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Post by DanteMGalileo on Jan 19, 2019 19:57:13 GMT -5
"Uh... who's this... Uh... ulha... who's that?" Leanne was genuinely confused about this Ulharryrth guy that the black dragon spoke of, especially as the blue guy in his clutches seemed to be named Paul. "I'm startin' to think you're a little confused, man." COMA OR NOT THAT'S A LITTLE TOO CASUAL TONE FOR YOU TO BE USING LEANNE ESPECIALLY CONSIDERING IT'S FUCKIN' VUTEZOTH. "I dunno who this U-guy you're talkin' about is, but that guy don't look like a- mmph!?"
Quickly covering Leanne's mouth, Will shot Vutezoth a meek look. "I, uh, please don't pay her any mind, sir dragon." Yep, Will was scared but trying to hide it. Anything to keep the black dragon off Val and Flint. And that grey thing that was apparently their ally now. "She just got outta a coma, maybe got a few too many whacks with the nightmare stick in her dreams, y'know, normal things that happen in a coma?" His sword was now gone, clearly not wanting to antagonize Vutezoth any further. "Now, most of us are mature adults, I'm sure that we can settle this reasonab... oh, wait, I've been here less than a week and I know I can't say that with a straight face."
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"Can you shift back?" There was a low groan, and a puff of smoke. Where the purple wyvern once laid was a young-looking man with dark skin and two-toned hair. Flint groaned again, allowing Val to bring him to his feet. "C'mon. I'm getting you out of here while you can still move..."
Flint's eyes moved to the blue dragon man being held captive by the black dragon, then at the shifting grey thing nearby. "Sis... they're-"
"I'm not losing family again. Not after what happened to Dad..." Val bit her lip, trying to suppress her feelings.
"It's not the dragon man... look at the grey thing... doesn't it...?"
...
"You... don't think that's...?" That silence meant only one thing. "... Fuck. We should've... gone through with that plan..."
---
The grey clouds swirled, the sun not visible through them, though still emitting light. The ground was as grey as the skies above, a sea of short grass with the occasional black, wilted tree to break the monotony. There were no sounds, no birds or bugs, just the wind. In fact, it seemed as though the land itself was dead...
A black tar pit stirred in what seemed to be the middle of this plane of existence, as if something was trying to escape its sticky grasp...
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Post by ParamountKeymaster on Jan 19, 2019 23:03:13 GMT -5
"Done nothing to me?" Vutezoth snarled, his irritated smirk silently declaring the team assembled before him a collective group of idiots. "This little cretin nearly took everything from me. I assure you that I am not confused. The color, the eyes, the voice, the aura, the obnoxious way he carries himself... You may see a man with the magnanimity of a dragon. I see the dragon I knew in another life, trapped in the form of a sad, frail little man."
He lifted one claw to tenderly stroke Paul's hair. Paul continued to squirm in his face-down position, unable to crawl free or even crane his neck to look up at his captor, let alone breathe on him.
"Tell them, Ulharryrth. Tell them how you invaded my land and stole what is rightfully mine. Tell them how you defiled my home and tried to kill me in my slumber like a coward. Tell them about the moons we spent in heated battle, letting civilizations crumble in our wake and riches tumble into the victor's hands. Riches that you were just as keen to claim as your own, you lying, cheating little scavenger."
Paul's breaths were ragged. Furious, nasally snarls through gritted fangs. He managed to twist himself just enough so the dragon could see his blazing yellow iris in the corner of his eye, sparkling with a static charge. He said nothing. His writhing eventually settled, sensing that he could not win this.
Vutezoth felt something strange as he observed the dragon man. Paul was shaking. No, not shaking; this was not angry thrashing that Vutezoth was detecting. No, Paul was... trembling. His body shivered in the great wyrm's presence, simultaneously tense yet weak. His intense yellow eye was both sparking with fury and clouded over with fear, a storm of conflicting emotions that gave off a very tangible sense of confusion.
"You... don't... remember..." The dragon's jaw dropped. He lifted his head up slightly and let out an awestruck chuckle. "You don't remember me. Your soul has imbued you with the qualities of your former self, and yet it has not instilled in you the memories of our glorious battles. Of the terrible things we had done. Of the monster that you truly are. My goodness, that is... sad."
The air seemed to distort around Vutezoth's mouth. His body shimmered. His wings folded against his back.
"Sad that your death will not be nearly as poetic the second time around."
He took a deep breath...
---------------------------
"Okay, go, go go go go go."
Clad once again in his police uniform, Scott aided the hotel staff in evacuating the rest of the tenants, ushering them out the back door he was stationed at and directing them in the opposite direction of the hulking black dragon. "Head for the travel station. Keep quiet and out of sight."
Once he was certain that any innocent bystanders had been cleared out, Scott headed onto the field himself. Vutezoth was still in the middle of his speech, and though he could see his brother pinned beneath the dragon's hand, Scott new better than to try to attack him from behind. A simple handgun likely would not fare well against that armored hide. Besides, it seemed like Vutezoth was prolonging his attacks for the sake of taunting Paul and the backup that had arrived.
With a hard gulp, Scott opted to leave the dragon and his brother's fate to those (hopefully) more capable of facing such a foe. In the meantime, he turned his attention on Val and Flint, the former helping the latter onto his feet before their attention shifted to the creature lying on the ground nearby.
Scott tensed up at the sight himself. Not from the startling sight of the beast's transformation, but from the disappointing revelation that he had been right.
"Just go. I can look after him," Scott instructed the siblings in a low murmur. "If you can't fight, then get to safety while you still have the chance."
He then planted himself between the dragon towering above him and the grey beast lying prone behind him. He took his position just in time to see Vutezoth reel back and prepare to unleash what Scott could only assume was a devastating breath attack directed at Paul. His mind raced with panic, struggling to determine a course of action in a split second that could save his brother.
Wait... Paul's breath. This dragon's grudge against him. Was it possible that...?
Without putting much more thought into it, Scott whipped his taser off his belt, charged at the dragon, and drove the electrical arced end into the monster's tail.
Vutezoth choked and roared in alarm. Pain was too strong a word; the sensation in his tail, while unpleasant, had little more effect on him than a pinprick did on a human. Still, it was enough to disperse the acid spray building in the dragon's mouth, half of it retreating back down his throat while the other half was haphazardly sprayed into the air and onto the ground below.
---------------------------
"Maaaaan, for a cosmic manifestation of the unity of light and dark, I honestly wouldn't have expected this soul to be this f***in' BO-RIIIIING!" Tri griped as he took a slow look around. "I mean, a beach is nothing special, and I've seen my fair share of volcanoes, but this is just sad. These guys really need to step up their A-game in terms of charac- Hel-looooo~."
Then Tri looked down at himself, his apathy turning to curiosity. As was to be expected, he had taken on a form that... vaguely resembled the being whose soulscape he stood upon. Except much larger, standing at well over twenty feet. He stood on two legs at first, then dropped down to a quadrupedal position, finding himself comfortable in both. His hands had become large, slender paws tipped with long claws. Crossing his eyes, he could see the snout that extended from his face. He didn't even have to turn around to know that there was a pair of smooth, leathery wings extending from his shoulder blades.
The biggest difference was that his entire body was black. Pitch black. When he poked his hairless arm, it felt slick, soft and sticky, almost semi-solid, as if his form was sculpted from the tar extracted from the pool nearby. The only thing not comprised of the warm, viscous substance was his mane; though it too was black as night, it ebbed and flowed like fire, possessing a similarly hot, ethereal feeling. His horns were present as well, though one of them seemed to have acquired a nick near the base. The sole source of color on his new form was his eyes; strangely, they sat in unnaturally deep pockets in his gaunt, dragon-like skull, as if the original eyes had been scooped out of the tar and someone had plastered these ice blue, snake-like orbs in their place.
