After the Struggle

[rowan_thewolfgod]

Axel watched as the girl ran off. "Afraid? Well, I guess I can't blame her....That blast was pretty close..." Then, he felt the same presence he was searching for; moving away from him. "How? Impossible, the only thing I got close to was...." It was that moment, he figured it all out. "That girl....The Dark Magician???" He ran as fast as he could, trying to catch up to her. "How could I have been so blind? She was right here and I let her get away!" He eventually saw her blue clothings in the distance, and ran over to her direction. "Hey! Where are you going? I have questions to ask you!" he shouted, trying to get her attention. But before he got to her, his leg was tripped, and he fell to the ground. He tried to scramble to his feet, but was hoisted in the air upside down, dropping his staff below him. He turned his head and saw what was the cause of this; a huge Vampire Orchis, growling hungrily. "Oh..........damn......."

[dark_magician_girl]

*She turned quickly, hearing Axel shout from behind her, her just catching glimpse of him being hoisted into the air. She quickly ran toward him and stopped just out of the reach of the vampire orchis. Hazel frantically scrambled out of her arms and flew off into the air a couple of feet behind her. She gripped her wand tightly, it charging up energy somewhat quickly, and shot the vampire orchis in the face with a medium ball of energy. Silently she watched as it loosened its grip before charging up more energy in her wand. After a few moments she hit it again with a blast of energy and watched as it dropped Axel on the ground. Her then motioning to him silently to move her way as she backed up to give him room get out of the creatures grasp. She glared angrily at the vampire orchis before looking around to find Hazel, who had take refuge behind a bush.*

[rowan_thewolfgod]

Axel quickly got to his feet and dashed to where Reciou was standing. He looked back over at the evil tree, which was paralyzed from the intensity of Reciou's blasts, and sighed heavily. "Thank you....I guess this makes us even now...." he said to her jokingly. He stood straight up, then gave a respectful bow to her. "My name is Axel...Axel Crimson. Who might you be, young lady?" He began thinking to himself, She has considerable power...No doubt she is a member of the Dark Magician clan...I might have to keep an eye on her... He rose from his bow and picked up his staff, dusting it off. "Well then, how about we look for your little pet?"

[Umbra]

During the last few minutes, Talon had drawn in the sand what he called a hyureboard. It was an old type of divining tool, that allowed him to channel the inner eye to multiple targets, as long as he had a replica of these targets, something symbolizing them. His inner eye had located five targets of interest, and so he placed five rocks onto the hyureboard. Then, he began to chant.

- Gods of the Inner Eye, give me strength. Gods of the Hyure, give me will. And Inner Eye, give me the power to see on the board of Goddess Hyure... The Dark Magician, the Sage, the Shattered Reptile, the Darken Fiend, and the Twins!

The stones on the Hyureboard began to twist and turn, moving towards and away from each other. Soon, they had stopped. Talon saw that three of the rocks were placed in a triangle, which depicted meeting, and co-operation. The two others stood directly next to each other in a line, which depicted an ancient bond. But then, Talon saw something different. The triangle and the line together formed an arrow, which pointed towards himself.

- I'm connected to something here. I just don't know what, the Hyureboard has never broken the fourth wall like this.

[dark_magician_girl]

*She watched him scramble to his feet and escape the Vampire Orchis's grasp silently. She looked up at him and shook her head silently before making a motion to signify that she doesnt speak. She seemed deep in thought for a moment as she drifted off from paying attention to him.* "He must not have been sent to retrieve me... i suppose he is no harm to be around..." She assessed thinking to herself. *She looked up at him in time to hear him ask to help find Hazel and nodded slightly toward him. After a moment or two she looked at the ground silently seeming sad for some odd reason. Soon after coming out of her daze she started to look for Hazel. Hazel still terrified by the events hid in the bush shaking frantically. She felt it was odd how comfortable she was around him already, when usually she felt so distant from others.* "I wonder what he's doing all the way out here, if he wasnt sent to get me then does he have business in this place?" *She pushed through some bushes looking for Hazel all the while becoming more and more worried that he had disappeared just like Dex.*

[Megayanma]

"And just where do you think you're going Gromarg. Long time' date=' no see since the Dark War. You know, the Warrior Resistance have been sent to hunt you down due to the crimes you committed in the past. You know, I have sent some of my other warrior to hunt you down; unfortunately, they were unable to take you back in. There goes to show, never sent someone to do the job for you. Besides, I rather have the pleasure of turning you in myself.", said Gearfried.

