Power for Power's Sake

Kamae had been focusing on the fighting across the room when someone approached, a young woman by her appearance and she was more direct than the others. The others being the fighters that were in the room and their questions of who was here to fight or not. Kamae sat up straight, a smile forming as he looked into the girl's eyes taking stock of her appearance. Again trying to measure what he could from just the appearance alone but not letting it rule his judgement.

"I am indeed..."

Kamae stated, looking at the fighters who had just finished their bout, their fight having lasted but a moment. They bowed before resuming once more, this time with weapons.

"I am trying to understand the martial "arts" as they are called. Where I am from, they are referred to as Kalaripayattu. A rather long and presumptuous name for fighting."

Kamae returned his gaze to the girl then, but his smile gone now.

"I find it both pointless and worthless..."

Kamae stated, displeasure in his voice as he spoke. His eyes closing as he did so, arms crossing and ankle resting on his knee in a half cross legged rest.

"Here they practice a thing called 'honor', allowing ones foe to keep their self respect or whatever it is that fighters think they have."

Kamae's distaste for this things stimming from his time with the group of heroes who practiced such things. They had let some villains they fought go only to be ambushed later and being forced to kill them... though not always.

"In an actual battle, your foe will seek any means to win whatsoever. Dirt in the eyes, poison blades, hell even magical arts if they are capable of it. Yet this simpletons insist on using such outdated practices."

Kamae was not pleased, nor did he care he was getting ugly looks now. But he could kill everyone in this room with but a thought. He could turn this whole area into a barren wasteland of molten rock and smog of death with just the AURA of the Sankishin. If his main body were here, he could but breath on this people and they would die... Yet he held a... fondness for their beliefs. One he refused to acknowledge. They stuck to their beliefs even if ridiculed, and even when faced with certain death... they would run into its arms gladly to prove themselves...

"So I came to observe this foolishness... and to learn why they practiced their insanity."

While Kamae had points, he was well aware that he was missing some key point or two. He was not a fool, but on the surface he might be considered one. He had learned a lot from remaining open minded to an extent, after all, he was a scientist and he always sought to better himself. To ever strive forward no matter the cost. He had learned that much from his years of being alive, and in so accepting this fact... he could respect the martial artists but if only secretly.

Kamae listened to the girl speak, not making a snide comment, no smirks, no ill intentions as he listened. A rare occurrence for someone as arrogant, and full of pride as Kamae, yet he kept still his tongue till the girl finished. She spoke of how a demon would do such a thing and he couldn't help but smile at that, as she had hit the nail so close to home without realizing it in that moment. Yet he still said nothing, his eyes watching the girl as she threatened him, but making no extra moves to grow defensive. He did not see her as a threat, but as a bug like the rest. How could one such as himself see anyone as an equal when he was unparalleled in his greatness? Yet he humored the girl, looking back to the training crew, placing his hand to his chin as he did so.

"A fine question as ever, but how to explain my answer to you...? Hmm..."

Kamae wondered how to explain what he truly wanted in life, but he could find no simple answer besides... power. He had ever strove to better his station in life for the sole purpose of power he supposed. Physical, status, and magical, all of it for the sake of that one universal currency... power.

"In truth, I have always strove for the most simple thing in all the universe... Power. I've created objects of power, made beings for the sake of power, and used my ambition to better myself always... for power. I have wondered the universe, destroying civilizations, breaking homes down, and I even consumed a god... all for the sake of... power."

Kamae watched on as a wooden blade struck another's, the resounding thwack echoing through the air as he spoke.

"I once believed it was perfection that I sought, to be the ultimate being and achieve what I believed to be perfection... But that was a fools ideal... No I seek the power that comes from being a god, and to even go beyond that limit."

Kamae watched as a downed foe was spared, the wooden blade to their throat removed and they were helped up.

"That is my reason... To ever push my limits no matter the cost, to become that which no one has ever seen before. In truth even when I was a god, I knew there was power beyond that, beyond what I had achieved. I've used any means necessary to achieve it... to pursue it doggedly though the toughest of battles and the darkest of nights."

Kamae's hood would lower then, his eyes glowing green as he did so, his smile still gone. His face blank as he considered his next words carefully.

"Why else do we fight? If we seek to protect something, we seek power. If we wish to destroy something, we seek power. If we wish to rise ourselves up in status... We... seek... power. Its the universal currency for everything. A government official seeks power to enforce their wills over others, fighters to defend or attack... It is the only true thing that exists."

