Waging War

[Gwendolyn]

Heat was the first sensation Koal felt when he came to. His eyes felt heavy, and his limbs responded slowly. His eyelashes fluttered as they open, adjusting to the lack of true light. His face was covered with ash and dust, his eyes felt dry and raw, as if he had spent the last lifetime rubbing them constantly. Koal groaned and rolled over onto his stomach, positioning an arm under him so he could try and stand. It was a grueling task, filled with pain as his muscles flexed and lifted him off the ground. The half-demon wasn't sure why his body felt this way, it certainly hadn't responded this way when he had entered Camelot. But after his preliminary analysis of this verse, this place was a stark contrast to the green, prosperous land that was Camelot. Rocky outcroppings that seemed capable of impaling people, towering volcanoes that blocked out the sky with ash, and super-heated magma flows seemed to be the overall theme here.

Koal let out a dry cough, his body working hard to expel the ash from his lungs. After a few rather loud heaves, Koal stood shakily on his feet, swaying slightly. " What the hell is this place?" Koal's voice sounded scratchy and underused. He was starting to regret coming here already, but he couldn't leave. Not yet. Whatever the hell Seraph wanted him o find was here, he could feel it calling to him, beckoning him closer. He needed to find his two companions so they could start to move. 'They shouldn't be far.' Koal's thoughts felt different, too. Darker, more sinister. As if this place brought out something in him.

Koal shook his head to dispel the dark thoughts that dominated his mind. He was going to need clarity if he was to enact the plan he had formed. Koal turned around and cast his gaze around, searching for his master and rival apprentice. He found the latter leaned against a large boulder, seemingly unconscious but unharmed. Koal rushed forward and inspected the older sith for any signs of injury. He seemed fine, other than the fact that his pristine white mask, was cracked just under the left eye. Nihilus would not be fond of that.

The half-demon gripped the sith by the shoulders and gently shook him to try and rouse him from his forced slumber. It didn't work. Koal sat on his heels and contemplated a way to wake his master. The sith were very paranoid, so would a fake attempt to take his life work? Or a better question, if it did, would Koal survive the encounter? Koal shrugged and stood, drawing the hilt of his silver lightsaber as he did so. He settled into a slightly sloppy stance and stuck down, missing his master's head by a grand total of two inches. The resulting hiss and crackle of the lightsaber cutting through the rock, accompanied by the sparks that pelted the side of his face, Nihilus was awoken. The Dark Lord repulsed the demon backwards, flipping onto his feet as he did so. Koal landed on his feet, as he was prepared for the action.

The Master and Apprentice stared into the others eyes, trying to discern the opposition's intentions...

[Beta Ray Bill]

"How dare you strike at my head if it wasn't that you were apprentice I would kill you where you stand" Nihilus said with warning. Nihilus shifted his stance and griped his mask feeling the crack under his eye. "I guess this old mask is of no use to me" Nihilus said. Nihilus tore off his mask reviling that there was only dark side energy and and a complete skull with a pony tail hanging on the back of his skull. Koal blinked in surprise at what he saw. Kylo Ren got up from a rock he was behind and flinched at the sight of Nihilus. " This world is different it reminds me of korroban, a graveyard of ash and rock, yet I feel the Force here" Nihilus exclaimed. Nihilus stood in place feeling the Force reaching out for other life but he only got a sliver of something strong but faint, something far out in the distance. " All of you follow me" Nihilus said. they all started walking were Nihilus lead them.

[Gwendolyn]

Small clouds of ash and dust particles were forced into the air from their heavy footsteps. They had been walking for a solid hour at this point, and the most interesting thing they had seen was a bright green shape in the distance. Koal felt uneasy, something didn't feel right about this place. The half-demon threw his gaze around the bleak, ashen landscape, searching for signs of what might be causing him to feel this edgy. His eyes caught on a large cliff structure. The mouth of a cave. Master, looks like there is some shelter up ahead." Koal voiced his thoughts to his master. The empty skull that was his master's face nodded, and they began to climb. Clinging to small cracks and ledges, jumping up the cliff face.

