Completed The Cursed and The Damned

[Ashieron]

The day was going quiet for a nurse at one of Alliria's healing facilities. Not many have come in with wine bottle shards in their heads, nor having had gotten kicked in the face with a horse's hooves. That much she was grateful for. The doorbell rang and she looked up, expecting it to be another sick child or an ailing elder. But the shock from what just entered the facility was like a punch to the check.

A black-haired elf entered the facility. His nose and eyes dripping blood. His chest caked in blood, the more the nurse looked at him she could tell he actually thrown up blood as well. Since some of it was on the corners of his mouth as well. Someone was supporting the elf with his arm over his neck. "Can we get a bit of help please?" The nurse yells as the nurse quickly shows them to one of the solitary beds. The gentleman sets down the elf onto the bed.

A healer rushes in and looks at the elf, "By the gods." He whispers a silent prayer looking at blood bubbling from his mouth a nose now. The healer makes sure he is on his side properly, "What the hell happened?" He asks the gentleman cutting open the elf's shirt with a knife, revealing a spiraling spider web of black veins.

"I don't know sir. He was fine one moment and just spazzing and throwing up blood the next." The man responds. The healer nods and looks into the elf's eyes.

---------------

"How he is still alive bewilders even I." He responds, placing a hand against the Ash's pulse the healer flinches back. His body glows a faint life but it faded, followed by the man collapsing to the ground and turning into ash.

The man who carried the elf lets out a scream and soon followed the dead doctor, turning into ash as well. The elf sits up gasping and throwing up more blood. The nurse was screaming her head off as what just happened. Ash just looks at her, his vision coming in waves of red, the nurse glows and stops screaming. Crumbling to ash all over the floor. He does not respond other than twisting his body in pain with the black veins going up to his neck.

We are hungry.... just give in to the hunger. A familiar voice echos in his mind, Ash grits his teeth as another wave of pain courses through him. His tears were genuine and he was hell-bent on resisting this devil's attempt to take over his body completely. His magic was all out of control as was his body. Devil was attacking his body trying to win their internal struggle.

A few of the healthier patients run into the room to see what has happened only for one of them to run through by the elf's hand and the other to have his throat torn out. They both collapse and ashen, leaving only a puddle of blood left. Ash pauses as the pain faded momentarily, taking a few breaths he wonders, Where in the name of the gods is Jirou!?

He's gone, you two parted ways a while back. Ash groans as the pain returns, he was just tempted to let go. Just so he could rest and not be interrupted, but Ash had his own goals to accomplish. He wanted to assist more dragons, he wanted to spend more time visiting Jirou and going to taverns with him. But by the gods, he wanted to sleep without worrying about waking up with guards knocking on his door. The elf coughs as more blood spilled onto the floor, people were now running out of the building now knowing that something was going wrong within its walls.

 

[Jirou]

"HEY." Called the city guard to the ronin as he bolted passed them without paying a toll. Many men were on his back but unable to catch him as he flew with incredible speed. Jirou's eyes were determined and full of worry. Where was he? How did they get separated? It made no sense. All that made sense was that this was the ploy of the devil. Somehow that deity had caused their distance. Alliria being the closest city he could only hope that they'd gone here.

Jirou stayed in a sprint as he maneuvered through the city, now needing to keep the guards off of him. Today was just full of problems. Where would the devil had led him? Did Ash still have control? He needed to find out now.

"ASHIERON!" He cried into the city. Hoping for any sign.

 

[Ashieron]

The pain was getting worse, his vision now almost completely red. Could his blood that was spilling from his eyes be the cause of this? Or his little friends cause? The world around him had a red tint to it, it was now just turning into a much deeper red. Was he losing? Did his little friend finally start to get its way? Oh, how he had hoped not. He knew that he was not as more pain wracked his body.

Guards were now rushing from whatever close region of the city they could be from. Busting into the hospital a few of them secured the entrance and assisted whoever was on their way out of the facility if they could walk. A small group of them ran to the room, only to be met by Ashieron who looked up at them, "WHAT IN THE NAME OF THE GODS?!" One cried out before his eyes started pouring blood and he crumpled to the ground, followed by his friends.

