[center][h1][color=green]Keriss[/color] [/h1] [h2][color=antiquewhite]Tauga[/color][/h2] [/center] [hider=Summary] -During the night of the city, Keriss watches over it and sees some of the damage that she has done. She minorly regrets destroying things. -Tauga attacks Keriss at the wall of Xerxes -Tauga proceeds to regret attacking a Demi-God which could make someone get PTSD by looking at it -Keriss flings Tauga around for a bit -Along comes little Pumps with his cute little tentacles to deliver something -Keriss is given a metal bottle which shows her Valarlon. -The Vakarlon clone hugs Keriss before going away. Tauga witnesses nothing -Keriss feels indebted to Tauga and promises to help her -The two agree that they shall help each other; Keriss will learn how to make men suffer more and Tauga will learn how to use weapons. [/hider] [hr] The night air of the city known as Xerxes heavily smelled of Sin. Not a pleasurable scent to Keriss, but one she would have to live with, considering her alliance with Sin itself. The lizard was not meant to be in the city at this time, but she had returned to size up the defenses of the city. The physical ones, anyways. Her eyes scanned the city, looking at the mortals which were so worried of her going on another rampage. All she truly saw was warriors who would be forced to fight should the time come- until she saw a small human girl sifting through rubble from the fight between Keriss and Sin. [color=green]"What are you searching for, girl?"[/color] the lizard asked, a condescending tone coming to her voice. The girl turned to see Keriss, a look of terror came across her face before she ran off without answering the demi-god. A sigh came to Keriss. Why were mortals so afraid of her just for destroying their homes and slaughtering people? Totally unreasonable, these people, though it was of no concern to her. Keriss looked around, taking off to fly towards the protective walls of the city in order to properly study them. Gongs rang in the distance, and her flight left the sound behind along with the rest of the rubble. She did take a liking the walls, finding them well enough to keep out a mortal invasion well enough. Her eyes studied the cracks and stone that made the wall what it was, marvelling at the fact that these would be able to protect a city such as Xerxes- Though she knew that so long as the gods were involved, these walls meant nothing. On the other side of the walls were slums, a portion of the city that still could not compare to the buildings within the walls. Another sigh, Keriss needed to get her head into the fight, she needed to be able to trick Vestec when she truly did report back to him. The lizard sat on the wall and gazed past the city, to the wilderness, to the moutains. Behind those mountains was the very place Keriss was sent to, the Venomweald. Her eyes gazed up to see the chunk of rock that she was birthed on, where she had met her parents; Vulamera and Vakarlon. Keriss longed to see them again, knowing that Vestec's words were untrue, her parents were alive. Another wave of sound from the distant curfew gong, as if to clear the smell of destruction. As it faded, another, sharper noise took its place. A violin wail, shrill, predatory. Keriss' wings crowned her silhouette, an unmistakable target atop the wall. And not so far behind, atop the Cipher Pyramid, a second shadow looked down on her and took its chance. The doggedly patient ophanim leapt into their chase, their shining plumes flashing over Keriss in an instant as they passed high above, selling out stealth for speed. As horses in a chariot, their rider flew on below them. Pulled on by the full speed of her Bludgeons, Tauga crossed the length of the city in a single, smooth leap, and braced herself against the long haft of her executioner's hammer in the moment before it struck. [i]THNACK.[/i] The hammerhead smashed into Keriss' shoulder, tossing her from the top of the wall as Tauga reeled and spun in the air, barely keeping her grip on her own weapon, swinging from the ophanim on her unseen reins. [colour=antiquewhite][i]That was a bad idea,[/i][/colour] flickered Tauga's thoughts faintly, but she was already preoccupied with trying to recover from the wipeout. [colour=antiquewhite][i]Where'd she go?[/i][/colour] Keriss had not been expecting to be attacked in the slightest. Laying on the ground with her back on the dirt, she groaned just a bit before anger filled her being. The demi-god looked around for a few moments, desperately trying to find her attacker. That was when she sensed the one with the warhammer above her. Her eyes grew black as she focused on the mortal. Tauga would feel that same that Sin did, someone trying to invade her mind, wanting to find what makes her tick. The next thing Tauga would feel would be pain, pain all over her body as if she had just been hit by a rather large object. It showed. [colour=antiquewhite][i]"Fuck!"