[center] [h1] Clash of the Titans [/h1] [/center]




	Jackal watched by the fire of burning bodies as a new horde gathered in the hangar, and meshed together in a grotesque fashion that even made Jackal slightly unnerved of its transformation, then his single usable eye watched as the new-formed beast shouted its loud screech. Jackal was impressed, as if whatever was the source of their control had forced its flesh toys to evolve to match Jackal in almost every way. Bony plates sticking out in rows like plated armor between cracks of matted loose flesh, intense muscle growth that formed a large hulking mass of a humanoid monster, and its movements was much more brutish then limp. Overall, it was designed to be a [i]challenge.[/i] Jackal, the warrior that he is, could never back down from what he thought as a gesture of an honorable duel, this thing's creation, and the gorgas runt himself. Even in his injured state, he got up anyway, and once the monster was finished showing itself off with its flexing and wailing, Jackal too, made a terrifying roar, spreading his wrings about and extending his neck to its full height to try and give the illusion of him being bigger, granted he was still about 3-4 inches shorter then the flesh behemoth before him.

The two monsters charged at each other, and clashed directly against each other, the behemoth was stronger then Jackal had expected, as even with his full charge Jackal was being pushed back. The two monsters had their arms locked against each other in a pushing contest, however Jackal started taking advantage of his other limbs. His two wings arms would arc over and claw onto the back of the monster, while he would kneel his head down to ram his horns into the torso of the beast, and his tail would slither around the left leg. He continued to try and put leverage onto the chest with his horns, but even still the monstrosity started to overcome him, Jackal was started to lean back as the beast continued to push against the already injured reptile. The flesh monster would then pull back, and shove Jackal back at least a foot way, and due to his tail caught against the beast Jackal would fall onto his back as well, unable to take the beast with him the tail would simply slide off, then the beast would charge and grab hold of Jackal, and would sprint into the nearest wall. In a flash, Jackal was pressed up against the wall with violent force, the impact was brutal, but Jackal's natural armor held despite the pain that sparked through his body, and the blood gushing from his previous wounds. Jackal then realized that it was about to employ a tactic he had used once before on their kind, that was to repeatedly slam the target against the wall into their pulp, the reptile could feel the bitter taste of irony just before the second slam against the wall caused him to momentarily 'blank' in conscience due to the force of impact and the immense pain, his eyes turned white in shock before he slowly regained conscience, which would go blank again as he was pounded against the metal wall a third time, there was now a huge dent the size of the reptile within the reinforced metal wall, and his armor couldn't last forever, as a few of the scales on Jackal's back started to crack and chip.

Be it being forced into an conscienceless state, the deja vu of being overpowered, or the artifact finally reaching into Jackal's memories from afar, but a memory began to play back in his state while being unrelentingly pulverized.


[hider=The runt of the litter]
Several young hellkites were training in a volcanic pit. They were still juveniles, ranging between 40 year olds to 60 year olds, they averaged among their 'half way' mark to their adulthood. At this point, many of them were already nearing their adult sizes, 5' to 6' tall reptiles. All except for one, the infamous runt of the tribe, Jackal, 60 years old despite only being 3' tall. 

With the elder watching over the kids in a pit filled with lava and rock. Many started by dog-piling others into shallow pools of lava, all except Jackal, who was caught in front of two hellkites around the same age as him, but twice the size.

"So the runt wants to try and prove himself?" Scoffed one of the two juveniles, a hellkite with pitch black scales and beading blue eyes.

"That's adorable." Added another, a green Gorgas with eyes of shimmering gold. "Why don't we crush his dreams Gar?"

Without another word the black hellkite lifted Jackal by the neck with a singe hand and pressed him against the stone wall.

"Hey why don't we try drowning the rat?" Added the green hellkite as the other grinned to him in sadistic agreement.

