[Yuuki Terumi]

Shuuichirou Ayatsuki stood, his arms crossed, over the railings that seperated him from a nearby cauldron, on a higher level, working furiously away at a control panel was his co-worker Relius Clover.

A third man entered the scene, he was in a lab coat like the others, his hair was spiky, his eyes golden and he looked as if a smirk was permanently etched onto his face.

"Terumi..." Shuuichirou said, acknowledging his presence.

"You sound pretty tense" Terumi said, standing next to him "nervous?" he asked.

"yes, I am" he replied "this could very well be the scientific breakthrough of a lifetime, the prime field device, the azure grimoire, the murakumo unit.....we've come so far, I can't help but be nervous...."

"Don't you worry" said Terumi "we've got this under control, you're always so tense"

"You know I don't trust you, Terumi" said Shuuichirou.

"Oh, really?" he questionned in a mockfull tone where he gave the false impression his feelings were hurt.

"All the people's souls you used for this....I couldn't trust a man who took such pleasure in sacraficing innocent people...." he replied and, at that very moment, there were blue spheres floating in the air towards the cauldron, the souls Shuuichirou was speaking of.

"Oh come now, don't give me that, you sat by and let me get on with it didn't you, you talk about your scientific break through but none of this would have been possible without these souls, you need to realize this is the only way you would even get a glimpse of the Murakumo Unit and the Azure Grimoire!" Terumi replied "isn't that right, Relius?" he added, turning towards the blonde scientist who was looking over the scene from his control panel.


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

[Eleanor Viscera] - [Xion Viscera]

Eleanor was packing away the last of her things, she was preparing to leave home and spend yet another year at the magic guild, packing the last things away, she went down the door where her husband and son were waiting.

"Ok... I'm off" she said walking over to her husband and kissing him "goodbye, I'll be sure to visit over the weekends if I have time"

she turned to her son and kneeled down next to him.

"Stay out of trouble Xion" she said, smiling "be good for your father"

"Hey!" he said indignantly "I'm an angel for you guys!" he joked.

"Well, you'll always by my little angel" she said, kissing him on the cheek.

"Don't worry, I'll keep him in line" said Richard with a wink, Richard being her husband.

Eleanor walked out of the house, as she walked down a path, she gave a final wave to her family before disappearing into seemingly nothing.

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

[Tazuka Nospheratu] - [Claudandus Riverbound]

whoosh

an arrow soared through the air at a circular target that had been set up, it hit dead center, a perfect shot.

"A excellent shot as always" said Claudandus, as the butler poured Tazuka a fresh cup of tea. Tazuka placed his bow down and took a seat, taking the tea and drinking it.

"thank you Claudandus" he said "I am expecting Rachel to join me soon"

"Valkenhayn has already sent for her sir" replied Claudandus "I am sure she will be here for her archery lesson soon"

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

[Valkenhayn Hellsing]

Else in the manor, Valkenhayn approached the door that led to Rachel and Tazuka's bed chamber, knowing Rachel was still inside, he rapped his fingers on the door.

"Ever so sorry if I am interupting miss Rachel but I am here in passing to relay a message from master Tazuka that he is ready for your Archery lesson" he said.

He turned and walked away after giving the message, Valkenhayn went into the living room where he saw Clavis Alucard, looking off into the distance, seemingly deep in thought.

"My lord ship" he said "is everything alright?"


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

[Silver]

While most of his students were just leaving, or just getting up, Silver had been hard at work with the rest of the staff preparing the welcome back party for the students. He looked foward to it as he had every year, although he had visited a few during the summer, he had missed his students, they were like a family to him.

_________________

[Relius]

"Hmm, hmm... Who knows." Relius tone of voice remained deadpan. Despite his allegiance with Terumi, he kept his mystery vibe. He only typed several buttons further from the control panel, adjusting the level of the heat. "But one thing you need to know, Sir Ayatsuki... It is the destiny of a scientist to cast aside morality in order to make a breakthrough. If we did not sacrifice the souls, we wouldn't make it this far. If you wanted their sacrifice not be in vain, I suggest that you go through with it... until the end, even if it costs your life."

