The Way of a... Female King? (Private, Chaotic Rumble's Secondary Training)

To many, it is just a vessel of life, or just the purest form of their dreams. And perhaps they were right, maybe it really was what dreams looked like; maybe, just maybe, the soul really is what makes us human. Compassionate and kind, special and strong; fragile, yet so very alive at the same time. No concept can be more beautiful, no expression -- more fulfilling than that of the pure, caring soul of a gentle person.


So why? Why was the world still so dark and gloomy? In the eyes of the one who always observed from the shadows, who always watched and churned, watched and weeped... how he despised that vivid scene.


A world painted in deep vermilion, its crimson tint draining from the hearts of the forgotten.


Aegis reached out, his own images manifesting besides him as they drew an instrument, aiming to, once more, express their hearts in the deaf silence.



A stroke.
His agile hand dashed across the strings of the guitar he had formed, releasing a tune in tact with the drummer's beat. But in that frozen scene, there stood no one else. Only Aegis, his presence mirrored, formed, layered -- recreated, each instance bearing a different kind of instrument. An orchestra of one, an empty choir; it sang its tearful song, heartfelt and lost, bound to be misunderstood by the blind, so that only the crippled may hear it.
Each of these reflections bore a different feeling, a different tune, yet the still moved in unison; acted as one. And with each heart string broken, a cord grew in its place to chime out the woeful tale of something that shan't be remembered. Guided by these scars, the blue knight's hands dance their dance from Do to Do, from Alpha to Omega; those lonesome hands, they guide the deaf choir from life to death.
Before those absolute truths even Nature could not argue, so it remained still, frozen, as if time chose to stop and listen as the one perched upon the cliff decided to confide.

But time never waits for anyone; soon, the song faded away, scattered by the slow wind. With it gone, the void left behind was soon replaced by the steady sounds of nature. In that rejuvenated scenery only Aegis remained static, defiantly staring at the horizon from the edge of the cliff...

Akame had been invited by Aegis to go to Serene Cliff during her introduction into her new guild, Sabertooth. However, even after coming here through many modes of transportation, Akame could not recall what she was here for, possibly due to the many events that occurred at once back at the guild hall. It honestly gave her a headache; even just by remembering the moment. There was simply too much to endure, which is precisely why Akame assured she could get some peace in this new landscape, only surrounded by a couple people, at most- or at least that's what she expected. These Sabertooth members never appeared to be alone, anyway.

Akame stared at a note given to her while she wandered to the desired coordinates of the Serene Cliff; the area in which Aegis wanted the two to meet. It seemed he was impressed with her, and had something to offer, but what? Well, Akame just had to find out, and so she sought the location of Aegis, prepared for the worst. It took awhile, but she eventually managed to see him in her sights. "Hello there!" Akame greeted before she saw that there was not just one person before her, but two; the second being from a further distance away.

The knight stood near the edge as still as a statue. His face expressed nothing, save for the profound feeling of stillness. His cyan clothing billowed beside him, reacting to the tailwind. In an odd expression of synchronisation, the crown of trees billowed too, enough to be noticed with at least two senses. Like a sea of greenery, the mass of leaves ebbed and flowed, back and forth, again and again; its sight steadily hypnotising those who moved at nature's pace.
The whole scene was oddly... static, similar to the nature of that very word. Yes, it was static; it remained still and silent, undisturbed, but just like static it was still there, agitating your hearing. You couldn't ignore it; it was eerily alive, after all. As an effigy of life, it moved so it could always find a way to present itself to you despite your efforts to thwart it.
And all that without a single action or word. A patch of land that had found a way to live in stillness, yet be more alive than more obvious contenders for that adjective. Sadly, if one was to compare, it would become apparent that just a simple patch of land had learned to be more alive than humans!

Aegis smiled at the thought. After all, was it not ironic that the race of transcendent philosophers, proud and strong, couldn't figure out how to handle life more efficiently than some trees? The knight felt awe in the presence of the silent colossus. Perhaps it is why he felt the air to stagnate whenever he was around others for too long -- human carelessness and superficial commotion around unimportant nonsense simply killed out the voice of nature.

And yet there he was still. Aegis Bright standing near the edge of the cliff; awaiting the he himself called to disrupt the alien beauty of the scene.
Part of him was mentally cursing the certain amount of humanity his structure had adopted. Had it not been for that lusting heart of his, lusting over the only pleasure he knew of, he'd have easily cared for no one and just left that guild a while ago. But he didn't.
"Proof of the changing times" the blue man thought, relocating his unfocused gaze onto the female figure that had substituted a morning stretch with an olympic-grade jump over most of the landscape.

"Hm? Wait..."
Reality having finally caught up with the daydreamer, he noticed the said leap's existence towering over the nearby hill. He traced its graceful parable as it arced through the air; then there was silence.
"Yo!"
Silence. And then a stare; neither of which broke even as the voice of another familiar person chimed energetically moments later. The only permitted response was a petrified stare sent from Aegis to the raven-haired girl before him.
"........ Now I see what being struck by puberty means" the violet-eyed man sad, his expression steadily softening into amusement.
"Yours seems to have hit so hard it left a biological concussion!"
And so he proclaimed, his voice soon followed by a heartfelt guffaw; his sincere howl boomed through the area for a few minutes, marking the first time in Aegis' life when he had had a pure, joyous laugh.

