Who you are.

Haunted visages similar to the aurora borealis stalked the night sky, as the somber cemetery slept underneath what little visible moonlight there was in the atmosphere. Sharp had only recently arrived within the area, her footsteps and small ruffling of clothing becoming hideously loud against the cemeteries silent backdrop. Her reasoning for being within this cemetery was a simple one, Chaoris had given Sharp a simple "Mission". Sharp was here to investigate disturbances within the area, apparently a rival "god" had been attempting to manifest their power from the corpses of the mages here, or so Chaoris had believed. Sharp disdained this sort of work, she was a fighter, not an investigator, or at least, that's what she currently believed since this job didn't involve the truth of the universe, that could only be gained from physical combat against an opponent. She understood the sweat of an opponent hitting her blade, their life matter spilling, her life matter spilling, she could understand their feelings only through the violence that was the truth of primordial combat. Barbaric, and violent, it was where she flourished, not through finding secrets hidden away in the ghosts of gravestones. Chaoris was her master, and she held a contract with him, so of course, she had to oblige him, but she almost wished that another weaker follower could have gone, one who wasn't so understanding of the truth to have difficulty with such mental, and to her, trivial matters. All Sharp needed was to slice the truth open from their lying, corrupted bodies, which she desired to find within this area faster than the lies from gravestones.

The cemetery echoed the noise as the leaves crunching beneath her, the peaceful atmosphere sounding more ominous the further within this large area that Sharp went. The tree's slept as evidenced by the leaves upon the ground, the gates were broken open from years of misuse and trust wasted, and the area had a fog about it from the chill in the air no doubt, or so it would seem at the surface. The fog spoke a silent sonata of unnatural pathways floating throughout the air, spawned from foul magic. The Fog was hiding something, it was like a puzzle, a puzzle that was causing Sharp to start experiencing untold frustrations as her limited mind started to loop through confusion. The puzzle only seemed to get worse as the magic around her within the fog became choking in how hostile it was, almost like a miasma. Sharp wandering through the stones had no names faced a small fit of lashing out almost wishing to care names within the stones as it made her upset; the lacking of names upon said stones was a crime against those who had lived and now rested here, their names were important, their goals, passion, all of it was placed in the name and the deed, but now there was nothing, no one could remember, learn, gather, admire, capture their flags, their ways of life, now they were just bones in the ground, restless, debased, void of purpose. Perhaps Sharp was getting upset as she could relate to them, Sharp was basically a dead woman anyway, just that she could walk, and occasionally talk, unlike they who always slept and woke nevermore.

This got the long since unused cogs within her mind started, who was Sharp, was she really like those without a name on a tombstone? Sharp had some identity, she was a follower of Chaoris, but why was she a follower of him? Could it be due to her blind belief in him, and his goals, her understanding of his truth that allowed her to try and understand others feelings, or due to the key that he held, that was her own little gateway into the world which she should normally call her home. Sharp didn't wish to admit or think about the why; to say why she was a follower of his would result in almost no answer. To Sharp's great shame she had no idea why she was his follower; yes Sharp could understand more through the physical than the emotional; yes combat was a distraction that helped her know the meaning of the world around her, but there was something missing, and these tombstones were showing her that what she was missing was herself.

Sharp was the perfect follower for Chaoris, the perfect bodyguard for the political giant, but she never was just... herself. Faeral had shown her that much already, opened her eyes to it, when he became a killer after she spoke, the influence that she had over him in that moment, or at least the influence that she perceived, showed her that she was speaking for Chaoris but wasn't speaking for herself, he fought just like she would have fought all in his name, it was like a mirror, which meant it was the words rather than her actions which grew the girls perception of the world, it wasn't her mind, but his. This unsettled her further as she began to float thoughts around within her brain, and began to question exactly who she was, rather than trying to find out where the hidden "god" was who was starting to rival Chaoris. She was losing herself and the mission since for one of the first times in her brief life, she was trying to think about herself and what it meant for her to be alive rather, than the goal that Chaoris or really anyone who had, had her key before wished for her to accomplish.

Sitting down in between unmarked graves, Sharp let out a sigh, the cold wind brushing against her auburn hair. This place, it was influencing her, the fog was getting thicker, and her mind was becoming clouded with thoughts of doubt. Sharp should scream out against these thoughts, Sharp should declare what she is, but Sharp couldn't scream, yell, or destroy anything, for she didn't know what she actually was, or why she was here. She couldn't fight against the thoughts that plagued her mind for she had no answer, and no conviction against it, and then within that small clearing between the graves, Sharp's mind wandered till it threw itself into a circle, then with a silent whimper she fell asleep within the clearing, her body leaning rather than laying, exposed and vulnerable.

