “Here is the address.” He glanced at Selene and, though he had the Arm Striker leaning against his knee, he sensed the pulsations yet again. “On second thought, deshi, I will take your lady with me. Selene Vlaxen, be prepared at half past twelve to depart. I leave you the rest of the hour together.” He stood up from the table and reattached the Arm Striker to his back. “I’ll come to your door. Zorlo, you will remain somewhere I can find you until we return with Kat.”

Selene was still staring at him, he noticed from the back of his mask as he left. “Selene Vlaxen, it will be interesting to see what you can do,” he muttered as he departed for the outside world. The Arm Striker pulsated once more before its violet lines died down.
***
The ronin, after taking care to shut The Green Dragon’s door, proceeded down the north side of the street. He listened to the wonderful sound of silence as his mind recalled the map he had memorized before his departure. If he was right, and the Dark Eye believed himself to be, the address he had copied from Kenjin was right uptown, only a mile’s walk from The Green Dragon. He decided to avoid the cobblestone road in the center of the street, and stuck to the sidewalk, where the shadows of the nearby buildings helped hide his massive frame. Inside the tavern, no one had even given him a second glance, but out in the real world he was an outright terror to behold.

So he stuck to the shades. Camouflage was something his uniform did rather nicely in the dark. Why did Kenjin insist I drag those two lovers with me? They will only slow me in completing the mission. Kat I can see a use in, but that little girl… Chronos, despite being a creature designed without emotion, could not help but be annoyed by her constant staring. Love is a reaction I will never understand. Zorlo had probably selected his mate well, but the Dark Eye found nothing lovable about the Aura Master’s partner. But, he thought to himself, he had never found anything lovable in anything.

Focus on the mission. So wrapped up he had been with his thoughts he had failed to keep track of his location. He retraced his steps until he was certain of where he was, then the ronin walked down the remaining two blocks to the address. To be certain, he once again retrieved the parchment from his pocket and opened it. Swallow’s Gentleman’s Club, in Chronos’ sharp hand, was written in black ink on the paper as well as the address’ sign. What is Kat doing in a place like this? The Dark Eye, having no information about the nature of the establishment, decided to obtain some. Not wanting to appear conspicuous, a hard task for anyone but nigh impossible for the Dark Eye, he passed by the club, peering through the windows with the side of his faceless mask.

He saw, among other things, a large number of men and several women in the very crowded club. Chronos, with the data he needed to return and get Kat, decided to head back to the tavern. The Arm Striker had not pulsated since he had left The Green Dragon, but that did not give him cause to lower his guard. However, as he began the trek back to the bar, an interesting thought popped into his head. I wonder if Zorlo will be angered by me taking Selene to a brothel. Deciding that he did not particularly care, he silenced his mind and heard nothing but his boots clank against the stone walkway.

[Zorolo]

OoC: All I have to say is damn. No offense, sama, but I did not expect you to post so fast. Oh, and as a note, my post will start after Selene leaves. Anything that happens before then, I'll leave to my dearest friend Sakume. ^_^

BiC: That hour had passed so quickly. The fencer wasn't quite sure if it had just been because he had been with Selene, or if it was because the green haired man now needed to pass the time. Not something that the Aura Master was accustomed to, the fencer sat down on the floor and laid his rapier a few feet from him. Apollo had been behaving strangely since he had met with his Master again, and the Aura Master was at a loss as to why.

The fencer's legs were crossed, with the palms of his hands resting upon his knees as the young warrior released a light breath. The green haired man closed his eyes and began to meditate. He needed to cleanse his mind again before he met that woman again. After all, he hadn't been able to forget that event, since it had been his only failure.

"Still think about it, do you?" a dark voice whispered into the room as the entire room became swallowed in an inky darkness. The Master of Darkness emerged from within his self created realm, sitting back to back with the Aura Master. "How long has it been since we spoke?" the dark creature asked.

It didn't take the fencer long to realize that they weren't in the physical realm anymore, but rather, in the mind of the green haired man. His eyes were closed in the outside world, but in this world within him, the fencer could feel the intruder's presence fully, but could do nothing about it. "Of course. Unlike you, I am not use to failure."

"Quite rude, aren't you?" the dark one asked, unmoving.

