[Round 2] Zedd & Violet vs Cerise & Gildarts

[Karl Jak]

“This is the same place.” Zedd grumbled as he looked around the arena.  Larger, sure… but it was the same damn platform.  The only difference was the stadium-style seating around them.

“It’s different,” Violet corrected him.  “Architecture is also a different style,” she remarked as she pointed with her knife toward a building that housed the backstage area.

Zedd glared over at his companion and was ready to point out the obvious when he saw the little piece of jewelry dangling from her ear.  “You went and bought ear decoration?”  He scoffed as Violet reached up to touch the little gold orb.  “Idiot.”  He muttered as she gestured at the side of his head.  

“You have one mounted on the side of your stupid metal head,” she growled as Zedd reached up and poked the tiny gold orb.  “Why do these things look…”

In a flash of light, Zedd and Violet were pulled together and ceased to exist.

A moment later, what stood in their place was neither one of them but terrifying combination of them both.

Across the platform, an equally unnerving fusion of Cerise and Gildarts stood waiting for the gong to sound.

Instead, Karl’s voice flooded the arena.  “Based this off some fun tech from Coruscant.  Mine’s better, obviously.  Enjoy!”

Word Limit: 850
Posts: 2
Time Limit: 48 hours
Random Elements: On
Damage Meter: Off

Time limit starts at 5 pm CDT on June 25, 2018

“Potara’d” – The Fight Area is a larger version of the stage used in the previous, Dante’s Abyss: Budokai area. A picture is included. Unlike that smaller version, this fight concludes with knockout only, and players may rampage around the entire structure if they please.

Stipulation: Both fighters are fused for the duration of the fight, “DBZ-style”. Details on that will be PM’d.

Image: https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/ulti...0513033806

[Lord Zedd]

Eons of memories flooded the mind of the new warrior. Times of war, salvation, horror, and hope across not only the Omniverse, but two different realms before it flashed before the fighter’s eye. Countless unspeakable atrocities, both committed and survived, shaped the being in an instant. The rush of information might have broken a simpler creature, but it was easy enough to set it all aside in lieu of the simple, present goal. Kill the one that dared stand before her.

Zevi stood silently proud as she adjusted to her new body. The fusion of the two warriors had taken a slimmer frame and a shorter stature. While inheriting Zedd’s mutilated flesh, she had gained more metal to clothe the flayed epidermis. Purple energy threaded through her red muscle layer, pulsing in intensity. Instead of Zedd’s exposed cranium, there were metallic dreadlocks that mimicked hair in appearance only, and like the rest of the steel that decorated the fused warrior they had a lavender glow when the light hit them properly. The final detail was the steel mask reminiscent of Zedd’s, but taking a loose resemblance to Violet’s face, instead, completed by glowing purple eyes.

While processing the immense new power she contained, Zevi was caught off guard when Ceridarts bolted forward with lightning speed. Of course. This other fusion would be just at potent through Karl Jak’s meddling, but also the the well known warrior that composed half of it. Zevi swung the unmolested Z-Staff as fast as she could, but her opponent had closed in too quickly. Metal clanged against metal when Ceridarts’ artificial arm met Zevi’s veil, pushing the new warrior backwards. She kept her balance, and wildly swung the staff to prevent a second assault.

“I know you’re in there, Gildarts,” Zevi taunted as she regained her composure. “Defeating someone like you is just what we need to make the Omniverse understand our power.”

Ceridarts paused for a moment, as if in contemplation of that threat, before spitting a strange acid at her foe. Zevi stood in shock, not trying to deflect or wipe the substance off. Zedd’s indignation from his days on Coruscant and Violet’s memories of degradation in the Underverse merged into a singular blinding outrage at such an assault.

“How dare you, you one eyed abomination!” Zevi stepped forward, but quickly discovered the next step in the acid’s process was debilitating pain.

She collapsed to a knee, and Ceridarts seized the opening. The warrior closed in, ripping the staff from Zevi’s hands and hurling it aside. Zevi powered through all the pain of the acid and stood up with a mighty head-butt, leaving her opponent reeling this time. No mercy would be shown for this injustice, so Zevi did not relent. She planted her feet briefly together and somersaulted into the air. With her knees bent she slammed her thighs against the side of the rival fusion’s skull, perching her shins on its shoulders with perfect grace. In the same movement as her landing, she grabbed Ceridarts’ long hair with her left hand and pulled down, forcing the warrior to look up at her.

Zevi’s free hand had materialized a ki blast in the process, which she harshly slammed into her foe’s face. A muffled scream came from the explosion, but there would be no mercy. Zevi was quick to charge and detonate another attack, causing her perch to stumble for balance by then. Blast after blast left her hand as she continued to force her opponent to stare straight into the attack. Sadistic laughter escaped the steel mask as she could hear more and more desperation in the fusion’s breathing. Zevi could see her opponents arms frantically trying to grab at her attacking hand, which she merely pushed aside with her elbows as she continued the the assault.