"Huh. I could honestly get used to this."
Well, this wasn't all about him, now was it? With an almost playful gait, Tri meandered over to the tar pool and reached in until his fingers found something to wrap around. The thick goo did not seem to cling to his arm. If anything, the substance looked as if it was actively trying to avoid him.
"Wakey-wakey, Sleeping Beauty! Or... Sleeping Beast? Ha! Now there's a Disney crossover that needs to happen! Anyway, get up and smell the stinky bean juice you humans like for whatever reason!"
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Post by ColArana on Jan 22, 2019 23:35:48 GMT -5
While Will had sheathed his blade, Ranuen's was still primed and ready. He was not... going to back down from this. Not even as Vutezoth made the outrageous claim that Paul was an ancient dragon that had battled him. "That... doesn't matter. Reincarnation or whatever. Paul is Paul. He's not this Ulharrip." He growled out, butchering the pronunciation of the name. Even as Vutezoth taunted Paul, Ranuen advanced. He figured he only had one shot at this. One shot to get Paul out, and he needed to be as close as possible to make that shot, regardless of the risks of approaching the dragon. And then he saw it. His chance? Or his death? Vutezoth was inhaling. Ranuen had seen this dragon's breath attack once before, and he got the feeling that it had been little more than a gentle breeze compared to the storm that was about to be unleashed on Paul.
Timing was going to be everything here.
And then the gods giftwrapped an opportunity. Ranuen had completely missed Scott, so focused was his attention on the dragon, that the cause of Vutezoth's sudden choking fit went unnoticed. The cause didn't matter. The opening though? That mattered. There wasn't going to be a better chance than this. Ranuen practically flew. Defense was forgotten. Speed and raw power. It didn't matter that he could not hope to cause Vutezoth meaningful damage. It didn't matter that he could very well only be delaying the inevitable. And that his actions might only serve to piss the dragon off even more. That didn't matter. Getting Paul out in this moment? That was what mattered. Everything else came secondary. A bridge to cross when he reached it. A forceful stab of his sword, aiming to drive his blade directly into Vutezoth's talon which pinned Paul. With all the force and speed Ranuen was pouring into the stroke, precision came secondary, but with what precision he had, he attempted to angle the tip of his weapon to pierce against the grain of Vutezoth's scales, and hopefully puncture the flesh within. Coupled with Vutezoth's choking fit, he hoped to cause the dragon's talon to recoil even briefly, as if stung. A split second opening to get Paul out.
After that? ....Well then that's when things would get really hairy, as Ranuen expected the best case scenario would be dealing with a seriously pissed off dragon.
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Post by DanteMGalileo on Jan 23, 2019 16:49:47 GMT -5
"R-Raunen?! I'm not sure if attacking a dragon this size is the smartest ide- oops, you're already off. Why did I even bother with that...?" Will sighed, releasing Leanne's mouth. Well, he couldn't control Raunen. The least he could do was OH HOLY CRAP ON A CUPCAKE IT'S RAINING ACID!!! The blonde yelped, pulling himself and Leanne back in a run to avoid the corrosive fluid now pouring onto the ground. "Gah!? Will someone give me an answer?!"
"Yer girlfriend's fleein' the scene." Even when being carried by Will away from a rain of acid, Leanne couldn't help but make a dig at his expense.
"She is NOT my girlfriend! Sheesh! And she's NOT fleeing, she's retreating strategically to get her brother to safety, aka away from the crazy dragon! Which we will also do once Paul is secure!" And even in this high-stakes situation, the blush betrayed Will's real feelings.
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"Ugh, this skid... If I wasn't so injured, I'd..." Flint stopped that sentence, as if he didn't know how to finish it. "Fuck it... I ain't in shape for this shit..."
Val pulled Flint away from the black dragon, avoiding the acid rain that spewed from his mouth as Scott did something to it. "Indeed... C'mon. Hurry. Get away from here. I'm NOT losing you, not after..."
Both siblings took a last look at the fallen grey beast, slowly changing form before their eyes, before slithering away...
---
Someone is here. Someone who should not be here.
Claw-like fingers disturbed the pool of tar in the middle of this strange landscape, causing the substance to stir and try to avoid whatever was in there with the original owner. A hand reached out, covered in the black substance. "S-Stop that..." Whoever was in there did not sound hostile; rather, they sounded scared. Alas, whoever else was in this place clearly wasn't the type to heed a fair warning.
There was a sticky, retching sound as the tar pooled in towards the centre, before moving away from it in a ripple. A human figure emerged from the waist up, face obscured not only by the black substance, but a mop of hair so thickly coated in tar that it could have been any colour. An eye, bright green, stood out through the hair and tar. In a shaky voice, the figure uttered but once sentence.
"͍̭̙G̼̹e͔̮̪̳t̘̠͖͓̣͇ ͍̗͉̜̗ͅo̱͇̯̘u̻t̠̳̩̭̭̦̙ ̟o͓̞̱͈͚̬f͇̘̯̦ ͖̱͙̼͉he̦̙͎͚͎̮̥r͉̬͍e̜̜ ̰̞wh̜͇͈͉͕̦̱i̩̹͈͙̙̞l͚e̜ ͈̗̫̪yo̭̞u ̬̼s̙t͇̳̻͈ͅi̬͍̞̬̠͈̪ll̠ ͕ͅc̰̘̥̻̦͔a̮̩̲̙̟͔n̝͇..͖̼.̞̮̥͖̤"̱̹̠̗
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Post by ParamountKeymaster on Jan 23, 2019 17:37:53 GMT -5
Though his voice was still largely muffled by the earth his face was pressed against, Paul's screams were nonetheless loud and strong. Acid spewed from his captor's mouth and onto his back, eating away at his shirt, dripping onto his upper back. The damp, sticky substance was like a thousand white hot needles jabbing into his hide. His scales stung and practically shriveled up one by one.
Vutezoth snarled and looked back at Scott, smacking him away with his tail and sending the officer tumbling across the field with a hefty grunt. The dragon then faced forward again with an angry roar, finding Ranuen jabbing at his hand with his fiery sword. The blade was sharp and intensely hot to be sure, but it left not even a chip in the dense black hide. In retaliation, Vutezoth again clenched a fist around Paul and knocked Ranuen down with a blunt backhand strike.
"So eager for Round 2, are you, Insect?" Vutezoth growled, circling around to face the Lowe siblings front and center. His tail swept along the grass, smacking into the fleeing Val and Flint from behind. "You still have so little idea what you're up against."
The dragon raised his hind foot, adjusting it slightly and slamming it back down with all his might. Without even looking, he felt bones crunching beneath his toes and a talon piercing through warm flesh...
"That's strike one."
With a flick of his thumb, Vutezoth freed Paul's arm from his grasp. He bared his fangs and opened his mouth, aiming to swallow the appendage whole...
---------------------------
Green. Why green? I honestly don't get that. I would've expected purple or even silver, but green? What does green have to do with quintessence? Besides... y'know, trees. Is it like an RGB thing? Oh, who gives a f***.
Tri smirked at the young man wading in the tar pool, idly stirring a claw through the thick substance all the while. "B*tch, do you think I would've come in here if I couldn't handle what was waiting for me? I know what you are, kid. In most circles, people consider me a much more abominable creature."
