The simple and tactile awakening

There stood the newly "born" Pheanyx, a girl without purpose, without understanding, she looked and acted almost lifeless, as though she was not awake or indeed even living right now, yet for all intents and purposes, she was breathing, she was moving, that was enough to indicate life, however little. She stood garbed in clothes she didn't recognize, in a land she wasn't sure if she should call home...Or a product of her nightmares.

(Mood music)

"..." She couldn't even think of words, it was as if she had forgotten her entire vocabulary. Did she ever even have one to begin with? All she knew right now was her name, flashed into her mind from an unknown source, as if she was supposed to know it, as if it were the most vital piece of information that the heavens themselves gave it to her first off. Or did they? What were these heavens? So many questions raced inside her head. She wanted to ask them, she wanted to understand, but she felt...Lightheaded, she could hardly even comprehend her own thoughts, was she real? Was any of this real? Where did she come from? And where did her path begin? So many unknowns with no answers.

She began to wander aimlessly, almost in a zombie-like trance of some kind as she just focused on trying to walk and think, to try and make sense of...All of this. But how? How could she when she didn't even feel like she knew more than her name? She could hardly even see where she was going due to thinking so hard, being so lost in her near-empty mind.

'Oh my..' Cyxsur would think to himself, arching a brow despite it being invisible to most outside views. The hood of his coat obscured most if not all of his face completely in shadow. 'Yet another one left to wander.. That must mean progress is being made.' He thought to himself with a chuckle before he stepped out of the shadows just as Pheanyx would walk passed him. She was clearly too distracted by her own thoughts to have taken notice of him. For a short time he would follow the new nobody just to see where she would go. He had been a newborn once, sure. But it was all a blur now.. So it was interesting to see how the especially fresh nobodies reacted to their surroundings.

He was not trying to be sneaky. One could clearly hear his footsteps and besides that he was pretty much walking beside Phea waiting for the nobody to react to his presence.. If she would react to his presence.

Pheanyx kept going for a bit, but then she stopped, even in her state, she could hear. His loud footsteps drew her out of her thoughts, and she quickly looked to her side, stopping in her tracks. She stared blankly at him, no expression on her face whatsoever, though it was also mostly covered by a hood. "..." She didn't know what she thought of this man, yet he wore the same clothes she did, perhaps he knew something? She just wasn't sure...of anything, what was this man, was he like her? Did he not know himself either? Maybe it was all just an illusion...Maybe he wasn't real.

She reached out, her black gloved hand poking him in the chest, she was met with resistance and realized he was indeed part of reality...But how? Where did he come from? What were his goals? What were HER goals? "...?" She wanted to speak, the urge was inside her mind, but she knew no words with which to speak with. She was completely silent despite her best efforts to resist it. It would frustrate her if she understood what frustration was.

Underneath the shadow casted over his face, Cyxsur would grin. He knew all too well what was going through Phea's head and he couldn't help but feel bad. The little nobody probably had so much to say, and yet she could not find the words. Still.. No words need be said. "Yes, I am real.. And so are you." Cyxsur would then spread his arms as if making motion to the area around the two. "This entire place is real, my daar. This world you are in.. It is very real, and so it is not a dream. It may feel like one but I assure you that you are awake. Trust me." Cyxsur knew he could not gain trust through simple words- he knew that much after his encounter with Xiel, however. Phea was a newborn and so she was much easier to.. mold, so to say.

He extended a hand in a friendly gesture, hoping Phea would at least understand what said gesture meant. "Come with me and I will clarify things for you. I will show you that this is not a dream."

"......" Phea looked around as he motioned to the surrounding area. This place seemed pretty sprawling...Did it even end? She just couldn't decide anything...That seemed to be yet another thing she was unable to do. She was awake though...How could she be so sure of it? But regardless, it seemed he was waiting to sshow her something, she rather slowly put her hand outwards for him, not really knowing what she was supposed to do next.

Taking grip of Pheanyx's hand, Cyxsur would turn and lead her into a more open part of the World That Never Was. A massive skyscraper with many little colorful lights towered high above the other buildings- say for the great castle in the distance. Regardless, though. This building stood out very clearly as it was in the middle of an open town square. With someone as new as Phea, he would have to be somewhat careful.. Still, he needed to ensure she was capable of fighting. He would have no use for incompetent zombies like that.

Without her knowing, Cyxsur had spawned a dusk. The slithery bastard would sneak up behind the young girl as Cyxsur let go of her hand, stepping away and allowing the dusk to strike the young nobody from behind with a quick, sharp lash.

