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Another time.

Tower of Babel.

Vahn gasps for breath, staring at his right hand, which is beginning to to warp and tiwst under the power of his blackened flame.

Victor watches, smiling.

"Vic--Victor... What is this!?"

"..... It's power." Victor smiled evenly, even as he leaned down next to his brother. "I've been studying it all this time. --This special power contained in our "blood"."

"GAH!" Vahn cried out, even as his flesh burned, scales erupting to form along his skin like chainmail.

"It's hot, isn't it. Can you feel the great flow of energy?" Victor had long since gotten back up to his feet, and began walking around the crumpled body of his brother. "It's hard to handle the first time. Don't worry. Just let it resonate with mine."

Victor's entire body began changing, the sounds of wrent flesh and the hissing of escaping heat sounding out. His footfalls continued echoing in circles around Vahn.

"If you just open it once more, it'll engulf everything, like this." Victor's hand suddenly came down and clamped onto Vahn's right wrist, wrenching the arm upwards. A groan escaped from the latter, even as the blackened blood began spreading outwards from that arm, tendrils weaving. "It's an amazing feeling of release. It blows away all reason and consciousness. Aren't your restraints about to come loose?"

Victor leaned in close.

"Say. Can I ask you for an honest answer on something. Living with them for over a thousand years... Haven't you just once felt hatred for the stupidity of the human race?"

Beads of sweat ran down Vahn's face as he twisted his head to the side.

"..... Stop it."

Victor smiled and lifted his sibling higher into the air. "I don't think so. This is important."

Vahn gritted his teeth, even as he turned his gaze back onto Victor. "I'm not like you."

"I was speechless when I saw those scars on your body." Victor's eyes trailed down Vahn's chest.

"How many times have you been betrayed? How many times have you been hurt? How many times have you been lied to? How many times have you been humilated?
--been treated as something other than human?
--had that which was most dear to you taken away?
--had your word doubted?
--been laughed at as they ground you into the dirt?"

Back in reality.

Laying there in the rubble, stray currents of electricty still ran over his body, rubble shifting and causing his body to settle against the broken pavement and bricks.

Stop... Don't stir up that darkness...
I can feel a terrible premonition...
I don't want to see... I don't want to see...

That other time.

Vahn, trembling all the while, raised his left arm.

"Face reality. You're full of contradictions." Victor snarled, yellowed eyes taking on a more feral look. "Your pretty ideals and foolish pride--
--aren't they eating away at your heart!?"

Letting go of Vahn's right arm, he laid his hand on Vahn's face, kneeling slightly.

".....
How I hate you, Ashe.
You were the one who made him like this."

Here and Then.

Vahn, gripped by Victor--and Vahn laying in the ground--scream.

This overwhelming... feeling of loss!

Vahn's left arm seized Victor by the collar.

Flooding Vahn's thoughts as he lay on the ground, were memories of all the people he had ever met up till now. It was literally a multiltude of faces.

Victor's face twisted as he stared down at the defiant grip of his brother.
"You still...
...don't get it!?"

Vahn's face tilted upwards, a bone white mask filling the majority of the left side of his face.

Victor stared down at Vahn, trying to pull himself free of Vahn's grip. "You fool!!"

The flames erupted outwards, hundreds upon hundres of ribbons streaming upwards.

No! Please! The rubble surrounding Vahn's body seared away as hundreds upon hundreds of blackened tendrils whipped outwards, each one sporting a sharpened "blades" just a few tenths of a micron thick. Needless to say, whatever they touched was cut into neatly and without resistance or friction.

Vahn's voice screamed out inside the depths of his mind, even as he swallowed by darkness. No!--Don't make me relive!
--That Devil's moment!

The blackened and blood red arm was pointed at Victor, sharpened talons gleaming.

"What!?" Victor stared down at his brother, even as the devil arm shot forward.

Now.

Vahn's eyes were totally blank, nothing but hollowed out pits of yellow.

An immense flash of heat would be produced outwards, the light blinding everyone nearby, even as Vahn's blood raged out of control.

The 'tendrils' for lack of a better term, of flame would expand and stretch, going towards the nearest thing that seemed to be making them respond; the spider-like creature.

The blades on the end of the tendrils would attempt to bite into the monstrosity, bringing it down to it's knees and literally wrap around it's entire girth.