He crouched down into a rather playful stance, wagging his... tails? Wait, did he have two of them? "You need to lighten up about it, though, 'cause the conductor's about to raise the baton. In other words, it's time to face the music."
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Post by ColArana on Jan 26, 2019 20:51:42 GMT -5
"That's...." Not even a scratch. His blade hadn't penetrated Vutezoth's flesh one millimeter. Why... Ranuen's own shock meant he didn't even bother to respond to Vutezoth's taunt, if it had even registered. The swordsman's fury at his own lack of power was drowning out everything else. The perfect opening. It was frigging gift wrapped to him! He barely even noticed Vutezoth's acid burning at his skin, the dispersed breath attack still proving damaging. If he did notice it, it would only be to mock himself that even a misfired attack from the dragon was inflicting more damage than a direct hit with his hardest blow. It wasn't until Vutezoth swatted him aside like a fly, that Ranuen was jolted back to reality. He slammed into the ground, bounced, and then tumbled again, sprawling out on the ground. If he'd been a tiny bit more aware, maybe he could have caught himself and regained his footing, but his attacks' complete failure, and Paul's screams had proven very effective in demoralizing Ranuen.
"D-damnit.... Paul..." Ranuen groaned as he tried to scramble up. What... what could he do.... He saw Flint go down, pierced by Vutezoth's talon-- a casual strike. So casual it almost looked accidental. They were losing badly, and the battle had barely started.
Then his eyes zeroed in on Vutezoth's back. There was no temple this time. No chance of escaping the dragon this time. But... Swift had managed to injure Vutezoth by targeting that scar. And the dragon had made efforts to stop Ranuen's own attacks at it in that battle. There was nothing else. At this point, Ranuen was not even certain if that would be enough, but he had no other options. Vutezoth wouldn't spare him for going after that weak point, if he succeeded, and possibly even if he failed. Didn't matter. Ranuen was loyal to his comrades, and if it would increase someone's chances of getting out of this alive, he'd do it in a heartbeat. To slow that beast for even an instant...
Ranuen rushed back in as Vutezoth resumed his attention on Paul. He sprang into the air, turning his blade over, so that the point faced downwards, his eyes searching the dragon's back for any sign of that scar, before attempting to drive downwards and stab into it. The only place on Vutezoth he might have the slightest chance of scratching. And after his last performance... He wasn't even sure about that. But if there was even the sliver of a chance, he had no choice but to take it.
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Post by DanteMGalileo on Jan 27, 2019 21:42:27 GMT -5
There was a yelp of pain, and a whimper of agony as Vutezoth's tail swatted Val and Flint, sending the duo flying in opposite directions. Val groaned, slowly getting to her feet, using her gun as the cane it was usually disguised as. "Like... being hit... with a mountain..." She glared at the black dragon, whose talon was getting awfully close to-
"FLINT!! YOU- YOU- YOU LEAVE HIM ALONE-!!!!"
BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG. Grey. Green. Grey. Yellow. Grey. A swirl of red, blue, green, and yellow. Grey. Red. Val felt her gun grow hot in her hands, but she didn't care. All she wanted to do was make that damn thing feel her pain.
Flint was smashed onto the pavement, unable to get to his feet. He groaned, his limbs useless to him. His world grew dark. Closing his eyes, he felt the talon tear into his flesh. Trying to muster a grin, a single tear fell from his eye, slightly crystalized, as if it was frozen...
I'm sorry, sis. Ma, Dad, if you can hear me... I'm comin' home...
There was a sickening crunch, and from below Vutezoth's talon came a small blast of ice, rippling outward before quickly dissipating into nothing...
---
"VAL!!!" Seeing the sandy-haired woman go flying, Will placed Leanne down, glaring at Vutezoth. His sword was draw, his usually kind eyes blazing with fury. "THAT'S MY NOT-GIRLFRIEND, YOU PROSTAK!!!" With a battle cry, he charged towards the black wyrm, jumping, trying to get on the dragon's back...
"Huh, that's one..." Leanne trailed off, her attention now firmly on the origin of the ice ring. "Flint! Oh gods, please tell me..." Reaching down, Leanne quickly tore off most of the deep orange skirt she wore, revealing the pants below. Running at a now-increased speed, the pink-haired girl knew what she would see, but she hoped for a miracle...
Hey Tri... Where's that girl? I gotta feeling she'll know what to do 'bout this... Will told me on the way, that and I could still kinda hear things...
---
"̲Y̦̝̱̰̠̹ou̙̪ ͕͕d̟̰͓o̪̲n'̣t͍̬̠̼͕̟ ̟̲̱̼̬g̣͈̲e̥̳̳t̼̘̰̺̞ ̼̗̠i̹̲͓̺̭͎ͅt, ̺̱͓̤͉̝ͅdo͓̻͕̠͇̗ ̩̰yo̬̹̺̩u̫̩̙̲͔?̣͉̩̞"̘̬
The figure's green eyes were desperate, staring at the tar-creature. "̭͚̻T̼h̺̼̰̰i͚s̼ ̞̣̝pl̖͓͈̠̪a̭c̺̞͕͔e͓̟͈̠̺̳ is̬̹ u̪̩̪̹̪n̠ș̬͚̠̘̦t̝̮̳a̠͚b̭̤l̪̤̞͕e̫̰̼.̳͓̤̳ ̤̟͕̩͚I̘̜̪'̫͖̘̝̰͚̮m̲̗ un̦͙s͖̖̠t̫̹̺̠̙a͉͈̞b͇͎͉l̪̖̫̟e̞.̦͕̲͓̗ͅ"̘ Now they were begging, eyes watering. "̥I̹͓̘̮͖͚̝t'̤̳͇͖s ̠̺̟̫͓͖u̳͇͔̙̬̦̥ns̹t̹̠̻͎͎͕̗a̰͍͇b̦l͓̥̱̪̰̼̣e͉̱ ͈̦̹b͚̣̘̗̰e̥̘͎ͅc͈̦̭̗̤̙a̘͓̥͙͖͇u̦̜͖͕se͇̠͕ I'̼͇̯͍͓̖m͈ ̱͙u͎̺̗̦̠̥n͇͕̙͉̤̮͔st͓a̳̦ble̞̺̯̘͖̲̪. ͍̝͍͙͕T͈̮̫h̪̺̭̭̼̫͈i̖̭͉̣͙͉s͔̻ ͕̰͚̘̮̰͔i̜̟͔̳̹̝s͎͔ ͇͓̲w̱͙͖h͓̘͇̻̣͇a͕̜̮t͖͖͚ ͙͙̺̞̱h͚a̰p̦̖̟͙̱̦̣p͎̬̦̤e͙̞̰͈͕̖ͅṇ̦s͉̺ ̻͉̪̹ͅw͓̱h̞̻e͈̠̯̖̝̪n͎͈̫ yo͈͇̜͕͉u͚̳ ̼̤̲̬j͓̳̜̙ͅa͙͚m̹ ͈fo̰̫̠͉̝͔̼u̳̬̫̥̞ṟ̣̣̰ ̮̜͎̤̞͎ṱ̫͚͕h̲̦̳̺i̩n͓̼̩̭g̼̙̦̗͓̳̘s͈̮̹ͅ ̼̲͙t͈͈̲̹͕h̬͇̭̺a͚t̹ ̲̞̳s̮̯̦h̟̞o͔̝̬̱̱̰u̪̮̭ͅld̯͓n'̜͖̙̤͇̼ͅt̯̺ ͕mi̞̼x͈ ͍̰̮̘̹̥̦i̬͎̗̞̭̫̰nt̜o͎̞͓ ̗o͖̖ṋe͚̮̗͍̺ ̞̭b̹o̼̰͉dy͕̖͇̖̗̥.̙͙̙"̲̤ The figure clenched a fist, slamming it into the tar surrounding it.
