Magical Lotus, Mahou Shoujou Byakuren - Episode 2

[Oldmansour]

>Can we hear any sign of the city at all?

>At the moment, you actually can't hear anything beyond your own breath. The main highway into town could be on the other side of that clearing, and you couldn't tell from the sounds. It's like the world around you dares make no sound, in the presense of that something waiting.

>"Shall I go on?"

>The skunk replies by walking off the trail and standing beside it, much like all the other animals you've encountered on your way to this point.

[GuyYouMetOnline]

>Head into the clearing.

[Oldmansour]

>Head into the clearing.

>As you pass between the trees into the sunlit clearing beyond, a metallic silvery light washes across your eyes, obscuring your vision momentarily. When the light passes, a rather.... imposing figure stands in the middle of clearing. It is a tiger of massive proportions, easily 25 feet long, and nearly twice your height, even on all fours as he is. His fur is like like liquid silver, shining brilliantly in the sunlight and rustling in the breeze, his black stripes as deep and dark as midnight. His eyes are pupilless, unlike most cats, and glow with an unearthly white light.
>He is undoubtedly the source of the sense of age you sensed earlier. His presense is nearly overwhelming. An enormous sense of power, and age, permeates the air around you, almost as though it had taken shape and had wrapped around you like a thick blanket. His eyes have seen countless millenia, unknowable strife.
>And his attention is now focused solely on you.

[GuyYouMetOnline]

>The Metal Tiger itself.
>Show appropriate respect.

[Hello Purvis]

>Gawk. It's probably hard to even bring thoughts to mind with this kind of thing.
>After some amount of moments, realize we are gawking, try to stop, and bow politely.

[Oldmansour]

>The Metal Tiger itself.
>Show appropriate respect.

>Gawk. It's probably hard to even bring thoughts to mind with this kind of thing.
>After some amount of moments, realize we are gawking, try to stop, and bow politely.

>The sight of the massive beast before you stuns you briefly. You've seen a lot of things, felt a lot of strange sensations, but this is in a league of its own. Nothing you'd experienced in 'realtime' ever had this forceful a PRESENCE behind it. But starting at the best yields only the one conclusion, once your mental voice comes back to you: This can only be the Metal Tiger of legend. Trying to remember your manners, and being polite to a 25-foot metallic tiger couldn't possibly be a bad idea, you offer the Tiger a bow.
>The Tiger's eyes blink slowly in response. It doesn't speak, or move, but the air around you changes, slightly. If you had to guess, you would guess the beast is judging something. You cannot be sure what it judges.

[Hello Purvis]

>Take a few more moments to gather ourself. He's not torn up up yet, so this must be a good thing.  Take a few breaths, keep our voice level.
>"Thank you seeing me."

[Oldmansour]

>Take a few more moments to gather ourself. He's not torn up up yet, so this must be a good thing.  Take a few breaths, keep our voice level.

>The Tiger's judgement has granted you a few moments more, and you use them wisely to try and center yourself. You breathe in and out deeply a few times, trying to still your heart and your nerves. You acheive a moderate amount of success, though you suspect it'll be some time before your heart rate returns entirely to normal.

>"Thank you seeing me."

>The Tiger's eyes blink slowly once again. It seems he speaks then, though not with words, nor with telepathy. It seems that, on some level, you simply know what he wants to communicate.
>You keep your feet, and greet me on your level. You indeed have some steel in you, young Human. The last Hero that heeded my call was not so solid.

[Hello Purvis]

>Keep it together, Byakuren. This isn't the most frightening thing you've seen...just the longest you've been exposed to it...
>"Last hero?"

[Oldmansour]

>Keep it together, Byakuren. This isn't the most frightening thing you've seen...just the longest you've been exposed to it...
>"Last hero?"

>While it's a matter of some debate whether or not anything you've seen before quite matches up to 25 feet of possibly-divine feline standing before you, at least this one isn't hostile, or overtly menacing. Just... big. Really, really big.
>It has been many centuries since the battle was waged in this land. Many centuries since I could see the Hero myself. He was younger than you, as well, the Hero of that battle.

[GuyYouMetOnline]

>"This has happened before?"

[Oldmansour]

>"This has happened before?"

>The Tiger makes no reply for a moment, the glow of his eyes dimming momentarily. The sense of his presense lessens slightly around. You think his attention may be focused elsewhere.

[Hello Purvis]

>Allow it to finish whatever it is refocused on, and answer us at its leisure.

[Oldmansour]

>Allow it to finish whatever it is refocused on, and answer us at its leisure.

