Fight night. (War. 2.3)

[Zeke Omoihake]

"Uhhh, ah yeah, yeah I'm good. My brain feel likes it's been rattled around in a paint mixer, but yeah." Zeke hoisted himself up to his feet just time to see the demon swallow his smaller friend. "Oh gods, that's never good."

With a staggering start Zeke rushed towards the creature as fast as he could, expecting more or less exactly what was occurring to it. "Yo, Ing, I'm game to distract him if you've got something up your sleeve...or portal. Whichever." He called out towards his ally in the feathered hat. Hoping to take advantage of it's stasis as it shape-shifted he took to the air and hurled both of his blades down in a vertical arc, aiming for the creature's shoulders.

Zeke had seen enough of the creature's power to know he'd be a fearsome foe up close or far away, and he trusted his ability to dodge and heal from a punch or a sword far better than volcanic volleys any day.

[Mark Angelus Fri]

There was something different about this demon than last time, it was faster and stronger for sure. There almost seemed to be two mirages of him standing side by side.

It was aggressive, too. As Zeke swung down the demon blocked his strike with his sword before using its other hand to try and dive its claws straight into Zeke's chest.

"Where did all that power go, Duo!?" The demon laughed as it tried to strike him.

[shanira]

Fwump...fwump...fwump...

Even Shanira couldn't quite explain it, the lack of pain but the feeling of tissue pulsing in her head as she moved. It was an odd feeling, something she was used to and admittedly wasn't as distracted by as the throbbing pain in her head earlier, but it was odd nonetheless. It was something she felt with every connecting blow to the demons she whipped by, and though she was moving in what seemed like the blink of an eye to her everything seemed to slow down for a moment so she could enjoy glancing back and seeing Mark follow up with her with the wave of magic that took out several of the enemies. She felt her grin get wider, it was like some wonderful dream.

She always felt like this when she ran, though. Like she was in some dreamy zone where she could take a moment to think and even enjoy the feeling of everything slipping right by her, everything in constant motion.

It was in this weird 'mode' of hers that when the spikes came at them, despite the pulsing in her head, Shanira just smiled as she leaped into a front flip, coming down with a twirl towards the ground, her hand reaching out at just the right moment to push her back upwards into the air and after several more flips and spins in the air landed with the grace of some professional dancer as she dodged the spikes a lot better now than she had before. Though once on the ground she brought her sword back out, spun on her heels again and slashed towards a couple of the demons, a strong beam of light whipping out from the sword and tearing towards them.

[Zeke Omoihake]

Sweeping just barely past the massive fist Zeke rolled prone to the ground beside the Demon Lord. "You stupid troll, I'm not Duo! I don't even know what he looks like!" Dragging the chains behind him Zeke kicked up while jerking the blades back towards him in a horizontal guillotine-like fashion.

Why do they both keep calling me Duo? Oh please don't tell me I look just like him. I don't think I can handle an evil twin. More important things should have been on his mind, like conjuring up the power from the orb again, or perhaps looking over the demon's shoulder to see what plan Ingway was putting together, but there was only so many times Zeke could be called out as the bad guy before it began to piss him off.

As his blades returned his body was already twisting around to best use their momentum for a series of sweeping cuts. His chains danced around him, never stopping as they slipped around his waist or shoulders for only a second before firing off to send his sharpened steel out once more at the Demon Lord.

[Mark Angelus Fri]

"Do NOT play with me!" The Demon roared, "You hold the power of creation, you must be him!"

The Demon took nearly every blow Zeke threw at him, leaving its body a bloody mess. It didn't seem to mind, the pain just wasn't there for it...

"You'll need to do more..." It growled before jumping straight at Zeke just as if it was some type of animal, aiming at ripping into the hero with its jagged teeth and claws.

--

Mark couldn't even see Shanira move, but dammit she was fast and that impressed the hell out of him. Shanira wrapped up the left over enemies quickly, leaving nothing but dust floating off into the air...

This time for sure Mark was sure the enemy was finished, and the announcer only seemed to confirm it: "We've got our first winner!" It was accompanied by a group of booing from the angry Demons in the crowd that weren't very happy with the idea of them winning...