Having overheard Aegis invite the newest addition to Sabertooth to the place where his story began, he couldn't help but come along as well. Of course he wouldn't tell Aegis, though he had a feeling that the Azure Knight would know if he was coming regardless of whether or not he told him. Zenshin took in the sights around him and a feeling of nostalgia washed over him as it did every time he came to the Serene Cliff. Haha... I'm surprised the dirt isn't red with all of the blood I shed he thought with a smile before clenching his fists and continuing to follow the trail of broken leaves that Akame was leaving in her wake. Zen could definitely feel a powerful magical force getting stronger as he followed the trail, almost as if whoever it was coming from was doing so on purpose. Hmm, I guess that's a lot better than a map the thought came to him, but quickly fled as he arrived at the clearing.

The sound of a guitar could be heard in Aegis' vicinity, as he played a rather haunting melody. Aegis plays guitar... who knew? Zenshin thought as he approached the woman from behind. "Hello Akame, Aegis. Mind if I ask either of you who that woman is?" he asked softly, so as not to disturb the silence any more than he had to while pointing at the source of the immense magical power. Something about her was eerily familiar, though Zenshin couldn't quite put his finger on it, only adding to the mystery. His memory didn't usually falter as it was now, so when it did he was always left mildly surprised. Whoever it is, I'm sure I'll get my answer soon enough. With that much strength it would be a little hard to keep under the radar. he thought again, the dark plate on his arm beginning to vibrate as he walked closer to get a better look at the girl. Hmm. That's weird. Its never done that before he wondered, feeling the very low hum against his arm. It wasn't too distracting though, actually, he could barely notice it, but that fact that it was happening in the first place was a rather peculiar event indeed.

"I'm assuming you two have history, then?" he remarked at Aegis' comment towards the woman. Then he started laughing. What a change from the earlier tune... Zenshin thought again while remembering that Aegis was indeed capable of laughter despite his impact serious demeanor. Aegis and his very powerful friend in the same place. Comfortable enough to crack jokes apparently. Well, I guess I'll just sit back and wait for explanations then. Zenshin looked over to Akame idly then back at the mysterious girl Aegis seemed to be buddy-buddy with. Well. At least it's not boring

Before she knew it, Akame had met up with a stranger, and two other members from her guild; both familiar in her eyes. She stood where she was, dumbfounded as she did not understand what was going on. In a short matter of time, a meeting for two had turned into a gathering consisting of four persons. The other three Mages seemed to know each other quite well; Akame being the odd one out. Albeit, she tried her best to fit in. "Looks like I need to improve my sight." Akame laughed, noticing that the person before her was not Aegis, but rather a woman. Within a flash, she became startled of this woman as she appeared instantly before her face. "P-Pleased to m-meet you too!" Akame greeted, somewhat fearfully. She was still in so much shock from the events, at hand.

It was then she noticed who she wanted to see, originally: Aegis. "Hello Aegis!" Akame began, "You could've warned me about others." Akame sighed heavily after this last statement. She had no idea what she had gotten herself into, and then there were four. Well, at least something understood her feelings: Antei. It was then Zenshin came across her. "It seems this woman's name is Ayeseru Suzumoto. Are you from a guild, miss?" Akame remarked. She then looked back at her Guild Master with a look of curiosity, unsure of what he meant by "history". "By history, I hope you're not referring to relationships, Zenshin." Akame replied, "This is only my second meeting with Aegis, and now the same with you too. Mind telling me how this turned from a meeting for two to a meeting of four?" As you can tell, the shock had really gotten to Akame, and now she was angered. She was sure she would be somewhere private to train; not somewhere public to party. However, once she heard something about Excalibur, the anger faded away. "Excalibur, you say?" Akame asked. She was so dumbfounded and lacked so much focus, that she hadn't even realized the bright lights that came with Excalibur, nor many of the situations that went on.

Akame rested the palm of her left hand on her head as she moved further away from everyone else, sat down and tried to relieve herself of her sudden pain. All of this new attention had driven her to a headache, but why? At this moment, Akame sensed the magic of all three, simultaneously. The amount of magic was godly- immeasurable, in that matter. Sensing the magic alone corrupted her mind as it was all too much. Nervousness, curiosity, anger....Akame felt like passing out.

Serene cliff; certainly the place which Aegis loved the most. As its name suggests, a place of peace, of quiet. A place that has suffered the weight of many an emotion, all shared through the whispers of the wind. And yet... none of it could prepare the knight for what happened.

"....!"
His eyes widened as Ayeseru drew her hand. The shadows hence coalesced upon it and from them a form was protruded. Time seemed to slow down. Every second grew into a minute, minutes became hours and hours became eternities. Everything froze. Life ceased to move and the alluring beauty of the world turned bleak. Only Ayeseru's shadows existed.

---

The darkness of shadow blackened Aegis' sight.


As the world faded to black, the shadows grew paler.


From their whiteness came forth a brilliant gleam.


In its presence not even the sun could exhibit glory.


A blade formed, its regal markings vivid.


In the woman's hand lied the hilt of the king of swords.

---

"My request of you, with this blade, is to train me-"
No...
The knight's voice was weak. His hand, balled into a fist, was trembling. Aegis wasn't even looking at her; his eyes pierced the ground, but even that ended soon when he closed them, trying to bar the way of the lump that was forming inside.
He knew what was coming. He knew the words to follow all too well; he had heard them before, which is why he struggled against that inevitable fate with all his heart. Don't, stop his mind pleaded. Don't say that.

"I want you to teach me how to use Excalibur."
The words echoed like thunder, making the knight cringe. He could still see it... the image of that young girl.
"Please master Aegis, teach me to use Excalibur! I want to be a hero!"
Those words and the memories that came with them felt like sorrow. That was the only truth and it inferred just one answer.