"No, I just dislike you, that is all," the Aura Master stated. "Anyway, why have you come? What business have you here?"

"None, but I thought I'd come bother you while your mind is in turmoil. After all, what do you think that little girl will do to you when you meet up with her again?"

"I haven't the faintest. Personally, after that failure, I am fine with whatever action she plans to take as vengeance. Although, assuming her father is now linked to existence now, I'd assume she'd have forgotten all about her earthly failures."

"Such a weak attempt to rationalize the fact that you failed is interesting. You've changed greatly since you and I last met. Even so, you won't defeat me next time."

"If luck holds, that will be before you cease to exist, right?" the fencer asked, looking slightly back towards Shinu.

"We shall see. Nothing about the power I have both gained and lost is permanent. I shall endure," the incarnation of darkness stated as it, and the darkness it had brought along, faded.

"Yes we shall," the fencer stated with a smile as the dark realm vanished, and the fencer's eyes opened to the realm of reality again. A sereneness returned to the fencer again, and a smile crossed his face. The Aura Master merely hoped that fears wouldn't come to pass. Come to think of it, what was the fencer afraid of, aside from Selene's death? All Zorlo knew is that he had continue training. Before long, he'd need to aid Selene in her coup d'etat. After that, there would be peace, and the world would be in balance.

However, something echoed through the fencer's mind, stopping all of his happy thoughts.

Such a thing is impossible for you. You live for combat, so how can you simply settle down and let your love of combat fade? the voice asked, and the fencer turned and looked around.

"Who is that? Where are you?!" the green haired man demanded as he looked about.

Merely an observer. If you really want to meet me, simply wait and we'll meet in person. Then you can prove me wrong, the voice mocked as it faded.

The Aura Master sighed as he stood up and looked out the window. When would those two be back, dammit?!

[Sakume]

"Good luck, and return soon, my love." Zorlo bestowed a kiss upon her cheek, rubbing her shoulders.

"I will." She smiled and squeezed his hand before he parted from her. She wished she had more time to spend with him, but unfortunately, the time to leave was soon. She watched his figure disappear with the closing of their door. She had specifically asked not to see him as she left, preferring to remember their partings as pleasant.

Selene felt her stomach twist once more as she thought about her company that night. Chronos frightened her, and for good reason. Not only did he tower above her, but he had a certain air of seriousness about him that made her nervous, in fact, she couldn’t sense any emotion from him at all. How could a person have no emotion?

Furthermore, why would he ask her to go with him, and not Zorlo? Surely he seemed better suited to the task at hand, which Selene still didn’t quite understand fully. They were to rescue a girl, and find an item named the Black Ixis? She wished she grasped the concept of the mission more, but she figured as long as Chronos knew what they needed, she was in good hands.

His orders seemed so void of any feeling that Selene found herself doubting her ability to be of use. Her powers based themselves upon emotion. She remembered him saying there may be difficulty in the quest. Selene never dealt well with that sort of thing, more of a frail creature than outright.

She wondered if she should bring anything with her, just in case of a fight. She decided to take her swords, strapping them to her back. She did not change her clothes, assuming she would need to move fast if the cause came up. Her azure eyes glanced towards the clock on the wall. Twelve o’clock. She found it difficult to keep from being nervous.

Why choose me over Zorlo? What did he see in me? He’s so… so mysterious, so commanding. I wonder if he means to be? I can’t help but stare at him when he’s so unlike anything I’ve seen before… I hope he doesn’t take offense or anything, I’d hate that. The last thing I want is to insult someone important to Zorlo. She let her hair down as she waited, the less weight she had, the better. Even the little things could be a possible distraction. She would not allow that. She felt slightly sorry for herself in the fact that she didn’t get to spend much time with her husband-to-be.

“Selene, it’s time to go.” She hadn’t even noticed him until his voice snapped her out of her thoughts.

The angel fumbled with herself, smoothing out a few wrinkles in her clothing before passing Chronos. “Where exactly are we going?” She did not fail to notice he arrived precisely on time.

“Come.”

Not a trace of any emotion at all. I thought once I got closer to his body, I would be able to tell, but there’s nothing, not even a trace… is there? What’s that I sense that seems so faint… annoyance? She followed him into the night’s enveloping shadow, even the stars hiding from view above. She dared not speak, especially after feeling so shunned by his huge figure compared to her. Although the darkness easily gave ample cover to their figures, she followed him off the road.

