Jack
Full Member
"I'll live forever, or die trying.."
Posts: 449
|
Post by Jack on Jul 11, 2005 19:52:02 GMT -5
(EvelynXandii) Evelyn/Xandii was almost totally disinterested in the group's conversation. Every once in a while, she got an itch to join them, but it was pointless. She was a warrior, and with her Styx-given understanding of hell, the only properly equipped tactition of the group. On that thought, she unthinkingly checked her 'radar'. All the group was present, the next wave of hounds was a fair distance away, Cerberus was still held captive by his own stupidity for being fooled by Kirimisa's magic. Asvhor was still watching from a shadow, hidden in the woods, and Tenia was somewhere in the distance. Tenia, he is the ruler of this circle...Then thoughts and questions swirled in her head in rapid succession such as, If Tenia is the leader, then Kirimisa can be trusted, why is Asvhor staying hidden, why did Plutus venture out of his circle...HOW DO WE KNOW ALL THIS??? It just occured to EX that she knew the names of all the major players in hell, and even something about their rank...Perhaps using the hell power was becomming easier, or maybe regaining the other half of her soul helped. Whatever the case, she decided to alert the group to her findings:
Gentlemen, as much as we would like to contemplate Thanatos' forehead with you, no offense Thanatos, we have a bit of work to do. Somehow, we seem to know a few things about this circle of hell that we all should be conserned with. First of all, Cerberus is growing impatient with Kirimisa's distraction. Second, Asvhor has been watching us since we have arrived. Third, Tenia seems to know we are here, and that is a bad thing. Fourth and last, we now fully understand the power that Onizuka gave us.
Kirimisa finished copying the rune-like symbol that was on Thanatos' forehead on a scrap of parchment, and then he stuffed it in a pouch. He then spoke:
So, what does all this mean, and who are those people?
We think that Tenia has some ability to watch us, but not personally observe. He is also the Ruler of these Wastelands, and as such he knows we are here, and he knows our names. He also may know about our powers. This Asvhor character seems to be observing us as well, which would indicate that he is very intelligent.
Cynric injected: What is Asvhor exactly, and what is Tenia?
Asvhor seems to be a canine of some sort. He may be hell hound, wolf, were wolf, or something else along those lines. We will be considering him hostile and dangerous. Tenia, as we said is the ruler of this hell. We don't know what he looks like, but we will alert the group when he gets here, because he will be extraordinarily powerful, to the point of near-invincibility.
Thanatos, realizing that Eve was refering to her self as 'we' asked: We? Evelyn, who is the other member of we? I can feel there are two souls in your body...
My new name is Evelyn Xandii. Perhaps when we have more time we will explain in detail, but for now, the short version will suffice. We are the recombination of a soul that was torn apart. Our half-souls were completed by a demon's soul and an angel's soul. We now act together, and speak together as one, partners in this body. May we continue with our report now?
Thank you. Please continue.
Lastly for everyone's information, we will restate that we Rule the Fifth Circle of Hell, otherwise known as the Styx. This power was given to us only a few days ago by the previous ruler, and we have recently come to understand it. We won't bore you with some of the details, but we will tell you that we have a sort of map of the circle of hell that we are in, and we can control the denizens of our circle. We also have a large reserve of power that we can call upon...
Haveti interruped: What does this mean to us? No offense, but why do we need to know exactly what you are capable of?
Jonash answered for Eve: We don't need to know what she, er they, can do. However, what she was trying to say was that if she is a ruler, and Tenia is a ruler, there is a good possibility that they have similar powers that are granted by hell.
The group nodded in agreement with Jonash.
Also, the Circle Rulers are most powerful in their own circles, which brings up one more thought: Why did Plutus flee? We'll offer our hypothesis: he needs help from Tenia. Generally speaking, the leaders don't like each other, but if there is to be a gain, a truce can be made. We may have to fear being attacked by Tenia and Plutus together.
I won't claim to be this group's leader, but if there is something that is wrong, then listen for me to speak.
Telamichious, still suspicious of Eve: Why should we trust your word? I for one cannot put my life in another's hand!
Telamichious, whether you choose to believe me or not is your option, and we understand. However, even you cannot deny that your life, as the rest of ours rests not in our hands, but in the security of the group. We all have the common goal of escaping this hell, and we believe that is enough reason to at least listen to anyone that would try to help. We're not asking anyone to follow a leader, but we are saying that we must follow a goal, and to attain the goal will require trust. If you cannot trust yourself to the group, then we serve to only destroy ourselves.
Oh nuts. We have company...
The group turned to notice what EX was talking about; a three headed dog barreling towards them. Obviosly the distraction that Kirimisa used to escape either just failed or the beast just decided to give up. Whatever the case, the ground shook with each of it's thundering strides as it rapidly approached. It was foaming at the mouth on each of the heads, a sign which no one in the group cared to ignore. The group drew their weapons and powers to battle-ready. Telamichious already had his Earth powers active, Haveti drew his blade, Jonash took to the sky, Kirimisa was fumbling for something, and so on. Eve took the stars back out, as well as her pins and throwing knives. They hoovered in a group in front of her as she drew her pistols and loaded them.
|
|
Jack
Full Member
"I'll live forever, or die trying.."
Posts: 449
|
Post by Jack on Jul 11, 2005 19:52:23 GMT -5
(Thanatos) As the beast thundered towards them, Thanatos closed his eyes and allowed his breathing and heart rate to slow, distancing himself mentally from the battle that raged around him and centering his mind within his body. The others didn't really have the time to care about what he was doing, preparing themselves to face the dual onslaught of Cerberus and Plutus, keeping their senses alert to the presence of Asvhor and Tenia, whoever those creatures might be.
Magics laced through the sky above, bullets and the sounds of tearing flesh and screaming demons filled the air. The corpses of hellhounds piled higher and higher, up to the warrior's heads in some places, and the numbers of the creatures did not seem to diminish. They're braying would have reduced normal mortals to puddles of quivering fear filled jelly, but the party continued to slaughter them mercilessly, unceasingly, like clockwork. They all knew that they were getting tired though, and the greater demons were about to become a serious problem.
Janosh sensed a great deal of souls being shifted about, and glanced over at him to see what he was doing. To the eyes and senses of one such as the Nephilim, the still, calm body of Thanatos was a flurry of activity. Souls shot this way and that, leaping gleefully from one place to another. The Nephilim could hardly believe what he was sensing - the soul collector was actually loosing the souls from their binds within the metal that had held them. He was not allowing them to fly free however, but instead pulling them harshly into his own flesh.
His flesh began to spasm where the souls entered him, muscles that didn't seem to have been there before rippling underneath his clothing. A fine grey mist began to rise off his skin, even as the color of the skin itself shifted from it's usual tan to a mottled deathly pallor. His hair seemed to grow even whiter than it had been before, his beard ever so slightly wispier. It was the opening of his eyes that would have shocked any onlookers though, for they had become solid black. Janosh squinted at the dead black eyes, and saw something it would have taken such super human vision to make out. It was not that the eyes were solid black, as they first appeared, it was more like they suddenly had thousands of pupils and irises that overlapped each other and darted every which way without concern for which they slid over or under on the eyes' wet surface. The effect was somewhat disconcerting.