"̺͇͕T̫̭̪h͓̮e̦̥̱͎̪̹͇ ͔̫̬̝̠lo̘͈̻̥̥n̠̲g̤e̮̳̠r ̘͚͉̞̰̣y̙̹o͇̫̟͓̣u̲̗̝̗ s̮̲t͉͔̤̦͓̥a̬͇̜̣̩y ̪h͖̦̖̻ḛ̻r̝e̜̭̗̫̲̻- th̹͇̪̰̰e̟̞̖̟̣̹ ̠͔̤̟̦l͖̳̬͙ͅͅo̬͍͈n̻̹̥ge̲r̬̝̥͕ͅ ͍ͅa̼͍̫̳n̖̳̬̰y̗̹̥̗̫ͅo̩ne̲ ̙̣͔̼s̫̻̤̻̩t̠̹͉͕̘̗̜a͉̫ͅy̬̰̠̪̳̺s͙̙͓̞ͅ h̬̥̪e̯r̮̖̤e̙̭̘͉̖̠ͅ.̖̤̩͍.̟̳̞.̻ ̹̫͚͚̥͙ͅt͖̰̰͚̹h͔͍̣̼ḛ͕̻̞̭̰ ͉̣̭m̰̟͚̻ͅo̝̬̮̳͇̼̭r͙̣̥͖̬̲e̜̬̺̤ ̰͖̲̼̦t̼͕̬̖̱h͕̭̠̭̮̲̠e̺̙̭͇̫y̘̹͓̼ r̼̮̘i͇̮s̭̻̟̜͔k͙̺͉.̯͉̩̘.̮.̗͚̼̩̳͍͈ ͔͉̳͕c̙̤̬̠̥̖̠o̘͚̬rr̙̗̗u̗̰p̫ṭ̺i͔̟̙̰̘͓̼o̩̘̰̙̝̞n̞̳̞̫.̞̫̝̮͇.͔͖ͅ.̣͉ ̹̥̗͇y͎o͈͖͔̰̬u ̦͖c̘̰͍ͅa̼n ̲f̫̰̣̰e̻e̻̹̮͚͉͍l͙̞ ̝͇̹͙͎͔̥ịt,̜̘̞̬ ͍͉̺̤͓̹c͓̮̠̣͕̣̥an̻͈͍͍'̹̞t͎̹͎͇̬ ̞͕y͇̬̳o̙̟͙̯u̙?̘̣̲͇̝̳͓"̭̭͕̣̳
As it spoke, the sky began to fall apart. What appeared to be static flickered behind the former sky...
---
The grey beast's features receded further into it, horns growing limp and floppy, tail reforming into an article of clothing, claws reverting to human hands...
The grey-green substance from it eye, that which remained on its body, shuddered, and began to turn red...
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Post by ParamountKeymaster on Jan 29, 2019 18:52:19 GMT -5
Oh, okay, I get it. His eyes would've been green if he wasn't a mutant enemy hybrid sin against nature. Heheh... "Mutant enemy." Grr. Argh.
Tri let out a low but audible chuckle, more so at his own train of thought than anything the boy in the tar had to say. He started to pace around the pool, hardly deterred by the glitches in the sky and in fact doing a flawless job at ignoring them. Not an especially novel sight for the archdemon. "Hey, trust me, I understand. I've seen firsthand what happens when you try to mix things that can't be mixed. Hell, folks back in my universe have tried to create something like you time and time again. The results were all almost as horrific as I am. Almost. I'm already corrupted as all get out. You don't gotta worry about me. But- Oh, hold on."
He stopped walking and lifted his head with his eyes closed and his smile calm. The grey clouds in the eastern horizon briefly acquired an incredibly faint, magenta glow that shone from behind the cover. "Not sure what you're talking about, sweetheart~"
Tri spared only a brief thought for Leanne before turning his attention back on the owner of this soulscape with a coy, goopy smirk. The sky faded back to its dull, overcast grey. "What you've got going on here? It's nothing special. No one's soul is stable. Everyone has light and darkness in eternal conflict, threatening to destroy both each other and their host. You think you're messed up? Pfft... Well, you are, but believe me, Fluffy... I've seen worse. Things will become a lot less cluttered in the near future, I can assure you that."
His body compressed in on itself, the tar resculpting itself into a more humanoid shape. One that resembled a drippy, shadowy version of the young man in the pool with glowing, ice blue eyes casting a damp shine on his black body. He leaned over and offered a hand. "For now, how about you get outta there? You got people worried."
---------------------------
Vutezoth felt bursts of force, wind, earth, fire and water striking his flank. They barely felt like punches against his dense black hide. He saw Ranuen and William leap into the air, both aiming at his back. He merely adjusted his wings to cover his scar. He let none of these attacks deter him. If anything, they were all the more incentive for him to rip into this pathetic creature to repay them for their insolence. They needed to know the pain that they were in for, and they needed to know they brought it upon themselves.
He wasn't going to waste anymore time. With his fangs bared, a snarl escaping his throat, Vutezoth lunged his head at the dragon man in his hand, eager to sink his teeth into the blue flesh...
CRACK
"GGGRRRRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAUUUUUUGGGGGGHHHHHH!!!!!!"
Paul's limp body straightened up almost reflexively, turning his head at just the right angle to unleash a tremendous, white-hot flash of lightning out of his throat and into the dragon's open mouth. Vutezoth roared in ungodly, furious agony as the electrical arc struck the back of his tongue with the sharp, explosive force of a thousand firecrackers, coughing up a sickly, yellow-green spray of spittle in the process.
As the dragon stumbled back, Paul slipped out of his hand and fell to the ground with a painful thud. He lay still for a second or two before only barely managing to prop himself up on his arms, his shoulder still stinging from the acid, a low groan and several sparks of static slipping out of his mouth.
His mind racing, an intense rage building in his chest, Vutezoth spread his wings, effectively swatting away the two swordsmen attempting to strike him from behind. Once everyone was on the ground again, he spun around in a wide arc and roared at the puny creatures. From out of his mouth came only a few droplets of acid, the ineffective spray eventually choking him to a point where he had to stop and cough away the pain still lingering in his throat. His pale yellow eyes glared daggers at his foes, a snarl escaping the gritted teeth of his horrific scowl.
"You brazen little FOOLS! You're only delaying the inevitable! I would've been content to spare you whelps had you simply left Ulharryrth to me, but now? Now you lot have effectively earned my ire."
His scales took on a damp, glistening sheen. A sharp, rancid smell filled the air. The sky itself seemed to shudder and rumble.
"If you want to take it slow, that's perfectly fine by me. I'll make this slow. Intimate. Excruciating. You all seem so keen to sign your own death warrants. By the time I'm finished with you, you'll be begging for it!" The prodigious black dragon stood to his full height, bracing himself for anything these weaklings had to throw at him. "And you, Ulharryrth? For this insubordination, I offer you this parting gift, old friend. I'll let you live a little while longer. Long enough to watch me RIP THE LIFE FROM THESE PUTRID CREATURES... BIT BY SLOW... DELICIOUS BI-!!!"
