Rurik had finished walking a line in front of the flag area, from side-to-side of the arena. It tapered off towards the flag zone, so it hadn't been a long walk. He'd then decided that since the enemy team was taking their sweet time to take a stroll over to the middle of the arena while he was still feeling helpful.
And then Bak started panicking.
"What? I'm not doing anything..." He grumbled mostly to himself. Her concern was nice, he supposed...? But why was she freaking out, it wasn't like he was going to the other side of the arena, and nothing was even happening! Wait, what? Heat? Disregarding Bak's frantic shouting, he walked closer to the dividing walls, and indeed he could faintly feel some heat radiating through from the other side of the arena. It had caused a warm breeze to begin blowing through the gap in the wall, fighting against Christine's cold.
Braving the battling elements, he stuck his head into the corridor between the dividers. At that same moment, he saw Andras enter through the other gap in the walls... with a...
"Is... that... an angel?" Rurik's eyes went wide. What exactly were this. . . girl's? Boy's? He hadn't been paying attention to the other matches so he had no idea what Andras was. But he also had no idea what Andras's powers were, but they looked annoying to deal with if she/he had that following her/him.
It was time to take Bak's advice after all. He paused for just a moment at the gap in the wall, and then half-hurried half-walked over to Christine. He hadn't been walking around seemingly aimlessly for no reason. Anyone he didn't like who stepped in the places he'd stepped was in for a surprise.
"Don't waste your strength cooling things down," Rurik told her. "Just let them come to us where you'll have the advantage." If they wanted their side of the arena to be a sauna, then they could have it. The temperature of the arena was the least of their worries right now.
Their team wasn't exactly mobile, so they'd have to be on the defense for now. It also meant he'd have more bodies between him and the enemy if they stayed together...
"Rurik? You're not going over to their side?" Christine asked, tilting her head in confusion.
"Ah, I see. So you decide it would be best for us to stay on the defensive and wait for them to come here instead of the other way around. Alright then! I can go with that!" she replied cheerfully after Rurik explained his plan. "You know, I actually have been thinking of a new technique that would be perfect for this situation. Watch!"
Without warning, cold, pale hands appeared below Rurik, grabbing his legs before freezing it.
"As long as there's snow on the ground, I can spring this trap on the opponent!" she said with a smile.
The car finally came to a stop, after having received a couple of bumps here and there from speedbumps, pedastrians with shopping carts and the ocassional children's football which happened to roll out into the road and gotten flattened.
"Ahh.. here we are... oh too bad you are too entangled to see where exactly this is, but this is one of my little nest. Don't worry, I'll take good care of my guests." He said with a smirk followed by a 'Hmph!'.
Galbrek parked the car quite a distance from his outpost, but he could clearly see it. Later he would order that damn Fegin to drive the car elsewhere, but for now he had a more important task finding Adam and Galbrek himself having a prisoner to take care of. After surveying his surroundings he dragged Vera out of the car, trying to make it seem somewhat normal.
Fucking shit. I need to make this seem less suspicious.
The half-demon loathed the idea, but he had to make sure none suspected anything. So he leaned down and picked up Vera in a princess carry. Followed by a soft 'Humph' sound as he felt just how heavy she was. "What have you eaten human? You weight as much as... something fucking heavy. Don't think I'm doing this to save you from walking. If Adam were here he would be the one to do this. This is all his fucking fault if my back gets broken it's his damn buisness..."
The half-demon angrily walked over with his catch in a carry neither he nor she likely liked the slightest.
"Don't get too comfortable..." He muttered in a irritated way as he spotted the stairs leading up to the door.
Why must my life be so fucking hard? Really gods? Really why must these fucking stairs always be in my way?
After alot of a struggle he managed to get up the stairs and unlock the door before leading Vera inside.
The building was outside wise looking very slum like but inside it was nearly royally decorated, Vera was ultimately placed on a nearby couch that was actually comfy. Not because Galbrek ever considered her wellbeing that much, but rather his own back he wouldn't want to bend down to place her on the floor. He was not a laborer or a filthy human peasant after all.
"Frr jfft ffkng wfkk!" (You're just fucking weak!) Vera growled through the cloth gag in her mouth as he complained about her weight. She swung her feet so she was in a sitting position once she'd been dropped on the couch. She was gagged and cuffed, and she'd gotten a taste of his strings earlier, so she knew there was no point in making a break for it. She was fairly confident she could outrun him if the opportunity ever arose, but right now it had not. He obviously had shit cardio, but she wasn't going to complain. Now it was just a matter of waiting. Wolf would save her. Once he realized she was missing, he'd find her and kick this bastard's ass... she just hoped she didn't have to wait too long. What was this guy planning to do with her in the meantime?
The half-demon panted abit but shortly after coughed into his hand and adjusting his hair. He began to laugh shortly after.
"Ah yes! Finally things are going my way! Hah! Take that William! You hear me?! Hahahaha!" He stopped mid laughter to turn to Vera before assuming a more formal stance and serious look on himself.
"Now then... let's take that gag off, but do behave will you?" Galbrek moved in to take the cloth away from Vera's mouth. "After all.. what fun would it be not hearing your thoughts. Besides no matter how hard you scream in here, no one can hear you. I've had Adam reinforce the walls to make them soundproof. You never know when you have guests that needs to be taught a lesson." The half-demon began to walk back and forth before removing his coat to hang it on a chair.
"You see... I never kind of were after you at all, but your friend William had to meddle in my affairs and thus he pulled you right into this. So if you want the name of your malefactor, there you have it! Had he not hindered my capture of that girl Andras you wouldn't have been here. Ahh, also if you had not known Andras or William you wouldn't be in this situation at all."
Galbrek turned to his table to pour a glass of wine to himself, he threw a glance over his shoulder. He found her overall look quite pitiful. Enought to make him ask her. "Do you want a drink? This is fully illegal mind you for people of our age. But as you can see, I don't care very much about the human laws." The half-demon took a sip from his wine and then looked closer at Vera.
"You see... I want Andras. She's the key to all manner of things I want, but people like William or Wolfie gets in my way. Or that idiotic ice user friend of his. I think he might even be from Mephisto's. Oh who would care. I don't concern myself with petty school fights when theres more grand things to gain. Oh and I feel really sorry for you. Those you call friends don't really help you at all."
He walked around the couch to speak lower to her. "William and Andras put you in harms way. Wolfie was unable to protect you. Oh but the greatest betrayal of all is from dear Meredith whose going to bring me Andras. For the little price of... you being gone."
Galbrek allowed a soft smile to form on his lips as if he had waited for that one. "Oh she wants that Wolfie as her own. Oh the dumb bitch can have him, gets another fool out of my buisness. Not to mention I can send dear William after Meredith later for her friendly sacrifices. Wonderful plan isn't it?"
"You know... I'd say you should let me go for your own sake, but honestly, at this point... I kinda wanna see this play out. I mean, the more you talk, the more I want to see the look on your face when you realize how badly you've fucked up," Vera said. The first few words out of her mouth were shaky. The revelation of Meredith's betrayal was rather surprising. Not that she liked Wolf, no, Vera had known that pretty much from day one. Some people might have called it misguided jealousy, her being an unreasonable woman, but no... Meredith's feelings had always been obvious. This just confirmed it beyond any doubt. She'd just never thought she'd go this far. "All these grand plans, Galbrek. You really think you can bull your way through all on your own? You're not that smart, and you're definitely not that strong." If only looks could kill... he'd be dead already.
