[center][h2]A Violent Quartet[/h2][/center] [color=9d8618]”Come my children, today we strike the heart of the Dreamer-God. Today, I do away with the mockery!”[/color] Vakk addressed his children, the echoes, anger blinding him and telling him to go forth and take his vengeance against both the thief and her god. He looked around at the echoes, swirling around him in the depths of his realm, getting put into a frenzy by his words as Vakk began to move through them. His towering form moving through the Realm of Talk before he broke through the cave with a thunderous roar, the echoes following as they erupted into the sky like a blackened plague, sending perched shadow crows aflutter. It was this anger that drove him, and that anger which desired the blood of K’nell and those gods who had looked to make a mockery of him. He watched as his echoes formed a swirling mass around him, a storm of words and hunger had been opened to the world. Vakk released another roar before he thrust himself into the air to make his way north, over the continents of the Dragon’s Foot and the Kick. The mass behind him blocked out light, a blanket of darkness emanating from his realm like a swarm. Vakk had only one target in sight, K’nell and his pet. It was not until he reached Tendlepog when he stopped in the air, gazing upon the continent and the Echoes forming a massive wall behind him. Vakk gnashed his teeth as he moved forward tentatively forwards, his echoes following close behind him. It was then he saw it. The God with one thousand pieces, extending upwards, skeletal arms holding it above the rolling red plains below. It looked directly at Vakk. Underneath it was a large tentacle. Vakk growled, gnashing his teeth as the Echoes restrained themselves to run down the being in front of them. [color=9d8618]”Eurysthenes! How lovely it is to see you,”[/color] Vakk said, rather sarcastically before he looked at the tendril, the great mockery that continued to haunt him to the day. The Lord of Talk let out another growl, a few moments of silence passing before he sprung towards Eurysthenes, tooth ready to rip into the skeletal frame as tendrils rushed forwards. The Echoes, stirred by the commotion, gave chase with their master, determined to grab the soul of the enemy. Only, Eurysthenes wasn't [i]there[/i]. As Vakk passed through the illusion, the tentacle on the ground swung upwards and smacked Vakk in the face with great force before flopping to the ground. No culprit could be seen, but there was no doubt it was Eurysthenes. Vakk’s anger towards this mildly humiliating grew immensely, the Echoes chittering amongst themselves before Vakk gave them a look that made them instantly grow silent. He loosed a deafening roar, determined to find the one he knew was responsible as he looked around trying to find something that wasn’t there, [color=9d8618][b]”EURYSTHENES!”[/b][/color] Vakk slammed his tendrils into the ground of the great sweetgrass plains. Tree-Eaters scattered and cloudlings popped in retreat. [color=9d8618]”Enough mind games, Eurysthenes. Face me, coward!”[/color] [Center]---[/center] Somewhere nearby, resplendent in the radiant anger, Eurysthenes slipped into action yet again. Its home could not be taken over by Vakk. [Center]---[/center] The Echoes froze on the spot, something clearly wrong. There was a moment of stillness where Vakk was not sure what had happened, or why they had stopped. That's when they scattered, each turning in a separate direction and surging forward, crashing into each other with no care except what they saw. This confused Vakk before he realized what was happening, another effort by Eurysthenes to meddle with his plans. [color=9d8618]”Stop, you impotent fools!”[/color] Vakk shouted, his voice over moving over the plains and into each Echo. One stopping after another but each being confused, they shook their heads attempting to get Eurysthenes out of their heads. However, their animalistic instincts blinded them, each looking in a different direction as Vakk looked for Eurysthenes along the horizon. [color=9d8618]”What is cowardly and a fool? What relies on tricks and deception to hide from my sight? What refuses to show its face out of fear?”[/color] Vakk mocked, looking around for Eurysthenes. [Color=A80886]”What is just witty enough to convince itself of its own cleverness?”