From the End to the Beginning

[nightmareofdivinity]

Characters: Shadow Fou-Lu (Ryu) (Yorae Dragon) (too many names) and Fou-Lu
Setting: Floor 13 (Cathedral) (forward dated to the 12th)
Format: Doesn't matter. /o/
Summary: Shadow selves are gonna Shadow and all. Fou-Lu's Shadow is kind of different though, given the nature of his soul…
Warnings: Violence (it is a boss fight)… possibly swearing from people who fight and the muns that fought this boss in the canon


[The cathedral floor has changed. Oh, it still looks like a religious structure - but of a much different type. There are two figures standing there - Fou-Lu, and a different man. The latter has gold eyes flecked with purple, but neither of them are hiding the fact that they have a very similar and very powerful energy.]

For what purpose hast thou brought us here?

'Quiet. You'll see when they get here.'

[Fou-Lu bristles visibly.]

Thou shalt not speak to us that way -

'I said be quiet.'

Comments

[brokenstove]

[Mami, of course, is there as well - not as a fighter, but simply to make sure her friend is all right. That stranger she accompanied, too...after all, he was a newcomer.

But now it looked like they were fighting, or at least not getting along? That was not good. Thankfully, she doesn't notice Lezard.] Aye, looks like ye foun' each other. Ryong, 'e was sayin' 'e was lookin' for ye.

[nightmareofdivinity]

We know. He be ourself... our other half. And yet... he be different from that as well.

'I'm what you're not. Or at least, what you try not to be. Someone who actually cares for mortals and has actual feelings.'

Of course thou art. Thou art our other half -

'No.'

No?

[Fou-Lu raises an eyebrow.]

'I'm what you aren't.'

... Exactly, thou art our other half -

[The Shadow growls in response to his words, expression threatening.]

'You! Not him! We may be two halves of the same soul, but you're both different people if only by experiences that shaped you! You, Fou-Lu! You hide these things. Not him! He has his own things that he hides!'

[The emperor shakes his head.]

What thou hast said be impossible. We art two halves of the same soul. Not... individuals.

[how_wicked_ruler]

[ Lezard walks toward Mami at this point, if Fou-Lu keeps going this way he knows exactly what is going to happen.

He looks very calm and professional, albeit interested. When he speaks, his voice will be audible to Mami but as far as Fou-Lu is concerned, it depends on whether or not the God pays attention to his surrounding. ]

I believe this is what they call a Shadow. A being born from the rejected part of our subconscious.

[brokenstove]

[Whuh-- oh, it's that guy. That person she talked to before. Welp. She looks over at him and nods briefly before looking at Fou-Lu and...the other Fou-Lu.]

Ah dunnae know what ye be speakin' o', either o' ye, bu'...surely there's nothin' tha's truly impossible, righ', Ryong?

[nightmareofdivinity]

... There art some things. We are a divided being - one in soul, but two in body. Our other half hath qualities that we do not. Many of the things that we art, he art not. Many of the things he art, we art not.

'And whose fault is it that you failed her? To keep her from being sacrificed?'

[Fou-Lu's eyes go wide, and then narrow, his energy sword forming in his hand.]

T'was... t'was...

Your fault. Not mine. You knew it was her the moment you felt the Hex, the second you could sense -'

Be silent!

[Fou-Lu launches himself at the Shadow, which just stares as he bounces off of a shield shimmering in front of him.]

'You've failed so many people. You, not me. Fou-Lu was the one who couldn't unite a nation properly. Fou-Lu was the one who was too weak to finish his task. Fou-Lu was the one who couldn't do something as simple as save a mortal girl. Why did you even get attached, anyway? Don't you want to kill all of them? Wasn't that what you said you were going to do?'

... Not her.

[The emperor looks down, a thin smile on his face.]

'Save them or destroy them. It's your decision to make - except it isn't, is it? Not entirely. It's a decision you have to make with your other half. I wonder what he thinks of all of this?'

It matters not. We art the stronger half -

'Are you really? Are you so sure you're not going to be swallowed up by him when you merge?'

[... Fou-Lu has nothing to say to that.]

[brokenstove]

[S...huh? Sacrificed? Fou-Lu lost someone? O....h. No wonder he's so upset...suddenly the story makes more sense. (Or it would, if she were anywhere near correct about what the issue truly was.)

Ryong, ye...

[...But here she has no words of comfort, no reassurances to give. This is beyond her knowledge, beyond any mortal's understanding - or at least hers.]

...dunnae hur' yerself, please?...

[It's all she can do, and she hates this powerless feeling.]

[how_wicked_ruler]

...

[ Lezard doesn't reply to any of that, simply... Listen. It was easy to guess what was going on from his viewpoint. This woman died in the world he came from, and she somehow was here thanks to the tower ability to take people from many point in time.

For a split second a smirk draws on his lips but then he gets neutral. It's obvious Fou-Lu's not gonna give a hug to his shadow at this point and that things are about to get ugly. Discreetly Lezard casts a spell around himself and Mami, simply a shield spell to minimize whatever's about to come. ]

[nightmareofdivinity]

'He's already crippled himself. Even here, starting to trust people… what are you even thinking? You're a god. Stop acting like you're not.'

… True.

'Cut your ties with them. Mortals will just die. Haven't you learned that already from her?'

[The Shadow stares at Mami, and then smirks.]

'Her dying led you to wanting to kill them all anyway. You'll never be a god of peace. You're a god of destruction. You know it in your soul.'

[He lets his sword disappear, and he covers his face with his hands, shoulders shaking. He starts laughing uncontrollably, the pitch rising as it goes on as he becomes more and more distressed.]

[And then he falls silent, something in him snapping, and his Shadow grins as it starts to grow, its shape twisting and changing, becoming something inhuman and huge.]

[The Infini Dragon roars, and surges towards them.]

[brokenstove]

[...........

Mami knows exactly what to do in this case, and that is fall over once the dragon gets close enough.

She is horrified, and not only by the revelation that it was her who died. It's the knowledge that - that - that all of this anger was lurking there the whole time, and now it's loose, and her friend may be gone for good.]

RYONG, NO!

[It's a desperate scream, and she makes no move to do anything else other than get out of the way. It's all she can do, at this point.]

[how_wicked_ruler]

Run.

[ That's Lezard's words to Mami when it's clear she cannot fight and would very much like to get away. He walks before her and intensify the shield before opening his book.

Which is in fact very much his battle weapon. ]

You are obviously in no condition to fight and teleporting you away would be too bothersome.

[ He looks at the Dragon... Tough one. He may have to use Gungnir before the end. ]

[nightmareofdivinity]

[It roars again, slamming an 'arm' down and sending a huge wave of water towards them. Fou-Lu himself seems to be wavering, and then he falls to the ground as the Shadow draws power from him.]

'You do not deserve to rule over anything! Die!'