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Air Docks
Ever since the battle at the fort had been resolved, the tension that had been keeping Sand awake and alert up until then had slowly dissipated, leaving behind the numerous discomforts that had accumulated throughout the ordeal. Her hands felt slightly numb and generally uncomfortable. She had only removed her gauntlets a few moments ago after wearing them continuously for hours on end. The mad dash through Grimm infested woods and the slow swim up to the abandoned fort had been but the start of it, and now that it was over, it was difficult to turn her thoughts away from a clean clothes and a hot shower.
So, as the group of students disembarked and the wounded Robert was brought out of the ship, Sand merely allowed herself to follow behind them, content to let Trad and Grane draw the reception’s attention as she gazed around the docks with tired eyes.
When the headmaster of Beacon academy himself stopped to address them, however, Sand felt some of that tension return. She drew closer as Grane began to answer, forcing herself to listen to the conversation. As the topic turned towards Robert’s performance in the mission, she found herself wanting to interject, but a simple thought forced her to hold her tongue.
He’s not wrong, she admitted to herself. Robert’s behavior had been strange at times. Not what she was used to in a team leader, at least. I can’t really speak for him, either way. They’ve known him for longer than I have, and their friend was already gone by the time I got there.
Her eyes drifted away for a moment, only to be drawn back in when she heard her name. She blinked, part of her irritated by Grane drawing attention to her, the other part slightly taken aback by the sudden praise.
She let out a sigh, briefly shaking her head. It didn’t matter. The coincidence that brought her there was big enough that she would need to explain herself eventually.
“Sand Vespa,” she introduced herself, clasping her hands behind her and injecting a degree of formality into her tone. “Sorry, Sir. My name may have crossed your desk. I was due to arrive next week, but I had business of my own at the fort. I happened upon these three there and—” she paused as a sudden image of the wounded Robert intruding into her mind. She shrugged it off as if she had merely been searching for the right word to describe the situation and continued “—this happened.”
@Guess Who @Awesomoman64 @Nytem4re @Lugubrious @Lucius Cypher
>phone game
>vomit.gif
Essentially my reaction when I first found that. A shame because I really like the God Eater franchise.
<Snipped quote by Lazo>
But he'll have just got out of the infirmary probably. Do you really think he's going to learn quickly enough that he won't walk out of that match with a swollen eye, a broken nose, and lots and lots of bruises?
The voices in her head:
"Been thrashed too many times, that's the problem."
"So what do we do with him?"
"All I can think of is thrash him again."
"Somehow, that don't sound right."
@Guess Who I don't know how it would come up, but Sand's solution to it would likely be to try and thrash Robert until the problem is fixed.
Robert's fighting style:
"Okay, I'm going to go in fast and hit it as many times as I can."
"Holy cow, it worked! Now is it down?"
"Ah!"
"Ow!"
"Oof!"
"Blargh!"
"Nope, it's still alive."
At some point, I really need to find someone who can teach him how to properly fight so he isn't always leaving himself open after an attack and can put up a proper defense.
Sand could do that. They may end up preferring different fighting styles, but their weapons are similar enough that same things can carry over.
What the hound had initially dismissed as improbable proved to be true as the abomination barring his path began to crumble under the onslaught of stone and fire.
Fenn’s scowl worsened with every step, each punctuated by the fall and rise of another column of fire under the monster’s stomach. In such a situation, any one of his kind would have recognized the need to close the distance, to kill their opponent before it was no longer possible, but the beast had refused to abandon its place. The unrelenting barrage had wreaked havoc on the thing’s body, but it had seen fit to remain in place, the numerous insects that composed its body fighting a losing battle to repair the damaged areas. In only a few moments, the beast’s legs had lost so much consistency it could barely stand on its own power.
“Weak,” he growled, voice rising towards the titanic eye framing his foe. “Feeble! Is this all you saw fit to prepare to bar my path? Nothing but a waste of time.” Soon, the beast would be in no condition to block his passage, and he could express his dissatisfaction to the Eye directly.
Almost as soon as he completed that thought, the insects forming the beast’s body dispersed of their own volition. The Demon paused in his bombardment, eyeing the swarm warily as they began to retreat. Soon, the insects were joined by the ones that had remained behind, accosting the Council’s agents, and Fenn realized the meaning behind this behavior.