There was an eerie silence afterwards. The shocked look of Shuuichirou and the grin from Terumi decorated the faces of those two. "I didn't mean it will kill you now, it's just a what-if scenario. I am prepared to give my life if it means completing this perfection."

Of course that's something on Relius' plan as well. Giving his life away? He could come back after death, it's not something that hindered him.

"Well now, isn't this interesting..."

[Nine]

"Ugghh..." The bell was ringing in the morning and Nine wouldn't even get out from the bed. But the bell just wouldn't stop ringing. In frustration, she slammed her fist onto the table. But in process, she ended up falling down onto the floor.

"Why this little clock...!" Her temper burning up, Nine got up and was about to burn the clock into ashes. Until she looked at the window and realized it was quite the morning. It calmed her down. "Okay... deep breathe... Damn it, what a pain..." She rubbed her head, hoping that there wasn't a bump in the head.

"Oh yeah, Viscera is gonna visit here... And there has to be some sort of welcoming party?" Nine muttered, sighing. She really hated this sort of unnecessary complication, "Man..." Dozing off, she headed to her drawer, trying to put on her official Magic Guild uniform of witches.

[Ryuukan]

The man was meditating. As much as a married man he was, he was able to cast aside unnecessary thought when it comes to meditation. Ryuukan was trying to concentrate about that call from the World Tree.

What did it truly mean? A great calamity brought in black? And... that sorceror, he looked suspicious for that finalist. Did he know something about this calamity? Perhaps I should ask.

He opened his eyes and picked up his jacket and staff. He went out from the temple.

"Ryuukan, going out again?"

"Yeah. Something I gotta do."

As Ryuukan left, his fellow monks talked behind him.

"That guy has been kinda busy these days. I wonder what's his business?"

"Missed his wife so much?"

"Probably..."

However, all Ryuukan wanted was information about this 'Magic Guild'. If that guy was a sorcerer, he must've come from such Guild. The problem was, he had no idea where it was located and what it did in details...

_________________
Don't wanna sound like a hypocrite. Sig will be as gloomy as me.
Though...
http://tiny.cc/uw386

[Tomonori]

Tomonori sat in the warm sun, bathing in the glow, hood up as usual, as he spoke to his brother.

"Mitsuyoshi... I feel a dark wind approaching. I don't quite know how to place it, but, you sense it too, right?"

It was eerie... He was a devout man, and firmly believed that when ill fortune was approaching he could smell it a mile away. He had faith he could destroy any obstacles in his way, though. If theres a God in the world, he knew he would complete his destiny.

"How about we practice some more swordplay, brother?"

_________________

[ Clavis Alucard ]

At first Clavis did not hear his trusty servant, and continued to stare out of the window pane, contemplating on how different the stars were now a days. Their positions had shifted, ever so slightly, but even such a tiny change as that was enough to change the fate of the entire world.

"Yes, I am quite alright, Valkenhayn. I was just pondering something peculiar that I have just observed. Then again, it may just be my age catching up to me," Clavis chuckled, his age having no hinderance on his observational skills. After all, he and Tazuka were tasked with being the Observers of the world. If Clavis were to become senile now, he would have to give up his title to Rachel, and he didn't believe that she was ready for such a responsibility. At least, not now.

"I know this may seem like an odd inquiry, how is Rachel faring today? I have not been able to spend time with her, and I worry about her," Clavis asked, turning in his wheelchair so that he could face Valkenhayn properly. To not do so would be highly rude, and Clavis respected his servant much to highly to do such a thing to him. But, of course, such a thing was easily pushed aside, as his precious daughter took precedence over such trivial matters.

