[Round 1] Link & Clownpiece vs Skeletor & Kuzuru

[Karl Jak]

The third fight stood to feature a little less sand drama.
 
Link, his sword drawn and at the ready, looked to see his partner.  The unimposing girl smiled as she lifted a hand and summoned a fistful of hellfire.  In response, the tunic-clad warrior spun his sword and nodded his head.
 
On the other side, Kuzuru grinned like a maniac as he waited for the signal.  While Skeletor lacked the proper facial muscles and other fleshly accessories to match the glee on his companion’s visage, the skeleton was just as eager.
 
“Good evening, sociopaths plus Link, and I welcome you to this opening round of Dante’s Abyss!”
 
The gong sounded.
 
“Now just re—” Karl trailed off, his face twisting into a scowl as he watched Kuzuru and Skeletor explode across the arena stage like two bears at Boy’s Town dance club.  Taking his hand off the button for the mic, the man glanced at the smiling staff around him.  “And people say we’re the villains.  SMH, boys and girls.  SMH.”
 

Word Limit: 850
Posts: 2
Time Limit: 48 hours
Random Elements: On
Damage Meter: Off
 
Time limit starts at 8 am CDT
 
Fight Area description is available in the Fight Area Reveals thread and the Round 1 Discussion thread.

[Link]

Link glanced up at the sound of the gong, his features contorting into a grimace as the pair across the arena burst into a charge. He turned to Clownpiece and flashed a brief, solemn smile. Something about the Budokai arena had Link excited, perhaps it was to do with everything being on equal ground, a fair match where only the strongest should prevail. As he turned to face his opponents, a coy smirk spread across the Hero’s face. 

The Hylian threw himself into a sprint, followed closely by his Fairy partner who began charging a particularly explosive bolt of Hellfire. The Hero of Time stowed his sword and shield for the time being, his Bow replacing them, coalescing from a wisp. In his free hand, an arrow, with a bright white head, took form. The boy nocked the arrow and drew the string. He loosed the arrow, directly for the Skeleton. The arrow of light soared for Skeletor, dipped and slammed into the ground with a satisfying Thunk. Skeletor ground to a halt before the arrow, having had his path compromised. As quickly as it had soared, the arrow exploded into a blinding flash of light. The Warlock scrambled to make heads and tails of his position, blue fingers clawing at his vacant eye sockets, futilely. Clownpiece chortled loudly as she closed in on the Warlock and unleashed a cone of Hellfire unto the Warlock.

Skeletor’s Demonic partner had managed to close the gap, years of battle experience singing true as he managed to avoid the blinding arrow and engaged the Hylian. Kuzuru lashed out with a demonic blade, a wide horizontal arc careening for the green-clad Hero. The boy ducked, quickly, below the blade and redrew the Master Sword and his shield. A trio of quick thrusts for the demon saw him dancing backward and side to side, avoiding being skewered. The Hylian followed, a flurry of thrusts and slashes aimed for the backpedalling Demon. Most were deflected, others dodged completely. The Hylian threw a kick and with some degree of luck, it connected with Kuzuru’s stomach, throwing him off balance, allowing Link just enough time to drop his stance, raise his shield and angle the Master Sword. The blade began to glow a dull blue, a vague hum emanating from within. The Hylian threw himself into a spin, as the Demon recovered, only to be blasted backward again by the energy from the Master Sword. 

The Demon cackled dryly as he pushed himself to his feet, using his knees as a makeshift support. The black iron blade, that once protruded from his wrist, retracted slowly, a sickening grinding and crunching ringing from the blade. The arm, from which the former blade had sprung, hung limp at Kuzuru’s side as he stood to full height. 

“That’s all?” The Demon guffawed, “Please, tell me you’ve got something else to offer?” Another blade, much thicker than the former, sprouted from his forearm. The weight of the blade kept Kuzuru’s arm at his side as he threw himself into a sprint once again, charging the Hylian down quickly. The Demon twisted his body, upon closing the gap with the young Hero, the dead weight in his arm carried his momentum, another wide arc with his blade aimed for the boy. Link raised his shield, to intercept, bolstering the shield with his sword arm. A deafening thud resounded from the shield as the Demon’s Guillotine connected, throwing the Hylian off to the side. He landed in a crumpled heap, groaning in pain.

The Demon stalked his prey, shadowing over the downed Hylian, a sadistic grin plastered across his countenance. Kuzuru inhaled deeply, puffing his chest up. The Demon towered over Link and exhaled forcefully, a hail of demonic needles peppering the Hylian. Link screamed out in pain as needle upon needle pierced his skin. Another wave of needles, another agonised scream. The Demon circled Link, snorting laughter as he looked down upon the pathetic Hylian. Another wave of needles, another agonised scream. 

Link groaned and rolled onto his back, staring up at the Demon circling above. Something about this man, he could practically sense the bloodlust oozing from him. Link closed his eyes, his breathing laboured. The Demon turned, now stalking the Fairy engaged with the Skeleton. Link rolled onto his front, clenching his fists atop the needle littered tiles. He sneered. The boy shook his head a few times and slammed a fist into the tiles. The Hylian inhaled deeply and exhaled, slowly, calming himself as he drew his knees in under his body and forced himself to his feet. 

