1000 years after the end Los Angeles

@MJK2431 Cobra - GM

"The coyotes aren't hunting." Cadmus' expression darkened. "They're being hunted. Whatever is large enough to hunt a pack of several dozen coyotes probably threatens us." As soon as Cadmus finished speaking, the cacophony of trampling paws and panicked barks was punctuated by the high pitched yipped of an injured canine, then a sickening crunch. The sound nearly resembled a side of meat being slammed with a hammer.

The noise from the panicked coyotes quickly faded into the distance, leaving behind an eerie silence. The cold breeze seemed to die down, the air growing stale and thick and heavy. Slowly, the scent of fresh blood began to fill the air, overpowering the pleasant smells of coastal breeze and sagebrush. Cadmus drew his rapier silently, and narrowed his profile, adopting a dueler's stance. His breath slowed to a steady inhale and exhale, almost silent entirely, and his entire body was loose and ready, prepared to spring into action at any time.

"And now, it would seem we are being hunted." He said grimly. "It can overtake coyotes, so its faster than us, and it's powerful enough to kill them instantly. I don't know what it is." He was unusually brief. Clearly, not in a good mood.

"We can run. Or fight. Or I can stay, while you run. Perhaps a dive over the cliffs." Cadmus said, offering nothing more about their options, but his tone made it clear, it was Azayla's choice, whatever she wanted to do. Near the horizon above the hills, the vaguest hints of purple began to ink over the horizon, signaling the coming dawn.

[OOC]
A fast, powerful, unknown animal has killed one of the coyotes, and is now stalking Azayla and Cadmus. Cadmus offered several options, but left the decision to Azayla.
[OOC]
 
(Apologies for the late reply)

His words turned her blood to ice, her hands and feet numbing at her realization that his words were definitely true. The coyotes yips sounded unnaturally terrified, each change in pitch sending more fear spreading through her.

The crunch made her stop dead in her tracks, her dagger coming out with a slick sound of smooth metal. Her knuckles were white with the strength of her grip, the female trying to dull the shaking that was already spreading through her. Her mind suddenly thrust her back to her childhood, the vision sweeping over her like a tidal wave.

Water bubbled across her face, a sharp masculine voice barking orders in her ears while her sliver scales flashed as they occasionally caught the strong sunlight piercing through the crystal clear water. "Stronger Azayla! More precision! More force! You look like a guppie that has been sucked into a current!" She struck again at her opponent, the oldest son of a neighboring family. He blocked her strike, her blunt practice sword bouncing off his and sending her swirling backwards into a bed of kelp. "Pathetic. You disappoint me. How do you expect to defend this families honor if you can't even defend yourself!"

The uncertainty and fear flooded her, the emotions recognizable a second time around as she relived the memory in which she had felt like a failure to herself and her father. The feelings made her quake more, the girl's breath catching in her throat.

She heard Cadmus' choices for her, the girl feeling small and weak as she had under get father's tutelage. Not again. I will not let myself be so fragile. I came to this world to be independent. I conquered everyone's doubts back then and I will conquer this fear within me now.

Her grip tightened, her dagger coming up in front of her. "I stand and fight. There's no running, it will only catch up in any case. If I'm going to have to battle whatever this thing is, I will do so face-on rather than giving it am opportunity to take me down like an animal from behind." Her ocean-green eyes narrowed, her free hand forming a tight fist as she began searching for where the beast that attacked the coyotes would be coming from.
 
@MJK2431 Cobra - GM

The brush rustled, and slowly, a mountainous, black grey formed emerged from the brush, breathing low, steady, and heavy, almost a growl. Each footstep of the four legged monster was enough to make the ground tremble slightly. The massive beast plodded forward, eyes fixed on its two new prey, both foolish enough to stand and try to fight against it. The moonlight reflected a cruel gleam in its dark, beady eyes, the red iris shining sinisterly in the dark.

"A great wolf." Cadmus muttered, his voice steely. The snarling beast paced closer, and both Azayla and Cadmus inched backwards as it approached. The massive canine's back was taller than they were, and every step exuded a dangerous power. Its short, dark fur blended it into the night, making it difficult to tell exactly where the beast's body ended.

