Only You (Closed)

[Aello]

Aello followed the blurred edges of her companion's form, drawing closer and closer to the strange man. An entity she could only assume Nex sensed to be a nuit; or perhaps simply a threat to them both. The aurist thought she could hear him cackling as the wolf's fist met his flesh. But she couldn't be sure. Or perhaps, rather, it would be best to say she didn't want to be, for the action seemed so out of place, it chilled her to the bone. For, not only did she know her companion's strength, having trained with him many times before, but she knew too, that he was knowledgeable in the art of flux, and could bend the magic to his well, making him all the more powerful. The girl trembled as her fists tightened around the hilts of her daggers. Something was wrong, very wrong. She didn't need her magic to be certain of such things. "Nex!" Aello called. "Watch out!" Although, she didn't know what she was advising he look out for, Aello knew it could only be a matter of time before the threat showed itself, because no one in their right mind cackled like that in the face of danger. And she was right. Out of the shadows crept a rather peculiar creature. Its body slinking along, its hips rocking from side to side as it padded along the docks. The aurist's head cocked as she took in the sweep of the creature's grace. A lion, with sharp daggers for claws, and a scorpion's tail curled over its back. Poised to strike. As she looked down at its golden paws, she could see clods of blood matting its fur, and imagined, it must hurt the creature each time he retracted his claws. But even so, his master didn't seem to care, and neither did he. As the twisted creature padded close behind its master it eyed Nex. Dark green orbs settled on bare skin, glistening with sweat and blood. Aello's eyes grew wide for she knew then, as the beast parted its lips, threw back its head, and emitted a thunderous roar, that it was angered, and that her companion was in trouble. Unwilling to let him face the threat of the two monsters alone, the girl sprang into action. She lunged for the beast just as its pink, sandpapery tongue retracted into its mouth, and its tail straightened. "Get away from him!" Aello screamed as her thumbs glided over the hilts, and the monster, crafted of alchemy and other dark arts, turned his gaze to her. He seemed to register her within an instant, the threat her daggers posed, and soon, his tail came crashing down towards her side. The bulbous edge, a deep red coupled with a shadowy ink, missed by but an inch. But that was not enough to deter, soon, the creature had pulled its tail back, before it sprang for her again, like a coiled snake. This time, instead of simply side stepping as she had done before, to dodge the threat, Aello moved out of the way and forced her daggers up, under the meaty appendage. The tip of her blade sliced across the glistening shell, incasing flesh the consistency of jelly. A thick, yellow gel oozed from the small incision the girl had left, as she pulled her weapons away, and kept on running. Closer and closer she came to the monster, who seemed content on staying firmly rooted to a single spot. Its tail doing most of the work as it growled at her. The scent of the gel seemed to fill the air. It was putrid. Like decaying flesh thrown onto a fire. Aello's nostrils flared as her daggers came close, as the monster's tail struck out at her again, sweeping across her right leg. Forming a shallow gash. Blood trickled down her pale flesh as she gasped in pain; bit her bottom lip to ward it away. The tail had retracted again; coiling around its master. Tickling his legs. The daggers the monster's fluffy paws held seemed to grow as she neared. Raising a single paw to swipe viciously at her. So swiftly, that she could scarcely side step in time to save herself from another wound. "Darn it Dira!" Aello hissed under her breath. "What madness has the world offered to try and take me in your name?"

[Nex Paciscor]

As his fist snapped forward, conditioning kicked in and he could feel the strange force building in his arm, quickening his fist forward enough so that his knuckles bit the nuit's jaw before it even managed to bring it's arm's up to block the blow. The infernal laughing didn't stop even as the creatures head was forced sideways under the weight of the blow, but the noise didn't register with Nex. All he saw was the frail thing stumbling back to crumple against the wall of a squat structure, and black blood dripped from the corner of it's mouth. The damnable creature was still laughing when Nex lunged at him again fist coming in low when a deafening roar distracted him, and caused him to hesitate for a moment, his fist crashing into the broad wooden side of the shack, pain shooting up his arm. It shuddered as his full body fell against the side of the building, his cheek pressed against it's wooden grains and offering him a good view of Aello fending off the creature.

