Crossing Paths [Invite Only]

[Matthius Darksoul]

[Invited: Harou Bloodrayne]

A golden orb resting high in the sky, very slowly shifting in one direction as the world spins its slow rotation. Its rays of light passing through space, and sky to beat upon the golden sand of the desert. Warming each grain that forms into multiple dunes. The soft recess of the sand relenting and cushioning even as it shifts to cause one some instability. Finest grains of earth, beaten and aged by that of weather and time. For miles this is all one could see, as sparse plant life lived here.

Yet even as ordinary a day as this one, something was amiss. A unique presence has taken root over the area. Its reach was quite insane, much like a beacon to those who could sense energy signatures. Infused in the presence is Matthius's aura. This gave the impression to many of the senses that he was a insanely larger object than he was. This did not effect the sight however, and he would not appear to be all over the reach of this aura that seemed to almost stretch for a mile. It would not hinder one's entry, nor block them. No harm would occur of any kind, it'd be like stepping into a fog that doesn't effect ones sight as of the moment.

Within the center of this translucent dome appeared to be a single form. Standing at the top of one massive dune, head tilted back and eyes cast to the skies. A white cloak wrapped about his form, yet the hood had fallen back revealing his face and that silver-blue hair. Violet eyes that failed to show anything but a extreme intensity of mystery or power. Unreadable, as was the mind. 'This world... I think I've been here before' nostrils flaring some at this thought while he holds a straight face.

The arrival of this person couldn't be explained, there existed no ties or remnants of traversing arts he simply came. As was one of his abilities, the man was quite a mystery. Even the construct of his body was a mystery. Not the true body of Matthius, as he rarely brought that out. Normally the Avatar constructs were enough, sometimes they last long periods of time at least up to the point where they met their undeniable demise from another individual. It was rare to see Matthius's true body without first having met him in such a construct first, yet it would not be sensed or give the idea of being a construct as it would feel like any other body would with its attachment of soul and mind.

'The sun is high in the sky... noon. Everyone should be awake then, so I wonder who will come this fateful day. I haven't failed to lure in at least one curious being every time I appear.' mentally telling himself as his lips curl into a slow smile. If anything seemed odd about the man, was that he wore no shoes as would be evident as the cloak didn't touch the ground instead a few inches off allowing his feet a bit more freedom. Toes stretching out and then digging into the hot sands feeling their heat but not bothered by it.

[Harou Bloodrayne]

By means of planar travel, one can move him/herself to any specified place on or outside of the planet. A rift would open up and allow passage for travel. At this moment, time itself would seem to cease in existence. Space held no value or truth as the gaps between destinations virtually became void. At approach of the desired destination, the user is able to exit the rift in their chosen element of arrival. As this was the case with Harou, he arrived through the plane of ice and snow. His entry into prime plane brought with him the climate effects of that visited plane. Not only was it the given attributes of the plane, but the given element of Harou himself.

His feet touched the sand, crystallizing the sand into a glassy surface within a ten foot diameter. Defying the natural habitat and climate of the desert in which he arrived, flakes of snow fell about his form within that frozen diameter. The heat beating down on his form from the sun created a mist like vapor that steamed off his body. His aura remained at sub zero levels and wavered around his body in a fluid motion. He obviously kept it compressed for his own due choice.

Harou wore his traditional battle arraignment that consisted of a partial chest plate and gauntlets over his fists that extended to his elbows. Upon both shoulders was found the same silver steel.  Mostly the rest of his was covered in white clothing that seemed to have traits of a white tiger. Long, flowing, silver hair moved gracefully along the invisible play of the winds fingertips. Along the crown of his head, hair was braided into an intricate design that met in the back to tie into a tail that draped down with the rest. A couple beads, of blue color, were found on the left side. Earrings of royal design were found in twos on each earlobe.

Following directly behind the man was that of a larger than normal, White Tiger. But in fact, this tiger had that of a lion’s mane. This in truth would make the tiger, indefinitely a Liger. It was female and she obviously had chosen her master. They both shared the same golden eyes and prowess of a hunter/warrior. She sat beside Harou and awaited his further instructions. Harou placed a sullen hand upon the top of her head, just between her perked ears. “Easy Saiya” He spoke softly to her.  

The two of them stood upon a dune. Wind raced past them both and yet it seemed not a grain of sand touched either of them. Harou decided it was time to move. “Let’s go” Calmly he spoke. With each step he took, a two foot diameter of icy surface was left in his wake. The same was truth for Saiya as she obviously held the exact same traits as her master. They pressed on for a great distance, neither of the two sustaining effects from the harsh dry climate.

