#rykashi

 A small fluttering pixie arrived before some familiar docks with a Crimson Vessel parked she spotted the familiar leather boots and aether that seemed to be rather faded. Drawing closer in she’d begin spinning attempting to get the attention of the Captain who was hacking up blood at the seas from a curse starting to take effect. He’d rinse his face his tail twitching keenly to the sudden chirping pitch. “Flicker? What ye doing here?” He’d shrug off any symptoms despite the sweat and his aether telling otherwise the fairy was more keen than though. “Are you okay? Captain?!” All he could do was address with a deceitful smile. “Aye! Now what brings ye. I see concern. Did you want me to stuff ye in a bird cage again?” Teasing before his expression would change. “It’s terrible, Master.., no your Father is going to get himself killed he’s in a battle with the Swordsman from his past a former disciple!” Noticing her carrying an aetheryte shard. “I thought it was a dream after I woke up with that scroll, I hardly remember anything. Yer telling me that asshole really did slice my back up? I woke from no injuries or collection I swore it was authentically real and suspicious. I thought my fortunate luck seemed to grace me with my discovery over the location of the box. Well, give me that shard. No one gets to kick my ole man’s ass but me! It took me about thirty years to find his identity out, he’s not bailing out unless I’m his demise. He owes me that!” He’d crack his knuckles and grab the aetheryte chunk and start running to his ship to prepare for an appearance. Though at this rate could he make it?

Meanwhile the battle still remained the rain storm had been lifted. His Truesight revealing a glowing glare over his amber hues as Hoku sized up Rykashi who bounced back up on the edge. He saw ferocity being met equally. He’d pull out another blade that looked ordinary to test the waters of this new surge of energy that was coming out of Hoku. Truesight kicked in as a sudden flash was seen and he slid across Rykashi’s blade as it begun stretching itself out almost endlessly it started to bend and coil. Hoku bravely stood on the blade and balanced himself before leaping in a back flip. He’d grab a Kunai that was buried earlier into Rykashi’s shoulder that he neglected to pull out and spun around as the spiraling blade came in. Rykashi avoided getting hit by his own weapon by tilting his head. Hoku went prone and then rolled to the sides. Before kipping back up with nimbleness and then dashing back he’d fling the Kunai and precisely get a directive hit on Rykashi’s fingers causing him to stagger from the sudden pain. He’d relentlessly roll back in and trip up his student sending him teetering down. Rykashi sent his weapon into the soils like a pole and leapt off it. Drawing another. Hoku once again used the benefits of his Truesight as it glowed again. He’d drop down a smoke screen scroll unrevealed it and delving himself in a thick blanket.

Rykashi’s next blade released a barrage of earth stalactites that pierced the ground all over against the clouds. Hoku used his opportunity of invisibility to summon a decoy shadow within the mist that would be hit. While he recovered his own weaponry and plucked it up from behind. Soon as Rykashi vaporized the clouds with his volley and thought he landed the smoke cleared and a powerful heat came forward towards him. Rykashi would counter this by using his own blade and shoving it within the soils and creating a barrier as he manipulated the earth more frequently. Then released the projectiles back after the heat couldn’t burn through solid stones. Hoku started deflecting them against Rykashi as they had a ping pong battle until they both sliced through all the rubble. Hoku eyes begun feeling the effects over the exhaustion of seeing precognition having to shake off blur because permanent blindness could occur after to many usages.  The samurai knowing the battlefield well would pull out another blade that released a geyser of water that was boiling hot coming towards Hoku and during that process be sneakily leading towards his extension blade that could stretch again which he picked up with his tail. Hoku eyes glowed again using it to find the easiest scenario to dodge the flood coming his way as he made a clone in midair and kicked off it to dash towards but Rykashi was steadily prepared and landed a direct hit with his snaked weapon that bend and took Hoku’s magitek arm clean off causing him to bleed and land down with a soft thud. Rykashi showed joy for a single glee until that magitek arm even though it was dis-attached, Hoku brought out a switch and used it which caused the entire arm to explode on the blade and send a shock-wave to both them nearly knocking them off. Rykashi stunned would try to build a barrier in time but his secondary weapon breaking and he’d be engulfed in the explosion with a devastating trail of smoke surveying the entire war zone. Hoku’s Truesight sensed a flux of aether still his Student was around it was dimly low before in a single flash he felt a coldness pierce through him. Rykashi teleported behind and stabbed his Master square in the gut in a back-stab his entire eyesight shutting down and eyes closing after gurgling off a collapsed lung and blood running down his chin. Rykashi pulled back a prismatic sword and didn’t used it’s effect, It’s steel reflected against Hoku’s disbelief and visage. Rykashi entire uniform was in tatters he should have injuries but right before the explosion he’d unscabbard a sword that only had one time effect that would restore his aether entirely. So as he was burned in critical injuries his flesh torn off all his tissue would be restore if he wasn’t quick the effect wouldn’t have saved him or given him it. After that he simply Breaker Step (Shukuchi) to obtain the decisive blow. Hoku spoke very lowly, “Very good...” He’d expunge before plummeting forward. Paying his lasting praise. He knew that last blow would be taken by his heart. Rykashi mercilessly stared as one trained from an assassin would. He pulled the weapon back from Hoku’s sternum and lined up the last piercing strike. Before Hoku’s eyes briefly opened noticing a familiar aether suddenly appear and a loud racketed gun shot heard firing off a spray of three rounds coming from behind his executioner. He collapsed before the bullets were sent overhead.

