Repetitive (Tajna Rasha)

[Chloe/Kat]

It was the black of night, Chloe looked up to the moon in the sky surrounded by clouds on her balcony as Kasul stood on the bed behind her position by a couple of feet, the tip of the blade against the bed's surface barely poking it as the hilt pointed upward into the air. A dimly lit red glow surrounding the blade before that glow turned a bright green and one of many souls were given the chance to speak to its new Mistress whose eyes were the moon.

"How many times must I endure this conversation with you?"

[Tajna Rasha]

‘‘Eternity is relentless, Empress.’’ Repeated the voice of Tajna Rasha intertwined with that of the Kasul. True to his namesake, the Ghost of Legion accounted for the largest part of the accursed blade’s power now. To think a single entity would take over the entirety of the Kasul’s past victims…

‘‘Even with our powers you fail to grasp the gravity of that simple forbidden truth.’’ It stated evenly, interrupting the thought, and knowing the logic of the argument was no longer lost upon her.

[Chloe/Kat]

One look on Chloe's face and you would be able to tell that she wanted to cry out in agony at it all. If it wasn't such a futile effort on her part the vampiress would take Kasul by the hilt and run herself through with it allowing the demon blade to devour her soul and rid her of this pain but another Chloe, in another place and time, suffered the same as she and in the end it would accomplish nothing. And on top of it all, it would be an insult to Amoura to give up and try to kill herself so easily.

Amoura...

"I pity us both." The Empress slowly turned around and faced Kasul, Tajna Rasha, not even bothering to display her anger and hatred towards the being as she knew she already had more times than she wanted to. Only a dull look was on her expression when she spoke. "But I will never forgive you."

[Tajna Rasha]

A violent pulse traversed the Kasul at the echo of her words.

‘‘We have no interest in your forgiveness.’’ It answered, its words black with disdain. For a moment, a fraction of a second, the eyes etched along the skull on the hilt of the blade appeared as though alive with the phantom’s spirit. It was only a flash, yet every time it responded it always occurred.

‘‘We have given you knowledge – a weapon – that you will use it in the coming storm.’’ It continued, returning to its regular tone of voice. A small pause came between the two. ‘‘However your current use of it is crude – if you do not cease this, you will lose yourself to the blade and will repeat the same fatal cycle.’’ An eternally and painfully long pause for both parties involved. ‘‘This can only end in one of two ways…’’

[Chloe/Kat]

"I'd gladly succumb to the madness if it meant Amoura may live." Chloe began, taking a couple of steps closer to the blade as now the curtains separating the balcony from the bedroom blew gently behind her in the breeze found on the other side. "That's the difference between you and I, Ghost."

[Tajna Rasha]

‘‘Your vanity has made you witless.’’ It spoke, evidently alluding to the futility of her claim. Still, the Kasul radiated the same faint jade energy.

‘‘How many eons can you bear to linger here?’’ It retorted, well aware of her already weakening disposition. ‘‘Do not be so arrogant as to presume anything about the one you call the Ghost of Legion – you haven’t even a clue of its true nature.’’

[Chloe/Kat]

Chloe's mind felt like it was split into two halves. There was the part that wanted to use this power to wind back the clock and warn Amoura and the others of the lies Tajna has told, then there was the half that wanted to just stand back and allow what was about to unfold to unfold so she could find serenity in death. For the first time in a long time Chloe was conflicted about what to do next and she knew that was also no secret to the Ghost.

"Did you feel lonely in your suffering?" Chloe asked, her own omniscience fading due to the actions of Kasul, unfortunately not nearly enough to make any difference to her ever failing psyche. "Is that why you allowed me to take your essence into Kasul?"

[Tajna Rasha]

There was a long pause – Chloe had just asked a question she had never even proposed in their previous conversations. The turnabout was unforeseen.

‘‘Tajna Rasha has since long realized that its only true company could be none other than itself.’’ It answered at length; speaking truthfully.

‘‘The consequences for bringing another such as us into the world were damning – the repercussions too great.’’ It continued. ‘‘Even your omniscience is fleeting compared to ours, and your access to its source limited by the Kasul.’’

There was another pause. One that was felt across centuries.

‘‘Itisour hope you will relinquish or destroy it after the sequence of events that will bring about the last Arashi.’’

[Chloe/Kat]

Chloe looked at Kasul in silence. Relinquish or destroy... The vampiress didn't want to admit it to herself but she has grown attached to the demon blade, addicted. She couldn't imagine an existence without its power in her hand anymore. It would take nothing short of prying it from her cold dead hands to make Chloe and Kasul finally part ways. And that was the future she saw if she chose to keep holding on to it.

"Your hope is wrongfully placed, I'm afraid."

[Tajna Rasha]

‘‘Indeed.’’ Retorted the apparition.

The turmoil within Chloe’s mind was already far too obvious to her interlocutor; it had in fact been predicted before Tajna had given itself to the blade.

‘‘Do not mistake our words with sentiment, Empress; our intention is merely to prevent the Kasul from carving a path to calamity.’’

[Chloe/Kat]

"It already has." Chloe walked over to Kasul and grabbed the hilt of the blade, allowing the energy of the blade to flow across her arms and shoulders as she held the blade up and slowly trailed an index finger down the flat end of it. "I suspect it will rejoin with the former Empress of Jherrazad soon. I cannot foresee anything regarding it so I cannot tell what Ranko will do." The thought was frightening as her mind went over the possibilities. "What do you think? Will she go mad as well or opt not to use the power at all?"