[Matthius Darksoul]

It wasn't long till someone appeared within the area of his presence. Turning his head, he could feel two individuals. Each with a appealing icy aura about them. Altering the very temperature, and forming a icy layer over the heated sand. Truly someone with a near mastery of the element or gifted touch in that element would be behind this, as he hoped. 'Finally, some decide to investigate.' oblivious to the fact that they weren't seeking him.

Stepping from the top of the dune, his right foot moved away from the edge and towards where it would fall. Yet within that moment, his form seemed to swivel and fade. Traversing to Harou he took little time in making his appearance.

The foot soon came to rest on another dune much closer to Harou and the liger. Tilting his head he would quirk an eyebrow 'what is this? doesn't seem like they're looking for me.' placing his other foot beside the other he would bend his knees lowering down into a squat while his eyes seemed to spiral in place. A mental magnification of his visual sight as well as examining their auras. 'they look like they're just out for a stroll...?'

The orbs reverse spiraled in place and he sighed before standing upright once more. 'perhaps we can exchange some info, or find entertainment in a spar? First lets see what kind of character this guy fits.' Leaping from the top of the dune he had taken his place on, he moved up into the air quite higher than many would. Almost soaring, had he let his wings out he would have taken to gliding. Yet his form eventually stopped rising, and flowed for a moment before descending.

Cutting the distance between them in half when he lands, his feet dug into the ground from his heavy weight only to pull each one out with steps forward. Had they been moving slowly he may have used a less than casual walk not so much as ambling. But because they were moving at a casual pace, he had to move at a pace to catch up. A power walk, that was fluid and smooth with a seeming grace across the sands as he seemed to prance towards them. A friendly face taking to his features as he knew the tiger would most likely find him before he got close.

Examining the what he thought to be a tiger closely, he would see a mane on the beast that didn't fit a tiger. 'What is this...? A mane of a Lion, and the body of a Tiger? is this what a Liger looks like? I see... perhaps they are special creatures indeed.' now he was interested, as his eyes cast to the individual traveling with the liger. A traditional looking battle arraignment fitted the form of this individual, with a white clothing that seemed to have traits of a white tiger. The interest was peaking in these two individuals, questions were popping up in his mind. 'who are they?' 'why are they here?' 'what brought them?' 'how did he get the liger?' 'can i have one?' and many others.

It would not be long before Matthius was within fifteen feet of them, as his pace was not just double their own but triple theirs while making it look little less than a leisurely power walk. They wouldn't have to wait long even if they didn't know he was coming, he would greet them.

[Harou Bloodrayne]

Strolling through the desert seemed to be worth it. Not only was it a good chance to clear his mind but it was quiet and desolate; almost barren, dry and null of life. The mid day sun hung high above. Heavy rays radiated down, scorching the land. Harou and Saiya, however, are nowhere near being effect by the heat or the sun’s rays. They pressed on the same as before.

Moments later, Saiya snorted something of discomfort or displeasure. Harou took note of this and looked down to her, almost over his shoulder. “What is it Saiya? Ohh… You are just now noticing the man following us?” He smiled somewhat to her as he acted coy as if nothing seemed out of the ordinary. Looking ahead again he smirks some. “You know, you really need to work on those senses of yours Saiya…” His tone was playful. It was obvious that if he wanted confrontation than he would have turned and faced the man with intentions. Instead, he and Saiya kept walking.

“I know, just keep walking. This can happen two ways. One, he intends to fight us and gets our attention then trys to strike casual conversation at the same time introducing himself with an arrogant attitude. Or He greets us so he can have travel companions of his own. I am sure that walking around in the desert alone, he would become a bit mentally unstable” He spoke softly to Saiya. Facial features shifted back to an emotionless façade.

[Matthius Darksoul]

As Matthius approaches, the sand bounding from his bare feet with each thrust of his legs. Body in sway, arms in motion of his power walk. Noticing them speaking and realizing they knew he was there caused him to frown. 'That's not nice. In fact I wont tolerate this.' taking his body, he would use his mental placement. Placing it in front of them. Swiveling on his left heel he would turn towards them and glare his Violet eyes at the face of the man. "Tell me, what makes you think your better than me to choose to ignore me?" came his deep yet medium voice.