Kuzuru closed in on Clownpiece and Skeletor’s duel, a malicious smirk creeping across his face as a trio of blades drew forth from his very skin. However, a quick succession of thuds from behind him ceased his advance. He turned to find the source of the noise, only to see the Hylian, mid jump, the boy’s shield brought to bear upon the Demon’s temple. Kuzuru staggered, only to receive a diagonal slash from the Master Sword across his torso. 

Link used Light Arrow and Spin Attack
CP used Hellfire
Kuzuru used Demon Blades, Guillotine and Battle Sense

850 words exactly, according to googledocs

[Skeletor]

Seconds. It had taken only seconds for this easy conquest to turn on its head. The boy’s accursed arrows had blinded Skeletor, he was already on the defensive. Skeletor reared away from the hellish fires that scorched his blue flesh. The edge of the platform was visible, a chance to escape. He could step off the arena, deal with these pesky do-gooders without Karl Jak’s rules. Quickly and quietly when they weren’t expecting it! He could live to fight another day!

Skeletor was sorely tempted, but what ruler of Eternia would flee before such pathetic challengers? Had the Omniverse so weakened him? Skeletor ground his teeth and brought his havoc staff to bear. He would not flee this time. Eldritch power surged, and a beam of white light sliced through the hellfire cone. His energy blast slammed into the surprised fairy, sending her tumbling through the air. The hellspawn spun upright with an indignant frown.

“Hey! That’s MY move!” the fairy shouted, forehead vein throbbing. Pointing her torch at Skeletor, Clownpiece summoned two glowing orbs. Their white light cast a maniacal glow upon the fairy as she grinned angrily. Skeletor side-stepped as lasers burst towards him, one deflected away by the warlock’s extended hand, the other slicing his shoulder as it shot past. Skeletor winced but pushed forward.

“I think you’ll find it is Skeletor who is master here, you half-sized harlequin!” Skeletor cackled, eldritch energy accumulating in his Havoc staff, “Now see the full power of my magics!” The Eternian usurper leapt high above the surface of the arena, a death’s-head skull leering over the battlefield. With a cry, Skeletor swung his staff, unleashing a deadly salvo of magic towards the fairy. Clownpiece only laughed, zipping between the blasts with practiced ease. She almost looked disappointed.

“Aww, was that all? Fine, my turn!” she shouted as Skeletor reached the top of his arc. Clownpiece positioned herself into his path, and swung the Lampad’s Torch, unleashing barrage after barrage of stars towards the airborne sorcerer.  Skeletor crossed his arms, yellowish energy forming a shield as he plummeted through the onslaught. Clownpiece’s eyes widened and she barely flitted out of the way as the forcefield crashed back to earth, throwing up plumes of dust as it slammed into the tiles.

Skeletor rose from the dust cloud, eyes tiny pinpricks of balefire rage. Where was that meddlesome half-pint? Skeletor’s empty sockets scanned the dust cloud. In the strange light, Skeletor kept seeing after images, or maybe illusions? Regardless, the real fairy had fled. 


“That’s right, you pin-striped pipsqueak! Run while you are still able!” he shouted, then turned his attention to the duel across the way.

Link’s courage held as he clashed again and again with Kuzuru’s terrible bloodlust. The stones and dust took on a maddening, reckless glow as the fairy’s afterimage flitted across his vision again. Skeletor and Clownpiece grinned as one being, the former raising his Havoc staff towards the embattled duo.

“Allow me to heat things up for you! Nyeheheheheehe!” the warlock taunted. Only a lifetime of slaughter gave Kuzuru the prescience to note the tell-tale swaths of orange glow that crisscrossed the ground around them. The demon dove out of the way as flames burst from the ground in a dozen places catching the surprised Hero of Time unaware.

“Hey, Jackass!” Kuzuru shouted angrily, “Keep your eye sockets on your own fight!” But Skeletor was already charging the flames, Twinswords separate and gleaming. Link rolled from the inferno, his Kokiri tunic singed and smoking, only to come face-to-skull with an eager Skeletor. The Twinswords rang out against Hylian steel as Skeletor took advantage of the hero’s unbalance. Link dropped backward, blocking and parrying the fierce onslaught as best he could, but Skeletor’s raw power smashed through Link’s hasty defense and scored several hits on the young boy. The Hero of Time leapt back, energy accumulating in that strange sword. With a cry, Link spun faster than Skeletor could believe, abruptly halting the warlock’s assault.

“You’re tough for a Re-dead. I’ll give you that. But I… gheh?” Link’s challenge was cut-off as Kuzuru’s bladed arm swung into the edge of his vision. Link rolled with the blow, coming away with a bleeding and shredded ear. Skeletor and Kuzuru pressed the attack against the harried Hero, coming at him from too many angles to defend against. The villains knit a web of bloodlust and steel, the Hylian their unwilling victim. Link tumbled backwards, bleeding, dangerously close to the edge of the arena. The Hero of Time was slow to rise.

