Episode Eleven: Setting The Stage

[APR-18]

It begins early in the morning.

[The Omnituens Amphitheater]

Outside the Council's main building, the ground shifts and rapidly expands. From dirt, red stone emerges a rotunda shape; its walls rise to the sky, forming an arena. In the center, the ground is formed with concrete tile, with three segments of slight depth expanded toward the walls. 

A raised platform facing north within the construct mimicked the seating arrangement of a Council. A row of seats is positioned along the entire north wall. Flanking the Council on both the east and west sides were designated areas for observers. In the northeast and northwest corners were separated enclosed spaces to hold those on trial or awaiting judgment. 

Twelve magnificent pillars towered along the outer walls, supporting massive, glowing sapphire spheres. Slits appeared on each of the twelve spheres, opening eyelids and revealing electrifying blue iris broadcasting the proceedings to those who were present.

"Gather now, both those who sit in judgment and those who stand accused. Sharpen thine senses and mark well the bearing of each soul who treadeth here with heavy heart and bated breath. May this judgment be wrought with fairness and truth, that justice be served and the righteous may once more stand tall", a voice rang without mouth, for the Oracle spoke when she needed.

Gwen's eyes opened wide as she heard these alarming words. She quickly pushed herself upward, fully attentive, and looked at Akane, still fully passed out. She reached out in an attempt to wake her up, but before words could escape her tongue. Akane blinks out with a flash of white light, leaving Gwen alone in the bed. 

She quickly reeled back, grabbed her phone, and jumped off the bed, running straight out of the door. Meanwhile, Akane appeared in the North-West corner of the Amphitheater, dropping on cold stone. Sotokie also appeared in the same stand, dressed in denim shorts, a black shirt, and a dark brown cardigan. 

She turned to Akane, who had started to come to. Climbing to her knees, clothes from the previous day and parts of her skin still stained with blood. "Akane! Why aren't you dressed?" Sotokie asked, removing her cardigan and putting it around Akane's shoulders. 

"Sorry, I...didn't wake properly," she replied, as a loud grumble came from her stomach. Akane quickly grabbed her stomach, and she turned bright red. "I...haven't eaten since yesterday," she quickly said. Sotokie shook her head in response, saying, "Just try to hold on."

Sudden light accumulated in front of them, and a table and two chairs appeared. The table held a large platter of meats in all forms. Steaks, sausages, and briskets--dripping with sauces and steamed with mouth-watering aroma. As soon as the smell entered Akane's nostrils, she lifted herself up without effort. Rushing to the table, she pulled back the chair and sat. Ignoring the silverware and diving into the pile of protein with her hands.

She chewed and pushed meat down her throat in large bites. Sotokie sighed, seeing her sister begin to devour the food. Not wanting to disturb her, she pulled the chair a bit away from Akane and sat down, trying her best not to look back at her.

Following their appearance, their heads turned to figures, and the heads of the Council arrived in their seats. Igarashi appeared wearing a black suit and pants with a white shirt underneath, the collar open. Nola appeared wearing a white suit with a black pencil skirt and a light blue shirt underneath. Hair combed with light makeup.

Allum appeared wearing a dark blue half-sleeve button-up, dark orange shorts, and, lastly, a pair of sunglasses. Finally, a plume of bright fire appeared from the seat, twirling around into a fox with ten tails burning at the tips. He slumped onto the ground, stretched his mouth wide, and let out a long yawn. 

The rest of the Council turned their heads to look at him with slight irritation. Tim looked back at them and licked his paws to clean his eyes before jumping on the desk to sit on it. With a clear view of Mark appearing just below them. Wearing Hoyaga Academy uniform and his scarf dangling from his hands, looking forward.

With necessary attendants taking their place and broadcasting crystal booming on top, Oliver appeared last. Brandishing his formal image with a fine suit, white shirt and tie, and polished shoes. He traced his hand along his hair, tightly pulling it back, staring at Mark until Igarashi took his attention. 