The half-demon cackled shortly. "Hah! I should let you go? Why would I do such a thing when I stand so much to gain?" Galbrek reached out his hand to try grab Vera under her chin to forcefully lift it up abit to stare at her face.
"You say that but your voice betrays you, Pink. I have all the cards in my hand now. And you are afraid and hurt no doubt, wanting revenge on the person who has wounded you so deeply no?" He gave a slight grin as he stared right into Vera's face. "Oh and I am very certain I can pull my way through this plan just fine enough once I have Andras in my hands. As for you questioning my grand wit and brawn is quite appalling."
Pondering for a moment the leecherous half-demon hatched a simple plan. "How about we see how long you can keep that false mask up?" The half-demon walked over to a nearby dresser located in the room. "Ahh, scissors. Much things you can do with these. A new haircut perhaps?" This was his time of payback for the spray she had shot in his face earlier, not to mention he wanted to see her break.
"I don't need to do a damn thing. I can just sit here and wait while your time slowly ticks away, because it's not about what you stand to gain, but what you're about to lose. How much do you really know about the people you're pissing off, hm?" Vera asked him. "Actually, forget it, I'm curious, Galbrek. Where does all this confidence come from? You're just so full of yourself, but it took everything you had just to kidnap little old me. I don't even have powers. You act like you're all that, but your just barely floundering your way to the smallest victories..." She did her best to swallow her concerns as he pulled out the scissors. Hopefully he really did just mean a haircut. Hair grew back...
"That's right. Even if you wanted to do a damn thing you really can't now. I know enough of what I need to know, I mean... do you concern yourself in naming each individual ant you happen to step on? Giving them all names and all that? Hmph!" He scoffed and walked closer with the scissors.
"Tch. Shut that mouth of yours, you are a human. A human we hate very much. If it were not for your kinds bloodthirsty nature I wouldn't have to do all this. But because someone had to exploit my brother's good will-" Galbrek gritted his teeth and snapped back to the task at hand. "Enough of that. Now it's time for you to feel some defeat."
He reached for the top of Vera's shirt and began to cut off the top part around her shoulder to reveal her shoulder and collarbone. "Ten little cuts were out on a trip, one happened to slip and then it was only nine..." The half-demon paused to watch Vera's reaction before grabbing the bottom of her shirt before using the scissor to cut halfway up the shirt away from her, before letting it go to reveal her belly.
"Nine little cuts pissed off the wrong half-demon and one got split up from the rest and then it was only eight..."
"Oh no, you cut my shirt. Please, now I'm just ready to go out clubbing. Can we fast forward through the last eight cuts? I'd like to see where this is going before I fall asleep," Vera stared at him, totally deadpan. "And here I thought I might at least get a new hairstyle out of this," she scoffed. "So what, you're a scary half-demon with a dead brother? Boo hoo, poor baby. But hey, if you really miss him that much, keep going and you'll be joining him in no time." She wondered if going so far was really a good idea, but she'd bottomed out on sympathy. "My boyfriend kills real demons, a half-ass like you will be light exercise at most."
Galbrek gritted his teeth and grabbed Vera by her shirt in obvious irritation, his eye twitching abit as he took a couple of breaths. Trying to calm down but hearing Vera talk about his dead brother and calling him a half-ass of all things.
"That fucking does it..." The half-demon replied before he cut off the last part of her shirt to cause it to fall off. "The only clubbing you get is clubbing in the head you dolt!" Galbrek hissed before slamming a nearby vase over, sending pieces flying.
"Maybe I should remove it all indeed." Galbrek continued and this time cutting off the strings of her bra. "Let see how long you can keep that prideful nature up!" He snarled and kept cutting off parts of her garments.
While at it he looked at her belly. "Well that's fucking odd. You are heavy but not fat. Is it the thickheadedness or your... yes.. probably those things." The half-demon grunted and then smirked. "Imagine if someone would take pictures of you in this current situation? Ahh yes! I should arrange that and send one to dear Wolfie as a little farewell gift... from one enemy to another."
"Why thank you. I really try," she smirked as Galbrek was perplexed by her waistline. She felt an uncomfortable burning in her face, but fortunately her bra was still barely clinging on, though it wouldn't take much for it to slip now that the straps had been cut. He didn't deserve to ogle her like that... "So, was your plan to sexually harass me? Because that's a pretty shitty plan." She was glad she'd gone through her rebellious phase, though. Or rather, she'd never come out of it. Point being, she'd worn all manner of questionable outfits and was rather comfortable showing off. It helped her keep her cool. It wasn't as easy as she'd have liked, though.
She was realizing quickly that this was different. The more he chopped away at her clothes, the more she hated it. It was being force on her, or rather off of her. She fought off the urge to bite her lip or otherwise show that it was starting to eat at her. She clung onto the thought that he'd come save her. That everything that was done to her would be paid back ten times over.
She grit her teeth. Somehow that one little piece of fabric had seemed to be what was holding her together. Everything else was out of control, but it was like that little strap had been the last thing she'd had. She wasn't one to break easily, but suddenly she went from cocky to wanting to cry in the span of moments. But she was stubborn. Even that stubbornness cracked a little at a clattering sound. He must have been caught up in his ranting, but when the bra fell away, her cellphone fell from where it had just barely been staying in place. It hit the couch, wobbled, and then slid to the floor.
"Feeling awfully high and mighty? How typically human... makes me despise the fact I am partly human myself. To my great shame." Galbrek snorted abit and got kicked away by Vera as he stood too close. "Oof..." He allowed to escape his lips.
"You fierce little thing.. I shall make you submit.. one way or the other."
Vera squirmed and fought a bit, but finally went limp, biting her lip until it hurt, trying to focus on the pain instead. And after far longer than she'd have liked it gave her an idea. Her legs shot out and wrapped around his waist. "Fine... you wanna go?" her words were husky and sensual, but even so she glared into his eyes, her ferocity finally coming back. She leaned in... and then bit down on his nose as hard as she could.
"Hnff! Argh.. let's go.. I still have much to- Arghhh!" He screamed out as his nose was bit, he replied by using his strings to grab her arm and twist it so she would have to let go. "Let go! Damn you!" He pulled and tried to get loose from her bite. She did bite, he was right before. She was now going to pay when he got lose, no more holding back.
Vera cried out through her teeth as her arm was twisted, but she gave one, final, vicious jerk of her head, aiming to break his nose before she was forced to let go. Once she'd let go she began kicking and flailing as hard as she could, trying to keep him away from her as long as possible. "I'LL FUCKING KILL YOU, YOU SICK FUCK!"
"Tcch... fucking shit... shit... arghhh... my nose you... I didn't want to do this but now you've really done it!" His nose had taken a big damage and he had a nosebleed which he wiped using some papers by a nearby table. "Shit- fuck... my shirt is completely ruined..."
"You really are all monsters!" she choked out. "They should have kill you too! He'll do it! He'll kill all of you!" She continued to struggled, trying to twist and pull away from him. "You're all rotten!" He was a maniac and a pervert, and Meredith had turned against them. In the end, they were all just monsters. It was only a matter of time... eventually they'd just snap and show their true colors. All their trust had been thrown in their face and now she was paying for it.
