[center][h2][color=green]Keriss[/color][/h2][/center] The crown… She had almost lost the crown to her brother. It may have been an illusion, but the experience had pained her all the same Keriss held the crown in her hands, staring at the beauty that was the thorned crown. Those thorns could be felt stabbing at her scaled hands, her grip tightening on the object. How could she allow herself to almost lose the crown; the one thing that was of high sentimental value to her. Keriss could not bare the thought of losing such a sacred item, yet there was no way that she could keep it attached to her. But she must find a way, for losing it would mean the utter destruction of her mind, or what remained of it. So she sat there, gazing past the object in her hand with the a concentrated look. What way could Keriss keep the crown of the mind safe from being taken from her? Perhaps she could hide it somewhere no one would dare look? No, she would be away from it. Mayhaps ask somebody to watch over it? Too much of a liability to trust someone to watch it and the only person she could trust was the Blowfly. With a frustrated sigh, the demi-goddess let her head hit the side of the tunnel, one of the lesser used ones. Her grip of the item tightened and tightened, the thorns pushing between the scales of her large hands. Those amber eyes gazed down, blackened blood began crawling down her hand. When had her blood become black? Was that one of the new features having come from the ash? If so, then she could see no important reason as to why the ash had corrupted what was inside of her. Inside of her… Thoughts began to formulate inside that suffering mind of hers, eyes flicking from crown to bleeding hand. Dots seemed to connect for her. If she could only trust herself to watch after the crown, then perhaps she would keep it safe inside of her. Gently did she set the crown on the floor, bringing her hand close to her chest. Keriss then took her other hand and began digging her nails into the bleeding wound. She took a deep breath and continued to push in, pain spreading through her arm. For a moment did the woman falter, grimacing in pain as she pushed to the bone of her hand. It was as if a fire engulfed her hand, blue fire that refused to cease. A gulp ran through Keriss as began to feel the sharpened nails pierce the other side of her hand. Then she was all the way through, quickly retracting her fingers and gripping her hand as black blood spilled out in buckets. Keriss dared not look, her free hand grabbing the crown and pulling it to the injured one. With the injured hand, she gripped the thorned crown in her hand. [color=green]”Mother, I will not forget you, I refuse to risk the thought of losing you to anyone,”[/color] she spoke, pained tears coming to her eyes. The woman cleared her thoughts as well as she could and concentrated, the black blood began to wrap around the crown, crushing it. It began to be drawn into Keriss, splinters and all. Though, the worst had yet to come as the worst pain that she had experienced shot through her limb. Her teeth grit, she gripped her forearm and attempted not to scream out in agony as she absorbed the artifact into her. Keriss slumped to the side, tears running down her face as the pain would soon become unbearable. Seconds felt like minutes, minutes felt like hours as she awaited for the pain to cease. It was an eternity before the feeling subsided, but the job was done and the crown was one with her now. With her hand very much still bleeding, Keriss attempted to get to her feet, sliding up the wall. She took deep breaths and looked at the other wall, ash flowing into sight before coming towards her. The woman held her hand out to it, it accepted and wrapped itself around the wound, stopping the bleeding. Now she could not lose the thing that reminded her of her family, of her mother. It was a blessed thought that would have brought a smile to her face had she not still felt dead on the broken on the inside. There was but one thing that the demi-goddess wanted. She wanted to make her brother feel exactly the pain that she had felt when he had taken away her crown. Keriss wanted vengeance. [hr] The Suffering One had come up with her plan to destroy the being that dared to wrong her many times over. She would need to take away his “playthings” and that would take time for she knew that it would be a bad move should she do it in the open, certain death. Instead, Keriss would need to develop something that would allow her to destroy his creations while she remained unnoticed. Though, the question more was what she would do in order to keep the attention off of her for the time being. With a scoff, she tapped her foot on the ground for a moment before beginning to take a seat, ash forming into a comfortable seat. Tapping could be heard coming down the mostly unused tunnel, earning the attention of the demi-goddess. A dagon, such a hideous and lowly creature, strolled down the tunnel towards Keriss. It