SCREEEEEECHHHHHHHHH

A loud cry of unfettered rage echoed from just over the cliff, accompanied by a large, winged shape swooping down and landing, a large cloud of ash clouding around the rather large shape. Koal quickly covered the rest of the distance, swiftly jumping up the cliff face, landing just outside the large cliff mouth. The cave entrance was littered with dark red stains and trails, rubble scattered about, weapons discarded, tarnished and unusable. Stalactites came down from the roof of the cave, like sharp teeth, waiting to shred you to pieces He slowly backed away from the cave mouth, the thick ash making it very difficult to see. His back came to stop on a very rough surface. A very warm rough surface. Shit.

Koal let out a scream of pain as he felt the ivory talons of the dragon rake down his back. The dragon grasped one of Koal's legs in his mouth and threw him into the exterior of the cave. As the half-demon's skull slammed into the hard stone wall. His vision went dark for a moment, his ears ringing like church bells. His vision slowly returned, and as the last vestiges of black drained from his violet eyes, all hell broke loose.

Nihilus and Ren jumped from the edge of the cliff, landing on either side of Koal, as if shielding him from the beast. His rival sith apprentice helped him stand, though he complained about it the whole time. Koal leaned heavily on his sword which he had removed from it's scabbard on his back. Nihilus and Ren ignited their lightsabers, facing off against the beast of legend.

[Beta Ray Bill]

"kombain mus midwan ir tave zveris " Nihilus said in a different language. The dragon swooped over them and spit fire around them so they couldn't flee. The dragon flew by close enough that Nihilus could nick the beast in the belly. "We need a plan now" Nihilus said trying to keep fire from burning his cloak.The dragon circled for another attack, the dragon blew out a blast of fire that was coming down like a meteorite "Asilas" Nihilus cursed in his language. "All of us we need to combine our strength to stop the fire ball" Nihilus shouted. Koal, Ren, and Nihilus paused and pulled out there arms and concentrated on the fire ball. The fire ball shook in the air and moved only inches from its last position and fell to the ground knocking every one to ground. Koal got to his feet and pulled his master up "I've got a plan" Koal yelled out to his master.

[Gwendolyn]

"We need to-" Koal was cut off abruptly by the dragon swooping in for another pass. Lynch shoved Nihilus the opposite direction while vaulting himself backwards, just in time. A white-hot fireball exploded between them. Koal scrambled up off the super-heated stone he had landed on, brushing magma off of his jacket as he sprinted to his master's location. "GET IT OUT OF THE SKY!" Koal shouted in his master's ear, or what Koal thought was his ear. Kind of hard to tell with skulls.

Nihilus nodded and held out his gloved hand towards a moderate- sized boulder, worn by time. The boulder seemed to shiver before it was vaulted in the air, clipping the dragon in it's right wing, causing it to falter in the rhythmic flaps of the powerful wings it possessed. The dragon began a sharp nose-dive at the small group that had invaded it's territory, determined to wipe them out. The large reptilian beast extended its wings at the last moments, causing the ground to shake and more ash to cloud the area, further blinding the trio of Sith. The reptile's inner eyelids clicked shut and it began to walk forward with the knowledge that he was the apex predator, and these worms would die. Fire began to stream from the sides of the dragon's open maw, a low rumble coming from deep within its chest.

Koal's eyes began to glow red as he and Seraph bean to work as one, the large, hulking shape of the dragon was still visible, but just barely. Making hand movement for the others to circle to the dragon's wings, Koal took on the role as bait. The half-demon bared his teeth and let out hiss, enticing the dragon to roar in response. Weapons ignited and the two sith jumped onto the dragon's back. Ren scored a long cut down the heavy hide of the dragon, but before Nihilus could land a blow, the dragon reared and whipped his serpentine body around, throwing both of them. The tail almost caught Koal in the chest, but he ducked under it, grabbing it as it passed. Koal vaulted up onto the dragon's back, trying to deepen the cut already there, but the dragon already knew that trick, and his tail wrapped around Koal's waist and threw him. Koal landed in a heap at the mouth of the cave.

There was no way they could beat this thing. Not through force. Koal looked at the cave mouth, an idea beginning to take hold. Koal ran to the two sith, grabbing their robes and shoving them towards the cave mouth. "We're going to have to trick it!" Koal half-yelled as they hauled ass towards probable salvation. The dragon blew a column of fire in their direction, but the three of them rolled under the deadly flame, continuing forward. The cave was dark, but Koal was confident they could find their way around. They rushed past the entrance, desperate to escape the pissed off animal behind them. They quickly descended into darkness. Into the Lair...