The barrier towards the portal opened for Mark and Shanira to enter, as tempting as it was, no way was Mark going to leave his team. "Got any ideas to getting past this barrier and helping them out?" Mark asked as he examined the barrier.

[Zeke Omoihake]

"Huh?" Zeke paused, snapping the winding chain back and with it it's blade firmly into his hand. "The power of creation?" His mind took a trip instantly to the far off battles with Donovan at his side. His brush had been his weapon back then, a tool of creation, but why would the demon think he had that now, and why would he think it was Duo? The thoughts troubled him all the more, and wondered now more than ever who exactly Duo was, if anything, to him.

"That doesn't matter. I'm not him, and I'm not putting up with your crap anymore!" Feeling confident in the amount of blows he was landing Zeke caught his breath and spinning the chain once more he lunged out at the demon to give him another flaying. Yet his steel met only air as the explosive speed of the monster caught him off guard. Before he could pull the chain back to defend or dodge he felt savagery tear into him as fangs met flesh. The world went white and time stretched into an eternity as the Demon Lord's jaws set into his right shoulder and chest. Zeke would have cried out in pain, but all that came out was a gagging cough of blood. His eyes met with a look of shock and pain for a moment, and with a desperate attempt to free himself Zeke lifted his other blade into the air before stabbing down with a slow, languid motion towards its face.

[Ingway Desmodius]

Yeah, a distraction, that I could work with. It seems that defeating one just gave way to a more terrifying sort of creature, and the giant now was something that felt rather beyond defeating...unless I was willing to sacrifice one of my greater "weapons," and even then, who knew what this new monster was really capable of.

I wasn't one who wanted to squander something that was so hard to get my hands on, but I sought such a thing out for extreme situations, and if ever there was a situation I would have to label as "extreme," this was it. Knowing well that this would take preparation, I could only hope that Zeke would be able to at least keep the beasts interest for a decent stretch of time, and while not as "vocal" and "attention grabbing" as myself, I had a good deal of faith in my cohort that he'd pull through.

First step, I needed all my tools in place. Giving Zeke a quick and quite nod so as not to draw attention, I began a series of quick hand springs backwards, scattering all manner of bladed weaponry in a linear trail, the implements numbering in the hundreds if not more. This creature was big, real big, but even something massive can be felled by a colossal swarm of something little, and this would be like tasting every blade of a small battalion at once, and then some.

Second step, culminating the catalyst, and this was the dangerous part. Voiding the earth beneath me, I hid myself in a small hole, just enough to put my head below ground level, before I raised my hands and began the process of calling forth a massive glyph. My hands flew with discernible intensity, reflecting all to well sense of urgency that lead my motions. With a final twist and my glyph realized, the massive sigil began to culminate and call forth that which it had been sealed behind it.

What began with a slight whistle of wind, grew to a harsh breeze, escalating further into a terrifying natural disaster as the all consuming hurricane tore towards the Demon Lord, scooping up every bladed implement I dropped and turning into a terrifying maelstrom of slamming winds and whirling steel. With the creature being as massive as it was, I felt confident that it would provide the shield that Zeke needed to be able to maneuver far enough from the massive twister of blades, such that it would disperse soon of it's own accord without the necessary weather elements to allow it to persist.

[shanira]

Truly proud of herself, Shanira put away her blade with the most dramatic of movements composed of some spins and another flashy pose so all of the booing demons could see--it was her own version of the 'middle finger' to them. Demons were losers!

Now for the barrier, that was the next task Mark pointed out to them. She approached the barrier with her hands on her hips, head tilted to the side as she stared at it for a couple of moments. Truth be told, she wasn't really so great at figuring things out like taking down a barrier, she was better at...taking things out in general!

"Hold on," she said as she ran several feet away, putting herself then into a running stance, staring the barrier with narrowed eyes...

And then with a super sprint launched herself straight into the barrier with fists out, throwing a punch into it as she collided with it.

[Mark Angelus Fri]

The warm blood seemed to blind the demon of his surroundings for it appeared to have no awareness of Ingway's plan - or perhaps the Demon simply didn't register it as a threat.

