Having made the arduous journey across the lands, Sin had rushed to this unknown place in search of answers. Though, along the way, something had gained his attention that he couldn't let out of his mind. Upon reaching the sanctuary, Sin made a single clone to enter and meet with those who lived within to try and understand the current world. Meanwhile he turned back the way he came as he had to seek answers.
The clone walked into the sanctuary looking for someone to talk to. As he walked, he called out "Hello? Is anyone there?". He had no idea the welcome he would get but that was always a risk in new lands.
(Kage Bunshin no Jutsu) - Shadow Clone Technique
Rank: B
Type: Supplementary
Range: Short
Chakra Cost: 20 (total chakra is divided by the final number of clones plus the user)
Damage Points: N/A
Description: The Kage Bunshin distributes the ninja's chakra evenly among the clones and himself and creates a real copy with form and substance. The clones, a max number of 4, are capable of performing techniques on their own and can even bleed, but will usually disperse after hit by a strong enough force, returning 10% of its individual chakra to the user. Shadow clones can't be distinguished from the original with Sharingan, Byakugan, Rinnegan or normal Chakra Sensing. The clone itself can also utilize any jutsu the original ninja knows. When the clone finally disperses, any new knowledge it has gained is passed back to the original ninja and any additional clones.
The group that had formed to witness and assist in the prior spectacle with the woman and child from Dawnport had slowly dispersed over time, though the young master of the Millitant Monks, Eandro, stuck around a while longer. He wasn't skilled enough to properly assist in the young man's outburst and subsequent healing, so he was filled with frustration. A slight curve to the outer reaches of his lips, the beginnings of a scowl, were the only indicators of this inner turmoil. The desire to help versus what he was physically capable of in the moment. He would have his chance in time no doubt, but for now he quietly seethed, longing to keep his people safe, the memory of the Dragonkin which kept his people subjugated for so long still fresh in his memory.
As he saw another stranger arrive, this one not clad in the Human Principal, and knowing Fyarina, the one who typically ran around like the busybody she is was currently otherwise engaged, the young Monk saw his opportunity to do something for his people, even if it was temporarily acting like Fya's glorified secretary.
"Hey, stranger, over here. If you're looking for the Grandmaster you just missed him."
The young monk took a good look at the newest arrival. At a glance he seemed cautiously optimistic about Sanctuary, calling out for someone's attention, while also remaining near the edge of the village. Maybe he was the kind of person who liked to have a wall to his back, and a clear path to the door in a crowded room, or maybe Eandro was reading too deeply into things. Regardless of his temperament, even a Chakraless fool like Eandro could tell he was strong. Most of the humans who arrived in Sanctuary who weren't residents of Dawnport were, but the ones who came from the furthest places were even more so. The red haired smith, the beautiful swordswoman, and even that beastly-fanged guy who visited from time to time. All eclipsed the monk's capabilities a hundred times over, and that thought wasn't frightening. It was exciting. Unfortunately though Eandro wasn't a "people person" in the same way Fya was, which lead to him coming across as impolite at the best of times, such as not even introducing himself.
"If your business here is urgent, I can take you to him. He's helping a couple new arrivals settle in."
Delegate Post - Eandro
The group that had formed to witness and assist in the prior spectacle with the woman and child from Dawnport had slowly dispersed over time, though the young master of the Millitant Monks, Eandro, stuck around a while longer. He wasn't skilled enough to properly assist in the young man's outburst and subsequent healing, so he was filled with frustration. A slight curve to the outer reaches of his lips, the beginnings of a scowl, were the only indicators of this inner turmoil. The desire to help versus what he was physically capable of in the moment. He would have his chance in time no doubt, but for now he quietly seethed, longing to keep his people safe, the memory of the Dragonkin which kept his people subjugated for so long still fresh in his memory.
As he saw another stranger arrive, this one not clad in the Human Principal, and knowing Fyarina, the one who typically ran around like the busybody she is was currently otherwise engaged, the young Monk saw his opportunity to do something for his people, even if it was temporarily acting like Fya's glorified secretary.
"Hey, stranger, over here. If you're looking for the Grandmaster you just missed him."
The young monk took a good look at the newest arrival. At a glance he seemed cautiously optimistic about Sanctuary, calling out for someone's attention, while also remaining near the edge of the village. Maybe he was the kind of person who liked to have a wall to his back, and a clear path to the door in a crowded room, or maybe Eandro was reading too deeply into things. Regardless of his temperament, even a Chakraless fool like Eandro could tell he was strong. Most of the humans who arrived in Sanctuary who weren't residents of Dawnport were, but the ones who came from the furthest places were even more so. The red haired smith, the beautiful swordswoman, and even that beastly-fanged guy who visited from time to time. All eclipsed the monk's capabilities a hundred times over, and that thought wasn't frightening. It was exciting. Unfortunately though Eandro wasn't a "people person" in the same way Fya was, which lead to him coming across as impolite at the best of times, such as not even introducing himself.
"If your business here is urgent, I can take you to him. He's helping a couple new arrivals settle in."
It would seem his call was answered pretty fast but by someone he didn't expect, a child. Any other time this would seem strange, but these were foreign lands and he had no idea the customs, the people or how to be around them. Even then, the boy was well spoken and offering to help, though his remarks left Sin confused.
"I'm sorry, Grandmaster? I'm sorry if this comes across as rude but I'm not sure what you're talking about?" He let out a nervous laugh scratching the back of his head. "I was told this was a place I could find answers about myself, about the world as it is today." Sin was half in his own thoughts of the past while also trying be part of the conversation before snapping back to reality. "I'm sorry, I'd love to meet the Grandmaster, though first, what's your name? My name is Sinthorus, or you can call me Sin."
It would seem his call was answered pretty fast but by someone he didn't expect, a child. Any other time this would seem strange, but these were foreign lands and he had no idea the customs, the people or how to be around them. Even then, the boy was well spoken and offering to help, though his remarks left Sin confused.
"I'm sorry, Grandmaster? I'm sorry if this comes across as rude but I'm not sure what you're talking about?" He let out a nervous laugh scratching the back of his head. "I was told this was a place I could find answers about myself, about the world as it is today." Sin was half in his own thoughts of the past while also trying be part of the conversation before snapping back to reality. "I'm sorry, I'd love to meet the Grandmaster, though first, what's your name? My name is Sinthorus, or you can call me Sin."
The young monk listened to Sin as he displayed a complete lack of knowledge of these Lands, though that wasn't unheard of, or a bad thing. Outsiders had only been able to access these lands for two years after all, and while many left, some were interested enough to stay. Sin seemed to be teetering on the edge of the latter, sitting on the fence as it were. Eandro's thoughts immediately drifted over to Fyarina, and how good she was with people. She could probably convince Sin to stay... But he didn't have anything to prove, especially since this man was clearly and simply asking for help. This mans struggles, whether they be internal or external, didn't require a contest from those he sought aid. The monk responded, giving a glancing amount of knowledge.
"Oh, you are new new to these Lands. Just step off one of the boats did you? The Grandmaster, Iavid, is our leader. And while I can't say that we have answers to any questions you may have about yourself, if the Grandmaster were here he would say something like these Lands give one the space and time to find the answer for themselves. You know, something deep and meaningful which doesn't actually answer your question..."
Already the first brushstrokes of a painting containing a thousand words was being formed for Sin. Iavid was their leader, perhaps in a spiritual sense as well as governing sense. The prior statement about him helping some new arrivals settle in implied he was a hands on leader, not some lazy despot sitting on some throne. And Eandro gave away more about himself than intended, through his own beliefs and comments on Iavid's teachings. All of this culminated, perhaps, in the perception that this was a hard working community of spiritually inclined monks, similar perhaps to those found in the Iron Peninsula.
"Oh, right. My name, apologies. I am Eandro, an initiate monk-in-training. As for the state of the world however... We may not be very much help for learning anything from beyond these lands unfortunately. As you can see we are a simple people, and unlike the old days when I'm told we were quite adventurous, travelling to these lands from distant eastern shores, we are now quite set in our ways. We have lived here for millennia, and are just starting to learn about human history since our exodus. The world's condition is something you would be better off asking the humans over in Dawnport, as I'm told some have retained relations with others throughout the world. That's how that settlement flourished into the hub it is today, and why the ships arrive as often as they do."
Delegate Post - Eandro
The young monk listened to Sin as he displayed a complete lack of knowledge of these Lands, though that wasn't unheard of, or a bad thing. Outsiders had only been able to access these lands for two years after all, and while many left, some were interested enough to stay. Sin seemed to be teetering on the edge of the latter, sitting on the fence as it were. Eandro's thoughts immediately drifted over to Fyarina, and how good she was with people. She could probably convince Sin to stay... But he didn't have anything to prove, especially since this man was clearly and simply asking for help. This mans struggles, whether they be internal or external, didn't require a contest from those he sought aid. The monk responded, giving a glancing amount of knowledge.
"Oh, you are new new to these Lands. Just step off one of the boats did you? The Grandmaster, Iavid, is our leader. And while I can't say that we have answers to any questions you may have about yourself, if the Grandmaster were here he would say something like these Lands give one the space and time to find the answer for themselves. You know, something deep and meaningful which doesn't actually answer your question..."
Already the first brushstrokes of a painting containing a thousand words was being formed for Sin. Iavid was their leader, perhaps in a spiritual sense as well as governing sense. The prior statement about him helping some new arrivals settle in implied he was a hands on leader, not some lazy despot sitting on some throne. And Eandro gave away more about himself than intended, through his own beliefs and comments on Iavid's teachings. All of this culminated, perhaps, in the perception that this was a hard working community of spiritually inclined monks, similar perhaps to those found in the Iron Peninsula.
"Oh, right. My name, apologies. I am Eandro, an initiate monk-in-training. As for the state of the world however... We may not be very much help for learning anything from beyond these lands unfortunately. As you can see we are a simple people, and unlike the old days when I'm told we were quite adventurous, travelling to these lands from distant eastern shores, we are now quite set in our ways. We have lived here for millennia, and are just starting to learn about human history since our exodus. The world's condition is something you would be better off asking the humans over in Dawnport, as I'm told some have retained relations with others throughout the world. That's how that settlement flourished into the hub it is today, and why the ships arrive as often as they do."
The young monk was quite welcoming, engaging in conversation in a manor that made Sin feel at home, as though he was meant to be here. Though this Grandmaster, Iavid, he sounded like a philosopher of old. Maybe even a shrink who makes you answer your own questions. The boy was well spoken, seeming to know a lot about their order, but he was only an initiate? Sin listened to his every word, grasped by anything that might give him an understanding of the current world affairs though his mind caught up a few choices words.
"Thank you, Eandro, but did you just say 'millenia'? How did your people come to be here? What is this exodus?" He felt like he was an alien to the world as he spoke. "Sorry, I should probably of explained. I've been captive for 2 years. I found these lands while searching for a place to rest, though I must be honest. I myself am a Shadow Clone. My real body is nearby but I was captivated by a being in the woods. Something resonated within me. Would it be possible to meet the Grandmaster? I wish to learn more of what brought you here, though I don't really have anything to offer in return." He said sadly. He was poor, had minimal food and the only thing of value to anyone lately was his life.
