AXEM, THRAX, and especially CHIRS can attest to the fact that a pissed-off TRITHAL is not a very pleasant sight, but a pissed-off TRITHAL out for vengeance is a catastrophe waiting to happen. So, AXEM, THRAX, Ali, Evan and Malachi saddle up and ride off after TRITHAL in hopes of preventing the worst possible scenario from occurring.
At this moment TRITHAL's senses are hightened given his agitated state, so he is hot on the trail of Visaggo. It's a little-known fact that a macha can't last very long disembodied, so there's a good chance Visaggo has found another host and is trying to hide from TRITHAL. Ali, whose telepathic powers are now useful, is able to sense where TRITHAL is heading, and the group rides into that direction. After about 10 minutes of riding they see a blast of blue energy ahead.
AXEM, THRAX, Ali, Evan & Malachi: "Oh shit!"
The group kick their mounts into high gear and hurry to the location of the obviously huge fight. They find TRITHAL and Visaggo in a valley surrounded by a blue force-field with strong winds swirling around it, like a tornado or something. Ali, being fine-tuned to TRITHAL's psyche, is able to describe the happenings.
Ali: "It seems like Visaggo found the body of some poor guy left for dead and was trying to continue with his escape when Trithal caught up to him. Trithal's senses must be turned all the way up for him to be able to find him so quickly."
AXEM: "I've never seen Trithal erect a wind barrier like that before! He must be totally pissed to be putting out that much SP."
ghost of CHRIS: "Ha! You said erect!"
THRAX: "It's almost like he's completely circumnavigating the very rules of this RPG. This is scary!"
Evan: "Remind me never to piss him off!"
Malachi (awestruck): "Those moves.... that very technique.... Could he be Macha-Rei?"
Ali, AXEM and THRAX are stunned to hear Malachi make that observation. AXEM goes into a tiny spiel about how TRITHAL is, but is not really Macha-Rei.
Malachi, who seems to know alot about the happenings with the insurgency, says "Macha-Rei was one of Liiche's top henchmen. All of Liiche's top guys were masters of certain techniques which made them unique fighters suitable for different kinds of situations. I guess you could best describe Macha-Rei as a shadow fighter... one who could steal a technique from an enemy and combine it with others he knows and be that much more deadly. One day over twenty years ago Macha-Rei was dispatched to Kureganu with a detachment of Liiche's army to dispose of a certain people who pissed Liiche off. It was there when he disappeared. It's been rumored that he was either killed or may have escaped. Given what I've seen tonight I'm assuming the latter is true."
THRAX: "How do you know all this stuff, senpai?"
Malachi: "When you get to be my age and know as many people as I know, you tend to hear quite a bit about the world around you."
About this time, TRITHAL was finally growing weary of beating the shit out of Visaggo. As Visaggo hits the ground he prostrates himself and pleads to TRITHAL: "Please have mercy on me, Trithal-sama!"
TRITHAL (in deep, scary voice): "Sucking my dick won't help you, fucker! You took the most-important person in my life away from me! You will pay for that!"
Visaggo: "But I was only following Liiche's orders! He sent me to find a deserter and execute her, and that's what I did! I poisoned her flesh and made her die slowly just like Liiche requested!"
TRITHAL: "And now you will know the suffering that she and everyone else around her endured!"
TRITHAL grabs a handful of Visaggo's hair with his left hand and places the first two fingers of his right hand on Visaggo's forehead just above his eyebrows. Visaggo cries out in pain as a black cloud of energy is forced out of his mouth and drawn into TRITHAL's. After this, TRITHAL's wind barrier disappears as dawn is breaking on the eastern horizon.
Visaggo: "What the fuck?! You just took my Macha powers from me!"
TRITHAL, whose eyes, voice and power level have returned to normal, withdraws his pizza knife and points it at the place where Visaggo is sitting on the ground and says, "Now you're a mortal. You will suffer the same fate as those in Kureganu did."
Visaggo: "But it's impossible! The only being in this world who would be even remotely capable of what you just did would be the Grand Macha!" (scared/worried voice): "What the hell are you?! I sense Macha-Rei within you, but you're not macha. I don't think you're even human! You're Satan himself!"
TRITHAL: "You know, you're the second person who has ever call me that."
By this time, the group has caught up to TRITHAL. TRITHAL asks AXEM, "Hey Axem! Let me borrow your phone."