_________________
XBL Gamer Tag: Ari3752
Main: Ragna
Sub: Hakumen/Taokaka

---Rachel Alucard---

Yawn. She tossed, and turned, and tossed again while resting within the piled up blankets of her bed; it was a comfortable enough sort of castle in it's own right. Not that she had intended to fortify this bed-chamber, but it was certainly a worthwhile endevor to launch surprise attacks on unsuspecting guests to her room. Valkenhayn, and indeed others had come under ambush from Rachel's ability to disguise herself as a lump of blankets upon the sheets.

Which...was to say...she liked to sleep in when given the chance; if she could sleep at all, perhaps she simply lay there with her eyes closed. It was hard to tell at times.

None the less, as she was called upon the girl would slip out of bed and into something more acceptable. A simple dress gown; black as night but suitably lined with lace of crimson and winter white - it was fashionable enough when she added on a bonnet for the simple "adorable" factor of it. She had to look every bit the part of a lady after all.

Especially as she exited the room and made her way out into the open range.

---Nathanael Lionheart---

It was a simple enough practice to use the teleportation device stored within the depths of their family estate; he often wondered if his family knew of these unsanctioned adventures into the outside world. If they did, that meant they trusted him; if they didn't, then he didn't want to know what would happen if they ever caught onto where he'd go for days at a time.

Nathanael was talented enough in social situations, and he'd gotten quite good at the skillful art of lying too; being deceptive had it's perks at times - you needed to be clever to disguise your true nature when out in the open.

No...

...the real trouble had been finding a suitable place to amuse himself while outside; there was the problem. For, although, the transportation circle could send him to a myriad of fascinating locations - it couldn't determine where interesting and collectively amusing people were located. It couldn't simply define for him a place where he might be able to entertain himself.

But, thankfully, he'd been able to secure for himself - after no small measure of lying, money exchanging and favors - to shuffle himself into an academy filled with these talented and interesting people; the fact that some of them happened to be outrageously attractive women didn't factor into his mind...of course...

...not at all...

...at all...

...bosoms...

He shook his head to stay off the daydreaming and threw a rather formal looking cape-cloak over his shoulders; now he was not magically inclined -at least in the capacity off it's use, but he had the silver tongue of a fox and the intelligence of a creature which had lived far passed the norm for any `modest` mortal. Which meant he could lie about it! He pulled the hood up high over his head, a sly and wry smile having already etched itself upon those lips of his.

"Now it's time to have some fun," and with that he stepped into the circle; mind focused on the location of his desire. A milky, dark aura wrapped and entangled him; threatening to strangle the man from existence as it suffocated the image of his figure until there was nothing but a dark miasama where he once remained.

With a sickening and almost elastic like reaction, those same tendrils of ebony and onyx hue uncurled and hurtled him in a violent exit; almost, very nearly, losing his balance to it and going down on a knee. He used one hand to steady himself and that sickening nasia which settled in the pit of his stomach from such a harsh trip. But he was there. Now, he just had to find...amusement and those who were most amusing.

_________________
~We are all but slaves to Fate, Kings and Desperate men. Only those not shackled by destiny can carve out their own future~

[Yuuki Terumi]

"See, Relius knows what's up" said Terumi "why don't you try taking after your own assistant?" he suggested as he smirked unpleasently.

"Hmph" Shuuichirou replied "I see some truth in what you said, Relius but that doesn't mean I don't feel bad for some of the things we've done and what effect it has had on me, I haven't seen my daughters for months now and Nine...Nine still won't talk to me, or even acknowledge I exist, she still blames me for my wife's death"

He looked off towards to Cauldron, comtemplating all the things he had sacraficed to get where he was today.

"You still gonna beat yourself up for that?" Terumi asked "It's really not the time for that, if it bothers you that much, just go see her when this is over and done with but right now you're just becomming a liability here"

Shuuichirou glared at him but then sighed "Fine, I apologise, let's get back to work"

"Good timing" said Terumi "we've finally got enough souls"

"Then it is time, time to refine the sword, the godslayer, Kusanagi, it is time for us to gain the power of the Azure Grimoire!" said Shuuichirou the power lust pratically gleaming in his eyes.

Terumi laughed unpleasently "hahahaha, now you're talking!"

