Oct 9, 2016
bday gift for my good good friend pj
seen from France
seen from Malaysia
seen from United Kingdom
seen from Russia
seen from Japan
seen from United States
seen from United States
seen from T1
seen from United States
seen from United States
seen from Yemen
seen from United States
seen from Netherlands
seen from United States
seen from T1
seen from Brazil
seen from China
seen from China
seen from Malaysia
seen from United States
bday gift for my good good friend pj
“...and one for my homies.”
Lauren thinks I shouldn’t have games with a camera function. She’s probably right.
The Elder Scrolls: Arena (1994)
The Elder Scrolls II: Daggerfall (1996)
The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind (2002)
The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion (2006)
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim (2011)
The Elder Scrolls Online (2014)
Fern’s evolution throughout the Elder Scrolls Series. In my head-canon, they’re all related; there always happens to be a Fern in the right place at the right time when Tamriel needs saving.
Fathomless: Feral Divinity, Chapter 10
10. The Living Ink
Mauna Temple, 8:25 AM
A'menokai cannot help but smile as she once again feels the familiar stone beneath her feet. The serene, lantern-lit streets of Kali-Pathara gently guide the exhausted group toward Mauna Temple, an immense cave carved into a mountainside which the priestess has considered home for most of her life. As if the perils of Palacio Legado and the Selva Colmillo jungle were not enough, the weary travelers were also subjected to a ten-hour drive hosted by an irritable and very lead-footed elf.
"Mom, I feel sick! Are we finally done driving for the day?" asks a very cranky Chiinah.
"Hey!" Vic cuts in. "It's your fault anyway, you fuzzy little shit. I could have kept both hands on the wheel if I wasn't constantly plugging my nose."
"Vic..." Lacy says.
"Shut up!" Chiinah retorts.
"Try and make me!" Vic bares his fangs.
"Shh." Gabriel holds his hand up as he spots the other members of A'menokai's order.
Despite having no visible lighting source, the stone temple is very well-lit. Upon entering the main chamber, the priestess runs her hand along the smooth wall, allowing its warmth to sink into her pours. A'menokai cannot recall a time when the cave's temperature was not perfect. She'd spent many humid afternoons here as a child, the cool stone floor providing salvation after hours of chasing her little brother throughout the city. Likewise, on Winter days the air itself seemed to act as a blanket, instantly removing the outside wind's bite. The priestess's nostalgia only increases upon seeing her old friend, Raizel, approach. Instinctively, Katie Valamer pulls her hood over her ears.
"Don't worry about that." Raizel says, tenderly pulling the masseuse's hood back.
"It's great to see you." A'menokai says.
"Your face, it's plain!" Chiinah says.
Raizel laughs. "Only one from the order carries the ink." she explains. "How did things go?"
"Fuckin' awesome!" Vic bursts out.
"Vic..." Lacy says, covering Chiinah's ears.
"The immediate threat is removed." A'menokai says. "However we have one who was changed against his will."
"I see, come with us." Raizel says, gesturing to Vic.
As the group is led further into the mountain, Katie finds herself looking at the various wood carvings lining the main chamber. With simultaneously simple and ornate craftsmanship, many of the carvings depict what seems to be a very tall Verra-Iddeo man, his long ears and fangs heavily emphasized.
"I thought you were vampire hunters." Vic tactfully says, addressing exactly what Katie was curious about.
"Such a term can be applied." Raizel explains. "However, our true objective is defense, and only in the event of a threat."
"More than anything, we believe in unification." A'menokai says. "Daghan..." she continues, gesturing toward one of the carvings. "...a Verra-Iddeo man, was in fact the first of our order. It is said that he sacrificed himself to a mysterious power. In exchange, his blood became a powerful equalizer, passed to a young and capable priestess each generation. His logic was that if humans could stand a better chance against the Verra-Iddeo, the vampires may stop viewing us simply as prey, and are more likely to try and make peace. Sadly, the only eras of peace we have so far enjoyed are those in which the Verra-Iddeo clans are preoccupied with fighting each other."
"Why is only one priestess privileged enough to hold these powers?" Gabriel asks. "Why would Daghan sacrifice his life? It doesn't seem a worthwhile return."
