A Man Deceived, a Sad Monster's Soul (Shade)

...The Training Center at Balamb Garden was a marvel. Something between holodeck and wilderness park, it contained monsters, both real and illusory, for students to hone their skills away.

...And for a certain psychically-brutalized Lilty to do the same.

Considering his badly atrophied body, and amnesia-induced lack of skill, Sol Jashy had an amazing amount of talent. The lesser enemies fell to his lance like they were not even there. Of course, the real challenge was yet to come. His vigorous combat had caught the attention of the ever-vicious T-Rexaur. Sol heard its thunderous footfalls from quite a ways off.

"Hah! I don't care HOW big you are, you're still going down!"

As it broke through the treeline, and lunged for Sol, he slid handily under the creature, getting to his feet as the massive Tyrant Lizard struggled to get itself turned around, with all the inertia built up. They were fast, but, far from agile. Most beasts of that type tend to be that, and ungodly strong. No problem, as long as you don't get hit. Leaping forwsrd at the creature, Longinus in hand, Sol sunk the bident end deep into the beast's back. ...And quickly found these creatures were by no means pushovers. Lurching hard, it shook him loose, the spear sliding free of the flesh. Turning rapidly, it brought its foot down heavily, missing Sol only by a well-timed horizontal leap on his part.

"Alright! Now, THIS is a challenge!" He exclaimed, brandishing his spear, staring down the beast, it returning his studying gaze.

He wasn't aware, but Shade was watching....

Since the day of his unexpected arrival, literally exhausted, mentally beaten, and worse for wear at the Garden doorstep with a foul little mood to boot.... Shade was always watching. There was this nagging feeling at the nape of her neck since that day... something that itched at the back of her mind and irritated her nerves.


Although she knew the very moment when it started, she wasn't sure of the "why" of it. When they spoke in her office and she answered the questions the Lilty had over his lost memories, his temper released a brief glance of his inner powers Shade had never come across before. Even through the weeks Sol Jashy recovered, or trained, or settled into his new surroundings and routine, Shade couldn't shake off the feeling that this out-worlder was still a loose canon...


Thus far, she witnessed him handle himself quite impressively for one of such a short stature. Since his arrival, Shade struggled to research what information she could find on his mysterious race, but as luck would have it, it was Brix who miraculously had some useful records within her medical data banks. He was of an impressive race, bold, proud of their skills and feats, and stubborn as hell when they wanted to accomplish something. Which was exactly what Sol was doing now, whether proving to himself, or for whatever may come his way in the near future.


Her arms slowly crossed as Shade remained silent and standing within the Observatory Room, set high above the battle with an impressive view of every move made between target and fighter. She wouldn't intervene unless absolutely necessary, but as always..... Shade was watching....

Sol could feel himself being watched.

But, then, he could always feel himself being watched. It was something he was used to. He even equated it to being under the watchful eye of Lady Mio, a figure he'd seen in his journal.

The T-Rexaur charged at him again, lowering its head, to get him all at once. THIS is what Sol was counting on. A mere moment before it would have had him, he leapt to the side, leaving Longinus stuck in the ground at an angle. The charging T-Rexaur, unable to dodge for its own rapid forward momentum, ran headlong into the spear, skewering its heart on the bident. With the momentum polevaulting it over, the flesh it damaged was ripped by the movement, causing it to fall over dead.

The greatest weakness of any power is the power itself.

Walking over, Sol yanked out the spear from the creature's chest. ...And turned, when he heard applause.

Standing in the middle of the area was a strange sort of creature. Wearing the blackened robes of an ancient holy man, the creature's black flesh contrasted against its red eyes. Its long fingers ended in sharp black bone. ...An undead?

"Heh. Very good, minon. I had not expected such skill from you, in this state. ...It is disquieting."

Sol only looked at the man, confused.

"What are you talki-AGH!" He began, cut short by a myriad of powerful magics. Wreaths of blue light, and acrid mists of green and black signified three very terrible statuses on the man. Slow, Curse, and Poison.

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Up in the control room, various tech specialists were scrambling, trying to figure out what the hell just happened. Although premature, one of the techs looked back at Shade.

"Headmistress, you should get down there. I dunno what that black thing is, but, we didn't make it."

The cadets and staff within the Observatory room, and those handling the control panel all expected the Lilty to be crushed and mangled by the predatory simulation. During their hushed bets and snickering jokes, Shade made no attempts to correct them while continuing her silent vigilance.


Thus far, Sol handled himself quite impressively, being more wise to his actions, rather than hasty and just swinging his weapon about. And just as the T-Rex was about to make its lunging move, their breath went still, then the whole room erupted with shouts of disbelief as the dinosaur roared out its last screech of pain before collapsing to the ground, shaking the entire Training Center through its foundation.


