The Return

[Soren]

The sun had settled, by the time the strange figure had emerged in front of the Vuri Sanctuary. Runes reacted to the strange man, flickering violently against their solid base. Caela would feel him first, but Sebilla would be even more aware of his existence. She was the reason why he was present and searching. Since his exile, he had gained control of his Vuri essence, even discovering its limits and hidden truths. Vylrath may have been the creator, and carrier of the blood magic, but he had done little to discover what it really possessed.

Since leaving the Twin Countries, he had almost forgotten his influence with the Vuri and his importance in the clan. They would find him threatening- maybe even attempt to attack him. Remembering his last moments with the Xanathi, he growled, forcing some of his energy into the depths of the runes. Some of the weaker runes burst against the stone, their remains scattered along the forest floor.

Caela's blood needed to be spilled, but he would rather induce fear into their hearts and minds first. Sebilla's scent possessed him, forcing him to make himself known. They had once been involved in a love triangle, but Trydian was no where in sight- he couldn't feel his presence. Smiling at this knowledge, the intrusion would be easier than he thought. Trydian had always gotten in his way, but now Caela and Sebilla would be at his mercy.

Entering the sanctuary, he found it to be empty. The scent was merely lingering from the past. Enraged, Soren destroyed of the contents in Caela's humble home. Following the scent, his mind became focused and determined to find Sebilla. His mother was of little concern, but he did feel the change in power since he had left.

Leaving, he left behind a chaotic mess that normally brought the Vuri solace. Once active runes, would now be skeletal and devoid of their magic. Following the trail of Sebilla was easy enough, but it demanded all of his energy, after his long journey home.

Soren didn't understand that so much had changed since his absence. He only concentrated on finding his sister and confronting an old past for personal revenge. With a renewed energy, he began his search for Sebilla Xanathi. His mother would feel his return, his power invading her thoughts and energy. Sebilla would feel him as well, but with a more purposeful intent.

At last he was home, but not without some unfinished business.

[Kirin]

Chizuru's sleep had been restless since she left The Twin Countries. She remembered to take the flowery staff, which seemed to be full of life once again. It was odd to her. She walked with Tamotsu for what seemed to be a fair amount of distance. Tamotsu just peered straight ahead and he took a couple of steps back. He turned to his Empress.

"There is what looks to be ruins. I have reason to believe that there is something alive in there." Tamotsu reported.

Chizuru's eyes traveled to the staff which was reacting strongly by allowing more flowers to poke through the vines that wrapped around it. Chizuru ran straight ahead towards the ruins with Tamotsu running behind her. Tamotsu cursed at himself internally because she was being entirely too impulsive.

Her nights were plagued by dreams of time spent with Soren Xanathi. It was strange to her. After a while she felt as though Soren and she had gotten closer. A lot more like friends than anything. She looked around her, trying to be careful the closer she got. She tiptoed around the ruins.

"Soren?" She called for him, not even knowing if this moment was real at all.

Thorin had said that Soren had died. But the staff was reacting as though he was alive. He had to be alive. Her instincts were telling her that he was. And after a while, she knew that Soren wasn't dumb enough to get himself killed. Not after that training Makoto put him through. Tamotsu walked beside her silently. He was reacting as though he had entered an entirely too haunted house. But his emotions did not show.

"Soren?"

[Soren]

Soren's figure emerged from the ruins, battered and scarred. His journey had barely started, when he saw Chizuru and her group arrive at the sanctuary. With eyes flashing, he caught sight of the staff he once held as his own. The twisted and gnarled staff, reacted in an almost sentient fashion. Along its body, the once brilliant flowers darkened and their petals became paper thin. Chizuru would feel the warmth of energy transferring from Soren to the staff. Once the staff reacted, so did his senses. It was as if the staff beckoned for him to claim it again. The atmosphere reacted to the exchange of power and influence. The weather darkened- forcing one to believe that a storm was underway.

Sebilla was a past thought and now everything rested on the object Chizuru possessed. The staff could cause him to become maddened. Hunched over, Soren gathered his footing and quickly remembered Chizuru's weaknesses and strengths. She held the weapon and she could use it against him. The men would also defend her, so attacking her was not an option at the moment.