They had passed muster.
His intact ear twitched as the words of their guide confirmed his suspicion, and the dog let out an irritated breath.
This was not the conclusion he had hoped for.
Fenn balled a claw into a fist, knuckles crackling. Alas, he was not in this realm simply to indulge in his impulses. As much as he hated to admit it, if the Imp was to reach the Seal, this was the best outcome they could have wished for.
So, as the massive eye moved below their arena of hanging stones, Fenn merely dropped down onto the offered platform, the corner of his lip stretched down in a dissatisfied grimace.
As he sauntered towards the others, the Imp’s eyes fixed on him.
“Need I remind you, Fenn, who is in charge?” Lily asked, stepping over to the Hound and looked up at him with an unreadable expression on her face. It seemed the swarm had put her in a foul mood as well. “I did not ask you to deviate, yet you saw fit to attack without being ordered to do so.” She tilted her head sideways, as if contemplating something she did not quite understand. “How come?”
The dog grunted in comprehension. Was it possible that the Imp thought she had a tighter leash on him than she actually had?
“I heard no order, Imp. In their absence—”
“Exactly.”
Fenn narrowed his eyes irritatedly at the interruption.
Lily met his gaze, unperturbed. “We were faced with what amounts to a god in this realm. To simply attack a being such as that is not only folly, but borderline suicidal. I gave you no orders to attack the eye because doing so might make us the targets of its ire. I respect you, Fenn, but what you did shows a lack of foresight. That thing could have killed us had it so desired, and you attack it regardless?”
“Aye, Imp. And I would do so even now were it still barring our path.” The dog snorted, as though he found the thought funny. “You are naive to think our actions mattered even after we found our way to this Eye’s domain. Perhaps this would not be the case for you or the Watcher, but were this abomination interested in ending this group, or curbing my ploy, all that needed be done was to release the stones. Resistance costed me nothing. If it intended to see our strength, I intended to show it.” Fenn shrugged, the usual, ponderous roll of his shoulders. “If you wish for me to act differently, you shall have to tell me, Imp. I can only do as you want when I know what that is.”
For a while Lily said nothing, simply looking into one of his eyes as if searching for something. “Your logic is sound in hindsight. However, we could not have truly known those things to begin with.” He huffed irritably, making clear what he thought of that statement. Lily continued unperturbed. “I would request that you proceed with more caution the next time we meet something so obviously more powerful than either of us. At the very least confer with me beforehand.”
At this point the demoness smiled in that manner almost exclusive to females that told him he would come to regret this conversation. “But, let the past stay in the past. I'm weary from my own struggles and wish to rest for a moment.” Bending at her knees, Lily jumped high up into the air inkling herself so that she landed on the middle of Fenn’s back.
The dog shook reflexively, but the woman remained firmly latched to his backside, laughing at his efforts. When it became evident he would not dislodge her without threatening harm to her, Fenn craned his neck back. “Get off, fool.”
Lily did no such thing. Rather, she only settled in further meeting her mount’s gaze with a lopsided smirk. “You think I'm going to left your reckless behavior go unpunished?” The demoness chuckled heartily.. “No. Your punishment will be to serve as my mount for the time being. This is me telling you what I ‘want’, Fenn,” she said, steel entering her voice.
The hound growled. If anything, the rumbling seemed to relax Lily, as she settled further onto his fur with a contented sigh. “You act like a pup,” he complained.
Yet, he let out a long-suffering breath, calming himself before settling down himself atop the massive beast they were riding. He had not the patience to argue this particular point. They looked like big enough fools as it was. He’d simply need to find a way to repay the demoness for his bruised dignity later.
“Did you know that your fur is surprisingly soft and comfortable?”
Fenn’s tail reflexively slammed the stone behind him.
His eyes turned to their guide in a nigh desperate search for something to distract him from his passenger. Out of all of them, it was the metal armor that was worse for the wear. It seemed that spending much longer in that fight could have been the end of it. Still, his condition evoked little pity from the hound.
“Guide, there is something I wish to ask. You claimed the Eye to have an enemy. Do your legends speak of this?”