Many gaped in shock while others were actually checking the simulation program for some sort of glitch in the system that led the T-Rex to lose. Shade was rather impressed with how the Lilty handled himself, until a foreign voice broke through the speakers. All eyes were now rushing to look down into the Center to find the Lilty no longer alone. Shade already knew this wasn't part of any simulation within the Garden's program and was running for the doors just as one of the cadet's announced what she already knew.


By the time Shade reached the double metal doors, her temper already breached its limit. Someone dared to intrude into her Garden.... an obvious threat that had the audacity to attack a guest of her hospitality, and she was about to reveal why no one, or nothing, ever got away with intruding the Headmaster's territory.


The closed metal doors blew off of their hinges by a mere wave of her hand as she stormed through into the Center without a pause to her step. Her narrowed hues shot straight upon the shrouded figure, making a bee line in his direction, saying absolutely nothing, as her hand swept through the air again, baring the force of winds and gravity upon the stranger to hold him in place. Once her power restrained the intruder completely, Shade slowly withdrew her sword from its sheath, only for the Wolf's Bane to release a deadly ping noise that echoed throughout the simulator room when the steel teeth revealed themselves around the blade.


"Either you call off the spells over the Lilty, or I do by slicing off your head...."

The black figure allowed himself to be snared in the magics, grinning a decidedly twisted grin as the wind howled against his frame, and the gravity well compacted his body.

"What a foolish little human." He thought to himself.

He could tell she was a Sorceress. Hyne's power was very distinctive, to a being like him. Sharp, metallic, and thin, like blood. Magic from flesh. ...It was something he found crude. That a God would fle from his people in fear, throwing them scraps of his power to appease their wrath. Hyne created these people. Rightly, it should be in his hands, what becomes of them. ...He wished he could have been there that day, when Hyne burned the children of the world. Such delicious suffering would sate him for centuries. ...To speak of suffering, though, as he looked upon the woman, he had to make certain he was in check. Suffering seemed to be all that she had. Even without reading her mind, he could tell. The cold, unfeeling aura so telling of those who've lived a hell rolled off her in waves.

...Hmmm... ...Perhaps...

"I'm afraid, Headmistress, that I cannot do that. He has finally performed his role. Believe me when I say the worlds have no more need of him."

At this point, the tendrils of his mind reached out to hers, only to be repelled, violently. ...Impressive. To resist the will of his mind...

"...Surely, there is some goal you wish to meet. One where the help of a God would be appreciated. ...With such an option, is the life of an onion that walks like a man really that valuable?"

As for the afformentioned onion that walks like a man, Sol was doubled over. Clutching his head, he grit his teeth to keep from screaming. No, none of the statuses were particularly painful. However, something about this entity very much resonated with Sol. The psychic strain of reuniting with such a powerful figure was doing terrible things to his physicla and mental health alike.

Through her narrowed stare, Shade concentrated on her own thoughts and calculations while the foreign being babbled on with an arrogant tone. She knew one such as him already sized her up, studied her, and most likely came to his own conclusions of manipulation. None of that mattered to Shade. His first mistake already won him his demise. He intruded into her Garden and already attacked one under her charge. If he could manage that much, Shade had to think of everyone else at risk as well, whether they be a connection of responsibility, or a personal connection to her.


What was worse..... he royally pissed her off....


She gave her head a slow, single shake as her hues ventured toward the ground and her other hand levitated her palm out for a small hole to open within the ground, revealing a dark, liquid void. Her voice remained calm, yet seething, as she finally spoke. "I don't give a rat's ass if any worlds claim there is no need of him.... so long as that Lilty is under my charge, he has say for himself...." Although her head was still tilted away, Shade's eyes now lifted, sliding to lock upon her target to reveal a flash of fire through the hues of grey. "And I can assure you.... I have no need of any help from any God...." The hieroglyphic markings of her power began to glow through her skin, but luckily covered by her clothing.


From the swirling darkness that opened within the ground, the handle of her Tempest began to rise up. Her spine stiffened as Shade now faced her opponent head on, revealing the weight of his mistake within her glare as a faint growl laced through her voice. "That Litly's life is far more valuable than yours, let alone any measly offer that spits from your tongue...."


She could hear, as well as sense Sol's suffering, but she had to play this out carefully. She knew he was strong.... he had to hold out just a little longer. If she dared to take a step towards him while still captured by this being's power, it could prove a greater risk to the Lilty's life. Her other means of defense or attack were already in place, ready on her command to take action. Each second mattered now.

The golden blades now emerged from the void as the handle of the Tempest now glided smoothly into her free hand. With a flick of both wrists, her swords were ready for blood. "Last warning.... release him, or you're about to witness the strike of a God before your very eyes.... and I promise you, sir.... I do not miss...."