Thanatos grinned, revealing teeth that seemed somehow longer, somehow sharper, somehow more eager to feed. Gray wings shot out of his back, tearing apart his coat and leaving him clad only in the mithril tunic and tattered remnants of the black bandages under it. Despite the corpse like pallor of his skin, his muscles themselves seemed stronger and more youthful than they had been a moment before. Part of him thought of what a shame it was to reveal the two openings in the back of the tunic that had been made to accommodate this maneuver, but it could not be helped. The wings were no longer mere temporary attachments - they were as much a part of him now as his arms or his legs, and they would remain that way until he removed the foreign souls from his body. That was something he desperately needed to do before they won the contest for control he had begun by placing them there in the first place. He did not have much time at all. His grin broadened - an undeniable sense of glee arising at the thought of a challenge.
He darted forward, straight for the oncoming Cerberus. The bandage on his left hand finally fell away as he drew his sword, and though he was aware of the pain from grasping the weapon, he paid it no more mind than he would have paid a fly landing on his shoulder. He screamed, loosing the wails of a hundred harpies in one sudden burst and leaving the ears of the party members ringing as he shot past them.
He took to the skies to evade the hell hounds that were still between him and his target. The three maws of Cerberus loomed larger on his vision as he flew forward faster than anyone had seen him fly before. He raised his blade, the shadowy fires that now engulfed it seemingly darker than they had ever been before.
He brought the blade down, missing Cerberus entirely, but as he changed direction just outside of the great hell-hounds reach they all suddenly realized why. The flames lanced off the falling sword like a massive whip, heading not towards Cerberus, but towards the great wolf Plutus. The demon was caught almost completely by surprise, and the strike managed to leave a bloody gash directly below his left eye. Had he been but a moment slower in his response, Thanatos might not have missed.
Thanatos was on top of the beast only a moment later, and Janosh was even amazed at how quickly the old man covered the distance. He began to dart around the wolf, sheathing his sword and pulling at the shadows and the very ground Plutus stood upon to strike at the monster. Plutus was left off guard for a moment, nearly lost an eye two more times, and had a cut put through one that would blind it for a few moments before he could regenerate himself, but he was not one to be kept down long. Thanatos only hoped the demon could be taken down before Cerberus became too much of a problem.
|
|
Jack
Full Member
"I'll live forever, or die trying.."
Posts: 449
|
Post by Jack on Jul 11, 2005 19:52:46 GMT -5
(Jonash) Jonash drew his bow, readied his arrows, and charged them with various abilities. Most of the arrows he charged with gravity, which he hoped would allow him to fire without considering who he was aiming at. The remainder of the arrows he charged with fire, similar to the one he used against the K-9’s earlier. When he had created about 200 he took aim. A smirk formed as he placed the mask of his armor in its proper position. The face represented looked more demonic then Plutus and seamed to contort slightly to the mood of the wearer. Upon seeing Jonash ready himself s he did, Cynric knew this was going to be one of those “hey ya’ll watch this moments” but he was too busy catching the sent of a certain Alpha male.
“Its not quite the “Arrow of Apocalypse” maneuver but it will do,” Jonash explained facing the two lights that shown in the distance behind the rain. In response, they seemed to dim and narrow, as if to show all the malice and hate one could possibly have in one single glance.
Jonash raised his bow towards the coming wave of hounds and flashed a grin that showed though holes in his mask. “My old friend Sephiam called this Reign of Arrows. Let’s see what you think of it!” he yelled towards the approaching front.
He drew a fire arrow and pulled back the string. He closed his eyes and breathed slowly. And just as Thanatos lunged forward to assault Plutus, Jonash released. He then quickly drew three more arrows at random and fired towards the massing horde. Faster and faster, he readied more arrows and fired; repeating the processes until all arrows were gone from his quiver. By the time he was completely spent, the first arrow hadn’t even begun to descend.
A single Hellhound surrounded by his companions charged forward, leaving an indentation in the muddy floor. Just as the falling cold rain filled the paw print, it was washed away by the silvery blue liquid of the animal’s blood. The animal struggled only momentarily before the arrow that pinned its neck to the ground finally forced release its soul to Jonash. Two more hounds fell before the first of the fire arrows blew a hole in their ranks, scattering them with its massive blast. Only slightly dazed, they continued their assault. Hidden by the falling rain, the pups could not see the certain death that fell from the sky. It was at this time that Thanatos reached Plutus and as the creatures paused to survey the scene, the arrows continued to fall; it was their last mistake. Explosions ripped through the lines the bodies no longer ran but rolled down hill.
All around Jonash the bodies of Hellhounds flew by, which was unbelievable, seeing as he was nearly a thousand feet up. He descended and began bouncing from one body to another up hill, stabbing with the sword any that seemed capable of motor control. It wasn’t long until a new wave of Hellhounds replaced the old.
With the rain and the increasing number of Hellhounds Jonash’s armor disappeared into the darkness. Only E.X. knew if Jonash was still alive and she slightly preoccupied with her own problems. A small group of wolves had reached through and continued to give her problems. As she slew the last of the group with a quick star to the forehead, ten Hellhounds leaped for her only to be met by her new found telekinetic powers. They paused in mid air and were thrown about like rag dolls in the in a hurricane. She didn’t stop throwing them around until they had been beaten until they were nothing more then bruised masses of mater. Thirty more lunged for her only to be knocked away by a blast from Telamichious. “This doesn’t mean I trust you,” he explained, “But you’re right we do need to work together.”
Just then, Haveti flew through the air between them. “Die!” he screamed, as he swung his sword through several more wolves. They looked around and noticed that they were in the dead center of the two fronts of K-9s. They were surrounded and hand no where to go. Cynric was somewhere . . . looking for Asvhor. Jonash seemed to have abandoned them completely. Moreover, Thanatos was just kicking ass, trying his damndist to harm the creature and was doing quite well.
Meanwhile, deep in the upper part of the 3rd level, Jonash crawled out from the muck. He raised his head and found himself face to face to face to face with something he didn’t want to see after churning through so many Hellhounds. And when faced with such an ominous opponent, which Cerbus was, Jonash did what any man would do. . . He ran like a screaming girl. All the while, Cerbus’ three heads nipping as whatever dust Jonash kicked up with his feet, not caring whether or not he stepped on animals or not. As Jonash took to the air trying to avoid the next swipe of the tri-headed dog’s paw, he could barely see through the rain that the group was finishing off what remained of the Hellhounds and had all but eliminated the wolves.
|
|
Jack
Full Member
"I'll live forever, or die trying.."
