Kristen's Punishment

[22:38] "Yes. Humans can be quite capable. To deny this, is to be foolish. Their ability to be....so capable, should be respected, as all strength is. However-" Veles' nostrils flares.

Beginning to slither away, until a certain scent catches her attention. Hearing footsteps approach, the naga's frame immediately tenses up. Lips curling wide, as her expression showcases the utmost joy.

A human had arrived.

"You've already started. All living things, evolve, or die. Through trial, through combat, through pain, you grow. It's not a matter of starting, nor should you believe that you're finished once you're graced with horns.

It's all a matter..."

Spoken as she turns to face the stranger.

"Of moving forward."
(Veles)
[22:43] Teodor Hargrave approaches from the north, from Osrona.

Against the waning moonlight, Teodor's weapon glimmers faintly. A spear-like staff with a sharpened end. His eyes furrow into a squint. He makes out some shapes in the dark.

He makes out some horns.

He stops, some distance away from the group, just far enough to where he can hear the end of the Naga's speech.

The former Warlord stabs his weapon into the ground. Crosses his arms.

"So close to the city," he says in a calm voice. "Bold."
(Teodor Hargrave)
[22:48] Night grew and they were still speaking their thoughts with each other as the dark grew around them slowly. The slither of Veles and the footsteps of Frenerid and M'ousse was all that could be here until another pair joined.

"I understand now. I guess that's why I feel more accustomed this form every time I fight in it rather than my true form. It's likely to happen and thanks to you, it'll come sooner than usual." Frenerid paid no mind to the sense of the human just yet. He wanted them to expose themselves and get closer.

And when they did?

"Bold indeed it is," he replies, dissipating his form to reappear in front of Veles with the intention of protecting her from whatever actions this one might try and proceed with.
(Frenerid)
[22:49] Ack! A person!

M'ousse was mid yawn when he arrived, sucking air straight through her teeth as they clamp shut the moment his torchlight, the light of his aura, is visible. The pathetic, rusty sword that she holds in her hand is clenched tight, pointed down- Not a warrior's stance, but someone who used it for a deterrent. Probably, she didn't even know how to use it.

She's distinctly behind the other two, however- Pathetic height and frail posture keeping her mostly concealed behind the two others. Despite what her stance and relative hiding would showcase, she doesn't seem outwardly scared upon her facial features. Instead, she's ready.

Even if the sweat that rolls down her brow says otherwise.

Regardless, she stays quiet, more of a person to watch their backs in case someone else showed up than anything else.
(M'ousse)
[22:55] "Indeed, it will."

Spoken without a single doubt, as her crimson eyes fall upon the human. Glaring at hi through glowing slits, finding her smile widen as his claim. "Bold?" Questioned, as she couldn't quite agree with the claim.

"Hardly."

When Frenerid appears before her, there is a desire boiling within. To slither around her fellow serpent, to observe the human longer. Yet, she refrains. If the other wishes to ascend, he'd have to progress.

"I'll assume you're here for violence, then?" Spoken calm as ever, as the naga's palm comes to rise, landing between the mouse-like ears of M'ousse.
(Veles)

[23:01] "My punishment for allowing your kind refuge in Theria while I was still on the council is exterminating as many of you as I can," Teodor says. He digs the spear-staff from out the ground, spins it once, and assumes a calm, low stance.

But no movements further movements.

His inhales long, deeply. One could almost visibly see the air entering his nose and mouth. Arcs of electricity dance out from his body onto the grass and stone around him. There's a light electrical hum heard from somewhere. His body? The area around his body?

"Same as yourselves," he replies, finally looking at the Naga straight into her eyes. He scans the others. He couldn't be sure the others were demons, at a glance, but if they were with one? They were as good as demons. "Surely you didn't come so close to Osrona for a lovely stroll. I'm sure this is what you wanted. But, perhaps, you were expecting a more complacent, less-experienced prey."

His stance shifts, a few inches. Raw mana exudes from his body. It becomes clear that this human is, perhaps, a cut above most other magi of Osrona. On par with a powerful Knight-Exarch. Yet, there is no insigna of the Order on him. No colors. Just black.

"I've danced with your kind before. You will find no easy prey here. Come at me all at once, demons."
(Teodor Hargrave)

[23:13] "Yes, it is your punishment for being foolish and not making the right decision as to let us in your settlement within the mountains but that is for you to choose," he retorts, glowing red eyes beginning to shine down into his circuits as the human decided to have that hint of hostility within him. The serpent could sense it from here.

The wind blew and that is all that would've been heard at the moment before Frenerid decided to think of something to say towards them. There wasn't much to say if he was showing malice. Albeit, he did not blame them seeing as Veles had the obvious appearance of a demon via her horns.

"It doesn't matter which type of so called prey decides to take this path. Nor does it matter what power they hold. Be it a weakling that has no reason to fight to a knight that loathes the presence of my kin and breaths and lives to slay them.

It doesn't matter."

The white-snake began to move. A single step making two to stand in front of the human with his fist closed into balls while ruby hues stared directly at him without a single moment of his contact with his eyes breaking. He was too focused.

"Then you shall know we aren't so easy to deal with unless you're that confident in your ability to defeat them. I will entertain you or will you entertain me? We will see."

