Ascension (PRIVATE - Ardere/Examination)

Running pale fingers through his thick brown locks, Ardere found himself traversing a path along the edges of Peace Village. His current journey had taken him away from his home of Terra Ignis and Infinity Hydra, slowly leading towards an unknown destination. Something had drawn him across his travels to the north, but for now he was wandering. After recent events, the Samurai found himself for the first time in years, in need of alone time. He chose to train as went, looking for those that could challenge him. Walking slowly along the path, he noticed the river following beside it. It was a nice river, peaceful to say the least. The brown haired mage found something about this town quite serene, perhaps fitting of it's name. Bandits had tried to come through these parts in the past, but much to their dismay they had been stopped. Perhaps this destination had chosen him in this time of need, when he needed it most. 

Pulling out his sword, Clarent, to chop through a fallen tree in his path, he noticed something was off. The crimson blade flickered in the lights, but he had not signaled it to do so. Arching a thick brow, Ardere turned the blade on it's side. The ancient blade was reacting to something, something nearby. Turning off of the path, he stood in front of the serene river, waiting for whatever it was to arrive. Hmm. Perhaps it was nothing. The words were spoken, but even he did not believe them. He was aware of the lore behind his sword, but it had never severed or interfered with the connection he shared to the blade. Then, within moments he looked to the side. Spotting a lovely young woman in a dress along the water, he was under the presumption she had something to do with it. He could not smell any scents or hear any other breath within hundreds of yards. It was quite strange he had not noticed her presence before. Perhaps his lack of awareness had prevented this. Regardless, he had no choice but to approach her and ask. 

As he walked closer, he noticed something in her hands, prompting the sword in his grip to flicker once more. It couldn't be. The sword in her hands, it could not be. This situation was all too strange. He did not believe in coincidences, but for something like this to happen, it had to mean something. Hello there. Apologies for the intrusion, but I couldn't help but notice that gorgeous looking blade in your hands there. Does it have a name? His look was of curiosity and intrigue, but uncertainty as well. Fully dressed from the neck down in a red and gold Samurai armor, he held the bastard sword in his hand.

Excalibur. The name rang in his ears like a loud drum echoing through a cave, almost enough to send him into shock. But Ardere was not in shock, rather, intrigued. He had heard of the legendary sword known as Excalibur, considering his own blade; Clarent, but he never had the pleasure of meeting anyone wielding the blade or otherwise. It was enough to peak his interest, and consider the following events. I wont claim to be overtly powerful, but as a Wizard Saint and Guild Master, I have to do something. Taking the sheath off of his back, he tossed it to the side, into the dirt. But all of that aside, what matters is I am a warrior, and backing down from an offer like this would be foolish of me. Swinging his blade to the side, the sheer strength of the movement split the grass and dirt to his right. Taking a deep breath, the Samurai cracked his neck. Focusing all of the energy in his body, he observed the woman before him. She seemed kind enough, but she was a warrior, which meant she had the heart for this. Unsure of her strength, he would first have to test it, and whether or not that blade of hers was the brother of his own. This blade is Clarent. She's served me well over the years. 

Twisting his arms, he quickly took a fighting stance. Clutching the handle of the crimson blade with both hands, his knees were slightly bent. Holding the coward's blade horizontally, Ardere's feet dug small craters into the ground as a black aura shimmered across his body for a mere second. He would not use any magic, but when he became focused, the energies in his body began to as well. This was a technique he had learned many years ago, one from his homeland of Midi. I accept your challenge, officially. Let's get this started. Leaping from his current position, he only took two steps from his original location. He did not need a massive head start to reach his opponent's location, as his sheer strength would allow him to do so. The dust left in the wake of his jump was enough to form a rather large cloud, directly behind him. She was not particularly large, but he imagined wielding that hellish blade she possessed enough strength to clash with him. He looked forward to finally fighting someone who could possibly match or beat him in swordplay. As he grew closer to her position, he kicked it off with a diagonally swing downward, from his left to his right. If blocked, it would no doubt prompt a clash between the two sister blades. The fire mage expected great things from this, but he did not intend to clash for long. If she did indeed choose to block rather than dodge, he would switch to a jab immediately after his swing. My name is Ardere by the way, Ardere Kasai. 