Ceridarts refused to collapse, knowing it would be over if Zevi were allowed to bring the fight to the ground. A moment of clarity washed over the lower fusion, and suddenly Zevi felt the two hands grab her hips. Ceridarts let out a furious roar it through Zevi from their shoulders, and the demonic fusion slammed onto the stone arena as the last Ki blast sailed harmlessly into the sky.

Zevi rose to her feet with another gleeful cackle, cupping her hands to her side. Blue and red energy swirled into her hands as Ceridarts finished rubbing their face, managing to fight through enough of the pain. It was all the time Zevi needed to unleash a Kamehameha wave at the wounded fighter, but Ceridarts was prepared. Stepping forward defiantly, the fusion swung their metal arm into Zevi’s attack, punching it so hard the attack redirected into the distance. Zevi remained unphased, though she silently hoped that it might land in another of Karl Jak’s arenas.

Daring not to linger on Ceridarts’ display of strength, Zevi took the time to reclaim her staff. It wasn’t a moment too soon, as Ceridarts didn’t rest. The fusion rushed forward, and Zevi moved to meet them. She would make an example of this foe yet.

850 on the dot, per Scrivener

[Albert Wesker]

The fusion had been...unexpected, to put it mildly. Disorienting and confusing, with two such different minds forced into one. Mismatched experiences and outlooks slammed and merged together, a chaotic mess inside the head of the resulting fighter. Unsteady, barely-held together awareness fought against an unbridled, vicious desperation. The power that resulted from such a fusion as this was one thing, but the clashing thoughts and minds was another altogether. The part that was Cerise, in particular, didn't like it.

It had lead to the initial onslaught, rushing straight into the fray. The initial clash had been even, as she tried desperately adjust to the new power of this fused state. Unsure of how much force there was to bring to bear. A quick offensive, backed into a desperate scramble for defense.

After battering aside the beam of energy from the fused Zevi, Ceridarts took a moment to heave a few deep, ragged breaths. A flesh and blood arm reached up to grasp the ruined eyepatch, ripping it free. This isn't working... The thought circled in the fused fighter's head, as the groan of metal came from a clenched prosthetic fist. Brute force...won't be enough.

Even with that thought in mind, it did nothing to stop the lightning-fast rush as they surged back into the fray. Metal against metal sounded with an echoing crash, as fist met staff again. Sparks flew and steel screeched in protest as forearm grated against grip, and the two fighters skirted past each other. Each one whirled around, spinning on a heel and immediately countered in their own way.

A blast of ki formed in Zevi's free hand, hurled forward to score a glancing impact on the shoulder of Ceridarts, even as she twisted out of the way, opposite arm rising up with gun in hand. One-two-three quick shots; ground, leg, staff. Plumes of dust and steam and sparks as the energy bullets hit with a sizzling crack of their explosive impact.

Both fighters hopped back two quick steps, though Zevi was the quicker draw, already with an attack prepared. "Is that all you've got, fool?" Lightning crackled and flashed, released from the head of the staff in hand.

"No. Not all." In a blur, Ceridarts was gone. A flash of dark cloak and then she was several steps aside, the volt of energy sizzling into the distance wide of its mark. Easy. Easy to predict. Stay alert. The mental voice advised and reminded. Small moment of clarity, in the ongoing aggressive brawl for control.

A deep, ragged breath sucked in through grating teeth, and the fused warrior launched forward at Zevi again. "This incessant assault of yours grows tiresome!" she snarled, and lurched forward with surprising speed of her own. It was fist that met fist this time, with a reverberating crunch, the ground underfoot trembling from the sheer impact. Rebounding from the clash, Ceridarts all but threw away the gun in her opposite hand as she stepped in for a follow up, metallic fist scoring a glancing blow on her fused adversary's head. Sparks flew, and the metallic dreadlocks flared wildly in all directions.

Staggering back, Zevi was only off guard for a split second. The return to violence was met with the swing of a dagger, produced from out of nowhere with an alarming swiftness. It was only the careful analysis and prediction that Ceridarts managed to twist aside and avoid what might have been a complete disembowelment. The knife scored, tracing a long bloody line across a bandaged torso.

Drunkenly stumbling, the fusion brought a hand up to clutch at the wound, breathing unevenly through clenched teeth. Stress, more than the actual injuries, was taking its toll. "This...this isn't working..." she hissed aloud.

"It is working admirably, if your aim is defeat!" Zevi sneered. "By all means, please continue."