[/color] The words rang out, as Eurysthenes rose out of the grass, rushing towards Vakk. Within a second it was close enough that its face was directly in front of Vakk’s, taking up his whole view. But, on his head he felt two pressures, as if something were standing atop his head. Vakk roared in response, snapping his head forward to try and envelope Eurysthenes while many tendrils shot towards his head in case of trickery. Just as his maw closed, he saw the illusion drop, revealing thousands of teeth. The spines of the toothy creature shredded against the tendrils of the God of Talk, leaving oozing lacerations. Vakk jerked away from Eurysthenes’ trap. Off to the side of the plains, a great horse suddenly whinnied. The echoes turned away from the God battle in confusion. Charging directly at them was the Warden, his black thorned armor soaking in the evening sun and glistening off him as a bloody red. His mare’s hooves were enveloped in flame, and he held a mighty sword above his head. In an instant, a sea of darkness materialized behind the commander; thousands upon thousands of nightmares appeared, indistinct maws gnashing and unseen claws swinging wildly. With a horrid scream that could shatter a heart, the army of the night slammed into the echo horde. The phantasmal creatures of both armies clawed angrily at each other, and the Warden paved his way through the enemy, leading his army onwards. Vakk turned as the phantasmal armies clashed, watching them claw and scratch at one another like the savages they were. [color=9d8618]”Was this your plan, Eurysthenes? A petty trap? If so, it was poorly executed,”[/color] the god of speech laughed as his tendrils began to weave a ball in front of him, a ball of glowing purple energy. [center][color=9d8618]”ellāṁ marikkuṁ! āruṁ atijīvikkunnilla. nilaviḷikkān ātmākkaḷ ayaykkuka!”[/color][/center] The sphere of energy was thrown to the air before it expanded rapidly vaporizing Echo and Nightmare alike. The force of it imploding on itself created a sickened cacophony of noise unlike any other. The screams and roars of the implosion left a space dedicated to the two gods before their battle continued in earnest, only to be halted again by a sudden sound. There was a thundering rumble in the distance that hammered its way through the hordes of echoes with exponentially louder booms. It was preceded by several bright, violent columns and waves of red and blue flame, spitting out infernal tongues that melted away swathes of echoes. The heliopolis dimmed for a moment, but might as well have been shining all the same - for in its light’s path was a magnificent ship of gold and jewels fronted by the snarling head of a dragon, sailing a constantly shifting river in the sky. Upon closer perception, the fiery path it left behind came from great pots raining from the ship’s deck. There was another dip in Heliopolis’ light as a shadow dove off the ship which proceeded to sail on to bomb the other flank of the echo forces. The shadow quickly took on a crimson colour before it crashed into the centre of the field, carving out a circle in the chaos for himself and letting out a menacing hiss towards Vakk. “Do you KNOW how much wine I had to sacrifice to pull that off?!” Shengshi roared as his fins became long barbs; his claws extended; and his pupils became reptilian slits. While Vakk was distracted by Shengshi, Eurysthenes took its chance. Massive bars leaped up, twisting and knotting around Vakk’s tentacles and pulling him down. Weaving together, they formed a puzzleknot that tightened around the tentacles, dragging Vakk towards the ground. The Lord of Speech roared, pulling in resistance to bars that attempted to drag him into the ground, heaving chunks of rock and soil. [color=9d8618]”Shengshi…”[/color] Vakk growled before speaking to the Echoes, [color=9d8618]”I want every one of you to focus on that whelp! Eurysthenes is mine!”[/color] He heaved against the bar lurching forward, pulling more of ground with him as metal and flesh fought each other. The Echoes, however, seemed to disengage from the fight with the nightmares almost entirely, a massive flood of darkness moving straight towards the river god. Then, magic shot through them, while nothing happened initially, the nightmares soon found that chasing down the Echoes led to two more spawning in one’s place, though significantly weaker than the original and noticeably smaller. It did serve, however, to spawn more fodder and distract the Nightmares as soon the number of Echoes swelled into a torrent, even climbing aboard the ship with gnashing soul-lust. The Warden roared above the crowd, his blade spinning as a scythe before the wheat, making every attempt to connect with the river god. Shengshi let out a serpentine snarl, his ear flickering as he heard the Warden’s call. He twisted his hand and the ship in the sky turned violently, heading back towards the shore. He flicked his opposite wrist, and part of the river the ship was sailing on broke off into a tributary, which quickly shot down to the snake like a bullet and splashed into his open palm. Shengshi clapped his hands together around the water and pulled them apart, the water sticking together like a length of rope until it formed a long, menacing whip. With a vicious smirk, he picked some gravel off the ground and sprinkled it over the whip - it stuck to it like sand on a Servant’s skin. “Did I hear a certain maggot call me ‘whelp’?” he hissed and cracked the whip against a few echoes, its blood-curdling sound akin to water striking burning coals. He let out a snarl and began to carve his way through the Echo horde towards the Warden, his whip churning the shadowy figures into dust and paste. The Warden seemed to rally, his mass of nightmares