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Post by Deleted on Dec 23, 2018 19:21:51 GMT -5
Locale: Silver City Tournament, Silver City, 25 miles north of West City.
Another city, another tournament.
Another clueless group of martial artists who understood nothing of sacrifice.
Cress stood in the midst of a group of fighters, all jostling for position near the registration booth at the head of the line. They were fighters of all shapes and sizes, and from what Cress could sense, a few of them even worth his time. As far as he could tell, he was the only Namekian. He stood enshrouded with his tattered white cloak, hood pulled low to shield his face from the bright sun overhead. It was a warm day, a clear blue sky unobscured with grey clouds, often an omen of bleak, impending weather.
All around him were the usual sounds of tournament fare. Vendors crooned and cawed, attracting attention to their wares. There were several food booths as well, creating a miasma of fried smells that stank like noxious fumes, causing his lip to curl in a semi-permanent snarl. Families gathered, gawking at the fighters. Most of the children ducked behind their mothers' skirts at the sight of Cress.
In fact, most other fighters gave him a wide berth. He seemed to exude an aura of malice, one some of the more experienced and sensitive fighters could sense. Others balked at his massive frame and steered clear out of pure cowardice.
None of it mattered to him.
Cress continued to wait patiently, arms folded before him -- a lone Namekian sentinel standing guard in the midst of the busy plaza.
Though he despised venues such as this, Cress reminded himself it was but a means to an end.
Power...
He needed more power. More than what he could get back on Planet Namek. More than what he could obtain participating in these tournaments.
It was terribly frustrating.
Tag: @amatricina | Word Count: 311 |
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Post by Deleted on Dec 23, 2018 20:49:30 GMT -5
Amatricina had no time for such silly dalliances as a mortal martial arts tournament. She was far and away the strongest being on Earth, bar none. The fighters competing, outclassed by elite fire demon soldiers, of which she had entire legions of on Monsigneus. The prize pool, a paltry sum of paper currency of which she had no interest. Only gold, silver, and gems appealed to the demoness. Her vast avarice far too great for something as meaningless as 'zeni' to appease. But, what the tournament did have, was something that indulged a sin she so rarely did get to enjoy. Gluttony, the sin of excess. Food was perhaps the mortal realm's great gift to the universe. By and large, mortals were far and away better chefs than any of the demons within her realm. Amatricina had feasted upon the planet's wild game, its inhabitants, and its cuisine. She enjoyed all three but preferred the latter most of all. Sweets and confections seemed the Earthlings' specialty; though she did enjoy them Amatricina preferred cooked meats most of all. Her kind were carnivores at heart, even bones quickly devoured against their crushing jaws and fanged maws.
The Demon Lord had sensed a collection of noteworthy power levels north of the aptly named 'West City'. Mortals did not seem to have much for creativity with naming their major settlements. It was something she had noted months ago upon first arriving on the planet Earth. There were no megalopolises with such awe inspiring names as 'Bastion of Damnation', 'Citadel of Arrogance', or 'Fortress of Ruination'. It spoke volumes about the ambitions of the Earthlings if that was truly the best they could come up with. Regardless, it was unusual for the demoness to sense such a gathering of what this planet considered 'powerful warriors' in one place at any given time. Most of the strong power levels Amatricina sensed were scattered across the globe, likely individuals with no shared purpose all training in isolation or defending their homes. She mused to herself a collection of them in one place might be part of a military offensive or some misplaced attempt to drive her from Bunbuku Isle.
So naturally Amatricina had chosen to investigate, if only to sate her curiosity. Little did she expect it to also sate her appetite. The demoness landed on the edge of Silver City, in her guise as an earthling witch, Amata Tricina. Her power level suppressed down to the threshold of an average earthling as she landed, this was a guise the demon had adopted shortly after she first set foot on Earth. It was one she'd worn on many occasions. A tight black top graced her torso, with long loose sleeves and a bare midriff. A skintight pair of matching leggings completed the set in replacing the demoness' usual crimson and gold armor. The demon's normally wild mane of fiery red hair was fashioned into a long braided ponytail that trailed down to the small of her back. Amatricina's great crown of four grim black horns were hidden away by her magic, replaced only by an over sized wide brim hat with a large leather belt wrapped around it. Her armored heels were traded out for black high heeled shoes, and the normally ostentatious amount of jewelry the demoness wore was replaced by simple pair of ruby and gold earrings and a matching set of gold bracelets about her wrists. Lastly, Amatricina's normally crimson gaze was exchanged for soft blue eyes.
She paused to inspect her appearance, smiling as she did. Even in the guise of a modern witch, Amatricina was every bit the buxom, curvaceous demoness with a vanity only exceeded by her pride. Finding her glamour to be of sufficient quality, the demoness made her way towards the tournament grounds. They were bustling with attendants, visitors and their families, fans and spectators, and of course the plethora of competing fighters. Once the demoness realized this gathering was not a collection of the Earth's military's elite warriors, or any kind of hostility against her... she quickly lost interest. If Amatricina wanted to witness petty bloodshed, she'd do it herself. She'd never been one for the fighting pits or the arenas on her home world. Her heart called for real battle, it sung to her in a symphony of bloodshed and carnage nothing else could compare to. This, tournament was a competition to find the strongest weakling. And Amatricina herself even knew of stronger Earthlings. With no Joshua of Venus, Tora no Seishin, or Netto White in attendance, three of the planet's most powerful warriors were nowhere to be seen.