Igarashi stood up and cleared his throat, "Oliver Battlebrone, from the house of Battleborne. Today, you appear before the Council on trial for breaking the law established by the King in his domain". Then he turned to his side, "Alongside Akane Bloodborne and Sotokie Fictor of the Fictor Household," he said while looking at them.

Turning back to Oliver, he continued, "As a challenge to the Council's decision, Oliver Battleborne is to defend against Marcus N. Arbitrium from the House of Imperium" while looking down at him. The battle shall be concluded when either side is subjugated, immobilized, or pronounced dead. Without further ado, proceed," Igarashi said, then sat back down. 

Mark took the first step toward Oliver, approaching him with a hint of embarrassment. He did not want to be the reason for the son of the King and the previous Lord of House Battleborne to become an outcast.

He pulled his scarf from around his neck, "Sorry about this. We didn't even have a proper introduction yet; now we are in an unusual situation, huh?" Mark said with a nervous smile. 

Oliver looked back at him with an uncaring expression, "Why did you accept this?".

Mark shrugged in response, "Law is the law. The council decided this, and I..."

"I knew you were this pathetic," Oliver interrupted Mark, causing him to become stunned. "What did he do? kicked you around until you were willing to bark for him?" Oliver added.

Mark's mood sifted into irritation, and his eyes lit up with a golden hue.

[Ability Activated] [Fiber Creation and Manipulation... Extending Strings]

[Passive Ability Activated] [Creation Negation]

He swung his scarf, and a single Strain of String extended through the air at Oliver's left shin, who still remained unfazed. Like a needle, it pierces his skin and flesh and wraps around his bone.

"What is he doing? Is he just going to forfeit?" Sotokie yelled, gripping her hand and causing Akane to choke.

Oliver looked down at his leg and then back at Mark and spoke just one word, "Darkness,"

[Sub Ability Activated] [Weapon Manipulation...Weapon Fusion]

[Darkness + [Casanova]]

A flicker of light high above him caught Mark's attention. Right up there, Darkness appeared, dripping with burning flames. Panic immediately erupted on Mark's face.

Mark had a vague idea of Oliver's inherited abilities. This shouldn't have been possible. With a quick blast of flames, Darkness launched itself at Mark.

[Ability Activated] [Fiber Creation and Manipulation... Full Body Suit]

His scarf came to life, expanding and wrapping around his body, tightening into a suit. He raised his arm at the incoming blade, releasing Strings toward it. Right before it could catch it, Darkness vanished from Mark's sight, and it took a second too long for him to remember what it could do.

Searing pain by burning combustion ringed from behind, and weight crashed into his spine as the blast shot him forward. The boom disorientated Mark as he flew a few feet forward and face-planted with a loud thud right in front of Oliver's feet. 

Akane swallowed a mouthful of meat. "His ability is to create weapons. But I have only seen him do that once; after that, he just calls them, and they come," she explained. "So, don't worry," Akane said as she took another bite of her stake while Sotokie moved her attention to Allum's roaring laughter.

Oliver stares down at Mark, "This is a good look for you," Mark's head snaps up at Oliver, grinning. "You fucker!" instantly, Strings burst out of his back to attack Oliver.

[Teleportation]

But Darkness pulled Oliver to it before he could be hit. Oliver appeared next to Darkness, grabbing hold of it. Leaving behind a bundle of String. 

Mark sat up straight and turned around to glare at the String he tightened around Oliver's ankle on the ground. He snapped his head around and watched Oliver standing next to Darkness.

The flame on the Darkness roared. "You can keep it," Oliver said with a blank face. Mark stood standing back on his feet. His face brimming with anger, "You piece of shit. I was here showing you kindness by only restricting you but fuck that, I guess," Mark barked, his eyes burning golden. 

[Sub Ability Activated] [String Creation and Manipulation... Unraveling Shredder x 10]

Strings leeched out of his suit, twisting and compressing into Unraveling Shredders.

[Ability Activated] [Battleborne]

Oliver's eyes lit up with a white glow, and light from the surroundings dissipated. Coloured Strings appeared all around, beginning from Mark's body, revealing all possible movements. Immediately, Oliver felt his stomach turning. 

