Demise: Demise estate

[Isolde Whitethorne]

As her words fled with the harsh winds and pelting rain her head would tilt those icy globes taking in the sight of yet more minions surrounding her troupe. Fingers flexed, one glove hand forming a small fist as the other became white knuckled upon her sword. Whipping about she moved to her faithful and stubborn steed ripping her shield from the back of the saddle. Shrugging it on she turned once again, just in time to spy an arrow piercing the throat of one minion dropping it like stone. Immediately that battle hardened gaze would look for the being responsible for this unwanted aid. Spying Adrian's descent in their direction she gave him no more heed as she lifted her sword and bellowed.

" FOR THE GLORY OF PALADINE! FOR THE GLORY OF WHITETHORNE!!!!"

In that instant every knight called out in return as they engaged the mounting numbers of Darkthorne minions who seemed to be drawn to their holy light like flies to bittersweet honey. There was no emotion on her face, only that look of a seasoned warrior prepared to fight. As her men fought bringing down beast after beast she moved forward. Out of the corner of her eye she spied a minion charging her on all fours. Immediately she pivoted and crouched with her shoulder lowered in preparation to take the brunt of the collison.

-TWAP-

The bodies collided and yet only one went flying backwards. Slowly she straightened her posture with a sly grin. This was no ordinary woman. As the minion gathered itself to its feets it howled its anger toward this mere woman who had sent it flying backwards with nothing more than a well placed shoulder block behind her shield. It charged once again and this time she waited. Both feet remained stationary, shoulder width apart as she watched its advance. Already the scene coming was beginning to play itself out in her mind. The instant before it could have tackled her again, she pivoted backwards, turning full circle as she brought her sword about with the motion of her body. A loud warrior like grunt would follow the sound of sword meeting flesh.

" GRAAAHHH"

Her hair whipped across her face sucking against those pallid cheeks as she withdrew her sword only to bring up across her shoulder and swing it back down again severing the beast's head completely. Done she turned looking for the next to approach and found none. Instead, she hurried back to her horse, booted feet sinking slightly into the mud in her flight slowing her progress as she called out to her second in command.

" Bomahr! COME! We must find Reinne and take her with us! Leave the others to continue this fight!"

[Bomahr Whitethorne]

" Yeeearrrhhgg!"

CLANG

Bomahr's shield cracked the skull of one of the nearby Darkthorne minions as he jumped into their midst. The double-bladed sword in his hand required two hands for most men, but he was strong enough to wield it with one. The blade came down slicing through the arm of one Darkthorne and the leg of another all in one blow. Spinning around he dodged a sword thrust at his back, the sword plunged into another Darkthorne and in one long slash he beheaded both foes. His shield came up blocking a blow aimed as his head, at the same moment his sword slashed down and cut the foes leg in two, Bomahr stepped with one massive foot crushing the foe's head under foot. He was berserking as always, wanting to crush the evil which surrounded him. Willing to dive into the open maw of evil so he could plunge his sword straight into it's beating heart.


" Heeeaaarrrrhhh!" he tossed his blade into the chest of one enemy while defending against blows from two with his shield. He quickly ran over and plucked the sword out and pushed with his shield bringing his two foes down to their feet. They swung as his feet, he jumped and brought his sword down in the chest of one while dropping his shield and placing his weight upon it, curshing the chest of the second. Bomahr dodged another slash, he picked up the foe that had just attacked and threw him into an on coming charge of more Darkthornes. His eyes were like a hunting tiger, his fighting choatic and deadly all the while putting himself in danger to slay the enemies that threatened his brothers and sisters.

" Raaarrrr!" he picked up a spear and plunged it into the body of the one he just threw and then claimed his shield and sword and charged them. He began to hack apart the foes as they stood, blood covered him from head to toe and his blonde braids were thick with it's color.

" Bomahr! COME! We must find Reinne and take her with us! Leave the others to continue this fight!"

Bomahr turned to his cousin and nodded going to guard her side, his heart still beat with the berserker's fury. Bomahr picked up a large boulder and tossed it down atop the mass of the Darkthornes that crossed swords with the paladins. The sound of crunching bone and stone thudding against earth was enough for him. He wanted to stay and fight some more, but he knew they must go and find this Reinne woman, before they could finish the battle once and for all. Bomahr picked up his weapons and followed Isolde, a stranger had helped them. He had caught site of the arrow puncturing the throat of a Darkthorne as he battled. Whoever this stranger was he had helped those in need, a deed never frowned upon.

