Athena had never felt so much pain.She fell to her knees her head bowed as her hair covered her face. The seed popped out of her shoulder as she slumped forward. All negative energy seemed gone to her and her form was peaceful. She seemed herself finally.
Thorne arrived at the battle in time to see Kaiyon and Athena both be struck with powerful spells. Only moments before, Thorne had witnessed Shinryu's ferocious counter attack against his creation and was quite pleased with the outcome. It took you a lot longer than he would have expected, but Shinryu did win, so he was content with the result. Once Shinryu had destroyed what was left of the seed Thorne had silently positioned himself inbetween Shinryu and the clearing where the others were fighting. Thorne then drew from his pocket the seed he had been absorbing Athena's dark energy with and commanded the seed to slowly leak some of the aura into the surrounding forrest. Shinryu appeared to sense the evil aura immediatly and spun to face the direction of the energy. Thorne bolted in the opposite direction of Shinryu and towards the battle filled clearing. It was a good ways off and Shinryu was chasing the source of the aura even though Thorne knew Shinryu couldn't have seen him in the dark trees. When Thorne had reached the clearing he manipulated the seed and it immediatly reabsorbed all of Athena's dark aura again from the air. Shinryu had shot through the trees, his sword drawn, but was met with no advesary; just a moonlit clearing and a ways off to his left the sounds and flashes of battle. Thorne had lured Shinryu back to the others without being detected himself and he had jumped through the trees to put himself within earshot of the others. Thorne now watched as the faculty aided in subduing and purging Athena of her parasite. <I should have thought of the faculty.> Thorne lectured himself. <I only hope that our new ally hasn't been effected beyond the parasite after that flurry of purification spells.>
Kaiyon felt weakened after the usage of the spell, and as far as he saw, the spells had worked for now. He let go of the energy supporting him. He dropped to the floor and cried. Katsuke was still shocked at how Kaiyon could have mastered a darkness technique. He looked at him and then he looked at Tai Kami. She nodded and he did so as well. Athena was weakened so much by the spells, she practically could not move. Katsuke dragged somewhere safe. Tai Kami looked around and yelled "OK EVERYONE...WE'RE CAMPING OUT TODAY...ANYONE MOVES WITHINN 50 METERS FROM WHERE I STAND AND YOU ALL FAIL" She looked around and saw Shinryu. She walked towards him and said "And where the hell have you been!? We could have had some use for you! Next time, no fun trips...got it?"
"Fun trips?!" Tai-Kami was beginning to annoy Shinryu. "I was attacked by some weird monster with Karukai's aura! You call that a fun trip?" All she did was yell at him for nothing. Turning away from her, he asked Kakajo, "What happened here, anyway? I didn't hear a thing before I was attacked." "Oh, and sensei, what about Karukai? He's not here, but he is part of the class. Will he fail us for not being within the area?" ----------------- Meanwhile, Karukai looked perturbed. He had seen all that had happened, and he was worried that he had lost Athena, so soon after turning her. 'Why the hell did Thorne have to butt in? He always does this. If he can't have part of the fun, he goes in and makes a mess of the whole situation. It happened before at New Texas, and now he goes and pulls the same stunt! Does he never learn?' Making up his mind about something, he stood up, and left the trap he had just finished laying. Not bothering to teleport, he walked in the direction of the student's camp.
Athena sat up. She was back in control and she began to formulate a plan in her mind. She stood up and walked towards the group a little she looked around for Kaiyon then started to walk towards him but a glare from Katuske stopped her in her tracks and instead she turned and headed towards where the other girls from the group were standing by their Sensei.
Kakajo shook his head and said, "You missed alot. Basically this parasite got control of Athena's body and she started attacking everyone until Sensei and that guy over there."pause to point at Katuske, "Did this purifying spell on her and Kaiyon because Kaiyon performed a dark spell." At this point Kakajo noticed Athena sit up and start to walk over towards Kaiyon but stop because of something, he couldn't tell what from where he was standing, and head over towards Sensei and the other girls. He turned to Shinryu and said, "She seems to be herself... that negative energy i sensed earlier is completely gone. Should we go and comfort her... she seemed have wanted to got to Kaiyon but i have a feeling the admimistration won't be to keen on that... it seeems that Athena and Kaiyon have really strong feelings for each other... he was the only one she wouldn't attack even in her evil form... that was scary... she has potential to rival even Kaiyon's powers... his have potential to grow substantially as well."
