Complaints Department

Complaints Department
Date of Scene:	04 May 2013
Location:	Traverse Town - District 1
Synopsis:	Avira decides to take Souji to task for her comments to Maira. She finds out that Souji is a caring person who shares her concerns. One of these sentences is a lie.
Cast of Characters:	Avira, Angantyr Vespar, Garland, Souji Murasame

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Souji Murasame has posed:
Traverse Town.

Hub of the worlds.

A place of business and movement. It is rapidly becoming an essential part of people's lives, and that means it's an essential place for Souji Murasame to pay attention to. Having a foot in the door on the major travel hub of the worlds is extremely important. The corporate heir walks through the streets, watching the people around him and the buildings he passes. Some are of more interest than others. Economic values are assessed, potential plans for mergers, takeovers, and competition made. Will Traverse Town be a s simple to deal with as the World of Ruin?

Avira has posed:
Good luck with Traverse Town. With Garland's 'war' effectively in place here, people have been a bit, well, /reluctant/ to come and stay here. It might be better that those of the town are a bit more transient than usual-it'd make them safer, right? But this isn't always the best thing for those who have businesses here.

Reconstruction of the VALKYRI Headquarters has been slow. Part of the reason was the destruction provided a good excuse to make some restorations or expansions. The rest was...people were reluctant to rebuild what Garland had ordered knocked down. It could easily end up as rubble again should Angantyr or any other of his minions strike.

A lot had been on Avira's mind lately, foremost of which being the struggle that Maira recently endured. She'd heard about what happened DURING it but it was something that had happened AFTER that really got her attention.

Unfortunately for Souji, that something was him. As Avira makes her way back to the under construction guild hall, she passes by Souji,, slowing as she takes note of the teenager.

Souji Murasame has posed:
The corporate heir continues to move through the streets. He is listening to the words of the people. The word 'Garland' comes up more than once, and he pauses to look over his shoulder at those speaking. He eventually move on, however, turning down a more quiet street, one that is a less-used thoroughfare.

It's at this point that he pauses, tapping at the side of his glasses, as faint images appear on them. What is he doing with them? Some kind of technology or magic?

Avira has posed:
Ah, to come from a world with actual technology. Maybe Xanatos had his own similar pair of glasses squirreled away somewhere. But for someone like Avira, such things would only show up in science fiction. A moment or two longer is spent watching Souji before Avira decides that, yes, this young man MUST be the one that Maira mentioned.

Wasting not a second longer, the scarred huntress approaches him. "Excuse me, but are you Souji Murasame?" Her tone is curious, but firm.

Souji Murasame has posed:
The man pauses, and then turns smoothly to face Avira. He looks over her, his glasses flickering as he does so. He frowns at something, but it's hard to tell what... Before his expression normalizes again. "Yes. I am. How can I help you?" Souji replies.

Avira has posed:
Avira is quick to meet his eyes. Casually, she places one hand on her hip as she watches him, taking note of those interesting flickering glasses. "If I'm not mistaken, you recently had a guest aboard your airship. A fire mage by the name of Maira. She is a dear friend and fellow VALKYRI, so I'm /very/ curious."

There is, no doubt, a bit of an edge to her voice. "Why did you bring her aboard?"

Souji Murasame has posed:
"Maira." Souji says. "I see. She and her gargoyle associate were guests of mine for a short time, yes." He folds his hands before him, then gestures. "I was wondering about the nature of her power. She had singlehandedly managed to destablilize and purge the dark energy from a powerful knight, causing a control mechanism established by the Emperor of Palamecia to shatter... And possibly save his life."

Avira has posed:
"Percival." Avira offers. "The gargoyle's name is Percival." 'Guests', Avira inwardly laughs. She was no guest by what Maira had admitted. "Well, well that's very interesting. Did you happen to figure out anything about the nature of her power?"

Avira seems interested, but still quite stern, the anger toward what she heard happened lurking just beneath the surface.

Souji Murasame has posed:
"Percival, then. I found his gratitude to be less of an issue than his overwhelming desire to lecture." Souji shrugs. He looks over the woman again, considering her question. "Her power is uncontrolled and unfocused. She is a danger to herself and those who relentlessly pitch themselves in front of her, and she has attracted the attention of powerful people who will be a threat to her. Because of her capacity to make others suffer for her mistakes and her lack of recognition of her situation, as well as the co-dependant nature of her... guardian..." He shrugs. "She's going to continue until enough people have died for her to make her take responsibility for her actions."