It was unfortunate for it that the Demon did not, for the wind and the blades swept up the Demon as if it were some small bug caught in the fierce storm.

The blade punctured the Demon severely before slamming straight into the ground. It roared in pain, struggling for a moment to even pull itself up.

But when it did, it was pissed. Focusing as much power to close up the bleeding as it could, there was a thick air of darkness that accompanied it.

"You come into MY realm..." It huffed in a deep air of pain, "I will not fall down to you so easily!"

Darkness swarmed around the two, if the dark mist touched the two it would result in a stinging pain, like a needles constantly poking into you as deep as possible.

---

Mark's eyes were wide as Shanira charged straight at the barrier, for a moment he thought it might work... than she was bounced straight back, with seemly no damage done to the strong barrier.

"Shanira!" Mark called out before going over to her side, "W-What are were you thinking - are you okay?"

[shanira]

As Shanira hit the wall she felt a craackkk in her knuckles, and as fast as she was it took her brain a moment to realize she was the one hurting instead of the wall. Before she could stop herself the rest of her arm and body collapsed at full speed into the barrier and bounced off, backwards and landed into a highly non-graceful heap of blonde hair and a magic glow that died as Mark came to check on her.

Shanira lay on the floor, rolling from side to side as it was made apparent this was a hit she wasn't going to be springing back up from immediately. Her right hand throbbed and for a moment she couldn't move it. Laying down, she stretched her hand out in front of her and smiled as, painfully so, she found the fingers were still able to move. With a sigh of relief and pain all over she looked up at Mark with a dopey grin and said, " I-I'm...okay... "

[Mark Angelus Fri]

Mark frowned as he looked at her screwed up hand. He shook his head before taking her hand and beginning to channel a healing light magic onto it.

"I was going to suggest we try and fly over it..." He said with a small smile as the warm magic washed over her hand. It wasn't going to be perfect, but her hand would at least be somewhat better from the magic.

He stood up before unleashing two of his large wings before stretching them out. The demons on the stands hissed at Mark as he did so, in which Mark simply responded by raising his middle finger to them - a proper response that he doubted the demons understood the meaning of.

With that he looked back at Shanira and held his hand out for her to take it, "Can you fly? If not I'm sure I could carry you."

[Zeke Omoihake]

Whether it was the gale force winds or the successful wound his weapon had inflicted Zeke fell to the floor as the creature released it's grip on his chest. He couldn't look, partly from fear of how bad it was and partly from the way his vision was fading and blurring on him. Thankfully it was the only sense of his that seemed to be waning on him as every nerve in his body screamed at him to do something about the tornado of blades baying him closer with it's powerful pull.

Gulping back the blood in his throat he finally felt air rush into his lungs, and with it a brief moment of clarity.

I'm going to die here.

The grim realization was met in his mind not with defeat or acceptance, but with bitter rejection. Scrambling against the hard craggy ground Zeke slid his blades against the ground as he was dragged closer and closer to the hurricane that had appeared out of nowhere. They screeched and scratched against the ground before his chain at last snagged a rocky divot that held him in place, for now.

I don't want to. I can't. I can't I can't. His strength was failing him as his fingers slowly slipped from a safe grip and with a fearful look behind him he saw the tornado shredding the demon inside with countless blades. I can't die here.

"It's my job to protect you and all of your people, even at the cost of my life."

Unsure of why, but suddenly his mind was filled with thoughts of Alexander, namely the last time he saw him before he'd left with Mark. It seemed to swallow him whole as all the emotions of his goodbye stormed him, as well as the same resolution he'd had in that time. A resolution to succeed not just for his own good, but so that he might come home to his king.

"I'm not going to busy myself counting the days you're away, but rather the days until you return. Until then, take this pendant. It'll keep you safe and well." They were Alexander's words from his letter, but even now his mind echoed them to him in his sweet regal voice. Zeke's right hand slipped, his chain rattling against the divot till his blade snagged itself briefly, and instead of grasping desperately for his hilt he streaked his hands up over his fresh wounds to feel the prized piece of jewelry tucked under his shirt. For a moment it felt like his love was right there next to him, his heart beside his and it filled Zeke with a desire he'd only ever felt once before.

