Mana Academy (IC) (Open, Fantasy)

[Finsternia]

Artosh Luxenia

Artosh spent the rest of the afternoon preparing for Rabbit's own ritual. He spent time psyching himself, getting some proper equipment and have done some research. "It's just a soul... No need to worry..." He said has he stuffed four quartz crystals inside a bag and went to answer the door. Drawing the rune on the wooden door, it vanished to reveal the masked face of Rabbit. He was clearly nervous. Artosh can hewr it in his voice as he whispered it in the dead of the night. "Yeah. I'm ready Bunny-chan."

Rabbit nodded to him, and then he turned and led Artosh out of the building. He was silent as they walked out the dorm, but once they got closer to the woods, he began to speak much more. "...There are rules to the ritual that you need to know. The soul's number-one goal is to be acknowledged. Acknowledgement means welcoming a ghost as a part of the world, rather than as a wandering spirit that must leave the Earth. In order for it to be acknowledged, it will speak to you and I. We must focus, however, on completing the ritual. If we allow the ghost too much power over us, it may not only break the barrier, but it may seek to possess one of us..."

As the woods got darker and colder, and neither man could see their features anymore, Rabbit became silent again for a few more moments. He was deep in his thoughts, wondering if it was right to drag Artosh into this. He was the only one who had seen his nightmare, but he was also not the strongest of the Staff. Yet now, as he walked behind him, Rabbit felt that he trusted him more for some reason. Perhaps it was because of his loyalty...Artosh had never failed to defend him before. As weak as he was, he always put others ahead of his own safety. He only hoped that this time it would not get him killed...or worse...possessed by the man who had nearly destroyed Rabbit, fifty years ago.

They finally reached a clearing in the middle of the woods, where the light of the moon gave them just enough light to see each other. Rabbit stopped here, and then turned around to face his friend. "...One more thing...and this is of utmost importance, before we begin...If I am possessed by the being at any point...do not speak to me or even look at me. I ask in that case...that you will kill me immediately. Understood?" He spoke gently to him, even as his words were a dreadful warning about a very-real possibility. If Rabbit was possessed, there was no telling who he would hurt, and he would rather die than hurt Artosh.

Artosh Luxenia

Artosh furrowed his eyebrows in the dark as he listened to Rabbit. "No... I will do everything in my power to save you from him. Even if I need to use the arcane at the highest possible limit." His chest feels like the thundering of drums as his heartbeat hastened with nervousness. He hoped that this will be quick, that it will be easily done. He hoped that Mikhailov will be destroyed as soon as possible.

Silently, he took the four quartz crystals from his bag and placed them in the four directions. As he placed the quartz on the north, he uttered the name of Uriel, the crystal burning with white light. He then went to the east and placed down another crystal, this time invoking the name of Raphael. To the south he invoked Michael and the last quartz crystal was placed on the west, invoking the name of Gabriel. The crystals shown with light so warm but so cold to the eye, bringing light to the surroundings like pillars of light the size of a pencil. "Alright... I've finished setting up the Malachi configuration just in case... Shall we?"

[Charlia]

It only took a few minutes for Katelyn's demeanor to change entirely, and she bounded out of bed, snatching up her spear. Finally! He's gone. Now I can get out of here.

It didn't take long at all for her to abandon the room, and it took even less time for her to vanish into the woods around the school. I'll hide out here until I can get hold of someone who actually cares whether I live or die...

Such were her plans, anyway. But as had just been proven, whatever hid inside of her had plans of its own. And it didn't care what it had to do to make them happen....I guess he didn't know, Hikari thought, glancing away. "I'm fine now," she said quietly. "I just... some things happened and I... Well, I guess I was in a worse place than I thought..." Her voice cracked briefly, causing Natalie to reach up and pat Hikari's face with one floppy arm.

It's okay, Mama! she said cheerfully. See, now I'm sticking with you so you don't have to be sad anymore. So... don't be sad!

Soleil stared at her, and he heard the crack in her voice. "...Y-You...y-you were sad?...Wh-Why were you sad?..." He put a hand on her arm, very lightly so as to not aggravate whatever wounds lie beneath it. ...Her arms...how long have they been like this?...Sh-She...d-did she... He was too afraid to ask, but he knew that whatever wounds she hid, they were not like those on his own arms. He had gotten those from beatings, from punishments, as a result of not wanting to learn Dark Magic. "...H-Hikari-san...you...you did not...try to hurt yourself...did you?..." He looked her in the eyes, his expression serious and frightened for her. Just asking the question caused the life, the pleasantness of the room, to melt away like blood on a sidewalk, during a storm.

"...Yeah... Yeah, I did," Hikari replied, hands tightening into fists for a moment. "Well... I guess I shouldn't say I tried to hurt myself. I was going for something... a little more permanent. If Natalie hadn't found me when she did... well, I probably wouldn't be here at all..."

I don't know if that's good or bad...

[Luminesa]

Rabbit nodded to him, and then he turned and led Artosh out of the building. He was silent as they walked out the dorm, but once they got closer to the woods, he began to speak much more. "...There are rules to the ritual that you need to know. The soul's number-one goal is to be acknowledged. Acknowledgement means welcoming a ghost as a part of the world, rather than as a wandering spirit that must leave the Earth. In order for it to be acknowledged, it will speak to you and I. We must focus, however, on completing the ritual. If we allow the ghost too much power over us, it may not only break the barrier, but it may seek to possess one of us..."

As the woods got darker and colder, and neither man could see their features anymore, Rabbit became silent again for a few more moments. He was deep in his thoughts, wondering if it was right to drag Artosh into this. He was the only one who had seen his nightmare, but he was also not the strongest of the Staff. Yet now, as he walked behind him, Rabbit felt that he trusted him more for some reason. Perhaps it was because of his loyalty...Artosh had never failed to defend him before. As weak as he was, he always put others ahead of his own safety. He only hoped that this time it would not get him killed...or worse...possessed by the man who had nearly destroyed Rabbit, fifty years ago.

They finally reached a clearing in the middle of the woods, where the light of the moon gave them just enough light to see each other. Rabbit stopped here, and then turned around to face his friend. "...One more thing...and this is of utmost importance, before we begin...If I am possessed by the being at any point...do not speak to me or even look at me. I ask in that case...that you will kill me immediately. Understood?" He spoke gently to him, even as his words were a dreadful warning about a very-real possibility. If Rabbit was possessed, there was no telling who he would hurt, and he would rather die than hurt Artosh.

Artosh Luxenia

Artosh furrowed his eyebrows in the dark as he listened to Rabbit. "No... I will do everything in my power to save you from him. Even if I need to use the arcane at the highest possible limit." His chest feels like the thundering of drums as his heartbeat hastened with nervousness. He hoped that this will be quick, that it will be easily done. He hoped that Mikhailov will be destroyed as soon as possible.

Silently, he took the four quartz crystals from his bag and placed them in the four directions. As he placed the quartz on the north, he uttered the name of Uriel, the crystal burning with white light. He then went to the east and placed down another crystal, this time invoking the name of Raphael. To the south he invoked Michael and the last quartz crystal was placed on the west, invoking the name of Gabriel. The crystals shown with light so warm but so cold to the eye, bringing light to the surroundings like pillars of light the size of a pencil. "Alright... I've finished setting up the Malachi configuration just in case... Shall we?"

Rabbit nodded slowly, after watching Artosh set the crystals. This would be their barrier. He sighed, once again trusting Artosh. "...Yes. Let us begin..." he whispered. He held out his hands, and his violet Mana-Crystal, his heart, appeared and floated in his hands. If this was to be crushed, Rabbit would truly die. Yet it was all a part of the ritual. The crystal glowed brightly, and as it did so, six dark appendages also suddenly tore out of Rabbit's back and pierced the ground around him in the shape of a circle, holding him in place.

His body became rigid, and if Artosh had felt it, it would have been cold to the touch. He summoned the darkness inside of the Crystal, and focused carefully on seeking the correct spirit. When he found it, he gasped loudly from the pain, and a powerful wind blew around the Crystal. As it twinkled from inside the gust, a blast of fuschia-colored light burst from it and floated to the top of the dome. "GAH!" Rabbit shouted, as the procedure was already hurting even more than he expected it would. "...Gah...ha...Must focus...must...focus..." He steeled himself, and looked ahead.

Then the purple light settled, slowly floating to the bottom of the barrier toward the ground. As it landed, it took the shape of a person with their head slightly bowed. They then gained colors similar to those they kept in their lifetime. Blonde hair pulled back in a short ponytail, pale skin-almost as light as Rabbit's-and dressed in the last outfit he wore, his scientist's lab-coat, shirt, slacks, and shoes. All white. When he stood straight, he was maybe an inch or so shorter than Rabbit, about the same height as Henry. His eyes twinkled a sparkling blue behind his glasses.

Mikhailov.

He looked immediately toward Artosh, and he wore a kind smile on his face. Of course, both Rabbit and Artosh knew that the man was far from kind. "...Well, well...Hello there. I have not seen your face before...And yet...I know you and my beloved Rabbit have summoned me...Who has he brought me?" He walked calmly over to Artosh, while Rabbit kept his eyes closed and continued the ritual, pouring his magic into it. Mikhailov stopped in front of him, and examined his face. "...Innocent eyes that are not used to the terrors of the world...A very sickly complexion...and yet...there is a charm to it..." He took a finger and touched Artosh's cheek. His tone seemed to be that of someone admiring someone else's cute little cat.

"...I know what it is...you are sweet...You have a soft face that is not used to sharp expressions...Your cheeks are still moist from tears...I wonder what you have been crying about..." His tone became almost-motherly, as he noticed every detail of his opponent's face. His voice was naturally soothing, like the twinkling sounds of a music box. "...I admire that in you...the ability for a person to weep at the sins of the world, even as they are mostly-grown. And yet...too much weeping, too much sadness could ruin such a lovely face...Have you considered that?...Ah, but here I am and I have been so rude. I am Konstanin Mikhailov. What is your name, little one?"

Rabbit grit his teeth behind his mask, hearing the voice. That benevolent voice that had, with all of its sweetness, revealed to him the man behind his horrific near-death experience. Part of him wanted to rush at him and to question him, and yet he knew he had to concentrate. He was already trying to reach Artosh. He had to continue the ritual, before Mikhailov tried to break him. Right now, he was only building him up, the same way he had built Rabbit up so long ago.

[Luminesa]

Soleil stared at her, and he heard the crack in her voice. "...Y-You...y-you were sad?...Wh-Why were you sad?..." He put a hand on her arm, very lightly so as to not aggravate whatever wounds lie beneath it. ...Her arms...how long have they been like this?...Sh-She...d-did she... He was too afraid to ask, but he knew that whatever wounds she hid, they were not like those on his own arms. He had gotten those from beatings, from punishments, as a result of not wanting to learn Dark Magic. "...H-Hikari-san...you...you did not...try to hurt yourself...did you?..." He looked her in the eyes, his expression serious and frightened for her. Just asking the question caused the life, the pleasantness of the room, to melt away like blood on a sidewalk, during a storm.

"...Yeah... Yeah, I did," Hikari replied, hands tightening into fists for a moment. "Well... I guess I shouldn't say I tried to hurt myself. I was going for something... a little more permanent. If Natalie hadn't found me when she did... well, I probably wouldn't be here at all..."

I don't know if that's good or bad...

She had tried to kill herself. Soleil gasped, and he felt all the life of the person in front of him was already gone. She had tried to kill herself, and he has never noticed. He had never seen the symptoms of her pain. When she was in pain, he had never said a word to comfort her. When she had stopped him in the hallway and kissed him, he felt bad for running away from her. Quickly, he grabbed her and wrapped her in a hug, crying on her shoulder as he held her tight. "...H-Hikari-san...I'm so sorry...I'm so sorry...You were in pain all this time, and I never noticed...I-I never said a kind word to you...I was never...th-there for you...I-If I had done something, I-I could have...made you happy...Hikari-san...p-please don't hurt yourself anymore...We love you..." he mumbled, as he cried.

[Charlia]

"...Yeah... Yeah, I did," Hikari replied, hands tightening into fists for a moment. "Well... I guess I shouldn't say I tried to hurt myself. I was going for something... a little more permanent. If Natalie hadn't found me when she did... well, I probably wouldn't be here at all..."

I don't know if that's good or bad...