forming a large arrowhead, with him at the tip as he drove his wedge into the echoes. The lashing licks of Shengshi on the other side of the echo army coupled with the pointed charge finally broke through, opening a pathway for Shengshi to Vakk. “Your Lordship,” a voice grumbled behind the thorned helmet as The Warden charged beyond the God and into the thick of the battle. “Ah, the Warden, I presume? Keep up the momentum! I will remove this pest from your lands,” the snake yelled and slithered through the masses towards the colossal worm. Eurysthenes materialized opposite Vakk, the great beast of a God pushing against the straining bars, threatening to break free. The Lord of Puzzles slipped over and pressed a palm on Vakk, lines coiling over the skin. They began to glow as the pattern completed, which was just when there was a loud [i]crash![/i] and an ear shattering roar. Vakk violently erupted from his prison, dripping with fury. The Lord of Talk allowed his tendrilsl to surge all around him, slamming into earth or any creature that dared draw near. However, his massive head was faced towards Eurysthenes, speaking in anger and hate, [color=9d8618]”I will tear you into more pieces than is possible to count, Eurysthenes!”[/color] Vakk lurched forward, his tendrils soon moving to grab at the one who had attempted to imprison them. There was an icing snap as several of the tendrils were wrapped in stone-spiked water and nearly sawed off with a gruesome spin of a whip. The snake tugged the line back and waved it around playfully. “Oh, my, it certainly feels wonderful to move about again. Sitting aboard that ship for so long really stiffens up the spine, would you not agree?” Vakk turned his head to look upon the snake before a sinister smile came upon his face, mocking Shengshi, [color=9d8618]”You should have stayed hidden, like the wretch you are!”[/color] A free tendril, grabbed Eurysthenes and slammed it into the the ground and threw them at Shengshi before Vakk shot all his tendrils after the river god. The snake’s whip fell apart and the snake tossed his right arm upwards, sending the water towards Eurysthenes like a slowing buffet, Eurysthenes whirred as it attempted to recollect itself. Spotting the tentacles, Shengshi quickly made an effort to dodge, skipping into the air before diving to the ground and snaking his way towards Vakk. He made certain to keep his distance from the tendrils, his reptilian eyes scanning for an opening. “My, you are a little upset, I can see that.” The snake suddenly stopped and stood up. He snapped his fingers and a cup with a clear liquid popped into his hand. “How about a drink?” Vakk did not respond for a moment, before stating, [color=9d8618]”A drink would be nice, a drink of blood from you mangled corpse!”[/color] His tendrils shivered towards the snake as the massive maw of Vakk opened and went to snap from the other side, an attack from all angles. “So uncivilised,” he muttered and raised his cup to the incoming god, downing it in a single gulp. He shuddered at the flavour, smacked his lips a little and smirked. As Vakk’s jaws came to snap him in half, the river god clumsily slithered backwards and snatched the tendrils coming at him from behind. He let out a quiet burp as he reinforced the tendrils’ assault with his own divine strength, sending them straight into Vakk’s gaping mouth. The tendrils were caught in the teeth of Vakk’s maw, before he retreated them in a roar of pain. The snake let out a cackle. “YEAH! How’ll you fight me (hic!) now, you f-fiend!” he clapped his hands as he made a considerable effort to stand upright. Vakk’s anger grew unparalleled for a moment, before tendrils rose from the earth around Shengshi, grabbing the snake before slamming him into the ground over and over before a singular tendril wrapped around the snake’s throat bring him to Vakk’s head. [color=9d8618]”Like that, imbecile,”[/color] the Lord of Talk growled with an evil chuckle before opening his mouth, moving Shengshi closer. There was a sudden wail. The sky cracked as a black shatter stretched across it, breaking it into two deep scarlet halves. The wail resounded, and twisted until it was the somber cry of a violin. The world seemed to shimmer as the music approached. Echoes and Nightmares alike suddenly slumped, and the world grew still. K’nell carefully stepped over the sleeping masses as he approached the gods, a phantasmal violin tucked under his chin and a cruel Narzhakian club on his belt. Great blaring notes blasted forth. His eyes narrowed on Vakk and the violin ripped and shredded a sinister song. The Lord of Speech did not know what to make of it at first, but when his consciousness began to slip, he thrashed about. Vakk shook his head, attempting to resist the effects of the K'nell. He threw Shengshi and let out a singular roar of defiance before succumbing, his mind spilling into sleep. His form collided with the ground, raising dust and debris. The toss had knocked Shengshi awake and with a snap of K'nells fingers, Eurysthenes dusted itself