The Delve for Divine Might(Onyx, Seigmand)

[Onyx, Son of Sun]

"Hmm, alright. I'll bring things to a halt, but I'm not sure how long the dipole will hold on this old metal, so be quick, and by that, I mean no hesitation. Just trust me on this, alright."

Taking a stance, Onyx focuses intently on his bioelectrical rhythms, he channels the pulses of electric energy through his whole body and unleashes a massive wave of magnetic energy. The slight creaking of metal can be hear throughout the darkened hallway, as everything grinds to a halt, giving Seigmand time to maneuver through the pitch-black corridor, but for how long?

[Seigmand Dezmar]

Seigmand stood hesitant for what felt like eternity, his foot no more able to raise to its first step than his mind was able to cease the questions that stormed on inside. How far could Onyx reach with his power? What if the traps weren't made of metal further on? What if Onyx had tricked him all this time?

And that was it in a nutshell. As Seigmand turned to face the passionate man, he couldn't help but stare, trying to pry off the mask he was so sure Onyx wore. Him and everyone else, that looked to him as he looked to them. Did Onyx seek to use him for his own ends, or would Seigmand's death be the end he sought?

"I'm sorry. I can't. I won't trust you Onyx. It's not me, and I sincerely doubt it ever will be. It would seem that my life is meant to stay in my hands and mine alone." He continued to look at Onyx, wondering what the man would do as he stood defiant.

[Onyx, Son of Sun]

Onyx became angered at Seigmands words, and quickly found himself intent on curbing the Roccian's distinct self-serving attitude.

"Then you are a coward, and one that is not needed by your people. A King relies on his subjects just as much as they rely on him. Do you oppress you subjects so that they cannot rebel? Do you segregate yourself from those you care about so that they may never cross you? If you choose to answer yes to either of these questions, then begone from my sight, as I have no need for such a dishonourable knave in my midst. Now move out of my way!" Onyx barks as he grips Seigmand's shoulder and shoves him off to the side as he makes his way down the blackened corridor.

"You are a hypocrite, Siegmand. You refuse to trust, but refuse to make yourself trustworthy. If your as selfish as you make yourself sound, then I find it hard to believe you would go against an arch-angel to save your Kingdom," echoes his voice as the faint glow of flames flickering off his body slowly becomes dimmer and dimmer as he delves deeper into the caves depths.

[Seigmand Dezmar]

"You're one to talk!" Seigmand barked in return. "Last I checked I'm not the one that ran away and left my kingdom to an invader! What's the matter, did ruling just get too hard for you, or was that what was 'honorable' to do?" Seigmand seethed at being called out, even worse was that Onyx was far from wrong about it.

"So what if I'm cautious? Your own brothers tried to kill you to take your throne! How the hell can you have something like that happen to you and not understand where I come from?" Not hearing a reply right away Seigmand charged forward to catch up to Onyx. The panels sprang out as he rushed the dangerous corridor, leaving him to some close shaves as his armor moved out so slice and cut through the traps. Twisting around Onyx he stared him in the eye, his finger stuck out near his face.

"You talk awful big for a man as flawed as you are Onyx. So maybe I don't trust everyone I should, and maybe the thought of facing Trucido scares me to death. But it's this path that got me this far." Seigmand stopped, his breaths deep and stilted from the outburst. His voice at last lowered, coming closer to the calm tone he often spoke in. "Would you have me die in front of that monster we call a leader? Would that make me a good leader? Would that make me strong?" He asked, yet whether the words were merely rhetorical or him asking for advice he did not know.

[Onyx, Son of Sun]

"Death does not make a person strong, Dezmar. It is the hardships and tribulations that we strive through that make us calloused and stronger, stronger so that we may face even greater hardships and pass through those too to see the next day." Onyx remarks as he brushes Siegmands hand away from his face.

"Some may say that I abandoned my Kingdom, but it was because I was too weak to lead them properly, and it took one such tribulation to show me my weakness. Now, I stand to absolve myself of my sins and rectify the wrongs that i have imparted, not only on my people, but on others through my alliance with Trucido. Unlike a fight, not all things can be deflected Dezmar. Some need be faced head on, and that is what I intend to do in regards to Trucido. Now, are you going to move, or am I going to have to move you?" Onyx muttered, his diplomatic tone quickly becoming harsh and serious.

[Seigmand Dezmar]

Seigmand continued to stare down Onyx as he spoke, but as he questioned the king of stone Seigmand could not look him in the eye. The man was indeed more passionate, more alive in his words than Seigmand could have hoped to contested them with. He looked down, then backwards to see only the continuing blackness of the corridor. It was all too appropriate that of all places he had been confronted here. As he looked back down to stare at his own two feet Seigmand understood what Onyx meant, and whether or not the man was indeed playing him, it didn't make them any less true.

