[SP-F6] Believer <<Calming the Soul>>

[Emerath 0]

Thread Statistics

Spoiler

Thread Appearance

Skills

Utility Skills:
►Searching - Rank 1 - Novice
►Gatherer

Combat Skills:
►First Aid - Rank 2 - Journeyman
►Familiar Mastery: Accurate - Rank 1 - Unskilled (Extra)

Weapon Skills:
►Martial Arts - Rank 2 - Journeyman (Extra)

• Sword Arts
  • Rank 1
    1. Embracer - [x1 Stun] - 4 Energy - An unarmed sword art that pierces the enemy with the fingers.
    2. Aggressive Twins - [x2 AoE] - 4 Energy - A fast combination of left and right jabs.
  • Rank 2
    1. Crescent Moon - [x3 AoE] - 6 Energy - The user pushes off the ground and performs a single backflip to connect a sweeping flash kick with their targets.
    2. Delayed Sword - [x4] - 4 Energy - An advanced technique which uses kicks to disable an opponent and then chops their neck with the hand.

Armor Skills:
►Light Armor - Rank 1 - Novice

Statistics
Current Level: 18
HP: 360
EN: 36

DMG Base (Unarmed): 8
Mitigation: 5 Damage
Accuracy: +3 on BD Rolls
Looting: +4 on LD Rolls

Inventory

• Equipped:
  • »Gambler's Coat [T1 Rare Clothes]
    • +2 Loot Dice
  • »Dueling Gloves [T1 Perfect Handwraps, Cloth]
    • +3 Unarmed DMG
  • »A Critical Eye [T1 Perfect Monacle, Lucky Charm]
    • +2 Accuracy
    • +1 Loot Dice
  • »Plague Doctor Outfit [Vanity Light Armor Costume]
  • »Mist [Familiar, Barn Owl]
• Battle Ready:
  • 3x T1 Red Heart (+40 HP Potion)
  • 2x T1 Greater Red Heart (+80 HP Potion)

Here he was again. The place where he had found Dirke and found out far more about his inner psyche than he ever could have hoped. The Waterfall of the Sage as Dirke had called it. A place of healing, and of rest. But a place that had caused Emerath more turmoil than anything else in his life. Here he was, once again.

Emerath shook visibly. There was nobody else here today. Emerath had made sure of that. He needed to do this with nobody around. Nobody else that could see or know of his failure. Only Emerath and Mist. He knew the owl would accompany him, as she had last time. He wanted to believe that her soul was intertwined with his now. An inseparable companion, taking a space in his heart, that would journey even into the depths of his own mind to help him.

Slowly, Emerath sat down, and Mist moved to sit in his lap, hooting at him softly. Emerath smiled behind his mask, before dispelling the mask and only that, so that the owl could see his face. He would face his fears without a mask. He nodded to the owl, as if to answer her question, "Yes, pretty lady. I am ready."

[Emerath 0]

Emerath closed his eyes, focusing on his breathing and his heartbeat. On the heartbeat of the warm creature in his lap. It took only moments, and Emerath felt the world around him change. His heartbeat quickened, and his eyes snapped open, and he found himself once again standing in front of the four doors, Mist on his shoulder, ruffling her feathers and hooting a bit disconcertingly. Emerath absentmindedly petted the owl to calm her, which in turn calmed his own nerves. Slowly he looked at the four doors once again.

One, a hammer and anvil symbol on a wooden door. The door to Teion's shop.
Two, a simple wooden door that resembled the one to his own home, but adorned with a sword and shield. Endilix would be waiting there.
Three, a heavily clawed door that looked like it belonged to a log cabin. The gashes in the wood were blood red. Flints waited there.
Four, a door that appeared to be nothing more than ashes, but still had a fire raging within it. Emerath didn't know what to expect from that one.

[Emerath 0]

All Emerath could hear was his heart beating. His breath was slow, but he was breathless. Why had he come back? Was he ready for this? Perhaps knowing what to expect would give him the power he needed to overcome. Maybe having his friends around had instilled him with courage that he hadn't realized he needed.

Or maybe Emerath would fail again.

Emerath shook his head and clenched his fist, and steeled himself. He refused to put his mask back on. He would face his fears head on, and not behind the mask of his alter ego. But it still felt strange, as he hadn't been without the mask lately. Emerath wasn't sure if it defined him now. But that was what this was about. He wouldn't let the mask define him. He stepped up to the plate, and stood in front of the door with the hammer and anvil.

