Summoner: The Cataclysm

Raithen smirked lightly at the boy's entusiasm. It was...sweet. "He sounds like a good match for you...from what I can tell from just meeting you anyway." He smiled lightly and thought on his own contract, his eyes falling half-lidded with thought. "She and I have been together for a long time, and before that she and my mother were bonded. Like I said earlier, I received her some years ago following my mother's death. Basically...Basilisk absorbed some of my mother's....personallity I guess. So she and I are very close, and she's very protective." He chewed his lip, feeling the ghostly, comforting sensation of scals running around his side. He shook his head, forcing his emotions back where they belonged. "But you don't want to hear about my tragic past....now do you?"
 
Thom shook his head and comfortingly grinned. "I-I wouldn't mind... If you needed to talk." Thom assured. "Getting things off your chest, i-if you don't normally, is g-good for the s-soul." Thom liked the way Raithen spoke of his spirit. It always made his chest feel warm when others loved their spirits as much as Thom did Falkor. It was a rare bond, more intimate than any human to human relationship. "I think that's amazing. You're v-very lucky to have such a great s-spirit with you." Thom said, and smiled from ear to ear.
 
Raithen smirked, amused by the naievty of the boy and yet...genuinely pleased by what he said. He nodded to him, clearly deep in thought. He absent stroked at the scroll at his side, long fingers tracing lazily over the snake carved into the scroll's holder. "You're...sweet Thom." He decided this was an appropriate thing to stay. And for once he spoke honestly. "A few minutes with this boy and you've gone soft." Basilisk teased, without jeering though. Perhaps she was glad to see a little joy in her ward's life. Raithen stared out at the ocean and at the distant island. He wished suddenly to strip off his clothes and leap into the clear water below. Even Basilisk enjoyed a swim now and then. "I wish we could swim." He mused. "Perhaps there will be a beach and bit of free time on the island."
 
Hayner was away from the crowd of other summoners who seemed to be mingling and forging alliances and bonds already, he himself had no desire to make friends or to even know their names knowing it would make it that much harder to kill them if the choice was necessary. As he stood alone at the front of the ship he hummed a haunting tune that oozed death and despair while he swung his blade around using it like a conductors baton. As he listened to the commotions of the female summoner falling to the ground and letting her spirit overwhelm her he could only imagine how weak some of them were and just how easily he would be able to win this. He wasn't entirely arrogant but his desire to dominate the others was vast and ever growing. It was mostly his hatred of all the clans and their despicable trials and requirements.

He himself belonged to no clan and showed no loyalty to anyone around and even managed to kill another summoner just so he could gain more power although he nearly died in the process due to the bond that he had formed. The strain of three souls in one body had nearly killed him at first and still weighs heavily on him. As his deathly melody ended he turned his head to the side to see two summoners talking. One was a frail looking boy who couldn't stop shivering while the other was a more resolute looking person who seemed to be dominating the frailer ones will in a deceiving manner. He then noticed the man with the dog who was quite arrogant and assumed he was above all else. He enjoyed the mans honesty and cockiness but also wanted to beat him to death just to kick him off his pedestal then spit in his face. The cat like summoner who had walked off seemed too young to fight but then again he knew how the clans were. Slowly he was trying to build up a profile already figuring out four of the enemy summons while the last few were left on guesses he had based on their personalities. From what he could surely know was that there was a Chimera, a Basilisk and a dragon, and the guard of hell known as Cerberus.

As he was putting his sword away his mind began to echo slightly as the voice of the nekomata rang out in a somewhat purring manner. "Master why arent we allowed to walk around the ship~ This is so boring and i feel like my legs are going to melt away~ I want to run around and look at all the neat things~" He let out a small sigh and only shook his head before walking towards the man sitting down in the chair with his dog. "You know if you get too comfortable up there someone might just swipe at your feet and send you tumbling down where all the beasts wait to devour you. I'll be sure to watch as you get torn limb from limb. Just remember that your not the only one here who is confident and that your showing off what you have before we have even got there. Sometimes secrecy is the best strategy."
 
Edward continued to stroke the dog, for all everyone else knew it could have simply be a trio of fused hell hounds. His clan certainly was known for using the taboo of merging spirts to create a more powerful one. Infact, that was exactly what this little pup was, the bodies of three young hell hounds fused into a single entity.

Nor was there any way that this young man, barely into his twenties if that, was the master of even a Lesser Cerberus, a shard of the real Cerberus. The honor of controling Cerberus it's self was reserved for the head of the clan. He simply seemed too young to have fought with the head of the clan, besides, the head of his clan was still alive... Atleast, before he retreated to the clan's manor two weeks ago and out of the eye of the clans. There were signs that he has still around though, he had named a representiative, and aparently Edward's name was on it.

He chuckled. Doubtlessly they either thought that he was a blowhard or a weak person, perhaps even that he had a Lesser Cerberus. How wrong they were. How wrong the losers were.

His eyes caught Hayner, the clanless trator. Hehe. "My. I thought they would not let trash onto his ship. Surpriseing isn't it, my pet?" He continued to pet the puppy as it growled, maybe at Hayner, maybe at Edward. "Still, I can't wait to see your summons' heads be crushed in the maw of mine. That will be very entertaining."
 
Noticng that nobody really wanted to speak with him i just walked away and sat alone. As usual. He wanted allies . . .maybe even friends . . .all his life he has been alone. Now it was time for something new. If he could figure out what that meant.
 
