Trials of the Pure - Search for the Shadow Dragon

[Musashi]

OOC: Well, I'm going to assume Shino is coming with us...come on Shino :p

Musashi stood facing the angelic statue.

"Simply look into its eyes." stated Yutaka calmly, but with a hint of worry in his voice.

Musashi did so, focusing on the statue's eyes. He could feel a strong magical presence emanating from the bronze and ivory seraphim. Everything else seemed to fade away from his vision around him. Yutaka, the temple, his comrades, all seemed to fade into shadows as Musashi entered a trance. Musashi saw himself, standing in a pure white surrounding of nothingness. Just white, as far as the eye could see, except for the angel that still stood in front of him. Until, all around him, images of the dragoon's life began flashing in the pervading whiteness, both good and bad, conscious and unconscious, remembered and forgotten thoughts and events. Musashi gazed at the images around him, staring in awe of events he knew had happened but could not recall until now. Finally he turned back to the statue, or was it statue? Musashi saw the angel's eyes blink, startling him. It took a step forward and slowly strode closer to him. No, certainly not a statue, but a living, breathing angelic being now stood before him, calmly and matter-of-factly, as if time meant naught to him.

Musashi looked around, hesitatingly, but seemingly unafraid, before turning back to the angel.

"Wh...Where are we?"

The angel responded, "Inside your psyche, I must test the purity of your heart and soul if you wish to continue with this journey. If your intentions are true, you have nothing to fear. Close your eyes, Chosen of the Dragon Gods."

Musashi did as he was commanded. The angel held his palm foward, in front of Musashi's face. Musashi could feel a warm glow of holy energy envelop his body. After a few moments, the angel dropped his arm, and the feeling ceased. Musashi opened his eyes and saw a look of complete and abject shock on the eyes of the seraphim.

"Wh..What...is wrong." stuttered Musashi.

"In all the ages of time, I have never met one like you, Chosen one. Everyone who has attempted this trial, while their intentions are may be pure, there is always a hint of darkness. It is implied of human nature. But you....there is naught of this, as if you are completely pure. But how, even those resurrected by Riselm, like Yutaka and yourself, should still retain a small portion of darkness from their previous life......Unless....." the angel's voice trailed off. "Please remove your helm."

Musashi unclasped the metallic headband from his crown, revealing the silver crescent moon birthmark on his forehead. The angel immediately sighed with relief.

"This explains it. You have passed, assuredly, great warrior. May your quest end in success."

"What...What do you m..." Musashi was cut off as the illusion vanished, and he was again standing before the altar and the statue of the cathedral. He could hear the angel speak direcly into his mind.

"You have passed, the door is open for you, wait for the others."

Musashi saw a crest on the floor illuminate with golden light, though it was not yet visible to anyone else.

Musashi looked up at Yutaka, "He...he said...I passed."

Yutaka just smiled, "I had no doubt that you would." He then turned to the awaiting party, "Which of you will go next?"

[Azurel]

Rayne looks up at the statue and decides to go next. He begins walking toward the angelic statue, but as he gets further from the statue of Sekundes, the singeing begins again. By the time he reaches the statue his body is almost fully tense.

Remembering the directions from Yutaka, Rayne begins to look up slowly into the angel's eyes. Upon meeting eye to eye, he became relaxed as he no longer controlled his body. Transed, his body stood their staring.

In his mind, all but him and the statue was pure black. He was nervous but his mental projection of himself remained calm.

You cannot hide anything from me. There is no reason to be afraid unless you are pure.

"So, this is a trial then. One I will not pass."

You must go through it first.

A single square appeared infront of Rayne. The square was around 4 feet on all sides and was completely black until an image began to play. It was repeating what he had saw in the fountain. Azurel holding a silouhette, but this time, it wasnt. It was Sakura. His eyes widen when he realizes that she is about to die. And as it did so many times in his dreams, the girl was sliced. Azurel began his transformation again, erupting into a full demon.

"Why do I keep seeing this. Why her? That, that thing...It's name is Raz! I-I remember, but only a name."

Thinking that the image was over as it usually is at that point, Rayne turned around wondering. He was met by another square inches from his face. He backs up surprised.

An image started playing, one he hadn't seen before. It started at the end of the last image with Raz roaring his terrible, deafning roar over the loss of Sakura. The image flashes black, and fades in to Raz on top of a mound. As the image zooms in, the mound is realized to be made of dead humans and assorted creatures. The square faded away.

You have failed.

He hadn't realized that he had returned to his physical mind.

"It's no surprise that I f-"

He was cut off, not by any noise, but by vanishing.

[Aiman]

Aiman saw Rayne vanished. He couldnt belive his eyes, though he was scared that he wasnt gonna pass. The red glowing on his eyes had faded but he still felt something inside of him... strange...

