Match of the Millennium

Description: "Ah. DANIEL LITTLE. I have a surprise for you. I trust the princess found you well? I see so little of her these days. At any rate. Go to the drainage pools at the base of my tower. There is someone there who wishes to test your mettle. Admittedly, I have so little interest in the latest practices of the realm, my taste being so much more ..refined. But I am sure your acquaintance will be well handled by the dear ZABEL ZAROCK."

[ZABEL]
Although a mortal disguise doesn't really serve much of a purpose here in Outworld, Zabel Zarock has still been letting his hair down outside of fights. He's taken to considering his more visibly undead form to be part of his performances, so when he's not putting on a show he's gotten used to not being a screaming skull with glowing red eyes. Missing body parts can make various tasks a bit more irritating, as well. And so that's the form he's in when he arrives at the dungeons beneath the tower, and takes some time to appreciate the decor before his opponent arrives.

Really, there's something to appreciate just about everwhere on the island. The rocker reaches out and taps one of the hooked chains, watching it swing back and forth a bit, gazing thoughtfully at the machinery. It doesn't look like the controls are anything easily accessible during a fight, but he might still be able to make use of the chains somehow. He appears quite unconcerned about the fact that he's standing right at the edge of the acid pit.

[DANIEL]
See, at first, Daniel had a little hope.

He had made it to the Graveyard. He had seen the burial spot. He had seen the memorial. He wanted to dig Sergei up... but he was approached by the guards. It was time for Mortal Kombat. And his opponent was.... Zabel. A real Earth person. An Aussie even. There was, for a moment, hope. This wasn't going to be like his last opponent, who was utterly alien in outlook. It was going to be a normal, low risk fight.

And then he got into the details.

Daniel Jack steps behind him, approaching steadily. The detective was garbed in that borrowed uniform from the locals; an orange silk shirt with billowy purple silk pants, with a motif of moths trailing from the pant leg up to the shirt. Unlike his opponent, Daniel was not metal, and saw the decor to be an abomination. An obsession of death and decay, a worship of it. The detective moves closer, feeling a pull in his gem. Push him in, Daniel. Finish this fast. Instead, Daniel brings a hand to his nose, as the acrid stench hits him.

He hoped it was the pit.

"Zabel Zarock." Daniel Jack begins. "Heard you used to be real big in Australia. Got a cult following, at least. Literally, from what I understand. A lot of people died at your last big show, you included. Interpol got a lot of questions for you, but, well, normally Interpol doesn't look to bringing in the dead for questioning." The detective releases his nose in order to cross his arms, as he unleashes a withering gaze.

"I think I'll make a judgement call on this one, scuzzy."

[ZABEL]
If the fumes from the pit bother Zabel at all, he doesn't seem to be showing it. No watering of the eyes, or difficulty breathing. Although if one keeps a watchful eye they might notice that Zabel doesn't actually seem to do a lot in the way of breathing, at least when he's not talking. He turns to look over his shoulder at Daniel, eyeing him up and down for a moment. "'Used to be', man? That hurts." He turns back to look out over the acid pit. "And what, a guy can't get killed and then show up a while later without getting hassled? Jesus got away with it, didn't he?"

The rocker crouches down, still with his back to Daniel, looking into the pool of acid. "But nah, I know how it is. You cops have been hassling me for ages. "'Unsafe working conditions', 'reckless endangerment', 'unpaid taxes', all sorts of bullshit. Well, the dogs can bark all they want, but I can put up with all sorts of things." He lowers his left arm, actually sticking his hand right into the acid. There's an immediate hissing and bubbling. "And you know, out here? I don't think your law has any teeth. So, you know what? Fuck you!" And that's the point at which Zabel suddenly springs up and whips around, what remains of his hand still cupped enough to scoop up some of the acid and send an arc of deadly liquid splashing at least partially in Daniel's direction.

[DANIEL]
Oh, Daniel Jack was noticing it.

No breathing, the movements were... not. As animated as Zabel was, he was lacking in the basic glimmers of normal movement; rocking back and forth, non-conscious blinking, an deven breathing all were artificial. Something was off. He lists his crimes, and Daniel frowns in his glowering. And the law had no teeth? Well, maybe. Daniel was eager to bring the law down hard on this guy, on pure force of will alone. He dips his arm in the acid, and Daniel uncrosses, stepping forward. "No wait-" No, Daniel. You wait. He scoops it and flings it, throwing a spray of acid right for Daniel like he was some Pakastini girl who committed premarital sex. The detective falls into his footwork almost natural as the arc splashes at him

And Daniel side steps it.

THe acid hisses as it lands on the stones where Daniel once stood. He picks up speed, the crystal in his palm burning alive as he feels... souls. Souls pouring into him, feeding a hunger he didn't know he had. The detective rushes, as he responds.

"I'm... deeply concerned that it is the tax evasion is what Interpol wants me to question on."

