Nightmare Challenge: Mystical Towers and that stuff

"A wanderer isn't always lost."

Once more Deniel found a small opening in the ways of the Mage in front of them, but just like the last time it happened, the strike that he attempted to give out was met with the unstoppable wall of a shield. The attacks he was doing seemed to have little effect on it, contrary to what normally happened in which Armageddon would right away--or eventually--just completely shatter away at it. Unfortunately this was not the case. And even as Ignite was able to come into the fray of battle, for some reason Elyx not following, the distraction was enough for him to try and get a good hit in, but once again to no avail. Not only was the Mage successful in blocking Deniel's unrelenting assault, but he also managed to knock Ignite right out of the fight. So much for her...she's a little out of hear league. He commented to himself in his head. Neither of the two in the team that accompanied him were really helping right now, which meant that at the moment he needed to focus on how to survive and stall until they were finally able to, or figure out how to defeat the foe on his own.

The shield caught on to the blade once more, but instead of just standing there and taking the force, the Mage had actually pushed the Black Devil away from himself. Staggering at the force but quickly recovering, he realized that the Mage was only stalling for a brief moment to cast a spell. "Crash Geyser!" The same one was before...? It was impossible for it to be up by now, but the white circle underneath Deniel said otherwise. Luckily for Elyx and Ignite, it was much smaller than it was last time, perhaps because it hadn't been cast for so long. Regardless, it was big enough for Deniel to know that he only had two options. Take the hit, or take it like a Devil. And of course, he chose the latter of the two. The blade upon the Black Devil's hands flipped itself backwards, with the blade facing the ground rather than the ceiling, and at the same time the Devil activated Nephalem Blink to teleport himself. It was far too short of a range to avoid the attack, but it was just long enough for him to get in range for an attack. Busy channeling the spell, both the Mage and the Black Devil ended up trading off themselves, with the Devil being hit by the geyser of blinding white Magic Power, and the Mage taking the full force of Armageddon into the flesh underneath his robes. Fortunately for Deniel, the switching of his sword's position was not just to show off, but rather to activate a Passive ability to which the Black Devil's scales were shielded from most of the blast, though not all of it. And in the end, the trade worked off for the better with the Black Devil rather than the Mage.

Notes:

Deniel's Health: 275/700
Take Over Durability: 485/525
Magic Power: 30/80
Take Over Energy: 0
Regeneration of 25: 5/5
The Black Devil Duration: 3/20
Recreation Cool Down: 5/6
Energize Cool Down: 5/5
Greater Energize Cool Down: 5/5
The Nephalem Cool Down: 5/20
Shout of the Devil Cool Down: 2/3
Nephalem Blink Cool Down: 1/2
Devil Arts Cool Down: 1/5

"A wanderer isn't always lost."

"Impressive." That was the Mage's only reaction to seeing that not only had his opponent survived his attack, but also chose to get one in before he was hit himself. Blood slowly trickled from the wound and on to the man's clothes, but just as the scars still present on Deniel's body, and the sears coming from his scales from the attack he was just hit with, he was not shaken or stirred. And neither was the Black Devil. The two of them once more met with a series of clashes, shield and sword, and yet the Black Devil knew deep inside of himself that this was not the fullest extent of his power. Given his weakened state, he would have to somehow draw it out and then bypass it the moment that it was used. Otherwise, his demise may be at hand. "Tell me, boy, what is your name?" Sword and shield met once more in a clash that turned into a small standoff of strength. "Deniel." The Black Devil merely said. Luckily for him, unlike the previous Doppelganger's, his strength was no where near to match Deniel's. He certainly was strong, but the Black Devil was much stronger.

Overpowering him, and temporarily breaking his defenses, the Black Devil unleashed a second devastating cut into his flesh. The counter attack by the Mage was immediate for him, however, and thrust his palm forward to send the demon barreling backwards, only to be stopped by himself with his heels skidding against the ground. Once more the result of their clashes was a tie, yet the Black Devil was still at a hefty disadvantage. His attack had done more damage, but overall he had suffered more. Staggering to one knee, the Devil gripped tightly with its claw onto the scales of his right rib cage where the Mage had hit him. Not only that, but there was also a wound there from earlier that was opening up once more that the Doppelganger had created. Panting and getting to his feet, he started to think of any kind of plan that would win him this fight. He couldn't be doing any of these trades anymore; if it continued on, then he would surely face defeat. If he were at a much higher Health, then...well, that was another story. He spat on to the ground a small bit of blood that had been building up inside of his mouth, and prepared himself for another round between him in the Mage while a plan derived itself within his head.

