Chapter 4: Shattered Sanctuary

[Dobs]

[Dobs, Eiron, Samus, Snicket, U-Mos, Cody, Rex, Alex, Alice, LGN, Peram, Geo, Whoever I Forgot]
{SSS HQ Ruins}

Dobs was having trouble sleeping. He couldn't shake a feeling of overwhelming paranoia that they were being watched, or listened in on by Crehavos' forces. There was always the looming thought of the party being slaughtered in the middle of the night by a spy for Crehavos. What if one of the party members was a spy for Crehavos? Dobs shuddered at this thought and grasped his sai firmly with his right hand. His glance grazed over each person around him; examining them each with the utmost scrutiny.

Eiron. A childhood friend, once helped him to collect an important bounty. Surely he was no spy... however, it has been over a decade since their last contact...furthermore, he did assist Dobs in his Dedekufication. Check.

Bob Snicket. The boy whom he saved the life of in the Battle of the Dojo many moons ago. Later, he became obsessed with balance, ultimately leading to the death of his closest companion, Mariella. Although Dobs had forgiven him for that, how did he know he hadn't changed back. After all, Snicket can convince anyone of anything. Who is to say that he isn't lying about this entire Greehell base of operations? Maybe he and these army officers weren't taking him into the mouth of the beast. Straight to hell. However, Dobs could see it in Snicket's cerulean eyes that this was not the case, Snicket is not one to lie.

LGN. Way too cereal. Peram too.

Dobs continued to analyze everyone around him, looking for possible traitors... one by one, he knocked them off, and finally decided that it was safe to sleep as the sun began to peek over the horizon.

[bobsnicket]

[SSS HQ]

www.rhapsody.com/thomas-newman/lemony-snickets-a-series-of-unfortunate-events
5. Resilience


Bob Snicket slept soundly and peacefully for a number of hours, retreating into the sanctuary that was his mind. Within the safety of his own head, his conscience could rest from all the pain and troubles of the world, all the afflictions upon his weary body, all the regrets of his past. This was the one place where no outside force could disturb him: his refuge, his escape, his sanctuary.

Ever since his infancy, Snicket had always loved to think. Thinking was what removed him from worldly cares, from the psychological turmoil he had burdened himself with, from the discomfort of having to sort through others' feelings and opinions. It was a place where he could be his true self, if nowhere else--although with his self-redemption in the SSS, that barrier was beginning to be lowered. But still, it was always nice to have a place without disturbance, without distraught noise.

He drifted through the blank void of his inner self, floating casually across it as a cloud rolls across a serene sky, without hassled destination or harried purpose. Until, then, he began passing through images from his past, his present, and possibly his future--images of no apparent significance, but which were apt to pop up in a mind as spontaneous as his. Dreamily, he watched the abridged slideshow of his life passing before his mental eyes: that night when the dark silhouetted man cast him through the window of his conflagrating home; his first years on Earth, living and growing with his dearest and only friend at the time, Yoshi; the adventures they shared upon returning to the Nintendo Universe as he chased down the notorious Bandits, ultimately confronting the Big Bandit known as Chuck Quizmo...that bespectacled worm who had been the first of the Swirly-eyed antagonists foretold to make an attempt on his life, who would have surely succeeded had Yoshi not arrived in the nick of time to rescue him; his early investigations and observations of the SSS; the time he spent in Subspace; LGN's eventual triumph over Fawful, the second of his prophesied enemies; the smile on the young, beautiful face of Allison Reed as she sought his autograph; his most recent trials deep in the Dark World, on Treasure Trove Cove, and atop the School Bus; the smile on the young, beautiful face of Allison Reed as she sought his autograph...wait...

As Bob realized his subconscious repetition of a memory that was of particular value to him, he came upon a singular book suspended in the space of his mind. He soon recognized it to be The Trophies, his largely fictitious history of the Smashers' initial struggle against Master Hand. At this sight, the boy was reminded of the duty which had been bestowed upon him by his beloved, late parents: to observe and record the dealings of this world so that it might be preserved for the knowledge, wisdom, and benefit of future generations. He felt a faint satisfaction at the rare occurance of being able to remind himself of something that he had actually done right. So often it seemed that all he could think to describe himself were words of betrayal, weakness, and incompetence. But this was a greater relief than any physical rest, to be able to settle into a brief moment of equilibrium before he awoke to face the hardships awaiting him and his fellows. Now that he was no longer simply observing, but an actual part of the history which was taking place, perhaps he could make a difference for more than exclusively future generations. Perhaps he could make a difference in the lives of people today. Even if it cost him his own. Of what little value was his life worth, in any case?