Kuzuru quickly checked his surroundings, but the smoke and flame obscured the battlefield. He turned to Skeletor, “The fairy?” he demanded.

“Fled! Positively unpatriotic!” Skeletor quipped, fusing his Twinsword and summoning his Havoc Staff. Kuzuru scowled and scanned the arena again. He spotted her this time, an array of orbs surrounding her grinning form.

“Oh Shit!” Kuzuru muttered, “incoming!” he shouted, but Skeletor remained wholly focused on the wounded hero.

“Giving up so soon?” Skeletor cackled, raising his Havoc staff towards the Hylian, “You ARE the weakest Link. Goodbye!”  

850 on the nose according to wordcounter.net
Skeletor has spent no SP this round, he and Kuzuru are just ganging up on poor link while CP stealths/charges
Myah!

[Clownpiece]

An array of ten shimmering orbs floated around the mad fairy, her already ostentatious outfit painted something even more chaotic by their glow. Her mouth cracked into a toothy grin, her tiny frame shaking with barely-restrained laughter. Really? Had it really been that easy to throw the skeleton into madness? Was a little disappearing trick really all it took to make him forget she existed? A single, condescending snort escaped out through her nose, and all of a sudden her body was wracked with a full-blown cackle, her arrogant and mischievous laughter cutting through the arena and giving the cocky Skeletor a moment’s pause.

And then all hell broke loose.

Radiant lasers burst forth, their vibrant reds, whites, and blues searing bright paths through the air in an instant. Kuzuru was already on the move, frantically throwing himself clear of the hellish barrage. But he wasn’t the target anyway. The heavy stench of sulfur suffused their surroundings as beam after brilliant beam burned through the air all around Skeletor. A tormented screech rose up from the skull-faced warrior as pair after pair of lasers grazed and scorched his blue flesh, just barely off the mark in case he had decided to dodge, all culminating in one final, dazzling attack slamming against his back and pitching him towards the edge.

Clownpiece dove forward, her childish giggle still echoing over the battlefield, the lunatic light of her torch flaring up and shrouding her once again in its indiscriminate blanket of madness. The bodies of the fallen Hylian and the stumbling Eternian tangled together and rolled right towards the lip of the Budokai arena, tipping just barely over the edge, and...

“What the fuck did I tell you?”
“Like hell!”

Two intermingling voices shouted, one child and one adult. On one side, chains rattled, their black metal links wrapping tightly around a single blue arm. On the other, a tiny, deceptively strong hand clenched around a green collar. In an instant, both Clownpiece and Kuzuru yanked their allies to safety. The Eternian was sent tumbling head over heels, dragged by chains to his partner, while the Hylian simply slid face-first across the slightly dusty arena floor, leaving behind a faint trail of bloody skidmarks. 

“Get up! We’re not done until that weak body of yours has been pushed to the edge of madness and back again!” A shrill voice shouted, its pint-sized owner planting her imperceptible self right on the edge of the ring. Link groaned, slowly pushing up to his feet. 

“What the fuck dude? You said she ran!” Kuzuru barked, arms scrambling as he tried to untangle Skeletor as quickly as he could. Standing tall in her hallucinogenic shroud, Clownpiece swung her torch skyward, purple flame burning a vibrant streak through the air. 

“Nevermind that! Unhand me or I'll fry you with the rest of them!” His partner responded with impotent indignation.

“Now fall into a world of nightmares never seen before!” The myriad of shouts descended into a pure cacophony, each voice almost indeterminable, but one rose above them all. “Mass Hysteria!” The furious jester threw everything she had into her announcement. “Madness Pandemic!” The maddening light of her torch flared even brighter.

“What the fuck is-” the latter half of the demon’s crude exclamation devolved into the vocal equivalent of a keyboard smash. At this, a grating cackle exploded from the skeleton-faced man, his muscular body so wracked with laughter that he had trouble getting to his feet. He opened that bony maw of his to mock Kuzuru...

And his voice cracked and faltered like an awkward tween trying to flirt with his crush. He instantly fell silent.

“Alright Link!” Clownpiece giggled, her unseeable smile playfully menacing. “Let's show ‘em hell!” The Hero of Time was way ahead of her, all the pain and weakness in that body of his forgotten as he shoved himself back to his feet and stormed forward, completely and madly fixated on the half-dead despot. With a mischievous snicker, the infernal pixie threw herself into the air and dove at the unclaimed enemy. Caught off guard by the swordsman’s sudden fervor, Skeletor stumbled back a step, another spell swirling into existence around the skull-head of his Havoc Staff. Simultaneously, Kuzuru’s face fell into a deep scowl, his chain clanking as whipped it back, ready to strike.

“No!”

A little girl’s voice whispered from directly behind both opponents, and both of them froze ramrod straight for a moment. A mere half-second of hesitation, and suddenly the young warriors were upon them. An exclamation halfway between an agonized scream and a failed tongue-twister exploded from the sorcerer as the Master Sword bit deep into the muscle of his forearm, and a powerful crack sounded from the devil’s skull as a purple-flamed torch slammed into his temple.

