Darkken The Scarlet
Magician
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Well, it's been quite a ride, everyone. I
hope everyone (who bothered to read, that is) enjoyed my
Koren. Those who played the game will know that I made most of
it up - in the game, Koren is in many ways just another
run-of-the-mill villain with a nasty demeanor who is just a
jerk to everyone, and not much more. Still, it was great fun
to mess around with the entire Seiken Densetsu story triangle
- Nev would have loved this - and a few Grahf references as
far as motives go didn't hurt too much, either.
Still,
I doubt I'll take Koren the next time. I don't think I could
find much room for development on his character, and taking
him along for the ride just because would be so...movie
sequel-ish. On the other hand, there's a certain red-haired,
pigtailed man/woman whom I think I might want to play...
assuming, of course, that the rules will allow it.
------
Koren watched Duran from afar. It was
like a dream... he didn't move, he just floated around.
I wonder if this is what death feels like?
He saw his face. He seemed oddly down, despite his
victory. But why? Koren couldn't understand. For a second, he
wondered if he could talk to him, like had talked to that
spirit of fire, Rubicante. But as he opened his mouth, he
concluded that talking would make no difference. He was dead,
after all. Duran had defeated him. There was nothing left to
say. Letting out a sigh, he fell deeper into the depths...
-----
Koren lay, defeated, and Duran's
blade was on his throat... his final spell had been too slow.
"Now... will you kill me?" Koren had asked, solemnly,
without mockery or arrogance. There was a long silence, and
then, Duran said simply:
"No."
He removed his
sword from his throat, but did not unsheathe it yet.
"There is work to be done. This world is collapsing.
We must fight them, or we're both going to die."
Koren
stared into his eyes, his eyes narrowing and widening, his
mouth curling in short pulses. Suddenly, he heard a sound from
behind him, and he could feel the entire balcony shaking. The
Void? Not now! Not now...
Koren jumped instantly into
his feet. Duran grabbed his sword, but he barely even noticed.
Koren flew straight towards the emptiness and oblivion, his
final spell on his lips.
"Break down and wail, Jinn!
Lead on and burn, Salamando! Weep tears of death, Undine! Heed
my call, spirits, and combine your forces! DOUBLE SPELL!"
Koren screamed, but he didn't feel it. All around him was just
darkness. His spell broke a path, as the entire small citadel
begun to shatter.
Did Duran make it?
Darkness...
Falling...
"Koren!" Yume's voice called.
Koren opened his eyes. "This is the second time you
have revived me against my wishes", Koren said. He perceived
that he was, effectively, standing on nothingness. Am I
still dead? Or am I still alive? Or... something in
between?
"And what if I have?" Yume's voice
reflected the coldness of his voice.
Koren rose
wearily and stretched. "I saw the ceremony of the departing of
your heroes..." he said. "I assume that you offer me, too, a
last request?"
"Indeed I do", Yume said.
"I
told you once. I have no dreams to fulfill." Koren said,
turning away. "I have said my farewells... nothing remains
here for me."
He turned around, his face wearing a
bitter, stern grimace. Suddenly, he felt something hit his
right cheek, and, weak as he still was, he fell down to the
ground.
Yume was standing there, his hand
outstretched, tears of rage forming in her eyes. "Watch
yourself!" she screamed, in rage. Koren had never seen her
like that before. "Did you learn nothing of the lesson you
tought others!? You dare speak to others of hope and paths,
when you, yourself, can't even harness to walk a path that is
laid out for you!?"
"I've already died... twice..."
Koren said, weakly. Yume's words meant nothing to him. Had he
not thought so too, for all this time? But it was, he had
thought, because he was trying to stop others from making the
mistakes he had done. So what was she driving after?
"No." Yume said firmly. "You did not die, nor did I
revive you, on that day I first came to you." Koren's eyes
flased in disbelief.
She sighed, and sat down in front
of him. "Koren... I understand what you tried to do. You stood
against a fate that you thought was cruel, unjust, and wrong.
You were ready to sacrifice all that you had ever had, and
more, to destroy that cycle that you and Duran were bound to.