Ceridarts just glared at her fused opposition, teeth bared and grinding against each other. Think. Calm down. A rational thought pleaded in her mind. Don't just keep rushing in. Work with this power, not against it. She dropped to one knee, heaving a long, shaking breath as Zevi advanced toward her.

Work to your strengths. Anger and aggression just cloud you from that.

Both hands curled into fists, as she stared up at the steely visage of her opponent.

Don't just go crashing and rampaging into this. Don't treat it like just a fight you're trying to finish as fast as possible.

Ceridarts groaned, moving to force herself slowly up as Zevi quickened her pace, surging back into melee range. A quick leap carried her directly into range, a hammer blow coming down from above.

Fight as thought you intend to win.

With a noise like thunder, the fused fighter swung the mechanical prosthetic up to meet the incoming strike. Sparks flared and danced wildly, as the impact screeched and flew wide.

Fight as though you intend to kill!

Flesh and blood arm tensed, fist clenching tightly. "Fuck..." And swung upward, like a bolt of lightning, hitting Zevi squarely in the chin. Flesh split, and metal groaned, echoing the crunch of impact. "...OFF!"

850 words on the dot, according to wordcounter.net

Finishing blow at the end was a Parry leading into Crushing Punch, for clarity's sake.

[Violet]

Yeah, that one hurt. Violet – no, Zevi as they now referred to themselves, groaned as their body skittered across the platform, metal scraping and hissing along the solid cement and whatever else it was. It was too durable to be just simply that, but like this new body she found herself in, definitely more.
 
As the world around her came back into focus, she became all the more aware of how intimately entwined she and this flesh and metal man had become. It felt a lot like her and Nathaniel, minus the hanky panky bits (thankfully), and made them a single entity, two vastly different minds crammed into the same skull. It reminded her of some kind of twisted clown car: Zedd was a sociopathic warrior with a god complex… and she the same, come to think about it. In the end, they each had similar goals, which made them work so well together, although neither could bring themselves to admit that they were, in fact, equals.
 
This new body was a fine combination of both, less bulky than his form, and stronger, more durable than hers. She liked the metal plates that adorned her body, although the whole exposed muscle thing was a bit gross. At the very least, she was thankful that her skull was intact; in place of his obscenely exposed brain, long, thin strands of metallic hair hung loose and glittering in the afternoon sun. As she rolled over and climbed back to her feet, the sound of rain filled her ears, and the world rushed into focus once more.
 
She’d almost forgotten about Ceridarts amidst her intense self-contemplation, although they didn’t forget her. A fist across the face swiftly reminded Zevi that there was still a fight to be had, and a body to collect at the end. She would be damned if she would be that body being dragged off in defeat, and directed their gaze towards this fearless opponent.
 
 “I’ve got to hand it to you, kid. You’ve got some balls.” She smirked, eyes dropping to her opponent’s groin.  “Or do you?” Zevi’s foot shot out and struck just to the side of Ceridart’s far too prone junk. Their hands instinctively flew out to protect the area just a fraction too late, and crumpled to the arena floor, howling in pain. “If you were any other opponent, and this were any other place, I could just take you out by pulling that lovely head of yours from your shoulders. Perhaps I could stand on it, like a trophy, and pose for these throngs of adoring fans. All we are is their entertainment, after all.”
 
Ceridarts gaze lifted to Zevi’s plated face. Their eyes burned with malice, wanting this victory just as much. “What makes you think you’re going to win this fight?” they spat. “If we’re measuring who has the bigger set, I hate to break it to you, but I fear you may come up a little short.”
 
“Wrong answer,” Zevi’s knee connected with the other’s jaw, sending their body flailing across the arena. Ceridarts scrambled for control, their hands digging into the arena floor, leaving deep furrows as they struggled for purchase. Finally, their body halted, then sprang forward, quickly meeting their foe in the middle of the arena in a resounding woosh as the very force of their assault clashed together.
 
Although Ceridarts was quick, Zevi had patience in spades. They met fist for fist, knee for knee as the battle raged on. A storm of limbs, energy and just sheer fury encompassed them. Zevi fed from this rage, drinking it down in long, satisfying gulps. Their laughter, a terrifying mix of both Zedd and Violet, echoed around them. “You’re almost good enough,” Zevi’s uppercut landed square into Ceridart’s chest, swaying them. “Almost.”
 
 They quickly recovered, delivering their own crippling blow to Zevi’s midsection, rattling metal and bone with sickening precision.
 
The pair broke away from one another, panting with exhaustion and holding themselves as pain coursed throughout their tired forms. “Good enough compared to what? You?” Ceridarts spat to the side in contempt. “I’m not just good, monster. I’m better.”
 
“Wishful thinking,” Zevi hissed, their azure eyes burning. Black, smoky tendrils curled from the warrior’s feet, unnoticed. “Curious, though.”
 
“About?”
 
