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Post by Talon on Feb 2, 2008 16:41:06 GMT -5
A large draconic shape stomped through the trees, sighing. Yellow eyes glanced from side to side nervously, then relaxed, seeing nothing. It swished its long tail as it stopped at the edge of the trees, seeing the hot springs.
"Around here? Interesting. They look good too..." It muttered, scratching it's chin.
The shadows still clinged onto the shape, pondering whether or not to take a dip in the warm waters. Its wings twitched as it psychically probed the area for intelligent life. Finding none, it slowly brought its left foot into the sunlight, revealing crimson scales and large talons.
I just hope no one else shows up here... It thought, snorting sparks.
It took one more glance around before pulling its foot back into the shadows, sighing.
"I'm too-damn paranoid to even step into the light..." It muttered sadly.
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Post by Azure_Ghidorah on Feb 2, 2008 16:52:56 GMT -5
"Hm, your skills in detecting others is a bit out of date. It was a simple task to hide myself from you," another voice noted, not really threatening, but not comforting at the same time.
"So, why the hell did you spy on me and my friends back in the abandonned district, and more importantly, just who are you?" The other shape that spoke stepped out completely, revealing the emerld-scaled form of Solranous, whose tails swished from side to side as a he stared into the yellow eyes of the other dragon-like being.
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Post by Talon on Feb 2, 2008 17:12:45 GMT -5
The draconic entity yelped and jumped backwards, realizing shortly after he had jumped into the light.
The being looked almost exactly like Solranous, except for a few minor details. His chest and underbelly were plated instead of scales, and any scales were a deep crimson. Instead of Solranous's spines, this dragon had a row of spikes attached to eachother by a burnt-looking fin, and a cluster of small spikes adorned each shoulder. He had a small horn at the end of his snout, and two large horns that curved backwards on the back of his head. He was well-muscled; more so than Solranous. He stood three feet taller than the emerald dragon.
"SH*T! You tricked me!" He shouted.
He jumped further backwards, his claws at his sides, twitching in case of being needed. His three blade-tipped tails swished from side to side, his face set in a nonthreatening scowl.
"Oh... so it's you..." He stated, wide-eyed.
He slid out of his stance and studied the dragon closely, tapping his claws on his chin.
"It seems Armageddon was close to my design... I suppose he just threw in a few of his own touches. Ya look good in green, Darkdrium." He stated, still studying the emerald dragon.
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Post by Azure_Ghidorah on Feb 2, 2008 17:17:33 GMT -5
In a second, the crimson dragon found himself against a tree, his air supply dangerously close to being cut off by Solranous' grip, while his limbs were weighted down greatly by the emerald dragon's reiatsu.
"NEVER call me by that name again, lest you fancy having your vocal cords ripped out. Now answer my damn questions, Who are you, and why where you spying on me and my friend!?" Solranous growled, instantly more hostile.
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Post by Talon on Feb 2, 2008 17:26:52 GMT -5
Solranous felt his shoulder being tapped on, and he glanced over to see the red dragon standing there. The red dragon was also being pinned against the tree...
"It was a misunderstanding; I apologize. I forgot you didn't use that name, but I can't recall your actual name." The one standing behind Solranous stated.
The one within the emerald dragon's grasp seemed to dissolve into nothingness as the real red dragon stated,
"The reason I was spying on you and your friends was because I was supposed to be scouting out the city, but your friends... well, I got distracted. You and your friends are all different from the other beings in this city, right?"
He folded his arms and sighed, shoulders sagging.
"As for my name... you can call me Artecaex. It means 'sword of war' in Draconic..."
His eyes clamped shut, as if he was in pain.
"Which... is basically what I am..." He muttered.
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Post by Azure_Ghidorah on Feb 2, 2008 17:45:49 GMT -5
"Artecaex, hmm? Well, for future reference, my name from now on is Solranous. Oh and by the way, Armageddon's dead." Solranous looked back at Artecaex in time to catch the pained look.
"So... From whom or what does your pain come from?"