[Beta Ray Bill]

Nihilus tried to keep up with Koal and Ren, tripping and stumbling around the dark cavern. Nihilus ripped off parts of his burnt cloak. The trio off sith reached an opening of the cave Koal looked up and saw that there was stalagmites at top of the cavern. "We need to trick the dragon into coming after me, were going to drop one of the rock on it.said Koal almost tired. Koal activated his lightsaber and waved it at the dragon "hay over here you stupid lizard" Koal shouted at the animal. The dragon ran towards Koal, Nihilus and Kylo Ren focused on one of the spikes. The dragon got right over Koal "now". The stalagmite fell right on top of head of the dragon and went star through it. Koal,Ren, and Nihilus all paused and sat on the ground. Koal fainted, the last thing he saw before he went blank was Nihilus and Ren had done the same.

[Gwendolyn]

The world seemed to throb in sync with The half-demon's head as he slowly awoke form his slumber. He could faintly feel someone gripping his shoulders, and a rough voice speaking in a language he couldn't understand. His consciousness faded in and out of reality. Pain gripped Koal every time he would shift. The dragon had dealt him a grievous wound. The wounds on his back seemed to drain a little more of Koal's strength every time his heart pulsed.

His mind drifted, seeking to shield Koal from the pain of his reality. A strong mental barrier enveloped his own, blocking the pain from him. It was still there, yet it wasn't. Like trying to speak to someone underwater. "Are you alright, young one?" The melodic voice of his demonic teacher, Leah, echoed through his mind. "I've...I've been better, to be honest" His voice sounded foreign to him. Deeper. Rougher. " Don't go back the way you came, it is infested with dragons, seeking your blood for killing one of their brethren." Her instructive tone turned more serious. "Don't trust Seraph,Koal, he seeks to deceive you, as he has deceived many others." Her voice began to tremble. "Whatever you do, don't give in to him. He WILL kill you. The Scythe cannot be his." Before Koal could gather his thoughts and question her on what she meant, The half-demon snapped back to reality.

Koal let out a groan as Ren and Nihilus hoisted him up by his arms, each supporting some of his weight as they began to move forward. Almost as if they were running away from something. Nihilus was cursing as he and Ren tried to move faster, but the weight of Koal seemed to be slowing them down. So Koal made a decision. "Leave me. You'll be able to get away if you leave me." Koal removed his arm from both of their shoulders, drawing the demonic blade from it's sheath as he did so. Ren and Nihilus took off without a second thought, dashing through the dark cave system, spinning around stalagmites that seemed to materialize out of nothing.

The demon spawn wrenched his sword out of the stone floor of the cave, letting out a pained grunt as he did so. Lynch took a tentative step forward, his eyes not quite adjusted to the darkness that shrouded the cave. He let out a short scream as he twisted the wrong way, the long incisions on his back flaring to life with a painful vengeance. His legs buckled from beneath him, crumpling like pieces of paper.

Koal's eyes watered as he held back tears of pain and frustration. The seal in his left eye and hand had gone dark. He was on his own. He would die here, in this dark cave, home to the heartless creatures that called this barren wasteland home. His violet iris's lightened to red as Seraph made his presence known. "So that's it, Koal, you give up? Pathetic." Seraph's mocking tone filled his head. "I expected more from you. I expected you to face your fears, not submit to them." Koal got the impression that if Seraph had a body, he would be shaking his head in disappointment.

Hiiiiiisssssssssss

The dragon's yellow, serpentine eyes peered out of the dark, joined by three other sets of eyes. They hissed in harmony, the rise and fall of their breaths creating an almost hypnotizing effect. The topaz eyes seemed to lock on to Koal's entire being. Somewhere in the back of his mind, the young man wondered if this is what a hare felt like before it was captured by a wolf. Bowing his head and trembling, Koal bowed his head, and began to pray to everything to could think of, to get him out of this nightmare. To save him...