A deep, gravely moan bubbled up from their stomach, eyes washing to the color of freshly drawn blood. Coils of smoky ki lashed out, wrapping themselves around Ceridart’s legs and moving upward, upward toward their chest. Zevi flexed, and the coils constricted. “I was hoping this would work,” Zevi sent a shock through the tendrils, electricity dancing like fireflies down the black strands and into its prey. “Yes, cry for me, worm!”
 
The tendrils tightened again, and Ceri did, indeed, cry for her. It was a wondrous sound, Zevi thought, and they lapped it up like the precious milk it was. As the sooty tendrils faded and Ceridarts recovered, Zevi felt even more adamant than ever. They would win this fight, and every fight. They would show these plebeians, they would show them all!

Word says its 845 words. 
Zevi used Pain and it was awesome. She'll be a little slow for a few minutes while she recovers the energy lost after using it.

[Gildarts]

The struggle to contain this destructive power while fused was slowly making the earth below crumble. The two molded together made for a keen warrior able to snuff out every move that Zevi thrusted forth. The snake-mage’s spiked eyes shifted toward the churning clouds of potential movements and honed in on their opponent’s weakness.

The voice of Ceridarts sounded thunderous with devotion, “You will not win.” A fusillade of magic from the mixture of mage and assassin shattered air while Zevi felt the slow burn of thick blood dripping from their wounds. Both abominations continued forward as their auras clashed, Zevi snarled with passion yet their knees shook with trepidation, minds retaliating over a simple flood of chemical terror lining their bloodstream, “There’s no way you can defeat our might.”

Spewing from Zevi was a fiery miasma that scalded Ceridarts’ face with an abrasive heat, as half of their face became crumpled skin scarred pink, their fused bodies sent a vibrant whip forth. Cutting through Zevi’s armor with power followed by a shockwave of crash magic. Their attacks had meshed together, both Cerise and Gildarts was more powerful than ever before. Tremors shook the arena below as the rocks clattered, splitting the stone with a spiderweb of cracks. The ebb and flow of Ceridarts’ consciousness swayed with the earthquake of magic, saliva frothed and burned in their mouth until with a toss of the lip Zevi’s left eye was covered in a venomous sear leaving their optic draining of color and sight, this would be a hindrance for the vicious enemy yet they were still blind to the reality that Ceridarts was growing to become everything they weren’t. Enhanced by something akin to wit, the snake-mage calculated everything, crash magic loosened Zevi’s bones as another hit collided. Obsidian armor absorbed the first slap of the hit but if they were to look down, they would see their heels digging in and that they were losing ground.

Magic zapped around Ceridarts conductible steel and cackled as it scattered throughout their flesh, blood and bone boiled with Zevi’s crippling power. Seeing the pain domino through Ceridarts, Zevi struck again, this time channelling an enchantment in the form of a ball of glowing pale fire. The bombardment upon Ceridarts commenced once more until they flicked their wrists to force a shield that caused the pearlized orbs to fizz into nothingness.

Thirsting eyes narrowed, wary grunts continued, blood mingling with the sting of sweat dropped, the agony of standing on their feet as their wounds weigh heavy was a catalyst for Ceridarts to move forward. The mage duo used their close-quarters to attack the blind side of Zevi’s cheek and power shattered the armor and caused the grounded warrior to lose another step. Soon their fiendish enemy would be lying defeated at their feet and the assassin-mage’s eyes tried to pinpoint how to get them there. Cold and analytical would be the way to their armored opponent’s demise.

Sharp teeth emerged from their lips as the fused mage smiled and pulsing static grappled with their sole silver arm, their opponent saw the charge of power and began their own of the same electric medium. Lightning swirled erupting from both opponents and clashed with a hiss as the energy collided. Black sparks battled silver and each evaporated into air.

Zevi used this distraction to make a lunge forward but their opponents were ready, catching the staff Ceridarts grappled their foe past so they’d lose their rushed footing and slammed a devastating punch into their armored opponent’s spine.

[Lord Zedd]

Something snapped in Zevi.

At first she thought it was her spine, after a horrific punch from her foe sent her toppling to the stone pavement. No, it wasn’t something so simple or mundane. Finally, the two halves that made up the fused fighter tasted a glimpse of the raw power which had been stripped away from them upon their arrival in the Omniverse. Just as soon as they had experienced a glimmer of their true potential, though, they had been pitted against a foe that matched, or possibly exceeded, their new limits. As Zevi rose to her knees she felt an uncontrollable anger washing over her. This wasn’t right.

A cry of anguish escaped from behind her steel veil while she stood and swung her staff at Ceridarts. The warrior mage parried the attack, and stepped in to deliver another powerful sucker punch to the mutilated demoness. Zevi struggled to stay on her feet as the blow sent her stumbling away. Pure hatred washed through her bones as she faced her opponent.

