~RP~ cælum vs inferno (a war brought upon earth)

Maraud rolled his eyes, and patted her head.
"Calm yourself. I do not derive pleasure from hurting you. If I could choose, I would not hurt you. Alas, should you wish to control your hunger - which you're noticeably getting better at by the way - only severe pain will shock you out of the terrible frenzy that overcomes all young vampires."
He examined her gently, checking her for injuries. "It seems you are unharmed. Good. I get irate when people damage my property." He looked at Ark and nodded respectfully. "I think, then, that settles that."
He turned his attention to the monster that was still (although he would never admit it, out loud, unnervingly) staring at him and resolutely ignoring the magic pounding him.
"What are you? Who are you? You seek me, well, here I stand. Do you have a quarrel with me or my student? I should warn you that, should you do, there are fewer more dangerous occupations. Should you attempt to attack, I WILL dispatch you with everything at my disposal."
He decided to carefully not mention that their proximity to such a holy site was disrupting his powers - only a fool would mention that to an unknown opponent who so far appeared to be capable of withstanding tremendous punishment.

 

The man's gaze darkened. "Really? You really don't remember me? Come on! We last met twenty seven years ago! I think it was back..."
Just as he was about to finish his sentence, a dagger tore through the bone under the hinge of his jaw, severing it, causing his lower jaw to dangle from his head. He looked down at it for a few seconds before lifting it back into place, where it fused back to the bone.
"Well, that was embarrassing. Forgotten what I was on about. Ah well, long story short, I'm going to kill you."

 

"Ah."
Maraud turned to Victoria. "Make sure he does not get close to you. Do not attack him unless it is that or die." Then he graciously stepped away from Victoria, the wolf pack surrounding him once again.
"Many have tried, creature, and you'd be astounded how few have succeeded. I'll make sure to have your remains cremated - possibly in my fireplace where I can sit and watch them burn."

 

He didn't make any reply to the implied threat, indeed choosing to charge straight at Maraud, his arms changing as he ran. The flesh and bone of the appendages popped and tore and snapped as they reformed into large, gnarled claws as he swung them at his target.

 

The wolves around Maraud circled behind their target, as Maraud himself burst into a cloud of bats as the claws passed through where he would have been. He reassembled atop the creature's shoulders, and with one smooth twist and yank tore the monstrous skull off the hulking shoulders. He dismounted off the creature's back and tossed the head to the wolves. "That should just about do it."

 

As the head hit the ground, the body lurched front, stumbling for a bit before falling down near the wolves. Before it hit the ground fully, its arms launched forwards, skewering two of the beasts.
"You know," said the head, whimsically, "having your head removed is always a liberating experience."
Tendrils of muscle and skin crawled out of the disembodied head where its neck should have been, and reached for the body, pulling itself back to position. As the head fully rejoined the body, it sunk its teeth into one of the wolves, tearing it to pieces.

 

Maraud turned, a look of confusion momentarily sweeping across his face as the wolves leaped back, freshly snarling at the slaying of their brothers.
Then, as one, he attacked with the pack, the wolves sinking their teeth into their foe's arms and legs. Maraud seized the opportunity, plunged his hand inside his opponent's decayed chest and tore out the organ within, before leaping back to a safe distance. "What...are you?" he asked with a mixture of apprehension and curiosity.

 

He looked at the heart in Maraud's hand. "Odd that you think that would work when decapitation didn't."
He then swung his arms together, slamming the wolves together with a sickening snap of bone, then kicked the wolves on his legs off to the same effect.
"Revenant." he said, bearing his teeth again, looking around to the two in the shield. "Care to try your hand? Seeing a Maudy wants to throw everything into the meat grinder today."

 

“Interesting. A wolf that can regenerate even after having its head cut off and its heart torn out. I’ve seen some of this before with the fallen, but you seem to have mastered this regenerative ability. Not that it matters. Especially when you have nothing to regenerate.” Ark said

Ark let the seal glow again, and a ball of intense light formed in his hand. He then put his hand to the ground.

“Burn to ashes, and let the inferno consume your damnation.”

Lines spread out from the spot he put his hand on, and they formed a pentagram within a circle around the other wolves. A huge inferno burst out of it, and the other wolves were instantly incinerated.

“Let’s see you regenerate from that, especially when all your skin is charred to ash.”

 

OOT: NOT THE PUPPIES!! Also, he's not a wolf, just a really persistent zombie - poor wolves...

