The Black Dragon - Black Dragon TDH - Hell To Pay
[Toggle Names]Description: With the Casino being taken down, Duke gets his lead to his stolen artifact: acquired by the NOL during their raid, and placed in the Heritage Museum for safe keeping. Organizing the heist to procure it, he personally oversees the effort. The heist starts off without any hangups. But Duke quickly finds himself faced with what seems to be a direct assassination attempt by a posse wrangled by a man with a vendetta. Responding with brute force, the crime boss finds himself in a trap that only tightens the more he struggles.
[DUKE]
The exterior of the Heritage Museum was quiet, as a single car was parked just on the outside.
With the Novus Orbis Librarium focused on dealing the coup de grace against the now crippled Kira Volkov, it was time Duke to make his own play. Let Heihachi be bullied to wasting his best and brightest against Kira. The crime boss would take what was his, and begin his expansion. The city would settle once again, and everything would fall into his clutches. Soon, Geese Howard himself would need to run everything past him; all of the criminal underworld would be his. His artifact was taken in the raids and fights with the NOL. He had a lead where it was held, given within the Syndicate itself.
And he would retreive it back, with interest.
Duke wasn't too far from the Museum. He was doing as he normally did: wait in the back of his Black Jaguar, an ash tray at his side, a cigar between his fingers. And from there, he would watch from the outside. The other cars arrive, unmarked vans piling in. That would alert the security what was happening. It wouldn't matter. All but one was pulling over for parking. One was going faster, and faster. Magical security was a powerful thing. Duke places his cigar in his mouth and steeples his fingers, as he watches out of the window. The van is faster, and faster, as finally the door opens up on the drivers side. A man, a volunteer in stunt armor, rolls out, hitting the asphalt hard as he earns his road rash. He would live. Duke nods as the van, still accelerating, slams hard into the entrance of the museum.
"Let us begin."
And the explosion rips across the exterior, as the piercing flames rip through the shields, rip through the wards, tears across the glass. Alarms rattle across the city, straight to the ears of the NOL. But Duke did not care. He watched, as the vans pour out with three dozen gangsters, pouring out like soldiers on the assault. One assists the driver. But the rest? They had their orders. Find the magatama. Take whatever else you found of value.
And leave with the prize.
[ALBA]
This is it. The time has finally come. The opportunity Kain arranged, with Alba more then ready to act upon it.
Heinlein had made contact with a handful of induviduals who'd be able to match up with Duke, the goal being to isolate him, and wear him down with a continuing assault so that he'll eventually be subject to a finishing strike.
Amongst the group, there was one familiar face to Alba. The person that helped him escape from Kira's clutches. Zach Glenn. The other two were Terry Bogard, the "Lonely Wolf" and Abigail, the Mad Gear Giant. It was quickly decided that the Goliath would be the first to fight.
Although, first it was Alba's task to Lure Burkoff to seclusion, where his goons and guards couldn't assist in the battle. The young gangster had been watching the museum- and moreso Duke's Car for a while now. Waiting for the chaos of the expected heist to break loose.
When it did, Alba gathered Chi into his arms, and waves them twofold towards the Jaguar. A pair of long, narrow Crescent blades of Chi start whizzing through the air, one aimed towards Duke, and the other towards the Driver, Threathening to carve through that beautiful Black car. Alba has positioned himself as to be in view to the syndicate boss, making sure that the 'Assassination attempt' Goes noticed.
[DUKE]
"Sir!"
Duke looks over. And he sees the wave of energy, shooting straight for the car. The driver tries to get out. But Duke? Duke watches, as it comes. His grip tightens on the cigar. Rage comes across his lip. The first tears into his side, penetrating the door and ripping into him. But the driver... the driver wasn't the issue. It was the car. The chi hits a gas line, and then, it goes up. There is a riotous explosion, as the Jaguar detonates into a fireball. Twisted metal scatters all around, as the heist doesn't slow down. The chaos was, as it was, chaos. Remains of the vehicle scatter around. Heavy doors, meant to stop bullets, as flung around. Two wet smears are stretched across the ground; one was the driver. The other was, well, Duke. It looked like the Assassination attempt worked out better than expected, as Duke's mangled legs stick out from under his door; crushed and smashed into a crater on the parking lot.
There is a dull thump, as the door is shoved off him.
Rising up from his own bloodied splatter, Duke reaches a full stand. His black and red suit was shredded remains. Blood and weeping burns oozed through whatever was exposed. His bloodied, gnarled hand hurls down the shredded remains of the cigar. Blood is across his eyes, as broken glass drops like rain from his mangled face. First, he brings up his hand, and rips out the section of the doorway driven deep into his chest. Ripping it free, the sucking chest would and broken bone is revealed. Now, he can make a gasp of air, as he brings his hand to his face. Like one would take off shaving cream, he wipes the blood away, revealing the yellow eyes.
His gaze was locked at Alba, now, past the remains of his car.
He makes his deliberate advance at Alba. Every step comes with a smooth, predatory gait. For the first few slow steps, you could hear the sickening crack of broken bones, of dislocated knees and shoulders. And then, they go quiet. His face was no longer bleeding. His body was no longer bleeding. His chest was closed with a massive, oozing scab. All fresh, agonizing wounds were closed. And now, a deep, raging flame of chi was building around him, a cloak of an aura. He was radiating the purest form of energy, a heatless flame around him. But something else comes with every step.
The rage.
Anger, purest anger. Over the loss of his car. The -insult- to attack him during a heist. Oh, the insult. That insult was rolling around inside him, as he stared at the man in the glasses. His jaw was tight. He was beginning to accelerate. The thunderous rhythm of his footsteps would coming harder, heavier. Faster. He reaches the remains of the car. In a flash, he swings his arm, and -smashes- it aside, scattering the debris and remains of the driver to the asphalt as one might clear away from empty boxes. "Young man." Comes the rumble, the growling baritone the harbringer of the deep cracks of violet-red energy that was now spiderwebbing underneath every step Duke was making. He hasn't taken his eyes off Alba. "I do not recognize who you are..."
"But in a moment, no one will recognize you, either."
[ALBA]
Fear.
Fear creeps inside of Alba's mind as Duke stumbles out of the wreckage with creaking bones. He expected him to intercept the projectile, escape the car. Something. But instead, Alba had witnessed the Beast's Willpower and Resilience first-hand. Those injuries, and he's still moving?
But then the wounds close. Way, way faster then what should be possible.
This should have been the part were the young gangster would've shouted out a taunt, insult, or threat of revenge towards the Syndicate crime-boss. But instead, he turns around.
And starts to run down the alley.
Wind envelops his red shoes, acting as a rubbery cushion to boost him off of the streets below, to make him run faster then he'd normally be able to. He turns a corner, and suddenly, seems to vanish.
Just slightly more then a quick glance would reveal what happened. This alley is a dead end, save for one place. A place that wasn't too far away from Duke, and is about as secluded as one can get.
A opened manhole cover, and the Sewers of Southtown that rest below.
[DUKE]
The pace quickens.
Boom. Boom. Boom. The heist continues without their commander, without their leader. And with every step comes the inevitable pressure, building, smothering, crushing. Duke thunders down the alleyway, chasing after the upstart. The fool. The assassin. He rounds the corner. And a dead end. The crime boss was not renowned for his brilliance; his brutality more than caught their attentions. But as he saw the open manhole, he snarls in rage.
He doesn't go down the manhole.
Bringing both of his hands together, he forms a fist. There is an upswell of chi around him, a whirlwind of flames around him. His body tightens. And then, releases, as he lets out a grunt and roars. With a slam, he unleashes the full force down, splintering the concrete, splintering the earth. Smashing it apart, he releases his hammerblow, and starts digging, ripping, tearing apart until he falls, falls finally into the sewers below. It was dark. Now, as he burns with chi, the ghastly illuminations fill the sewer tunnels, as Duke works his way down. His resolution burning. Everything burning. He was going to find this man.
And pull him apart like a roast chicken.
[ALBA]
Alba lands with a Cushioned *thump*, on a grated metal Walkway. This part of the sewers, is a spacious, Circular passage. Unsurprisingly for a sewer, it smells horrid. A stream of muddy brown water can be seen at the bottom of the tunnel, with Broad metal walkways Lining the edges above this sewage. Providing 'Clean' places to walk for those unfortunate operators that have to peform repairs and treatments down in this stinking pit. They provide ample space to walk- and in this case, fight. White, flickering lines line the edges.
When Duke would finally get down through his loud destruction of the dirt and and concrete. There would be no Alba waiting for him. Rather, this was a signal for someone else to come into action.
Someone Very, Very big.
[ABIGAIL]
"Man just because I own a scrap metal yard don't mean I wanna smell this garbage! This stuff STANK!"
A deep booming voice rolls through the chamber accompanied by heavy footfalls that impact with thundering *BOOMS* that cause the entire area to rumble and roll with the sheer force of the mere footsteps of the approaching gargantua. "It doesn't even small like..rusty parts..and I HATE RUST!"
Suddenly, one of the framing walls explodes in a plume of dust and debris as a bomb had been detonated from another section of the winding sewers.