She had tried to kill herself. Soleil gasped, and he felt all the life of the person in front of him was already gone. She had tried to kill herself, and he has never noticed. He had never seen the symptoms of her pain. When she was in pain, he had never said a word to comfort her. When she had stopped him in the hallway and kissed him, he felt bad for running away from her. Quickly, he grabbed her and wrapped her in a hug, crying on her shoulder as he held her tight. "...H-Hikari-san...I'm so sorry...I'm so sorry...You were in pain all this time, and I never noticed...I-I never said a kind word to you...I was never...th-there for you...I-If I had done something, I-I could have...made you happy...Hikari-san...p-please don't hurt yourself anymore...We love you..." he mumbled, as he cried.

Hikari returned the hug awkwardly, and Natalie patted Soleil on the head.

"It's fine," Hikari answered, shrugging slightly. "You've got your own problems to deal with, right? Can't expect you to be constantly worrying about me. Besides... I don't know if it would have done any good anyway... Things just felt so dark then. But it's better now," she added.

She was lying.

The darkness still lingered in her mind, and although it wasn't as all-consuming as it had been when she'd made the desperate attempt, it was definitely still there.

And she thought it might be growing.

[Finsternia]

Artosh Luxenia

Artosh furrowed his eyebrows in the dark as he listened to Rabbit. "No... I will do everything in my power to save you from him. Even if I need to use the arcane at the highest possible limit." His chest feels like the thundering of drums as his heartbeat hastened with nervousness. He hoped that this will be quick, that it will be easily done. He hoped that Mikhailov will be destroyed as soon as possible.

Silently, he took the four quartz crystals from his bag and placed them in the four directions. As he placed the quartz on the north, he uttered the name of Uriel, the crystal burning with white light. He then went to the east and placed down another crystal, this time invoking the name of Raphael. To the south he invoked Michael and the last quartz crystal was placed on the west, invoking the name of Gabriel. The crystals shown with light so warm but so cold to the eye, bringing light to the surroundings like pillars of light the size of a pencil. "Alright... I've finished setting up the Malachi configuration just in case... Shall we?"

Rabbit nodded slowly, after watching Artosh set the crystals. This would be their barrier. He sighed, once again trusting Artosh. "...Yes. Let us begin..." he whispered. He held out his hands, and his violet Mana-Crystal, his heart, appeared and floated in his hands. If this was to be crushed, Rabbit would truly die. Yet it was all a part of the ritual. The crystal glowed brightly, and as it did so, six dark appendages also suddenly tore out of Rabbit's back and pierced the ground around him in the shape of a circle, holding him in place.

His body became rigid, and if Artosh had felt it, it would have been cold to the touch. He summoned the darkness inside of the Crystal, and focused carefully on seeking the correct spirit. When he found it, he gasped loudly from the pain, and a powerful wind blew around the Crystal. As it twinkled from inside the gust, a blast of fuschia-colored light burst from it and floated to the top of the dome. "GAH!" Rabbit shouted, as the procedure was already hurting even more than he expected it would. "...Gah...ha...Must focus...must...focus..." He steeled himself, and looked ahead.

Then the purple light settled, slowly floating to the bottom of the barrier toward the ground. As it landed, it took the shape of a person with their head slightly bowed. They then gained colors similar to those they kept in their lifetime. Blonde hair pulled back in a short ponytail, pale skin-almost as light as Rabbit's-and dressed in the last outfit he wore, his scientist's lab-coat, shirt, slacks, and shoes. All white. When he stood straight, he was maybe an inch or so shorter than Rabbit, about the same height as Henry. His eyes twinkled a sparkling blue behind his glasses.

Mikhailov.

He looked immediately toward Artosh, and he wore a kind smile on his face. Of course, both Rabbit and Artosh knew that the man was far from kind. "...Well, well...Hello there. I have not seen your face before...And yet...I know you and my beloved Rabbit have summoned me...Who has he brought me?" He walked calmly over to Artosh, while Rabbit kept his eyes closed and continued the ritual, pouring his magic into it. Mikhailov stopped in front of him, and examined his face. "...Innocent eyes that are not used to the terrors of the world...A very sickly complexion...and yet...there is a charm to it..." He took a finger and touched Artosh's cheek. His tone seemed to be that of someone admiring someone else's cute little cat.

"...I know what it is...you are sweet...You have a soft face that is not used to sharp expressions...Your cheeks are still moist from tears...I wonder what you have been crying about..." His tone became almost-motherly, as he noticed every detail of his opponent's face. His voice was naturally soothing, like the twinkling sounds of a music box. "...I admire that in you...the ability for a person to weep at the sins of the world, even as they are mostly-grown. And yet...too much weeping, too much sadness could ruin such a lovely face...Have you considered that?...Ah, but here I am and I have been so rude. I am Konstanin Mikhailov. What is your name, little one?"

Rabbit grit his teeth behind his mask, hearing the voice. That benevolent voice that had, with all of its sweetness, revealed to him the man behind his horrific near-death experience. Part of him wanted to rush at him and to question him, and yet he knew he had to concentrate. He was already trying to reach Artosh. He had to continue the ritual, before Mikhailov tried to break him. Right now, he was only building him up, the same way he had built Rabbit up so long ago.

Artosh Luxenia

Artosh could only winced as the shadow tendrils burst out of Rabbit's body like grotesque legs of a horrific animal. He took a deep breath and started to reach inside himself too, to the depths of the Arcane that he rarely visited. Slowly, he wove the Arcane into the crystals strengthening them every passing moment and into the fabric of the ritual.

When Mikhailov emerged and took form, he felt the chill in his spine. A familiar chill. The chill that he felt when he once reached out towards the unknown and unknowingly tapped upon the diabolical and the dark.

Artosh held his breath as he stared at the angelic face of an unflrgivable criminal. He weighted every word that he wanted to say yet his lips seems to have forgotten the ability to speak. He swallowed an invisible lump in his throat and found the courage to speak. "Well met, Doctor Mikhailov..." He said with every word dripping with poison. "I am Artosh Luxenia. It would do well for you to step back." He said as the Arcane aggressively sparked and ran across the barrier like furious thunderbolts of Zeus.

[Luminesa]

Rabbit nodded slowly, after watching Artosh set the crystals. This would be their barrier. He sighed, once again trusting Artosh. "...Yes. Let us begin..." he whispered. He held out his hands, and his violet Mana-Crystal, his heart, appeared and floated in his hands. If this was to be crushed, Rabbit would truly die. Yet it was all a part of the ritual. The crystal glowed brightly, and as it did so, six dark appendages also suddenly tore out of Rabbit's back and pierced the ground around him in the shape of a circle, holding him in place.

His body became rigid, and if Artosh had felt it, it would have been cold to the touch. He summoned the darkness inside of the Crystal, and focused carefully on seeking the correct spirit. When he found it, he gasped loudly from the pain, and a powerful wind blew around the Crystal. As it twinkled from inside the gust, a blast of fuschia-colored light burst from it and floated to the top of the dome. "GAH!" Rabbit shouted, as the procedure was already hurting even more than he expected it would. "...Gah...ha...Must focus...must...focus..." He steeled himself, and looked ahead.

Then the purple light settled, slowly floating to the bottom of the barrier toward the ground. As it landed, it took the shape of a person with their head slightly bowed. They then gained colors similar to those they kept in their lifetime. Blonde hair pulled back in a short ponytail, pale skin-almost as light as Rabbit's-and dressed in the last outfit he wore, his scientist's lab-coat, shirt, slacks, and shoes. All white. When he stood straight, he was maybe an inch or so shorter than Rabbit, about the same height as Henry. His eyes twinkled a sparkling blue behind his glasses.

Mikhailov.

He looked immediately toward Artosh, and he wore a kind smile on his face. Of course, both Rabbit and Artosh knew that the man was far from kind. "...Well, well...Hello there. I have not seen your face before...And yet...I know you and my beloved Rabbit have summoned me...Who has he brought me?" He walked calmly over to Artosh, while Rabbit kept his eyes closed and continued the ritual, pouring his magic into it. Mikhailov stopped in front of him, and examined his face. "...Innocent eyes that are not used to the terrors of the world...A very sickly complexion...and yet...there is a charm to it..." He took a finger and touched Artosh's cheek. His tone seemed to be that of someone admiring someone else's cute little cat.

"...I know what it is...you are sweet...You have a soft face that is not used to sharp expressions...Your cheeks are still moist from tears...I wonder what you have been crying about..." His tone became almost-motherly, as he noticed every detail of his opponent's face. His voice was naturally soothing, like the twinkling sounds of a music box. "...I admire that in you...the ability for a person to weep at the sins of the world, even as they are mostly-grown. And yet...too much weeping, too much sadness could ruin such a lovely face...Have you considered that?...Ah, but here I am and I have been so rude. I am Konstanin Mikhailov. What is your name, little one?"

Rabbit grit his teeth behind his mask, hearing the voice. That benevolent voice that had, with all of its sweetness, revealed to him the man behind his horrific near-death experience. Part of him wanted to rush at him and to question him, and yet he knew he had to concentrate. He was already trying to reach Artosh. He had to continue the ritual, before Mikhailov tried to break him. Right now, he was only building him up, the same way he had built Rabbit up so long ago.

Artosh Luxenia

Artosh could only winced as the shadow tendrils burst out of Rabbit's body like grotesque legs of a horrific animal. He took a deep breath and started to reach inside himself too, to the depths of the Arcane that he rarely visited. Slowly, he wove the Arcane into the crystals strengthening them every passing moment and into the fabric of the ritual.

When Mikhailov emerged and took form, he felt the chill in his spine. A familiar chill. The chill that he felt when he once reached out towards the unknown and unknowingly tapped upon the diabolical and the dark.

Artosh held his breath as he stared at the angelic face of an unflrgivable criminal. He weighted every word that he wanted to say yet his lips seems to have forgotten the ability to speak. He swallowed an invisible lump in his throat and found the courage to speak. "Well met, Doctor Mikhailov..." He said with every word dripping with poison. "I am Artosh Luxenia. It would do well for you to step back." He said as the Arcane aggressively sparked and ran across the barrier like furious thunderbolts of Zeus.

Mikhailov gave a deliberate look, as though he was testing his own boundaries and was trying to understand the person in front of him. He then looked at the barrier. It would be far too dangerous for him to try and cross it. "...Artosh...what an interesting name...I would have to ask if it's a family name, but then again...I don't think that is very important to know...You seem very anxious." He looked him up and down, watching as he struggled to not focus on him. He watched the lump in his throat, how he drew his breath and seemingly forgot how to speak. His ability to notice even the smallest details was his specialty, and he chuckled. "...Yes, very anxious. Almost as though you are on a first date. Is this your first time meeting a ghost?" he inquired, looking at his face again. "...Or perhaps it is not because of that. You are here with Rabbit, after all...And I know how...fascinating of a person he can be."

Rabbit winced at this, and his magic wavered for just a moment. He recalled immediately the first time they had met, how sick he had been, how Mikhailov had saved him from almost-certain death. He remembered how small and frail his own body was, how he could barely use his magic. How he had lost the will to live, until he had heard his apparent savior speaking to him. Yet once again he grit through it, knowing that he had to continue not only for his own sake, but for Artosh's. Underneath him, a single line of fuchsia line shot diagonally from the appendage on his front-left to the one on his back-right. This was a good start. He breathed easily and continued, trying to keep his mind clear.

"...Tell me, Artosh...you seem to be a very tender person...very affectionate, underneath that tough exterior...Your eyes show it. They have been locked on Rabbit this whole time," the criminal observed, as he looked briefly from Artosh to Rabbit, and then back to Artosh. "...Do you love him, Artosh?...Tell me what you feel for him. You don't have to be so scared of me. I'm merely a very curious person...perhaps a little nosy, but mostly harmless...But anyway, do you love Rabbit? Do you love him as much as I did?" he questioned. He knew exactly where to hit, and he struck almost right away.

[Finsternia]

Artosh Luxenia

Artosh could only winced as the shadow tendrils burst out of Rabbit's body like grotesque legs of a horrific animal. He took a deep breath and started to reach inside himself too, to the depths of the Arcane that he rarely visited. Slowly, he wove the Arcane into the crystals strengthening them every passing moment and into the fabric of the ritual.

When Mikhailov emerged and took form, he felt the chill in his spine. A familiar chill. The chill that he felt when he once reached out towards the unknown and unknowingly tapped upon the diabolical and the dark.

