Karsh and Dario had been sent on a confidential mission to seek out that Masamune that Grandmaster Garai once pursued. It was believed to be on the Isle of the Damned, and so the two greatest knights and their aides voyaged there to survey the island.
Dario and Karsh pulled their small boat out of the water and onto the hard soil. Karsh turned away from the water, and immediately held a hand to his nose, having experienced the offensive smell of rotting flesh and decomposing animals. Dario stood next to Karsh, looking at the strange cavernous land that lay in front of them. Motioning to the two aides, Solt and Peppor, they began to investigate the caves.
Karsh had come to a cave whose entrance appeared to be a mirror. The others had been searching elsewhere, so he yelled to Dario, "Hey! I think I found something!" The three others came running to Karsh's position to witness the same odd wall. "This must be it!" He said, beginning to pound on the mirror as if to break it.
Dario grabbed Karsh's arm, pleading him to stop. "Karsh, why are you in such a hurry? The footing here is bad." Dario could not manage to stand straight on the awkward conglomeration of soil and bones underneath his feet.
"Why do you always have to be like that, Dario?" Karsh said, releasing his arm from Dario's grip. "The Masamune may be in there! Any Dragoon would be hyped to see that thing! You know!" Karsh's anxiety was almost unnatural, and Dario gave him a concerned glance. Karsh turned towards the aides, saying, "Shaker brothers, you stay here." The two affirmed, and Karsh turned back to Dario, giving him a pat on the shoulder. "Let's get goin', Dario."
Dario pulled out a small keepsake that his father had given him, whose power was apparently to create a passage for the user. "Fine…" He said, reluctantly stepping through the mirror.
On the other side lay a grotto, a spike of land that had stuck out over the water on the edge of the island. The soil here was just the same as the rest of the island, but there was no movement or sound in the air. The sky was black, and the ground was difficult to see. At the end of the spike was an intricately designed, shining red sword, stuck into the ground, almost as if it grew out of the bones themselves. Karsh's eyes lit up, as he spoke in wonder, "Is that… the Masamune!"
Dario walked to it, silently, and picked up the sword. He turned to Karsh, his eyes now visibly red with fire, overcome by the power of the sword. As Karsh approached him, Dario took a swing of the sword, cutting a small piece of flesh from Karsh's arm.
Karsh yelped in pain, jumping back and falling to one knee. He glanced at his wound, and back up at Dario. "Dario! What do you think you're doing!" He yelled, clutching his arm.
Dario lurched towards the kneeled Karsh and held the sword above his head. He was silent for a moment, but looked down at Karsh with his crimson eyes. "Die!" And from nowhere Karsh heard a second voice speaking through Dario. Karsh looked behind him to see a ghostly figure of a white knight, the exact image of Dario's father. Dario stood still, the ghost behind him speaking through his mouth. "Death to all living creatures!"
Karsh stood up, and backed away from Dario, his hand now clutched on the hilt of his axe. "Don't tell me it's that sword…? Dario! Let go!" He yelled, frightened for his life. But Dario did not hear him and approached him, swinging again at Karsh. This time, Karsh defended himself, blocking the attack with his axe. It was as if Dario were practicing his sword skill with him, but with malice and intent to kill. Dario took swing after swing with the large sword, Karsh only blocking every attack, screaming at Dario to let go. Dario took one heavy strike to the axe and knocked Karsh onto his back.
"Stop, Dario! It's me! Karsh!" He yelled, a tear forming in his eye. Dario held the sword over Karsh's chest, as if to prepare a mortal blow. But yet he twitched. Dario had held the sword shaking over Karsh's body.
"Kill me, Karsh! Hurry…!" He screamed, fighting the demon that controlled him. Karsh shook his head in disbelief and shocked, remained in place. "Do it, Karsh! Or else, I'll…!" Dario looked to be holding back an enormous weight, but Karsh could still not do anything.
"No, Dario! I can't! Please snap out of it, Dario!" Karsh shouted, tears falling from his eyes.
Again, the ghost appeared behind Dario. "Heh heh heh… You idiot… I gave you a chance. You cannot beat me. You are but a mere mortal…" Karsh's eyes widened in disbelief at the vision. "First, I will dispose of you, and then…" The ghost paused for a while, as it seemed to be reaching inside Dario's brain for a clue. "…Riddel. I shall let the Masamune sate itself on Riddel's blood!" The spirit belted out a blood-curdling laugh, as Karsh stood up, holding his axe at the ready.
"Damn you!" Karsh howled as he swung his axe at Dario, throwing him back into the water. Karsh ran to the edge of the cape. He was gone. The ghost, and Dario. Karsh fell to his knees, sobbing. "Dario… What have I done…"
Amidst the silence, a man in a dark coat approached Karsh from the mainland. He appeared to be a demi-human, with catlike features for his face, and a long black cape. "Dario was killed by demons. Understand, Karsh?" The mysterious man said.
Karsh could hardly open his mouth amidst his cries. "But…"
The man grabbed Karsh's arm where he had been wounded. "Are you going to tell everyone about what you just did?" He twisted Karsh's arm and Karsh looked deep into the man's fearsome eyes. "Are you willing to tell Riddel that YOU murdered Dario because he was possessed by the evil sword?" Karsh recoiled in pain from the man's grasp. "Do not worry," he said with a grin. "Do as I say, and everything will be just fine."
As the man finished his last word, he tore his hand away from Karsh's arm, and picked up the Masamune laying on the ground. Karsh was still on his knees unable to move as he watched Lynx disappear with the malicious sword.
"Dario…"