Should it be avoided, it would twist, turn, lunge-- do whatever was possible to attempt to spear into the creature.

Another set of tendrils would be aimed towards where Lucind was, drawn to the Fang.

Regardless of friend or foe, if anyone wasn't careful, those within the AoE, currently 60 meters around Vahn's body, would be treated as a threat and dealt with.

This was the 'automatic' defence system of the devil's blood...

-- And the world froze as time stopped for a single moment.

The behemoth opened its mouth once again at that moment, just as the flames began to expand and reach outwards, and the beach and surrounding area lit up as electricity shot through the area in an instant, not even lasting a single second. Those that had found looking at the behemoth as it flashed with electricity before and had looked away would not escape this light now. There was no time for action, no time for realization, no time for thought. There was only the bright light of white hot electricity.


Just as before, the behemoth spat a bolt of lightning, this time, highly charged, with a higher amount of destructive potential. It was simple, with so many around, anything would be a fool to waste an opportunity like this against multiple targets.


Imagine, a higher powered lightning bolt with the same properties which jumped from one person to the next within the area in the blink of an eye. ((Normal lightning bolt will be considered '10 charge' in this case, a chain lightning starts at '12 charge'. Initial charge is more powerful, then has the power of a normal lightning bolt after 2 jumps. Retains the power to fry circuitry, melt metals with low melting point, etc. like that of a normal lightning bolt.))

First, the lightning would blast straight into the siren, Lucind, while she would be busy thinking about this and that, not bothering to pay attention to the behemoth at all as her attention looked past it at Vahn, who's fires would be rising at this very moment, furthering the blinding light in the immediate area. There was simply no way of avoiding it, unless she could react and move faster than the speed of light. The coating around her body, created by the forced rainfall from before with the use of high concentrations of salt, would only conduct electricity better, essentially, it was useless if not only causing more damage. One full powered blast with a lingering charge of electricity left in the body before it would jump to the next. (12/12)

Secondly, it would jump to the next closest object, the dead wyvern. As it was dead, it couldnt really hurt the thing, small archs of electricity coursing over its body before it left a small charge of energy to linger in the corpse, causing the nerves in its body to fire, making the body twitch violently, possibly making its limbs swing around and strike those neat it, before moving on. (11/12)

After than, the lightning would jump from the dead twitching body over to strike Greeneyes with the strength of a normal lightning bolt spell, the next closest target. Once again, it would leave a charge in this body before it moved to the next. (10/12)

Right by Greeneyes, the electricity would crackle through the small amount of space between them to Joseph Brown, a fraction less powerful than a regular Lightning Bolt spell. Even if it was less powerful, lightning was still a destructive force on its own. And then it would move on to the next closest thing. (9/12)

The next closest thing which hadnt already been struck being the behemoth. It really wouldnt do much, since it didnt feel pain at all, and as much as it would have exploded, being bone and all, the electricity coursed through it and left a lingering charge on it before moving on. This of course, was due to the Transmute Bone to Steel spell, which the behemoth had taken the properties of steel, where instead of exploding into splinters, the electricity just coursed through it, and heated it up. (8/12)

Finally, the last target in the area would be directly behind the behemoth itself. Arching through the space, it would strike Vahn's body with a power a little more than half the power of a full charge. After this however, the bolt of lightning which coursed through the air between those struck by it would end, lightning being attracted and folloing the path of heat, it would be contained in the area of effect of the flames released by Vahn, no longer able to jump to another target. (7/12)

Now after than tiny moment in time, after a blindingly bring flash of light caused by lightning combined with the light of erupting flames, time would once again resume.--


After that flash of electricity which left the area charged with static and smelling heavily of ozone and burnt air, possibly some charred or exploded bodies.

The behemoth would never have noticed the flames behind it, either than, or it simply wasnt fast enough to react. A second after the electricity tore through the air, the tendrils of flames would come tearing into it from behind, searing right through the bones and pressing it into the ground as bits of it began to melt under the heat.

It opened its mouth defiantly to let out one final shriek, one last time as tried to push itself up, but to no avail, flames wrapping around it in great quantities snuffing out its chilling fireshield like a candle in a hurricane as it began to slowly melt in its fiery grasp.

((*Added thought: Uhh, in the case of Joseph Brown, if he's carrying spare rounds on him to reload his guns with, would they like... explode? Kinda like Vulgan in MGS3.))

