songerein | I've Been Hellbent, Baby

Entry tags:

I've Been Hellbent, Baby

Who: Soldier: 76 & Others
Which: Semi-Closed Log
Where: Mainly in the Wildlands once out of the Residential District/Town Square
What: 76 goes full Noctaere after dealing with growing corruption for months, some folks just have to deal with that, and all that comes with it.
Warnings: Violence, body horror, declining health, trouble breathing, gory descriptions and details, drowning, and a lot of all this right out the gate.

Glowing Dawn, Dawning Horror. Some information here on what's going on.
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It had started with a cough; chest pains. Came and went, breathing short, inability to draw in air for such a short and brief moment it could be easily brushed aside as his body still healing from the injuries he had sustained so many weeks ago.

Then came the coughing fits that resulted in the taste of blood in his mouth, coughing up blood and a glowing blue liquid that was so very familiar. Then came the flower petals as that grew worse. The worry giving way to panic. There was a limit to what could be done when signs pointed to a very dangerous puncturing of lungs and something within that felt like it was taking over. How else to describe that?

If only it was just that- ended there.

A burning pain shot through him, felt like something clawing from the inside to escape, choking on a mix of plant-fiber, blood, and

Darkness.

Didn't matter how he'd gotten himself outside from where he'd been holed up, could have been as easy as sinking in to the shadows and throwing himself out of the other end of it. Knees hitting the ground as blood poured and skin split to a mixture of fur and vines. Bones sounding as if they were breaking as shadow surged like water and electricity crackled over ice. Ice melting in to more of that ice cold liquid shadow, snarling beasts pulling themselves out of it around him as if something pulled bones up and melded it. Mindless things already moving out and seeking out the nearest thing. Infecting more creatures, twisting them when they weren't fast enough and reshaping them.

76 had dragged himself onwards, blindly as blood pooled as much as shadow, claws sinking in deep as he grew larger. jaw clacking once the last bit of meat fell away from a stretched bone structure. Glowing gold pupils lighting up in otherwise empty sockets, lupine ears flicking as pupils rolled and the great lumbering beast that had been 76 let out a breath, the petals of odd glowing flowers in the fur along his neck quivering. The air in his wake oppressively cold, frost skittering away from wherever his shadow had reached. Every breath crystalizing in the air once the area was entered, so cold it would burn exposed skin of whoever mistakenly wandered too close.

The cold wasn't the only thing to worry about, of course. Not with how thorn covered vines twisted even as they froze, creating sharper 'thorns'. The warning hum, the smell of ozone that came with the danger of an electrical shock coming.

Yet past all of that? It was warm, almost invitingly so even if the ice and electricity was avoided, those shadows moving alongside the Noctaere keeping it away. Blood still dripped from fur and vine. Claws digging over building walls as he moved towards the Wildlands from town. Leaving a noticeable path despite such a deep instinct keeping him to a winding back alley-like route.

Hungry.

So hungry.

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[Continuing the trend of bad decisions, Kazuma has been, not by choice, accumulating nightmare energy once more. It's difficult to keep it off, when the previous noctaere incident hasn't fully gone away, thus making him more susceptible to it. With the moon still gone, and being pulled into other people's nightmares, it's only a matter of time before the inevitable will happen again. At the moment, it's stable, but he's getting sensitive when there's bunch of nightmarish energy around.

Which makes it all the harder to keep an eye on 76, who's already dealing with his own nightmare. Those Ents clearly did something else to him that day, something that may prove dangerous. That day eventually arrives, when he senses a sudden uptick of nightmare energy one night. Whether it was the craving or that he just knew, Kazuma doesn't waste time heading out to locate the source. He carried his katana as always, along with a small pouch of some finely crushed dawn flowers, and the balm Jude had given him. He doubts any of this will do much, but perhaps it'll temporarily alleviate whatever 76 is going through.

Before he can even see old man, he'll feel it first, see where he's been. The old man wasn't exactly being discrete about it. There were puddles of blood, with some kind of dark gunk to it. Claw marks on some of the buildings, big claws. The air is getting colder, with the smell of blood and nightmare energy reaching him. Something is stirring within him as he continues to track the old man. His hand rest on the hilt of his katana, eyes watching the shadows, remembering 76's affinity toward them. Will he run into his shadows beasts first or will he find the old man? ]

[The trailing blood slowly began to crystalize once the zone of cold passed over it, little glimmers of blue glowing amongst the red and dark swirls. Encasing it all, leaving them like little bombs waiting to be stumbled across, left if that nest of frost. Some poor little creature had stumbled in to one- it didn't really stand a change once the corruption held within took hold, really.

