Slip

Blackness descended like a blanket over the forests. Creatures called to each other in the darkness... the croaking of frogs and crickets and the crying of timberwolves. Monstrous, mystical bats crunched ponderously on insects with their ugly mouths, and the wide-eyed owl glided on silent wings like a sharp-taloned cloud in the night. The canopy of trees blotted out even the comforting light of the moon and the stars, and most humans who weren't night patrols and had the slightest inkling of sense had long since gone to bed.

But one entity walked in the darkness, unphased by the alarming atmosphere of the nocturnal woodlands. Though such a place was a primal fear for a majority of humans, she was, in both mind and for the moment body, a hyena. A white hyena who strolled silently through the brush. It wasn't really normal for her to be up at night, but she wanted to make the outpost by daybreak, and a certain anxiety had gripped her and propelled her forwards.

Soon she set food upon the grounds of her destination: a stone outpost with all the charm and welcome of a pissed-off rattlesnake.

Instead of approaching right away, she threw back her head and issued a cackle that would pierce the cacophony of night. It was a loud, jarring, unsettling noise, but she'd hoped that the person she knew might recognize it if he were "home".

[ EXP: 273 || +1 TEXP (1st post) ]

The hyena's brows came together as she looked at the boy, and even in hyena form she found herself looking down. Rather, it was a bit alarming to have a young boy walk up to her at all, since any child with sense would be frightened of a giant, demonic beast sitting at the edge of the darkness of the woods.

She inhaled so hard that the suction might have lifted a few strands of the boy's hair. "Jack?" she asked, plainly confused. "What... are you doing in a little boy's body?"

Well, that and the odd manner in which he talked. She recognized rhyme when she heard it, but the concept of a poem wasn't a named one for her. "It doesn't matter. Your words sound nice. I was just coming to check and see how the outpost came out and to take my workers back home and..." A bit of uncertainty came into her voice, for a fleeting instant. "...the kami. Did you capture one?"

Part of her hoped he hadn't so she wouldn't have to think, but on another level, she'd be sorely disappointed if he hadn't.

[ EXP: 211 ]

The great beast shifted, still visibly uncomfortable, and took a glance backwards at the woods. It wasn't a conscious gesture, but she was plainly nervous about the proceedings. At first glance, it might appear that she was unsettled by the devil-possessed boy stroking her fur, but this wasn't it.

"I've never seen a human woman happy at all..." she murmured absently.

Truthfully, the spirit found herself in a bit of a fix. If Jack didn't have the kami female, she would have been disappointed and somewhat annoyed. Since he did have it, however, she found herself not exactly as excited as she might have been ordinarily.

In her mind, she saw not the excitement of creating the first of the one-hundred and sixty-four that would share a parent in her. She didn't even see the promise of the sort of eldritch pleasure getting to assault a kami would give her. No, she saw her friend and lackey in her mind's eye, looking away, his words as cold as his magic. "Your behavior disgusts me."

Was she becoming like Jack in enjoying these sort of things? Empathy was a learned trait.

Yet, anger grew. Hostility. What did Lethe really know about these things? If Iskra didn't understand why kami tasted so delicious and were so fun to torture, surely he didn't pretend to have the answers. If it felt good, who was he to tell her not to do it? Surely he needed to learn his place, and surely she needed to continue without hesitancy. After all, there was worse perversion.

Somewhere in the back of her mind, she thought it might be important to protect the child if it ever came to term, but these things she would take care of if it was, in fact, possible to produce a child.

"Show her to me."

[ EXP: 350 || +1 TEXP (1st thread) ]

The kami flew to the ground at her paws and Iskra's brows furrowed. It wasn't because of a thoughtfulness as before, however. Simply, her thoughts were being siphoned away and being replaced by a singular impulse. Her worries... her concerns... her anxieties... the moral conundrum created by her lackey... all of these things melted away in the odd radiance of this creature... the feel of her soul... the purity of intent... the concern for the well-being of others that was a base instinct. Everything good and right.

