Ethral City

[PandArsonist]

[[sorry, didn't see your post.]]
Naru raised an eyebrow as he saw Xell running towards him. "Hey, kid, you realize he's still following you, right?" Naru saw the flaming weapon coming towards Xell and sighed, as he quickly raised a pillar of shadows up from the ground, intercepting the incoming attack. "It looks like I might have to get involved after all...Kid, you watch the body unless you think you can handle this, ok?"  

[kjaslkdjiehdfba]

The flight of the flaming was ended by a wall of shadow. It seemed the black wall was created by the man he saw before. His naem was Naru, he appeared to be more calm, he probably took the time watching Itazuki fight to analyze his fighting style, that's what a smart person would do. Intelligence and excellency fumed off this man. Itazuki was like a dog when it came to fighting, Xellane was young and not experienced making him a coward, his attention drifted to Naru. "Xellane you little kid, go run away!!" He shouted with bitter excitement. The belligerent man jumped and turned to Naru. "Ok Naru, it seems your friend is scared and I take it lets you finish most of his battles." Itazuki took a moment to breath and then he finished." Well, I want to fight you. I can tell from your eyes you have seen a lot and know more about combat then your friend. I like that and respect you for it. So fight me here and now or I'll end yours, the necromancer's, and Xellane's life." He spoke with stupidity and boldness.  

[PandArsonist]

Naru raised an eyebrow. "Are you kidding me? You think I fight with that kid on a regular basis? Come on...If I did, he'd be dead by now, or a lot better at fighting." Naru sighed, not really wanting to get into a fight so soon. "Hey, Kid. Get over here and take care of this body for me, will ya? In fact, start heading back to where we first appeared and have the mage there get you back to the castle. Give him the topaz and tell him you have the package. I can get back there by myself. Now get the hell out of here!"
He looked towards the new guy and shrugged. "Well...whatever. Guess there's not too much of a choice... Let's do this..." Naru stretched and summoned the shadows of the area to come around to him, making them fully accessible to his will.  

[kjaslkdjiehdfba]

"Well no, I meant. He gets in fights and you end up finishing his battles." Itazuki muttered while flinging his scythe back, send an air drift, causing the blood on him to splatter, then run away. Itazuki had a confident attitude about his posture. His belly stuck out and he leaned back some while his arm holding the scythe dangled. He stuck out his hand, all the fingers stuck out then he made a thumbs up but made the thumb stick down. Itazuki's eyes squinted and focused, examined Naru and how he dealt with the shadows around him. HMMM, so basically he can make any shadow around me attack me, that great. Itazuki was pretty close to Naru from the start, there was a distance of 7 feet in between. He bridged the gap quickly with just a few strides. He jumped over Naru with a single bound and stuck to the side of a building by plunging his water claw into the wall. He waited a moment them jumped why doing a upside down spin.

Itazuki cupped his free hand next to his mouth then breathed in cold air, then shot bullets of hardened water at Naru. Five pellets were shot, the speed excelled greatly. If Naru was to dodge the bullets, the water would easily borrow into the ground. While done spinning, Itazuki fell down behind Naru and held his scythe with two hands. He slashed down, hoping to cut Naru in half. Crazy wind drifts blew off from both sides cutting into stone, wood, and human.  

[Awesome Sensei]

"A fight...interesting" a dark figure loomed over the distance walking slowly into the area as he smiled. "Naru, you are Defaeco's servant are you not? I am not sure which side to take in this here fight. How about I kill all of you." A scream echoed from his throat sending a black shockwave through the air, and Teran was in the sky, large black wings sprouting out of his back. Slashing downward to the ground, darkness surrounded his entire figure, as soon as the blade hit the ground, the earth and concrete broke apart, sending debris into the sky. "And you Xellane, How about the two of us, against the two of them? You are plenty strong, and they are plenty strong. Or. I can kill all of you!" Holding his large blade over his shoulder, a dark aura surrounded his side. "Herculean dusk!" A dark blast launched toward Itazuki, a large consuming darkness. It was so dense that nothing could be seen through it, only black. It was approaching the prey as a gaping mouth opened as it tried to devour him. It instantly exploded as the darkness began to surround itazuki. Death was bound to come from this strike. "take that! There is somewhere that you can get out of that...but you need to figure it out! Escape and I won't kill you." Smiling, darkness flowed through his veins, hate emitted itself through his soul and into his stance, a laidback and smiling man stood in front of them, with disregard to the fact that others could easily attack him. They were too afraid to strike, and Teran knew it.  

