With temperatures rising over 143°C (289.40°F) in most areas, the only relief is during the nights when it is much cooler. All travelers are advised to keep to the local towns on the desert's outskirts and avoid traveling too far from civilization. (+3 Endurance, +2 Defense)

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The Sound of Cheering [Self | M: E]

Postby Saahs » 12/05/2017 6:32 PM

( This takes place well over a decade in the past. )

In the depths of WIlt'no Desert, if one knows where to dig, they can find themselves an entrance. And in this entrance, lies a passage that runs deep underneath the shifting sands. If one has the means to find this place, and the keystones to pass through the gates at the end of the passage, they would be permitted a seat overlooking a large coliseum, along with the hundreds to thousands of others who know about this secret ring.

As it is an underground dome, the coliseum bears a high, curved ceiling with spotlights pouring down onto the circular stage at the centre of the ring of stands. The stage itself is filled with dirt and sand, stained with the blood of would-be champions that simply were not quite good enough. On the northern end of the stand ring, is an observation box where judges and an announcer can watch the fight from a safe distance. Even now, the overly enthusiastic announcer was calling out the crowd's most favoured pit fighter--

This Battleheart in particular was scarred from many a battle in the ring, but for the last two years he had yet to be vanquished. He was donned in makeshift armour made out of wrecked vehicles and other ruined machines, with black and red paint running down his exposed scales and face. On his horns were coils of barbed wire; the cause of many opponents' defeat, if not his massive clubbed tail or crushing jaws.

The beast sauntered out onto the bloody stage, his wings spread out to show off the intricate patterns tattooed onto them and the word CRUSHER etched along each webbing. His head turned to the small gate on the opposite end of the stage, waiting to see who or what he would be destroying today.

( INTRODUCING NPC#645432! )
when that light goes out this eve,
some will run, and some will grieve.

Image
if you have a reason, or if you believe,
in darkness we trust.

the whores and gentlemen, they lead,
trails of insecurities.

i am not a watchman, i do as i please.

in darkness i trust.




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Re: The Sound of Cheering [Self | M: E]

Postby Saahs » 12/05/2017 6:38 PM

( Sasha, humanoid form. ~14 years old in this. )

Sasha stared up at the tall gates looming over him, wide eyed with his ears drooping back. The men who'd dragged him down through the pathway under the desert had forced him into humanoid form, and put strange armour over the clothes he'd already had on. And now they were handing him an axe, to which he peered down at in slow realisation. They were going to make him fight.

There were other fighters being prepped behind him. Enough to take on a Batrtleheart, for sure... if they weren't all strays that had been picked up out in the desert, half starved and frightened for their lives. And Sasha--

Sasha was the youngest.
when that light goes out this eve,
some will run, and some will grieve.

Image
if you have a reason, or if you believe,
in darkness we trust.

the whores and gentlemen, they lead,
trails of insecurities.

i am not a watchman, i do as i please.

in darkness i trust.




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Saahs
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Re: The Sound of Cheering [Self | M: E]

Postby Saahs » 12/05/2017 7:57 PM

As Sasha was prepped, the other fighters made their way up to the front right behind the still closed gate, weapons in hand and fear for their lives in their eyes. The announcer was talking up the brute of a Battleheart that was now marching around in circles in a display of pride, occasionally glancing to the gate in anticipation for the slaughter.

Only one of the fighters seemed to know what he was doing, his face terse and his muscles at ease as he checked his weapon. One of the fresh meat leaned over to whisper to him, their voice trembling, and he responded to them in a calm mutter. Whether it put the new person at ease or not, Sasha couldn't tell.But it didn't matter, for as soon as the young Smilokuhna was fully prepared, the gate began to rise open.

Sasha's eyes widened again, and he was pushed forward along with the other pit fighters. He didn't want to go out there. He didn't want to face that monster. And he certainly didn't want to die today. But the boy didn't cry, he didn't wail or shiver or even beg to be released back out to the desert.

No.

As the man pushing him began to lose patience with how slowly he was scooting, Sasha reeled around and snapped his jaws over the fucker's wrist. Blood swelled into his mouth as he dug his teeth harder into the man's flesh and bone. A howl escaped the man and he tried to pull his hand away. But Sasha pulled right back, jaws clamping down even harder and crunching through the bone.
when that light goes out this eve,
some will run, and some will grieve.

Image
if you have a reason, or if you believe,
in darkness we trust.

the whores and gentlemen, they lead,
trails of insecurities.

i am not a watchman, i do as i please.

in darkness i trust.




