Completed [Kandukta Basin] Trickster and Reimancer (Mamoru)

[Soshakuakamamushi]

Kandukta Basin 20th of Bell, 25th of Summer 513 A.V

Aka was nervous, scared, and most importantly annoyed at the huge Constrictor in Dhani form before her. The Viper, in her snake form, hissed in anger heavily coated with fear. Her reptilian eyes looked at the big flooding lake before them, the Kandukta Basin as it was called. It was nighttime and the jungle insects were already making those annoying loud sounds.

Her scales quivering with fear as she opened her mouth and spoke in their native snake-tongue, the only language she's capable of doing in her snake form. "No, no, and no, Master! Are you crazy?! I... I can't ssswim!!" The Trickster was once again managed to almost drive Aka into insanity, after utterly scaring her at their first meeting, literally duplicating himself with his illusion at their sparring session weeks ago, and now... telling a Viper, a Dhani who had been living her life in the hot Eyktol Desert for a hundred years to swim. It was really unacceptable.

Aka agreed - or rather, forced - to go with Mamoru on his usual patrol as the Zinrah guard, she thought it would just be another "circling the surrounding area and kill some Myrians" kind of patrol... not "Go to this damned lake and swim" kind of patrol... Aka hissed in protest and would shook her head repeatedly if she's capable of doing so "No, Master, no no no! I will not!" It may take some persuasion for Mamoru to get the stubborn Viper to get into the water... with the "persuasion" bit being very open to interpretations.

[Kalesserimamoru]

The Kandukta Basin was flooded as it normally was during the summer and the mass of water was extended far beyond what it was during the rest of the seasons. In the darkness of the night, the waters appeared black, and the lumps of flesh and scales appeared as rocks in Leth's mighty glow. The massive Dhani known as Mamoru slithered through the jungle carrying nothing with him, and wearing only a thin, dark cloth around his waist.


Aka was with him, the fire bug, as he thought to call her. It turned out to be a very good thing that he chanced upon her when he did. The girl was far too wild and obsessed with her ability to manipulate res that she did it everywhere and always. This wouldn't have been so much a problem if she hadn't chosen fire to throw around the nest. But luckily for her, Mamoru was around, and as he had learn, he could smooth over a lot of problems. His skills weren't always used for flashy tricks, and to deceive others during battle, sometimes they worked silently to undo things rather than make them happen.


Mamoru had been patrolling for some time, but after seeing nothing of interest, he decided to take a break. The Basin was filled with fish during this time of year, and he felt up for a light snack. It was also the thought of seeing a viper in the water that amused him. The trickster still wasn't sure why the little viper chose the wet, jungle to her normal dry desert, but she was going to have to get used to it, she was going to have to get used to everything.


The dhani smiled evilly as Aka continued to complain, she spoke as if she had a choice. As if he had asked her a question, or an opinion. He did find interest in the fact that she would half way comply, and fight him at the same time. "Aka..dear Aka...Didn't you know? You're already in the water." And with those words, the sneaky Dhani spun around and smacked her with the thick of his tail to sent her into the water.

[Soshakuakamamushi]

"Ssssssss!" Aka hissed in protest and did what she does best, complaining. She almost slithered away in fear until Mamoru's ugly giant snake mug appeared directly in front of her face. Aka did not like the smug look he had on his serpentine face.

"Aka..dear Aka...Didn't you know? You're already in the water."

"Huh?" She hissed in utter confusion and was about to look below just to make sure she actually was in the water. She wasn't, Mamoru had tricked her agai- "WAAAAAAAAH?!!" A hiss full of shock erupted from her slit-tongued mouth, her tiny lithe Viper body was thrown away by Mamoru's giant muscular Constrictor tail.

*SSSPLASH!*

"Aaaa! H-help! No! Aaaaaah! I-I can't ssswim!" Aka struggled to keep herself afloat, if she would just calm down and not panic, she would find that swimming in her serpent form was much easier than her human or dhani form; but of course, as usual, her panicked state didn't allow that. Mamoru also slithered into the water and Aka instinctively splashed to him, taking shelter on his massive back to keep her head above the water. Aka then stayed on Mamoru's back as they journeyed through the basin.

"Ha... fuuh... I... I almossst died... Y-you are evil! I hate you! I hate you! Hmph!" The Viper hissed loudly. If she was capable of pouting her cheeks, she would do so right now, but she resorted to just look away and hissed in a rather childish annoyance. "Don't ignore me! Sssay something! Sssay someth-?!" Aka finally found out when her amplified senses and night vision detected two looming shadows on what seemed to be a boat and... two more on a similar boat not far from the previous one.