Aggravated was a better way to put how he felt, as he stood there in front of them no more than eight feet. Eyes cast from glaring, to sweeping their forms. Sucking up the information and at the same time searching for any relations to the knowledge he already required. Information on the three hundred and older demon came up. Harou may notice that Matthius's eyes changed from glaring to curious only to have a quizzical look with a quirked eyebrow as he rests his eyes on Harou once more. "The fuck? Your over a thousand years old, you poor soul. Not a family to show. That has to suck, unless you've had family, however I don't see them with you. Harou Bloodrayne." he says with a smirk on his lips. Now he'd most certainly get Harou's attention on how he knew Harou without even being known to Harou.

Casting his eyes to the liger, he would read the DNA strands only to find it quite simply nothing quite what he expected to find. It wasn't a rare mysterious liger, but a construct of another reformed into this creature. 'now what the hell?' 'man I wanted to have a liger of my own.' 'fucking demons always fucking around with people like me' a sigh came to his lips before he smirked as he looked to Harou. The construct shared the same aura, something about the two was unique and stood out quite plainly to Matthius.

Related to Harou's history was another that seemingly bound and appeared with his information. 'this is odd... the liger came later. Instead of with him at birth.. as well as coming from.....' looking hard at Harou he would blink. "May I pet your liger?" he asks curiously while looking to the beast with curious in his eyes. Acting and looking like he'd have it no other way. Even if they dared to say no, he would take the liberty without their permission even if it ended badly. Moving to close the distance between them in a more casual walk, giving a less threatening appearance while his eyes were on the Liger. 'Come here kitty kitty kitty...'

If he was allowed to get close to the liger he would kneel beside it and reach out with both hands to cup its cheeks and play with the fur. Feeling through the fur, fingers grazing the flesh beneath the fur. Contact, this established a direct root to the information that Matthius was looking for in his mind. '....Seals.... forbidden arts, demon arts.. a old fellow companion of Harou...' For a moment he just seemed to pause, before gripping the fur and giving the most quickest of wicked things. Rotating the neck to the point of snapping the neck of the liger and dealing a quick death to the beast. If able to follow through with his actions, he would feel the liger drop limp while his mind placed the soul and mind of the just briefly killed liger into suspended animation for use very soon. Hardly a cold blooded killer, Matthius disliked taking unnecessary lives and fighting battles that didn't have the determination behind them. Yet Harou would not be able to notice the tear that ran from Matthius's eye, cast down across his cheek to leave his chin and land in the nostril of the beast.

---If left Uncountered

This tear traversed through the nasal passages as Matthius held the head still, tilting it up. Into the beast the tear would glide spreading the minutest portion of Matthius inside the beast. "Undo, what has been done in the past... return to your previous being and life awaits you." said Matthius while spreading his living energy just barely into the creature while breaking the seals that had formed to make this construct as well as reverting it to the previous shape that is seen in the knowledge known. 'a female will retake her life that was taken from her.'

Releasing the head of the changing beast he would stand while attaching the soul and mind once more to the body. Using the remnants of his energy within the body once it was done to bring it back its function and life. A sharp gasp and the release of the suspended animation on the soul and mind would give the creature back to this world. "Rise and Thrive once more as your old self." with the seals broken, her old self wouldn't be locked away. She would return, as if she were only sleeping from the day of her transformation and seal.

[Harou Bloodrayne]

The man moved to the frontal view of Harou and Saiya. Harou looked at him with an awkward glance. Saiya stopped in her tracks. It was obvious by the gesture on his face at first, before altering it to a more approachable visage, that he knew they were talking about him and deliberately kept walking in spite of his approach. Harou picked up on this note, but preferred not to act upon it. Instead he allowed the man to approach from the front, giving a chance of consideration. “ I wonder what he is up to” Harou thinks silently to himself.

Moments later, they are greeted, the two companions halting in their tracks and allowing the newcomer a chance to introduce his self. A careful study was observed and one was also given in return. Harou heard his name seconds later. This in fact threw his curiousness for a loop. An off glance was offered to the man as Harou did not know him for Adam nor did he believe that his own name was written on his forehead or clothing anywhere. With widened eyes and the obvious expression of confusion, he tilted his head slightly. “Have we met before on some distant field?” The question was offered in a dull, medium tone that seemed almost uninterested.