SLAM
A meteoric force of wind and fire shot out of the sky and struck Vutezoth in the head, knocking him off his feet and sending him collapsing onto his side.
The force flipped over the downed dragon, skidded along the road and finally came to a halt. From there, Kelsey hunched over in a feral posture and scowled lividly up at Vutezoth. Her bright eyes were blazing with the intensity of twin blue suns. Her bat-like wings were spread to full length. Her arms and wing tips were noticeably lined with rows of fleshy but still sharp-looking spines.
Kelsey stood up straight, her breaths haggard and fierce. With a wave of her arms, shadow tendrils erupted from her aura, flames engulfed her arms, and the air around her spiraled into a ferocious whirlwind, the three elements wildly whipping around her like so many dark, fiery tornadoes.
Vutezoth quickly picked himself back up and shook himself off. Once he had regained his composure, the dragon snarled and turned his attention on the... demon girl.
Well, it seemed the old adage was true. The more things changed, the more they stayed the same.
"This one yours?" Vutezoth growled, gesturing towards Paul.
Kelsey responded only with a slow nod.
"Good. You're first, then."
Vutezoth roared and charged at Kelsey. She immediately responded by launching a shadow tendril and ensnaring him by the snout. The dragon quickly halted and reared back, wings flapping in an effort to pull himself away from the ethereal cable. Kelsey stood her ground and maintained her grip, waiting for the tension to reach its pinnacle before letting it relax ever so slightly, just enough for Vutezoth to stumble over himself. The moment he did, with her shadow still wrapped around his snout, Kelsey yanked his head down like he was a giant puppet on a string, slamming it into the concrete. She whipped him upright, then slammed him down again. Then again.
As the dragon growled and tried to right himself, Kelsey tugged on the shadow again, this time to pull herself closer to him. She released the tendril and rode on the wind, easily gliding over to him before he had a chance to get back on his feet, and clung to the back of his neck. The advice that Tri had offered on the flight back home proved right as Kelsey spotted a soft-looking scar just between the bases of Vutezoth's wings. Said wings leaned back the moment she landed, the hooked "fingers" on their tips attempting to jab at her. She quickly knocked them away with a shadow whip to one and a powerful punch to the other, blasting the membranes of both with balls of fire for good measure.
With the flames still covering her arms, Kelsey swooped down along the dragon's neck, her claws aimed to pierce the scar. Vutezoth suddenly shifted, craning his head around with his mouth open wide and his teeth aimed at the demonic pest. Kelsey beat her wings just in time to dive backwards over his head as his jaws snapped shut, just barely brushing along the seat of her pants. She twisted in midair and struck the dragon's head with a burst of pressurized air, using the force to propel herself upward. Vutezoth shot up with her, swatting at her with his claws. She nimbly managed to outmaneuver all but one strike, the last one knocking her out of the sky like an insect.
Though she was tumbling too much to correct her flight pattern, Kelsey at least managed to brace herself for impact. Upon hitting the ground, she rolled a few times and shot up into a crouch, having earned only a couple minor bruises and a scratch along the left wing. Her sharp glare refocused on the dragon swooping in for a landing, hardly noticing that she had landed between a furious woman with a gun and a dead body.
All the while, Paul could only stare wide-eyed and slack-jawed at the scene, not out of awe, but out of pure terror. Seeing Kelsey go toe-to-toe with this great beast only further fueled the dread he had been feeling ever since Vutezoth arrived. He couldn't help but worry that she couldn't handle it alone, and perhaps even more so, he feared how this fight would affect the archdemon blood within her that was steadily reaching its peak of power and influence. No matter what happened, Kelsey was in grave danger.
Before he could even consider springing back into action for Kelsey's sake, Paul felt himself being hauled onto his feet by the familiar hands of his brother. "C'mon! We gotta get you outta here!"
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Post by ColArana on Feb 4, 2019 23:39:15 GMT -5
There was screaming. Shouting. Ranuen was deaf to it all. He was vaguely aware of people moving around him, but it had all become a blur of motion. An almost transient state where all that mattered was the fight, combat be damned. Some might have called it a place of Zen. Ranuen, honestly, would have called it a place of despair. Not even when he'd been defeated by Brandish had he felt despair like this. A despair where he had fully accepted that he was going to die here, possibly in vain, possibly not even able to achieve so much as delaying the end of his comrades by a second. A place where the only thing he could feasibly do was give himself completely over to the fight, and at least die a warrior's death. There were worse deaths, even if there were better. It was this mentality, this tunnel vision that blinded him to many of the events going on around him at that moment.
He was dimly aware of someone joining his aerial assault down on Vutezoth, not that it mattered. Vutezoth covered his weak point with his wings. Ranuen had abandoned using pyromancy. His previous fight with Vutezoth had already proven his flames were useless against him. And that had been at his peak, in his present emotional state, he knew that they'd be even weaker than usual. He was focusing entirely on physical augmentation, amplifying his strength, speed and magical power, with little regard for his durability. He stabbed at Vutezoth's wings, trying to aim between the bones, in the hopes that perhaps the webbing between the wings might be of flimsier stuff than Vutezoth's hide, though he doubted it.
But whether his blade piercing the wings or not, Ranuen was blasted back, and he was thrown bodily through the air, coughing up blood. He heard Vutezoth howl in rage, and Ranuen forced himself to stand back up, seeing Paul blast Vutezoth with some manner of lightning attack, and cause the dragon immense pain. As Vutezoth sputtered and coughed, Ranuen hurled himself back into the fray again. He wasn't even aiming for Vutezoth's back this time. He was charging the dragon head on this time, ignoring his own advice from earlier. Right up until Kelsey slammed into Vutezoth, and began to engage the dragon. Was she... always this strong? Ranuen wondered, as Kelsey was fighting evenly with an enemy that had already been defeating him with less effort than one would give to swatting a particularly slow mosquito. Well. That only fueled his charge further, as Ranuen charged recklessly into the fray between Vutezoth and Kelsey. He wasn't even attacking Vutezoth's weak points anymore, instead, hacking and slashing at any part of the dragon in reach of his blade, regardless of the result, assaulting with all the tactical abandon of a berserker.
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Post by DanteMGalileo on Feb 5, 2019 14:56:05 GMT -5
"GGGGYYYYYYYYAAAAAAAAUGGGHHHHHHHH!!!!!"
Upon impact with Vutezoth's cruel wings, Will was sent spiraling downward. He barely managed to correct himself before slamming onto the pavement, feeling the shock echo from his legs through his body. "Ow..." The blood groaned and reached for his mouth. Yep, something definitely broke. Coughing, a mixture of blood and spit came out, followed by a few teeth. "Yeah, gonna have to see a healer... again..." His sword had landed several feet from him, near the conspicuously immobile OH GODS NO...
"I'll... I'll... I'll..." Val wasn't herself, she wasn't the type to stammer. But when you see your brother get crushed like a bug... Her bullets had no effect on the black dragon. She was shaking, her breaths ragged. "I'll kill you... I'll kill you... I'll... I'll make you feel his pain..." She took aim again, arms and gun shaking; there was no hope of a steady shot, but she didn't care. She just wanted to make the damned thing pay-
But before she could fire any shots, Vutezoth was knocked off his feet. Apparently, that person knew the blue dragon... She took advantage of Kelsey's distraction to try and steady herself. Well, that lasted until the other woman was knocked out of the sky, landing between her and Flint's body.