Amatricina thus decided then, since she was here the least she could do is sample some of the delicious vendor foods on display. With but a simple thought and an ounce of demonic ki she summoned a thick stack of zeni into her hands. Magical materialization, such a rare and useful form of magic, being wasted on paper currencies of a hairless race of mortals. What would her late mother think of this, Amatricina mused to herself as she walked the vendors. She hadn't spend eighteen hundred years practicing and mastering a thousand kinds of dark magic just to purchase... what exactly was a deep fat fried twinkie on a stick? It looked more revolting than it smelled, and Amatricina briefly felt the desire to kill the vendor and obliterate his stall for even offering such a horrid looking excuse for a dish. However she was soon distracted by a merchant who sold pterodactyl drumsticks slow roasted to a crisp golden brown. Amatricina's mouth practically watered, and she greedily purchased one of the enormous delicacies to devour. Now content with herself, the 'witch' happily walked the tournament grounds, inspecting the fighters and generally enjoying the rare moment to indulge herself without much of a care in the world.
Word Count: 983
@cress
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Post by Deleted on Dec 23, 2018 21:30:16 GMT -5
The puckered scar that stretched the length of Cress's face itched with irritation.
The line moved, though only a few sparse inches. With this many fighters milling about, it was hot and moist, and with Cress's heightened senses, he could smell every sweaty pit and drenched brow. This was a foul-smelling race.
Cress longed for the rolling blue green hills of fertile pastures on his home world. The hint of Namekian sea water carried on a gentle breeze... there were few things in his life he'd come to crave more, the further he traveled away from home. But this was an excursion of necessity.
Something stabbed at his acute senses.
It was a blight, an intrusion upon the ebb and flow of the combined ki of the milling throngs gathered in the plaza that day. Crimson eyes darted to and fro as Cress sought the source of the strange ki he sensed. Now, there wasn't a single trace of it.
In that brief moment, the foreign energy felt oppressive and intrusive. It stood out in sharp contrast, an unfamiliar energy that caused a disruption in his own steady flow. Unwilling to alert whatever being could have done this, he remained standing still, thick arms corded with pink muscle folded before him, though every part of him was on high alert at this point.
The sea of fighters parted before him as a group finished their registration. Cress did not step forward to register. Instead, the crowd parted around him, moving with caution toward the table, as if afraid to stoke his ire by skipping the big Namekian.
Only Cress was distracted. Despite the dozens of people milling about, one in particular caught his attention.
She wore the tell-tale garb of a witch, the wide brim of her ostentatious hat giving her away. Her teeth tore at the roasted flesh of the pterodactyl leg she carried, comically nearly a third of her size. The smell of meat nearly concealed the last fading vestiges of strange ki that seemed to trail in her wake.
His initial objective all but forgotten, Cress began to follow after her. He kept his distance, though he could hardly be considered stealthy, due to the fact he towered over everyone in the plaza.
There was something about this witch. Something worth investigating.
Tag: @amatricina | Word Count: 701
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Post by Deleted on Dec 23, 2018 22:13:14 GMT -5
Thirty pounds, that was what the drumstick was advertised as. Thirty pounds of meat, slow roasted to perfection. White meat, dark meat, and every bite of it was heavenly. Amatricina was blissfully lost in a content lull as she happily munched on her treat while she wandered the arena. Her appetite turned heads, though not as many as her appearance. She paid them no mind, so long as the mortals didn't grope her considerable rear or hurl lecherous comments at her, she had no reason to tear their still beating hearts from their chests. Her drumstick didn't last long, and she looked on the mighty reptilian femur with an acute sadness as it was ripped clean of meat. She would have to learn what exactly a 'pterodactyl' looked like, and bring the creatures back to Monsigneus to see if they could be domesticated and bred for their succulent meat. A task for another day, though, and Amatricina merely began snapping the bone in half with an idle flick of the wrist. She bit great hunks of bone from it, devouring it and its tender marrow as the last vestige of her meal.
As she finished the demoness became more acutely away of her surroundings. Her good mood quickly spoiled as she realized one particular mortal was following her. Some kind of... green skinned insectoid creature. She had seen such mortals before, mostly as exiles and refugees living among the impoverished masses on the planet Ferusalem. The demoness knew next to nothing about them, other than she had yet to see a female of this particular species. There were a hundred ways she could escape her pursuer, from cleaving open a dimensional rift to flying through the planet's crust into the mantle below. But all of them betrayed her strength was far beyond what it should be as an Earthling. When in her mortal guise, the demoness' last priority was to alert this planet to her presence. She had gone to great lengths to remain hidden, working in secrecy from the larger population of the Earth. Only a few powerful warriors, and one adorable young witch had traveled to her dread isle deep in the southern oceans. Few souls new that Amatricina the Avaricious resided on the planet Earth as she worked towards Carambolis' goals.
The demon attempted to lose her follower, walking more swiftly, black heels clicking with every step against the concrete pavement. She went down paths less traveled, back alleys and routes not used with the hustle of the tournament beyond. Still the green skinned xeno followed her, much to her chagrin. She grit her teeth, suppressing the urge to slay the creature and simply be done with it. Finally, after much mental debating on the correct course of action, Amatricina relented. She would humor this mortal, and see what they desired. She led the duo down an alleyway, now far enough away from the energy and excitement of the tournament. A high brick wall presented a dead end, and for a moment Amatricina feigned the nervousness of an attractive young woman finding herself cornered by a scar faced brute. She turned swiftly on her heels, facing the mortal as she opened her mouth to speak. "Oh no... you've got me." She cooed, her words lacking even the faintest glimmer of fear.
