Description: The heroes rise up to put an end to Lord Dohma... but will it be a complete victory, or a pyrrhic one?
In a way, Jedah was not pleased at the way things were going. Hannya and Kien, the Soul Bees, the Hand of Dohma, Ermac, Kiyomi and Lune, and even his earliest recruit Zabel faced significant losses throughout this campaign. And now, the US Military has finally shown its face, the buzzing of their MV-22 tiltrotor aircraft a stark, mechanical contrast to his locust security force's wingbeats. And to top it all off, a force he had not anticipated to be a problem has proven to be a very significant problem, as the roars of the Amalgam of Souls to the east suggest a very pissed-off construct has been awakened, and is now heading his way.
But in another way, some things are going to plan. He had expected human resistance cells to form -- and had in fact counted on it. He hadn't expected the fighters inducted into his tournament to play ball -- and they haven't. The strongest fighters are gathered here in Metro Square, and they are focused, refreshed. And blind to the peril lurking all around them.
Jedah stands in the middle of the square, his smug countenance belying complete and utter confidence in the face of his aggressors. The Marines are waiting for the kill order allowing them to open fire onto the questionably-armed fashion tragedy known as Jedah Dohma. Would laser-guided precision rockets even hurt the blood weaver? Probably not -- but he's the only clear target, the only one whose death or annihilation would even be significant. And it makes some Marines happy to have the reticle locked on the sight of the biggest asshole in this entire God-forsaken dimension.
In other words, Jedah commands their full attention. All according to plan.
"Thank you all for coming here this evening." Jedah's voice rings out, crystal-clear, all throughout Majigen. It does not matter where one stands -- the voice is consistent throughout, an imposing but not deafening volume. The smug smile of the One True God of Majigen lets this fact sink in upon the people -- the clear sense that properties of physics are completely at his beck and call.
"Why fight the inevitable? I have already succeeded in my goals. I have identified all forms of resistance -- singled out every person whose peculiar idiosyncracies prevent them from serving me in their current states. There are some who are pliable, who can adapt to the drumbeat of progress, who can see the signs in the air and gravitate towards them."
The Marines are getting triggerhappy. The human resistance in Il Paradiso is restless. Mad Gear, and various factions dispersed all throughout Majigen's twisted version of Metro City are cowering, wondering what -exactly- Jedah is getting at. The words speak to a higher purpose, acknowledge a master plan that they have not been let in on.
"And now, all that remains is to convert the unconvertible. I shall allow these unbelievers, these heathens, to serve me in a capacity they will not consciously allow." Jedah stretches his hands out wide to either side, his fingertips at waist-level, pleased at his own magnanimity.
His fingertips rise to the sky. And the buildings of Metro Square rise with them, the very concrete and steel stretching to incredulous lengths. Three of tiltrotors had been hovering atop a building -- these are impacted in the process, explosions rocking the Square as the fuel tanks crumple with the unexpected distortion of physical space. Screams are heard from within the Opera House, from within the high-rise buildings surrounding the central square, of people uncomprehending what's happening to their nice, tidy sense of reality.
As the tip of a rotor blade impales itself into the Square mere feet away from Jedah, he continues, unperturbed. "Attacks on my sovereignty will no longer be allowed. All of you are now my loyal subjects. For this... is the price of disobedience."
Jedah inverts his palms, then lowers both hands below his hips. The skyscrapers, having raised to twice their height a moment ago, are now a mere fraction of their original height.
There are no screams, just the blood-curdling crunch of bones and organs echoing throughout the square amidst the sound of burning metal: anyone hiding within the buildings of the square has been crushed, smashed to a fine pulp by the sudden and violent spatial distortions.
And Jedah, standing amidst the death and destruction, raises his hands. As the buildings return to their original heights, Jedah reaches for the clasps upon his overcoat. Ripping the fabric apart, he reveals the ectoplasmic fibers beneath, pulsing and glowing with a supernatural force.
And from every direction at once, blood wisps come streaming towards Jedah, each carrying a violet sphere of energy. The souls of the recently departed. And as the soul spheres are absorbed into Jedah's being, a high-pitched shrill laughter echoes throughout the realm.
There are, assuredly, survivors to this spectacle: anyone not cowering within the supposed sanctuary of a building in the Square. But you'd have to have some sort of death wish to face Jedah now, cackling with manic glee, his voice echoed by the chorus of a thousand souls, his form glistening with blood as it grows larger from all the accumulated soul energy.
COMBATSYS: Jedah has started a fight here as a boss!
JEDAH
[ |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
0|---------------|------------===
If there was a moment that Aranha was glad he made a bargain with the Full Moon Society, it was now. Did he just distort and twist reality and smash everybody inside? how is this possible?
He remembers Nightwolf mentioning that he had put Jedah on the ropes but he got the feeling that here, where he found that Metro City had been pulled into the rules no longer applied and therefore whatever his ally encountered would not apply either. It was a thought that brought a frown to Dancing Spider's face.
The Majigen Series 'Champion' began to list his options. If he has that much control over this place, hiding wasn't an option, escape via piloted vehicles wasn't an option either. He had the options of either fight, or escape by leaning on assistance from the Full Moon Society. He didn't like this but here. There was no choice and so the ex(?)-cat burglar steps forward as he glances around. As loathe as he is to admit this, he won't be able to take this on by himself.
There are powers in this world that bear an unbelievable threat against every living being. Through sheer magnitude, these powers are unbalancing, impossible to stand against, they bend reality to their whim and leave all that would stand against them in shambles. These are the powers that change the face of the world for centuries to come.
Most of these powers throughout time have been tainted with darkness, used for selfish, personal aims. Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely, as the saying goes. Jedah is one such power, controlling the very fabric of reality, bending it to spill blood and terror through the streets. He is unstoppable, unassailable in his might.
One power that refuses to allow itself to be corrupted stands against him, however. Shinryuken, the True Dragon Sword has stood for untold generations in opposition to the forces of evil. A tool that by itself means nothing, and when wielded is so demanding that almost all who would dare to attempt to do so are drained of the life energy that flows through their veins. Only in the hand of one that carries the Dragon Lineage may the sword's power be unleashed.
Ryu Hayabusa is the sole living force in this world capable of wielding this weapon. A weapon capable of cleansing evil with every slash while preserving good unharmed. And yet despite this miraculous power, the Master Ninja of the Hayabusa clan refuses to carry its power until all other options in his hands have been exhausted, for he is a rare man that refuses personal power.
Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.
Having stood against the Archfiend Jedah Dohma in battles, the Modern-Day Ninja knows full well that there is no mortal power capable of putting an end to the Dark Lord. The Lineage that flows through generations of the Hayabusa clan is cursed with the power to stand against evil that no others may hope to dispatch, and so this power of Shinryuken will be brought to bear once again.
High above Metro City, well out of the reach of Majigen, and hopefully the senses of the god-like Darkstalker, a US military cargoplane carries its payload into position. Its payload is surprisingly small; there are no tanks, no bombs, no scores of troops. Only Ryu Hayabusa stands in the back as the hatch slowly opens.
"Falcon 1, we're in position, mission go," comes a crackling voice over the intercom.
"...Thank you," the only words the ninja has spoken the entire flight are said just as he leaps from the plane with no parachute and clothed in little more than the legendary Black Falcon. He dives through the sky at and incredible rate, like a bird of prey swooping down to catch a meal. Down through the clouds, his scarf flapping violent in the breeze behind him. Closer and closer to the ground.
And then he simply lands, hitting the ground in a crouch with no noise, no giant crater, hardly even a burst of dust around him, clouding the air around him. Moments later it settles and Hayabusa's head turns up, his eyes locking on Jedah Dohma as he suddenly rises to his feet, drawing Shinryuken from the sheath on his back into position, its blade in line with his eyes, parallel to the ground, the tip aimed directly at his opponent. It glows white, practically humming with power.
"This ends now."
It would require a maniac to assail Jedah now, someone who had completely and totally lost their metaphorical caca. The US military, known for its immense aerial firepower and mastery of the Sonic Boom, is having trouble against this soul-stealing devil.
It would take someone with a relentless purpose.
A clear heart.
A clean soul.
A dedication to the protection of others.
A reckless disregard for the safety of oneself!
Fortunately, Eunha Sin, recuperated from being bedeviled by... devils and their toxic dope-bug feces, meets at least the bare majority of this description.
Something rumbles in the wreckage of what used to be an elevated freeway. Something in turn screeches. Is it a desperately escaping still functioning car? No. Well, alright, it's half that.
Headlamps suddenly illuminate Jedah as the car makes a hard right turn towards what has been hastily redressed from Exit 16 into Exit 666. (Of course it was.) The vehicle in question is a chopped-up squad car, its rugged and blocky chassis almost all that remains of it after it has been repaired from the wreckage of several other such vehicles. It would be street legal if the Motor Vehicle Commission office wasn't full of mysterious slimy eggs, and thus able to give an inspection.
The vehicle then backs away from the edge. Anticlimax.
Behind the wheel, Eunha Sin pushes her glasses up her nose as she turns her head, reversing her way back approximately a quarter-mile of highway. Then, looking forwards, she takes the revolutionary step - of unfastening her seat belt. (There is no side door.)