[Zian Bloodthorne]

Arrows with thorned vines attachted to them and empowered through blood magic shot forth cutting off the Darkthornes. Warriors wearing red and black checkered kilts, with tanned skin and wild eyes emerged from the smoke of the battlefield. Red electricity shot from the smoke onto the field as they came from nowhere. They'd sensed the battle for the homelands, sensed the new leader being chosen, born in battle. Steam rose off their skin as the rain touched them, their hair was dyed to have red streaks in it. Their faces painted half red, half black, the Bloodthornes were led by Zian coming to greet their new leader and be led in the final battle. Arrows flew again and on impact they exploded in fire, the Darkthornes that had charged the Bloodthornes were consumed in the flames.

Zian gave a smile to the sight of the battlefield, death and destruction everywhere, it was a true fight. The hunt was on, many of them were covered in furs, trophies from successful hunts. They wore the furs as totems giving them the ability to summon the beast they'd slain to fight for them in battle. Zian drew an arrow and with eyes like an eagle he looked up to the sky, scanning with his bow. Finally he found something to fire upon, a long red streak shot straight up into the air towards a dragon piercing the beast's heart and causing it to fall towards the battlefield. Each Bloodthorne wore two swords upon their belts, for they fought with two sword when it came to melee. Zian sneered at the scent of the thornes gathered on the battlefield. Others had sensed the call as they, and come to claim the homeland in the final battle over the destiny of Velusia.

Which clan would claim the prize to rule over their homeland and slay the others. Zian knew his Bloodthornes were few, but they could hold their own in a battle. They pulled up their hooded cloaks and became like mist moving across the battlefield, moving through everything they came across. Darkthornes tried to slash at them only to find their blades went right through them and into the ground. They walked heedlessly through the battlefield in search of the one born of battle. Zian and the others found Soleus and Zian pulled back his hood as the others did and they bowed before him.

" You have been chosen to led us in battle as the new leader of the Bloodthornes. Now lead us against the other thornes so we can claim our destiny before we lose our chance to. We are few, but we are skilled and will fight to the death." Zian looked up with eyes as red as hot coals on Soleus, this man was chosen as their new leader, but would he prove himself to be fit to carry the mantle?

[Analisa_Blackthorne]

" What have we here a Blackthorne on the verge of enlightment...why do you resist the darkness within you child? Are you afraid of real power?" He pointed his still bloody sword towards Analisa and smiled a toothy grin.

Analisa halted and took her fighting stance standing side ways with her left sword raised in an arc above her head facing the enemy and the right, a perfect line across her stomach as it faced the space behind ready to slice outward. Her silver gaze narrowed upon the Darkthorne target as he grinned at her and questioned as if deserving of an answer.

Snearing beneath the full face helm the shadow walker didn't allow the taunt to effect her and merely replied with an even tone,"I resist nothing and in fact embrace what I know is within me. I simply am not so weak as to have to give up my true self to gain such power." The silver began to glitter like diamonds in her eyes as she loosened her hold on the entity and felt it slither out and spread across the ground like a black fog.

Her lithe armored form moved like the best of dancers as the sword swung down from its high perch to meet his out stretched blade and she slid the two together making the metal upon metal sing in the air until just the last inch of tips were touching,"Tell me child how does it feel to know that your weakness is my strength. A pity really to have to stain my steel with your tainted blood, but alas what must be done shall be."

The area around her was quickly devoured by the inky mist as it sought to defend its host from all attacks except that of the Darkthorne before her. A sharp cry came from behind as one got to close and was quickly swamped over and delt with by its dark tendrils. The burst of energy from the painfull death was like a  shot of adrenaline and it made Analisa draw in a sharp but deep breath as the sensation rushed over her skin and raced thru her blood stream.

Refusing to await the enemies whim Analisa grinned to herself beneath the mask and quickly spun right, arching the lower blade up as it swung forth to meet the opposing weapon with a loud clang. The left blade drew in to protect her face and upper body from attack as she came to a stop with the lower right blade tucked in close to her left hip to face backwards once more in a stance that looked as if she hugged herself with her weapons drawn. Side stepping she slowly moved without taking her focus from her target so that she was no sitting duck for some stray or aimed air assault.

