18 The Wish for no Light in the Darkness

Darkness; Its void impenetrable.

Existing in oblivion for a period of time, Azeal finally opens his eyes. Only to find darkness completely engulfing him. Panicking at the lack of sight, whether it be mundane or magical, he swerves his body around to find something noticeable; something different.

Yet, no matter the effort he put in, the darkness pursued him. Enduring all attempts made to get rid of it. Coming close to his breaking point, Azeal could not keep his unusual calm.

He tried screaming, but no sound came out. He tried striking the shadows, but they only bent and wrapped around them.

No No No! I need to get out! I have to get out!

Just as he was breaking down, he shut his eyes as though they would make a difference. But this time around, he concentrated with all his might on a single thing; an individual need. The need to get out.

As he did so, this dark world began to shake and vibrate in irregular rhythms. Only then did Azeal notice there was no ground to stand on, nor were there any form of boundaries. He was floating in it. Floating in absolute darkness.

As the shaking continued, a single crack came into being in front of him. The longer the irregular vibrations continued, the more it grew. Branching out into a hundred other smaller cracks, until they created a mosaic.

Reaching his hand out to touch the window like an apparition, it shattered completely at his touch. Falling down like a million stars deemed the world worthy of their light.

Behind it, all was a strange glowing orb slowly pulsing. Covering his eyes at the sudden change in light, Azeal chose to see what the sphere was. As he got closer though, the flashes of light started to speed up in sync with him. Finding this odd, he stopped and began to take a few steps back to test his theory. He was correct, every time he walked farther from it, the pulsing slowed.

Coming to a decision, he ran towards the orb hoping the increase would not cause it to malfunction.

But, once he made it there, he found himself wishing he never came near it. Falling to his knees, his tears began to flow down his cheeks. His heartbreaking at the what he was being shown. The scene was continually changing with every pulse of light.

Every time it changed it showed… death.

A scene of him killing and destroying the things he sought to protect. The longer he watched the orb, the more he saw the dull and dark grey of death in his emotional sight. One after another he killed; forever removing their beautiful emotions from this world.

No matter how much malice had contaminated their emotions in those moments, they all changed into a beautiful form before they died. They turned into fear, longing, and even one had… had love in its heart.

That last death caused him an incredible amount of grief and sadness. He had snuffed out a carrier of love. A vessel of absolute beauty! For every carrier of love killed, another out in the world would lose its divinity all because he could not control his rage.

Screaming heart-wrenching cries, Azeal could not hold his pain any longer. He bawled at the senseless death he had caused. At the loss of emotions taken from this world.

As his sobbing continued, a sudden splashing sound resounded in his mind. Looking behind him, a continuous splattering of red fell from the void onto an unperceivable floor. As he watched, it continued for a while until it stopped. Only then did he have the courage to see what the massive puddle of red liquid was.

Reaching his hand out, it felt visceral. Bring a finger he dabbed into the liquid to his mouth; a certain metallic taste exploded into his mouth. Falling back into a seated position, Azeal hurriedly crawled away from the blood that now inhibited this dark world.

'Ding'

System –

Skill –

Blind Emotion - High Tiered (High)

Power gained is Power paid – Until the Price is adequate you will not have the right to use this skill. It may cost much, but to many, it is worth the price paid. Is that true for you?

- Locked – three conditions must be met -

- Condition 1 – 'The simplest of the three, it is not a price, but a confirmation of your ability.'

- Face an opponent a minimum of twenty-five levels above you and not die.

- Unlocked - Emotion Sight - You sense all emotions, every ounce of joy, sadness, and hate. Here you must find balance, for failing to will destroy your weakened mind. Making you nothing more than an insane creature, having lost all modicum of thought. But, if you make it past the pain and suffering, then rejoice in the glory of your success!

- Condition 2 – A price in blood must be paid. Sacrifices for you, because without it you will have no power! It is a great cost, but worth it in the end… or is it?

-For every death caused by your hand, a splash of blood will appear in your mental scape. Until the eventual happens and it has become filled with the sacrifices you have brought. Worry not, once your mental scape has become filled, the blood will be used to power your final skill.

- 176/??????

- Condition 3 – '…'

____________________________________________________________

"Harold! We are being attacked!"

Roland's urgent call broke Lana and Aifen out of their loving embrace. For most of the night, they had hidden away from prying eyes to bask in the love they had for each other. But, most importantly, to hide from her father's wrath.

Theirs was a forbidden love. Of a master and her slave. Of two unequal beings, each born into different worlds. Yet, they had decided that no matter the cost, no matter who stood in their way, or what her father and family demanded they would never be forced apart.

Lana would make sure of it! She would run away if the need arose, consequences be damned! They could escape into the BeastKin Kingdom and open a famous restaurant to live in peace.

Getting up, Lana hurriedly put on her clothes and armor with Aifen's help. After a few kisses and nuzzles, she pushed him away,

"Aifen! I would love to continue this moment for eternity, but I have duties to keep if we wish this a secret to not spread to my father! Now, put on your clothes and grab your huge butcher knife you call a sword and meet me near father!"

Aifen smiled his usual silly smile, the one Lana had fallen in love with many years ago,

"Yes, my love, but a kiss for luck! Please!"

Giggling, Lana embraced him and put every ounce of love she could in it.

Breaking apart, she got up and ran away towards where the commotion was building. Making sure she brushed her hair down before she was in view of any wandering soul.

As she saw her father, she returned to her practiced stoic and serious expression. Luckily she was already at the back of the formation when she came of their hiding spot. Her father stood tall next to Menadril, a StagKin her father freed from the Colosseum with the other three beastkin. Unlike the others who were well-known warriors, he was a mage of great capability. One of the greatest he had ever met, her father once said to her.

Trying to maintain her expression she saw Aifen running towards them from the other side of the camp with his signature sword, made personally for him by her father as a gift for his loyalty. It was hard not to smile, but she succeeded at it.

"Father, who is attacking us?" She asked seriously,

Her father seemed lost in his thoughts, not hearing her the first or second time she repeated herself. Finally coming to a decision, she looked to where her father was staring at. As she tried to see past the fighting, a resounding roar sounded out deep in enemy lines. Activating her skill enhanced sight, she looked past the front line held by the three beastkin her father freed and to where the roar came from.

There, in the center of a magical storm, was the Raug they had found on their path towards Thols. A center of darkness and fire blasting out while earth spikes killed the assaulting and unusually well-armored bandits.

Lana could not believe her eyes, what was in front of her was not the childish idiot Roland nursed back to health. Nor was he the competent warrior that had sparred with her father for the duration of a few seconds.

He was death incarnate. With a wave of his hand, droves of men died. She feared looking into his eyes, but she had an indescribable urge to do so.

Yet, she did not find what she expected. There was no coldness in his eyes. No apathy towards the death of the bandits. No rage or hate.

She found him with tears streaming down his eyes. As though he cared about the bandits; their evil lives were with meaning...?

She could not fathom what could be going through the Raug's mind.

Lana found him incredibly naive.