It ends up simply being the elephantine immensity of Abigail, walking forward through the stonework with all the fanfare of a man casually pushing past wet cheap-tissue paper for all the good it does at slowing him down.
He rolls his monsterous shoulders, pumping muscles up bigger and bigger in a titanic display of warping and engorging flesh that causes his Mad Gear skull-print shirt to already begin shredding violently and disintegrating under the expanding massiveness of his body. Two boulder sized fists then slam together, producing another shockwave as he thunders to a stop.
"Time to kick it into the redline!!! Vroooom!!"
COMBATSYS: Abigail has started a fight here.
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Abigail 0/-------/-------|
[DUKE]
Duke almost explodes himself, when the walls come down.
His temper was already alight. When the walls comes out, he turns, anger boiling from him. Teeth gritted, as he stares at the figure. Stares -up- at the figure. Slowly, furiously, he realizes this man. He had seen him before. Fought him. And the context was, no. It couldn't be. His car was destroyed. And this man was now going to fight? Duke roars out loud, hands drawn up into bloodied fists.
"YOU?!"
The rumble comes with a snarl of complete disgust. "The -car modder!-" Duke's rage lashes out in whips of flames, the anger of the crime boss already gone into a self-sustaining chain reaction. "You and that boy... trying to kill me… My things, now destroyed because of YOU!? First Rolls Royces, and now Jaguars!?" Duke could only make sense of this as the man taking out a vendetta against his choice of cars. Why else all this? This was all over -cars!?- Duke stomps, a shockwave of flame exploding out from him. And then, rolling with the fire, he hurls out a haymaker, attempting to smash his fist hard into the towering figure's chest. "I will crush that tiny skull like a cantaloupe, and the last thing I will make sure you will see..."
"Is your precious workshop transformed into skate park!"
COMBATSYS: Duke has joined the fight here.
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Duke 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Abigail
COMBATSYS: Duke has joined the fight here as a boss!
DUKE
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0|---------------|---------------
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Abigail 0/-------/-------|
COMBATSYS: Duke successfully hits Abigail with Crushing Lariat ES.
- Power hit! -
DUKE
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0|---------------|===============
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Abigail 0/-------/---====|
[ABIGAIL]
The monstrous superhuman hot-rodder just sort of stares at Duke as the man practically turns into a living embodiment of fury itself.
And to think, people think -Abigail- has a temper. Sheesh.
"Hey, lighten up man! Take it easy! It's not my fault your cars are stupi---"
And then Duke is upon him like some sort of launched nuclear weapon. Abigail braces - his body tensing and chest flexing and broadning like the expanse of a fortress wall. Duke's haymaker slams home and Abigail's eyes bulge as his body is rocked by pure force and explosive chi. His words transform into a roaring cry of fury as he's lifted from his feet and then goes tumbling backwards through a pile of rock. More dust plumes and rolls outward into the combat area, briefly obscuring the behemoth until he suddenly explodes into view again - launching into the air and doing a full flip with both of his huge hands raised overhead.
"A skate-park! You MONSTER!!"
And down he comes, dragging a shockwave with him as he brings both of his massive arms down towards Duke.
COMBATSYS: Duke endures Abigail's Giant Flip.
DUKE
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1|------=========|===============
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Abigail 0/-------/-======|
[DUKE]
His cars are stupid.
Duke was a living nuclear weapon. The only thing he was missing was garterbelts and a blonde boyfriend. As he unleashes the wild haymaker into the titan, he could feel the bones in his hand snapping. But he doesn't back down. No. He would dispose of this assassin, and it would be done. He was a font of rage, he would crush him, and it would be over! Even as Abigail rises back up, even as he brings his arms down to slam upon him, the crime boss does not yield. He stands fast, extending his arm as he stares into the titan. The blows come, cracking his shoulders as Duke grits his teeth in agony. His flesh ripples, as one arm actually sinks far too low. But the other, the extended one, remains. He opens his palm.
And it's a crimson ball of energy.
A wave of gravity pushes back, as Duke roars. "My taste in cars is absolute!" Duke bellows as the orb of energy expands, the crushing force pushing against the sewer tunnels, expanding it dangerously as he tries to press Abigail against the wall. "You will die knowing that all you learned in cars is false, and that come tomorrow, English automobile engineering will dominate the world!" And there, he clenches his fist, his fingers snapping backwards from the raw force. He shakes his hand in rage, pain jolting through his arm. His yellow eyes burning.
As he inspects the result of his work.
COMBATSYS: Abigail barely endures Duke's Gravitational Wave.
DUKE
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0|---------------|--------=======
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Abigail 1/-----==/=======|
[ABIGAIL]
One does not simply attempt to oppose Abigail with counter forces and contests of strength--except when you're Duke apparently.
Abigail slams against a far wall, pressed violently against it as the gravitational forces ripple across the canvas of his billboard sized body the ground violently ripples up around him. He's a human cookie cutter and the underground chamber is basically cookie dough against the force that is Duke and the supernatural manipulation of one of natures strongest powers. It wears at him, presses against him, threatens to treat him like the cars and trucks he so often manhandles in his scrap metal yard.
But then Duke just -had- to go there. Another insulting comment hurtled his way about that which is Abigail's supreme domain. The Vroom.
His body swells, gigantically looming up larger and larger as he turns beet red. Steam billows out from his nostrils, ears and then opening mouth like some sort of dragon unleashed inside of his depths. He's an engine ready to erupt into flames.
"Vrooooom!!!!"
COMBATSYS: Abigail VROOOOOMS!!!
DUKE
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0|---------------|--------=======
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Abigail 1/-======/=======|
[DUKE]
The trouble was that Duke was mad.
The endless frustrations and anger of the crime boss was unceasing in it's relentless expression. With a dislocated shoulder and a crushed hand, he wasn't going to be doing any punches for a bit. But once Abigail starts steaming, Duke stomps at him. "Cool off!" He bellows as he draws his foot back. The wind up is there, and he telegraph's it clearly as he swings.
And aims all his force squarely between the Titan's legs.
COMBATSYS: Abigail blocks Duke's Strong Kick.
DUKE
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0|---------------|------=========
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Abigail 2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|
[ABIGAIL]
Does what Abigail have down there merit detail or discussion or is best left to Duke's imagination when his foot lands and Abigail neither recoils nor quivers. There's something there alright but Duke probably doesn't -really- want to know how much of something even if he might get a good idea from the reverb caused by that kick. Hey - his fault for aiming there!
And Abigail is unimpressed.
"SHOW SOME CLASS!" he thunders, eyes blazing furiously before he suddenly lunges forward and sends a massive fist hurtling downward for Duke like a hammer, intending on throwing the crime boss off balance from the force of the earthquake causing blow. If successful, he grabs for Duke and attempts to lift him directly skywards to try and embed his body into the ceiling above--
COMBATSYS: Duke blocks Abigail's Abigail Special.
DUKE
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0|---------------|===============
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Abigail 0/-------/---<<<<|
The chamber shakes. The streets above shake and sunder. Seismometers are being set off elsewhere. Abigail's fists come rolling in, blasting at Duke in a series of rolling boxing like punches that would each hit with the force of a building tilting concussive bomb going off. Not so bad for a mere Metro City junkyard mechanic. But such is the mystery of Abigail.
"ORA, ORA, ORA, ORA, ORA!!" he roars, each punch ushering more force then the last before he draws back for a final strike intending on launching his target for some distant unseen goal post.
[DUKE]
For a brief moment, Duke regrets.
A punt like that should bring a man to his knees. But Abigail isn't on his knees. Duke looks up, and very much sees him not on his knees. Jaw tense, he gets shoved hard. But his arms weren't fully recovered yet. Plucked up like a turnip, he is slammed right into the ceiling. Head crunching and neck cracking, he flails his arms around. He didn't need his hands. He just had to keep deflecting. The ora ora ora assault is met with a countering muda muda muda, the oras and mudas mingling in harmony until finally, finally, the finishing blow comes. Duke rips free from the ceiling, ready to launch down the distant tunnel. His broken, bloodied arm lashes out, digging a burning hand into the stone. Flesh and concrete become one, as the launch away is cut short, and Duke falls down hard in the sewer tunnel.
And Duke rises again.
His upper half was intact. His face was bloodied and bruises, with blood pouring down his scalp. But his arms were mangled and splinter, compound fractures abound. But his legs dig in hard on the ground. "Go!" He roars, his voice piercing the tunnels. "and Die!" And Duke ignites in the violet red energy. Lunging in, he attempts a low kick to sweep Abigail off his feet. Whether he succeeds or not? He would follow up with an axel heel drop, attempting to slam down with a fiery shockwave on impact.
Whether the floor, or Abigail's chest.
COMBATSYS: Abigail fails to interrupt Hellfire Hammer from Duke with Red Leaf.
DUKE
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0|---------------|-------========
COMBATSYS: Abigail can no longer fight.
DUKE
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0|---------------|-------========
[ABIGAIL]
"Can't die. Got books to balance! This is just a 'favor'. Now settle down! You're way to mad, man. Enjoy life a little!"