>His eyes dim slightly again, then close all together. You feel a sense of resignation from him now, perhaps dissapointment as well. He opens them again once a few seconds have passed.
>There are others in your world, mortals and otherwise, that can give you more of the answers you seek. My time here is less than I had expected; we are approached by one who must not see us together.
>The plague you battle now has visited this world many times before. Each time it has come, a Hero has emerged to battle it. You are not the first, young human, nor are you even the youngest. But you are strange among your kin. The power they all wielded was different than yours, and the plague was not called forth this time, it forced its way into this world.

[Hello Purvis]

>"That is regrettable. Who else can I ask? And, if you can, what do you mean by called forth?"

[Oldmansour]

>"That is regrettable. Who else can I ask? And, if you can, what do you mean by called forth?"

>Throughout the history of the children of our Mistress, there have been those whose hearts are imbalanced towards the darkness. Those who worshipped the children of the Mother, venerated the evils, and did harm to their own kind for their own benefit. In times past, whenever the plague came through the barrier, it was because one on this side reached forth into the darkness and welcomed it. Gave it a home, a foothold, in this world where it no longer belongs. Once that foothold was established, the demons came forth and wrought havok and despair upon our world. As they intend to do so now. Their presense is a plague upon this world.
>This time, however, was different. There was no one person who gave their soul to the demons, no one person who allowed them into this world. The one you encountered came through on her own, and she will not likely be the last. There are few demons that have ever possessed the power to do that, but each one has power enough to bring this world to its knees. I am aware of your first encounter with the first of her weapons. It is fortunate for you that she was unable to make a stronger one then. You will not be as fortunate the second time.

[Hello Purvis]

>"Your Mistress? Hm, no, let's save that. How are these beings called here?"

[Oldmansour]

>"Your Mistress? Hm, no, let's save that. How are these beings called here?"

>Their names are numerous, and change with every era. When last the battle was held in this land, they were called Urami, and were called forth by an Oni master of blood magic. She sought dominion over her species, and the world. She failed. The names they went by in other places are unknown to me, as I am bound to this place, and my eyes can venture forth only so far. But I know them by this name, for it is the name they had when first they plagued this world, so long ago: Demons.

[Hello Purvis]

>Does a dominance-seeking oni sorcerer sound familiar?
>"How did she call them here?"

[Oldmansour]

>Does a dominance-seeking oni sorcerer sound familiar?

>Not in the least.

>"How did she call them here?"

>I do not know.

[Hello Purvis]

>"Mmm. I was hoping for signs to look for. These prior heroes, can I presume they all succeeded in some respect or another?"

[Oldmansour]

>"Mmm. I was hoping for signs to look for. These prior heroes, can I presume they all succeeded in some respect or another?"

>You think you can HEAR the tiger grinning.
>If they had not, you would not be here to ask me that question.

[Hello Purvis]

>"I imagined so. It's good to know I won't be on entirely untrodden ground."
>Ponder what it would be like to pet a metal tiger...
>"You mentioned others could tell me more. Could you tell me who they are, before there is no more time?"

[Oldmansour]

>Ponder what it would be like to pet a metal tiger...

>From the look of his 'fur', you imagine it would be like putting your hand in a pool of mercury. But then again, perhaps it would be like a fur covered steel girder. Either way, it's a very intriguing idea...

>"I imagined so. It's good to know I won't be on entirely untrodden ground."
>"You mentioned others could tell me more. Could you tell me who they are, before there is no more time?"

>The Tiger eyes dim again. You have that strange sense of dissapointment again.
>Memory fades in the world of short lives. We are forgotten. They are forgotten. There are but a handful of individuals in this land that have seen the demons before. Less than them that know of them and would help you. I would guide you to those who tend Our shrines, but that way is fraught with danger. Some of those who tend Our shrines are worthy of your trust. Some are not. All is not well in the all of the houses mortals built for Us. Least of all, perhaps, in My own.
>Be wary of where you look for answers, young Hero. Many of those who know the darkness do so because they serve it. Let your heart be your guide. Trust no one that loves only themselves, trust no one that loves no one or nothing.
>If you encounter it again, however, you can trust the Purpose. It has taken form in this world.

[Hello Purvis]

>"The Purpose?"

[Oldmansour]

>"The Purpose?"

>The boundary between worlds was created with a purpose. That purpose has manifested in this world as a physical form, to acheive that which is itself.

[GuyYouMetOnline]

>"And I've encountered it before? Was it the doll? Or the being in my dream?"

[Oldmansour]

>"And I've encountered it before? Was it the doll? Or the being in my dream?"

>I do not know the term used in this world for its form, nor am I certain what form it has taken. I do know that its form has changed, recently.
>But I am aware of the battle you waged against the darkness within yourself. The Purpose appeared to you after that battle was won.

[Hello Purvis]

>Frown.
>"Did it manifest within this world, or within me?"

[Oldmansour]

>Frown.
>"Did it manifest within this world, or within me?"

>The Purpose manifested as a result of the demon's breaching the boundary between worlds. Its physical form did not come from you.