He's not my Doppelganger, so there's many more openings in my opinion. I just need an attack that'll finish him off for good, and something that he won't just use to get an attack off on me. Maybe a distraction while I use something like Cantata Mortis. Yeah...that spell will win me this fight, but I've only got one shot at it. If I miss...I'm done for. So I need to time it right. Just...right. One slip up...

Notes:

Deniel's Health: 225/700
Take Over Durability: 435/525
Magic Power: 55/80
Take Over Energy: 8
Regeneration of 25: 1/5
The Black Devil Duration: 3/20
Recreation Cool Down: 6/6
Energize Cool Down: 1/5
Greater Energize Cool Down: 1/5
The Nephalem Cool Down: 6/20
Shout of the Devil Cool Down: 3/3
Nephalem Blink Cool Down: 2/2
Devil Arts Cool Down: 2/5

"A wanderer isn't always lost."

It was decided by him, then. Not knowing what exactly the plan between his two partners was, the Black Devil composed his own one that would guarantee a one-shot-one-kill scenario for himself. Though it needed time to build up. That much damage would take a lot, and couldn't just be done instantly. The first step in it all, however, was sheathing his blade. Surprisingly, the Black Devil raised Armageddon above his head, and placed it right on his back, sheathing it there safe and secured. The Mage in front of him seemed startled by this, and didn't bother making a move, preparing perhaps for some kind of enormous spell, perhaps one that required two hands. The Black Devil, on the other hand, conveyed that this was not the case. He merely raised up one of his palms, and edged the Mage on to come to him. He did this by taunting him, moving his index finger back and fourth as a signal for him to come straight for him. And if he didn't, the Black Devil would just stand there if he did. He crossed his arms over his chest, and waited. Without any other choice other to just sit there for an eternity, or just carry on to fighting Elyx with him just standing there, the Mage went for the more vulnerable target. At least the one he thought vulnerable. Attacking with his shield to prevent any kind of counter attack, in case it was some kind of trap, the Mage gave the Black Devil a couple of bashes with the shield.

The only response to any of them by the Devil was to just move his body from left to right, right to left, left, left, right. In just a few swift movements, he dodged each and every attack, and knowing that he had the advantage of a cool head at the moment, he only shrugged. The Mage had actually unleashed a spell after that, one aimed straight for the Demon, but all Deniel had to do was use Nephalem Dash to travel a couple of meters to the left, and the beam of Crash flew right on by him. Utilizing his magic of creation, the Mage created a hand made of the same material as the tower, which was placed right behind the Devil the moment he ceased his dash. Looking behind himself, the only thing the Black Devil saw was a darkness gripping him from all directions, and in a moment's notice he was sealed inside, presumably crushed. Though in just an instant, the created hand crumbled to the ground and vanished from existence seemingly as the Black Devil used a spell designed for close quarters: Devil's Reign. "I think I see it now..." he said, mostly to himself. Through these few spells, he finally pinpointed what he believed to be the Magic of the Mage him and the other two were fighting. Distracted by Deniel's speech, which was intentional on his end to hopefully give Elyx some time, the Mage listened intently.

"Arc of Embodiment and Crash. A Magic of creation, and one of destruction. Fearsome when combined together."

Notes:

Deniel's Health: 225/700
Take Over Durability: 435/525
Magic Power: 55/80
Take Over Energy: 8
Regeneration of 25: 2/5
The Black Devil Duration: 4/20
Energize Cool Down: 2/5
Greater Energize Cool Down: 2/5
The Nephalem Cool Down: 7/20
Devil's Reign Cool Down: 1/3
Nephalem Dash Cool Down: 1/1
Devil Arts Cool Down: 3/5
Concentration Level: 1

"A wanderer isn't always lost."

