Midnight Ronin

[Rhaine]

Words, words, words. They turn into ruin for many.
"Why should I kill you?" The green Bindrune flared. Ready. I was absorbing energy for full activation. Now I need time... time to strike once and forever. The structure of magical fields of the place changed aburptly... a vortex forms around us, energy mainly going through me, feeding me and the Rune. Arioch furrowed his brows in confusion "What are you doing, do you think your pitiable magical skills can hurt me? I am a God!"
Excellent. I activated the Rune. The green flare turned into a blaze very similar to that of my own Rune - just stronger... tentacles of brilliant green intertwined with pale cyan wrapped around Vitus' wrists, throat, ankles. "Not in RhyDin, tanar'ri. Not in a semi-mortal incarnation"
And not against magic of a g'iarre intertwined with elven sorcery and death magic. His features changed as he realized what was happening "Are you sure this is the path you want to take, Rhaine? I can give you more power than you imagined...I can tell you who tried to kill you...I can offer you so much..."
"Power? I have been offered power many times. Past unsuccessful assassin does not matter".
Another change in his face... a softer, congenial expression crossed his features "Then tell me, Rhaine, what is it that you want?"
What do I want... But there is nothing he can offer. Nothing can return Tenebris... nothing can return to life the Clandestinian Temple of Asmodeus... Power? I do not need it. I have never craved it. Never in my life.
"Stop the attacks on my brother once and forever," I said firmly.
"Your brother is mine, to do with as I please, and nothing will change that!" he seemed rather impressed by my demand. My lips curved in a smirk.
"Yours? And no one has to be even closely comparable to Vitus, so that he is your ultra-powerful pawn? A Knight of Asmodeus can not be a pawn of tanar'ri."
The green grip over him never loosened. Energy as accumulating slowly.
"He is my son, I made him, I can use him, but perhaps an arrangement can be made."
"Arrangement? Such as?"
That was sounding curious. I did not let the bonds weaken however. Curiosity is one thing, but how can a priest of Asmodeus trust a Tanar'ri?
"I can allow him to remain a servant to Asmodeus, and as long as your goals don't interfere with mine...all you have to do is set me free..."
"Only allowing him to serve two masters at the same time in exchange for your freedom?" I smiled slowly, my fangs glistening in the mid-day light. Activation was ready. He seemed to believe that I was slightly interested.
"Yes, in time, I may even forget my plans for him." His smile was very convincing - or it could have been convincing, had I not been myself. I almost laughed. How sweetly they sing when they feel another power!
"Certainly you will forget about the plans about him!" - and I activated the soulstone.
Rushing energy. Like a waterfall, a maelstrom running through me into the rune.
Pain as my own Bindrune responds.
Taste of my blood... may another vampire never know it.
Vortex that takes the demon.
His face contorted in a hundred different ways as Arioch was drawn for Vitus' body. A soulrending shriek, and then silence as Vitus collapsed to the ground. The green Rune pulsated in my hand, like a beating heart. I was hardly standing - but Vitus was on the ground, in need of my help... I rushed to him. Steam was rising from his body. Running fingers through his hair, I allowed the pale mist to fuse into him... the fastest way to drag someone out of _nowhere_.
"Vitus... don't leave me, brother... please... " I could only whisper. Don't leave me. I will not let you leave.
He stirred slowly, muttering something incoherant, slowly opening his eyes, his question more of a statement, "It is done"
"Yes... I am sorry that I put you in danger".
I felt guilty for using him as a bait. How... un-Knight-like. But it worked. Vitus grinned, working his way to his feet "I have been in danger since the day I was born, if you put me in any more, it was only to free me from it."
"Now we only need to get the materials for the blade," I smiled. The spell was working, and energy of the place was filtering into Vitus without my help now.
"I have something more important to do first," my brother replied, and hugged me, lifting me from the ground. "Thank you".

[Vitus Rustovich]

The everpresent threat of invasion from Arioch was now a thing of the past, and after stumbling back to Rhaine's Laboratory, I collapsed, and slept the first restful sleep of my entire life. The first sleep not filled with torment and apprehension. The first rest that I awoke from feeling that sleep wasn't a complete waste of time.

Waking hours later, the lab was deserted. I made my way outside and eventually through the streets of RhyDin, in a better mood than I ever had been. This state of mind actually spared the lives of several passersby as I made my way to the Arena, in search of Rhaine.

