The Threshold (Dalamar)

[Valirion Thorn]

:: I stood at the gate of he pit, the bloody sand slowly stirring with a small gust of wind through the ever dark windows. I had requested Dalamar's presence thi eternal night because I had business to conclude. Business that had started in mortality and would end in immortality. My armor stirred underneath my skin as I thought of that almost humiliating battle. That would be the human race for you though. They were living mistakes and vampyrism was the next tep of evolution, perfection.::

[Vampyre Dalamar]

Dalamar walked in his ebony armor shining in the dim light. His swords strapped to his back he was fully dressed for combat. Checking his belt to make sure he had all his deadly toys he smiled at Valirion. "So you want to take another shot at the title I see." He said with a slight smirk.

[Valirion Thorn]

:: I smirked at the sight of the warlord. I rolled my shoulder and laughed as he spoke.::

Title? There will be nothing to defend but your pride and the only thing I could win from you is the sight of your blood melting in with the rest of the gory sand out there. Nothing else, but maybe I'm wrong. So please... be sure to prove it so.

:: I stepped into the arena and looked back to see the imprints of my boots. I pointed to them with one hand as I stared at Dalamar.::

Remember these, they are the footsteps of a god. And when you ask how you were beaten so badly, just know that I won't remind you again.

:: I draw my sword and it screams as it is opened into the stagnant air of the arena. The eye on the hilt swivels about until it spots Dalamar and the sword seems to make a small grin from the fanged hilt. It remembered what it did to Dalamar the last time. My armor wasn't going to even bother to come out yet. What was the point it asked. I told it to be ready. It agreed and shifted beneath my skin like water. My sword was held ready and bile and acidic drool dripped off and hissed as it hit the sandy floor.::

[Vampyre Dalamar]

My Pride? Surely your joking you where the one choking for air and tapping out. I have nothing to prove to what most would consider a mere child. But indeed if you think your ready to graduate to the next level well by all means I will indulge you. Your sword and toy armor is no match for a Dark Lord of the Shrine. Your Acid and Bile are a joke to me. Your Sith spells that you have learned where learned by me in my infancy. But still you insist on a lesson. Well like I said I will indulge this fantasy and afterwards you will not challenge me again are we understood? I wouldn't want you to bear a grudge. Oh, and one last thing mister footprints of a God? You think to highly of yourself as you so foolishly prove by challenging me. Dalamar turned on his gauntlet and pulled his silver worked swords out of there sheath's. Show me what you got!

[Valirion Thorn]

:: I laughed and an echo could be heard from within my throat. My armor was laughing with me. I had no power to tap into yet and all I had to do was wait.::

Dalamar, you're full of so much hot air, I'm surprised you haven't floated away yet. I couldn't have said that being human before, I valued my life then. But what exactly is life now? Darkness and the unlife, thats all it is. You pose no threat to me now, and never again. I just wanted to ensure that you understood this.

:: My shoulders stirred as the armor beneath them stirred in anticiaption and boredom. I slowly moved forward and my casual stance changed subtley to a graceful but offensive stance.::

And who says the Shrine favors you over me? I hear the voices in my sleep, if you can call it that. Who says I need sith spells to defeat you? Like I said, don't waste your breathe, I wouldn't want you to deflate or anything, I'm sure the Shrine needs you just like you are.

:: My sword screamed with laughter and its piercing shrill laughter was repeated as it mocked the warlord.::

[Vampyre Dalamar]

Dalamars eye's flashed a neon red with anger. My ego?!?!"Remember these, they are the footsteps of a god. And when you ask how you were beaten so badly, just know that I won't remind you again." Your own pitiful ego filled words.

You have potential don't make me kill you. Dalamar's swords where extended in front of him. "The time for talk is done, you wish to try yourself against me then by all means go ahead. " Sometime's you have to learn things the hard way." The Ebony armor of the Warlord shined in the dim light. The Bloodlust was already beginning to grow in Dalamar.