Last time, Emerath couldn't even beat one of his fears. This time, he would prove everyone who ever doubted him wrong.

Edited November 2, 2017 by Emerath

[Emerath 0]

Emerath's hand still shook, almost to the point that he couldn't grasp the handle. But he steeled his grip, and pulled on the knob, opening the door. As he entered, the shop still appeared as he remembered it, albeit much quieter than it used to be. Once, Teion was an incredibly busy smith, never having time for much else. Now this place was empty, lonely. A chill ran through Emerath as the door slammed behind him, and a voice from behind him spoke up, "Back again? I'm surprised such a spineless coward like you, someone who couldn't face me for years, would ever dare."

It was Teion, but it wasn't. Emerath's fist clenched once again. "You say that like you know me. You know nothing about me, phantom," Emerath retorted, but the creature wearing Teion's shadow, Emerath's own demon, just laughed. "I am a part of you. I know you better than you even know you, coward."

[Emerath 0]

Combat Data

Spoiler

Combat Begins

Spoiler

Target
Teion <<First Inner Demon>>

• HP: 90
• MIT: 2
• DMG: 8

Turn Order

• Emerath
• Teion

Starting Statuses

• Teion <<First Inner Demon>>
  • HP: 90/90
• Emerath
  • HP: 360/360
  • EN: 36/36

Combat Rolls

Spoiler

Emerath
ID: 90327
BD: 4 + 3 [Hit]

Turn Result

Spoiler

Emerath
Emerath attacks Teion with the Sword Art Embracer [-4 EN]
Emeath deals 8 - 2 = 6 DMG to Teion [Teion HP -6]
Emerath stuns Teion

Teion
Turn skipped due to stun

End of Turn Status

Spoiler

• Teion <<First Inner Demon>>
  • HP: 84/90
• Emerath
  • HP: 360/360
  • EN: 32/36

The demon was taunting Emerath, and if Emerath was being honest, it worked. But he wouldn't take this sitting down. Emerath could hear the shuffle of footsteps behind him, and he whirled around, with Mist flapping away from his shoulder. Emerath saw the hammer raised, and in an instant Mist dove into the face of the demon, buying Emerath some time. Without a second thought, Emerath was in a fighting stance, and his fists glowed a deep crimson as the man suddenly flashed forward, throwing himself into the demon, with both of them slamming into the wall next to the door. Emerath held his arm against the demon's throat and drove his fist into the woman's solar plexus, causing the ghost pretending to be his friend to let out a gasp. Emerath's face grew inches away from the pretender's face, as he spat, "Call me a coward again. You don't have the jump on me this time, and I'm not afraid of you. I faced you once, as scary as that was. I'll face you again, and again. I won't ever be afraid of you again."

Edited November 8, 2017 by Emerath

[Emerath 0]

Combat Data

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Combat Rolls

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Emerath
ID: 90328
BD: 4 + 3 [Hit]

Teion
ID: 90329
MD: 10 [Critical Hit +2]

Turn Result

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Emerath
Emerath regains 1 Energy [+1 EN]
Emerath attacks Teion with Sword Art Delayed Sword [-4 EN]
Emerath deals 8 x 4 = 32 - 2 = 30 DMG to Teion [Teion HP -30]

Teion
Teion deals 8 + 2 = 10 - 5 = 5 DMG to Emerath [Emerath HP -5]

End of Turn Status

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• Teion <<First Inner Demon>>
  • HP: 54/90
• Emerath
  • HP: 355/360
  • EN: 29/36

This time, Emerath wouldn't hold back. He couldn't let the fear overtake him. Images of the real Teion flashed into his mind. The smile she had given him during their date. The one where he had pretended to be Endilix. The happiness he had felt to have a girl actually pay attention to him, even if she thought it was his twin. He thought of the agony that he had felt for running away from her, and the lies he had told since that day. The anger flowed through him, as he realized that he could never let her down again. That he couldn't let this pretender get away with impersonating the woman that had helped Emerath realize that he could be loved. That he could have friends outside of his family. Emerath roared as his feet and hands both glowed and he backed away before throwing a series of kicks at the woman's head, before she finally fell to the floor from a solid punch to the stomach.