Avira has posed:
"Hmm." Avira lifts her head a little as he speaks. "Well, had Maira been...handled roughly, I could see a desire for him to lecture." Spoken dryly, it's hard to tell if this is really meant to be indicative of what she knew.

But she doesn't seem to want to hold onto such pretenses, "From what I understand, you shared these views with her. Very interesting, how you'd offer such 'advice' to someone when you understand so little about her powers. I am curious, though, what else did you happen to 'learn' from your conversation with her?"

Souji Murasame has posed:
Souji permits himself a sigh. "How about we dispense with your leadup. I've told you everything you need to know and I have no real interest in justifying meself to someone I don't know and who is taking a confrontational attitude with me. If you're going to come after me because I said mean things to your friend..." He shakes his head. "Seriously. It's people like you that allowes her to persist in flailing helplessly in the middle of a battlefield. I wasn't the only one attempting to remove her from the battlefield, you understand. I told her she could come with me to escape. She panicked. I had neither the time nor the desire to deal with her indecision, so I hit her on the back of the head so the conflict would be concluded more swiftly. If you're going to complain to be about it, /get to it/ instead of beating around the bush."

Avira has posed:
"I am not-" Avira suddenly interrupts, annoyance finally in her voice, "'Coming after you', I am demanding explanation for your actions. Your version of events. Do you want confrontational?" Her eyes narrow, "I can give you confrontational." Firmly, Avira folds her arms over her chest.

"So if I'm understanding this correctly, you believe that Maira is incapable of making her own decisions and thus made the decision for her to forcefully retreat. Afterwards, you admonished her for her actions when she was attacked, not only by the Dark Knight, but by that Emperor as well. When she had /two/ beings of darkness baring down on her? Is this what happened?"

Souji Murasame has posed:
"I am saying she knowingly walked into a situation where her friends were forced to come save her. Was she successful? Perhaps. That depends on your definition of success." Souji replies. "She is the one who would know the most about her powers, but /even so/ she informed me that she doesn't know how they work, that she doesn't have any real control over them, or what the true nature of her abilities are. How can you depend on such things when your liberty, or worse, your /life/ are on the line?" 5r
Souji steps forward towards Avira. "Is that really a responsible action? I perhaps could even accept it if she understood what she was doing to those other people who fought and bled to save her. But no. She doesn't really understand. I hoped to try to forge some kind of potential alliance with her in order to deal with potential future issues, but that is not the kind of resource that is useful to anyone but /maybe/ herself."

"I am not admonishing her for being attacked by two forces of darkness. I am admonishing her for walking into an obvious trap that she couldn't handle, with no plan other than to throw her friends at it and pray that her powers managed to work to 'save' one of them."

Avira has posed:
"How /can/ you depend on such things, when your life and liberty are at stake?"

When Souji steps forward, Avira steps forward as well, uncaring of personal space. "How can someone risk their own well-being on behalf of another person? Once? Twice? Again and again? Because not only does she trust us, but she would put such faith in those at her back that she would risk her own well-being to /help/ someone who comes to kill her."

She looks him in the eye, "Put that way, it sounds unbelievable, doesn't it? I can understand if you think that this cannot possibly be the case. Maybe she is an immature little child, handed a power she cannot possibly comprehend or control. But one thing is for sure-she understands that power as much as both you or I, which is to say nothing at all."

There is a pause, "I will agree with two things, though. She will need to understand what this power does to her around her. And she is not ideal for allying to you."

Souji Murasame has posed:
Souji weathers the response from Avira. It is passionate. It is honest. The immovable visage of Souji actually cracks slightly, causing him to take a half-step backwards. He is quiet for several seconds, before he blinks. "Very well. So we have things we can agree on. If you're worried about it, I have no intentions to harm her. I think she is a liability to her friends, not a threat to my organization."

Souji turns slightly. "Is there anything else you wanted to say? Because if you are done, I have a question for you."

Avira has posed:
Never does her gaze waver from Murasame as she speaks. She doesn't give any ground either, firm in her declaration. Once she's said her piece, she gladly allows Souji to continue, whether to make a rebuttal or otherwise.

Offered the chance to continue herself, she seems contemplative for a moment before shaking her head, "No, I think I've made my point. What is your question?"

Souji Murasame has posed:
Souji looks like, maybe, that he's going to make a rebuttal.

He doesn't bother. Souji, instead, looks away and simply says, "I've heard people talk about an entity named 'Garland'. Who is this being? What can you tell me about him?"

