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Idea master
Magus Extraordinaire
Joined: 10 May 2004
Topics: 46
Posts: 1787
Location: Sneaking Idearium into your beverages.
Items
Legends
Fables
Strata-gems
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 Posted: Sat Dec 06, 2008 12:39 am Post subject: |
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Apologies for the lateness, but when writer's block strikes, it strikes HARD. Fortunately, with the aid of my muse, my iPod, and a jackhammer, I managed to smash it into tiny pieces. And may I present...
Round three, fight 2! Team Blitz and Spike versus Liane!
The following is Blitz and Spike's version of events.
The two had made camp in the forest for the second round. Spike was performing essential weapons care for most of it, along with taking inventory of what he had left. Hmm, he thought to himself. Ten clips, and the guns are still mostly clean. Along with a little bit of a med pack after I patched up the kid's shoulder. I wonder if we'll manage to survive this madness?
Blitz, on the other hand, merely meditated. It was essential to his powers that he exercise his mind, cast out with his electricity, see what there was to see. It was mostly plant life, and what few animals were left quickly became dinner.
Spike and Blitz were enjoying some deer across a campfire (Blitz had provided a small lightning bolt to get the fire started) when Spike decided to break the ice.
"So, Blitz. What's your story? Why are you here?"
Blitz cast his eyes up, and recited a poem.
"In darkness, in brightness,
In day, in night.
In shadow, in sun,
In dimness, in light.
We seek them here, we seek them there,
We seek them everywhere."
Spike was silent for a moment. Finally, he inquired, "Who?"
Blitz sighed. "Our mentors. My brother and I come from a land where humans have mastered the stuff of life itself. They studied, and cut, and studied some more. When they found the part of the genetic code that seemed to dictate the soul...they did what humans do best. They defiled it, twisted it, and turned it to their purposes. They created an entire new race of beings. Some died before they were born. Some died shortly afterwards due to massive organ failure. Some still sleep. Some live as their slaves. And a few...a blessed few...managed to escape with their lives, only to be shunned by humanity. Superior though we are, we are few in number, and we are still mortal. Some of us, anyway."
Spike was silent for a moment. "I knew you weren't an ordinary human, and you're defiantly better than average, what with the whole lightning thing, I'll give you that. But superior? Isn't that kinda, y'know, arrogant?"
Blitz laughed. "How else would you define me? 'Better than average' doesn't quite cover it."
Spike mulled it over for a second. "True. But what was it about your mentors from earlier?"
Blitz sighed again. "They taught us how to find and use our powers. They taught us how to harness the strength of our own minds. And they gave us understanding and patience towards the human race. I absorbed that lesson better than my brother did, sadly. They also gave us a final set of orders before..."
Spike waited a moment, and then prodded the conversation along. "Before?"
Blitz looked like he was trying to form something out of the very air while he explained. "Okay, maybe you should understand their powers first. They were captured and experimented on long ago, and during their incarceration, their souls were dragged through Heaven and Hell. After which, their souls and minds were melded together. They were as one being in two separate bodies. One had powers over the light, and the other over the very shadow. It turns out, though, that their powers were different from mine. My powers are bound to me. It uses strength from my body to produce lightning, and I will get physically weaker the more I use it. Resting will help, yada yada. Our mentors, however, were bound to their powers. So other way around as compared to me. They were merely the vessel for vast power, and no matter what, so long as they thought ahead and had sufficient strength of mind, they could do anything."
Spike looked awed. "Two beings with that much power? Wow. The age of wonders is not dead yet. But what happened to them? You never finished."
"Ah." Blitz was more upset each time he was asked. "Well, they gave me and my brother a final set of orders one day, and then...they vanished. Gone. Became one with their respective elements. We figured they have to still be around somewhere in this world, so we're looking everywhere. We came here because this island is a sort of in-between place. If our mentors are not in this world, there are a myriad of other worlds we can go to."
Spike leaned back. "Wow. That's an impressive tale."
Blitz sat down cross-legged next to the fire. "And you?"
"Eh? Oh, my tale?" Spike waved a hand. "Eh. I'll keep it short. I'm from the future and from Mars. I'm not supposed to go into the details because I might create a paradox. Came here from the future to escape the foes I have there, and so my girlfriend and I could have some peace. How's your shoulder holding up?"
Blitz flexed his arm. "It's fine, but I coulda done it myself. I keep a few batteries on me for such occasions."
Spike sat bolt upright. "You're kidding me. You mean to tell me that you could create a whole new shoulder out of the charge of some batteries?"
Blitz shook his head. "Nah. I could make a bandage, though. Watch!"
A small orb of electricity hovered in front of Blitz, and he shaped and molded it into a mostly flat shape. Blitz carefully removed the bandage already on his shoulder and slapped his electric one onto it. The thing stuck like Velcro and molded itself to the shoulder.
Spike was in awe. "That is so cool."
Blitz grinned. "Yeah, electricity is like my clay. I can mold it into anything I might need. To hold it there only takes my attention for like one minute every hour. It's kinda like saying the word 'Strawberries' for a solid minute. Hopefully when we get to the Asylum, they'll have something that's better than a bandage for my arm."
Spike waved with both hands. "Wait a second. I thought we were going to the canyon. Why mention the Asylum? And which one are we headed to?"
Blitz sighed. "We'll make a quick stop at the canyon. I saw my brother head that way when we separated to search the island faster. If he's not there, then we agreed that round four would be the Asylum itself. We want to search it from top to bottom, and if our mentors are indeed not here, we'll separate to search the infinite worlds."
Spike whistled. "Tall order, kid."
Blitz looked Spike dead in the eyes. "We will not rest. We will not stop. We will keep searching until they are found or until someone finally kills us. We have sworn to do just that."
The two went to sleep that night with mostly uneventful dreams.
On the morn of the next day, the two arrived at the canyon. Blitz looked down into the deep chasm of earth. "I don't like this, but it looks like it might be empty. Still, I'd better check. I'll go down to the bottom, and if you could watch my back, that'd be great. I'll be a bit busy and might not always be scanning for other competitors."
Spike nodded. "How you getting down, though? Handholds seem few and far between..."
A globe of electricity was in front of Blitz again, and it was rapidly shaped into the form of a small square. It hovered about one inch off the ground, crackling and zapping the foliage. Blitz carefully placed one foot, and then the other onto it. Satisfied it would hold his weight, Blitz exhaled. "I can only do this for about two minutes, which should be more than enough to get to the bottom. I should be back once my survey is completed. Keep a sharp eye out!"
Spike watched as Blitz rode his platform of electricity to the bottom of the canyon until Blitz was smaller than a grain of sand. "There goes one of the most powerful kids I've ever seen. I wonder if it would work for-"
There was a snap behind him. Someone was in the forest nearby. Spike raised both guns at the foliage, scanning the area quickly for imminent threats. "I heard that, whoever you are. Come out and I might not kill you."
A larger rustling, right in front of him. It grew progressively louder, until finally, a slightly tall woman in silver armor with a blue cape walked out of the forest, wielding a bow. Her hair was blonde, her eyes green. And Spike got the odd sensation that she was in fact a contestant, here to do one thing. She wanted to progress, and that meant killing people off.
Spike looked at her. "So I'm not alone. Mind showing me proof you're a part of this madness? That way, if you decide to attack, I'll feel justified in defending myself."
The lady reached for her belt, and Spike gestured with one of his guns. "Ah ah. Slow."
The woman hesitated, her eyes flicking around as though she were looking at something not quite here, before her attention finally returned to moving her hands, slowly this time, to a pouch on her belt. She pulled out a letter and a glowing blue crystal for one second before returning them to where they came from.
"All right, good. Now, how much did you hear?"
She smiled. "Enough to know you aren't alone, but my letter told me that already. You're up here watching for people while your partner is looking for something down below. I was hoping to send him a gift...of your head."
Her eyes had somehow changed color from green to silver, and the bow had been discarded in favor of a huge sword. Spike pointed his guns at her head. "Do you know what these are?"
The woman hesitated for a moment. "At a guess, a weapon of sorts."
Spike grinned. "These two could send small pellets of metal through your head before you could blink. And all I have to do is pull the trigger. One messy death. Now throw the sword away and get back in the forest. Don't make me kill you, and I won't."
The woman hesitated, and then the sword was also discarded. She slowly backed into the forest until she was hidden from view. Spike breathed again. "Well, that wasn't so difficul-"
There was a swish noise, and a thump from the chest region. Spike looked down to see a handle protruding from his gut. He carefully pulled on it to reveal a dagger slicked in his blood, with more seeping out. The only thing he could think to say was "Oh."
He looked up to find the woman back in his face with her sword again. "Oh indeed."
Another swish, a thump, and a few discreet kicks saw what was left of Spike Speigel tumble down into the canyon towards his partner.
The woman looked at the falling corpse and sighed. "And I forgot about the dagger."
Blitz, meanwhile, was examining unusual rock formations. "They appear to have been blasted with something powerful, but what could force a rock into liquid form? The only thing I know that can melt rock is molten rock, but that is in short supply. Unless...my brother could have done it, but it would have taken him ages to do this with his level of power. He might have been training on these rocks..."
Blitz looked around and saw a small, bloodstained Idearium crystal sitting in a pile of ashes. Blitz knew then exactly how things must have played out. "Blaze...was training here on these rocks, so as to avoid potential forest fires...someone...interrupted his training...and he...destroyed them. I thought we had sworn off killing..."
There was a distinct THUMP from behind Blitz. Blitz turned to see a small pile of assorted organs and meat, but most importantly, the shirt of Spike Spegiel wrapped around what was left of his torso, a dagger still piercing it. Blitz gasped and weeped for a moment, mourning his newest friend.
His tears dried quickly, his rage replacing his sorrow. Blitz cast his mind out, searching with his strength for the one who had destroyed his friend. It wasn't hard to find the electrical patterns he was looking for, seeing as the canyon was a mostly desolate place anyways. Halfway down the wall and descending was a pattern that was constant with humans.
I'll get you, Blitz vowed. Quickly, Blitz choked back his nausea so that he could search what was left of Spike's body. The guns and ammo were intact, along with the backpack they were carried in. Blitz also took the dagger and stuck it between his belt and pants. Finally, he grabbed the letter and crystal Spike had been issued and then he looked for a cave to hide in. While in there, he removed the electrical bandage and replaced it with the one Spike had used for him earlier. He had just finished up when he sensed that the person had finally arrived on the canyon floor.
It's a quick job, but it'll hold for now. I can fix it after this fight. If I hurry, it won't be any trouble at all.
Blitz stepped out of his hiding cave, holding Spike's guns, mostly for the symbolism. He glared at the lady now examining his friend's corpse. She was looking for something, most likely the dagger. Blitz pointed Spike's guns at the woman.
"Did you kill him?"
The woman whirled around fast, already holding a sword. She was obviously startled by the sudden realization that she wasn't alone, but she was ready nonetheless.
"Do you have-"
"DID YOU KILL HIM?!"
Blitz overrode the woman's question with his own. She was a little stunned by this, but set her face sternly.
"Yes. Do you have my dagger?"
"Yes. Did he explain how these work?"
"Yes. Are you prepared to die?"
"No. I don't plan to. I am far superior than you are in almost every way. Are YOU prepared to die?"
"No, I also don't plan to. I guess one of is going to, though. Ready?"
"Yes. You, however, couldn't be less ready for me."
"I doubt that. Will you toss the weapons aside?"
"And give you the advantage? I hardly think so."
The two stared at each other a moment longer. Blitz was having some difficulty convincing himself to pull the trigger.
It's just a gun just pull the trigger and all your problems will disappear no need to worry and HOLY SHE'S COMING AT ME!
It seemed like the woman had finally gotten fed up with waiting and advanced. Blitz pulled the triggers quickly, trying to hit her, but she had raised her sword to block the path of the bullets. He tried to move, but couldn't do it fast enough to get cleanly away. The woman sliced, and all she managed to get were the guns. They both fell to the ground, large gashes on the side of them, Blitz now off to one side, obviously scared out of his mind.
"Another question, if you don't mind!" Blitz was busy dodging and still somehow found the time for banter while dealing with a madwoman.
"Oh? What's that?"
"Why? Why do you do what you do? Don't you have a reason? A purpose?"
The lady halted for a moment. "I...I..."
Blitz took this as a chance to use his improvised 'Throw her dagger back at her' attack. In a split second, while this lady was still contemplating the question, Blitz managed to get her in the shoulder with her own dagger. She cried out and dropped her sword from the pain, and Blitz took this as another chance. He crouched and activated his super-speed. Moving faster than the eye could see, Blitz grabbed both sword and dagger, wrenching the latter from his target's shoulder, and placing both of them in the nearby cave. He then returned to in front of the woman, who was now looking around for the missing weaponry.
"I am Blitz, master of the electric. And you are going to die."
The woman grimaced as she reached behind her with her good arm, quickly drawing her bow and nocking an arrow. "I'll put an arrow through your heart, boy, and roast it for my dinner if I have to. You'll not get the better of me!"
Blitz sighed. "On the contrary. You've killed my friend. You're delaying me from finding my brother and completing this tournament. And you're ready to kill me too. Worst of all, you don't have a why, a reason for it all. I think I'm about to do unto you what you have done unto him."
Blitz reached out with one hand, forming a spear of electric power. Hoisting it over his head, he quickly threw it through the lady. It passed through her, frying her hair, disintegrating the bow...and stopping her heart.
Blitz turned his back on her once she fell to the ground. He then picked up the guns and checked them over. Just a really big ding...doesn't seem to effect their function at all. Should pick up that sword and dagger as well...along with her crystal and letter, so that management knows who to send a 'We're sorry, but your offspring has died' letter to.
Blitz looked up at the top of the Canyon. Once that climb was over, he knew where to go next.
The Asylum itself.
His brother was waiting.
-----
The following is Liane's versions of events.
The sun beat down upon the canyon with such force that one could almost see the waves of heat rebounding off the ground. The large rocks shimmered with heat, creating a rather glaring effect.
Liane sat slumped next to a pile of rocks, panting with exhaustion. The walk had tired her out, not to mention the excessive heat and distinct lack of water. Her sisters were bickering, as usual.
‘Let’s go to the canyons!’ Brilliant choice, Liane. Really fantastic. Karakel said, sarcastically.
Aye, Neve agreed. ‘We were in a beautiful, cool forest with plenty of things to eat and see…
Not to mention things to hide behind, Ria added. This is such an open space…
Yes, well, not all of us are comfortable being surrounded by trees all the time Neve, Liane said wearily, fed up with the constant arguing. And Ria- you’ll just have to get used to openness.
But it’s not a good thing, for thieves like me-
“There is no more ‘like you’, Ria! There is only us!” Liane shouted out loud, unable to contain her annoyance any longer. She took a deep, calming breath. Look, already we’ve nearly been killed twice. We were lucky to get out of that last one with only a bad arm. We need to work together in this if we’re going to stay alive.
There was a brief silence.
Aye, Liane is right. We do need to work as one to survive. After all, we are one. Neve murmured.
I suppose… Ria grumbled reluctantly.
So. Who’s next? Karakel asked, rather cheerfully.
Liane sighed and pulled out her letter wincing as she bent her injured arm.
Spike Spiegel and Blitz. They’re putting us against a team, it seems.
I’m starting to really not like this Idea Master guy- he seems to be very intent on killing us all off. Ria muttered.
Yes, well, that’s kind of the point, isn’t it? Liane shot back. After all you’re the one who got us into this thing in the first place.
And now I’m rather regretting it.
Karakel intervened. Can we please just get on with the fight?
Fine, Liane replied, calming down. Ria, would you mind getting us around quietly?
My pleasure. Ria took control, eyes darkening to a muddy brown. She bent down low, stepping quickly and silently, as a thief would in the dark of night. She walked along the edge of the deep chasm, picking her way silently among the rough and uneven ground. Suddenly, she stopped.
Neve, do you hear something?
Eyes now green, Neve listened closely. Yes. There are two people- most likely male, over there. She pointed directly ahead of them. Behind that pile and down below.
Liane took control once again. Alright then, let’s see if we can do this. She walked forwards slowly, careful not to make a sound, until she reached the pile of rocks Neve had pointed towards. She cautiously peered around it. Yes, there they were, talking quietly with each other.
One was blonde and rather tall, with a kind of shining aura around him. The other… the other was strange. His hair was a kind of dark green, and he had something round and smoking dangling from his lips. Around his hips were… Liane edged forwards, trying to discern the strange objects. As she did, a lone pebble dislodged itself and clattered down the edge of the cliff. Both men stopped talking immediately and looked towards the source of the noise. Liane yanked her head back around the pile and stood there, praying they hadn’t seen her.
Great, go ahead and give away our element of surprise, why don’t you. Karakel said, sourly.
Liane ignored her sister and strained her ears intently to try and hear what the men were doing. She vaguely heard one say “I got this one.”
He’s coming! Liane said urgently. What do we do?
Neve took control and grabbed her bow and arrows. She knocked one and edged around the pile- only to find the weird man sitting alone in the middle of the canyon.
Wait… where’s the other one? Liane asked, confused.
“Hello.” A voice sounded directly behind her. Neve spun around, drawing the bow tight and wincing at the pain in her arm. There was the man, a few feet behind her. He looked at the bow and tutted. “Can’t have that, I’m afraid. He leaned forward and became a blur. Neve’s bow and arrow was yanked from her hands, only to appear again atop another rock pile, over thirty feet away. The man appeared again, panting slightly. “I’m Blitz, by the way.”
Neve blinked, bright green eyes filled with surprise. Did he just… how-?
“Well don’t just stand there,” Blitz said, sounding annoyed. “Do something! Make this entertaining!”
Liane’s eyes changed back to a purple, and she stayed stock still- unsure of how to react to this.
The man leaned back slightly. “Mmmm… why did your eyes just change?”
Liane remained silent.
He sighed with exasperation. “You humans are all the same. Lazy, stupid, and rude. Well, if you won’t tell me…” he grinned and raised his hands. “I suppose I can make do.” His eyes began to glow yellow, and his hands were suddenly surrounded by a crackling, blue-white aura of energy.
A bolt of power shot towards Liane’s head, and she only just managed to duck in time. Another one came, and another, and another. Liane was forced to jump and duck continuously, and began running pell-mell away from this crazy Blitz guy. She ducked behind another rock and looked back. No Blitz. She turned around and shrieked.
There he was, grinning maniacly. “Hello again!”
He’s got some sort of power over electricity! Ria said, breathlessly. That’s how he can run so fast- and he’s shooting at us with pure energy.
Well then how in the bloody hell can we get rid of him? Liane replied, frantic.
One could almost hear the grin in Karakel’s voice. Let me.
Liane’s eyes faded to a silver gleaming with bloodlust, and she drew her sword. Blitz frowned.
