New Guardian Information
Suzaku
Type: South Guardian/ Vermilion Phoenix
Weapons:
-Twin Katanas of Flames
-Katanas combined to form Bow of Will
Armour:
-Armour of rebirth (increased agility and flexibility in exchange for decreased defence)
-Flame Wings (allow for flight)
Others:
Flames of Reincarnation
-Injuries and fatal wounds are all healed instantly in exchange for constant mana consumption
Notes: One of the four guardian beats who guard the four points. Represents 'Passion', 'Determination' and 'willpower'. Flames and rebirth are symbols associated with the guardian at the Southern point
Dance of Flames
The group had to walk carefully through the tunnels, one wrong move could make them end up in some place surrounded by magma. Lehas had decided to gather more information in the village, meaning she would have disappeared by the time they dealt with this. If they could. However before they could even face the guardian, they had already wounded up walking in circles.
"Argh! We've been walking back and forth for hours now!"
Gwen finally broke down waving her gun like a mad man and had to be held back by Azel.
"Certainly, it feels that way. We take a tunnel and soon we need to back track due to the magma flow. It is rather troubling."
Karves muttered. Meili grumbled about her legs being tired and the place being too hot. Everyone was feeling the same without Meili adding more heat to it. Vensil still supported Tharin as the crusader was barely able to walk on her own.
"What should we do? Go back?"
"No. We will continue forward."
Tharin said, pushing herself from Vensil's support. The monk tried to help the crusader when she almost fell, but Tharin stopped her.
"I'm alright."
Tharin pushed herself forward towards the newly sealed exit. She pulled her sword out, and pointed to her left. A burst of energy shot out from her sword's tip, exploding the wall away. Tharin nearly collapsed, but using her sword, she found her balance. She pushed herself through the hole in the wall, leading the group onwards.
"Tharin, you should let one of us lead. It's dangerous for you to go ahead in this dangerous place."
Kaine said, but Tharin still continued to walk and stumble forward.
"No... i'm the one who can sense the guardian. And i will not give up that easily."
Tharin replied, still using her sword as support to push herself forward. Suddenly, the wall beside the group burst open, letting magma flow straight into the tunnels. The group immediately retreated, but they realized that Tharin was still on the opposite side of the magma flow.
"Tharin!"
"...."
The crusader looked at the magma flow, seeing how it cooled down and formed a wall almost immediately. This magma flow is definitely controlled by the guardian's magic. The guardian separated her from her group on purpose. She must continue on. She continued on, taking each step in pain. But she slowly found strength coming back to her. Only slightly. She could soon walk, but with a slight limp, dragging her sword along the sword with each step. She continued to walk down the tunnel till she finally reached the end. She stepped out into a large cavern, the path forming a bridge across a large chasm filled with magma to connect to a large central platform in the middle of the Valcano. The platform was simply suspended in mid air above the magma pit, supported by multiple path bridges from all around the cavern. Tharin made her way across the bridge to the platform, where her strength gave out, forcing her to her knees.
'You have done well, child.'
A voice, powerful and commanding boomed both in her head and in the caverns. The sound of flapping wings made Tharin look up, coming face to face with giant flaming bird. The second guardian.
"You.... you called me here... you tested me."
Tharin struggled to her feet, but her arms did not have to power to help her. The guardian landed on the platform, its size taking up almost half of this giant platform.
'I have tested you, yes. And you have performed better than i thought. Perhaps, child, you are one we have truly been waiting for.'
The bird gave a loud cry, the flames on its body flaring up and intensifying. But Tharin did not feel like the flames were scorching her. No, it felt warm, and soothing. She soon found her strength, and much more. Her mind was clear, her body was light. She stood up, confused by the guardian's actions.
'You have a fire within you, child. One that burns so brightly that it easily dispels the darkness that has encroached upon your heart. Your determination and willpower to see this through even though you face near impossible odds is admirable. Now come, face me with everything you have.'
Tharin readied her sword, facing off against the guardian by herself. She reached into her pocket for Byakko, but somehow she felt that the first guardian's powers were cut off from her. This trial is something she must face without help from the guardians. The giant bird opened its beak at her, a light slowly emitting from it. Tharin knew what it was and raised her shield immediately, blocking a large jet of flames that shot out from the guardian's mouth at her. The heat from this flame was not soothing like the one before, this one burned badly. But Tharin held strong, minimizing her exposed skin by making her body smaller behind her shield. She stabbed the ground with her sword, and a large cross appeared beneath her. The cross exploded in a large shine of light, forcing the guardian to stop its attack.