His path, one of caution and crafty planning had indeed brought him this far. He'd survived the wars, the strife and conflict in his life. Yet as he was now, his path ended here. On the edge of darkness, Onyx served as the only light that would take him further on, to what he really needed to do.

"So this is where I stand now? To go back I might very well doom our chances, and let Trucido kill us all. God knows the man is only using us till he gets what he wants. Of that I have no doubts. Yet to move ahead, I merely risk death. A certainty versus a chance; the choice is obvious." Seigmand met his eyes with Onyx once more with a renewed sense of strength behind them. "If to chance my life will also gives us a chance to end his, then I'll go with you Onyx." Seigmand turned to face the corridor's exit. "Don't let me regret this." He moved forward freely, taking his choice to heart as he hoped Onyx would let him come out unscathed.

[Onyx, Son of Sun]

"Good then," I remark calmly, being rather pleased with Dezmar's willing cooperation. Increasing the intensity of the fire that waved forth from my body to give us a better view, I walk in front of Dezmar. Without looking back, I simply say "Now let us press onward towards our goal," as I maneuver out of the metallic hallway and into the unknown cavern before me.

Even though my fire illuminates the path in front of me, I'll still take due diligence and make my way slowly and carefully, my eyes constantly shifting over the smooth interior of the pathway looking for anything out of place or suspicious. The cavern was deep, far more then I would've suspected, but it was of little importance as what we sought lay in waiting for us at it's end, and we needed it if we wished to face Trucido and prove to be any kind of challenge.

Finally spotting a glimmer of light, I continued cautiously to the exit of the dark corridor to find myself in an immaculate room. Large and circular, the area was supported from the cavern ceiling with large columns. Each column was carved with complex markings that seemed to glow and pulse, almost as if they were breathing. Affixed to each pillar appeared to be a mirror, each pointing towards the centre of the room. Though thinking it odd, I find my attention quickly deterred by a strange shadow-like figure and it's sudden appearance in the middle of the room. Instinctively, I quickly shift into a fighting stance, my eyes focused sharply on the figure as it stands, motionless, as if waiting for something.

Without removing my eyes from the wispy shade, I quietly call to my ally. "Dezmar, it appears that we have company, but something seems strange. Come in here and see what you make of it," I request, hoping that my cohort can provide some insight.

[Seigmand Dezmar]

Seigmand approached Onyx's side, drawing his staff out and watching the shadowy figure stand motionless in the glow of the pillars. Looking beyond he spotted the only exit that laid past it. He whispered softly, "Our only way through lays beyond that thing. It doesn't seem to notice us, but I have a feeling that will change soon."

Seigmand swept his hand out to draw attention to the circular perimeter of unnatural light that the creature stood in the middle of. "Should we cross into here, I feel we'll have to face whatever that is." Seigmand formed a stone spike on his staff and threw it out right at the head of the creature. It whizzed through it, and the creature made no motion.

"It appears we have no choice but to step in to face it. Are you ready Onyx?" Seigmand was ready to move the second Onyx did, curious to face whatever this thing really was.

[Onyx, Son of Sun]

My mind is made a bit uneasy by Dezmar's inability to analyze our situation indepth, but I suspect that was the plan by whoever set up such a situation. The areas was of course not natural and was most likely constructed to prevent would be travellers from getting whatever lay within the other room. Hesitant at first, I take several steps closer to the creature, my hand at the ready should it choose to strike.

Moving closer and closer, I suddenly notice the creature eyes glow a deep shade of red before it suddenly springs into action. With a sudden leap, the creature begins to assail me with a flurry of blows, each strike obviously emulating Ignisian style martial combat. As the creature and I exchange blows, I find my strikes simply passing through the shadow. Realizing the creature seems to suffer no threat from my physical strikes, I dart backwards with a quick slide and throw a fierce punch, lobbing a massive fireball from the end of my fist.

As my flaming strike hits it's mark, the creature quickly steps through the smoke and dust and turns it attention to Dezmar before quickly turning back to me. Within the quick glance, the creature eyes had now changed from a deep red to a emerald green, and along with it, it's stance. With a flowing yet harsh movement of it's arms, a sudden burst of spikes erupt from the earth and flow outwards towards myself and my ally. Leaping to dodge the wave of earthen spears, I land on the other side of the creature, hoping that Dezmar will have deflected the shadow's assault and that we can flank the creature for a better chance of victory.