"I will not!" the azure knight lashed out, tossing his hand to his side. "Return that sword to whatever tomb raider you bought it from and never mention it again."
Aegis turned his back and walked over to Akame. He had felt her distraught and pain, so he extended a hand towards her, sending a wave of life force to free her of the unpleasant feelings and restore her inner peace.
"Neither of you is wanted here" he gnarled, looking at Zenshin and Ayeseru over his shoulder. "I only called for Akame. You may stay here for the day, but if you do not leave by sunrise tomorrow...
By taking her hand carefully, the blue knight helped Akame to her feet. Only then did he slowly turn around, albeit only half-way, his face visible in profile to the two uninvited intruders.


The soft grass crunched under his steps as the violet-eyed man started for the hill, perhaps seeking loneliness at its top. Or was it just a coward looking for refuge from the memories?



OOC: Chao, Aegis will not agree to train you so easily. Excalibur is a sword that he has a past with, a bad one. You will have to try harder than just that and you have until sunrise to do so.
To Akame: You are free to do what you wish. If, however, you are not interested in going to Aegis or conversing with anyone else, you can just say you set up camp and skip posting until the afore-mentioned sunrise comes. (This is to speed up the development and not force people to post when they have nothing to say. I'm sorry if it came off as rude.)
To Zenshin: I really have no clue what you're doing here and it might be for the best if you leave. Or is it that you're looking for Aegis?

Upon hearing the name Excalibur, Aegis snapped at Ayeseru, whom Zen was beginning to recalled. He was much different and at the mention of the gauntlet that covered his right arm, he knew who this girl was. The Shadow Dragon Slayer... that makes a lot of sense he thought while turning to Aegis with surprise on his face. He only mentioned Excalibur once or twice... and he wasn't very happy when he did. But to see Aegis lose his composure, now this was definitely a rare occasion. "I'm not letting you out of my sight again Aegis. You have a habit of disappearing before I get to ask you where you keep going and why. Besides, a death threat is nothing new from you. I would actually be more surprised if you weren't trying to kill me, so please, give me your best shot" the successor said. "And when it's all over, you can actually give me a proper goodbye" he said afterwards with a very, nearly undetectable hint of anger located in his voice.

The guild master of Sabertooth wasn't one for anger, only sadness, though there were only three times he had ever truly gotten angry. Once was when he was merely a child learning to use ice magic and wolves tore apart his father who had expended all the energy he had. The second time was when the life of his unborn daughter was on the line and anger was the only option he had left. The third and final time was when Aegis, his friend, his mentor left for a good amount of time only to return to the guild as if it was fine. Sure, Zenshin put up the facade that he was used to this sort of thing from previous guild master and that it wasn't anything out of the ordinary, but with no goodbye, no sign, no anything, he wouldn't have real closure. That's why he followed him here today, hoping to get that, but he didn't expect Ayeseru to be here, hell, he had all but forgotten about her by this point.

Now all he heard was the shadow dragon slayer baiting a man Zenshin considered as his second brother, insulting him, which really didn't help at all. With the dirtiest, angriest, but calmest look he could muster, the guild master turned his head to the girl and walked up to her. He said nothing, only looked into her eyes, though he knew that the message would get across before turning and walking towards Akame "If you want me to go I will, but I would prefer not to. Please make your choice"

Akame gasped when someone took her hand in a moment of instability. She was helped up, yet she still held a great force in her chest. There was a hidden power that wished to compete with these Mages; endless thoughts running through her mind, too fast to comprehend. Akame managed to hsndle all of this on the outside, however, as she was a strong woman. On the contrary, what came next was truly to her surprise, and so that strength was lost again. Akame heard the voice of Aegis, which seemed deadly during the time. He had threatened a lady and her Guild Master for their life? Just who was Aegis. Akame grew angry, in response, and forced herself out of Aegis' grasp. It was then a glorious wave of silver light surrounded her, and for a brief period, Akame didn't even know who she was anymore; almost as if another soul had taken over.

"Miss, Guild Master, Azure Knight; this fight is unnecessary." Akame spoke, her voice emotionless and dimmed, her posture flawless. Her sword shook slightly, which caused two seconds of violent wind to soar through the air, followed by an immeasurably loud roar of thunder. "Foul, isn't it?" Akame asked, "The clash of almighty winds and outstanding roar of thunder, similar to the fight that may unfold between three leading Mages in Fiore. Despite this powerful sight, however, it is pointless and pitiful. The sound is penetrating my ears, while the wind figuratively rifles through my body. This is the attitude you three currently share with each other; an attitude that will ultimately lead to pain and suffering."

A smirk appeared on Akame's lips before she proceeded to position herself between all three Mages. "So, what shall it be? Is it possible for great forces such as raging winds and roaring thunder to separate instead of clash, or shall their battle be emphasized by the cruelty you three seemingly wish to bestow upon one another?" Two seconds after her speech had ended, the violent wind and roaring thunder had collaborated with the silver light that surrounded Akame, then immediately shot up into the Sky. This was the temporal Angel that possessed Akame solely for this speech; the reason Akame was once unable to recognize herself

Aegis smirked. Why did it always come to that? Like a painful deja vu, his history seemed to enjoy repeating itself. But there was a difference now. He had only just realised; until a moment ago, his actions were driven purely by emotions. Anger and sorrow, and memories too; his head swirled around a single idea. Run his mind pleaded, seeking to fight the cycles of his life.

The azure knight slowly turned to face the three magi. A small smile lined his lips as he peered into the eyes of each individually.
"Three determined gazes. My, what hostile pressure," Aegis remarked, carefully placing one foot before the other, moving into conversational distance.