Avira has posed:
Avira actually looks a little surprised by this question. Indeed, she had been half-expecting some sass-mouthed 'question' phrased as such to implicate the target of idiocy or the like.

In a way, she can appreciate this blunt, businesslike need for information. "Well..." there is a pause. Perhaps a SONG all about Garland is swelling in the back of her mind. But no, she refrains, for a small part of her feels like singing here would be casting pearls before swine.

"Garland is an immortal being that is an embodiment of darkness. No...darkness is not exactly what I'd give the name of what's contained in that armor. It's something worse, something more primal. It's chaos." Avira begins.

Garland has posed:
Shadows are a facet of the light. No matter how the light denies it, no matter how the good and the just pretend otherwise, the darkness is not an absence of light - it is a physical force, an equal and opposite reaction, a fundamental requirement of the universe. Now, that fundamental requirement, that physical force, is on full display; the shadows erupt, darkness flaring upwards like fireworks at the approach of one who embodies it.

All things have an equal and opposite reaction.

Garland is the equal and opposite reaction of all things.

Shadows flare in the middle of the street; people begin to flee as the armored figure emerges, seven feet tall and clad in fearsome iron. He is not a familiar sight to the people of Traverse Town, of course; the last time he strode so brazenly through the streets, they had been evacuated. Garland had found that entertaining.

Now, however, the Ironclad Nightmare will be etched into the minds of many to come. He strides out of the portal, purposeful, silent in all ways; he advances on Avira without word or warning, a great black blade forming in his hand out of pure nothingness; it cuts through the air as he swings it with the force of a freight train right for her stomach.

If Garland pays Souji any mind, he does not speak as such. The Heir of Murasame either escapes his gaze, or is...next on his list.

Souji Murasame has posed:
He was about to ask another question.

But Chaos has a way of making its own time for things. The assemblance of Darkness within the area causes Souji to suddenly blink, his defiant pride cracking for a moment as he looks at the Ironclad Nightmare's appearance.

To Souji's credit, he doesn't break down instantly.

But also is he not interfering. The heir steps backwards to give the pair plenty of room to do battle. If Garland wants to test the Murasame's steel next, Souji doesn't seem to object. "Looks like you both have a history." Souji says, dryly.

Avira has posed:
He had said any time, hadn't he? It didn't matter if she was battered or feeling down or just in the middle of a conversation. Though given the subject matter and his timing right now, Avira had to wonder if Garland had rounded up some fresh spies to keep an eye on her. Isaac would not be happy. Well-Isaac would not be happy peroid to find this guy around.

About to continue describing Garland for the benefit of Souji, a sudden familiar chill overcomes her. Experience had hammered into every cell of her being what it meant. Her hand has already moved to tear her unusual-looking weapon free of its sheath, losing the weapon before the first set of screams start.

Gripping the Spine, one hand on the hilt, the other braces the far end at the cost of stabbing into the palm of her hand with the serrated edges. She angles the sword downward and the enormous blade of Garland strikes.

She does not block it, which is likely what keeps her alive, instead using her weapon as a means to divert the blade upwards along the length of the Spine. Not stopping the momentum, but directing it over her as she slips downward. "We have some history!" Avira calls out, hurling herself at Garland, trying to take advantage of being on the outside of his swing to suddenly lunge forward and try to drive the length of the Spine into Garland's flank-regardless of whether or not she can actually penetrate that armor.

"Any more questions?"

Garland has posed:
Indeed, Avira's parry is all that saves her life. The Spine slides along the massive, segmented blade; sparks fly everywhere, grinding along the blade as Garland's swings it downwards towards the girl's stomach. The parry diverts it just enough - just enough that instead of cutting her in twain, it slams into the ground, leaving a deep black scar. Even where the Spine touched the blade is black; a vile, clinging shadow that hangs off the blade like an acid or a poison. Avira stabs into Garland's side, and the shadows melt off him like ice as the blade sinks into his body.

As it sinks in, it becomes apparent why Garland took the strike. He pushes into the blade, his free hand curling around the Spine, a violent iron vice; twin red pinpricks of light flare as he stares. Garland's blade swings up again; with Avira's sword stuffed into his side and locked by his iron grasp, she may be faced with a terrible choice.

SACRIFICE IS THE PATH TO STRENGTH

Souji Murasame has posed:
"No, I'm fine." Souji seems to be more than willing to let this play out as it wills.