Mark pulls back his hand, bringing down the Shredders. Oliver swings the Darkness, releasing a wall of fire from within the ground, obscuring view of himself. The Shredders burst through, imbued with Creation Negation, allowing pass-through unfazed by the raging fire. They stick into the ground and unravel with a mighty torrent of String. 

"You can't hit anyone like that," Oliver commented. Mark's head snapped to look at Oliver. Strings burst from behind him, blasting him forward at Oliver.

[String Creation and Manipulation... Glass Bundling Pillar]

[Fiber Manipulation... Super Speed]

While he sprinted, String accumulated his hands and formed a solid Pillarof Glass String. He jumped upwards and brought down the Pillar, aimed right at Oliver's face. At the last moment, Oliver disappeared, allowing the Pillar to hit the ground instead. As soon as Oliver's feet touched the ground, Mark's eyes moved on him. Quickly, he picked up speed and created another String Pillar. Blasting it on him, only for him to disappear again. 

"Is running all you can do?" Mark yelled as turn with another Pillar and rushed at him. And again, he missed Oliver completely. At that moment Gwen ran up to one of the sitting on the corner, with Nova stumbling behind her. She stared at Mark, who suddenly came to a stop.

"Why is he the one fighting him? why the hell did he agree to that?" Gwen said in a frightened tone. "He probably didn't have a choice," Nova replied from behind. Her eyes went around to Akane seated at the table. Next to her, Sotokie stood her hands on the stone wall. "Akane!" Gwen yelled, waving to her.

Akane looked up, her mouth stained with meat sauce. She smiled and raised her piece of meat. Gwen smiled back, feeling relief. Then she turned her attention back to Oliver, ignoring Sotokie's annoyed expression. Who appeared on the other side of the field. 

Mark glared back at Oliver, who kept this blank expression plastered across his face compared to the irritated one on Mark's face. "Don't blame me if you aren't able to land a god-dame hit," Oliver replied.

The field, at this point, had four separate Pillars scattered about. Oliver understood it, looking around the field, seeing potential hazards that Mark had placed.

"Then, why don't we make it fair between us," As Mark said that, the bottoms of four pillars began uncoiling, and the strings dung into the ground. Oliver appeared and punched Mark straight in the abdomen with his Knuckles. "And why would I let you?" he said as Mark winced in pain.

Oliver then pulled back and came in a left hook while Mark brought his arms to block it; at the same moment, a massive tendril of String burst out of the ground and slithered at Oliver.

Oliver quickly teleported out of there without connecting with Mark, appearing on the left side. Following that, multiple massive tendrils broke out of the ground, surrounding Mark as his defense.

Suddenly, a wave of color flooded the field; this caused Oliver's face to twist in disgust and his stomach to turn. Now he saw a massive amount of colors in his vision, and surely Mark also noticed it too; "You fucking prick!" Mark yelled.

He swung his arm at Oliver, jolting the tendrils to attack him. They slithered through the air and at Oliver. The first one brought itself down on him, only for Oliver to teleport on top, with another one charging at him. He quickly teleported to the up and up and successfully dodged every attack aimed at him until he locked his eyes with Mark.

[Darkness + [Casanova]]

A burning Darkness replaced the knuckles in his hands, and Oliver raised it over his head. Mark, almost reading his movement, pulls his arms over his head, causing two sets of tendrils to erupt from the ground over himself. Oliver teleported on top of him and swung down. Darkness clashed against the Strings and caused the blast of violent flames.

The blast burned and untwisted the string upwards and carried Oliver forward. He landed on his feet and quickly turned around to see Mark, who was sprinting at him.

[Creation Negation]

He tried teleporting away but quickly realized the thin Strains attached to his clothes and Darkness. Without any options, he swung Darkness at Mark at the last moment, only to feel resistance. The Strings tighten around the blade.

A loud crack and Mark's fist crashed into the side of Oliver's face. Holding his ground, he released his grip on Darkness and swung at Mark with his fist.