---

Total WC: 1064/3000
Post WC:  1064

It wouldn't be long before Sharp would awaken, her eyes clouded like the fog that had been around her previously. The atmosphere had changed, her sense of danger was fading rapidly, as she tried to rub her eyes back into focus, this area, this place, what was it? It appeared dark, filled to the brim with the fog that she had tried to be avoiding, but now it penetrated her lungs with its foul infectious spread. She couldn't escape it, no more than she could escape her own sense of doubt within her mind. Who, or rather what, was she, did she matter at all, was she actually her own person or a person at all? After all she was just a celestial spirit right, she wasn't really born, didn't really have a soul? Maybe she did have a soul, but it wasn't one that was her own, she had only been gifted it and not grown it, then again were all souls gifted in the first place? Sharp was so limited in her capacity that she didn't know what to think about it, only to try and get her eyes to see in this dense and blasted miasma like fog. She was frustrated but didn't know what she was frustrated at. She was sad for her loss of identity but didn't know why she was so sad. She was experiencing something very different from this fog, and unlike a normal opponent she couldn't just lash out and swing at it to make it go away, she had to fight it another way with her mind, but how could she fight that which wasn't in front of her.

Flipping up onto her feet, Sharp unleashed her sword only to not see the red glow, the miasma was too thick, instead, all she did was swing it out in rage towards a target that she couldn't see and was never there. She was angry at how she was questioning herself, angry at how she was finding no real passion in her, no identity, she was angry and wished for something to kill, anything to get rid of this pain she was experiencing within her mind and heart. Sadly Sharp hadn't questioned why she feeling these emotions, but rather was going along with them. The miasma began to clear as she felt her rage well inside to a boiling point, where her mind thought of one thing, killing whatever she saw in front of her. She could experience it too, the control she would feel the power that would be unleashed before her eyes, how she would be the one in control and she would know what it meant to live for her own goals rather than someone else. She would with this one strike be free!

The blade began to glow red through the lifting miasma, Sharp's face becoming corrupted by the hue mixed with the fog, almost making her look like a different person. Suddenly with a blink Sharp saw it the silhouette of a figure before her, human shaped, tall but not unfathomable from her rage. Without thinking, she let out a roar of unintelligible noise and lunged in with a thrusting stab into the center of the figure. She knew this feeling, but for the first time, she felt a satisfaction of committing such an act, to rend someone down was, a great pleasure to her, a relief to her bottled emotions, stress was gone. It wasn't done, though, Sharp had to look upon them and see their faces, to know full satisfaction, to see their face as it faded from reality and life, this is what Sharp needed right now to put the cherry on her cake of relief. As she removed her sword from the reeling figure, Sharp spun them around and kicked them to the ground, the familiar scent of blood filled her lungs, it was time to get the ultimate satisfaction, she would see their face and now know her purpose.

Then she saw their face, and suddenly her own was filled with horror, and her eyes let loose the floodgates of tears. How could she do such a thing, how could she have experienced such a rush of rage that she managed to stab at them, how could she have killed them.

How could she have killed Chaoris...

His corpse in front of her, and all she could do was go from satisfaction of misery in half a second, the emotions she had been denied for years now flooding to the surface as she couldn't contain the tears. She fell to her knees and could only look brief at his face at a time, it was too much for her, her senses, mind, and body were all overwhelmed by the feelings about what she had just done. She had betrayed him, she wasn't worthy of worshipping him, or having him hold her key, she had lost the last remains of what gave her a purpose within this world by her own hands, and she felt incredible sorrow for all of it, and regret. Feelings she hadn't felt before, except for maybe once in the distant past upon her first opening of her eyes. She now had no purpose and no one within this world. As the Miasma started to come back Sharp couldn't do anything but be trapped in this infernal hell that she had caused, she was lost in her mind, a trap which was impossible to escape unless some kind of light could shine through, but instead of light, all she got was darkness spreading within, and now in the form of a voice.

"Killing off your master, you have no purpose, you have no purpose, you have no purpose... let me give you one, follow me now instead."

---

Total WC: 2033/3000
Post WC: 969

"What?"

"Serve me as you just have, let me complete you like he couldn't."

"I haven't served you at all!"

"You're act of destruction of your former master in your rage was the act of service my child. You experienced emotions and it grew you stronger to the point where not even he could withstand a blow from you."

"But I didn't, I couldn't kill him, he's too..."

"Yet he lies there dead at your lap, do you now see that this is who you are, what you were meant to be, your true feelings, those which you had missed. It is okay to be afraid, I feel it too at times, the power is too much, but it's okay I can help you, help you to control it, you just... have.. to... trust... me..."

"Trust you? How can I... but... the feelings I have, I don't want it to hurt anymore... I don't, but you I can't trust, I how... but... just make it stop."

"I can make it stop child just... take my hand, these emotions we will get them all sorted out, will get you complete."