Lily crawled forward up onto Fenn’s head, looking down at their metallic guide from between the hound’s ears, once more in the form of an attractive human woman, as opposed to her draconic visage. “I would actually like to know that too. What is this enemy?”
The dog shook his head, nearly throwing her off, leaving the woman to glare daggers at the dog’s back while he pretended ignorance.
Fenn’s scowl worsened with every step, each punctuated by the fall and rise of another column of fire under the monster’s stomach. In such a situation, any one of his kind would have recognized the need to close the distance, to kill their opponent before it was no longer possible, but the beast had refused to abandon its place. The unrelenting barrage had wreaked havoc on the thing’s body, but it had seen fit to remain in place, the numerous insects that composed its body fighting a losing battle to repair the damaged areas. In only a few moments, the beast’s legs had lost so much consistency it could barely stand on its own power.
“Weak,” he growled, voice rising towards the titanic eye framing his foe. “Feeble! Is this all you saw fit to prepare to bar my path? Nothing but a waste of time.” Soon, the beast would be in no condition to block his passage, and he could express his dissatisfaction to the Eye directly.
Almost as soon as he completed that thought, the insects forming the beast’s body dispersed of their own volition. The Demon paused in his bombardment, eyeing the swarm warily as they began to retreat. Soon, the insects were joined by the ones that had remained behind, accosting the Council’s agents, and Fenn realized the meaning behind this behavior.
They had passed muster.
His intact ear twitched as the words of their guide confirmed his suspicion, and the dog let out an irritated breath.
This was not the conclusion he had hoped for.
Fenn balled a claw into a fist, knuckles crackling. Alas, he was not in this realm simply to indulge in his impulses. As much as he hated to admit it, if the Imp was to reach the Seal, this was the best outcome they could have wished for.
So, as the massive eye moved below their arena of hanging stones, Fenn merely dropped down onto the offered platform, the corner of his lip stretched down in a dissatisfied grimace.
As he sauntered towards the others, the Imp’s eyes fixed on him.
“Need I remind you, Fenn, who is in charge?” Lily asked, stepping over to the Hound and looked up at him with an unreadable expression on her face. It seemed the swarm had put her in a foul mood as well. “I did not ask you to deviate, yet you saw fit to attack without being ordered to do so.” She tilted her head sideways, as if contemplating something she did not quite understand. “How come?”
The dog grunted in comprehension. Was it possible that the Imp thought she had a tighter leash on him than she actually had?
“I heard no order, Imp. In their absence—”
“Exactly.”
Fenn narrowed his eyes irritatedly at the interruption.
Lily met his gaze, unperturbed. “We were faced with what amounts to a god in this realm. To simply attack a being such as that is not only folly, but borderline suicidal. I gave you no orders to attack the eye because doing so might make us the targets of its ire. I respect you, Fenn, but what you did shows a lack of foresight. That thing could have killed us had it so desired, and you attack it regardless?”
“Aye, Imp. And I would do so even now were it still barring our path.” The dog snorted, as though he found the thought funny. “You are naive to think our actions mattered even after we found our way to this Eye’s domain. Perhaps this would not be the case for you or the Watcher, but were this abomination interested in ending this group, or curbing my ploy, all that needed be done was to release the stones. Resistance costed me nothing. If it intended to see our strength, I intended to show it.” Fenn shrugged, the usual, ponderous roll of his shoulders. “If you wish for me to act differently, you shall have to tell me, Imp. I can only do as you want when I know what that is.”
For a while Lily said nothing, simply looking into one of his eyes as if searching for something. “Your logic is sound in hindsight. However, we could not have truly known those things to begin with.” He huffed irritably, making clear what he thought of that statement. Lily continued unperturbed. “I would request that you proceed with more caution the next time we meet something so obviously more powerful than either of us. At the very least confer with me beforehand.”
At this point the demoness smiled in that manner almost exclusive to females that told him he would come to regret this conversation. “But, let the past stay in the past. I'm weary from my own struggles and wish to rest for a moment.” Bending at her knees, Lily jumped high up into the air inkling herself so that she landed on the middle of Fenn’s back.