The Black Devil felt a sudden ignition within himself, a burning desire of hatred and anger, and he knew that he was now able to pull off what he needed to. Of course, he was going to wait down to the last possible moment to let loose. His boot tapped itself several times in the moments of silence between it all, and he felt the sword on his back, Armageddon, being charged up by the second. As a way to pass the time, the Black Devil used the spell Recreation once more, creating a wisp that traveled down his body to heal up some wounds that were still present. This would give him another edge in the attack he was awaiting to use. His gaze shifted itself to behind the Mage, and luckily for him, he possessed no pupils, so the Mage couldn't tell where exactly he was looking. He saw that Elyx was readying himself, perhaps for a distraction fit for the Devil. Once more it was a stand-off between the two, with the Black Devil just waiting and waiting for the perfect moment. And at long last, it struck him. The perfect moment indeed.

Initiating his plan of attack with the Mage distracted, the first thing the Black Devil did was upgrade his current form. Executing what he called "Spirit Merge," the black scales on his body became cracked and slightly shattered in some areas with molten lava seemingly sealed on the inside of himself. The red jewel located at the center of his forehead went inside of him and popped right out at his chest area, the bug-like wings on his back were torn away for enormous tattered ones, and an extra pair of arms thrust themselves out of the bloody flesh to the Devil. "Hey kid, ever wonder why I'm the first God of Ishval!?" His voice was still that of the deep Black Devil's, but now his appearance was much more monstrous than it was before. In spite of the fact that he called Elyx 'kid', he suspected they were around the same age. And he knew that at this point even if the Mage knew about the attack, there was no stopping it. Not wanting to initiate the attack behind the Mage because it would risk hitting Ignite and Elyx, the True Black Devil decided to jump straight into the action. One moment he was standing there, the next moment he was gone, and at the end of that next moment, he was right in front of the Mage.

The True Black Devil already had Armageddon drawn, but the sword had already shifted itself to be a lengthy double-edged and two sided scythe. All four of the True Black Devil's arms were placed upon the hilt for the maximum amount of strength, and right on to the blade itself was a great amount of Unholy Energy. Without a moment's hesitation, standing between the Mage, Elyx, Ignite, and all of their attacks, the Black Devil took a swing.


The blade swung, and anything caught within its path was utterly destroyed. As a display for its power, the air itself created rippling sounds as if being torn through, and in its wake, the blade seemed to cut dimensions and reality, leaving gaping holes of complete blackness in its wake. The flesh of the Mage, and everything else that stood between him and his death, stood no chance to the power of Cantata Mortis. The blade cut clean through the flesh, and the rest of the body was eaten away by the excess Unholy Energy that pretty much jumped right onto the torn flesh of the cut. In just a short amount of time, the body of the Mage was not just dead, but had completely vanished from existence, and in the path of the cut for the blade of Armageddon was a tear between reality and nonexistence, looking like the environment itself had been cut through and only left blackness. Not only that, but the entire side of the Mystic Tower that was facing the cut had slowly started to crumble right to the ground, unleashing the light of day from the ruins of about half of the Mystic Tower's second floor. With the Mage no longer in existence, and the attack finished, the Black Devil gave it a gentle swing, extinguishing all of the Unholy Energy located on the blade, returning it back to its broadsword form, and sheathing it on its back. The only effect of it that repaired itself was the rip of dimensions, the blackness sealing itself shut for the world of reality once more. It was a phenomenon not even the Black Devil could explain. And there he stood, scaled, molten, and monstrous.

"And that's that."

Notes

"A wanderer isn't always lost."

Nothing. There was absolutely nothing left of him, it seemed. His eyes searched for drops of blood, but he found none. Perhaps a small scrap of clothing, but there wasn't any left. If there was anything left, he didn't find it. And with him out of the way, Deniel found no need to pursue the current form. He raised his head towards the sky, and loosened himself up. His body seemingly turned into stone for a brief moment, the lava cracks in him cooling themselves off enough for it to do so. After a moment of him remaining inside of the stone, the normal self of Deniel shattered right out of it, almost like shedding a layer of skin. The pieces of stone for the monstrous creature fell to the ground, and then almost evaporated into the air, vanishing from existence as they turned into Unholy Energy and flew away into the wind. "Whew...that was pretty good. A lot easier than the--" Deniel seemed to be a little bit excited about the end of the battle at first, and was thrilled about the climactic ending, and him finally able to use that spell he wanted to use for so long. One shot is all it took, and that's all it took to end it. Cantata Mortis was something he needed to use with caution, and the fact that there was nothing left of the Mage showed that he really needed to. If any allies were present around him, then... perhaps they would truly be erased beyond recreation.