Posts: 449
|
Post by Jack on Jul 11, 2005 19:53:15 GMT -5
(Thanatos) If Tenia was trying to listen in, Thanatos' mind was a chaotic tumult that it would have taken the greater portion of the demon lord's attention to decipher all the thoughts of. Perhaps he could do it, but it was Thanatos' hope that he was moving fast enough to keep his thoughts one step ahead of the demon. As he lunged again and again at Plutus' eyes, he was always just fast enough to stay outside of Plutus' reach, but still too accursedly slow to take the eyes he was aiming for.
He landed, skidding backwards and digging his now bare feet into the dirt. He wasn't exactly sure when the last remnants of the tattered leather had fallen away, nor was he entirely certain when his toes and hands had grown the claws, but keeping up with such minor cosmetic changes the souls were working on his body was hardly worth notice to him now. All he cared about were the two glistening orbs in the great wolf's head.
A hand touched his shoulder, and a figure somersaulted like an Olympic gymnast as it passed over his head. Evelyn Xandii landed gracefully, letting a throwing star fly from each hand as she did so. Plutus caught them easily, one in each hand, and realized too late that they were a distraction. Eve sucked will out of Thanatos, not entirely sure that it was the extra souls' but hoping that it was. Thanatos felt a minor twinge of unwillingness to continue the fight, but the souls seemed to calm a tiny bit in their fight for dominance over him, and if Thanatos was a different sort of man he would have hugged EX. She hurled the will in one massive burst at the wolf, slamming the arms he had crossed in front of himself into his chest and pinning them there tightly as his feet were crushed against the ground.
Thanatos took his golden opportunity, leaping over EX and spreading his wings wide. A dagger flashed into each of his hands, the blades held in a manner that spoke of impending stabbing. In a flash he was crouched on top of Plutus' wide maw, both hands raised and the silvery fangs ready to strike. He thrust downward, twisting the blades sharply, rotating the mithril quickly in both sockets, and pushed downward on both hilts when the metal was below the eyes. The eyeballs popped out suddenly, and before they reached the end of the nerve cord that still attached them to Plutus, Thanatos had sheathed his blades and caught an eye with each hand.
As he leapt off of the wolf, arching backwards and bringing his feet over his head, Plutus had only begun to scream. The nerves snapped, spraying tiny droplets of blood across Thanatos' pallid skin. He landed, and quickly tossed the eyeballs into his mouth and swallowed them one after the other, only allowing himself a broad, bloody grin after the second one hit his stomach. Plutus was still on his feet, stumbling about, but he wouldn't be for much longer. The demon wouldn't last long blind, and Thanatos had just called "first dibs" on the monster's soul even as he ensured that it would not escape. Elsewhere, a great big vulture said a great deal of nasty things not appropriate to repeat in front of small children.
Thanatos quickly reshuffled the souls in his possession, and his body seemed to shrink slightly as the wings and claws retracted themselves and disappeared within his body. To the other members of the group, he looked and felt like he was still ready for a fight, but his hair still seemed a tad whiter, and the lines in his face ever so slightly deeper. In his head he knew he'd be good for a little while longer, but he had no idea how long he could keep it up, even if he absorbed Plutus and Cerberus both.
NRP: My apologies for posting so soon. It's just that it's Friday night, and I'm really bored, and would rather not sit and do nothing and give myself time to realize that all the cool kids are out having fun with real people.
|
|
Jack
Full Member
"I'll live forever, or die trying.."
Posts: 449
|
Post by Jack on Jul 11, 2005 19:53:40 GMT -5
(Haveti) The glorious destruction and pain of battle exploded around Haveti as he swept his blade through opponent after opponent. Rainwater and blood poured down his face and obscured the bodies that had sunken under the swarming footsteps of their fellows. Face after blood-matted face reared up before him, some with eyes that glowed and some not.
Haveti had found himself fighting by the man called 'K', whom the Sii'Rul had more ease accepting, with the man's unusual scars and tattoos. K's weapon moved in wide arcs, sending approaching wolves and hounds over his head in bloody pieces. On occasion gouts of flame would ensnare beasts that charged K inbetween his swings, although Haveti's dim eyes couldn't see where the flame came from.
Claws tore at the glossy black armor of his back, and Haveti dropped into a roll, bearing the hound approaching from the front into the mud even as his sword swept up into the face of the wolf at his back. On his back, Haveti was helpless as canines from all directions shadowed him with their shaggy sillohouttes. He cried out to the glory of the Gods and paused for a moment, his sword hand buried under bloody paws and teeth, when shining steel flashed by over his head, wiping his vision clean of the demons which had stood over him.
Kicking to his feet, Haveti grunted thanks towards K and pulled his sword free of the pile of bodies he'd found himself in. The wolves and hounds still writhed like a sea before him, dim forms as far as his eyes could see. One of such beasts stood out from the pack, larger and faster moving. The beast bore down on Haveti, a single eye homing in on him. K was shouting something to Haveti but he didn't hear, the alien to Hell dashing over the corpses of the fallen to meet the enormous Hell hound.
Asvhor's teeth sunk into Haveti's shoulder armor as if it were butter, passing through and deeply stapling his flesh. Haveti's sword swing had been a moment to late, thrown off by the timing of the hound's pounce, and the momentum of his blade bounced weakly off Asvhor's hide. Coherent thought was momentarily suspended as the Alpha male of the Hell hounds shook Haveti like a rag doll, tearing the mouthfull of flesh from Haveti when the warrior was shaken loose.
Rather then going into shock, Haveti's body stepped up adrenaline production and the warrior leaped back at Asvhor, his armored gauntlet stabbing through the hound's single eye and filling his face with blood. Asvhor arched his back and snapped his jaws, which found purchase of Haveti's arm and severed it completely. Haveti stumbled back and began groping for his sword, which had been lost somewhere in the puddles and mounds of bodies.
Blinded completely and furious beyond comprehension, Asvhor began tearing at everything around him in attempt to find his assailant, and was bearind down on Haveti's scent when K's scythe swiped through the hound's spine, Kirimisa having cut the animal mid-leap and now coming to a landing on the beast's twitching corpse.
Haveti's vision flickered and then swum as he finally succumbed to his wounds and passed out, falling back into a bloody puddle.
NRP: Haveti's character isn't quite in the league of some of you big players, it was about time to show the difference.
|
|
Jack
Full Member
"I'll live forever, or die trying.."