This post marks the beginning of my mission using these storyboard elements:
- Recall the events that lead to meeting Isara, a Master of the Atavistic Flame (5)
Summary: Shortly after the Cataclysm Kōtetsu arrives on Kamiyasumi to claim his Beast and God Slaying Mace, where he encounters an Arali for the first time and discovers his ability to infect others with the Scarlet Rot. Coming From: Dawnport (264)
Kōtetsu and Isara arrived at the Sanctuary, a small village located in the heart of the Garden of the Gods that was built from wood and housed the Monks of the Human Order. Though others would have found it underdeveloped and unimpressive for the abode of immortal beings, the Inuzuka thought it was a fitting environment for ones so humble. The structures in his own homeland were by no means extravagant either, but the way their buildings incorporated the forest that grew around them held a similar sort of sense to how the monks lived in such simple homes.
Walking beside him Isara was unusually quiet, and when she finally spoke it was in the form of a question., “Where will you go?” She asked.
It was something she already knew. They’d spoken about it numerous times before, but he answered regardless. “Home,” he replied. “I need to see if any of my people have survived.”
Though she was thousands of years old, Isara always had the company of others. Humans, her fellow monks, and now her apprentice. She couldn’t imagine what it would be like to be alone. To be the last of her kind. She wasn’t sure how anyone could withstand the pain of something like that…She tugged at the silver lining of the fur pelt draped over his shoulders, causing him to stop.
“Master?” he called as he turned, unable to see her expression as her gaze drifted to the ground.
“Kōtetsu. Do you… She stopped herself and shook the thought from her head. Now wasn’t the time. “Do you remember what I said to you when we first met?”
She had said a lot when they first met, but he knew exactly what she was referring to even though two years had passed since then. He thought back to it, to the fateful day he crashed onto the western shore of Kamiyasumi, and learned a horrible truth.
The Forward Encampment, Kamiyasumi; shortly after the Cataclysm
The western shore of Kamiyasumi had been left mostly undisturbed since the formation of the Forward Encampment, save for a few wrecked ships grouped together by the current that now lined a portion of the beach. The simple camp further inland consisting of a few tents pitched months earlier by Basel lay in tattered heaps alongside the now crumbling ramparts that Merlin and Strix had erected. Now overrun by wildlife and littered with small creatures, the few remaining Beast and God-Slaying tools were left untouched as they awaited their potential wielders.
Suddenly, an explosion erupted some distance offshore, sending volumes of water into the air that rained back down onto the white sand. Along with the falling seawater, Kōtetsu crashed hard, kicking up dust that revealed a medium-sized crater. As he rose to his feet Sirris and Solaire unmerged from his body and stood on his flanks. “Who the hell is that!” He roared, glaring at the strange entity falling close to them.
“I’m not sure,” Sirris answered. “I’ve never smelled this scent before.”
You must be registered for see images
The Inuzuka unclasped his hands to release Muninn after protecting her from the fall and dusted himself off as he turned his attention to the strange humanoid figure. Standing at approximately seven feet, it had hardened, stone-like, craggy, dark skin, two prominent horns, and four arms on its torso. As his ninken mentioned, it was the first time they’d come across something like this. Its scent was unlike anything they’d ever encountered, but it smelt of dirt and stone. Even the chakra-sensing afforded to him through Yin-Yang Release was unable to identify the being before him as if it was devoid of chakra. “I’m becoming incredibly tired of having to look up at my enemies as of late.” he muttered.
The unidentified being landed softly on the sand and looked around briefly before focusing on the sun. He basked under its radiance for a moment, taking in the light as if he had been starved of it.
“What are you?” The Inuzuka asked angrily. His rage at being attacked unprovoked slowly bubbled to the surface
The being locked eyes with him and moved its mouth in an attempt to speak, but the only sound that escaped was a sound akin to stones scraping against each other. Puzzled, it paused as it brought its hand to massage its throat before making a second attempt. “...–for thousands of years,” he finally said, managing to eventually formulate words. “Locked away beneath that godforsaken mountain despite fulfilling our duty.” The creature's voice was sharp, filled with malice and resentment.
Kōtetsu scowled. “I will not ask again,” he growled. “What are you!?”
“And now, after somehow finally being freed,” he continued, clearly ignoring his query. “I’m greeted by a lesser being who affords the company of beasts.”
The last thread that held the Inuzuka’s rationality snapped and he moved to lunge at the four-armed entity in front of them, but before he could move a single golden beam of chakra raced past him. Unable to withstand the creature’s prattling, Solaire had attacked, something that only served to amuse it slightly. Instead of clashing against the beam head-on, the entity’s body suddenly split into two identical forms with each moving apart to allow the beam to pass harmlessly between them.
“Amusing,” they jested. “Let's see what else these beasts are capable of!” they shouted in unison while they charged.
Solaire stepped in front of his packbrother and channeled chakra into his skin and fur to enhance both his offensive and defensive capabilities as he fearlessly spun forward, tearing through the sand like a saw. The ninken hardly ever showed any fear, openly attacking something they knew nothing about, but the Inuzuka couldn’t help but feel anxious due to the loss of Sif being fresh in his memory.
‘Focus!’ Sirris cautioned mentally as she merged back into Kōtetsu’s body.
Her stern warning allowed him to focus. He took a quick glance at Muninn, who’d lodged herself beneath the gold-trimmed white armor on his shoulder, and after deciding it was the safest place for her, the Inuzuka turned his full attention to the battle to come. He flexed his leg muscles and caused the clamps holding the weights around his legs to fall away, and ran forward. While Solaire targeted the left, the Inuzuka quickly appeared before the one on the right with his first raised to strike. He punched the creature's face, but it caught him with a single arm, which came as a surprise due to his innate strength. He could feel the hard and abrasive substance the creature was covered in, and after noting how tough it was he quickly struck again with his free hand, but it too was caught. Undaunted, he continued attacking, this time with a rising knee aimed to connect with its sternum, but the creature blocked it with the last of its two arms. Their limbs trembled as Kōtetsu forced his fist closer to its face while it struggled to hold him in place.
“For a lesser being…” It sneered, grunting as it labored to stop him. “You have some strength to you.”
“Strength? This?” Kōtetsu asked mockingly. “I haven’t even begun showing what I’m capable of!” He roared and suddenly pulled his arm back as he jumped, taking the creature off balance as the Inuzuka brought his legs up and planted his feet into its chest, breaking through the guard its lower arms provided due to the increased strength gained from removing the weights from his legs. They both flew back in opposite directions, with the creature sliding to a stop while Kōtetsu landed on his back and rolled to land on his feet.
On the other side of the beach, Solaire tore towards the second creature, who executed a dodge by waiting until the ninken was close before stepping to the side and striking at the wolf as it passed. He reeled his hand back as it came in contact with the armor, wincing at the slight discomfort, but was suddenly forced to raise all four of his arms in a defensive position as the ninken had released a blast of chakra to suddenly change the direction of his rotation to chase his target. The ninken’s rotation, empowered by his vibrating fur dug deep into the creature’s skin.
“You filthy beast!” it yelled, thrusting its arms outward at an angle to redirect the attack upward, sending the ninken into the air. He leaped after it, aiming to kick it hard into the ground, but as his kick connected with the ninken’s fur, its elongated tail came out of nowhere to strike him in the chest, sending them both hurtling back into the sand.
Observing this exchange from the corner of his eye as he rolled back onto his feet, Kōtetsu realized that while Solaire was putting up a good fight, the creature’s defense was too much for him to break through on his own. ‘Solaire!’ The Inuzuka called telepathically. ‘To me!’
‘Got it!’ he replied, and as soon as his feet touched the ground he launched himself toward his packbrother, while the Inuzuka moved toward the ninken at incredible speed. Through his peripherals, he saw the creature on his left and the one behind Solaire trace their hands through the air to draw two symbols while releasing a small quantity of pale blue energy. Four darts of the same color manifested around each creature and were launched toward Kōtetsu and Solaire as they attempted to meet. With his speed, the Inuzuka easily outran the bolts, dodging and weaving between them, only to realize they had tracking capabilities as the bolts turned to follow him.
Solaire on the other hand did not need to bother dodging as his armor simply forced them to pass to his side. In no time at all he and Kōtetsu met. Still chased by the energy bolts, they didn’t stop but instead passed each other, with the Inuzuka placing his left hand on the niken’s softened fur to reinforce his body with yang energy to enhance his physical abilities as they switched targets. The empowered ninken immediately went into another spin, this time in the form of a drill to tear through the bolts chasing after his packbrother. On the other hand, Kōtetsu had pulled Angurvadal free from its clasp on his back and swung it, sealing the pale blue energy into the inky black blade before entering a rotation himself with the weapon at the tip of his rotation.
The creature was taken by surprise at the Inuzuka’s maneuver and slammed its hands to the sand, releasing pale blue energy into it. The ground shook violently as three towering ramparts erupted from below, forming between Kōtetsu and the creature. He tore through the first gate, then the second, each weakening the strength of his attack until he slammed into the third gate. They were oddly familiar, but he didn’t have the time to recall where he’d seen them before.
“AHHHHH!!!” He roared, and tore through the last as well, but at the cost of canceling his rotation. The Inuzuka slid to a stop meters from the creature, sword still drawn, and swung it diagonally upward, only to have the blow deflected and then disarmed as two strikes came at him in unison. The first connected with his writing, forcing Angurvadal from his hand while another aimed for his chin. Kōtetsu pulled his head to the side as he cupped his hands into a claw before slashing his sharp fingernails across the creature’s eye to tear its flesh.
It screamed in pain and clutched its eyes, blood trickling down its face almost as if they were tears. It stumbled backward, but the Inuzuka was unrelenting in his attack. The creature waved his through the air, attempting to draw more of the strange symbols from earlier, but was interrupted by Kōtetsu lunging forward and slamming shoulder first into it, sending it crashing into the sand. Taking advantage of the situation he immediately follows up by storing chakra in his leg and stomping on the creature’s chest, releasing the stored chakra with pinpoint timing that resulted in a devastating attack that left a five-meter-deep crater in the sand. Unfortunately, the creature had simply dispersed due to taking more damage than it could bear, for the Inuzuka’s target had turned out to be a mere doppelganger.
Further away, Solaire made excellent use of his newly gained strength and speed to dance around his enemy, running circles around it while tearing his chakra-coated claws through the creature’s skin. It manifested a blade of pale blue energy in two of its arms and stepped to the left as another swipe of the ninken’s claws came. He swung the first blade, clashing it against the claws and overpowering them before swinging the second that connected with his abdomen. Though too weak to overpower his armor, the blow forced the ninken away. Solaire quickly recovered and set upon the creature once more.
“Enough!” It yelled, releasing an omnidirectional blast of pale blue energy that expanded up to mid-range. The blast caught Solaire off-guard, overpowering his armor and once again launching him backward. A whimper escaped the ninken as it crashed into the sand and went limp. His body racked with pain not only from the attack but from the aftereffects of forcefully taking in rampaging yang energy from his packbrother.
“Nooo!” Kōtetsu screamed after the whimper reached his ear, mere moments after he’d defeated the doppelganger.