 The entity simply shifted with her like a well trained pet as its misty fingers curled up her armor clad body like smoke while it slid over the ground at her feet daring any and taunting all to come closer. It thrived off anger, pain and death and to it this battle ground was the feasts of feasts and it didn't hold back as it devoured all that its mistress would allow it too.

[Syn Darkthorne]

Syn smiled as he stood before Analisa just now seeing the resemblance between her and Rose.

" Why don't you recognize me Analisa? I'm your mother's brother Syndicale, your uncle. Hehee I'm surprised your father never told you what really killed your mother. She died because of me, died of a broken heart, that her brother would become what you see before you. I sold my soul to the Darkthornes, became a demul all for the chance to have the power to defend our kingdom. Yet still it fell not by our enemies , but by my own hands...I opened the gateway of Megma and released the plague onto our lands...Now I am truly a damned soul."

Syn blocked Analisa's blade by bringing up his own and moving back. His fighting style was like a dance, his movements graceful and elegant.

" Thats right..I killed your mother, it was the plague that killed her like all those in our lands. Their all dead because of me, because I wanted power, and I wouldn't have it any other way. I like killing it brings me pleasure, you and I are so much alike Analisa, why not join me, we're family you and I."

Syn charged at Analisa bringing his sword down in a slash towards her left shoulder. His movements were like that of the demon he was, quick and blurry, the shadows seemed to cling to him, embracing him.

[Cebreese]

Cebreese had done so much evil, more so then any of the other Darkthornes. He was the model for a Darkthorne, his evil was something they all struggled to become. A legend among the Darkthornes and yet he felt like nothing more then a soldier. He'd gone to become a soldier and aspired to a leader, yet who was he really? As Adrian hugged Cebreese, he wanted to pull away at first, thinking it a trick. But then he found comfort and security in the hug, it was strange to him. He was struggling against something, a feeling within him. Was this what made Adrian so stronge, this...this..love is it what kept him living?

Could Cebreese find strength in love as he did hate? A single tear fell from Cebreese's eye, he wanted to fight this emotion. It represented everything he'd learned to hate, everything his mother had told. Weakness, but if it was weakness then why was Adrian so strong, why did Honor show strength when her love for Vincent was exposed. It was a thing he pondered, it seemed love made one weak and strong just as hate could. No he couldn't think that, it went against everything...but then again he couldn't remember everything. It was a blur, the very memories important to keeping him completely evil were lost. Cebreese had reached a point where his path could change, but was he willing to change?

Cebreese's life thread became different hues, changing back and forth as he fought with the questions in his mind. Cebreese had tried to destroy everything, his quest to destroy the world was slowly becoming a thing of the past. The rain washed over him, and in a way it mimiced the cleansing going on inside him at that moment. He could never be like those he hated, but then again, he couldn't hate them anymore. His head looked over the battlefield, he saw all the battles raging on around them. They were fighting for all the wrong reasons. Cebreese now saw things differently and the same all at once. He could reason with the chaos he once was, the beast that he had become.

His mother's soul screamed from within him, she demanded he stop this ridiculous thought now. " No mother...I am not your slave anymore...I see now it's you that kept me back..." Cebreese's face became an image of pain as he reached up to his chest. The soul of his mother slowly began to be purged from his very being, the long twisted angel wings and distorted features of his mother as she screamed. She slowly became physical and her huge monsterous form hovered there over him. Cebreese gritted his teeth as he took the power that his father had gave him. He didn't need this anymore, it all held him back from his true destiny, he would become his own man. His hand began to be consumed in flames and he tossed those flames directly at his mother's form. She screamed in agony as the fires of hell consumed her form, her soul.

" I will find my own destiny, not one set for me by those who try to control me like a tool, I am no instrument." Adrian had already gone, leaving Cebreese with his new found power, his new found destiny. And so it was love was stronger then hate, for in brotherly love Cebreese had found the strength to fight the prison which was becoming his life. The pieces of his life could never be put back together, the past had could never be changed. Cebreese didn't care anymore, he would make the future what he could, as best he could. If he died in battle today then at least he died free, Cebreese jumped down from the battlements and found the one who had set up the lock on the realms. Dramund...one of Cebreese's former soldiers and former right hand man.

He should have known that the living soul of hell would be behind this. Cebreese drew his katanna, letting it glide along the ground sparking as it touched the stone. The blade began to become lit by flames, as he stalked forward towards Dramund. The red dust had weakened him of his bloodborn abilities, but it had not taken his skill. He could still fight, even if it was as a mere man. Cebreese casually walked over towards Dramund and without a word launched an attack upon the former minion.