"Though only one sister holds the blood-ink, it's much more powerful than anything previously seen by either vampire or human. The higher power could have believed that this was the only true balance, however there is no historical evidence to even begin theorizing. The only evidence of this mystical being, or beings, is that of the faces that form in the ink during select spells. We sometimes call them goddesses, but again, these are just theories." Raizel explains.
As Raizel talks, A'menokai begins the chant, starting with a melodic hum. Soon after, Raizel begins to harmonize with her. The blood-ink upon the priestess's face returns to its living, crimson color. Suddenly, Vic finds himself facing a wall at the very end of the temple, with each and every priestess now chanting behind him. The order forms a line, separating Vic from the crew that he entered with. Gabriel blinks rapidly in disbelief, noting that he never saw the rest of the order even approach Vic; it was as if they simply appeared. The inked priestess raises both hands high into the air, and the chant is over as quickly as it began. The irritable elf falls to the floor, feeling sapped of energy.
"Ugh, I feel like I have the worst hangover! Where do you keep your coffee, anyway?" he asks.
"Vic's back to normal? What about the vampire's curse?" Lacy asks, stepping forward.
A'menokai smiles. "I have taken it from him. It is a spell that can only be done once."
Vic stands up, enraged. "What the hell's the matter with you? Why would you do that to yourself?"
"Preserving life is a responsibility I've accepted. This is something I've been prepared to do since first taking the oath." A'menokai explains. "Mathis BlackMoon tried to forcefully change you into his version of perfection, hardly fair for someone who is only here because of a coffee sweepstakes." The priestess jokes.
"What if more than one of us had been turned?" Lacy asks.
"Eeny meeny miny moe?" The priestess jokes.
Vic looks away, not wishing for A'menokai to see his tears.
"Thank you." the irritable elf says.
Epilogue
Gabriel formed the first ever "Vampire Hunter Special Forces Unit", eventually becoming the highest decorated soldier in his country's history.
Vic had a very hard time convincing his roommate that he had fought vampires, become a vampire himself and been cured of vampirism all in the same vacation, especially after the incident with the angels. As a fighter, Victoria "Flex" Luther is now the world-champion kick-boxer.
Frank Austin is still dead.
Lacy became an honorary member of A'menokai's order, hoping to contribute to vampire-human relations. She has vowed to take the full oath after finishing her schooling, rooming with Katie Valamer and Chiinah in the meantime to help ease their transition into human society. The three of them are currently living across the hall from Vic and Rue.
Fathomless: Feral Divinity Chapter 9
9. Aegis
The Jungle, 9:40 PM
Less than a mile from Katie and Chiinah, a small war has just taken place. Now, as the last echoes of the anguished cries fall silent, the duo are left with only the sound of their own footfalls once more.
"What happened? What was all that noise?" Chiinah continues to ask.
"I'm not sure, Chiinah. It could have been anything." the masseuse reiterates.
It was the truth after all. Katie had no way of knowing how the battle at Palacio Legado turned out. She did, however, realize that it most likely was related to the silver she gave the irritable elf, and that Chiinah did not need to know that he contributed by finding it for her.
The jungle shifts slowly, regaining its distinctive pulse with each uneasy step away from the palace. The songs of the cicadas, frogs, and owls once again harmonize, creating a warm and inviting melody that neither Katie nor Chiinah trust. As Katie leads the way into the sweltering, moonless night, she realizes that this is the longest period of time she has ever spent unsupervised. Uncertain of which direction to head, she finds herself missing her Uncle Mathis.
From above, the two hear a voice.
"I knew it!" Lia cackles, jumping down from a tree.
Her bright red hair and pale, freckled face lit only by the stars above, Lia, the only surviving member of the group that captured Handsome Frank Austin, now stares into Katie Valamer's eyes.
"Even here..." Lia begins, chuckling. "...your mutt's scent stands out."
"Hey!" Chiinah protests.
Katie remains silent, not wishing to give Lia the satisfaction of a retort.
"Strange." Lia says. "Here we are, fresh out of the most gruesome ambush I've ever survived, and here you are, backpack in tow. Almost as if you knew it was going to happen!" she continues.