"Ayeseru, you really do think I am a coward, do you not? Heh... thank you for your honesty."
The knight's smile changed, albeit subtly. It turned more malefic, somehow eerily spiteful, but still harmlessly mischievous. A subversive smile perhaps, but it still retained its purity.
"And yet here you are, looking for this coward. Calling him your friend, but you still seek to undermine his self. Should be expected I suppose, from one who only seeks this... 'friend' of his when he can find benefit in him."
The violet-eyed man turned half-way and looked at the horizon, the grass waving gently in the wake of his coat.
"You come here, destroying my peace to demand of me a favour. And, with great gall, you speak of Sir Arthur Pendragon as if you knew her."
The surrounding trees creaked grumpily, as if pressured under the weight of Aegis' sigh.
"You wish to know about her, right? I know you care little about me, but this was the goal of your remarks. Very well."



"King Arthur. Sir Arthur Pendragon, the king of knights. The first female knight. Yes, that is how all of you know her. The little girl named Arthuria..."
The azure knight closed his eyes and lashed his hand to the side. Within that very instant, a magical field expanded, encompassing the world around him, and the magi, within the boundary field of a memory. The light of day faded, the stimuli of life grew distant and in stead, only images emerged to take their place. Vivid reconstructions of a past so ancient it could hardly be perceived by the human mind. It all streamed into the sight of everyone present, along with a flow of foreign emotions. Did they once belong to the azure knight?
"Long ago... an ancient kingdom existed. The land of the English, an island. Ruled by a king, it was constantly besieged by invaders."
As Aegis' voice echoed within the reminiscence, the scene of a ruined battlefield coalesced. Scattered bodies, burning buildings. The stench of death permeating the air.
"It was a time of unrest. Of loss. Men were raised to fight. From the youngest age they would take up arms and live to be great warriors. Indoctrinated by glory, they marched on to fight meaningless battles.... and die."
The scene shifted slowly, drifting over the countless dead to reveal one man who was kneeling, his weight leaned on his sword.
"They were all just fools, every single one of them. Misguided and infused with bloodlust, they charged into combat simply to kill and claim their 'glory'. Anything that had a weapon was their target. 'For the king' they shouted, 'for his glory!' And so... they all died."
The image of that man faded and in its place came a different scene. The depiction of a fierce battle; the man from earlier stood in its centre, his eyes blazing with a violet flame as he culled the surrounding enemy; cleft bodies and severed limbs lying at his feet.
"And as each of them fell and released his dying breath.... you could see a tear in his eye. They felt lost, betrayed. Where was their glory now? What was the point of this? Why did meaningless wars have to be fought? Each and everyone of them questioned the purpose of the bloodshed. You could see it in their hazy looks; the hope they were losing... that they'd survive. That they would return home as heroes for gifting everyone a peaceful life."
Again the moment crumbled and darkness came to view. It was so deep that it felt suffocating, but from somewhere, a dim light was lit. It grew brighter and brighter; brighter still, until the shape of a golden sword was vivid.
"They all yearned for it with all their hearts. The promised victory, the promised life; but it was a lie! Yet it mattered not... because they could believe and in doing so, they prayed. Each to his own God, with his own might they fiercely clang unto the promise their king had given them.
But the king could not fulfil their wishes, and so those dreams wondered aimlessly. Still, the world proved to be more magical then we all thought, because those earnest prayers were heard by two faeries -- Vivian and Morgana."
With a sudden flash, the image of the kneeling man resurfaced, but different. Now, as he stood above the last, dying knight, a divine light shone down and two apparitions appeared. Then as suddenly as it appeared, the light faded, moving towards the nearby lake.
"They heard the woeful cries of the fallen and returned to their domain. I chased after them and when I got there I saw a young girl holding a beautiful sword."
The images reformed, showing the violet-eyed man staying before the innocent girl. His sword dripped with the blood of the defending knights, his face was covered in it too; his clothing was rugged and he occasionally cringed with the pain of broken ribs. And still... that girl wasn't afraid. She simply looked at him with a smile and asked:
"Are you Sir Aegis? The lady told me you'd come!"
The man stood speechless. His sword arm trembled as he looked at the child of his enemy.
"She said a blue knight would come to teach me how to be strong, and she gave me this sword! She said that with it I can save my home!"
Hesitantly, the knight walked forwards, preparing his blade by his side.

"Please master Aegis, teach me to use Excalibur! I want to be a hero!"

The knight stopped. His expression showed pain, but was it only physical? He looked at the girl once more. A young one, with golden hair and jade eyes... and a big smile. That smile...! A grin so pure it disarmed the man.

The image soon faded. Before long, a new one pieced itself together; it was of a golden-haired woman. She was clad in armour and was situated on a hill overlooking a battlefield.
"... I spared her and she grew to be a great warrior. She returned to her country once she came of age and, wielding the sword, became king. No one really knew she was a girl. No one cared to notice. All that mattered was that their king was a great one, strong and wise, and that he could bring about the dreams they sought. And so, devoid of all those little, happy things that a girl has in her life, she grew to become a weapon."
The landscape shifted abruptly and soon it bore the depiction of a great war. At the front line charged the golden-haired girl, her royal subjects rallied behind her.
"All she ever wanted to do was save her home. The home I once set to destroy, but could not. Life always has its way, however."
The image morphed into that of a different war, on different land. And then another, and another; but with each next, the girl had become less and less holy. The sword she held had lost its sheen and was turning black.
"It didn't take long for her to defeat the invaders and set off to bring the war to their homeland. She really did want her home to be safe, so nothing could stop her from destroying the whole world if it came to it. During that, I just watched. I watched the frail girl challenge the whole world with the dauntlessness of a true knight, even if it meant losing her soul along the way."

The world blurred out again, a new scene fading into view. In it, the golden-haired woman was seen getting off the warship, returning to her home. Before her stood one violet-eyed man, an army behind him.

"Aegis? What's going on?"
"I... I'm here to stop you."
"Stop me...?"
".... Yes. I cannot allow for any more bloodshed."
"Aegis... You betray me...?"
"I have no choice."