Link wrenched his weapon free from the meat of Skeletor’s arm, eliciting yet another yell from him, steel flashing as he threw himself into a zealous assault. Kuzuru let loose a sharp gasp as he recoiled from the strike, before rebounding and lashing out, striking recklessly at an unknown opponent.

850 Words Exact according to Gdocs.
Used T1SU: Reality Break (1 SP) and T1SU: Mass Hysteria “Madness Pandemic” (1 SP). 3/5 SP left.
Clownpiece is permanently stealthed for 1 round.
Lampad’s Torch variants: Uncertainty, Schizophasia, Paranoia, Focus, and Vanish are active for 30 seconds. Also Kuzu got smacked and won’t remember shit for 10 seconds.
Link’s hyperfocused on Skele while Clown’ll adapt.

[Kuzuru]

Calamity ricocheted around the inside of Kuzuru’s skull as he tried to make sense of his surroundings. He was bounding through a forest and his thoughts were scattered trees rushing at him through the fog. Clownpiece cackled madly as she floated to the edge of the arena. Kuzuru glanced over at Skeletor and chuckled. The damned fool was fighting an apparition, nothing more than a copy of Link brought on by the trickster’s powers. A mishmashed string of word salad escaped his lips as he tried to shout some snide quip. He huffed. His brainbox got fried real good. Hallucination or not Kuzuru was here to fight and the facsimile would act as a good punching bag. With a grin the demon stalked forward. Freezing him in place a jolt of electricity surged through his spine. Goosebumps covered his skin and he sniffed the air. Eons of battle experience coupled with an uncanny sense of smell. If Link was a distraction then he was opening himself up to a counterattack. Kuzuru smirked. The faint scent of ionized air gave away a twin set of lasers headed straight for the back of his dome. Kuzuru whirled around, slashing out at the incoming attack. His blades carved through the air, finding nothing but disappointment.

“You really fell for that?!” Clownpiece chortled.

Kuzuru scowled and went to cross his thumb over his neck, but Clownpiece’s hex forced him into an awkward thumbs up. Without warning a hail of red, white, and blue began to rain from the sky. Armageddon came to the demon’s mind as the storm of projectiles decimated his surroundings. Kuzuru’s body reacted instinctively. She could take his words, but the demon’s edge remained. His red eyes darted around in their sockets, absorbing as much information as they could and in return his body did its best to avoid the fullisade of blows. A star slammed into his gut and a stripe sliced open his shoulder. As skilled as he was the sheer volume of the fairy’s arsenal proved to be overwhelming. A pair of stripes drilled into his ankle and he stumbled. As the barrage ended Clownpiece touched down a few feet away from him. Kuzuru tried to speak, but only managed to spout more gibberish. Flame danced between the girl’s thin fingers, casting an ominous shadow across her grinning face.

“Burn in the fires of hell!” She exclaimed and thrust her palm forward, “burn, burn, burn!”

Heat washed over him. Relentless and all-consuming, Clownpiece’s hellfire swallowed him completely. Underpinning this conflagration was the fairy’s shrill cackling. Her laughter sliced through the inferno’s fury and scarred the demon in ways that no physical wound could.

Kuzuru screamed.

Blades of black iron erupted out from his body, slicing through the flames. Ravenous fire gave way to implacable iron. Clownpiece stumbled back as more metallic leaves broke free from her opponent’s flesh. A towering lotus of metal, stood where Kuzuru had once stood. For a few moments the edged flower stood ominously silent. Then, one-by-one accompanied by the sound of shattered glass, the demon’s petals shattered. As they deteriorated they revealed a lightly charred demon, thirsty for blood. Before Clownpiece could think to run, a chain sailed through the air and wrapped itself tight around her neck. Kuzuru stepped out from his cocoon of metal and yanked on the girl’s new leash. A single blade remained attached to his forearm and in glinted in the sunlight.

“Cute little parlor tricks you’ve got there,” Kuzuru said, “really congrats, you had me going for a while, I mean do you have any idea how frustrating it is to not be able to talk?”

He pulled against the chain and sent her tumbling to the arena’s floor. Frenetic fingers clawed at the iron wrapped around her throat, but Kuzuru’s grip kept the chain tight.

He chuckled, “well, I’ve got a feeling you do.”

The demon allowed his bladed arm to fall, scraping it against the arena’s floor as he walked towards the choked fairy. Asphyxiation took its grisly toll as her struggling grew less and less frantic. Kuzuru glanced over at Skeletor and a smile crossed his lips. It was nice to have a partner who could handle himself. With a flourish the demon raised his blade high as he turned his attention back to the girl. Her face had turned blue. Bringing the point of his blade to her forehead he chuckled.

“Tell me,” Kuzuru said, “what body part do you like the least? We’ll start there and work our way up.”

That accursed purple flame flashed across his vision as she swung her torch wildly. Kuzuru squeezed his eyes shut and turned his head. Slowly he opened them and turned his attention back to her. Like a balloon Kuzuru deflated. He had been tricked again. That thin throat constricted by chains belonged to a figment of his imagination. With a curse he uncoiled the chain and glanced across the battlefield, in hopes of finding his true quarry. Clownpiece scrambled away, glad that the demon’s eyes could not see through her ruse.