 

CytoGuanine & AdeUracil were standing behind Gearfried.

[/quote']

 

"Gyahahahaha! Long time no see indeed." Gromarg's army drew weapons, but he held them back. "No, this is my battle."

[Element Guardian]

"You two, stand down; he's mine", said Gearfried.

 

"What!? Are you crazy!? He's stronger than you!", said CytoGuanine.

 

"Did you already forgot my inner secret? It's been awhile but c'mon."

 

"I didn't but, he sure did.", said AdeUracil.

 

"So, what are you wanting for Gromarg? En Garde!"

[Megayanma]

"Hahahahaha! I like the way you think, fool!" He waved his hand, and a huge buster sword was summoned out of darkness. "DIE!!!" He swung it down upon Gearfried.

[Element Guardian]

They quickly dodged the blow before it ever contacted.

 

"HA! You missed! I didn't know you have that bad of eyesight.", said Gearfried.

 

Gearfried swiftly charged into Gromarg. Gromarg swung his sword again. Both enemies clashed swords. Stalemate. But, Gromarg had the upper hand. He was more powerful than he use to be since the last time they met.

[Umbra]

Talon lifted off the ground, to repeat his previous attempt to contact the sage and the Dark Magician. His inner eye opened up, but this time, his spirit followed it to the sage's location, leaving his body unprotected. When he arrived at the edge of the Great Forest, he took ground just before Alex' feet. Then, he appeared, in the form of a spirit.

- Sage, I must appear to you again. The Dark Magician, whose name is unbeknownst to me, and yourself are deeply connected. My gods have seen it. I myself is connected to you aswell, but in a way I can not understand.

Instead of fading away, Talon focused his entire spirit on maintaining itself.

[rowan_thewolfgod]

Axel nodded in acknowledgement as Reciou silently responded to his questions. Hmm....she must be mute.... he quickly assessed to himself. He then began digging through the bushes along with her, trying to find her missing pet. Then, Axel could feel a strange presence enter their proximity, then turned to see the spirit of Talon standing behind him. Startled, he took a step back, but soon realized that this spirit meant no harm. Listening to what his visitor had to say, he wondered if the girl saw him as well. "What do you mean by 'connected'?" he asked the bird-man, "And what do the three of us have to do with the gods?" He crossed his arms in discontent, and awaited his visitor's response.

[Umbra]

The spirit of Talon Windseer, which gradually began to change into a Fushi no Tori, nodded at Alex.

- The gods of Shamanism has connected you with each other. There is a bond between you and her that goes beyond this world.* What the gods plan, my vision can not see. I must soon return to my body, which lies at the edge of the graveyard. I bid you farewell, sage.

Then, Talon disappeared.

 

He came back to his body after a hasty flight, and slowly landed.

- I have now informed the sage of my visions. I should consult the gods again.

Talon walked over to the Hyureboard, and gasped of fear. The five stones had rearranged themselves, now forming a pentacle. A feather that Talon must have dropped earlier had landed in the centre.

- What does this mean, gods? Answer me!

 

*: Literally. :D

[dark_magician_girl]

*She soon found Hazel hiding in a bush, trembling and scared for his life. Reciou grinned widely at him and picked him up, cuddling him in her arms happily. She turned around to show Axel that she has found Hazel but his attention was not on her. She looked at the ground silently awaiting for him to turn around as Hazel wiggled his way out of her arms and onto her shoulder. She had noticed that Axel was talking but she didnt pay any mind to find out who it was to. She seemed sad for a moment as she drifted off into space, it was the look she got when she thought about Dex. Soon after she saw a Poison Butterfly and began to chase after it curiously wondering what it would do. She had chased until it landed on a tree for rest and was readying to catch it. She seemed happy as if in her own world as she crept closer and closer to it. Hazel, in the meantime, had climbed onto her back and was clenched onto her as if he knew what would happen when she touched the butterfly.*