With a sinful grin on her face, the voluptuous witch began to slowly sashay her way towards the green skinned stranger. Her step moving her wide, feminine hips in a pendulous motion. Her enormous bust bouncing sinfully within the tight confines of her top. Her long braid of hair gently swishing to and fro with the motion of her body. She came to stand a mere foot or so from her pursuer, an icy look in her blue eyes. Amatricina placed one hand on her hip as she met this warrior's crimson gaze. "I suppose you'll want a magic trick?" She said in a mocking, teasing sort of way. "Shall I conjure you up a crystal ball, or would you like your fortune told. I am quite at divining after all." She remained ever dedicated to her guise as a witch, though already Amatricina suspected this mortal had learned far more than he let on. A silence hung in the air between the toy as the demoness finished her coy introduction. It was broken only by the roar of the distant crowd as the announcer signaled the beginning of the first match of the tournament.
Word Count: 758
Total Word Count: 1,741
@cress
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Post by Deleted on Dec 24, 2018 0:51:04 GMT -5
Since leaving Namek, he'd been driven by a singular focus.
Gathering strength through fiery trials, achieving power that would allow him to protect his brethren and their planet. Nothing could distract him, nor derail his ambitions.
But this woman was as close as he'd come to getting... sidetracked.
His gaze was lured to her ample bosom as she approached, nor did his eyes miss the sensuous curve of swaying hips as she approached. She was unlike any Earth woman he'd encountered, or witch for that matter. Namekians could reproduce asexually, and so female Namekians simply did not exist. But beings of the feminine variety always intrigued Cress for this very fact.
And he found stirring within him something dangerously akin to... desire.
It was enough to cause the big Namekian to take a step backwards, reassessing the situation. They'd reached a dead end, a brick wall looming before them. Shadows claimed this cramped space liberally, and much of the afternoon's sunlight did not reach here. One could easily mistake Cress as some stalking bully, cornering a helpless woman.
He doubted she was as helpless as she appeared.
His lip curled into a quaint sneer. "I think not. I'm no stranger to magic, even that of a darker persuasion." His eyes narrowed as they drank the witch in. Every facet of his being screamed at him to retreat.
But curiosity would win out over caution.
"Save your tricks for some other hapless fool. You could divine my future in one of your trinkets, but it is the past that interests me. Learning from mistakes, to ensure they are not repeated in the future."
The Earth woman had no way of understanding his subtle allusions to the violent past of his kind. It consumed him, heart and soul, and would continue to do so until he found a way to change the future of his species.
"My future is set in stone, witch. I will achieve my goal. But you..." His antennae twitched beneath his hood, sensitive to the energies emitted from her. "...are something else entirely. Did you come to fight in the tournament?"
Tag: @amatricina | Word Count: 1,059
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Post by Deleted on Dec 24, 2018 1:28:10 GMT -5
"No." Amatricina said simply, smelling the lust that hung off this man like a stench. Her body had that effect on mortal and demon alike. It was among her deadliest weapon. "Why would I ever come to fight in so lowly of a tournament? When I am so far beyond what this planet has to offer?" The demoness' words came slowly, sensuously. She was in her elemental, thralling a mortal around her fingertips. "I have seen the past, it mirrors the future. History is a but a wheel, turning slowly in the currents on time." Amatricina drew close to the stranger, until she was a mere foot away from him, though her bust was inches brushing his chest. At this distance her aroma wafted over the Namekian. She smelled of ash, and cinder. Nothing sweet, or heavenly about her fragrance. It was one thing a simple glamour could not mask. Amatricina was fire made flesh, flame and shadows. She would always smell like a being born of the living flame.
This warrior was half a head taller than her, though Amatricina was a thousand and a half years used to being shorter than those around her. Her own dread father was over three times her height, her eldest brother two and half, and many of these mortal warriors matched or exceeded her height. Thought she often had to look up, there were few beings who could truly claim they looked down upon her. "And that is why if we are truly change the patterns of history... we must break the spokes of that wheel." That word, said with extra emphasis as the demoness pantomimed snapping it as she clenched a fist. "Only those who break the wheel can change their future." Her words held a kind of unspoken certainty, of a being so confident in what they said it may well as have been simple fact. Amatricina herself would break the wheel, she would see it cast ablaze and sent it rolling until it crashed into destiny itself. Her purpose was the unmaking of the Heavens, the death of the Gods. She would tear them from the skies and cast them low before her, or die trying. For her kind, there was no other, greater purpose.
The witch let out a haughty titter, shaking her head slowly. Her floppy wide brimmed hat coming dangerously close to falling off her head, but held tight by the magical nature of its appearance. The demoness took a step back, sizing up her acquaintance as she studied him head to toe. One slender hand slowly rubbing her delicate chin as the other remained sinking lovingly into a wide, childbearing hip. "Tell me then, Stranger. Who are you, and I do not mean just a name. What do you seek? Why have you come to this world? What grander purpose does your life call to?" The demoness' eyes briefly flashed with a malevolent ebony light that seemed to drink in all that was good in the world. "And what did you mean when you said you were familiar with magic of a darker persuasion?" The demoness chuckled to herself, and she flashed the Namekian a wicked grin. It bared her fanged canines, something wholly absent in Earthlings. It was one aspect of Earthling biology Amatricina was simply too ignorant of to properly recreate. Her smile was the baleful smile of a demon, not a mortal. It was filled as much with gleaming white teeth as it was boundless, sinister ambition.