The dog shook reflexively, but the woman remained firmly latched to his backside, laughing at his efforts. When it became evident he would not dislodge her without threatening harm to her, Fenn craned his neck back. “Get off, fool.”
Lily did no such thing. Rather, she only settled in further meeting her mount’s gaze with a lopsided smirk. “You think I'm going to left your reckless behavior go unpunished?” The demoness chuckled heartily.. “No. Your punishment will be to serve as my mount for the time being. This is me telling you what I ‘want’, Fenn,” she said, steel entering her voice.
The hound growled. If anything, the rumbling seemed to relax Lily, as she settled further onto his fur with a contented sigh. “You act like a pup,” he complained.
Yet, he let out a long-suffering breath, calming himself before settling down himself atop the massive beast they were riding. He had not the patience to argue this particular point. They looked like big enough fools as it was. He’d simply need to find a way to repay the demoness for his bruised dignity later.
“Did you know that your fur is surprisingly soft and comfortable?”
Fenn’s tail reflexively slammed the stone behind him.
His eyes turned to their guide in a nigh desperate search for something to distract him from his passenger. Out of all of them, it was the metal armor that was worse for the wear. It seemed that spending much longer in that fight could have been the end of it. Still, his condition evoked little pity from the hound.
“Guide, there is something I wish to ask. You claimed the Eye to have an enemy. Do your legends speak of this?”
Lily crawled forward up onto Fenn’s head, looking down at their metallic guide from between the hound’s ears, once more in the form of an attractive human woman, as opposed to her draconic visage. “I would actually like to know that too. What is this enemy?”
The dog shook his head, nearly throwing her off, leaving the woman to glare daggers at the dog’s back while he pretended ignorance.
Fenn hesitated in his trek when he noticed the buzzing of the swarm receding. He paused for a moment to watch the cloud of insects retreat, mangled ear twitching atop his head, before he focused once more on the task at hand.
Whatever the Eye had in store for him did not impact his goal in the least. Rather, the absence of pursuers made it that much easier to reach his target.
Soon enough, the hound had managed to navigate the hanging stones to reach the platform closest to the Eye. He landed a run, loping towards the behemoth in the sky. He was only dimly aware of the obstacle in his way, barely a speck compared to the thing he sought. As the monster rose its pincers towards him, the hound merely veered to the side, unwilling to waste time on the nuisance.
He was almost past it when something latched onto his hind leg, the strength in the grip fixing him in place and making him topple forward. The dog let out a surprised bark at the impact, and his neck craned back, vicious eyes fixing on the abomination holding it back as if seeing it for the first time.
One of the numerous beard-like tendrils growing from under the beast’s mouth was wrapped around his ankle, seemingly having stretched and struck out as the demon tried to race past it. As other tentacles snaked out towards him, Fenn let loose a torrent of fire on the monster’s head. The thing staggered, beard shaking, and the dog felt a sudden pull on his leg before he was flung back, the tendril latched to his leg drawing him away from his target with startling strength.
Fenn stood up with a rumbling growl, once again facing the towering monster blocking his way. It seemed the Eye was not willing to let him reach it without playing with its puppets first.
The thing’s makeshift maw opened, flinging out a clump of writhing insects at the dog. Fenn moved aside, letting the projectile splatter on the ground. Before he could retaliate, spears emerged from the mass, launching themselves at the hound’s side, one of them finding the soft hide under his shoulder, the lance parting skin and crashing against his ribs. His enemy took the chance to surge at him.
With practiced ease, the hound ignored the pain and stood firm, raising one chained arm against the beast’s claws. One of its pincers futilely pressed against the chains, while the other drew forward to scratch at the hound behind it. Fenn drew back, metal sliding from the thing’s grasp as he tore his arm from the restraint. His other fist slammed on the side of the incoming pincer.
The lower half of the clawed appendage all but exploded under the force of the impact, sending small bugs flying, and Fenn stepped inside the opening, roaring another blaze towards the abomination’s center.
He was rewarded with a chittering buzz, and an impact like a battering ram striking the center of his chest.
The dog was sent flying back, eyes wide as his paws left the ground. Then his back struck the ground and he rolled with the impact, claws scoring the stone surface as he forced himself to a stop. A glance behind him revealed the yawning abyss that was this realm’s sky.