[Beta Ray Bill]

Nihilus and Ren bolted for the exit. "Wait this isn't right, I feel as if the Force call in him for a greater destiny, Ren stay here and wait for me I'll be back" Nihilus darted back in for Koal only to see him setting on the caverns cold ground "Koal get up now you fool ran i'll bring this infernal cave down, ran NOW" Nihilus screamed at Koal while he's getting a grip through the Force to pull the cave down. Koal got to his feet and done what his master had commanded. Nihilus's hands reached out in the Force, pulling his hands towards each other. Nihilus shouted in pain and anger as the dragons came closer. The cave started to rumble,crack and shift then it started to all crumble down. Nihilus ran for the exit as the cave began to collapse on its self. Finally as Nihilus got out the entire cave had fallen. "My apprentices we head for were the calls to us fallow me to were this glimmer in Force is and we will bask in it presence and become strong once again" Nihilus parsed and started marching toward the power again, his apprentices followed.

[Gwendolyn]

Koal was perplexed. In the short time he had spent under his master, he had learned that weakness was something that you shouldn't show. And the consequences that followed if you did usually killed you. So why did the man striding so confidently in front of him not seem to have any malevolent intentions towards Koal? All of these thoughts ran circles in the young man's head, making him even more confused than he was when he started thinking about it.

" He should have left you to die. Would've taught you a lesson." The rough voice of Seraph scoffed in his head, "I've never before heard of these so-called Sith, but they make a lot of sense. You show weakness. You die." The demon's voice had deepened to a sinister whisper as he continued to speak to Koal. "You would do well to remember that, Koal." The voice went silent The young human began to simmer quietly at the demon's words.

The group quickly ducked behind a large boulder as a dark shape zoomed overhead, trails of ashen clouds trailing behind its hulking figure. It paid the small figures no mind as it prowled its territory for worthy prey. The group slowly stood from behind the wind scoured rock and began to move at a brisk walking pace. The glowing red sky of the Ashen Plains made Koal feel uncomfortable, as if someone was watching him, analyzing him. He reached out for Leah, as she had a knack for calming Koal down.

The black seal on his left hand glowed with a soft blue light, and Leah materialized, her lithe body slowly becoming tangible next to him, already walking. There was no need for words, she just rested a slender, pale hand on his shoulder, letting Koal know that everything would be alright. The gesture felt so familiar... The pieces clicked into place. Leah reminded him of his mother. They even looked similar, though Leah had a more angular face, a trademark feature of demons and she-demons.

She looked troubled, but that was only natural. Their plan against Seraph was very risky, and could end up with them both dead. If this Omni was to be believed, Koal wouldn't stay dead. But Leah... Koal wouldn't let that happen. His surrogate mother would live, and the young man set his jaw, and began to walk faster...

-Time Skip 10 Minutes-

A lake of fire. Well, to be specific, it was really lava. A mile-wide lake of perpetually burning rock and metal. Koal cast his gaze to the lands surrounding the area, the sheer cliffs on the west side of the lake had nothing there, no real vantage points. In the eastern distance, the half-demon thought he caught a glance of a black castle, but the ever moving clouds of smoke and ash blotted it out before he could confirm that theory. He returned his gaze to his quarry. It was very difficult to see, but it was there. The entrance to a sacred grotto. The Scythe of Dawn. It was what they came here for. Though the rest of the group had no idea as to what it was. His master could sense it through his so-called force. It was a weapon of light. Wielded by the Archangel Anake. A weapon for killing a demon...

[Gwendolyn]

Thump...Thump...Thump

The dull sound of Koal's shoes hitting the rock he was perched on was the only sound to be heard at the moment. The two Sith Lords were meditating, trying to pinpoint the source of the force presence they sensed. If they only knew... The young swordsman thought to himself, chuckling a bit. He carefully stood on top of the jagged outcropping, balancing on the balls of his feet. Purple orbs became slits as he peered out at the lake that had halted their progress. His focus was interrupted by the sound of rocks grinding on each other, signaling someone was walking to his side.

All of Koal's misgivings came back to him as he relaxed again, and Leah noticed. She opened her mouth to speak, but the final member of the Lynch family beat her to the punch."Don't try and downplay the severity of this situation, Leah. You're going to tell me that we will succeed, and that I won't have to deal with Seraph." Koal faced the older she-demon, "Seraph's influence isn't going to disappear. Not for a long time." Leah closed her mouth, letting out a pensive breath.

