02-21-2018, 06:40 AM
Crimson hell washed over the ascended berserker and his hyper-focused world went tumbling end over end. Heat, unbearable and implacable heat, consumed his body as Ea’s cry threatened to incinerate his corporeal form. What had seemed to be an eternity of vertigo and inferno came to a final end as Strazio crashed through a sandstone pillar. Strazio was left smoldering beneath a pile of rubble. Death would have been a welcome escape from the pain. Yet, perhaps because it was the only thing he was good at, the white-haired marauder still drew breath. A shotgun flash of white light erupted from his palm and blasted away a chunk of sandstone that had pinned him. He groaned. Why didn’t he bring Gamzee? At least the troll would’ve tried to eat some of the damage for him. His contemplation was short lived as a spear zipped past his head and staked itself into the sand.
“Still alive thief?” Gilgamesh taunted, more self-assured than before, “don’t worry, your king will fix that.”
A golden axe rocketed through the air and took a chunk out of Rockwell’s shoulder. Strazio swore and dove behind the fallen pillar as a fusillade of sharp objects whizzed by overhead. With his back pressed against the pillar he took a deep breath. Where the world had been awash with understanding and clarity he found that its edges had begun to fray. Of course his duel with Tearen had to turn into a clusterfuck, nothing was ever easy. And for that matter when the hell had it gotten so hot? Strazio found himself sweating despite the relatively meager exertion. He shook his head and wiped away the chattering thoughts, he couldn’t change the heat nor could he turn back time and reschedule the duel. No, he had to work with what he was given, as perturbing as that was. His resolve once again steeled he set to work cauterizing every open wound on his body. Another spear tore through his barrier, missing him by mere inches.
“Keep throwing things, see what happens, I dare you!” Strazio shouted, and in response Gilgamesh fired another series of treasures.
Strazio inhaled slowly and corralled energy into his forearm. Crackling white electricity danced across his flesh. Skin was torn away and atomized, turned into the sizzling magick that fueled his spells. It was a sharp pain, but it was the kind of pain that he could handle. It was on his terms and it was through this pain the the Avatar of Anger focused its undying rage. After a few seconds of channelling his arm was ripped raw and shimmering with a lethal energy. Strazio exhaled. There was an opening only a second or two long, but it was there. His emerald eyes dilated as he stood up and focused on the golden bastard. Gilgamesh opened his mouth to say something, but before he could even make a sound Strazio unleashed the stored energy. What sounded like a thunderclap barked across the battlefield as the breach beam tore through the air. The king’s eyes went wide as the beam drilled dead center into his chest and sent him tumbling onto his ass.
WIthout even waiting to see if his attack had actually connected Strazio broke into a dead sprint. Fatigue strapped itself to his back and he found himself winded quickly. Unnatural heat weighed upon him as if were a water-soaked vest. This wasn’t natural. He caught his breath and scanned the battlefield. Tearen was nowhere to be seen, and all that stood before him was a hook-handed stranger. Heat. Putting the puzzle pieces together Strazio’s mind threatened to overheat. Stopping meant death and the white-haired warrior knew that. His aching muscles screamed and still he did not break his stride. Momentum was needed. At least the bastard wasn’t even trying to avoid him. Strazio smirked, at least he wasn’t the dumb one for a change.
Rockwell’s scar-covered hand slammed into Crocodile’s gut. His opponent’s flesh gave away easily and Strazio buried his open hand several inches into his torso. A fleeting urge to taunt the soon-to-be-dead-man was brushed aside and he dumped magick into the onslaught. A burst of blinding white light tore through the man’s abdomen, blowing a fist size hole straight through his body and sending… sand? everywhere. Strazio’s eyes went wide and they frantically skipped across his target’s body. Without waiting for an explanation he delivered another punch to the man’s unprotected rib cage and once again found nothing but sand. Crocodile’s body shuddered as he chuckled heartily.
“What?” Strazio gasped, still struggling to comprehend.
In a flash of gold the stranger’s hook pierced the magi’s lower back and he screamed in agony. Clarity was gone, replaced by agony.
“Sorry, but that’s just not good enough,” Crocodile taunted.
“Still alive thief?” Gilgamesh taunted, more self-assured than before, “don’t worry, your king will fix that.”
A golden axe rocketed through the air and took a chunk out of Rockwell’s shoulder. Strazio swore and dove behind the fallen pillar as a fusillade of sharp objects whizzed by overhead. With his back pressed against the pillar he took a deep breath. Where the world had been awash with understanding and clarity he found that its edges had begun to fray. Of course his duel with Tearen had to turn into a clusterfuck, nothing was ever easy. And for that matter when the hell had it gotten so hot? Strazio found himself sweating despite the relatively meager exertion. He shook his head and wiped away the chattering thoughts, he couldn’t change the heat nor could he turn back time and reschedule the duel. No, he had to work with what he was given, as perturbing as that was. His resolve once again steeled he set to work cauterizing every open wound on his body. Another spear tore through his barrier, missing him by mere inches.
“Keep throwing things, see what happens, I dare you!” Strazio shouted, and in response Gilgamesh fired another series of treasures.
Strazio inhaled slowly and corralled energy into his forearm. Crackling white electricity danced across his flesh. Skin was torn away and atomized, turned into the sizzling magick that fueled his spells. It was a sharp pain, but it was the kind of pain that he could handle. It was on his terms and it was through this pain the the Avatar of Anger focused its undying rage. After a few seconds of channelling his arm was ripped raw and shimmering with a lethal energy. Strazio exhaled. There was an opening only a second or two long, but it was there. His emerald eyes dilated as he stood up and focused on the golden bastard. Gilgamesh opened his mouth to say something, but before he could even make a sound Strazio unleashed the stored energy. What sounded like a thunderclap barked across the battlefield as the breach beam tore through the air. The king’s eyes went wide as the beam drilled dead center into his chest and sent him tumbling onto his ass.
WIthout even waiting to see if his attack had actually connected Strazio broke into a dead sprint. Fatigue strapped itself to his back and he found himself winded quickly. Unnatural heat weighed upon him as if were a water-soaked vest. This wasn’t natural. He caught his breath and scanned the battlefield. Tearen was nowhere to be seen, and all that stood before him was a hook-handed stranger. Heat. Putting the puzzle pieces together Strazio’s mind threatened to overheat. Stopping meant death and the white-haired warrior knew that. His aching muscles screamed and still he did not break his stride. Momentum was needed. At least the bastard wasn’t even trying to avoid him. Strazio smirked, at least he wasn’t the dumb one for a change.
Rockwell’s scar-covered hand slammed into Crocodile’s gut. His opponent’s flesh gave away easily and Strazio buried his open hand several inches into his torso. A fleeting urge to taunt the soon-to-be-dead-man was brushed aside and he dumped magick into the onslaught. A burst of blinding white light tore through the man’s abdomen, blowing a fist size hole straight through his body and sending… sand? everywhere. Strazio’s eyes went wide and they frantically skipped across his target’s body. Without waiting for an explanation he delivered another punch to the man’s unprotected rib cage and once again found nothing but sand. Crocodile’s body shuddered as he chuckled heartily.
“What?” Strazio gasped, still struggling to comprehend.
In a flash of gold the stranger’s hook pierced the magi’s lower back and he screamed in agony. Clarity was gone, replaced by agony.
“Sorry, but that’s just not good enough,” Crocodile taunted.
Quote:Used charged Breach taking 1 point of self-inflicted damage