Unperturbed by Dukes infernal, horrifying power and intimidating presence and pressure...Abigail presses on. He strides forward, thundering after the direction of Duke's flight and as Duke launches himself back at the Mad Gear giant, Abigail simply keeps on coming, merely rolling his colossal shoulders in preperation for the impact.
His massive bodyb races as Duke's leg comess weeping around. His body teeters like a sequioa nearly taken up from its roots but..he recovers. A massive fist lunges upward, his middle finger coiled backwards like some sort of trebuchet being cocked and primed and ready to be unleashed..and then as Duke's axel kick comes dropping like a comet, Abigail's massive fist lunges in and his finger flicks out with force that would probably flip vehicles over end over end.
Sadly he's a touch to slow to make the difference and the kick lands home with blazing volcanic eruption of chi and pure force. Abigails body is driven down into the ground face first and then further down as the area craters around him violently with a plume of dust and a freefail rain of shattered stone.
[DUKE]
And a titan falls.
The rumble of Abigail's collapse makes even Duke's biggest eruptions sound like a lamb's whisper. Duke breaths hard as he finally tears down Abigail. The mechanic was not a mere street thug. Duke had experienced his pure strength before, in the World Warrior tournament. He could respect that strength under normal circumstances. But this was a street fight. Life or death.
And the matter of his car.
%eA hundred thousand dollar car." Duke snarls, as strides slowly, gingerly after Abigail. His arms were reknitting. His wounds healing. His face looking less like a cauliflower. Until finally, he stops as he stands over the downed titan. "Let's just skip the part where you watch your prized possessions being destroyed," And he lifts his leg up high over the downed Abigail's head, preparing the stomp.
"And straight to the part with the cantaloupe."
COMBATSYS: Duke awaits the next challenger.
DUKE
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[ZACH GLENN]
"Nope," a voice calmly calls out from above. "Well, maybe yes, but not that melon. Not ripe enough."
There is a flare of golden light and a second later a sword made purely of force of will comes screaming directly at Duke's chest. This allows the source of both of the sword and the voice to makes his entrance. Zach Glenn lands in a light crouch between Duke and the building, energy flowing around his body like a cloak of amber power.
"Heyya Duke," he says cheerfully. "Ready for round two?" There is a certain bluff cheer in Zach's voice that suggests that he might... enjoy this fight.
COMBATSYS: Zach Glenn has joined the fight here.
DUKE
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0|---------------|------=========
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Zach Glenn 0/-------/-------|
COMBATSYS: Zach Glenn successfully hits Duke with Caladbolg.
- Power hit! -
DUKE
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1|-----------====|===============
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Zach Glenn 0/-------/-======|
[DUKE]
Duke only just snaps out of his rage at the sound of a familiar voice.
Turning his head just before he stomps down, he looks down the sewer tunnel at Zach. He remembered him all too well, when he forced his victory in the King Of Fighters tournament. His entire body clenches as he tries to turn. But an ambush is an ambush, and even as Duke tries to twist away, he takes the sword straight into the chest. Back slamming into the wall of the sewer, he is cleanly impaled against the wall, before it dissipates. He lingers there; the weapon had gone straight through to the heart. He holds still.
And then, once again he begins to move.
"You got to be shitting me." Duke snarls as he rips him from the wall. His body was churning; his body was burning. And more importantly, he was beginning to slow down. A car explosion was one thing. Enduring an Abigail Special was another. But now, another assassin, another successful attempt to kill him? "First the mechanic, and now the BOYFRIEND!? IS THIS OVER OLD TOURNAMENTS NOW!?" He was picking up pace, he was accelerating. Faster and faster, he was hurling his full force right at Zach, clearing the distance with almost a stampede. He hurls out a bone-crushing haymaker straight at Zach.
Whose bones it would crush, would not be clear on impact.
COMBATSYS: Zach Glenn blocks Duke's Fierce Punch.
DUKE
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1|----------=====|===============
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Zach Glenn 1/-------/=======|
[ZACH GLENN]
Zach brings an arm up, deflecting much of the force of Duke's punch even as the pain of it screams up his arm and into his shoulder. "More like ex," he says, being contrary, "But this isn't about that, or a tournament."
Zach drops one arm, a second psychic blade formly swiftly in the waiting hand. "You see, Duke," he says as if calmly explaining things to a slow student. "Your greed, you hate, has twisted you into what you have become." Zach drives that knife right for Duke's ribcage. It shouldn't really matter whether the blade gets between the ribs or hits one; there is enough force there to do some damage regardless.
"You've become a monster," Zach says simply, surprisingly without rancor or malice. "So I'm here to hunt you." Kill you, if I can is gone unsaid. If Duke's not picking up on the level of force being brought to bear that's not Zach's problem.
COMBATSYS: Duke interrupts Swift Blade ES from Zach Glenn with Swivel Gun EX.
- Power hit! -
*KNOCKED AWAY*
DUKE
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Zach Glenn 1/=======/=======|
[DUKE]
A monster.
Duke snarls as he recoils his fist, smashing it hard into Zach's own arm. He was already drawing himself back, his anger boiling. "Hunting -me!?-" Duke bellows. "While Kira leaves her mark on this city? No! No one is supposed to come after me!" Supposed to come after me. "I stayed out of this war! And now, I will take back what's been taken from me!" As the blade slips towards his ribs, there is the sound of metal slicing through the air. Duke sweeps his leg up in an axle motion, whipping it up as crimson energy courses along it. Giving it a razor edge, giving it power as he interrupts Zach. Slashing his leg straight across his body, he rise up in the air with the blow. The blade doesn't even make it to his ribs. "I have won this war!" He screams, as he brings the same leg across in a lateral slice, rending it across Zach's chest to send him down the sewer tunnel.
"And no one will take that from me!"
[ZACH GLENN]
Zach lets out a yell as the bladed kicks score a pair of slashes across his chest. Blood sprays across the tunnels as he flies down one and stops only when he hits a wall far down the intersection with a muffled boom.
The hunter slides down the wall and only barely keeps his feet, wobbling slightly. Duke has clearly not lost a step since his time in the NOL's tender mercies. He has nothing really to say about Duke's rant. He's too busy realizing where he messed up. The ambush was sound enough, but he should have remembered what happened the last time he went after Duke with "hit him really hard" as a plan.
The psion watches, and waits, for Duke's next move. The distance is a bit much for Zach to close easily or quickly at any rate.
COMBATSYS: Zach Glenn focuses on his next action.
DUKE
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1|--------=======|===============
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Zach Glenn 1/=======/=======|
[DUKE]
The aura around Duke builds and builds, as he makes his striding advance at Zach.
His yellow eyes cook in his skull, as he stares furious into Zach. His body was aflame in a conflagration of violet-red chi. His body was reknitting, reforming. His chest was already closed again. And now, he was even more angry. The pressure in the sewer tunnel was becoming oppressive, as Duke has his own murder on his mind... though he has left Abigail behind for now. "I have had my car destroyed. I have been attacked, and attacked. All while I claim back my Magatama. I will destroy you, I will destroy anything in my path! I have won! I have let Kira fall on her own sword." Duke stops, as he draws back his arms. "Now the city will be mine!"
And he slams his arms forward, unleashing the tidal wave of pure chi flame straight for the hunter.
COMBATSYS: Duke successfully hits Zach Glenn with Sledgehammer.
DUKE
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0|---------------|-<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
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Zach Glenn 1/=======/=======|
[ZACH GLENN]
The chi blast catches Zach squarely. The hastily woven barrier of psychic force does little to mitigate the impact which drives Zach back further into the cratered wall he had made. He slumps to one knee as the pain burns through him. The golden energy around him starts to take on flecks of violet as Zach coughs up blood on the stones under him.
"So," he rasps. "Lemme see if I have this right. You steal. You extort. You maim. You murder. You would let cities burn and bleed to sate your hunger." The gold gives itself over to purple completely as the energy collects into a cleched fist. "By you want to bitch and moan when people finally come to collect on that?"
The purple energy flares up around him, throwing strange shadows down the tunnels, making Zach look... different.
"Cry. Me. A FUCKING. RIVER!"
And with that, Zach abandons any pretenses of a plan, giving himself over to his rage as he hurls himself bodily at the Mad Dog. The speed of his launch brings his boddy parallel to the ground as the violet violence cloaks itself around the psion, adding a horizontal rotation even as Zach thrusts an open hand at Duke, braced by the other hand to drive that mass of rage and spite directly at Duke's chest!
COMBATSYS: Zach Glenn successfully hits Duke with Psycho Crusher.
DUKE
[ |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
1|-------<<<<<<<<|<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
[ \\\\\\\\\\\ <
Zach Glenn 0/-------/=======|
[DUKE]
The whole of the tunnel was alight in the chi, the illumination almost complete.
As the flames cling around, the crime boss brings his arms back, his aura still around him. Zach moralizes at him; he was too far gone for such speeches. He was only for power, and he would claim more. And if he calls him out for the outrage? Well that only makes him more angry. And yet, when the man spirals at him, shooting at him hand first? Duke is forced on the defensive, forced to try and block against it.
He fails.