Aiman stepped foward and said, "I'll go now..." Aiman stepped foward and looked at the Eye's of the Angel statue. The statue gave him a hypnotic look making everything surrounding him disappear in a white light.

"You... your intentions are pure. But like Rayne, you cant hide anything from me. I know what you are trying to hide." The statue said.

"Wha...what are you talking about ? I have my reasons for being here, and as you said I cant hide anything...cant you see my intentions ? They are pure !! Im trying to save the world." Aiman replied.

The look on the statue became deeper and the light faded. All Aiman's surrounding became black.

"You are not aware of the danger you are in !! You are not aware of your own self !! What you have inside can bring the destruction of the world. You will destroy what you are trying to save !! I cant allow you to go any further. Im sorry..." The statue said to Aiman.

"But... but... what are you talking about...?? Cant you at least show me what are you talking about ?" Aiman said to the statue angrily. "I will not be vanished for no reason !!! Its not fair !!"

The statue closed its eyes and Aiman started eminating some dark energy. Aiman's eyes started to glow blood red once again. He got a sharp pain on his back as he curved and bent down. He wrapped his arms around his body touching his back. He fell on his knees and rest his head on the ground. The back of his suit started to crack. All of the sudden the back part of his suit broke in pieces and wings came out. His suit changed completly and he screamed in pain. As he screamed Aiman started to vanish...

[Musashi]

Musashi screams out as Aiman vanished.

"AIMAN!!! NO!!!"

He tried to reach out and grab his comrade, but Aiman vanished milliseconds before Musashi's hand touched his comrade's body. He glares at the guardian dragoon.

"YUTAKA!!!! WHAT IS HAPPENING!!! FIRST AZUREL AND NOW AIMAN!!!! WHERE ARE THEY??"

Yutaka looked into Musashi's eyes gravely, "They...have failed. They have been banished to the prisons."

"WHAT?? NO!! WHY DIDN'T YOU WARN US BEFORE!?"

"I could not, I'm sorry. But even if I had, would it really have stopped you."

Musashi looks down at the floor, thinking. After a moment's deliberation he responded.

"No...It wouldn't, I'd have gone on...but would they? Now we'll never know. Can they be saved?"

Yutaka shook his head sadly, "This is the most perilous of the trials. There is no escape for those who fail. Any of the rest of you who wish to back out may still do so."

[Sperrit]

"NOOOOOOOOO!"
Sperrit falls to the floor, his heart wrenched at seeing his comrades taken from him. He clentches his fists and stands up, glaring at Yutaka. "It may not have detered us, but we could have found another way!" Sperrit bows his head and sighs. "I know it is not your fault, Yutaka, but...."
Sperrit steps in front of the statue.
"The only way we can get them back now is to go one and try and find a way into the dungeons further on. Those of us who pass can look for them while those of us who fail will aid the others in staying alive. I'm going to try it."
Sperrit stood in front of the statue and looked into it's eyes. After a few moments Sperrit could feel energy flowing through the statue. It's eyes turned green and it looked back at Sperrit. Sperrit felt a brief sense of disorientation and then looked around, amazed. He stood in a grove of the Ancient Forest. Before him stood a life sized version of the angel, breathing and made of golden flesh. It smiled at Sperrit.
"You need not worry, Terramyr. I can feel the Dragon's gift within you, and the Chosen of Earth have always, as a rule, been good people: simple and fair, healers all. You have nothing to fear."
Sperrit nodded and looked around again. "Then why am I here, Angel of the Dragons?"
The angel gestured for them to sit. They sat on the soft grass. "You need to understand something. I know you want to go find your companions, but there is no entrance to the dungeons of the Unpure. They are gone forever, trapped with the Demons. And that is how it should be."
Sperrit rushed to his feet. "WHAT? Just because they use dark powers they have to be condemed?! Sekundes is a Dragon, too, and his powers aren't evil! Why should those who use it's power be condemed?"
The Angel wasn't looking so calm now. "The Dark must not enter the place of Light. It would taint it forever."
"What are you talking about?" Sperrit yelled. "The Dark have already come here! It's already tainted! We're here to fix it by finding the Dragon, releasing it and defeating the Void, the cause of all the dischord in the Universe! You aid it's spread by taking away those who wish to fight it!"
The Angel stood up. "I will not argue with the ignorant. I cannot stop you from proceding, for you are good, but the Temple will not welcome those sympathetic to the Darkness. You are warned."
Sperrit felt himself dissoriented again, and then suddenly back in the room with the statue. He glared at it for a moment before nodding resolutely. "I will find my friends." He glances at the portal. "I guess we go on, Musashi. We'll find our friends."

[Aiman]

Aiman started appearing inside the Catacombs. He opened his eyes and looked at himself. "What.. what happened ? Where are the wings and the claws and everything ? What in hell happened ?" Aiman looked up to see Rayne looking at him all weird.

