Empire of Maniacs Finale: Einland's Challenge

[Astral Harmony]

"This is the place."

Twenty-Three, the guardian of the future led them to a strange circular building in the ruins of this city of the future. They had passed countless powerful Implanted that made no move to attack them or even to notice their presense.
"I can feel Einland's power here," Twenty-Three continued. "It is as if he is summoning you here. No, I'm positive that is exactly what he is doing."
An area of the wall in the structure opened to reveal a hallway leading to a large circular room. "Well, we're not going to figure out what Einland's game is until we fall directly into his trap," Teressa said, walking inside. "I say we go in."
"Be careful in there, all of you." The guardian cautioned. "I don't want to put the pressure on you, but you might just be the only ones who can stop the Hymnblade Apocalypse now."

The room that the hallway lead to turned out to be some kind of an elevator, and once all had entered, the room was sealed off from the outside and started to ascend. Teressa leaned against one of the walls. "So here we finally are. The real war against the Hymnblades is far from over, but at least this battle which has been overdue for a long time will finally see its end today. A long time ago, I believed that Murder, Kaliph and I could stop all of this on our own. I lost hope and felt desperate when Murder became the vessel for Einland's soul. But, the fact that I'm still alive means that I didn't give up in believing that something could be done. And now, here all of you are. I feel pretty pathetic, actually, that even after all the years I've lived, the things that happened in these past two weeks have accomplished more than I did myself in an entire millenium. ...I guess that's my way of saying thanks."

The elevator ride was suddenly over. Teressa was forced to stand up straight as the walls folded back into the floor that surrounded the elevator. The ceiling was pulled up to form a kind of dome. As the lights came on to illuminate the entire domed arena, she heard the voice of Murder, coming from the same source that it always had: Rhonia.
"Warm greetings, my friends. I'm sure you're all itching to paint this floor in the blood of your enemies, but let me be the first to begin with this."
General Rhonia, now an Implanted under the direct control of Einland, was still a featureless shadowy and sexy form of unfriendless. Her sword lay on the ground, freeing her hands for what she had just tossed over to them.
"Ah," Teressa said, and jumped up, catching the lifeless body of Alicia. Upon landing, Teressa was already calling the princess's name.
"Alicia! Alicia, wake up!"
Alicia's eyes quivered, then slowly opened, eventually finding Teressa's face. "Ter...Teressa?"

Teressa looked to Rhonia. "What the hell did you do to her, Einland?"
Rhonia shrugged. "I completed Prescenia's resurrection. You should be thanking me. Had I not, Prescenia would have been reborn anyways after having absorbed all of Her Highness Alicia's soul. You have me to thank for the fact that Alicia is alive at all. You'll have to destroy Prescenia if you want to save Alicia completely. However-"

"To ensure victory over Prescenia, we desire to see your abilities tested."
Superbia stood on the opposite side of the arena, Einland's imposing Implanted Elite in the form of a twenty-five foot tall fully armored centaur with a blazing lance and a large Hymnblade driven through the horse's torso.
"If you cannot defeat the two of us, then you are no match for the challenge Prescenia will present."
Rhonia reached back and drew up her sword. Then she and Superbia stepped forward and readied themselves. "Not that we can't destroy Prescenia ourselves, but if we wanted to, then why would I bother allowing you to come to the Void of Enlightened at all? There's a method to my madness, though I'm sure you'll never understand as you can never see things from my perspective. Anyways, looking at all of you, I can tell you're sick of hearing me prattle on and on, so without further ado, let's get the endgame underway, shall we?"
Teressa backed off from both enemies as they assumed their battle stances. "I'll keep Alicia safe. You might probably think that would be cowardice on my part but I'm sure you'd rather be fighting these two than holding a weak young girl instead."

[PyrosNine]

"Well, I'm not a knight in shining armor, especially here in this nothingland, So I'll just let you take care of the girl whilst I get a'killin."

Yet, strangely before Kings pulled out his Ghaleon or even unsheathed his sling armblades (more on them in a sec) the first thing he did was start to take off his armor. He took off core pieces of his armor, and let them drop to the ground.

Craters were formed. Despite being of small size and even small adornments, all pieces removed hit the ground as if they were of much weight, some hitting the ground as if they were a massive cannon ball. Kings had to move as he took them off, lest he get sucked into the sand in their wake.