As he soared through the air, Ardere observed his opponent's body movements. Watching her shoulders and her legs, waiting for the sign of a pivot or a move. And within a matter of moments, he noticed her move. Unfortunately, she had waited until the last second to make her counter, a smart move. As the blade came towards him, and his towards her, the two clashed. It was a short clash, due to her ability to exude more strength from the ground, but it was something he had not expected. Clarent seemed to react to touching Excalibur, at least for a moment, the blade shined red. The sheer force of the collision prompting the water to split for a second, the fire mage was sent backwards. Using the momentum she had provided, he twirled through the air. This twirl allowed him to avoid her next attack, a jab of sorts. His opponent possessed immense strength, that which he had not often experienced. Fortunately with his intense training and passive buffs, he could make an effort to fight back, but he could tell she won when it came to brute strength. Fortunately, he had the advantage in agility, for the time being. Red flames in the form of inked tattoos began to reveal on his face, as he had gauged how serious this battle would be. 

Landing on the edge of the rock, he took the opportunity of her jab to slide his blade along the edge of hers. Blue and red sparks bursting forth from both sides of their blades, his orange blazing eyes watched her every move. Using all of his strength he came upwards with a slash, and regardless of whether or not she chose to block or dodge, he would proceed to burst towards her location to bring down another strike. I didn't believe it when I saw it, but that truly is Excalibur isn't it? The fire mage was unsure whether or not the young woman was aware of the history of their blades, but it was a long one. Clarent is your blade's twin. It was quite the reveal, but he was confident it would only make their battle more entertaining. 

(Was parried, but spun to avoid your jab, then slid in to slash) 

Crimson blade swinging through the air, Ardere noticed a mere moment before his sword landed close to it's mark, that a blue light hand appeared between the other mage's hands. His sword was caught, what a bummer. Well that's no fun, I thought there was no magic. Before he could encase the beautiful legendary blade in a thick black flame, he noticed the look in her eyes as she gazed into his eyes. The feeling that overtook his heart caused him to freeze there for a moment, as it felt as if she was peering into the very depths of his soul. Unfortunately even among all of the light he tried so hard to exude, she would find much darkness. Falling back to the ground, she had released her grip and the man stood before her. Confused as to her motives, he listened to the words that followed her actions. Standing there, his stance shifted to one more relaxed than he tended to keep in battle. I see. He was not quite exactly sure what she meant by her word, even as perceptive as he was, but he had a feeling it was a secret he should not ask about. Letting out a cool breath, the fire mage sheathed his blade. Looking back into her eyes, he arched the dark brown brows above his orange glowing eyes. He did not particularly like exactly what she was saying, but there was truth, and hope to it. He had an immense amount of strength inside, but some of it was buried deep, deep down in the dark abyss of flames in his heart. He may match or surpass her in skill, but his raw power with the sword in his hand was lacking. While it may come as a shock to many who had seen him slay legendary beasts and slice clean through buildings, but there was a caliber of enemy he was not ready to face, on the level of the woman before him. He knew no other mentor who could help him other than a god, and Heero or Deniel certainly weren't ones to teach him. Perhaps this ability she possessed could remind him of his roots, the struggle he faced for so many years. Even though he loved his family and his guild, the struggle of survival had never ended. Ascension. The word rang in his head, flowing through every crevice in his mind. Looking down for a moment, then back up at her with a fire unlike any other in his eyes. Into the abyss I go then eh? Taking the hand of the blonde woman in front of him, the world turned a shade of cyan. Everything flickered and shifted, as he felt his body lose all control. Falling to the ground and fainting, he was in for an entirely different battle now. 

