[center][h1][color=a187be][u]Ragnarok[/u][/color][/h1] [@supertinyking][/center] The figure walked softly, looking one last time at its peer. It was not the most... affluent sector of the neighbourhood, and what looked like a couple of students, could eventually get some problems. It wasn't a slum either, but the kind of worker-class neighbourhood one would see in many realistic dramas. Such was the De Vile's house, and such was their destination. However, the most dangerous wasn't the place, but the house itself. A mechanical genius with a penchant for mayhem lived there, and threading uninvited could have dire consequences, but his expertise was needed. One of the figures, a rather androgynous boy in sharp clothing, eyed another one. Purple and Silver. They seemed so different, yet so alike. Celestine Lightbringer would not be able to contain his disgust upon finding this if it wasn't for his perfect body control. "Let me knock on the door." said the elder, as he rapped the door in a peculiar place, with a peculiar rythm. Some sort of coded greeting. The thin crackle of an electronic speaker coming to life could be heard as a tired, almost pained voice spoke out from a hidden speaker just under the duo's feet. To most, such noises would be easily missed but the two at the craftsman's door was nothing if not perceptive, so perceptive in fact they could hear the sound of gears move, and locks shift. The door swung open, and revealed a house that while not a mess, was definitely lived in. The smell of hot metals and oil wafted from the opening doorway, betraying exactly where the craftsman was, down in his basement working once again. [color=ed1c24]"Come in, but do warn your friend to not go about touching things, and that I'm currently working on some upgrades. If the doppelganger is squeamish, best he stays in the living room."[/color] Vile's voice speaks through the speaker, the intentional distortion giving it the sound of a cheap toy with a dying battery, both to disguise and disturb. Luigi pressed a touch screen down in his workshop, relaxing his security systems if only enough to make sure that whoever his friend had brought with him wasn't going to trigger a trap and get stabbed by Luigi's myriad of traps he had added since the break in. Celestine walked down alongside his-half brother, one step at a time, while Dmitry imitated him to perfection. Monkey see, monkey does. It was eerie to see it from a perspective not his own, to say the least. "Is mechanic guy okay? He looks like he needs vodka." Dmitry chimed in. Celestine rolled his eyes. Yes, he was not okay, but he didn't care about de Vile's personal life that much. Only that he could take requests. "Hey Luigi." Celestine Lightbringer tilted his head, and taking the cue he was not all right, chose that as start of conversation. "You look like shit." "That's rude, brother. He must need some vodka, da." Mit chimed in. [color=ed1c24]"Feel like shit, but I'm getting...better."[/color] Vile says, and as Celestine and Mit turned the corner to enter Vile's workshop, they could see him opened up, his chest split open. Where as most it would be a grizzly sight of flesh and organs, Luigi's insides were obscured by wiring, layers of pulsing plastic, tubing carrying different liquids and some pieces of arcane technology who's functions could only be guessed at. [color=ed1c24]"So, you finally cloned yourself, but with a...Huh. That accent reminds me of Bak. This some sort of test-tube baby cross between the two of you?"[/color] Vile asks, slotting in a few new bits of plating to the underside of what would be a normal man's ribcage. He laughs at his own joke, before his body closes up and he unhooks himself from his worktable. [color=ed1c24]"Jokes aside, what's up my friend? Need something, or find something about those people we were looking into?"[/color] "That looks painful, let me help." Mitya added, as he moved forward before Cel stopped him. "He's used to it, don't worry." Celestine Lightbringer. "If only I could do that.... my mother had an affair with a Yekaterinan noble who loved her ballet. Dmitry... is the result. He is going to help me in a major hit... Something urgent came." Celestine said to the machine man. Dmitry eyed him, as he narrowed his eyes at Luigi. "Y'know, lub, I don't think yous hafta to comment on me accent, lads " The Yekaterinan boy suddenly switched the accent like one switches a TV channel. "It's for me comfort." "Same powers too. So let's get some hardware tools, yeah?" Celestine added, rolling his eyes. "I could use a few extra arms cause I have several ... targets this time." [color=ed1c24]"I meant no insult, but yes, what'd you like? Sending a message, in and out before they know? I've been working on increasing production. You said you need extra arms? Need help? You're helping me, I'd not mind cracking some skulls for a friend, scratch your back, you scratch mine."