He grabbed Angurvadal from the sand and rushed the original, but the blade shuddered momentarily, before shattering in a brilliant explosion of pale blue. Black shards fly about, several of which lodge themselves into the right side of the Inuzuka’s body. “ARGGGGGG!” Pain shot up the side of his body, but he ignored it and forced himself forward. The creature reacted first. It drew two of its hands back, manifesting more weapons out of pale blue energy that it thrust forward. Kōtetsu stepped to his left while swinging his arm to the right, deflecting the strike by hitting the creature’s arm. More stabs and slashes followed in rapid succession, but the Inuzuka reinforced his body with yang energy and used his speed to rapidly deflect the incoming blows by diverting the incoming limb to his sides.
“You dare!” It yelled angrily, reeling in the face of Kōtetsu’s attacks. It manifested a small pillar of energy as it dragged its arm upward, aiming to strike his legs. The Inuzuka jumped and rolled forward, dodging the pillar of energy as he rotated his body in a saw-like fashion, dodging the technique while executing a falling axe kick that connected hard to the top of the creature’s head. This sent him crashing face-first into the sand.
A sharp, high-pitched wail that pierced the air like a knife erupted from the creature as it clutched its skull. Blood gushed from its head profusely, and its craggy black skin became tinged with a greenish hue. The smell of decomposition filled the Inuzuka’s nose, and looking at the creature he halted his advance. The symptoms it exhibited were the same that he and his ninken had been afflicted with before being cured by Iskandrous. It was the thing that had killed Sif. The Curse of the Scarlet Rot.
“W-What have you done to me!?” It wailed, causing the Inuzuka to stumble back as he shakenly raised his arms, wondering if the Curse had come from his blow.
“No…” He muttered in disbelief. “I didn’t…It wasn’t…” Kōtetsu stumbled over his words, but in his mind, he knew. He knew that he was the one who inflicted the curse on the creature in front of him. His spirit began to falter, but then he spotted Solaire, struggling to get to his feet. Clasping his hands into a fist the Inuzuka pushed away whatever he was feeling and allowed his rage to overtake him. Whatever happened, the thing that had attacked them needed to be dealt with first. He stretched out his right arm, showcasing the black tribal tattoo of a wolf's head that glowed momentarily before the double-edged axe crafted from Tiamat’s ivory bones appeared in his hand.
“It’s time to show you what this lesser being is capable of,” he said. He raised the blade over his shoulder and moved to close the distance, aiming to remove the creature’s head from its body.
“S-Stop!” It screamed in fear. “Don’t come near me!” Its pleas fell on deaf ears. There was no stopping Kōtetsu with words for mercy from an enemy. He swung the axe down hard, but suddenly a blast of fire came from his left, forcing him to halt his advance and dash backward.
“That’s enough!” Came a commanding female voice. A brown-haired woman clad in simple orange robes landed between the Inuzuka and the creature. “This battle stops here.”
Kōtetsu snarled.“You must be out of your m-” The woman waved for him to be quiet and turned to face the creature on the ground. She stretched her hand out, and from it came a blast of fire that engulfed the creature, and though it was happening before his very eyes, the Inuzuka was unable to sense any chakra in the flames. The creature screamed in pain and tossed around as the flames burnt its flesh, and after a short time, they receded.
“You must have lost your mind,” she said with a glare as she turned to face the Inuzuka. “I’m not sure how you managed to do it, but infecting another being with the Scarlet Rot, this close to a forest of all things is an incredibly stupid thing to do.”
Kōtetsu gritted his teeth in frustration. It wasn’t his intention to do it nor was he even aware he could do so. “It wasn’t by choice,” he spat, returning the axe to the seal on his hand. He looked past the woman and to the creature behind her. It was badly burned, but the rotting smell had subsided and the bleeding had stopped. “How did you…” He asked, somewhat amazed that the curse had been lifted.
“I simply burned it away with the purifying power of fire,” she answered as she approached the Inuzuka. “But tell me. Who are you, outsider?”
With no choice but to accept that the battle was over, the Inuzuka relaxed his posture. “My name is Kōtetsu Inuzuka,” he answered, cautiously watching her every move.
The woman stopped directly in front of him. “My name is Isara, a Master of the Atavistic Flmae.” She intently looked him over. “Kamiyasumi is open to all, on the condition that everyone gets along, regardless of race.”
“Well tell that to this…Thing.” the Inuzuka said, his voice full of disdain. “It attacked me.”
Isara chuckled, her attention drawn to Solaire who’d now gotten to his feet after recovering from the earlier blow. “It is not a thing,” she told him. “It is an Arali, an Asag to be specific. It’s been thousands of years since I’ve come across one of them.”
Thousands of years? Kōtetsu thought to himself. The more the woman shared, the more his questions grew. How did she know what it was if one hadn’t appeared for thousands of years? How did she know about the Scarlet Rot and how to remove it? And what was that chakraless fire that she possessed? As his thoughts raced, Sirris unmerged from his body, giving Isara quite a fright.
“Whoa!” She jumped. “Did that thing just come from inside you!?”
‘Kōtetsu,’ Sirris called telepathically. ‘Don’t forget what we came for.’
‘The camp should be further inland,’ Kōtetsu informed her. ‘Go there and retrieve the mace. I’ll remain with this woman for the time being, so don’t forget to join us later.’
Sirris nodded and sprinted off the beach, disappearing into the tree line in mere moments. Solaire on the other hand, had trotted back over to his packbrother’s side.
“Hmmm…I guess she’s shy,” Isara mused. She turned her attention back to the Inuzuka. “Anyway, For now, I’ll take you three to the Sanctuary.”
“The two of us?” He asked.
“Of course. You didn’t think we’d leave him behind did you?” She asked, motioning toward the unconscious Arali lying in the sand.
“I did,” he answered honestly. Their fight might have ended, but he had no intention of forgiving that Asag or whatever it was called for the damage it had done, even if the Inuzuka had almost killed him already. “I won’t be carrying that thing.”
“It’s fine,” She assured him. “It’s my duty to help all living things. And when the time comes, no matter how long it might be, I’ll help you as well, Kōtetsu.” Isara beamed as she picked up the Arali and tossed him over her shoulder.
At a loss for words, the Inuzuka was left speechless at the woman’s brightness. His mouth hung slightly open as he watched her walk away, motioning for him to follow. The bushes on the treeline rustled, and Sirris appeared with a crooked, malformed, blunt forced weapon in her mouth. Holding it by the handle due to spikes running down the shaft, the head of the weapon sported a crystalline mass of spikes and thorns. ‘I got it!’ She announced proudly.
‘Good Job,’ Kōtetsu said, praising her. Together, they follow after Isara and move inland. In his head, the Inuzuka couldn't help but wonder how true the woman would be to her word, but figured he come to discover if she meant it or not when the time came.
Kōtetsu placed his hand beneath Isara’s chin and lifted her face until her hazel eyes met his. “I remember every word, Isara.” He told her, recalling what she’d said the day they had first met. “But now isn’t the time. This journey is one I need to take on my own.”
Her face was flushed from the Inuzuka’s touch, and she found it hard to break away from his captivating gaze. “I-I understand.” She replied, finally breaking away from his hand by pulling her face away and walking past him to Durmaz’s hut. Before reaching the door, she stopped and glanced back at Kōtetsu. “Just remember, you must be willing to let go of who you were so that you can become who you are meant to be.”
Kōtetsu repeated her words as she knocked on Durmaz’s door. It was sound advice and one that resonated with him due to being burdened by the title of leader of his clan. That was one of the main reasons for this journey. To make sure with his own eyes that his people had really been destroyed. Only then would he be able to relieve himself of the burden that title held, but the guilt of abandoning them, of being absent when they needed him most would haunt him forever.
“Durmaz!” Isara called as she banged on the door to no avail.
“He’s either engrossed in his work or has gone out,” the Inuzuka suggested, hoping for her banging to stop. “You’ll just have to convey my thanks the next time you see him.”
Isara sighed and returned to where her apprentice was standing, knowing full well that the time of their parting had come. She wanted so desperately for him to stay. To tell him not to go. But the words wouldn’t leave her lips. “Good luck, Kōtetsu.” She said sadly, forcing the words out. “And make sure you come back in one piece.”
Though barely noticeable, a small, rare smile flashed across the Inuzuka’s face. “Take care, Master.” He turned away from her and began walking away. In the distance, he noticed Eandro speaking to a blond-haired young man whom he didn’t recognize, but with so many new arrivals to the island, it wasn’t a wonder why. Kōtetsu takes a few more steps before entering a dimensional void, vanishing in a flash of crimson.
- Leaving Landmark -
Techniques used:
( Hiraishin no Jutsu ) - Flying Thunder God Technique
Rank: S
Type: Supplementary
Range: Short - Long
Chakra Cost: 40 ( +40 for every additional person teleported )
Damage Points: N/A
Description: The Flying Thunder God Technique is a space–time ninjutsu created by Tobirama Senju and used by Minato Namizake. Before the Flying Thunder God Technique can be performed, users must first mark a target with their technique formula. The formula is applied after the merest touch and cannot be removed; it will remain in place even after the user has died. By entering a dimensional void, users can instantly teleport to a formula's location whenever they please, regardless of distance. Anything or anyone that the user is holding, contacting, or that is linked with their chakra will teleport with them, but this requires additional chakra to do; particularly large objects can require so much chakra that a separate technique is required, placing a limit on how far away the user is able to teleport. Users can choose to teleport to a different location than the objects, or they can teleport objects without teleporting themselves. Minato's use of the Flying Thunder God Technique creates a yellow flash, in reference to his moniker.
Note: Can only used by Minato, Tobirama, and custom bios with access to it.
Note: FTG Marks last one entire arc.
This post contains a mission using the following Custom Story Elements.
Forge a God Slaying Tool. (4)
Be reminded of what's most important. (3)
Summary: Emiya arrives in Sanctuary and in a fit of desperation attempts to forge a God Slaying Tool, throwing caution and reason to the wind. The results are complete failures. Emiya must learn to temper his desire with a steady hand if he hopes to forge a Tool, and open the path to Marzan's Armory.
Shirō rushed through Sanctuary, entering from the eastern entrance and bypassing Sinthorus' clone and Eandro without much of a reaction. It looked like whatever the stranger was asking about, the young monk whom he knew in passing had everything handled. No need to get involved when he had larger issues to resolve. Emiya rushed through the heart of Sanctuary, and coming to a stop outside the village's smithy. From the perspective of the man who'd traveled to Innovus and therein been instructed to forge a tool to slay a God, he'd traveled to the other side of the world all to arrive at... A run down shack. Compared to the clandestine and almost sacred Armory of Marzan it was rather mundane. There must have been hundreds of forges between here and Tobusekai, so why did he come all the way here? The simple fact of the matter was that Emiya didn't know for sure where another one was. The world had changed a lot in just two short years, villages destroyed or relocated, while others rose where there was nothing before. The hierarchy was similarly shifted if the events in Chungsu, and the interactions with the Arbiter were any indicator. This was the only smithy he knew for sure was still standing. It just happened to house it's own "Atavistic Smith" who had a bit of a bone to pick with Marzan, meaning Shirō was hesitant to explain his reasons at all to save Sanctuary's smith's ego.
Grayish, almost entirely see through smoke barely billowing from the hearth contained within, Emiya stormed into the hut filled with purpose and determination. The resident smith, whom Emiya had learned most about over these last couple years, lazily poking at the forge, stoking the flames but not utilizing them in the slightest. Emiya placed a hand on the smith's shoulder lifting him to his feet and carefully dragged him towards the door.