Flexing the pain out of his hand he pushed off the wooden wall and squared up his shoulder's with the creature, and moved forward without a thought to the nuit at his back. Aello was in danger and that was all that mattered at the moment as his vision crystalized looking upon the creature as he stalked forward. With every creaking footstep, he flexed the muscles in his left arm receptively, concentrating hard on drawing a trickled of flux energy to build in the length of his arm while he waded in close to the other worldly creature. His breath expelled from his lungs long and slow, a experience from his past not soon forgotten. He knew what he needed to do, and he would do it for Aello. Nex would do what he couldn't for his master so long ago.

"Here!" He bellowed as loud as he could, his face twisted into a snarl, and lifting up his foot he lightly kicked the creature's flank to further draw it's attention. Faster that he expected, the beast reacted, it's barbed tail wiping forward to punch into his shoulder, and caught off guard, he fell backwards but not before grabbing the tail with his right hand and bringing it down to the ground with him. A burning pain sizzled through the flesh of his arm as the stinger pumped it's potent toxin into his shoulder, and gritting his teeth, he ignored the dizzying pain as he ripped the stinger from his arm and secured his grip on the tail by grabbing it with his left hand, power still building slowly within. With a thought he released the moderate buildup of energy pent up in his arm, and throwing all his weight into the movement he smashed the bulbous red stinger against the docks, it's casing shattering against the hard wood of the docks in a spray of yellow gore.

The creatures following pain racked scream sent the docks trembling slightly, and all Nex could do to avoid the enraged beast turning towards him was to scramble backwards away and his shoulder continually throbbing, and breathing harder wasn't exactly helping his efforts, but still he continued backwards till his back was against yet another hovel, and he had no where left to run. Silently he hoped he had done enough to hinder the creature because very soon he knew he'd be little use to Aello.

[Aello]

"Nex!" Aello screamed as she watched his interaction with the creature. The spray of goo sliding across the docks, forming a slick layer she was sure she'd slip across if only she failed to step with purpose, grace and ease. "No!" she hollered past a sick cackling sound in the background, and the occasional growl coming from the two injured creature's direction. But just from which she couldn't tell in her fit of anguish. She could feel her hands tightening around the hilts of her daggers all the more, her hands growing white as her facial features churned. Becoming a palate of obscurity and sheer pain as she darted forward, towards the wounded alchemical project. Within a moment it seemed her foot was rising off of the ground, and was twisting towards fur matted with the innards of an insect. Within a second, it had snapped back, and then forward again, ramming the monster roughly in its flank. The monster roared as it rolled over just an inch, and the girl swept forward. Lowering herself towards the monster as her hands came forward, and jabbed the creature's soft underbelly. As the metal daggers cut through tough skin, blood began to spurt. Speckles of warm, deep red moisture dotted her hands as she drove them as far in as she could, past the rib cage. Seconds later, she was tugging them back out as it kept on squealing. With lips spreading into a ravenous smile, eyes as dangerous as her daggers, she turned from the bloody mess to the nuit. Aello could see his hands held out in front of him, his fingers lightly furled as his limbs rotated softly, in a small, counter clockwise fashion. Puzzled, her head naturally tilted to the side. Perhaps, that was her downfall, for within an instant, she could feel a soft tug on her shoulders, on the folds of her long dress, which gradually grew stronger, as time passed. Confused by it, she looked up, to find a dark void within the earth, a dark hole, forming just above her head. At first, it seemed the diameter of but an orange, but slowly, it grew. Coming to meet the size of a grapefruit, and then her head. Then perhaps two, and something more. She watched it warily, as her clothes whipped around her. The darkness hungrily sucking on the air, hoping to slurp anything caught within its venomous air. Her body trembled as it strained to move away, in the opposite direction of the void. "Nex get up," she whispered, her words devoured by the darkness. She wanted to kick him, to make him move, but she could not. She could barely get herself to move, now that the void was widening, threatening to engulf even more of their world. She watched it out of the corner of her eye now, as she studied the strange nuit. Her dagger arms flexing in an attempt to push back far enough where she could toss one at him. She grit her teeth as she fought to turn away from the hole. "Please get up," she whispered, as she felt the tip of the monster's tail brush up against her side. Trailing up the length of her leg, to her middle, before it hung by her head for an instant. A crescent moon thrown from the sky and other celestials, before it was returned to the darkness. The void seemed to shrink for a moment, and then widen again, as though taking the time to chew its meal, before swallowing it whole. "Now," she called a little louder this time, as she jerked a single foot away, and then tossed her cursed weapon at the undead. At first, it seemed to soar true. Swirling through the air as it dove towards the monster of a man. But within an instant, the void expanded, and soon overcame the dagger. Idly, Aello watched it disappear into the world beyond, not at all worried that it would never make its way back. She knew it would return to her, seeing as it always did. It was part of the magic of the thing, after all. As she studied the void, stuck in space once more, she came to realize that it was slowly sealing itself off, barring her from her weapon. Gasping for breath as everything settled, and she no longer had to strain herself to remain standing upon the docks, Aello simply stared at the nuit as he cackled. What sort of madness is this? Aello wondered, as she dove head first into its cycle.

