Khei let out a slow breath, running a hand down her face as she watched Qarinah disappear through the door. The silence that followed was heavier than she expected. It settled in her chest, a quiet weight pressing against her ribs.
She leaned forward, elbows resting on the desk of the vanity table, fingers threading through the tangled mess of her hair. Rest. It wasn’t a suggestion—it was a demand. And though part of her wanted to push forward, to test the limits of her power now, she knew Qarinah was right. She felt it in the ache of her limbs, in the dull throb still pulsing beneath her skin.
Her stomach growled again, louder this time, and she let out a dry, humorless chuckle. “Battered? Tuh, my ass. She should see the other guy..”
She pushed herself up from the vanity, stretching out her sore muscles, rolling her shoulders as she exhaled. She would rest—for now. But when the time came, when she stood on the precipice of that unknown power, she would meet it head-on. Whatever it took, whatever it meant.
Because the world wasn’t going to wait for her. And neither was Ulduin.
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Current Energy Level: 40%
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A Lapse In Judgement -[End]-
Re: A Lapse In Judgement
[Time Skip– Several Days Later]
The castle breathed with a quiet grandeur, its towering walls of dark stone illuminated by golden sconces casting a warm glow through the winding corridors.
Khei moved through the halls with renewed vigor, her body no longer aching from past battles. She had rested well, her strength restored, and now she was making her way to the third floor, where Qarinah had instructed her to meet.
Though this was not her first time wandering the grand corridors, she still found herself captivated by the beauty of the place. The way the halls stretched endlessly, adorned with intricate carvings, their patterns twisting and curling like frozen smoke. Her eyes studied it all; From the tall windows of stained glass that painted stories of forgotten times, to the elaborate chandeliers that hung like constellations above her, their crystal ornaments shimmering faintly in the dim light.
Qarinah’s castle was unlike anything she had encountered before. It didn’t just exist—it pulsed, as if aware of her presence, shifting around her like a living thing. She knew that without the map Qarinah had left her, she would be lost in its labyrinthine depths.
"Yeah.. definitely need my own castle."
– – –
After what felt like an eternity of steps, doors, and grand staircases spiraling downward, Khei finally reached the third floor. She hesitated only a moment before pushing through the final set of towering, ornate doors.
What lay beyond nearly stole her breath.
She stepped into a vast courtyard, so impossibly large that for a moment, she questioned whether she had somehow stepped outside the castle entirely. The domed ceiling arched high above, crafted from what appeared to be a night sky trapped in glass, its deep blue surface shimmering with constellations that moved and pulsed as though truly alive. The ground beneath her was of polished obsidian, carved with sigils that faintly glowed as she stepped forward. Around the edges of the courtyard, colossal stone pillars reached toward the ceiling, entwined with ivy so dark it was nearly black. A soft breeze stirred the air, carrying the faint scent of lavender and something older, something arcane.
And at the center stood Qarinah.
She looked nothing like the regal noblewoman Khei had come to know. Gone were the flowing dresses of silk and velvet, replaced instead by a form-fitting bodysuit of deep crimson, embroidered with gold. A trailing gown-like sash draped from her waist, swaying gently with her every movement. Her usual air of effortless decadence was still there, but now it was sharpened by something else—readiness.
"Well, someone looks niice~" Khei said as she approached Qarinah, still taking in the visuals of the enormous Venue.
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Current Energy Level: 100%
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Re: A Lapse In Judgement
Her piercing s gaze snapped to Khei the moment she stepped through the enormous doors. Despite her natural elegance, today there was no indulgence in Qarinah's posture, no idle amusement in her expression, not even a chilled glass in her hand—only intent.
"Magnificent, isn't it?" Qarinah's voice cut through the quiet, smooth as ever yet carrying a weight it rarely did. She turned fully, the ethereal glow of the chamber casting a sheen over her gilded eyes. "I crafted this place for creatures like us. A sanctuary, a crucible—where strength is refined, where limits are meant to be both measured, and shattered." Her gaze swept across the grand expanse before settling back on Khei, as if silently measuring her readiness.