Jackal struggled to break free, his feet squirming back and fourth and his tail trying to wack off the arm of his stronger aggressor. However his attempt was in vein, and he was sent straight into a 3 foot pool of molten rock.
"What a desperate midget he is."
 The other Gorgas held down Jackal by the hands beneath the hot liquid. Jackal struggled, all four hands trying to claw at the arms of his attackers, but being so small in comparison made it hopeless. 
"Come on runt!" Grinned the greenskin Hellkite.

he was loosing air and the sluggish consistency of lava made his movements even slower. 

After about 10 minutes of struggling Jackal would pass out from suffocating, fortunately though, the Gorgas's time in the pit was over as it was time to return to their huts and dens. Thus his attackers were unable to finish the deed. Jackal woke up in the dead of night hours later, he was alone, alone in the molten pit. It was customary to not support the weak in the tribe of his original family, there was no support for him, for what little support were given to whoever else anyway. Jackal had no where to return to, his birth givers didn't even bother to look for him, he knew this well before, but it was at this moment when his loneliness finally sunk in. 

He crawled out of the pit, seeing his village in the distant borderlines of desert and volcanic rocks. That's when he noticed however, that fire grew out of the tents. This was not unusual, many hellkites have accidentally burned down straw tents, and fire wasn't much of a problem to the dragon race other then having to rebuild whatever materials were lost. However it became more clear when the sound of war trumpets, various roars and shouts, and clashing of blades could be heard. He saw gorgas's riding with wyverns and drakes into his village, and a massacre unfolded before his eyes as he drew closer. He saw the two juveniles that nearly killed him pressed against the ground and beheaded by a Gorgas of another tribe, he couldn't identify the specific tribe. Everything was destroyed, what resistance Jackal's tribe put up was not enough to save them in the long run, the fast paced invasion and tactical advantages the rival tribe seemed to employ was enough to decimate their efforts completely. Screams from Nagas being decapitated echoed in the child dragon's eardrums as he drew closer. Too many emotions were mixed into Jackal that he didn't know what to feel nor did he fully comprehend what was going on, he only walked closer, until he stood just on the outskirts of the ruined village.

Two drakes from the war-bearing clan spotted Jackal, and rushed to end him. However they were stopped by a rather gigantic Hellkite. It was huge, standing at least 18 or 20 feet tall, with scales of black and a crimson belly. Ebony eyes stared at the Juvenile Jackal, peering down to observe him closer. Jackal just stared back, devoid of emotion, not even fear. So much was the event and what it meant to him that he simply became drained of it altogether. Was he happy that the tribe that practically looked down upon him was destroyed, was he sad that what little sense of home he had was now gone? So much was the conflict of feelings that Jackal ended up feeling nothing, and that was reflected in his eyes, or at least, that is what the giant Hellkite saw. 
With a single claw picking up Jackal the hellkite took to the air, but not before telling the other two drakes to finish the job and return to their tribe center.

The rest was history, the Westari clan, notorious for its genociding of other tribes, had ironically spared mercy upon Jackal, raising him as one of his own. The hellkite who saved him was named Ryujin, and was his mentor from then on.

Jackal recalled the following days, his first month was rough, his training was relentless and his size gave him a huge disadvantage. Many of the westari clan still commented and insulted his size, sparing partners included. When he was only a few years from official adulthood, Jackal then remembered the first ever spar he won.

"Come on runt!" Said Lazarus, a 15 foot Hellkite with golden scales and red eyes. He was pressing Jackal against the dirt, who was no near as tall, but his muscles have grown since his last memory.

He didn't speak, only trying to push back with all his might. Lazarious continued to taunt. "How the hell are you going to prove yourself if you can't even take down a rookie? Runt" 

Jackal didn't speak still, but his anger only grew.

"I don't understand why Ryujin would even bother with such a genetically inferior hellkite, come on runt is this really all you have to prove?"