off and rose. The trio walked menacingly towards the slumbering fiend. The violin vanished and K'nell hefted the club in a single hand. Walking around Vakk's head, he positioned himself by the temple, Shengshi by his side with the reformed flowing whip. Eurysthenes walked to the opposite side, a spear growing from his form. “... Are you certain that this is warranted?” the snake whispered uncertainly. “This murder will send an echoing message throughout the cosmos. Some maybe see it as a threat to themselves. Perhaps…” He hiccuped quietly. ”Perhaps imprisonment will be good enough?” [Color=8A0886]”When atrocities are committed, colours revealed, and there is a certainty for a lack of change, our solutions are few. When other solutions are but food, what is a battle?”[/color] said Eurysthenes, staring at Vakk. It twitched the spear. “Still, it's…” The snake brushed some sweat from his brow, “I was hoping we would have had him surrender.” [i]This One[/i] looked directly into Shenghshi’s eyes, and said [color=8a0886]”When one which lies promises the like of that, what does it say?”[/color] The snake hissed. “Untruth, is the answer.” He sighed. “Then the choice is made.” K'nell looked at the other two, “Gentlemen, Vakk still has but one chance left, and then we will know what is to be done; I ask simply that you prepare for the worst. I'll be back with your answer.” With little else K'nell reached forward, pressing a hand against Vakk, and with a sudden flash, everything changed. He was now standing in a void of white, with only the snarling Vakk before him. K'nell’ grainy voice called out across the endless void, “I see you have made your choice!” [color=9d8618]”You are the one who drove me to this. You mocked me, Eurysthenes mocked me. Hermes, that little [i][b]bitch[/b][/i] committed a crime against the gods! You let her go unpunished and justice had to come. You were her accomplice! [b]You[/b] caused Li’Kalla’s fall!”[/color] Vakk shook his head for a moment, his teeth snapping. [color=9d8618]”I want to go home, K’nell. Not to the place the Architect compelled me to create, but to the home he took me from!”[/color] “I'm afraid,” K'nell began, his face dropping at Vakk’s declaration, “That I am incapable of making your choices for you, just as I am incapable of saving you from those same choices. Regardless of desire, I now see that you are truly lost -- perhaps you will find your home at the end of this, perhaps not.” K'nell turned from the God, “Hear me as I say: The choice was yours.” [color=9d8618]”Strike me down and I will return to cast a plague upon you and your toy. Next time, there will be no saving her nor yourself,”[/color] Vakk said, before a sinister smile came to his face, [color=9d8618]”I cannot wait to see you again, wretch.”[/color] “Next time,” K'nells voice swirled by Vakk, “Should there be one -- I'll do Galbar the favor of skipping this part.” There was a snap and K'nell blinked. He stood by Vakk's sleeping head once more. Shengshi looked over at him, and the two shared a solemn nod. As gently as he could, the snake willed the stone-toothed water whip to wrap itself around Vakk’s neck, its teeth pulling at the worm’s skin, but not cutting it. K'nell inhaled and gripped the club with two hands. Holding it over his shoulder, his knuckles creaked white. He locked eyes with Shengshi and the two counted in nods: one, two, three. Shengshi flexed, pulling the whip tight. Simultaneously K’nell swung the club with resounding force. Vakk’s neck popped loudly as the whip sunk through his flesh, and the ground shook as the club connected with his skull. Vakk’s head was ripped forward, slamming into Eurysthenes’ waiting spear, drenching the God in a plume of gore and ichor. Bone shrapnel bounced off the ground and red drizzled briefly from the sky as the three Gods stood there, each staring with wide adrenaline filled eyes. K’nells club clattered to the ground, bits of stringy flesh stuck on its spikes, “It is done.” “We have murdered a brother - not one we loved, but a brother regardlessh.” Shengshi stifled a hiccup and cleared his throat. K’nell looked up from the pile of flesh and squinted, “No murder was done here today.” He picked up the club, and as he did the flesh fell off, making it pristine, “But there would have been. There was no remorse, no inkling of conscious; just hate. Something that failed to be reasoned with, something that made a knowing choice.” He looked at Shengshi, “So we made our own, and did what had to be done.” The snake let out a raspy sigh, his quills and claws retracting and his pupils dilating. “As the river barrels through tough obstacles, so must the wise be ready to take up arms against those who see no reason.” He shook his head. “Still, a tragic fate, even for the hateful.” K’nell brought a clean hand to his chin and rubbed it in thought, “There is a lot of truth to your words,” He looked at Eurysthenes and then back at Shengshi, “You’ve had your say, now I will have mine: let’s rest, the day is done.” “Agreed,” the snake said wearily. “I shall