The demon's HP dropped dramatically, but it wasn't enough to defeat it. Instead the creature growled, and its face contorted into something born of pure rage. Before Emerath could react, the creature wearing his friend's skin had leapt from the floor and had its hands around his throat. "You think you're big, little man? You think you've found the love of your friends? That you're wanted in this world? You can't even survive without a mask." Emerath grasped at his throat as he was lifted off of the ground by the creature. "You're nothing to me. You never were. I only had eyes for your twin, never for you. You lied to yourself for years," the demon continued, as Emerath's vision began to fade. His HP dropped as he was choked, and it wasn't until Mist swooped by that Emerath found himself released, as the bird clawed at the demon's eyes. "Stupid bird!" the demon shouted, before swatting Mist away, as the bird flew into a nearby table, crashing through it.

Edited November 8, 2017 by Emerath

[Emerath 0]

Combat Data

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Combat Rolls

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Emerath
ID: 90347
BD: 6 + 3 [Hit]

Teion
ID: 90348
MD: 3 [Miss]

Turn Result

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Emerath
Emerath regains 1 Energy
Emerath attacks Teion with Sword Art Delayed Sword [-4 EN]
Emerath hits Teion for 8 x 4 = 32 - 2 = 30 DMG

Teion
Teion misses Emerath

End of Turn Status

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• Teion <<First Inner Demon>>
  • HP: 24/90
• Emerath
  • HP: 355/360
  • EN: 26/36

Emerath coughed hard as he found his breath again. He hadn't expected such fury from the demon. The words she had said cut to the bone, almost as if she was negating the thoughts he had been having. That made sense, considering this was all in his mind. But despite that, it all still seemed and felt real. He rubbed his neck as he stared at the demon, before his eyes drifted to the table where Mist had fallen. His heart began to race as he considered that Mist could die from such attacks, but he tried his best not to worry about her. If she had fallen, she would want him to persevere, for her, and for himself.

Emerath stood, and without thinking any further, whipped his body around, and slammed a kick into the demon's side, watching as it stumbled, and then bringing his fist around for a hook, driving the demon stumbling in the other direction, before finally kicking her into the table behind her, and watching as she stumbled backwards over it, falling to the ground. Her health dropped into the red, and Emerath glowered down at her with a fierce gaze. "You don't know anything. The least of which is the truth. Because that's the point of all this. In reality, Teion already forgave me, but I never forgave myself. That's the only reason this is a struggle. So learn your place."

Edited November 8, 2017 by Emerath

[Emerath 0]

Combat Data

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Combat Rolls

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Emerath
ID: 90349
BD: 10 + 3 [Critical Hit +2]

Turn Result

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Emerath
Emerath regains 1 Energy
Emerath attacks Teion with Sword Art Delayed Sword [-4 EN]
Emerath hits Teion for 8 + 2 x 4 = 40 - 2 = 38 DMG
Emerath defeats Teion <<First Inner Demon>>

End of Turn Status

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• Teion <<First Inner Demon>>
  • HP: 0/90 - Dead
• Emerath
  • HP: 355/360
  • EN: 23/36

As Emerath looked down at the demon that pretended to be his friend, a fire raged within him. He had been so afraid, but he had been right. Teion had forgiven him. "You are nothing more than a figment of my imagination. And now you're going to die." All Emerath got in response now was a snarl from the beast, helpless on the floor. It had discarded the persona of his friend entirely. Now it was just a sickness lingering in Emerath's heart. Emerath held up his fist and it began to glow. He looked at it and smiled, he was in complete control of this one. He had conquered one fear. He could do this.

Emerath grabbed the imitation of his friend by the collar and pulled her into his punches from the floor. "This is for Mist!" he shouted with one punch, "And Teion!" he shouted with another. This went on for a moment before Emerath threw the battered demon to the floor with only a sliver of its HP bar left. He stood over it and held his boot in the air above it. "And this one is for me," he said simply, before smashing the creature's skull into pixels, and watching as it disintegrated.

Edited November 8, 2017 by Emerath

[Emerath 0]

Out of Combat Regeneration

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Emerath Regains 10 Health [360/360]
Emerath Regains 1 EN [24/36] [1 of 3 OOC Turns]

Emerath stood over the spot where the creature had once been, staring at the empty ground. Was it really that simple? Did he just have to do that three more times? And he would be cleansed of his fears? Would he be on the path to redemption? Emerath doubted that, but he still felt stronger. Both mentally and physically, for the experience of fighting his own fears. But that was neither here nor there anymore. Emerath's head whipped around as he remembered Mist, and he ran to the table where she had crashed. He pushed the debris out of the way to find the owl still in one piece, with a few feathers out of place. She hadn't died, and as Emerath found himself cradling her, she opened her eyes and gave a hoot, before nuzzling his chest.

