[center][img]https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/357353496057610242/564662374775259137/crimsonred.png?width=240&height=301[/img][/center] Light crackled. The blueish-black stone of the chamber reflected the white glow of five dream orbs, floating above thin pedestals. Engravings swirled the pedestals and center of the room stood K’nell. The God of Dreams stood with his hands cupped around a great ball of silvery flame. The orb pulsed and flickered, licks of cool wisps gently twisted from it. K’nells face was stern and serious as he observed it, only betraying a soft, subtle grin. Glowing white veins cracked and split over his form as he stared on. His divine power fluctuated and pulsed in tandem with his newest creation, a hazy mist connecting the two. His eyes narrowed, his pupils endless black holes; corridors of endless possibility, flashes of any mixture of reality. He curled his fingers, an invisible push forming around the wisp as it was molded into shape. Streams of light soaked from the other dream orbs, flowing like rivers through the Palace air and into the orb. A smile broke across K’nells face as the wisp pulsed and pushed. Pure joy leaked from it, absolute bliss radiated from it. He could see with his endless eyes, the perfect dream. Perfection stared back at him, the wisp almost bringing a tear to the God’s eye as it morphed and rotated. His heart pounded, the light swirled and began to drizzle with love itself. He watched as purity coated and danced with compassion. Innocence and redemption rang from the creation and just as it was coming together, another pulse. K’nells eyes searched the creation in a haste, flickering to and fro. A pulse. His brow furrowed, A pulse. It was like a heartbeat, the light pulsing in a repetitive beat. His own heart beat, and offbeat the creation pulsed. “No this isn’t right,” K’nell puzzled under his breath. The heartbeat increased, his own matching in confusion. The hazy mist between him and the wisp scattered and then the ball turned a deep red, the streams from the other orbs severing with loud whipping cracks. The wisp pulsed, blood red, the light turning the entire room into a pool of crimson. K’nell stared on as a storm broke out, the wisp pulsing erratically and without rhythm. The emotions from earlier scarred and were replaced with anxiety with a metallic taste of misery. K’nell stared hard. A final flash and the wisp suddenly expanded, it’s ethereal form slowly forming. It stretched outwards and upwards, as well as downwards. It swirled and rolled, the mucky mist turning into the figure of a woman. Time passed slowly as K’nell watched the figure slowly coagulate, only opting to speak once the figure was complete. A pale face stared at him, eyes shaded a sleepless pink with dark witching pupils. She had high cheekbones, if not a little gaunt, her cheeks sunken --with a sickly blush-- and her nose a soft round. She had plush smiling lips that betrayed irregular teeth with uncomfortably sharp tips. Curls of black hair swirled past her ears and away from her forehead, coming neatly to rest above her shoulders. She wore a black collared black dress, with sharp laced boots poking out from the conservative hem. “This-” K’nell’s voice swirled, “You are no dream.” His eyes flickered past her physical appearance, watching his own essence swirl inside of her -- laced with the claws of a nightmare. “Of course not,” She jutted her chin forward proudly, her voice silky if not complemented with an uncanny grain similar to the God of Sleep’s, “I’m K’nell.” The God stared on and the woman dipped her head, “But you may call me Diana for clarity, I rather like the name.” “I know,” K’nell said, his eyes wide, “I can see, I can see it all. No-- Galbar is not ready.” “Kerfuff!” Diana waved a hand, “I say it’s about time you had company in this Palace. Please, escort me to the throne room, I’d like to get started right away.” “I’m sorry,” K’nell pinched his chin in thought, “But I cannot oblige. I’m afraid what I said is true; Galbar is not yet ready for you.” “So what will you have me do, then?” She put fists on her sides. “Wait,” K’nell answered simply, “You must wait. “I’m not some common tool, dear me,” Diana held her throat, “To be put into storage until the roof is leaky. I’m here now, and I’d like to get started. Come, you have plenty to share.” She began to walk around K’nell. The Gentleman quickly stepped in her path, “I’m afraid I cannot allow it, it is much to early and without cause or reason.” “Oh come,” Diana dismissed him, staring at him in defiance. K’nell’s lips formed a stern line and his own stare met hers. They stood there for a moment, Diana’s jaw hanging as if about to say something, but then closed. She pursed her lips, “I see. You are serious.” “I’m afraid so,” K’nell let out a sigh, “You will have to wait.” “I won’t,” Diana turned her nose up, “And if you won’t see that, then perhaps a wager. It’s the least you could do.” K’nell tapped his chin and hummed, “A wager you say?” “Why