“There you go again, with that weird eye changing thing. Why do you do that?”
The only response Karakel gave was slicing at his chest. He ducked out of the way almost quicker then the sisters could see. “Naughty naughty- no stabbing Uncle Blitz now.”
Karakel cut at him again, and he ducked out of the way- reappearing directly behind her. “Stop it.” She whirled around, and Blitz placed a hand lightly on her shoulder, creating a bridge of energy pouring into her body.
Fire, flames, burning, pain… the smell of burning hair filled the air, and Liane was struck rigid as the electricity ran through her body. Her arms wouldn’t move. She strained even harder, barely able to focus as the power rattled her brain. She pushed as hard as she could- and suddenly, her eyes turned a bright, pure blue. The four sisters all pushed their arm with the sword forward- directly into the neck of Blitz.
Eyes wide, the yellow power faded from them and he fell backwards onto the ground, a golden kind of liquid pouring from his wound. Released from the hold of the electricity, Liane slumped forwards- eyes a purple dull with pain and fatigue.
What on earth was that? She gasped.
I think… I think we managed to all take control at the same time… Neve said, wonderingly.
Well it certaintly worked, Ria said.
That’s one down, only one more to go. Karakel commented, happily. Let’s get him!
Liane stood slowly, stumbling back slightly with exhaustion.
Wait, don’t step back- Her sisters cried as one.
Liane’s foot slipped over the edge of the canyon, sending her tumbling down into the abyss with a loud scream.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Liane opened her eyes slowly. A dull ache filled her body, with an especially sharp pain in her left leg. She sat up slowly, wincing, eyes slowly adjusting to the bright light in the canyon. In front of her stood the weird, green haired man.
“You need a hand?” He asked, reaching one out. She accepted it and pulled herself to her feet, grimacing with pain. Her ankle was most definitely sprained, if not broken.
“You’re Liane, right?” She nodded. “I’m Spike, Blitz’s partner. So, as much as I would like to get all chummy with you and become friends, I have a tournoment to win. And in order to do that, I’m going to have to get rid of you.” He looked up to the mouth of the canyon. “Blitz? Blitz, come on down buddy. I got her!”
Liane shook her head. “Dead,” she croaked.
Spike jolted in surprise. “Dead? Blitz is dead? How on Mars… well, never mind that, I suppose. I guess it’s just me versus you then.”
Her eyes changed from purple to green, brown, then silver as her sisters took control in quick succession, just long enough for Spike to notice them. He jumped back. “Creepy… well then, seeing as you’re hurt, it doesn’t seem fair for me to just go right out and shoot you.” He drew a gun and turned it over in his hands as he spoke. “I’ll give you a fifteen second head start. How does that sound?”
Confused, Liane opened her mouth to ask something. “Fifteen. Fourteen. Thirteen.”
She turned around and began hobbling away as fast as she could. Well, that’s pretty much it, isn’t it. We’re doomed.
No- look! Neve replied urgently. There’s a small turn over to your left- perhaps you can hide in there!
Liane limped as fast as she could around the corner- and skidded to a stop.
Dead end… commented Ria, coolly.
Yes, thank you for stating the obvious! Liane replied furiously. The end of the chasm ended in a sheer, almost directly vertical sheet of rock. She was stuck in a small pathway that was completely cut off from the view of everywhere else. Spike’s running footsteps sounded closer and closer. Frantic, she looked around for someway to escape. What to do, what to do…. There was no way she could scale the wall in time even with the help of her sisters, and there was only one small overhang…. She whirled around, unwilling to give Spike the easy target of her back. As she gazed at the pathway, waiting and despairing for what came next, something caught her eye above it. A plan suddenly formulated in her mind.
I’ll do it, Neve said quietly.
Are you sure you’ll be able to? Liane asked, concerned. We don’t have a bow-
I’ll use Ria’s dagger. Neve replied, more insistent. Trust me, it’ll work.
Liane turned control over to Neve, eyes turning a bright green. Neve unsheathed Ria’s dagger and twirled it, crouched slightly and ready to move.
Spike paused before rounding the corner. He couldn’t hear her footsteps any more… either she got away, or she was waiting in ambush. He slowly and silently poked his head around the corner. He couldn’t help but chuckle when he saw her predicament. Dead-end, eh? Just my luck I suppose. But where- Ahhhh, there she was, glaring defiantly towards him with bright green eyes and dagger twirling between her fingers.
He pulled his head back around the corner with a slight shiver. There was something about the way her eyes changed color that creeped him out. She had managed to kill Blaze too- something he hadn’t deemed possible. Better to kill her now. Spike stepped entirely around the corner, guns up and ready to fire. Before he could pull the trigger however, the girl threw the dagger with such speed that he could barely see it. With his own inhuman speed he dropped to the ground, only to watch the dagger soar far above him, towards the top of the canyon. He laughed. His luck had held up once again.
Still chuckling slightly, he got to his feet to face his now-weaponless opponent. He raised his gun and pointed it at her head, ready to fire. The girl, however, was not looking at him at all. Rather, her now purple eyes were still fixated towards the place she had thrown the dagger. Confused, Spike glanced up.
Directly above him sat a small rock. This rock had been there since the first small river had run through the canyon. Over time, larger rocks had fallen atop of it- thanks to earthquakes and other erosion occurrences. It had balanced this weight atop of itself for over three hundred years- until a sharp, shiny object had flown out of nowhere and knocked it free. With a groan, it finally released its heavy, deadly load--- onto the head of the green-haired man below.
When the dust finally settled, Liane was standing in the center of the clearing, facing the large mound of boulders. A hand was sticking out from under the heap, unmoving.
Hm, she thought. That went pretty well, compared to the other ones.
Aye, it sure did. Karakel agreed.
Now we just have to get out of here. Ria said.
Good point… Liane mused.
Neve laughed slightly. Those rocks serve not only as a weapon, but also as an escape route.
Liane looked up. The pile of rocks nearly touched the top of the edge of the canyon. Ah, they do. She glanced at the hand once again, then stepped towards the boulders and sighed. Well then… shall we?
Her eyes turned a bright green, and she began working her way up the mound.
-----
One shall live. But which one?
_________________
...So I've been summoned back from beyond the veil.
...No plans yet.
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Idea master
Magus Extraordinaire
Joined: 10 May 2004
Topics: 46
Posts: 1787
Location: Sneaking Idearium into your beverages.
Items
Legends
Fables
Strata-gems
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| Posted: Thu Dec 11, 2008 11:31 pm Post subject: |
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Liane wins, Blitz dies.
Round four: Aeger the elementalist VS. Liane in the Asylum. Winner will go on to face the Big Bad.
Also, the new blood, Henry Chatfield, will go up against Edward, the roaming angel, in the forest.
In the meantime, another interlude!
This is risky, Mage.
IM looked back at the beast from the edge of the chamber. "Yes, but required. I gave them life, and I may require them to give it back to me."
IM then turned his attention back to the tank of viscous liquid. Inside were the remains of Blitz, gathered freshly after his last battle. IM had to use an illusion spell and pretend to be a nurse to get them. Sitting next to it was another tank, this one holding the floating body of Rathier, and beside that, the meaty chunks of Xavier were slowly bobbing up and down.
Not all of them, Mage. Not all of them. Some are NOT yours.
IM grinned. "And it's because of that fact that they are so important. You will see why."
A few tanks further down held ashy remains, all that was left of Mikeal and Ratfink. Small spots of blood left on their crystals had provided samples of DNA. A little ways down, Spike Spegiel and Liathel floated serenely.
"I was skeptical at first when you said this facility had means to bring the dead back, but now that I know, I think I'm going to enjoy it! This means that my plan can be altered and succeed on a more drastic scale!"
I fail to see how, Mage.
"Think on it for a moment. These are Characters. They have a link to their Authors, whoever or wherever they may be. I'm the Idea Master. I can find and trace that link. In what way is being able to invade Author's minds NOT a good thing?"
The beast laughed. They will be yours? How delightful. This whole thing was a trap after all.
"Indeed. And the best part is that they won't be able to see it coming until it's far too late. The fights were fun and all, but now, it's time for the real prize. Control and domination over my homeland, and from there, with your aid, EVERY land."
_________________
...So I've been summoned back from beyond the veil.
...No plans yet.
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The White Blacksmith
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| Posted: Fri Dec 12, 2008 9:22 am Post subject: |
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Ooh! Twisty and Turny plot time!
So what, this is going to be an If-tale?
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The Meaning Of Fear
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| Posted: Sat Dec 13, 2008 3:03 pm Post subject: |
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Well, well, what do we have here? You intend to seize IF?
And some newby blood to shed too. 
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Doors to the truth, an SG where a boy is propelled into worlds he is unfamiliar with. He crosses many worlds, and sees many things that force him to throw away his innocence, once, and for all. Fourth Chapter, out for viewing!
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DeadManWalking
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| Posted: Sat Dec 13, 2008 3:47 pm Post subject: |
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does this mean the authors of the characters will make entrances?
As mind-zombies or something.
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| Posted: Sat Dec 13, 2008 7:03 pm Post subject: |
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Well that's the secret, isn't it? Whichever of the two that live can TRY to stop me and the Big Bad from our dastardly plan.
If they fail, then it will fall to Henry Chatfield.
And if HE fails...you're all in a heap of trouble.
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...So I've been summoned back from beyond the veil.
...No plans yet.
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DeadManWalking
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| Posted: Sat Dec 13, 2008 7:44 pm Post subject: |
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no chance of any of the characters deciding he/she/they want in on the plan?
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| Posted: Sun Dec 14, 2008 12:32 am Post subject: |
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I'm evil that way.
They're only useful so I can find their Authors.
So no, not really.
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...So I've been summoned back from beyond the veil.
...No plans yet.
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| Posted: Sun Dec 14, 2008 11:15 am Post subject: |
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Surely if the location moves to If, other Ifians will have a chance of stopping them?
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The Meaning Of Fear
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| Posted: Sun Dec 14, 2008 9:30 pm Post subject: |
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But I doubt IM would be willing to make his move on IF before assuring himself of the location of the authors of the competitors, double, and triple checking. Not to mention it will probably take some time for the Big Bad to reach IF, or even get off the island. I trust that IM won't be mobilising without it's help.
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Doors to the truth, an SG where a boy is propelled into worlds he is unfamiliar with. He crosses many worlds, and sees many things that force him to throw away his innocence, once, and for all. Fourth Chapter, out for viewing!
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| Posted: Sat Dec 20, 2008 11:36 am Post subject: |
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Well, your first fight this round is a bit of a disappointment. It seems- wait, getting ahead of myself. I'll let you look.
Round four, fight one! Aeger VS. Liane. The following is Aeger's series of events.
Aeger limped towards the ominously looming fortress of the Asylum. Interestingly enough, it wasn’t actually a very tall structure, but it just had that quintessential feel of loominess, that surpassed its diminutive size.
Aeger winced as he foot hit an unseen rock. Despite three day’s of restive slumber, not all of his injuries had healed.
He leaned on a makeshift shaft, feeling the rain from the storm that only added to the ominous feel of the night around. Only the bright lights of the Asylum kept the world from complete darkness.
Lightning flashed and thunder rumbled, and Aeger looked up to the skies, feeling the air currents that towered to form a massive thunderstorm more ominous than any human creation.
Lightning flashed again, and Aeger reached out and… tweaked. The lightning struck the ground beneath his feet, and the mud sizzled as the world turned a sudden blinding white.
Aeger almost laughed in exhilaration. The last twenty days on this island, hellish as they had been, had put him leaps and bounds closer to what he had once been.
Thunder rolled.
Aeger walked forward towards the squat buildings of the Asylum, almost slipping in the mud. He looked up at the winds and the storms, and frowned, concentrating. Then his mind left his body, and he was one with the winds, soaring up higher and higher. He hovered there, a wisp of thought, watching the patterns of the sky and the storm. Then he started to reach out, to tweak the clouds, so that the moon could shine down and the rains would stop.
He almost didn’t sense it. If it had been a second later, he probably wouldn’t have, complicated as the winds were.
But his ears heard a slight whistling, and his mind sensed a parting of the air, and he tore his mind away from the silky sky and back to his body and he leapt backwards, abandoning the makeshift staff, felt a line of fire slash across his chest, and tumbled into the shadows carved into the world by the lights of the Asylum.
Lightning flashed, and he caught the outline of a figure with a bow. It walked forward, an arrow at the ready, green eyes peering into the darkness.
Aeger concentrated, his palm touching the ground as green ink became a mass of writhing vines that slid across his skin, and the staff he had abandoned flowered and bloomed, growing branches that creaked oakily as they grabbed for the figure.
It must have heard the creaking, or it may have simply sensed danger, but it leaped away, turning with a black sword suddenly in hand, so quickly drawn it seemed to appear from the night around it. The figure didn’t jump quickly enough, however, as the bow now stood wrapped in solid fingers.
The figure whirled around again, scanning the woods like a starved tiger, silver eyes gleaming despite the lack of light, ignoring the mud and the rain.
Aeger snuck around the side, moving slowly, trying to synchronize his sounds with that of the rain and of nocturnal animals. He must have succeeded, for the figure didn’t turn. He waited for the figure to turn to scan the darkness opposite, then he charged, red tattoos on his hand bursting into flames.
Lightning flashed. Aeger noticed his opponent was a woman, tall, with a long braid. His eyes saw the picture and saved it, and the world was moving in slow motion, because the tip of the woman’s black sword was up and he couldn’t dodge it, and his mind had jumped into hyperdrive. The silver-eyed woman was grinning, her eyes gleaming with a predatory light, and he was about to skewer himself on the sword, and he was moving too fast to stop….
He tripped over a branch hidden in the mud, and he tumbled into her and the glistening black point went over his head and then they both tumbled to the ground struggling. He had hold of her arm, but she was wearing armor which refused to give. Thin trickles of metal were running down in rivulets away from his burning palm, and he got a glimpse of bared teeth….
Then he saw stars as her other hand hit the side of his head, and he rolled away over the mud.
His vision cleared and he stood, facing the black sword and its silver-eyed wielder, watching as she licked her lips and sent the sword tip weaving and bobbing slowly, waiting for him to crack.
Aeger pointed his hand forwards and concentrated, his eyes closing for a mere moment. He found the power of the sky building, waited for it to stab down towards the ground, and about a hundred feet before he hit the ground, he deflected it, sending it towards where the woman stood.
He probably shouldn’t have closed his eyes, because when he opened them to the roar of thunder and the crash of lightning hitting the ground before him, he also saw the lightning silhouetting a sword leaping towards his throat. He leaped backwards, out of reach of the sword, ducking and weaving to avoid the black metal. But the woman kept on coming, her silver eyes smiling. He was driven back through the mud, unable to do anything useful, for if his attention wavered at all he surely would have been skewered by the sword that blended in so well with the surrounding night.
His back hit something, and he ducked, and heard a thunk where his head had been. He looked up to see the sword stuck deep into a tree.
This was his chance.
The flames on his hands extinguished themselves, and the red flickering tattoos became deeper, more solid, and a dark brown color, though it looked black in the darkness.
He swung his rigid hand forward, using the new weight to his advantage and his petrified hand hit the armor, denting it and sending the woman flying backwards.
He got up, returning his hand to flesh, and walked to the woman lying in the mud, her silver eyes closed. Her black sword lay next to her, and-
Wait. The sword had been stuck in the tre-
Her leg shot out and caught him in the knee, and he fell backwards, his fall cushioned by the mud. But before he could scramble to his feet, she was standing there, her sword at his throat.
She laughed a laugh with a predatory edge that spoke of enjoyment and savagery.
She pulled the sword back for the killing thrust, her silver eyes laughing along with her voice. The sword came forward….
Then her eyes seemed to flicker purple for the briefest moment, and her sword hand twitched, and instead of entering his heart it entered his stomach, and the pain was like a red hot lance.
Horrified purple eyes looked out at him from the woman’s face, replaced quickly by brown eyes that looked disdainfully at his slowly dying body, before crouching down to go through his pockets expertly. She searched his pockets, missing the dark brown pouch he wore around his neck.
His thoughts roamed as he laid there, his blood mixing with the mud as the rain pattered down.
Incoherent thoughts rambled through his head, as his mind seized on everything but the blood soaked up by that dark hungry blade.
The clouds, the rain, the trees, the woman.
This woman was curious. Her eyes….
He had seen four different people in those eyes, each with a different color. Green, silver, purple, and brown. And each had been a different person. He hadn’t seen the face of the green-eyed one, but with the other three…. In the same way that men can look at clouds and suddenly see prancing horses, her face had changed. Nothing had really shifted as such, but a predatory face suddenly became that of a timid teenager, then a cold-eyed thief.
They each had remarkable personalities, he thought, as the brown-eyed figure started checking his boots. It reminded him of…. What was that game? He had used to play it all the time, back before that battle. It had been a way to hone his mind, and every gentlemen had needed to know how to play.
The green-eyed one was like the Hawk, a piece that floated around the board, scurrying around. It was piece mainly used in the defense of the Royal Pieces, neatly slicing out the heart of enemy movements.
The silver one was like the Wolf, an aggressive piece that could move in all directions. It was a piece often used as sacrificial, but skilled players could defend it simply by using it to destroy all the threats before they could attack. Like the Wolf, the silver-eyed one kept death away from herself by dealing death to others.
The brown-eyed one was like the Minister, or, as Eastern Versions called it, the Spider. It was a piece that didn’t have that much use as a single piece, but its move style meant that it was used in almost all of the most complex strategies. Only the simplest strategies didn’t use the Minister as a support piece.
And the purple one…. The purple woman was a mystery. Only a glimpse of her, but she had showed mercy. When the sword had stabbed down, she must have shifted the sword away from his heart. Much good that had done. Perhaps she was like the Prince, or the Princess, as some called it instead, a piece of little use, unless you got it across the board, where it could become a third member of the Royal Family.
His thoughts turned inward as the Spider, as he now thought of her, gave a grunt of disgust.
What was he, exactly? He used to see himself as the Emperor. But that was before he lost his hand, he used to play all the time. But since then…. He hadn’t had the time.
He should play sometime.
Oh, right. His mind was brought back to his condition as the Spider flipped him onto his face, to search for pockets there.
As his nostrils began to fill with mud, he remembered a piece that he had never really used. The Torch Bearer. Or the Worm. Those who used it had always used it almost independently, and, in the style of the fables of poor palace stable boys and such who had risen to great heights, it shared a similar pattern with the Princess. When it reached the end, it would become a Knight, or the Dragon in the Eastern cultures, a piece almost of the Royal Family, but not quite. To summon the Knight, one had to sacrifice every other piece on their side. Anyone who got a Knight could almost certainly win the game, even if they had lost all of their Royalty, even despite the other handicaps. Since the Knight had so much power and was such a versatile piece, the rules stated that anyone with the Knight would have to destroy every piece of the other side, instead of simply the Royal Family.