A flicker of satisfaction ghosted across Qarinah’s lips. "You're looking better," she noted, the hint of a smile curling at the edges of her mouth. "Excellent. You’re going to need every ounce of your strength today… perhaps more than ever before."
Qarinah proceeded to take a few steps away from Khei before fixating her gaze on her once more. A coy smirk curling along her lips.
"Have you been able to discern what we're going to do here?"
"Magnificent, isn't it?" Qarinah's voice cut through the quiet, smooth as ever yet carrying a weight it rarely did. She turned fully, the ethereal glow of the chamber casting a sheen over her gilded eyes. "I crafted this place for creatures like us. A sanctuary, a crucible—where strength is refined, where limits are meant to be both measured, and shattered." Her gaze swept across the grand expanse before settling back on Khei, as if silently measuring her readiness.
A flicker of satisfaction ghosted across Qarinah’s lips. "You're looking better," she noted, the hint of a smile curling at the edges of her mouth. "Excellent. You’re going to need every ounce of your strength today… perhaps more than ever before."
Qarinah proceeded to take a few steps away from Khei before fixating her gaze on her once more. A coy smirk curling along her lips.
"Have you been able to discern what we're going to do here?"
Re: A Lapse In Judgement
Khei’s jaw tightened, her unease settling in the pit of her stomach like a coiled serpent. She had suspected why she was called here, but now, standing in the vast expanse of the courtyard, the truth pressed against her like an unseen weight.
“I mean… I had my suspicions,” she admitted, forcing a wry smile. “But I wasn't sure if I was actually right until now.”
She exhaled sharply, folding her arms as if bracing herself. Her eyes flicked to Qarinah—elegant, composed, and entirely unshaken.
“You want to fight me.” The words left her lips flat and certain, not posed as a question but stated as an undeniable fact.
Her fingers drummed against her arm, her voice dipping into something colder. “Which we both know is a terrible idea.” She shook her head, letting out a short, humorless laugh. “I’m sorry, but there are easier ways to die, Sorceress. I’d rather not add another meaningless death to my conscience.”
She gestured vaguely toward the impossibly vast courtyard. “..we’ll just have to figure out another way that doesn't involve getting you killed.”
——---——— ——---———
Current Energy Level: 100%
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“I mean… I had my suspicions,” she admitted, forcing a wry smile. “But I wasn't sure if I was actually right until now.”
She exhaled sharply, folding her arms as if bracing herself. Her eyes flicked to Qarinah—elegant, composed, and entirely unshaken.
“You want to fight me.” The words left her lips flat and certain, not posed as a question but stated as an undeniable fact.
Her fingers drummed against her arm, her voice dipping into something colder. “Which we both know is a terrible idea.” She shook her head, letting out a short, humorless laugh. “I’m sorry, but there are easier ways to die, Sorceress. I’d rather not add another meaningless death to my conscience.”
She gestured vaguely toward the impossibly vast courtyard. “..we’ll just have to figure out another way that doesn't involve getting you killed.”
——---——— ——---———
Current Energy Level: 100%
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Re: A Lapse In Judgement
Qarinah’s lips curled into a smirk, her golden eyes gleaming with amusement as if Khei’s reluctance was the most charming thing she had heard all evening.
“My dear, you say that as if I’m some fragile thing, as if my life is something you could claim so easily." She stepped forward with deliberate grace, her heels clicking against the smooth stone floor, echoing through the vast courtyard.
Suddenly her expression shifted, the smirk lingering but something colder settling beneath it—something ancient, unwavering. "Listen well, child. You fear the power within you, as you should. But do not mistake me for prey." Her voice, velvet and rich, carried a sharpness that cut through the air like a blade. "I have traversed epochs that would render mortal minds to dust, walked upon the husks of gods and beasts whose horrors would turn your blood to ice."