Still he tried to spare Valirion. "Me and Soth have spoken often of you." The rage building in the Dark Lord was barely held in check. White lightning tendrils flashed up and down the length of the dark armor highlighting Dalamar's face control was already starting to slip. "Your weakness is open before us and I fear you will not like the revelation." The thick leather glove creaked as his wire tight muscle's tensed on his blade's he began to pace back and forth to control his bloodlust and his rage. He had gone to long without blood for the sake of Samantha the little lost child. She was an innocent and he didn't want to expose her to the harsh life of vampirism.

But Valirion was not his apprentice, and his lack of respect only added fuel to the fire that burned within. His canine's elongated the fervor was almost upon him. The Berserker rage that had saved his life many a time was building. It had its use's for one it turned him into a death dealing machine. "Choose your course wisely knight for your reckoning is at hand!"

[Valirion Thorn]

HAHAHAHAHA!

:: I couldn't have helped it! The laughter was almost hysterical... almost. "Choose your course wisely"..."Weakness is open before us and you will not like the revelation"? And making him angry was just helping the situation. I wanted a fight and drawing out of Dalamar was all I needed. I needed the pain... the pleasure... the transcendence. Malice, now Dalamar... all just steps that I had to take to reach godhood.::

Then teach me Dalamar! Show me this revelation so that I might soak in the bile of its irony. Irony that it sits before you and not upon me. You and Soth talk in dark corners and converse of my weaknesses? How interesting.

:: I watched as the black figure paced back and forth... what was he waiting for? Did he want to taste more of my venomous spite just to make him angrier? My body twitched as the suspense built within me. I looked up to the place where Soth had stood when I had taught Sol Invictus of Vampyres. Was he there now? I looked back to Dalamar and clenched my fist... He would not understand, even by my words, this fight was not out of pure will to fight and my desire to know pain... it was a fight that honored him, I knew Dalamar was a merchant of pain and I sought his services.::

[Vampyre Dalamar]

Dalamar hesitated no more, some lessons I guess must be learned the hard way. Using the the force tendrils of energy carressed his silver worked blades. Chanting as he moved in he attacked with lethat swiftness. He feinted to his left causing Valirion to move for the block and then leaped to his true target. Wedging with force his silver blade pierced his armor underneath his chin and into his throat. Lifting him up and pinning him into the wall. The dark Warlord's sword was buried to the hilt in Valirion's throat. His eye's only inches away from Thorn's. "Stick around you might learn something."

Dalamar smiled at his own joke. Suddenly he felt the prescence of the sword the eye swivelled in Dalamar's direction. Moving swiftly and without mercy the Dark Lord took out his dagger and plunged it into the soft core of the sword's eye. Pinning it and his hand to the wall also. The Armor howled and screamed and convulsed but the Vampyre held him fast. The armor seemed to flow off and on his body as the blood from his throat wound gushed down his chest. Valirion's black eye's locked with Dalamar's crimson one's. The Dark Lord's razor blade smile flashed brightly in the Crimson Pit. "Bet that hurts huh."

Pulling back he had a few moment's as he watched Valirion and his armor thrash in pain. Touching the control's on his guantlet he readied himself. "You sought a lesson in pain and attitude well I will oblige you and to hell with the cost." The Dark Lord said without regret. Pulling out a slender pole that came out in two sections. He attached them together. With a twist and a click a seregated blade appeared at the pole's tip. "Now for lesson two........" Dalamar moved in with a grim smile.

ooc. I heard you thought I was mad Nope, nope nope :smokin

[Valirion Thorn]