Suddenly, the book opened up, as if of its own accord, and seemed to flip purposefully to a page in Chapter 11, to a specific passage, even. And then, Snicket could see them before his mental eyes: the words he himself had written.


www.imeem.com/people/W_XLaHH/music/8vXm55lp/hans-zimmer-james-newton-howard-myotis/


This professor happened to look extremely similar to Professor Elvin Gadd. Except for a few key differences.

Firstly, the tuft of hair on Professor U. Reeka’s head was not white, but an ashy brown-gray. Second, his glasses had, instead of a dizzy circle pattern, a perplexing diamond pattern of four geometrically similar diamonds placed on top of each other, with the fourth diamonds being the rim of the glasses. Thirdly, his lab coat was a darkish gray color instead of white. Fourthly, he did not have a tooth rather comically sticking out of his mouth, but instead had two rows of razor-sharp teeth that glinted dangerously when he spoke. Fifthly, his voice was for the most part the same as E. Gadd’s, but with a slightly higher pitch and a touch of growing insanity mixed in it. Lastly, and probably most importantly, he did not invent things for the people’s common good or for his personal amusement, instead indulging himself in weapon-making and biological experimenting, not unlike the mad scientist Andross who had been dead for years.





"Heh-heh-heh-heh-heh-heh-heh-heh...."





Bob woke up abruptly, sitting up and glancing at his surroundings at the strange voice he had heard. He was breathing heavily, his chest heaving.

But he was still in the last place he had sat down, inside the desolate remains of the once-glorious SSS headquarters. Almost complete darkness enshrouded his vision, save the glow of the half-moon and the twinkle of the faint stars. No sound disrupted the silence besides the soft breathing and rustling of his slumbering companions around him.

Taking another look to each side and behind him in search of the source of the voice, Snicket shrugged, and lay back down, attempting to resume his sleep. However, it proved to take a surprisingly long amount of time for him to do so. Blurred before his half-shut eyelids, the light of the moon and stars contorted until they looked like many tiny diamonds privy to what dark things awaited in the future....

[eiron]

[SSS HQ Ruins]

Eiron didn’t even try to go to sleep. Staying by the ruins had been a bad choice. Dobs had been correct when he said that surviving SSS members would gather here, but the problem was that the enemy would have come to the same conclusion. So he stayed awake. Keeping an uneasy vigil over the ruins, he looked back through the years, remembering when things had been so much simpler.

But it had been that simplicity which had eaten away at him. He had inherited much of his old master’s teachings, the good, and the bad. Peace had no value to a warrior. Peace had no value to Eiron anymore.

It had been so long.

[Nemeck, Ucria]
{Forest}

www.youtube.com/watch?v=2tlNIgcLqJY
(ToS, Yggdrasill Remix)

Nemeck shrugged off the blast of light that had struck him. Such kitten scratches would only prove to be an exercise in futility. He studied his opponent, calculating. He found the abundant gold jewelry that adorned her to be distasteful. Such a blatant display of wealth and affluence, to be so carelessly flaunted on the field of battle, was indicative to one of such royal heritage. Whether she realized it or not, this woman was as conceited and delusional as Arietta. Perhaps more so. War was not befitting of such elegance. War was honest. To cover it up with makeup and jewelry, to attempt to hide the unflinching, undisputable ugliness of strife and conflict was the fruitless mark of an idealist. This woman did not understand war. She did not understand human nature.

He gave a small, quite chuckle from behind his mask. “You will be my destruction? I think not.” His voice was soft, almost gentle. “For one so old, you seem to have learned very little. I would have thought the guilt in your eyes would have meant you’ve had lesson enough!”

A mixture of emotions flitted across Ucria’s face, and she raised her staff again. Another blast fell from the sky, but Nemeck dodged it with ease. As he spun to the side, he slammed his clawed feet into the ice, tearing loose chunks of the frozen ground. Coiling, he leapt into the air, whipping his body around and kicking savagely at his opponent, sending the dagger-like shards shrieking towards Ucria.

