[Nippur] One Hell of a Randsom Note

[Ash]

Warning: Dark water's ahead, please read with caution. Subject matter may not be suitable for all audiences. If you are offended by even the mention of sexual assault, please do not participate.
[spoiler]I do not encourage or approve of rape in any shape, form, or to any gender. I have agreed not to include any graphic imagery about the subject upon joining, but I have used it to make my bad-guys more unlikable by implying the villains have done and will do it again. This is merely a warning for anyone who wishes not to be subjected to it at all. I have aptly tagged my thread as Mature because the subject is merely threatened on my own character but do not plan to initiate it as made obvious by the end of this post. [/spoiler]

The sun was bright and hot, and it pierced through all the layers of her exposed skin to warm every inch of her body. As someone who opted to stay inside most of her life, Ash typically didn’t see a lot of sun. Let alone a desert’s worth over the course of a year. Here she was already feeling the heat seep into her pores and expand them. She’d be sweating in a matter of moments, but she didn’t care so much about that as she cared about the sunburn risk she was taking. It would take about three minutes to create the protection lotion she would need to prevent this entirely, or she could just keep walking and hope for the best.

Because the SPF is too much effort, the morality mirrored humanoid headed into the rising waves of sand. As she did, she considered the benefits of perhaps re-summoning a source of transportation instead of walking excessively like it was recommended not to do so while she was healing from her new piercing. After only a couple more meters of the difficult terrain, she breaks down and begins to concentrate.

About a half a minute in her concentration she realized she was doing everything wrong and decided on a different mount. Of course, she thought about a horse, that was obvious. She wanted different. She struggled to remember what those even looked like, she didn’t even know how to ride them. Jaixe wasn’t here to teach her either. So she picked a creature she has seen many people ride.

Five minutes of excitement - which felt like nothing - later her mount sat in the sand already saddled and reined. It cooed as its golden feathered head cocked left and then right. Looking and sounding like a large chicken, the Chocobo remained in its nesting position as Ash slid into place on the saddle. She hissed at the soreness between her legs once more but settled just the same. She inserted her feet into the stirrups and whipped the reins. Gracefully the Chocobo lifted onto its black talons and stretched out its wings, flapping them before adjusting its feet to support the nearly non-existing weight.

Ash had no idea what she had been expecting, but this wasn’t it. The creature under her moved completely different from what she’d experienced with the horse. It was much lighter for one and waddled more than trotted. Regardless, a smile plastered over her face as the large avian mount carried her across the desert in style, its rooster like tail brushing against her naked back.

Naked was the best way to explain Ash’s current outfit. She had on a gold bikini bottom with purple silk hanging of each hip. Attached to the bottom in most questionable ways were sheer lilac pants that show off a lot of naked thigh before loosely covering the rest of her legs by belling out and then tucking into the beaded elastic bands just above her ankles. Her sandals were relatively normal and simple, thick straps of dyed leather held the thick hollow soles in place on her feet. Her top was mostly the same gold bikini style, though strapless. Instead of hanging off each side of her chest, however, the royal purple made up half of her bra-like top and went up to her shoulder. A gold ornament bead sat on her shoulder and divided the front and back of this sash. The back swooped right across her back and tied off at her hip, doing a poor job as covering her back and the tops of her well-rounded ass.

In her raven black hair was a gold scarf that cut just behind the bangs and tied at the base of the neck, a bright golden bow covering the jack-in port. She wore large gold hoops in the traditional ears and changed all her silver rings to gold. As well she wore gold armbands and bracelets that mimicked Egyptian culture to her limited knowledge. Gold rings with large jewels decorated her fingers, leaving her looking as rich as she could. Nevermind the possibly unique mount.

-

She rode the chocobo for hours in the, aptly named, endless dunes. The heat was already getting to her, she broke out in a sweat a long time ago, but refused still to summon water or burn prevention methods. She managed to dig out some sunglasses, the heat in the distance playing with the light had driven her to put them on to avoid being fooled by the desert’s tricks.

Eventually, she came across an honest to goodness oasis. She allowed the Chocobo to take her closer and even up to the water. She slid right off as the bird began to drink and lowered herself into the damp sand to scoop up water herself and swallow two hands full at a time. She’d never been so thirsty, or at least couldn’t remember last time she was, and never has she ever thought water tasted this good. The cold clear water splashed down her shirt and drenched some of the fabric, none of that was a concern at that moment.

Very quickly after that, she stopped, there was a moment where the world completely stopped around her and she realized someone was watching her. She waited them out a few more moments, sure that something was getting closer. In a flash of motion she twisted around and stood to her feet, already trying to re-summon her dagger but before she managed to someone grabbed her by the throat and began to choke her. Faster than that, they had their arm around her neck and began to squeeze without cutting off her air supply.

“Look at what we got here, boys?” A dark voice made her shiver.

“I’d say that looks like one of them frail and innocent princesses.” A slower and dumber voice sounded.

“She’s too pretty to be a slave…” A third voice spoke without Ash able to see them.

“She’s plenty firm and perky.” The first voice said, a large hand coming across her butt and around her body to grope her chest, the part that was only covered by the fabric.

“Maybe she is one of them sacrifices? The virgin-daughter types that sultans send to kings.” The third voice said quickly, Ash could feel another hand crawl over her body, squeezing her thick thigh roughly and forcing a small moan out of her.

“Oh. I think she liked that one!” The slower one said the obvious.

“You think she’s something special for King Gilgamesh to enjoy and him alone?” The first one asked, obviously ignoring the slower one.

