Fantasy Hunter's Moon: The Sin & Sentence [IC] [CLOSED]

[Dmaster]

Hudson listened to both Mariette and Riberta explain their involvement with Sazak, fists tightening slightly as he learned of the ways that he had wronged both of them. This was always the nature of demons, and when it came to manipulating the weak and desperate there was no one better at it than Sazak. Even still, the fact that Mariette tried to convince Camille of all people to get a change of heart toward vampires and supernatural was quite the undertaking. While it perhaps may not have happened as quickly as the countess had hoped, eventually the huntress did begin to pursue the true threats to Escaria rather than any vampire she spotted.

"You needn't feel bad." he finally said after the both of them had finished speaking, though he looked to Mariette. "The battle with the Duke and what came after it - much as Cam keeps calling that fight her greatest failing there was nothing that they could do. In one instant they tried to stop the demonic possession, in the next Valeria and the artifacts were gone." Hudson said, a twinge of anger in his voice. "There was nothing anyone could do, save for Velin... And she arrived seconds too late."

"Sazak is a monster, a demonic icon and thus a lord of other monsters who twist hearts and ruin lives. Not everyone has the strength to resist the pull of a demon's honeyed words in their weakest moments, swayed to deals they have no business taking simply because they're lost, trapped and feel like they have no other choice." the hunter growled. "All demons with the capacity to think seem to just drink in the mistakes and hubris of desperate people, steering them further and further down dark paths. This is all in service of either doing their bidding or to wear someone as a fucking skin suit."

His gaze had quickly fallen to the floor of the truck, the seasoned demon hunter shaking his head. It's all things he's seen countless times over many years. "We'll kill that bastard. I won't let him hurt anyone ever again."

 

[joshuadim]

"Indeed, Sazak should die. But such a task is quite difficult, for an Icon is no mere demon one comes across such as the ones you hunted Hudson." Venextos commented and he rubbed the edge of his chin in thought. "Even at the height of his power could the Lich King not even come close to touch, let alone hurt, Sazak in the Age of Darkness. We will need to be smart about it, rather than charging in headfirst."

 

[Infab]

"Even at the height of his power could the Lich King not even come close to touch, let alone hurt, Sazak in the Age of Darkness. We will need to be smart about it, rather than charging in headfirst."

Riberta raised an eyebrow, and sat back. She seemed to be trying to remember something. "...I recall hearing once of someone that actually did hurt Sazak, as well as defeated him in combat...its how he got that scar on his vessel's mouth. I...I can't recall her name, though. She was a knight...I think it was Rebecca or something."

 

[EdwardDewey98]

Jakob clenched the driving wheel when he listened to both Mariette's and Riberta's stories. He looked at Mariette, once Hudson was done talking and Venextos explained Sazak's true abilities. "All that matters now is that you are okay..." whispered Jakob while giving the vampiress a friendly smile. He then glanced over his shoulder to look at Venextos. "...Worry not, my robed friend. We ain't charging head first. We will be smart about it." Jakob looked at the others in awkward silence. "...Right?"

 

[Infab]

"I'm not one for being quiet and sneaky...but I can play it smart." responded Riberta. "You don't live a warlord's life on just brawn alone." She glanced to Hudson and Venextos. "It'll be tough, since its only five of us, but I think we can figure something out."

She leaned forwards, looking to Mariette again. "...When you were staying at Sazak's palace...did he have any collections on display? He seems like the type to have something like that...perhaps he might have a grimore or whatever on display or stashed somewhere." she said. "Would be a huge help for you, I imagine."

 

[K0mori]

The Countess didn't respond to Hudson's assurances beyond a miserable sigh as she turned to face forward. Hudson, while well-meaning, simply didn't understand the guilt that she (and probably Camille) felt for what happened. Somehow, there must have been a way to prevent it, and even if there wasn't, Mariette personally bore the shame of her double-dealing in the pit of her heart.