[/i][/colour] The peasant language, though muffled by her mask, was clear. The suited figure flicked and strained against the air, dangling, as if trying to maintain her grip on flight. [color=green]"Foolish mortal. What makes you think attacking a demi-god would be such a smart idea?"[/color] Keriss asked, her tone was very so angered as she caused pain to the mortal. But all her intrusion could find in the Blowfly's head was echoes and determination. She fell, slowed, convulsed and landed on one knee. Dropped her hammer to clutch at her head, then snatched it back into her hand as the shock faded. Behind the mask, her eyes were closed.[colour=antiquewhite][i]Damn it.[/i][/colour] She wasn't done yet. Responding to a signal and acting on its own, one of the Bludgeons plummeted from the sky at the end of its cord, plumes and moonlight glinting on the huge iron sphere. Only loosely aimed- Close enough. Falling to crush the monster that so easily yanked at the strings of Tauga's mind. Keriss crossed her arm, as she watched the mortal who had attacked her. How foolish could mortals truly be? Then, the moons became blocked out by some unknown object. Keriss looked up with a confused face to see a giant metal ball coming down on her, it was certainly a surprise. Instead of diving out of the way like a normal person would, the lizard actually flew up to meet the falling object. She grasped it with her hands and flapped her wings as much as she could to slow the ball. Her mind attack on the mortal had to cease for she needed all of her strength to prevent herself from being crushed. When Keriss made contact with the ground, she was supporting the sphere with all her strength. Down on one knee, her muscles straining against the weight of such a disproportionately massive object. Shoving it off to the side, where it shot back into the air, Keriss released a loud huff before looking back at the mortal. [color=green]"Why must I do the things I do?"[/color] Keriss pondered, talking to herself. If one were to think that Keriss was not in pain; that would be the wrong assumption. Her upper body hurt as a result of doing her little stunt, but it was well worth it. Still kneeling, Tauga couldn't do much more than wheeze. [colour=antiquewhite]"You tell me,"[/colour] came the words, finally, fainter than they should have been. Then, on unsteady feet, the hain in the flight suit staggered upright. Stared at the other fighter down the length of the street. She wasn't much more than half the height of Keriss. [colour=antiquewhite]"Start with why you're killing my city."[/colour] And then, despite everything, in the face of divine wrath, she lifted the hammer and began to run fowards. As Tauga began running at Keriss, the lizard could only grin maniacally at the foolish mortal. [color=green]"Perhaps you could explain why the city is filled with sin,"[/color] Keriss suggested, not moving an inch from her spot. In the moment that the hain was in range, Keriss spun around, allowing her momentum to carry through her tail in order to knock the mortal aside. Tauga sailed several meters and hit the facade of a house with a heavy smack. Moonlight glanced off the bronze hammer as it fell onto the dirt. The weight of her regrets began to set in somewhere between the pounding heat in her cranium and the crack in her shoulder. This had, indeed, been a bad idea. Only now, in the bitter clarity of defeat, did Tauga comprehend the full extent of her stupidity. Her thoughts were drifting on a puddle of pain and there was blood between her shell and her suit, and still, somehow, they made more sense than they had for weeks. [colour=antiquewhite]"I didn't ask for this."[/colour] Forcing her arms to bend again, Tauga peeled herself off the wall she was slouched against, mumbling. Not yet exhausted, though even she was bright enough not to push any harder either. [colour=antiquewhite]"I didn't want it to happen like this. It was meant to be happy. Everything was meant to be fixed when the Énas Amartia came back."[/colour] She was hardly even talking to Keriss anymore. [color=green]”What are you talking about, mortal? What does Sin have to do with this?”[/color] Keriss inquired, strolling over to the mortal. Her eyes narrowed up, approaching the Hain, standing over her with an intimidating look about her. The mask lay motionless. Underneath her goggles, Tauga's eyes focused on the towering demigod, and took in, for the first time, the full scope of her primeval warrior's body. She wheezed a few words. [colour=antiquewhite]"Who [i]are[/i] you?"