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Post by Talon on Feb 2, 2008 17:50:41 GMT -5
Artecaex glanced from side to side, then replied,
"I... I can't answer that question. He may be watching... hell, I probably shouldn't even be talking to you..."
He snaked his head around and looked behind him, overcome with a chill fear. His back-fin shook slightly as he turned back to Solranous, wringing his hands.
"Tell me, have you felt any strong sources of necromantic energy within the last few months?" He asked, hissingly quiet.
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Post by Azure_Ghidorah on Feb 2, 2008 18:07:33 GMT -5
"Besides Armageddon's, only one. I'm in tune with that kind of stuff thanks to that demon... And I'll tell you now, I'm not afraid of it," Solranous answered, bring his voice down to a whisper as well. Artecaex may be afraid of it, but it didn't mean he had to be. Whatever it was, he could take it down with the help of his friends.
He even felt pity for this other dragon, being controlled by another being...
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Post by Talon on Feb 2, 2008 18:29:33 GMT -5
Artecaex scowled at Solranous, and his voice echoed into the dragon's mind.
I do not serve him because he controls me, I serve him out of fear. And I have seen you and your friends in action. While you may all be skilled, there is no way in any of the hells you could take this being down. He makes Armageddon look like a novice when it comes to spellcasting!
Artecaex's hands were shaking.
You just don't understand! He was the one who started the Black Plague back in Britain! He decimated entire armies with a few utterances! HE WAS THE ONE WHO TURNED ME FROM A HUMAN INTO THIS! He hissed, eyes getting wider.
The only thing that keeps me living is the fact that if I die, he'll just bring my corpse back as a mindless slave of his! I've been walking this damn planet for hundreds of years because of him!
Artecaex backed away from Solranous as the sky began to darken rapidly, the crimson dragon staring at them and shaking as a powerful wave of necromancy shot through the air.
"So that idiotic cockroach has passed on?" A cold, strong voice inquired.
Artecaex's scales clicked slightly as he turned around to see what looked like the shadow of a gaunt figure clothed in nothing but a tattered, black robe that flapped in the wind. It clutched a long, gray wooden staff in its skeletal hands, and two burning red pinpoints of light, like smoldering coals, were all it had for eyes. The light itself was drawn away from the figure, shrouding its actual form from the eyes of mortals.
Artecaex collapsed onto one knee, his head bowed.
"S-sir, I-" He stuttered.
No need to apologize, my faithful servant. You were merely communicating with another being like yourelf."
The two pin-points then turned to Solranous, burning their image into his subconsience.
"Artecaex, will you not introduce us?" He asked politely, while still staring at the emerald dragon.
The dragon visibly shook before stating,
"My liege, this is Solranous, ex-servant of Armageddon; Solranous, this is my creator, arch-lich supreme..."
The sky was now completely covered in dark clouds as Artecaex finished,
"The Patriarch."
The lich nodded.
"It's a pleasure, my scaly friend." The living dead stated, bowing.
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Post by Azure_Ghidorah on Feb 2, 2008 19:02:17 GMT -5
"The feeling is not returned, you undead scum. You're just as bad, if not worse then Armageddon." Solranous growled, his hand pulling Kizoku out of his sheath, before the blade was ignited.
"Your whole 'Arch-Lich supreme' title means nothing to me. In my eyes, your just another monster that doesn't deserve to draw a proverbial breath. Of course, there are the monsters, which usually just go on random killing sprees. But then, then there's the demonic monsters like yourself and Armageddon, who plot, manipulate, and decieve. You know... I can barely stand to look at your bony form because your so evil. But I still manage to do so, because I'm sure I'll be doing everyone a favor when your evil joins Armageddon's back in hell, where you belong."
The dragon snarled, flaring reiatsu.
"Shounetsujigoku Shousen Asahi." With that, Kizoku transformed to the Shikai state...
"Moetatsu Shimensoka inai Gouka," before proceeding to the Bankai state. Solranous raised his shield in front of himself, turning his reiatsu up nearly to the maximum.