Not all have the strength, Hudson said, to which Mariette was tempted to reply: but I am loath to be weak, monsieur.

But it didn't matter anymore what Mariette wanted. The moment of truth had long passed, and her future actions could never be regarded as courageous or heroic, but simply penitent. When Riberta asked her if she knew where Sazak might keep a collection, only one thing came to mind, and she replied dully. "Of course, madame, I know his palace well.

"There is a chamber with a grand piano that is lined with books. I was never permitted to touch them, but that means little. Master-" Mariette stopped and winced, and then started again. "Sazak kept every form of entertainment from me, if he could help it. The few glimpses I took in my servitude revealed nothing to me."

 

[Infab]

It was settled then. They would have to poke around Sazak's palace a bit to see if they could find anything to gain an edge over the Icon. And to find the prisoners that the palace held. A more thorough plan would have to be formulated, but that came later when they grew closer to the palace. The truck continued on, crossing across the barren, dead grasslands as they passed an ever growing number of castles and fortresses. All empty. How much of Ralvas' land was covered in these buildings?

Several hours later, they started to see a shift in the landscape. Gone was the dead grasses of Ralvas' land, replaced with dark, almost black dirt and stone. Rocks grew more numerous, and large cracks and crevasses began to appear here and there along their path. The terrain would be rather familiar to Mariette. They were nearing the lands of Vainglory. Sazak's territory. And soon, they began to notice large chunks of the ground had shifted, some parts higher than others and forming mesa-like formations. The truck shifted and rocked as they passed over the rough terrain, dodging boulders and crevasses and going around the mesas.

And then they saw why the mesas had formed, as they crossed over into Sazak's realm proper. Huge chunks of the ground had actually broken away, and were now somehow floating above the landscape. Atop these patches of ground, old structures and towers sat. Some were falling apart, while others seemed freshly built. The variations in architecture were interesting, as there where a few structures that resembled buildings from the mortal realm's ancient era though with a demonic twist. Others resembled the structures found in the Age of Darkness. And there were even a few structures that were completely alien in appearance, apparently from an era of the Abyss long past.

Hollows here seemed to be far more active than in other lands, harassing one another when in close proximity. They appeared to be trying to assert dominance over one another, some simply knocking the other down while a few outright killed the other. Hudson's group witnessed in one instance a lone hollow shove a cluster of six off the edge of one of the floating rocks to their deaths, before standing at the edge and raising his arms in victory.

There were also demons in this area, acting almost like the hollows scattered about. Lesser demons that simply wanted to prove their superiority over one another. Shoving, fights, murdering one another. The smarter ones seemed to watch from above or afar, actively encouraging it. Jakob made sure to avoid the areas where there were demon in-fights, continuing on in the direction of Sazak's capital.

 

[EdwardDewey98]

Jakob looked out at the truly Hellish landscape, watching the damned souls and their demons fighting over dominance. Dying while trying to stay on top. Truly fitting for the lands of 'vainglory' and the destructive nature of the sin. "Hope we don't get spotted by those creatures. Jf we get noticed, we can say goodbye to creating a plan." Jakob tried his best to drive the truck without catching too much attention from the Hollows and the Demons, waiting to hear if the others have any plan of their own.

 

[joshuadim]

Seems about right for the land of vainglory. Venextos thought to himself as he observed the new region they had just entered. Although the scenes being played out weren't particularly wrenching for the wizard, he couldn't help but feel knots for in his stomach as the group continued to travel in their automobile. Perhaps it was all the shaking and bumping getting to him, but it was still odd that it only appeared now.

 

[Infab]

The truck continues on, dodging large rocks and and cracks, till eventually they hit a rather deep crevasse. The truck snapped forwards, the front tires rolling over the edge and the whole truck tipping up and almost falling in. The only thing that stopped the vehicle from tipping completely over and dropping into the gap was the other side of the crevasse, which caught the roof of the truck.

