Plot Thread 1.4: Blood Inheritance (THE TRUTH)

[The Other]

"Finally! Something worth having some fun with." The Other looked at the strange arctic beast before him, and revelled in the hidden but all too close sound of more around them. "Do please try not to die too soon...oh what am I saying, you can't even understand me." Getting to his feet he strolled confidently towards the creature. His arms were held out in a pompous posture, giving the most intentional "Come at me bro" stance he could give without actually knowing what that was.

Suddenly his one step came up higher and faster than normal, and while a good few feet from the bipedal beast The Other's leg grew into a pulsating tentacle that covered the distance easily with a vertical lash.

[Andy Jammer]

The beast moved, kicking up snow as it did, the tentacle slash just barely missed the creature that was in mid-leap. It leaped around the Other, not attacking yet, probably planning an angle to attack from. Finally it landed on a wall of one of the buildings and tried to push off it and leap at the Other sideways, claws bearing and teeth sharpened.


...


"Look I am not stiff," Andy turned back at the sound of the voice, "I just need you guys to-"

THUNK!

Andy yelled out as an arrow slammed against his right shoulder, he looked up and his eyes were met with shock as out of the snow. Disguised amongst the blizzard's fallen storm, were humanoid shaped monsters black as night and as big as a Gorilla. Many carried crossbows, others swords, one fired another Crossbow and Andy moved out of the way.

"Arrows!" he tried to reach for his sword, but a stray arrow had hit the handle of his blade and knocked it aside. He was about to run and grab his sword when one of the creatures charged for them, cursing his luck he ran at the creature - quickly swerving around him as he struck, grabbing a spare sword from the creature's belt and killing him with it.

He couldn't revel in his victory more because more arrows were volleying out.

"Find cover!" he yelled as another volley of arrows showered to the group.

[Monthu]

"Hey! Those are my heroes you're talk-" He was cut off by the sound of a heavy thud. Reacting instantly, Monthu had already scooped up his bow, and an arrow from his quiver, nocked, pulled, took aim and released. His arrow soared through the air and knocked a bolt launched from a crossbow off course. He had already nocked another arrow and launched it into one of the large creatures.

"What even are these things?!" He growled as he picked up his quiver and wrapped it around his waist. Pulling out another arrow, he nocked and released without really taking aim, knocking more bolts from the sky as one of the creatures charged him. He cursed as he pulled out a long thin dagger and leaped forwards, stabbing the creature in the neck repeatedly, as they both stumbled backwards, the giant enemy fell onto it's back with Monthu stood atop it, his knife still plunged into it's throat.

Without waiting to retrieve the weapon, he continued firing arrows.

[Akira Satou]

"Find cover!" Akira heard the stiff yell. Her first instinct was to make it instead. There was no way she was going to be able to dash off and find some cover with this onslaught of arrows coming. Akira crouched, pulling off of 'Guo, breathing cold air onto the ground. This power was only really usable here in Ghiaccio, where it was cold enough to make this reaction work. Rising with quick breaths, a wall of ice was being formed. As it rose, her fingertips glided along it,, thickening the wall. It was only large enough really to cover herself and 'Guo with the limited time that she had to build it.

But it was effective. No arrows pierced completely through, though a few came close. Turning from her small wall, she winked at 'Guo. "Looks like I'll get to finally show you how tough I am. Being here with all this ice and snow just gives me an edge." Grabbing her unique poled weapon from her back, she took a moment to think. Blunt round end to smash with, or sharp thin end to cut with?

"I think we'll smash today." Breathing cold air onto the rounded end, which was held up to her head, the sharp end pointed in the ground. A fine layer of thick ice coated the ball, ready for action. "Let's go get 'em, Tiger We're heroes, right?"

[Zhen Anguo]

"FOR LOVE! AND! PEACE! AND! DONUTS!" 'Guo cried as he thrust his halberd into the air with a big grin, and felt the faint signal of Kerrian's dismay at his knights actions. He gave Akira a solid nod and charged around the ice wall with the huge pike in hand, with one hefty slice, he cut one of the giants clean in two and quickly took a step back with a huge "Woah!" He stood, staring wide-eyed at the creature before looking back at Akira.

