The Great Southern Sea

[Kotomine_Rin]

Mael

His hand grasped Aruna's warmly. For a moment, it felt kind. It felt right, to connect with someone. But the truth was that Aruna had rejected him from the start, just as he rejected her.

"No. I'm afraid I have never seen more clearly, the one who has gone mad is you."

Now that they were so close, she could tell he was wounded. Slashes and stabs were littered on his gut and liver. He wiped a tear off her face. At that moment, she could see his face. A pallid, beautiful thing - neither demonic nor angelic. Aruna wanted to uphold a balance between two impossible ideals. In a way, that was beautiful.

"The word believe is a curse that crushes people. What you believed was your own selfish ideal, nothing more. You forced that on me, and now you're thinking that I betrayed you, right? But it was you. This light was your wish all along. Foolishness. Allowing it to fester this long was my sin."

He threw it away. Her feelings, her wish, and her body - further away. Away from him, at the very edge of the vehicle. A clang bounced next to her, the familiar sound of metal against metal. A dagger had been tossed her way.

"Commit suicide. It was for my sake that you took that thing, no? Then dying shouldn't be a big deal."

[yinsukin]

Aruna

Commit suicide.

Aruna rubbed her face with one hand and caught the dagger with the other.  Blood streamed from her lips, mixing with the stream of tears.  She hadn't registered the blow before, so commited to her other strike that she didn't register the attack until it was far past dealing damage.  The shock from the strike evolved into a stinging pain. On her dainty fingertips resided some bloodstained tears.  "No... I just those words... you know what they mean to me so you saying them has an unheavenly cruelness to them..."

The chains that formed the cage began to slink back into the portal above them, the cage itself slowly being unraveled.  Now holding the small dagger with two hands, she could feel the sharpness of the blade against her neck just from staring at it.  Every slash from a human, demon or angel flashed through her mind.  She could make a confession within her own mind related to the pain of living, but the pain of the blade crossing her neck and throwing her into the unknown of death its.... not something she was quite ready for.

Aruna sat on her legs, taking a classical seiza position regardless.  "I....  You can't betray me because... I never let myself trust you to begin with... the angels.  I could never trust them truly.  I just... wanted to honor your life after your death....  I thought... maybe if I carried your burden and took away the burdens of others.  Maybe I could prevent another tragedy like yours..."

Speaking was hard.  Aruna's voice kept trailing off.  Her soft eyes could not bare to look into his.  The demon held the hilt of his knife in one hand, and the shining blade of light in the other.  For a moment, she held the knife to her throat and stared up at Mael.  "Why... do you want me to die?"
 

[Kotomine_Rin]

Mael

"I don't."

It was a simple answer. Maybe, a cruel answer. But it was certainly true. As he slowly stepped forward, the anger and spite he held back in his throat escaped his words, one by one. "I don't hate you, Aruna. But you took that thing into yourself, that detestable light that took everything from me. That light that empowers Him and His accursed balance!"  His teeth grit, his eyes narrowed with every sliver of hesitation utterly cleaved away from them. He had suffered defeat after defeat, even as his body was breaking down, he still had a war to finish.

Until then, the cries and curses wouldn't quiet down.

"Do you have any idea what it's like? Being trapped in your own head, forced to watch as your body cuts down your friends and comrades, licking the feet of your enemy and disgracing everything you held dear? And for what? My body and soul were used and chained and stripped of every freedom imaginable. Now, I have no home to come back to, no family to hold dear - only a blade and an enemy to point it at! If I could make the one responsible feel even one-thousandth of that pain and humiliation..."

A pilfered sword stretched out, his wing screaming for release as he pointed it to the side.

"It wouldn't do anything. I don't wish your death, but all grace holders must die. It's the only way to ensure He can't turn someone else into a monster like me."

The darkness unfolded, revealing the man fully. Crimson lines meshed with blue, like that vehicle, as if he were some kind of machine that belonged neither to the dark nor the light. Surrounded by the storm, he had only one thing left to say.

"What is your choice. Will you fight, or will you perish like a dog?"

[yinsukin]

Aruna

The waves had finally calmed, the roaring tides.  The chain that caged them together was completely gone now, nothing keeping them from separating anymore.  Aruna stayed in her position, sitting on her knees, knife still to her throat.  The tears continued to fall.

"I've spent hundreds of years going back and forth between trusting humans, being burned by the denizens of the light.  The angel's want me dead, just being alive is a sin to them.  I am something that should be cleansed from the world.  To the humans a monster to overcome.  I'm not the oldest demon, but i've been doing this for long enough that i'm sick of it!  I'm sick of the hatred, sick of the fighting."

Aruna's voice broke.

"I just... I thought maybe we could be better than that.  I thought we could have a relationship that wasn't built on that hatred.  Asmeal... I don't want to fight you."

The truth was, he was too strong.  She might be able to beat him if she went all out, pushed herself beyond her limits and was willing to kill him.  However, that moment before, she couldn't do it.  There was no way that she could kill Asmeal.  Doing so would mean the death of that hope.  There was the option of subduing him without killing him but he was far too powerful.  Maybe she could..

