Against the Fire King(Closed)

[Zeke Omoihake]

Zeke watched from behind, unsure of what actions to take till the black smog began to roll in from Onyx's body. Shit! Gonna have to jump in to help Musashi. Zeke materialized his chain blades and took off. He rushed sideways before heading towards the thick smoke, hoping to at least flank Onyx or confuse him. His brush was busy creating a large fan to another power generator as Zeke shouted, "Musashi retreat!" an instant before he pivoted his body, whirling the chains out around him and releasing two of the blades at the center of the cloud.

Zeke stood at the precipice as the fan churned and began to part the dark cloud. His eyes moved frantically, hoping to see Musashi with each second the obscuring smog moved away. Zeke had had a moment of inspiration and a plan was already forming in his head, but he needed Musashi good and far away for it to work, and he prayed that his ally was alright as his brush raced past him, tracing a circular line around the area where the three of them presently were. It finished the line and drew out a quick semicircle going over top all of them, creating a crude depiction of a dome over them all.

Come on Musashi, get out of there.

[Onyx, Son of Sun]

Onyx simply walked, ever so softly, pacing his way through his arena of smog as he listened to Musashi's movements and swipes, letting the unsettling sense of anxiety grow before he would strike, but then, from the distance came another foreign sound; a whirling sound that grated on Onyx's nerves rather then his ears this time. With a hefty skyward palm-heel thrust, a large plume of fire burst forth from the billowing cloud of soot; its trajectory shifting at its apex and homing in on Zeke's generator.

Slamming into the contraption, it exploded with ample force, causing the loud whirling of the generator to be overtaken by the echoing kinetic blast which dissipated quickly, leaving only the gentle clatter of raining debris to be heard.

"Your time will come, boy. I'd take this moment to consider what you've done and said, and to prepare yourself for your own personal judgement," Onyx's voice bellowed from inside the foggy prison. With a gentle brushing movement of his arms, a wall of fire encircled the encroaching cloud, stopping its movement, but at the same time, discouraging any outside interference that should decide to enter.

[Musashi]

This was a real mess that he'd gotten himself into this time. The think blanket of smog not only made it difficult to see his opponent, but at the same time, the burning, choking sensation that filled his lungs was beginning to take its tole on his performance. Unable to see his foe, Musashi was left with his other senses to try and fend off any would be strikes, but it seemed that Onyx had no immediate plans of attack. No, he seemed content to just sit and wait or watch or whatever it was he was doing, but whatever it was, each second that he did it left Musashi with a growing sense of anxiety, as he could feel his strength lessen with each raspy attempt to breath.

The big problem was the smog, and Musashi had no real way to deal with it. Onyx himself seemed perfectly fine being inside the dome of black air, no doubt confident in his ability to fight blindly should he need to, plus the fact that his aura of fire would cause the dense fog to burn up before it stung his eyes just added to the problem. But what about his breathing? Constantly burning the oxygen around him would prevent him from being able to breath, so he must be breathing in the harsh, stinging air. Either way, Onyx was at an advantage and that did not bode well for Musashi.

It wasn't until Onyx let out a bellowing comment to Zeke as he raised his encircling fire around the smog filled arena that Musashi had a clear idea of where he was. Being the ostentatious and impetuous fighter that he was, he charged towards the noise's point of origin and took several heavy, sweeping swing at Onyx with his Great Oar. Parting the thick air with each glancing swing, the strikes flowed seamlessly into one another. Sadly, the adept combo was for naught, as Onyx was able to read the movement of the dense air and dodge accordingly.

Throwing several small strikes of his own, each one hit home and managed to push Musashi back as Onyx once again faded into the obscuring mist, no doubt plotting some devastating strike as Musashi's stamina began to fade. Leaping back several feet, Musashi took in what air he could before shouting to Zeke, "Get away from the cloud..." until choking on the gritty air that was intended to fuel the rest of his warning . But time was of the essence, and the message was fairly clear. Griping the handle of his Oar with both hands, Musashi cocks the blade back, twisting his body as much as he could before unwinding the built up momentum and allowing his sword to grow to a monumental size, creating a massive, spinning attack that would slam anything in it's path with several hundred pounds of pure steel. But something was wrong, midway through the spin, Musashi could feel the blade suddenly lighten in weight.