“Do you know who I am?” Zevi snarled as she pounded her staff against the ground. “I conquered countless worlds before this one. I crawled from the Underverse, and I pacified the underbelly of Coruscant!”

Ceridarts remained vigilant and unimpressed. Deep inside of Zevi the inflamed psyche of Lord Zedd threatened to take over the shared body completely. On the other end of the warrior’s subconsious, Violet wasn’t sure if Zedd was taking credit for her achievements, or if she had slipped into the tantrum fueled by his outrage.

“You only stand before me because of Omni’s meddling, but that is not enough to keep me from claiming what is mine!” Zevi roared.

Ceridarts let a smirk cross her face. “You talk too much.”

Encouraged by her own pep talk but succumbing to the day's frustrations, Zevi’s staff was raised in an instant. A bolt of lightning tore from the weapon’s head as loudly and suddenly as Zevi’s own war cry. The bolt stuck her enemy in the chest, and the fused monstrosity dared be the one to close the gap between them this time. She arrived to land a devastating elbow in Ceridarts’ face, and tried to follow it up with punch from her other arm, but the rival fighter was quick to recover. Ceridarts caught Zevi’s fist while stepping backwards, only to be thrown off balance as their foot teetered on the edge of the stone platform. Zevi couldn’t pull her limb free from the metallic grasp it was trapped in, and they both were sent toppling to the grass below.

Ceridarts paused, pondering if elimination was still a factor. Zevi did not debate such a thing, nor did she care. With a head start of precious seconds, she sprung to her feet and grabbed her opponent by the back. She swung the opposing fusion into the side of the arena platform, bashing them face first into the solid structure. She then turned and stepped towards the empty stands as he hurled her opponent upwards. The snake mage hit the stairs and rolled back down them, disappearing behind the wall that separated the hypothetical crowd from the combatants.

Satisfied, Zevi gleefully cackled as she walked towards the stands. For once she missed the screaming civilians that would have been fleeing the area upon being included in the fight in such an up close manner. She would have to make due with knowing the home audience was likely glad to not be physically present. Her distracted thoughts left her off guard when Ceridarts suddenly leaped back over the short wall and hit her in the face with a powerful kick. Instead of joining her back down in the grass, Ceridarts bounced off her face and onto the stairs.

Never one to let an assault go unanswered, Zevi leaped into the stands as well. She rushed up the staircase, where Ceridarts lurked in anticipation of the next bout. Ceridarts swung that accursed metallic arm down, but Zevi jabbed her staff forward to catch the limb in the confines of the large ‘Z’ on the weapon. She pulled the less grotesque fusion forward, and used her other hand to grab its hair once again. Zevi then slammed her enemy’s face into the staircase’s railings as hard as she could, feeling satisfied with the loud clang.

Ceridarts countered fast, though, and swung a kick into Zevi’s back. The impact sent Zevi into the waist-level railing, too, and she flipped over it while dropping her staff. Zevi ignored her primary weapon, instead snatching her dagger from her belt as she fell. The impact with the stairs winded her briefly, but she quickly slashed at Ceridart’s shin with the blade. She heard the yelp of pain, and watched them leap down the staircase to get some distance from the bladed assault.

Slowly, Zevi rose. Her metallic hair clinked in the light wind, and she held the dagger ready. She could not and would not rest in this brawl. Without hesitation she jumped down the staircase, and back into battle.

849 words per Scrivener

[Albert Wesker]

What is this thing...made of?

Staring up at her adversary, advancing down the stairs with as much steam as ever, Ceridarts briefly felt a pang of helplessness take root. All this brutality, damage that had been done to both fighters and the surrounding arena, the sorry state that she was in herself...and Zevi marched on seemingly unheeded. It was chilling.

Maybe it was just the sheer fury rolling off of the mutilated form. Maybe it was the masked, steely face that made it impossible to read. Maybe it was just an ungodly level of stubborn pride that refused to acknowledge all the accumulated damage.

The snake mage twisted aside, taking three quick steps back as her foe lunged with her dagger, the blade tearing through the increasingly ragged cloak shrouding her body. The third step found loose rubble and she pitched wildly to one side on a blood-slicked boot, dropping to a knee. A heavy gasp rose up, and her flesh and blood arm shot out to catch the edge of the nearby railing. Her metallic arm lifted, brushing hair out of her eyes as she stared at the maniacal form of her adversary.

The fight had gone on long enough already that she had gotten a clear picture of things. In terms of raw power, certainly, Ceridarts had the advantage, in her estimate. Only a relatively minor one, but even such a small thing could make all the difference. But the sheer tenacious, nigh-unstoppable assault that Zevi continued to leverage kept that advantage from truly mattering. It wasn't helped by the fact that another glaring fact was becoming clear: as much power and raw strength as Ceridarts had, Zevi had just as much sheer endurance and ridiculous survivability to take every hit and force herself back up for more.

