The Shroud of Darkness

Playful were the shadows upon the surrounding walls, eerily growing in all shapes and sizes. As Viktor, a household butler walked by. Holding in his right hand a burning torch, which flickering flame just barely illuminated the path in front of him. His steps echoed through the dark hallways, clacking agains the cold pavement on the ground.

'Have you ever ventured down here before?' he inquired

As the light of the torch shifted, it slowly revealed the stature of a second appearance. Which obviously was the target Viktor was talking to. As the fire finally shed light on the other person, one could see the clear age difference between him and the old man leading the way. Or at least in appearances only. This was Aizenagi, a young man, or so Viktor believed. That had joined up with Savage Skull some time ago.

Both of them were traversing down into the darkest part of the guild hall. Namely the infamous and ever so enigmatic Catacombs. Which could best possibly referred to as Savage Skull's equivalent of Fairy Tail's isle of wonders Tenrou Island. Yet that was only one description, in truth The Catacombs were a much more darker place, and even the guilds inhabitants didn't know exactly what it really was. As many who dared to enter here never returned. Those that did return tho, those who managed to venture deeper into the endless tunnels into the lower levels, and lived to tell the tale. Often kept their lips sealed, but if something escaped their mouth. If they dropped a clue of what was more one could only conclude, that what Savage Skull knew about their own hallowed grounds was just merely the tip of the iceberg.

Clomp... Clomp... Clomp...

The sounds of his boots smashing into the ground bounced off of the walls in an eerie echo, coming to realize that none lie down here but a brutal, cruel silence. The shifting like and heat of the torch pecked at his darkened flesh, ocean blue eyes reflecting it's ember in it's prime. But no matter how bright the flame was, he couldn't see in front of him. He feared that he if ran off ahead, he'd look down and realize that nothing but a void would greet him. But, if any comfort, the darkness and silence were pleasant, though most would say otherwise. Aizenagi perked his head to his newly met acquaintance, wrinkles and aged flesh decorating his appearance. "Ah, well, sure wish I found it sooner. Didn't know that we had such brutally pleasant chambers of silence 'round here, heh." He snickered, with rather ill intentions and the curiosity of an uncaring cat.

Yes, it was only some time ago before Aizenagi had arrived at Savage Skull, an apparent Dark Guild. He had been chased out of his former plane of existence by a force second to none, claimed the vassal of a former Lamia Scale Summoning Wizard and was forced to regress from his age of 8,027 to the physical appearance of 27. Not only that, suffered from disabilities and strange markings that appeared on this body with no recollection of harm or injuries leading to his right eye's blindness or the appearance of the devilish marking stretched across his back.

But these were not facts that he could announce to others without fright, for he was skeptical of just about everyone. Even now, Aizenagi remained an arm's length away from Harrigan and the guild, in more ways than one. It was truly a dilemma for the youthful God, and though others may say he was otherwise due to his casual, playful nature, he once had the power strong enough to rule any plane of existence, but due to this realm's mental, spiritual, and physical restrictions, he was but of average power in the eyes of many. Aizenagi folded his arms under his shawl in a childish fit, "If I hadn't known better, I would've come down here myself for a bit of play. Or maybe drag a few people down here for some... fun. In a diverse amount of forms." He smirked down to the ground, closing his eyes and letting the heat of the flame and atmosphere of these... catacombs, sink in.

'You could definitely have some fun here, however don't treat the Catacombs to lightly. Sure the upper floors are practically safe place but beyond that, who knows. The catacombs house many secrets, some ancient and forgotten, others just left behinds from the previous masters. Experiments as you will, some of which still walk these very halls'

It was precisely that why they were down here, why Viktor had brought this young man along on his descent into the underworld. A test as well as a mission, to retrieve anything he could find on the old masters. But survive amidst the horrors that dwelled down here. In some ways it could considered a Rite of Passage for the dark guild, meaning that if you survived the catacombs you would truly be a member of the dark guild. A true Savage. A person who's power isn't to be messed with.

They both arrived at the end of a long hallway, where the light from the torch would illuminate an arch shaped entrance. With behind it the first few steps of a staircase going down, before it disappeared into the darkness.

'This is as far as I go' stated Viktor ominously 'The rest is up to you.'