"So, we have failed... I was prepared for this. I did a research on this place before coming. I have a map of this place in my computer memory." Aiman said to Rayne and then he sighs. "I dont know why this place looks so familiar. Only demons are suppose to be in here so, I guess you'll be fine. Ill have to be extra careful. Hmmm.. Where's Nacht ? I hope she passed the trial. I dont want her down here, its too dangerous.

Aiman laid back and rest his back on a wall nearby. He's sitting on the floor and looking around. "I guess we should wait for a while to see if anyone else is coming. Though I cant help to feel this place is too damn familiar. It... feels... weird..."

Aiman started shaking a bit. All his body started to tense up. "What's happening to me ?" Aiman looked all his surroundings. "This looks to damn familiar, like Ive been here before. Why ?" His eyes started to change. They started to glow blood red once again. The glow could be seen through his helmet eyes...getting brighter and brighter...

"Whaaat.. is happening... to... meee... ?!?!"

[Nacht]

Nacht nods solemnly. I am next. I have to find where Aiman went, and I am obviously not going to pass this rigged, pathetic excuse for a test.

She quickly strides over to the statue.
Just come on! I know what this is about! Get it over with! She yells up at the angel.

The angel just smiles calmly and looks into her eyes.

Nacht sees Aiman broken and bleeding in her mind's eye. She feels intense anger, yet the feelings of love are overpowering. A single tear runs down her cheek, and she runs to him...

"Hmph. Very interesting. " He says as Nacht's vision blurs. "You try to seem so Evil; you are not what your comrades think you are. I feel Love in your heart. Evil cannot love! Get out of my sight; you disgust me. "

Hey! What is that supposed to me-

Nacht vanishes also and appears next to Rayne. He seems disturbed about something.
Rayne, what's goi-
At that moment she sees Aiman shaking and his eyes glowing red through his helmet. She gasps and rushes over to him. She releases the clasps on his helmet and pulls it off. His eyes are almost blindingly bright. She does not look away, but instead looks deep into them. Her own eyes burn and tear with the effort. Aiman has so much evil energy emanating from him it takes Nacht aback. She can feel an entity inside that is entirely separate from Aiman.

Nacht places her hands on his cheeks and kisses his lips softly, knowing that this above all else will shock him back to himself.
Aiman breathes in sharply, and his eyes turn Sapphire blue. He loos back into her eyes and shakes his head in confusion. Then he closes them and leans his head back against the wall, trying to catch his breath.

Aiman! Do you know there is an Evil entity residing within you?? Where did it come from?! Tell me what is going on!

[Aiman]

Aiman breaths sharply trying to catch his breath. He looks at Nacht. "What... are... you... talking... about... ? Evil... entity... ? Argh... my back and my chest hurt. We need to get out of here. There's a way out.

Aiman started working on his suit's computer and a holographic map shined up the room.

"That's the map for the Catacombs. You see... there's a way out. We need to get moving...and fast. I need to find out what the hell is going on."

[Azurel]

ooc: I am currently Rayne right now. I know it is confusing, but if half are calling me Azurel and half are calling me Rayne, it will be even more complicated. just a warning for future confusion.

bic: Rayne ignores the recent happenings. He looks around, not actually looking for anything.

"As you might have guessed, we arent alone. I sense many ancient evils in this place. We should get moving soon."

[Reverend]

"We can't do anything for those who have failed if we aree outside here. Take it easy you two, Mod will not let those who are of faith be hurt." Airius eyed the Angel in front of him, his face a mask to his emotions. "Well, no time like the present." Inwardly, Airius was fearing for his life. He didn't know if Surbifeh's presence within him was going to let him in or not. But for his life debt to Musashi he would move mountains. Calming himself, he stepped in front of the angel, and waited for his judgement.

Touching the front of the angel, he felt all else melt away as a warm green light enveloped all around him.

"You, are most intriguing." Airius whipped around to face the Angelic statue, who all light seemed to bend around. In one hand he held Surbifeh's axe, and in his other was Aftershock's shield. "One who is of both ally and enemy. You fear what you could become, so have devoted yourself to your deity, yet still are not yourself.

The angel leveled both weapons at Airius, who instinctively went for Ruler only to find it not there. "For one so disciplined you still have much to learn, yet have come farther down the road of knowledge than most I have judged." Ruler materialized inbetween the two, and the green light grew brighter around the mace. "You have always viewed your life as the balance in the middle of the scales, but what if instead you weren't the balance, but a third scale?" Law and Anarchy converged on Ruler, and the three weapons danced between the two beings, Red, white and green weaving and mixing until only one remained, and only one image still existed....

Airius' eyes snapped back open and he removed his hand from the face of the angel. "I...I passed?"