[center][h2][img]http://oi60.tinypic.com/29wsvhs.jpg[/img]
[B][U][I][color=#00001A]Chimeric Lord of Chaos[/color][/I][/U][/B][/h2]
[h3][I]Loom's Ghettos
Morning[/I][/h3]
[url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GL1hM1HeJPM]Theme I[/url]\|/[url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pG6Ijko_nzY&list=WLCC033E4A99581CB2]Theme II[/url]\|/[url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vyWn5RcLA7c]Theme III[/url][/center][hr]
With Darius' angle taken care of, Szayeis transported himself to Loom, his shadowy visage walking through a shadow in Kenan, and stepping out on the other side in Loom. He was in a familiar place, one that roused memories of the days just before the destruction of the city that had since been rebuilt.

Loom's ghettos. A terrible group of despicable houses, shacks rather. Some were simply abandoned and derelict, whereas others were the centers for drug distribution and crime. Others still were minor renegade meeting places. How the authorities still had not managed to clean this place up even after rebuilding the city and policing it for the last 150 years the demon did not know. Still, how the darkness persisted in a country that liked to think itself a utopia amused him. It was the wonderful stain in a city that otherwise might be perfect.

He chuckled, for it were these very ghettos that would once again allow him a great many things. Still, one thing at a time.

With this in mind, the lord exited the alley and almost immediately found himself surrounded by a group of ten armed humans. Not that their weapons were anything notable. None of them were enchanted from what he could tell, and only four of them were firearms. He smirked, [color=#00001A][B]“Now how may I assist you in the beginning of this wonderful day?”[/B][/color]

Their apparent leader, a man who carried two weapons, one appearing to be some kind of powerful revolver, and the other a worn dagger, spoke up, [I][U]“Yeah, drop all your belongings, strip, then scram!”[/U][/I]

Szayeis' smile only grew, oh how this scrappy bum reminded him of Aeriqi, it was too bad the fellow was almost certainly dead. He wondered what had ever become of Anarchy and his brother, the Emissary.

[I][U]“I said drop yer shit, demon!”[/U][/I] Szayeis raised an eyebrow at the man and took a step forwards, earning him a swift shot in the leg. The leg didn't crumple, or bleed at all. [I][U]“Any closer and it'll be yer life that's lost, chump,”[/U][/I] Szayeis twitched and his eyes narrowed. [color=#00001A][B]“Very well, human, you want to play games? Then we'll play games,”[/B][/color] what little light there was from the recently risen sun suddenly vanished within their immediate vicinity, culled by shadow.

The little gang whirled and spun about, trying to figure out what was going on. They called eachother's names and huddled into a tight circle, their backs facing their comrades so they could collectively see in all directions. Szayeis sighed, [color=#00001A][B]“You humans are such a sorry lot. You've not a clue who you're dealing with, but you know me new to the area, so you immediately presume I am prey ripe for the killing. Fools, all of you.”[/B][/color] The voice came from everywhere, its source impossible to locate. [color=#00001A][B]“You even knew I was a demon and still thought to assault me.”[/B][/color]

The group collectively began to sweat, the leader in particular, whose eyes glowed ever so slightly in the dark. Szayeis smirked, and as he did white eyes and a toothy grin spread in the darkness around them. They could all see it, as if it encircled them, even though it didn't. Illusion magic was easy for a nightwalker. [I][U]“Come out and fight head to head, you c-coward!”[/U][/I] Szayeis simply laughed, then his eyes trained on their leader, piercing right through him to his core. [color=#00001A][B]“You know, I was going to devour you, all of you, but I have a better idea. Let's play a game,”[/B][/color] his grin widened.

All of them would suddenly know that they were unable to move even a milimeter, their bodies would not respond, and even when they did it was like trying to move while encased in ice or a hardened mold of mysterious make. Twas the darkness that held them fast—the very shadows that composed the lord's body.

[color=#00001A][B]“Let's see which one of you breaks first,”[/B][/color] his voice teased darkly. It was now that the whispers began.

[I]Tear them up. Eat their souls.
Burn them alive!
Tear out their eyes...hahaha, yes their eyes. Rip their pupils from the orbs first. Make them suuuffer,[/I]

Szayeis began to hum softly, the tune a [url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vyWn5RcLA7c]haunting melody[/url]. The group felt like the darkness was closing in, yet their eyes could see...something. Little flecks of light, like dust, floating, drifting, and sputtering all around them. However, they were not charming like the light of lightning bugs, or stars in the sky—though they seemed as numerous.