[/colour] [color=green]"I am Keriss, daughter of the gods Vulamera and Vakarlon; destroyer of Chaos,"[/color] Keriss answered proudly. Tauga's hand abruptly fumbled with her mask, grunting, jerking at it in panicked motions until the latches released. Showed a face, blinking, gulping air, much like any other mortal. [colour=antiquewhite]"It's- The- It's in the name. Sin brought the sin. Two months back it was- Good. When I- Held it- It was fine."[/colour] She breathed a hoarse rattle, ran her tongue along her beak. Her eyes weren't much less empty than the goggles. [colour=antiquewhite]"Did you think Xerxes was- [i]Always[/i] this way?"[/colour] Keriss looked at the details of the slumped hain, focusing on the mortals face. [color=green]"Indeed. Filled with scum and scum and villiany."[/color] Eyes narrowed. Something invisible brushed Keriss' face. [colour=antiquewhite]"You do,"[/colour] said Tauga, voice flat, but not weak. [colour=antiquewhite]"Then who built- the wall- I just knocked you off? Randy humans and a drunk troll? Some bored- Gluttony cult?"[/colour] Again, a wheeze, this time almost impatient. [colour=antiquewhite]"Wrong."[/colour] [color=green]"I have yet to see otherwise. Besides, what does it matter? The only thing that does is the coming war."[/color] Keriss growled, grabbing the hain by the throat and lifting her until she was eye level with Keriss. The lizard narrowed her eyes, silently gazing upon the hain. [colour=antiquewhite]"It matters,"[/colour] the dangling figure replied, now clearly talking to try and find a way out of the situation, pressing against Keriss' chest with her legs, grappling her arm. Her shock and awe had gone. [colour=antiquewhite]"It [i]does[/i] matter. If the war matters then so does this. I'm not gonna fight for the City just to let it- Rot in anarchy."[/colour] A distant whistling sound wavered through the night, immediately stealing Tauga's attention, if only for a second. Keriss' attention wavered, her eyes darting to the sound of the noise almost as if she had sensed something. [color=green]"Father,"[/color] she said, releasing her grip on the hain. Letting the hain fall to the ground, Keriss began to stare in the direction of the noise. She spread her wings, a true smile of happiness coming to her face as she felt Vakarlon's presence growing ever closer. But the father never came. Even at touching distance, the aura was too faint. A pink creature with a tube tied to its back drifted through the night, swaying merrily. [colour=antiquewhite]"Go home, Pumps,"[/colour] warned Tauga awkwardly as she jerked at Keriss' distracted fingers and fell to her knees. The sweetheart didn't let up, and let out another cheerful whistle, waving one of its tendrils towards the towering demigod. Its uncharacteristic disobedience went a long way to easing the tension. Tauga flicked her eyes back up. [colour=antiquewhite][i]...'Father'?[/i][/colour] [colour=antiquewhite]"You know Jaan?"[/colour] The connection eluded Tauga. The mysterious warrior didn't look... That way. Confusion wracked Keriss’ face, finding only anger to be slowly building up until her thoughts said one thing. [color=green][i]”Kill the imposter,”[/i][/color] eyes turned black, and the sweetheart shrieked, deflated, began to convulse before falling to the ground. [color=green]”How dare you mock the essence of Vakarlon! Unholy abomination!”[/color] Tauga turned her back on the raging lizard, taking brisk steps to the dirt on which Pumps was squealing pitifully, wracked by pain and guilt. She picked it up like a cat, making half-hearted hushing sounds. Comfort wasn't something she knew how to give, or likely could. The dying sweetheart was unresponsive, lost in its own personal hell. Truly, it had meant nothing but love. [colour=antiquewhite]"He's mine. Won't get anything from killing him."[/colour] Her eyes caught on the silver tube, the mission she'd procrastinated for so long. [colour=antiquewhite]"You want this?"[/colour] Without waiting, Tauga untied the bottle and tossed it lightly at Keriss. Catching the bottle in her hand, Keriss released the creature from its torment. Her eyes returned to her standard yellow shade as she gazed upon the creature. [color=green]”I sense my father in it, Vakarlon. What is this?,”[/color] She inquired as her gaze flicked towards the hain. The bottle was strange to her, but she could sense her father and other magics within it. Despite her situation, Tauga only gave a small shrug as Pumps hugged her neck, still crying. Her respect for Keriss as any more than a childish bully had thinned. [colour=antiquewhite]"Dunno. Craft material. Got it off the Fae God. Jaan. Yah Vah. Whatever you call him."