summon over Jiangzhou - it will have refreshments for all who may w--” He paused, his eyes growing misty. “Oh… Pardon, I forgot most of it was tossed overboard. Will juice be satisfactory?” K’nell pursed his lips, “Quite so,” he snapped his fingers and suddenly the Warden stirred to life, the nightmares rising as well. He turned to then, “Warden, see this place clean and the ill-welcomed guests-” he looked at the sleeping echoes that remained, “See that they exit the premises.” “My lord,” The Warden turned to rally his army and K’nell turned back to Shengshi and Eurysthenes. The sky had cleared and the popping of curious cloudlings returned. K’nell folded his arms behind his back and motioned a sweeping arm. “Shall we?” [hr] After the Gods had drank enough, riddled enough, and talked enough, they split ways. Eurysthenes decided to head back to Swahhitteh, while K’nell walked Shengshi to the Dreamer Estate before splitting off to go back to Limbo (but not before returning the club). It was under the purple evening sky that Eurysthenes climbed the Staircase to the Infinite Maze, where it crumbled into a heap, eager for rest. But this was not going to happen. Not now. There was something telling it that [i]this isn't right[/i]. Maybe this was the pallor of the walls, or the way the eyes focused. Or was it the way thoughts flowed? And so Eurysthenes walked the walls of the Maze, reflecting. Vakk, dead. He'd never meant much to [i]This One[/i], but it couldn't discount that he was gone. The one that had caused so much pain and hate. The one that it had met before any other, when it made a riddle to lock his sphere on that whispering isle. Or was that what was wrong? Was there a faint whisper, worming into its consciousness like one of Vakk’s tendrils? Stuttering and slowing when focused on, then rolling and rising in the recesses. Soon enough there was no denying it, there were whispers, and they joined together to speak, countless voices speaking as one, [Color=9d8168]”We exist together now… two corpses in one grave.”[/color] [hider=bloopers] [color=9d8618]”OWO what’s that?”[/color] Vakk said moments before being rammed by a big fucking boat. It was the damndest thing, but -- dare he say-- he liked it. In a purely, non-sexual way of course. But of course, his conscious agreed, it was more of a.. Release if anything. But not a sexual one; I can’t stress that enough. Guild mods don’t hurt us. [hr] [color=9d8618]”Eurysthenes! How lovely it is to see you,”[/color] Vakk said. [Color=A80886]”You too bb,”[/color], it winked. And then they kissed. [hr] [color=9d8618]”I want every gun we have, to fire on that man.”[/color] Vakk said upon seeing Shengshi, who only clapped his hands and did the default fortnite dance in response. [/hider] [Hider=MP summary. Spoilers.] [B]Eury[/b][list] [*]3 MP discounted to 1 with illusions to trick each echo into attacking a separate illusory Eury [*]1 FP to create this tooth thing. Single beast of meh power. [/list] [b]Vakk [/b][list] [*]1 MP to summon a ball of energy capable of vaporizing spiritual beings, killing enough Echoes and Nightmares to clear space for Vakk and Eury to fight. [1 MP towards Incantation] [*] 2 FP spent to create subspecies of Echo, the Splitting Echo, who are weaker than traditional Echos, but upon dying are split into two. [*]2 MP to transfer into Eury’s body 0 MP & 1 FP remaining [/list] [b]K’nell[/b][list] Nothin’ but using that artifact BB. ♧♧♧ [/list] [b]Sheng[/b][list] Usin’ river manipulation and servants, I swear. [/list] [/list] [/hider] [hider=Summary] Vakk decides the time for revenge is now and descends upon Tendlepog with an army of echoes. He encounters Eurysthenes who lures him to the plains below with tricks and illusions. There the army of echoes are charged by The Warden and his Army of Nightmares. Vakk is displeased and fires off a blast to take out a large enough portion of both armies so as to fight Eury in peace. They are interrupted again as Shengshi comes swinging in on a boat. Vakk orders his echoes to take care of him, but using a river whip and with the aid of the Warden, Shengshi makes his way to Vakk anyway. Vakk fights both gods for a brief bit before K’nell appears with a thunderous violin chorus. He puts the battle to bed and slaps some sleep on the scene. Vakk falls asleep and K’nell visits his dream to confront him. Vakk shows he is a ball of anger and nothing good will come from their talk. K’nell leaves after Vakk promises to come back from death and give him and Hermes pain. K’nell says next time there won’t be a talk. Back in the land of the living K’nell and his allies prepare to kill Vakk. K’nell fires Vakk, splattering Eurysthenes in gore. They share a dialogue about what they have just done -- then they go drink juice for a while. They split up. K’nell goes to Limbo, Shengshi goes to the Dreamer estate, and Eury goes home. On the way home, Eury is suddenly plagued by an unsettling feeling and then hears a terrible voice. [/hider] Presented by: [@lauder], [@Strange Rodent], [@Adorable Saucer] and myself.