“Be a shame if we spoiled his gifts…” The third voice was higher pitched but still very male. Didn’t quite hold the arousing ability as the first ones.

“Grab the bird, Wacin, if you are good will let you have a turn with her.” The first one said, directing the slower one. Ash watched as a male that wasn’t very far off from the image in her head bound over to her Chocobo and grab its reigns. It didn’t seem happy about being pulled from the source of water, but it obeyed for now.

“Flip a coin for who gets to have her first?” The higher pitched voice said.

“Sure Marce, sure. Heads I win, tails you lose. Sound good?”

Marce laughed a bit to himself before nodding, missing the trick in that sentence completely. “Alright, Jernai.” He said, “Sounds good.”

-

At the bandit camp, Jernai and Marce snuck through the guard post carrying their treasure. Jernai didn’t think it was a good idea to take her where the others were sleeping, she’d wake them up and they would all want a turn. Not all of them would fall for his coin trick. He instead suggested heading into a room almost no one uses anymore, it was a room full of books and maps.

Jernai tossed the woman onto the table with more force than intended, forcing some air out of her lungs as she cried out in slight pain. “Stuff something in ‘er mouth.” He said, moving into position and already starting to take off his pants.

“Wait.” Marce stopped him.

“What?” Jernai stage-whispered back, sharply.

“You said we could flip a coin.” He spoke softly, but his hurt was clear in his voice and face.

Jernai’s mouth gaped open, then shut back. “Yer right, sorry man. Ya got a coin?”

Marce patted down his pants as frantically as he could. “Nah... Do you?”

Jernai waited before his buddy had a hold of her before running his fingers along any hole or pouch he could have fit a coin in. “No.” He said defeatedly.

“Borrow mine.” A much deeper voice said, quietly. A gold coin appeared in Jernai’s vision and he brightened up immediately.

The ringleader of the trio snatches it out of the air and then presents it to his friend. “Remember now, heads I win. Tails you lose. Got it? Now did-” He stopped when he realized Marce wasn’t paying attention at all to him. He was looking to his side at something that was making him shy away from the table. Jernai looked back at the source of his coin and into the dark-bearded visage of his leader; Skull-Face. He jumped back with so much of a fright that the coin fell from his hand and between the girl’s legs as he backed way the fuck up.

The girl on the table remained where she’d been slammed against, her wrists framing her head and her legs spread far apart. He looked down at her with a stern and serious look but noted that she did not cower as easily as the men did around her.

“What’s the meaning of this?” He asked, reaching his hand between her soft thighs and picking up the coin with his thumb and forefingers. They called him Skull-Face because he was heavily scarred and burned, it already looked wicked but in the dim lights, it made a shape that looked like a skull from a jolly roger minus the crossbones.

“M-M-Meaning!?” Marce repeated, shaking in his boots.

“We weren’t meaning to do anything, s-sir,” Jernai responded as well, stuttering half as bad as Marce but just as fearful.

“Who is she then?” Skull-Face asked, pointing to the woman with one crooked hand as he stuffed the coin back into a pocket. “What were you plannin’ to do with her, what was the coin toss for?” He asked as if he didn’t know, he looked her over with both his eyes first, then closed one and looked her over with his good eye. She was a hot plate or something.

“Yes, sir. We found her at the waterhole.” Jernai explained.

“Jernai and me expect her to mean something to that stupid Gilgamesh. So we took her.” Marce told more.

“Is that so?” Skull-Face looked as joyous as ever.

“Yeah. See, I says. I think we should spoil any gift he gets if we can.” Marce continued.

“Oh?” Skull-Face turned his angry look over at Marce this time. Marce turns completely ghost silent. “So you bring her to the library where no one comes to do this?”

They both met his question with pure silence. He grabs the demoness roughly and throws her over his shoulder like a bag of flour, Jernai was smart enough to accept the fact that his plan was ruined and winced when he heard Marce ask what the leader: “What are you doing, Skull-Face?”

“If this woman does mean anything significant to our old pal Gilgamesh, it would be best to make demands for power or money instead of fucking her,” Skull-Face answered, glaring at the stupider of the two before leaving with his prize. “You’ll be held in my quarters until we have a better plan, lass.” He said, letting his hand glide up the back of her leg and giving her ass a good firm squeeze.

-

A few hours later there was about seven lizard drawn vehicles approached Nippur’s walls, only three closed in to be clearly seen. The biggest one was, of course, Skull-Face’s who rode on the top of a throne, several men already with armed weapons at his side and ready to throw away his life. As he approached he lifted up a device that would increase the volume of his speech, cone shaped so the sound would travel into a more concentrated area. He aimed it at the guards above as he stood and his property came dangerously close.

“ATTENTION TO THE SPINELESS GOLD PAINTED PRINCE OF NIPPUR. I HAVE YER WOMAN. I SUGGEST YOU BEND TO MY DEMANDS QUICKLY, THE MEN ARE RESTLESS. THEY ALL WANT A PIECE OF THIS ASS, ESPECIALLY IF SHE HAS BEEN PROMISED TO YOU.”

Skull-Face grinned as a bunch of men hollered and hooted their approval of the message.

“YOU HAVE ONE HOUR TO SURRENDER YOUR CROWN, OR ONE MAN WILL HAVE FIFTEEN MINUTES ALONE WITH HER, UNTIL YOU’VE MET OUR DEMANDS OR SHE IS BEYOND PHYSICAL AND MENTAL REPAIR. YOUR TIME STARTS NOW.”

