The Crucible | Kai

The trip through Suraja was an incredible.... incredibly hot. He was prepared for the occasion, taking on plain white garb, ditching the oversized vests of his city life. A tragedy yes, but a necessary event. A grim reminder of the necessity of that forced change blew through the desert in a breeze of blazed wind. I held my breath and shut my eyes closed, thankfully keeping the sand out of my eyes or swallowing down any more salt. Tired though I was, there was still quite a ways to go before his goal was met. So he walked on. Dune after dune, step by step, quite out of place the kitsune trudged on. Though then again, was that any different from when he first lived in Dagos?

After many a ways of traveling through this endless desert Kai sighed in relief when the sight of intact rock hills spiking from the ground like a cliff side. Such an bizarre sight to the curved sands. Even from this distance I knew that this was exactly what I was searching for. Signs of previous attempts at this place become more apparent the more I move on. Scattered amongst the sands are a myriad of assorted items and equipment. I wonder who left this here?

Suddenly the ground was moving and a figure started to emerge from the sands. At first in a point, which spread into shoulders and a head. The sudden fright overtook the magi and he couldn't help but back up a few feet, the spirit seemingly lumbering after me.

“Mortal,” it said. “Why do your kind still persist with this endeavor? Have you not learned from those that came before?”

The creature's voice carried a natural echo as if it's voice were reverberating off itself. I bit my lip and managed to contain my immediate reaction to retaliate. The monster remained still, though one couldn't count it remaining that way for long. He cleared his throat with a slight cough, not enough force to aggravate it further, but enough to give him the confidence to continue.

"I am not aware of lessons learned by my predecessors, but even if I knew, I would still be here, in front of you, today." Kai declared. "I'm sure that those before me had their reasons for coming here, and I do as well." He wasn't sure whether or not to explain exactly what those reasons were. I had come here, seeking what others have sought. To know what this one guards but not use it. Kai was aware of the growing tensions in his home country, and when he had heard of this place and the spirit who guarded it he suspected the people of Ethea would seek something, anything really, to support their cause. Which is why he was here. "I come seeking that which you watch over. Abd Al-Wali." Feeling particularly bold he added. "Will you let me through?"

DDos

I could swear I blushed when the spirit blatantly pointed out, exactly, the kind of lessons those who came before him learned, though to who could tell under his already sun blemished skin. Why couldn’t be have been born more tan?

Though the giant continued. Their voice like grating rocks. “I warned them all that only the worthy may claim what lies within, but none listened. I will not prevent you from entering, mortal, but I will still tell you the same. The things within will test your resolve, and if it finds you wanting, you will never return. Knowing this, do you still wish to proceed?” They asked as they stepped to the side. Past the massive golem lay a set of equally massive stone doors.

Looking at the golem, then the doors, and the scene around me I tried to think of what I honestly wanted here. If he entered now, according to Abd Al-Wali, there are trials to be found. With no guarantee that he’d survive, and judging from the scene around him there have been a healthy helping of contestants who’ve tried, and presumably failed. Why else would this guardian still be here. Well, more of a watchman…. Moving back to the topic of survival, did he really want to go through with this? Here I am, a normal, run-off-the-mill city magi. Nothing special save for the variety of magic he wields. These people could have been experienced adventuring folk. Though he had something, besides magic, above them. He had a responsibility, a duty that went beyond him. Stupid responsibilities….

I wiped a trailed of sweat collecting on my forehead. Looking back up to the spirit, I knew I couldn’t back down. “I thank you for your warnings and your patience with me, but my answer will still be the same.” Nodding once more to the spirit, he decided one last goodbye before making his way to the doors. “May you find peace someday.” Bowing to them, he continued on his way. The doors opened as he approached, and in them, the unimaginable lay waiting.

"I just hope my parents don't find out about this." Oh what great last words, indeed.


OOC: Let the chips fall where they may.

DDos

Kai had momentarily hesitated when the goliath sized doors behind him shut closed. He debated moving to check them but decided against it. Did he lack any sort of upper body strength but there was also no way anyone but the giant could move such massive stone doors. When they closed they had also left him wandering in the dark. Unsure of what to do he elected to simply stand still and listen. Then in a sudden birth of light, torches on either side of the wall erupted into life. Their light was small and barely lit the magi’s way though he would have to make due with the situation.

Before him was a dizzying sight. Warriors of all ages and lives lined up, impressive and terrorfying. There was some written here also but it was nothing he could make out. All different kinds of people were depicted, Ethean, the Ikigai Islands, the grim thought lingering in the back of his mind, ‘Just how long has this place existed?’ As Kai walked threw the crowd of statues a growing sense of dread lingered and festered. The tension in the atmosphere was growing and by the time he had reached the end of the figures his heart was beating loudly enough for him to hear. There are another set of doors and he holds for a little, trying his best to get a grip of himself before he continues.