There was no arrogance in her tone—only certainty, an unshakable truth she had long since accepted.
She paused, tilting her head slightly as if considering Khei’s apprehension with something close to fondness. "I do not fear death," she murmured, softer now, though the iron in her words remained. "And neither should you fear this."
Qarinah’s golden gaze bore into Khei’s, searching, measuring. "If you ever hope to wield Ulduin’s power rather than be consumed by it, you must face him. And here, in a place where no innocent blood will be spilled, where there is no judgment or vindication– is your chance to seize that opportunity."
Qarinah took the moment to adjust her outfit before she punctuated her proposal. "You would allow your fear to cloud your ambition? Or do you have so little faith in my abilities?"
“My dear, you say that as if I’m some fragile thing, as if my life is something you could claim so easily." She stepped forward with deliberate grace, her heels clicking against the smooth stone floor, echoing through the vast courtyard.
Suddenly her expression shifted, the smirk lingering but something colder settling beneath it—something ancient, unwavering. "Listen well, child. You fear the power within you, as you should. But do not mistake me for prey." Her voice, velvet and rich, carried a sharpness that cut through the air like a blade. "I have traversed epochs that would render mortal minds to dust, walked upon the husks of gods and beasts whose horrors would turn your blood to ice."
There was no arrogance in her tone—only certainty, an unshakable truth she had long since accepted.
She paused, tilting her head slightly as if considering Khei’s apprehension with something close to fondness. "I do not fear death," she murmured, softer now, though the iron in her words remained. "And neither should you fear this."
Qarinah’s golden gaze bore into Khei’s, searching, measuring. "If you ever hope to wield Ulduin’s power rather than be consumed by it, you must face him. And here, in a place where no innocent blood will be spilled, where there is no judgment or vindication– is your chance to seize that opportunity."
Qarinah took the moment to adjust her outfit before she punctuated her proposal. "You would allow your fear to cloud your ambition? Or do you have so little faith in my abilities?"
Re: A Lapse In Judgement
Khei let out a slow breath through her nose, her arms still crossed, fingers tapping absently against her bicep. The weight of Qarinah’s words settled over her like a dense fog—thick, suffocating, impossible to ignore.
“This is insane.”
She wanted to argue, to push back. But what could she say? That Qarinah was wrong? That she hadn’t seen what Ulduin was capable of? That wasn't true.. And now, standing here, Khei hadn't realized something slightly unsettling.. She had no idea how powerful Qarinah truly was.
The signs had been there, but until now, they had seemed almost benign—disconnected from the woman before her. The vast hall, lined with trophies of countless victories. The murals and tapestries depicting conquered empires, their legacies woven into silken displays of ruin. The castle itself, a structure that pulsed with something ancient, something that whispered through its stone and timber, as if the walls remembered the weight of fallen kingdoms.
Qarinah called herself a sorceress, claimed she had walked the ages, watched civilizations rise and crumble. And yet, she bore no wrinkle of time, no sign of age—only an air of unshaken certainty, as if she had already foreseen every outcome.
Still, Khei scoffed, tilting her head as she met Qarinah’s gaze. “It’s not your abilities I doubt,” she admitted. “It’s him.”
Her voice dipped lower, quieter now, almost as if she was speaking more to herself than anyone else. “You have no idea what it feels like… when he takes over. It’s not just power. It’s like—" She hesitated, searching for the right words, but nothing could truly capture it. "A storm that doesn’t end. An overwhelming, breathing rage and hunger that doesn’t care what falls in its wrath.”
She exhaled sharply, dragging a hand through her hair before shaking her head. “I’ve been able to hold him back before, but that was a fluke. And he's stronger than ever now.. so."
Her hardened gaze softened slightly as it lingered on Qarinah. A dry chuckle slipped from her lips, but there was no humor behind it all.
"No.. Again, I'm sorry but you can't possibly understand what you're asking for. Trust me when I say it'll just end badly for us both."