Skull-Face fell into his seat of power grinning smugly. Jernai and Marce sheepishly standing at the wheel of the heaviest armored wagon. “See boys, that’s how you deal with that.” He snapped his fingers and a strong soldier takes the steps down below, returning shortly afterward with Ash. There was a yellow bump on the left side of her face, it swelled slightly. She’d been hit by Skull-Face a couple of times but he didn’t scare her with such primitive tactics. “But since you were the bases of this good idea, you boys can have a go with her after I am done.” He waved the man to send him her prize.

As demanded, he pushed Ash over to his leader. She had every bit of control as she stumbled over the two feet it was to the dark-skinned bandit leader. She twisted at the last minute so she landed right on his lap. Immediately his two strong arms collapse around her. Maybe he expected the Storm Demon to struggle more but she managed only a small push against him before he pulled her tightly against his muscular and almost bare chest.

Where a lot of the bandits had suits of makeshift armor, some of them even have matching pieces that made a full set, Skull-Face wore just leathers. If he had a weapon she didn’t see it either.

He trapped her against his body and took a long intake against her horned skull. “She smells as sweet as a desert rose... “ He mocked his men before turning his hands onto her chest.

The female prime let out a soft and short-lived moan, trying to seem as pathetic as they thought she was. She looked around for a foot hole, a reason to fight back. Spotting the megaphone device she gave him a more solid push before rolling out of his grip and ducking the other man’s capture. She snatched it up and quickly flipped the switch on before screaming out at the city. “I don’t ne- AH!!”

The device was snatched from her and Marce’s boot kicked her in the side of the head. She fell limp against the deck and laid there expecting the men to beat her thoroughly for her actions. When it never came she looked up at the wall first, a small crowd of people forming and trying to figure out what to do. Behind her, Marce was pulling away while the heavy footsteps of Skull-Face could he heard coming to a stop.

“I like a girl with some fight in ‘er.” He said with a dark sense of humor. “But you think you are clever, are you? I put that so close to you on purpose. Now they know you are here.” He said with a cryptic grin and a bit of a chuckle. “Take her down again. Let her think about how stupid she’s been.” He then put the device up to his lips. “One hour, Gilgamesh.” He announced, then tossing the megaphone off the platform so that it was lost to the sands. He began to laugh at her defiant look as she was dragged away. His laughter didn’t stop once she was gone, he was enjoying her pain far too much.

-

Below, she was tossed like a doll into the cage they’d salvaged from omni-knows-what. She threw herself at the door as it was locked and the brute of a man who’d locked her in coldly just turns and leaves.

A wicked grin splits Ash’s face, the idea that Skull-Face thinks he’s out planned her was laughable, but she shook the cage violently again for good measure and began to scream censored profanities at them. Now all she had to do was wait.

[Erik Vrell]

Erik stretched uneasily in the recording studio, still getting used to the chains bound around him. It wasn't easy to get comfortable when sudden movements sent brutal pins and needles through your body. The psychic opened his mouth to make idle conversation with Sand Hawk before the air was pierced by the sound of a megaphone-projected voice.

“King Gilgamesh doesn't have a wife.” Erik said, mystified. Realising that there must have been a mistake. The psychic was almost tempted to let someone else handle the situation and return to sleep, before the bandit’s threat seemed to turn his blood to ice. Erik didn't doubt that the bandit and his gang would do the unthinkable, and couldn't even stand the thought of it. A sour look crossed his face as he rose to his feet, omnillium orb in hand. 

“Are we going to go do something about that?!” Sand Hawk asked.

“Yeah. Don't just run in and do what you normally do, though, I have a plan.” Erik said grimly as he started to summon something. 


“No, I'm telling you, this sword premium shit. The guy who sold it to me told me the dwarves made it.” Toecutter said, motioning wildly to his unconvinced tribemate.

“It's clearly made from sheet metal. It's not even straight, for god’s sake.” Kneecap Nelson replied, shaking his head in disappointment. “You've got to learn to stop falling for blatant forgeries like that.”

“Morning, gentlemen.” Erik said in his typical monotone, sounding strangely alien to the manically emotive bandits. Toecutter shrieked in surprise as the psychic spoke, caught unaware. 

“I mean, aaaaaaargh!” Toecutter said nervously, apparently attempting to redo his scream.

“How long have you been there?” Nelson asked, clutching at his heart. 

“About five minutes.” Erik replied casually.

“Then how the hell did we not notice you?” Toecutter inquired, squinting in suspicion.

“No idea.” Erik said with a shrug. “I've come on behalf of Gilgamesh to deliver the crown to your boss.” As he said this, Erik raised a briefcase and opened it up, presenting what appeared to be a plastic crown, set with fake jewels and pearls.

“Daaaamn.” Toecutter said, reaching out to touch it before Erik slapped his hand away. “The boss is going to be reeeeeal happy today.” 

“What was I just telling you?” Nelson asked incredulously. “This is faker than your sword.”

“My sword is authentic tho-” 

“NO IT FUCKING ISN’T!” 

“What are you idiots doing down there?” A powerful voice called from above. The three men on the ground looked up, coming face to face with the bandit lord, having got up from his chair to see what the commotion was.

“This guy’s brought your crown!” Toecutter announced, motioning wildly towards Erik. “It's so shiny boss, and it's got so many jewels!”

“Huh, so Gilgamesh himself didn't show.” Skull-Face spat venomously. “Very well, I'll see the gilded coward when I take my city, anyway.” 

“Boss, this isn't the crown!” Nelson called, desperately trying to shut up Toecutter’s ramblings. 

“What?!” Skull-Face said. “You’re mad, coming here with a fake crown. Get ‘im, boys, we can always use another bargaining chip.”