[kjaslkdjiehdfba]

Darkness engulfed a small part of the center square. Itazuki was smothered by this madness. Every thing was black, screams ranged deep in Itazuki's ears. Death was around every corner. It's wild shrieks brought sheer terror to the man with the scythe. He fell hard on his knees, cracking the ground below. He lamented in his own torment. So this is what real power is. "Use the water..." A voice said then vanished as soon as it appeared. "NO!! I won't become trapped by this abyss of endless shadows. I won't die here, not now. Wait that man, Ty."

Itazuki tightened himself to a ball, building up a strong force of water in the inside and outside of his body. Time went on, the force behind this attack gathered quickly. Then with one big burly shout he opened himself up to the shadows and sent a slicing wave of hardened water into the air. A gash was formed and light beamed through it and hit Itazuki. He took a breath and jumped up while sending wind at the ground with his scythe making his jump go faster and further. He flipped out the gashed that soon became a massive scar of darkness. He landed on a building, most of his clothes were torn from his body. He looked below at Naru and shouted to him. "I'm sorry, take the Necromancer I have to leave, I bid you farewell." Once said, Itazuki vanished from sight.

[exits]  

[PandArsonist]

Naru quickly raised multiple Shadow walls in front of him to stop the water from hitting him, and then felt a new dark force make its appearance. Naru growled at the new comers entrance. He didn't want to fight, but he sure as hell didn't want any interruptions. "Damnit! Xell, get away from here! If you're changing sides, then fine. But if you take that body, I'll find you and kill you myself!" Naru saw the incoming attack, and wasn't quite sure what to do. All he knew was that he didn't want to get caught in the blast of it. He quickly melted into the shadows on the ground and made his was through the streets a part of the shadows, going toward Xell, intent on at the very least getitng the body back, materializing as he got near. He looked up at the newcomer, a mixture of respect and resentment in his eyes. "Who the hell do you think you are, and what the hell do you know of me?"  

[Xellane]

Fine, a coward I am, but I am intelligent enough to know when I am outmatched. I will blame it on my inexperience, and do anything but let the hate touch the depths of my heart. As father had said, this would be the end of me. While lost in thoughts he watched blankly as the events rolled out, seeming to go faster than his bolt of lightning and him, and much scarier. He had only seen something as fierce as this when his village was raided by those b****** animals. I think i'd rather be back in the village. Even if I am to be the only one alive. His mind said, but he knew it wasn't true. He knew he'd rather take his chances. His eyes slowly widened with fear as Itazuki was plunged into darkness, then shot vertically with water and a gale of wind flying beneath him. Naru simply melded away, yelling at him. I may be weak, and more than likely a coward, but I am anything but a traitor. When I pick a side, I stick to it through the ugliest, Naru will know that soon. "Thanks for the offer" The teen said, knowing the trembling in his voice could be heard by a deaf man miles away "But if I am anything it's loyal. Even if it makes me a fool." He said, drawing arrows out of his quiver as quick as he could. By this time though there weren't many left, he would need more. He shot three sharp arrows at once, followed by two blunt arrows on either side, all aimed at where the newcomer stood, generally at least. He reached for more, felt none, prepared to shoot lightning but knew he would get nothing more than a spark if he was lucky. Need to practice that, if I live. He knew they would miss, almost certainly. But he had to try, and all they needed was a small distraction. The teen turned and hoisted the wrapped body up, wincing at the pain (he held his bow with the uninjured side of his body) while speaking to nothing, knowing Naru could hear him "Let's go Naru, fast, to the alley!" He said running as fast as he could, making a sharp left into the alley where they had appeared, hoping Naru was near him.  

[Xellane]

(And to think, I thought this would be simple :p)  

[PandArsonist]

[[Hmmm...I probably need to spend my points to do what I'm about to do...either that, or change some skill levels...I'll post soon, after I check some things.]]  

