Post by The Dark Carnival on Jul 27, 2019 17:39:17 GMT -5
The Lucha mask was stained blood red, almost disappearing in the shadows of the mountain lair. Steam rose off it, hissing quietly from the unbearable heat. The sizzling sound was unheard, however, drowned out by the heavy breathing of the "The Ancient One" Jynn, who had been driven to his knees. His blood-red eyes, though glazed over, pierced the full dark. His lips were peeled back in a pained snarl, though the energy was gone from him. His anger was, again, fueled.
For this was his first death, it was not his first failure losing to Nausicaa Suzuki. For the last twelve years, his plans had been foiled time and time again by the power of the Ifrit's, Hinn's, Ghouls but mostly Ghula's. Jynn, still remembers the very day the Asian Ghula appeared. He had watched, darting from shadow to shadow, eyeing this strange, new creature of intelligence and strength, Jynn followed her in secret as he was inexorably drawn, feet dragging in the sand, dirt, and stone, to the Popocatépetl volcanic belt, where fiery ash was more abundant than air. Now he believes she has reappeared in the form of Nausicaa Suzuki.
Normally Jynn did not venture into the bigger cities of Mexico. Not out of fear of the puny mortals who did not reach his knee but preservation of his self. Whenever he saw the mortals he found himself full of a rage hotter than the lake of magma in which floated inside the Popocatépetl. Jynn could not let his anger control him. Yet, he must wait until the time is right. And with the coming of this Asian Ghula creature, finding a new form, it seemed to be drawing closer and closer, back into the smokeless fire.
"The Ancient One" stalks his opponents like a lion stalks his prey, waiting to see just what they will do. Just imagine Jynn's excitement when the mortals run out of their homes carrying different versions of the Qurʾān in order to perform an 'aza'im. Quickly they took place and readied themselves, allowing "The Ancient One" Jynn to come into range. For a brief moment, Jynn actually believed the teaching he learned as a kid in the Hall of Prophecies was wrong, that the mortals would defeat and shun him before the foretold reality of the legends could approach fruition.
But a snarl, so close to the one on his face now, appeared every time one of these mortals loses their nerve and runs away hiding, without giving even the slightest of a fight. But instead, they now bow their heads to "The Ancient One" or try to ignore him completely as if he is nothing more than folklore or a myth. The whispers have begun now and Jynn has heard them all distinctly. Jynn knows, once and for all, that the prophecies were not just careless tales and that he would have to fight this Ghula, this ancient nemesis, of his once again.
And he had throughout the ages. And he had lost in the most recent battle between them. But dying was not what Jynn had expected. He could feel his body fading, becoming weaker, lost and separated from the spirit that has dwelled within him for ages, but he was not being pulled away. His crimson eyes faded, closed. And opened, deeper in the earth, his body was weak, but strength returned at every passing second. In a moment he stood tall once more. He was not dead. Not anymore.
There must have been something more to the prophecy, he thought. After all, Jynn could not read the ancient dialect in its entirety. The only way one could do that is by stepping into the smokeless fire of Popocatépetl while separated from his human form. Jynn touched his face with a black, clawed hand and then pulled it away. He looked at it with wonder. He was not dead, but only angrier. And that fury gave him a wave of strength. He was not dead. He could not die will not at least not yet. This changed everything.
"The Ancient One" returned to the surface of the molten lava, the smokeless fire he was born in, feeling his way along, sighing a relieved sigh every time the temperature raised. The heat down there, underground, flowed like a child's anger and he relished every bit of it.
His Lucha mask was blackened with his blood, and so he did not remove it, change it or take it off. Instead, he left the Lucha mask on covered in his blood and the blood of his many opponents, it was a reminder of the many times he was defeated but not exercised he headed up to the sloping, winding tunnel. Where was he somewhere in the Mexican volcano? The tunnel was so long and Jynn's sense of direction was gone. He could be near an exit leading down the volcanic mountain for all he knew, or still deep within the volcano itself, where the smokeless fire meets everywhere.
After a short eternity of decreasing pressure, "The Ancient One" saw, quite literally, the light at the end of the tunnel. No matter how much energy he had lost, or the small wounds he had taken, he broke into a fit of amusement as a burst of eerie laughter washed over him. He could hear the voices of the mortals nearby talking about him and he was pleased to hear he would have a chance to steal a couple more souls soon in a tag team match.
Immediately the stains of blood on his mask pooled together and roiled off like fog. It fled with a mind of its own, disappearing into the tunnel and into the darkness. Jynn was too thrilled about the match to care. He dropped down and fell back against a concave wall, breathing heavily, his head drawing loops in the air. His left eye, a bit like a spy's goggles, flexed in and out, extended and pulled back, seeing through the rocky walls that rose around him. He was somewhere at the base of the Popocatépetl volcano, which rose in the center of the State of Mexico, Mexico.
Jynn knowing that he will be teamed with a mystery partner sighed but knows it could be another soul. His Lucha mask, now clean, shows no sign of failure or loss. He set off at a steady walk along the base of the volcano. By mid-afternoon, he picked up his pace, not wanting to be caught out, but instead wants the mortals to believe he is gone or just a myth. But with the Asian Ghula still running around in the XHF, what does it matter? He asked himself as he knows what he needs to do to vanquish his eternal nemesis and gain the full use of his powers back he must defeat Team Omar and then seek vengeance on Nausicaa Suzuki.