Though when Elyx mentioned the names of his mother and father, the joyfulness on his face faded. "Proud of me...?" He was more baffled of the fact that he assumed the two of them would be proud rather than him knowing their names. The spirits of the two weren't baffled, but rather insulted. By both. From the right of Deniel split from him the spirit of Diabolos, but instead of being attached onto his shoulder as a result of a Take Over, he was standing tall in his red spiritual form, and Arianna had done the same in her blue color to the left. "Very reckless if you ask me. Quite unnecessary."

"Instead of being smart about it, he acted destructive. Like a child. Can't say I'm surprised..."

Deniel grumbled and stared towards the ground, unable to look either of them in the eye. "So what...? He's still dead and--" Diabolos's eyes lazily looked towards the open enormous hole in the building's structure. "But at what cost...?" Deniel gave no answer. And instead Diabolos turned his attention to Elyx, scratching his beard in contemplation. "Now let's see about you... family ties? Nope. Extensive research...? Hmmm...not the type." His eyes briefly went to his son, who still stared at the ground looking upset, and then towards Arianna for a moment. "Ahhh, I see. The Illusions? The fakes? Am I right?"

"The what!?"
"The what...?"

Both Arianna and Deniel asked at the same time, and it was apparent Diabolos was a man of many secrets. Even to his spouse.

Notes

"A wanderer isn't always lost."

Now all eyes were on Diabolos. Deniel no longer seemed timid in his presence, but rather a little bit on the aggressive side. Arianna expressed nothing negative, though just as surprised as her son, and listened intently. The Black Devil, on the other hand, was as calm as ever. He had lived for more than a millennium, and there was hardly anything out there that could stir him. Much less a small argument with his pathetic son and weak-willed wife. He stroked his beard, listening in on what Elyx had to say. And to him, the young one had got cocky in assuming that he just exposed an enormous secret with the Black Devil, though deep inside Diabolos knew that there was so much worse he could face. He was a man of research into the unknown, for the unknown terrified him at times. And he wanted nothing more than to be the strongest out there. In his perspectives, the divines knew everything--both above and below--and he wanted to know everything as well. Of course everything he learned something, that lead to more questions, and answers to those questions lead to more questions that needed answer. And so on. And so fourth.

"Not bad, I suppose...though you've made a lot of mistakes. It's a bad idea to assume, my boy. Trust me. You're usually wrong." Arianna was not quick to judge. She spent plenty of time with her husband, and knew there was some kind of explanation to the whole thing to begin with, and with his secrecy. Deniel, on the other hand, was quite quick to create assertions against his father alongside Elyx, a sign that the both of them did not give much trust into him, and that they were both quite rash in their callings. "You mean to tell me I've got to kill more of you, you son of a bitch!? Why didn't you tell me earlier? Is it because you want your legacy to continue to one day come back at me?" Diabolos once again  was not caught by any kind of surprises. In fact, he started to laugh at both Deniel and his son, while Arianna stood idle and awaited her husband's explanation. "Both of you...so young. So naive. Well, I suppose I'll get it out all at once: those illusions are failures. Experiments. I take no pride or joy in them. In fact I had forgotten about them entirely, which is why I did not inform you, Deniel." His gaze temporarily turned to his wife, Arianna, with his hand still stroking the small goatee on his chin. "Arianna, my dear, you always knew I was a man of research. And temporarily I decided to delve into the process and theory of recreation. My greatest fear was losing you, and losing you for good. So what if I could derive a way to where I knew I could never lose you? Perhaps even revive the souls of us. I even began to look into a way to revert our reincarnations and make us human again..."