Not many would have been ready to do such a deed."
Koren looked at her, disbelief turning into
astonishment. His actions had been wrong, anyway. He had
nearly slain Duran, and he had nearly destroyed himself for
the second time.
"But that wasn't all. If it
weren't for you, Duran would have certainly died. What's more,
Rubicante would, perhaps, never have discovered himself. And
had it not been for the potion that you took from Gogo and
gave to Driscoll, he may, perhaps, have died to the wounds
Rubicante inflicted upon him."
Koren's astonishment
turned into amusement. "Are you", he said, unable to prevent a
smile from rising to his lips, "are you, by any chance, trying
to cheer me up?"
"More than that", Yume said. "I'm
trying to make you realize that everyone, even you, have a
mission to fulfill. No, not fate", she said, laughing, as
Koren's eyes sharpened. "The cycle of Mana is but one more
manifestation of the eternal conflict of light and shadow, and
though it cannot be prevented by you, or anyone - not even me
- you mustn't lose hope. Thanks to your actions, your soul is
now free from that cycle, as is Duran's. Tragedy and suffering
exist in the world, and no one can stop that. However, that is
precisely why people must have hope, and believe in each
other."
"You, Lady Yume, sound like a... a self-help
booklet, as I'm sure a certain clown I know would have said",
Koren pointed out, but lacking hostility.
"Perhaps",
Yume said. "However, you must understand that more than by
fate, the world is controlled by human emotion. Hate, sorrow,
compassion, love... such small feelings may, in the end,
change the world. You, Koren, are free from the grip of the
fate you fought valiantly. That doesn't mean you can't have a
destination."
Koren stood up, understanding. "I have
crimes for which I have yet to repent... and a princess to
whom I owe my soul, I believe. And" - Koren turned his face
towards the field on which the other warriors had been
gathered - "someone is grieving my death for naught."
Koren turned towards Yume, only to see her vanish,
with her lips turned into a smile.
-----
Duran
turned his head on the field, wondering what he would wish
from Yume. He had received more than he could have ever
believed possible... he already possessed the strength for the
mission that awaited him as he returned. Koren and many others
had taught him a lesson that he would not soon forget.
Koren...
Could Yume revive Koren? But
would it be selfish to ask that... Koren, after all, had given
his life to protect him, and it had always seemed to him that
death was the sole comfort that he was seeking. Koren died
a winner... for the first time in his life, he was no one's
puppet. Perhaps he can rest in peace, after that...
After a short analysis, Duran chose that as crazy as
it sounded, he simply missed the Scarlet Magician. He thought
it was odd, seeing how every time they'd met, they had tried
to kill each other... but, then, Duran owed him his life.
Several times over, quite possibly. The thought that he would
never see the Scarlet Magician simply hadn't struck him for
real.
Duran rose from the ground, sighing. Since
when did he harbor any feelings like this? He walked
closer towards the place where Yume stood, expecting his turn
so he could return. But suddenly, he heard a sound from
behind, and as he turned, he saw a flicker of scarlet.
"Koren!" Duran said, in amazement. The figure was
pale, but it seemed solid. Koren's face now lacked the
terrible scars of hate and bitterness that casting the Death
Ecstacy had given him. "What-" Duran started.
"Be at
ease." Koren smiled, a genuine, friendly smile. "There is no
death in the universe, Duran... I want to thank you for
teaching me that", he said, and then turned around and walked
away, giving him one last glance over his shoulder before
disappearing.
-----
Somewhere far, far away,
Koren stood, feeling the arctic wind blow through his hair. He
could feel his magic powers disappear forever, but that only
left him strangely refreshed. Soon, he would see Queen Valda
and Angela again... and perhaps Duran, too. He wondered how
they would take his return, but then discarded the thought.
What mattered was that he was home.
Home...
-----
If someone wants to use Koren in his
ending, you may, of course, have him make additional
appearances.
---
- Koren of Red Lotus - Scarlet Magician - Rurouni
Taikai: The Eternal Dream
Last edited by
Darkken on 02-10-2002 at 11:16 PM |