|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Fri Mar 09, 2007 3:54 pm
"Hmph." With an extra push, the tentacles of ice rolled around the Doppelganger's shoulders, neck, sides, spiraling around his legs to dig into the soil. One could see blue and white specks of light coursing through the whole length of the formation, a manifestation of the magic that held them strong and supple. Under the ice and the lights, Unsane clenched his fist tighter.
Spikes sprouted from the Doppelganger's constricts toward the inside, thin enough to slide between the bones, long enough to spear him through and sprout from the other side.
There was more to the wind than a meteorological curiosity. The white silence surrounding Unsane and Lazenca was but a lie. Up to now, the fighters had been pumping energy and their aura in and out, producing the cold, then benefiting from it and absorbing it for strength, with which they made the area even more dangerous. If either of them took their eyes off their opponent from a second to look at the sky, they'd see what the scientists were witnessing: Hell, frozen over.
The second one of them would fall though, the moment there would be an imbalance, the bubble would be broken. The storm would engulf the loser and eat him raw. They were screaming under the avalanche, taking a bet on who it would collapse on first.
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Mar 10, 2007 1:10 pm
As long as those streaks and lines of ice went to move under the shadowy replicas of the bracer, then there was nothing that the Doppelganger could do to actually prevent it. It was only semi-sentient... it had the basic ideas of what to do, but the greater ideas of trying to control the tendrils and external, free-floating cold eluded him. So he would be there, getting its arm and shoulders covered in smothering fingers of ice until it exploded into a large flurry of ice and snow that immediately started to swirl.
All that was still, was given motion once more. It was the sound of howling winds and crackling ice that announced it. If one were to look up, they'd see a hole had opened in the swirling mass, a hole that was dropping on Lazenca's position.Richard vs. Lazenca The two men were breathing hard. The battle was a lengthy, and had taken a bit more out of them than they'd expected. However, Richard's grand hammer did a great deal to control the flow of battle, as well as the field itself which was now filled with dirt columns and upturned earth. It would seem that the battle was nearing its completion.
Lazenca took a deep breath, and started spinning his hands. The clouds above followed his motion, and the winds picked up. The sun was blinking, something wasn't right. Richard looked up into the sky to find a great pool of water above them, its base touching down upon his opponent.
"What madness... what great power! I can't let him..." Richard slung the hammer over his shoulder and rushed into it, only to be flooded by the waters. Hurricane Lazenca had touched down. However, that didn't mean he was defenseless. As shown before in the battle, his greaves allowed him to root himself where he stood, and it's exactly what happened here. The waters could beat incessantly, but that's all they would do.
Unfortunately, there was no way to modify it, no way to increase the damage or modify the attack. He had planned to sweep his opponent off his feet and send him out of the arena for a good "ring out" victory, but such wouldn't happen. He also couldn't sustain this unmastered Tech, for the pain in his every muscle and the drain on his aura was too great. The waters began to slow, and Hurricane began to collapse upon itself.
Only three layers into the mass freezing, it was followed with the energy release Lazenca had been known to use, especially in the Glare. What it meant was that there was a wave moving from the eye of stillness, followed by a massive explosion. Such an effect would be carried for as far as their influence carried.
If one needed assistance in understanding the sheer scope and power of Hurricane Lazenca... they needed only to remember how much energy Lazenca went about using and releasing at once. First, there was the energy loop that was stretching their influence and creating an initial frost... by the time Unsane used Oblivion, things started to actually freeze. The necklace and bracer Verstand, both from PoC, increased his aural abilities almost fourfold together (Verstand's effect came at the cost of physical abilities, so Lazenca wouldn't be able to move, for his body ached incredibly at the onset of Verstand's use). To have the medium of She meant that one was one step away from untapping a bit of the gods' power... one step away from Essence of She. And then there was Unsane's Oblivion, used thrice, added to the loop.
And then the Doppelganger's explosion (which happened less because Unsane was in the process of destroying it and more because Lazenca wanted its power added to what he was doing).
And then his own use of Oblivion, which effect now had the left side of Lazenca's body- neck, cheek, chest, and entire arm- touched by the Medium.
Looped.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Mar 10, 2007 3:17 pm
When the first wave came forth, Unsane just frowned. The "tentacles" of ice dissolved into snow and were carried off into the wind with the remains of the Doppelganger, and his body went right through the wave as if it wasn't even there.
The demon had never seen the second wave coming, though.
It hit him square in the chest, pushing him back along with it. The loud, almost feral growl he gave out was both of anger and of pain. After gathering back his spirit, he went right through the wave to land back on his feet, only to get caught by another one behind it. When he went through the third wave though, Unsane didn't let himself get caught again. The demon threw his right fist into the thick ice, pumping magic into it.
