Sinful Cold [Free/NDE]

[archer]

There is no cold as in land filled with purest frozen wastelands which for some means entertainment, while for others it means death and starvation. Still this waste of purest white showed no disturbance or either life or death, only raging wind galloping on its gentle surface like a bucking stallion. There were no corpses of long fought battles, there were no predators looking for food here, no villages in plain sight, only endless white.

No ordinary people would try to eat this peace of cake and its chilly frosting, but those with extra ordinary motives always wander around. For years there was someone exploring land, learning its ways, finding the truth behind the society given lies. There was someone who never fret before opponent no matter the type of challenge, who doesn't plan on losing, better yet, always striving to win.

With gallant steps he crushed the snow in front of him that tried to stop him, with bored look he watched the hidden path in front of him for any clues, but his wicked smile told a different story. He stopped, giant amongst normal people, his body only enlarged by the thickness of his overcoat as he triumphantly rose his hands at shoulder height and started preaching to the heaven alone.

"Ahhh, this is great night." his deep voice rumbled to the deepest night behind white snowy curtain "How it reminds me of clash in our wicked nature, cold toward unknown, yet welcoming to those who know how to thread carefully around our turf. No spec of insult can be given to this land, nor paint it red in human blood as it is beyond us. World so deep."

He looked higher up, almost as he would fall if he were to try and look beyond that, but his body released the stiffness of that position and retracted into its usual walking pose.

Kirei Senman was his name, a priest of no moral, no good natured blessing and darker future. It was like the irony itself allowed for a man such as him to become a man of the God and preach to others about faith with killing intent behind his every word, boredom in every oppression sent back at him, interest in utter chaos.

There was no particular reason for him being in these cold captivating lands, but he roamed the earth trying to strengthen his position some more, trying to gain more support for his 'Divine Rose' and one could never know just how mysterious are the ways of a God.

[Water Adept]

[enter]

Snow crunched under the medic’s shoes as he slowly walked through the desolate tundra, sapphire eyes scanned the landscape looking for something or someone that would grasp his attention. But there was nothing, all that stretched in front of him was snow and ice. A small sigh escaped him and he turned his gaze to the sky. The black night sky was blocked out by a blanket of ever shifting clouds; he shivered slightly and hoped that he would soon reach somewhere warm.

He turned his thoughts to Konohagakure and wished that he was there back in the sunshine; this thought surprised him slightly and wondered when he had started calling that village his home. It had been so long since he had stepped foot in the place he had been born and he felt a pang of homesickness at the thought. He shook himself slightly trying to get the thoughts out of his head and forced a smile upon his face.

The medic stopped his eyes focused on a huge figure in the distance seeming to be looking up at the sky above; he just stood there for a while sapphire eyes looking the person up and down. It wasn’t until the man changed his stance back to a normal walking pose that Falnyr would start moving again. His eyes were still fixed on the man as he drew ever closer to him wondering what kind of person he could be, almost instinctively he reached into his pouch and took a piece of clay out of it. Expert fingers rubbed across the clay beginning to mould it into a new creation, his focus was now on the clay looking up only now and then to get another look at the man.

He looked down at the figure that was in his hand a near perfect replica of the man standing before him, he stopped in front of him crushing the miniature figure in his hand before the black eyed man would spot it. Sapphire met jet as he looked into the man’s eyes
“Well I didn’t expect to see anyone else out in this wilderness” Falnyr said cheerfully extending a hand towards him “My name is Falnyr what’s yours” he stood there hand outstretched, mind whirring away trying to guess what the muscled man’s name could be.

[archer]

The eternal white was filled with shadow of existence. It seemed like a man, but with a bad eyesight as his, Kirei couldn't tell, nor did he care. It wasn't important, cause it was just another meaningless appearance of worldly interpretation to him.

"Every part not tamed by humans is free world, wilderness that represents true nature of this reality. As such why wouldn't I be interested in it?" Kirei started preaching, allowing his throbbing voice to travel to young person in front of him, trying to influence his senses.