Used Tier One Super Defense “Demon Lotus” against CP’s hellfire.
⅚ SP remaining

[Link]

In, perhaps, a contrast to Link’s natural personality, the young Hylian grinned maniacally as he pressed an assault on the deluded Warlock. A trio of thrusts toward the skeleton hit home, however shallowly. A pair striking his blue forearm, the third sinking deep into the Warlock’s thigh, eliciting a wild shriek.

The boy cackled loudly, Clownpiece’s Hysteria still working its wonders. Link spun quickly, in place, a dull ringing echoed out from his shield as it made contact with the skull of the Warlock, knocking him off balance. The Hero of Time didn’t hang around, however, darting off toward the Demon who’s focus was on his dainty partner. Link flicked his wrist, the green ring on his finger sparking to life as green lightning erupted from the surface and danced over the Hero’s skin before finally settling in his sword and shield, throbbing a faint green glow.

The fairy chortled wickedly as she darted in to join her partner in his pursuit, her torch glowing. Link’s grin faded somewhat as a new feeling took hold, the madness in him slowly fading to be replaced by sheer restlessness, each limb itching to be put to work. A burst of speed saw the boy close in on Kuzuru.

The Demon let out a vicious shout, chains erupting from nigh every point possible of his body, each closing in on the boy. The Hylian responded in kind, throwing himself into a roll, to avoid being tied down and whipping his Clawshot to bear. The contraption let out a satisfying chink as the claws fired forwards and clamped down onto the Demon’s wrist, at which point the fairy beside him summoned up a ball of hellfire and let it loose, near enough point blank, blanketing the Demon once again. The Hylian’s sword erupted in a bright orange glow as the boy let out a loud “Hyaat!” and spun on heel, blasting Kuzuru backward with a wave of violent energy.

“Waah- that was pretty nice!” The fairy called out as she took off towards the skeleton, “same again?!” She chortled wickedly. Link allowed himself a quiet chuckle and followed suit, willing his Fairy Bow into reality from little more than a wisp on the air, an arrow preemptively nocked on the still materialising string. The arrow took on a blueish hue, a faint mist billowing from the tip. The boy loosed the arrow for the Warlock. It sailed quickly and slammed into the ground, barely an inch from Skeletor’s indigo foot. The sound of ice crackling crept from the arrow, the Warlock’s focus switching from the advancing duo to the rapidly expanding chunk of ice at his feet. The pale blue ice, just barely, managed to lock Skeletor’s foot to the ground.

“Come, then, children,” Skeletor called out into the arena, “allow me to show you a real attack! Nyeheheheh!”

With a wide swing of his staff, the Warlock summoned up a volley of roiling magic blasts, each sailing threateningly outward in an arc. Clownpiece managed to avoid the blast, twirling neatly out of the way and continuing her charge. The Hylian, however, was rather less fortunate. He brought his arms up to cover his face, blocking the blast. Link miscalculated the blasts trajectory and took a blast directly to the chest, throwing him backwards and to the ground in a heap, yet again. Smoke rose from his now tarnished tunic as he lay, the drawbacks of Clownpiece’s precious spell taking a hold. His limbs felt heavy, dead weight extensions of his exhausted body.

Lamp and staff clashed in a display of bravado. Warlock and Hellfairy swatting at each other with their signature weapons, though the fairy found herself pushed back, the Warlock’s strength seeing him to a small victory over Piece. Skeletor snorted wryly before letting out a guffaw as he pushed down on his staff.

“Nyeheheh, petulant pipsqueak’s should stay out of these kind of games!” He roared out, a heavy boot seeing its way to the Fairy’s gut and shoving her back. An onslaught of magical blasts launched down at the downed Fairy, dust and debris flung into the air around the dominant Warlock.

“Little shit. Worthless pile of-“ Kuzuru roared, towering over the downed Hylian, a demonic Guillotine brandished threateningly above the teen, “Shit!” The Demon stooped, the guillotine brought down with murderous intent. Through sheer force of will, the Hylian barely rolled out of the path of the blade, just his hat caught beneath the heavy extension, severed a little too close for comfort. Link continued to roll until his settled on his back, shield laid to rest against his chest.

Thunk

The Hylian’s blood curdling scream pierced through the arena, echoing to and from every corner of the stadium. The Demon’s guillotine sunk through the Hylian’s now shattered shield, blood pooling around the blade embedded in his forearm.

Everyone did some things, Link activates his Ring of Lightning for the remainder of the match 0/3 SP remaining.