Emerath found himself smiling, and he pulled some corn from his pocket as the tired owl happily gobbled it up.

Edited November 8, 2017 by Emerath

[Emerath 0]

Out of Combat Regeneration

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Emerath Regains 1 EN [25/36] [2 of 3 OOC Turns]

Emerath gave Mist a moment to rest, and it wasn't until she was ready that he let her crawl back up his arm to his shoulder. The owl nuzzled him, and Emerath congratulated her on a job well done. "One down, pretty lady. Three more to go," he explained to her. Mist gave a hoot and Emerath nodded. "Don't be confused by the next one, alright? It's going to be my brother. But it won't be him. It will just be a demon in disguise." Oh how he hoped Mist understood. Last thing he needed was her trusting the creature only to get herself in trouble.

Before he left, he turned to the shop, looking at the anvil. Emerath could almost see Teion hammering away at it, the clanging ringing throughout the small space, echoing off the walls in his memories. He missed the woman, more than he would ever admit.

Edited November 8, 2017 by Emerath

[Emerath 0]

Out of Combat Regeneration

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Emerath Regains all EN [36/36] [3 of 3 OOC Turns]

Emerath found himself staring at Teion, the woman deep in her work. It took a bit, but finally Teion stopped her work, and looked up from her anvil, to where Emerath was. She smiled at him and waved, and then like a ghost, was gone. Emerath felt a deep stinging in his throat as he held back his emotions, and Mist gave a worried nuzzle to the man. Emerath shook his head, and wiped the corner of his eye. "I'm fine. It's just... been too long. Once we're done here I need to talk to her. She deserves to know where I've been."

Clearing his throat, Emerath made his way to the door, and walked through it, but not before giving one last glance to the anvil for the ghost of his friend. She wasn't there. Emerath knew she wouldn't be. With a heavy sigh, he closed it behind him, and just like that the door began to disappear. Leaving only three.

Edited November 8, 2017 by Emerath

[Emerath 0]

Emerath walked to the next door. Was he really ready for this? He'd have to beat the demonic ghost of his own twin in order to progress. He had no room to think about it. If he thought about it, it would end up like last time. He had to keep the momentum going, as he grabbed the handle and turned. Hearing it give a soft click, Emerath released the breath he didn't know he had been holding. Slowly, the door to their apartment swung open. Inside, Emerath and Endilix lay side by side in their matching recliner chairs where they used to sit together and play regular video games. The NerveGear was adorned on both, and a part of Emerath wished he could just reach out to himself and wake up, though he know how impossible that was.

But as he walked into the room, Endilix's arms raised, and he pulled the helmet off of his head. Emerath gasped as Endilix stood, while Emerath continued to lay there. "What if I escaped, and you didn't?" Endilix looked at Emerath and asked, "What if you had died and left me alone in the real world? What if it was all your fault?"

Edited November 7, 2017 by Emerath

[Emerath 0]

Combat Data

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Combat Begins

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Target
Endilix <<Second Inner Demon>>

• HP: 120
• MIT: 2
• DMG: 10

Turn Order

• Emerath
• Endilix

Starting Statuses

• Endilix <<Second Inner Demon>>
  • HP: 120/120
• Emerath
  • HP: 360/360
  • EN: 36/36

Combat Rolls

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Emerath
ID: 90514
BD: 5 + 3 [Hit]

Endilix
ID: 90516
MD: 5 [Miss]

Turn Result

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Emerath
Emerath attacks Endilix with the Sword Art Delayed Sword [-4 EN]
Emeath hits Endilix for 8 x 4 = 32 - 2 = 30 DMG

Endilix
Endilix misses Emerath

End of Turn Status

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• Endilix <<Second Inner Demon>>
  • HP: 90/120
• Emerath
  • HP: 360/360
  • EN: 32/36

Emerath scowled at the demon, "I didn't die, not yet." The demonic Endilix just grinned and knelt down over the Emerath on the recliner, before grabbing the helmet with his fingers, and pulling only ever so slightly on it. Emerath's heart was in his throat, despite that he knew that it wasn't really him and pulling off that NerveGear wouldn't kill him like in the real world. Emerath's fists clenched as he steeled himself and told himself that this wasn't real. That his fears were unfounded. That he wouldn't die.