She steeled herself for another melee bout, trying to steady her mind and call up any other reserves of strength she had left. Sparks flew as dagger met metal arm, piercing and scraping the tough prosthetic and wrenching it aside, leaving the fused mage open for a vicious counter. A counter that met only empty air, as the hammer like blow whipped through the space that Ceridarts had occupied with her head only a second prior.

Practiced skill and senses worked overtime, warning her again of the second blow before it came. Zevi's hands switched, the missed punch quickly turning into a grab for the dagger and her newly freed hand rising up with an orb of energy forming.

Ceridarts tore her prosthetic arm free of the dagger, lurching straight ahead into a rough tackle. Her shoulder impacted the fused demoness, sending white hot reminders of her injured state coursing up and down her arm even as it threw Zevi back, the ki blast flying wide.

I've made a mistake, trying to fight like this, she realized. Treating this thing...like a person. Even after seeing and hearing what kind of utter nonsense and arrogance it has rampaging in its head. Both hands curled into fists, as the tattered remains of the cloak around the snake mage lifted, billowing behind her. But I can't...can't do that. Can't be nice. She watched as Zevi regained her feet, seething with as much anger as ever.

Magic flickered, white sparks dancing and crackling in the air. I have to get into my element. Treat this thing like a monster. Like any other rampaging beast to be dealt with. The air exploded, white and black magic raging and suffusing the fused fighter. Red eyes glared from within the haze, the ground at her feet crumbling and splintering. No...not even that. Not even a monster.

She crouched slightly, knees bending just so as her adversary leaped back into the fray. Like an animal. Wild and crazed. And one that I need to put down. Ceridarts gave a low hiss, breath escaping through clenched teeth, and struck. In an instant she bolted forward, and her flesh and blood arm struck in a blur almost too quick to see.

Blood flew as the blow grazed the side of Zevi's head, the sharp metallic dreadlocks tearing through the already worn and bloodied flesh. A glancing blow, the arrogant demoness not being foolish enough to risk a blow like that head on. Spinning away from the blow, she slashed with the dagger and brought her free hand up, letting fly with a quick bolt of ki.

The fused mage was still moving, tucking into a roll with the force of her missed blow, and rising up into a dead run. Away from her foe, toward the corner of the arena. Around the corner, and the ground shook with a dull rumble.

"And now you run away?!" Zevi snarled, quickly hopping up onto the arena platform itself to give chase across the much shorter expanse.

"I don't run. A good huntress lures her prey..." There was a dull rumble, and suddenly Ceridarts stood directly before Zevi. "...right where she wants them."

The eyes of the mutilated demoness blazed with surprise, as a fist crackling with lightning swung up with deadly intent.

850 words on the dot according to wordcounter.net

Used Foresight to briefly turn the tables, and make a brief opportunity. Then went crazy.

Used Gildarts' T2 Power-Up for the remainder of the round (12/16 SP remaining). Resulting stats:
ATK: 12
DEF: 6
SPD: 9
TEC: 10

Used T2 Super Attack: Crushing Evil, Spreading the Truth: Ikazuchi (10/16 SP remaining)

[Violet]

She barely felt the impact of the charged fist as it rammed into her jaw. The air crackled with electricity, licking at her flesh and dancing along the metallic adornments that interwove along her limbs and torso. What rocked her was the subsequent flight and impact that sent the bloodied and battered Zevi across the arena, sliding perilously close to the edge. Everything seemed to close in, as if she were suddenly plunged in the deepest, coldest river. Blackness enveloped her, and for a moment, she gave in.
 
It was so peaceful here, quiet. Floating on a current of cool energy, Zevi was content with letting the world fall to hell around her as long as she could stay here. Violet and Zedd may have been one while in this arena, but in their minds, she fought to be free.
 
”How can we defeat him? I can feel them, so strong in my bones. They’re too much.” Violet felt the first pangs of raw emotion seeping into her thoughts.
 
The voice that answered wasn’t Zedd, and the surprise shook her. ”He’s just another body to bow before you,” he said. ”Do you remember that time, so long ago, when we defeated Red? Remember how impossible it felt to destroy him, that thing that took over so much of your life?”
 
”Who…what?”Violet saw her projected self stiffen as realization set in. ”Bardock?”
 
Her mind conjured him, in all his beautiful Saiyan glory, a warrior to the bone. For years, she forced herself not to think about him, to fantasize about him, to even recollect his face, but here he was, as perfect as the day they escaped Kajin Rala.
 
”You need to get up, Violet. Fight. I know what you are capable of, I have seen what you can do and how you’ve grown. Get up.”
 