"Survival of the fittest, food chain, cruelty that dwells inside all of us, it is something we have to embrace and control. We should explore it more, shouldn't we?"

For some reason Kirei avoided answering about his name, not because he was trying to hide it. To him it would seem like his name wasn't important. His existence alone was proof of his existence, his name just a meaningless registration and concept of society without clear meaning. The young man accepted him as real so he existed, nothing more, nothing less.

SPOILER: Click to show

Sorry for posting late, I had issues with power and internet.

[Water Adept]

Falnyr looked at the man curiosity filling him as the man did not answer as expected but instead started what sounded like preaching. Bright sapphire met pitch black as he stared into the person’s eyes beginning to wonder what his intentions were; the smile was still strong on his face however not showing any sign of what was going on within him. When the man had finished preaching Falnyr stood their silent for a while wondering whether or not he was expected answer the questions the preacher had posed. He broke the silence as he spoke
“Survival of fittest, Cruelty” his eyes hardened the smile on his face no longer reaching them “we should repress these things not embrace them”

Immediately after the words left his mouth Falnyr questioned whether or not it had been the right thing to do, hopefully the man would not react violently to his preaching being disagreed with. He weaved his hands together as his mind returned to the question that had been bothering him all this time. Why hadn’t he said his name? The question rang out through his thoughts and he began to wonder what this man was trying to hide from him. He still watched him carefully as he thought this on edge for any sign of movement on his part just in case his words would entice the man to violence.

[archer]

A wicked grin followed by trembling chuckle drifted around the men on the harsh wind, like a soul of Cleopatra's in the circle of hell, a lover ravaged by squall. His laugh fit the cold wind beautifully, but it sounded a little maniacal too. Still his composition returned to his old one, crossing fingers and just smiling widely as he checked the man out.

"Repress them? You don't honestly believe that, do you?" Another set of lectures started as he looked upon man's position. There was no apparent hostility, but assumption from psychological point of view Kirei would be graded as hostile.

"You yourself are acting upon the instinct now, feeling me as hostile being, ready to jump on me if I ever prove a threat. It's interesting set of instincts, not one you meet everyday. Unless I seem like a mugger, you won't get away with just being a normal human."

Slowly he approached the man, protruding his hand and strongly, but slowly grabbing his jaw and inspecting him like a man would inspect horse's teeth. Strong, valiant, enduring. These were praises that would never come out.

"You are harbringer of death, messenger of justice. I see you leading many people to victory, but not here, not now. It depends on your choices. You still lack the aspect to succeed... such a shame."

[Water Adept]

A cruel grin formed upon the man’s face seeming as if it was a direct mockery of the bright smile upon his own face. A trembling chuckle escaped the man’s lips a perfect match to the howling wind that blew through this tundra. This preacher filled him with a sense of dread and he did not relax from his readiness yet still waiting to defend himself from the attack that might come. The man resumed his normal composure and instead of the physical attack he had been expecting a barrage of words came forth from the man’s lips. The smile wavered slightly as the man’s hit him but otherwise his face showed no change,
“For all I know you might be a mugger” he said calmly in the gap between words

The man reached forward taking Falnyr by surprise as he grabbed onto his jaw, he began to struggle but the grip was too strong. The smile was gone from Falnyr’s face as he heard the next words the man spoke,
“You are Harbringer of Death” These words ran through his skull his mind dragging up memories of those who he had killed. Guilt hit him like a stone shattering any composure of calmness he had left, his eyes that usually twinkled looked now almost devoid of emotion at the man’s face. The man finished speaking and Falnyr stood their motionless for a second before his lips moved
“You are wrong” Falnyr spoke these words with a forced calmness beginning to reconstruct his mask, the smile came back upon his face as with new found strength he broke the man’s grip upon his jaw. “I am not a bringer of death” Falnyr stretched out to his full height “I am a protector”

[archer]

At his initial disapproval priest glared gently at the man, but at his refusal that he is doombringer, but instead a protector, Kirei could only sign deeply. It was almost disappointing and it could be felt in the air around him, powerful aura leading this feeling to his debate opponent.

