Brokentooth March

[Strazio Rockwell]

A chill charged through Strazio’s spine. Even as he was preparing to rip this creature asunder he felt a twinge of fear. This thing was so unnatural, and yet it was strangely human. Behind the inky spheres for eyes hid a subtle hint of humanity. A secret tucked behind those beady eyes and cracked teeth. Despite this creature’s potential humanity it stood before Strazio and his path to Darkshire, and that, among other things, was unacceptable. Large swathes of his flesh hissed with voltaic energy. His muscles trembled in anticipation of the coming battle.
　　
The many-armed man rushed forth, intent on ripping his magick-infused opponent apart. Strazio smirked at the monster’s eagerness to meet its own doom. A roiling coil of white magick began to swirl around the prime’s right arm. The monster’s many arms grabbed at the rain-soaked ground to pull its lumbering body forward faster. Rook watched from afar, unsure of how his newfound friend would fair against the tortured beast.
　　
“So eager to rush to your death?” Strazio growled, “come on then, I’ll incinerate you!”
　　
Punctuating his threat the Avatar released a vicious spear of destruction. The white beam tore through several meaty arms, leaving nothing but bloody stumps behind. Unabated his assailant pushed through the pain and blood loss. An open palm launched itself towards Strazio’s face. It slammed into his maw and lifted him into the air, without missing a beat the beast threw his new-found ragdoll across the dirt. Muck stained Strazio’s white cloak as he tumbled across the ground like a skipped stone. The Defender climbed back to his feet, his whole body felt sore from the ride.
　　
“So much fun!” the hollowed man declared, slapping his hands against the mud in excitement.
　　
“Oh, we’re about to have a lot of fun you freak.”

Another coil began to charge around the prime’s arm. The searing energy burned his skin, the simple price of his magic, a price that he was more than glad to pay for power. Another arm launched itself towards him, quicker than the first. Strazio tried to dive out of the way, but the blow managed to clip the side of his gut. The tremendous force bruised his organs and sent him tumbling once again. His attack fizzled and misfired, leaving him defenseless against the oncoming flurry of blows. Like a gatling gun of fists the blows rained upon the downed man hard and fast. Pillars of muddy water erupted from the ground, signifying missed strikes. Into the mud Strazio was driven as a carpenter would drive a nail into wood, every strike only served to bury him deeper into the filth.
　　
“Enough!” Strazio bellowed between blows.
　　
His flesh burned and peeled away, forming into hundreds of bright white butterflies. The burning bugs scattered into the air before surging forth past the striking arms. Each mote of energy chewed into the monster’s flesh, searing pock marks into its flesh. The scattered particles reformed into one fuming mage. Nothing short of complete annihilation would stop the rampaging psychopath known as Strazio. His boots found purchase in the rain-soaked earth and he sprinted towards his prey. A white flash mirroring lightning erupted from Strazio’s outstretched palm and crashed into his target. Unprotected flesh gave way to sundering energy revealing thick bundles of sinew and muscle beneath leathery skin. A baseball sized hole vomited blood from the twisted tree of bony arms fused into the monster’s back.
　　
“More!” the creature howled in apparent ecstasy, “more, please more!”
　　
Akin to a dying spider the freak’s arms curled in upon themselves and twitched violently. No longer interested in combat, it simply savored the exquisite pain that only death could bring. Strazio watched in frustration, there was nothing that he could do to harm this monster, pain only brought pleasure. He stepped towards the writhing bundle of limbs, latent magick danced between his muscle fibers ready to strike at a moment’s notice.
　　
“You pitiful monstrosity, mistaking suffering for satisfaction.”
　　
Jet black pinpricks eyes met the judgmental stare of the defender. The unyielding grin was still present upon the creature’s maw. The heights of pleasure to which this twisted man was being brought to was unfathomable. Another crash of magick bored a smoldering hole through the monster’s skull, relieving it from its “suffering.” The rain had turned into a torrential downpour with small nuggets of hail to assault the unwary. Strazio turned back to Rook and motioned for the scout to come closer.
　　
“Helluva show that’un there, real ‘pressive Defendah” Rook’s mangled words offered little comfort for the simmering Avatar.
　　
“Yeah,” he trailed off before turning back to Rook, “what was that thing?”
　　
“Not sure, but ah they’ve been comin’ ‘round recently, humans, ah not quite humans them, but somethin’ diff’rent - somethin’ changed.”