——---——— ——---———
Current Energy Level: 100%
——---——— ——---———
“This is insane.”
She wanted to argue, to push back. But what could she say? That Qarinah was wrong? That she hadn’t seen what Ulduin was capable of? That wasn't true.. And now, standing here, Khei hadn't realized something slightly unsettling.. She had no idea how powerful Qarinah truly was.
The signs had been there, but until now, they had seemed almost benign—disconnected from the woman before her. The vast hall, lined with trophies of countless victories. The murals and tapestries depicting conquered empires, their legacies woven into silken displays of ruin. The castle itself, a structure that pulsed with something ancient, something that whispered through its stone and timber, as if the walls remembered the weight of fallen kingdoms.
Qarinah called herself a sorceress, claimed she had walked the ages, watched civilizations rise and crumble. And yet, she bore no wrinkle of time, no sign of age—only an air of unshaken certainty, as if she had already foreseen every outcome.
Still, Khei scoffed, tilting her head as she met Qarinah’s gaze. “It’s not your abilities I doubt,” she admitted. “It’s him.”
Her voice dipped lower, quieter now, almost as if she was speaking more to herself than anyone else. “You have no idea what it feels like… when he takes over. It’s not just power. It’s like—" She hesitated, searching for the right words, but nothing could truly capture it. "A storm that doesn’t end. An overwhelming, breathing rage and hunger that doesn’t care what falls in its wrath.”
She exhaled sharply, dragging a hand through her hair before shaking her head. “I’ve been able to hold him back before, but that was a fluke. And he's stronger than ever now.. so."
Her hardened gaze softened slightly as it lingered on Qarinah. A dry chuckle slipped from her lips, but there was no humor behind it all.
"No.. Again, I'm sorry but you can't possibly understand what you're asking for. Trust me when I say it'll just end badly for us both."
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Current Energy Level: 100%
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Re: A Lapse In Judgement
Qarinah exhaled softly, as if tasting the weight of Khei’s words and letting them settle before rendering her final judgment.
"Oh quite the contrary, dear. I understand perfectly.” Her voice was a whisper of wind in the vastness of the arena, carrying with it an eerie calm. “You fear Ulduin—not just what he is, but what you might become in his wake.”
She took a slow step forward, her golden eyes gleaming like molten metal beneath the lanterns’ glow. A knowing smirk tugged at the corner of her lips, teasing at the sharp points of her fangs. “You see yourself as an unwilling harbinger of destruction—a helpless passenger amidst this never-ending storm. And yet..”
Qarinah's movements were effortless and unhurried as she meandered through the courtyard, the hem of her gown-like tail gliding behind her like a specter in its wake. “And yet, he remains bound to you. At your mercy.” She lifted a delicate hand, gesturing toward Khei as if presenting a grand revelation. “You have fought him back every time, wrenched yourself free from the jaws of an eldritch terror that would sooner see you undone. If your will were truly null to his..” She trailed off, tilting her head. “Then I would not be speaking to you now.”
Qarinah stopped, mere feet away, her gaze unwavering. There was no mockery in her smile now—only quiet certainty, a conviction so absolute it felt carved from stone.
“We live in an empirical world, Khei. If Ulduin is truly beyond restraint, then let us prove it. And if he is not…” Her voice dipped lower, smoother, rich with finality. “Then it is time you learn how to hold the reins.”
The words lingered, thick with implication, before her expression shifted—something subtle, something chilling. She was no longer a teacher, no longer an ally. In that instant, she became something else entirely. Something untouchable.
"Let this be the last day either of us underestimates the other."
The movement was imperceptible—a flick of the wrist, a breath of intent.
The air split apart with a whispering shriek, a blade of wind honed to surgical precision. It struck before thought, before instinct, carving through flesh with an artistry reserved for gods and executioners.