Maraud hissed as the flames nipped at him, and he sent a silent prayer hoping the wolves would journey swiftly to paradise.
He glared at Ark. "Not...really...necessary..." Then he turned, curious still to see if the creature survived complete incineration.

 

He came leaping out of the flames, landing right on top of Maraud. His skin was charred black in places where it still clung to his body. A lot of his exposed muscles were missing chunks out of them and good portion of his skeleton was visible. His head was a grotesque mess. Hair was attached in places, but it was mostly exposed bone and pieces of muscle keeping his jaw attached. He was also missing an eye, that appeared to have fried in its socket.

"You are really going backwards with this killing me plan aren't you? You're supposed to burn me first, then rip out my heart then decapitate me. If we keep going like this, I bet we'll end up with you throwing scathing remarks at me, and I doubt my poor ego could take that."

 

Maraud's eyes flared in shock as the hulking wreck of a creature pounced on him, and for the first time in a long while he felt a genuine pulse of the eternal serpent in his breast - a cold and sickening jab of fear. He managed to force all traces of reaction off his face, to return to a state of passivity.
"Fascinating. Now why exactly do you want to kill me so much then?"
He made no move to fight the creature or attempt to escape, the flames still burning it licking at his blazer as he was pinned beneath its grotesque weight.

 

Sauriel suddenly turned around, feeling that something was very wrong. He looked towards the direction that Decoda was supposed to be and stood still for a moment, completely silent and deep in meditation. Without warning, he quickly spread his black wings and turned back to the others.
"I sense the presence of many angels and demons nearby. They are headed towards the same destination as we are. We have no more time left to waste; either come with us now or be left behind."
He jumped into the air and hovered in place, waiting briefly for a response and ready to fly at a moment's notice.


Tybalt ran as fast as he could towards Decoda after incapacitating a pursuing demon. He could sense her presence and the presence of both angels and demons nearby. Since he had only encountered a few of them along the way, he knew that they weren't here for him. He was afraid, and rightfully so, that they had come for Decoda. When he was finally close enough to see her, Tybalt called out to her.
"Decoda! Are you alright?!"
He hadn't noticed until just now, but something seemed...odd about Decoda's aura. Not only that, his dragon senses told him that something "smelled" different about her. But he pushed those thoughts to the back of his mind, thinking only about her safety for the time being.

 

Decoda didn't seem to hear Tybalt calling to her...nor did she really 'see' him either. She ran through a demon charging towards her, and threw its body towards the onslaught of angels coming towards her.
'Just let it out.' A voice rang in Decoda's head. 'You won't survive if you continue suppressing who you really are.'
Decoda ignored the voice for as long as she could. After a few moments, a 'light' seemed to engulf Decoda and grow brighter as it did so.
"GET HER!" One of the demons shouted.
"STOP HER!" One of the angels yelled at the same time.
Both groups rushed Decoda, surrounding her, and 'engulfing' her.
Suddenly, an explosion threw back both groups, shaking the very earth to its core. Cracks formed on the ground, leading to the source of this 'explosion' of 'awakening'.
"Damn..." a demon hissed as he tried to get to his feet. "GET HER!" He roared. "ONLY ONE SIDE CAN CONTROL HER!"
"And...it...won't...be...you..." a soft growling tone spoke from within the light that had engulfed Decoda. When the light finally dimmed, it revealed Decoda...or rather, a more 'demonic' Decoda. She was on one knee, her weapon seemingly keeping her upright.

(with black wings and ram-like horns on her head, and a sword instead of a spear)

She lifted her head slowly, her eyes glowing a soft blue. As she gripped her fingers...or rather, claws...into the ground, more cracks formed, and inched towards the angels and demons whom she blew away. The blade that was in her side remained fixed to her...and began to glow a soft red. Decoda suddenly cried out in pain, and burst towards the demon whom seemed to lead them. She drew her sword, and rushed passed the demon. She landed on the ground behind him, and as she sheathed her sword, the demon's head fell to the ground.

 

"Oh, no...Decoda...?"
Tybalt has look of deep concern on his face as he watched Decoda's transformation. Now he knew for certain what he felt earlier. He could easily tell from the powerful aura she was giving off that the demonic blood inside of her had awakened. But just as he was about to go to her, he noticed that the group of angels were about to make their move. He moved between them and glared at the angel that looked to be their leader, who dismissed Tybalt and gestured for him to move aside.