He immediately broke into an ancient dialogue, that could be heard throughout Mexico, but as a whisper when it reached the ears of the mortals. He fought the urge to go looking for his next victims instead he chanted. He could hear shouts of fear and torment as he approached the outer limits of a nearby village. As he continued to speak a series of rocks were lifted from the lava by powerful incantations that only "The Ancient One" could speak. In seconds he was across the pillars and standing in the streets of the village.
The village was the same as the last time Jynn stood there at full power well over a century ago. The mortals were either as red as the lake of lava their city sat on or as gold as the light stones that were set on the walls in place of torches.
"The Ancient One" allowed himself to slow the incantation down. The few people out, the others already retired for the night, stopped and stared frozen in fear. Surely there had been whisperings of what Jynn still being a myth and still a reality he could hear the voices as they didn't know what to think. He had, over the course of many months, scouted out the dreaded LXW getting to know the mortal competitors that pretended to be real Luchadors. Nobody would have guessed it was right in the center of "The Ancient Ones"diabolical plan to take over the XHF Network and capture every soul, though they all suspected him to be mythical. Jynn thrived on darkness, fear and Smokeless fire.
Jynn waved the scared mortals off trying to remain calm, forcing himself to walk the long walk without taking a soul. The nearby religious hut, larger than all the others, was just on the other side of town. The huts were made of rock and connected to the ground itself, almost carved out. In reality, it was the Toltec who had made them with their expert earth know-how.
Jynn reached the two-room hut and stepped inside, pushing past the bead curtain that acted as a door. Two of the mortals were in the room, seated around, what else, a fire. They were priests of Tlaloc, the wise one, and his apprentice.
The wise one stood, using his staff. On top of the long stick was an odd-shaped gem which, on his will, would catch flame. the apprentice did the same, though his staff was a drill, not unlike a spear. All the religious leaders had canes to show authority, and all were the oldest in the village. They were also set apart by their Noble masks, which granted them limited powers unlike the power of the Lucha mask. Jynn loomed over both of them, as he did to all his prey as he prepared to steal their souls.
+The Wise One+
"The Ancient One", you have returned I have always dreaded your return. but knew this day would come
The wise one calmly, placing a hand on top of his cane for support. The apprentice could not suppress a smile. Here, in the light caused by the fire and light stones, he was safe.
+JYNN+
Yes, I have returned, I hear the whispers, the shouts and the deep inner thoughts of all. the believe they have the "The Wishmaster". Or so they want to believe.
"The Ancient One" inclined his head.
+JYNN+
I believe you have withheld knowledge.
The wise one and the apprentice shared a grave look. As the wise one sighed and nodded he began to speak in a gravelly voice.
+The Wise One+
Jynn, we did not tell you because we needed to have it confirmed and at that time you were just a child.
+JYNN+
Have what confirmed? Do you still believe after centuries of collecting souls and moving body to body I do not know everything?
The apprentice tightened his grip on his drill.
+The Wise One+
In the Hall of Prophecies, it is said that the spirit of "The Ancient One" can only be defeated by the right person, at the right time.
The wise One continued as Jynn stepped forward getting closer as a look of immense darkness grew in his eyes. The apprentice shrank closer to the fire believing a fire with smoke would protect him.
+JYNN+
So you thought bringing back the Asian Ghula would be able to defeat me and protect you. I exist, because I am immortal there is no one who can kill me no one who can extinguish my smokeless fire.
The wise one picked up again.
+The Wise One+
You can be killed, can be killed, vanquished by a more powerful creature at a certain time.
Jynn's eyes grew darker as his eyes narrowed.
+JYNN+
Are you saying there are more of my ancient enemies out there? Why would you not speak of this before now? Do you believe I did not already know that?
It was a female voice that answered, from behind "The Ancient One".
+The Woman+
Several, actually, but none have come to us yet. We believe that they will only appear when the time is right.
It was the wise one's wife who stood there speaking.
+JYNN+
So am I supposed to hide in fear then?"
Jynn asked as he turned to see the woman who spoke with such emotion.
+JYNN+
Shall I wait around and let these enemies try to destroy me?
The wise one spoke again while his wife hobbled to his side using her trident.
+The Wise One+
You are the most powerful version of "The Ancient One", "The Wishmaster" we have encountered yet, Jynn, and you will have the most experience when these enemies appear. It will be up to you to figure out how to defeat them before they free the mortal you possess and vanquish your Soul for all eternity.
Jynn thrust his hands at the three as if he was about to attack.
+Jynn+
Look at this! the Asian Ghula nearly had me this time, she has picked a great mortal to possess! There is no way she could hold me off a second time or a third or fourth! Look, none of you were there, under the smokeless fire as it bred me for this fight, in the magma of Popocatépetl. None of you can feel my power or my anger until I unleash my fury when I place my hands upon you.
Just as I will place my hands upon the two men who will step into the ring with me and try to defeat me, I will send a message a clear message to all ancient enemies including my ancient nemesis the Asian Ghula who now possesses Nausicaa Suzuki.
"The ancient One" Jynn paused, feeling the fear colder than the deepest snows of the highest artic mountains radiating from the three who stood in front of him now...
+JYNN+
I know that...that with every defeat my power grows. With my every victory I come closer to fulfilling the prophecy, proving the myths, legends of Jynn real.
For the wise one, admitting that fear he felt was almost as impossible as finding someone to defeat Jynn again. As "The Ancient One" Jynn disappeared in a smokeless fire the light stones lining the circular wall, started to flash, before fizzing out and going black leaving the three alone, scared and not knowing what Jynn will do to his next opponents...