Once more, he is slammed into a wall of the sewers, the remains of cross connections collapsing as the very foundations above threaten to come crashing down on his head. His ribs are broken: his breathing is hard. And yet, with a gasp, he retorts furiously. "There will be no tears." He growls as he shoves back against the wall. His body was rotting by the raw energy; and yet, he clenched his fist tight as he charged it back. "Your stolen Shadaloo techniques do not frighten me!" Arm trembling, he stomps towards the hunter, accelerating as he descends with his yellow eyes. His tone is almost a purr, as he is upon him. "Good bye, Zach."
And he slams his fist forward, the force exploding out as his aura floods out all around.
COMBATSYS: Zach Glenn fails to interrupt Power Axe from Duke with Soaring Dragon EX.
*KNOCKED AWAY*
# Disabling hit! #
DUKE
[ |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
1|---============|===============
COMBATSYS: Zach Glenn can no longer fight.
DUKE
[ |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
1|---============|===============
[ZACH GLENN]
Zach was already starting to drop to his feet before Duke could move again, landing in a low crouch. Duke's words fail to reach Zach's ears. The fist comes in, and Zach's hands are low and to his side. A sword starts to appear there, not just one of will, but also of steel. Broken about eight inches above the guard, Zach grips the claymore to meet Duke's strike with one of his own.
Too late.
The fist slams into Zach's head, driving the hunter to the ground with thunderous impact. He does not rise, and the sword fizzles into a million motes of golden light as Zach loses conciousness.
[DUKE]
Duke actually waits a minute, to see if he rises up again.
Under other circumstances, he would just leave him. He had defended himself. He had survived. And now, he had to go back to his heist. He had no idea how it was going -down-. And he had to intervene. He had to lead. But there was a problem, the same problem Abigail had.
Duke -had- to have his retribution.
There are deep, thundering steps, as Duke begins to work down the mangled sewers, the very foundations of the city about to collapse all around. Rubble was beginning to fall from overhead. "You... the mechanic... and your red-sunglassed friend... all are going to die for this. I will not allow any more heroes to meddle in my affairs. You will be made examples. Every man, woman, and child that stands up to me will be made an example, from now on. Everyone will fear me." His chest fills out again, knotted ribs reconnecting as he advances. "No one will have the courage to stand up anymore. Everybody in Southtown will be made to fear me." Duke reaches Zach, leaning down to lift him by the collar. He was going to just start smashing him against the wall. Until he was nothing more than mangled muscle, tendons, and bones. "But not you."
"You will simply die, Zach."
COMBATSYS: Duke awaits the next challenger.
DUKE
[ ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
1|--=============|===============
COMBATSYS: Terry has wandered into the fight here on the right meter side.
DUKE
[ ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
1|--=============|===============
> //////////////////////////////]
|-------\-------\0 Terry
[TERRY]
"That's where you're wrong, Duke."
The familiar voice of Terry Bogard leads the way as the Wandering Wolf seems to arrive out of nowhere. Who knows how long he's been down here and preparing for this moment. Doesn't matter. The fact that Duke's about to try and end Zach's life is all the cue Terry Bogard needs.
"Southtown don't scare that easy."
Terry's gloved fist rises and slams back down into the ground below, cracking the sewer pavement as that orange hued chi explodes up from the ground and surges towards Duke with alarming speed.
Whether its to hit Duke or just get him to drop Zach is unclear but Terry is likely hoping for a bit of both.
COMBATSYS: Terry successfully hits Duke with Power Wave.
DUKE
[ |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
2|<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<|<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
> ///////////////////////////// ]
|=------\-------\0 Terry
[DUKE]
And there was another one.
First the strange pretty boy. Then the titanic mechanic. And then the white-haired mercenary. And now, now it was the Lone Wolf. Geese's problem. Terry Bogard. Just as he prepares to worry Zach into the wall, another announcement comes. Another -attack- is made. And Duke tosses Zach aside to brace against it.
And once again, he is blasted back.
Slammed into the sewer wall, more stone and debris comes crashing down around him. Duke chokes, spitting up blood from his battered lips. He pulls off against the wall. Fatigue. The flickers of fatigue were beginning to course through him. Staggering and stumbling, he steadies his feet, as he stares across at the blonde-haired hero.
And he screams.
He had already gone past his rage. He was nearly mindless in his ultimate frustrations. And now, Terry was coming out of the woodwork to make his life miserable. "WHY!? WHY!?!?!" He howls, as Duke stampedes across. Flinging himself into Terry, the crime boss just breaks down into a berserk frenzy. He alternates left right, left right, left right body blows, bloody froth boiling from his lips as his yellow eyes sizzle with violet flames. "WHY HAS THE WORLD COME DOWN ON ME!?" He screams as he finally hurls up an explosive uppercut, rising up with it to come down with a stomping foot.
Trying to finish the combo by cratering Terry into a filthy sewer puddle.
COMBATSYS: Terry blocks Duke's Hell Bomber.
DUKE
[ ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
0|---------------|-<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
> ////////////////////////// ]
|==-----\-------\0 Terry
[TERRY]
Terry was ready. There was a reason why he announced his presence in the first place. He needed to get Duke's attention and keep him from finishing the job on Zach. It was pretty obvious that was the plan because the way his sneakers dug into the darkness below the street as he prepared to see just how well his plan had worked.
IIt worked a little too well.
Terry's barely able to get his arms up in time as the onslaught of body blows rock towards him. Arms cover himself up as well as he can, taking the brunt of the assault with but knocking and jolting his body backward with each blow. Terry's hands try to stop the explosive uppercut but they're knocked apart and Duke's fist collides, stumbling Terry backward further... and luckily out of the way of that stomping finale.
"My guess?" Terry remarks, spitting some blood out of his mouth from that brutal attack of Duke's. "The chest hair."
Terry's words exist just to try and rile Duke up and throw him off his game. Just long enough for Terry to turn in towards Duke with a surging shoulder to launch Duke upward and give himself some room to work.
COMBATSYS: Duke dodges Terry's Power Charge.
DUKE
[ ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
0|---------------|-<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
> ///////////////////////// ]
|==-----\-------\0 Terry
[DUKE]
Insults.
Duke hated it. He had come here for respect. He earned it. He earned fear from every person. But not Abigail. Not Zach. Not Terry. And not that stranger. Who were these people? Did the Scarlet Dahlia set this up? Was this to cripple him, while his mission was sabotaged? Who was behind it? As he lands with that stomp, he glares those yellow eyes at Terry, tracking him. The Hungry Wolf was surging in with a shoulder check. Duke, off balanced, tightens his hands into fists. And with a turn?
He whips around, narrowing evading the charge.
"Who sent you?" Duke screams as he flails his arms at Terry. Swinging a heavy right cross, he would attempt to use his other hand to seize Terry by his hip. Should he get a grip? Duke would promptly follow the clinch with a savage head smash into Terry's nose. Brutal, brutal street fighting technique. Duke's composure was snapped. And he was going to maul Terry.
"WHO IS BEHIND THIS!?"
COMBATSYS: Duke successfully hits Terry with Fierce Combo.
DUKE
[ ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
1|--------------=|===============
> ////////////////// ]
|=====--\-------\0 Terry
[TERRY]
Insults are par for the course when fighting on the streets. At least, the way Terry Bogard does it. Usually, they are in jest and fun but this time they are more of a tactic to see if he can't keep Duke from finding his happy place again. Granted, Terry may need to find a happy place of his own here in a moment.
Terry can feel Duke not there when his shoulder tries to connect and he only has a moment to realize what's headed his way. He steps to the side but times it wrong, getting caught up in Duke's grip. That right cross connects viciously, knocking Terry's head into a dizzy spell before he's knocked right back out of it by the headbutt that smashes his nose. Blood splatters and Terry stumbles lopsidedly.
"Behind this? I /live/ here."
Bogard states the obvious as he makes for a reach of his own, seeing if he can't grab Duke by the arm and give him a quick toss over his shoulder!
COMBATSYS: Duke endures Terry's Fast Throw.
DUKE
[ ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
1|----------=====|===============
> /////////////////// ]
|======-\-------\0 Terry
[DUKE]
The frothing rage only lets up slightly when he hammers Terry.
Blood dribbles down his forehead. But Duke narrows his yellow eyes as Terry keeps... Keeps... Justifying! Moralizing! "This is my city now, Wolf." Duke snarls as he flares with energy. Terry seizes him and throws him, and Duke lets him. Why becomes very clear as the fires around him build, as he raises a leg. He hits the ground with a snap, as his ankle gives out. But he would give a little more. He would land with a stomp, a fiery shockwave bursting out around him on impact.
"And it seems that you will need to be tamed before I keep it!"
COMBATSYS: Terry barely endures Duke's Seismic Impact.
DUKE
[ |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
1|-------========|===============
> /////////////// ]
|=======\-------\1 Terry
[TERRY]
Terry's trying to figure out how in the hell he's going to actually pull this off. Especially when he's in the middle of trying to actually stand up for the city that he protects. His home.
"You really should think about switching to decaf, pal!"
The quip is said before the shockwave of flames that are sent from Duke's body and collide with Terry who seems to be running /towards/ him. It's almost as if he's trying to keep the offensive up in the middle of this fight.