Tharin stood back up, drawing her sword and rushing at the guardian. The guardian flapped its giant wings, taking flight above the platform to dodge her swing. The guardian readied another burst of fire, but Tharin readied her shield, and threw it at the bird. The shield flew off like a boomerang, arcing and hitting the guardian on the side of its face, forcing the blast away from Tharin. The shield flew back to Tharin, who caught it easily. She reached into her pocket, taking out a small blue crystal she bought from Geffen. The guardian recovered from the blow and tried to blast her once more. Tharin cracked the jewel in her right hand, and threw it at the oncoming flames. The crystal exploded right after leaving her hand, shooting forth a blast of ice magic that countered the flames, and even froze the fire all the way to guardian, who stopped the attack before the freezing effect could touch it. But now Tharin had a 'bridge' that led her up to the guardian's level. She ran up the ice bridge and jumped, sword over her head as she aimed for the guardian. However the guardian was a bird, and the air was its territory. Dodging her was easy for the guardian, and Tharin landed back on the platform without forming a scratch on the guardian.
"Tch."
'You have a lot of wit, child. Even though i have taken to the sky, you still do not give up in trying to bring me down. Arrogance and pride? Or stubbornness and determination?'
".... I would say all. I am stubborn, i am determined. I want to finish this trial no matter what. But i have my pride, and my arrogance as well. I am human, a creature who believes herself to be equal, if not greater to the Gods even when the obvious is before my eyes."
The voice chuckled at her answer.
'How true. It matters not which is it, for all i have to see is whether you are truly the one to set in motion the gears of fate.'
The guardian spread its wings, the flames bursting with intensity. Tharin steadied her sword and shield, ready to face the challenge.
"Tharin!"
The crusader turned and saw from another path Kaine came running towards her. The guide stood between Tharin and the guardian, his sword drawn and pointed towards the guardian.
"Kaine?"
"We came looking for you. We were all separated, but i'm sure they will find us."
Tharin looked at the guide's broad back, thinking back to how he would always appear during times like these. Somehow he always knew how to appear when she needed him most, to help her through. He was someone she could count on. She smiled at that thought.
"Then maybe we shall finish this before they arrive?"
Tharin asked, earning a smirk from Kaine.
"Sure, why not."
Kaine ran forward, throwing his giant sword at the guardian, who dodge the flying blade, only to have Tharin appear by his side, two more blue crystals in her hand. She cracked the crystals and threw them at the Guardian. The crystals blasted a freezing wind at the flames, causing the guardian to weaken and fall towards the ground. Tharin and Kaine raised their swords as the guardian plummeted towards the platform, and brought their full might down on the bird. The guardian crashed into the platform while Kaine and Tharin landed some distance away. They knew it wasn't over. And as expected, a burst of flames erupted from where the guardian fell, this one burning with greater intensity than before. The fire bird took flight once more, this time larger in size than before. That was when a large mountain of ice came crashing down on the guardian.
"Thought you guys could have all the fun?"
Feyrin's voice called from another bridge. Keila stood with her, as did Meili. The three ran up and regrouped with Kaine and Tharin.
"You guys are late."
Kaine told the mage in a cynical voice. The mage smirked at his remark, snapping her fingers and letting a bolt of lightning strike the guardian.
"You need to pay attention."
The guardian blasted another burst of fire, and took flight again. It grew in size and power once more.
"This guardian is a phoenix. The bird god of rebirth. This fight could go on forever."
Feyrin muttered, pulling out her magic deck cards, releasing the cards with frost spells in them. Meili pulled out whole strings of daggers and knives, each attached with an explosive, and throwing them at the guardian. The explosives and spells hit their mark, but like before, the guardian only became more powerful.
"So each time we kill it, it just revives itself?"
Kaine asked.
"Not only that, it grows stronger each time it revives itself too."
"Then the only thing to do is to just keep hitting it, right?"
Another voice said. A giant explosion blasted the guardian back to the ground. All turned to see that Gwen, Azel, Berilious, and Rith had arrived. The four joined the group in the centre, the fight becoming more intense.
"We'll prevent it from flying too high."
