#worren

((https://youtu.be/rQVRaHRLB5c <---Scene BGM))

The pain in Worren's head starts to subside.  However, he seems to be in some unfamiliar area. He looks around and is surrounded in total darkness, except the area immediately around him, which is illuminated with a faint light who's source is unknown. "Hmhmhm... well, well, well.  Here we are. It's time, Captain Linh.  Time for one last dance." He easily recognize the voice, and now knows exactly where he is. However, he is especially surprised when the owner of the voice makes itself known by calmly walking from the shadows.  It has the voice of Worren's lifelong adversary, but it looks just like him cloaked in darkness.  A shadowy reflection of himself.  "Surprised?  You shouldn't be.  I've been talking to you this whole time." The figure raises it's right hand and examines it while moving and flexing the fingers.  "I must say, I truly enjoy this form a lot more.  I can see why you've been able to easily best my fighters in the past.  This form is a lot more agile."

Worren grunts out, "Why are you still here?  To further try and torment me?"  The shadowy figure laughs. "Of course!  It's like I told you back in Zan'rak.  No matter who dies, you just need to suffer.  It looks like neither of us are dead, and you are suffering.  It's a win/win if I do say so, myself.  Though, times are changing..." Worren stands stiff, fists balling and eyes narrowing while the shadow continues speaking.  "You see, spending this intimate time with you has opened my eyes to many different things.  I am experiencing new pleasures I've not had in a very long time."  He gets into Worren's boxing stance and throws a few punches.  "I see what you see.  Feel what you feel... almost.  I almost know what it's like to move in this body, to feel with soft skin instead of numb, hard scales.  To move fluidly, and feel the vibrations of someone's bones as they break in my hands.  I want that feeling. That Amalj'aa body was inadequate for this, and I thank you for introducing me to these new feelings.  This is the body I now crave.  You understand, don't you?  After all, you too disliked your old body, and greatly enjoy this."

Worren's eyes widen in realization, then frowns.  "No way.  Not gonna happen.  I'm going to purge you from my mind and get rid of you for good."  The spirit of Arajj Goh laughs again.  "Oh really?  Well, guess what?  You can't!  I am you, and you are me!  We are one in the same.  Listen to your friends.  Some of them have the right idea.  To purge me is to purge yourself, you need me.  Accept me."  His hands come down to his sides and he steps closer to Worren.  "You're tired.  Your mind is tired.  This I know... I've made sure of it.  Allow me to relieve you of your fatigue and let me take over for a while." Worren was indeed tired.  Me was mentally tired of it all.  He was ready to give up and give in.  How long has he worked and been promised peace of mind?  And yet, something always comes up to ruin that moment, bringing him back to the brink of depression.  There have been many times where he'd be fine with just going inert, leaving behind everything and starting over.  Until suddenly, a second light source appears, flowing in nature, coming right to him and surrounding him.  The shadow frowns at this and growls, but remains in place.  "They're trying to interfere.  They always do, and you know how it will turn out.  Temporary relief before the suffering begins again."

"I love you..." These faint words whispered in the wind from the light source that entered Worren and disappeared from view.  They were from Syelira, his soon to be wife and mother of his unborn children.  Worren closes his eyes for a moment, then opens them.  "I know."  He responds to his dark doppleganger.  "I know they interfere.  They do it because they care.  A feeling that you have lost so long ago."  He puts his own fists up now, by his chin.  "If only you knew this feeling, then you'd understand.  But, I am not giving you my body for you to do that."  The figure stands still with a stone faced expression, his eyes intense.  The sides of his jaw bulge a few times, showing him grinding his teeth in thought, before he finally responds.  "So be it."  The shadowy body is then suddenly engulfed in flames, and his fists come back up once more.  "If you will not accept me, then I will just have to take it from you.  Your God has given you significant power, and so has mine.  But, I have also learned your god's gifts from you, and for that I thank you. Now, let's see if you can overcome the power of Rhalgr and Ifrit united as one."  Worren snorts.  "Your avarice is so great that even Ifrit's will cannot temper you.  I will relieve you of this ailment."  The flaming body of Worren's shadow lashes out with a beastly roar.  "ENOUGH!"