 A loud deafening shot was heard echoing throughout the area, “Sorry, I’m late. Couldn’t help notice ye looked desperate for some back relief. So, I said screw it and gave you an eye for an eye from scratching my back all those passing Sun’s ago.” from overhead that brought a sudden cold as it penetrated through the injury that was rejuvenated previously of Rykashi’s in his shoulder causing him to drop a katana and have difficulty carrying anymore on that side of his arm another shot quickly unreleased from the chamber as it hit directly in the same spot again. Following the same accompanied voice, the pirate passed off a gleaming smirk of radiant confidence. “Besides, ye ticked me off, if anyone gets to beat around the old man it’s going to be the one he bastardized.”

Steam sizzling off the muzzle of the flintlock. He’d notice the Samurai pausing but still held grip on a shimmering sword, Kuro prepared to reload for another fire and sent it forward but he didn’t even see Rykashi turn to notice his bullet had been slit in-half and his entire firearm had also been sliced.

This caused Kuro to back-step and drop his weaponry and open widely.

“Why do I never run into anyone normal?” The pirate exhaled and drew his own hingan crafted katana’s trained by Silvana his mentor and given by his Captain Gark.

He sized up as Rykashi turned to face him, “This had nothing to do with you... Now for interfering, I’ll have to take you out too. There is nothing that I cannot cut.”

Clearing being a rebellious prick Kuro would shrug his shoulders. “Mate, I don’t know what ye do in the Far East but on the Seas, we just get to killing each-other by now, especially after shooting. So I’m b’ skipping this whole monologue thing. As for your whole ‘Grrr, I’m a Samurai’ code thing, I could care less. Ye overstepped on my rightful claim.”

He’d stand firmly still and bluntly his eye watching carefully his instincts attempt to monitor.

Rykashi passed a feint curve of his lips intrigued before having to make demonstration as the movement of the wind started slicing forward. The Kuro was sliced in half standing before Rykashi before learning it was a clone the entire time that was set up in preparation

While the real Kuro would rappel from cliff-side upwards and behind Rykashi in a split second using his grappling hook he often keeps in his leather satchel.

His sword coming in only to be blocked by the skilled Samurai the measure in their aether between them was unreal and this was an already weakened Rykashi. Deflecting and push Kuro back as they fought close. Kuro would be tripped up and begin falling down. Rykashi’s blade came forward, but Kuro would use his unorthodox fighting style to use his boots to barely hold the blunt of the blade at bay and attempt to disarm Rykashi. Though was having difficulty.

He’d pop open the bottom of his hilt that held a special department where a chain was stored in Kuro’s blades and swing it around Rykashi’s throat attempting to strangulate him back causing him to have to divert and pull back.

Kuro stood back up and drew his hands in his pockets and release a bundle of sand into the face of Rykashi causing his sight to go wary. Rykashi would play this off as it landing but he closed his eyes before the sand could even obscure him.

Thinking he had the advantage over the swordsman. He’d attempt to use the chains that still hung wrapped around Rykashi’s throat by pulling him inward and then would go to get a decisive strike. Only for those very chains to be entirely broken as Rykashi slashed forward with his prismatic blade once again and came forward slashing against Kuro causing him to fall backwards.