On some level, she heard the pride demon, but her delay in acting was only sufficient for a new transformation to come over the hyena. Now she hadn't absorbed the entirety of the dragon's soul, merely a fragment. As such, she didn't turn completely from what she was to a drake. The process seemed only partial, and left her covered in patches of scales beneath which her fur remained and puffed out backwards as though subdued by so many keratin scarves. She growled low in her throat. Spikes sprouted from her back with a crack and a pop. Indeed, she seemed to grow slightly larger as horns curled about her head and her body grew more lean. The toes of her forepaws lengthened until they were dextrous: not quite as dextrous as a human's, but more dextrous than her form ordinarily afforded, perhaps like a rat's with cruel, scaled fingers and very pointy claws. In a primitive way, this form of hers was able to stand.

In the end, she looked like some monster out of a nightmare, though biologically she'd borrowed the gender of the dragon for the moment as well. With a growl, a fierce purr of "Kami..." he grabbed the other spirit by the neck and dragged her a short distance backwards to slam her against one of the nearby trees.

The events that happened after that slam would best be left out of polite writing, but Iskra was not kind in the least. He didn't have to be. A single lick or regurgitation upon a wound would repair all damage, and the hyena demon reveled in the pain and suffering of this entity as he stole her innocence mercilessly. A somewhat small pool of blood soon marked the ground beneath them, but the monster showed no signs of letting up.

[ EXP: 439 || +1 TEXP (1st post) ]

Iskra knew there was something that reminded her of Lethe in the area, though his position up in a tree prevented the beast from scenting him outright. Then again, the last thing he'd expected or been thinking about was the ice warrior following him way out to this outpost in the middle of this nowhere they claimed together.

This put the beast into an observably awkward situation. He didn't feel shame as it might traditionally be understood, but even his kind didn't really like to be intruded upon in such a way while answering one of nature's many calls. Then again, he supposed on one level it really didn't matter. It wasn't as though he could actually stop.

Especially considering that he was so close to the finish.

"Why have you followed me?" he snarled at the other, his words overspilling with a subdued rage as he continued precisely what she was doing. Rather, he felt disrespected at this moment, and it showed through in his response. The beast was on the edge of telling the other to just get used to it, since apparently the judgement was going to come no matter what.

[ EXP: 223 ]

"Silence."

The command to Jack came quick from the large hyena. Other things came as well, but instead of shouting in ecstasy, he grew silent and his mad, blue eyes locked onto Lethe's. Through the quiet, a visible twitch of one side of the face remained the only intentional manifestation of his physical state.

When he was done, he continued, speaking to Lethe. After all, the beast had it in his head that Jack always had the option of leaving. Rather, in interest of removing the kami as quietly as possible from the other's possession now that she might be bearing a significant seed, he wished for the other to lose line-of-sight to the woman. "Yes. It is a kami." His voice was more of a sigh than a confession. "And I thought about what you said."

Some rags still adorned the form of the light spirit. Namely, she still had sleeves and the back of her top. With remarkable tenderness, especially considering the display of bestial brutality mere moments before, Iskra clasped his jaws about the back collar of the shirt remnants and lifted her by it, turning to present the broken, half-clothed woman to Lethe.

"I want you to take her back..." he said around the cloth. "...and keep her safe for me." His voice dropped to a low murmur. "Let her have some warm meals and let her know everything will be okay."

He looked past Lethe to Jack. "Might as well let the child develop a little bit. We don't even know if she's pregnant yet."

[ EXP: 294 || +1 TEXP (1st post) ]

Iskra felt an overwhelming coolness. It wasn't apathy or anything of the sort, rather, the sort of focus that came over her when she was hunting prey. Jack wasn't prey, however, this was a scenario that her instincts prepared her for. Indeed, the situation between them, while amicable, had suspended itself into a very unstable state. "Equality" proved a difficult concept for Iskra. Either the beast had to be servile to a stronger figure or dominant over a weaker one. After all, the weak were obligated to respect the strong, and the strong were obligated to protect the weaker clan members. The strong had no obligation to respect the weak just as the weak were incapable of providing protection to their superiors. Jack offered her protection, yes, but this gesture, while kind, seemed somewhat misplaced. He had been dominant for the moment, but as her confidence grew, she felt as though she were the more powerful of the two, and her behavior had shifted accordingly.