Another two bandits dropped into the the sands below, an assortment weapons, including Toecutter’s sheet metal sword, poised as the psychic. Skull-Face turned to sit back down in his chair when he noticed something strange. Was that large pile of sand there when he got up? The bandit lord moved to check the pile, before it seemed to explode before him.

“You face Sand Hawk, master of the invincible technique; Sand Veil!” Sand Hawk announced as he burst from the pile, hurling a fistful of knives at Skull-Face.

“What!?” The bandit lord gasped as he raised his arms, defending himself from the flying blades. Although he managed to prevent any serious damage, Skull-Face found himself slipping off the edge of the platform and onto the sand below. Sand Hawk shot Erik a thumbs up as one of the bandits on the platform moved to engage him, the new New Babylonian making his way towards the holding cell.

“Don't kill them.” Skull-Face said slowly as he got to his feet. “Just make their capture as agonising as possible.” The bandits circling Erik began to advance, reassured by the fact that he made no effort to defend himself. Just as the first swing began to fall towards his, however, everything seemed to happen in an instant. Chains unraveled themselves from around Erik’s torso before emerging from the back of his shirt, extending out the wide sleeves of his cloak. The animated weapons bound themselves around each of Erik’s assailants, binding them like great metal serpents. The bandits let out choked cries as the steel constructed them, their leader held at bay by the remaining two chains.

“Boy, you have no idea what you're dealing with.” Skull-Face said as Erik released the bandit lord’s unconscious goons. 

“There's not much that you can do to phase me.” Erik said matter-of-factly.

“We’ll see. BOYS, RILE ‘EM UP!” Skull-Face called, before a chorus of low notes resounded from the assorted lizard carriages. The beasts didn't seem to enjoy the sounds, their eyes narrowing as they seemed to transform from peaceful transportation animals to feral monsters.

‘Perhaps it was a bad idea to do this alone.’ Erik thought as he moved to engage Skull-Face, praying he wouldn't be crushed or eaten alive.

[Ash]

The two of Skull-Face's pets around him were unhitched from the wagons, the bandits smart enough to not argue with the boss bandit secondary when he was ready and willing to punish them all the same and without mercy. The third one, however, had no one to unbind it so when they all converge on the lone fighter the throned wagon came with it. Trampling was on the table of ways Erik would perish as the two raced to get closer. There was so much muscle behind them that it shaked the sands loose around him. Without burdens on their backs they moved much quicker. It was hard to tell if two feet were used to dash, or if they were able to balance speed and their weight on the one. No matter, they left a small trail of fine sand in their wake.

One tried the boring method of jumping onto its prey. Erik wasn't the fastest, but he was able to predict it just the same. The young man of god waits til the last seconds to use his chains to attack the ground as he jumps. Dust exploded into the air, but by that time the lizard was already diving in for him. A much larger cloud of sand exploded into the hot air. This is broken through by Erik who managed to leap out at an angle and out of the way fast enough. He was in the process of falling back to the ground, preparing his body to roll out of his fall, when something slick and hot reaches around him much in the same way as the chains had a day ago.

The heat was much different than the baking sun above him, it burned away at his skin, scolding him fiercely. A fraction of a second later, he got a good look at what it was. The other lizard had stopped and lashed out with his tongue. Erik took this moment to think about his life and wonder if it was worth it before he was was pulled towards the beast at neck breaking speeds.

-

Meanwhile Sand Hawk was slammed fiercely against the walls of the lower levels of the wagon as the whole structure rocked dangerously to one side! Only to be forced aggressively to the other wall! He started to feel himself get sea sick as well as bruised on his sides! Sand Hawk took the necessary time to form a strategy of just walking the floor! He had no idea what was beyond the upper floors, and he could hear cries of surprise and groans of sickness!

A man that the endless dagger throwing hero couldn’t see even called out to jump ship, which was met with sounds of approving of this idea and vomiting! Eventually he came into the next room and looked from the open door as half a dozen men fought with rocking hammocks to free themselves and escape! He readied a speech that popped into his head instantly, only for the structure to tip yet another way and the boy crashed ribs first into the door frame! “Oof!”

“Wha-at was that!?” A bandit tried to hold on to what little honor and alignment he had to Skull-Face.

“Don’t matter. Fu-Uck!” A man threw up what was left in his stomach. At this point gravity shifted and it streaked across the air and chunks of whatever grub the man had prior to this trip landed in a brownish green chunky pile inches from Sand Hawk’s face!

Disgusted with it, he decided that maybe he should just focus on finding their fair maiden! “You think you have won this time but you have not for I am th-!!” Another shift, another direction, and Sand Hawk was spun first before his body rammed against another wall in the hall! Only for the wagon to ultimately tip over finally and crash onto its side!

There was a fraction of regret for getting distraction, then a moment later he listened to body after body crash into the walls behind him! The fifth one was enough to break even the strongest wood and Sand Hawk watched as a pile of men crashed through one hallway wall and land on the other! They groaned and moved, but eventually one noticed him!

“Hey!” The second or third one said according to how deep he was in the pile. “Who’s that!?”

The pile of bodies began to move for him, only for the sixth body to finally unload form his hammock and crash into the dog pile once more. Like the wall before, it gave into the forceful jab and came completely out from under the adult men. Sand Hawk heard them land a while later on another wall with a chorus of pained groans!

“Hey guys…” One muttered.

“Yea?” Two answered in unison.

“Everyone in favor of just laying here until it's all over?” The first painfully asked.

“Aye.” Six men answered all together.