Word Count: 594
Total Word Count: 2,335
@cress
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Post by Deleted on Dec 24, 2018 10:48:00 GMT -5
She smelled of ash and fire.
She smelled of death.
Yet that was not all. Her words burned in his ears, stirred the embers of hope that dwelled within. She spoke with a wisdom that bespoke years beyond her mortal appearance. His nose twitched with every inhale -- there was little doubt remaining in his mind that this was no human female. She was something far more... sinister in nature.
But what? I've never... encountered...
A thick haze slipped over his mind, coating his thoughts, turning them to mush as she stepped closer, providing a delectable view of her... figure. Something primordial stirred within him at the sight, and though she were inches away, Cress did not concede another inch. She not only stirred unfamiliar pangs of lust, but a sense of the familiar.
He'd be a fool to show weakness.
"You speak of the future as one intimate with a desire to change it," he said, once more crossing his arms as a final barrier against her encroaching whims. "Break the spokes, change the wheel, change destiny. I couldn't have said it better myself."
His grudging tone betrayed his reluctance to praise this stranger. She did not speak of changing the future in the sense of one with a desperate hope, such as himself. She spoke of it as one who would reach and grab the reigns of Fate, and wrestle it into submission until it suited her very will.
That was a rather dangerous philosophy. Cress did not want to control the universe -- only secure the status of Namek within it.
When she asked his name, he shifted from foot to foot, uncertainty in his gaze. Did it matter if he withheld his identity? He never used an alias when fighting in tournaments, nor selling his services as a mercenary. What would be different if she had come to view the tournament, and learned it then?
"I am Cress, a warrior-type from the Planet Namek. Namekians such as myself aren't uncommon, especially here on Earth. However... fortune does not seem to favor us where we go. We tend to be victims... I intend to change that. You want to know my purpose?"
He could not lift a hand before himself, otherwise he would find his hand plunged into the midst of her generous bosom. Instead, Cress lifted a hand to the side. Magenta light filled the alley for a moment as he manifested his own magic ability -- soon, he held the ornate shaft of a long, decorative spear in his hand.
It seemed to glow with an ambient light, pushing back against the darkness and the shadows that seemed to recoil in the presence of the weapon. A smirk tugged at his lips, his antennae twitching with anticipation as he hefted the weapon for the witch to admire.
"This is my purpose. A weapon forged that embodies the very will of Namek, and my brothers. With this, I will change Destiny. Even if it means plunging it into the heart of every foe that stands in my way."
With a flick of his wrist, the weapon disappeared. "In regards to darker magics, I was not born with a gift for magic. It was learned, from another earth witch, some years ago. I understand it's source is powerful, yet tainted with evil. I don't like using it, but I'd be a fool to reject any advantage that will help me achieve my purpose."
Cress hadn't spoken this much to anyone in a long time. It was as if her very presence soothed the words from his tongue. He didn't like it, not one bit.
"You seem just as tainted... now tell me, witch. What are you, truly?"
Tag: @amatricina | Word Count: 1,682
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Post by Deleted on Dec 24, 2018 15:06:04 GMT -5
Amatricina smiled coyly, nodding along in agreement as the warrior spoke."An astute observation, Stranger. But I do not have a desire to change the future. That word is nowhere near strong enough for me. I have an ambition, to bend the landscape of tomorrow to my very will." She admired ambition in mortals, it was a desire born from pride, wrath, or often, envy. All sins that the demoness found most agreeable. Those with ambition in their hearts, who yearned for more than they had or could possess. Those were the mortals most succeptible to demonic corruption. Be it a proud warrior, eager for power so he may a rival. Or an upstart nobleman, envious of king and his throne. Or a destitute beggar, greedy for wealth and the simple comforts it brought. All men willing to go to any lengths in pursuit of their goals, all three happily bargaining their soul for the glimmer of hope a demon's bargain brought them. All three sure to end up as little better than pawns, discarded and cast into the wind once they had fulfilled their purpose.
The witch's grin grew ever more sinister when she sensed the warrior's discomfort. He wore his emotions on his sleeve, his very posture telling her all she needed to know. This stranger was fast realizing he was in over his head. "Cress..." She stated simply, musing as she rubbed her chin. "A warrior of Namek, Hmm... I have not heard of your world, or your race. Though I have seen a token few members in the past. Some served in the Crusher Corps, as able bodied mercenaries. Others I saw were more lowly, refugees on the planet Ferusalem, eking out a living as farmers or knights. It seems your race wishes to be anywhere but Planet Namek." With that the demoness chuckled slightly to herself.
Amatricina took a step back as the warrior summoned his energy at his hand, instinctively striking a defensive posture as her eyes keenly studied him for the possibility of an attack. She watched curiously as the warrior Namekian summoned an ornate spear in hand. So... he too knew Magic Materialization, it was a rare and difficult technique to master, even among gifted magic wielders. It made the demon question what other, equally impressive abilities he had. The spear itself though, Amatricina did not like near as much as the power that willed it forth. It stood out defiantly against the darkness around them. Darkness was as much a part of her as the burning light of flame, and she despised anything so pure of purpose. The light of the weapon and antitheses of the own darkness that swirled around her black heart. She was glad to see it dispelled so easily, magic wielded with such noble purpose was detestable to the demon. This warrior was truly selfless, if that was the form of his weapon. When he spoke of his people as victims to be saved, brothers to be uplifted and shielded from the cold hand of Destiny, he meant it with all his heart.