With speed far surpassing what a monster its size should be capable, the wolf made a sudden lunge forward, laucnhing itself at Cadmus. The size of the beast alone ensured that even if it didn't bite or claw him, he would be crushed by sheer weight alone. Even as the beast lunged, Cadmus sidestepped, just barely enough to avoid it's bloody jaws. His rapier sliced cleanly along the length of the beast, from rib to flank, cutting a long, deep slice into it, caused mostly by the wolf's own momentum.

Despite the injury, the wolf made gave no cry of pain, and turned immediately back to them, body crouched low for another charge. A thin veneer of blood coated Cadmus' long, sharp rapier as he held it in front of him, staring down the wolf. The wound, visible through the fur in the moonlight, was barely bleeding.

"It's skin is tough and thick, with a layer of fat underneath to protect the beast from casual attack." Cadmus spoke, eyes never leaving the beast. All traces of the omnipresent, sly humor in his voice had vanished. "The eyes are soft, and the joints in the legs easily damaged. The heart lies behind the front legs, between the fourth and fifth ribs. Your choice?" He offered to her. Even with their individual skill and knowledge, he knew that they would need to work together to kill the Great Wolf, or perish.

[OOC]
A massive wolf comes from the forest. It attacks Cadmus, who dodges, and scores a long slice along its body, to little effect. He points out three weak spots as the eyes, the joints, and the heart, and will work with Azayla to target whatever her choice is.
[OOC]
 
At the monstrous animal's entry from its camouflage among the shadows, Azayla could sense a sudden ominous presence making the air feel electric and the thuds of the animals steps seem far heavier than they should be. His steps were weighted, his stature one she could equate to a great white shark she had once come across while traveling. This beast knew he was on top of the food chain and that the beings that stood foolishly before him now were far below him on it.

His eyes seemed lit with an intelligence that surprised the young siren, Azayla's muscle tensing at the thought of fighting this giant. "I... I've never seen a wolf so large. Never even heard of one becoming so big." She whispered, more to herself than to Cadmus. She was not acutely aware of the retreating backwards steps she took, the girl instinctively trying to keep as much distance as possible between her and the moving shadow.

It's lunge surprised her, although it's arc through the air towards Cadmus seemed to happen in slowed time. She was almost sure Cadmus would be crushed, but he miraculously managed to avoid the rapid inertia of the animal. Instead, he used it to his advantage and managed to maim the red-eyed monster.

Her heart was in her chest, ribs feeling too small for her lungs as she re-orientated herself to face the monster after its attempted attack. Cadmus' words managed to reach her in her high-adrenaline state, the female weighing up her options as she watched the wolf bare it's dagger-like teeth in a viscous snarl that sent goosebumps across her flesh.

"A quicker kill is a safer kill. He's too strong to try and fight with for too long. I think the heart, but he will be a lot easier to take down without sight to assist him. I say we both attack from the front, I go for the eyes and you go for the heart. At least one of us will be a distraction for the other if we attack from the same side." She ducked and rolled, trying to avoid a sudden snapping maw that closed where her head had been.

She popped up a meter away from Cadmus, sand from the ground settling around them and sticking to her clothes and hair after her efforts to not become the beast's next meal. "Does that sound good to you?" She asked, her green hues wide from a mixture of extreme fear and odd excitement.
 
@MJK2431 Cobra - GM

"Opposite sides. Divide its focus." Cadmus replied, voice oddly calm. "Be careful, though. You're fighting an animal with the mind of a man. It will learn." Even as he finished his sentence, the great wolf made another lunge, again at Cadmus. He repeated the same technique, sliding to the side as the wolf passed him by. This time, the wolf turned it's head in mid air as he moved, forcing Cadmus away from the wolf, lest he end up in its jaws. The wolf sailed by, slamming into the ground and sliding across the dirt as it tried to stop its momentum, spinning around as it did so.