Knowing she can't talk her way out of it, Katie simply shrugs.
"Mathis was the first one killed, can you guess ho-" Lia asks, interrupted by a foot to the face.
"Get your ass outta here!" Vic screams to Katie and Chiinah.
Katie picks Chiinah up and runs, hiding behind a large tree about twenty five yards away.
Lia clutches at her face, screaming in agony.
"Cripes, you're making me feel bad!" Vic laughs, moving in for the kill.
No longer exaggerating her injury, Lia lands a head-butt against Vic's nose, instantly causing the irritable elf's eyes to water.
"Don't feel bad! See, all better!" Lia laughs, grabbing Vic by the hair and bringing her face down hard onto her knee. The new Verra-Iddeo leader pins the kick-boxer, landing a series of hard blows to her face. Her vision blurred, Vic reaches for Lia's head, pulling her forward and using her new fangs to clamp down onto her opponent's face. Lia pulls away, this time clutching her face sincerely. Rising to her feet, she stumbles backward, pressing her back against one of the forest's Huasai trees. Not missing an opportunity, Vic springs to her feet, delivering a kick that sandwiches Lia's head between her foot and the tree. Instantly killed, Lia falls.
Now hearing only Vic's rasped breaths, Chiinah speaks.
"Uncle Mathis..." he says, suddenly interrupted as the news begins to sink in.
"Found ya!" says one of Lia's goons in the dark. "Needless to say, we have you surrounded, Katie." the henchmen laughs. "Damn, you guys reek of human blood." the goon chuckles, now addressing his friends.
Gabriel appears behind him, pounding a dagger into his temple.
"Or maybe I reek of your friends' blood." Gabriel says, watching as the final BlackMoon assassin falls.
Unable to trust the masseuse, the Selva Colmillo general keeps his weapon drawn. Vic runs up, her face already fully-healed. The general holds up four fingers, indicating the total of vampires he took down.
"That's the last of them then." Vic laughs. "Lace!" she calls out.
Still keeping watch over the priestess, Lacy gently helps a healing A'menokai to her feet, walking forward to regroup with the others.
"Hey Katie!" Vic says, now addressing the masseuse. "How've you been? Thanks for that silver, it worked wonders!"
Katie plants her face in her palm.
"What did she mean? Does she mean the vial?” Chiinah asks.
"A dagger." Katie lies, then quickly changes the subject. "Where will you go now?" she asks, trying not to think of her uncle.
"My temple offers a cure for those who have been turned." A'menokai states matter-of-factly.
"We're borrowing transportation from Gabe's old base, don't think they'll be needing those resources for a while." Vic explains. "I call driver's seat, by the by."
Gabriel shakes his head, keeping a somber face.
"Before we part... I wish to see you to your cure, if you'll have me." Katie says. "Please, I just want to know that you'll all be returning home safely."
Fathomless: Feral Divinity Chapter 8
8. Ascension
Outside the palace, 8:10 PM
Katie Valamer stares at her feet, several layers of sweat glistening atop her forehead. Turning to her friend, she brushes the damp hair from her eyes.
"Chiinah, we're leaving." she says.
"Leaving? What do you mean?" the boy asks, turning to face his guardian. The masseuse sits down, resting her back at the foot of a Huasai tree. Kneeling next to her, Chiinah searches for answers as the sunset's orange glow on her face begins to dim.
"We have to leave here, just you and I." she explains.
"Without everyone? Without Uncle Mathis? Why?" Chiinah asks again, this time holding onto Katie's hand.
The masseuse says nothing, simply taking the young boy's hand in both of hers.
"Katie. Katie...Mom!" he persists, his voice quivering.
"Shhh." Katie says. "I know this will be hard, but we have to."
"But why?"
"The others are... different. I'm worried that you won't have the life you deserve if you grow up with them."
"But Uncle Mathis..."
"Uncle Mathis can be terribly cruel. That's..." Katie holds Chiinah close, struggling to finish the sentence. "...that's why you're the last of your kind." she says, tears streaming down her face.
"What? What do you mean?" Chiinah asks, his voice quaking.
Katie sobs, barely able to utter an explanation.