"Get out. I need to borrow your forge, and no, this isn't a request Durmaz."
With barely any time to even protest, the smith was pushed out and the door shut behind him. Not one to be ejected from his own establishment, Durmaz rolled up a sleeve and walked back in, the sounds of a struggle becoming evident as the seconds passed. A silhouette was tossed out, a little more forcefully this time, and once again it was the smith. Emiya wasn't playing around it seemed. In fact, he seemed coldly serious, something the smith had absolutely no experience with. Usually he was a kind soul who wouldn't hurt a fly without good reason. Something made him desperate enough to grow a bit of a backbone. He would be proud of the kid if he wasn't pissed at the arrogance it took to throw him from his own damn forge.
Minutes turned into hours, black smoke and the sounds of a roaring flame emerging from an active forge indicating that he was up to something. The clanging of a hammer, ringing into the sky as metal struck metal, Durmaz couldn't help it any longer. Without trying to interrupt whatever this was, the smith walked around to the side of the shack and spied through the window. The forge was the most active he'd ever seen, flames leaping forth from the kiln illuminating the entire room in a bright light that cast an equally intense shadow behind the red-haired sword enthusiast. Shirō's face focussed and motionless like stone as he hammered away at a weapon, his eyes completely transfixed on both the physical and immaterial. Next to him lay a pile of slag and misshapen garbage. Failures. From a glance the smith could see the exhaustion setting in, sweat pouring down the young man's face as he whittled down both his physical and spiritual condition. A trembling in his arm as he continued to hammer down on this latest attempt. The aura around him weakening with every stoking of the forge, now overfed with the Human Principal. With a strained expression Durmaz cocked his head to the side and could hear Emiya talking to himself over the clanging of the hammer, and the crackling of the furnace.
"It'll work this time... It has to. It has to. I can do this. I can do this. I have to do this."
Recognizing this trance-like state and believing it to be more important than just some pet project, his concern growing, Durmaz walks away from the forge. Inside Emiya continued to hammer away, inspecting his work, scowling furiously then tossing it back into the flames to try and temper it once more. He'd seen Marzan do this a dozen times, so why wasn't it working? He wasn't some novice playing with forces he didn't understand. He was probably more qualified than most to fulfill this task. That is to say, the understanding and creation of unique weapons. He managed to distill his experiences with the Divine down into a singular weapon, Meslamtea, a manifestation of Irkalla's crushing presence and the overwhelming strength of the Queen of the Heavens in a balanced equilibrium. He commanded weapons overflowing with an energy that defied the laws of physics and pushed the boundary of what is and isn't possible. He was given a blade that could cleave the fabric of reality itself. A blade that had reversed his death, a gesture of trust and faith in the young man's ideals by the ancient Smith. His mind wandered back to that day, his body laying on the cold stone floor of Marzan's armory. Lifeless. Silent. He was long since gone, but his body heard the hammer. Could feel the warmth of the forge. Sense reality shiver and recoil in response to the creation of a legend and a paradoxical anomaly. His entire life was... an endless journey to understand and create weapons.
"So why the fᴜck can't I do this one thing for his sake?!"
Emiya took the molten blade he was currently molding and cast it aside, throwing it straight through the side of the smithy, and off into the forest. He immediately regretted the act the moment the blade left his hand. Listening to the nearby trees get blasted by the hunk of metal thrown directly through them in an admittedly petulant act of frustration. Moments later it came to a halt with an echoing thud, indicating it had found rest within the grounds not too far away. Looking off to his tempermental act, the wall was completely ruined, embers still present on the splinters of the wall that had survived the impact. Piercing through the veil of clouded judgement rang a voice of reason.
"Whatever did the wall or trees do to anger you so, Shirō?"
Shirō flinched, turning around to see Iavid stood casually looking over his shoulder, arms folded behind his back and inspecting his works. Durmaz was also there, watching the exchange from the doorway, a concerned scowl for both his wall and wares, and to a greater extent Emiya's health.
"If I were to hazard a guess, you're trying to forge your own 'God Slaying Tool'? We assume you have a good reason for doing so, and for kicking our beloved smith, *ahem* how did you put it Durmaz? Out on his ass? But look at what your impatience has wrought, both to Durmaz's forge, as well as yourself."
"Look, I... I don't... I can't..."
"It's ironic, we had a young boy more than half your age this morning who had a similar problem of self-control, though unlike you he had plenty of reasons why he couldn't control himself. Please come take a walk with me, Shirō. That is, unless you want to keep bashing your head against this wall you seem to have hit?"
Ever the voice of reason, and the most persuasive young-looking old man in Sanctuary, Emiya stood up and took a step back from the forge, the flames already sputtering and growing dim. Emiya was so blinded by the goal that he'd lost sight of everything else. He was close to, though not immediately in danger of passing out, having a greater constitution than most. Durmaz was right for seeking help when he did. Iavid turned and walked from the smithy, Emiya bashfully following after. As Iavid crossed the threshold he gave a small nod and smile to the smith, thanking him, while Emiya stopped and gave a very apologetic bow, intentionally lowering his head far enough for the tan-skinned smith to give him a good smack for his insolence. Instead of a punch, a hand was roughly placed on his head, messing Emiya's hair up a little, but inflicting no lasting damage. The insolent young man returned upright and gave a curious expression, a simple raised eyebrow, to which the eternal soul smiled and said without a hint of sarcasm.
"You're fixing my fᴜcking wall when you get back you little shit. And you're replacing all the ore you used up too. Now get out of here."
Emiya offered no protest in response. He'd fix that wall to be as good as new without a single complaint, because it was completely his fault. For the moment though Iavid had his curiosity, walking him through Sanctuary. Emiya appreciated the subtle chill that came with the breeze lazily blowing through the village, something you don't get in the stuffy confines of a smithy when a roaring flame is choking the life out of you. He shook his head, running a soot-covered hand through his hair as several beads of sweat rolled down his face while Shirō was trying to clear his mind. He really was so consumed with the idea of forging the tool that he didn't consider the path he was taking to achieve it. For all intents and purposes Emiya was smacking metal with a hammer, and Atavistic Flames just happened to be involved. That wasn't what the creation of God Slaying Tools was. He had an idea that that was what Iavid was going to try and show him, but had no idea as to the how.
It wouldn't take long, as Iavid escorted Emiya to a small shed near the outskirts of the Village. In the center of the shack was a small fire sputtering but still illuminating the space. On every wall, or leaning up against every available surface were weapons. Durmaz's weapons to be exact. The moment the smith of Sanctuary laid eye on the new era of God Slaying Tools, a spark was lit within his breast that saw him want to reach those same heights. He wanted to make something, anything, that could rival Marzan. Of course he never believed for a second he could surpass Marzan. That bastard went and got himself locked up in Irkalla because his skills were feared by the Gods themselves while Durmaz... Spent the last several millennia crafting nails and hinges for Sanctuary, because he simply wasn't as good. He knew this, and yet he still wanted to make something, just one tool that could emulate Marzan's. This room? Every last one of them was a failure. God Slaying Tools in form and theory, but fell short when it came to function, void of that vital spark that makes them a "God Slaying Tool". This was the very same wall Emiya had hit. Iavid gestured to the room as he explained this, stopping for a moment to raise a single finger.
"Or I suppose I should say all but one were a failure, though this success sadly cannot be attributed to Durmaz. It was forged by another in the twilight days of the First Great War and humanity's struggle against the Great Mother. The one who forged it didn't survive the war, and it has been in our care since. Yet despite millennia with it our resident metallurgist has never even come close to understanding it, never mind replicating it."
"And you're telling me this because?"
"I wish for you to bring it to me, and to reflect on what it means to make a tool imbued with the Human Principal. I may not exactly know my way around a forge, but I am quite familiar with the methods Marzan used to make his tools. If I heard correctly, you made a surface-level connection when you first arrived here? That you resonated with the tools of your companions? I wish for you to make that same connection, though properly this time. It's quite remarkable it only took you two short years to forget such an important thing. If you bring this tool to me I'll happily let you step back into Durmaz's forge, with his blessing of course."
Finding a unique tool amongst a sea of mundane tools? Emiya thought this was far too easy, but he humored the Grandmaster regardless. Strolling around the room he picked up a few, inspecting them before placing them down. They were all well made by a dedicated hand, but none stood out amongst the rest. Not one seemed to be any more important or noteworthy than the others. Emiya took two full laps around the small room, carefully inspecting every single weapon on display within the room. It was then that he turned to the elder and threw out an accusation of tomfoolery.
"You're not lying are you?"
"I would never lie to you, Emiya. Though I must admit I am prone to the occasional half-truth in service of the greater good.
This may be one of those cases. Or I may just be lying to you."
The Grandmaster chuckled to himself, and Emiya figured that there was a trick to it. Emiya scoured over every surface before he wandered over to the far wall from the entrance, where the wall seemed noticably thicker. Searching around the wall for some hollow, a secret compartment, or... A lid. It was just a simple lid built into the window sill. A seemingly mundane answer to a complex question. He lifted it, finding perched upon a simple stand built into the compartment a single long weapon wrapped in cloth. The edges of the Grandmaster's mouth curled into a smile, though he didn't say anything. Not yet. Peeling off the many layers Emiya found a long staff that was battered beyond belief and covered in charred... Blood? Or the remnants and suggestion of it at the very least? It looked like it hadn't seen the outside of that compartment in a millennia, so it was hard to tell. He looked at Iavid, and the Grandmaster did everything he could to subdue that knowing smile. Emiya walked over to the head Monk, and stood the staff up against the ground, offering it to Iavid.
"Hold this for a second."
Emiya then walked into the center of the room and stood next to the flame that had been burning the entire time. He put a hand in it, and felt no pain, nor much of anything at all. Because it wasn't a normal flame at all. He ran his fingers through it, feeling it's subtle warmth wash over his soul. With his hand still lingering in the pit, the subtle warmth of the Human Principal washing over him, he raised an eyebrow to Iavid. With a surprised expression Iavid looked at the flame in Emiya's hand, and then to the staff.
"What an interesting choice. So your answer is both? Weapon and flame combined?"
"No no, it's just the flame. That answer would be no different to what I've been doing until now."
"And the staff?"
"From the way you were smiling I figured that staff was yours, and you wouldn't mind the chance to hold it again."
"Haha, very well spotted, but you think this bare flame on it's own a weapon? A success compared to every failure around you when it doesn't even hold a proper form? A tool that could preserve humanity from threat of extinction? That could be said about any and all flames created by the Human Principal. What makes this one so special?"
"Simple. The soul wielding it."
The response was swift and certain. Emiya's grip around the flame tensed, this time with a clear head and the mental image of a God Slaying Tool in his mind. Not just a weapon with anti-divine properties, not just a tool made using the flames bent on the preservation of humanity, but one that becomes bound to and reflects the very soul of the user, just like Marzan drilled into the souls that wandered into the forge. In response some unknown construct contained within the flames began to manifest. Golden grains of flame began to solidify within his grip, but he hesitated. He gently removed his hand, causing the coalescing shards to vanish before whatever was about to happen happened. As he stood there the other weapons within the shack gave of a subtle glow though but for only a moment, before growing dull again. Once again Shirō had resonated with the God Slaying Tools, but seemingly fell short at the last moment. Or perhaps he had everything he needed now, and simply had to forge his own tool? The tools present all belonged to Durmaz after all. And now that Shirō had calmed himself, no longer sprinting towards that distant goal, but approaching with a proper understanding guiding him at a sane pace, perhaps he could do it.