Artosh held his breath as he stared at the angelic face of an unflrgivable criminal. He weighted every word that he wanted to say yet his lips seems to have forgotten the ability to speak. He swallowed an invisible lump in his throat and found the courage to speak. "Well met, Doctor Mikhailov..." He said with every word dripping with poison. "I am Artosh Luxenia. It would do well for you to step back." He said as the Arcane aggressively sparked and ran across the barrier like furious thunderbolts of Zeus.

Mikhailov gave a deliberate look, as though he was testing his own boundaries and was trying to understand the person in front of him. He then looked at the barrier. It would be far too dangerous for him to try and cross it. "...Artosh...what an interesting name...I would have to ask if it's a family name, but then again...I don't think that is very important to know...You seem very anxious." He looked him up and down, watching as he struggled to not focus on him. He watched the lump in his throat, how he drew his breath and seemingly forgot how to speak. His ability to notice even the smallest details was his specialty, and he chuckled. "...Yes, very anxious. Almost as though you are on a first date. Is this your first time meeting a ghost?" he inquired, looking at his face again. "...Or perhaps it is not because of that. You are here with Rabbit, after all...And I know how...fascinating of a person he can be."

Rabbit winced at this, and his magic wavered for just a moment. He recalled immediately the first time they had met, how sick he had been, how Mikhailov had saved him from almost-certain death. He remembered how small and frail his own body was, how he could barely use his magic. How he had lost the will to live, until he had heard his apparent savior speaking to him. Yet once again he grit through it, knowing that he had to continue not only for his own sake, but for Artosh's. Underneath him, a single line of fuchsia line shot diagonally from the appendage on his front-left to the one on his back-right. This was a good start. He breathed easily and continued, trying to keep his mind clear.

"...Tell me, Artosh...you seem to be a very tender person...very affectionate, underneath that tough exterior...Your eyes show it. They have been locked on Rabbit this whole time," the criminal observed, as he looked briefly from Artosh to Rabbit, and then back to Artosh. "...Do you love him, Artosh?...Tell me what you feel for him. You don't have to be so scared of me. I'm merely a very curious person...perhaps a little nosy, but mostly harmless...But anyway, do you love Rabbit? Do you love him as much as I did?" he questioned. He knew exactly where to hit, and he struck almost right away.

Artosh Luxenia

Artosh winced once again at Mikhailov's questions. His hands turned into fists as he tried to fight away the growing annoyance and hate inside him. 'No... I can't... The Arcane will run amok...' He smiled as he tried o play along with the ghost, trying to keep his composture well. "The love that I bear for Rabbit cannot be compared to your own perversions, Doctor." The Arcane barrier naturally progressed into more chaos, the once heavely blue white color now having a tinge of purple as sparks ran. "Yours is nothing but greed and desire for power isn't it? Is that how they defined love in your days, Doctor?"

[Luminesa]

Mikhailov gave a deliberate look, as though he was testing his own boundaries and was trying to understand the person in front of him. He then looked at the barrier. It would be far too dangerous for him to try and cross it. "...Artosh...what an interesting name...I would have to ask if it's a family name, but then again...I don't think that is very important to know...You seem very anxious." He looked him up and down, watching as he struggled to not focus on him. He watched the lump in his throat, how he drew his breath and seemingly forgot how to speak. His ability to notice even the smallest details was his specialty, and he chuckled. "...Yes, very anxious. Almost as though you are on a first date. Is this your first time meeting a ghost?" he inquired, looking at his face again. "...Or perhaps it is not because of that. You are here with Rabbit, after all...And I know how...fascinating of a person he can be."

Rabbit winced at this, and his magic wavered for just a moment. He recalled immediately the first time they had met, how sick he had been, how Mikhailov had saved him from almost-certain death. He remembered how small and frail his own body was, how he could barely use his magic. How he had lost the will to live, until he had heard his apparent savior speaking to him. Yet once again he grit through it, knowing that he had to continue not only for his own sake, but for Artosh's. Underneath him, a single line of fuchsia line shot diagonally from the appendage on his front-left to the one on his back-right. This was a good start. He breathed easily and continued, trying to keep his mind clear.

"...Tell me, Artosh...you seem to be a very tender person...very affectionate, underneath that tough exterior...Your eyes show it. They have been locked on Rabbit this whole time," the criminal observed, as he looked briefly from Artosh to Rabbit, and then back to Artosh. "...Do you love him, Artosh?...Tell me what you feel for him. You don't have to be so scared of me. I'm merely a very curious person...perhaps a little nosy, but mostly harmless...But anyway, do you love Rabbit? Do you love him as much as I did?" he questioned. He knew exactly where to hit, and he struck almost right away.

Artosh Luxenia

Artosh winced once again at Mikhailov's questions. His hands turned into fists as he tried to fight away the growing annoyance and hate inside him. 'No... I can't... The Arcane will run amok...' He smiled as he tried o play along with the ghost, trying to keep his composture well. "The love that I bear for Rabbit cannot be compared to your own perversions, Doctor." The Arcane barrier naturally progressed into more chaos, the once heavely blue white color now having a tinge of purple as sparks ran. "Yours is nothing but greed and desire for power isn't it? Is that how they defined love in your days, Doctor?"

Mikhailov giggled, as though Artosh was a small child asking a precocious question in class. Given, of course, if Mikhailov had not died he would be at least fifty years older than Artosh, even as the ghost that stood in front of Artosh could not be any older than thirty in appearance. "...Love has always been defined in strange ways by the people of each generation, hasn't it, Artosh? Children define it as romantic affection, the things of books and of popular music. Adults define it as getting married, settling with someone, and living in a nice house. For teenagers, it means understanding between two people who feel misunderstood. Perhaps all three have it right by some estimate. Or maybe all of them have missed the mark. Perhaps you are the one with the answer, Artosh?..." He took his face in his hand, which felt like a cold chill surrounding the teacher's face.

Rabbit noticed the slight silence, and he opened his eyes for a moment. Seeing that the doctor was holding Artosh's face in his hand, looking over him like an experiment, he bristled. "UNHAND HIM YOU FIEND!!!" he shouted, his voice becoming distorted with pain and animalistic rage. It was far harsher than Rabbit usually demonstrated. "I WILL NOT ALLOW YOU TO DEFILE HIM, YOU-HUAGH!!!" He stopped himself, as a sharp pain filled his currently-empty chest. He was pushing himself too much, losing control, and the other spirits inside of him were shouting along with him. His voice returned to normal as he became quiet again, regaining its almost-feminine whisper. "...Calm yourself...calm yourself...Do not show any weakness...It will all be over soon..." he told himself, though a black tear fell down his cheek because of the enormous pain. Another streak of light reached diagonally from underneath him, as he spoke, and he closed his eyes to the interaction in front of him.

Mikhailov noticed, and he seemed enamored by the sudden change. "...I realize now I have never seen him at his full strength...I wonder what would happen if he attacked me now, in fact...How much blood would be spilled..." he questioned. He then turned back to Artosh, smiling. "...You say I only seek greed and power...and yet look at this magnificent dark power you have manifested...Arcane magic, which can only be used by those who concentrate large amounts of darkness within themselves. No normal Mage should be able to use such...I wonder...how much of yourself have you sacrificed to gain such power...What sort of monster lies behind that sweet, kind face?...Is it made from your love, or...from your own greed and desire for power?"

[Serah]

The weather was alright, not too cold, not too hot.
Pretty much as regular as it comes.
Just like Oliver in a way.

For a good while, he'd been alone in his room, so he decided to make it his room.
Because usually, when someone doesn't have a roommate at the start of the year, they don't have them at all for the rest of the year.
Or so he thought.

Hearing the news that someone from Solum actually had the same difficulties and a teacher voiced it out made the two move into the same place.
And that place was Oliver's.
Thing is, his stuff was lying around still. Not that there was much to speak about, he still had to clean it.
Dust had settled and god knows how many insects he squashed against the walls, making a rather neat, yet somewhat morbid picture of frying pan jesus just against the side of the window.
He personally found it funny, but maybe the person moving in wouldn't.
And as such, he had to clean it.
And dust everything off too.

Later that Evening

As side window frying pan Jesus did not want to get cleaned, Oliver progressively gave up.
He'd been at it for five hours.
Even bleach or Bleach had not cleaned it, or even done the slightest bit of damage.
Except for Bleach itself that just brought mental damage to Oliver's brain with the god awful starting episodes of the series.

Oliver had will, and could persevere for way longer, but here? Side window frying pan Jesus was too strong for him. He was truly the chosen piece of art that just could not get destroyed.
Maybe he'd actually created something holy, he'd never know.

"Aaaaah... My back..." He complained before sitting up from his traditional Slav squatting+homemade Vodka combo.
He wasn't drunk, but he did smell a bit should someone actually pay attention.
Though his behavior didn't change at all.

"Guess I'll be going outside then. At least it's... Globally... Globally done. Yeah. I guess it is.
What do you think Begnion?"

The dog just looked up quizzically, then looked around the room, only to look at the man again.

"Still lacks something huh..." Oliver seemed to look puzzled for a moment, before seemingly realizing something.

Squatting down again and extending his arms towards the dog, the latter ran to him happily.
Then followed a rather petting heavy sequence that lasted about ten minutes straight until Oliver decided to actually just leave his room for once instead of playing Fire Emblem and Civilization all day.

Upon entering the courtyard, he noticed still many people outside, something he found rather odd since it was already nearing the end of the day.
But someone caught his attention.

Was it a boy, was it a girl, he didn't know, all he knew, is that he or she was extremely cute.
And that he was confused.

[Imperial--japan]

Addison Lloyd

Addison had just been ready to depart after the conversation he had on the phone with his mother. After all, there were plenty of people to introduce himself to and not enough time in the day to mingle in between classes and getting himself situated at the Academy. That is, until a rather strapping young lad decided to sit himself next to Addison. He smiled at him, and Addison couldn't help but blush at the action. This mysterious stranger was definitely attractive, and Addison couldn't just let a chance like this pass him by. The boy next to her seemed to have resigned himself to listening to his music, so at least he wouldn't be going anywhere that Addison would need to pursue him.

Sliding across the bench, Addison placed one of his hands over the hand of the boy sitting near him and smiled at him, just as the other boy had done before. It was then that he noticed someone across the courtyard was looking at him. Addison was quite attractive so that was no surprise, so he flashed another smile and a wink at the boy in the distance, hoping he would see it before deciding to return his attentions to the boy he was making contact with. Assuming that he removed his earbuds to listen to what Addison had to say, it would go a little something like the following.

"Hi, I'm Addison. I just got here last week, but I've been trying to find my way around and meet new people. I don't suppose you would mind talking with me, would you?"

[Finsternia]

Artosh Luxenia

Artosh winced once again at Mikhailov's questions. His hands turned into fists as he tried to fight away the growing annoyance and hate inside him. 'No... I can't... The Arcane will run amok...' He smiled as he tried o play along with the ghost, trying to keep his composture well. "The love that I bear for Rabbit cannot be compared to your own perversions, Doctor." The Arcane barrier naturally progressed into more chaos, the once heavely blue white color now having a tinge of purple as sparks ran. "Yours is nothing but greed and desire for power isn't it? Is that how they defined love in your days, Doctor?"

Mikhailov giggled, as though Artosh was a small child asking a precocious question in class. Given, of course, if Mikhailov had not died he would be at least fifty years older than Artosh, even as the ghost that stood in front of Artosh could not be any older than thirty in appearance. "...Love has always been defined in strange ways by the people of each generation, hasn't it, Artosh? Children define it as romantic affection, the things of books and of popular music. Adults define it as getting married, settling with someone, and living in a nice house. For teenagers, it means understanding between two people who feel misunderstood. Perhaps all three have it right by some estimate. Or maybe all of them have missed the mark. Perhaps you are the one with the answer, Artosh?..." He took his face in his hand, which felt like a cold chill surrounding the teacher's face.

Rabbit noticed the slight silence, and he opened his eyes for a moment. Seeing that the doctor was holding Artosh's face in his hand, looking over him like an experiment, he bristled. "UNHAND HIM YOU FIEND!!!" he shouted, his voice becoming distorted with pain and animalistic rage. It was far harsher than Rabbit usually demonstrated. "I WILL NOT ALLOW YOU TO DEFILE HIM, YOU-HUAGH!!!" He stopped himself, as a sharp pain filled his currently-empty chest. He was pushing himself too much, losing control, and the other spirits inside of him were shouting along with him. His voice returned to normal as he became quiet again, regaining its almost-feminine whisper. "...Calm yourself...calm yourself...Do not show any weakness...It will all be over soon..." he told himself, though a black tear fell down his cheek because of the enormous pain. Another streak of light reached diagonally from underneath him, as he spoke, and he closed his eyes to the interaction in front of him.