"The graces," she said, finally looking into his eyes.  "I can take the graces from people.  The balance, it doesn't have to be god's.  We can find a new balance."

[Kotomine_Rin]

Mael

Mael's rage calmed, and for a moment... he smiled. Was this pride?

"You've grown arrogant. But wishes without strength are worthless." He advanced, sword in hand, his will blackened along with the rage that sought to end Aruna's adventure. His face darkened, and he acknowledged a single fact.

She was stronger. Far stronger.

"Show me what you've got."

[yinsukin]

Aruna

"Strength?"

Aruna stood up.  First that Orcus, now him.  Power and strength are not for show.  They are to keep one alive.  Aruna lowered the knife, letting that arm fall to her side. Standing up, she bit her lip until it bleed, shark like teeth flashing the angel.

"If I prove my strength, will you hear me out?  If I can validate my ideals, will you just sit down with me, like before?"

[Kotomine_Rin]

Mael

"I am hearing you out, am I not? Defend your life and pride like you mean it. Either way, I will break that cursed light of yours until it dies forever." His sword danced in the air, swinging beautifully from side to side until it shot forward at Aruna.

"Carve your own path!"

[yinsukin]

Aruna

The line carved by Asmeal's blade was blocked by a diagonal blade, the light of the grace illuminating both of their faces.  Aruna had bent her knees and held the blade above her head to guard the thrust.  In that moment, metal kissed metal and a clack rang through the empty air.

"It must be forged from yours!"

The light was never hers to keep, merely to bare, to hold.  By the end of this Aruna would know Asmeal's true feelings.

[Kotomine_Rin]

Mael

The waters below collided and reached the apex, nearly touching the flying helicopter as the two collided.

"Is that so." A flick of his wrist, and the sword swirled against Aruna's - deflecting her slash with a fiendishly quick riposte. Without mercy, a violent swing came down the demon's temple, for Mael was raining down more feints and blows down on her. She could taste the killing intent behind their exchange, it was absolute.

[yinsukin]

Aruna

Aruna's eyes widened.  In an instant, she calculated her plan of defense.  The blade came up in a horizontal blocking position, but with no commitment to the block.  When the angel's blade was inches from her own, Aruna slacked, letting the blade fall before his.  It looked as though his blade struck hers down, but in fact it was already falling.  The demon let her shoulder fall to the ground, the sheer impact causing the waves to rise over their silhouettes.  In that moment, spikes emerged from her shoulder threatening his pretty face, torso and legs.

"But it must start from mine."

Aruna was too weak to fight back against that kind of overwhelming strength.  The only way to survive would be with a desperate attack while he was using less committed strikes.  The feints would be met with the spikes from her body.

[Kotomine_Rin]

Mael

The blow floored the demon filth with ease, but just as the final bell tolled for Aruna, her ruse bore fruit. For a moment, Mael's eyes narrowed - and the deadly spiked rushed at his form mid-swing. It was with a deadly hurricane of slashes that he repelled each one, avoiding and deflecting Aruna's assault.

But he noticed it. An insignificant cut on his cheek, barely a graze... but a mark that bled the sign of mortality. That's why the moment he finished with the spikes, his blade arched back.

"Die."

She'd notice his swelling form for an instant, the screaming power delivered a slash with all its might. But the sword's shockwave couldn't prepare her for such a butcher's strike. Instantly, the helicopter was split in half, shattering everything in a fiery explosion.


The skies burned.

The explosion blew them both through the skies, launching them away - each on the opposite side of a massive touristic yacht. As the floor cracked under their landing, there was only one truth that'd be made absolute.

Where is she...

As he dashed across the cracked floor, much to the horror of all the passengers and tourists, a particular one ended up bumping into him. A giant of muscle, wearing all sorts of vain accessories. Was he the owner of this vehicle?

"NOW WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING." A gigantically ripped arm shot down at Mael like a rocket, threatening to pulp him like a tomato. Of course, the former archangel dodged to the side with ease, observing his surroundings without even acknowledging the man in front of him. "THAT WAS POP'S BOAT! YOU GODDAMN SONUVABITCH! HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO HIT ON CHICKS NOW, HUH!?"

Right, that's when he noticed it in the distance. There was another yacht. Was he wrong? Had she landed on that other vehicle?

This was getting out of hand. Now, there were two of them.

[yinsukin]

Aruna

The landing of the proud demon was as unceremonious as could be.  From heaven to earth, Aruna had fallen far in a short amount of time.  Her arms stung from the clash, her body ringing from the explosion.  Although the damage was minor, it still shook her.

If there was anything that clash proved, it was that she couldn't fight like a warrior of the light.  Instead, she would have to fight like a denizen of the dark.

With that thought flowing through her mind, she heard something.