"After... after the war. He... he brought you. To me. You were a gift. I was so happy. I'd never thought about what it meant. A few years ago, I learned that our kind fought with your kind. You were just a baby... I'm so sorry, Chiinah."
Chiinah begins to cry as well, pressing his face hard into Katie's shirt.
"Please don't be sorry, please don't cry, Mom." he says.
Katie simply holds him, hoping they'll be able to pack a few things before the ceremony begins. The courtyard, 9:25 PM
Brought to a single knee, A'menokai, begins yet another chant, occasionally coughing blood onto her tattered robes. All but surrounded by the Verra-Iddeo, the priestess continues what she believes to be her final prayer. The ebony ink upon the young girl's chest shifts to a glowing crimson once more, now clearly revealing the outline of three faces beneath her shirt. Enthralled by the blazing emblem, the approaching vampires come to a halt, unable to do anything but look upon the mutating design. The facial borders begin to break apart, swirling atop A'menokai's skin and reconnecting in a bizarre pattern. Briefly, the Verra-Iddeo get a glimpse of the final pattern; the lines from the three faces reconnecting to form one grave visage. Shortly before she completes the mantra, Vic approaches her from behind, grabbing a nerve near the priestess's right shoulder to knock her out.
"Lacy!" Vic shouts, grinning wildly. "She was getting weaker with each spell, she'll kill herself at this rate. Here, get her to safety! I've got these guys." Vic says, tossing A'menokai's resting body in Lacy's direction.
A'menokai's body thuds against Lacy, throwing her off balance. Still, she manages to catch her, shooting a frustrated look toward Vic.
"Vic! By yourself? Stop acting like an idiot." She says, gently setting A'menokai onto the ground.
"Lacy." Vic continues, watching as the Verra-Iddeo begin to come out of their trance. "Please, she's important."
Angrily, Lacy bites into her lip. "Just hold on. I'm going to get her to safety and hopefully find something to even the odds with." she says, reluctantly picking the priestess up.
"Psh." Vic spits. "I've got what I need right here." She continues, cracking her knuckles.
Baring new fangs, Vic smiles wickedly at the ten vampire attackers before her. Toward the other end of the courtyard, she notices a separate group of five being lead by Lia, one of the two Verra-Iddeo that made a meal of handsome Frank Austin.
Her transformation still underway, the irritable elf's pupils briefly swallow the rest of her eyes as she faces down her opponents. The air around her begins to shift, now carrying an overwhelming copper flavor.
"Get her now!" an ambitious vampire cries out, his voice very clear in Vic's evolving ears.
From seemingly nowhere, a dagger sails into this particular Verra-Iddeo's head before the group can act upon his suggestion. The group turns too late, unable to see Gabriel ducking behind one of the courtyard gazebo's pillars. Vic takes advantage of the opportunity.
The irritable elf charges forward, landing a huge uppercut on the chin of the group's front-runner and sending him high into the air. Denying gravity the opportunity to bring him down, Vic leaps high into the air, astonished by the height of her own jump. In the span of a single second, she grabs the vampires arms and places her knees against his chest, killing him instantly as they hit the ground together. At the same moment, another of the enemy vampires collapses, taken down by a second throwing knife from Gabriel.
As Vic rises, the remaining seven Verra-Iddeo attackers move in. She spins, landing a kick against one vampire's windpipe and knocking him backwards into a few others. The group, however, begins to circle her, landing several punches and kicks on a grounded Vic's face after she is knocked from her feet. Seeing a figure quickly approach from behind, Vic watches as two of her attackers fall, each with deep knife wounds in their necks. Vic springs upward with a weightlessness comparable to dreams, delivering a flurry of fists to the nearest vampire. Within mere moments, Vic and Gabriel stand victorious.
"There was another group of those fuckers!" Vic says, facing the now-empty area where Lia and four other Verra-Iddeo onlookers once stood.
"I saw them too, they must have retreated to the jungle." Gabriel says. "But they'll never lose me in there." the general continues, smiling.
Suddenly, Vic hears her name called, followed by the thudding of a Verra-Iddeo body to the cobblestone ground. Lacy stands, fist extended, above the vampire.
"If I wouldn't have seen him coming after you..." Lacy smiles.
"Pff, I'd have gotten him." Vic laughs.