Retracting the blade back after several vicious rotations, he could see half the blade was missing, the end, red hot from being cut by a superheated force. Onyx voice echoed from the dark clouds as he sunk into complete obscurity; his tone mocking at first, but all to menacing by the end.

"A valiant attempt for a child, but your illusions of grander end here. Prepare to embrace the stillness of eternity!"

[Zeke Omoihake]

Zeke felt helpless looking at the foreboding dark cloud, and could only leap back from it as the wall of fire surrounded it. Yet he knew he couldn't let the situation get him down. He had to think, be resourceful so he could help his ally. Besides, Musashi hadn't jumped out when he warned him to, so Zeke could only assume it was because he was doing alright in the battle.

"Come on Musashi! Win this thing man! I've got your back!" He shouted out into the dark cloud. He surveyed the area rapidly, scowering the field for some idea of what needed to be done.

I can't push the cloud with a machine, and those fire attacks are really pretty frightening. I've got to weaken them somehow.

Zeke looked up to the sky and he knew instantly what needed to be done. His brush moved from beside him and quickly scattered a few circles around over the clouded area. It then rushed down beside him and painted out a few tiny detailed shapes. Zeke had to concentrate on the more complex items, and stood watching the black cloud for a minute as they were completed. In an instant the still-lives formed as small lauchpads and from their stand the tubes rocketted up into the sky, disappearing into the clouds. He'd seen people on TV fire small rockets containing chemicals that spurred clouds into releasing rain, and with the number he'd sent into there, the sky would cry torrents of water down on them. Zeke stood ready to move.

Don't worry Musashi, we'll get him. A small smile hung on his face as he waited.

[Onyx, Son of Sun]

Charging forward, Onyx began his furious assault against the young swordsman with a lightning quick straight to his abdominal region. Unable to see the strike coming Musashi received the blow head-on, the attack causing him to inhale a large amount of the think fog; the burning sensation in his lungs paralyzing his movement. Continuing his combo, Onyx battered him with a hurricane of kicks, punches, elbows and knee, each one striking swiftly and accurately against his stunned opponent. Finishing his chain of strikes, Onyx grabbed the boy by his vestments and hurled him several feet before combusting the area below Musashi into a erupting, conflagratory pillar, launching him several feet into the air.

Dashing forward once again, Onyx flowed into a series of handsprings until he arrived under Musashi, where he then fired off his hands and began slamming him higher and higher with a barrage of ariel kicks. Propelling the fighter and himself several meters into the air, his final kick blew Musashi through the blanketing cloud that now hung below him. Culminating the energy in an instant, Onyx burst the air beneath him allowing him to catch up with Musashi, and, his hand finding their way tightly around his collar, pull the boy back before hurling him down towards the earth below.

In a final devastating display of raw power, Onyx continually bursts the air above him, each blast fueling his decent as he rocketed toward his target. Twisting at the last second he ended in a earth-shattering dive-kick that resulted in a massive explosion; the force of the blast dispersing the thick cloud of smog till it was too thin to be of any mention.

As he rectified himself his surrounding wall of fire dissipated to reveal Onyx standing amongst tatters of charred clothing, cracked chunks of uprooted earth, and the melted masses of steel that were Musashi's blades, but the boy himself was nowhere in sight. Directing his glare at Zeke, his aura ceased, revealing the cold glare that stood behind the effervescent glow of his flames. Pointing at him, Onyx simply muttered, "And then there was one," before beginning to pace menacingly toward the painter.

[Zeke Omoihake]

Zeke looked desperately past Onyx to see Musashi, hoping he'd see the boy move through the rubble or move. Anything to show him he was alright. Yet he knew the sickening truth deep inside from the way Onyx's words struck to his very heart.

Musashi was dead.

"NO! Musashi! No... no no no." Zeke's eyes teared up at the thought of his fallen friend and as a few tears broke through his now mortified face, so did the sky rumble with the summoned rainstorm that Zeke had awakened only moments before.