The women dodged easily to the side, spinning away from the barrage of icy shards. As she finished her whirl and turned back toward her adversary, she gave a small gasp. In the brief moment when her back had been turned, Nemeck had charged forward at shocking speed, closing the distance between them to a mere arm’s length. Ucria leapt backwards, keeping her eyes locked onto her foe as he swiped savagely with his razor sharp claws. The blow missed by inches, scraping across the frozen ground and sending up a sheet of icy mist.

Ucria was forced to look away for an instant, covering her face with her arm as splinters of ice sprayed up from the ground. As she opened her eyes, she saw the trap snapping shut. A second cloaked figure, identical to Nemeck burst into view directly behind her, a long glistening blade in his hand. With Ucria trapped between them, the two Nemeck’s attacked, lancing forward with claw and steel.

[Angel]

[Arietta, Dartainian, Nemeck, Ucria]
[Forest]

(Umm.. Cell, your kinda ignoring two of Arietta's special abilities, first she activated her Peace of the Soul, so she is basically sparking with energy. Just being near her is enough to give you a hit. Also, her Pow Hammer. When her physical attacks miss, her special Pow Hammer ability causes a second attack of a small hammer.. yah.. Please remember that for future posts.)

Everything was black. She blinked a few times.. but it would not cease. She actually took her fist and slammed the side of her own head and still, nothing. Realizing that the darkness wasn't going to go away.. she just laughed.

www.imeem.com/people/nRlWPk/music/SC9Sh4G6/naruto-need-to-be-strong/

"You.. seriously think this is enough to stop me?!" her laughter continued, unshaken. "You should watch yourself, you forgot about my other ability. My Peace of Soul. I don't even have to hit you.. my body is a explosion of energy. Whether you notice it or not, you have probably been hit just by being around me. My fists are not my weapons. My body is exploding with power!"

She threw her hands on the ground and chanted for all to hear.. including the other two. They were not going to be unaffected from this either. If she couldn't' see, she would use an attack that didn't cause her to have to.

""O hellish darkness, show us your awesome fury!" she cried. Placing her hands on the ground, she held there. After a moment, a huge Eruption appeared right behind her. Blowing up with fierce energy, it easily destoryed the plantlife getting soaked with the dark, almost lava like explosion.

But that was not the end of it. That was just the beginning, the dark matter was being erupted from all points. Every few seconds, in another spot on the battlefield, another one appeared. Suddenly even moving seemed dangerous, but not moving was not safe either.

The field was changing.

[Soul Eater]

(OOC: This starts a little before Cell's post)
[Diachi, Cara]
[Forest]
Diachi sighed and thought about what had happened. The two of them were hopelessly lost in a forest that they have no knowledge of the way they came, and had completely forgotten how they got there.

Diachi: Ugh, I hate new places; you always get lost and have no idea of how to get around!
Cara: You know, if you listened to what I was g-

A blinding flash shone out to their right, showing that there were others in the forest.

Diachi: Well that was convenient. C'mon, it doesn't look far from here so lets see what caused that!
Cara: Diachi ... wait.
Diachi: Huh? What?
Cara: Don't rush in. People may be fighting there.
Diachi: Alright, if it's a fight we stay out of their fight.

So they went quietly to the site of the blast of light.

[Cell]

[Dartainian, Arietta]
[Forest]

The explosions were escalating, the field of battle was shifted. Even though blinded by his attack, Arietta was still proving to be a most formitable foe. Her attack had injured him when he was offguard, and now all Dartainian could do was avoid her attacks with his great agility.
"Come on now, let me end this already so I can bring your lifeless corpse as a prize for my master!" Arietta cackled with glee.

Dartainian glared at the girl, dodging another explosion. Maybe this one would like a taste of her own theatrics. Zooming around a fair more amount of attacks, Dartainian found a great clearing that would be good for a few moments. Holding out his hands, he yelled, "Reflect!"