Kamae slowly stood up then, hands in his pockets as he waved for the girl to follow him outside. During their walk, he was sure she would have much to say on the matter. He said nothing as he went out the back, slowly but surely making his way toward the training grounds in the back. He wondered when was it he had begun to pursue that concept? When did he realize that was what he sought above all else? So much so that he would twist his whole body for it, that even after losing his body and being cast out into the vacuum of space as a spirit... it would push him to come back again... and again and again till he could get what he wanted.

How many lives had he destroyed to get what he wanted? How many souls had been sent to the other side just for his endless hunger? In truth he had never embraced his power hungry side before, and this was a revelation of itself for him. He wondered... how far would he go for that spark that was power? How much more could he sacrifice if this alone had left him with barely anything to hold onto? His endless appetite for power had cost him so much... and yet he had never felt regret, no despair over his situation. Only the next step forward drove him. He had felt RAGE, unbridled HATRED, but this? Never had he felt guilt, no did he feel it now....

As he came to a stop on the training field, he took his spot across from where the girl was suppose to stand. He kept his hands in his pockets as he got ready. Slowly preparing himself for a little spar between the girl and himself.

"Show me what your martial arts can do against me... This is not a bout to win, but rather a contest to see which of us was right. Your way of martial arts... verses mine. I wish to see if it is truly worthy of such high praise as being called "Beautiful" or if you are simply using words that sound pretty... What makes this so glorious you'd follow it instead of your own desires?"

Kamae wasn't trying to simply crush this girl and destroy her... that would be to easy. Not that he could sense energy, nor did he know how strong she was. He simply wished for her to SHOW him what this Bushido or some such had to offer in the end. Was it just pretty words? Or did it give her the power to be better than a dirty fighter? Only she could answer that.

Kamae could tell she had a strong sense of purpose by her words, and her intention to fight hard was also apparent. She spoke of cutting down anyone in their way, to grow ever stronger no matter the opponent. That she would cut down anyone to fuel her own flame, and it should be done only then. Kamae could see the reasoning behind that, and found the logic of it to be sound. It was a nice change of pace to finally find someone who actually spoke with reason instead of "hey dummy" or some garbage that they wished to speak. People in this day and age were some of the worst at conversations to exist.

"As you wish..."

Kamae would grant her request, taking it as she wanted him to fight her seriously. Not that he was going to actually, as she had not earned the right to fight him at his full strength... Not that he could actually do it anyways. As she circled him, he did not turn to watch her, though he was still looking at her. It was when the blade of her sword stuck that it would clang against something, an invisible but still very sensible source of energy. Her blade revealing the Sankishin that surrounded him.

Its green aura like a fire demon, its body waving this way and that as if it was made of the life force that all things had. Ki given manifest and it was. Kamae did turn his head to look at the girl, his eyes glowing green under the shadows of his hood. The Senkishin having used its own ki sword to block the girl's blade, it would deflect the blow before he turned to her in full. The black flames soon engulfing Kamae as he began to become apart of the sankishin fully. Slowly this flames began to rise upwards, as if consuming Kamae as a whole.

Once they were finished, the demon planted his sword into the stone they stood upon. The now eight foot tall Sankishin Kamae standing before the girl as he prepared to fight her like she wanted. The demon then pulled his sword out of the ground before raising it over his head and bringing it down like one would do to a hammer on an anvil. It was an act not befitting a sword swing but like a blunt instrument being used to smash something tiny like a mouse with utter brute force. No refinement, no grace, just unbiased violence in an effort to harm ones foe.

Kamae was surprised by the sudden attack, it cutting his ki based blade in two and then piercing him clean in the chest. Thankfully the ki based body of Kamae's Sankishin was thick. The flaming blade has indeed pierced him, and even managed to do a bit of damage. He felt it in his chest as he looked down to see the blade. Yet it was already gone, having been removed at some point in the shift of his attention. He didn't see her pull that arm back, nor the blade returning to its sheath. Ahh... She was a swordsman true and he supposed he didn't need to hold back anymore. 

The Sankishin's hands emptied themselves, the demon's green outlines of his eyes and mouth flaring with flames. It felt good to wear this damn thing again, to be within his own life force... he felt cradled by it, smothered by it... It was warm but crushing at the same time and he despised his own flesh for it. Hatred burned in his heart, rage fueling the flames that sought to escape his mouth and agony of being crushed beneath his own power.

"Yes... That is fine swordsmen ship... For an earthling... I am happy to see you can at least manage to injure me..."