Jackal's eyes snapped and grew bloodshot, and started to push back against Lazarious. "I'm not a runt." He  muttered faintly, still struggling barely against the golden reptile.
"What was that?"
[/hider]

"I'm not a runt!" Growled Jackal as his hands grripped onto the arm of the flesh monstrosity. At this point, he was pummelled 16 times against the metal wall since he passed out, the scales on his back and side of the face were almost all bruised and chipped, various sections of that side, especially his face, had gashes of bleeding tissue exposed with broken scales and skin. Yet Jackal was still breathing. 

After the 17th time he hit the wall, Jackal's eyes were milky and darkened from being barely conscience, the left eye was still wounded severely with blood pouring from the bottom eyelid, his feet were now pressing against the wall to keep him from being slammed again. The fleshy monstrosity would screech a horrifying sound as it tried to smash Jackal again. 

"I'm not a runt!" Jackal shouted a bit louder and adrenaline pumped through his body, he was actually starting to push against the massive arm that was pressing him against the wall. The beast would go to punch him through with his spare hand, But jackal would catch it it with his other hand, which at first, pressed him against the wall again, but after being slammed for the 18th time, Jackal began to press back against the beast in full force.

[center] [h1][color=ed1c24]"I'm not a runt!"[/color] [/h1] [/center]

Jackal would tackle the flesh bag that was larger and heavier then him onto the steel ground despite the difference. Overcoming the beasts strength Jackal would roar, some of the teeth on his left side were broken and his gums were bleeding, but his fury was clear enough regardless. Despite the nearly broken body he had now, He ignored the pain to ensure that whatever it was before him was destroyed. He would bite down on one of the two fused mouths of the grotesque amalgamation of heads, and with a click of his tongue flames violently erupted out of his mouth, and sent into the body of the armorers flesh beast. The fire would violently seek a way out of the monster's body, flames sprouting from patches of skin and burning the monsters slowly from the inside out. Still though, the creature remained intact and seemingly unphased if not momentarily distracted, and punched Jackal across his saurian cheek, sending him sprawling across the ground.

But Jackal was not done, he refused to be done. He had to protect the ship, even if it meant death, he would not fail an ally, or allies rather, a second time. A third memory flashed, a recent one of his brief conversation with one of his new allies, Henri, he recalled, for a moment, Jackal was lost at the kind thought of it as he got back to his feet. The very thought of loosing that memory only furthered Jackal's rage as he sprinted back to the beast that was also standing back up. Its body was still evidently burning from within, its mouthes and eyes were bright red with heat and leaking smoke, various patches of its skin and flesh would start to chip and fall away like clay that had been in the kilm for too long. Jackal rammed his horns into the torso of the beast, which sent it flying into what was now a whole through the wall into another room from where Jackal was being pummeled. Due to its massive body it would be stuck.
Jackal Grabbed its right arm that was sticking out, and pressed his foot against the behemoth, and would pull. Pull so hard that in minutes despite the armor and muscle still intact that were resisting the fire, the massive arm would sever from its body.