His pirate’s hat falling down with him his head landing on-top it and shattering of glass was heard in the secret layer under a fold in his hat. Breaking one of his options.

Gasping loudly as only the force alone of it was catastrophic he’d stand back up his vestments embodied steel and armor broken. He’d pull the remainder of it’s tatters off him and stand back in realization. He’d pry off his eye-patch and let forth his own Truesight that he shared with his old man except on a lesser extent since he chose to keep one of his own eyes available to see people and the womanly treasures of Eorzea he often said plus being a Captain would be hard by being solely blind.

Drawing forward his katana again and getting an amp up. “I always preferred fighting without constrictions.” He’d ghost step forward shuttering his optical lens and holding in concentration to appear before Rykashi. He’d start stance swapping using one sword to parry and block while the other continuously lunged forward offensively.

Rykashi deflected every attack forward though and whatever his blade was made of and the aether being channeled into it was causing Kuro’s own katana to slowly chip and crack from the pressure. Kuro noticing this would back off and throw each katana on opposite hands and then switch again his stance and start stealing off the noble fighting style an act in a fencing style. One arm behind your back as you held your posture sternly and searched for exploits more defensively.

Kuro’s tail rummaging back in his satchel attempting to find some grenades or something to use against Rykashi this close and personal but only finding a fish since he hurried to get here a lot of his arsenal was missing. He’d throw it at Rykashi’s face leaving him somewhat stunned at the whiplash.

Which brought in an aggression that caused him to break off Kuro’s katana turning it into a broken hilt and started getting some cuts against him. Kuro’s amber hue flashed to get out of the pinned corners. He only had one ballsy attempt to do. He’d use his Truesight to catch the upcoming sword strike of Rykashi’s and latch on with his bare hand cutting his palm harshly and clinging to it. With a growling snarl.

Kuro’s used his last remaining blade to slice into the same shoulder as previously and slash down cleanly against Rykashi’s muscular but nimble frame.

Before Kuro could celebrate though, Rykashi was the one even though he was hit and spewing his sanguine in droplets he’d be panting since the injury wasn’t too deep. Would begin showing an expression that the battle was over.

Kuro didn’t know that touching any of Rykashi’s blades often had an effect and this one in particular was death to the touch. Kuro engulfed in a volatile source of harmful energy being a foul signature released. Causing him to scream out in agony before dropping down. His remaining sword dropping down as he collapsed. Rykashi watching would break Kuro’s other remaining sword to send a message. That there isn’t a single blade out there that is superior to his.

Flicker watching would cry in helplessness before Rykashi paused something was happening in the air. As Kuro went silent he’d begin stirring against trembling weakly on his knee. Rykashi’s mouth opened amazed and agape, “You really have stolen Death’s luck. Though the sword’s curse didn’t work... I sped up the process for your own self-destruction. You Solaire’s have fought well... But your swords cannot break the one that I am. I’ll let your Ferryman take you now.”

“If you could come with me until this all went to hell... Then let me explain how it begun and where I fell.”  - Unknown