"All those you called friends have betrayed you, sold you out or not taken you into consideration. But to be fair... are we really the monsters in a world where you humans dictate the laws and look down on outcasts... why do you think theres more than one school of superpower wielding people? Because they are all bloodthirsty and craving death. " Do not worry however, Pink. I shall give you an offer to serve me, but first I have to pay you back for spraying my face... biting me and so forth. Not to mention your friends being the reason for you being here... don't you want revenge? I can help you get it later... sweet revenge with Meredith's head on a plate... how about it?
"Wolfie kill me? Don't be conceited... and even if he does... do you really think I am the last one of the chain on hatred?"
"Stand still damn you! Why the shit are you so damn persistant?!" Galbrek yelled out and grabbed hold of a nearby vase with a motif of a demon, he was about to throw it but reconsidered and picked a pitcher instead, throwing it at a painting which hung up just above the fireplace located in the room.
"Why can't I break her?! No matter! I shall find some other use for you. I shall have one of the others do my bidding in order to save you... now hows that for a guilt trip? Ah yes, I should have Wolfie kill someone... someone like... ahh yes... William. It will solve so much for me..."
The half-demon walked back and forth and then looked at the large wall clock, before dragging his hand over his face until realizing he had recently touched a human which disgusted him slightly that he felt a strong urge for more wine. He walked over to Vera and snapped all the strings keeping her attached, leaving her only wearing the cuffs. "Hmph... however I cannot let you leave here, not until I have my brand new toy."
The half-demon went over to a nearby chair, taking a blanket that rested on it and a pillow, throwing it to Vera. "Take that and you will stay in this room over here..." Galbrek snarled abit as he said that, it irked him that she had proved so much a challenge. He picked up her phone along the way, looking it over before pocketing it, before he opened the door to an adjacent room, this room was decorated with many mannequinns and doll masks, including a couch aswell as a fruit basket over by a work table,. Most of the fruit was actually grapes and oranges.
Galbrek took out the key for the cuffs he had gotten from the guardsman which provided the cuffs for the feet, he tried them at the ones around Vera's wrists and uncuffed her. "Now behave in here... don't try to run away or I'll be very very angry."The half-demon reached up to touch his nose and cursed under his breath on his way out of the window lacking room with the doll masks decorating it. He began to check the contacts in Vera's phone if there was no password on it.
Vera wrapped herself in the blanket, sniffling and shivering after the ordeal. So close. If she'd been just a little weaker... she didn't want to think about that. Meanwhile, the phone would have just as strongly rejected Galbrek's advances. After all, what self-respecting teenage girl didn't lock their phone?
"Fucking hell shit!" Galbrek loudly yelled at trying password after password without success. "Adam, you bastard where are you? He could test all the combinations with his fucking sparetime. Screw it all!" Galbrek began to light the fireplace. "If you won't be mine, then you shall burn fucking technology shit."He breathed out deeply and then allowed himself to sink into a soft chair by the fireplace, while he waited for it to begin to burn. He threw a glance to the left and right.
Fegin had prepared food earlier that day before he set off, now was as good a time as any to get it, he went to the kitchen after locking the door out to the hallway that led to the entrance. He couldn't afford to lose Vera now when he was so close to getting Andras. He washed his face in the kitchen while he was at it, aswell as his hands. With the occassional curse at his clothes being ruined, he returned to the dining hall with drinks and food. He set it down on the table and sat down. The silence. He looked around and began humming. Before he grabbed his head and yelled out in rage. "Shit! Why is it so damn quiet… "
He swiftly rose up and took the tray with the food into the room Vera was in, walking in as if he owned the place. And well he did. He put the tray down on the work desk. "Food and drink. I don't like my prisoner to starve to death."
Vera didn't even look up, only shrinking away from him. "I won't... be here... that long..." she mumbled to herself. She had to believe that or she'd lose it.
"Who knows. Depends on Meredith and how quickly she can get Andras to me. I have need of her powers. Nothing else." Galbrek replied as he reached up to inspect a doll head he had worked on some year ago, he took it down, looking it over before seeing the imperfection and thus he threw it away in a corner of the room.
"If it is of any comfort to you, I too know how it feels like to be betrayed by your friends. Mine burned my brother alive, he whom was their very champion... and that's what he got in return for his kindness. This world is not kind at all, the only way to make it in this world is to be merciless or perish. Do you think I made it this far just be sheer luck alone? Oh no no, I've fought for all this. And once Andras is in my grasp, I shall bring back what was taken from me and I shall drown this world and all humans along with it."
"For it's what they deserve. But you couldn't understand that because you are one of them... Pink. You said it yourself, you call us all monsters."
"You're acting like one..." Vera said quietly. The million, angry quips still swam through her mind, but were currently drowned. It was all she could muster. "So why shouldn't I?"
"Hmph. We are all shaped by our surroundings, human. Do you think I wanted to live like this?" He took hold of another doll face that hung from the ceiling., this one was only half-done and was more like a face mask. "Perhaps that's what I have been doing all along." He moved the doll face to his own face. "How could you tell an act from the real thing? How could you separate what is a lie? How far do you think some are willing to go in order to get what they want?" Galbrek laughed and spun around, throwing the doll-faced mask to a nearby wall. "Sometimes the best way to avoid being consumed is by denying you have been. Living in a lie, in play or story. Trying to avoid that hot little needle which will make the very real world so fucking plain and... painful to bear."
"You have seen it haven't you? How some turn to all manner of poisons... why? Hah! Because they know it's very much hopeless to do anything about this wretched world and the misery and despair is devouring them. If you truly want worth in your life, you should consider joining forces with me, Pink."
"All you're telling me is that you let the world turn you into the very thing you hate. Why would I ever join someone that weak?" She narrowed her eyes. "I already have someone. You're not the only one who has suffered. We'll see who came out stronger."
"Tch.. " Galbrek gritted his teeth and gave a somewhat disapproving look to Vera. "Shut up! I am not weak at all, I managed to pull down that damn airship the Ascot idiots were flying about with. I singlehandedly- No, I don't have to explain my superiority to you... it's already plain. Defined at birth. Just like everything else. " Galbrek adjusted his shirt, unbuttoning the top button so he could breathe more freely. "What makes you strong, human? Why do you not submit yourself to me?" He asked this time with a serious tone in his voice. "You don't have any power at all and still you defy me?" It baffled him to say the least, someone whom did not have any power was resisting his hypnotic gaze, not only that but managing to spray him, hit him, kick him and bite him. And despite all the things she has been put through she still refuses to give in. "Who are you, human?"
She scoffed, "Defined at birth? I could have said that... I could have just let everything be handed to me." She shook her head. "If you must know, it's because when life told me who I should be... I said 'No.'" And then, for just a moment, she found the strength to again look him in the eye. "Throw all the ships you want, Glabrek," but it was just a moment, and she looked back down at the floor. "It doesn't make you strong."