The fact that the both of them wanted to become human gave more questions to Deniel, which he had no idea would come from either of their mouths. It also posed a question. Arianna was still quiet, though she finally spoke up. "I understand, Diabolos...thank you for thinking of me." The Black Devil only gave a shrug with both of his eyes closed. Now it seemed like Deniel had backed off as well. "To sum it up...thanks a bunch for taking care of em'. They only appear after I perish, and an unknown being enters either of our realms. So none of us need to worry about them...or the rest of the world, really."

Notes

"A wanderer isn't always lost."

Look at me. Getting lectured not by one, but two young brats in less than a year. The old Devil found it quite humorous to himself, and paid Elyx's monologue about redemption and revenge no heed. He had seen it all, he had heard it all, and the words were nothing new or meaningful to the Devil. The same had pretty much gone with Arianna. The both of them seemed impervious to any forms of surprises, and it came with living so long and so experienced. "You can't say what life is about until you've experienced death..." Arianna proposed, quite timidly. She was obviously not the same sadist that both Deniel and Elyx had ran into, and seemed much more of the type of female who would couple up with the kind Diabolos was. A shy and quiet one with a bold and assertive one. Deniel did not respond, but Diabolos did nod. Both of then did experience death. Not once, but twice. Now the trio were each asked a question, and Diabolos began to calculate in his mind the kind of person Elyx was, and the kinds of people the Illusions presented themselves to be. Though they were more or less like the individuals, there seemed to be a distinct difference between them in regards to combat and fights for survival, and themselves in general. Arianna, for instance, appeared to be a sadist in life, a nagging housewife in combat, and now a shy girl in person. Very distinct personalities, but all a part o the same person.

And now all three of them were lined up once more, Deniel no longer intimidated or afraid of his parents, and his parents more embracing of him. It was a constant struggle between all of them, but slowly they moved past it. And Diabolos was the first to answer in the row. "To be quite clear...it was an experiment. One I didn't get too far with. Very tricky stuff...and now that I'm trapped in another person's body, it's hard to conduct anything." Arianna, to the left of Deniel, was the next to answer, a little quiet just as she was before. "If we were human again I'd just want to settle down with Diabolos. Stop all of this fighting, all of this death, and all of this destruction." And finally, the crossed-armed Nephalem was the last to answer. And his one was certainly not as compromising or appreciative as either of his two parents, though it was quite honest. "If they came back, I think I'd want to see them gone for good...but at the same time, they're still my parents. So...I don't want them to go back. I'd rather have them here." The Black Devil was once more seen stroking his beard, in amusement at Deniel, and a bit out of curiosity for Elyx.

"A little intrusive about private family matters, I see. How about you tell us a little bit about yourself and your companion right there, Mystery Man?"

Notes

"A wanderer isn't always lost."

Deniel shot a glance over to his father. Though he was also interested in knowing a little bit about the improvised partner, the way Diabolos had conducted it made it seem as though Elyx had been intruding, and so it was his right to intrude right back onto him. Regardless of his father's motives behind it, the son still felt suspicious about it all. And the wife to the left of both of them was still quiet with her hands folded in front of her in silence. And the three of them listened intently.

Deniel had struck a chord with Elyx, being able to relate to the predicament he was consulted with in the fact that there was an adoptive figure, though in reality to his brother, that had kept the truth hidden from him for quite some time. And that the both of them worked up from lowly D rank mages. It was funny...they both seemed to be about the same age, and came from completely different paths. And it showed in their developed personalities, very contrasting in many ways. Yet in spite of that, both of them ended up as Wizard Saints, powerful figures, and in this same job landed with each other. There were several assumptions Deniel could make about the story, though he had no idea just how many of them were exactly true, so he said nothing at all out loud. Arianna was coupled with Deniel on the silent side, though her attention was hardly focused on the story at all. Of the three of them, she was the least interested, and not because she didn't care about Elyx, but rather she couldn't really care about anyone else outside of her family. It was almost embedded in her over the course of centuries to care only for her husbands and her children, though the second one of the two faded away for a very lengthy amount of time.

Now because he was the one to ask the question in the first place, Diabolos was much more interested by it all, and listened to the whole thing. From beginning to end, from end to beginning in his head, and gave each world a very critical thought. For how strong he was, one might expect him to be brawn and no brain, but he was a perfect balance between the two. He knew too much, and was far too powerful to be allowed to exist. For the most part.

