Ruined Temple (235)

[Skorm]

Coming from [x]

Alucard, Zev and Lilith finally makes landfall at the Ruined Temple, a landmark that was easily depicted from the ocean. Lilith were flying over the sea and landed on the shores, standing up straight. Curiosity sparkled in her eyes as she saw the temple. Zev on the other hand remained ominous but atleast he was awake. Alucard on the other hand got ready to move right away with all the assets with him, he left the boat.

Right then, we got a bit of a trip in front of us so you two should gather your strength. I will.

That being said, Alucard would stop for a moment and enter his trance where he created chakra from within. He continued this process until he could hold no more.

(In'yōton, Onmyōton: Chakra no Sōzō) Yin-Yang Release: Chakra Creation

Spoiler

Type: Supplementary
Rank: S-Rank
Range: Short
Chakra: N/A (+300 per turn)
Damage: N/A
Description: A unique ability available only to Yin-Yang masters, Chakra Creation pertains to the ability to focus on ones physical and spiritual energies and draw more from one's essence. This allows the user of the technique to replenish and regenerate a limited amount of chakra. This is done by clapping one's hands and focusing, meditating for a moment.
Note: Must meditate for 1 full turn before ones chakra starts to regenerate

Fine then.

You got it.

Lilith and Zev caught a breather while Alucard were on the lookout and made a fire. Later that day, they would continue south.

LLM

 

[Imperfect]

Coming from #233, Sorrow's Heart.

---

It was jarring, one moment traversing the hardened mud-like Sea of Life then the next finding his footing unsure as it sunk into the shifting sands. It was then Emiya knew that his destination was the once flourishing civilization that was now only referred to as the Ruined Temple. Still unsure about the nature or source of this feeling guiding him, but playing on his hunch, he entered the ruins. Given he was chastised the last time he announced his arrival loudly when the former Voidlord was concerned, Emiya cautiously inched his way through the apparently long abandoned civilization searching for the source.

 

[Drackos]

Coming from #233, Sorrow's Heart.

---

It was jarring, one moment traversing the hardened mud-like Sea of Life then the next finding his footing unsure as it sunk into the shifting sands. It was then Emiya knew that his destination was the once flourishing civilization that was now only referred to as the Ruined Temple. Still unsure about the nature or source of this feeling guiding him, but playing on his hunch, he entered the ruins. Given he was chastised the last time he announced his arrival loudly when the former Voidlord was concerned, Emiya cautiously inched his way through the apparently long abandoned civilization searching for the source.

Emiya, still occupying Marzan’s body, would see not only Nefarian in the ruins. The Voidlord was flanked by two figures, one familiar and another perhaps not. Contrasting the Voidlord’s gray and black robes was someone dear to Emiya, clad in red and white robes with long flowing white hair that trailed behind him in the sand. It was Solomon, the former king who ruled over this temple, the heart of an ancient kingdom now fallen. And by his side was the young blue-haired Elyse, looking out toward Emiya as her face beamed with excitement, hurriedly pointing at his approach. Behind the three rest Emiya’s real body, inert and yet still alive, on a long white cloth.

Solomon spoke once he approached, “I’m sure you are inundated with questions about what you see before you, Emiya.” He spoke gently, exuding an aura of calm confidence. “But before then, we must transplant your soul back into your own body. By now you’ve sensed the storm within Marzan’s own subconsciousness. It would be dreadfully difficult to recover your own soul should you fall into such a maelstrom.” Solomon motioned toward Nefarian, who up until this point had remained silent. The Voidlord nodded.

“Now before you can protest…” Nefarian flashed a grin as he repeated his words from the Port, black fire igniting in his hand yet again; this time cutting away Emiya’s soul occupying Marzan’s body, which promptly collapsed into the sand like a rag doll. With careful hands like a conductor giving commands to his orchestra, Nefarian moves Emiya’s soul through the air and toward his own body. He would awaken in his own flesh, resting on white cloth as if he had been in a nightmare.

As Nefarian transplanted Emiya’s souls into his own body, Solomon tended to a comatose Marzan. The mage closed his eyes, pressing his palm against the blacksmith’s forehead for a moment, surging Utu through each of his fingertips. But as soon as his fingers came to rest upon Marzan’s head he quickly recoiled, withdrawing them as if they had accidentally touched a scorching hot surface. Solomon’s eyes narrowed, concern welled within him.

Something terrible was raging within the blacksmith’s spirit. A storm had swept up his soul, as if he was infected with an extremely aggressive and virulent virus. Perhaps Emiya had sensed it too while in his mind. Thankfully Emiya’s own soul did not succumb to whatever was plaguing Marzan’s; perhaps occupying the body temporarily kept one’s soul compartmented from another’s. There were still secrets that Solomon had to unlock with his understanding over Yin, Utu, and the soul. He looked toward Elyse, whose grimaced expression spread across her face, fear filling her eyes as she looked upon Marzan’s lifeless body. No doubt she too was keenly aware of the conflagration occurring inside the smith’s spirit.

…

Meanwhile, far away, deep in the darkness that rests in the ruins of Last Bastion, Millicent slumbered. She lay in the ruins of the hospital that once served as a prison; half her body was merged with a grotesque mass of organic orange and red matter that had fused itself with the stone walls of her hospital room. The side of her head lay against it, hair matted.

As the locks of Marzan’s armory came undone, mechanisms clicking and seals releasing, allowing the forge to be reconnected with the greater world, evil began to stir in that hospital room. As if reacting to the distant chorus of clicking and mystical seals coming undone, Millicent twitched. Golden eyes flickered open, reacting to the change from afar. Her eyes slowly opened, adjusting to the dim light of the hospital room after nearly two years of darkness. She began to dislodge herself from the rotted mass, causing spores of Scarlet Rot to scatter in the stale air. “I dreamt for so long. Corpse after corpse left in the wake of my rotted blood and cursed flesh.” A loud cracking filled the room as Millicent finally pulled herself free, bones creaking as they moved for the first time in nearly two years.