Koal closed his eyes and racked his brain for anything they could do to get to the grotto. He had already ruled out walking around, that would be too dangerous, and Koal didn't want to expose the group to that kind of risk. He had to be smart about this. They could build a bride with Omnilium... but that would leave them tired and drained because of the concentration that would require. No. Koal and Leah needed all their strength to fight Seraph. A boat? Not too big of course. But it would need protections against he lava.

Koal jumped off the rock, rolling when he hit the ground to prevent any injuries. He ran over to his master, barely able to contain his excitement. His master lifted his head as Koal came near. "We have discerned that the location of the presence is-"

"Directly across the lake, I know. Don't ask how, I just do." The half-demon interrupted. He then proceeded to tell the Sith his plan. His master was nodding his head through the explanation, as if it was a good idea. Sounds of feet hitting the ground were heard as Leah caught up with Koal. The need for words was minimal for the two, and Leah touched his left hand, transferring herself back into the seal, the symbol burning with a blue glow.

Nihilus motioned with a gloved hand for Koal to sit down, so they could begin. Koal complied, settling down on his haunches. He bowed his head and closed his eyes. The three Sith tentatively reached their minds out to one another, so they could focus together. Koal guided their minds onto a design in his head. A ironclad in design, yet built to weather the hot lava they would be traveling through. The hull was packed with dry ice to keep the metal cool and maintain the integrity of the vessel. The hull itself was made with a fortified steel compound, that Leah had told him about during his teachings.

Demons used it to forge their armor. Protected them from the many lava flows that were common in hell. The three focused their minds, their energies seeming to keep one another on track. The welded plates of metal came together in his mind, it had more modern technology in it so they wouldn't need a crew to keep the boat running.
_____________________

Twenty minutes. Twenty minutes later and Koal opened his eyes. A migraine had developed in his head, but they had done it. They had made a boat. Koal grinned with triumph, his eyes drooping a bit due to exhaustion. He helped his Master up, and together they boarded the vessel. One step closer...

[Beta Ray Bill]

Nihilus, Ren, and Koal boarded the iron clad ship. Koal went to the below the deck of the ship to get some sleep while Nihilus and Ren stood near the bridge. " Ren stay near the bridge there are some things I need to take care of" Nihilus commanded. Ren gave a nod and Nihilus went below the deck. Nihilus pulled out the strange item that created the holocrones he made earlier, Nihilus looked down at his cloak and noticed it was burnt and destroyed " pity I liked that cloak, well now that I have this interesting object I've always wanted my self to look like this" he said to him self. Nihilus began to think and put effort in the idea slowly his appearance began to change. his gloves turned into gauntlets with claws his entire body began to form into armor elbow pieces with spikes coming out, pointed boots, spiked knee plates, graves with ridges, shoulder spikes, a helmet that looked like a demon with horns, and to top it off purple flames came out of the armors joint and openings. He let out a feral grin and laughed. Now for other business. Boots thudded against the wooden floor as Nihilus strode into the room where Koal was resting. The black figure walked up to the young man, placing a armored claw against his forehead. The Dark Lord's mind reached out and enveloped the other's consciousness. "Do not try and hide from me, demon." No answer. The dark landscape of the young man's mind was still and silent. "Reveal yourself if you wish to remain in one piece, you insolent brat!" The still landscape erupted with a wave of fury. " I'LL SHOW YOU WHO IS INSOLENT, HUMAN" the demon's mind rammed Nihilus's, shattering into a thousand pieces.The small tendrils drilled into the Dark Lord's head, trying to fight their way into the other man, to drive him off. It worked. Nihilus withdrew with a strangled gasp. Nihilus griped Koal's head and jumped back into his mind. This time Nihilus was pissed, Seraph jumped into view ."Came back for more" Seraph taunted. Nihilus griped Seraphs neck and lifted him up. red mist began to appear in the background. Nihilus repeatedly beat Seraph until submission "Tell me what were going for at that grotto NOW"! Nihilus commanded. Seraph let out a grin, his eyes alight with insanity, and dissapeared into black smoke. A dark laugh surrounded Nihilus. "You forget that this is MY playing field. You are in no position to try and order me." A swift low to the back of his knee sent Nihilus to a kneeling position. Seraph reappeared and placed a armored claw on Nihilus's head. "IN the end, they all will kneel, peasant." Nihilus was forced out of Koal's mind, tumbling back and falling to the floor.