Sand Hawk decided that counted as a six-man-combo on his end and was satisfied! With that out of his way, he ran along the wall that made up the floors now; Leaping over doorways with ease and heading to the bottom most floor!

With only a little difficulty due to the building now being on its side and normal directions being different than normal, the dagger hero managed to find the holding cell! All of them on their sides, and only one of them locked! Or at least all of the ones on the opposite side of his standing position were gates wide open all except one! He was also a master at puzzles, clearly! It probably didn’t hurt that the one that was imagined to be locked also had a single object in it!

That was probably the strangest thing about this mission! He adjusted his goggles to take a better look, but no matter what he did he couldn’t see anything other than the shiny crimson strange grappling hook dangling off the ‘ceiling’s’ bars! It’s rope dangled all of ten feet plus behind it and through the bars! Sand Hawk started to approach it, but then stopped and looked about! He found no traps, that he was aware of, but he did spot the ring of keys hanging off the nail embedded in the wall at random! The guy snatched the key off the nail and bound happily towards the rope!

The ring of the key was big enough to slip onto his arm like a bracelet, which Sand Hawk did, before grabbing the rope! Fingerless gloves allowed him, at first touch, to realize something was off about this! He brought it closer and ran his thumbs over it a bit forcefully a few times before he realized what material this silky soft stuff was! “Hair?!” He blurted out, then began to second guess himself! Sure enough though, it was!

At this point The Dagger Hero had to decide if he could stomach this. It wasn’t particularly grotesque! However, this hair was most definitely human! No horse can grow a mane this long and this soft! At least none in his limited knowledge of mares! He decided to that if he could come face to face with another man’s stomach contents, he could handle climbing up Rapunzel's dark-haired twin’s locks!

Sand Hawk leaped upon it and shimmied up the hair ungracefully but rapidly! He reached the bars in a matter of seconds and began to check each key, only moving back up the rope when he realized he was slipping each key he tried! Eventually he found it, but realized almost too late that he was on the wrong side of the door! It crashed open with the loudest metallic clatter possible and barely missed him as he swung to the right side at the last minute!

He let out a sigh of relief!

Once the boy was able to put his feet on the bars that made the new floor, he looked up at the hook! It was trapped between two bars for more solid position, but he couldn’t help but wonder why! Furthermore, why lock up a grappling hook and only a hook?! “This is most strange! I must tell Erik!”

“Who’s Erik?” A voice asked, it came from the opposite corner. It was also distinctly female. She had a deeper pitch but a very feminine sound. It was both soothing and yet curious.

Sand Hawk suddenly remember the whole point of this was to save a woman! He tried to hide the fact that he’d jumped at the new voice by playing it cool! His hand found the solid floor-wall and he put his weight onto one leg! “Erik and me are buddies! We go way back! We’re here to save you, lady!”

He heard her giggle. “Did Gilgamesh send you?”

“Nope!” Sand Hawk ran his hand over his head. “We came to save you all on our own!” He tried to sound smooth!

He looked like a dork. Ash knew how to deal with him though. “So you are my hero?” Her voice afflicted to someone fascinated and flattered.

“Yep!” Sand Hawk brushed his nails against his shirt, which just brushed sand off of it! Then he realized something else, “Hey, why can’t I see you?!” He asked as he put both feet on one bar, using the floor-wall to balance himself!”

“I uses magic to go invisible, so when the bandits came to get me they wouldn’t find me. Then I would slip out of the door and run away while they were looking for me.”

“Well how do you know I am not a bandit!?”

“I can tell. You are too sweet to hurt men.” Ash replied, but in her hand she held her own dagger. Actually it was poised perfect to cut him at a moment’s notice, before he’d ever know. “Right?” She let concern slip into her voice.

“Of course! My buddy Erik and me are hero types!”

“Thank goodness.” She said, acting relieved.

“So you don’t have to hide anymore!” He said happily!

“Oh… But I think I should. See. I’m afraid you won’t like what you see.” Ash lied.

“Nonsense!”

“Oh, but it’s true. I don’t look like normal girls.”

Sand Hawk didn’t understand a thing about that. “I’m sure you are gorgeous!” He said confidently, only adding his reasoning after a big grin. “Or else the bandits wouldn’t have thought you were worth of a bargaining chip!”

Ash was surprised by the blind flattery, but decided the boy was harmless enough. “I.. Don’t know.” She said, suppressing a smirk.

“Come now! I need to be able to see you so I can save you, and keep you safe!” He said, not wanting to hurt her feeling but also not wanting to stick around for too long! Erik needed help, too! He couldn’t do it without him!

“Okay..” She said, but slid her dagger into the pouch on her hip before dropping the invisibility.

Sand Hawk was expecting a girl with a little more weight to her than most traditional beauties! Maybe messy hair and make-up! Things that normal girls get all riled up about! Before him appeared a sight much like the grappling hook with hair as rope in a locked cell, bewildering and enthralling!

Ash’s bruised colored skin looked a little more grey in the dim lighting, her hair black as night and shimmered as if there were stars among the locks. Her figure had all the right curves, but slightly less exaggerated than most of the girls preyed on by bandits. She was dressed, but with as little coverage as possible. She had on pants, but the material was completely see-through, her crotch was covered, but the thong brought more attention to it with the gold colored sequences. Half her chest was covered in  the same large cold sequences. The right side covered in fabric that immediately was tossed over her shoulder and did little to cover any of the tattoo’s.

Sand Hawk gawked and stared primarily at her horns! If she was anything, it was honest! She did indeed not look normal! “Is that a tail?” He asked, pointing to the one floating up behind her.