He's gone. I told him I was going to protect him. I knew we were going to win this. I... I had thought we were going to win this. Zeke saw the fire king moving towards him slowly, each drop of rain sizzling in an instant as it touched the conflagration covering him. The menacing man snapped Zeke out of his funk. He knew that he'd have to morn later, and his goal was still the same. Milicia was still recovering from her trance, and despite the heavy cloud cover, he could still see a fragment of the moon peering over the horizon yet. Zeke rubbed his tears on his shoulder and gave a grim look towards the Onyx.

"Onyx, I won't waste my breath on the hypocrisy of hating you for killing my friend. But know that I'll make you regret what you've done today." Zeke's brush was moving around his shoulders, sliding up and down in smooth strokes as it formed a pair of bare arms connecting to his joints. "Your defeat will not be dealt by my hands, but I promise you this; these hands of mine will make you suffer!"

With his heart full of resolve, Zeke conjured the arms into existence. Their form looked in every way that of a slender, yet muscular build and as he clenched his fist tightly, the arms responded with sighs of flexing. Yet they had an otherworldly quality to them. The limbs looked lost between real life and the caricatured sketch, with each detail looking more of a play on light and shadow than real definition.

Zeke reached out and grasped at the chain weapons he had left suspended in its ink form, letting them fall into his firm grip. While he had usually used them as an attachment to his shoulders, they felt familiar in his hands, and with that Zeke rushed at Onyx. As he neared the man he worked quickly to man a two tier front, keeping most of his attention on his close combat while he passively sent orders to his brush. The chains whirled through the air, letting the four blades sing as they cut through the rain towards Onyx. Zeke was only barely able to keep up with the deadly fire king as he kept his distance and let loose distracting shots from his flank.

Yet Zeke was amazed when a quick counter attack by Onyx snaked past his reach, lunging for his face. In a quick impulse his flicked his arm out and scantly blocked the fist, though knocking Zeke back. He panicked and checked his arm only to see that while it looked different, injured slightly somehow, it had resisted the flames.

Zeke panted heavily for a moment. He could feel his mind being taxed a little, yet the revelation urged him to continue. he saw the border of his dome just a few feet behind Onyx, and if he could just push the man into it, he was sure he could hold him off; perhaps even defeat the illustrious King. "Like I said Onyx, these hands will see that you suffer." He coughed out before rushing back in, twisting on his front foot and sending all four blades careening out in a wide berth so Onyx could not merely duck the attack. At the same moment a pair of arrows flew out from each side of Onyx, both armed with the cryo vials.

[Onyx, Son of Sun]

The boy was an ingenious fighter, but the situation, nor Onyx's mood would allow him to directly praise the boy. Though chains were a such an easy weapon to read, the boy's multifaceted style made his attacks difficult to keep track of. Performing a Muay Thai-style full body block, his right greave and gauntlets met with the bundle of chained blade, allowing him to delfect them and open Zeke up for a strike. His fist clenched as he readied a strike to his foes revealed abdominal region, until he felt the splintering of glass against either side of him; the bursting vials spraying him with a foreign concoction.

Retracting his fist, he quickly backflipped away from his opponent, unknowingly being saved from the Nitrogens icy grip by the Leidenfrost effect. His body flared with raw heat, the sudden change causing the liquid to evapourate in an instant.

"Whatever that was, it seems to have done no harm, but should the boy have been less creative with his strike, those could have impaled me instead. I can't tarry for too much longer with this one, and I can't let him get too far or too close as he becomes difficult to manage at either distance. The boy does however seem a little green around the edges, perhaps i can put him off his game with some scare tactics."

Culminating the raw elemental energy, Onyx's hand begin to move in a torrent of strikes, each punch releasing a ball of fire that, instead of flying at Zeke, stopped several feet away from him, hanging precariously in the air while it waited for the others to find their own position around the painter. With subtle gestures of his hands, the glowing orbs of fire began to dance and twist, their motions intricate and diverse, before several of them quickly dived at Zeke's general position.