The engine screams. Then it howls. It is practically wailing with the voice of a horny, justice-beleagured angel when it crests over Exit 666, tires spinning violently as it gets impossible air.
Towards Jedah. Eunha leans out the door, bracing for the moment to jump loose. To jump to - no, not safety, but a better fighting position.
She doesn't have any pithy remarks. But the vehicle may speak for itself.
COMBATSYS: Ryu Hayabusa has joined the fight here.
COMBATSYS: Aranha has joined the fight here.
COMBATSYS: Eunha has joined the fight here.
JEDAH
[ |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
0|---------------|------------===
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////////]
Eunha 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Ryu Hayabusa
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Aranha 0/-------/-======|
Inside the Opera house, Munin Arshe has been busying herself doing what she can to both protect as well as aid the refugees therein until a solution presents itself. She brings some scavenged food to a mother and her child before making her way to the windows when a commotion is heard outside.
Soldiers! Presumably sent to aid them!
With a last look around to make sure everything is as it should be, she rushes outside with the intent to inform them of the refugees whereabouts, and to render what assistance she can against the now-present Jedah. She gets out just in time for him to cause the massacre of everyone inside! She can only stare in shock and horror at this, the people she had just been helping not 5 seconds ago all dead and ground to a pulp. Turning back to look at Jedah, as well as Ryu as he makes his appearance, and shadowy chi beings to drift off her body, lances of purple chi forming in her palms as she appraches Jedah from the side as stealthily as she can, intending to attempt an attack from the flank once the others have engaged! If he can shape the buildings, he likely knows she is coming, but she has to try anyway!
COMBATSYS: Munin has joined the fight here.
COMBATSYS: Jedah dodges Eunha's Huge Thrown Object.
JEDAH
[ |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
0|---------------|------------===
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////////]
Aranha 0/-------/-======|-------\-------\0 Munin
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////////]
Ryu Hayabusa 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Eunha
Jedah's smile is as smug as ever. He knows that all attention is upon him -- and his endgame gambit is in full swing. There are, as usual, some variables he hasn't perfectly accounted for, but the nigh-immortal being is well accustomed to adjusting for adversities.
The boastful demon lord levitates from the ground, his razor-sharp wings lifting to either side as he makes a condescending bow to the new arrivals. Ryu Hayabusa -- a man whose abilities he knows well from their last battle. His face still bears some signs of the fight: the veins are a little more obvious, the blue tint to his face a little less uniform. But the red irises and the smug, self-righteous attitude are perfectly in keeping.
And Munin. He doesn't know this Munin, but at least she had the good sense to get out of the Opera House at the last minute, as the resistance force was crushed into sticky bloody powder.
But what bothers him is this patrol car and its headlamps casting an eerie illumination onto the Blood Weaver. He has enough time to raise fingers to his temples, massaging them lightly as he frowns. "Imbecile."
With one beat of his wings, the Black Messiah vaults into the air, floating himself just out of reach of the patrol car as it smashes into the monuments at the center of the square. That's going to come out of her paycheck, presuming Metro City PD makes it out of this alive.
He surveys the crowd from his new vantage point. There he is -- the Majigen series' champion is among them. He regretted not being able to meet the champion in person, but the elusive traceur has dodged every attempt at communication. Troublesome. "Aranha, is it... ? I apologize, it seems you'll have to wait for the awards ceremony. I have... unwelcome visitors to deal with."
And with a flick of his wrists, and blood founting from the fresh wounds, Jedah rockets downward at Hayabusa. So nice of him to present a clear and open target for the bloodlord, as his razor-sharp wings extend outwards like twin daggers, aiming to impale Hayabusa and stake him backwards into the nearest building facade. "Hrrnnnh!"
COMBATSYS: Ryu Hayabusa blocks Jedah's Balzo - Perdono.
JEDAH
[ ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
0|---------------|--------=======
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////////]
Aranha 0/-------/-======|-------\-------\0 Munin
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////////]
Ryu Hayabusa 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Eunha
Violet eyes watch as Jedah evades the vehicle, then rushes at Hyabusa. His back is clearly presented! Munin only hopes it's enough!
With a running start, she leaps into the air, grabbing ahold of a decaying lightpost, leaps off it, and comes down in a spin, slicing at Jedahs neck and back with a stroke of a palm-blade!
The last time that Hayabusa was faced with Jedah in combat, he'd been outclassed. On his own he'd been all but defeated, only managing to turn things around once the Archfiend was distracted by the arrival of new allies on the ninja's side. He'd also been armed in a much more apparently impressive manner, carrying the Eclipse Scythe, with its blade nearly as large as Hayabusa himself.
Comparatively, Shinryuken would seem utterly unimpressive. It's a katana. A well-crafted katana with a glowing blade and a purple spark at the end of the hilt, but that is all that would stand out to the viewer. In truth, the sword was crafted for Hayabusa's ancestors, a gift to go along with their bloodline. It is a weapon with a singular goal: to slay Archfiends that threaten humanity with their power.
In the Dragon Ninja's hands, it is the ultimate weapon. As Jedah flies at him, Hayabusa whips the blade between him and the Archfiend, twisting it so the flat of the blade, braced against his left hand, catches the wingtips. The force of it forces the ninja back, but his body, for the time being, remains unharmed.
As for the wall behind him, the moment Jedah rebounds, so does Hayabusa, flipping against the wall and then kicking off of it, rocketing toward the Dark Lord just as he was moments ago. The arc seems rather high, however, and Ryu would simply pass overhead if not for the fact that he reaches down to grabs the top of Jedah's head as he flies over, using the force of his flight to twist down around his opponent and stab Shinryuken up through the fiend's chest, pausing to twist the glowing blade violently.
Jedah avoids a flying car which had approximately ten seconds of advance warning. In hindsight, Eunha thinks, I'm not sure what I expected.
She leaps free even so. She's in the air, even as Jedah addresses others. Aranha. Hayabusa. Familiar faces, and others less so.
Eunha is wearing a T-shirt and comfortable training pants. Armor seemed like it would be kind of superfluous when you're fighting a demon monster hell-creature. Of course, there are advantages, even as that car knocks over a statue --
She doesn't have to jump up to bicycle-kick her way down, hopefully, a key part of Jedah. "HORA!" she declares, aphasically, as she proceeds to do exactly that, each blow hard, fast, and crushing. But will it be enough?
And as soon as he begins looking for allies they show up in rapid succession. First Hayabusa from above, then the familiar form of Eunha with what Aranha could only describe as a 'Metal As Fuck' entrance of leaping from a flying patrol car that is sent /flying/ right at Jedah. Aranha doesn't really like heavy metal but he does have high respect for that style of entrance. Especially when it's weaponized against such an imposing enemy. And then he sees Munin edging in from the flank.
Aranha holds off on charging in first. He's seen enough horror movies to know that's exactly how the black dude ends up dying first(Let's ignore the fact that Jedah had just pulped everyone in Il Paradiso).
But then Jedah acknowledges him. "Actually. Upon finding out what prize was, I'm not exactly sure I'm interested. If you want to give the prize to the guy who conceded to me while I was unconscious, I'd totally be on board with that."
He then approaches as the others begin delivering their attacks waiting until he can see what he hopes to be the perfect moment. He leaps forward right past Jedah before kicking off of the crashed patrol car to launch himself at Jedah blue chi enhanced palms first to grab ahold of Jedah and than pushing him away with his feet as he attempts flip off of him.
"And I'd appreciate it if your staff didn't attack my family members in an iladvised attempt to manipulate me!"
COMBATSYS: Jedah dodges Munin's Spin Slash.
JEDAH
[ ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
0|---------------|--------=======
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////////////// ]
Aranha 0/-------/-======|-------\-------\0 Munin
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////////////// ]
Ryu Hayabusa 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Eunha
COMBATSYS: Jedah dodges Eunha's Highspeed Turnover.
JEDAH
[ ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
0|---------------|--------=======
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////////////// ]
Aranha 0/-------/-======|-------\-------\0 Munin
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////////////// ]
Ryu Hayabusa 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Eunha
COMBATSYS: Aranha successfully hits Jedah with Hunting Season.
JEDAH
[ |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
0|---------------|-------========
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////////////// ]
Aranha 0/-------/=======|-------\-------\0 Munin
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////////////// ]
Ryu Hayabusa 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Eunha
COMBATSYS: Jedah counters Falling Falcon from Ryu Hayabusa with Spregio EX.
JEDAH
[ ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
0|---------------|-==============
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////////////// ]
Aranha 0/-------/=======|-------\-------\0 Munin
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////////////// ]
Ryu Hayabusa 0/-------/----===|-------\-------\0 Eunha
Off to the east, a monstrosity slams itself into a building, chomping down upon it, and then violently rearing its head to the side. Now that it's in sight, it's clear to see that the 27-story tall monstrosity - a cross between a blue whale and a tyrannosaurus rex - is -not- happy to be here.
But it's also quite a good ways away from the harshed mood in Metro Square. The sound of the locusts is almost impossible to hear over the wails of the living -- those who had known people who were trapped within the building, and now feel themselves completely powerless.