She looked away, as if embarrassed. “Yes.”

“Neat!” Sand Hawk said, not sure what else to do! “We should go!” He said, then began to assess out to do that.

“Wait.” She said, approaching him, her sandals naturally going to the next bar as her balance was perfect. Her hero stopped and looked up confused. She approached him very gently, “As traditional, heroes get a kiss after rescuing a damsel.” She said, then brushed his cheek off and kissed him.

Sand Hawk turned bright red and decided to hide in his clothing afterward! “T-That was unnecessary!” He stuttered before struggling to grasp the rope once more. As soon as he grabbed it he slid down it fireman style!

Ash smirked, then followed. At the bottom, she used her entropy magic to help her retrieve Red Devil’s Claw. With it in hand she chased after the little guy, catching him muttering something but not what he was saying.

“O-Okay! Let’s get out, my Erik-is-in-trouble senses are tingling!” He asserted the lead and then carefully navigated them through the floors to freedom.

-

Outside, after the building had fallen, Skull-Face unhitched the creature himself and threw his body over onto its back, grabbing the straps and giving it a forceful kick as he aimed his beast and his weapon, a deadly looking lance, towards his opponent who was still fighting not to get eaten by the creature whose tongue still burled his flesh.

[Erik Vrell]

Everything was going horribly wrong. Erik had intended to get the bandit leader on the ground, then quickly put him down when he was there. What he hadn't anticipated was his lizard having a prehensile tongue, and he certainly didn't intend for the bandit to get back on his mount. Two of Erik’ chains wrapped around Skull-Face’s lance, simply preventing it from goring the psychic as he defended himself. The other four were being used to, unsuccessfully, attempt to loosen the tongue binding Erik. He tried everything he could think of, lashing the tongue, binding it, stabbing at it, but it was simply too thick, and covered in a layer of mucus which prevented the barbs from doing their work.

The psychic saw Sand Hawk emerge from the fallen carriage, the freed hostage with him. Erik had never been so glad to see the bandit, and a plan seemed to fall into place as he came out. 

“Sand Hawk!” Erik cried telepathically. “I need you to get ready to fight this guy.” 

“Huh, what?!” Sand Hawk thought back, evidently not expecting to hear Erik in his head.

“You’ll see.” The psychic said, before retracting his chains and allowing himself to be pulled into the lizard’s mouth.

“Erik!” Sand Hawk cried, but there was nothing he could do. The psychic was yanked into the beast’s mouth and swallowed down, moving into the dark depths of its throat. The lack of air immediately struck at Erik, but could do little once he reminded himself that as a prime, he couldn't suffocate. 

“Here goes nothing.” Erik thought to himself as he summoned a wisp of psi, illuminating the fleshy cavern in faint violet light, and drawing Mageslayer.

Outside the lizard, Skull-Face laughed heartily at the swallowed New Babylonian.

“Didn't stand a chance! Guess the King’s army is all talk, eh? Okay, who’s next?” The bandit lord boomed, swinging his frenzied mount around to Ash and Sand Hawk, the pair anxiously preparing themselves for the beast to charge them. Instead of rushing the pair, however, the lizard halted, twitched for a moment, before dropping to the ground.

“What the hell are you doing?” Skull-Face roared, nudging his mount before realising that the monster had been killed. “Wha?”

The bandit lord stared at his mount with shock as he felt a cold breeze brush his ankle. Realising that cold breezes don't just appear in the desert, Skull-Face looked down just in time to see a violent-tinted hand wrap itself around his leg. The bandit cried out in horror as another hand reached out, followed by an arm, followed by the amethystine silhouette of a head. Two orbs of light shone out of the blank face where the eyes would be, staring accusingly at the bandit.

“I have you now…” The emotionless voice of Erik droned in his head, seemingly accompanied by faint, unintelligible whispering. The priest’s phased form hauled itself out of the corpse, before materialising next to Skull-Face. 

“What are you?” The bandit lord said, somewhere between scared and furious.

“I am one of the faithful.” Erik said, levelling Mageslayer at Skull-Face. “And it is my duty to judge the unfaithful such as yourself.”

The bandit lord swung his lance at Erik, the psychic too close for the weapon to be of any real use. Mageslayer slammed into the lance again and again, the jousting weapon just managing to block the swing each time. Erik was gaining ground, however, and just as Skull-Face was able to block a swing towards his throat, the priest sent his booting slamming into the man’s stomach. The bandit stumbled backwards before plummeting off the back of his fallen mount, landing face up in the sands. Skull-Face scrambled to his feet as Erik jumped from the lizard corpse, Sand Hawk and Ash blocking the bandit’s escape. 

“In the name of King Gilgamesh, God on earth, I declare you guilty of high treason.” Erik said grimly. “The punishment; death.”

“I'm not done here.” Skull-Face growled, finding himself far enough away from the psychic to put his lance to use. “That gold loving snake will give me his crown, or watch every last prime in that bloody city get torn apart until I get it. Guess who’s first!”

[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

[Erik Vrell]

The sun beat down on mercilessly on Erik, but the psychic could only feel cold. The massive wound in his chest seemed to hurt more than being bound in Emperor Scorpion’s chains, his blood spilling freely on the sands. The pain wasn't the worst part, however, but the notion that the bandit lord had beaten him. 

“How did he slip through my guard.” Erik gasped silently, his mind starting to blur. Beneath the pain and the chill, rage bubbled up within the psychic. “No, I refuse.”