She hung her head a little as they walked stealthily along, neither one’s feet making much noise. She felt more like a burden than anything else. Two figures passed them on the way, but neither took any notice of the hidden angel, nor Chronos. She noticed him turn slightly as a building came into view, a sign hanging above it, a picture of some sort of small bird painted with great intricacy on the wood. What does that say? Swallow’s Gentleman’s Club? What are we doing here? What exactly is this place? Selene had never heard of a brothel, or anything along those lines. After all, she lived in heaven for almost half of her life. Why should she be aware of a house involving nothing but sin?

“Where are we?” she finally whispered, her expression pleading and puzzled. “And what are we supposed to do?”

[Power Shot]

OoC: Blech, this post sucks.

BiC:

Chronos did not answer her immediately. Instead, he motioned for her to follow him into the alley on the south side of the building. “This is the address Kenjin told me Kat would be located at,” he explained. “It is a brothel, a place where women are treated as slaves towards the lusts of mankind. Do you understand?” Selene’s eyes grew wide, and the Dark Eye noticed a lump form in the back of her throat, but she nodded all the same. “We will infiltrate this building and obtain Kenjin’s daughter.”

“How do we do that?” she asked, in the same hushed voice the ronin himself had adopted. “Do you have a plan?”

“That is what I brought you along for, Selene Vlaxen,” the ebon knight replied. “We will enter, with me posing as a client and you as a worker, the bedchamber areas and search for Kat. She will not be out on the floor working, she’ll be somewhere in the back. Understood?” His mask gazed down at her, and the angel grew noticeably more frightened. “Stop that. If you flinch every time I look at you, no one is going to believe this ruse. I know I appear terrifying, but control yourself until we can find Kat.”

Selene slowly nodded. Chronos, satisfied, placed his right arm on her shoulders. “Follow my lead,” he ordered. “Do not speak to anyone, and do not make eye contact with anyone inside. I will protect you.” But, when he touched her, she felt nothing but cold, and shivered. “Are you alright?”

The lump in her throat emerged yet again. “Y-yes, Chronos,” she stuttered. “I was just- your arm is so cold…”

“Deal with it,” he hissed. “Be glad I did not use my left one.” Selene bent her head to check the Dark Eye’s other arm, and gasped when she saw the coat sleeve hanging empty. “Ask your lover about that later. For now, focus on the mission.” Selene, though she had possibly never felt more uncomfortable in her life, allowed the ebon knight to lead her through the door.

A stale scent invaded the ronin’s nostrils, one that happened to give off the particular aroma of a lavatory that had not had a good cleaning in many years. Selene, he suspected, gagged briefly. But she regained her composure, as Chronos expected from Zorlo’s mate, and followed the Dark Eye’s lead through the brothel. Thankfully, no one disturbed them, quite possibly because Chronos was not the kind of person anyone would want to chat with. If anything, when they entered, people made it their business to get out of their way. Everyone ignored Selene, who walked draped in his shadow. Let’s get to the back rooms. Kat’s will be different, noticeable, so that we can find her. He opened the door to the backrooms and helped Selene inside, shutting the door behind them.

“Wait.” Selene, who had begun to already head down the hall, stopped upon Chronos’ word. “I don’t want interruptions by anyone outside here.” He lifted his arm and summoned the metal of his skin. Selene’s eyes grew as small grey tendrils began to trickle down the Dark Eye’s right arm from the insides of his coat to his fingertips. He pressed his hand against the wooden surface of the door or, more specifically, the area of the keyhole. The metal wormed its way into the hole and destroyed anyone’s ability to open the door without extreme force. The metal stretched from the keyhole to the hinges on the side, tightening the bolts and ensuring this. Satisfied with his work, Chronos retracted the metal into his body. “Let’s get this over with,” he said, turning back towards Selene. He did not grasp Selene, but his coat swept past her as he begun his march down the corridor. The angelic woman followed.

Chronos encouraged Selene to ignore the noises coming from the rooms on both sides of the hallway, as they would only serve as a distraction. “Look for something of Kenjin’s. That would be our best bet at finding his daughter.”

