Empire of Maniacs Finale: Einland's Challenge

[Astral Harmony]

Rhonia caught Valgur's approach out of the corner of her eye and dropped a split second, sliding back as Valgur's sword almost hit Kings. "You two fight a lot, huh?" Rhonia smiled as she pulled herself up into a handstand, jumping back onto her feet, sword in hand. "It's a shame I have to end you, Valgur. Hymntrollers are extremely rare. Theodora would be upset when I have to eliminate you. Oh, well."
She whirled in place, launching a large wave of dark energy at the duo that can't seem to get enough to each other. Gaun would be jealous.

Superbia caught fire just as he launched roughly a dozen tracking energy shots at Rashanras, then turned on Christopher. "Just give it up. Einland desires your heads and your heads he shall have!" Unfriendly looking lights grew within Superbia's visor. That could only mean one thing. Christopher was going to be on the receiving end of some laser eye beam action.

[PyrosNine]

Kings disengaged Rhonia to avoid being struck by Valgurr's blade. "Fight with me if you will, just avoid any unhealthy side effects of me kicking her ass."

Kings had settled things between himself and Valgurr, and once they had come to an understanding, fighting together would not be so hard.

Rhonia prattled on nonsensically about hymns and trolls, and then shot two dark blasts at them.

"Flame cannon!" Kings put sheathed both blades to free up his fingers for the attack, which fought against the dark wave attack. He sincerely hoped Valgurr wasn't busy with something, and would attack Rhonia whilst he dealt with the dark energy.

[TheBlindMime]

"To you as well." Valgur chided back before Kings shielded them both from harm, albeit with a larger explosion. Dodging around the explosion Valgur came at Rhonia from her rear thrusting his sword for her heart. She blocked easily and would have shoved his attack back as well but before she could Val pulled his sword away and swung from another angle intent on keeping her on defense. "I'm sorry did you say something I wasn't listening."

Val's plan was simple, use the speed and efficiency of the broadsword rather then the brute force attacks Rhonia had become accustomed to fighting against. Hopefully Pyros would join in a tandem attack with his usual unsophisticated heavy handed tactics, which he assuredly would.

*

Tykus continued stringing, lathering and firing arrows with deadly precision. Seemingly unnoticed by Superbia he began firing even quicker almost hoping to draw the creatures attention. His mind focused completely on stopping Superbia and not on his obvious death wish. His arrows continued to splatter against Superbia's hindquarters leaving open his front from fiery oblivion.

*

Christopher dropped the pistols to his feet, the pistols were all but useless now. He thrust his arms open wide and spoke mockingly. "This may sound odd from a fellow implanted but have you ever considered freelance work?" Suddenly his entire arm-span appeared to turn to metal, the metal burst forward lurching to the earth and landing surprisingly on its side. It was a large metal door that had once belonged in an outpost just before Fort Brahnigan, one of the many things you pick up when you follow a herald into war.

The laser cut through the door mercilessly, Superbia's attack cutting a straight line across where his target was standing. The metal door glowed brightly across its new scar, then split along it. Amongst the smoldering metal in front and the billowing smoke behind stood Christopher sans his cloak. He wore a black vest gilded in gold with a white dress suit underneath and fine leather pants and boots he could have only stolen from the palace. He stood next to a freshly procured cannon, the second largest item he had picked up on his travels. The first being the door.

"You could live a lot longer if you did." He smiled simply as he fired one of his 'useless' pistols into what cannoneer's so lovingly call the 'touchhole'.

[PyrosNine]

On the opposite side of Rhonia, Kings dashed forward with a mighty scissoring slash of the two armblades to see if Rhonia was watching her back while she attempted to harm Valgurr.

Kings could be a team player, sometimes.

[Mintaro]

Aran floated in nothingness. He wasn't sure how long he lay, nor what happened while he did. His only company was the slowly growing sound of music. He wondered to himself if this was what death was. To simply lay in nothingness. It seemed a lot less grand than the brochures had promised him. Even the idea of complete nothingness was preferable to existing inside of nothingness. He blinked once. He realized then that it was the first time he had moved sense he got to this place. Blinking again he noticed that the blackness was becoming more silver as the music grew louder.

