Umbra Shrouds (Alias)

[Rook]

All was as it should be in the Third District. Shadows moved of their own volition, the dark corners of every nook and cranny alive and twisting and awaiting its next whole-bodied prey like a venus fly trap. On the landing overlooking the gold fountain, faintly dimming the light of the nearby home which seemed eternally welcoming, though no one was ever home, a Dark Corridor opened wide, spiraling inward like an devilish whirlpool. And out walked the Seeker of Darkness himself: Ansem.

He stepped forward, overlooking the District, closing his eyes and taking in the cool, familiar corruption. "Mmm, my Shadows have held their ground well, I see..." His gaze sifted about. The past almost danced in front of him. That girl Era who slipped through his grasp, but not for much longer. The stupid boy Rook who was defeated with ease and was still stupid enough to side with the Nobodies and storm the Castle of Abyss. Hmph. The Dark Guardian took care of him quickly enough.

"You promised you wouldn't hurt him!"

His brow creased as he thought back. He'd agreed with the girl to let him go, wounded and beaten. The redhead had charged, the Guardian's actions were instinctual. What, pray tell, could the boy have been preparing to do that would have been an actual thread so much that the Guardian would lash out?

The past was the past now, however. It was irrelevant. And while the Dark shadows in Rook's Heart were growing steadily, he had vanished from the face of the Worlds and was never heard from again. Likely just another Neo-Shadow by now.

He rested his hands on the banister and opened his eyes. What sort of oddities did fate have in store for the Third District today?

[jorgewaggoner]

Just then, a light appeared it was a bright violet color. The light slowly took the form of a boy. He was thin, and stood at a height of around five feet six inches. He had pale skin, bright amethyst eyes and slightly long, light brown hair which hung over his forehead, but not quite in his eyes. He wore a black T-shirt, with arm warmers, which buttoned at the top and hung lose and wide at the bottom, a pair of black jeans, and black shoes, made of leather with steel toes. Around his neck hung an amulet, made of platinum which was in the shape of a moon, it had a purple gem that seemed to be held by the lower curve of the crescent.

His heart was a strange mixture of light and darkness, a even fifty-fifty, the light in him was typical, but the darkness was a mixture of all the sadness and losses he had had over all of his life.

Alias then holds his amulet in his hand and says softly "why have you brought me here?" He appears to be speaking to the amulet. He then begins to look around, immediately noticing the white haired male, he feels the darkness, but doesn't seem phased, and the reason for this is that he was taught that light and dark must live together. As he nears The Seeker of Darkness he says softly "Hello sir, might you be willing to tell me where I am?"

[Rook]

There was no hesitation to the Dark Seeker's response, but the time it took him to look down and gauge the boy's bizarre concoction of a Heart, "Traverse Town. The ever-dangerous Third District. None come here unaccompanied, unless it's trouble with the Dark denizen's they seek."

Ansem's body blurred, as if falling out of focus before Alias' eyes, and he vanished completely, refocusing and becoming whole and solid behind him. He folded his arms over his chest and reared his head back, looking down at the boy as his body lifted gently from the ground, hovering inches above it. It didn't take long for him to begin thinking. Thinking and plotting. "But to whom were you speaking? Brought you here, you said? Perhaps the dark Heart in you was calling out and attracted to this ever-neutral World' most shadowy corners?"

[jorgewaggoner]

Alias turned around calmly to look at the man. "Well I didn't exactly come here..." He says in response to the man's first statement.

"And I wasn't speaking to anyone...." He says then holds up the amulet. "It tends to transport me places without me having a say in the matter..." He says softly then looks up at the man. "And what do you mean 'The dark heart in me'?" He asked curious as to why this man would deem his heart 'dark'

[Rook]

"Your Heart. It is an interesting blend of light and shadow," Ansem replied, stepping past him, striding towards the golden fountain behind them, "However. All things begin in Darkness. And all so end. The Heart is no different. Darkness sprouts within it. Grows. Consumes it. The Light in you cannot last forever. Power begets power. And in time, it will only hinder you if you do not yield to it."

He turned about, facing him again, "Perhaps it was your amulet which brought you to me. To allow me to help you find your true strength?"

[jorgewaggoner]

Alias followed Ansem to the fountain, listening to the mans views on the world."That could very well be, however, you said that all begins in darkness?" He said softly. "I do not believe that is true, I believe all began as Nothing, and some day all will return to it. For in the beginning not even light and dark knew who they were, until one day, they noticed one another's differences, then, they begin to clash." He said reciting his childhood lessons. "And some day, when they finally clash, the winner will realize, that without the other, he himself is nothing, for what is anything, without something to compare it to?" He says softly looking at Ansem. "I do not know what you have to teach me, however if you would be willing to try and help me figure out how to work this amulet, I would be greatly obliged." He said looking up at Ansem.