A small village in Midi, on the outskirts of the Scorched Lands. Ardere found himself sitting under a tree, reading a book. The book was torn and ripped, the best he could find when rummaging through the garbage, but still good none the less. The slight breeze rolled through, and a smile crossed his bruised lips. Each page was a delight, sending him off to other worlds where he could escape the Hell he had been put through for so long. Pale fingers running across the inked pages, they were so smooth. No other form of leisure offered the young boy as much solace as the pages of a book. Unfortunately his Master and owner Ryosuke did not approve of such things. He was not to read, he was to spar with the other bandits and prepare for the daily heists. Grimacing at the thought of it, he took a deep breath before diving back into the pages filled with Samurai and Dragons. If he had one wish, it would be to be a great Samurai, a magic user. But he could only find so many books on magic, and barely even conjure up the smallest of cinders. Fortunately, when reading the novels and scrolls he found, he could leap into a world of magic and adventure, imagining himself use magic to escape the world around him. Unfortunately, it did not last long. The book was smacked out of his hand, and sent into the mud. Leaping upwards to defend his pages and his honor, the young Ardere narrowed his red brows. Hey that's mi- Smack! Being knocked right into the tree, he felt his back and face enflamed. The hit was obviously by a man much larger than he was, sending him back several feet. Rubbing his face and wiping the tears dripping down his face, he was not sure exactly what had happened. Before he could react, the boy was lifted up by a man wearing a rugged outfit. He recognized this man as the second in command of Fenrir's Call, the bandit guild that had taken him in so many years ago. The man's name was Hanzo, and he was older than all of the other members of the guild, being in his mid forties. Donning a rugged yukata, it was black with holes ripped through it. A razor sharp sword on his hip and his hair in a black bun, the young man had theorized Hanzo was a former Samurai turned Ronin, then eventually bandit, but he did not know for sure. All he knew was that he was in for one heck of a beating. 

Wincing slightly, the red head took a deep breath. Attempting to wiggle out of the man's grip, he watched as an evil grin came over his older face. Laughing slightly, Hanzo shook his head. What did the master tell you about reading when you're supposed to be off getting us money huh?! You're lucky he wants you alive or I'd beat you fucking senseless and leave you bloodied in the god damn mud right here. Roaring in his rough Midi dialect, Ardere gritted his teeth. Tears running down his face, he punched the man's arm several times, a spark in his eyes that wasn't often seen before. So you've got spirit today huh? If you put that into our jobs we might make some decent money off you yet boy! Laughing maniacally and roaring about, the man went silent with a grin on his scarred lips. But that doesn't mean I can't have some fun with you first. Struggling the break the grip, the young man was sent pummeling backwards after a punch hit him scared in the stomach. Falling to the ground gasping for air, he coughed up saliva all over the side walk and the grass. The mud covered his fortunately brown hakama; rain from the day before ensure this much. Staggering back and forth, he attempted to stand, but was sent backwards into the mud once again before being picked up by the scruff of his yukata. Come on boy, the master wants you back at the base. Being carried, Ardere faded in and out of consciousness. Memories flashed of his village in flames, even though he was just a toddler. He could not remember his parents, but he could remember his village's end. Even though he was so young, he understand the true sadness of this. Within a matter of minutes he was lifted into the headquarters of Fenrir's Call, at the base of the black mountains. The forest surrounding the base was quite dense, enough to shrowd the entrance to one Hell he had known for far too long. The red arches across the top of the entrance only reminded him of the entrance to a palace, but it was no palace. The guild hall was filled with members fighting and drinking, rummaging around like a bunch of buffoons, but the master's hall, it was quiet. While the master was not as mean or abusive as Hanzo, his evil far surpassed his, but in a different way. Ryosuke did not beat his members or throw them around, but the young man knew what happened if you failed the master, and he knew his goals were dark. Slightly struggling, he was dropped down onto the ground. Barely strong enough to stand, he bowed in front of his master. I- Coughing up more saliva, he gasped for air. I'm...s-s-sorry. Being knocked into the ground, he felt his back give out. Struggling even more, Hanzo laughed. Oh you will be boy! Holding up his hand, the man sitting in the chair narrowed his eyes. The leader of the guild was probably half Hanzo's age, but the armor he bore and the weapon he wielded were as well crafted as a Samurai's and his skill in battle was known throughout this part of Midi, if not the whole country. That's enough Hanzo. I need the boy for tonight's endeavors. He may be insubordinate, but his skills far surpass the other young rogues. Tapping his leather covered fingers against the wooden chair he sat in. What to do with you, young Ardere? You're so talented, but you waste it reading under a tree. You could be one of the strongest rogues here. I respect your resilience, but you harbor it towards futile goals. Letting a sigh escape his thin lips, the armored covered man held his hand out. Twisting his pale fingers around, wind shears sliced up the ground around the young man. He was not harmed, but the wooden floors were torn to shreds like a tornado had been sent through the hall, a tornado with saw blades that is. The red headed child knew this was the magical power of his master, but he had never experienced it first hand. He was in awe, but fear shot through his veins as the man stood up. You could have power like this. But you don't learn it from books, you have to take it. Gritting his teeth, the beaten and battered boy stood up, staggering with each step. You're wrong. There was a fire in his eyes, the one of determination he had long since forgotten. He had stood by and let himself be beaten senseless for years, but today was not a day like those that had come before. How dare you disrespect Lord Ryo?! You insolent little child! Rearing his open palm back, the older man smacked him back into the ground, but he landed with his hands out this time. Struggling to breath properly, he remembered everything he had learned from all of the reading he had done. He possessed no proper magic powers, but he could conjure a flame if he tried hard enough. Focusing all of the rage and willpower he possessed in his young body, Ardere stood up. Knowledge is power. And knowledge is for all to gain, not steal. A red flame formed at the tips of his knuckles, it was not much, it was unstable and flawed like he was, but it was a flame. He had never chosen a magic to learn, but that of the flame had always felt right to him. After years of reading books on magic users and techniques, he had finaly conjured something of his own, even if it was a pathetic flame. Punching his oppressor right square in the face, the unstable flame melted his skin. 