"So lets see, empty nothingness, slowly filling with something familiar. And I can barely move." Aran listed off things out loud before even realizing he could speak. "Oh and I can talk. I guess that counts for something." Very slowly Aran felt strength returning to his body. First his heart began to beat faster, then his breathing increased. Slowly he regained feeling in his body. His fingers and toes began bending.

Finally after what seemed like yet another eternity he was able to get up onto his feet. The void was a dusky silver now. The music sounding like it was just in the other room. He could finally identify the source. A strange lilting stringed instrument, sounding almost like bells or chimes. It was his song alright. He'd heard it often enough of late. Unconsciously Aran began humming along while he strolled about the empty nothingness. Soon he saw something off in the distance. It looked to be a man.

Aran was eager to get the hell out of where ever he was, And where ever he was he had not a clue. So running towards the only thing he could see other than himself seemed like a good course of action. Every step he took towards the man brought the void into a brighter silver. Which in turn made the music rise in volume.

Finally he could see the man clearly. It was an elderly man, silvery hair cascading down over his face. He sat on air and strummed an odd looking instrument, on which he played the song. It looked like a guitar, but much much longer, and the strings were all a thin silver color. Aran slowed and then stopped in front of him. Not exactly sure what to do.

"Yo." Aran said in a friendly tone.

The man continued playing but responded in a melodic voice. "Hello Aran, I see you've finally made it here. Please take a seat."

Aran was totally perplexed not only did he not know this guy, but there was no chair to sit in. Plus as far as he could tell, there was no here to be a there. Which really just seemed aggravating. So Aran just flopped down onto the ground and listened to the music for a moment.

"SOoooOOOoo....Am I dead?" Aran finally asked.

"No. At least, not really. Your mortal coil has ended."

"I see..." He really didn't but he felt it best to just go along. After all he wasn't going anywhere. "Well if I'm not dead, and I'm not really alive then...where...am...I?"

"Well here, obviously. At the cross roads. You get to decide where you go next."

Aran smiled, he was finally getting some where. "Ok so I'm at the cross roads. So can I decide to go back to Aristigalde?"

"Yes, if that is your wish. But think carefully on what you want."

Aran suddenly wasn't too sure what he wanted. For all he knew going back to Aristigalde meant being born again. Which really would put him behind the group on the whole saving the world bit. "Ok, umm, well can I just be dead?"

A string snapped on the instrument, creating a sour note and halting the melody. The man got very still for a moment. "Do you so yearn for death? I am offering you something great here."

Aran was now totally lost, it seemed like who ever this man was, he wasn't on all his stilts. "Well I don't want to die I suppose."

"Good than." The man said happily. Reaching up he pulled one of his hairs from his head and used it to restring his instrument. The hair shouldn't have reached but somehow it did. "Then do you accept?"

Aran scratched the back of his neck. A task much harder now that he lacked his favorite tool for the job. "Yes?" Aran half asked confusedly.

"Ah HA!" The man chortled suddenly. "You don't even know what it is I'm offering you!" The man straightened up making the hair fall away from his face. The man before him was as young as Aran was, not old and gray as he had first thought. "You would just blindly accept whatever is thrown to you. Aran the Treasure hunter indeed!"

"But you....said....then you....Tell you what, why don't you just tell me what it is you want to give me and I'll tell you if I want it."

"Life Aran! I want to give you life! A life more grand and purposeful than any moments you have lived till now. Although I have to admit you've had a few good moments."

"Ah ha! You said Had, meaning past tense! Meaning I AM dead!" Aran stood up and jumped about victoriously. Happy he was finally understanding what was going on.

"You didn't listen to me did you. Aran I'm offering you my place."

Aran stopped jumping around. "So wait. I can either die or become a guy sitting in silver nothingness playing music for all eternity?"

