[center][img]https://txt-dynamic.static.1001fonts.net/txt/dHRmLjcyLmU0NzEwYy5RWE51YjJkaC4xAAAA/scriptina.regular.png[/img][/center][hr][hr] Minutes ago, the field was lush and green, almost a tribute to nature's. Now it was host to more blades of steel than blades of grass. Ajen lay on the dead earth, his shoulder penetrated by such a spear, binding him to the ground. Overshadowing him was a glowing beacon of a man, surrounded by a divine mandala of solar light that overshadowed the one Ajen [i]tried[/i] to create in just presence alone. "The battle is over" Ketz said coldly, "It was over the second you challenged me again, and it was over the second you challenged me the [i]first[/i] time. It's not even a yearly occasion that I extend mercy to a challenger twice. My part in this fight is now beyond your ken. Your battle is with the reaper, now, boy." He began to turn around, his form transitioning from divine power to mortal fleh, giving reprieve of blinding light to the challenger. But Ajen would have none of that. "I'll atleast extend notice to the village. If you don't move you [i]may[/i] have enough energy to sur--" Ketz felt something hit the back of his neck. Something wet, yet warm. Spit. He turned around. Despite being impaled through the shoulder with a spear, stabbed six times in his abdomen, as well as whatever other countless bruises and scrapes Ketz inflicted on him, Ajen only had a shit eating grin, which quickly turned into a scowl. Wielding his spear with one hand, it's tip glew, until it fired a single projectile at Ketz, whiffing him entirely. Honestly, Ketz thought, the only thing remotely challenging about that whelp was his own arrogance. "You just wasted what could have been the last of your Aether, boy. How about for once in your life you [i]don't[/i] embarass--" Ajen spat again, this time hitting Ketz right in the cheek. The Solar Avatar closed his eyes and sighed deeply. He pointed a single finger out towards his dying opponent. In the distance, the sun seemed to "hiccup" for a brief moment, before a ray of pure solar energy shot from it, and flew straight down to Ajen's position, obliterating his entire being, his entire physical form being burned to nothingness. When the attack ended, all that was present of the challenger was nothing but horridly charred earth. Good, now that the insufferable knave was gone. For good. [center][img]https://i.imgur.com/CpyrX61.png[/img][/center][hr][hr] Ajen found himself surrounded by blinding light. Not golden, exalted light of the sun, but white and sterile. His vision was too clouded blurred as he lay on the ground. But then, he felt a healing sensation come over him. His wounds were sealed shut, cuts and bruises healed, even his mind was liberated of the shock and disorientation. By the time he was able to put his feet under his ass, he found himself surrounded by several other men and women, in a massive plain white room. At the front of the crowd stood an incredibly pale woman, who continued speaking whatever speech she was on while Ajen had his brain still tossed around. "ask any and all questions now before we proceed." Was the only part he made sense of. "Yeah! I do!" Ajen loudly proclaimed, raising his hand before she even finished her sentence, "Could you explain all that again really quick?" [center][color=D98880][h2]Spiritverse[/h2][/color][/center][hr][hr] The phone rung a full round. Then a second one, and then half of a third one before Alena gave in and answered. "Yeah? Who is this?" She asked, still half asleep, slapping around her nightstand for her glasses. "Alena, it's Jeffrey. Have you gotten your hands on the Isca Daila yet?" The phone buzzed. "Yeah, just last month." The shaman replied to her former mentor. She clenched the phone on her neck as she walked to the nearby dresser, pulling open the bottom drawer-- All the way out, setting it on the ground. She then reached into the hollow space, pulling out a purple tome. "You're sure it's the real deal? Not a reprint?" Jeffrey asked her. "Yep, the original." Alena remarked, blowing a cloud of dust from the inside. The pages inside were filled with incomprehensible sigils and ritual circles. "Alright, that's good. Would you mind if I borrowed it for a few days?" "Sure," Alena shrugged her free shoulder, "If you can actually read it. I've tried translating it for like a week and I haven't figured out a word." "That's no problem. We just need the book itself. We'll come pick it up in the morning." "What's so important about it?" Alena asked, curious. "It's complicated... You see--" Just then, Alena disappeared from her empty bedroom in a blue burst of light. "Alena? Hello?" Jeffrey continued, after the phone hit the ground. [center][img]https://i.imgur.com/CpyrX61.png[/img][/center][hr][hr] Bright light blinded Alena, prompting her to raise a hand and cover her face. Her eyes soon adjusted, and found herself in a large, white room, standing in a crowd next to a wide gallery of strange characters-- Humans of all races and sizes, Some... Inhuman entities? Some sort of advanced Spirits, probably? Then a pale, almost robotic woman stood at a podium, filling them in on what sounded like a cry for a slap on the back of the head. Multiverse was out of balance, and now they were plucked out to become some super-crime-stopping squad? Eh. On one hand, the lady, Praxis, the machine introduced herself, made it clear that she wasn't being conscripted, and would be allowed to be sent back home. On the other, assuming this [i]wasn't[/i] just a crazy dream, it was a prime opportunity to understand countless other worlds beyond her own. Wonder how much buck [i]that[/i] would be worth once she went back home. Either way, Jeffrey knew she had a spare key under the front mat.