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Saahs
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Re: The Sound of Cheering [Self | M: E]

Postby Saahs » 12/05/2017 8:07 PM

Screeching at this point, the man grabbed Sasha by the hair, attempting to yank him away. But to no avail, as Sasha ripped his head free-- and pulled the man's hand along with him-- and began to violently shake his head, tugging the man this way and that and tearing his wrist up to horrible and high shits. A deep snarl escaped the boy's mouth, and he reared his axe back in preparation to hack at the man's side--

Another coliseum worker grabbed Sasha by the back of his neck, and threw both him and the man he was latched onto out to the stage area with the other pit fighters. It wasn't until then that Sasha realised that the announcer had been talking about him, joking about the feral little Kuhna that had been plucked out of the merciless desert. The crowd was laughing, amused by this little display of defiance.

It would be futile. They knew that.

Sasha winced as the man tore his hand free from his teeth, but his attention was on the champion that was waiting ever so patiently to have everyone's full and undivided attention. From a distance, behind the gate, the Battleheart had not looked quite so big, perhaps the size of a horse. But now... now Sasha felt like an ant at the foot of a tall man. He shrunk away, his grip on the axe's handle tightening to the point that one claw was poking into his thumb.

The assistant he'd managed to snag onto and subsequently dragged out into the field glowered at him, and tried to flee back to the gate, but halted when he saw that it was closed. The pit fighters, Sasha included, peered at him with a vengeful aura. They were all trapped in this situation. And now they would all have to fight their way out of it.
when that light goes out this eve,
some will run, and some will grieve.

Image
if you have a reason, or if you believe,
in darkness we trust.

the whores and gentlemen, they lead,
trails of insecurities.

i am not a watchman, i do as i please.

in darkness i trust.




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Saahs
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Re: The Sound of Cheering [Self | M: E]

Postby Saahs » 12/05/2017 8:20 PM

Chuffing, the Battleheart stared down at the troop of pit fighters. Humans, shapeshifters, all of them far too small and under-equipped for this endeavour. The beast bowed his head down to get a better look, huffing hot air onto the fighters. "I will make your deaths enjoyable," he uttered, baring his teeth in a horrible grin. "... For me."

A horn sounded off. "LET THE BATTLE BEGIN!"

With a tremendous roar, the Battleheart reared his head back and stomped on the ground. In the first few seconds of the fight, someone was already struck, a fighter in the front of the group getting knocked back by the impact that shook the ground. Their weapon landed on them, drawing first blood of the fight. The crowd in the stands laughed and booed at the clumsy show, and the poor fighter struggled to stand back up to their feet.

Readying themselves, the group charged at the beast after the sole experienced pit fighter bellowed, and they came for the Battleheart's feet and legs. Sasha followed, axe brandished as he shrieked in an attempt to sound intimidating, with little success.

But despite his pitiful display, his blade struck true, hacking into the Battleheart's front foreleg. Four of the other fighters managed to land blows on him, leaving deep gashes and dents in his scales. But still, his hide was thick, and he was more than well off even with the injuries. Sasha skittered back, anticipating the beast to raise a foot and try to knock him back.
when that light goes out this eve,
some will run, and some will grieve.

Image
if you have a reason, or if you believe,
in darkness we trust.

the whores and gentlemen, they lead,
trails of insecurities.

i am not a watchman, i do as i please.

in darkness i trust.




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Saahs
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Re: The Sound of Cheering [Self | M: E]

Postby Saahs » 12/05/2017 8:30 PM

The Battleheart roared with laughter, swatting away two of the fighters, and sweeping little Sasha straight off his feet and into the air. The others quickly backed away from the Battleheart, not wanting to get caught by his giant claws, but kept their weapons at the ready as they watched the beast with anxious eyes.

Sasha, meanwhile, plummeted down towards the dragon's back. As he fell, his eyes fixed onto the spikes protruding from the beast's back, and he sucked in a sharp gasp of air. This was it. This was how he was going to die: impaled on the back of a Battleheart in a fighting ring. Seconds became years, and at first he shut his eyes tight to prepare for death. But then a fire built itself up in his guts, and he opened his eyes again, his hands and feet splaying out in front of him in preparation for landing.

And land he did, right in a space between the Battleheart's back spikes. Sasha counted his many blessings, and took out his axe to deal another blow to the beast.