"Stand aside. This does not concern you, human."

Tybalt's response was simple, but effective. He took in a deep breath and let out a loud, echoing roar that could only come from a dragon. At first the angels were baffled at how someone who looked human could make such a noise, but they soon understood the situation.

"It's the dragon! Be on guard!"

They backed away slowly. No doubt they didn't like their chances fighting both a dragon and a recently awakened Decoda at the same time. Tybalt took the opportunity and chased after Decoda, knocking away a few demons as he went. Having just lost their leader, they were disorganized and they desperately scrambled to put some distance between themselves and Decoda and Tybalt. Tybalt took the opportunity to call out again.

"Decoda, are you...are you still yourself? Please, answer me!"

 

His features, what little that was of them, contorted with pure rage at the question. His fist crunched into Maraud's face.
"How could you forget?" He asked, punctuating it with another blow to the vampire's face.
"Forget the day you created me?"
Another punch crashed down.
"The day you killed her?"
A flurry of blows rained down onto Maraud, the Revenant aiming to cave the vampire's head in.

~~~

They stood on an outcrop on the mountain, looking down as the action played out.
"Well, that's not good is it?" Gabe asked rhetorically.
Shula gave him a sideways glance. "You think?"
"Rhetoric, Shu, rhetoric." Gabe leaned over a little further. "So, what do you think we should do about this?"
"What indeed." said a tall, slender man that had seemingly appeared from nowhere. He was dressed in a Victorian style funeral suit, which was covered with a dark brown smock that was splattered with blood and viscera.
"Hey there, Eddie." Gabe greeted, looking over his shoulder. "I guess you're our Watcher then?"
His features twitched slightly, but he remained more or less nonplussed. "It's Edinburgh, and yes. Unfortunately, your lapse in success has the higher ups concerned, and that means they've dragged me away from my work to babysit you."
Gabe frowned, "It's not been that bad, has it?" He then looked over at Shula. "Has it?"
"I wouldn't say so." she replied, shrugging.
Edinburgh sighed. "You let the Succubus go free, and failed to subdue the Angel Sauriel."
He stepped to the edge, looking down over at the carnage. "and now in your incompetence you've let the half breed awaken."
Shula's flames flared at the insult.
"And what's the plan going forward?"
Edinburgh smiled. "Oh, the plan hasn't changed. You're to subdue her if possible, kill her if not. Either way, you'll bring her in for dissection."
Before any objections could be raised, Edinburgh faded into the ether.
After a brief silence, Shula spoke. "I hate that guy."
"How could you? He has such a cuddly personality."

 

Maraud's eyes twitched red, and the creature's fists suddenly found themselves pounding the dry earth. A mist had descended upon the area, and Maraud's voice emerged from the gloom somewhere to the Revenant's right, though shadows darted all around it as well.
"My poor little abomination, I have killed thousands. Forgive me if one particular incident doesn't stand out." His voice sounded cold and for the first time since Victoria had met him again truly malicious.
"Was I angry with her? Was I lost in the urge to feed? Or was I just bored and wanted a quick snack?" Cruel bitter laughter followed, echoing round the clearing.
"Sad little monster. I thought you were some emissary of a higher power, but no - your pathetic existence is devoted to futile revenge for some blood-sack who probably had no greater purpose in life than to give that life to one more deserving. How positively tragic."

 

A mist formed, and Ark could barely see anything. Even with the flames that he had used, the zombie, or revenant as maurad had called it, still did not burn to ashes. Which meant that the divine were pulling strings in this, and Ark was getting tired of the divine always trying to interfere with his plans. He knew Victoria was also a vampire, but what the revenant said really intrigued him. How could you forget the day you created me? The day you killed her?

"Sad little monster. I thought you were some emissary of a higher power, but no - your pathetic existence is devoted to futile revenge for some blood-sack who probably had no greater purpose in life than to give that life to one more deserving. How positively tragic."

"It seems that you have both been played for fools in this case. Indeed this revenant has no higher purpose, but that has been a plan of theirs all along. Creatures of your stature are only pawns in the games of the angels, as well as devils. I'll bet that he is only a small part of whatever they are playing at. Unfortunately I do not know of what circumstances this has come of, but that brings me to my main question. It seems too much of a coincidence that we all just happened to run into each other. Could it be possible that the angels are pulling strings in all of this? It would not surprise me at all.