Ambush

A figure watches Skull from afar, as he smashes a block of stone with only his fist. They're adorned in a long leather jacket that end at their knees. Their left arm seems to be made of various mechanical pieces. Red tinted glasses hide their eyes, while the rest of their head is shrouded by bandages.

The figure is now sitting in a dark room. "I swear I could see sparks coming off of him."

They start approaching Skull, until Aqua runs up to him.

"And what's with that girl always being around him?" they ponder to themselves within the dark room.

They examine old dried blood in the cracks of the cobblestone road.

"All of a sudden Silver's murders have stopped, and I can't find him anywhere." They continue talking within the dark room.

They now watch Talon from within the underground base. This time they look completely different, with long black hair and a blanket covering their body, as they sit in a corner of the large main room.

"Thinking back, that was around the time Talon came back injured, and with a strange new mask." they are in the normal garb as they sit in the dark room. "I think it's about time to strike. Tomorrow they'll all be at the training grounds, the one on copper hill."

The crowd of revolutionaries arrive at the training grounds with Skull leading them. Skull stops upon entering the rocky ring. He stares into the forest on the other side of the arena.

Hidden within some dense foliage, a soldier is holding a loaded crossbow. Locking eyes with Skill, his body starts to tighten up.

Skull taps the side of his head as he waits for the soldier to shoot him. "Hey Skull, why did you stop?" Aqua gets the attention of both people.

The soldier fires off his crossbow at Aqua. Skull catches the bolt just inches from her face.

He snaps the bolt with absurd strength as he turns back towards the soldier, his eyes gushing a familiar black ooze.

Many more bolts are fired out from the forest, killing numerous revolutionaries at the front of the herd, and injuring the ones further back. The sense of panic filling the air is almost suffocating, as a small army runs out of the forest wielding swords, spears, and shields.

A man towering above the soldiers also steps into the rocky arena. His skin is pale, matching his porcelain white hair that leads into a beard. His eyes are a bright orange that could pierce even the darkest of nights. His face lacks a nose, causing him to appear uncanny. Coming out from the back of his head are two long tentacles that change from a deep navy blue, to a light gray in a striped pattern. All these features, along with his sharp black nails, gives him the appearance of a monster.

"Shit! We're not ready for this fight." Talon looks on in terror as he begins attempting to stratigise a way out of this mess. "Anyone who can fight, hold them back so we can flee with the fewest casualties!" Talon draws his dagger and rallies his men, who all quickly jump into action.

Skull draws his zweihander. "Who's the freak show over there?" He protects Aqua while intently staring at the strange unmoving man.

"I haven't seen him before. But I've heard descriptions of a man named Whip. He's a parasite that took control of a magic knight's body, and a member of the nine. Also you're not any better in terms of looks." She mumbles the last part to herself.

"A member of the nine? Talon said we're at war with them now, then I'll make sure to take care of him-" as Skull steps closer to Whip, one of the soldiers shoots at Aqua.

The bolt tears off some skin as it grases her arm, she wences from the pain.

Skull turns towards the soldier, lightning sparking in his abyssal eyes as the black ooze starts to flood out.

Skull goes feral, as he roars into the sky. "S-Skull!?" Aqua tries to calm him to no avail.

The soldier responsible draws his sword and runs towards them. Skull drops his own sword and as his cold boney hands rip through his leather gauntlets along with more of the strange black ooze exploding out, he bare-hand catches the blade. As the black ooze slides down the sword, it sizzles and pops, the tip of the blade falls to the ground as it slowly melts. Skull then using his other hand latches onto the man's face. "Wither away!" He yells out causing an eruption of the black ooze to assault the man.

Skull drops the man satisfied with his work. The man's face is now a mush of melted flesh, he quivers from the excruciating agony, unable to cry out, until he finally perishes. Skull nearly collapses from over exerting.

"Skull!" Aqua rushes to steady and support him.

"I'm fine. that just took a lot of energy out of me." He shakenly reaches for his sword.

"None of what just happened is okay, there's no way you can fight in this condition." She shakes her head as she holds him down.

"Shit. Aqua, take Skull and get out of here!" Talon notices the dire situation Skull is in.

Whip takes notice of Skull and begins to approach him, moving far faster than they can retreat. Leaping, he prepares to strike them with his fingers forming into an edge. Skull lifts his arm attempting to defend Aqua, and Talon can only watch helplessly, as he fends off groups of men.

Whip is stunned, as his hand goes flying off, it lands on a boulder just behind him. Benit stands ahead of Whip, holding up two curved blades. "Don't worry about this guy, I can handle him." He looks back, giving Aqua a wink.

"Thank you Benit." Aqua gives a sigh of relief before once again attempting to escape with Skull.

Whip stairs at his severed hand, his anger beginning to flare up. As he reaches towards the limp hand he quickly grows a replacement. He clutches the old hand and crushes it into nothing. Whip turns back to Benit, the desire to kill filled his eyes.

"Let's get on with this fight." Benit takes a defensive stance.

Whip strikes at Benit with one of the tentacles. Blood spurts out as the tentacle recoils from Benit's expert defense. Unfazed, Whip pushes on Benit with blow after blow.

Catching his footing, Benit pushes back, bisecting one of the tentacles, and giving a confident smirk as it falls to the ground.

Whip's expression of hatred deepens, as the tentacle is immediately replaced. His pointed fingernails extend, becoming sharp claws.

"Oh, that's bad." Sweat trickles down Benit's face, as he realizes how dangerous his opponent really is.

Whip uses a barrage of attacks against Benit. Attempting to block, Benit's defense swiftly fails, as he is hit on the shoulder with a tentacle and a claw shreds his side.

With a heavy breath Benit drops to one knee, his vision swaying from blurry to clear. His fear begins to take ahold of him, until he notices Talon working hard to protect others, Benit smiles softly and his emotions are calmed.

Talon briefly turns towards Benit, noticing Whip preparing a powerful attack. "Benit, Look out!" He locks eyes with his friend.

Benit is filled with nothing but contempt. "Go and fight on. I know you-" Whip cuts Benit's final words short, piercing his chest with vicious claws.

Talon watches, stunned. "Benit!" He yells out for his ill-fated friend, the swelling tears obscures his vision.

"You damned bastard. Damn it!" Talon quivers with heart ache. Whip looks at Talon, seeing a violent and swirling wind wrap around him. "I can't let this chance he gave us go to waste." Talon lifts his head forward, the daggers in his eyes could shake even a trained warrior. He expels his frustration, and turns to his men fighting the soldiers. "It's time we fall back. Lose your foes in the trees!" His voice fills the battlefield, flowing like the burst of a gale.

The figure of a rooster forms behind Talon, as he easily jumps the four meter tall natural rock walls of the arena. Ignoring the fleeing revolutionaries, Whip pursues Talon. Even using his extraordinary strength and dexterous tentacles, Whip barely reached the peak of the wall. He watched as Talon disappeared into the horizon. Whip groans with jealousy, knowing Talon possesses Skills that he can't dream of reaching, even if he pushes his body past its limits.