Posts: 449
|
Post by Jack on Jul 11, 2005 19:56:42 GMT -5
(Villeria) Where am I? Villeria's vision struggled to focus and she sat up. She collected her thoughts remembering her marathon through the dark land and into the gate. Then I slipped and fell. Judging from the aches Villeria felt she had not been out for more than a minute. Sitting up Villeria realized she had slipped in blood. A groan caused Villeria to look to her left and the source of blood, a wounded man whose armor had been broken into on his right shoulder. Ouch. Villeria crawled over to the man noticing that the ground beneath her was slick with water. Gathering a water bubble in her hands she knelt over the semi-conscious man to heal him. He muttered something unintelligible and gestured towards her hair with his good arm. "Shhh... you need to rest now. I promise not to harm you." She held the bubble in her left hand while coaxing the man's arm down with her right. "I can heal your wound but I cannot give you back your blood. Do you understand?" The man nodded and Villeria turned around to survey the scene around them. Beastly dogs, probably the source of this man's wound were being fought by a man nearby and several other fighters a bit farther in the distance. Villeria could only distinctly make out the features of the man fighting nearby. She turned back towards the wounded man and smiled weakly letting the bubble collapse in her hands to wash what blood was on them off. The water splashed down on the man's now healed shoulder causing him to shiver suddenly. "There. All better now." Villeria started to get up when the man began to speak again. "Wh-who are you? Are you here to- to..." The man drifted off into any uneasy sleep. So many questions and far too few answers. I wonder if he hates my kind as well. Villeria stood up and realized that the hellhounds were beginning to take a keen interest in her and the wounded man. Ah, I'm tired of running and these dogs won't be pushed aside as easily as those stone men were. Villeria recalled everything that had lead her to Hell and all the running she'd done since arriving. I can't take anymore of this. I'll never find him if I don't start looking for some answers. With this having been decided Villeria stood firmly against the now approaching hellhounds.
Stretching out her right hand with a decisive pushing motion she sent two hell hounds flying up only to come crashing down with a sickening thud into two other hounds. She pushed her left hand down with a smoother action than her stiffened right hand which lead two other hounds to collapses to the ground followed by the sound of spines snapping. Villeria looked straight ahead at the many hounds ahead of her before closing her eyes and raising her hands up palms open as one might do in prayer. Six hounds lifted a few feet off the ground yelping in confusion. She opened her eyes and turned towards the fighting man causing the dogs to float that way as well. Swiftly she pushed both hands out palms forward sending the hounds flying into the group of ten or so beasts the man had been fighting. The man stood and gave Villeria a surprised look full of the suspicion she had become familiar with seeing. She knelt down and scooped up a handful of dirt before walking towards him slowly, glancing back once to check on the man now asleep. The fighter spoke first. "Who are you?" "I get a lot of that lately... Is the man over there a friend of yours?" Villeria gestured towards the sleeping man. The fighter thought before speaking. "I know him, yes." Why won't he claim him as a friend then? Villeria sighed and the dirt in her hand began to glow as she spoke. No use beating around the bush. "I'm Villeria. I'm looking for someone. I don't expect you to help me right now-" Villeria looked over at the other fighters and approaching hounds "seeing as we're in the middle of a fight. Though any information you could give me quickly would be greatly appreciated." The fighter nodded. Villeria dropped the soil in her hand and turned to face the next wave of hell hounds.
|
|
Jack
Full Member
"I'll live forever, or die trying.."
Posts: 449
|
Post by Jack on Jul 11, 2005 19:57:13 GMT -5
(Cynric) Saliva had long since stopped being produced at this point. There was really nothing coherent in the immediate thoughts of Cynric. Survival, the base instinct, was the only working process at the moment, and it was working on overhaul. If it had four legs, it was floored. Fist, boken, heel, head-butt… whatever he needed, he used. There wasn’t really anything else to think about.
One thought did manage to squirm its way in, however. It was desperation for a calm, for a chance to break out from the insanity and feel human again, rather than being a killing machine. That’s what threw his mind to the fact that Asvhor was finished. No more hunting now, he told himself. Just find a quiet place, if only for a moment.
He needed space. Sound seemed to cease to everyone remotely close to him as Cynric squinted his eyes and faced the sky, an expression on his face normally associate with severe pain. Then the sound of his voice returned to an audible level, a dull roar resounding through the quadrupedal bodies of his hapless opponents as he finished the chaotic note. The dogs were flailed away as if hit by trains. Cyn laughed, remembering when he’d first discovered this power, an interesting tale… for another time.
That’s when Cynric finally realized where he was. That is, he realized where he wasn’t. The battle he thought he was rumbling in the midst of was at least a half a mile away. The hounds had been herding him like a sheep away from the others. Why, though? He certainly wasn’t the greatest threat amongst the group. He was technically chosen as a leader figure, but it was obvious the crew didn’t need him. Eve or Thany were more powerful and had more influence due to that. Why stretch him away?
What could it be? Is there anything about me that might be important?
‘Now, Cynric, you are very unique. Perhaps you are like a species here that was once a great threat, or valued in some way.’ “Yes… hah, yes indeed. Very valuable.” The sudden voice, a cawing, nagging voice broke Cynric’s momentary lapse in reality.
“Who-” He couldn’t even finish the whole word before there was a pain in his side, a sharp pain.
“Kehehe, you were lured so easily. It’s no wonder you’re the last of them. Were there more, you’d be much better trained. I would never have landed a blow so easily.” Cyn’s eyes seethed, and steam huffed out of his nose like a Brahma bull preparing to charge. His large fist seemed to ignore the rules of momentum and physics, careening towards the head of his unseen attacker. He struck air. Whoever or whatever it was had slipped out of reach. There wasn’t anywhere to hide in this expanse. He remembered his hero sense. Always look up as soon as possible. Good timing, too. Still, Cyn was still a hulking brute, his agility a bit flawed in his larger, more imposing form. He rolled, but felt the bite of a… talon?
“A Gourein!" The attacker called out. "After all these years! And far more defenseless than you should be! I must have you!” Ignoring the jagged knife he’d noticed in his side, the not-so-human turned to face his assailant, who now seemed to be confident enough to refrain from hiding yet again. “If that has any negative and possibly rape-based connotations, I’d advise against it," Cynric said. "The last group who even considered that… yea, I wounded them repeatedly. I still don’t remember stopping.” The cackle that this very strange being let loose was so near the sound of a crow cawing that one might mistake the two. “You are foolish. You are an ant compared to the Gourein of legend. Good for me, I suppose.” “What do you know of the Gourein? Who are you!?” “I know that they were once a proud race. I know that they were the lords of Hell ages ago, as the titans came before the gods of Greece.” He cackled again, louder now. “I also know of the real power they were rumored to possess, and I intend to get it, to take it from you.” Cyn gave the most sincerely disappointed look he could muster while dealing with the pain of the weapon he’d just yanked out of his flesh. “Oh, man, I hate to break this to you, but I lost it, that Gourein power thingamabob or whatever. I must have dropped it on the way through here. If you’d help me find it, I’d be glad to let you borrow it, though.” This caught Tenia as rather funny. It was a forced joke, but the respect that this thought-extinct prey before him put into his words was rather amazing. He honestly believed that perhaps a friendly battle could ensue, perhaps leading to a later friendship or something. “I know exactly where it is.” A discordant growl suddenly came in stereo to Cynric’s ears. His peripheral vision revealed a good twenty demonic canines, similar to the hellhounds he’d faced, but different in very distinct ways. For one, they all looked about the size of that alpha male, and the seemed just as nasty. For another, they were clad in some nutsty looking armor that had to be tougher than it seemed. Also very important was the fact that the ground steamed greenish when their spittle hit the ground, which was awesome. Very likely acidic.