All across Tobusekai her adherents paused, sensing their master’s awakening. In eerie unity, they looked toward Last Bastion as if hearing her words. “The Scarlet Bloom flowers once more.” Millicent’s gaze turned westward in the confines of the hospital, free at last.

 

[Imperfect]

Spoiler

Emiya, still occupying Marzan’s body, would see not only Nefarian in the ruins. The Voidlord was flanked by two figures, one familiar and another perhaps not. Contrasting the Voidlord’s gray and black robes was someone dear to Emiya, clad in red and white robes with long flowing white hair that trailed behind him in the sand. It was Solomon, the former king who ruled over this temple, the heart of an ancient kingdom now fallen. And by his side was the young blue-haired Elyse, looking out toward Emiya as her face beamed with excitement, hurriedly pointing at his approach. Behind the three rest Emiya’s real body, inert and yet still alive, on a long white cloth.

Solomon spoke once he approached, “I’m sure you are inundated with questions about what you see before you, Emiya.” He spoke gently, exuding an aura of calm confidence. “But before then, we must transplant your soul back into your own body. By now you’ve sensed the storm within Marzan’s own subconsciousness. It would be dreadfully difficult to recover your own soul should you fall into such a maelstrom.” Solomon motioned toward Nefarian, who up until this point had remained silent. The Voidlord nodded.

“Now before you can protest…” Nefarian flashed a grin as he repeated his words from the Port, black fire igniting in his hand yet again; this time cutting away Emiya’s soul occupying Marzan’s body, which promptly collapsed into the sand like a rag doll. With careful hands like a conductor giving commands to his orchestra, Nefarian moves Emiya’s soul through the air and toward his own body. He would awaken in his own flesh, resting on white cloth as if he had been in a nightmare.

As Nefarian transplanted Emiya’s souls into his own body, Solomon tended to a comatose Marzan. The mage closed his eyes, pressing his palm against the blacksmith’s forehead for a moment, surging Utu through each of his fingertips. But as soon as his fingers came to rest upon Marzan’s head he quickly recoiled, withdrawing them as if they had accidentally touched a scorching hot surface. Solomon’s eyes narrowed, concern welled within him.

Something terrible was raging within the blacksmith’s spirit. A storm had swept up his soul, as if he was infected with an extremely aggressive and virulent virus. Perhaps Emiya had sensed it too while in his mind. Thankfully Emiya’s own soul did not succumb to whatever was plaguing Marzan’s; perhaps occupying the body temporarily kept one’s soul compartmented from another’s. There were still secrets that Solomon had to unlock with his understanding over Yin, Utu, and the soul. He looked toward Elyse, whose grimaced expression spread across her face, fear filling her eyes as she looked upon Marzan’s lifeless body. No doubt she too was keenly aware of the conflagration occurring inside the smith’s spirit.

…

Meanwhile, far away, deep in the darkness that rests in the ruins of Last Bastion, Millicent slumbered. She lay in the ruins of the hospital that once served as a prison; half her body was merged with a grotesque mass of organic orange and red matter that had fused itself with the stone walls of her hospital room. The side of her head lay against it, hair matted.

As the locks of Marzan’s armory came undone, mechanisms clicking and seals releasing, allowing the forge to be reconnected with the greater world, evil began to stir in that hospital room. As if reacting to the distant chorus of clicking and mystical seals coming undone, Millicent twitched. Golden eyes flickered open, reacting to the change from afar. Her eyes slowly opened, adjusting to the dim light of the hospital room after nearly two years of darkness. She began to dislodge herself from the rotted mass, causing spores of Scarlet Rot to scatter in the stale air. “I dreamt for so long. Corpse after corpse left in the wake of my rotted blood and cursed flesh.” A loud cracking filled the room as Millicent finally pulled herself free, bones creaking as they moved for the first time in nearly two years.

All across Tobusekai her adherents paused, sensing their master’s awakening. In eerie unity, they looked toward Last Bastion as if hearing her words. “The Scarlet Bloom flowers once more.” Millicent’s gaze turned westward in the confines of the hospital, free at last.

All the suspense and build up, only to see a man Emiya wholly expected to betray him standing next to one of Humanity's staunchest defenders. The moment Shirō laid eyes on Solomon the tension completely left him. He loosened the grip on his improvised weapons, and approached. Letting Solomon speak, Shirō responded with a defeated tone of surprising acceptance.

"I'm going to be honest with you Solomon, I've kind of given up on getting a straight answer.
If Nefarian was being genuine I had nothing to worry about because we were on the same side.
If he wasn't I didn't need to worry because I can't do anything to stop him." ​

Shirō's eyes drifted over to Nefarian as the dark-clad figure sundered soul from body once more. Waking up in his own form again, Shirō immediately rose to his feet not even caring if he'd been injured or affected in any way from the whole process. Watching as Solomon seemingly experienced recoil at some attempt to interact with Marzan, Emiya's fear that it might be beyond the scope of Solomon's capabilities was realized. He hesitated to even broach the subject, afraid he would similarly fall short, but Emiya pulled out Tsumukari and asked.

"Any chance this is a case where this could make a difference?"​

Emiya already knew the answer. He knew how Tsumukari worked, he knew the conditions. He had to visualize the concept he wanted to sever, but he didn't even have the faintest idea of what this condition affecting Marzan was. Emiya simply wanted Solomon know that he was ready to put his life on the line to help fix this.