[/color] Vile says as he starts to pull out a variety of weapons, ranging from simple combat knives, to small swords, short swords, hand and a half swords, a war-fork, a few handguns ranging from stylish flintlocks to science fiction worthy sidearms, and finally some long arms. [color=ed1c24]"As for you, Dmitry, as a friend of Cel's, you're a friend of mine. If you need anything, don't be afraid to ask."[/color] Luigi adds, an uncharacteristically warm smile on Vile's face as he speaks. [color=ed1c24]"From toasters to weapons of mass destruction, I can build just about anything. All I need are materials and the authorities to not come kicking my door down."[/color] Dmitry smiled back. "Please, call me Mitya. Or Mit." He wandered. "And ... I don't know, I don't like causing wantom suffering, but if you could give us a decent weapon worth of a knight and armor, I'd be mostly pleased." The younger sibling added. "Just one thing, where's the kitchen? I can brew some coffee and tea snacks if you'd like." Celestine on the other side, looked at Luigi. "Hmm, I guess I will have to accept that, although I'm not too fond of going sideways when I have more important matters. Fine I will help. Who do you want to enact retribution onto? " The elder sibling said, as he gazed the craftmanship of the goods. It would take the manpower of an entire factory commited to producing a single tool to actually surpass' Luigi's. They were ugly at parts, but terribly effective. Celestine picked a katana, as he grinned. "This will do as sidearm, but i might go ranged this time." [color=ed1c24]"Oh, so you wish to be a knight in shining armor, Sir Mitya? Allow me to ply my trade."[/color] Vile began as his eyes light up and he begins to try to pull out tailor's measuring tools, trying to size up Dmitry. [color=ed1c24]"You have a favored kind of knight? I like Anzian knights myself, but my tastes are flavored by heritage. You share your brother's love for Jubanese flavored weaponry? I could make you both a matching set of katana, wakizashi, bows, and armor. A team able to send terror shooting through any target. Or maybe you prefer the Vityaz of Yekaterinan?"[/color] Luigi asks, seemingly delighted in creating an entire set of armor and weapons for someone. [color=ed1c24]"As your brother is helping me, this will be free of charge, and that of course extends to you too Cel, you want a custom set of armor? I could make it able to shift with you..."[/color] "Cel can shift?" Dmitry said, one eyebrow raised. Lightbringer shot a glare at Vile, no doubt for talking of something that he should not, before relenting. "New power. Still experimenting on it." Lightbringer said. "Not many know." He sighed. "Function over form. Best tactical armor out there." Dmitry was about to say his preference, but Cel put a finger on his lips. "Make it two -identical- sets." [color=ed1c24]"I was referring to your aliases....your...different personas you like to utilize...It seems I may of let on more than I should..."[/color] Vile mutters, before nodding. [color=ed1c24]"Tactical...gotcha. I will make you both look like modern men of war, the faceless legions of the modern military complex...with a little twist. They will be identical sets. But I must add in a small amount a flair, otherwise it'll drive me bonkers...."[/color] Vile begins, as he presses a button on his arm, and two mannequins rise up from trap doors. He begins to layer cloth onto them, sewing needles protruding from tendrils that start to spill from Vile's robes. It was quickly apparent that the twist Vile was implying was that of a Purrsian Immortal, an ancient army of men who'd wear masks so they'd all look the same to cause havoc over trying to count them. [color=ed1c24]"So, who's the targets, and what message are we sending? Is the order of the day terror?"[/color] Vile asks as his mechanical appendages moved in a blur as he worked. "Add a mask. Like the ones I wear." Celestine said, eyeing Dmitry. "Don't you want to be a masked justice man, Mit? It's the same thing." Celestine sighed. Luigi had his quirks, and it was not helping when dealing with the easily impressed Dmitry. "If you say so." Dmitry said, and puffed up his cheeks, while pouting. Unlike his brother, he sometimes let the expressions reflect his state of emotion. "I wanted to be that Urturian knight kind of white knight, though." He added. "Well, there are several...who my...ngh...sponsor wants me dead. A couple of idiotic magic users who are being a nuisance... and I think Vernon. You know, mafia's pretty boi. I bet you always wanted a good reason to crush some mafia skulls, well... now's the time!" Celestine smirked, as he crossed his arms. "Do these witches have iron teeth and eat children?" Dmitry asked, taking a leaf out of Yek mythos. [color=ed1c24]"Err, witches?"[/color] Luigi asks, his work slowing down a bit as he seems a tad confused. [color=ed1c24]"I mean, yea, Vernon I was going to break his teeth in during the meeting before you spoke up...and the others, the nuisance magic users, any info on them? Cult related, criminals fucking with the wrong rich guy, just gave you a hard time and need a plastic explosive suppository?"