Jedah may have his back turned towards Munin, but he is also the literal and figurative creator of this dimension. Physics are on -his- terms, not hers. As his wing blades are parried aside by Hayabusa's masterful deflection, Jedah barrel rolls off to the side, allowing Munin's palm-blade to bite down into the pavement below rather than the bloodweaver's ectoplasmic body.
Likewise, as Eunha maneuvers about for a bicycle-kick, Jedah is beginning to right himself. Languidly cocking his head to the side with a contemptuous smirk, he flicks his wrist again, a burst of blood erupting from his wrist -- likely to spatter across the Metro City officer -- as it propels him backwards. "Tch..."
As Hayabusa rockets back, Jedah finds himself oddly flat-footed. Completely vulnerable, to the naked eye. His eyes widen as the Dragon Ninja flips overhead, his cartilage-like skull compressing with a lovely hollow sound...
Hollow? The head collapses like an empty gourd, buckling with ease. The threat to Ryu, though, is not from the head -- it's from (1) no longer having a handhold and (2) the sudden, aggressive spray of blood that spurts out, blasting the Dragon Ninja off-course and -completely- ruining the chances of landing the sword into the bloodweaver's chest. The headless body twists sideways, managing to convey 'complete dickishness' in its simple pose even as the a new head begins to form upon the bloody stump. His skin is a sticky red when he taunts, "You should know better than that, master ninja..."
But while he's able to masterfully evade those two lovely ladies, and deal with the Dragon Ninja, he has significantly less success with a righteously-fueled Aranha. "A simple freak happenstance, little more..." is Jedah's sorry-not-sorry apology. He doesn't micromanage his minions -- in fact, he sees himself as a messiah, a guide, rather than a 'leader' per se. But he's not been giving Aranha his full attention, regrettably -- so that he doesn't realize Aranha is -right behind him- when he's talking. He's grabbed, and shoved around with the capoeirista's feet, forcing him to stagger forward unsteadily.
The situation is remedied as he rises to the air, wings fluttering somewhat to the side as he surveys those around him. "In any case, it's a shame. But if you will not accept the prize, then you can suffer the fate of those in this square!"
Sailing past the winged being, Munin lands with a crunch, flips forwards, and with a twist lands on her feet facing Jedah. A glance is spared over at the Opera house, thinking of the remains within, before her eyes return to looking forwards at Jedah with anger. She spares no words with someone like him, at least not here and now. It's ultimately obvious in this case: he's evil, and their the good guys. She inwardly applauds as Aranha lands a good hard blow.
With a flick of her wrist, she sends a burst of shadowy chi flying at him as he floats there in the air.
An unfortunately miscalculation on Ryu Hayabusa's part. The weapon in his hand is bound to be more effective against Jedah once he manages to land a blow, but the Eclipse Scythe had substantial value in its reach. Getting in close with the Archfiend will be a challenge, even when surrounded by allies. While he may welcome their presence, it's immediately clear that none that stand with him now have quite the same potential as either the damaged samurai Baiken or the famed American champion, Ken Masters.
Despite the blow he just faced, the Modern-Day Ninja pushes himself up off the ground. The blood that hit him like a wall drains off his body with surprising ease, perhaps aided by his attire being designed for a man who would be bathed in the blood of his enemies when forced to take a stand.
This, unfortunately, was not the optimal way to be bathed in Jedah's blood.
Unwilling to allow his failure take control of the situation, he begins to rush back into place, charging down Jedah, his sword drawn low enough that its tip nearly cleaves a line through the city street. As soon as he manages to pull within reach, he whips the glowing blade up, aiming to cut Jedah off at the knees.
He lands on the ground quietly landing. He has seen how the landscape can be manipulated by Jedah. He has no interest in testing whether or not Jedah will mess with the ground just to interfere with his ability to go into ginga so goes into stance as stable as he can make it while rolling up on the balls of his feet.
"Fuck you and fuck your butchering spider legged freak of a doctor."
He draws upon the focus obtained through carefully controlled rage as his body suddenly accelerates. His foot glows with that similar energy as he whips a roundhouse across the face, letting the momentum carry him into a jumping roundhouse also glowing blue with his energy. That jumping roundhouse puts him on the ground with his backtowards Jedah but he looks under his arms to keep the Archfiend in sight just before he flips backwards, delivering a chi enhanced flip kick down upon the newly formed head.
Jedah sends splattering blood over Eunha; it lands on her glasses as she comes to the ground in a crouch, grimacing for a moment as she sees Jedah lose his head. More or less. She's not certain - this is so chaotic that she's been fixating.
Because the real enemy is in front of her, as well as all around her. In the first case, of course, it's the madness and demons - but in the second, it's Jedah. Only him.
Eunha starts to bob up and down on her feet. This is marginally ridiculous to see, though really, is it more ridiculous than demonic locusts? Probably not. The motions become deeper and more deliberate as Eunha strides forwards and sucks in a deep breath of the air of 'Majigen' --
Before erupting upwards in a rising motion, having developed a momentum of a curious kind that erupts like green light - not quite light, but the /after/ effect of light, as well as, well, brutal gut-crushing uppercut force.
The two, so often, go together!
COMBATSYS: Jedah blocks Munin's Shadow Wave.
JEDAH
[ |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
0|---------------|-==============
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////////////// ]
Aranha 1/-------/=======|-------\-------\0 Munin
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////////////// ]
Ryu Hayabusa 0/-------/----===|-------\-------\0 Eunha
COMBATSYS: Jedah blocks Ryu Hayabusa's Power Strike.
JEDAH
[ |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
0|---------------|===============
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////////////// ]
Aranha 1/-------/=======|-------\-------\0 Munin
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////////////// ]
Ryu Hayabusa 0/-------/----===|-------\-------\0 Eunha
COMBATSYS: Aranha successfully hits Jedah with Aggressive Dance.
JEDAH
[ |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
1|------------===|===============
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////////////// ]
Aranha 1/---====/=======|-------\-------\0 Munin
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////////////// ]
Ryu Hayabusa 0/-------/----===|-------\-------\0 Eunha
COMBATSYS: Eunha successfully hits Jedah with Head-on Collision.
JEDAH
[ ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
1|----------=====|===============
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////////////// ]
Aranha 1/---====/=======|-------\-------\0 Munin
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////////////// ]
Ryu Hayabusa 0/-------/----===|-------\-------\0 Eunha
Jedah is familiar with most of the fighters here, having seen them in action at his own behest. But Munin? He doesn't know her. He flicks his wrist out, her angry charge met with an expression that borders on boredom. Heroes are so predictable, he thinks to himself as he raises his hand, absorbing the shadowy chi in an open palm with little actual concern.
But it is a mistake to take his eyes off of Ryu Hayabusa for long -- he knows the ninja gave him quite the battle, and the thought of his legs being taken out is something he'd rather not deal with, not yet. The bladed wings snap down, curling around him to deflect the blade away harmlessly; the force is enough to make the blades bend and warp, their true nature as blood constructs becoming clear as the material is stressed.
The sudden stream of invectives from Aranha, though, catches him off-guard for a moment. He's used to heroes being... heroic and all, so this comes as a bit of a shock. How uncouth! As Jedah turns to address Aranha...
...He gets a chest full of Eunha's determination, causing him to jacknife backwards from the green-hued blow that had managed to zip right between the razor-edged wings. Staggering backwards, the noble attempts to keep a straight face as he regains his footing...
Only to have Aranha's foot whipping out across his face. The blue-tinged roundhouse is enough to send Jedah reeling backwards -- perfectly setting the bloodweaver up to be caught in a chi-enhanced flip backwards.
This... was not going well. But Aranha's words did strike a chord. "I'm glad you mentioned her." The Black Messiah opens his hand towards the southwest. He makes a grasping gesture, and withdraws his hands. Suddenly, a red circle appears in the open space. "She's got presents for you."
And a legion of darkstalkers rushes through the portal: twisted, macabre abominations with animal parts protruding out at different directions. More of Doctor Tessitore's work -- and they make a beeline straight for Aranha. The four in front seem to be humans -- possibly people Aranha even -knows- from Metro City -- but they are not possessive of the normal ideals of "honor" or "common sense" as they lunge at him with razor-sharp claws and teeth.
Jedah, for his part, frowns back at Eunha. "You -are- an interesting one..." he comments, "When you're not getting talked out of fighting."
He does not explain. He simply grabs the wing from his back, and rips it free. The wing melts, transforms as he swings, changing from the form of a crescent into a bloody scythe that arcs downward upon the Metro City cop. He's now curious to see how well she bleeds.
COMBATSYS: Eunha full-parries Jedah's Fierce Strike!!
JEDAH
[ |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
1|-------========|===============
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////////////// ]
Aranha 1/---====/=======|-------\-------\0 Munin
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////////////// ]
Ryu Hayabusa 0/-------/----===|===----\-------\0 Eunha
COMBATSYS: Experiments have joined the fight here as a left henchman!
COMBATSYS: Aranha dodges Experiments' Strong Punch.