“Acid-drooling armored dogs? That’s not exactly the most original group of ‘elite’ bad guys for the last level, but it’s effective, I guess.” It was at this point that Cynric found a small amount of solace in the fact that at least someone had noticed his plight. There was no way the Gourein was getting out of this without being at the very least mortally wounded. However, Valerius had come this far to help an old friend. And so he came.
Before he could call out something caustic or cynical, the quivering hounds twisted themselves, turned to the new target and rushed him, apparently not having learned from their lesser brethren’s mistakes. They collided into one another as their own speed turned into their own invisible clubs to the face. It was somewhat satisfying.
However, both Cyn and Val were too distracted by the sudden dog movement that they neglected Tenia’s impossible speed. Cynric wasn’t sure if Jonash was even this fast, though to be fair, he hadn’t seen Jonash try to be his fastest yet. There was no time for Tacitus to do anything. A sword, looking to be a matching set-piece for the dagger, plunged into Valerius’ gut. Rather than leaving through his back, however, it traveled up the now slack body, up the chest and farther still. The blade could be seen pressing outward from the inside of his neck.
~continued
|
|
Jack
Full Member
"I'll live forever, or die trying.."
Posts: 449
|
Post by Jack on Jul 11, 2005 19:57:46 GMT -5
(Cynric) ~continuation
And the last of Cynric’s emotional stability crumbled. No usage of the English language, or any written language, could possibly describe the sound that ripped from the half-Gourein, but it would have made Lucipher cock an eye-brow. Strangely enough, Cynric's eye-brow cocked itself.
“Oh, was this a friend? I sense… no, I can feel the rage I’ve just unleashed. Have I awakened the power in you?” Cynric didn’t respond. Instead, he drew his magnum. Forcing himself not to watch the limp form of his friend tossed away like nothing, he aimed it at his foe. All the while, they both felt a rumbling on the ground, the sound of something approaching. As Cyn pulled the trigger, he guessed that his crew, and likely the stragglers of wolves, hellhounds and possibly a still thriving Cerberus were working their way in this direction.
The shot rang out, and Tenia evaded the bullet, a smirk somehow perceivable on his beak-like maw. His "grin" melded into startled shock when he saw the ground where the projectile had hit. It was a perfect sphere indented into the ground. A very large sphere. Note to self; don’t ever get shot.
The gun dropped to the ground, Cynric still having sense enough not to shoot twice in a row with that energy-sapping weapon. The boken tore forward, along with Cynric, moving much faster now. He had dropped the Gourein form, yet his skin remained pale purple, his hair black, and electricity snapped about him incessantly. Tenia, not quite comprehending what to do, foolishly decided to test his strength here rather than evade. Sadly, this is not a hero’s tale. Tenia still outclassed him when it came to speed, strength and power. Cyn was not interested in caring about that, however. He swung again, and again, clashing with Tenia’s fore-arms, doing no real damage. The Hell lord continued to block, merely enjoying the wasted tenacity of his victim.
On the fourth strike, Tenia caught and grabbed the boken, attempting to wrest it from Cynric’s grip. They struggled for it, back and forth, and Cyn began growing into his large form again, refusing to lose his weapon.
There was a snapping sound, and some splinters hit the earth. Tenia and Cynric both glanced in shock at the object they struggled over. The bird-like one had torn back some of the wood along the “blade” of it, as if it were a scabbard. Surprisingly enough, there was something silver under the wood. Cynric, however, was still in you-just-murdered-my-friend-so-eat-nuts mode, and quickly attempted to swing again, this time with everything he had. The rest of the wood shattered away as it smashed into Tenia's head. Now he found why it never wanted to break. The boken was actually a casing for a sword.
That moment of realization was enough for Tenia to retaliate from the blow to his skull. With the knife from earlier, apparently picked back up at some point during the fighting, he jammed it into Cynric’s upper left chest. Cyn’s eyes grew wide, his voice caught, and he fell back. Before he could even think about what was happening, Tenia was on him, strangling him. The boy had no strength left to fight it, none. Not enough to even raise his hands in the attempt.
As Cerberus and the other members of the war going on nearby got closer, Thanatos and Jonash both caught a glimpse of the scene, though what they made of it was a mystery. Valerius lay dead, a sword jammed up his gut and through his throat and skull. Some very nasty elite hellhounds were rising from some severe pain, dead eyes sighting more prey. Finally, the gaunt form of what looked to be part-man, part-raven straddled a lightly shivering Cynric, hands clasped about his throat. Cyn’s eyes rolled back. His body became still.
Evelyn Xandii’s new senses told her of Cynric’s soul breaking away, losing the ties it had to the body. At the same moment, she felt something else within that body, something she hadn’t taken the time to worry too much about. Now she did.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tenia looked down with hunger in his eyes, hunger and nothing more. No movement from the prize he held within his grasp. He eyed the neck, imagined the sweetness of the power he’d soon take in as he jammed his beak home.
His head stopped partway, something obstructing… a hand. A hand around his neck. Cynric’s hand. He let out a muffled caw of confusion, which was silenced midway as the “corpse” gripped tighter.
“The heart in this body is right here.” Cynric explained as his free hand pointed to just below the center of his rib-cage. “In the solar plexus.” The mud to the left and right of Cyn’s body shifted and slid. Two wings, feathered like a falcon and gun-metal gray, came out, making a very disturbing mud angel. “Also, it doesn’t have lungs. Air is only required for the purpose of speaking.” Cyn’s body rose up, still clenching Tenia’s neck with everything he had. He brought his face up close to the bird-man’s own. “So you see, it’s not unfair at all. You could have killed me if you weren’t following the misconception that this body was more human than it is. Just luck of the draw, I guess. I know more than anyone how much it sucks to make a bad decision.” Tenia finally got the sense to swipe at Cyn with his fist and extricate himself. “You’re dead! If I have to kill you again, so be it! What are you?” Cynric stood, the faded wings snapping to toss off the muck, then folding in a bit. The trench coat of his tuxedo uniform was tattered and useless on the ground. He paid it no mind. “I must say, this is certainly an unexpected plot twist. And I thought I was the heroic main character and party-leader this whole time. Turns out, I’m that hidden boss everyone is so afraid of.” The grin on his face curved farther than normally possible, verging on the Joker of Batman fame. He held up his weapon, no longer a wooden tool, but a battle-sharpened katana.
“Fool, I am still more powerful!” Tenia’s composure was only now returning. “Wings don’t make a bit of difference.” “So we shall see. I’ve changed more than that, actually, but you’re right. I’m wounded, and you’re just a bit startled. Yet things seem ready to even out, sir. My allies are moments away, as are yours.” Cynric’s grin took on a new viciousness as his canine teeth (as if we haven’t heard enough about canines) grew into fangs. “Now, remember: solar plexus. Don’t want to make the same mistake twice, eh?” Tenia wasn’t one to have people get on his nerves. Cynric was dancing on them.