"Well now, that was exciting. I thought you had missed the entire point of this little detour when you picked up the staff, but then you go and do a reckless thing like that? You are an oddity Emiya. Well done."
"I had an idea of what you were trying to do by showing me all of this, but I didn't know for sure that this thing was the answer until I put my hand in the fire. That's a clever trick hiding it in plain sight like that, but how do you turn a physical construct into a raw state like that? Could come in handy."
"I'm afraid you have it the wrong way around. There is no turning them back once they are 'forged'. That flame is it's true form, while everything that has been pulled from it are a result of binding to the soul. It's rather temperamental in that aspect I'll admit, but you appear to have done well. Which begs the question, why did you let go at the end? Is something holding you back?"
"I didn't come here to get myself some fancy new weapon. I... I need to make one of my own as soon as possible.
I can't get sidetracked, this is too important."
"How... Selfless of you. Are you perhaps warming up to our lifestyle?" Iavid chuckled once more before continuing. "I suspected as much when Durmaz came to me. Very well, I won't press for further details. Your business is your own after all. I wish you luck in your smithing, just do take care of yourself. You can't help anyone when your own life is at risk because you've worked yourself into such a state."
Iavid knew the warning would do little to assuage Emiya's self-destructive tendencies in the pursuit of helping others, but he felt like wasting the breath nonetheless, just in case. Emiya gave a bow before looking at the flame again. Shaking his head, he headed back to the smithy, passing by one of Eandro's "associates" who was lurking outside. He looked back at Iavid who gave the youth a curious look, then put a finger up to his lips as he stared at the young man. The youth left the shack unceremoniously, and Iavid followed soon after.
Emiya arrived back at Durmaz's forge to find the smith within, tending to the flames of his forge while inspecting the warped lumps of metal Emiya had all but destroyed forging in his haste. Twisted beyond any proper use, they might be salvaged but couldn't ever be used for anything important. It was lamentable what he had done to such promising pieces of raw ore. Emiya motioned to speak, but the smith just pointed with a thumb to the still smoldering hole in the wall. He wasn't going to speak a word before it was fixed. "As good as new, or better" was what Emiya promised, so he would go off and do just that, or they would never speak again. It took an hour or so, but Emiya was able to patch it by cutting the hole out, and creating a more manageable one with angled edges and wooden interlocking joints. It really put things into perspective how important the simple things were. He had all these amazing, nigh Godly powers especially when compared to the Monks who had no Chakra.
Durmaz watched Emiya work, silently judging him for his temper, while noticing that same steely-eyed concentration. The difference between now and then was there was no frustration, no reckless endangerment of himself. Urgency was there, but it had been tempered with common sense. As he finished Emiya wiped a stray bead of sweat then turned to the smith who immediately grumbled.
"Yeah yeah, apology accepted. You can use the Forge again if you have to, but if you dare try and throw me out my own damn establishment again not even that brat of a God you hang around with will be able to save you."
"Deal."
"You're going to have to go an' get your own ore though. You really did a number on this pile of shit. Not good for anything anymore really. Not that I'd have fared much better if I tried to make another one."
Emiya thought about the shed filled with perfectly acceptable weapons, but completely worthless God Slaying Tools.
He walked towards the door, calling back.
"I'll bring enough back for the both of us. You just keep that forge nice and hot. We'll have a lot of work to do when I get back."
The smith was about to ask who the fᴜck Emiya thought was in charge around here. He wasn't no seat warmer, Emiya would be expected to temper his own forge, but he was already gone, a wisp of ethereal energy barely present and fizzling out with the crackling and sparking of space-time being rent asunder. The smith looked back towards the forge and smiled. It was a nice thing to feel again, hope. Not even a proper Master of the Human Principal but Emiya made Durmaz's forge roar with an unquenchable desire. Guess that's what a life full of greed does to a man. And Emiya was a very greedy soul indeed, hellbent on saving as many people as he could. In that sense he was the best opponent the Dragonkin Basel could have asked for. All that pent up desire? it's no wonder Emiya didn't stand a chance against him two years ago. But if anyone could do it? Could take that desire, that greed and make something useful out of it? Aye. It would be him.
(Kanki: Kyojin no Jidai) – Surge of Evocation: Epoch of Titans
Type: Defensive/Supplementary
Rank: B-S
Range: Short-Long
Chakra Cost: 20-40
Damage Points: N/A
Description: Considered the father technique of Era of Gods and Dynasty of Kings, Epoch of Titans uses the Surge of Evocation's ability to teleport objects and Surgebinders to the Throne, and return them to the field.
The Wandering Sea - Bending Space
The user, instead of applying this technique to their own body, can manifest Prana around any object or feature of the terrain to teleport it to the Throne and return it immediately or with a delayed timer. The teleported object can either reappear in a new location instantly, in the same manner as the user's own teleportation, or the user can set a delay of up to four turns and it will return on the first turn after the said number of turn elapses (e.g. a delay of 4 turns, the casting of this jutsu counting as the 1st, means it will reappear at the beginning of the user's 5th turn). The user can also create a technique or familiar with an aura of prana, which can only take affect in the same turn it is created, that allows the technique to teleport itself to a new location. This applies to virtually all type of jutsu except those which are streamed, as the user would find themselves unable to progress to this technique before the other reaches its end. This application occurs in the same timeframe as the jutsu cast and offensive jutsu teleported in this manner must reappear a minimum of five-meters away from any opponents unless the user is also within short-range of that opponent, in which it must reappear at least one meter away. The user cannot teleport any object or jutsu to or from a 1-meter distance from any opponents. However this entire variant cannot be applied to the opponent's jutsus which exceed B-Rank in chakra and it cannot be used on Noble Phantasms or Custom Weapons.
The Everlasting Heaven - Warping Time
This variant involves surging a large amount of Prana throughout the user’s body in order to enter the Throne. Their body, and everything on their person, will disappear instantly in a flash of light reflecting the color of their Prana. The user will then reappear amidst another flash of light at a location of their choosing. If the user reappears within less than a meter of the opponent, the opponent can react with any instant, passive or freeform or chakraless technique. Reappearing is accompanied by a crackling sound, creating both an audible and visual queue. The instant use of this technique, which doesn't take a slot in the timefreame, is enabled by the fact that the ethereal energy already exists within their chakra systems. Thrice per battle the user can utilize a stronger version of this ability (S-Rank) to prolong their stay in the Throne. This allows them to exist within the alternate dimension as Prana, which effectively places their body in a stasis. This halts blood loss, the propagation of poisons, the duration of active techniques/abilities, and any other aliments or conditions. This will happen for as long as the user is within the Throne. The user can only remain there for a maximum of four turns per usage. The first application, considered A-Rank, can only be used once every three turns. It can also only be used four times per battle. The second application, considered S-Rank, can only be used three per battle and operates on the same cooldown as the A-Rank version. S-Rank applications render the user unable to use S-Rank or higher Prana for the next turn, if the user remains in the Throne for longer than a turn.
Mission End.
Shirō must complete three B-Rank missions in the Badlands of Earth or the Iron Peninsula to gather the raw ore that he needs to forge a God Slaying Tool, then return.
This post contains a mission using the following Custom Story Elements.
Forge a God Slaying Tool. (4)
Summary: With his previous hasty, some might even say desperate, attempt still fresh in his mind Emiya returns to Sanctuary to attempt to forge a God Slaying Tool once more. With a clear mind, and a clearer picture of the nature of the Human Principal and it's importance guiding his hand, he picks up the hammer once more, delving into the personally unexplored domain of Atavistic forging.
He could feel it just before it happened, that stomach-turning feeling of reality being torn apart. The smith put down his tools, no longer mindlessly hammering away at scraps to make nails and hinges. Durmaz stood up and waited for Emiya to materialize either with a sack of ore in hand, or with the understanding he was teleporting to his death. Sure enough, within seconds an azure flash emitted a cloud of ethereal smoke, and Emiya arrived. Empty handed... Durmaz began raising an arm to smash the young man's face in, though Emiya was prepared. With a snap of his fingers two separate holes were opened to the Throne, bringing forth his spoils. Atop the forge Emiya dropped the two smaller bundles of ore he had gathered, one of which being the molten mass he located within the Grand Divide and the more stable vein from the Graveyard of Sin. Second was the monolithic deposit he excavated from the Threshold only moments prior, summoned outside and behind the smith's workshop. It landed with an almighty thud, causing Durmaz to bounce slightly in place as it shook the surrounding grounds with it's sheer mass.
(Kanki: Ouchou no Kindachi) – Surge of Evocation: Dynasty of Kings Type: Offensive/Defensive/Supplementary Rank: D - S Range: Short - Long Chakra: 10 - 40 Damage: N/A Description: This technique encompasses the advanced applications of the Surge of Evocation. Unlike the Era of Gods, which manipulates raw Prana, this technique is used to bring techniques previously transported back onto the field. The two applications of this technique, Conquest and Domination, deal with returning entities within the Throne to the field; thus these two applications require previous absorptions to have already occurred.
Conquest of Alexander – Bastion of Achaemenid
Through this ability, the user will be able to return absorbed objects, techniques, and parts of the terrain to the field. They will be manifested on the field in the form of Prana before becoming corporeal and usable as tangible entities. Upon becoming corporeal, the transported entities will still possess all of the effects and properties they possessed prior to absorption; this is because the Throne places objects within it in a stasis-like state. Objects returned will continue to move with the same speed and momentum that they had. This creates the effect that appears almost as if time had stopped and then later resumed for them, a trait of the Throne. It can be summoned facing a different side and/or in a new location altogether, although it must be outside of five meters of the opponent unless the user is within short-range. Techniques returned through Conquest possess the same damage they did prior to absorption. The technique’s rank applied is directly proportional to the technique rank, size of matter, and complexity; this means returning an A-Rank boulder would require an A-Rank application of Conquest. The S-Rank version of this ability can be used once every three turns and no Prana above A-Rank in the user’s next turn. Bastion of Achaemenid can only be used four times per battle.
Domination of Vlad – Tower of Yggdmillenia
Unlike Conquest, Domination involves concentrating on returning the Chakra contained within objects or techniques to the user’s body. The user systematically isolates all of the Chakra contained within a number of techniques they’ve sent to the Throne, even if only Chakra is present (in the case of raw Chakra techniques and similar abilities). It will then be returned to the user’s body as Prana energy in order to seamlessly integrate into their Chakra network, making it available for later use. The user can utilize this ability four times per battle and the maximum amount of Chakra that can be returned with each use is capped at a maximum of 100 Chakra points. This does not mean this ability will always return that amount, the value is always dictated by how many techniques the user has absorbed and how much Chakra they contained. For example, absorbing 10 A-Rank techniques and integrating them with the user’s system will increase the user’s pool by a full 100 Chakra per turn. Objects that Domination is applied to will no longer carry their damage value once used on; this is because the objects, while stored in the Throne, will become Chakra-void and instead become classified as simple terrain usages when used with Conquest of Alexander. Naturally, this is only possible with matter-based techniques and not those composed of energy. Domination of Vlad is considered an S-Rank technique, costing a move to activate but not taking a slot in the timeframe.