”The hell is this?” Zedd piped up, annoyed. ”There’s three of us in here now?”
 
”No, it’s…it’s just…hell, I don’t know.” Violet sighed. ”My mind is playing tricks on me.”
 
”Whatever it is, we need to get our ass up now.”
 
Bardock’s chuckle rang through her brain, a welcome sound. ”We’ll talk later, Violet. For now, heed your partner’s command and get up. Fight with all you have in you. I believe in you.” He kissed her forehead and vanished as quickly as he’d come.
 
”I am not even going to comment on how uncomfortable that was,” Zedd grumped. ”Regardless, we have a fight to win.”
 
The world came to them in a rush of sound and light as Zevi blinked back to consciousness. Deep, hearty breaths stung with each inhalation, stinging like knives through her chest. She was breathing, and more than that, she was alive.
 
Red eyes fixated across the arena at her target. The power was rolling off of them in waves, lapping at her as she rose to her feet. She stood on the edge of an ocean of pain, but gave it no quarter. Defeat was not an option for her, for them, and so, as the impossibly resilient Ceridarts charged towards her, Zevi unleashed her own torrent of energy, meeting theirs in a resounding thunderclap that echoed throughout the arena.
 
The battle raged on, each taking blows that would have annihilated simpler beings, brushing them off to weave into the next attack. Zevi found her staff and took it up, infusing it with her own power. Brutal in her attacks, she pummeled Ceridarts, who answered in turn with their own unrelenting fashion.
 
Two warriors stood face to face, toe to toe, unwilling to bow to the other. Blood streamed down Zevi’s forehead, blinding her in one eye, and dripping crimson splatters across the white tiles. Ceridarts was in no better shape, their clothing torn to shreds, their skin just as battered.
 
She had to admit, a part of her admired their spirit, but here, there was no room for trivialities like that. Revenge could care less about who fancied who, it only cared about who was the last one left standing.
 
“I will break you,” Zevi growled. “Everything within you, I will destroy until there is nothing left.”
 
Ceridarts smirked. “I would like to see you try, animal.”
 
“Animal…is that the best you could come up with?”
 
“Monster is too good a label for you.”
 
Rage filled her then, pure, unbounded rage. Zevi twisted her staff and sliced it towards her opponent, the giant, sharp ended Z barely grazing the warrior as he lept back to avoid the attack. All at once, they were a tangle of fists and legs and light, pummeling each other into oblivion.
 
When they broke, Zevi could feel the blood all along her flesh, cooling quickly as the wind swept across them. An animal, am I? she thought darkly. Then an animal I shall be. Ceridarts paused before launching themselves at her, watching in horror as Zevi’s body twisted and reformed. What stood before them was neither Zedd or Vi, but something else. Ceridarts wanted to say raccoon, but it wasn’t that. This was straight from Hell.
 
“What the...”
 
The newly shifted Zevi roared.

850 on the dot. 

Used Violet's tier 1 transformation - 1SP
Used Shapeshift to transform into the animal she fought in the arena in Underverse (link here)

[Gildarts]

Power crackled between Ceridarts’ bones, jumping between strings of raw sinew, it was an enjoyable static and one that numbed the bitter stench of growing pain. The grit of ivory caught between Ceridarts’ cheeks, causing a sort of tilted snarl as amber eyes glinted toward the mass of blood and metal sauntering toward her. Sure it resembled something human, yet, feeling the greasy ooze of pure evil radiate made it easy to thrash about with the morphable magic she wielded. It should have been easy to pinpoint and obliterate this monstrosity.

Shockwaves of energy pushed forth from her fists and palms, they fell into a sort of dance. Swiftly, lunges jerked into viciously struck attacks littering various parts of armor and flesh. Blood slew as glitter in the air and across the ground, the stark scent was dull on the fused mage’s nose. Eyes narrowed amidst the throes and woes of war. There was nothing to lose for a mage who lived nothing but the clothes on their back. Battling was simple -thrust, ball your fist, swipe left with that dagger- combined, everything was calculated compared to Zevi’s messy slop of emotion and movement. Still, there was a sort of majesty in the way their opponent fought however any form of admiration would come when Zevi was permanently down.

Every act the alien delivered was without regret, there was a momentous power that resembled a stampede of beasts strung together by will alone. The mental onslaught was one this seasoned veteran could endure, Ceridarts continued, feet moving on their own, unencumbered by both bruise or fall of blood. Crashes of transparent magic fell upon Zevi from above, warping the armor of the steely animal with pits and deep orifices. Vexation transmuted into infuriation as it still found the will to drudge forward.

Snarling, shoulders angled forward, a daunting attack is imminent. Spikes on the back of Ceridarts’ neck urged her to dodge left, just as a swipe of massive energy sliced the flesh of her cheek. A thick drool of blood drizzled down her neck staining the mangle of black bandages lining her torso. The lasting sting of pain made her flinch as the skin puckered with swelling. Grime wove its way in, sticking like flypaper.

