CLOSED

[Fortune86]

As Andromeda tore at August he extended one hand and shoved her backwards.

 

"Unless you want to join your fate in her fate I suggest you keep your distance. I would much prefer just to break your arms, but I believe your bracelet would activate before I could do so."

 

He looked over at the corridor leading to the cells.

 

"Where are the other two girls. This concerns all of you."

[Rarek]

Andromeda slammed into a wall as she flew backwards, feeling something get cut as her mouth filled up with blood. Must not have been serious, since she was perfectly conscious, but she spat the blood in his direction anyhow, making the damage look intentionally worse.

 

"I hope they're taking a good long rest to make you wait. It would give me such great pleasure to see you stand there impatiently." She spat the remainder of the blood to the ground and wiped her mouth.

[Chicogal]

Maria entered the room shortly, regarding August with indifference and leaning against the wall lazily. So. He had sent one of his minions. A couple of minutes later, Alia entered. She looked pretty terrible. Hair tangled from only finger-brushing, dark circles under her eyes from lack of sleep and crying. Her green eyes widened in fear as she saw August, and she took one step back, then another. Please no. Not another fight.

[Fortune86]

No sooner had Andromeda spat her defiance than did Maria and Alia arrive. Andromeda's little rant didn't bother August anyway, the rantings of mere girls was pointless to listen to.

 

"As you have been aware since the beginning" started August. "This has been an experiment of my master's. Today is the final day of the experiment and what awaits you now will be your final fight. Although I have said this, I would not advise relaxing your guard. You will find that it is far easier to die in this battle than any other you have faced. Only the winners will survive to see the conclusion."

[Chicogal]