Terry roars through the pain. "Tame /this/." Terry puts his weight behind a vicious right hook aimed to lay into Duke's jaw while he winces from the pain of Duke's shockwave du jour.
COMBATSYS: Duke interrupts Fierce Punch from Terry with Swivel Gun EX.
# Disabling hit! #
DUKE
[ ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
1|-----==========|===============
> //////////// ]
|=======\====---\1 Terry
[DUKE]
"No more JOKES!"
Duke bellows furiously as he staggers, limping on his bad ankle. "No more WITTY BANTERS! NO MORE SMARTS!" Terry charges at him, and his energy builds around his leg. He waits, staring. As the right hook comes... the Hungry Wolf finds a sweeping axel kick rising up, the red-violet chi around it as sharp as a razor blade. Kicking the wolf straight up, he rises up as well. All while his throat growls. "I will hurt you Terry."
"I will really make you alone."
He turns, bringing the same leg around as it burns with energy. "I will find your Blue Mary, and have her ravaged by my men! I will find your brother, and break every bone in his body. I will take that ninja woman of his." He drags the leg across horizontally, slicing it across Terry's chest. "And Rock Howard..." He snarls, the crime boss landing with aching pain, stumbling in spite of his rage. "You think I would care what Geese would do, if it meant keeping -you- in line? I am done with weakness. I am done with the Syndicate holding back. You heroes, you meddlers are now an unacceptable blight!" Duke steadies himself, hands clenched into fists.
"Geese was just too weak to do anything about it!"
[TERRY]
Terry Bogard is demolished by each and every one of those vicious strikes from Duke. While his body and his face are brutalized through the violent kicks of chi flavored viciousness, Terry Bogard feels a much sharper and deeper pain.
Duke's words hurt far more than his kicks do. All of the people he cares about are threatened.
Terry Bogard hobbles as he tries to remain upright. It's hard. His stance is wobbly and he looks quite dazed to be perfectly honest. Blood spills from his face and his chest and even his cap has been knocked somewhat askew. Terry Bogard takes a step towards Duke... and stumbles right down to one knee. "No." Saying this seems to cause a spark of chi to ignite within the Legendary Wolf's eyes. They enflame with a spark of bright orange for the quickest moment. "NO!" And there it is, Terry Bogard's shoves himself back to his feet and leans backwards for just a quick moment. "I don't care if you're okay..." is muttered through clenched teeth before Terry surges towards Duke with a burning fist of flaming chi energy, "BUSTAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" This is quickly followed up by an explosion of that same flaming chi energy exploding from beneath and behind him and his extended arm, "WOLF!" All sent towards Duke for a crucial display of righteous indignation and a need to protect the only people he has in this world.
COMBATSYS: Duke blocks Terry's #Buster Wolf EX#.
DUKE
[ |||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
1|===============|===============
> //////////// ]
|-------\-------\0 Terry
[DUKE]
It was the presence of fear.
Duke's rage wasn't going to be satiated with these people. These people who stood in his way. No, he was going destroy everything that those people held dear. Those people who refused to cower, those people who refused to quail. As he lands, he stumbles, struggling to keep upright. Terry begins to glow alight, that fire.
And Duke realizes the risk of targeting what they love.
Duke snarls like a beast as he digs his feet on. He was bracing himself, his aura aflame, as Terry does his wind up. He doesn't care if he is okeh. Because Terry -slams- hard into the crossed arms of the crime boss, his bones snapping under the raw impact. Duke's heels drag along, shredding his shoes as he grinds backwards, his back -slamming- against the wall. And then, the second blast comes. The explosion erupts point blank, nearly bringing the entire city down on their heads. Dust and debris scatter around.
And the yellow eyes gleam in the cloud.
Crimson energy cascades all around as Duke raises both of his arms up. With a roar, he slams them down, attempting to smash those broken limbs down upon Terry. It would snap them further. He did not care. With that slam would comes a massive explosion all around, an eruption that would finally rip open the sewers, rip open the buildings above. It would be like a burst gas line, as Duke would finally tear open the air above. There would be no more underground. There would just be the crater around.
And all poured straight into the Legendary Wolf before him.
COMBATSYS: Duke successfully hits Terry with Ground Zero.
DUKE
[ ||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
0|---------------|--------=======
> ///// ]
|>>>>---\-------\0 Terry
[TERRY]
Terry Bogard's eyes go wide for just a moment in the middle of his Buster Wolf attempt. Y'know the part where Duke's arms X in front of his fist and Terry's knuckles crack under the pressure. The resulting explosion comes and not even Terry realizes what has happened until he can see those yellow eyes burning through the cloud of dust and debris.
There's no time to back pedal as Terry watches Duke's arms rise. Terry throws his arms up to protect himself but it's all for naught considering the rage filled Duke's violent intentions. The moment they connect with Terry, he's smashed right to the ground or whatever this sewer floor is considered. The explosion of energy overtaking the Hungry Wolf and scorching through his attire while putting his body through a complete and total shut down. There's pain behind those clenched teeth as Terry suffers the brutality of Duke's absolute destruction.
As the craterous area is revealed, there's barely movement from Terry Bogard. He should be dead. His tough nature is the only thing keeping him from being. He looks like he's been put through a thousand ringers. Battered, Bruised, Bloody. Still, though, Terry climbs to a kneeling position... struggling to see Duke through the aftermath and the blood pouring over his face. "You're... you're gonna' have to kill me." Terry Bogard's not giving up and makes that clearer as he digs deep for the willpower and energy within. pulling what reserved chi he has left into his body and slamming his fist into the crater they are both in, sending that rising geyser of energy up from the ground beneath Duke's feet!
COMBATSYS: Terry can no longer fight.
DUKE
[ ||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
0|---------------|--------=======
COMBATSYS: Terry successfully hits Duke with Power Geyser.
DUKE
[ ||||||||||||||||||| ]
0|---------------|-==============
[DUKE]
Duke's body was falling apart.
It's one thing to survive your car being exploded. And then being Abigail Special'd. Psycho Crushered. And now, Bustah Wolf'd being stacked on top of the assault. Duke's arms were like jelly, the reknitted bones becoming flimsier and more knotted with every injury. He's never had such a relentless assault against him before. With the aftermath of his explosion still lingering around him, he glares furiously at Terry. He meant every threat. He would carry it out. But when the final attack comes from the Legendary Wolf, he has no way to defend against it. He tries, leaning in hard at it. But that only serves to blow him away, sending him hurtling through pipeworks. A section of pipe impales his shoulder, and he collapses down. It was spraying water everywhere, the explosion of the whole Ground Zero having caused an apartment building to come crashing down. He breathes hard.
"Then I will."
Duke pulls himself bloody off the impalement once more. And he strides across the exposed scar ripped into Southtown, to where Terry laid. He was moving slow. But he repeats himself, blood coming up his throat over his lips. "I will kill you. I will kill... kill all of you." He stops before Terry. His brow knitted in focus. RHe hesitates. Out of regret? Guilt? Mercy? No. He draws back his broken fist. He turns away from Terry, yellow eyes casting across the blast zone. He was breathing ragged. Fatigue was devouring him whole. But he turns away from Terry, his fists up, still in his battle stance. "I am done being played with." He snarls, the crime boss scanning around for the next ambush. He roars, the spray of water continuing to fill the exposed sewer.
"SHOW YOURSELF!"
COMBATSYS: Duke awaits the next challenger.
DUKE
[ |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
0|---------------|===============
[ALBA]
All 3 others had been defeated, and only Alba remained.
They did a significant amount of damage, Duke's body is quite literally torn apart, as was the once "Clean" environment. Loose pipes, shattered concrete. Alba had been watching it all.
The Young gangster swallows his fear, and turns the corner with Duke in his sights. The first thing he does, then, is hope to get a surprise attack. He whips down his arm, a crackle of thunder bursting around it as it shimmers a soft violet. Only moments later, he flings that energy towards Duke in the shape of a crescent-like blade. The exact same as the ones that blew up Duke's luxurious car.
Now, he finally faces Burkoff. As has been his desire for years. In a ice-cold voice, he loudly states. "I'll make you pay." As he prepares for a brutal fight.
COMBATSYS: Alba has joined the fight here.
DUKE
[ |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
0|---------------|===============
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Alba 0/-------/------=|
COMBATSYS: Alba successfully hits Duke with Luminescent Flash ES.
DUKE
[ ||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
1|----------=====|===============
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Alba 0/-------/=======|
[DUKE]
He sees him too late.
Already, Alba was unleashing the crescents of energy. Duke growls in rage as he tries to bring his arms up to smash against the energy, to rip it apart. But his arms are too slow, too broken. He takes the slashes into his chest, severing deep into him as they did with the cars. Duke falls to a knee, his snarls becoming moans of pain. Teeth gritted, he slowly, too slowly returns back to a stand. Those yellow eyes transfixed. And that word boil up with blood over his lips.
"You."
Duke's response is only as he remembers him. The car. Up close, there was something... pulling at him. Something else that was familiar. But that was pushed to the back of his mind, no. He was enraged now. He was so weak, with the barrage of attacks. He doesn't know this man except as the one who started it. "The mechanic. The mercenary. The Wolf." Duke growls as he steadies himself. "And now you. Make me pay for WHAT?! Who are you? Why are you doing this? Who are you working for? You better answer now... before I wring it out of you!"
