Void Rift (rp) - Intermission

It sits near the vent, refusing to poke its head up as it sniffs the air a bit.


"I didn't know shadows could come here. Do you mind me asking your name?"


"Are you really calling yourself nothing more than a bundle of vulgar rage? After you've worked so hard to become something greater?" She asks, tilting her head.

 

Shadow Stephanie tries looking up through the vent to see what's directly above it.


The Shadow says something in a language Xlentia can't understand.

"Though most mortals call me Iz." The Shadow adds.


"Sometimes you need to know when to yield." I say.

There's a slight flicker of movement, before I seemingly teleport a short distance in front of me, Shadow Katana in hand. Almost all of the kunai either slice in half, explode, implode or phase out of existence.

"And sometimes you just need to wait for the right moment." I add.

 

"Hello. Do you sell cakes here?"

 

There's a mace resting on the grate.


"Iz? I thought Lady Tenebrae could keep shadows alive if they fell. Why are you here?"


They all phase out at once, and you find yourself kneeling again as your vision suddenly consists of her blade sticking straight through your eyes.

"...Pass. Next up, walk across the arena."
You find yourself on one end of the arena with her standing on the other, but every last ability you have is suppressed. You can't even keep a form, simply collapsing into a puddle of darkness.
"...Or crawl, I guess."

"Of course! What's the occasion?"

 

"Marriage." He smiles.

 

"Oh, congratulations! Do you and your wife know what type of cake you want?"

 

"No, not at the moment. I thought I should look around a bit first."

 

Shadow Stephanie tries to acquire the mace.


"Well, I'm not entirely a Shadow. I'm a Shadow Guardian; half Gaia's child." Iz says.


I slide toward any areas with shade or darkness, my form fusing with them as I quickly appear on the side closest to the other side of the arena, before joining with my opponents shadow. She feels an odd connection form.

"This will do nicely." I say in her mind.

 

I take out a coin, putting it to a spike on my hammer to make a distinct side.
“Which side calls what?”

 

It's too big to pull through the grate.


"Oh... so they are actual things. Huh. I thought they were just part of the shadow king's lie."


There is no darkness in the arena, and she has no shadow.
"Okay, good, you aren't a quitter." She says as you move. "Now, this is less of a test and more of something I've been curious for a while." She says, sheathing her blade as you take on a human body.

"Flat, we do another couple hands no-chips; divot, we get the chips out."

"Well, we're glad you're considering us. We could let you and your wife sample types of cake and frosting if you need."

 

"That would be appreciated. She isn't around though, but we have a rendez-vous at Arga's place."

 

Shadow Stephanie tries moving the grate out of the way.


"Lie?" Iz asks, confused.


"I'm not your test rat you know." I say, annoyed.

 

It's too heavy to move.
"The hell...?" A guard asks from above.


"I was told the king of shadows tried to pass as a shadow guardian. His other little mortal friend seemed unamused by the claim."


"Well, I can't just let any mortal carry around a paradox object all willy-nilly. Mother would be disappointed." She says as you change back.
"However, you've earned yourself the choice. I can't remember the last three tests, so... do you want to know who I am and die, or do you want to yield and spare yourself a slice of what Abigail went through?"

"Do you have a venue?"

 

Shadow Stephanie quickly tries to stealthily get out of the way of the grate.


"Huh, never heard that when he was ruling." Iz says, shrugging.


"I'd rather do this." I say, suddenly appearing behind my opponent with Shadow Katana held out.

She feels an odd tingling sensation, before the sensation that she can't feel her body anymore as her neck is sliced cleanly through. I swiftly twirl around and thrust Shadow Katana through the back of her head, lifting it up as I kick her body to the ground.

 

The rat follows her deeper into the grate, as the guard rips the grate off and plunges their mace into the vent.


"Wait, which shadow king are we talking about?"


Shadow Katana can't even scratch her neck, but her blade cuts into you countless times.
"You'd rather do what?"

 

Shadow Stephanie hastily tries to get out of sight.


"King Ermidias?" Iz asks.


I growl out of annoyance, before trying to possess her and disable her mind.

 

"Uhm.. well we live in the forest. Or is that not what you mean?"

 

She succeeds in going deeper in the vent, the rat seeming a bit freaked out.


"Okay, nope. I was told that one got assassinated."


You can possess her, but it seems to have the opposite of intended effect, and you watch your shadow body be played with like a puppet through her eyes.
"Let me know if you want to die or yield. Remember, only one comes with answers."

"I mean the wedding venue. As in, where are you holding it?"

 

Shadow Stephanie waits for a while, before checking the grate.


"Figures." Iz shrugs.


I stop possessing her, teleporting a short distance away before jamming Shadow Katana into the ground and spinning it, trying to drill through.

 

"We're still searching for a location, but we wanted to go with a bluff."