The smith shook his fist slightly, before relaxing, lowering his arm back down to his. He was so close to giving the uncouth youth a good hard wallop, but it looked like he came through. Emiya smiled, then left, going around back to grab one last chunk of metal from the raw ore in it's purest state. Looking passed the tan-skinned smith, Shirō raised a brow, and was met with an awkward sigh. Ever a man of his word, Durmaz stepped aside, watching as Emiya dumped one third and final ore mass into the forge. With a smile the pair got to work. Emiya would attempt to forge a God Slaying Tool once more, and Durmaz would watch him like a hawk, studying each and every step intent on replicating the process for himself...
Rather than rush into the process, Emiya took a moment simply to ground himself. To remember what was at stake, and to recall each and every step Marzan took. There were so many before he even touched his forge... That's right. He asked people why they even sought this power, not to judge, or to prevent them from attaining this power, but seemingly out of sheer, selfish curiosity. Though he always seemed to imply there was some deeper meaning. Since Emiya's own God Slaying Tool had resonated with himself, and his motivation to save people, perhaps that was it. Recalling Nefarian's reason for lying in wait for two entire years, Emiya came to understand this step and it's importance. Marzan always mused about how tools would link with the souls of their wielders as well. Since Nefarian wouldn't be present for the forging that would might present it's own issues, but one step at a time. Next... Emiya looked to the pile of partially melted metals on the forge. Now he channeled his Atavistic Flames into this fiery crucible, not in a desperate attempt at burning his ore to cinders, but just hot enough to melt them slowly. Slowly he converted his spiritual essence into a physical flame, projecting it into the heart of the kiln, causing it to leap into life from it's becalmed state.
(Kaen Kakkusei Iden: Ōkan Hi) – Atavistic Flame: Crown Fire Type: Offensive, Defensive, Supplementary Rank: A – S Range: Short – Long Chakra: N/A Damage: 60 – 80 (90 – 110) Description: Crown Fire is an advanced application of the Human Principle available to Masters and Grandmasters. It possesses intrinsic Anti-Divinity, a property that allows it to damage Divine beings in the same way that the God-Slaying Tools can. The technique is activated by focusing Atavistic Flame and drawing upon the user’s spirit, focusing it throughout their body. Unlike Human Principle, which can only be used from the user’s hands, Crown Fire can be released anywhere from the user’s body and in significantly greater quantities. This fire can be shaped to the user’s will and inflicts combustible physical damage to anything it strikes. Activating the technique requires the user expend 20 spiritual Health Points. The user regenerates 10 spiritual Health Points per turn for the following two turns. Grandmasters are able to use Crown Fire with an additional 30 damage to each rank, not counting as a boost. S-Rank applications can be used four times per battle, once every two turns.
As the heat from the forge washed over him, Emiya knew he would have time to himself. This was a simple, but delicate process. If the desired tool had any additional requirements, Marzan would take this time to get a headstart on them. Mirabelle's naginata's shaft was one such example. Though only claiming to be a blacksmith, Marzan was still a master craftsman, and could work with wood just as well as metal. Emiya realized he didn't even have the opportunity to pick Nefarian's brain for what kind of tool he wanted, and his experience with the man could be summed up in only a scant few seconds. He hadn't even realized it when he was forging previously, he just naturally defaulted to a sword because that's what he would want, but Nefarian might have divergent tastes. But without the man himself to tell him what he wanted, a sword was still the safest bet, without a doubt. Nefarian needed it to slay some unknown monstrosity, so a sword was the most common and reasonable weapon to make. As the metal slowly started to glow a bright orange-ish hue, Emiya pondered over the design, not even paying the molten slag any mind at the moment. He himself would prefer a katana, but that would take far too long to forge for one. It was also probably safer to go with a more commonplace design, so Emiya settled on a traditional longsword design, a double sided blade with handguard and pommel. There was definitely enough ore to accommodate all of these aspects, so all that was left was to get to molding.
Emiya reached for a hammer and tongs, before pausing. Durmaz' brows raised in suspicion as he narrowed his eyes, suspecting something was wrong. Before the older smith could even process the act, Emiya drove his fists into the boiling lava that was the metal. Durmaz yelled in shock and approached to pull Emiya away, but Shirō looked back and shook his head. These flames were forged with the Human Principal. So long as one was human, and an ally of the user, they could never hurt you. It was a sight to behold the first time he saw Marzan drive his hands into molten metal, and begin shaping it all by hand. Now that he knew the secrets of Atavistic Flame and the Human Principal it all made sense. The old bastard played it all cool, but he was basically cheating by never divulging that he was never in any danger from those flames. The novelty wearing off rather quickly, Durmaz took a step back once more as Emiya began to separate the molten ore into three uneven segments. The largest for the blade, the second for the guard, and the final portion for the pommel.
Starting with the smallest, Emiya swiftly and deftly molded the lump of raw metal into a basic, but near flawless pommel. No eccentric details, no biases leaking through Emiya's perception of the former Voidlord onto the weapon. That wouldn't be fair to either the weapon or Nefarian, to allow Emiya's perception to paint over the man's apparently noble intentions. If he was lying, if it was all built upon deceit, it would be Nefarian's soul that would influence the swords' design. That was another of Marzan's warnings to the people who visited him. Another hint as to their nature painted beneath a seemingly innocent, and meaningless musing of the old smith. Next up was the cross guard. Once again, Emiya's digits passed over the molten form, shaping it into a completely functional, yet entirely vacuous, expressionless form. Emiya took one of the tools from the side of the forge and used it to more carefully shape the hollow section that the blade would fit into. Nothing would be worse for a sword than this than an ill-fitted guard, it could mean the difference between life and death. Though he was essentially eyeballing it Emiya was confident he'd shaped the guard so there wouldn't be any issues. Despite his previous attempt, he was an accomplished smith in his own right. Inexperience with the Human Principal and forging God Slaying Tools aside, he was just as good as Durmaz at the very least, though he would never claim that out loud, especially within the man's own forge. Pride cometh before the fall after all, and Durmaz's pride had taken far too many hits in recent years to accommodate such a claim even in jest.
Finally there was the last mass of metal to forge. Now Emiya lifted the hammer. This was far too laborious a task to do with his hands alone. Grabbing the metal and pulling it over to a nearby anvil, Emiya began hammering away at the metal, flattening it, watching it harden as it cooled. Once it began to become rigid, he placed it back on the forge, dousing it in the flames, watching it heat up and become pliable once more. Turning it on it's side, Emiya hammered away once again, folding the metal back onto itself, hammering, removing impurities, repeating this process endlessly. Durmaz began to tune it all out. This was all stuff he had done before a thousand times, and while Emiya was quite skilled, he wasn't quite skilled enough to make the process an enjoyable viewing experience. Once he achieved the right size, Emiya plunged the blade-to-be in the flames one last time, then began to mold more carefully, shaping the blade slowly, methodically, hammering in the design of a diamond-shaped cross-section where the blade was thickest at the center, then became thinner and sharper the closer one got to the edges. Once again, it was the most common design, and something that would mold to Nefarian's tastes once he bonded to the weapon. Once he had the desired shape, Emiya approached Durmaz's grindstone with intent and purpose in equal measure. Within seconds sparks began to fly off the blade as Shirō began carefully sharpening the sword's bladed edge.
Surprisingly it didn't take long at all to sharpen the blade to a finely honed edge, sharp enough to draw blood with the faintest touch. With the core components all shaped Shirō left them to cool as he dug around through the various boxes and crates within the forge, looking for some simple leather strips. Unlike a katana whose grip could be wrapped with cloth as it's more of an indirect slashing weapon, a traditional straight sword requires leather strips or some equivalent to absorb the impact from direct clashes and strikes, otherwise the shock from impact could cause harm to the hands, or other uncontrollable variables, like dropping the blade from the vibrations. Some digging, and he found what he needed, so Shirō began constructing the sword, feeding the blade's tang through the cross guard and pommel, and adding a simple wooden handle, and finishing it off with the leather grip. As the finishing touch, Emiya hammered the tang on the other side of the pommel, ensuring everything was constructed and assembled properly, that it wouldn't shift or fly off in the heat of combat. Without even thinking about it, Emiya then took the final product and plunged it back into the forge, still in hand. Durmaz didn't back down this time, stepping forward, worried Emiya was sabotaging the weapon right when he'd finished it.
"What the fᴜck are ya doing?! You're gonna ruin it!!"
"You need to temper it with the flames one last time. Marzan always had the one who'd wield it on hand, but since our lucky soul isn't present, I'm just going to have to wing it. Important part is that you're not just using the flames to forge the tool, any idiot with a basic capacity with the flames can do that.
You have to make sure it's imbued with the Principal itself. That it'll link with the soul of it's wielder, reflect the user back upon themselves with time and experience. When I first got here my sword underwent some kind of evolution when it interacted with the Flames, and I saw the same in others' tools too, and theirs changed.
What we forge isn't set in stone, and the same is for what lies beneath the surface. They grow with the user, they change, they go beyond their limits and become something more than either of us can ever anticipate or control."
And there it was. What Durmaz had been jealous of these past two years. Ever since he'd laid eyes on the damn things he hadn't known a moments peace. He'd attempted countless times to forge one, and yet failed each and every time, but still, that burning desire to make one lingered still. Yet in saunters this little shit who'd apparently apprenticed under Marzan and hadn't thought to mention it in passing, and what's more he lands it in just two proper attempts? There was pride in Shirō's work, and shame that he'd let some upstart surpass him so easily... Durmaz's eyes remained fixated on the blade until, with a flick of the wrist, the blade still humming as it radiated immense heat and light vanished. It had been tempered, but not bonded, so Emiya sent it to the Throne to keep it in a perpetual stasis until it could be bound to it's designated owner.
(Kamikorosu: Chōken) – God Slayer: Longsword Type: God-Slaying Artifact Rank: C-Rank Range: N/A Chakra: N/A Damage: N/A Description: A light, double-edged straight sword of extreme quality, the longsword is a traditionally styled weapon from a bygone era, now forged as a God-Slaying Tool. With the sword itself being roughly 2.5ft in length from guard to tip, this weapon is a deadly instrument of precision, especially in the hands of a master. This weapon was forged for Nefarian. Because it is a product of certain Atavistic techniques it is bound to his soul, its anti-Divinity properties are able to pierce the defenses afforded to Divine enemies in the Ninja World. This does not confer a God-Slaying Tool the ability to defeat properties of Anutu or its sub-components; it is specifically targeted against Divine enemies in the Ninja World and the Divinity that they possess. With proper focusing and enhancements perhaps this weapon can become even stronger.
