Blood-Soaked Steel

As the Titan's hammer crashed into the earth, the land erupted and split apart, as though it were no more than a thin pane of glass. Amidst the destruction stood a figure, minuscule compared to the Titan, but the power behind the figure was much, much greater than that of the Titan.

The massive being raised the hammer high above its head, but as he began to swing, the figure below him suddenly vanished and reappeared in a blur, hovering before the Titan's face, hand extended. A cold voice came from the figure's mouth, rolling off his tongue like venom.

"Die."

A flick sent the Titan's head erupting in an explosion of blood and bone as the land behind it was shot through with a shockwave of aura that left a deep gouge in the land.

The Titan crumbled to the earth, dead.

The figure that hung in the air was Akuro, but not the Akuro we know. It was an alternate dimension Akuro, he didn't have the ability to bend reality, but due to fighting constantly with gods, demons, and Titan's in his world, he had become immensely powerful.

He raised his eyes skyward. There was a strange warp in the sky, like a mirage. He knew what it was. He'd seen it before when a being named Azazel attempted to recruit him. And failed.

The version of Akuro rose into the air, headed straight for the warp.

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Azazel suddenly lurched forward, coughing as black blood dribbled from his mouth.

"Azazel?" Void asked. "Are you alright?"

"Damn.. Gozzu.." Azazel hissed.

"Gozzu? You mean the little boy?"

Gozzu's story was quite sad. He never even got to live a full year of life before he was brutally killed by a demon.. and then he was reborn in hell where he learned and evolved all on his own. That's why his speech is imperfect.

"Yes.. he did this to me.." a spurt of black blood was spat from Azazel's mouth.

"He managed to win permanently wound you? How? I thought that was impossible..?" Void asked.

Azazel dropped to his knees in the dark chamber. "Gozzu has a unique power.. he can mix his own aura into others, making them absorb it. When they do it poisons their soul and, eventually, destroys it completely. No reincarnation."

"But I thought it was impossible to destroy your soul? Even the gods couldn't do it."

"Doesn't mean it can't be wounded.." the demon god spoke.

"Will you be able to heal it off?" Void asked, only sounding slightly concerned.

"No.. it's a curse that lasts until the destruction of your soul." He said, "some believe the curse lasts even after you become a demon."

"So, you are now permanently impaired. You think you'll still be able to be of use to us? Or no?"

"Do not speak to me as if you are superior, Void.. we both know who would win between us."

"I don't know. It seems to me like you have been quite weakened." Void spoke, amused.

Azazel snarled. Pressure began to flood through the chamber.

"I don't care what illness impairs me.." he hissed, bringing his face close to hers. "I am always on top."

"You still envy Kasziel, don't you? It's obvious you have a personal goal here." Void growled back.

Azazel snorted, turning away. "It's not of any concern to you. Mind your own strength, Void, you don't want to cross a line you can't come back from."

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A shockwave rang through Fort Arashi, resonating from the coliseum.

Sallius and Razzaiel sat on the ground, knocked off their feet as they stared in awe, crimson light flooding the arena.

"You.. you did it!" Razzaiel cheered. Sallius grinned slightly.

Onoma stood at the center of the arena, a crimson Aura Cloak shrouding his body. A metallic mask covered his mouth and nose, a pattern like jutting fangs engraved into it, while his eyes gave off a red light from beneath a mercenary style hood. Golden plates of armor covered each shoulder, chest, and forearms. His cloak hung down in cloth strips shaped like blades with gold lining. In one hand he held his massive axe, the butt of the weapon's staff digging into the dirt as the chains wound about his arm. Attached to his back was a large disc shaped plate of gold, eight spikes protruding from it while two blades were attached to it, one larger than the other. It was much like the hands on a clock.

Onoma looked down at himself, eyes wide. His heart felt like it was exploding in his chest. He'd finally done it! He'd finally manifested his Aura Cloak! He looked amazing! He became ecstatic and highly proud of himself, he wanted to test out his abilities as soon as poss..i...ble...

He suddenly collapsed to the ground, his Aura Cloak fading out as he went unconscious from exertion.

"Well..." Razzaiel spoke, "at least he did it."

"You think he will be able to fight on Akuro's level?" Sallius asked her sister.

"Mm. Maybe? I am not sure. We haven't seen him in action yet. Who knows. But I honestly doubt he is stronger than the current Akuro."

"Fair. We don't know his capabilities now either. I wonder where he is."

"No clue."

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Akuro waved his hand across the air and, as if he were wiping a dirty window, four planets immediately disappeared from existence as he moved his hand.

"I told you it wasn't that hard." Kasziel spoke. "Now you need to learn how to do something.. on a larger scale."

Kasziel snapped his fingers and suddenly the empty blackness sprang into light with stars, millions and millions of countless stars.