The Arena was noneventful this night, a couple of duels, far fewer than I am accustomed to seeing, and a pointless lengthy discussion about poaching or murder or somesuch. Basically an uneventful night until Rhaine mentioned Arioch's name. Something in my mind snapped, the task is not yet done. I can not rest until the fiend is put into his new home. Finally Rhaine agreed it was time to leave, perhaps a hunt on the way back to the lab to researc h weapon materials. Hopefully things would fall into place soon.

[Rhaine]

Now as we had the SoulRune we at least could care less about Arioch. One problem off my head. I rifted into my lab and connected to null-net - the fastest way to get to one of my most useful acquaintences. Smiling holographic face of Elynne Althos, owner and VP of "Althos and Psi Research Inc" appeared over the dark hemisphere of device.
"Elynne, awesome to get past your receptionist," I grinned.
"I granted you direct connection. You've become one of my best clients," she replied in a matching tone. "Especially after getting our ass out of... mess".
"Don't mention it. Lynnie, I need your catalogue of space-design alloys and composites. And I need it as soon as mortally possible. With samples of anything that can turn into a fine blade," I got to the point.
"Space-design alloys? Rhaine, you're getting to more and more exotic stuff - especially for the idiotic world you decided to stay in".
"Lynnie, it's important."
"You never come to my office with things less than important. I thought you were quite satisfied with the weapons you had when you...."
"It isn't for me. So I hope to get catalogue null-ported. As well as samples I will need to test."
"Oh, all right. I hope you know what you're doing... "

Soon a memory chip arrived via null-port. I opened the catalogue and browsed with my usual speed. Elynne was watching me from the holointerface. I selected several alloys and a couple of composites that would be almost ideal for hilt and guard. Of course using them would be different from normal blacksmithing Vitus is used to, but in the end I can simply order the blade done and leave the rune installation for myself. I was tempted to order an "atomary blade" - a sword with blade only several atoms thick, so it can slice through almost anything without getting dull - but atomaries are broken too easily. I filled the order form, and the message rushed to Lynnie. She looked at something on the left from her holointerface - probably my message appeared on an old-fashioned display on her table. Yes, Lynnie, I'm ordering the BEST your "Althos & Psi Research Inc" can offer. Just because you, guys, are the best.

"Excellent," she muttered. "Are you building a new space fighter, or what!"
"Worse. I need these materials as soon as possible. You can charge my account, and make the price double for the speedy delivery."
"You are untolerable, Rhaine. I have not seen you for a year, and you bother me only on business. Have you found the man you were trying to get to? Someone that made you cross half a universe should be truly special".

We chatted idly for a while, until the sealed box with samples arrived. Elynne noticed I was already impatient to experiment with the samples and disconnected.

____________________________________
Rhaine Rustovich

[Vitus Rustovich]

A weight had been lifted from Vitus' shoulders. A danger quelled, at least temporarily. He spent many nights poring over books and scrolls, inhaling the dust of ages as it was disturbed from the cracked and yellowed pages.

His research had led him to seek out the ancient and disused temple of Chemosh. Several old maps led him to believe the temple he sought was in the southern region of his homeland, Serminous Terith. Nothing had lived there for centuries, it was a realm completely given over to the Undead. The land was blasted, desolate. A howling wind, neither hot nor cold whipped through the various ruins and old dead trees that littered the flat landscape. Nothing stirrred, save swirls of dust caught up in eddies of the wind's flow. For days he walked, guided by a vortex in the sky which he believed to be the place he sought. He encountered no one, nothing but the unforgiving wind, and the unending solitude.

After a solid week of walking the blasted earth, he finally caught sight of it; a dark spire rising to the heavens, as if mocking them. This was the only break in the flat horizon he had seen. The vortex seemed to center at the top of this spire, and he was more sure than ever that this is what he sought, the temple of Chemosh, Lord of the Undead, a long since dead cult that nearly vanished from all record.

Three days after he first noticed the spire on the horizon, he finally came to the gates, rusted, and hanging off of their hinges. Pushing them open, they disintigrated under his touch, fragmenting into dust and rust coated shards. Looking up at the impossibly tall spire, he crossed the threshold...

[Vitus Rustovich]

Entering the dusty and abandoned temple, Vitus scanned his surroundings. Broken and rotten wood furniture, desks and shelves, scattered about the silent rooms. A thick layer of dust coated everything. Books lay piled upon the shelves and on the floor where shelves had broken under their weight.

Vitus scanned over these tomes, not finding what he sought. Treading deeper into the temple, he came upon the altar of Chemosh. He dropped to his knees, and began to pray silently. "Lord Chemosh, I served you once, and served your temple faithfully. I humbly ask of you to grant me access to the Black Library, and specifically to a particular tome. I know you slumber, but you cannot deny what you owe me, as I aided your faith more than any of your followers ever had."

