Necrophage

A Hero Tale {Complete}

There were no mincing words with Geode. "Were you watching me?" That the apparition could see what Oz could see hadn't yet occurred to him. "I was trying to win. I couldn't see a way to land a hit on Zelriane other than by trading them or tricking him." Oz looked down at the ground and shook his head. "Before you say it, yes I am a fool. It takes the brave - and the stupid to change the world. I'd hope to think that I'm among the former."

Oswald's senses tingled, like a burning light at the corner of your eye that you can't quite see even turning around. "And you're right about the time. The time in this space might be slowed but the agoniki is still consuming me on the outside. It will bring me back soon. Tell me what you can. We'll make it count." Oz hoped it would be as he said.

A Hero Tale {Complete}

The blow felt like a normal punch. That is if a normal punch injected searing acid into your skull. While the effect was breaking out immediately Oz knew that in seconds everything would be even worse.

Screaming was all he wanted to do right now but he was taking this snake to the floor first. A burst of force and accelerated gravity propelled them downward and Oz held the Order member with frenzied strength until they slammed hard into the ground, Zelrianne first. Oz squirmed to the side, rolling end over end in some vain attempt to soothe the pain. He couldn't calm himself enough to vent ki and clear his system. Barely able to control himself he started with a groan that grew into a scream. It didn't take long for his voice to turn hoarse. Today pain had a color and it was green.

Rest was impossible but he did finally settle on his knees, leaning forward on his elbow and staring at the ground. His body was sweating profusely as it tried to find a natural answer to an unnatural amount of suffering. The ability to see was also off. Colors were mixed and everything blurred into a mess. He was completely vulnerable and there was nothing he could do but wait for Zelriane to recover and finish it.

Vision was finally blacking out. He thought it was unconsciousness but he still felt pain even if it was being numbed by something. He saw a familiar place, one he usually made himself through meditations. It was like being underwater, sand below, pillars of bright light shining from the surface above, floating free without any need for oxygen. The only troubling thing is that Oz didn't conjure this image. Someone else did.

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Oz drifted to a small cave that stood below. The pains of the fight and agoniki still ebbed and pushed at his awareness but something else was drawing him here than his own focus. The entrance was barred and locked by a substance deeper than shadow that felt like it would be colder than the void of space. A figure clinked in the background of the cave before approaching the entrance and bringing light to himself. He was lanky, regal and always certain of himself. He'd been uncharacteristically quiet of late.

"Did you ring to keep me from killing myself and by extension you?" Oz asked the apparition. "How kind of you, Geode."

A Hero Tale {Complete}

Zelriane was right in front of him. This was the best chance he had to damage his opponent even if it cost him. Oz pushed through Zelriane's hits accelerating the damage he took, battling even through being winded from so many quick blows to the chest. A nebulous screen of veil billowed from his arm to mask his movements.

The speedster was likely to dash away again, Oz wouldn't have that. He needed some value. A glow illuminated in the screen of veil followed by a ripple of force from behind Zelriane, ideally pushing him into Oz. Oz dove against it, seeking to grab one of Zelriane's legs.

A Hero Tale {Complete}

Zelriane's ring of light technique was so unusual that Oz truly didn't see it coming. It closed in on the barrier quickly and narrowed what Oz would be able to do. Certainly Oz needed to escape the skill but it was set up to force him out while Zelriane camped beyond to catch him. He was in a vice. Oz made the choice.

The guardian jumped up and flipped onto the ceiling, launching a quick force pulse toward Zelriane mid-air. He moved on the ceiling like it were natural to him and charged violet energy toward his right arm.

A Hero Tale {Complete}

The energy spikes withdrew before several more plunged out at Zelriane's path, trying to cut him off, catch him or slow him down. This fight was currently in Zelriane's favor. Oz hadn't landed any hits. Oz was starting to get the impression they would have to trade blow for blow in order to get the speedster down yet there was the matter of his raw haste. He could avoid most attacks Oz was able to make and counter or land small blows between. With his type of meta energy that meant he would win.

While Atlas kept up the barrage and defense Oz formulated what his options were and planned ahead.

A Hero Tale {Complete}

Zelriane's Judan almost struck true. It hit his barrier while it shifted but still managed to punch through. It was forced off its original course and grazed Oz's left shoulder, drawing blood before slamming into the other side and losing the rest of its power.

Brief dimples appeared around the barrier as Zelriane moved behind Oz. As the Atlas arm withdrew into the barrier, the dimples erupted outward in spikes of energy. If it didn't take Zelriane by surprise it would at least keep him from continuing his Ihan.

A Hero Tale {Complete}

"Atlas!" Oz did not fail to meet the expectation. Atlas was a changeable construct so space constraints and shape were not a big issue."Phalanx." He commanded. What was unmistakably an arm came out of the rotating shield stretching out to Oz's left. It extended into a long, thin limb with a spiked star at the end. It went with the rotational force of the shield increasing its momentum as it swung across the room toward Zelriane.

A Hero Tale {Complete}

Zelriane's strike was so sudden that it knocked Oz off balance in addition to causing a nasty bruise on his bare back even through his shield. A normal man would have easily been crippled for life. Or dead. Oz gasped as he stumbled forward but caught himself from falling. The speed wasn't so shocking at this point but it was effective and proved Zelriane didn't need to rely on his agoniki to disable tough targets. I can't think of any way to predict that fluid of speed, let alone match it. But there was still a way and he wanted to use anything but it.

Oz gripped his fist tightly, the shield around him started to slowly expand outward as ribbons of energy lapped up out of it in marbled patterns. They had their own sharpness to them. Once the shield reached an appropriate size it stopped expanding and the marble patterns moved in more intensity around it. He had his doubts it would stop Zelriane but it may at least prove damaging to strike him.

A Hero Tale {Complete}

"Why do you follow his orders? Why did you ever join him at all?" Oz questioned. He stood in a flexible side stance and reduced his output on shields to prepare himself for spontaneous bursts of movement. It looked like Zelriane was readying himself to move faster and he wanted to be ready to respond. "I've seen no redeemable qualities or intentions in him. His actions are petty and unjust. Is it coercion that reins you in? Fear? Respect? I would know you so we can fight unhindered."

A Hero Tale {Complete}

Oz managed to swat Zelriane's thigh strike out of the air with a vicious downward parry from his arm. While he was able to defend himself there he was running out of options. He could feel the burn begin, it would develop into indescribable pain and any more would incapacitate him. This was almost like last time except this time he was down one limb. Oz was alone, out of options and getting ever nearer to defeat.

Alone? Oz projected another shield around himself. He was never alone anymore, even if he wanted to be. He fell to one knee, the pain was blossoming. He looked down and closed his eyes. Oz was no longer himself, his own man. He hadn't been for a while now. He had become something else, not quite a monster but definitely no longer a man.

Energy began to fume out of Oz's skin. He wasn't gathering anything, it was being expelled into his surroundings. Mixed in the purplish hue were streams of green; Zelriane's agoniki. Beads of sweat ran down his body and dripped from his face. This was taking its toll on him. Oz looked up and opened his eyes, staring through Zelriane. They shined a brilliant violet, illuminating his face. "I hope you didn't forget that you're the reason I'm here."