seemed that it had not thought anyone was down here as it gave a look of shock when it spotted her sitting in that ashen throne of hers. The dagon stopped and looked at the ashen one, contemplating on whether it should walk away or speak to the general. [color=green]”What? Do I look strange to you, mortal?,”[/color] Keriss hissed, eyes narrowing at the filth that stood in front of her. Her mouth hid behind her hands as she interlocked the fingers, staring down the dagon. Her amber eyes bared hatred towards the being, scanning the dagon. [color=gray]”I was on my way to the Cipher, thought this was a shortcut,”[/color] the dagon spoke in a deep voice, not sounding intimidated by the presence of the demi-goddess. However, Keriss saw through the voice; how he gulped, how he shuffled his feet around, how his breathing grew slightly faster. [color=gray]”I will find a different path,”[/color] he turned away. Ashen tendrils silently followed, suddenly wrapping themselves around the dagon’s hands and legs forcing the being to the ground and dragging it to Keriss. Now it remained still there, suspended upside down in the air as the demi-goddess got to her feet to stare inspect the dagon. [color=green]”No. Please, stay. I have plans for you, welp. You will help me destroy the Enas.”[/color] A wicked smile overtook Keriss’ face. At those words, the Dagon began to thrash around as much as he could in a desperate attempt to become free from the tendrils that bound him. [color=gray]”I will not revoke my faith! You cann-”[/color] Something forced its way into his mouth, forming a gag. [color=green]Shush. Soon, you will renounce that faith of yours. First, I will break your body. Then, I will break your spirit!,”[/color] Keriss laughed, throwing the dagon into the throne which shifted into a table which strapped down the dagon. The demi-goddess gleefully skipped over to the side of the table, laughing maniacally. She ran a nail alongside the side of the dagon, some blood red scales coming off as they snagged on her nail. Setting her hand on his chest, eyes growing black as her sight flickered from his face. Soon, she pressed down on creature’s chest slowly before she began pushing down on the ribs. Pressure began to build up before a crunching sound began to be heard. The dagon roared in pain, the feeling being amplified to unbearable levels by some mysterious power. It became very hard to breath, but he felt the general lift her hand up from his chest which helped to alleviate the pressure but not the pain. However, new pain emerged in his hands. He desperately turned his head to see what the demi-goddess began to slowly rip out his claws. Keriss stopped half-way, giggling quietly. [color=green]”Do you renounce your allegiance to the Enas?”[/color] the demi-goddess questioned, maddened and sadistic eyes staring right into the dagon’s own. Unfortunately, the poor full made the mistake of shaking his head as opposed to nodding.He released another pained roar as Keriss ripped the nail out, moving to the next. Then the next, then the next. It seemed like hours had passed, Keriss sadistically laughing as she pulled out the dagon’s claws slowly. Eventually, she would find herself without anymore nails to pull out. The torturer repeated her question. Once more did the dagon shake his head, soon finding the back of his hand travelling across his face with the force to snap a regular man’s neck. It hurt, but not as much as the other forms of torture. [color=green]”Fool, your Enas hardly thinks that you exist. You are his plaything and nothing else. Me? I can make you stronger, immune to the feeling of pain!,”[/color] Keriss stated, seeing if the offer would do anything to make the dagon reconsider who he truly served. [color=gray]”At- at least the E-Enas does not t-t-torture those who follow h-him,”[/color] the dagon choked out, hardly able to speak with such pain running through his body. Another slap went across his face, this time knocking a tooth loose. Another sadistic smile went across the woman’s face, as she left the side of the table. Minutes passed before she returned, this time with a bucket of blood that she so happened to procure from the lovely blood storm. Keriss suspended the dagon in the air once more with ashen tendrils, this time just not upside down. The bucket was pressed against his lips and his nose soon found itself clogged with ash. That crimson liquid began to pour its way into his mouth, he gagged after he tried to spit it out only to realized that Keriss would not stop pouring. Grudgingly, he accepting and began to drink the blood before choking on it some more after he failed to swallow it all. The dagon felt ready to burst at any moment. Suddenly the dagon was on the ground, fists coming into contact with him. Kicks barraged his side and all he could do was hold up his arms to try to block some of the blows. Not even that helped for the general just continued to kick and punch until, very painfully, the dagon began to throw up the blood that Keriss had forced him to ingest. Just as quickly as that happened he found himself back on his back on the table. [color=green]”Do you renounce your faith?,”[/color] Keriss questioned once more, and the dagon simply refused. With an annoyed growl, the demi-goddess stated to the beast, [color=green]”Very well.”