"Is the priestess safe?" Gabriel asks.
"She's alive, thankfully." Lacy says. "She says there are several things she needs to tell us."
Fathomless: Feral Divinity, Chapter 7
Chapter 7. Consecration
Palacio Legado, 7:30 PM
Katie sits facing the window, her parched eyes watching the setting sun burrow into the jungle's soil. Seeing her customer, the irritable elf, walk out only moments ago, Chiinah quietly approaches with his head lowered.
"Maybe you should take a walk with me, I haven't seen you go outside since we got here." Chiinah suggests in a near-whisper.
The masseuse says nothing, simply burying her face in her hands.
"It's just, really beautiful..." Chiinah says, failing to stifle a whimper.
Katie brushes the hair from her eyes and rises to her feet. She walks over to her best friend and puts an arm around him.
"Don't cry, kiddo." she says. "You're absolutely right, I could use the fresh air. Let's go watch the sunset." she continues, a smile in her tired eyes.
Though she knows there are many things to discuss with Chiinah, she plans to enjoy this time with him, sensing that the opportunity will not come again soon.
The palace courtyard, 9:00 PM
Mathis stands barefoot on the bloodstained cobblestone, serenely awaiting the company of his guests. As the assigned guardians begin to escort the prisoners in, Mathis extends a charm spell to begin the ceremony.
"You will notice a lack of altars." Mathis says, beginning to slowly circle the company as he speaks. "A lack of candles, chalices, Hell, even chairs. There is no special ceremonial garb that I wear, there are no specific words that I must speak. We haven't even cleaned up from yesterday's fight." he says, pointing to the scarlet stains on the ground. "What's sacred about this ceremony is our unification; the achievement of a purity that would only be cheapened by pointless embellishments. As promised, you will simply drink directly from my body, and ascend."
Mathis walks to the front of the group, standing once again in the center of the impromptu arena. Slowly, he pulls a dagger from an inner pocket on his tunic.
As Mathis BlackMoon holds the dagger, the charmed collective begins to feel it in their own hand, its chilled handle relieving them of the humid jungle air. Removing his tunic, he holds the cold blade against his bare chest. At this gesture, a unified grin is shared by the prisoners, their teeth feeling somehow different as they bite down in anticipation.
"To my brothers and sisters amongst us, these honored guests are about to join our bloodline. On top of this, they have all competed and been victorious in the first round of The Ascendancy Tournament. I'd advise you to treat them with the respect they deserve." Mathis says to the Verra Iddeo audience.
Mathis glides the blade's edge along the center of his chest, creating a blood-flow fluid enough for each of the ten victors to drink from. The prisoners feel the blood as if it were atop their own skin, its current washing away the previous day's soreness. Vic, who was closest to the door as the Verra-Iddeo entered to escort them outward, finds himself at the very front of the line. His feet begin to move toward Mathis without any of his own effort.
"You'll be the first." Mathis smirks. "I won't lie, I'm rooting for you to win this whole thing.
The charmed crowd merely smiles at the comment as Vic steps forward.
"Drink, child."
Unable to disobey yet more than happy to comply, Vic follows the vampire lord's orders. The copper taste soothes the once-irritable elf, reminding him of countless heated battles, professional and otherwise.
Mathis gently pulls away, signaling the end of this particular feeding.
"If you must know, I admire your lot." Mathis says, gently clearing his throat. "I myself was never given the pleasure of a transformation.
Vic clenches his teeth, his heartbeat quickening.
"Do not let Victoria's current demeanor frighten you; there will be no pain." Mathis says to the crowd, clearing his throat again. Briefly, he touches his hand to his chest.
Vic breathes heavily, emitting a guttural discord mistaken by the crowd for a growl.
"Let us watch as...as..." Mathis clutches his chest, breathing heavily now.
Vic's growling reaches an irregular rhythm, sounding now like laughter.
"What's g..., did y... did you...?" Mathis attempts to speak, beginning to spit up blood as he does so.
Vic's laughter is unmistakable now, echoing loud enough to briefly give pause to any jungle predators outside the palace walls. As Mathis falls to his knees, the Verra-Iddeo onlookers remain frozen, utterly unable to comprehend the sight. Seeing an opportunity, A'menokai begins to chant.