Mikhailov noticed, and he seemed enamored by the sudden change. "...I realize now I have never seen him at his full strength...I wonder what would happen if he attacked me now, in fact...How much blood would be spilled..." he questioned. He then turned back to Artosh, smiling. "...You say I only seek greed and power...and yet look at this magnificent dark power you have manifested...Arcane magic, which can only be used by those who concentrate large amounts of darkness within themselves. No normal Mage should be able to use such...I wonder...how much of yourself have you sacrificed to gain such power...What sort of monster lies behind that sweet, kind face?...Is it made from your love, or...from your own greed and desire for power?"

Artosh Luxenia

"And the price is addiction and inevitable death. Power comes not without a price, Doctor Mikhailov. I believe you knew that if you would just look at your current state." Artosh cannot let him influence his thinking. No, he needed to concentrate and pour more into his work. The quartz crystals shone brighter now, the tiny pillars of light growing brighter and bigger. He looked at Rabbit and shook his head, flashing his determined blue eyes at him. 'We can do this. Don't worry.'

His right hand carefully went into his bag, holding the handle of a ritual knife. If ever Mikhailov does something even more disturbing that breaking them through talk, it wouldn't hurt giving him the pointy end of the stick. "And what do you know of the Arcane? The Arcane isn't inherently evil as you would expect. It molds itself by the morals of the mage, like any other magic would. Are you basing your hypothesis on yourself, Doctor? How many lives have you led through false hope and let them suffer for too long? You call yourself a doctor yet you cannot even protect others, not even yourself from your own."

[Saldinado]

Addison Lloyd

Addison had just been ready to depart after the conversation he had on the phone with his mother. After all, there were plenty of people to introduce himself to and not enough time in the day to mingle in between classes and getting himself situated at the Academy. That is, until a rather strapping young lad decided to sit himself next to Addison. He smiled at him, and Addison couldn't help but blush at the action. This mysterious stranger was definitely attractive, and Addison couldn't just let a chance like this pass him by. The boy next to her seemed to have resigned himself to listening to his music, so at least he wouldn't be going anywhere that Addison would need to pursue him.

Sliding across the bench, Addison placed one of his hands over the hand of the boy sitting near him and smiled at him, just as the other boy had done before. It was then that he noticed someone across the courtyard was looking at him. Addison was quite attractive so that was no surprise, so he flashed another smile and a wink at the boy in the distance, hoping he would see it before deciding to return his attentions to the boy he was making contact with. Assuming that he removed his earbuds to listen to what Addison had to say, it would go a little something like the following.

"Hi, I'm Addison. I just got here last week, but I've been trying to find my way around and meet new people. I don't suppose you would mind talking with me, would you?"

Shaun Calhoun

His music took control of his train of thought for which was something that he didn't mind at all. The sound of his music and the water of the fountain filled his ears as he softly sighed to himself with a small and faint smile growing across his face. Shaun looked out of the corner of his eyes to see the female next to him blush and internally chuckled at the sight of it before going about his own business.
Well, that was his original plan to say the least.

Suddenly, he felt the touch of warmth and flesh lay across his hand. Surprised by it, Shaun quickly turned his eyes towards the one that the one sitting next to him had indeed decided to place his hand on top of his. With a furrowed brow, he looked over at the person as the moonlight peered into his eyes, creating a soft pastel purple to them with snowy white hair that matched the moon itself. A look of confusion and surprised came across his face for a short moment only to then see the smile that appeared upon his face. With widened eyes, Shaun's face revealed a small pink hue upon the pale face of his as he removed his earbud to listen to what the stranger had to say to him.

Talk huh? So not only did she still his spot that was almost near perfect to him, but now she wanted to interrupt him so that she can talk? The audacity of her was near astonishment to the Solum as he sat there in silence thinking about it. He didn't have anywhere else to go for the moment. This person was rather new here by the sounds of things and he'd remembered when he was in that same position. With an internal sigh, Shaun shyly smiled at the young lady and nodded. "Sure; so um, what do you want to know? Oh yeah...I'm Shaun by the way if you didn't know. Well of course you wouldn't know because this is your first time meeting me I bet. Not to say that you're not like an idiot or something; just ignorant that you don't know my name. Wait! Not that type of ignorant. I mean the one that does't know something. If that makes any sense to you." With an awkward chuckle, Shaun's face redden even more due to his own embarrassment than the contact from Addison herself. "Oh boy...I'm sorry."

[Luminesa]

Mikhailov giggled, as though Artosh was a small child asking a precocious question in class. Given, of course, if Mikhailov had not died he would be at least fifty years older than Artosh, even as the ghost that stood in front of Artosh could not be any older than thirty in appearance. "...Love has always been defined in strange ways by the people of each generation, hasn't it, Artosh? Children define it as romantic affection, the things of books and of popular music. Adults define it as getting married, settling with someone, and living in a nice house. For teenagers, it means understanding between two people who feel misunderstood. Perhaps all three have it right by some estimate. Or maybe all of them have missed the mark. Perhaps you are the one with the answer, Artosh?..." He took his face in his hand, which felt like a cold chill surrounding the teacher's face.

Rabbit noticed the slight silence, and he opened his eyes for a moment. Seeing that the doctor was holding Artosh's face in his hand, looking over him like an experiment, he bristled. "UNHAND HIM YOU FIEND!!!" he shouted, his voice becoming distorted with pain and animalistic rage. It was far harsher than Rabbit usually demonstrated. "I WILL NOT ALLOW YOU TO DEFILE HIM, YOU-HUAGH!!!" He stopped himself, as a sharp pain filled his currently-empty chest. He was pushing himself too much, losing control, and the other spirits inside of him were shouting along with him. His voice returned to normal as he became quiet again, regaining its almost-feminine whisper. "...Calm yourself...calm yourself...Do not show any weakness...It will all be over soon..." he told himself, though a black tear fell down his cheek because of the enormous pain. Another streak of light reached diagonally from underneath him, as he spoke, and he closed his eyes to the interaction in front of him.

Mikhailov noticed, and he seemed enamored by the sudden change. "...I realize now I have never seen him at his full strength...I wonder what would happen if he attacked me now, in fact...How much blood would be spilled..." he questioned. He then turned back to Artosh, smiling. "...You say I only seek greed and power...and yet look at this magnificent dark power you have manifested...Arcane magic, which can only be used by those who concentrate large amounts of darkness within themselves. No normal Mage should be able to use such...I wonder...how much of yourself have you sacrificed to gain such power...What sort of monster lies behind that sweet, kind face?...Is it made from your love, or...from your own greed and desire for power?"

Artosh Luxenia

"And the price is addiction and inevitable death. Power comes not without a price, Doctor Mikhailov. I believe you knew that if you would just look at your current state." Artosh cannot let him influence his thinking. No, he needed to concentrate and pour more into his work. The quartz crystals shone brighter now, the tiny pillars of light growing brighter and bigger. He looked at Rabbit and shook his head, flashing his determined blue eyes at him. 'We can do this. Don't worry.'

His right hand carefully went into his bag, holding the handle of a ritual knife. If ever Mikhailov does something even more disturbing that breaking them through talk, it wouldn't hurt giving him the pointy end of the stick. "And what do you know of the Arcane? The Arcane isn't inherently evil as you would expect. It molds itself by the morals of the mage, like any other magic would. Are you basing your hypothesis on yourself, Doctor? How many lives have you led through false hope and let them suffer for too long? You call yourself a doctor yet you cannot even protect others, not even yourself from your own."

Mikhailov looked down at the knife, and then at Artosh. "...You know that I am not solid? You could not kill me with that, even if you wanted desperately to do so. You would have to acknowledge the being in front of you, and you don't want to do that, do you?" He gave a sad smile, as though he was disappointed. "...But anyway, addiction and death, you say? How sad. You speak to me about dying for my cause, knowing that you will soon succumb to your own illness. Two sides of the same coin, are we not?" He placed a hand over the hand that held the knife, and he held up the hand, careful to clench it lightly. "...Your own greed and desire is destroying you, is it not?...You put on a brave face, and yet you know. I can see the despair in the back of your eyes...you have searched all your life for ways to make yourself different, to make yourself special. You struggled to learn magic...and so you leaned on the forbidden arts..."

He looked down at the knife again, and then held it up for Artosh to look at himself in the steel blade. "...Look at your face as it is. And think about the Arcane Magic you have been using...What will it do to that sweet, innocent face?...A monster is forming inside of you, one that is waiting for the day you draw your last breath. You will become a being trapped within your pain for all eternity...I know because I have seen such myself. I watched a patient slowly give-in to his addiction until he finally died...or so we thought. In reality, he had slowly lost his humanity to the Magic. His personality went from being that of a kind, timid soul such as yours...to that of an empty, emotionless being that wanted 'to go home'. When he realized his Arcane Magic was his 'home', he acted as a snake molting its skin and tore out of his form...He was a terrible being, one that realized his mistake too quickly...He was able to kill his pain, and yet he could inflict nothing but pain on others...He killed countless people, before he was finally killed by Jaegars...I actually witnessed the murder as well. I never had the...heart to tell them that he was actually an innocent, sickly human in another form...it was very tragic..."

Of course, as he spoke, his expression never truly showed that he felt it was tragic. He continued to show that same gentle smile, that dissonant serenity that made him so hypnotic. "...Look at your face...and then look toward your beloved Rabbit...One day, if you continue using your magic...you will forget your love for him and for everyone else...Your life will become pain...You will become pain...Is that what you want?...To cry infinitely inside as your form commits unspeakable crimes against humanity?...To have your friends be forced to kill you, in order to survive? I know that you do not like to see others suffer, right?"

[Finsternia]

Artosh Luxenia

"And the price is addiction and inevitable death. Power comes not without a price, Doctor Mikhailov. I believe you knew that if you would just look at your current state." Artosh cannot let him influence his thinking. No, he needed to concentrate and pour more into his work. The quartz crystals shone brighter now, the tiny pillars of light growing brighter and bigger. He looked at Rabbit and shook his head, flashing his determined blue eyes at him. 'We can do this. Don't worry.'

His right hand carefully went into his bag, holding the handle of a ritual knife. If ever Mikhailov does something even more disturbing that breaking them through talk, it wouldn't hurt giving him the pointy end of the stick. "And what do you know of the Arcane? The Arcane isn't inherently evil as you would expect. It molds itself by the morals of the mage, like any other magic would. Are you basing your hypothesis on yourself, Doctor? How many lives have you led through false hope and let them suffer for too long? You call yourself a doctor yet you cannot even protect others, not even yourself from your own."

Mikhailov looked down at the knife, and then at Artosh. "...You know that I am not solid? You could not kill me with that, even if you wanted desperately to do so. You would have to acknowledge the being in front of you, and you don't want to do that, do you?" He gave a sad smile, as though he was disappointed. "...But anyway, addiction and death, you say? How sad. You speak to me about dying for my cause, knowing that you will soon succumb to your own illness. Two sides of the same coin, are we not?" He placed a hand over the hand that held the knife, and he held up the hand, careful to clench it lightly. "...Your own greed and desire is destroying you, is it not?...You put on a brave face, and yet you know. I can see the despair in the back of your eyes...you have searched all your life for ways to make yourself different, to make yourself special. You struggled to learn magic...and so you leaned on the forbidden arts..."

He looked down at the knife again, and then held it up for Artosh to look at himself in the steel blade. "...Look at your face as it is. And think about the Arcane Magic you have been using...What will it do to that sweet, innocent face?...A monster is forming inside of you, one that is waiting for the day you draw your last breath. You will become a being trapped within your pain for all eternity...I know because I have seen such myself. I watched a patient slowly give-in to his addiction until he finally died...or so we thought. In reality, he had slowly lost his humanity to the Magic. His personality went from being that of a kind, timid soul such as yours...to that of an empty, emotionless being that wanted 'to go home'. When he realized his Arcane Magic was his 'home', he acted as a snake molting its skin and tore out of his form...He was a terrible being, one that realized his mistake too quickly...He was able to kill his pain, and yet he could inflict nothing but pain on others...He killed countless people, before he was finally killed by Jaegars...I actually witnessed the murder as well. I never had the...heart to tell them that he was actually an innocent, sickly human in another form...it was very tragic..."

