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Astaroth
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| The Wyld | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: Sep 30 2012, 06:51 PM (174 Views) | |
| Kazunari | Sep 30 2012, 06:51 PM Post #1 |
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The Ghost of the Wasteland
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There was an air of quiet anxiety as I slowly scrawled the seals into the ground, checking, double checking and triple checking that everything was aligned exactly. One incomplete line, one marking out of place by an inch, and I was at even more risk – and this was entire thing was virtually suicidal. Astaroth had started to teach me the art of Fuuinjutsu – Sealing Arts – not long after he made me Vice-Kage. They were complicated, and difficult to teach as every seal was personal and responded differently to each person. Seals Asta uses could be used by others, but they'd never have the exact same effect. Each seal had to be expertly crafted to the specific needs of the user, and hence respond to the personal traits of the user – how their chakra flows, how quickly they can move chakra from point to another, even the way they move. Right now, I was in the middle of preparing my last 'test'. It wasn't anything Astaroth had set me, but something I felt like I had to do. Something that even Asta still wasn't entirely sure how it worked, but still... I would be able to say I am a Fuuinjutsu user if I can do this. If I can actually summon something from the Wyld. A Youkai, perhaps... but honestly, anything would show to myself as much as anyone else I have the aptitude for Fuuinjusu. I grinned to myself and focused once again on the seal beneath my hands, altering and refining the internal markings, attempting to align the perfectly with the rest of the seals. There was a faint skittering behind me, and the room slowly went cold. I slowly placed my hand over the seal, and turned my head just slightly. There was the slightest hint of moment, and I felt a tingling sensation spread across my arms. Gentle whispers in my ear, coaxing me towards the shadows and fear. ”Ariadne.” The name made my lips burn, being the very definition of hate and fear in Empyrean. ”Oh, aren't you just a smart little thing.” The spider-woman slowly moved towards me as I turned to face, a sickly grin on her face as she gazed over the seals. ”Trying to be just like Astaroth are we? Trying to summon something?” Ariadne giggled, but it was more of a bone-chilling mock of a real laugh. ”I'm... impressed. I didn't think you were brave enough to visit the Wyld. Maybe you'll find one of the wonderful, loving denizens. Like Astaroth did all those years ago.” Ariadne was moving ever close, a grin still on her face as she bared her fangs at me. Her aura of hate and fear perverted the air, and struck at the barrier around my mind like a million needles. I was in no way immune to this freaking embodiment of every childhood fear, but my mental resistance did afford me.... some protection, albeit not much. ”What do you want?” I snarled, keeping my eyes on Ariadne as she moved along the boundary of the seal, not even letting her arms pass over the boundary. Could... was she unable to pass? Did that mean my sealing was enough to at least hold back part of the Wyld? Feeling a little emboldened by the fact that his abomination couldn't get close to me, I took a deep breath (which I immediately regretted. The seal wasn't stopping her acidic chakra) and glared at her. ”Astaroth isn't here, and I'm busy. I don't have time to deal with you and your petty mind games. Now, if you could kindly go the fuck away so I can finish this, I'd appreciate it.” Ariadne's one human eye narrowed, and her grin, as fake as it was, faded. The multiple crimson spider-eyes focused on me, burrowing into my soul with the pure and unadulterated hate that she was projecting at me. I flinched slightly and half-turned away, kneeling down to resume work on the seals as Ariadne stalked around the outer seals. ”But we're all alone down here. Just you, and me. Nothing above us except the foundation of the Spire. No one to hear all of the things we could get up to.” Ariadne stopped moving as she moved behind me. I was trying to focus on finishing this seal, I didn't have time to watch her. Aaaand then I was pinned against one of the furthest walls, Ariadne's face within inches of mine, the long and painful looking legs of hers forming a cage around me. Though there should've been very many thoughts going through my head as his abomination bared her fangs inches from my throat, the only thing going through my head was 'How the fuck did she get through the seal'. ”You forgot to activate them.” Ariadne hissed at me, and then I realised I'd spoken aloud. ”Well... let me th.... the fuck go dammit. You can't kill me... yo.... you're