With all these extra parts of his armor removed, all that remained was a shirt and pants, and Kings even took off his shoes. Kings was now visibly vulnerable, with the look of a seasoned merc gone and now just some hairy shemp standing there. Or so it looked. Because to all in the area, they could certainly feel something there. Spiritually, it was if they were all consumed by a powerful soul. Magically, they felt a burning power rise up to fear inspiring levels, even for those who were considered his friend. And visually, the very air about Kings crackled and sizzled with heat.

"This is where my fight truly begins. It is said that I am incapable of doing anything but destroying, so I must seek something great to destroy in my lifetime. Families. Armies. Kingdoms. But before me now stands something unbalanced and fragile, yet threatening with the power to destroy everything. I am excited. I am afraid. Wicked Men have destroyed many things in their days under the sun, but who has destroyed the future? I shall do this, for this future cannot stand. I falls within itself, and threatens to crush everything it stands upon."

He flicked his wrists and out popped the armblades, making a cross before his chest. "Burn shade of a possibility! The great fire oni demands it!"

He made a bull run for Einland-Murder. His speed was deceptively unchanged, but one could feel that standing still before his charge would be a bad idea.

*Arm-blades: Gauntlets that protect King's forearms and hands that contain two spring loaded blades of considerable sharpness and strength. Not only can they pop out with ease, but can also be shot out further and be used as a hookshot for a long range attack or quick midair travel. Kings acquired this when he kicked Valgurr back to his senses (which also took the form of kicking him where the sun don't shine) and demanded to know where the human blacksmith he'd kidnapped had gone. Upon finding her, he tasked her with the creation of a blueprint on his person of Amazonian origin, which was a strange gauntlet like device. She did it out of both thanks for her rescue, and for fear that she'd been captured by yet another scary powerful force. (Kings protected her whilst she forged and put together the armblades and also reforged his sword, killing implanted with his bare hands.)

The blades are reddish gold with dark bits of hard iron marking the knuckles and the wrists. The lady blacksmith saw fit to place a burning fire insignia upon each of them, and improved upon the design by adding the springloaded hookshot feature and adding gripping teeth to the bottom of each blade allowing for pulling one self across distances. She was last seen fleeing Aristigalde in an ATV before the heroes made their journey to the future, who knows whether she made it out....

[Astral Harmony]

"I see the first up to bat is the fiery bastard himself," Rhonia smirked as Kings rushed her. "Let's see how his newfound fury holds up against this."

Rhonia swung her blade across her body and didn't stop, creating a swirling wind tunnel of air and forbidden magic intertwined. "Now, Superbia!"
The big armored centaur nodded and began thrusting his lance in rapid succession, launching numerous fireballs. Something that probably wouldn't phase Kings...until they hit Rhonia's whirlwind. The result was a massive salvo of air, fire, and forbidden magic shells that scattered as they rebounded towards Kings and the rest of the group.

[Incendius]

"Protection of the young is no duty of shame. Losing the young gives us less of a future then this." Rashandras leaned down and murmured into Teressa's ear. With one of his enormous hands he squeezed her shoulder reassuringly.

Straightening up Rashandras took a step forward, just as Kings started his little display. "I do not have such a magnificently terrifying spiritual transformation as you kings." Rashandras almost purred, his voice high and soothing. Both of his hands reached down to his sash and slid into his metallic claws. Lifting the dual weapons free, Rashandras crossed his tree trunk arms across his chest and splayed both of his penta-clawed hands above either shoulder. Rashandras' eyes dilated into little more then paper thin lines. Suddenly his voice switched into a deep, rumbling, and menacing tone. "But I think I can make do from any deficiencies in that regard".

Stepping forward with a stride that dwarfed that of normal men. Rashandras found himself alongside kings. Now in an imperious, loud tone Rashandras stated. "Friend Kings, neither do I have your purpose of destructiong, but I have A purpose. My purpose is just as pure in intent as yours. I strive for domincance and superiority. Just as a chance for ultimate destruction is in your sights, I have a chance for ultimate domination in mine."

As the powers of Rhonia and Superbia combined Rashandras let loose a might roar and shouted. "My goal is the hither to unchallenged beast, your is the herald of the future. You have your fight, and I have mine. For all others, interefer with my own fight at thy peril, for I cannot gaurentee your safety alongside me. Only a beast can fight a beast, and before I have not shown you such."