In the distance echoed the clatter of battle, slowly approaching as the scene was replaced by images of yet another war, a bloodier war. A meaningless war. The string of images passed by and at the end, only one remained.
It showed the king of knights clash with the azure traitor. A duel like no other, it soon ended. The victor was decided in the flash of steel and Arthuria's blood soon began to drip. Her weakened body collapsed onto the corpses of her own knights; she was crying.
"Aegis.... why...?"
With her last strength, she looked up to the man who had struck her down. His back was turned to her -- she felt really sad. The girl wanted to see his face for the last time. It was strange, but she acted like her wound didn't bother her at all. As if it would all be okay, as soon as the azure man would look at her, things would turn all right.
But he never did. With a heavy heart he walked away from the frail, little girl who, in her last moments, simply smiled.
"... I see. Ahe... sorry, Aegis-kun. I... ended up... doing bad, huh...? But... it's okay... all for the... greater good, right?"
He couldn't stand that smile. How could she smile so purely at her betrayer, her murderer? Why...? Couldn't she just hate him in stead, like all the others? Why... did she have to care...

With that, the rebuilt world began to crumble. The foreign emotions faded into the fake darkness. The sound of nature returned to the scene, marking the definitive end of the boundary field Aegis recreated.
The slow wind blew soothingly, caressing the cold knight standing by the edge of the cliff. His face exhibited no emotion, only an empty stare into some faraway world, hidden behind the horizon and the rising sun.
"... That sword isn't just what you think of it."
His voice echoed lifelessly, almost like he didn't want to speak up.
"It is forged from the hopes of men and shaped by both Vivian and Morgana. It isn't anything special in of itself; it is only an idea, 'the sword that amplifies,' but it was made by the faeries embodying good and evil. As such, the sword, too, can be both. After all, it only reflects the true self of its wielder."

The knight's words were suddenly cut off. He tried to say something, but words never left his mouth, so in their place came silence. And a blank stare, peering deep into the endlessly beautiful horizon...

Ayeseru felt these as though it is what consisted of her entire being, her very core.  As Ayeseru looked on through the scenes behind Aegis' memories, it felt...  Familiar; an odd sensation.  Deja vu?  Impossible; Ayeseru could have no possible relation to the time or family treeline.  Excalibur vibrated in her arm, as though it was...  Afraid?  Taking a quick glance, Ayeseru could see that the blade turned a dark shade of black, and yet, Ayeseru knew it was always there, while at the same time not having a clue till that moment; the blade!  Ayeseru's eyes widened slightly upon the realization - It has memories of that time...?  Did...  Did the blade possibly have memories of King Arthur?

As the memories faded, and Aegis remained silent, the Shadow Dragon Slayer would gaze upon the now darkened metal of the blade, giving it a seemingly blank stare, though was in fact looking upon it in a sad manner, as though she knew everything there was to know about Excalibur; whenever she looked at it from this moment onward, her muscles got weak, her view got hazy, her stomach tightened, a lump in her throat would form, and her mind went haywire.  Unsteady footwork entered the dance, and Ayeseru shook at the failed attempt to remain still.  In a desperate attempt to remain on foot, Ayeseru stabbed the ground with the dark blade, leaning upon it to regain her composure.  As she rose her gaze from the ground and shifted it to the blade once more, it happened - a sudden darkness enveloped Ayeseru, one only she would be able to see.

She was falling.

The pit of darkness which she knew all too well in her heart was the one she roamed in at that moment in time, though not hers - no no, she knew exactly how that play would tell its tale.  This was a separate darkness, one unfamiliar to her.  In no time at all, it stopped.  She landed in a field of darkness, and could see nothing else.  Complete, and utter darkness.  Hopelessness.  Sorrow.  Anger.  She felt them all.

Then, it began.




[KEY NOTE: if the song ends and you're not done reading the post, please replay it.  I cannot find an extended version of this OST, unfortunately.]

The darkness lit up into the area in which Aegis first met Arthur, though it was no first meeting.  This one was different.  Ayeseru was watching the scenes from Arthur's memories in where it was a time of peaceful mind within the two; training.  She saw the little girl, training relentlessly with Aegis, and suddenly, going from that little girl, to a young girl; from that scene, transforming into the woman which could be seen in Aegis' memories, with a slight difference.

She is smiling...?

"Yes!  I think I've finally got it!  Master Aegis, I think I've finally perfected the last technique you said you could teach me!"  The young woman was jumping with glee, and sheathed Excalibur into a peculiar sheath, and would then hug the azure knight.  That was the final scene, before the area faded to black once more.  Ayeseru remained silent, unsure of what to make of it.  She felt relaxed, yet, at the same time, prepared with the next scene, which she knew was not going to be a happy one, though if she hadn't seen it, how could she have known..?

Regardless, the next scene took form, as now Ayeseru was within the quarters of an extremely royal room; only Arthur was in it, with Excalibur lying on the floor, tossed to the side by Arthur.  It was her first time returning home after a war, but there was no way for Ayeseru to know, yet, somehow, she knew exactly how everything was going to play out, and what it was, without even knowing.  Arthur made sure that no one would interrupt her, as she stripped herself of her armor, and gazing upon her bed; tears welled up in her eyes, as she fell onto the bed, grabbing a hold of the pillow, sobbing like there was no tomorrow.  "I-I can't believe...  That..."  She couldn't finish her sentence, and would bury her face into the pillow, yet, Ayeseru knew what she was thinking.  "I can't believe that I had to mindlessly kill those people."

That scene quickly faded, and another one formed; returning from the battlefield, the cheers for Arthur ran across the kingdom as she rode her horse back from yet another war.  "All worship King Arthur!  Our mighty king has returned from another victory in the battlefield!  He will protect us, no matter what!"