The detective grows alight with energy. "You'd think the hundreds of people dying would be a bigger concern. But no, it's taxes. I mean it, like, as a rock star? Tax evasion is kind of assumed. Who cares if you are the MC Hammer of Metal, when you got a mosh pit full of corpses in your name. Jesus christ, Interpol." THe detective lunges in from the flanks, hands out, lashing out. Orange energy surges from his finger tips, as he unleashes the wave of chi straight into the rock star center of mass.

"Jesus christ."

COMBATSYS: Daniel has started a fight here.

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Daniel           0/-------/-------|

COMBATSYS: Zabel has joined the fight here.

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Daniel           0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0            Zabel

COMBATSYS: Daniel equips a luminous Rose Soul Shard.

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Daniel [E]       0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0            Zabel

COMBATSYS: Zabel equips a gleaming Scarlet Soul Shard.

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Daniel [E]       0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0        [E] Zabel

COMBATSYS: Zabel blocks Daniel's Kasane Ate.

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Daniel [E]       0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0        [E] Zabel

[ZABEL]
Zabel's hand is still smoking slightly as the remnants of the acid drip from it. He frowns as Daniel avoids the splash, but it was just a cheap trick. Could've been nice if it worked, but oh well. He'll just have to do things more up and personal now. He quickly turns to track the detective's movements, bringing up his acid damaged hand in the way of the wave of orange energy. And as the flare of light fades his hand certainly isn't looking in very good shape, with bone visible through the flesh in numberous places.

In even more places as a wave of green fire suddenly ripples up from Zabel's hand, running up and over his body and leaving bone and distorted flesh in its wake as he assumes his zombie form. The red pinpricks of light that make up his eyes flare brightly with scarlet energy as he gives Daniel a toothy grin. "I'd say take it up with my attorney, but I don't think you're gonna get the chance!" He twists his body, swinging in with one boney fist for Daniel's jaw, bone spikes suddenly jutting out from his knuckles.

COMBATSYS: Daniel dodges Zabel's Medium Strike.

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Daniel [E]       0/-------/-------|=------\-------\0        [E] Zabel

[DANIEL]
"Oh my god"

That is what Daniel Jack says as the transformation comes. Yeah, he was expecting a dead man. But not... this. The flesh was ripping away, to the bone underneath. There was a mask of death, but not in a traditional sense. It was kind like... who was that frontman from White Zombie? Oh, wait, it was Rob Zombie. Yeah, it was kinda like that. Was it a zombie, a flesh thing dead something? Daniel's spectrum of undead was basically vampires in the field. If Zabel was anything like a vampire? He was just weird.

And kind of a sociopath.

"Listen, scuzzy, this whole thing is kind of incredible, you know?" The detective states firmly, as he recovers from the lash of energy. The damage was done, and already, the undead was getting ready with a fist. Daniel had to talk fast. "I've been to hell and back. Twice! I've experience so many incredible things... You're not the first corpse I've dealt with. Usually it's vampires. You're a lot less pretentious though Zabel, I like that. You're more real, down to earth, and- BONES!" That is what the detective blurts out as the spikes come out. The detective sweeps his arms, hooking the crook between his thumb and index finger against that pallid skin. He could feel the rot. He didn't like it, Daniel wanted to get a bath before this fight. He had a feeling that botulism was on the horizon. And yet, in the face of a corpse breaking out, the detective puts on a grin against Zabel's own as he sidesteps around the punch, pushing away and around as he neatly evades the blow.

"I mean, you're a person."

"Too little Skin and way too many bones, yeah, but its Majigen all over again. You've been there?" The question comes as Daniel Jack unhooks the hand, continuing the firm footwork as his other hand comes around. The trouble with an opponent like this is that while it looked human, the entire... body structure was wrong. The detective makes a quick choice, and just tries to jam his hands in, to grab ANY bone he could seize in the zombie, as he continues to rattle fast. "It's kind of trashy but I don't think I've found a netherworld kind of place that isn't. You're people. Freaky dead people who may or may not have murdered the hell out of a lot of people, but right now that's a nice little perk. The people behind this tournament... Well, they look humanish."

"But they aren't, you dig?"

Should Daniel Jack get a grip, he would pivot hard, trying to lift Zabel up and over. He would slam him on his back, towards the acid pit, and let him roll. He wouldn't throw him in, no. But he was gonna make sure that Zabel would keep between the pit and him. If he couldn't get that grip? Well, he would keep on talking. "I talked to a hot babe here wearing a strapless blue dress, and she's morally offending I'm not ripping her open and playing poker with her organs. It's like a Southern Baptist of Murder. I ask her if Queen is the best rock group out of England, and she stares at me blankly. There isn't a common culture there. You though, you are uh, well, hm. Hell, you're metal, right? Metal rock?"

"This place is like a Mecca for you, isn't it?"