Gwen winked, pulling out her customized rifle. Azel took out his gatling gun and Rith notched multiple arrows. Berilious began to play a heavy rhythm song on his guitar, empowering each member of the group. The guardian flew up again, and it was bombarded by attacks from the now larger group. However the guardian would not even phase at these attacks now, gathering a large fireball in its mouth and hurling it at the group. Feyrin and Tharin only barely managed to get their shields up, but it still caused a massive blow to the party. The guardian gathered up for another blast, and shot the second fireball at them. Tharin and Feyrin could not bring up the shield in time, but the appearance of a figure next to the fireball caught everyone by surprise. The figure kicked the fireball, and sent it flying to the side.
Landing down on the platform, Terash exhaled out his held breath, loosening his muscles. Karves and Vensil ran up to the group, taking up defensive positions as Heline and Meris started to use healing magic on the group. The guardian breathed another fireball at the group, but the combined power from the three monks had blocked the blast of the fire. Two more figures appeared above the guardian, and they dove straight down through the guardian with their blades. Landing down on the platform, Ferex and Vinlett steadied their weapons against the guardian. The group was reunited once more. Aira ran up to Tharin with a large grin on her face.
"Master! I found you!"
Aira jumped with open arms to Tharin, and with a flash of light, Tharin fused with the homunculus. Armed with her dark armour and scythe, Tharin felt more power flowing through her.
'Comrades, friends, family. Such passion flows through each and everyone of you. Even in the face of insurmountable odds, you all still strive to stand triumph, to survive. Passion and determination. You are well loved, cursed one. That is for certain.'
The guardian's voice echoed in her mind and throughout the cavern, causing everyone to look up in surprise.
"The bird... talks?"
Gwen stared in surprise.
"The guardians are deities on this Earth. They have power over the elements and lives. It should not be surprising that they can talk. Though this would be the first one to address us, not only Tharin."
Feyrin explained.
'And it is true. Each of us guardians represent a part of life that is important to all living creatures. Byakko, to the West, represents Strength. Like the rocks and the Earth, he stands tall and firm. His influence has spread and is represented by the people of Einbroch. People who have found the courage and strength to stand on their own against all others. I represent Passion. Be it love, friendship, determination or will power, i am the being that refuses to die. My land is the green oasis that grows within the lands of sand. The resolve that you have all shown me is proof that you are all strong in your conviction to see this through. Even as i grow stronger each time you dose my flames, you never gave up. As such, you have passed this trial.'
The bird gave a cry, and with a flash of light, disappeared, leaving a single red orb floating where the guardian was. Tharin spread out her wings and flew up to the orb, carefully taking it with both hands and going back to the group. Once back on the ground, Aira separated from Tharin. Tharin felt warmth coming from the orb, filling her with energy. The ground started to shake and shudder, alarming the group.
"This place is getting unstable!"
"Why does this always have to happen?!"
"Running from magma is definitely the highlight of my life."
Gwen wheezed as the group had managed to escape from the tunnels. After the guardian was defeated, the lava flow began to rise. The group had to run through the tunnels at top speed as they were chased by the molten rock flow. After they reached the outside, the lava flow stopped, sealing the entrance to the Valcano completely. Perhaps this was the final magic that the second guardian placed, never letting anyone get in. Tharin held the red orb up, staring into its brilliance. The second guardian. The guardian of the South. The flame deity. The never dying phoenix of passion.
Each of the guardians had trials that corresponded to their own alignments. Byakko was of Earth and strength. She beat Byakko with her dark powers, pure raw strength and destruction. With this second guardian, Suzaku, she never gave up no matter how strong and unbeatable the guardian appeared to be. She also had the help of her comrades. Passion, translated into friendship and determination. Now all that were left were the two guardians of East and North. She did not know what to expect, but no doubts she would complete them all.
'Good answer.'
Suzaku's voice chuckled in her mind. Now that the guardian was reduced to this sealed form, the voice became clear and sharp. And it sounded like a woman, which did surprise Tharin.
'We guardians have no sense of gender. We are both male and female, and yet none at the same time.'
Suzaku explained. That made sense.
'It's just that Suzaku prefers to sound like that.'
Byakko's voice butted in.
'Byakko, it's been awhile since we last met. You haven't changed one bit.'
'Same can be said for you.'