Their past ran deeper than most and their friendship held a strange bond of understanding. Soren would only kill her, if he had no other ultimatum, to gain what he desired. Sauntering toward her, his body realized its weakened state. Falling to his knees, the blackened clouds dispersed, leaving a clear sky and calm wit.

“Chizuru...the staff.” Soren motioned toward the object in her hand. Radiating with energy, the staff would feel warmer to Chizuru than it had moments before. Tamotsu would feel the drastic change in atmosphere- if he wasn't already alarmed by Soren's presence.

“Would you let me suffer?”

Dark eyes looked upward at Chizuru, in an attempt to read her body language. Once he held the staff, the energy would be better controlled and his mind would be at peace. Trying to persuade her to come closer, he remembered that they had once been in love. Doubting the sentiment still existed, he could only hope that she would return the staff to him. Soren would take it by force, should she decide to be on the defensive. Tensing his muscles, he prepared to leap at her and Tamotsu.

[Sebilla]

“My, my if it isn’t Soren Xanathi…” An amused voice filtered from the woods nearby. Soren would recognize his sister’s voice immediately where Chizuru would not. The pair had never been introduced and Sebilla had no eyes for the foreign woman, only the twice cursed brother that had once tried to kill her…out of love.

Sebilla stepped out of the woods and walked slowly toward the Vuri sanctuary. She was as susceptible to its runes and charms as anyone else, perhaps moreso now that she was no longer just a human. A smile curled her pale pink lips as she neared the ruins of what had once been the house of a god. Sebilla’s long black hair was pulled back away from her face in a series of braids, almost tribal in origin, and her skin was paler than Soren would remember. She seemed far more otherworldly than he would ever remember the shaking young woman he had tried to kill.

Sebilla raised her hand to her throat, remembering what Soren had done to her. Another smile found its way to her lips but not her eyes as she looked at him. He was weak and she was strong. He was also not sided with any faction in the current conflict, so he was the only family member that could interact with her without getting her killed.

Sebilla blinked as she turned her attention to Chizuru, her eyes taking on a more quicksilver hue as she accessed the power she had been born with and had not obtained through her interaction with King Pendaran.

“Where is my brother, Trydian? Congratulations are in order, and he is a new Uncle, if you would be so kind as to tell him such when you return to him. Igraine has given birth to Morgana.” Sebilla wasn’t concerned with Chizuru so much as she was with Soren. Chizuru was not a threat, she was family.

The quiet young woman, the bearer of part of King Pendaran’s powers, stayed her distance from Soren and Chizuru. Her back was to the Vuri Sanctuary and the lake of fire, the fire giving her form and white dress a strange flickering appearance. She looked almost like a ghost standing there with the regal air of a Xanathi Queen. Of course she possessed no title because their mother had been taken from the throne and had not sought it again.

Her power had attracted Soren and she was aware of it as she looked at him with sky blue eyes. She didn’t fear him and he would notice the change in his sister – the one that had taken care of him. He would notice that she was the same and yet different, older and more mature, her body was tougher and leaner than before. What he wouldn’t know was that King Pendaran had obliterated her to rebuild her from the inside out.

“What brings you home? Mother is gone to greet her niece.”

[Kirin]

"Maybe if you asked me a few years ago, if I'd let you suffer, I'd say no. But times have changed, and people close to me have suffered. I thank you for your service to the Empire, but I cannot simply hand you the staff. Have you forgotten what Makoto-sama taught you? I would have thought that those lessons would have stuck with you. Where are your manners?"

Yes, Chizuru was going to give Soren a lecture about his lack of courtesy.

Tamotsu muttered. "Really, Empress?"

Tamotsu moved in front of Chizuru to protect her as Soren appeared ready to attack. He stared at Soren, ready to draw his sword should he take that leap. Chizuru gently placed a hand on Tamotsu's shoulder. She would be unreadable emotionally. Tamotsu muttered something about Sebilla's presence once she had stepped from the woods. Chizuru kept her hand on Tamotsu's shoulder, just staring at Sebilla. Tamotsu just glanced at Sebilla. She was not a threat yet, so he kept most of his focus on Soren with a few quick glances at Sebilla.