You're going to be fine, imagine no more pain. Just an endless escape from your illness. The devil was cooing him. but he was not about to have it. Dark magic started to flow around him, Soon you'll tire. We both know this, why do you still struggle? Ash tries to get up but fails, Why now, you bloody demon? Why not when we were in Elbion at first? He asks it but there was no response. His body was giving out, so to was his mind. Just a while longer, and hopefully Devil will end this onslaught on both him and Alliria. But he would probably have to go into hiding at this point from this very city as well if he did manage to surpass this. Where was his runestone? Where did he leave it? Did Devil have him toss it out one night? Ash takes a deep breath, holding his ruining body. It felt like his insides were turning to liquid and his bones breaking.

 

[Jirou]

And there it was. A guard running into a building nearby that Jirou did not recognize. All that followed were horrific screams and the smell of blood and ash. "Ashieron." The ronin stated plainly. Gripping tight onto his sword. The runestone the elf had carved was dropped about ten minutes from where they had camped. It was complete luck that Jirou had found it to begin with. Now, the feat would be getting it to him without the devil doing what it had done to the guards in front of him.

The spirit of one of those men had risen and cowered on the wall next to where the door was. Jirou rushed to his side.

"Sir, I am here to aid this situation, please tell me what you can." He tried to be calm as possible while demanding the information but the spirit fled in seconds. The door to the hospital was also barricaded the moment he'd reached it. Ash must've been quarantined in a room somewhere above. He had to find a way in and fast.

"I'M COMING ASHIERON, DON'T LET THAT TEMPTRESS WIN!" He cried hoping that it would at least reach Ash's ears. Giving him any extra strength to hold on.

 

[Ashieron]

No, they split ways ages ago. Ash shakes his head looking up when a pair of booted feet appear in front of him. It had a weapon in its hand and the weapon was going towards him. Yeah. No.

Grabbing the sword by its blade Ash flinging it into the air and kicks the guard in the chest. Sending him into the wall. They're all after you, the guards, soon the templars, and eventually the exorcist. Throwing up some black substance now Ash takes a shaky breath. You give a good fight, but the whole world will be after you. Hearing a crack, Ash stumbles to the ground. Pain radiated through his whole leg even moving it a little bit., his vision returned to a light red tint as now the pain was in one spot, and he concentrated onto that one spot. One more guard charged the downed elf, swinging his sword upwards. Trying to catch Ash in the chest.

Holding out his hand and yelling a spell in such dark magics, the surrounding area darkened considerably. The guard stumbles to the ground with a dark spike impaling his chest. Gasping Ash does the same not wanting to move anywhere, blood just covered almost all of his body. "Gods, spare me." He gasps looking around at the carnage. He needed to hide away forever, far from civilization. But he knew devil would not have it. He felt the tingling again and he braced himself for another attack.

 

[Jirou]

Jirou made a valiant attempt at kicking the door in but his strength did nothing against the guards barricade. He could hear more and more fighting from within the walls of the infirmary and was helpless at this moment. His will was there but he could not barrel through holed up doors. The guards pursuing him were closing in as well.

"ASHIERON DON'T GIVE UP!" He cried again. The block of people all either staring at him or fleeing the area out of fear. It sounded like everything was happening above him. He had to climb and break a window. As for how well that would go, he could not say.

 

[Ashieron]

Looking towards the window Ash smiles, he would try not to give up but it was hard so when the body was so weak. Using the damn devil's strength to manage to walk over and to pick up the dead guards body, whispers a few words into its ear and tosses it out the window. Its shattered and broken body rose and started to garble in an ancient dialect of elvish. The words both dark and evil to the modern ear of man, but beautiful and fluent.

Sighing the elf sits down against the wall, with his leg sticking out. All he wanted to do was to be back home hundreds of years ago before the Empire was formed and before the dragons went on a fast track to near extinction. When life was simpler and more welcoming for his kin. Other than the skirmishes with the neighboring people of the day. When the elf was much younger in his days and on adventures with Rysa. Their court mage at the time while he was her protector of sorts. But really they were just the best of friends even with their social differences.

A bit more pain returned and it hurt like the dickens, but he just ignored it, it was not too bad yet. He'd look towards the window and yell something in his ancient elvish before another cough fit taking him.