[PandArsonist]

*decided not to wait for origin to answer*
Naru caught up to Xell and had an idea. He wasn't sure how well this idea would work, since he'd never had a reason to try out this power, but he figured it was worth a shot, and quickly grabbed Xell's wrist. "Keep running, keep your wrist in my hand, and for the sake of whatever god you worship, don't let go of the Necromancer!" A dark aura started growing over Naru, and soon spread to cover Xell and Drasta as well. "Shadow Burial!" Naru cried out, as the he and the others slowly melted into their shadows on the ground, merging with the other shadows from the area. "Whatever you do, stay close to me, and remember, if we leave the shade, we'll become solid again! In this state we might just make it far away enough from these guys to be able to materialize and get back to the castle without being hurt! The only thing we need to worry about, is one of them somehow eliminating all the shadows in our path!" With that, Naru continued holding/ dragging Xell and ran back to where they had first appeared, hopefully beyond the reach of the two others. His mind flashed back to the stranger that had shaken things up. He knew me...He knew who I was....Knew what I was...But who is he, and what did he want? he thought to himself, still running along the shadow path in front of him, still clutching Xell's wrist in his hand.  

[Awesome Sensei]

Teran was running, faster then a normal person. His large blade dragged across the cold earth as Naru's darkness approached. "I know you both! Join the rebele!" Stopping in front of them, he was normal again, with a sheathed weapon. "I am sorry... I don't know what just came over me. My name is Teran." He stopped the darkness with his fist, launching it in the opposite direction.

[sorry cant post tonight]  

[Xellane]

The teens stomach churned, did a back flip, and squeezed itself inwards as he was thrust into the shadows. It was strange, it's like he knew where he was and what he was doing, but he was also totally lost. In fact, the only thing driving him on were Naru's words being commanded into his ear.Without being hurt he says... Xellane thought as his shoulder throbbed and shouted obscenities at him for putting the dead weight on it. He kept running ahead, sure their death was at the end of a blade close behind, but a glance back showed the man, Teran, apparently, sheathing his weapon and offering an apology. "Naru...is he surrendering or something?" The teen said looking back forward, still running. He had knowledge of warfare tactics, but why would he surrender, that made no sense. Well, they were only twenty feet from where they had appeared so he'd just let Naru decide what to do. After all, he was his senior, and unfortunately, his better when it came to stuff like this, he would make the best call.  

[PandArsonist]

"Grrr....Shadow Retrival..." Naru growled as he and Xell slowly assumed their natural shapes. Something about that strange blade of Teran's seemed to have stopped their path. It must have some light porperties within it... Naru thought to himself. He glared at the man, if that's even what he could be called. "I don't know who you are, or how you think you know me. But I don't switch sides in the middle of a mission. I am not interested in the war going on in this realm, and I have no solid allegiances. If you want to try and convince me to change sides, you're better off waiting untill I'm not busy. But I always finish a mission. He glanced at Teran and made a split second decision. "When the time comes for us to pick a side, we'll find you. If you really want to us to join you, you'll be willing to wait for us. Now we have a mission to finish."
Naru glanced at the ground again and then summoned the shadows of the area quickly to him and Xell, forming wings as he had before, and leaping off the ground, still clutching Xell's hands. "Come on, we can leave the city and head to the castle the long way. Let's not waste time!"  

[Xellane]

After a while of flying, Xellane finally found the words he had been looking for. "You said that we would find him when it is time to switch sides. I guess technically I have pledged no allegiance to Defaeco, and I would do well to stick close to you, considering you are one of few who have not attacked me on sight. I just wanted to let you know, for what it's worth, Naru, that I am gonna stick with you till the bitter end. If you'll have me a companion, that is." The teen gritted his teeth, more at the pain in his shoulder than anything (at this point it felt as though his arm would just detach from his body) but also a little at how the words had come out. He had stumbled over a few, but meant everything he had said. He knew what loyalty was, more than anything, and he knew he was someone Naru could trust without second thought. He just didn't know if Naru knew that. A quick glance up showed the castles peak, they were close.