:: I convulsed... the armor in my skin was convulsing and my damn sword was blind! Black blood gushed from my sword and the armor shrivelled beneath my skin. I tried to open my mouth but the blade was in the way. The pain was unbelievable... My head tried to twitch to the side but the blade held it fast. My arms shuddered and my legs jolted slightly as pain coursed down my body. My legs hung from the ground and my arms slowly came up to the side of my head. I peeled back my lips and hissed at Dalamar through my teeth. My fangs growing in my anger.
I dropped my sword, it was useless until it revived itself and came out of the initial shock. That was a weakness unseen... we would work on that one. But for now... Dalamar came closer with the tool in his hand and I slowly tried tomove away but hung where I was. Dalamar came closer and my violet eyes rolled back as the pain washed over me again.
The armor sprung from body and tore my white flesh as it poured out of me in waves of spikes and blades, pseudoarms flailing about trying to get at Dalamar. As they burst forth, my arms went up to my neck and grasped the hilt. My legs pushed off the wall and I closed my eyes as blood streamed from my eyes like tears.
I fell to the ground, the blade still buried through my neck. I looked up to Dalamar, the hydra like arms twisting at him with a berserk fury. I opened my mouth long enough to rasp out two words.::

Damn... you...

[Vampyre Dalamar]

The tendrils of Valirion's armor moved towards Dalamar. "Your just making this to easy." The Dark Lord Commented. Spinning his spear at full vampyre speed he quickly entangled the flailing parts of Thorn's armor. Like a clothe stuck in a fan the symbiote armor started to twist in knots. Thorn again howled as he was slowly being dragged to the sharp point of Dalamar's spear as it spinned in its lethal arc. Thorn tried to hang on to anything that would stop him. The hilt of the Katana dragged agianst the ground causing him to bleed horrendously upon the floor of the crimson pit but still he moved toward's Dalamar and the sharp end of a blade. To save itself and Thorn the symbiote seperated releasing Valirion. Reverting to liquid form it was sprayed on the walls from the blade motion of Dalamar's spear.

There Valirion was, on his knee's before the Vampyre Lord most would think that enough. Dalamar knew that for this one it would never be enough. Thorn saw a blade flash before his vision. Dalamar kicked him up and on his back driving his Katana into the ground.

"Your desire for power make's me proud Thorn but you must learn to walk before you can fly. Let your long life be filled with the Dark side. Learn to walk in the shadows and appreaciate the darkness. Ashiva our Empress, does not tolerate boastful fools. Walk small in your own eye's and others will see you bigger in there own. Remember Lucifer and his pride, pride comes before the fall." The Crimson eye's flashed before the Warlord buried his spear point into Thorn's groin. "Learn, grow , think, and plan and do not challenge me again!"

[Valirion Thorn]

:: This man talked words of wisdom but he missed several things in his lessons and teachings. It was as if he only knew half the study plan. The point was driven into my groin but seeing as that was of no longer use, it hurt just as bad as everything else, no more or less. I wanted to smile but the fact that the excess of my symbiote had just been splayed across the wall would keep me from smiling .
But as the mad doctor had learned not too long ago, my symbiote was not just an outer cover, it was interlaced within me. Now so would Dalamar learn and he would learn of a few extra things. Nanometallurgy and Cybernetic processing worked wonders in such a Hell.
The armor burst from the sinews and my bones and tore through what was left of my marble skin. The processing cells of the symbiote were what was mostly left and they began to convert their original porcess to waste disposal/ processing as they hit Dalamar's weapon. The primitive commands my armor was running on meant that its mental capacity had been damaged and it was depending on the sword and my own to continue running. The sword was out of commision for the moment so I was driving the armor while my own body sat there, useless and torn.
The symbiote wrapped around the staff's blad and the handle and worked its way up. Dalmar stumbled backwards as the resistance of the blade diminished. He looked at his staff to see he only held what was left in his hands. the armor had "eaten" away at the staff and reverted the metal to its own uses. It wrapped itself in my body and helped to revitalize me. I pushed myself up and with one violet rolled back in my head, the other stared at Dalamar coldly.::

Akassssssssssssha...?