COMBATSYS: Zabel dodges Daniel's Strong Throw.

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Daniel [E]       0/-------/-------|=------\-------\0        [E] Zabel

[ZABEL]
Thankfully for all concerned, while Zabel's remaining flesh is very definitely not healthy, he's not as... messy as one might expect a rotting corpse to be. Bone is bone, of course, but of his remaining flesh, the rot process has been held in stasis, for the most part. Maybe microbes don't like the evil energy suffusing the undead rocker's body. Or perhaps it has something to do with the strange mental control Zabel has over his entire body. When you can twist and mold the shape of your flesh and bones, repairing it isn't that farfetched.

And speaking of shaping... Zabel does get grabbed, and an arm makes for what seems like a good leverage point for flipping him up and over Daniel's shoulder. It would be better, though, if it weren't for the fact that Zabel's arm rotates around in its socket, flesh twisting up in a way that human skin and muscle really shouldn't, leaving Zabel with his arm on backwards and landing on his feet out of the attempted throw.

"You know it. It's like every ten feet you come across something that'd make a great album cover!" If Daniel is still holding onto Zabel's arm he'll suddenly find it really hard to keep a grip, as bone and muscle suddenly twist back in the opposite direction, snapping his arm back the right way around. "And I've gotta find some stuff to write on! All this inspiration, there's just song ideas popping up all over the place. And yeah, maybe the people here are all about murder. But when in Rome, you know?" He lets out a not entirely sane laugh, then suddenly launches himself up into the air and toward Daniel. "By the way, ever seen one of those prissy vampires do this?!" He shouts that out as he's flipping forward, swinging one leg out to bring his foot falling down toward Daniel's head. And that's when bone spikes erupt from his leg and begin spinning with blurring speed, forming a horrific buzzsaw.

COMBATSYS: Daniel blocks Zabel's Skull Sting.

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Daniel [E]       0/-------/------=|==-----\-------\0        [E] Zabel

[DANIEL]
Zabel was in fact a lot more awesome than those vampires.

"Nah, most of the vampires I've met look like they wandered out of a Rocky Horror Picture Show, you're a lot cooler." The detective states with gritted teeth as his opponent slips from his hands. "Not my flavor of cool, I'm more swing and jazz than metal." He needed to figure out how to just... deal with an opponent like this. All while the opponent was taking to the air. Blocking a buzzsaw tended to be counter-productive. Deflecting, however, was... also a painful experience. The detective deflects the buzz blade with his forearm, taking the ripping arm wound down on his limb. Turning it away, Daniel Jack pushes off, the limb bleeding light. Taking dilligent steps backwards, he draws in a deep breath, as orange energy flows over him.

"So, you still do music?"

Daniel Jack keeps away, giving away the offense to Zabel. The detective was watching him every movement, trying to read it, tryign to understand. All while rattling off his mouth. "See, that's exactly what I mean. You're nuts, but that's okay. But I don't get the whole zombie thing. So, what, could play Zabel Za Rock record backwards and get satanic messages to kill myself? Metal has that kind of stigma, you dig?" Daniel Jack's arm stops bleeding, the energy flooding back into him as his hands keep up. "I won't lie, Zabel, can't tell if you're the kind of person who'd kill a bunch of fans for power, or the kind who is looking for the next cheap thrill, and accidentally killing yourself and your fans over it. Hell, you might just be John Landising or Jezebeling it up here, and just cruising it on from the last show." The detective was keeping the rhythm, as he fixes his footwork. He was holding back. But he was waiting, watching, and getting ready. All while chattering on.

"What's the deal, Zabel?"

COMBATSYS: Daniel Jacks it up a notch!

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Daniel [E]       0/-------/------=|==-----\-------\0        [E] Zabel

[ZABEL]
The bone spikes swiftly retract before Zabel's foot hits the floor, avoiding what could otherwise be a pretty awkward landing. "Can't kill metal, man, and I AM metal. Of course I'm still rocking! Just gotta change up the venues a bit to avoid people like you." He begins shifting his weight back and forth, rocking slightly from side to side. "As for the rest, no peeking behind the curtain man. That shit about satanic messages in songs? That's gold! You can't buy that kind of advertising." He gives a toothy grin... though it's difficult for him to give any other type, really.

And then, suddenly, Zabel's shifting from side to side becomes kicking with one foot into what should send him spinning around. Except the upper half of his body stays stable, while the lower half begins spinning, speeding up into a blur of motion. He rocks about for a moment like a top, then lunges at Daniel... with a movement arc that actually sees him flying up into the air if Daniel's body isn't in the way. And it's a bit hard to see with his lower body spinning around so rapidly, but there's a series of pointy bone spikes extending from his waist, the sharp tips slicing through the air.

COMBATSYS: Zabel successfully hits Daniel with Death Hurricane.
- Power hit! -

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Daniel [E]       0/-------/---====|====---\-------\0        [E] Zabel

[DANIEL]
What was this man?