A Dusk has struck Phea for thirteen damage. Attempting to provoke her into fighting.

Dusk 1: Potential 250, Willpower 750

Pheanyx allowed his grasp of her hand... .... Or rather, wasn't there enough to really pay much mind to it at all. As she was led away, they had arrived on a skyscraper, one high above the city...She stepped away from him on her own, looking out over the city, it really DID seem to go on forever...Or at least, that's what it looked like to her.

She gazed up at the castle...A new sensation entered her mind, amazement. She wasn't sure what it was, but it drew all of her attention, no, it COMMANDED her attention. ... At a very bad time.

She felt a sharp pain strike her back, she turned frantically to spot the dusk standing behind her, she backed away in a panic, for without weapons she was useless to resist... But within an instant, two weapons flashed into her hands. A dagger, and a large halberd. Their sudden appearence cause her to lose her footing and fall onto her backside.

(Mood music)

Almost instinctively without believing she had the proper ability, she brought her weapons into quite an impressive battle stance. She stared down the dusk.

-Phea's stats: 250 Potential/750 Willpower-

She rushed at it! Not sure what it was, but knowing only one thing, she had to fight. She had to destroy it before it destroyed her. This rushed through her mind over and over, making her numb to anything around the two combatants. She lept into the air, spinning with her halberd behind her the entire time, she'd land behind the dusk, then turn before the creature had time to react, planting the Halberd's blade into it's side, then raising the blade and sending it crashing down on the dusk's head with her entire body behind it.

-Phea is using [SK1] Backstab against the Dusk for 88 damage!-

Cyxsur was pleased with Pheanyx's reaction to the hostility. Not only did she strike out, but she brought her weapon out too. Cyxsur had been quite interested in seeing it.. and now, he just needed to see what element she utilized and hope she wouldn't strike out at him like the last two.. Damn kids these days. "Very good. Very good indeed." The hooded man would praise with a verifying nod.

Meanwhile, like the mindless creature acting on primal instinct it was, the dusk would only spring back up with the same strange movements with which it moved and lashed out towards the newborn once more.

Dusk 1 has 662 left and is striking out at Phea for 13 damage!

Phea was still riding almost entirely on instinct, on her will to survive. She was desperate to kill this...Thing. To be rid of it entirely and be safe once again.

Her head was still so fuzzy, but as the creature lashed out, she raised her dagger up into it's arm, blocking the attack. She then sent out an attack in retaliation! She draws her Halberd back and sends it forward! Right towards the Dusk's torso, and hopefully straight through.

It was so difficult, each move felt like it took so much out of her, like she had never excercised even once in her life, and yet, these skills...Where did they come from? Were they hers? Were they some kind of divine power? What...Even were these tools she held? They felt so familiar and yet she had never once seen them. Why was she fighting so hard to survive when she hardly even knew the meaning of the term? She wanted answers, so many answers, but there were none, none she could make of her own mind, and none that were being given.

-Phea is using [SK1] Charge up strike against the Dusk for 88 damage!-

Stamina 1/3

Cyxsur was somewhat surprised by Phea's parry. It was quite impressive, really. Such a thing must've taken some pretty exact timing.. The dusk would recoil a bit, allowing itself to take the full force of the blow in exchange.

Cyxsur would cross his arms behind his back, now watching with great interest. "You fight without little regard as to why, it seems.. Though it is only fair as you are acting in self-defense. But do you realize that this thing is like you? That you two beings are related in someway?" Cyxsur would begin to question. He wanted to further rouse the nobody's curiosity, hoping it would clear up the fogginess in her mind a bit. At least enough to let her think clearly.

He wanted to see if that would make her stop attacking. There were many possible reactions, and most of them would please him. So there was really no wrong answer here. He was trying to get a feel for Phea's personality and for her combat abilities right now.

Dusk 1 now only has 574 health remaining!

With the dusk backing off for now, and the man seemingly trying to get her attention, she looked over at him, the fight for survival still fresh in her mind, likely one of the few things in her mind right now. Then it came along, he talked about her reason for fighting...

...Why did she fight? What was her reason for existing? Her reason for wanting to survive here? It wasn't like she knew who she was, or even why she was here. And yet, somehow his words angered her somewhat. Especially when he mentioned her being like that creature...She wasn't anything like it! She was her own self, no one else! "...!!"

It had the opposite effect on her, instead of making her stop, it seemed she was preparing something, suddenly electricity began to form on her halberd, running along the handle all the way up into the blade. She stared down the dusk and slowly approached it, no longer even looking at the hooded man.