[rowan_thewolfgod]

As Talon faded away, Axel returned his attention to Reciou, who had apparently found her pet and began playing with a huge Poison Butterfly. "Get away from that thing! It's dangerous!!" he shouted. He hurried over to her and pulled her away before she could reach the butterfly. The butterfly, startled, flew up into the air and rapidly flapped its wings, spreading a volatile poison. Axel stood in front of Reciou, shielding her with a barrier and preventing the toxic dust from touching either of them. "Hey, uh...whatever your name is....Can you work up a spell to get rid of this big bug? I'm a little busy with this barrier, so I can't do it myself..."

[Careless Whisper]

As all this happened, from atop some Spiring Mountain, to the east, -Sario, the Elemental Shakari- stood watching as Axel protected the girl with his barrier. His silver, eagle-like eyes penetrating the vast distance with ease. The wind tenderly blowing his black long-jacket threads throughout the breeze.

"So much effort for one being, Almost reminds me of me when I was only a child..." He said with passion and informity. Then his -Dark Element Dragon-, his companion throughout his entire life, in his smaller form, rose and landed on his right shoulder, looking out to the battle with his own eyes.

"Except you were only young, look at you now." His dragon said in reply, "18 years sense birth, matured and raised by a magical swordsman sense 14 years sense birth. You have changed sense your childhood, Sario, and you know that."

"True, I have changed, I have aged and grown out of youth entirely, but those people do not look like children." Sario replied for his own. "And yet, they too have a purpose to fullfill, just like me."

They stopped converstating. Sario's dragon dissappeared into his held out hand, and he jumped down from the mountain and started walking towards the battle. Thinking of who those people are, while his dragon stayed sleeping within his spirit.

[Megayanma]

Gearfried pushed, but Gromarg pushed harder.

 

"Heheheh...losing your touch?"

 

Gromarg was gaining the upper hand now, pushing Gearfried closer to the ground.

[dark_magician_girl]

*She glared over at him seeming insulted by him before starting to charge up her wand angrily. After a few moments she shot the ball of energy at the poison butterfly, making it explode and turning its poisonous dust to a harmless shimmering powder. She crossed her arms and turned away from Axel seeming insulted that he called her 'whatever your name is'. Hazel, noticing she was angry crawled onto her shoulder and nuzzled against her face lightly in attempt to cheer her up. After a few moments of thinking she figured out a way to let him know what her name was. She turned to face him and held up her wand so that he could see her name engraved into the handle of the wand. She smiled up at him happily expecting him to call her by name from now on. Hazel, seeming happy now that she was in lighter spirits, flew onto Axel's shoulder and looked over at him silently. After a few moments she noticed that something was slowly creeping down her leg, as she looked down she noticed that there was blood streaming from a gash in her leg. She knelt down to see how bad the gash was but couldn't keep the wound clear of blood long enough to see.*

[Careless Whisper]

When Sario finally reached the forest, he quickly jumped into the trees, something had startled him, and his dragon reappeared on his shoulder.

"What's wrong..?" His dragon asked in confusement.

"Over there, look, it's those two." Sario responded, pointing ahead. The dragon looked closer and saw the Dark Magician and the warrior.

"Oh, well why don't you say hello?" The dragon asked as if humored.

"Because we don't know whether they're friendly or not...Now shush, and hide." Sario cammanded.. And at that the tiny dragon faded back into his masters shoulder, as Sario stared, fosucing on the two strangers.

[Element Guardian]

Gearfried pushed away so that both of them were far apart from each other. Gearfried was breathing heavily; it took a lot of his strength to up against him. "Alright Gromarg, the jig is up. Tell me, what are you up to? What purpose do you have with all of these Gagagigos? Answer me!?"

[Umbra]

Talon knelt beside the Hyureboard, quickly removing the rocks and opening his inner eye. With it, he did something known as the Hyueri, he placed a line of energy around the feather. The line quickly turned red, and Talon let it fade away. The feather had been in the presence of darke magick. Something was closing in on him. He took the feather, and felt that it was quite warm. He shivered, and threw it away. It swirled in the air, and then vanished into the distance.