[Vincent]

Vincent shook his head, the weakness would not leave him, it would not go away. He looked up to see Cebreese fall in confusion, had he saved his half-brother? Could he have possibly given his brother a chance to start over, the brother he never knew. He could sense something from Adrian, almost as if he too shared their blood. When Adrian talked to Cebreese and hugged him, Vincent knew for sure. He was after all the caretaker of his family, the guardian of the Blackthornes. He could see it even without his blood born powers, if someone shared their blood. The blood of angels that flowed through their veins as did the blood of Merlin, magic and faith. They were a race that the lands of Velusia had claimed as it's own. Yet they struggled to find their place in this world, fighting amongst themselves.

Vincent looked to Honor with tortured eyes as the shackles and mask slowly faded away. Freedom at long last he was free again, it felt like ages since he had been free. Since the curse of Strahd had been broken, Vincent looked young again, not very much different then before. Only that his white hair had gone back to black, it hung down around his eyes, a beard had grown in his time of slavery. The death all around them brought a great sorrow to Vincent's heart, he slowly began to stand again. His hair blowing in the wind, stray strands of it cascaded across his face as he looked on the scene before them. He saw Cebreese in pain and suddenly the dark angel which appeared before him. Something about that dark angel caused Vincent's mind to start turning the cogs.

Could it be? Was Cebreese and Adrian born from that...if so then no wonder they pulled so much about them. Vincent turned to Honor and said, " thank you for defending me when I couldn't, it's been a long time since I've seen you. I'm surprised you remember me, I thought of you..you and my daughter, my family, it's all that kept me from going mad while being inprisoned as the Darkthorne's prophet. Something has to be done about this battle, it's tearing your lands apart and killing off my family at the same time. If we don't stop it soon, I fear that all of Velusia will be lost and no one here will remain to tell the tale."

Vincent placed his hand to the wound given to him by Cebreese, watching the reformed beast stalk off after fresh prey. " I hope he doesn't forget what he's discovered, it's probably taken him years to realize that love is the only thing that can pull us from the darkness of hate. He's so much like my brother Reese when he was young...." Vincent fell to his knees his eyes falling closed as his strength finally left him. He fell unconscious to the stones of the battlement, the wind caressing his hair.

[Prasutagus Darkthorne]

Prasutagus laughed at her defiance and how she spoke of honor in battle, honor had no place here. This fight was for the future, for the chance to prove which clan was the strongest, to weed out the weak and make way for the strong. Could he deny himself that his hatred was slowly fading, could he keep this up? As she came rushing towards him, his grin spread, she wouldn't deny him. She wouldn't deny her brother the hate he so desired, hundreds of Darkthorne spilled over the battlefield climbing atop one another to surround her. Prasutagus would not be denied his glory, his moment of triumph over his siblings. And his hands claiming the crown that was rightfully his, for he deserved it more then they.

The rain came down upon his black armor, lightning crashed in the background lighting up the stained glass windows of the cathedral next to them. What better place for Reinne to fight her last fight then next to the place she would find her final resting place. She flung water at his face, he raised his axe a moment to soon. The water with it's particules of masonry and dirt hit his eyes momentary blindness came over him. He blinked his eyes as he listened for her movements, a trained blind fighter. The sound of her footsteps in the rain, her blade being hit by rain drops, he knew her movement better this way then with his eyes open. He moved back as his axe was struck by her sword, she had merely been playing with him.

" Can you feel it Reinne, destiny pulsing around us, this moment will determine everything. Can you feel it in your grasp, the chance to take what is your's? Hah I can feel it and this is not your time, it's mine, my moment to triumph over all the odds that have been set against me. It's time for destiny to come to me, I have my rights to this kingdom by blood...my people deserve a chance just like your's Reinne and I will not deny them their place among Velusia. Look around you, they all are here to witness the moment Blackthorne fell to Darkthorne, the moment Prasutagus triumphed!"

Prasutagus felt the edge of the battlement behind him, his eyes saw the stained glass of the cathedral just a few feet from the inner edge of the battlement. His minions had scaled the wall and stood down there bows notched, while some stood atop the cathedral's roof. Prasutagus smiled as he turned back to the Reinne, his axes lowered from a guarding stance and he came at her. Both axes raised over his head as he came to bring them down atop that pretty head of her's. His footsteps causing the water on the battlement to splash with each pounding foot fall. " DIE!" he cried out at Reinne wishing she would just give up her struggle and fall.