[/color] Luigi asks, as he builds in mask themed faceplates to the armor set's helmets. [color=ed1c24]"Also, as you obviously have your heart set on it Mitry, I'll build you a proper Urturian knight set, fit for a warrior of great standing.....I did come into some money, and I love to share..."[/color] Vile says, which was a blatant lie, but he enjoys free advertising from people wearing his equipment. Free advertisement and a good friend, all in one neat little package? What more could Luigi ask for? "Yes, brother told me about a foul necromancer called Diana" Dmitry said, nonchalantly. It was then when Celestine forgot to breathe [color=ed1c24]"...The same Diana who is your brother's ex, my rival and friend, with the silver hair, thin body, and sassy attitude?"[/color] Luigi asks, raising an eyebrow. Luigi already knew it was indeed that Diana, but he wanted to gage reactions from both Cel and this Dmitry. [color=ed1c24]"Because if so, I only have to ask why on earth someone would want her dead? She seems so insignificant in the grand scheme of things, unless you're working for that Ward fellow..."[/color] Again, another lie, another ploy, to see how badly Dmitry could continue to screw the pooch in this conversation. "I...I...what?" Dmitry blanched, as the realization dawned. "You didn't tell me this, Cel!" He spun around to meet Celestine face. "I told you it was...delicate. Very much so." The eldest sibling said. "As much as I enjoyed that sass...she has to go." He frowned. "Orders." "Orders from who!? You tricked me, Cel! You... I ...." Dmitry began to move, grabbing a sword and getting ready for combat..."I...I..." "Put that down, idiot." Celestine. "Before...something happens." [color=ed1c24]"Indeed, Dmitry, put it down....the kitchen is up the stairs, to the left....go...make some tea. Your brother and I have things to discuss...If you two fight down here, you both lose."[/color] Luigi begins, as he tries to step over to Dmitry, and put a hand on their shoulder. He has no hostile intents, seemingly he only wanted to keep the two from hurting each other. [color=ed1c24]"The oven works off of a remote control that's in the second drawer down beside it..."[/color] "Tea? Tea? My brother is calling me to be an accomplice of murdering his ex girlfriend! I will not abide! I will..." Dmitry added as he went to swing at Cel. Except his body locked up all of a sudden, tears of rage welling and straining but not moving..."...will....will...mommy." "Not good." Lightbringer rolled his eyes. "Rend the fatebreakers..."Dmitry said, as he eerile stopped, and went upstairs after letting the sword clatter in the ground. [color=ed1c24]".....Who's your sponsor, now, Celestine, who is it?"[/color] Luigi asks, his happy mood thoroughly spoiled. One of Luigi's robotic tentacles picks the sword up from the ground and puts it back into the row of weaponry available. [color=ed1c24]"I've been around the block to know what just happened, that's a tad fucked, hijacking him like that. Fate Breakers? How did Diana break fate, and why do you care?"[/color] "It wasn't...me. Orders from above." Celestine added. "How much of you is yourself and how much is your power?" Celestine answered. [color=ed1c24]"Those...up above? Also, that's a complicated question, more for those like us than any others...I've given up a lot of myself to become a greater warrior, a greater war machine....but the god of war has never asked me for anything, never contacted me."[/color] Luigi says, his voice filled with confusion, and the faintest tinges of horror, and rage. "How do you know you are still y...nngh..." Celestine added, before wincing. "The little tramp has cheated death, and thus she must be handed back over to her rightful place. Vernon has tampered with fate, and needs to be disposed. So do Cyan and Andras." He said, in a neutral, calmed down tone. Luigi's eyes narrowed, but he felt completely out matched, out paced, a fish out of water. He takes in a deep breath and slowly reaches over, picking up the war-fork, the halfway point between a farm tool and a weapon of war. He then kneels, like a knight with their sword, and closes his eyes for a second. It looked like he was praying, for the first time in Luigi's memory, he was. Luigi was tired, stressed, hurt, and now he had two people in his house saying they were on a divinely contracted hit to kill another of his friends. If there was any time he needed divine guidance it would be now.... Of course, he just looks like he might just be trying to soak all this information in, as Celest knew just the sheer amount of stress the poor man was under. Maybe this finally snapped his iron spine, the last piece of straw to shatter his ability to stand. "Luigi" Celestine cooed, kneeling before him, whispering on his ear. "We will make this simple. Diana is gone, this whole affair is solved, and we're both free to help you. Don't you think your father is more important than Diana? Or would you rather risk everything for someone who doesn't know whether to call you a friend or an enemy?" It was then when Dmitry arrived from the kitchen, having prepared a full afternoon tea, sandwiches and pastries included, and was now elegantly leading it with a tray. The