JEDAH
[ |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
1|-------========|===============
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Experiments 0/-------/-------|
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////////////// ]
Aranha 1/---====/=======|-------\-------\0 Munin
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////////////// ]
Ryu Hayabusa 0/-------/----===|===----\-------\0 Eunha
Eunha stares upwards as she lands - Jedah's looking at her! Addressing her! Attacking -- and he's leading with what she perceives as highly questionable form. Geez, Eunha thinks in timeless inner monologue: Is this guy just relying on his vast satanic powers instead of learning how to really fight?
I don't know what I expected, Eunha thinks further, before she leans to the side just as Jedah commits profoundly to his downwards strike. The bloody blade smashes into the pavement near her, missing her left foot by less than an inch. Her right foot snaps up towards his throat -
"You have the right to remain silent!"
And then back downwards towards his arm, hopefully to break his bones, or... blood tubes or whatever it is he has, which Eunha is trying not to think about too much. "Your sick little game is over!!"
Well, at least Munin's attack served as a good disatraction for other attacks to land on him! Secondary purpose served!
When the portal opens and the experiments come in, though, she mentally curses to herself. If they allow themselves to be surrounded, even if Jedah IS taken down, they'll be picked off one by one.
She races to aid Aranha, attacking the nearest experimental creature with a combination of attacks, ending with an attempted takedown into a neck stomp to try to whittle down their numbers.
While it may be that Ryu Hayabusa is forcing a great deal of distraction onto Jedah and allowing his allies to get better angles on the Archfiend, there is one significant problem with this situation: He knows full well that there is no hope of putting a stop to Jedah through simple combat. Even with the Eclipse Scythe, Jedah managed to simply reconsistute into another body. No, he needs to start getting clean hits in if Shinryuken is going to have its intended effect.
The situation only grows more complex when the portal opens up. And they go straight for the most effective member of his allies thus far. This will need to be handled... but it can't be his main priority at the moment.
"If any of them appear to be recently corrupted, attempt to disable them. It may be possible to save them after we've dealt with the Archfiend," Hayabusa's words are loud without shouting, authoritive in the way that only one who truly knows what they are speaking about can manage rather than mere charismatic commandmant.
His grip on Shinryuken tightens as his attention focuses in on Jedah, slowly pulling every bit of concentration he can manage as the air around the blade, already obscured by its glow, begins to vibrate. The air itself slowly wraps around the sword, building layers upon layers around the blade as he approaches the Dark Lord.
The moment he's within reach, his whole body shift. The blade disappears from one side of the Archfiend and appears on the other. In that instant, all space between the two points seems to fill with the blade, shredding, cleaving, tearing.
As Aranha watches the legions of experimental creatures begin to swarm he begins recognizing some of Tessitore's work. His stomach turns. He wants to empty the contents of his stomach right now. Thankfully for all nearby, he doesn't.
"Oh. Fuck. My. Life."
It is at this point that Aranha shows off the agility and speed that got him to final round of the Majigen Series. Bobbing, weaving, and spinning around the attempts to bite and claw him. It seems as though he's nigh untouchable.
After hearing Ryu's marching orders, he quickly responds, "I don't think corruption applies. These are genetically manipulated and drugged."
He then gets to work on the experimental hybrids with backhands, spinning back heels roundhouse kicks before attempting to kick one right into a group of hybrids.
COMBATSYS: Experiments block Munin's Combo Grapple.
JEDAH
[ |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
1|-------========|===============
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Experiments 0/-------/-------|
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////// ]
Aranha 1/---====/=======|-------\-------\0 Munin
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////////////// ]
Ryu Hayabusa 0/-------/-----==|==-----\-------\0 Eunha
COMBATSYS: Aranha successfully hits Experiments with Colossal Kick.
-* CRITICAL HIT! *-
JEDAH
[ |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
1|-------========|===============
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Experiments 0/-------/---====|
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////// ]
Aranha 1/--=====/=======|-------\-------\0 Munin
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////////////// ]
Ryu Hayabusa 0/-------/-----==|==-----\-------\0 Eunha
COMBATSYS: Ryu Hayabusa successfully hit Jedah with Blade of the Empty Air EX.
JEDAH
[ |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
1|-----==========|===============
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Experiments 0/-------/---====|
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////// ]
Aranha 1/--=====/=======|-------\-------\0 Munin
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////////////// ]
Ryu Hayabusa 0/-------/---====|==-----\-------\0 Eunha
COMBATSYS: Jedah blocks Eunha's No Talking Or Texting EX.
JEDAH
[ |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
1|-----==========|===============
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Experiments 0/-------/---====|
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////// ]
Aranha 1/--=====/=======|-------\-------\0 Munin
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////////////// ]
Ryu Hayabusa 0/-------/---====|===----\-------\0 Eunha
Dr. Tessitore's abominations are numerous -- probably two dozen have streamed through the portal at this point. Their problem, at the core, is that they are new creations. They were just random Metro City citizens, not fighters. And so their feral tenacity is quite literally all they have going for them. So when Munin strikes the creature, it reacts reflexively, throwing its arm up to defend against the attack. It's successful...
But Aranha makes short work of another, its attacks ineffective as Aranha's foot lands squarely in the middle of its chest. The creature sprawls backwards, landing in the midst of four others, knocking them to the ground. If Dr Tessitore had a bit more forethought into her crazed manipulations, she might have given them a bit more balance rather than just grafting limbs on.
Suffice to say, though -- there's more where that came from. And Munin is the target as four of the creatures lurch forward in unison, aiming to plant their raking claws into her, and then slam her into the ground where she can be stomped on afterwards.
For Jedah's part, though, he's allowed the moment to focus. Eunha has some of his attention, and the notion that this spunky cop person can break his arm is... laughable, considering he does so simply -attacking-. But it's a moot point: the scythe returns to his shoulder for balance, and he brings it to bear against the woman's strike, neatly replacing his forearm for the spindly haft of the blade instead. "I waive that right."
The Black Messiah's keeping one eye on the Dragon Ninja, though he's... still thinking of the ninja's strikes as they were with the Eclipse Scythe, and not this foul, demonslaying blade that he holds dear. Frowning, he considers displacing matter... but the sword is much too short to bother.
So he thinks. Shinryuken lands home, doing an ungodly number of blade strikes in the blink of an eye.
Jedah staggers. The wounds sustained are enough to kill a human -- indeed, criss-crossing slash marks weep blood as he drops to one knee, his mask of cynical condescension now knitted into a rictus of hatred.
At least, he consoles himself, that abomination isn't roaring off to the east. The heroes must have done -something- about that. With a frown from Jedah, the entire vicinity of Metro Square suddenly finds itself 500 feet higher from the ground. If there is to be any intervention, it would have to be from the tiltrotor aircraft -- he will brook no further chance of attack from the foot troops brought along by the military forces. The portal to the Slam Masters Arena remains, however.
And in the same blink of an eye, Jedah has sprung up into the air, held aloft by his reformed wings, still glistening with the crimson blood. The criss-cross wounds across his chest are still fresh, but the hemomancer does what he can to keep his body whole -- long enough for him to sweep his sinuously long fingers around Hayabusa, with the aim of inverting him and slamming him into the Square.
COMBATSYS: Ryu Hayabusa blocks Jedah's Ira - Spinta.
JEDAH
[ |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
1|-==============|===============
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Experiments 0/-------/---====|
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////// ]
Aranha 1/--=====/=======|-------\-------\0 Munin
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////////////// ]
Ryu Hayabusa 0/-------/--=====|===----\-------\0 Eunha
COMBATSYS: Munin auto-guards Experiments' Elegy of Lost Opportunity.
JEDAH
[ |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
1|-==============|===============
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Experiments 0/-------/---====|
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////// ]
Aranha 1/--=====/=======|-------\-------\0 Munin
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////////////// ]
Ryu Hayabusa 0/-------/--=====|===----\-------\0 Eunha
As the four beasts come in, Munin narrows her eyes, and for a moment, everything clicks for lack of better word. She can see just how strong and the timing on all of them, and with a series of wrist deflections and evasionary tactics, stands untouched by any!
She notes the rise of the platform their all on, but gives it no thought at the moment as she turns to send another combination attack at one of the experiments, finished by throwing the unlucky individual towards the edge of the platform should it be in view, afterwords wasting no time in throwing a punch at the next closest.
Seeing as there are a lot of them, she keeps an eye open for any opportunity to take attacks of opportunity or aim a finishing blow!
COMBATSYS: Munin blitzes into action and acts again!
JEDAH
[ |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
1|-==============|===============
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Experiments 0/-------/---====|
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////// ]
Aranha 1/--=====/=======|-------\-------\0 Munin
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////////////// ]
Ryu Hayabusa 0/-------/--=====|===----\-------\0 Eunha
Finally, a clean hit. Any lesser being possessed with the same level of evil flowing their their body would likely have been instantly slain. Against an innocent, the blade can do no harm. Certainly it will take a few more hits from the weapon before a being such as Jedah Dohma will fall before its power, especially with the level of power he currently holds, but it's most certainly a valuable beginning.
But more importantly for the moment is to not allow himself to be overcome with thoughts of the future, in battle its imperetive to remain within the moment.