"SHIT." spat Riberta, before motioning for everyone to climb out the back. "Out the back. We don't want to be in this thing if it decides to give way." The five scrambled out of the back of the truck, dropping onto the ground and gazing up at the truck as it jutted up into the air.

Riberta glanced to the others. "It'll take a little work, but I can probably get it pulled back out. Just keep an eye out for...uh..." she said, before noticing something odd. There were no hollows around. Or demons...strange. There were dozens of them before. Where had they all gone?

 

[joshuadim]

The scene was in silence now, which was very odd considering the masses of demons and hollows they had seen before as they were driving through the area. The knots in Venextos' stomach now became a malaise of nausea as he looked around as the scene felt wrong. He gripped onto his staff tightly as he leaned onto it for support. "Something... is wrong." he stated aloud to everyone in the group as he looked around. It took a few moments for the wizard to realize that something terrible was awry as he saw various portions of the air shimmer almost in an out of reality, bringing about a profound fear through his entire being. "It's a trap!" was all he managed to get out as the surrounding area seemed to shift and crumble away in an unnatural fashion.

Entire pieces of the ground were lifted upwards into the air while others sank inwards into the earth, the very air in the area became warped and distorted as the fabric of reality seemed to no longer make much sense. Venextos clutched at his stomach as a great pain arose from it and collapsed to his hands and knees, a few moments later coughing up what seemed to be a black tar. It was unlike anything Venextos had ever felt, this feeling of sickness and weakness, and it truly frightened him. Yet, he could make an educated guess as to what was about to happen...

A cackle pierced the air, originating from one of the rocks that had been arisen up in the air as a wickedly robed and veiled figure seemingly materialized into existence atop of it.

"Heh... heh heh heh... welcome, to my domain." it proclaimed with a malicious glee to the group with arms raised above its head. Venextos looked up to what was indeed his own Shadow and grimaced: "Oh look, it's me." he stated aloud with a snarl.

"Indeed. Me, me, me... or rather, me as I should be." the Shadow retorted with amusement, and although its face was practically hidden from sight one could imagine it having a violently evil grin. "Do you not recognize these magics? Forbidden by those you were taught by. Breaking their so called 'Concordat'. Bah!" it continued to speak, shaking a fist upwards as if it were actually cursing at the Arsenal Magus. "I'll show them all the true meaning of sorcery... after I'm done with you."

 

[Infab]

Riberta grunted, drawing her claymore off her back as she stepped over near Mariette. "Oh great, a fucking wizard." she muttered. "Venny, hope you're really to take him down. Otherwise, its gonna be a long night."

 

[joshuadim]

The Shadow looked straight towards Riberta, and by extension Mariette, and scoffed. "I will do away with you. Less distractions for the main course. Besides... you have an appointment to be at." it spoke as it flicked a hand towards the two of them, throwing both of them back into a shimmering area of space which seemed to teleport them away entirely from view. Venextos looked to where they had been thrown, breathing heavily in fear as the group's main source of defense had been removed from play entirely.

"What... what did you do to them?" he demanded with abated breath.

"The lycan has her own darkness to confront. But now, we can do a heart-to-heart of our own, oui?"

The shadow's tone was mocking in nature, continuing to ridicule the wizard as he continually coughed up black tar from his throat. "How does it feel? To know that you will be the cause of death for those around you?" the shadow spoke, continuing to berate the wizard. "Fate does not take kindly to being meddled, and now everyone you know will pay the price for it. Whether it be this group, or the other one, or those you call friends back in the mortal world. After all... Friedrich died because of you."

Venextos quickly turned his head upwards to gaze at his own worst self, curling his fists in both anger and desperation as he tried not to succumb to whatever curse had been inflicted upon him. "You... you have no right to utter his name." Venextos spoke through clenched teeth.

"Ho ho ho! Touched a nerve, did I?" the Shadow mocked with glee, clapsing its hands together.