not allowed.” I snarled back, struggling to breath as Ariadne kept me pinned to the wall with one hand... she was strong. Stronger than I thought possible from someone with her frame. ”You're right.... I can't kill you. But I can do things that'll make you wish I had killed you, Kazun-” Click ”Put. Me. Down. Or I will blow your fucking brains out you goddamn freak.” I pushed the pistol against Ariadne's chin, forcing her to tilt her head up slightly. The spiderwoman's eyes flicked down, then back up to my face. We were trying to read each other, see who would flinch first. It was probably going to be me, I was scared out of my mind right now. Asta had told me all of the horror stories when he was drunk enough... and I'd only see Ariadne's spider-legs once before this, and again she had used them in an attempt to intimidate me. It had actually worked, and it was working here. But I also wasn't kidding around. Consequences be damned, I was not going to let her strut around like she could boss me around. Ariadne stayed unnervingly still, her chest moving every so slightly as she took shallow breaths the only indication she was actually alive – though 'alive' was up for debate when it came to her. I wasn't moving either, keeping my pistol pressed to her chin; at this angle, the bullet would penetrate her jaw and exit through her brain, hopefully killing her instantly. Key word – Hopefully. And then, freedom. A commanding voice boomed into the small room, as chakra slammed full forced into both of us. ”Ariadne! Release him.” Astaroth walked in, glaring at us both. His moments slow and practised, his pose perfect, as to not betray the fear he was feeling. Ariadne was the only thing Astaroth was truly afraid of, and right now he was attempting to command her. Ariadne’s head slowly turned to face Astaroth, the two staring at each other for a moment, then she pulled away, her spider-legs disappearing behind her. ”Of course, love. I wouldn't do anything to harm your precious student. After all, with this summoning he might find something as wonderful as you did.” Ariadne slowly walked away, passing Astaroth and running a hand across his face, before moving towards the door. ”I'll see you at home.” There was silence for a few minutes, as Ariadne's footsteps echoed off into nothingness. Astaroth and I stood still, rooted in place. And once I was sure she was gone, I gasped for breath and slid down the wall, the pistol falling onto the floor. ”Fucking hell she's crazy.” ”And thanks to you, I have to deal with that when I go home. Thanks Kazu.” ”You've could've just let me kill her you know, save us both a lot of trouble.” Asta just show me one of those 'Shut the fuck up' stares before he started to examine the seals. I shrugged and stood up, taking a few shaky steps forwards. ”So what did she means by 'finding something as wonderful as you did'?” I glanced over to Asta, who was still examining a seal in great detail. He stayed quiet for a little while, running a finger across the seal, then stood up straight. ”She's saying you might find something like her.” ”But to bring a Youkai like her into this realm, I'd need to make a contract. Who'd make a contract with something like th-fucking hell you didn't. Holy shit, so THAT'S why you can't get rid of her! But why the hell would you contract with.... with her?” ”Not everything is what it appears Kazu, even more so in the Wyld. You need to take great care in just what you try and reach out for... things will try and trick you out there.” Asta sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose, his eyes following the outer path of the seals. ”So... she tricked you?” ”.... honestly, when I summoned her I had no idea what I was doing.” ”Riiiiight.... I'll do the last checks then, if you don't mind.” Asta shot me a glance, then chuckled, moving back against the wall and I started to dig into the seals again, attempting to reinforce the inner, most vital seals. The seal that would protect me from the worst effects of the Wyld – or, so I hoped. ”So, we ready to go?” I smiled and nodded, standing up straight. “A few things and then I'm set.” It was a few hours later, Asta and I took a break to get some food (and Juice), before returning to the room for the last preparations. All that was left was to lock the seals and then... well, I guess I'd find out. I took a deep breath and sat in the middle of the room, the seals automatically pulsing to life around me. Astaroth sat cross-legged in front of me, outside of the circle, his hands on his knees. He nodded at me, and I closed my eyes. I felt the chakra whirl around and soak into the ground and air. And then my head slumped forward, and my body relaxed. I felt myself spread outwards, crossing over into the Wyld. I could feel every ripple of every thought and consciousness out here, all of them amplified by the seals around me, to help me locate the one I was searching for. The main seal kept me anchored to my body, but still, for hours and hours I searched. I probed. I... 