"Val!" Despite his own injuries and the blood coming from his mouth, Will didn't seem very concerned for himself. He raced towards the taller woman, concerned for her. "Val, please... we can't fight a mountain... if that girl can't... Please-"
Val cut him off with a raise of her palm, eyes glaring through her tears. "If you want to be useful, g-grab Flint's body. We need to get out of here. I am NOT seeing my brother be further desecrated in death!"
Leanne's eyes glazed over again, just staring at this scene, as if unaffected by the chaos around her. ... I know they'll be okay. Er, they will be okay, right?
All will be answered in due time, my witch.
---
I need to get out of here.
I need to be stopped...
The person in the tar regarded the hand with staring, scared eyes. If he went back, who's to say he wouldn't turn on his friends again? Who else would he kill? But if he didn't go back... Would his friends care? Would they miss him?
He knew what had to be done. He didn't need anyone else to tell him.
A weak smile came over the tar-covered person, shakily accepting the hand of their doppelganger. "̻͓̠̜̫̰͢D͍̞͙͍̝̖͜o̳͔͖͡ ̙͎͕̠͉y̛͚̲̪̺̹ơ̫̱u̴̹̘̱̦͖ͅ ̺̯̱̹̕k̪̩͔n̪͉̲̻o̶̫̻̣͕w̭̼̦͠ ̶̬͍m҉̦̻y̸͎ ̸͚̙͇̖r͈e̵̻̰̮͉a͙l̛̟ ̖̪͎n̙̥͖̰͎͕͢ͅà̗͙m̧̲̱̗e͔̼̲̗.̛̮̹̣̺.̝.͕̱̦̲̞̤̬?̵̘̥͉̩"̠̙
---
The glow stopped on the changing beast, revealing its real form, or its human skin. He wasn't sure which. He cracked open one eye, finding nothing but darkness. He cracked open the other. Chaos. Nobody would see him escape. For their safety.
The young man slowly stood up, looked around, saw nobody looking at him. He turned, and ran...
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Post by ParamountKeymaster on Feb 5, 2019 20:05:33 GMT -5
Tri couldn't help but chuckle as he took the poor sod's hand and yanked him free. "Oh, I know more than just your name. I also know your shoe size. 'Cause hey, someone had to bother learning it, Percy."
With movements so subtle they were almost undetectable, he dragged his foot in a circle on the ground, leaving his mark burned into the dirt. "I also know I can't convince you otherwise, but nonetheless, I'd recommend you don't run. My protege won't go as easy on you as I am. Now get going, ya dingus!"
As Tri said these parting words, he gave the soulscape's owner a firm shove, the young man's tar-covered astral form dissolving into the wind as he flew backwards. Tri himself then launched into an upward spiral, disappearing into the sky as his own pitch black form distorted into something much more ungodly. "KELSEY..."
---------------------------
"...PAY DAY!!!"
Kelsey jumped slightly, then sharply turned to the side, her attention shifting to the broken and bloodied body lying prone next to her. It took her a few seconds, but eventually she realized who it was, and when she turned around, she saw the half dragon pelt's sister nearby. Her mind was racing, knowing what Tri was urging her to do but feeling a sharp pang of unease as she contemplated it. Sure, this had always been her intent, but now that she was staring her first opportunity in the face, she had to wonder how anyone would react to it, especially since she seemed to have an audience in this moment.
Will charged in, urging Val to escape. Vutezoth still had yet to touch back down. Seizing this opportunity, Kelsey turned back to Flint, her ice blue eyes taking on an ethereal glow as she studied his still form. The tether was still intact. Though his body was bereft of life, his soul still lingered...
While Val was distracted with Will, Kelsey hunched over Flint, shielding herself with her wings. Her cheeks split open, sucking in a tremendous gasp of air. A faint glow briefly surrounded Flint, fading the moment the withering connection between body and soul was severed, allowing Kelsey to swallow the light whole.
Her face immediately healed over. Without missing a beat, Kelsey shot to her feet, whipped around, and swung a tremendous shadow tentacle in a split-second upward arc, striking Vutezoth with a ten-ton uppercut the moment he descended upon her. The dragon stumbled back, violently crashing to the ground and skidding nearly a block down the road, the earth shaking from the mighty impact.
Kelsey looked to Will and Val again. "KAMIKAZE THIS BASTARD OR LEAVE! I DON'T CARE WHICH!" Then she flew over to Vutezoth, looking to strike before he could get back up. Commanded by subtle hand movements on her part, the dragon's shadow reached up from beneath him in the form of dozens, maybe hundreds of black tendrils, wrapping themselves around his legs, wings and neck as he furiously struggled against them. Kelsey maintained her mental focus on the shadows as she swooped over his gigantic writhing form and landed behind him, the scar once again within her reach.
"'Let's try something cool,' he said. 'It'll be fun,' he said," Kelsey grumbled to herself as she raised an arm, grouping her clawed fingers together to form a makeshift point with her hand. With a clear amount of strain, evidenced by her gritted teeth and the pulsing vein in her forehead, her fingers started to meld together. Her bones cracked as her hand became more and more slender, all while her claws lengthened and conjoined into a single, longer, sharper point. She briefly considered dousing her arm in acid, but considering this dragon's affinity with acid, it likely would've made little difference.
Granted, her efforts quickly proved to be for naught as the stress of her transformation caused her shadow snares to falter, allowing Vutezoth to break free before Kelsey could plunge her spear into his back. His head quickly reached for her, aiming to bite her extended arm. Kelsey jumped aside quickly enough for him to miss his target, only for her wing to get caught between his teeth instead, at which point the dragon stood up and started to violently swing her about like a dog shaking its chew toy.
"KELSEY...!" Paul lurched towards Vutezoth, only to be pulled back by Scott.
"I think it's pretty clear that she can handle herself!" the elder brother shouted. "You need to get outta here! You're the one he wants!"
"And he's not gonna quit until he gets what he wants!" Paul snapped back, tearing himself away and charging at the dragon.
"PAUL!" Scott was utterly aghast at the sight. "YOU DUMB F***, WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!"
Without thinking too hard about his actions, Paul sprinted over to Vutezoth, threw himself onto the monster's tail and quickly started climbing. Vutezoth briefly went rigid from the sensation; he stopped thrashing Kelsey around, only to start swishing his tail back and forth in an effort to shake the dragon man off. Despite his startled cries, Paul held on for dear life, digging his claws between the black scales as he steadily continued his ascent.
All the while, Kelsey took advantage of her moment of levity by driving her spear arm between Vutezoth's teeth, using it as a makeshift crowbar to pry his mouth open and slip her wing out. The gashes in both appendages did little to deter her as she dodged his attempt to snap at her again, swooped above him and landed atop his head. From there, she extended two shadow tendrils from her arms and wrapped them around the dragon's neck.
"Buckle your f***le, 'cause this ain't my first rodeo!" Kelsey commanded as she took the reigns.
Vutezoth snarled indignantly, craning his neck to look at the dragon man climbing on his back. He opened his mouth and let out another, much more hoarse-sounding roar, only managing to cough up more spittle. He suddenly choked on his own breath as one of the shadows entangled around his neck yanked his head upright again.
"BRAZEN LITTLE PESTS! I WILL NOT BE TOYED WITH!"
With a furious screech, Vutezoth started violently thrashing about, swinging his head, beating his wings, leaping up and down the street, doing everything in his power to throw the two interlopers off. Kelsey and Paul held their grips with all their might, the former taking every opportunity to yank the dragon's head in another direction in the hopes of giving him whiplash, the latter holding on tight as he let the storm inside him build back up.
---------------------------
"ALRIGHT! GOT THE GOETIA DE TANNIN!"
