Shadow Rising
Chapter 3: Powers Unveiled
"Azriel?" Rogue watched as Azriel nimbly swung himself onto he top of the roof. He looked at her in surprise.
"I didn't expect you here." Rogue smiled sadly.
"Ah'm not gonna get any sleep after what happened today. What about you? Y'all should be restin'."
"I'm fine."
"Oh." The two sat, not speaking for a moments.
"Azriel, what the hell happened this afternoon?" Rogue asked, breaking the awkward silence. Azriel remained silent, gazing at the crescent moon.
"Azriel?"
"Hmm? Oh, sorry."
"Well?" Azriel sighed deeply.
"I'm not sure. Back there, I understood his tactics, his attacks. I think I could even duplicate them. But I can't figure out how I know these things. I don't have any memories of learning and that kind of stuff can't just be learned in thirty seconds."
"Ah see."
"I'm scared, Rogue." Rogue looked at him, startled. She had never expected him to ever be afraid of anything. "Not of them, or what the future holds. I'm scared because I can't remember how I used these powers, for good or evil." Rogue slipped her hand into his and squeezed it gently.
"Y'all may not remember what happened all those years ago, but Ah know you're personality wouldn'ta changed. And Ah know Azriel Dracul. Ah know he would use his gifts for good. Never for evil." Azriel squeezed her hand tightly.
"Thanks Rogue."
Looks like I'll be here for a while longer.
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Azriel watched gloomily as Jean and the girls chatted animatedly with some of the X-Boys. He swirled his coffee and took a small sip. Something was off, something he couldn't quite put his finger on. Nor could he understand why he had insisted the X-Men return to the mall after the previous day's disastrous incident. He rubbed his temples in exasperation. He felt a throbbing ache that refused to depart, despite the copious amount of aspirin and Tylenol Azriel had put into his body. He gasped as the throb flared into a sharp pain. His eyes widened as he realized the feeling was a warning.
Something's coming.
A long whip suddenly wrapped around Rogue's waist and jerked her from her seat. She yelped in surprise as she landed in a heap next to a tall woman. Her hair was pulled tight against her white, skull-like face and tied in an elegant knot. Beside her stood a tall handsome man, long black hair covering his face and falling over his chestnut brown eyes. He grabbed Rogue by the collar, hauling her up and grinned at Azriel.
"Well well well. What do we have here? Another half-blood. Shall we, sister?" The tall woman nodded a wide smile on her face. As the X-Men gathered to aid Rogue, the man grabbed Rogue by the throat.
"Uh uh uh. Don't move or she...ouch!" He let go of Rogue hastily and threw her away. Azriel raced forward, catching her and setting her gently on the ground, smiling. The man gasped in shock and looked at his burned hand.
"What the fuck?!" Azriel's smile only deepened.
"She wears a pendant made of the purest silver, blessed by the hand of the Divine. It guards her against all demons, devils, undead etc. It creates a shield powerful enough to stand against the deadliest of attacks." Azriel smirked. "You can't touch her." Rogue gasped. So that's why he gave it to me, she thought. To protect me. Azriel slowly rose to his feet. Raw energy began to emanate from him. It intensified, blue light flashing around his body. The ground under and around him began to crack and crumble. Lights flickered and bulbs shattered around him. The wind kicked up inside of the complex howling around him. The two siblings raised their hands to protect their faces from the dust and bits of stone whirling around. Azriel began to glow. His eyes disappeared under the overflowing power. His raven black hair stood on end and his hands flared bright blue. The man gasped in shock and watched as Azriel levitated a few inches off the ground, his feet dangling down almost touching the ground.
"So much power..." He turned to his sister. "We must strike hard! We will only have one shot!" He raced forward, energy crackling along his body. He concentrated it into his foot and kicked with all his might. To his surprise, Azriel easily caught his foot and twisted, flipping him down hard onto the floor. He slammed down so hard the pavement cracked. Azriel lifted him up by the neck and began to choke him. The man's eyes rolled to the back of his skull as he grabbed feebly at Azriel's arm. His legs spasmed as he desperately tried to free himself. Azriel's face showed only sadness and pity as he slowly choked the man to death. The man let out a gurgle and slumped in his grasp. Azriel dropped him and stared at his trembling sister.
"I don't harm women. You're free to go." The woman nodded at him, surprised by his uncharacteristic show of mercy. She raced from the mall.
Most impressive. Your skills continue to grow.
When does this end?
Patience. You've entered the finals. Only two more opponents to defeat.
What about the girl I let go?
She will die. You don't have time for sympathy, Guardian.
Why do you keep calling me that?
Because it is who you are. Do not worry. All will become clear.
Fine.
Until then, keep winning.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
A/N: Man am I cranking these out. Chapter four will be up ASAP. Btw, I've decided to name this series the Guardian Saga. With a little luck and a lot of time (or maybe vice versa), I'll get the other two stories in this trilogy mapped out. Until next chapter...