The man sighed and ran a hand through his hair. He seemed to be loosing patience. "These mortal brains are so, cramped." He muttered. "I am offering you what is left of my power. Do you accept?"

Aran scratched his chin, it seemed a bargain was afoot. "Whats in it for me?" Aran queried slyly.

"EVERYTHING YOU SLOW WITTED MONEY THIEF!" The man had finally lost his patience, Standing up his instrument vanished. He seemed to grow larger every time he took a breath. Which he heaved in and out.

"OK then I accept." Aran responded meekly. He still was unsure what this man was offering but it seemed preferable to being squashed in a great vast nothingness.

"OK then." The man snapped his fingers. "It is done." With that he vanished.

"Well thats ridiculous what was do-""

Before Aran could finish his sentence he awoke with a start. He was laying in a bed. Heavy blankets piled atop him. Very confused now he wiggled out of bed. Running a hand over his chest he noticed something very odd. He didn't have a single wound on him. Not so much as a scar. Either that Paladin had come by the tower. Or Prescenia wanted him alive for something sinister. Aran was not one to take the time to find out. Looking around the room he found his clothing in a nice neat pile. Throwing it on quickly he looked about for anything that would help him. Finding no weapons he decided to make the best of it. Cracking open the door he looked out into empty halls. Slipping outside he padded quietly down the hall. He turned a corner only to find it totally exposed to the outside. A chill wind blew across the opening causing him to shiver. His clothing was covered in holes.

Wishing to himself that his clothing was mended he set off back down the hall in the other direction. He got just past the door when he spotted a stand mirror. Glancing at his reflection he stopped and gapped at himself. It was him. Only now his hair was stark silver. The same color one would find in a gilded throne or the necklace of a noble. Not only that, but his clothing had changed. No longer was he wearing the tattered rags of yesterdays battle. But now he was wearing clothing fit for a prince. Black fine silk with silver threading. Aran laughed. Clearly he was still dead.

Looking around he decided to roll with it. If this was the afterlife it wasn't so bad. Aran strode down the hall. Like a king inside his castle. Even if his castle was dusty and empty. "So where dose a prince go in his castle." Aran pondered to himself aloud. Snapping his fingers, which gave off a sharp melodic noise he took no notice of. He came to his conclusion. "The Treasure room!" Closing his eyes Aran thought about treasure. When he opened them again, there he stood. The sole occupant of a glorious room full of riches. Complete with Marble statues. One of which was broken.

Yep the afterlife sure was turning up well for Aran Sordeth.

(OOC: OK thats the first half, my GF's here so I'll write the rest later. Also this is happening day of the final show down. Aran is just still confused. Being dead will do that.)

[Astral Harmony]

Rhonia had the pretty much abandon her sword and use her arms and hands to parry Valgur's attack. Which was fine to her, but without the reach she would have with the blade, Valgur wasn't leaving any openings. It would be a battle of stamina, and if Valgur tired out first, Rhonia would have him.

She caught Kings coming at her from behind, made a quick thrust kick into Valgur's stomach and dove to the right, tumbling into a crouch. As she rose to her feet, she gathered energy into her fists similar to Superbia when he readied to attack Rashanras. Rhonia charged a lot more energy, though. Probably her final move. "It doesn't matter," Rhonia gasped. "If I defeat you here, that's two less obstacles in my path. And if you win, then at least the mighty General Rhonia will no longer be a threat. Either way, you'll be dealt with accordingly."

Superbia was slowly becoming wreathed in flame. However, he was quite a powerful one, and only seemed to suffer mild discomfort at the concept of being on fire. That probably wouldn't take long to change, however. People on fire who lack the necessary elemental affinity for it like Superbia wouldn't be able to put up with it for long at all, even if they were one of the Implanted Elite. "Freelance does sound nice, but I'm sorely lacking in any desire but to serve my master."
Superbia reared up and slammed his two front hooves onto the ground, creating a rapidly spreading shockwave. He quickly charged energy into his hands for a second assault to nail anything thrown into the air.