[Rook]

((Apologies. I was out of town this weekend and didn't get a chance to reply before I left.))

A short shudder rolled along Ansem's spine. Nothing? It sounded like the babble his other half spewed. And Ansem would have none of that. "Something cannot come from nothing. It begins with essence. And yes, in Light and Dark, even Nothing and Thing. One is cleary given purpose by the other. If there was there no light, there could be no shadows to be cast. Without darkness, the light could not illuminate. But nothing is another state. The absence of one. In Hearts, we are all born hungry, selfish. And it is a power we hold for the length of our lives, moldable and containable."

He folded his arms over his chest, thinning his eyes as he stared down his nose at the trinket around Alias' neck, examining it at distance for a moment, "This... is not my area of expertise. I can study it and attempt to unlock it's motives, but it may take time. Surely it is not without coincidence."

[jorgewaggoner]

Alias shrugged as if Ansem's trashing of his beliefs had no impact on him. Which, it really didn't. "Very well, we all have our own beliefs." He said smiling up at the man. "It is true, maybe this was coincidence, but maybe not. I would love to hear More of your philosophies, I can tell you have much wisdom" He said softly. It was true, everything was born with hunger but, everything is born with it's own unique hunger.

[Rook]

The Seeker of Darkness nodded, giving Alias a faux smile of kindness, "My name is Ansem, child. Who might you be?" Ever the wolf in sheep's clothing. He put a hand on his shoulder. There was a swelling darkness in his heart, ever fighting with it's brighter half. Time in league with the DarkXII may help to quell that. The corruptive nature of the Darkness, time with the Heartless, desensitization of the acts they do in the name of bringing the Worlds to their knees in the name of the Dark XII... he could make an interesting addition to our forces, the Dark Lord mused. Going where we cannot... a valuable addition indeed...

[jorgewaggoner]

He smiles up at Ansem and says. "My name is Alias" He then looked up at the white haired male, wondering if he was really as friendly as he was acting, but Alias didn't want to be judgy so he pushed back his unease and gave Ansem the benefit of the doubt.

[Rook]

The white-haired man closed his eyes, bowing his head somewhat. "Ansem." That was all he said. His reputation, by now, was sure to have preceded him. Especially here in the Third, where he had come across new "members" to his Dark XII before. This one, though... he could be molded like clay, perhaps. And he oh so enjoyed a blank canvas.

"Tell me... Alias. Where did you come across this amulet of yours? A previous owner? Found by happenstance in a randomly strewn-aside treasure chest perhaps."

[jorgewaggoner]

Alias smiled "Nice to know your name Ansem..." He said. He then looked up at Ansem as he asked his questions. "It was my mother's..." He said softly as the thought back to the night of the attack looking down, a solem expression on his face.

[Rook]

"And your mother? Who was she? Some form of mage perhaps? An arcane crafter? Perhaps a treasure hunter. There are so many possibilities. We simply have to trace her back..." He strode casually past him, waving a hand dismissively, "I do know many extensive libraries. If she were, she may be noted in one of them. Perhaps the artifact itself is of some elder make."

He stepped behind him, staring into the dark evernight sky, "What ever it is, who ever she was, where ever it came from... I'm certain there is a history to it. Perhaps unlockable potential?"

[jorgewaggoner]

"She was a witch..." He said softly and stood next to Ansem. "She was the leader of a clan of witches, this necklace was said to be one of thier most beloved treasures..." He said softly. "I am certain it has much potential, I just do not know how to unlock it..." He said softly and looked up at the night sky with Ansem. "The witches were a clan of darkness, or so the legend goes...They were suposedly the watchers of darkness, the ones who made sure it was in balance with light. It was thier goal for light and dark to live in harmony..." He said.

[Rook]

"A witch. Hmm. magic is... erratic at best without someone who can wield it proper. A cudgel with which the backlash alone can be more hazardous than the spell or encantation." The Seeker of Darkness put a hand to his chin and closed his eyes, looking pensive and thoughtful for a long moment. "Truly, it is beyond the insight of many people. But it is not beyond that of mine or my Dark XII."

He opened his yellow eyes, shaking his head, "However, it may take time. Witches can be very good at safeguarding their secrets. You may have to put in as much effort as one's son as we will have to by attempting to unlock it."

His eyes followed Alias' as they traced into the sky, "However... if it balance you seek, know you will not find it." His eyes glistened in the star light, "The Light has driven the Darkness away. Beaten back against the void, where it stays, weakened and recovering. There is no balance now..."