And that's when Ayeseru snapped back to reality, the final vision disappearing like water does when you pull the plug; her body was resumed to normal, and she could stand, though she had a new sense of justice, a feeling which was previously void from her body.  Pulling the darkened blade which was now pulsing with what seemed to be dark energy, Ayeseru took the liberty to gaze upon where Aegis stood, and couldn't help but form a frown upon her face.  She knew what she had to do, yet, had no clue whatsoever, and thus, with the blade dragged upon the hard stone with her, she walked steadily, and carefully, towards Aegis' side, looking at the beautiful horizon.

"Nice feeling, eh?  Just being able to look at the horizon like this, after going through the pain of memories, allowing the beautiful scene to wash over you, and feel as though everything has vanished...  Ayeseru found a new understanding; at this moment and time, she couldn't care less about desperately trying to get Aegis to train her, she just had the desire to speak to him.  "...I always did believe in brutal honesty."  She sighed deeply, though somehow was able to form a small smile which would remain glued upon her face.  "I can't promise that I will be in the path of justice for eternity; that would simply be silly of me.  The future is unpredictable, so I cannot make this claim and stay with it."  She pulled the sword up, and held it like any proper blade should be held.

"But there is one thing I can- no, there are two things I can definitely promise."  She rose her head, to look slightly above the horizon, her smile still across her face, "That I will pursue the ultimate goal; one that countless have aimed for, yet, failed.  The goal of the "Ultimate Fool"; the goal of the greatest kings in existence...  The goal of peace."  With her free hand, she reached towards the sky, as though she was trying to grab something, but kept it there.  "Which leads me to the second promise I can definitely make!  While this blade will definitely see blood once more, no longer shall it be used to take any lives!"  At that instant, Excalibur's pulsing dark energy seemed to explode within the blade, causing a strange gust of wind to be sent out in all directions, however...

It was, once more, the Blade of Light; the blade was consumed by light, filled with hope, promise, and dreams after the dark will took its regretful exit.

Ayeseru never broke her stance, and closed her eyes halfway as her smile grew weaker, though would refuse to disappear.  "...After all, isn't that what everyone wants?"

She sighed once more, though, this one was unlike her other sighs; it was a sigh of content, happiness, as though she had found her true purpose in life.  She made a half circle turn, and with her free hand, brought it up to Aegis' shoulder, and squeezed it tightly.  "I'm sorry that I had to make you go through that again, my dear friend."  She walked away from the scene, with a smile still stuck across her face.  She stopped after taking a few feet, "And while you refuse to help me, I will discover Excalibur's power!  Not for myself, however...  For everyone, and you."  She giggled slightly - this was all cheesy as hell, but it's how she genuinely felt, "And you'll be able to do nothing but watch again!  Except, this time...  You'll watch with a smile, and you'll believe in me.  It won't...  Turn out like last time.  That is something I can definitely guarantee."

Once more, with her free hand, she rose it to the sky, and waved it slightly, as she walked away, bringing it down after saying, "I'm guessing that this is goodbye.  So long, my dear friend.  I only hope that you grant me your blessing."

OOC: DMC, my character will be leaving the scene. If your character is convinced to train her, you must stop her in your next post, no matter what. If it's not enough, my character will simply leave the thread, and I'll edit the thread name to take out the part where it says "(Chaotic Rumble's Secondary Magic Training)". From there on, you can do as you desire with the thread.

Zenshin knew full well what Aegis was talking about, and a lone tear welled up in his eye and dropped down his cheek.

Despair.

That's all Aegis felt when he remembered the girl he had once trained, and the girl he had once betrayed. He really knew how to tell the story, though, using his magic to recreate visions of the past as if they were happening at this very instant.

Innocent.

The girl didn't deserve to learn how to use a sword, much less the sword, but Aegis taught her anyways. He had hopes that she wouldn't lose herself in power, which was some thing that Zenshin had experience with himself. Once you took a life, everything changed, and that girl's fate was sealed the moment she took her first.

Idealism.

Aegis switched the scene to the girl standing atop a hill and Zenshin could feel the emotion in his words when he mentioned that he spared her. Something he would come to regret due to the girl's innocence. Sure, she had slain many, many men, but that didn't really change her heart. Surprisingly. She had lost her soul but her heart remained, a rare sight indeed, maybe once in a lifetime. The girl began to cry and so did he, though his face remained stoic, prepared to see the events for a second time.

Surrender.

The girl had the most powerful weapon in her possession, but refused to use it. Why? Because until the very end she had believed in her master and just wanted to do him proud. She was oblivious to the fact that her soul had been torn apart by the sword, but she knew in her final moments. If Aegis told her that there was no other choice but her death, she knew that it was for the best, and Zenshin's master couldn't understand it.

Reflection.

Zenshin interpreted him killing her as Aegis killing a part of himself. She was nothing more than a weapon by the time he struck her down, just. Like. Him. Not only that, but she accepted it. She accepted it because her heart told her that her soul was gone. This was one of Aegis' greatest mistakes. It began when he spared her and it ended when he did what he originally knew he should have. Zen risked his mind when he decided to take on the memories of his mentor, his teacher, his best friend, but he came out stronger. Thus was the essence of improvement. Though this didn't stop him from feeling a strong emotional bond to the harder moments of the man's life.