Mic strutted out of the travel station with pep in his step and a thick tome tucked under his arm. Any concerns the morning had brought were worlds behind him. All that mattered to the little angel was delivering this text to the Keruv, his eagerness to see what would be done with it knowing no bounds.
"Boy, if there's one thing that's been made abundantly clear, it's that anything is possible at this point!" he chuckled to himself, never mind the fact that anyone within earshot could easily hear him. "Now I should probably figure out where I'm supposed... to... meet..."
He trailed off and stared blankly into the distance, quickly distracted by the commotion currently taking place along the city skyline. A gargantuan black dragon was flailing about, bucking wildly in an effort to shake something off. Watching the madness progress, it became clear to Mic that there were two things clinging to it, one pink with shadows wrapped around its neck, one blue with vaguely similar physical attributes.
"CEASE THIS FOOLISHNESS AND FIGHT ME WITH DIGNITY, YOU MISERABLE COWARDS!"
"DON'T TALK TO ME ABOUT DIGNITY! IF YOU ACTUALLY HAD ANY, YOU'D HAVE KILLED US ALREADY!"
"I WILL TEAR OPEN YOUR THROATS, DISSOLVE YOUR INSIDES, RIP THEM FROM YOUR CHESTS AND FEED THEM TO YOU!"
"BATOBOT UI SVABOL JACIV RENTHISJA!"
"LEAVE MY MOTHER OUT OF THIS, ULHARRYTH, YOU BLUE WRETCH!"
...........................
......................................................
.................................................................................
"I have the weirdest boner right now."
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Post by DanteMGalileo on Feb 5, 2019 20:43:51 GMT -5
"Hurry, get his body before-"
Val cut herself off and gasped, watching as this... THING... hovered over Flint's body, wings over its form, before flying off. Screaming, Will failed to hold her back as the tall woman rushed towards her brother's prone body, shaking it. "FLINT! You..." Lip quivering, Val glared at Kelsey. "You... How dare you speak to me like such... After what you did to my brother..." And then, the winged woman was off. Will knelled down, placing a hand on Val's shoulder. "That... that... what did that bitch do...!?"
"I'm not sure... But I can tell you she's a friend of mine..." The blondes looked up, witnessing an aerial clash between Kelsey and Vutezoth, the former aided by Paul. "Look. I'll see if I can't get her to explain." With a small groan, Will picked up Flint's broken body, carrying the half-dragon bridal style. "Now c'mon. Let's get out of here before we manage to die."
"... I'll go with you." Val's expression softened somewhat, looking down at Flint's face, the ghost of his last grin still present. "But just so you know... if I find her explanation unsatisfactory or she declines to give one, I will blow her brains out. You are not to inform her of this deal, Got it?!"
"Y-Yes ma'am! I won't say anything! Hey, Leanne, Raunen, we're getting outta here!"
"Wait up for me, I've got short legs!"
Yes, yes you do, my witch.
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Post by ColArana on Feb 6, 2019 17:53:04 GMT -5
Kamikaze this bastard or leave, I don't care which, huh? Ranuen'd already long since committed to his decision, anyways. Ranuen vaguely heard Will call his name and glanced back as he saw Leanne and Will booking it out. He solemnly shook his head. "No." He replied, before turning back to fighting Vutezoth. "I am a warrior. And I will not flee while others still hold the line!" He snarled out. As Vutezoth bucked, Ranuen did what he could to help. He couldn't fly like Kelsey could, but he could do something similar. Will's voice had tempered his berserker rage. Slightly. Ranuen still had no intention of backing out of this fight until either Vutezoth did, or the swordsman died, but that didn't stop him focusing his assault. Fine. Even if I can't scratch his skin, I'll at least try to give Kelsey an opening then. Ranuen shifted his frontal assault, leaping straight up in front of Vutezoth's face. "Don't you go ignoring me you skeletal bastard. Paul! Kelsey! CLEAR!" And Ranuen swung his sword down, a sustained wave of fire erupting from it, large enough to easily engulf Vutezoth's head. Did Ranuen have any delusions of this defeating the dragon? No. Did he have some hopes it might do damage? Possibly, if it reached Vutezoth's eyes. However, based on their past fight, Ranuen expected the dragon to find some way to shield his gaze. Didn't matter. What did matter to Ranuen was that for at least a few seconds, until Vutezoth swatted him aside again, the dragon wouldn't be able to see anything except either the backs of his own eyelids, or the blinding white and red flames that Ranuen's blade was emitting. His sense of smell and taste (if he relied on such things) briefly overwhelmed by the smell of fire and smoke.
For even a few seconds, Ranuen hoped to blind Vutezoth to the world around him, and give Kelsey the opening she needed to land the blow he couldn't.
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Post by ParamountKeymaster on Feb 6, 2019 18:38:17 GMT -5
Eventually, Vutezoth's wild bucking led him back to the hotel grounds, where he came to a halt long enough to reach around and try exhaling an acidic stream at the young man clinging to his back. Once again, his raspy roar did not yield any acid, the tension in his chest refusing to uncoil with his breath. Shortly after this failed attempt, Kelsey, still seated atop the dragon's head, spotted a familiar swordsman charging back into the fray, prompting her to yank her shadow reigns and force Vutezoth to face forward again.
Just in time, Ranuen unleashed a wave of fire. Vutezoth saw a flash of red only for a split second before it struck him directly in the face. A subtle burning sensation consumed his head, save for the very top where Kelsey waved the flames away from herself, but his eyes stung as though they had been pierced with a hundred red hot daggers, acidic tears seeping through his eyelids. It was enough to get the dragon to raise his head and release a distressed roar into the heavens.
"ENOUGH!!! I AM NOT A CHILD'S PLAYTHING! I AM YOUR RECKONING!"
Well past wit's end, Vutezoth blindly swiped his claws across the open air in an effort to shoo away the infernal mage. Then he turned his head and slammed it into the hotel with all his might, forcing Kelsey to leap off to avoid being smashed between the two rock-hard surfaces. Her shadows dissipated and her arm snapped back to normal, leaving her hands free to grab the dragon's curved horn. The glass from the building's broken windows rained in all directions, showering Vutezoth and Paul in the shards without piercing either of their scaled hides.
Immediately after enacting this maneuver, Vutezoth took to the air. Without knowing exactly where he was going, he opted to simply fly up, quickly rising above the rooftops, wings beating ferociously, sailing in circles as he ascended into the sky at the most vertical angle he could manage. Kelsey continued to cling to his horn with both arms and legs, her wings folded against her back to reduce drag, while Paul's arms stung from the tension of keeping his claws interlocked with Vutezoth's scales, trying desperately to keep himself secure on the dragon's back as he watched the city disappear beneath them with wide-eyed alarm.
Soon enough, Void City was little more than a piece of grey patchwork in the earth below, growing more and more obscured as the dragon and his passengers disappeared into the clouds, a black blur swimming through the overcast sky...
Paul could barely see through the grey mist. The icy winds stung his eyes and his acid burned back. Still he gathered the last of his strength to continue his climb up Vutezoth's back, fighting gravity and the biting zephyr to reach that scar in the black hide. Once his target was in his sights again, Paul choked up a few deep breaths, shuddering and yelping with every exhale. Then he opened his mouth as wide as he could and let out a raspy wheeze. Nothing but air escaped his throat, not even a telltale spark. After straining himself to release everything his lungs could hold, Paul gasped for air again and stared at the scar in mortification. Why didn't that work? What was he doing wrong?