[Skeletor]

“Keep it up, Blade-man! That one sounded painful!” Skeletor called, as Link’s scream echoed across the arena. For his part, the warlock was trying to focus on the infuriatingly elusive Clownpiece. For the moment she was out of reach, floating above the battle with the same cocky smirk. The warlock watched frustratedly, she seemed to create illusory replacements at a moment’s notice. He focused intently, waiting for any sign of her attack. Fatigue weighed on his muscles, slowing reactions, perhaps these wounds were less superficial than they appeared…

His grinning skull tracked Clownpiece as she flew in an arc towards the offensive. There! Skeletor was sure he had spotted the transition, after she waved her torch. The illusory fairy was still flying towards him, so where was the real one? Were it physically possible, Skeletor would have squinted, so intent was he on spotting the true Clownpiece. As it was he only left his defenses wide open.

Lampad’s Torch smashed into his skull as Clownpiece streaked past, causing Skeletor to stagger backwards. She turned on a dime, shooting back towards the dazed Eternian. A giggling red and blue blur shot past, another stinging blow slammed into the back of Skeletor’s head. A third strike followed soon after, then a fourth, Clownpiece now laughing uncontrollably. But the hellspawn’s glee died instantly as a blue-skinned claw snagged one of her retreating legs. Clownpiece turned, beholding Skeletor’s morbid visage, jawbone dangling loose to one side, eye sockets blazing full of red rage.

There was no snide comment, no quip, only a mottled scream of pure malice as Skeletor whipped his arm over his head and down, smashing the fairy face first into the arena floor hard enough to crack the stone surface. Chest heaving with effort, Skeletor reached up and reattached his jawbone. Dazed and unfocused, Clownpiece raised her head from the newly formed crater, Link was still fighting off Kuzuru. He seemed to have recovered, but without his shield was sorely pressed. She wasn’t getting any help.

“That was an impressive assault, little sylph. Nheheeehee! You pack quite a punch for your diminutive stature!” Skeletor cackled, gathering eldritch energy into his havoc staff for an overhead strike. Clownpiece rolled to the side, too groggy to fly, and swung her torch across Skeletor’s vision. The warlock screamed in rage once again, as a helpless foe became naught but a hallucination. In desperation, Skeletor flailed the havoc staff in front of him, hoping to hit an invisible target.

“NO! I won’t let you get away! Get back here you, petulant half-pint!” Skeletor raged, advancing past the fairy, as he swung wildly. Clownpiece grit her teeth into an angry grin as Skeletor’s exposed back presented her with swift revenge. Slowly, painfully, the fairy rose into the air behind Skeletor, orb after orb winking into existence as she focused her fury onto the unsuspecting warlock.

“You can dish it out, boneface. But let’s see how well you can take the heat!” She shouted, swinging the Lampad’s torch and unleashing a barrage of stars. Skeletor whirled, spotting the array of projectiles heading his way. With far too many to dodge, he could only hope to endure. Skeletor planted his Havoc staff and a yellowish energy enveloped him in a protective dome. Stars and lasers crashed against it, wave after wave, as Clownpiece unleashed her wrath on Skeletor’s forcefield.

“I will see you in clown pieces for this!” Skeletor railed, feeling his footing beginning to slide backwards, perilously close to the arena’s edge. The forcefield was holding, barely, and Clownpiece was clearly nearing her limits, perhaps he could weather this storm yet. The warlock’s focus was drawn away from his foe as he felt the heel of one boot slip over the arena’s edge. There was no more time to wait. Dropping the forcefield, Skeletor leapt forward, eating several projectiles as he crashed through the last two barrages of Clowpiece’s stars.

A smoking Skeletor slowly rose, leaning heavily on his havoc staff for support as he recovered from the desperate charge. Across the stadium, Clownpiece listed in the air, the toll of such a powerful attack and her own injuries leaving her nearly exhausted. Both mages rested for as long as they dared, nearly depleted of power. Skeletor pounded his havoc staff and forced himself to stand upright. He would not be bested so early in this tournament.  

“Myah!” Skeletor cried, swinging one hand upwards in a grasping motion. Mimicking the motion, a massive stone hand morphed from the ground below Clownpiece,  seizing the surprised fairy, pinning her torch arm to her side.

“That’s enough messing around, you incendiary imbecile!” Skeletor growled. He tried to call eldritch power into his havoc staff, but he was still too drained to do so. With grim rage Skeletor charged forward, deflecting the desperate hellfire that Clownpiece shot at him with her free hand. He gripped the havoc staff and swung with both hands, putting the full force of his pivot behind the blow. The heavy metal stave shattered the reshaped stone, sending the ensnared fairy sprawling across the arena floor.

Slow and steady makes for the best final product, right guys?
847 words according to google docs
on to you CP!

[Clownpiece]

This isn’t right.

A faint groan escaped Clownpiece’s lips as she slowly peeled her aching body off the pavement, her thin arms shaking with the strain. Dull pain throbbed through her face and ribs with every little movement she made, trying to rise back to her feet. Though she was barely moving, the blood-spattered brickwork beneath her still spun. The luminous, lunatic light of the torch she clutched in her tired hand flickered and jumped, but even through the ache and fuzz, the spell shrouding her in madness held.