[Nex Paciscor]

Spectacularly Aello battled the beast while Nex watched, struggling futilely to get back up to his feet. His shoulder was aflame with pain as the poison traveled thickly through his veins, discoloring the skin around the sting, and any use of the arm had him falling back against the wall, the pain too much to bear. He needed to help Aello, desperately and with his one good arm he began crawling towards the woman who was then finishing off the monstrosity. Heart pounding in his chest he followed where her eyes went and recognized the nuit, his memory of their purpose there coming flooding back to him. It had to be stopped. It had to be ended for his master to be safe.

With new strength flooding through his limbs at the rush of adrenaline, he burst to his feet, heedless of the rift in space that had opened and closed without his notice. He could only feel hate, could only see the nuit through the red cloud that afflicted his vision. It didn't register to him that he was slowly walking towards the nuit, the intensity of his focus so encompassing. Willing a trickle of flux energy to soak into his muscles, he could feel his right arm growing with power, and his fist snapping forwards, he punched hard at the nuit's ribcage, hoping to break the creature.

[Aello]

It seemed that Nex was faster than she. Aello supposed it was his own strain of magic working for him. Otherwise, she doubt he would be able to get up on his own. Inwardly screaming at his recklessness, she forced herself to pick up the pace, her arms pumping as the nuit raised an arm, leaving a single finger directed at her. A burst of flame shot out at her, causing the girl to side-step swiftly, before she was engulfed by magic. Growling, as she looked up from the lake, where the crackling orange was sizzling into oblivion, the aurist came to realize that Nex had made it to a nuit first. She could hear his fist make impact as the vile creature was thrown back, his latest burst of flame flying off course, into the alleyway behind him, as he stumbled back. Marveling at the strength of her companion, Aello pushed herself, rolling her shoulder forward as she ran for the monster. Within a few ticks of the clock, her full weight barreled into that of the nuit. Shoving him back, closer to the wall. As soon as they had made impact, Aello pulled her arm up, bringing the dagger that remained with her. The weapon cut through the air, inching closer and closer to the nuit, until it finally met with his splitting flesh. The metal came under his arm, drawing up, through the center, and out the other side. Severing it just below the elbow. The nuit screamed as his limb fell to the floor, laying truly lifeless. Limp. Ichor spilled from the severance, as Aello drew her blade across, smashing it into the creature's side, before she was sent sprawling by an oddly violent backhanded swing, taken to the head. Aello's brow furrowed as her teeth sank into her bottom lip. Her fingertips brushed over the hilt, as her palm loosened, and then tightened again. Her eyes clamped shut as her legs, shaking, sent her a few steps away. Everything was spinning. Sickeningly dark. Her right hand floated through air, met with something soft. Strands trickling through spaces left between bits of skin. Between narrowing fingers, grown pale with pain. With the fight that was yet to be had. "Finish it..." she whispered. "End it Nex."