He heard another grunt of disgust, then felt a foot kick him over.
The Spider gave another grunt and started to go through his blood-soaked pockets again.
The pain was excruciating, but it halted his incoherent thoughts for a second, and he heard…voices.
Whispering voices, insane voices, that talked of death and dying, or previous lives, whispering over and over and never stopping, hundreds of voices, which came from… from the Sword.
Hundreds of voices, all talking about death.
He was going to die. He, the hero of so many battles, the advisor to so many kings and emperors, the ruler of the elements, was going to die.
And all he could do was lay there and wait.
His vision was blurring now. He could barely see the stars.
His eyes closed, and his breathing slowed.
NO!
Some hidden fragment, a coal banked, roared into flame and refused to die. The part of him that had sworn his oath of silence, that had decided that he WOULD return to his former self rebelled against the thought of entering the dark divide, and he reached out his hand…
And caught the Spider’s ankle, and his arm glowed with a mishmash of strange lights, and life was pouring into him like a waterfall.
Then, the figure kicked out, and his fingers separated from her ankle, and he still lay in the mud, a broken man. Except he wasn’t as broken as before.
His hand grasped the whispering sword, and he pulled it out, and the skin below it became unbroken, and pale. He noticed it, clean and black, then threw it aside.
He tossed the sword aside, staggering as pain from his torn organs hit him. Healed skin was the limit.
The Spider drew a long dagger, a small blue stone set in the pommel. It twirled expertly between her fingers, flying from hand to hand under the hands of the experienced hands of a street brawler. But her brown eyes, cold and calculating as they had been before, were nervous now, and he saw her lick her lips.
Still, her fingers remained firm,
He concentrated and flames sprouted from his hand, coiling up his arm and around his back, to end with a reptilian head, a dragon of flame. Raindrops sizzled as they hit the serpent’s head, creating steam that surrounded him in a shimmering veil.
He walked forward, and the Dragon belched out a tongue of flame, that lanced through the rain towards the Spider. Flames obscured the area totally, tree branches catching aflame in that inferno.
Then, a flicker of movement off to the left, and the Dragon turned its head, sweeping the flames across the clearing in front of the Asylum.
But the Spider was faster, keeping ahead of the flames, running in a tighter and tighter spiral until she was almost on him, then....
The Dragon lunged from behind his head, its fiery jaws opening wide to reveal flickering teeth.
The brown eyes widened in terror, the dagger coming up to meet the Dragon’s teeth.
Where that icy blade was, flames simply winked out extinguished by tendrils of frozen air, and the blade simply cut away the top half of the Dragon’s head.
The Spider saw a hole in the cage.
But then the Dragon grew two heads from the severed jaw, and the hole shrank.
Both heads were smaller, but they roared with the same furor of the old, and the struck like serpents, driving the Spider back.
Then, the Spider’s hand snapped back, then forward, and the icy of sliver of metal whizzed towards his slowly healing stomach. The dragons snapped at the dagger, but simply extinguished themselves, only to grow to four heads, then….
Aeger grasped the dagger in his hand, wincing as the icy blade ate into his tattooed hand. He had tried to grip the handle, but he had misjudged the speed.
He felt frozen tendrils wrap themselves around his fingers, numbing them, then an arrow whizzed through the air and hit him in the shoulder.
He stumbled back, looking up towards the Hawk, who held her now freed bow nocked with another arrow.
He snarled with effort, and the arrow in his shoulder started to burn. But instead of the fountain of flame he had hoped for, it was a pathetic smoldering.
Icy tendrils wrapped themselves farther up his arm.
He couldn’t feel his arm anymore. Flickering flames of ink gathered around the arm, fighting the ice, but inch by inch they were pushed back.
The Hawk hesitated, arrow aimed for his face.
Again he saw the dark divide, and he took a risk to avoid death.
The world went negative for a second, at least for him. He saw the white Asylum with its dark windows, and he saw the Hawk’s green eyes turn orange. Black was white, dark was light, the world was spinning, but….
Red was blue.
The world snapped back to the way it was, except that the flaming tattoos on his body were now a delicate snowflake pattern, in a frozen blue, and the icy tendrils had become a Dragon of Ice, a slithering gleaming clear serpent that nevertheless felt warm against his skin, and he dropped the dagger, the blood dripping from his hand freezing.
Then the Dragon, again one-headed, shot ice shards from its mouth, a withering blizzard of razor hail that could strip a body faster than a pool of piranhas.
And the Hawk fell under the storm; he saw her take cover behind what had been his staff, and was now a flourishing tree, as ice dug furrows into the wood.
The Dragon closed its jaws, and Aeger stepped forward, a sword of frozen water extending from his hand.
He walked forward through the mud and the rain, walking around the tree to find the Princess, the purple-eyed one, with a spear of ice in her leg, glaring at him defiantly.
He raised the sword, the fire that remained in him roaring for blood.
Then, he remembered the purple glint in the silver eyes before the sword had gone off course, then the horrified stare as she saw what had happened, and the icy blade evaporated, mist rising as the rain came down. He looked to the Dragon, which also evaporated into mist, but held its form for a moment, slithering between the raindrops up into the air, before becoming simply evaporated water.
Perhaps he was not so much like the Dragon after all.
He almost laughed for a second, as an amusing thought strikes him. Of all the people he has fought so far in this tournament, the woman below him, with four persons in one body, is the most sane.
He held out his hand, complete with blood dripping, for the woman to take.
She hesitated, then grasped it, his blood staining her armor.
He hoisted her up.
She winced at the pain in her leg, but stood straight despite it.
They both were silent for a second, before she spoke.
“Well I guess I should give you these then….”
She reached into a pocket of her armor and produced the crystal and the scroll.
He reached out to take it, but then the adrenalin evaporated and the world turned black.
The woman tries to catch the one-handed man as he falls, but her leg crumples as she catches him and she falls to one knee. The purple-eyed woman lowers him gently to the ground, then listens for a heartbeat. Satisfied with what she hears, she collects her weapons, sheathing first the sword, then placing the bow in her quiver. As she picks up the bloody dagger of ice, she hesitates, glancing at the prone figure of her opponent. She doesn’t move for almost a minute, arguing within, before wiping the dagger and returning it to its sheath. She returns to the man, hoisting him up with her arm, leg quivering under the strain, then turns to the lights of the Asylum and enters.
-----
The following is Liane's series of events.
Liane stepped noiselessly through the bright corridors, purple eyes flicking back and forth warily. The cleanness and sterility of the white walls unnerved her and her sisters, who were used to forestry and darkness.
So… who are we looking for again? Ria asked, in an attempt to take everyone’s mind off of the uneasy contrast between their own dirtiness and the walls cleanliness.
Aeger.
The name resounded in Liane’s mind as her sisters echoed it after her. Aeger… a name that sounded full of power and fire…
What do you guys think? Liane asked quietly. Do we have a chance?
Well, Karakel replied. We’ve made it this far, haven’t we?
Aye, Ria said calmly. But so has he.
Silence followed this statement as the sisters considered this. Their earlier fights had ended well for them, though this was partly due to luck.
I think we’ll just have to se what happens… and fight till we no longer can. Neve said slowly, still concentrating on walking silently through the asylum.
Still talking with her sisters, Liane rounded a corner and found herself in a wide, rectangular room with glass walls. As she stepped forward cautiously, a shrill scream laced with pain and hatred shattered the silence. Instinctively Liane unsheathed her sword and fell to a defensive stance, looking around wildly for the disturbance. There- to her left- a contorted face pressed to the glass wall of what she now saw to be a kind of cage. The mouth of the creature was wide open with the force of the scream, showing brown and broken teeth.
This… thing was once a man! Liane thought, too shocked to do anything but stand there gaping.
Another scream joined the first as another face pressed against the window of the cage to her right. This one had the vague shape of a woman, but it was all wrong; sharp and angular where there should have been curves, and her eyes… there was no sense of humanity in them. They were filled only with fear and dementedness, one that seemed extremely familiar..
Liane took one look at the things eyes, then turned around and ran. The eyes were just like hers had been, eight years ago. That fear, that confusion- memories rose unbidden to the surface of her mind. She ran blindly through the seemingly endless maze of corridors, trying to put those horrible eyes behind her, out of her mind. Her sisters were silent for once- stunned at the familiar sight.
She rounded another corner running full out- and was sent sprawling backwards. Bewildered, she looked up, unsure of what she had run into. Directly in front of her stood a man, clothed in loose trousers and a white shirt. All along his body ran a swirling tattoo, covering his arms in intricate patterns of blues, reds and greens. He was, however, missing his right hand. The man’s startled expression told her that he was just as surprised at the interruption as she was.
Neve took control for a brief second, just long enough to analyze the man as thoroughly as only a tracker could.
An aura surrounds him- filled with the magic of the elements, she said quickly. There is an especially strong aura in a pouch around his neck- most likely the crystal. I think this is definitely the Aeger guy we are supposed to fight.
Well then, Karakel said. Let’s get started. Liane could almost hear the grin in her voice.
Wait- she exclaimed silently, straining to keep Karakel from taking over. He might not know we’re a contestant-
There was a slight whistling sound followed by sudden pain in her shoulder. Liane looked over to see a golden needle quivering, impaled in the small place between her armor. The man was crouched in front of her, another needle in hand and ready to throw.
He knows, all right. Ria said.
Liane shuddered slightly as Neve took control, announcing her presence with bright green eyes, ever the same. She bent backwards and pushed herself up into the air, landing the back spring perfectly with Karakel’s sword in hand, the dark metal glistening eagerly in the bright light. The man’s eyes widened, but he remained silent. He seemed to concentrate for a second, tattoos seeming to glow a fiery red. His right hand burst into flame, and he looked up at Liane with a smile on his face. Before she could react, he leaped forward, blazing hand out and reaching for her throat. Neve sliced wildly at the man’s arm, forcing him to pull himself out of the way. He stepped backwards slightly, then raised his hand to a vertical position, the flames growing larger and larger.
Liane was filled with fear as she realized what this Aeger person was planning. Neve- run! She cried silently.
Neve took a single glance at Aeger, then turned tail and began running down the corridor, all thoughts of being quiet dispelled. A great wall of fire followed her down the hall, filling it with heat and the crackling of flames. Neve grimaced and bent her head, sprinting as fast as she could, just barely staying ahead of the flames. There- an open door. Neve leapt through it, somersaulting as she hit the ground, sword falling out of her grip and skidding across the floor. The fire passed the open doorway, continuing down the hall before dissipating.
Panting, Liane lay on the ground. Her eyes were flickering between green and purple as Neve lost the capability to stay in control. Footsteps resounded in the hall, getting closer and closer.
Liane cursed under her breath.
Well that was just swell, she muttered.
Interesting… Ria mused. Another fighter with control over the elements.
Aye, like the first one, Neve said, coughing. Except this one doesn’t use any visible way of controlling them, so we can’t cut him off from them.
As her sisters bickered, Liane clambered to her feet, reaching for her sword. She looked up, and froze.
The room was filled with the same glass cages as she had seen earlier, but there were only two large one\s, on either side of her. They were filled with the same creatures as before, their dead eyes fixed on Liane’s every movement. She stood in the middle of the room, sword hanging loose in her hand. Another small whistle- Liane ducked quickly and watched three or four needles fly over her head, impaling themselves in the far wall. She spun around to face Aeger where he stood in the doorway, his single hand now dark brown- almost black. Before she could attack, the man stepped forwards and swung his arm, hitting her in the stomach with a hand that felt like a rock. Winded, Liane stumbled backwards, bent nearly double and gasping for breath. Her thoughts seemed to disappear, save for one voice.
My turn, Karakel said, that maddening grin in her voice again. Unable to stop her, Liane felt her eyes change to a shining silver as her oldest sister gained control.
Karakel straightened and stood still for a single moment, enjoying the brief sense of control. She grinned and whirled around, sword lashing out and biting into Aeger’s side. He fell backwards, catching himself with a hand on the doorway. Karakel struck again, this time slicing his shoulder. She pulled her sword back, and stabbed at his heart- only to find her sword unmovable. Surprised, Karakel looked at Aeger. He was grimacing with pain, but he had caught the shining blade before it had reached his chest. Closing his eyes, he gripped tighter, and flames began leaping down the blade towards her hands.
With a wild curse, Karakel let go of the sword and leaped backwards. She drew her dagger and twirled it between her fingers, glaring furiously at Aeger. He glanced at her, then hurled the sword at her. She ducked, the sword flying over her head and burying itself in the wall behind her, cutting off a few stray hairs en-route. Enraged, Karakel stabbed at Aeger with the dagger, only to trip over his outstretched foot. She fell forwards, smacking into the glass wall. The dagger in her hand had made a deep scratch in the glass- a scratch all the creatures inside were looking at intently. Karakel glanced at them, then at the dagger, then back to the glass, silver eyes glinting.
Without a single word, she began gouging at the glass wall. The creatures followed her dagger, hungrily. More and more deep scratches appeared in the thick glass.
What… what are you doing? Liane stammered.
Karakel didn’t reply- focusing her energy on pushing the dagger as far into the glass as she could. There was a bright color in the corner of her eye- Karakel ducked and rolled away, grabbing at something as a punch from a flaming fist soared over her head, smacking directly into the deepest crack. Time seemed to stand still for a single moment; all the creatures pressed against the glass, Karakel on her knees a safe distance away, Aeger’s crystal in hand and triumphant look on her face, Aeger looking at the glass, a horrified expression on his face. Then, with the sound of an iceberg breaking away from a glacier, the glass shattered.
A bright light shone in the eyes of the creatures. A strange man stood in front of them, the feeling of fear around him. The bonds that they had none since infancy were gone. What was there left to do but ---
Fight.
As one, the creatures leaped out into the room, tackling Aeger and screaming like wild animals. Karakel ran over to the other side of the room and drove her dagger the glass wall, shattering it in a single blow. A second group of creatures joined the bloodthirsty mob of the first, burying Aeger under a screaming pile of murderous animals.
Eyes once again a pained purple, Liane looked at the crystal in her hand.
Just leave him, Liane. Ria said quietly. Now that we’ve got his crystal, he’s of no use to us. Better for him just to die.
Aye… Liane looked back towards the wild melee of squirming bodies. A flaming hand covered with familiar tattoos pushed it’s way through the mass, only to be covered once again by another three creatures.
It’s not like we’re the ones that are responsible for this, Karakel said, sullenly. I mean, it’s not our fault if he can’t fight his way through a bunch of measly-
“Oh, for the love of Marayna!” She yelled exasperatedly, both inside and out. She ran over to the wall where her sword was embedded and yanked it out with a tremendous effort. With a single cry, she ran towards the bloody, screaming pile of creatures and began hacking her way through. Clawed hands grabbed at her legs, but were unable to pierce the small plates of armor. They quickly lost interest in her, allowing her to cut her path more easily. Through the tangled mass of body parts, Liane glimpsed an arm covered in blood, underneath she could just barely see a black pattern. She threw her sword aside and grasped the arm with both hands. Grimacing as the blood stained her hands, Liane stepped out of the melee carefully, pulling the body of Aeger with her. The creatures didn’t seem to be interested in either her or Aeger, preferring to rip each other apart. Liane dragged the body out of the room, leaving a path of smeared blood behind her.
When they were finally out of the room and back in the corridor, Liane dropped the arm and fell against the door, slamming it shut. She slid her back down it, falling into a sitting position, purple eyes gazing at nothing.
Her sisters, who had been silent from shock through this entire time, now exploded with fury.
Are you out of your MIND? Karakel yelled, livid. This is an enemy! Not someone to just go and save!
We don’t even know if he’s alive or not, Neve pointed out.
If he is alive, he may actually be of some use later, Ria said thoughtfully.
But-
Aeger’s eyes cracked open, stopping the sisters’ arguments. He blinked once, revealing eyes of pure blue, then seemed to focus on Liane. She matched his stare, to exhausted to do anything but look. After a long moment, the edges of Aeger’s mouth twitched upwards in a sort of smile. Liane started, then smiled back. Aeger suddenly twitched, eyes rolling back into his head as he collapsed, unconscious. Liane grabbed his wrist, feeling for a pulse. Satisfied with what she felt, she replaced the arm on the floor and leaned backwards, resting against the door.
What comes will come, she whispered to her sisters. Any help we can get… She closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep.
-----
Welp, it doesn't look like much of a poll this time around - Aeger and Liane are teaming up no matter which way you vote! So there won't be one, sadly. In two day's time, the fight between Henry and Edward shall be up, and that one will have a poll.
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...So I've been summoned back from beyond the veil.
...No plans yet.
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The Meaning Of Fear
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| Posted: Sat Dec 20, 2008 2:32 pm Post subject: |
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These two are smart. They figured the only way to stand a chance against the Big Bad was to team up on him.
But how in the world will you figure out who's writing the battle with the Big Bad without a poll? Unless they're both written by the same author, it seems rather impossible. Have you arranged them to meet and discuss their new round, perhaps?
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Cherish all your memories, even the bad ones, for they are what makes you who you are.
Doors to the truth, an SG where a boy is propelled into worlds he is unfamiliar with. He crosses many worlds, and sees many things that force him to throw away his innocence, once, and for all. Fourth Chapter, out for viewing!
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| Posted: Sat Dec 20, 2008 4:54 pm Post subject: |
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i liked them both.
Except that the first had the weird game references and didn't actually take place inside the Asylum.
And the second references his right hand bursting into flame (i thought he only had a left hand?) and also the whole breaking teh crazies out of prison.
But besides those nitpicky things, both were pretty cool.
And I also wish to F5 Meanie's question.
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| Posted: Sat Dec 20, 2008 8:20 pm Post subject: |
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I will figure it out. Trust me.
Well, okay fine, don't trust me, but trust that I have a plan. Because I do.
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...So I've been summoned back from beyond the veil.
...No plans yet.
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| Posted: Sun Dec 21, 2008 11:23 pm Post subject: |
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Ooh, tricky, tricky, you two  I'm looking forward to seeing where this goes...
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"Well, here I am...in the towers of an insane asylum...wearing a straitjacket...talking to myself..."
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| Posted: Tue Dec 23, 2008 11:04 am Post subject: |
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All right, guys and gals, here's round 4, fight 2! Henry Chatfield VS. Edward the Angel! The following is Edward's series of events:
Edward roamed through the forest, looking for something. He wasn't sure what just yet, but he knew something important was here. He could feel it. It was like someone was playing 'Hot-cold' with him. Every time he turned away from the direction the thing was, he got colder. Every time he was pointed in the right direction, he got warmer. There was this tingling anticipation all over, like ants were crawling on his skin. Whatever it was, he was close now...