His eyes returned to the chittering monstrosity before him. Its tendrils were drawing back, unraveling from each other as it studied the stubborn prey it had found. Fenn quickly realized the impact he had felt had been all of the beast’s tentacles striking outwards at once. The thing’s face was blackened, the hound’s flames having killed scores of the tiny insects that comprised its body, but its surface rippled, the bugs swarming and shedding the dead skin, reconvening around the damaged areas to replace their lost companions. Even the claw he had crushed was steadily beginning to reform its damaged half.
Fenn grunted. It would have been simpler if the insects themselves caught aflame, but it seemed they were afforded some kind of protection, such that only the heat itself seemed to damage them. As it stood, confronting this beast would be little different from weathering the swarm itself, and he had already chosen to forego that task.
Then, he would need to abuse the fact that his pursuers had all converged into a single shape. The hound’s thoughts returned to the precipice, and he let out a gruff snort.
His chains unraveled like tendrils of his own and wrapped around the numerous smaller stones that had been left behind along with their floating platforms, wrenching them from the Eye’s green glow. As they did, Fenn’s forearms were engulfed in flame, and pillars of fire erupted from under the abomination. At the same time, his chains let loose their projectiles, fast enough to tear chunks from the thing’s hide, and immediately went in search for new ones.
Fenn set to walking along the edge of the platform, every step punctuated by a set of hurtling stones and another column of fire blossoming under his foe. Mayhaps the barrage itself would be enough to take the abomination apart, but he somehow doubted it. Rather, the sudden onslaught was meant to push the creature back, or force it to join him at the edge of their arena in an effort to halt him.
Whatever the Eye had in store for him did not impact his goal in the least. Rather, the absence of pursuers made it that much easier to reach his target.
Soon enough, the hound had managed to navigate the hanging stones to reach the platform closest to the Eye. He landed a run, loping towards the behemoth in the sky. He was only dimly aware of the obstacle in his way, barely a speck compared to the thing he sought. As the monster rose its pincers towards him, the hound merely veered to the side, unwilling to waste time on the nuisance.
He was almost past it when something latched onto his hind leg, the strength in the grip fixing him in place and making him topple forward. The dog let out a surprised bark at the impact, and his neck craned back, vicious eyes fixing on the abomination holding it back as if seeing it for the first time.
One of the numerous beard-like tendrils growing from under the beast’s mouth was wrapped around his ankle, seemingly having stretched and struck out as the demon tried to race past it. As other tentacles snaked out towards him, Fenn let loose a torrent of fire on the monster’s head. The thing staggered, beard shaking, and the dog felt a sudden pull on his leg before he was flung back, the tendril latched to his leg drawing him away from his target with startling strength.
Fenn stood up with a rumbling growl, once again facing the towering monster blocking his way. It seemed the Eye was not willing to let him reach it without playing with its puppets first.
The thing’s makeshift maw opened, flinging out a clump of writhing insects at the dog. Fenn moved aside, letting the projectile splatter on the ground. Before he could retaliate, spears emerged from the mass, launching themselves at the hound’s side, one of them finding the soft hide under his shoulder, the lance parting skin and crashing against his ribs. His enemy took the chance to surge at him.
With practiced ease, the hound ignored the pain and stood firm, raising one chained arm against the beast’s claws. One of its pincers futilely pressed against the chains, while the other drew forward to scratch at the hound behind it. Fenn drew back, metal sliding from the thing’s grasp as he tore his arm from the restraint. His other fist slammed on the side of the incoming pincer.
The lower half of the clawed appendage all but exploded under the force of the impact, sending small bugs flying, and Fenn stepped inside the opening, roaring another blaze towards the abomination’s center.
He was rewarded with a chittering buzz, and an impact like a battering ram striking the center of his chest.
The dog was sent flying back, eyes wide as his paws left the ground. Then his back struck the ground and he rolled with the impact, claws scoring the stone surface as he forced himself to a stop. A glance behind him revealed the yawning abyss that was this realm’s sky.