But as he pulled his weapon back, the Battleheart began moving, avoiding attacks from the other fighters save for from the experienced gladiator. To keep from toppling over the side and getting stepped on, Sasha clung onto one of the spikes for dear life-- then began to slam his axe's head into another space between those spikes. The scale plating and makeshift armour there was weaker, and his axe burrowed deep into the creature's flesh, blood bubbling up as Sasha jostled the thing loose again.
when that light goes out this eve,
some will run, and some will grieve.

Image
if you have a reason, or if you believe,
in darkness we trust.

the whores and gentlemen, they lead,
trails of insecurities.

i am not a watchman, i do as i please.

in darkness i trust.




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Saahs
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Re: The Sound of Cheering [Self | M: E]

Postby Saahs » 12/05/2017 9:06 PM

That got the Battleheart's attention.

His eyes opened wide, and his nostrils flared as the axe was embedded into his back and then yanked free. He pushed back, rearing up like a horse and giving a terrible roar that shook the entire coliseum, head turning this way and that. As he came back down onto all fours, his forefeet crashed against the ground, sending sand and pit fighters flinging away from him.

The impact left two of the fighters dazed, blood oozing from their faces and one with a broken arm from awkward landing. But still, they pulled themselves up to their feet, weapons at the ready as they charged for an attack of their own.

But before they could even get the chance to land any strikes, the Battleheart spun around, tail lashing out and hitting at least five of them. With startled cries, men were once more sent flying, save for one unfortunate fellow who just had the luck to be impaled on the spikes covering the club of the dragon's tail. Blood spurted from his mouth as he flailed, weapon falling from his hands.

Turning his head, the Battleheart watched with vicious glee as he slammed his tail-- and thus the man-- over and over against the sandy ground. Crunch after crunch, until the man's chest was a flattened and disfigured mess. The Battleheart returned his attention to the remaining standing fighters, smirking at them expectantly.
when that light goes out this eve,
some will run, and some will grieve.

Image
if you have a reason, or if you believe,
in darkness we trust.

the whores and gentlemen, they lead,
trails of insecurities.

i am not a watchman, i do as i please.

in darkness i trust.




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Saahs
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Re: The Sound of Cheering [Self | M: E]

Postby Saahs » 12/05/2017 9:14 PM

Sasha curled up around the Battleheart's back spikes as it spun around, and didn't even think to uncurl himself well until after his fighting partner was dead and shaken off the beast's tail end. Opening his eyes, Sasha gawked at the gory sight, frozen in disgust. He'd seen some bloodshed, being the adopted son of mercenaries. But this... This was something alien to him, something beyond a blade through the gut or a bullet through the chest.

This was ribs protruding through the chest and flesh spread away from the muscles and organs within. Blood was already pooling under the corpse, out of the chest cavity as well as out of the smashed up face, brain matter muddling up into the mix slowly.

It took all of Sasha's willpower to look away and not vomit right then and there.

Meanwhile, the other six surviving pit fighters were struggling on the ground, circling around the Battleheart and slashing out for his tail and limbs. They couldn't reach anything else, and hoped that in taking out his limbs, they would fell him and be able to cut him down once he had fallen.
when that light goes out this eve,
some will run, and some will grieve.

Image
if you have a reason, or if you believe,
in darkness we trust.

the whores and gentlemen, they lead,
trails of insecurities.

i am not a watchman, i do as i please.

in darkness i trust.




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Saahs
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Re: The Sound of Cheering [Self | M: E]

Postby Saahs » 12/05/2017 9:37 PM

The Battleheart gave a low rumble in the back of his throat, starting to back up quickly out of the ring of circling fighters. They gave way for him, not wanting to get stepped on, but trailed after him like moths following a moving flame. They raised their weapons, thinking that they had the beast on the run, shouting in various languages as the crows cheered on.

Which side were they on?

It mattered not, and it only occurred to the fighters too late that they did not in fact have the Battleheart on the run. Quite the contrary, he was preparing to lunge upon them. Wriggling, he leaped onto the band of fighters, the ground shuddering beneath his weight.

And the crunch. The crunch as two men were caught underneath his feet and crushed into a mess of guts and bone was loud enough to make the crowd lose their absolute minds. Chuckling, the Battleheart looked to the few remaning pit fighters. "Let's see..." he started, head tipping to the side. "Four of you left. Where did that little one get to~?"
when that light goes out this eve,
some will run, and some will grieve.

Image
if you have a reason, or if you believe,
in darkness we trust.

the whores and gentlemen, they lead,
trails of insecurities.

i am not a watchman, i do as i please.

in darkness i trust.