And so they fight. And fight and fight.  Stone clashing with fire, sparks and energy light the darkened room.  They are evenly matched, with Worren's decades of fighting skills countering the warchief's overwhelming power.  Time feels distorted here, and it is unknown to either of them how much time is passing, but they just keep on going.  Fatigue and pain mean nothing inside a mine that has lived it for so long, but everything has a limit.  Worren's own aether is beginning to wane, and he slows down.  His stone constructs begin to falter under the warchief's flames, and molten rocks are a result.  Fighting against his own skills on top of the power of two gods is wearing him down, and once more a familiar feeling flows through him.  His will to live, to overcome his obstacles; they get stronger and stronger.  But, with Arajj Goh being a part of him, he also feels this.  His own will to hate and destroy his enemies in totality begin to flow through him as well.  They become locked in a state of purpetual conflict, and Worren's body reacts, slowly drawing in tiny amounts of aether from the area around him in the former Agency's infirmary. This aether sustains the both of them, but this time it's different.  There is a different source of aether that the body absorbs as well, unbeknownst to either combatant.

However, the tide turns when this flow of energy becomes much stronger.  It has a profound effect on Worren's will, and with the more of this energy he recieves, the more he wants it.  The flaming shadow opponent also feels it, but the feeling is foriegn to him.  He does not know what this means, but he too wants more of it.  Outside, it can be seen that this reaction is caused by Worren's body being taken to Gyr Kehim, Worren's favorite meditation place.  An old Fist of Rhalgr monastary relegated to ruins due to the Garlean occupation and misuse, it is rich in aether and the spirits of Fists fallen in battle during the purge and Empirial takeover.  Worren's body reacts with his will and begins to absorb this aether at a very accellerated rate.  His comrades around him protect him from any wayward bhoots and provide him with their own aether for protection and comfort.  This reaction feeds him, and Worren's will to live begins to push back against the warchief's unyeilding hate.  Hate that is, for the first time, starting to deminish.  The conflict in Worren's mind continues as his body begins overflowing with aether.  His chakra points begin to open, one by one, until six points of light glow on his body.  Soon, a seventh point on his head forms, and slowly begins to glow as a light purplish hue hazes around him.  Worren's companions want to help, distraught at this display, but Syelira prevents them from doing so, understanding that this is an ordeal that he alone must overcome.  They've done enough already by just utilizing their aether.

The feeling of hate in Worren's mind begins to ebb away, as well as his need for absolute survival.  Both opponents begin to slow down in their movements.  They start changing as they strike each other, with Worren's form starting to slowly become covered in stone.  This stone skin slowly turns more and more orange with each strike they deal to each other, and eventually it becomes a molten shell with small flames flickering over it.  Worren doesn't even notice this change happening, while the same thing is happening to the figure representing his shadow.  The flames on the warchief begin to shrink as his skin also starts to form a rocky exterior.  And then, the both of them stop fighting altogether, looking like mirror images of each other.  They stare at each other, and Arajj Goh finally speaks.  "I understand now."  His voice is even. "This power we are obtaining... I know you feel it, too.  Look at us.  We are one in the same.  I am you, and you are me.  You are fighting the inevitable."  Worren remains in place and simply nods.  "Is it my will overpowering your hate, or your will overpowering mine?"  They both step into each other until thier chests touch.  Worren's thoughts begin to intermingle with his shadow's.  It's a strange feeling to him, but also a natural one.  In this moment, they both feel something very important.  Acceptance. "I will stop fighting.  I accept your presence, we are one."

The two of them merge into one being.  He stands there in place as his thoughts are now jumbled.  His memories race back and forth with his mind trying to reset itself.  He sees less and less of his own memories, and more of the warchief's.  He fan feel his own former personality starting to slip away as the other starting to take hold.  The ambient light in the dark room starts to dim until there is no light.  In Gyr Kehim, Worren's body is absorbing so much aether without stopping, that his friends begin to worry.  All of his gates are now open and overflowing when suddenly the seventh point on his head bursts into a brilliant display of light.  The energy released is enough to push those around him back.  And then just as fast as it has happened, all of the points close.  There is no more aether being absorbed around him, nor is there any tainted feelings coming from his own.  Inside his mind, the darkness in Worren's mind flashes away quickly, and as that seventh chakra is unlocked by the warchief's own power hidden within Worren this whole time, it fuels Worren's mind to take hold once more.  No longer feeling the hate he once had, Arajj Goh's spirit now also accepts this fate, and for the first time in decades feels something positive.  Relief, and possibly happiness to finally be freed of the hate and anger that has held him for so long as something he only knew.  Worren is now back in control of his mind, as his memories all return in place, intermingled with new ones.  The two are now one whole, and the molten skin on the mental avatar crumbles and melts away, revealing Worren underneath with a smile on his face.  And then, his vision fades as the avatar also fades away.