I can't die here. I won't die here! "There's no way I'm gonna goddamn die here!" With that his last ounce of strength gave out, and in that instant Zeke was consumed completely by the winds, vanishing from sight as it finally died out.

[Ingway Desmodius]

Pulling myself out of the small hole I had fashioned for myself, my eyes narrowed as a sly grin spread over my face, all to content to see that large bastard good and haggard from my assault, but that's when something struck me...where was Zeke?

I quickly panned around, trying to see if my teammate had relocated to somewhere away from the demon, but all my eyes caught was the spatter of blood that was slathered around the beasts jowls. My eyes widened at the prospect as my mind tried to argue against the conclusion I was all to sure was true; Zeke was gone.

I had sworn I'd protect people, I had sworn that if there was any one thing that I would do it was protect people, and I failed, failed in the first instance that another persons life was held aloft in my hands, and all I could do was feel a wealth of shame and rage build up in me. All to sure it was my hesitation that allowed for this to happen, I continued to mentally chastise myself, knowing that it was my sense of self imposed morals that prevented me from doing the one thing I had sworn I would do.

I could feel my brows furrow as my whole body tensed with regret and anger. Gritting my teeth together hard as I glared daggers at the massive creature, I suddenly felt a horrid sting consume my left arm as the black fog bellowed forth by the beast had crept up on me unnoticed and wrapped itself around me. Utilizing a manoeuvre I was still a little rusty on, I bridged a gap between my current location and a place away from the mist by shifting myself through two quickly created glyphs before detonating a blade from Legion in my arm to lessen the feeling and as such the pain; a trick I had learned and used many times in my adventures.

Glaring back to the creature, the livid look in my eyes said it all, "I'm going to gut you alive and drag that boy from your stomach if it's the last thing I do." I knew creatures of his size usually consumed things whole, and even if the chances were thin, my morals be damned, I was going to plunge all manner of my weapons in him, end him and save my teammate.

Drawing Alles Frasser, I quickly created a string of glyphs leading behind the creatures head and dove in, my visage appearing for only an instant each time as I bounded from glyph to glyph, before my form appeared behind it's head, my scythe splayed wide and ready to cleave through the creatures skull like butter.

[shanira]

Shanira nearly leaped to her feet as Mark got to work using healing magic on her hand. She normally just...left it. As long as it could still move, no worry! Though she couldn't deny the feeling of relief she felt as he gave it a quick fix, and how nice it was.

Her eyes widened as he brought his wings out, for a moment lost in how big and amazing they were and you know what they say about a man with large wings... before looking back up at the barrier and then at his hand.
Shanira could fly...if by "fly" they were talking about her running and leaping at things. She ran fast enough that she could make herself fly?

She did the smarter thing and took Mark's hand firmly, saying through a sheepish grin, " Not conventionally. And I don't think I have the space to try again."

[Mark Angelus Fri]

The Demon turned to try and meet Ingway's attack by trying and blocking his scythe, yet despite its quick movement it wasn't able to stop the blade. It plunged straight into the Demon's head with a 'clunk' sound accompanying the blade's entering of the Demon's head.

The Demon's eyes seemed to stare directly into Ingway's, a moment of silence as its life seemed to drain away....

The Demon started to fade away, its dark red skin steadily fading into the dark mist that it had let out earlier.

'And now all of hellious will break free...[/b]' The words seemed to echo around the entire around, and just as he said, everything seemed to break free... the ground around them cracked open, allowing hundreds of demented looking demons free.

These didn't act like soldiers, they acted like animals, attacking anything in their way, including other demons. Things weren't looking good for the two

----

Mark smiled as he took her hand and held it tightly, "This won't take long." With two flaps of his wings they were up into the air, it only took three more before they were over the large barrier, looking down on the fighting below.

He wasn't sure who he needed to help more, but the giant creature attacking Yeligar and the others sure helped him decide...

"Let's finish this fast," Mark said as he got lower to the battlefield, and once at a safe distance he warned her that he was going to let her go. He suspected that the speed she was able to go at would completely knock the creature senseless.

"Here we go!" He yelled before letting her go right above the creature. It never saw him coming.