His eyes returned to the chittering monstrosity before him. Its tendrils were drawing back, unraveling from each other as it studied the stubborn prey it had found. Fenn quickly realized the impact he had felt had been all of the beast’s tentacles striking outwards at once. The thing’s face was blackened, the hound’s flames having killed scores of the tiny insects that comprised its body, but its surface rippled, the bugs swarming and shedding the dead skin, reconvening around the damaged areas to replace their lost companions. Even the claw he had crushed was steadily beginning to reform its damaged half.
Fenn grunted. It would have been simpler if the insects themselves caught aflame, but it seemed they were afforded some kind of protection, such that only the heat itself seemed to damage them. As it stood, confronting this beast would be little different from weathering the swarm itself, and he had already chosen to forego that task.
Then, he would need to abuse the fact that his pursuers had all converged into a single shape. The hound’s thoughts returned to the precipice, and he let out a gruff snort.
His chains unraveled like tendrils of his own and wrapped around the numerous smaller stones that had been left behind along with their floating platforms, wrenching them from the Eye’s green glow. As they did, Fenn’s forearms were engulfed in flame, and pillars of fire erupted from under the abomination. At the same time, his chains let loose their projectiles, fast enough to tear chunks from the thing’s hide, and immediately went in search for new ones.
Fenn set to walking along the edge of the platform, every step punctuated by a set of hurtling stones and another column of fire blossoming under his foe. Mayhaps the barrage itself would be enough to take the abomination apart, but he somehow doubted it. Rather, the sudden onslaught was meant to push the creature back, or force it to join him at the edge of their arena in an effort to halt him.
@NarayanK Remember, don't feed them after midnight.
Fenn backed away from the platform’s edge as the the monster’s roots began to unwind, making the ground under them shudder. Their support was replaced by a pulse of green light, that left the previously entangled stones suspended in mid-air. There was little doubt that it was the Eye’s influence that was keeping them afloat.
Even casting aside these legends, the hound had suddenly little doubt about why the armor’s people would be in awe of such a creature.
His ears twitched in response to the yellowish mist that began to filter out of the Eye’s shell, the thrumming of countless tiny wings reaching him across the expanse, under their guide’s alarmed voice.
“A purpose for us, it says?” He grunted as he watched the mist approach. “This is the third being with aspirations of godhood that seeks my cooperation in as many days.”
“Third?” The Demoness at his side inquired, looking at him sideways. “Aside from the Council, who’s the third?”
“You, Imp.”
She snorted, cat ears flicking. “Aspiring to godhood? Come on, Pup. I’m not that arrogant.”
Fenn rolled his shoulders and dug his claws on the ground, the spaces between the scales of his chest swelling with an inner light a moment before a tongue of fire erupted from his maw. The flames crashed against the swarm, blackened motes fluttering down towards the expanse below wherever the flames fell, but the wave of insects barely faltered in its approach.
A sharp glint slipping through the flames caused Fenn to duck his head. He felt a sudden warmth and a ripping sensation on one of his ears, and his scorching breath sputtered as he let out an irate snarl. A second projectile aimed at his head was deflected by a violent swing of his scaled arm, the spear losing consistency from the force of the impact.
As the motes climbed out of the broken weapon and fluttered away from the predator, the manner in which the Eye wished to test them became clear. No sooner had the thought formed in his mind, groups of insects seemed to coalesce into larger shapes, golems fashioned from the Eye’s will staggering towards them while the yellow mist surrounded their platform, seemingly content with encircling them. Some of them took on a humanoid shape, their appearance somehow reminiscent of their guide.
At his side, Lily’s form became engulfed in flame—only for the flames to sputter and die, the look on the demoness’ face betraying surprise and annoyance. “For fuck sake. Old fashioned way, then.” Mist coalesced around her hands, glowing motes of white-ish energy quickly coming together to form a large, brutal war hammer. She swung the weapon around as if a toy, readying herself for the approaching golems.
She jumped forwards, sidestepping the first golem’s initial strike, using the momentum to deliver her own. The blow hit deep, striking its side hard enough to blow out part of its torso, scattering the insects making it up, and causing it to scramble to the side to regain its balance. She spun, facing the other only to have it strike her almost head-on, sending her tumbling back towards where they’d stood before.