Of course it's the easiest to spot the small pack of those shadow wolves, trailing just after the larger creature while others had broken away to hunt for other things. The spots of blue glowing brightly are eye catching-

But so are the flowers that were worn like a woven collar around the Noctaere's throat just ahead of them, even as blood smeared over some of the petals. Frozen little red droplets glittering like jewels, jaws clacking as his head moved, lumbering along in a slump rather than walking on all fours or fully bipedal.

The shadows act as a warning, lunging forward and moving through the pools of darkness to advance as guided by a connection.]

[It's so cold he's starting to see his breath. It actually stings his skin in a burning way. That can't be good. Just focus on creating heat, he has to keep moving forward. Dark wisps are leaking out of him once more, the creatures caught in the cold corruption faintly reacting to his presence.

He glances to his left, spotting blue eyes watching him. One of his hound familiars? He looks like a tasty nightmare food he's sure, with how it prepares to lunge at him. He's ready for it though, drawing his katana once it comes into striking range. The sword probably hurts extra hard upon contact, as he coated his blade with some of that dawn flower balm Jude had given him. The wolf let out a horrible sound, having been sliced through chest, nightmarish shadows bursting out of it. Some of it splashes onto Kazuma, seeping into his skin.

More.

The commotion will surely attract the attention of the pack, and Kazuma will welcome them with his blade.]

[Be a strange sight, some reaction other than those shadows exploding from the creature; a light like white flame curling as the glow from claws and skull-like face went out in a blink. Nothing but smoke hitting the ground as if it was solid and dissipating, seeping in to whatever was closest; one of those thorned vines or Kazuma himself.

Of course it attracted the others, their snarls an odd echoing sound as even a howl didn't sound right. Sharper. Almost more cry than call.

All the same, they moved all at once the same as the first as if numbers would fare better than the single one that had reached him first.

By then an ear had flicked backwards at the sound, the large Noctaere paused in motion as claws dug deep in to a thick tree trunk. It slowly freezing over the longer he stood despite the bubble of warmth that kept close to him. Almost as if waiting, but not easily discernable as to what he was waiting for exactly. Listening to see what would happen?]

[He doesn't skip a beat. He swipes the ground with his blade, knocking the loose dirt to deter the ones coming from the front. His blade continues to swing, slicing into a beast coming from his right. Claws swipe at his back, barely avoiding a pounce from another. Dammit, he can't go down before even reaching the old man. He needs to find an opening through this pack. Or make one.

He was going to save this for the old man, but guess he has no choice. He pulls out the pouch with the finely powdered dawn flowers, throwing it in the air. Just as another beast comes at him, he slices the bag cleanly, covering the area with the powder.]

Are you done sending your pets, old man?!

[Honestly? It was probably favorable that the pack were more energy mixed with shadow that fully fledged Noctaere themselves; puppets that mimicked life, following what knowledge was had about dogs and wolves in how they acted and moved. Meant that the powder did the trick, causing their forms to blur and go staticky as they sounded wounded, melting in to puddles of shadow, going out in those bursts of blue flame one after the other.

What shadow was left pooled together, of course, racing back up the path they'd come down as frost spread in it's wake.

He pushed himself off the tree as the racing shadows joined his own, rippling as color swirled for a moment. Vines wrapping around the partially frozen tree. Movement was lumbering, almost sluggish, those glowing flowers' petals trembling with each heavy movement amongst the dark fur, tail moving as if to keep his balance.

The golden glow of pupil-like lights in empty sockets bounced about before landing on target, head cocked to one side. Jaws clacked, that skull of a face almost seeming to glow in the darkness that surrounded him, a stark contrast to the dark colored fur.]

[. . .Were he not exposed to 76 during their time in the Realm of Stories, this encounter would be a lot more terrifying for Kazuma. Even so, the size of his Nocteare form is damn intimidating. Is this what it was like when his Noctaere self stare down at 76? He curious about the flowers growing around his neck though. They looked like the Dawn Flowers, but growing and thriving on a Noctaere....? The logic behind that based on what they do know already makes this rather contradictory.

The old man was moving slowly, but he suspect it's a ruse. No way a soldier like 76 wouldn't have some trick up his sleeve, in whatever form. His back was aching as he straightens up. The sting of that attack hitting him now, but he remains at the ready, katana still drawn for whatever awaits him.]

Are you still with me, Jack?! [He would rather avoid a confrontation, give the guy a chance to fight against what he's become. Then...well, get him out of this area for starters.]