Somewhere on the wind, Skeletor’s distinct laughter reached her ringing ears. “Had enough, you jingoistic jester?” He taunted from somewhere vaguely across the arena. “What? I don’t hear you pleading for your life! Too busy bleeding out?” Though she heard his jeering, the little pierrot barely processed it, her mind too enveloped by a haze. This isn’t right. Was the only thought she could force to the front. It felt like she’d just been whacked upside the head with her own torch. It wasn’t right. She was the spirit of madness, not them. So why...?

“Then disappear for good!”

And where was Link? He’d taken every little advantage she could give him, and yet he hadn’t crushed Kuzuru, forcing her to fight some deranged despot on her own. Why was she fighting someone all alone? What did she look like, a lunatic? Her hands closed into white-knuckled fists, her teeth clenching, her tiny frame shaking. A bolt of brilliant light blasted apart the brickwork inches from her face, but she scarcely noticed, finally pushing to her feet. Her delirious purple eyes fell upon the dueling duo, watching the boy hero slowly but surely force the demon back. Too slowly.

“Too slow!” Skeletor turned to face the two as well, convinced he’d ended the imperceptible fairy, his commentary matching hers. “I’ll show you how to finish someone off!”

“LIIIIIINK!” Clownpiece’s near-breathless shout sliced through the air, her pure ire causing the two clashing combatants to stumble, instinctively whipping about to find the source. “Show your true strength and crush him! Now!” She raised her torch to the air, her ally’s eyes settling vaguely in her direction, baffled. “It’s! Lunatic! Time!” She forced her words out between heavy gasps, sweeping the torch out, and the pandemonic light fell upon the Hylian. Immediately, Link’s demeanor shifted ever so slightly, his usual noble stance shoved to the wayside by a thoughtless fervor.

“‘Finish someone off’ my a-” Kuzuru began an infuriated shout that cut off with a choked cry as the Hero of Time simply lifted his boot up and just spartan kicked him across the arena.

“Yeah-hah!” Her irritation forgotten, the tiny tyrant laughed and cheered, transfixed by the sight of the dark-haired man ragdolling his way across the battlefield, before sliding to a stop dangerously close to the edge. “Just like that! Aga-” The cocky little nymph’s demands devolved into a ragged scream as the Havoc Staff smashed down against her right shoulder, a scream which cut off into a gasp as her tiny body was slammed against the ground, the wind forced from her lungs. Her grip on the torch gave out as her shoulder was shattered, and the baton was sent rolling out of sight.

“Ah-hah! You couldn’t evade me forever, foolhardy phantasm!” The Eternian shouted, his voice somewhere between tired and triumphant as he finally scored a solid hit. The fairy sucked in a deep breath, her chest throbbing with agony as her lungs filled, but having little other option if she was to stay conscious. “Now stay down, impudent imp, while I dispatch of your friend!” Somewhere in the heavy haze that was Clownpiece’s mind, she registered those words, but able to do little save for bite down the pure, torturous pain stabbing at her chest and shoulder, they didn’t really matter to her. “Come, psychotic hero! I’ll show you which way madness truly lies!”

Teeth clenched so hard she could almost feel them crack, the hellspawn forced herself to sit, screaming inwardly as her movements agitated the shattered remains of her shoulder. Her ears rang, and blackness danced in her peripheries, but somehow she stayed awake. Awake and alive. Raising her good hand and using every last ounce of concentration she had, she managed to call back her lost torch. A tremendous, metallic clang tore through the air, effortlessly audible even to the fading fairy. “O-or perhaps we could...!” Skeletor’s normally cocky voice was noticeably panicked. Clownpiece instinctively turned to face the noise, just in time to watch as a vague blue figure stumbled back a step. “... Talk things thr-”

And the next thing she knew, the skull-faced man was all the way on the other side of the arena, collapsed atop his partner. Another metallic ringing disturbed the unusual silence that had fallen, and half of the Havoc Staff clattered to a stop right next to the Lampad. Link fell to a knee, shaking as he held himself up with the Master Sword, his ally’s awesome strength deserting him. Clownpiece blinked slowly. Everyone was slow to rise.

850 Words Exact
Clownpiece used 1 SP to maintain “Reality Break” and 2 SP to use “It’s Lunatic Time!” and buff Link to 13/5/2/4 for this post. 0/5 remaining.
Clowno remains permanently stealthed for another round and Link is back at 5/5/2/4 for the rest of the fight.
13 ATK Link Fucked Shit Up.

[Kuzuru]

With a groan Kuzuru shoved his companion aside and lifted himself onto hands and knees. A deep stabbing pain coursed through his ribcage with every little movement. Splinters of shattered bone tore apart his innards, lighting his torso up with horrifying sensations. In this moment of agony Kuzuru’s mortality came bubbling to the surface of his mind. Renji’s body was so frail, his bones were like matchsticks and his skin as thin as paper. Kuzuru shuddered as he began to hack violently. With each wheezing cough he spit up spackles of slick red blood. He tried to chuckle, but slipped into another coughing fit.

“I’m, I’m dying,” Kuzuru muttered and glanced over at Skeletor, “just when it was getting good, I’m dying.”

Using his staff as a brace Skeletor climbed to his feet.

“Die on your own time Blade-man,” the Overlord commanded, “right now your body belongs to Skeletor!”