Falling backwards onto his rear, the red head was in awe. He had used magic. It was not powerful, but it had shocked both Ryosuke and Hanzo, harming the second of the two. For once in his life, he felt strong. Strong enough to stand on his own. Taking a strong stance, he whipped around to face the exit. Bolting for it, he felt the wind around him swirling and strengthening. It was the master's magic, but he had put all of his remaining strength into running, and he was too far to be harmed. If anything, the wind sent him through the exit into the main hall faster than he had originally anticipated. Tumbling through the hall, he popped up unintentionally. Flying right through the window, shards of glass ripped up his yukata and sliced him open just barely in a few places. Soaring through the air, he felt his consciousness waning. His injuries were quite extensive, the beating and the cuts. Fortunately fate had been on his side today, as he landed right into the only river outside the base. With a splash, he hit the water, floating down the clear water. His thick red blood oozed out of his wounds and into the water, turning it. He had been beaten, battered, and broken of spirit, but he was not dead. Ardere floated down that river, clinging to life. And with another flash of cyan, it was gone. 

Coughing and writhing slightly, the young Ardere groaned in pain. It appeared his wounds had been tended to, albeit not professionally, but he would certainly live. Flashing in and out of consciousness, he awoke to a young girl. One he had not met before, but she seemed close to him in age. Thank you... Coughing up saliva and a few speckles of blood, he had taken a serious beating, but for once in his life he was free. Attempting to move, he found his body was quite sore, but he could get up if he needed to. Unfortunately it was in his best interest to stay down, but something seemed off about this whole situation. How far down stream had he gone? I can't thank you enough, b-but...w...where am I? Before he could get an answer to his question, he noticed the two guards coming in, and struggled to sit up. They did not seem like they meant any harm, but he wasn't necessarily in the best position to just get up and leave. Struggling to move still, he noticed something off about the girl, something he couldn't put his finger on. And within a matter of moments, the two guards were disposed of, and the true face of the situation before him was revealed. While he was no powerful mage, he had been trained in combat at the guild to fight both people and monsters, so he knew how to hold his own. But could he make it out of this alive with his injuries? Staggering back and forth, he managed to stand. The dark abyss of a monster before him had consumed the two men, and likely would consume him as well. He could feel the darkness pulling at him, being dragged back. Grabbing at the dirt and some sticks, he tried to pull himself towards the river. Struggling, he felt himself grow weaker with every moment. Stand up, Ardere. Stand up and fight. The young boy had no idea where this voice was coming from, but he could feel a sense of warmth come over his body, like the flames he had managed to conjure back in the guild hall. Who are you? Grasping at the ground, pulling himself as hard as he could, the red headed boy was giving it all he had. Let's just say your family and I go way back. Now get up, young Kasai. Letting out a heavy groan and a yell, unstable flames sparked across his back and arms. They were not powerful flames, but they took on an oddly red tint, almost unnatural. At the sight and touch of the flames, the dark beast jumped back for a moment, hissing and flailing. Taking this opportunity to move, the boy leaped back towards the river, the only place that seemed to give him solace today. 

OOC: The voice he is hearing is Prometheus, his first mentor in fire magic. He's also the one who gave Ardere's ancestor the power of fire, which is stated in my char's lineage; Legacy of the Fire King. So this is all a reference to him getting started as a fire mage, and it ties in heavily to his backstory, so hopefully it peaks your interest.