He says he's metal, and he really is metal. But he isn't metal. No, he was flesh, and bone, and black magic. He needed to make sense at them. The lower half then begins to spin, and Daniel doesn't can't even make sense. Was it a trick? No, it wasn't a trick, Daniel realizes a little too late. As the lower half fires out, the bone spikes rip into his torso. There is a pained gasp as Daniel is sent up into the air, instinctively grabbing his gut. He feels something wet... a loose.

That was a quick disembowelment.

Landing on his back, he breaks into a roll, with one hand still on his torso. The other hand, however, lashes out to stop his roll over the side of the acid. His fingertips dip into the pool briefly. All it took was briefly, as Daniel rips his fingers back up, the tips are red and... dripping, as the flesh sloughs away. Fresh blood comes, as Daniel rolls back upright into a stand, groaning. "Come on, scuzzy, you gotta give me a lead. You aren't working for Lord Dohma, are you?" The detective moans, nearly falling to one knee. He takes a hard breath, as this fight looked almost over. Orange chi flows around him, as he focuses hard.

And the red light mingles in the orange fire.

The red and orange flood over him as he releases his guts. His organs do not tumble out of the exposed torn silk. The bleeding thins in his lap, his finger tips were... not bleeding out. The red flame burns in the detective's eyes as he rushes straight back at the undead. The energy blow over him as he hurls out a boneshattering palm strike with the right, followed by a skeleton shattering hand chop with the right. Pure soul power boils out with his own energy, as he unleashes another slash of energy as the follow up. Followed by a second one. Followed by a third one, a chain of frantic, flesh ripping energy slices.

Coming out with every step of the detective into Zabel.

COMBATSYS: Daniel channels the strength of the killing fist.

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Daniel [E]       0/-------/----===|====---\-------\0        [E] Zabel

COMBATSYS: Daniel successfully hits Zabel with Ragtime Riot EX.

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Daniel [E]       0/-------/-======|=======\=------\1        [E] Zabel

[ZABEL]
Although he lacks things like eyeballs, a lot of skin, and even some facial muscles, Zabel still doesn't have a perfect poker face. It might be a bit harder to read him, but there's a number of things that can express someone's reaction to things. And at the name 'Dohma' there's a flickering of the lights that make up Zabel's eyes, and his jaw clenches for a moment. He also stops still for a moment. Not long, but it gives Daniel a split second of extra lead time for his next attack, which slams home cleanly.

Boneshattering is pretty relative in Zabel's case, given the uses he can put his skeleton to, but there are definitely some cracking noises as Daniel's strikes hit home. Flesh tears away, revealing muscle and bone in some places, but there's no screams of pain from Zabel. Some angry grunts, and he's rocked backwards until he finally manages to take a leap back that brings him out of arm's reach. "Okay... interview's over." The light in his eyes flares up, and then a gold glow begins suffusing his body, with crackling sparks of red energy running over him. His undead muscles bulge outward, adding considerably to his bulk and he actually gets several inches taller. A purple shape leaps up from the floor and into his hands, twisting and extending into a massive chainsaw, which begins spinning with an ear-splitting shriek. And then in the blink of an eye he launches at Daniel, the chainsaw swinging in a blurring arc.

COMBATSYS: Zabel channels the strength of the killing fist.

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Daniel [E]       0/-------/-======|=======\=------\1        [E] Zabel

COMBATSYS: Daniel channels the fortress of the steel will.

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Daniel [E]       0/-------/-======|-------\-------\0        [E] Zabel

COMBATSYS: Zabel successfully hits Daniel with Ultimate Undead.

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Daniel [E]       1/-------/=======|-------\-------\0        [E] Zabel

[DANIEL]
A flicker.

He knew him. That meant he wasn't completely out. But he wasn't giving the right cues. Not a direct follower, likely. Daniel Jack's combination ends with Daniel fixing his feet down. But the zombie was burning back. As the energy floods out, the creature towers over the detective. Daniel Jack looks up, frowning. "Oh." He states, as the chainsaw comes of bone and flesh. The scream comes, and Daniel's red aura flares out over the orange. He doesn't know what happens, but he feels bleeding. He sees blood. And while it slows the blade down... something comes down on the ground. Almost looked like a hand. Almost. But that's impossible. Daniel Jack doesn't know what was happening. But he felt hungry now.

Hungry for souls.

Daniel throws himself back in. One hand is out as the detective reaches his hands into the man. Not at, but into. Daniel Jack was throwing his full force to reach through the flesh of the man, and grab him by the only bones he trusted: the spine. With the alien anatomy of the zombie, he figured that without a spine... well, you would just fall apart. He had some rhythm, some connection, some wholeness that he had to use, and in Daniel's case, exploit. If Daniel got the grips on the spine, he would twist the spinal cord at the base of the neck, and force him down, hard. There wasn't an arm to twist, a leg to wrench with this kind of creature. So Daniel would twist and pin on the next best thing... and the most extreme choice he had.