When he walked through this set of doors they close behind him, much the like the first pair, grinding slightly. Shrouding the area in darkness once more, momentarily. Lanterns light up his way once again and Kai takes a deep breathe, the suspense growing. He was in an arena.

Opposite of him was a knightly figure, completely armed to the brim in steel and sword. When they spoke it was a frightening thing. Their voice at all possible human ranges, male, female, child and elder. Harmonic and haunting. It’s words, like over repeated verse, were cold but without judgement or thought seemingly of it’s own. It’s offer struck him strange and as much as he would have liked to contemplate what they were asking, Kai had a feeling that this spirit would not be as forgiving as Adb Al-Wali. He would have to make this quick.

The giant had warned him that if the trials had found him lacking that he would not survive. This one seemed to reverberate that statement. They said that I would be ‘remade’ or be tossed away as forgotten history, their second sentence repeating that. He thought back to the statues, and how they were all hostile, as though aiming at something. Could that be a hint? Could those statues represent those who had failed this task? What did he mean by refuse? Refuse what? The choices seemed much too straightforward, a third option was likely sneaking in the shadows, perhaps he was overthinking it who knows? But there was no time to figure it out, this knight was waiting on him.

The arena, the crucible, the warriors, this knight before him, it all screamed to Kai as something not to do. Outstretching his hands outwards to the knight as if moving to hug him the magi spoke at last. “I am, as you say, ready for the Crucible and your challenge, and will not refuse what you bring forth.” All the while his eyes glanced for a weapon he could use, there had to be something here he could use to defend himself if needed.


Notes: "I do not refuse, bring it on!"
DDos

“Then come, aspirant,” the knight said. “Let us forge you anew in the flames of conflict.”

Several weapon racks appeared with his words. He looked curiously at the knight before moving through them. The variety was something to behold for sure, but Kai had no familiarity with weapons, his magic had been more than enough that enough to keep him safe. Most times.. The dark question lingered in his mind, could he use magic here? He hadn’t tried but it must have been obvious that he was capable of it, a tail and fox ears were not very subtle.

After a quick breeze through the weapons he found himself stuck on a longsword, a Zweihandler specifically, an oddly right angled, straight poled scythe, and a shield. Quickly he dismissed any ideals of the sword, he wouldn’t be able to match him any way in that weapon. The scythe, well, it would be a great thing to use, if I can use my magic. The magi’s thoughts turned to the shield. He immediately went to the scythe instead. It wasn’t as heavy as he expected, but he didn’t trust himself to be able to match the knight hand in hand, but if only he could hook his legs…

Kai having made his choice with the scythe, was a little surprised when the other racks disappeared. Well. There goes my hope. With more than a little fear the magi faced his opponent. The knight prepared his weapon, and Kai held firm. Then they charged with such speed, closing the gap within moments. Meanwhile he tried levitating the scythe in his hands, testing the weight and strength of his own power here. His adversary, raising his sword up high, then sweeping down with it. If possible Kai would use his magic to raise the scythe out of his hands and try to swipe the sword away to his right with as much force as he could muster. Though if his previous test proved inconclusive then he would simply twist the scythe with the hook facing his left and swing against the knight’s own strike and try to bring it down. As he would have done with his telekinesis, but mildly weaker with the limitations of his muscles holding him back.


DDos
IC Thoughts: And so my test begins.

A dull ringing had defined Kai's existence at that moment, complete and utter failure. The knight was stronger and faster than he would have dreamed. He moved as swift as a river, and as strong as an explosion. Barely even noticing being weaponless. A the blink of an eye he had been defeated. Forced onto the floor and disarmed faster than you could say, "Disappointment!" The knight seemed to reciprocate these inadequate feelings. Curled up on floor, lips pressed tightly pressed together to keep him from screaming out and embarrassing himself further. Damn it, he should've really went with the shield. If only he knew ahead of time, but it seemed too good to be true either...

Kai forced himself slowly onto his knees in a kneeling posture. Trying to remedy some of the damage the knight's shield had caused within the small spectrum of what he could heal. Soothing the pain somewhat. The doors at both sides of the arena had opened. He expected something, more, defeat should have led to death. Though was that such a bad thing really, with the world he lived in? The fox mentally shook his head, of course he wanted to go back, to be able to live his life. To talk with his brother, to take his walks through Dagos like he used to. Then he thought to all the other magi, especially the ones that helped him the flee the riots with Cherche and Althea. Bless their souls. Their smiles had given him hope. Even through their home, their city, their freaking lives, were burning around them, they had chosen to reassure us. The scared, the frightened and disheartened. He had never known them but they bleed and hurt for him. That was their test, and I suppose that this was his.

“You would be dead had I wished it aspirant,” the knight continued. “You may preserver through your test if you wish, but you will know one thing before you do.” The silver sword rose to indicate the door opposite to the one Kai had entered. “You are not worthy to enter that door.”