"It is an elegant, regal weapon. Befitting of one with such... noble purpose." Amatricina said simply in response, it was true, even if she detested the spear in the brief few moments she'd witnessed it. If ever she forged a blade as an extension of her demonic will, she would want its beauty to be exceeded only by her own. A grim blade, in the fashion of the Demon Kings of old. For eighteen hundred years though, Amatricina had fought with her gilded, armored gauntlets as her preferred weapon. Razor sharp talons augment every punch and every slash, five daggers that tipped each hand as macabre jewelry of death. She had little desire to change what had worked for her for over a millennia.
"And that... is the statement of a True Warrior. Your purpose must be victory, for a soldier there should be not other acceptable outcome. Defeat should be an impossibility in the mind, and if you should face, face it honorably. Die Standing, defiant and proud as you fight with your last breath!" The warrior's own admission on plunging his spear into the heart of his foe's resonated deeply with the demoness. Amatricina's entire clan was a warrior race. Birthed in the image of the First Flame, so many millions of years ago. They had been their Warlord's legions, his blazing sword and crushing first. Marching across the Demon Realm carving out an empire in his name. When their progenitor was last to the hand of time, their purpose did not change or wave. Fire Demons are conquerors, they seek destruction, domination, and plunder. It is their way, their unyielding purpose. The similarity between the two send Amatricina into a brief moment of bravado with her speech. She raised her clenched fist to illustrate her point.
The demoness smiled coyly, brilliant blue eyes shimmering with the malevolence hidden behind their soft gaze. "Few beings are born with the gift of magic, Cress. Even those that are, must still train and practice for decades before they truly master their craft. My training is unending, I will never be proficient enough. There will always be more to learn, techniques to perfect, new powers to uncover. That, is the ambition of strength." The witch levitated slightly in the air, so she could meet the Namekian at eye level. Her slender hand reached out to cup the warrior's chin. Tilting his gaze to meet her own. Her delicate fingers far warmer than they had any right to be, hot as irons in a forge. Her long nails razor sharp, threatening to draw blood as they pressed against green skin. "You say dark magic is tainted with evil?" She asked sweetly, feigning innocence as she looked deep into the warrior's eyes.
"What is evil, if but a word? If dark power is wielded for a noble purpose, is it still... truly evil?" The witch let her words hang in the air for a moment. "These words, ideologies. Good, evil, just, unjust, moral, immoral. They are merely labels that mask the truth behind them. There are but two words you should concern yourself with. Selfless, and Selfish. Your purpose is selfless, is it not? You just said it yourself, you seek to defend your brothers from the cruelty of the hand fate has dealt you. You seek any advantage you can to achieve such a noble purpose. When dark magic is wielded by one so righteous... is it truly still... Dark?" Amatricina chuckled, relaxing her grip as she withdrew her hand. Her eyes suddenly shimmered once more, changing from a brilliant sky blue to a deep and sinister crimson. They began to glow with a fell, fiery orange light. "I am far from tainted. Tell me Cress, do you truly wish to know what I am? It is not for the faint of heart." Again Amatricina smiled, displaying her gleaming ivory fangs. Her tongue was not an Earthling's tongue. It was forked at its tip, like a serpents'. The demoness slowly allowing her guise to crack around the edges. Even her very words had become tinged with malevolence. They dripped like venom from her lips.
Word Count: 1,218
Total Word Count: 3,553
@cress
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Post by Deleted on Dec 24, 2018 21:18:39 GMT -5
Her fingers, though delicate, gripped like iron. Her nails pricked his skin, as if they were sharp talons, drawing pinpricks of purple blood. Her eyes glowed with an inner fire, flickering flames born of burning hatred. They spoke of a singular desire -- one who resolved themselves to the notion that all of life could be boiled down to one simple philosophy.
You were either prey or predator. And her predatory gaze was palpable.
His was an amateur mistake. He did not follow this witch into the alleyway of his own accord. It was a trap, plain and simple.
Lust coiled tightly around him. Adrenaline filled his muscles, fists curled with anticipation. Apprehension forced him to retreat a step or two, though his pride would not allow him to withdraw further.
Pride... and curiosity.
"Faint of heart? Warriors are cut from the same cloth. I can sense you're strong. And you can probably sense how strong I am, too." The hard line of his squared jaw went rigid with tension. "I don't like games. They are for children. I have neither the time or patience for this."
He squared his shoulders and pulled back his hood. A hard brow furrowed above crimson eyes that glared at the witch, an act of bravado he would not have attempted a moment ago. Intensity filled his harsh gaze.
"I am Cress of Namek. And I want to know just what the hell I'm dealing with here. In case you thought you'd lure me here as a victim, well..." A tiny smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth, the muscles in his neck popping as he crack it first one way, then the other. "You're about to have a bad day."
He didn't adopt a fighting stance, but his guard was up.
Cress would not be taken advantage of this day.
Tag: @amatricina | Word Count: 1,995
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Post by Deleted on Dec 24, 2018 23:04:22 GMT -5
Amatricina raised a hand to her mouth, suppressing a hearty chortle. "Strength is not the word I would use to describe you, Namekian. But you are head and shoulders above the vast majority of these pathetic excuses for mortals that inhabit this planet. If the rest of your planet's warriors match your strength, then I may actually be impressed." This much was all true, at present Cress' strength seemed similar to that of an elite warrior of the Fire Demon Clan. But just that, a warrior, a soldier. He did not hold a candle to Amatricina or her dread siblings, each of which held the power to tangle with the mightiest Super Saiyans the demoness had encountered. The demon hopped back, putting space between the two warriors as she continued her monologue. "So be it then, oh mighty Cress of Namek. Too mighty a warrior to be worth wasting his time on a humble witch. No games then, only harsh truths."
