To face ones demon (p)

Aboard the vessel that ever brought them closer to land, Taios sat on the bed of one of the inner bunks. He had found a hold that he deemed comfortable and no one had told him other wise. The journey wasn't a particular lon one however storms had delayed what should have been a quick voyage. As the boat turned the voice within his head had been relentless. The urge to kill, to loose himself in rage and hatred so strong his hands trembled as he had eaten with Lucian the night before.

Now, he knew it was time to end it once and for all. Dominate or be dominated. The oldest contest known, when one placed their being against another. That was what he had decided to do on this day. The door lay bolted closed, his eyes closed, arms resting on his crossed legs. Breathing deep he once again entered a meditative state that would make even the Nazar proud.

Walking in that familiar field of dead flowers, the difference was immediate. As he walked flows of lava became obvious, burning the earth and changing the terrain. After his walk he arrived at the cage of the Yonbi, Sargatanas. The rose vines dead, glowing with red embrers it seemed they wouldn't be able to hold much longer.

"It is time......" His voice was low and a growl. He let his anger run into his veins like boiling water. Even as he did he felt his body tremble and grow. This was his world, he knew who he was and what he was. The memories of shouten came to his mind, when he had become a weapon. When he had left behind his humanity for ascension among the dark ranks. He had seen himself raw and naked, and because of that, no demon could hold sway over him ever again.

He would not be dominated in his own body. This was his realm......this was his time. Standing the same size as the bijuu, his armor and weapon manifested. All the while he watched the bijuu. Once the blade was completely formed, a massive stroke destroyed the cage that had kept the beast a prisoner in his body. "You and me, one last contest.......honor, and submission on the line. No tricks, no deceit, the strength of our backs the only factor."

His face was hard, the armor only covering him up to his waist. As to his promise he would not see himself unfairly defended. This was a true contest between Giants. Let the best monster win.

As he had struck the cage it would fade from existence. The bijuu standing infront of him, Taios would wait for the beast to accept his challenge, and then....it could begin.

The bijuu within smiled as it felt it's malice and spite rubbing against the very nature of Taios. The Yonbi had always been pure rage and hatred when it was sealed with the boy. it was a great slight for the village of Funkagakure to seal him in such a pitiful excuse of flesh. However it had somehow turned into a blessing, the boy was able to be molded and born anew to the ways and methods of the Yonbi. All it took was a fated meeting with someone of pure evil, someone that could completely crush the boys soul and will, and that person had come in the form of Shouten. He had been so thorough in the complete systematic destruction of the boys ideals and beliefs that it had almost killed the host. That was sadly something he couldn't let happen, he wanted full control of the host body, allowing him to be free without constraint and use his power fully to destroy and crush everything around him. So he protected the boys body slightly from the harshness of abuse it had taken on Shoutens account.

After that day the boy saw the world for what it truly was and the cage holding the beast eroded slightly. the boy awoken reborn in fire and pure rage, just as the beast had wanted. For in pure rage his control was the weakest, it allowed the beast the power of suggestion, tempting the child to see just how deep his rage really went and how far he was willing to take it. With every test the boy passed and every tail he awakened, the cage eroded. Every passing day the beast would grow stronger as the boys rage for revenge and lust for a good fight climbed higher peaks. With that Sargatanas fed and fueled the boys rage more turning his eyes away from the broken chains on the cage and pointed the boys attention towards finding greater challenges and unlocking more of his power.

On this particular day inside the boys mind the bijuu formed the last parts of his plan he would need to fully take over Taios's mind and fully control the boys body as his own. The final chains were melting as he pushed the boys rage to its peak and smile formed on the beasts face. Today would be th-. Why was the boy entering his domain once more, the yonbi could feel the heat emanating off of his hosts body and the rage driving him towards the cage. Had he pushed him too far during the last meeting maybe allowing him to understand that the beast was driving him to pure rage for reasons he didn't know? It seemed that was the case as the boy spoke and cut away the last chain that bound the bijuu to this spot. With the issuing of a challenge the Yonbi cackled a brief laugh while his own body glowed a bright orangish red as the lava boiled and popped on his frame. Stepping forward his own molten sword in hand carving into the ground beneath him as he stepped to meet Taois who was the same height as he in this realm.

"So, you wish to fight for dominance one last time for the rights to the kingdom? YOU FUCKING PITIFUL PILE OF SHIT, DO YOU REALLY THINK YOU EVER TRULY REALLY CONTROLLED ME?!?! A WEAKLING LIKE YOU HOLDING MY POWER AT BAY ON YOUR OWN?! EVERYTHING TILL NOW HAS BEEN DONE ON MY TIME AND BY MY MEANS!"