A different creature had appeared before Fenn, the horns atop its head reminding him of the monsters that had greeted them when they had first stepped into this realm. The thing charged at him, but rather than force it into a contest of strength as he had done before, the hound rose and slammed a fist on the monster’s head. The insects forming the horned head were blasted away by the force, leaving the headless golem to stagger back. A second blow scattered the golem’s torso, and the monster lost its consistency.
He had little time to consider the beast’s frailness compared to the original before the clumps that remained shuddered and gained the shape of smaller creatures and projectiles. Fenn growled as he shifted his stance, presenting the harder parts of his hide and feeling the dull impact of the lances against his scales, before he belched forth another inferno. The smaller golems crumpled as the insects forming them melted under the heat.
Pillars of fire blossomed under other nearby monsters as Fenn saw them appear, killing the insects before they took proper shape, but for all that, the tide of enemies seemed unlikely to turn away regardless of their efforts.
“I tire of swatting pests away,” he growled.
“You’re not the only one!” Lily growled from further away, her axe gone in exchange for a round shield and a short, double edged sword. The golem she had initially attacked was no more, instead she was surrounded by two humanoid shapes the same size as her, and a set of flying weapons.
She twisted, blocking a hit from one small golem, severing the other’s arm from its body. A spear came flying towards her, shattering to dust as it met her shield. One moved to flank her, Lily jumping back to keep them in front of her, only for a her side to burn where the severed arm-now-dagger sliced her.
She roared, anger boiling; scales spreading across her body, tail thickening and wings sprouting from her back. She grabbed one puppet by its head, weapon’s forgotten, crashing it into the ground, the other pulverized from her tail splitting it in half like a massive bullwhip.
Even then, the insects that had not been crushed were already beginning to take on other shapes to assail them. There was not much fighting would accomplish unless they burned the entire swarm to a crisp. Or they stopped its source. Fenn’s thoughts turned to the dark sphere suspended in the distance, and found his lips parting around his fangs.
Fine, then. If he was to be tested, it would be on his terms.
The dog began to back away, eyes fixing on one of the planetoids their assailant had left hovering around them.
The imp must have sensed something was amiss, for her voice suddenly reached him. “What the fuck are you doing?!” Lily all but screamed from where she was now wrestling with a golem, her previous multiple enemies having merged back into one. She was bleeding from several small cuts.
“Exceeding expectations.”
With a running start, he leapt off their platform, roaring fire at the mist surrounding them. It parted at his intrusion, letting him soar in the air before he crashed heavily against another suspended rock.
Only slightly larger than him, the stone swayed, slowly rotating in a way that forced him to scramble upwards, sharp claws scoring the surface. His chains whipped out as more projectiles formed from within the swarm, snapping them before they could reach exposed parts of his body.
Locating another platform, the hound jumped off, leaving a score of projectiles to crash against the rock he had been hanging on to.
No sooner had he landed that more golems appeared, barring his path, but he only paid enough attention to them to bowl them out of his way. His focus was on reaching the Eye.
Even casting aside these legends, the hound had suddenly little doubt about why the armor’s people would be in awe of such a creature.
His ears twitched in response to the yellowish mist that began to filter out of the Eye’s shell, the thrumming of countless tiny wings reaching him across the expanse, under their guide’s alarmed voice.
“A purpose for us, it says?” He grunted as he watched the mist approach. “This is the third being with aspirations of godhood that seeks my cooperation in as many days.”
“Third?” The Demoness at his side inquired, looking at him sideways. “Aside from the Council, who’s the third?”
“You, Imp.”
She snorted, cat ears flicking. “Aspiring to godhood? Come on, Pup. I’m not that arrogant.”
Fenn rolled his shoulders and dug his claws on the ground, the spaces between the scales of his chest swelling with an inner light a moment before a tongue of fire erupted from his maw. The flames crashed against the swarm, blackened motes fluttering down towards the expanse below wherever the flames fell, but the wave of insects barely faltered in its approach.
A sharp glint slipping through the flames caused Fenn to duck his head. He felt a sudden warmth and a ripping sensation on one of his ears, and his scorching breath sputtered as he let out an irate snarl. A second projectile aimed at his head was deflected by a violent swing of his scaled arm, the spear losing consistency from the force of the impact.