Pain.  There's a sharp pain in his head as he hears voices in the darkness.  Worren twitches as his muscles feel extremely sore and tight.  His eyes then open up to the sight of Syelira holding him in her arms.  He coughs and looks around bleary eyed, remaining silent to process everything that just happened, even though his comrades bombard him with questions of concern with his well being.  After a moment, he finally smiles and speaks. "Man, I'm so hungry right now..."

“Shortly after the news, tempers flared.  She destroyed my heart with very hurtful truths.  Truths I believed I was trying my best to stop.  We both said bad things we didn’t mean, and I thought it was the end.”

“However, we came to our senses  She will be training her student while overseas when off duty.  I have the children here with me to raise while she is away; she will return and move here permanently once her duty is complete, and we will live as one solid family.  Especially since I put a ring on her finger to have her be my wife. I already consider her such, as we’ve already made vows to each other to remain and grow together.  She still wants a large fancy wedding, but I tell everyone she’s my wife anyway.  And proudly, too!  I love that woman with all of my heart.”

“And look who came to see me a week later?  Snuck off and had someone cover her shift while she found me in Rhalgr’s Reach.  Pretty reckless on her part in my opinion, but a very welcome gesture.  I missed her so much... I miss her still.  She were only able to visit for a short while before going back.  I can’t wait til this ordeal is over.  The warchief’s voice in my head is coming back stronger than ever with her not around.  I have to find a way to master this side of me soon, and that is why I am going to see Elder Stream about her test for the tantra.  Syelira and I both have a lot of demons that we need to dispel.  Hopefully next week I will be able to find a sitter for the kids and go visit her.  Longer than a short while... I need my cuddle time.”

“As I walk through this rain to collect my thoughts, I can’t seem to calm myself.  It’s like I’m slowly becoming my old self again from years past.  The pain, anger, uneasiness... depression.  It’s creeping back up to me.  My insecurities, self doubt.  Things that will keep me from fulfilling my journey on my path as a Fist.  My lady is upset with me, and I cannot blame her.  Though, I am also upset with her and myself.  I’ve been seeing less and less of her lately, due to more work coming in, my students, and my training.  Then there’s also the issue the Agents have been having lately, and Berrod not understanding why I have stayed out of their business.  If only he were in my shoes.  One of my students is having an issue with another in the order, and has come to me to help mediate the situation.  I want there to be more time in the day, I really do.”  

“I simply cannot drop any of these things, they are too important and I have worked too long to just stop right now.  As I progress, things in these areas should start winding down, but time and patience is not on my side.  Syelira feels I focus too much of my time on all of these things and neglect her.  I provide what I can, but it’s not enough to simply have her with me while I deal with these issues.  At the same time, I can’t quit them to have her at the focal point of my life.  I don’t blame her for disliking this... but it is unfair to have me choose.  She has not issued an ultimatum, yet.  But, I feel like it’s only a matter of time.”

“ What really upsets me is the childrens’ father coming around so often suddenly.  Trying to butt in, take her away from me.  Say things she wants to hear, be there for her because I am just too tied up with everything else in my life.  One thing I will never share is the old me wanting to make him disappear somehow.  The voice disagrees, though.  He urges me to do something much worse.”

“Yes.  Leave them to their own devices.  He will take her off your hands, and then you can focus on more important things.”

“That sounds like a horrible deal.  A betrayal like no other, and would definitely destroy any and all mental progress I’ve made so far these past few years.”

“Will it, though?  You will have more clarity.  You can focus on continuing to support your people with your business, train those who have come to you to train them, and become a master in your own right.  Everything else is just holding you back.”

“On the surface that may sound like a good thing, but I know for a fact that it is not.  Sacrifice my future family and love of my life?”

“It’s either that, or fail at everything else.”

“Or, get this, we work things out and make compromises.  Meet in the middle, without cutting out who we are.  I even brought up the idea of all of us moving in together.”

“And she rejected that idea.”

“She said she’ll think about it.”

“And we both know what that means.”

“Stop talking while I collect my thoughts and figure out how to salvage this.”

“Heh, you’ll come around.  I’ll be here when you do.”

“I have two important fights coming up this week.  Maybe I’ll drop out of both of them just to spite you.”

“The only person you’ll hurt by doing that is yourself.”