He tried to wrinkle his nose as best as he could in his injured state, he clearly didn't like what was said but he didn't instantly rebuke her for it either and instead walked out of the room to throw her phone into the fire. He couldn't allow her to call her allies, the risk was too high for him. Andras was so close he could almost taste the power, but the hours had passed and he was weary, aswell as injured. He wanted to sleep but he couldn't have Vera run away. None of his dolls were home so he decided to put out the fireplace and then made it into the room Vera was in, barricading the door with his strings in a large web like pattern to hinder her to leave. That's when he realized he made one big wrong calculation, he forgot to remove himself from the room to begin with. On realizing this he grinded his teeth together, but he couldn't let that high and mighty human know he did something uncharacteristic of himself. A thing some would make him a laughing stock of. No, that was not going to happen. He devised a simple plan.
Galbrek walked over to the bed located in the room. "If you as much as flinch and try to wound me or escape I will have no choice however but to kill you. So don't try it... we demonkin are alot tougher than you humans anyway." He said in a warning manner before he began to take off his shirt. His back revealing two large scars at the upper part of his back. He took off his boots aswell as socks. But he left his pants on after throwing a glance to Vera, not appearantly feeling like showing her every square inch of himself. He allowed himself to fall on the bed with his back facing it, the necklace around his neck slamming down against his chest, he grabbed hold of it and opened the locket it held. Looking at the contents before closing it, putting his hands at the back of his head, before twisting and turning on the bed, as if having trouble deciding which direction to sleep in. He couldn't help but throw a glance to Vera for a moment, in which he stopped moving and assumed a more proud look on his face, lying down with a serious facial expression.
In a snarling manner, Galbrek spoke out to Vera. "Don't you worry your little head, you'll get revenge on that idiotic Meredith later. I don't care about her, she's as much an irritant as William. Both are reasons for you really being here at all." Galbrek smirked and sat up in the bed, before gritting his teeth, grabbing a nearby cloth napkin and poured water at it, wiping his face and eyes as it was still stinging. "Ahh... damnation and hellfire.." He muttered throwing glances to Vera every now and then to make sure she wasn't up to anything. "I did consider you an option for a spawn creation matter, but it would make for bad offspring. More human than demon. Which is not good at all. Someone else shall have to do for heirs to the brand new kingdom of demonkin which shall be founded right here. A little taste of what is to come, don't worry, you will not die right away. You will be enslaved so we can use your inferior bodies and minds as labor, in a sense you would help in building a better world too. Doesn't that make you glad human?" Galbrek chuckled with a hint of sadistic joy. "Ofcourse you will be able to take your little revenge on the thickheaded thickthighed half-crapped snugglebitch excuse for a demon, Meredith. You can even hear it in her name... 'Mere'. "
Galbrek pondered by himself for a moment on the latest happenings, how he had been forced to abandon one of his outposts and the fight with William and his brother, aswell as the arrival of Meredith. He had to make use of it, and what better way to do it than from this girl. The half-demon began to smirk.
"I would like you to do something for me.... human. A very simple thing really. You will read from a paper which contains words which I have written." He swiftly made his way over to the other end of the room picking up a camera. "Dear William and his brother is going to be quite occupied with matters concerning the law."He took a slight breath. "And you get a chance to get payback to all those who has left you. William. Wolfie. Meredith."
He quickly scribbled together something on a paper. I want you to read this while I film you reading it out loud.
Hello, I wish to inform the authorities of Rhea of the illegal and cruel manner in which the Ascot family has inflicted upon myself and the gracious young lord Galbrek Ravenovich. They in their unlawful manner of trying to play god have caused mayhem throughout the city, causing a large airship to crash in the middle of the city, ruining the street and buildings in it's path aswell as making several people lose their home.
Taking the resources of the Rhean government to help civilians, clear rubble and apprehend innocents in place of those whom are guilty for this catastrophy.
The Ascots! William Ascot and those who support this terrorist must be brought before the Rhean court for murder, arson, terrorism, stalking, illegal use of government resources, theft, recklessness in public space, unlawful flight in a district where children play and they were above the speed limit and much more! Meanwhile the graceful and most kind young lord Galbrek has provided me, a mere human with a safe haven from those who want to ruin our great city!
"Wolf didn't leave me..." Vera narrowed her eyes, but had lost the will to raise her voice.
"Then where is he? Oh that's right he's screwing around with Meredith! Or soon is going to be! Don't you hate them? Don't you despise them? Take this chance to give what is due..." Galbrek replied to Vera.
Of course Vera would have loved for Wolf to just magically know she was in danger, but even she could only be so unreasonable. She knew, or at least had to believe, though, that it was just a matter of time before Wolf noticed she was in trouble.
"Save your manipulations for someone who's dumb enough to buy them," Vera muttered as she read over the paper. For a moment, she considered going along. A spiteful little part of her was all too happy to take the shot at William, and from what she knew, it wasn't all lies. William's crusade, well intentioned or not, had caused a lot of trouble. Just look at the position she'd ended up in. But then the last line struck a nerve. She'd been tied up, tortured, and stripped of her dignity and he had the gall to ask her to say he was providing a safe haven? The paper crinkled as her fingers dug into it before she suddenly crumpled it up and threw it back at him. "Safe haven?! You-" She bit her lip, not wanting to anger him, lest she set him off again.
"Why you insolent little-" Galbrek paused and tried to collect himself, pulling his hair back with one of his hands. "Now now, let's not be hasty! It isn't I whose betrayed you! I was never on your side, but at least I haven't deceived you..." The half-demon began walking throughout the room, as if inspecting her for any signs of giving in to his demands. "Why do you think all these idiots have banded up together? Because I am the only one whose not wearing a mask! I am as you see me. Unlike Meredith whose played you for a fool! Like William who doesn't care for you at all and has put you and all things dear to you into harms way! Why defend these people? And this Wolf whose selling his body and mind the moment you turn around! Deny it all you wish you know I'm right!" Galbrek spoke out and raised his both arms. That's when he felt a tingle in the back of his head, something horrible had happened of that he was sure. But what? He looked around the room briefly.
Vera just wrapped her arms back around her knees, curling back up, "You don't know him..." she said, repeating it over and over to herself until it was a barely audible whisper. How had it come to this, her clinging onto him as her only hope? It was beneath her.......
Galbrek snapped out of his odd state of feeling and looked to Vera. "And you do? He has likely not even noticed you are gone! Oh and whose going to help and comfort him? Oh that's right, Meredith! Well isn't that awfully convinient? Don't you understand that if you really want something in this world you take it by force. I very easily took away your freedom you might think. But no! I wasn't the one which took it from you, you were caged even before! By these people you call friends all with their smiling masks and ugly insides all wanting you to disappear forever. They hate you, they want you out of the way. Haven't you noticed the looks? The way they talk? William? Meredith? Andras? You are being screwed with by all of them and the only one whose been honest with you is I!"
". . . fine. Then wait. If by the end of the day no one's come for me I'll read your stupid script. . ." Vera finally spoke back to him.
"Fine, if that is going to make any difference. I need to wait for Meredith's delivery after all, but I cannot have her see you. Since that means she might reject the deal and kill you where you stand with her own hands. I wouldn't like that. Blood is hard to wipe out of rugs." The half-demon turned around to look away from Vera, he hid a slight grin as the cogwheels in his head was starting to spin faster.
"What, can't even keep one little love starved succubus under control?" Vera muttered dejectedly. So much for all his claims of being strong.
"Hmph. I am going to dispose of her after her usefulness is over. All she has to do is to bring me Andras. That's all. You were the price I had to pay in order for that. I have no other use for a fool like her, she would be better off gone. She would just upset my plans. Though you will be able to have your revenge. I can very much keep things under control without her."