"Don't.. you think this is a bit much this soon?" Akuro asked, seemingly irritated now.

"Well, work on it bit by bit." Kasziel spoke. "Try not to think of each star as a sun or solar system, instead, think of them as little tiny specks of light. And all you are doing is putting them out."

"Hm. Putting them out, huh?" Akuro turned his eyes to the countless specks of light beyond. He held out his hand. His eyes began to glow as he closed his hand into a fist. A sudden shockwave expanded from Akuro that kept going on and on for what seemed like forever, and in an instant, the universe became nothing more that an infinite void once again, completely devoid of any light.

"Good.." Kasziel spoke with a grin. "Now for the next step. You'll learn to use those abilities in combat."

"In combat? Why fight when I can simply erase my opponent?"

"Because some enemies have too much aura to erase. So, in turn, you have to manipulate the things around them." Kasziel explained. "For example, I can't simply delete you right now, because you are too strong. But, I could do this."

Suddenly two massive stone slabs appeared on either side of Akuro and came rushing at him from either side. Akuro's eyes flashed and the slabs shattered apart without him even moving a finger.

"See? You just did it." Kasziel spoke. "You can nullify enemy attacks- some of them- and you can manipulate the world around them to turn the tide of the battle in your favor."

•

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Darius stood beside Inari in the moonlit desert. Funny how during the day the colors are warm and the heat is unbearable, while at night the colors are cold and the temperature is bitter. Almost like two completely opposite worlds. The expansive sand gave off a light blue glow, reflecting the moonlight.

Sedori stood before them, expressionless as he just stared coldly.

Darius began to feel uncomfortable, leading to him being the first to speak.

"So.. how are we going to get our abilities back, Sedori?" He suddenly felt a sense of regret in coming here. They were completely helpless. If Sedori wanted them dead, they were dead.

"I will warn you it's not exactly the way you'd want it to be.." Sedori spoke. "I didn't wanna do it this way either. But it seems like it's our only option."

"Just tell us what it is." Inari said.

"It's not exactly simple. Although, I don't really care what you think of me. It won't matter." Sedori spoke.

Darius was now weary, taking a step back away from Sedori.

"What.. Sedori.. what are you doing?" Darius asked, and then a sudden gust of wind knocked Darius off of his feet and rolling across the ground, desert getting in his clothes, hair, mouth and eyes.

He couldn't breath, he felt a loss of breath, the shockwave knocking the air out of him. He felt dizzy and he was seeing double vision while his ears rang unbearably loud. He felt as if he were in a vivid dream.

Stumbling as he did, Darius tried to force himself to his feet, clumsily falling back into the sand as he crawled back toward Inari. And then he froze. As his vision was slowly returning, he watched in helpless horror as Sedori stood behind Inari, holding her in his arms as the cursed dagger slit across her throat, her blood spilling across the blade's cold, warped metallic surface.

He felt as if his whole world had shattered in that moment. He felt broken. Lost. Destroyed. A venomous serpent coiled itself about his heart, crushing it as its fangs sank into his heart and venom coursed through his veins.

Rage then took hold of his mind like talons wrapped about his throat. Tears welled in his eyes and he clenched his jaw as he watched Inari's body drop, lifeless and cold, to the sand. Her expression was that of shock and fear, her eyes locked onto Darius as the life faded from her body. He watched in dread as her blood soaked into the sand, turning it a shade of black-red.

He couldn't accept what he saw before him.. but it was right there. He was frozen. He wanted to sprint to her side, to cry her name, to tackle Sedori and to rip off his head... but he was frozen. He couldn't move. He felt like such a coward in that moment, no matter how much venomous rage pulsed through his body, fear kept his muscles tended and frozen, the shock of what he'd just seen keeping him planted to the sand, still and helpless.

Inari was dead. Her soul has been shattered. She was gone.

Sedori stepped over Inari's cold corpse as her blood soaked the sand.

"I'm sorry. This is the only way." Sedori spoke. "It can't be helped."

"Only way..?" Darius "only way...?"

"Yes. I truly am sorry. Please understand.."

"I don't understand.." Darius said softly, lost in his own despair. "I DONT UNDERSTAND!!"

He suddenly exploded up from the ground, rushing at Sedori as he kicked up sand from beneath his feet. But to Sedori, Darius moved so painfully slow, and in a quick motion the cursed dagger fwipped through the air, slicing Darius's throat and spraying blood through the air as he felt the unimaginable pain of having his soul shattered.

Darius's body collapsed to the sand, little more than a corpse now.

"I really am sorry." Sedori spoke softly, the blood soaked blade in his trembling hand.

The cool, soft light of the pale moon shone down on the horrible scene, Darius's corpse laying across from Inari's, their blood soaking into the earth together.

Two corpses.

Two shattered souls.