And he braces himself.
Waves of energy boil over his body, cascading in bands as he tenses up. Bones snap, muscles crack. And his power builds, as the pressure builds in spite of the fire. He was barely held together by flesh. It was his spirit that was keeping him moving forward. The bonfire of violet-red chi reaches a climax, as Duke roars from the pure force boiling through him. He was about to unleash another assault.
And he would unleash it straight into Alba.
COMBATSYS: Duke gathers his will.
DUKE
[ |||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
1|------=========|===============
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Alba 0/-------/=======|
[ALBA]
Alba stays quiet, not Giving Burkoff the answers he desires. Instead, his entire body flashes with a burst of chi as he sprints closer to Duke. Staring him down with a cold, yet Seething hatred. Watching his tattered body erupt with Chi, and Boldly stepping within the Crime boss's reach.
Before he would come into striking range, Alba Jumps up high, lifting his dominant left leg up above his head- before making it crash back down with an Axe kick aimed upon Duke's skull.
COMBATSYS: Duke fails to interrupt Medium Kick from Alba with Minefield.
-* CRITICAL FAIL! *-
DUKE
[ |||||||||||||||||||||| ]
0|---------------|-<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Alba 1/-------/=======|
[DUKE]
Duke doesn't realize his mistake until its too late.
Let him come. Already, his chi was building around him. It was a hair-trigger land mine, and all it needed was contact. Let the boy come. Let him stride up, and take his eruption. A sneer of pure arrogance flashes across his face, as the young man comes. As he strides to him. As he takes to the air. His attention suddenly shifts. Something far and deep into his brain suddenly gets fuzzy. His heart sinks. And the fires suddenly wink out. Something. Something familiar. The heel comes as Duke expects. But there is no explosion. No counter-fire. No arroagance. There is no defenses waiting for the heel, as Duke's neck unleashing a disgusting crack as he is spiked straight to the ground.
For a moment, there is darkness.
******************
"Where is my money, Meira."
The dark skinned-punk with the bleach blonde hair snarls in a husky russian accent in the dim light of the dining room. He flips over one of the bowls of rice, patterned in faded Showup Hoedown Spangles. The other man has his hands up, trying to deescalate. But the punk keeps looking across at the other room, behind a now locked door. He shifts his gaze back to the high chair, where a tray sits with it's own little plastic bowl. "I'm a reasonable man, but that's an awful lot of rice for a couple of growing boys." The punk shoves the chair over, and stomps on it, plastic flying across in flinders as he turns his back to the other man for a moment. "If you're having trouble keeping up with costs, I can do you a favor, and take them off your hands for a moment." He turns back around, hoping his threat made its impact.
And by the time he looked back up, the man is in the air, leaping up to drop his heel straight into his skull.
******************
Duke wakes up faster this time. The unconsciousness was only a second. But he instinctively brings a hand to his head like before. His neck was broken. It wasn't the first time. And that thought makes him tremble. He can't stand up. His legs were paralyzed. He needed time. "I've been struck like this before." Duke rumbles, gasping, struggling to stand as blood pours from his brow. "That man is dead. I -killed- him." Duke stumbles, gripping his chest. His heart. Why his heart? He sways, blood pouring from his brow. A rage was building, unlike any before. A white-hot anger, a memory of raw pain. "I KILLED HIM!" He bellows, the power finally jolting him on bent knees, barely able to stand. Everything was still stiff, but he was coming back. He was coming back stronger than ever. But yellow eyes transfix across, as the crime boss glares furiously at the strange teenager. His baritone rises, as he flings the question at the boy.
"WHO ARE YOU?"
[ALBA]
Alba keeps perfectly quiet, riding the advantage of his arguably lucky hits. He looks upon Duke with utter disgust as he rambles, while pulling back his right arm deep into his side, slow and delibirate with a upright stance. Taking advantage of Duke's current lack of mobility. His arm almost seems to vibrate, building up power before he thrusts it out into a straight, spear-like punch infused with his chi toward Duke's chest. Towards the heart that Burkoff was gripping.
Whether or not his attack would succeed, Alba finally responds with a ice-cold voice whith thinly veiled fury.
"Yes, you killed him. And now, I will kill you."
COMBATSYS: Duke blocks Alba's Fierce Punch ES.
DUKE
[ ||||||||||||||||||| ]
1|--------------<|<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Alba 1/------=/=======|
[DUKE]
Killed him.
Duke's senses are scattered across a thousand places. But when the boy tells him so clearly what was at stake, what it meant, the crime boss manages to just gather enough. Surging upright, he snaps his gaze across at Alba as he suddenly steps in. The punch comes swiftly. He grabs it by the wrist, clutching it in his twisted hand. It's not enough to stop it, and it plunges into his sternum, cracking the bone. But it doesn't pierce to his heart. Gritting his splintered teeth, he sways, his blood pressure already painfully uneven. Dully, he repeats back the words, the memory haunting over him. "Killed him... kill me... this is all for... revenge?" And the sound comes deep in his throat.
A growing, growling laughter.
"How sad it is, then." Duke snarls as he shoves back against the wrist. Arms aflame in boiling chi energy, he begins to hammer his arms, slamming them furiously at Alba's body. One. Two. Three. "That's your vengeance is to be denied!" Duke's yellow eyes burn as he unleashes a skeleton-shattering uppercut, sending himself up into the air. Sweeping his leg around, he would finish with a stomp, to crater Alba straight down as the water droplets cascade all around. "What was his name..."
"Mario?"
COMBATSYS: Duke knocks away Alba with Hell Bomber.
! VENGEANCE !
DUKE
[ |||||||||||||||||||||| ]
0|---------------|--------------=
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Alba 1/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|
[ALBA]
The beast finally shows his teeth.
Time seems to slow down for Alba as the trio of punches start to roll in. In a move of desperation, Alba shields his body; infusing it with a layer of protective Chi while attempting to intercept Duke's punches with his arms.
Unfortunately, it wasn't enough.
The chi visually seems to shatter as if it was glass, and fail to dampen the impact of Duke's devastating blows. The punches toss him around, breaking his ribs and sending shudders of pain through his spine. Burkoff launches the boy into the air- and promptly slams him back down with his sole. Alba grunts, a mouthful of blood escapes to stain his clothing.
Alba escapes Duke's foot, and stumbles back to the ground. His mask of calmness having been erased, and the anger that lay beneath beaming in full view. He leaps towards the ragged crimeboss, his body surging with newfound energy as he's attempting to grab Burkoff before swinging his fists into the man's Stomach repeatedly. Each punch trying to lift Duke slightly higher into the air- There would be a slight pause as Alba aims to catch the man on his leg, raised high.
"Accept.."
And then, Alba would swing his leg past his shoulder, while turning around his body. Seeking to slam his leg- with Duke still on it- into the ground with his own stomp.
"..Your Fate!"
COMBATSYS: Duke interrupts Capturing Serpent Jab ES from Alba with Crack Up.
DUKE
[ ||||||||||||||||||| ]
0|---------------|------=========
[ \\\\\\\\\\ <
Alba 1/----<<</<<<<<<<|
[DUKE]
"No."
The baritone cuts to the very bone, as Duke refuses. His indomitable endurance was failing. His body was reknitting in ways that couldn't support a full scale fighter. His heart was stopping and starting irregularly; he was dying nearly as fast as he was forcing himself to live. But there is no way he can properly block against the barrage as Alba seizes him. The machinegun assault of punches rattles his chest, splintering where it was cracked before. Duke was struggling to breath. He couldn't get the oxygen clearly. He had to get out. He had to break out. When the assault finally breaks?
He explodes right through the leg slam.
Hurling up an uppercut, he connects squarely into Alba's chest. "No man is strong enough to force me to accept anything!" He snarls, as he brings his -second- fist up at Alba's face, hammering it to blow him back. "The only man who owns my fate is me! And I won't let some pathetic -victim- of my ambitions stand in my way!" Duke rubs the scar on his neck, chest wheezing with every breath. "That man died a coward. Weeping like a woman. The only mercy I gave was that chasing after his two boys was a waste of time. That was my mistake..." He grips his fingers into the scar, tearing into the flesh with a burst of blood.
"I should have killed you two when I had the chance!"
[ALBA]
Alba's technique gets broken through, the two heavy punches sending him flying back into the wet sewer walls. Large chunks of rubble and dust rain down upon him, and he clutches his chest. The uppercut seemingly having inflicted some sort of internal damage- It hurts like hell. The plucks the shattered sunglasses from his face, and peers at Duke with Silver eyes as he gets back on his feet. A hint of fear reappears, this man was able to beat 3 highly powerful combatants, and Now Alba feels like he won't be able to last for long
Have they failed?
Nevertheless, Alba dashes back at the man. He won't pass up on this opportunity, unlikely as his victory may be. With his motivation in his mind, he surges with both Stamina and Energy. His body being enveloped in a breezing mist of Chi. He spins towards Duke, swinging his leg high before trying to bury it into the man's Stomach from down below. The force of it, accompanied with a gust of wind will seek to Knock Duke into the air, with Alba swiftly following should his intial hit connect. His arms crackle with thunder, and he unleashes a rapid-fire barrage of imbued punches- the final one blowing Burkoff back to the ground with a wave of air.