Khei would barely register the impact before she was airborne. The force alone was enough to carry her 150lb body nearly ten yards. The cut was deep, designed to maim, to sever—a calculated cruelty meant for one thing.
A push.
Qarinah stood unmoving, her gaze steady. She had no need to see the wound to know.
“Time to see what lies beneath.”
"Oh quite the contrary, dear. I understand perfectly.” Her voice was a whisper of wind in the vastness of the arena, carrying with it an eerie calm. “You fear Ulduin—not just what he is, but what you might become in his wake.”
She took a slow step forward, her golden eyes gleaming like molten metal beneath the lanterns’ glow. A knowing smirk tugged at the corner of her lips, teasing at the sharp points of her fangs. “You see yourself as an unwilling harbinger of destruction—a helpless passenger amidst this never-ending storm. And yet..”
Qarinah's movements were effortless and unhurried as she meandered through the courtyard, the hem of her gown-like tail gliding behind her like a specter in its wake. “And yet, he remains bound to you. At your mercy.” She lifted a delicate hand, gesturing toward Khei as if presenting a grand revelation. “You have fought him back every time, wrenched yourself free from the jaws of an eldritch terror that would sooner see you undone. If your will were truly null to his..” She trailed off, tilting her head. “Then I would not be speaking to you now.”
Qarinah stopped, mere feet away, her gaze unwavering. There was no mockery in her smile now—only quiet certainty, a conviction so absolute it felt carved from stone.
“We live in an empirical world, Khei. If Ulduin is truly beyond restraint, then let us prove it. And if he is not…” Her voice dipped lower, smoother, rich with finality. “Then it is time you learn how to hold the reins.”
The words lingered, thick with implication, before her expression shifted—something subtle, something chilling. She was no longer a teacher, no longer an ally. In that instant, she became something else entirely. Something untouchable.
"Let this be the last day either of us underestimates the other."
The movement was imperceptible—a flick of the wrist, a breath of intent.
The air split apart with a whispering shriek, a blade of wind honed to surgical precision. It struck before thought, before instinct, carving through flesh with an artistry reserved for gods and executioners.
Khei would barely register the impact before she was airborne. The force alone was enough to carry her 150lb body nearly ten yards. The cut was deep, designed to maim, to sever—a calculated cruelty meant for one thing.
A push.
Qarinah stood unmoving, her gaze steady. She had no need to see the wound to know.
“Time to see what lies beneath.”
Re: A Lapse In Judgement
A sharp gasp tore from Khei’s throat as she tumbled through the air, her vision a blur before the impact traveled through her body. The ground cracked beneath her as she skidded, leaving a jagged trench of bloodied stone in her wake. She barely understood what even happened, not until a searing merciless agony tore through her side where Qarinah’s attack had landed..
Where her left arm used to be.
Her breath hitched, a strangled rasp as she tried to scream from the sight of her maimed body. The cut was perfect, precise, surgical, yet grisly all the same. She felt her vision falter, followed by the deafening sound of her heart beat approaching a dangerously slow rhythm. She was losing consciousness.. which is usually when it happens..
When something ancient stirred from its slumber.
A tremor rumbled through the castle ground, small at first, then it swelled into something deep– seismic, alive. Khei’s body arched violently, her breath leaving her in a ragged exhale. The edges of her wound began to smolder and steam, as if something inside her was setting itself ablaze to cauterize the wound.
Then, the world exploded.
The air ignited with raw, unrelenting power as Khei's began to crumble and split open like a vessel too small to contain what lurked inside. A violent, molten glow erupted from every fracture in her skin until she burst completely– igniting in a brilliant explosion.
The ground split beneath her, giving way for Ulduin to take her place.
He did not simply emerge—he erupted, ascending from the remains of Khei’s broken form like an eclipse blotting out the sky. His body stretched beyond the limits of human scale—nearly fifty feet tall, an abyssal titan wreathed in unholy fire. He was larger, more monstrous than ever, his ivory hide now streaked with the remnants of the celestial horror he had consumed.