Many Summers Ago

(Narration)  A youngsters laugh heard ringing throughout a blank meadow as autumn leaves begun to slip from trees in nestling. The child was pep talking himself, “HIYAH! Take that!” As he used a wooden kendo stick to slice against a descending leaf. In the lands of the samurai and the ninja conflict brewed as the tyrannical Garlean Empire begun it’s ascension within this past scroll of time. So youth -- hope. At this time strove for resistance despite the overwhelmingly march treading upon them, they would soon learn that only crossing the seas would bring them salvation. As blossoms reigned down undertone a light-footed step as ever deft begun walking the same trail as the youth pausing noticing his posture was off. His voice was quiet but strong from the sternum. “Arch your back young one. Focus only on the rushing of winds. Feel your targets draw into your aura then unleash. Still the task seemed to be too difficult for the boy as he fumbled around and lost balancing the stranger swordsman capturing him before collapsing on his rear. Extending outward a calloused and battered up hand sought to aid the child in being uplifted to further give demonstrations. The wanderer, “Why is it you seek the sword?” Asking quizzically. The boy answered. “To slice through impossible odds! I want to defend my village, from the Empire! I’m not stopping until I’m the strongest, I can be! I’ll become great, because people who are know how to protect what is dear to them!” It was with this kid that it sparked a purpose for the elder roamer. He held little after being exiled to value. He held a blade but at no ambition, he slaughtered those worthy of quick pocket change for what reason? There was nothing that gave him a sense of gratification. The funny thing about the young is that they often exude more passion, as you see they have so much they wish to do when sprung to life’s wake. In troubling circumstances... The morality of a innocent kid held more meaning than most who gave war-shouts. Cause when age springs forward one begins to lose themselves and their goals that drove them to the pinnacle they stood upon. “Your voice booms with the light to shake the unshakable. I shall offer you a deal, yes? I will train you in this.” He’d pull off his sash and reveal his scabbard Uchigatana as reference. “Though we will learn together and learn to refrain from using it for malice for ourselves in personal desires or others corrupted with over-floated thoughts to possess all. For now, you must grow and we’ll turn your weapon into hardened steel. As currently neither you, or I. Or any can hold against the hell storm... But one day. A resistance will be called and we will provide our shared aid.” Bending downwards play on a kneel in an eastern way and holding out a red string. “You’ve my promise as this.” He’d knot both of their index fingers with the same string a thread of vow. Before cutting it down the middle with a casual mantra that manipulated the wind. Skeptical at first of an adult’s word but a child that saw someone of such presence easily idolized not to mention it furthered their goals to drive onward. He smiled shaking his head.... As time lapsed forward he was trained how to become a boulder that could skip over the ponds like a pebble. He became swifter than a coeurl. More deadly than the poison of the morbol’s breath. Brutally and relentlessly stressed to the test the child grew into becoming the shape of a swordsman that he saw because of the tutor, that was woven on this pact. Holding himself firmly with the same grasped blade... No a couple of them all strapped against him. He had mastered the blade or so thought.

The Present

But his Mentor could have never thought his pupil would become his very advisory or surpassing him. His amber eyes looked onward darted across. At the grown Rykashi of all those ages in the present. Trailing with his new visioned thoughts no longer was it to be great for he had claim over it. No longer was it to liberate Doma, for the Resistance held it covered. His life turned and instead turned to the way of the Samurai. One held by code and under it. A clear defeat to a Sensei was how in the way of the sword you graduate. “I helped your son, Master, he holds but the scroll to chart forward to his worldly devices be it survival or destruction. But now I wish to collect, in a battle... We will see who shall meet final rest. I must meet your real sword you’ve but bolstered about awhile back ago when we stood against another. You said no matter how many swords I acquired or harness that I’d never be a Master Swordsman? Despite my accolades or achievements, It was disrespectful to me and I wish to have your words cut from revealing true shame that you can’t accept me or that I have surpassed you.” - Rykashi Standing still in place each of them placing a hand on the hilt of their weaponry. Each of them holding a glower not out of aggression or anger but because respect for another it was apparent to hold seriousness when fighting another admirably in thoughts.

-To be continued - Part 1

(Epilogue)

Strung index-digits on opposite figures holding a single knotted red string this symbolized a bond that was conducted as vow, an old pact between a Mentor and his Protégé begun fighting against each-other in louder, harder clashes, the seriousness picked up. Rykashi release of his scabbard blade spilled terrifying winds all throughout the atmosphere drawing in clouds from above their fighting grounds. The opposing assassin held his footing and concentrated his chi before building up a one handed mantra to perform <Huton> Which allowed him the ability to flow against the gust. Drawing his own blade at the last moment that sizzled in pure flames as he once again made a chakra enchantingly coat his weaponry <Imbuement>. The breeze coming in behind picked up the particles of the sudden flares and even though Rykashi dodged from getting cleaved the embers still smoldered against his scarf causing him to discard it.

Rykashi used his previous planted swords path in the ground and kicked one of them towards Hoku and used his slash to combine it increasing the velocity to be comparable to a firearm shoot off. Hoku handicapping himself by wearing a plated blindfold often gave him an advantage on hearing. He’d stand there in the last minute his own blade in one hand. Before leaping with his own light-step onto the blunt of Rykashi’s hilt and yanking out a kunai underneath his appendages before kicking off and using that momentum.