"I-I just did that, right..?" He asked before giving a weak chuckle and turning his attention back to the creatures. What even were they..? He had a feeling that he'd caught that last one off guard, and he doubted he'd be able to pull the same trick again considering now he stood out like a sore thumb. "Alright... Let's dance..."

[Akira Satou]

"Nice one, Greeny." Akira dashes, careful not to slip on the ice. Sliding past him with a wink, she is on course with one of the monsters.
"Oh! Oh! Do the ballerina spin! Dooo iiiit!" The cheerful voice of the Lunar Spirit called to her. Smiling, Akira nodded.
"Sure. Sounds about right!" She was now utilizing the ice to her advantage, going at a full slide. The beast charging directly at her, Akira made her move.

Holding the pole out to her side far, she kicked off with one foot. Her body began spinning in a full circle, spinning faster and faster with just two spins. She grabbed onto her weapon with the other hand with one more spin. Her arms felt a kickback as the weapon collided with the monster, shattering the ice into shards that dug onto its body, leaving a massive dent where it hit. It flew back a bit as Akira swapped the weapon over to the sharp side taking point.

She slammed the blunt end into the ground to act as a pole vault, launching herself into the air. Her feet stomp into the beast's chest and stabbed it between the eyes, pulling out through the side of its skull. "Haha! Been awhile since I fought anything! Neeeext!" She calls, jumping off of the monster, only a little bit dizzy, sliding off to find a new target.

[Zhen Anguo]

'Guo brought his White Moon Dragon up to block a strike coming from the creatures. There was a hissing of metal as 'Guo shifted back slightly, his opponent getting closer... He caught the movement of crossbow bolts in his peripheral vision and acted as quickly as possible. He forced his weapon upwards, parrying away the blade-lock, before spinning to the side and giving his halberd a hefty swing. He caught the bolts full on and everything seemed to slow down as 'Guo watched the splinters of wood and metal flew past his face whilst he let out a deep breath.

A roar as his original opponent came back on his left flank. 'Guo's left hand spun round and an armoured gauntlet knocked the beasts blade aside, his right arm and with it, White Moon Dragon, came swinging around, the shaft of the weapon catching them on the side of the head, sending them stumbling. Turning the weapon in his hand, so that the sharp end of the blade faced his opponent, he swung the weapon back across to his right-hand side, leaving a massive gash in the creatures chest. He let out another heavy breath as he palmed the weapon back into both hands.

"Oi... This is intense..."

[Dios Sarvo]

It was pointless for Dios to continue examining the creature, as it appeared there was little to be ascertain from it. Feeling the extrasensory alarm of his construct calling him, Dios pulled himself from the shadow plane to investigate, consigning the lifeless creature to be devoured by the dark denizens that resided, now unbound, in the realm of shadows.

Carefully choosing his exit points, Dios hastily scoped out the surround area, quickly finding The Other, and managing to spy several of the feral inhabitants prowling around the town.

"So, it's eat or be eaten is it? If it's gonna be a good 'ol match of predator and prey then looks like I'll have to show 'em how it's done," Dios thought to himself, letting a sly and malicious grin stretch across his face. Summoning several Spectres, powerful shades from the Shadow Plane, Dios armed them with one simple task, "Search and destroy" before they dispersed throughout the shadows themselves to hunt the arctic prowlers.

Dios, himself already having sight of one of them, dived from the shadows and descended upon the creature, his trusty daggers in hand and baring down upon the creature like a set of keen fangs.

[The Other]

Landing on his reformed leg the Other merely watched patiently as the creature prowled around him, waiting for it to take the lead this time. Sure enough despite its acrobatic efforts the creature telegraphed it's attack far too obviously.

Swiping his arm out in an over-extended uppercut his arm grew thin and bony with all of its mass concentrated in a massive claw. His grip was so wide that he held the creatures entire torso comfortably in his hand. Digging his fingers in he could feel the creatures ribs pop one by one as it tried desperately to claw and bite at him to escape.