Tetsumiro sat down within the area, rubbing his chest lightly. It hurt a little after taking a blow to it, but it was nothing to worry about. He wasn't expecting this to turn out quite as dramatic as it seemed to be becoming. This was all too wierd for him, and his suspisions were still lingering in the back of his mind. It didn't take him long before he seemed to have drifted off to sleep, but he hadn't. He'd just gone into a deep meditation.
"A parasite? That's rather odd. The creature that attacked me had some sort of seed stuck in it. In fact, I brought it with me." Pulling the two halves of the seed out of one of his many pockets, he asked, "Did it look anything like this? The creature was emitting Karukai's aura. Maybe there's some sort of connection here." Just as Kakajo was about to respond, Karukai walked into the camp. At his entrance, the whole camp fell dead silent, as every one of the students turned to his direction. Seeming totally unconcerned about everyone else, he walked in, and, without any of his usual antics, took a place against a tree in one corner of the camp, and watched, watched the whole camp, with his piercing gaze. Without moving, he spoke to Thorne, (who happened to be in a tree right next to him) in a speech without words, "What the hell do you think you were doing? You could have ruined everything! You're just damned lucky nothing went wrong because of your stupid little stunt!"
Katsuke knew this was no time for breaks, but then he noted some of the students had already started to chat. He walked near Shinryu and said to him softly "You might want to watch your roomate (Kaiyon)....and question him a bit as well". He walked away and went behind a tree to sleep. Surprisingly, Kaiyon was at one of the treebranches, just staring at the sky. Reflecting upon his actions. What is right to cast a dark spell? He felt he would find out soon enough. His worries now were that everyone would question him about where he aquired knowledge of such dark spells.
Athena had almost made it to where their Sensei was when she noted Karukai enter the camp. She stood very still as a soft breeze blew her hair across her face. She then turned and headed to the other side of the camp and once there climbed into a tree and sat there quietly... appearing to go into a meditated trance.
Thorne shot a glare at Karukai that could have caused hell to freeze over. For a brief moment, Thorne's eyes turned from their normal calm dark brown and began to take on a hint of green...and anger. Thorne clenched a fist around the branch he was sitting on and as he did several tiny pieces of the spanish moss, that hung from the branch, stretched down the trunk of the tree close to Karukai's ear. "Who are you to lecture me, you arrogant fool?" Thorne's voice as it traveled through the moss was so quiet that only Karukai's sensitive bat ears would be able to pick up the sound at less than a foot's distance. "You have been taking risks and making enemies ever since you arrived at this school." "I will not be scolded for taking a risk now, and especially not from you." "If anything, I did you a favor." "Now they believe that Athena's actions were brought on by my seed/parasite." Just then Shinryu pulled out the two halves of the Karukai/seed and showed them to the others. Karukai shot a glance up into the tree out of the corner of his eye, obviously annoyed. Thorne looked away from Karukai and through the branches of his tree at Shinryu and the others. The anger that had been apparent in his eyes and face disappeared and was replaced with his normal dark brown eyes and a half grin. Thorne whispered to Karukai; <dont you worry your arrogant head over my recovered seeds Karukai, I wouldn't go leaving them around if I was worried the others were going to get any leads.> Thorne let the moss hang loosely from the branch again and watched as Katsuke walked over, scooped up the "parasite" with the tip of his sword, and held it up to compare it to the two halves in Shinryu's hand. They didn't look anything alike besides their average size. The parasite/seed at the tip of Katsuke's sword was somewhat slender and a strange magenta color while the two halves of the Karukai/seed were black and withered. <They wont be making any connections between the two seeds; especially now that the auras, originally held within them, have disappated.> Karukai seemed to notice the difference between the two seeds as well. Thorne in his treetop perch and Karukai seated at the foot of the tree watched the baffled faces of their fellow students and together smiled with sinister looks in their eyes.