A glinting, nearly invisible wall seemed to just appear out of thin air right in front of the intellectual warrior. The attacks and explosions heading for him seemed as though they would hit, but they all slammed into the newly conjured barrier and were sent down... right back at the little girl.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------

[Ucria, Nemeck]
[Forest]

The two Nemecks were dangerously closing in on here, the maiden desperately looking around for some sort of escape route; she had nowhere to turn. Ucria was left with no choice, otherwise this battle would be finished for good. Thrusting her staff towards the heavens above, it began shimmering once more. Quite abruptly, a jolt of lightning from above bashed the tip of the staff; thus a heavenly barrier was generated around the fair maiden.

Nemeck and his doppleganger closed in for the finishing blow, disregarding the barrier; too confident in his own power. However, as soon as the two Nemecks colided with the safeguard, the barrier reacted and fiercly sent them flying; Nemeck slamming harshly into a tree, and the clone vanished from sight.

"You think you know me, don't you?" Her majestic voice began.

The towering foe was still sitting on the hard, cold ground; flinching a bit from the hard impact. The maiden continued.

"I can tell by the way you glare at me, your eyes glancing from my clothing and jewelry. And then you shake your head. I am not as foolish as you think I am, my child. In my younger years, I was very much so. I have learned so much in my long lifetime, learned from my flaws and of others. I have seen terrors that you probably could never comprehend. But now in this dark age, my heart aches.

"I see people dying, and imprisoned under that demon's tyranical rule. My heart cries out for them, and that is why I fight. That is why I engage in war where someone of royal status is not permitted to go." Ucria was nearing tears now, but she held them back with all her might; not wishing her foe to see her cry. Nemeck had risen to his feet, now facing her interested by her speech. "I wear these garments and jewels not for my own sake, but for my people's... and my family's. It is a sign of royalty to show the utmost class and be as dignified as can be. This is how I was raised, and I make my appearance so to bring honor to my kingdom!"

Her eyes narrowed at the fiend before her, saying with words as sharp as a well crafted blade, "How dare you dishonor that..."

There was a slow, gentle clapping noise coming from over in the distance. No, it was not Nemeck, because he too seemed to be looking around for the source of the noise. The maiden had a deadly, sickening feeling in the pit of her stomach. Something was amiss.

Her questions became clear as a being, tall with silver hair, shrouded in robes of darkness that were as black as his heart.

"You..." she breathed, her face in utter shock.

"Me." The cold, yet calm voice retorted. Crehavos had arrived on the battlefield.

[Mariomasher]

[before IOY was poisoned]

Haylee looked at X with dibelief. "No." she mannaged to say. "My MM would not dare tell me such things. It must be someone else." Before X could respond, Haylee turned and slowly walked away, trying to avoid any more hurtful truths.

[after IOY was poisoned]

Haylee, Rai, Necro, and Luca all rushed to find herbs. "There's not much we can use here," Luca said. "but something is better than nothing." They kept looking when Rai scavenged enough to encounter a Syleen Herb.

"Quick, give this to the wounded man," Rai ordered to Necro. "This will help stop spread of the poison to other victims and will slow the pace of the poison. Go!" Necro ran back to IOY and gave the two watching the herb.

"This will slow the poison down. Give it to him to bide us some more time," Necro explained. He hand them the herb and ran back to his teammates.

[DMM]
[Tree near Haylee, Rai, Necro, and Luca]

DMM glared down. He studied the efforts of the team to pull them apart in war. When Rai pulled up the Syleen Herb, DMM wrote a mental note. "They seem to be pretty well-educated in the study of herbology." DMM then jumped to another tree. "and yet it could only be that one." He looked at Luca. "If I recall correctly, this dog is well in combat. And that archer is quite good at aiming and observing, yet he seems to rush too much; therefore, he shouldn't be too hard to take out. And that woman... I've never seen her before. She must be disposed of before she becomes a threat." He jumped to the ground and into bushes. Necro quickkly turned and shot an arrow into the bush. All four looked into the bush.

"What's the matter?" Haylee asked.

"I heard something." Necro replied. The arrow rolled out of the bushes. The tip has a small amount of blood on it. DMM stood up out of the bushes.

"You've got a nice shot." DMM complimented. "Too bad I'm going to have to kill all of you."

"MM..."Haylee whispered to herself.

"How do you know who I am, girl." DMM asked, unsheithing his sword and pointing it at her.

"MM...MM was my love." Haylee said.