fragance it emitted... well, it was difficult to believe Luigi's tea could smell like that, but those were the capable hands of a Yekaterinan servant. Luigi didn't look up as he heard Celestine speak, but he winced like someone had twisted a knife in his side. His eyes slowly opened, before Mitya, Luigi and Celestine would have a surprise, as a plate from the ceiling of Luigi's workshop came crashing down onto his head, the thick metal plate landing and bouncing off, a thin plume of dust in the air. A thin line of blood came cresting down into one of Luigi's eyes, and his forge flared to life. The heat, the dust, the blood, it was all so familiar to him. It sent him back to before he had changed himself, given up so much to become a warrior, a smith, a creator and destroyer. To under a pile of rubble, the air thick with powdered debris, bleeding, praying, it was the last time Luigi felt such an immense crushing weight. But this time, it was different, so very different. He could hear his father screaming, Diana screaming, Cel, Mitya, Vernon, and even voices he didn't know. Standing above the pile of those begging for their lives, a shapeless thing holding up a curled fist that threatened to bring the end of those at its mercy. Luigi began to force himself to his feet, in both this hijacked flash back and in reality, struggling as if the weight of the world was upon him. But this time, it was different, he was no longer the scared child powerless to stop what was happening around him. As he rose to his feet the tension in the air was almost physical before it snapped like a twig under the treads of a tank. "[b][i][color=ed1c24]Whatever scum sucking, boot heel licking, celestial maggot is threatening my friends, I give you this one chance. Either you relent, and cease this puppetry, or you find me at the gates of light to stain the clouds with your shredded remains. My father would not stand for me giving into such a pathetic god, one who'd need to meddle directly to get what they want,if you even are a god. [/color][/i][/b]" Luigi says, a threat, a promise, an ultimatum made to the heavens. Either this creature retreated in fear, or the flames of war would burn through the celestial sphere like a wild fire. "I am going to take that as you don't know yet." Celestine said, without any changes in his demeanour, and without any care for Luigi's potentially blasphemous outburst, he took a sip of the tea. "That would be amusing to watch. Either you succeed in doing so, however unlikely as it is, and make chaos and change in the dynamics up there or you get strangled by your own hubris. It is funny though. Who is really talking, the frustrated Luigi or the fustrated scion of War, who not finding the Ancient Enemy strong enough, directs his rage to the heavens?" [color=ed1c24]"A little bit of both. The last time I was faced with such odds, it was when I was crushed, trapped under rubble, hearing those who I cared about dying. Not again, never again. I will not sit by while my friends are in danger...Not Celest, not Diana...none of them. I faltered at the arena, I will not here."[/color] Luigi threatens, looking down through Celestine. [color=ed1c24]".....So, what is it parasite? Are you gonna slither off to some dark corner and brood, or am I going to have to smoke you out?"[/color] "Manners, mr De Vile" It was now Dmitry who talked. "What is it about what?" Celestine shrugged. "I don't find anything of use in your words." [color=ed1c24]"Ok, let me put it simply. Fuck off parasite god or I'm going to ram my fist through your stomach, and break your god damned spine."[/color] Luigi says, as his tentacles flare out, shredding his robes and leaving him looking like something out of a horror movie, wires and flesh meshed together. "Barking is one thing, but the moment you try to get in the way, there will be...consequences." Celestine said... as the corners of his eyes began to bleed. Dmitry, looking at the mess, sighed. "So you would die here and now. That's sad. I mean, regardless of who comes on top everyone loses." [color=ed1c24]".....I haven't lived in years....except for today."[/color] Luigi says, before He attempts to bring the prongs of the war-fork down onto Celestine's head, aiming to incapacitate, rather than kill. He knew today, he either pulled victory from the jaws of defeat, or he'd have a real interesting story to tell in hell. One way or another, things just got interesting. It was Dmitry the one that moved, the delicate tea tray making an awful clanging sound as it stopped the war fork. His brother was not immobile, either as he drew the sword pointed at Luigi. "You are brave. Hm. Maybe there is a solution." [color=ed1c24]"Speak quickly, fight faster."