NRP: Valerius is too busy, and he’s been MIA too long, so I killed him off. I know he’ll understand, as he hadn’t seemed to be ready to post even now, last I spoke with him. As for Cynric, I hope you don’t consider this god-moding. Honestly, Cyn is VERY vulnerable at this point, stabbed in the chest and tired and all. If you want to know what’s got him so much more… capable… in battle, I think I’ll talk to one of my other members (likely Jonash or Eve, but possibly another) about revealing that part. I think you’re all quite sick of reading my writing at this point, so no need for me to hog anymore board space.
Oh, and terribly sorry about not including other people in my post. I’ve actually been griping about people writing all about their characters and not about the plot. However, I didn’t want to write for people who weren’t even near Cyn, and I realized that everyone has been hurrying along with their own personal subplots because it looks like this will be their last chance, considering the Destiny members advancing on our position. Besides all that, I needed to get around to making Cynric evil to suit what’s going on. I figured now was as good a time as any.
|
|
Jack
Full Member
"I'll live forever, or die trying.."
Posts: 449
|
Post by Jack on Jul 11, 2005 19:58:08 GMT -5
(Thanatos) Valerius… He had genuinely liked the man. For once, he couldn't bring himself to capture the soul as it slipped away to its afterlife, wherever that was going to be. He was drained from taking Plutus. He had never had a soul fight him with the tenacity that the wolf demon had, even after he had fallen under the combined assault from Eve and himself. The demon had just felt so… solid, even when he was nothing more than spirit. Thanatos had never felt anything like it, but he hardly had time to worry about it now.
He wasn't sure why he was happy that Cynric still seemed to be mostly alive. He had lost track of too many of the others in their group during the chaos. Janosh was in the air above him, seemingly intent on keeping his eye on the soul-collector. His supernatural armor was cracked in more places than Thanatos could count, and the helm he had donned had been shattered on the left side to reveal the bloodied result of a close brush with the jaws of Cerberus. Haveti was nowhere to be seen, as was Telamichious - Thanatos hoped they were still alive, at least so he could get their souls when they ceased to be. Evelyn Xandi was running in to help Cynric, though her gait was greatly impaired by whatever it was one of the hell hounds had lodged in her leg. K seemed to be intent to help her, despite how the handle of his scythe had been broken only a foot and a half away from the blade and his dragon friend was dangling lifelessly from his shoulder.
As for Thanatos, he had stopped counting the gashes that now covered his body, and the swelling in his left eye was making it almost impossible to see out of it. Plutus had landed a nasty blow to his right arm, and every time he looked at his wrist it seemed to be slightly more purple and bending at more of an unnatural angle. The worst part was the mental exhaustion, and staying conscious was becoming more and more of a challenge.
"Janosh!" he yelled above the wind and the rain, and the Nephilim looked down to regard him. He held the horn of Scathi aloft, even as he transferred the soul of the same demon into the vessel. "Take this. You probably have a better chance than I do of getting out of this alive." Jonash hesitantly took the horn, looking at it questioningly. Thanatos cut him off as he opened his mouth to speak, "It should work for anyone now - it has Scathi's soul." Jonash nodded, and tied the chain to his belt before proceeding to help Cynric, K, and EX.
Thanatos swayed slightly. As one of the massive hell hounds came at him, he turned his body to its ethereal state. He discovered that the acid those things were spraying had some supernatural element - though the body of the animal charged right though him, his spittle left slight burns on Thanato's skin and a tearing sensation running all the way through his gut. Thanatos gasped and stumbled sideways, almost loosing his balance. He wished that he had the energy to lash out at the beasts, or that he was capable of using any magic while ethereal.
He fell to the ground, feeling the acid of the creatures burn him as they gnashed their teeth angrily through where his body appeared to be. He found a cluster of boulders, and slipped right through them. Had he been a godly man, he would have praised the lord that there was a hollow inside of the rocks, with a tiny peephole that was enough to see out and breathe through, but there would be no way for another living creature to get in.
He looked out, watching the fight as Cynric's blade clashed against the massive vulture's talons. Tenia still had a lot of fight left in him, and he was still pushing Cynric and the others back ever so slowly. Thanatos didn't have the energy to even grab their souls if they were to be killed. Not yet a voice deep within him seemed to whisper, to say and shout all at once. It raised itself to a fevered pitch. They cannot die yet!
He gritted his teeth, extending a hand towards Tenia as much as he could within his cramped hollow. In the air his hand traced patterns of ancient magic as his mouth began to chant. He wasn't sure where he had picked up the magic - one of the souls he had gained somewhere - but he knew it as well as if he had invented it himself. He drew a dagger, never stopping the chant, and slid it slowly and lightly across his outstretched wrist. For four minutes and forty-four seconds he chanted, sweat dripping off his brow and blood dripping into the dirt. Outside, he could hear the hounds snarling at the rocks where they had found his scent, he could see the sparks flying from Tenia's claws as they came against Cynric's blade again and again, and he could see the flashes of fire and magic as they arched constantly through the air.
In the midst of the fight, Tenia was too occupied to notice the hex being placed upon him, and by the time it began to settle into his skin it was too late. Thanatos wanted to grin. It wasn't a particularly powerful curse, but it was like a slip-knot, it would grow with time and with every bit of power Tenia extended in battle. There was a very specific method to remove it, and Thanatos didn't doubt Tenia could find it out easily enough, but he hoped the creature would be too busy to notice his strength waning until it would be all over for him.
He rolled over limply and the battle vanished from his vision, and the sigh that escaped his lips sounded almost like a death rattle. "I hope that helps…" he whispered quietly as he drifted into unconsciousness. His only regret was that he wouldn't be able to grasp the mighty soul of the vulture if he fell.
|
|
Jack
Full Member
"I'll live forever, or die trying.."
Posts: 449
|
Post by Jack on Jul 11, 2005 20:01:03 GMT -5
(EvelynXandii) Perhaps it was because Xandii was so pure that EX couldn't help but to feel differently about certain things, almost motherly. Thanatos and Havti were down, and while Evelyn would have liked nothing more than to kill on their behalf, Xandii was overpowering her with light. Instead of searching out more hell hounds to kill, she went to Thanatos' side.
Thanatos was knocked-out, laying limp on the ground of the wasteland. He wasn't dead yet, but his will was quickly dissapating. He would die here if there was nothing done. Eve ripped the sliver of bone from her calf, and rested it on Thanatos' chest. EX took a thread of her own will and spliced it to his, just to keep him alive. The pain in her leg flared with the transfer, but despite this, she used more of her will to pick Thanatos up from the ground. She carried him across her shoulders. It was a long and druging walk to where they were going, and the hellhounds were relentless. It took most of the rest of her will to keep her stars aloft, as they were her only defense against the predators. Everyone else was busy, and she hated to leave Haveti behind, but if she didn't do what she did, when she did, they may have never made it.