This moment happens to coincide with Jedah launching his retaliation. With the surging assault, there's little time to maneuver, no time to simply roll out of the way. Instead the ninja quickly returns his blade to its sheath. As Jedah snares him, he remains motionless, and as the Archfiend attempts to plant his head into the ground, Hayabusa strikes. Both hands hit the ground well before his head, muscles possessed with incredible strength for their size slow the descent to the point where all of the force travels down through them and into the ground, rather that crushing his skull. Certainly the pain in his palms is more than worth it.
But the point remains... if the Dragon Ninja is going to have any hope of continuing this fight with his allies' attention split, he will need to ready himself. After vaulting back to his feet, his right hand grips the hilt of his sword while the left hand draws in front of his face, two fingers extended up along the bridge of his nose as he begins to center himself.
COMBATSYS: Ryu Hayabusa focuses on his next action.
JEDAH
[ |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
1|-==============|===============
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Experiments 0/-------/---====|
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////// ]
Aranha 1/--=====/=======|-------\-------\0 Munin
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////////////// ]
Ryu Hayabusa 0/-------/--=====|===----\-------\0 Eunha
"I guess," Eunha grunts after Jedah parries her blow, leaving her no the worse for wear, "That you're going to waive your attorney as well? Heh - I'd think you'd have a shitload of options, based on the TEN MILLION FUCKING DEMONS YOU BROUGHT!!"
Oooh she swoooore
The world jerks upwards. Of course, it is already FULL OF JERKS (Jedah and maybe Ryu Hayabusa a little) so this is no great change. Eunha isn't exactly the nicest person ever born as well. She, at least, remains focused on the master of blood, though she has to take a moment to think. He can do all of this super blood chaos garbage. How is she going to handle that?
She has little idea, beyond the simple and obvious truth of police work: Those who resist arrest...
Eunha spins around and leaps up into the air after Jedah. She has less superhuman strength and sorcelation behind it, but she can get some good air herself. Twisting around she angles a full-bodied roundhouse at his side, perhaps just as Ryu draws Jedah into a battle of wills.
Aranha has made some space for himself and while he'd rather clear out some more of the good 'doctor's' pet projects, he needs to place a higher priority on helping out Ryu. Especially since that sword seems to be felt by the bloodweaver. And then he launches himself in the air and Aranha finds himself in disbelief and disappointment as he goes well beyond his reach.
And then he comes back down gripping Hayabusa and attempting to slam him. There's his opportunity! Aranha draws upon his rage and adrenaline. His body goes faster, he seems to be able to react faster and he charges in with a hard chi pimp slap from hell before kicking him right in the wing with a roundhouse.
COMBATSYS: Jedah dodges Eunha's Roundhouse Kick EX.
JEDAH
[ |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
1|-==============|===============
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Experiments 0/-------/---====|
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////// ]
Aranha 1/--=====/=======|-------\-------\0 Munin
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////////////// ]
Ryu Hayabusa 0/-------/--=====|=------\-------\0 Eunha
COMBATSYS: Jedah dodges Aranha's Dead Man's Hand.
JEDAH
[ |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
1|-==============|===============
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Experiments 0/-------/---====|
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////// ]
Aranha 1/-======/=======|-------\-------\0 Munin
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////////////// ]
Ryu Hayabusa 0/-------/--=====|=------\-------\0 Eunha
COMBATSYS: Munin successfully hits Experiments with Combo Grapple.
JEDAH
[ |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
1|-==============|===============
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Experiments 0/-------/--=====|
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////// ]
Aranha 1/-======/=======|-------\-------\0 Munin
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////////////// ]
Ryu Hayabusa 0/-------/--=====|=------\-------\0 Eunha
COMBATSYS: Experiments dodge Munin's Strong Punch.
JEDAH
[ |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
1|-==============|===============
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Experiments 0/-------/--=====|
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////// ]
Aranha 1/-======/=======|-------\-------\0 Munin
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////////////// ]
Ryu Hayabusa 0/-------/--=====|=------\-------\0 Eunha
Dr. Tessitore's menagerie is not very battle-hardened -- it doesn't really hold up against true fighters. Case in point -- the first combination attack lands fully and completely, and bones are definitely crushed in the process. So much for keeping them intact per Ryu Hayabusa's well-intentioned words... But the other manages to avoid the fate of being lobbed off the edge of the raised dais, ducking low and swinging out of the path of the trained fighter.
But then... the ninja proves himself to be a menace. Dr. Tessitore's words were clear -- assist Jedah! And the ninja is clearly pondering exactly how to slice Jedah into pieces, so that means the were-person crew's target is now the Dragon Ninja! With a feral howl, they charge upon him, laying a series of raking strikes into the ninja's backside, with every intention of ripping him to shreds in the service of their master.
Jedah can feel the power of the Shinryuken tearing away at his insides. As a creature who is no longer human, it doesn't hurt in the same sort of way, but he can tell that things are not as they should be -- his body is not regenerating as well as it should. He finds his hand pressing to his chest -- another one of the human affectations that he's not been able to excise.
The bloodweaver's garment drips blood onto the pavement, as Aranha redirects his rage onto him, ignoring the onslaught of Dr. Tessitore's experiments. Another bother -- but one that's easily dealt with as Jedah passes a wry eye at the two participants in his Majigen Series. "That... was a mistake," he tut-tuts, brow furrowing as the environment warps yet again, allowing Jedah to skate backwards in the blink of an eye, carrying the slippery bastard out of the reach of both Aranha and Eunha.
But one thing that might not be terribly obvious is the pool of blood that's now directly under Aranha's feet. The traceur may be surprised to know that that blood is now full of disembodied hands, grasping for his feet and shins.
COMBATSYS: Jedah successfully hits Aranha with Prova - di - Servo.
Glancing Blow
JEDAH
[ ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
1|-------------==|===============
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Experiments 0/-------/-----==|
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////// ]
Aranha 1/-======/=======|-------\-------\0 Munin
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////////////// ]
Ryu Hayabusa 0/-------/--=====|=------\-------\0 Eunha
COMBATSYS: Experiments successfully hit Ryu Hayabusa with Phylactery of Broken Promises.
JEDAH
[ ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
1|-------------==|===============
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Experiments 0/-------/-----==|
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////// ]
Aranha 1/-======/=======|-------\-------\0 Munin
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////////////// ]
Ryu Hayabusa 1/-------/=======|=------\-------\0 Eunha
The bloody hands -would- lift Aranha up and slam him about into the pavement -- not once, not twice, but three times, before impressing his face into the side of a building. Upon the building, it will soon become clear that a contract has also appeared, etched in (what else) blood, with "KEITH MASON" in large Gothic lettering. The rest is in Italian, though -- the key piece of information here is that Aranha would be impressed upon it where the signature of this unholy contract would go.
Among the fighters in the world, Ryu Hayabusa is very likely one of the most effective against massed opponents, having to constantly fight while outnumbered. Hayabusa is also one of the most dangerous opponents to powerful Archfiends such as Jedah, having dispatched a great many with the power of Shinryuken. There are, however, problems when he is forced into a battle against both at once.
With his attention becoming focused on Jedah, Hayabusa is not entirely prepared to be swarmed. It had been his hope that his allies could keep the weaker opponents distracted while he attempted to put an end to Jedah's darkness. As Shinryuken is drawn forth from its sheath once more, he does his best to simply avoid the swarming experiments, but the shear number, and his distraction, leaves him in an poor position. Claws, fangs, all manner of natural offense are unleashed on Hayabusa, marking his skin with blood before he's able to free himself from the mass.
Once he does manage to free himself, his sights remain set on Jedah. The Singular Super Ninja launches across the open ground, lashing out at the Archfiend with a powerful upswing of his legendary sword, aiming to send Jedah skyrocketing with a blow powerful enough to put him above the tops of some of the tallest skyscrapers in Metro City. In an instant, the ninja appears beside the Darkstalker, ramming the Shinryuken through his target to allow the power course through the dark lord as both of the ninja's arms wrap around him.
While the maneuver had been defeated every other time during their last intense battle, this time perhaps the evil slaying power of his blade will be enough. Both ninja and fiend begin to spin rapidly as the very air around them seems to pull itself together, slashing at Jedah's body while leaving Hayabusa unharmed as a meteoric fall aims to bury Jedah.
Aranha lifted and slammed once, and then twice however, he manages to get his hands under him to stop the impact of the third slam and manages scramble out of the grip of the blood formed hands when he looks up at the wall and sees the contract. Aranha's Italian is a bit weak but after having delivered the Sanguiluna - the Blood Moon to Livorno, he was able to recognize a tiny bit of it. At least enough to know that it was not a contract he wanted to sign.
In rebellious fashion Aranha works his way back to his feet with his middle finger raised. He lowers it and opens his mouth to make his feelings known, "Fuck you, fuck your unwilling contracts, fuck your wings, fuck your hack shop scientist with those stupid looking spider legs, fuck your prize, fuck the Majigen Series, fuck this place that you pulled Metro City into, fuck your weird blood powers, fuck these weird horror wannabe creatures..." He then pauses to take account of his surroundings.
Aranha knows that there's going to be too much difficulty dealing with both the monstrosities created by 'Dr.' Tessitore's hands and Jedah himself. Considering his vendetta with Tessitore is more personal than Jedah, he's going to take some pleasure in breaking her creations, especially after she had attacked his sister. They needed to be dealt with so his allies could be free to deal with Jedah. He decides he's going to take as many out as possible and whatever he can't take down, he'll try to draw them away from the fight.