Galbrek felt his face with one of his hands, searching for bruises or other unusualness. "Yes, let me show you just how control feels like... human." The half-demon walked over to his work-table in the room, he walked and hit his head on some doll pieces hanging from the ceiling. "Fucking shit.."
"So William thinks he can play god. Watch this is how you be a god..." The half-demon reached out with his hands at various tools by the work-table and then grabbing a plain looking doll head. "This'll do... now colour... hmm.. ahh yes... let's go with purple." Galbrek took out two globes resembling eyes with purple irises and shoved them into the sockets. Then he opened a lower compartment of the table, lifting up a female doll torso. Placing it on the table, before he manifested his marionette strings, reaching over in the room for two pair of arms and legs, before putting them together with the torso. Lastly he mounted the head on the torso, leaving the hairless and unclothed doll on the table. Sitting there with it's piercing purple eyes.
"Now every god have an eye for details..." He said out loud before assembling a pair of eyelashes and eyebrows on the doll, he picked a pair of white ones. Taking out a white long haired wig from a box, then using his marionette strings to sew it stuck to the doll's head. "Hmm... no... abit shorter." He took hold of the wig and did a slicing cut with a string which severed the hair leaving the doll with shoulderlong hair.
The half-demon rubbed his hands together and blew some dust and fake hair away, then reached for a painting kit, beginning to swiftly paint the lips of the doll black and adding some makeup to it aswell as two black lines under her eyes and painting a vertically inversed cross at her forehead , then proceeded by painting the fingernails black. Galbrek pondered for a moment, then made a snapping noise with one of his fingers. Shooting a couple of his strings over to a nearby dresser, tearing the door off it and snatching a red gothic lolita dress from it, after which he lifted the doll up with his other hand's marionette strings and sliding the outfit on it, before setting it back down. "What do you think... human?"
"Yeah yeah, you're real talented. I already know you can make doll people. I also know how quickly they fall apart the second the wind blows in their direction," Vera rolled her eyes. It seemed that since they now had a sort of deal, her confidence was slowly returning.
"Ofcourse I am talented. A god should be. Hmph. Don't presume all my creations are weak spirited like Darla or Bertrand. After all that's the most important ingridient ever..." Galbrek said, turning his head to look to Vera, his face looking like a mix of someone truly insane and someone in sorrow. "Ones soul. Every body needs it's soul! Now let see... we are on the letter G. My favorite letter..." Galbrek reached over to look into a demonic looking book. "G...G...G... let see whom be the lucky winner... Ahh there we have the one..." Galbrek seemed to memorize the name before standing up in front of the motionless doll. He began to make some precise teatrical movement with both his arms and began to speak in a different tongue. "Zenth Las vi darian, el marsadia von evight! Frihei tu ras lan kaan! The girl Giselle van Dern! Bind her soul to this form, this vessel that I have assembled! Bara nu shakara! Invadiria lasvendariel soulendria!" Whilst the half-demon was chanting his body was eveloped by dark purple energy and some eerie feeling of something cold entering the room, before all the energy began to gather around the motionless doll, "Neo Genesia! Wardath eth ternal!" The purple energy began to move into the doll and soon enough a glow would emit from the doll for a moment, before fading away. Whereof the half-demon took a step back. "Wake up to your new chance at life. Giselle. I, Galbrek has bestowed this gift upon you as the true god that I am."Slowly the doll like figure began to twitch, its fingers moving and it's eyes opening, slowly the hands would move towards the doll's lap then the doll would raise it's head. "Where am I?" A low and slightly monotone voice asked.
Vera's jaw dropped. At first she'd thought Galbrek had the ability to somehow create life in some form, but apparently these dolls were just containers for reanimated souls. That made him somehow both less impressive and twice as sinister all at the same time.
Vera knew there had to be a limit to the accord she'd reached with Galbrek, but this was just too much, "You're in the house of a delusional fool who's planning to make you his slave. If you have any sense of self worth you'll kill yourself and go back to sleep," she said. A god? Really? Did a god fear pepper spray? She was pretty sure they didn't.
The doll turned it's head over at Vera first, her eyes being almost looking like they were closed, or akin to how someone would look staring into too much light. Her head then jerked back to look at Galbrek. "I... died.. but now I am here? Are you really a god?" The girl asked as if she didn't want to believe it, but also took in the words Vera said. "I am a slave?" The doll asked.
Galbrek swiftly replied. "Yes, yes, I am your liberator and benefactor. I have saved you from the clutches of death. As a thank you for doing so, I expect some form of gratitude in form of servitude." The half-demon grabbed a nearby napkin and wiped some sweat away, before carelessly throwing the napkin somewhere in the room. He couldn't waste time caring about such things. "Not to mention you are made of a sturdier kind than some of my earlier creations, increased durability and strength. Quite gracious of me don't you think?" Galbrek asked. The doll kept a very cool posture as if in thought, throwing another glance to Vera. "Who are you?"
"He kidnapped me... and he's going to use me as payment so he can kidnap someone else... so that he can kill a lot of people last I knew," Vera scowled. "Unless he gracious, godliness has changed his mind? But then again, what kind of god needs to kidnap girls just to enforce his will?"
"Tch! Not alot of people. Just enough so that there cannot be anymore showing up. Don't listen to my prisoner, she is just being shown how kind and generous I'd be. You could almost say she is your mother now, being here at your second birth! Hah!" The half-demon jested before he realized what he just said, just as the doll replied. "Mother?" The white haired doll said out loud. "No no, forget what I just said. I shall inform you of all the things you need to know in time my little puppet." Galbrek tried to reassure Giselle. "No..." She answered. "Nooo!" She raised her right arm and threw a punch directly into Galbrek's chest sending him flying into a nearby porcelain mask shelf.
Vera's eyes went wide. This was an unexpected turn of events. Did this girl really think of her as a mother in any way now? Or was she mad that he would suggest that Vera was her mother? Because one definitely required a different take than the other.
"H-hey kid," she certainly was acting like one right now. "Calm down. T-tell me what's going through your head right now."
"This place is all wrong. I must go to my mother and father..." The doll said in a monotone manner, turning her head to look over to Vera. Galbrek in the meantime was getting up from the floor. "Fucking.. shit... shit... heh...heheh... this time I got a fierce one! Yes! Just what I need, just some slight adjustments to that temper right about fucking now!" The half-demon shot out strings towards the doll, attaching around her left arm, the doll turned it's head to Galbrek again, grabbing hold of the strings with it's free hand and jerked it forcefully. "Let go." She said with a serious voice. "If you behave. I don't want to waste the time it took to assemble your body just to tear it to shreds moments later to show the difference in power. Don't bite the hand that feeds you!" Galbrek retracted his strings and brushed off his arm. "Fucking hell my porcelain mask collection is ruined. Now my father has to buy me a new one."
No, this girl was just mad. Rightfully so, in Vera's mind. Maybe she could use this, maybe not. Either way, she felt a shred of respect for her, not just caving into Galbrek's commands.
"New deal, Galbrek," Vera spoke up. "You leave this kid alone if you want your script read." She had no idea if this would work. "I'm not a liar, like you. If I say I'll do something I'll do it. I'll make one exception and read your little sheet of lies to the letter. So if you're right about Wolf, and this girl is still intact when he doesn't show up, I'll do it. But only if." She glared at him, every ounce of fire that had previously been extinguished suddenly back in full blaze.