He knew Rykashi would block it with his own blade again he’d do some hand signs against his torso. As the Kunai was on the break of Rykashi preparing to counter. He’d replacement jitsu his flaming blade instead as the winds caught towards him the flamings began engulfing Rykashi’s eastern bright crimson togi with several Hingan silky designs. Hoku landed back believing it was over turning to hear another blade open up from it’s sheath before a sudden overwhelming downpour of rain started taking the fill of the area sizzling him out while having Rykashi lose more layers. The veteran was getting an advantage but Rykashi growled lowly as his second release sword came out that if someone was hit with it the devastation would drown his opponent it seemed to be melded from Azulona. Hoku picked up the blade that was kicked at him earlier upon grabbing the hilt an Imp summoned but wasting no reaction time he sliced it in half in a single instinct as the stench was felt. The blade was heavier to hold then a typical one which clearly meant only the original user was supposed to harness these, though it’d have to do for now. Calming himself down before applying pressure of his own wind towards the hilt he’d break the distance between Rykashi in a split feat of speed begun battling it out versus a two sword style to the one. As Rykashi was on the ropes from his stronger and experienced Master his everlong feline furry tail removed from waist-side and grabbed the hilt of his other blade within the etched grounds getting a slash against the torso against Hoku cleanly. Though Hoku staggered he’d hit the front side of Rykashi’s wrist causing him to lose his wind katana and then kicking it off the mountain terrain they were fighting on. Then back-stepped and weaving a breathe as the intensity between them was raised. Both them looking over their injuries before resizing each other. Rykashi started grinning wickedly before dropping down his rain released sword and brought out one that instantly sent a lightning bolt that Hoku barely dodged dropping in evasion caused him to leave a sandal behind. Hoku begun reforming another incantation equally as fast before the second blade of Rykashi was drawn as a sizable force of Clones came from Hoku though they halved his aether and depleted for each one the extra numbers begun chunking kunai from all sides relentlessly. While the main one dashed behind Rykashi. Rykashi responded by dispatching all the kunai’s that were flung and having lightning bolts randomly hitting a few clones while also using his tail that held a blade in deflection and started taking them out. But Hoku placed a hand firmly on Rykashi’s shoulder mysteriously before hopping back. Hoku put <True Point> On Rykashi an assassin move that put a hit marker brand on an advisory causing all the kunai previously from launching elsewhere to start spinning upward and aim for that spot above his shoulder blade. Hoku dispatched his Clones while recovering his breathe for a moment. As Rykashi was hit three times jagged deep into his mark causing him to howl in pain and stagger before blinding lunging his sword towards Hoku with lightning through a fit of rage. In order to counter he started running circles around to avoid the strikes attempting to listen for them. As one of them about hit Hoku he’d bend down touching the soils of the ground while holding a scroll causing a dome to draw around him in protection. Quickly before Rykashi recovered, Hoku would take a scroll and put it on the hilt of another Kunai and then begin channeling it with some drawn lightning aspected aether. Rykashi using the lightning katana himself in his main hand flung a strike forward that with the rain combined on this made-shift earthly shield was crumbled and weakened though the katana shot out of a hole it made in projectile to capture his own lightning and causing it to erupt for an overloaded charge since it was steel it was more prone to magnetize. The only thing Rykashi could do was ditch the blade and the rain storm and jump over cliff-side sliding down to get away from the immense spark-bomb that destroyed the other blades of the Samurai. He was down to five swords remaining. Not a weapon though in the arsenal of the Samurai could prepare him for what Hoku was planning to reveal. Hoku ducked lower to avoid the lightning before getting out of his confines. The rain ceasing. It had become apparent that this needed to end now. His calloused hand came to his face-plate before dropping the blindfold coveting in covering his eyesight a surge of aether drew outward that was constricted internally from within. A technique that withheld the access of sight temporarily to draw in concentrated aether into one point... These selected points was the eyes. Which when released brought upon a vision simply known as Truesight at the cost of being depleted of one’s natural prime aether reservoirs. The assassin saw the world for what it was from every detail he felt the disturbances and fluxes of aether surrounding the entire global area while also obtaining some other handy skills as precognition too that could be used a few times. His amber eyes were finally released. Rykashi climbed back up to the fighting arena noticing the change in volumes that Hoku emitted, he couldn’t be more in contentment to be taken seriously by his former Master.