OOC:
Allright, from this point onwards the story is all yours. Go down into the Catacombs and find some long lost secret from a previous Guild Master. The master doesn't have to be previously canon to the dark guild, you can also think one up yourself. Or it doesn't have to be a master even, it can also be just a powerful member of the guild.

There are a few conditions tho. You have to face a few obstacles, a monster or two. Maybe traps or anything really. But there is also another part, I want to read that the darkness starts messing with your well being. May it be illusions or anything really, how is up to you.

You can post in several posts after this, or just one big post. Either way works. Your posts are solid as far as I can see, so I aren't giving you a word count. Simply just go nuts.

Aizenagi listened attentively to Harrigan, his words enticing his interest as if some delicacy was becoming more favorable with each and every bite. That being said, he was left in an utter disappointment when he stopped talking. He only sparked more interest to these depths of which he escorted him. He could certainly have some fun down here, but it was so disturbingly dark, he'd at least have to map out the place, first. But considering these conditions, he expected that in of itself would be a pleasant challenge. Alas, his travels with Harrigan had come to an end, but one must seek the end to be presented with a beginning.

"..."

Aizenagi stood there speechless, a lax, yet tempted smirk fell upon his lips with the most ill of intent resting within his ocean blue eyes, reflecting a darkness that consumed the staircase. Yes, beyond those cold, hard steps would await his mission. He wasn't expecting anything, really. But he also learned through brutal observations not to underestimate anything regarding the infamous Savage Skull. As honorable as it was to be aligned with such trouble making group, he also believed that even they had an overrated significance. He was more or less expecting to impress himself with whatever he found instead of his assessor.

Thoughts aside, Aizenagi chuckled under his breath and snatched the torch away from the elder's grasp with the most innocent of deceptive smiles. "I'll make this quick~" He spoke in a teasing, almost playful tone. And with that, he took off and descended down the staircase with eagerness nipping to his temptation. Click... Click... Click...

Yes, this staircase had seemed to go on forever and ever. The torch, which appeared to quell the darkness efficiently, proved borderline useless, seeing as the darkness only consumed it's brightness with ease within a few feet. Click... Click... Click... Aizenagi exhaled boringly, a bolt of impatience seeming to overwhelm him. "These damn stairs seem to go on forever, yeesh! They just had to make these things so extensiv-..." But it was then that he felt nothing support the harsh stomping. Nothing there to stand on. There was a hole.

"Guh!" Aizenagi grunted as his body began to descend into the darkness with no warning, his mind had little time to process the situation and had to act accordingly. He felt the wind push against his back, face and other limbs faced the opposite side of which he was falling, the still-burning touch tightly held in the curls of his fingers. "Requip: Chained Dagger! Come aid me!" He called out to the nothing, and in moments, wrapped around his wrist, coiling around the joint until the dagger's hilt was promptly placed into his hands. "I can't see a damn thing but let's hope this hits!" He mumbled under his breath in a troubled, shaky voice. He charged his arm back behind his back, waiting moments before chucking the dagger and it's connected chain into the nothing.

Woosh...!

...

...

...CLINK!

Aizenagi smirked as he heard the blade pierce the stone wall of which he fell parallel from and swung towards that direction. With one leg outstretched vertically, he swung to the stone wall with his torch panting lightly and snickered down into the abyss. "Well, let's see how far this beauty goes down." He glanced to his only source of light, his embers of which nibbled on the clot of wood on his torch, and tossed it into the swallowing abyss below. As the light shined upon it's nearby victims, it had appeared that this hole was well constructed, inescapable walls descending into a... pit?

...Fwoowh... The torch continued to fall for a few moments, the light slowly fading in the darkness.

...

...

Pwoosh!

There, at the bottom, the dim light could be clearly seen at the bottom of the pit. It wasn't that far of a drop, Aizenagi concluded. He smiled and tugged on the chain he held onto, hanging from the point where the blade struck. "Hm. Well..." He began to tug harder, loosening the sharp dagger of it's latching grip, "...down I go." He smirked and tugged the dagger completely out of the wall's wound, descending into the abyss.

It was a quick fall, almost too quick. It was odd, to say the least. How could such a height seem so short? It was almost seconds ago that it looked like a drop that could break one's landing objects, but although rough, clean.