And then Edward saw that it was not a thing he was looking for...but a man. A human, by the look of him. One that appeared to have stepped out of the middle ages. As Edward drew closer to this strange person, the tingling anticipation, along with the warmth, returned, and Edward now knew what they meant.
The man had not seen Edward yet, so he decided to introduce himself. "Hello there! Who might you be?"
The man turned to face Edward, and Edward saw that this man was probably only slightly older than himself, if that, by the lack of lines on the man's face. The man looked over Edward, probably making similar observations. It was only at this point in time that Edward noticed the man had a sword strapped to his belt. Normally that would be something you look for right off, but Edward was more interested in the things about this man that could have both attracted and repulsed his Angelic nature.
Edward snapped back to himself when he realized the man was speaking. "I'm Henry Chatfield. Who might you be?"
"Edward. Are you new here? I didn't see your name on the roster when this started."
"I just signed on. This place attracts all sorts of interesting people, I was hoping to find someone like myself."
"Oh?" Edward inquired. "And what might you be? I'm quite interested, myself."
Henry looked back and forth, scanning the environment, for what, Edward wasn't sure. Finally, he looked back at Edward and answered the question. "I'm sort of a mixture. I started human, but was turned into a vampire, and through weird happenstance events, also have the blood of an Angel. It makes for an interesting life, I'll tell you that much."
Edward hmmed a bit. "Holy, unholy, and in-between. I must admit, it does explain a few things. Like why the parts of me that are Angelic were both drawn here and repulsed from you. Why I feel a kinship with you, and why you don't seem to be beset by vampire hunters. Now let me explain a few things about myself."
Edward began climbing a tree, and while he was doing so, he talked to Henry. "My life was the ordinary, dull gray everyone has. Grow up, get educated, find a way to make a living, produce the next generation, grow old, and die. However, I was more of a thinker than the world had planned for. When I had time to myself, I would contemplate the nature of the world, life, and everything."
By this time, Edward had found a sturdy branch and was hanging upside down. "I eventually found the secret to being happy. I tried to share it with people, but they dismissed it as being stupid, and me with it. I grew more frustrated, and then turned to God. He heard my pleas, and molded me into an Angel, giving me the sight to see the spiritual. I saw that there were demons on the people, keeping them ignorant of the simple truths that I had found, and I swore that I would kill them all and spread the word wherever I went."
Edward swung back and forth on his branch, looking at Henry. Henry looked like he was taking this sudden rush of information in a bit slowly. "So you're here because there are demons here?"
Edward sighed. "If only. No, I'm here because God sent me here to destroy a source of great evil. I know that it's in the Asylum itself, but I need another crystal to open the door. Who or whatever is running this installed a security system recently, and those without two crystals can't get in to the depths. And since you've told me you're a contestant..."
Edward dropped from his branch and landed in front of Henry.
"I'll have yours."
Edward raised his coffee mug to his lips and gulped audibly, draining it dry and looking at Henry. Edward's eyes were alight with holy power, and his wings unfurled behind him. Edward casually tossed the mug aside and charged at Henry, his fists clenched and blazing with power. Henry managed to dodge Edward's attack, but only just.
"Look, if you'll wait for just one minute-!"
Edward didn't wait. It was no longer in his nature. He had one objective: Get the crystal, so he could get into the depths of the Asylum, so he could complete his mission that God had given him. There was no longer any reason, just the thought of doing what he had to do.
Henry didn't want to have to hurt the kid. "Gah! This isn't working! And the rules state I can't lose my crystal without being disqualified! There has to be a way..."
He was then struck by an idea. One that probably would work in his favor. Henry turned to the Asylum just barely visible in the distance, and ran. Due to his somewhat unique heritage, he could run farther and longer than any human. Edward would have to work to keep up with him, and hopefully, by the time he got to the Asylum, Edward would be willing to listen to reason. Maybe then they could form a truce and see what was in the depths of this place.
Time would tell.
-----
The following is Henry's version of events:
Fiddling absent-mindedly with my scarf, I looked over the letter again… Edward, eh? This competition was really something… They give you the name of your opponent, and leave you at that. Thank goodness it wasn’t being held in a populated area, or I’d never find-
My train of thought was broken by yet another obtruding root in my path. Stumbling and then quickly regaining my balance, I swore and kicked the offending plant. Even my heightened senses weren’t of much use in this area… What use was superior vision when there were about fifty trees blocking your line of sight at any time? And the fog… don’t even get me started on the fog. Luckily, when you’re in the woods, you’re mostly protected from it… mostly. There’s still enough to obscure the countless, absolutely endless amount of branches and other similar objects that I always seem to trip over.
I sighed, and continued my sluggishly slow walk. It wasn’t only the poor visibility, either. These woods… heck, the entire island… It gave off a feeling, a stench, of secrecy. It was almost as if every single inhabitant or visitor here had some hugely horrible secret they would take with them to the grave. Shivering, I put my hand on my trusty Comet’s hilt for comfort.
Just then, I heard a voice somewhere close by. I focused on it, and realized that it was some sort of song, albeit a horribly off-tune and childish one.
“We all live in a yellow submarine, a yellow submarine, a yellow submarine!”
It seemed to be getting closer, but very, very slowly. It looks (or, rather, sounds) like whoever was coming has the same problems as I did when it comes to tripping over things.
Turning to face the direction of the song, I squinted. There was what appeared to be an old forest track extending out before me, and about fifty or so metres in front, was a kid (well, closer to teen, but you know what I mean), whose clothes were, to say the least, tattered. He didn’t seem to be much of a threat to me, except maybe destroying my sense of hearing, so I relaxed and walked forward to greet him.
“Hey there,” I called out, trying to sound friendly. I figured anyone would want a companion in a place like this. I certainly did.
The boy stopped his singing (Thank God!) and looked at me with a sort of peculiar expression.
Then he grinned in a rather disturbing, but non-threatening way, and was about to say something, when all of a sudden, he froze. His eyes probed me with extreme concentration. That piercing gaze felt like it was staring to the very depths of my soul. A strange, nostalgic emotion came over me, and I realized I’d been looked at like this before.
Elizabeth’s mother was like this, too… I thought, This is an angel.
“Excuse me,” he said, his expression now something halfway between confusion and curiosity, “For not replying right away. Are you Henry Chatfield?”
“Yes,” I replied, trying hard to look him back in the eyes (and failing), “You would be Edward, then.”
He quickly retrieved a metallic-looking container, which I presumed to hold some sort of beverage, from his person.
“Before we start, I think I’ll ask you something,” he said, eyes warily watching my sword, “What are you? You feel holy, but at the same time, you feel like a sinner, or evil of some sort.”
I was only mildly surprised, and even then I shouldn’t have been. My various meetings with angels (or, specifically one angel and a half-angel) had familiarized me with some of their lower powers, and this rather keen perception is no exception.
“You’re right,” I replied after a pause, “I guess the simplest way to explain is to tell you that I’m part vampire, and part angel.” I hesitated, and then added “Part human too.”
“Do you come here to do His will?”
This rather abrupt question startled me. “No,” I replied, “I’d heard that there were some peculiar people coming to this competition, and I wanted to know if any of them were vampires. If there are any, I guess I’d try to convince them to go back with me…”
“Can’t you just give me your crystal? You’re angelic, at least in part, so I don’t want to be killing you, now.”
Nor do I want to kill you, I thought.
“No,” I answered after a lengthy think, “I don’t think I will. If there’s something important enough here to dispatch an angel for it, I’d like to take a look, too.”
“How’d you know what I am,” he asked, looking for like he was just in a casual conversation with some sort of passerby, “Well, who cares. I’ll try not to kill you too badly.
With practiced ease, I drew Comet and held it in a position where it would be easier to parry any of my adversary’s attacks.
“Whoa, hold up!” he cried, lifting his mug to his mouth, “I haven’t had my coffee yet!”
He drained the contents of the strange looking mug, sighed contentedly, and stared at me with insane eyes.
FOOLISH MORTAL! YOU HAVE DEFIED THE WILL OF GOD AND WILL NOW BE PUNISHED!
Angelic wings sprouted from behind him, unfurling to their full glorious length. He swiftly raised a hand, and shot glowing bolts at me.
With years of experience of having things flung at me, I dodged to the side and took cover behind a tree. If it weren’t for my increased reflexes and physical ability, though, I would’ve been toast. Well, maybe not toast, since I’m rather resilient to holy attacks, but I’d still be slightly warm bread.
I heard his wings flap, and immediately I could tell that he had taken flight. That was definitely not good for me, because I could never outrun a flying person, and because, since I couldn’t fly myself, it was almost impossible to attack him.
He flew unimaginably quickly around to my side of the tree, and shot some more divine energy at me. I dodged to the side again, the ball of energy missing me by a hair’s breadth. Instead, it hit the tree, and smashed a large section of the trunk where it hit.
No longer able to take its own weight, the remaining wood cracked, and the tree began to fall towards Edward. Unfortunately he was able to dodge it with ease, but now it looked like I had a method of retaliation!
Taking cover behind another of the huge plants, I waited for him to fly around.
“You must be stupid! How can you think I would fall for a trick like that?”
He and his glowing wings flew around again, but this time he flew in a sharper curve, and was charging in from my right side, rather than my front.
Oh Cr-
A strong blast hit me in the flank and propelled me a number of metres away, where I lay on my back, gasping for breath. It wasn’t the divine force of the blast that bothered me; I could deal with that. It was the sheer impact of it. It didn’t seem to have broken any ribs, but it had burned into my clothing and my flesh. This kid must really be something!
I couldn’t just lay flat on the ground and admire his powers, though. I got up as quickly as my wound would allow, and picked up Comet, which lay beside me, with my left hand. With my right, I covered my wound with my coat.
“No more playtime!” I roared. To be honest, I sounded far more menacing than I felt.
After narrowly dodging two of this maniac’s attacks, a taking one in the side, I’d gotten slightly more used to his attack pattern. He was doing some relatively low flying, and only using his wings to boost his speed rather than his height. That gave me a tiny opening right when he does his straight charge at me, right before he fires his bolts. I figured it was worth trying, but it would probably only work once before he knew what I was trying to do.
Once again Edward did another of his fly-bys, swooping in a curving arc around me, whilst wildly blasting off golden balls of energy at me. I ran parallel to him for the most part, jumping over and ducking under his shots. Then there was a sudden change in his movements, as he prepared to close in on me.
That’s my cue.
Instead of dodging to the side like I did before, I ran forward to meet his attack. He didn’t seem awfully surprised at this, much to my disappointment, and he held out a hand to intercept me with a projectile.
In this, however, he was wrong. Previously, while I had been trying very hard to avoid his attacks, I never really did run, opting for rolling and similar movements to dodge his ranged attacks. This boy had been counting on an ordinary pace for my run (not to mention not being able to jump high enough), and if I was human and how somehow survived all his other attacks, I’d probably had been fried.
But I’m not human. I’m… well, a vampire-angel-human thing.
I had gotten close enough to him as he was preparing to shoot me, and so I jumped. I ducked my head under his outstretched arm, pointed the tip of my blade to his heart, and thrust.
I’m not exactly sure if what happened next was a blessing or a curse, but at the time, it seemed a whole lot like a curse. To be specific, Comet stopped moving.
I felt my sword stop within an inch of his breast, and now instead of running him through and then impaling him on a tree, I couldn’t stop my momentum, and did a rather awkward full-body tackle, knocking Edward out of the air.
As you might well imagine this was by no means comfortable for either of us. He landed a couple of metres away, quite winded, and struggled to recover. I, while probably better off than he, had only just gotten back on my feet, and was trying to figure out just why Comet didn’t pierce him. Could it be that my holy blade refused to kill the holy?
I limped over to the boy, still lying on the ground. His wings were actually giving him trouble this time round, being rather unwieldy, what with them being all outstretched and him being sprawled on the ground and all.
I raised my blade, and stabbed downwards. Seeing his danger, Edward flinched, and tried to roll to his side. This movement was also impeded by his wings.
Much to his surprise, and my despair, Comet once again stopped. I’m deprived of my only weapon whilst fighting an angel, I thought, Great. Just great!
And, as I stood there lamenting my poor fortune, the little freak folded his wings, sprang up, and tore Comet from my hands. As soon as I realized what happened, he was attacking. He started with a horizontal slash from his right (badly pulled off, too), which I ducked, and followed up with a thrust, which I neatly sidestepped. His movements were slower, now, which encouraged me to no end. At least I knew he was getting tired too.
I still didn’t hold the advantage, however, as he was the one trying to cut me up with a sword, and I was the poor unarmed person trying to not get cut up. Fortune smiled on me, though, as this boy was a poor swordsman (compared to me. No, this is not blatant boasting), and I could avoid his slashes and stabs with ease.
“What’s the matter, squirt?” I said, trying my hand at a bit of goading, “Caffeine running low on you?”
It certainly had a larger effect than I ever dreamed of. I’m not sure whether he took offence at this, or I’d simply hit the bulls eye, but he attack with renewed vigor and a roar. At this rate, I couldn’t outlast him.
I saw my chance to turn the tables when he tried to decapitate me with a vicious overhead swing, which I once again sidestepped. I didn’t give him another chance to follow up, though; I grabbed his wrist, and with my foot I hooked his leg which made him fall rather comically to the ground. I retrieved my sword despite its complete uselessness in this situation, and crouched next to his fallen body, with the idea of knocking him out in mind.
I’d completely forgotten about his bolts, though, and it was at this moment that he reached out a hand, which glowed with the power he was putting into his attack. The air practically vibrated with the intense concentration of energy.
I was shocked at the sheer strength of the imminent blow, and when the realization came that I should run, it was too late. Edward’s palm glowed like a shining, bright aurora, and it looked like I was a goner.
Before he could shoot me, though, he gave a groan, and passed out.
I couldn’t believe my luck. The kid ran out of power at the last moment.
Heart still pounding from the unbelievably dangerous situation, I began my search for Edward’s crystal. I found it in a few seconds, as there weren’t really that many places to hide it on his person. At the same time, I found his letter, too, which I decided I should pocket as well.
I was just rising to leave, but it felt a bit unethical to leave the poor kid, with all his tattered clothes, on the ground. I wrapped my scarf around his neck, which was more charity than I thought he deserved. Whilst doing so I saw his coffee-container laying on the ground in rather poor shape some metres away.
I kicked it viciously for all the trouble it gave me, and set off with my first victory. It wasn’t until a few hours later that I realized it wasn’t such a good idea to give him the scarf.
Elizabeth is going to KILL me!
-----
No death, but who goes on? I leave it to you.
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...So I've been summoned back from beyond the veil.
...No plans yet.
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The Meaning Of Fear
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| Posted: Wed Dec 24, 2008 12:35 am Post subject: |
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I like Edward's background info, but his part is a bit shorter than what he used to have.
Would Aeger, Liane, and the survivors (well, that's not quite right. Made-it-out-of-there-ers, shall we say?) of this fight meet in the Asylum? I understand its a rather big and weird building and all, but since their all going to the same place.
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Cherish all your memories, even the bad ones, for they are what makes you who you are.
Doors to the truth, an SG where a boy is propelled into worlds he is unfamiliar with. He crosses many worlds, and sees many things that force him to throw away his innocence, once, and for all. Fourth Chapter, out for viewing!
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| Posted: Wed Dec 24, 2008 10:32 pm Post subject: |
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huh
Edward seems reluctant to actually have a real battle.
I kinda liked Henry's version of this; i couldn't help but noticing, tho, that he seems to have the only first person perspective in this competition so far.
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| Posted: Sun Dec 28, 2008 2:23 pm Post subject: |
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Well, if IM isn't going to say it, I might as well do it.
*Steals wizardly clothes and pointy hat*
The poll is closed, and the winner has been decided!
Edward wins and moves on to the Asylum's round (although, in accordance to his story, Henry will be the one leading him... confusing).
*Takes off old and dusty mage clothing*
Kinda regretting not voting in this one now.
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Cherish all your memories, even the bad ones, for they are what makes you who you are.
Doors to the truth, an SG where a boy is propelled into worlds he is unfamiliar with. He crosses many worlds, and sees many things that force him to throw away his innocence, once, and for all. Fourth Chapter, out for viewing!
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| Posted: Sun Dec 28, 2008 3:41 pm Post subject: |
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True, true. I was waiting for the poll to close on its lonesome.
Anyways, now for an interlude! Titled:
Something old, something new
IM sat in the depths of the Asylum as usual, contemplating the rune patterns. Hmm. This one like so...had he made an error? The patterns would do the job, yes, but maybe they could do it more efficiently...
There was a woosh noise from behind, and IM knew what it was. "Ah. Come to see your brother, have you?"
Blaze walked into the room, a bit confused at the sight before him. "How did you know it was me?"
IM turned around and smiled. "Because, dear boy, I made you. With these hands, I piled the materials needed. With this mind, I gave you form from my innermost madness. You are but a Character, and I...I am your Author."
Blaze reeled as if struck. "No. No, that can't be true! I have a mission, a life, a purpose!"
IM waved a hand. "I planted those in your mind to give you a greater sense of self. Not all Characters are as lucky, you know. I took great pains to make sure you were mostly complete. But all I have to do is say one thing to make your mind shatter."
IM glared at Blaze. Just as he was about to open his mouth and deliver the final words, Blaze fired off a fireball at IM's head. IM easily dodged the flames. The flames continued to travel and puncture one of the chamber's many orbs. This would later be regarded as the point when everything changed.
The Grimm Characters are unique in that they have a sort of energy that no other Character possess. It is this energy which makes them respected and feared. It has been appropriately labeled 'Grimm' and, when extracted, becomes a sort of blackish ooze. When exposed to air, the Grimm gives off a black mist that slowly rises. This energy is what has fed the Big Bad Wolf for the past centuries.
When Blaze punctured the orb, he unwittingly opened a point for Grimm to escape, which it did. It also leaked into the runes in the floor, changing them from a pure white to dark black. The black coloring quickly spread, racing towards IM. The moment the Grimm reached IM, he knew what it was. It was old power from the realm of Idea, tainted and twisted by the Grimms long ago, and left to ferment like wine. And just like wine, it had grown more powerful with time.
IM absorbed the power of the Grimm, and laughed. The evil energy had upset his already fragile mind, causing him to fall into madness.
"Heheh. So, my creation fights for his non-existent life, eh? Well, since I'm in a good mood, I'll share with you a little secret about life I learned a while ago."
IM charged up a spell behind his back, letting Blaze see the growing black of the runes in the floor. Blaze suddenly realized that this was a Bad Thing, and moved to run.
IM, however, was done with his spell, and pointed one hand at Blaze. "The secret is...LIFE! IS! PAIN!"
A bolt of dark energy slammed into Blaze, knocking him into the distant wall and binding him there with more darkness. The Big Bad Wolf laughed his distorted laugh at this turn of events, and IM walked up to the bound Blaze.