"Relius, do it, the path to the boundary is within the cauldron, we shall finally see the other side of this gate..." Shuuichirou ordered.

Relius nodded before pressing controls on the panel in front of him, the gate beneath the cauldron begun to open, a void of emptiness was what they saw, as though the space where the cauldron had been had been erased from existance.

"This is it!" Shuuichirou said breathlessly "I see it, the boundary!"

"Time to reap the rewards...." said Terumi.

However, their moment of triumph was shattered, the void was filling with something, a black mist of sorts. Alarms started to blare and red lights started to flash, a danger sign that something was terribly wrong....

"Wha-" Shuuichirou said, his head darting around, seemingly confused at how things could be going wrong.

"the hell?!" Terumi demanded of no one in particular "what is this shit?!"

Even Relius, a man who rarely lost his composure, looked surprised by what was happening.

"This mist.....what is this?!" he demanded.

All three men could do nothing but watch as the mist spew from the boundary, the cauldron and emmersed the room a low rumbling noise started to build, getting louder and louder.

"Terumi!" Shuuichirou shouted "what have you done!?" he accused, the sudden event convincing him his paranoias of Terumi's betrayl were true.

"Not a damn thing!" Terumi shouted back, sounding just as angry "I have not idea what this is....some sort of phenomena....ARGH!" Terumi suddenly screamed as his very body appeared to phase out of existance momentarily, as though the mist had some sort of side effect on him.

"Terumi?" Shuuichirou said uncertainly, not sure what to make of what was happening to him. Terumi fell to his knees as his body continue to fade in and out of existance.

The next thing they heard was an ear splitting roar, then, within the black mist two luminous red eyes could be seen. Whatever had just entered the room, it was alive.

"What.....what is this? a....monster?" Relius Clover asked to himself, he was the closet, for he had been elevated above the other two right above the cauldron, the eyes turned to Relius, who stared back entranced.

"ABORT!" Shuuichirou screamed "RELIUS, ABORT THE EXPERIMENT NOW!"

Relius did not move, could it be he had frozen from fear? Or accepted the fate he was about to face?

"RELIUS!" Shuuichirou screamed again but that was the last he saw of Relius Clover, the eyes emerged from the mist, revealing the true form. A huge, monstorous beast with sharp red fangs and many other smaller heads, a black beast. It launched foward towads Relius, engulfing him into the midst, Relius gave a scream of agony before he was gone. Shuuichirou could only watch, he looked around, Terumi was gone too.....

It was only him and the beast yet, it looked down, havin spotted Shuuichirou and approached, leering at him. Shuuichirou could only stare back, paralyzed by not only fear but guilt aswell.

"What have I done....." he said to himself, a tear running down his eye, he took one final breath of air before the mist consumed him aswell. Shuuichirou's world went black.....


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

[Tazuka Nospheratu] - [Claudandus Riverbound] - [Valkenhayn Hellsing]

Tazuka turned to Rachel as she approached, he smiled at her.

"Nice of you to join us my rose" he said as he took her hand and gently kissed the top of it "Claudandus, a cup for my wife please"

"Certainly" Claudandus said with a bow as he poured Rachel a cup of tea, she thanked him and took a sip before placing it back down.

"Now then, you showed alot of improvement last time, so hopefully you have remembered what I taught you and we can make alot more progress" he said.

"Yes, although it may take me a small while to remind myself of what you did teach me" she said truthfully.

"not to worry, here, take up this bow" he said, holding it out to her, she took it and assumed the firing posture he had taught her.

"Good" he said approvingly as he walked over to her "however....try moving your hand up to here....." he said as he placed his hand under her arm and movd it up the bow "you will find it easier to aim if you support it from-"

Tazuka stopped mid sentance, an overwhealming sense of dread had just overcome him, his cheery self disappeared and he suddenly looked deeply disturbed.

"Tazuka?" Rachel said, worried by his sudden change in demeanor "what is wrong?"

"Forgive me, I did not mean to worry you but I have a feeling that something dreadfull has just transpired....I'm sorry but I have to go see Clavis, infact, come with me, both of you" he said.