Aizenagi rolled and tumbled safely to a halt as he landed, lifting himself from the dust and grime covered cobblestone, stretching his arms to his neck, and finally dusting himself up. "Hmph. Pathetic. Hardly a fall, I would say. But I suppose that isn't the problem now, heh. Now where's that torch..." He huffed to himself grudgingly, unimpressed by the lack of adrenaline rushing through him in those scarce moments. However, it was odd. As the torch fell down into the abyss, it wasn't nearly as abyss-like as a abyss would seem. It was actually a short fall. Too short. It was truly odd, yes, but it was not of much value to him given the situation. He looked around, left, right, front, and back, until his eyes rested their fixed gaze to it's flickering flame. "Ere' you are." He sighed and bent down to grasp it's hilt, raising it above shoulder level. Down here was not any better than before, empty, cold, and disturbingly dark. He waved the torch around in the darkness, in hopes the the boundaries of effected areas would expand, but it remained the same, if not decreased. Aizenagi sighed, "Useless. I can only see a few feet in front of me. Tch..." He chuckled with an unforgiving smirk, though his tone was irritable, clearly not impressed. But, in the near distance was yet another corridor,  A deep smooth passage, lined with the chocolatey depths of a dark, dank space. "Oh, how lovely. Guess we'll start the-... Hm?"

Crunch.
The tip of his boot crushed something, feeble, but solid.

"...?"
He peered down to face the unsettling crunching noise. And there lie his foot, in the crushed rib cage of a human skeleton. Aizenagi was left speechless, and only played with the rubble with the grinding of his heel. "..." It was only moments ago he arrived to this empty space, but as he gazed around, skeletons littered the ground lifelessly, skulls were engraved in the stone walls, staring at him with empty eyes. How odd, yet pleasing. "Weird..." He spoke with a content tone riddling in his voice.

It was truly an odd occurrence. He had no memory of these decaying bones lying about just a few minutes ago. He didn't know what to make of it. But he was glad he did not underestimate these catacombs, he practically expected things as weird or horrific as this to happen. But wasn't too sure if it happened at all. Just a few moments ago, the room was completely empty, but now littered with decaying skeletons? - And the pit? It seemed like an endless abyss but the fall wasn't long at all. Surely something was out of place, surely something was messing with his mind. But, he didn't stress over it.

Proceeding through the room filled with skeletons, Aizenagi headed towards the corridor with a slightly troubled expression. It was as if walking through deep snow, every step was caught in bone. His boots shredding though their barriers and layers as if ripping thick sheets of paper. But eventually, he made it through, and walked to the ends of the corridor and came to another open room. It was completely dark, and the torch only seemed to light his face. He reckoned that it wouldn't be of much use at this point. But, it was at the moment of doubt that suddenly candles were lined up across the borders of the room? One by one, they lit up with insignificant speed.

Fwooowh!

And suddenly, two slanted blocks of stone smashed together, blocking off the corridor exit. The room was now fully lit with candlelight. "Hm... guess I don't need you you anymore." He lifted the touch to his face and blew out it's flame, having no effect on the lighting. He dropped the stick of wood, reeking of oil and smoke, and kicked it aside. Though he took the time to close his eyes, crack his neck and stretch his arms, it was not long after he opened them back up to catch glimpse of... stone pedestals in front of him?

"Welcome, Aizenagi." Spoke an unknown, dark, deep and distorted voice.

"...?!!" Aizenagi quickly peered over his shoulder in shock, only to catch glance of a cloaked figure with a metallic skull mask, with glowing red eyes, smoke seeping out of it's clenched teeth. "W-Who..?!-"

"You have made it far, Aizenagi-Tsuki. Please, accept any of the following rewards shown before you." He spoke in the same demented, yet tempting voice as when he greeted him.

And within the sheer moments of when Aizenagi blinked, the mysterious man disappeared from behind him and appeared next the pedestals, eyes fixed to his ocean blues. Aizenagi raised a brow and spoke questionably, a soft yet suspicious tone escorting his words as they rolled off of his tongue. "Reward?"

"Correct. You have been face with trials of the mind, and prevailed. This darkness has bestowed fatal fates upon the others who ventured down here."