[The flowers were thriving, judging by the bright glow and full blooms of the familiar ones. Even with the crystalized beads of blood clinging to the petals. Feeding of the nightmare energy, the Noctaere itself, and only making it that much more hungry to feed itself. Feeding and keeping this odd sort of calm despite how rabid the shadow fiends crawling out of those pools of shadows seemed to be.

A 'hand' touched down to the ground as he turned, body following head as the frost melted under his contact. Steam rising as movement was slow on all fours, and even as the ground shook here was no sound. The shadows muffled it, and perhaps that was a clue to just the very tip of the deception seeping out from this things existence.

Golden pupils never moved away from Kazuma, head lowered just enough to be more at a level height despite shoulders being far higher. No verbal reply, but there was that sluggish advance- the 'wolves' bouncing a bit on either side, 'splashing' about in the puddled shadows as if they were nothing but liquid.]

[He's trying to keep steady after each approaching step towards him. The air is starting to grow colder as sparks appear around Kazuma. A reaction toward the increasing coldness, as if he was subconsciously try to produce flames to warm the area back up. God he's huge.]

Jack! [His voice remains firm, keeping himself rooted to the spot, eyes watching him and the constantly shifting shadows. Last thing he wants to do is run, show weakness. He'll wait until the very last moment, in hopes he'll give him some kind of sign he's reaching him. A problem that hasn't crossed his mind though while he's fixated on reaching 76, is that he reeks of nightmarish energy.]

[Ears flicked forwards at the name, had cocking to one side again, even as he still pushed forwards. Blood dripping still from underneath those flowers, a rather morbid hint towards them not just being braided around his throat. The fur covered where they had ripped through flesh at least, but those wounds were just bleeding freely. the 'wolves' even moving to catch drips, it hissing and turning to shadowy wisps upon hitting glowing skulls but sinking in to 'fur' without issue.

He stopped, just inches away from Kazuma

and placed a 'hand' down in a pool of shadows without a word. They rose up like parting waters before crashing back together in a twisting currant all catching at the young man's feet and legs as if trying to drag him down in to fathomless depths. Those 'wolves' rushing forwards, jaws snapping.]

[These open wounds...He's not sure if it's just the gruesome nature of Noctaere, or he wasn't fully form due to the Dawn Flowers literally growing out of him. The big guy is stopped right before him, not doing anything. Something jogging in his mind?

It won't take long to figure out what he's trying to do though, keep his attention elsewhere from the trap being laid.]

-!! [Shit, he's not given a lot of time to react. He's trying to back away, but the shadows are faster.

Burn. Burn everything.

The sparks around him turn to fire, trying to burn the shadows, or whatever else it can reach. His control of the fire is still unwieldy, so the flames will just appear and burst into small explosions at random spots in the air around him. It should disorientate the wolves coming at him.]

Don't do this, Jack! [He can feel something gripping at his legs. His last defense is his dawn flower imbued katana. It sounds ridiculous, but he slashes at the shadow, hoping it'll cause them to retreat long enough for him to get more space between them.]

[The calm worked so well for him, the hunger was there and it was pulling of course, but it wasn't in control. Well, not in control of the Noctaere as just where 76 was should be the question when it came to all of this. Certainly not in control, far from it. There was a drive to feed, but with the calm came the time for it to actually think of what it was doing.

Let the 'wolves' act senselessly, show that impulse that wanted to break free from the flowers but wasn't able to where they grew and hung.

The shadows were turbulent, thrashing and crashing as if little claws were gripping to get some hold of Kazuma. Even as the lesser shadows yelped and barked at flames, chasing them or backing away- the Noctaere never moved, ears flicked forwards and golden pupils focused on target.

Even as shadows parted from the slash, there would only be a short time before they whipped right back in.]

[And here's him without another pouch of powdered dawn flower. Definitely didn't come as prepared as he hoped. Other problem, they're still within vicinity of the town while having this fight. It's unsettling how 76 himself isn't moving while all this chaos is going on.

Damn old man. These are just distractions. He's wearing him down.

Lost in his thoughts for too long, the shadows managed to grab hold of him again. He goes for a tumble, cursing to himself.] No you don't! [Perhaps his body sensing the immediate danger, causes flames to suddenly form and surround him in a ball of fire like a shield. It's not going to last though, but it sure getting Kazuma riled up that he has to deal with these distractions instead of 76 himself. Am I not worth your time, old man? If he gets out of this situation long enough, he has to at least try to lure 76 away from town.]

[Watching- simply watching.

That head tilted to the opposite side slowly as one ear pricked, the other lowering just a bit as that clawed and pawed 'hand' moved through the liquid pool of shadow. Stirring it ever so faintly, allowing it to grow in to a larger ripple, and finally a wave that was more aimed to crash in to Kazuma while that flame was up. 'Letting' the wolves move ad leap in to it.