The psychic’s arm reached out, clawing at the sand to pull himself forward. He would take Skull-Face down, he couldn't allow himself to be dishonoured like this. Erik slid forward less than a foot, but it felt like he had pulled himself a mile. It was too hard, he couldn't do it. Not in this state. From the depths of his mind, dredged up by his stubborn anger, an idea formed. Erik wasn't sure if it would work in the Omniverse, but it was worth a shot. What did he have to lose?

“Uunn'gaelig, God of death, hear my prayer.” The psychic chanted, inching himself forward. “Blessed are the dead, but more so are those who cannot die. By Gal’skap, my Heavenly Father, I beg for you to place me among those holy few. Strike my name from the black pillar, and deliver me from mortality. Praised be the God of death!” As the last syllable left his lips, sickly green light enveloped Erik’s body, raising him to his feet. The priest landed with a gasp, all of his pain gone. Erik tested his limbs, flexing his muscles to make sure everything was functioning. Indeed, everything worked fine, even his gaping wound did nothing to slow him. On the contrary, Erik felt the best he had in years.

The psychic drew Mageslayer and approached the bandit lord. Skull-Face had been preoccupied with the woman Sand Hawk had freed while Erik resurrected himself. The psychic did a double take as he looked at the woman. He had expected her to be scantily clad, although he wasn't sure if that was done by the bandits or by her own volition. What he hadn't expected, however, was her bruise coloured skin, long tail and horns. 

“If I had realised that I was risking my life for a demon…” Erik muttered to himself as he rushed towards Skull-Face. The bandit was exerting himself to the fullest of his abilities just to avoid the storm demon’s flurry of blows, but couldn't help but notice Sand Hawk’s joyful, yet confused laughter. The bandit lord knocked the demon away for a moment, before turning to see what the reformed assassin was so pleased about. Skull-Face’s face turned an appropriate bone white when he saw the psychic moving towards him, the gaping hole in his chest still very much there. 

“What the fuck?” He cried as Mageslayer scythed towards him, barely blocking the blow in his surprise. “What the fuck?!” 

“I will not be put down by a lowly bandit such as yourself.” Erik said, a stab to Skull-Face’s stomach barely being turned aside. The priest nimbly hopped back and levelled a finger at the bandit lord as Ash moved back in. “In the name of the death God, feel yourself waste away.” 

Pale green light swept over the bandit as his toned muscles started to sag and atrophy, barely able to block Ash’s lightning fuelled advance.

“Come on, honey, tell me you have more stamina than that.” Ash teased as she dashed around Skull-Face, too fast for him to keep up with, let along weak enough defend against with his atrophied muscles. Despite his new survivability, Erik couldn't help but die a little inside at the demoness’ teasings.

“Is this really the time?” He though to himself as he slashed at the crippled bandit. It was like having a second Victor. A volley of daggers shot past Erik, staggering Skull-Face before Ash lunged for his weapon.

“Don't you just feel the electricity when I'm around?” Ash grinned as she charged the lightning in her body before unleashing it through the steel weapon, violently shocking the bandit. Skull-Face dropped weakly to his knees, coughing harshly. The smell of burned meat wafted off the man, not unexpected considering he had been electrocuted.

“Rise, and meet your death with honour.” Erik demanded, brandishing Mageslayer as if it were an executioner’s weapon. “Or stay down, and die like the coward you are.”

[Ash]

At some point, Skull-Face regretted this whole endeavour and if he wasn't sure the two that started this wasn't already dead he would like to kill them off himself. The weak woman he'd manhandled several times wasn't as mild or docile as she seemed to be, in fact, she was kicking his ass thoroughly enough. He was doing everything in his power to keep her away. He could see metal in her hand, but not the dimensions. He was far too busy dodging whatever deadly weapon she had in hand, which he was absolutely sure that she was just playing with him. Each jab felt powerful but not as fast as it could be by the way she was dancing around him.

On top of this, the little shit he'd tossed his daggers back at now laughed like a madman at something. Skull-Face wasn't prepared for the sight he received upon turning around. All the color escaped him as the dead came back to life. If the great Skull-Face could not feel confident in his ability to spear a man through with his lance, and the man stays down, then he had no hope to win. Of course, this realization may have come a little too late for the Boss Bandit. Daggers struck through his chest, then a second later the scantily dressed woman sent her electricity coursing through his entire body.

Smoke rose from his charred flesh as an after effect, his sweat amplifying the waves and waves of pain he'd experienced in seconds. His body had never felt heavier... He crashed to his knees, spreading some of the sand under him, his weapon dropping to the loose earth. His mind raced away like his body really wanted, but he remained kneeling before the primes that bested him. They had to be primes... No secondary has ever felt the wrath of his lance and walked away - much less dashed back into the fight.


Hundreds of bandits were trying to turn the chaos from the flying dead lizard back into something that resembled order. Wacin, the final of the trio that started all of this, bound ungracefully towards them, his eyes full of pure fear, his own color paled by the shit that he'd seen. "Guys!" His voice shrill and slowed.

As he approaches they roll their eyes. Wacin is a bit slow, as everyone quickly finds out. So when he came running around, concerned they all assumed it was because the even of the death lizard just caught up to his lower mind. "Yes, Wacin. We saw the lizard."

At this point, the lanky man looked around him and saw the carnage. Pure death and destruction. On top of a wagon, armored to fight against archers and their arrows rather than a gigantic fire-breathing lizard soring through the air. The wagon was in pieces, chunks strung out much like a lego towering being spiked against the hard floor. The Lizard was mostly intact, but the magma hot blood spilled out along the wood and caught it on fire. He could see shadows in the flames trying to survive the inescapable faith...