"Hahahah! Splendid! What a splendid tale, though vague...." before continuing on with Elyx, his attention went to Ignite just for a brief moment, "Though you would make a lovely specimen, specifically for my demons. Giving them a false appearance that lasted for long periods of time has always been my goal." Then his eyes darted back to Elyx with his hand on his goatee once more. "Interesting to know both you and my son were crafted from revenge...except he sought it out and took it. It was his destiny. And for you...it was a choice. And look at both of you youngsters now. Hahahah!"

Notes

"A wanderer isn't always lost."

"Indeed." Diabolos agreed with Elyx's first point made that revenge was an excellent fuel for strength and growth. It naturally was for any man. As long as that burning feeling was present, the unstoppable desire for enough growth to overcome what was thought to be impossible, or a hatred, then a man could carry himself anywhere. Diabolos had experienced it. Arianna experienced it. And quite literally all of his children had gone through it. Revenge and motivation was something Deniel was well-versed with, as he experienced it firsthand throughout his life. And he knew himself of the pain it caused to both the person, and to others. For him, he never wanted anything to do with others. He isolated himself, and his feelings. And as a result, he lived a life full of solitude and despair, but in turn for it, he gained power. Absolute power. Enough power to get where he was today. A part of him could never say it was not worth it, for in spite of it all...it was.

And though Diabolos was not one to read a mind, he was a master at many things. And he knew exactly what Deniel was thinking. And being the man that he was, he decided to spring up a little bit of life in things for his enjoyment, and expressed Deniel's thoughts in his own words. "Very similar to my son, I must say. Wouldn't you agree, Deniel?" Surprised that Diabolos had intruded on his thoughts, though quite literally the Devil had not, Deniel staggered in his voice and posture from the question he was not expecting. "Huh? What? I...uhh...I-I-I..." he didn't want to just outright admit what he had said all of those years ago, and what it had done to his life, but there was no lying or getting out of it. He could lie about it, but it would only mask the truth for a certain period of time. "He agrees. Hahah...you should have heard him those years ago...I think it was perhaps 13? No matter. 'I'll make the angel scream, and the devil cry,' a bold statement. One none of our children ever dared."

"Dad...!" Deniel hissed to him in a sharp tone, though Diabolos was not afflicted at all. "I speak the truth Deniel, and you know it. Besides...not much wrong with it. I can't say I'm impressed with your strength, and you have a long way to go until I am truly proud of you...but you have come a long way in a short amount of time. And I'm proud for that." Arianna could be seen smiling with Deniel's back turned to her. In spite of being coated in a couple of words of harshness, Diabolos still had the natural instinct inside of him to be kind to his son, and a fatherly figure. Though not of much quality.

"What are things like in your Guild...?" Arianna asked softly while Diabolos and Deniel had their attentions towards each other. She knew they were a prominent part of Fiore's system, but she had only spent a limited time in her son's body. So she was not well versed in them, though Diabolos most likely was.

Notes

"A wanderer isn't always lost."

"Whatever, Old Man..." It was natural that the younger one of the two immediately went to age for an insult towards the older one. "Hey! I might be over a thousand years old, but I still look like I'm a little over thirty!" Deniel only shrugged at his father and folded both of his hands behind his head. "So? Still pretty damn old to me." Though they were going at each other's necks, their argument to outsiders would look like nothing more than a father-son squabble. And that's pretty much exactly what it was. "Old to you? You're gonna' be looking like that in a little more than a decade, y'know."

"That's a long time, dad."

"It's going to fly by really fast, Deniel. Trust me. Especially with your lifestyle."