"I'm in no mood to deal with you, but you're not just going to give up, are you? So I figure, I'm going to kill two birds with one stone. YOU'RE going to go out and stop one group from getting to me right away, while I deal with the other one. This way, I'm not overwhelmed. And it really doesn't matter to me if you live or die, so for me, it's a win-win! Now hold still..."
IM looked up at the Big Bad Wolf and nodded. The Big Bad laughed and cast one hand at Blaze, small chunks of the dark beast breaking off and sinking into Blaze's head. IM quickly cast a spell on Blaze, one that almost any Author could do. It was a spell of Character Domination, and it was used to make the Character do exactly as directed in the story.
"You will go to the entrance of the Asylum and stop the two of Angel blood from entering. Confirm."
"I will go to the entrance of the Asylum and stop the two of Angel blood from entering. Confirmed."
"Good. Execute."
IM snapped his fingers, and the bonds of darkness dissipated. Blaze fell to the floor, and when he looked up again, IM was very pleased. Blaze's eyes had been replaced by blackness from the Big Bad. Blaze stood still for a moment, and then he turned and left the way he came in, looking for the entrance to the Asylum so he could take up his post.
IM smiled to himself. "Now the only ones to worry about are..."
There was another Woosh noise. Another door had opened, and Aeger and Liane were behind this one.
IM turned to them and smiled. "Ah yes. You."
Round Five! It's getting to the endgame!
Aeger and Liane VS. The Big Bad and IM!
Henry Chatfield and Edward VS. Blaze!
Due to the circumstances, I will inform the Authors of Aeger and Liane who the other one is. This way, they can write a chapter together that might, conceivably, be capable of stopping my plans.
_________________
...So I've been summoned back from beyond the veil.
...No plans yet.
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The Meaning Of Fear
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| Posted: Sun Dec 28, 2008 5:39 pm Post subject: |
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You don't sound terribly convinced that they can beat you.
Anywho, best of luck to Aeger and Liane in their fight against the Big Bad and IM.
::EDIT::
100th reply to this thread. I feel specialz.
_________________
Cherish all your memories, even the bad ones, for they are what makes you who you are.
Doors to the truth, an SG where a boy is propelled into worlds he is unfamiliar with. He crosses many worlds, and sees many things that force him to throw away his innocence, once, and for all. Fourth Chapter, out for viewing!
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Idea master
Magus Extraordinaire
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| Posted: Wed Dec 31, 2008 11:58 pm Post subject: |
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...Due to...unforeseen delays, Henry Chatfield will lead Edward in a battle against Blaze. Soon.
_________________
...So I've been summoned back from beyond the veil.
...No plans yet.
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Masterweaver
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| Posted: Thu Jan 01, 2009 5:55 am Post subject: |
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| Whilst thou create another asylum?
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BlackAmaranth
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| Posted: Sat Jan 03, 2009 6:31 pm Post subject: |
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Ooh, that'd be fun, I didn't have a chance to enter this one...
_________________
"Well, here I am...in the towers of an insane asylum...wearing a straitjacket...talking to myself..."
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Idea master
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| Posted: Tue Jan 06, 2009 8:44 pm Post subject: |
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Oh, right. Story thing. Sorry.
Round Five, Fight 1! Henry Chatfield and Edward VS. Blaze!
Why yes, I AM putting off the Big Bad fight until later, however did you guess?
The following is Blaze's series of events:
Darkness.
All that was left was darkness.
He could see his body perform, but he was no longer in control.
In a small, dark corner of his mind, all that was left of his will and sanity was curled up and sobbing to itself. There had been a time for fighting, but that time was past.
Now, he could do nothing, nothing to stop himself, nothing to stop the creature that had taken control of his mind.
He was as a puppet on a string.
-----
Henry and Edward had finally worn themselves out by the time they actually reached the Asylum proper.
"Hah...haaaah...Now will you listen to me?"
Edward, lying about three feet away from Henry, twitched his arms a little.
"You're just...lucky I can't...reach you..."
Henry groaned and propped himself up, casting his gaze onto Edward.
"So I suppose...You'll have to listen, then?"
Edward turned his head in Henry's direction.
"I suppose...so..."
Henry managed to prop himself up against a tree, and looked down on the exhausted adolescent.
"Now...whoever or whatever is behind those doors you mentioned earlier, it's a safe bet that they're a dangerous foe. I'd rather meet it with a friend than alone. So, shall we call it off and be partners for the time being?"
Edward tried to look furious, but couldn't pull it off, and merely sighed.
"I suppose. Now, if you'll kindly drag me inside to the nearest source of caffeine, I'll be of greater aid than as I am."
Henry grabbed Edward's upper torso and started to drag the young angel inside.
"You'll have to point it out for me, though, as I've no idea what it looks like."
-----
A few hours later, Edward put a mug of warm coffee to his lips, drank a little, and sighed.
"That is exactly what I needed. Now for more."
Edward finished off his cup, and then proceeded to drain the entire pot dry. Henry looked on, wondering if this was safe.
"Are you sure that you're going to be all right? That's an awful lot of coffee..."
Edward wiped his mouth on his sleeve, leaving a very large brown stain on his otherwise white clothes.
"I've drunk more than this before and lived. Now, if I recall correctly, the door into the depths should be in this direction..."
Edward got up from his chair and began going through the halls of the Asylum, tracing a path that would put a lab rat to shame. All the while he was muttering directions to himself, probably so that he wouldn't get lost. After ten minutes of walking, Edward and Henry stood before a set of doors that were roughly twenty feet high. On either side was a small hole, about the size of the Idearium crystal Henry still carried.
"Well, you got us here. What was your plan for getting us IN, though?"
Edward shot a dirty look at Henry, and gave a curt 'Working on it' as he turned back to the door. Just as he was about to resort to 'Plan B for Blast', there was a rapport of 'clicks' from the door. Edward and Henry looked at each other, and slowly backed up.
A wise move.
Two seconds later, the massive doors ground open, and standing on the other side was a young man, clothed in red with fiery hair to match. He was looking at the ground in front of him very intently, but when Henry and Edward attempted to draw closer, his head snapped up. That was when his eyes became apparent, for they were not normal human eyes, but holes into darkness.
"My master," the boy hissed, "Bids thee welcome. I am your doom."
The boy clenched both arms, and fire appeared, dancing over his skin, but not consuming him.
Edward and Henry looked at each other. And, in unison, they assessed the situation.
"Not good."
-----
Blaze raged against the intruder in his mind again. "You can't make me do this! No! NO!"
The creature laughed. I made you for this purpose, Blaze, and you will fulfill it! I will have you fight them until you or they die. Rest assured, even if you win, you will die anyway, by my command! Enjoy your last few moments of life, for only now shall I unlock your TRUE potential!
Inside his mind, the last scrap of his free will and identity that was left of him became a puppet, and the creature that had taken it over had become the sadistic puppet master. And all the while, the creature laughed and laughed.
-----
Edward and Henry had enacted plan C, which was now being creatively labeled. The action, however, remained the same: RUN AWAY.
It didn't help that they were being followed by a sentient firestorm intent on their destruction and capable of reading heat-patterns.
"We've got to do something! He's too fast to run away from, even for us!" Edward's only advantage were his wings and caffeine high, and both were capable of fading.
Henry had his inhuman strength and speed, but even he recognized the futility of the situation. "Like what? What could we possibly do?"
Edward attempted to shrug his shoulders and nearly tripped. "I dunno, let's split up and see if he chooses one of us over the other. Maybe the person he doesn't go for can sneak up behind him and try to catch him off-guard? If that happens, I've got a few tricks I can pull that might snap him out of it!"
"Snap him out of what? What are you blathering on about?" Henry was, at the very least, confused.
"Didn't you see his eyes? They were black, which, I think you'll agree, is not normal for humans. It is normal for possessed people to have differently colored eyes, since 'eyes are the window to the soul'. I've normally only dealt with red eyes before, but hopefully black ones indicate a weaker demon than I'm used to."
The two fleeing angelic entities were coming up on an intersection.
"Okay, fine kid, you've got a point. I'll go right, you go left. Hopefully he can't come after both of us at the same time. With my luck, it's a very real possibility."
The two angelic entities split up, and Blaze was forced to stop and look down both hallways. Down one, he sensed the same life-sign he'd been tracking, whereas down the other...nothing.
And so, Blaze went running after Edward, an avalanche of flames following closely behind.
Henry looked behind him at the receding firestorm. "Well, I guess that means I better sneak up behind the bugger and surprise him so the kid can do his thing."
-----
In Blaze's mind, the little puppet that symbolized all that was left of him smiled. "Hah! I knew it! You were tricked!"
Impossible, child. I used your abilities to find them, and I shall use your abilities to END them.
"You forgot, I can read heat signatures, but that only applies to things that are alive."
The being that had taken Blaze's mind was befuddled for a moment. But...then that would mean...
"I clearly saw two beings in the hallway, and I clearly saw them split up. Maybe you should take better inventory, huh?"
The thing controlling Blaze let out a howl, and all was black again.
-----
Edward kept running. Hopefully he would be able to find a big enough room, or one with something in it for him to hide behind. This firestorm couldn't follow him forever!
Edward ran into a room with huge tanks of green fluid. Hopefully this would make a good place to hide from the inferno-causing kid, and maybe he'd be able to perform the exorcism without backup. It was unlikely, but he should at least read the rites, in case help wasn't coming.
Edward peeked out from behind one of the tanks and saw the flames enter the room, carrying the boy with them. Slowly, they died out, and the boy cast his gaze around. Even as those eyes fell on him, Edward shuddered, for it felt like they had pierced his very soul. Edward began reciting the rites of exorcism, all the while wondering where Henry was.
"I know you're in here. I'm just looking for your friend. Don't get any illusions that I could be caught unawares by anything you could do. Your friend is another matter. Apparently, I can't track the dead, but when I find him, I will burn him to ash."
At that point in time, Blaze got clonked upside the head with the flat of Henry's sword. The fire-wielding kid turned around to face the hybrid, and growled. It was at that time that Edward jumped out from behind the tanks of green fluid and cast his exorcism at the fired-up youth.
Edward did NOT expect the result of his spell to drag him into the young one's mind. Usually, the demon was just cast out, and the person was whole again, and afterwards, there was much rejoicing. More difficult ones made him physically exhausted. To be able to drag him in meant that he was fighting a very powerful demon.
And what's worse, I'm not prepared for it!
-----
Suddenly, within Blaze's mind, there was a light to pierce the darkness. It seemed to stem from a new person, one with wings. Blaze tried to move closer to whoever it was, but found himself incapable. So he'd have to resort to talking to get this person's attention.
"Whoever you are, help me! I can't control myself anymore! I'm just this thing's puppet!"
Edward groaned and got up, looking about for the voice. There, at the edge of his vision, was a puppet very much resembling the boy he was fighting. Whoever or whatever had possessed this boy had almost completely subjugated him to its will. It was therefor his duty to save this boy and cast out the evil spirit.
As Edward drew closer to the boy, he noticed some of the puppet-like traits vanishing. His joints reappeared, and he wasn't as wooden or stiff. Finally, the strings burst into flame, dropping a human boy to the ground. Edward was pleased with his work for a moment.
Then he heard something above him shift and growl. Edward looked up. He did not like what he saw.
Somewhere between the ceiling and the floor was a magus in blue robes. He was holding the other end of the strings that had been attached to the young man. However, that was not what troubled Edward.
What troubled him was that the ceiling was made of darkness, and in the darkness were two eyes and a mouth. And protruding from the darkness were long, thin strands of more blackness. And they were attached to the magus in much the same way the strings had been attached to the boy.
Who's controlling who? Edward thought. And then the magus spoke.
"I made the both of you, I can control you or unmake you at my will! YOU WILL OBEY!" The magus reached down one hand to pick up the boy, only to be blocked by the light Edward radiated.
"Even if you created me, you do not control me. I am my own person, by the truths I have found and by my faith in God, and I tell you now to leave this child alone! BEGONE, DEMONS!"
The light pulsed and expanded rapidly, forcing the darkness and the magus to leave the mind of the fire-hurling youth. Edward knelt by the young boy and tried to wake him up. With a few slaps and assorted groaning, the youth sat up and looked at Edward.
"You saved me?" Blaze was, at the very least, stunned.
"Yes, but from now on, you'll have to save yourself."
"I can't. He's too powerful. He has a gateway here at any time."
"No, he doesn't!" Edward grabbed the young man's head. "No man has the freedom to enter your head without your approval. You let him in, unknowingly. You can keep him out. Whenever he tried to take control, just repeat this simple truth: I am my own person. I am me. No matter who or what I sprung from, it does not control me. Keep on that tack, and he'll be forced out every time."
Blaze smiled, and then everything faded out.
-----
Edward groaned and woke up, seeing that Henry was sitting nearby. "Did it work?"
Henry nearly jumped out of his skin when Edward spoke, but quickly calmed down. "Yes, it worked. He fell unconscious, and I dragged both of your sorry behinds to a nearby break room. After a few minutes, the darkness left his eyes, but other than that, he's still been asleep, doing not much of anything."
Edward groaned and sat up. "Well, he just had a demon or some such exorcised from him, give him time to recover!"
"I have."
This time, BOTH angelic beings jumped as they watched the young man sit up. He turned to the two of them and smiled.
"My name is Blaze, and the person at the bottom of this place holds my brother hostage. If I could join you and put an end to him, I would be greatly honored."
The two angels looked at each other, then at Blaze, then back at each other again. Finally, each one stuck a hand on one of his shoulders, and announced their verdict together.
"Deal."
----------
The following is Henry Chatfield's series of events:
Just a little more!
Even whilst running at a flat out pace, Henry was finding it hard to shake off Edward’s pursuit. Not that it was his plan to shake him off in the first place, but it would’ve been nice if there was a brief respite from the constant barrage of holiness.
By his reckoning, and from what he remembered of the crude map he’d seen at the dock, Henry figured that he should be very close to the Asylum. Clearings in the forest were now getting larger and more comfortable (less branches and roots), and even as he was running he passed through a space which, with a fire, might even prove hospitable. Now would be a good time to rest up before entering the depths of the gloomy building.
That is, if there wasn’t a crazy angel following him!
Edward was hot on Henry’s heels, his wings more than making up for the difference in athletic prowess. Projectiles of a holy and powerful nature flew from his outstretched palms, but Henry managed to dodge these and continue on his way. If Edward wasn’t in a caffeine-induced craze, then he probably would’ve been irritated.
Abandoning attempts at trying to hurt his hybrid opponent at a distance, Edward put on a burst on speed to close the gap between them. He succeeded in doing so, and crashed into Henry’s back, forcing the both of them into a scrap on the ground, Edward on top and Henry on the bottom.
Edward threw a punch laden with holy power, which Henry barely caught. The attack from the angel was then replied with a savage kick aimed at his side, which Edward batted aside with his other arm. The brawl continued with similar movements, as well as many underhanded attacks from both sides which also failed to reach their targets.
By a stroke of luck, Henry’s foot ended up in front of Edward’s chest in all the commotion, and with a vicious thrust of his leg he propelled the insane boy into the air and away from him.
Before Henry could feel relieved, however, a ball of fire flew through the place where the angel had previously occupied, and landed a ways away from the vampire on the ground.
Henry gulped. Edward, now hovering with his wings quite high in the air, looked around for the source of the flames.
He didn’t have to look for long, as the source of the fireball walked out calmly into view. Their assailant was young man, wearing a bright red jacket with an equally red shirt underneath. His trousers too were red, but appear to be worse for wear; dust and all manner of untidy things clung to them, presumably originating from the depths of the Asylum. Many compressed fireballs floated around him, both threatening and yet strangely, disconcertingly peaceful.
Just as calmly as he had revealed himself, he proceeded to fire two more balls of flame out, one upwards to Edward, and one to where Henry lay on ground.
Both dodged; Edward threw himself to the side with a flick of his wings, and turned towards the newcomer in a dive; meanwhile Henry rolled to his right and flipped back up, pushing against the ground with his arm, whilst drawing his sword in the same fluid action.
The flame-wielder focused his attack on the rapidly approaching Edward, and threw ball after ball of fire at the Child Angel. Balls of compressed holy energy were fired in retaliation, and soon the area was alight with flames and auroras of energy.
Henry took advantage of the new enemy’s diverted attention, and dashed in, intending to turn the tables with close-quarters combat. He got up close enough seemingly without being noticed, and swung in a wide horizontal arc.
To his shock, the assailant ducked under his sword. That face, now turned to face him, still held that same expression of apparent tranquility, but his eyes, that Henry saw properly for the first time, were pitch black, filled with years of cunning and malice.
A hand aimed at him by the stranger before Henry could even finish his swing, and a ball of flickering flames shot out and exploded, throwing him a fair distance away. He lay sprawled on the ground.
In the few seconds that it took for the battle, if the one-sided clash deserved such a title, Edward had been gathering almost all his holy power in front of him. The result was a much larger orb of crackling energy, which shone with an intense light.
By the time it was noticed, Edward had already launched it. The great orb almost seemed to warp the air around it with its furious energy. It sped towards their opponent, forcing him onto his knees with immense pressure.
With the same nonchalance as before, he dealt with the incoming projectile the only way he could: by meeting it with his own fireballs.
Every spark floating around him suddenly ignited into brilliant, flickering balls of flame. They were sent simultaneously onto a crash course with the crackling sphere of holy energy, morphing into a giant inferno when they met on their intersecting paths.
The two conflicting forces met and seemed as if to stop for a moment, their energies pushing at each other’s forms. No more than a few seconds could have passed during the short contest of power, but it seemed to last forever.
Then, abruptly, the balance between the two collapsed, and the inferno dissipated before the might of the holy powers. Now freed from its struggle with the conflagration, the shining orb, although somewhat diminished continued on its intended path towards the flame-wielder.
Thoroughly unfazed by the defeat of his mighty attack, he instead began to aim and throw more fireballs at the threat. One after another they took to the air, much inferior to the blazing inferno before, but still fearsome to behold if one were a normal human.
It was in vain, however; the sphere of energy was not to be stopped. Its glowing form reached Edward’s adversary and exploded in a storm of outwardly-expanding forces, blowing its target into a nearby tree.
Both his legs had been blasted clean off in the explosion, and now his lifeblood leaked profusely from the two stumps that remained. What was left of his clothes now covered his wounded body in rags.
Silently, slowly, Edward moved in for the kill. He loomed over the fallen opponent, raised his arm to deliver the final blow…
… And fell over backwards, unconscious.
Even at the brink of death, something drove the now-legless pyromancer to continue what he started. Something forced him, even in his pitiful situation, to lift his arm, to snap his fingers to ignite a spark.
Something was driving him to kill.