Wacin was struck suddenly by what had happened and shook violently as he pointed to the lizard. "The gods, guys. There is a giant fucking lizard on that wagon!"

The one he'd been talking to looked bored and pissed by this slow announcement of the obvious. He side glanced to a buddy who was helping him drag another unconscious body away from the fires. The other guy was the one that spoke up. "Wacin. What were you about to say before that?" Curious about what else was going on.

Wacin was still shaking, horrified by all the crazy shit that was all happening. It took the men to politely lay the unconscious bandit down near the collected few before the second guy could come over and grab Wacin. He shook him violently.

"Hey! Wacin! Snap out of it, dammit! What's going on with Skull-Face!?"

Wacin pushed away and fell into the sands on his ass, but then was immediately focused on what he'd seen happen to Skull-Face. His eyes went wider than ever. "Sk-Skull-Face! He... He killed a guy but the guy got back up! And that chick? She kicked Skull-Face's ass. She..." He stopped to point at the lizard. There was a red glare coming off of the hook piercing through the back of the lizard's neck. "She did that."

"Chick?" The first one asked, confused.

"Wait, you mean the bitch we were going to have fun with?" The second asked.

Wacin nodded dumbly.

"Bullshit."

"Bullshit, she could barely stand on her feet."

"Wacin, you better not be making shit up again!" The first one said, holding his hand out to slap the clearly impaired man.

"Wait!" He lifted his hand up to shield himself from the attack.

But the first bandit, the one that obviously had a problem with Wacin, looked up as a puff of smoke drifted into the air.

Wacin looked back and then pointed at it. "See, trouble."

A group of bandits took up arms and headed over the sandy hills to get a better grasp of what was happening.


Skull-Face's mind was back in the sands of Vasty Deep. On an island out there was a village he'd once called his home. He had a family once before... He had peace and love. He had a life worth living. A good life. Then he'd watched his peaceful village burn up in flames, his family turned to ashes, his life before this scattered to the winds. A woman with raven black hair and a sorrow-filled face haunted his mind as she screamed for him to stop, to stop him from...

Oh wait, this wasn't his life. Skull-Face was imagining a memory of a time when he'd been a pirate and was raping and pillaging upon high seas.

Because he was a badass, who earned this fate. And be damned if he was going to throw it away for the honor.

Skull-Face grabbed two of the daggers in his chest, ripped them out and began to attack again! The priest first, the traitor next, and finally he'd have his way with the woman! He raised his hands to attack the younger male, only for Sand Hawk to tackle him! The Dagger Hero put all his weight into! Poisoned and shocked, Skull-Face went down hard! The Boss Bandit twisted and turned, and began to stab violently at the boy wrapped around his waist!

This was cut short by Erik's metallic spiked tendrils wrapping around the lengths of his arms. "Let go, Sand Hawk!" He demanded, and his partner did so as Erik picked the stronger male up and tossed him over his head. Slamming Skull-Face into the sand, face down. He brought Mageslayer over his head next, and in a sudden and anti-climatic end, Skull-Face was no more. Two halves of his head fell apart to reveal a clean cut brain.

Ash watched, biting her lip a little. With Erik's display of precise brutality, she suddenly had a taste for a tall cold glass of him~! Her attention, however, was snatched easily by the group of men coming over the hill to watch their brave leader be taken down by a small rag-tag party. She twisted so that her floating hair whipped around to the other side of her head and gave them a delicate wave. "Oh, hello boys~! Did you come to collect your prize? Tsk, tsk. It hasn't even been two hours, yet." She brought her weapon up to her lip and licked the clean blade.

With speed unimaginable, the blade was shot towards the group. It landed square between the eyes of the highest rank of the group. He didn't even know he was struck. His brain still functioning for about five seconds before he lost his balance and eternal darkness embraced him...

Everyone who had been around him tensed up. They saw the blade hilt deep in his skull. Scared that that wasn't the only dagger she had, they backed up slowly before four grown men cried out and began to flee for their lives. Word spread quickly and when Ash went to retrieve her dagger she watched all the men that had been eager to fuck her an hour ago flee like children. A satisfied smile graced her full lips before she let the Dark Eco rest once more within her body. Her hair fell back around her shoulders while the dancing blue electricity sparkled out. The Storm Demon turned to face her improvised allies and she grinned before coming back to their side.

"Good job, guys." She said, then reverted to a more sweeter version of herself, trying to look modest as she tried to wrap her arms around her exposed body. "Now... Where can a girl get some clothes?"

Erik's attention was forced onto her before he looked away and considered what to do about that. "We can find you some clothes in Nippur, but first who are you?" He asked, straight to the point.

"Ash." She began, quickly cut off, however.

"Ash The Storm Demon!" Sand Hawk said proudly, standing up, tall and chest exposed! "Here M'lady!" He offered his own shirt. A scrap of dirty rags, but it was better than the half-burnt shredded clothing she wore.

Ash smiled brightly at him, and then after taking the shirt, she gently brushed his cheek off again and gave him another kiss. "Thank you."

Erik watched and gave Sand Hawk a colder than normal glare. "Thank you, Sand Hawk. But that doesn't answer my question." He turned to Ash when she'd managed the shirt. It covered her, barely. "Who are you, why did they think you were Gilgamesh's woman?"

Ash ignored the smell of the garment she was handed, though her nose wrinkled just the same. "I don't know why. I don't even know who this Gilgamesh is. They caught me while I was at this oasis in the desert and just started making all kinds of wrong assumptions." The offended look that this statement alone received put any look her mother gave Ash to shame. It was as if she just insulted his faith and his god at the same time but seperately as well.