"At once sir" said Claudandus and he and Rachel followed Tazuka as he headed back towards the mansion.

Inside the mansion Valkenhayn conversed with Clavis.

"She is fine and happy sir" he replied "she is very understanding of your duties, I am positive she bears no ill feelings towards you what so ever and....Clavis what is wrong, you look deeply disturbed...."

Sure enough Clavis' expression had darkened, he had felt the same wave of dread that Tazuka had felt, that somewhere, something awful had happened....


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

[Eleanor Viscera]

The young woman had reached her destination, the house of her good friends Nine and Caelica, no doubt that Trinity would be here aswell. She looked foward to seeing them again.

She rapped her knuckles on the door before calling out:

"Nine! It's me, Eleanor, you gonna let me in?" she called cheerfully.


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

[Mitsuyoshi]

"You're right, I sense it too, something's not right...." he replied "can't quite place it but I hope it's nothing..."

He grinned as his brother suggested a sparring match.

"Sure, can't see why not..." he said as he got to his feet, he walked away from Tomonori before turning back towards him and drawing his katana.

"Let's see if you're any better than last time..." he said.

_________________

[Relius]

Thus was the end of the life of Relius Clover. All these lives while seeking perfection. Was it to end like this? Being consumed by the Black Beast?

Of course not. Or his name is Laime MacLauser. And it's not.

It was only a short while after the incident. A similar body to Relius was sleeping on a bed in a mansion. And in a short time, suddenly a soul entered the body. Relius once more got up. "I have to say that's a close one." Relius muttered as he got up, "It always pays to have a backup plan."

Getting up and dressed with yet another of his attire, similar to the one before, Relius got up and headed to the library at the mansion. "Now then, what's that creature I wonder..." He shuffled through the library, locking himself there for hours.

"This is an interesting specimen..."

[Ryuukan]

Ryuukan tried to remember what kind of events had transpired to him. The sorcerer that fought him in the tournament for the World Tree guardianship. He recalled one thing.

"Sorcerer... perhaps he's an associate to the Magic Guild? Perhaps they could answer." The man was a good friend of the Magic Guild despite his lack of interest in magic. He decided to pay the Magic Guild a visit. "Hope Lance is doing fine."

Lightheartedly, he took his steps carefully and headed to the branch of the Magic Guild...

[Nine]

"Yeah..." Nine raised her hand as her other hand put on her usual witch hat. As she got up and headed down, she looked at the table. Looked like Caelica cooked some food.

"As always, you always get prepared with foods." Nine said, looking at Caelica and Trinity, "Looks like we can afford some breakfast. There's some problem, though... I'm on... some sort of diet for the day. So looks like you cooked a bit too much." Caelica's face paled this way as she didn't know what to do. And it was around that time there was a knocking.

"Nine! It's me, Eleanor! You gonna let me in!?"

"Eleanor? Oh yeah, great timing!" Nine waltzed into the door and opened it, "Yo... been awhile. How's it going? Come on in, we got breakfast, you better join in."

_________________
Don't wanna sound like a hypocrite. Sig will be as gloomy as me.
Though...
http://tiny.cc/uw386

"Heh, well see."

Tomonori walked an equal distance away, and drew his sword, signaling he was ready. It was a long silver blade, with a green sash wrapped to the hilt. As he drew his katana, it melded with his arm, becoming a giant claw, green in color, the green sash flailing in the wind. When Mitsuyoshi did the same, he made the first strike.

He cleaved the ground under him, throwing up small boulders from the shattered earth at Mistuyoshi. Through the debris, he dashed in and prepared to strike his brother, his claw almost as big as Mistuyoshi's entire body. A large fang appeared when Tomonori grinned in the upcoming triumph.

Gotcha this time, theres no escape!


He thought, as we waited for the claw to connect.

_________________

[ Clavis Alucard ]

"It is the stars, my dear Valkenhayn, they have shifted, and are not how I remember them." Clavis replied, wheeling himself back towards the window and beckoning Valkenhayn to look at the anomaly with him.