He becomes a blur darts from Experimental creature to the next, delivering roundhouses, side kicks, spinning back heels. Each and every kick engulfed in brightly glowing blue chi. And then he can't attack any more. He has to draw them away.
"I'm from America. My president is black and my chi webs are blue..."
The rest of what he says can't be heard as he starts running away in an attempt to lead the experimental creatures on a merry chase.
COMBATSYS: Aranha has left the fight here.
JEDAH
[ ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
1|-------------==|===============
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Experiments 0/-------/-----==|
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////// ]
Munin 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Ryu Hayabusa
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Eunha 0/-------/------=|
What goes up must come down. Eunha does exactly that, landing in a crouch as Jedah rumbles his menace at Aranha and Hayabusa, which does give her a moment to herself. Hurray! It'd be more useful if it wasn't for all the horror going on around her.
However, useful is a relative term. She has to trust in Ryu Hayabusa's advanced Japanese swordenation in this moment - because she's surrounded abruptly by several people who are, at least approximately, humans - or were human recently.
Eunha, at least, can identify that they have throats, and proceeds to aim kicks at those throats, until they are no longer producing horrible noises. The kicks are moderated, but will, perhaps, prevent further interference.
It's something of a madhouse now, with all the experiments in the fray. Munin has to constantly duck and dodge in between, trying like mad to avoid being outmanuevered by the beasts. Sad as it is that they aren't entirely guilty of anything to deserve things, it is ultimately irrelevent to her at this point.
Their a major threat to life and limb.
Period
Her chi-lances flick to life in her palms, and with a leap, she spins through the crowd, slashing and slicing at as many as she can as she goes! With how closely packed they are, she hopes to get as many as possible in one fell swoop!
COMBATSYS: Experiments block Aranha's Royal Flush.
JEDAH
[ ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
1|-------------==|===============
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Experiments 0/-------/---====|
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////// ]
Munin 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Ryu Hayabusa
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Eunha 0/-------/------=|
COMBATSYS: Experiments dodge Eunha's Kick Combo.
JEDAH
[ ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
1|-------------==|===============
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Experiments 0/-------/---====|
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////// ]
Munin 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Ryu Hayabusa
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Eunha 0/-------/------=|
COMBATSYS: Munin successfully hits Experiments with Spin Slash.
- Power hit! -
JEDAH
[ ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
1|-------------==|===============
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Experiments 0/-------/-======|
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////// ]
Munin 0/-------/-----==|-------\-------\0 Ryu Hayabusa
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Eunha 0/-------/------=|
COMBATSYS: Ryu Hayabusa successfully hit Jedah with Divine Swallow Izuna.
JEDAH
[ |||||||||||||||||| ]
1|-----==========|===============
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Experiments 0/-------/-======|
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////// ]
Munin 0/-------/-----==|-------\-------\0 Ryu Hayabusa
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Eunha 0/-------/------=|
Jedah frowns as the slippery traceur manages to wind his way out of his souls' bloody grip. He'd known the fighter to be nimble, but to see him completely avoid an attack he couldn't -possibly- have seen coming brings a look of true anger onto the Blood Weaver's royal countenance -- the numerous f-bombs dropped afterwards don't even faze him, comparatively.
But he can't spend much time focusing on the capoeirista as he taunts the neophyte darkstalkers to follow him. Thanks to the accumulated mass of souls, the Bloodweaver is easily nine feet tall now, their energies manifesting as tiny lights rippling across his form like veins. This entire spectacle was a product of his precise engineering, and while some of the details may have slipped beneath his fingers, he has nothing to fear but--
For one moment, he'd forgotten about the Dragon Ninja. He'd turned back away from Aranha -- only to see that his doctor's crazed minions weren't able to stall the super ninja for as long as he'd expected. Dealing with another teleporter is a pain...
But not as much as the True Dragon Sword ripping its way through his chest. He sees it protrude through him, his own blood wicking into the evil-devouring blade as if it were a sponge. His skin grows pale, his veins -- throbbing with vitality just moments before -- beginning to throb in altogether different directions.
"You're a fool... if you think this will stop me /here/..." says the noble, as he's hauled into the air. "... when escape is simplicity itself..."
Jedah tries to move away. He even flinches a bit, with surprise, as he finds his teleportation to be failing him. The Shinryuken is more powerful than he could have imagined, and he finds himself unable to break free from the grip of the ninja as he's spun around by the whirlwind attack...
By this point, the abominable experiments have started to chase after Aranha, emboldened by their earlier successes. This only gives them false hope, as one after another, they are knocked to the ground, their meager defenses only leading one to get plowed into another like dominoes. Some are able to avoid the kicks from Eunha by dodging and weaving, but the shadowy Munin is able to insinuate her way through the chaos and spear them from behind, cutting them down like weeds. These former Metro City residents will probably have something to say about their wounds -- but they won't be saying anything for any time soon, as they fall to the ground, one by one. A few darkstalkers remain, but there's more where they came from...
Lord Dohma makes a futile grip at Hayabusa's arms as the ninja whips him around. The sword's what's enabling him to do this, he's sure of it... but the demon lord has enough presence of mind to think another step ahead. He may not be free yet, but he can execute some of the plans he'd prepared earlier.
With the sound of shattering glass, two more rifts in space appear, leading to various other places in Metro City. "Come forth, my chosen ones!" he cries out, his voice breaking from the maelstrom of Hayabusa's attacks. "Fight, for eternal victory!"
As Jedah is plowed into the ground, his cartilage-like skull and ribs crushing from their cratering impact with the pavement in a gory splatter of blood, there is a peculiar sound from the rifts.
Semi-automatic gunfire. Helicopter blades. And the death of many a darkstalker. There will be no reinforcements here -- the forces of Jedah's army are much too busy for that.
The body in Ryu's hands is completely disintegrated from the impact, but the mass of blood spills a fair distance away. In a matter of two seconds it reconstitutes into a humanoid form -- albeit a very gaunt, thin one -- and the sticky crimson is showing no signs of differentiating into its usual textures.
"Your actions have damned this entire... pathetic... world."
And then... the newly-reformed Jedah, still dripping with blood, rises into the air, as a circular annulus appears on the ground below him. Through it is visible a very large, very plump... baby?! With spider-webbed veins and batlike wings. And as Jedah reaches out to the child, he closes his hands into a tight fist.
The baby cries. And vomits a storm of blood at Ryu Hayabusa, the pressure intense enough to knock him backwards.
"Your thirst... for justice... feeds us all, fools..."
COMBATSYS: Experiments take no action.
JEDAH
[ |||||||||||||||||| ]
0|---------------|--=============
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Experiments 0/-------/-======|
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////// ]
Munin 0/-------/-----==|-------\-------\0 Ryu Hayabusa
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Eunha 0/-------/------=|
COMBATSYS: Ryu Hayabusa blocks Jedah's Santuario.
JEDAH
[ |||||||||||||||||| ]
0|---------------|--=============
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Experiments 0/-------/-======|
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////// ]
Munin 0/-------/-----==|=------\-------\0 Ryu Hayabusa
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Eunha 0/-------/------=|
Finally, Shinryuken is beginning to have its intended effect. Jedah's power could have been considered near absolute within the confines of Majigen the last time they fought. Despite managing to defeat him, the Archfiend escaped and continued on with his plans as if nothing had changed. With the fiend-slaying blade brought into play, however, Jedah's powers are more strained.
But now is not the time to allow oneself to become overconfident. The fight isn't over until Jedah has been put down or had his powers sealed away, and even in a weakened state the Darkstalker Lord is a powerful threat and Hayabusa can feel the weight of the fight through his body.
He also is not inclined to want to face down the strange assault from the hemomancer that leads to a torrent of blood flying at him. Hayabusa inhales sharply, focusing in on his calm center as he faces down the deadly stream. Setting his footing, he raises Shinryuken before him and the glow surrounding it begins to brighten in the face of this dark power. The blood splits along the blade, scattering to either side as it pushes the ninja back. Even with the power of Shinryuken it's a struggle to withstand.
But as the storm passes, Hayabusa remains standing, eyes intently focused on Jedah. Just like the last time they fought, he has no concern for the Archfiend's taunts; allowing oneself to manipulated by your opponent's words is to lose before the fight is over. Focus on your center. Wield yourself as your greatest weapon.
Both hands twist tighter on the hilt of his sword as the Dragon Ninja suddenly surges back into the fray against Majigen's malevolent master. Shinryuken drawn to his side as the distance between them disappears. No fear. No hesitation. The instant his feet come to a stop before Jedah, the blade swings up through a wide arc and Hayabusa leaps into the air, aiming to cleave Jedah down the middle in a rising slash.
With most of the minions down after her 'rampage', Munin turns to hunting down stragglers, resorting to basic combinations of get in, hit it a bunch til it stays down, then move on to the next one. No fancy flashy techniques or special attacks, just basic brutal effeciency. She also tries to make liberal use of the edge of the platform, using throws or kicks on any experiments close enough to take them out of the battle in one blow.
The sooner they're taken care of, the sooner she can assist against the real target: Jedah.