“Like what?” she asked.

Chronos’ brain internally began a debate over whether or not he should just leave her here to find her own way back to The Green Dragon. “A yin-yang symbol,” he answered. “Also, an aura, a very specific aura. My Arm Striker will be able to detect it when we reach its proximity, but you should be able to too. She has a natural affinity for luck.” As if on cue, the Arm Striker began to pulsate with a brand new beat. Though he had not matched Kat’s rhythm to any specific beat, he was certain that this was her. “Can you feel her?”

Selene nodded. “Yes, she is somewhere ahead.” They passed five doors before they finally stopped, on Selene’s whim. “This one,” she announced, pointing towards the door on the left. “There is a very strong aura in this one.” Chronos, who knew her to be correct, decided to check to make certain.

“Now, Selene Vlaxen, listen for the sound of silence.” Chronos, well-versed in the skills necessary to listen to silence, heard nothing but the breathing of a single person inside the room. He also heard Selene, who fidgeted far too much to be able to properly listen to silence. He heard her accelerated heartbeat and her bated breath as she attempted to mimic his efforts. “Can you hear her inside?”

“I-I hear one person, I think,” she replied hesitantly. “It doesn’t sound like there is anyone else inside the room.”

Chronos nodded. “Very good, Selene Vlaxen. Flawed, but good.” He grabbed the door handle, and pulled the door open. “Let us see if you were correct.” Both entered the room of Kenjin’s daughter.

Clang! Selene screamed as a knife lunged at the Dark Eye’s face. Chronos, uninterested in what had been tossed at him, waited for the knife to rebound off his mask and into the nearby wall. “Silence, Selene Vlaxen,” Chronos ordered, and checked his face for any shreds. Finding that his mask was intact, the ebon knight entered the quiet darkness of the room. “Kat, come out this instant. You know my voice.”

Selene could not discern where Kat was in the room, but Chronos’ vision did. She sat upon a bed of light velvet, dressed in Druid clothing: a black robe with a hood shrouding her face from view. “The legendary Dark Eye returns to me here?” hissed a harsh voice in the darkness. “I would have never imagined my father to give you all his worldly possessions. Have you been too busy in the Dome to come for me, Dark Eye? Too busy playing with the dead instead of rejoicing life?”

“It is a pleasure to see you as well, Kat,” Chronos answered. “You have absorbed the negative influences of this environment. We need to take you away right now.” He then turned to Selene. “Kenjin created Kat as a sponge, with the hopes that she would become a human based on her interactions with others. When she interacted with me, she absorbed my inability to feel emotion. Now that she had been here for so long, her emotions have evolved to spite and hatred, reflecting this place. It will take time to return her to an agreeable level.” He held out his arm to the darkness. “Kat, come with us. Your father has summoned you for your unfinished business.”

“I know,” Kat snapped. “My father gives me information, Dark Eye, unlike you. The Black Ixis is what I was created for, Dark Eye. I was designed to find it.” Both heard her shuffle, though only Chronos saw her move off the bed and towards them. “Tell me, Dark Eye, what were you made for?”

Chronos did not answer. “Let’s go, Kat. Now.” His tone indicated that his finite patience was waning. Kat, though it was very clear from the aura Selene was sensing that she did not want to obey Chronos, grasped Chronos’ glove and allowed herself to be led out of the room. Selene closed the door, and followed the two out of the dank hallway. The woman was silent after that, unwilling to converse with Selene or even Chronos, though she refused to release his arm from her grasp. As a result, Selene had to open the doors for both of them, for Kat did not seem to want to do anything for herself and Chronos had only one arm to use. They left the Swallows Gentlemen’s Club without further incident.

The walk back to The Green Dragon was quiet, something Chronos always preferred to conversation. Selene followed Chronos and Kat back to the tavern, and the Dark Eye sensed that she wanted nothing more than to escape into Zorlo’s arms and be soothed from her night’s events. Personally, Chronos could not understand this need to be with others, but attributed it to emotion and left it at that. Kat, however, was a different matter. Perhaps Kenjin wanted Selene and Zorlo to meet his daughter so that she could learn to love. Her absorption of my personality seems to have vanished since her time at that club. Maybe Selene and Zorlo did have a part to play in this, Chronos thought, as they arrived at the tavern.