Coughing slightly, Ardere placed a pale, leather covered hand on his head. Holy shit, I feel like a train hit me. Rubbing his head, he noticed he was in complete darkness. Years ago, he would have had a panic attack in this much darkness, but now he was able to keep his cool. It was an odd experience, fuzzy, but somehow it reminded him of how he was all those years ago. Fortunately, he was not alone in this darkness. Looking over to the woman who had sent him along this perilous journey, he had a bad feeling it was far from over. Standing up, it was odd to be on a platform of darkness among darkness. Arching a brow, he prepared himself for the worst. Stretching his arms, the fire mage listened to Seru as she spoke. This world was quite the interesting one, but what did she have in store? I see. Survival. It seemed his question would be answered in a matter of mere moments as he was sent plummeting into the shadow, the abyss of darkness. A sense of fear shot over his body, but he could not panic, he had to survive. Shit. Shit. Stay calm, he thought. Becoming sound of mind, the Samurai focused as much as he could muster. Focusing on maintaining balance, he prevented himself from tumbling through the darkness. While he could keep the fear at bay, and remain calm, how could he escape this? The world of shadows was endless, but there had to be an escape. And then, the pain overcame his body. Fortunately the pain prevented any other maleficent emotion from entering his body, but it was quite overwhelming. The only way out of this would be to overpower the darkness, or prevent his descent. And he chose to tackle it in that order.

All around him was an abyss of pain and fear, shadows of the darkest form. It was strange to think that the darkness, and the loneliness he felt in places like this were what had caused him to be afraid for so many years. Free fall was one of the things he hated the most, the feeling of weightlessness, the loss of control, it was all staggering. Buy Ardere was a warrior, one who had faced odds far worse than this, at least he liked to think. Jolting in agonizing pain, he could not focus his flames much. This lack of focus would be his demise, for the unstable dark flames he commanded could prove useful. There was only one way to stop the pain, at least for a little while. This shadow realm was one of magic in origin, and it was made of such. Thus, he could tap into that magic with his crash magic. Bringing his arms out to the side, he struggled, groaning in pain. A yellow light would appear in each hand as he tapped into the magical particle in the shadows, causing them to overload. He was not as strong as he needed to be, but he had come so far, too far to back down. Forgetting his past in the darkness, he put all of his focus into his magic. I'm not afraid anymore. He was no longer a child, he was a man, a warrior. The only way he could protect the ones that he loved, would be to live, and live for them. The yellow light expanded, as a massive explosion rippled throughout the shadows. This explosion ripped apart chunks of the darkness, but even a light that bright could not stop them. It was the dispersal, the pure overload of magical energy that slowed the pain. Gasping for air, he felt a relief of pain for a few moments. It was almost relaxing for the pain to be relieved. His muscles had been so tense, and the energies in his body had been severely blocked by the pain and tension. In these few moments he had to make it count, and slow his descent. It was not easy to muster the strength and the courage to do so, but h had it in him, he always had. Come oon! Narrowing his brown eyebrows, the Fire King put his hands down, and opened his palms.

Summoning a massive amount of chaotic flames, they would burst from his palms. The sheer force of the flames bursting from his hands like a rocket began to slow his descent, but it would not be enough. Pushing through the pain and the fear, he had already begun to become stronger from these tests Seru had put him through, but this was the first one that would require true strength. Gritting his teeth, Ardere knew he had to amp it up a bit. Adding a bit of crash magic to the black flames, the sparks began to bounce around within the fire, turning it from a black with a red tint, to an almost gold color. The mix of yellow and black proved strong, as he put all of his strength into the flames bursting downwards. Thinking of his love that he missed so much, and his daughter that needed a father to help her through the darkness of his world, he chose to become stronger rather than just fall to his death. Utilizing the gold flames, he finally came to a stop. Using his pyrokinesis, he brought the flames under his feet, and through the special characteristics of his god slaying flames, they were physical enough for him to stand on. It was almost like a cloud of flame that he stood on, breathing heavily. The strain on his body from focusing so hard and exerting so much magical energy had taken a toll on him, but not as much as it would have before he began this journey. Hopefully he had done enough to prove he could stand up, even against the greatest odds, and move on from here. The abyssal world around him was not pleasant, but he could push through it. There had been darkness within the fire mage for so long, but ironically he had managed to find light here. 