[I]Let me out, please...let me go!
Szayeis, master, lord, I will serve you well. I'll never fail again, don't do it![/I]

A cold sweat broke out in the group and two of them began to whimper, another began to cry softly. [I]”Please don't let this be the end...I don't want to die,”[/I] one of them whimpered quietly, though his voice was like thunder in the whisper filled silence.

[I]Rend them from their vessels, master. Let me have them...[/I] 

Szayeis' eyes glanced at an area of the darkness suddenly, the space where something familiar dwelled, and where another whisper, a louder one, began to speak.

[I][U]Let us serve you again, lord Szayeis....[/U][/I]

The leader's eyes darted to the area as the light in that spot began to grow. It was devouring the other specks and increasing in its brightness because of it.

Then, as a series of phrases were whispered in the minds of the group, the leader covered his ears...and began to scream. He'd lost it. The feeling of overwhelming terror that surrounded him had compiled into panic and fear.

Szayeis looked to him, and smiled. [color=#00001A][B]“Wonderful, it seems we have a winner,”[/B][/color] without any further comment there were the sound of seven screams, before they were all cut short. Blood could be heard dropping into puddles on the ground, but what was worse were the continued wailing of the seven souls that Szayeis now held. They could not return to the void, not while they were within his body, for that's what the darkness was.

The leader continued to scream for a solid minute as Szayeis weaved the souls into one, then plucked the brightest of the lights from his form, and pressed it into the center of the mass.

Finally, he thrust the essence into the leader's body and it was in this moment that his screaming ceased.

The darkness receded and again there was light and the sounds of the city. [color=#00001A][B]“You sacrifice your sense of self, for power. You will be named...Taihi of the Many, though you may have once had three names,”[/B][/color] Szayeis smiled at this, seeming satisfied. It was even better that the other seven had given unto him their bodies and the remainder of the essence that lay therein.

[I][U]“Thank you, lord,”[/U][/I] Taihi said, his eyes turning to his master, both old and new.

[color=#00001A][B]“Your very welcome, just know that should you defy me, I shall return the Many to their origin, and you will gain no third chance. Understood?”[/B][/color] The Many nodded, its human guise hardly representative of its true nature, for while it was human, it was also demon-both surface and Hellion. Still, its essence was seven fold human, and only three fold demonic. The golden irised avatar smiled at Szayeis for a long moment and shook itself, [I][U]“Understood, my lord and master. I could not defy you even should my purpose will it. I am yours completely.”[/U][/I] [color=#00001A][B]“Good,”[/B][/color] was Szayeis' simple response before he turned from the avatar, strode through a shadow, and was gone.

His first avatar since his return looked upon the locale of his lord's leaving for a long moment, before a smile cover the Many's face, and he began to laugh. [I][U]“We are free brothers. We can again be Emissary to his will, and sow Anarchy in his name. Though I find that we have a far more intriguing purpose now. It really is too bad that we are of  eight souls, when he thinks us of ten. Amusing nonetheless.”[/U][/I]

It was with this that Aeri-...Taihi, turned and strode deeper into Loom's ghettos. It was time to do some recruiting for the lord after all.

[center][color=#67D1A0][h2][U][B]Reates Saerne[/B][/U][/h2][/color][url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g3ptEkhZdH4]Theme I[/url]/|\[url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JLnrQid0_Qg]Theme II[/url]
[h1][B]Flashback[/B][/h1][h3][I]Eighty-two Years Ago – A Thursday in Spring
Europe - Nathan's Estate - The Plateau[/I][/h3][/center]
There they stood again, just like every Thursday of a month's second week, with his uncle on one edge of the Plateau, arms behind his back, one hand clasping the other's wrist, eyes trained on him.

He stood at the edge opposite his uncle and guardian, green eyes shining fiercely in the evening light. The sun was setting behind him, but its movement was gradual as it moved ever so gracefully from the sky and below the horizon. The scene was like something from some old film, a stand off between two powerful mages, each sizing the other up from a safe distance—awaiting their opponent to make the first move, daring them to, betting that they would strike first.