"To whoever developed the formula, I have one complaint!" Vic screams, pointing at the vampires. "It may not smell like anything, but it tastes terrible!" he continues, spitting at Mathis just as his face collides with the cobblestone. Placing a victorious foot atop Mathis's head, Vic tosses aside the empty vial the masseuse gave him to defend himself.
Elias Toth, Mathis's former right hand, swallows hard. The quarterling had not only managed to kill BlackMoon, but found a way to deliver the blow even while hypnotized. How could he have realized that the mere ingestion of the silver would not harm her new blood? How could he even know about the scentless formula, let alone where to find it? Without time to question the loyalty of his blood brothers and sisters, Toth draws his short sword, beginning a Verra-Iddeo advance on Vic and the prisoners.
"No more games, kill them all!" Toth screams.
Victoria laughs once again. "For those still keeping score, I'm your leader now!" she says. "Now, get on your knees!" she continues, sporting a wild-eyed grin as she takes her fighting stance.
The arcane ink on A'menokai's arms glows deep crimson as she continues her chant. Pointing her fingers in a grasping pose toward the vampires, she drops her speaking pace, waiting for the perfect moment to complete the ancient stanza. As the vampires come within touching distance, she utters the final syllable, sending an explosion toward Elias and his followers. Given no time to react, thirty of the Verra-Iddeo, including Elias Toth, instantly ignite in the blaze. Quickly taking advantage of the explosion, Gabriel picks up Mathis's knife and runs to the right, circling behind two blonde Verra-Iddeos approaching from the left. He throws the dagger at the slower runner, watching the vampire fall as the blade embeds itself into his spine. Gabriel quickly finishes the job, running in and jumping onto the wounded enemy's head, instantly killing him. Pulling the knife from the recently deceased, Gabriel stabs it upward through the other Verra-Iddeo's chin just as he turns to face his attacker. Retrieving the blade once again he now recognizes the men as Marius and Vasile, two thirds of the group that captured handsome Frank Austin. Having more work to do, Gabriel rises to his feet, beginning to stalk other unsuspecting vampires.
Lacy runs to Vic, joining her in the center of the cobblestone arena.
"We stopped the next round from happening after all." Lacy says, using the momentum of an oncoming vampire to throw him aside. "I'm proud of us!" she continues, still grimacing at the taste of silver in her own mouth.
"Hell yeah!" Vic screams, spin-kicking the vampire Lacy tossed. "Let's go assholes! Since you all get off on suffering so much, I'm here to turn your toothy asses on!
Fathomless: Feral Divinity, Chapter 6
6. Hallowed Strife
Inside the palace, 12:30 AM
On furry blue tiptoe, Chiinah climbs the stairs to Palacio Legado's third floor. Katie's cold, damp tears still cling to his shirt, making his usual meddling much more arduous.
Her body shook as she held him close; the more she tried to express herself, the more she worked herself up, eventually repeating a few choice phrases in eerie repetition.
"Please... I'm sorry. I'm so sorry to ask. Please... please help me find it. I'd go, I can't. I can't. I'm so sorry. Please..."
The power had been cut during the Verra-Iddeo's initial attack on Selva Colmillo's royal family, but was restored to make the human guests feel comfortable. Because of this, the magnetic locks were active, ensuring that Chiinah would have to find a custodian's keycard if he was going to be of any help. What's more, he would have to muster the courage to use it on Elias Toth's door.
The Courtyard, 2:00 AM
"Our next fight..." the announcer begins.
"About fucking time!" Vic says, four empty energy drinks falling to the ground as he rises from his seat.
"We have a talkative one here tonight!" the announcer says. "We've got an experienced kick-boxer by the name of Victoria "Vic" Luther!"
"I understand this was all put together on short notice..." Vic says. "...but you had better be getting me a fighting outfit for the next round." Vic says, pointing right at Mathis BlackMoon.
As Mathis chuckles, his subordinate, Elias, rises.
"You can't let them mouth off like that!" Elias says, pulling a blade from his pocket and pointing it toward Vic's smirking face.