 Distinctive back and forth blades crossed whip-lashing against one another sharpening from the edges of two Hingan crafted katana’s and a single tanto blade being used. The figures behind them both immensely started light stepping across the battlefield in dodges with absolute mastery of finesse attempting to best the other. In the art of clashing blades there was no words that needed to be shared emotions were driven instinctive. In battle one learned their opponent for their mannerisms. This was simply a pupil and a mentor deciding who was superior in their ideologies. Was steel meant to protect beginnings? Or was steel meant to bring upon forced ends. As you see the student became the type who first believed in protecting and the mentor was the one who believed in being the end. Now they seemed to have swapped their initial principles because of the cruelty no doubtfully shown to the child who wished to martyr a rebellion against a Empire all but known.~ No matter how skillfully he became at holding blades and starting taking on more still he could not cut a legion by oneself. Or so believed not once, did Rykashi grasped the wisdom of the ultimate forged blade that could penetrate through any, he simply referred to it vaguely as... ‘Hope’ This was but perceived rambling lectures. He was consumed in only acquiring the ability to slice through all obstacles. Achieving this thought would solidify him within thoughts to others that he was a Swordsman to be feared one that made Empires quake. For the wandering swordsman who would later become an assassin to dish out in executions instead, to oppose that same threat gradually from shadows. He used the connection of death dealing for a morally finer reason without holding fame in thoughts. Then surviving or lingering for a purpose after he did in his own foolish youth after being stripped and exiled from his branch of Tribe as a Nunh he wandered with his own aggressively dominant personality that just took and abused others using people as nothing but a collective means. It wasn’t until training with a blade in Doma did he begin to become sharpened from the forge to a broken hilt to his very own curved dirk. Both them clashing against one another but would back-step after they landed successful hits Hoku sliced the draped over black scarf that Rykashi always held even as a child he wore them to remind him of his own lovingly family that was until at-least where his own personal problem started as his own parents sacrificed themselves in order for him to retreat for survival from the home-lands of Doma, perhaps? That was the catalyst to him in seeking retribution. Though his knitted scarf was taken out his lips however showed a sign of a message being met evenly. Hoku didn’t even notice several tufts of hair from his jet black and mixed grey aged strands both carrying to the wind. This was just an omen of their real battle. Rykashi placed down his two currently used blades into the soils of the sands in the peninsula they were fighting in. Placing a hand on one of the other eight scabbards to choose from his actual collection. Grabbing and sliding out one of them from it’s casing and releasing a devastation of winds against them that begun cutting against everything in the proximity violently. Which slit against Hoku’s uniform in damages which he didn’t avoid remaining calm his own chakra switched with a muffle of his breath he held control and in attune. The old accompanying Seekers companion was wailing up on a tree during this encounter trying to speak through her contracted master telepathically but he remained silent and stubborn she knew he was going to perish she felt it... She saw it with the gap of their own pressure and aether which one held more overwhelming energy. For one this pixie decided to do something else and rebel like she learned to do from observing the Solaire family. She puffed up her tiny plump cheeks and hurdled a small aetheryte shard more related to a chunk over her own head and begun going to find the one person she could rely on with help. To ensure her Master came out alive and wasn’t lost like he was during the Sea Lurkers where she held no inkling idea of his whereabouts and only later learned he was brainwashed and stuck to fight against his Son, delayed even then from their reunion and having panic and gruesome sights to see. Her wings fluttering with determination despite being slowed down with her tiny frame and the obstacle at hand. -To be continued - Part 2 (The Battle) (Story thus far) Hoku Past Build up between the characters that led to the battle Part 1 - Highlighting the past and the changes compared to part 2

Apology for the late reply, but here’s a link

How to locate the artist

It looks hella long to read, but this is the least anyone should do in respect for people who not only worked hours on each and every single art pieces they post, but how that piece is the accumulation of possibly many years of constantly drawing, self-depreciating critiquing our own work until achieving an acceptable level. And even then, we still struggle to improve.

And I would also like to remind that it would truly be appreciated that you either Delete all the reposts OR Edit the original for it to include proper sourcing and credit to the original artist. 

Although, please delete all cropped and modified posts that uses another person’s artwork. Not only does it makes it difficult to find the original and sometimes nearly impossible to actually find the original artist, but also very hurtful and disrespectful.

Another few links concerning the subject :

How does it affect an artist What truly helps an artist and a last one