-----------------------

Dramund had been examining the inner workings of the city, checking to see what the defense inside was like. Then out of nowhere a blade came down upon his armor, Dramund was pushed back. He turned and raised his own sword, and laughed, the fool did he think he could damage Dramund's armor?

" You can't dent my armor Cebreese, you know what I am and what I'm capable of doing. Why do you cross swords with me....ahhh I see you've had a change of heart...tsk tsk tsk..now I'll just have to rip it out of your chest so you can die a coward like the rest of these dogs!"

Dramund raised his sword and brought it down on the pavement causing a pulse of flames to fly out from it. Defenders and Darkthornes alike were caught on fire, they fell to the ground screaming as Dramund stood there in the flames. He had cleared the battle ground now it was time to rid himself of his former master once and for all. Dramund raised his blade and swung at Cebreese, a flaming image of his sword with flying out at Cebreese, on impact it would explode. He knew his tricks were too slow to really defeat Cebreese, but he had to keep the lock he'd placed set.

[Reinne Blackthorne]

She never stopped moving, those feet dancing in odd movement on the sodden stone as she worked to keep him confused. The ploy did not work long as she brought her sword around with a growl only to have it met with one of his ax. The shock of steel meeting against steal cause her arms to shudder with the shock and, still she refused to give up. As he spoke she suddenly laughed. He was wrong in his assumptions of her wrong about why she was fighting.

She fought not out of hate, but in order to protect the lives of her people. She would always fight for them, for the right to live in peace..and to simply..live.

" Aye, I feel destiny Prasutagus. I feel the fate I weave not only for myself but for my people. This is the difference between you and I. You fight out of hatred and greed. I fight for freedom and the love of my people. There is no glory in what you do. You claim what is not yours. You seek to steal from us, while you have a kingdom you rule that is just as large. Why is that Prasutagus? Are you not happy there?"

She paused as he suddenly charged toward her before finishing her words as she went on the defensive.

" No....how could you be when you are filled with the poison known as hate."

-CLANG!-

She brought her sword up flat bladed her free palm pressing against the end of it as his axes met with the flat of the blade. Grunting she strained herself as she forced his axes up and away again. Tilting her head she smiled softly as he regained his footing.

" You are a sad being.....brother. Until you know the essence of what love is, you will never be free of the prison you built for yourself."

[Shamus Blackthorne]

Shamus watched Merlindria change forms, so she knew she couldn't match him in strenght eh? Well he couldn't match her in speed in this form, he knew she'd have the advantage. Shamus slowly began to shift forms again, going from the form of the bear, to that of a draconic. Scales covered his body beneath his armor, his eyes became yellow as reptilian wings shot from his back. Fangs and claws emerged as he took on a faster form to combat the crimson witch. So this was it, this was the final battle between the two clans and whoever won, would take all. Shamus could not let himself doubt his skills, he had to win, the people, his family, depended on him. Darkthorne was a plague that would infect all of Velusia if he didn't strike them down.

Shamus let out a draconic roar as he went charging forward towards the crimson witch. So she liked crimson eh, well how about the color of flames? Shamus let loose breath of fire at the feet of the crimson witch, let's have a witch burning. The druids had waged war on the witches for a long time, the fact that Merlindria was a witch and Darkthorne made her even more deadly. And it gave Shamus all the more reason to defeat her, for the witches seemed to have a habit of dark magic. Magic that had once plagued Velusia in the days of his great great grandfather. Dark magic that should be forgotten and exterminate before it can corrupt anymore innocents. Shamus lept into the air, his wings gliding on the breeze as he descended down towards the witch with his swords aimed at her heart.

[gem_sherbrooke]

They road quickly through the deep woods to the octogon shaped tomb. It's exterior door carved deeply with the now familiar tree symbol. As she received the mark of a guardian from Reese, tears filled her eyes. Despite his injuries she leaned in and embraced Reese. "I have always loved you like a brother and friend Reese" She said softly then watched as he entered the tomb and recived the sceptor.

She looked at both the sceptor and this place, deposting them both into her memory so she could return here if ever need be. She moved again to Reese's side to help him as he moved again to the horse, then again to the temple.  She could feel his death was nearing, whispering a prayer to the Ancient Thornes and her goddess to provide him strength.  