Even as they perished to the flames, going out the same each and every time, those wisps of nightmare energy fueling them finding places to seep in or simply return to the Noctaere itself.]

[Nightmarish wisp will find their way into Kazuma instead of returning their master, but he's got bigger problems to worry about. There's no way he can hold back the incoming barrage of attacks. The wave of shadow consumes the flames easily, katana sent flying out of his hand, landing somewhere off to the side, abandoned. The shadows surround him, suffocating him. There was nothing but darkness all around, no sense of what was up or down anymore. He's sinking, drowning? He can struggle and swim, but it's just more darkness and shadows.

No. It can't end like this! It's getting harder to keep afloat. God knows if those shadow wolves are down here as well.]

[Shoulders rolled, watching for a moment, those wolves diving in to the dark depths. It pushed back up on to hind legs then, head turning away and back towards where it had been going. As if there was no real concern, no want to feed on that particular one.

There was some form in the darkness, barely there and flickering as an arm broke through the surface. A faint tinge of blue spiderwebbed over shadow as clawed fingers grasped the katana, dragging in in to the unfathomable depths that should be but was in that darkness. Barely holding on, but moving even as it could barely hold form.

The 'wolves' burst apart on contact, twisting and contorting as sound muffled. Streaking through, and there was some hand hauling Kazuma upwards from the back of his clothing, katana pressed in to hand before what little had been there couldn't keep that bit of control anymore.

But there was still some impression, that push upwards towards what should be some sort of surface, a warmth in that cold muffling dark- Fuck this thing.]

[Kazuma's movements have gotten sluggish, slow. Consciousness blinking in and out. He just barely register something is being place in his hand, and then being pushed somewhere. Upward...? For a moment, he thought he heard a voice. Flashes of all his time he spent with 76 plays in his mind. The times the old man had been there for him. Even now.

There was a glint from his katana, his grip tightening on the blade. From the surface, the shadows where Kazuma had been pulled in was bubbling. Something bright then pierces through the darkness. As Kazuma once said, a katana is a Japanese man's heart and soul. Right now, it is responding to his strong desire to rescue his friend, no matter what.

What comes out at hilt end of the sword, is a demon as it's owner. A great flame burst from the shadows, disintegrating everything. Flames far reaching that it may even reach the Nocteare. Hope it really burns, you piece of shit. A domain of intense heat now competes with frozen shadows from 76. ]

Where do you think you're going? [Soaked in all the nightmare energy around him, Kazuma had taken on his Noctaere appearance once more. Though something is different this time. He was filled with rage, but there was also this determination, his mind still his own. Around his neck, was the protective charm that had been given to him by Susato. One of the paper crane's wing was somehow singed within the bottle, slowly burning down. Karuma had grown in size to match his new proportions as well, the blade itself glowing bright like a some light saber.]

[Get it, kid.

At least it finally got a noise, metallic and echoing as it was, from the beast of a Noctaere. An arm lifting and standing tall on legs as a shield of frozen shadow and even vine took the brunt of the flame. Ears flicked backwards and jaws clacking as it burned away in front of him.

Hind paws dug in to the ground, and there was speed then to how it moved, shadows spreading outwards across the ground and spiking upwards in jagged pieces of ice. Not aiming to pierce, but purposely explode and send sharp thorns rather than ice towards the demon of a man.]

[What a horrid sound, enough to even cause chills. The icy thorns potency are weaken upon entering his domain, the smaller spikes melting before getting close. Kazuma will still leap out of the way of the attack, claws digging into a nearby building to keep him above ground. Damn, they can't keep fighting this close to town.

He also needs figure out a way to get in close enough to land a hit. Who knows how long he can maintain this. For now though, he needs to force this fight to go elsewhere. He'll summon fireballs to rain down from above to counter the ice attack. They raze the earth where they land, and come pelting down on 76 like a firestorm.]

[The summoned puppets of 'wolves' were dispersed out, leaping in and out of reforming pools of shadow- but not towards Kazuma. No, they were spreading out and anywhere else. Away.

They could seek out quick meals for the Noctaere while it was occupied after all.

Ice made for some quick sort of shieling as it moved, darting in and out of shadows formed by them, as if dancing in between the hail of fireballs. Leaping gracefully as flowers glowed that much brighter in the firelight, pupils lit up and bouncing around within empty sockets as that jaw clacked as if in silent laughter.

Shadows flowed to meet each landing spot, twirling around in spaces that allowed for it as ice spiked up, creating a every growing thick and chilled mist of 'water' vapor whenever 'ice' met with flame.]