 

[Jirou]

Jirou watched as the body crumpled into the ground, and rose back up to speak in a dialect he could not fathom. His fear in this moment was immeasurable. Who was sending this message? Ash or the devil? The ronin regretted his ignorance for this moment. The only positive to this was that the other guards near him had shifted their focus onto this reanimated corpse and let him be for now.

The exorcist took this moment to draw his sword and extend it horizontally with both hands. His eyes closed. With extreme concentration, he channeled his power into his blade. The sword became a very opaque teal, and seemed ethereal at a glance.

"AKUMA!" He yelled towards the broken window. "NOT EVEN YOU ARE SAFE FROM MY STEEL, RELEASE MY FRIEND OR KNOW MY FURY!"

 

[Ashieron]

Twitching a bit Ash sighs, running his hands into the blood around him. On his knees, he'd start inscribing runes onto the floor around him. Got to get out of here. Ash looks out the window then at the floor around him. It was covered in beautiful runes, and many forms of elvish, draconic and common throughout the many years he had been alive, even demonic magic. Jirou was not going to be safe, and Ash had nowhere else to go to. Gebiede ic þone feorhberend þære ealdaþ æ. With a flash of light illuminating the area around the ritual circle, Ash smiles. As the light dies down there is a bit of an aura coming off the circle. He now could not see anything other than white light.

He'd summon a small little dragon spirit, who licks his cheek. "Go tell Jirou to get his ass up here. There is no need to yell up a broken window, he might wake the little ones around here." He tells it running his fingers down its little spine. The dragon chirped and flew out the window and down onto Jirou's shoulder to tell him just that, first in elvish then when it realized he did not understand the language it shakes its head rolling its eyes. Then it switched to the modern form of common, before leading the ronin in a way he could enter the establishment from.

 

[Jirou]

Jirou followed close to the dragon as it led him into the building via a door that wasn't barricaded. This was fine, but it still left him on the first floor. A floor where the guards were roaming and furiously trying to figure out how to approach Ashieron without their skulls being melted off. He was able to make it to the first flight of stairs but his march was impeded by two shield bearers.

"THIS PLACE IS OFF LIMITS, YOU NEED TO LEAVE IMMEDIATELY." Jirou paid no attention to their words. He had to get through them one way or another. The only way currently being over their heads. This, however, was not going to pan out. As he flew to launch himself off their shields, they'd somehow predicted this already. One bashed Jirou in the chest, sending him flying back down the staircase and hitting his head hard on the ground.

He stood back up quickly, but was still confronted with a wall of iron. Ashieron was going to die because these guards had their 'duty'.

<48 hp> <Roll: 4>

 

[Ashieron]

Twitching his ears Ash shrugs as the spell starts to go towards his body via the lines of blood connecting him to the circle. He'd whisper a few words and stand up, favoring his good leg. The guards down below him all crumple to ash after light flooded their eyes and mouths. The elf's skin was now peeling away like paper, revealing a faint glow as it cracks like broken porcelain. He'd blink a few times finally being able to see some more as his hands started to disappear into the air as they peeled, his leg felt better so he stood normally now as well.

The little dragon tries its best to help Jirou up chirping and chirping little chirps of cheering and support for its master's friend. Its happiness was contagious.

 

[Jirou]

Jirou watched in horror as the guards he was facing turned into ash. This was Ashieron's doing again. He could not condone this. He needed to get the devil out of him. His friend was better than this and he knew that. He looked at his ethereal sword, knowing that the Planar Steel would wear off soon and he had to act now.

The ronin sprinted up the stairs, following the trails of energy that flowed from Ashieron. If there was anything his elvish friend couldn't hide, it was how powerful his magic was. Trailing those vibrations eventually he reached the floor that Ashieron was captive on.

He approached the room slowly as bits of flowing magic bit at his face and arms, leaving lacerations. The exorcist did not react to the pain, now was not the time. "You must be hurting, friend." He said with a saddened smile, one that could hardly be considered a smile. He raised his teal blade up right. It would not touch Ashieron's skin when he swung, but it would hit her. She would know the fury of his sword in its entirety. He didn't know if this would end it. He did know she would no longer take his presence lightly.

"AKUMA!" He blared once more. "KNOW MY BLOOD. KNOW MY SWEAT. KNOW MY TEARS." He swung the sword straight through Ash's body, the blade completely phasing through the physical world, slicing only the metaphysical and the arcane.