 

[Dmaster]

Hudson did his best to step out of the truck once they came to a stop, the twisting space around them doing his head in slightly. Venextos retching and vomiting his shadow demon was something he didn't need to see, but the hunter still drew his weapons all the same. This was another one that seemed to boast... Who would have guessed that Jakob's shadow demon would be the least talkative?

Mariette and Riberta had been tossed away elsewhere, magic and trickery taking them to a place unseen. He quietly sighed and shook his head.

"I'm pretty fucking tired." Hudson muttered, pointing his sword at the shadow and its inane taunting. "Tired of you demon bastards lording our mistakes over us! Who are you to judge our past?! Do you think yourselves better? You'll try your damnedest to take his body just to perform foul acts in the land of the living!"

"The last one was all talk, and so are you. Once your tricks and words fail you'll die like the others!"

 

[Infab]

Riberta and Mariette found themselves being tossed aside like used rags, sailing into a strange, shimmering portal. Inside, they found themselves flying through a strange, mind-bending reality. There was no up or down, colors moved and changed. Bleeding into the areas around them. The landscape shifted and reshaped itself in strange ways. It was impossible to comprehend what was going on.

But then it ended. Another portal opened up, and they found themselves thrown out onto soft, brown dirt...and green grass. No blackish brown dirt and rocks. They tumbled for a moment, before attempting to get up. Riberta took notice almost immediately of the environment. Tall evergreen trees, mostly pines, surrounded them, along with lush green bushes and plants. Riberta's eyes widened. She recognized this place.

And she knew what lay ahead of them. The smell of burning wood slowly creeped in around them, as the sky above shifted from a warm evening hue to a black night. Moonlight illuminated what it could through the tree tops, but an orange glow lit up all ahead of them.

Riberta glanced to Mariette, and she would notice the sorrow that had washed over the hybrid's face. But Riberta would push through it. "...Be careful." she said softly, before moving quietly forward through the grass.

​

 

[K0mori]

Completely bewildered by everything that had just transpired, Mariette was simply happy she hadn't lost the sword she had worked so hard to find in her search for Jakob. She suspected an illusion was at play, rather than an actual, physical movement from one place to another, but otherwise didn't understand the purpose of anything which was happening, or the meaning of Riberta's sorrow. She kept her blade at the ready, at the hybrid's suggestion, and followed along behind her. "This place means something to you, non?" she asked, although her tone suggested it was more of a statement than a question. "...Whatever they are about to cast your way, you are not alone, madame."

 

[EdwardDewey98]

Jakob tried to remain calm after their little accident, and ambush at the hands of the shadow. Shadow Venextos had set up a clever trap, and had once again separated Jakob from Mariette. "You bastard! Where are they?!" he shouted, before aiming his pump action shotgun at the evil version of the sorcerer. He didn't know what to think of what the creature was saying. Jakob always thought that Venextos had a few skeletons in his closet, but didn't think much of it. The wizard was their ally and clearly had good intentions. "Tell me where Riberta and Mariette are, you piece of shit!" Jakob pumped his shotgun. "Last warning!"

 

[joshuadim]

The Shadow spared a look to Hudson before chuckling: "Hrm... so you survived. A pity. I was looking forward to what my compatriot was going to do with your corpse as a meatsuit." It almost sounded disappointed at the fact, but of course it really did not spare a care about its fellow meeting their demise. And when Jakob spoke the Shadow laughed once more. "Why, to face off against that lycan's worst nightmares!" he said, raising his hands up to the sky in a joyous manner. "But... in the meantime I'll make sure you two are made comfortable for the show. You can watch the wizard suffer and die. Best seats in the house, monsieurs!"