(Kanki: Kigen no Kamigami) – Surge of Evocation: Era of Gods Type: Offensive, Defensive, Supplementary Rank: D – S Range: Short – Long Chakra Cost: 10 – 40 Damage Points: 20 - 80 (to non-Surgebinders) Description: This technique encompasses the basic applications of the Surge of Evocation. The Surge of Evocation is the usage of Prana in its raw and unrefined form; whatever this Prana touches is transformed into ethereal energy and transported to the Throne. Prana will neutralize and be neutralized by techniques that possess the same amount of chakra. Similarly it will be useless against attacks of greater chakra and will not be weakened by techniques of lower chakra. However when used on living targets this ambient energy will feel extremely frigid to the touch and induce cold burns on contact or even freeze a target solid for higher ranked applications. D to B-Rank uses will inflict cold burns as well as all of the effects of frostbite. A-Rank uses will cause necrosis of the afflicted parts of the body, making them appear dark purple and bruised to signify the death of cells. Affected appendages and organs will cease to function, becoming completely immobile in the case of limbs. S rank uses will freeze the struck targets solid. In the case of Surgebinders, who are immune to all of the above effects, they will be transported to the Throne when struck by the prana of another member of their clan. Era of Gods can be split into three separate applications, all based on the same principle: constructs, armors, and familiars made of prana energy.
Pride of Gilgamesh – Gates of Babylon
The Pride of Gilgamesh allows the user to produce Prana either from the user’s body or on the battlefield. The Prana can only be manifested within short-range of the opponent if the user is also within that range, in which it must be created a minimum of one meter away. This restriction does not apply if the user chooses to release the Prana from their body, rather than manifest it away from themselves. The energy can be released from the body via various hand signs depending on the user's rank in the clan. This can be done to generate constructs bound only by the rank of technique used and one’s imagination; alternatively the user can simplify the application by creating streams, waves, and constructs of Prana. Manifested Prana is capable of taking solid form, granting tangibility at the user’s volition. Non-projectile uses of this technique are capable of levitating and can be governed through mental commands and a sustained chakra cost. B-Ranks and below are sustained through 5 chakra per turn, A-Ranks and above require 10 chakra per turn. A-Rank and S-Rank constructs will last three turns per usage unless they are prematurely cancelled. S-Rank applications can only be used once every two turns and no Prana above A-Rank in the turn after the deactivation of an S-Rank application.
Embrace of Ishtar – Armory of Akkadia
This variant allows the user to manifest armors, auras, and coatings of Prana around their body. This can be used to enshroud a single or multiple body parts in a layer of colored energy. These defenses can be made to fit the body like conventional armors or enveloping it in a formless manner. The first type can be created with additional limbs and appendages such as wings which enable flight. The user can also constantly reshape it and create small-scale weapons from the body of the armor, though at the cost of one of the user's three moves. It should be noted that these constructs remain attached to the main body of the armor and so act as an extension of it. The second type generates a “flowing aura” that appears to flicker like an open flame. This aura is often made as an upwards column that is streamed into the sky with its base remaining around the user. It should be noted that its power is not split or divided as all of the Prana energy is part of one whole. The armors can exhibit tangibility, although this does not hinder the user’s techniques and their passing which can freely move in and out of the armor per the user’s will. B-Rank and below applications require being sustained with 5 chakra per turn while A and S Ranks require 10 chakra per turn. A-Rank and S-Rank applications can last a maximum of three turns, with A-Ranks usable thrice per battle and S-Ranks twice per battle. After an S-Rank application expires the user is unable to utilize Prana above A-Rank for a single turn.
Divinity of Merlin – Garden of Avalon
The Divinity of Merlin allows the user to produce Prana in the same way as the Pride of Gilgamesh and can be shaped in the same way, limited by rank and imagination. However, unlike the Pride of Gilgamesh which creates static constructs the Divinity of Merlin creates constructs imbued with a limited form of sentience – familiars. These familiars can be created anywhere on the battlefield, with the exception of short-range of the opponent unless the user is also within that range; in this case the familiar cannot be created within two meters of the opponent. This restriction does not apply if the user chooses to release the Prana from their body. Familiars are capable of taking numerous shapes, not simply limited to animals. These familiars are also capable of taking solid form at the user’s volition. Familiars are capable of remaining on the battlefield for four turns. B-Ranks and below are sustained through 5 chakra per turn, A-Ranks and above require 10 chakra per turn. S-Rank applications can only be used twice per battle and no Prana above A-Rank in the user’s next turn after deactivation.
Note: The upper echelon of the clan (Servants and above) are capable of using this technique without hand signs for B-rank and below. A-rank will require two hand signs and S-rank requires three. Note: The lower tier clan members (Phantasms to Guardians) will require 5 to 3 hand seals for all ranks, decreasing as they they ascend in rank.
And like that it was gone. Durmaz took a heavy breath, then grabbed Shirō by the collar, escorting the young man to the door. He had a lot of work he had to do, and evidently a lot of ore to dig out of a mound of dirt and rock that now ruined his previously pristine back yard. He wouldn't say it to the lad's face, but the smith was quite proud that all it took for Emiya to overcome his shortcomings was a pep talk, and a wander across the ocean. It gave the immortal hope that he too could do it; forge a weapon worthy of the title of God Slaying Tool. He had no designs on felling deities, no radical ideologies that spurred this desire. He simply wanted to because he saw that as the pinnacle of Atavistic forging, and to prove that he could. To rub it in Marzan's face that he wasn't the only one capable of making those hoity-toity tools.
The door was slammed shut but not before Emiya could see the faintest trace of a smile on Durmaz's face. He'd seen the process, now he just needed a reason, and perhaps more importantly the customers. Perhaps Emiya could help him out in that regard... Something to consider for later. For the moment? He had a former antagonistic individual to talk to, and an ancient Blacksmith to check up on.
(Kanki: Kyojin no Jidai) – Surge of Evocation: Epoch of Titans
Type: Defensive/Supplementary
Rank: B-S
Range: Short-Long
Chakra Cost: 20-40
Damage Points: N/A
Description: Considered the father technique of Era of Gods and Dynasty of Kings, Epoch of Titans uses the Surge of Evocation's ability to teleport objects and Surgebinders to the Throne, and return them to the field.
The Wandering Sea - Bending Space
The user, instead of applying this technique to their own body, can manifest Prana around any object or feature of the terrain to teleport it to the Throne and return it immediately or with a delayed timer. The teleported object can either reappear in a new location instantly, in the same manner as the user's own teleportation, or the user can set a delay of up to four turns and it will return on the first turn after the said number of turn elapses (e.g. a delay of 4 turns, the casting of this jutsu counting as the 1st, means it will reappear at the beginning of the user's 5th turn). The user can also create a technique or familiar with an aura of prana, which can only take affect in the same turn it is created, that allows the technique to teleport itself to a new location. This applies to virtually all type of jutsu except those which are streamed, as the user would find themselves unable to progress to this technique before the other reaches its end. This application occurs in the same timeframe as the jutsu cast and offensive jutsu teleported in this manner must reappear a minimum of five-meters away from any opponents unless the user is also within short-range of that opponent, in which it must reappear at least one meter away. The user cannot teleport any object or jutsu to or from a 1-meter distance from any opponents. However this entire variant cannot be applied to the opponent's jutsus which exceed B-Rank in chakra and it cannot be used on Noble Phantasms or Custom Weapons.
The Everlasting Heaven - Warping Time
This variant involves surging a large amount of Prana throughout the user’s body in order to enter the Throne. Their body, and everything on their person, will disappear instantly in a flash of light reflecting the color of their Prana. The user will then reappear amidst another flash of light at a location of their choosing. If the user reappears within less than a meter of the opponent, the opponent can react with any instant, passive or freeform or chakraless technique. Reappearing is accompanied by a crackling sound, creating both an audible and visual queue. The instant use of this technique, which doesn't take a slot in the timefreame, is enabled by the fact that the ethereal energy already exists within their chakra systems. Thrice per battle the user can utilize a stronger version of this ability (S-Rank) to prolong their stay in the Throne. This allows them to exist within the alternate dimension as Prana, which effectively places their body in a stasis. This halts blood loss, the propagation of poisons, the duration of active techniques/abilities, and any other aliments or conditions. This will happen for as long as the user is within the Throne. The user can only remain there for a maximum of four turns per usage. The first application, considered A-Rank, can only be used once every three turns. It can also only be used four times per battle. The second application, considered S-Rank, can only be used three per battle and operates on the same cooldown as the A-Rank version. S-Rank applications render the user unable to use S-Rank or higher Prana for the next turn, if the user remains in the Throne for longer than a turn.
End of Mission. Additionally leaving Landmark. Teleporting to #212, Port of Innovus.
The young monk was quite welcoming, engaging in conversation in a manor that made Sin feel at home, as though he was meant to be here. Though this Grandmaster, Iavid, he sounded like a philosopher of old. Maybe even a shrink who makes you answer your own questions. The boy was well spoken, seeming to know a lot about their order, but he was only an initiate? Sin listened to his every word, grasped by anything that might give him an understanding of the current world affairs though his mind caught up a few choices words.
"Thank you, Eandro, but did you just say 'millenia'? How did your people come to be here? What is this exodus?" He felt like he was an alien to the world as he spoke. "Sorry, I should probably of explained. I've been captive for 2 years. I found these lands while searching for a place to rest, though I must be honest. I myself am a Shadow Clone. My real body is nearby but I was captivated by a being in the woods. Something resonated within me. Would it be possible to meet the Grandmaster? I wish to learn more of what brought you here, though I don't really have anything to offer in return." He said sadly. He was poor, had minimal food and the only thing of value to anyone lately was his life.
Arriving at the sanctuary, Sin searches for his clone before causing it to disperse and learning all it had learned in these lands. It was quite the intake but some of it lined up with what he'd see, the creature he'd met and the travel's to this day. Now he found himself wandering the lands within, heading out to where he found what seemed like a... what was it? Was this a forge?
Coming from here. Finally! A perilous road behind me - I could only hope to find what was said. A tranquil place, much more calm than what I experienced before. There was a certain other-worldly quality to it. Perhaps I was tired, considering I travelled this far on a whim. Nonetheless, there'd definitely be something worth the journey, no? Or perhaps it was a senseless adventure. Nothing but time could tell.
Dusting myself off, and removing my luxurious robe, I couldn't help but wonder what I'd even say. Do I just ask around for it, or do I have find someone that looks Blacksmith-y? I don't know, I haven't done any of this before. I'm 16, caught up in a world where any interaction could be your last! What if someone doesn't take kindly to my hair? Or my rusty sword makes someone laugh? The embarrassment of it all!
I'd venture forth, quiet in my approach. Oh what is that - another person. Another BLONDE person!! Maybe he's friendly. Or a mass murderer <_>. Either way, he seems like a guy that know's what's up. Approaching slowly, I calmly say;
"Hey sir, uh - I heard something about tools being made here. Am I at the right place?" Quietly, I ask under my breath, "Or did I just travel for days for nothing..."
Arya reaches her destination. The young lady started walking through the forest that surrounds the location she is headed to. As she's walking she looks down at the two weapons she has on her waist. One of the weapons being a special dagger that grants her abilities that otherwise couldn’t be possible without actually being part of the clan that wields it. The other weapon is a weapon forged by Marzan. The man that she thinks is either dead, kidnapped or worse but what could be worse than those things she starts wondering. After a few good minutes of going through the forest she can see a clearing up ahead. She looks closer and she can see buildings. When she was entering the landmark she could sense chakra in the landmark and most of them were in one specific area but scattered out like it was a village or something. She comes out of the forest and sees buildings all around but they weren’t like anything she had seen before. They were made of wood. Buildings of wood hasn’t been done in so long she was confused on why these people were living in buildings made of wood. She enters the village looking for anyone who could point her in the direction she needs to go about the weapon she had Marzan made. Could this weapon be useful or is it just like a kunai useless but nothing like a dagger which is useful for all different situations?
