Southern Frontier

The South Frontier of Echo, tundras and icy plains are common. The lands of the Negative Spirits, and all sorts of twilight creatures.

Black Land
Shion's travels takes him to the tall mountains that mark the edge of the Southern Frontier, at the same time, the curtain of darkness that spread over the horizon is now a blanket that covers the skies so much so that the blue clear skies further north are dim and pale. The very air Shion breathes is laced with thick negative aura, and occasionally he can hear faint whispers of darker spirits lurking just beyond his ability to sense.

"So this is the south," breathes Shion, observing his surroundings, "It reminds me of home... just a little. The air's a little heavier than I'd like, but... It's like after the Dark Samurai entered the lands..."

Off in the mountain pass leading into the lands, there is heavy snowfilled landscapes, in fact, a snow storm seems to be on its way. After a while, heading through this pass and into the snow, a shape ahead of him appears, a cloaked figure. After a moment, the figure emerges, darker than almost any definition of 'dark' he'd seen before. Barely visible on the figure's back is a flickering image of a scythe, which becomes more visible as Shion gets closer. Shion can absolutely not sense anything standing in the figure's presence, as though his senses regarding aura had completely shut down out of nowhere.

"....Stranger... ...you smell of the ill tempered Lord Endlos. Who are you?"

"A possible ambassador," says Shion, shrugging, "Honestly, I'm just making sure there isn't a brewing conflict, but I'm willing to mediate if I need to."

"My business is my own. The king has soured relations of his own accord. He refuses to believe my explanation regarding a incident with one of my subordinates and insists I had something to do with it. If he chooses to be an infantile brat, that's his business, not yours. Sainan has lost his sanity and is not fit for duty. That is a common occurance amongst the spirits here. It is the king who brews conflict, and I shall only heed diplomacy from a direct official, not a stranger swordsman."

"Eh, imagined as much," shrugs Shion again, "Don't get me wrong though, I'm doing this as a neutral party. I could possibly get him to see your side of the story, though that's neither here nor there. Really I'm just here out of curiosity and partially for possible diplomacy, but that's also here nor there."

"....." The figure leaves without a word, disappearing in a flash of red light that for some reason, makes Shion's neck hair stand up sharply.

"Hmmm..." Shion explores the area.

The area is largely bleak, tiny clusters of houses occasionally hidden deep within tight and obscure valleys. Occasionally a ripple of denser air flows by, and he briefly sees spirits flicker in and out of sight, some of them deformed and malevolent in appearance.

"As if the sword struck and the earth bled its agonizing life onto the world, marring its once beautiful flesh with the scars of pain..." recites Shion.

Shion becomes aware of footsteps nearby, but the source isn't clear.

He reacts slightly, a faint distortion present around his body. "Hopefully, a kindred spirit to whom I can recount many a tale..."

The noise continues, until finally a man in battle worn armor appears as though he had popped out of the snow.

"You shouldn't be out in the open. There are too many ravines where you can be spotted and yet the observer is hidden. I've been watching a while now, stranger."

"Ah," he replies, "Though I do not see a reason to conceal myself, I am willing to take advice. May I ask who you are?"

"A native, names aren't important. The negatives will gladly have you for a snack, if you are not cautious. A master one may be, but even the greatest warrior can die from a simple mistake. Perhaps the common spirits do not frighten you, but I would be wary of traveling in open areas. You haven't been attacked yet, have you?"

"Attacked? No. While I was expecting such a thing to happen at some point, it has yet to happen," Shion explains as his form begins to flicker and appear unstable. His presence, too, begins to flicker, as if he was never there in the first place.

"...Beware the Negative Wind Spirits..."

Shion nods before his form and presence are completely erased, his footsteps up to that point fading from the snow.

The man walks down through the ravine he had come, the ravine lay in such a way only at a specific angle could it be seen.

Shion continues onwards, his steps not marking the snow as he looks around.

Occasionally, he spots a well hidden ravine, and occasional houses, but he finds nothing of major significance.

"..." He silently trudges on.

After a few hours of wandering, Shion eventually becomes aware of a strange hooded being seemingly constantly at the far edge of his vision, always behind him. It maintains its distance, even if Shion approaches, it appears to with great ease, remain firmly an exact distance from him. Whatever it is, it is intent on following him, but equally intent to avoid confrontation.

Shion continues to look around, ready to take action if he needs to, but not putting on any aggressive airs.

"I wonder if there are more people to talk to..."

After a while longer, he takes another look, only to find the being is no longer in its prior position.