Of course, as he spoke, his expression never truly showed that he felt it was tragic. He continued to show that same gentle smile, that dissonant serenity that made him so hypnotic. "...Look at your face...and then look toward your beloved Rabbit...One day, if you continue using your magic...you will forget your love for him and for everyone else...Your life will become pain...You will become pain...Is that what you want?...To cry infinitely inside as your form commits unspeakable crimes against humanity?...To have your friends be forced to kill you, in order to survive? I know that you do not like to see others suffer, right?"

Artosh Luxenia

"I've been targetted by dark forces before due to the sweet corruption of the Arcane. A well enchanted blade can easily cleave an incorporeal being like it would on the living." He tried to keep his voice from shaking and he felt excessively uncomfortable with being touched by the man who broke Rabbit's hopeful wings years before. "Yes... I know the consequences of my magic. Fate itself dictated that it will be with me until my last breath. I must use it or I will die from withdrawal. It is a drug that I must take in the slightest moderation. The amount of Arcane that I am channeling now are within the moderate side and I can already feel it's effects. The feeling of power coursing in your veins, the thrill of strength. That's why I try to keep it under control. I've suffered enough. And I must have you know that I can open an Infernal Gate right now and be done with you. You don't want to be dismissed unceremoniously, right Doctor?"

[Luminesa]

Mikhailov looked down at the knife, and then at Artosh. "...You know that I am not solid? You could not kill me with that, even if you wanted desperately to do so. You would have to acknowledge the being in front of you, and you don't want to do that, do you?" He gave a sad smile, as though he was disappointed. "...But anyway, addiction and death, you say? How sad. You speak to me about dying for my cause, knowing that you will soon succumb to your own illness. Two sides of the same coin, are we not?" He placed a hand over the hand that held the knife, and he held up the hand, careful to clench it lightly. "...Your own greed and desire is destroying you, is it not?...You put on a brave face, and yet you know. I can see the despair in the back of your eyes...you have searched all your life for ways to make yourself different, to make yourself special. You struggled to learn magic...and so you leaned on the forbidden arts..."

He looked down at the knife again, and then held it up for Artosh to look at himself in the steel blade. "...Look at your face as it is. And think about the Arcane Magic you have been using...What will it do to that sweet, innocent face?...A monster is forming inside of you, one that is waiting for the day you draw your last breath. You will become a being trapped within your pain for all eternity...I know because I have seen such myself. I watched a patient slowly give-in to his addiction until he finally died...or so we thought. In reality, he had slowly lost his humanity to the Magic. His personality went from being that of a kind, timid soul such as yours...to that of an empty, emotionless being that wanted 'to go home'. When he realized his Arcane Magic was his 'home', he acted as a snake molting its skin and tore out of his form...He was a terrible being, one that realized his mistake too quickly...He was able to kill his pain, and yet he could inflict nothing but pain on others...He killed countless people, before he was finally killed by Jaegars...I actually witnessed the murder as well. I never had the...heart to tell them that he was actually an innocent, sickly human in another form...it was very tragic..."

Of course, as he spoke, his expression never truly showed that he felt it was tragic. He continued to show that same gentle smile, that dissonant serenity that made him so hypnotic. "...Look at your face...and then look toward your beloved Rabbit...One day, if you continue using your magic...you will forget your love for him and for everyone else...Your life will become pain...You will become pain...Is that what you want?...To cry infinitely inside as your form commits unspeakable crimes against humanity?...To have your friends be forced to kill you, in order to survive? I know that you do not like to see others suffer, right?"

Artosh Luxenia

"I've been targetted by dark forces before due to the sweet corruption of the Arcane. A well enchanted blade can easily cleave an incorporeal being like it would on the living." He tried to keep his voice from shaking and he felt excessively uncomfortable with being touched by the man who broke Rabbit's hopeful wings years before. "Yes... I know the consequences of my magic. Fate itself dictated that it will be with me until my last breath. I must use it or I will die from withdrawal. It is a drug that I must take in the slightest moderation. The amount of Arcane that I am channeling now are within the moderate side and I can already feel it's effects. The feeling of power coursing in your veins, the thrill of strength. That's why I try to keep it under control. I've suffered enough. And I must have you know that I can open an Infernal Gate right now and be done with you. You don't want to be dismissed unceremoniously, right Doctor?"

"...Opening the Gates of Hell on another soul has serious consequences. Do you realize that?" Mikhailov did not let go of Artosh's hand. He felt him shaking, and he knew that he was hitting him where it hurt. "...You will taint your soul with so much darkness. It will accelerate your death in ways you could not imagine. Though of course...for a few split seconds...you will feel like you are God. You will understand power as you have never understood it in your life. Not even your precious Rabbit will be able to stand next to you, when you learn such things. But all things have their consequences, do they not? They are merely natural occurrences, and that is why I am dead.

He turned and looked back to Rabbit, who was still struggling to continue the ritual. "I crushed the heart of an innocent being, one who I found to hold far more love than any human I had ever met. And I died for my sins against an innocent being, for leading him into scandal by handing him a gun. Have you ever seen your dear Rabbit holding a gun? So sweet. Even as a being that killed in order to survive, in order to devour the souls the damned, he felt so horrible holding that gun and killing his own torturers. He cried in my arms. And when I revealed my sins to him, he rightfully killed me. A crime of passion, I should say. Romantic, isn't it?" He laughed showing no sadness toward his own demise.

...Why...why did you do this to me...

If you knew I would react that way...Were you simply looking for a reaction?...

Did you never truly love me at all?...

Mikhailov...stop lying and tell me the truth...

The memories. They flooded back with every word, and Rabbit fought them in order to remain steady. He remembered how cold he had felt, how much he had wanted to die after shooting all of those men. The deadly rush that came from killing, the rush he had worked so hard to suppress for the sake of becoming a loving being, welcomed by humanity as one of their own. How his world fell apart when Mikhailov himself had held a gun to Rabbit's head. Yet the third streak crossed the appendages on each side of him, and he shook his head. Artosh...please hang on... he thought.

Mikhailov turned back to Artosh and smiled softly, caressing his face again. "...I do not care if I live or die. You may stab me now, if it pleases you. You may even open the Gates of Hell. But I know the truth, Artosh...Behind those kind, loving eyes is a fiend that is eating away at you...Destroying your ability to love...causing you unbearable loneliness that you seek to resolve by any means...I am sure you would throw yourself at Rabbit's feet, even, if it caused you to be well...And yet, somehow...you also accept that you will never be well...and that you do not want to be well...Your greatest wish is to simply die in the arms of the person you love...the very force that could take your soul the moment you die. After all, you did say that Dark forces have sought for you, and what is Rabbit but a personification of the darkness of many souls? And yet...you could have so much more before that time...Do you know how much time you have left, Artosh? If I may ask."

[Finsternia]

Artosh Luxenia

"I've been targetted by dark forces before due to the sweet corruption of the Arcane. A well enchanted blade can easily cleave an incorporeal being like it would on the living." He tried to keep his voice from shaking and he felt excessively uncomfortable with being touched by the man who broke Rabbit's hopeful wings years before. "Yes... I know the consequences of my magic. Fate itself dictated that it will be with me until my last breath. I must use it or I will die from withdrawal. It is a drug that I must take in the slightest moderation. The amount of Arcane that I am channeling now are within the moderate side and I can already feel it's effects. The feeling of power coursing in your veins, the thrill of strength. That's why I try to keep it under control. I've suffered enough. And I must have you know that I can open an Infernal Gate right now and be done with you. You don't want to be dismissed unceremoniously, right Doctor?"

"...Opening the Gates of Hell on another soul has serious consequences. Do you realize that?" Mikhailov did not let go of Artosh's hand. He felt him shaking, and he knew that he was hitting him where it hurt. "...You will taint your soul with so much darkness. It will accelerate your death in ways you could not imagine. Though of course...for a few split seconds...you will feel like you are God. You will understand power as you have never understood it in your life. Not even your precious Rabbit will be able to stand next to you, when you learn such things. But all things have their consequences, do they not? They are merely natural occurrences, and that is why I am dead.

He turned and looked back to Rabbit, who was still struggling to continue the ritual. "I crushed the heart of an innocent being, one who I found to hold far more love than any human I had ever met. And I died for my sins against an innocent being, for leading him into scandal by handing him a gun. Have you ever seen your dear Rabbit holding a gun? So sweet. Even as a being that killed in order to survive, in order to devour the souls the damned, he felt so horrible holding that gun and killing his own torturers. He cried in my arms. And when I revealed my sins to him, he rightfully killed me. A crime of passion, I should say. Romantic, isn't it?" He laughed showing no sadness toward his own demise.

...Why...why did you do this to me...

If you knew I would react that way...Were you simply looking for a reaction?...

Did you never truly love me at all?...

Mikhailov...stop lying and tell me the truth...

The memories. They flooded back with every word, and Rabbit fought them in order to remain steady. He remembered how cold he had felt, how much he had wanted to die after shooting all of those men. The deadly rush that came from killing, the rush he had worked so hard to suppress for the sake of becoming a loving being, welcomed by humanity as one of their own. How his world fell apart when Mikhailov himself had held a gun to Rabbit's head. Yet the third streak crossed the appendages on each side of him, and he shook his head. Artosh...please hang on... he thought.

Mikhailov turned back to Artosh and smiled softly, caressing his face again. "...I do not care if I live or die. You may stab me now, if it pleases you. You may even open the Gates of Hell. But I know the truth, Artosh...Behind those kind, loving eyes is a fiend that is eating away at you...Destroying your ability to love...causing you unbearable loneliness that you seek to resolve by any means...I am sure you would throw yourself at Rabbit's feet, even, if it caused you to be well...And yet, somehow...you also accept that you will never be well...and that you do not want to be well...Your greatest wish is to simply die in the arms of the person you love...the very force that could take your soul the moment you die. After all, you did say that Dark forces have sought for you, and what is Rabbit but a personification of the darkness of many souls? And yet...you could have so much more before that time...Do you know how much time you have left, Artosh? If I may ask."

Artosh Luxenia

Do you know how much time you have left, Artosh?

Artosh's body shivered as tears started to fall. 'How much time do I have...' He doesn't know. It was a thought that plagued him countless times. How much time does he really have now? After all those years of careless addiction and use, the ecstatic joy of the Arcane in his veins, only for him to succumb to the Poisoning. "I... I don't know... I don't know... I DON'T KNOW!" Artosh pulled his arm back and raised the enchanted ritual dagger, it's blade made out of fiery opal. "URIEL!" From the northern quartz crystal a blinding bolt of lightning struck Mikhailov in the chest, pushing him back away from Artosh as he shakily held the dagger in his hand. His sense of control wavered and the Arcane went out of control, the barriers becoming a chaotic swirl of energy and the air around them felt so heavy for them to breath. His sclera became tainted by a faint purple hue and he can feel himself weightless and his head fuzzy. "SHUT UP! SHUT UP! SHUT UP! YOU KNOW NOTHING ABOUT ME! YOU KNOW NOTHING ABOUT BUNNY CHAN!"

[Luminesa]

"...Opening the Gates of Hell on another soul has serious consequences. Do you realize that?" Mikhailov did not let go of Artosh's hand. He felt him shaking, and he knew that he was hitting him where it hurt. "...You will taint your soul with so much darkness. It will accelerate your death in ways you could not imagine. Though of course...for a few split seconds...you will feel like you are God. You will understand power as you have never understood it in your life. Not even your precious Rabbit will be able to stand next to you, when you learn such things. But all things have their consequences, do they not? They are merely natural occurrences, and that is why I am dead.

He turned and looked back to Rabbit, who was still struggling to continue the ritual. "I crushed the heart of an innocent being, one who I found to hold far more love than any human I had ever met. And I died for my sins against an innocent being, for leading him into scandal by handing him a gun. Have you ever seen your dear Rabbit holding a gun? So sweet. Even as a being that killed in order to survive, in order to devour the souls the damned, he felt so horrible holding that gun and killing his own torturers. He cried in my arms. And when I revealed my sins to him, he rightfully killed me. A crime of passion, I should say. Romantic, isn't it?" He laughed showing no sadness toward his own demise.

...Why...why did you do this to me...

If you knew I would react that way...Were you simply looking for a reaction?...

Did you never truly love me at all?...

Mikhailov...stop lying and tell me the truth...