[More distractions, but they're not coming for him. Not yet. He doesn't like leaving them be, but if he puts an end to the source, those wolves shouldn't matter. Those shadows the main beast is hopping between are a bit of a nuisance. The ice just keeps reforming as well. How does he deal with this constant loop?

He glances down at the ground. He thinks about the familiars 76 could create. What if he could channel the flames in a similar way...? His sheathes his katana, claws flaring up with an idea. The area around him becomes so hot that it was suffocating the air. Whatever material the building he was clinging to was made with, was starting to melt. He comes crashing back onto the ground, claws digging into it. Heat transfers into the earth itself, breaking it apart, spreading, melting it down. Quite literally the floor is now lava. There was purpose to where it was spreading though, like serpents slinking toward their pray, 76 in this case.]

[Get rid of the source, and the wolves would vanish; their real job was to spread and corrupt whatever they came in to contact with. Animals would be the easiest, hunt them down and entangle, corrupt and make them nightmare energy drenched morsels. Feed the Noctaere, feed the flowers. An endless cycle that would drive the Noctaere to continually hunt for things to corrupt, to keep spreading the areas covered in ice and thorns that would attract the corrupted things.

Trap them within, make neat little 'baskets' of food to be picked over as the Noctaere itself let that slowness attract larger things. Larger things it could corrupt at the source and make better meals of. Even if leaving them in shadows for a bit so it could continually move at the sluggish and lumbering pace to attract more. A reason for the deceptions.

This? Well, push came to shove the Noctaere had a speed that certainly didn't match the size, an agility that allowed him to move fluidly and dance around.

Or send a larger horde of those wolves now coated thick with iced liquid shadow right in to those splintering sections of earth directly in to the lava as the Noctaere itself launched upwards.

All aiming sharp shadows wrapped around pawed 'hands' like talons to come crashing down against the demonic serpent of a man from above. The same shadows coating him, the chill more air than anything despite also being meant to cut through heat in a way that would produce fog. Fill the area as much as possible.]

[The lava serpents don't waste time attacking the iced shadow intruders stepping on the melted earth. Magma raising and striking with incredible speed with their fangs, coiling themselves to try and trap them, consume them. They'll at least slow down the pack if they manage to slip away.

All the while, Kazuma watches as the main body leaps upwards. In theory, the shadows should be restricted, having no surface to use beside itself. His claws leave the earth as he sees the fog starting to form as cold meets hot. Rather than wait for the beast's arrival, he leaps upwards to confront it, the frigid cold cutting into his skin as he gets closer and their domains clash.

At the last moment, his katana is unsheathed, strengthened from the dawn flower essence and dreamotion energy. The blade that could vanquish evil, strikes his opponent with incredible precision, like the samurai of old. One would not think his katana had been drawn at all, without how the motion was. His aim is to hit any vital point, neck, stomach, even one of his limbs will do. He'll take a hit from those claws if he has to, as long as he lands strike that will surely cause immense pain for the Noctaere.]

[There was a connection made, blade cutting through a few of those flowers and even going through the chest and shoulder region on the way- in turn claws gripped, not just cutting but hauling Kazuma in close. Swinging around mid-air despite the pain and way it bloomed through the area that blade pierce through. Focused intently on sinking teeth in as well-

But whether teeth met or not mattered little, as on the way back down the Noctaere ripped them both apart.

All the same? He landed hard, just keeping on feet with an uproarious sort of laughter that sounded so metallic, grating. Echoed as a few flowers were missing from around the Noctaere's neck as he forced himself steady. Shadows still pooling as vines curled through them, soaking up the blood that poured from the wound. Even the glowing blooms still around his throat soaking them in, causing new ones to bloom and replace the ones cut away. A mix of the familiar and not.]

[For as vicious as 76 struck, Kazuma strikes back with as much fervor. To bring down his target, to survive. Claws dig deep into his shoulders and back, but he still kept swinging and kicking, pushing through the pain, punching that damn beast's face when it's fangs got too close. Gravity is still at play though. Knowing they'll eventually come crashing back down, he transforms into a white serpent to get the slip from 76's claws. ~~Do not ask where the sword goes while he's a snake.~~

He traverses up and along 76's back, avoiding the brunt of the crash landing. He is heavily wounded, bleeding a mixture of blood and nightmares, but he continues his onslaught while the beast has a mad laugh. He partially wraps himself around 76's neck as if to suffocate him, ignoring the stench from being so close to the flowers. Fangs bite down onto a flowerless pocket that he could find in his neck, to hold a grip and pass venom. It may not do anything since they were both under the Noctaere influence, but it's not going to be a very pleasant feeling.]

I've Been Hellbent, Baby

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