The young painter was deceptively agile, as his movements made him difficult to strike, but that was not the intention in the first place. As each orb hammer the earth beside his target, Onyx could see the subtle hints of panic that flashed on the boys face. As one of the spherical conflagrations slammed into the ground beside Zeke, his adept dodge was intercepted by a sudden blast the emanated from Onyx himself. Moving in with a deadly level of speed and precision, Onyx caught the boy's leg and, twisting in the opposite direction, hurled the boy into the ground at a sharp angle, causing him to tumble and skid along the earth. As he began to lose his momentum, Onyx commanded the remaining spheres to move in on Zeke position, each one dive bombing the fighter as he laid prone.

[Zeke Omoihake]

Zeke skidded along the ground for a short bit before he heaved himself up mid bounce, twisting aimlessly in the air as he righted himself on his two feet. He rushed in, determined if nothing else to get Onyx in his trap. As the pyrokinetic projectiles launched towards him he dashed straight for them, dodging the low ones and bracing his arms to take the high ones. The fire pounded against them without pain, and even the trails of sheer heat that scorched his eyes and face didn't slow him down.

Zeke pounced up in the air with a twist, winding up the blades before he fired them off at Onyx, leaving his body no longer uninhibited by the chain's weight. Each one spun towards Onyx like bolas for his legs as Zeke touched down and covered the last few feet before he would be face to face with Onyx. Just above him Zeke spawned two boulders to his left and right flank, and as expected Onyx saw all the projectiles and had no choice but to leap backwards. He saw the confident smirk on the man's face as he stood ready to intercept anything Zeke threw at him. But Zeke only grinned back, because the last dodge of Onyx's had put him right behind the line.

Zeke skidded to a stop just in front of the line as he conjured the dome and orbs into existance. In a flash Onyx was encased in a transparent dome, and the few orbs that fell to the ground fizzled for only a second as their fuses were consumed inside. "It's your turn to burn Volkanon." He stared down Onyx for only a second with eyes full of malice before the dome erupted with a spray of light, smoke and napalm that dowsed the interior. Zeke stood at the edge, watching patiently. He knew that his attack wouldn't likely hurt Onyx, but he wasn't after physical damage. As the everburning fires ate away the oxygen within the dome's area, he'd hope for Onyx to struggle inside, hopelessly trying to burn his way out unaware the Aerogel dome would never let up.

Zeke saw the moon's last sliver slip just under the horizon and he felt a little calmer. He'd done his part, and deep inside he hoped that Milicia didn't even have to get involved with the terrifying foe he'd left contained.

[Onyx, Son of Sun]

It was obvious right away what the boy had planned as the raging fires scorched the surrounding area, as well as the limited supply of oxygen that was present in the dome. Taking a moment to contemplate the scenario calmly, Onyx quickly realized several things about his prison. The opaque material that is was contructed out of was not nearly thick enough to be able to withstand the inferno that raged within it walls, hinting at some level of heat resistance, most likely somewhere above normal considering the heat of the flames. On top of that, Zeke had also made the object large enough that it's weight was most likely providing a true airtight seal.

The first step was obvious, which was to put out the surrounding fires, and to a master of the element, it was as simple as a problem could get. Risking a burst of oxygen rather then a steady loss, Onyx culminated his Ki and contained a large orb of oxygen, squeezing it till it's form condensed and eventually liquified. Holding the charge above his head, the sphere suddenly burst in a massive explosion, shaking the very earth around his calamitous blast. As the dust settled within the dome, Onyx figure became visible, free of the illuminating light of the once existent around him.

His explosion shifting the air violently within the encircling aerogel, Onyx had managed to push most of the Napalm to the edges of the dome, where each burning pyre fought to try and retain itself overtop of the other oxygen thirsty flames, in turn causing many to die out, lowering the overall consumption of oxygen. In his inspection of his prison after the blast, Onyx noticed several small fissures along the outer rim, but at the same time saw no such damage along the higher areas of the dome.

This material is odd indeed, but it seems to be weaker along it's horizontal axis. I'd best exploit that weakness quickly, as my previous maneuver will have only provided me with a modicums length of extra time.

Rushing the wall, he delivers a flying sobat to the brittle areogel, the impact causing the already forming crack to splinter further. Retaining a less graceful form, Onyx simply begins to hammer at the wall with his fists, each strike bringing him closer to freeing himself from the oxygen depraved dome.