The memories. They flooded back with every word, and Rabbit fought them in order to remain steady. He remembered how cold he had felt, how much he had wanted to die after shooting all of those men. The deadly rush that came from killing, the rush he had worked so hard to suppress for the sake of becoming a loving being, welcomed by humanity as one of their own. How his world fell apart when Mikhailov himself had held a gun to Rabbit's head. Yet the third streak crossed the appendages on each side of him, and he shook his head. Artosh...please hang on... he thought.

Mikhailov turned back to Artosh and smiled softly, caressing his face again. "...I do not care if I live or die. You may stab me now, if it pleases you. You may even open the Gates of Hell. But I know the truth, Artosh...Behind those kind, loving eyes is a fiend that is eating away at you...Destroying your ability to love...causing you unbearable loneliness that you seek to resolve by any means...I am sure you would throw yourself at Rabbit's feet, even, if it caused you to be well...And yet, somehow...you also accept that you will never be well...and that you do not want to be well...Your greatest wish is to simply die in the arms of the person you love...the very force that could take your soul the moment you die. After all, you did say that Dark forces have sought for you, and what is Rabbit but a personification of the darkness of many souls? And yet...you could have so much more before that time...Do you know how much time you have left, Artosh? If I may ask."

Artosh Luxenia

Do you know how much time you have left, Artosh?

Artosh's body shivered as tears started to fall. 'How much time do I have...' He doesn't know. It was a thought that plagued him countless times. How much time does he really have now? After all those years of careless addiction and use, the ecstatic joy of the Arcane in his veins, only for him to succumb to the Poisoning. "I... I don't know... I don't know... I DON'T KNOW!" Artosh pulled his arm back and raised the enchanted ritual dagger, it's blade made out of fiery opal. "URIEL!" From the northern quartz crystal a blinding bolt of lightning struck Mikhailov in the chest, pushing him back away from Artosh as he shakily held the dagger in his hand. His sense of control wavered and the Arcane went out of control, the barriers becoming a chaotic swirl of energy and the air around them felt so heavy for them to breath. His sclera became tainted by a faint purple hue and he can feel himself weightless and his head fuzzy. "SHUT UP! SHUT UP! SHUT UP! YOU KNOW NOTHING ABOUT ME! YOU KNOW NOTHING ABOUT BUNNY CHAN!"

The pain meant nothing, even as the lightning struck and threw Mikhailov's ghost back, closer to Rabbit. He groaned slightly, but then he merely chuckled, as he watched Artosh lose control. "...Oh, but I think I do...Otherwise, why would you be so afraid?...In fact...I believe you already know the answer to my question..." He walked back toward him, knowing that Artosh would simply continue to lose control of his powers now. Soon, the barrier would be broken. "...A few years?...I know Arcane Magic works quickly, and especially so on weak Mages such as yourself...How do you feel?...Are you thinking about that final day?...Are you afraid that Rabbit will not be here to comfort you in those last hours?...You have such little love and faith for yourself that you would rather a Dark Mana Being simply take your soul than die alone, isn't that right? Dying alone would be so difficult for someone as young as you...You still have not been broken by the darkness. You want love. And yet...as you slowly slip away...you will forget how to give it, even as you may finally receive it..."

"...Artosh..." Rabbit spoke calmly from behind his traitor, his head bowed against the raging storm. "...Do not let him reach you like this. Calm yourself. Breathe. We will get through this..." Two more streaks beneath Rabbit connected, and he was making progress. Even so, at the news that Artosh's death was so incredibly close, he himself felt deeply shaken inside. He knew Mikhailov was right. The man had always been right about what he saw in others. Yet Artosh was so young and vibrant. Or was he ever really so vibrant? He knew now that his friend hid an incredible amount of pain behind his smiles, and that he was acting brave in the face of a horrific death. His body would surround not a clean and gentle spirit, but a tortured, hideous creature that trapped all of his sweetness and happiness in an eternal vortex. All the while, Rabbit could not help but blame himself for Artosh's pain.

[Finsternia]

Artosh Luxenia

Do you know how much time you have left, Artosh?

Artosh's body shivered as tears started to fall. 'How much time do I have...' He doesn't know. It was a thought that plagued him countless times. How much time does he really have now? After all those years of careless addiction and use, the ecstatic joy of the Arcane in his veins, only for him to succumb to the Poisoning. "I... I don't know... I don't know... I DON'T KNOW!" Artosh pulled his arm back and raised the enchanted ritual dagger, it's blade made out of fiery opal. "URIEL!" From the northern quartz crystal a blinding bolt of lightning struck Mikhailov in the chest, pushing him back away from Artosh as he shakily held the dagger in his hand. His sense of control wavered and the Arcane went out of control, the barriers becoming a chaotic swirl of energy and the air around them felt so heavy for them to breath. His sclera became tainted by a faint purple hue and he can feel himself weightless and his head fuzzy. "SHUT UP! SHUT UP! SHUT UP! YOU KNOW NOTHING ABOUT ME! YOU KNOW NOTHING ABOUT BUNNY CHAN!"

The pain meant nothing, even as the lightning struck and threw Mikhailov's ghost back, closer to Rabbit. He groaned slightly, but then he merely chuckled, as he watched Artosh lose control. "...Oh, but I think I do...Otherwise, why would you be so afraid?...In fact...I believe you already know the answer to my question..." He walked back toward him, knowing that Artosh would simply continue to lose control of his powers now. Soon, the barrier would be broken. "...A few years?...I know Arcane Magic works quickly, and especially so on weak Mages such as yourself...How do you feel?...Are you thinking about that final day?...Are you afraid that Rabbit will not be here to comfort you in those last hours?...You have such little love and faith for yourself that you would rather a Dark Mana Being simply take your soul than die alone, isn't that right? Dying alone would be so difficult for someone as young as you...You still have not been broken by the darkness. You want love. And yet...as you slowly slip away...you will forget how to give it, even as you may finally receive it..."

"...Artosh..." Rabbit spoke calmly from behind his traitor, his head bowed against the raging storm. "...Do not let him reach you like this. Calm yourself. Breathe. We will get through this..." Two more streaks beneath Rabbit connected, and he was making progress. Even so, at the news that Artosh's death was so incredibly close, he himself felt deeply shaken inside. He knew Mikhailov was right. The man had always been right about what he saw in others. Yet Artosh was so young and vibrant. Or was he ever really so vibrant? He knew now that his friend hid an incredible amount of pain behind his smiles, and that he was acting brave in the face of a horrific death. His body would surround not a clean and gentle spirit, but a tortured, hideous creature that trapped all of his sweetness and happiness in an eternal vortex. All the while, Rabbit could not help but blame himself for Artosh's pain.

Artosh Luxenia

"Arcane magic made me weak... Overreliance made me weak... Letting the Arcane corrupt me made me weak... I was strong and I can still be if I wanted..." Artosh blinked at Rabbit with teary eyes and shook his head. "Yes Bunny-chan... I'll try..." He took some deep breaths, trying to calm himself. He tried to reassure himself that Mikhailov cannot harm them. That if they let themselves be broken by Mikhailov, he would take over. Sighing, he stared at the barrier. It was a dark murky purple, like unearthly thunderclouds with the Arcane swirling amongst the turmoil. It was extremely unstable that even if Mikhailov tried to force himself out, the Arcane would collapse on himself and consume every single remaining energy within the spirit. "And what do you know about love? You know nothing... Even with your intelligence, you know nothing..."

[Luminesa]

The pain meant nothing, even as the lightning struck and threw Mikhailov's ghost back, closer to Rabbit. He groaned slightly, but then he merely chuckled, as he watched Artosh lose control. "...Oh, but I think I do...Otherwise, why would you be so afraid?...In fact...I believe you already know the answer to my question..." He walked back toward him, knowing that Artosh would simply continue to lose control of his powers now. Soon, the barrier would be broken. "...A few years?...I know Arcane Magic works quickly, and especially so on weak Mages such as yourself...How do you feel?...Are you thinking about that final day?...Are you afraid that Rabbit will not be here to comfort you in those last hours?...You have such little love and faith for yourself that you would rather a Dark Mana Being simply take your soul than die alone, isn't that right? Dying alone would be so difficult for someone as young as you...You still have not been broken by the darkness. You want love. And yet...as you slowly slip away...you will forget how to give it, even as you may finally receive it..."

"...Artosh..." Rabbit spoke calmly from behind his traitor, his head bowed against the raging storm. "...Do not let him reach you like this. Calm yourself. Breathe. We will get through this..." Two more streaks beneath Rabbit connected, and he was making progress. Even so, at the news that Artosh's death was so incredibly close, he himself felt deeply shaken inside. He knew Mikhailov was right. The man had always been right about what he saw in others. Yet Artosh was so young and vibrant. Or was he ever really so vibrant? He knew now that his friend hid an incredible amount of pain behind his smiles, and that he was acting brave in the face of a horrific death. His body would surround not a clean and gentle spirit, but a tortured, hideous creature that trapped all of his sweetness and happiness in an eternal vortex. All the while, Rabbit could not help but blame himself for Artosh's pain.

Artosh Luxenia

"Arcane magic made me weak... Overreliance made me weak... Letting the Arcane corrupt me made me weak... I was strong and I can still be if I wanted..." Artosh blinked at Rabbit with teary eyes and shook his head. "Yes Bunny-chan... I'll try..." He took some deep breaths, trying to calm himself. He tried to reassure himself that Mikhailov cannot harm them. That if they let themselves be broken by Mikhailov, he would take over. Sighing, he stared at the barrier. It was a dark murky purple, like unearthly thunderclouds with the Arcane swirling amongst the turmoil. It was extremely unstable that even if Mikhailov tried to force himself out, the Arcane would collapse on himself and consume every single remaining energy within the spirit. "And what do you know about love? You know nothing... Even with your intelligence, you know nothing..."

"...You say that, Artosh...but looking around you...The Arcane is feeding on your pain, making your magic stronger...at the cost, of course, of your loss of control...I have obviously found some truth that you did not want to hear...that you did not want Rabbit to hear...You knew that if Rabbit knew the depths of your pain, and how he could not save you...that it would destroy him...Is that why those tears continue to fall?...Or is there something else that I simply have not found yet?..." Mikhailov walked over to the wall of Arcane, as though he was daring for Artosh to attack him. "...What is the cause for your tears?...Should I perhaps peel that away? The first step to healing, after all, is re-opening the wound," he suggested, quiet and calm even in the midst of the raging storm.

"Artosh, don't let the barrier go! Please, you must hang on! The ritual has progressed, it will be finished soon! But you must hang on!" Rabbit pleaded with him. He smothered his own terror and anxiety, knowing that his colleague was close to his breaking point. Mikhailov had found exactly what he wanted, and now he would attempt to finish him. His grit his teeth and pumped more magic into his appendages, trying to force the ritual forward. "Do not give into him! He is trying to break you!" he called.

Yet Mikhailov continued. He walked behind Artosh, and spoke. "...Dark Magic works quickly toward one's destruction...A person with a strong mental constitution can control it, and use it in moderation. That way, they can live a full life. Arcane Magic works at about the same rate...but your control is weak. You can only use it because you have suppressed your darkest fears, your insecurities, your self-hatred...And yet the damage has been done anyway...In the hands of an inexperienced Mage such as yourself...and now that you have begun to release that pain..."

He leaned over to whisper in his ear, though he spoke loudly enough that Rabbit could hear him. "...Your body has flipped the switch, so to speak. Your self-destruction is reaching its apex. A few more moments of this...and you might lose the ability to control your magic forever...You may die where you stand, even...But let's perhaps talk in terms of your regular lifespan, and put the scaremongering aside...You have advanced enough into your use of Arcane Magic...that your magical control of it is about that of a typical Mage twice your age...but a man twice your age...has only about or less than five years to live...And that is where you are now...You will not live to see thirty, Artosh Luxenia...How does that make you feel?"

"Artosh, please! You must not let him in! Fight him! Attack him if you must, but you must survive!" Rabbit implored, knowing how much pain Mikhailov's words would cause him. "Stab him! Do what you must, but you cannot let him destroy you! You can fight this! Artosh!"

[Finsternia]

Artosh Luxenia

"Arcane magic made me weak... Overreliance made me weak... Letting the Arcane corrupt me made me weak... I was strong and I can still be if I wanted..." Artosh blinked at Rabbit with teary eyes and shook his head. "Yes Bunny-chan... I'll try..." He took some deep breaths, trying to calm himself. He tried to reassure himself that Mikhailov cannot harm them. That if they let themselves be broken by Mikhailov, he would take over. Sighing, he stared at the barrier. It was a dark murky purple, like unearthly thunderclouds with the Arcane swirling amongst the turmoil. It was extremely unstable that even if Mikhailov tried to force himself out, the Arcane would collapse on himself and consume every single remaining energy within the spirit. "And what do you know about love? You know nothing... Even with your intelligence, you know nothing..."