Agony and fire tore into adrenaline, coursing into Ceridarts’ veins, organs continued to pump, calling to her instinct like a wardrum. Confidence improved her clarity. Ceridarts jousted onward only to fall into exploding shocks propelling forth from Zevi, the bombardment did nothing to slow the fused mage down. Power planted in her step as the seasoned mage shot claws of destruction forth. A fusillade of slaps came crashing down into the beast’s shattering armor. A rather large shard of armor fell from Zevi’s abdomen and clashed like a gong stuck when it fell to the ground. Ceridarts took their chance to strike, poison darted from her silver gauntlet, as their other wrist drove itself into Zevi’s shoulder. The weight of the combined pain was crippling and a blood-curdling howl was released from their extraterrestrial foe.

Another.

Then, each of their magic seemed to spark together, flint to stone the battle was kicked up a notch. And so was the thirst. “I won’t be taken this easily,” Ceridarts warned. Zevi grunted back, they were done talking. One move could finish this, as utter exhaustion had left them both teetering on the edge of a knockout. Such strength was not without consequence.

Their last moves were drawn in the lines of time, Gildarts set forth what appeared to be one last remarkably weak thrust of knuckle, meanwhile Zevi cackled with laughter thinking they had won this marathon of endurance. "That all you got? Tch. Pathetic and weak you sniveling- Oof!"

Zevi's breath was taken however they had already cast forth their own final spell of sorts. Smoky energy wove itself like vines around Ceridarts and clawed into her flesh as more blood was torn away from muscle. Each enemy grappled with their suffering yet remained standing, their knees wobbled whilst their heels remained planted. Sturdy. Zevi spat out a heap of black goop and hacked out the last of their pain. Meanwhile, Ceridarts charged her magic one last time, her eyes drew the corner of the rink together with the tattered bits of Zevi's armor and tied together her idea. Hoping this would be enough.

The fused mage launched forward and tackled Zevi into the sharp blades of shrapnel strewn throughout the arena. Armor that dense would undoubtedly cut just as deep as a blade. Zevi's helmeted skull collided with the ground and drove upward to headbutt the mage who was mistaken to think she could have pinned the alien for long. A viscous and desperate wrestle left each opponent's skin staggered with black shards sticking out like daggers. Zevi sniggered at the light of surprise expressed on their enemy as a beam of energy emerged in front of the fused mage's bare torso.

[Karl Jak]

Face to Face
#19 Cerise & #34 Gildarts vs #5 Lord Zedd & #37 Violet

The fighting had degraded.

Gone was the laser show.  The elegant dagger-play.

The insults had even fallen to the wayside.

All that remained was two overpowered gestalts punching and kicking at one another as the tumbled down the stone stands.  The snake-mage and the whatever-the-fuck-the-other-thing-would-be-called lashed out viciously, with little regard for poise or pressure points.  Like caged animals, they came crashing down to the grass, and a boot from Zevi sent the other fusion rolling a few feet away.

Once on their feet, the pair came back in for another exchange.  This time, it was the snake-mage that found the opening and landed a vicious one-two strike combination.  As the monstrous fusion staggered, an uppercut sent it sailing back up into the stone stands, where it crashed through two rows of bleachers.

Jumping up, Ceridarts clenched and unclenched her fists as she moved in to finish her adversary.  She swung down with a pair of laced hands, landing what should have been a crunching blow on her opponent’s sternum.

Instead, of all things, the punch left the gestalt’s hands with a tingling sensation.

“What?” Ceridarts muttered as she noticed the bleachers on both sides of the fallen fusion jiggling against their struts.  The other fusion’s arms were missing, half sunken into the stone.

“Nighty night,” Zevi muttered as she lurched up off the ground and swung her arms inward.  As the grounded fusion lurched up, the two rows of seats came with her—fused into her limbs.  With a thunderous crunch, the stone seats sandwiched Ceridart’s skull between them.

The snake-mage, her eyes out of focus, held up her fists.

“I said… good night!”

A second bleacher-infused assault sent the other fusion toppling backwards into a motionless heap.

Seeing the swirl of lights around her body, Zevi grinned.

“All sha—”

The fusion vanished.

Back in the preshow facility, Zedd and Violet rematerialized separately of one another.  The woman was smiling at a victorious battle while her partner fumed.

[spoiler]

Zevi (3.2) defeat Ceridarts (3.125)

Zedd & Violet advance to the quarter finals, where they will take on the winner of the Dane/Jack vs Dave/Kenpachi fight.

Cerise and Gildarts move to Match F of the Consolation Bracket, where they will face Ash and Jak Mar [/spoiler]