All the while, Kelsey swung herself upright so she was staring Vutezoth in the face while remaining attached to his forward-pointing horn. His glowing yellow eye shot open, and though his vision was hazy, he still met her piercing blue gaze, their sharp scowls the only exchange of death threats either needed. As Kelsey gathered her strength, a new emotion welled up inside her. Before she felt only a fierce sense of protection and a natural demonic bloodlust. Now, face-to-face with this aggressive, volatile dragon, these feelings were amplified and accompanied by a strange but overwhelming sense of dominance. Like with the angels, Kelsey felt a powerful compulsion to make it clear to this dragon not only who he was messing with, but that he was not welcome here.
The thin atmosphere didn't bother her, nor did the freezing wind. If anything, the frigid air only added to the energy building in her chest. She embraced the cold as readily as she did the fire. It filled every cell of her being with vigor and sent her heart racing.
Kelsey opened her mouth and unleashed an inhuman shriek. And with it, a sharp stream of freezing mist.
Vutezoth roared in furious agony as the icy blast struck him directly in his already unbearably sore right eye. He jerked in mid-flight, finally sending a weak and borderline delirious Paul tumbling off his back and into the stratosphere below. As the dragon shook his head to ease the pain, Kelsey opened her wings and allowed Vutezoth to fling her away at high speed.
After turning his head to briefly look back at the two smudges disappearing into the aether, Vutezoth snarled lowly under his breath, covered his right eye and continued on his way. There was no doubt that the filthy demon would catch the blue bastard, and he didn't have it in him to care. A death by gravity was too good for his old foe. He so wished he could turn back around and finish the job right there and then, but not only had these pests left him severely injured, but the dragon had to concede that he was not prepared for that fight, and he had no idea how prepared he would be for any future altercations with these people.
Vutezoth faced forward again with a huff, feeling nothing less than cheated. Vital information about his opposition had been kept from him. Once he had reached his full strength again, he wasn't going to remain in the dark any longer.
I'll come back for you, Ulharryrth. And when I do, I'll make sure you have no one to help you.
Once again folding her wings in, arms and legs pressed against her streamlined body, Kelsey dive-bombed through the clouds, aiming for the blue dragon man tumbling towards the ground. She stirred up the wind around her, pushing her closer and closer until she was finally on top of Paul. Tucking one of her arms under his knees, securing his back with the other, Kelsey spread her wings and turned their ninety-degree plummet into a much more level descent, steadily drifting back down to earth, making a beeline for the hotel.
Paul wrapped an arm over Kelsey's shoulders for further support, leaning his head against hers, struggling to catch his breath. Now that the adrenaline was dying down, all he felt was sheer panic from what he had just survived. From everything that he had learned in this fleeting moment of terror. "K... Kelsey?"
"Yeah?"
"That was a dragon."
"I noticed."
Eyes forward as she glided in for a landing, Kelsey felt Paul clench up in her arms. She could easily guess why before he even said anything. "Kels, what happened to you?!"
"I'll explain everything later, I promise," Kelsey sighed, trying her best not to be bothered by the conspicuous dry blood stains on her pajamas, not to mention the numerous fresh ones that had joined them. Soon enough, she angled herself to gracefully touch back down next to Scott, promptly setting Paul down on his feet thereafter.
Scott was the first to speak up once they had landed. "Where's the dragon?"
"Good question." Kelsey raised an eyebrow at nothing in particular. "Tri?"
He buggered off. You guys f***ed him up real good.
"He's retreating for now, no doubt to recover for the inevitable next round," Kelsey translated, allowing herself the briefest of moments to give Paul a hug. "Are you okay?"
"Y-Yeah..." Paul stammered, still a bit wobbly in the knees from his many near brushes with death. He had a feeling he wasn't going to get over this encounter anytime soon. He was still alive, at least, as were Kelsey, Scott, and all their friends. That was what mattered most. "Thanks."
"Anytime." Getting right back on the ball, Kelsey stepped back and turned her attention on a barren patch of grass, knowing full well that something was supposed to be there and quite clearly wasn't. "Where's Percy?"
Paul and Scott simultaneously turned in the direction she was facing. Both of them clearly remembered seeing the Protostar Beast lying there, greatly injured by the black dragon. When it became clear that he was gone, the brothers awkwardly turned to each other, utterly dumbfounded. Neither of them seemed particularly shocked to hear the name Kelsey had used. The first thing that crossed either of their minds was dismay to have their fears confirmed. The second was fear for what had happened when they weren't looking.
When neither of them answered her, Kelsey stomped her foot and screamed at the top of her lungs, "DAMMIT, TRI, WHERE IS PERCY?!"
The first place you'd expect.
Kelsey looked over her shoulder, knowing exactly where Tri was referring to. Then she turned back to the brothers. "Scott, keep him safe until I get back."
"Don't have to tell me twice," Scott grunted in return.
Paul was much more visibly apprehensive of this turn of events. "Kelsey, what are you going t-?"
"There's a lot that needs to be set straight, Paul. Don't worry about me. Just lay low and keep everyone under control until I meet back up with you guys," Kelsey ordered as she prepared to take flight again.
"Wait, where are you going to meet-?" Scott barely even finished his sentence before Kelsey launched herself away, disappearing behind the skyline. "And she's gone. Flippin' typical."
He looked to Paul again, his expression serious but still full of fraternal concern. "We really should find a safe place before something else tries to kill you."
"Agreed," Paul sighed, casting one last, forlorn look at the horizon before turning to the ensemble still gathered nearby...
Oh, right. Not all their friends.
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Post by DanteMGalileo on Feb 6, 2019 20:09:03 GMT -5
"So... what's your plan for his body?"
Will and Val had not noticed Scott and Paul, Kelsey's disappearance, or the beast's disappearance. Will held Flint's broken body in his arms, Val tracing circles along her brother's face. The blonde woman seemed shorter than she normally was, her face soft, eyes watery with tears that she was trying desperately to hold back. "... I'll do anything to help you with this. Please... just tell me. What would Flint have wanted if he died before you?"
Val was silent. She was used to death, some by her own hands. But it was different when it came to your own blood. It was unfair- first her father, now her brother! Never would she hear their voices, their japes... never feel their comforting arms around her. Never again. "... Flint..." She paused. She knew what he would have wanted. She just... It...
Saying what Flint would have wanted postmortem would just be confirming that he was gone. She would admit that she didn't want to say that Flint was truly gone, separated from her forever.
We came into this world together. I wasn't sure when we would leave this world, but I naively thought we'd leave together.
Val inhaled, then exhaled. "... Flint would have wanted a pelt funeral. As I would have wanted a human funeral."
"A pelt funeral?" Will glanced at the dead man in his arms, then at Val. "... What can I do to help you prepare for this?" He had to be strong for her now. Her brother had just died in front of her, she had almost thrown herself at his killer.
"I know you're strong, Will." Val tried to avert her gaze from his. "Find marble, or sandstone, or anything that can be carved but won't break easy. I'll tell you what I need carved." Sniffle. Please don't start crying, please don't start crying, hold it together... "... In the meantime... I need to know where we can find scavenging animals... A universal pelt belief is that from nature they are born, and to nature they will return in death..."
"Hey, uh..." Leanne glanced at Scott and Paul, also having noticed the conspicuous lack of the grey beast. She awkwardly waved an arm towards them. "Please don't interrupt them until they're done. I can take ya while they're talkin'." She glanced at the barren patch of grass. "As for that... well... please don't hurt him. At least not too much."
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