His glow now pushing forth heat to the extent of burning everything directly around and behind him to a crisp as his rage hit higher levels.

"I've let you train this body, and unlock my powers to blind you to my own will manifesting in you so that I may be free. Your rage, anger, and hate pale drastically in comparison to what I am."

His head now flaming with a blue flame around his neck growing in height and intensity as he spoke till the very armor around him cracked more and leaked boiling lava.

"I accept your challenge, and just so you know, when we are done here and I stand on your body. I will make sure to lock you away in a cage of your own design and rage and see how true to it you are when it's you being prodded and drained of his power."

As he finished his last words the sword in his left hand would rise upfront to his face where it would stay as the bijuu tilted it's head towards Taios. With a speed and mobility unknown or detectable to his size he would step forward on his right leg into a lunge thrust with sword fully extended to close the three meter gap of distance between them which was nothing of giants their size. if connected it would pierce the heart of the male in front of him slumping the body onto the sword. To keen eyes this would be a fencers opening thrust combat style.

As the demons flesh grew like a growing wild fire Taios could feel his own being begin to tremble. The rage he superseded so often, focused away into the hunt or into deeper levels of meditation were no longer necessary here. For the first time in so long, for the first time ever, the trembling didn't recede to be controlled, it flowed forth. Each muscel on his body becoming more evident, perspiration pressed forth from the glands covering his body, as if they attempted to cool the fires of his rage, only to steam away in the attempts.

Eyes became wild, raw and hungry. This wasn't some combat of skill, this was death incarnate set in one singular battle. Live, die, nothing mattered byt the war between these two titans. Taios would have it no other way. It felt.....right. So there they stood, a collasus of chakra burning with the hatred of a thousand, and a man molded from the brimstone of hell by a devil. The inner world barely could contain the heat. As not only the Yonbi, but Taios' own heat began to spread.

The lung with the blade aimed for his heart cause a quick motion. The obvious answer was to reply with a weapon stroke of his own, yet Taios couldn't bring himself to perform such an action. As the sword nearly made contact, inches from his flesh, he leaned slightly letting the tip slice through the superficial portions of his out layer of skin. The smile and wild look in his eyes became more pronounced. The blood barely had time to seep as the burning blade would no doubt burn his flesh, yet all Taios felt was ever more rage, that thing that gave him existence.

His arm that held the Bloody Moon snapped down, pinning the blade to his side as his leaned forward into the lunge the hilt of the monsters sword nearly making it to his torso. As he did this his knees would slightly bend and his right arm would hook down and up. Catching the monster in groin with the bend. Taios' own skull would crack into the beasts head to attempt to disorient. Even as it did Taios could feel the blood seap down his forehead only lending him greater strength.

Pushing off with his knees, and twisting to his left he would have perfect leverage to thrown the giant. The hook under the groin, and using the captured blade as a fulcrum, he would see to up heave the monster and send him crashing to the ground. More akin to a street fighting wrestling move than something a master of martial arts would teach.

Should the throw work, he would bring his right hand to grab the staff of the Blood moon swinging across his body and down to set the pendulum blade deep in the beasts chest as it lay disoriented on the ground.

It would assume that the boy had forgotten that the bijuu was a blademaster of the highest caliber being versed in every weapon and and fighting style. It was something he prided himself on ver the other cloned bijuu in the realm. These were tactics he had also passed down to Taios as well that the male had taken and made his own to a certain degree. He was still thinking too little ahead which allowed  Sargatanas the upper hand in this trade off.

Taios deemed it unnecessary to draw his weapon yet, a point that drew more rage from the beast. He would make the boy pay for such a slight. To anyone that fenced the knew that the first strike while also a final strike was also a advantageous lunge allowing one to stop on a moments notice and redirect a quick second thrust. This is exactly what he did, with blade extended still his body halted it's forward movement just as his rivals body crouched. Twisting the hilt of the sword in his had he pointed the sword downward in a second thrust to cut off forward movement. It was aimed to hit into the ground with the sharp end facing towards Taios, if he continued moving forward he would run the risk of slicing through his own shoulder.

To ensure this strike was potent in every way the Bijuu's body would now be closer to his weapns base allowing him to lift it back up with both hands tearing upwards through the males body all together in one strike cutting him in half. The boy had forgotten just how deadly the Bijuu was with a blade and had now payed the price.

The demon seemed to have made a small miscalculation. As he began to bring up the sword, Taios lifted his elbow and in one fluid motion pushed the pendulum blade directly into the beasts neck. He did this when he noticed the twist, and realized his own initial move would probably end badly. He he choose this spot because if he ducked or moved to the side it was unlikely for him to dodge due to the size and closeness Taios had already achieved.