And suddenly, Hudson's and Jakob's legs sank into the ground up to knee level. When they tried to move, it felt as if he was stuck in solid rock. Not only that, their weapons were yanked away from them from an unseen force just out of reach in front of them. "Now, let's begin shall we?" the Shadow spoke as it floated down, landing a few feet in front of Venextos. Outstreching a hand, a black staff materialized in its hand and radiated power around it. Twirling around in a playful manner for a moment before pointing it towards Jakob. "Exhibit A! The Constable! A man who need never take part in this suicidal journey, but urged along by the meddling of Venextos, Grand Magus of his precious Sanctum. Hah! A man anointed to help defend the natural order instead plays it in an attempt to change the outcome."

Two copies of the Shadow materialized from it, walking to its left and right as they walked around Venextos. "Indeed... guilty! GUILTY!" one of them spoke before the other raised a palm towards its fellow copy. "Now, now... we need the defendant to properly speak!"

"I... we needed as much help as we could..." Venextos started to speak.

"At the expense of his own life, him leaving a child behind! How selfish of you!" the first copy spoke again in a berating manner as he kicking Venextos in the side.

"Indeed. What a hypocrite!" the other copy shouted, delivering a punch to the wizard's face. "Asking others to sacrifice for his own gain! Prideful! Vain!"

Venextos groaned in pain as the blows landed, now practically splayed on the ground as he struggled to even get back onto his hands and knees. The Shadow once again cackled and twirled its staff once more. "Exhibit B: Friedrich! The once great pupil of the wizard showed so much promise... until he was sent on a mission to die for him!"

"No... I didn't... know..." the wizard cried out in anger and sorrow as he shook his head. And much to his horror when he looked up, he saw a figure of his former apprentice made entirely of black tar standing before him with hateful eyes.

"You mean, you didn't know that messing with fate would lead to such unforseen consequences? Bullshit! I DIED BECAUSE OF YOU!" the familiar of Friedrich gurgled out in rage, kicking Venextos in the chest again, causing him to collapse to the ground once more.

 

[EdwardDewey98]

Jakob struggled to get off the ground as the Shadow began its play with Venextos. "Don't worry, Venny, we are st-" But then when the Shadow mentioned Jakob, what he said angered Jakob a bit. "Yeah! I came here with Venextos' help, but he didn't push me to do this. At some point or another, I would have found the location of the gate. And I would have come to save Valeria myself!" he shouted, while looking for a way off the ground.

 

[joshuadim]

"Ho ho ho! Is that what you think?" the Shadow spoke, clasping its hands together. One could almost see a viciously toothy grin underneath its darkened visage as it prepared its coup de grace: "After all... it was he who made you go to Grimtham in the first place."

 

[EdwardDewey98]

When the shadow said that, Jakob's face lost all color. He look confused, looking at Venextos for a moment before looking back at the shadow. "W-what? I was transferred... I mean...The church wanted a constable with military experience th-" Jakob looked at Venextos again. "...T-That can't be true, right Venny? You... this is not true right?"

 

[joshuadim]

Venextos did not dare look upon Jakob, for what the Shadow spoke of was indeed true. In great shame he stayed in silence as the Shadow continued to taunt and gloat: "Ho ho ho ho ho! His silence is damning indeed..."

A few moments of quiet passed, and Venextos then looked ever slightly towards the constable and shook his head: "I'm sorry, Jakob. I have brought such suffering upon you... upon so many others..." he said in a quiet tone. "I tried to avert the calamity... and instead I have only seemingly hastened it's arrival... I'm sorry... I'm sorry..."

"Now that's out of the way..." the Shadow then spoke, getting rid of its copies and the familiar of Friedrich it then drew its staff and pointed its sharpened end towards Venextos. "You can now die with a clear conscience. Better than what you deserve anyhow."

 

[Infab]

Riberta looked to Mariette and nodded. She'd need help in this. "...This place..." she said, softly speaking as they worked their way carefully and slowly through the bushes towards the orange light ahead. "...This place was once my home...I know every inch of this forest...and I know what's burning ahead of us." And she dreaded seeing it. With every step towards it, the dread grew. And then they heard a voice. Much like Riberta's, but...rougher. Having a strange beastial sound to it. It was far ahead, somewhere.

