Character Profiles VINE VEIN #2: Pausal
The second member recruited into Redshift’s Vine Vein, Pausal was forty-two now in Age 105 of the 2nd Era. He had once been a fine guard in the Allacoran Royal Army, born and raised around Castle Darkcholy, and boasted high regard from his family and fellow lords and ladies of Darkcholy. Known as one of the most skilled at weaponry, he spent nearly all of his time outside of battlefields training other members of the Royal Army.
His mind had always skewed dark, however, and he found his times away from the battlefield to be nearly torturous. He became more and more severe to his fellow guards, and one day, while training a particularly inept student, he beat the man ruthlessly. Pulled away from the man, Pausal was looked at as if he had turned into a monster. Something snapped in his head, and flashes of his many times in battle blinded him from who and what was around him. He shook himself free, picked up a sword and stuck one of Darkcholy’s guards. But in his head, this person was one of the many enemies that he had slain in some battle gone by.
The Duel
Five more lost their lives that day, before Pausal could be subdued, and brought before Queen Redshift for judgement. It had taken two squads of men and women to stop this man’s rampage, and even still his mouth frothed over with rage, his eyes and tongue darted and whipped. When his eyes met with Redshift’s, however, he became calm again. Redshift asked him if his victories in battle followed him? If the people he had killed followed him? Pausal nodded. Redshift dismissed her other subjects, leaving the two of them alone.
Redshift fetched two swords, and tossed one to Pausal. She told him to duel with her for his life. If he won, he could live, if he lost, she’d kill him. Their duel was legendary, and private, though curious ears did listen in from outside. Pausal’s technique and determination were impeccable, and Redshift struggled right away to match the man’s frantic, yet calculated strikes and slashes. Redshift’s height was a new variable, however, and Pausal had to think on his feet in order to keep his opponent on the defense. Redshift’s strength rattled Pausal’s body with each clash of their weapons, but Pausal held firm, and was able to use these factors against the queen. Redshift hadn’t expected the man to actually try killing her, and that’s how he won. He feigned a swipe at her legs, then jabbed up at her lowered head, stopping an inch before killing her.
Commended for his mastery in combat, Redshift honored her promise to let him live. Not only that, but she allowed him to become the 2nd member of her covert organization, Vine Vein, solidifying Pausal’s descent into becoming one with the rage and haunting scenes in his head.
The old Pausal died in that duel, even though he was victorious—something Redshift had counted on, and purposefully allowed. And he became one of the very shadows that followed and tormented him, a darkness melted and reformed into pure malice and death. And while Redshift would continue to transform his body into something inhuman, his mind would continue doing the same, until he no longer felt tortured by his past, nor his many ghosts, and instead was comforted by them.