That is not to say that he is wasting this opportunity. He is watching the pair struggle with an intent expression on his face. The comparison of battle techniques, the behaviors, the actions taken. The exchange of blades, and the thought behind each of them.

Souji then turns his gaze towards Garland, and taps the side of his glasses. Images begin to flicker across his eyes... And he frowns. Something isn't going how he expects.

Avira has posed:
This is actually a little unexpected. Avira fully suspected that her weapon would just glance off the heavily armored hide of Garland. In fact, she had already prepared to compensate with her footing. There is an instant of surprise from Avira and she looks up at Garland.

Both of her hands grasp the pelvic bone hilt of the blade and she starts to pull. Naturally, this is not a sword that can be easily extracted from objects and Avira knows this. The three serrated edges meant that Avira had to exert tremendous amounts of strength to use it-it was actually a pretty useful training tool.

Then Garland grabs onto it. Avira swears under her breath and immediately stops pulling. With a shout, she channels her ice magic through the blade before letting go and slipping around Garland, forcing him to turn should he want to strike her with that huge blade.

As she moves, she removes the small buckler shield from off her back. There's a brief glance given over to Souji. Sure, she could explain their little arragement, but she barely knew the guy-so no way.

Garland has posed:
The ice stabs into Garland; it sinks deep into his armor, a chill rolling across the outside of the metal almost instantly as Avira goes roling around him. She narrowly avoids the blade; it smashes against the wall of a building, cleaving through it cleanly despite the sheer weight of the blade. The strength behind that sword is terrifying.

And once again, Garland proves himself to be a terrifying fighter. He releases the blade, and it vanishes; as he does so, his foot snaps backwards, a kick from the ancient demigod aimed squarely at Avira's knee. The chill is slowing him down a bit - that heavy armor is not massvely segmented, and what joints it does have are quickly being frozen over - but it isn't reducing his physical strength at all. And that's a problem - because that buckler won't do much good against Garland's building-smashing might.

PAIN IS THE PATH TO POWER
SACRIFICE AND SUFFER
SAMSARA OF WAR

Souji Murasame has posed:
Souji doesn't /ask/ for an explanation. The situation is apparent.

This is Garland. Souji feels the impossible /force/ that radiates out of Garland. He can /feel/ the words pound through the area, a silent declaration of meaning out of meaninglessness, words that reduce meaning to meaninglesness itself. Souji's fists clench as he looks on, but he steps backward again, waiting to see how Avira deals with the insane power and endurance of Garland.

Avira has posed:
The ice was meant to slow Garland down in this case-and if he was slower, then she'd have more time to try and work that weapon free. The ice, of course, helps in its own way since cold will make metal shrink a little bit. If she's not over there to pull it out, then that's not going to help so much.

The disappearance of his sword is the only warning she gets. Avira's expecting another punch to the stomach, much like last time-but no. It's that FOOT.

The buckler doesn't do much at all except earn a nice big boot-shaped footprint. Avira promptly goes flying, her tiny body smashing through the door of a nearby building.

A few seconds pass before the scarred woman picks her way out of the building, still clinging on to her damaged shield. She hesitates for a moment before hurling herself at him, swinging a clenched hand downward at one of his knees, pushing herself in spite of her bloodied and damaged body.

Knowing full well that someone of her size could do nothing against Garland in a barehanded fight, she resorts to augmenting her strikes with ice magic.

Garland has posed:
Augmenting her strikes might be the wisest thing she can do. The ice smashes against Garland's armor, protecting Avira from the Ironclad Nightmare's spikes and shadows; she hammers her fists against him without fear, each chunk smashing against the armor and ringing out through the streets. That armor is metal, at least; metal can bend, metal can break. That is a confirmation that, before now, was sorely, sorely lacking.

It is what is underneath the armor that may not be so easily broken.

After a few moments, it becomes very obvious why Garland is allowing Avira to hammer him, beyond just his ungodly endurance; his free hand hasn't even risen to block her. He hasn't traded a single strike. Was it just the fear of his fist that he sought to impel?

No. It was a distraction, as he ripped Avira's blade out of his own body. The Spine, in Garland's hand, looks almost comically mis-sized compared to his usual monstrous blade. In the blink of an eye, the blade turns a hideous, ichorous black; that poisonous shadow drips off it, either the stuff of the Ironclad Nightmare or some magic of his existence. He raises the blade, now armed, pointing it at her like a fencer keeping an opponent at range.