By the neck, face down.

COMBATSYS: Zabel channels the glare of the vicious eye.

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Daniel [E]       1/-------/=======|-------\-------\0        [E] Zabel

COMBATSYS: Zabel counters Mad Jack Crack from Daniel with ES Death Phrase.
- Power hit! -

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Daniel [E]       1/---====/=======|===----\-------\0        [E] Zabel

[ZABEL]
Zabel may be a horrible undead monster, but even he is capable of seeing the look in Daniel's eyes and knowing that something ain't right. But he's seen similar looks before, and it's the kind of thing where you can assume your opponent is really gonna commit to an attack. Commit it all the way right through your face and out the back of your skull, if they can. Not that Zabel is thinking that clearly himself, with the power of his shard running rampant while he's unleashing his own energy in a rather flashy way.

But luckily for Zabel... one thing he knows instinctively how to do is rock. With gold and red energy still infusing his body, he suddenly switches his grip on the chainsaw. Just before it would tear his own hand to pieces it finishes shifting into an electric guitar, and Zabel's hand falls to the strings clutching a glowing red pick that seems to have come from nowhere. And when it hits the strings, the noise that erupts is more felt than heard. The room shakes, and a shockwave sends chains rattling wildly and waves of acid streaming away in a circle expanding outward from Zabel. Cracks zigzag through that platform underfoot, but thankfully it still seems solid enough to stand on. And then, there's Daniel, caught right at the epicenter.

[DANIEL]
Pain wasn't.

The singular consumption towards Zabel was dead focused on him. The counterattack explodes over Daniel, but he doesn't feel. Daniel Jack didn't feel the pain of his sliced off hand, still oozing red as his aura floods over him. He didn't feel the agony as the power of his opponent's flood back, shifting his chainsaw into a guitar. He was dead set on Zabel, singleminded. He hadn't been this tunnel visioned since the Butcher consumed his soul. The eruption of rock is unleashed point blank into the detective.

But Daniel doesn't slow down.

The sonic shockwaves rips over the detective. Pain wasn't. Pain was not. And it rips his body like a fissure, tearing his flesh open with rich, deep wounds. His shell was nearly degloved from his body. But the orange chi was turning crimson, as the gem drives him further. Souls pour into him, as he feels a pulling. The detective's eyes burn red as he draws back his hand, his only hand now. A shockwave rips behind him, a blowback of energy as his arm trembles. The limb launches. If the limb connected? He wouldn't knock Zabel back. He would carry him, the pair of them surging through the air, towards the pit... and over it. He would slam Zabel hard into the wall there, with an explosion of chi. But Daniel couldn't hit through the wall. Flesh could not sustain. The only thing that could keep them both from falling below was magic, a miracle...

Or the corroded chains and hooks dangling over the pit.

COMBATSYS: Daniel channels the strength of the killing fist.

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Daniel [E]       1/---====/=======|===----\-------\0        [E] Zabel

COMBATSYS: Zabel blocks Daniel's Fantastic Todoh Punch.

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Daniel [E]       0/-------/----===|=====--\-------\0        [E] Zabel

[ZABEL]
As the golden energy fades from Zabel's flesh, he shrinks back down to his normal proportions, leaving him unsteady for a moment or two. Enough time for Daniel to take advantage of, certainly. Zabel sees the impact coming, but drastically underestimates the force behind it. He manages to raise up his arms in a guard, but there's a snapping noise and one of his forearms begins drooping at a very unpleasant looking angle. Flopping about a bit as the continued force of the imapct sends both Zabel and Daniel sailing out over the pit.

Still, a broken arm isn't that big a deal for the zombie, in the long term. And he doesn't have distractions like pain to keep him from trying to address the situation he finds himself in. He manages to place his legs such that he hits the wall in a crouch rather than slamming into it with his back, though the explosion of chi which follows leaves cracks running through the wall beneath his feet. Using the brief moment available he swings his guard up, but rather than follow through with a more traditional attack he makes use once again of his disturbing body. His exposed ribs suddenly extend, shooting out toward Daniel as two rows of spikes, then swiftly retracting. He doesn't want to be stuck pinned to the detective right now... because his next move is to leap from his position on the wall, sending himself sailing back toward solid ground. Daniel can find his own way back.

COMBATSYS: Daniel channels the strength of the killing fist.

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Daniel [E]       0/-------/-----==|=====--\-------\0        [E] Zabel

COMBATSYS: Daniel interrupts Medium Strike from Zabel with Jumping Jack Flash EX.

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Daniel [E]       1/------=/=======|=======\====---\1        [E] Zabel

[DANIEL]
He wasn't done yet.