It was like a bullet going through glass. The energy fissured a large circle around Unsane and it instantly shattered, leaving him unharmed. The following one hit his hand and suffered the same fate, and so did the other ones.
Blood was trickling from the corner of the demon's lips, and even more was dripping down his knuckles with each wave.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Mar 10, 2007 3:38 pm
It was just like him... to take a punch in the face, then realize what was going on, perform an interrupt block... and frown it out.
The waves were meant to push a person farther and farther away from the eye. It was to be a shockwave of explosions, rocking a person along each wave until the last band on the edge of wherever, the last explosion throwing a person against a wall or into the sky or just making them collapse with ragdoll physics. It was only by the grace of his being an elemental, and the fact that they were using the same power source, that allowed Unsane the ability to realize what was happening, and steel himself. Otherwise, he'd have to fly backwards a few hundred feet as explosion after eruption after release after brilliant shower of ice was freed.
A wall of "you're ******** protection would have pushed him back a few feet as explosions tend to do, but eventually the waves would move past him, and continue on out into the rest of the desert, where their influences lie. If... one could call this a desert at all. Sure, there was sand, but the Hurricane left ice and sleet everywhere... the ground was frozen, the sky was cloudy white, and it was snowing.
The Desert had been lost. Welcome to the Tundra of Barthavos.
As each wave continued to travel to its end some many, many miles away, he remained standing, facing Unsane. His breathing was deep and his arms were down. Hunched over, aching body, eyes not fully open... tired. Hair was starting to go white.
"You're... still here."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Mar 10, 2007 3:45 pm
When Unsane's fist went down, he knew it wouldn't be going back up. His eyes were dark and his breath was heavy. The ice had torn his shirt in many places, and the spots that were still intact were died in blood. The demon was tired. The legendary stamina of the Underworld people was starting to fail him.
"hou be--" He stopped mid-sentence to spit some blood. "You bet I am ... goddamn Overlord, for crying out loud ..."
But words were nothing. Unsane could hear the cold zone howling painfully around him. If he fell, he'd be buried before long.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Mar 10, 2007 5:23 pm
"Fighting you like this..."
Well, Lazenca had no legendary stamina. He hadn't even a legend behind his name. Just himself and whatever power he'd amassed through the years. It all caught up to him. The injuries... there were hardly any physical injuries to speak of. A bit of cutting here and there, but there wasn't even any bleeding. His fatigue was mental, spiritual. He'd used... a lot, in that attack.
"...I don't even know..."
What happened to Unsane past this point was of little consequence. Lazenca leaned right, and kept going... until he dropped to the ground, unable to stay concious. That attack was some kinda last-ditch thing against Unsane, and this ending for Lazenca was inevitable. Wether the guy ended up at the edge of the land, or wether he stood there as he did, Lazenca wouldn't stand more than ten seconds.
"...who I am."
KO.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Mar 10, 2007 5:45 pm
Silence.
Unsane was horribly envious of Lazenca on that one moment. How much did he want to wobble aside and collapse against the soft, cold snow. The thought was brutally pushed away as the calm broke and the winds menaced to take the elemental off his feet. The loop had been broken, the balance was failing. It was as if a giant wall had been erected in the hurricane.
There was little time before the eye collapsed. Unsane dashed toward Lazenca, trying his best at the same time to reduce his energy output. Without anything countering it, it was just so high now that pillars of ice were sprouting around him.
"Lower your sword and accept my sacrifice."
It was the key spell to willingly stop Oblivion. With Lazenca down, it would have retracted by itself sooner or later, but still not quick enough. It was like Unsane's arm had gone spelunking inside a shark's jaw. He'd mind it later, though. For now, he used the other hand to grab Lazenca by the armpit and run the hell away, to Strata.
Night fell, and the blizzard roared like a dragon.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Mar 21, 2007 9:38 am
Elsewhere in the vast desert...
"So as I've been saying. There is another universe that encompasses this one. I know this because I've been there.. well.. briefly... we are sort of like puppets. Characters in a big play. I am powerful because the individual responsible for my existence thought it necessary. I believe some other people are responsible for other types of individuals we interact with. And there's a certain process of doing things.
"Right. So we're just part of a game?"
"Yeah, like part of a big game. But we have nothing to do with how it is played. The people controlling us do, and they probably have to follow rules"
"Uh-huh."
"Seriously.. you know how powerful I am. Why is it that I just do not think something and it is so? Why can I not just think to wipe out everyone else's existence.. and it is done?"
"Maybe you aren't as powerful as you think you are."