As the witch spoke her attire began to change. The ebony clothing of her hat, top, and pants began to radiate a thick, pervasive smoke that clung to the ground in a dense miasma. She opened her mouth to laugh, more haze billowing from her lips in a thick plume. "I tire of this mortal guise, Cress of Namek. Just as I tire of your overblown threats." With that the demoness tossed back her hair, snapping her fingers as a pyre of burning hellfire enshrouded her form. It burned away from the ground up, revealing the demon's true form beneath the flames as it dissipated. Armored crimson knee high boots trimmed in gold covered the demoness' legs, with dark violet leggings beneath. She sported a matching pair of armored gauntlets on her hands, crimson metal trimmed in gold with long dagger like talons. Her upper arms were bare, save for thick gold bands she wore. Her midriff was similarly bare, and a large armored brassiere of crimson metal etched in gold trimmings covered the demoness' considerable bust. A matching set of pauldrons graced her slender shoulders, fastened to an enormous great-cloak with a dense white fur collar. The garment stretched down her back to kiss the floor.
Amatricina's face remained unchanged, though her ruby ponytail unraveled into its usual length mane of hair. More importantly though, her crown of horns were revealed in full. They jutted from the back of her skull, four grim black horns. The upper set larger, thicker than her arm and the lower, smaller set as thick as her wrist. They were covered in golden bands and hoops, adorned in bells and jewels that jingled softly to announce the demon's commanding presence. Her full, voluptuous form revealed the demoness stood tall and regal, a proud warlord of a proud clan. "Show me then." She practically purred, "Just how bad my day will be."
With that the demoness vanished from sight, moving fast enough to leave behind only an after image. She appeared before Cress a split second later, mouthing a kiss even as her hand reached out for his throat. The demoness' right hand clutched tight around the Namekian's throat, her left reaching out as her talons glowed with fell demonic light. She slashed downwards, tearing open a dimensional rift with one cleave through the very air itself. The demonic portal tore open, revealing the shining skies of a tropical island beyond. Bunbuku Island, and with that Amatricina threw Cress through the portal with her vast demonic strength. Hard enough to send him hurtling towards the ground like a meteor towards the jungles below. She herself dived through the rift after him, the great cloud of demonic smoke that filled the alleyway pouring through after her. It was as much a part of her being as the rest of her.
Amatricina emerged through the rift, smiling ear to ear, her miasma wafting around her as she hovered a mile above her isle. It sealed shut behind her, leaving no trace the hole in reality had even existed. The demoness scanned the ground below for the Namekian's energy, eyes dilating when she found him. "There you are!" She cackled, raising a hand and sending out a dense pillar of her miasma thundering towards her 'opponent.' Her Dark Miasma, a corrupting demonic smoke born of the ancient Tuffle weapon Destron Gas absorbed by the demoness and further enhanced with her own dark magic. It was debilitating, though hardly destructive compared to the rest of her arsenal. She was in too good of a mood to kill this foolish warrior, the Demon intended to play with her food like a cat playing with a cornered mouse.
Word Count: 788
Total Word Count: 4,341
@cress
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Post by Deleted on Dec 25, 2018 10:54:25 GMT -5
His body wove and stitched itself back together. The demon woman's attack caught him by surprise. He'd clawed at her iron grip, but was already being thrown before his warrior mind could comprehend what was taking place.
A mound of rubble rested on top of him, the earth cracked and fissured from the impact of his heavy frame. Cress made no move to exit the pile of debris, hidden in the dust cloud that had risen from his fall. He knew he needed a plan if he were going to survive.
She was a demon. The searing flames of the tunnel that enveloped her was a dead giveaway, and should he need more proof, the blackened, twisted horns that crowned her regal, ruby head would suffice. How had he gotten himself into this mess? There was no time to lament his poor decisions. For now, Cress needed to understand what it was he was dealing with.
He heaved aside a giant slab of earth, emerging from his makeshift cocoon. His white cloak was more disheveled than before, stained with streaks of dirt and ash. Pain lanced through his shoulder, which absorbed the brunt of his hard landing. Cress winced as he reached with his opposite hand, popping his shoulder back into place.
Cress spat a gob of blood onto the ground, taking a moment to observe his surroundings. The clear blue sky persisted, only he found himself surrounded with tropical plants and trees. Cress glanced up to appraise his kidnapper who floated in the air above him. His brow rose, a sharp gasp of surprise escaping him. Her power level had skyrocketed. It far surpassed his, and he suspected it wasn't even the full brunt of her strength.
He'd been thrown into the lair of a true monster.
Dark gases plumed before him. Cress covered his mouth, dodging out of the way. The smoke seemed to have a mind of its own, thin tendrils curling after him, causing his eyes to water and burn. His aura flared around him in powered flight as he launched himself into the air, making a beeline for the demoness. Cress stop short once he reached her same height, a sparse few meters to separate them.
A raspy cough escaped his lungs without permission, and he fought with concentrated effort to ignore the side effects that stemmed from the toxic gas he'd inhaled. "That was a dirty trick. I believed warriors fought with honor. I see now you're no warrior, but a demon spawned from Hell!"
Anger sharpened and steeled his resolve as he squared up against her, body shifting seamlessly into a fighting stance.
"I'm no match for you, I get that now. You're pretty damn impressive. But if you expect me to play along, you could at least do me the honor of giving me your name."