Daniel hangs on the chains, as his aftermath washes over the pool. The acid splashes against the wall, as the wave runs back to the edge. The detective himself digs his heel into the arc of a hook, instinctively grabbing another hook to get his footing on. He still didn't recognize the pain, the damage. Right now, everything was a means to deal with Zabel, to feed on those souls. Breaking an arm? Nothing. But as Zabel goes for the wall jump, to escape? Daniel gnashes his teeth as crimson chi floods over him. Zabel attacks.

And Daniel grabs those ribs.

The bones cut deep into his hand, as his crushing grip comes. Energy floods from as he wrenches Zabel around, jerking him out of the jump. Pivoting around, he jumps off the chains, leaping with the momentum towards another chain. And there, in the end, he slams him HARD into the hooks of the chain, slamming him with a riot of energy that nearly snaps the corroded chain from the steel and stone. Daniel would keep following through, swinging low with Zabel as his lifeline, hurling the momentum across to the stones. He would have landed on his feet on the safety of the shore... except pain was surging into him. Real pain, real agony. The red light fades from him, as he collapses into a blood stained roll on the ground. He comes to a rest before... a familiar black hand. He blinks, as he stares first at the stray hand... and then to his own bloodied stump, as it continues to ooze life.

"Oh."

"Oh fuck me."

[ZABEL]
With the amount of leverage the ribs give, Zabel doesn't have much choice but to go along for the ride as Daniel swings him around. The rocker slams into the hook with enough force from the impact alone to nearly break the chain, to say nothing of the explosion that follows it. When the blast clears, he's swinging back and forth with most of the steel hook protruding from his chest, pinning him in place. The light in his eyes flickers for a moment, then he snarls, rocking back and forth as he attempts to free himself. "When I get down from here, you're gonna-" And then he stops, interrupted by the sharp noise of metal under more strain than it can handle. "Oh, fu-" And then, with a snap, the abused chain gives way and Zabel plummets into the acid pool with a splash.

There's enough time for the noise of the splash to fade, and the ripples to start to settle. Enough maybe for some hope to set in. And then the surface of the pool bulges for a momemt before Zabel shoots up into the air, madly whirling lower body sending a fine spray of acid all about. He looks worse for the wear, with even more bone showing than normal, and a good chunk of his hair missing and a snarl on his face. His legs snap to a stop as he thrusts out his left arm, a bone spear erupting from it and shooting toward Daniel, trying to pin him to the stone beneath. But even if that fails, it's followed by Zabel reeling in along that path, his right arm drawn back with fingers curled, joined by the ribs on his right side to form a massive claw, crackling with electricity and aiming to slice Daniel and slam him into the floor at the same time.

COMBATSYS: Daniel just-defends Zabel's Evil Scream!

[                   \\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////                        ]
Daniel [E]       1/------=/=======|>>>----\-------\0        [E] Zabel

[DANIEL]
Daniel dimly turns around, as Zabel complains loudly.

He was going into shock. He had to stop himself from going into shock, but he realized... what he just did. What just happened to him. All the suppressed pain, all the agony... did he do that? He had his hand cut off, sure, but... look at what he -did- to Zabel. What if it wasn't a zombie, what if it was an actual person? What is... the notion terrified him. He was more afraid, or at least, wanted to be. But the pull inside him was dragging away his emotions. Where there was pain, instead of fear filling, a righteous anger, a hunger. As Zabel continues to struggle, Daniel actually approaches him... that hunger growing.

And Zabel falls into the acid.

Daniel ceases his advance. He killed him. He runs that through. A surge of rage jabs into him, as if he had the last donut taken from right under his nose. But he quelches it. Hope? Not for the detective. Except... there was a pulling at him. What could he do to arrest this man? He was unstoppable, unnatural. He... Zabel could survive it. He could survive an acid pool. Daniel Jack was convincing himeslf of that. Zabel could survive the acid pool, he couldn't just be killed by conventional means like that.

And Zabel, for a moment, proves him right.

Through the pain and the self-righteous justification, Daniel had prepared himself for Zabel coming out. It is still a surprise, a shock on a primal level. Zabel shouldn't have come back. But Daniel wanted it. He needed it. He justified it. And it was before him, coming true. The bone spear launches, and Daniel sweeps his one hand around, redirecting it aside and past his leg to the stone beneath. A surge of chi floods around him, as he lets it fill the stone beneath his feet. As Zabel comes rushing it, the detective keeps moving with precise footwork. A hand short, he didn't have a full defensive set. Each step comes carefully, as steps into Zabel as he brings his ribs into a flesh rending clawing. Dipping low, he brings up his one hand, catching it by Zabel's elbow as he sweeps. Electric chi is met with the orange energy of the detective, as he helps guide the claw with Zabel's momemtum, falling under it as the detective's energy grows negated by the electric energy... and visa versa. Daniel Jack slips underneath and away from the claw, shoving away as he pushes back. He gets a moment of respite, a moment of distance. He continues to bleed from the stump of a wrist, but even that was stopping. He wasn't going to fall into shock just yet.