"What? What? You are breaking our deal for a new one? Hnghnnn..." The half-demon was boiling inside as he tightened his fists, he began to reply through his teeth. "Fine, but you'll stay put in this room until my package arrives..." The half-demon kicked a nearby ground vase so it broke. The doll stared in silence between Vera and Galbrek. "I am not a kid." She said as if it was a matter of fact, staring Vera straight into her eyes with those piercing purple orbs slightly visible through the slits that were her eyes.. "I will wait for now... I have to get used to this." The doll began to move her artifical hands and legs, she had still no shoes or boots, but her dress reached down to her knees. She began to walk unsteadily on the ground, akin somewhat to a drunk person walking home after too many drinks at a party.
"Sorry..." She mumbled to the doll. It wasn't quite the gratitude she'd hoped for, but at least the doll wasn't really on Galbrek's side either... yet. For now, she knew she was mostly out of cards to play. If she tried too hard to win over the doll, who so far was nearly impossible to read anyway, Galbrek might decide Vera reading his sheet wasn't all that important after all... For now all she could do was wait. Wait for Wolf. Wait for the doll to decide who she liked more. Wait and hope the world leaned in her direction from here on out.
Andras nodded to Brutus. "I've got responses for anything!" She lowered her voice and added, "I can also just send summons forward without ever endangering myself..." She struck a triumphant pose. "I leave the defense to you, Aram!"
Inhaling deeply, Andras rose her voice to a yell, starting with a loud peal of laughter. "Kuhahaha! You foolish mortals would be best off surrendering now! Lest ye suffer the terror of a demon's magic firsthand!" Pointing dramatically with her holy spear, she ordered her angel towards the corridor exit, into enemy territory. "Be careful. They will be waiting for you."
The angel stepped into the doorway, on alert for any sudden attacks.
Bak calmed down as Rurik made his way back over to them, but didn't let any of that built up tension leave her body. She stayed focused on the entrance he had come from, and waited. Then she heard the pearls of laughter creep over the walls. Andras's declaration. Demon magic. Bak laughed back, just as loud. She swung her bandaged arm forward, pointing it right at the hole. "GYAHAHAHAHA! Come out of that hidey hole then, witch, and I will show you why all your kind in Yekaterina whisper in fear of the monster Tsarevna!"
When the angle appeared in the doorway Bak hesitated for a moment. That was not a witch. That was not witches magic. Theses lying vigilantes, taking away even the fun of shooting a witch! Nevertheless there was a resounding BANG. The bandages and plaster of the cast Celestine had so graciously prepared for her scattered in all direction from the force of it to unveil her new FLAK gun. The projectile soared across the arena, went wind, and slammed into the wall beside the angel in a burst of black smoke and shrapnel.
She scowled. Glancing quickly over to her shoulders camera. Her other shoulder camera.
There was the one for the thermal vision located under her artillery guns, but the one next to the missile pods was for something much more important: targeting. Bak wasn't a professional shooter, or a soldier, or even a hunter. She was the much more dangerous Enthusiastic Amateur, and so she relied on that little piece of technology to help properly aim her incredibly unwieldy guns. Poor thing was working hard, but she wasn't used to the kick yet. Maybe she should have practiced with it first.
Oh well, it wasn't as though she was short of bullets.
She shot again and again and again, each time getting a little more of a handle in the kick. The space around the angel was filled with airborne explosions. "Send out more chickens, I will pluck all of them!"
". . . neat." Rurik looked down at the ice around his feet. "Anyway, I guess I'll soften them up for you, but after that it's your turn this time." He might have still been bitter about being left alone with Kath that one time. Pop! The ice around his feet shattered and he casually stepped away, as if he'd never been frozen to begin with.
He began walking toward the angel, of all things, that had just stepped into view.
"All right, co-" BANG! Rurik's eyes went wide and he went stock still. Right, Bak. Well, she'd missed, so he supposed he would still have to- BANG BANG BANG! Right... Bak. She wouldn't be satisfied until she blew something up. Well, less work for him he supposed. He couldn't complain about that.
He let out a small cough as the smoke from all her shots began to waft over to him. It was getting a bit hard to see what was going on. Then something whizzed past his head, a bit of shrapnel from her explosive rounds. This was getting out of hand.
"OK! OK! That's good!" . . . BANG! Nope, she couldn't hear him. "I SAID CEASE FIRE!" He stepped into the firing line in between shots, hoping if nothing else her cameras would let her know to quit shooting. "I can't see shit anymore!"
With any luck, Bak would give it a rest for a second. Of course, he then realized something. He had just stepped into the firing zone... for both sides. Had Bak ever managed to hit her target? He slowly turned his head, peering into the smoke cloud nervously...
"Alright, Rurik! I'll be ready when you are!" she replied as cheerful as ever, not picking up on his bitterness in the slightest.
Suddenly, she heard a loud peal of laughter coming from the other side, followed by what she assumed to be a declaration of an incoming assault. She readied herself for whatever the opposing team might send to her direction.
Bak responded with her own crazed laughter. I guess she's big on that whole theatrical declaration thing...
Then, she saw it appear. An angel coming out from the doorway.
Bak immediately fired off all her cannons and artilerries towards it, making a deafening bang over and over again. Christine covered her ears at first, but then she realized she could join in as well.
She gathered moisture in the air and fired them off as rapid fire icicles towards the angel. They might lack punch compared to Bak's bullets but getting stabbed by them would hurt the same.
Only after then she realized that Rurik was standing right in the middle of their firing line.
"Oh, Rurik, what are you doing there?! I-I have to take you from there now!"
She stopped her assault and launched herself towards him. She wrapped herself around him and dragged him away without his consent, all the while pressing her sizable chest to his. She only released him once they were out of harm's way.
The three approached the middle of the field - with still no visible sign of the enemy besides artillery fire and the quickly-quelled snow. It seemed the enemy would be playing defense. That may be a slight problem - Bak was likely good at holding checkpoints.
The Alchemist cracked his knuckles after he had jogged to catch up with the other two. "Looks like we're facing a few chickens, eh? Well, let's not let the yellow-bellies stay all couped up.." he jeered as entered the crude "hall", and approached the wall that was closer to their side of the field.
A couple seconds and a few crackling strains of energy later, a thin, but wide, horizontal peephole appeared in the stonework. "Eheheh, there ya are.." he chuckled. He placed both hands against the stone, then removed them, leaving two dark-spots of energy, before drawing back both his arms-
-and thrusting them into the wall.
The black energy streaked down the stone, disappearing into the ground below it - before shooting back up quickly into Aram's hands, the wall along with the ground it on stood on vibrating, shaking like a mini earthquake. He was performing a mass transfer of the ground through the wall. And the result - two massive hands of rock, each several feet wide from thumb-knuckle to outer-hand, burst forward from the wall, shooting out violently fast - one towards Rurik, and one towards the much further away Bak.
Both hands were slightly larger than Bak herself - and every few yards, the "arm" of each one sprouted thick supports that would shoot out from below and dig into the ground - to support the weight of the quickly-elongating structures.
The leftmost hand shot out towards Rurik in a shape reminiscent of a sideways, sign-language "Y". Aram aimed to widen the attack to keep the other student from avoiding it as much as he could. The other hand came flying at Bak in a simple, open-hand form, aiming to grasp her and squeeze her into submission.
