01-08-2011, 06:36 PM
Spoiler:
"In the Latin Rite of the Catholic Church, The Venerable, is the style used for a person who has been posthumously declared "heroic in virtue" during the investigation and process leading to possible canonization as a saint. Before a person is considered to be venerable, he or she must be declared as such by a proclamation, approved by the Pope, of having lived a life that was heroic in virtue."
Mastering Undeath
Part Four: Venerable
"You are fools for not giving in. May the Light punish such sinners for taking the lives of good people. Men, you know what do do. Execute these beasts."
Part Four: Venerable
"You are fools for not giving in. May the Light punish such sinners for taking the lives of good people. Men, you know what do do. Execute these beasts."
Kezzet and his remaining men stood defensively as the rest of Galma's men gathered together, each readying their blades. He noticed his brothers shaking in shivers, blood and sweat falling to the ground, and falling over the bodies of their dead allies. "Me crew gone to waste... But we gonna avenge them even if it costs us sweet life. Pray to the loas mon, askin' for them to grant us that retribution."
As the sun made its way through the sky, the shadows of the trolls laid together, combining where the four had their backs to each other. From them cane a gate, ripples flowing through, unseen energy within. But none noticed. Nor did they see the silent rising of two shadows in the very center, dark figures standing completely invisible in the black.
Then the cold came around all of the men, an eerie temperature drop. Every man felt a sudden chill, as if there was now something else. And a great stench of death overclouded their senses, too strong to come from the fresh corpses on the ground. No, it was the smell of a long time rotting, the putrid stink of ageless death. The humans hesitated, fear suddenly striking them. The trolls too stood frozen, afraid too look back, to look at the source from where these phenomena occurred.
Galma stood confused, his men making no motion towards the enemy. What puzzled him even more was the sudden blatant fear on their faces, the frightened looks in their eyes. He yelled out over them, angry voice, "What are you doing? Go go! This is your chance, they are but beasts. Destroy them in the name of the Light!" He growled when he saw them still stand frozen. His words did nothing to change the situation. Galma's hand reached for his sword hilt, moving towards them, "Weaklings. I'll do this on my own if I must."
It was then that from within the center of the trolls rose a great stem of shadow, shooting upward towards the heavens. All paused, eyes looking up as the stem seemed to go on forever. And then, it dispersed, innumerable tendrils spreading out from the stem like the branches of a tree, moving all around. Then, without warning the tendrils started to fall from the skies, dropping down on the humans, sending them to the floor like a crippling blow from a hammer to the chest. They cried out, shouted of evil and dark powers. Of cruel force punishing them. But they could not fight back, suffering without any aid.
Galma fought off the few tendrils that came towards him with holy light, watching as his men screamed in agony. Their torture started to break him, making fear take control of his actions. He moved unsurely, the look on his face the perfect representation of a child experiencing a fear of the dark for the first time.
Then they emerged, the two walking into the view of the trolls. Sozun and Kerak. But this time Sozun was a different entity altogether. His body was like Kerak's, completely ethereal, both ghosts of this world, supreme spirits. All the familiar marks on his face were gone, features disappeared, leaving only the noise, mouth, and unholy eyes distinguishable on his face.
As the last rays of light were disappearing behind the peaks of Hillsbrad the two Ascendants went to work. They moved with godly speed and agility, battling down each human as they worked their way through the humans who still lived. One of the trolls raised his axe to go and join him but Kezzet stuck out a hand, "No mon... This ain't our battle anymore... When true loa be involved, ain't no one standing up ta them. They answerin our prayers...and retribution is they duty."
When Sozun approached Galma the human ran at him. He lunged forward, sword striking right through Sozun's body. When he looked up, he looked into the unholy eyes of the ascendant, and the mocking grin on his face. Sozun stood still, mind forcing its way into Galma's head. Moments later the human was on the ground screaming in pain. "Today, you will be the first to feel my power," came Sozun's echoing voice. Then, he placed a hand on Galma's shadow. Ripples ran through it and then the strange happened. Galma's yelling stopped, his mouth frozen wide open. At first it seemed as if his body were simply weakening but quickly all others saw the truth. He was aging. His body became thinner and thinner, frail bone starting to be seen through his skin, hair graying.
"Feel the suffering that you deserve." He was long dead but Sozun did not stop draining him. It was cannibalism perfected. The consuming of the flesh and body whole, through the shadows of a man. When Sozun lifted his hand up the shadow that was left was considerably smaller. And when he looked to where Galma's body once laid, all that was left was a small pile of dust.
Kerak walked towards Sozun, nodding approvingly, "It is over. You have done well... Ascendant Sozun Croz."
Sozun looked to Galma's remains, just as darkness fell over them totally, "Its over then isn't it? This is the end of my training."
Kerak once again nodded, "You like me are now the voice of our Church. They will look to you for guidance. I must continue my own path. And you must go on without me. But first, allow me to reward you with a gift."
Sozun turned to look at Kerak, noticing the object in his hands. It was Sozun's staff, metal rod, with three candles at the end, each lit with a greenish blue flame. Sozun raised a brow, reaching out for the staff and grabbing it, "I can... actually touch it?"
"Yes. An enchantment that a few of our own know. It allows us to touch the physical... Let it be a reminder that there is still much for you to learn of your powers on this path. And now, I take my leave. Shadows Hide You, Ascendant Croz."
Sozun held the staff with pride, nodding to his master, "Shadows Hide You, Ascendant Kerak." With that the man sunk into another shadow, disappearing from Sozun's sight.
Hours later Sozun stood with Kezzet and the remainder of his men, looking into Silverpine. "Got plans back dere mon?"
Sozun nodded, taking a few steps forward, "Back to Tirisfal. There was something I left undone... Long ago. Now I am ready to face my failure with power and mastery. It is time I depart."
Kezzet got to his knees, he and his three allies bowing down, "Me crew be forever in your debt mon. All hail da loa. We forever will be ya faithful. All hail da loa."
A smile found its way to Sozun's face. "Good luck." With that the ascendant stepped onto a shadow. And then, he was no more.
Spoiler:
"Kerak... what was that. It was not a dream, yet it felt so real. What happened?"
"The true ascendant knows his fate. He does not shrink away in doubt because the pure force of his destiny compels him to believe himself above all challenges. You faced your greatest doubts within your mind and your transformation shows the perfection of undeath. You truly understand our virtues, as any ascendant must. Only one who is Heroically virtuous could become an ascendant... and be worthy of veneration from all of Undercity."
"Then there is one thing I must do after we are finished here. I must return. For to truly be worthy I must face all my doubts not just in my mind... but within the world. And a human that I left victorious must fall..."
"The true ascendant knows his fate. He does not shrink away in doubt because the pure force of his destiny compels him to believe himself above all challenges. You faced your greatest doubts within your mind and your transformation shows the perfection of undeath. You truly understand our virtues, as any ascendant must. Only one who is Heroically virtuous could become an ascendant... and be worthy of veneration from all of Undercity."
"Then there is one thing I must do after we are finished here. I must return. For to truly be worthy I must face all my doubts not just in my mind... but within the world. And a human that I left victorious must fall..."