"Of course you know, Riberta. It is the very thing that put you on that long and winding path to becoming what you are now."

Riberta paused, flinching a bit. She hesitated, but continued forwards after a moment to collect herself. And soon enough, they emerged from the bushes...and found themselves gazing upon a village. A village ablaze, with corpses scattered about. The orange light from the flames bathed the area, illuminating the bodies and revealing their appearances. As well as their fatal wounds. Axes...spears...the fires itself. Some had arrows jutting from their lifeless corpses, and yet others had been beheaded or trampled by horses. All of them familiar to the hybrid.

This was Riberta's home. Her village, deep within the woods of eastern Daristein.

Tears were already streaming down her face, dripping off her chin as she looked about. She knew which of the small, burning huts was hers. And she knew what she would find there, laying inside. Already charred black by the fire. She glanced to Mariette, then back to the inferno. "...Lets...go find this shadow of mine. And get this over with."

"...Why search for me? I'll come to you."

They then heard tree branches snapping across on the other side of the village. And soon, the orange light lit up what was coming. A massive alpha werewolf, somehow larger than the form that Riberta shifted into before. Their eyes weren't yellow, or even red. They were an obsidian black, with a singular white dot in the middle of both, and their fur was a smokey grey in color. Their claws seemed jagged, as if they had been damaged slightly in combat. That or they had been purposely serrated for a more painful swipe.

"Now, Riberta...We meet at last. Ready for that death that you've wanted for so long?" said the werewolf, speaking a human tongue as if its werewolf form bothered it little. "...Before we begin, however...show me that power of yours. You made a deal for it, so I want you to use it."

Riberta gazed up at the werewolf, her eyes widening as it spoke. "...Is this all a game for you?" she asked. The shadowy alpha werewolf seemed to chuckle. "Kind of...its not fun if you let me kill you...neither is it fun if you fight me in that pitiful human form. You asked for this power. You wanted to be something greater. And you were. Every time you shifted, you were a beast of war. A beast of death and destruction. You were a warlord powerful enough to rival Nikolai Romanov. Yet you squandered it. When I kill you...and I will...I will take your body, and use that power of yours to its fullest extent. And I will bathe Daristein in blood. Then, the rest of Adonia."

Riberta looked to the ground. And surprisingly, she let out a chuckle of her own. "...I guess this is one moment where Sazak's curse is useful to me." She then glanced back up to the shadowy alpha werewolf. "...I'm not going to shift. I don't need to. I have plenty of power to kill you as I am right now. And it won't just be me." Riberta glanced to Mariette, as did the shadow demon whom muttered angrily. "This tiny, miserable excuse for a vampire? She doesn't look like she could fight her way through wet paper."

 

[Dmaster]

Hudson stood his ground as the shadow berated his survival, knowing full well that these creatures didn't care for one another in any capacity. "Just like I'll look forward to seeing you dead." the hunter replied, pulling on his chains to give them more slack. Oddly enough they moved quite unnaturally, almost as if they were a line in a pulley system that operated despite lacking a winch entirely. Just as he was prepared to attack his legs quickly sank into the solid ground, getting him to grunt before his grip on his weaponry failed him. Their weapons hung in front of them, and Hudson tried to reach up and grasp his sword and mace, both on chains that were suspended before him. Pulling on the lead did not move them any closer, the objects tightly suspended in the air.

"Fucking magic nonsense..!" Hudson quietly muttered to himself, looking between the shadow and Venextos as it prattled on and on. From his understanding of the arcane arts the spells both binding them to the ground as well as leaving their weapons out of reach took some level of focus to maintain. The hunter would just have to keep trying and make his move once the shadow was too preoccupied or otherwise distracted, he wagered.