"Artecaex, you aren't the only one who was human before. As I'm sure the Patriarch knows, I too was human once, before that damned Armageddon, and that was when I was amongst the living dead as well. I won't stand to see you used like this, even if he doesn't exert any power to control your mind," Solranous noted, glancing in the crimson dragon's direction, before returning his sights to the Patriarch.
"So, I guess its time to rumble, eh?"
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Post by Talon on Feb 2, 2008 19:29:17 GMT -5
The Patriarch shook his head, chuckling.
"My, what a speech! That was rather thought-out and inspiring! Well done!" He stated, clapping his hands.
They slowly pulled away, and Solranous's reiatsu began to do a strange thing: It shrank. The reiatsu shrank slowly at first, then rapidly, fatiguing the dragon as it became harder to stay in his Bankai form. The Patriarch merely stared in his direction, and laughed politely again. He raised a skeletal finger directly into the air, and stated,
"You've amused me, so I shall show you my true form as well."
The shadows then pulled away from him, revealing what appeared to be a human skeleton, the bones yellowed and cracked slightly from age. The skull's canine teeth were a bit sharper than normal, as were hs fingertips. The same 'pupils' burned in his empty eye-sockets as the wind blew faster around him, whipping his tattered, aged black cloak about him, yet the cloak's hood managed to stay on just fine.
"An impressive transformtaion on your part, Darkdrium. But sadly, flashy tricks will get you nowhere with me." He stated.
Solranous soon found his arms and legs incased in what appeared to be pitch-black ice, colder than normal ice. It drained all heat from his limbs, yet the light from his reiatsu-sheathed arms and legs still remained underneath. The Patriarch stepped forward slighty, tsk-tsking and shaking his finger.
"You should show the creator of your ancestor some respect." He stated, still sounding polite.
A massive black aura then sheathed itself about the skeleton as he growled in a demonically deepened voice,
"Your master never taught you repect; something I shall have to remedy."
He raised his palm and aimed it at Solranous, the dragon suddenly impaled through the torso, neck, thighs, and biceps by spears of crackling, ghostly-white energy. Artecaex winced and turned away from the scene as the Patriarch then leveled his palm with the dead center of Solranous's chest. He shook his head and hissed,
"Bah. Do-gooders such as yourself disgust me, what with all of the helping you do. Life is about looking out for one's self, not aiding others!"
He then clenched his fist, and Solranous's very heart felt as if it was being squeezed by a vice-grip. The blood-flow reversed completely as the organ was being crushed by some unseen force, causing the emerald dragon to cry out in pain. The Patriarch continued to squeeze until blood leaked from the dragon's eyes, mouth, and nostrils before he finally let go, the black ice and white spears dissapating into nothingness. The lich mentally smirked and turned away, stating,
"That was only a fraction of the discipline I could've exerted. I suggest you show more respect to your superiors from now on."
He then seemed to dissapate into the shadows, leaving Artecaex standing there, shaking, the color drained from his face. He turned to Solranous, and muttered,
"I-I told you..."
He sighed, and quickly glanced off in the direction the lich had taken. He turned back to Solranous and flexed his palm, the emerald dragon's wounds beginning to close.
Please... don't cross him again... you're a good guy Solranous. Stay alive, and keep doing good. Artecaex pleaded as he telekinetically closed Solranous's wounds.
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Post by Azure_Ghidorah on Feb 2, 2008 21:39:42 GMT -5
"You know I will, Artecaex. However... It is fate that that the Partriarch and I will cross paths again. Under what conditions I am unsure of, but we will cross paths again, and next time will be different. And so, I'll train until I can reach a level to stand against him. I meant what I said, I won't stand for letting him manipulate you. Until then, we part ways." Solranous replied, flash stepping away once Artecaex had finished healing him.
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Post by Talon on Feb 2, 2008 21:43:45 GMT -5
Artecaex growled, yelling into the sky,
"You idiot! He just proved you can't take him on! It doesn't matter hwat level you acheive; HE-WILL-KILL-YOU!"
He yelled again as he stomped off into the trees, growling,
"Great. And I just know that lich is gonna make me fight him..."
The clouds slowly dissapated above, but they did nothing to improve the dragon's mood.
((End thread))
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