The fire crackled weakly on his palm. It flickered, almost died out, but slowly began to grow in strength. The last of the dying man’s life energy, imbued into the flames… to snuff out Edward’s own life…
The ball of fire was aimed. Unconscious and powerless as he was, Edward would not be able to dodge or withstand this attack.
A booted foot was brought down, stomping on the flame-wielder’s wrist with an audible crack, and causing the flames to burn out with a whoosh.
Henry’s face showed only pity as he lifted his good arm (His other one was injured by the fireball), his sword held in hand.
He brought his arm down.
The first human he’d killed. It was exactly the same as the first time he’d killed a vampire; nauseating and sad. No matter what the race, if you could help it, you should never kill.
This time was one of the few times he couldn’t help it.
A groan behind him notified him to the awakening of the coffee-addict.
“Uh… Where am-” Edward noticed Henry, but didn’t seem terribly concerned, “Oh, right, it’s you.”
“You…” Henry gasped as his wounds hindered his breathing, “…you don’t seem terribly… affected to see a person you were just trying to kill.”
“I’m just surprised you’re not actually dead,” replied the Child Angel in a frustratingly calm voice. He took a glance at something red he spotted behind the swordsman, and stuck out his tongue in disgust.
“Ewwwww! Did you do that?”
“You took off the legs… but yes,” Henry replied, head down, perhaps in shame, “I killed him.”
“Awkward.”
After a brief silence, Henry continued the conversation.
“Anyway… as I was saying before you started trying to murder me,” this remark was accompanied by a vehement glare which was ignored by Edward, “We should team up, to fight whatever’s down there.”
“I don’t know,” said Edward, dubiously, “you look like a bit of a useless ally at the moment. You know, wounded to the point of being trash and all.”
“Why you little… I wouldn’t be like this if not for you! I even saved your life while you were unconscious, you ungrateful brat!”
“Besides,” continued Edward, who completely ignored Henry, “Are you sure you want me to come with you? I’m out of coffee, you know.”
Henry helped Edward get back up. “I’m sure there’ll be some at the Asylum.”
The vampiric angel reached out a hand towards his former angelic opponent.
“Partners?”
Edward looked at the outstretched arm. He grinned.
“Partners.”
-----
So does Blaze live to challenge what lurks in the basement? Or does he get killed off? YOU DECIDE!
_________________
...So I've been summoned back from beyond the veil.
...No plans yet.
Last edited by Idea master on Tue Jan 06, 2009 9:11 pm; edited 1 time in total
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DeadManWalking
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| Posted: Tue Jan 06, 2009 8:56 pm Post subject: |
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erm...
poll?
EDIT: nvr mind.
I think i somehow managed to access teh page after the fight but before the poll was put up.
_________________
When the dead walk, the living run.
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Idea master
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| Posted: Tue Jan 06, 2009 9:12 pm Post subject: |
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It DOES take time to put the poll up.
It just means you were lightning-fast!
That, or the stars have aligned. If it's the latter, then I'm going to need to get my demon-summoning components ready.
_________________
...So I've been summoned back from beyond the veil.
...No plans yet.
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The Meaning Of Fear
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| Posted: Tue Jan 06, 2009 11:21 pm Post subject: |
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Now THAT was very unexpected. A team of three?
It seems IM made a mistake when he was creating Edward... Does that small scene in Blaze's mind, incidentally, mean IM < Edward?
If the three of them team up, they're sure to win!...
Right...?
Well, I think I'll put off voting for either of them until I've made sure it isn't IM's evil scheme!
_________________
Cherish all your memories, even the bad ones, for they are what makes you who you are.
Doors to the truth, an SG where a boy is propelled into worlds he is unfamiliar with. He crosses many worlds, and sees many things that force him to throw away his innocence, once, and for all. Fourth Chapter, out for viewing!
Last edited by The Meaning Of Fear on Wed Jan 07, 2009 8:32 pm; edited 1 time in total
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DeadManWalking
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| Posted: Wed Jan 07, 2009 3:40 pm Post subject: |
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i believe IM controls both Blaze and Edward.
I may be wrong about that tho.
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When the dead walk, the living run.
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The Meaning Of Fear
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| Posted: Wed Jan 07, 2009 7:23 pm Post subject: |
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Well, my vote won't make much of a difference anymore, will it?
Good luck to Aeger and Liane during their fight with IM and the Big Bad, whenever that may be!
_________________
Cherish all your memories, even the bad ones, for they are what makes you who you are.
Doors to the truth, an SG where a boy is propelled into worlds he is unfamiliar with. He crosses many worlds, and sees many things that force him to throw away his innocence, once, and for all. Fourth Chapter, out for viewing!
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DeadManWalking
Duke of the Mostly Dead
Joined: 24 May 2006
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| Posted: Wed Jan 07, 2009 7:38 pm Post subject: |
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if Aeger and Liane theoretically defeat Big Bad, would they have to fight this team of three next?
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When the dead walk, the living run.
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Idea master
Magus Extraordinaire
Joined: 10 May 2004
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Location: Sneaking Idearium into your beverages.
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| Posted: Wed Jan 07, 2009 8:41 pm Post subject: |
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That is the way it would work, yes.
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...So I've been summoned back from beyond the veil.
...No plans yet.
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Idea master
Magus Extraordinaire
Joined: 10 May 2004
Topics: 46
Posts: 1787
Location: Sneaking Idearium into your beverages.
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| Posted: Sun Jan 18, 2009 12:34 am Post subject: |
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Apologies.
I've fallen out of the realm of sanity.
Next chapter up by Tuesday, sanity permitting.
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...So I've been summoned back from beyond the veil.
...No plans yet.
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Idea master
Magus Extraordinaire
Joined: 10 May 2004
Topics: 46
Posts: 1787
Location: Sneaking Idearium into your beverages.
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| Posted: Tue Jan 20, 2009 11:46 pm Post subject: |
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Okay, it's late, but at least it is HERE, finally. Oh, and before I forget: Blaze, Edward, and Henry will all team up to fight the survivor of this match, whoever it turns out to be.
Round 5, fight 2. IM and the Big Bad VS. Liane and Aeger. Liane and Aeger's series of events are as follows:
The rain fell upon the dark night, pounding the dirt below to a muddy pulp. Liane stumbled blindly through the darkness, dragging the prone body of Aeger along with her. She headed towards the bright lights in the Asylum, constantly slipping in invisible mud puddles and nearly bent over with the weight of Aeger on her back.
Why are we lugging this lump around? Ria muttered. I still don’t see why we don’t just slit his throat, grab his crystal and leave.
Aye. That’s what he would have done, Karakel added.
Perhaps you didn’t notice, Liane replied sharply. He could have very well done so, but he didn’t.
Her sisters were silent. Liane continued walking, occasionally stopping to pull Aeger up to a more comfortable position.
Old stumpy needs to lose a few pounds, Karakel grumbled during one of these stops. She brightened. Maybe if we cut off his other hand, he’d be a bit lighter-
That’s not funny, Liane said sternly.
Yes it is, Ria replied, grinning.
What we need to do, Neve said, barely stifling a giggle, is wake him up.
Liane glanced around wearily, trying to decipher her surroundings from the vague shadows. A flash of lighting- and she saw what she needed. Injured leg trembling violently under the weight, she stumbled over to the left of the Asylum’s walls. With a gigantic heave, she threw Aeger off of her back- and directly into the barrel placed at the bottom of the drainpipe to collect rainwater.
~~~
A cold shock woke Aeger from his blood loss-induced slumber. He was very very wet.
And cold. And let’s not forget wet.
He was upside-down, his senses told him, but it was completely dark. Looking up, or down, as it seemed to him, revealed a glimmer towards the top of the body of water he rested in. His hand scrabbled for the top of the barrel, but his strength fled as he grasped the rim, and he was unable to pull himself up.
Aeger felt his lungs start to burn as his breath began to run out.
He needed energy, but he was stuck in this construct of dead wood and metal.
He reached up, now with his mind, found the winds he had rode earlier, and pulled, a desperate struggle for a last chance.
The lightnings in the sky flickered and leaped, striking the metal drainpipe above the water barrel and dancing down its length, to collide with the metal and water of the barrel, causing the water to evaporate and the barrel to literally explode apart.
Aeger lay on the singed ground, coughing like a fish out of water, his clothes dried instantly from the heat of the strike
“Was that really necessary?” A cold voice asked.
Brown eyes stared icily out of the woman who had dragged him over here. Her cape was singed by the lightning, and her stance was like that of a cat after an unexpected bath.
Aeger stood, the excess energy from the electricity crackling along his skin before surging to his wounds, healing them. Not all the way though. It would take a lot more energy for that.
He caught the Spider’s eyes and shrugged expressively.
Sixty years without speaking lends itself to a rather expressive shrug.
~~~~
Ria narrowed her brown eyes, glaring at Aeger. “I did ask you a question. It is polite to answer.”
Aeger just matched her stare.
Why doesn’t he just speak? Karakel asked, angrily. The silence is getting really annoying.
Liane took control again, eyes shifting to purple. Shush- and be nice.
“Are you alright?” she shouted over the pounding rain, just barely managing to stand up straight.
Aeger shrugged again, then nodded.
“Good. Then let’s get inside.”
Liane turned around and walked over to the stairs, not even bothering to look and see if Aeger was following her. She stomped up the stairs and opened the heavy door. A wave of light, heat and sterilness immediately enveloped her as she stepped inside, followed closely by Aeger.
By Marayna… she whispered, awe struck.
The whiteness and cleanness of the walls and floors immediately made her feel self-conscious, with her soaking, mud and blood-splattered armor.
A female voice sounded behind her. “Excuse me, but are you competitors?”
Liane whirled around, hand reaching for her sword. There, in front of her, stood a nurse dressed in a very tight and very white dress. Liane dropped her hand and nodded. “Aye, that we are.”
The nurse looked at Aeger, who was not quite as wet as Liane was. He also nodded.
“Then follow me please,” she said with a sweet smile. There seemed to be a kind of darkness behind that smile… Liane shook her head. Nerves are really shot tonight…
Neve grinned apologetically. Aye- sorry about that. She had been the one that had managed to get them out of the way of the lightening just in time- and who had also completely flooded their body with adrenaline.
The nurse led the pair through the maze of hallways, twisting and turning, until they came to a white door that was just like all the others, except for the small golden cross at the top. She opened the door and motioned the two into a room with actual color- a wooden table, and two cots on each side of the room.
“In here you will find everything you need to refresh until tomorrow,” the nurse continued in her bright voice. “There is going to be an awards ceremony for the two of you tomorrow, downstairs.” She turned to leave, then paused and turned back around. “In that decanter-“ she gestured to the black flask on the table- “-is something that may help you keep up your spirits.”
She gave that smile again, and Liane could have sworn it looked like a skull’s smile- then shut the door. Liane could hear her footsteps as she walked away, fading and fading away until there was silence. She turned to face Aeger, who was staring at her. She matched his gaze.
What does he want? Liane asked after a minute or two, starting to get creeped out by the staring.
Talking, perhaps, Neve replied. Say something.
Say something? Like what?
Silence.
Liane sighed. Unsure of what else to do, she stuck her hand out. “I don’t believe we’ve ever formally met, but I’m Liane.”
Aeger raised his eyebrows, but grasped her hand with his and shook it.
Our turns! Neve said happily.
Wait- no! Liane protested- but she could already feel her eyes turning green as she lost control of her sisters.
One by one they introduced themselves- Neve in her warm, quiet voice, Ria in her cold and icy one, and Karakel in her deep and throaty tones. Aeger seemed rather calm as they all introduced themselves, but the small glint of surprise in his eyes showed that he hadn’t expected them to be so… individual.
At least he didn’t run away screaming like the others did, Liane muttered, slightly embarrassed by her sisters. She regained control, only to find Aeger looking at her with a question in his eyes.
“They’re my sisters,” she said shortly.
~~~
Aeger looked at Liane, raising an eyebrow. Liane just shrugged and unclasped the hook fastening her cape around her neck. Aeger turned to the table, picking up the decanter and giving it a sniff, hoping for alcohol. It had been a rough twenty days.
He didn’t smell anything, but he gave a mental shrug and searched for something to pour it into.
Aeger couldn’t find anything, so he gestured with a snowflake-patterned hand, a delicate goblet of ice as clear as the finest glass forming in his hand.
He poured out a gold liquid from the bottle, which, when settled, bubbled slowly. The bubbles, strangely enough, were red.
Liane looked at the glass and raised an eyebrow, as if to ask if he really was going to drink that.
He shrugged and raised the goblet to his lips.
The potion tasted like liquid fire, except that it didn’t burn. As it traveled through his body, it simply warmed, sending energy into tired cells that felt burned out and worn. He could feel the tissues of his injury start to knit back together, and could almost feel the leftover water steaming off him.
He blinked, surprised, and lowered the goblet, feeling, as it lowered, almost gray as the stream of liquid fire ceased. Still, he felt better than he had in a long time.
“Any good?”
Liane must have caught his surprised features, for she began to look for a cup.
Aeger put his goblet down on the table, and created another, placing it in front of her before handing her the carafe.
She poured some of the golden liquid, then drank. Her surprised gasp told Aeger she enjoyed it as much as he had.
A slight smile appeared on his face as he reached for an apple from the fruit bowl beside his glass.
He bit into it, flopping backwards onto his bed as he did so. He was so tired he almost didn’t remember to put down the apple before sleep claimed him.
~~~~~
Liane blinked. The strange liquid had spread a healing warmth through her body, knitting her leg wound back together and quelling her jittery nerves, leaving a feeling of temporary peace. She placed the goblet back on the table and grabbed a blood-orange, sitting back onto her cot and peeling it slowly.
Looks like old stumpy was tired, Karakel said with a grin.
Liane glanced up to see Aeger fast asleep on his cot, still clutching an apple in his hand. Aren’t we all? She wanted nothing more then to just lean back and close her eyes.
Yes, but we do need to eat, Neve gently reminded her.
With a sigh, Liane popped a half of the orange into her mouth, almost to tired to chew. She placed the rest of the orange on the table. None of her sisters protested. She leaned back and closed her eyes- and within seconds, she was asleep.
~~~~~~
Aeger woke, uncomfortably aware of the lack of sunlight. He was used to sleeping outdoors. He swung his legs over the side of the bed, noticing as he did that he still had the apple clutched in hand.
He smiled, and bit into it.
He saw Liane still sleeping peacefully, armor arranged neatly beside her bed. He walked towards the door of the room, stretching as he did.
He finished the apple as he closed the door behind him, looked for somewhere to throw it away.
He didn’t see anywhere, so he decided to plant it. He was heading outside for a morning stroll anyways, and it wouldn’t take long.
Plus, he had destroyed several trees last night, and he was starting to feel guilty now that the fight was over.
Aeger walked along the corridors, retracing their path last night. He took several wrong turns, as he had been tired and not thinking completely clearly.
The corridors were curiously deserted.
On the way out, Aeger stumbled along a corner that looked familiar. He wondered why, then noticed a speck of ash on the ground.
This was where he had faced Mikael.
Aeger frowned.
He hadn’t passed this placed last night.
He continued to wander, looking for the outer doors.
~~~~~
Liane woke with a start.
Wow… she thought, staring at the ceiling. I don’t even remember falling asleep.
Aye, Ria said with a yawn. We were all really tired. It’s been a taxing twenty days.
She sat up and looked around the room. Aeger’s cot was empty. She stood up and grabbed the rest of the orange, finishing it as she strapped her armor back on. Done, Liane straightened back up.
Where’d he go? She thought, starting to get a bit worried.
Maybe he left. Ria said.
Good riddance, Karakel added. Stumpy’d just slow us down.
Will you stop calling him Stumpy? Liane said, frustrated. His name is Aeger.
No. She answered, a wide grin in her voice. It suits him.
Liane threw her arms up in exasperation. Fine. Just don’t let him hear that- we can’t afford to loose his help. She walked over to the door, thinking. Maybe we should go look for him.
Why? Karakel snorted. If he left, then that’s all good for him.
Yes, but we owe him our crystal.
WHAT? Ria shrieked.
“Ahh!” Liane fell to her knees, clutching her head in pain as Ria started on a very loud, very indignant rant about how they deserved the crystal, and Stumpy had absolutely no right to it.
When Ria was finally silent, leaving Liane feeling rather rattled, she stood back up and opened the door, checking to make sure she had all her weapons. Satisfied, she began walking down the hallways in search for Aeger, explaining her reasons to all her sisters.
As she tried to find her way through the maze of rooms, she suddenly noticed that they were completely deserted.
Where is everyone? She said, confused. Last night, there had been doctors swarming the place…
I’m getting a rather bad feeling about this place, Neve murmured.
Aye… Let’s find Stumpy- Karakel stopped, then sighed. -AEGER, and get out of here.
Liane began running through the rooms, looking around for a familiar hallway, but everything was white and identical to the room before it. Turning a corner, she skidded to a halt. Aeger was walking towards the big doors apple core in hand.
“Wait!” Liane called, running towards him and fumbling for her crystal.
Aeger turned, surprised.
Crystal in hand, Liane stopped directly in front of Aeger and held the crystal out. “I forgot to give this to you last night.”
He looked at the crystal, then looked at her.
“You won,” she said, motioning for him to take the crystal.
Aeger blinked, then raised an eyebrow, as if saying “Who ended up carrying who?”
Liane sighed. “Just take it.”
Aeger hesitated, then reached out tentatively and took the crystal in between two fingers, shuffling the apple core away as he brought it to his neck pouch.
Hold on, Ria said suddenly. I want to say something to this guy.
Unsure of what she wanted, Liane hesitated before giving her strangely angry sister control.
Eyes a cold, muddy, yet clear brown, Ria locked eyes with Aeger. "Normally I wouldn't stoop to threatening anyone, let alone a cripple, but I REALLY want that cash. So if you walk out, I WILL hunt you down and cut off your other hand. Got it?"
~~~~~~
Aeger took a step back, a bit surprised. He had expected Karakel to be the threatener.
Brown eyes brightened to purple, and Liane groaned. “Sorry about that. My sisters can be somewhat… willful.”
Aeger smiled to show he wasn’t angry.
He turned, twirling the apple core between his fingers to free his thumb and reached for the handle.
It didn’t turn.
He frowned, and tried again.
Why were they locked in?
He rattled the doorknob, then gave up.
“It’s locked?
He nodded, stepped away from the door.
Liane frowned and tried the doorknob. As she rattled it, her eyes gradually faded to silver, and she grunted frustratedly. She stopped, violently, a snarl on her face.
“Why would they locked the doors?” she growled. “We’re caught like rats in a trap. Where’s that nurse?”
She paced angrily, calming slowly. As she calmed down, her eyes returned to purple.
Liane turned to Aeger, took a deep breath. “Did you see anyone on your way here?”
Aeger shook his head.