COMBATSYS: Duke blocks Alba's Celestial Smash of Odin.
DUKE
[ |||||||||||||| ]
0|---------------|---============
[ \\\\\\\\\\ <
Alba 0/-------/----===|
[DUKE]
Had they failed?
Was the ending of this battle four unmarked graves, the reward for the fallen fools? Could even the fifth member come to stop the furious rampaging crime boss that had reached his apex? He dispatches Alba with the same rage and fury that he used to destroy his father. He was never short on rage, even in his youth. As he continues his crushing advance upon the battered Alba, water cascading down around I droplets, the hiss of steam begins. Duke's body and own chi was beginning to react to the volume of the water, as the crater begins to build up like a sauna. Clouds form, as Duke whole face contorts into a severing scowl.
Its a cold miracle he doesn't just stomp out Alba's assault and end it here
No, Alba surges back much faster than the crime boss had hoped. The young man's rage was colder than Duke's, but no less real and powerful. As the kick comes, Duke catches with both arms, the limbs snapping once again as Duke takes to the air. Groaning in agony, he forces his limbs to stay there as the rapid fire punches assault once again. They pierce his guard again, only a little bit like before, but bringing hot electricity pouring straight into his body. He is spiked down, and rises up almost immediately. Yellow eyes burning, steam spreading around him, arms bloodied, broken, bleed. He strides back at Alba. And then stumbles.
Something is wrong.
Duke flails his arms, surging back with that inevitable, dominating pressure. But his spirit seemed... Desynced with his body. He was already suffering from the endless barrage of four world class fighters back to back. Any one of them were a threat to Duke in a single fight. But his body was reknitting worse and worse. He was stumbling.
He was slow.
Duke bares his shattered, blood-soaked teeth as he snarls out in defiance of his own weakening body, against the shock that had finally come to collect its debt. He was dying for a while now. But it was becoming apparent that he could cheat death no longer without paying it's mortal toll. "I will take you to hell!" He roars, and he hurls both of his palms out at Alba, attempting to seize him...
COMBATSYS: Duke can no longer fight.
[ \\\\\\\\\\ <
Alba 0/-------/----===|
COMBATSYS: Alba blocks Duke's Volcanic Bomb.
[ \\\\\\ <
Alba 0/-------/--=====|
Duke seizes Alba.
His arms are broken. He doesn't care, as he draws back a fist, clinging with the other, as he slams his bloodied twisted fist into Alba, again and again. He then whips Alba around, around, around, preparing to fling him in the air-
There is a hideous sucking sound, as Alba break away early.
Duke stares dumbfounded, enraged, as his own body fails him once again. Pulses of violet chi rushes through him, as he staggers. He tries to turn towards Alba, to pursue him, to rip him apart. But he collapses on his knees, blood pouring from his side. "I... will... hell..." Duke babbles, yellow eyes transfixed to a piercing glare as he still refuses to die. But he had finally put himself to a point, where his body couldn't even keep up.
The severed arm still keeps a vice grip on to Alba, even as the blood drains from it.
[ALBA]
Alba thinks it's all over, as the barrage knocks and swings him around. Duke preparing to nail him with a final, devastating attack.
But then, the barrage stops. The young Gangster has to take a second to process what's happening. But Duke collapses, and Alba is somehow still standing. He looks at disgust with the arm still attached to him, and yanks it off before uncaringly throwing it into the water. It is only now, that he collapses to a knee. The pain his injuries are causing him catching up to the adrenaline. He looks around, to the 3 fighters that came before him. All essential in Defeating Burkoff.
And if they fought so valiantly, they would want him to end this, right?
He stands back up. A terrifying, cold grin creeping across his face as he slowly stumbles towards Duke's tattered body. It'll just take one strike. One strike through the heart to end Burkoff's reign of death and rage, and satisfy Alba's Revenge. It is the only fitting ending to Duke. And such, he reaches the man after a excruciatingly slow walk.
"This is your Destiny, Duke."
Alba raises his arm, preparing to inflict that final, deadly punch...
[TERRY]
As if the streets at raged hard enough to cause Terry Bogard's eyes to open. Maybe it was the vicious combat that shook him awake. Maybe it was the heroic spirit inside. Whatever the reason... Terry Bogard's hand twitches from his sprawled out position on what's left of the ground.
It is not until Alba's fist moves to swing before Terry Bogard's gloved hand plants itself in the way. Where the strength to stop that fist comes from has to be the Wolf Within. Bogard is barely standing but he is and that's a feat in and of itself.
"That's it." Terry Bogard doesn't even need to see Duke. In fact, all he needs to see is Alba. All he needs to do is look into Alba's eyes so that he can show him just how important this is. "That's enough." Terry knows all about vengeance and how it can destroy a person from the inside out.
"You've already won. Don't lose yourself."
[DUKE]
Duke had nothing to defend with.
Not for a lack of effort. Duke was trying to claw back. But as he waits on his knees, the slow stride comes for him. He knows the man has him. The punch is lined up. And it never comes. The sound of fist going into a leather palm comes, as the crime boss is spared. "Destiny..." There is deep, snarling bellow. A laugh, a hoarse, crawling laugh rending out of bloodied lungs upon weak knees. He was pulling himself together, and was dying from the effort. But given enough time, he would come back together. That inevitable pressure was dangling in that scar within Southtown. Every second Alba spent that was not killing this man, was a second closer to him to recovering just enough to start fighting again. And he would try to kill Alba. He would try. It was reasonable, even Duke could see it.
And yet, Terry Bogard, with that same strength, that same resolve, came back faster than Duke could ever... to save him.
"And Geese fears you?" Duke snarls out loud, as he tries to raise his head. He fails. There is an anger, a pain in his voice. A suffering unseen. "That man cowers within his tower, and against what? The merciful wolf." Duke groans as he struggles again to breath. "I will never die. Not even death can claim me! Not even destruction!" Duke's heart races, and stops. He is dead. And then, just like that, he is alive. His vitals were a maelstrom now, held together with grit and fury. "And you've come all this way, brought so many allies, so many for revenge over your father. The street punk, the grifter." Insults against the man. And yet, something shifts with Duke. That murmuring chuckle rumbles out, heavy. Hard. "And here I am, on my knees. Is that all you came for? To bring me my destiny?" And his shoulders slump.
"Then I yield."
The words come down like a hammer. Duke collapses forward, prostrate to Alba. Neck exposed, revealing the scars. "You can kill me. Try to. I will return again. I do not fear death, let alone you. But your father will never come back." His hackles raise, before they sink like his shoulders. And he almost purrs his response. "Loved ones never do. Nothing will bring them back. There is nothing but strength, and power alone. I am defeated. Do what you will." He keeps his neck exposed. Daring the final blow.
"Don't let the Bogard decide for you!"
[ALBA]
Alba freezes, his fist planted in Terry's palm. Slowly, the young gangster turns his head towards the Wolf. "Lose myself? Lose myself?!"
His face betrays anger "I don't think you understand, Bogart. This is what I was striving for. I.. haven't lost myself. The opposite, in fact." He looks into those thoroughly determined eyes of Terry, and his fist seems to weaken somewhat. "Why.. why do you protect him? He killed so many people, he killed my father." When Duke talks, he sharply darts his head over to him, and with a shaky voice yells out.
"Shut it, scum. Another word and I will rip out your heart."
Alba removes his fist from the leather glove, standing up straight and fully turning to Terry. "This is- This is the only option. If I don't kill him, he'll- he'll regenerate and fight once more. None of us are in a position to keep fighting!"
"He should die. He *must* die. He /deserves/ to die!" with each passing word, Alba's voice seems to weaken.
"So get out of the goddamn way and let me end his life!"
[ABIGAIL]
Abigail waves
[TERRY]
"I get it."
Terry Bogard actually moves, even as weak as he is, to place himself as much between Alba and Duke as humanly possible. He doesn't even look like he can drag his feet but somehow he's pushing himself to be able to do this. To make himself help save the soul of a man that might lose all he has on the horizon.
"Believe me. I get it."
This is the moment when there's a flashback. To the rain. To the street. To Geese.
To Jeff Bogard's lifeless body.
Terry opens his eyes again and shakes off his own vengeance crusade. "I've been down this exact road. It doesn't end where you think it will. It never does."
It is at this moment that Terry reaches a hand out. Slowly. To see if he can't place it on Alba's shoulder. "We can figure something out. There's always another way."
[DUKE]
"Another way?"
Duke snarls, his own breath weak. There was the sound of alarms now. No, not alarms. Sirens? How long was he fighting? What happened to his raid? It seemed so long ago. He had to escape, didn't he? Or was he going to... yes. Duke's cruel face twists into a sneer. He had listened to the two men fight over the state of his soul. He was not afraid of death, nor was he afraid of life. If Alba would not claim him, the police would. Or the NOL. And then, after some basic ritual and rites?
He would be free again.