So that was why Mamoru kept silent, those humanoid shapes must be those foul cannibals, Myrians. "M... Massster... what ssshould we do?" She was half-expecting the answer to be "Kill them of courssse!". Just in case, Aka concentrated and opened her jaw, a stream of reddish slimy res flowed from her fangs, creating her ball-shaped res in front of her, ready to be transmuted into her plain ol' fireball or lavaball.

[Kalesserimamoru]

Mamoru cackled loudly as the small viper splashed about in the water. It was another example of the extremes she went through for simple things. But it had it's good sides, it wouldn't have been much fun for him if she didn't react to his games. It was something to note in the way that she moved, almost as if she was trying to slither on top of the waters as she would the dirt in the desert. Just as well, if she would have allowed her body to relax, she would have been doing close to the same thing in swimming.


"You make thisss way too eassy Aka. Why I've never sseen a sserphant that wasss afraid of water. How could you sservice in your home land without the mosst bassic of needsss?"


The trickster entered the waters and whipped his massive tail about to move him through and keep up somewhat leveled. There was splashing, and suddenly he felt Aka's softer scales on his back as she latched herself on to him. The Dhani thought to throw her off again but he sensed something near by. At the moment, the heat signature was faint, but even that meant one thing...food. He could tell that it wasn't reptile in nature, the signature being given off was far warmer and had to be a mammal.


"Ah....food, a night'ssss ssnack I hope."


Mamoru ignored her for the time being, the little viper barely ate anything, and she probably wasn't even hungry. But the Trickster was always hungry and another meal was always a good idea. He slithered further along the coast, taking his time as the alligator might to make his presences less noticeable. By many, and to the untrained eyes he might appear as a log would, floating along in the waves. Once they drew closer, he noticed the boats and smiled. Of course Aka was already gearing up to attack, and Mamoru wasn't about to spoil her fun.


"Do you think you can do it? Can you...ssink both boatsss?"

[Soshakuakamamushi]

Aka rolled her eyes, Mamoru was always thinking about food... did he have some kind of void portal inside his stomach? Possible considering how many meat he ate everyday, but then again... his massive body did logically requires a lot of sustenance. Aka herself fancied some meat, but not to the enormous amount these Giants eat, one tapir a day was enough... okay that might seem much to normal human standards, but hey! She was a growing girl or at least... that's what she had been telling herself "Just a few more inches!" and the like. Aka sure didn't realize her hypocrisy.

"Do you think you can do it? Can you...ssink both boatsss?"

"Of courssse, I can! Who do you think I a-...." Aka cut herself off and just shut up when she felt Mamoru wasn't in the mood for her constant bickering, he would literally eat her later if she endangered them both because of her unnecessary hissing. Aka then concentrated further and also coated her fangs in res, together with the res ball floating in front of her mouth, she was ready for the surprise attack.

Mamoru then stealthily swam closer to the boats, Aka opted to sink the closest boat first by igniting the outer and middle res of the ball into flames while still keeping the core in res form, she knew those filthy Myrians would notice the floating fireball and all hell would break loose once she began her first strike. She quickly launched her fireball to the first boat and once it reached the boat's side, she hissed and caused it to explode, sending wooden debris everywhere and the two crews shocked, they immediately jumped into the water, abandoning their flaming broken boat.

"Now massster! The next one!!" Aka hissed and Mamoru began swimming faster to the second boat, shouts in Myrian could be heard and through her heat-vision, Aka could see they seemed to be grabbing their spears and bows, she needed to act fast. An arrow whizzed pass Mamoru's body, but due to the darkness and position, the Dhanis were at an advantage. Aka spitted the res that was coating her fangs and it stuck itself onto the boat, it then seeped inside the wooden hull.

She then hissed and ignited the res, causing the second boat to be cooked from the inside and true enough, flames began consuming it. The Myrians of course, immediately jumped down to save themselves from burning with their aquatic vehicle. All in all, four Myrians were now frantically swimming for land, they knew it was an attack by those foul Dhanis. After all, what kind of alligator could shoot fireballs? But obviously Mamoru would not let them have the opportunity.