Finally! A perilous road behind me - I could only hope to find what was said. A tranquil place, much more calm than what I experienced before. There was a certain other-worldly quality to it. Perhaps I was tired, considering I travelled this far on a whim. Nonetheless, there'd definitely be something worth the journey, no? Or perhaps it was a senseless adventure. Nothing but time could tell.
Dusting myself off, and removing my luxurious robe, I couldn't help but wonder what I'd even say. Do I just ask around for it, or do I have find someone that looks Blacksmith-y? I don't know, I haven't done any of this before. I'm 16, caught up in a world where any interaction could be your last! What if someone doesn't take kindly to my hair? Or my rusty sword makes someone laugh? The embarrassment of it all!
I'd venture forth, quiet in my approach. Oh what is that - another person. Another BLONDE person!! Maybe he's friendly. Or a mass murderer <_>. Either way, he seems like a guy that know's what's up. Approaching slowly, I calmly say;
"Hey sir, uh - I heard something about tools being made here. Am I at the right place?" Quietly, I ask under my breath, "Or did I just travel for days for nothing..."
Sin looks around for someone who seemed to work the forge when he heard a quiet voice. He looked around for the source. They were talking to him, right? They didn't seem the most confident in who they were. "Tools? I guess so, there is a forge here. Not sure who runs it though. Hey, I'm Sin. Have you met any of the monks here?"
Sin looks around for someone who seemed to work the forge when he heard a quiet voice. He looked around for the source. They were talking to him, right? They didn't seem the most confident in who they were. "Tools? I guess so, there is a forge here. Not sure who runs it though. Hey, I'm Sin. Have you met any of the monks here?"
"Hi Sin! No, I just arrived. Might be a little out of my depth here, to be honest with you. With the forge here, I'm guessing I'm at the right place. I am definitely in need of something better than old rusty here." I state, pointing to the sword on my hip. Although well adorned, nothing but a dull blade for show. Sin's calm demeanor and gourd on his back spoke to his own experience and ability. Although calm, I knew he wasn't a pushover. Perhaps meeting him was a matter of fate. After all, I wouldn't be the only one after said legend.
"Hi Sin! No, I just arrived. Might be a little out of my depth here, to be honest with you. With the forge here, I'm guessing I'm at the right place. I am definitely in need of something better than old rusty here." I state, pointing to the sword on my hip. Although well adorned, nothing but a dull blade for show. Sin's calm demeanor and gourd on his back spoke to his own experience and ability. Although calm, I knew he wasn't a pushover. Perhaps meeting him was a matter of fate. After all, I wouldn't be the only one after said legend.
Sin looked towards the blade on their hip, then back up to see there gaze being cast over him. It would seem they were judging Sin, though he didn't feel it was meant in an offensive way, more them trying to understand who they were talking to. If anything they seemed on edge, nervous even. Maybe Sin could put him at ease. "Seems we have all come in search of that same legend. I've spoken to one of young monks and to be honest, going off their demeanour ... I wouldn't doubt that this is the place. I actually explored some of these lands and the wonders there are to see are incredible. I met a being beyond the wonder of this world that I can't even begin to describe. It helped me realise who I am." He didn't mean to reflect out loud, though he felt comfortable in this situation.
Arriving at the sanctuary, Sin searches for his clone before causing it to disperse and learning all it had learned in these lands. It was quite the intake but some of it lined up with what he'd see, the creature he'd met and the travel's to this day. Now he found himself wandering the lands within, heading out to where he found what seemed like a... what was it? Was this a forge?
Coming from here. Finally! A perilous road behind me - I could only hope to find what was said. A tranquil place, much more calm than what I experienced before. There was a certain other-worldly quality to it. Perhaps I was tired, considering I travelled this far on a whim. Nonetheless, there'd definitely be something worth the journey, no? Or perhaps it was a senseless adventure. Nothing but time could tell.
Dusting myself off, and removing my luxurious robe, I couldn't help but wonder what I'd even say. Do I just ask around for it, or do I have find someone that looks Blacksmith-y? I don't know, I haven't done any of this before. I'm 16, caught up in a world where any interaction could be your last! What if someone doesn't take kindly to my hair? Or my rusty sword makes someone laugh? The embarrassment of it all!
I'd venture forth, quiet in my approach. Oh what is that - another person. Another BLONDE person!! Maybe he's friendly. Or a mass murderer <_>. Either way, he seems like a guy that know's what's up. Approaching slowly, I calmly say;
"Hey sir, uh - I heard something about tools being made here. Am I at the right place?" Quietly, I ask under my breath, "Or did I just travel for days for nothing..."
Arya reaches her destination. The young lady started walking through the forest that surrounds the location she is headed to. As she's walking she looks down at the two weapons she has on her waist. One of the weapons being a special dagger that grants her abilities that otherwise couldn’t be possible without actually being part of the clan that wields it. The other weapon is a weapon forged by Marzan. The man that she thinks is either dead, kidnapped or worse but what could be worse than those things she starts wondering. After a few good minutes of going through the forest she can see a clearing up ahead. She looks closer and she can see buildings. When she was entering the landmark she could sense chakra in the landmark and most of them were in one specific area but scattered out like it was a village or something. She comes out of the forest and sees buildings all around but they weren’t like anything she had seen before. They were made of wood. Buildings of wood hasn’t been done in so long she was confused on why these people were living in buildings made of wood. She enters the village looking for anyone who could point her in the direction she needs to go about the weapon she had Marzan made. Could this weapon be useful or is it just like a kunai useless but nothing like a dagger which is useful for all different situations?
A slow, calm stream of smoke rises from the small hut's chimney, the smith seemingly hard at work fussing over something tedious, as small bursts of metal striking metal are periodically heard over the dozens of minutes these new arrivals gather outside Durmaz's smithy. The tanned smith could hear a myriad voices chatting away outside as though this was the village's watering hole. Someone must've let word slip about the recent breakthroughs, probably Emiya. Under his breath, hidden beneath the sound of the kiln's flames, "Not even a full day and I've got customers... *sigh* Remember, you wanted this." Standing up and dusting his apron off, Durmaz out his current project to one side, full glad to be attempting something more aspirational than his usual works. Suddenly the sliding wooden door slammed open, and the smith's coarse voice rang out.
"You can all quit loiterin' and get your asses in here. I don't bite."
The smith would watch each and every new soul enter his forge, before asking that timeless question.
"Alright, what the fᴜck do you all want?"
Though abrasive, the smith's question wasn't rhetorical. He wanted to know what they all wanted, their reason for coming, and the specific things they wanted this ancient smith to forge for him.
Arya heads a door open and she turns towards the direction it was heard from. A man standing there yelling almost to loudly stands there in an apron. What he was saying sounded almost sarcastic but maybe what he is asking could be a real question. She laughs walking towards the place and entering it.
“I have this sword that lord Marzan created and well I don’t know what to do with it. Could you help me what I need to do with it next, possibly?”
She asked this to see if there was anything possibly could be done with it or was it a useless sword like any other sword, unlike her dagger she carriers with her now. This dagger she has maybe looks normal but grants an ability she has yet to test besides once against that crystal.
Mikazuki hears a person speaking in the distance. He looks closer at a man standing in the doorway. Was this the man he was looking for. The only way to know is to tell this person what he need. If it happens then he would know this was the person. Mika walks towards the man enters his place.
“I’m looking to get a shield created. Not something to big but nothing to small either. Just right for me.”
He stands there looking at the man awaiting for answer.
Lilith arrived at the Sanctuary, a place she hadn't been to in a long time. For some reason it felt like the place hadn't changed one bit yet.. it had. It felt crowded somehow. She picked up several chakra signatures in the vicinity and headed towards some in hope of perhaps finding some adventure or maybe even new friends.
Coming from here Arya is like the lights engine that could so almost to her destination.
animebase.me
The simple village wasn't quite what Inveria was expecting, its thatch roofing and monks walking around seemed to be at peace rather than the busy and marketplace like rush that she had pictured, at of all given it was where these weapons were meant to be forged. There was an acrid scent on the air close to her something like sour milk or rotten eggs and looking around she could see a sty of some animals which prompted her to move on. As she walked the monks greeted her in passing and seemed to be neutral, not actively avoiding her but maybe due to her mysterious appearance, they didn't seem to hold conversation perhaps because of her mask hiding her face or the auspicious clothing not worn around the area. Inveria wondered how many people had come here to forge a tool or had weapons forged for them, if there was actively a marketplace where they were bought and sold in this town though from the limited activity, she couldn't see much profit in it. It was a idyllic village something out of a story, everyone working in harmony and not a feel of negative energy in the air, which was when Inveria took the opportunity to ask around.
Stopping at what looked like a general meeting hall, perhaps something of a monastery or even a town hall, the biggest building in the village she could see, Inveria cautiously approach before stopping perhaps a dozen yards from the entrance. If she were to make a positive introduction it might be better if they could see her face and with a tentative hand to her mask, Inveria took a breath before sliding it down. She shivered as she removed the mask for the first time in a while in public, the only other times she ever took it off was in private such as her own room or bathing. Her crimson eyes adjusted to the light as her blonde hair spilled out from beneath her cloaked hood taking a moment to pull her hood down and adjust her hair as well. It shimmered in the sunlight seemingly almost looking like it was weaved from thing strands of gold rather than human hair. Preparing herself and stepping forwards she approached the first person she could find to ask for help.
An elderly man, perhaps in his late 40's stood in front of a notice board tacking on a sheet of paper in a script and language that Inveria couldn't read, as she coughed and quietly said hello to introduce herself. H- Hello, I heard that there is a great blacksmith here, and he can forge some special weapons. I was wondering if you might be able to introduce me, or point him out?
Inveria was nervous, she wasn't quite sure if she could just ask to meet this blacksmith, or if there was a waiting time, queue, special permissions etc. However she had to start somewhere and she just had to bite down and bare it.
He pointed out the blacksmithing forge across the way, behind another building as black smoke rose from behind it, with a gentle smile and a pointed finger, he explained to find the man working the forge there. The monk's guidance and tone seemed to be very warm, almost as if he were 20 years younger than he looked, giving the impression to Inveria that he had a warm companionate spirit inside. It was curious but while within this village, she felt at ease and energetic at the same time, as if there was a warm glow that enveloped her being around this people and the energy of life here.
Making her way over to the house and forge pointed out, Inveria looked around wondering who might be working here to ask if she could speak about getting a weapon or item made that could help her. The forge was burning strong and small piles of stone and metal laid around with farming tools hung out while the hiss and sizzle of the fire was crackling in the corner. U-Uhm . . H-Hel- Inveria called out, looking to find some help.
It was there she saw someone else standing waiting around speaking to another person inside, who seemed to be gruff or perhaps not in a great mood, and deciding to wait her turn, Inveria looked around at the smiths abode. Inveria had never had a talent for crafting or anything creative despite her interest in it, the best creativity she was was an imagination for techniques and new things to try, or perhaps a creativity for making new food that perhaps others might find disgusting. Still, she couldn't help but always appreciate any craftsman and their art.