Chizuru smiled. "Oh! Thank you, my lady!" She waved with her free hand. "Trydian is back at home. He is safe. He said he was going to protect the people, but I can send your message to him. I'm sure he'd be thrilled to learn that he is now an uncle. It's nice to finally meet again, Sebilla-san."

They met very briefly the day that Soren left to go to the Empire with her. Her judgement of Sebilla was shaky, at best.

[Soren]

Soren chuckled, amused by Chizuru's choice of words. She was never the fool and often bested the wittiest opponents. Standing at ease, he watched the color drain from the staff. The appearance of Sebilla was shocking and it caused him to turn in her direction. Her voice was the same, but her nature was corrupted. Someone else was part of her, but he didn't understand the significance of its meaning.

“You thank me for my services? Your empire would be in shambles, had I not been there to turn your army and train them with my fighting skills.” Shaking his head, Soren looked back at Sebilla. Her essence was cold and unwelcoming. All of them had changed, but Sebilla was the most drastic. She had been someone he had once loved. At least Trydian wouldn't have her. That was one thing he could count on.

Looking Sebilla over, she held herself with a grace and confidence, that she never possessed in her lifetime. “You are not the Sebilla I left all those years ago...something has tainted you.” The taint wasn't necessarily a bad thing, but it made him rethink his stance with her. It wouldn't be wise to make an enemy out of her. “I am here to claim what was once mine.” Soren said, answering her previous question on why he had returned- it was almost too obvious.

Tamotsu was ready to defend Chizuru, but the idea made him smirk just the same. The mortal human wouldn't get very far and he wouldn't regret turning him into a Vuri. Even with his quirks, Tamotsu had proven useful in the past. He could be a valuable asset to the Vuri clan. Soren thought more on this idea.

“My brother's scent practically drowns yours. I did not expect you to wait for me, or remember what we had. I am not the same man you once knew.” Their love affair had been brief, but it was not easily forgotten.

Chizuru might have expected him to bow down and side with her, but his interest lay with Sebilla and her newly gained powers. He wanted to know how she had gained so much and at what cost. “Keep the staff, Chizuru, if it will ease your mind. It is useless without its master.” Shrugging, Soren folded his arms and watched Sebilla with a curiosity.

“Trydian has failed to protect you, but I am not surprised. Demons could never hold up to their responsibilities in this family.” Soren spoke mostly of his father, but he shared a strong hate for Trydian. The two had always been at war with one another. “It is obvious that you do not need his protection anymore, but how has that become possible?”

Sebilla would have had to give up something for that kind of power. Soren didn't search for the answer physically, since her very essence irritated his. If she attacked him, he wondered how he would survive in a fair fight.

“What has happened to everyone since I've been gone?”

Since Sebilla's change, he knew that something catastrophic must have happened with his family. Caela would have never let anything happen to Sebilla and it was even odder that she was split from Trydian. There was a greater force at work and it was slowly destroying his family.

Speaking to Chizuru once more, he made something very clear. “Since some of your men are Vuri, they are under my control. Consider us allies, rather than enemies- for old times sake.” The fact of the situation was very delicate. Soren could easily turn those men against Chizuru and he knew they weren't well equipped for handling that many. Unless things had changed, he felt confident that he held the upper hand.

“You were a fool for going to my brother...he will only disappoint you.”

[Sebilla]

Sebilla nodded to Chizuru and Tamotsu, her eyes focusing on the woman when she spoke directly to her. She dipped her head in thanks, a real smile creasing the corners of her eyes as she listened to what Chizuru had to say about Trydian.

“I wouldn’t leave my twin very long at his task. He is known to become bored and start trouble.” An amused chuckle escaped Sebilla as she refocused her energy on Soren. He looked the same, older, no wiser, a brash excuse for a Xanathi man.

“I was abducted in order to secure the Xanathi…understanding in a conflict that is currently erupting between two factions. Unfortunately, one of the requirements for Trydian’s involvement in the ordeal was that I be protected. I was a liability as a human, as my creator saw it. I was obliterated and reborn.” Sebilla said it as if it were a normal occurrence, as if everyone experienced being broken into a fine mist of particles and reassembled from there.

