Pha-hu frowned. "Coward," he spat, fury in his voice.

When Max returned..

"The Sword told me exactly what you did," said Pha-hu. "There is no point lying to me. I affronted your honour? I did? How.. how dare you!"

There was a fire smoldering in Pha-hu's eyes.

"You will repay me, or we will duel. If I win, I will hunt you and kill you again. It will continue until you have fully been destroyed. A.. a duel with such a genocidal, evil creature is not enough!"

The Sword of Bale screamed justice in his hands.

Max dropped his sword in shock. He whispered, barely audible to Pha-Hu. "Evil? You.. you think I'm evil?" It went beyond insult.

He'd killed. He'd killed a hundred innocents. For a sword. He picked up his sword, sheathed it, and took it off his belt. He approached Pha-hu and handed him the sword. He then stepped back. "That sword is blade of a hero. A title I no longer deserve. Kill me. Please.  I deserve execution for my crimes."
This message was last edited by the player at 00:12, Wed 28 Oct 2009.

Pha-hu looked towards Max, summing him up. Was the boy lying..?

No, the Sword of Bale told him. He was sincere.

Pha-hu knew what to do.

"If you are truly sorry, then you will submit to the rule of my Blade. I - I find it hard to forgive you. You have caused such ruin.. but, if it is truly not you who killed them, as you claim, I think... I think I could allow you to repent. Bale has the ability to - when given express consent - modify theoelectromagnetic fields. It is a painful, often fatal process.. but if you truly wish to be rid of this Mad God, you will consent. If you are truly sorry, you will allow me to remove the corruption within you. Maybe then.."

Tears in his eyes.

"Maybe then the Iron Monks will be - will be.. maybe then, they will rest easy."

Max nodded. Pha-Hu would be able to see the trauma in his eyes, what osiris-ra had done. "You have my consent. If you can destroy him, there is nothing I won't give you. My realm lies empty because of him."

"The process will not destroy him. It will erase him. He will no longer be tied to your electric field - your soul - and so would be free to dwell wherever he would outside of your psyche."

The Sword of Bale was raised towards Max.

"You consent?"

"Yes."

The Sword of Bale flashed, and Max felt a single twang of pain as the blade cut him clean. He felt his soul free his body, and felt the presence of the Fierce God waver - but no -

In his death, the Fierce God was there.

Max knew, with a sinking heart, that the Fierce God would be with him in his next life.

As Max was reborn, within Xi, he felt a strange despair. He was not a fluid creature, not anymore - he could not take the wings of the eagle, the claws of the tiger, the instincts of the wolf.. no. No. He was Max. That was all. He could not transform. The power had been ripped from him, stolen and devoured by the Sword of Bale.. he would never know the Sacred Beast. Never again.

The last image before he died was of Pha-hu weeping uncontrollably over the corpse, finally mourning for an entire people.

But Max had paid the price. He'd repented. Once reborn, he could once again start the long walk to becoming a true hero..

Something snapped inside his head, something had been broken and reconnected the wrong way. And then another thing. And another.

As he fell into death, he felt a burning..

The burning would soon fade, for Max was dead.

Reiuji appears here, still winded and exhausted from her previous encounter. "Well, that could have gone better." She mused to herself.

The Temple was empty, save for the bodies of a hundred slain warriors lying upon it's steps.

"Oh great. Out of the frying pan and into the fire." Reiuji says, scanning around on the hope that there was someone still alive. She also activates her Energy Radar.

The energy radar soon spikes - someone, possibly able to hide their signature, was close -

"What are you doing here?" asked the well-toned, muscled man. His voice was firm, filled with accusations and pain. It was Pha-Hu. He held a vicious-looking sword in hand.

"Well, I was being attacked by flying squid-monster thingies in my realm, and I wasn't doing too well, so I ran." Reiuji says, bowing. "And here I am."

"Hmmph," said Pha-Hu. "I thank you for your visit, friend, but I would appreciate it if you left. I have had no good luck when it comes to visitors."

"Alright, I see." Reiuji says, bowing slightly before leaving through another portal. Again, she didn't care where she went.

There was a flash - a city decayed - a scientist filled with mysticism - thousands of the living dead -

She was in the Isles of Penta.

Raelis appeared here and looked around him for the people of Pha-Hu and the god himself.

Raelis found him soon enough, outside the temple, tending to rose gardens.

"Another guest..?" he frowned.

"Hopefully a friend you haven't met yet.  I find myself in some need of access to a gate of methodes and being returned and lacking my own gate I must seek allies that can assist me.  I wish to negotiate with you for access and hopefully your aid in my endeavours."

"Hmm," said Pha-Hu. "Sorry, friend, but I'm not interested. I really can't.. I can't help another outsider. I apologise. See - my, my people.." Tears sprung unbidden in his eyes. "My people were slaughtered by the bastard named Max, and.. I just can't. I am sorry."
This message was last edited by the GM at 15:05, Sun 22 Nov 2009.

Raelis froze, even his robe didn't move a testament to the shock with which he recieved this revelation.

"Then I am more than sorry, this sacrilege is entirely my fault.  I failed to stop Max when I saw him spared by Osiris-Ra.  My I beg the very great favour of being allowed to attempt to make amends to you?  My people are mutable - they can be changed in form and temperament if enough time and interaction occurs.  May I be permitted to offer you some of them to worship you as a poor recompense for the loss of your people.  I ask nothing in return, not even access to your gate.  My soul is stained with too much death for no reason and this is beyond my bearing.  I also offer you a place and temple within my realm if you wish it, a place to forget what has happened here where you will be safe."

Pha-Hu looks at Raelis, sadness and awe evident on his face.

"Forgive me, but I am not ready - not ready for such an alliance," said Pha-Hu. "I am certainly interested, friend, I just.. thank you for your apology and for your offer, but I need time to mourn. I am not ready - not yet. I am sorry."

"Litheris stands open to you whatever you decide.  I will name you to the guards on the black gate as a friend.  If you wish to discuss this further come and find me and I will make what amends I can.  Right now I need to call Max to account.  This needs to be answered."

The portal opens, Raelis returns home in anger.

There is a forever city - the first and final word - a thousand shifting forms -

And he returns in Litheris.