So much loss, So much suffering

[Richter]

The soft footsteps of a creature seemed to go along the eerie silence of the graveyard. A robed figure walked - or slugged, really - alongside the numerous graves, touching each and stopping for a moment. The figured appeard to hiss, as he continued his silent movement.

"Ah, yes, you were quite the smart one," said the figure, in a horribly disfigured voice. "But you couldn't stop it, could you? No, there were too many risks involved. You just had to go on with it. And now here you are! With the rest o the stars. If just the stars could move! But they can't. No, they cannot. Just like your friend over there, with the odd skull. He once thought like me. I think things are sometimes too dark. Or was it red? I forget. But no need to speak back. I'm sure you're too busy being eaten by the filthy worms. Ta ta"

The figure kept moving, speaking to himself, sometimes to the graves, sometimes to the odd creatures crawling about. He suddenly stopped talking, moving, as he stood before a freshly dug grave. "Ah, so you thought you could be part of the mighty Vampyr race, my dead friend? Had I not been here, you might have spent the rest of your miserable existence biting the filthy heathens! Thank whatever God you pray to that I was here." sayeth the robed one. He extended a hand over the grave, so that it was perpendicular to the tombstone, and he muttered something.

An agonizing screech howled from beneath the soil, as a trickle of a silvery substance crawled out of the grave, and rose up to the figure's hand. An awkward hiss came out of the figure, as the substance dissolved into nothingness.

"You did not need it, anyway, Vampyr." muttered the figure, as he continued his walk.

[TaylorMiyoshi]

Ooc: May I join this? Not my elf character mind you, but an angel..? It would be very interesting, two completely different creatures with two completely different views on things?

[Richter]

ooc: of course! there's no need to ask. we're all friends here.

[TaylorMiyoshi]

Ooc: Lol, just didn't want to intrude... Soo I suppose my post shall come soon ! :P

[TaylorMiyoshi]

Wings of fire moved gently through the night sky, taking the body attached to it, to the graveyard. They seemed to dance like the Sun, yet they were much more beautiful because they were also like jewels.

Phoenix peered down at the graveyard from the sky, watching it's inhabitants and feeling for the evil she had felt from the park.

"I suppose I should go and see what it is.. I think I see a figure down there." She muttered to herself, leaning forward and then desending to the grounds of the dead.

Landing as quiet as a mouse she folded her wings and made them disapear in a puff of smoke, for it was better not to let this evil know what she was.

From where she was she could hear the thing talking in a voice that sent chills up and down her spin. Walking quietly behind it a good two-hundred feet, Phoenix studied it.

"What in the world is this," She wondered to herself. "I've never seen something like this before.."

She tried to go back in her memory, from when she had been asleep, but she could not place this thing under a catagory. However one thing she knew was that is was evil, but maybe it had a slice of good in it.

Phoenix began to walk a bit faster and then was only one hundred feet away from it, then she stopped. She stared at it with blazing eyes, waiting for it to do something other than talk to the dead.

[Richter]

The figure continued walking, touching the tombstones, talking about those who rested beneath the earth.

"And it was all in vain, your life. Should not have even tried, human. The end is always the same. All chaos, no order. You keep believing in something better, something worth your pained existence. And you find none. But you go on and on in life, thinking, whishing, praying, believing. Fools! When the darkness comes, who will help you?! You are all alone, little rabits. You and you, " he said, pointing at two of the graves, "tried to cheat all! And you got what you deserved!" he ended, and laughed uprariously, in a laugh that seemed distant, vague.

The laugh apparently drew in a curious man. The gravekeeper, who was not payed enough, usually spent his nights sitting in his chair, beside one of the more massive tombstones. But tonight he had felt a chill. And that odd laugh creeped him out. But he was a brave one, indeed. Picking up his lantern, he walked towards the sound, until his eyes focused on a figure.

" 'Ey!" he screamed. " What are you doin' 'ere? You punk stealin' them flowers? I be telling Mr. Derr 'bout ye! And ye - ". His words were cut short, and replaced by a gasp. He felt a terrible pain in his chest, and a weakness that was spreading through his body. He looked down at himself, and almost screamed in fright. A silvery substance was actually coming out of his chest, and with it, his own strength. He gasped and choked, clawing at the air, trying, without success, to reach that robed man. He gave one last cry, and fell on his face on the dirt. His expression was twisted in agony, his skin devoid of all color.

The robed man, with his extended arm, slowly lowered it, as the last figments of the silvery substance went through his hand. He tightened his fist, and slowly relaxed. He let out a sigh of immense pleasure, and laughed again. As if nothing had happened, he continued his route. He stopped for a moment, and looked around.

"Eyes, eyes all around! Always watching, never resting!" he said, in a voice full of glee.



ooc: that was my impression of soul-snatching. heh.

[TaylorMiyoshi]

Phoenix let out a gasp. She saw the silver wisp leave the gate keep in a whirl of wind and then enter the creatures in front of her's hand.

"What in the hell?" She murmered. Studying the creature more.

She knew she should have tried to stop him but she had never seen anything like this and didn't know how to fight it. But now there was no question, this thing was evil.