So she knew why Jack had become offended, though offending him hadn't been her aim. The shift in her perceptions was the source of this instability, and like an unstable chemical, things between them exploded with a relatively small application of heat and force... that is, rage and pride.

However, arguments were not what would determine who was right in this case. Beasts and demons determined "correctness" by strength. Words could not answer for her.

So when Lethe carried the abused kami off to safety and the sky was suddenly lined with eyes, she knew what was coming. The gravity that would once force her to her knees now proved insufficient to bend her when she stood with her full strength (Strength = Ascended, equal to gravity). Indeed, her own form began to shift somewhat. A long tail, draped in spotted fur stretched out behind her. The coat on the rest of the beast's body thickened. A wind howled about her, sending snow in a mad spiral as the sky temporarily clouded over. With the force of the freezing gale, a similar gravity came down, matching that of her teacher's even as the wind whispered its last. An aura of pale light, like the moon's, emanated from the leucrotta's form as she stood there, circled by frost.

Her blue eyes fell upon Jack's skin, noticing the redness that began to leak out of it. Blood. Of course. She hadn't seen this particular technique before, and didn't know what manner of thing it was, but whenever Jack used blood, it generally meant trouble. She growled out an eldritch syllable and the frost around her coagulated, rimming her fur, the crystals joining together like an icy chainmail, covering every inch of her body and leaving the entirety of her bestial form shielded from immediate harm [Shield of Keuakepo].

She found herself somewhat surprised that Jack's ability wasn't an offensive one. After all, every time they'd fought prior, he focused completely on attacking, using it as a form of defense in itself. This time, instead of the blood suddenly striking out at her, it simply dried out on him like the skin of some sanguine raisin.

It was then that he clarified that he felt disrespected. Well, he was obviously angry. He made that clear enough by his transformation and body language prior. However, he hadn't attacked yet. She wasn't sure if he was showing off to display why he felt he deserved respect, or if he was genuinely planning to attack.

If he was just showing off, then there was no immediate need to retaliate. The wind faded out and she simply stood there, her tail twitching back and forth until the area suddenly became full of dark magic. The feeling was tangible even before a dead, exsanguinated owl fell at her side with a short skid. So that's how it was.

Fortunately, her assumed body armor protected her from the malign influence of the dark magic... for now [Density blocks the effects]. However, it was definitely a fight they were having, and the pride demon had opened up with a strong spell. He was obviously going in for the kill.

As soon as his intentions were clear, she prepared an attack of her own. With another low growl, the coldness about her took form: three hyenas, a series of floating spots formed from the frosty winds, roughly in the shape of beasts. They cackled lightly, then they moved, each taking a weaving, circling path and attempting to get behind Jack and attack him from the rear [Wrath of the Exiles].

[ EXP: 889 || +1 TEXP (1st post) ]

( Ice Package Lucky Numbers: 60-66 )

Battle Summary:

Iskra's brow furrowed when Jack disappeared from sight. Indeed, the shadows of the forest around them matched his magic as his bloodlusty self disappeared from sight.

Where had he gone? She didn't have much time to find out.

There were several clues as to his location, however. The first among them was the murmuring sound of his chants carried along by the wind. She depended on her acute senses to tell her the direction her prey had gone.

[ EXP: 91 ]

Actions: Used Novice Tracking [Mastered]

And her senses instantly informed her of the location of her sometime teacher. The madman (or was it maddevil?) prepared a spell from a different spot in the dark woods, one that she now had knowledge of.

Almost immediately, however, she became aware of phantasmal black flame that ruined the grass and trees around Jack's immediate area. Nothing said "I'm about to unleash my wrath" quite like that display of magic, combined with his intimidating transformation.

However, she didn't try to run away or immediately attack. Yes, in the past her success in battles had revolved around her ability to simply keep the devil suppressed for as long as possible, but now a kind of curiosity had seized her. It defied all sense, but she wanted to know exactly how hard Jack could hit.

Of course, she wasn't foolhardy enough to think that he couldn't hit like a runaway ox cart, and if he did assault her too powerfully, she would die to him, and she doubted his ability to revive her.