“Trydian did his best. I relinquished the blood oath that bound him to protect me, and unfortunately shortly thereafter I contracted a very disgusting demonic…problem. That, in part, encouraged King Pendaran to go through the process quickly.” Sebilla crossed her arms over her stomach and watched her brother quietly. She was still Sebilla, but she was less carefree and less capable of dying from a random act of fate. The young woman didn’t trust Soren as far as she could throw him, and at this point she could probably shove him pretty good. In truth, Sebilla hadn’t explored the depth of her new powers; she just knew she could produce ice while under extreme duress. She was certain there were other aspects to her powers that she wasn’t aware of yet, and she would have to ask King Pendaran about what she should expect.

“A lot has changed, Soren. Our family is scattered to the winds and Vylrath is dead.”

[Kirin]

Chizuru smiled slightly again and acknowledged Sebilla's statement with a light laugh. It was all done out of politeness because in reality, Chizuru could care less. She tilted her head upwards.

"Let me see. So..you don't really need this. I can finally get rid of this. Good." Chizuru played with the staff, then instructed Tamotsu to cut it into smaller pieces.

As Tamotsu worked, she tilted her head towards Soren. "Well, after the whole undead thing, Trydian came around and tried to steal my Imperial Artifacts. He faced punishment. Grueling punishment for his kind. He spent half a night in the shrine dealing with kami. Then spent the other half experiencing righteous fire. Tamotsu spent much time with him, pointing out his failures in simple tasks. Anyway. The moral of the story is that he is bound to me. That was something that just sort of happened inadvertently at first."

She didn't want to go into how they fell in love, because it would be awkward for both Soren and Sebilla. Their relationship was built on competition. Chizuru kept her distance from Soren. He did change. Yet in some ways, he remained the same. The same Soren she brought over to her Empire to save. He ended up saving her Empire. But she wasn't going to let him gloat or belittle her. Tamotsu was back at her side, handing Chizuru the three small pieces of the staff. She put them in her sash.

"I wouldn't mind us becoming allies. However, the stakes are fairly high for him. I remade him and it would be simple enough to unmake him as well." The tone of voice suggested that the threat was not an idle one.

[Soren]

Vylrath was dead? That was news. Someone must have possessed phenomenal strength to best his father. Then again, Vylrath wasn't difficult to outwit. Smirking, Soren listened to Sebilla with a feigned interest. Her creator perked his interest, but only for the fact that he had the ability to reinvent a being's very essence. That was very old power.

Ignoring Chizuru and Tamotsu's stance, he arrogantly walked up to Sebilla and studied her eyes. Her eyes were lifeless, cold and unnerving...they were beautiful. Having been born a certain way, was very different compared to someone who had been changed. Compared to their past, they were now more alike than complete opposites.

Sebilla wanted him to believe that she had power over him. Watching her reaction excited him- even tempted him to dominate her. With a careful hand, he lifted her chin so that his lips rested on hers. His passion for her had never left him. Even if she didn't return it, it was the mere show that caused his arrogance. He had tried to end her life out of greed and lust. Now that Trydian was out of the way, he saw no reason not to advance.

As for Chizuru...she held a title, but he wasn't interested in that. She only held power in her Kingdom, which was now left to his brother. What would happen, should something take Chizuru's spirit? Tamotsu was still in his stance, his footing staying true as always. His hands gripped the sword, but he was unsure of what to make of him.

Using that fact to his advantage, Soren transferred his energy to the split staff. Levitating from inside her stash, the pieces briefly aligned as if being recreated by an unforeseen force. The staff would materialize, while the energy pushed through the pieces like a brilliant rod. With a simple motion, the pieces rotated into place. Whole again, the staff was back in its owner's hand.

Manipulating energy was something second nature for Soren. Tamotsu would feel a pull, or a sudden burst of heated element rush through his spine. The energy would sear through his body, feeling as though someone were tearing through his flesh from the inside. Soren's staff was completely illuminated, while electric surges snaked around the body in pulsating waves.

Kill her...what do you owe her? She uses you. Take your blade and end it!

Soren would not be the one to shed blood that day. He had only just returned and it wouldn't be wise. If anything, he would get enjoyment from watching the man's inner struggle. Smiling at Tamotsu fighting with the pain, Soren continued to transfer the energy. It wouldn't be long, before the mortal's senses broke from logic and reality.