Alia let out a quiet sob. She wasn't going to survive this; she knew it. The other people around her were much tougher. Burying her face in her hands, she sighed raggedly before looking back up. So today was her dying day...

~~~

Maria listened to August, head tilted, stance cocky. It was a façade, however. Inside she had felt a cold ripple of fear. It was possible that she would meet her death today. Glancing about, she frowned. The one boy wasn't here. That was... Interesting. Huh. Whatever. "When will this challenge be?"

[Rarek]

Andromeda rolled her eyes back in her head as August mentioned it was the last day and the last contest. Likely more lies to make her fight properly. She was a very different person than the one that arrived in the arena.

 

"How do we take your word for it baldy, that if anyone survives this at all that they be released? Why shouldn't I just kill you now right where you stand?" She bared her teeth at him, a fearsome sight with the blood coating the inside of her mouth.

[Fortune86]

"What reason would I have to lie to you" asked August. "I have told you what you need to know, whether you believe me or not is up to you."

 

Andromeda then threatened to attack him again. He simply stared at her, unimpressed.

 

"Because you are not capable of doing so" he pointed out. "Besides, your bracelet would stop you before even I could."

[Rarek]

Andromeda's scowl widened, baring more bloody teeth. "You wouldn't be so smug had I been unshackled from this bracelet. In fact..." She put on a grin that could almost be considered sadistic. "I challenge you to join us in the arena, and fight the same battle we do." She gave a taunting laugh. "Unless of course you're too frightened for your pathetic skin to do so. I guess it's your choice to be the pathetic little messenger boy for your wonderful boss up there. How does it feel by the way? Satisfying?"

 

Andromeda was nearly grinning ear to ear, laughing at August's expense. She crossed her arms and smiled at him. "What's it gonna be, messenger boy? You gonna run along back to Daddy?"

[Fortune86]

"It is actually" said August without a hint of emotion. "It is immensely satisfying. I get paid well to do a job that I like doing. There are not many people in this world who can say that."

 

He ignored her attempts to goad him. His place was not in the battlefield, but at his master's side. Even if he did take her up on her offer to fight with them in the arena, it wouldn't do much good. He would be in no danger from what waited for them.

 

Instead he turned to look at Maria to answer her earlier question.

 

"You have half an hour. Make any preparations you feel you need."

 

With that he turned and left, shutting the door firmly behind him. This last battle would be an interesting one, that was for sure.

[Fortune86]

((Bump?))

[DragonSpirit009]

Kanya turned around when she heard someone behind her when to her surprise it was the bald headed guy. What was he doing here she thought but she didn’t communicate with him. It wasn’t long when Andromeda entered soon followed by Alia and Maria.

 

Things were getting tense again in the room but Kanya kept to herself slowly eating her food but still listening carefully. When August finished and told them how much time they had Kanya stood up and placed her bowl by the hatch. Without a word she returned to her room not sure on what would happen in half an hour.

[Fortune86]

((Chico and Rarek it's been nearly two weeks since you posted. You still interested?))

 

Time passed at an alarming rate and it seemed like mere seconds before the arena doors started to grind open, possibly for the last time. August had given no hints about what kind of fight lay before the remaining prisoners, so each one would have to be mindful of not only what they now faced, but of each other.

 

Anyone who looked through the arena doors would see what lay beyond, a vast field of flowers. In the very centre stood a lone figure. It was Eli. There was a familar sheen about him, evidence of a barrier protecting him from all harm. Whatever kind of fight this was, it wasn't going to be a fair one.

 

Eli faced the doors, ready to start the fight as soon as everyone was present. He wasn't going to go easy on them. Now they would see what he could do.

[Chicogal]

Maria was the first, stepping into the arena cautiously. Her blue eyes immediately took in the lone figure of Eli; and she knew he was a threat. There was no doubt about it. Something shimmered about him, something that didn't bode well for her. She summoned forth a large amount of water, and steeled herself for the worst fight to come.

 

Alia hovered around the edge of the doors, unsure of what to do. She could see who they would be fighting. She glanced back at the other girls to come, feeling as if she was about to cry. But then again, life as a rock would be worse than death. Probably. She stepped inside, her ears awakening, body becoming supple and elastic. She gulped, trembling, as she pressed herself against the barrier.

[Rarek]

Andromeda was simply livid as August left the common room. Instead of throwing a fit however, she sat silently; itching to get through the doors and destroy whatever the Sorceress had concocted without mercy. This was the final fight, and she planned to live through it.

 

Finally, the arena doors opened and Andromeda rose from her seat, walking with purpose. She would win. She would survive.

 

But what came next made her face turn pale. There stood Eli, the boy she had killed, their next adversary. He wasn't surrounded by any other monster or creature, and the barrier wasn't initially apparent to a brain still reeling from seeing a dead man. Something isn't right. This can't be all of our final task...

 

She walked slowly into the arena, feeling her powers return but feeling no comfort in it. Andromeda eyed the young boy warily, the look of determination on his face. Something told her she had a big target painted all over her especially.

[DragonSpirit009]

Kanya rose from her bed when she heard the arena doors opening. It was that time again and for some reason this felt different to her. Opening her door she watched as the other entered the arena. She had no idea what this battle would be and she just hoped it wouldn’t be against the others.

 

Stepping in she saw a nice peaceful scenery in front of her but what caught her attention was the lone person standing in the middle of it.

 

“Eli?” she asked looking puzzled and happy. She wasn’t sure if she should run and greet him or stay away. She remembered how he looked a day before and he should have been dead but there he was standing and looking at them.

 

“It must be a sick trick from him.” She spoke looking up where Zygard sat.

[Fortune86]

With all four girls now in the arena the doors began to close again. The moment they were shut Eli raised his right arm, the limb shimmering as the protective barrier twisted around the movement.

 

The ground began to rumble around the area as something, or somethings, began to burrow their way towards the surface. After a few seconds the earth cracked open and several dozen figures began to pull themselves out of the ground. They were corpses, but not the long dead like those a few days earlier, these were fresher bodies. More intact, more aware.

 

One of the corpses, badly burned beyond recognition, stared around before locking what was left of its eyes on Andromeda.

 

"You" he rasped in a familar voice. "You killed me. I'm dead because of you."

 