Once inside  the temple, they could see a sickly looking seedling on the spot of the rich temple soil.  Gem half draged half carried Reese to the site. Holding him up as he carried the sceptor.  The temple itself seemed to be glowing and looking younger in age. As if the growth of the tree was also renewing the ancint building....

[Longinus]

Longinus went running after Tempest as more masonry fell around him. He tripped over a piece of stone and quickly got back to his feet. His pursuit of her was slowed by his injury, but he couldn't let her get away now. Raven's life would be in constant danger if her sister got away now. The sights of Balgada almost seemed peaceful compared to what Demise had become. It was almost like a hell on earth, he turned a corner spotting a lycal chewing out the guts of one of it's victims. Longinus came charging at the beast which looked up from it's meal and came running at Longinus as well. As the beast went to launch itself on Longinus, he dodge to the left and plunged his blade into the beast side, straight into it's heart. Longinus didn't stop to see it he had taken out the beast, he ran on, noticing that the victim had been a lone Blackthorne.

Longinus saw that the man's weapon was nowhere to be seen, Tempest, she must had just been here. Longinus turned down a street and saw Tempest there at some doors, she had a sword with her. Longinus began to slowly walk towards her, " Now now, don't do anything you'll regret...no one has to die here, don't make me fight you. I don't want to kill Raven's sister, but my love for her is too strong to let me, let you go. I know you'll simply try to hurt her again and I can't allow that, I won't allow that. Not after everything thats happened, I promise you'll get a fair trial, just put the sword down."

Longinus came closer and closer to Tempest, but kept his guard up just in case she tried anything. He wouldn't let himself die now, not after getting a second chance to live his life. The street below them began to crack as not far from them a dragon fell crashing down. He turned for a moment, was that Raven's dragon? He looked it over and instantly knew it wasn't, he turned back around hoping Tempest hadn't tried anything.

[Tempest Rynn]

Tempest kept her eyes upon the end of the hallway waiting for Longinus to turn it. She heard a bit of fighting as while standing there hoping if he was part of it he would die. That hope died when she saw him turn the corner and lay his eyes upon her.
"You are right i should ot do someting that I will regret. But you see I already did that by letting Raven live. So the only way that I will leave here is dead or you take me again.
How sweet my sister as another to love her. Oh did you know that she had a lover in her past. Well at least til I took his life, unfortunely had to kill the boy. For as you should know witnesses are not a good thing."
Tempest brought the blade down letting the tip rest upon the ground. Her eyes watched Longinus' face as he took in what she said. News of raven's husband possibly being the words that hit me the hardest, smirk crossing Tempest's lips.
She kept watch on the distance that was between him for she was ot palying on going easy. As Longinus stepped close enough she swung the sword at an angle at his left leg, taking a step forward as she did.

[Reese Blackthorne]

Reese entered the temple which now was a stone throw from the castle of Lochland. The saproling was nothing more then a regular tree, yet still it held enough power to revive this old temple. It would do nothing for their clan without the pure thorne blood however. Reese began to stumble forward towards the small tree with the sceptor when a figure emerged from the shadows. Reese looked up to see Darien Shadow, an enemy he had fought when he was a young prince many many years ago. Darien had been the one who first told Reese of the apple, and he was the first person Reese had shown mercy.

Darien: " You've barely aged Reese...I've sat in my castle for years looking upon the painting I did of you, awaiting your return old friend. Waiting and hoping you would come back, for I'm ready now, I've had to extend my own life just to get the chance to face you again."

Reese: " You did all this just for a chance at vengance....still following your old ways I see...I can't believe you would hold that hate for this long.."

Darien: " You killed Eslyn, she was the woman I loved Reese...why did you do it?"

Reese: " I didn't kill her, she stepped in the path of your sword to protect me from you. She loved you, she knew that you were not evil, that the evil in you was merely a curse of that sword you hold. She hoped you would come to your senses and stop, but you still thrust your sword at me, killing her for a chance to kill me."

Darien stepped out of the shadows now, into the light, his long white hair flowed behind him. His eyes were distant, his skin still young, but his spirit was old at least two hundred. He was nothing more then a human, a human that had extended his life for vengance. His dark grey clothing was covered in dust, his long grey cloak floated behind him in the gentle breeze as petals fell from the trees around. The petals floated down in between the two men, gliding along the ground.

Darien: " You...You lie, it's your fault, you turned her against me and for that you will die." Darien shook his head in disapproval of what Reese had said about Eslyn.