Not when he had his own counterattack.

Zabel could survive this, Daniel thinks as the next step comes with a stomp. A shockwave runs underneath the stones, up the walls, and into the chains above as a great crunch is heard. Chains fall halfway to the ground, stones rise as they fling up into the air by the force, and the walls begin to tumble. Chi energy floods around them, the lingering force still enhancing them as they fall slowly. Daniel Jack, with only one hand to come into play, resurges as he forces through the mid-air debris, flinging rock after chi infused rock after barbed chain straight at Zabel. Piece after piece is hurled at the zombie, to drive him back, to drive him backwards. He could survive this. He would survive this. This wouldn't kill him, really. He could survive this. Killed or be killed, he wasn't going to be like Sergei. Daniel Jack keeps hurling piece after piece as the chi fades around him...

To drive Zabel back into the acid pits with the barrage.

COMBATSYS: Zabel channels the spread of the lightning nerves.

[                    \\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////                        ]
Daniel [E]       0/-------/-----==|>>>----\-------\0        [E] Zabel

COMBATSYS: Zabel dodges Daniel's Mean Business.

[                    \\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////                        ]
Daniel [E]       0/-------/-----==|>>>----\-------\0        [E] Zabel

[ZABEL]
Zabel rips the bone spear out of the floor, not even noticing that the tip snaps off from the force. It and his extended ribs retract into his body as he turns, glaring at Daniel. Acidic fumes continue to rise from his body, occasionally droplets and bits of flesh falling to the stone floor beneath him. He doesn't have time to start on another assault, though, before Daniel stomps his foot into the floor. Stones go flying into the air, raising Zabel along with them on the outer edge. And then just about everything in the room goes flying at him.

The lights in his eyes flare up, and the zombie becomes a blur of motion, leaping and spinning. He evades the objects flung his way, some of them passing through the empty area that used to be his abdomen. His glowing eyes leave a blurred trail behind him. He snaps out a hand and grabs a bit of passing chain, whipping it around to hook a chain that's still attached to the ceiling and whipping himself up further into the air and horizontally closer to Daniel. As he falls, Zabel suddenly has a guitar in his hands again, blaring out with a wave of sound leading the charge back to Daniel and what remains of the floor, smashing aside the last of the objects still in the air from Daniel's chi.

COMBATSYS: Daniel blocks Zabel's ES Death Phrase.

[                      \\\\\\\\  < >  //////                        ]
Daniel [E]       0/-------/----===|>>>----\-------\0        [E] Zabel

[DANIEL]
Stalemate.

As piece by piece is hurled, Zabel meets with equal gusto. The zombie evades, weaving through the storm. And then, he charges the power of rock. The sonic boom rips through the latent chi, as Daniel, midthrow with a stone block, abandons the assault into a cross armed block. The blow sends him sliding on his heels, grinding backwards. His ears were ringing, his body was burning.

But he is not down.

"It's time to end this, Scuzzy!" The detective snarls, surging in. Orange energy floods over him again, as he leads with a... Hm. The palm strike to lead with falls short, as there is no hand to strike with. Not having a hand is... Making problems. The hand chop comes around, energy flowing to his finger tips. There, he unleashed a wave of energy, aiming to rake the undead with a single slash. To rend him.

To end him.

COMBATSYS: Daniel successfully hits Zabel with Mikansei Kasane Ate.

[                       \\\\\\\  < >  ///                           ]
Daniel [E]       0/-------/----===|>>>>>--\-------\0        [E] Zabel

[ZABEL]
Zabel lands hunched over after blasting into the ground, slowly straightening up afterwards and locking his gaze on Daniel. He actually stumbles for a moment, then looks down in surprise as his previously broken arm flops over again. He'd expected that to have snapped itself back together by now... and that surprise gives Daniel the opportunity he needs. He's more puzzled than anything else as Daniel thrusts a bloody stump at him, but is much more affected by the wave of energy that slashes across him.

The zombie stumbles again, then begins reaching for Daniel... except suddenly the detective is getting farther away. A puzzled expression crosses Zabel's face, as a cracking noise heralds his exposed spine giving way. His abdomen doesn't have much in the way of protection for it, and that soak in acid didn't do any favors for what muscle remains, or the bone beneath. His legs remain standing, but his upper body crashes down to the floor. The lights in his eyes flicker on and off as he struggles to pull himself up, but he seems to be having trouble controlling his arms, even the one that isn't broken. "Damn it!"

COMBATSYS: Zabel takes no action.

[                       \\\\\\\  <
Daniel [E]       0/-------/----===|

COMBATSYS: Zabel can no longer fight.

[                       \\\\\\\  <
Daniel [E]       0/-------/----===|

[DANIEL]
At least one of the Todohs would be proud.