[TheBlindMime]

Tykus' arrows dropped from his grip as the roof shook, his tenuous grip on the roof with only his feet was nearly lost. He forsake extra attacks of opportunity for safety gripping the roof with almost all of his appendages. As the roof settled he once again took aim only to find Superbia blocking his attacks.

*

Christopher had lost his footing during the tremor, he was now laying awkwardly across the cannon which had lodged itself into the wall after its first shot. Which had been high and to the left. Christopher needed time to load another shot, he had the powder and the ammo he just needed the time. He took a quick glance towards Superbia to see Tykus struggling to keep him occupied while the flames upon his back slowly died.

"Rashadras?" Christopher called out, he could see there ally no where around. He'd been fighting so fiercely but a moment ago, but as the name past his lips Christopher regretted saying anything at all. Superbia's angry glare turned on him while still maintaining his absolute defense against Tykus. He'd already gambled now, might as well let the dice roll. "Help!"

*

Val stood motionless his eyes locked on Rhonia, without her sword he easily had a reach advantage over her. He could avoid her swipes for some time, maybe get in a fatal strike, all he had to do was be react to her movements as she made them. This fact wasn't the only thing that kept him from moving, This fight doesn't matter? Val thought quizically.

And if you win, then at least the mighty General Rhonia will no longer be a threat. She says... its as if she has a death wish. As if the true General Rhonia desires us to kill her now to prevent her from being used later against Aristagalde. Then she, like me, could be freed from her spell and returned to who she was...

A shame I'd rather see her dead. Valgur readied his blade, "Give no quarter Kings, she is lost."

[PyrosNine]

"Asking me to give no quarter? Are you perchance mistaking me for some other, more benevolent fire demon?" Kings jeered.

Really, Kings was torn by the memories shared fighting with the general and the things accomplished with her. It was a shame, a dishonor for her to fall under the sway of a freak like Einland, be it through possession, subversion, or whatever means. If Rhonia was lost, then trying to save her was folly. And her not being lost was a slim chance in this shitty world.

But then again, Kings never liked to gamble with the odds in his favor.

He would beat down Rhonia to the brink of death. He would give no quarter in his combat, and would only cease when she could no longer fight. But if she was still among the living following this, there would be a chance. There was a suitable technique Kings knew. But if she was dead, Kings would bury her in the past, not this wretched future. It was all Kings could do and hope to do.

King's energy flared and his body became covered in crimson flames. "YAAAAAH! Can you withstand a thousand blows?"

King's energy and his body seemed to move separately as they made ready to fight her to the death, even as she readied up her final move. If Rhonia was touched even once by Kings or the silhouette of flame that took it's own path to her, she would truly feel a thousand blows.

[Astral Harmony]

Rhonia's gaze darted between Kings and his flame form. Their brawling was fast enough to be nearly untrackable as Rhonia and Kings played out their dance of defense and offense. But if Rhonia had a single failing, it was her speed. Even without the sword to slow her down, Rhonia was only so fast. Setsumi could do this, but the mighty ground commander general could not.

Kings took a right hook to his left cheek and was sent whirling to the ground. Rhonia was knocked back as the assault of a thousand blows sent her into the wall behind her some thirty yards away. Like Neo from The Matrix Reloaded, she flew through the air, propelling her arms, and smashed into the wall. However, she was flung farther and faster than he was, and probably do to these differences, she wasn't getting up. Her head hung weakly over her chest. No one could tell if she had somehow survived that attack or was dead before she hit the wall.

"She's good against dozens of weaklings, but against a couple of powerful warriors such as yourselves, it's just no contest."
The voice came from a difference source. Murder stood not far from the duo, Synfection weapon at the ready.
"I thought that would be the end, but now I think Prescenia can just keep her panties on. I haven't indulged in serious combat for over a millenium. Stepping in and feeling your strength with this body could be quite refreshing."

[Incendius]

"Rashadras?" "Help!"