((I guess the post order should switch to the order we get hit by the chain lightning? Since tecnicaly most of us can't do anything in between jumps?

And my next trick in a constant line of apoligies: I'm sorry if anyone was waiting on me, I'm doing moderation work for Petals of Chaos.

As for the ammo, yeah, this is probbaly gonna be much more damaging for Joey than just the bolt. Mind you, they're made of mythril (The offical metal of making s**t up) so I'll probably have them just go off instead of exploding outright.

Unless you want to see Joe's legs get torn to s**t even more. Then I won't deprive you of your show. xd ))

The Preacher walked the streets between the aid stations, a book tucked under his right arm. He surveyed the damage with a grim expression, going to any who was striken with grief and offering his condolences and his blessings. Sometimes he would even pray with them in the name of Ymir. He carried a small pocket computer, which he used to call in assistance to anyone he met after consoling them and assuring them of their blessings.

"It will be alright my child, a blessing,"
"Blessing, my child,"
"May Ymir bless and keep you,"
"Holy blessing on your family,"
"I bless you and this place,"
"This place will be rebuilt with ymirs blessings,"
"Ymir will comfort you in your time of loss,"
"This is a fragment of Ymirs body, keep it with you and may it bless you,"
"Yaits himself has become a disciple of Ymir, Ymir is blessing us through his good works, my child,"
"Ymir has healed your leg, go and walk, young one. Bless you,"


The priest made his rounds throughout the city, speaking personally with anyone possible, and lending his healing powers to anyone in need.

The preacher looked at her thoughtfully, smiling kindly, "Good day young lady, may I say you are quite pleasing to the eye. Quite an astounding woman."

Sudenly the preacher seemed distracted, and surveyed the surrounding terrain thoughtfully, "You are quite blessed, I sense no severe physical wounds, and you are undistressed. It releives me to see so many who have escaped harm. Please excuse me now, I must attend to those need care. If you wish to help the needy, you may apply at one of our stations."

He thought for a moment, "I beleive,"he said, pointing south "There is an aid station only a few blocks down. Do you wish me to bless you into Ymir's protection before I go, my child?"

**Here's time for a vent. Hope peeps enjoy!**

Elsewhere in the city of Latent, other things were happening. Less exciting, less critcal, less important to the great union of all things.

Another car. Another time. Another life. Voices, sights, lives, they all move like a blur as the car moved faster and faster. The tracks on which the train ran, the wheels of it's cars going 'clicky clack' as fast as the Kalishnakov forty-seven's bolt flew back to send smoking shells spiralling out of the chamber to tinkle harmlessly into the pools of blood on the floor, the smell of cooking copper overriding the smell of boot-leather and gunpowder and sweat.

Another tunnel. Voices again, screams, pleas, curses, threats and whimpered prayers. Another sight as a gloved hand smashes through reinforced glass like it was paper, cracks making spiderwebs over the glass and sparks of electricity skittering across the wet pieces of glass which flew into the train-car like razor-sharp confetti. Another life extinguished as a gloved hand crushes the larynx and cervicle section of the vertebrae before the body is pulled out of the car and out of a train travelling at over two hundred kilometers an hour.

It would skip only once before becoming a skidmark somewhere in the depths of the tunnel.

Another voice, cool and scaley, calling for calm. Another sight as someone sees the black thing move outside the car, like a puff of night which inked itself into the light like a wet rag flowing through water. Green notes fill the air as the clickity-clack of a Kalishnakov Forty-Seven's bolt also permiated the air, automatic rifle rounds blowing straight through the black Sampsonite cases containing blood money, tainted money, drug money, sex money, circulated money and virgin money. Another life is blown out like a flickering candle, the blood flowing from the numerous bullet holes being the only sign that smoke is the only thing that will ever flow again from this wick.

Another voice, invisible and detatched, calling for calm, calling for surrender, calling for the end. Another sight as the metahuman with the scales grasps the nearest transit rider betwixt his claws and demands to be left alone, a forked tongue moving in and out of his maw as he speaks as if begging to be punched like the ticket it is.

Another life gone, broken like the vent above the scaled man, broken like the inner left bootlace on the steel-capped boots which slide out of the vent, broken like the reptile's neck as the boots are places where his ears were supposed to be and twisted violently, his ticket still flicking in and out as he falls to the floor and wonders if thats really the size of his jeans on the back of his pants.

