Daily training with the Fiends was grueling work, but it was a rewarding struggle. Though he had been accepted by the Fiends with the Red Welcome, he had yet to face any of them in combat prior to the beginning of the training.
What they achieved was akin to forging bonds through adversity.
It wasn't precisely that, but it followed the same logic. Each Fiend fought like they were fighting to the death, and Kieran reciprocated that sentiment, largely embodying the Way of the Fiend.
His faith in the Flame couldn't be compared to the supreme trust of the Fiends, but because he had begun to understand the meaning of Manic Integration, it grew easier to mimic or, at times, assimilate their behaviors as his own.
All of the followers carried the Mark of the Maddened, which Kieran still questioned. How could they bear the Mark that belonged to Argexes? Unless… was Argexes the Flame?
But that didn't seem right.
If Argexes was indeed a Fallen God, shouldn't the Class based on his blood be Divine, Godly, or whatever was opposite of those terms?
For that reason, Kieran doubted the Flame was Argexes.
Perhaps it was something similar to Argexes but of a higher station. But, that begged the question — were there other supposed Monarchs, which Kieran assumed was a mighty Demon or Dark-aligned creature, that could create Fiends?
Was the ability to manipulate blood an innate ability that all Demons carried? More than that, where could Demons be found? In another Boundary?
Kieran was sure other Boundaries existed. He just didn't know how they were ranked in regard to Xenith.
If the opportunity reared its head, Kieran would take the chance to learn more about all of this. The history of Xenith was intriguing to him. It was complex, impossibly long, and had hidden threads that stretched throughout the Boundary.
To uncover those myriad hidden secrets, however, he'd need the help of Hekaina or someone similarly abreast from the Lineage of the Ancient Lineage. They were Xenith's Wardens of Knowledge and Memory.
Kieran remembered it with crystalline clarity — inside the Rune Oasis was a Necropolis where memory went to die, however, it never really stayed dead. It was eventually reborn with the birth of a new Wykin, and they carried on that memory in the core of their Legacy.
However, it was kept dormant and perhaps could only be awakened by a leader of Lineage, like the Enchantress or Heiress. Or, it could be awoken naturally after the newly born Wykin matured and claimed the position of the fallen.
'Everything about Xenith is so… cyclical.'
Kieran looked at the other Fiends on their break and felt it was true. Even this Trial was a cyclical event. It had already happened, but he was experiencing it now, going through the motions of some grand and perhaps forgotten personage.
Though it was difficult, Kieran learned plenty — more than he had learned from Agrianos or Scar, but that was a somewhat disingenuous review.
He had truthfully made most of his progress during introspection and reflection. And, based on the Flame's imperceptible hints, there were crucial reasons that mentors avoided giving direct insights.
They were not looking to make carbon copies of themselves. Instead, they sought to influence superior scions to etch new paths.
As Kieran subtly changed his perspective, he started to grasp the reasons behind Scar's actions.
'He helped mold my skills, but he never tried to shove his personal style on me.'
Kieran rubbed his lip in deep thought.
The more he reviewed Scar's potential motive, the greater his newfound appreciation for the man became. His idle thoughts had become a reality. If there was anyone he looked to as a father figure, it would be Scar.
He reckoned the bloke would come to his aid in a heartbeat if he was in peril. No… Kieran remembered that he still possessed that marking to be used in a crisis.
Slowly, a genuine smile crept on Kieran's face. But because of his sinister visage as a Fiend, it was eerie and disturbing. That smile seemed like death's preamble.
Their break from training wouldn't last much longer. So, Kieran took this chance to consolidate what he had extracted from the Fiends he faced thus far. Their core style was identical, filled with savagery, barbarism, and a desire for carnage, but they all moved differently based on a number of factors — the length and size of their limbs, their choice of weapon, and what action they were responding to.
Many factors went into determining what strike they would use next or how they'd adapt the skillset of a Fiend to fit their unique mold. Over the past six weeks of group training, Kieran had seen several renditions of the skills he unleashed thousands of times.
The principles remained unchanged, but the mediums, executions, and outcomes all varied slightly, and that helped expand his horizons. It allowed Kieran to begin seeing the connection between his skillset and grasp what skills had an affinity and could complement one another.
Most importantly, however, Kieran understood how he would enhance Blood Mania, which was directly related to the Flame's presence.
The Flame was the source of every Fiend's torment. It was their deranged tormentor that left them demented and insane. That manic mental state made their bloodlust seethe, filling them with irrevocable power.
However, that power also consumed them.
If Kieran thought about it… he had a skill that embodied an element of each of those feelings.
At its core, there was Blood Mania, which represented the manic mental state that allowed their bloodlust to be influenced.
Then there was Tormented Beliefs, symbolizing the tamed version of the Flame's torments. Kieran received a significant boost to his fighting power in exchange for suffering.
Abhorrent Paroxysm was another skill that represented a second surge of power following the manic episode.
This was usually where most Fiends succumbed to the torment and welcomed the influx of power, but Kieran remembered a skill that could serve as the basis for his resistance to the Flame.
A built-in defense, if you will.
Torment's Benefits: Dull — this skill temporarily negated some of the suffering and made it bearable.
All this merged to become Kieran's inspiration to recreate the Blood Rune. And it happened far quicker than Kieran could have ever expected… because he subconsciously drew upon the Condemnation of his Realm to fuel the Blood Rune.
The Blood Rune had become tiny compared to the colossal image he remembered.
Its height and width matched Kieran's body inside his Realm, but as Kieran looked closer, he realized the Blood Rune adopted the shape of a man — no, him… no, a Fiend.
It couldn't be called a Blood Rune anymore… it was too complex, defined, and filled with strange intent. So what would he call it?
Like always, Kieran found an apt name for the new creation.
'Ah… this poetic. Wouldn't you say so?'
Kieran spoke to himself and smiled as if he had gone insane, but he didn't. The Flame had entered deeper in his mind when he accepted the Condemnation to forge this Rune, except he longer called it one.
It had become a testament.
A New Testament.
"Testament of A Fiend's Defiance."
After receiving a name, the symbol thrummed, releasing a defiant virulence that carried the same sentiment as his blood.
An equilibrium was reached, and Kieran felt like his blood had finally come under his control.