The two guardians seemed to be rather hostile with each other, though Tharin knew better than to butt into the affairs of two deities. But there was one thing she needed to know from Suzaku. The flame guardian sensed her question earlier, resulting in a chuckle.
'Child, you are still young. There is no need to rush in trying to find the answer.'
Odd, coming from the guardian who represents passion. Byakko gave a snigger after hearing that, to which Suzaku simply snorted back.
'Passion can be good, but in excessive amounts, it is nothing more than a petty annoyance. Very well, i shall enlighten you on your past, though not all of it. Your dark powers do certainly come from a mixture of your unique blood line, and with Vestratos's curse. As you already know, the curse placed upon you is different from others, amplifying your innate powers.'
Tharin felt that what were her 'innate' powers were dangerous, and mysterious in origin.
'... I should not tell you more than this, but i will tell you this. Your powers are not from Midgard. You draw your power from Valhalla, from Nifelhiem, from Muspell, from the different worlds. You should know what i refer to.'
Yggdrasil. The world tree. Her powers came from the origin of all life? But how could that be possible?
'I shall speak no more of it. There is someone who had been wanting to tell all of this to you for a long time. We promised to only guide you there.'
"Who?"
Tharin asked out loud, making some of the other group members turn to her.
'... You shall know in time.'
And when exactly would that time would come, Tharin wasn't feeling all too happy about waiting. The group headed back to the port city of Guaren, only to find something wrong. The locals were missing. This was rather disturbing as the group cautiously made their way back to the inn, but it did not take them long to find the reason why. Standing in the middle of the town's centre, was a familiar face. Dressed in seductive clothing and cracking a bladed whip in one hand, Malesio Bafel grinned at the sight of the party.
"Berilious! I finally found you!"
The gypsy cracked her whip once, and suddenly groups of armed men came out of hiding, surrounding the group. No, not just any ordinary armed men. Prontera Knights.
"Malesio... you sided with Prontera."
Berilious said, as though not expecting the girl to do that, and yet at the same time not sounding all too surprised at the same time. The gypsy curled her lips into a smirk.
"I would do anything to see you die. Just so happened that the people whom you travel with fit the descriptions of Prontera's most wanted. You would be surprised at how desperate the people in the capital are for your heads."
"Actually, i wouldn't be."
Berilious sighed. The bard took out his guitar, and strummed a tune. At first, all of the knights took guard, as did Malesio, but soon they all realized that the song did not seem to have any effect whatsoever.
"Wha-what stunt are you trying to pull?"
Malesio demanded. Berilious looked at her with a sad look, shaking his head in dismay.
"So you have been so consumned by hatred that you forgot even this?"
"What are you talking about-... Wait.... this is...."
Malesio's alarmed face suddenly turned the situation tense.
"No! Get him! Stop him before it's too late!"
The gypsy shouted, and at her call the knights charged at the group.
"Don't move."
The bard spoke quietly and calmly, and suddenly every single one of the knights froze in place. The group stared in amazement at the effect that Berilious had. Never once had he such song spells with him.
"This isn't my song. It was taught to me by a travelling band of gypsies who picked me up when i was injured and lost. They nursed me back to health, taught me many things, and even considered me a part of their family."
"You mean-"
Berilious smiled to Meili and nodded.
"Yes. This song belonged to the great song maker of the Bafel gypsies, Torunel Bafel, Malesio's father. This was the last song he gave to me before he died."
"Don't give me that crap!"
Malesio shouted. Though the knights were frozen in place, Malesio was still fine. Feyrin immediately knew why. Berilious's magic were based on sound, the music that he played. Malesio had a couple of things working in her favour. One was the fact she was a gypsy, a person who grew up with song spells her entire life. Two, the constant cracking of her whip had cut the air, preventing the song waves from every touching her. Third, she was standing behind a frozen prontera knight, who blocked the main attack.
"You killed my father, and you still dare to use his song?!"
"... And you still refuse to see anything beyond that day."
"Enough! I will kill you for everything you put me through!"
Malesio cracked her whip around the knights, and smashed Berilious's guitar, breaking the spell. The knights could suddenly move once more, and charged at the group. Feyrin slammed her fist into the ground, causing a ring of fire to surround the group, protecting them from the knights. But a whip shot through the flames, wrapping around Tharin's arm and pulling the crusader out of the ring formation.
"My whip is magically enhanced, so no flames can burn through it!"