Many of the other figures could be recognised if one looked hard enough. Holly, Summanus, Siren, Lance. Even Hector, his skin and clothes badly damaged by the Graboid's stomach acid, was crawling along the ground on his stomach, his legs broken beyond use.

 

Most of the other walking dead were not known to the small group of surviors. No, they had fought and died in battles before their time, but they were intent on killing them all the same, spured on by Eli's magic.

[DragonSpirit009]

Kanya looked surprised when Eli pointed at Andromeda. He was going to seek revenge by the look of it and it seemed they were all going to get it. Why? Kanya thought to herself.

Suddenly the ground started to shake and without thinking twice she placed her barrier around herself. It wasn’t long before dead bodies pushed through the earth causing Kanya to feel a bit sick. Her stomach turned as she saw people she once knew, even if it was just for a day or so.

 

“Eli! What are you doing?”

[Rarek]

Andromeda became wide eyed and alert as familiar dead bodies wandered closer. The worst of them all however, was the one that recognized and accused her as a murderer. It was so charred that it was nearly impossible to distinguish. It wasn't necessary however, since the voice gave away its identity: Neut.

 

She might've been sick to her stomach at that point had there not been a terrible fear immobilizing Andromeda's limbs. The worst was there for Andromeda already due to recognizing every last one. Tears flowed down her cheeks, both from extreme sorrow and fright. What do I do...what do I do...

[Fortune86]

Neut lurched forward, his burned legs in no state to carry him properly. Even though his movements were erractic his empty gaze never left Andromeda's face.

 

"You shouldn't even have been there" he said in a way that sounded like he would be shouting if he could. "But you had to try and play the hero. Now I'm dead. How many others have perished because of your 'help'?"

 

The mass of corpses had formed a loose circle around the girls, many hissing and uttering words broken beyond understanding. One of them grabbed Alia from behind, pinning her arms to her sides and squeezing hard, intending to crush her in its grip.

 

Hector reached out to try and grad at Kanya, but her barrier stopped him. Nonetheless he continued to try and snatch at her ankle, despite the fact that his hand could not reach her.

 

Eli was watching the whole thing, but not saying anything. It would be better to end this fight as quickly as possible. No point in dragging it out.

Edited December 29, 2013 by Fortune86

[Rarek]

A few more moments later, Andromeda snapped to her senses. "No...I can't help any of you now, you're just going to kill me...NO!" Andromeda's eyes sparked to life as her anger took over. "You may be dead, but you do not get to harm these others too!" Her expression softened only slightly as she regarded Neut. She whispered inaudibly, I'm sorry, just as a thunderclap roared through the arena and Andromeda's energy construction created two energy cheetahs, leaping forward towards the ghoulish reincarnations. One was nearly instantly on Neut, his weakened body structure no match for claws, teeth, and further burns from electrical energy. The other cheetah had attacked the next closest zombie, which happened to be Siren.

[Fortune86]

Neut fell to the ground under the weight of the cheetah, but even as he fought in vain to fight it off he continued to speak.

 

"So you are going to kill me a second time? All you care about is your own life. You're just a murd..."

 

He was cut off when the energy construct tore apart what was left of his face and throat. The burning energy ate up his remains and Neut fell apart, beyond use. However that was not the end of him entirely, some dark shadow moved from what wa sleft behind and sped over towards Eli where it was quickly absorbed into his body. A few moment later Siren followed suit, 'dying' at the claws of her attacker but sending something back to Eli.

[DragonSpirit009]

Kanya watched as Hector tried to grab her ankles but the young girl was completely grossed by the attacking “thing”. She wasn’t sure what to do or how to react but when Andromeda send out a thunderclap it was like a light that went on in her brain.

 

Last time she fought things like this her white fire was quite strong against them. Kanya looked reluctant at first but it was the only way she could get them away from her. In an instant Kanya’s barrier went down and before Hector could grab her a white fire circled around the young girl.

[Fortune86]

'Hector' when the white fire caught a hold of him and began to burn him away, but made no other indication that he was in pain. Instead he continued to attempt to attack Kanya for as long as his body held together until he eventually collasped into ash.

 

Like with Neut and Siren a dark shadow fled the remains and quickly sped towards Eli. The Necromancer had closed his eyes, as though he was concentrating on something else rather than the events before him.

 

Several corpses attempted to attack Kanya in Hector's stead, but each one feel victim to the white fire. They weren't even trying to evade the flames, but seemed to be actively allowing themselves to be destroyed. A few others approached Andromeda and Maria and lashed out out at them.

[Rarek]

Andromeda's rage quickly returned to her, all but immune now to the cries of the undead. I cannot help them. They're already gone....

 

With a huge battle cry, Andromeda let forth what seemed to be a massive explosion of energy into the air. Enormous bolts of electricity sparked through the air and began to knit themselves together. Finally, with a thunderclap that could be heard for miles if the arena walls hadn't been there, a falcon nearly seven times her size sat on the ground.

 

Andromeda began to feel shaky. This was a direct repeat of the very first thing she had done in the arena, something which nearly cost her her life. She recalled how foolish she'd been to attempt to maintain a bird this size with her own energy. Not this time.

 

Her eyes began to dim as her power quickly diminished, but she needed to use more. Another flash erupted from her hand, striking the ground and the flowers, bursting them into flame as they quickly formed a ring around Eli and most of the corpses. Instead of letting it run free however, Andromeda had put up a barrier around the edge of the fire, trapping it to disallow expansion. She lashed her arm out with a shout. Immediately, her eyes turned from white to seething black, as streams of energy began to flow from the ring of fire. Instead though, of putting the energy into Cassandra's bracelet, the streams of energy began to flow into the enormous falcon and the energy ring, sustaining them both using the huge fires.

 

From time to time however, corpses seemed to wander into the fires, adding fuel to the already large inferno. Gradually, the bird grew in size and brightness until it was like a star, shimmering in the sky.

 

"I've learned from mistakes in the beginning Eli, stop this now." Corpse after corpse fell victim to the flames, only feeding Andromeda's power. The longer Eli kept his powers running carelessly, the more powerful she and her bird would become.

Edited December 31, 2013 by Rarek

[Fortune86]

((Rarek I'm sorry but Andromeda can not draw energy from the corpses. They are animated via Eli's magic and that is all that sustains them. There is nothing there for Andromeda to use, like with Kanya's magical fire.))

Edited December 31, 2013 by Fortune86