"You're right!" Mathis suddenly rises as well. "I should be punishing the mouthy ones." he continues, making eye contact with Toth as he reaches forward and rhythmically taps a long fingernail against his former friend's Adam's apple.
Elias's face goes pale. He pockets his dagger and reclaims his seat without further argument, losing face in front of his supporters. As Mathis sits back down, he smirks in Vic's direction, not at all bothered by the silence of the crowd.
"Vic's opponent..." the announcer eventually begins again. "...is also a kick-boxer, though nowhere near as loud."
The audience laughs.
"Here he comes, Arlo Hudson!" the announcer says.
Having not met every prisoner, Vic could not put a face to the name when the fight was announced earlier. Now, as Arlo calmly walks toward the small, cobblestone arena, the irritable elf begins to size up his opponent. Arlo was in the dining hall earlier, Vic noticed him eating by himself. He was tall; about six feet and two inches with dark skin, charcoal-colored hair and silver eyes. His broad shoulders and lack of facial expression gave Vic a sort of immovable-object vibe. Arlo was the only one in the group who remained alone for the duration of the time, never seeking comfort from his human peers.
"You're mine, pretty boy!" Vic says to Arlo, trying to push the reality of the fight's result from her mind.
"Whoever wins, we'll end it ourselves. They don't deserve the chance." Arlo says under his breath to Vic.
Victoria Luther holds out her fists and touches them to Arlo's in a pre-match show of respect, retreating into her in-ring persona.
"Touching gloves, minus the gloves." Arlo attempts to make light of the situation.
"You two are going to make the audience sick." the announcer says to them under his breath. "Fighters, ascend!" he calls out.
Normally forced to categorize herself to participate in sanctioned kickboxing and roller derby bouts, Vic now finds herself in her first ever one-on-one matchup against a male fighter, not counting the times she antagonized her roommate, Rue, into sparring with her. Under normal circumstances, she'd be more than excited about the opportunity.
After returning from the Cyclical Plane, Vic took several weeks to retrain herself to use non-lethal force before entering another sanctioned fight. Having a firsthand comparison between angels at war and the rosy-cheeked, haloed fairy tales on decorative ornaments wildly changed Vic's perspective. Pooling all of her focus into her competitive discipline, Vic would sometimes practice up to five hours a day, quickly reaching her all-time peak in muscle definition.
"Rue, Rue, is there tape? Do we have tape?"
"I'll go check. What for?"
"Well, I'm ripped. Obviously."
"I've heard that before and I still fell for it."
Now, as a state-champion kick-boxer, Vic is forced once again to face the highest stakes for the amusement of others. Having died before, she considers her position at the fight's introduction to be advantageous.
Arlo quickly spins, bringing his heel toward Vic's face. She catches his foot, pushing him backwards before springing forward with a knee. She connects, quickly moving forward with her own heel kick to the back of Arlo's head. He falls forward, landing face-first against the cobblestone. Vic allows him a moment to stand up and regain his composure, a gesture she immediately regrets as he connects with his own knee into her chin. She falls, quickly scrambling to avoid her opponent as he comes to take advantage. Doing a forward roll and jumping to her feet, she whirls around to find Arlo already within grappling distance. Quickly, Vic spins, connecting with a left fist and using her circular momentum to deliver a dizzying backhand with her right hand. Having created some distance, she runs in to mercifully finish Arlo before he can regain his senses, connecting with a flurry of kicks to his stomach and chest before finally delivering an airborne spin-kick to the temple and finishing him off. Recognizing that Hudson is gone even before he falls to the ground, Vic walks from the makeshift arena back to the palace, not wishing to soak up any adoration.
"Well you all know who won but I have to say it anyway; Victoria Luther!" the announcer says.
"See, Elias? I think she has earned a kick-boxing outfit after all. Why don't you see if you can fetch her one that fits? After the fights, of course. Wouldn't want you to miss anything." Mathis laughs.
Inside Palace Legado, 2:10 AM
Vic stops in his tracks at the sight of Chiinah, getting less than a second's glimpse before the boy runs away. Frustrated, Vic heads to his room, where he assumes Lacy will be.
He assumes correct; Lacy looks up at Vic as he enters the room. Vic opens the mini-fridge, grabbing a bottled water.