The kitsune frowned at the discordant words of the ageless knight. Immediate protest stirred in the back of his mind, stopped temporarily but the still buzzing pain. For a moment he worked on what to say, and when he had, he forced himself onto his feet. "I thank you for advice, and your mercy, knight..." Not quite sure what else to call you. "Though I will continue with this test. Perhaps we will see each other, for better or for worse." He tentatively caressed the battered side of his head, it still stung to the touch, but not as badly, either through his own efforts to remedy it or it had numbed itself over time. He didn't want to think about how under prepared he might be. Knowing he would run out as soon as he allowed himself to really think about it too hard.

"Goodbye, and remember me, perhaos. I know I always will." He nodded to the knight. Moving toward the door opposite of the one he entered. Kai vowed to succeed on this next trial, whatever it would be.


IC Notes: "I thank you knight, but I will be continue."

Kai could’ve sworn that he heard something behind him as he entered the next part of the Crucible. However he didn’t really have too much time to ponder what exactly was happening, the second room was quickly approaching and he’d quickly forgotten about the soft footsteps behind him. For the most part the second arena closely resembled the first, save for some minor details. The banners and fires. All meaningless things that he didn’t pay too much attention too. Oh! But who could miss, not one, not two, but three identically armored knights in the center of it all? All three the same as the first one he had encountered in the first room. “Well I believe this is what the Etheans would call ironic?” The magi whispered with a humorless chuckle.

In the same dissonant, harmonic toned voice, they asked for Kai’s intentions. To continue or not to continue? The kitsune looked between the three of them with wide eyes. He couldn’t even hold off one, and they expected him to be able to go through three? He shook his head at the thought, he had made the decision to go through with the Crucible, he least he could do was honor that decision. Besides they only responded to his choice to stay, so it was really his fault for this current predicament. Either way, the magi couldn’t bring himself not to dread the oncoming battle. It was going to be much more difficult and he couldn’t afford to- as Jonathan says sometimes- ‘half-ass the poor sucker’. No. It would seem that he would have to put everything into this. Much to his dismay.

Kai was actually a pretty strong magi, for a city-magi. Although it didn’t exactly fill him with confidence, he wasn't any more eager to face off against three opponents… Nervous energy thrummed beneath the surface of his skin, the temptation to run away was slowly winning him over, but he relaxed. Taking slow, deep breaths, the burning anxiety settling down. Resolve and focus taking its place. When Kai answered his voice was sturdy and calm.

“Indeed, I shall move forwards.”

DDos

The magi jumped, startled, when the same racks appeared out of nowhere. He gave a beat before perusing the aisles of weapons. The choice was pretty difficult. He lacked any sort of familiarity with weapons, and had little experience in battle. Not to mention the inhuman amount of skills these knights possessed. No matter what he choose he would be at a staggering disadvantage. Although there was little point in taking a weapon the magi knew better than to pass up on the opportunity. Again he was stuck between a few items while searching around the racks close to the entrance he came out from. A great sword,  a dai chui, another scythe, and a shield not too dissimilar in shape to the ones carried by the knights. The basic shape was still the same. It was large enough to cover most of his body, leaving his shoulder and head exposed, and it held a pointed tip. The sides of it spread outward before joining back up in the middle at the top.  Well, the edges look pretty sharp. He turned the weapon over and found the arm braces that would hold it. As he studied it more an idea formed in his head, and without any hesitation he made his choice.

As he pulled the shield from he nearly dropped it from the weight he had to carry. He gripped the sides of the shield and he was able to take a few steps toward the knights but then dropped the shield as he realized the edges were starting to cut into his hands. Perfect. He thought to himself. The knights in front of him saluted for a moment, then simultaneously lunged for their target: Kai.

 The magi fell onto his chosen weapon and vice-gripped the top of the fallen shield, legs tense as they pushed against the sides for support. His mind locked onto the shield and dragged it backward as he worked some magic on himself, his weightlessness allowing the shield to move across the floor without his weight dragging it down. Hopefully the combination of magic brought him out of reach from his assailants. If it did, he'd shift his feet to the inside of the curved shield and push off strongly. Levitating in the air and rising steadily, stopping somewhere at ten feet, (worried about what would happen if he lost concentration), while at the same time the shield, still under the zero magi's control, was brought up in front of him. Blocking the kitsune from sight. He twirling his wrist in a clockwise motion, the shield mimicking the action as it steadily gained speed in it's rotation. With one solid motion he stabbed a finger down to the trio of knights. The shield complied and darted down to his opponents as it spun like a top, the momentum of the clockwise rotation helping to prevent attempts at blocking or parrying.

DDos
Notes: Please forgive the delay, a concert and trimester finals do not make for a good time to post.