Eve and Thanatos finally made it to the fourth circle.
~Continued in Fourth~
|
|
Jack
Full Member
"I'll live forever, or die trying.."
Posts: 449
|
Post by Jack on Jul 11, 2005 20:03:12 GMT -5
(EvelynXandii) Eve's stars fell to the ground one by one as they entered the fourth circle. She too was exhausted, and there was nearly nothing left for her to use to run on. Somehow they made it to the steps of the palace, but on the landing midway up the impressive staircase, she collapsed under his weight. She spoke to him, in a wispy two-toned voice, sometimes sounding like the two souls were not talking from the same mouth.
Thanatos, we finally made it...Here you can rest...Here you are safe... ... This is your palace. Draw your power back... ... you can live ...
Eve passed out beside him.
|
|
Jack
Full Member
"I'll live forever, or die trying.."
Posts: 449
|
Post by Jack on Jul 11, 2005 20:03:49 GMT -5
(Jonash) Jonash could barely see, but he smiled all the same. His master was now taking charge and he would no longer have to deal with thought process of a teenager as his leader and could start making some serious tactical decisions.
He hated the idea of letting Thanatos go and lick his wounds, especially, if he died, then the souls that he needed to capture for the final end would be lost forever but he had too. All he could hope for was that EX's motherly instincts (if she had any) would not allow Thanatos to die, because at that exact moment, Jonash had a bigger problem... shoot forget "bigger" were talkin massive. Cynric was busy fighting the talon handed freak with wings. He had no idea when the persona had taken control but he did not really care. The creature had gotten to the point where he thought he stood a chance at challenging Satan and this arrogance he knew was never allowed. It was time for this pathetic creature to die. And as it happened, this day would be the day of his judgment sword.
Nevertheless, as mentioned before, Jonash had a far bigger problem on his hands. Cerbus' six glowing red eyes could be seen clearly now through the rain. His massive paw made the sound of thunder rolling in the distance. As lightning struck nearby the creature's black obsidian like fur could be seen clearly. As the sheen of his wet coat shown like finely polished armor. Above his left eye on the middle head was a small gash dripping with blood, no doubt were Tenias had gotten new breed of hound. Protruding from the wound was a small arrow that glowed pale green. It was one of Jonash's "earth" arrows and it seemed the only thing capable of piercing the armor like fur of Cerbus.
To his left, Jonash saw a few 30 feet away that K, the new warrior to the group, a strange female, who he could not make out as far as alliance was concerned, and a very badly wounded Haveti. Because of their position, they would be the first to intercept the large beast that closed in on Jonash's current position.
To the Nephilim General's right about 70 yards away was Cynric, the man he was ordered to keep from death, even at the cost of his own life. He could sense clearly that Tenias’ strength superceded Cynric's Gourein side. But what he could also sense was something that would make the vulture wish he had never died. Lucifer was about to show why it wasn't always better to "rule", a lesson Jonash, himself, was starting to learn.
Jonash was now in a dilemma. On one side, he had his duty; to abandon this duty would be to forego all of that which he worked towards, he could kiss all his chances of seeing his wife again good bye if he allowed Cynric to come to further harm. On the other side of him, was honor. His loyalty to Haveti, as a fellow teammate had grown into a small fondness for the strange alien creature. K would be stuck in defensive mode as soon as Cerbus appeared, as this new women would also be, as she would be too busy defending her new found friend to defeat Cerbus, even as powerful as she apparently was.
He cursed himself for his longing for his wife, if he had not seen her in his most recent dream, this decision would be slightly easier. He drew a masamune and landed behind some Hellhounds, the gas produced from their acid drool caused Jonash's good eye, the part still concealed by his mask, to water, but the tears he allowed to fall were for his honor not his reaction to the gas.
That’s a good boy Lucifer said telepathically. Your loyalty will be rewarded
"Ironic, I do this for love; you being completely incapable of I," Jonash replied.
I consider that a complement. It was "love" after all that caused angels to be servants after all. And its easily understandable how "love" caused you to be my servant. Is it not? I intend to be servant to no one.
Jonash kept the remainder of his thoughts to himself, beginning to understand that maybe servitude was sometimes better.
As the first tear fell, the Hellhounds that had been surrounding Cynric leapt for Jonash. In a flash, Jonash vanished using close to his "true" speed as he could muster after is small spat with Cerbus. In the next instant, one by one, the animals split into a thousand parts.
You're letting your emotions take hold of you, Jonash. You should be careful not to frenzy.
"Is this concern for my well being?"
I do not need another emotional psychopath. With the path you're headed, you'll most likely end up dead. And what would your wife think if you were dead?
With that, the slaughter stopped just as the last creature fell in butchered pieces. Jonash appeared shortly after, holding the blade towards the ground. It was all but melted and completely dull. The last creature he had only used the sheer momentum of the metal to push his sword through the flesh of the "super-hound." After that, Jonash could barely move. When he looked around, he noticed he was alone. Every Hellhound that was even close enough to smell him lay in pieces.
Cynric was in the air fighting Tenias, and Cynric was losing. He wasn't used to air combat, and while he was proficient at it, he was no where as good as the vulture demon. Jonash tried to raise his wings for flight but felt every bit of his energy leave him. The rain was too much for him to fly. They were now completely soaking wet, and too heavy to lift. All he could do was to place the horn to his lips and pray.
NRP: Jonash status is as fallows: compound ulna fracture on his right forearm. Small gash near his right ear and three of his false ribs on the right side are crushed. His facemask is split in two. And most of the remaining wounds he has are superficial. Currently his horns are where they normally are.
|
|
Jack
Full Member
"I'll live forever, or die trying.."
Posts: 449
|
Post by Jack on Jul 11, 2005 20:04:17 GMT -5
(Shadow) Quiet footsteps in eternally raining level of hell, wet ground explained that much automatically and small curse was heard from the figure in the fog. He was wet, just like everything seemed to be in this level, and he shook his head, wouldn't be useful to just curse about it, this was the third worst place to be anyway.
"I heard you have entered this place too old man..." He spoke while walked quietly onward, slightly smirking. "Like they say, if you speak with the foul mouth, and curse God and others... And even take ones life. You end up here, it's the Sin old man, and now you will rot here. My life is up there, so, I gotta continue..."
He stopped soon anyway, slightly confused about where he was currently and began to think. "Umh, I walked this path for a while, but in this rain, it's hard to advance... I guess I'll try heading north, and onwards the next level..." He spoke to himself, opening his wings making them appear and whipped the ground and air to get up and flied onwards.
|
|
Jack
Full Member
"I'll live forever, or die trying.."
Posts: 449
|
Post by Jack on Jul 11, 2005 20:05:10 GMT -5
(Thanatos) Thanatos' eyes snapped open, and he pulled himself upright. He felt fantastic, and that bothered him. He looked around himself, noticing his attire and the form of Evelyn Xandi sleeping facedown next to him. He squinted at her - he didn't think she had anything to do with his newfound vigor. His eyes lingered on her posterior for a moment despite how armor clad it was. She wasn't exactly his type but, of course, he'd try anything once.