Vitus remained kneeling in front of the altar for many hours, silently praying and occasionally feeling the psychic tug of a sleeping god. Patience eventually paid off, and he was answered. The altar slid away from where Vitus was kneeling, revealing a staircase that lead downward into darkness. Grinning to himself, Vitus arose, drew his blade Hatebringer, and descended into darkness...

[Rhaine]

Several cybernetic devices rushed back and forth, and in the hardly tolerable environment of laboratory a blade was formed according to specifications made by the priestess. The metal appeared to be like Damask steel, with swirling rivulets of dark pattern through the pallid metal, but it was far stronger and more flexible than steel. The alloy was made by "Althos & Psi Research". She instructed to form a structure which would be a good polarized magic conductor, and gave precise specifications that caused the cyber-aides to rush like insane little whirlwinds. At the same time she worked at the enchantment. The SoulRune trembled in her hand.

"You should have expected nothing less, Arioch... one day or another you would have faced this".

A strange structure was forming in blazing and toxic environment, forced by both magic and extremely sensitive manipulators. Magic, composite and metal blended together, and strange dark crimson gems found their place in the structure that replaced the normal tsuba of the slightly curved blade. The guard was well suited for catching another blade and breaking it (especially aided by a rather peculiar enchantment Rhaine learned in her homeland). The hilt was comfortably wrapped with what appeared to be shark skin - it couldn't slide in your hand, and felt awesomely pleasant to touch. Thin silvery lines crossed the charcoal-colored "leather".

Now it was time to embed the SoulRune. Rhaine stepped into the chamber filled with toxic vapors and the green shimmering gems, fixated with mithril anchors, were placed into the intertwining mithril and xentronium tentacles that sprang from the hilt into the pommel structure. Toxic vapors swirled around the biomage, and with the greenish vapors mixed pallid cyan and dark crimson spirals, and enchantment was weaved in the deadly place, weaved like an intricate lace of steel and stone.

Finally the hermetically sealed box opened, and Rhaine walked out. In her hands was a fairly large, slightly curved blade. Green insanity of SoulRune supplied the power into it, making the dark pattern of blade shimmer slightly. She held the newborn blade with due respect to weapon, and placed it on a special stand - for Vitus to see and test it, when time comes. For Vitus to give the sword a name.

[Vitus Rustovich]

Sinking deeper into the depths of Chemosh's temple, Vitus held his blade before him, the vile crackling energies within casting a faint red glow over everything. The staircase continued to wind ever downward, for hours it seemed he plodded down the stair.

Finally, a simple round chamber opened before him, a solitary pedestal rising from the center. Upon this pedestal rested a book, bound in some black material, that seemed to absorb all of the light around it. As he stepped forward to retrieve the tome, two skeletal hands burst from the floor of the chamber. With amazing speed, the hands dug out a massive skeletal warrior, clad in black armor and bearing an ornate and darkened claymore. It opened it's mouth, its raspy voice preceeded by the stench of death and decay. "You mussst prove yourssself worthy of the tome...fail and ssspend eternity defending it." The warrior raised the massive blade above it's head, preparing to strike.

Vitus reacted almost before he knew what he was doing. A quick thrust to the creature's abdomen yielded little affect, the sword couldn't drink a soul that wasn't there. Rolling to the side, he narrowly missed being cleaved in two by his opponent's blade. As the creature raised its blade again, Vitus struck, once, twice, three times in rapid succession to the thing's right arm. His blows cut deep into its arm, and after the third, the arm cracked under the weight of the huge sword, breaking off. The thing clung to its weapon with its left arm and swung again, a little slower this time, its right arm still clinging to the hilt.

Vitus rolled again, taking a light hit to the shoulder from the severed arm, and jumped to his feet, shaking it off. Growling, he swung again, missing the thing's throat by inches. He feigned another swipe, watched the thing stagger back, and thrusted his blade through it's neck. Wrenching Hatebringer free ripped its head from its shoulders, and the monstrosity dropped to the ground, dissolving into a fine red mist which soon disappated. Wary of another threat, Vitus paused for several moments, sword raised above his head. When nothing stirred, he sheathed Hatebringer and walked to the pedestal.

As he grasped the book, he felt the power of death rush through him, threatening to drag him into it. It was an incredible rush, and he had to fight to maintain control. This was over momentarily and he removed the tome from the pedestal, tucked it into a pack, and returned to the stairs, and the long walk home...