"Now now, you'll have to make more noise than that if we want your friends to come and play won't we? Let's give them a reason to join in the fight." A sadistic chuckle escaped the Other as he reeled the frenzied beast close to him. Catching it's one claw mid slash he twisted its arm, slowly wrenching it farther and farther from its socket till the satisfying snap of its dislocation caused the creature to howl in pain.

"Good boy, let me give you a present for doing so well." Moving his hand over to the beast's head he closed it over its skull and crushed it, causing its frantic movements to stop as its body went limp. The Other tossed it to the side and looked out into the wild whiteness, hoping any minute to see the cavalry arrive.

[Andy Jammer]

Andy moved out from his cover and attacked some of the ones that slipped from the others, using the enemy's blade to kill the ones that came near him. He grabbed his own sword and stuck at the large ape-like monsters that came at them.

"Guess this answers what lies ahead of us." Andy muttered, spinning his large cleaver blade when a large hulking monster appeared, Andy was familiar with this one though.

"Alright, come on!" he roared, running to it as the monster charged, he quickly leaped over its head and struck behind it as it swiped its spiked arm in mid-air. The tank-like monster managed to stagger, but not be harmed. It was gonna take a bit more than sword slashes to harm this thing.

...


Meanwhile with Other and Dios, when Other managed to slay that creature another one leaped out. When it saw it's dead comrade it began to shake...and grow bigger, the spikes on its back became more defined and its hind legs more formed. It had more muscle showing through its fur and the eyes became more slanted, when it roared the volume was louder and the power around the creature was much different than the one the Other just killed.

[Navarre]

"Why does everything have to be massive and have clubs that can crush your bones?" Navarre asked rhetorically. He ran towards the hulking monster and slide underneath it's legs. As he got to the other side, he slashed at the beasts knees.

[The Other]

Anticipation set into disappointment as The Other's shoulders slumped. "Only one? Bah, me thinks someone is hoarding in on my fun here. Well, make do with what you've got I suppose..." Throwing his weight into a powerful straight his arm stretched out towards the creature. His fist balled into a smooth amorphous shape before forming as a spiral shell right at the point where it would make contact with the monster's face.

It was a killing shot to be sure, but at the moment he'd lost his appetite for his eager play. His heart just wasn't in it. Of course, that was assuming that the Other had a heart in the first place.

[Andy Jammer]

Out of the many things the Other might have expected, the following was not one. The creature opened its mouth and caught the shell in his teeth, the increase in size was NOT for show - the creature's power has also increased. The the monster began to jerk Other around, still having a grip on his hand and flinging him about until he threw him through one of the houses on the street.

...


"Less talking more killing!" Andy yelled, nimbly dodged a spiked arm heading for him, it impacted the against the snow harmlessly and allowed Andy to slide under it and strike again at the exposed part.

"It has an exposed back, but be careful this thing is big but NOT slow!"

[glitters]

A series of surprisingly decently-aimed dark-magic spells pummeled into the creature's back, short rapid bursts in sets of three, then five, then another quick three as Jasmine jogged along quite a few feet away and changed her position for the sake of not staying in the same damn spot.

"I'll just stay back here and do what I do," she gave Andy a quick wave before getting into the muttering of new incantations.

[The Other]

Groaning out a sound of annoyance, The Other heaved himself up from the shambles of the hut he was tossed into. Glaring at the voracious beast that had tossed him around his featureless face split to show his maw, shaped in a toothy grin that cracked from one side of his face to the other.

"It's not often that something tosses me around like a little toy. It is a thrilling experience to be sure. Would you like to try it?" The Other gave a cheeky and almost cartoony point down at the ground under the creature's feet just as the ground sputtered up dirt. To anyone who might have had any sense of observation they might have noticed the Other's one leg was literally planted into the ground.

Splitting out from beneath the monster a pair of tentacles wrapped themselves around it's leg before hoisting it into the air. "Now, do try and enjoy yourself. Granted that might be hard when I break every bone in your body...but that's really your own fault for having bones." The tentacles writhed and snapped wildly around the town, cracking like a whip as it mimicked the act committed against the Other moments ago, finishing with it too being hurtled through a cement building.

"Puppy still wanna play?" He teased, his villainous maw still grinning as wide as he could.