Thus, she prepared her armor by adding a bit more sturdiness to it before she moved forward. With a low chant, she augmented the frost on her person until it was a respectable armor of sheet ice stronger than many soldiers' metal armor [Relv Taastus]. Next, she summoned more of the chill about herself to cool her physical body, refreshing the muscles and allowing the cold to build upon itself and enhance the longevity of her powers [Chill]. These things she did before calmly, though hurriedly moving forwards, a series of leaps taking her nearer and nearer the chanting fiend.

Of course, even if she got there, she wasn't sure exactly what she'd do. Take the full blast to the face? Try to brace herself for impact? What if he wasn't done chanting before she made it through the dark flames that licked about her feet? Would she try to stop him and thus lose the answer to her original question?

That was entirely too much to consider, so she let her instincts take hold as usual. Besides, by the time she finished everything she was planning to do, the mad pride demon's flames suddenly ignited upon themselves, and the entire area was awash with nightmarish, dark flames.

Time seemed to slow down for that moment. In mid leap, she heard many voices. It was one of the rare occasions where they were able to speak on their own while the owner of the body remained awake. Most of them were freaking out. Indeed, Iskra found herself lost in a dark glow, and there was something about it that really impressed upon her the power of this ability she was resisting. The forest, once filled with life, shriveled on itself and died. The grass turned to ash beneath her paws. The sky was obscured by black flames. The very insects, one perching on a blade of grass at the time of the incident, seemed to become affected in that instant, turning upon themselves and chewing off their own limbs. Were they mad? Were they in pain? The spectacle was perhaps the most disturbing thing she'd ever seen.

Yet, she was preserved, and she knew this was partially due to the effects of her preparations. She thanked Paike for her good fortune. The second half seemed to be some flaw on the part of Jack. Something had interfered with the execution of the ability; she knew this because she knew Jack.

However, the flames failed to interrupt her charge. Now she moved and launched herself with the full realization of the urgency of this situation.

This is why she'd grown more miserable, though more powerful under the tutelage of this devil. They had many things in common, but they were on opposite ends of the same pole. She hadn't the words for her discovery, but she understood it on an intuitive level. This man was destruction. Like perverseness itself, like the moon in the sky, and all of the tales of male and hell-demon inferiority came in a rush of cultural prejudice. It would be wrong for him to win.

So when she leaped at him, jaws spread in a flash of white against the darkness, her bite was aimed at his neck. She wanted to drag him down. [Bite, full momentum] + [Default Physical Bind]

[ EXP: 815 || +1 TEXP (1st post) ]

Battle Summary:

Man Behind the Door: KillherKillherKillherKillherKillher!

Something had gone wrong with the fire attack, that much was clear to him from the moment it had unleashed itself. Apparantly it still had a few kinds in the design. Irrespectively it had still been impressive, wiping the green look from the area and leaving it cursed beyond measure. One thing it didn't do however was humble Iskra, he saw the demon move towards him at incredible speeds. Her maw mumbling something. At that very second, time seemed to almost slow down for the pride demon. He had been in this kind of situation before. He was tired. That last spell had taken the rest of his reserves and then some to pull off. Requiring him to delve into the arts of his blood magic to continue even fighting. Using his life force to fuel his power. But he wouldn't allow it to end that way, not yet. As Iskra's mouth stopped moving. Jack's started. A single word as she prepared her dive. " Adios". With that, Jack warped away again, leaving a similar red aura and outline as before. This time however he had moved further away, having a rough idea of how fast Iskra could move. He saw her own attack fail. Surely if a single second longer had passed between them. He'd now feel those jaws between his neck.[ Devilspeed, Perfected, Stage 3 ( Reduced), 3 chant count -4, 1 chant count. -10hp].