[milicia]

As the last slip of darkness fell from the now day-lit sky, Milicia's eyes fluttered open. A quick check of her surroundings placed her at the rear ranks of her army as men and women dashed around to heal the wounded and maintain their barrage of attacks against Ignis' defenses. She saw that despite the casualties that littered the expanse, her army was in good spirit, for with each moment they encroached on the dwindling numbers of enemy troops, most now restricted to the tower itself.

In haste she rose and dashed for her horse, rushing towards the area where Onyx had last been. With each gallop towards the climax of their battle, she prayed with all her heart that the Heroes were alright. As Milicia weaved her defensive spells, preparing herself for the battle ahead, Lunestise's words lingered in her head.

He is unlike any foe we have ever faced. His style is precise and powerful, and his mastery of fire makes him deadly from any range. Stay close to him, ensure you are well protected, and pray you don't make a mistake. The words had not filled her with confidence, but she knew deep down that it didn't matter how she felt, she had no choice but to battle Onyx and win.

[Onyx, Son of Sun]

Pulling his fist back to his hip, Onyx thrusts forward with a hammering blow. As his strike connected with the domes wall, the fissures and splintered segments gave way, bursting outward to reveal a exit; the sweet smell of clean air filling his oxygen deprived lungs. Taking but a moment to fill his chest with the pristine air, he spots Zeke in the distance, his gaze directed to the still raging battle, leaving him wide open for a direct assault.

As he burst towards Zeke with deft speed and precision, his hands brim with the crackling glow of electricity, the visible bolts bounding back and forth between his fingertips. Drawing close, he noticed the boys brush turn and point in his direction, a sign that the boy had noticed his approach, but the artisan tool itself seemed almost lost as to what it should do, as if responding to it's owners own flatfooted response.

Within melee range, Onyx throws a straight at Zeke; the blow nearly parried with a flourish of his brush. As his fist is thrown to the outside, Onyx simply pivots on his front foot, allowing his body to spin with the force imparted on him and deliver a reverse kick to Zeke's jaw. Stammering from the blow, Zeke attempts to riposte with strike from one of his fists, which he soon regrets, as Onyx seizes his wrist, slips in underneath, effectively slamming Zeke's ribs with his shoulder and flips him heels over head before he slams into the ground.

Taking a more brutal approach to his close grappling tactics, Onyx grabs Zeke by his face with one hand, lifts him off the ground and precedes to rapidly strike him in the chest, each blow imparting a quick but vicious electric shock. After seeing Zeke's brush hit the ground, Onyx knew that his opponent lay on the precipice and immediately stops his onslaught of blows, giving his foe a brief respite from the pain.

Moving Zeke in a circular motion, Onyx heaves him several meters both vertically and horizontally. As his foe flies through the sky, the flickering glow of electrical energy shifts to the effervescent hue of flames as they once again encircle his fists. Slamming the twisting flames on his hands into the earth below, they break through the soft, red soil and begin to move towards Zeke, fissuring the ground with each volatile push forward as it aims to release its explosive energy against the battered youth.

[milicia]

The heavy clomps of her stead's drove her through the ranks of her soldiers surging towards Fira Tower. Each man and woman cheered as their queen stormed past them, her expression lost in the foreboding thoughts Lunestise had left her with. A cry in the distance snapped her attention back. "Dear Gods, the Fire King has Zeke!" Her eyes darted off in the direction as her vision filled with the crackling of electricity against Zeke's body. "Keep on route men! Leave Onyx to me!" With a snap of her heels she spurred the horse on.

She focused on the distant Zeke, her free hand channeling the holy magic to help him. Her heart raced with fear as she saw him hurled into the air as the ground rumbled beneath him, ready to devour his frame. In the nick of time her hands pulsed with light as a ray struck Zeke, enveloping him as Onyx let the explosion burst under him. Leaping from her mount she ran to Zeke's limp body, his eyes fluttering open as he wheezed softly. The defensive aura still clung to him, having shielded him from most of the damage. He was alive. Barely, but barely was enough.

She turned to face Onyx. It had been years since she had last met the man, and he was even more intimidating then had ever remembered him. Her hands shook as she pulled the rapier from its sheath, drawing it to her side. "King Volkanon," Her voice did not betray her fear of him, "believe me or not, I had hoped these times would have never come. We have both lost much this day, yet surely you see the battle is lost for you. Please, surrender and let no more blood be shed by either side."