He made an advance to Saiya, asking permission to pet her. Then he acted without gain of said permission and approached her anyways, disregarding any compliancies or complaints that may have been given. Saiya was almost apprehensive to the man touching her. At one instance she almost pulled away from him. This was till his gentle touch landed upon her fur. His touch was almost entrancing to her, setting her into a euphoric state of mind, a sense of ease or calmness if you will. She let out a purr that rumbled her thick, muscular feline body. The toying with her fur done by his fingers was like ecstasy to her senses. He welcomed himself to her cheek, studying the contour of her powerful jaws. To her, it was if he was being polite or showing affection to a favored breed of animal. She put no more thought to it than that. A mistake that proved fatal on her part as her life was literally in his hands. A final twist, the snapping of bone and cartilage, leaving her neck limp in his hands. Her life faded as he took that very essence from her in one fatal motion. 

Before he could reply with a yes or no, the man made a gesture of ‘petting’ Saiya. This was an offensive action all in its own. He wasn’t sure how Saiya would react to it, but before he could say anything; her neck was broken. Her body fell limp. In a state of shock, as if one had witnessed a baby tumbling down the stairs and attempted to get up and save said baby; but their body wouldn’t move, Harou was held in a sense of confusion and lack of understanding. His body was frozen. This was an alien emotion and action for the man, who has always been swift to react.

Saiya was dead. The seal that held Harou’s memories and pent up abilities suppressed from access was now broken. All at once, broken fragments of the past flowed through his mind. A state of euphoria took over his body as he dropped to his knees right there in the sand. The aura about his body slowed down, compressing into his body as if evaporating; but in reverse. As clips and phrases of past events took place all over again, a massive migraine was sent upon his head. This caused immense pain for Harou as he screamed out in agony. Both hands raising to grasp the sides of his head in attempt to create enough pressure to relieve or subside the pain.

Falling to plant his elbows in the sand, he panted heavily. The flow of the past had all but stopped in his head. At this point, his former self was fused in with the current being he had become within the past three hundred years after banishment. Within the time frame it took for a blink to partially close before reopening, his aura flashed back out of his body in the same bright icy blue omniscience as before. This time it was stronger by countless amounts of times. He lifted his head to view the curled up body of Saiya, the tiger who was actually his left hand warrior in the ranks. He recalled calling her Saiya for over three hundred years. This in fact was not true as her real name was not Saiya, but was Akiirai Victoria Deathbane.

Akiirai alone was one of the only warriors who held chance to sometimes best Harou in a spar. The two of them were an equal match in battle, also in harmony. At one time they shared a relationship. They had loved each other dearly. Some would say that a relationship on the battlefield Is the worst of ideas, since it could end up getting the one of them killed. They proved the odds that were against them completely wrong. Harou and Akiirai had an unbreakable bond, yet they knew that on the battlefield they ran a chance of being hurt. With that they knew there was no time to go running in defense for the other for it may cause more bad than good.

When Takhisis was driven back by the legendary Knight, Huma; Sargonnas felt jealous over the bond between Harou and Akiirai. Since he had recently lost Takhisis to the abyss after being killed in her mortal body, Sargonnas banished them both and stripped them of their former selves. They were an asset to the ranks that Sargonnas more than likely regretting losing, especially since the Blood Wars were right around the corner.

Harou lifted his body up onto his knees now. The sleeping form of Akiirai brought a smile to his face. It was if he had awakened from a bad dream. A dream of a life without her beside him, without her there to confide in. Moving now to his knees, Harou stepped over to her, ignoring the fact of Matthius at this moment. He knelt beside her, placing a hand on her shoulder. “It is time to wake, my love. We must give thanks to this man for restoring our lives to their former glory.” She stirred.

Rolling over onto her back she looked at Harou and without a word, she slapped him across the left side of his face. Harou was left there on his right knee to wonder what that was for as she stood up in her nakedness. She was always naked, given that her body was that of partial animal traits, no normal clothing that could be found would fit her frame. Armor covering stretched from the base of her neck to the tip of her tail. Long, thin spikes lined both sides of the armor from her shoulder blades to the small of her back. The same armor plating etched its self down her shoulders and down her arms to the elbows, the same along her hips to knees.  Matter of fact, she had armor covering the bikini line of her crotch and that of her breasts. There was actually too much natural armor in various places to be noted or documented.

Akiirai looked at Mathius and smile in thanks to the man. She turned back to Harou and placed a calm and soft hand on his right shoulder as he was still knelt down; wondering why he sustained a slap against his cheek. “I slapped you for waking me up… Now… Where are we going?”