Fading into the darkness, Ardere felt nothing. It was a void, as if he was in a deep, deep sleep. But this strange abyss only lasted for a few moments when he woke up in Terra Ignis, in the middle of the street. What the? The confusion only lasted for a few seconds before he found his answer, as Seru's voice was before him. Something was off about the world around him, a darker sensation that felt like the one from his childhood had emerged, in his home of all places. The sense of confusion and shock overcame his body as the young woman explained. He had failed? How was that possible? He had overcome the darkness, and her tone was much harsher than before. It almost hurt his feelings, but the warrior inside of him did not give up. The brown haired mage gritted his teeth, holding back his emotions as well as he could. The sense of failure flooded his veins, infecting his very core. Stumbling back, he reached for his sword, but could not find it. The town he had known to love was shrouded, by a form of darkness, he could feel it. Arching his eyebrows, he lashed out. No! I'm not going to accept that! Looking around for the source of her voice, his actions were to no avail. Her presence had disappeared, causing him to stand there, a sense of broken will coursing through his body. But he had to keep it together. Looking around, he noticed the villagers walking towards him, but something was off about them. The people he had sworn to protect, were covered in darkness like he had encountered before. But rather than accepting this, he knew he had to fight until his last breath. There was still a chance to keep on fighting. No... This darkness was unacceptable. It had overtaken those he had fought for, for so long, the citizens he left for his own selfish reasons. 

Tightening his fist, he stood there, shaking. Even with his will to protect, the people of his village dashed towards him, many even armed with weapons. Shaking profusely, he let them attack him. Beating into him, piercing him with their swords, his body of flame ensured that none of his wounds would prompt bleeding, but he still felt the pain. Even though his body reformed in flames, he still felt every slash, and every punch. Ardere could not escape the feeling that he deserved this. Laying into him, the villagers screamed and shouted, as the darkness surrounded the Fire King. Shaking like a small child, he fell to his knees. The world felt so dark, so cold, and so lost. But what would his death prove? Just that he truly was a failure, hence, he could not allowed them to kill him. Smacking his fist into the ground, cracks shot across the earth. The dark villagers stumbled, and he stood up, performing a tornado kick. Knocking several of them back, he leaped upwards. Even though they were consumed by the darkness, he could not kill them, not if there was still a chance to save them. His most redeeming attribute was his ability to overcome incredible odds and maintain his morals, his light, in the darkest of times. The Samurai did not view himself as an Angel, in fact he felt more like a Demon most of the time. Nonetheless, he was a warrior for light, for the good in this world. Landing on top of a nearby roof, he understood his purpose here. Defeating this evil was all he could do to redeem himself, if not correct his wrong-doings. Standing atop the roof, he peered down into his once peaceful city, full of people he no longer knew. The shadow turned them into monsters, a fact he found hard to accept, but one he wanted to correct. Gritting his teeth, the brown haired mage dashed off towards the guild. The current situation was too much to handle, and he found the need to look for his sword. Perhaps it was back at the guild hall, and perhaps his members were holding up there, fighting against this darkness. 

Dashing across the roof tops, he felt the wind rush through his thick brown locks. Narrowing his eyebrows, Ardere had become even more serious and tightly wound than he had in the recent months. His normally laid back attitude was thrown out the window the minute his villagers were taken by the darkness. Punching a hole in the wide of one of the pillars holding up a nearby building, it collapsed on top of itself. The infected villagers tried to follow, but he was far too fast for them. Wind rushing through the plates of his armor, the fire mage leaped from the tallest roof top, into a horde of trees. Moving from tree to tree, leaves and a cloud of dust were left in his wake, as the Midi-styled castle which was his guild hall, grew closer. Increasing the speed in which he was moving, he could hear nothing coming from the hall, even with his enhanced senses. No voices, no movement. Standing at the door, he did not even hear any hear beats or breaths. His heart sank into his stomach, as he slowly opened the door to a wave of darkness. Looking around, he saw nothing but death and shadow. Stepping forward, he looked around at his members stabbed and ripped apart, presumably by the dark ones. He could not help but feel like he had failed them, leaving them behind for his journeys. Shaking, he stumbled forward, looking at the hordes of bodies. Utterly destroyed, the final nail in the coffin was hammered when he heard foot steps coming towards him. It was his daughter, impaled by Clarent. His eyes widened, the fire mage froze. Instantly paralyzed where he stood, he could not even speak. So flabbergasted, his body grew weaker by the moment, and his heart was broken as she leaped towards him. Stepping to the side, he noticed all of his dead guild members stand up, shrouded in darkness, all coming towards him. This darkness had overwhelmed them, and he instinctively filled the room with flames. So filled with fear and rage, he destroyed nearly everything in his path, losing control of his god slaying flames like he was a small child who had just learned the magic.