'interacted' with the life of the Wyld. My seals and mental fortitude shrugged off the worst of the attacks, and I met a few sane beings. They were kind enough, or at the very least didn't try and screw me over. And then... warmth. Something warm, and soft, and... kind? No, not quite. It was a mask, to lure me closer. I could feel that now. I doubled my guard, and pulled away, and the warmth followed. It nudged against my wall, and tried to wrap around me. I flinched and pulls back more, but it continued to chase. Then, it found a crack in my wall and slipped inside. A moment of panic... but I realised it was unneeded. It was a young, childlike consciousness. Slightly animalistic. It... no, she was lonely, she needed a home. I felt the warmth envelop me, and the kindness... wasn't a mask. It was just stretched far more than it should've been, in an attempt to attract something to look after her. I felt a sense of happiness, and called her forward. There was bliss as I wrapped her in a seal. I edited a few of the outer seals on the fly, but not by much. Just something to bind her to me in the physical realm. But before I could finish, I was ambushed. A dark will enveloped up both., and she was scared. I could feel every emotion from her, as this darkness surged forward. ENOUGH The Wyld shook at my voice. I could feel the thousands of small spirits flee, but I had attracted a few, larger beasts with that. The darkness stopped, then retreated, holding in front of me instead of around me. There was scratching at my head from a rather large youkai, but I ignored it, focusing on the shadow. This is what I'd been looking for. I held out a... hand? I'm not entirely sure what I did but I reached out for the darkness. It hesitated a second after my display of power, then touched me. There was a quick exchange, and a contract was formed. A second seal around the darkness, to give me a mean to contact it while I was back in my body, and then it scampered away. And thus my time in the Wyld was finished. I had attracted too much attention. Any longer, and I would be consumed. A flicker of chakra, and I was gasping for breath, my body coming alive again. Asta's eyes snapped open, then smiled at me as I rubbed my arms. ”Bloody hell it's cold.” I shivered as I tried to warm myself up, Asta was grinning and chuckling. And then something landed in my lap. It was humanoid and was nuzzling into my chest, trying to be close. It was the girl I had found, and now I realised why she was animalisitc. She WAS an animal. A fox-girl, to be exact. Two triangular ears poked through her black hair, and a tail waved in the air behind her and she tried to wrap herself around me, desperate for comfort, for safety. I chuckled and wrapped my arms around her, and there was the cutest little yelp I'd ever heard as she nuzzled into my neck. ”So... that's your summon?” Asta tilted his head, an amused smile on his face. ”She's cute.” ”She isn't the only one. I found a second.” I smiled back and stood up, the fox-girl light enough to scoop up in my arms. She kept as close to me as she could, watching Asta with big, orange eyes. ”It tried to ambush us, but I scared it off. I then managed to make a contract with it before I had to flee from some of the... larger beings.” ”Does it have a name?” Asta opened the door and stepped out, waiting for me to walk out with him. ”Something I won't say without the safety of seals. The contract was rushed, I admit, more just a contract of communication. I'm going to try and work out a real contract in a few days with it.” ”Well, I can help you set up some seals to pull it into this realm. That's safer than dealing with it in the Wyld.” I smiled and nodded, holding the fox-girl close. She was watching me, the tail warm against my arm. She had mostly human features, but there was a little fur along her arms and chest. There were the two ears popping through her hair on the top of her head, and her hair trailed down to about waist high. She was only about 5 feet tall, and incredibly light. And of course, had one very fluffy tail. Her hair was pitch black, and her eyes were a bright, burning orange. She was smiling at me, and then nuzzled in close, rubbing her head against my chest. ”So, I guess you've got a fox-girl now. Does she have a name?” Asta chuckled and reached over to rub the top of her head, which was responded to with a happy little yelp. I thought for a second, then smiled and nodded. ”Lucy. Her name is Lucy. And I think Arisa is just going to love her.” The Wyld wasn't so Wyld to me anymore. I was looking forward to the next trip... and I could officially call myself a Fuuinjutsu user now. If only I had as much luck with the other spirit... |
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