"Oh really?" DMM put the sharp edge of his sword against Haylee's cheek. " Well, darling, you will remember this day as the day you love is truely lost. To help you remember..." DMM cut Haylee's cheek. She shook in pain but said nothing and held a firm face. He turned to Necro whom was ready to shoot DMM. Rai and Luca also were ready to fight. DMM cut Necro's cheek and Necro quickly shot DMM in the arm.

"I won't take this from a beast like you." Necro angrily stated.

"I do not appriciate the voilence you use towards me. Change your actions or suffer." DMM ordered. He pulled the arrow out of his arm and dropped it. He then cut Rai's cheek. "You do seem to be fine in the study of emotion and herbology. You do well in combat as well as you." DMM cut Luca's cheek. "Now you all shall remember this day as-"

"The day we killed you!"Rai sent a bolt at DMM who disappeared. As he disappeared, a maniacal scream was heard and it faded away.

[eiron]

[Nemeck, Arietta, Crehavos, Dartanian, Ucria]
{Burning Forest}

Nemeck listened to the woman’s soliloquy, not bothering to respond. He would have laughed, had it not been so pitiful. Such idealism. Ucria had wrapped herself in some warped, distorted view of reality. There was no honor in war, no dignity to defend, no values to uphold; only yes or no, power or weakness, victory or defeat, success or failure. This woman was weak, defeated, and failing. And she knew it. She fought back tears, but it was a useless gesture. Her efforts to uphold such romantic notions had come burning down around her. They would continue to burn, just like this forest, consumed by the blind savagery that was mankind. Just like this world would continue to burn, immolated in the holocaust of war, never ending, never ceasing.

“How dare you dishonor that…” she hissed, rage burning in her eyes. Nemeck calmly prepared himself for the next exchange. It was time to end all this needless suffering. It was time for Ucria’s long, tired journey to come to an end.

And then he appeared..

For an instant, Nemeck almost laughed out loud. For just a moment, unbridled glee gripped him, threatening to burst out in maniacal laughter. It was him. The one he had sensed in the night, among the raging storms and whirlwinds of malice, emanating death and destruction. The sensation of power was palpable, and Nemeck drank deep, savoring the bitter taste of malevolence that gripped the burning wasteland around them.

But it was only an instant. Nemeck quieted his mind, voiding himself of all emotion. The doppelganger faded out of existence, and Nemeck lowered his arms to his sides, as cold and silent as a statue. He watched. And waited.

[Angel]

[Arietta, Crehavos, Dartanian, Nemeck, Ucria]
{Burning Forest}

www.imeem.com/people/nRlWPk/music/SC9Sh4G6/naruto-need-to-be-strong/

She screamed in terror at the feeling of the almost-burning sensation that was filling her. She didn't have time to regret her decision, even if it would cause her to slightly lose her mind.. she had to do it.

Suddenly.. as the transformation was occurring, she felt his presence. "Crehavos.." With a shock she tried to pull herself out of the already on going change.. but it was too late.

Standing in the mass of burnt rubble surrounding was Arietta.. completely unharmed. However, this was not the same Arietta they had been fighting with up to this point. She had activated her dormant self inside, the power she held at bay. That little fragment of Dialga's might. She had used that power to replicate her body right before she had gotten hit. She stood untouched, but it was nothing something she would be able to replicate for the rest of the day.

Ignoring reason and sense at this point, she was filled with a almost primal instinct. She ignored the being named Dart, or Nemeck.. she even ignored her master's appearance. Instead her sharp red eyes that rested inside her now deep blue skin.. saw only one foe.

Ucria. This woman who dared mocked her. She would suffer..

"You will die pitiful b*tch.." she cried out even her voice sounding full of a evil, primal echo. Aimed her now clawed hands right at her, and then rushed at her with great speed...

[IOwnedYou]

[GreenHell forest]
[Healing IOY, Sour, Kaemon FARTHER AWAY: Haylee, Rai, Necro, and Luca]

IOY looked in disbelief. He was healed and the dead man had come back to life. IOY remembered when he had magic in the old days. He turned his head and watched the other man run back to his teammates.
"That white flash took away lots and lots of the injury. There's just a little poison still left, but it's nothing to worry about", IOY had said to them. The winds and birds had come back to their singing. Only... Something disrupted them. IOY looked over head at the sky. Many birds flew by.
"Something else is in the forest besides us. I'm pretty sure that the man that just ran off couldn't have disturbed them all... There's too many", He wondered and looked at the man with the orb. "I've forgotten to ask you two your names. What are they?"

