What had occured as Zhen Liu and Draigo conversed...
At some point during the Razor Maiden's stompings, Nepherage and Frosttusk had caught up and joined in the stomping party as well. If Zhen Liu saw this moment, he'd be reminded of a certain anime about Italian gangsters with psychic powers.
[Is this working?,] Nepherage asked between stomps.
[Don't...think so...,] Frosttusk replied, [Cathartic...though...]
"Diediediediedieeeeeeeeeeeee!"
Unfortunately for the kaijin trio, the Marquis wasn't just idly laying there for the fun of it.
[Doom Howl!]
AWOOOOOOO!
"GAAAAAAHHHH!"
The Marquis released a booming howl that rattled the soul and pierced ear drums, or in the case of the three kaijin, caused them to freak out and double over in pain as they felt their very existences begin to waver and flicker like candle flames in the wind. This momentary glitch gave the Marquis room to throw the three of them aside like rag dolls.
The Marquis had initially wanted to use the [Doom Howl] art to just momentarily stun the attacking trio, he didn't expect it to be so effective.
"Fascinating! Whatever you are, it appears arts that attack the mind and heart are extra effective! I wonder how you lot deal with anima tricks. Now let's see what-"
"AHHHHHHHH!"
"Huh?"
The Marquis was all set to crack open one of the flickering kaijin's heads wide open, until a significantly more human scream caught his attention.
The sight of a certain flailing and convulsing young man, brought a smile to his face.
'You don't exactly act like aether puppets, but I'm sure you'll all fall apart once your puppeteer dies!'
Ignoring the flailing kaijin, the Marquis rushed towards the prone Zhen Liu, his hands clenched like a blade.
_________________________________________________
Draigo was lying to himself when he said he didn't remember much of what happened the night Wyavra died.
He remembered a lot, lot more than he cared or wanted to admit. But such little details have a tendency to get drowned and washed away after years and years and years worth of bottles, one after the other.
He recalled the once white sands colored a sticky crimson red.
He recalled the wailings of a mad, spoiled knight who believed he was robbed, stealing away her precious shamisen.
He remembered...one last conversation...
"Hey...I don't think... I'll be able to keep...my end of the promise... anymore...since that guy took it...ha...ha..."
"D-don't say that! You'll be fine, just save your strength. Just...please...hang on."
"Normally...I'm the one...saying that...Draigo."
"Yes?"
"Can you...make...me...a new promise?"
"O-of course. Anything."
"P...promise me...that you'll...keep playing."
"What?"
"My shamisen...the proof of our promise...maybe gone...but as long as...you keep playing...I'll always be there...like I said...when we were kids... remember?"
"Of course...how could I forget?"
"Then... you'll promise?"
"I...I will."
"Good...good..."
Upon that night, a steady breath like a metronome, whose soul was wild as a thunder storm, was consumed by the choir of the night and tide.
And all that was left, upon the crimson soaked shore, was a broken man who tried his damnedest to keep a promise he knew he wouldn't be able to keep.
With nothing to remember her by except for the memories in his head, and he ring he never got to use.
_________________________________________________
"Now die!," the Marquis screamed out as he lunged a heavy strike towards Zhen Liu. However, moments before he could pierce the latter's heart, something unexpected happened.
[Armor on! Song of Sanctuary!]
"Huh?! Another Grand Master?!"
Draigo's aether flared up like crazy as he strummed his shamisen and condensed the aether into a rusty looking armor. A turquoise shield made of aether surrounded Draigo and Zhen Liu, deflecting the Marquis's attack...but it wasn't going to last long.
"Wait...Hah! It doesn't take a genius to notice that while we're at the same level superficially, you haven't used your aether in years! It won't take me long to break it!"
Invigorated by this realization, the Marquis began to release a flurry of blows that got faster and more powerful with each successive hit. Draigo's shield wasn't going to last long...but it was gonna last long enough for what he had in mind...
_________________________________________________
"Ow...I need to invest in earplugs or something," Zhen Liu groaned as his eyes stopped spinning. "Wait...what the hell?!"
It took Zhen Liu a moment to realize that he was currently surrounded by a weird shield made of aether and sound, that was being projected by a man covered in rusty armor, while it was being pounded on by the Marquis. He was quite honestly confused on how it ended up like this.
"Hey, kid. That weird energy, those monsters you can summon and those questions...you're some kind of deal maker, right? Like a devil or something?," the man in rusted armor said to Zhen Liu while trying to maintain the shield, "the kind that will take something from me in exchange for something?"
It took Zhen Liu about a second to realize that this guy was Draigo. Apparently the old guy used to have some major claws back in the day, but right now he was running on fumes. On a secondary note, he was a little stunned by the accusation.
"Well, I wouldn't say I'm a devil..."
"...but sure you can call me that."
"In that case...I want you to take down the Marquis," Draigo stated with steely conviction, "I don't care what you'll take from me, just...take him down and burn away this shadow in my heart. Help me put her to rest!"
As those words left Draigo's mouth, the [-Resonating- Core of Resolve] in Zhen Liu's hand began to vibrate in an aggravated manner, as if it was confirming Draigo's will. He was willing to give up anything.
"Really? Even if I were to ask for that ring you've been keeping around your neck? Even if I were to ask for 'her' shamisen?," Zhen Liu bluntly asked.
Draigo paused for a moment before nodding with determination.
"Even if I would to lose it again, even if it breaks into a thousand pieces, as long as I keep playing...she will be by my side!"
The core in Zhen Liu's grip started going haywire at this point.
"Hmm! Good answer!"
Zhen Liu opened his hand, letting loose the [-Resonating- Core of Resolve], allowing to fly about and somehow absorb both the red shamisen and a silver ring that had been hanging on Draigo's neck.
"Die!"
CRASH!
At that exact moment, the Marquis shattered Draigo's shield and released a blinding golden light that was accompanied by the snarling power riff of steel strings that roared throughout the room and beyond.
In a room unseen by the combatants, a pair of young women began to stir.
"What...was that?"