The moment the powers were unleashed onto the battlefield Rashandras made his move. He rushed forward with a speed and agility that belied his immense form. The flame tongued winds assailed him but he moved through the fields with ease. At all points he was threatened, but he always managed to push through the attacks. With a drop to all fours he ducked under a rushing wall of flame, the edges of which danced just above his back. The non beflamed winds were as breezes against an mountain; felt but in no way minded. Pushing off the ground Rashandras launched himself from left to right, rolling out of the paths of flame and deftly evading the chaotic nature of the field. The speckles of forbidden magic managed to dot his form, but even as he accumulated these bloody points, he still charged without abandon.

Each step he took deepened a corona of red along his form. The corona of shapeshifting, yet no change in body took place. The red light strengthened and strengthened; Rashandras seemed as if a demon, for he charged on all fours as no man, and the aura of red served to coat his human features and leave only a beasts.

Finally the object of his undeniable desire came into range, the giant, the beast, the unnatural Superbia. However a raging wall of flame suddenly blocked his path, just as Rashandras was ready to jump. The wall of flame proved no delay, it was as gauze before Rashandras and just as non frightening. He had not delayed his advance for a moment. Rashandras launched himself off the ground and through the wall with a terrifyingly powerful leap, one that carried him yards.

In the midst of the air he truly looked beyond sanity, flames licking alongst his body, raging in contrast against his corona. He was as an incarnation of the immortal beast, his leap one of dauntless insanity, endless rage, and unfathomable courage. At the apex of his leap Rashandras slashed downwards, aiming for the soft tender flesh inbetween the armor of the beast; flesh where he could find purchase and quickly ascend to the top of the beasts body. A roar that resounded terror in the very bones of all who heard it escaped Rashandras' lips.

[PyrosNine]

Kings took on the whirlwind at full, instead of leaping over it he charged it, lest it crush those behind him.

"Null." He bellowed, as a calming force dove into the flames before him, enslaving them to his will. And his will was for them to vanish. They went away with nothing more than a puff of hot air, leaving the fury of the wind and the forbidden magic for Kings to contend with.

Kings leapt into the fury, the wind cutting at him and the magic clashing against his spirit. With his own roar he expended an amount of force, ripping the whirlwind apart. The fury of the wind was dispelled through the deadly battlefield, even reaching so far as to cut down a few implanted off in the distance. While a few came close to those behind them, Kings made sure there was sufficient space to get out of the way. Then he brought his blades down with a rush of flame, striking down the forces which now clung to him, seeking to end and darken him. The attack for the most part nullified, Kings resumed his charged towards Rhonia.

"Here I thought you were a manly woman, and yet here you are throwing things in my path to keep some space between you and the big bad Kings."
Kings jabbed with a fang peeking out from his mouth.

[Astral Harmony]

Superbia took the strike full on and bounced back, his blood dripping down his breastplate. "Is that all you have? You shall be skewered at once!" He reared back and carefully aimed his lance to turn Rashanras into a kabob.

Rhonia abandoned her attack and charged Kings with the bigger, darker version of her Emerald Stinger at the ready. "Well, could you blame me, Kings? From what I've observed, you seem to make a habit of going after anything that might have a uterus."

[Incendius]

Rashandras merely let loose a guttural growl at Superbia's words, not deigning too, or unable to answer in human speak. The spear came whistling down, splitting the air as it drove towards Rashandras. At the last possible second, Rashandras flipped backwards, avoiding the flaming lance by inches, and leaving himself in a handstand facing away from Superbia.

Pushing downwards Rashandras flipped himself again, this time into the air to spin, and land feet first on the shaft of the lance. It is said a cat never falls on its back, which Rashandras had just shown. It is also known that a cat can balance on the most precarious of positions; as Rashandras now demonstrated.

Rushing forward, his arms flying behind him to either side assuring his balance, his mind shunting aside and ignoring the flames, Rashandras ran up the shaft of the lance. As Superbia shifted the lance, recovering from the strike, Rashandras leaped off it. Again his destination was the top of the fearsome beast, in this instance a shoulder would suffice. If his charge didn't succeed in that regard, he would at least attempt to score a strike with his claws.

[PyrosNine]

"Sorry to disappoint you lady, but as far as I know, right now all that's down there is a gaping void of misery." Kings rudely remarked with words that would forever leave it's mark on gender conflicts to come...in the alternate future.

Kings took aim with his left arm blade and fired at the oncoming Rhonia, who dodged it with ease and kept coming. Kings however, let the blade keep going, where it found purchase in the barren ground. With a click of his left hand, Kings rocketed himself forwards horizontally through the air, ending the distance between the two within seconds.