[Zeke Omoihake]

Zeke's mind felt lost as the pain rippled through him, feeling near numb by the time Milicia arrived to spare him from Musashi's fate. Yet as the soft glow of Milicia's magic worked to save his body, his spirit had been crushed by his defeat. He wanted to scream out to Milicia but his voice could only manage to gasp. Tears of shame rolled down his face as his hand reached out towards her, only to see it fade before him, his mind no longer fit to keep it alive.

No, I can still fight! I have to fight! Musashi... I, I couldn't protect him. Why? The good guys aren't suppose to die. Not like this. Not to a man like this. A couple soldiers broke rank to gather Zeke, bringing him back behind lines to be healed. He begged every fiber of his being to shake them off, so that he could rise up and help her, but his body was silent as they trudged back towards the encampment.

Milicia, please don't die. It was all he thought, over and over as her figure faded into the distance.

[Onyx, Son of Sun]

So my spy has been correct in his letters, and faithful to his vocation. She is a different person in the light of day, or rather, with the change of day to night and vice versa. She seem to lack the conviction of her nightly persona; perhaps something i can use to my advantage.

Onyx simply looked on as Milicia spoke; his eyes focusing more on the quivering tip of her rapier than her. But as she finished her quick plea, Onyx's attention had refocused on her, his face showing an menacing scowl and the fire in his eyes burning like those that latched to his fists.

"Do you aim to mock me with such a statement?" Onyx barks as his eyebrows furrow further. "Perhaps it is that you feel piteous to the nation to have so unfairly condemned, or maybe, you simply seek to absolve yourself from the atrocities you have committed here today by making it seem like you actually care now about all those you have slaughtered in the name of you pathetic revenge ploy, but know this you foul being, Ignis was a nation that was born in the hell-fires of war itself, and I'll be damed if I besmirch our lineage just so you can have your victory handed to, like you seem to think it should be!."

Soldiers in the field let out a boisterous cheer in response to Onyx's retort as they continued their struggle against the seemingly overwhelming number of enemy forces.

"I once had respect for you, Luestice. Your opposition to Trucido was direct, courageous and i would imagine inspiring to you countrymen, but know now that I look at you and see nothing more than a characture of that once respectable figure. You seek to resolve this conflict in a peaceful manner, but how to you respond initially? With violence. No talk of alliances, no mention of treaties, just barbarism. Well now that you have sown the seeds of war, you must reap that which you have grown."

Onyx lowed himself into a deep stance, his hands at the ready as he let out a deep breath in an effort to regulate his breathing once again, and hide the onsets of fatigue that were beginning to surface.

[milicia]

Milicia couldn't help but wince at the harsh judgements of Onyx. Everything he said stung, some ringing truer than others. She hated the notion of being thought a brutal conqueror by the world. Even though Lunestise had made sense when she said this war was necessary; that sometimes being aggressive was the only way it still troubled her deep inside. But she had come too far, and she refused to let the Fire King's words sway her.

"Onyx, stop this foolish blame game. To claim this war was brought on by me is as much valid as for me to blame you for joining the Sumata, or for us both to blame Trucido for existing. These events were decided the moment that man came to exist. Even now the outcome of this war has already been decided, we just aren't aware of what that outcome is yet. Don't you see? This war is bigger than you and me, and even that of our countrymen. This is the stepping stone from which our world's conflict will take off."

"Yet, I accept the consequences of my actions Onyx. If my defiance of Trucido and my retaliation on the Sumata through this attack on your country have earned your ire, then I cannot change that. Do you understand Onyx? You joining the Sumata, you remaining on this planet while the others left, and your country being home to the most fierce warriors in all our lands. All steps that led to this battle. Now, the final choice is yours. Do you insist on this prideful confrontation, or will you lay down your rage in order to spare your lands?"

Speaking the words aloud strengthened her resolve. The words had come to her, and they felt right in her heart. Her grip twisted around the rapier, and her hand was still. Her body had quelled the fearful storm within her, and hoped her words had managed the same with the storm that brewed in Onyx.