[Vitus Rustovich]

Several long and uneventful days passed as Vitus attempted to find his way back across the blasted landscape to the portal that lead back to RhyDin. Thoughts of his brethren, his sister, plagued his mind as he slowly trudged back along the the dead landscape. The merciless winds had returned, more forceful, and threatening to push his course astray. The walk back took almost twice as long as the walk there, for more care had to be taken not to stray, as the wasted horizon offered no landmarks, the always overcast sky offered nothing to navigate by either.

Finally, the portal came into view, a speck of light and hope in a desolate and unfogiving land. Vitus stepped across the threshhold and found himself in RhyDin once again.

His heart and mood lightened as he took in the now familiar sights, sounds and smells of his new home. Clutching his prize, he meandered his way to Rhaine's Laboratory, the only safe haven he new in RhyDin, and the only place suitable for study of such an artifact.

Entering the laboratory, Vitus went to rest for just a few moments, unholy codex still clutched in his weatherworn hands, and his eyes came to rest upon a magnificent blade, set upon a pedestal. This could only mean one thing, and as Vitus took this in, sleep overtook him, sleep he had been avoiding for weeks.

[Rhaine]

Biomage of Lerdann, priestess of Asmodeus, was in her lab. She adjusted the chair Vitus slept in to turn into a more or less normal bed, and softly kissed sleeping half-demon's forehead. "I missed you, Vitus," Rhaine spoke almost silently. After centuries of not seeing her brother, she dreaded losing him again. She noticed the book he held from the very beginning. Her spectral eyesight marked the energy of Death, opposite to the power of Rhaine's binding to Life magic. Vitus seemed to be unwilling to part with the book even when he slept. Well, that was his choice. Magic of Death did not give her creeps like fire made Steven shiver, but it was still unpleasant to touch.

Seeing her brother sleep soundly, life mage did not fear taking off the disguise of vampire form. Negative energy of her protective shell could interfere with the more serious casting. Pale mist swirled around her hands, as she worked at another spell which was meant to be an unpleasant surprise to anyone who dares to venture into her hideout without her permission. Security was one of her main concerns, as some artifacts hidden in this place were too much to allow locals to see them. And also... a g'iarre discovered has always turned into a g'iarre dissolved. She did not wish to face another hunt - had faced too many of them in the past.

Rhaine was upset. For how long would she have to use Life Magic only as a way to fight for survival? Her entire nature was protesting against this. But she held on... had she followed her desire to Design, she would have been long ago dissolved in the Binding. Rhaine finished the spell, and started embedding it into a miniature amulet. Whistling something to herself, she got to the design of trigger, when she sensed a sigh of surprise behind her back. Her head turned 180 degrees easily.

"Good morning, brother."

[Vitus Rustovich]

Vitus woke to an sight that would have disturbed the average person, however his heritage, and his experiences more than prepared him for the nightmarish vision of his sister that stood before him. Stretching briefly, he glanced around the room, the black book still clutched in his hand. His eyes rested upon the blade once again, a work of art, as well as a deadly weapon.

He stood and approached the sword, an almost imperceptible hum emanating from it. Thinking deeply, he looked at his sister, and two vile words spilled from his lips, "Dâgalûr Glûrug".

When her eyebrows raised, he continued, "Dâgalûr Glûrug, the demon's prison. I think it is a fitting name for the blade." He grasped the hilt and tested its weight. The sword seemed to have a need to bite flesh, and Vitus sensed this. Grinning, he tucked the blade into his belt and looked to his sister again, "I found the tome I was looking for, and the specific ritual within, and it is something I will again have to ask you assistance with." He opened the book and set it on the table, indicating a specific passage.

"So, will you help your brother again?"

[Rhaine]

I looked at the passage once again. There could be no doubt. Vitus was ready for the Initiation into binding with Death Magic. I shuddered deep within, knowning how painful the ritual would be for both of us, but if you start something, you either succeed or fail, and both of us were not in the mood for failure.
"Of course I will assist you, brother. This would bring us to the opposite ends of Spectrum, of course, but I will do everything I can to aid."
Dâgalûr Glûrug seemed so fitting with my brother's image... and I knew that the blade was quite capable of being a part of Initiation. It would hurt, deeply and endlessly, and I know what effects a Binding might have. Something deep within told me that Vitus was bound to succeed. He has been through too much pain to surrender easily. My faceted eyes half-closed, I repeated.
"I will always help you, brother. Always. Even on the opposite end of the Spectrum."