Celica, Rowan, Jackal, Szeras, Deniel, Enola, Alye, Haretsa and many others, all had tried to kill him. The hordes of members had been beaten back, and by the time he realized what he had done, the lifeless body of his daughter laid in front of him. He knew she had already been dead, but it hurt to knock them all down like that. He was forced to fight the lifeless, darkness ridden, forms of his guild members and even his own daughter. Who could do such a horrible thing? Holding his precious, red haired child in his arms, he pulled her in tight. For the first time in many years, Ardere wept. He sat there with the one he loved most, the one he would give his life for at any time, lifeless in his arms. Wailing, tears gushed out of his eyes, streaming down his face. Screaming with all of his might, he felt every bit of happiness he had ever experienced be utterly shattered. My baby girl. My precious little cinder, fucking shit I'm so sorry. God dammit! Crying for what felt like an eternity, he knew he had to pull his sword out of her chest, she deserved to keep her body intact. Slowly pulling the sword out of her, the tears stopped. He still felt broken and useless, but something felt off to him. How had the sword entered her body in the first place? He took it with him when he entered Seru's world, therefore it could not have been used to kill her. Then possibly if he defeated the darkness that had overtaken his city, he could reverse all of this. Gritting his teeth so hard there was a slight crunching sound, he laid his little girl down, and ripped off his family cloak, placing it over her body. I love you more than life itself Malva, and I will bring you back, even if I have to die in place of you. Picking up his own sword, he reached down and picked up his daughter's blade, which had once been his own, the Kasai family blade. Wielding both powerful blades, he encased them in powerful black flames. Opening his mouth, all of the flames lighting the torches across the entire castle were consumed by the fire mage. The flames filled his body, as a godly aura encased him. His hair turned black, lengthening a bit. His skin became even more pale, a paper white, as a black aura shimmered across his body. Eyes red and flame tattoos covered his face and neck, for a moment, he felt the power of a god in his body. The Fire King had entered god force, ripping off his armor plates, revealing his pale yet toned physique. 

Stepping out of the guild hall, he stood in front of hundreds of darkness covered villagers, all ready to tear him limb from limb. The black aura covering his body was powerful, and so was he. Disappearing for a moment, he engaged the villagers, deflecting sword attacks and hand to hand maneuvers. He aimed for non-lethal places, slashing and kicking his way through hordes of them. Fighting and fighting, he was engaged in a war with them, one he could easily overpower. At this level he could take on the strongest of enemies, but that was not how he would win this battle. It would not return his citizens to normal, and it would not fix his failure. This darkness had to be cleansed, and it required an immense power to do so. So he leaped into the trees, making his way as high as he could before blasting flames from his feet to increased his height. I will never give up. As long as I am breathing, I can keep fighting. Darkness is nothing without a little bit of light, so back to whatever hell hole you came from! Slamming his hand down into the ground, he channeled pure light magic into it. This would be the base for his guild spells as a wave of light erupted in all directions, cleaning the darkness as it went. This particular technique would be utilized by his head of destruction. As a guild master and a leader, he had to be the light standing in the darkness, no matter what. Even when he had lost everything, he could not lose himself. The pain of losing his daughter and loved ones had destroyed him, but it had also reminded him of his purpose in this world; to return the light. Attempting to cleanse the shadows, he watched as the light overtook his guild and city. He was using all of his power, and he knew it would be enough. He had given it all he had, emotionally and physically, shaking to keep the power flowing into the city. The light was so bright, that it would temporarily blind most enemies, but it was even more effective on the darkness. Using all of his power, he had not lost hope. Ardere used up all of his magical power to do this, but it was worth it in the end. Returning light to his city was all he could have hoped for, and as a leader, it was his duty to do so. Light always wins, you bastard. Collapsing with a smile on his face, the guild master let out a heavy breath as he stared up at the bright blue sky, so beautiful, and vast, just like the world. Chuckling a bit, the power had been inside of him all along, just waiting to come out. The pure light his guild was founded on had manifested itself, and it helped him realize where he was meant to go in the future, but it would be a dangerous path. Fortunately, he was ready for it now.