[bobsnicket]

[Smash Swamp]

www.imeem.com/kingofgondor/music/pAVa8Jvc/howard-shore-gollums-song/

A figure hovered through the damp, saturated air of the swamp bordering the southern end of the forest. The means by which he did this was a sophisticated, surprisingly noiseless jetpack attached to his back, and in this manner he continued through the swamp, surveying the marshy land before him.

Frogs croaked bleakly. Marsh-flies and dragonflies buzzed around loudly. Yellow-brown bubbles burst with a gloop sound on the surface. Water skippers and Tektites leapt across the green water. The occasional crocodile lurked beneath the surface. Wet reeds and tall weeds bent upward lazily, stirring ever so slightly as the newcomer passed by. Damp tree vines slopped down from bare, swampy branches above, some long enough to be sloshing gently in the muddy water below. The acrid smell of dead plants and algae congested the air. The light in these parts was a dim, pale gray, as if strangled by the gloomy trees clustered all around.

The figure, no taller than four feet in height, let out a dry cackle as he traversed the swamp. He knew not what force drove him to this place, but he could feel that the thing he sought would be found in no less remote, no less foul-smelling a place.

And sure enough, he eventually found it. Built atop a great muddy bank in a completely contrasting demeanor, an enormous, black building loomed before him. It was a place he had become ever so fond of, ever since Master Hand had given him the means to conduct some of his most intriguing experiments here, and the materials to put together inventions which would be considered impressive even by his standards. And, of course, this building, this laboratory, made his dear cousin Elvin Gadd's poor excuse for a lab look like a toy store in comparison.


At the end of this plain, even more impressing, was the great and spacious laboratory which Gadd knew they would find here. It was constructed of a shiny black metal almost like obsidian, but no doubt extremely hard and solid, and at least as impenetrable as his own lab. Huge dark circular windows high on the structure seemed to look out across the Battlefields like many sinister, evil eyes. Massive billowing plumes of gray smoke swirled out of intimidating towers along the roof of the imposing building as if they were the remains of whatever innocent beauty had ever been taken inside those foreboding double doors placed like steel guards in the front. ~The Trophies, ch. 15


Landing the jetpack before the building's front doors which had an obsidian-like sheen, Professor Ulysses Reeka went up and stroked the smooth surface with his hands, fingering the borders almost lovingly.

"Yesss. Thisss is it!" he murmured out loud.

My revenge will be attained at long last.

And any who stood in his way would die. Or even better--contribute to his experiments themselves. With a little imagination.

[SSS Ruins]

(4:15)

With a well-deserved yawn, Bob Snicket finally awoke. To his surprise, the sun was already bright above him. Upon opening his eyes, he found nearly everyone else already up and ready to go. Zel's ship was a short distance away, with some of his soldiers making various journeys to and from the metal on-ramp.

Looking down at himself, Bob noticed with a strange feeling that a copy of his work, The Trophies, was underneath his right hand. He picked it up to examine the charred cover, and then dropped it almost immediately with a gasp.

His right glove was black. But he could not recall summoning any illusions recently at all. What did this mean?

"Snicket," Commander Cody boomed from right behind him, causing him to jump up after the startling voice. Bob stood and turned to face the uniformed man.

"We are about ready to depart," Cody continued. "Time to board the vessel. Next stop, Greenhell Forest."

Bob nodded, picked up the damaged novel, and, rubbing his eyes, walked up and onto the vessel, taking a seat on a random bench in the passengers' quarters.

[Cell]

[Crehavos, Ucria, Dartainian, Arietta, Nemeck]
[Forest]

Crehavos crept out of the eerie darkness the covered the forest like a soft quilt. Even distantly from his vessle in the Harsh Seas, the demon sensed this fierce disturbance and the familiar energy of both Ucria and Arietta. Deciding to go investigate, he warped into the twilight of this extinct woodland and carefully watched the battle play out. The two foreign individuals seemed to also possess immense power, but only one had a black heart.

