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[Adin Blackwind]

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As Kotare woke up once again, he was greeted with the silence of a ghost town. This time, the Sun did not show. the air was thick with a mist and the skies were dark. "just what I need, a bad sign before I attmept to sail" Kotare thought. Non the less, he began walking to the waters edge and once there, he began to look for a vessal that would carry him away from this place.

The waters were still. Almost as if you could walk upon it. He found a small ship anchored and climbed aboard. He tried to raise the anchor, but to no avail. It was as if the anchor was cemented into place. He reached down to touch the water only to find it was rock solid. His plan to sail away now lay in ruin. Kotare has yet to try his home. But he didn't want to go there for some reason. Now he knew that if he were to leave this prison, he had to face what lay ahead.

Once he made it to his doorstep, the feeling of being home was an empty one. Each step he took to climb the stone stairway let out a low moan. It was as if he were steping on the backs of the eternaly tormented. His composure was that of caution. He could not afford to be stern and forceful. It would do him no use here. He could hear a deep and evil laughter. A laughter that has haunted his mind since he was a boy. He knew all to well who was near and as much as he wanted to turn and run, his own two feet betrayed him and he found himself standing in his old throne room.

Before him in the throne sat the Demon Pravus. His skin was the color of burn't flesh, his tone was dark and deep. His eyes were crimson and pearcing. In one hand was a chalis, filled with the blood of innocents. in the other, a staff with demonic glyphs. The top of the staff had 3 dangling skulls. Each with their own set of glowing eyes and glyphs on their foreheads.

Pravus set his chalis down and then pointed down to the floor. Kotare's body once again betrayed him and he fell onto his knees with his head pressed against the floor. The benches, beside Kotare, had many hooded individuals all sitting quietly looking upon the Duke groveling.

"It pains me to see you like this Kotare. You were once someone to be feared. Now your just simply a pawn. You should have left things as they are and let me handle everything. Yet your defiance has caused me to do all this." As Pravus gestured around the room as if signifying what he had done to his surroundings.

Kotare looked up, unable to speak. But his eyes spoke volumes. Pravus knew Kotare wished him dead. He had tried before countless times to rid himself of his inner demon and yet Pravus was always a survivor. Comming back only when Kotare thought himself fully free of his influence. "Ah yes, I see you still have the burning desire to bring about death. Thats why I have spared you Kotare. You desire your freedom, I desire entertainment. And you know more than anyone else what entertains me. I need souls. Souls in which you have failed to deliver for some time. So I am going to make a deal with you." Pravus rubbed his chin as he continued to speak. "I will give you a series of test. You must pass them all to gain your freedom from this place. You must complete these test to my satisfaction or otherwise I will keep you here. Your torment will know no bounds and the suffering you experience will be like no other you have ever seen. Do you accept these test as they are offered?"

Kotare looked back up and looked Pravus in the eye as if to show him his defiance. "I wish to amend these test to increase the spoils value. If I win, you return to the hell that you came from, never to influence, myself or those I love ever again." Kotare paused a moment while Pravus asked "and if you should lose?" Kotare replied with "Then my life is forfiet and I shall become what ever it is you desire of me." Pravus noded in aproval, but Kotare added more to the stipulation. "One more thing Pravus, You may not interfear with the test. Doing so will disqualify you from any gains and thus granting me my freedom. Do we have a deal?" Kotare looked upon Pravus waiting for an answer.

Pravus only nodded. "It is a deal then." Pravus only grined at the thought. "You shall endure three tests. Upon sucessful completion of all three, you shall return to the world you know. but, if you fail, you shall forever be my slave and bound to my will. You shall be a killer once again. Shall we begin?" Pravus snaped his fingers not waiting for a reply. Instantly, Kotare found himself in an arena surounded by demons in the stands shouting at and taunting him. In an Obsidian stone throne sat Pravus. Who stood to be reconized by his peers.

"Your first test is simple. You must face your enemies of the past." The demons cheered as beings began to spring from the ground, surrounding Kotare. Kotare, who was still weaponless, realized this wasn't going to be easy. Kotare began to cast when Pravus interviened. "ah ah ah, No magic. Come now Kotare, where is your warrior spirit? Just then a sword and shield apeared before him. Though not the best of shape, they could still be used to kill and protect. Kotare took them both in hand and looked around. He had many enemies. Some he could still remember. Some he had slain years ago. Others, he simply avoided. The fight began and Kotare fought hard. But his stamina was starting to fail him. He could see a few noticeable enemies clearly. There were undead, Half ogres, assassins, even men wearing the emblem of the house of Grim. He had fought them all. as the dust settled, only two remained standing. Kotare, who was wounded, and barely able to stand. and the other who had his back towards him. Slowly the figure turned to face him. Kotare looked up at the warrior who had outlasted all others.

It was Grimrick. The Lost Paladin who left these lands for another realm. Only Grimrick still thought Kotare was evil. He remembered Kotare as a vampire and as such picked up a wooden stake and carried it as if ready to throw a javlin. He slowly started to make his way at Kotare. The arena hushed as the battle was still not over. Kotare didn't want to kill Grimrick. But the situation demanded that he do just that. Grimrick charged at Kotare one last time. Kotare side steped just enough to sever Grimrick's head from his torso. The crowd roared as Kotare droped to his knees letting himself weep for his actions.

Pravus stood and commanded silence from the crowd. "you have done well Kotare. You survived. Even at the cost of an innocent mans life. You have passed your first test. Bravo....Bravo" Pravus claped as he spoke. "Get some rest, tomorrow your second test will begin." In an Instant, Kotare was back in his home being tended to by beautiful women who offered him food and bandages... But all he wanted was to sleep... and sleep he did.