Continuing to urge him on, he mentally enabled his own shroud of protection. The barrier would enact as a second layer of skin. Chizuru would more than likely attempt to rescue him from his grasp. Reacting too hastily, would give Soren the result he had been hoping for.

Kill her...

When the blade finally entered Chizuru, he would free Tamotsu from the bind and grant him his free will. The man would turn mad from grief, but Chizuru's life would not be all lost. Soren planned on sharing his blood with her.

This was the creation of a Vuri.

[Kirin]

Tamotsu was at first resisting Soren's control over his mind. He squeezed his eyes shut. Pain filled every inch of his body and when he opened his eyes, he turned swiftly, slashing at Chizuru. She was surprised. She dodged the slash, but Tamotsu was relentlessly attacking her. She was silent, trying to summon Trydian.

Trydian! He-

Tamotsu stood, staring at Chizuru with a relaxed look on his face as he withdrew his katana from her chest. As he freed the blade, blood seemed to spray straight from Chizuru's wound and coat his face. He shook and it was as though he had just awakened. His jaw worked as though he was trying to figure out what happened. He looked to his side, seeing that he was holding a bloody katana still and Chizuru was now falling to the ground. Tamotsu dropped the katana and tried to catch her before she hit the ground.

"No! Chizuru-sama!"

He was in a state of complete shock. In fact, he seemingly ignored Soren and Sebilla and focused on his fallen Empress. There was nothing he could do. He allowed Chizuru to rest on the ground, then took a few steps back. He had no more to say. In fact, he felt like he was no better than a common criminal. However, he couldn't very well cut off his own head. It wouldn't be possible, so he began the slow process of taking off his armor. His hands were shaking. He placed both swords in front of him in an orderly fashion. In fact, everything was orderly. Such was his way of doing things and this was why Chizuru chose him to be amongst her closest bodyguards. So, that plan backfired.

He closed his eyes, pausing for a moment. Any moment, he'd be dead. His intestines oozing from a long cut across his belly. He'd have no one to take off his head, but he didn't deserve that luxury for his betrayal. Tamotsu bowed deeply, chanting softly. It was the first time in years that he had taken to chanting.

[Soren]

Soren felt the energy consume Tamotsu, until the manifestation suddenly drew back into the staff. The staff was quiet, almost as still as Chizuru's life force. Walking with a slow pace, he carefully watched Tamotsu. Even though he was badly injured, mortals were known for their last minute heroics. Glancing, he saw the man's intestines spilled like glistening jeweled strands. Smiling, Soren realized his small victory. Tamotsu had been overcome with grief and despair, so he had attempted to take his own life. Chizuru would be taking her last breath from the world, but Soren would not let her essence fade completely.

Taking the sword from the ground, Soren secured the staff across his back. In a quick and purposeful motion, Soren ran the blades edge across his forearm. The blood ran thick, but it was not tainted with a normal crimson hue. Kneeling by Tamotsu, Soren forced him to drink the substance flowing from his veins. The man would feel the turning first and be forced to watch his Empress experience hers.

Satisfied, he watched Tamotsu take his second breath as a Vuri. He couldn't allow the man to die, since his life had some importance to Chizuru. Soren wanted to give Chizuru a reason for being and Tamotsu would be enough motivation. Their kinship went beyond average loyalty. There was no reason to terminate the man's life just yet.

Keeping his senses calm, Soren kneeled by Chizuru and studied her blood-drained features. She would make a perfect Vuri mate. Watching the Vuri blood fall, he waited for her to take her first breath as Vuri. The pain would be surreal and cause her to writhe against the blood curse's intrusion. When the final process finished, Soren continued to sit with her, until she showed signs of movement. Tamotsu would be on his own, but he would feel a sudden connection with Soren. The blood curse was cruel, forcing the new Vuri to feel their creator's nature.

Soren only wanted to take back what was once his. Chizuru had been lost to him, but now she would remain forever connected. Sebilla may have a creator of her own, but Soren considered his ability equal, if not stronger and more reliable. He wanted to meet this creator of hers and show him the true strength of Vuri.

Holding Chizuru, Soren felt her body react to the change. Her wounds would heal, while other parts of her body, would become rejuvenated with the transfer of Vuri blood. Sebilla would witness everything, which is what Soren had wanted in the first place. She would more than likely report his ability to King Pendaran- in turn, he would be sought after.