"This shift, I feel that it brings death and destruction upon the world, and I can only hope that, when the time comes, mankind won't run itself to ruin..." Clavis stated, feeling a touch of guilt that he could not do anything to aid the humans in what would soon be their darkest hour. However, nothing would move him to aid them, not even if every last one of them begged and pleaded. If they were to be wiped from existence, then Clavis would simply watch and observe as the human race dies out.

"Valkenhayn...please bring me some tea, I want to think upon the events that are destined to come, whether they be malevolent or joyous." Clavis stated, looking up at the full moon, shining upon them in it's brilliance, giving Clavis a feeling of peace every time he looked upon it's beautiful surface.

_________________
XBL Gamer Tag: Ari3752
Main: Ragna
Sub: Hakumen/Taokaka

[Yuuki Terumi]

As Relius immersed himself in his own affairs, the sounds of the door to the mansion opening drew his attention.

'Relius?!" the familiar voice of Terumi could be heard calling out his name.

"I'm here" he called back.

A few moments later, a green mist started to enter the room, revealing itself as a greenish black apparition that had one sinister red eye and an unpleasant permanent red smile that looked like a crescent moon.

"I half expected you not to be here" said Terumi "well, looks like these bodies work"

"Of course" Relius replied, not getting out of his chair "Once I understood the principles of how you tore your own soul from the Susanoo Unit, it wasn't to difficult to apply that too myself anyway, where is your body?"

"It's outside" Terumi replied "when that thing came out of the cauldron, my body started acting weird, I felt it well...not entirely sure what it was but it was like I was starting to phase in and out of existence"

The permanent smirk did not fully disappear but it thinned slightly as Terumi was trying to explain what had happened to him.

"That thing.....that creature that emerged from the cauldron, it's gone on a rampage, the town near where we were working is completely gone" said Terumi "Oddly, when I went back to where the lab used to be, the cauldron was completely gone, so it seems like that monster is the cauldron"

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

[Mitsuyoshi]

Mitsuyoshi back flipped away from the rubble, out of range as they crashed to where he had been standing moments before. From the dust, his brother emerged.

His brother's massive claw like sword came roaring through the air, Mitsuyoshi waited, waited until the last moment. Tomonori felt his claw hit something hard, Mitsuyoshi has drawn his sword and blocked the blow, halting the giant claw's advance. Mitsuyoshi gave a heave of strength that defied his size and Tomonori was pushed back.

'Let's see yer dodge this!" he called as he ducked down and rushed toward Tomonori, incredibly fast, he slashed with his sword, aiming for Tomonori's legs.

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

[Valkenhayn Hellsing] - [Tazuka Nospheratu] - [Claudandus Riverbound]

"Of course sir" Valkenhayn said with a low bow "I will return with a pot post haste"

He turned and walked out of the room and headed for the kitchen, no sooner had he left when Tazuka entered the room followed by Rachel and Claudandus.

"Clavis!" Tazuka said urgently "I trust you to have felt it? The feeling something terrible has happened?"

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

[Eleanor Viscera]

"Nine!" Eleanor called hugging her old friend tightly "So nice to see you again, breakfast sounds good!"

Relinquishing her hug on Nine, she proceeded into the room where Trinity and Caelica were. After giving squeals of delight at seeing them again and giving them both bone crushing hugs she turned to Caelica as she jokingly offered her up burnt toast.

"Well it's a good thing I'm here then!" she said and before Caelica could do anything Eleanor had grabbed her arm and pulled her back towards the kitchen "you two just wait here ok?" she said as she closed the door.


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

[Silver]

The preparations continued as planned for the moment but news traveled fast in the magic guild and soon one of the members of the holy ten had approached him and informed him of the presence of the Black Beast.

"Hmmmmm....I see, a monster you say? Very well, summon the other members of the holy ten" said Silver and in a twirl of his cloak he twirled off down a nearby corridor.

_________________