:: Blood dripped from the side of my mouth as a gurgling laugh came through my lips. Our Goddess? The one to attain true divinity?
Dalamar would not be the only teacher tonight. He would learn many things of the miracles of my armor. The symbiote didn't spilt from me unless it chose too, not even under extreme pressure and pain, it could just fall apart or discard useless parts if it wanted, but not just by some twirling staff. It had been painful nonetheless to seperate from the main hist and major control when seperated was usually applied to myself because the stability of the armor tended to break during the strain.
My other eye rolled back as I took control of the seperate pieces of the armor. I compressed the mass and it the liquid metal armor launched across the room and attached to Dalamar. I fell to my knees as I didn't even bother to keep the strength to stand. The gurgled laughing continued as the armor slowly worked itself into the creases of the ebony armor. My night black hair fell in front of my blank eyes as blod dribbled down my neck. Dalamar would now take notice that his katana was now gone. I had taken the liberty of absorbing it too. Dalamar would learn not to leave his toys lying around. I laughed harder.::

Akasssssssssssssha... My Goddessssssssssssssssssss...

[Vampyre Dalamar]

"Most Impressive." Dalamar said with a smile as pride filled him. The Dark Lord saw the symbiote absorb his spear. It was of only common metal though it was specially crafted for the Warlord, now it was gone. The Symbiote moved over the Katana covering it. Dalamar plunged his hand into the fluid as it tried to absord the sword. Placing his hand on the hilt again he began to chant SIth Magic. "You will not find my sword's and dagger such easy prey Thorn! They are as special as your living armor. Louder the chanting became his Katana glowing, lighting the room and driving the shadow's back. The symbiot sloshed off of the ebony armor of the Lord Vampyre. The ornate armor that had been etched with rune's of protection It was also ruined half eaten in place's by the symbiote.

The Symbiote fought the process he could not get it off of him completely it seemed. Dalamar and Thorn stood face to face. His hand on the hilt still stuck in his throat. Having no choice he used the force he pushed Thorn back releasing Valirion and his sword. Slamming into the arena wall they where both free. Valirion of the sword and Dalamar of the Symbiote. Pulling off the shoulder piece of his armor he threw it to the ground. His breast plate was also ruined but he didn't have the time to take it off.

Crimson eye's flashed in the dim light angered over the waste of his armor made for him a 1000 yr's ago. There where none in this age to match the careful craftsmanship from which it was made. The mood was lost on Dalamar he relaxed his pose and sheathed his weapon. "You have done well better than expected actually." This armor is rare and a cherished gift I must see if it can be repaired." Talking into the com Dalamar left the pit in a hurry. "Dresto's contact Mennos on Darius 3 tell him I have a job for him. Without any more word's Dalamar left the Crimson Pitt in a rush salvaging what was left of his ancient armor. "Until tommorow Thorn."

[Valirion Thorn]

:: I slowly got up and began to laugh louder now that I could open my mouth. I stopped to spit several times, the blood had dried in my mouth and it made my tongue feel like sandpaper. My head hung as I observed my hand for moment. Nothing was wrong with my hand, I just didn't feel like looking at what had been injured. The pain had been exquisite and the taste of my own blood was the best wine I'd ever had.
My armor had brought itself back together and the eye was fully closed over with a large scab like structure now. My armor began to laugh also, a soft hissing noise. It shared with me the taste of Dalamar's skin and his armor and the edge of his blade. He had more blood on his sword then I could care about. My armor formed around my body and I slowly began to rejuvenate as I did after every battle where I tried to reach a transcendence. But I had heard him as he left, "until tomorrow..." I laughed again and the drooling laughter of my sword was heard as it joined in, acidic saliva hit the ground and hissed as it sunk through the blood encrusted sand.::

I'll be here...

:: I slumped against the wall with a smirk, my violet eyes reflected in my blade as I observed it. We were fine but I'd lke to have seen the damage done to Dalamar's equipment. I'm sure he liked that. I would show him that he would be begging to challenge me. Those words he had spoken... about Ashiva, our Divine Goddess... he would eat those words... and I would be the one cramming them down his throat.
I stood up and put a hand to my neck, the armor peeling back, letting me observe the wound, no more blood flowed but the skin flapped about and the wound had greatly increased in size after Dalamar ripping it out again. I turned and left through the other entrance, I had a few things to do now that I thought about it. I was starving and a few ideas had been placed in my head after encountering Dalamar.::

So be it...