"Is this all you had for me then?" Duke snarls back at the two men. "Murder and destruction? Hear the bells now. The law has come to claim me. And you know how strong the law is in this city, Lone Wolf." He makes his words targeted squarely at Terry. He knew how well justice served men like Terry and ALba, compared to men like Duke and Geese. "My associates will free me, and it will all be for naught. I will return again! Strong as ever! And you will keep your debt against me! And I. Will. Collect my debt in time, boy." Duke bellows, throwing a fist up in the air in a sudden, violent surge of force. "Your fate will be as the Bogard! Alone!"
And he slams a fist into the ground, releasing a faint shockwave of energy around him.
[ALBA]
Alba Doesn't Flinch or react as Terry lays his hand on his shoulder. Listening to the man's truthful confession, More doubts emerge.
"It isn't fair." Alba says, in a voice of shaky anger. "It isn't fair that /he/ gets to live." Talking between heavy breaths. He continues to speak. "I don't *want* another way. I want the way that ends with his corrupted blood staining this disgusting place. He doesn't Deserve anything else. Anything better."
Once again, Duke's deep voice rings through the young Gangster's ears. He tries to ignore the grating sound. But everyone has a breaking point. And Alba had reached his.
"Shut up, shut up, SHUT UP." His anger is now accompanied by deep sobs and heavy tears. He rips himself loose from Terry's hand, and steps around the wolf to once again create a unobstructed line between him and Burkoff, as he raises up his hand- And swings it diagonally downwards to send a small blade of chi towards Duke's neck- Towards his vocal cords. An attempt to sever them, and shut him up. Soon after, Alba falls to his knees from physical and emotional exhaustion, muttering. "Shut up.. shut up.."
[TERRY]
Terry Bogard has been down this road and he knows where it leads. Which may be the reason why he's trying so hard to protect Alba from the same road. He understands the pain and he knows exactly what's going to happen. He's exhausted all of the 'another ways' in his own life and there's certainly truth in Duke's words. But there's always a light. There's always something better. There's always something else to fight for. And that's what makes it worthwhile. Kind of.
"Wrong."
Terry's words are to Duke at this point even as he takes a step to reach out a gloved hand for Alba. He's ready to help him up and walk him out of here.
"He'll never be alone again." Bogard, of course, referring to the Heroic Bond that has now blossomed from such brutality.
[DUKE]
Duke's arrogant sneer is cut short, as Alba makes his strikes.
Duke chokes and gags, as he throat is ripped open. Against another man, against a mortal man, this would have been a killing blow. But it's the crime boss who has drawn out so much life and blood from the city of Southtown. Like Duke, the city would refuse to die. It always refused to die. Duke can only make gurgling snarls, as he claws at the ground. A monster amongst men. A man amongst monsters. But it didn't matter. Duke believed he had won. Because the men that would arrive?
They would be his.
The lights were piercing the crater rounds now. Police cars, sirens, and floodlamps. They were surrounded. Were they friend? Were they foe? Officers were flooding the grounds now. Abigail. Zach. Victims of the wrath of Duke. There were pouring out like cockroaches. They were armed. And Duke knew what was going to happen. He would be safe and secure in a cell. Tended by officials, all authorized by the Syndicate. The NOL would clear him of his charges. The District Attorny would drop the charges. And he would be back on the streets. And the first thing he would do was find Ter- no. Andy, and the ninja woman. He would make them pay. Make them all pay. The police begins to surround Terry and Alba, as Duke's victory was coming together by default. He was not dead. So now, he would be born again. "You have the right to remain silent-" Begins the officer by Alba, ready to put the heavily injured man in cuffs.
"Stop."
The officer pauses. There was a figure that had come down. A brown suit. Faint tattoos just barely exposed on his wrist. An eye patch. And in one hand, a briefcase, handcuffed to the tatto'd wrist. The brown-haired foreigner was not an officer of the law. The presence of Syndicate officials dictating the actions of police officers was unfortunately familiar in more 'secure' parts of the city. Duke had his allies here. For a moment, there is a smirk of victory on Duke's lips. But as he looks up, that smirk falls away. His eyes go wide. He knew this man. He recognized him. He was a Syndicate Lieutenant. More specifically.
It was one of his lieutenants.
He was supposed to be leading the raid. He was supposed to be gone. Duke's brow furrows, and the Syndicate agent pauses. He doesn't look at Duke. Mr. Brown was supposed to be leading the escape. But he didn't. He already lined up the 'loyalists' to be seized, and the traitors to make their cooperation with the Southtown Police Department. He doesn't look at Duke as the officers begin to pull away from Alba... to go around Duke. They were armed with shock rods. Mr. Brown gives the order. "Let them go; just take Duke. The old rules don't matter now." And the words come down like a hammer between Duke's eyes.
"I have been informed that he is no longer a member of the Southtown Syndicate."
Mr. Brown closes his eye, as Duke pounces. Treachery. Betrayal. Duke's howling is cut short by the surge of electricity running through him. They weren't tasers. Shock prods, designed for cattle more than riot work, is thrusted at Duke. Restraint was going to be a battle. But once he stops moving, once his heart stops, Mr. Brown reaches down, and draws a key off his... off his body.
It is wet with gore.
The traitor steps across the puddles of the exposed sewer. Duke jerks and flails behind him. Mr. Brown's face is neutral. Stopping at Terry and Alba, he is short with his words. "Well done." He states, as he fiddles with the handcuffs, unlocking the cuff at his wrist. "The associate is pleased with your work. I have been instructed to inform you that Duke's assets are now yours, Alba. Well. What is left of them. There is an awful lot of territory to defend, and an awful lot has been lost tonight. He hands the briefcase to Alba. "This is your burden now." He turns towards Terry. "As for you. I have a message for you, Terry. You are not alone in your wrath. But do not make the mistake of confusing your enemies with your allies." The Acadian rubs his wrist, as he turns his back to the duo. Mr. Brown had betrayed his boss. The French-Canadian turns his back to the duo. He was not entertaining any questions, as the noise of the moaning Duke continues, the straps of straight jackets bearing down on the near death form of the crime boss. A final humilation, a final betrayal. But it was worth it. For the crimes Duke did against humanity. But for now?
This was the time to retire.
[ALBA]
Terry's words are comforting, and after his Tantrum, he is too exhausted to keep doing this. Kain will take care of the rest. And he wouldn't have to spare another glance at Duke's Disgusting body. He is ready to take Terry's hand and walk out of here.
But then, the harsh reality comes crashing back.
Blinding lights now surround them, police- and others coming down the hole. The police? Doesn't the Syndicate have ties deep within the police? But then, those worries are put at ease, as the brown suit confesses the treachery towards Duke. Mr. Brown turns to him, and he wordlessly takes the suitcase. Not bothering to take another look at Burkoff's near-dead self. He wipes the tears out of his wet eyes, and responds. "And I will do my best to carry that Burden." He sticks out a thumb over his back, towards Duke. "Make sure he suffers."
He turns towards Terry one last time, his ice-cold mask back on, hiding the breakdown that he had only moments prior. Terry tried wrenching him from the path he was on, but that attempt was interrupted. He says a final goodbye towards the wolf, before leaving the scene.
"Thank you for your assistance, Mr. Bogard. Let us meet again, if I have a use for you."
[TERRY]
Terry Bogard has just seen some shit.
To be fair, it would seem as though a lot has just transpired around him and that the Legendary Wolf has been in the middle of all of it without actually knowing or understanding what any of it actually meant. In fact, he kind of just stood there for a long moment as he watched the combination of Mr. Brown and Duke and Alba all make their way away from all this madness. All that had just transpired.
It takes him a moment but he finally turns to reach down and grab his cap out of the grime that it has been in since who knows when. He reaches up to pull it onto his head, not even bothering to wipe it off or anything. As soon as he has it straightened out, he turns again and limps off. Very likely on to the next fight...
[DUKE]
Suffer.
The scar on Southtown would heal over time. IT's hard working people would build it again. The NOL raid was... just a memory. A flicker, a mistake, a casuality. The NOL would be here soon too. The violence of the city was ebbing tonight. Even the Casino would no longer have its deathgrip on the city. Already, the future was changing, Alba not being the only new face. Terry and Zach had stopped another villain. And Abigail, the wildcard he was, made his change. Southtown would heal, and grow as a city.
But Duke wasn't going to be part of that.
Alba gives his request, and Duke howls in agony. It was only pain in the crater, pain as his enemies were leaving. All that was left was his captors. He was going to make him pay. All of them pay. The whole Syndicate pay. He would get his answers. He would break them. Nagase would save him. His men would rescue him, his real loyal men. He could trust Nagase. Hyena. He could trust them. He had his ambition. He had his future. JEdah. He could trust Jedah to save him. He would get his answers. He would get his answers.
But he wouldn't get answers.
He wasn't going to face them down. He wasn't going to make any last stand. Because as the heap of charred flesh named Duke Burkoff is poured into the back of a van, the strange masked soldiers are there. There wasn't a prison for him. There wasn't an NOL. There wasn't going to be another chance. This was his last stand. And he was defeated by the good guys.
And now he was well on his way to his own personal hell.
Log created on 10:44:57 07/22/2020 by Duke, and last modified on 15:18:04 10/06/2020.