It was too bad that Reates was not yet skilled in the act of gambling.

He blinked, and the very air around his uncle suddenly pressed in on the man, who made no attempt to stop it. Instead, he merely breathed in, the air cycling through his body, then releasing in his exhale as flames, which licked about his form, before coalescing into the sky and fading away.

Clouds began to form ever so slowly in the clear sky. Reates smirked and raised his hand in front of his body, opening his palm. [color=#67D1A0][B]“C'mon uncle, don't be borin',”[/B][/color] he called across the 100 or so meters of distance between them. The plateau was a massive formation that his uncle had purchased for a large sum of money, almost solely for the purpose that they were about to display.

[color=004b80][I]“Now Reates, have you learned nothing? Patience is such a valuable skill, particularly in a magical duel,”[/I][/color] Nathan said, a small smile laid across his face as he stared across at his only nephew. He wondered what the little rascal would throw at him this time.

As if hearing his uncle's thoughts, Reates suddenly closed his hand, almost immediately causing the entire plateau to shudder and creak as stone ground against stone. Nathan glanced down at the stone and tilted his head. Reates just smirked as the earth that Nathan stood on seemed to crumble, then grasp upwards, forming an appendage almost as fast as it had ceased to be a part of the landscape. Nathan, somewhat surprised by his nephew's antics, found his legs firmly held by the large hand. It was too bad he'd been a Practitioner far longer than Reates, as otherwise that very well have been his end. As if to illustrate this point the stone suddenly glowed in a variety of locales, many lines and symbols suddenly apparent in the off-white light, which shone from its surface.

Reates' eyes widened as the stone fractured and was sprayed in all directions, but Nathan wasn't done. No, each individual stone was now inscribed with its own sigil, and as such each stone curved in its trajectory and headed directly for Reates whose eyes lit up with glee. He raised his other hand and gripped his glasses, deftly pulling them from his face, folding them, coating them in essence, and stowing them on his person.

The world around him lit up and as it did his hands sprung into motion, fingers flickering about, and arms waving as if he were preforming an elaborate dance. Each stone nearly struck him, curving only within several feet of his person, before shattering to create a screen of dust. Before even half of the debris had reached him, Reates' entire side of the plateau had been obscured by dirt and dust both.

Nathan, who had by now gently floated down to the ground, merely chuckled. He  brought his hand to his breast-pocket and with drew an old fashioned pocket watch which he watched for exactly five tics. On the fifth tick he looked up and there was Reates, dashing out of the cloud, essence shrouding his form. [color=004b80][I]“Just like clockwork, nephew,”[/I][/color] said Nathan as he flipped the watch closed and dropped it into his pocket where it was safe. Reates continued his dash, before suddenly letting himself slide. The moment he crossed 2/3rds of the distance his foot came down, and his entire body suddenly sunk into the earth at roughly a 115 degree angle. The ground shuddered once more as pillars of essence shot up through the Plateau, then suddenly changed trajectory in right turns to strike Nathan. The master just raised a single finger and swept it before him.

Each would-be strike rippled and then dispersed. The mage then hopped forwards as Reates emerged from the ground, his body wreathed in flames. [color=004b80][I]“You have no patience, boy,”[/I][/color] Nathan said, shaking his head as he turned halfway towards Reates. His apprentice however, did not have a look of disappointment in his eyes. Nathan's eyes widened as suddenly the dispersed essence solidified, forming a spherical prison around him, upon which were hundreds of interweaved sigils, each with their own unique keys. Reates then snapped his fingers and the dust on what had been his half of the plateau cleared to reveal a massive golem wrought of stone, whose fists now hurtled downwards to strike Nathan.

His uncle, now somewhat impressed, raised his other arm, altered his stance, and closed his eyes. [color=004b80][I]“Very well, Reates. You've proven you're worthy of the family name. However...”[/I][/color] the air wavered around him, [color=004b80][I]“...you've forgotten why they call me The Rippling Serpent.”[/I][/color] The sphere of essence began to shudder as ripples traversed over its surface. The very fabric of its making began to alter and then it snapped into the form of a massive hand, which proceeded to block the downwards strike of the golem. Nathan's eyes opened and the golem crumbled, then evaporated, before Nathan himself vanished.