"...You say that, Artosh...but looking around you...The Arcane is feeding on your pain, making your magic stronger...at the cost, of course, of your loss of control...I have obviously found some truth that you did not want to hear...that you did not want Rabbit to hear...You knew that if Rabbit knew the depths of your pain, and how he could not save you...that it would destroy him...Is that why those tears continue to fall?...Or is there something else that I simply have not found yet?..." Mikhailov walked over to the wall of Arcane, as though he was daring for Artosh to attack him. "...What is the cause for your tears?...Should I perhaps peel that away? The first step to healing, after all, is re-opening the wound," he suggested, quiet and calm even in the midst of the raging storm.

"Artosh, don't let the barrier go! Please, you must hang on! The ritual has progressed, it will be finished soon! But you must hang on!" Rabbit pleaded with him. He smothered his own terror and anxiety, knowing that his colleague was close to his breaking point. Mikhailov had found exactly what he wanted, and now he would attempt to finish him. His grit his teeth and pumped more magic into his appendages, trying to force the ritual forward. "Do not give into him! He is trying to break you!" he called.

Yet Mikhailov continued. He walked behind Artosh, and spoke. "...Dark Magic works quickly toward one's destruction...A person with a strong mental constitution can control it, and use it in moderation. That way, they can live a full life. Arcane Magic works at about the same rate...but your control is weak. You can only use it because you have suppressed your darkest fears, your insecurities, your self-hatred...And yet the damage has been done anyway...In the hands of an inexperienced Mage such as yourself...and now that you have begun to release that pain..."

He leaned over to whisper in his ear, though he spoke loudly enough that Rabbit could hear him. "...Your body has flipped the switch, so to speak. Your self-destruction is reaching its apex. A few more moments of this...and you might lose the ability to control your magic forever...You may die where you stand, even...But let's perhaps talk in terms of your regular lifespan, and put the scaremongering aside...You have advanced enough into your use of Arcane Magic...that your magical control of it is about that of a typical Mage twice your age...but a man twice your age...has only about or less than five years to live...And that is where you are now...You will not live to see thirty, Artosh Luxenia...How does that make you feel?"

"Artosh, please! You must not let him in! Fight him! Attack him if you must, but you must survive!" Rabbit implored, knowing how much pain Mikhailov's words would cause him. "Stab him! Do what you must, but you cannot let him destroy you! You can fight this! Artosh!"

Artosh Luxenia

Artosh's tears started to well up again. His body was shivering as he can be heard sobbing. He remembers those bullies in the playground during his childhood years. He felt like a kid now, being mocked and laughed at by this terrible soul. "Those are all lies... You don't know anything... You're wrong..." He held the ritual dagger to his chest like a child holding a precious teddy bear, finding reassurance with the touch. The Arcane barrier toiled and swirled like the winds and clouds of Jupiter. A bolt of pure Arcane hit the grlund with a thundering crash, sending a shockwave through the three men. "I... I became like this due to the Arcane... I was reckless and I found despair in the result... I was Poisoned... It was a natural result in overreliance..." He thought of the books that he reasearched about his magic and clung upon those past knowledge. He can't give in. He can't, not now, never.

Rabbit's words reached his ears and he raised his head to look at his friend. He swallowed the lump in his throat and silently nodded. With a sudden jerk, he thrust the dagger up and into the heart of Mikhailov. It came with the disgusting wet sound of steel meeting flesh and a vortex of Arcane forced itself into the blade. "Tactus de corruptio!" A blast threw Mikhailov into the barrier across them, the four crystals responding with a divine thunderbolt from each of them and the barrier releasing a catastrophic attack on the spirit of Mikhailov. As the assault stopped, his chest wound can be seen festering and being eaten away by a malevolent force in an accelerating speed. "You know nothing Mikhailov! Nothing!"

[Luminesa]

"...You say that, Artosh...but looking around you...The Arcane is feeding on your pain, making your magic stronger...at the cost, of course, of your loss of control...I have obviously found some truth that you did not want to hear...that you did not want Rabbit to hear...You knew that if Rabbit knew the depths of your pain, and how he could not save you...that it would destroy him...Is that why those tears continue to fall?...Or is there something else that I simply have not found yet?..." Mikhailov walked over to the wall of Arcane, as though he was daring for Artosh to attack him. "...What is the cause for your tears?...Should I perhaps peel that away? The first step to healing, after all, is re-opening the wound," he suggested, quiet and calm even in the midst of the raging storm.

"Artosh, don't let the barrier go! Please, you must hang on! The ritual has progressed, it will be finished soon! But you must hang on!" Rabbit pleaded with him. He smothered his own terror and anxiety, knowing that his colleague was close to his breaking point. Mikhailov had found exactly what he wanted, and now he would attempt to finish him. His grit his teeth and pumped more magic into his appendages, trying to force the ritual forward. "Do not give into him! He is trying to break you!" he called.

Yet Mikhailov continued. He walked behind Artosh, and spoke. "...Dark Magic works quickly toward one's destruction...A person with a strong mental constitution can control it, and use it in moderation. That way, they can live a full life. Arcane Magic works at about the same rate...but your control is weak. You can only use it because you have suppressed your darkest fears, your insecurities, your self-hatred...And yet the damage has been done anyway...In the hands of an inexperienced Mage such as yourself...and now that you have begun to release that pain..."

He leaned over to whisper in his ear, though he spoke loudly enough that Rabbit could hear him. "...Your body has flipped the switch, so to speak. Your self-destruction is reaching its apex. A few more moments of this...and you might lose the ability to control your magic forever...You may die where you stand, even...But let's perhaps talk in terms of your regular lifespan, and put the scaremongering aside...You have advanced enough into your use of Arcane Magic...that your magical control of it is about that of a typical Mage twice your age...but a man twice your age...has only about or less than five years to live...And that is where you are now...You will not live to see thirty, Artosh Luxenia...How does that make you feel?"

"Artosh, please! You must not let him in! Fight him! Attack him if you must, but you must survive!" Rabbit implored, knowing how much pain Mikhailov's words would cause him. "Stab him! Do what you must, but you cannot let him destroy you! You can fight this! Artosh!"

Artosh Luxenia

Artosh's tears started to well up again. His body was shivering as he can be heard sobbing. He remembers those bullies in the playground during his childhood years. He felt like a kid now, being mocked and laughed at by this terrible soul. "Those are all lies... You don't know anything... You're wrong..." He held the ritual dagger to his chest like a child holding a precious teddy bear, finding reassurance with the touch. The Arcane barrier toiled and swirled like the winds and clouds of Jupiter. A bolt of pure Arcane hit the grlund with a thundering crash, sending a shockwave through the three men. "I... I became like this due to the Arcane... I was reckless and I found despair in the result... I was Poisoned... It was a natural result in overreliance..." He thought of the books that he reasearched about his magic and clung upon those past knowledge. He can't give in. He can't, not now, never.

Rabbit's words reached his ears and he raised his head to look at his friend. He swallowed the lump in his throat and silently nodded. With a sudden jerk, he thrust the dagger up and into the heart of Mikhailov. It came with the disgusting wet sound of steel meeting flesh and a vortex of Arcane forced itself into the blade. "Tactus de corruptio!" A blast threw Mikhailov into the barrier across them, the four crystals responding with a divine thunderbolt from each of them and the barrier releasing a catastrophic attack on the spirit of Mikhailov. As the assault stopped, his chest wound can be seen festering and being eaten away by a malevolent force in an accelerating speed. "You know nothing Mikhailov! Nothing!"

Mikhailov flew into the barrier now, shocked and in pain. A grimace finally crossed his face, as he was finally hit with a force that was more than enough to kill him. He lay against the barrier for a moment, his hand pressed to his now-bleeding chest, electricity blasting through his broken body. Yet then his groan became an amused laugh. It was quiet, and then it got slightly louder as he expressed, sinisterly, that he was enjoying the affair. "...That actually hurt...In fact...I think it may have more than hurt...Teeheeheehee...My, my, I suppose I did underestimate you...But if your beloved Rabbit was not here, would you be capable of such?..."

He lifted his head, and then stood carefully against the wall, his hand still pressed over his chest. Now he needed to finish Artosh. If he was acknowledged, he could use his Healing Magic and recover. If he could not, his wound would end him. Then again, as he had said, he did not care either way if he was killed. Artosh was broken. It was easy to see, and as the lightning shot across his eyes, he watched it as if it was a chaotic ballet. "...Come now, Artosh...accept your reality...There is no hope for you left..."

Two more streaks crossed. Rabbit looked down at the streaks, which were slowly forming a hexagon. He could see it now, in fact. All the small streaks had to be connected, but that was just the final lap. Yet Artosh was struggled. His powers truly could kill him before the ritual was finished. "No! There is hope! Artosh, you cannot believe him! Listen to me, he only wants to hurt you! Please, the ritual is almost finished! You must believe me!"

"Poor Rabbit. He is only telling you want you want to hear. I'm sure that he means well, but I understand you, Artosh. Years of studying have led me to understanding Mages more than most people. You have lost control of your powers because I have told you the truth. So please. Accept it and finish what you started. You will be thankful when the nightmare is finally over," Mikhailov rebutted, while giving a teasing look to Rabbit. "...You won't have to worry about being unloved ever again."

[Finsternia]

Artosh Luxenia

Artosh's tears started to well up again. His body was shivering as he can be heard sobbing. He remembers those bullies in the playground during his childhood years. He felt like a kid now, being mocked and laughed at by this terrible soul. "Those are all lies... You don't know anything... You're wrong..." He held the ritual dagger to his chest like a child holding a precious teddy bear, finding reassurance with the touch. The Arcane barrier toiled and swirled like the winds and clouds of Jupiter. A bolt of pure Arcane hit the grlund with a thundering crash, sending a shockwave through the three men. "I... I became like this due to the Arcane... I was reckless and I found despair in the result... I was Poisoned... It was a natural result in overreliance..." He thought of the books that he reasearched about his magic and clung upon those past knowledge. He can't give in. He can't, not now, never.

Rabbit's words reached his ears and he raised his head to look at his friend. He swallowed the lump in his throat and silently nodded. With a sudden jerk, he thrust the dagger up and into the heart of Mikhailov. It came with the disgusting wet sound of steel meeting flesh and a vortex of Arcane forced itself into the blade. "Tactus de corruptio!" A blast threw Mikhailov into the barrier across them, the four crystals responding with a divine thunderbolt from each of them and the barrier releasing a catastrophic attack on the spirit of Mikhailov. As the assault stopped, his chest wound can be seen festering and being eaten away by a malevolent force in an accelerating speed. "You know nothing Mikhailov! Nothing!"

Mikhailov flew into the barrier now, shocked and in pain. A grimace finally crossed his face, as he was finally hit with a force that was more than enough to kill him. He lay against the barrier for a moment, his hand pressed to his now-bleeding chest, electricity blasting through his broken body. Yet then his groan became an amused laugh. It was quiet, and then it got slightly louder as he expressed, sinisterly, that he was enjoying the affair. "...That actually hurt...In fact...I think it may have more than hurt...Teeheeheehee...My, my, I suppose I did underestimate you...But if your beloved Rabbit was not here, would you be capable of such?..."

He lifted his head, and then stood carefully against the wall, his hand still pressed over his chest. Now he needed to finish Artosh. If he was acknowledged, he could use his Healing Magic and recover. If he could not, his wound would end him. Then again, as he had said, he did not care either way if he was killed. Artosh was broken. It was easy to see, and as the lightning shot across his eyes, he watched it as if it was a chaotic ballet. "...Come now, Artosh...accept your reality...There is no hope for you left..."

Two more streaks crossed. Rabbit looked down at the streaks, which were slowly forming a hexagon. He could see it now, in fact. All the small streaks had to be connected, but that was just the final lap. Yet Artosh was struggled. His powers truly could kill him before the ritual was finished. "No! There is hope! Artosh, you cannot believe him! Listen to me, he only wants to hurt you! Please, the ritual is almost finished! You must believe me!"

"Poor Rabbit. He is only telling you want you want to hear. I'm sure that he means well, but I understand you, Artosh. Years of studying have led me to understanding Mages more than most people. You have lost control of your powers because I have told you the truth. So please. Accept it and finish what you started. You will be thankful when the nightmare is finally over," Mikhailov rebutted, while giving a teasing look to Rabbit. "...You won't have to worry about being unloved ever again."