Aizenagi stood there with blank eyes, tying together everything that had happened so far. "Hm... so the pit was just a trick?"

"Correct."

"The stairs?"

"Yes."

"I see..." He spoke calmly, taking a look at the 'rewards' which would be displayed on their respective pedestals. There was a dagger, an urn, and a large bag filled with jewels. Both seemed quite valuable, except the urn. It seemed to have little significance.

"These are all artifacts from powerful wizards who have ventured into the catacombs. This is all the remains of them. Choose whatever you'd like..."

The cloaked figure chuckled lightly, laughing under his distorted, dark breath. But as Aizenagi looked at him, he seemed to have something of greater interest...

"Choose whatever you'd like, Aizenagi-Tsuki." He repeated. But... his eyes were focused on only one thing, his cloak. He had his eye on it for two particular reasons. He was suspicious of what lie beneath the cloth, and...

well, he liked cloaks.

"I have chosen..." Aizenagi turned to face the figure, walking towards it with slow movements.

"Excellent. Please make way to your rewar-" The figure's cloak was suddenly ripped away from it's body by the hands of Aizenagi, a smirk on the wizard's face.

"And this is my reward!"

And with that action, the unknown figure fell to it's knees in a painful fit, kicking and screaming, it's arms rushing to it's face as it's hands clenched it's eyes, blood beginning to pour from it's sockets.

"WHaT hAVE yOU DoNe?!!?!? WHAt HAve YoU DONE!" It screamed, and screamed, and screamed. As if... as if the cloak was it's flesh, and Aizen has ripped it from it's body. It's true form.

"GYYYYAAaaaahhhHHHHhhh....." It moaned and groaned, slowly.... slowly becoming larger?

"GuuuUUUUUhhhaaaa...." It grew horns. It grew larger, longer arms and legs. It's eyes flashed a deeper crimson, and fur began to grow. It was... a monster? All of the darkness fled from it's body, and it began to hide it's eyes, engaging in a hideous, maniacal laughter.

"HEEEeeHaaaHAAAheha.... WRoNg AnSWeR!!"

It burst into laughter, revealing it's true form.

"PRoVe ThYSelf,  YOUng WiZaRd, AIZENAGI-TSUKI!!!"

"I wouldn't want it any other way! ReQuip: Ebony Revolver!" And at that command, his summoned weapon of choice gripped into his palm, directly aiming it to it's skull. And with the quick click of the trigger, bullets sprung from the pistol, one by one until it fell empty. All 6 bullets fired, but only 4 hitting.

"BwHAAHAHAaaHaa! WEaK! Is ThAT aLL yOU'Ve GoT, yOUng wiZaRD?!?" It taunted, grinning in midst with it's hideous, unending laughter and dashing over to Aizenagi with a claw lunging at him. "PEriSH!! JuST liKE aLL ThE othERS!!!" But, moments before impact...

"ReQuip: Smoke Bomb!" And with that command, the revolver dispelled and was replaced with the tidy grenade. And within moments, he raised it to his teeth and ripped the trigger away from the capsule and tossed it to the ground, exploding with it's haze.

"w-WHat Is THis!? M-mY STRengTh! I caN'T SeE!" It began to fall to it's knees, blood gushing from the bullet holes.

"ReQuip: Fool's Twinblades. Ember's Touch... You have been a formidable foe! Goodbye." He smirked, sneaking over to him in the smoke, crawling onto his back, and piercing his spine with the the twin blades separated.

"GyyYYYYYAAAAaaaaHHHHhhh!!" It screamed, trembling, and after a few moments, fading away. "Impressive.... young wizard. i reward you with these eyes... the eyes of a power wizard who was also of Savage Skull... take them... and reign!" And with that, he vanished. All that remain is it's two eyes, crystallized and bejeweled. Yes, these were his true artifacts. And yes, he was impressed.

"Not too disappointing. Let's see... now a way out of here, back to the staircase..."

...

...Fwoooooosh!

It was then that another hidden door appeared, an exit from this room of the catacombs, back to the staircase. He went, he climbed, and he exited, back to the area where he and Harrigan had split. Yes, with the artifacts in his satchel, and a smirk to his lips. Yes, it was there, he'd exit the catacombs with even greater power.

It was today that he'd leave as a greater mage.

"Heh."