And then she snapped. The imp of a woman lunged forth at Ucria, screaming, "You will die, pitiful b*tch!" The fair maiden was shocked at this sudden display of madness, still in a daze from the arrival of Crehavos; preparing herself to defend. The Dark Emperor would not allow such behavior under his watch, holding up on pale, black taloned hand. Arietta froze, shimmering a soft, blue color. Try as she might, the girl couldn't break free of this strong, telekinetic hold.

"You sure are ill-tempered tonight, Arietta." Crehavos said, his voice like silk.

"Let me go! That little tramp will learn her place, I don't care what you say!" She screamed out, struggling and struggling to no avail.

The tyrant's finger twitched, and she let out a sharp yelp. "Patience, my dear. You will have revenge soon enough, but I need your cooperation if you want it so." the Dark Emperor hissed, his eyes darting briefly to the Lovilian Princess.

Her face showed mixed emotions, conflicted and enraged. Upset, and ashamed. Finally, she stopped her efforts to break free, the psychic hold breaking upon this ceased resistance.

"That's better." he said. "Now... I want you and your new little friend to follow me back to my ship immediately. I desire a brief chat with him."

"That's it?" a bitter voice called out. It was Dartainian, glaring at the demonic overlord; fists clenched. "You interupt our battle so you can have a CHAT?! What is wrong with you, you demented creature?!"

"Dartainian... hush..." Ucria warned, eyeing Crehavos with hesistance. He seemed to be amused by this boy's disrespect, a miniscule smirk etched on his gorgeous face; an eyebrow raised.

"Dartainian, is it? I don't believe we've had the pleasure of meeting." the monster said with a bow.

"I will not give my greetings to a foul man such as you. Disgusting mongrel..." Dart retorted stiffly. Ucria was baffled at this young man's courage, how he so blantantly snipped at this all powerful entity that could murder him in the blink of his lovely lashed eye.

Crehavos' amusement had surely vanished, standing upright; emotions vanishing once more. "Ah... a cheeky one. No matter... you'll be dead soon enough." He then turned to the fair maiden, but there was a very odd look in his eye... Could it possibly be... remorse? "You should've been destroyed long ago." He quietly turned on heel, a fiery, violet portal emerging in front of him. "Follow me, Arietta, and make sure to bring your friend."

The tyrant was gone.

[eiron]

[Nemeck, Arietta, Dartanian, Ucria]
{Burning Forest}

The figure retreated into the fiery portal, leaving the warriors alone in the smoldering forest. Arietta dropped to the ground, gasping and reverting to her normal form. She stood, shaking with barely controlled rage and humiliation, her fists clenched and twitching. Ucria looked aghast, her face pale and eyes trembling. Dartanian stood tall, filled with righteous fury at the insult that had been dealt him and his companion.

Nemeck had not moved once throughout the entire ordeal. Even now, as the others collected himself, he remained motionless, a tall dark shadow among the bright figures around him.

“Listen to me, wench…,” Arietta hissed, “When you lay dying, mangled and twisted at my feet…know that my laughing face will be the last thing you see…” Her face contorted with hatred. “I will feed your bloated corpse to the dogs, so that in death, you can finally be among your own, wretched kind!”

Ucria’s face twitched and her eyes narrowing dangerously. “hold your tongue, child. Go crawl back to your master, go snivel and pout in his wake, slaving to his will. It is You who is nothing more than a dog.”

Arietta shrieked in unfettered rage. The trees around the clearing burst into flames, splinters of burning wood cascaded in flaming sheets all around them. Arietta raised her arm to cast some death spell, but a cold, clawed hand with a grip of iron snatched it from behind, holding her at the wrist.

“In good time…” Nemeck whispered, his quiet voice reverberating through the flaming forest. “She will meet her end soon enough. Let us not waste anymore time here.”

“Unhand me, you imbecile!” Arietta screamed. She tore her hand free and struck at the towering figure; her fist thumping dully against is body. After a moment she regained her composure. She glared back at Ucria. “You will suffer before you reach your end…I promise you that.” Arietta turned, and walked through the portal without looking back.

Nemeck turned silently, pausing at the fiery gash in the air. After a moment, he looked back to his opponents. To Ucria, he gave another small bow. “Until next time, my Lady. I hope you find the solace that you seek.” He turned to Dartanian, who glared at the portal behind him. “I had thought one such as yourself would have exhibited more…finesse…” he said. “Disappointing.” With that, he turned and stepped through the dark fissure.