He looked down at his hands, recalling the fight and how broken his wrist had been. There wasn't a scratch anywhere on his body. As he stood, a memory flashed up of how quickly the wounds he and his allies had inflicted on Plutus had begun to knit themselves back together. He grinned, flexing arms that seemed ever so slightly stronger, peering around him with eyes ever so slightly keener and sniffing the air with a nose that was most certainly better than it had been before Plutus' downfall. He stopped the sniffing quickly though - Hell did not smell good.
He stooped down, lifting the woman's limp form into his arms and walking up the last few steps into the castle. He wasn't sure exactly how she had found him under the rocks, or why she had brought him back with her to the fourth circle instead of one of the others, but they were idle questions and he paid them little mind. He would have been lying if he said he wasn't sure exactly how he knew the layout of the building like the back of his hand - he was quite used to gaining such memories and knowledge from the souls he absorbed. He carried her directly to the closest bedroom in the massive structure and left her sleeping while he marched down to the treasure rooms, knowing exactly where to find some suitable clothing.
The floor in the room he came to was covered with gold and silver necklaces, amulets and rings. Every piece of furniture was an armoire, and Thanatos didn't even have to open them to know that they were crammed full of men's clothing, each outfit grander than the one before it. He selected a thick dark blue coat with intricate silver embroidery reminiscent of Celtic knots wrapped about the cuffs and tapering upward along the outside of the sleeves, matching the needlework done on the pant bottoms. He found a ruffled white shirt made from the finest and most comfortable silk to wear under it, a pair of boots that fit him decently enough, white gloves, and completed his ensemble with a white silk scarf he tucked underneath the high collar of the coat.
After he belted his weapons back on, he paused to admire himself in one of the room's large mirrors. He was no fashion slave, of course, but he could certainly tell that the outfit was missing something. He caught a glimpse of that something out of the corner of his eye, and smiled as he picked the necklace up and placed it around his neck. The finely crafted platinum talisman with it's curved etchings created a nice contrast against the coat where it hung pressed up against Thanatos' chest. It had always been one of Thanatos' favorite devices, something he felt it must have taken a true genius to invent. The talisman was in the easily recognizable shape of one of the cruelest instruments of torture and means of death ever devised - a simple cross.
His wings appeared at his back and he flew upwards, passing through the castle to land gracefully atop its highest battlement. He gazed back towards the Styx, wondering how long he had been unconscious and if the others still fought with the great vulture demon there. He was still unsure why he desired them alive, but his instincts told him it was still too early for them to die on him, and those instincts had saved his life on more than one occasion. Despite the closing of his wounds, he knew his physical body was still too weak - too human - to challenge even the weakest of demons, and he felt as if his magic energies had not yet regained a level suitable for combat.
He wouldn't let himself be useless and, even more so, would not like himself be unaware of what was happening. He closed his eyes, seeking out Plutus' wolves - hoping that there might be some of them that still lived, hoping that there might even be another pack somewhere and most of all, hoping they would take orders from the one who held their master's soul.
After a few moments, he opened his eyes and began walking unhurriedly back down to rejoin the sleeping EX.
|
|
Jack
Full Member
"I'll live forever, or die trying.."
Posts: 449
|
Post by Jack on Jul 11, 2005 20:06:16 GMT -5
(Haveti) Pain, raw liquid fire, coursed through Haveti's veins in waves, rocking the unconcious Sii'Rul back to the battle at hand. For a moment all was subdued, gray tones and small flickers of ashy movement amid a silent roaring, when with a snap it all returned to him. The screaming and barking and clashes of power in the distance competed in earnest with the sky's own roaring downpour, and the movement of dozens of wolves reflected grimly in the frenzied sky above, the earth seemed to be leaping into the heavens and the heavens seemed to be pouring down upon the ground, such was the intensity of the storm and the battle beneath it.
Lurching to his feet seemed a task beyond Haveti, his muscles lead-filled and his shoulder bathed in what seemed roiling acid. He noted numbly that his entire left forearm was missing, his elbow ending off in a mess of oddly healed flesh. Straining his head to the side he saw that his shoulder was healed as well, impossibly now just another scar among many. A blurry, dreamlike image of an ugly woman - lacking any scars or tattoos - kneeling over him, but he no more drew that upon his reality as he would any other dream.
The Gods favor me, he thought. Haveti is not to fall in battle, to succumb to death while enemies still breath and bleed on the battlefield.
Reinvigorated suddenly, Haveti pushed himself off the slurry of water he'd woken in with his remaining arm and rose steadily to his feet. There were no wolves in his immediate vicinity - though the pools were littered with shaggy corpses, the battle raged on now in other places. His sword was buried to the hilt in a muddy clump nearby, and he waded through the bloody water with heavy footsteps towards it.
"Oh! You're awake."
The alien spun to regard Villeria, who'd been crouched somewhere behind him, observing the distant battle with some interest. The blurry recollection of her swam back, and seeing her clearly now Haveti immediately wanted to kill her. She was soft and weak-looking, as those who abhorred battle were. He calmed his annoyance at her and turned away, pulling his sword from the ground with his one hand. The girl, however, splashed up to him, making him dangerously aware of how close she was standing and how easily he could gut her. Best shake such thoughts free for the moment..
"Have you seen a man appearing as I do? An Elemeleon?" Her eyes were disgustingly open and hopeful.
"I have met many people," Haveti spat. "He-who-is-masked, The man which collects souls, the man whose forehead is marked, the boy which grows and changes shade.."
"The man whose forehead is marked, what did the symbol look like?" She asked pleadingly.
Haveti grunted, and tossed the sword lightly in the air, grabbing it by the flat of the blade, near the tip. He painstakingly maneuvered the sword's edge against the exposed expanse of skin where his black shoulder armor had been torn away. Crudely, and much to Villeria's distaste, he managed to draw the symbol which had appeared on Telamichious' forehead. Wiping the blood free from the symbol carved in his flesh, he turned so that the woman could see it clearly.
Her face went blank for a moment, and her eyes drifted. Telamichious..
The reverie was interrupted suddenly, however, when the scythe-wielding man came spashing towards them. Or rather, away from Cerberous, who was bearing down on all of them. The monster's eyes shown crimson through the onslaught of rain, and it thrashed it's heads about viciously, snapping and biting at the air.
Haveti elbowed the girl away from him so that he could have some distance to fight in, sliding his hand back to the hilt of his sword. Fear? Haveti feared dying far from battle, without glory or honor. He feared boredom, complacency, weakness in combat. What he felt when Cerberous crossed the last patches of mud and rainwater between them could only be described as gleeful madness.
"HAAAATTAAAAIII!!!" Haveti cried, leaping for the beast, sword held point-forwards, above his head, as if he were a scorpion preparing to strike.
|
|