Veins of molten light pulsed beneath his skin, flickering through muscle and sinew like rivers of fire. Two immense, pronged horns jutted from his skull, wreathed in a crown of searing embers. They curved skyward, jagged and predatory, as if he had been forged from the shattered remains of dying stars.
His arms, thick as fortress pillars, flexed with destructive potential. The claws at his fingertips now blackened blades that smoldered with a heat that could sunder steel. His legs, powerful and unyielding, dug into the earth as if daring it to hold his weight. And behind him, a monstrous tail lashed against the ground, layered in ridges of obsidian and streaked with the lingering embers of A'maroth's rage.
The massive ceiling of the arena seemed to shrink beneath his presence.
Ulduin turned his head, the slow, deliberate movement carrying the weight of an entity that had become something far beyond its former self. When he inhaled, the very air warped around him, drawn toward the abyss of his being. The heat from his body alone caused the stone beneath him to blacken and shatter.
Then, the silence broke.
A sound—low, resonant, unfathomable—rippled from his chest, a growl that quaked through the land like the knell of death. His mouth curled open, revealing jagged fangs dripping with raw, murderous intent.
And then, he roared–
The force of it shattered the air, sending shockwaves through the castle walls, through the ground, through the very fabric of reality itself. Even the clouds beyond the Qarinah’s Chateau churned, set ablaze in his wake, while the very stars themselves seemed to flicker in response.
——---——— ——---———
Current Energy Level: 90%
——---——— ——---———
Where her left arm used to be.
Her breath hitched, a strangled rasp as she tried to scream from the sight of her maimed body. The cut was perfect, precise, surgical, yet grisly all the same. She felt her vision falter, followed by the deafening sound of her heart beat approaching a dangerously slow rhythm. She was losing consciousness.. which is usually when it happens..
When something ancient stirred from its slumber.
A tremor rumbled through the castle ground, small at first, then it swelled into something deep– seismic, alive. Khei’s body arched violently, her breath leaving her in a ragged exhale. The edges of her wound began to smolder and steam, as if something inside her was setting itself ablaze to cauterize the wound.
Then, the world exploded.
The air ignited with raw, unrelenting power as Khei's began to crumble and split open like a vessel too small to contain what lurked inside. A violent, molten glow erupted from every fracture in her skin until she burst completely– igniting in a brilliant explosion.
The ground split beneath her, giving way for Ulduin to take her place.
He did not simply emerge—he erupted, ascending from the remains of Khei’s broken form like an eclipse blotting out the sky. His body stretched beyond the limits of human scale—nearly fifty feet tall, an abyssal titan wreathed in unholy fire. He was larger, more monstrous than ever, his ivory hide now streaked with the remnants of the celestial horror he had consumed.
Veins of molten light pulsed beneath his skin, flickering through muscle and sinew like rivers of fire. Two immense, pronged horns jutted from his skull, wreathed in a crown of searing embers. They curved skyward, jagged and predatory, as if he had been forged from the shattered remains of dying stars.
His arms, thick as fortress pillars, flexed with destructive potential. The claws at his fingertips now blackened blades that smoldered with a heat that could sunder steel. His legs, powerful and unyielding, dug into the earth as if daring it to hold his weight. And behind him, a monstrous tail lashed against the ground, layered in ridges of obsidian and streaked with the lingering embers of A'maroth's rage.
The massive ceiling of the arena seemed to shrink beneath his presence.
Ulduin turned his head, the slow, deliberate movement carrying the weight of an entity that had become something far beyond its former self. When he inhaled, the very air warped around him, drawn toward the abyss of his being. The heat from his body alone caused the stone beneath him to blacken and shatter.
Then, the silence broke.
A sound—low, resonant, unfathomable—rippled from his chest, a growl that quaked through the land like the knell of death. His mouth curled open, revealing jagged fangs dripping with raw, murderous intent.