Before Reates knew what had hit him, he could see his uncle standing over him with a smile, and reaching his hand down to help him up. [color=004b80][I]“Up boy, we're not done yet, the sun's not below the horizon, and you've yet to lay a scratch on me.”[/I][/color] Reates however, rather than take his uncle's hand, burst into laughter.

Nathan withdrew his hand, looking down at Reates inquisitively. [color=#67D1A0][B]“I can't believe you decided to just break the binding sigil, and then use your own cage as a weapon!”[/B][/color] He continued to laugh, sitting up somewhat as he did so. Nathan just shook his head and chuckled, [color=004b80][I]“Patience and observation are key, Reates, if you don't learn that it won't matter that you've been gifted with the Sight. You'll just be a half-rate mage, and we can't have that, now can we?”[/I][/color] Reates wiped his eyes and rose back to his feet, accepting his uncle's hand when it was offered again. He looked to the man, a smile on his face as it always was. [color=#67D1A0][B]“Haha, that's okay uncle, as I've got two things you don't,”[/B][/color] Nathan raised an eyebrow, [color=004b80][I]“Oh, and what would those be?”[/I][/color]

Reates smirked and patted his uncle's shoulder, [color=#67D1A0][B]“My youth, and a plan.”[/B][/color] Nathan realized too late before a severe jolt of electricity traveled through his body, while Reates remained unaffected despite standing right next to the spot where a lightning bolt had just struck.

He was laughing again, whereas Nathan was twitching, his hair on end, and his clothes burned in various places. The man sighed and shook his head, being unable to avoid smiling, [color=004b80][I]“C'mon you, let's get back to the house. I've had quite enough of your foolishness.”[/I][/color]

Reates laughed a bit more before locking eyes with Nathan, his eyes literally glowing with mirth. [color=#67D1A0][B]“Not until you admit I gotcha good.”[/B][/color] Nathan stared into his nephew's glowing green eyes for a long moment before finally letting up and sighing, [color=004b80][I]"Fine, you got me, but only once."[/I][/color] Reates smirked, [color=#67D1A0][B]"A hit's a hit, Uncle,"[/B][/color] he replied, his uncle grumbling as he heard it. [color=#67D1A0][B]"Ye know what that means [I]Nathan[/I]."[/B][/color] Nathan turned away and began to walk towards the edge of the plateau, Reates quickly followed, weaving a simple levitation sigil, which he pushed onto his feet so as to follow his uncle into the air where they began to walk, if one could call it that, back to their home. [color=#67D1A0][B]"Ya promised you know,"[/B][/color] Reates said after several minutes of silence. Finally, he heard a sigh, [color=004b80][I]"Very well, you are allowed into my library for one hour,"[/I][/color] Reates groaned in response. [color=004b80][I]"You hit me once, so you get one hour. That was the deal."[/I][/color]

[color=004b80][I]"Oh, and no nicking my books,"[/I][/color] Nathan added, scowling back at Reates for a moment, he merely snickered. [color=#67D1A0][B]"If a snake slithers I'll swear notta take anythin',"[/B][/color] at this reply, Nathan stopped--Reates followed suit. For a long moment the senior mage simply stood there. After several minutes, he turned around and raised his hand, [color=004b80][I]"Shake on it then."[/I][/color] Reates, with no hesitation took his uncle's hand and shook. [color=004b80][I]"Good,"[/I][/color] Nathan then turned and they walked the rest of the way back.
[hr]

Four hours later, Nathan strode into his library and gasped in horror.

It was empty.

[color=004b80][I]"Diabhal go léir(Damn it all),"[/I][/color] he swore under his breath in gaelic before stalking out of the library. [I]He[/I] was the snake, and he wasn't slithering, he was standing. The little bastard had tricked him again.

He may have been the elder of the two, and certainly the more skilled mage, but Reates had him beat in word games, and it seemed that much would never change.

Perhaps one day he'd figure his nephew out. Today however, was not that day. No, today was the day he drank heavily, knowing he couldn't rightly take his books back till the day had passed. After all, he had long ago foolishly agreed to such terms with his nephew. Of course, back then he hadn't known just how clever the boy was at word play.

He continued to mutter curses under his breath as he headed for the wine cooler.

Sometimes it was best to just drown his annoyance.