Frenerid held his ground for a moment before his head began to turn paler than it already was. His eyes glowed as his head grew and shifted into the head of a serpent. Pure-white scales with beady red eyes followed by the long body that could squeeze and coil any it chooses to.

"Don't disssappoint me.."
(Frenerid)

[23:17] "Do not compare them to us." Grimacing as she's forced to think of the demons who choose to frolic among humans, treating them as equals, or superiors. That smile is immediately replace with a snarl. Showcasing for more emotion than before, ever since her lose to Versail.

Losing her composure more often than not.

The following assumption is ignored, as a flurry of sapphire petals begin to dance around the creature. Several tainted vines and flora grow from beneath her scales, each radiating their own signature profane mana. Each laced with a curse, a disease. One yet they'd yet to perfect, but vile all the same.

"Oh, no. You're exactly what I've been looking for."

Spoken as thin digits curl around her staff, an object unfortunately created by the hands of her enemy.

Yet, as Frenerid makes his declarations, she simply slithers back. That elongated tail of hers curls around the mouse, wrapping around it's torso, aiming to keep the small thing constricted.

If Frenerid wished to move forward, to progress, to ascend?

Why should she take that away from him?

Content with observing, if only for now.
(Veles)

[23:17]
{LOAD GAME}

[23:22] ** Frenerid has inflicted an injury upon Teodor Hargrave. ("Permanent Injury", "Permanent Injury", "Permanent", "Severity: MODERATE (-10 Vit)") **
[23:38] After the talk with Veles, he's felt like he's gained new knowledge. Her words opened up a lock within him that he needed to open to see where it'd take him. To gain his horns was one thing but it wasn't that that he was particularly aiming for. It was to be equal much like the other demons but in his own way. Ascend from what he was. Not just a normal pureblood.

That would begin today.

His form grew in size but stayed low to the ground with his head hovering over the grass of the fields staring down Teodor like a meal. Much like a quick bird, this wasn't going to be an easy task. With the energy that was felt around him, he could tell he was the quicker type of humans.

That wasn't going to be a problem for him. He could feel Veles and M'ousse watching him. That alone gave him the determination he needed to not fail her and lose like he's done in many other battles that were just sad losses. This was a part of his goal to ascend.

All living things, evolve, or die. Through trial, through combat, through pain, you grow.

It played again and again inside his head like a broken record that wouldn't stop. And at that moment, he launched his body to strike at the human's frame. Dust formed around as his head smashed into the ground with Teodor's exceptional evasion. The power of electricity gave him such a boost in speed that it would've been hard to keep up.

He called upon his star, his form and scales beginning to gleam in the night as he multiplied the energy he could've outputted. His fangs, leaking with occult soaked into the ground the channel the power of occultism throughout leaving the male to feel the dark power of his mana within him and sucking at his lifeforce at a quickened rate.

And when he thought he escaped?

The white-serpent's tail aiming at the sky to shoot shining blast that had shape of stars with a red hue to them. They rained upon him to add to the damage that he felt. Only to see this as an opening.

Frenerid went into to strike! Knocking Teodor to the ground and left in defeat. Now it was time to do what he wanted to gain the little power so he, too, could've evolved.

"You ss-hould've left when you had the chance.." He voice echoed from the snout with the occasional hiss every so often. Frenerid struck again, but this time, his fangs sank into the male's neck and leaked the occultism that was inside to override his body. This would've left him to do his bidding if he so pleased and causing his personality to be more darker than it was before.

Soon after, Frenerid returned to his humane form to look at Veles awaiting her orders.
(Frenerid)
[23:57] Teodor gets cocky. Teodor messes up.

He summons the wrath of storms upon Frenerid. Lightning rains down from the heavens. The winds all around lash at the serpent with hurricane-like speeds. His own weapon strikes at the demon, and the earth all around him, with terrifying force. His every blow carves out craters in the ground, like miniature explosions.

He's careless. He attacks without hesitation, whenever there is even an inkling of an opening. Anger contorts his face.

He messes up.

As Frenerid bites his neck and delivers a poweful venom into his body, Teodor lets out a roar.

His eyes glow a brilliant, bright, sky blue. His messy blonde hair stands upright.


---

While applying his cursed venom directly into his body and mana circuits, Frenerid can feel something within Teodor.

It's not Teodor. It's someone else?

Who's there?

For but a split second, Frenerid feels many eyes on him. One. Two. Four. Six. Silently judging.

Who's there..?

---

He kicks himself away from Frenerid. A powerful blue glow surrounds his body. His face is mixed. There's horror. Rage. Concern.

Glee.

Though his spirit is more than willing to keep up the fight, his body begins to fail him. He feels himself beginning to lose control of his muscles.

"My name is Kristen Siren, Prince of Usurg, and I swear upon... everyone..."

His hands tremble as he tightens his grip on his weapon.

"I'll kill you..."

WHAM!

A blast of lightning like no other strikes the earth between them. Like an explosion, it kicks up a curtain of dust and debris, obscuring the dark battlefield.

A voice calls out:


"Just like I KILLED TEODOR!"

That last bit might not make any sense. Regardless, Teodor rushes away from the battlefield, fleeing off to the north. He leaves a trail of his own blood as he does.
(Teodor Hargrave)