"Perhaps.. unless it is a rule that I am not allowed to be able to do such a thing. But here is another example. Why is it that there are people who walk around like cardboard cutouts from over 1000 years ago.. yet they have not existed for even a tenth of that number of years? In an age of cars they wear full metal armor and use archaic weapons."
"... Different stroke for different folks?"
"You just have an answer to everything don't you?"
"... Look what are we doing out here."
"Well.. the outer universe has found an answer to the problem."
-----
Then some distance away from them a hole began to open in the ground like some hidden missile silo thing. Out shot a large contraption headed for the sky. No.. by the shape and form and etc etc... it was headed for space.
Sometime along the way.. attachments would fall off...
Within orbit.. tinier contraptions would spread out..
And there it just sat, silently..
-----
"The answer to the problem. Anyway.. C'mon.. I'll buy you a happy meal or something."
"You aren't gonna talk more of this fourth wall nonsense are you?"
"What? You believed me? There's a rational answer to all those questions I asked. That stuff I said was just some material for a book I'm writing."
".... Hathead."
-End
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Apr 06, 2007 6:14 pm
Saiyamoru Saiya trudged across the desert. It was around midday. Usual stereotypical desert afternoon. Blazing sun. Endless stretch of sand. Not a drop of water in sight, except for that which was strapped around Saiya's waist in a couple of tin canteens. Periodically, the skinny girl would stop, pull out a compass, and check to make sure she was still heading in the right direction. Yup. She walked on. The only thing that differentiated this petite brown native of Strata from any other wanderer was the fact that she didn't stop walking. When she stumbled, when her eyes closed, when she gave in to the exhaustion that had crippled so many other desert journeys, the spirits took over. And while she slept, her body kept moving forward. They didn't need a compass, either.
Then, after some more walking, he saw something in the distance. After even more walking, he noticed that it wasn't something, but someone.
"Oi ... Hey! Heeeeey!" He called, waving.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Apr 06, 2007 6:22 pm
Poppy cupcakes! Saiyamoru Saiya trudged across the desert. It was around midday. Usual stereotypical desert afternoon. Blazing sun. Endless stretch of sand. Not a drop of water in sight, except for that which was strapped around Saiya's waist in a couple of tin canteens. Periodically, the skinny girl would stop, pull out a compass, and check to make sure she was still heading in the right direction. Yup. She walked on. The only thing that differentiated this petite brown native of Strata from any other wanderer was the fact that she didn't stop walking. When she stumbled, when her eyes closed, when she gave in to the exhaustion that had crippled so many other desert journeys, the spirits took over. And while she slept, her body kept moving forward. They didn't need a compass, either.
Then, after some more walking, he saw something in the distance. After even more walking, he noticed that it wasn't something, but someone.
"Oi ... Hey! Heeeeey!" He called, waving.Saiya stopped. She looked around. Saw nothing but the stupid ******** snow. After a while, it had really started to piss her off. She hadn't dressed for cold temperatures. Still seeing nothing. No, wait. In the distance. Speckly dark thing. Moving waving speckly dark thing. Person. Yelling at her. She turned around and waved back.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Apr 06, 2007 6:28 pm
The speck ran closer. From up close, Unsane probably wouldn't be as dark. His hair was a nearly black navy, and his pants were black, but that aside, he was pretty pale. He wasn't even wearing a shirt either, which might seem strange considering it was below freezing.
Finally, he caught up to the girl.
"Erm, hey ... kinda lost. Y'know where you're going?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Apr 06, 2007 6:36 pm
Poppy cupcakes! The speck ran closer. From up close, Unsane probably wouldn't be as dark. His hair was a nearly black navy, and his pants were black, but that aside, he was pretty pale. He wasn't even wearing a shirt either, which might seem strange considering it was below freezing.
Finally, he caught up to the girl.
"Erm, hey ... kinda lost. Y'know where you're going?" She looked to the horizon. White, as far as the eye could see. Then looked back at the man. "Yeah." she said. "That way." And her arm swung up to point in the direction of the endless white, the way she had been walking.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Apr 06, 2007 6:44 pm
Followed a moment of uncomfortable silence. Unsane just gave a look in the direction she pointed, trying to make out the shape of something, anything. Of course, it was pointless. There was a reason deserts were called deserts.
It's because they're desert.
"Erm, yeah, I could tell that much but ... what's there?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Apr 06, 2007 6:49 pm
Poppy cupcakes! Followed a moment of uncomfortable silence. Unsane just gave a look in the direction she pointed, trying to make out the shape of something, anything. Of course, it was pointless. There was a reason deserts were called deserts.
It's because they're desert.
"Erm, yeah, I could tell that much but ... what's there?" "Strata." And, because she didn't see much point in waiting around in this frozen hell, she started off that way again.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reply
