Path of Exile Talent Competition

He had found himself frequenting this place near Lioneye's Watch, even after Malachi had finally fallen, or so he hoped. Wraeclast did have this annoying habit of making things stabbed with pointed blades return to standing position, after all. Perched upon one of the more-sturdier crow's nests among the aged ships among the graveyard, the figure spoken of as the Shadow watched the spirits below as they moved about, clearly dead, but still acting as if they still lived.

If he was to be perfectly honest with himself, seeing this actually irked him. To completely disregard the finality of death people like him often brought to the world like this, just because they could? Because these ghosts, without apparent aid, refused to release the existence long stolen from them?

He would have been more tolerant of them if they were aiding the act of ending other lives, but he noticed that, while there was no visible life or necromancer around, these souls were peaceful, and that sickened him.

"Bah," he groaned to himself. "I thought only souls with a reason to stick around stay." Shifting his weight in the rotten crow's nest to get comfortable, the Shadow leaned over the edge slightly, his arms under his head as he continued watching.

"Not all reasons are obvious." Guard now on high after hearing the spectral voice approaching behind him, the Shadow immediately turned around, only to see his world momentarily become nothing but green before his vision turning immediately black upon his losing his senses...

~~~~~~

"Well, I figured you were better than to let yourself get caught by the Empire, little brother," the Shadow heard as his senses returned slowly, eyes opening to see a wide expanse of moving blue waves as they crashed against the shore, immediately realizing that he wasn't in the Ship Graveyard anymore, but when did he move away? "Would also explain why I haven't heard from you in a bit." The Shadow looked towards one side, towards the strangely-familiar voice to be greeted with a vivid red shirt before looking up.

Surprised, he blinked before looking over himself, seeing himself glad in the same lack of proper armoring to survive the dangers of the continent. "What...what ha---"

"That's what I would ask you, Gemini," The Shadow, Gemini, looked up towards the man in front of him, his brother-by-marriage that could be recognized as the famed Duelist of Oriath. "I found you submerged below the water glowing with a green light." Gemini could feel his eyes widening as the Duelist looked back out to see, both of them able to see the ship that exiles were thrown off from sailing off into the distance. "I couldn't find what it was coming from."

Gemini's heart began to pulse noticeably at this statement, knowing what kind of light he was talking about. He had seen it happen when the Tormented Spirits of the land would dive literally into another monster and take control of them. He had even seen a few other exiles fall victim to these souls.

But, if he was possessed, why did he feel no different?

Not all reasons are obvious, he heard in his head before feeling himself being forced to get onto his feet, despite not wanting to stand up just yet.

"Antonio, I don't know why you're here, and I don't care." With that, he pointed out into the distance. "Lioneye's Watch is that way. The people there are actually worth my not ending their lives."

"And that says a lot coming from you," Antonio said in response with a smile, something that Gemini found himself jealous off. The Duelist wasn't going to go through the absolute hell he went through, so of course he would be able to smile. "See you later, then." Without another word did Antonio vanish, running off towards the flickering lights beyond. Gemini watched as, even with a dulled dagger, did the Duelist cut through the dead with style worthy of the arenas he once frequented.

And Gemini frowned. "They need to stay dead, godsdammit," he spat out before realizing that he was lacking not only his armor, but his weapons. "Argh..."

You are not without ways to fight. Gemini's darkened eyes widened as his hands flared up with green light, the same light that made the Tormented ones glow. Allow me to open your eyes to the power behind Death.

His body no longer in his control, Gemini's hands raised towards the slaughtered zombies, a similar light surrounding the forms as they recollected and rose to their feet. The three that formed slowly shambled to him before kneeling before him. They were bowing to him instead of attacking.

It took him a few moments before the Shadow found once more the ability to even think.

And the first thing he did was smile with a wicked grin. The power to force certain souls to endure multiple deaths did sound appealing to him, now that he thought about it.

(For those wondering, my build-in-scheming centers around a Trickster Shadow that has the ability to summon various forms of undead. Why not have the one often hired to create death also have control of it? Also, about the 'little brother' bit, I do have a duelist and a shadow with the same 'last' name, so why not?)