From out of the Miasma came a hand, it was a black and cold as the Miasma now piercing through Sharp's mind. The disfigured appendage like a claw reached out for Sharp to take hold of as the next step within her life, to break free from her chains and not feel the pain that she did from these feelings, to experience life with emotions and feelings even if with them she would be brought pain, it was a horrifying yet satisfying experience, to feel the rage and hatred and then feel sorrow over an action. Reaching out to take his disfigured form, Sharp hesitated slightly, her hand shaking as she moved forward towards him.

"It's okay, just take it, I can show you the way..."

"I... I... I..."

His hand stretched to meet hers, but just when it could grasp onto it, her weapon flew out from her wrist and sliced towards it, cutting against the miasma with its harsh crimson glow. the strange figure now becoming more apparent within the mist reeled back from the sudden blow, and his entire figure turned to the side, a clear sign of both shock and disgust as the reforming claw turned into more of a fist.

"I may not know, what I am or what these feelings are, but if this is what they do to me, how they change me, I'd rather fall here fighting with my own mind, then join up with you, who is possibly deceiving me!"

"You could have chosen to be so much more now, but now I'll just have to drag you back, make you have more time to consider."

The miasma gusted out of the area, as the figure cloaked within their black robes, floated within the air. Sharp without much thought, dashed forward and took a lunging jump towards him, her hand coming to the side, her wrist flicking towards the target, this would be the blow that would end deception, or so she thought. The blade striking at the left side of the being was intercepted as they moved their right hand and unleashed a pulse from it. The blow vibrated within Sharp, her hand feeling the mutilation as the broken material flung into it, and the blades crimson glow ceased within the area. Before she could react, the left hand of the being moved towards her and another pulse flew out, sending her flying backwards with incredible force. Her body shattered the graves as she plowed through the cemeteries grounds.

Flipping over as she managed to recover from the blow, Sharp moved her wounded hand over her mouth to wipe away her "blood". This was bad, it was like this thing could fight without effort, but it didn't matter, it had a weakness and Sharp would find it. Rushing forward again, the being seemed to huff, possibly with disgust, Sharp didn't care to figure it out, the trail of tears still fresh on her face from the rush of emotion that she had experienced. Normally Sharp would be thinking this fight through, would try to find the weakness without any kind of brute force, try to launch a spell or two, but she had passion running in her veins, she had emotion, and thoughts of the actions she had just taken, she had regret, and this clouded her, weakened her planning abilities, she was broken, and was about to make a broken attack.

Teleporting behind the fiend, Sharp took her elbow down upon his face, her attack was planned to hit him from an angle where his hands couldn't hurt her with their strange attack, but then in an instant, she found out, that the attack could originate from his body. Being sent flying once again this time, she braced herself, the sting of the blow tearing into her "flesh" and causing shock to fly through her. Regaining her composure mid-fall, She managed to skid along the ground and avoid another crash, or so she thought.

Looking up to gain sight of her target again, she found him right on top of her, and his hand pointed directly at her face. It wasn't but a moment till she went flying back, completely wounded, crashing against more gravestones and reeling from the pain that wracked her entire body. This, thing was tough, far tougher than her, it was toying with her, could have taken her at any time, could have made her believe anything... maybe she should, it was certainly stronger than anything she had ever seen... perhaps it was the best choice. Then she remembered the pain, which was far worse than the physical. This thing could only offer her a nightmare, if experiencing such feelings was what it wished for her, then she would rather never feel them again, this experience was showing her just how dangerous and naive she was, she didn't know who she was and yet she sought this out? How could she do such a thing without first knowing her own limitations and abilities to handle such emotions... maybe this is why she couldn't experience them in the first place.

Floating over towards Sharp the figure chuckled a little.

"Now then, let us go, I shall show you the way whether you wish it or not, my little spirit."

It was over, Sharp could only fight for so long within her head, with her broken body... she couldn't do it, if only Chaoris and the others she would have met could forgive her, for her failings, if only she could handle such emotions...

"Can you stand?"

"What...?"

"Surely you can stand, your conviction is strong."

"I'm broken and beaten, this is what it's like to lose, to be like those I have... fought, how could I stand."

"Dissapointing, you can stand because you have a purpose, your purpose is to know what it means to be... yourself. Surely that conviction will let you rise?"

"Words are meaningless..."

"Words are the fuel of this world, your name is proof of that, you have eyes that pierce those who you see, you know them without knowing them, you can experience their plight, it is your willpower and confidence that he has prayed upon tonight. The only conviction you need is your own."

"But my body is broken, I can't stand up on my own."

"Then take my hand."

Sharp opening her bloody eye, the clouded vision slowly becoming less so as she saw it, a vibrant white light surrounding the area, no darkness was within it, a man clad in a white suit holding his hand out, his silver hair glistening within the light, his hand radiant and warm. Taking it with her half broken and bloodied one, Sharp attempted to rise, though her footing was weak. She could see it now her vision got clearer the darkness couldn't penetrate this man's light, it was comforting, almost like he was...