[/colour] Keriss gave Tauga a look of skepticism, not fully believing that this bottle was procured from a god. She looked down at the bottle for a moment before a voice spoke from behind the lizard, a voice familiar to her. [color=gray]”Keriss, it has been too long.”[/color] The warrior froze, her eyes carrying her to turn and see her father, Vakarlon. Keriss felt tears began to fill her eyes before the curly-haired man began to take steps towards his daughter, a faint halo at his back. All that she could do was stare, disbelief in her eyes, knees weakening at every step. Eventually Keriss fell to her knees, not bothering to hold back her tears any longer for she was too happy. Vakarlon embraced his daughter in a hug, the one true act of kindness that he'd done to her in all her life. It was how she had remembered, even, maybe, wished for. And nothing more. Vakarlon began to speak, his voice fluent and comforting, his words incomprehensible. The warmth of his touch dissolved in a night breeze, and his arms became weightless. With a smile, and with more words, the heterochromic godhead stepped back, the backdrop of the street highlighting how colourless his once-bright eyes had become. When Keriss blinked, he was gone. On her palm, grey arksynth had crystallised in rivulets, spilling out from the tube, as if by its own volition. Its surface was splintered into hair-thin hypodermics. Glowing afterimages faded from her vision as the happy thrill of the hallucinogen wore off. The 'synth had served its purpose, and could do no more. To one side, Tauga cocked her head and stared into the empty air that had so fixated the stranger. Nothing. [colour=antiquewhite]"You look like you just tweaked on thornapple,"[/colour] she snapped heavily at the crying demigod. All too easy to lose patience with the emotions of others when your own have run dry. Or if stewing in your own blood. Keriss couldn't do anything except cry, all because of what she saw and what she had felt. [color=green]”Father, don't go,”[/color] were the only words that could possibly come out of her mouth at this point. Her eyes drifted down to see the tube and its contents, feeling some in her hand as well. [color=green]”I thank you for this, mortal. Whatever you did brought my father to me.”[/color] Slowly getting back to her feet, Keriss wiped away her tears with a hand that did not have the strange material on it. She then turned to the mortal, staring at her with eyes not of hate but instead of happiness. [color=green]”Tell me, what is your name?”[/color] [colour=antiquewhite]"Tauga,"[/colour] responded Tauga reflexively. Then, with a pointed jerk of her head, [colour=antiquewhite]"the Blowfly."[/colour] That probably meant more, though Keriss didn't seem like she knew her way around Xerxes' hierarchy of power. [colour=antiquewhite]"Now pass me that hammer,"[/colour] she slipped, then stopped, blinked. It dawned on Tauga that she was already talking to Keriss as to a peer. Realised shortly after that despite the crack in her bone, she really didn't care; and it probably didn't matter. Something about the hulking warrior's way of seeing the world made her feel like she had seniority. She shrugged. [colour=antiquewhite]"I got work to do. At least try to get out the way if you're not gonna be useful."[/colour] Keriss could only bow to Tauga, folding her wings and holding her arms to either side of her as a sign of respect. [color=green]”I am in debt to you, Tauga the Blowfly. I shall aid you in any job you desire, until my debt to you is repaid.”[/color] The lizard slowly rose back to her feet after a moment, smile still clear on her face. Well-honed political opportunism kicked in immediately. [colour=antiquewhite]"...You're good at killing things."[/colour] Tauga turned to Keriss and addressed her clearly, face-on, the way she'd learned. [colour=antiquewhite]"Stand. There are people who need killing. And sometimes I don't know how. I have a sword I never learned how to use. You'll help me, Keriss."[/colour] Pumps was slowly re-inflating in her arms. Tauga pet him once and tossed him lightly into the air, picked up her hammer, held it low, fists clenched on the haft. The air whipped and tensed around her. Hurt, but unbroken. [colour=antiquewhite]"There are other people, who need to live. You don't know how to spot them, so you break them along with the rest of the trash. I'm not gonna lie to you, Keriss, I've stopped caring enough to try and scrub the blood off my hands. I kill shit. But there are ways to crush a man without even touching him."[/colour] A moment while she tried to remember the right word. [colour=antiquewhite]"[i]Dominance.[/i] That's it. Killing chaos isn't everything. You have to [i]rule[/i] it. I'll help you, Keriss."[/colour] [colour=antiquewhite]"Can we agree?"[/colour] [color=green]”Why, yes we can.”[/color]