[Nex Paciscor]

Surging past Aello's tumbling form, Nex slammed into the nuit, the pair falling to the ground in a tumble of limbs, blood mixing with ichor freely. Gripping the creatures only hand by the wrist he slammed it down against the wooden floor, his free hand coming around to land heavily against its side. He could feel ribs snapping from the blow.

Repeatedly his fist snapped forward, pulping the creatures side as it thrashed underneath him. Its filthy black blood covered him now, and he could feel its struggles grow weaker but he didn't slow his punches. The beast had to pay. Even when it stilled, he continued, his fist now torn bloody by the splintering bones of what was left of the creatures ribcage. The moment climaxed in a primal scream that echoed in every fiber of his being, his head snapping forwards to bash the creatures skull in with his own. He dropped quivering into the black mess of death, exhausted both mentally and physically. In the background he could hear Aello speaking but he could make no sense of the words.

Darkness consumed him.

[Aello]

Aello watched their bodies fall apart. It seemed so slow, as though their ichor and blood combined had condensed, forming a thick glue which fought to keep them together, even though their fading sense of self will, longed for them to break away. They each had their eyes closed. Bore skin and fabric matted by their own fluids. Both looked dead. Truly dead. That made her heart stop, for but a beat. Slick with sweat, she panted. Wiping her brow with the back of her hand, as she sheathed her weapon, and crept to the fallen's side. Once there, her body crumbled alongside. Her hands sweeping away hair, caressing skin, as tears welled in her eyes. "Nex," the aurist whispered, as her eyes swept over him, noticing how seldomly his chest rose and fell. How her ears prickled, for they could scarcely discern his breath. "Nex, wake up," Aello whispered. "You did good Nex. He's gone now, and it's time to wake up..." There was no answer. Only an unsettling silence. A stillness, as darkness crept over each of their forms. Dismayed, Aello slipped her arms beneath her Kelvic, her hands cradling him. "I'm sorry I pushed you. I'm sorry I let him get you." There was a long silence, followed by a sob. A stifled sigh. "I'm sorry I have to take you to them. Those who can wash the blood away," Aello finished, her voice shaking, as she rose to her feet, taking him with her. Surely, it was close enough where she could manage. Now that the familiar weight had returned.

[Verilian]

Aello +1 Hunting +1 Interrogation +1 Intimidation +1 Dual Wield +1 Brawling Lores: Another Year Alive, Nuit: Likely Hiding Places, Almost losing a Friend Nex Paciscor +1 Hunting +1 Intimidation +2 Unarmed Combat +1 Flux Lores: A Deathly Proposition, Religion: Dira despises Nuit, Nuit: Likely Hiding Places, Nearly Dead You Question My Logic? : Any questions, shoot me a pm. Notes: I enjoyed this thread a lot. I almost thought Nex had died, but I guess not. I was a little iffy on the dagger returning from the void.. I'm not sure if it could. It's a powerful dagger, but returning from the void is a big deal. But.. since you've likely already posted using your dagger since this thread, I guess I'll let it slide this time. We'll just say that the dagger returned before the void completely closed off. Anyway, it was a great thread. I'm sad that Nex is retired, but as always I hope to see more! Keep up the good work! Notice As per the request of the Founders, threads cannot be graded unless your CS is up to date. This means you need to add threads to your thread list when you make new threads, keep your skills up to date, ledger, living expenses, ect. If you aren't up to date, you'll get a PM from me before i grade your thread. If you are up to date, disregard this notice.