“Selene Vlaxen, go upstairs to Zorlo,” he commanded. “Kat and I shall retire to our room, as we have things to discuss about our mission. We will depart in the morning for the Black Ixis.” Without saying goodbye, Selene practically bolted to the door of The Green Dragon and disappeared from sight. After a few moments, Chronos and Kat followed her inside, where Chronos noticed that, by the watch’s hands, only two hours had elapsed since they had been gone. “Release my arm.” Kat, if she heard him, chose to ignore his command. “Then you should sleep. Come.” Chronos led the daughter of Kenjin up to their room. Briefly, he considered whether or not he should go and check on Zorlo and Selene, but decided that they should have some time alone. He opened his own room’s door and led Kat inside.

[Zorolo]

Taste, touch, smell, sight, hearing, thought. All these things are natural to a human as the five senses and the basis of reason. All of these things, in part, come from the basis of existence, aura, which is derived from the life stream of the world. This, in term, comes from the Creator. In a very rational way, this all makes sense. The Creator creates the life stream, which man is stemmed from and stems aura from. Therefore, my power is drawn, in the end, from the life stream, and the Creator. Still, this is just cool to know, but doesn't really help me understand how I've gained all of my powers.

The fencer allowed his eyes to slowly shut and the world of the physical realm dissolved around him. The world became almost like an abstract painting, filled with all kinds of colors, shapes and sizes. Currently, the fencer's vision was limited to only about six miles in diameter, but that always seemed to be everything he needed. This night, the Aura Master allowed his mind to quest for Kat's aura, which he hadn't seen, but couldn't find it. In order to properly know what her aura looked like, the green haired man would have needed to meet with Kenjin's daughter again.

Even so, the green haired man could see Selene and Chronos' auras, along with two other large auras. One, Zorlo was sure, belonged to Kat, which made sense since it was closer to the Dark Eye and the fencer's wife-to-be. The other, however, seemed to be engulfed in something involving several medium strength auras. The bright, golden-white aura of the strong force was unreal, especially if it belonged to a human, but the others were very easily figured out.

Whatever the fourth aura was, it had been hunting werewolves, and now found itself trapped. The fencer's eyes opened and he peered up at the clock. It had been a half an hour, so the fencer decided it was best to take a walk and inspect this disturbance. Surely, it would remedy his extreme boredom.

The Aura Master grabbed his jacket and sword and took to the streets. Surely, whatever he had sensed would need help, and it would allow the green haired man to inspect this anomaly. What, one might ask, was so unique and strange about this aura? Well, for one, the aura was clearly human in design, and secondly, the aura was the type of aura the fencer had only seen once before. Sure it wasn't that person.

That person was dead. That person had come back to life. That person was still as hysterical in his jests of strength as ever. That person had to have better things to do then follow Zorlo.

Leaving the subject of Johnny Bones, the Aura Master refocused himself to his task at hand. The night sky kept the city lit with the light of the moon as the lamps better lit the streets. Even so, something told the fencer that this force probably had found a nice dark place to dispatch the creatures. Something, however, gave away what was going on.

The sound of a gun being fired entered the fencer's ears as he looked into an alleyway, seeing six figures fall to the ground, all dead. The man that had done it walked out moments later, sliding a new cartridge into his golden Mausser. The man looked up, red eyes meeting the fencer's green eyes. The man twirled his gun slightly, gripping a very large staff in his other hand. "You... aren't completely human, are you?" the man asked in a strong Scottish accent.

This man was rather short in stature, standing only about five feet six inches. The most defining characteristic was that this man was albino. His very pale complexion, along with his height made him not very threatening. His short, golden colored hair, fiery red eyes, and strong features made up slightly for these things, but all in all, the man didn't seem very scary.

The man wore a long, white robe with a golden stripe down the center of the side of each arm, and a golden robe from that went from the bottom of the robe, up over the shoulder, and down the back. Aside from that, the man carried a very tall staff, standing about seven feet tall, made of what appeared to be pure gold, with a cross surrounded in a sun upon the top half a foot. Even though it was very minute, the Aura Master also noticed a slight split at about a foot and a half from the top on the staff. Very clearly, something was there.