"Does it look like I care about your shitty game?  I'm too busy fucking everyone's mom to care!  Yeah thats right, this is a yacht of MILFS!  Which is why its THICC, with two Cs.  Hey... what the hell is that?!"

Aruna rose from the top, realizing her body had crashed through the antenna and was now sprawled out over the roof.  Standing up, she gazed down at Mael.  The demon never rarely felt so vulnerable.    Brandishing her blade in one hand and Asmael's dagger in the other.  Her lips began to move.

Stupid humans....

[Kotomine_Rin]

Chad Chadston McThundercock

"OI! ARE YOU FUCKING LISTENING, DIPSHIT!? I'LL FUCK YOU UP!" The arrogant, muscular ape kept making noises in front of the black knight. He just looked up, as bored as you could get. "THE FUCK YOU'RE STARING AT, HUH!? THESE MUSCLES AREN'T JUST FOR SHOW, I'LL CRUSH YOUR BALLS LIKE A GRAPE! I WILL SHIT IN YOUR MOUTH FUCKER!!"

No, Mael wasn't even looking at the man. He was staring right at the demon above him, eyes narrowing like a cold blade.

"DIE!" A fist bigger than the black knight's entire torso shot down like a meteor, with enough force to blow his hair back. But just as it crashed on the ground...

"Foolishness."


Mael

If there was a word that could be used to describe the arcs of that blade, it was - beautiful.

How repugnant.

The giant's arms, shins, face, and guts were sliced open in dozens of tiny cubes, flying around like a fountain of blood. Everyone else barely saw the bloody blur, but just as the bloody chunks of meat were about to hit the floor...

A bright light enveloped the soon-to-be corpse and fixed it completely at once, healing him fully just as quickly as he was cut. It didn't even realize it had just been cut to giblets until after he realized all the body chunks scattered around were his. The man's terrified gasps gave away for a single, blood-curdling scream. Even as he ran.

"Ah...aaaahhhh...! Monster! Eeeeeek!"

But Mael's glare never once moved. He only looked up at his target. And with his sword gripped tightly, he plunged it straight into the ship. The same blue and crimson lines rippled throughout the vehicle. A vehicle that could be used to crush, maim, and flatten those in its path.

A black engine of death, now overwhelmed by the power of the former archangel. As he gradually took control, he gave it a single directive.

Ram into that ship.

[yinsukin]

Richer Richard McRicherson

"HEY you lesser peon.  Are you listening to me?  This yacht is my dick and that yhacht is yours.  MY DICK IS BIGGER THAN YOURS and if your not going to listen I SHALL BOARD THE BOAT AND STEAL YOUR BITCHES."

The man stopped talking as he witnessed what could only be described as horror.  Reeling back he said, "Oh lord...  I uhh... turn the ship around!"

Aruna

Aruna landed behind the man, delivering a chop to his throat.  The second he fell to the ground, Aruna had finished preparing the portals.  Several had been set with her magic.  It was just a matter of activating them at the right time.  Aruna's demonic eyes widened, taking in the nature of his magic for the first time.  The darkness took hold of him and healed him, yet from the outside, it appeared as though he was being consumed.  It was not unlike her feeding, a helpful process but one considered horrifying to the humans.  To Aruna, it was truly beautiful.  Yes, it was true darkness and what she saw before was light.  Could it be that....  No it was.  It was both light and dark.

The sound of steel crashing into one another manifested itself in an explosion style bang, the echoes of mangled steel filling the ocean sky.  Aruna leaped from the bigger boat onto the smaller one, rubble bouncing off of her soft body, each little impact forcing a jiggle.  With the light sword reflecting from her eyes, she considered Orcus's words.  There was no way, a true mix?  Asmeal?  How did he learn to mix them so easily?  Was it really a true mix or was this some sort of phantom mix?

Aruna's arm glowed with power, no desperation.  Aruna gripped the hilt of the blade of darkness, now glowing with the light of god and shot towards Mael, her form taking on a commet like appearance.  A single slash across his body would be all it took to cleave through his body and a room in the ship.

The truth was, she hoped the attack wouldn't land.

[Kotomine_Rin]

Mael

The black avalanche soared the seas, but it halted in its tracks at the last second, as Aruna collided against him. Mael's hateful blade hurled in Aruna's direction and slammed against the Grace, blowing her straight into the opposing ship's outer shell.

"You trash, don't touch me. That light makes me puke." He couldn't stand it, that mockery that took everything from him. Even if he had to rip it from her crying corpse, he didn't care. It didn't matter, nothing else mattered, he'd slaughter every last Grace and let the corpses of their holders' flood down the shit and muck of sewage. If he could do this much, then his sickening life would have had some meaning. It'd be one good thing that'd come out of him.

An irresistible kick shook the vessel as he jumped to follow her. Mael came down on Aruna to rain down a spew of murderous slashes. "Was it comfortable, that light? It feels good to use, doesn't it? But that power IS NOTHING MORE THAN A CURSE!!"

And it won't end until she did. This was his war, he had to finish it. Because without it, everything would be for NOTHING.