 

Talon rose from the Hyureboard, kicking it out into the ground.

- I can't stay here for long, I must go on. I must fly like the wind, with the power of Fire! Gods of the Phoenix, Everlasting Fires of the Depths Below and the Searing Heaven Above! Grant me the power to travel like flames in the sky!

Talon felt the fires of the Phoenix Gods burn inside his blood. He felt his body change shape, quickly changing into that of a Fushi No Tori, the Phoenix Spirit. But as Talon would let his spirit enter the Fushi No Tori, enabling him to travel in spirit form, he let his body enter it instead, enlightening itself, mad with power. He had fused with the spirit of the phoenix, turning him into a Phoenix Seer. Talon nodded, then lifted off the ground, heading towards the Great Forest. He could barely see the ground beneath him as he flew in a speed approaching twice that of sound, and soon he could see green beneath him. He landed outside it, close to a small hill, because he was afraid that the Phoenix Seer's fires would burn the forest. He was not prepared of taking that many lives in one day.

[Megayanma]

"Gyeheheh..." He smiled his insane smile. "If I told you, I'd have to kill you," He said, still grinning. "WHICH I'M GOING TO DO ANYWAY!" The reptiles joined him in his laughter. "We're just pillaging, y'know," One of the Troop Dragons in the group said, to much more laughter. "It would ruin the surprise when we finally do it to tell you now!" A Teched-Out Raptor called out. "GYAHAHAHAHAHA!"

 

[rowan_thewolfgod]

Axel was shocked at the fact that this small, frail looking woman could wield such power. He stood up and dusted himself off, then turned to face her. He looked down at her wand, squinting to see the small engraving on it. "Reciou? That's an interesting name..." he said to her, before her kuriboh flew to his shoulder. He then noticed the blood dripping from her leg, and knelt down to examine it. "That's quite a cut you got there! How'd that happen?" he asked, but soon remembered that she was mute. He reached back behind him and grabbed a vile of blue liquid. He opened the vile, and began pouring the liquid onto her wound. "This Blue Medicine should do the trick. Its a special formula, and its pretty potent. It might sting a little though..." After he finished, he sealed the bottle and put it away, then tore a strip from his cape to bandage her leg. "There, that oughta do it!" he said, impressed at his own work. "You know, magic isn't my only field of expertise. I also specialize in martial arts and medicine, but my profile doesn't say anything about that..." He paused, looking a bit confused, then continued, "....I mean, I don't believe I mentioned that before!"

[Umbra]

Talon waited until the Phoenix Fire had returned to his spirit. He kept a fragment of it just beneath his skin, should it prove necessary. Then, he entered the forest. He heard high voices and shouts, and recognized that of the Sage. He began to walk towards the voice. Just as Alex' voice had faded away, Talon stepped up to him.

- Hello there.

[Careless Whisper]

Noticing the cut on the girl's leg, Sario quickly searched his back pocket. Maybe he could help them out, gain some new friends. He thought maybe he could have a first aid supply, but noticed he was all out. "Dang..All out" He whispered to himself..Maybe he could find help them find some...He started to move forward, until he saw te girl start to pull something.. He tensed up, ready to spring out...

[dark_magician_girl]

*Reciou smiled up at Axel as he cleaned and bandaged her wound. She seemed happy that he was calling her by her name now. And soon stood up as Hazel flew back over into her arms happily. She could feel the bandage pull at her calf lightly from its tight tie. It had been a long time since she had gotten hurt, mostly because of the bodyguards that followed her just about everywhere. The break, from the constant observation of the bodyguards and the fact that they wouldnt let her do anything for herself, felt nice. Soon after, Talon landed and made himself apparent to them both, making her hide behind Axel timidly. She peered over at the strange bird man unsure of what he wanted.* 'I hope he isnt here to take me back, cause i wont go...' *She tightly gripped Hazel, making him wriggle frantically to try and get out of her arms. In one hand she held her wand tightly just in case a fight broke out between them. Her soon looking up at Axel from behind waiting to see what he would do.*