"I am not runt!" Shouted Jackal as he slammed the severed arm into the burning behemoth, so much force was delivered in Jackal's enraged, adrenaline pumping state that with the help of the massive arm that belonged to the monster he'd send its owner straight through the metal wall, as well as making a massive Hole that lead into a hallway in the facility. Jackal Roared, the look of his eyes and the monstrous growling that continued as he dragged himself and the arm towards the burning monstrosity that Jackal himself looked to be nothing more then a wild monster. The severed arm was still animated, despite being seperated from the body, and it would grab hold of Jackal's neck. Jackal screamed seething rage, residue trails of flames radiating from his jaws as he let out a more high pitched yet still enraged and terrifying roar as the hand tried to choke him. The monster got up, many of its outer bones were becoming charred and burnt, and even without an arm it continued to lash back at Jackal, slamming straight into the dragon. Jackal fell to his feet as the flesh monstrosity attempted to take hold of him, jackal rolled out of its way, causing it to fall flat on its ugly face. Even with the arm Choking him, Jackal bit down on the back of the armored behemoth, tearing out a chunk of flesh and bone-plated armor to lift his head. In the hallway behind him, another small horde of the animate corpses were assembling. Jackal Looked back and ripped the massivce arm from his neck, the beast behind him getting up again. Jackal tossed aside the arm and turned to grapple the beast that was still somewhat larger then him with his two primary arms, and would toss the behemoth into the horde that was rapidly approaching him. Due to its massive size, it would crush the entire horde of a dozen or so bodies. they all tried to scramble to their feet as soon as possible, but Jackal would breathe another jet of flames at their direction. Thanks to the condensed hallway there was no where for the horde to escape the flames, while the behemoth stood as a barrier for most of the flames they were all quickly set ablaze. Jackal turned and started to walk back towards the ship, he didn't see the behemoth get up, but when he heard its massive feet charging forward, it was too late. Jackal would be picked up in the beast's charge straight into the hanger of the ship, taking another massive impact of damage to his back which caused him to screech out in pain. The monster was utterly engulfed in fire, inside and out, ironically the heat radiating from the beast at least gave Jackal a more comfortable temperature. With a bloodshot eye Jackal's tail would wrap around the remaining arm of the behemoth, and began to constrict it and pull it away from his body. With enough room gained, Jackal pushed back with the horns on his head, sending the monster sprawling backwards on its feet as his tail twisted and attempted to dislocate the arm, though this failed. Still, the tail let go and Jackal immediately leaped over the behemoth, slamming both of his claws onto his shoulders, and his feet into the chest, causing the beast to tumble down the ramp of the hangar. Before impact Jackal leaped off and attempted to fly, but his left wing was broken, which he found out too late, as he fell flat onto his face nearby the behemoth that was already recovering. Jackal turned, and met the fist of the behemoth with his two claws, Jackal would have been sent flying, however he kept a tight grip onto the behemoth's massive arm. He then leaped onto the chest again,digging into his chest with both hands to tear apart bone-made armor and muscle within its burning flesh. The gorgas' tail would lock against the remaining arm of the behemoth, preventing him from taking Jackal off as he continued to burrow into the chest of the amalgamated monster

"Not a runt!" Shouted Jackal again, blind with fury as he continued the process.

   After tearing a massive hole into its torso, Jackal turned and began to rip off its arm, Pushing off of the now collapsed and burning monster as with some struggle pulled the arm out of its body, tearing apart tendons, bone, and muscle that was still burning. Jackal in the center of the burning corpse looked down at it as it was still animate, trying to get up with its two feet. He'd vomit up his own blood before he could attack it further, and the beast took the distraction to his advantage as it sprang up, using what was left of its torso to slam Jackal onto the ground and apply great blunt force to Jackal's head. Jackal picked up the arm and used it to smash into the torso of the behemoth again, then tossed the arm aside as he would bite off its massive deformed head. He held the head in his mouth triumphantly, holding it up in the air like a trophy as blood, both his own and of the head's, trickled down his throat, gums, and jaws, dripping from his chin and passive over his eyes. The head was so large that Jackal had to stretch out a wide angle of his jaws to fit it in his mouth.


The dragon panted. "Not a..." blood continued to trickle from his mouth, the side of his body, and the gashes in his chest. "runt." A thin fleshy piece that was once an arm flailed with Jackal's arm gripping it. 
"Not.." Jackal began again, lifting his arm, this time he could no longer prologue his body's condition. staggering back a few feet Jackal fell on the bottom of the hangar's ramp. His eyes white and he lost conscience again, this time from blood loss and exhaustion. The head still remained in Jackal's mouth despite passing out and falling over. In front of Jackal's  unconscience body was the remains of the massive behemoth he fought, including its massive arm and legs. Past that was the hordes of bodies Jackal decimated.