yes,” She kept her voice proud, “And if I win, you share. You let me get on with it, Galbar needs its misery.” “And if I win?” K’nell raised a brow. “I’ll leave, I won’t wait, but I’ll leave!” “And where, dear me, will you go?” “Galbar,” She insisted, “I cannot do half the work there that I could here, and you’d may as well have your original wish granted.” K’nell hummed pensively for a while before nodding, “And how will we decide who has won and who has lost?” “A duel.” K’nell raised his other brow now, “And what, pray tell, shall be our weapons?” The Deviless gave a wide cheshire smile, “Fiddles.” K’nell matched her smile, “I see your wager, K’nell -- Diana.” “Very good.” Diana raised her hands and a black fiddle erupted from no particular place, finding its place between her sharp chin and her wrist. Her other hand whipped out a bow. K’nell raised a hand, a mahogany fiddle assembling in his hand. He gently tucked it in place and stared at her. The two had an inseparable gaze as their bows slowly slid over their strings. Slowly the chamber around them dissolved with the long note. Their bows slid back, the world bleached white. And forth, it turned off-white. K’nell’s bow suddenly struck forward and then back, turning into a repetition, The Deviless quickly followed suit. K’nell danced in place as his bow waddled the strings, producing a strange yet energetic blast of music. The Deviless jumped her bow, the suddenly strikes turning cacophony and discord into melody. A world formed around them as they played, young and new. The sun rose as their strings blasted endlessly. The sun fell as their fiddles erupted with powerful music. Civilizations rose, their fiddles showcased their lives at speeds unknown. Civilizations fell, their ruins crumbling into dust as the world shrunk like a raisin. K’nell leaped forward, his bow plucking and dancing. Diana furrowed her brow and dipped to meet him, her own producing a cutting sound. They both leapt back, a new world forming between them. Their song increased in volume, the births and demise of unnamed people producing harmony with their notes. K’nell spun, his bow shredding across the fiddle and leaping, somehow creating a melody of two fiddles. Diana began to sweat, her fiddle cutting and skipping, using discord to match. K’nell pressed on, the world turning black as his notes broke through hers, her fingers fizzled in an attempt to keep up with his mind numbing music. Her eyes grew wide as K’nell pressed his attack, his fiddle all but smoking as it spoke of future and past and sang of woes and blessings. It scream and laughed, cried and chuckled, until it all came together. There was a great vibrating hum as K’nell struck his fiddle once, twice, three times, and then a final [i]SCHLING[/I] as he finished his song. Diana stood there, mouth agape and eyes crescents of defeat. Her fiddle fell to the ground, shattering against the dark bluish stone of the chamber. K’nell puffed out an exhale and placed his fiddle on a pedestal. He cocked his head, “My lady, a deal is a deal.” “Indeed,” She nodded, “A true Gentleman.” Her face twitched, “Then I shall go?” “Unless you prefer to wait,” K’nell gave her a sideways glance. “I do not.” “Then I suppose so,” K’nell gave a solemn bow, “Until such a time as I have described.” “I see,” The Deviless straightened out her dress with a tug, “Then I’ll be back, I’ll be back far before then -- even.” K’nell didn’t say anything as he stared on. Diana huffed, “Oh, foo.” There was a bright flash. Diana stood on the smooth surface of Limbo. The birds were singing, the breeze was blowing -- laced with the sweetness of spring. The trees exposed their flowers and the sky was a gentle cloud kissed azure. Heliopolis winked behind the rolling fluffs of white, and a calming hum came from the insects below. Diana cringed and held up a black umbrella as if to push away the sun, “What horrid weather.” [hider=Summary] K’nell is in an experimental room of the palace, using his own force as well as that of several dream orbs to craft something. It slowly forms into “the perfect dream” but before it finishes, something goes wrong. The dream turns into a nightmare fueled by K’nells own godly essence. It turns into the figure of a woman who claims to be K’nell himself. To ease the naming conventions she quickly takes the name Diana and suggests they get right to work. K’nell refuses and tells her the world isn’t ready for her and that she must wait. Not wanting to wait, Diana challenges K’nell to a musical duel, where he must share the palace should she win, or banish herself to Galbar should she lose. She loses. She goes to Galbar. [/hider] [hider=Might] 2 MP spent on an Avatar 3mp and 8fp left [/hider] [hider=Soundtrack] [url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rSVStg-JrP4]The Creation of the Deviless[/url] [url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Rg-qIlKyIA]K’nell vs. K’nell[/url] [url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sSs2lf9mKcw]Eviction[/url] [/hider]