The Sankishin's chest slowly closed the wound, the aura filling in the hole that existed just a moment ago. He had been hurt certainly, but she would need a lot to take him down. Kamae in the sankishin was pure violence, and he was about to demonstrate that much. Now bare handed, Kamae took a breath before holding out his hands in an inviting fashion. Palms upturned, outstretched to the sides invitingly and offering her to strike.

"I wish to witness that blade strike once more... If you can strike me down in this next turn... it will save you from the pain I will inflict."

Kamae's words were a promise of the violence to come, his rage was now set, his power at full and he was ready to begin the slaughter. The eyes of Kamae's blackened form burned bright with emerald flames. He was glad they were alone, else he would look like a beast from a dark nightmare... He supposed this was what that Arcosian meant in her reference to him and he chuckled in his own head at the memories. He wouldn't bother explaining why he was giving her a free hit... but he wanted to see such a swift strike with unclouded eyes. 

Kamae watched as the girl raised her blade over her head, preparing herself for the strike a head. It seems she wanted to use another strike to show him what her art could use. He stood perfectly still, not wishing to disturb her focus in the slightest. This was no mocking gesture, no effort to humiliate his opponent. He was learning as much as she was in this moment, on whether the arts she practiced were worth his time... and perhaps hers as well. Kamae was prepared even as she spoke the words and the blade struck across his chest. The demon allowing it to slash him from shoulder to waist from left to right.

Once the blow had been struck, the around shaking from the impact, Kamae said nothing as the slash lingered on his body. It had indeed cut him deeply, he felt the burning sensation of something else. The wound did not close, but instead leaked the green blood of the Sankishin. He lowered his arms then and did not move for the longest time. She had not managed to defeat him with a single blow, but she had mentioned it wasn't her most powerful technique. He supposed it would be fitting to start striking now, and as such the demon decided he would begin.

The demon held up a hand then, a fist prepared to unleash its fury down on the girl. He paused for a moment before bringing it down in an effort to hit the girl hard enough to knock her down hopefully. He had figured she was strong, and had at the very least earned his respect. He would break her like an opponent he wished to destroy. If he knocked her down, he'd use that same power to keep up the offensive, using his left hand to keep punching. Each punch was infused with ki, his strength aimed to batter her over and over.

Kamae had the stamina to keep swinging, to unleash devastating blows... and he was still holding back. Not from transforming, but from putting all his efforts into his blows. He was waiting for her to at least catch her breath before he truly began the slaughter... He wanted her to feel the full might of his strength, to be unable to do anything as it washed over her repeatedly. She was about to learn why he was a being of pure violence when he was in his original body... why he had been deemed worthy a Dark god...

Kamae could feel the blows making contact, each one reinforcing that driving anger within. That fury in his chest kept growing, even when the ki was running then. He could only maintain that focus for so long before he missed his blow. The ground cracking beneath his punch as he missed, stone groaning under the force of his hit. He slowly stood up then, eyes tracing where his foe had gone when he missed. He was moving slowly, purposely at this moment, but she was faster than he was if that draw had proven anything. 

But unfortunately for her, he had the pure brute strength to back up his flaw. The demon turned to her full on, saying nothing as he let her catch her breath. Yet this respite was not without his own efforts, the demon slowly expanding in size as he used this time to fuel his destructive power with his rage. His body growing a full foot in height, muscles growing and the ground beneath his feet suddenly giving way under his weight. Fire roared from his mouth like a furnace given life, and he growled his fury.

"You misunderstand something unfortunately... I haven't gotten started... That was just light punches girl..."

Kamae stated, his full height a towering nine feet tall as he started walking towards her. His wound still bled onto the ground, it burned, and it ached... but it only made his hatred grow and gave him strength. He took his pain and made it into power. 

"I think I'll put more force into this one..."

Kamae stated before rushing forwards in one forward lunge. He closed the gape in less than a second. His fisted bring brought down like a hammer at the girl, aiming to smash her into the floor she stood upon. He could transform... but he was not here to utterly humiliate his opponent... He only wished to test her resolve after all... Yet he found himself unconsciously trying to break this poor girls body with his punches. They were light punches, play hits at best. But he could feel her buckle under that power. If she could survive his blows, she might live a little bit longer than expected... but he wondered if she had the strength to keep up with him.

"I wonder... how long can you last when faced with unbridled power..."

Kamae asked, a hint of joy in his voice at her suffering, the arrogance that dripped from his voice unmistakable...