"It'sss done, Massster..." Aka could somehow predict what would come next, diving and surprise attacks below the water, so she coiled herself around Mamoru's body, took a deep breath, and closed her eyes.

[Kalesserimamoru]

"Well then..what are you waiting for?"


Aka was confident for such a tiny snake, but her powers lied in magic rather than her physical form. At least in this, her joy of burning things would come in handy. Two boats, four people and the thought crossed his mind, making him wonder why they were out in the waters so late at night. Did the Myrians now think themselves invincible? With Aka on his back, the Dhani slithered further into the dept of the waters, drawing them closer to the boats.


"Now!"


The first ball was launched, and the boat exploded, and the two on board jumped into the waters to escape the flames. There were shouts coming from the other boat as they realized that they were under attack. Soon arrows started darting the waters, making tiny splashes as they dipped into the pools of black. Mamoru slithered further away from the boat and continued on towards the second.


"Take them down!"


Aka attacked again and the second boat started to burn and more humans jumped into the waters. It was his turn to have fun now and Mamoru was ready for it. His deji emanated from within him as he focused it into both of his hands and fingers. The bones at his fingers shaved sharp and the points started to grow forward and out into claw-like knives. He wiggled his fingers as the changed continued and his fingers were extended past 13 inches. The Dhani also willed his djed to focus it once again into the point end of his tail. He recalled how he had done this before with his Naginata in mind and choose to do so again.


The bone in his tail extended out, the green scales burning white as the creation of the blade continued on. It had a rough look to it, and the blade itself was more edgy than sharp, though the fine line was better than it had been the first time that he had used it. Once he was ready, Mamoru dashed through the waters again and dove deep under with Aka barely hanging on. The Trickster wiggled and flicked his tail about to propel him through faster as he closed in on them. Two Myrians had already made it out of the deep end and were racing towards the shores, but there was another still in floating around.


"Thisss one is mine.."


Mamoru slithered closer, his gaze following the heat waves of the body that was just below the waters. The Dhani swung his arm back as he crossed the body and lashed out with talons that ripped through flesh just under the surface. The Myrians on the shore continued to call out to the other, trying to see where he was and what he was doing. The archers stayed their bows, wanting to be sure that they weren't attacking their own instead of whatever was in the water. The wounded Myrian continued to swim towards the shores, trying his best to put his wounds from his mind in order to save his life.


Mamoru spun himself around beneath the waves and turned his body around to go back for another attack. Suddenly the humans on the shore was greeted with a horrifying sight. The wounded Myrian appeared from the waters, being launched into the air and driven back deep into the waters, by what looked like a two headed, two tailed Dhani creature. Mamoru snapped his head forward and took chunks of flesh out of the Myrians neck and shoulder before finally letting the body drift further under.


Slithering his way back up, the Dhani put all he had into his tail and exploded once again from the depths flinging his tail out to rip through anything nearby as he he found his landing on one of the rock-like stones close to the shore. "Time. To. Play."

[Soshakuakamamushi]

"Guhuk! Akh!" Bubbles were coming out of Aka's nostrils as she struggled to keep the waters out of her respiratory system when Mamoru dived deep and dashed under the water, everything was a blur. She could only heard the shoutings in Myrian, the excited hisses of Mamoru, and the crackle of burning boats above them. She heard some wet sound of torn flesh, she didn't quite know what it was since her eyes were closed, but from the pained scream she heard, it must be the work of Mamoru. He had claimed the first Myrian.

The third Myrian frantically climbed out of the deep water, watching in rage as one of their comrades were torn apart by their mortal enemy, Dhanis. Their feet was still partially submerged in the water because the land around the basin be flooded like usual in the Summer. The three Myrians readied their spears, gladiuses, and bows, ready for battle, but the bizarre sight of what seemed to be a Constrictor in Dhani form with two heads made them pause a bit, but one of them soon realized that another... Dhani in snake form was wrapping around the larger one's torso. The snake was... very tiny to say the least, at least compared to even the smaller constrictors.

"Time. To. Play."

"Hsssssss!" Aka flexed her jaws and spat out any remaining water in her mouth, she then eyed the three Myrians in front of them. Anger and rage filled her eyes. At the course of her time spent within Zinrah, Aka grew to hate the Myrians more and more as she listened to the stories of Myrian's cruelty and savagery told by Senka to her. These scums were bullies, using their numbers to surround her siblings' nest... Aka could understand that life must had been very hard for these giants, with constant threat looming in every corner... and it was all because of this humanoid monsters.