You could never have too many allies. The best allies, were the ones who feared you, or became curious of your attributes. There was more to gain, than lose. Tamotsu would stir, feeling Soren's beckon.

“Where was your Empress traveling to? What were her plans?” Watching Tamotsu's reaction, he reassured him that she would survive. “She will experience a new life as a Vuri and so will you. You will never leave her side- it will be as if nothing changed.” Cradling Chizuru, he continued to admire her beauty. Trydian would be lost to her, but he wondered if their strange bond was still intact. Torturing his brother was almost too easy- Trydian would feel everything, if they were still bound.

Looking toward Sebilla, Soren wanted her to pass a along a message. “Tell your King what you have witnessed and offer him my allegiance. Advise him that it is not wise to refuse...”Any moment, Chizuru's eyes would flutter open and she would crave blood.

[Sebilla]

“He is not my King.” Sebilla had witnessed everything and as ordered she was to remain tactfully neutral. “If you choose him as your Lord you may choose to follow me when I visit. I can be nothing but neutral in this war. Anything less and I will die.”

Sebilla mourned inwardly, where Soren couldn’t see, for Chizuru. Trydian wouldn’t understand and he’d be beyond pissed at what had happened to his wife. The downside of the Vuri race was creating full Vuri. It could be chosen, should Chizuru waken to her full faculties, that children might not be advised. The one full Vuri that had ever been produced had just created a sticky situation.

“Thorin is a father again.” Sebilla sighed in an almost forlorn fashion before looking to Tamotsu. He was devastated and she understood that, probably more than the poor man realized. Sebilla had been the only human in her family, and that had alienated her. Now she was forced to stay neutral in a war that was shredding her family to pieces, which further alienated her. Sebilla blinked, feeling as if she might shed tears over the situation, but she caught herself and straightened her back just a little.

“King Pendaran requires me to be a neutral ambassador. A patch between worlds, as it were. My hands are tied and I can but say your name as an introduction if you desire it.” The quiet pale young woman turned then and headed for the woods again. “You will want to follow soon. My scent is different enough that it will linger, but it won’t last very long. Trydian will feel her death. You won’t want to be around for his arrival. I’m leaving before he can see me as it would only cause him more anguish.”

Trydian hadn’t seen her since her full transition into her ambassadorial role, and she wasn’t going to subject him to her changes with his wife so recently changed. She moved quietly and briskly toward the treeline, not really willing to be around should Trydian enter the scene.

[Kirin]

Tamotsu's eyes were losing that glimmer of life they once held. He almost shook his head to refuse, but he couldn't and the Vuri blood filled his mouth and he was forced to swallow. His eyes widened and squeezed shut. It felt like things were moving backwards as his intestines seemed to slither back into his body. The process made wet sucking sounds and felt just as disgusting. Tamotsu gagged as his wounds healed themselves. He just stifled a moan and bit down on his lower lip. Tamotsu's eyes filled with tears, but he fought through the pain-filled haze to see with a clarity he hadn't understood before. He clenched his hands into fists and turned to watch Chizuru.

Chizuru, who had been showing the first few signs of pregnancy, now seemed to be fully aware of it instead of being in denial. She didn't stir. Instead, she either hallucinated or pretended to hear another heartbeat separate from her own. She opened her eyes and stared upwards into Soren's. Her eyes narrowed, then closed once more.

Tamotsu just answered nonchalantly. "We were on our way to see Thorin and Nim..Nim..Nimsomething. Chizuru-sama is supposed to be uhh..uhh.." He couldn't think of the word. He stuck with the native Empire word. "...uba for their daughter."

Chizuru reached upwards to Soren, but it seemed blind almost. She looked around for Trydian. To her relief, she saw Tamotsu, who seemed pained. Tamotsu was staring up at the sky. His mind was blank and all he could think about was finding something to eat. Chizuru frowned.

I.. I'm carrying a child. And its heartbeat is strong. I think.

She wondered if Trydian could still hear her. Chizuru thought she could still feel the bond she shared with Trydian. Her mind was also a huge jumble of thoughts in instinctive actions. What was going on?