"AHAHAHA, dodge this, slowpokes!" he shouted as his attacks ripped through the air towards his opponents.
A bead of sweat rolled down Andras's forehead as she saw the attack that destroyed her angel. 'Haaah... I was expecting something less violent.' The smoke hadn't even cleared before she knew full and well that her summon was defeated. 'I think now might be a good time to open up some more options...'
Andras began to speak as she heard her teammates follow to her position and form up. "Okay, I'm going to cast something, so be- Huh?!" Andras had turned her head just as Aram punched through, or rather into, the wall. "At least let me give out a plan before you attack!"
Andras groaned and grabbed one of her cards. 'It doesn't matter if he attacks right now anyway, I guess. I better use this now and hope we can strike before the enemy can figure it all out.'
She could feel the spell swelling as she began to cast it, the card growing into a blue glow. Andras's voice reverberated through the arena, heard by all, as the card's glow enveloped the whole arena for a brief moment. "The knowledge of magic overflows fourfold... Grant us our Prosperity!" As though flower petals from a fruit tree, the cards fluttered across the arena, eventually distributing to each person in the arena. Everyone got four cards from the Root... Even the enemy.
Andras could barely keep up with all the new spells. It actually kind of hurt her head just to see so many cards at once. Nevertheless she quickly studied her allies' spells. "Y-You guys have awful luck!" She snatched up the cards, studying them briefly. iThey were all... bad, mainly. "I hope the enemies didn't draw anything too good... At least Aram drew something we can use." She nodded towards Aram. "If the time comes, I'll help summon the hellion."
Andras considered her other options. 'I can also use the fog spell to stop any hits, and grab the flag once I get an opening.' She decided to wait for the perfect moment.
Rurik's jaw dropped when Christine suddenly hauled him out of the fighting. It turned out to make little difference however, the angel was long gone. He hadn't been in much danger, but neither was he going to accomplish much over there with their visible enemy gone.
"I... but..." Rurik let out a sigh. "Yeah... yeah I'm fine, thanks, Christine," he relented. That might have been short lived, however. The wall nearby suddenly came to life, a giant stone hand sprouting out of it.
It didn't seem to want a high-five.
Rather, it had three knuckles aimed to smash him with the thumb and pinky outstretched to give it a wider range. Rurik wasn't terribly concerned, if anything it would have been a good chance to fake being knocked out and skip the rest of the fight. Unfortunately, Chrstine's rescue had put her literally on top of him, so if it hit him, it hit her.
He just couldn't catch a break -- but he wasn't one to be blindsided all that easily.
He quickly pulled free from Christine as the stone fist was almost upon them and then threw his hand out as if to say "stop." Anyone watching would no doubt have expected him to get flattened, but instead as the stone hand collided with Rurik's palm it, well, stopped.
It shuddered slightly beneath Rurik's hand, as he'd just pumped every bit of stored up energy he'd been holding onto. Even so, he couldn't redirect it. The magic that had sent it at him was still trying to steamroll him even as his own tried to send it back.
Well, if he couldn't have it, then neither could his opponent. In a brilliant chain reaction, the fist and a good portion of the arm attached to it blew apart into pebbles and dust.
When the dust cleared, Rurik's hand was still held out, this time with middle finger extended to show what he thought of the enemies efforts. However, soon something else happened to occupy his hand. Cards flew into it. He flinched at first, but then realized they weren't trying to hurt him.
"... wait, what?" Rurik looked at the cards and then glanced around, quite befuddled, trying to figure out where the hell they'd come from.
Christine didn't notice the giant stone hand until Rurik repelled it with his power. And before she could cast her ice magic, the hand already shattered to pieces, leaving only pebbles and dust.
"Tee hee, it seems in the end you're the one saving me, Rurik!" she said to her boyfriend with a smile.
Suddenly, out of nowhere, cards appeared and flew into her hands.
"W-what?" she said in utter befuddlement.
She read the texts written on said cards.
"Um, what is this?" she said to herself. She wasn't sure what they meant in the slightest.
"Rurik, do you know what these are?" she asked, turning to her boyfriend for advice.
Back had quit shooting as soon as Rurik had entered her line of fire, and nodded affectionately at Christine as she pulled him away. That was no place to hang around, even if she knew it the back of her mind that he was in no danger from her.
Following his lead she peered into the smoke. She didn't see the chicken, but then again she couldn't see anything. She would have been able to confirm the kill if she could use her thermal, but seeing as she couldn't the best thing to do was keep shooting to make sure they were down.
But not with the FLAK gun. Rurik was right, that was way to much smoke.
The sound of her mini gun revving up began, but it was quickly overshadowed by the sound of shifting stone as a pair of hands suddenly shot out of the wall, one right at her. With only barely time to react started shooting with both her arms. The damage the FLAK gun did was at best pitiful, and the mini gun bullets succeeded only at boring a small hole in the palm. As the had descended on her she let loose with her cannons and missiles, close enough to feel the heat and force of the explosion wash over her and sending large stones flying into the air.
But it was still coming. She'd managed to blow off the fingers and leave the palm a pockmarked warscape but it came all the same. Back braced herself, bringing up her shields in defence, but it was like trying to defend yourself from a train. Her arms were pushed into her chest, knocking her mind out, and her legs tore up the grass as she was pushes back and over, thrown face up on the ground from the force of it.
Luckily for her the stone hand had been to grab her, and hadn't kept pushing on. Unluckily for her she was now a turtle on her back, staring up at the hot sun and fuming. She struggled uselessly to at least turn on to her side and could swear she could hear a good laugh building on the audience as her predicament became apparent. "Rurik! Christine!" she choked out as soon as she got her breath back. "Help!"
To add confusion to this unhelpful mixture of frustration and shame she felt something materialize in her hand. She held them up, bewildered. Children's playing cards?
Brutus watched with a calculating eye as Aram's attack wreaked havoc on the already-chaotic battlefield. As the smoke cleared, Brutus saw his opportunity. Stepping out, he quickly took aim and fired off tags at all three of the opposition. If any of them were struck, they'd find themselves feeling only something like a mosquito bite, before having their worlds lit up as Brutus then activated his Flashfield to try and shock his foes into submission. After a good 15 seconds, Brutus disengaged the Flashfield to prevent himself from overheating his powers. It was only then that he noticed the cards that had appeared in his hands. Looks like it was an effect of one of Andras' own magical cards. Brutus stowed them for now, hoping to save them for later.
Bak took her tow hook in hand and pulled it out. Knowing that when she got like this wiggling was useless and bereft of missiles to fire at herself she instead began twirling the hook. When she felt like it was going fast enough she let if fly at an awkward angle to try and hook the top of one of the walls.
It clanked off the middle of the nearest wall and fell pathetically onto the grass. She growled in frustration and wondered whether she was going to have to purge the backpack, but those thoughts were silenced as she felt a familiar, tingly pain in her side. Her eye widened at the realization.
"Oh no." She said, and it was the last thing she thought for 15 seconds.
Then white hot electricity shot through her body, leaping easily through the lattice work of metal that ran through her at a nearly cellular level. Her vision went white, and there was a sound like a brick thrown into a washing machine at full spin as her entire body jerked and spasmed.