Surrounded by stunned Darkstalkers, Eunha grunts in satisfaction. Her attention turns upwards to Jedah once more, just in time to see him getting slammed into the ground in another scenic gush of precious bodily fluids. The ninja man is having trouble.
Eunha sees Jedah produce -- a human infant.
"Motherfucker," Eunha says, "You just juiced a baby!!" She doesn't have much to say beyond that. Where Ryu steels himself and smashes downwards, Eunha lunges forwards. With that much blood, Metro City is now down one junior citizen, but this does not mean it has to retain anywhere near as many Jedahs.
Eunha throws herself forwards into a single steel-snapping kick at Jedah's side, even as Ryu Hayabusa descends. Will this, in fact, crush the bloody devil?
COMBATSYS: Experiments fail to interrupt Aggressive Strike from Munin with March to the Bitter End.
- Power fail! -
JEDAH
[ |||||||||||||||||| ]
0|---------------|--=============
[ \\\\\\\\ <
Experiments 0/-------/-======|
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////// ]
Munin 0/-------/-----==|-------\-------\0 Ryu Hayabusa
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Eunha 0/-------/------=|
COMBATSYS: Jedah dodges Ryu Hayabusa's Intercepting Strike.
JEDAH
[ |||||||||||||||||| ]
0|---------------|--=============
[ \\\\\\\\ <
Experiments 0/-------/-======|
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////// ]
Munin 0/-------/-----==|-------\-------\0 Ryu Hayabusa
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Eunha 0/-------/------=|
COMBATSYS: Jedah counters Thrust Kick from Eunha with Nero - Fatica.
JEDAH
[ |||||||||||||||||| ]
1|---------======|===============
[ \\\\\\\\ <
Experiments 0/-------/-======|
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////// ]
Munin 0/-------/-----==|-------\-------\0 Ryu Hayabusa
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Eunha 1/-------/=======|
With all of Jedah's spatial distortions, it may be difficult to gain a proper appreciation for the -scale- of the various things he's doing. The rifts yawning towards different portions of Majigen are not exactly small -- each one shows darkstalkers losing by the scores. But moreover, the baby... is not little, nor human -- the product of the entirety of Majigen.
In one sense, Lord Dohma is losing this battle. As the bloodweaver clutches his chest, his back arching as he hovers in midair, he passes furtive glances throughout the rest of the gathered scene. Blood drips off his chin, rejuvenated blue skin in its wake, but the rest of his now-wraithlike form is slower to recover. His connection to Majigen is starting to fluctuate with the loss of many of his troops -- not only the ones being cut down like an Amazonian forest by Munin, crushed, disabled, brought to their knees -- but those lost all throughout the realm.
But in another sense, he still has the souls he needed. The very -goal- of this macabre tournament is still intact -- the souls pulse a bright purple as they flow through his body, knitting his wounds back together. His smile grows larger by degrees with each passing moment.
It is more difficult to think of taunts that would be effective against the silent Dragon Ninja, however. He purses his lips as Ryu leaps in, finding that the righteous Eunha is charging in as well.
Two birds with one stone... While Ryu and Eunha are both close enough to feel the wind from the bloodweaver's sudden evasion, there is one crucial difference. The Shinryuken will draw some of the accursed blood away from the Black Messiah, but Eunha will gain the satisfaction of actually hitting... -something-, that erupts into a satisfying splash of blood.
Her kick isn't that sharp, though -- the bloodweaver has simply passed -through- the police officer, surrounding her in a perfect orb of his blood. Rematerializing on the other side of her, the noble rakes his claws against her form, severing the bubble with a loud pop, and puncturing the officer within.
Jedah floats back from the officer, his talons glistening with crimson as the blood coalesces back into the sickle shape of his wings. He draws in breath, smiling malevolently back at the assembled group as he unhitches the front of his overcoat once again. "You see... even if I lose here..."
Thousands of tiny motes of purple light rush out of his chest, into the annulus, leading down to the monstrous baby within. As the legion of Dr. Tessitore's forces fall to Munin's weaving of kicks and tosses, the monstrosity below seems to be gaining strength, its cries of anguish growing louder and more insistent. Jedah refastens the clasp on his overcoat, pleased at having transferred some of the souls he's collected to the starving infant below. And he smiles wickedly at his opponents in thanks.
Never assume an injured opponent is also an easy opponent. Laying a hand on Jedah (or an ancient fiend-slaying sword) is a difficult prospect under any circumstance. After those last few hits with Shinryuken, it's easy to assume that the Dark Lord has no intention of having any more of his power drained away from him.
Weakening the connections has been a good thing, but it's not enough. Not yet. Jedah's control over Majigen presents the uncomfortable position of every attack thrown at him being used as an opportunity to alter reality to harm his opponents. As the fight goes on, the hemomancer will refine his appraisal of his opponent's fighting styles, most likely find some way to take advantage of their weaknesses.
So perhaps its time to throw in the unexpected.
Flying in at the yet-again reformed archfiend, Hayabusa swungs quite suddenly, Shinryuken lashing out at Jedah... and missing by an absurdly wide margin. The blade finds its way back into its sheath as the Dragon Ninja uses the unusual twist of the swing to launch a surprise kick at the fiend's midsection.
Only one left, at last.....
Approaching at a tired gait, Munin faces down the last of the experimental mutations reinforcing Jedahs assault. As she draws near, she moves in with a burst of speed, sending a series of punches and kicks at the thing, finishing with a throw off the edge of the side. Any more would waste energy she could better use against Jedah, and she has the feeling she may end up needing it.....
This is intensely unsanitary and disgusting, Eunha thinks (if not quite in those words) as Jedah, high on the alluring, addictive drug that is apparently BABY SOUL, wafts past her. She is buried in a world of red then.
Throbbing.
Pulsing.
Tearing as she turns her head. Then Jedah is raising up his hand and swiping and -
The ripping strips open the cloth on her back and cuts bloody gashes into her. Hopefully this blood isn't full of AIDS or other diseases, because the blood that isn't Eunha's completely coats her as it bursts. She lands on her ass, not gently, and rolls to her side, hissing and spitting. Her glasses are totally caked; she rips them off with one hand, pushing herself to her feet in time to see Jedah tear open his trenchcoats and release the roasted, toasted fresh product - the blue purple light that is his product.
Because in that moment, that is what Eunha (who may be losing her mind slowly but surely) sees in this man. She doesn't see a devil or a monster or a dark savior or anything more than the world's nastiest, goriest pusherman.
"I see you have a giant baby there," Eunha says.
Her eyes slowly widen. Her eyes, shielded as they were by her glasses, are the least blood-splattered part of her body right now, giving her an oddly raccoon-eyed demeanor.
"It's too bad," Eunha says. "It's rough to grow up, without a parent."
And with that she lunges inwards, twisting low and swerving in a way which Jedah would, if he's minding his fighting and not relying SOLELY on his vast, Satanic powers, see as an effort to avoid another of those brutal scythe attacks. Eunha pushes herself upwards with her left leg then, her right focused on administering a walking barrage of lumber-destroying kicks as she herself shouts wordless enthusiasm. Then -
One step forwards! (The most devastating of techniques.)
Which is balanced by her other leg coming around fast enough that it sounds like a cannon going off!
COMBATSYS: Experiments dodge Munin's Combo Grapple.
JEDAH
[ |||||||||||||||||| ]
1|---------======|===============
[ \\\\\\ <
Experiments 0/-------/--=====|
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////// ]
Munin 0/-------/-----==|-------\-------\0 Ryu Hayabusa
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Eunha 0/-------/-------|
COMBATSYS: Jedah dodges Eunha's Crane Builds Justice.
JEDAH
[ |||||||||||||||||| ]
1|---------======|===============
[ \\\\\\ <
Experiments 0/-------/--=====|
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////// ]
Munin 0/-------/-----==|-------\-------\0 Ryu Hayabusa
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Eunha 0/-------/-------|
COMBATSYS: Jedah fails to interrupt Aggressive Strike from Ryu Hayabusa with Finale - Rosso.
JEDAH
[ |||||||||||| ]
0|---------------|--------<<<<<<<
[ \\\\\\ <
Experiments 0/-------/--=====|
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////// ]
Munin 0/-------/-----==|-------\-------\0 Ryu Hayabusa
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Eunha 0/-------/-------|
Five weeks ago, these people were Metro City's lifeblood. High-powered executives, power lunchers, parents of two and a half children -- you know the like. Regular, honest people with regular, honest jobs. And then they got animal parts sewn onto them, pumped full of mind-altering chemicals and horrendous mutagens, and now they'd been turned into little more than feral animals. They had hopes and dreams -- and now their drug-addled dream is to die in service to the Black Messiah, as they fight against a woman whose battle acumen is far superior to their own. Somehow, they are starting to grow wise to her tricks -- somehow, they are beginning to mimic her speed and learn to counteract it. Or maybe she's just slowing down to conserve energy.
It doesn't matter. To them, it's an opening. So it doesn't matter that their bones are about to break, that their wounds are about to completely undo them -- they will strive to take down Munin, Eunha, Ryu, and anyone else who stands in their Messiah's path. Let the fur fly!