Then he begins to stab at her. Fast, light; Garland moves like a dancer, one hand behind his back, one hand wrapped around the Spine, slashing and stabbing and piercing the air with Avira's sword. Despite the chill that surrounds him and the dents and dings and damage to his armor (ice has simply covered his left shoulder, and he's notably not using that arm at the moment as it melts), he continues onwards, undaunted.

FIGHT HARDER
AND BLEED

Souji Murasame has posed:
Souji watches Avira get thrown through the wall. He wonders, briefly, if that might be the end. It is not. Souji's expression flickers, inscrutably, at this as she desperately begins to attack.

The conversion of the Spine into a weapon held by Garland causes him to squint as well. Can she hold up against such a thing? The blackness that seethes from him, over everything he touches. So familiar, yet...

And then as Garland attacks, Avira likely attempts to fight back. Attempts to live. In the brawl, there might be a question that gets asked.

Where did Souji go?

The answer is in the sound of metal hissing behind Avira, a split second before the Murasame Blade, a katana of black steel and crimson-etched runes of hunger, strikes for Avira's back.

"Enough." Souji says, irritably. "You're not strong enough for this. Stop wasting everyone's time."

Avira has posed:
After her experience with Lavi and her virtually unbreakable armor, Avira had thought Garland's was more of the same. He had thousands of years to perfect it.

In short order, even through her magic and her gloves, her knuckles start to bleed. Avira clearly prefers fighting with her weapon-but still, she hammers away at him. She knows how this goes and she was encouraged by the bending metal. Maybe even a little fascinated that HER fist could do that.

It isn't long before she gets that 'too good to be true' feeling and her brown eyes flick up to look at him. Blood pours down her forehead, tracing the length of her nose. "...what the hell did you do to the Spine?!" she exclaims, horrified by the corruption he's spread upon it.

Right away, she jerks backwards, blocking the first strike with ruined shield-or mostly blocking, as her own weapon leaves a wrecked hole in the buckler.

A second stab slips through her defenses, piercing beneath her right armpit, drawing a squeal of pain from the woman. Twisting away from the blade to minimize the damage the spines inflict, Avira slips her other arm behind the shield and immediately ices it up. Although it may be a perfectly servicable barrier for protection, her footwork focuses on dodging and protecting her head, even at the cost of being stabbed in other places. The faintest hint of a silvery sheen can be seen clinging to her skin, mingling in her blood.

Without warning, she moves in again, and Garland strikes her right side a second time. Disregarding the pain, she continues darting forward, along the length of his arm, until she is parallel with his wrist.

There is a flash of silvery light and she slams the iced shield sideways against his wrist.

At that same moment, Souji strikes Avira in the back, opening up a new bleeding wound beneath where the breastplate ends and leather-covered back begins. There's a surprised yelp from Avira and she stumbles forwards-but rather than plow into Garland, she throws herself beneath his arm and whirls, angling herself so now both Garland and Souji are in her line of sight.

"That's not your decision to make, so <GOOSEHONK> off." Avira rasps.

Garland has posed:
The fundamental difference between Lavi and Garland is that Lavi requires her armor to protect her from harm. Lavi's armor is a necessity for her survival, a requirement for taking the sort of damage she might take normally. Garland, however...Garland's armor is an ornament, a small chunk of his body rather than a means of defense. Garland has the technology and the magic to make an almighty power-armor; he could imbue it with all sorts of enchantments and weapons. But why? What would that accomplish for him?

The truth is that Garland has left his armor so because it gives enemies a sense of false hope, which of course he takes true and delicious delight in shattering. Only against those who can truly kill him does he shore up his defenses with the shadow and the darkness; only then does his armor become the nigh-invulnerable ironclad that is hs title, when the nightmare and the armor are one.

Avira is not one of those. The look on her face, the suffering, the shock as her hope drains away...Garland lives for these moments.

And then Souji intervenes. Garland pauses for a moment. He could easily take a killing stab right here, but if he was interested in killing Avira, he could've long ago. Instead, Garland stabs the blade of the Spine deep down into the ground, splitting the street of Traverse Town like scissors through paper. As he releases the blade, some of the shadows drain away - but some of them cling, as though they've sunk into the blade, as though merely having his touch and having tasted his...blood?...has corroded and corrupted the artifact.

There is, of course, no blood on the blade.

Garland looks over Souji for a moment, then folds his hands behind his back, pacing back and forth in the way that he does. A moment later, he waves his hand dismissively.