With those words, he launched himself forward, throwing a flurry of punches and kicks in her direction. He was being rather forward considering the power gap between them. All the more reason to attack straight on in lieu of some crafty strategy that simply would not work against her.
Tag: @amatricina | Word Count: 2,541
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Post by Deleted on Dec 25, 2018 13:58:38 GMT -5
The Demon Lord grinned to herself as the Namekian picked himself up and continued his futile struggle. She crossed her arms beneath her bust, watching silently as the warrior flew up to grace her once more with her presence. Her Dark Miasma connected to her cloak like her own shadow, a long mooring line of ebony smoke that now trailed down to the isle below. She withdrew the ruinous power back into her form, smirking as she did so. Her mastery of her own dark magic was so far beyond this mortal, it reminded her of pummeling castle imps in her youth. When the demoness opened her mouth to speak, her words were malevolent and tinged with malice. "Hardly. There is no such thing as a 'dirty trick' in the heat of battle. It was among the first lessons my father taught me. Warriors fight to win. Victory is what they fight for, honor is a luxury unfit for the battlefield." The demon vanished from sight again, reappearing rapidly over and over again in dozens of different places as she demonstrated just how rapidly she could move. Too fast for Cress to properly track, not at his current power level anyways. "This is merely my normal state, you'd be able to react to such... mundane movements were you simply stronger."
The Dark Miasma pooled out from under the demon's cloak again, wreathing her in darkness as she held out her hands and chuckled to herself. "And this? My Dark Miasma, this is paltry compared to the full extent of my dark magics." She did not even attempt to dodge the Namekian's furious barrage of punches. Instead simply shifting her head, tilting her body so they missed by mere millimeters as she continued to gloat. She let the last one almost strike her, before catching the warrior's fist with her own hand, her expression darkening. The demoness' gaze quickly shifted from haughty superiority to seething irritation at her opponent using her race as an insult. She lunged forward, grabbing the Namekian by the throat once more with her right hand. "I am a demon, you ignorant mortal. But demons are not from Hell!" She loathed the ignorance of mortals in her origin, they confused Hell for her beloved Demon Realm. Her fingers squeezed tighter, drawing thick rivets of blood. "Hell, Mortal, is where the souls of the damned suffer eternal. It is a prison, warded over by ogres. Beneath even the attention of the Kais. I am born of the Demon Realm, as are all my kind. It is another dimension entirely, a dark mirror to your own realm. I am far worse than anything that crawled out of the pits on Hell. You'd do well to remember that."
With that Amatricina drove her free hand into the Namekians chest, it burst out the back clutching his still beating heart in her hand. The organ continued to beat desperately, squirting purple blood as it did. Amatricina smiled coyly, feeling the fleeting warmth of the flesh she held in her hand. She withdrew her arm, slicked with blood up to her elbow. In one motion she raised the now silent heart to her mouth, taking a rich meaty bite of the tender flesh. She chewed twice, swallowing with a content sigh. "Your race tastes better than earthlings do. Your bodies less polluted by the myriad of chemicals these vermin so readily ingest. I'll be sure to make a mental note of that for the future." The Fire Demon said as she licked the blood from her lips, before taking another bite of the warrior's heart as if it were a hand fruit. "Listen well Mortal. You requested my name, and I am happy to oblige." The demoness relaxed her grip, so her prey could breath easier, to better appreciate his last moments among the living. The wound from his chest bleeding profusely, she imagined he was not long for this world.
Ruby lips parted, and malevolent crimson eyes practically bored a hole in the warrior's eye sockets with their intensity. "You stand before Amatricina the Avaricious, Eldest Daughter of the late Lord Tartaros, Warlord of the Fire Demon Clan." There was a pause, and a flash of baleful ambition shimmered in the demon's eyes. "...And someday soon, Queen of the Demon Realm. Bask Mortal, before the the grandeur of the ruler of the Fire Demon Clan." With that Amatricina blew the Namekian a kiss, a literal fiery kiss that branded a kiss shaped burn mark on the green skinned warrior's cheek. The hand at Cress' throat loosened, gilded talons sliding cleaning out of neck as blood oozed from the wounds. The Demon Lord stood patiently, suspended in midair as she waited for the foolish mortal before her to bleed out from his injuries and expire.
Word Count: 812
Total Word Count: 5,153
@cress
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Post by Deleted on Dec 25, 2018 18:47:20 GMT -5
I've... failed them...
I-I've... failed t-them all...
His descent felt slow, as if the air grew thick and viscous. His body felt hollow without the steady rhythmic beat of his heart, being devoured by that monster.
Amatricina...
Cold tendrils of death wrapped him in a cocoon of frigid regret. Things could not end this way. Cress was the liberator of his people -- a prideful, selfless warrior who fought only for the sake of his planet.
Was it his destiny to be just another hapless victim in the spokes of the ever churning wheel of destiny? Did the gods despise him and his people? Was it their destiny to be spat upon, mocked in derision, slaughtered like helpless lambs?
Would he allow things to end in such a way?
A small spark of hope burned in him. The tremendous pain sharpened his fluttering consciousness, and with the remainder of his failing strength, Cress focused on a single image.
He focused on Namek.
And from Namek, he drew his will.
"I... will not end... this day!"
Power erupted from him, the visible flow of his aura wild and chaotic. It emanated his warrior's spirit, thrummed with hope and desire. He let out a pained yelp as his mind returned to the present and registered the full brunt of the damage he'd taken. The gaping hole in his chest cavity began to mend itself, though at a slower pace than if it had been a severed or destroyed limb.