[Gwendolyn]

A scream permeated the sterile air of the vessel. Koal was in pain. The seal in his left eye burned blood-red beneath his shut eyelids. The young swordsman thrashed in his cot, and he could faintly hear someone rushing to restrain his thrashing limbs. Strong hands clamped down on his arms, forcing them to the surface of the small bed. His eyes snapped open, blood-red. He let out a fierce snarl and threw his attacker. The figure flew across the small room and hit the wall, making the room shudder with the impact.

Koal reigned himself in, closing his eyes. His breathing was ragged and irregular, betraying the true color of his thoughts. He slowly unclenched his locked fist, willing himself to calm down. He swung his legs over the edge of the cot, setting his shoes on the floor with a soft tap. The young swordsman stood shakily, swaying as the blood rushed from his head. When his vision and balance returned he swung his gaze to the figure who had tried to restrain him. The armor was unfamiliar to him, and seemed very demonic in design. But the presence the figured exuded. Master Nihilus. He let out a gasp and rushed to pick up his master from the ground.

"I am so sorry, Master. I didn't know it was you. Forgive me." Koal didn't want to be on the receiving end of his master's lightsaber. He stepped back and opened the door to the hallway of the ironclad. He stepped into the narrow passageway, pivoted on his heel, left heading above deck. Koal sucked in a breath of ash-filled air. He let out a series of rough coughs, his body expelling the foreign agent from his lungs. He rubbed his chest as he looked around the leak landscape. He felt Leah also looking through his eyes. They were not far from the lack sand beach. Another minute or two and they'll be on dry land. Was lava wet? Koal shrugged his shoulders, dismissing the thought.

The ship made a horrible screeching noise as it violently ran aground. The rocks gouged the hull exterior, rendering the vessel practically useless for the time being. Koal bunched the muscles in his legs and leaped free of the wreck, his body soaring through the air. Hit lithe form cut through the ashen air like a knife. The half demon landed on an elevated platform of rock, weathered into the cliff face by the ravages of time. He could faintly see the figures of his master and rival apprentice do the same. He needed to get moving, they would only complicate things if they were allowed to know his position. The young demon whirled around on his heel, his violet eyes scanning the cliff face for a decent hold. He leap up, his hand gripping a small crack. And he climbed...

[Beta Ray Bill]

The Sith Duo leapt from the ship as it continued to gouge itself out on the rocky shore of the beach. The two caught a narrow ledge. Koal was nowhere to be found. But Nihilus could sense him. He was up the cliff, and rapidly advancing. He was getting ahead of them, for some reason, but Nihilus didn't know why. He jerked his head upwards, signaling to Kylo that they should star to climb. Immersing himself in the force, Nihilus hurled himself upwards, ascending cliff face rapidly.They cleared the last stretch of scliff face, hauling themselves over the edge. Nihilus scanned the area for Koal. His eyes caught on an opening in the rock face of the mountain. Grabing Kylo's arm and hauling him along, Nihilus dashed for the entrance. The passageway was dark and cold, but Nihilus didn't care. He could sense the presence of the mysterious force and Koal. His apprentice seemed to be worried, yet strangely determined. Something was brewing, and The Dark Lord wanted to be there when it reared it's head. He burst through an opening in the dark passageway. He was met by a moonlit grotto. Smoot h stone covered the floor. Strange markings of a language long-forgotton were inscribed upon the ground. And at the center, was a scythe. It radiated pure power and light, illuminating the cave. And Koal was right next to it, his hand outstretched. Kylo Ren made a dash for the weapon, but he didn't get far. He grasped his head, and fell to his knees. Something was stopping him from interfereing. Nihilus took a wary step back and cast his dark gaze around the room. Many stone thrones were situated along the perimeter, so Nihilus took a seat, and prepared to enjoy the show.

