Be True

Orphaned ruins of once thriving region glitter in its golden pride, the crimson sun repels a gleaming shine throughout the arches of a prolonged cathedral, translucent glass and firm flying buttresses that hold and support the holy marvel in its oh-so undying glory. Peaceful and saint, left in solitude for a millennium now the location of a dispute nevertheless. Amongst the building's many bent vaults, at one of its golden tops and nave roofs- at the very tip of its highest towers, the god awaits his adversary. She's been longing to do harm to that pretty face, he can only imagine what it'll be like to battle face to face with someone he's known ever since his very birth. "Mirage" Kantoku mumbles under his breath and unfolds his arms to his sides in sync, the sun's will to witness the battle is unyielding and persistent, still stopped at the horizon, creating a blinding halo behind Kantoku's head metaphorically. His wolf ears perk up and the man lifts his head upon a well-known scent brushing over his nose, their eyes meet and pierce one another, locked in a painful strife against the mutual recognition between the two. All the way, in the gilded wasteland wide and ceaseless unknown to any bounds, a figure of a woman stands her ground. With her rusty hair swaying in the wind and her gaze filled with an aspiration and amusement. Her purple dress and devilish horns stand out in the warm coloured scenery, a chuckle escapes her daring mouth; "Your ignorance hasn't changed in the slightest, Ambjörg" her voice echoes across the abandoned ruins. Kantoku limits himself to a mere interjection of reluctance, tsked, squinting with a cold judgemental expression. He was more than ready to face his opponent, ready but not entirely sure as doubts always caught up with him no matter the situation, her words referred to the side he picked but naturally and unmistakably the way he's always acted to preserve the insecure vulnerable character he so desperately wanted to hide all these years... His eyebrows narrow. "My pick was coexistential," the noble god takes a step forward, raising his hand up into above as to achieve something, a flash of pure light lights up the surroundings as an increasing wave of potency fills the air. The light retreats itself in an ascending spark as a long spear of glowing tranquillity forms within Kantoku's grip. "My pick was my mercy and forgiveness!" The man exclaims in a loud call that sends another wave of pristine energy away from its epicentre. The woman, Mirage, watches. Still slightly amused and deprecating his foolish words. "My pick is justified and liberating! You know only little to fully understand why I fight for what I chose--" The devil throbs her hands wildly, emitting a swaying illusion that soars above the ground in the shape of five menacing rounded rhombus-formed eyes with distinct meaningful symbols of encrypted significance in their midsts. The battle's about to go down. Mirage makes the first move, she launches herself up, leaping with an incredible speed towards her saint opponent, swinging her blazing hands in an aggressive dance of violent hauls. Kantoku, slowly forced to the building's edges, desperately defending himself with his spear and shaking with every rasping impact of Mirage's harsh magic, he bites his lip in frustrated focus and throws her off his hook, hurdling over the roof with the tailing devil, she's surprisingly fast, her smile hasn't left her pale face, taunting him with her brisk violet eyes, only to distract Kantoku before she manages to charge an attacked that he dodges in a brilliant u-turn with his glowing spear undermining Mirage's legs, however, reacting quick and jumping over his swinging weapon, her move corners him in disadvantage. Mirage's talent is an extraordinary collection of mind-games. Nothing pleasant. One single touch could inflict an absolute shutdown of one's consciousness, an illusionist like her is most likely a fatal upshot for Kantoku whose current position is fatal.

"Such mindless slip-up," says the woman, surrounding the god with her ominous creeping aura.

He leans over the marble side of a tower, gripping his weapon in a firm squeeze, growling in increasing hostility towards the devil. "I think it's about the goddamn time to witness a miracle" Kantoku recalls and with one single stomp, a row of hovering razor-sharp stakes of a pristine sacrament appears. Mirage's eyes widen in fright, "N-no way--" her voice shakes, "You're not going to kill me now are you?" she continues. Those words seem to bear a sense for Kantoku, he pauses for a moment, frozen in his own thoughts. What an image. He reaches towards the stakes with one of his hands and orders them to descend, Mirage's expression relaxes and the tension is washed away just like that, as successful as her draw was, she couldn't suppress the feeling of remorse. Kantoku looks her in the eyes, the idea doesn't click in him yet, but as soon as the world starts to fade before his eyes and sharp pressure strains his entire body, he finally realizes, "You.." Mirage held his hand gently, he witnessed the swaying blaze insinuating itself through his entrapped hand. She grabbed Kantoku's hand when he didn't pay enough attention and as soon as he made the major slip-up by withdrawing his one and only chance to win. Her smile crooks into a frown. "You know, you're lucky," he finally drops down onto the roof's solid ground, the psychical pain caused by Mirage's dangerous touch sends Kantoku into a stage of immense torture. She crouches and strokes his cheek while he trembles in spasm. "I want you to know, that when this all ends, when it's all over, I will return to you and pull you out of your misery," her eyes gaze calmly into his, the contrast pleases her in a way, his grace and beauty couldn't be outmatched, that deep passionate love she felt kept on scorching any other emotion her poisonous heart did not dedicate to the creamy-chocolate haired man. She looks away from him and stands up, "I give you my word. I'll talk to Max, I won't let him touch you, nobody will" the devilish queen whispers softly and gives Kantoku one last look of hardship. She draws a portal in the air with her right index finger and enters it, leaving Kantoku to the grasping curse that should wear off after some time.