And then, he roared–
The force of it shattered the air, sending shockwaves through the castle walls, through the ground, through the very fabric of reality itself. Even the clouds beyond the Qarinah’s Chateau churned, set ablaze in his wake, while the very stars themselves seemed to flicker in response.
——---——— ——---———
Current Energy Level: 90%
——---——— ——---———
Re: A Lapse In Judgement
Qarinah did not flinch, but there was a stillness to her now—an absence of breath, of movement, of any trace of amusement that once graced her lips. She stood before the abyss, a mere specter in the presence of a god.
Her golden eyes reflected the hellish inferno before her, tracing the enormity of the titan that had risen from Khei’s ruin. This was not a transformation. This was an extinction event given form, a being that did not belong to the mortal coil nor the whims of fate.
Ulduin breathed, and the castle walls wept, their stones groaning under the weight of his presence. Qarinah felt the searing heat lash at her skin, curling the edges of her flowing gown as though the fabric feared to exist too close to him.
And still, she did not step back.
She stood unbothered, bathing in the chaos as though she belonged to it. As though it was nothing new to her. But soon, a low, deliberate breath would slip through her lips.
A chuckle—soft, knowing—and imperious.
"Ah.. and there you are. Stunning, aren't you?" She murmured, her voice carrying not fear, but reverence.
Her lips parted again, but words failed her as Ulduin moved, his massive form shifting with the weight of an ancient storm.
A wicked grin twisted her lips, so wide she had to bite her lip to contain herself. For the first time in centuries, the unknown coiled around her throat like a noose.
Then came the roar.
A cataclysm given sound. The world trembled beneath it. The very air split apart. The castle—her castle—shook under the force, ancient stones cracking as though bowing to something older, something greater.
Yet through the chaos, Qarinah smiled.
It was not joy. Not triumph. But an understanding.
She had sought proof, and it had been given to her in fire and ruin.
Softly, just for herself, she whispered, “Now that we've met, it is time we learn the truth Ulduin. Will you be the sword that shatters this world, or will you be the shield that saves it?”
Qarinah opened her arms to the side, as if posing the question to the abominable titan. But she didn't expect a verbal response. Within these next few hours she would discern herself whether or not this being was worth the investment– if this hellish creature would be enough to turn the tides when her world met its darkest hour. And if Ulduin's power is truly beyond Khei's control.
Her golden eyes reflected the hellish inferno before her, tracing the enormity of the titan that had risen from Khei’s ruin. This was not a transformation. This was an extinction event given form, a being that did not belong to the mortal coil nor the whims of fate.
Ulduin breathed, and the castle walls wept, their stones groaning under the weight of his presence. Qarinah felt the searing heat lash at her skin, curling the edges of her flowing gown as though the fabric feared to exist too close to him.
And still, she did not step back.
She stood unbothered, bathing in the chaos as though she belonged to it. As though it was nothing new to her. But soon, a low, deliberate breath would slip through her lips.
A chuckle—soft, knowing—and imperious.
"Ah.. and there you are. Stunning, aren't you?" She murmured, her voice carrying not fear, but reverence.
Her lips parted again, but words failed her as Ulduin moved, his massive form shifting with the weight of an ancient storm.
A wicked grin twisted her lips, so wide she had to bite her lip to contain herself. For the first time in centuries, the unknown coiled around her throat like a noose.
Then came the roar.
A cataclysm given sound. The world trembled beneath it. The very air split apart. The castle—her castle—shook under the force, ancient stones cracking as though bowing to something older, something greater.
Yet through the chaos, Qarinah smiled.
It was not joy. Not triumph. But an understanding.
She had sought proof, and it had been given to her in fire and ruin.
Softly, just for herself, she whispered, “Now that we've met, it is time we learn the truth Ulduin. Will you be the sword that shatters this world, or will you be the shield that saves it?”
