A Foul Hand at Play

[Talon]

Watching the abrupt transformation, Phalanx grinned broadly at the beast's sudden increase in power.

"Ahh, I see! A most interesting entity this is after all! Quite the efficient evolution system as well... there are many who would want this kind of power themselves. I myself am very interested to see it perform in combat..."

He paused, then scowled, tilting his head as if hearing something. His clawed hands clenched tightly, then relaxed as he hissed through his teeth,

"Unfortunately, it seems I have other matter to attend to at the moment. But perhaps... I can contribute to your cause."

With that, Phalanx uttered a short series of phrases under his breath, producing a small tear in the fabric of space. He smirked, then reached his hand in, pulling the limb back out as the hole closed. Phalanx then splayed his hand open into a flat surface, allowing several shards of rust-red metal to freely float above it, slowly spinning in a circle.

"These are fragments of a weapon known as Soul Edge, a blade long lost to time. It was known to be an exceedingly powerful weapon, but it corrupted every mortal owner wielding it, most likely devouring them to sate its appetite for souls. However... because the weapon became what it was through negative human emotion, something we demons thrive on, it is fact that evil immortals can use it without repurcussions..."

He flicked his hand, sending the three fragments spinning over to Vithzerai, hovering in a circle as Phalanx turned away, eyes reverting to their pin-prick form as he hissed over his shoulder,

"Implanting them in your servant would not only give him a likely boost in power, but also weaken what will might possibly remain... and increase the effectiveness of his consumption of spirits..."

Phalanx then began to walk off down the twisting passage, his voice echoing back to Vithzerai,

"Use them as you wish! T'is a gift of 'good will'!"

With that, the gargoyle was already gone.

[shdwdrgn]

Once Phalanx had vaanished he reached up and lazily plucked the fragments from the air. He examined them in the palm of his hand and could tell this blade was a soul eater. He moved up to the beast and pushed against the chest forcing it to become more upright. He took one fragment implanting it into the gut and then implanter the other two fragments near the shoulders, each upon one of the symmetrical will lines. Once finished he stepped back to watch how the beast would react.

The lines all across it's body began to quiver as it lowered its chest back to the original position it had before the implantation. The lines began to surge with the red power of hatred the blade fragments held. The lines reformed upon his body into a new symmetrical form amplifying his power further and causing another slight transformation. The hunch was less apparent now but the beasts overall form was more animalistic than before. What traces of humanity you might have been able to see from Shiryu were now gone entirely. His horns had shifted shape now and were now in an L shape with the smaller length being attached to the head and pointing forwards. Small spikes had erupted along the base of the wings and at the end of the frame work. His arms had grown a razor sharp edge down the outside extending slightly past his elbow. The blade seeming grew of flesh as bits clung to it along the point where the edges had erupted.

The transformation had completed and the newly designed lines settled upon the body once more and the red faded from view as the blades shrunk down to a fairly minimal size. They also now bore a flow of energy that emitted a larger sense of darkness than before and was a rather black-ish grey than the purple they once contained.

"It is time," Vithzerai said. The beast released a massive roar and shot thru the cavern walls like they were nothing eruoting outside and quickly vanished in the distance. By the time the beast had made it out Vith was gone. The only evidence of what had transpired here being the arcane etchings heavily faded and slightly damaged from the ritual and proceedings.

((End Thread))