"Pure semantic, logical outlook to keep your mind sane. How many people have you slain that were someones father, brother, sister, son, daughter, and so on. How many families you tore apart, how many holes have you created to fill your own? And for what... to feel justice? To protect those who should learn to do so themselves. Illusion. Give a beggar a fish and you will feed him for a day, teach him how to fish and you taught him for a lifetime." Another set of preaching started, this time less influential than before, as if he was holding back, trying to prove some point. Was he trying to point out on character flaw of a kind, or was he trying to get another set of debatable arguments, only Kirei knew behind his wicked smile, but this man distanced himself from fledgling and crossed his arms. Snow started to take its toll on him, shoulders covered with snow, his black hair dyed with melting ice, but even then the blood in his vein boiled with passion of a converter, of a priest. He would let this man challenge his truth and crush it again and again, he was ready to do so until he got what he wanted, perfect resolution.

[Water Adept]

SPOILER: Click to show

I’m sorry this took so long I’ve been busy the last couple of days

The preacher’s words hit him harder than a bullet as they reached his ears his recently reassembled mask crumbling again under this new attack. The thing that scared him the most was that his words were true, but then a memory resurfaced through the dark waters of his guilt. A man knelt there almost in tears as someone loomed over him a sword raised, Falnyr had stopped that death. This thought anchored him to sanity pulling him back from the dark place that he had reached; the smile reappeared onto his face as he dragged himself out of guilt. A cold determination shone in his sapphire eyes now as they looked at the preacher in front of him, he let out a slight laugh as he began to speak
“You have a way with words my friend” Falynr’s voice grew stronger the memory that still shone within him giving him strength, “But you are wrong once again”

The snow had settled upon his shoulders and he shook them sending the white powder to the ground below.“Justice” he weighed the word upon his lips “I have never fought for justice, justice is often wrong and can be too quickly judged. You assume that I protect only those who I deem weak and unable to defend themselves” Falnyr smile widened “I protect everyone, no matter what they have done or who they are.”

[archer]

A satisfied grin filled grim face as eyes trailed along the outline of the prey once more. This was fun, a really interesting debate, but it was time to stop playing around. The big guns will be blazing through this icy wasteland and scorch what was left of old self, either destroying the target or its master. A Russian roulette!

"There might be some hope for you yet..." like a satisfying pat on the back, priests words would sooth him, before slapping him into cold reality they were in "BUT... Who are you to judge who is weak and who should be defended?! You say you don't believe in pure justice cause its too quick to judge, but so are you. You take away people's chance to get stronger, to become their full selves, and all that for what? So you might be center piece in their lives? No, that doesn't fit you at all... maybe its something more primal?"

The priest lifted his head high, never leaving the sight of the man in front of him, even to blink. He looked like a man who found out his enemies greatest weakness, aspiring to abuse it, sadistically again and again. How good the torment sounded. It was time for after-blast effect, a series of cheap tricks and poker faces to see who's resolution would break first.

"I get it now... so there is nothing more behind you than that. How... insignificant. Though you could do a lot more, there is no way you will achieve those heights within that pathway. Only heavenly flower might get you closer to answer you seek, but to get to it you must smell the scent of bitterness. Maybe you are still too soft for that trial."

The bait was thrown, now it all depended on the young man. Kirei would turn his back to him and send one final glare at him, waiting for his response to the lure, but if the answer didn't satisfy him he would just leave.

[Water Adept]

The snow fell slowly down from the sky above leaving a thin dusting of white powder upon Falnyr’s head, a smile still shone brightly on his face but his eyes watched the man in front of him warily. He waited for the man’s deep rumbling voice to emerge once more and try to once more play to the guilt inside him. Tension began to build inside him like a loaded spring until it was released when the moment he had both expected and dreaded came. The tone he spoke his first words in caught Falnyr by surprise, it was almost as if he was complimenting him. But his surprise was quickly dampened as the man began his preaching in earnest. He held the memory of the man he had saved as a shield against the preacher’s word determined not to be ravelled up in his web once more.