Artosh Luxenia

Artosh can feel and see his vision swim and blur as the continued use of the Arcane started to wear him down. He took deep breaths, trying to reassure himself. 'Yes... Just a little bit more... Do it for Rabbit... Do it for Bunny-chan!' Artosh stood straight, pointing the dagger towards Mikhailov as a cocky and confident smile appeared on his face. The same dorky smile that the faculty and the students knew. The same smile that he wore during his painful and troubled days, to assure himself that dawn will come soon to replace the grim night. "If I've lost control Doctor... The three of us were already consumed by the maelstrom of Arcane. And yes... I will accept reality that I will die. But not now. Not today." He brought his other hand to his face to wipe off the tears that stained his face. "I hope you accept your new reality now Doctor Mikhailov. Heaven nor Hell will accept your wretched soul." He guided the dagger to form a seven pointed star in the air, the same appearing beneath Mikhailov's feet glowing with warm holy light. "Consecration..." Divine magic bathed the magic circle that trapped Mikhailov, burning every bit of evil that was within his soul. Anyone who has more good than evil will find it excrutiating at best but with a gentle healing touch yet those who have more evil will feel immense pain and suffering. It will not be pleasant for Mikhailov.

[Luminesa]

Mikhailov flew into the barrier now, shocked and in pain. A grimace finally crossed his face, as he was finally hit with a force that was more than enough to kill him. He lay against the barrier for a moment, his hand pressed to his now-bleeding chest, electricity blasting through his broken body. Yet then his groan became an amused laugh. It was quiet, and then it got slightly louder as he expressed, sinisterly, that he was enjoying the affair. "...That actually hurt...In fact...I think it may have more than hurt...Teeheeheehee...My, my, I suppose I did underestimate you...But if your beloved Rabbit was not here, would you be capable of such?..."

He lifted his head, and then stood carefully against the wall, his hand still pressed over his chest. Now he needed to finish Artosh. If he was acknowledged, he could use his Healing Magic and recover. If he could not, his wound would end him. Then again, as he had said, he did not care either way if he was killed. Artosh was broken. It was easy to see, and as the lightning shot across his eyes, he watched it as if it was a chaotic ballet. "...Come now, Artosh...accept your reality...There is no hope for you left..."

Two more streaks crossed. Rabbit looked down at the streaks, which were slowly forming a hexagon. He could see it now, in fact. All the small streaks had to be connected, but that was just the final lap. Yet Artosh was struggled. His powers truly could kill him before the ritual was finished. "No! There is hope! Artosh, you cannot believe him! Listen to me, he only wants to hurt you! Please, the ritual is almost finished! You must believe me!"

"Poor Rabbit. He is only telling you want you want to hear. I'm sure that he means well, but I understand you, Artosh. Years of studying have led me to understanding Mages more than most people. You have lost control of your powers because I have told you the truth. So please. Accept it and finish what you started. You will be thankful when the nightmare is finally over," Mikhailov rebutted, while giving a teasing look to Rabbit. "...You won't have to worry about being unloved ever again."

Artosh Luxenia

Artosh can feel and see his vision swim and blur as the continued use of the Arcane started to wear him down. He took deep breaths, trying to reassure himself. 'Yes... Just a little bit more... Do it for Rabbit... Do it for Bunny-chan!' Artosh stood straight, pointing the dagger towards Mikhailov as a cocky and confident smile appeared on his face. The same dorky smile that the faculty and the students knew. The same smile that he wore during his painful and troubled days, to assure himself that dawn will come soon to replace the grim night. "If I've lost control Doctor... The three of us were already consumed by the maelstrom of Arcane. And yes... I will accept reality that I will die. But not now. Not today." He brought his other hand to his face to wipe off the tears that stained his face. "I hope you accept your new reality now Doctor Mikhailov. Heaven nor Hell will accept your wretched soul." He guided the dagger to form a seven pointed star in the air, the same appearing beneath Mikhailov's feet glowing with warm holy light. "Consecration..." Divine magic bathed the magic circle that trapped Mikhailov, burning every bit of evil that was within his soul. Anyone who has more good than evil will find it excrutiating at best but with a gentle healing touch yet those who have more evil will feel immense pain and suffering. It will not be pleasant for Mikhailov.

Mikhailov continued to smirk, until he felt the darkness underneath him swallowed by a holy light. He was surprised. "...What is this?..." He looked underneath him, and suddenly he was blinded by heavenly light. Even more than that, he almost immediately felt excruciating pain. His eyes widened, and he grit his teeth as he tried to fight it. He had to pant for air several times, as he felt he was suffocating and burning at the same time. "...No...you know...how to use...even this sort of Arcane Magic...'Consecration'...Gah!" He had to stop for a moment, and he fell to his knees in pain. "...You will surely die before your next birthday...you are unwise...You cannot handle such power...You are too-" He was then lambasted by a terrible coughing fit, and a huge blob of blood shot from his mouth as he glared toward the ground. Even when Rabbit had stolen his soul, he had not felt this sort of pain. "...You are too weak..." he mumbled, his vocals failing.

"...No, Mikhailov...You are the one who is too weak..." Rabbit whispered, finally regaining his full composure as he saw his former oppressor kneeling in pain. "...You never had the strength to love...to give of yourself to anyone...even someone who would have happily died for you...And now you will not know love...ever...You will be caught in a loveless limbo, an eternal darkness where there is no suffering or happiness...Artosh, in the meantime...no matter what happens to him...he will find peace..." The final, slim streaks beneath him connected, and the hexagon under him glowed with a warm, airy magic. Rabbit's hair floated around him like a veil, and his body looked to be a glowing-white, as though he was genuinely an Angel. An almost uncanny peace surrounded him. "...Your judgment has passed once...and you shall not deny it again..."

The hexagon appeared inside the ring of light that surrounded Mikhailov, and it combined with the holy light, creating a pink barrier of light that burned away at the man's soul. His eyes finally showed hints of terror, as he realized his plans would now be for naught. He would be forgotten. He would cease to exist among those he had once controlled. He tried to stand, but his legs failed him. "...No...I must exist...I must exist...I can die, but I must continue to exist! I MUST!" he screamed, finally breaking himself.

"...You once told me, Mikhailov...that all existence is held in place by love, and that if that being was to be unloved, they would cease to exist...Even the spirits in Hell are loved, Mikhailov...and the many souls I have sealed away were also loved once...but you have denied love...and so now love shall deny you..." he whispered, his ethereal being glowing as bright as it ever had. His spider-like appendages seemed to look like angel-wings for a moment, the six wings of a Seraph. Then a blinding light filled everything, and Mikhailov's screams filled the forest. All at once, and then nothing at all.

The echoes faded, and Mikhailov's exit finished gracefully.

Rabbit pulled his appendages back into his body, and as the seal beneath him un-wound, he stared toward Artosh. He was completely still, a pillar of peace, almost like some otherwordly spirit that had visited a lowly human. The light slowly disappeared, however, and then Rabbit looked as his normal self again. Yet the weight was lifted. His deepest ache, now healed. Yet he knew very well that it was only going to be replaced by another, as he watched Artosh in the aftermath. "...Now...it is over..." he breathed, before he walked toward him slowly.

[Finsternia]

Artosh Luxenia

Artosh can feel and see his vision swim and blur as the continued use of the Arcane started to wear him down. He took deep breaths, trying to reassure himself. 'Yes... Just a little bit more... Do it for Rabbit... Do it for Bunny-chan!' Artosh stood straight, pointing the dagger towards Mikhailov as a cocky and confident smile appeared on his face. The same dorky smile that the faculty and the students knew. The same smile that he wore during his painful and troubled days, to assure himself that dawn will come soon to replace the grim night. "If I've lost control Doctor... The three of us were already consumed by the maelstrom of Arcane. And yes... I will accept reality that I will die. But not now. Not today." He brought his other hand to his face to wipe off the tears that stained his face. "I hope you accept your new reality now Doctor Mikhailov. Heaven nor Hell will accept your wretched soul." He guided the dagger to form a seven pointed star in the air, the same appearing beneath Mikhailov's feet glowing with warm holy light. "Consecration..." Divine magic bathed the magic circle that trapped Mikhailov, burning every bit of evil that was within his soul. Anyone who has more good than evil will find it excrutiating at best but with a gentle healing touch yet those who have more evil will feel immense pain and suffering. It will not be pleasant for Mikhailov.

Mikhailov continued to smirk, until he felt the darkness underneath him swallowed by a holy light. He was surprised. "...What is this?..." He looked underneath him, and suddenly he was blinded by heavenly light. Even more than that, he almost immediately felt excruciating pain. His eyes widened, and he grit his teeth as he tried to fight it. He had to pant for air several times, as he felt he was suffocating and burning at the same time. "...No...you know...how to use...even this sort of Arcane Magic...'Consecration'...Gah!" He had to stop for a moment, and he fell to his knees in pain. "...You will surely die before your next birthday...you are unwise...You cannot handle such power...You are too-" He was then lambasted by a terrible coughing fit, and a huge blob of blood shot from his mouth as he glared toward the ground. Even when Rabbit had stolen his soul, he had not felt this sort of pain. "...You are too weak..." he mumbled, his vocals failing.

"...No, Mikhailov...You are the one who is too weak..." Rabbit whispered, finally regaining his full composure as he saw his former oppressor kneeling in pain. "...You never had the strength to love...to give of yourself to anyone...even someone who would have happily died for you...And now you will not know love...ever...You will be caught in a loveless limbo, an eternal darkness where there is no suffering or happiness...Artosh, in the meantime...no matter what happens to him...he will find peace..." The final, slim streaks beneath him connected, and the hexagon under him glowed with a warm, airy magic. Rabbit's hair floated around him like a veil, and his body looked to be a glowing-white, as though he was genuinely an Angel. An almost uncanny peace surrounded him. "...Your judgment has passed once...and you shall not deny it again..."

The hexagon appeared inside the ring of light that surrounded Mikhailov, and it combined with the holy light, creating a pink barrier of light that burned away at the man's soul. His eyes finally showed hints of terror, as he realized his plans would now be for naught. He would be forgotten. He would cease to exist among those he had once controlled. He tried to stand, but his legs failed him. "...No...I must exist...I must exist...I can die, but I must continue to exist! I MUST!" he screamed, finally breaking himself.

"...You once told me, Mikhailov...that all existence is held in place by love, and that if that being was to be unloved, they would cease to exist...Even the spirits in Hell are loved, Mikhailov...and the many souls I have sealed away were also loved once...but you have denied love...and so now love shall deny you..." he whispered, his ethereal being glowing as bright as it ever had. His spider-like appendages seemed to look like angel-wings for a moment, the six wings of a Seraph. Then a blinding light filled everything, and Mikhailov's screams filled the forest. All at once, and then nothing at all.

The echoes faded, and Mikhailov's exit finished gracefully.

Rabbit pulled his appendages back into his body, and as the seal beneath him un-wound, he stared toward Artosh. He was completely still, a pillar of peace, almost like some otherwordly spirit that had visited a lowly human. The light slowly disappeared, however, and then Rabbit looked as his normal self again. Yet the weight was lifted. His deepest ache, now healed. Yet he knew very well that it was only going to be replaced by another, as he watched Artosh in the aftermath. "...Now...it is over..." he breathed, before he walked toward him slowly.

Artosh Luxenia

"It's over..." Artosh said as he sat down on the cold earth, the barrier around them breaking apart and shattering like a fragile mirror. "It's finally over... Bunny-chan's pains are finally over..." The purple chaos dissipated into the air, the unruly magic manifesting itself as a curtain of aurora in the night sky. It almost felt serene and unnatural and the act of looking at it brings the image and feeling of the cold winter. Artosh brought his hands to his face as he finally sobbed to his heart's content. "It's over..." With the blurring of his vision by his tears, the exhaustion also contributed, making him only see silhouettes. He can still hear the hum and ring of power within his veins and he can feel himself getting cold. Soon enough, his coughing fit started and he covered his mouth. His body seems so frail and thin that time, like a leaf being threatened to be plucked by the wind. When he looked at his palms, they were stained by blood. He felt himself getting weaker and weaker, feeling nauseous and heady. "B-Bunny-chan..." He muttered weakly as tears still streamed down his face before collapsing from overfatigue, exhaustion and overuse.