Sayonara
Dark Merlyn
"Azriel?" Rogue watched as Azriel nimbly swung himself onto he top of the roof. He looked at her in surprise.
"I didn't expect you here." Rogue smiled sadly.
"Ah'm not gonna get any sleep after what happened today. What about you? Y'all should be restin'."
"I'm fine."
"Oh." The two sat, not speaking for a moments.
"Azriel, what the hell happened this afternoon?" Rogue asked, breaking the awkward silence. Azriel remained silent, gazing at the crescent moon.
"Azriel?"
"Hmm? Oh, sorry."
"Well?" Azriel sighed deeply.
"I'm not sure. Back there, I understood his tactics, his attacks. I think I could even duplicate them. But I can't figure out how I know these things. I don't have any memories of learning and that kind of stuff can't just be learned in thirty seconds."
"Ah see."
"I'm scared, Rogue." Rogue looked at him, startled. She had never expected him to ever be afraid of anything. "Not of them, or what the future holds. I'm scared because I can't remember how I used these powers, for good or evil." Rogue slipped her hand into his and squeezed it gently.
"Y'all may not remember what happened all those years ago, but Ah know you're personality wouldn'ta changed. And Ah know Azriel Dracul. Ah know he would use his gifts for good. Never for evil." Azriel squeezed her hand tightly.
"Thanks Rogue."
Looks like I'll be here for a while longer.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Azriel watched gloomily as Jean and the girls chatted animatedly with some of the X-Boys. He swirled his coffee and took a small sip. Something was off, something he couldn't quite put his finger on. Nor could he understand why he had insisted the X-Men return to the mall after the previous day's disastrous incident. He rubbed his temples in exasperation. He felt a throbbing ache that refused to depart, despite the copious amount of aspirin and Tylenol Azriel had put into his body. He gasped as the throb flared into a sharp pain. His eyes widened as he realized the feeling was a warning.
Something's coming.
A long whip suddenly wrapped around Rogue's waist and jerked her from her seat. She yelped in surprise as she landed in a heap next to a tall woman. Her hair was pulled tight against her white, skull-like face and tied in an elegant knot. Beside her stood a tall handsome man, long black hair covering his face and falling over his chestnut brown eyes. He grabbed Rogue by the collar, hauling her up and grinned at Azriel.
"Well well well. What do we have here? Another half-blood. Shall we, sister?" The tall woman nodded a wide smile on her face. As the X-Men gathered to aid Rogue, the man grabbed Rogue by the throat.
"Uh uh uh. Don't move or she...ouch!" He let go of Rogue hastily and threw her away. Azriel raced forward, catching her and setting her gently on the ground, smiling. The man gasped in shock and looked at his burned hand.
"What the fuck?!" Azriel's smile only deepened.
"She wears a pendant made of the purest silver, blessed by the hand of the Divine. It guards her against all demons, devils, undead etc. It creates a shield powerful enough to stand against the deadliest of attacks." Azriel smirked. "You can't touch her." Rogue gasped. So that's why he gave it to me, she thought. To protect me. Azriel slowly rose to his feet. Raw energy began to emanate from him. It intensified, blue light flashing around his body. The ground under and around him began to crack and crumble. Lights flickered and bulbs shattered around him. The wind kicked up inside of the complex howling around him. The two siblings raised their hands to protect their faces from the dust and bits of stone whirling around. Azriel began to glow. His eyes disappeared under the overflowing power. His raven black hair stood on end and his hands flared bright blue. The man gasped in shock and watched as Azriel levitated a few inches off the ground, his feet dangling down almost touching the ground.
"So much power..." He turned to his sister. "We must strike hard! We will only have one shot!" He raced forward, energy crackling along his body. He concentrated it into his foot and kicked with all his might. To his surprise, Azriel easily caught his foot and twisted, flipping him down hard onto the floor. He slammed down so hard the pavement cracked. Azriel lifted him up by the neck and began to choke him. The man's eyes rolled to the back of his skull as he grabbed feebly at Azriel's arm. His legs spasmed as he desperately tried to free himself. Azriel's face showed only sadness and pity as he slowly choked the man to death. The man let out a gurgle and slumped in his grasp. Azriel dropped him and stared at his trembling sister.
"I don't harm women. You're free to go." The woman nodded at him, surprised by his uncharacteristic show of mercy. She raced from the mall.
Most impressive. Your skills continue to grow.
When does this end?
Patience. You've entered the finals. Only two more opponents to defeat.
What about the girl I let go?
She will die. You don't have time for sympathy, Guardian.
Why do you keep calling me that?
Because it is who you are. Do not worry. All will become clear.
Fine.
Until then, keep winning.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
A/N: Man am I cranking these out. Chapter four will be up ASAP. Btw, I've decided to name this series the Guardian Saga. With a little luck and a lot of time (or maybe vice versa), I'll get the other two stories in this trilogy mapped out. Until next chapter...
Sayonara
Dark Merlyn