"KNOW MY WRATH."

 

[Ashieron]

"NO!" Ash yells trying to dodge the attack, but he could not as his friend's spirit killing blade pierced his chest. Ash tries to grab onto the blade and smiles, his face beginning to be cracked apart. He chuckles as black smoke dispersed into the air around them. Now all his remaining hand shattered into a million little star-like pieces of magic energy, and it started to move up his arm and his legs. The elf looks at Jirou with a calm expression before he coughed some of his magic up onto the floor. That just sat there on the floor.

"Did I neglect to tell you? I am fucking magic." The elf says with a smile as more shards start to break free from where Jirou's ethereal sword pierced. He knew his friend was only trying to save him from Devil, but he managed to do more harm than good. "Please forgive me." He asks his companion as he threw up more of his magic. The devil was gone now but the damage was irreparable, as his magic was now out of whack. It returning back to its natural nature before the dark magic flooded his system to its core. This blade of Jirou's only messed with his spiritual being, that was his magic. Not the form he currently took hold of, "I should have informed you, guess hundreds of years being in a body for once made me used to this one as if I was alive."

 

[Jirou]

"Why on earth wouldn't you..?" He didn't understand. There was no reason for Ashieron to omit such a vital piece of information from their conversations. He'd known for so long about his being an exorcist and what he was to do in any situation like this. He dropped his shikomizue to the ground and stood vacantly, staring at Ashieron. His breath erratic and his hands trembling. He'd just killed him. The person he swore he'd protect. He thought it may disrupt his spell casting for some time. But this... He could never have expected this.

"Why wouldn't you tell me that..?" He fell to his knees, his eyes welling with tears as he watched his friend turn into some substance. Was he returning to the planet? What was he witnessing. His blade could have only done immaculate damage.

 

[Ashieron]

The elf laughs, “Because this happened before.” He answers the ronin with his usual happy bright eyes and smile. He gives a bit of a pouty face with his ears drooping and his eyes welling up a bit as well. “Gods damn it. Have you heard crying is contagious!” He says using magic to wipe away Jirou’s tears. With a deep shakey breath Ash looks outside the window.

“I’ll still be around, just not as an elf. Since they got a bounty out for an elf’s head. Guessing we’ll need to be looking for each other in a game of cat and mouse?” He offers Jirou looking back at him, “Imagine this as a new start. Now I can go to Elbion again, visit you more freely and starting something that has always been on my bucket list. Maybe live a normal life, one that does not out live all my friends.” The elf starts to break into a few larger shards.

“I’ll see you in Elbion okay?” He gives the ronin a wink, “I’ll just look different, and do not be surprised that all your tea is gone. I will still be me, if anything maybe taking on a slightly different persona. But I will give you hints if we do find eachother.”

 

[Jirou]

This has happened before...? Jirou didn't understand. He COULDN'T understand. And no matter how many tears the elf tried to wipe away more would fall then could be thwarted. All of the words spoke to the ronin made no sense. He was still going to be around? Just not him? His experience with all things arcane and supernatural were based off of virtually no knowledge, and he being left in the dark once again only made him angrier.

He couldn't smile. He tried, so hard. But his friend was becoming ethereal. That wasn't too bad. He could still talk to him, it seemed. Though it was hard. It was hard to watch another physical being leave this earth because of his negligence. Something he'd worked so hard to prevent over the countless years. He felt weak. He felt defeated. He felt as though he wasn't able to accomplish any of the things he'd desired. He couldn't protect anyone.

"I will see you then... Friend." He said. Eyes ever shedding tears.

 

[Nayden]

"Don't think about such things." The elf grumbles rolling his eyes, "I'm just a figment of magic gone wrong. I shall leave a note. I just do not tell anyone because usually, it sends them hightailing it or treating me differently. I do not want to be treated differently. So I just kept quiet about it." Ash smiles, "So please forgive me. If you ever want to find me just ask the air okay? Oh and you defeated Devil, you did your job. Many more things like this will happen long before your time is up, but permanent." He warns him before shattering into a million tiny pieces and a small little ball of light floating in the air before it flies around as if it was looking for something before it shoots off out the window. Off the Elbion the spectral went.

(Wrong account but I am too lazy to change it rn lol)