“Damn. I didn’t either. Well they talked about an awards ceremony right? So I guess we should head down. We can ask someone down there.”
Aeger nodded and stood up. He looked around for something to do with the apple core. He finally shrugged, catching Liane’s impatient glances, and incinerated the core.
They walked down the staircase, Aeger leading, as it spiraled, or would have, if it had not had so many sharp turns. As they got deeper, the light changed, the antiseptic fluorescent lights of the upper floors replaced by flickering torchlight.
As they arrived at the end of the stairway, Aeger caught a faint noise, a labored gasping, then a shattering of glass.
He explored ahead cautiously, following the noise.
He arrived at a door, checked the handle. It was unlocked.
He opened it slowly, and behind him he heard Liane gasp.
~~~~~
Liane shuddered with revulsion. The room was full with the bodies of nurses and doctors- or things that had once been doctors and nurses. They were all… old. Ancient. Their eyes were sunken back into their sockets, their hair had fallen out, and Liane could barely discern the face from the shriveled and wrinkled skin. It almost seemed as if something had sucked all the life- and moisture- out of their desiccated bodies.
Aeger stepped inside the room, seemingly looking for something. Liane followed him, and nudged one of the bodies with her toe. It crumbled into fine dust at her touch, floating up into the air and making her cough. She looked out of watering eyes to see Aeger motioning frantically for her to come over. Still coughing, she walked through the cloud of dust, careful not to touch any more of the poor bodies.
He was kneeling in front of what had once been a doctor- but this one’s chest was moving. Liane knelt down as well, unsure of what to do. The man’s eyes were open, staring at nothing, but staring intently. He was mumbling- lips barely moving and a mere low drone was the only thing coming out from between his lips. Aeger gently lifted the man’s head.
The doctor gasped, then began mumbling audibly, seemingly unaware of Liane and Aeger. “What have I done. We shouldn't have continued- He told me. Over and over. But I thought it would be different. He told me not but I didn’t listen. Now it doesn't matter what I thought it’s too late what have I done….”
As he mumbled, Liane could almost see years add themselves to his face as he became more and more wrinkled, more and more… old.
What do we do? She asked, nearly panicking.
We can’t really do anything, Ria said coolly. He’s dying from an unknown source. It’s leaching the life from him bit by bit.
Unknown…
Liane reached out and gripped one of the man’s arms. “What happened?” she asked him, praying he still retained at least some semblance of conscious thought. “Where?”
The man blinked, then seemed to focus on her. “Down darkness cold no sun no light below-“ his voice faded away until it was merely a whisper. Then his eyes burned with a sudden brightness, and he collapsed, crumbling into dust like the others.
Liane bowed her head, then stood up, hastily wiping a tear away.
…You’re crying? Karakel said, stunned. A bit of a wimp, are we?
Shut up! Liane yelled, working to keep her tears at bay. It wasn’t fair that an innocent just had to die…
Aye, but judging from what he said earlier, Ria added, reading her thoughts, he wasn’t all that innocent.
Liane took a deep, calming breath before looking at Aeger, who also had his head bowed. “He said down and darkness,” she said, voice steadying as she continued. “He could have meant underground.”
Aeger thought for a second, then nodded. He began walking to the door, stepping over the bodies as he did so. Liane remained in the middle of the room, looking at the dust. She glanced up to see Aeger motion towards the door. With a sigh, she quickly wiped her eyes again, then began walking towards him and down the hall.
~~~~~
Aeger tried something new.
Whatever was going on, there were now more opponents to fight. It was lucky they had drank the healing potion before.
His mind rode upon the air, like he had done before with the storm, except this was much harder. There was no breeze to ride down in the depths, and he was enclosed. Still, his mind forced its way through the stagnant air of the lower levels, searching for a way to go even lower.
He found it.
He nodded, and began walking towards the door, stepping over bodies as he did. He glanced back towards Liane, standing in the middle of the room. Her eyes were curiously bright in the flickering torchlight. He gestured towards the door, and, once she started to follow, followed the route he had found down.
They walked until they found another set of stairs, steeper now, and not as polished as the last. These were made of rough stone, and dust covered their surface.
Here and there Aeger could see the remains of footprints. They walked down, until the came to a door. There was conversation behind it, but the door was thick enough that it muffled their voices. Still, Aeger recognized one of them. Idea Master. The man who had started this whole thing in the first place.
Also, from the sudden sinister laughter that floated from behind the thick door, the killer of all those people.
The door slid open suddenly, and the Idea Master turned towards them.
“Ah yes. You. You two are two of the last competitors for this contest. Congratulations on surviving thus far. Now if you’ll just hand me your crystals, I’ll be giving you your reward.”
Something was different. There was a different note in Idea Master’s voice, a menacing quality that contrasted his appearance of a kindly man.
A movement off to the side caught Aeger’s attention. A… thing perched atop a orb of swirling blue. It seemed made of darkness, the boundaries of its being shifting constantly. The only things that remained constant were two eyes of a black that made the darkness look like the blinding light of noon and a mouth of grinning white teeth.
“You get the demon, I’ll take IM!” Liane shouted, purple eyes shining with determination.
Demon? You really believe I am JUST a demon? The black creature slithered from its perch, coming to rest in front of the two competitors. It seemed to grow darker, as if gaining strength from the darkness around it.
I am no petty demon.
I am the darkness that bumps in the nights.
I am the monster lurking under the bed.
I am the voice that, as you stand on the heights,
Whispers “Jump” inside your empty head.
I am the wolf that lies in all sheep,
The murderer in every man, buried down deep.
I am the Big Bad Wolf.
The thing cracked a smile with bright white teeth, laughing.
His eyes stared into those of the two competitors, growing bigger and deeper every second.
~~~~
When the thing dropped in front of the two, Liane quickly drew her sword and dropped into a defensive position. She looked up, ready to defend against any attacks that it would throw at her- then froze. Those eyes were like holes, leading to nothing but darkness and fear. As she looked at them, they seemed to… pull her in, away from her sisters, away from the fight, away from everything but blackness.
~~~~
Liane? Liane! Karakel yelled.
What just happened? Ria asked wildly.
She’s gone! Neve said, shocked. She’s just… gone…
This was different then anything they had felt before. When one of the four had fallen unconscious or slept, they were still there. Now there was just an empty hole where Liane had once been- an emptiness that all the sisters felt.
~~~~~~
The Wolf’s dark eyes expanded to fill the world. Aeger sank through dark depths, tumbling dreamily through vast expanses of unfilled night, until….
He was standing in a foggy place. It spread so thick he couldn’t even see the ground, but it extended only to waist level, allowing Aeger to see in every direction.
Aeger looked, and his eyes widened in shock.
There was no horizon.
Where the horizon should have been was simply a continuation, like a child’s drawing of the world. Totally flat, with no end.
He spun, looking for something real, an end to the vast expanse, but there was none.
An evil laugh echoed from nowhere, tinged with a beastlike growl.
Aeger looked up to see a face, with dark eyes like midnight pools.
It smiled, showing teeth the gleamed, and laughed again, a laugh that echoed in his bones and resonated in some hidden part of him, flipping some switch that told his knees to quiver and his stomach to drop.
Aeger snarled, ignored the signal, and called forth an orb of fire, flinging it up towards the dark creature that awaited him on the heights.
The bright fireball rose, higher and higher, but each foot it rose it shed a layer of fire, as if slowly consumed by the darkness that made up the sky. Layer upon layer of flame was peeled away, dissipating under the midnight stare of the creature. Finally, it became a kernel of light, which slowed its ascent before finally guttering out.
The creature spoke.
Do you REALLY believe that will do anything? This is MY realm, my sandbox. No matter what you do, I control the world. I can blow you out as easily as that poor attempt at a fireball.
As if to demonstrate, Aeger felt a twisting, and his view suddenly spun as he was extended and twirled like a rubber band.
An invisible hand released him, and he snapped back to normal, staggering back a pace.
His foot didn’t land.
The fog dropped away as he did, revealing the wall he had been standing atop.
He fell through the air, his hands and feet scrabbling along the side of the sheer face, as the voice boomed.
Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall.
Humpty Dumpty had a great fall.
And no horses, no soldiers, no magical men
Could find the way to put him together again.
Can you? Wait too long, and we’ll never find out!
Aeger hit the ground as the mist swirled away to show it, but instead of being smashed into a pulp, he…
Shattered.
It was a very strange sensation; each part of his body in a different place, sending weird mixed up signals. Instead of being separated piece by piece, or organ by organ, he had simply come apart, as if he had been hollow inside, as piece of himself settled to the ground like so many shattered eggshells.
The part of his brain that told him where everything was going haywire.
His eyes roved, sending mixed signals to a brain he couldn’t find as his left eye saw his right and a piece of his nose, and his right saw only the inside of his mouth.
The laugh echoed again, but this time his knees didn’t shake.
His left eye caught some movement in the distance, and his mouth tried to drop open as the endless vastness started to curve upwards, making… a sphere.
A giant taloned hand, dark as a desert at new moon, grasped the crystal ball, gave it a shake.
A hideous face, eyes black voids of nothingness, leered into the ball as eggshell-like fragments bounced and clattered.
A finger moved forward, like a worm, trying to find its fellows before time ran out.
~~~~~
Liane opened her eyes. Where was she…? She was sitting in the corner of a room with stone floor. It was dark and foggy… The wall she was staring at was made of bars.
She blinked. Was she in a prison?
The fog grew thicker, until she could barely see anything. She attempted to stand up, only to fall back down as her stomach seemed to explode in pain. She looked down to see a hand coming out from her stomach, pulling an entire body out with it. Stunned, Liane watched the person straighten and walk over to the wall with bars as another arm pushed its way out of her stomach. After a minute of pain and shock, three figures were lined up at the wall, facing her.
“How is it, finally being by your lonesome, useless self?” a voice taunted, strangely familiar and frightening.
At those words, the fog dissipated, and Liane could see all of the figures clearly. She gasped.
Standing in front of her were her sisters, how they were before the accident. Karakel, standing tall with long white blonde hair, eyes shining a silver that hungered for blood, long, black sword in hand. Ria, ebony hair cropped short, blue eyes glinting coldly, dagger catching and throwing the small light beams like an icicle. Neve, chestnut hair pulled back, bright green eyes distant and calm, bow dangling in her hand and quiver on her back. They were all looking at her with disdain, like a king looks to a pig wallowing in the mud.
Liane attempted to stand up, to move her arms, her hands, anything- but she couldn’t move.
Ria grinned. “So now you see how useless you really are.”
“Aye. We are the ones actually doing all the work,” Karakel said. “You are merely the shell.”
“After all,” Neve said quietly. “What on earth have you done that has been helpful?”
“You are nothing without us.”
Nothing… nothing without us…
The words echoed in Liane’s head, spinning, unburying old fears and memories. Nothing without us… how true. That was why the accident had happened, wasn’t it? Liane had nothing to show for herself, nothing to make her an individual, so her father decided to help by transferring some of her sisters’ powers to her. But then it had all gone wrong, hadn’t it. All of a sudden, they were gone, but they weren’t gone. They were there, panicking, scared, fear, confusion...
Liane looked at her sisters helplessly, unable to match the ferocity of their stares, unable to even move. It was true, she was helpless, useless. The three began walking away, towards the bars. Karakel swung her sword, and the bars were split in half like a twig. She kicked them over and stepped through the hole, followed by Ria and Neve. They turned around and looked at Liane one more time, and burst out into laughter at the pathetic sight before them.
“Let’s give her a fair chance to get out, shall we?” Karakel mocked.
Karakel stepped back inside and drove the sword into the stone wall directly next to Liane’s ear, cutting her slightly and drawing blood. Ria threw her icy dagger, impaling a lock of hair next to her other ear. Neve drew an arrow and concentrated until orange flames spurted from it. She shot it at Liane, hitting directly above her head. They all turned around as one, and walked away, leaving Liane in the cell alone, surrounded by her sisters’ weapons but unable to get out.
Liane closed her eyes, trying to rid her mind of that picture. Her sisters walking away. Silver, blue, and green eyes glinting with hate and disgust… Liane’s eyes snapped open. Wait. Blue eyes… Ria’s eyes were brown. She glanced up at the flames licking the arrow. Neve’s arrows were green. The sword next to her… was bloody. Karakel’s sword was never bloodstained.
So that meant…
It’s not real, Liane thought. It’s all not real…
I am not nothing.
She closed her eyes, drawing upon all the strength she had. Her hand- moved. Yes! She was in control again! With a great effort, Liane managed to push herself to her feet.
I am not useless.
Liane straightened, then staggered over to the bars.
I am Me.
She pulled herself through the hole, finding herself in a swirl of mist. She pushed her way through, heading towards a vague point of light. With a final effort, she finally reached it- and began falling again, back to her own mind.
As she fell, a dark voice, the same as the one that had caught her, shrieked. No!
Then- light.
~~~~
The sisters were in a panic, fighting over control. One of their flesh, blood and mind was gone without a trace, leaving nothing but a huge hole.
What do we do? Neve asked, worried. She quickly took control and looked around for Aeger. There- there he was. But he was standing still, not moving at all, his eyes empty.
I say we go directly for the demon, Karakel answered shortly, knocking Neve out of control and back to the sidelines.
Are you mad? Ria yelled, fighting for control. When are you going to realize that brute force doesn’t solve everything?
They all began hurling insults at each other, each attempting to take control of Liane’s body. As they wrestled for authority, they accidentally sent the body stumbling away from the demon and around the room, eyes green, then silver, then brown, back to silver, arm twitching towards the sword at her side, then the dagger, then to the quiver on her back.
We’ve fought our way out of stuff like this before! Karakel snapped. Why can’t we now?
We need Liane, Neve realized. She’s the one who keeps us balanced, in control. Sure of ourselves.
Without her, we’re…
Useless.
~~~~~
Liane felt a sudden resettlement into a comfortable, perfectly shaped space. Noise barraged her mind, but it was a reassuring feeling, letting her know she was back where she belonged. Then- a short silence.
Wait- she’s back! Neve cried.
Liane! Ria exclaimed, normally cold and calm voice quivering with emotion.
Don’t you ever do that again, Karakel said in low tones.
Back in control, Liane smiled. Ever the same. Yes, I’m back, she said quietly. Is everyone alright?
Neve broke in. We are, but I don’t think Aeger is.
Liane opened her eyes, reluctant to take in the scene surrounding her. Aeger? Where is he?
Then she spotted him. He almost seemed to be under some sort of spell. He was standing rigid, blank eyes reflecting nothing. The demon was standing directly in front of him, chucking darkly to itself. Suddenly Aeger’s body twitched, and he collapsed. Seemingly satisfied with whatever mental damage it had inflicted upon Aeger, the demon reached out a dark, shapeless tentacle, muttering to itself.
It’s here somewhere- I can taste the aura. Where is it? It seemed to have completely forgotten about Liane.
Liane drew her sword silently. Karakel? She asked.
Aye. Karakel took control, and Liane felt her eyes fade to a shining silver.
Whatever you do, Liane warned quickly. Don’t look into its eyes.
There will be no need to, Karakel answered, licking her lips.
She leapt forwards, sword slicing through the mound of darkness. As soon as the blade touched the mass, the creature recoiled, screaming, body flowing like liquid away from the blade. Taking this as an advantage, Karakel began attacking viciously, the dark blade slicing and glistening thirstily in the light. The dark creature dodged every attack, flowing around the sword and making it impossible to hit.
Then suddenly- the dark mass attacked. It ducked around behind her and struck- Karakel whirling around and blocking just in time. Dark tendrils attacking, the dark blade barely managing to keep the reaching arms at bay. And then- Karakel missed a parry. The demon smacked her wrist, forcing her to let go of the sword, sending it flying across the room. She fell over backwards, the mass towering over her, reaching an arm out to envelop them entirely.
The thing laughed, a deep, dark, rolling sound that sent shivers down the sisters’ spine- a laugh that was suddenly choked off with another piercing scream. A dark blade, shining with bloodlust, protruded from the creature’s midriff. Still screaming, the creature began collapsing in on itself, getting smaller and smaller, darker and darker-
What is it doing? Liane asked, confused.
It’s being sucked into the sword- Karakel breathed, slightly shocked. It must be made entirely of… souls.
With a final shriek, the creature completely disappeared, leaving a shadow holding the sword shining with a newfound, deeper darkness. The person behind the sword stepped into the light, throwing the sword at Liane’s feet.
“Pity,” Idea Master said with a sigh. “I was truly hoping you’d kill it for me.”
~~~~~
Suddenly he was whole again. The mist and the pieces evaporated to become less than a dream, and he settled back into his old body, back together.
He twitched, groaned.
“It was close.”
He heard a voice, speaking. Total insanity tinged that voice.
“So close. You ALMOST had him. And I was rooting for you the whole time. Then I wouldn’t have had to do it myself. I mean, he may have been my ally for now, but he absorbed enough energy to have made him powerful later. I mean, this power is GREAT! Just the stuff in one of those tanks, and I feel… ALIVE!!!!!!”
Mad cackling filled the air.
Aeger pushed himself off the ground, slowly gaining awareness of what was going on. He was underground, and before him stood Liane, and… IM. Or what used to be IM.
He didn’t look that different exactly. But to Aeger’s senses, he radiated a dark aura, a feel of the creeping night radiating from his person. His eyes looked out, void-like holes in the universe, swallowing all light and hope.
Aeger looked away, having learned his lesson the first time.
“You were doing well there for a second too! But then you HAD to lose the sword.
IM sighed. Oh well. He’s dead now. But now I have to take care of you two. I was hoping he’d take at least one of you down.
Liane looked surprisedly at Aeger as he stood, not having notice his return.
He snapped his fingers, his entire left arm bursting into flames, the light flaring brightly for moment, before becoming pallid and pale in the underground darkness.
IM chuckled. Such pathetic little parlor tricks. Might as well have a hat and a rabbit as well.
IM snapped HIS fingers, and his arm grew. Black muscle ripped out of his sleeve, and claws grew from his fingers.
He casually cleaned his nails.
Aeger threw a fireball.
IM caught it casually with the dark hand, then closed his fists, wisps of smoke leaking out from between his fingers.
As I said, or was I about to say it? Anyways, you stand as much chance of fighting me as Frosty has in Hawaii.
Liane picked up her sword, eyes a gleaming silver.
IM gestured. Chunks of darkness flowed from that arm of his, sinking themselves first into Liane, then Aeger. He heard her scream, but he might have been screaming himself, so he wasn’t sure.
He fell to the ground, his eyes unseeing, struggling against the blackness that filled his mind.
IM spoke. Now this is a spell that I, as an author, can do that you can’t. It’s called Character Domination. And, while I normally wouldn’t be able to use this on you two, since I didn’t create you, these are special circumstances.