"The rhythm of battle has been broken."

The corridor rips open, and Garland's foot steps into it, his cape vanishing behind him a moment later. The only hint of his presence, besides the destruction, is the black ichor clinging to the Spine.

Angantyr Vespar has posed:
A second corridor appears after Garland leaves.

Angantyr stands out, dark armor wraping around him like smoke as he narrows his eyes at Souji.

"One: You just interfeared with a fight between my master and his student. Two: You just attacked my student."

The mace comes out, launching at Souji, "And You will guess what three is!" he says, shouting as he brings the mace down to try and catch Souji by the legs and try and tear through them with terrifying force. He swings repeatedly, aiming to add full offense towards the Murasame heir.

"You've done <GOOSEHONK>ed up."

Souji Murasame has posed:
Souji turns away from Avira, turning away with the blood of the woman on her blade. The blood begins to vanish, absorbed into the hungry blade. He turns away, shaking his head dismissively. "I just made it. Go home." Souji says.

He turn turns to the Ironclad Nightmare, silent and expectant. He sets into a battle stance, waiting for the man to come. Surely, Garland would not turn down his challenge.

But he does. "... What is this!?" He says, exasperation in his tone. Souji whips the blade to one side, sending a cascade of lightning blasting towards the vanishing Corridor useless. "FIGHT ME, GARLAND!" Souji yells, raising his blade uselessly...

And then Angantyr arrives. He pauses, his expression of irritation cracking into dull, smouldering anger. His sneer only grows as Angantyr counts off his 'mistakes'. A crackling wind builds around him as he does so, exploding outwards at Angantyr as the maceman charges him. Angantyr, however, is more than capable of barrelling through the wind wall, striking him out and knocking him down. Souji rolls to one side, his suit torn and bleeding as he looks up at the maceman. "So confident." Souji says, shortly, before he levels his blade. "Murasame will fed more tonight, then. Come!"

With an explosion of lightning, Souji lashes out with a wave of energy, threatening to send Angantyr flying away. "Underestimate me at your peril." This is quickly followed with a shearing blast of lightning that cascades around Angantyr, roiling and sticking to him in a crackling corona of St. Elmo's Fire.

Avira has posed:
Avira is not unaware of the fact that she continues to live around Garland because it amuses him. She's long since abandoned all embarassment or shame she feels from this because being alive is a nice thing. -even if being alive meant being in large amounts of pain.

Her breath is heavy as she stands there with her shield held in a defensive position, disappointed to see that her gambit to retrieve her weapon has failed. She's not sure how she'd manage to fight both of these people, Souji being an unknown and Garland being an insurmountable barrier. Fortunately, she doesn't have to go very far in her strategizing. Garland relinquishes her weapon and disappears.

Avira grasps the hilt of the Spine and tears it free of the ground with some effort, a grimace upon her face as she immediately feels the corruption left behind on the blade. She attempts to will it away, hoping she had some kind of BS Princess of Heart power that could chase away darkness but...nothing happens. Despite the fact that the corruption continues to give off the sensation of stinging jellyfish, she lifts her weapon and faces Souji.

"So do YOU want a go too?" she growls, despite being bleeding and battered from her brief Garland encounter. The faint silver glow remains. "See, he wasn't here for you." she adds as Souji ineffectually throws lightning at the empty space where Garland stood. Avira remains on her guard, figuring the young man just might turn his anger onto her.

Angantyr appears, imparts a few words, and immediately starts attacking Souji. "W..what the..." Avira's clearly genuinely surprised again.

Angantyr Vespar has posed:
"You're not ready for Garland. I don't underestimate anyone, but...well, you've pissed me off. Be happy that my master is only a bit annoyed." Angantyr says, and Ang goes flying, right into the air as he is launched upwards. This is annoying, but Angantyr has ways to deal witht his, such as...

Darkness covering his body as fire errupts on him. He ignores the pain, and instead of shouting, he falls down to the ground, aiming to land right on Souji...he pushes the attack, aiming to swing the blade in a wide arch, aiming to catch him in a arch that causes the darkness itself to EAT at his very body, aiming to drain vitality away with each passing moment. The mace swings again and again, each strike aiming to shatter Murasame's body.

"Don't just stand there, I didn't train you to be a bump on the log." he says, towards Avira, focusing on Souji.