[/color] Luigi said, as tendrils swept over the weapons that had been laid out, turning Vile into a walking swiss army knife of death, swords, knives, guns, and more all wrapped up in coils of technological tentacles. A stun baton launched from the mass, aiming to strike Dmitry in center mass, trying to force him backwards. It was a flick of the wrist, and Celestine's Laplace demon went into action. With so many weapons, chaos and destruction around, the amount of steps that could be chained was high. Weapons misfiring all over directly at luigi, those who did not activated a set of traps under the machine man's feet , the shrapnel tangling Luigi's extra limbs, and as a further insult, the baton bonking him in the face. What was worrisome is that Dmitry's eyes had begun to bleed too. "One chance to challenge fate, being who you are. Accept or not.' The chaos of gunfire, traps, flames, blades, and more created a thick coating of powder smoke, burnt oil and more. However, as the smog began to vanish, Luigi's hulking form burst forwards, mangled but undeterred. One of Vile's arms was hanging by wires and tubes, and that side of his body was covered in shrapnel. It seemed he was holding most of the firearms on the left side of him, and that side had taken extreme damage.[color=ed1c24] "Challenge fate? Isn't that what I'm doing now?"[/color] He asks, swinging a balled fist like one might a club towards Celestine. It was only as a blade jutted from Luigi's wrist in an attempt to catch Celest off guard did it make sense, the intent to send a shallow slash across the front of him. Celestine smirked, dodging it but allowing himself to be cut... only for the cut to bubble and begin to close."No you're making yourself a fool." Celestine added, as a second burst of shrapnel and chaos hit Luigi's back, this time coming from Dmitri's hand. "We both have that skill." [color=ed1c24]"Hmph, seems the whole non-lethal route isn't going to work, is it?"[/color] Luigi asked aloud, but halted his assault, stumbling forwards as he struck in the back. [color=ed1c24]"...Well, come on. I'm waiting...How do you propose I challenge fate?" Luigi asks, as he began to prepare a nasty surprise.[/color] "Trial by champion. 2 on 2. If your champions win, then he will cross this offence. If we win, their lives and your power are forfeit. Attacking us again will null it void." Celestine said, as he eyed Dmitry and both stood down. [color=ed1c24]"......You don't listen very well, do you? I will not sit idly by while my friends are in danger, and I will not drag them into a fight I can't win myself....Especially if it means they'd die, but I would live."[/color] [color=ed1c24]"..Good bye Celestine....Dmitry...It was nice to meet you. If reincarnation is a thing, I do hope we meet again..."[/color] Luigi begins, as three red lights peek through his broken mass of tendrils. Three Grenades made with high explosives, each the size of a large balled fist began to prime themselves, ready to detonate. Luigi grinned as within the moment, his house and those neighboring it would be reduced to a mound of rubble. He wouldn't survive the blast, but that didn't matter. No, what mattered was this...he'd buy time. For Diana, for everyone the maggot god wanted dead, and maybe even for his father if he was lucky. [color=ed1c24]"Not again...never again..."[/color] Celestine's eyes went wide, recognizing the trademark activation of Luigi's explosive. His Laplace could... but his body moved in another direction, jumping in the direction of Dmitry to save him from the explosion. He had always been ready for the worst. But not... Dmitri. He hated him so much, and yet, he reminded of his past self. Delusions, plans, everything was burned to ash, and the one only thing he could think of was... that hateful brother of his. He grabbed one of Luigi's prototypes, a force field, and slapped into Dmitry, protecting him from the blast... only for it to fail. "Spiteful...bast..." Celestine cursed to his death, fully knowing that this was the punishment his god exacted on him for his misgivings and misuses. As the bright flash of light emerged from the tendrils, Celestine could see Luigi grinning and waving, before like that he was gone, thrown across the room and embedded into a wall. To those outside of the building, it was like a pillar of fire had erupted, shattering car windows, blowing out ear drums, collapsing in the two homes near by, which were luckily empty at the moment. After a few moment, the iron titan pushed himself from the rubble. His arms were blown off, his legs heavily damaged, intense amounts of shrapnel piercing through his chest. Blood and oil stained the ground as he trudged onto the street, coughing and hacking up bits of metal and flesh. He stumbles forwards, wondering if he would indeed make it out of this alive. Just as his thoughts drifted towards his future, the god of fate would try to have the last laugh. Cel's katana flew towards Luigi's neck, intending a lethal decapitation. However, the scion of war had not come this far to die, and the God of War did not tolerate sore losers. The blade slammed into Luigi's reinforced neck, cut in but stopped just shy of severing anything important. Luigi stumbled for a few moments, and began to cry as he works his way towards the hospital. [color=ed1c24]"....You were right, Mit...no one wins...."[/color] Luigi whines, in intense agony as he shuffled his broken body away from the blast zone, hoping to dodge the police.