Malesio gloated as the knights drew their swords and poised their weapons over Tharin.
"Tharin!"
Kaine wanted to jump out, but the flames prevented him from doing so.
"Feyrin! the flames!"
"I can't! I've lost control over them!"
"What?!"
Kaine turned back to Tharin, and saw that she had a smile on her face. Was she the one who was controlling the flames? She mouthed the words 'it's alright', before the swords of the knights were brought down upon her. The group looked on in horror as swords stabbed the helpless crusader continuously without mercy. The shock was too great for some of the members, Meris, Meili and Gwen, that they fainted.
"Ha ha ha ha! How frail can you be? Berilious! You shall be next!"
Malesio laughed maniacally, till she felt a tug on her whip.
"I think not."
Tharin's voice replied, making everyone turn in surprise. The Knights who stood around Tharin backed away, revealing the crusader, who sat up, swords still in her body. Tharin looked to the gypsy, her lips curling into a smirk.
"N-no... it- it can't be... you- you're suppose to be dead! Why?! Why are you still alive?! Demon!"
"Hmmm? Demon, huh.... i guess i can qualify under that title.... Your whip... you said it can't be burned?"
Tharin looked at Malesio's whip that was still wrapped around her arm.
"Then what about THIS FLAME? SUZAKU!"
Tharin's body burst into flames, burning with such great intensity that almost everyone around her was blown away. The whip caught fire, and the flame travelled up the whip so quickly that Malesio did not have time to register what was going on before she was caught on fire. Only then that she released the whip and ran away screaming in agony. The knights tried to run away, but some of them began to combust and melt before they could run away. A great vacuum sucked away the air, feeding the flames that had engulfed Tharin. Then the flames exploded, dispersing to reveal Tharin, clad in blood red armour. A plate armour, red skirt, boots, arm guards, fingerless gloves, a red mantle that split into two. Her entire armour was red, as well as her hair and her pupils.
She out-stretched her arms, and from her palms two swords emerged. The blades were slightly curved, had intricate red hilts, and red runic inscriptions engraved into the metal. The knights who managed to run away from the heat, saw her change and some started to charge back at her, thinking that without her flames, she could not prove to be a threat. Tharin dodged each of their attacks swiftly, ducking under their swings and cutting them in one swift movement. Her precise and fluid strikes were a vast contrast to her usual styles. Her fusion with Byakko gave her immense strength, and she used it to her advantage, by destroying her enemies' weapons, rather than dodging. But with this, she could move swiftly and accurately. But in exchange, her attacks were softer, as some of her opponents whom she had cut were still able to retaliate.
One knight managed to get behind her, and stab Tharin from the back, the sword piercing through her chest. But the knight suddenly combusted into flames, and the sword melted away. Her wounds healed almost immediately and her armour repaired itself with flames. The remaining knights, upon seeing this, started to run away, knowing that what damage they could inflict on Tharin would be useless. Seeing the running soldiers, Tharin joined her two swords at the tips of their hilts. The swords melted together and formed a red bow. Red feathered wings sprouted from Tharin's back and she took flight into the air. Tharin spotted the knights running into the jungle, and she drew the bow string of her bow. Arrows of fire appeared on her drawn bow, and she fired them. Each arrow homed into an enemy, piercing them in a vital area, killing them immediately. Tharin continued to rain down the flaming arrow storm, till there weren't any soldiers left. Landing back on the ground, Tharin raised a hand to the flames that still circled the group, and it died out immediately. With a bright flash, Tharin reverted back to her old self, the red orb of the second guardian in her hand. But everyone still sensed something wrong. That was when Kaine noticed something. Tharin's clothes were blood soaked.
"Tharin!"
Kaine ran towards Tharin, who smiled, before losing consciousness and dropping to the ground. Kaine immediately went to check Tharin's condition. While shallow, she had undoubtedly received wounds from the places she had been stabbed. What's more, additional marks appeared on her skin that resembled burn marks.
"Looks like the guardian's rebirth skill is not without risks."
Feyrin muttered, picking up the red orb. The orb glowed warmly in her hand, and the mage could sense a great amount of power flowing within it. But unlike Tharin, Feyrin knew she could not communicate with the guardian.
".... Let's get her to the inn and get ready to leave. I doubt Prontera would leave this place alone after they lose contact with the knights who were with Malesio."