While the two were going at it with each other, Arianna was quite and attentive to Elyx. She asked, so it was only natural she listened, and she listened well. She hadn't paid much attention to other nations outside of her domain, and was very withdrawn much unlike her husband. So now she wanted to learn, and from Elyx's perspective, and the experience she had shared with her son, a guild was quite a fascinating place. "A place where people of many stories, backgrounds, personalities, and beliefs can gather as friends and allies. Guilds sound like wonderful places." She commented, sounding quite fascinated and happy about Elyx's tail. In fact, it almost sounded too good to be true. She knew of her son's involvement in a guild, and so did Diabolos as a matter of a fact. Both of them knew because they were there when the big moment came for him, and they were also there for the downfall. All three of them froze from Elyx's question, and both of the parents backed off, literally with a step backwards, to let their son explain. They were both aware of the story, but this was the first and only time that they were going to let him do all of the storytelling. Diabolos would not interfere with a comment of Deniel's behavior, and Arianna would remain unchanged in her silence. She wouldn't provide any sentiment as well. The both of them knew his guild was where he was built as a person, and where the former boy he was died. Though there wasn't much of a change from the boy in the Guild to the man as the Guild Master, and now the legend as the Wizard Saint. Very similar they were indeed.

"I used to be," Deniel began, "But no more. I rose from D rank to Guild Master quite swiftly, especially after former Wizard Saint Zero and Eclipse Soul Guild Master, Zeno Sombras, vanished from existence. Though after I resigned, the Guild was burnt to the ground." He kept his story short and sweet. Very little remorse, no minor details. Just the entire overview of his experience there. He never even said how long it all lasted. "Now I'm a vagabond. I stand on my own."

Notes

"A wanderer isn't always lost."

He started to remember the days of Eclipse Soul after providing the explanation. Those memories, in spite of taking up quite a bit of his rise to power, were buried deep in his memory. Mostly because they were of darker times for him. Times when he sat in solitude, walked alone, and fought all on his own. In spite of it all, his power exponentially increased for his drive to find the truth and seek revenge. Elyx mentioning Venir's name, however, snapped him out of his consciousness. His suspicion was that Venir had burnt the Guild to the ground, and that alone taught Deniel many things about his accomplice. He knew Venir's name, her face, and her Magic...for she controlled flames, and it would be the only logical explanation to his mind. Which either meant he was Venir's ally, or her enemy... and then, time froze to Deniel. Thoughts would race into his mind faster than any kind of imaginable speed, to the point where his entire process was done so swiftly that time itself seemed to freeze around him while his mind rushed.

Ally...or enemy? Should I tell him the truth, or lie and leave that up to Venir? Black Rose is a legal guild...at least it has been until recently. Which must mean that he's most likely an ally. Though it's entirely possible for them to be enemies. Last I checked, Venir showed very little interest in Guilds, and people in general. Just getting her to talk to me was an adventure all on its own. Still...what if she trusts him? Well, if she does, then she'll probably tell him on his own. If he doesn't know about it, and if he's a friend, then she doesn't want him to know. It's not my business to explain Venir's past to others...

With his thoughts concluding, the world moved once more. Elyx's question had been asked only a second or so ago, to which Deniel answered with confidence and very quickly: "I know Venir...yes, Little Venir. I ran into her not too long ago, actually. Not so little anymore. Still...her being the culprit? I doubt it. She cared far too much for Eclipse Soul. There are other suspects out there I would weigh more options on." He turned his back to both Elyx and his parents, his hands folding behind his back and his gaze looking up at the ceiling, which had part of it completely torn off from his earlier attack. Amazing that he could cause so much destruction in just one cut of his sword, and they were with a concealed environment. Still, it was refreshing to use Cantata Mortis on an actual enemy, and not just have it be something in the back of his mind that he could do. "Hard to believe it was burned down at all, really. The Guild Hall was nearly invincible, and we would be ready for any invading force. I sometimes blame myself... what if I hadn't resigned? What if I remained? Could I have stopped the culprit? Would the Guild be still there...? Would I be the person I am today? Things like that eat at a person, y'know?"

Notes

"A wanderer isn't always lost."

Well, now it seemed like Elyx was just taking Diabolos's word on everything... his father said earlier that it was Deniel's 'destiny' that he would seek the deaths of Arianna and Diabolos. Though that wasn't entirely true. "My father says Destiny is what drives my life... and for the most part I refuse to believe it. He said it was my 'destiny' to seek out the two of them and try to get a kill. I think it was because they provoked me..." His gaze shifted itself from the ceiling to the visible outdoors. It was a little past midday now, but the sun was still shining brightly outside with a lush green world, mountains in the distance, and the base of Phoenix Mountains nearby. A nice site. He always loved the outdoors. "Yet constantly, his predictions make me contemplate whether or not 'destiny' for me is a thing...I did kill them. I did gain more power..." Then he turned right back towards Elyx, a bit more of a serious look on his face. He didn't really much appreciate him saying just how good he had it right now. Not that Deniel had it bad...but Elyx was about to learn the truth. He was considered Ishval's strongest mage, that is true. And he wasn't starving or suffering like he was before. But there were some things he just wasn't entitled to have.