Taking a shaking step forward Briar walked closer to it.

"Hello creature.." Briar said, trying to close her soul just in case he tried to take it. She did not know if he could or not, but one could never be to careful.

[Richter]

The creature smiled, and turned to face the angel. Though his eyes were long gone, his unique characteristics made him able to feel others. At first, he raised his hand slowly, probing the angel's power. He scoffed when he was unable to touch the soul.

"A prepared one, this seems. Effort would go to waste!" he said. He then held his hands together, and approached the angel. "And yet it fights for the good of all, yes? Unthinkable. Such innocence!" he exclaimed.

His robes enclosed most of his body. His face was shrouded, but there was an odd aura coming out of it. His breathing seemed erratic. "Does it not know who it stands against? Does it think it matters in the end? When it is all done, when they are all dead and within my grasp, will it even make a difference? Against Kerghan, there is no victory." he stated, in a silent voice.

He pondered his next moves. This one was obviously prepared. Her soul would not be easily taken. The anticipation of taking an angelic soul was thrilling. They always seemed to fill a greater void. And their presence seemed to ease the suffering of the countless more. "What to do, what to do!" he giggled.

Even in the darkness of his vision, he could almost see the radiance of the creature before him. It filled him with rage, a rage stiffled by the countless other feelings that clouded his mind.

[TaylorMiyoshi]

Briar felt his mind trying to look and prehaps even take his soul, but she had put up barriers making it near impossible for him to even look at it. She stood still, a grim look on her normally angelic face.

She heard him muttering to himself, his voice full of death and vengence.

"You are right, I do fight for the good of the innocent old one." Briar said slowly, guarding where she stood like a mother tiger guards her young. "Do you not believe in protecting those that cannot protect themselves?"

Briar watched as it's robes moved as he stepped closer. She could almost feel his breath as it quickened with an emotion she could not figure out. "May I ask who you are, and what your name is old one?" Briar asked.

She could still feel him searching her and with a quick motion her wings of fire and light came from her back. The shone like they had not for many moons, for she put power and good into them. She would not let him take her and use her soul for his own purposes.

[Richter]

The creature laughed with that hollow sound he made. "There is only the belief of oneself, and the power that one has. There is no further goal in reality than to bring those who dare oppose one, to their knees. And in the end, stand above the broken bodies of the cursed divinities. "

Again, he tried breaking the barrier she had put up. He hissed as he was again thwarted. Those who could protect their souls were usually those who had a power beyond the rest. He muttered something, and pointed one bony, gloved finger at the earth beneath him.

"Let others tell you, angel. Listen and tremble!" he said, his voice raising an octave or two, and yet there was practically no difference, as his voice seemed so far away, nothing more than a whisper.

With that, a small flash of the same silvery substance shot out of his exxtended finger. It started piling up, taking shape as more and more of it formed beneath the robed one's feet. After a few seconds, the figure of a ghostly child took up the substance, its face filled with fright.

"Please! Save me! Save me! Save me from Kerghan!" said the ghostly image. It squealed in pain as the creature pulled back its finger, and the substance went back.

"Do not try to frighten me with a petty display of power, angelic one. I've dealt with your kind before, and they did not meet a good fate. They now further my own power, such as all creatures shall. " sayeth Kerghan, in a uniquely changed voice. It was no longer that same hollow sound he had made a few moments before. This one was a clear voice, filled with unbridled evil. "You'd do well to avoid me, if you wish to keep your crusade for the good cause." he smirked.

[TaylorMiyoshi]

Pheonix shook her head and frowned and look of sadness in her eyes. "Those that think that take pride in killing those that oppose or not oppose them are nothing more than cowards that will in the end destroy themselves beyond repair."

Pheonix winced slightly as this thing called Kerghan tried to pry into her soul, but like before she held strong and would not let him in. She would die before she let him in.

He seemed to try and yell but it made no difference. Phoenix stared in utter astonishment as a figure of a boy sprung from Kerghan's finger tips. The child cried of pain and death. But as quick as the image came it was gone.

She shut her eyes for a second, trying to focus. The image of the child was unnerving. Such evil should not have even been on earth.

Clenching her fists, she stared at the robed figure before her. He had killed others like her? A rage that she had not felt before grew within the pit of her stomach. Why would something do such an evil thing?

"Kerghan you are nothing but evil..."

Suddenly Phoenix felt her vision going, she began to slip away from the Earth. What was happening?

Little is known why or how an angel does this, but it is known as soul switching. It is when an angel's inner power/being comes forth, which is a rare thing. But this is what happened to Phoenix.

In a split second a change had been made Phoenix's inner power wrenched forward and her true form showed itself for the first time in a million years.

"Kerghan I know what you are, but why would a reaper turn to such evil?" the voice said with a cold chill dripping from it's voice.

The voice that said this came from Phoenix, but it was not her normal self. Now the wings of fire had grown to burning suns, showering the surrounding settings with sparks and flames. Her once small body had grown to seven feet, now even paler and more beautiful than before. A crown of fire now lay upon hair of embers and a sword of light hung tightly around her waist.