Mark duct at the right time and pulled up with an uppercut right underneath the chin, shooting Oliver's head up, almost popping off. Mark continued with another left shot into his stomach, making Oliver scream in pain. Then another loud crack followed another, and another, and another. With each hit, Mark continued to turn Oliver's head into mush.

"Oh my god, I think he is going a bit far with that!" Gwen exclaimed and then turned to Nova. "Go right now and do something,"

Nova pulled his hand back, "There is absolutely nothing that I can do here. He challenged the Council's decision. It's all up to him now," Nova replied. "God, you are useless," Gewn remarked angrily, and Nova shrugged in response.

Akane suddenly stood up and wiped her mouth with a napkin. Quickly walking over to Sotokie, she grabbed hold of the railing, "Oliver, Please! Don't lose!" she yelled at the top of her lungs, causing Mark to pause as he held Oliver by his hair and looked back at Akane.

"That's unfortunate. I am definitely going to be hated after this." then turned back and held Oliver's head upright and pulled back his fist ready. However, Oliver, with one good eye, glared back at Mark, "Libra,"

[Libra]

[Serpent Creation]

Libra appeared behind Oliver's back, perfectly obscuring it. Four slithering Serpent grew out of its hilt and rushed forward at insane speed. Mark only heard the one bearly audible word before he felt piercing pain in his body as something shot him back. His eyes widened, seeing four projections of Serpents with blades sticking out of their mouths appearing from behind Oliver.

[Python Creation] 

Another projection shot out, this one plated with scales, bulldozed into Mark's chest and blasted him into the air. And then brought him down to the ground. With a loud boom, it drove Mark into the ground, almost knocking him out and completely crushing his breastbone, cracking it. As quickly as they had come, they retried backward to Oliver's Libra.

[Casanova] 

Casanova appeared on top of restricted Oliver and clicked into one another, causing flames to erupt on Oliver, burning away the Strains. This released Oliver, and they fell back onto the ground while the amulet began to heal him.

"Wait, are those?" Gwen said as she looked at Nova, mumbling to himself, "Oh, that is a surprise. Well, he is after all a... no, never mind. Yeah, he created them out of me," Nova added. "Never mind what?" Gwen asked. "Well, he is a Battleborn, and well, I don't think I have heard that they can just create weapons out of other people's abilities," Nova Explained. 

Lord Fictor remained silent and glared at the display, "What is the meaning of this?" he asked. "My Lord, he... during our fight, was somehow able to steal my ability for himself... I don't understand it either," Joseph replied. "Hmm...He must be a defect," Lord Fictor remarked. 

"Is that snake bastard hiding somewhere?" Allum asked, raising his sunglasses. "No, I have seen it for myself. He is a defect," Nola quickly responded. "He is starting to look like a threat," Igrarshi added. "Tim did have something to say about that," Nola said, and all three turned to him. The little fox yawned at them and turned around to comfortably turn into a ball.

Oliver picked up Darkness off the ground; his head and stomach swirled around. The Battleborn ability is taking its toll. While Mark lay there as the pain numbed his body. The Strings pulled his bones back into place and replaced the torn organ tissue with String's Fibers.

At the first chance he got, he pushed his head up to glare at Oliver and watched his disgusted expression. He tried speaking, which caused the blood to fill his mouth. He quickly turns to his side, vomiting it out. Clutching the ground, he started to pick himself up. 

"Fuck!" he exclaimed as he greeted his teeth. "You son...of bitch. Don't think I didn't see that," Mark said as strings began unraveling from the suit, then more, and then even more. Swirling into large masses.

[Glass String... Turbin Shredders]

Four massive, perpetually spinning cylindrical behemoths came to life. Their insides and outsides roasted opposite to each other, the front mouth a gaping hole into shredding Strings, layering its insides, while their body ended into a spirling tip. They slithered around Mark like gigantic wyrms.

The sheer amount of colour and sounds caused Oliver's eardrums to burst and his nose to bleed heavily. He quickly deactivated his Battleborne as he stared at the sense in front of him with bloodshot eyes. 

"I am going to crush you!" Mark shouts at Oliver who had pushed him so far. His string extends from his suit, carrying him into the sky to down at Oliver.