Cress landed on his feet far below Amatricina, a ward of the island once more.
The pain in his chest began to subside, as well as the punctured wounds that lined his throat. The steady tha-thump of his regenerated heart reassured Cress that his will, and the will of Namek's people, would live on.
"Amatricina, Warlord of the Fire Demon Clan."
He removed the remains of his cloak and upper portion of his fighting gi, exposing his heavily muscled upper body. His arms and chest rippled with nervous tension.
"You're not the only one who can claim to be born of a Demon Clan. And it's going to take more than ripping out my heart to end me—"
Pain lanced through his chest, stealing the very words from his lips. Eyes thrown wide, Cress doubled over, arms wrapped protectively against his body. His vision began to swim in and out of focus, every staggering step forward sending him stumbling through the coastal sands.
N-No... This can't be it...
It was no easy feat to stave off death. Despite his amazing regenerative abilities -- deemed noteworthy even amidst his own warrior kind -- his body had reached its limit.
The big Namekian toppled over, landing face down in the sand. Darkness swirled at the edge of his consciousness. He was going to pass out from the strain that healing such a grave injury placed on his mind and body.
Perhaps, if Cress were lucky, she would let him live.
The icy waters stung his body, washing over him, lulling him into the waters surrounding the island as strong currents swept him under the choppy waves. The world became dark and muted as he disappeared beneath the surface of the water.
Tag: @amatricina | Word Count: 3,080
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Post by Deleted on Dec 25, 2018 22:20:07 GMT -5
Amatricina thought the warrior dead, slain like so many mortals before him. Another tally on the demon's innumerable body count. She watched him fall, still clutching his now silent heart. The demoness lightly flambéd the namekian's heart with her fire breath, searing it a perfect temperature before continuing to eat it like a hand fruit. She could feel his power level diminishing, the ki flickering off his aura like a flame being snuffed out by cold winds. This Cress of Namek was finished, he had not even laid a hand on the demoness. This was the fate of all mortals who gained the demoness' ire, she had absolutely no quarrels or remorse for her slaughter. She raised an eyebrow, mouth full of another bite as she slowly chewed, swallowing as the Namekian finished his defiant statement.
So he lives!? The demon thought to herself, sensing the surge of power flaring within the 'dying' warrior. In spite of his fatal wounds, the Namekian's power level continued to climb and his soul overflowed with unbound emotion. Hope, Desire, Pride, emotions of the noble flooded through the green skinned being. Amatricina was slightly dumbfounded, but still managed to learn her mouth forward and take another bite from her bloody snack. To her surprise the warrior actually landed on his feet, despite the steady stream of blood pouring from his chest. She descended a few hundred feet, though still hovered a ways over him. The demoness watched in stunned surprise as the Namekian simply regrew his missing heart. So this race of Namek, these Namekians. They commanded impressive natural regenerative powers? Amatricina was silently envious, though her race could regenerate missing limbs, and undo damage, they did so with dark magics. It was not a natural process, and was not a biological response to trauma. Amatricina reached a hand up to touch her larger horn on the right side of her head. The very one Carambolis had snapped off and speared through her gut when they fought. She had regrown it, but the sight of this regeneration still made the old wound itch with a phantom pain.
The demoness listened to the proud warrior's defiance. Her eyes narrowed, and she quickly finished her most recent bite of his heart with a hasty swallow. "Clearly you are correct." She said simply, looking down at the healed warrior. It seemed this feat had taken a lot out of Cress though. His power level was diminishing, his ki once more fading. Already he was staggering at his feet, struggling just to remain standing. "Your tenacity is admirable, Namekian." Amatricina said, giving the Namekian a coy grin as she watched him collaspe on the beach. She let out a sigh, watching as the waves began to carry his limp body out to sea. It was an undignified end to a warrior, noble or otherwise. Cress had impressed Amatricina with both his natural abilities and his will to live. His defiance of her reminded her of her defiance of Carambolis, and she felt a pang of sympathy.
Amatricina reached out her free hand, clenching her fingers slightly as she mentally grabbed the Namekian with her telepathy. She hoisted his unconscious body up to eye level, reaching out a hand to touch at where she had pulled out his heart. "Impressive... Most impressive..." She stated simply as she withdrew her hand. "So they can do naturally what the Kabochans can only do with Sap from the Tree of Might. I need look into this Race of Namek more... they are far more interesting than Earthlings or Kabochans." With that Amatricina discarded Cress, literally. She hurled his limp body with the flick of her wrist, sending it hurling like a sack of bricks into the dense jungles of Bunbuku Isle below. She cared not what became of it, but at least Cress would not simply die face down in the surf. Perhaps he'd live to die a more dignified death, perhaps he'd expire from his injuries even after regenerating. Whatever it was, she did not care. Amatricina had bestowed upon him a sliver of kindness.
With that concluded, the demoness took her free hand and sliced through the fabric of dimensions with her claws. Creating a new Dimensional Rift, this one opening on the bridge of the Arioch, the personal warship of Dain Sincara. She had need of her Super Saiyan Acolyte. She wished to ask him what he knew of Namek and its people. With that the Demon Lord stepped through the demonic portal, still eating the last bites of her snack. She vanished in an instant from the Earth, her vast power level disappearing as the portal closed behind her. Cress was spared from her wrath, given the rarity of a second chance. Something Amatricina herself had once been given. The wheel of time, and its many matching spokes.
Word Count: 820
Total Word Count: 5,973
@cress
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