"She was different Aegis. But you know you did what you had to do. She would have obliviously destroyed the world and... and I'm sure that deep down she was wishing for someone to stop her"

Akame stood in complete shock after all of the events that occurred; the ones that pertained to her, specifically. She looked at her sword and held it dearly. It seemed the woman had two personalities; one was threatening and fearsome, while the other was kind and lawful. Akame found the others incomprehensible to her ears whilst she was in this peculiar state. It was almost as if God has blessed her with new life, and she was just discovering it, at this point. She looked around her, and watched as the lady had disappeared. Where did she go? Why did she leave? It was then Akame looked over to her Guild Master. In her mind, Akame had taken in so many new feelings for her fellow guild members. No longer did she fear any of them, but rather herself, spiritually. "My name is Asuna. I am you." A voice called in her head. Akame shook her head, and hoped that all of her senses were still intact as this voice spoke- that she wasn't delusional.

A few minutes passed, and Akame stood upright, the pain still existent, yet set aside. She had no choice but to accept the other spirit that lived in her. Not only that, but she was going to use it momentarily to prove she wasn't as gentle as she seemed. A while ago, Akame had first-met Aegis, and seemed to impress him with her creativity and magic. She wondered if her past episode further triggered his impression of her; the presence of Asuna, and the great awakening of lightning that came with her. Everyone must have been familiar with her magic, then. Her magic consisted of three past forms of magic: Heavenly Body Magic, Arc of Time Magic, and Territory Magic. Her sword, Antei, held the power to travel lightning through space (Heavenly Body), time (Arc of Time), and make any target in Akame's field of vision a new location for lightning to appear (Territory). While she thought about all of the magic she possessed, Akame looked forward, taking into account the impression Aegis had laid upon her. Akame slowly walked towards him, a highly determined look on her face. She was going to challenge him, despite how sudden the request was going to be. Akame knew Aegis would be confused, at first, but hopefully he would follow her request, and accept for request for a duel. She wanted him to train her to her limits, and watch her exceed herself, magically.

Akame approached Aegis, where she then lifted up her sword, a smirk completely visible on her face. "My mind unfortunately could not comprehend the stories you shared with these two." Akame explained, "Perhaps it is due to my irrelevance to the tale, or rather I was just too concentrated on this new power to focus on reality." The soundless swing of Akame's sword formed a ring of radiant silver light surrounding all three persons. "Aegis, your assistance is required to decipher the secrets behind this sword I grasp. Two personalities are violently attempting to form into one, whereas I, the victim, wish to peacefully merge the two; an alternate resolve. In order to do so, my sword must shine just as the ring encircling us. After this, I will probably disappear for awhile, as I mould this new persona into my mind, and gain control over it. Two lives exist in me, currently, and unless I challenge another swordsman, this merge will never succeed." Again, the ring of light disappeared, and shot into the sky, showing the presence of Asuna, once more.

Familiar voices echoed into the knight's mind, deep and distant. Almost concealed, undecipherable; still, he understood their words.
A vestige of the past, the false king of knights.
The fruit of divine ploy, the youthful swordsman.
And the reflection of a sword with no owner.

---

... Damn this life. Has it no other purpose? Again, again, again and again; once more and still, further and further.... death and life. Life for death. Was there nothing else...? It is always just that -- birth, growth, hunger, thought, murder and death. Was there never any hope?

Hmph, of course not. There is no hope if there is no fate, so while life goes on and death falls back, a sword just remains. It was always just that. A sword to be picked up and used; to bring strength, to cause destruction. Yes, the sword has always been the image of power. And now these... power in the name of peace? Laughable, power is what counterbalances peace.
But still they seek it, blinded and famished; blighted by their own lonely souls. And what for? To kill? To save? To hurt and to heal? .... What's the difference, in the end? If desire is what drives us, then inherently the yearning to fulfil that of others is the highest form of selfishness. There's no point in assigning traits to it. For good or for evil, it's still the act of forcefully taking away another's freedom.

There was never any justice in this world. It was all just an array of dreams that tug at the other. The dream to be the hero, the saviour, the strong, the weak or just the happy. Amidst that, what was my own dream...?
Khh, I hate it! This was never meant to happen, because no one else was supposed to dream -- yet they do...! Why?!? Why do you dream of imaginary things, you fools?

---

The gusty wind blew. Beneath its intrepid shove even trees were affected.
The young sun scorched its beholders -- an irritating sensation. Even still, Aegis didn't mind it. In spite of the unforgiving nature, he wanted to abandon life and dwell within it.
But he could not. He wasn't allowed to after all, so it repelled him, letting the distant echoes to close in.

Aegis looked to the side. His eyes scanned the two women and then did the same with Zenshin.
"Aegis, your assistance is required-..."
The voice was irritating, so he ignored it. In stead, a deep sense of focus stagnated the flow of time in Aegis' mind. The swordsman's sight grazed over the surrounding area, evaluating threats, potential weapons, escape routes and present enemies.


--- Calculated-...
Within a breath, Aegis peeled his coat off of his stoic stature and tossed it into the air. Its fluttering drowned all ambience while the enchanted clothing distanced itself from the knight, as if in slow motion.
He looked over his shoulder with.... a smirk?
"... Heh."
A deafening sound of explosion struck the scene. There was no explosion however, only a vague silver streak left in space, marking Aegis' trajectory as he shot passed Ayeseru. It wasn't an explosion that resounded, it was his sonic boom..!
"Look at you. So frail."
The knight's coatless figure stood in front of Ayeseru, extending its sword arm towards him. There, clasped between his fingers was none other than Excalibur, pointed at its owner, whose grasp was too meek and unprepared.
"And you think you can be a hero and do what I couldn't? Poser."
Aegis discarded the mighty sword forwards, tossing it 5 metres away, towards the raven-haired woman. The knight's arms, no longer covered up by cyan sleeves, could be seen for the first time in ages. They were the only part of his body truly visible, yet just their appearance spoke enough.
His limbs looked like they were made of chiselled stone. However, what drew more attention was the scars they bore -- from the shoulder to the tip of his fingers, they were both completely covered by scars.