Ren creeped out of her room and looked around. No on here... She thought. She walked up the ships steps and out in the open, taking a huge breath of fresh air. She hadn't left her small room till now, unwilling to meet anyone or anything on board. She had promised herself to not leave her room, but here she was. Taking another deep breath, she looked around. There were sailors, and a few summoners. There was an obviously cocky one with a small three headed pup. "I don't like that one." Hissed a voice. Ren shuddered. "Please, not now. You know I get sea sick." She already felt slightly faint, the ships swaying giving her a stomachache. She closed her eyes and sat down immediately. Her stomach gave another lurch. I will NOT be sick, not in front of any of the others!! "Child, are you all right? Maybe you should return to your room." Ren grimaced and pulled herself up. "No, I'll be fine..." Her voice came out weak and shaky. "I'll get used to it."
 
He looked at the new girl interested and curious.
 
Thom laughed weakly and Raithen's statement. "That's nice of you to s-say so." He answered. "Y-you're sweet t-to... but I just don't think you've realized it yet." Thom smiled widely and brushed the hair away from his eyes. Raithen continued to speak, and as soon as the topic of water was brought up, Thom frowned and was shaking slightly. "A-ah... Yes. I-I'd like to stay a-away from the water if I c-can. Not only do I not k-know how to s-swim... you could say... I-I've a bit o-of h-hydrophobia." He explained in a garbled mess.
 
Raithen stared at the other male, shocked by his words. "You? Sweet? This boy is daft." The snake warrior ignored his contract. "Thank you Thom. You're very kind." He chuckled as the boy continued going on about his dislike of water, not entirely suprised to hear it. "Well, if you could get over your fear I'd be glad to teach you to swim." He smirked at the thought of the boy flailing around in the water, acting adorable and frightened, maybe clinging to Raithen in fear. He flicked his tongue over his lips again, loving the idea. "I wonder how long we'll be stuck on this heap." He gestured at the boat they were standing on. "Maybe you could show me how you use that whip."
 
Laughs on the inside hearing the conversation happening to the right of him. Still focusing on whats going on to his left. "So . . . what is it your wanting from this experience?" the hydra asked. "Im just looking for . . i dont know .. .allies?"
 
Arla kept looking at the water, distractedly checking whatever was going one at her back from time to time.
She smirked, looking at the tall handsome man talking with the younger summoner.
She could feel these two were different, some way. The Gryphon chuckled.

Yes... some reptile-like summoners get along much better than what you would ever believe.
 
Thom seemed hesitant to show Raithen how he fought. The uniqueness of his weapons gave him an upper hand in most battles. But Thom was sure that a little show wouldn't eliminate the mystique of his fighting style. Finally Thom nodded and stepped back. He took the longer of his two whips out and let the sharp metallic links clatter to the deck. The whip was a little over four metres in length, excluding the handle. "U-um... you might want to stand back j-just a little." With one foot behind the other, and his stance at shoulder's width, he stood sturdy for the first time since he boarder the ship. Slowly Thom moved his wrist in circles, then raised his hand above his head. The blades hissed and glimmered as the whip spiralled down in a tornado shape around Thom. Instantly the young boy flicked his wrist the tiniest bit, and the whip cracked down diagonally, chipping the deck inches deep. The hissing and scratching noises the bladed links made was so loud, Thom had to yell for Raithen to hear. "The whip has to keep moving, or else you don't have enough momentum for an attack." Thom explained, then let the flying blades slowly come to a rest. "Ah... That's about it really." He said, his voice shaky once more.
 
"Did I not tell you he would be valuable?" Raithen snorted in aknowledgement of his contract, his eyes wide and seemingly entranced by the younger warriors movements. He was impressed to say the least. "It's a lovely style, and a very graceful weapon." He remarked, struggling to shake off the beauty of the blade's movements. He smirked at the boy, bowing his head. "I look forward to seeing you in action along side your dragon." He returned to the boy's side, propping himself against the boat's railings once more. "I have been doing too much talking. Do you have anything to ask of me, Thom?"
 
Ren noticed a tall summoner talking to a younger one. Her ears perked. She studied the smaller summoner, interested. "What is wrong, Water Lily? Does someone interest you?" Ren continued to stare at the summoner. "Water Lily, you musn't get to know these people. You will not want to harm them." She stayed silent for a minute. "I already don't want to hurt them. I don't even want to be here!" There was an even longer silence as Ren studied the summoner. He seams.... kinda scared. She thought. "... Child?" Ren ignored the voice. "Child, please, to get though this, you must stay aloof." Ren shook her head. "Listen, OK? I never asked to be here! I don't want to win! I don't want to hurt anyone, physically or mentally! I never wanted any of this!" Her voice had risen up yell. A few of the sailors stared at her. Ren clapped a hand over her mouth and turned away. She looked around, then rushed to the nearest pile of boxes, and she hid behind it, clutching her tail. "Child, why so scared? You are a summoner. There is no need to fear anyone, even if they have more power."
 
The young summoner was in a state of hellish stasis. Her body dare not react to the forces of the outside world. What dreams she had were turned into night terrors filled with the hellish sounds of the Chimera. On the outside it would seem nothing was wrong but that just betrayed what was occurring inside her. There was no precise time when she would awake from this nightmare. All she could do was lay there and allow her body be subjected to the forces outside of her mind and soul.
 
He overheard a girl talking to herself. "Go speak to her," the hydra spoke. "Oh so now you want me to?" He said angered a bit. Though anyways he got up and walked over to the girl.
 
Ren peered around the corner of her box, and saw a summoner walking up to her. All of a sudden, she felt shaky ans scared. She gripped her tail tighter, her ears lay flat. She started shivering slightly. Calm down calm down calm down... Just. Breath.
 
He stopped in front of her and noticed she was scared. "Uhm . . .are you okay?" He asked putting a hand out to help her if she let him.
 
She couldn't help but to scoot away. "Child, calm down. Just breath. He will not harm you." Ren took a deep breath and stood up. Struggling not to stutter, she mumbled "Hello..." Her voice was shaky.