But Jack would be earning no respite. Even if he had to delve into his life froces to continue attacking. Attack he would. This time his choice of attack was more of an old favourite of his. A similar technique to Iskra's own Wrath of the Exiles. As Jack spoke a single word. A wolf of blood and shadow a similar form to his dread wolf emerged at his feet, ready to assault Iskra. It dived at her, its own maw gaping open, ready for flesh in a similar manner to how hers had been. Aiming for the neck. [ Dogs of War, Stage 4, DMG = INT +2, 4 chant -4 = 1 chant count -13 hp]

Transformed: Dread Wolf+ Ripper(Instant)
Stats:
Strength: Ascended
Intellegence: Godlike
Defense: Destructive
Aegis: Destructive
Movement: Ascended
Dexterity: Ascended

Techs Active:
Blood God [ Drain HP + Stamina -15hp/STA for 4 turns, Restoration 7.5 HP/STA 2 turns Jack]

HP: 60
STA: 0
Exp: 510
PWC:

[/quote]

Predictably, Iskra's jaws came together on the thin air with an audible snap. The pride demon had dissolved into vapor, as was his way. No doubt another attack was coming, and she wasn't sure if she could withstand such a thing. The urgent circumstances forced her to act as soon as her feet hit the ground. Jack had disappeared to a point a bit further away now, and she couldn't be completely sure of where he'd gone until he revealed himself through his madness.

And so, she simply focused on defense. He'd wear himself out eventually, she hoped. Rather, her training had given her more stamina than the average spirit: this she knew. She didn't know if Jack had similar reserves, and for the moment he was striking at an advantage.

The beast murmured low and with a swift urgency. It was important that she protect herself so that she could be in suitable condition to stage a counterattack when the pride demon inevitably struck.

The frost coalesced around her and she waited for mere instants. [Relv Taastus]

[ EXP: 204 || +1 TEXP (1st post) ]

Predictably, Jack's next spell hit like a truck, and it might have sent her over had she not steeled herself against the ground, her paws gripping the good earth as though seizing hold of life itself. The spell managed to completely shred the ice over her neck, and send shards of the substance flying. Fortunately, she remained out of range of the deleterious effects of that strange spell the demon had up, the one that drained the lifeblood from everything around, it seemed.

She'd been hurt, but not much. The reinforced ice on the thick fur over her neck confounded the fangs of the wolf, and it only drew a drop of blood before they dissipated back into the darkness from whence they first arose.

Now she knew from which direction the demon was attacking again, and she turned with a snarl before murmuring out several more syllables to restore her shield before she moved back into range of the man [Shield of Keuakepo]. She wasn't fighting at her full capacity, and she knew it. There was something that could shift this battle in her favor, yet, she had to defeat him without using it. She had to humiliate him to defeat him and make him truly understand. Even if he was out of his head, he was still a pride demon.

So the frost settled on her fur once more, and as she murmured out a spell, the chilled winds oozed ahead of her, their invisible force making a beeline for Jack. If it reached him, a familiar sensation would come over his body and he'd become ill. [Malady]

[ EXP: 295 ]

Current Distance from Jack: 85 ft.

Battle Summary:

Iskra blinked. She remained in a somewhat fragile state: the frost around her couldn't stop much, and it wasn't yet reinforced by her secondary spell. The vulnerability appeared especially acute when she saw the red-eyed dogs of the previous spell speeding towards her like a toothy, black missile.

So fast did it come on the tail of her previous spell that she doubted her chances of being able to leap out of its way. If anything, the leucrotta was an instinctive fighter, and she felt these variables intuitively and efficiently. The incoming dog could easily hurt her in her half-covered state. Mobility was inhibited. It was too late to reinforce her frosty, furry shield with Relv Taastus.

This left her with one option. She had to attack the incoming dark energy. She could weaken it enough to help withstand the blow.

She opened her mouth again and the cold particles about her glowing form began to spiral into her mouth as she hastily grunted out her spell. [Frostbite]

[ EXP: 197 || +1 TEXP (1st post) ]

The crimson of the dog's bloodshot eyes met her cool gaze as she released another invisible stream of energy. It was a draining force. It rushed forward and met the dog headlong, siphoning off energy and replacing it with nothing but the cold.

The frost burst on the energy's head with a concussive force, but the thing kept coming.

Iskra turned her shoulder in the last instants and braced herself for impact.

And impact the dog did. It was much worse than before when she had the benefit of her shield, and it was all she could do to prevent herself from yelping aloud as the thing's dark fangs sank into her shoulder. It was the same sort of feeling she felt when Jack had cut her originally.

She drew her mouth into a grimace, snarling and growling low in her throat as she endured the pain. It hurt like sin, but it would only last an instant.