Avira has posed:
"What? And interfere in YOUR fight? I'm not /him/." Avira nods her head towards Souji. She switches the Spine to a one-handed grip, then rests the tip against the ground. Her free hand retrieves a potion from one of the pouches around her hips.

Souji Murasame has posed:
"Yes, yes, take refuge in your self-righteousness. It will help you feel better in your abject failure." Souji comments tryly over his shoulder in response to Avira.

It's at that moment that Angantyr strikes out with his wide assault, Souji whipping his hand up without even looking. Can he somehow sense things like that? The Murasame Blade and Angantyr's weapon clash, sending up a shower of sparks as the heavier weapon forces itself forward, bearing down and glancing off of Souji's shoulder.

He grunts in pain as he breaks out of the clash, and looks back to Ang. "How can I tell unless I try?" Souji replies. "However... IF you are his master, then I can always test my skills." Souji pushes forward, letting loose another blast wave to continue to send Ang flying, before he launches the blade through the air, letting it spin in a deadly discus. Ang stops it, but then it rebounds back, striking back at Ang as it spins and returns to Souji's hand.

Angantyr Vespar has posed:
Angantyr is put on the wrong side of that attack..

Hisggression is paid off with brutal strikes, causing Ang to fly up, AGAIN, because apparently knocking people out of range with a blade is the new hotness. It's okay. Because Angantyr could get back into melee range whenever he wanted, and also because position combat was completely arbitray. I mean, missed attacks can knock you around? That makes sense, right?

Angantyr stays out of range for a moment, and instead of engaging...

Darkness starts surrounding him...but not FROM the space between the stars that most dark knights gather their darkness.

Angantyr pulls from within himself. Darkness flooding out of his wounds and through his body.. The darkness wraps around him like a armor, leaving his entire body clad in darkness, whispy like darkness flowing behind him like a cloak as he generates a massive amount of darkness.

Avira has posed:
Avira's eyes narrow.

Finishing off her potion, she tosses the now empty bottle aside. The glass vessel chimes musically against the stone street, chipping but not shattering. With a grunt, she lifts the corrupted Spine and bites back a hiss of pain. She waits and, as Souji speaks to Angantyr, she strikes.

Avira doesn't say a word as she darts in, jabbing the Spine out at Souji's back.

Souji Murasame has posed:
Angantyr prepares himself for a powerful strike. Souji nods, and sets himself, preparing to capitalize on the situation, when he glances to one side. The Spine finds itself clashing aginast the Murasame Blade, sending up more sparks as the weapons strike each other... And the Spine keeps on going, the jagged edge of the weapon slicing into Souji's side. "Better." Souji says, without emotion or anger... And then he emits another blast wave to knock Avira back and get enough time to do what needs to be done.

He turns back to Angantyr, and runs a hand down the blade. The gleaming runes flash, moments before lances of crimson thunder strike down, crashing about Angantyr and threatening to shatter the Darkness that he has cloaked himself with. "This is not done yet." Souji says, simply.

Angantyr Vespar has posed:
"No, it was done the moment you interupted Garland, you just are too arrogant to see it." He says, and flies down, challenging the attack. The shrikes break the darkness washed over Angantyr, but he cares little. Darkness POURS out of him once more, and Angantyr hits the ground with a loud CRASH. The darkness reforms, like a cloak around angantyr as he dives in towards him. Aiming to litterally beat his face against Murasame's had and then...

His right hand seems to SHIFT into a claw. The monsterous thing aiming to reach up and GRAB Souji by the neck and dig into his flesh. Blood from both of their wounds glows on the ground where it fell, mixing with Angantyr's darkness as hundreds of claws rip out of the ground, aiming to dig into him with their crimson colored blades, aiming to draw into the Dark Knight the essence of the Murasame heir.

"SHATTER"

Avira has posed:
Avira takes a moment to spit in Souji's face while their blades are clashing. That'll have to suffice as any sort of response to his words or his interference. As she rounds upon him, his blast wave pushes her away, finally cracking the ice she had used to reinforce her shield earlier.

Sure, this borrows some time for Souji, but Avira does not plan on allowing him very much.

She's actually a little surprised that Angantyr hasn't gotten angry at /her/ for interferring. She does know when to stay out of the way, though, lest she get caught up in the middle of Angantyr's swirling, hungry darkness. But once it's gone?

Avira rips the buckler shield off her forearm and hurls it at Souji, not unlike a Program throwing an identity disc. She follows up quickly, channeling her magic through the Spine and-

A shudder hits her as she feels her magic mixing with the taint Garland left behind. Struggling with her own power now, she attempts to use her own magic to force the darkness out of her weapon. It seems to be only mildly successful-it still hurts her too. Ice coats the weapon, augmenting her sweeping blows.