His follow through would be to the right, pushing me the blade in that direction. This would allow the blade to slide off, and with his raised elbow to dodge the upward stroke and avoid what could have been a large blunder. Following this momentum he would take several steps to the side clearing the space, and allowing the two to once again be just a stride or two apart. He doubted his blow killed, or did little more than cause at least a moderate injury.

Instead he merely attempted to reset the duel for another pass. Almost like the ancient game of jousting: the first round was over, it was time to go again. This time he would hold the staff with both hands equally spaced. One higher and one lower with the staff drawn vertically across his chest as a point of defense, and ease of mobility to counter strike.

Sargantas watched as if this was in slow motion deeming that this hit would indeed end the fight. He would carve through the boys body in one swing and claim his new place as the leader of this body and mind once and for all. However that was destined to not be how this would play out which only fueled his rae further and caused his skin to heat up as the pendulum blade was pushed upwards.

The Bijuu was already committed to his attack with both hands on the hilt of his weapon so any fancy counter would be impossible as well due to the closeness of their bodies. Allowing his left hand to leave the weapons grasp it would rise still just in time to barely push on the blade moving it's trajectory from a direct hit in his own neck to only a slight graze sending sparks flying off of the blade and his skin collectively. This also allowed the monster time to step back twice in an attempt to stop any extra attacks. However they didn't come and instead Taios had backed away as well resetting the match to simply them standing again.

Turning again once more to face the male head on the Bijuu would take a Kendo stance leveling the blade directly in front of him grasping it even spaced with both hands on the hilt with one slightly further up the haft. He would wait for the next attack as he preferred to use this stance to more repel than attack. However to keep the adreneline running he would edge in ever so slowly closing the distance between them till weapons were practically touching.

As the demon edged closer, Taios would make his move. Spinning on his heels he would launch the pendulum blade into the sword of the monster that had so long plagued his mind. The blade would twist so the entire width would strike against the sword. It's positioning making it almost impossible to dodge, as the blade would be up and down, it's length cutting off raising or lowering the sword to dodge. It would strike it from his right, pushing the bijuu' sword wide to its left.

As his blade would attempt to knock away the sword, Taios would use this momentum to thrust himself forward pushing directly into the chest of the bijuu, attempting to knock him out of any semblance of a guard. Should this work as the demon was pushed back he would bring the butt of the staff around to whip into the side of the demons head. Should this work, he would once again take a step back resetting the fight.

Holding the blade as he had before except this time the blade rested against the ground, and the butt of the staff in the air vertical across his body.

Whilst Taios swung his blade inwards to knock away the blade of the raging inferno which was the cloned demon it would attempt to make it's move as well do to the relative closeness they were in and the distance between their bodies and the swords. Once he noted the shift in positioning of the feet Sargantas stepped off of it's lead foot once more with sword in both hands. While the male counter part had a wind up phase before his strike the bijuu did not. Extending it's arms from the relaxed position of holding the blade to their full reach the distance of simply moving forward should outplay the side attack.

His aim was to maim the males left arm by digging the blade into shoulder just a little over the armpit and slightly under the collar bone with the tip of his blade digging into flesh. If this was not the case the weapons would clash bringing both bodies closer together as they attempted to over power each other in a show of strength and martial prowess.

As the sword came straight for his left shoulder, Taios made a split second decision. Not changing the trajectory of his blade, he would lean forward speeding up the demons attack. The searing pain would enter his should, yet it's point would only hit meat. No tendons were damaged, even though a numb feeling had extended to his finger tips. As the blade entered however, the pendulum blade would now be free to continue uninhibited. The shaft would make contact with Sargatana's neck, his full strength behind it. The blow to the neck should, by taios' thoughts, cause a decent anoint of damage.

As the shaft met the demons neck, Taios' own right foot would come up. His knee bent and reaching to his chest to push out against the demon. Attempting to cause the blade to retract as it had come in. Taios would also lean back with his full weight and pull with all the strength in his right arm. His left slightly weakened by the exchange. If this happened, the shaft of the polearm would run across the adveseries neck, only to have the blade seek to separate the demons head from its shoulders.

All this would happen in a matter of milliseconds. The exchange and martial prowes of both beings on full display. Already their skills seemed equals, two being of rage and power clashing against one another as an ocean hits the rock. No matter the outcome, Taios couldn't help but enjoy himself. The pain, how it revitalized his fighting between spirit. The demon, had gained his respect.