"Watch the muscles." Cadmus said, his eyes still glued to the beast. "They tense before the action." This time, Cadmus paced towards the wolf, closing the gap between them one step at a time, preventing it from building up its momentum into another lethal charge. He slid towards one side, keeping its attention on him, and off Azayla. The wolf, confident, quickly turned its head to look towards Azayla, trying to watch the other threat. Cadmus twisted his wrist and lunged forward just enough to whip the tip of his blade out, slicing across the beast's neck like a sharp razor. This time, the wolf snarled in response, snapping at Cadmus to drive him back, but leaving his side open.

Again, Cadmus flicked the blade out as he backpedaled, this time slicing into the beast's snouth, inflicting a painful, but superficial wound. The injury on its neck, though, quickly started bleeding, soaking the surrounding fur with blood. The wound wasn't deep enough to sever any arteries, but the bleeding would help weaken the creature, if the fight dragged on.

[OOC]
Cadmus agreed, stating that they take on opposite sides of the beast. He warned against the animals learning capabilites, though, before fighting offensively against it, striking a superficial wound on its nose, and a deeper one on its neck that will weaken it, should the fight drag out.
[OOC]
 
@SedentaryCobra

She nodded her head in consensus, figuring that the combination of their two approaches, with her choice of what to attack and his method of how to do so, would be successful. She swallowed quickly, her legs quivering from the desire to act against the mighty threat they faced.

The wolf lunged, Cadmus' words coming to fruition as the beast prevented another injury as had been inflicted upon him before by turning his head like a hissing cobra would. This animal is so quick to learn and anticipate. The only way to defeat it is to end things quickly. It will have it's next meal if we prolong our fight.

The dust spewed into the air by the animals fall blinded her for a moment, Azayla spinning around as she tried to locate the wolf's position. Where are you, you foul creature...

Her head flicked towards the sound of Cadmus' voice, the girl backing towards it. Soon the wolf's silhouette appeared with the settling dirt, the saliva dripping from his yellow teeth glistening. She watched as her companion approached the animal again, her thoughts flickering to an odd revelation. He's faced danger like this before to be so calm. I wonder what things he had experienced to make him appear so fearless and quick thinking with danger being so prominent.

She approached as well, heading to the opposite side as he suggested. She attacked when he did, jumping up to distract the beast when it's attention turned to her and quickly flicking to the side. She heard the snap of a jaw, feeling a small sting in her wrist as a canine just grazed her skin. Red blood bubbled to the surface, making her growl in irritation. At least Cadmus' plan is working. The animal gained am injury of its own at least.

When the animal snapped at Cadmus she made her own move, arching her blade upward in an attempt to slice the animal's eye. The joint's... Cadmus mentioned the joints... She used her momentum and gravity of her upward thrust on the way down, twisting her arm to try and slice along the length of the animals forelimb.
 
Azaula's short blade arced upwards, forcing the beast to step slightly to the side as it reflexively moved to avoid the blade from ripping across its eye. Even still, it wasn't able to shift its feet fast enough in order to avoid the wicked downstroke. Carried by both momentum and bodyweight, the dagger slashed down into the wolf's leg, driving into the joint and deflecting off the bone before tearing out the side, leaving the wound a bloody mess of torn tendons, flesh, and cartilage. The monster howled, pushing itself backwards, trying to keep both Azayla and Cadmus in front of itself.

Blood poured in larger torrents now, dripping hot in large, fat drops into the dusty ground. It's red eyes peered back and forth between its two targets, trying to determine which would be easier to take down. Cadmus, though, approached again, giving it little reprieve. The wolf, with one severely injured leg, couldn't charge again, or retreat fast enough, and instead held its ground. It appeared weak, delirious even. from the loss of blood. Its reaction seemed lethargic, leacking their earlier speed and intensity.

Cadmus was relentless in his pursuit, forcing the wolf to step backwards to avoid more and more blows. Three attacks in rapid succession left marks on the wolf's neck or face, never quite enough to be serious, but always close to crippling had the wolf been a fraction of a second slower. Cadmus, seeking the final blow, lunged forward, the blade piercing forward with unerring precision as it slid between the fourth and fifth ribs of the beast, striking at the heart.