"And you. You require assistance? That's funny."
The air on the cliff suddenly became much colder. The surroundings seemed to grow distant and fade out of focus as lightning-like bursts of magic covered Aegis' arms.
"Fine then. You two want to learn how to play with swords? So.... be it!"
Lashing his arms to the side, he caused a massive burst of magical energy. It was more like a tremor, shaking the entire area as countless weapons of all shapes and sizes simultaneously shot down from the sky. They pin cushioned the whole clearing and the nearby hill. As if because of a miracle --or a work of precision--, no one was eviscerated by them.
"You want a fight, huh? Hahaha..."
Very slowly, massive amounts of air pressure concentrated around the knight's hands. Then the air turned into mana and it started taking a shape. First a line, then a tube. Then a hilt was formed in both his hands and with the sound of roaring thunder and breaking glass, the broad blades of Kanshou & Bakuya protruded from them!

"Then come at me, all of you! Let your true worth be measured! But know this: neither of you is leaving this place as anything less than a knight. This world has enough sword-wielding killers already, but few retain a heart."
Aegis flourished his twin swords viciously, cutting the air around him with gale speed as he readied the bladed tools by his side.


"And so we begin our first lesson in saving the world -- not dying! "

In a dramatic spectacle that is characteristic of Aegis, different kinds of weapons dropped down like hail onto the clearing, or battlefield, rather, but never over anyone lucky enough. Kanshou & Bakuya already? Of course Aegis would start large. These two are in for a surprise he thought with a smirk after he saw that his old master had returned. His eyes showed a fiery passion that he had only seen once before, and he loved it. "Good luck you two. I think I'll just take a step back and watch the action unfold. I've already gotten beaten enough by Aegis and I don't particularly plan on any more. " he said with a smile before doing just that and removing a sword from the dirt that was about three feet long by the looks of it. It wasn't too heavy and Zenshin thought that it was a good match.

Sure, he had his own weapons but where was the fun in using them when there were plenty littered across the battlefield, many of which he couldn't recreate since he'd never 'scanned' them before. What a nice blade. It's not too long and it's relatively light compared to the average katana. It seems sharp enough he began to think while examining the edge of the sword. I suppose I'll ask Aegis about this after he's done with this whole... thing. The first lesson doesn't sound too promising and like it or not, I'm probably going to end up roped into this, so might as well arm myself. "I think I'll call you Tsuniko..." he said as a passing thought, deciding to name the blade after someone close to him. Who? That's a story for a different time but what's important is what was about to unfold.

Aegis likes to play counter-offensively while I'm the opposite, though now I do prefer to do as he does every so often. He showed me just how effective it could be, but I still enjoy overwhelming my enemy faster than they can react, makes for a faster and more enjoyable fight. For me, anyways his mind continued to wander. Everything was so quiet after that spectacle and at any moment, either of the ladies would attack only to see that landing a strike on the swordsman wouldn't quite be as easy as they thought, which was really saying something because Ayeseru KNOWS what Aegis can do, or at least she thinks she does.

Akame stared at Aegis curiously when he appeared in front of Ayeseru- through teleportation, it seemed. Akame knew that, just by his presence at first, Aegis was going to be the toughest opponent she would ever fight. However, this would not mean that she was going to lose in such a great opportunity. This was when Akame's sword began to shine brightly, a violent snowstorm, bizarre wind, and raging lightning appearing, in accordance. "My true form." Antei spoke in Akame's mind. The violent snowstorm, bizarre wind, and raging lightning all collaborated with this sword until all three elements vanished, leaving an enlightened blade in their places.

Again, Akame's superior presence had risen: Asuna Christo. This new presence ultimately put Akame Seito in a state of lost memory and realm of nothingness, where she would forget everything after this brawl ended; whether it would be won or lost. While Ayeseru introduced his two weapons, Akame's new form Asuna also introduced her sword's final form: The Tempest Demon Sword. "Aegis, your time of glory ends now...in defeat." Asuna began. Ayeseru had given Asuna one final word before Asuna saw her charge at Aegis. Asuna watched Ayeseru's movements she could no longer be seen from where she stood. Once this moment commenced, Asuna immediately extended her arm upwards with the sword, and unleashed two seconds of silver light into the sky. There would be no time for Aegis to look at this light unless he wanted to suffer Ayeseru's incoming assault, and so the timing of this spell was seemingly perfect. The silver light travelled through space and time inside a dimensional void, where the naked eye or ear could see or hear anything at all. Additionally, the whole procedure was soundless, which would make the entirety of it all difficult to trace, otherwise.

"Tempest Demon Slayer's Raging Light" Asuna muttered, the silver light reformed into silver lightning above Aegis. The lightning instantly unleashed its fury above Aegis, running at thirty miles per hour. Normally, one would think that such lightning would deal severe damage. However, this lightning, specifically, did not. Instead, it left a paralyzing effect, so Aegis get struck by the lightning, no matter how powerful he was. It was all thanks to Ayeseru that this lightning seemed bound to hit its target, for by the timing this lightning was unleashed, Ayeseru was seen by Aegis' side, also ready to strike by the looks of it. It was amazing to see how the two had collaborated already. Aegis was already left with two choices, though Asuna highly doubted he could evade both assaults at once, especially since one was a melee assault. With Ayeseru's skills, it would be hard for Aegis to knock her out of the way, then block the lightning, somehow. Additionally, it would be even more difficult for Aegis to be paralyzed by the lightning, then take Ayeseru's strike. This concluded that no matter how powerful a Mage could be, no Mage was perfect. The two had officially left Aegis in a predicament.

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