OCC: If you read in the sister thread, I was accepted to play this character.\ * Tsuki laid on the ground knocked out. Taiyoko was hovering over her trying to wake her up. Suddenly, her body stirred and she finally came back to reality and saw Taiyoko's face. "Taiyoko! What j-just happened..." she asked. **FLASHBACK**Tsuki looked to the side to see Taiyoko about to battle a gryphon. Suddenly, looking past him she saw another gryphon about to attack him. Though she was feeling a bit week even with the weights on, she took out the Sun and Wind blades and jumped to attack the griffon. At the same time...Taiyoko pushed up his sunglasses and jumped to attack his gryphon which resulted in both of them colliding and falling to the ground. The impact made Tsuki become unconscience...which left Taiyoko to fight both gryphons. Taiyoko then jumped in the air attacking one of the gryphons that was going after Tsuki when the other gryphon swept down and tackled Taiyoko and dug it's talon into his side. Taiyoko quickly drew his sword, decapitating the gryphon. While they were still in the air, Taiyoko jumped off the other gryphon and attacked the gryphon that was left and stabbed him in the chest.**FLASHBACK OVER** After Taiyoko finished explaining what had occured, he helped Tsuki off the ground. Taiyoko says as he pushes up his sunglasses, "We should find the others and go back to camp to rest for the night...it's getting late." They both ran into the forest.
Athena leaped down from the tree landing softly, almost silently on her feet. She headed over to where Kaiyon was, ignoring any glances anyone may have given her, and sat down next to Kaiyon. She had a deep seated feeling that he needed her by him. She stayed silent for a moment then whispered, "What's wrong Kaiyon? Anything i can do to help?"
Kaiyon didn't look at Athenna, but still answered her. "It...its just that...I thought he was going to kill you...I felt useless..". Athena glanced at him with compassion and said "Why would he do that!? He obiously was aiming for the parasite!" Kaiyon sighed and looked at the sky. "You know....I need to tell you something.....two years ago, the only girl that I loved and actually loved me..died. She was possesed by a parasite. I knew we could have saved her...but...Katsuke...he was rushed....." As memmories came back to him, Kaiyon felt deep sorrow. He remembered, as he saw his old love, being struck in the chest. As she died in front of him. He remember the flow of her blood, as it turned from black to normal. He remembered how deep he felt about her. His tears rolling down his cheeks as she died. He was useless to help her. "...you see, there was this girl. And I loved her very much....but...thats on the past now.." He looked at Athenna, and secretly held her hand. Hidden enough for no one to see his affections towards her. Katsuke indeed felt his feelings. "Fool" he thought...
Athena felt a rush of sympathy for Kaiyon and gently squeezed his hand, trying to reassure him. She gazed up as the sky began to darken and the stars began to sparkle into life. "The stars are truly beautiful tonight Kaiyon. At my village couples would sit together and I'd always feel a little bit jealous even though I knew that I didn't need someone beside me to appreciate the beauty of the stars and the constant reminder of life they gave us. A star dies everyday but from that death another star is born from it. It reminds me that with death their comes life and a rebirth for all. It's why i train so hard... so that the death of my village will not be for vain and that with my skills I might help to bring a rebirth." Athena whispered. After a few moments she noticed Katsuke's glare. She ignored it for a moment then slipped her hand out of Kaiyon's and moved so that she was kneeling behind him and began to massage his back, so that it would appear that she was just trying to help him with his sore muscles. She then whispered, "I know that we have to concentrate on the test for now but when this is over I need to know... will we be able to act on our feelings more openly or will we have to continue to hide?" After a moment she paused and whispered, "Nevermind that.... I already know the answer to that. Just, know this Kaiyon... I love you and I always will no matter what happens." Athena then sighed and added, "I should head back over to the girl's side of the camp. I brought food so I will cook some of that so that we may all have some energy for whatever tomorrow may bring." Athena then rose and headed over to a section of the camp that did not have any grass or leaves nearby that only just happened to be by Karukai as she started a fire and began to cook some vegetables up mixed with some type of meat from her village. Soon it was done and she began serving it up to her fellow classmates.
