[Round 3 - C] Ash & Jak Mar vs Cerise & Gildarts

[Gildarts]

The green gush of soggy fog clung to the prime’s only organic ankle. Eyes pricked his skin, but he could not see from where. Disease mingled with the scent of putrid air, its pungency heightened by fear. His partner had gone to flank and been met with an obstacle, the crash mage’s keen ears had heard swatting noises before sound dissipated with the insulated fog closing in.

The sickly clouds left Gildarts relying on instinct to see. The succubus wore a cloak of opaque shadow as her soft cooing nibbled at his ears with a hollow, playful haunting. His stomach clenched, why was it was always the fierce, sexy ones he saw as a challenge?

“C’mon, please don’t make me hurt you, if you give it up easily, well… There’s a prize in store,” he could feel the wink in her voice. In fact, his attention sharpened and his angle shifted as power centered in his core, a frosting magic formed slicing the Darkshire overgrowth inches from Ash's toes. “Shit!” she flushed up like a spooked grouse, leaves instead of feathers caught in the air before drearily falling.

“Well, you got me cutie, I’m all yours now,” lush lips hung with a curve on her apple colored cheek.

Gildarts couldn’t quite push down the flattery from warming his face. “Come now, why don’t you go home and I’ll meet you there.”

Ash’s eyebrows rose with brief consideration while Gildarts seized her flicker, "Too slow sweetheart," she caught his arm across her chest and shackling his wrist with her fingers. “If you wanted to be closer you could have just asked.” Blue static grew around her nails, smearing crimson blood that quickly congealed with electric heat.

A wince carved itself across the crash-mage’s aged brow and a retaliation of magic blasted the succubus back, her silhouette hung imprinted on the fog as her body dragged into the ground, her skin tearing slowly open and filling with the stinging mixture of dirt and flesh.

The sudden impact threw Jak’s legs out from underneath him and Gildarts hastened his determined stride after the fallen angel. Cerise had been holding something large and sharp next to Jak’s throat and as luck had struck, instead of falling into this blade he’d been knocked out of harm’s way and into Ash’s arms. Hot cheeks and ground-checks flavored the tone of the battle, Cerise’s sword was a bit dingy, yet as Gildarts closed in it seemed to hum with enchantment. The assassin’s eyes flashed quizzically at it, yes, there was no doubting there was some sort of reaction to his magical aura, whether it was good or bad, she’d soon find out.

“Oh Gillypoo, I’m right where you want me,” Ash smirked as she didn’t bother getting back up, instead she whipped out a goliath sized hybrid sword and stood it tall and ready for her, etched in the silver teeth were flecks rust mingling with freshly aged blood.

Gildarts, with his adolescent-sized audience let his excitement fall and his determination rise. Sparks of black magic formed around his hands and an imminent sense of doom grasped Ash's gut. Fear widened in her eyes as claws of lightning struck forward, a phantom shield appeared at the last second, protecting her but leaving her new toy with a buzz-kill. The demon launched herself from the ground and Cerise took action, her blade was now vibrating with power and she couldn't wait to unleash it on her newest prey.

Meanwhile Jak unleashed a full assault on Gildarts, bullets sprouted across the air and the movement flashed faster than either could see, sparks of metal remnants bounced as they hit the dirt. Momentum stopped before they could bleed the flesh of their bulky target.

"I can tell those would've hurt," Gildarts spoke grimly.

Jak then saw that Cerise was occupied, eyes driven against Ash as she lay pinned. An overwhelming choice came over him, to save Ash, or defend himself against this massive brute? The threat was written in the elfish creature's eyes, Gildarts felt his breath catch mid-epiphany while he remained idle yet poised, movement on the balls of his feet.

The choice was made. A spray of bullets erupted into the air aimed at Cerise, most were driven back by a shockwave of magic tossed by the handsome mage, yet two hit Cerise's left shoulder and a splatter of rouge blood tickled Ash's face. Seizing the moment as Cerise funneled the pain into a locked chasm of her mind, the succubus sprang loose. In her rush, a slice from the blade licked Ash just below her ribs. Ebony blood poured out thicker than liquor and a painful shriek was overcome by a callous growl, followed by a launch of fists fueled by fury.