Daniel Jack unleashes the Kasane Ate, bisecting the zombie in twain. Daniel steps in ready for the follow up. For the legs to charge him, for the pieces to rip into him. Zabel proved he could fight apart, he proved blows that would kill man couldn't stop him. Daniel wad ready for... For something... Something...

Zabel wasn't getting up.

The damage of the fight had added up. For Daniel, losing a hand was everything. But for his opponent, he was not bound by mortal limitations. Daniel had seen again and again that Zabel could do the impossible, the incredible, to shape and reshape his body into the image of his own fantastic and insane visions. He was an artist of his own flesh, able to rejoin and recover into anything he could craft. But as both Daniel and Zabel realized now, every time those changes were recovering slowly. Every blow from Daniel, every slash of energy, every hook and dip in acid had taken away its tolls. And for now, Zabel had been dealt enough damage to disable him.

For now.

Daniel drops his guard, walking slowly past the legs to the better half of the former pair. He stares down, trying to think what to do. He could arrest him, right? Holding him in custody, making him answer for his crimes. He could imprison him on this island. Somehow. Maybe the guards would help him. Maybe he could seal him, or magic or

Maybe you should kill him Daniel.

The thought creeps in like a virus. Maybe you should kill him. A red light flickers in Daniel's own eyes, as he looms at Zabel's own.The detective clasps his hand on his bloodied stump, pressing the gem against it. It felt cold. The thought continues to spread. He would survive being killed. He will regenerate from it. If you capture him, he will recover, he will break free, and he will kill you. The easiest and best way is to kill him. Take his souls. Consume turn them to power. Daniel shakes his head, taking a step back. Souls are power. Souls are protection. You can do so much with them. They kept you alive now. They will make you so powerful, and keep your friends safe. Kill him, and you even bring him back to life. Daniel pauses, as the thoughts go silent.

And Daniel nods his head.

The detective turns, grabbing the lower pair of legs by the crook of one knee. "Zabel ZaRock?" Daniel growls, as he turns back towards the torso, the detective swing the lower half roughly, line up his shot like a golf club. "How about I do you a favor scuzzy. Lets you and I forget about the tax thing for a real long time, you dig?" Another swing back comes, but this time, Daniel follows through. The detective would slam the lower half hard into the top half, releasing on impact to send both of them flying through the air, to land with a plop into the acid pools.

He'd take the 1 stroke penalty for that.

[ZABEL]
Even down, Zabel isn't quite out, but freaky as he is he doesn't have a whole lot of experience moving around with his body split into multiple pieces. He snarls as Daniel grabs his legs... which are still moving somewhat, but not in a coordinated enough fashion to make them too difficult to hold for Daniel's purpose. Which isn't too hard to figure out. "Oh, this isn't over cop. You hear me-" And then Zabel is interrupted by the thud of the two halves of his body colliding with one another and sailing out over the pool. "I'll get you, motherf-" *SPLASH*

And yet... Daniel might not feel the sense of fulfillment the voices have been leading him to expect. There's a long awkward moment. And then a hand, almost entirely skeletal except for a few scraps of tendon, thrusts itself out of the acid and scrabbles at the edge of the stone platform. The fingers scratch at the stone, failing to find purchase, and then two of them snap off. The hand flails for a moment longer, before crumbling to a heap of small bones which collapse back into the acid pool.

[DANIEL]
He's fine.

He's fine, Daniel Jack tells himself, as he walks towards the pit at a steady stride. He was hoping for a sense of sastifaction. But there isn't. There is just a mantra as he drowns out the terror of what he had done. He was fine. He would come back. He would regenerate. It would be fine. Daniel did the right thing, and Todoh would be proud. Everyone would be proud, because he did the right thing. He stops at the edge, keeping himself from walking in. And he waits.

And the hands rises from the pool.

Daniel Jack stares down at it. He could imagine the undead creature grabbing him, and driving his face into the pool. To melt it off, to destroy him. He doesn't help the hands out. He just watches as they wither away, melt away. He'll be fine, he thinks, and Daniel Jack extends his one hand out, over the pit, exposing the gem over it. Red mist draws from the pit, and he could... feel the power. He could feel the souls coming in. He could feel them filling him. This was the first taste Daniel. This was your first real taste. The princess was just you learning what you could be. And now, you have enough to challenge the strongest. You need to fix your other hand first, Daniel. And then... you need to find others. You need to defeat them, kill them if you have to, and get more souls. You will know why soon enough.

Daniel knew the person who could help.

The detective turns around, going back to the site where Zabel had severed his head. He takes the severed hand. Zabel was fine. He would be coming back in time, right as rain. He might be mad, but that's fine. Daniel's fine. Lita is fine. Sergei would be fine too.

Everything would be fine.

COMBATSYS: Daniel has ended the fight here.

Log created on 14:18:36 10/02/2016 by Daniel, and last modified on 13:24:17 10/06/2016.