-Phea is using [SP1] Infuse Thunder, boosting her physical and skill power by 5% for the next three turns!-

Stamina: Gained by two due to second wind! 3/3

Mana: 2/3

"Electricity.. Interesting." Cyxsur muttered to himself as he watched Phea's weapon surge wouth electricity. Thunder was a devastating element when mastered. This newborn was turning out to be quite talented. He would then narrow his eyes underneath the shadow being cast over his face by his hood. He could tell Phea was preparing something.. Did she aim to finish the Dusk so quickly? It would certainly be an impressive feat if she could pull it off this early.

For a moment, the Dusk hops around with strange fluid movements as if to taunt Phea before it lunges and strikes out at her once more!

Dusk is attacking with 5% melee for 13 damage!

-Phea took the full force of the Dusk's attack! Health = 1849-

She gritted her teeth as the dusk sliced into her, and yet she didn't cease what she was doing, not even for a second. She brought her halberd behind her, and seemed to be preparing something strong as the electricity running along it surged up, and continued to do so, she would take even more hits from the horrid dusk if she had to. But her mind...While still so fuzzy, was able to think clearly enough, she knew she had an edge over it. And she was going to abuse that edge.

-Phea is charging up [SK1] Charge up strike! Attack will be 60% next turn!-

Stamina: 3/3

Mana: 3/3

'Just a newborn and she seems to be as strong as some of the older, but still only recent arrivals.' Cyxsur made an observation as he watched the power in Phea's strike progressively grow stronger and stronger. It was nothing to write home about when compared to the likes of him, sure. But when you considered Phea was a newborn nobody, it was really impressive.

The dusk had backed off from Phea and was now leaping around, performing fluid but also lowkey terrifying movements as if to taunt the newborn. That likely wouldn't end in its favor, but the dusk was simply a means to an end. A gauge for Phea's power.

She knew now that this battle was going in her favor as she watched the dusk try and taunt her, she couldn't really understand it, but she felt a sense of victory already, even if she knew little about "victory" or "feelings", perhaps she was slowly gaining a grasp on them. Whatever the case, she glared silently at the dusk, letting it have it's fun for now, eventually she would be the only one taunting.

-Phea is charging her attack again! Will be 75% next turn!-

-Her attack boost has one turn remaining!-

Stamina: 3/3

Mana: 3/3

"Good. Show this mindless creature who's boss." Cyxsur encouraged the newborn as he crossed his arms over his chest. It would be certainly fun to watch her fight the twilight thorn. A little girl kicking a giant monster's ass was always amusing, though.

She stared over for a second, and then looked back to the happily dancing Dusk ahead of her, she rushed forward, swinging her halberd in a massive arc right towards the creature! It sparked with massive amounts of electricity, all heading right for the dusk. She had some semblance of fury behind her attack, she closed the gap and continued moving forward even as her Halberd swung out, almost furthering the insurance that it would hit, and it would HURT.

-Phea is using her fully charged [SK1] for 75%! PLUS 5% from the spell used for a total of 80%! 200 Potential sent out!-

Stamina: 2/3

Mana: 3/3

Cyxsur grinned as he watched the blood connect with the dusk. The creature would let out something of a bloodcurdling screech was it was sent flying into the skyscraper due to the impact of the blow. If these things weren't so damn durable, it might have died upon impact. "Impressive. Truly impressive. You're almost there, now. A few more like that and it'll be dead."

Dusk took the full force of the blow, 374 health remains!

Phea gritted her teeth, the thing still wasn't done after all of that?! What did it take to kill this thing?! She stomped one foot on the ground, and a spear made of pure lightning formed in her hand, she was shocked! Where did this thing come from?! She almost lost her footing again all from seeing this thing appear.

She then realized what it could be used for...Yes, despite the hazy state her mind was in, she could still recognize what this thing would do to the dusk, and she launched it out at the dusk, before it could even get up!

-Phea is using [SP1] Lightning Spear against the Dusk for 88 damage!-

Stamina: 3/3

Mana: 2/3

"Good, good.. Get angry at it. Make it pay for hurting you." Cyxsur continued to encourage Phea from the sidelines. If she got sadistic, that would be completely okay with him. He could use more people like that. They couldn't be so easily manipulated by forces of light, or even of dark.

The dusk would continue to attack Phea. Striking out in the same manner that the little one did- with rage.


-Dusk Has 286 Health left but is attacking for 13 damage-