[Gwendolyn]

The weapon was beautiful. It thrummed with power, making Koal's heartbeat flutter with every pulse of light. The cavern echoed with a haunting melody, an echo of the past it once belonged to. The half-demon reached out a hand to grab the ancient tool of war, so he could rid himself of the demon that plagued him. His fingers brushed the polished metal surface of the handle, and his seal shattered...

The world was bled dry of color and sound as Koal dropped to his knees, his ears ringing. He felt detached, as if the world was there, but he wasn't a part of it anymore. He lifted up an arm. He pressed it to his nose, and when he removed it, the tips of his fingers were tinged with blood. His head pounded and Koal let out a prolonged groan, akin to the sound of a dying animal. "So this is what it came to, Koal? You trying to kill ME!?" His world slammed back into color as Seraph struck Koal, the young human slamming into the stone wall of the cavern. The demon let out a blood-curdling scream for blood and slammed Koal back into the ground as he tried to rise.

"You never stood a chance, Koal. I hope you understand that." Seraph smiled at his other half, his teeth glinting in the low light. "F-Fuck You." Koal slammed a knee into Seraph's abdomen and kicked him away. The demon stood from the ground, a hand pressed to his gut. He and Koal began to circle, analyzing, daring the other to make the first strike. Their footsteps echoes off the walls, and their labored breathing clouded the air in front of them. Seraph made the first move. He threw a punch aimed at Koal's head. Lynch dodged, and kicked at Seraph's legs. The demon jumped over the kick, and their deadly dance began. Swords slithered out of their sheaths and the clang of steel on steel pierced the air. Sparks frazzled in and out of existence as they slid their swords against one another, as they struck, and as they blocked. Koal danced out of the way of an overhead strike, and Seraph blocked a strong blow.

Koal flipped the sword and held it in a backhand grip, settling into one of the many stances his new Master had taught him. He vaulted over Seraph raining blows down on him, to prevent him from launching any of his own. Seraph let out an infuriated growl and lit his body on fire, trying to elicit a fearful reaction from Koal. He got no such thing. Koal let out a feral grin and punch Seraph in the jaw, shattering more than a few of the demon's teeth. The demon staggered and cradled his mouth with his right hand, blood trickling out of his lips. "So much anger, what did I do to deserve this, Koal?" Seraph put hurt and sorrow into his voice, playing his last desperate card.

Those words seemed to have an effect on the young man, as he went still, his hair sweeping down and covering his eyes. The silence was deafening. Then Koal started to laugh. Not a good-humored laugh. But one filled with a dark malice, as if he wanted to rip Seraph piece to piece. Tear him apart limb from limb. He laughed as if the though could have ticked him more. The laughter grew. And grew. Until the maniacal sound filled the space. Then it died. "You took everything from me,Seraph. And that's a debt I intend to repay. With interest. I. Hate. You. The playful boy he was used to was gone. This... This was a demon. The boy rushed forward, slashing at Seraph. The Aspect of Despair tried to block, but he played right into Koal's hands. It was a ruse. Koal switched the direction of the blade, the silver sword spearing the demon through his chest with a wet squelch. Seraph let out a chocked gurgle, his blood filling his lungs. "Well.....Well done. You did it.I will die Koal. But I want you to know... I hate you,too. And every time you close your eyes, you WILL think of me." Seraph pulled himself off the blade, the metal slick with blood. He fell to the ground, clutching his chest. And with a final, ragged breath, Seraph passed.

The cavern echoed as Koal's vision went dark, his body falling to the floor...

[Beta Ray Bill]

Nihilus rose from the throne approaching Koal. Nihilus reached out for his lightsaber and burned a circle into the ground " Ren come I need your help with this ritual" Nihilus commanded. Kylo Ren ran toward him as Nihilus began the ritual. Nihilus held his hands out and began to sway in place and Ren done the same " sis vele ir akti jis" Nihilus began to say in rhythm as did Ren. Koals body began to quiver, jump and spas out until finally Koal gave out a large gasp and awakened " welcome back from the dead Koal good job you faced your fears and killed it now the real story begins" Nihilus said with a chuckle.

[Gwendolyn]

FINIS. *takes a bow*

[Beta Ray Bill]

FINIS *Takes bow*