"Jakob would have found his way here anyway, in time. He's spent ages searching for Valeria and made the choice to come down here himself." he called out to Venextos. "My demon only got to me because I didn't know the risk - what would happen if I fell to it. Venextos, you do. Whatever mistakes you made in the past will pale in comparison to what that monster will do once it has your body!"

 

[joshuadim]

Venextos was quiet for a moment, before grunting in pain as he struggled to slowly get up onto his hands and knees. Once he did so, he grabbed his own staff used it as support to help himself to his feet. Such a development was curious for the Shadow, as it tilted its head in curiosity as he watched the wizard slowly get up. Although battered and weakened, Venextos mustered the strenght to properly stand and pointed a singular finger at the Shadow.

"I... I challenge you... to a game of chess."

The Shadow was quiet for a moment before letting out a cackle. "Aha... ha ha ha! I'm sorry, what?" it asked in both surprise and confusion. It took a step back in suspicion from this sudden demand made of it, as it was not entirely sure what to think of this situation.

"You heard me." Venextos spoke once again, practically grinning as he maintained his finger leveled at the Shadow. "I know myself better than most. You can't resist a good game now can you?"

The Shadow was quiet for a moment before laughing once more. "Ho ho ho! Alright... I'll entertain this demand." it replied before snapping its fingers, materializing a chess table with fine marble pieces sitting atop it already along with two wooden chairs sat across from one another. Both Venextos and his Shadow took their places, Venextos playing black while the Shadow played white. The Shadow obviously was playing to win but for Venextos... his goal was otherwise. As they began to play the pieces were played in rapid fashion as one attempted to anticipate the other, or rather they tried to outsmart one another.

And then the game turned ended with a draw. Neither could strike the decisive blow as Venextos maneuvered his King to such a position that his Shadow could not end. The Shadow growled as it realized this sudden predicament, annoyed that such a thing had occurred. "Bah! Again!" the Shadow angrily spoke, resetting the board once more so that the two played again from the start. But once more it ended in a draw... then again... and again... and again. Rapidly, the games became a never ending stalemate and the Shadow began to angrily posture itself with its moves. Once more another draw occurred. "Why you little...! AGAIN!" the Shadow shouted, growing more and more agitated and angered at what basically was a continued slight against it. Another game continued on in such a fashion and seemed to be closing to another draw until the Shadow stood up angrily and pointed a finger at Venextos: "WHAT GAME ARE YOU GETTING AT YOU IMBECIL!?" it screamed, "I WILL NOT BE MADE A FOOL!"

Venextos remained calm as he fixed his gaze upon the Shadow and smiled: "I'm merely playing." Venextos calmly spoke, before moving his hand towards the board. "Fate is a fickle thing indeed. My actions have had such ramifications... changing from one thing to another." he started to speak, grabbing his Queen and slowly moving it down the board. "But your fate..." he then stated as he moved his Queen into the right position, bringing about a checkmate. "...is sealed."

In that moment the Shadow erupted in absolute rage as it slammed the table to break it in two and lunged at Venextos, but it only received a blast of magic straight into its face and sent it careening back. With it angered and flustered, the spells used against both Jakob and Hudson came undone and the two were able to get free and retrieve their weapons. As the group recovered, a piercing cackle broke the air: "AHA HA HA HA HA! I WILL KILL YOU IN THE WORST POSSIBLE WAY VENEXTOS! THEN I'LL KILL YOUR FRIENDS! ALL OF THEM! AND THEN I WILL GO AFTER THEIR FAMILIES FIRST IN MY RAMPAGE!!" it proclaimed with utter vitriol as it stood up and summoned two large beasts made of black tar from the ground, both of which roared at their enemies.

Crackling with intense power on his hands, Venextos stood and faced his own worst self not with fear... but with a renewed confidence. Under his hood, one could see his eyes glow in the shadows with the same magic that he now summoned to fight with. Grabbing his staff and readying it in an attack position he pointed it towards the demon: "The only thing that will die today, is you. Back to the shadows with you, foul spawn of darkness!"