"I'm human, just... different," the fencer corrected the priest. "What in the world are you?"

"A human just like yourself. The only difference is that I hunt down those who are either inhuman, or infected humans with demonic, unnatural powers. I'm the messenger of God, and a warrior of heaven. I have no name, but those who know of me call me... "The Albino."

"'The Albino?'" the fencer repeated with a slight snicker. Man that was funny. "Okay, so that's why you killed those werewolves. Even so, what business do you have here?" the fencer asked as the golden haired man vanished, appearing behind the Aura Master.

"You're my next target," the pale man admitted as he grabbed just above the break in his staff and pulled quickly, unsheathing a three foot long, double edged blade of silver. The sword cut quickly, but only grazed the fencer's hair as the green haired man ducked and blurred out of the way.

"You're fast. I'm guessing you're also much stronger then a normal human too, right?" the fencer asked.

"Yes, I'm many times that of the average man. God has given me these powers to allow me to remove all the taint of this world. Who are you to judge what His will is?" "The Albino" asked darkly.

"I'm not really one to judge," the fencer whispered to the man as he appeared in front of the crusader, "but I'd say that you need to be stopped," the fencer whispered as he thrust his fist into the priest's chest, throwing the man through a nearby wall. "That... wasn't too hard," the fencer yawned as he began to head back to his room.

"The Albino", however, stood up, dusting himself off, his body regenerating at an inhuman rate. "Interesting," the divine man stated as he watched the fencer walk away. "I'll keep more tabs on this one. Surely, the Holy One will have interest in this," the crusader stated as he picked up the other half of his staff and sheathed his sword. After that, the divine messenger held out his arm, a paper flying from the sleeve of his robe and bursting into a golden light. "The Albino" entered the light, the light vanishing into a flash of light after the man entered.

o=)----------Back at the room, moments before Selene's return----------(=o

Zorlo sat on the bed, feeling the disappearance of the priest. An interesting encounter, and not the last, the Aura Master was certain. Even so, things were about to get more interesting. The fencer felt Selene at the door, and as the door opened, the fencer spoke. "How was your trip?" he asked with his normal, nonchalant smile.

[Sakume]

OoC: Thank you, Alti. <3

BiC:Selene's eyes brimmed with heavy tears. Never had she felt such overwhelming emotions at one time, despite Chronos's inability to feel. She could not help but taking on some of the negative feedback from Kat, and inside that place, there was nothing but pain, sorrow, and anguish. The relief of being back in her safe room with her lover hit her hard.

"How was... oh, Zorlo..." She sank to her knees once close to him, one hand clutching the sheets. "It was... horrible. So many terrible feelings linger there. We visited a place called a brothel... I'd never heard of one before. Zorlo, it was a such a horrible place..." She repeated herself, shivering a little. "And Chornos touched me, and his hand was so cold on my shoulder..."

Why did he encourage me like that? To sense her presence? It wasn't as if he were a bad person... he's not evil, but he doesn't seem to feel anything. If he did, I would have felt it easily, based on all the things I sensed in there. I must know what happened... more about this Chronos person. Zorlo must know, I should ask him for more information, after all, Chronos is his teacher, or so Zorlo says.

"Did you find Kat there?" Zorlo asked, supporting Selene to her feet and helping her rest on the bed. He knew that they had, but he seemed to want to care more for Selene's shocked state. "You're alright now, my love. You're safe." He didn't mention anything else, probably concerned for her well-being rather than bring up when he did while waiting for her return.

"Yes, we found the girl... she was also so cold and bitter. I wonder who exactly she is. Zorlo, I don't understand it. What is the Black Ixis? That is what we're looking for, isn't it? And... there is one other thing I wonder... what happened to Chronos and his arm? Why does he not give off any emotion, and why is his left arm missing? I think it's his left..." She shook her head slightly. "Please tell me what you know, Zorlo..."

[Power Shot]

“Are you hungry?”

Chronos closed the door to their room. Kat quickly rushed to the bed, while the Dark Eye took a seat next to the nearby desk. The Druid girl shook her head, so he did not press the issue further. “I suppose you don’t eat either. You’re not human enough yet.” This time Kat nodded her head. “I don’t either. Not really anyway, considering my digestive system is made of metal that cannot absorb energy from liquids and food.” I just have to breathe to oxidize my metallic organs. “Is there anything you need?”