[/color] [hr] Days passed with torture method after torture method being subjected to the dagon before he finally broke, not able to handle anymore pain. He renounced his faith to the almighty Enas, proving to Keriss that their tolerance was not infinite. [color=green]”Good, good. Now to dispose of this wretched body and give you a true blessing!”[/color] Keriss jammed her hand straight through the dagon’s chest, willing for the ash that was of her body to convert the dagon into a more desirable form. First the scales of the dagon become as gray as the ash that converted it. Then the form began to change, the dagon became smaller as the ash converted some of his mass to form large leather wings. Muscle drained to form a large, slender tail, capable of whipping a man’s skin off his back. His lips receded to show the pink of his gums, all his teeth sharpening and becoming unevenly jagged. Roars of pain converted to high pitched screeches. Eyes glowed yellow, head rounded perfectly, skin smoothed. Finally, Keriss drew back her arm, ripping it out of the poor fool’s chest, the ash healing him. He fell to his knees, gasping for air like a newborn baby. [hider=Mortas, Prince of the Ash] [img]https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uOBoCDgexq8/V60Qio3y_iI/AAAAAAAAF5o/fS_Agm31uFAjL2Fg9yKIdStecETKmNSvACLcB/s1600/1-09-09-Harpie_v_%25283%2529.jpg[/img] [/hider] [color=green]”Good, good! Now rise my champion! I shall give you a new name for your rebirth!”[/color] Keriss said, pride overcoming her for the first time in ages. However, something felt wrong about all this, feeling no better than her brother. [color=green]”I name thee, Mortas, Prince of the Ash!”[/color] Mortas looked up at Keriss, getting to his feet - only coming up to chest level. He remained silent, his eyes going to look at the ground. [color=green]”I will not bother to have you swear your allegiance to me for I can kill you at any time should you become disobedient. Understand?”[/color] He nodded. [color=green]”Good. Now, flee the city and go past the Ironheart Mountains. I want you to train yourself in the Venomweald.”[/color] The champion departed immediately, having to sneak past dagon on his way out. After getting out of the tunnels, it was easy to get out of the city. He must obey. [hr] [b]”Really now Keriss? First you lose to Amartia and now you go and do the same thing he did? The mind is not your domain.”[/b] A voice stated from behind Keriss. Upon turning to the voice, a horrified look came upon her face. It was Keriss, the Keriss that she was when she was first born; proud, confident, ruthless, sane. It was the forgotten side of Keriss. [b]”Why are so filled with contradictions?”[/b] [color=green]”I am not! You know that Sin is going to deserve what comes to him and I am going to make it happen!”[/color] Keriss hissed, stepping back as thoughts began to race through her mind. [b]”Yes, you are! You are no better than him! Look at you! Who are you now?! You are not me! You are no daughter of the mind!”[/b] the past spoke, stepping forward in a confident fashion with wings spreading. The sight intimidated Keriss who pushed her back against the wall, breath becoming fast. [b]”You are a mess. You do not deserve the name Keriss. Figure out who you are or else your mind will destroy itself.”[/b] Voice began to reappear in her head once more, except not the voice of the ash but of herself as she thought and thought about who she was. Who was she? [i]Who was she?[/i] [hider=summary][list] [*]Keriss, being the mess she is, obsesses over the fact that she almost loses the crown and goes on to absorb it and its power into her body to prevent herself from losing it. [*]She then thinks to herself what is the best way to take down her brother and make him pay for wronging her and downgrading her. [*]A dagon happens through as she thinks, a fantastic little idea coming to her mind. What if she ran an experiment? [*]Keriss tortures the dagon, forcing him to break and renounce his faith to Sin [*]A hero is born! He is name Mortas and he is no longer a dagon, but something more powerful! [*]Mortas is ordered to go to the Venomweald and train. [s]There will be a post on his travels later :3[/s] [*]Keriss begins conflicting over who she really is now for she has fallen so far. She is no better than her brother. [/list] [/hider] [hider=might summary][list] [*] [b]Might Beginning:[/b] 4 [*] 1 might spent to absorb the crown and its power into her. [*] Portfolio action (Suffering) to break the dagon [*] 1 might spent to convert the dagon’s form. [*] 1 might spent to make the hero, Mortas [*] [b]Might Remaining:[/b] 1[/list] [/hider]