You see, remember that healing potion? I took the liberty of slipping a little something extra into that. Poor Rathier. He’ll always be with us in spirit, even if his body was powdered and mixed into a rejuvenation potion. And you have no idea how long it took me to stop Rathier from being healed by it too. Real pain in the ass.
But anyways, back to the whole spell business. In a few seconds, you’ll be doing whatever I say. I don’t even know why I’m explaining this all to you. Must be the storyteller gene in me.
IM inspected their writhing bodes, and grunted.
This is taking longer than I expected. Must be because you two aren’t technically my characters. Ah well. I don’t have anything planned for the rest of the day, so I can wait. But while I’m waiting, let’s have those crystals of yours.
Aeger struggled further against the darkness, barely keeping his own mind through sheer willpower. But he wouldn’t last much longer. Every second the darkness grew darker, more concentrated.
He placed his left hand over his chest, breathed.
His hand glowed a pure blue light, unfettered by the darkness surrounding.
He pulled his hand away from his chest, and, like moths drawn to a flame, a haze of blood and a black powder followed it.
It hurt like hell, but the darkness receded.
Aeger lay there, exhausted.
Not bad, magician. Not bad. I probably shouldn’t have rambled on as I did. But ah well. I indulge myself too much. I guess I’ll just have to kill you then. A pity. Your author is such an… interesting character.
He stepped over Aeger, the dark hand erupting into flames not unlike those Aeger had thrown, except they were a pale white with a heart of crimson red.
Aeger tried to get up, but black runes leaped from the floor, letters that held him to the ground.
IM stood over him, black flames in hand.
~~~~~
Liane blinked, finding herself suddenly back in control and on the floor, head pounding as if she had just gotten punched.
Karakel? She asked, pulling herself off the floor and picking up her sword again.
Her sister was silent.
I… think he tried to- what did he call it? Neve said hesitantly. Character dominate? –us, but he only got Karakel.
Liane shook her head, trying to clear it of the thick cotton that seemed to fill it. She sheathed the sword and looked around the room, jolting as she saw Aeger stuck on the floor, with IM towering over him.
Before Liane could say a word, Ria took control, sharp brown eyes glinting as she pulled out her dagger and began advancing silently towards him, staying in the shadows. Just as he was about to deliver a killing blow to Aeger, Ria leaped forwards and stabbed him in the side, dagger freezing the blood as soon as it left the body.
IM stumbled backwards in shock. You? But I thought I got rid of you!
Liane took control again, eyes returning to purple and glaring at IM.
His eyes widened, and then he burst into laughter. Why, that’s brilliant! He cried, still laughing. Multiple spirits in one body! Harder to defeat and harder to control!
He stopped laughing, eyes growing colder and narrow. I won’t make that mistake again.
With a gesture of his hand, a black haze filled the room. Liane started choking as little particles wormed their way down her throat. Eyes watering, she fell to her knees, gasping for breath- and then
Blackness.
~~~~~
Aeger sent his mind along the winds again, trying to find a way to call the lightnings into this room. He couldn’t, but he found he could call the winds.
It was better than nothing.
He set the pattern, then started the process, making sure that the wind would hit IM only.
The winds started their rush along the corridors of the Asylum, gaining power for every second they traveled.
Suddenly, he couldn’t breathe. His mind returned to his body as he gasped for air.
He fell to his knees, fighting the obscuring haze that filled the room, saw Liane on the ground as well.
The wind reached the end of the stairs, and Aeger saw a way out.
He… tweaked the patterns he had set up previously, destroyed the pathway the air would have taken and made a new one.
Then he grabbed ahold of some piping along the wall.
The wind was weaker spread out as it was in the new path than it had been focused, but it did the job.
The haze was blown away almost instantly, swept away by a wall of air. Liane tumbled across the floor bouncing.
But Idea Master was blown backwards only a few steps, before he gestured and the air parted before him like a river around the rocks of rapids.
Again, not bad magician. A working solution, if uninnovative. But did you really believe that the haze was only a haze?
Chunks of darkness separated themselves from Idea Master, and this time, Aeger saw what was coming.
Aeger created a wall with the leftover traces of the wave of air, but the darkness simply went through and sank into his skull.
The darkness again.
Aeger struggled, brought his hand up to his chest to purge his body again of the ashes of whatever contestant the haze had once been, but his hand didn’t seem to move.
The darkness was much stronger this time.
Slowly, fighting for every inch, his hand moved up towards his chest. He heard a snarl of effort from Idea Master, and his booming voice.
You may not be my characters, but this is my story and you will do as you are told!
The darkness strengthened, but with a final burst of effort Aeger managed to again pull out the ashes that allowed Idea Master to use his spell.
He staggered up, and forward, left arm again bursting into flame.
Idea Master’s face was serious now, focused with the single-minded determination that only insanity brings.
Then his face lightened, and he laughed.
Well, even if I didn’t get you that time, that ploy wasn’t completely worthless.
Aeger paused, not understanding, then….
He whirled around, looking for Liane, only to find her behind him with that sword raised.
He ducked, threw up a wall of flame the flickered and danced and reached to the ceiling, thin enough to be transparent in places but still hot enough to burn any questing hand.
He moved away from the wall, aware that the black sword could still reach through.
Idea Master threw the ball of black flame, still in his hand.
Aeger threw his own fireball, watched as they met….
And watched as his orange flames were consumed completely by the small ball of black fire.
Aeger dodged the black flame, only to find another behind it, and another.
Soon, there were so many balls of black flame that Aeger could no longer dodge.
Instead, he tried to block them with patches of hardened air.
The air only fed the flames.
Which gave him an idea.
He called the wind again, quicker this time, for a smaller gust, blowing the black flames back as they fed on the rush of air.
Idea Master laughed, Not bad for a no talent. At least you’re smart about how you use it.
Idea Master gestured. Walls of darkness appeared on either side of them, closing them in a corridor of night.
On one end was the Idea Master, darkness behind him and within growing. On the other, Aeger stood, the wall of flame bringing a small light into the dark room.
No more dodging was possible in that narrow corridor.
Suddenly an arrow zipped through the wall of fire, alight with green and orange flames. It buried itself deep into the back of Aeger’s shoulder, who cried out in pain and stumbled forward.
I hate to be the one to destroy a dramatic moment, but I felt you needed to be reminded of how horrible your situation really is. I’m giving you one last chance to hand over those crystals. I know you have them; Liane over there is telling me that they’re in your neck pouch right now.
Now, you should understand that no matter what happens, you are dead. You’re dead, and she’s dead, and nothing’s going to change that. Also, pain will probably factor somewhere into this equation as well.
The question for you is, is pain going to be a big part of this equation, or a smaller part?
The wizard tossed a glowing black nexus of energy down the corridor, bouncing it off the walls in random unpredictable directions.
Aeger ducked it, felt it brushed his injured right arm, and screamed as agony hit him.
Then, a second later, he heard a louder scream, a pure sonoration of torturous pain from behind the wall.
He also couldn’t dodge because Liane was behind him.
He ran down the passageway, his arm metamorphosing as he did into a thing of stone, a shield which would hopefully offer a little protection.
Aeger wasn’t that optimistic.
Several more arrows whizzed out from the fiery end of the corridor, by pure chance missing him.
As they soared towards the wizard, he simply stopped them in midair, ignoring them as they then dropped to the floor with a clatter.
Idea Master gestured, and spears of darkness appeared.
They zoomed towards Aeger, one of the lead ones piercing his earthen shield.
He looked back, saw green flamed arrows awaiting him.
No escape.
No dodging.
No time.
Aeger ran forward, determined to try nevertheless.
Then, as he ran towards the spears of darkness, arrows bounced off the dark walls around him and hit every single one of the spears, the green flame eating away at the heart of the darkness.
Aeger glanced back, saw green eyes in one of the flickering transparent patches.
Idea Master did not even have time to show surprise before Aeger’s fist, now glowing with a flame so bright the very air around it sparked and trailed fiery ribbons, a flame with every ounce of his remaining strength poured into it, melted through the darkness and through his chest.
As his flesh burned to ash, Idea Master coughed out his final words.
Why? used… double strength… Domination?
But there were four sisters, Aeger thought.
Exactly how many times had he gotten himself saved by this woman?
The Idea Master, now ash, settled to the ground in a fine dust.
The darkness receded.
~~~~~~~
A jet of cold water hit her face. Liane jerked awake, gasping in surprise.. She was laying down in the middle of the floor, head and side throbbing painfully. She blinked, forcing her surroundings to focus.
There was Aeger, kneeling over her, a concerned look on his face. His hand was wet- probably from the cojurance of water he had used to wake her up. The room was dark, but not the abnormal, unending dark it had been before. Idea Master was nowhere to be seen.
Liane sat up and closed her eyes, casting about for her sisters- ah, there they were. Karakel and Ria were asleep, but Neve was there.
What in Marayna’s name happened? She asked, wonderingly.
Neve spoke, sounding rather worn out. Idea Master managed to take control of you and Ria, but he only got me halfway. As she explained how Aeger had killed IM, the rest of her sisters were slowly waking up
Wait, Karakel said when Neve was finished explaining what had happened. That means we’ve saved Stumpy’s life three times.
No, it’s only been two, Ria replied. Dragging him around outside doesn’t count.
Yes it does! The two began arguing loudly, causing Liane to wince as they aggravated her already painful headache.
She reopened her eyes to see a hand covered in swirling tattoos extended in front of her. Liane smiled and grasped the hand, and Aeger helped pull her back up to her feet. She looked around and gathered her sisters’ weapons, the dagger from a small pile of ashes, some arrows from the floor scorched by fire.
Sisters still arguing, she turned to Aeger, who nodded. The two of them walked out of the room, walking back up the stairs, and back into the sunshine.
As they left, they did not cast a second look at the ashes of Idea Master. If they had, they might have noticed them swirling slightly and grouping together, almost as if stirred by a breeze.
But there was no breeze in the dark room.
That concludes their rather long version of events. Now it's my turn!
The two contestants stood there, taking in the vastness of the room. IM grinned wider. They had done exactly as they were meant to do.
"Welcome, contestants. I don't suppose you'd be willing to hand over your crystals as proof of your victory thus far?"
The only response IM got was a tightening of hands on sword grips. IM faked a sigh - he had secretly hoped it came to a fight.
"Ah well. I thought not. Big Bad, if you'd care to distract them while I finish up this spell?"
The Big Bad Wolf grinned and jumped from its pose atop an orb, landing right in front of the contestants. Liane sliced at it quickly, and the Big Bad retreated.
"Back, foul demon! I've not come this far to lose to the likes of you!"
The Big Bad laughed its distorted laugh. I am no mere demon!
I am the monster under your bed,
The little voice inside your head.
I am the evil in all men's hearts,
I am that which tore the Three Pigs apart!
I relish in pain, I love discontent,
I laugh like a madman when life is spent.
I have terrorized the dreams of girls and boys,
I swallow their dreams, all their joys!
I am the Big Bad Wolf, entity of fear!
And now, I'm afraid, it's your turn, my dear!
The Big Bad laughed and laughed, spreading his form across one half of the room, casting it into darkness and fear, giving IM the precious time he needed away from prying eyes to modify his spell ever so slightly.
"There, it will be done, and now, the crystals!"
IM reached into his robes and found the crystals that he'd managed to acquire from the slain characters. Inserting them carefully into the ground, IM tutted. "It looks like I'm two short. Well, I can solve this problem. Big Bad, release them! We require their crystals yet, and I want to have a bit of fun while we retrieve them!"
The Big Bad laughed again, and reformed into his more beastly form atop the shattered orb, leaving the two contestants wandering around dazed. They had obviously not prepared for the sudden shift in light values, nor were they prepared for the assault on their minds. Then again, IM had been planning this sort of fight for some time now.
"Ahem! If you two will kindly snap out if it, we may continue."
The contestants actually ran into one another and fell on the ground. Not the sort of challenge IM was expecting from two of the greatest contestants. IM sighed again, and actually waited for them to get up. It took them longer than he planned, but at least he didn't have to break out the deck of cards and start playing solitaire. Finally, the two were battle-ready again, and IM feigned a yawn.
"Oh, finally. Well, now if you are ready, we shall proceed. Let me make a long story short: I'm going to get your crystals. If you're lucky, you're going to live through it! Ready? Let's go!"
With that, IM flew to a smaller, non-shattered orb in the room, and grinned manically. IM raised his hands above his head, and they seemed to gain a stone-like quality. With a sickening CRUNCH, the orb shattered as he brought his hands down.
There was instantly a burst of raw power from the orb, which IM greedily absorbed, along with the leaking Grimm energy. At this point, Liane and Aeger were charging him, the first with her sword, the second with flames.
It was nowhere near enough. IM brought his head up, and at that moment, Liane and Aeger could see that, instead of normal eyes, IM had black flames leaping from his face where his eyes used to be.
IM was drunk on power. And he liked it.
Liane made a jump, hoping to catch IM off-guard. IM saw the move coming, and Liane actually slowed down, stopping a hair before she contacted with IM. He laughed as she was held in place by his newfound magic.
"Pitiful! Get some more training!"
With a slight push, IM threw her back across the room, making a dent in the opposite wall, dust billowing out to hide the severity of the damage. Being stopped by magic was one thing, but being thrown across the room with the force of a troll doing it was quite another. IM noticed a glow out of the corner of his eye and saw Aeger launching a fireball. IM laughed again, reached out a hand, and caught the incoming flames.
"A fireball? No, this is a fireball!"
The flames grew...and grew...and grew. The fireball became a raging inferno, and the orange faded into black. A face similar to the Big Bad's appeared on the surface, and IM launched his modified inferno at Aeger.
The elementalist dodged it, or rather, tried to. When the inferno impacted, it exploded outwards violently, damaging almost everything in the room.
Everything but what IM had reached out and shielded, that is. Which, funnily enough, included not only the orbs of power left in the room and the Big Bad, but he'd also reached out and prevented anything worse than a singe to the contestants. At least, on the outside.
The Big Bad had indeed reached into the fireball while it was forming, and he'd imparted a bit of his essence into it. At the intensity IM had launched it, it was only a matter of time...
"Now while you two are fighting for your minds, I figure it's time for a little history lesson. You see, the Brothers Grimm were talented Authors centuries past. When they died, their Author powers went to their characters, that they could write their own happy endings. It's how such things usually work."
Aeger and Liane were screaming in agony, darkness flickering around them, pulsing in their veins.
"However, Big Bad here realized what he had was a means not only to end his story, but others as well. He used and abused his power to take the power his fellow characters had, draining them dry, or, in some cases, consuming them. It's how Red Riding Hood lost her mind, after all."
The two contestants were writhing in agony on the floor, fighting furiously with the darkness that was trying to take their bodies from them.
"Humpty Dumpty set up this facility as barter for the Big Bad. So long as this facility is operational, then supposedly, the Big Bad won't suck Humpty dry as well. But then the Big Bad's power grew to the point where he could infect characters that were NOT Grimm-made, and corrupt them to his own ends, granting him a greater store of potential food. This is also how he's enslaving your minds as I speak."
The contestants had finally stopped screaming and writhing, and pushed themselves up. IM drew closer to look them over, and was pleased. Instead of eyes, they had voids, complete blackness. They were gone, and all that was left was the Big Bad's will.
"Give me your crystals."
Both contestants reached into their pouches, pulled out their crystal, and held it in front of them. IM took them and grinned. The materials were prepared, the runes ready. The ritual would be completed soon, and it would unbind the Big Bad from this place.
If you're done with them?...
"Oh, yes, but don't kill them, stick them in some stasis tubes. We don't want any more characters dying now, it'd be a waste. No, wait for the ideal moment. Then you can feed on them."
IM sat and sighed. Soon, it would all come together. Now, he would just wait for the last loose end to come along...
And that's my version of how things should go. So! Who wins? Me...Or Aeger and Liane? Choose, but choose wisely.
_________________
...So I've been summoned back from beyond the veil.
...No plans yet.
Last edited by Idea master on Thu Jan 22, 2009 9:54 pm; edited 2 times in total
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DeadManWalking
Duke of the Mostly Dead
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| Posted: Wed Jan 21, 2009 8:35 am Post subject: |
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...
The writers for Aeger and Liane really wrote an epic, didn't they?
I think both of them were pretty good, although they both came with rather similar poems.
I kinda liked Aeger and liane's although it was a bit long.
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When the dead walk, the living run.
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Phantomfan
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| Posted: Wed Jan 21, 2009 8:43 am Post subject: |
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Both were well written. Liane's and Aeger's seemed really realllllly long- but it definately made all the characters look really good- evil or not.
IM's version just seemed to make fun of them.
_________________
I've been pulled back from oblivion to lurk about the City once more. Though the music of the night always beckons...
Here's some stuff I started writing a long time ago. Orb. Nexus.
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The Meaning Of Fear
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| Posted: Wed Jan 21, 2009 5:06 pm Post subject: |
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I agree that Aeger and Liane's recount was well written, but it was uncomfortably long. There were also a few noticeable errors that repeated themselves throughout the passage, such as "lightnings". I personally also think that the Big Bad should've put up just as much, if not significantly more, resistance as IM. I liked the way they left it off, though, because if they'd killed him just like that it would've been seriously anticlimatic.
On the other hand, IM's was downright short. Phan's observation is right, too; he is indeed making fun of them. After all, is it not an IM thing to do? IM's description of his powers seem more fitting, though. I think I'll reserve judgement on who should this one... for now.
And now, on to some plot analysis! Being the evil, schemeing bast... *cough* individual that he is, one would have to expect him to have more than one back-up plan. If one thought about it carefully, this, while not exactly a win-win situation, is pretty good, at least in the short run, to IM. Since he lives either way, he has a chance to make a comeback. If Aeger and Liane win, then they would likely have to fight the three-man team next, which would effectively eliminate one set of enemies for IM should they not team up (which, IMO, would be really messed up, not to mention that they wouldn't have much prize money split between them).
_________________
Cherish all your memories, even the bad ones, for they are what makes you who you are.
Doors to the truth, an SG where a boy is propelled into worlds he is unfamiliar with. He crosses many worlds, and sees many things that force him to throw away his innocence, once, and for all. Fourth Chapter, out for viewing!
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DeadManWalking
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| Posted: Fri Mar 20, 2009 10:01 pm Post subject: |
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*coughs*
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The Meaning Of Fear
Respected Citizen
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| Posted: Sat Mar 21, 2009 2:13 pm Post subject: |
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Bad Deady! If you want to bump a thread, at least try to hide the fact! 
IM's been missing a while now. Anyone in contact with him one way or another know where he's gone?
_________________
Cherish all your memories, even the bad ones, for they are what makes you who you are.
Doors to the truth, an SG where a boy is propelled into worlds he is unfamiliar with. He crosses many worlds, and sees many things that force him to throw away his innocence, once, and for all. Fourth Chapter, out for viewing!
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