Suddenly, as Cadmus made his lethal strike the wolf seemed to lost its former slowness, and its head snapped towards Cadmus' arm, catching his forearm in its maw. The slowness, the extent of the injury, all an act to draw out an attack. As the jaws snapped down on Cadmus's forearm, the movement of the blade stopped, lodged halfway into the beast's side, perhaps inches from the heart. The injury was surely lethal, blood would fill the beast's lungs and drown it, but it would take precious time. It was something Cadmus, forearm trapped and slowly being crushed, didn't have. The great wolf had a desperate, feral look in its eyes, nothing left for it to lose.

[OOC]
Azayla's attack missed the beast's eye, but tore open its leg, crippling it and preventing it from charging or running. The wolf acted more injured than it was, drawing Cadmus in. He managed to inflict a mortal blow, but had his arm caught by the wolf in the process. The wolf, dying, is now at its most desperate and dangerous. Azayla could run, and escape easily, but Cadmus would surely die in the process. She could also attempt to finish the wolf off herself, or distract it, but the danger would be extreme.
[OOC]
 
Azayla felt her arm shudder and jar as her blade managed to slice through the animal's flesh. She seemed almost surprised that her actions had proven to be successful, her moth set open in a gasp and her eyes dilated with shock. She jumped back as soon as her blade was through, flinging the beast's blood onto the ground where it would mingle with the mud forming there from the previously shed blood. She saw immediately how her actions affected the reactions of the canine, it's formerly sharp eyes almost dull.

She couldn't help herself, her feet plants firmly in the ground and her scraped arm throbbing....yet she still found herself pitying the animal and the dire state her and Cadmus had put it in. It was cornered, unable to move offensively and struggling to act defensively and Cadmus showed no signs of slowing his attacks down.

She was sorry for the great wolf, despite the threat it posed to them.

Azayla watched how the male inflicted the final, most likely lethal blow that pierced the animal's heart. More blood splattered on the ground. She was waiting, expecting the wolf's last dying howl to pierce the coming dawn but instead she watched in horror as it's jaws snapped down onto Cadmus and ripping the muscle there with it's strong jaw. She could still the blade protruding from the beasts chest, the female somehow knowing that the weapon had not been able to carry through completely with it's initial intent.

She hesitated, trying to think of what to do before she made a vital mistake, but her legs were hurtling her forward towards the beast before her mind could comprehend the danger behind the rash action. Her feet hit the dirt hard as she lessened the distance between her and where the wolf had Cadmus in it's grasp, the pumping of her legs mimicking the erratic movement of her lungs trying to keep up with their need for oxygen.

Curls flying behind her, she acted quickly with her mind a whir as she instinctively let her body decide on the course of action as soon as she was close enough. She jumped, making up for the beasts extra height as she used the sword like a stepping stone by pushing it into the chest cavity while she simultaneously used her dagger to slice along the animals cheek from first the mouth to towards its ears. Her aim was to free Cadmus' arm when the animal quickly withdrew, but knew that this was a long shot with her blade being shorter than Cadmus' rapier.
 
The great beast saw Azayla move. It knew her goal, and it, too, decided to act. Before the siren could even reach the wolf, the beast pushed forward on its hind paws. Raking Cadmus's chest with its front paw, the beast slew its first opponent. But the victory was short lived.

Azayla's foot hit Cadmus's rapier squarely, pushing the blade ever so deeper into the beast's chest, ripping open its heart. The wolf wanted to scream, but could not open its mouth anymore. The creature fell forward, its face buried in Cadmus's corpse.

With the beast and Cadmus dead, it would seem as though everything would calm down. However, that was not to be the case. The siren's heirloom had far more properties than any living mind could know. One of those properties, called [Guardian], activated at this time. Azayla's necklace glowed a brilliant red. The pearl becoming clear as it happened. Then, miraculously, Cadmus's own body reflected that strange red light. Then it stopped.

[OOC]

Cadmus's soul has been captured in Azayla's necklace. He is her guardian. However, he will not be able to materialize for quite some time. (Pretty much saving him for when SC returns.)

Azayla must now pick a course of action.

[OOC]
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top