[Nemeck, Arietta, Crehavos]
{Harsh Seas}

www.youtube.com/watch?v=CF4cqEDBZJI
(Lost Kingdoms, God of Destruction Intro)

Nemeck appeared inside the small corridor of a ship, leading to a spacious cabin in front of him. Slowly, he entered, surveying his surroundings without turning his head. Arietta stood leaning against the wall next to the door, her arms crossed, pouting. The man known as Crehavos stood to the rear of the cabin, staring out the window into the raging night, his arms held behind his back.

“I don’t believe…” he said, his voice smooth, with just the slightest hint of an edge to it. “that I’ve had the pleasure of making your acquaintance…” In the glass’s reflection, Nemeck saw his eyes turn eyes towards him, a cold light glinting in them. “Please, make yourself…welcome.”

Nemeck spoke slowly, his lips barely moving behind his mask, his voice quiet but filling the cabin. “To what do I owe the honor? To be invited into the private quarters of Lord Crehavos himself?”

A smirk crossed Crehavos’ face, almost unnoticeable. “I simply wish to understand this… enigma that has fallen into my lap.” He turned, his dark body outlined against the blazing lightening behind him. “How is it that you have found yourself in such a singular position?”

Nemeck paused. He wore two masks now. The one of steel that covered his face, and one of flesh that covered his skull. Both remained motionless as he spoke, lifeless. “All I seek is battle. To slay my opponents on the field of battle, to gorge myself on strife and suffering, to revel in the brutality that is the truest face of mankind, that is my only desire.” He turned his head, ever so slightly towards Arietta. “This girl has provided me the means to accomplish that goal.”

Arietta glowered at Nemeck, and Crehavos gave another flitting grin. Nemeck stood, silent.

[Deleted]

[ GreenHell Forest ]
[ Genesis, Voltage ]

OOC: Finally, back in action with Genesis.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=dg9ZBT2d2-Q
[[ Tales of The Abyss - Crisis ]]


Genesis and Voltage continued their battle, even through the night and still not tired. "Just give up Voltage, none of us ain't losin this battle" Genesis replied as he kept shooting Ice Blasts at Voltage, but Voltage continued to dodge them quickly. "Then we'll just keep fighting until one of us is defeated" Voltage replied. Suddenly Voltage disappeared quickly in thin air and then appeared behind Genesis. Genesis took action and then they both quickly did a roundhouse kick. Both their legs hit each other. "You make this too fun for me Voltage"Genesis replied with a smirk on his face.

Genesis then pointed his gun at Voltage as Voltage pointed his hand at Genesis. They both blasted each other away and they quickly regain their balance. Voltage thinks of a new attack.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[ GreenHell Forest ]
[ Neni, Jonas ]

[[ Same Song ]]


Neni and Jonas heard battling near by. Jonas yelled, "What's that sound?!" Neni replied, "Its coming from over there, let's go it could be Genesis."[/i]

They hurried to the direction.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[ GreenHell Forest ]
[ Reynal, Oakley, Abdol ]

[[ Same Song ]]

They came to check up on Genesis and the others ( since it has been 24 Hours ) and now they search in GreenHell. " Their nearby, let's hurry"[/i] Reynal replied to Oakley and Abdol.

[Angel]

[Nemeck, Arietta, Crehavos]
{Harsh Seas}

She was still angry. She had her.. she had her right there. Why did he interfere? Arietta was starting to believe that Crehavos really didn't want Ucria dead as much as he pretended to. Her rage was heating up the area and she couldn't get the images of what just played out of her mind.

She was deliberately trying to ignore their conversation, feeling pulled back and forth like a yo-yo. She stared at the harsh winds and rain and stormy conditions that she had just espaced from. The crew of monsters working at their posts. She was back on this ship again!! Why did he send her out? He was just toying with her..

But when she felt her become the center of attention for a moment. She decided now was as good a time as any to unload how she was feeling. "Yes, I found him and I thought I would use him to achieve our goal.. yet you ruin it for us! I was right there and now you suddenly decide that talking with Nemeck is more important. Do you even want the Super Smash Saviors gone or is this just a game for you?" she pouted again, sure he would either say something about how she was foolish or ignore her completely.