As the motes climbed out of the broken weapon and fluttered away from the predator, the manner in which the Eye wished to test them became clear. No sooner had the thought formed in his mind, groups of insects seemed to coalesce into larger shapes, golems fashioned from the Eye’s will staggering towards them while the yellow mist surrounded their platform, seemingly content with encircling them. Some of them took on a humanoid shape, their appearance somehow reminiscent of their guide.
At his side, Lily’s form became engulfed in flame—only for the flames to sputter and die, the look on the demoness’ face betraying surprise and annoyance. “For fuck sake. Old fashioned way, then.” Mist coalesced around her hands, glowing motes of white-ish energy quickly coming together to form a large, brutal war hammer. She swung the weapon around as if a toy, readying herself for the approaching golems.
She jumped forwards, sidestepping the first golem’s initial strike, using the momentum to deliver her own. The blow hit deep, striking its side hard enough to blow out part of its torso, scattering the insects making it up, and causing it to scramble to the side to regain its balance. She spun, facing the other only to have it strike her almost head-on, sending her tumbling back towards where they’d stood before.
A different creature had appeared before Fenn, the horns atop its head reminding him of the monsters that had greeted them when they had first stepped into this realm. The thing charged at him, but rather than force it into a contest of strength as he had done before, the hound rose and slammed a fist on the monster’s head. The insects forming the horned head were blasted away by the force, leaving the headless golem to stagger back. A second blow scattered the golem’s torso, and the monster lost its consistency.
He had little time to consider the beast’s frailness compared to the original before the clumps that remained shuddered and gained the shape of smaller creatures and projectiles. Fenn growled as he shifted his stance, presenting the harder parts of his hide and feeling the dull impact of the lances against his scales, before he belched forth another inferno. The smaller golems crumpled as the insects forming them melted under the heat.
Pillars of fire blossomed under other nearby monsters as Fenn saw them appear, killing the insects before they took proper shape, but for all that, the tide of enemies seemed unlikely to turn away regardless of their efforts.
“I tire of swatting pests away,” he growled.
“You’re not the only one!” Lily growled from further away, her axe gone in exchange for a round shield and a short, double edged sword. The golem she had initially attacked was no more, instead she was surrounded by two humanoid shapes the same size as her, and a set of flying weapons.
She twisted, blocking a hit from one small golem, severing the other’s arm from its body. A spear came flying towards her, shattering to dust as it met her shield. One moved to flank her, Lily jumping back to keep them in front of her, only for a her side to burn where the severed arm-now-dagger sliced her.
She roared, anger boiling; scales spreading across her body, tail thickening and wings sprouting from her back. She grabbed one puppet by its head, weapon’s forgotten, crashing it into the ground, the other pulverized from her tail splitting it in half like a massive bullwhip.
Even then, the insects that had not been crushed were already beginning to take on other shapes to assail them. There was not much fighting would accomplish unless they burned the entire swarm to a crisp. Or they stopped its source. Fenn’s thoughts turned to the dark sphere suspended in the distance, and found his lips parting around his fangs.
Fine, then. If he was to be tested, it would be on his terms.
The dog began to back away, eyes fixing on one of the planetoids their assailant had left hovering around them.
The imp must have sensed something was amiss, for her voice suddenly reached him. “What the fuck are you doing?!” Lily all but screamed from where she was now wrestling with a golem, her previous multiple enemies having merged back into one. She was bleeding from several small cuts.
“Exceeding expectations.”
With a running start, he leapt off their platform, roaring fire at the mist surrounding them. It parted at his intrusion, letting him soar in the air before he crashed heavily against another suspended rock.
Only slightly larger than him, the stone swayed, slowly rotating in a way that forced him to scramble upwards, sharp claws scoring the surface. His chains whipped out as more projectiles formed from within the swarm, snapping them before they could reach exposed parts of his body.
Locating another platform, the hound jumped off, leaving a score of projectiles to crash against the rock he had been hanging on to.
No sooner had he landed that more golems appeared, barring his path, but he only paid enough attention to them to bowl them out of his way. His focus was on reaching the Eye.
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