Qarinah opened her arms to the side, as if posing the question to the abominable titan. But she didn't expect a verbal response. Within these next few hours she would discern herself whether or not this being was worth the investment– if this hellish creature would be enough to turn the tides when her world met its darkest hour. And if Ulduin's power is truly beyond Khei's control.
Re: A Lapse In Judgement
Ulduin did not answer. He could not answer. He did not comprehend words, nor the meaning laced within them.
The world still quaked from his roar, the echoes rippling through reality like the aftershocks of rolling thunder. His breath, deep and tectonic, sucked the very life from the air, warping the space around him in an unbearable heat. “Flames” curled and writhed along his hide, yet they were not merely flames—they were remnants of something cosmic, something far beyond the comprehension of men or monsters.
His claws flexed, carving trenches into the stone below. The weight of his body alone tested the castle’s foundation, sending fractures racing outward like veins across dead flesh. Then, slowly—terribly—he moved.
A single step.
The force of it collapsed an entire section of the courtyard. Another step, and the flames wreathing his horns surged higher, tongues of liquid fire spilling from his maw as he exhaled. The heat was suffocating. The very air warped in his presence, as if the threads of reality were struggling to contain him.
His massive head tilted downward, those crimson eyes locking onto the pale wraith before him. She was small, so impossibly small, yet she did not move. Did not cower.
And for a moment—just the briefest, fleeting moment—Ulduin did not strike.
The hunger was there, gnawing, insatiable, the need to destroy so deeply woven into his being that it had no opposition. And yet, something unseen stayed his hand. Something buried, something distant, like a whisper beneath an ocean of rage.
His tail lashed behind him, obliterating a distant tower in a shower of stone and ash. The destruction meant nothing to him. The ruined castle, the broken ground—it was all just dust waiting to be scattered.
But Qarinah remained.
His lips curled, rows of serrated fangs glistening in the molten glow of his body. Another breath, another low, rumbling growl, deep and terrible, shaking the very marrow of existence.
Then, without warning, Ulduin twisted—his colossal head slowly drawn in an arbitrary direction. His focus no longer on her, no longer on this place.
Something else was calling him.
Something far, far away.
——---——— ——---———
Current Energy Level: 80%
——---——— ——---———
The world still quaked from his roar, the echoes rippling through reality like the aftershocks of rolling thunder. His breath, deep and tectonic, sucked the very life from the air, warping the space around him in an unbearable heat. “Flames” curled and writhed along his hide, yet they were not merely flames—they were remnants of something cosmic, something far beyond the comprehension of men or monsters.
His claws flexed, carving trenches into the stone below. The weight of his body alone tested the castle’s foundation, sending fractures racing outward like veins across dead flesh. Then, slowly—terribly—he moved.
A single step.
The force of it collapsed an entire section of the courtyard. Another step, and the flames wreathing his horns surged higher, tongues of liquid fire spilling from his maw as he exhaled. The heat was suffocating. The very air warped in his presence, as if the threads of reality were struggling to contain him.
His massive head tilted downward, those crimson eyes locking onto the pale wraith before him. She was small, so impossibly small, yet she did not move. Did not cower.
And for a moment—just the briefest, fleeting moment—Ulduin did not strike.
The hunger was there, gnawing, insatiable, the need to destroy so deeply woven into his being that it had no opposition. And yet, something unseen stayed his hand. Something buried, something distant, like a whisper beneath an ocean of rage.
His tail lashed behind him, obliterating a distant tower in a shower of stone and ash. The destruction meant nothing to him. The ruined castle, the broken ground—it was all just dust waiting to be scattered.
But Qarinah remained.
His lips curled, rows of serrated fangs glistening in the molten glow of his body. Another breath, another low, rumbling growl, deep and terrible, shaking the very marrow of existence.
Then, without warning, Ulduin twisted—his colossal head slowly drawn in an arbitrary direction. His focus no longer on her, no longer on this place.
Something else was calling him.
Something far, far away.
——---——— ——---———
Current Energy Level: 80%
——---——— ——---———
The team