[Seigmand Dezmar]

Seigmand could only watch and prepare a single attack as he watched the shadow figure's every action. At first he assumed the creature was merely immune to physical attacks and watched eagerly as the flames licked at up the thing. Making a mental note of it's apparent resistance to the flames Seigmand locked eyes with the creature for only a moment. Only the glow of its vibrant eyes changing color tipped off Seigmand to what it what doing. Taking Onyx's place as he leapt from the wave of spikes Seigmand clutched his hand close to him and shouted as he pushed through the attack with his own Geomancy.

The wave of earthen spikes split to pass him harmlessly on either side as those already formed snake out to cover the shadowy creature in a dome. Watching cautiously for a moment he sighed disappointingly as the dome rumbled and separated. The shadow stood, its stance wide as its arms forced the stone back. Hmm, so it can't borrow our powers merely from constant eye contact. In a single stride the beast was on Seigmand, each punch and kick causing earth and mud to strike out against him. It had been too long since he'd faced his own art in combat, and with a single misstepped kick he found his leg bound in stone long enough for it to strike him hard in the chest.

"Onyx now!" Seigmand cried as he felt the creature try to continue its assault. After all, the creature couldn't be incorporeal all the time. With something as wide reaching as Onyx's flames, surely its pitch black skin would feel its sting as it threw blow after blow at him.

[Onyx, Son of Sun]

Experienced as I may be, I was never one to fight alongside someone, and that lack of experience was showing in this particular instance. I found myself outside the area of combat, trying to reason how to fight such a phantasmal beast, especially with all the different factors to account for. I still knew not if it was ethereal, so direct attacks could strike my ally, that along with it's now apparent ability to mimic us meant that it always worked well to have the same ability enabled person to fight at close range while the other provided support, but how to support was the question running through my head.

But i have not the time to think so indepth as my racing thoughts are quickly broken with Dezmar's shout for assistance. Unsure of my flames and their usefulness against this beast, I turn to my electrical powers. As the large earth-magnets fold outwards on my gauntlets, I strike the creature with magnetic waves, polarizing him opposite to myself and begin trying to drag him closer. At first I feel nothing, but then, in short flickers that coincide with the shade's attacks, I feel him being dragged little by little until he looses footing for a second and I manage to shift him in a good distance. As he is pulled through the air for several feet, I focus my energy around him and, with a sudden burst of erupting light, create a concentrated explosion that rockets the creature into one of the nearby columns, causing the mirror and stone work to shift and crack slightly.

Satisfied with the result, I aim to do it again before our opponent can respond, but my maneuvers require time, while all it takes is a glance from it to stifle them. As it's gaze meets mine, it obviously gains my electromagnetic abilities, preventing me from shifting it about as I wish, but something beyond that changes, making this battle far more difficult. As the creature stands, the blackness of it's body suddenly splits all over, and with each small split appears another eye in it's place, each one glowing with a deep green or red, depending on which of us it was looking at. Remaining calm as I usually do, I ready myself for the creature's next move, aiming to take to the defensive until I can figure out how to bury this creature permanently.

[Seigmand Dezmar]

Hmm, so it can maintain both of our abilities then? Perfect. Seigmand thinks sarcastically to himself as he throws wave after wave of stone shrapnel at the creature. No sooner does each fleck of deadly stone enter the air then the creature mimics his Geomancy, leaving only debris lifeless on the ground.

Why? Why is it counterattacking? The material strikes don't hurt it as long as it doesn't chooses them not to, so why would it bother? Seigmand pondered to himself as he moved further and further back with each lash of his staff. He'd find out soon enough, as his attacks had been merely lures to gain his chance to strike. With a forceful shove of his hand every piece of debris he'd let fall to the ground kicked up in a deadly shower. As he saw the creature move it's hands to cancel his attack once more, suddenly every emerald eye closed suddenly, leaving it pelted and pummelled with a shotgun styled blast.

"Not this time." Seigmand taunted cooly, taking his stance just outside the unnatural glow of the circular arena. The shadow beast once again flew into the column, causing the mirror to break and fall to pieces. Up till now Seigmand was unsure the creature even had flesh, but as white light came in from the space that the mirror once occupied, it bathed the creature and sizzled on its body. Springing away as quick as possible it glared with dozens of red eyes at Onyx, then dozens more of emerald as Seigmand entered back into the ring.

"An interesting puzzle, but we've got the solution. Ready to end this Onyx?" Seigmand smirked, all but assured in their victory now.