"Massster... I will go now..." She quickly slithered down from Mamuro's body and dashed through the flooded ground, keeping her head above the water. The Myrians shouted and one of them went after the agile Viper, while the other two faced the mighty Constrictor.

"............" Aka kept silent and looked to her right as she dashed forward, a female Myrian was running after her general direction, she couldn't pin-point Aka's exact location due to her size, speed, and low lighting. She could only make use of the water ripples caused by Aka's movements. Aka was slowed down by the water's resistance when she moved through them, but the Myrian was slowed down as well so it kinda evens out.

She flexed her jaws and created her favorite ball-shaped res in front of her mouth while keeping her movements by circling the Myrian. An arrow whizzed pass her, but it was off but quite a mark, Aka knew that if she kept moving the Myrian would have a very hard time to get a good shot and melee was out of the question unless she wanted to chase a small agile Viper Dhani in snake form at night and on shallow waters.

Aka ignited the outer and middle layer of the res ball and then suddenly faced the Myrian, she increased the height of her head by raising her body and flared her cobra hood, making as if she was about to spit her venom, but it was the fireball that launched to the Myrian instead.

"!?" The Myrian's eyes widened in surprise, this blasted snake was the one who burned their boats! She dived to dodge the fireball, but Aka hissed and ignited it, causing it to explode. The Myrian screamed in pain as her back was hit by the shockwave and singed by the heat. The shallow waters didn't allow the fire burning her back to last long, but Aka got the Myrian exactly where she wanted her to be, on the ground. She quickly slithered forward and...

When the Myrian raised her head, her eyes met with Aka's viper mug, jaw already open and venomous fangs coated in a strange reddish slime. No, not slime, but res. *CHOMP!* She screamed in pain as the viper lunged forward and bit her chin, puncturing the Myrian's flesh and injecting her res. The Myrian instinctively grabbed the Viper's body and tried to pry Aka off her... Aka did. The Viper released her jaw and if she was in her human form, a wide sadistic smile would be plastered on her face. The Myrian gripped the Viper's body hard and was about to reach for her gladius when... *BOOSH!!* her face suddenly immolated itself in flames.

"Ssssssaaahahahahahahaha!" Aka cackled as the Myrian dropped her serpentine body to the ground, Aka slithered away and watched her handiwork.

Sssehehehehe! I did a good job! Just look at that pitiful insect trying to save herself... sssahahaha. I enjoy seeing her squirm... Her thoughts spoke, it got along pretty nicely with her inherent sadistic Viper nature. Aka couldn't help but hissed in delight.

The Myrian tried to douse her face in water, but it was not effective as the flames were inside her flesh, her face. Cooking her from the inside. She felt her brains and eyes melting and... *THUD* her body fell to the ground, dead.

Aka hissed, she could begin to feel the toll of reimancy and movements she had been doing. For this particular battle, she created all the flames on her own and transmuting an element from scratch as opposed to gathering was noticeably more tiring. Aka looked back to Mamoru's previous location, hopefully her master could handle both of those Myrians on his own... if not, she would lend her help.

[Kalesserimamoru]

With Aka off and facing an ugly, monkey of a Myrian, Mamoru was left with two Myrians to fight. Such odds weren't new to him or even much of a challenge. But to take any warrior too lightly was asking for trouble. The Dhani towered over the much smaller humans, who both looked overwhelmed in their current situation. It was harder for them to make him out in the pitch black darkness, and Leth's glow only caused his form to appear larger than it was. He peered down at them, his featured twisted into something monstrous .


"Call to your weak Goddesss, and asssk for sstrength."


The taunt was all it took to enrage the men and they both charged the Dhani with their weapons raised above their heads. Mamoru swung his tail up and out of the water, a loud splash that sent a gush of water into the air and raining down upon the humans. The Dhani uncoiled his tail and whipped it out stabbing the bone- made blade right through the chest of one of the humans. There was a look of shock on his face as he realized his life was over. No sooner had he struck did Mamoru swing his tail again to slam the wounded Myrian into the second who had just made the reach to dig his sword into the Dhani's shoulder.


"Hissssss!"


The humans both tumbled to the ground, one fatally wounded, and the other without his weapon. Mamoru slithered over and spun himself around with a heavy swing of his tail. The Myrian who could move jumped out of the way, but the wounded warrior was sent flying through the jungle. Mamoru dashed forward, catching the human from behind. He wrapped his arms around the body of the Myrian and flung him into the air and over his head. The human flailed through the air before landing with a hard thud on the ground.