The spell soon dissolved. She felt more than a little demoralized. After all, he'd managed to almost wipe her out with only one spell despite being opposed by a power of her own...

...but one thing brought her courage back, and when she opened her mouth again, she cackled involuntarily, her mouth drawn into a sinister smile.

It was his fear.

There were a number of things that could drive the wild spirit into uncontrollable deviltry and cruelty. One of these was the aura of a kami, yes, but the other was scents she associated with a kill could do the trick as well. There was the obvious and heavy scent of her prey's blood all around, but mixed with the sudden, heady aroma of a subtle panic, it became a potent cocktail, a trigger. She laughed again, growling out syllables. If there was anything that was dangerous, it was scared and wounded food, and there was no telling what a pride demon, of all things, would suddenly do. [Shield of Kuakepo]

It was an odd thought, and she was forced to chuckle at it again as she moved forwards. Jack as food. He'd make a glorious meal. After all, she'd worked so hard to defeat that transformation. Perhaps pity might have moved her heart, but his vulnerable state moved her feet and moved her mouth to salivate as she absorbed the smells. The cool, calm expression she'd maintained earlier disappeared. Now a wistfulness, a hunger marked her mannerisms. There was no soul in her eyes. The ice solidified on her body. A laugh. [Relv Taastus]

"Do not be frightened. You'll always be a part of who I am..." She licked her chops. "...Jack."

[ EXP: 489 ]

Distance: 10 ft.

Battle Summary:

In all honesty Jack hadn't expected Iskra to fall to that attack, even if she had taken it and taken pain from it. There wasn't much left for him. He just lay there in the grass watching as she approached. Then he heard her words, and that rage sparked up again. With an energy he didn't have, he pushed himself shakily up onto his knees. And dived for her. But it was clumbsy. Falling arm outstretched. Then as the pain from her previous attack set in he vomited up blood. Writhing on the ground. Turning onto his back. He looked up at the Matriarch and spat at her. " Afraid? Of you?.....heh....I hope I give you the shits". With that. The Pride demon closed his eyes. Preparing for the pain that was undoubtably going to follow such a response for her words. Oddly the man behind the door had gone erriely silent at the moment. Was it that he knew Jack was coming close to death? Was he setting up the party banners to welcome him to sheol? Perhaps.


Exp: 254
PWC:

[/quote]

Iskra moved easily out of the way when the pride demon dived at her. He was terribly unsteady on his feet. And he reeked of fear, though in his words she still heard pride.

Though it appealed to her senses the way he lay there, helpless but defiant to the end, she got a hold of herself. Namely, there was a great outcry from her guilt at killing her own clan, and this memory kept her from being able to completely destroy and consume the man before her.

She knew the poison would take him under and further under, putting him far past the point of death, but she wanted the fatal blow to be from her teeth.

And so she struck, suddenly and without the slightest hint of mercy. She wanted him to feel the pain and remember the fear he felt the next time he wished to oppose her or forget his place. It was her instincts again, telling her the way her kind lead others... through the threat of hurt.

His form was unguarded. In a flash, she was upon him with a vicious bite... and with an audible crunch, her teeth split the skin of his upper arm, but she kept up the pressure, the warm blood filling her mouth and her back teeth slowly coming together until the bone was splintered, the shards piercing the flesh around them. Quickly, she jerked her head up, ripping away until the arm tore free.

She trotted off a short distance with this prize. If she left things as they were, Jack probably would have died. This would not bode well for her long-term plans.

And so she walked back long enough to apply her special sort of healing. Rather, she licked him. Every wound and every scar. Every place he'd taken damage and a few more just in case. The saliva glowed a slight blue with magic, but it wouldn't wake him up immediately. It first had to combat the poison.

So it would be like a bad dream. It was an amusing thought, but she couldn't tarry long. Taking his ankle gently between her jaws, she dragged the unconscious devil back to the door of the outpost and deposited him quietly there. One of his people would likely find him before or after he woke up, but he would be safer there than he'd be laying out in the woods.

Her business here was done. The glow about her form faded. She'd have to remember to thank Jack whenever she saw him again. But for now, she took her prize, the arm, between her jaws and slipped silently back off into the night.

[ EXP: 479 || +1 TEXP (2nd thread) ]