With lightning speed, Emerath flashed forward, delivering a solid knee to the kneeling Endilix faker, who reeled holding his nose as he backed away to his feet. But Emerath left him little time to recover, as he knee'd him again in the gut, before delivering an uppercut to him after he bent from the blow to the stomach. The demon in Endilix's skin's eyes flashed red, as he said, "Alright, so we're going to play by those rules eh? You're not the spineless coward I was led to believe you were."

Edited November 8, 2017 by Emerath

[Emerath 0]

Combat Data

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Combat Rolls

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Emerath
ID: 90518
BD: 6 + 3 [Hit]

Endilix
ID: 90519
MD: 3 [Miss]

Turn Result

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Emerath
Emerath regains 1 Energy
Emerath attacks Endilix with the Sword Art Delayed Sword [-4 EN]
Emeath hits Endilix for 8 x 4 = 32 - 2 = 30 DMG

Endilix
Endilix misses Emerath

End of Turn Status

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• Endilix <<Second Inner Demon>>
  • HP: 60/120
• Emerath
  • HP: 360/360
  • EN: 29/36

As Emerath readied his next attack, the world around them began to change. Before Emerath knew it, the ghost of himself had faded away, and the room around them melted into sky and green grass. They stood outside of the Town of Beginnings. Emerath had lived in Aincrad long enough now to realize that was where they were. Emerath's eyes scanned their way back to Endilix, who was now clad in his most recent armor, mask and all. But unlike his brother, there was smoke coming from the armor like a dense fog that drifted to the ground and covered everything around him. Emerath could still see through the smoke, but it was clear that this version of Endilix was done playing around. Unfortunately for this Endilix, Emerath wasn't done by even a little.

Emerath flashed forward again, climbing the nearby hill, before leaping off of it, and delivering a strong kick to Endilix's head. Endilix made an attempt to block and return a blow, but Emerath ducked and while low to the ground swept Endilix's feet out from under him, with all the smoke and armor crashing down to the ground. Emerath's breaths came heavy as he turned away from the man on the ground, "Still think I'm just going to die so easily?"

Edited November 8, 2017 by Emerath

[Emerath 0]

Combat Data

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Combat Rolls

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Emerath
ID: 90521
BD: 8 + 3 [Hit]

Endilix
ID: 90522
MD: 5 [Miss]

Turn Result

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Emerath
Emerath regains 1 Energy
Emerath attacks Endilix with the Sword Art Delayed Sword [-4 EN]
Emeath hits Endilix for 8 x 4 = 32 - 2 = 30 DMG

Endilix
Endilix misses Emerath

End of Turn Status

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• Endilix <<Second Inner Demon>>
  • HP: 30/120
• Emerath
  • HP: 360/360
  • EN: 26/36

As Emerath watched the sun in the sky and felt the wind on his face, he felt a sudden chill that tried to cut through his heavy cloth armor. But he could feel it completely on his bare face, as his hair blew lightly from his face. Suddenly, the grass melted into snow beneath his feet, and he found himself and Endilix standing outside their shops. That was when he heard the crunching of snow behind him, as Endilix stood up. The demon gave a battle cry and brought the hammer down on Emerath, and the man whipped around and grabbed the shaft of the hammer, before ripping it from the demon's hand and giving Endilix a solid open palm strike to his chest, sending him backwards into the snow once again.

As the demon's HP began to hit the red, it almost seemed scared. It's red eyes flickered, and Emerath walked over to it, throwing the hammer to the side. "You claim to be one of my fears? You thought that I would die here? I would never. Not here, not ever."