The Dhani finally paused his attack and gripped the sword that was still in his shoulder. He hissed as he touched it, even doing so sent a pinch into his nerves and caused him pain. Ripping it out, the Dhani snarled and flung the weapon at the human just as he was getting back up. A tuck and roll saved the Myrian from the wild throw and he raced off into the jungle to save himself.

[Soshakuakamamushi]

OOCMyrians are not human in a sense, Mamoru. They are humanoid, but not humans, like the Isur or Symenestra. So you might want to avoid referring them as humans in the future. This is just my suggestion of course.

Mamoru was doing a very good job, he could send a Myrian flying through the air with just a swing from his massive tail. Looking at her master/mentor/rival/whatever fighting, Aka believed that size did matter in physical prowess, but negligible in magics. Good thing she was a mage, relying on her strength would just reward her with broken bones and internal bleeding. Mamuro had scored two kills so far while she only had one, this would not do...

"Sssssssss!" Aka spotted the only Myrian left, he was retreating! Oh Aka would not let that, she slithered and chased the fleeing Myrian. Coating her fangs in res, Aka didn't worry about her growing exhaustion, this Myrian was the last one and Aka was determined to even the scores. The Myrian's wounded state let Aka caught up with him easily and she lunged forward, scoring a bite on his legs. He fell down to the wet flooded ground, but Aka didn't inject her res, she had other plans...

Using the opportunity presented to her, Aka released her bite and quickly slithered to his back and *CHOMP!* bit the nape of his neck. She injected her res and this time and quickly released it... one could predict on the fate of the poor Myrian. That's right, immolation. *BOOSH!* Aka slithered down from the Myrian as she willed her res to ignite, cooking the Myrian's neck from the inside. He screamed and struggled for a while before dropping dead, another sacrifice for The Serpent Queen.

"Sss... seh... heh..." Aka panted in exhaustion and slithered back to the location where her constrictor comrade was waiting for her. "I... killed that one, Massster... ssso, we are even..." Aka tiredly spoke, proud on not losing to Mamoru in terms of claimed kills. "Now... I'm tired... Let'sss go back... I uuh..." She hesitated a bit, she didn't want to exactly "ask" for his help, but Aka wasn't fond of slithering back to Zinrah on her own. Her delicate scales needed some kind of transport. Aka slithered to Mamuro's body and wrapped herself around his waist, she quickly closed her eyes and pretended to sleep. The nerve of the Viper...

OOCI think this would be my last post for the thread, Mamoru. Aka would keep clinging to you as we head back to Zinrah.

But... if you have some tricks up in your scaly sleeves, then bring it on!

[Kalesserimamoru]

OOCThat is true. Mamoru is fine with looking at them as monkeys

Mamoru started to go after the Myrian, but he saw Aka out in the brush slithering around. Did she want to give it a go? The trickster smiled, relaxing his body and allowed the flow of djed to return to normal, and his bone like tail and claws to soften and return to their original form inside his body. The Dhani smiled and stretched his arms out and tossed his head back. Killing monkeys was always a fun and exciting task to take.


"Now that wasssss, the type of evening that I enjoy."


Mamoru cackled and dropped his arms back to his sides. The Dhani relaxed and waited, watching the jungle. He could still see the burning form of the Myrian's heat emanating from his body. Aka was close by, moving in and .."Oooh, sso ssad." the trickster smirked and coiled his tail under him as he waited for her to return. She looked happy when she reappeared from within the trees, almost a different sway in her slither.


"I trusst you didn't make it too quick?"


The trickster liked slow deaths, and painful ones. Quick deaths meant faster meals, but he saw no fun in doing it that way. Aka returned and to Mamoru's surprise made some form of claim over body counts. Was she trying to match him kill for kill? The Dhani cackled and lightly patted the top of her head. "Goood. Sssoon, you will be ready to do sso much more." Just as he was about to say more, Aka wrapped herself around him and pretended to be asleep. The nerve of the Viper, though luckily for her Mamoru was also tired and in need of a break. However, an idea did cross his mind, if Aka was still asleep when they reached the caves, maybe he would slip her into one of the cages where they kept the Myrians that they tortured.


"Hmmm...now there'ssss an idea."

OOCThis will end the thread then. I always have more ideas, but I must slither off and do my job threads.