Eunha's determination and vigor is strong enough to cause Jedah to favor her with a gloating smile. Her rage is a comfort to her -- a source of vitality. And he's eager to see her try to land one more strike onto him in the form of a kick, fast enough to rival the anti-aircraft ordnance carried by the recently-downed military tiltrotors.
He is less eager to experience it firsthand, though, which causes him to hitch his thumbs upon his hips, making his abrupt shift backwards to seem as effortlessly as possible. "A parent's love is eternal, child."
It is, then, a shame that Hayabusa's able to take full advantage of Jedah's reduced state of awareness. He'd intended to dodge the Shinryuken in the same motion. And he would have grabbed the man, leveraged him backwards, and -thrown- him into the annulus he'd left open for all this time.
Fate finally decides to smile upon the Dragon Ninja, opening Jedah up for a rapid-fire knee to the gut, jacknifing the demon lord over. Caught unaware, without time to evict his presence from the body, he feels it -- shrieking out in pain with a thousand voices at once.
But, as before -- he is a slippery bastard, and worms out of close range in a haughty expression. He'd been bluffing a bit too much -- the Shinryuken had done more than he was willing to let on. But now, caught thusly... he's showing it a bit more openly, leaning over as if his shoulders tripled in weight.
But there is one trump card he'd left on the table. His breath is starting to catch in his throat as he speaks. "So blinded are you... in your quest to vanquish -me-... that you've ignored the most obvious."
Jedah sweeps his right arm in a grandiose gesture. The annulus closes first, then the rifts to the other places within Metro City.
"You cannot destroy /me/..." he chuckles, before his body is wracked by the spasms of a blood-filled cough. He is far from pristine now, his beleaguered body weeping with blood through the very pores, evidencing only a fraction of his preferred pigmentation.
COMBATSYS: Munin counters Requiem of Merciful Endings from Experiments with Terminal Response.
JEDAH
[ |||||||||||| ]
0|---------------|--------<<<<<<<
[ <
Experiments 0/-------/=======|
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////// ]
Munin 0/-------/-----==|-------\-------\0 Ryu Hayabusa
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Eunha 0/-------/-------|
Slowing down? Definately. Munin wants to save energy in case Jedah still has tricks up his sleeves. Getting predictable?
That's what SHE wants them to think!
As the deformed former person dodges and comes in, it's from the exactly angle she wanted should he have avoided the attack, allowing her to smoothly transition into a duck, leading to a sidestep, and an arm around it's throat. With her other hand, a lance of chi is sent at the most accessable and recognizable vulnerable point on it's body such as the temple, neck, or kidney.
Hoping it's enough, she pulls her hand back, and spins it into a throw, attempting to slam the beast into the ground, followed by a hop back in case it has any other tricks.
Assumptions are a dangerous thing. Even the most powerful of fighters can be felled by hubris and a failure to adapt to changing situations. It is Hayabusa's hope that he's able to take whatever advantage he can of Jedah's blindness to his own limits, and the strengths of his opponents, and bring this fight to the only conclusion that will protect the world from the Archfiend.
The fact that Jedah is now changing the battlefield as he is only goes to further prove that they are pushing the hemomancer to his limits. Don't let up. Don't slow down. Certainly there may be more threats that have yet to be revealed, but those boasts have no chance of warding off Hayabusa's assault until the situation changes further.
Rushing down Jedah again, giving him no time to further recover his failing flesh, Hayabusa stays low to the ground, hands empty as he slips into position, sliding Shinryuken from its sheath at the very last moment as he aims to take Jedah's arm at the elbow with a quick slash.
In her ignorance, Eunha finds her anger is a source of comfort. "Shut up!" she barks out as Jedah lets out that racking, bloody cough. Sucking in a deep breath which is probably significantly more blood by volume than she cares to think about, she glances towards Hayabusa as he stays low, whipping out at Jedah's arm.
And she?
She kicks for his knee. Hopefully he'll collapse in a more literal bloody heap than is usually the case.
COMBATSYS: Eunha successfully hits Jedah with Snap Kick.
JEDAH
[ |||||||||| ]
0|---------------|-------<<<<<<<<
[ <
Experiments 0/-------/=======|
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////// ]
Munin 0/-------/-----==|-------\-------\0 Ryu Hayabusa
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Eunha 0/-------/-------|
COMBATSYS: Ryu Hayabusa successfully hit Jedah with Medium Strike.
JEDAH
[ ||||||| ]
0|---------------|-----<<<<<<<<<<
[ <
Experiments 0/-------/=======|
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////// ]
Munin 0/-------/-----==|-------\-------\0 Ryu Hayabusa
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Eunha 0/-------/-------|
The last of Dr. Tessitore's reinforcements falls to Munin's expertise, slammed into the ground so hard that it bounces back up, and collides with another who was beginning to regain its footing. The aftershock of -that- impact is enough to shake the whole city.
Perhaps more accurately: the /entire dimension/ quakes, as if it's about to collapse inward upon itself. The skies -- it becomes clear now that they were never 'skies' at all, but the interior of some cavernous organ, varicose veins becoming more and more obvious as the vessel stretches and shudders. And the buildings begin to shudder independently as well, the fluidic nature of this dimension evidencing itself once again as the buildings begin stretching upward.
Through it all, Jedah's loathsome chuckling continues. He shakes his head, not even giving Eunha or Ryu the pleasure of seeing him contort reality yet again to avoid the close-range strikes. Though if they glean pleasure from his kneecap shattering, his fibula exploding in a shower of blood, or his arm being severed from just above the elbow, well, that's on them.
"It's a shame... that after all I've done, all I'd hoped to inspire from humanity... this is what it's come to." His body teeters over, and he drops to one knee, collecting himself with his other hand. "Tell me... does seeing justice done ease your heart?" Jedah passes a leering smile back up at Ryu, then Eunha, as Metro City slips away around them, passing its way back up through the spatial anomaly that brought the city to Majigen in the first place.
The twisted wreckage of the Metro Bridge. The destruction of Downtown. The open violence in the streets of the Outskirts, and Metro Park. The Mad Gear triumph over the darkstalkers in the Financial District. All of these scenes whoosh by, as if frozen immemorial in filmstrips, as the anomaly rips the cityscape out of the foul demon dimension.
"Humanity has not evolved at all since the so-called Age of Enlightenment. You talk a big game about 'choice' and 'rights', but in the end, it's all about 'me' versus 'you', isn't it? When faced with an uncomfortable situation, humanity is stuck in the animalistic cycle of lashing out against... anything different. Placed in a confined space with their deep-set fears... when it comes down to it, all you really want to do is throw your foes over the edge. To drive a blade into an arm. And kick the 'bad guy' in the knee."
Jedah's body loses consistency, and solidity, melting like an ice cream cone knocked out of a schoolboy's hand by the class bully. To Ryu, he says, "This was an entertaining experiment."
He does not have the strength to lift his head -- nor even does he have much of a body at this point, melted into a puddle of blood as the rest of Metro Square is swept into the anomaly. "Take good care of your city, Miss Sin. Kisses."
And with a blinding light...
The sky is, once again, a pleasant cerulean blue.
COMBATSYS: Jedah takes no action.
COMBATSYS: Jedah can no longer fight.
COMBATSYS: Experiments take no action.
COMBATSYS: Experiments can no longer fight.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////// ]
Munin 0/-------/-----==|-------\-------\0 Ryu Hayabusa
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Eunha 0/-------/-------|
Metro City has been saved.
Certainly there is a great deal of damage, and many people have been lost in the violence, but the alternative would be to see the horrors that occupied Majigen spread across the rest of the world. Ryu Hayabusa's duty has been completed... even if Jedah has managed to avoid the fate that his actions have earned.
But it's clear that the tragedy is not entirely over. Some of the Darkstalkers may still haunt the remains of the city, any of Jedah's lieutenants not possessed with enough self-preservation to evactuate will need to be dealt with. And more than that...
Hayabusa turns toward the defeated collection of experimental Darkstalkers. Shinryuken, a sword that slays evil and is incapable of harming the innocent, the good. The Dragon Ninja slowly crosses the bloody Metro Square, holding the glowing, holy blade at the ready. With no hesitation, each downed foe is met with the cutting blade. It cleaves away at the tainting darkness in a manner that seems miraculous.
As the last of the test subjects falls, Munin stops and looks around as the sky turns blue once more. Slowly approaching Eunha and Ryu, she watches as the ninja does his work finishing things off. She can only stare impassively, thinking it unfortunate to have to kill them, but letting it be what it will be, completely unaware of how the swords magic works, or even that it exists.
She plops down on a nearby set of stairs, eyes drifting to the Opera house, almost afraid to go inside and see what is left.
For now, Munin is content to sit and rest.
Eunha stares at Jedah speaks. She doesn't answer him.
Inwardly she feels a thousand different things, but taekwondo discipline and the shocked relief of victory keep her from speaking. When he fades, and the sky is blue, she looks upwards, feeling the sun even as the Hayabusa scion subjects the unjust and just alike to a healing swordination.
"Maybe next time... your 'experiment' will be a little more... Ethical."
Log created on 19:36:38 05/03/2015 by Jedah, and last modified on 19:27:36 05/06/2015.