"I'm happy to see you back here, you must have won." Lacy says.
Vic guzzles the entire water bottle, quickly throwing it aside.
"We need to stop the next round of fights from happening." Lacy says. "I don't care what that entails."
"It entails me killing every last one of them." Vic says.
"I know exactly how you feel, but we have to be smart about this." Lacy sighs. "Have you seen anything we could use to our advantage?"
"Hey, speaking of seeing things, did you see some kind of blue fox running around in people clothes?" Vic asks.
"When this is all over, we need to talk about your energy drink consumption, Vic." Lacy says.
The Courtyard, 2:20 AM
Marius and Lia return to their seats, passing a few small plates to their friends.
"Wow, a whopping handful! So generous!" one Verra-Iddeo woman jokes.
"That's all you get!" Marius snaps. "Lia and I worked hard for this."
"Oh, the pretty boy put up quite a fight, huh?" another jokes.
"Well... no." Marius laughs.
A'menokai waits for her name to be called, remembering Mathis's words from earlier as she watches the Verra-Iddeo eat.
"Who has claimed Frank Austin's capture?"
BlackMoon let the capturers claim Frank's life when Lacy refused to do so. Should the question come up in any other scenario, no Verra-Iddeo could claim the priestess's capture. A'menokai glances at her right hand once more, relieved that the ink from the charm spell she used on Katie has already returned to her. Hopefully, the spell will be enough to keep the Verra-Iddeo unsuspicious. Unfortunately, there is no spell to resurrect whoever her opponent ends up being.
Like Vic before her, A'menokai is unwilling to let the Verra-Iddeo capturers claim their prey. If an innocent spirit had to die, it was within the priestess's power to make it merciful.
"Interesting!" the announcer says. "We've arranged a fight between two priestesses. Well hey, you never know! It could still be a pretty good fight!"
A'menokai did not bother masking her occupation when asked in the dining room; the Verra-Iddeo could never guess what kind of priestess she was. They'd never believe such a successful vampire-hunting order could exist, much like those organizing a cockfight could never be convinced that the roosters would ever organize a rebellion against them.
Amidst all of the conflicting emotions, A'menokai misses her brother, A'pauwii. She finds herself recalling old conversations with him when in need of comfort or confidence.
"If silver poisons them, why aren't my daggers silver?"
"They can smell silver, you'd never be able to get close to them. It inhibits their blood, robbing it of its regenerative property. They can be killed without it though, you simply have to inflict your damage quickly enough so they cannot heal."
"In the mystery garb, A'menokai!" the announcer calls, bringing the priestess back to the present.
A'menokai steps into the designated fight zone.
"And in the fancy suit, Petra Gaines!"
The priestess's opponent steps forward; a five foot, six inch woman in an all black three-piece suit. Nervously, she pulls her brown hair into a ponytail.
"Fighters, ascend!"
A'menokai immediately connects with a hard right hand, knocking the opposing priestess out. Kneeling down beside her, she quickly breaks her neck.
The audience falls silent.
"Wow!" the announcer shouts.
At this, the crowd begins to cheer.
"And ladies and gentlemen, that actually does it for the first round of fights." he continues, snapping his fingers at A'menokai and gesturing for her to move off of the cobblestone. "Mathis would now like to say a few words to close today's event."
The priestess reenters the palace as Mathis approaches and stands next to the announcer, dismissing him.
"Well I promised you all a special stipulation for round two, so here goes; these next fights will involve Verra-Iddeo blood."
Unaware of Mathis's meaning, the audience waits for an explanation.
"Tomorrow night, after some much needed rest for our fighters, I will hold a bloodletting ceremony, and tonight's winners will be the ones evolving."
The crowd remains silent.
"They will drink my blood, and they will become as we are. Please realize, they have not earned a free pass; they will have to incorporate this heightened physical prowess into their current skill-set. The rules are the same, only one can win."
At this, the crowd finally begins to cheer.
Mathis waves a hand, wanting silence once again.
"There is more. Since the tournament will now contain Verra-Iddeo blood, I'm giving anybody who wants to face me the chance to do just that. Want to take my place? Here's your shot." Mathis grins.
The crowd remains silent.