It was at the moment Christopher yelled that Rashandras made his move; though more of tactical gain than that of simply assisting an ally.

The last furious minutes for Rashandras had been a game of avoidance and stealth. First the shapeshifter had needed to disperse of the tracking magical bolts aimed at his direction. It had not helped that he was hefted against a large wall only moments before. Rashandras had shifted the moment he landed on his feet from the knockback, into six different cheetahs. The effort expended in that venture was immense; even when Rashandras had shapeshifted, the twelve bolts had split as well. Two had gone off onto each target, for the bolts tracked Rashandras' essence, and his shapeshifting split his essence into six. However, his shapeshifting also changed his essence subtly, which added slight confusion of direction to the bolts. Whenever one of Rashandras' forms drew near to another, the bolts would sway in the second form's direction.

Using this tendency, through many coordinated manuevers along with his natural speed, Rashandras' was able to avoid and outpace many close encounters with the bolts. However, he was unable to attack or do much else. His attempts at using the terrain to disperse the bolts met ultimately with failure, the bolts prowed through any barrier or just moved around it. Nor was there any oppurtunity to enlist an ally for aid; all were engaged for their lives as he was. Rashandras had been presented with few options but that of flight. This deeply angered him; such an inability was that of a weakling, and Rashandras was anything but weak. In his collective beast mind, Rashandras had resolved that he would turn this insulting attack back against the huge implanted.

No such oppurtunity presented itself; that is until Superbia made his attempt to flush out his quarry. With the insticts of the beast, Rashandras had realized what Superbia intended the moment he raised his front hooves. All six of Rashandras cheetahs rushed to a focal point, to the side of Superbia. Behind each one, two bolts chased, relentless in their pursuit. As the cheetahs came together, so did their forms. The red glow of shapeshifting enveloped them, and Rashandras' normal form came forth crouched on the ground, all his muscles tensed and prepared. An instant later, Superbia slammed down his hooves, and the shockwave spread outwards. Rashandras' did not oppose the shockwaves force, in fact he supported it. The moment it struck his position, Rashandras pushed forth, launching himself far farther into the air then he would ever have managed by his own volition.

As he was launched into the air, Rashandras curled himself into a ball to consolidate his form. The apex of his ascent was a stunning fifty feet, twice as high as Superbia's form. When he reached this point Superbia smirked coldly, as he unleahsed the energy he had gathered into his hands at Rashandras, who he believed had no way to manuever through the air. Superbia had however forgot or not realized two crucial facts. When Rashandras shapeshifted, his own body was the platform, the forms that came out of him, were able to move as if from the ground initially. The second was that twelve devastating bolts of magic were already chasing Rashandras. This mistake would dearly cost Superbia.

The red magic of shapeshifting enveloped Rashandras as his ascent stopped, and he started to fall through the air. Out of his red aura sprung his six forms, this time that of six rust colored lynxs. The lynxs all sprung towards Superbia, but this action was masked. For as they sprung forth, the tracking bolts bended again towards them, and Superbia directed bolts swept under the six forms missing by only milimeters. The two sets of bolts collided, the ancient magics mixing, and not mixing well. The collision caused an explosion, one who's smoke and flash obscured the air. Thus, Superbia had thought Rashandras gone for good, and had turned towards Christopher. Due to his position, Christopher had been unable to seen these events either.

It was at the time of Christophers call, that Superbia painfully realized mistake. Not only had Rashandras avoided a painful demise, he had used the explosion for his own efforts, ensuring a rapid descent directly towards Superbia. What Superbia had denied Rashandras twice before, he had readily given Rashandras a third time. All six of Rashandras' forms had found purchase on Superbia's back and head. It was at the moment of the call, that each of Rashandras' forms attempted to tear into Superbia's flesh. For now they were all in a position where they were not easily dislodged, or even reached.

Two attempted to tear into Superbia's lower organs, two had landed near his neck and went to dig ravenously into that. Finally two had landed on Superbia's head, and went to tear into his eyes and the soft part of one's skull.