This was a true form of an great angel, lost in sleep for a million years.

[Richter]

Kerghan stood silent. "Those who would punish the few that dare rise against the limits set by ignorant fools are destined to rule these worlds. If the destruction of countless creatures is in order, then so be it. " he said, his hands tightening into fists.

The sudden change of focus brought his attention forward, pushing through the clouded nonsense. Now, this was even more useful. Could he just take this one's power, his plans would grow exponentially. But, of course, this would probably be easier said than done.

To contrast the sudden light spewing forth from her wings, Kerghan invoked the darkness that filled most souls. An inky black cloud started to surround him, its vile power pushing back the mighty light. Strangely enough, he was still clearly visible. He seemed to be imposed over the protective darkness.

"Evil, you say? You know nothing. This is only the beginning. A beginning that has taken eons to come forth. A beginning that has been marred by blustering imbeciles. Why were we reapers granted such power over creation, and yet be expected not to use it to our own goals? I would never follow the guidelines set by those who dare not show themselves among these worlds. I'm using the powers given to me by Fate. It is her will that I bring low those higher beings. Such as yourself."

With eerie calmness and pace, he slowly began to pull back his hood. "If you would show yourself, then so shall I..." he muttered. The rag that covered his eyes was soaked with blood, making it stand out from his sickly, pale flesh. His hair fell from the top, wrinkled and shriveled.

To the ignorant bystander, the two figures facing each other were complete opposites. One was a great angel, beautiful, surrounded by the light of glorious suns, goodness in her mind. The other was as horrible as he was evil, the darkness of his soul poisioning the very air around him.

[TaylorMiyoshi]

Phoenix stared at Kerghan with blazing eyes, just listening to his hissing and false words. She sent out a shockwaves of laughs, as he talked.

She watched, eyes still on fire, as a void of darkness surrounded the reaper, attempting to hide his body from the light she was giving off. It did not seem to work, or at least not that Phoenix could see. Instead he seemed to become clearer, and more vile.

"I do not mean to be rude old one, for I should be showing respect to you, or I would have," Phoenix said, now levetating off the ground. "But who are you to oppose rules set down by beings older than you and time itself. You were meant to guild souls to their final destination. Not rob them of something they have never felt. I shall warn you now old one, those souls that you have taken since you left the pits off hell shall come forth with such power you have never seen before. With that power they shall take you with them into a black abyss."

Phoenix was taken back, but did not show it, at the face under the cloak. She knew reapers and had dealt with them before, but never had one, from her knowledge, taken off it's hood and shown it's face. Keeping their identity safe was something they kept dear beyond all else.

"Dear Kerghan you weep tears of blood," she said, her voice filled with pity. "Why do you want such power, and why would take on a human form when most reapers are nothing more than wisps of smoke? Do you wish to be like a mortal so much that you would chose a road of coruption and evil?"

[Richter]

"I do not need respect." he scoffed, his charred flesh twisting horribly as his mouth moved. "Respect is reserved to those that would want recognition after their departure. I long for none of it."

He raised one of his fists, and opened the hand. Inside was a small trickle of the substance. It seemed to dance inside his palm. Kerghan smiled, and again clenched his fist. "A power I've never seen before? Do you think me ignorant? I know of that power. And I've held it between my hands. Do you think my actions were so vain? Why would the higher ones deem fit to raise their hand against me, had they not feared what I might become?" He shook his head, even as he raised both his arms, placing them in a parallel vertical position to his body, stretching palms facing his face. "No, angel. I know full well what I'm doing. Those who struck me shall pay the price for their arrogance. Them and their agents. I shall lay them low, tear down their cities, and burn their hopes and dreams. Only I have the power to do so. Only I see the truth. I've entered the afterlives of Heaven and Hell; it was there that I fully understood what existence is. Life, either mortal or immortal, is nothing more than an wretched distortion of the natural order of things. My path is a path to freedom."

There he stood still.

[TaylorMiyoshi]

"I do not need respect." he scoffed, his charred flesh twisting horribly as his mouth moved.
"Respect is reserved to those that would want recognition after their departure. I long for none of it."

Phoenix let out a laugh. This reaper was nothing new of it's kind, she knew that from what she had read in the libraries of ancient times. There was always one that tried to gain vengence and destroy everything on Earth. However she could not grasp why such a thing would want so much power.

"Tell me this Kerghan, what do you plan on doing once you have destroyed all this around us," she motioned around her, letting light trickle from her finger tips. "And who dear old one has wronged you so you want to destroy everything that has brought you life?"

She had never battled or talked with a reaper before, even her real self had not. So she had no other choice but to listen and watch, she did not know their weakness. Some how she thought it may be light and an innocent soul, but she could not make such hasty decisions.

Phoenix looked into his palm and saw the power of mortals with a mixture of other beings. She knew this reaper was powerful, but she knew that he was not immune to everything.

"Reaper may I ask you, before anything happens how you were formed," She asked, giving off a small smile although it was not the time. "Were you once mortal or were you formed like I from the elements?"