AXEM hands TRITHAL his cellphone and says, "Don't rack up my minutes! I'm roaming out here!"
TRITHAL takes AXEM's cellphone then makes a brief call in the macha language. Afterward, TRITHAL hands the phone back to AXEM... and three seconds later a vehicle resembling an old-fashioned police paddy wagon bearing the markings of the Grand Macha shoots toward the scene from the east and stops dead in it's tracks next to where the party is standing. A cloud of dust temporarily envelops the scene. From within the vehicle, two of the creepy bodyguards emerge with the Grand Macha, who has mysteriously aged ten years since the last time the party saw him (which was just a few days earlier).
TRITHAL: "What took you so long?"
The Grand Macha walks over and sees TRITHAL and the subdued Visaggo, and with a shocked and suprised look says, "Trithal, did you do this?"
TRITHAL: "Yessir I did."
壮大マハ (to bodyguards): "Load this guy up. He's coming with us." (to TRITHAL): "Come with me... we need to talk."
The Grand Macha grabs TRITHAL by the arm and the two walk to a tree nearby. The rest of the party thinks, "Ha-Ha! Trithal's in for it now!"
When they reach the tree, the Grand Macha and TRITHAL sit down beneath it then, in the Macha language, the Grand Macha asks "Would you care to explain this?"
TRITHAL (in Macha language): "Macha-Kao has confessed responsiblity for Minako's death. Furthermore, he's responsible for many of the killings carried out by Macha-Kun's regime. You, yourself, have expressed concern over his actions and have desired his capture."
壮大マハ: "As true as all that is, you excercised a power to which you have no rightful claim. You cannot go around being judge, jury and executioner to those whom you feel deserve it."
TRITHAL: "Forgive me, 壮大マハ. You are right. I have been blinded by my own rage, and therefore have sought vengence against another being."
The Grand Macha takes a deep breath then says, "I was hoping I wouldn't have to have this discussion with you... When I met you for the first time last week I sensed deep within your soul the ability to become strong enough to shatter the whole world at your will. I figured from your personality that you would not have an interest in such a thing... but after seeing what I just saw today I feel the need to warn you: Don't ever allow your rage to become that strong again. You were able to control yourself this time and not destroy anything, or hurt or kill anyone. The darkness within your soul is incredibly strong, and, if allowed free reign, will bring about hell on earth. You've absorbed some of Macha-Kao's powers which make you even more dangerous. Now I don't know if even I could reign you in myself if necessary. Please promise me, Trithal the Divine Wind, that you'll keep yourself restrained."
TRITHAL thinks for a minute, then responds, "After what Macha-Rei experienced in Kureganu, she swore to herself that she would never bring about such devistation ever again. The very thought of it makes me nautious. I would never intentionally perform such atrocities against anyone for any reason. I promise you, 壮大マハ, I will make every effort to keep myself balanced."
壮大マハ: "It relieves me to hear you say that, Trithal. Now one more thing... since you have surpassed the abilities and the restraints of the macha, you must relinquish the name Macha-Rei. Furthermore, none of your actions from here on out may be associated with the macha in any way. As of now, you are no longer a macha."
TRITHAL: "When Minako died, I let the name Macha-Rei die with her. Minako didn't want me to be associated with the macha in the first place, so I have no problem accepting these terms. In fact, I welcome them." (in English) "I only want to be known and remembered as Trithal the Divine Wind."
The two stand up, and the Grand Macha places his hand on TRITHAL's shoulder and says in English, "Very well, Trithal the Divine Wind."
The Grand Macha and TRITHAL make their way back to the scene. As the Grand Macha and his creepy guards load up in the vehicle, the Grand Macha says to the party, "This is where we part company. I pray to the gods of the elements that your quest be a fruitful one, and that your objectives are realized." With that, the vehicle turns around and darts back to the east. The group returns to Orestes.
Since the whole night was wasted with all these happenings, the party decides to saddle up again and resume course. Malachi gives each of them some medicine of his creation which boosts their immunity. Before they take off, Malachi says to THRAX, "If you wanna find out more about Xanatos, I recommend you go to the city of Kaivez to the north-west of here. Look for a group of people called the Saibot Clan. They may have at least some of the answers you seek."
With that, the party thanks the old man and heads out of town, stopping at a records kiosk to save their place before they continue on.
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