Surprisingly, the girl nodded her head. Chronos watched without comment as she removed the hood of her cloak and exposed her face. It was human, at least in appearance, with a pale completion and a lithe build. Her hair had grown since he had last seen her, now clearly bundled up inside the Druid robes. But her eyes were so like her father’s: endless black pools that seemed to stare into someone’s soul. Chronos, however, only knew of this through others. Kenjin himself had said that Chronos’ soul was something so hidden that the mystic had doubted that even Chronos himself could reach it. “Yes, Dark Eye,” she murmured in a quieter tone than she had used in the tavern. “What is going to happen?”

She has absorbed Selene’s innocence. Not for the first time Chronos marveled at Kenjin’s creation. Kat was, for all suitable purposes, a sponge, who absorbed random personality traits depending on the intensity of them in her proximity. “You are going to come with myself, my deshi Zorlo, and his lover Selene. We will fulfill your purpose and recover the Black Ixis for your father, and then you will be taken to the Core.” That was all he knew.

Kat’s eyes grew greater. “And what happens after we reach the Core?”

“I do not know. Kenjin does not tell me everything.” Kat sighed, then fell unto the bed. Though she was a primarily magical creature, Kat was human in body, so even she could feel exhaustion. Chronos did not disturb her, and did not seem surprised at how fast she had fallen asleep. “Good night, Kat,” he muttered softly, so he would not wake her. The ronin stood up from his chair and extinguished the lamp near her bed. “I will keep watch outside.” True to his word, the Dark Eye opened a window to let himself out and some air inside the rather stuffy room, and escaped via some well positioned MetaSkin tendrils to the roof.

He took a seat on the slightly slanted surface, and looked out into the world. He had only been alive three years, though sometimes it seemed like so much longer. The ebon knight lowered his head to look upon the uniform he had chosen to clad his hideous face and his mutated body. Though his skin looked perfectly normal when not touched, he still hid it. It this the sensation called shame? He supposed he did sense that he was not normal, and that he should want to conform to the standards of his world. But what are those standards? That he did not know, and probably never would. The world he lived in had changed so much in the time he had been alive in it. He had long ago lost the police that hounded him, and was now a respected bounty hunter and teacher. How had he, such a loner, become so surrounded by others? he thought dryly.

The air was cold, or so he judged by how others were dressed in the streets. He wasn’t privy to the wonders of the cold, though he had been once. He recalled it as the most uncomfortable thing in the world. That was a very long time ago. Times change and we must change with the times.

“A wise statement.” Chronos did not move to oppose the new voice, Kenjin’s avatar was very sneaky indeed. “May I join you, old friend?” The Dark Eye shrugged, and allowed the avatar to seat himself next to him. “You found Kat well, I trust?”

“As well as can be expected,” answered the ronin. “She now has three traits: my inability to feel, lust and wrath from the club, and now Selene’s innocence. She is a magnificent experiment.” At this, the avatar lowered its head, and Kenjin laughed in his powerful voice through its lips.

“An experiment, Chronos?” Kenjin raised a brow in surprise. “She is a living being. Why do you view everything as an experiment instead of a person? It hinders your understanding of yourself.”

“I see everything as a machine because I have to, Kenjin,” the ebon knight replied. “I can’t feel empathy for the human race. I don’t care about anyone, not Zorlo, not Selene, and not Kat. My only concern is piecing together the puzzle that is my past. I am guiding them only because you hold those pieces, Kenjin. Do not misinterpret our relationship.”

“I wish you could look past yourself for a change. You sacrificed your arm for Zorlo, why can you not connect with the rest of them?”

“To connect with others, you need to feel an attachment.” Chronos lifted his remaining arm and squeezed his fingers. “To this day, I remember what it was like to feel for a short amount of time, and how wonderful and horrifying it was. Now there’s nothing.” He knew he was talking to nothing, as the avatar melted into the darkness while he was speaking. I know he does it for dramatic effect, but does he really think I don’t notice when he leaves? The Dark Eye sat in silence for a good portion of an hour, mentally preparing himself for the journey ahead. Kenjin, while he had not stated it specifically, had alluded to his past, something that Chronos did want to know. And the Black Ixis is the key.