Reese: " You couldn't beat me then, you barely lived through the fight, I remember you walking off wounded so bad that you could barely stand. If you couldn't beat me then, then what makes you think fighting me again will gain anything? We don't even have to fight, just put that sword down and I'm sure you'll come to your senses Darien."

Reese didn't want to fight Darien, the man had once been a honorable noble, a very skilled painter, and old friend of Reese. They'd grown up together, him, Ronin, and Slayn. Why Darien still held onto that hate which gripped his heart, Reese couldn't guess.

Darien: " I have this sword, it's granted me a longer life and better skills, and besides your weak, you can barely stand. I could walk over there and blow you over with my breath. This is it Reese, your life, your destiny ends here, this sword will be your death and I can rest in peace having avenged my beloved Eslyn."

Reese handed the sceptor to Gem, " I don't know why this has to happen now, but keep the sceptor safe. I'm not sure I'll survive this fight, if I win or lose.., but you know what to do."

Reese only had one hand, he drew his sword and sluggishly stepped forward. Darien smiled as he quickly came over with his own sword bringing it up, their sword clashed together and Darien looked to Reese over his sword, " That apple you planted can give me the chance to bring Eslyn back to life. We'll be together again Reese and theres nothing you can do about it, I can feel you struggling even now against my blade!" Reese was struggling to keep Darien's blade from coming down on him, he jumped back and their swords crossed again, and again as they moved about one another slashing and thrusting again and again.

Reese: " You and Eslyn were Thorneblades, your oath to protect that relic was broken when he took it up. That sword has the power to change a man's destiny, the power to do whatever it's owner wishes, it's power is limitless, but even it can not save your soul Darien."

Darien: " I don't care about my soul anymore, nothing matters without Eslyn, I took up the sword so we could be together and live forever. She...she just didn't understand what I was doing, once she does she'll join me."

Reese had never told anyone about that sword, nor what it had done to him. It had changed his destiny, bound him to the fate he had now, he knew that the sword in the hands of Darien was a danger. But how could he plead with Darien to let go of the blade?

[Eduardo DeLioncourt]

Eduardo could see she was slowly begining to feel drained, even he was starting to feel it. The wind and rain beat down on him, but that was just it, the water gave him strength. The rain gave him just what he needed and no more, it washed over him. Eduardo has sensed a fellow DeLioncourt somewhere, Amadeus..he had him as a shadow apparently. The two of them never seemed to be far apart and yet they were hardly even known in their own clan, which was now dead. Eduardo had been searching for purpose, for a destiny, Anna had befreinded him in battle. And now as the fiend cut her, Eduardo's mind flashed back. Back to that same battle long ago, as he watched the Darkthornes cut the little girl he'd sworn to protect. Used her to get him to do what they wanted, used him like a tool. A tool for war, just like his creators had intended, the rage began to build.

Eduardo's eyes went silver as he thrust his sword into the stone of the battlement. It was a ploy, he spoke to Anna's mind, " Move forward....now!" At that same moment roots sprung up from the ground, thorn covered roots that began to wrap about the fiend as the clones jumped into the air, all lining up. Each one began to meld together as they began to form one giant Eduardo, his hand now coming down to pick up the fiend that had cut Anna, his other hand going to guard and grab Anna. He would not let anymore harm come to her, he would not let her die like the other he'd sworn to protect. He would not be a tool, he would not be manipulated any longer.

The huge Eduardo looked down on the Darkthornes with a sadistic glee, " You've brought this on yourselves, you've made me become this, you want war, I'll give you one!" His foot came over the battlement coming down atop a group of Darkthornes, his armor protecting him from their blades. Eduardo was furies, he'd never been this angery since that fateful day, and now he knew why. He enjoyed the destruction the death, he enjoyed taking each and everyone of those Darkthorne's lives. " I will crush your whole clan under my heel like the insects you are!" Eduardo stood rising up some 18ft, he still drew power from the rain. He would keep Anna safe, prevent anyone from harming her, he was slightly going mad at this point. His mind couldn't tell if this was that same day long ago or the present and similiar circumstances.

His eyes began to glow as his mouth began to spout off various words of power. A ruinic symbol appeared over each of his eyes as green searing rays of destructive energy purged itself from his eyes, corrupting the molecules of those caught in it's glance. Corrupting them to the point of non-existance, he was taking them apart at a cellular level.