The time I spent in the Rogue Isles hadn't been a complete waste like I had previously thought. With my new powers I had to start practically from scratch in raising their power. My necromancy grew the fastest, but my nether magic was right behind it. Originally the thought of using the very power I used to curse sickened me. But, like with all things, the feelings dulled overtime and now there was no hesitancy.
As I traveled I quickly realized one thing, there was no real "prison" in the Rogue Isles and so the environment was purely dog-eat-dog. There was no room to simply knock out your opponent and if you did you would always look over your shoulder fearing they would get you when your guard was down. With no option left I had to resort to Recluse's suggestion and kill my opponents. Surprisingly it didn't seem to bother me. In fact I found it much easier to kill rather than knock out since I didn't have to hold back.
But at the same time it sickened me. Was I really so far down my path of darkness that I would resort to killing so easily? It had only been a few months ago when I was called one of the greatest healers to grace Paragon City, a role model for children, someone you could rely on. But now, I was a wanted murder. The killer of countless people…most were criminals but murder was murder in the justice books.
Wanting a break from the crime infested lands of the Rogue Isles I teleported to Perez Park. It was a reckless move on my part. There was no doubt in my mind that the Titans knew I had escaped the Ziggurat and it was likely that they would be patrolling the area near my grove; checking to see if I would return to my one time safe-haven. Not wishing to put myself in the center of a mass of cops I teleported to the lake. It was usually desolate because of the sludge creatures that inhabited it; it was also a safe distance away from my grove and would not be patrolled by the cops or any of the Titans. Immediately upon entering Perez Park I felt something was off…but I couldn't place what. Brushing it off as a form of paranoia I quickly headed for the tree line.
As I started to walk through the forests I had to be careful. I had shown the Titans many of my secret pathways through the dense forest and knew that they would share those secrets with the cops to make checking for me easier. Making my way down the hidden paths I took the time to blast any of the gangs into oblivion; painting the trees red with their blood. As I approached closer to my grove I started to encounter police patrols. I had no wish to kill them since they were not a real threat to me. So for the first time since I had received my new powers I held back, aiming to only knock the cops into unconsciousness.
As I walked deeper down the path that led to my grove the number of police patrols grew. Knowing I wouldn't stand a chance against that many cops I branched off from the path and took a different route that only I knew. I made no move to cover my path since it was unlikely anyone would stumble across it since the foliage surrounding it was denser than normal. Brushing past a few more bushes I came out to my grove and started to a sense of security. Like the forest was welcoming me back…but it was off. It was then that I realized why. My grove was tainted by the dark magics of the ritual I had performed. And it was that taint that welcomed me.
Stretching out my senses further I was shocked to learn that the "off" feeling I had felt earlier was the forest itself. The nature magic that made up the forest was cursing my presence. I was a traitor to the teachings of the wood now and it wanted nothing to do with me. My home had abandoned me! It saddened me to learn that, but there was nothing I could do now to change that.
Walking into the center of my grove, my home since birth, I basked in the comfort the tainted wood provided me. The darkness was strong enough to keep out anyone that did not have the taint of dark magic running through them. Even after all I had done my grove was still willing to watch over me. It seemed that nothing would stop it from caring for me.
I was alone now and nothing could change that. I blamed my loneliness on my new powers. The dark aura that shrouded me scared people from venturing to close. It made me wish I had someone to teach me how to better control my darkness…but the only person that could come close to helping me had been MIA for quite sometime.
"Cyn…" I whispered to no one, "The kind of magic leaves me feeling hollow and cold…how did you cope? How could you?
Cyn had been another Titan and her powers were based on the blackest of magics. The darkness caused many to be wary of her, myself included. Our contact with each other was limited and it was purely my fault. I was untrusting of her based on her powers, but now that I think about it she had done nothing to warrant my suspicions. It only deepened my thoughts of depression; it was now another mistake to add to my growing list.
Doing a scan over my power levels I came to realize that I had already gained access to at least a fourth of my power and my powers were still growing. Even at one-fourth I felt as if my magic was swallowing me whole. As if my soul was dying and being replaced with the darkness. I knew I needed to find a means to save what humanity I had left before I was nothing but a mindless killing machine.
As I walk my feet step on something that wasn't the grassy floor. Looking down I "see" a glowing mass of green. Kneeling down I pick it up to examine it better. Upon contact with it my hands start to feel as if they are burning. I quickly pull back from the sudden burning sensation. It wasn't excruciating like sticking your hand on hot metal, it was more irritating if anything; like a healing sunburn. Picking up the cloth, for that was what it was, I examine it and realize it was my old cape. Obviously no one came back to get it and left it where it was.
It was in a worse condition than when I left it. The months that it sat out, prey to the elements, had taken their toll on it. Holes now decorated its once flawless design, the edges were frayed, and the area where I had torn a strip from became even more uneven. The green aura surrounding it was nothing more than magic residue left over by the countless time I had healed wearing it. Checking where it met with my hands I saw my dark magic being repelled by the healing magic from the cape. Then and idea struck me. The cape would be a perfect countermeasure to my dark magic! It would fight the taint of my magic allowing me enough time to adjust to it!
I was about to don my old cape when a rush of dark magic ran through me. It wasn't mine though. Someone was near, and that someone had dark magic running through them. Concentrating on the new presence it felt vaguely familiar…Cyn? No, it was weaker than anything Cyn's aura…Lady Pitch! Lady Pitch is a member of the Titans and is Cyn's lover. But why did she have the taint of darkness? My mind quickly turned to the burning feeling in my hands. If my cape could absorb the magic from my healing, then it was possible that Lady Pitch had absorbed some of Cyn's darkness through their close proximity.
Judging by how far she was from my position I probably had thirty seconds before she reached my position. She had been one of the Titans to show up and arrest me and she was definitely one of the strongest blasters the Titans had. At my current level fighting her wasn't an option…not that I wanted to. The Titans weren't on my hit list, only Recluse was.
Knowing that if I stayed to much longer a fight would break out, I gathered my magic together preparing to teleport. With a surge of magic I reappear in Cap Au Diable. Gathering my bearing I take a second to recover from the long distance teleport. Having recovered from the large use of magic, I strap my cape to the chains on my skull shoulder pads and feel the burning sensation flow from my upper torso straight to my knees. I now needed to take the time to learn how to control my powers and to keep them from ripping apart my soul.
I wander around for a while before stumbling across two of Recluse's soldiers entering a warehouse; no doubt a hidden base. Making my way to the warehouse's entrance I prepare myself for the upcoming battle.
'What better way to learn how to control my powers than to use Recluse's soldiers as test dummies?' I thought to myself as I opened the door.
It would be a night of screams for Cap Au Diable tonight!