Edited November 8, 2017 by Emerath

[Emerath 0]

Combat Data

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Combat Rolls

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Emerath
ID: 90527
BD: 5 + 3 [Hit]

Turn Result

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Emerath
Emerath regains 1 Energy
Emerath attacks Endilix with the Sword Art Delayed Sword [-4 EN]
Emeath hits Endilix for 8 x 4 = 32 - 2 = 30 DMG

End of Turn Status

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• Endilix <<Second Inner Demon>>
  • HP: 0/120 Dead
• Emerath
  • HP: 360/360
  • EN: 23/36

Now Emerath was in control. This was all in his mind, as if a dream. A nightmare that he had to conquer. Slowly, the world around Endilix and Emerath began to shift, as Emerath reached down and grabbed the demon by his breastplate, and lifted him into the air. The demon struggled, but it was no use, as heat began to overtake them. Emerath now held Endilix above a lava sea, standing on a single island amidst it. "Once I was afraid of dying, but now I understand. I have to grab the bull by the horns. I shape my own destiny. And I'm going to make sure it stays that way. Starting with you."

And then Emerath just let go. Of the Endilix, and symbolically his own fear. He cast it into the deepest pits of Hell where it belonged. Emerath could hear the demon screaming as he watched it hit the lava, and couldn't help but frown. Murder wasn't something Emerath would ever be able to relish. He wasn't that type of person. But as a symbol it worked. All Emerath knew was that he had conquered yet another of his demons. Two more.

Edited November 8, 2017 by Emerath

[Emerath 0]

Out of Combat Regeneration

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Emerath Regains 1 EN [24/36] [1 of 3 OOC Turns]

Emerath had swiftly bested his second demon, with nary a scratch to show for his deed. But he was okay with that. The door materialized for him to exit, but as he turned to do so, the world around him began to shift once again. This time, it was to their old home. Their childhood. Emerath recognized the hallway that Emerath and Endilix used to play in as a kid, just outside their room. It was littered with toys, and Emerath could hear laughter drifting throughout the halls, as well as his mother and father talking to them sweetly. The scenery almost made Emerath stop, but he continued to step towards the door to exit and finish his quest to conquer his fears.

But what really made him stop was the voice of a child. His own voice saying, "Hey mister." Emerath froze, before slowly turning around to see the ghost of himself and Endilix standing there, only 8 years old.

[Emerath 0]

Out of Combat Regeneration

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Emerath Regains 1 EN [25/36] [2 of 3 OOC Turns]

Emerath stared at the two apparitions of his memories, both of them smiling, an uncanny similarity between the two. Identical twins. Emerath often wondered what it may have looked like to others, and this was it. Two carbon copies standing side by side, no obvious difference between them.

His thoughts were broken by the other one, Endilix, speaking to him now, "Hey mister, are you there?" Emerath was one of the only people who could tell which was speaking, because at one point, he was one of these children. The only others were Endilix and their mom. Emerath gave a light nod to the both of them, before they began to giggle and said in unison, doing that creepy twin thing they used to do as kids, "I know it can be hard to remember how much we need each other. But please don't forget." They broke the unison for Emerath to say, "I love Dael," and Endilix to say, "and I love Eru."

And then in unison again, "Please don't die. We need each other."

[Emerath 0]

Out of Combat Regeneration

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Emerath Regains all EN [36/36] [3 of 3 OOC Turns]

Emerath could feel his heart seize for a second, but the fear immediately melted away as he looked again at their smiles. They weren't afraid of him dying. They just wanted to make sure. And so Emerath gave them a strong nod, and smiled himself. "I won't. I promise."

The twins in the hallway giggled again, and were gone in a flash, with the doorway squeaking lightly as it hung open for him to exit. Emerath did as it bid, and walked through with Mist in tow, before it shut behind him and disappeared like the other door. He could see how this was such an enlightening experience. It wasn't just about pummeling demons into the ground. It was about realizing the fears and not letting them overwhelm like he had the first time.

Slowly, he made his way to the door with the claw marks. His fingers reached out and touched the wood where the gashes were, and his glove came away with a red substance that smelled of copper. The door was bloody, and the blood fresh.

[Emerath 0]

Emerath took a deep breath. He had lost to Flints once before, but he couldn't let it happen now. The woman had always been dangerous, not the least of which was because of her power leveling at the hands of her husband. But this felt worse. Like he was a prey about to walk into a predator's trap. A fly in a spider's web, except he was willing to invite himself there. Another deep breath, before he grabbed the handle and pushed his way inside.

Before him was a rain forest, thick with foliage. The light shone dimly through the canopy above as animals scurried this way and that, disturbed by the newcomer to their little part of the world. Emerath felt exactly as he had imagined. He just wondered where the huntress was. Slowly he scanned the area, and whispered to the owl on his shoulder, "Keep an eye out for danger, okay? We don't know where she is and how she's going to come at us."