"Father..."

"You have done well Sharp, you have overcome the first step to knowing emotions, you are still limited, but maybe you can grow from this and continue to impress me. You stand with your own convictions and not just those of another."

"But... father I don't understand... these emotions why did I fight for them if they cause this much pain..."

"There are more than just the ones you felt, ones that bring happiness to your life, I shall limit you once more, but this time, leave the key to breaking it within that new conviction of your's, perhaps you will continue to show me what it is you can do? Just how far will you grow..."

"Wait, limit me!? I don't understand why... would.. you... do... tha--."

Gently being lowered to the ground Sharp fell asleep, her body recovering from the scars and changing slightly, her hair color shifting to a unique shade, while her eyes though hidden by sleep were that of a silver, much like the man's hair. His gaze normally careless and calculating, his face turned a little warm as he saw her in her original form, the one that had originally made him view her with respect, and see his experiment a success.

"Why, why are you here!? There is no reason for you to try and protect her!"

"What good is an experiment that can't complete it's task that it was made to do?"

"What!?"

"You were made to corrupt, to change, to infect, you succeeded with that minor goddess, but it was easy enough to undo, she almost did it herself on her little journey."

"I did it to gain power to destroy you, you never cared about me, you never cared about any of us, yet you saved her!? You are a hypocrite and a monster, who I will destroy."

"Why wouldn't I save her? Out of all of you that were made to accomplish a goal, she is the first to overcome another, through her own willpower even while lacking a self... and to answer your first question, of course, I would help her, you all looked at me with hatred as you grew and performed your tasks, she is the only to look at me with sorrow and see what I am, what I have done, and weep for me, she is the only one who is selfless enough for me to consider my child. A parent naturally protects their child isn't that right?"

"Your logic is sickening to me, I am your child as well, and I shall take over your petty throne of knowledge and logic with my raw determination. You will witness my power first hand!"

The atmosphere of the place turned dark, the lights in the sky vanished and the ground shook. Bodies of some of those who were buried here began to stir and rise, their forms covered by Miasma. The sky grew dark with it, a burning sensation filled the air, and the figure grew in size till it could black out the sun it's it's very presence. An army of the dead rose, the atmosphere burned all it touched, miasma blocked vision, the figure gathered within it a terrible power in it's hands and began to throw it out towards the small protective bubble, those who were present might have cracked from the sheer magical power unleashed in this now hellscape.

"Now, you will be crushed underneath my power, farewell you failure of a man, father, and savior!"

The man with the clean suit didn't blink, his hands within his pockets, all he did was look towards the figure through the miasma with disappointment.

"You lack the conviction of Sharp, the passion of Omega, the sheer potential of Alpha, Beta's compassion, and Delta's aggression, none of it is within you, I am sorry, but it seems that you, Gamma, have ended your usefulness to me, it is best if you vanish, no need to continue to embarrass yourself."

without a body movement the tiny white bubble encompassed the entire area, all of the power within the air was replaced in but a moment as his calming, yet frightening aura was flung out. The figure tried to launch an attack against it, the dead tried to fight back with their enhanced magic's but it was all pointless. All was ash, and all was dust in half a moment, the blinking of the figure, and the pure white they saw was the last memory they would ever leave upon the world.

As the aura returned the graveyard became restored, the deads bodies returned underneath the ground and the area completely returned to the way it was before.

"I apologize for the torment he tried to put you through, please continue to rest in peace, and know that I shall save both this world and the next from such torments, forever."

Looking down towards Sharp, the man gave a tiny crack of a smile.

To give you such conviction, I wonder what this Chaoris man is like, perhaps I shall try and find him, till then may you enjoy your original form, and your limits only being how far you can grow. Don't disappoint me, you are the only one who is worth studying still, the only one out of the whole bunch who could be my child, my Daughter. Till we meet again, my little sharp-witted princess."

Vanishing without a trace, he left Sharp in the now quiet once more graveyard, with nothing but her dreams to keep her company...

Waking up within the cemetery, Sharp's new little ears perked up as she looked around. This area was the same, had it all been a dream, but then she felt it, her face, her hair, the new appendages, it was all different, it wasn't a dream. She sighed a sigh of relief a feeling of comfort though faint overcame her. Wait, she felt comfort, she could feel? it was small, but to her it was huge, bigger than anything, it was nice, she could experience even the tiniest bit of emotions. Rising to a standing position Sharp clenched her fist and renewed her vigour, if she could feel just a tiny bit, then it was possible to gain emotions fully back, to experience them like she was meant to, her dream wasn't just a dream... it could become a reality. Now all she needed to do was overcome her own limitations.

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Total WC: 4452/3000
Post WC: 2419