When it was over she didn't say anything. Her hair stood on end as the occasional arc still jumped from her guns and the tips of her toes. She opened her mouth to try and say something, but only black smoke poured out.
Buy she was still conscious, and the look a pure hatred in her eye told anyone that could see that if she got Brutus in her crosshairs she would never stop shooting.
"No clue," Rurik told Christine, staring at the cards. Though, he had to say, on the off chance these things did what they said they did... But why the hell would the enemy just hand these out? "Probably just to distr-"
"HELP!" he was cut off, however, by Bak's cry for assistance. He supposed he should help her up again. After all, how could he let his team do all the work if they couldn't even stand up?
"On that note, uhh, have fun?" Rurik shrugged and turned to jog his way back to their team's flag zone. By the time he got there, Bak was already attempting, and failing to pick herself up.
"We really need to stop meeting like th-" He felt something kinda like a bee sting. Just his luck. Bees? Really? Bak apparently felt it too. Wait, what? In fact, she looked really worried- "AHAZXHXZLZBHBL!" Rurik tensed up and fell to the ground as if seizing. It went on for quite some time until he just lay there twitching, achy, and his teeth kinda felt tingly.
He rolled painfully onto his back. Yep. That was good. He was just gonna lay there until the match was over then. Hew glanced over at Bak. She looked pissed.
"She's not gonna let me lay here is she?" He groaned and pushed himself up. "Ow... ow... ow... Hold on, Bak..." He glanced at the cards again. "Well, worth a shot. Uhhh... Card! Get rid of them?" He held up a card named "Vengeful Dreams." It shone brightly and... then nothing. ". . . of course it's a dud." He almost shoved them into his pocket, but in reality, the wording of the card hadn't really fit anyway. Their opponents weren't really "creatures." Fine, one more try then. He grabbed another, "Diabolic Tutor."
"OK, card... try actually doing something!" He held it up and... suddenly felt like he was having the worst acid trip imaginable. Thousands of images raced past his eyes as the world seemed the fold open before him. "AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!" He let out a rather unmanly shriek of fear. "J-j-just give me something to make them stop!" He begged and suddenly, mercifully, it all went away. In his hand in the place of the tutor was a new card -- "Silence."
"Oh..." Rurik said, breathing heavily. Well... he knew the cards actually did something now. "Um... Card! Do, uhh, do your thing!" The card shone and suddenly a pulse of energy surged from it, washing over the arena until it had covered the whole area. And that was it.
He glanced down at Bak, looking puzzled, "So, uhh, I either just made a pretty light show... or I just turned off all their powers."
He walked over and held out his hand to help her up like he had last time on the haunted building's roof, "Wanna go find out?"
Her talk with Rurik was interrupted by Bak's scream for help. Rurik rushed over right away to help her though once he got there, Bak already rescued herself.
It was enough to distract her from Brutus' sneaky little attack.
"Kyaaaah!"
Christine screamed in pain as electricity coursed throughout her body. She lost her balance and fell down to the ground face first with her butt shoved upwards, revealing her shimapan to the world. The blizzard stopped as well.
Thankfully, it only lasted for a couple of seconds.
"U-uuhhh..."
She soon recovered though not without a coughing fit and little tears in her eyes.
"W-what was that?" she said as she looked around before pulling herself up, her legs still going all shaky and wobbly.
Then, she noticed the cards that were still in her hands.
"R-right, I'm supposed to use these..."
She looked at them and decided to use the Jade Statue first, since she thought it was just a simple summoning card.
"Alright, Jade Statue! Come out!" she shouted as she lifted the card high up in the air. It reacted with a bright green light, and right after, the titular statue now stood in front of her.
"Attack the enemy!" Christine ordered in great cheer. "And let me ride on you!"
Christine leaped towards the statue's back. With her power, she froze herself on it, before freezing the entire statue itself, enhancing its offensive and defensive capabilities. With her newly acquired Snow Jade Statue, she rode towards enemy territory, intending on going on the offensive at last. She also generated a more focused blizzard all around the statue, protecting it even further.
All the while forgetting the fact that she was wearing a short winter coat, thus exposing anyone behind her of her panties once again.
Andras felt the magic as it was being invoked. Though she could not hear the words, she knew what the spell was. Covering her eye with her free hand, her mind raced. At times like these she always felt as if time slowed - As if to give time for her to think of something. She couldn't invoke any normal spell fast enough to react. Her mind went over her cards - Only one would help, yet the conditions for casting were not fulfilled.
There was nothing she could do. She had given the enemy the tools for their own destruction. Andras grit her teeth as the spell cast an oppressive silence over the entire field. She would have preferred to have some kind of speech to give, but she couldn't even sound out much more than the sound of breathing. She didn't need to check her partners, she knew they were equally as affected. And from her understanding of the spell, it was unlikely for any of them to have any real options.
'I've got to do something. What is it that I can do...?' Andras thought of her friends. Even if they were powerless... They'd fight. One in particular would fight just to defy their opponents.
Andras readied her holy spear. Though she couldn't use any new spells, her existing ones were still in effect. She had an enchantment for her strength. The spear would help with that as well. The feather of an angel even had reacted to the law magic cast on her team, boosting her endurance slightly. She gripped the spear hard, the enchantment of unholy strength manifesting as a pentagram tattoo on her hands. It felt strong. She could do this.
Andras gave one last look to her partners. She mouthed the words: 'I'm going.' With that, she stepped into view of the opponents.
Andras kept a grin on her face, her left hand covering the Root. The pentagram on her hand was glowing, as if the Root was going through her eyepatch and hand. She couldn't say anything, or even laugh wildly as she wanted to, but that wouldn't stop her from showing the opponents how a demon would fight.
Andras's first challenger came forward - a massive statue of stone and ice. It dwarfed her in size. It was surrounded by some kind of blizzard. It had a weapon larger than Andras. And it was, of course coming straight at her. Andras dug in her heels and readied her spear. She didn't have the reach advantage, so if she tried to use it as a lance she would be taken out before they clashed. There was another option, though.
Andras tossed the holy spear with her enhanced strength at the moving statue, and quickly dove to the side to avoid the swing of its scythe. Turning back to face the statue, she saw that her spear had hit the target... But it was still standing just fine. It was embedded in the stone, which was quite a feat for Andras, but it was not destroyed. 'Oh no. That means I'll have to-'
Though the statue had missed with its initial swipe, it quickly remedied the situation with a backswing that knocked Andras off of her feet. Had it not been for the various enchantments, she probably would have been knocked out by that alone. She managed to keep it together as she crashed into the dirt of the stadium. 'Good... At least I can do this...' The cold was getting to her, and she didn't really know if she could stand up on her own. But she raised her hand and snapped her fingers soundlessly, looking up at the statue.
The Spear of Heliod was not just a spear that bolstered armies. It was also known for another aspect of its holy deity - smiting those who harmed his followers. With a thunderclap, the light within the center of the spear burst out, forcefully ejecting the spear and cracking the entire statue. As the spear landed on the ground near Andras, the iced statue began to crumble into pieces.
'There.... How about that?' Andras let her head down. She figured it was all over. Her strength was sapped from the cold, and her body hurt all over from the hit. Maybe she didn't look as cool as she initially hoped, but Andras figured she did as well as she could have... Given that she gave the opponents the way to beat them.