Before he wonders no more.

Another voice calls as another sight of the inky blackness drops down, another voice saying you should have surrendered as another inky blackness moves like fluid, weapons and teeth flying, blood and glass covering the circulating money as it's all blown up into the air in thw whirlwind that is inky blackness.

Lights flicker as another train passes, wires crossing to provide a look into the bizarro universe that filled the rattling, screaming, unstoppable snake of a train car. Snapshots of bloodied gloves, leather slick with sweat, sunglasses steamed by action, blond hair darkened by grease, a kalidescope of images framed by flashes of light like a strobe in a mosh. Another dance captured, another move noted, another stance dismissed entirely.

Another sigh as the last man falls. Another life extinguished. Tens of others saved as a gloved hand pulls the dead conductor from his seat and pulls the emergency brake so hard it comes out of it's housing. Another prayer whispered to dead or uncaring gods as the arch of light, the end of the tunnel, the deciding factor in another myriad of actions, cause and effect colliding again as that arch of light greww closer and closer...

Before the screech of brakes smother the clikity-clack of train-tracks, the smell of scorched grease making the smell of gunpowder fall like a suicide diver, the hurtler hurtling like the train was hurtling towards the arch of light, a yawning mouth which would swallow this steel twinkie and all it's sweet contents...

But the mouth, gaping and wanting, would not get its meal.

Another voice calls. Latent police move on the smoking hulk, it's skin covered in bullet-holes, it's eyes shattered and dripping with blood and dew and glass. Another sight of the inky blackness through the steepled mires of the train windows as it flows from the front compartment and slips over the non-smoking wicks and weeping victims, pausing only to punch a wick's red ticket into the floor with a smokey white blade, small and sharp, pointed and deadly.

Another life moves on. Another task done. Another life saved. Another war won.

The ball pops open, and a completly intact Eli lands on its feet. Its blue orbs focus on the woman as its head tilts curiously. This one looked pretty bad. Eli wondered if she was even still alive.

Well, there was only one way to find out. Eli nudged her gently with its right foot.

Eli watched in curiousity as the body seemed to float away from it. It didn't do so on its own power, so Eli didn't attack. The creature would just stare.

Then, its attention was jerked to the massive heat sphere forming. Its eyes widened in awe as they took in its magnificence. Eli's enthrallment lasted all of five seconds before its body disintegrated. From head to toe its flesh peeled off and became nothing more than ash, leaving a charred skeletal structure. That too, would become dust soon afterwards.

As expected, a faint purple haze began to form. Strangely enough, the haze would be sucked into the sphere along with many other things that that had been vaporized in the area. There, it would resonate, spiraling wildly through... whatever the hell the sphere was made of.



And with that heat, the purple haze would travel. It rose high into the air where it would linger there for some time. Slowly, a purple cloud would form. The cloud increases in size and density until finally, it collapses upon itself.

What remains is Eli's restored form, curled into the fetal position.

Now, Eli has been restoring itself for ages, but this time something was different. The creature opened its eyes to see that it was, in fact, many thousands of feet in the air, and falling rapidly. It was still its 4 foot tall self. It still had its two blue orbs that dominated its head, a short cresting horn, some small spikes on his elbows and shoulders, and the long goat tee. Its grayish-green body was still featureless except for the muscle definition and... wait a second...

Eli placed a hand on its chest which now bore a dark purple glyph of some sort. It bore an uncanny resemblance to a closed eye. Even as the creature began to fall rapidly, it was still facinated by the recent change.

The glyph glowed a faint purple, causing Eli to feel tremendous pain. Soon afterwards, something exploded from its back. What? Wings!? Eli's decent was halted as it now hovered in the air. It was looking pretty styling now with the pair of bat-like wings beating powerfully behind him. The span was a good 6 feet.

Eli's eyes lit up brightly as it took its new appendages for a test flight. In a carefree manner it performed clumsy aerobatics. It was no longer concerned with the recent battle or the man-devil inner struggle event down below.

Somehow, someway, Vahn's little episode broke something within Eli's being. He had created a small crack in the wall of an otherwise massive dam. Through that crack water would start to trickle through and begin the countdown to the inevitable.

It begins.