Souji Murasame has posed:
Spit smacks into Souji's face and he wipes if off during their duel with a flick of a hand. "Confidence is often mistaken for arrogance by those who can't tell the difference." Souji replies. "Far be it for me to claim understanding of Garland's actions to one who is apparently their student." Souji's words, however, are cut short as Angantyr comes in swinging. Annihilating force swirls around him as Ang strikes, clawing into him and rending him into the air, the thousands of claws shearing through him as they do their dark work.

Souji is flung backwards to the ground, bleeding out along the ground as he collapses to his knees... "It's not..." Souji spits a gobbet of blood to the ground. "Over so soon..." He says. Avira moves in to strike, and Souji whirls, slashing the buckler out of the way and carrying through to parry the incoming attack. With a sudden explosion, Souji launches himself into the air... And hangs there, looking down at the pair as blood drips from his stained suit.

"You're not..." Souji rasps, "The only one who knows of those who hunger." He slams his bloodied hand against the Murasame Blade, the blood on his hand being soaked into the weapon. "Blade who hungers eternally, strike! MURASAME! COME FORTH!" He slides his hand across the blade, the weapon being engulfed in a seething energy, before he slashes downwards at Angantyr.

A moment later, the air explodes apart, blackness yawning around him as innumerable crimson claws lash out, clawing back at Angantyr in a... strangely familiar methodology, as they attempt to rip away his life force. Souji appears intent on testing Angantyr over counterattacking Avira.

Angantyr Vespar has posed:
Angantyr weathers the attack, the blade digging into the armor, and taking back what was stolen.

The mace blocks, but can not block everything. Angantyr's armor shatters...but again, it was only a shadow armor to enhance his strength...the protective armor still stands.

Angantyr pauses for a moment, and then breaks into a good natured laugh.

"Nice." he says, after a moment, "I can't continue this fight like this. It would be disrespectful." he says, after a moment, "You're good kid. I have a feelin' you'd be frightening with a bit more combat experience under your belt." he says, not patronizing, but as a matter of fact. He looks to Avira, and shrugs, not angry with her, but also not comfortable with being here. The mace goes back to his back, and levels his gaze towards Souji. "I don't see a point in continuing this here and now. I think it'd spoil the fun." he says.

Avira has posed:
"Student is one way of putting it." Avira grumbles. "But I'm glad you admit that you had no idea what was going on. Now if you only kept to yourself." She's angry, she realizes. She's angry this judgemental prick interrupted her fight-now how could she learn anything?!

Bits of ice fly everywhere, sheared off the shield and peeling from the Spine. She allows her momentum to carry her through completely before she turns around to look skyward.

Abruptly, Angantyr stops. Avira pauses and turns to stare at him incredulously, especially given his dramatic tone change. All the sudden it seemed like he was siding with this prick that stabbed her in the back.

Avira lets out a frustrated cry and swings the Spine, the silvery aura disappearing, conveyed through the Spine to unleash aa blast of force. A bit more of the corruption comes with the strike, forced out again through her magic.

Souji Murasame has posed:
Souji looks down at the ice striking at him. He lashes out with his blade, cleaving out at the icy wind. Most of it cleaves to both sides, the corrupted ice lashing around him. A piece of it, however, stabs his shoulder, and Souji grabs at the wound, grimacing. "Gggh..." He pauses... And then drops downwards, landing to the ground.

A moment later, he inverts his weapon and sheathes it. "I agree." He says to Angantyr. He looks to Avira, then shrugs. "I will intervene as I see fit." He looks back to Angantyr. "Tell me." He asks Ang. "Where will I find your Master?"

Angantyr Vespar has posed:
Angantyr considers Murasame for a moment.

"I will not grant you that knowledge, yet. Instead, I will consult with him to see if he desires a meeting with you." Angantyr says, providing Souji a way to contact him.

"I am also avalible for contracts, but for now, I think I am going to withdraw from here." he says, with a move of his hand.

A corridor opens, absorbing Angantyr and he is gone. For now.

Avira has posed:
Avira pauses to give Angantyr a look. A sort of 'why don't you finish beating this jerk up?' kind of look.

Then he abruptly leave. Angrily, Avira sheathes her sword and turns away. By now, Avira's had more than enough of this encounter.