“Master?” Another interruption. Chronos did not bother to look at Zorlo as his deshi sat next to him. “Why are you out here, sensei? Don’t you need rest?”

“No, boy,” he answered. “I just need to remain motionless so my body can be oxidized every so often. I do not get tired, so why would I need sleep?” Zorlo wisely did not respond, and just sat next to his master. “Why are you out here, deshi? Shouldn’t you be with your lover? She must have had a bad shock when we went to the club.”

“I got her to sleep. I came out here to stretch my legs. I‘ll go back in a little bit.”

“Don‘t. I have to go into town to gather a horse and cart for our journey. You came at the perfect time, so why don‘t you stand watch over both of them until I return?” Zorlo nodded, and Chronos imitated a trick he had learned from Kenjin. When the young man blinked, he dropped soundlessly off the roof to the ground, and vanished into the shadows of The Green Dragon.

[Zorolo]

The fencer looked at Selene, and his face went entirely pale for a moment. His mind traveled into what it recalled of that awful experience. It had been the now Aura Master's weakness that had cost Chronos his arm. Aside from that, the fencer could answer most of the other questions that Selene had posted about the Dark Eye, what little knew about the metal man, anyway; Kat; and the Black Ixis. These things were still things that the Aura Master pondered from time to time.

"I suppose I'll answer your questions in order. First off, Kat is the child of the immortal, Kenjin, and was born when Kenjin was the Encorna. When Kenjin the Encorna died, word has it he became something greater, although it is hard to say. Only shadows of a giant dressed in white have been seen since Kenjin died. I'd assume whatever happened to Kenjin probably caused some shift in what happened to Kat."

"As for Kat, as knowledge holds to me, she is a powerful mystic, like her father. As to her powers, I know not. I met her once, nigh a year ago, when myself and five others were sent to recover the Black Ixis. Sadly, it failed and the six of us were scattered. When I came to, I had awoken not far from a small village. After that, I met Chronos and learned a bit about him when he and I fought along sides one another, and after that, I met you in the Forest of Whispers, so not all bad came from that failure."

Selene blushed slightly at Zorlo's words, and nodded, waiting for him to continue what he had been saying moments earlier. "Next, the Black Ixis is an object of immeasurable evil that originally transformed Kenjin into the Master of Darkness. Word in the Dome, and from others I have asked tell that Kenjin was eventually split by his Master into the Master of Light and the Master of Darkness. One day, they found a way to unite as one in an attempt to overcome their teacher and became Kenjin the Encorna. As to what has become of Kenjin now, I know not. There is only one that knows the whole story, and few have seen him, although it was said he taught in the Dome for a while."

"Now then, I don't know what happened to Master to make him unfeeling and stern, but I'm not sure he knows either. As for his left arm... that was my fault." The Aura Master stopped and sighed. "Back when he and I fought as a team, he would up trapped, rusted by a clever assassin that he had left me to fight, and threatened to kill one of the foes we were fighting. He snapped off his own arm to save this foe and me from death. I owe him my life. After that, he even endowed my sword with some power from the shards of his arm. I'd give anything to help him repair the arm, but I'll wait to find a way to do that."

The crimson winged angel smiled and nodded at the fencer. "That's nice of you, Zorlo. I hope you do. It seems you do anything you set your mind to," Selene stated as she laid down, yawning. "I'm tired now, I think I'm going to get some sleep," the angel told the fencer. He smiled and she had already fallen to sleep.

"Well, now is as good a time to train as ever," the fencer told himself as he headed outside to go get some training, but found his mind wandering as he felt a massive power appear for a short period of time, and then vanish moments later. The green haired man went to inspect the site, but found only his Master, a man who gave off no aura signal. The fencer merely shrugged and conversed with the large man, finding himself abandoned to watch out for anything dangers on the frontier.

"Well, this sucks," the fencer duly noted as he sat lotus position upon the building. "Well, what can I do now?" the fencer asked himself. He had to spend more time training to protect Selene from anything that opposed him, but he also had to spend time with Selene. This situation wound up taking more and more effort, mostly given the fact that splitting time between the Dome and Selene was becoming more and more diffic