“Jesus, buy me dinner first,” Kuzuru groaned and climbed atop two shaky legs.

Across from them stood the Hero of Time. Despite a mangled arm and numerous lacerations Link stood resolute. Emerald lightning flickered across the length of his sword and he began to march forward. Staying out of sight, and hopefully out of mind, Clownpiece pulled at every string she could find. As Link grew closer Skeletor thrust his staff forward. A beam of light carved a line across the battlefield and erupted into a curtain of flames. Link recoiled as the infernal wall sprang up before him. Clownpiece shouted something, but her words were buried beneath the fire’s roar.

Like a phoenix born from fire Kuzuru came crashing through the burning wall. Link stumbled back and managed to mount a meager defense, swatting away several of Kuzuru’s frenzied strikes. Licks of flame clung to the demon’s clothing, greedily chewing away at anything remotely flammable. There was no method or technique behind the demon’s assault. A butcher took more care with his cuts than Kuzuru did. Blade after blade pressured the hero’s defense, forcing him closer and closer to the arena’s edge. The demon’s assault was cut short as twin beams of red and blue slammed into his side. Link rolled sideways, putting several feet between them.

Kuzuru shot a glare at Skeletor and shouted, “Handle her, I can’t work my magic with Tinkerbell lighting my ass up!”

With that said the demon turned back to his quarry.

“Your name is Link right?” Kuzuru asked.

No response.
“Oh come on, you hit me harder than anyone in this universe has and you don’t even have the decency to have some mid-fight banter with me?”

Again Link said nothing. For an instant, almost imperceptibly, his eyes flicked towards something behind Kuzuru. A slight smirk slipped across the demon’s lips. Lightning raced up his spine and though it sent shockwaves of pain through his torso he whirled around. Streaks of blue barreled towards him. Kuzuru raised his blades and refracted the lasers off into the empty stands.

“Well, looks like even your girlfriend can--” Kuzuru’s words were cut short as Link drove his blade through the demon’s gut

Thick black blood gurgled forth from the wound, running down the length of Link’s sword in visceral globules. Kuzuru shivered as Link pushed deeper. The demon reached for the blade and gripped it as tight as his failing strength would allow. Link tugged at his weapon, trying to unsheath it from its fleshy scabbard, but Kuzuru’s grip refused to budge. A singular curved blade sprouted from his elbow and after taking a moment to steel himself he threw it behind him. Warm satisfaction washed across Kuzuru’s body as he connected with something solid. Blood that was most assuredly not his sprayed across his back and ran down the length of his weapon.

“Let go,” Kuzuru choked out through a mouthful of blood.

Link twisted the blade and in response Kuzuru threw another jab back at his opponent. They both howled in agony as their flesh gave way to steel. Kuzuru’s legs gave out and he fell to his knees, pulling the hero with him. Despite the very real risk of exsanguination he kept an iron grip on the boy’s sword. A third jab backwards caught the meaty part of Link’s leg, ripping open a large chunk of muscle.

Forcing words through his mouth, Kuzuru said, “I-I applaud your, fuck, commit-- commitment.”

The blade on his elbow retracted and he pulled his free arm forward. For a moment it was almost tranquil, and were it not for the distant explosions brought on by the two spellcasters everything would have been silent. A spike of black metal peeked out from the palm of Kuzuru’s free hand. He pressed this spike into his abdomen, right above Link’s blade.

“But-” Kuzuru groaned, “I can’t be- be- upstaged by a dude wearing a dress.”

As the words left his mouth the spike in his hand rocketed forward, tearing through his gut and out his back. Link’s eyes went wide as the demon’s spear threatened to lance them both.

Shooting Tier 2 Super Attack "Demon Spear" at Link through my own body 3/6 SP remaining

[Karl Jak]

Face to Face
#27 Link & #07 Clownpiece vs #22 Skeletor & #38 Kuzuru

The spike tore through Kuzuru’s own body with ease.

Link had nothing to offer, his own reflexes too sapped by the pace of the fight.  The Demon spear tore through his own gut with enough force to send him stumbling backwards.  A few moments later, both Kuzuru and Link were lying on the grace, their unconscious forms still spooning in a pool of their expanding blood.

In the arena, Skeletor grinned as he turned his attention back to the remaining combatant.  “Just you and me now,” he spoke with a sneer before a glancing blow crashed into the side of his skull.  Stumbling, his eyes went wide as he teetered toward the edge of the arena.  Before the finishing strike could fall, Skeletor caught himself.  He turned and smashed what remained of the Havoc Staff into the side of the hellish fairy’s skull.

With a thud, a heavily disoriented and mildly concussed Clownpiece landed in a heap outside the arena.

Injured as he was, Skeletor still managed to throw his head back and let loose a string of cackles as the teleportation device ushered him back to the facility.

[spoiler]

Skeletor (2.8) & Kuzuru (2.9) defeat Link (2.7) and Clownpiece (2.7)

Skeletor and Kuzuru advance to Round 2

Clownpiece and Link move to Match C of the Redemption Bracket and will face Shantotto and Pennywise

[/spoiler]