[Nippur] One Hell of a Randsom Note

[Ash]

The man was still very large and imposing, even back on the ground. His skin thickened and bronzed by the sun, his face and every inch of his body were covered in small scars or healed scars. In addition to being tough, rough, and intimidating, the bandit boss was quick. A lot more quick-witted than most people, this was arguably the reason he attacked first. Oh yes, the lizards, the random, all of it was clever. However, it came down to Skull-Face being smart enough to act first. From the ground, his large form lifted up to his feet and was already attacking Erik.

Correction, killing Erik.

The lance stabbed thought the left side of Erik's chest, spearing his body completely with the metal head up to the lance's jagged base. The psychic's determined face twisted into pure pain and surprise when this happened. He was in such shock he didn't even scream. Erik just stared into the spikes that were able to mirror him slightly in a warped kind of way. His whole being was silent for several seconds as he gaped at the weapon of death.

Skull-Face grinned hard in his delight of watching the smaller boy's victory drain from as did the blood that started to already pool down his back and flooded his pants, escaping and merging with the already red-toned sands. The tendrils of metal and spikes fell away, Erik was too weak to lift them, let alone comprehend that he was just defeated by a mere bandit. That bandit took this moment to rip the wicked simple weapon free of its fleshy sheath and watched as the force made the smaller man step back a few times and land against the corpse of the felled lizard. Skull-Face then turned to his next victims.

Sand Hawk was already pelting the man with daggers, several rusted blades penetrate his hide like skin! For what little it was worth! Sand Hawk felt tears burning his eyes!

"What's this now?" Skull-Face growled as he moved slow and easily. "You want to be next?" He said, readying his lance. Behind the ex-bandit, Skull-Face saw his prize. Her face was twisted with determination, despite the swollen cheek where he'd back-handed her for rejecting his offer to be sweet to her the night before. "Ah. And I'll be takin' my bitch back." He pointed with the cone-like tip. "And next, New Babalon."

"Over my dead body!" Sand Hawk declared, and tossed another blade at the boss bandit! This one struck the beareded man through the arm that held the weapon with some attempt to disarm him, and then he turned to push the girl towards the city! If they could breach the walls without too many uninvited guests, he could get help from someone! Honestly his plan was as half-baked as it ever has but this time his mind was swimming in panic! It broke his mind to think Erik as dead, and he refused to believe it! He refused!!

Sand Hawk managed to convince the demoness to run away by pulling her along until she couldn't refuse him any longer. He ran with all his might, but she didn't see the point of breaking a sweat as they ran towards the towering city among the sand castles.

In the short distance, the sand settled now. The lizard that had leaped for Erik now came closer, hissing and snapping its jaws, its clawed feet digging into the sand as its whole body whipped from side to side as it walked closer to the prey its been given permission to eat upon capture. It emerged from its daze and headed straight for the two, creating a cut off point for The Dagger Hero and his girl.

It was at this time that Sand Hawk was trying to form another clever plan, one he was well known for! Maybe if they managed to climb upon the beast they could use it as their own mount! Before he could relay his ideas to the damsel in distress, the lizard stopped about ten feet away from them and began to bloat out its neck like a frog. This forced Sand Hawk to stop, and in turn, stop her! He didn't like the looks of this at all.

The Storm Demon beside him was already preparing to fight along side him, hoping that these would be easier than anything she'd faced down in the Underverse. Her hook was on her arm in a short bit and she was preparing an attack. "It looks like its about to vomit." She dropped the helpless act now, deciding it was already too much of a hassel.

"The tongue!" Sand Hawk's mind instantly went to the thing that nearly killed his best friend! He didn't know how to phase through flesh, so he immediately thought it was best to get the hell out of the way! He turns to throw himself onto her when their old friend Skull-Face butted in! His own dagger struck him in the arm, and another into his side. Sand Hawk cried out in pain as he fell next to Ash rather than on her! He felt paralyzed but it was his mind not his body!

"That will teach you to throw weapons for your enemy to use against you." Skull-Face barked. Ash turned around an pointed the hook in his direction, but quickly noticed that he was leaning aginst the lance and not coming any further. Something else instead registered on her danger sense and she turned to face the lizard once more.

The simple beast of burden became less simple and much more deadly. Its mouth opened and hot flames unleashed in a spray from its mouth. The bloated throat which had swollen to three times its size now shrinked back with each passing moment the flames were sprayed beyond them. About fifteen feet worth of flames cascaded down on her and the fallen male. The nylon like fabric pants around her legs melt away and burn her skin even more. The flames ignight the strings that held up the metal pieces of her outfit, the fabric part of her outfit goes up in flames... She flashes back to the times when her torture turned to hot prods and force feeding her red hot coals. She'd moaned through it all, but it was seering white pain. Until she smelt the fire sinching her hair she hadn't acted, but very shortly after that she launched Red Devil's Claw right into the mouth of the beast.

It exploded through the back of the creature's head and severed the spinal cord which killed the beast, but that wasn't good enough for her. Ash's eyes turn blinding blue and energy rips through her once more. The Dark Eco and the natural magic in her blood merge once more and errupt beautifully through every cell in her body. Neon blue lightening courses through her nerves and over her body, attacking what little clothing she had on and snapping the flames out in a small crack of thunder.

With newfound strength Ash twisted around in the sand and pulled the beast along over her shoulder. Between her glowing horns she aimed for his army beyond, and watched as the carcus, bleeding a crimson tail as it flew across the sky like a scaly commet of death. The body crashes into two of the armed wagons, killing an undetermined amount of humans - all of which were male and waiting their turn with her eagerly. Then there was a domino effect, where the wagons and the pulling lizards toppled down one dune and into another single wagon. Screams of hundreds could be heard over the background before Ash took the attention back.

She stood there and eyed man who dared to slap her.

Skull-Face was stunned. Not by her beauty. Not by her bruatality - though mentally he gave her a fifteen out of ten for that display alone - but by how suddenly destructive she had become verses the docile and desperate creature she'd pretended to be. "Who... The Hell are you...?"

The woman took a step foward, pulling the dagger from its case, having lost her hook in the process of tossing out the trash. "Ash." She tossed the dagger by the tip of the blade. "The Storm Demon." She grinned. "And the bitch that's about to kill you."

T2 Transformation: Storm Demon (2/7SP Used)
ATK: +2 = 4
DEF: +0 = 1
SPD: +4 = 8
TEC: +4 = 11