Thorne sat in his tree, absorbing every little detail about the students, but his eyes kept returning to Kaiyon and Athena. He could see the feelings between them and it worried him. Thoughts raced through his mind repeatedly, <Is she still our pawn? Has she returned to normal? If she has, why hasn't she revealed us to them? What if she can't remember us?> Such thoughts were unavoidable but aggrivating at the same time. They broke his focus and concentration, and Thorne was always focused. Athena whispered something to Kaiyon and Thorne watched as she positioned herself behind him to massage his back. <You're putting on an act my dear Athena.> <Obviously you're trying to hide your intentions for getting near him but I know where your feelings lie.> <It was made abundantly clear to me when your possesed body couldn't attack him.> Calmly, Athena stood up and walked over to the girl's side of the camp where she proceeded to make a meal for everyone. The dish smelled and looked very good but Thorne, for obvious reasons, couldn't get any. Thorne lifted his feet up and leaned back against the tree trunk in a reclined position. <I'll just have to make my own meal.> Reaching his hand up and pointing two fingers at a branch, a large bud started to form in the side of the branch. The bud slowly changed into a large fist sized fruit. Thorne silently plucked it from the branch and pulling his scarf down off of his face ate his one course meal in the safety and darkness of the giant oak's topmost branches. <It probably isn't as good as whatever she is cooking but that is the price you pay for keeping out of sight.> In a few more hours it would be sunrise and Thorne knew the students weren't going to be allowed to go anywhere till then. <I'd better get some sleep, and somehow I think I'll have a much easier time getting it than all of those kids down there.> <They are no doubt much more tired than me; but I don't have fears, worries, and confused feelings to keep me awake all hours of the night.> <Besides, I will need to be fully rested tomorrow as I will be following and spying on them in broad daylight.> <I will need to be awake and alert.> With those words of logic in his mind, Thorne willed a large amount of the Spanish moss covering the tree to drape down, creating a kind of curtain that would help hide him from view in the morning light and closing his dark brown eyes let his mind drift from consciousness.
Throughout the night, Karukai barely moved an inch from where he stood, leaning against his (and Thorne's, tree) At first, the other students were wary of him, even avoiding him, but, after an hour or two, the majority of them began to think he would cause no trouble tonight. Shinryu, on the other hand, was not so sure. He could tell Karukai had some tricks up his sleeve, and, after the earlier incident, he wasn't sure if he would simply do nothing tonight. Summoning up a secret ability, one needing only the slightest thought to activate, Shinryu set up a 'watch' on Karukai. It was totally undetectable, but it would notify Shinryu immediately, if he tried anything malicious. Indeed, Shinryu had been close to using a secret ability against that Karukai-beast, but only because he was so weakened by the mana-burn. He had realized that it was not necessary to reveal anything of the sort at that time. ooc: No character can tell Shinryu even used this ability. Undetectable means undetectable.
Taiyoko led Tsuki on their way to the camp. He could hear a great deal of noise from somewhere nearby. * Tsuki held on to Taiyoko's arm in fear of getting lost. "Last thing I need to do is get myself killed," she thought to herself. Suddenly she reached a clearing and noticed Athena cooking up something. "Athena-san!!! I'm so glad to have found you!" she said to her cheerfully. She let go of Taiyoko's arm since she felt she was no longer in dangered. "Athena, can I help...if um...that's alright with you?" she asked shyly. She was just really glad that she and Taiyoko found the camp in time. Taiyoko pushed up his glasses, looked at Tsuki and smiled. "I'm going to find go fing Kaiyon, ok?" and he walked off.
Athena smiled warmly at the girl. She vaguely remembered seeing the girl and remembered that her name was Tsuki. After a moment she said, "The food is actually done so why don't you have a bowl of it and if you'd like after everyone is done eating we can clean it all up before going to bed." Athena put together three bowls as she said, "Here's one for you, I'm going to go bring a bowl to Kaiyon, otherwise he'll never eat, and Taiyoko. I'll be right back and I'll eat with you." Athena walked over to where Kaiyon was sitting. She set a bowl down in front of him and handed the other to Taiyoko, who had joined Kaiyon. Athena then returned to where she had left Tsuki and got herself a bowl and sat down next to her. "So, what kept you guys? You missed alot of action." Athena asked.
Taiyoko sat down next to Kaiyon... "What happened to you?" Kaiyon looked up "you looked like you just saw a ghost". Taiyoko pushed up his glasses and starred at Kaiyon with no emotion on his face... Kaiyon didn’t reply, which made Taiyoko angry.... "No wonder everyone is keeping clear of you... you used a dark spell didn’t you?" Kaiyon starred at Taiyoko with surprise. "I can smell the essence that you used to make the spell... the smell is too familiar" Kaiyon looked away. "Why did you use it... was it powerful... how could you know of such spells" Taiyoko had stood up now starring at Kaiyon and with each question he was raising his voice. He started to get so loud that everyone was starting to stare. Noticing this Taiyoko stopped and sat down again, not knowing what was overcoming him. "Sorry...I just want to know that’s all...I just want to know why...and how...I don’t like not knowing these things" Taiyoko stood up and walked away, as he walked he turned to Kaiyon and said "be careful" pushing up his glasses. "Those spells are wicked... it would be best if you didn’t use anymore of them." Turning back around, Taiyoko walked and sat down next to Tsuki with his usual expressionless face. "I’m hungry... lets eat"