[Vitus Rustovich]

Vitus pulled a skull-stoppered silver flask from his robes, opened it and took a long drink. He handed Dâgalûr Glûrug to Rhaine, hilt first. "I have to prepare for the ritual, I hope you have a suitable space." She nodded and indictated an area the would do nicely. Slicing his finger open with a knife, he traced several arcane runic patterns onto the floor, occasionally pausing to look at the pages he had left open in the book.

Rhaine watched with mixed emotions as he prepared the ritual. Vitus seemed almost possessed, taking no heed of his sister, or of any of his surroundings. The sigils slowly took shape on the floor, Vitus blood drying in the cool air. Grasping the book, he stood in the center of the circle, glancing at the pages, he began to chant, a gutteral, ancient sounding tongue that turned more and more into a drone as he repeated the litany. As he neared the end of his chant, his hands went down to his sides, exposing his chest, and he looked at Rhaine, his eyes telling her that now was the time.

[Rhaine]

She watched the dark crimson-purple strands of energy form a pattern around Vitus, and cold fear crept into her. One move wrong, and... The pattern was finished, individualized sigils of Death were wrapped around her brother. Like tentacles holding him. They swirled around sigils and the book at fisrt, but moved to pure, independent structure, absorbing energy of blood, energy diffused in the fabric of the world... Rhaine forced herself to look calm. The blade hungered in her hands - but the willpower of a Bound was more than an awakening semi-sentient sword could fight. She retracted all energy of her own Binding into her protective shell - it could only ruin the ritual now.

The threads of Death were growing thicker, and she lunged with the Dâgalûr Glûrug. It was her duty... no matter how painful it was. The blade turned greenish in the ghostly dark-crimson pattern, and pierced Vitus' heart hungrily. Instantly Rhaine moved away, removing the hungry metal from her brother. His body went limp in the floor, inside the bloody sigils, strength drained by the sword. The crimson-purple tentacles of Death fused into Vitus. As his blood touched the black marble of the floor, it fumed slightly, and the energy tentacles seemed to drink this smoke. Crimson-purple of Death started streaming through Vitus' veins, fused with his nerves... Energy of Death filled the room, and Rhaine's protective shell shivered. Pain coursed through her, as her own energy touched with its direct opposite. Her vision blurred with torment, she watched the transformation that commenced in the circle of bloody runes.

The spectral image of Vitus was changing. Rhaine almost screamed as she sensed how his binding was growing into him. She rolled closer to the wall, as far as possible from the ritual - her presence now could distort the delicate balance. Her presence was no longer needed, she could only watch helplessly... At least it looked successful. Another flare of Death, a choking pull on the bindrune on her neck, pain that seared her entire being - and she drifted off into oblivion.

[Rhaine]

Reality returned to her in a few minutes. The transformation was still going, Rhaine knew it would take a while.
Something was probably wrong. Indifference has taken over her. No, she was still full of magical energy... but something was broken, broken to little pieces deep inside. She had the tasks to do, but didn't care about them. Nothing touched her.

As she went to Arena, she noticed another thing. Snow was no longer melting on her soft black robed. The magical energy swirling around her, was now circuited inside her.

So what? She no longer cared.

[Vitus Rustovich]

Vitus was trapped in a web of pain and torment. The instant the blade pierced his flesh he felt the pull of his father, if only momentarily, once again. Fighting through his suffering, his agony, he resisted, one finaly time, as his soul was rended from flesh and intermingled with the power of Death surrounding him. He caught sight of his sister, backing away from him, her look of forced calm belying the fear that lie underneath. Then all was black.

Even in unconsciousness, he could feel Death working its toll on his body, could sense Rhaine's presence, and then the lack of it. His body died, sustained now only by the pact he had made with Death. Outwardly, his flesh greyed, skin pulled more taught over muscle and bone, hair whitened. Internally, his heart ceased its rhymic throb, and his other organs became just as useless.

After what seemed an eternity of agony, he stirred, and felt nothing. The pain was gone. Awakening he looked upon the world for the first time with dead eyes, eyes that could see those that had crossed the threshhold of Death. He struggled to his feet, his body still weakened, yet recovering. In the corner of the room, Dâgalûr Glûrug lie, where his sister had dropped it in her haste to recoil from the opposing powers of Death. Grasping the hilt, he sensed Arioch's essence was still trapped within, and he forced a grin. His soul had been fused with death and could no longer be targetted, even if his father managed to escape the prison that had been built for him.

Sheathing the angrily throbbing blade, he made his way out of the laboratory and into the darkened streets of RhyDin. He was hungry, after all, and the only thing that could satisfy this hunger was a soul or two.