"And it is my Destiny to be alone. As a Nephalem. My previous girlfriend could have died, were she not immortal, by my hand. My Guild, my home, was burned to the ground. My allies only want me because of my status and power...they might refuse to admit it, but I know it's true. Were I just a lowly person in this same spot, I wouldn't be so... 'popular'. And, well..." His eyes turned to their corners, and the wreckage of the Mystic Tower and where the Mage used to stand, but was no longer in existence. "You see the dangers of people teaming with me." The memories all flashed back into his mind. The 'death' of Alyia caused by his hand... well, she didn't die, but she would have. All because of his uncontrollable wrath. The destruction he could cause within his wake, even as a child. The charred remains of Eclipse Soul atop Phoenix Mountain's highest peak. And all of the times where he hurt the people who decided to work with him. They were never dead, but some came very close. Close enough to scar the Nephalem repeatedly.

Arianna was quiet with her arms folded, and so was Diabolos with his across his chest. Though, just like always, he seemed to be giving deep thought to it all. His head turned itself to the side, and a smirk formed across his face. "You're not wrong, Deniel..." the Black Devil said to himself. He knew Nephalem more than anyone, perhaps more than Nephalem knew themselves. He watched all of his children go through the same cycle of birth, solitude, and death. The "Destiny" of all Nephalem... though perhaps Deniel would be the first among his children to break it. Or perhaps not.

Notes

"A wanderer isn't always lost."

Once more a little bit of a moral monologue from Elyx. Deniel began to contemplate whether or not he was capable of feeling negative emotions. It put a frown on his face. He didn't necessarily have an issue with people capable of feeling happiness--in fact he did that himself and it would be REALLY depressing if he were one of those people who pretended like they were unable to be happy. He was a person who tried to see a more realistic side of things; he was hopeful, but also cynical about things he knew to be impossible, unlikely, or just something he "knew" wasn't going to turn out so well. And his solitude was one of them. Not because he was a Nephalem, that would be a silly explanation, seeing as Nephalem are capable of behaving and acting like humans, just with an immense amount of power. Though of course, there distinct differences between him and others as a Nephalem. "I don't want to believe in Destiny..." he began, "But it seems I have no other choice. Destiny has less to do with my past, and more towards the present and the future." Though regardless of that, it seemed as though Elyx wasn't really getting his point. He still was under the assumption Deniel could somehow change his position and status, and have the things he had.

"Were I not Nephalem...I could believe what you're trying to tell me. Unfortunately, there's things about me that you, nor anyone else, could understand." What he said was probably quite vague, though hew knew the perfect way to elaborate on it. His eyes went from Diabolos to Arianna, the two of them still not saying any words. They left the explanation up to him, it seemed. Though Deniel was perfectly aware that if given the opportunity, Diabolos would barge in and say something on his own accord. "I take it you've never spent a single moment in the mind of a Devil? Or an angel, at that?" He closed his eyes and thought about how everything morphed while in a Take Over. His vision was the same, but the way he perceived things...objects, people, fights, and himself. It tormented one's mind to think about it, which is why he oftentimes refused to. Though the impact it had on one's mind is undeniable, both when in the form and when out of it. "Trust me...it's much more horrifying than it sounds. Even if just for a minute, it forever changes the way you see everything, and think of everything. And yet I still have full control over it.... probably one of the most peculiar parts of being a Nephalem. Among many others."

"His point is that he's a Nephalem... there are things that were meant to be, and things that weren't. In his case, things you have were never meant to be. In exchange for the power to kill and defeat anything, he pays a hefty price of, well.... solitude. Of course that doesn't mean he's unable to make friends or things along those lines. It is merely...excessively difficult. Impossible for some."

Notes