[Onyx, Son of Sun]

As Dezmar's cunning blow struck true, things suddenly came to light, literally. With the creature quickly dodging out of the lights path, it was obvious what's it weakness was and even more obvious what was needed of me.

With a sudden leap, I take to the air as my feat become enveloped in the orange glow of raging flames. With a twisting kick, a streaming blast of fire fires forth from my foot and hammers into one the mirrors, shattering it with a the blast of concussive force that follows. As I do so, I spot the creatures attention quickly shift to me. Witnessing the ground around it ripple, I'm suddenly assailed with a barrage or earthen spikes and protruding spires as the creature attempts to quash my efforts.

Using the propelling force provided by the blasts launched from my feet, I constantly cause explosion after explosion to acrobatically propel myself through the air, barely managing to dodge most of the protruding strikes as I continues to launch my pyrokenetic assualts to shatter several more of the mirrors. As I dodge a spray of spikes aimed at me, I attempt to strike another mirror, when suddenly, a stone hand reaches from a nearby spire and catches my leg as I go to deliver a midair kick, and throws me violently against the stone floor before quickly latching my limb to the ground with stone manacles.

With half the room lit, the creature is slowly weeded into a corner, and I call to Dezmar to set the stage for the final blow. "Dezmar! Shatter the rest! I'll free myself and we'll finish this," I shout to my ally as my body begins to shine with a concentrated light.

[Seigmand Dezmar]

"Put that effort towards something worthwhile." Seigmand shifted close to Onyx as he dodged a torrent of flames. Palming the stone hand he simultaneously threw out a boulder that shattered another mirror beside the shadow beast. Freeing Onyx with only a quick motion Seigmand threw up a stone barricade to block the being's flames while he gave whatever moments reprieve towards taking out the mirrors till all but two were left.

The creature moved deftly to defend each blow. Till now it had been spread too thin, but as Seigmand threw out all he could against it every move fell harmlessly away from the columns. "Damn it! Onyx we need to strike together. It can only use one of our powers at a time!." He called out to his ally, dodging a series of erupting pillars. Seigmand couldn't help but feel grateful for all the times Onyx had singed him in practise spars with his attacks. As he moved and countered the violent flames, everything was literally as if he were fighting Onyx.

It was too bad Onyx didn't use his magnetic powers against him more. As Seigmand swung his earth hardened staff against a fireball he felt the familiar force pull him towards the creature and through the flames. Despite his stone skin armor the flames worked him like the inside of a kiln. Tumbling to the ground in momentary pain, he only hoped Onyx had his back before the creature truly capitalized on his mistake.

[Onyx, Son of Sun]

With myself freed from the stone shackles, I make a effort to return the favour and quickly dismiss the flames the engulf Dezmar and pull him back with my own magnetic field. As I do this, it hits me that the creature may be mimicking our abilities, but not necessarily our strength of that ability. Having channeled a large amount of energy for a forceful escape, I decide to reallocate that power for a strike I hope will take the fight out of our mimicking antagonist.

With a heavy step, I drop into a low stance as I ignite with twisting flames that cover my entire body. Thinking the intense heat might bring harm to Dezmar, I shift him several feet off to my one side with a quick swipe of my hand. As I culminate the raw elemental power, the shade tries to stifle me with waves of muddies earth and various other earth-based assaults, but the creature control over the element is nothing like my Roccia counterpart's when it comes to the subtle aspects of mineral control, a trick needed to prevent me from simply piercing the earth with melting heat.

Channeling the massive amount of fire and pyrokinetic energy, the flames that surround me suddenly spring to life and twist and weave themselves into a massive hellish arm of pure unbridles flames. With incredible strain, I control the colossal arm and lunge it towards our foe as he remains back pressed to one of the remaining mirrors. Thinking it's powers match mine, it stands it's ground and attempts to dispel my attack, but quickly finds itself regretting the attempt.

As the massive fist drives itself into the shade, I continue to force the mass of fire forward until the mirror behind the creature shatters, bathing it in a wave of light. As the shade's exterior begins to bubble and boil, I clutch it within the dense flames of my giant hands and proceed the throw the creature violently into the other mirror, cracking it and filling the circular room completely with light.

A sudden pain overtakes me though, as I've obviously overexerted myself, and I fall to one knee as the twisting flames that form my massive appendage dissipate. Turning to Dezmar, I say with several heavy breaths, "You'll have to finish it off. I fear I went a bit to far with my last strike."

As the creature stands in the distance, I can see it for the shaking, stick like figure it really is, it's body quivering within the illuminating rays of light, almost as if it were fearful. The creature makes no effort to move; it simply stands there, like it did originally, waiting for us one last time.