Kings clashed his right blade upon her Emerald Stinger as he returned to the ground, snapping the left blade back towards him as he did so in an effort to hit Rhonia with the whiplash of the return trip. She saw it coming out of the corner of her eye and contorted her body out of the way, doing so while smoothly repositioning her blade as she brought it down hard upon Kings. Kings needed both bladed hands to keep the sword from crushing him, yet the force of the blow had made a heavy impact upon the ground where he stood.

The armblades held under the pressure, the so called "apprentice" blacksmith had at least gotten some experience in making fine blades when she had toiled to arm Valgurr's soldiers.

With a grunt of effort, Kings hurled Rhonia and her blade off of him and sent a scorching ball of fire after her as she went through the air. She deflected it with her blade using it's sheer size as a body shield much like Kings had done before with his Ghaleon and she had done before technically when Kings had assumed her form.

After the flash of heat however, Kings was back on the attack and hammering her giant blade away for a close range stab with his right armblade....

[Astral Harmony]

Superbia quickly switched his lance to his left hand and backhanded Rashanras, sending him into the wall some thirty yards away, possibly to land on all fours as usual. The lance followed shortly thereafter and Superbia was already channeling energy into his fists as he turned around to get the morphin' manbeast into his cone of vision. "You're in for a beating, you little brat!"

"Damn you!" Rhonia quickly dropped her sword and caught the blade between her hands, realizing quickly that trying to snap it was impossible. Kings' groin was too far for a flying knee, so Rhonia attempted a high kick to his chin.

[TheBlindMime]

Valgur lie crumpled on the floor, a triumphant Kings standing before him. Though his body lay prone his mouth ran driving foul curses and threats into Kings. Which Kings promptly ignored.

As Valgur tried to lift himself to his feet so that he might die honorably in the name of Prescenia despite her leaving him to die and the completely dishonorable kick in the subligar. That's correct, kicked right in the subligar. Val felt a sudden weight on his back. It was General Remalia, her hands glowed with a fierce but warmly embracing light.

It enveloped and destroyed him, leaving only Valgur the Grey.

Hours later Valgur stared heartlessly at the frail form of Alicia in the arms of Teressa, she symbolized everything that had gone wrong for Valgur since he stepped foot into Aristagalde. As she opened her eyes and spoke for the first time that Valgur had ever heard her true voice, he knew that he was merely blaming a victim. Regardless of their heritage they were kin, both of them manipulated by a force more powerful then themselves, a force which would have killed them and for Alicia a force that was still killing them.

Valgur would save this girl, Remalia had forced his hand to this spot but from here on he would fight for Alicia. He smiled bitterly, he once again found himself pledging to protect the same girl from harm no matter the cost. He truly was a father at heart.

"Christopher, my Helmet." Valgur demanded thrusting his arm towards one of the two cloaked figures behind him. Promptly his helm was handed forward, he began clasping it on as Rashanras a newcomer with strange powers of a feline nature and Kings the man of flames that Valgur knew quite well and yet not at all, leapt into action. "Tykus, take aim at Superbia and use Christopher's cover fire when you can."

The second figure behind removed his cloak to reveal the implanted Tykus, "Yes, sir." His voice still sounding like gravel rolling down a hill in a mudslide. He leapt to the dome wall and began skittering along the roof with his warped arachnid limbs. Finding a spot he liked he gripped the roof with his feet and fell back, now standing upside down on the roof he drew out two recurved bows. Notching two arrows to each bow he took aim.

"A sword as well Christopher." A sword protruded from the still cloaked figures chest, as if he had been impaled with it previously. Valgur drew the sword and spoke with a great deal of sorrow in his voice. "And Christopher, I'm sorry for what I have done. I hope your forgiveness was not a falsehood. I truly grieve for what I have done to you and this country."

"You have returned to me my freedom Valgur, I owe you sir." The cloaked figure responded confidently.

"I am afraid you are wrong Christopher." Valgur lunged his armor's jet igniting sending him hurtling towards the fight. His sword at his side, in the time it takes most to breathe he amidst the frenzy, raising his sword in a fluid swipe into Rhonia's side. Hoping to take the opening made by her high kick and spread her guts to the five winds. Ironic his personal goals finally corresponded to the group goals.

Tykus fired his four shots after lathering them all in a green foamy substance. The arrows latched onto Superbia's armor and began shriveling and melting into a goopy nothingness on his back. Before he could even suspect their true nature Christopher; formerly known as Jockun, drew out two guns and fired them. Hoping to ignite the explosive goo now latched onto Superbia's back.