[Trydian]

“Release her....” Trydian materialized, but he saw that he was too late. His mind quickly fell into despair, the death of Chizuru forcing him into a violent rage. The scent of her blood in the air, created a depth of madness he had never experienced before in the past. Studying the body of Tamotsu, he realized that he was still alive.

Soren was still holding Chizuru, but she wasn't moving. Trydian assumed the worst. Speaking calmly, his twin blades were already drawn and ready to deflect an attack. Moving with quiet determination, he felt his powers surge to the height of their ability. Compared to a Vuri, he silently wondered if it would be enough.

Soren's return struck a sensitive nerve, but the death of his wife had been the final breaking point. Trydian didn't care if he died in the fight, so long as he had attempted to fight for her. During his enraged form, he wouldn't even be aware of Sebilla. His concentration was thick with thoughts of revenge and bloodshed. If Sebilla appeared now, the demon would spiral into further shock.

The connection with Chizuru was strong, but he also felt the bond with Soren. She was now a full Vuri, which made him feed into his emotions even more. He had not only failed to save her, but he had also failed to preserve her mortality. After failing to protect Sebilla and Chizuru, he knew that killing Soren was the only way he could allow himself to live.

His brother would feel his anger and the dark energy that throttled against all present. “Tamotsu...take her body and get her to safety.”Even if Chizuru was dead, he would be damned if her body received another scratch. Watching Tamotsu timidly gather her from Soren, his brother only watched with cold calculating eyes.

Soren's eyes reminded him of Vylrath's- they were always calculating and cruel. Because of how he had been raised by Caela, he had thankfully avoided the demonic nature of his father. Watching his brother stoically stand and ready his staff, he prepared his own stance.

“We end this now...” Trydian glanced at the body of Chizuru, his eyes dilating into a familiar intense crimson. Locking his stance, his blades spine began to saturate with his demonic energy. Trydian had been training with Tamotsu, but this ability was unique to his own understanding of his race. The energy would give his blades more momentum, compared to a simple mortal wielding blades. His energy would also act as a shield, his anger creating a relentless siphoning.

Keeping himself guarded, he waited for Soren to make the first attack. Demonic energy would billow from his person like an undulating wave. All beings in the area would feel his ferocity, his mind uncaring who would receive his warning.

Before he let his demonic take hold of his senses, he let one final thought through. Chizuru, forgive me...before his mind became a single thought.

[Soren]

Soren smirked, watching his brother prepare himself. The demonic energy would do little to captivate his arrogant nature. Trydian reacted too much like his father, but rarely for the same reasons. The mortal he was attempting to protect, was now taking her last breath as a human.

Trydian would be bound to her, but he wouldn't have a full connection like before. Looking in the direction Sebilla ran, Soren decided to torment Trydian further. Sebilla's change would affect Trydian, considering they had never been separated in the past, until now.

Demonic aura would only protect and regenerate Trydian for so long. Even then, Trydian would have to regain strength against a full blooded Vuri. Regardless that he had fed Chizuru and Tamotsu, Soren didn't feel any of the after effects, or his ego wasn't allowing him to.

Knowing that his brother meant to fight to the death, Soren focused most of his energy into the staff and enhanced his barrier. The energy would fluctuate across his body like a brilliant wave. Sebilla would feel the change in atmosphere, but he doubted Chizuru and Tamotsu had regained all of their senses to notice slight changes.

“Sebilla will witness your death and the woman you tried to protect. Your twin has been watching you in silence. I imagine her shame is too great...” Soren said smoothly, knowing those words would cut at Trydian. Sebilla was actually hiding from their force, but Trydian was at the brink of losing his senses completely. Very little would make sense to him at this point, so Soren used this tactic to provoke and frustrate.

Motioning toward the thick foliage, where the careful Sebilla would be keeping safe, he made a purposeful gesture to make Trydian realize her presence. Trydian might glimpse her feminine figure, but his mind would be too clouded with chaos.

“Father is dead and you will join him.” Without another warning, Soren sent a wave of energy toward Trydian. The electric wave would hit like knives, tearing up Trydian's body. The demons flesh would be torn, shredded, and bloodied from the impact.

Using Sebilla as a distraction had been enough to cause the first fall.