Avatar Arena SPECIAL MATCH: Phoenixflame vs. Raiden

[Raiden]

The two figures of power stood in what consisted of their arena. It was the Pavilion of the Gods, an area seperate from reality. It's where the gods go to duel without affecting others. It's a large football-field sized platform made of a lightly glowing silver metal.

The gigantic platform floated in a tiny galaxy of empty space and distant stars.

[PhoenixFlame]

Raiden might have thought that Phoenixflame was insane. After all, no mortal would ever consider stepping onto the Pavillion of Gods agaisnt Raiden without some incredible trick up their sleeves. Despite this, Phoenix stood across from the Thunder God, her eyes regarding him with an air of frustration.

"So, it's come to this, hmm? Showing off for the pleasure of others?"

Phoenix was one to give Raiden a clue however, aswell as give herself whatever powerup she could concieve. Extending her left arm, and grasping something ethereal, Phoenix seemed to twist an invisible dial, and with each rotation of her arm the distant starfield surrounding the platform shifted like a loose sphere around a core. It was a planned exhibition, as the celestial department of the Violet Brier could now be glimpsed above and behind her from Raiden's perspective, the sword constellation hanging somberly over Phoenix's head.

[Raiden]

"Not showing off. Just killing some time."

Raiden had already disintegrated his flesh and become his energy body. His eye-less face stared Phoenix down.

"Besides...you're here to kill me. Or to at least put me down. Am I right...Maiden of Endings?"

[PhoenixFlame]

"Killing time, showing off... These are both means to the same end, Raiden. You merely want to fight me for the fun of it." she sighed.

"That's the real anathema here, Raiden, isn't it? You're not doing your job anymore. You enjoy keeping whatever order you keep, but only when it suits you. You're going down the road to stagnation, Raiden." Saturn explained, walking around Raiden, hands behind her, tapping the tip of Phoenix's technomagi staff with her fingernails as she did so.

Saturn's voice lowered, and quickened substantially, her back turned to Raiden now, "You know Raiden, I didn't want to do this... But your path has reached it's end, and it's time to make you disappear forever."

And with this, she brought the Rod of the Technomage before her, and grasped both the end and the center, holding the weapon parallell with the pavilion's ground. Energy crackled like lightning around the seperation between the concealed hilt and blade of the Sword of Endings, as she wrenched the orichalcum and starmetal weapon from it's sheathe. The runes written upon the flat of the blade glew a dull violet as the rest of the staff burned away in an acrid white smoke.

A swirling azure force encircled the goddess as her hand-device and PhoenixCorp jumpsuit faded away in a trademark magical-girl transformation sequence, giving way to her immaculately white hair, and flowing violet robes emblazoned with the mark of her office. Raiden of course, was given no time to react, as transformation sequences never afford their opponent such ability.

"To lessen my guilt, t'would be fitting for you to make the first move, Raiden." she said solemnly.

[Raiden]

Oh, you silly Maidens. You and your sidereals attempt to change the fates the Creators set forth. You see, I do my job, Saturn. I keep order where it's my designation to do so. You, however, enter another person's domain and try to instill your ideas. That does not create order. That creates chaos. It's just that I'm a little more laidback than other gods.

He raised up two fingers.

You'll excuse me for starting with a weak attack. I normally do not strike women unless they attack me first. But since you asked....

The two fingers change into pointed spikes. Then, the fingers extended and lengthened greatly, shooting at high speeds toward Phoenix.

[PhoenixFlame]

Saturn closed her eyes slowly, and listened to the intent within Raiden's voice. So very disillusioned the creator of order must have been, to believe that preventing stagnation and corruption created chaos.

"You've become the very antithesis of what you are, Raiden." Saturn thought.

"You'll excuse me for starting with a weak attack. I normally do not strike women unless they attack me first. But since you asked...."

Yes, his voice was there. The intent was there, yet halfhearted. His very voice had betrayed so much of his attack that Saturn could not help but smile, as she pictured precisely what Raiden would do in the next three seconds.

For the secrets of future strife are easily seen by the keen eye and heard by the keen ear of those practicioners of the Violet Brier of Sorrows style. Her grip of the Sword of Endings loosened but a hair's bredth as Raiden's fingers shot foward...

The world seemed to freeze for a moment, a moment that could be felt by only those very intune with the flow of time, for to all else, it was merely a blur of speed as several seconds of fate were added in to fit only a few seconds of actual time. Raiden's fingers lay picturesquely frozen halfway between himself and Saturn, the tentacle-like protrusions hanging five feet from the ground, in line with the maiden's neck.

Then her sword moved a slow, methodical pace for but a single second as the rest of the world stood in frozen reviere, as Saturn slid to the right of the attack, spinning to catch the fingers in midflight with a wrist-flick of the Sword of Endings.

[Raiden]

Before the sword could slice down on the fingers, the energy protrusions separated from the body on their own, the sword slicing through empty air. The separated nubs flew back towards Raiden, and were absorbed into his body.

Nice trick. It seems you maidens keep yourselves well stocked on such things. With the use of that charm, you've proven that you're serious about this fight. I must say...I don't think I'd enjoy being removed from existance. I won't go quietly.

A single rune floated from his body and landed on the platform. Suddenly, six exact copies of Raiden popped up from the metal.

[PhoenixFlame]

"Serious like the winds blow true..." Saturn responded, continuing her spin and effortlessly slipping into a tornado-like slash.

The Blade of Endings glew bright silver, as a swirling arc of essence shot horizontally forth from the weapon's blade, bisecting all 6 Raidens along their midsection. She knew that the real Raiden was outside of fate and would be immune to her attack, but the duplicates would fall easily.

And they did, evaporating into tiny wisps of white smoke, and vanishing off into the air.

"Don't play games, Raiden. Fight."

[Raiden]

But games are fun, Phoenix. Those that don't play games tend to become overly serious.

Raiden's legs shifted and changed into a more powerful form.

Like this...catch me if you can.

Raiden began to run at high speeds, zooming about randomly inside the arena.

[PhoenixFlame]

*Meanwhile*

It would soon become apparrent to those watching that the battle between Raiden's true form and Saturn was not taking place in reality. In actuality, the battle was nothing more than a soap bubble within a dream, a passing fancy, a guile or glamour meant to entrance Raiden just long enough for Phoenix to steal the Kurosen. For Raiden, the danger within his dreamscape was very real.

Seeing Raiden's obvious feelings of superiority, Phoenix began to impose her will upon the mindscape-duel, narrating the battle with her own chaos-shaping techniques.

"And lo, the great thunder-god Raiden stood shocked, as the Maiden's sword flew true into his chest, spilling his lifeblood upon the cold silver ground."

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Saturn stood, motionless, and watched Raiden run aimlessly in circles. Had he been a mortal, he might have tired... But he was not a mortal. Regardless, his action was foolish. Saturn waited, like a coiled cobra, waiting for her opponent to feel secure before striking.

It was at the moment of Phoenix's narration that Saturn lunged sideways to intercept the god as he passed, her sword flying true toward Raiden's chest in an expertly executed forward thrust...