But the words that had reached his heart so many times before fell short this time, the smile did not weaken as the man spoke instead he found himself filled with curiosity. Why was this man trying to do this? The ninja looked at the man’s face as he paused; it looked almost as if the preacher was taking some kind of sadistic pleasure in trying to break him. He waited for the man to answer his own question as he lifted his head high. But the answer that he had expected was not there, he seemed to be disappointed though.

The voice ceased and he still left the answer to himself, he saw the trap and knew in that instant what the man wanted him to do. He sighed slightly hesitating for a single moment before he took the obvious bait in front of him.
“So what is this reason that you hint towards?” Falnyr began to steel himself against the man’s next inevitable words wondering what the answer would be.

[archer]

Excellent evade, diverting topic to avoid the cunning technique. This little debate started to look more like battlefield that. They each started of slowly, testing each other, pulling their big guns and now recuperating. Still unlike Kirei the young man was on defensive till now, so he had upper hand, but now he started the attack. Counter blow that would make Kirei go into self justification and renewing his dominance in conversation. It was excellent strategy, but foolish one to use on a priest.

"I was lost, but now I am saved... I, myself was once a renegade, a person who seek his destiny in many paths, crossing over corpses of my friend and enemies alike. I hoped for world to be better place, but that thing is not such an easy thing. So I became nobody." Yes, he was nobody. Unlike military force he had no real power, unlike politicians he couldn't start wars on whims, he was just speck in the dust "As nobody I dared to see the world outside normal perspective, an objective perspective and I saw how devastating it was. Parents killing their children, siblings devouring each other, hopeless self destruction. No salvation could be granted even with all God's grace, for he is just too idealistic to meddle. Then an Angel appeared, a force of nature that would show me new side of the world. I want to see end of this world by her hands, thus I am, though I am not."

With his defense up and ready it was time to counter attack with several new preachings, preventing the youth from smart-mouthing back.

"Doubt is such a crude thing to do. Testing is believing, for you don't know about gravity as concept until you fall on the ground. You doubt me, cause you haven't tested me, but I ask you this. If I were enemy... would you still be catching your breath so easily? We would've fought, start another chain of hatred that never ends. War without end in sight. I am old man, I desire to see end to that and build utopia for people. I seek resolution!"

[Water Adept]

The wind howled through the tundra stinging Falnyr’s face as it rushed past but the medic paid no attention to it. His eyes were focused on the elder man’s features above him, examining the sadistic grin he wore on that face. Anxiety built within him as he watched waiting for the trap he thought he had sprung to close its jaws around him. The preacher opened his mouth the voice that had tried to torment him so many times issuing forth once more. Falnyr stood there in silence listening to every word the man had said carefully, as he continued his preaching pity began to grow in the medic’s sapphire eyes.

The questions started once more trying to probe the weakness and doubt inside him, for a while after they finished Falnyr stood there the only sound the wind. But then he spoke looking into the man’s eyes
“If we were enemies we probably would have fought, but I would have done my best not to kill you” he paused for a moment staring into the man’s pitch black eyes, he didn’t dwell on the admission he had just made instead turning his attention to the source of pity rising inside him. [/color]“I’m sorry”[/color] he said these simple words sadly “I’m sorry that you feel this way, if the world did end you would be right there would be no sadness, no wars, no more death. But there also wouldn’t be any laughter, any happiness, any life. Sometimes bad things happen in this world but that doesn’t mean that good things never happen”

[Water Adept]

Silence filled the tundra the only sound being the wind that howled through the area, a small sigh escaped Falnyr's lips as he waited for a response that never came. He shook his head slightly
"I'm sorry but I have to be going now" he said these next words quickly, quite honestly glad to leave the preacher's presence. He turned and walked back into the whiteness never looking back at the elder man.

[exit]