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Saahs
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Re: The Sound of Cheering [Self | M: E]

Postby Saahs » 12/07/2017 1:03 AM

Sasha sucked in a breath at the sound of that sickening crunch. How many? How many fighters had just been wiped out in a single bound? He curled ever tighter around that spike, not wanting to let go, not wanting to see the gruesome aftermath of the Battleheart's lunge.

And then the beast mentioned him.

The Smilokuhna's face went cold, and his heart nearly stopped in its racing tracks. Or perhaps, it was beating so fast that the poor boy could no longer tell one beat from the next. He froze, not even daring to take in a breath of air as the beast thundered about after the other gladiators. Had he said there were only four others left? Four? There was no way they would be able to defeat this monster, now. There was barely a chance when there were eight including Sasha. But now? A part of him felt it would be easier to press his axe to his own throat right then and there.

But he did no such thing, and as much as suicide seemed a better alternative to being massacred by a giant dragon, neither did the remaining pit fighters. While most of them struggled to land a telling blow, one had managed to climb her way up the Battleheart's tail, and was now hacking away at it in the hopes of taking off one of his limbs as well as his source of balance.

Sasha could almost see entirely what that woman was doing. Hanging onto the tail for dear life, and slashing and chopping away wildly at the thick appendage with an animalistic howl. This person wasn't going to give up her life-- she was fighting for it with all her might and will.

The fire that had died out in Sasha's chest flared up again. He wouldn't give up his life, either. And he wouldn't lose his life to this brute. Hell. No.
when that light goes out this eve,
some will run, and some will grieve.

Image
if you have a reason, or if you believe,
in darkness we trust.

the whores and gentlemen, they lead,
trails of insecurities.

i am not a watchman, i do as i please.

in darkness i trust.




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Saahs
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Re: The Sound of Cheering [Self | M: E]

Postby Saahs » 12/07/2017 1:23 AM

Baring his teeth, Sasha reared himself up and began to clamber up the Battleheart's shoulders, squeezing between the wing joints where he made himself comfortable. With a shrill caterwaul, Sasha brought his axe back, and swung it as hard as he could for the right wing.

With a wet snap, the blade embedded deep into the bone of the Battleheart's wing, slightly tearing the inner webbing as well. Surely, that would get the fiend's attention. And then Sasha gripped one hand to the axe's handle, and the other arm hooked around a back spike. Gritting his teeth, the Smilokuhna held on for his life.

And indeed it did get the Battleheart's attention. A pained roar escaped him, and he raised back onto his haunches, front claws raking through the air as his right wing spasmed. Dirt and sand rose out in clouds when he landed back on his forefeet, the ground shaking with a deep rumble. The crowd was going insane; out of anger, out of excitement of a new potential champion, out of the sheer violence of the sport.

But then came the time where Sasha was thankful that he was holding on so tightly. Because now? Now the Battleheart was thrashing his body in every so direction in an attempt to shake the flea off.
when that light goes out this eve,
some will run, and some will grieve.

Image
if you have a reason, or if you believe,
in darkness we trust.

the whores and gentlemen, they lead,
trails of insecurities.

i am not a watchman, i do as i please.

in darkness i trust.




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Saahs
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Re: The Sound of Cheering [Self | M: E]

Postby Saahs » 12/23/2017 9:31 PM

Sasha clung for dear, precious life as the dragon whipped about this way and that wildly, praying that he not get flung off lest he surely land to his death. He shut his eyes tight, teeth clenched and bared against the rough jerking to and fro. It was so hard to keep his neck in the same position, keeping it from snapping in every so direction. But it kept thumping against the Battleheart's hard scales, and there was nothing he could do about the constant spinning and rocking, leaving him dizzy nonetheless.

The people down below were not so lucky. The poor woman on the Battleheart's tail was now a lovely addition to the spikes protruding from the clubbed end, her head nothing but concave and filled with rough holes. And another had been trampled horribly, too slow to get out of the way or perhaps even had run straight under-- on purpose or by accident, who knew.

And now, there were only two other fighters remaining besides Sasha and the Battleheart.
when that light goes out this eve,
some will run, and some will grieve.

Image
if you have a reason, or if you believe,
in darkness we trust.

the whores and gentlemen, they lead,
trails of insecurities.

i am not a watchman, i do as i please.

in darkness i trust.




About/Journal | Zoo Pen | Documents | Wishlist
User avatar
Saahs
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Keystones: 1122
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